you in a word what is the reason that the Christian world doth not patiently stretch out its neck to the Turkish Cruelty Sure you are not ignorant that the pretended cause of his invasions hath often been to destroy the Christian Faith if then the spirituality of Christs Kingdom doth altogether prohibite his Servants fighting wherefore do not Christian States and Princes lay down their Carnall defensive weapons and rest quietly in this that God who governs the world can maintain his own right and the wrath of man doth not work his righteousnesse as you are pleased to Cant to your N. C. I know the only reply you can make is that the case of free Estates and Soveraigne Princes against foreiners is very different from that of Subjects against their Rulers but doth not this plainly discover the Sophistrie of your Method you tell us first that Subjects may not fight for Religion against their persecuting Prince because the spirituality of Christs Kingdom forbids all fighting upon that account And then when you are urged with the incontrovertible practice of Christian Kingdomes you just recurre say that the instance not being of Subjects against their Prince doth not quadrat and not remembring that this is the very quaesâ—â—um you make the vain and emptie assertion of the irresistibilitie of Princes without any proofe both head and tail of all your reasonings I may not insist to tell you that if the spirituality of Christs Kingdom did cause the King of Kings and him who even on earth owned himself greater then Solomon to suffer without resistance The Soveraignity of Christian Princes cannot give them a contrary privilege I know these of your way and many others also carried away with their error forgetting both the Authority which Christ exercised and for which he was questioned by the jewish Rulers and also his own most expresse words no man taketh my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again stick not to make an obligation of subjection to the then Tyrannes Murtherers an ingredient in his submission but I am tedious More consideration of the worth and wonderful love of our Lord Jesus Christ would teach you no doubt both a better understanding in the Truth of God and more reverend and tender vindications then these you make of the True and Faithfull Witness You proceed in the next place upon occasion of your N. C. alledging that you condemne our first Reformation carried on by Fighting to tell us that the ages immediatly after Christ afford the best examples in these the Christians though suffâ—â—iently numerous and cruelly irritate did onlâ— increase by suffering and not by fighting the force used in our Reformation was the enemies tares and no precedent of men is to be opposed to the expresseâ— word of God Sir to begin where you leave I hope I have already fully cleared that the expresse word of God is against you and not for you neither will I expatiat upon the undeniable Necessitie Righteousnesse Reason and evident blessing of that Force used in our first Reformation by which our Religion Libertie yea the Royall line and Crown were under God only preservedâ— Nay your reprochful likening of it to the devils tares is so far from lessening the evidence of that Spirit which after having resisted unto bloud and wrestled through many great and strong persecutions did animate the Lords people to a very noble defence countenanced by all the then Reformed Churches that it doth not so much as demurie my charitie that if you your self had been in these dayes you had taken part with the Congregation That which I shall stay a little upon is the practice of the Primitive Christians whereby you think fighting for Religion to be as much condemned as suffering is highly commended And because this objection doth lead unto the delightful search and vindication of the works of God for answere I observe first that as in the holy and determinate Counsel of God it became the Captain of our Salvation to be made perfect through suffering so it pleased him for the greater manifestation of the power of his Grace by the Foolishnesse of Preaching and Weakeness of Suffering to render the propagation of his Truth more glorious and thus in the first times of the Gospel the greater the crueltie and the more ineluctable that the necessity of the suffering was the more inexpressible was the glory of that presence and the joy of that consolation whereby the Church in its deepest distresse did most highly triumph 2. So unspeakeablie did the power of this assistance prevail to the dispelling of the fear and removing of the horrour of all these torments and afflictions that many instead of flying incontrovertibly lawfull did directly run to suffering and to a great part the Garland of Martyrdom became a most Ambitionat Crown by the mistake of the exuberance of which assisting grace not only many odd practices in precipitating themselves unto suffering and death but Opinions also then held such as that of the unlawfulnesse of all resistance for Christians even against Robbers and Murtherers can only be excused 3. But if the beautie and splendor of this grace did in some measure dazle the eyes of its more immediate witnesses how much more did it astonish its more remote and after admirers who receiving the report with fames increase and taking their measures more from their own good design then the exact simplicitie of truth by their pious and affectionat Rhetorications stopt not to strain matter of fact sometimes beyond probabilitie If you be a stranger to this truth advert how the almost immediate after Age magnifies their Patience and Sufferings such as veflra omnia repleâ—iâ—us with more then one grain of allowance 4. As this was the dispensation of the first ages of the Gospel so when the Lord advanced the Church to a certain and visible capacity of defence peruse Histories and you will find plenty of instances of Christians their fighting for Religion The Armenii very early even before Constantine his Empire Libertatem exercendi Christianismi Armis vindicant Clade afficiunt Maximinum as the History beares and how the persecuted Christians under the Persian and Arrian did implore and receive the aid of the Roman and Orthodox Emperours would be superfluous to narrate By these few reflections as I have cut of from your argument all the necessary suffering and strained capacities of the Primitive Christians so I have given you such a full and evident account of their not searching after or improving sooner any real measure of sufficiencie for defence which probably they did but little minde that this their omission cannot without manifest calumnie be adduced to disprove either their immediate afterâ— practises or the agreeable and universally approven examples of our late reformations Now if for proving their more early capacite for or expresse dissent from Defensive Armes
of my writing is such as I conceived to be most proper for my purpose if the prosecution of your particularities specially in an essay pretended indeed to be equally managed but without question unequally designed for the parties therein contending prove irksome and tedious to others as it hath been to my self I have no Apologie but the necessity of a full reply aswel to deliver the true Non-Conformist from your disingenuous imposings as to refute your Conformist's Objections As for other matters I referr all to the Reader There is one thing only I would intreat and that is that if in the perusal of what I have written you do find any thing that may move you again to take up your pen you would not imploy it in any further continuation of this dramatick way of scribling But seeing truth's interest is that which both of us ought to regard let the differences in controversie be fairly stated propositions clearly drawn forth and by you either defended or impugned according to the exigence of your cause and I promise you either my assent or the reasons of my dissent without passion or partiality Now as to your language and manner of writing your Friend sayes It is accommodated to these meaner capacities who are most apt to be abused by such as care not nay which is very sad but too true wish not Religion nor godlinesse to prosper in the hands of those who differ from them in opinion about external things which are not of great moment Sir this is a charge of too high an import to be let flye at randome There are I confesse amongst us who do apprehend that both the opinions and practices of you and your Associats do directly tend to the debauching of Conscience by the false pretences and undue extensions of Civil Obedience and Allegeance the perverting and destroying of Gospel Ordinances not only of Church-government and a sent Ministry but even of the two Sacraments by turning their divine institution into ecclesiastick custome and lastly to the subverting of the very foundation Justification through faith in Jesus Christ by the superadding of our own to his righteousnesse and who therefore justly fearing that your colouring and covering of these most momentous points as if different opinions about things externall were all the controversie to be only a turning of things upside down and a seeking deep to hide your Counsel from the Lord do wish that the Lords people may bewar of such deceivers specially seeing their universal perjury and intrusion their common profanity and ordinary insufficiency are obvious to all men But that there are any of us who care not nay wish not Religion to prosper even in the manner here represented is not more groundlesse then it is most certain that the prospering of Religion and godlinesse would be the most effectual mean both to ruine your course and establish what me maintain But let us hear how your Friend makes out his accusation and he saith it may appear from their perswading poor souls to take for a mark of zeal that which in all christian Nations is lookt on as a very great mark of impiety to wit not going to Church A mighty conviction and worthy to be write in greater letters But where did he learn that not going to Church in the meaning only pertinent to his reflection viz our not going to the house appointed indeed for publick divine worship but invaded and usurped by perjurious Intruders for the most part as palpably wicked and naughty as their intrusion is undeniable is lookt on in all Christian Nations as a great mark of impiety Or how will he make it out that we perswade not going to Church that is to the assembling of our selves together for the more solemn worship and adoration of God and hearing of our lawful Pastors though in corners as God gives opportunity which is most certainly all whereunto Christianity doth oblidge Let him prove either and then let him boast himself But seeing either of these demands must of necessity sinke him into perpetual silence how foolishly doth he second his allegeances He subjoynes that you mean no prejudice to any person in writing of it viz. your DIALOGUES that it is only published to informe sincere people Whither it be so or not let the work bear witness As for my intention in answering I have already declared it and I hope the answer it selfe will not contradict I wish indeed it had been more timous But as I affect not hasty productions so there are many other reasons easily supposible for the delay If it may give any light for establishment in this evil time I know it is not yet unseasonable And in this single and earnest desire I recommend it to all that love our righteous Cause and wait for the Lords appearance A short INDEX Of the chief things handled in this Treatise DIAL I. NOn-Conformists vindicated from some groundlesse and odious charges suggested in the entrie Pag. 2 3 c. The sound clear rule for Christian practice in the point of Separation with the true reason why Non-Conformists cannot join with Curats 6 c. The work of God which Non-Conformists owne no Rebellion 9 Whether that argument taken from the Prophets their not exhorting to Popular Reformation doth militat against Subjects their fighting for Religion 10 Positive grounds from Scripture warranding Subjects to defend Religion by armes 11 12 c. The Peoples obligation to Popular Reformation cleared 16 The example of the Maccabees a good ground for Peoples maintaining Religion by armes 18 19 The invalidity of these Objections taken from the mortifying design of Religion and our Lords beginning the Gospel with suffering discovered 20 21 c. Whether that injunction of our Saviours to his Disciples not to draw for him and his words to Pilat Iohn 18. 36. doth militat against the defending of Religion by Armes 24 c. Whether the Practice of the Primitive Christians be a sufficient argument to condemn fighting for Religion 29 30 Why N. C. cannot keep the Anniversary day 32 The Publick course against the adversaries of the Covenant Work of Reformation vindicated from the Calumny of Cruelty and rigor and proven to be most rational and righteous 34 35 A short account of the barbarous and inhumane Cruelty of the Prelats and their party against innocent Non-Conformists 36 Ministers cleared from that charge of Medling in State or Publick affairs 39 Superstition how unjustly charged upon N. C. 41 c. DIAL II. A discovery of the evil of the new convenient contrivance of Religion 52 Kirk-Sessions vindicated 54 55 Their excellent use for suppressing ungodliness 57 The Ministers liberty and manner of reproving sin vindicated also their cariage toward the late King Ibid. Their Preaching vindicated 60 Communions vindicated 67 Of the posture in time of publick Prayer 70 Family Worship and private meetings vindicated 71 c. The Divisions charged upon N. C. whence they did proceed
whole strain runs upon suffering but seeing your insinuation is General and inconcludent and that afterward you do more particularly object from it I proceed Having thus at some length supplied your N. C. omission in the next place I come to the Argument where with you furnish him viz. That the law of Nature teacheth us to defend our selves therefore there is no need of expresse Scripture for it In Answere to this having broke your jâ—ast You begin very Magisterially with your N. C. tell him that he is a stranger to the very designe of Religion which is to mortifie Nature that it is a thing Super natural that the Scriptures are strangely contrived ever telling us of suffering without the exception of resistance if in a capacitie you appeal to Conscience if either â—ighting which a carnal man may do or suffering which he cannot do be the likelier way to advance Religion whence you conclude That it is not to be defended or advanced by rules borrowed from Nature but from Grace Fye upon you M. Conformist where is ingenuitie Your N. C. sayes that Nature teaches us To defend against injuries though inflicted for Religion you tell him that Religions desigâ—â— is to mortifie Nature that it is not to be defended or advanced by natures rules Is not this strangely contrived reasoning The N. C. is as persuaded as you are that the Grace of God bringing Salvation hath appeared unto all teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and wordly lusts and so to mortifie corrupt Nature but doth it therefore contradict pure Natures light or warrant us to destroy our selves If any private Person should injuriously impose upon and invade another for Religions sake were it not lawful for the Person thus injured to defend himself Or were this contraire to the designe and nature of Religion you cannot say it I know the Magistrat invested with authority is no private Person but remember that you now argue from the Supernatural quality of Religion and not from the character of the Magistrats power and therefore as upon this subject I would tell you that notwithstanding the Magistrat by reason of his place may deserve a greater though no illimited forbearance yet he hath as litle warrant for and greater sin in persecuting then a privat person so in the case in hand it is evident that if the mortifying designe of Religion reject all Natures assistances in must of necessity do so as well against a privat as a publick person And verily if this be your understanding of the designe of Religion you are too forward to teach others but what you lacke in skill you endeavour to make out by cunning The N. C. asserts Natures warrant only for defence which you perceiving Religion not to controll draw out a faire conclusion not against Defending but against Defending and Advancing of Religion by Natures rules Sir you know so well the difference of these two Defending and Advancing and that Non-conformists are no Turks that I wish my charitie could hide your calumnie Setting aside therefore this your foisted in Advancing which all Non-conformists do disown let us hear what you adde against Defending You say The Scriptures do ever tell us of suffering without the exception of resistance when in a capacitie I grant the Scriptures do speak of many and great sufferings according to the holy Counsel of God and frequent lot of his Saints that all that will live godly must suffer persecution They contain also many precepts and excellent encouragements to Patience under Suffering but that they do hold out any direct Command to men simply to Suffer abstracting from patient suffering or the least insinuation that though in a full capacitie they should not at all resist which in effect doth little differ the many passages adduced by me in the contraire with the advice of Flight often given show to be as remote from Truth as requisite to your inference As for your appeal to Conscience Whether fighting or suffering be the likelier way to advance Religion I appeal to common Sense if it be pertinent to contest for that which your Adversarie doth not deny The glorious power of the grace of God in propagating Religion by the weaknes and sufferings of his Servants is the great miracle of the Gospel and the praise of all Saints and yet if at any time the Lord in pitie to his afflicted did raise them up a Saviour or give them a banner for Truth was this blessing therefore despised or the means of it condemnedâ— God forbid The works of the Lord are all holy beautifull and well consistent and in this the Non-conformists do experimentally joy As to your close of this passage That a carnall man can fight wee know that spiritual men have done it also Heb. 11. 33. And where you adde that he cannot suffer it is no further my concernment then to bid you be more advertent seeing you tell us in the very next leafe of some Murtherers that suffered gallantly and that the seal of a Martyrs bloud is not alwayes the seal of God and to ponder the native import of 1 Cor 13. 3. Now as if you had demonstrate the unlawfulnesse of fighting you still your N. C. regrate for the neglect and ruine of the work of God by the Consideration of Gods Power and Providence and tell him that to defend Religion by force is but the wrath of man that Religion was first propogate by suffering whereas fighting hath been ever fatal to it It s answered as it is but to tempt and mock God and his Providence to neglect the means of preservation allowed by him So in the love of his Glory to appear for his interests against Persecuters and Subverters with the hasard of all our worldly concernments is not the sinfull and selfish wrath of man but the very power and zeal of God That Religion hath been much propagated by suffering is already acknowledged but that fighting hath been ever fatal to it is manifestly contradicted by the establishment of almost all the Reformations in Europe But you go on and tell your N. C. that our Lord did begin the Gospel with Suffering when he could have commanded Legions in his defence and when you have made him to mutter out That Christ knew it was his Fathers will you proceed to tell with compassion for his ignorance of Christs injunction to his Disciples not to draw for him and add his words to Pilat not only as an evident assurance of what you assert but as a manifest conviction of the coldnes of your Adversaries Sir such is the hight severity of your conceitednesse in this place that if the aversion I have for all things like it did not restrain I should hardly forbear to give you a humbling retaliation But all I desire is that by descending a little from it you may be in case to receive a sober answere That our Lord did not only begin but found the Gospel upon
and many excellent qualities of our deceased Prince and the dutie I owe the now King nothing else could refuge you from the full returnes of a just resentment Passing therefore the many horrid Blasphemies Lies and Reproaches wherewith your Clergie during these unhappie wars did not cease continually to proscind the Cause and People of God more precious to him then all the Monarchs on Earth and did most instantly labour to render both detestably hateful unto the Prince until they brought all to ruine I shall in a few sober words vindicat the Lords servants from all these umbragesâ— and appearances whereby you endeavour to set off your reproach That the late King by evil Counsel specially that of unconscionable and ungrate Prelats wickedly abusing for their own ends a Conscientious Prince unto a fatal obstinacie was precipitat into many grosse errours of Government such as an excessive indulgence to Papists illegâ—ll and violent exactions many unusuall and high attempts against fundamental Laws and Liberties a strange connivance at the Irish Rebellion and at length a bloudy and pertinacious war against his Parliaments his greatest and best friends and Counsellours it was not the invention of evil affected men or Ministers as you alleage but the sad evidence of plain deeds and the unanimous verdict of these most capable and proper to discern Now if in this state of things the Lords Ministers favouring his righteous Cause did endeavour by a true representation both to avert the People from and animat them against evil courses destructive to Religion and Right wherein are they to be reprehended You say they charged the King with all But know you not that as whatever passed upon the Kings side did beare the impresse of his Name and Authority so they did continually charge the guilt and wickednesse of all mostly upon bad Counsel praying the Lord uncessantly with much tendernesse to the Kings Person that the Wicked might be removed from about the Throne that so it might have been established And as to what you alleage That contraire to Humanity and Christianity they did Persecute the memory of that Prince after his death and that with the hight of insolencie and barbaritie in the presence of his Son who now reigneth It is a calumnie which you are not able to justify It s true they wished and moved the King to repent of his accession to and mourne for the opposition to the work of God violence and bloud wherein his Father was unhappily engaged and from which the Throne except by serious Repentance will never be purged If this be the Inhumane Insolent and Barbarous raking into his ashes which you lay to their charge you remember little and fear lesse the jealousie of God who â—isiteth the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth Generation Neither doe you consider that the stain of Bloud is such specially upon a Throne that the unfeigned teares even of the Author do not wash it away Ezrah and Nehemiah mourned and repented for the Provocation of Kings and Princes many Ages past without the least reflection upon their memories Seeing therefore that the practises whereupon you found these high accusations were altogether consonant to the Word of God and the Principles then acknowledged both by King and People and to which in Conscience we do and must still adhere doth not your apparent bearing with us in the main and yet so virulently inveighing against a clear dependencie manifestly discover more then an inveterate malice As to our Ministers their manner of reproving sin you say they reproved not in secret but triumphed in the Pulpit without controll and against absents and that either out of Malice or ostentation Thus the tumor raised by the poison of your last calumnie doth still swell and you forget that you your self are vainly triumphing in Print against a Mock-adversarie But as you cannot verifie that ordinarely or allowedly secret reproof was omitted where there appeared reason and accesse for it so I am confident your allegeance hath no better ground then that Ministers for the strengthning of the Lords people did freely hold out the Apostacie and wickednesse of his declared Enemies for whom such a reproofe had been but in vain intended In the next place you tell us that the Sermons of our Ministers were no Extraordinary things Sir I will not compare I am no lover of Extraordinary things but I heartily wish that such Preaching were now more Ordinary to believe and therefore to speak though with speach contemptible is certainly infinitly more gracefull then to speak even Seraphickly and in practise to counter-act There is a Foolishnesse of Preaching commended by Paul above the wisdom of man Whether you would value it as an Ordinary or Extraordinary thing I know not But this Epithet of Extraordinary which you seeme to desiderat is very little consonant to Luthers Opinion Hi sunt optimi ad Populum Concâ—onatâ—res qui pueriliter populariter quà m simpliâ—issime docent These are the best Preachers unto the People who teach in a plain homely and most simple way You adde that their Sermons were half stuffed with Publick Matters nothing concerning Souls Why do you Hyperbolizâ— so widely in prejudice of Truth You know publick Matters were not medled with but in a clear exigence and if some did exceed others were defective and these were the infirmities of both but you tell us That these things concerne not Souls This is a touch of your Convenient Religion Pray Sir are Publick Maters transacted without private mens accession or in this accession hath Conscience no concernment Nay are not the solid practises of Christianity such as the contempt of the World for the most part most necessaire and conspicuous in Wrestling with and overcoming the great and frequent temptation of a publick sinful course But O the rare temper of this New device that both inwardly elevats to the highest Spiritual abstractions and outwardly smooths to a most easie temporizing complyance You say further that the solid Practises of Christianity were scarce â—ver named and that vertue was little Preached by us and far lesse Practised but why do you make so little Conscience of truth Your often touching upon this string with the presumption of Common ingenuity which I have and desire to retain for all men have made me apply to all conjectures to find out your ground for this allegance but in the end I see it is a plain forgerie The Lord knows that I am far from boasting of former Practises but that in this so visible a change attending the present Establishment from the Generall restraint and aw of Sin that before did oblige even the most profligat unto a seeming conformity unto these confessed aboundings of all manner of profanitie which do now fill the Land you should have the confidence to sayâ— that vertue was by us little Preached and far lesse Practised is that which I am sure these of your own way
Prophets is as far from truth as their diligence in searching of and their care of confirming all their Doctrine by the Scriptures with their frequent and continual intimations that the People ought to build all their Faith upon that sure foundation are notourly known But you have not yet done with our Ministers you tell us again that our great Men were medling Men and most of them were very little spiritual in their conversation and Seldom in the Commendation of God and Religion to the People Sir omitting your insinuate distinction of Greater and Lesser Ministers amongst us which you know we acdnowledge no further or otherwayes then the Lords free Grace gifts do make it and passing your accusation of Medling which I have already answered As to Spirituality of converse it is indeed a thing so excellent and beautiful that it can never be enough studied never enough practised and never enough pressed but the manner and designe of your reflection considered it is so void of truth and charitie toward Non-conformists whereof so many have been burning and shining Lights and so sadly applicable to your Clergie the very scume of Men let be of Christians that I can only marvel at and regret the excesse and confidence of your Malice Pardon me if the strangenesse of your procedour force me to such expressions I protest sincerely your Methods are so perverse that I have no greater difficultie then how to find civil termes sufficient to detect them Thus after you have delivered a groundless and calumnious challenge of our Leaders their want of Spirituality in ordinary discourse you hold out its singular usefulnesse And falling to question us as wholly strangers to these great things of Devotion and holinesse which you enumerate you falsely conclude truely these things are as little among you as any partie I know Well Sir as I wish heartily that they were more and that they may still encrease even to your conviction which I am certain requires a degree equall to if not beyond perfection so my prayer is that God who both knows all the darring and open wickednesse and ungodlinesse of these of your way and sees your heart and weighs your words may discover unto you the sin of speaking wickedly and talking deceitfully against him and his servants In the next place telling us that we seeme very desirous to be noticed in our Religion You charge our Communions as tumultuary disorderly and talkative It 's Answered that sometime they were numerous is not denied but if you consure Great multitudes their following of Christ as tumultuary and disorderly it is more then the jews ever did That our running many miles to them shews us to be Idolizers of Men your objected opporrunity of the Sacrament nearer hand does not prove it for as we were far from neglecting neerer occasions or undervaluing any of the Lords sincere Servants so to acknowledge also and improve the difference of Gifts which the Lord hath dispensed savours nothing of Idolizing and cannot without palpable envy be dissallowed If in other things I were satisfied and in the libertie of a free election I am confident that without slighting the call of neerer invitations I might chuse rather to go ten miles to your Communion then five to anothers and yet you cannot say that I Idolize you As to what you object That at our Communions all our businesse both in preparation and Participation was to hear and talk it is but your mis-information or mistake I am suâ—e previous self-examination whether by the names or Inward stilnesse and recollection I do not indeed well remember was alwayes most seriously pressed and also much practised and in the action it self a short convenient silence was the more general custome As for your other alledged inconveniences of Croud and Distraction these are but the peculiar aversions of your particular Genius other more strong and lesse delicate and nice Spirits did easily overcome these difficulties You further say that You cannot think them very devout who love rather to hear one talk then to retire inwardly and commune with their own hearts but what esteem have you for him who disliking the hearing of others and pretending to inward retirements maketh the talk of these things all his work And why do ye without ground accuse us of a preference whereof we are not guilty As we hold both Hearing and Meditation to be duties and beautiful in their seasons so we endeavoured to practise without either the Partiality which you object or its contrary which you incurre O but you adde that some of us will be many hours in Publick worship and perhaps not a quarter of an hour in secret That there may be such amongst us and worse I nothing doubt but if you intend this for an accusation either against our way or the Generality that own it it is an allegeance for which our Father who seeth in secret will in due time rebuke you Another fault which you find about our Communions is their iâ—â—requencie as being brought by us from the dayly practice of the Apostles and the after frequent custome of the whole Church to once a year Sir you know so well the Churches power and the differing observations that have been in use as to this circumstance of time that I think although your disatisfaction had been founded on better grounds Yet you should have been tender to make of it an objection That the Primitive Church did soon fâ—ll from the first dayly celebration your own Argument grants what was the after practice and is at present your custome I need not mention it is certain that neither the one nor the other do agree to your rule of Weekly Communions Suppose then our Church had by a suitable regulation of this matter designed the greater solemnity of Gods Ordinance had this been a licentious admixingâ— four own devices as you are pleased to terme it but the plain account of the thing is that there was no positive Prescription as to the times of this observance known amongst us Only as the Churches of old did Ordain that all Christians should Communicate at least once a Year so our Church did appoint that at least once if not tuice in the year this Sacrament should be administrate Now if we liking better a joint then a separate participation of the people of the same Parish and knowing that the particular exigences and desires possibly incident to private Christians might be easily supplied in other places none being tyed to any fixed time did therefore not so often celebrate and for the most part but once a Year truely I think that the variation from the former frequencie was visibly compensed with a greater advantage of Solemnityâ— As for your demands why the Communion was not keept every Lords day It 's answered as there is no command for it so you have already heard that we wanted not reasonable considerations which did persuade the contrarie For the hint you give of
institute for and greatly commended by the effectual propagation of the Gospel and conspicuous advancement of holinesse so the ignorance and licentiousness which as the shadow doth the body do attend the prevailing of your Order are not more the imputation of men then the bitter and corrupt fruits that undeniably demonstrate the corruptnes of that plant of Prelacie not planted by God whereby they are produced ye shal know them by their fruits is a Test for Courses as well as Persones and that a good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit is no lesse applicable to and clearly verified in the one then in the other The pure ordinances of a Gospel Ministrie and Church-Government according to our Lords appointment as they have his warrant and promise so they may expect his blessing but Lordly Prelacie the unwarrantable invention of man accomodate to a politique or worse designe and carried on by palpable avarice pride and falshood for the reducing of the just liberty of preaching and due respect to Conscience unto a subserviencie to mens lusts and secular interests cannot be more attended with the evil effects of ignorance profanitie and irreligion then it hath a peculiar influence directly productive thereof and therefore Sir as you say that you are so far Episcopal as to love the order I suppose because it is Ordered and submit to it because you see that rest is good so â— intreat you to be so far Rational as to consider that Presbytery and Prelacie are not meere distinguishing names but such realities as have even in our experience produced most Important and different effects and then I question not but the sad and woful consequences of that abounding Sin and Profanenesse which from your Prophets are gone forth into all the land will render you so far Christian as to know by such fruits the corruptnes of your Episcopacie that hath brought them forthâ— and without adjuring you to any Sect turne you not only to be a mouâ—ner for the sins of your partiâ— but a serious supplicant that the accursed cause thereof may be removed But you say that Non-conformists are guiltie of the present loosnesse who 1. By making Religion a cloak to so many State-designes make too many suspect Religion to be but a designe oâ— it self 2. by driving people to an outward compliance in formes cause them to nauseat at all Religion but. 3. and mostly by their waxing cold in love to which our Saviour plainly knits the abounding of iniquitie Sir as to your two first reasons If I should as lightly deny them as you do affirme them you should be fully answered but this your accustomed confidence of objecting to Non-conformists these things whereof their Adversaries are mostly if not only guilty obliges me to a further reflection That Religion may be made a cloak to State-designes nay to the greatest villanies is certainly one of the most grievous of these offences because of which a wo is pronounced to the world but that this hath not been so much the accidentall practice of any Person of our way as the very substance of your whole course is obvious to the meanest Consideration How austerly our first Reformers were denied to all Worldly advantages and how faithfull to the Crown and then infant King I leave it to the candid and impartiall consideration of all sober Men not preferring the vain pretenses made for perverted yea profaned Authority in Odium of Truth to the most convincing evidences of all impotencie and wickednesse that can be instanced from any History The next passage that occurres of these who on our part in a most stedfast simplicity did assert and establish Presbytrie untill the year 1596. of others who on your part by Fraud Perjury and Violence did in compliance with King Iames his design of Complementing the English Clergie on the one hand and attaining to a greater freedom of indulging and gratifying the Popish partie on the other both supposed necessaire for assuring the then much courted Succession endeavour the overthrow of Presbytrie as being too straight for such crooked courses is an instance against your first reason which I am bound in Charity to think you did not call to minde sure I am that which you object of our aiming at State-designes change but State into Court and you will finde it was so far from being our guilt that it was King Iames his regret on our behalf that honest Men would not be thereby tempted But it is like the times you hint at are these of our late Troubles Wherein though I acknowledge that the feigned concurse and corrupt designes of some did in their occasion discover themselves Yet it cannot be denied that such was and is the truth of the work of God and stedfastnesse of its faithfull Adherers that even unto this day through all the various temptations of Malignancie on the one hand and Sectarianisme on the other both it and they do retain their integrity Really Sir when I consider that neither the tempting terrour of the prevailing Malignant interest in the Years 1645. and 48. nor the succeeding victory usurpation and very plausible and insinuating offers of the Sectarians with all these strange revolutions that have since happened have moved the Lords faithfull remnant in the Land from that well tempered and justly ballanced fear of God and honour to the King which from the beginning they professed and do hold forth in the Covenant and all their Publick actings Your accusation of the work of God as a State design appears to me a very palpable inconsistencie and ridiculous calumny to design State changes or advantages and yet to omit and slight all the probable yea and possible opportunities of compassing them are things which Malice it self cannot affirme to be compatible As for these who not being upright nor stable in the Lords Covenant have according to the impulse of their own worldly designes turned and figured themselves unto every sort of compliance they are now so unexpectedly and wholly almost become of your way that there needs no other evidence of the eà sie accommodation that all selfâ—seekers and time-servers do finde in it but wherefore do I seek to retort Can there be any thing more certain then that as corrupt Court designes have only imposed this heavy Yoke of Prelacie upon the Lords Church and People amongst us so such have been and are the wicked and ungodly practices of its Lords and their dependents the vast dissonancie of their lives even from their own Canons and profession that I do not so much wonder at your impudence in objecting against our course The tempting of many to suspect Religion to be but a design of it self as that the monstrousnesse of your Hierarchy hath not scandalized the whole world to account all Religion but a cheat 2. You say by driving of people to an outward compliance in forms we have caused them to Nauseat at all Religion
prohibite to Gospel Ministers but the ground of your mistake is that Notwithstanding our Lord hath said of himself and his Ministers that one is your Master and all you are Brethren and fellow-servants among whom an inequality of gifts may well consist with an equality of condition Yet restess and most subtile Ambition for gratiâ—ying its evil lust will even in a plain opposition commanded alleage the affectation and not the thing it self to be discharged and in the low liest state of Service devise superior and inferior degrees The second thing is that though I be â—arre from denying humane infirmities incident to Ministers as well as others and do heartily wish that the of â—nces by them occasioned may be alwayes as the most hurtful to the Gospel most seriously precautioned and regreted Yet I am sure that without regard to our Lords most gracious gifting and most wise ordering of his Ministery for the feeding and ruling of his people to affirme that neverthelesse there is no order of men needs so much to be regulated is a presumptuous and vain imputation against Jesus Christ the Head and King of the Church and his Oeconomie Hath our Lord taken so great paines to Separate Instruct Sanctify and send forth Ministers and promised them so special a presence and assistance for the oversight and conduct of Believers and darre any Christian say that even the order it self for alas I grant the men are but earthen vessels needs more then any other the contrivance of mans invention for its regulation But let none that honoureth Jesus Christ or remembreth the former Beautie Order and Successe of his Ministrie and Courts amongst us be offended this reflection proceeds from the same Spirit that accused our great Master as a Rebell and Usurper and his Apostles as the Troublers and Subverters of the World As to your conclusion when you have disproved the Divine warrant of Presbytrie and shewed both its occasion rise tendencie and proper fruits to be only evil as I have done in the matter of Prelacie then you may equiparat them in the point of abuse but seing the abuse of Presbytrie is only accidental from humane infirmity and that of Prelacie its most native Genius and Product Naâ— seing Presbytrie is indeed the right use of the Churches Government and Prelacie its manifest depravation the maxime which you adduce in its just application doth most clearly say remove the abuse of Prelacie and let the use of Presbyterie be reâ—ained The fourth DIALOGUE Answered SIR since you have said nothing that I have not to my self and I hope to all rational and impartial men satisfyingly answered and seing I can say it in Gods sight that in all the matters hitherto treated I finde in my heart a serious desire to please him in all things and also to comply with his Church and obey the Laws of the Kingdom in what I judge agreeable to his will with as much distrust of my self and charity towards others as humane frailtie doth permit In this perswasion truely and by your own verdict conscientious without either noticing the pitiful shift of a blind conscience which you make your N C. pretend or charging you with that arrogance whereupon you make him weakly to exclaime I shall proceed to consider the grounds which in this place you lay down You say then Private persons have nothing to do with Government submission and not judging is their part I cannot stand to discusse all the ambiguities that may be latent in this General but it is strange 1. That the Government of Gods house â—or that is the point betwixt us should be instituted by him for the Edification and Salvation of private persons and his own Glory as you cannot deny and yet they to have nothing to do with it 2. You say Submission iâ— their dutie And would you have it blind and not rational and conscientious 3. Our Lord hath defined the Government of his Church and did establish the same among us engaging us thereinto by a perpetual Covenant is it then nothing of our concernment But may we breake these sacred tyes and abandone our selves to an implicite compliance with every humane invention I grant that private persons are neither under a righteous constitution to usurpe the part of the Governours nor yet under a sinful unlawfully to solicite and endeavour an alteration but as in the former case both Reason and Religion specially where an Oath hath interveened doth oblige to maintenance so in the latter I am assured that all active owning and approving the thing whereunto we are pressed beyond a providentiall acquiescence is utterly sinful If you require my reasons there is none like your own viz. first because I am perswaded that what ever may be the comparative innocencie of an erring but well-meaning opinion Yet of every Soul who hath seen the Glorious light and work of God in the Lands and engaged himself thereto by solemn Covenant and now of late hath broken these bonds and concurred to change Christs pure Ordinances and set up establish or countenance Prelacie and its wicked Hierarchie God will surely either in this life as we have already seen in the convictions of many or in the last and great Judgement openly require it 2. Because not only perjury manifestly ingredient in the active submission and compliance which you exact hath a plain and direct tendencie to the blotting of the Soul but as the Gospel and all its Ordinances are designed to purify the heart So this of Government so clearly therein appointed and of so necessaire and effectual influence for the conserving of truth edifying of the body of Christ and perfecting of the Saints doth undeniably contribute to the same end And by these two easie rules it is whereby I heartily wish that both you and I and all men may examine our Consciencâ—s In the next place you tell your N. C. That we have no rationall ground to think you wrong in Matters of Religion do you then think that obedience to the Lords Command against swearing falsely and adhering to and owning the Kingdom and Ordinances of Jesus Christ are no Matters of Religion or have you already answered the full and just account that I have given of our differences But supposing there may be error on your side you adde that unless the error be of greater importance then the Communion of Saints is it ought not to unty the bond of the unity of the Catholick Church This is the rule which you gave us before in your first Dialogue and therefore I shall say little to it only if your meaning be that except the conjunction with the erring partie be of greater prejudice then separation upon that account we ought not to unty the unitie of the Church I willingly assent but if there be any other latent sense in your strange weighing the import of error with an article of Faith things quite opposite without all communication of degrees when
consideration the matters of Decencie whereof both the conveniencie and use flows only from the common exigence of all humane actions do not fall And that this is the true notion of Christian liberty the Scriptures whence I take it and wherein it is so clearly distinguished from the Jewish bondage there also described Iohn 4. 21. Gal. 3. 4 and 5. Col. 2. are so plain that nothing can be added Only I observe that because by this liberty we are delivered from these performances whereunto the exercise of Religion requiring in every act of worship or service toward God the Faith and Conscience of a Divine prescript without which it is impossible to please him was formerly by Moses Law astricted Therefore it is indeed and is rightly termed liberty of Conscience which while you and others do conceive to be nothing else then a freedom to think things to be free in themselves that are not commanded by the Lord you do not only grossly mistake it as distinguished from the Jewish servitude but open a door to humane lust and invention to incumber and deprave the whole body of Religion and the worship of God with whatsomever fopperies they please to devise seing that in your opinion it is impossible that Christian liberty of Conscience can be thereby prejudged Now to prove that your exactions are high impingements upon this freedome I need not mention these compliances which you crave and are in effect directly opposite to the will of God but even your other ceremonies all added as in and by themselves significant to the worship and service of God without the warrant either of his word or of the common exigence of all performances and so thereby made Religious in their use and object and therefore certainly belonging to Conscience needeth no other argument to eviâ—ce it then the subsumption of a condescendence Having thus in some measure cleared what I proposed lest you or any other should account these things to be matters of meere doubtfull disputations I must adde that as it hath alwayes been observed that the greatest urgers of conformity in the externalls of humane invention have been very little if at all serious in the life and substantials of Religion so the great prejudice thence ensuing to the power and practice of Godliness partly by reason of the imposers evill lusts and ends partly by reason of that spirit of delusion to which they are given up and partly by reason of the vanity of the things imposed and the Lords abhorrence of them doth both discover that Mysterie of Hypocrisie and Wickedness which secretly worketh under these vain formes and should ever render them most odious to all the lovers of truth and holiness I might here further adde that as your impositions are invasive of Christian liberty injurious to Conscience and corruptive of the pure and acceptable worship of God and consequently such as no power on Earth can lawfully command them or we therein obey so were it but for the offence that may thence redound to the stumbling of the weak and hardening of the imposers to proceed from small beginnings to the grossest mixtures all conscientious Men may very justly be therefrom deterred but to this I shall speak at greater length 5. Having shewed that Paul's Christian civility doth make nothing for your imposed conformity and that to turne the free exercise of a charitable compliance unto a yoke of bondage is a perversion intolerable I shall summe up the whole matter with this brief reflection viz. that admitting the things required of us were only such externals and nothings as you would groundlessly perswade and that our forbearance had in it more of weakness then sound reason yet the free Spirit of Christianity which you alleage and Paul describeth Rom. 14. is so farre from urging us to your desired compliance that I am very confident to affirme that if the severest Non-conformist had had the rule to dictate pardon the supposition blessed be the Dictator he could not more manifestly and directly have condemned your rigid exactions in thir matters then the Apostle doth in this place I need not insist upon particulars the whole chapter is most expresse Let not him that eateth and you think all the points of the controverted conformity of no greater moment despise him that eateth not How do you then vex them with hard Laws and grievous pains more then you do heynous Malefactors Who art thou that judgest another mans servant Is a demand which one day will concerne Kings and Rulers more then any of their Subjects Why do they then judge Why do they set at nought their brethren for all shall stand and that on even ground before the judgement seat of Christ Let us not therefore judge one another but let us judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way You assure us and seem perswaded that the things pressed are of themselves nothing but to him that esteemeth them unlawfull to him they are unlawfull and he that doubteth is damned if he do because he doth not of faith How then can you require this conformity and of how different a temper was the free and charitable Spirit of the Apostle who not only indulgeth the weak Non-Conformist but becometh such himself to evite his offence If thy brother be grieved with thy meat or with any of the matters now in debate for you make no difference now walkest thou spoken in my opinion to the Prince as well as Peasant not according to charity destroy not him with thy meat or your acknowledged humane inventions for whom Christ dyed Say not that the things in controversie being concluded by Law are no more free or in the condition of the things here mentioned for if not only judging and despising the Forbearer be here forbidden but even the conâ—raire practice when to him offensive how much more must the designed framing and strick executing of Laws for no other visible end then the violenting of scruplers and racking of their Consciences acknowledged by your self for the widest step to Atheism that can be made be in this Scripture condemned If you urge that to carry this indulgence so high is to frustrate all humane Laws seing the person unwilling to obey may alwayes pretend from Conscience the privilege of forbearance And as de facto you reason Any offender may decline Discipline and say that the thing being indifferent by command it becomes necessary and so a burthen of Conscience 'T is answered that as the burthen of Conscience doth not stand in a necessity by Divine precept of the things imposed otherwayes the Lords commandments that are certainly most easie should thence become most grievous but in effect in a forced obligation to practice in things wherein Conscience requiring the Lords warrant in order to his acceptation cannot at all finde it so the liberty and privilege here spoken to is only in order to Conscience viz. That
from their supreme Civil-sanhedrin yet through process of time and many revolutions of affaires a confusion of the two grew more and more and at length the Ecclesiastical Sanhedrin whereof the High Priest was President did degenerate into a mixed Court and having the advantage of enjoying their Religion under their civil mutations and keeping their High Priests and his Courts when they lost their King and civil Courts for their greatest matters did exerce by their Ecclesiastical Sanhedrin all the civil power they could be permitted to exerce 4. Particularly it is evident that from the dayes of the Maccabees the High Priest-hood was much changed from its primary institution and as more extended to and busied in civil Rule then conversant in holy things so much exposed to frequent invasions at home and at length with the whole Nation swallowed up by a forraigne dominion Which things being dâ—eâ—y perpended it clearly appears that neither the practice of the Romans founded in the right though an abuse of the exercise of their conquest nor the symony of the purchasers a clandestine crime did make void their Priesthood How much less then do Cajaphas his prophesying a Providential Dispensation or our Lords free answering and confession to his adjuration whether authoritativè made by him as a Judge of the Nation or otherwise scarce sufficient to prove a Non-separation militat against our Non-compliance with your re-introducing of abjured Prelacie and its corrupt Ministery As for your instancing of the Pharisees our Lords words in this matter Math. 23. 2 3. are the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe do but do not ye after their works c. And that hereby you have no advantage appears 1. Because it doth not manifestly appear that the Scribes and Pharisees here spoken of were Intruders but on the contraire it is most probable that they were Doctors of the Law lawfully appointed according to the use of that people 2. The Scribes Pharisees sitting in Moses chair did teach the Law not as appertaining meerly to the Soulâ— Religion toward God but as the Municipal Law of that Nation containing also the rules of external righteousness and policie and therefore are to be regarded not so much as Ecclesiastick Teachers but rather as Doctors of the Law whereby it is evident that your argument from our Lords command is as farre in this respect from concluding our compliance with your intruding Preachers as these National Doctors with whom our Lord was not to medle further then to vindicat the Law of God from their corrupt glosses and practices are different from out Spiritual Pastors who being sent by Jesus Christ cannot by Man be discharged 3. If it be urged that the Scribes and Pharisees were also the Teachers and Directors of all matters of Religion and even in civils did only respondere de jure from the law of God although this do no way remove the disparity immediatly assigned yet this is further to be observed that as our Lord in this regard did expressly warn his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and in many things correct their vain and perverss doctrines so his tolerance of them in Moses chair was only temporarie as of many other things until the then approaching end of that dispensation which he would not anticipate during which time if our Lord do command a well-cautioned observance for the best improvement of that which was shortly to be abolished can you rationally thence inferre that we ought at the pleasure of men both deserte his sent Ministers whom he hath not recalled and comply with and owne Intruders so lightly violating and abusing his Ordinance But 4. Admit that the Scribes and Pharisees their entrie to that office were not in every point justifiable and that they truely were very wretched Teachers yet their occupying of that charge seing our Lord did not send forth and establish his perpetual Gospel Ministerie until after his resurrection was not circumstantiat with and peccant in the violent exclusion of others lawfully setled in that chair which they possessed Sir this is so casting a difference that I nothing doubt but if you will only pose your self what you think our Lord would have determined in case that there being among the Iews an established order of lawful Teachers the Pharisees had risen up and by open perjury and violence ejected them and that the business being still recent and many of the Teachers remaining on life and by all acknowledged for such whom man could not exauctorate the people had firmly adhered to them Let your Conscience I say in these suppositions sincerely resolve the question and I am most assured the verdict of your own breast will be that whatever was our Lords connivance for a time at a Non-separation from a course whereunto he was shortly to put a period yet in the case here stated he would not have commanded the people to deserte their lawful Guides and follow Intruders and thereby countenance such a wickedness 5. Although I love not to play the Critick and do grant that the observance here enjoined doth indeed inferre Hearing not to be prohibite yet your exhibiting of the command in these words not found in Scripture hear them for they sit in Moses chair doth found so like to that heavenly voice this is my beloved Son c. and that Emphatick hear ye him there commanded whereby the old letter and typical shadows of Moses Law being antiquat life and immortality were brought to light that I cannot but account that however our Lord permitting the hearing of the Pharisees so long as that dispensation did stand not abolished doth here directly aime only at its right improvement the two hear ye him and hear ye them in the same signification to be inconsistent and this representation a Stretch savouring more of favour to your cause then tendernesse of Truth and Scripture-phrase But I am tedious in a matter so obvious the summe wher in I would have you and all to fixe is this that whatever may have been or may be the various dispensations of Providence in the overcloudings of Churches and decline and corruption of Ordinances wherein no doubt the holding the foundation Jesus Christ by sound Faith and sincerity in Gods sight have gone a great length yet as the instancing of such times cannot with any shew of reason or measure of honesty be alledged for a tacite and toward compliance with the re-introducing of the evils of these dark times in Doctrine or Worship contraire to the revelation of a more full and pure light so no more can it be made use of after the manifest and sealed blessing of a sent and faithful Ministery to perswade a voluntaire abandoning at the lust and arbitriment of Man of our true Pastors and a willing and tame imbracing and owning of manifest and profane Intruders According to which Rules if you will
the word of God and Doctrine of this reformed Kirk Now I would inquire if these general clauses clearly referring to the word of God as the only binding rule of Truth may not be laâ—fully sworn to without a distinct knowledge of all the Particulars that possibly may therein be included And if the condescending upon Particulars doth import any thing more then our sincere profession that we judge the same to be comprised under the generall Rule and therefore as such do renounce them seing then that this enumeration when omitted doth not invalidate and when expressed doth require rather a sincere acknowledgement then a dilucide and through knowledge your arguing against it from the possibility nay even from the probability of an incident mistake while in the mean time the perswasion of the truth of the blessed Gospel as the regulating Rule is held firme and sure is nothing solid nor concludent but because the two Latine words Opus operatum are the great ground of your quibling I suppose that the Oath after the positive part and generall abjuration of Papistrie had only begun to enumerate particulars thus and in special the usurped authority of that Roman Antichrist all his tyrannous Laws and in place of the rest had given us a faire et caetera certainly as the premised and subjoyned qualification of this caetera would have fully salved its generality so no doubt the known signification of the words had prevented the offence of their being Latine If in this you be doubtful let me only reminde you by way of Argument ad hominem of the Prelatick Oath ex officio with its blind caetera which though for its illimited laxeness joined with its evil tendencie did give to all sober men just ground of seruple yet upon the account of the Latine was never quarrelled by either Man or Woman But you say it was a contradiction to make them sweare against Worship in an unknown Tongue and yet in that very Oath so to use it A wittie knack indeed if you were arguing with the Apostle against worship in a strange language because the unlearned cannot thereto say Amen would you not account this reply viz. that it is a contradiction to bring an argument from the unlearned not being in case to assent to a strange Language when that very assent is as to us so expressed absurd and ridiculous Why then doth this vain subtilty so pitifully delude you And why do you not advert that a Tongue in general may be unknown and yet many of its words and phrases not only transferred to our Vulgar with a suteable accommodation as is manifest in all our speech but also simply borrowed and by custome rendered to all significant Seing therefore it is the Tongue as unknown and not as Latine Greek or the like that is the ground of the abjuration against Worship in an unknown Tongue and yet in that same Oath to use a word from it of a known signification is no contradiction Next you add That we made the people preface this Oath with a great lye of full and mature consideration of all particulars whereof we nevertheless knew they were not capable but why do you in fixing lyes upon others impinge so manifestly your self The Covenant doth only preface Long and due examination of our own Consciences in matters of true and false Religion as to your mature and full consideration of all particulars it beares nothing 2. As every Oath is to be made in Truth Righteousnes and Iudgement so certainly the examination mentioned is both every ones capacity and dutie and no doubt in all times when this Oath was taken was not only recommended but sufficiently warned of instructed and promoved by these faithful men by whom it was administrate but 3. Think you it so hard a matter for any person serious in matters of Religion according to the truth revealed in Scripture to be able from mature consideration to reject all these vain Popish Inventions and Superstitions enumerate in this Covenant whereof as there are a great many that without any curious scrutiny into their nature meerely for want of warrants and through Scripture-silence come to be renounced so in special the conceit of opus operatum being contrary to the very life and spirituality of Religion must to every one who knows that God requires the heart and is to be served and worshiped in Spirit and in Truth certainly appear to be most detestable Sir your scrupulous doubting and mincing in these matters do sadly intimate a greater measure of unsoundness then I am willing to express But you tell us that many of the things sworne against are disputable Pray Sir tell us which that you may be known There are now nintie years since they were all abjured as Popish Errors and Superstitions without the least doubt in the contrary by any Protestant among us If you judge otherwayes it were better you were known by a condescendence then by your generall and subdolous hints left to render mens mindes unstable But you plead only charityâ— and think it hard that no man may be of our communion except he be of our opinion in all things Sir this is a groundless accusation seing it is sufficiently plain that whatever tenderness we are to exercise toward such as in points less materiall do modestly differ from us yet this Covenant being entered into in obedience to that command Come out of her that is Babylon my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing the totall abjuration of Poperie as opposite to the blessed Evangell the summe and end of this Oath doth not in the least interfere with that Christian forbearance which persons of the same communion are mutually to shew in matters doubtfull and of less moment And where you compare this Covenant for rigor to the bloudy and cruell conjuration of Trent thereby interminis renounced it is too plain that your turning of the adequate extent of a just and necessary opposition designed by this Covenant to that wicked impious Bond to be a ground of an invidious likeness is only a demonstration of your calumnie and malice Having thus vindicate the Nationall Covenant as it was first taken I shall only put you in minde that the renewing thereof in the 1638. and making the people to stand to it is so consonant to Reason and Scripture-practice that it needeth not my Patrociny But you say it was a great trepane to make the Nation sweare it in the 38. and then by an after-game to declare that Episcopacie was abjured in it I might tell you that your so frequent use of the termes of Art do not a little insinuate how expert a Jugler you are in the matter of Oaths But it is answered the Nation swore it in the 1638. in the same termes wherein it was first taken in the year 1591 but because that some doubts whether the
and Covenant of Baptisme as to Infants so your appropriating the administration thereof to the Bishop objected by your N. C. in his next demand doth yet more discover its vanity and evill design To the arguments therefore which you bring for it and 1. to its Antiquity I answere that the simplicity and purity of the first Ages of the Church knew it not 2. As it s very first beginnings cannot be calculate beyond the times of the Churches declination so it is most certain that from an arbitrarie well-meaning institution it hath since been depraved to such an abuse as may sufficiently justify the total removal of its use 2. As for your Scripture probability from the laying on of hands so notourly known to have been then only used in the conferring of the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit or in the Ordination or Mission of Ministers neither it nor your alleaged assent of most Reformers do merite any answere Next you tell us in defence of Private Baptisme That for us to confine the Sacramental actions to the walls of a Church is gross Superstition But who would have thought when you clamour so much upon our Non-conforming Meetings you would have stumbled into such a mistake Our exception against Privat Baptisme is therefore not the want of a dedicated House as you do vainly alleage but because our Lord having by his commission annexed it to the preaching of the word whereof it is the seal and it being the Sacrament of our initiation into the Church its performance doth evidently appear to be most agreeable to the ordinary Church assemblies where-ever held beside that peoples mindes prone to superstition may by the practice of Private Baptisme be readily inclined both to apprehend the Popish absolute necessity of Baptisme and thence to regard the exterior action more then the spiritual signification and efficacie is confirmed by undeniable experience both in your and the Roman Churches For the inconveniency which you poorly exaggerate from the distance of many Churches the badness of seasons and tenderness of Infants as unto this day it was never made the ground of a reall complaint so you should understand that the dispensations of Gods Providence do not alter the dispositions of his holy will From Baptisme you pass to plead for the private administration of the Communion to Persons on death-bed and this you think the seasonablenes of its use and the propriety of its ends to such a case do abundantly perswade To which I answere 1. That though at no time Faith and Love need more to be quickened the Death of Christ more to be remembred nor communion with the Church to be declared then in the approach of the last pangs it will not thence follow that therefore the Communion may then be privatly administrat for since not the seasonableness of the fruits but the warrant and Rule given unto us is first to be heeded in the going about of holy administrations nay since that without this regard duely adhibit the blessing and fruits are but in vain expected it is evident that barely from the exigence of the fruits to conclude in any case the lawfulness of the celebration is preposterous Religion and worse Reason Now 2. That the rule set down to us in this Sacrament doth reprobate this your observance is evident not only from that connexion that there is and ought to be observed betwixt the word and Sacraments But 1. From our Lords own pattern in the institution keeping this solemnity with the company of his Disciples making as it were a little Christian Church 2. Because the Apostle in his regulation of this Sacrament according and with respect to his Masters pattern doth suppose the Churches coming together into one place and consequently the ordinary Church Assemblies as a necessary requisite in the free and peaceable times of the Church 3. Because the very Mysterie of the Lords Supper representing the union of Believers with and their communion in Iesus Christ their Head and the name that it hath thence obtained 1 Cor. 10. v. 16 17. is not well consistent with this private administration 'T is true the Authors of your Articles not being able to decline the convincing evidence of this reason do among other preparations require that there be three or four free of lawful impediments present with the sick person to communicate with him but as such a packt Conventicle beside other inconveniences hath no just resemblance of the Church her ordinary Assemblies much less can communicating with hand-weal'd companions be a signe of that free equable and comprehensive communion signified by this Sacrament so it is manifest that the forementioned requisite is only a colourable evasion manifestly acknowledging the force of our argument in fraudem Legis salvis verbis sententiam ejus circumveniens But 3. This your Private Communion is to be reprobate because as the decumbents faith love and other graces in that hour of his need are only best excited by the means at that time allowed and competent and the sanctified remembrance and improvement of other privileges and ordinances formerly enjoyed so it is certain that this observance hath not only been abused by the Papists unto the abomination of their private Maâ—â— but is also rejected by the Reformed Churches not Lutheran as found to be inductive of vain Superstition whereever it is used and for this I need not go farre in search of confirmations for you your self in telling us That your practice was very early in the Church subjoin that Iustin Martyr sayes they sent of the Eucharist to them that were absent and that the story of Serapion shews how necessary Christians then thought it to be guarded by this holy viaticum which two instances whether true or false being generally held to be an excess both inclining to and introductive of vain Superstition and therefore reckoned among the first Naevi appearing in the face of the Primitive Church and now generally disused by all the Churches of Christ as they are by you adduced do too evidently demonstrate how much both your spirit and customes do bend to a relapse in these evils In the next place your N. C. asks you What you say for Kneeling in receiving sure this looks like Superstition and Idolatrie And in return you confess that it is the Article of them all which you have least fondness for And this indeed is very fitly expressed in as much as it is evident it can be no rational or solid liking which inclineth you to any of them but since even your fondness as to this Article is defective how farre must you be from doing the thing in faith And how much more sound and Christian would it be for you here to subsist and say since for want of the warrant of Faith this Kneeling cannot possibly please God let it be removed from his Holy Ordinance But you proceed and tell us That since the kneelers do declare that they neither believe Christ to
of Nations are by all Lawyers held in some cases to be restricted And though I grant that many Casuists do require to the lawfulness of subjects their resistance beside the justice of the cause the concurring of inferior Magistrates yet that the same grounds with better consequence do also allow to the people by themselves inferior Magistrates either joining with the supreme oppressor or deserting their dutie the right of defence is the opinion of the more judicious Nay seing it is most certain as I have often touched that there are certain atrocious injuries which do force even from the most rigid royalist a particular exception in favors of single persons thereby attacqued it is evident that all this controversie is more in hypothesi then in thesi 3. If it be remembred what were Luther's mistakes in his younger years in the matters of war resistance withall that beside the information of Lawyers he had a further and a most important reflection upon the force and necessity of conscience in times of uncertainty and danger it must of necessity be acknowledged that this passage is not meerly a politick discovery whereof before he was ignorant but a manifest retractation of former mistakes I have already hinted how absurdly the Scriptures for not resisting of evill and for subjection to Powers are abused by Court-flatterers to a special prohibition of all resistance from Christians persecuted for conscience sake against their oppressing Princes Only for sooth because their unconcernedness in Religion doth sufficiently secure them from the consequence whereas it is clear as the Sun-light that the same Scripture-rules do make no distinction from what cause let be from what person the injurie doth descend but equally and indefinitly enjoyn patience and submission in their exigence and season ' without the least prejudice to these other rules of righteousness whereby aswell in the case of persecution for Religion as of injurious invasions upon other accounts the persons invaded when in an otherwise unrestrainâ—d capacity are warranted to resistance in their own defence And for this it may suffice though there were no more that Luther tells us that he ever taught that the Gospel doth not impugne or abolish politick laws much less then the fundamental laws of nature to which all politick laws do cede But what he further addes of a force and necessity of conscience thereby joyning the obligation to the right of defensive resistance is certainly a ground which if it were here pertinent I could improve to more then I have hitherto asserted But you say that every one knowes that the Princes are Soveraigns within themselves and the Emperour is only the head of the union How doth this blinde Confident medle without understanding That the constitution of the Empyre is purely feudal the Emperour Liege-lord and all the Princes feudataires recognoscing him and subject to the imperial Chamber where they have been often doomed and for faultedâ— Is a thing most obvious What do you then bable of united Soverraigns and Soveraigns within themselves By which dialect of discourse and a fair descent a Majori ad Minus you or any other private person may quo ad his reserved rights and liberties be termed a Soveraigne within himself We know that by concession they have large priviledges and that most of the regalia appertain to them but are they therefore Soveraignes Or is the Emperour only the head of the union Beside how will you make thir things quadrat to the Hanse-townes and free Cities who certainly for all their immunities and priviledges are immediatly and directly subject to the Emperour and yet have often ingaged in these defensive leagues and wars against him Thus I answere you in your folly But pray Sir do you think that ever our Lord commanded or the Gospel meant that though the poor people may not defend themselves when persecute for Religion yet great men their superiors though subject to the Supreme may Or if you be more rational can you imagine that an oppressed people upon any account with the concurse of inferior rulers may defensively resist their Soveraign to whom all are subject and that the same people no more but rather less subject to these inferior then all are to the Supreme may not as lawfully upon the like provocation defend themselves against both the Supreme Inferror joyning in an oppressive combination Specially seing it is most certain that as the Supreme hath all his power from the peoples suffrage and consent so the Inferior doth wholly and precariously for the most part subsist by his grant But I proceed you say As for the war that afterwards followed betwixt Charles the 5 th the Duke of Saxe besides that the Duke was free to defend himselfe as I have told Charles the 5 th declared it was not for Religion he fought 'T is answered for the freedom of the Duke of Saxe that it was no greater in this case then the people may acclaime in the like as also that if the Duke of Saxe his war was lawful upon the account of injuries for other causes then that of of Religion Religion doth only aggravat and not alter the case I have already cleared But what a pitiful allegeance is this that Charles the fift forsooth declared it was not for Religion he fought Whereas first by the league betwixt him and the Pope it is expressely convented That wherefore many years Germany had continued in great errors for which the Councel of Trent was called and set down And that these of the Smalcald confederacy did reject the same therefore the Pope and Caesar for the Glory of God and safety of that People have transacted that Caesar levy an army against Iuny next and by force of armes reduce these Refusers of the Council and Defenders of errors into the old Religion and obedience of the holy See 2. The Duke of Saxe and the Langrave writ to him to disswade him closing that when ever they should understand his pretended causes for that war they would so answere ut quivis intelligat injuriam nobis fieri te Romani Antichristi ac impii Concilii Tridentini impulsu bellum hoc suscipere ut Euangelii Doctrina Germaniae libertas opprimatur nec ullam aliam subesse causam docebimus 3. They at the same time emit a publick vindication for themselves proving by unanswerable arguments that Religion was the only cause of that war And should not you be ashamed to obtrude to us Caesar's groundless and calumnious assertion against both the Princes their declaration and reasons 4. The very letters written by Caesar to the Argentinenses and other Protestant Cities wherein accusing the Princes of Rebellion and Oppression under the pretext of Religion he really maketh out nothing together with their answer wherein all his pretensions are taken off nay Sleidan's whole sevententh Book containing the Pop's Bull his letters to the Helvetii the distinct returnes made to Caesar's demands
by the Protestant and Popish Cantons with many other letters and declarations is but one evidence and that irrefragable against you What impudence is this then whereinto you are hardened But the Electors of Cullen amd the Palatine both Protestants lay neuters And what then Do we not know how rare a things it is in a time of danger for all concerned to unite even in the most uncontroverted duties Beside the Elector of Cullen was then recently deposed and excommunicate and his people specially his principal Clergie and he at great variance for the Reformation by him intended And the Palatine inclining to favoure in effect aiding the Princes with 400 horse was by the evil success of the war forced to retreat and excuse himselfe Next you adde That the Elector of Brandenburg and Maurice of Saxe armed for the Emperour And I grant That Albertus Ioannes Brandenburgici quanquam erant religionis Ioannes quidem etiam foederis Protestantium tamen quod Caesar non propter Râ—ligionem sed quorundam rebellionis ulciscendae causa belluâ— sucsipi diceret suam illi operam addixisse But as their resting upon Caesar's assertion and promise for the security of Religion was by all the circumstances of that war declared to be but an emptie pretext so Iohn's breach of faith in this his ingagement can as little be denyed as his relation of Son in law to Henrie of Brunswick then detained captive by the Langrave seemes to have been his great motive However it is certain that the Elector of Brâ—ndenburg for whom it is like that in your heedless way you take one of his above mentioned Brothers did stand off neuter endeavouring rather to mediate as the History testifies and we may see by his interposing betwixt the Elector of Saxe and Maurice at the seige of Lipsick As for Maurice his part it was indeed foulest and deservedly condemned by all equal Judges But seeing you can adduce no other argumeâ—ts for your pretended vindication then undeniable wrong and perfidy the truth and righteousness of that defensive war on the Princes their part against the Emperour needeth not my further patrociny And yet As if you had said something to purpose you have the boldness to conclude in these words So you may see what pitiâ—ul Hisâ—orians they are who alledge the precedent of Germany O os durum Who would not Laugh at such excessive confidence above the excuse of all possible ignorance The fourth instance which you go about to cleare is that of Sweden and you say That King Gustavus with the States of that Kingdome did in the Year 1524. peaceably receive the Reformation and who would not wish that Religion and Reformation might have had the same fate every where Neither were there any broils about it till after seventy years that Sigismond King of Polland the Son of their former King and therefore by them acknowledged though a Papist was by force entering the Kingdome resolving to root out the Protestant Religion Whereupon they deposed him no strange thing in the Sweedish History that being before an Elective Crown and but newly then become hereditary and the States still retaining the supreme Authority Sir I must confess that this is a passage whereunto I can make no reply your undertaking was to convince us by undeniable evidence of History of the falshood of that vuâ—gar error That the Reformation was carried on that is maintained as I have before shewed by resistance and here you give us an instance of a Kingdome not only resisting but deposing their King because of his invading of Religion Which in place of a vindication is a full and plain concession For as to what you insinuate that that Crown had been a little before Elective I told you upon the instance of Boheme that though it had been even for the time Elective yet it could not make for you much less when you acknowledge that then for as for your own or the Printers escape referring the change to the Year 1644. I urge it not it was become successive And where you alledge that the States did still retain the Supreme Authority if you understand it otherwayes then according to that power and priviledge which appertains to our Parliaments it is only your own fiction But you subjoyne that If this serve not to vindicat the Sweds at least the Reformation was not introduced by wars among them And pray Sir who of us did ever defend such a practice To introduce and to maintain are things so different that they can not be fairly confounded The last shift you make is That the actions of that state were never looked upon as a precedent to others But if so why then do you mention them and if they be indeed a precedent certainly it is hard to determine whether you be more false in your general assertion anent the establishing of the Reformation or ridiculous in this part of your vindication The fift instance you mention is That Denmark received the Reformation peaceably But seing this hypothese excluds the question controverted anent the maintenance of Religion by armes not casible without the antecedent violence It is evident that it is rather transiently then pertinently by you adduced The sixt instance is tabled by your N. C. thus But you cannot deny there was force used in Helvetia and Geneve Aâ—d to this you answere both in the manner and termes of your accustomed vanity That this shewes what a superficial Reader of History your N. C. is And then you tell us Tâ—at Zurich received the Reformation peaceably but being maligned by the other Cantons and by them injured at the Popes instigation it broke out into a civil war purely defensive upon Zuriches part Likeas the Cantons are not subject to one another but free States only united in a League It is answered that here upon the account of Religion there was force used in Helvetia is clear from your own narration How then do you taxe your N. C. for this allegeance as a superficial Reader of History As for that that it was used by one associat against another and not by subjects against their superior it is only accidental from the condition of these Cantons the other circumstances of that war And seing that neither the Gospel nor Reason do lay any special restraint upon subjects in case of their Superiors intolerable persecution because of Religion as I have already shewed this precedent is no small confirmation of the practices by us maintained 2. I must tell you further that this war on Zuriches part was not so purely defensive as you give it out in asmuch as it is certain from Sleidan 4. and 8. Books that the provoking injuries were for the most part committed upon their citizens without their territories and the first act of hostility by the interclusion of passages was done by these of Zurich so that although their guards were indeed surprised yet dating the war from the hostile interclusion
Which in effect is the very worst account that even the enemies of the truth do give of them and cannot be received by any impartial inquirer Yet seing it is most evident that persecution for Religion was the true cause moving the body of the Protestants to their own defence and that their Ministers and Teachers whom God had honoured to be instrumental in their conversion as Beza and others did countenance these wars and constantly maintain that a defensive resistance to subjects in a due capacity was no more prohibite upon the account of persecution for Religion then in the case of any other intolerable oppression The mixture of mans corruption inseparable even from his best actions in the prosecution of so good a cause can neither prejudge its justice nor deprive us of the advantage of this precedent But knowing your former answers to be weake and unsatisfying you subjoyne that you do not deny their following wars to have been direct Rebellion And is this the vindication you promised Only you bid us consider the fierce Spirit of that Nation and we must confess it was not Religion but their temper that was to be blamed Well Sir is this your candor The question is whether or not Religion was the cause of these wars which if the lawfulness thereof were not first supposed were utterly impertinent and you not darring to deny it do first tell us by a blunt petitio principii that the wars were rebellion and then that the French temper more then Religion is to be therefore blamed Who should regard such a pitiful Sophister But seing it can not be denyed that the many and great injuries suffered upon the account of Religion were the just provocation to these wars although some small censuâ—e either of precipitancy or of excess in the prosecution may possibly be imputed to the hote temper of that people or excused by the signal insolencie of ther provocations yet sure I am that neither the cause of Religion nor the justice of it is thereby in the least disproven But now you say many of the eminent men of that Church are fully convinced of the evill of these courses yea one of the glories of our Nation Cameron in the wars of the last King directly preached against their courses as Rebellion I will not answere that possibly it hath befallen the eminent men of that Church as it did many of our own who as they were removed from the first times of the Reformation the then opposition of adversaries from the evidence of the Lord's Spirit presence that therein appeared so according to the influence of after temptations were induced to condemne that which otherwise they would have approven It is enough for us that your many eminent whoever they be are more then overballanced by many more and more eminent still abyding on our side And for Cameron whom forsooth in your pedantick stile you more then cannonize by terming a Glory you must pardon us who know him better whatever be his opinion in this matter not to be dazled by his splendour specially seing you know that if we were disposed to vie with you in such vanities we might by adducing King Iames his justifying of the French Protestants their defensive wars in his answer to cardinal Perron eclipse this your glory into obscurity but what need of more words If these last wars were purely defensive for Religion they could not be rebellious and if they were not we only lose the instance but not the argument as I have abundantly proven But to this you make your N. C. Answer by asking How did the late King give assistance to the Rochellers in the last wars if so be they were rebellious And to this you reply That it proceeded from a particular reason Viz. Because the King of Britain had become the surety in the former pacification that the French King should observe the agreement Sir If I had the management of your N. C. part I think I should not have troubled you with this answer The assistance you mention was so like rather to a treachery that both for the good of these poor Protestants and for the honour of our King's memory I wish it had never been But since you suppose it to have been real how is it that by your return you do so pitifully betray your cause For seing by your acknowledgment the late King did in the pacification after the second war of Rochell with consent of the French King become surety to his Protestant subjects for due observance and by this his accession clearly acknowledged the lawfulness and validitie of the Protestants their treatie it is a more manifest confession of the Peoples right and capacity to restrain both by contract and necessary force the unjust and persecuting violence of their Prince then all the instances adduced do afford It is true you adde That this assistance was on our Kings part most just what ever the Subjects of France their part in it might be But where is your reason for this insinuat distinction Or what Logickâ— can prove that a just concurring assistance may be given in an unjust war That the King of Britain interposing was injured and affronted by the King of France his breach is not denyed by or contrary to us more then the injury done by the French King unto these his Protestants subjects But to clear this passage of your foolish quibles The Duke of Rohan in the Ninth of his Politick Discourses entituled His Apology upon the last troubles of France because of the Religion plainly tell us that the King of Britain did by a Gentleman sent to him remonstrat how he was surety in the last peace and did compassionate the Protestants their sufferings that if by fair means he did not obtain relief he would ingage his whole Kingdomes and his proper Person in so just a war to which he found himselfe oblidged in honour and conscience providing that the Protestants would take armes with him and promise as he would do not to hearken to any treatie but jointly with him And thereto the Duke subjoines that this promise of assistance was his principal ingagement to arme What think you then Do not these words plainly enough denote both Religion to have been the cause and what was the Kings approbation of these wars Or if you doubt the French man's faith pray take but a view of Mr Rushworth's Collections as to this affair and there beside the confimation of what the Duke sayes I am perswaded you will find the King so express and the Parliament so cordial in their resentments of the wrongs done to these poor Protestants and in their readinesse to assist for their relief that you will be ashamed hereafter to scorn your selfe by such confident childish conjectures and distinctions But I am sorry that by reflecting upon the part of the French Protestants in that war as less just then the King of Britains you should have forced
absurd then if because a Governour may in a manifest incident disorder falling for example in a Family repone the Father and head thereof to his paternal oversight one should thence conclude to the same Governour a proper power and faculty of placeing and displaceing Heads of Families and appointing the Rules thereof at his pleasure Now that thus it fell out in England after the Reformation and that the same if not a more exorbiâ—ant power taken from the Pope was transferred and setled upon the Crown as a perpetual privilege thereof is in the second place by the manner of its exercise and its ensuing fruits veâ—y evidently held out For proofe whereof the office and actings of the Lord Cromwell as Vicare General appointed by Henry the eight over the spirituality though by the good providence of God ordered to be a notable mean for advance of the Reformation is an undeniable argument And as to the continuance of the same usurpation in order to other effects in themselves evill and not to be justified there needeth no curious search the frequent practices of after Princes laying claime to this power namely Elizabeth Iames and Charles in their ecclesiastick medlings but especially of his Majesty now regnant in his interposing in Church-matters and thereby overturning a true Gospe-â—ministry introducing a new model of Church-government absolutely dependent upon himselfe reviving vain groundless and antiqâ—â—â— ceremonies appointing and imposing new Religions Dayes and Forms And lastly giving Rules to Ministers their doctrine what points to preach and what to omit all according to the device of his own heart are an obvious demonstration which things are in themselves so evident that I strange you should accuse Henry the Eight of a civil Papacy and so inconsequently acquit al his Successors Whereas in effect they not only acted in Church-matters after the same method by him observed using the same prerogative in the grant of their High Commissions and in other acts which he exercised in his vicarious deputation but he is the Prince who waving his haltings upon the other side and considering the necessity there was at that time of an extraordinary remedy for the good things that he did seemeth to have employed their usurped Supremacy most excusably and also very advantageously for the promoving of the Reformation Bot you tell us that the Oath of Supremacy was never designed to take away the Churches intrinseck power or to make the power of Ordination of Sacraments and of Discipline flow from the King It is answered seing the many evill effects of this Supremacy do so plaâ—â—ly evince its direct and proper tendency and its late explanation by Act of Parliament doth put its nature and extent beyond all controversy to tell us what at first it was or was not designed for is but a vain suggestion And therefore according to these â—urer grounds I must now tell you 1. That although the King not likely to be tempted by such an empty curiosity hath neither expresly declared in his own favour nor assumed to himselfe the exercise of this power of administration yet that by vertue of his Supremacy as it now stands explained he may do both or either when he pleaseth is not to be doubted I need not reminde you that any Church-power not acknowledging a dependence upon and subordination unto the Soveraign Power of the King as Supreme is abrogate and discharged But pray Sir he who may enact what he thinketh fit concerning all Ecclesiastick meetings and matters may he not if he think fit declare himself to have the power of the ministerial function Nay what may he not do But 2. admitting that this was not meaned by the Parliament in their explanation and that in probability the King will never affect the imployment yet that the intrinseck power of Government belonging to the Church both as to a Society of our Lords erection and by his express gift and concession is by the Supremacy taken away I beleeve it will be so far from being disowned that it is rather vaunted of as its principal end and advantage But referring the truth and evidence of this point anent the power of Government given by our Lord immediatly to his Church to what hath been very fully by others declared and is by me above hinted at I verily think that though we had no other argument save the sad changes that of late have ensued upon the usurpation of this Supremacy the usefulness and excellency of this intrinseck Government is thereby rendered apparent beyond the evidence of any further confirmation And really when together with the authority of its founder I consider the undeniable necessity and expedience of an internal power of Government in the Church as the most significant mean for making all its other gifts powers offices effectual And how much it is commended by the signal usefulness of a proper Government in every Society but more especially to our adversaries by that high yea sacred estimat which they so much inculcat of that Civil-government and all its punctilios whereupon their interest depends and when on the other hand I reflect upon the peâ—â—â—â—ous and woful influences that in all ages have constantly attended either the suppression or usurpation of this great divine ordinance I cannot sufficiently regrete that the pride ambition and vanity of men in setting up and advancing this Supremacy should be so sinfully subservient to the Divell 's great design of crossing the progress of the Gospel and propogating irreligion Which evil is the more to be lamented that nothwithstanding that our own experience of its wretched consequences doth evidently redargue this usurpation yet these men who in the matter of Civil government make every circumstance sacred and exclaime against the smallest innovation as if all confusion were imminent can and do in the business of Ecclesiastick government with a more then Gallio indifferency and coldness slight all its concerns in opposition to their carnal designes as questions of meer outward forms and the skirts and suburbs of Religion far removed from its life and substance Whereas it is very certain that eternal life and salvation the great end is not more preferable to temporal peace and outward tranquillity then our zeal for the government of God's House institute by himselfe in his Church in order to our everlasting welbeing ought to exceed our regard to Civil government which in this respect are but the ordinances of man in order to our temporal interests Nay so apparent is the lukwarmness hypocrisy of mens reasonings in behalfe of this Supremacy that though in the supposition that our Lord had by himselfe immediatly erected in any Kingdom a Society or incorporation with masters laws and a competent jurisdiction in order to some temporal advantage as he hath in the acknowledgement of all institute his Church with Ordinances Officers and Government suited to its great ends all rationâ—â— men let be the members of that Society would judge the
there is that truth in them that though David's wished for wings may better suit your desire of rest yet Ieremiah's waterie head and weeping eyes with his retirement to a wildernesse would be the more agreeable wish to our condition But our relieff is that the Lord seeth and who knowes but he is displeased that there is no intercessor and that therefore his arme may bring salvation when he shall put on righteousnesse as a breast-plate and an helmet of salvation upon his head when he shall put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and cloath himself with zeal even that zeal which you go about to maligne as with a clock However this is most certaine that the Redeemer is come to Zion and unto them that turne from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. But your N. C. recals me and tells us that the further he seeth in the great businesse of Religion he is the the more coovinced of a serene and placide temper which so qalisies the soul for Divine converse And these words do ravish and unite your heart to him in such a manner that for a conclusion to these your roving Dialogues you do very agreeably evanish in a fancied transport And really Sir I do as little question that the further a man seeth and is seriously exercised in the great businesse of Religion he will certainly be therby rendered of a more serene and placide temper The statutes of the Lord are indeed right rejoyceing the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes the divine light doth certainly give pure joy and pure joy no doubt doth elevat above all carnall perturbations and drossie pleasures there is a vertue in Religion that powerfully rebuking not only the windes of our tempestuous passions and the tossings of our vaine desires but the dreadful tempest of Gods anger doth make a great calme which bringeth unto Jesus Christ for refuge unto God for our rest and blesseth us with his peace that passeth understanding and filleth us with all joy in believing But your insinuation as if a serene and placid temper not flowing from but previously disposing unto Religion and fellowship with God were of special influence as to divine converse is at best but a continuation of your delusion I shall not say deceit suited to your great designe of preferring peace to truth and fraiming Religion to your own accommodation And truly in order to that end the advantages of a serene indifferencie and placide compliance resolving all difficulties by the conveniencie of ease and not striving in any case against the Authority and commands of such on whom our outward peace depends can not be denyed But seing it is the great work of Religion first to open the eyes and to turne from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that we may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith and in these excellent graces true peace and full joy let him who would have a minde truly serene and not only a placide temper but a tranquill and joyful conscience studie and walk in this light discovering and abhorring every evill way and by purity and faithfulnesse even in that which is least make sure his peace and so shall he not only be qualified for but certainly attaine unto divine converse Serenity and tranquillity of minde when flowing from that wisdome from above which is first pure then peaceable and is the product of pure Religion and undefiled is no doubt no other then that light wherein God dwells and that calmness and weakness of Spirit wherein he delights But as for your serene and placid Temper whith you exhibite to us rather as preparatory then subsequent to Religion I must again tell you my feares that I find it so little agreeable to Religion's genuine methode and so very suitable to your carnal designes that I greatly apprehend that instead of advancing you to true divine converse it only seduce you into a fools paradise of your own dreams and imaginations Whether your ensuing raptures do thence proceed I leave it to others to judge But sure I am were you as earnest to pray Deliver my soul O Lord from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue as you would appear serious in the following regrete of having too long dwelt among them that hate peace You had rather choosed to suffer affliction with the people of God esteeming the reproach of Christ even treason and sedition great riches and respecting and looking for the recompense of the reward the eternal love and peace of God then to have taken the compendious way of a sinful compliance for obtaining this worlds ease and quiet Which I am confidentâ— that holy man whose words you usurpe would have abhorred at the rate As for the thick fogs and mists of contention which you complaine of if this life were indeed to you a valley of tears as you give it out while all light and purity is almost destroyed by the lust and ignorance of your prelatick party it would have been to these infernal vapors and clouds of smok by which our Sun and air are darkned and not to the just and necessary opposition of a small faithful remnant against your apostacy that you had ascribed the noisomness which you mention But behold the nimblenesse aswell as the delusion of the mans fancy he hath for outward ease cast away a good conscience and preferred all along peace unto truth All the disturbance he meeâ—eth with is the dissent of a few faithfull unto God and stedfast in his Covenant whom he and his party do therefore persecute This small innocent non-complyance he complaineth of as if he were the most refined and tender Saint grieving for the wicked and rageful persecution of the ungodly from which imaginary and feigned distresse with the same artifice and facility he pretendeth that his relieff is in divine contemplation whither as to the mountaine of God he flieth forsooth for Sanctuary that he may take rest But this triumphing of your presumption shall be but short the joy of the hyhocrite is but for a moment though his excellency reach up to the heavens and his head reach unto the clouds yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung they which have seen him shall say where is he he shall fly away as a dream and be chased away as a vision of the night for who Lord shall dwell in thy holy hill and who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart he that backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evill to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not he that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift vp his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his Salvation If therefore your pretensions be such as you professe you must not overlooke the way that God himselfe hath designed but walk in it with fear Your vain phantastick soarings will not carry you either over or by it Nay in the end they will prove a lie and tumble you into destruction For what is the hope of the Hypocrite when he hath gained when God taketh away his soul Think not that these things are from ill nature and spoken in bitterness Nay Sir I may very seriously protest that when I reflect on your laxe and unsound principles not only in the matters of Government and Worship but even in the head of justification and several other parts that you have given me occasion to touch with your enmity and reproaches against the work of God and the Kingdome Ministry and Ordinances of our Lord Iesus Christ and how on the other hand you endeavour to shreud your self under the high pretenses of peace love charity and devotion wholly heavenly I can scarce refrain from trembling in the thoughts of such deep and abusive hypocrisie And therefore though you should scorn my compassion yet will I not forbear to give you my best advice You seem to have the forme of knowledge and of the truth in the word Nay thou makest thy boast of God and divine contemplation the secret of Gods presence and the refreshfull shades of the Almighty where joy unspeakable and the most pure solaces flow appear to be your familiar retreat But as it is too too evident that neither your principles nor practice are very suitable to this profession nay that there is no noise heard of this profession while you are bussied in serving mens designs and your own fancies And that it is only after you have striven to the outmost in perswading or contradicting that you seek to evade or delude by these pretensions So my earnest request is that in place of fancie that evaporats all your knowledge into imagination faith and love may suck down the truth into your heart to convert you indeed unto God and reveal in you with power his Son Iesus Christ that you may love the Lord with all your soul and strength and trust in him alwayes have respect unto all his Commandements and observe all his Ordinances then should you walk in the way safely and the Lord should be your confidence And though you should be exercised with the same perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes the same strife of tongues and persecution of adversaries whereof we have so large an experiment yet amidst all these boisterous windes and tossing waves God would be your Rock light joy strength and salvation for ever Sir this is our faith and also our victory for which when you shall as seriously contend as you do vainly pretend to outward peace and mans favour then shall true peace even that peace which the World neither gives nor can take abound unto you to establish you unto the end Let us therefore fight the good fight keep the faith and lay hold on eternal life that we may finish our course with joy so shall we receive that Crown of Righteousnesse which the righteous Iudge shall give unto us at that day and not unto us only but unto all them also that love his appearing Even so come Lord JESUS FINIS