may have something to do to keep Man humble upon this Hypothesis But whether of these Two Principles makes the nearer Approach to the Church of England I mean that Doctrine which is express'd in the thirty nine Articles let the 10. Art judge The Condition of Man is such after the Fall that he cannot turn nor prepare himself by his own Natural Strength to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will Our Enquirer will tell us by and by p. 9. That there has been little or no alteration made in the Doctrine of this Church since the beginning of the Reformation And therefore I conclude that there has been no alteration made from an Anti-Arminian to an Arminian sense for that cannot be called little or no alteration Now that this 10 Art in the beginning of the Reformation in Edw. VI. Reign had an Anti-Arminian sense will be out of Question to him that remembers what Addition there was then made to it The Grace of Christ or the H. Ghost by him given doth take away the Stony Heart and giveth an Heart of Flesh and although those that have no will to good things he maketh them to will and those that would evil things he maketh them not to will yet nevertheless he forceth not the will Articles Printed by I. Day Anno 1553. Cum Privilegio If this then be the sense of the Article let him go practise at home and turn his Brains how to keep Man Humble and yet neither make him Stock nor Stone and when he has found out the Mystery send word to the Synod who I am assured never asserted higher than this amounts to But if this be not the sense of the Article at present though it was once so then it must follow that the Church has more than a little alter'd her Doctrine since the Reformation And then a worse thing than all this will follow for p 8. He allows That if this Church did approach too near Popery it would serve to justifie a Secession from it But says another if it approaches too near Arminianism it approaches too near Popery and therefore our Enquirer will warrant any Mans Secession from the Church without the least imputation of Schisme What a close connexion there is between those two errours we shall hear e're long and thither we refer the Reader when we have told him that the Church of England is certainly free from any Tincture of Arminianism and so far free from any spot of Popery only it concern'd the Enquirer to understand the consequences of his own scandalous Reflections I have done with his first Answer 2. I come now to his second The Artiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Church do with such adâ—… prudence and wariness handle thesâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paerticular respect was had to these Men and care taken that they might Abundare sensu suo I cannot imagine what greater Reproach he could throw upon these famous Articles and their worthy Compilers then to suggest that they were calculated for all Meridians and Latitudes As if the Church did imitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Delphian Apollo whose Oracles wore Two Faces under one Heed and were penn'd like those Amphilogies that cheated Croesus and Pyrrâ—… into their distruction Or as if like Ianus they looked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backwards and forwards and like the untouch'd Needle stood indifferently to be interpreted through the two and thirty Points of the Compass The Papists do never more maliciously reproach the Scriptures than when they call it a Lesbian Rule a Nose of Wax a Leaden Dagger a Pair of Scamans Trowzes a Movable Dyal you may make it what a Clock you please And yet they never arriv'd at that height of Blasphemy as to say it was Industriously so penn'd by the Amannenses of the Holy Ghost I dare not entertain so little Charity for an Assembly of Holy and Learned Men convened upon so solemn an occasion that they would play Legerde main and contrive us a Systeme of Divinity which should be 〈◊〉 pacis non veritatis The Conventicle of Trent indeed acted like themselves that is a pack of Juglers who when they were gravelled and knew not how to hush the noise and impâ—…rtunate Clamour of the bickering Factions the Craftiâ—…r Lâ—…ng Mâ—…n found out a Temper as they call'd it to skin over that Wouâ—…d which they could not heal and durst not search And what was the success of these Carnal Policies only this Both parties retained their differing opinions believed just as they did befâ—…re and when they fâ—…und how they had been cajouled the Conâ—… versiâ—…s which for a while had been smothered under the Ashes of a Blind Subscription broke out into a more violent flame The craft of this Politick Juncto that impartial Hâ—…storian Pietro Polaâ—… has opened to the World Hist. Conne of Trent p. 216. In the â—…ear 1546. says she In the end of the Session Dominicus a Soto principal of the Dominicans wrote Three Books of Nature and Grace wherein all his old Opinions were found Then comes Andreas Vega a great Man amongst the Franciscans and he â—…ites no less than Fifteen Books upon the 16 Points of the Decree that passed that Session and expounded all according to his own Opinions And yet their opinions were directly contrary to one another though both supposed to agree with the Decree of the Council So Righteous it is with God that they who design not their Confessions for an Instrument of Truth which is Gods End should not find them an Instrement of Peace which is all their End They that will separate Truth from Peace shall certainly miss both of Pâ—…ace and Truth The Title prefix'd to the Book of Articles does abundantly secure us of their Honesty The Catholick Doctrine believed and professed in the Church of England Now how shall we at all believe if we know not what to belâ—…eve And if the Trumpet gives an uncertain Sound 't is all one as if it were not Sounded That which is every thing and every where is nothing and no where That which has no determinate Sense has no Sense and that 's very near akin to Non-sense The Iews indeed have a Tradition that the Manna was what every Mans appetite could relish and such a Religion would these Men invent as should be most flexible where it ought not to bend and where it should yield there to be inâ—…exible Strange it is that Religion of all things in the World should be unfix'd and like Delos or O-Brazile float up and dâ—…n in various and uncertain Conjectures What Aristotle â—…'d to say of oâ—… of his Books That is was Editus non Editus and what was the just reproach of the Rhemists Testament that it câ—…e forth as some reporâ—… of a great Princes Sword with
That whatever success this Church has had in its Ministry upon the Souls of Men is due to those fundamental Truths and Doctrines of the Christian Faith which she obtains in Common with the Reformed Churches On the other side The Roman Faction persecutes and undermines this Church upon grounds equal to all the Reformed Churches and this Church is angry at least with Dissenters for those matters wherein she seems to approach too near Roman corruption 2. We come now to the Atheists A Generation so abominable of whom we may yet say as was said of the Astrologers in old Rome Hec genus hominum semper vetabatur semper in urbe nostrâ retinebitur A people always banished yet never departed from the City such a Tribe are these Atheists Every one has a hard word for them yet many entertain them you shall not meet with a Man in a Thousand but will liberally tail atâ—… damned Machiavellian policy which yet according to the proportion of their little wit they strive to imitaâ—…e which tempt me to think thâ—… they hate not so much his Knavery as they â—…epine at their ownfâ—…lly and judge not his politicks so evil as they are vext thaâ—… they cannot equallize him That they Nibble at his principles because they cannot reach his Wit It is but a slender evidence that another is in the right because Atheists are so grosly wrong And yet to declaim against Atheism has these considerable Advantages First some think they may be securely Atheistical themselves if they can but flourish with a few ingenious Sentences against them and a witty Libel against such is a sufficient Purgation for him that has a Talent to expose the rest of Religion Secondly it 's a plausible Argument that that Religion must needs 〈◊〉 excellent that has the worst of Men for its Enemies and they must certainly be adjudged worthy persons who are so Zealous against such Impiety what Man of Charity would suspect Irreligion to wear the Cloak of fâ—…rvency against Atheism And yet it 's common to hear it hotly prosecuted in the Pulpit by some who come warm from that Sâ—…rvice to the practise of it I dare 〈◊〉 it to the judgement of the impartial world whether he be not a â—…in to a practical one who disputes for a God and then tears Men in pâ—…eces for worshippinâ—… â—…im according to the best Light they can get from Scripture anâ—…â—…ature And in 〈◊〉 a manner as wherâ—… 〈◊〉 they caâ—… find no 〈◊〉 but that 't is not their â—…on and pâ—…ly was their own toâ—… not many years since and prâ—…ly had â—…een so still had they not been purchased into a better There are Three Questions here to be resâ—…ved What Atheism is Whence it comes And wherein does it oppose the Church and contribute to a separation from it 1. What Atheism is and who is the Aâ—…st And this is as needfuâ—… an Enquiry aâ—… any of those 〈◊〉 wherewith hâ—… tormenced us in the â—…ast Chapter I assure the Reâ—…der It is a word of a Volatile Nature and Versatile Signification as any that gives us trouble with its double meaning In Germany an Atheist once signiâ—…ed a Person that medled with the Popâ—…s Mitâ—…r 〈◊〉 the Monks fat Bellies Epicâ—…s of old some think was 〈◊〉 with Atheism because he could not swallow Polyâ—…heisme â—…t home some conclude he must be an Atheist that sâ—…ruples the Ius Divinum of Tyâ—…hes And if he shall detein a Tyâ—… Pig he is a Sacrilegious Atheist to boot Formerly it border'd upon Atheiâ—…m to have denied the Divine Right of Episcopacy but I see one may question that now and yet be a Christian What then an Atheist is I shall leave to the Industry of this Enquirer 2. But from whence this Atheism should proceed is a Question that has been so fully Answered by a Learned and Honourable Pen of latâ—… I shall not need to repeat any thing Yet this is obvious That when Preachers Preach against Preaching their Auditors may easily stumble into a belief that what they Preach is not much material to be believ'd when they had rather it should not be Preach'd at all than not under their Formalities If ever I should hear a Tradesman bitterly inveigh against Trading that it never was a good World since there was so much Trading that we never had peace since we had Markets twice a week that there can be no peace or settlement expected so long as Men may lay out their Money and buy their Goods where they pleased let such a one be dealt with as severely as the Enemies of Trade can wish I shall not plead his Cause To this if we shall adde that when the World takes notice that they who are called the Men of God and are therefore supposed to know most of him to be most like him and to represent him 〈◊〉 their lives as a Holy Merciful Tender and Gracious God aâ—… they present him in their Doctrine shall yet with unwearied fury prosecute Men to Poverty Pâ—…ison and Grave meerly for noncomâ—…lyance in those things which themselves have invented they give great occasion to Atheistical inclinations to say in their Hearts As good believe no God as one so cruel and unmerciful as his own 〈◊〉 reprâ—…sent him to us 3. But the last is the most important Question How or wherein does Atheism under 〈◊〉 the Church or contribute to separation from it That Atheism does oppose all Religion as such was never doubted in that it takes away the great Principle pre-suppâ—…sed to all Religion That there is a God but how it does particularly oppose the Church of England so far as she differs from others is I conceive the present Question It is somewhat difficulâ—… to imagine that they who have put off Humanity should scruple to put on anâ—… gatâ—… of obtaining Conformity They who have renounced onâ—… God will easily own a Thousand Ceremonies what were it to them iâ—… all the Numerous Rites of Rome were introduced could they but get the sense of a Deity obliteraâ—…ed out of their Consciences that they might sin without the stings and twinges of an approaching Judgment which is the prefection they aim aâ—… Their Heaven has no God in it their Hell no Devil in it It must be a strange Imposition which an Atheistical Throat cannot swallow he that is of no Religion as I said can subscribe to any Religion to which those Principles are very cognate which are contrived to avoid persecution under all Forms and Constitutions How therefore they should be such grand Enemies to Conformity I wait to be resolved 1. The Atheists says he will not set thâ—…ir 〈◊〉 against a Fanatick they must have higher Game By this Argument our Enquirer has demonstrated himself to be no Atheist yet I would not have him trust much to it I suppose too they have found higher Game than Ceremonies when they open their black mouths against God himself 2. They inflame the Causes of Divisions provoke Mens Passions
's true Diotrephes his fingâ—…rs it â—…hed to be tampering but the Beloved Disciple that lay in his Masters Bosom who was privy to his meek and gracious Temper and knew how displeasing such imperiousness was to him gave an early and timous rebuke to the Attempts and Essays of Praelatical Arrogancy and indeed he could not but remember and was concern'd in it how smartly Christ had snibb'd Aspiring Church-men That there was so much Tranquility therefore amongst the Primitive Christians was not that they were without differing apprehensions for mens parts were no more alike nor thâ—…ir Educations more equal then now But because there was a Spirit of Condescension to and mutual forbearance one of another The strong either in Knowledge or Authority did not trample upon the weak There was then some diversity of Eupressions in which the Pastors of several Churches delivered themselves for there were neither Homilies nor Liâ—…urgies yet they did not dispute themselves into parties because they made not their own Sentiment the Test of Orthodoxy nor their private Faith the publick standard and measure to which all Christians should be tyed to subscribe They allowed a latitude in things not fundamental nor had learned the modern Artifice of Fettering Consciences in the Chains of Assent and Consent to the Dogmats of a prevailing party In those days meâ—… were sincerely good and devout and set their Hearts upon the Main the huge consequence and concern of which easily prevailed with those Holy men to over-look other mens private Opinions They were intent upon that wherein the power of Godliness consisted and upon which thâ—… Salvation of Souls depended and so all that was secure they were not so superstitiously concerned for Rituals either to practice them much less to impose them They would not stake the Churches Peace against Ceremonies and then play it away rather then not be Gamesters They considered that they had all one God one Faith one Baptism one Lord Iesus Christ and never insisted upon one Posture one Gesture one Garment one Ceremony They Good men found enough to do to mortifie their Passions to bear their Burdens of Afflictions and Persecution to withstand the temptations of the Devil and the contagion of evil Examples And had no strength to spare nor superfluous time to wast to Conn the Theory of Ceremonies and practice new devices But when men grow cold and indifferent about great things then they become â—…ervent about the lesser when they give over to mind a holy life and heavenly Conversation then they grow fierce Disputants for and rigid Exacters of the sulâ—… Tale of Ceremonies Thus when the Scribes and Pharise 〈◊〉 became so violent for the necessity of washing hands they little regarded the cleansing of their Hearts They that will make things indifferent to become necessary the next news you hear of them is that they make things necessary to become indifferent when men cease to study their own hearts they become very studious how to vex and torment other mens for then they have both leisure and confidence enough to trample upon their inferiours Then it shall be a greater sin for a Monk to lay aside his Cowle then his Chastity and to be a scrupulous Non-conformist to the Laws of Men then a scandalous Non-conformist to the Laws of God In short that I may say the same thing over again which I have twenty times already said and that I may convince the Reader that I have read Erasmus de opiâ—… vâ—…orum as well as his famous piece of the Art of Preaching Then and not till then do the little Appendices of Religion grow great and mighty matters in mens esteem when the Essentials the great and weighty matters are become little and inconsiderable which I had had little need to have mentioned but for the sake of those Elegant and Modish words Appendices and Essentials which in an Eloquent Oration ought not to have been forgotten Dixi That there are Distractions in the Nation Divisions amongst Christian Brethren and a separation from the present Church of England in various degrees is evident The Industry of our Enquirer in Tracing out the Causes of them has been very commendable though his success has not been answerable Had he pleased to approve himself a skilful and impartial as well as a serious Enquirer he had certainly directed us to one cause more which for want of Ariadnes Threed in the Anfractuous windings of this Labyrinth he has quite lost himself and his Travels Honest Gerson of old has notified it to the non-observing World and from him I shall recommend it to the Reader There can be saith he no General Reformation without the Abolitions of sundry Canons and Statutes which neither are nor reasonably can be observed in these times which do nothing but ensnare the Consciences of men to their endless Perdition no tongue is able to express what evil what danger and confusion the neglect and contempt of the Holy Scripture which doubtless is sufficient for the Government of the Church else Christ had been an imperfect Law-giver and the following of Humane Inventions hath brought into the Church Serm. in die circ part 1. 'T is that which has ever been lamented and by all moderate persons complained of That unnecessary Impositions have been made the indispensible conditions of Church-Communion without precept or precedent from the Word of God To this cause had he reduced all our Divisions he said more in those few plain words then in all those well coucht periods wherewith he has adorned his Discourse and darkened Counsel As the matter of Law arises out of the matter of Fact so the Justice of the Non-conformists Cause appears from the terms that are put upon them in order to Communion If the Terms be unjust it will justifie their Cause If they have sinfully managed their Cause its goodness will not justifie their Persons what Dissenters usually insist upon for their Justification I shall reduce to these Heads § 1. They plead that some things are imposed upon their Faith tendered to Subscription as Articles of Faith which are either false or at best they have not yet been soo happy as to discover the truth of them In Art 20. They are required to subscribe this Doctrine The Church hath power to Decree Rites and Ceremonies which Clause of the Article as we fear it has been by some indirect means shuffled into the Article it not being found in the Authentick Articles of Edw. 6. so it proves also that the Terms of Communion have been enlarged since the first times of the Reformation They object also against that Doctrine in the Rubrick That it is certain from the Word of God That Children Baptized and dying before the Commission of actual sins are undoubtedly saved The Scripture the Protestant Churches nor any sound Reason have yet given them any tolerable satisfaction of the Truth of the Doctrine about the Opus operatum of Sacraments That Doctrine laid down in the
men can with any Colourable pretext affirm of their Dictates Canons Decretals or Constitutions And that amongst many other Reasons because they were not indited in heat or passion were not Contrived to advance one party or to depress and crush another but were the Result of infinite wisdom impartially respecting Truth fuithfully acquaniting us with the mind and will ofGod without Adhering to any faction § 2. That there can be no concern of any Church or Officer in the Church or member of theChurch but the Scripture speaks fully to it As 1. If a Church will approve her self to be the pillar of Truth and expose to all her Members the Doctrine of the Gospel the Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable for Instruction or 2. has she occasion to Convince the Cavilling world and stop the Months of gainsayers The Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It Lays down the Truth and thereby discovers errour heresy false doctrine all Corruption in worship and manner It gives us what is straight and thereby enables us to judge what is Crooked or 3. Are there any Tares sprung up in the field of the Church sowen by the Enemy whilst Men Slept and men will sleep it is profitable also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Correction rectifying and redintegration of whatever is warped and declined from its Original It supplies and fills up the wide chasmes of defectives and pares of all excrescences and prunes of superfluities or 4. Must Christians be trained up under Gospel discipline and order that they may grow up in knowledge in every grace in mutual Love it 's useful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No paedagogy no Constitution no discipline to be compared with it § 3. That it is a Rule which must direct All the builders in Gods house in whatsoever Quality under whatsoever character they appear It 's profitable for the Man of God And indeed it only becomes The Man of sin he that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lawless person who has a curbe for every mans Conscience but will not endure a snaffle upon his own to despise this Rule and cry up another § 4. The Absolute profection and compleatness of this Rule is also Asserted It 's able to make the Man of God perfect throwly furnish to all good works Notwithstanding this Perfection of the Scripture as a Rule it is always supposed that every one in his private or more publick capacity be Able to use and Apply the Rule As the square or Rule of the Architect however exact in it self yet presupposes him to have eyes to see and brains to Apply it to his work so the Scripture as a Law teaches Duty and whatever of well-pleasing obedience we can perform to God yet supposes us at least to be RationalCreatures that can apply that Law to our own particular Actions Whence these two things must necessarily follow 1. That it was not only Needless but Impossible that the Scripture should enumerate or determine upon the particular Natural Circumstances of general time place person when where who should worship God every day hour and minute to the End of the world for so the whole world would not have afforded sufficient stowage for Rubricks nor have been able to contain the volumns that must have been written for as the End and use of a Rule is not to each the Artificer when he shall begin to work but how he may do it like a Workman whenever he begins so neither was the Scripture design'd for a clock to tell us at what hour of the day we should commence the publick service of God but that when ever we begin or end we manage all according to this Rule 2. That when the Scripture has prescribed us all the parts of worship instituted the Administrators of worship given â—…les how to separate them to that Office and laid down general rules for the Regulating those Natural circumstances which could not particularly be determin'd as that they be done to Edification decently and in order And has withal commanded us to attend to this Rule and no other it has then Discharged the Office of a Rule and as a Rule is Compleat and perfect 2 Besides our Retrospect to our Rule we must also look forward to the End and Design of all Riligion and when that is once well fixt we shall have Another great Advantage to judge what worship is Better and what is worse Now the great End of all Religion and specially of Religious worship is the glorifying of God the pleasing of God And therefore whatever shall pretend to that Glorious Title and Dignity of being an Act of Religion a part of Religion and yet has no real Tendency to the Advancement of his Glory which it can never have without a due regard to the Rule ought to be Expunged out of the Catalogue of Lawful Acts or parts of worship And is so much the more abominable both to God and Man To God because it offers him a Sacrifice not subservient to his Praise and to Man because it deludes him with a pretence of recommending his person and service to God and yet leaves and exposes both to Gods abhorrence From what hath been said I might plead my self Competently qualified to gratify the Importunity of the Enquirer and answer the Question whether A Better frame of things might not possibly have been found out If whatsoever Agrees with the Rule is good then what is discrepant from the Rule is Evil If what makes a nearer approach to the Rule is better then what departs further of is worse but I look upon these kind of Questions as a vapouring party sent out to draw the unwary within the Clutches of an Ambuscado Whatever Constitution shall impeach the only true Rule of shortness and deficiency is less good then that which implies no such shortness or deficiency But there are some Constitutions on the world which impeach the only true Rule of shortness and deficiency and Therefore they are less good then those which impeach not the Rule of such Deficiency whatever Constitutions are made supposed useful for decency which are not Comprehended under the Rule do impeach that Rule of Deficiency but there are some Constitutions made supposed useful for decency which are not comprehended under the Rule and therefore there are some Constitutions which impeach the Rule of Deâ—…ncy Whatever is Comprehended under a Rule must at least be necessary by way of Disjunction but there are some Constitutions in the World which are not Necessary so much as by way of Disjunction therefore they are not Comprehended under the Rule There is not the smallest or most minute Circumstance which can cleave to any Religious Act or wherewith we can Lawfully cloath Gods Worship but it is by the Command of Christ made necessary at least disjunctively But there are some Constitutions which are not made necessary disjunctively and therefore they are such as wherewith we cannot Lawfully cloath Religion
should affirm he could discern things better at a miles distance than a Man that hath as good an Eye as himself and yet stood close by the Object This is that Needless Conclus on drawn out of his Needless Premises and having discovered the weakness of the former I might leave him at his leasure to deny his own Conclusion but yet I shall give him some Items about that also And 1. It 's a crude unconcocted No. ion that the elder any Doctrine of Christianity is the truer it is For it was a Truth that Christ was Born before it was that he was Crucified and yet the former Article that he was Born of the Virgin Mary is no truer than that he was Crucified Dead and Buried The Truth of the Doctrine depends not upon it Antiquity or Seniority but upon the infallibility of the Revealer quo ad â—…os and upon the close connexion of the Terms in it self whether a Truth was revealed by Christ or his Apostles immediately inspired all are of equal Truth in themselves and equal Authority as to us that is the lateness of the Revelation will breed no difference 2. The Enquirer might have informed himself that there is a double Light an Objective and Subjective Light The former is the discovery of the Thing it self the latter is the enlightning of the Faculty It 's true there is there can be no New Objective Light rationally expected In this sense all New Lights are but Old Darknesses but yet there may be more Subjective Light or a greater discovery made to us of what God has discovered in his Word The Papists lock'd up our Bibles in the Latin Tongue and kept the Key of Knowledge in their Pockets God by his Gracious Providence in the Resormation has taken off the Embargo and restraint that was upon Knowledge and great Light is sprung in amongst us we say not God has put more Books or Chapters or Verses into the Bibles but that he has given us more light in our Minds he has not Revealed New Truths but given us advantage to discover the Old Thus the Learned Stillingf somewhere expresses himself The common way of the Spirits illuminating the Minds of Believers is by enlightning the Faculty not by proposition of New Objects A Man then may talk of more Light in these latter Times and yet not talk idly if by more Light he intends no more than a clearer understanding of Gods Mind and Will revealed in his Word and a Man may talk of more Light in these latter Times and talk very idly If thereby he means more Revelations of Gods Mind and Will to supply the defects of the Scripture but yet none talk so idly as the Rhetorical Men whose Premises speak against New Objective Light and their conclusion against New Subjective Light If Subjective Light be not capable of growth if it does not recipere magis minus Let him give me a Reason why the Churches Articles of 1571. do clear up the Doctrine more darkly and imperfectly laid down in the days of Edward VI. Refined Silver is more clear than the same Mettal in the Oare and yet there is no more Mettal But if it be capable of growth and increase what an idle flourish is his Similitude of a Mans seeing better at a distance than he that stands close by the Object For if we have got no surther Light into the Scriptures by all the Advantages which Merciful Providence has surnish'd us with above the darker Times of Popery they were very ill bestowed upon us and he that would repay him in his own Coyn might tell him That a Man may possibly stand too near the Object as wel as too far off and a Dwarf upon a Gyants Shoulders may see further than the Gyant himself What he has hitherto philosophiz'd upon has been little to our Edification nor had we been troubled with this first Messe but for the sake of that which is now to be served up in the second Course and that is a piece of Revenge that he will take upon St. Augustin and the Synod of Dort ¶ 1. And first here 's a heavy charge drawn up against one Augustin of whom I presume the Reader may have heard at one time or other some mention made Now this Augustin or rather Austin for his Name as well as his Fame suffers a Syncope has been formerly a person in great danger of incurring that Curse denounced against those of whom all Men speak well till of late some Charitable Divines loath to let a Poor Man lie in Purgatory from Age to Age when a few bad words would release him took some pity on him And one of his best Friends in this Nation is this Compassionate Enquirer who informs us That no Father or Writer Greek or Latin before this Austins time agreed in Doctrine with the Synod of Dort which is so notoriously plain that it cannot be deny'd And if he agrees therewith yet it 's certain that in so doing he disagrees as much with himself as with us of our Church That he was indeed a Devout Man but his Piety was far more commendable than his Reason and that being hard put to it by the Manichees on the one hand and the Pelagians on the other he was not able to extricate himself and that he was rather forced into his opinion than made choice of it He that shall thus confidently dare to censure that worthy Father must be presumed to have read over his Voluminous Writings with all those of the Ancient Writers before him both Greek and Latin to a Man to a Sentence which might sufficiently have proclaimed his Learning and recommended him to a Patron one would think though he had never reproached that Father himself Many a poor Hungry Man have I known in my little time that has scribled one piece after another railing at the Pope which yet never turned to such Account as half a score Lines smartly penn'd against this great Sinner Austin And yet sor all these Insinuations of Industry in Reading and Acuteness of piercing Wit in hunting and tracing the Poor Man through all the windings and turnings of his self-perplexing Contradictions it 's our meer good Nature if we will believe that ever he saw any more than the back side of St. Austins Works for indeed all this may be no more than an ingenious Pataphrase of their great Grotius who thuâ—… spends his Judgment upon him Discuss p. 97. Ut dicam quod sentio puto Augustinum adeo non cum prioribus ne secum quidem per omnia posse conciliari Ita contranitendi studio se in illas Ambages induxit ut non invenerit quà se extriearet Paucis Scripturae Adductus Locis quae facilè commodam interpretationem recipiunt aliis locis pluribus clarioribus per quae Deus significatur omnium salutem velle interpretationes det violentas nunc has nunc illas incertus quò se vertat ut dicam
a Minister for such are the low thoughts Men have of their Souls that they will intrust them with the most raw and unexperienc'd Novice Hitherto his discourse has proceeded upon a supposition that the Charge had been true yet the Inference he thinks would have been false but now he comes roundly to the denial of the Charge and a laborious confutation of it to no purpose 2. Combined wit and malice says our Enquirer shall not be able to fix any scandal upon the Body of the English Clergy I hope they never shall Nor have I met with any so absurd and disingenuous as for the sake of some though many individuals to cast an aspersion upon a whole Society excepting those who have least Reason If the Body of the Clergy be Innocent all the Combinations of wit and malice shall not be able to Eclipse their unspotted Innocency that it shall break more gloriously through those envious Clouds which had obscured its brightness and if they be Peccant all the combined Wit and Rhetorick in the World wil not wipe away the guilt and filth it must be Repentance and Reformation that can only be their Compurgators 1. First then concerning their Learning a thing that has been hitherto indisputable and may continue so still if the weakness of this Gentlemans proofs do not render the truth of the proposition suspected But hear his Arguments 1. If the Preaching of the present Age be not better than that of the former I would fain know the Reason why the Homilies are in no greater Reputation And so would I too In those Ancient Sermons there are Two things especially remarkable the Phrase or Cloathing and the matter or substance of them 'T is true Time and the growing refinings of the English Language have superannuated the former but why the latter should also become obsolete I would as fain know a Reason as himself and that from himself who is best able to account for his own Actions I assure him I would not exchange the Old Truth for New Phrases and Modern Elegancy I had rather see Plain Truth in her sober homely garb than gawdy error spruced up with all the fineries of the Scene and Stage The weakness of the former Clergy was the great Reason that introduced both Liturgies and Homilies And if the present Clergy are grown so strong that they can despise one of their Crutches perhaps in time they may go alone without both Those Cogent Reasons pretended for the necessity of the one will hold as strongly for the other 't is full as easie to disseminate Heresies to vent crude raw undigested Non-sense in the Pulpit as the Desk When I hear any of our Enquirers Sermons I shall summon up my best Reason to make a judgment whether he has so infinitely â—…ut-dene the Ancient Homilies as he pretends In the mean time I fear the Language is not so much polished and tricked up as the Doctrine is defiled nor have they shamed the Homilies so much in briskness òf Fancy quaintness of Words and smoothness of Cadencies as the Homilies have shamed them in plainness and soundness of Truth I would mind our Author of the last words of the second part of the Homily of Salvation and though he may mend the Phrase I doubt he will hardly mend the Doctrine So that our Faith in Christ as it were saith thus unto us It is not I that tako away your sins but it is Christ only and to him I send you for that purpose forsaking therein all your good Vertues Words Thoughts and Works and only putting your trust in Christ. In the Homily of the Place and time of Prayer the Church praises God for purging our Churches from Piping Chanting as wherewith God is so sore displeased and the House of Prayer defiled Hence perhaps some would conclude that the true Reason why we have forsaken the use is because we have forsaken the Doctrine of the Homilies 2. Arg. All Protestants abroad admire the English way of Preaching insomuch as some forrein Congregations 〈◊〉 I am credibly informed that was wisely inserted dâ—…ray the charges of the Travels of their Pastors into England that they may return to them instructed in thâ—… Method of the English Preaching For the Logick of this Paragraph I shall not so much as examine it All Protestants admire English â—…reaching for some Congregations send to be instructed â—…n't There 's the all and some of this Argument Again Protestants admire English Preaching ergo they admire the Conformists Preaching for All Dissenters preach in an unknown tongue Again they send them hither to be instructed in the method of English Preaching all the excellency then lies in the method which is to Preach without Doctrine Reason and Use And now methinks I hear a Pastor of a Congregation in Holland returning home with a flea in his Ear and giâ—…ing an account of the expence of his time and charges Beloved we have been sadly mistaken all this while for our Synod of Dort was a pack of silly ignorant fellows that knew not how to make God Iust unless they made him Cruel or Man humble unless they made him a Stock or a Stone As for us we are informed that we are not true Ministers of Iesus Christ as wanting a thing I think they call it Episcopal Ordination and if any of us should become Ministers there we must be re-ordained though a Priest from Rome shall not need it and therefore by consequence your Baptism is a nullity all our Ministerial acts void and of none effect your Churches are not true Churches your Reformation was began in Rebellion continued in Schism and thus I have got my labour for my pains and naught for my labour 3. Arg. The Preaching of the Church of England is beyond that of Rome Yes so it may be and yet none of the best neither what sleighty Topicks are these from whence to evince the excellency of English Preaching Commend me to read one Sermon in the works of the Learned B. Reynolds and it storms the incredulous sooner then a hundred of these Ridicules put together But how does it appear that the English transcends the Romish Preaching pray mark the proof why Erasmus wrote a Book of the Art of Preaching and full of the follies and rediculous passages in Popish Sermons Most Meridian Conviction Has not I. E. written a Book also full of the follies and ridiculous passages in English Sermons Pray then set the Hares head against the Goose Giblets Ah! but Erasmus his Book is as full as his very good and so is his as full as Erasmus's Really when the Act comes out against Metaphors I hope there will be a clause in 't that no Rhetorician shall ever again use an Argument As he would be injurious to the Truth that should take the sollies gathered up in this modern Author for the measure of present Preaching so shall he be equally vain that shall make those impertinencies gleaned up by
did attend Can. 8. We recommending not commanding to the serious consideration of all good people The doing reverence and obeissance at their coming in and going out of the Churches Chancels and Chappels in the practise or omission of which Rite they desire that the Rule of Charity prescribed by the Apostle may be observed That they which use this Rite despise not them which use is not and that they who use is not condemn not those that use it Which Rule was it applied to all other matters of the like nature would undoubtedly preserve what of Love is left and recover that measure of Christian amity which is lost Peace may be had under differing notions about indifferent things and peace must be had under differing practises suitable to those differing notions not by screwing up the weak to the Latitude which the strong allows himself nor by pulling down the strong to the narrow practises wherein the weak are confined but by the strong Christians not despising the weak and the weak Christians not judging his more grown and stronger Brother v. 4. The Apostle gives a Reason against this uncharitable judgment who art thou that judgest another mans servant every Christian as to his Conscience is Alieni fâ—…ri the Servant of God And if he be summon'd before a forreign Tribunal may plead It is Coram non Iudice To his own Master be standeth or falleth v. 5. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind The things before us may perhaps be indifferent in themselves but yet if we have not a full assurance that they are so we are bound to suspend our act For as our rejoycing must be in our selves and not in another so must our satisfaction 'T is not the clearness of a practise in anothers mind that will warrant my acting I must be fully satisfied in my own mind v. 13. The Apostle lays down an excellent Rule for the prudent restraint of our Christian Liberty Let us not therefore judge one another but let every man judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way If my Christian Liberty will warrant me to act yet Christian Charity will teach me to moderate my self in the use of that liberty when such acting would occasion the sin of him that is not so perswaded of the Lawfulness of my fact which is to be limited to things of this nature whereof he treats namely things indifferent for if my Brother will be offended at what God has made my duty there 's no remedy but that he lay aside his unjust offence and not that I lay aside my necessary duty v. 15. The Apostle gives a Reason of his former Rule If thy Brother be grieved with thy Meat then walkest thou not charitably And much more if he be scandalized and drawn into sin Is it not a most unchristian humour to insist so peremptorily upon doing because in it self Lawful when Charity countermands that doing and therefore 't is unlawful in the use Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed surely thou hast little value for a soul redeemed by the blood of Christ if thou wilt for a sorry indifferent thing hazard its eternal damnation our liberty to act must stand out of the way when a Brothers soul comes in place v. 19. Let us follow the things that make for peace and the things that may edify one another Here we have another Rule for the restraint of our liberty in things indifferent When the using my liberty would disturb the peace of the Church I must cease to act for the strong may forbear what he judges Lawful and yet the weak cannot do what he judges sinful And therefore to the strong he speaks thus v. 22. Hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God Art thou perswaded such a thing is Lawful notwithstanding the many violent presumptions of others of it's sinfulness keep thy judgment to thy self trouble not the Church with thy Orations let thy disputing talent yeeld to the weak judgment of others But to the weak he speaks thus v. 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin All this while here 's not one syllable of restraining Christian Liberty by the Authority of another by outward force and violence all must be determined by a Christians own Prudence as moved by the edification of anothers Charity to his soul and the peace of the community not a word to consult my own secular advantage and emolument Not a letter that Conscience Christian Liberty private wisdom my own Reason must be impressed to militate under the command and conduct of the publick wisdom the publick Reason or the publick Conscience That is therefore the thing which he must bring about by sorrâ—…e lincks of consequences some trains of deductions And he advances towards his conclusion by winding staires that we may be lead seniâ—… sine sensu to the top of his matter to the height of his design without taking notice of our ascent and the whole contrivance of this Chapter lyes in the Dexterous management of this one Engine 1 His first Postulatum is this That Christian Liberty doth consist in a freedom in utramque pray do not mistake him that is that antecedently to the Considerations of prudence peace and charity it 's equally in the power of a Christian to do or not to do any or all those things that are not expresly forbidden by the H. Scriptures Very good Then I will assume But to love God with all my heart and soul and strength is one of those things which God hath not expresly forbidden in the H. Scripture Therefore antecedently to the Considerations of prudence peace and charity It 's in the power of a Christian to love or not to love God with all his heart and that Christian Liberty consists in this freedom in utramque I am not so uncharitable as to think that the Enquirer owns this conclusion or that any principle he holds will inferr it All I note it for is to evince to him that he has worded his matters besides his onw intention and that he intended really to have said That Antecedently to the Considerations of prudence charity it 's equally in the power of a Christian to do or not to do any or all those things that are not expresly forbidden by nor contradict the express Laws of the Scriptures And taking the words according to the presumption of his meaning and not the Letter I say 1. Here 's something more then Truth That Christian Liberty gives us a power to do what is not expresly forbidden many things are forbidden by consequence which are not expresly forbidden I pray shew me an express prohibition to recognize the Popes Supremacy To subscribe the Tridentine Decrees And if this be part of the Enquirers Christian Liberty to do what is not expresly forbidden I hope he
to live in the practise of all Christs institutions if we cannot enjoy them in one place upon Christs Terms his Command and tenderness to our own souls oblige us to seek out where we may enjoy them better cheap § 4. He that cannot perform all that the Laws require of him may forbeâ—… judging them that do the man of a Tender Conscience finds it enough to judge his own actions This is a most excellent Rule and Dissenters desire no more liberty Let them but judge of their own actions and they leave all others to stand or fall to their own Masters And it seems hard if they may not be indulged this priviledge since the silliest Creature that ever was is presumed to have so much wit as to come out of a shâ—…wr of Rain rather then to be wet to the skin § 5. The truly tender Conscience that is the Fool all this while will freely part with money nay of all the men in the world there 's none so free as he for a Fool and his money are soon parted Well! But if he cannot conform to the Laws he can pay the penalty I promise you that 's a great Question whether he can or no. Where nothing's to be had the King must lose his Right But if this be the grand qualification of a Tender Conscience to be made a Begger I wonder what his Priviledge can be unless it be to succeed old Clause the King of Beggers For his satisfaction if the penalty be moderate such as I can pay without ruine to my self and family though I be not satisfyed in the justice of it yet herein I may lawfully depart from my own Right and shall esteem it a great mercy if my coyn may compound for my Conscience 3 Readers you have heard the qualifications of a Tender Conscience be but now Masters of so much Patience as to sit out the Priviledges and that last Scene will make you ample satisfaction â—… Every private Christian is bound in Charity and compassion towards such a Man to deny himself of some part of his Liberty to gain him that is in those things that are matter of no Law where you have first a Bit and then a knock or the fair Concession and the wary Revocation § 1. The Concâ—…ssion Every private Christian is bound in Charity to such a Man to part with some of his Liberty to gain him wherein there are several things to be advised upon 1. The subject of the Proposition Every private Person 2. The nature of the obligation Bound in Charity and compassion 3. The matter of the duty To deny himself of some part of his Liberty 4. The end to gain him In few or none of which particulars can I arrive at any clear satisfaction 1. Every private Person And are not all publick Persons bound by the Law of God to walk charitably not to destroy souls I doubt we forget that God is here the Legislator with whom is no respect of Persons Charity is the fulfilling of the Moral Law And if any Person be so publick as not to be obliged by it we must leave those Commands Thou shalt do no Murther Thou shalt not commit Adultery to exercise the small fry and hamper the vulgar The Apostle Paul was a publick Person and one as well qualified to discern and impose things indifferent as any that have made the fairest pretences that way and yet he Professes with more then ordinary servency 1. Cor. 8. 13. That he will eat no flesh whilst the world stands least he should make his Brother to offend And who shall venture to make that the matter of an Ecclesiastical Canon which the Apostle durst not venture to practise They that assume a greater Authority had need give greater proof of greater Charity And yet greater was the importance of Flesh to the Health and life of Paul then a Ceremoâ—… can possibly be to the peace of the Church For. 1. Flesh is Disjunctively necessary to the health and life of Man that is either flesh or some other food but neither this nor that humane Ceremony is necessary either to the glory of God the peace of the Church or Decency and order in the worship The Church has served God decently lived peaceably and glorified God eminently without them and in his time may do so again 2. Flesh was a thing perfectly indifferent in it self and owned so by all that were well instructed in their Manumission from the Mosaical servitude but the more we are faithfully instructed in the Doctrine of Christian Liberty the more are we satisfied that we are at Liberty from all other Ceremonies of men as well as from those that were once of Divine Institution 2 Bound in Compassion and Charity I am not well satisfied that a Debt of meer Compassion or free Charity is all we owe our Brother in this case However we owe our God a Debt of Iustice It 's he that says Destroy not him with thy mâ—…at for whom Christ dyed 14. Rom. 15. And that there is no comparison between the Law that enjoins Ceremonies and that Law that commands us not to offend our Brother I thus prove 1. The Law that forbids scandal is Negative but the Law that commands Ceremonies is but Affirmative Now Gods own affirmative precepts may have their outward acts suspended in some cases for some time but Negatives admit of no relaxation He that says thou shalt not do says thou shalt never do unless dispensed with by a power aequal to his that gave the Prohibition 2. The Command of not scandalizing is purely moral the heart and life of the sixth Commandement For he that says thou shalt not Kill primarily intends I shall not destroy the soul but the Command of Ceremonies but positive And positives ought to give place to Morals If there be any Truth in that Doctrine of the Enquirers That Godlays little stress upon Circumstantials that his own positive Laws give place to the Moral Law much more ought Mans Ceremonial Law give place to Gods Moral Law Thou shalt not Kill 3. The Command of not giving offence because Moral is therefore perpetual but the Command of Ceremonies Temporary and may be momentany for the Church of England 34. Art Asserts a power in every National Church not only to ordain but to change and abolish Ceremonies 4. The Command of not scandalizing the weak not destroying the soul is in Materiâ Necessarâ—… the thing it self is good in it self and for it self though no positive Command had interposed in the case but Ceremonies have no other Goodness but what is breath'd into them by the breath of Man which if it were measured by the good effects would be found very little 5. The Command not to offend is unquestionably obligatory but that Command for Ceremonies is at best questionable whether it be so much as lawful 6. The Command to avoid offence has a direct and natural tendency to beget and preserve Amity and unity amongst
year But if we speak with the Vulgar and take this Dignity for some external glory shining out in secular Lusire which is that currant signification which Custom the Master of the Mint has stampt upon It I doubt she will hold up her Head and not be dasht out of Countenance she can prodâ—… her purpuratos patres her Cardinals Princes fellows her Dignitaries she can produce you her Acolytes dancing attendance upon her Decans her Deacons footing it after her Priests her inferiour Clergy boâ—…ing before her mitred Prelates and alâ—… these orderly Reverencing their Metropolitan but then she boasts unmeasurably that she has an Ecclesiastical Head to be the Center of Union to all those so that whether you run up the scale from the poor Ostiary to the Exorcist and so upwards or down the Scale from the supream infallible Noddle moving all the inferiour Wyers she will brazen it out and never hang down her Head 3. The An ient Gravity of our Church reproves theirs I am sorry for the Honour of our Church which I truly Reverence that this Gentleman in vying with Rome should pitch upon those particulars wherein if we do excel and carry the day it will be no such Victory as to challenge a Triumph and yet such is the dubiousness of the case that perhaps we may lose the day I do not yet hear that Rome has disclaimed Antiquity to be one of the marks of the true Church and know something of her presumption in applying into her self Let any Antiquity short of Scripture Epocha be fixt upon and she will make a sorry shift to scramble through many a tiresome Century and scuffle to come as near the Apostolical days as some others Both sides I think have play'd at the game of Drop-father so long till they are weary and forced to confess that some things now in usage were unknown to the Fathers and many things practised by the Fathers which we have silently suffered to grow obsolete by desuetude I look upon these things as matters of course and form to look big and set the best foot before for if ever we confute Rome with an Army of hard words Decency Order Antiquity Gravity they must be such as the Word of God has made so It must be a Decency warranted by God himself either from the Light of Nature or Scripture an Order of Christs Establishment a Gravity exemplified from the Apostles and an Antiquity which was from the Beginning and when Scripture is once made sole Umpire in the Quarrel As the Church of England will certainly run the Papist out of all distance so the Non-conformist will begin to put in his stake and perhaps win the Plate § 2. If you ask how the Church of Rome undermines our Church he answers 1. She furnishes other parties with Arguments against it It were much easier to evince that the Euquirer has rather borrowed his Arguments from Rome then Rome lent one to the Non-conformists I think there 's not one Arrow he can shoot against them but I can shew him where 't was borrow'd or shotten from a Jesuites Quiver where was that Argument taken from Axes Halters Pillories Galleys Prisons Consiscations as some express it or as he more concisely Executing the Laws borrow'd but from Rome The Scripture knows it not the better sort of Heathens abhorr'd it Protestants disown it Papists only glory in it Uterejure tuo Caesar sectamque Lutheri Ense Rotâ Ponto Funibus igne Neca And whence was that argument for Active unlimited Obedience to all things commanded by the Church borrowed for though it becomes no mouth so well as his that can boast of Infallibility yet still we are pressed with the same Argument and in the last resort Publick Conscience must carry it I am sorry this imprudent person should give any one occasion to say further that some of us at home have furnisht Rome with Arguments against the Reformation Arguments from the Scripture Rome has none from the nature of the thing not one but some have put into their Hands a left-handed Dagger which does mischief enough it 's called Argumentum ad Hominem Thus when we are earnest with them to throw away their Oil and Cream they bid us throw away our Cross If we desire her to reform her Cowles and Copes she calls to us to reform our Surplice When we in a friendly way caution them not to feed upon the Devils flesh they answer As good eat his flesh as the Broth he was boiled in 2. She is all for blind Obedience at home but preaches up tenderness of Conscience abroad And what the difference is between blind Obedience and Obedience meerly on the account of the Command I would willingly learn And if any can shew us a better reason for the things commanded and enjoyned then that we shall return him thanks If I might now borrow the Enquirers place so long as whilst I propounded a few Enquiries I would immediately resign to him his Province § 1. If the enmity between the two Churches be so great as is pretended what was the reason that so many Stars of the first magnitude in this Orb were in Conjunction with the Dragons Tail why were they so ready to yield him his Western Patriarchate and all within the first four hundred years which will at once bring England under his Subjection though I much question whether the Grand Seignior will have so much good nature as to resign him the Eastern Patriarchate so easily § 2. If the Church of Rome be this Churches Enemy is she not then concerned to get more Churches to be her Friends It 's a wild Humour of some Church-men that they will disoblige all the world provoking every ones hand against themselves whilst their hand is against every one If Rome be an Enemy she is a potent malicious subtle and United Enemy and it concerns a Church not to be divided at home when her Enemies are united abroad and to combine with the forreign Protestants in Love were an excellent way to prevent the Combinations of Romes hatred § 3. It would be enquired If Rome be such an Enemy what should be that which provokes her wrath and indignation what that should be that makes the envious Snakes wherewith Antichrists head is periwigg'd to hiss and spit out their Venom Does she Storm and Rage because we have retained two or three of her fine Ceremonies that cannot be the Origin of her spight They are those things wherein the Church of England and Non-conformists are mutually agreed that Rome opposes this Church in and they are those things wherein this Church symbolizes with Rome wherein she differs most from the Non-conformists When the Heathens triumphed in the great feats of their Maximus Tyrius and Apollonius Tyanaeus the Christians answered That whatever good effect their Religion ever had upon the Lives of Men was owing to those Principles and Truths which it had in Common with Christianity Thus will Dissenters plead