things are all I can observe that are offered in the confirmation of it First That these things of morality moral Vertues are of more importance in Religion than the outward worship of God which the amplitude of power before asserted is now reducing to a respect unto Secondly That there is much more danger of his erring and mistaking in things of morality than in things of outward Worship because of their great weight and importance These things are pleaded p. 28. And elsewhere up and down That any thing else is offered in the confirmation of this consequent I find not And it may be some will think these proofs to be very weak and feeble unable to sustain the weight that is laid upon them For it is certain that the first Rule that he that hath power over the Greater hath so over the Lesser doth not hold unless it be in things of the same nature and kind and it is no less certain and evident that there is an especial and formal difference between these things namely moral Vertues and Instituted Worship the one depending as to their Being and discovery on the light of Nature and the dictates of that Reason which is common to all and speakes the same language in the Consciences of all mankind the other on pure Revelation which may be and is variously apprehended Hence it is that whereas there is no difference in the world about what is Vertue and what is not there is no Agreement about what belongs to divine Worship and what doth not Again lesser things may be exempted from that Power and Authority by especial priviledge or Law which hath the disposal of greater committed into it and intrusted with it As the Magistrate amongst us may take away the life of a Man which is the greatest of his concernments the name of his all for fellony but cannot take away his Estate or Inheritance of Land which is a far less concernment unto him if it be antecedently setled by Law to other uses than his own And if it cannot be proved that the disposal of the Worship of God as to what doth really and truly belong unto it and all the parts of it is exempted from all humane Power by special Law and Priviledge let it be disposed of as who so will shall judge meet Nor is the latter consideration suggested to inforce this consequent of any more validity namely that there is more danger of the Magistrates erring or mistakes about Moral Vertue than about Rites of Worship because that is of most concernment in Religion For it is true that suppose a Man to walk on the top of an high house or Tower on a plain floor with battlements or Walls round about him there will be more danger of breaking his neck if he should fall from thence than if he should fall from the top of a narrow wall that had not the fourth part of the heighth of the house But there would not be so much danger of falling For from the top of the house as circumstantiated he cannot fall unless he will wilfully and violently cast himself down headlong and on the top of the Wall it may be he cannot stand with the utmost of his heed and endeavours The Magistrate cannot mistake about Moral Vertues unless he will do it wilfully They have their station fixed in the world on the same ground and evidence with Magistracy it self The same evidence the same common consent and suffrage of mankind is given unto Moral Vertues as is to any Government in the World And to suppose a supream Magistrate a Law-giver to mistake in these things in judging whether Justice and Temperance or Fortitude be Vertues or no and that in their Legislative capacity is ridiculous Neither Nero nor Caligula were ever in danger of any such mis-adventure All the Magistrates in the World at this day are agreed about these things But as to what concerns the Worship of God they are all at variance There is no such Evidence in these things no such common suffrage about them as to free any absolutely from failings and mistakes so that in respect of them and not of the other lyes the principal danger of miscarrying as to their determination and administration Supposing therefore the Premises our Author layes down to be true his Inference from them is feeble and obnoxious to various impeachments whereof I have given some few Instances only which shall be increased if occasion require But the Assertion it self which is the foundation of these consequences is utterly remote from Accuracy and Truth It is said that the Magistrate hath power over the Consciences of Men in reference unto Moral Duties which are the principal parts of Religion Our first and most difficult inquiry is after the meaning of this Proposition the later after its truth I ask then first whether he hath power over the Consciences of men with respect unto Moral Vertue and over Moral Vertue it self as Vertue and as a part of Religion or on some other account If his power respect Vertue as a part of Religion then it equally extends it self to all that is so by Vertue of a Rule which will not be easily everted But it doth not appear that it so extends it self as to plead an obliging Authority in reference unto all Duties For let but the Scheme of Moral Duties especially those whose Object is God given us by our Author be considered and it will quickly be discerned how many of them are exempted from all humane cognizance and Authority and that from and by their nature as well as their use in the World And it is in vain to ascribe an authority to Magistrates which they have no power to exert or take cognizance whether it be obeyed or no. And what can they do therein with respect unto Gratitude to God which holds the first place in the Scheme of Moral Vertues here given in unto us We are told also p. 83. That in matters both of Moral Vertue and Divine Worship there are some rules of Good and Evil that are of an Eternal and unchangeable obligation and these can never be prejudiced or altered by any humane power because the reason of their Obligation arises from a necessity and constitution of nature and therefore must be 〈◊〉 perpetual as that but then there are other rules of Duty that are alterable according to the various accidents changes and conditions of humane life and depend chiefly upon contracts and positive Laws of Kingdoms It would not be unworthy our inquiry to consider what rules of Moral Duty they are which are alterable and depend on accidents and contracts But we might easily find work enough should we call all such fond Assertions to a just examination Neither doth the distinction here given us between various Rules of Moral Vertue very well answer what we are told p. 69. namely that every particular Vertue is therefore such because it is are semblance and imitation of some
run into Principles and practices inconsistent with the safety of Humane Society and such as will lead them to Seditions and Tumults And hence if I understand him a matter I am continually jealous about from the loosness of his expressions though I am satisfied I constantly take his words in the words in the sense which is received of them by most intelligent persons he educeth all his reasonings and not from a meer dissent from the Magistrates Injuctions without the entertainment of such Principles or an engagement into such practices I cannot I say find the Arguments that arise from a meer supposition that men in some things relating to the worship of God will or do practise otherwise than the Magistrate commands which are used to prove the inconsistency of such a posture of things with publick Tranquility which yet alone was the Province our Author ought to have managed But there is another supposition added that where Conscience is in any thing left unto its own liberty to choose or refuse in the Worship of God there it will embrace sure enough such wicked debauched and seditious principles as shall dispose men unto commotions rebellions and all such evils as will actually evert all rule order and policy amongst men But now this supposition will not be granted him in reference unto them who profess to take up all their Profession of Religion from the command of God or the Revelation of his Will in the Scripture wherein all such Principles and Practices as those mentioned are utterly condemned and the whole Profession of Christianity being left for 300 years without the Rule Guidance and conduct of Conscience now contended for did not once give the least disturbance unto the Civil Governments of the World Disturbances indeed there were and dreadful Revolutions of Government in those dayes and places when and where the Professors of it lived but no concerns of Religion being then involved in or with the Civil Rights and Interests of men as the Professors of it had no Engagements in them so from those Alterations and Troubles no reflection could be made on their profession And the like Peace the like Innocency of Religion the like freedom from all possibility of such imputations as are now cast upon it occasioned meerly by its intertexture with the Affairs Rights and Laws of the Nations and the Interests of its professours as such therein will ensue when it shall be separated from that Relation wherein it stands to this world and left as the pure naked tendency of the souls of men to another and not before But what sayes our Author If for the present the minds of men happen to be tainted with such furious and boysterous conceptions of Religion as incline them to stubbornness and sedition and make them unmanageable to the laws of Government shall not a Prince be allowed to give check to such unruly and dangerous perswasions I answer That such Principles which being professed and avowed are in their own Nature and just Consequence destructive to publick peace and humane Society are all of them directly opposite to the Light of humane nature that common Reason and consent of Mankind wherein and whereon all Government is founded with the prime Fundamental Laws and dictates of the Scripture and so may and ought to be restrained in the practises of the persons that profess them and with reference unto them the Magistrate beareth not the sword in Vain For humane Society being inseparably consequent unto and and an effect of the Law of our Nature or concreated principles of it which hath subdued the whole race of Mankind in all times and places unto its observance Opinions perswasions principles opposite unto it or destructive of it manifesting themselves by any sufficient evidence or in overt Acts ought to be no more allowed than such as profess an Enmity to the Being and Providence of God himself For mens Inclinations indeed as in themselves considered there is no competent Judge of them amongst the Sons of men but as to all outward Actions that are of the tendency described they are under publick Inspection to be dealt withall according to their Demerit I shall only add that the Mormo here made use of is not now first composed or erected it hath for the substance of it been flourished by the Papists ever since the beginning of the Reformation Neither did they use to please themselves more in or to dance more merrily about any thing than this Calf Let private men have their Consciences exempted from a necessary obedience to the Prescriptions of the Church and they will quickly run into all pernicious fancies and perswasions It is known how this Scare-crow hath been cast to the ground and this Calf stamped to powder by Divines of the Church of England It is no pleasant thing I confess to see this plea revived now with respect to the Magistrates Authority and not the Popes for I fear that when it shall be manifested and that by the consent of all parties that there is no pleadable Argument to botom this pretension for the power of the Magistrate upon some rather then forego it will not be unwilling to recur to the fountain from whence it first sprang and admit the Popes plea as meet to be revived in this case And indeed if we must come at length for the security of publick peace to deprive all private persons of the Liberty of judging what is Right and Wrong in Religion in reference to their own practice or what is their duty towards God about his Worship and what is not there are innumerable advantages attending the design of devolving the absolute determination of these things upon the Pope above that of committing it to each supream Magistrate in his own Dominions For besides the plea of at least better security in his determinations than in that of any Magistrates if not his Infallibility which he hath so long talked of and so sturdily defended as to get it a great reputation in the world the delivering up of the Faith and Consciences of all men unto him will produce a seeming agreement at least of incomparably a larger extent then the remitting of all things of this nature to the pleasure of every supream Magistrate which may probably establish as many different Religions in the World as there are different Nations Kingdoms or Commonwealths That which alone remains seeming to give countenance to the Assertions before laid down is our Authors assignation of the Priesthood by natural Right unto the supream Magistrate which in no alteration of Religion he can be devested of but by vertue of some positive Law of God as it was for a season in the Mosaical Institution and Government But these things seem to be of no force For it never belonged to the Priesthood to govern or to rule the Consciences of men with an absolute uncontrollable power but only in their name and for them to administer the holy things which by
instituted Ceremonies come to be significant and what it is they signifie and whether it be lawful to assign a significancy to them in the Worship of God when indeed they have none of the kind intended To free us from any danger herein he informs us p. 108. That all the Magistrates power of instituting significant Ceremonies amounts to no more than a power of determining what shall or what shall not be visible signs of honour and this can be no Vsurpation upon the Consciences of men This is new Language and such as we have not formerly been used unto in the Church of England namely That of the Magistrates Instituting Significant Ceremonies It was of old the Churches appointing Ceremonies for decency and Order But all the Terms of that Assertion are now metamorphosed The Church into the Magistrates Appointing which respects exercise into Institution which respects the nature of the thing and hath a singular use and sense in this matter or let them pass for the same and Order and decency into Ceremonies significant These things were indeed implyed before but not so fully and plainly expressed or avowed But the honour here intended in this matter is the honour which is given to God in his Worship This is the honour of Faith Love Fear Obedience spiritual and holy in Jesus Christ. To say that the Magistrate hath power to institute visible signs of this honour to be observed in the outward Worship of God is upon the matter to say that he hath power to institute new Sacraments for so such things would be And to say what neither is nor can be proved nor is here either Logically or any way regularly attempted so to be The Compiring of the Ceremonies and their signification with words and their signification will not relieve our Author in this matter Some things are naturally significant of one another so Effects are of Causes so is Smoke of Fire and such were the Signes of the Weather mentioned by our Saviour Matth. 16. 2 3. Thus I suppose Ceremonies are not significant they do not Naturally signifie the things whereunto they are applyed for if they did there would be no need of their institution And they are here said to be instituted by the Magistrate Again there are Customary Signes some it may be Catholick many Topical that have prevailed by Custome and Usage to signifie such things as they have no absolute Natural Coherence with or Relation unto such are putting off the Hat in sign of Reverence with others innumerable And both these sorts of Signs may have some use about the Service and Worship of God as might be manifested in Instances But the Signes we enquire after are voluntary arbitrary and instituted as our Author confesseth for we do not treat of appointing some Ceremonies for order and decency which our Canons take notice of but of instituting Ceremonies for Signification such as neither naturally nor meerly by Custome and Usage come to be significant but only by Vertue of their Institution Now concerning these one Rule may be observed namely that they cannot be of one kind and signifie things of another by vertue of any command and consent of men unless they have an absolute Authority both over the sign and thing signified and can change their Natures or Create a new Relation between them To take therefore things Natural that are Outward and Visible and appoint them to be Signs not Natural nor Civil nor Customary but Mystical of things Spiritual Supernatural Inward and Invisible and as such to have them observed in the Church or Worship of God is a thing which is not as yet proved to be Lawfull signifie thus naturally they never can seeing there is no natural Relation between them Civilly or by Consent they do not so for they are things Sacred which they are supposed to signifie and are so far from signifying by consent that those who plead for their Signification do not agree wherein it doth consist They must therefore signifie so Mystically and Spiritually and Signa cum ad res Divinas pertinent sunt Sacramenta sayes Austin these things are Sacraments And when men can give Mystical and Spiritual Efficacy to any of their own Institutions when they can make a Relation between such Signes and the things signified by them when they can make that teaching and instructing in spiritual things and the Worship of God which he hath not made so nor appointed blessed or consecrated to that end when they can bind Gods Promises of Assistance and Acceptance to their own Inventions when they can advance what they will into the same rank and Series of things in the Worship of God with the Sacrifices of old or other parts of instituted Worship introduced into the Church by Gods Command and attended with his promise of gracious Acceptance then and not before may they institute the significant Ceremonies here contended for Words it is true are Signs of things and those of a mixed Nature partly Natural partly by Consent But they are not of one kind and signiâ—ie things of another for say the Schoolmen where words are Signs of Sacred things they are Signs of them as Things but not as Sacred A Survey of the Fourth Chapter IN the fourth Chapter we have no concern The Hypothesis whose Confutation he hath undertaken as it is in it self false so it is rather suited to promote what he aims at than what he opposeth And the principles which himself proceedeth on do seem to some to border on if not to be borrowed from his and those which are here confuted And thence it is that the foundations which he layes down in the entrance of this discourse are as destructive of his own pretensions as of those against which they are by himself improved For it is granted and asserted by him that there are Actions and Duties in and about which the Consciences of men are not to be obliged by humane Authority but have an antecedent Obligation on them from the Authority of God himself So that disobedience unto the contrary commands of humane Authority is no sin but an indispensible Duty And although he seems at first to restrain things of this nature unto things natural and of an essential Rectitude that is the prime dictates of the Law of Nature yet he expresly extends it iâ— Instances unto the belief of the truth of thâ— Gospel which is a matter of meer and purr Revelation And hereon he adds The formall and adequate reason of this exemption of Conscience from humane Authority and iâ— obligation unto duty before its consideration without it and against it which is not because Subjects are in any thing free from the Authority of the Supream power on earth but because they are Subject to a Superiour iâ— Heaven and they are then only excused from the Duty of obedience to their Soveraign when they cannot give it without rebellion against God so that it is not originally any right of their own that
or dictated There are two or three heads which the remainders of this Prefatory Discourse may be reduced unto First a magnificent Proclamation of his own Achievements what he hath proved what he hath done especially in representing the Inconsistence of Liberty of Conscience with the first and Fundamental Laws of Government and I am content that he please himself with his own Apprehensions like him who admired at the marvelous feats performed in an empty Theatre For it may be that upon examination it will be found that there is scarce in his whole Discourse any one Argument offered at that hath the least seeming cogency towards such an end Whether you take Liberty of Conscience for Liberty of Judgement which himself confesseth uncontroleable or Liberty of Practice upon Indulgence which he seems to oppose an impartial Reader will I doubt be so far from finding the Conclusion mentioned to be evinced as he will scarcely be able to satisfie himself that there are any Premises that have a tendency thereunto But I suppose he must extreamly want an Employment who will design himself a business in endeavouring to dispossess him of his self-pleasing Imagination Yea he seems not to have pleaded his own cause absurdly at Athens who giving the City the news of a Victory when they had received a Fatal Defeat affirmed that publick thanks were due to him for affording them two dayes of Mirth and Jollity before the tidings came of their ill success which was more than they were ever like to see again in their lives And there being as much satisfaction in a fancied as a real success though useless and failing we shall leave our Author in the highest contentment that thoughts of this nature can afford him However it may not be amiss to mind him of that old good Counsel Let not him that girdeth on his Armour boast like him that putteth it off Another part of his Oration is to decry the folly of that bruitish Apprehension that men can possibly live peaceably and quietly if they enjoy the Liberty of their Consciences where he fears not to affirm that it is more elegible to tolerate the highest Debauchertes than liberty for men to worship God according to what they apprehend he requires whence some severe persons would be too apt it may be to make a conjecture of his own Inclinations for it is evident that he is not absolutely insensible of self-interest in what he doth or writes But the contrary to what he asserts being a truth at this day written with the beams of the Sun in many Nations of Europe let Envy Malice Fear and Revenge suggest what they please otherwise and the Nature of the Thing it self denyed being built upon the best greatest and surest Foundations and Warranty that mankind hath to build on or trust unto for their peace and security I know not why it's denial was here ventured at unless it were to embrace an opportunity once more to give vent to the remainders of his Indignation by Revilings and Reproaches which I had hoped had been now exhausted But these things are but Collateral to his principal Design in this close of his Declamation and this is the Removal of an Objection that Liberty of Conscience would conduce much to the Improvement of Trade in the Nation It is known that many persons of great Wisdom and Experience and who as it is probable have had more time to consider the State and proper Interest of this Nation and have spent more pains in the weighing of all things conducing thereunto than our Author hath done are of this mind and judgement But he at once strikes them and their Reasons dumb by drawing out his Gorgon's head that he hath proved it inconsistent with Government and so it must needs be a foolish and silly thing to talk of its usefulness to Trade Verum ad populum phalera if great blustering words dogmatical Assertions uncouth unproved principles accompanied with a pretence of Contempt and scorn of all exceptions and oppositions to what is said with the persons of them that make them may be esteemed proofs our Author can prove what he pleaseth and he is to be thought to have proved whatever he affirms himself so to have done If sober Reason Experience Arguments derived from common acknowledged Principles of Truth If a Confirmation of Deductions from such principles by confessed and commonly approved Instances are necessary to make up convincing proofs in matters of this Nature and Importance we are yet to seek for them notwithstanding any thing that hath been offered by this Author or as far as I can conjecture is likely so to be In the mean time I acknowledge many parts of his Discourse to be singularly remarkable His Insinuation That the Affairs of the Kingdom are not in a fixed and established condition that we are distracted amongst our selves with a strange variety of Jealousâ—es and Annimosities and such like expressions as if divulged in a Book printed without Licence would and that justly be looked on as Seditious are the Foundations that he proceedeth upon Now as I am confident that there is very little ground or none at all for these Insinuations so the publick disposing of the minds of men to fears suspicious and apprehensions of unseen dangers by such means becomes them only who care not what disadvantage they cast others nay their Rulers under so they may compass and secure their own private ends and concerns But yet not content to have expressed his own real or pretended apprehensions he proceeds to manifest his scorn of those or his smiling at them who with mighty projects labour for the improvement of Trade which the Council appointed as I take it by His Majesty thence denominated is more concerned in than the Non-conformists and may do well upon this Information finding themselves lyable to scorn to desist from such an useless and contemptible employment They may now know that to erect and encourage trading Combinations is only to build so many Nests of Faction and Sedition for he sayes there is not any sort of people so inclinable to seditious practices as the trading part of a Nation and that their Pride and Arrogance naturally encrease with the improvement of their stock Besides the Fanatick party as he sayes live in these greater Societies and it is a very odd and preposterous folly to design the enriching of that sort of people for wealth doth but only pamper and encourage their presumption and he is a very silly man and understands nothing of the follies passions and inclinations of humane nature who sees not that there is no creature so ungovernable as a wealthy Fanatick It cannot be denyed but that this Modern Policy runs contrary to the principles and experience of former Ages To preserve industrious men in a peaceable way of emproving their own Interests whereby they might partake in their own and family concerns of the good and advantages of Government hath been by the
Tranquility in this world the great end of His Authority So he asserts also that there are things of God which are to be observed and practised even all and every one of his own commands in a neglect whereof on any pretence or account we give not unto God that which is His. And he doubted not but that these things these distinct respects to God and man were exceedingly well consistent and together directive to the same end of publick good Wherefore passing through the flourishes of this Frontispiece with the highest inconcernment we may enter the Fabrick it self where possibly we may find him declaring directly what it is that he asserts in this matter and contendeth for and this he doth pag. 10. And therefore it is the design of this Discourse by a fair and impartial Debate to compose all these differences and adjust all these quarrells and contentions and settle things upon their true and proper foundations first by proving it to be absolutely necessary to the peace and Government of the World that the Supream Magistrate of every Commonwealth should be vested with a power to govern and conduct the Consciences of Subjects in Affairs of Religion I am sure our Author will not be surprized if after he hath reported the whole Party whom he opposeth as a Company of silly foolish illiterate Persons one of them should so far acknowledge his own stupidity as to profess that after the Consideration of this Declaration of his Intention and mind he is yet to seek for the Direct and determinate sense of his Words and for the Principle that he designes the Confirmation of I doubt not but that the Magistrate hath all that power which is absolutely necessary for the preservation of publick Peace and Tranquility in the world But if men may be allowed to fancy what they please to be necessary unto that end and thence to make their own measures of that power which is to be ascribed unto Him no man knows what bounds will be fixed unto that Ocean wherein the Leviathans they have framed in their Imagination may sport themselves Some will perhaps think it necessary to this purpose that the Magistrate should have power to declare and determine whether there be a God or no whether if there be it be necessary He should be worshipped or no whether any Religion be needful in or usefull to the World and if there be then to determine what all subjects shall believe and practise from first to last in the whole of it And our Author hopes that some are of this mind Others may confine it to lesser things according as their own Interest doth call upon them so to do though they are not able to assign a clear distinction between what is subjected unto Him and what may plead an exemption from his Authority He indeed who is the Fountain and Original of all Power hath both assigned its proper end and fully suited it to the attainment thereof And if the noise of mens Lusts Passions and Interests were but a little silenced we should quickly hear the harmonious consenting voice of Humane nature it self declaring the just proportion that is between the Grant of power and its end and undeniably express it in all the instances of it For as the Principle of Rule and Subjection is natural to us concreated with us and indispensably necessary to Humane Society in all the distinctions it is capable of and Relations whence those Distinctions arise so Nature it self duly attended unto will not fail by the Reason of things to direct us unto all that is essential unto it and necessary unto its end Arbitrary Fictions of Ends of Government and what is necessary thereunto influenced by present Interest and arising from circumstances confined to one Place Time or Nation are not to be imposed on the Nature of Government it self which hath nothing belonging unto it but what inseparably accompanieth mankind as Sociable But to let this pass The Authority here particularly asserted is a Power in the supream Magistrate to govern and guide the Consciences of his Subjects in affairs of Religion Let any man duly consider these expressions and if he be satisfied by them as to the sense of the Controversie under debate I shall acknowledge that he is wiser than I which is very easie for any one to be What are the Affairs of Religion here intended all or some Whether in Religion or about it what are the Consciences of men and how exercised about these things what it is to govern and conduct them with what power by what means this may be done I am at a loss for ought that yet is here declared There is a Guidance Conduct yea Government of the Consciences of men by Instructions and Directions in a due proposal of rational and spiritual motives for those ends such as is that which is vested in and exercised by the Guides of the Church and that in subjection to and dependance on Christ alone as hath been hitherto apprehended though some now seem to have a mind to change their Master and to take up praesente Numine who may be of more Advantage to them That the Magistrate hath also power so to govern and conduct the Consciences of his Subjects in his way of Administration that is by ordering them to be taught instructed and guided in their duty I know none that doth deny So did Jehosophat 2 Chron. 17 7 8 9. But it seems to be a Government and Guidance of another nature that is here intended To deliver our selves therefore from the Deceit and Intanglement of these general expressions and that we may know what to speak unto we must seek for a Declaration of their sense and Importance from what is elsewhere in their pursuit affirmed and explained by their Author His general Assertion is as was observed that the Magistrate hath power over the Consciences of his Subjects in Religion as appears in the Title of his Book Here p. 10. that power is said to be to govern and conduct their Consciences in Religious Affairs pag. 13. that Religion is subject to his dominion as well as all other affairs of State pag. 27. it is a Soveraignty over mens Consciences in matters of Religion and this Universal Absolute and Uncontrollable Matters of Religion are as uncontrollably subject to the supream power as all other Civil Concerns He may if he please reserve the Exercise of the Priesthood to Himself p. 32. that is what now in Religion corresponds unto the ancient Priesthood as the Ordering Bishops and Priests Administring Sacraments and the like as the Papists in Q. Elizabeth 's time did commonly report in their usual manner that it was done by a Woman amongst us by a fiction of such principles as begin it seems now to be owned That if this power of the Government of Religion be not Universal and Unlimited it is useless p. 35. that this power is not derived from Christ nor any grant of
humane life Such are all those moral Vertues which have in their Nature a resemblance of the divine perfections wherein he placeth the Substance of Religion With respect unto these he so setteth up the Throne of Conscience as to affirm that if any thing be commanded by the Magistrate against them to disobey Him is no Sin but a Duty and we shall find the Case to be the same in matters of meer Revelation For what God commands that he commands by what way soever that commnad be made known to us And there is no consideration that can adde any thing to the obligatory power and efficacy of infinite Authority So that where the Will of God is the formal Reason of our Obedience it is all one how or by what means it is discovered unto us Whatever we are instructed in by innate Reason or by 〈◊〉 the Reason why we are 〈◊〉 by it is neither the one nor the other but the Authority of God in both But we must return unto the Consideration of the Sentiments of our Author in this matter as before laid down The Authority ascribed to the Civil Magistrate being as hath been expressed it will be very hard for any one to distinguish between it and the Soveraignty that the Lord Christ himself hath in and over his Church yea if there be any Advantage on either side or a comparative preheminence it will be found to be cast upon that of the Magistrate Is the Lord Christ the Lord of the Souls and Consciences of men Hath he dominion over them to rule them in the things of the Worship of God It is so with the Magistrate also He hath an universal power over the Consciences of his Subjects Doth the Lord Christ require his Disciples to do and observe in the Worship of God what ever he commanded them So also may the Magistrate the Rule and Conduct of Conscience in these matters belonging unto him provided that he command nothing that may countenance Vice or disgrace the Deity which with Reverence be it spoken our Lord Jesus Christ himself not only on the Account of the Perâ—ection and rectitude of his own Nature but also of his Commission from the Father could not do Is the Authority of Christ the formal Reason making Obedience necessary to his Commands and Precepts So is the Authority of the Magistrate in reference unto what he requires Do men therefore sin if they neglect the observance of the commands of Christ in the Worship of God because of his immediate Authority so to command them binding their Consciences So do men sin if they omit or neglect to do what the Magistrate requires in the Worship of God because of his Authority without any farther respect Hath the Lord Christ instituted two Sacraments in the Worship of God that is outward visible signs or Symbols of inward invisible or spiritual Grace the Magistrate if he please may institute and appoint twenty under the names of significant Ceremonies that is outward visible signs of inward spiritual grace which alone is the significancy contended about Hath the Magistrate this his Authority in and over Religion and the consciences of men from Jesus Christ no more then Christ hath his Authority from the Magistrate for he holds it by the Law of Nature antecedent to the promise and coming of Christ Might Christ in his own Person administer the Holy Things of the Church of God not in the Church of the Jews for he sprang of the Tribe of Judah concerning which nothing was spoken as to the Priesthood only he might in that of the Gospel but hath judged meet to commit the Actual Administration of them to others So is it with the Magistrate also Thus far then Christ and the Magistrate seem to stand on even or equal terms But there are two things remaining that absolutely turn the scale and cast the advantage on the Magistrates side For First Men may do and practise many things in the Worship of God which the Lord Christ hath no where nor by any means required yea to think that his Word or the Revelation of his Mind and Will therein is the sole and adequate Rule of Religious Worship is reported as an Opinion foolish absurd impious and destructive of all Government If this be not supposed not only the whole Design of our Author in this Book is defeated but our whole Controversie also is composed and at an end But on the other hand no man must do or practise any thing in that way but what is prescribed appointed and commanded by the Magistrate upon pain of Sin Schism Rebellion and all that follows thereon To leave this unasserted is all that the Non-Conformists would desire in order unto peace Comprehension and Indulgence would ensue thereon Here I think the Magistrate hath the advantage But that which follows will make it yet more evident for Secondly Suppose the Magistrate require any thing to be done and observed in the Worship of God and the Lord Christ require the quite contrary in a mans own apprehension so that he is as well satisfied in his apprehension of his mind as he can be of any thing that is proposed to his faith and Conscience in the Word of God in this case he is to obey Magistrate and not Christ as far as I can learn unless all Confusion and Disorder be admitted an entrance into the world Yea but this seems directly contrary to that Rule of the Apostles which hath such an evidence and power of rational conviction attending it that they refer it to the judgement of their Adversaries and those persons of as perverse corrupt minds and prejudicate engagements against them and their cause as ever lived in the world namely Whether it be meet to obey God or man judge ye But we are told that this holds only in greater matters the Logick by the way of which distinction is as strange as its Divinity For if the formal Reason of the difference intimated arise from the comparison between the Authority of God and man it holds equally as to all things small or great that they may be oppositely concerned in Besides who shall judge what is small or what is great in things of this Nature Cave ne titubes Grant but the least judgement to private men themselves in this matter and the whole Fabrick tumbles If the Magistrate be Judge of what is great and of what is little we are still where we were without hopes of delivery And this to me is a notable instance of the preheminence of the Magistrate above Christ in this matter Some of the Old Irish have a Proverbial Speech amongst them That if christ had not been Christ when he was Christ Patrick had been Christ but it seems now that takeing it for granted that he was Christ yet we have another that is so also that is Lord over the Souls and Consciences of men and what can be said more of him who sits in the Temple of
on this of our Author as the rudest most imperfect and weakest Scheme of Christian Religion that ever yet I saw so far from comprising an induction of all particulars belonging to it that there is nothing in it that is constitutive of Christian Religion as such at all I wish he had given us a summary of the Credenda of it as he hath done of its Agenda that we might have had a prospect of the body of his Divinity The ten Commandments would in my mind have done twice as well on this present occasion with the addition of the Explication of them given us in the Church Cateehism But I am afraid that very Catechism may ere long be esteemed Phanatical also One I confess I have read of before who was of this Opinion that all Religion consisted in Morality alone But withall he was so Ingenious as to follow the conduct of his Judgement in this matter unto a full Renunciation of the Gospel which is certainly inconsistent with it This was one Martin Sidelius a Seilesian who gave the ensuing account of his Faith unto Faustus Socinus and his Society at Cracovia Caeterum ut sciatis cujus sim religionis quamvis id scripto meo quod habetis ostenderim tamen hic breviter repetam Et primum quidem doctrina de Messia seu Rege illo promisso ad meam religionem nihil pertinet nam Rex elle tantum Judaeis promissus erat sicut bona illa Canaan Sic etiam circumcisio sacrificia reliquae cerimoniae Mosis ad me non pertinent sed tantum populo Judaico promissa data mandata sunt Neque ista fuerunt cultus Dei apud Judaeos sed inserviebant cultui divino ad cultum deducebant Judaeos Verus autem cultus Dei quem meam religionem appello est Decalogus qui est aeterna Dei voluntas qui Decalogus ideo ad me pertinet quia etiam mihi à Deo datus est non quidem per vocems sonantem de coelo sicut populo Judaico at per creationem insita est menti meae quia autem insitus Decalogus per corruptionem naturae humanae pravis consuetudinibus aliqua ex parte obscuratus est ideo ad illustrandum cum adhibeo vocalem Decalogum qui vocalis Decalogus ideo etiam ad me ad omnes populos pertinet quia cum insito nobis Decalogo consentit imo idem ille Decalogus est Haec est mea sententia de Messia seu rege illo promisso haec est mea religio quam coram vobis ingenue profiteor Martin Seidelius Olavensis Silesius That is But that you may know of what Religion I am although it is expressed in that Writing which you have already yet I will here briefly repeat it And first of all the Doctrine of the Messiah or King that was promised doth not belong to my Religion for that King was promised to the Jews only as was the good Land of Câ—nâ—an So in like manner circumcision Sacrifices and the rest of the Ceremonies of Moses belong not to me but were promised given and granted unto the people of the Jews alone Neither were they the Worship of God among the Jews but were only subservient unto Divine Worship and lead the Jews unto it the same Opinion is maintained by our Author concerning all exterior Worship but the true Worship which I call my Religion is the Decalogue which is the Eternal and immutable Will of God And here also he hath the consent and concurrence of our Author which Decalogue doth therefore belong unto me because it is given by God to me also not indeed by a voice sounding from Heaven as he gave it to the people of the Jews but it is implanted in my mind by nature But because this implanted Decalogue by reason of the corruption of humane nature and through depraved Customs is in some measure obscured for the illustration of it I make use of the vocal Decalogue which therefore also belongs unto me and all people because it consenteth with the Decalogue written in our hearts yea is the same Law with it This is my opinion concerning the Messiah or the promised King and this is my Religion which I freely acknowledge before ye So he This is plain dealing He saw clearly that if all Religion and the Worship of God consisted in Morality only there was neither need nor use of Christ nor the Gospel And accordingly having no outward advantage by them discarded them But setting aside his bold renunciation of Christ as promised I see not any material difference between the Religion of this man and that now contended for The poor deluded souls among our selves who leaving the Scripture pretend that they are guided by the Light within them are upon the matter of the same Religion For that light being nothing but the Dictates of Reason and a natural Conscience it extends not it self beyond Morality which some of them understanding we know what thoughts and apprehensions they have had of Christ and of his Gospel and the Worship of God instituted therein For hence it is and not as our Author pretends with a strange incogitancy concerning them and the Gnosticks that they assert the Scripture to be the only Rule of Religious Worship that they are fallen into these fond imaginations And these are the effects which this Principle doth naturally lead unto I confess then that I do not agree with our Author in and about this Scheme of Christian Religion which I shall therefore first briefly put in my exceptions unto and then offer him another in lieu of it First Then this Scheme seems to represent Religion unto us as suited to the state of Innocency and that very imperfectly also For it is composed to answer the former assertions of confining Religion to Moral Vertues which are granted to consist in our conformity unto and expression of the Dictates of Reason and the Law of Nature Again the whole duty of man is said to refer either to his Creator or his Neighbour or himself Had it been said to God absolutely another interpretation might have been put upon the words But being restrained unto him as our Creator all Duties referring to our Redeemer are excluded or not included which certainly have some place in Christian Religion Our Obedience therein is the Obedience of Faith and must answer the special objects of it And we are taught in the Church Catechism to believe in God the Father who made us and all the world and in God the Son who redeemed us and all Mankind and in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifies us and all the Elect people of God Now these distinct acts of Faith have distinct acts of Obedience attending them whereas none here are admitted or at least required but those which fall under the first head It is also very imperfect as a description of natural Religion or the Duties of the Law of Nature For the
confusion in all government But what is this to the present enquiry whether Conscience lay an Obligation on men as regulated by the word of God and respecting Him to practise according to its dictates It is true enough that if any of its practices do not please or satisfy the Magistrate their Authors must for ought I know stand to what will follow or ensue on them to their prejudice but this frees them not from the Obligation that is upon them in Conscience unto what is their duty This is that which must be here proved if any thing be intended unto the purpose of this Author namely that notwithstanding the judgment of Conscience concerning any duty by the interposition of the Authority of the Magistrate to the contrary there is no Obligation ensues for the performance of that duty This is the Answer that ought plainly to be returned and not a suggestion that outward Actions must fall under the Cognizance of the Magistrate which none ever doubted of and which is nothing to the present purpose unless he would have them to fall under the Magistrates Cognizance as that his will should be the supream Rule of them which I think he cannot prove But what sense the Magistrate will have of the outward Actions wherein the discharge of mans duty doth consist is of another consideration This therefore is the state of the present case applied unto Religious Worship Suppose the Magistrate command such things in Religion as a man in his Conscience guided by the Word and respecting God doth look upon as Vnlawful and such as are Evil and Sin unto him if he should perform them and forbid such things in the Worship of God as he esteems himself obliged in Conscience to observe as commands of Christ If he may practise the things so commanded and omit the things so forbidden I fear he will find himself within doors continually at confession saying with trouble enough I have done those things which I ought not to have done and I have left undone those things which I ought to have done and there is no health in me unless this Author can prove that the Commands of God respect only the minds of men but not their outward actions which are left unto the Authority of the Magistrate alone If no more be here intended but that whatever Conscience may require of any it will not secure them but that when they come to act outwardly according to it the Civil Magistrate may and will consider their Actions and allow them or forbid them according to his own judgement it were surely a madness to deny it as great as to say the Sun shineth not at noon day If Conscience to God be confined to Thoughts and Opinions and Speculations about the general Notions and Notices of things about True and False and unto a liberty of judging and determining upon them what they are whether they are so or no 〈◊〉 the whole nature and being of Conscience and that to the Reason sense and experience of every man is utterly overthrown If Conscience be allowed to make its judgement of what is good or evil what is Duty or sin and no obligation be allowed to ensue from thence unto a suitable practice a wide door is opened unto Atheism and thereby the subversion of all Religion and Government in the world This therefore is the summ of what is asserted in this matter Conscience according to that Apprehension which it hath of the will of God about His worship whereunto we confine our discourse obligeth men to act or forbear accordingly if their Apprehensions are right and true just and equal what the Scripture the great Rule of Conscience doth declare and require I hope none upon second thoughts will deny but that such things are attended with a right unto a Liberty to be practised whilst the Lord Jesus Christ is esteemed the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and is thought to have power to command the observance of his own Institutions Suppose these Apprehensions to be such as may in some things be they more or less be judged not to correspond exactly with the great Rule of Conscience yet supposing them also to contain nothing inconsistent with or of a disturbing nature to civil Society and publick Tranquillity nothing that gives countenance to any Vice or Evil or is opposite to the principal Truths and main Duties of Religion wherein the minds of men in a Nation do coalesce nor carry any politick entangleâ—ments along with them and add thereunto the peaceableness of the persons possesâ— with those Apprehensions and the impossibility they are under to devest themselves of them and I say Natural Right Justice Equity Religion Conscience God himself in all and His Voice in the hearts of all unprejudiced persons do require that neither the persons themselves on the account of their Consciences have violence offered unto them nor their practices in pursuit of their Apprehensions be restrained by severe prohibitions and penalties But whereas the Magistrate is allowed to judge and dispose of all outward Actions in reference to publick tranquility if any shall assert Principles as of Conscience tending or obliging unto the practice of Vice Immorality or Sin or to the disturbance of publick society such principles being all notoriously judged by Scripture Nature the common consent of Mankind and inconsistent with the fundamental principles of Humane Polity may be in all instances of their discovery and practice coerced and restrained But plainly as to the commands of Conscience they are of the same extent with the commands of God If these respect only the inward man or the mind Conscience doth no more if they respect outward Actions Conscience doth so also From the Liberty of Conscience a Proceed is made to Christian Liberty which is said to be a Duty or priviledg founded upon the chimaerical Liberty of Conscience before granted But these things stand not in the Relation imagined Liberty of Conscience is of natural Right Christian Liberty is a Gospel-priviledge though both may be pleaded in bar of unwarrantable Impositions on Conscience But these things are so described by our Author as to be confounded For the Christian Liberty described in this Paragraph is either restrained to matters of pure Speculation wherein the mind of man is left entirely free to judge of the Truth and falsehood of things or as it regards things that fall under Laws and Impositions wherein men are left intirely free to judge of them as they are objects of meer Opinion Now how this differs from the Liberty of Conscience granted before I know not And that there is some mistake in this description of Christian Liberty need no other Consideration to evince but this namely that Christian Liberty as our Author tells us is a Priviledge but this is not so being that which is equally common unto all mankind This Liberty is necessary unto Humane Nature nor can it be divested of it and so it is not
on the Minds Consciences or judgements of men to think or judge otherwise of what is imposed on them than as their nature is and doth require only they are obliged unto their Usage Observance and Practice which is to put us into a thousand times worse condition than the Jews if Instances of them should be multiplyed as they may lawfully 〈◊〉 every year seeing it much more quiet◠the mind to be able to resolve its thought◠immediately into the Authority of Go◠under its Yoke than into that of man I◠therefore we are freed from the one by our Christian Liberty we are so much more from the other so as that being made free by Christ we should not be the servants of men in things belonging to his Service and Worship From this discovery here made of the nature of Christian Liberty our Author makes some deductions p. 98 99. concerning the nature of Religious Worship wherein he tells us that the whole substance of Religious Worship is transacted within the mind of man and dwells in the heart and thoughts the soul being its proper Seat and Temple where men may Worship their God as they please without offending their Prince and that External Worship is no part of Religion it self I wish he had more clearly and distinctly expressed his mind in this matter for his Assertions in the sense the words seem to bear are prodigiously false and such as will open a door to Atheism with all Villany and Confusion in the World For who would not think this to be his intention Let men keep their minds and inward thoughts and apprehensious right for God and then they may practise outwardly in Religion what they please one thing one day another another be Papists and Protestants Arians and Homousians yea Mahometans and Christians any thing every thing after the manner of the Country and Laws of the Prince where they are and live the Rule that Ecebolius walked by of old I think there is no man that owns the Scripture but will confess that this is at least if not a direct yet an interpretative rejection of the whole Authority of God And may not this Rule be quickly extended unto Oaths themselves the bonds and Ligaments of humane Society For whereas in their own formal nature they belong to the Worship of God why may not men pretend to keep up their Reverence unto God in the internal part of them or their esteem of Him in their Invocation of His Name but as to the outward part accommodate it unto what by their Interest is required of them so swearing with their Tongues but keeping their Mind at Liberty If the Principles laid down be capable of any other more tolerable sense and such as may be exclusive of these Inferences I shall gladly admit it at present what is here deduced from them seems to be evidently included in them It is true indeed that Natural Moral or Internal Worship consisting in Faith Love Fear Thankfulness Submission Dependance and the like hath its constant Seat and Residence in the Souls and Minds of men but that the wayes whereby these Principles of it are to be outwardly exercised and expressed by Gods Command and Appointment are not also indispensably necessary unto us and parts of his Worship is utterly false That which principally in the Scripture comes under the notion of the Worship of God is the due observance of his outward Institutions which Divines have upon unquestionable grounds contended to be commanded and appointed in general in the second Commandment of the Decalogue whence all particular Institutions in the several seasons of the Church are educed and resolved into the Authority of God therein expressed And that account which we have here given us of outward Worship namely that it is no part of Religion it self but only an Instrument to express the inward Veneration of the mind by some outward action or posture of the body as it is very difficultly to be accommodated unto the sacrifices of old or the present Sacraments of the Church which were and are parts of outward Worship and as I take it of Religion so the being an instrument unto the purpose mentioned doth not exclude any thing from being also a part of Religion and Worship it self if it be commanded by God to be performed in His Service unto His Glory It is pretended that all Outward Worship is only an exteriour signification of Honour but yet all the parts of it in their performance are Acts of Obedience unto God and are the proper Actings of Faith Love and Submission of Soul unto God which if they are not His Worship and parts of Religion I know not what may be so esteemed Let then Outward Worship stand In what Relation it will to Inward Spiritual Honour where God requires it and commands it it is no less necessary and in dispensably to be performed than any part of Inward Worship it self and is a no less important duty of Religion For any thing comes to be a part of Religious Worship outwardly to be performed not from its own nature but from its respect unto the command of God and the End whereunto it is by him designed So the Apostle tells us that with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made un◠Salvation Rom. 10. Confession is but the exteriour signification of the Faith that is i◠our hearts but yet it is no less necessary to Salvation than Faith it self is to Righteousness And those who regulate their Obedience and Religious Worship by the Commands of God knowing that which way ever they are signified by inbred Light or superadded Revelation it is they which give their Obedience its formal nature making it Religious will not allow that place and use of the outward Worship required by God Himself which should exclude it from being Religious or a part of their Religion But upon the whole matter our Author affirms that in all Ages of the World God hath left the Management of His Outward Worship unto the Discretion of Men unless when to determine some particulars hath been usefull to some other purpose pag. 100. The management of Outward Worship may signifie no more but the due performance of it and so I acknowledge that though it be not left unto mens discretion to observe or not observe it yet it is too their Duty and Obedience which are their Discretion and their Wisdom But the management here understood is opposed to Gods own determination of particular Forms that is His especial Institutions and hereof I shall make bold to say that it was never in any Age so left to the Discretion of men To prove this Assertion Sacrifices are singled out as an Instance It is known and granted that these were the most solemn part of the Outward Worship of God for many Ages and that there was a general consent of Mankind unto the use of them so that however the greatest part of the
here reproached What then I say is the true sense and importance of that which our Author design◠to oppose according to the mind of them who assert it how impotent his attempts against it are for its removal shall briefly be declared In the mean time I cannot but in the first place tell him that if by any means this Principle truly stated as to the Expression wherein it is before laid down and the formal Terms whereof it consisteth should be shaken or rendred dubious yet that the way will not be much the plainer or clearer for the Introduction of his pretensions There are yet other general maxims which Non-Conformists adhere unto and suppose not justly questionable which they can firmly stand and build upon in the management of their Plea as to all differences between him and them And because it may be he is unacquainted with them I shall reckon over some of them for his Information And they are these that follow 1. That whatever the Scripture hath indeed prescribed and appointed to be done and observed in the Worship or God and the government of the Church that is indeed to be done and observed This they suppose will not be opposed at least they do not yet know notwithstanding any thing spoken or disputed in this Discourse any pretences on which it may honestly so be It is also as I think secured Matth. 28. 20. 2. That nothing in Conjunction with nothing as an Addition or Supplement unto what is so appointed ought to be admitted if it be contrary either to the General Rules or particular preceptive Instructions of the Scripture And this also I suppose will be granted and if it be not freely some are ready by Arguments to extort the confession of it from them that shall deny it 3. That nothing ought to be joyned with or added unto what in the Scripture is prescribed and appointed in these things without some Cogent Reason making such Conjunction or Addition necessary Of what necessity may accrue unto the observation of such things by their prescription we do not now dispute but at present only desire to see the necessity of their prescription And this can be nothing but some defect in Substance or Circumstance matter or manner kind or form in the Institutions mentioned in the Scripture as to their proper ends Now whe◠this is discovered I will not for my par◠much dispute by whom the supplement to be made In the mean time I do judg◠it reasonable that there be some previou◠Reasons assigned unto any Additional prescriptions in the Worship of God unto what is revealed in the Scripture rendring the matter of those prescriptions antecedently necessary and reasonable 4. That if any thing or things in this kind shall be found necessary to be added and prescribed then that and those alone be so which are most consonant unto the general Rules of the Scripture given as for our Guidance in the Worship of God and the nature of those Institutions themselves wherewith they are conjoyned or whereunto they are added And this also I suppose to be a reasonable Request and such as will be granted by all men who dare not advance their own Wills and Wisdom above or against the Will and Wisdom of God 5. Now if as was said the general Principle before-mentioned should by any means be duly removed or could be so if intangled or rendred dubious yet as far as I can learn the Non-Conformists will be very far from supposing the matters in contest between them and their Adversaries to be concluded But as they look upon their concernments to be absolutely secured in the Principles now mentioned all which they know to be true and hope to be unquestionable so the truth is there is by this Author very small occasion administred unto any thoughts of quitting the former more general Thesis as rightly stated but rather if his Ability be a competent measure of the merit of his cause there is a strong confirmation given unto it in the minds of considering men from the Impotency and Succeslesness of the attempt made upon it And that this may appear to the indifferent Readers Satisfaction I shall so far divert in this place from the pursuit of my first design as to State the Principle aright and briefly to call the present Opposition of it unto a new account The summ in general of what this Author opposeth with so much clamour is That Divine Revelation is the sole Rule of Divine Religious Worship an Assertion that in its latitude of expression hath been acknowledged in and by all Nations and People The very Heathen admitted it of old as shall be manifested if need require by instances sufficient For though they framed many Gods in their foolish darkened imaginations yet they thought that every one of them would be Worshipped according to his own mind direction and prescription So did and think do Christians generally believe only some have a mind to pare this generally avowed Principle to curb it and order it so by distinctions and restrictions that it may serve their turn and consist with their interest For an opposition unto it nakedly directly and expresly few have had the confidence yet to make And the Non-Conformists need not go one step farther in the expression of their Judgements and Principles in this matter For who shall compell them to take their Adversaries distinctions which have been invented and used by the most Learned of them of substantial and accidental proper and reductive primitive and accessary direct and consequential intrinsick and circumstantial Worship and the like for the most part unintelligible terms in their application into the state of the question If men have a mind let them oppose this Thesis as laid down if not let them let it alone and they who shall undertake the confirmation of it will no doubt carry it through the briets of those unscriptural distinctions And that this Author may be the better instructed in his future work I shall give him a little farther account of the terms of the Assertion laid down Revelation is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and containeth every discovery or declaration that God hath made of himself or of his mind and will unto men Thus it is comprehensive of that concreated Light which is in all men concerning him and his Will For although we say that this is natural and is commonly contra-distinguished to Revelation properly so called which for perspicuity sake we call Revelation supernatural yet whereas it doth not so necessarily accompany humane nature but that it may be separated from it not is it educed out of our natural faculties by their own native or primigenial Vertue but is or was distinctly implanted in them by God himself I place it under the general head of Revelation Hence whatever is certainly from God by the Light of Nature and Instinct thereof declared so to be is no less a certain Rule
mean time I say such persons as these in themselves and for their own concerns do think it their duty not absolutely to take up in what hath been attained amongst us much less in what many are degenerated into but to endeavour the Reduction of their practice in the Worship of God to what was first appointed by Jesus Christ as being perswaded that he requires it of them and being convinced that in the unspeakable variety that is in humane constitutions Rest unto their Souls and Consciences is not otherwise to be obtained And if at the same time they endeavour not to reduce the Manner and Course of their Conversation to the same Rule and Example by which they would have their Worship of God regulated they are hypocrites Short enough no doubt they come in both of perfection but both they profess to aim equally at And herein alone can their Consciences find rest and peace In the doctrine of faith consented on in the first Reformation and declared in the allowed Writings of the Church of England they agree with others and wish with all their hearts they had more to agree withall Only they cannot come up to the practice of some things in the Worship of God which being confessedly of humane prescription their Obedience in them would lye in a perfect contradiction to their principal design before mentioned For those things being chosen out from a great multitude of things of the same nature invented by those whose Authority was rejected in the first Reformation or Reduction of Religion from its Catholick Apostacy they suppose cannot justly be imposed on them they are sure cannot be honestly received by them whilest they design to reduce themselves unto the primitive Rules and Examples of Obedience In this design they profess themselves ready to be ruled by and to yield subjection unto any Truth or Direction that can or may be given them from the Word of God or any Principles lawfully from thence educed How their conviction is at present attempted let the Book under consideration and some late unparallel'd and illegal Acts of Violence conformable to the spirit of it be a Testimony But in the management of their design they proceed on no other Principles than those of the Libetty of judgement of diâ—eretion or discerning they call it for the determining of themselves and their own practices in what they believe and prosess about Religion and the liberty of their Consciences from all humane impositions than were owned pleaded and contended for by the first Reformers and the most learned defenders of the Church of England in their disputations against the Papists those they will stand to and abide by yea than what are warranted by the Principles of our nature and constitution for no man practiseth any thing nor can practise it but according to his own will and choice Now in these things in their Principle or in their management of it it may be they are mistaken it may be they are in an errour or under many mistakes and errours But from their integrity they know themselves innocent even in their mistakes And it is in the nature of men to think strange of sedate violences that befall them without their demerit and of suffering by Law without any Guilt Their design of reducing themselves in Worship and Conversation to the primitive pattern they openly avow nor dare any directly condemn that design nor can they be convinced of insincerity in what they profess And shall they they be destroyed if they miss it in some matters of smaller concernment which whatever some may boast of is not hitherto tolerably proved Shall now their dissent in Religious Observances on this occasion and those and that about things mostly and chiefly if not only that appear neither name nor thing in the Scripture be judged a crime not to be expiated but by their ruine Are immoralities or vicious debaucheries rather to be tolerated or exempted from punishment than such a dissent What place of Scripture in the Old or New Testament which of the ancient Fathers of the Church do speak at this rate Opinions inconsistent with publick Tranquility with the general Rules of Moral Duties in all Relations and Conditians practices of any tendency in themselves to political disturbances are by none pleaded for Meer dissent it self with different Observances in the Outward Worship of God is by some pretended indeed to be a Civil disturbance It hath alwayes been so by some even by those whose own established wayes have been Superstitious and Idolatrous But wise men begin to smile when they hear private interest pleaded as publick good and the affections which it begets as the common Reason of things And these pretences have been by all parties at one time or another refuted and discarded Let the merit of the cause be stated and considered which is truly as above proposed and no other set aside Prejudices Animosities Advantages from things past and by-gone in political disorders and tumults wherein it hath no concern and it will quickly appear how little it is how much if possible less than nothing that is or can be pleaded for the countenancing of external severity in this case Doth it suite the Spirit of the Gospel or his commands to destroy good Wheat for standing as is supposed a little out of order who would not have men pluck up the tares but to let them stand quietly in the field untill Harvest Doth it answer his mind to destroy his Disciples who profess to love and obey him from the Earth who blamed his Disciples of old for desiring to destroy the Samaritans his Enemies with fire from Heaven We are told that he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the promise and a work becoming him it was And if men are sincere Disciples of Christ though they may fall into some mistakes and errours the outward persecuting of them on that account will be found to be of the works of the flesh It is certain that for those in particular who take upon them in any place or degree to be Ministers of the Gospel there are commands for meekness patience and forbearance given unto them And it is one of the greatest duties incumbent on them to express the Lord Jesus Christ in the frame of his mind and Spirit unto men and that eminently in his meekness and lowliness which he calls us all in an especial manner to learn of him A peculiar conformity also to the Gospel to the holy Law of Love self-denyal and condescention is required of them that they may not in their spirits wayes and actings make a false representation of him and that which they profess I know not therefore whence it is come to pass that this sort of men do principally if not only stir up Magistrates and Rulers to Laws Seventies Penalties Coercions Imprisonments and the like outward means of fierce and carnal power against those who in any thing dissent