whilst the World was filly enough to be imposed upon by those little Artifices we had scarce a New Shrine Altar place of Pilgrimage erected but upon pretence of some rising from the Dead or an Angel from Heaven or a Letter from the Virgin Mary or some such Pious Frauds and Religious Cheats which the Priests had at their Fingers ends Let us now consider the Enquirers Discourse upon this Principle That all absolutely necessaries are so determined we readily grant says he and that all those Rites prescribed by our Saviour are necessary to be obserued we will yield them but that nothing is lawful but what is to be found so prescribed we utterly deny And so do we Let that end the Controversie When Rethoricians have flanted it out in fine Language and Ruffled a little in Phrase apposite words and expressions they have satisfied their Office and are not obliged by the Rules of their Art either to state the Question or speak to it Something may be practised which is not prescribed that we grant but from something to every thing is too great a Leap for Bucephalus From practising to prescribing is another large stride from Circumstances to Ceremonies is a third from Civil things to Sacred is one more from Indifferent to Necessary Conditions of Church Communion may go for another and from the common Accidents that attend the Worshippers as Men to Parts of worship are Inferences which we can neither make to lead or drive 2. We come now to a second Judaical Principle That all Princes and Law-givers are bound to conform the Municipal Laws of their several Dominions to the Institutions of Moses This indeed has a strong taint of Jewish Leaven in 't which they who plead so Zealously for the Ius Divinum of Tythes and Holiness of Places because Moses once put off his Shooes may do well to advise upon the Non-conformists for ought I know are little concern'd in 't We grant that there is no necessity that the Temporal Sanction even of the Moral Law it self should be the same under the Gospel that it was under the Administration of Moses That the Violaters of the Lords days Holy Rest should be stoned as the infringer of the Sabhath was of old the Adulterers should be punish'd with Death or a Blasphemer endure the same now which then was exacted Law-givers do consider the tempers and dispositions of their Subjects in these matters we are no further concerned herein then to pray that they who moderate the Affairs of the Empires of this World may be directed with Wisdom from above may order all things in a subserviency to his Glory by whom they Reign and the publick peace welfare and prosperity 3. A Third Instance is in Excommunication Which says he they hold must be by a Synod or Presbytery and the Prince as well as the People must be subject to the Sentence Here are several Questions that invite our serious debate as 1. What is the proper Seat of the power of Excommunication 2. Who are the proper Objects of this Power 3. Whether to fix the power of Excommunication be a Judaical Principle And 4. Whether a Prince may come under the Edge of that Sword Any one of which would require more room then I have allotted my self to turn in What I shall say is this 1. That the Synod or Presbytery are the Seat of Excommunication carries as fair proof at least as the Chancellor who is a Lay-man or at best a Deacon of no Scripture Institution can show for himself by Divine Right 2. That all scandalous persons are lyable to that Censure is true in the general but that it may not be executed upon a Supreme Magistrate arises from peculiar Maximes of Government upon which the safety of a Kingdom depends I know not that this is a Principle of the N. C. for my part I disown it 3. That this was a Jewish Principle to excommunicate their Kings I do not certainly know nor date positively determine That they received any such standing Law from God I do not find That a High-Priest did once actually separate a King upon the score of his Leprosie we read and that others perhaps would not do as much if a Prince pleased not their Humours we have no security I should shrowdly suspect their Inclinations this way whoever they were that inseâ—…ed this Doctrine into our Bibles which we find in the Contents of the 149. Psalm The Prophet exhorteth to Praise God for that Power he hath given to the Church to Rule the Consciences of Men Which they refer to v. 5. and the following Let the Saints be joyful in Glory let them sing aloud upon their Beds Let the high Praises of God be in their Mouth and a two edged Sword in their Hand To execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the People To bind their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron If this be the Power God has given the Church over the Consciences of Men the Non-conformists did not insert it and wish it may be expunged the Bible 4. He must by no means omit their Superstitions about the Lords day which must be called a Sabbath too though such Name is no where given it either in the New Testament or any Anâ—… Writer that he knows of Here are two Branches the first de Nâ—…mine the second de Re. 1. De Nomine whether the Lords-day may be called a Sabbath especially with the usual Epithete The Christian Sabbath That it must be so called as he falsifies the N. C. assert not That it may be so called they are willing to enter a sober discourse with him when he is at leisure A Sabbath in general signifies no more then a Day of Rest. And he that owns the day may be called the Lords-day must needs own it to be a resting day and by consequence a Sabbath day and the greatest fault herein is that it 's good in English but stark naught in Hebrew Nay there 's somewhat more will follow This day of which we speak is called the Lords-day Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords-day And the reason of the Appellation is this because the Lord Iesus has a special interest and propriety in that day As the great standing Ordinance of the Gospel is called the Lords-Supper 1 Cor. 11. because it was instituted by Him and was to be devoted to Communion with him so this day is called the Lords-day because it was determin'd by him and ought to be dedicated to him in his Service and Worship that we may approve our selves eminently the Lords Servants upon that day which is eminently the Lords-day And if so it will challenge the Title not only of a day of Rest but Holy Rest And if Men were not swarming full of Crotchets and Idle Whimseys and Superstitious Dotages they would never scruple to call that a Holy Sabbath day which they must confess a Holy resting day But how came this precise qualm over our Enquirers heart that he is so skittish at the word Sabbath because
forsooth it 's not given the Day in the New Testament They have some singular priviledge and prerogative surely that may institute what Officers what Offices they please though neither Name nor Thing be found there nor print nor mark of the least Foot-step when the poor Non-conformists may not use indifferently an innocent word which signifies no more in it self then he will acknowledge to be found there But how is this a point of Judaism or how one of the nearer causes of separation If it be we may confidently say we have imbibed both from the Liturgy of the Church which teaches the Minister to rehearse the Fourth Commandment Remember the sabbath-Sabbath-day to keep it Holy and then enjoins us all to pray Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law but if this Word this Dactrine be of such pernicious a contagion as to insect us with Judaism and Non-conformity we have need of another miserere â—…i Deus for keeping it That this name Sabbath applyed to the Christian Holy-day of Rest is found in Ancient Writers I shall not urge Ignat. Epist. ad Magnes Let every one of us keep the Sabbath spiritually not in bodily case only but in the study of the Law Not the Author of the Sermons de Tempore none of Austins for any mans word will go further then his for so we rightly sanctifie the Lords Sabbath as the Lord hath said In it thou shalt do no manner of work but this I shall say that he that denies it to be a Day of Holy Rest it 's no great matter what he calls it And he that owns it such must be most rediculously obstinate that denies it may properly be so called 2 We come to the dispute De Re. And first he charges the N. C. That the Lords-day amongst them must have all the Nicety of Observation that the Iewish Sabbath had and which is yet worse such Observation thereof is made one of the principal parts of Religion What the Non-conformists hold and practise in this point is so well known from their Writings and Conversations that no man can possibly slander them but he must do it against his Conscience which had the Enquirer attended to it would have tought him other Language what was the practice of the best Christians who lived up in any good measure to the Holiness of their Profession that is the practice of the Non-conformists and wherein they come short have cause to be humbled in the sight of God If any Indâ—…viduals have added any Jewish Austeriâ—…ies or invented any Superstitious severities to make the day a Legal Yoke we wish they may be no more favouraâ—…ly dealt with then those other Additions that have been made to Religion For the publick Service of the day I shall give the Reader a piece of Clemens Rom. lib. 2. cap. 59. On the Lords-day frequent more carefully the Temple of the Lord that ye may praise God who made all things by Iesus Christ whom he sent unto us and suffered him to dye for us and raised him from the dead for what can excuse him with God who meets not to hear the saving Word of God concerning the Resurrection On which day we pray thrice standing remembring him who after three days rose again For the private observation of the day the same Author lib. 5. cap. 9. thus We admonish you Brethren and Fellow-Servants that you fly vain words and filthiness pleasant jests 〈◊〉 for on the Lords days which are our days of Rejoicings we do not permit you to do or speak any thing not savoury for the Scripture sâ—…h serve the Lord with fear St. Hierom commends the Aegyptian Monks that they designed the Lords days wholly to Prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures The Author of the Sermons De tempore This day is called the Lords-day that in it abstaining from all earthly works and worldly pleasures we should only give our selves to the service of the Lord Let us therefore Brethren observe the Lords day and sanctifie it as it was commanded them of old concerning the Sabbath If our Enquirer had the trimming up of this Author he had dressed him up for a Marane a baptized Jew Chrysost. on Gen. 2. God from the beginning did insinuate unto us this instruction to set apart and separate one whole day in the Circle of every Week for spiritual exercises And in Homil. 5. on Math. Let us prescribe this as an unmoveable Law to our selves to our Wives and Children to set aside one day of the Week and that wholly to hearing and laying up of things heard Isidore Hispalensis The Apostles therefore ordained the Lords-day to be kept with Religious Solemnities because in it our Redeemer rose from the Dead which was therefore called the Lords-day that resting on the same from all Earthly â—…ts and temptations of the World we might intend Gods holy Worship giving this day due Honour for the hope of the Resurrection we have therein But because our Enquirer admires the Piety of former Ages in this our Britain I shall come a little home and see what were the publick Constitutions of our own Nation Leg. Inae cap. 〈◊〉 An. 692. Si servus operetur die Dominied per praecepâ—… domine sui sit liber Dominus emendet 308. ad Witam siâ—…servus sine testimonio Domini sui operetur Corium perdat i. e. vapulet si liber operetur ipso die sine iussu Domini sui perdat libertatem If a Servant work on the Lords-day at his Masters Command let him be free and his Master be fined thirty shillings If a Servant without his Masters Order do any work let him be whipped If a freed Man work on that day without the Command of his Master let him lose his Freedom Concil Bergham cap. 10. An. 697. Si in vesperâ praecedente Diem solis postquam sol occubuit autin vesperâ praecedente Diem Lunae post occasum solis servus ex mandato Domini sui opus aliquod servile egerit Dominus factum octaginta solidis Luito If a Servant on the Evening before Sunday after Sun-set or on the Evening before Monday after Sunset shall do any servile work by Order of his Master let his Master pay for his fault 4 pounds c. 11. If a Servant on those days shall travel let him pay to his Master siâ—… shillings or be whipped c. 12. If a Free-man be guilty of the same offence let him be liable to the Pillory Excerpt Egb. Archiepiscopi Eborac An. Chr. 750 c. 36. God the Creatour of all things made Man on the sixth d'ay and upon the Sabbath he rested from all his Labours and sanctified the Sabbath for the future signification of the sufferings of Christ and his rest in the Grave He did not rest because he was weary who made all things without Labour whose Omnipotency cannot be wearied and
this over-charged slander may not recoil and hurt the Enquirer But though he be very uncharitable I shall endeavour to give the most charitable construction of his words that they will bear And therefore observe That though he be engaged not to render evil for evil yet he never promised not to render evil for good § 2. If being a Clergy-man says he and continuing in the Church he shall debauch his Office and undermine the Church which he should uphold such an man also may then debauch his life too and yet have a very charitable construction among the generality of Dissenters What must Enemies expect from this Man who has no mercy an his Friends There are many Holy and Learned persons now within the Bosom of the Church who having considered the terms of enjoying the more publick exercise of their Ministry have overcome the difficulties of Subscription and do yet retain their former Orthodoxy and sobriety of Conversation These perâ—…ons knowing what Conscience is do exercise great tenderness towards it in their Brethren who cannot get over their rubs and obstacles and these if I mistake not are the Glory of the Church of England for purity of Doctrine and piety of Conversation for all true Learning and useful knowledge Against these persons The Enquirer has a desperate stitch as those that undermine the Church which they should uphold that is if they condescend never so little to a tender Conscience in one of those little institutions which themselves cal indifferent the whole Church must presently fall about their Ears but if the Church were built upon Christ the Rock and not upon the Wool-packs of Ceremonies such condescension would never undermine it These are taxed also with debauching their Office And indeed if the Office of Ministers be to become Informers If Preaching the Gospel be nothing but to make a Pâ—…ther about Ceremonies I hope they will debauch it still but that any of these do debaucâ—… their Lives and are thereupon more acceptable to Dissenters is a loâ—…d falshood only to let us understand how wel he has learned Christ. § 3. If a man says he be of the most Holy Conversation but Zealous for the Interest of the Church this man shall have worsâ—… Quarter from the fiery Zealots of other parties then one of a more loose life and meaner abilities Let no man reply If a man be of a loose Convâ—…rsation and but Zealous of the Grandeur and for the Ceremonies of the Church this man shall have fairer quarter and more encouraging preferments from the fiery Bigots of Conformity then one of a severe life and greater ministerial Abilitits To interpret this mystâ—…ry we must inform our selves what is the Churchâ—…s true Interest as it is a Church It s very easie to mistake in stating the True interest of any Society and if we mistake there its impossible we should be regular in the means of pursuing it An errour in the first concoction is never rectified in the second The true Interest of every true Church of Christ is to promote Holiness and Conformity to his Commands engaging thereby his presence and protection and a Spirit of Love and Peace amongst its members though under some variety of apprehension in Adiaphorous matters The mistake is to advance a Churches secular Grandeur external splendour and worldly pomp which every true Christian in his Baptism has renounced toâ—…ether with all the works of the Devil and the lusts of the flesh If ever a Church shall be so far mistaken as to judge worldly Glory its true interest I know not why it may not also mistake the works of the Devil and the lusts of the flesh to be its true Intereâ—…t also A Conforming Minister who despising that false understands and pursues this true Interest is truly dear to all the Non-conformists but for those who are so deluded as to think it lies in destroying and ruining all that are not satisfied with their Canons and Constitutions however aliene and forreign to the temper of the Gospel they confess they are no great admirers of them whatever appearance of Holiness they may make If the Interest of a Faction shall lie in sending poâ—… Christians to the Alms-house of New-gate and the Hospital of Bedlam and will give no Quarter to the most Holy and Religious if they fail in two or three Niceties I must needs say I see no reason why such should adorn themselves with the plumes of Gravity and Devotion to render their Inhumanity more plausible 2. But he has somewhat further to say then all this If impertinent and fantastical talking of Religion endless scrupulosities censorious and rash judging our Superiours Melancholy sighing going from Sermon to Sermon without allowing our selves time to meditate on what we hear or to instruct our Families be the main Points of Religion then the Non-conformists are Holy Men. And now I hope the Reader is abundantly satisfied that the Enquirer has otherwise Learned Christ than to render Evil for Evil that he dares not furnish Atheism and Prophaness with an Apologie That he makes a Conscience of affording a spectacle to evil Men That he dares not for a World dress Religion in a Phantastical Habit. that Boys may laugh at it This is his Constantines Robe which he casts over scandalous Commissions Serious Discourses about the concerns of the World to come about our own death and the day of Judgment is Phantastical talking Tenderness of Conscience Holy fear of sinning against God is endless scrupulosity Modest refusal to practise every thing commanded though Reason Judgement Scripture Reclaim is Censuring and Rash Iudgment of Superiours Godly sorrw must be melancholly sighing attending upon Gods Word Preached shall be running from Sermon to Sermon And a downright falshood added to close up the whole That they neither allow themselves time to meditate of what they have heard nor to instruct their Families And yet if they shall dare to practise this last with a few of their weaker Neighbours that drop in to hear a Sermon repeated they shall be lyable to the Law and punished as Seditious Conventiclers and railed at as Schismatiâ—…ks When all is said and done Machiavils old Rule is a Sacred Maxime with these sort of Men Fortiter calumniare aliquid adharebit Throw Dirt enough and some ont ' will stick Wild-fire flies further than the Water that should Quench it A Reproach will run where a just Vindication will not creep Had the Providence of God allotted the Non-conformists their abode any where but amongst those whose Interest it is to render them Odious they might have pass'd for good Christians It would be difficult to hire Men to be Instruments of Cruelty if they were not first perswaded that they are Ministers of Iustice and the only way to perswade that is to represent Dissenters as the off-scowring of all things not fit to live a day The best way to take away the life is to render it abominable None can handsomly
out of Heaven and a Key to let them in again 4. They that have been ejected by that 〈◊〉 find no evil consequences in their ejected state In the Primitive times it was therefore terrible because Christ abbetted his own Ordinance administred for his own Spiritual Ends in his own Regular way but now Men dare not trust Christ with his own Work but have supplied his vengeance with a Significavit a Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo delivering Men over to the Sheriff whom thereby they call the Devil by craft but otherwise the Excommunicated Person cats his Bread and drinks his Wine with a Chearful Heart because the Lord has accepted him 3. That so few frequent the Church is because they have either been scoffed or railed or beaten out of doors or barred out by Conditions not comporting with Scripture Rule and Warrant Men know that Christ must be their Judge to him they must give an account of their Souls and Worship in the Great Day and therefore they are willing to Worship God according to his Will revealed in his Sacred Word unless any can give them Counter-security to save harmless and indemnifie them before his dreadful Tribunal And if they must suffer for such resolved adherence to a Scriprure Religion they have only this humbly to reply Daveniam Imperator Tu Carcerem Ille Gehennam Christ threatens a Hell the Law only menaces a Goal 4. That the Liturgy was then counted a principal part of Gods Worship we cannot help We judge that none but God can make the least much less a principal part of Gods Worship God only knows which way he will be Worship'd with Acceptation And it is our grear Happiness that he has acquainted us with that Will of his in his Word to which we apply our selves for our Directory and are not sollicitous about Apocryphal Rubrics As to matters concerning Religion Nature Teacheth no further than the Obligation to the Duâ—…y but leaves the particular determination of the manner of Obedience to Divine Positive Laws So we are instructed from the Author of Origin Sacrae p. 171. 5. That it is now become the great point of Sanctity to scruple every thing was not spoken with that regard to Honesty and Truth as might have been expected from a Compassionate Enquirer They scruple being Holier than Christ has commanded them wiser in matters of Religious Worship than the Scriptures are able to make them They scruple giving up their Consciences to those whom they see no great reason to trust till better evidence be given how they regard their own They scruple all Retreats in Reformation and all Retrograde Motions towards Evangelical Perfection and Purity and they with our Enquirer would scruple a little more this overlashing That it 's an Essential part of some Mens Religion to be Censorious And a great point of Sanctity to scruple every thing Let him then continue to Lament the change and we will pray that God will make a more through change reducing Doctrine Worship Discipline to the Word of God the only Rule of Reformation PART I. CHAP. I. A Sober Enquiry into the Apocryphal Causes of Non-conformity pretended by the serious Enquirer St. Augustin and the Synod of Dort Vindicated the Articles of the Church of England Cleared The Learning Preaching and Conversations of the N. C. modestly justified against the scandalous Reflections of the pretended Compassionate Enquirer but without Recrimination AFter a very short Epistle or to speak Canonically that which stands instead of the Epistle to very little and a tedious Introduction to much less purpose the Enquirer falls full drive upon the Causes of the separation from the English Reformed Church In imitation of the French Embassadors Musicians who would needs give the Grand Seignior a fit of Mirth but were so cruelly tedious in tuning their Fiddles that the Sultans Patience was quite worn out and he could not be perswaded to hear the first Lesson Now the Causes are either Apocryphal and pretended or Canonical and Real and it 's a wonder to me when his Invention was once broached that he did not feign this for another Cause of separation that such Heterogeneous Causes should be bound up together in the same Volume and Covers For these Apocriphal Causes let it not beget another scruple in your Captious Heads whether they are pretended by Dissenters or only pretended by this Enquirer to be amongst their pretences for it will come all to one there being some collateral matters which it shall go hard but he will entice or force into the Discourse or else the Reader might have sung whâ—…p Barnaby and Retreated to his Recreations the longest Holy day in the Year 1. The very first of these pretended Causes is some Blame they lay upon the Doctrine of the Church and the main if not the only thing excepted against in this kind is That the Thirty Nine Articles are not so punctual in defining the Five Points debated in the Synod of Dort as they could wish Just as your common Hackney Versifiers or Water Poets make one Verse for the Reason and the other for the Rhime sake so was this Objection mounted against the Doctrine of the Church for the sake of his precious Answers wherein he will find or make as handsom an occasion as impertinency will admit to vilifie St. Austin and the Synod of Dort It will be extreamly difficult to give our Enquirer a satisfactory Answer in this Point Shall we say This is not the main thing in the Articles excepted against by Dissenters He will readily Reply However then you tâ—…itly grant that this is one of your little Cavils Shall we say This is not the Only thing they scruple he will return nimbly Then it seems you consess this to be one though not the only thing you Boggle at Really if I know how to content him I would do it and the best expedient that offers it self at present is this Answer 1. That the Church has other Doctrines not contained in the 39 Articles imposed on the Faith of Subscribers and perhaps the scruple may lie against them 2. That the 39 Articles contain other Doctrines besides those relating to the five Points debated 〈◊〉 the Synod of Dort as that of Art 20. The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies And that of Art 34. Every Particular or National Church hath Authority to Ordain Change and Abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by Mans Authority And what now if the quarrel should lie against one of those And I am the rather induced to suspect they may hesitate in these particulars because I have heard some of them privately Speak and seen others publickly Print that though they can practise such things which being in their own Natures indifferent remain under all their concurrent Circumstances lawful yet they cannot find where the Church has any Commission to impose them They can assert and use their Christian Liberty and yet cannot subscribe to
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
Ex Graecis Bonis fecit Latinas non Bonas This could not be the Reason to be sure No no says he They are commanded so to do by the Head of their Church There 's the Reason then what needed all this stir The command of a Superiour will hallow or at least excuse an erroneous Action As a Transcendent in our Church speaks and if this Doctrine would but pass we should have a sweet time on 't Our Superiours must impose and judge what 's Indifferent and Decent and we have the easiest life in the world nothing but to wink hard and lift up our Legs high enough and there 's no danger And yet the Papists learn'd not possibly all this Lesson of withdrawing from the Church of England from their own Superiours they might be taught the Doctrine neater home A. B. Laud being ask'd by a Lady Whether she might be Saved in the Romish Communion Answered readily Madam You may and the good Lady took his word and ventured it It 's possible it might be the same Lady that Dr. â—…uller Ch. Hist. B. 11. p. 217. tells us of She being ask'd by the same Prelate Why she had changed her Religion Answered Because I ever hated a Crowd And being desired to explain her meaning herein she replyed I perceived your Lordship it should have been Grace by her Ladyships favour and many others are hastning thither as fast as you can and therefore to prevent a press I went before you What design of Reconciliation with Rome and upon what terms Grotius carried on is pretty well known by this time of day That he had a Party here in England or expectations of one his own words testifie Aequis multis non displicuisse Grotil Propace Labores Nâ—…unt Lutetiae in omni Gallia multi multi in Poloniâ Germaniâ in Angliâ non pauci plaâ—…idi pacis Amantes Discus p. 16. There were I see by this a Company of Loving Sweet-natur'd Tractable Souls here in England that would have step'd half way over the Ditch to meet his Holiness Especially since Mr. Mountagues time who informs us That the Controverted Points between England and Rome are of a lower and inferiour Nature which a Man may be ignorant of without peril of his Soul and may resolve to oppose this or that without peril of perishing for ever That Images may be used for instruction of the Ignorant and excitation of Devotion And that the Church of Rome has ever continued form upon the same foundations of Sacraments and Doctrine instituted by God They are not single Instances of those who have not abhorred the Communion of Rome which I could give but I will spare the Living and cover the Dead Nor will I say that these or such as these were Papists yet methinks they did incline and warp desperately towards it there 's an odd Distinction we often meet with of a Sensus Compositus and a Sensus Divisus which may a little illuminate us Now because my Readers are not like to be any of the more deadly learned sort I will a little explain the Distinction to their Capacities by a very familiar though I confess a very homely Comparison It 's impossible say I that a Maggot should ever be a Fly That is in your Sensus Compositus or so long as it continues to be a Maggot because these have Two distinct forms and the one keeps the other out of possession whilst it hath a Nail or Tooth to scratch or bite But now it s not only possible but easie for this Fly to become a Maggot in Sensu Diviso that is for the Maggot to strip her self of her old shape and appear in another likeness I shall be modest in the Application and hope the Reader will not be immodest Such persons as I have mention'd could never be Papists whilst they adhered to the Doctrine of the Church of England but yet such were their disposednesses that way that the transition was easie to slide from such loose Principles into Popery and yet the Church the mean time might be Innocont 3. Quest. Whence comes it to pass that the Romish Church have more spight against our Church than against any Sect or Party whatsoever When it is once well proved that they have so it will be time enough to enquire why they have so but we must suppose one half of his discourse to be true that we may have leave to answer the other The spight of the Roman Faction against Protestancy as such has so eminently discovered it self under whatever denominations they have been differenced that none of them have cause to boast of it or be ambitious to tast further of it It were well improved if they who are Objects of their implacable spight could learn to love more and agree better amongst themselves The Papists think themselves excusable in persecuting all when 〈◊〉 Protestant so suriously persecutes another they know no Reason why they should love us better than we love our selves And truly against whom their spight is hottest is hard to judge If we compare the Cruelties of the Parisian Massacre â—…ith the Butcheries of the Irish Rebellion we shall find the true Reason why they flew more in Ireland than Paris was because there was more to be slain The Fire may go out for want of matter but I dare say never for want of a good Stomack to its Food In short their spight is there the greatest where they can shew it most as to one that 's very hungry the biggest Dish is ever the best The Papists judge of the Object of their hatred as one did of Tullies Orations The longest is to be sure the most Excellent And yet I conceive the Enquirer to be quite out in this matter The Papists may spight the Church of England upon the account of its fair and vast Revenues great Dignities marvellous Honours Wealth Splendour and whatever is desirable to the Eye because hereby the Church is able to vye with her and yet their malice upon the pure account of Religion may be greater against other lesser weaker parties whose Principles stand more directily in opposition to those of Rome I do not doubt but our Enquirer could bring better Arguments than these to prove the distance of Religion between the Two Societies for this I am sure is too weak unless it may appear that their spight is levelled against the Church meerly on account of those Principles wherein she differs from Dissenters 4. Quest. How comes it to pass that they of all Men most Zealously â—…and in the Gap to oppose the return of Popery That Gap at which Popery must enter if ever it enters into England is the Division between Protestants and if that Gap were well stop'd Popery might look â—…ver but would never leap over or break through the â—…dge This Gap of Divisions is made by the imposition of such things which in the Judgment of the Imposers are indifferent in their own Nature but
he so rested from his Labours that he made no other Creatures then he made before He made no other Creatures afterwards but whatsoever he made he makes them every year to the end of all time He createth men in their Souls and Bodies living Creatures and Beasts without Souls The Soul of Man is given by God and he renews his Creatures as Christ saith in the Gospel My Father worketh hitherto and I work Christ suffered for us in the sixth Age of the World and on the sixth day and reformed lost Man by his Sufferings and the Miracles which he wrought He rested in the Sepulchre on the Sabbath-day and Sanctified the Lords-day by his Resurrection for the Lords-day is the first day of the New World and the day of the Resurrection of Christ and therefore it is Holy and we ought to be his spiritually keeping a Sabbath-day Sabbatum Sabbatizantes Leg. Presbyt Northumbr Mereaturam in Die solis exercere Curias allicubi celebrare prohibemus opus etiam quodlibet omnimodam vectionem sive in plaustris sive in equis sive in aliis oneribus ferendis Qui contra hoc deliquerit solvat We forbid any to Trade or keep open Courts on the Sunday and also all other work whatsoever and all manner of Carriages whether with Carts or Horses or in bearing any other Burdens he that transgresses this Decree shall pay nisi sit viator necessitate compulsus vel ob cibi inopiam aut ex causâ—… evitandi mimicos Except he be a Traveller compelled by necessity either by the want of Food or to avoid the Enemies Reader whether this be Judaism or no I shall leave to thy more sedate judgement but it is a mighty strong temptation rather to be one of those old Iews then one of the new Christians Leg. Eccles Canut An. Christi 1032. Die quidem Dominico mercata concelebrari Populive conventus Agi nisi stagitante necessitate planissimè vetamus Ipso Die sacrosancto praetereà à venationibus opere terreno prorsus omni Quisque abstineto We do absolutely forbid all Markets and Assemblies of the People to be kept on the Lords-day except in case of urgent necessity and moreover Let every one refrain from Hunting and from all other earthly business upon that sacred day A little now for diversion let us step over the Seas and look into the temper of the times under the Reign of Charles the Great Statuimus secundum quod Dominus in lege praecepit ut Opera Servilia diebus Dominicis non Agantur sicut bonae memoriae Genitor meus Pipinus in suis Synodallbus edictis mandavit i. e. Quod nec viri Ruralia opera exerceant nec in vineâ colendà nec in campo Arando vel foenum secando vel sepem ponendo vel in sylvis stirpare vel arbore caedere vel in Petris laborare nec comus construere nec hortum laborent nec ad placita conveniant nec venationem exerceant We ordain as also the Lord hath commanded in the Law that no servile works be done on the Lords-day As also our Father of happy memory in his Synodal Edicts hath commanded that is to say That Men neither exercise the labours of their Farms neither in dressing Vineyards nor in Plowing nor in Mowing Grass or in laying a Hedge or to grub up or cut down Trees or to labour in Quarries or to build a House or to order a Garden or to hold pleas or to practice Hunting Item foeminae opera Textilia non exerceant nec Capillent vestitús non consuant vel Acupictile faciant nec lanam Carpere nec linum battere nec publicè vestimenta lavare nec verveces tondere habeant licitum ut omnimodis Honor Requres diei Dominicae servetur Let not Women practice Weaving let them not take pains about their Hair nor mend their Cloaths nor work Needle-work or Point nor Card Wool nor Heckle Flax nor wash Cloaths openly nor Shear Sheep That the Honour and Rest of the Lords-day may by all means be secured Const. Carol. M. fol. 32 It will be time now to draw to a conclusion when I have noted § 1. It looks like a piece of great disingenuity to Bait Dissenters like Jews for the indifferent use of the word Sabbath because not found in the New Testament and at the same time to worry them with Barking words and Biting penalties for not practising upon that very day Humane Ceremonies which name and thing are perfectly strangers to the New Testament § 2. It seems so far from a next cause of Non-conformity Religiously to observe The Lords-day that it were rather an Allurement to Conformity when we observe the Church so strictly commands her Children in the Rubrick After every Commandment Kneeling to ask God mercy for their transgression of the same And if the Dissenters were of this Enquirers principles they must be obliged to be Non-conformists till the Liturgy in that particular should be Reformed § 3. It s highly disingenuous to upbraid them with the less strictness of some of the Reformed Churches abroad in this one point when they are not allow'd to vouch their principles and practices in twenty others § 4. It deserves a most serious Enquiry whether any Church did long maintain any splendour of Practical Religion that grew remiss and loose in the Consciencious Observation of the Lords-day § 5. Whether the strict and Religious attendance to the Worship of God on that Day be a cause of Non-conformity or no is uncertain but this is certain that the loose and formal observation of it has been a direct and immediate cause of that Atheism and Prophaneness and perhaps of those Iudgements which have broken in upon us § 6. It ought to be matter of serious Humiliation and Repentance both to the Conformists and Non-conformists that between them both they have suffered Piety to decline in their hands by a visible degeneracy from the strictness of former time in Sanctifying Gods name on his Holy-day § 7. It ought to be considered That they who of late times have written against the Divine Right of that day have yet spoken so honourably of and pleaded for the Holy use of the day as will justifie greater Reverence to the day then I fear the Non-conformists are guilty of The Learned Brerewood Tract 1. p. 47. I confess It is meet that Christians should on the Lords-day abandon all wordly affairs and dedicate it wholly to the Hunour of God The B. of Ely p. 255. Devout Christians who are so piously affected as that on the Lords-days and other Holy-days they do resolve to retire and sequester themselves from secular business and ordinary pleasures and delights to the end they may more freely attend the Service of Christ and Apply their Minds to Spiritual and Heavenly Meditations are to be commended and encouraged for the doing thereof is a work of Grace and Godliness and acceptable to God § 8. It would be
enquired whether it have not a greater Tincture of Judaism to enjoin other days for Holy-days which have no fâ—…ting in Gods word then to spend the Lords-day in pursuit of those things which concern our Everlasting peace which is clearly warranted thereby B. Andrews urges this against Trask The Apostles kept their Meetings on that day on that day they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. held their sacred Synaxes their solemn Assemblies to preach to pray to celebrate the Lords Supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lords Supper on the Lords-day for these two words only the Day and the Supper have the Epithete of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture to shew that its alike in both 5. A Fifth Instance of their Judaical Principle is their Doctrine of Absolute Predestination This Doctrine has perplext the Enquirer beyond measure he would mention it every where willingly but knows not where to mention it pertinently It was lately one of the Pretended or Apochryphal and now it s become a Real and Canonical nay a near and immediate Cause or at least the just sixth part of a Cause of separation I shall for once suppose that all the Non-conformists are Sublapsarians Now let him show me that Article or Doctrine to which this Church requires subscription relating to the Decrees of God to which a Sublapsarian cannot freely subscribe The 17 Art of the Church speaks without question her fense in this matter Predestination to life is the Everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the World was laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ ouâ—… of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to Everlasting Salvation It were more for this Gentlemans comfort and credit to write a serious and Compassionate Enquiry into the Pretended and Real the Remote and near Causes of his own conformity to that Doctrine which he so pleasantly derides And with what Engines Machines Screws and Pulleys he could hale his Conscience to a Subscription The old Device was good Lingud juratus sum mente juravi nihil It 's a happy freedom of Spirit a blessed enlargement of mind to subscribe any thing and believe nothing Two things there are which ought to have been cleared first that the Doctrine of predestination is a Iewish Principle secondly that it 's a Cause or a piece of a Cause of Non-conformity For the former he makes it out thus He that seeks the source of so odd an Opinion can in my â—…ind pitch no where more probably then upon the absolute Decree of God to favour the Posterity of Abraham for his sake Alas Poor Man And had the Church of England thinks he no more wit then to talk of an Everlasting Purpose before the foundation of the World of a constant Decree to deliver from Curse and Damnation some that he had chosen out of Mankind and bring them to Everlasâ—…ing Salvation from such a Ridiculous Ground But the difficulty was how to make this a piece of Judaism and when Men set themselves insuperable Tasks they must rub through them as they are able The Second will yet be more difficult For many Conformists have been and are Sublapsarians and some Non-conformists Subter-Sublapsarians And the Enquirer told us p. 7. That the Articles of the Doctrine of our Church do with such admirable prudence and wariness handle these Points the Five Points as if particular respect was had to these Men and care taken that they might Abundare sensu suo So necessary it was our Author should confute his own Contradictious Cavils Well! Whether this Church the Iewish Church the Non-conformists or any or all or none of them be of this opinion yet it is a most monstrous one For says he The N. T. has often assured â—…s that at the great day God will judge the World in Righteousness and that without respect of Persons he will render to every one according to his Works Wonderful And are the Sublapsarians all this while to seek how God may be righteous in the Great Day if he Derceed to give Grace to some Men which he never owed them and left others to perish under the Fruits of their own Apostacy and unbelief 6. The last Instance is their superstitious observation and interpretation of Prodigies The Works of God are all Admirable those of Creation Glorious those of Providence Mysterious we have reason to Revere his Greatness in all that he doth them his Wisdom in all in that he can his Goodness in that he will make them Bow to subserve his own Counsels and Purposes in working together for good in them that love him To fetch our Creed from that Book of Providence we allow not it 's well if we can make Gods use of them to awaken a sleepy World to Repentance The greatest Prodigy that has startled me of late has been a Story that many tell us That in several places in the Nation the Graves have been seen to Open and many old Hereticks to have risen and walk'd and talk'd and preach'd and printed Books whom we verily believed to have been as dead and rotten as their Heresies Thus I remember Lirinensis calls Coelestius Prodigiosum Pelagij Discipulum That Prodigious Scholar of Pelagius Something was useful to have been said about Prodigies and it must come in here or no where and therefore let it pass for a Iewish Opinion and a sixth part of one whole Cause of Non-conformity 3 He reckons Preâ—…udice amongst the causes of our distractions and let it passe for a third There is a sound sense in which our Enquirers Notions may be very true could we be but so happy as to hit out Tertullian complained sadly of those insuperable prejudices against the Christian Religion under which they all groâ—…ed Non sâ—…lus aliquod in Causa est sed Nomen It was the Name of a Christian that was their greatest Crime Bonus Vir Cajus Sâ—…jus tantum quod Christianus A poor Woman amongst the Ignorant Devoto's of Rome was instructed by her Ghostâ—…y Father that the Hugonots were all Monsters It hapned that one of her Neighbours spying a Protestant passing by told her That Man is a Hugonot It 's imposible replyed she He looks as like a Man as ever I saw one in my life Thus are Dissenters by prejudice and partiality sentenced and executed in the peremptory Judgements of Many before their Cause is heard or thy admitted to a fair Defence and Tryal I shall therefore spare my common place Book and reserve my stores for more important occasions and at present borrow our Enquirers more refined Collections for they will serve any Mans turn to evince that prejudice is a Cause not why there are so many Non-conformists but that there are no more This Prejudice alone was able to Seal up the Eyes of the Gentile World against the Sun of Righteousness when he shone upon them in his brightest
well warranted sufficiently clearly carefully limited and distinctly butted and bounded that we may Exactly see where the Circumstantials end and the Integrals begin and where the Integrals expire and the essentials Commence or we may soon be distinguisht out of all our Religion for under the coverâ—… of such arbitrary distinctions Rome has already rooted out much of Religion within her Quarters She confesses that Christ did institute both the Eating of the Bread and the Drinking of the Cup but withal affirms that He that eats the flesh of Christ receives the Blâ—… 〈◊〉 per concomitantiam Drinking is not Essential to the Sacrament and therefore she has upon prudential grounds as she thinks appropriated that Moity to the Priests who need it most and love it best And in the judgment of Grotius Both Bread and wine may be spared as he Leardnedly Determines upon that Question An semper communicandum per Symbola And 't is but suitable to what he endeavours to evince as our Enquirer cites him pag. 163 That the Magistrate Exceeds not his Commission when he interposes for the Determination of the Circumstantials of Religion And seeing bread and wine in his judgment are not essential to that Ordinance By his own and our Authors principles the Magistrate may for some time at least prohibite both for if the Magistrate has a power from God to Determine the Circumstantials he must be supposed to be Judge what are so and thus we may have all our Religions Justitutions distinguish't and determined away in a Moment For though at present whilst we are under the care of faithful Governours we are secure of the essentials yet we have granted A principle in this Generation which may utterly Eradicate all positive and instituted worship in the Next And we hold all the Ordinances of Christ upon precarious Terms that is we are fiduciaries of that grand Depositum till some men shall please to call for it and then like the Traditores of old must resign and betray the concerns of the Gospel 3 He is now entering upon his Third Labour which is to prove That the Things in Difference are of such a Nature as may be fit to become a peace-offering and sacrificed to the Magistrate the Laws and the Church For the proof of which he will give us these five following Remarkes 1 That the things now scrupled in this Church are such as were heretofore submitted to by the most Leading-men of those that now depart from it To which I shall very briefly return these few particulars 1. That the Non-conformists are not led by Men further then as they have Authority in the Name of Christ to Lead them The Leaders or Pastors disclaim all other conduct then by Gospel direction their power is Ministerial not Despotical And their people disclaim all such Leaders as would Lord it over their faith and take away the Judgment of Discretion over their own Acts. It 's a very uncomely fight to behold a Drove of Rational Creatures with their Consciences Tayled to one â—…e horse and so conducted to a Faire there to he sold for peace and Expediency 2. With equal Reason the Dissenters will plead That the worship which they now use is the very same that was lately used and practised by some of the most Leading-men Amongst the Conformists And is it not a wonder that whether men go backwards or forwards yet both shall form an Argument for Conformity If they have sometimes been Non-conformists and are now reclaimed that shall conclude for Conformity because they must be supposed to have their eyes Anointed with some excellent Collyrium and to see better If they were once Conformists and become at last Dissenters yet that will conclude full as well for Conformity because they once saw better such shuffling arguments would with equal Truth serve the occasions of the Dissenters too Many of the Conformists were once Non conformists and therefore we are no worse now then they were then and Many of the Non-conformists were once Conformists and therefore having tryed the difference are more competent Judges which way of worship is nearest the Rule And though both these ways of Reasoning are none of the best yet if there be any Advantage the latter carries it because there can be no such Arguments from worldly Interest the one way which may possibly have a stroke the of other few are Ambitious to be starved and as few that are so irreconciliable to preferments 3. Not former Apprehensions but present Light into the mind of God from his word ought to be our Immediate and next Director in our worship of him Men may change as times and external Accidents change but the Rule of Religion is unchangeable and abides for ever 2 Some Non-conformists daily come over to the Church and those none of the Meanesâ—… for Ability or piety but let them brag of any one if they can find him that hath since the resettlement of the Church apostatized to them The Dissenters send back the Challenge let them brag of any one if they can find him that has Apostatiz'd to them But yet I shall say a little more § 1. It 's no wonder to hear of few conversions to a persecuted Profession It must be a deep Impression of Duty to God and a violent respect to the Reward of Another World that will prevail with flesh and Blood to set it's face against the blustring wind of Opposition and â—…owe against the impetuous Current of General Example Men are not easily induced to close in with that worship which will not only prejudice but Ruine their Temporal Concerns It 's ordinary to see secular advantages to Command the Minds of many but no turning to A Reproached Reformation but what arises from clear and irresistible convictions All the Avene us to preferment all the Passes to a Livelyhood are so strictly guarded that men of parts whose Educations have promised them the outward Rewards of Ingenuity and learning are sometimes necessitated to sowze over head and ears into Compliance at first Dash All Arguments are Drowned in the Noyse of a Croaking belly and Hungry stomacks swallow first and leave it to the strength of Nature to Concoct all as well as it can Nay from the Good old woman at the Towns-end that teaches the Criss-cross-rowe to the Bellfray Schoolmaster and so upwards all the places of Education are tinctur'd with Conformity Every pâ—…isny is taught first to swim with Bladders that at last he may venture alone first to Act without knowledge and then with it or Against it like the Crotonian Milo who first carried the sucking calff till by gradual essays he could Carry it when a Bull. Thus Traps of temptation must needs take when they are baited at both ends great Necessities and great Preferments § 2. This Argument is borrow'd or stollen from the Papists who use and urge it every day against the Protestants I shall propound and Answer it in the words of
spur up and quicken the lazy Priests and Levites to their duty and yet no power to create them a duty He had power to punish Church-men to restrain the exorbitances of the Clergy and for Male-administration to cashiere them nay to order the High-priest himself if he proved factious seditious or Rebellious and endeavoured any Alteration of the Theocracy either in Church or State but he had no power to make New administrations He had a power to restore the corrupted worship to it's primitive integrity but he had no power to institute Worship and therefore it 's more then Ridiculous to Argue from a Power to such a power § 2. He pretended to prove That the Magistrate in Determining these circumstantials did not exceed his Commission and his medium is from the Iewish Magistrate Now his proper diâ—… and easy way to have evinced that the Iewish Magistrate had this power had been to have exemplifyed the Commission it self and not stand trifling with Matter of fact to prove Matter of right especially seeing that the Commission is upon Record and many doubts in Law will arise from the fact as whether what was done was done jure and if jure then Quo jure Now for the Commission from him by whom Kings reign it was ready drawn of old only a blanck left to insert the Name of that particular Person whom God immediately or by â—…cession should chuse 17. Deut. 18. 19. 20. It shall be when he 〈◊〉 upon the Throne of the Kingdom that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a book out of that which is before the Priests and Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and those statutes to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren that he turn not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end he may prolong his days in the Kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel from whence 't is evident that though the Israelites were for some time in their minority govern'd by Judges yet when their Nation should grow up to it's greatest perfection God would then bestow upon them â—…he most perfect form of Government viz. Monarchy and in the most perfect manner continue it viz. by succession not impeaching his own prerogative to alter either the form or the time but with a Negative upon any or all the people so is it as plain that God fyes up his Prince to Govern by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deuteronomy à Copy of the Laws and statutes Morel and positive without turning to the right hand or the left in excess or defect mangling or mending Gods Laws Allowing to himself still a power to vary but not to them save by his Direction § 3. This great proof for the Magistrates power over the Circumstantials of Religion is fetcht from the Magistrates power iâ—… the Iewish Commonwealth He that is so severe upon the Nonconformists that they are Iudaizers if they argue but a fortiori from Moses to Christ now takes his greatest proof from David to the Christian King and though it be scandalous for them to Reason from that Topick in Doctrinals yet is safe and honourable for himself to Reason thence in Politicals and Ceremonials his instances come now to be considered § 1. David as I shewed before altered somethings and instituted others in the Temple worship That 's his instance And David as I proved before altered nothing instituted nothing without special Direction from God that 's my answer which special warrant when it shall be produced for any Alterations of or Additions to Christs institutions under the Gospel they shall by me be most Cordially embraced § 2. Hezekiah says he without a Scripture for it broke the Brazeâ—… Serpent to pieces though it was a Symbolical Ceremony of Gods own Iustitution Oh but if Hezekiah had set up one brazâ—… Serpent as a Symbolical Ceremony without Gods institution it had been more to his purpose then if he had broken a hundred Let him take these few things along with him and then make the best he can of his instance 1. If Hezekiah needed no Scripture warrant to destroy an old Antiquated Institution of God because it had been and still was abused to Idolatry much more may a Christian Prince without further Scripture warrant abolish such Symbolical Ceremonies as being originally the meer inventions of men have been and still are abused to the most fowle Idolatry and grossest superstition that ever was in the world 2. Let the Enquirer recollect himself a little He undertook to prove that Princes have power to set up Ceremonies and his instance proves only thus much that they have power to pluck them down 3. Hezekiah needed no Scripture to empower him to destroy the brazen Serpent because it was then no institution of God It had been once indeed a temporary appointment of God but the ceasing of the End was the Determination of the use when it 's sacred Relation ceased it was of no more value in Gods account when Hezekiah broke it then so much Brass 'T is not true therefore that Hezekiah broke in pieces the brazen Serpent though it was but though it had been forâ—…rly an institution of God He did not make it but declare it to be Nchushtan an old Relique made a New Idol and now served as it deserved 4. I do not understand that the brazen Serpent was a Symbolical Ceremony what grace what duty did it signify A type it was to direct their faith to Christ fot that time to expect the healing of their souls from him but the visible service was only to heal their bodies stung with the firy Serpents 3. John 14. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up 5. Hezekiah had Scriptures more then one not only to enable but Command him to do it He needed no new Authority but new wisdom to Apply alâ—…s old general Command to a particular case If the Enquirer could but shew as much Scriputre warrant for the setting up one Ceremony as Hezekiah had for destroying a thousand Idols he would think himself a jolly fellow I might urge his Authority from the second Commandement where God declares himself a jealous God in the Matter of instituted worship and how many following generations might smart for the prevarication in that particular he well knew There might have been a Drachm of the brazen Serpent as well as an Ounce of the Golden Calf in their subsequent calamities if he that was Custos utriâ—…sque Tabulae and now had not his name for nothing had not testifyed against that abomination But I shall crave leave to Remember him of the incomparable Huge who upon this fact of Hezekiah thus Egregium Documentum Regibus at quamvis