AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST BIGOTRY IN RELIGION OR A DISCOURSE proving from the Testimony of Kings Nobles Judges Bishops Deans Doctors c. That Wise and Good Men may differ one from another both in Doctrine and Discipline and maintain Christian Charity amongst themselves By a true Berean LONDON Printed in the Year 1694. AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST BIGOTRY IN RELIGION READER IT is a Matter of great Lamentation to consider of the Decay of true Primitive Christianity and that instead of it is sprung up Bigotism on the one side and Scepticism on the other Never was there more need to call for Engines and Buckets to quench the Flames of Contention now kindled amongst us upon the account of different Modes of Worship and Controverted Points of Doctrine My Design is not to Applaud or Condemn any one party of Christians among us but to perswade them all to be Humble and Charitable and to believe that they have finite Understandings and fallible Apprehensions and ought not to be peremptory for or against little things nor too positive in any thing but those great things wherein Christians are all agreed I would gladly know why another Man may not differ from me with the same Sincerity that I differ from him and why he may not as well call me a Knave or Fool for not being of his mind as I call him so for his not being of mine I may well ask the old Question Which way went the Spirit of God from him to me that I should smite my Fellow-servant with my Hand Tongue or Pen I hope the Sentiments of these great Men in the following pages will make the World more Modest for the future I am sure we have seen little good produced by all our Clamorous Reflections one upon another God help us Every Party amongst us Contends so eagerly for our several Forms that we have almost lost the Power and our Bigotry for Circumstantials hath almost swallowed up our true Zeal for the substantial part of Religion There is Truth enough among all Parties to Save Men and Malice enough to Dam Angels I think true Religion consists in our Love to God and one another I am sure our Great Lord and Master has told us so and I will venture my Salvation upon his Authority for whoever wants those Qualifications is as far from Eternal Blessedness as a Jew or a Mahometan notwithstanding his Bigotry for his particular Mode of Worship We have abundance of Protestant Popery now in England and think our selves as infallible in our several Churches as they do in theirs and make no scruple to cast all such into our fiery Furnaces who will not Bow down to the Images of our Imaginations did not our Laws tye our Hands behind us We have seen several Forms uppermost in England at one time or other but wise men are Indifferent about indifferent things and submit them to the Wisdom of their Superiors So long as God's Word is truly preached Sacraments rightly administred Peace and good Order preserved they trouble not themselves about Vesture Gesture Time and Place If there were a General Council called to resolve this Question viz. which among all the several Parties now in Christendom are most in the right I am perswaded they would be voted the wisest men and the best Christians who are of no Sect or Party but choose out of all that which is most agreeable to Truth and Reason and tends most to promote the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men. They are certainly in the surest way to Heaven who most abound with sincere Piety and Catholick Charity and can hold Communion with any true Church of Christ which is sound in the Substantials of Religion notwithstanding some different Modes of Administration so long as nothing is required which they judge to be sinful Give me the true Evangelical Catholick that does not confine Salvation to his own particular Communion nor call every man a Heretick that is not of his private Perswasion God Almighty never required of men an exact uniformity in Ecclesiastical Ceremonies nor Systimatical Opinions but he has made our Salvation and Damnation depend upon our Faith and Holiness and they are very consistent with divers ways of Worship and with variety of Apprehensions in divine matters The most wise and sagacious men among all Parties have exclaimed against Bigotry in Religion especially when their thoughts have run pure from dregs of secular Interest But if once they have been biassed by the fears of Displeasing a popular Congregation or by the hopes of obtaining some Ecclesiastical Promotion they have then discover'd a mighty Zeal for the silver Shrines of Diana I can truly say with the Reverend Dr. Tennison present Bishop of Lincoln that I heartily thank God I have found in Conversation so much of good Temper and real Piety in many Men upon whom Rashness had fixed Names of Infamy Epist to his Spittle Sermon 1681. Mr. Baxter gives this Character of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Kidderminster in Worster-shire whereof he was Minister viz. the things which I loved in you I will freely praise which were a special measure of Humility a plain Simplicity in Religion a Freedom from the Common Errors of the Times a readiness to receive the Truth a Catholick Temper without addictedness to any Sect an exemption from Schism and Separating ways a hatred and disowning of the Usurpations and Rebellions against the Civil Government an open bearing of Testimony in all these Cases together with Seriousness in Religion and a sober righteous charitable and godly Conversation Dr. Owen has told the World that they meaning the Independants never entertained a Thought uncharitable to such a Prodigy of Insolence as to exclude any sort of Christians from an Interest in the Love of God or Grace of Christ or Hopes of Salvation because they do not or will not comply with those ways and Terms of Church-Communion which they approve of How far saith the same Dr. Errors in Judgment or miscariages in sacred Worship which any sort of Professors have superadded unto Divine Truth may be of so pernicious a Nature as to hinder them from an Interest in the Covenant and to prejudice their Eternal Salvation God only knows But the Notion says he we have concerning the Nature and Will of God in Scripture do perswade us to believe that where men do in sincerity improve the Ablities and means of Kowledge of Divine Truth wherewith they are intrusted endeavouring withall to Answer their Light and Convictions with a suitable Obedience there are but few Errours of Mind of so malignant a Nature as absolutely to exclude such Persons from an Interest in Eternal Mercy And we look upon the Church of England or the Generality of the Nation Professing the Christian Religion measuring them by the Doctrine that has been preached to them and received by them since the Reformation to be as Sound and Healthful a part of the Catholick Church as any in the World
poterit esse questio vel suspicio generari Bishop Usher In those Propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian World i. e. Articles of the Creed so much Truth is contained as being joyned with an holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto Everlasting Salvation and that as many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be upon them Upon which saith Doctor Chillingworth this is a great and as good a Truth and as necessary for these miserable Times as can be uttered Hookers Eccles Polit. p. 266. We have received from the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ that brief confession of Faith which hath been always a badge of the Church a mark whereby to discern Christian men from Infidels and Jews Dr. Hammond of Schism p. 58. Calls the Creed the Apostolick badge or mark A tessera or token of the Apostles having planted the Faith in any Church the known summary of that beleif which had been received from the Apostles p. 211. It cannot be affirmed of all the Articles of the Creed that they are thus absolutely necessary i. e. that no man can be imagined to Reform his Life so as to be acceptable to God but he to whom every one of those Articles has been intelligibly revealed for as to many plain yet pious Christians it s not certain that can be affirmed Bishop Tailor Coll of disc p. 536. The Religion of Jesus Christ is the Form of sound Doctrine set down in Scripture separated as to the Question of necessary or not necessary by the symbol of the Apostles Item p. 407. Now if more were necessary than the Articles of the Creed I demand why was it made the characteristick note of a Christian from an Heretick Jew or an Infidel or to what purpose was it composed or if this were intended as sufficient did the Apostles or those Churches which they founded know any thing else to be necessary Bishop Sparrows Rationale upon the Common Prayer p. 50. In the time of the stay at Jerusalem they agreed upon this Creed as a Rule of Faith according to the Analogy of which they and all others should teach and as a word of distinction by which they should know Friend from Foes for as the Gileadits by the word Shibboleth Judges 12. 6. c. So the Apostles and the Church should know who were right believers who false by this word of Faith for all that walked according to this Rule and Professed this Faith she acknowledged for hers and gave them her peace but all others that went contrary to this Rule and Word she accounted enemies Tertull. de praescriptione and lead by false Spirits as 1 John 4.6 Item a Christian evidences to the Church his sound beleif by expresly repeating the Creed and every particular thereof which is and always hath been accounted the mark and character whereby to distinguish a true beleiver from an Heretick or Infidel Judge Hales discourse of Religion p. 4. The Credenda or things to be known or beleived are but few and intelligible briefly delivered in that summary of Christian Religion usually called the Apostles Creed and in brief the Baptismal Covenant as it is contained in the Liturgy and Explanation thereof in the Church Catechism i. e. by the Covenant Mercies and Covenant-duties together with the precepts of the Decalogue contain in effect the summary or brief Epitome of our Christian duty Cars peaceable Moder p. 43. The Creed is a short Abridgment and Epitome of the Apostles Doctrine which they received from Christ our Saviour and delivered to us in the New Testament the Rule of our Faith Touch-stone of Truth the pith and substance of our Christian Religion the very badge and cognizance of a Christian whereby he is not only known from Pagans but also distinguished from Hereticks Bishop Pearson The Creed without controversie is a brief comprehension of the objects of our Christian Faith and is generally taken to contain all things necessary to be beleived in praef to his Exposition on the Apostles Creed Glanvell's Catholick Charity p. 30. The Fundamentals of belief are few and plain for certainly the Divine goodness would not lay our Eternal interest in difficulties and multitudes things hard to be understood and retain'd Item Agreement of Reason and Religion pag. 5. In the Creed are all the Fundamentals of Religion and though our Church require our Assent Ministers he means to more propositions yet those are only Articles of Communion not Doctrines absolutely necessary to Salvation And if we go beyond the Creed for Essentials of Faith who can tell where we shall stop Doctor Tillotson I doubt not but that the belief of the Ancient Creed provided we entertain nothing that is destructive of it together with a good Life will certainly save a Man True state of the Primitive Church Part First That which we commonly call the Apostles Creed if it were not composed by them yet certainly by Primitive and Apostolick men and proposed as the sum of Christian Faith the sum total necessary to Salvation It cannot be supposed that they left out any thing which they thought necessary to Salvation they might as well have omitted half or all Dr. Steward 's Englands Case pag. 20. In our Reformation we still adhering unto the Three Creeds which are the Faith of the Church Catholick Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk. 19.42 pag. 26. To the Honour of the Church of England let it be said whatsoever is imposed on us as necessary to the Salvation of all men is contained in the Apostles Creed This is the Faith of the first and best times of Christianity the Faith into which we are Baptized and the Belief of this Creed hath a direct influence on our Christian practice which is the great business of Religion Bishop Sanderson in his nine Cases of Conscience pag 8. Whosoever well considers may rest satisfied in his judgment and conscience that the Faith professed and taught in the Church of England is a plain and safe way to lead a Christian Believer to Eternal Salvation if he withal lead his life and conversation answerable thereunto Dr. Barrow 's Discourse of the Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy In regard to this Union of Faith among Christians the Body of Christians adhering to it was called the Catholick Church from which all those were esteemed Ipso facto to be cut off and separated who in any point deserted that Faith pag. 9. Conformists not forward in Censuring any as guilty of Heretical and Damnable Errors HOmily of Contention First Part. May help with other Citations to explain the Hereticalness of an Error He that is faulty let him rather amend than defend that which he hath spoken a miss least he fall by contention from a foolish Error into an obstinate Heresie Bishop Jewel's Def. of Apol. pag. 46. For just proof of Heresie three things necessarily be required 1. That it be an
benefit of Publick Communion to each other Item pag. 280. Every Petty difference c. pag. 287. Would we indeed comport with the Example of those happy Times of the Primitive Church we should have prayed for the Conversion of Dissenters not laid Anathema's upon them and prayed for their confusion Item In his whole Duty of Man If one that holds all necessary Christian Truths happen yet to be in some Error we are not for this to despise his Person or forsake his Communion Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement In the case of unavoidable Differences amongst good Men there ought to be mutual Charity c. not to judge despise reject insult over one another not to deal with the weaker as Aliens but as Brethren not to proceed presently unto Separation Rejection Anathematization but to restore those that are overtaken with an Error in the spirit of Meekness Dr. Alestry Serm. 9. pag. 170. Censuring the abuse of Excommunication If they be not so happy as to be Orthodox sending them down to Hell directly Dr. Barrow In his Vnity of the Church Speaking of the Roman Churches If Churches do maintain impious Errors if they do prescribe naughty practices if they do reject communion and peace upon reasonable Tearms if they vent unjust and uncharitable censures c. If they damn and persecute all that refuse to be their Subjects in such cases we may Reject such Churches as Heretical or Schismatical or wickedly uncharitable and unjust in their proceedings Dr. More in his Pref. to the Mistery of Godliness pag. 19 The Object of Church discipline ought to contain nothing but the indisputable Truths of our Religion namely the generally acknowledged Articles of the Christian Faith and plain indispensable Duties of Life for these are such as deserve to be held up with all possible care and strictness Other things so gently recommended that no conscientious man may be pinched by them Dr. Stillingfleet 's Preface to Irenicum What possible Reason can be assigned why such things should not be sufficient for communion with a Church which are sufficient for Eternal Salvatition And certainly those things are sufficient for that which are laid down as necessary Duty 's of Christianity by our Lord and Saviour in his Word Dr. Cave 's Gospel preached to the Romans Serm. 4. pag. 89. God be thanked such is the present Moderation of our Churches Ecclesiastical constitutions our penalties are not for Destruction but for correction and amendment we punish none for their bare opinions and readily embrace every Returning Penitent Item pag. 87. We must above all things put on Charity and when we come to reprove rebuke and to inflict Spiritual Censures and Punishments we must distinguish as tenderly as we can between the wilful and the weak the obstinate and the Ignorant the obstinate we must endeavour to save with Fear plucking them out of the Fire with them we must be more sharp and severe in our Admonitions and Threatnings But on the weak we must have Compassion who may be supposed to Err through simplicity or the fervors of Devotion and ought to be treated with a fatherly Tenderness for to be restored if possible conformable unto the Doctrine of St. Paul to Timothy with the Spirit of meekness Stop to the Course of Separation The just Reasons of Excommunication are the same all over the World which is obstinate persisting in great Transgressions of the general Precepts of the Gospel At the end of the Book Vnion of the Catholick Church pag. 10. Every difference in Judgment when no violence is offered to the Catholick Faith and Unity must not break this Communion according to that profession of St. Cyprian judging no man nor excluding him from the Right of Communion if he think otherwise where the dispute was thought of no mean concernment Which St. Augustine often alledgeth against the Donatists and condemns Victor pag. 11th who was hastening to Excommunicate the Asian Churches for their difference in Celebration of Easter True State of the Primitive Church Be charitable to the weak proceed not so severely against them in your Courts of Judicature but Remember what St. Paul says Col. 2. in respect of Ceremonies Let no man judge you c. Will you in respect of such shadows judge Excommunicate Sentence to Everlasting Flames the Soul that holds of the Body of Christ believes all his Holy Gospel accords with you in one Faith one Baptisme c. Will you condemn such an one to Eternal Death God Forbid Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 101. We can represent and inveigh against Schism as the sin against the Holy Ghost A Sin unto Death indeed in some sence because it is so contrary to Charity and Peace and destructive of the Life of Saints which doth much consist in their Communion But were we impartial we should as warmly admonish our own hearts to take heed of Schismatical Passions and excommunicate them from within us as admonish and cast out others that differ from us Idem pag. 20. We are forward to blame the more rigid sort of Separatists for not coming to our Worship and why are we so rigid as to forbear all Christian Communion with them as if Christianity were all lost among them I do declare that I hold Mental Communion with all the Holy Brethren and am prepared for Local and External Communion with them in all Christian Duties and Ordinances Dr. Hammond 's Annotations on the New Testament Rom. 14.17 18. Christianity consists not in such External Matters as Meats but in the practice of Christian Vertues such are Mercifulness and Peaceableness c. not dividing and hating and Excommunicating one another and 14. chap. ver 13. And therefore let this Fault be mended do not any longer Censure and seperate from one anothers Communion for such things as these Doctor Hammond of Schism p. 16. Because the Governours being men may possibly Err and consequently censure and Excommunicate the innocent its possible the person excluded may be innocent he that is Excommunicate unjustly cannot be rendred criminous by that misfortune p. 17. he cites Photius Patriarch of Constantinople the Excommunication of the Jewish Sanhedrim sent out against Christs Disciples brought them so much nearer to their Lord and Master and Alien'd the Jews themselves removed them so much the farther from the Kingdom of Heaven and so doth all unjust Excommunication unite us to the Apostles by this Conformity with and participation of their sufferings Bishop Jewels defence of the Apol. p. 583. Brings in St. Augustine saying Quid obest homini What is a man the worse if the ignorance of a man strike him out of the Book of the Church if ill conscience strike him not out of the Book of Life In this case St. Augustine saith it cometh sometime to pass Vt plurimae sint foris oves intus Lupi That there be many Sheep without the Church and many Wolves within And in your own Law Mr. Harding it
as an hypocrite professes what he believes not Serious and Compassionate Enquiry c. It becomes a Christian Magistrate who considers he governs Men and not Beasts to afford means of Instruction and competent time for those instructions to take place It hath always been found that Force without Instruction hath been prevalent onely on the worst of men When the Publick is secured yet there is great scope for his Compassion and consequently it is the Duty of a good Magistrate to drive as the Cattel can go pag. 211 212. Not to resort to such severities as are abhorred by all English-men pag. 113. Mr. Dodwel 's two Letters to Mr. Baxter pag. 216. You mean that all truly Pious and Conscientious persons ought to be treated with Candor and Respect before severe means be used or that the use of severe means is utterly to be forborn as far as may be that is as far as such forbearance may be reconcileable with the publick Interest which is to be preferred before the private of any person whatsoever I could for my part heartily wish it were so too Kidder 's Serm. 1 Pet. 3.11 pag. 22. We Quarrel first then we hate and when we are strong enough we persecute each other Vnion of the Catholick Church pag. 50. Men may make a noise with the Odious Names of Persecutions yet our Adversaries of both the Extreams have little reason to object that of which they themselves stand so deeply chargeable when in their power Principles and Practices of Moderation c. These persons the Moderate Divines of the Church of England are desirous that Mercy and Indulgence should be shown towards those whose Consciences will not permit them to comply with their Governours in some things disputable judging it a piece too near of kin to that of the cruel Procrustres ever to endeavour to force others to be just of their pitch and size in Opinions and to approve of their Sentiments Mr. Smythies Spirit of Meekness pag. 68. As the Galathians were overtaken in a fault Galat. 6.1 So we must account them likewise who have dissented from us Men that are guilty of Errours of practice they are wilful for they know they are wrong and yet they are to be treated with a Spirit of Meekness that they may be made sensible of their wickedness that they may be reclaimed without punishment by the Execution of Laws if it may be effected Much more then are others to be dealt tenderly with in their Errors of Judgment through weakness and inability of Mind for which they are to be pitied Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 28. Whether men shall forfeit their Goods and Liberties for a Dissent in Religion by any Gospel-Rule or Rules of Christian Equity is a great Question and the Negative past doubt as yet Idem Part 3. pag. 5. The men speaking of Dissenters are given to pray hear Sermons sing Psalms and other pious Exercises and live if not better yet no worse than many that go to Church People think and say surely it is hard to drive honest Mens Cattle seize their goods break open houses for doing well Argument for Toleration and Indulgence in Difference of Opinion Printed 1681 pag. 3. Instead of bearing and Indulging to compel a person to serve the Deity in a way against the light and apprehensions he hath is the greatest Tyranny that can be for it is to compel him to the doing of a thing which on pain of Damnation he holds himself obliged not to do Item pag. 5 6. To be rigid and severe to others in matters of Opinion is not to comport with the Golden Rule of all our Actions prescribed by our Blessed Saviour which is to do as we would be done unto Wouldst thou be compelled thy self to anothers opinion that dost compel others Arguments and Reasons and not Capiasses and Imprisonments Fire and Faggot are proper means to effect it Thus the Ancient Fathers in all their Apologies to the Heaten in defence of themselves and the Christian Religion ever pleaded Mr. Kettlewel 's Measure of Obedience Edit 3. pag. 631. If we are rigorous and severe with our Brethren God will be so with us also and when he comes to judge us we shall find as little allowance at his hands as they have done at ours For he shall have judgment from God without Mercy who to men hath shewed no mercy but if any man hath been merciful to his Brethren God will be much more so to him This will be the best Plea that can be urged to obtain Mercy at Gods Hand Mat. 5.7 Peaceable Sentiments about Confessions and Articles of Faith BIshop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus Unless the Forms of Publick Confessions be restrained to necessary and uncontroverted Doctrines this mischief will ensue that many Learned Pious and peaceable Pastors will be excluded and made unserviceable to the Churches where they live that therefore it doth behove the Rulers of the Church as being conscious of their own and of the infirmities of Mankind to be cautious least while they do require a too rigid and exact Confession they seem to weaken that sweetly necessary Communion which should be among themselves King Charles the Seconds Declaration from Breda That none forfeit his Benefice that subscribes all the Articles of Religion which only concern the Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments Historia quinque Articularis Part 2. chap. 8. Cited by Dr. Puller 's Moder pag. 127. The Articles of this Protestant Church in the Infancy thereof were drawn up in general Terms foreseeing that Posterity would grow up to fill the same meaning that those Holy Men did prudently discover that difference in Judgments would unavoidably happen in the Church and were loth to unchurch any and drive them off from any Ecclesiastical Communion for petty differences which made them Pen the Articles in comprehensive words to take in all who differing in Branches meet in the Root of the same Religion Out of a Letter of the Bishops of Rochester Oxford and St. Davids to the Duke of Buckingham August 2. 1625. Exemplified in Heylin 's History of Archbishop Laud pag. 131. The Church of England when it was reformed from the Superstitious Opinions broached and maintained by the Church of Rome refused their apparent and Dangerous Errors and would not be too busie with every particular School point The Cause why she held this Moderation was because she could not be able to preserve any Unity amongst Christians if men were forced to subscribe to curious particulars disputed in Schools Some of them Montagues Opinions are such as are fit onely for Schools and to be left at more Liberty for Learn'd Men to abound in their own Sence c. Bishop Tailor 's Ductor Dubitant L. 3. chap. 4. R 28. Sect. 8. No particular Church ought with rigour to require subscription to Articles which are not evidently true and necessary to be professed because in