lastly I hope as evidently to describe the more Excellent Mean in a moderate Establishment I begin with the first First It is not my Design whilst I write against Persecution thereby to make any Apology for Religious Villanies no an Error in Religion ought to be scratch'd by our Pens but an immoral Member no doubt like a Gangreen ought to be cut off Et ne pars sincera trahatur let no Man therefore here unjustly charge me that whilst I make Apology for the Conscience agreeable to the Peace of States I withal seem to Plead for such Religious Villanies as are not fit to be suffered But for a Peaceable Profession of Religion be it what it will I would fain ask this Question Why should Men be persecuted from it If you force them by Argument from their Belief well and good but if by Power and Might only either you make them Libertines if you leave them to use no Religion or damn them for Hypocrites if you force them to a Falth against their Consciences But no you 'll force Men to believe by it you say bless me that Men can be so absurd as if Sense were to be confounded by Power or Truth to be altered by Might What shall I say To force Men to believe against their Conviction of Truth is impossible force them to lye and dissemble indeed we may if there be any Merit in that and who can doubt but that when Mens Consciences are tumbled from Pillar to Post at every Revolution of State as is too often done but that such is the effect of it But no says the Romanist you mistake our Religion continues one and changes not ay and by that means they take as excellent a course to make their growing Errors as eternal as their Reformation impossible and yet can even all that hinder but that a Protestant State provailing on them may use them full as scurvily as they use others and why not justly too since but with the same false Presumption that they measured to others before But bless me be it so or not is not this very agreeable in the mean while to the true Christian Genius Surely this is an admirable way of helping weaker Brethren as that prescribes to ensnare them thus to their Ruines nay and what when we perversely and wickedly thus force Men to come to our Church though against their Consciences can we pretend that we act any thing like what was designed in the Gospel which purposely orders all such Profane Persons to be avoided Besides what do we do in this but take the surest way to make the good and sincere Men of all sides only suffer and indeed who alone ought to be spared Alas our Atheists and Hypocrites they know well enough how to dance after the Pipes of the Times be your Tests and Enforcements what they will But I 'le maintain let a State but change her established Religion for twice or thrice together and give each Party on the change a power of Persecution they shall more effectually root out all their Honest Men than by all the cunningest Policies in the World besides 2. Secondly As for an Absolute Toleration 't is such a senseless and insipid Project of Imagination that never any considerate Body of Men since the Creation entertained it when Men can love all Religions alike or which is all one hate them all such a Chymera may pass Muster with them Or else to imagine that Men can encourage the true and false Religions alike has as much sense in it as they have Zeal for the Faith that can do it Thus even the Primitive Christians that could complain very much of the Pagans Persecuting them in Tertullian's time yet even they themselves under Valentinian and Theodosius would not suffer the Heathens to Sacrifice to their Goddess Fortune And thus those very Protestants in Queen Mary's days that could complain so justly of Martyrdom and Fire and Faggot yet could not forbear afterwards some Pecuniary Mulcts on Dissenters themselves So also those Dissenters that in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth King James the First and King Charles the First could complain so furiously of the High-Commission Court yet when by the War in 1640. they could get the Church of England under straight they could treat her much worse and yet when they fell under the Lash again in 1660. though they were treated little worse than they deserved and met with less Severity than they formerly exercised yet could they complain as furiously as before And pray since the late Revolution when the Presbyterians in Scotland got the Episcopals under have they not treated them with Rigour enough To be short to tell them that are able to suppress the opposite Party that they ought to be contented with an equal Toleration is Nonsense and will never be regarded at least it never was yet And so to tell them that are in Possession that they ought to bear with a rising Sect or Opinion though it may hereafter endanger them is of the same Nature I may say offer this Argument to the Pagan Jew Mahumetan to the Catholick Arrian Presbyterian or Independant where they are established and see if they will admit it In plain terms there is no Party that is sincere in their Profession but what will endeavour to propagate it by all fair ways and 't is well if some won't endeavour by fair and foul too to get their Religion to have the Preheminence 'T is plain therefore that as Heart-burnings Jealousies and Animosities ay and at last open Seditions and Rebellions must needs grow from such a Rivalry state of Religion and as is proved by every day's Experience so the State of Necessity and for Peace sake also will be bound to set up but one and that the chief Religion in their Judgments only and to depress and disencourage the rest by moderate Penalties and which brings me to the third and last thing proposed to wit an Enquiry into that Golden Mean of a rightfully established Church between a Bloody Persecution and a Lawless and Libertine Toleration Thirdly and lastly Our business that remains therefore is to examine fully and freely into the true and real bounds of an Established or National Church and which that I may the better do I shall first trace Persecution from her Fountain by the hand and after that conducting her to that moderate pitch which such an established Church shall require leave her there as to a Standard of Truth for all the Churches and States in the World to follow Justum est quod aequè mihi tibi convenit But to begin Who is it we shall Arraign for Persecution First Charge the State she 'll tell you that 't is the Church that sets her on and enforces it as necessary with her Secondly Charge the Church says even Rome her self we do but Excommunicate Men and if the State afterwards who finds Hereticks and Schismaticks as bad as Traytors punishes them accordingly
the better to proceed in this matter I shall range my following Discourse under these Five Heads I. In shewing the Methods proper for such a Unity II. In shewing the Duty of the State towards it III. In refuting Modern Pleas for Divisions IV. In proposing an Accommodation between them V. In Answering Difficulties remaining General Methods to Unity in Publick Worship 1. That in States Sister-Churches ought as near as possible to walk hand in hand with each other whilst all Private Men according to the Example of St. Austin Conscientiously conform to the present Church they are under be it where or what it will indeed otherwise to expect the End without the Means is as endless as impertinent and if trifling Variances and Errors may cause Schisms and Divisions with us we have no means left to be at Unity 2. As in Building a material House we are forced to hew Stones to the Wall so in the immaterial Temple of God's Church also how can we expect any Structure to be made if there be not a mutual bearing between the fallibility of our own Judgments and the Church but especially where the Church professes her self fallible 3. That this bearing with Errors and Variances therefore in Churches extends to all manner of Faults whatever provided the Church be Christian and not Idolatrous in truth all faults else whether great by number or aggravation are alike to be born with or else Church-Community must and ever will be but a Chymera for what Church is ever was or will be without Errors in variety And what Age has wanted wicked Men enough to aggravate them to Divisions if the World be not wiser than to follow them 4. That though this Charity may look like a Cowardly trimming especially in such a Factious Age as this when there are almost as many Churches as Men yet undoubtedly whoever will look on Church-Unity as a Practical Duty and embrace it as such with other Reasons than meer Partying must do it on these grounds or none I am sure by the same Reasons we divide the Church now we may divide it infinitely and 't is almost a wonder there is any Communion at all left amongst us 5. And lastly but that nothing herein excuse Men in defiling themselves with Personal Tests wherein we ought to dye rather than deny the least Truth and that though in Complement to the best of Churches And surely in this case the difference is clear enough an Algier's Slavery in Religion is what cannot but offend every good Man but a mutual bearing of Evils and Errors irremediable in Publick Communions certainly is a Duty and Charity necessary or nothing in Christiany is to be minded The Duty of the State towards Catholick Communion 1. That as the State knows that God did not give Man his Reason only to be wilfully blind with it or his Eyes to put them out to see as the Church of Rome would seem to say by ordering an Obedience of setting Trees with their Roots uppermost if commanded So it is the particular Duty of the State as to be supposed wiser than their Subjects rather to let the Waves of Opinions have their full Channel in their largely extended Arms of Charity like the Sadduces and Pharisee of Old in the Church of the Jews than by becoming of any particular Party to drive away all the Opposites from her 2. And thus what though a Man believes Transubstantiation or Purgatory They are absurd Doctrines with hard Names it may be but are we sure that even we our selves don 't hold Opinions full as foolish of another kind though not nick-nam'd So what though a Man 's a Socinian Cannot an Arch-Bishop hear a Socinian and a Trinitarian dispute as well as an High-Priest could a Sadducee and Pharisee of Old Or what may'nt I Worship with a Socinian that at least makes Christ the greatest Prophet When both Christ and his Apostles after him could Worship even with those very Jews that decryed him as an Impostor 3. And that on this Account also all those unaccountable Mysteries and Niceties and fondness of Words that have hitherto corrupted Christianity so far from its Primitive Simplicity as to make it even too sine and burthensom either for our Wit Memory or Understanding whether they be true or false be all equally laid aside without we have a mind by our Canting Jure Divino's and Infallibility in new-coin'd Doctrines never to let the World have Peace for us 4. And lastly Therefore since Innovators in no Authority are to be regarded and as it is both the particular Command and Example of Christ in such cases rather to fear God than Man so every State should rather study to become a tender bearing Father and a Nursing Mother in the Church to ease feeble Minds than if possible to hazard their Ruines be it but with the appearance of dangerous Tests and Offences Modern Pleas for Schisms answered 1. You say that Gal. 4.14 makes you angry at Holy days I pray if it does do not keep them then no more than Christ observed Corban with the Jews But must that make you leave the Church for Sundays therefore when the Corban could not make him leave the Temple 2. You say Gal. 4.10 makes you angry at Surplices too and why not at formal Bands and singular Cloaks as well Nay Socrates Schol. Lib. 6. Cap. 20. tells us of some that were angry that the Ministers wore black since Christ himself wore white But bless me if the Church may'nt be left Master of all such Indifferencies for Decency we may agree when we can So 3. You think that Godfathers too commonly take an Idle Oath in Baptism and what then The Oath is good in it self and was of use under the Primitive Persecutions and at present is any obliged to be Gossip against his will 4. But you are offended at Prayer by Form you say Bless me that Men can be so sick of Whimsies if a Man Prays Extempore 't is at least a Form to the Congregation it seems then that 't is the Priest only that must have none for the People must have one all one and too often none of the best neither So 5. You have the Spirit you say and more Truth than others and you are the fitter Member in the Catholick Church to shew your Zeal in mending it then what did the Prophets of Old go to set up other Churches and make Partyings only through their being holier than other Men No we don't hear so much as of one Sect that they made indeed they were for Correcting the Old not confounding us with New Foundations 6. The Quaker also is angry at our gayety and vanity in fine Cloaths ay and so was Isaya with the Jews of Old too but would Isaya therefore ran out of the Church for it Pray God I say their Spirit prove as good as his I am sure it does not seem so by this and their late Quarrels of Christ within and Christ
of Constantine Cap. 22 23. that a Cross appeared publickly in the Air to his Army with this Inscription In hoc signo vinces Nay and does not Socrates Scholasticus Lib. 1. Cap. 1. acquaint us with the same Besides that Constantine had his continual Divine Warnings by Dreams and Visions to protect him from his Enemies But for once too I will grant that these great and celebrated Wonders were done to usher in the first Christian Emperour Constantine and to Congratulate Happy Christianity in the Throne for this was done full Three Hundred Years after Christ and therefore surely cannot justly be esteemed as in part of the Apostolick Age. I say therefore suppose that such were the occasions of these Miracles yet cannot the succeeding Ages parallel them Let us trace the Times therefore on a little Socrates Schol. aquaints us lib. 2. cap. 24. that such another Cross appeared to Constantius the Arrian Lib. 1. Cap. 9. That one was delivered by a Miracle from Prison Lib. 3. Cap. 16. That whilst one Theodorus was suffering an Angel stood by him and relieved and eased the pains of his stripes Lib. 7. Cap. 4. That whilst a Jew was baptized he was healed of his Palsie And Lib. 7. Cap. 17. That whilst a counterfeit Jew was about to be baptized the Water vanished But why should I stand thus as on the brinks of the Miracles related by Socrates Does he not Lib. 6. Cap. 6. acquaint us how Constantinople was once Garrison'd by Angels against their Enemies And Lib. 7. Cap. 18. how another time the desponding Citizens of the same City were acquainted even by Angels also of the Victory over their Enemies Nay does he not in another place surprize us with a Wonder even greater than all these together As Lib. 3. Cap. 17. How that when Julian would have set the Jews about building again their Temple Miraculous Fires appeared and destroyed all their Tools and Foundations and Crosses like the Sun appeared on the Workmens Cloaths by no means for a long time to be removed in terror to their Proceedings and in utter disappointment of their Attempts Nor need I rest here what cannot I as justly proceed to further Centuries for the several successive Wonders of Faith Thus does not Evagrius Scholasticus lib. 3. cap. 7. acquaint us of the Miracles of Zosimas and Chusubites And so Cap. 14. does he not acquaint us of Confessors that had their very Tongues cut out and yet continued still to speak and that throughout the whole City of Constantinople And so does he not lib. 2. cap. 3. acquaint us of Martyrs Tombs even Miraculously and Divinely perfum'd But above all when we consider his Wonders related of Holy Simeon and his several Miracles related Lib. 4. cap. 33 34 35. and lib. 6. cap. 23. together with the Prodigies of his Apparition and Star that were seen about his Pillar after his Death as he acquaints us lib. 1. cap. 1. Surely we have no reason but to conclude That GOD at all times hears those that diligently serve him and that neither Time nor Persons are exempt from the Blessings of his Grace unless they voluntarily incapacitate themselves from receiving them Nay and besides these things I could acquaint you of others not less considerable even from other Testimonies What shall we say to St. Austin does not he acquaint us of at least Seventy Miracles done in his Times Does he not assure us that he was cured of the Tooth-ach through Prayer himself and that two Blind Men received their sight only through the touch of the Bodies of two deceased Martyrs So what shall we say to the Visions of Curma the Miracles he mentions done publickly in Churches through Prayer I may say what can we make of the infinite other foot-steps of Faith that the other Holy Fathers and Writers have left behind them Can nothing of what they relate be esteemed for Truth And must we still be of that brutish sense that 't is rather the Will of GOD than our own Defects that keeps us from following such Glorious Patterns before us To be short Reader I have given thee a Summary trace in this matter to the Sixth Century and I hope to thy SAtisfaction I will not say that in these latter Ages GOD has left himself entirely without a Witness for undoubtedly I might justly continue thee an agreeable Series of the Mercies of GOD at least in some lesser degrees even to our days witness the Delivery of Melancton and the Prayers for Rain of Luther But since I have brought thee as far as the brink of Popery and as long as our present Churches will allow the past Catholick I shall content my self in desisting the further Labour Upon the whole I know nothing left to be disputed in this case but the Credit of Histories and as for that I shall little concern my self If the Dispute be whether the Gifts of GOD were ever designed to cease and undoubted History be not admitted upon it I shall never trouble my self to Argue with a Man that runs counter to all the Methods of Reasoning But bless me were the drift of my Argument turned and were I to prove the frequent Manifestations of Evil Spirits what a number of Instances could I summon The Prophet tells us of old that Babylon was given up to become an Habitation for Evil Spirits And can we think what he wrote was Allegorical only when the Experience of our own Ages has shewn us what Power the Devil has sometimes to infest even whole Cities and Countries Thus what shall we say to the Story related by Dr. More of the Ghost of Contius and others that alone have disturbed whole Cities and driven almost Trade and Inhabitants from them So what shall we say to the Modern Relation of the Swedeland Witches delivered us by Dr. Horneck and attested as well by the King of Swedeland himself as his Ambassadors where Hundreds of People and whole Parishes almost have been Convict of Witchcraft at a time where the Devil often appeared in bodily shape in the Day-time and the Power he had was so great that almost the whole Kingdom was in a Terror at it I alledge these things because done in our own Ages and before Thousands of Witnesses together like the Apparitions related by Josephus before the Destruction of Jerusalem Nor are they so singular neither as some Men may pretend What was not the Story of the Devil of Mascon attested by the Famous Mr. Boyle notorious through the whole City Was not the Disturbance at Woodstock such as not only lasted many days but was to Cromwel's Commissioners in whom the Supream Authority of the Nation was at that time And have not the Witchcrafts in New-England been such of latter Years that the very Governour and Deputy-Governour there have thought it worth their whiles to attest them I know these things rather illustrate the Power of the Devil than the Kingdom of God but what of that if these
can we help it Very well the case is plain then the Priest will never be a Butcher himself so long as he can get the Magistrate to do his Drudgery pray God on the other side the Magistrate learn so much Wit as not to be Butcher and Villain too to serve him Besides in this we have gained another point too in seeing how plainly the Churches have all renounced Persecution therefore thus far I may say we are clear the Power is in the State or no where therefore there we will fix and there alone we will endeavour to bound it To begin therefore to say that the State has no Right to meddle in Religion is as false as to say that they may Persecute illimitably if Peace be the care of the State and Religion supported or abused tends to the advance or detriment of the Peace 't is plain Religion's as great an Object of the State 's care as any thing Besides this I might shew how David and Joshua and all the other Holy Men of Old declared this Obligation upon them as Magistrates but as at present I shall rather Argue from a Climax of Fundamental Reason of State than bare Scripture-Proof so I shall pass such Topicks by Propositions for the Necessity of Religion in States 1. States are all Contracts as all Contracts therefore depend Originally upon Religion having no other Obligations so 't is plain that no State can have any other Basis than Religion 2. That this is so irrisistible a Reason for the State 's care of Religion that one may add that even Rebellion does not more ruin the Walls than Irreligion the Foundation of States 3. That it will also follow from hence and as is indeed every day attested by Experience not only that the more united the Religion of the State the surer also must the State be but that the better the Religion the happier the State also in truth Religion 's the very Cement of States and if that be naught all 's naught 4. And lastly Hence also it must follow not only that a loose and absolute Toleration must be odious both to God and Man but that the more divided the Religion in a State is the weaker the State is and that such States are naturally Self-murderers as do not take care to encourage any Religion at all The two Consequences therefore that follow from hence are 1st That every State is bound rather than fail by a moderate force to encourage some Religion or other and if possibly the best 2dly And that for the same Reason also they are as much bound to punish all manner of Atheism Irreligion and Libertinism as any other Crimes whatever Propositions for the Necessity of one National Church 1. As the Unity of Truth cannot let Magistrates love all Religions alike so the Established Religion can be but one and that both in Conscience and Interest too since but to think of setling more were equally unsincere and vain to their purpose 2. That all States have this Power alike and consequently may justly presume their Churches and Faiths to be right when sincerely chosen by them and consequently that all Subjects are bound in Conscience at least to assent in Peace to such Choice if not Worship for fear of worse consequences and as the less ought to bear with and be ruled by the greater 3. That all Men on the same Account may be justly required to contribute to the Religion of the State as much as any other Tax and that be it what it will since 't is for the support of Religion in general and not the particular Sect that they are bound to it 4. That Hereticks and Schismaticks for the same Reason may be justly kept under by moderate Penalties both as they confound Religion and destroy its Unity and consequently in the end the State together with it and on this Account the Church and State are both bound in Conscience mutually to preserve and help each other 5. That such also may be most justly debar'd from all manner of Power and Office in the State and that if occasion with the severest Penalties lest by their mutual Jarrings they not only endanger the Peace of the Church but the State together with it 6. That though many have cryed up an absolute Toleration of all Religions in contradiction of this yet as has been often and plainly experienced it has been rather that they designed to wrest the Power for themselves or that they have not cared for any Religion and so endeavoured to confound all than that they could pretend any Sense or Conscience for it 7. And lastly That therefore this seems but as a moderate and just mean betwixt the Tyranny of afflicting Tender Consciences on the one side and the looseness of a Barbarous and Irreligious State of the other Rules for the Punishment of Irreligion and Religious Offences 1. That for the same Reason the State is bound to take care of Religion Atheists and Libertines require immediate Banishment as Men Outlawing themselves and in truth I little doubt but that did not their petty numbers and shifts protect them rather than their merits they would find themselves generally served but little better 2. That he that openly Blasphemes God be treated as an Atheist and he that publickly professes no Religion as a Libertine 3. That violent Hereticks and Schismaticks be punished as Men that are Seditious and Railing Controverters as Libellers without Religion should Apologize for the Disturbances they hazard and which it should rather aggravate for the Abuse 4. That if Men hold Dominion to be founded in Grace that that is to dethrone the State by Principle and that such Men deserve our Pity just as much as High-way Men that Rob out of Conscience and because that they think that all things ought to be in Common 5. That Jesuits and Emissaries who transfer the Supremacy by the same Reason deserve just as much as Spies and Plotters if not worse a treble Retribution I mean as Rogues by Principle are dyed of the deepest grain 6. That beyond this that to hinder Men from exercising their particular Religions is either by a necessity to promote Irreligion or if after you force them to the Religion of the State to oppress weaker Consciences and make Hypocrites of them 7. And lastly therefore that on these terms as the Jews of old did if our Peace be not endangered Children are not sacrificed nor Beasts in time of Famine even the very Heathens much more Jews Turks and our Brother Christians of all sorts ought to have a full and free Enjoyment of their Liberty of Conscience amongst us Et floreat qui valet Objections that seem to deserve an Answer 1. That you think this Force too little and an Inquisition necessary Ay a fine way indeed to spoil all again by another such irreformable State as Popery 2. But may be you 'll say this Force is too much yes yes I know your meaning you