of Opinion And notwithstanding any other differences that are or could be Unity of Communion and Charity and mutual Toleration by which means all Schism and Heresie would be banished the world and those wretched contentions which now rend and tear in pieces not the Coat but the members and bowels of Christ with mutual Pride and Tyranny and Cursing Killing and Damning would fain make mortal should speedily receive a most blessed Catastrophe But of this hereafter when we shall come to the Question of Schism wherein I perswade my self that I shall plainly shew that the most vehement Accusers are the greatest Offenders and that they are indeed at this time the greatest Schismaticks who make the way to Heaven narrower the Yoke of Christ heavier the differences of Faith greater the conditions of Ecclesiastical Government harder and stricter than they were made at the beginning by Christ and his Apostles they who talk of Unity and aim at Tyranny and will have peace with none but with their Slaves and Vassals Pref. N. 30. For what one Conclusion is there in the whole Fabrick of my Discourse that is not naturally deducible out of this one Principle That all things necessary to Salvation are evidently contained in the Scriptures Or what one Conclusion almost of importance is there in your Book which is not by this one clearly confutable Grant this and it will presently follow in opposition to your first Conclusion and the Argument of your first Chapter That amongst men of different Opinions touching the obscure and controverted Questions of Religion such as may with probability be disputed on both sides and such are the disputes of Protestants good men and Lovers of Truth of all sides may be saved because all necessary things being supposed evident concerning them with men so qualified there will be no difference there being no more certain sign that a point is not evident than that honest and understanding and indifferent men and such as give themselves liberty of Judgment after a mature consideration of the matter differ about it Of Disagreeing Protestants Ans to Pref. N. 26. 1. The most disagreeing Protestants that are yet thus far agree that these Books of Scripture which were never doubted of in the Church are the undoubted Word of God and a perfect Rule of Faith 2. That the sense of them which God intended whatsoever it is is certainly true so that they believe implicitly even those very truths against which they err and why an implicit faith in Christ and his Word should not suffice as well as an implicit faith in your Church I have desired to be resolved by many of your side but never could 3. That they are to use their best endeavours to believe the Scripture in true sense and to live according to it This if they perform as I hope many on all sides do truly and sincerely it is impossible but that they should believe aright in all things necessary to Salvation that is in all those things that pertain to the Covenant between God and Man in Christ for so much is not only plainly but frequently contained in Scripture and believing aright the Covenant if they for their parts perform the condition required of them which is sincere obedience why should they not expect that God will perform his promise and give them Salvation For as for other things which lye without the Covenant and are therefore less necessary if by reason of the seeming Conflict which is oftentimes between Scripture Reason and Authority on the one side and Scripture Reason and Authority on the other if by reason of the variety of Tempers Abilities Educations and unavoidable Prejudices whereby mens Understandings are variously formed and fashioned they do embrace several opinions whereof some must be erroneous to say that God will damn them for such errors who are Lovers of him and Lovers of Truth is to rob man of his Comfort and God of his Goodness it is to make man desperate and God a Tyrant Ib. N. 27. That it is sufficient for any mans Salvation that he believe the Scripture that he endeavour to believe it in the true sence of it as far as concerns his duty and that he conform his life unto it either by Obedience or Repentance He that does so and all Protestants according to the Dictamen of their Religion should do so may be secured that he cannot err fundamentally so that notwithstanding their differences and your presumption the same Haven may receive them all Ib. N. 29. Who can find fault with him De potter for saying If through want of means of Instruction Incapacity invincible or probable Ignorance a man dye in error he may be saved But if he be negligent in seeking truth unwilling to find it either doth or will not see it or might see it and will not that his case is dangerous and without repentance desperate Ch. 1. N. 11. Methinks with much more reason and much more charity you must suppose that many of these Controversies which are now disputed among Christians all which profess themselves Lovers of Christ and truly desirous to know his will and do it are either not decidable by that means which God hath provided and so not necessary to be decided or if they be yet not so plainly and evidently as to oblige men to hold one way Or lastly if decidable and evidently decided yet you may hope that the erring part by reason of some Veil before their eyes some excusable ignorance or unavoidable prejudice does not see the question to be decided against him and so opposes not that which he doth know to be the word of God but only that which you know to be so and which he might know were he void of prejudice which is a fault I confess but a fault which is incident even to good and honest Men very often and not of such a Gigantick Disposition as you make it to flie directly upon God Almighty and to give him the Lye to his Face Of the Necessity of a Visible Judge in Controversies of Religion as well as in Civil Matters Ch. 1. N. 17. In Civil Controversies we are obliged only to external passive obedience and not to an internal and active We are bound to obey the sentence of the Judge or not to resist it but not always to believe it just But in matters of Religion such a Judge is required whom we should be obliged to believe to have judged right so that in Civil Controversies every honest and understanding Man is fit to be a Judge but in Religion none but he that is infallible 5. In Civil Causes there is means and power when the Judge has decreed to compel men to obey his Sentence otherwise I believe Laws alone would be to as much purpose for the ending of Differences as Laws and Judges both But all the power in the World is neither fit to convince nor able to compel a Man's Conscience to consent to any thing
Mr. Chillingvvorth's Judgment OF THE RELIGION OF PROTESTANTS OF SCRIPTURE THE Only Rule OF DIFFERENCES AMONG PROTESTANTS OF USING FORCE IN Matters of Religion c. WITH A Preface to the Reader giving the Reason of Publishing these Passages LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1680 TO THE READER HE that is arrived at such a degree of wickedness that his Principles will allow him to equivocate in the most solemn Asseverations and to put on any person or shape for the carrying on his Designs has thereby a great advantage over the common people who being more honest and simple can scarce think it possible that men professing God and Religion should admit of principles and practices so diametrically contrary and men that are prepossessed with prejudices of envy ill-will or the like against their Neighbours do readily embrace those mens suggestions against these how false and groundless soever they be Hence it is that our Popish Enemies having no other way to save themselves from the Demerits of their Hellish Plots do very industriously by Pamphlets and otherwise labour to beget and encrease enmity among dissenting Protestants And they so far prevail that notwithstanding the destructin designed by them against Protestants yet some have greater enmity and bitterness towards those that differ from them either in lesser points of Religion or in sentiments about civil Matters than against the Papists themselves Which may be perceived not only in common converse but even in the Pulpit it self whence I must confess I have sometimes heard though not in my own Parish discourses so full of rancor and bitterness against dissenting Protestants that I could not but greatly bewail the ill tendencies thereof and at the same time was glad my Children and Servants were not there that they might not learn by such Rhetorical Invectives to malign their Neighbours instead of loving their Enemies as Christ has commanded These men pretending great zeal for the Government and Church of England as those Members of the last long Parliament also did who were expelled thence for being Papists will difficulty allow any other but such as themselves to be at all Protestants Wherefore I thought it would be of service to Protestantism or Reformed Christianity to mind my Country-men of the Judgment of the Learned and Judicious Mr. Chillingworth concerning the Religion of Protestants the Differences among them the use of Force and Compulsion in Religion private judgment of Conscience in dissent from publick and some other matters controverted between Protestants and Papists which I have collected out of his Book Intituled The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation and which I hope will be of the greater prevalency with some not only for the great strength of reason and judgment found therein but moreover for that Mr. Chillingworth had himself been once of the Roman Church and had therefore experience as well as judgment to guide him in these matters He wrote also in the year 1637 which was before the following unnatural War He was not only of the Church of England himself which he defended against the Papists but his Book had the approbation of the then Vice-Chancellor and both the Kings and Margret Professor's of Divinity in the University of Oxon. the very chief men in Office there Their Approbation take in their own words Englished for the sake of those that know not Latine Let this Book be committed to the Press the Title whereof is The Religion of Protestants â— a safe way to Salvation In which there is nothing contrary to good manners to the Doctrine and Discipline asserted in the Church of England Rich. Bayley Vice-Canc Oxon. I have read over this Book the Title of which is The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation In which I find nothing contrary to the Doctrine and Discipline of the English Church but very many things which notably illustrate the Orthodox Faith and do acutely clearly and modestly dissipate the contrary Glosses Jo. Prideaux S. T. P. Regius Oxon. I Samuel Fell publick Professor of Theology in the University of Oxford and Ordinary Lecturer of Lady Margaret Gountess of Richmond have read over the Book the Title of which is The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation In which I find nothing contrary to the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or to good manners but many things strongly and modestly discussed against the adversaries of our Church and the Catholick Truth which he happily defends Dated Oct. 14. anno 1637. Samuel Fell. This Book was Dedicated by Mr. Will. Chillingworth to his Majesty Charles I. and is generally approved by Learned Protestants as the ablest Defence of the Protestants Cause against the Papists that is any where extant There was another Edition of this Book Licensed by G. Stradling ann 1663 Chaplain to the then Arch-Bishop of Cant. in these words Englished I have read over this Book the Title of which The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation also nine Sermons lately added In all which I find nothing contrary to the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England but that it may be Printed with the greatest profit of all men I have transcribed these testimonies for the sake of those that crack The Church of England The Church of England They are the only Protestants c. By which it appears that they do not understand the Religion of Protestants or else for sinister ends conceal their knowledge I am perswaded that these Collections may give occasion to some that have not to read the Book and to others to be more moderate in their Censures of Dissenting Protestants It would be very happy for us all if we put in practice faithfully his advice which tends so much to love and peace that it would contribute much both to our present weal and eternal happiness Mr. Chillingvvorth's Judgment OF THE RELIGION OF Protestants etc. Of the Religion of Protestants CHap. 6. Nom. 56. Know then Sir that when I say the Religion of Protestants is in prudence to be preferred before yours as on the other side I do not understand by your Religion the Doctrine of Bellarmine or Baronius or any other private man amongst you nor the Doctrine of the Sorbon or of the Jesuits or of the Dominicans or of any other particular Company amongst you but that wherein you all agree or profess to agree The Doctrine of the Council of Trent so accordingly on the other side by The Religion of Protestants I do not understand the Doctrine of Luther or Calvin or Melanchton nor the Confession of Augusta or Geneva nor the Catechism of Heidelburg nor the Articles of the Church of England no nor the Harmony of Protestant Confessions but that wherein they all agree and which they all subscribe with a greater Harmony as a perfect Rule of their Faith and Actions that is the BIBLE the BIBLE I say the
worldly terror may prevail so far asto make Men profess a Religion which they believe not such men I mean who know not that there is a Heaven provided for Martyrs and a Hell for those that dissemble such Truths as are necessary to be professed but to force either any man to believe what he believes not or any honest man to dissemble what he does believe if God commands him to profess it or to profess what he does not believe all the powers in the world are too weak with all the powers of Hell to assist them 7. In Civil Matters it is impossible Titius should hold the Land in question and Sempronius too and therefore either the Plaintiff must injure the Defendant by disquieting his Possession or the Defendant wrong the Plaintiff by keeping his Right from him But in Controversies of Religion the case is otherwise I may hold my opinion and do you no wrong and you yours and do me none Nay we may both of us hold our opinion and yet do our selves no harm provided the difference be not touching any thing necessary to Salvation and that we love truth so well as to be diligent to inform our Conscience and constant in following it Concerning Errors Damnable or not Damnable Ch. 3. N. 52. I answer that these Differences between Protestants concerning Errors damnable and not damnable Truths fundamental and not fundamental may be easily reconciled for either the Error they speak of may be purely and simply involuntary or it may be in respect of the cause of it voluntarily If the cause of it be some voluntary and unavoidable fault the error is it self sinful and consequently in its own nature damnable as if by negligence in seeking the Truth by unwillingness to find it by pride by obstinacy by desiring that Religion should be true which suits best with my ends by fear of mens ill opinion or any other worldly fear or any worldly hope I betray my self to any error contrary to any divine revealed Truth that error may be justly styled a Sin and consequently of it self to such an one damnable but if I be guilty of none of these faults but be desirous to know the truth and diligent in seeking it and advise not at all with flesh and blood a-about the choice of my Opinions but only with God and that Reason that he hath given me If I be thus qualifyed and yet through humane infirmity fall into error that error cannot be damnable Again the Party erring may be conceived either to dye with Contrition for all his Sins known and unknown or without it If he dye without it this error in it self is damnable will be likewise so unto him if he dye with Contrition as his error can be no impediment but he may his error though in it self damnable to him according to your Doctrine will not prove so Of using Force in matters of Religion Ch. 5. N. 96. But they endeavoured to force the Society whereof they were parts to be healed and reformed as they were and if it refused they did when they had power drive them away even their Superiors both Spiritual and Temporal as is notorious The proofs hereof are wanting and therefore I might defer my Answer until they were produced yet take this before hand If they did so then herein in my opinion they did amiss for I have learnt from the ancient Fathers of the Church that Nothing is more against Religion than to force Religion and of St. Paul The Weapons of the Christian Warfare are not Carnal And great Reason For humane violence may make men counterfeit but cannot make them believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed Form without and Atheism within Besides if this means of bringing men to embrace any Religion were generally used as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have power and think they have truth certainly they cannot with reason deny but that it may be used in every place by those that have power as well as they and think they have truth as well as they what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of Truth but perhaps only of the profession of it in one place and the oppression of it in a hundred what will follow from it but the preservation peradventure of Unity but peradventure only of Uniformity in particular States and Churches but the immortalizing the greater and more lamentable Divisions of Christendom and the World And therefore what can follow from it but perhaps in the judgment of carnal Policy the temporal Benefit and Tranquillity of Temporal States and Kingdoms but the infinite prejudice if not the dissolution of the Kingdom of Christ And therefore it well becomes them who have their Portions in this life who serve no higher State than that of England or Spain or France nor this neither any further than they may serve themselves by it who think of no other happiness but the preservation of their own Fortunes and Tranquillity in this World who think of no other means to preserve States but humane Power and Machiavilian Policy and believe no other Creed but this Regi aut Civitati Imperium habenti nihil unjustum quod utile Such men as these it may become to maintain by worldly power and violence their State Instrument Religion for if all be vain and false as in their judgment it is the present whatsoever is better than any because it is already setled An alteration of it may draw with it change of States and the change of State the subversion of their Fortune but they that are indeed Servants and Lovers of Christ of Truth of the Church and of Mankind ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as a common enemy of all these They that know there is a King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whose Will and Pleasure Kings and Kingdoms stand and fall they know that to no King or State any thing can be profitable which is unjust and that nothing can be more evidently unjust than to force weak men by the Profession of a Religion which they believe not to lose their own Eternal Happiness out of a vain and needless fear lest they may possibly disturb their temporal quietness there being no danger to any State from any mans Opinion unless it be such an Opinion by which disobedience to Authority or Impiety is taught or Licensed which sort I confess may justly be punished as well as other faults or unless this sanguinary Doctrine be joyned with it That it is lawful for him by humane violence to enforce others to it Chap. 4. N. 16. This presumptuous imposing of the Senses of men upon the words of God the special senses of men upon the general words of God and laying them upon mens Consciences together under the equal penalty of Death and Damnation This vain Conceit that we can speak of the things of God better than the words of God this deifying our own interpretations and Tyrannous enforcing them upon others this restraining of the word of God from that Latitude and Generality and the Understandings of men from that liberty wherein Christ and the Apostles left them this perswasion is no singularity of mine but the Doctrine which I have learned from Divines of great Learning and Judgment Let the Reader be pleased to peruse the seventh Book of Acont de Strat. Satanae and Zanch. his last Oration delivered by him after the composing of the discord between him and Amervachius and he shall confess as much is and hath been the only Fountain of all the Schisms of the Church and that which makes them immortal The common Incendiary of Christendom and that which as I said before tears in pieces not the Coat but the Bowels and Members of Christ Ridente Turca nec dolente Judaeo take away these Walls of Separation and all will quickly be one Take away this Persecuting Burning Cursing Damning of men for not subscribing to the words of men as the words of God require of Christians only to believe Christ and to call no man Master but him only let those leave claiming Infallibility that have no Title to it and let them that in their Words disclaim it disclaim it likewise in their Actions In a word take away Tyranny which is the Devils Instrument to support Errors and Superstitions and Impieties in the several parts of the world which could not otherwise long withstand the power of Truth I say take away Tyranny and restore Christians to their just and full liberty of Captivating their Understanding to Scripture only and as Rivers when they have a free passage run all to the Ocean so it may well be hoped by Gods blessing that universal Liberty thus moderated may quickly reduce Christendom to Truth and Unity These thoughts of Peace I am perswaded may come from the God of Peace and to his Blessing I recommend them FINIS