Secondly When it is hardly restrained it sheweth the World and the Flesh are too much it friends Thirdly When it burneth where lust pride and malice burn Fourthly When it carrieth you from those holy rules prescribed and pretendeth to come from a spirit which will not be tried but by Scripture It s a suspicious sign when it is contrary to the judgment experience and zeal of the generality of most well experienced sober godly Christians And so contrary to the ordinary working of Gods Spirit in others who are as good as you for this zeal cometh not from heaven For Gods Spirit is not contrary to it self But the true Catholick genuine Christian zeal appeareth in its own likeness in wisdome love humility meekness and and sobriety Provoketh hearers to love and good works Is not contentious reproachful injurious loveth virtue in a heathen Is kindled by humble meditations of Christs example to study and imitate him and his Saints in forbearance patience forgiving others and doing good Promoting Christian Religion with sincere and plain dealing winning men by Morality justice and charity and offending them by no unnecessary thing by no imputed calumnies sticking closer to justice and peace than to any party Owneth virtue and goodness that is in all parties and opinions Which will be a means to remove the animosities we are so apt to receive against dissenters and lessen our differences and disagreements The true means of gaining souls to God is the Gospellary way of meekness perswasion c. Christ and his Apostles appeared without words of mans wisdome assistance of Kings or Princes without fines imprisonments oaths c. By his admirable mildness he condemned all these politick Religions by using cruelty to support them If it had been otherwise I would have told you John 14 if the way of planting or preserving my faith had been by imposing penalties by cruel Oaths or watering it with the blood of Refusers I would have told you The son of man came not to destroy mens lives but to save them To wind up all in few words of what is said in this Book I desire no prudent man to give any credit further than his experience shall find true after diligent search made as concerns every one before he pass sentence If this be not enough to disabuse your credulity of criminations imputed without proof or probability let all impartial men judge whether you have not shaked hands with all morality For who can pretend any charity that will harbour detected calumnies or who can love truth that will not acknowledge it when represented The reasons above given I doubt not which would serve to clear the Catholicks from such aspersions before any just or reasonable Judg Pagan or Mahometan How much more ought they to serve among Christians who profess not only truth but charity which is the life of Religion and bond of perfection Hence saith the great Siracides blame no man before thou hast enquired the matter understand first and then reform righteously CONCLUSION IN Conclusion now of this Apologetick Discourse it will not be improper once again to mind you of the necessity we have to Christian love Seing the neglect of it and a persecuting hurtful spirit mistaken for zeal hath been and is the issue and consequence of all the immoderation feuds and antipathies we have one against another It is then the duty of every serious Christian to lay aside all vain jealousies idle suspitions rude severities and much more forged calumnies against any perswasion whatsoever The Authors and Meditators of such aspersions though they may pretend much Conscience and Religion can have none For S. James assures us that whosoever would seem religious and tempers not his tongue that mans religion is vain And in Leviticus 19. 15. It s commanded thou shalt not calumniate thy neighbour nor oppress him by violence It s against a divine precept to bear false witness or detect our brother it s against the lustre of Christian Religion it gives scandal abroad to the very Heathens it s against the peace and settlement of the Nation at home which must be conserved by mutual concord and unity of affection No moderate man that hath left any room in his breast for truth or charity in his heart can abet such fierce censorious unchristian tempers which have appeared of late which have made and still keep open our divisions and distances if the same sins are continued without repentance and if after such warning as the whole world ever scarce had the like we remain still self-conceited and arrogantly ignorant How heynous is our crime and how dreadful is the prognostick of our greater ruin and how guilty are those Ministers of the blood of Souls who tell not men of this sin and danger When I consider Christs precept of mutual love and the Apostle abridging it the whole duty of a Christian I cannot sufficiently wonder to see Christians in this present age so furiously to persecute and hate one another only on the account of Religion If we reflect upon the difficulties that encounter us in the way of truth and withall consider the shortness of our sight for here we see but in part and understand but in part There will appear more reason to endeavour the mutual assistâ—nâ—e and support than malitious destruction and ruin of one another To hate and vilifie others for their opinions is repugnant to Scripture which commands us to love our brother and not persecute him To despise our brother for his innocent mistakes or to constrain him to profess more than he is convinced of proceeds from a great tyranny and presumption I searched Evangelical records and there was nothing but mildness and soft doctrine I enquired into the breathings of the Spirit and they were all pacificatory I wondred from what Scripture-encouragement these men deducted their practices At last I was forced to conclude they were only pretended Chaplains to the Prince of peace And those Teachers that should have been saving lights were degenerated into firebrands Different Opinions in Religion might consist well enough with peace and publick safety would men be perswaded to be modest to keep them to themselves and not to fancy their conceits necessary to the rest of mankind to vex their neighbours provoke their rulers dissettle the government and disturb the peace for the propagation of them Unity and affection might be preserved amidst diversity of opinions if we do but consider that errors are infirmities of the understanding and no man is willing to be deceived So are not objects of our hatred but our pity We hate no man for being blind poor lame c. ignorance and infirmity require our compassion and our charity but nothing can justifie our rage and malice If we were infallible and all our opinions were certainties and demonstrations we might then have more pretence for our stifness rigidness and severities But to confess the infirmities of our own faith and understanding and
without horror observe is the not allowing of a due and regular Liberty of Conscience hath instead of advancing the Cause of Religion propagated Atheism in this Nation It hath been an old Stratagem of Satan to oppose Religion against Religion to leave us none at all It hath been likewise observed as a shuffling hypocritical distinction of Lawyers invented to deceive the innocent pretending none are executed or suffer for Religion or Conscience but for Treason or offending the Laws Who doth not see but by this rule those Bloody Tyrants Nero Dioclesian Maximine c. must be conscientious because they judged according to the Law and those glorious Martyrs must be counted Traitors nay even the cursed Jews who crucified Christ alledged the self-same reason we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die John 19. 7. Treason must alwaies be some action or intention discovered prejudicial to the Soveraign or State not an Opinion or Profession of Religion For this reason Sir John Old-Castle in the Reign of Henry the fifth for his Treason was condemned in one Court and for his Heresie in another So were Cranmer and Ridley in Queen Maries time And therefore also it is by the statute provided 22 and 27 Eliz. that if a Priest conforms he is actually discharged of all imputation of treason no further proceeding can lye against him If Priest-hood be no treason a Priest in that he is a Priest can be no Traytor unless we will account Apostles and all ancient Priests both of England all Countries whom Kings and Emperors have honoured and loved as their faithful friends and subjects So far thought them from being enemies to their Crown that from their hands all Princes received their Crowns Consecrations and Scepters CAP. III. Liberty or Toleration Rightly understood is equitable just or necessary to several Religions I Have viewed most of the Tracts concerning Toleration pro and con Some I find over strict and nice austere and rigid others profane and loose arbitrary and remiss and betwixt them both toleration ever scrapes the imputation of calumnie either of too much restriction or profane relaxation neither of them will know that true liberty is a middle kind of equity indulgency benignity betwixt both extreams not curst and cruel but tender and compassionate hath her commendation for moderative rather than vindicative minding rather to amend than confound not rash and arbitrary dispensing with the Law as if it were but a leaden rule but circumspectly and benignly interpreting it that it might not prove an Iron-Rod We plead then only for such a Liberty of Conscience as preserves the Nation in Trade Peace and Commerce which preserves a fair entercourse and correspondency one with another and with their respective members and would not exempt any man or party of men from not keeping those excellent Laws that tend to sober just and industrious living in a due Christian regulation consistent with the evident Laws of God and quiet Government and that indulging Dissenters in the sense defended is not only most Christian and rational but prudent also and conformable to his Majesties Gracious Declaration It appears of neither pace to drive on furiously with Jehu in matters of Policy nor that he go softly with Ahab in matters of Piety In matters of Scruple or Controversie it likes well of nothing but walking with a Right Conscience Gal. 2. 24. and that also of free choice like the Israelites among the Edomites Numâ— 22. 26. above all it hates to remove the ancient Land-Marks whether of Law or Religion Deut. 19. 14. not thirsting one anothers Blood nor invading anothers rights as Wolves and Tygers but as the Apostle saith sobrie juste pie It being an apt Mediety or mediocrity betwixt the Rigid contention of a furious Zeal or emulation and the Luke-warm disposition of a reachless indifferency or neutrality and though it be tender and compassionate as a mother yet she is far from being over remiss Licentious or irregular whence some wise men take it for a Master-piece of prudence wisely discerning 'twixt what is just and fit and so giving sentence rather congruously then severely School-men and Moralists make it to be a potential part of justice bringing not severely the Fact home to the Law but rather in equity the Law down to the Fact regulating the strict words and rigour for the common good and particular relief of pesons in certain facts times contingencies and circumstances 'T is a part of temperance amiable and amicable 'T is severally translated and hath many Epithets in holy Scripture Modesty equity 2 Cor. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 10. Phil. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 2. humanity gentleness clemency courtesie patience of Spirit 'T is the blessing and comfort of peace and unity in the Church of plenty and tranquillity in the Common-wealth of plain satisfaction to the Conscience and of plenary contentation to all sorts and conditions of rational men Nothing can be easie sweet and safe in our lives Religion Consciences or liberties to God or man without it without it we be tedious to our selves and troublesome one to another This virtue is not a little illustrated by its contrary opposit Persecution immoderation austerity rigidness inexorableness compulsion imposition c. which is an extream vitiousness in persons in their judgments opinions passions affections pretences actions and designs of which we have been more pathetically sensible in the effects than in the qualities This medium therefore or middle kind of equity indulgency or liberty betwixt both extremities aforesaid is the most just and reasonable unto which all Christians have a right and title too by virtue and purchase of Christ's Blood Death and Resurrection who is become sole Lord over the Soul unto whom we are to give account only as our proper Judg in matters purely internal and Spiritual for in this the Judicatures of men are not capable to make a clear judgment or declare certainly who are in the right or wrong This Freedome of Conscience is of so high concern to all and not only to be enjoyed by the strongest party as well for the Magistrates sake as the Peoples common good and it consists in the Magistrates forbearing to impose pressures and penalties in matters of Faith and Conscience lest they intrude into the Office of Christ to whose decision such actions are only liable The ancient original Fundamental Laws by which other Laws of less extent are to be regulated were intended as a Defence and Protection to all providing one injure not another and that Common Peace and Safety be secured no other subsequent inferiour Law can therefore debar any peaceable Christian that answers the necessities of Church and State Civil Spiritual and Political in equal justice and in foro Conscientiae from this priviledge originally due to all For they that are contributaries to the peace and maintenance of Government are intitled to a protection from it according to the just nature of government which consists
religiously plead for a Liberty seditiously and factiously to broach to others any new opinions he pleaseth Nor may any part of men though never so godly carry on any design though it may be better than what at present may be by any violent irregular and disorderly ways For every Christian duty hath its Bounds beyond which it is not true and virtuous Liberty but inordinateness and excess Some mens pedantick incivilities to the Consciences of others may be instructive to us as to convince the necessity of setting out true bounds of Liberty which should not be granted on other terms then as far as it conduceth to Gods honour and the Peoples good For if publick power should suffer arrogant ignorance excess of passion perversness of will to come to its full rudeness and extent tumultuary numbers and brutish Power will soon make good private presumptions and cover over the most impotent Lusts passions and ambitions of men with the pleas and outcryes of Christian Liberty For that is no other freedome then that as water enjoys when it overbears and overflows her Banks and Bounds and such as the envious and malitious Devils affects and are most impatient not to enjoy nor may they be touched or curbed by any authority in Church or State be their extravagancies never so blasphemous but presently they make great clamours of persecution as if all were persecutors who helped to bind a Mad-man or put a roaring drunkard into the Cage The vitious are not to be counted into the sort of meer Dissenters Socinians who are enemies to the Blessed Trinity Atheists who hold Principles destructive to Christianity and those Parties whose Religion forbids subjection and carries an opposition to civil Government and Commands by Fire and Sword to erect their new Spiritual Kingdom And those who hold forth notions and conceptions reforming or wholly changing the state of Religion and Government and in order to that shake even the frame of Civil things to which they think themselves no longer bound in subjection then they want a party strong enough for opposition nor will they easily be perswaded that it is the sin of Rebellion carries the face of reformation easily dispensing with obedience to men where they pretend amendment before God putting on Sheeps Cloathing to no other purpose but the renting of Christs seemless Coat Sow to themselves leaves of frivolous pretences dispute Preach Plead Clamour about moderation and Liberty when all the immoderation is in themselves contend to have priviledges prerogatives freedome regulated so and so yet would they examine themselves nothing needs more regulation then their own judgments opinions and humours There be others of hotter tempers more Cholerick Constitutions and feaverish complexions have such ferocious Spirits like pampered Horses whom no ground will hold dayly neighing after novelties who love to be moving in the troubled waters of secular affairs who seem most impatient of any order or publick rule in which they have not some stroak or influence ready to undo whatever is done without them their Brest is full of turbulent and seditious Spirits as the Cave of Aeolus of Winds Forgetting what Spirit becomes followers of the Gospel whose heads are prone to move their hearts with Specious novelties quick excitations and zealous resolutions which soon after like salt-streams descend and fall upon their Lungs provoking them violently to the spreading their opinions to others till they see the Children of their brains prove meer abortions To the misguided activity of such even Ministers the Commonalty may owe much of its troubles These only and the like most truly forfeit their Christian private Liberty to the publick discretion and power who will not or cannot use it but to the publick detriment Beware then of Compliances with and indulgence to all sorts Sects and Schisms pleaded for as if it were a part of Christs Legacy and Peoples Liberty to be tolerated in any Actions or Opinions never so pernicious Saint Paul beseecheth the Romans to mark those that Cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine received Rom. 4. 6 17. As an absolute unity in judgment is not to be attained in this Life so an universal or absolute Liberty is not to be permitted or indulged in things injurious to God Toleration of all things is a destructive principle to State and Church a Cloak to Licentiousness ushereth in Atheism and Libertinism Transports Men oft-times to such excesses beyond those bounds of duty which as Subjects we ought to observe Hath many Latitudes evasions and distinctions to unravel the Cords of any Oaths and untwist the Bonds of any Covenant or Protestations Those who are most pregnant and impatient of holding in their Opinions on the pretence of Truth do but proudly esteem their own understandings pretious to vend some raw and indigested notions The Devil usually pretends Truth to Cover his Lyes Clamour must not prevail but reason Is it to follow the direction of Christ to Preach on the House-top If there were a Nero or Dioclesian at the Helm who should threaten to mingle our Blood with our Sacrifices if you had your Antelencana and should flock into Caves of the Earth to worship Christ your zeal would be more tolerable True Christian toleration extends not to matters of an extern nature wherefore Magistrates may use a Coercive hinderance from publick Meetings without impeaching it When Subjects have expressed a due Regulation in it then is a King in Capacity to shew a God-like benignity and Power in granting the things they ask as conducing to God's honour and the Peoples Good nor is it rational to be granted on other terms For Religion cannot be defended by transgression of God's Commands which are the rule of it The true Liberty of conscience of any man consists in a Constant tendency or intention to the Supream end and those holy regulations which God hath prescribed as it stands in referrence to God its Creator and its Neighbour Wherein a Christian is free to declare and utter them to know consider meditate of and believe whatever Truth God hath revealed When he is free to declare and utter them in such a holy way which Charity Sobriety Modesty Order and Gravity allow or conferring so with others as may have some savour of Reason and Religion in an humble and holy desire to learn or teach in a regular not in a rude insolent and imperious way A wise humble Christian is never far from his refuge and when pursued and urged beyond what he thinks agreeablt to good Conscience he is not to seek for or take Foxes shifts subtil windings or sinful coverts Is more willing to hear then earnest to object and labours to acquiesce in others satisfaction as well as his own becomes all things to all men in regard of things Civil and extern CAP. V. Whether the Romanists have not a just and equal title to Toleration SUch is the multiplying of that breath giving Life which God hath cast upon slime
Soveraign in Allegiance Though not secured in those that pretend Gods Spirit Besides Recusants being for the most part of the good Families of the Nation will take it for a part of their Nobility freely to profess themselves in Religion whereas the Sectaries are People of mean quality cannot be presumed to stand so much on their reputation And in another place he saith to proceed to divide the Church more and more with Persecutions is more destructive to the substance of Christianity than all that corruption Reformation pretendeth to cure Osborne a Protestant Hist mem Q. E. p. 17. 〈◊〉 that against the poor Catholicks nothing in relation to the generality remaineth upon due proof sufficient to justifie the severity of Laws dayly enacted and put in execution against them All other Sects saith he oppose the Roman with more spleen and animosity then ordinary yet they defend themselves and prevail against all still continue and have been the most grand and principal Body of all Christian Societies and the greatest force and Forâ—ress of Christianity against Turks and Heathenish impieties and chiefest Propagators of the Gospel in all Nations c. I see no reason saith another Doctor of our English Church why Papists in England should not as well deserve hope and enjoy as any other order or rank of men freedome to their Consciences Nor can I think but those men who are so hardned in their Malice and persecution against them do often hear a voice secretly call within them O ye Souls why do ye persecute me in my Servants It s a kind of injustice and an uncharitable course as I conceive saith he when we spare them that have no Religion at all and censure those that can give an account of somewhat tending to that purpose Shall Atheists and Socinians Enemies of the blessed Trinity be not looked after And shall others following the Heresie of Aerius directly opposing the order of Bishops and their Jurisdiction that is the whole frame of the Church of God assembled in the first four general Councils asserted and affirmed to be of divine right by Scripture and the Church of England be winked at And must we only incite our Governours against Papists Force them upon Banishments Prisons Persecutions Pressures and Calamities and use such severity against that Religion we our selves hold Salvation to be acquired in who hold all the positive Articles with us I may loudly proclaim saith Bishop Gauden with Samuel 12. 3. this Protestation in their behalf Behold the Servants of the Lord and his Church O Christians causless Enemies witness against them and before the Lord and before the People Whose Oxe or Ass have they taken Whom have they defrauded or oppressed Whose hurt or damage have they procured Whose evil of sin or misery have they not pitied What is the injury for which so desolating a vengeance must pass upon them and their whole Profession What is the Blasphemy against God or man for which these Naboths must loose their lives liberties and liveâ—â—hoods Wherein have they deserved so ill of former and later Ages that they should be so used as Ahab commanded of Miâ—heas and the Jews did to Hieremias to be cast into Prisons to â—ordid and â—bsâ—ure restraints or to be exposed to Mendicant liberty to be fed only with Bread and water of Affliction What necessary Truths of God or righteousness have they detained What error have they broached revived or maintained What true Christian liberty have they impeached A little after They have not light conjectures not partial Customes not bare Profession not uncertain Tradition not blind Antiquity but evident grounds Scripture Succession Conversion of Nations planting of Churches all over the known World crowning their Doctrine with Martyrdome Authors of best credit undeniable famous in Church through all the first Ages shewing us Catholick Religion And uncontradicted consent constant and uninterrupted Succession their great abilities Add those Credential letters the testimonies and seals which God hath given of his holy Spirit Lastly the Civil rights and priviledges the piety of the Nation and the Laws of this Land have always given to them by the fullest and freest consent of all Estates in Parliament these ought to be regarded much of men of Justice honour and conscience as not to break all these Sanctions and Laws asunder by which their forefathers have bound to God c. Whence Doctor Taylor in his Book concerning the unreasonableness of prescribing to other mens Faith in liberty of prophecying § 2. 249. that Considerations to a charitable Toleration concerning the Roman Church which saith he may easily perswade persons of much reason and more piety to retain that which they know to have been the Religion of their forefathers which had actual possession and seizure of men's understanding before the opposite Profession had a name Another learned Protestant Doctor saith the humble peaceable and discreet carriage of them may justly plead for favour and protection against this calumny of proneness to Sedition Faction or illegal disturbance in civil affairs Even in all the unhappy troubles of the late years have generally behaved themselves and shewed they had no other design than to live a quiet life in all godliness and honesty If they could not help in fair ways to steer the Ship as they desired they did not seem to set it on fire and overwhelm it If at any time relating to publick variations and tossings they could not act with satisfied and good Consciences they humbly bear with silence and suffer with patience Intentive chiefly and fearful to offend God tender of Conscience and their own Religion Whence The late Bishop of Exeter saith in these christian bounds of peaceable subjection humility and holiness if the Papists in England may but obtain so much declared favour and publick countenance which all other fraternities and Professions have as to be sure to enjoy their callings liberties and properties which seem to be so many times in great uncertainties under the protection and obedience of the Laws it would encourage them and redeem them from those menaces insolencies and oppressions of unreasonable men who look upon them like publick Enemies and perdue because they have little of publick favour and encouragement Christian usage will no doubt win more upon them than those rough storms and winds wherewith they are dayly threatened and are still distressed Which makes them wrap themselves up as Elias in his hairy Mantle when they think their lives liberties and livelyhoods are sought after and no such protection like to continue over them they thought in a Christian State and Church they might have obtained and deserved through their quiet conversation As a just protection infers our due subjection so no men pay more willingly then they who besides the Iron-rod of fear have softer cords of love and favour upon them How can we with justice honour or humanity inflict severe penalties upon Papists as refusing to conform to our Church
persons to swear to them but only to subscribe to them as theological truths And Stilling p. 153. saith men are herein to judg for themselves according to the Scripture because saith he ' every one is boâ—nd to take ' care of his Soul and all things that tend thereto Now if there be no absolute assent required to the 39 Articles of the Church of England as to matters of Faith as Arâ—â—â—bishop Laâ—d Bramhal Chillingworth Fulk Stâ—llingfleet c. confess do not we take hard measures of Romanists to force them â—â—â— renunciation of their positive points revealed by literal texts of Scripture Gods holy spirit residing in general Councils confirmed by much reason and authority of all persons and ages to put any abuses and reproaches upon them because they do not conform to our negative points not de fide CAP. XI Answereth more particularly all other vulgar objections and aspersions so confidently though erroneously cast upon them IN the sequent Pages I judge it little to the purpose to observe any order by Chapters or Sections Seeing these usual imputations hang together like the Tails of Sampsons Foxes being by their Antagonists urged against them with more bitterness and spleen then sincerity or verity I will therefore refer the Reply to the Censure of all judicious and honest-minded Souls how weakly and uncharitably these objections are taken up how inconclusive is the inference from them and how unreasonably they are continued and urged against peaceable people to an abusive credulity and delusion of many other sober Christians ¶ I will take the first Objection and Answer from a Divine of the Church of England Their Adversaries object saith he against the Papists as Tertullus and the Jews did against Saint Paul Act. 2. Papists are Pestilent fellows stirrers up of the People factious turbulent seditious will not conform nor are well affected to the present constitutions of power and publick affairs Against this calumny which with much cunning and eagerness is every where by some levelled against them And it is like to the policy of Julian the Apostate who to ensnare the Christians set the Statues of the Emperors with the Idols of the Gods that if Christians did civil reverence as to the Emperors they should be defamed as Idolaters if not they should be accused as despisers of the Emperors To this sharp and poysoned arrow I shall only oppose the Shield of plain dealing that in a matter so much concerning the satisfaction of others and Papists civil safety there may be no such obscurities as may harbour any jealousies The humble peaceable and discreet carriage of them may justly plead for favour and protection against this calumny of proneness to sedition faction or illegal disturbance in civil affairs who even in all the unhappy troubles of the late years have generally behaved themselves as shewed they had no other design than to live a quiet life in all godliness and honesty c. ¶ Next may be objected that Papists scruple to take the OATHS of ALLEGIANCE and SUPREMACY I answer as for the Oath of Allegiance were it not for some incommodious expressions nothing pertaining to the substance or design of the Oath it would generally be admitted There is nothing in the Oath of Allegiance which purely concerns the practical part of Allegiance but what Catholicks will most willingly swear unto But they that attentively consider the several parts of that Oath shall find that some of them are speculative points and general others practical and particular which relate to the actions and demeanour of him that swears of which he is Master and consequently can answer for them To all the propositions of this second sort relating to the practice of allegiance there is no Catholick in England but will swear unto them But as to the first sort therein contained which involve speculative points and general notions and withall controverted by several learned men I must confess I think it would be very hard to excuse such an Oath from rashness and ambiguity I humbly therefore intreat the Reader to consider An Oath is by which God is invoked as a witness to what we affirm Three Conditions are required to it expressed by the Eccl. 9. 2. Prophet jurabis mihi in aequitate veritate judicio justitia Thou shalt swear in truth judgment and justice So that if an Oath be ambiguous or false it wants the first condition viz. truth if used rashly without discretion good advice and not of just necessity it will be destitute of judgment 3. It must be sincere and conform to the eternal Law of God lest it want justice So that it is a breach of solemn Oaths if they be ambiguous entangled or contradicting one another c. Now when we come to swear in general to the speculative points of the Popes Power in deposing Princes excommunicated and authorizing one Prince to invade another c. although we suppose the assertion to be true that the Pope hath no such Power Yet how can they with a safe Conscience swear point blanck thereunto It being a matter of fact nor in our power to make true or false Secondly they cannot swear that position of the Popes deposing power is absolutely Heretical because the contrary is not evident in Scripture nor condemned by the Church Any other ill names oâ— epithets they will be content to give it Thirdly In doing so they seem to profess a Declaration of a point of Faith which a particular Christian cannot presume to do and make himself a judg and decider of a point of Faith Fourthly They would then by Oath testifie that all Popes that have exercised and all Writers that have written or maintained such a power even in some extraordinary cases and emergencies are to be esteemed Hereticks which is very rash for any particular to presume There is a great difference in swearing that I believe such a thing to be true and swearing absolutely such a thing is true in the first I swear only to my own Opinion which any that is so perswaded may lawfully do In the second I positively swear to the Truth of the thing And to do this the greatest probability in the world is not sufficient to warrant me for the greatest probability doth not amount to an absolute certainty without which an Oath is rash Papists refuse the Oath of Allegiance as 't is now worded framed by one PERKINS an Apostate Jesuit purposely mingled with uncertain speculative points ambiguous and difficult to be interpreted to make them fall within the Law of refusal charged with expressions not pertinent to the substance or intention of the Oath or relating truly to the obedience of the King nor King James ever intended to intangle the Consciences of his Subjects if he had foreseen a few unnecessary words and expressions rendred it so Nor would Catholicks as to Allegiance if an Oath were worded a hundred times more strong than this make the least scruple of
to give no candid allowance to others in many failings this is utterly inexcusable The way indeed may not be broad in respect of practice or sensual indulgence yet it hath a latitude in respect of judgment and circumstantial opinion A middle moderate paâ—ifick way He that stands in the middle path may extend the arms of his charity on both sides Extreams are dangerous Our affections ought to meet though our judgmenâ—s cannot Christian love is necessary but agreement in opinion is neither necessary nor possible Love and goodness prevail Where nothing else will these win and captivate the Soul And such conquests are more noble and better than either those of arts or arms Now to attain this excellent Catholick temper we are to love virtue in a Heathen and S. Paul 1 Cor. 7. saith If any brother hath a wife an Infidel and she consent to dwell with him let him not put her away what can be said more to oblige Christians to charity and meekness to forbear one another than an injunction of an Apostle to live peaceably even with an Infidel The excellency of christian love is preferred before all gifts and natural perfections Cor. 13. it is the image of God it is his vital Spirit infused into us and renders us most like to our Maker It is the Spirit of Angels and glorified Souls The Celestial Inhabitants live and abide in love sweetness and benignity Nor is that love confined to the blessed and glorified company but it sheds it self abroad upon the neather world And they are ministring Spirits for our good Heb. 1. 14. They so far love us that they can stoop from heaven to serve us for there is joy at the conversion of a sinner and consequently love to converted Saints care and pity for the rest of men Love and charity is the vital grace of Christian Religion and though mens understandings are convinced already that charity is their duty yet there is too much need to represent some of the vast heap of Injunctions that make it so to incline their wills I shall therefore briefly lay together a few of the chief instances of this kind Our Saviour urgeth it in his command John 13. 34. he maketh it a distinguishing note of his Disciples 13. 35. and enjoins them to love their enemies Mat. 3. 24. And the want of it the reason of the curse pronounced on those on the left hand at the solemn judgment Mat. 41. 42. This love and union was so recommended to all Christians by the Apostles that they inculcated nothing more than the necessity thereof Saint Paul attributed thereto all the persecution of Christian Religion saying qui diligit proximum legem implevit Rom. â—3 3. and Galat. 3. 22. reckons it five times over under the names of peace long-suffering gentleness goodness and meekness Gal. 22. 23. He advanceth it above all gifts and graces 1 Cor. 13. above prophecy and mysteries and knowledge of faith And the beloved Disciple Saint John attributes unto it our being born of God And the want of this an evidence of not knowing God and a sign of one that abideth in death 1 John 3. 14. he calls him a murderer that hates another 11. 15. a lyar if he pretend to love God and loveth not his brother 1 John 4. 20. we are commanded to be kindly affected one towards another and to be pitiful and courteous 11. 10. S. Peter exhorteth to mutual charity above all things mutuam charitatem ante omnia c. Pet. 1. 8. and 4. 14. This our charity gentleness goodness meekness c. ought to extend to all men universally without limitation but especially to all Christians as Christians because such are the more special objects It must not be consined by names and the interest of parties or sects but ought to reach as far as Christianity it self To love those that are of our way humour and opinion is not charity but self-love and it is not for Christs sake but our own It is rare to meet with serious Christians who are not so deeply engaged in some party or other as to darken their judgments and pervert their affections as to all the rest What company can you come into but all their discourse is to stigmatise dissenters what bitter lyes what invectives have been raised against most grave solid and ancient Christians how blindly do they look on all that is good in those that differ from them how partially do they aggravate the faults of all that are against their way and how small a thing will serve their turn to excuse the faults of their own party and they think all this is a part of Christian zeal as if Christians engaged in a war against themselves And when all men should know them to be Christs Disciples by loving one another most men may perceive that contrary to the essence of Christianity they endeavour to make each other odious So that though I see never so much eagerness for an opinion I shall never call that zeal or religion without the conscience of christian love Yea though such men should sacrifice their lives I should not think them martyrs and in this I have the warrant of the great Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 3. though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth nothing Even those that killed Christ and his Apostles did it as a duty and a part of service of God John 16. but believe it it is Apostacy to fall from love your Souls die when charity dyeth that which killeth love and charity killeth all grace and holiness The opinions principles sidings practices which destroy love destroys your Souls O what a loathsome sacrifice is it to the God of love if we must leave our gift at the altar till we are reconciled to our offended brother what a gift is theirs who are unreconciled to almost all Churches of Christianity Young unexperienced Christians are ignorant of Satans wiles thinking when a wrathful enemies heat is kindled in them even against men of ancient principles that it is a zeal of Gods exciting spirit and that it is your duty or that you should be luke-warm in the cause of God and truth if you did it not when alas it hath more of wrath than love The white Devil is a killer of Souls as well as the black And now considering the express recommends and injunctions of all the aforesaid and many other places of holy writ to this grand duty of Religion if any can quiet their Consciences and yet continue in the contrary persecuting spirit and practice they have found a way to escape all Laws of God and may conceit themselves religious though they live in the works of the flesh hatred variance sedition c. Gal. 3. 22. There was never a more seasonable time to tell men of this great sin than when the temptation to it is greatest when God hath been so frequently dishonoured by it when the world doth ring of it
All Sides and Nations reproach us for it when the sensual and partial are so hardened in their self ishness that no warning can take off the Bias of their Judgments There is a kind of spirit in some which is so different from that charity which thinketh no evil that it thinketh nothing 1 Cor. 13. else concerning those that differ from them this is contrary to that charity which is not puffed up and doth not behave it self unseemly In that almighty God hath put enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent we may gather that as the Seed of the Woman should be at enmity with the Seed of the Serpent so should it be at unity with it self If even with Infidels and Heathens the Servant of God must not strive but be gentle to all men apt to teach c. 2 Tim. 2. 24. How much more is Gods family and inheritance to be used with love and tenderness There is in many Christians a strange inequality of partiality Alas how often have I heard wise and otherwise prudent persons cry out against pride and partiality in others who in their next discourse have shamefully shewed it themselves making much of their own inconsiderable reasonings and vilifying urgent evidence And being so intent on their own cause that they could scarce have patience to hear another speak and when they have heard them their first words shew that they never well weighed the strength of his arguments but were all the while thinking what to say against him or how to go on as they had begun Many an errour is taken up by going too far from others Some giddy and heady Professors saith Doctor Gauden have been so eager to come out of Babylon that they are almost run out of their wits so jealous of superstition that they are pandors for confusion so scared with the name of Rome that they are afraid of all right reason and sober Religion so fearful of being over-righteous by following traditions of men that they fear not to be over-wicked by overthrowing the good â—oundations of honour order peace and charity fierce enemies indeed against the Idolatry of Antichrist but fast friends to Belial and Mammon to Schism and Sacriledg And thus mens judgments and practices are depraved by flying indiscreetly from others while they think more from whence they go than whether More favouring the separate zeal of Pharisees than the winning zeal of Christ calling themselves a godly people and are but a company of superstitious Pharisees or a sort of melancholy humorists who must sit because their neighbour stands or must go out of the way because their neighbour goeth in it They that will find out the bottom of any Religion must prepare themselves to carry a spirit thoroughly discharged of all animosities passions and false apprehensions which corrupt the judgment and raise a mist upon the most resplendent lights of truth If we were impartially willing to know the truth and did pray God in meekness of spirit we would avoid and not choose deceits and resist the light and provoke God to forsake our understandings Many Christians are as children tossed too and sro fluctuating 'twixt wind and water there is no other remedy for such or satisfaction or peâ—ce to their Consciences but Christ's precept and prescript to hear the Church to be of the number and in the community of the generality of agreeing Christians seing the generality of those that have a long and constant delivered Series of their Doctrines is more unlikely to be in error or forsaken of Christ than a few odd-conceited new opinions And this may be one rational means left us to find out the truth as Baxter confesseth in cure of Church c. to submit to that the most religious the most learned the major part of Christians ever taught or submitted to Whence Bishop Gauden noteth The primitive Churches were as careful to act in their outward Order and Government of the Church according to Apostolical pattern and traditional constitutions which were first the rule of the Churches practice as they were faithful to preserve the Canon of Scriptures which were after written and delivered without corruption to posterity Every one will confess that the true spirit of Christianity is meek peaceable gentle and yet how contrary is the practice the people of God are realous but of what not to consume and destroy one another not to hate and vilifie one another but they are zealous to love one another to forbear what is contrary to love zealous of good works patient temperate gentle c. the way of heavenly wisdom is meek peaceable and easie to be entreated by all offices of Rom. 12. 18. love inclined to good to all The spirit of false zeal is censorious hurtful dividing following the works of the flesh which are hatred malice Galat. 5. 12. variance leading the way to cruelty and persecution Where is persecution but from thinking ill of others abhorring and not loving them robbing men of the priviledges of Christians not leaving them common liberty of men and subjects nor to plead for themselves This destroying cruelty leaveth them neither and will not suffer them to enjoy so much liberty as Heathens and Infidels may enjoy or as S. Paul did under such condemning them to the loss of the greatest Act. 28. priviledges on earth and to be left out with the dogs publicans and heathens Is persecution worthy all the calamitous divisions in Christendom and the blood of so many thousands shed for conscience sake and enduring the outcries of the imprisoned and banished and their prayers to Heaven from mens hands and the leaving such a name upon record to posterity as is usually left in History on the authors of such sufferings besides the present regret of mind in the calamities of others and sad divisions and destructions of charity which cometh hereupon Will force cure disagreements and errors better than evidence of truth and love will do will they be so cured without a greater mischief Is not the work to be done for saving mens Souls and shall any be saved against his will will penalties change the judgment in matters of religion is he any better than a knave or hypocrite who will say or swear to do that through fear which he thinketh God forbiddeth him and feareth may damn his Soul is it the honour of Church or Kingdom to be composed of such and are the lives of Kings peace of Kingdoms Estates c. competently secured where God is not feared more than fines or corporal punishments Is this to teach in love to instruct in meekness it is certain whosoever swerves from the dictate of his Conscience commits a sin Rom. 14. So they that endeavour to force or draw any man to profess or act contrary to what his Soul believes are as deeply guilty of the same crime We are all infirm and of imperfect understandings therefore we ought not to be too imperious or too censorious toward other dissenters lest you James 3. 12. receive a greater condemnation take heed you fall not into the hands of the living God They shall be judged without mercy who have shewed no mercy The rod of discipline must be used but it must be done only to the scandalous and so done that it may appear to be Christs own work and upon his interest and his command and not either arbitrarily or for our selves Christ teacheth us not to use violence when we speak for him but to beseech men in his name to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. And men would more easily be perswaded to believe that Religion to be from God whose Professors they saw to be god-like The whole Gospel is a revelation of the love of God and a Messias of peace and very opposite to envy and animosity all principles which are against universal love are against God and holiness it is Love which is predominant Fear is subservient and that fear which is contrary to love is vice I dare proclaim true piety love humility and prudence may happily heal a great many dissentions and the wounds which rash injudicious zeal hath made that to the proud carnal and uncharitable seem incurable and the cessation of unnecessary impositions might cease the saddest distractions of the Nation Oppression maketh a wise man mad saith the Preacher Eccles 7. 7. Conscience Persecution then among Christians is clearly repugnant to the Law of God the Light of Nature and evidence of our own principles For the sake then of Christ who purchased the weakest with his blood for the sake of those who are in danger of turning to Atheism for the sake of the poor distracted Nation for the sake of the King that he may have comfort in his Subjects of governing a quiet peaceable people and for your own sakes that you may give up account to God of your principal and most Christian duty and not make Apocriphal all those Texts of Scripture and plain injunctions to charity and love above cited and Rom. 14. 2 3 4. and 15. 34. Matt. 25. 40. 1 Phil. 15 16 17. Let then the Scripture Reason and Experience the Petitions and Tears of the distressed intreat you to moderation Rom. 3. 16. let the deformity and unreasonableness of the cruel maxims of persecution bringing nothing but destruction and misery be a determent to all tempestuous spirits let the conscientious and godly-minded people out of the bowels of mercy and compassion sollicite the Governours of the earth and pray unto heaven for an impartial freedom That eternal Majesty who raised so brave a fabrick of such indisposed materials that controuls the waves and checks the tumults of the people let his mercy be implored for speedy succour to the distressed for unity and charity to the divided That the rod of Aaron may blossom that the Tabernacle of David may be raised that the subtil and envious may be caught in their own snare that the result of all afflictions may be the greatening of his Glory and the exalting of his Scepter Amen FINIS