recourse to the most proper Methods for enquiring into the Reasons and Grounds of Religion and for distinguishing the True Religion from the False and an Orthodox from an Heterodox Faith whether by applying to the proper Ministers of Religion separately or in Council And upon a fair and impartial Enquiry that which appears to be True and Orthodox is to be cherisbed defended and promoted against all Attempts and Invasions of the Heterodox and Unbeliever even tho' some present Temporal Interest seem to clash and interfere with it These were the Unalterable Laws and Principles of the first and most pious Christian Emperors upon which they enlarged the Territories of the Christian Church SECT III. But to this 't is popularly reply'd That if Kings and Princes once thought themselves obliged to espouse the Care of Religion as a positive Duty considering the Errors and Superstitions of Mankind it would prove the most effectual Method not only to obstruct the growth of the True Religion but endanger the Extirpation of it But in answer to this it 's to be considered That the Propagation of Religion does not direct to Acts of force and violence much less the Protection of it except where the Rights and Immunities of the Established Religion are apparently invaded Besides it 's concluded the Magistrate is not to proceed blindly but apply himself to the True Means of Information and if he miscarries tho' he may one day answer for any Sinister Motives that carried him into a wrong Determination yet GOD will find Methods to support his own Designs and consequently advance the Interests of the True Religion by Secret and Invisible Springs tho' his Ordinary and Standing Provisions afford the most unlikely Prospect Sometimes Persecution it self is the most prolifick Soil for the True Religion to shoot forth and flourish in Christianity had not only its first Foundation in it but we are assured received Great Increases from it So Tertullian in his Apologetic boasts Nec quicquam tamen says he proficit exquisitior quoeque crudelitas vestra ILLECEBRA EST MAGIS SECTAE Plures efficimur quoties metimur a vobis SEMEN EST SANGUIS CHRISTIANORUM Tertull. Apolog. pag. 45. But in a word if the Care of Religion is a standing Duty in the Magistrate as has been abundantly evinced and if there be such a thing as a True Religion and sufficient Means if duly attended to to distinguish it from the False the Undoubted Rule is That the Duty is to be pursued and the Consequences left to the Providential Care of the Blessed Author of it who has the Hearts of Kings and the Sovereign Disposal of Grace and will in the Course of Affairs undoubtedly ascertain the Usefulness of his own Means and the Ends of Religion for which they were designed And as for that Magistrate who upon a Principle of Zeal for the Honour of his Maker shall thus carry on the Designs of the True Religion he 'll no doubt one Day be made partaker of a Reward that will every way answer that labour of love which he has shewed towards his Name he 'll one Day infallibly find a Remembrance sutable to the Supplications of that Excellent Governour Nehemiah Remember me O my GOD concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the House of my GOD and for the offices thereof Neh. 13. V. 14. SECT IV. I proceed to the second Enquiry viz. When there are two or more Sects of Religion under any Government why the Magistrate is under an Obligation of protecting or rather advancing the one more than the other And First I shall consider this Argument with regard to the Oeconomy of the Christian Church And in order to this it will be requisite to enquire into the Rights and Authority of a National Church And First it s indisputably evident the Christian Church is one Society or Body of Men united to CHRIST and each other in certain External as well as Internal and Spiritual Bonds of Union It 's truly a Seamless Garment nay it bears the Exact Portraicture of a Natural Body whereof CHRIST is the Head from whom the whole Body fitly joyn d' together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body Eph. 4. 16. In a word it carries the Symmetry and Proportion of a Building fitly framed together growing into an holy Temple in the LORD Eph 2.21 The first Division of this Spiritual Body arises from the Necessity of Divine Worship viz. into particular Congregations Other Distributions arise from the Necessity of Government which is warranted and established by the express Canon of Scripture Thus Obey them that have the rule over vou and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls Heb. 13.17 And St. Pauls Instructions to Titus are For this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting Ch. 1. ver 5. And These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all Authority Ch. 20. We may add to this the Power of Binding and Loosing and Excommunication it self being expresly committed to the Ecclesiastical Powers and evidently demonstrating the Necessity as well as Divine Authority of Ecclefiastical Government But to return Whatever Distributions were made either from a Necessity of Worship or Government every Branch or Part is indispensibly bound to maintain this Mystical Union by a Communion in the Essentials of Faith Government and Discipline for otherwise it 's impossible the Christian Church should answer the Character of a Natural Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth even to the making increase of the Body As for the Government of the Church we are assured partly from Scripture and partly from the earliest Antiquity That the Order of Bishops and Metropolitans rests on Apostolical Institution Both Timothy and Titus in the judgement of the most Learned Presbyterians were Superior to the rest of the Clergy within their Districts at least in Jurisdiction if not Order And tho' Antiquity has not expresly fix'd the Origine or Rise of Metropolitans yet it may justly be presum'd to be Apostolical For First St. Paul directs an Epistle to the Metropolitical Church to be communicated to the whole Province for such was Corinth in the Province of Achaia To the Church of GOD which is at Corinth with all the Saints that are in all Achaia And pursuant to this we find the Governments of Metropolitans in the first Council of Nice ranked among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ancient Customs Can. 6. and in that of Antioch styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most ancient Canon in force from the times of our Forefathers But that which conduces to the present Argument is That all the Establishments of Church Government and the Districts of particular Churches were originally modeled according to that of the State The Bishop presided over a City and the adjacent
Empty Name but carries very momentous Offices and Duties in it it implies a Zeal for the Honour of GOD and the True Religion and consequently it engages the Magistrate to study such wholesom Provisions as will advance the Ends and Interests of it to the utmost Boundaries of his Dominions and those that thus wait for CHRIST shall not be ashamed Isai. 49. v. 23. And now Sir I hope I have prepared You for the main Argument You proposed by informing You how the Magistrate is determined for the Interests of Religion and particularly those of this National Church SECT VI. I shall proceed to consider Whether the Restraint of the PRESS is not a Necessary Provision not only to advance the Interests of the True Religion but to preserve and maintain the Ends aud Designs of it as profess'd in a National Church And this will appear from the Necessity of a publick Establishment in Religion and the Pernicious Influences which the Liberty of the Press has upon it It 's already concluded that GOD has instituted a Governing Power in the Christian Church and the accommodating it to the Districts of the State and the Constituting the Civil Magistrate a Guardian and Protector of the Church of CHRIST is at least a sufficient Warrant of the Lawfulness of a publick Establishment if not an Indication of its Necessity Indeed since there are Governing Powers in the Church of CHRIST we must conclude that GOD foresaw a great many Difficulties and Miscarriages under the great Revolutions and Emergencies of Human Affairs which he has Authorized them to adjust correct and remove and this will justly infer the Necessity of publick Decrees Articles or Canons and that too in Matters of Faith Worship and Practice It cannot be denied but Scripture it self has established the Authority of such Powers and Injunctions and consequently it 's an indisputable Argument of their Necessity since GOD never imparts special Powers or Functions but he infallibly discerns the Necessity and Usefulness of 'em Thus we have General Rules directed to particular Churches in the business of Publick Worship That things be prescribed and done according to the Laws of Decency Order and Edification And no doubt St. Paul points at the same thing when he reminds Titus why he placed him over the Church of Crete That thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting Tit. 1. 5. So that we may justly conclude there 's a Power given to prescribe such Laws and Rules and make such Publick Declarations as manifestly tend to the Edifying the Body of Christ or as are requisite to maintain the Catholick Laws of Unity or the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace But to descend to particulars And first as to matters of Faith Indeed it will be easily granted That the Holy Scriptures are a compleat Rule of Faith and consequently they seem to be a competent Standard for the Governours of particular Churches to try the Faith of Christians by But yet we are assured that they contain a Great many things hard to be understood which the ignorant and unlearned wrest to their own destruction and consequently things of the greatest moment and importance Again we are assured that Heresies will come that there will arise False Christs and False Prophets and Men of corrupt Minds who have not only erred but are reprobate concerning the Faith In a word it 's impossible but Controversies and Divisions as well as Offences will come this is the case of every Tribe or Colony of Christians And is there no Judgment to be made in these Circumstances Are these Persons to be suffered to proceed in their Errors and pervert the Faith of others If this must be so for what End has the Blessed AUTHOR of our Religion placed Governours and Pastors in his Church and enforced their Authority by the Discipline of special Censure They cannot remonstrate against them without making a Judgment whether the Doctrine be of GOD or is consonant to the Canon of Faith And yet 't is their Duty to declare the whole Counsel of GOD in these Cases And certainly if Private Pastors are Authorized to expound the Sence of Scripture and make a Judgment in these Matters and expect the Directions of the Holy Spirit to wait on their pious Labours and Endeavours much more may an Assembly or Council of Church-Governours interpose state the Sence of Scripture and deliver a Definitive Sentence in express Articles and Decrees and expect the Influences of the same Spirit in the whole performance Certainly where two or three or more are for these Ends gathered together it may justly be presumed GOD will be in the midst of ' em These are Proceedings warranted by the Practice of the College of Apostles and of all particular Churches from their Days to this very Hour Such Errors Divisions and Miscarriages concerning the Faith authorized and gave birth to the Confessions of Faith in all Particular Churches They were the only Barriers against Heresie and Error and indispensibly necessary to preserve the Unity of the Faith and the Church of CHRIST from Distraction and Ruine To affirm that Scripture in these Cases is a sufficient Rule and reject all Interposals or Determinations pursuant to it is to mistake or perplex the Argument For tho' Scripture is an adequate Rule of Faith and Manners yet GOD has constituted Guardians and Trustees to assert the Sence of Scripture and enforce a Faith and Practice conformable to it and to deny this is in effect to discard the necessity of any Visible Ministry since Scripture with the help of private Reason is as much an adequate Rule in this respect as the other and consequently there could be no necessity of a standing Ministry It 's true these Publick Determinations these Confessions of Faith are not established upon a Spirit of Infallibility but they are not to be rejected or less necessary because not Infallible GOD has not thought fit to impart a Spirit of Infallibility in the Exercise of the Power of Excommunication yet Scripture establishes it as a Standing Ordinance in his Church A Spirit of Infallibility does not accompany the Ministerial Function and yet GOD has made it absolutely necessary In a word then in as much as they are Decisions grounded on Scripture supported by Reason and confirm'd by the joynt Authority and Suffrage of the Church of GOD in the earliest Ages and of Saints Confessors and Martyrs they are the most apposite Moral Instruments under GOD and the use of Reason to determine the Judgment and satisfie the Conscience or at least to stop the Mouths of Gainsayers as far as concerns the outward Peace of the Church In this Case they become indispensibly necessary there must be some External Umpire and Decision where Matters must at last terminate that the publick Peace and Unity things in the judgment of our Blessed Saviour of the greatest value and importance may not be sacrificed to the Dissentions Heats and Animosities of
Corrupt and Restless Spirits If such Decrees or Injunctions are not to be imposed as Essentials of Faith or Terms of Communion yet they are in the Language of our Church to be received as Injunctions for the avoiding Diversity of Opinions and for establishing Consent touching True Religion Or in one word as Articles of Peace so that whosoever publickly oppugns'em is at least to be censured as a Breaker of the Peace of the Church But further as to the Duty of Publick Worship it 's undeniably evident the great Circumstantials of Worship are no where determined in Scripture such as the Time Manner and Place and yet these are Moral and inseparable Circumstances without which'tis impossible the Duty can be performed And therefore it 's absolutely necessary they should be committed to the Determination of those Powers and Authorities GOD has constituted in his Church For tho'this or that Particular Determination be not necessary till'tis settled yet it 's absolutely necessary they should be determined some way or other And this demonstrates the Necessity of Publick Establishments in the Duties of Publick Assemblies and Publick Worship Again as to the Case of Discipline how can that Decency Order and Uniformity which the Word of GOD so passionately recommends be maintained without the Establishment of Districts and the Settlement of Time and Place how can the Manners of Men be animadverted on or their Neglects or Irregularities in the Publick Worship of GOD be censured what must become of the Publick Duties of Admonition and Reproof and Exclusion from the External Means of Salvation to the Correction of Offenders Removing of Scandal and the Deterring of others These are such clear and uncontroulable Evidences of the Necessity of Publick Establishments that we find them in all the Churches of the Saints or Christian World and the Civil Government agreeable to the Prophetick Character is the professed Guardian and Protector of 'em SECT VII It now remains That we consider the Influences which the Liberty of the PRESS has upon an Establishment And certainly where Men are under an unlimited Allowance to publish their Sentiments of things it 's the Publick Establishment that must suffer the sharpest attack It 's this that bears the shew of Authority and Dominion or stands between its Adversaries and some beloved Interests It 's the only Check to the Ambition Avarice Luxury or Impurity of a Licentious World When this is born down by Calumny and Sophistry and brought into disgrace there 's nothing left to obstruct a general Licentiousness So that the greatest Libertine may plead a Right not only to erect his own Scheme but to do whatever seemeth right in his own Eyes And therefore the common Torrent of Vice will not only bear down upon her but those more active Furies Envy Malice Prejudice and Revenge will unite to form an Indictment In a word an Establishment as such is markt out as a Common Enemy against whom every Tribe and Sect of how different a Make and Complexion soever are prepared to unite and arm and when they may do it at so easie an Expence of Danger or rather under the Banner of Freedom and Liberty no wonder if they shoot forth their Arrows even bitter words and are content with nothing less than reducing the whole Oeconomy to desolation and ruine SECT VIII GOD knows we are not now left to view the force of the Argument in empty Theory and Notion since we may read it in Matter of Fact and Observation What Branch of our Establishment of moment and importance has the Liberty of the Press left free and untouched Has not the Divinity of our SAVIOUR and the whole Doctrine of the Ever-blessed TRINITY as delivered in our Articles been run down and discarded by a whole shoal of Pamphlets Has not the whole Design of CHRIST'S Mission been industriously overturned and the Doctrine of His Redemption and Satisfaction by the Offering up of Himself been peremptorily rejected as groundless absurd and impossible See Atheist turned Deist Sect. 42 43 47. Has not Reason been asserted to be the only Measure of Faith so that whatever cannot be comprehended by it is to be rejected from being an Article of Faith Christianity not Mysterious Has not an Assent to this single Proposition Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah been asserted to be the only explicite Article of Faith necessary to Salvation The Reasonableness of Christianity p. 43 49. 192. Has not Revelation it self been disputed and rejected as an incompetent Rule to Mankind Oracles of Reason Let. 3. 14. Lastly As to our Offices of Publick Worship Has not the Press brought Scandal and Reproach upon two of the Anniversary Solemnities of this Church tho' enjoyned by Acts of Parliament viz. The Martyrdom of King Charles the First and the Restauration of this Church and Monarchy in the Return of King Charles the Second For do we not find it expresly vindicating the whole Scene of Violence transacted in that Bloody War against the King and stigmatizing the great Instruments of the Restoration Nay more we find the very Author applauding himself as having a Point of Honour done him by being chosen one of the King's Judges See Milton's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsly pretended to be printed at Amsterdam and Ludlow's Memoirs London Vol. 2d p. 871. These are the blessed Products of the Press laid open and prostituted to the Wit and Malice of designing Men and yet they are but the small Gleanings of that Mass of Filth and Corruption it has brought forth And what can more directly tend to a total subversion of an Establishment and more effectually prepare the World to believe the Truth of their repeated Declamations viz. That Creeds and Systems are only profitable Inventions or rather That the whole Oeconomy of our Establishment is but Secular Policy and the Arts of Priestcraft The Press has already publickly declared thus much and that Coldness or rather Air of Contempt that too generally prevails against that of this Church abundantly demonstrates the pernicious Influences of it But now to improve the Argument It 's already concluded That Ecclesiastical Establishments or National Churches are indispensibly necessary they rest on the Authority of Apostolick Institution and are confirmed from the very Nature and Design of the Christian Religion It 's concluded That the Christian Magistrate is by Divine Appointment constituted a Guardian and Protector of National Churches within his respective Dominions It 's a standing Trust committed to him by the Laws of Natural as well as Revealed Religion If therefore the Liberty of the Press is highly destructive of the Interests of Religion and particularly as 't is cultivated in National Churches If it appears not only in the Nature of the thing but upon unquestionable Matter of Fact the Magistrate who by Divine Appointment is constituted a Guardian and Protector in the cause of Religion is indispensibly bound to remove the mischief by laying a powerful Restraint on the Press In a
to Maintain and Cultivate the Purity of its Faith and Worship against all the Attempts of its Enemies If any thing is unsound and deficient GOD has invested a Power of using such proper Means in the Governours of his Church and the Believing Magistrate as under his Divine Protection will secure a True and Orthodox Religion but if nothing of this Nature can be truly charged upon Her when Endeavours have been made in this kind tho' there may be no foundation by Violence and Force to compel Men to be of one Mind and one Heart yet the Magistrate is of Right as well as Duty bound not to suffer her Peace to be Disturbed or her Faith and Worship shaken by Publick Harangues and Professed Declamations This is no Persecution but a Necessary Provision whereby the Designs of an important Trust committed to the Magistrate are fulfilled and answered I mean that of a Guardian and since it is so I cannot imagine why any Government should be slack in the Exercise of a Just Power especially since all sides are sensible how much Unanimity in Matters of Religion contributes to the Publick Weal of a Nation And truly if to this Just Law another as Equitable were established That Persons who will not content ' emselves with the Communion of the Established Religion should thereby be uncapable of any Places of Trust or Office either in Church or State as we find it in Neighbour Countries I question not but it would have produced a greater Unanimity in Matters of Religion than the most hopeful Projects of Comprehension As the Case now stands the Tolerated Party is envigorated with the Hopes of one Day reducing every thing to their own Model but certainly had an Incapaciting Clause been fixed to the last Act of Grace I mean that of Toleration it would not only have proved an invincible Bulwark to our Pure and Apostolick Establishment but the most Healing Principle of Unity that could have been contrived or thought of SECT XII But to return As to the Charge of Implicit Faith it must be confessed That the Depriving Mankind of any of those Means or Instruments which GOD has appointed for the Discovery of His Revealed Will is a direct Invasion of the Privileges of a Christian and a considerable step towards the Introduction of an Implicit Faith But I presume it cannot be pretended that an Unlimited Power of Printing is one of those Means which GOD has appointed for the Discovery of the True Religion If so GOD seems to have been very much wanting to his own Designs in not communicating the Art by some Apostle or Prophet long before it obtained in the Christian World But it 's well known the True Religion rests upon other Foundations it was Established in Purity and Perfection long before this useful Art was formed or thought of and I question not will long continue so unless the Privilege of Printing the lewdest and most Heretical Notions subvert its Foundations As for this National Establishment I challenge her most avowed Enemies to produce one single Instance wherein she denies her Members the use of any Divine or Apostolick Means that are Instituted for the Discovery of the True Religion Our Church imposes no Article of Faith upon pure Church-authorities she recommends every thing to the Mind and Conscience upon rational Motives and Convictions She is careful to publish useful Discourses in Matters of Faith and Practice and in a word every thing that is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of GOD may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works She does not only allow but exhort her People To examine themselves whether they are in the Faith She denies 'em no Means of Information she does not only lay open the Well of Life or Fountain of Living Waters the Holy Scriptures but recommends 'em to their Search and Enquiry even to the Trying of the Spirits by them She allows 'em to propose their Doubts and Scruples to their Spiritual Pastors and administers Counsel and Advice upon the force of Reason and Scripture In a word as she conceals nothing of the whole Counsel of GOD so she admits all their Proposals by way of Enquiry and Information So that there is nothing wanting of those Means GOD has instituted to enable every Man To give a reason of the Hope that is in him Where then is that Nursery of Implicit Faith and Ignorance If Mens Judgments by all these Methods cannot or will not be set right and informed shall they challenge a Right to publish Dogmatically what they pretend to retain on no other Authority than that of a weak Conscience to bear down a rightful Establishment Are all the Means of Information useless and to be despised if this is not suffered Must they from Examiners and Enquirers immediately commence Doctors and Dictators and deliver their Sentiments with equal Authority to that of the Established Religion Where is that Spiritual Tyranny or Blind Obedience when they may propose their Arguments Doubts and Scruples to Private Pastors or a Publick Convocation when they may depute Proxies and be admitted to Conferences and Publick Debates without Passes of Safety without the Dread of an Inquisition or of a Writ de Hoeretico comburendo These are Privileges that may be obtained for asking and they are the most apposite Methods for the distinguishing Truth from Falshood They are such as GOD has appointed and consequently such as GOD may be presumed to give a Blessing to When therefore an Establishment has done all this shall the Magistrate that is constituted a Guardian and Trustee in the Church of CHRIST suffer the consciences of Men to be distracted and the Publick Peace of the Church invaded by the bold Cavils and Harangues of every Unreasonable Gainsayer SECT XIII Thirdly 'T is objected That every one not only of Natural Right but in point of Duty particularly that of Charity may and ought to publish whatever appears to be Truth for the Information and Direction of others and consequently the Restraint of the Press that abridges this Right must be unlawful and unjust But First it 's an indisputable Truth That the Natural Rights and Duties of Private Persons are perpetually consonant to the Rights and Interests of Publick Societies and the Exercise of the former is for the most part to be regulated and determined by the latter Again Whatever the Rights and Interests of Private Persons may be the Magistrate is absolutely entrusted with the Preservation of the Publick Peace and consequently may rightfully suppress every thing that is level'd against any Branch of the Publick Establishment since such Attempts unsettle the Minds of a People and engender intemperate Heats and Animosities and consequently carry a direct Tendency to Disorder and Confusion All Governments give a latitude for private Opinions and Sentiments and therefore do not usually extend their Tests or Subscriptions beyond Places of Trust or Publick Employments