and not of this World though exercised in it having their respect only unto Eternity and by their being taken into the sole disposal of the Soveraign Lord of Consciences who hath accompanied His Commands concerning them with His own Promises and Threatnings plainly exempted should have power over the Consciences of men so to lay their Commands upon them in these spiritual things as to back them with Temporal Corporal Restraints and Punishments is a way of Arguing that will not be confined unto any of those Rules of reasoning which hitherto we have been instructed in When the Magistrate hath an Arm like God and can Thunder with a Voice like Him when he judgeth not after the sight of his eyes nor reproveth after the hearing of his ears when he can smile the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and slay the Wicked with the breath of his Lipps when he is constituted a judge of the Faith Repentance and Obedience of men and of their Efficacy in their Tendency unto the pleasing of God here and the Enjoyment of Him hereafter when Spiritual Things in order to their Eternal Issues and Effects are made subject unto Him in brief when he is Christ let him act as Christ or rather most unlike Him and guide the Consciences of men by Rods Axes and Halters whereunto alone his power can reach who in the mean time have an express command from the Lord Christ Himself not to have their Consciences influenced in the least by the consideration of these things Of the like Complexion is the ensuing Discourse wherein our Author p. 43. having spoken contemptuously of the Spiritual Institutions of the Gospel as altogether insufficient for the Accomplishment of the Ends whereunto they are designed forgeting that they respect only the Consciences of men and are his Institutions who is the Lord of their Consciences and who will give them power and efficacy to attain their Ends when administred in his name and according to his mind and that because they are His would prove the necessity of Temporal coercions and penalties in things Spiritual from the Extraordinary Effects of Excommunication in the primitive times in the Vexation and punishment of persons Excommunicate by the Devil This work the Devil now ceasing to attend unto he would have the Magistrate to take upon him to supply his place and Office by punishments of his own Appointment and Infliction and so at last to be sure of giving him full measure he hath ascribed two Extreams unto him about Religion namely to act the part of God and the Devil But as this Inference is built upon a very uncertain conjecture namely that upon the giving up of persons to Satan in Excommunication there did any visible or Corporal Vexation of them by his power ensue or any other effects but what may yet be justly expected from an Influence of his Terrour on the minds of men who are duly and regularly cast out of the visible Kingdom of Christ by that censure and whereas if there be any truth in it it was confined unto the dayes of the Apostles and is to be reckoned amongst the miraculous Operations granted to them for the first confirmation of the Gospel and the continuance of it all the time the Church wanted the Assistance of the Civil Magistrate is most unduly pretended without any colour of Proof or Instance beyond such as may be evidenced to continue at this day supposing it to be true the Inference made from it as to its consequence on this concession is exceeding weak and feeble For the Argument here amounteth to no more but this God was pleased in the dayes of the Apostles to confirm their Spiritual Censures against Stuborn Sinners Apostates Blasphemers and such like hainous Offenders with extraordinary spiritual Punishments so in their own nature or in the manner or way of their Infliction therefore the Civil Magistrate hath power to appoint things to be observed in the Worship of God and forbid other things which the Light and Consciences of men directed by the Word of God require the observation of upon ordinary standing corporal penalties to be inflicted on the outward man quod erat demonstrandum To wind up this Debate I shall commit the Vmpirage of it to the Church of England and receive her Determination in the words of one who may be supposed to know her sense and Judgement as well as any one who lived in his dayes or since And this is Doctor Bilson Bishop of Winchester a Learned man skilled in the Laws of the Land and a great Adversary unto all that dissented from Church Constitutions This man therefore treating by way of Dialogue in answer to the Jesuites Apologie and Defence in the Third Part p. 293. thus introduceth Theophilus a Protestant Divine arguing with Philander a Jesuite about these matters Theoph. As for the Supream Head of the Church it is certain that Title was first transferred from the Pope to King Henry the eighth by the Bishops of your side not of ours And though the Pastors in King Edwards time might not well dislike much less disswade the style of the Crown by Reason the King was under years and so remained until he dyed yet as soon as it pleased God to place her Majesty in her Fathers Throne the Nobles and Preachers perceiving the words Head of the Church which is Christs proper and peculiar honor to be offensive unto many that had vehemently refelled the same in the Pope besought her Highness the meaning of that word which her Father had used might be expressed in some plainer and apter terms And so was the Prince called Supream Governour of the Realm that is Ruler and Bearer of the Sword with lawful Authority to command and punish answerable to the Word of God in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or Causes as well as in Temporal And no Forreign Prince or Prelate to have any Jurisdiction Superiority Preheminence or Authority to establish prohibit correct and chastise with Publick Laws or Temporal Fains any Crimes or Causes Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within her Realm Philand Calvin saith this is Sacriledge and Blasphemy Look you therefore with what Consciences you take that Oath which your own Master so mightily detesteth Theoph. Nay look you with what faces you alledge Calvin who maketh that style to be sacrilegious and blassphemous as well in the Pope as in the Prince reason therefore you receive or refuse his Judgement in both If it derogate from Christ in the Prince so it doth in the Pope Yet we grant the sense of the word Supream as Calvin perceived it by Stephen Gardiners Answer and behaviour is very blasphemous and injurious to Christ and his Word whether it be Prince or Pope that so shall use it What this sense is he declares in the words of Calvin which are as followeth in his Translation of them That Jugler which after was Chancelor I mean the Bishop of Winchester when he was at Rentzburge neither would
the Principles here asserted and contended for either express or represent the supremacy of the Kings of this Nation in matters Ecclesiastical as it is stated and determined by themselves in Parliament but rather so as to give great offence and scandal to the Religion here professed and advantage to the Adversaries thereof for after there appeared some ambiguity in those words of the Oath enacted 1 Eliz. of testifying the Queen to be supream Governour as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or Causes as in Temporal and many doubts and scruples ensued thereon as though there were assigned to her a power over the Consciences of her Subjects in spiritual things or that she had a power Her self to order and administer spiritual things In quinto Elizab. it is enacted by way of Explanation that the Oaths aforesaid shall be expounded in such form as is set forth in the Admonition annexed to the Queens Injunctions published in the first year of Her Reign where disclaiming the power of the Ministry of divine offices in the Church or the power of the Priesthood here by our Author affixed to the supream Magistrate her power and Authority is declared to be a Soveraignty over all manner of persons born within this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal so that no foraign power hath or ought to have any superiority over them And so is this supremacy stated in the Articles Anno 1562. namely an Authoâ—ity to Rule all Estates and Degrees committed to the charge of the supream Magistrate by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and to restrain the stubborn or evil-doers Of the things contended for by our Author the Authority of the Priesthood and power over the Consciences of men in matters of Religion there is not one word in our Laws but rather they are both of them rejected and condemned I have yet laid the least part of that Load upon this Principle which if it be farther pressed it must expect to be burdened withal and that from the Common Suffrage of Christians in all Ages But yet that I may not transgress against the design of this short and hasty Discourse I shall proceed no farther in the pursuit of it but take a little Survey of what is here pleaded in its defence Now this is undertaken and pursued in the first Chapter with the two next ensuing where an end is put to this Plea For if I understand any thing of his words and expressions our Author in the beginning of his fourth Chapter cuts down all those Gourds and Wild Vines that he had been planting in the three preceding for he not only grants but disputes also for an obligation on the Consciences of men antecedent and superiour unto all humane Laws and their obligation his words are as followeth pag. 115. It 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 in Heaven and they are only then 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 exempts them from a subjection to the Soveraign Power in all things but it is purely Gods right of Governing his own Creatures that Magistrates then invade when they make Edicts to violate or controll his Laws and those who will take off from the Consciences of men all obligations antecedent to those of Humane Laws instead of making the Power of Princes Supream absolute and uncontrollable they utterly enervate all their Authority and set their Subjects at perfect Liberty from all their Commands I know no men that pretend to Exemption from the Obligation of Humane Laws but only on this Plea that God by his Law requires them to do otherwise and if this be so the Authority of such Laws as to the Consciences of men is superseded by the confession of this Author Allow therefore but the Principles here expressed namely that men have a Superiour Power over them in Heaven whose Laws and the Revelation of whose Will concerning them is the Supream Rule of their duty whence an Obligation is laid upon their Consciences of doing whatever is commanded or not doing what is forbidden by him which is superiour unto and actually supersedes all Humane Commands and Laws that interfere therewith and I see neither use of nor place for that Power of Magistrates over the Consciences of men which is so earnestly contended for And our Author also in his ensuing Discourse in that Chapter placeth all the security of Government in the Respect that the Consciences of men have to the Will and Command of God and which they profess to have which in all these Chapters he pleads to be a Principle of all Confusion But it is the first Chapter which alone we are now taking a view of The only Argument therein insisted on to to make good the Ascription unto the Magistrate of the power over Religion and the Consciences of men before described is the absolute and indispensable necessity of it unto publick Tranquility which is the principal and most important End of Government In the pursuit of this Argument sometimes yea often such expressions are used concerning the Magistrates power as in a tolerable Construction declare it to be what no man denyes nor will contend about But it is necessary that they be interpreted according to the Genius and tenor of the Opinion contended for and accordingly we will consider them This alone I say is that which is here pleaded or is given in as the subject of the ensuing Discourse But after all I think that he who shall set himself seriously to find out how any thing here spoken hath a direct and rational cogency towards the establishment of the conclusion before laid down will find himself engaged in no easie an undertakeing We were told I confess at the entrance so as that we may not complain of a surprizal that we must expect to have Invectives twisted with Arguments and some such thing seems here to be aimed at but if a Logical Chymist come and make a separation of the Elements of this Composition he will find if I mistake not an heap of the drossy Invective and scarce the least appearance of any argument Ore Instead of sober rational arguing crimina rasis Librat in Antithetis great Aggravations of mens miscarriages in the pursuit of the Dictates of their Consciences either real or feigned edged against and fiercely reflected upon those whom he makes his Adversaries and these the same for substance repeated over and over in a great variety of well placed words take up the greatest part of his Plea in this Chapter especially the beginning of it wherein alone the Controversie as by himself stated is concerned But if the Power and Authority over Religion and the Consciences of men here ascribed unto Supream Magistrates be so indispensably necessary to
pleads for the uncontrollable power of Magistrates over Religion and the Consciences of men sometimes asserts their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as the same thing and seemingly all that he intends whereas I suppose no man ever yet defined Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to be an uncontrollable power over Religion and the Consciences of Men. The Magistrates power over Religion he asserts frequently and denyeth outward Worship to be any part of Religion and at last pleads upon the matter only for his power over outward Worship Every particular Vertue he affirms to be such because it is a Resemblance and Imitation of some of the Divine Attributes yet also teacheth that there may be more vertues or new ones that were not so and that to be Vertue in one place which is not so in another Sometimes he pleads that the Magistrate hath power to impose any Religion on the Consciences of his subjects that doth not countenance Vice or disgrace the Deity and then anon pleads for it in indifferent things and circumstances of outward Worship only Also that the Magistrate may oblige his Subjects Consciences to the performance of Moral Duties and other Duties in Religious Worship under penalties and yet punisheth none for their Crime and Guilt but for the example of others And many other Instances of the like Nature may be given Now whatever dress of words these things may be set off withal they savour rankly of crude and undigested Notions not reduced unto such a Consistency in his mind as to suffer him to speak evenly steadily and constantly to them Upon the whole matter it may not be unmeetly said of his Discourse what Tally said of Rullus his Oration about the Agrarian Law Concionem advocari jubet summâ cum expectatione concurritur Explicat Orationem sane longam verbis valdè bonis Vnum erat quod mihi vitiosum videbatur quòd tantâ ex frequentiâ nemo inveniri potuit qui intelligere posset quid diceret Hoc ille utrum insâ—diarum causâ— fecerit an hac genere Eloquentia delectetur nescio tamen siqui acutiores in concione steterant de Lege Agrairia nescio quid voluisse eum dicere suspicabantur Many good words it is composed of many sharp Reflections are made on others a great Appearance there is of Reason but besides that it is plain that he treats of the Nonconformists and the Magistrates power and would have this latter exercised about the punishment or destruction of the former which almost every Page expresseth it is very hard to gather what is the Case he speaks unto or what are principles he proceeds upon The entrance of his Discourse is designed to give an account of the great Difficulty which he intends to assoyl of the Controversie that he will handle and debate and of the Difference which he will compose Here if any where Accuracy Perspicuity and a clear distinct direction of the minds of the Readers unto a certain just Apprehension of the matter in question and difference ought to be expected For if the foundation of Discourses of this nature be laid in terms general ambiguous loose rhetorical and flourishing giving no particular determinate sense of the Controversie for so this is called by our Author all that ensues in the pursuit of what is so laid down must needs be of the same complexion And such appears to be the declamatory entrance of this Chapter For instead of laying a solid Foundation to erect his superstructure upon the Author seems in it only to have built a Castle in the Air that makes a goodly appearance and shew but is of no validity or use Can he suppose that any man is the wiser or the more intelligent in the difference about Liberty of Conscience the power and duty of Magistrates in granting or denying an Indulgence unto the exercise of it by reading an elegant parabolical Discourse of two Supream Powers the Magistrate and Conscience contesting for Soveraignty in and about no man knows what What Conscience is what Liberty of Conscience what it is pleaded for to extend unto who are concerned in it whether its Plea be resolved absolutely into its own Nature and Constitution or into that respect which it hath to another common Rule of the minds and conceptions of men in and about the Worship of God is not declared nor is it easily discernable what he allows and approves of in his own Discourse and what he introduceth to reflect upon and so reject Pag. 5. he tells us that Conscience is subject and accountable to God alone that it owns no Superiour but the Lord of Consciences And pag. 7. That those who make it accountable to none but God lone do in effect usurp their Princes Crown defie his Authority and acknowledge no Governour but themselves If it be pleaded that in the first place not what is but what is unduly pretended is declared his words may be as well so expounded in all his Ascriptions unto Magistrates also namely that it is not with them as he asserts but only ' t is unduly pretended so to be as to any thing that appears in the Discourse The distinct consideration of the Principles of Conscience and the outward exercise of it can alone here give any shew of Relief But as no Distinction of that nature doth as yet appear and if rested on ought to have been produced by any one who understood himself and intended not to deceive or entangle others so when it is brought on the Stage its inconsistency to serve the end designed shall be evinced But that a plea for the Consciences of private men submitting themselves freely and willingly to the Supream Power and Government of Magistrates in all things belonging to publick peace and tranquility to have liberty to express their Obedience unto God in the exercise of his outward Worship should receive such a Tragical description of a Rival Supream Power set up against the Magistrate to the usurpation of his Crown and Dignity is a new way of stating Controversies whether in Divinity or Policy which this Author judgeth conducing to his design and purpose And I shall say no more but that those who delight in such a way of writing and do receive light and satisfaction thereby do seem to be exercised in a Logick that I was never acquainted withal and which I shall not now enquire after What seems to be of real Difficulty in this matter which is so rhetorically exaggerated our Blessed Saviour hath stated and determined in one word Give saith he unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are Gods and this he did when he gave his Disciples command not only to think judge and believe according to what he should propose and reveal unto them but also to observe and do in outward practices what ever he should command them As he requires all subjection unto the Magistrate in things of his proper Cognizance that is all things necessary to publick Peace and
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
can introduce new duties never yet heard of in the most important parts of Religion pag. 80. and may impose on them in the practice of Religion and Divine Worship what We please so that in our Judgement it doth not countenance Vice nor disgrace the Deity Pag. 85. and whereas this Power is naturally inherent in us not given or granted unto us by Jesus Christ but belonged to us or our Predecessors before ever he was born nor is expressed in the Scripture but rather supposed and this being such as that We our selves if We would whether We be Man or Woman here France must be excepted by vertue of the Salique Law though the whole project be principally calculated for that Meridian might exercise the special Offices and Duties of Religion in Our own Person especially that of the Priesthood though me are pleased to transfer the Exercise of it unto others and whereas all our Prescriptions Impositions and Injunctions in these things do immediately affect and bind the Consciences of our Subjects because they are Ours whether they be right or wrong true or false so long as in our judgement they neither as was said countenance Vice nor disgrace the Deity We do Enact and Ordain as followeth Here if you please you may intersert the Scheme of Religion given us by our Author in his second Chapter and add unto it that because Sacrifices were a way found out by honest men of old to express their gratitude unto God thereby so great and necessary a part of our Religious duty it be enjoyned that the use of them be again revived seeing there is nothing in them that offends against the bounds prescribed to the power to be expressed and that men in all places do offer up Bulls and Goats Sheep and Fowls to God with as many other Institutions of the like Nature as shall be thought meet Hereunto add Now our express Will and Pleasure is that every man may and do think and judge what he pleaseth concerning the things enjoyned and enacted by Vs for what have We to do with their thoughts and judgements they are under the Empire and Dominion of Conscience which We cannot invade if We would they may if they please judge them inconvenient foolish absurd yea contrary to the Mind Will and Law of God Our only Intention Will and Pleasure is to bind them to the constant Observation and Practice of them and that under the Penalties of Hanging and Damnation I know not any Expression in such an Impious and futilous Edict that may not be warranted out of the Principles of this Discourse the main parts of it being composed out of the Words and Phrases of it and those used to the best of my understanding in the sense fixed to them by our Author Now as was said before I suppose Christian Princes will not be earnest in their Contests who shall first own the Authority intimated and express it in a suitable exercise And if any one of them should put forth his hand unto it he will find that Furiarum Maxima juxta Accubat manibus prohibet contingere mensas There is one who layes an Antecedent Claim to a Sole Interest in this Power and that bottomed on other manner of Pretensions than any as yet have been pleaded in their behalf For the Power and Authority here ascribed unto Princes is none other but that which is claimed by the Pope of Rome with some few Enlargements and appropriated unto him by his Canonists and Courtiers Only here the old Gentleman as he is called by our Author hath the advantage that beside the Precedency of his claim it being entred on Record at least six or seven hundred years before any Proctor or Advocate appeared in the behalf of Princes he hath forestall'd them all in the pretence of Infallibility which doubtless is a matter of singular use in the exercise of the power contended about For some men are so peevish as to think that thus to deal with Religion and the Consciences of men belongs to none but him who is Absolutely yea essentially so that is Infallible For as we have now often said as contrary to their design men in haste oftentimes speak the same things over and over as to all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over persons and causes Ecclesiastical and the Soveraign disposal of all the Civil and Political concernments of Religion which is vested in the Imperial Crown of this Nation and by sundry Acts of Parliament is declared so to be I shall be alwayes ready to plead the Right of our Kings and all Christian Kings whatever against the absurd Pleas and Pretences of the Pope so as to this Controversie between him and such Princes as shall think meet to contend with him about it concerning the power over the Consciences of men before described I shall not interpose my self in the scuffle as being fully satisfied they are contending about that which belongs to neither of them But what Reason is there why this Power should not be extended unto the inward thoughts and apprehensions of men about the Worship of God as well as to the expression of them in pure Spiritual Acts of that Worship The Power asserted I presume will be acknowledged to be from God though I can scarce meet with the Communication and derivation of it from him in this Discourse But whereas it is granted on all hands that the Powers that be are of God and that none can have Authority over an other unless it be originally given him from above I desire to be informed why the other part of the Power mentioned namely over the Thoughts Judgements and Apprehensions of men in the things of the Worship of God should not be invested in the Magistrate also that so he having declared what is to be believed thought and judged in such things all men should be obliged so to believe think and judge for this power God can give and hath given it unto Jesus Christ. I presume it will be said that this was no way needful for the preservation of Peace in Humane Society which is the end for which all this Power is vested in the Magistrate For let men believe think and judge what they please so long as their outward Actings are or may be over-ruled there is no danger of any publick disturbance But this seems to be a mighty uneasie condition for mankind namely to live continually in a contradiction between their Judgements and their Practices which in this case is allowed to be incident unto them Constantly to judge one way best and most according to the mind of God in his Worship and constantly to practise another will it is to be feared prove like the conflicting of vehement vapours with their contrary qualities that at one time or other will produce an Earthquake How then if men weary of this perplexing distorting condition of things in their minds should be provoked to run to excesses and inordinate courses for their freedom
the preservation of publick Tranquility as is pretended a man cannot but wonder how the world hath been in any Age past kept in any tolerable peace and quietness and how it is any where blessed with those ends of Government at this day For it will not be an easie task for our Author or any one else to demonstrate that the Power mentioned hath ever been either claimed or exercised by any Supream Magistrate in Christendom or that it is so at this day The Experience of past and present Ages is therefore abundantly sufficient to defeat this pretence which is sufficiently asserted without the least appearance of proof or Argument to give it countenance or confirmation or they must be very charitable to him or ignorant in themselves who will mistake Invectives for Arguments The remembrance indeed of these Severities I would willingly lay aside especially because the very mention of them seems to express an higher sense of and regret concerning them then I am in the least subject unto or something that looks like a design of Retaliation but as these things are far from my mind so the continual returns that almost in every Page I meet with of high and contemptuous Reproaches will not allow that they be alwayes passed by without any notice or remark It is indeed indispensably necessary that publick Peace and Tranquility be preserved but that there is any thing in point of Government necessary hereunto but that God have all spiritual power over the Consciences of men and Rulers Political power over their Actings wherein publick Peace and Tranquility are concerned the World hath not hitherto esteemed nor do I expect to find it proved by this Author If these things will not preserve the publick peace it will not be kept if one should rise from the dead to perswade men unto their duty The Power of God over the Consciences of men I suppose is acknowledged by all who own any such thing as Conscience or believe there is a God over all That also in the exercise of this Authority he requires of men all that obedience unto Rulers that is any way needfull or expedient unto the preservation of the ends of their Rule is a Truth standing firm on the same Foundation of Universal consent derived from the Law of Creation and his positive Commands to that purpose have an evidence of his Will in this matter not liable to exception or controll This Conscience unto God our Author confesseth as we have observed in his fourth Chapter to be the great preservation and security of Goverment and Governours with respect unto the ends mentioned And if so what becomes of all the pretences of disorder and confusion that will ensue unless this power over mens Consciences be given to the Magistrate and taken as it were out of the hands of God Nor is it to be supposed that men will be more true to their Consciences supposing the Reiglement of them in the hand of men than when they are granted to be in the hand and power of God for both at present are supposed to require the same things Certainly where Conscience respects Authority as it always doth the more Absolute and Soveraign it apprehends the Authority by which it is obliged the greater and more firm will be the impressions of the obligation upon it And in that Capacity of preheminence it must look upon the Authority of God compared with the Authority of man Here then lyes the security of publick peace and tranquility as it is backed by the Authority of the Magistrate to see that all outward Actions are suitable unto what Conscience toward God doth in this matter openly and unquestionably require The pretence indeed is that the placing of this Authority over the Consciences of men in the Supream Ruler doth obviate and take away all grounds and occasions of any such Actings on the Account of Religion as may tend unto publick disturbance For suppose Conscience in things concerning Religion and the Worship of God subject to God alone and the Magistrate require such things to be observed in the one or the other as God hath not required at least in the Judgements and Consciences of them of whom the things prescribed are required and to forbid the things that God requires to be observed and done in this case it is said they cannot or will not comply in Active Obedience with the Commands of the Magistrate But what if it so fall out Doth it thence follow that such persons must needs Rebell and be Seditious and disturb the publick peace of the Society whereof they are Members Wherefore is it that they do not do or observe what is required of them by the Magistrate in Religion or the Worship of God or that they do what he forbids Is it not because of the Authority of God over their minds and Consciences in these things And why should it be supposed that men will answer the Obligations laid by God on their Consciences in one thing and not in another in the things of his Worship and not of obedience unto Civil Power concerning which his Commands are as express and evident as they can be pretended to be in the things which they avow their obligation unto Experience is pretended to the contrary It is said again and again that men under pretence of their Consciences unto God in Religion have raised Wars and Tumults and brought all things into confusion in this Kingdom and Nation especially and what will words avail against the evidence of so open an experience to the contrary But what if this also should prove a false and futilous pretence Fierce and long Wars have been in this Nation of old upon the various Titles of persons pleading their Right unto Supream Government in the Kingdom against one another so also have there been about the Civil Rights and the Priviledges of the Subjects in the Confusions commonly called the Barons Wars The late Troubles Disorders and Wars amongst us must bear the weight of this whole charge But if any one will take the pains to review the publick Writings Declarations Treaties whereby those Tumults and Wars were begun and carried on he will easily discern that Liberty of Conscience in practice or the exemption of it from the power of the Magistrate as to the Rule and Conduct of it now ascribed unto him in the latitude by sober persons defended or pleaded for had neither place in nor influence into the Beginnings of those troubles And when such confusions are begun no man can give assurance or conjecture where they shall end Authority Laws Priviledges and I know not what things wherein private men of whom alone we treat have no pretence of Interest were pleaded in those Affairs He that would judge aright of these things must set aside all other Considerations and give his instance of the Tumults and Seditions that have ensued on the account of menskeeping their Consciences entire for God alone without any
common consent were admitted and received amongst them Besides our Author by his Discourse seems not to be much acquainted with the rise of the office of the Priesthood amongst men as shall be demonstrated if farther occasion be given thereunto However by the way we may observe what is his judgement in this matter The Magistrate we are told hath not his Ecclesiastical Authority from Christ and yet this is such as that the power of the Priesthood is included therein the exercise whereof as he is pleased to transfer to others so he may if he please reserve it to himself p. 32. whence it follows not only that it cannot be given by Christ unto any other for it is part of the Magistrates power which he hath not limited nor confined by any subsequent Law nor can there be 〈◊〉 Coordinate Subject of the same power of several kinds so that all the Interest or Right any man or men have in or unto the exercise of it is but transfer'd to them by the Magistrate and therefore they act therein in his name and by his Authority only and hence the Bishops as such are said to be Ministers of State p. 49. Neither can it be pretended that this was indeed in the power of the Magistrate before the coming of Christ but not since For he hath as we are told all that he ever had unless there be a Restraint put upon Him by some express prohibition of our Saviour p. 41. which will hardly be found in this matter I cannot therefore see how in the exercise of the Christian Priesthood there is on these principles any the least respect unto Jesus Christ or his Authority for men have only the exercise of it transferred to them by the Magistrate by vertue of a power inherent in him antecedent unto any concessions of Christ and therefore in his name and Authority they must act in all the sacred offices of their Functions It is well if men be so far awake as to consider the tendency of these things At length Scripture proofs for the confirmation of these opinions are produced p. 35 36. And the first pleaded is that promise that Kings shall be nursings Fathers unto the Church It is true this is promised and God accomplish it more and more But yet we do not desire such Nurses as beget the Children they nurse The proposing prescribing commanding binding Religion on the Consciences of men is rather the begetting of it than its nursing To take care of the Church and Religion that it receive no detriment by all the wayes and means appointed by God and useful thereunto is the duty of Magistrates but it is so also antecedently to their actings unto this purpose to discern aright which is the Church whereunto this promise is made without which they cannot duly discharge their Trust nor fulfill the Promise it self The very Words by the rules of the Metaphor do imply that the Church and its Religion and the worship of God observed therein is constituted fixed and regulated by God himself antecedently unto the Magistrates duty and power about it They are to Nurse that which is committed to them and not what Themselves have framed or begotten And we contend for no more but a Rule concerning Religion and the Worship of God antecedent unto the Magistrates interposing about it whereby both his Actings in his place and those of Subjects in theirs are to be regulated Mistakes herein have engaged many Soveraign Princes in pursuit of their Trust as Nursing Fathers to the Church to lay out their strength and power for the utter ruine of it as may be evidenced in instances too many of those who in a subserviency to and by the direction of the Papal Interest have endeavoured to extirpate true Religion out of the World Such a Nursing Mother we had sometimes in England who in pursuit of her care burned so many Bishops and other Holy men to Ashes He asks farther what doth the Scripture mean when it stiles our Saviour the King of Kings and maketh Princes his Vicegerents here on earth I confess according to this Gentleman's principles I know not what it means in so doing Kings he tells us have not their Authority in and over Religion and the Consciences of men from him and therefore in the exercise of it cannot be his Vicegerents for none is the Vicegerent of another in the exercise of any power or Authority if he have not received that power and Authority from him Otherwise the words have a proper sense but nothing to our Authors purpose It is his power over them and not theirs over the Consciences of their Subjects that is intended in the words Of no more use in this controversie is the direction of the Apostle that we should pray for Kings that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life for no more is intended therein but that under their peaceable and righteous administration of humane Affairs we may live in that Godliness and honesty which is required of us Wherefore then are these weak attempts made to confirm and prove what is not Those or the most of them whom our Author in this Discourse treats with so much severity do plead that it is the duty of all supream Magistrates to find out receive imbrace promote the Truths of the Gospel with the Worship of God appointed therein confirming protecting and desending them and those that embrace them by their Power and Authority And in the discharge of this duty they are to use the liberty of their own judgements enformed by the wayes that God hath appointed independently on the dictates and determinations of any other persons whatever They affirm also that to this end they are entrusted with supream power over all persons in their respective Dominions who on no pretence can be exempted from the exercise of that power as occasion in their judgements shall require it to be exercised as also that all causes wherein the profession of Religion in their Dominions is concerned which are determinable in foro Civili by coercive Vmpirage or Authority are subject unto their cognizance and power The Soveraign power over the Consciences of men to institute appoint and prescribe Religion and the Worship of God they affirm to belong unto him alone who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith who is the head over all things to the Church The Administration of things meerly Spiritual in the Worship of God is they judge derived immediately from him to the Ministers and Administrators of the Gospel possessed of their Offices by his Command and according to his institution as to the external practice of Religion and Religious Worship as such it is they say in the power of the Magistrate to regulate all the outward civil concernments of it with reference unto the preservation of publick peace and Tranquillity and the prosperity of his subjects And herein also they judge that such respect is to be had to the
Consciences of men as the Scripture the Nature of the thing it self and the right of the L. Christ to introduce his spiritual Kingdom into all Nations do require That which seems to have imposed on the mind of this Author is that if the Magistrate may make Laws for the regulating of the outward profession of Religion so as publick peace and tranquillity may be kept added to what is his Duty to do in the behalf of the Truth then he must have the power over Religion and the Consciences of men by him ascribed unto him But there is no privity of Interest between these things the Laws which he makes to this purpose are to be regulated by the Word of God and the good of the Community over which in the name of God he doth preside and whence he will take his Warranty to forbid men the exercise of their Consciences in the duties of spiritual Worship whilest the Principles they profess are suited to the light of nature and the fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel with the peace of mankind and their practices absolutely confistent with publick welfare I am yet to seek and so as far as I can yet perceive is the Author of the Discourse under Consideration It will not arise from a Parity of Reason from the power that he hath to restrain cursed Swearing and Blasphemies by penal Coercions For these things are no less against the Light of Nature and no less condemned by the common suffrage of mankind and the persons that contract the guilt of them may be no less effectually brought to judge and condemn themselves than are the greatest outrages that may be committed in and against humane Society That the Gospel will give no countenance hereunto he seems to acknowledge in his assignation of several reasons why the use of the power and exercise of it in the way of compulsion by penalties pleaded for by him is not mentioned therein that Christ and his Apostles behaved themselves as Subjects that he neither took nor exercised any Soveraign power that He gave his Laws to Private men as such and not to the Magistrate that the Power that then was was in bad hands are pleaded as excuses for the silence of the Gospel in this matter But lest this should prove father prejudicial to his present occasion he adds p. 42. the only reason why the Lord Christ bound not the precepts of the Gospel upon mens Consciences by any secular compulsories was not because Compulsion was an improper way to put his Laws in execution for then He had never established them with more enforcing Sanctions but only because himself was not vested with any secular power and so could not use those methods of Government which are proper to its jurisdiction this in plain English is that if Christ had had power he would have ordered the Gospel to have been propagated as Mahomet hath done his Alcoran an Assertion untrue and impious contrary to the whole spirit and Genius of the Gospel and of the Author of it aud the Commands and Precepts of it And it is fondly supposed that the Lord Christ suited all the Management of the affairs of the Gospel unto that state and condition in this world wherein he emptied Himself and took upon Him the form of a Servant making Himself of no reputation that He might be obedient unto Death the death of the Cross He layes the Foundation of the promulgation and propagation of it in the world in the grant of all power unto him in Heaven and Earth All power saith he to his Apostles is given unto me in heaven and earth go ye therefore and Baptize all Nations teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you Matth. 28. 19 20. He is confidered in the dispensation of the Gospel as He who is head over all things to the Church the Lord of Lords and King of Kings whom our Author acknowledgeth to be his Vicegerents On this account the Gospel with all the Worship instituted therein and required thereby is accompanied with a Right to enter into any of the Kingdoms of the Earth and spiritually to make the Inhabitants of them subject to Jesus Christ and so to translate them out of the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of God And this Right is Antecedent and paramount to the Right of all earthly Kings and Princes whatever who have no power or Authority to exclude the Gospel out of their Dominions and what they exercise of that kind is done at their peril The penalties that he hath annexed to the final rejection of the Gospel and disobedience thereunto are pleaded by our Author to justifie the Magistrates power of binding men to the Observation of his Commands in Religion on temporal penalties to be by him inflicted on them unto that is the Discourse of this chapter arrived which was designed unto another end I see neither the order method nor projection of this procedure nor know Amphora cum cepit institui cur Vrceus exit However the pretense it self is weak and impertinent Man was originally made under a Law and constitution of Eternal Bliss or Woe This state with regard to his necessary dependance on God and respect to his utmost end was absolutely unavoidable unto him All possibility of attaining eternal happiness by himself he lost by Sirr and became inevitably obnoxious to eternal Misery and the wrath to come In this condition the Lord Jesus Christ the supream Lord of the souls and Consciences of men interposeth his law of Relief Redemption and Salvation the great means of man's Recovery together with the profession of the way and law hereof He lets them know that those by whom it is refused shall perish under that Wrath of God which before they were obnoxious unto with a new Aggravation of their Sin and Condemnation from the contempt of the Relief provided for them and tendered to them This He applyes to the Souls and Consciences of men and to all the inward secret actings of them in the first place such as are exempted not only from the Judicature of men but from the cognizance of Angels This he doth by spiritual means in a spiritual manner with regard to the subjection of the souls of men unto God and with reference unto their bringing to Him and enjoyment of Him or their being eternally rejected by Him Hence to collect and conclude that Earthly Princes who whatever is pretended are not the Soveraign Lords of the Souls and Consciences of men nor do any of them that I know of plead themselves so to be who cannot interpose any thing by their absolute Authority that should have a necessary respect unto mens Eternal condition who have no knowledge of no acquaintance with nor can judge of the principal things whereon it doth depend from whose temporal jurisdiction and punishment the things of the Gospel and the Worship of God as purely such are by the nature of them being spiritual
of the Divine Attributes which I suppose they are not whose Rules and formes are alterable upon accidents and occasions And we are taught also pag. 68. that the practice of Vertue consists in living suitable to the dictates of Reason and Nature which are Rules not variable and Changeable There must be some new distinction to reconcile these things which I cannot at present think of That which I would enquire from hence is whether the Magistrates have power over the Consciences of men in reference unto those things in Morality whose Rules of good and evil are of an Eternal obligation That he hath not is evidently implyed in this place And I shall not enter into the confusion of the ensuing Discourse where the latter sort of Rules for Vertue the other member of the distinction are turned into various Methods of executing Laws about outward acts of Vertue or Vice and the Vertues themselves into outward expressions and significations of Duty for I have at present no contest with this Author about his manner of writing nor do intend to have It is enough that here at once all the principal and most important Vertues are vindicated to their own unalterable Rules as such and the Consciences of Men in reference unto them put under another jurisdiction And what then becomes of this Argument That the Magistrate must have power over the Consciences of Men in matters of Divine Worship because he hath so in things Moral which are of greater importance when what is so of importance is exempted from his power Hence it sufficiently appears that the Authority of the Magistrate over men with reference unto Moral Vertue and Duty doth not respect Vertue as Vertue but hath some other consideration Now what this is is evident unto all How Moral Vertues do belong unto Religion and are parts of it hath been before declared But God who hath ordered all things in weight and measure hath fore-designed them also to another end and purpose For preparing mankind for Political Society in the world among themselves for a time as well as for Religious Obedience unto himself he inlayed his nature and composition with principles suited to both those ends and appointed them to be acted with different respects unto them Hence Moral Vertues notwithstanding their peculiar tendency unto him are appointed to be the instrument and ligament of humane Society also As the Law of Moses had in it a typical end use and signification with respect to Christ and the Gospel and a political use as the instrument of the Government of the Nation of the Jews Now the Power of the Magistrate in respect of Moral Vertues is in their latter use namely as they relate to humane policy which is concerned in the outward actings of them This therefore is granted and we shall enquire farther whether any more be proved namely that the Magistrate hath power over the outward actings of Vertue and Vice so far as humane Society or publick Tranquility is concerned in them and on that account Secondly It may be enquired what is the Power and Authority over Moral Vertues which is here ascribed unto the Civil Magistrate and over the Consciences of men with respect unto them Is it such as to make that to be Vertue which was not Vertue before or which was Vice and oblige men in Conscience to practise it as Vertue This would go a great way indeed and answer somewhat of what is or as it is said may be done in the Worship of God when that is made a part of it which was not so before But what name shall these new Vertues be called by A new Vertue both as to its Acts and Objects will as much fly the imaginations of men as a sixth sense doth It may be our Author will satisfie us as to this enquiry for he tells us pag. 80. That he hath power to make that a particular of the Divine Law that God hath not made so I wish he had declared himself how and wherein for I am afraid this expression as here it lyes is offensive The Divine Law is Divine and so is every particular of itâ— and how a man can make a thing Divine that is not so of it self nor by Divine Institution is hard to find out It may be that only the subject matter of the Law and not the Law it self formally is intended and to make a thing a particular of the Divine Law is no more but to make the Divine Law require that in particular of a man which it did not require of him before But this Particular referrs to the Nature Essence and Being of the thing or to the acting and occasion of it in particular And if it be taken in the latter sense here is no more ascribed unto the Magistrate than is common with him to every man in the World For every one that puts himself into new circumstances or new Relations doth so make that unto him to be a particular of the Divine Law which was not so before for he is bound and obliged unto the actual performance of many Duties which as so circumstantiated he was not boâ—â—â— unto before But somewhat else seems to be intendâ—â— from the ensuing discourse they are fully empowred to declare new instances of Vertue and Vice and to introduce new duties in thâ— most important parts of Religion And yâ—â— I am still at the same loss For by his declaring new Instances of Vertue and Vice suppose he intends an Authoritative declaration such as that they have no other foundation nor need none to make them what they are They are new Instances of Vertue and Vice because so declared And this suits unto the introducing of new Duties in the most important parts of Religion made Duties by that introduction I wish I could yet learn what these new Instances of Vertue and Vice are or mean Whether they are new as Vertues and Vices or as Instances For the first would I could see a new practice of old Virtues but to tell you the truth I care not for any of the new Vertues that I have lately observed in the World nor do I hope ever to see any better new ones If it be the Instances that are new I wish again I knew what were more in them than the actual and occasional exercise of old Duties Pag. 79 80. conduce most to extricate us out of these ambiguities There we are informed that the Laws of every Nation do distinguish and settle mens rights and properties and that distinctly with respect whereunto Justice that prime Natural Vertue is in particular Instances to be exercised And pag. 84. It is further declared that in the administration of Justice there may be great difference in the constitution of penalties and execution of men This it seems is that which is aimed at the Magistrate by his Laws determines whteher Titius have set his hedge upon Caius's ground and whether Sempronius hath rightly conveyed his Land or
For the Reason of things in matters Civil and Religious are not the same All political Government in theWorld consists in the exercise of Principles of natural Right and their just Application to Times Ages People Occasions and Occurences Whilest this is done Government is acted regularly to its proper end where this is missed it failes There things God hath left unto the prudence of men and their consent wherein they cannot for the most part faile unless they are absolutely given up unto unbridled lusts and the things wherein they may faile are alwaies convenient or inconvenient good and useful or hurrful and destructive not alwaies yea very seldome directly and in themselves morally Good or Evil. In such things mens ease and pofit not their Consciences are concerned In the Worship of God things are quite otherwise It is not Convenience or Inconvenience Advantage or disadvantage as to the things of this life but meerly Good or Evil in reference to the pleasing of God and to Ternity that is in question Particular Applications to the manners customes usages of places times Countreys which is the proper field of humane Authority Liberty and prudence in Civil things because their due useful and regular Administration dâ—â—pends upon them have here no placâ—â— For the things of the Worship of God bâ—â—ing Spiritual are capable of no variatioâ— from temporal earthly varieties amonâ— men have no respect to Climateâ— Customes Formes of Civil Governmenâ— or any thing of that Nature But conâ—sidering men quite under other notions namely of Sinners and Believers with respect utterly unto other ends namely their living spiritually unto God here and the eternal enjoyment of him hereafter are not subject to such prudential Accommodations or Applications The Worship of God is or ought to be the same at all times in all places and amongst all People in all Nations and the order of it is fixt and determined in all particulars that belong unto it And let not men pretend the contrary untill they can give an instance of any such defect in the Institutions of Christ as that the Worship of God cannot be carryed on nor his Church Ruled and Edified without an addition of something of their own for the supply thereof which therefore should and would be necessary to that end antecedent unto its addition and when they have so done I will subscribe unto whatsoever they shall be pleased to add of that or indeed any other kind â—ustomes of Churches and Rules of Decency which our Author here casts under the Magistrates power are ambiguous terms â—nd in no sense express the Hypothesis he â—ath undertaken the defence of In the proper signification of the words the â—hings intended may fall under those natural Circumstances wherein Religious Actions in the Worship of the Church may have their concern as they are Actions and are disposable by humane Authority But he will not I presume so soon desert his fundamental Principle of the Magistrates appointing things in and parts of Religious Worship no where described or determined in the Word of God which alone we have undertaken to oppose The instances he also gives us about Actions in their own nature and use indifferent as going to Law or taking Physick are not in the least to his purpose And yet if I should say that none of these Actions are indeed indifferent in actu exercito as they speak and in their individual performance but have a Moral good or evil as an inseparable Adjunct attending them arising out of respect to some Rule general or particular of Divine Revelation I know he cannot disâ—prove it and much more is not pleade concerning Religious Worship But this Principle is further charge with mischief equal to its folly which iâ—â—proved by instances in sundry uninstituted Observances both in the Jewish anâ— primitive Christian Churches as also iâ— Protestant Churches abroad I answer that if this Author will consent to Umâ—pire these differences by either the Old or New Testament or by any Protestant Church in the World we shall be nearer an end of them than as far as I can see yet otherwise we are If he will not be bound neither to the Example of the Church of the Jews nor of the Churches of the New-Testament nor of the present Protestant Churches it must he confessed that their names are here made use of only for a pretence and an Advantage Under the Old Testament we find that all that God required of his Church was that they should observe the Law of Moses his Servant which he commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel with his Statutes and Judgements Mal. 4. 4. And when God had given out his Institutions and the whole Order of his Worship it being fixed in the Church accordingly it is added eight or ten times â—n one Chapter that this was done as â—he Lord commanded Moses even so did he Exod. 40. After this God gives them many strict prohibitions from adding any thing to what he had so commanded as Deut. 4. 2. and Chap. 12. 32 Prov. 30. 6. And as he had in the Decalogue rejected any Worship not of his own appointment as such Exod. 20. 4 5. so he made it afterwards the Rule of his acceptation of that People and what they did or his refusal of them and it whether it was by him commanded or no. So in Particular he expresly rejects that which was so added as to dayes and times and places though of the nearest Affinity and Cognation to what was appointed by himself because it was invented by man yea by a King 1 Kings 12. 33. And when in process of time many things of an uncertain original were crept into the observance of the Church and had firmed themselves with the notion of Traditions they were all at once rejected in that word of the blessed Holy One in â—ain do ye Worship me teaching for doctrines that is what is in my Worship to be observed the traditions of men For the Churches of the New Testament the foundation of them is laid iâ— that command of our Saviour Matt 28. 20. go and Teach all Nations teacâ—â—ing them to observe and do all whatsoever command you and so I am with you to thâ— end of the world That they should bâ— taught to do or observe any thing buâ— what he commanded that his presencâ— should accompany them in the teaching oâ— observation of any superadditions of their own we no where find written intimated or exemplified by any practice of theirs Nor however in that juncture of time the like whereunto did never occurt before nor ever shall do again during the expiration and taking down of Mosaical Institutions before they became absolutely unlawful to be observed the Apostles according to the liberty given them by our Lord Jesus Christ and direction of the Holy Ghost did practise some things complyant with both Church-states did they in any one instance impose any thing on the practice of the Churches in the
in the World in which were government rightly understood and duty managed mistakes and abuses of Religion would not supply the gallies with vastly greater numbers than Villany There is no doubt but that if Phaeton get into the Chariot of the Sun the world will be sufficiently fired And if every Absalom who thinks he understands government and the due management of it better than its present possessours were enthroned there would be havock enough made among mankind But blessed be God who in many places hath disposed it into such hands as under whom those who desire to fear and serve him according to his Will may yet enjoy a more tolerable condition than such Adversaries are pleased withall That honest and well-meaning men falling into errours about the Worship of God through their ownignorance wherein their integrity may expiate their crime must be punished must not be pardoned looks methinks with an appearance of more severity than it is the Will of God that the World should be Governed by seeing one end of his instituting and appointing Government among men is to represent himself in his Power Goodness and Wisdom unto them And he that shall conjoyn another assertion of our Author namely that it is better and more eligible to tolerate debaucheries and immoralities in conversation than liberty of conscience for men to worship God according to those apprehensions which they have of his will with the close of this Chapter that it is so easie for men to deserve to be punished for their consciences that there is no Nation in the world in which were Government rightly understood and duly managed mistakes and abuses of Religion would not supply the Gallies with vastly greater numbers than Villany will easily judge with what Spirit from what principles and with what design this whole Discourse was composed But I find my self utterly besides and beyond my intention engaged in particular controversies and finding by the prospect I have taken of what remains in the Treatise under consideration that it is of the same nature and importance with what is past and a full continuation of those opprobrious reproaches of them whom he opposeth and open discoveries of earnest desires after their trouble and ruine which we have now sufficiently been inured unto I shall choose rather here to break off this Discourse than further to pursue the ventilation of those differences wherein I shall not willingly or of choice at any time engage Besides what is in the whole Discourse of especial and particular controversie may be better handled apart by it self as probably ere long it will be if this new Representation of old pretences quickned by invectives and improved beyond all bounds and measures formerly fixt or given unto them be judged to deserve a particular consideration In the mean time this Author is more concerned than I to consider whether those bold incursions that he hath made upon the antient boundaries and rules of Religion and the consciences of men those contemptuous revilings of his Adversaries which he hath almost fill'd the Pages of his Book withal those discoveries he hath made of the want of a due sense of the weaknesses and infirmities of men which himself wants not and of fierce implacable sanguinary thoughts against them who appeal to the Judgement Seat of God that they do not in any thing dissent from him or others but out of a Reverence of the Authority of God and for fear of provoking his holy Majesty his incompassionate insulting overmen in distresses and sufferings will add to the comfort of that account which he must shortly make before his Lord and ours To close up this Discourse The principal design of the Treatise thus far surveyed is to perswade or seduce Soveraign Princes or Supream Magistrates unto two evils that are indeed inseparable and equally pernicious to themselves and others The one of these is to invade or usurp the Throne of God and the other to behave themselves therein unlike him And where the one leads the way the other will assuredly follow The Empire over Religion the souls and consciences of men in the Worship of God hath hitherto been esteemed to belong unto God alone to be a peculiar Jewel in his glorious Diadem Neither can it spring from any other fountain but absolute and infinite Supremacy such as belongs to him as he hath alone who is the first cause and last end of all All attempts to educe it from or to resolve it into any other principle are vain and will prove abortive But here the Sons of men are enticed to say with him of old We will ascend into Heaven we will exalt our Throne above the Stars of God we will sit upon the Mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North we will ascend above the heights of the clouds we will be like the Most High For wherein can this be effected What Ladders have men to climb personally into Heaven and who shall attend them in their attempt It is an assuming of a dominion over the souls and consciences of men in the Worship of God wherein and whereby this may be pretended and therein alone And all this description of the invasion of the Throne of God whence he who did so is compared to Lucifer who sought Supremacy in Heaven is but the setting up of his power in and over the Church in its Worship which was performed in the Temple the Mount of the Congregation and in Sion on the North of the City of Jerusalem Isaiah 14. This now Princes are perswaded unto and can scarce escape without reproaches where they refuse or omit the attempting of it Suppose they be prevailed with to run the hazzard and adventure of such an undertaking what is it that they are thereon perswaded unto How are they directed to behave themselves after they have assumed a likeness unto the Most High and exalted themselves to his Throne Plainly that which is now expected from them is nothing but wrath fury indignation persecution destructions banishments ruine of the persons and families of men innocent peaceable fearing God and useful in their several stations to satisfie their own wills or to serve the interests of other men Is this to act like God whose power and authority they have assumed or like to his greatest Adversary Doth God deal thus in this world in his Rule over the souls of men or is not this that which is set out in the Fable of Phaeton that he who takes the Chariot of the Sun will cast the whole world into a combustion So he who of old is supposed to have affected the Throne of God hath ever since acted that cruelty to his power which manifests what was his design therein and what would have been the end of his coveted Soveraignty And whoever at any time shall take to himself that power that is peculiar to God will find himself left in the exercise of it to act utterly unlike him yea contrary unto
the Treatise we have had under consideration and it is that given by a King unto those that should pertake of the like Royal Authority with himself Psalm 2. 10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son left he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him And he who can inform me how they can render themselves more like unto God more acceptable unto him and more the Concern and Delight of mankind than by relieving peaceable and innocent persons from their Fears Cares and Solicitousness about undeserved evils or from the suffering of such things which no mortal man can convince them that they have merited to undergo or suffer he shall have my thanks for his discovery And what is it that we treat about What is it that a little Truce and Peace is desired unto and pleaded for What are the concerns of publick good therein Let a little sedate consideration be exercised about these things and the causelesness of all the Wrath we have been conversing withall will quickly appear That there is a sad degeneracy of Christianity in the world amongst the Professors of Christian Religion from the Rule Spirit Worship and Conversation of the first Christians who in all things observed and expressed the Nature Vertue and Power of the Gospel all must acknowledge and many do complain Whatever of this kind comes to pass and by what means soever it is the interest and design of them who are present gainers by it in the world to keep all things in the posture that yields them their advantage Hence upon every Appearance of an Alteration or Apprehension that any will desert the Wayes of Worship wherein they have been engaged they are cast into a storm of passion and outrage like Demetrius and the rest of the Silver-smiths pretending divisions present settlement ancient veneration and the like when their gain and advantage whether known or unknown to themselves is that which both influenceth them with such a frame of Spirit and animates them to actings suitable thereunto Thus in the Ages past there was so great and universal an Apostacy long before fore-told overspreading Christianity that by innumerable sober persons it was judged intolerable and that if men had any regard to the Gospel of Christ their own freedom in the world or everlasting blessedness there was a necessity of a Reformation and the reduction of the profession of Christian Religion unto some nearer conformity to the Primitive times and pattern Into this design sundry Kings Princes and whole Nations engaged themselves namely what lay in them and according to the sentiments of Truth they had received to reduce Religion unto its pristine Glory What Wrath Clamours Fury Indignation Revenge Malice this occasioned in them whose Subsistence Wealth Advantages Honour and Reputation all lay in preserving things in their state of defection and Apostacy is known to all the world Hence therefore arose bloody persecutions in all and fierce Wars in many Nations where this thing was attempted stirred up by the craft and cruelty of them who had mastered and managed the former declensions of Religion to their own use and advantage The guilt of which mischiefs and miseries unto mankind is by a late Writer amongst our selves contrary to all the monuments of times past and confessions of the Adversaries themselves endeavoured to be cast on the Reformers However a work of Reformation was carried on in the world and succeeded in many places in none more eminently than in this Nation wherein we live That the end aimed at which was professedly the Reduction of Religion to its antient Beauty and Glory in Truth and Worship is attained amongst us some perhaps do judge and absolutely acquiesce therein and for my part I wish we had more did so For be it spoken as I hope without offence on the part of others so without fear of giving it or having it taken on my own there are among many such evident Declensions from the first established Reformation towards the old or a new and it may be worse Apostacy such an apparent weariness of the principal Doctrines and practices which enlivened the Reformation as I cannot but be troubled at and wherewith many are offended For although I do own a dissent from some present establishments in the Church of England yet I have that honour for the first Reformers of it and Reformation it self that love to the Truth declared and established in it that respect to the Work and Grace of God in the conversion of the souls of thousands by the Ministry of the word in these Nations that I cannot but grieve continually to see the acknowledged Doctrines of it deserted its ancient principles and practices derided its pristine zeal despised by some who make advantage of its outward constitution inheriting the profits emoluments and wealth which the bounty of our Kings have endowed it withal but not its Spirit its Love its stedfastness in owning the Protestant Truth and Cause But to return for these things may better elsewhere be complained of seeing they relate only to particular persons That what is done in Reformation be established that any farther publick work of the same nature be attempted or the retrivement of what is done to its original condition and estate belongs to the determination of the Supream Magistrate and to that alone Private persons have no Call no Warrant to attempt any thing unto those purposes However many there are who dislike some Ecclestastical Constitutions and Modes of outward Worship which have been the matter of great contests from the first Reformation but much more dislike the degeneracy from the Spirit way and principles of the first Reformers before mentioned which in some at present they apprehend And therefore though many seem to be at a great distance from the present established Forms of the Church of England yet certainly all who are humble and peaceable when they shall see the Ministry of the Church as in former dayes in some measure acted rightly and zealously towards the known ends of it and such as are undeniably by all acknowledged namely the Conviction of the World the Conversion of Souls and Edification of them that do believe and the discipline of it exercised in a conformily at least to the Rule of the Discipline of the secular powers of the earth not to be a terrour to the good but to them that do evil and in these things a demonstration of the Meekness Humility Patience forbearance condescension to the weakness mistakes errings and wandrings of others which the Gospel doth as plainly and evidently require of us as it doth that we should believe in Jesus Christ will continually pray for its prosperity though they cannot themselves joyn with it in sundry of its practices and wayes In the
for the principles of that Religion which hath furnished him with all this candor moderation and ingenuity and hath wrought him to such a quiet and peaceable temper by teaching him that Humility Charity and Meekness which here bewray themselves Let it be granted as it must and ought to be that all Principles of the minds of men pretended to be from Apprehensions of Religion that are in themselves inconsistent with any Lawful Government in any place what ever ought to be coerced and restrained For our Lord Jesus Christ sending his Gospel to be preached and published in all Nations and Kingdoms of the World then and at all times under various sorts of Governments all for the same end of publick Tranquility and Prosperity did propose nothing in it but what a Submission and Obedience unto might be consistent with the Government it self of what sort soever it were He came as they used to sing of old to give men an Heavenly Kingdom and not to deprive them or take from them their earthly temporal dominions There is therefore nothing more certain than that there is no principle of the Religion taught by Jesus Christ which either in it self or in the practice of it is inconsistent with any Righteous Government on the Earth And if any opinions can truly and really be manifested so to be I will be no Advocate for them nor their Abettors But such as these our Author shall never be able justly to affix on them whom he opposeth nor the least umbrage of them if he do but allow the Gospel and the power of Christ to institute those Spiritual Ordinances and requiring their Administration which do not which cannot extend unto any thing wherein a Magistrate as such hath the least concernment in point of prejudice For if on a false or undue practice of them any thing should be done that is not purely spiritual or that being done should be esteemed to operate upon any of outward Concerns Relations Interestâ— Occasions of men they may be restrain by the power of him who presides oâ— publick good But besides these pretences our Aâ—thor I know not how chargeth also the â—â—mours inclinations and passions of some meâ— as inconsistent with Government and aâ—wayes disposing men to Phanaticisme and â—â—dition and on occasion thereof falls out to an excess of intemperance in reproaâ—â—ing them whom he opposetâ— such as 〈◊〉 have not above once or twice before 〈◊〉 with the like And in particular he raâ— about that Zeal as he calls it for the Gâ—â—ry of God which hath turned whole Natioâ— into Shambles filled the World with Buteâ—ries and Massacres and fleshed it self wiâ—â— slaughters of miriads of mankind Noâ— omitting all other Controversies I shaâ—â— undertake to maintain this against any mâ—â— in the World that the effects here so trâ—gically expressed have been produced 〈◊〉 the Leal our Author pleads for in coâ—pelling all unto the same sentiments and prâ—â—ctices in Religion incomparably aboâ— what hath ensued upon any other pretencâ— in or about Religion what ever This neel require I shall evince with such Inâ—stances from the entring of Christianity into the World to this very day as will admit of no Competition with all those together which on any account or pretence have produced the like effects This it was and is that hath soaked the Earth with blood depopulated Nations ruined Families Countrys Kingdoms and at length made innumerable Christians rejoyce in the yoke of Turkish Tyranny to free themselves from their perpetual persecutions on the account of their dissent from the Worship publickly established in the places of their Nativity And as for the Humours Inclinations and passions of men when our Author will give such Rules and directions as whereby the Magistrate may know how to make a true and legal judgement of who are fit on their account to live in his Territories and who are not I suppose there will not be any contest about them until then we may leave them as here displayed and set up by our Author for every one to cast a cudgel at them that hath a mind thereunto For to what purpose is it to consider the frequent Occasions he takes to diseourse about the ill tempers and humours of men or of enveighing against them for being morose and ungentile unsociable peevish censorious with many other terms of reproach that do not at present occur to my memory nor are doubtless worth the searching after Suppose he hath the Advantage of a better natural temper have more sedate affections a more complyant humour be more remote from giving or receiving provocations and have learned the wayes of Courtly deportment only was pleased to vail them all and every one in the writing of this Discourse is it meet that they should be persecuted and destroyed be esteemed Seditious and I know not what because they are of a natural temper not so disposed to Affability and sweetness of Conversation as some others are For my part I dislike the humour and temper of mind characterised by our Author it may be as much as he I am sure I think as much as I ought But to make it a matter of such huge importance as solemnly to introduce it into a Discourse about Religion and publick Tranquility will not it may be on second thoughts be esteemed over considerately done And it is not unlikely but that our Author seems of as untoward a Composition and peevish an Humour to them whom he reflects upon as they do to him and that they satisfie themselves as much in their disposition and deportment as he doth himself in his Nimirum idem omnes fallimur neque est quisquam Quem non in aliqua re videre Suffenum Possis Sect. 5. pag. 155 156. He inveighs against the Events that attend the permission of different Sects of Religion in a Common-wealth And it is not denyed but that some inconveniencies may ensue thereon But as himself hath well observed in another place we do not in these things enquire what is absolutely best and what hath no inconvenience attending it but what is the best which in our present condition we can attain unto and what in that state answers the Duty that God requireth of us Questionless it were best that we should be all of one mind in these things of God and it is no doubt also our Duty on all hands to endeavour so to be But seeing de facto this is not so nor is it in the power of men when and how they wil to depose those perswasions of their minds and dictates of their Consciences from whence it is not so on the one part or the other although in some parts of our differences some may do so and will not namely in things acknowledged to be of no necessity antecedent to their imposition and some would do so and cannot It is now enquired what is the best way to be steer'd in for the Accomplishment of the desired end of peace and
Tranquility for the future and maintaining love quietness and mutual usefulness at present amongst men Two ways are proposed to this purpose the one is to exercise mutual forbearance to each other whilst we are inevitably under the power of different perswasions in these things producing no practices that are either injurious unto private men in their rights or hurtful unto the State as to publick Peace endeavouring in the mean time by the evidence of Truth and a conversation suited unto it to win upon each other to a consent and Agreement in the things wherein we differ The other is by Severe Laws Penalties outward force as Imprisonments Mulcts Fines Banishments or Capital punishments to compell all men out of hand to an uniformity of practice whatever their judgements be to the contrary Now as the state of things is amongst us which of these wayes is most suitable to the Law of our Being and Creation the best Principles of the nature of man and those which have the most evident Resemblance of Divine Perfections the Gospel the Spirit and Letter of it with the mind of its Author our Lord Jesus Christ which is most conducing to attain the end aimed at in wayes of a natural and genuine complyance with the things themselves of Religion Conscience and Divine Worship is left unto the judgement of God and all good men In the mean time if men will make Declamations upon their own surmises jealousies and suspitions of things which are either so indeed that is really surmized or pretended to be so for some private interests or advantages of their own which no man can answer or remove if they may fancy at their pleasure Ghosts Goblins Fiends walking Sprights Seditions Drums Trumpets Armies Bears and Tigers Every difference in Religion be it never so small be the agreement amongst them that differ never so great be it the visible known open interest of them that dissent from what is established to live quietly and peaceably and to promote the good of the Commonwealth wherein they live do they profess that it is their duty their Principle their Faith and Doctrine to obey constantly their Rulers and Governours in all things not contrary to the mind of God and pretend no such commands of his as should interfere in the least with their power in order to publick tranquility do they offer all the security of their Adherence to such declared Principles as mankind is necessitated to be contented and satisfied with in things of their highest concernment do they avow an especial sense of the Obligation that is put upon them by their Rulers when they are protected in peace have they no concernment in any such Political Societies Combinations Interests as might alone give countenance unto any such disturbance all is one every different Opinion is Press-money and every Sect is an Army although they be all and every one of them Protestants of whom alone we do discourse Other answer therefore I shall not return unto this part of our Authors arguing than what he gave of old Ne admittam culpam ego meo sum promus pectori Suspicio est in pectore alieno sita Nam nunc ego te si surripuisse suspicer Jovi coronam de capite e capitolio Quod in culmine astat summo st non id feceris Atque id tamen mihi lubeat suspicarier Qui tu id prohibere me potes ne suspicer Only I may add that sundry of the Instances our Author makes use of are false and unduly alledged For what is here charged on differences in and about Religion in reference unto publick Tranquility might have been yea and was charged on Christian Religion for three hundred years and is so by many still on Protestancy as such and that it were a very easie and facile task to set out the pernicious evills of a compelled Agreement in the practice of Religion and those not fancied only or feigned but such as do follow it have followed it and will follow it in the world An enquiry in this Invective tending to evince its reasonableness is offered in pag. 158. namely Where there are divided Interests in Religion in the same Kingdom it is asked how shall the Prince behave himself towards them The answer thereunto is not I confess easie because it is not easie to be understood what is intended by divided Interests in Religion We will therefore lay that aside and consider what really is amongst us or may be according to what we understand by these expressions Suppose then that in the same profession of Protestant Religion some different way and Observances in the outward Worship of God should be allowed and the Persons concerned herein have no other cannot be proved to have any other interest with respect unto Religion but to fear God and honour the King it is a very easie thing to return an Answer to this enquiry For not entring into the profound Political Speculation of our Author about ballancing of Parties or siding with this or that Party where the differences themselves constitute no distinct Parties in reference to Civil Government and publick Tranquility let the Prince openly avow by the declaration of his judgement his constant practice his establishing of Legal Rights disposing of publick favours in places and preferments that way of Religion which himself owns and approves and let him indulge and protect others of the same Religion for the substance of it with what himself professeth in the quiet and peaceable exercise of their Consciences in the Worship of God keeping all Dissenters within the bounds allotted to them that none transgress them to the invasion of the Rights of others and he may have both the Reality and Glory of Religion Righteousness Justice and all other Royal Vertues which will render him like to him whose Vice-gerent he is and will undoubtedly reap the blessed fruits of them in the industry peaceableness and Loyalty of all his Subjects whatever There are sundry things in the close of this Chapter objected against such a course of proceedure but those such as are all of them resolved into a supposition that they who in any place or part of the world desire Liberty of Conscience for the Worship of God have indeed no Conscience at all For it is thereon supposed without further evidence that they will thence fall into all wicked and unconscientious practices I shall make as I said no reply to such surmises Christianity suffered under them for many Ages Protestancy hath done so in sundry places for many years And those who now may do so must as they did bear the effects of them as well as they are able Only I shall say First Whatever is of real inconvenience in this pretension on the supposition of Liberty of Conscience is no way removed by taking away all different practices unless ye could also obliterate all different perswasions out of the minds of men which although in one place tells us ought to
mind and will in all things then they do well and in the end will have the praise thereof In particular I confess Superstition as the Word is commonly used denotes a vicious habit of mind with respect unto God and his Worship and so is not a proper denomination for the Worship it self or of any evil or crime in it But yet if it were worth contending about I could easily manifest that according to the use of the word by good Authors in all Ages men have been charged with that crime from the kind and nature of the Worship it self observed by them And when St. Paul charged the Athenians with an excess in Superstition it was from the multiplication of their Gods and thronging them together right or wrong in the dedication of their Altars But these things belong not at all to our present design Let them who enjoyn things unto an indispensible necessary Observation in the Worship of God which are not by him prescribed therein take care of their own minds that they be free from the Vice of Superstition and they shall never be judged or charged by me therewith Though I must say that a multiplication of Instances in this kind as to their own observation is the principle if not the only way whereby men who own the true and proper object of Religious Worship do or may manifest themselves to be influenced by that corrupt habit of mind so that they may relate unto Superstition as the Effect to its Cause But the Recrimination here insisted on with respect unto them who refuse admittance unto or observance of things so enjoyned is such as ought to be expected from provocations and a desire of Retortion Such things usually taste of the Cask and are sufficiently weak and impertinent For it is a mistake that those charged do make as 't is here expressed any thing necessary not to be done or put any Religion in the not doing of any thing or the non-observance of any Rites Orders or Ceremonies any other than every one puts in his abstinence from what God forbids which is a part of our Moral Obedience And the whole Question in this matter is not whether as it is here phrased God hath tyed up his creatures to nice and pettish Laws laying a greater stress upon a doubtful or indifferent Ceremony than upon the great duty of obedience But meerly whether men are to observe in the Worship of God what they apprehend he hath enjoyned them and to abstain from what he doth forbid according to all the light that they have into his mind and will Which enquiry as I suppose may be satisfied that they are so to practise and so to abstain without being lyable to the charge of Superstition No man can answer for the minds of other men nor know what depraved vicious habits and inclinations they are subject unto Outward actions are all that we are in any case allowed to pass judgement upon and of mens minds as those Actions are Indications of them Let men therefore observe and do in the Worship of God whatever the Lord Christ hath commanded them and abstain from what he hath forbidden whether in particular instances or by general directive precepts and Rules by which means alone many things are capable of falling under a prohibition without the least thought of placing any Worship of God in their abstinence from this or that thing in particular and I think they need not much concern themselves in the charge of superstition given in or out by any against them For what is discoursed Section 11. about will-worship I cannot so far agree with our Author as I could in what passed before about superstition and that partly because I cannot discern him to be herein at any good Agreement with himself For superstition he tells us consists in the Apprehensions of men when their minds are possessed with weak and uncomly conceits of God pag. 201. here that will-worship is one sort of superstition and yet this will-worship consists in nothing else than in mens making their own phancys and inventions necessary parts of Religion which outward actings are not coincident with the inward frame and habit of mind before described And I do heartily wish that some men could well free themselves from the charge of will worship as it is here described by our Author though cautelously expressed to secure the concernments of his own Interest from it For although I will not call the things they contend to impose on others in the worship of God their phancys yet themselves acknowledge them to be their Inventions and when they make them necessary to be observed in the whole Worship of God as publick and stated and forbid the celebration of that Worship without them when they declare their Usefulness and spiritual or mystical significancy in that Worship or service designed to Honour God in or by their use setting up some of them to an Exclusion of what Christ hath commanded if I cannot understand but that they make them necessary parts of Gods Worship as to the actual observance of it I hope they will not be angry with me since I know the worst they can possibly with truth charge upon me in this matter is that I am not so wise nor of so quick an understanding as themselves Neither doth our Author well remove his charge from those whose defence he hath undertaken for 〈◊〉 doth it only by this consideration thaâ— they do not make the things by them introduced in the Worship of God to be parts of Religion They are not so he saith nor are made so by then For this hinders not but that they may be looked on as parts of Divine Worship seeing we are taught by the same hand that external Worship is no part of Religion at all And let him abide by what he closeth this section withall namely that they make not any Additions to the Worship of God but only provide that what God hath required be performed in an orderly and decent manner and as to my concern there shall be an end of this part of our controversie The ensuing paragraphs about Christian Liberly adding to the commands of God and Popeâ—y are of the same nature with those preceeding about superstition and Will-worship There is nothing new in them but words and they may be briefly passed through For the charge of Popery on the one side or other I know nothing in it but that when any thing is injoyned or imposed on mens practice in the Worship of God which is known to have been invented in and by the Papal Church during the time of its confessed Apostaâ—y it must needs beget prejudices against it in the minds of them who consider the wayes means and ends of the fatal deâ—ection of that Church and are jealous of a sinful complyance with it in any of those things The Recharge on those who are said to set up a Pope in every mans conscience whilest they
vest it with a power of countermanding the decrees of Princes if no more be intended by countermanding but a refusal to observe their decrees and yield Obedience to them in things against their Consciences which is all can be pretended if it fall not on this Author himself as in some cases it doth and which by the certain conduct of right reason must be extended to all wherein the Consciences of mâ—n are affected with the Authority of God yet it doth on all Christians in the World that I know of besides himself For adding to the Law of God it is not charged on any that they add to his commands as though they made their own divine or part of his word and law but only that they add in his Worship to the things commanded by him which being forbidden in the Scripture when they can free themselves from it I shall rejoyce but as yet see not how they can so do Nor are there any that I koâ—â— of who set up any prohibitions of their owâ— in or about the Worship of God or as thing thereunto pertaining as is unduly and unrighteously pretended There 〈◊〉 be indeed some things injoyned by meâ— which they do and must abstain from 〈◊〉 they would do from any other sin whateveâ— But their consciences are regulated by â— prohibitions but those of God himselâ—â— And things are prohibited and made sinfâ—â— unto them not only when in particular and by a specification of their instances they are forbidden but also when therâ— lye general prohibitions against them â— any account whatever Some men indeeâ— think that if a particular prohibition of any thing might be produced they would aâ— quiesce in it whilst they plead an exâ—emption of sundry things from being inâ—cluded in general prohibitions althougâ— they have the direct formal Reason attending them on which those prohibitionâ— are founded But it is to be feared thaâ— this also is but a pretence For let any thing be particularly forbidden yet iâ— mens interest and superstition induce them to observe or retain it they will find out distinctions to evade the prohibition and retain the practice What can be more directly forbidden than the making or useâ—â—g of graven Images in or about Religious Worship and yet we know how little â—ome men do acquiesce in that prohibiâ—â—on And it was the Observation of a â—earned Prelate of this Nation in his reâ—ection of the distinctions whereby they â—ndeavoured to countenance themselves in their Idolatry that the particular instances of things forbidden in the second Commandment are not principally intended â—ut the general Rule of not adding any thing in the Worship of God without his Institution Non imago saith he non simulachrum prohibetur sed non facies tibi What way therefore any thing becomes a sin unto any be it by a particular or general prohibition be it from the scandal that may attend its practice unto him it is a sin And it is a wild notion that when any persons abstain from the practice of that in the Worship of God which to them is sinful as so practised they add prohibitions of their own to the commands of God The same is to be said concerning Christian Liberty No man that I know of makes things indifferent to be sinful as is pretended nor can any man in his right wits do so For none can entertain contradictory notions of the same things at the same time as those are that the faâ—â— things are indifferent that is not sinâ—â—â— and sinful But this some say that this in their own nature indifferent that 〈◊〉 absolutely so may be yet relatively 〈◊〉 lawful because with respect unto that â—â—â—â—lation forbidden of God To set up Altar of old for a Civil memorial in a place was a thing indifferent but to 〈◊〉 up an Altar to offer Sacrifices on who the Tabernacle was not was a sin Itâ— indifferent for a man that understands thâ— Language to read the Scripture in Laâ—â—â— or in English but to read it in Latine uâ— a Congregation that understands it 〈◊〉 as a part of Gods Worship would be 〈◊〉 Nor doth our Christian Liberty consist alâ—â— in our judgement of the indifferency things in their own nature made necâ—â—â—sary to practice by commands as hath bâ— shewed And if it doth so the Jews hâ— that priviledge as much as Christians Aâ— they are easily offended who complainâ— that their Christian Liberty in the Pâ—â—ctice of what they think meet in the Wâ—â—ship of God is intrenched on by such leaving them to their pleasure because their Apprehension of the will of God the contrary cannot comply with them their practice The close of this Chapter is designed to the removal of an Objection pretended to be weighty and difficult but indeed made so meerly by the Novel Opinions advanced by this Author For laying aside all respect unto some uncouth Principles broached in this Discourse there is scarce a Christian Child of ten years old but can resolve the difficulty pretended and that according to the mind of God For it is supposed that the Magistrate may establish a Worship that is Idolatrous and Superstitious and an enquiry is made thereon what the subject shall do in that case why where lyes the difficulty why saith he in this case they must be either Rebels or Idolaters If they obey they sin against God if they disobey they sin against their Soveraign According to the Principles hither to received in Christian Religion any one would Reply and say no for it is certain that men must obey God and not contract the guilt of such horrible sins as Idolatry and Superstition but in so doing they are neither Rebels against their Ruler nor do sin against him It is true they must quieily and patiently submit to what they may suffer from him but they are in so doing guilty of no Rebellion nor sin against him Did ever any Christian yet so much as call it into question whether the Primitive Christians were Rebels and sinned against their Rulers because they would not obey those Edicts whereby they established Idolatrous Worship or did any one ever think that they had a difficult case of Conscience to resolve in that matter They were indeed accused by the Pagans as Rebels against the Emperours but no Christian every yet thought their case to have been doubtful But all this difficulty ariseth from the making of two Gods where there ought to be but one And this renders the case so perplexed that for my part I cannot see directly how it is determined by our Author Sometimes he speaks as though it were the duty of Subjects to comply with the establishment of Idolatry supposed as pag. 214 215. for with respect as I suppose it is to the case as by him stated that he sayes men must not withdraw their obedience and better submit unto the unreasonable impositions of Nero or Caligula than to hazard the dissolution of the State Sometimes he seems not to oblige them