We have no new Faith to Declare no new Doctrine to Teach no private Opinions to Divulge no Point or Truth do we Profess no not one which hath not been declared taught divulged and esteemed as the common Doctrine of the Church of England ever since the Reformation If then we evince not the Faith we profess to be consonant unto the Scriptures the Doctrine of the Primitive Church of the four first General Councels the Confessions of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas and that in particular of the Church of England we shall acknowledge the Condition of Things in reference unto that Liberty which we humbly desire to be otherwise stated than hitherto we have apprehended But if this be the condition of our Profession as we hope it is manifest unto all Unprejudiced and Ingenious Persons to be who esteem it their Duty not to judge a matter of so great importance before they hear it We can hardly think that They give up Themselves to the Conduct of the Meek and Holy Spirit of CHRIST who are ready to breathe out Extirpation against us as to our Interest in this World for the profession of Those Principles in the things of God which They pretend to build their own Interests upon for another The NON-CONFORMITY then that we may be charged with being very remote from a dissent unto that Doctrine which is here publickly avowed and confirmed by Law it cannot but seem strange unto us that any should endeavour to cast us under the same severity with them who utterly renounce it and would entayl upon their Posterity on the forfeiture of all their Publick Rights as English-Men and benefit of their private Estates not only an adherence unto the Protestant Religion but a Precise and Determinate Judgement and Practice in things of very Little Concernment therein and of none at all as to publick Tranquility Would it not seem strange that a man might at as easie and cheap a rate renounce the Protestant Profession and the Fundamental Doctrines of the Church of England in things indispensably necessary to Salvation as to be mistaken or suspend his assent about things dark and disputable in their own nature and of very small importance which way soever they are determined So that Men in the embracing or refusal of them rebel not against that commanding Light of God set up in their hearts to rule them in His Name in that apprehension which they have of the Revelation of his Will which is unto them of great and eternal moment They are then only things relating unto Outward Order and Worship wherein our dissent from the present Establishment of Religion doth consist things about which there hath been variety of Judgement and difference in Practice from the days of the Apostles and probably will be so untill the end of the World For we find by experience that the late Expedient for the ending of differences about them by vindicating of them into the arbitrary disposal of every Church or those that preside therein in whose Determinations all persons are to acquiesce is so far from accomplishing the work whereunto it is designed that it contributes largely to their increase and perpetuation Our only guilt then is Our Not agreeing with others in those things wherein there never yet was an agreement among Christians Nor perhaps had they all that frame of Spirit in Moderation and mutual Forbearance which the Gospel requireth in them would it ever by any way needful that there should so be For our parts about these things we judge not other men nor do or ever did seek to impose our apprehensions on their Judgements or Practice What in them is agreeable unto Truth God knows and will one day declare Unto our present Light in the Revelation of His Will must our practice be conformed unless to please Men and secure our transitory perishing Concernments we intend to break his Bonds and cast away his Cords from us And that it may the better appear what is both our Judgement and Practice in and about these things unto what we have declared in the close of our Confession which we suppose they cannot reasonably and with satisfaction to their own Consciences wholly overlook who because thereof are ready to reflect with severe thoughts upon us we shall now only add The General Principles whereunto all that we profess or practise in these things is resolved And of them we humbly desire that a Christian and Candid Consideration may be had As supposing that to pass a Sentence of Condemnation against us for our dissent unto any thing without a previous weighing of the Reasons of that dissent is scarce suitable unto that Law whereby we are Men and engaged into Civil Societies As then Religion is publickly received and established in this Nation there are many outward Concernments of it relating unto Persons and Things that are disposed and regulated by and according to the Laws thereof Such is that which is called Power Ecclesiastical or Authority to dispose of those Affairs of the Church with coercive Jurisdiction which relates to the outward publick Concernments of it and the Legal interests of Men in them This we acknowledge and own to be vested in the Supream Magistrate the Kings Majesty who is the Fountain and Spring of all Jurisdiction in his own Kingdoms what-ever No power can be put forth or exercised towards any of his Subjects which in the manner or nature of its exertion hath the force of a Law Sentence or Jurisdiction or which as to the effect of it reacheth either their Bodies Estates or Liberties but what is derived from him and binding formally on that sole Reason and no otherwise Hence we have no Principle in the least seducing us to transgress against any of those Laws which in former dayes were looked on as safe Preservatives of the Protestant Religion and Interest in this Nation Did we assert a Forreign Power over his Majesties Subjects and claim an obedience from them in some such cases as might at our pleasure be extended to the whole that is due unto Him Did we or any of us by vertue of any Office we hold in the Church of God claim and exercise a Jurisdiction over the Persons of his Majesties Subjects in Form and Course of Law Or did we so much as pretend unto the exercise of any Spiritual Power that should produce effects on the Outward Man We might well fear left just offence should be taken against us But whereas the way wherein we worship God is utterly unconcerned in these things and we willingly profess the Spring of all Outward Coercive Jurisdiction to be in the Person of the Kings Majesty alone without the least intermixture of any other Power of the same kind directly or by consequence we cannot but say with confidence That it will be utterly impossible to convince us That on this account we are Offendors For the Worship of God and Order therein which is purely Spiritual and
difficulty for any Man seriously to think That He who was and is so full of compassion towards all the Sons of Men even the Worst of them should ever give the least consent unto the punishment and gradual destruction of Those who in sincerity desire to love and obey Him and do yet unavoidably mistake in their apprehensions of some few things pleaded to be according to His Mind their Love and Obedience unto Him thereby being no whit impeached When some of his Disciples of old in zeal as they pretended unto Himself and the Truths preached by Him would have called for fire from Heaven on those who had contumeliously slighted Him upon a supposed diversity in Religion for which they thought themselves warranted though falsly by a President out of the Old Testament He lets them know that it was an unacquaintedness with their own spirits causing them to imagine that to be Zeal for the Truth which was indeed but Self-Revenge and private Interest which had caused them to speak so unadvisedly Now that the same mind might be in us that was in Jesus Christ that His Example is to be a Rule unto us that we ought all to be baptised into the same Spirit with Him that what from His Frame of Heart and Actings as revealed in his Word we can rationally conclude that He would approve or disallow we ought to square our Proceedings and Judgements unto none that own his Name can deny And if Men would not stifle but suffer themselves to be guided by the Power of their Convictions they would quickly perceive how inconsistent with it are their thoughts of Rigour and Severity towards those which differ from them in some few things relating to the Mind of God in and about His Worship Certainly this Readiness of Servants who are themselves pardoned Talents to fall with violence on their Fellows upon the account of his Service though otherwise it may be poor and despicable in the World for lesser Debts and those only supposed not proved real will appear at the Last Day not to have been so acceptable unto him as some Men on grounds and pretences utterly forreign unto this whole business are willing now to perswade themselves that it is Would men in these things which are principally His and not their own Concernments but as His labour to be alwayes cloathed with his Spirit and do nothing but what they can rationally satisfie themselves that He Himself would do in like case there would be an end not only of this Debate but of many other Mischiefs also which the Christian World is at this day pestered withal And it must needs seem strange that Men can perswade themselves that they do that for Christ which they cannot once think or imagine that He would do Himself Certainly setting aside provocations and prejudices any Man who hath but read the Gospel and gives any Credit unto it is a competent Judge whether External Force in these Things do more answer the Spirit of Christ or that from which He suffered But we have not only His Heart and Actings for our Example but His Word also as revealed by Himself and His Apostles as our Rule in this matter With nothing more doth it abound as to our Duty in this World than with Precepts for and Exhortation unto mutual forbearance of one another in our Mistakes and Failings And although there be force and Light enough in its General Rules to guide us in all particulars yet lest any should imagine that the Cause under Consideration about different Apprehensions and Practices in some things relating to the Worship of God might be exempted from them even that also is variously instanced in and confirmed by Examples approved by himself The great Apostle who gives us that general Rule That we should walk together in one mind so far as we have attained and for other things of difference wait for the Revelation of the Mind of God unto them that differ Phil. 3. 15 16. every where applyes his own Rule unto the great difference that was in those dayes and long after between the Jewish and Gentile Believers The one continued under a supposal of an obligation to the observation of Mosaical Rites and Ceremonies from which the other was instructed that they were set at liberty This difference as is the manner among the Sons of Men wrought various Jealousies between them with disputes and censurings of each other whereof the Apostle gives us a full account especially in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 14. 15. Neither did they rest here but those of the Circumcision every where kept their Assemblies and Worship distinct from the Cougregations of the Gentile-Believers Hence in most places of note there were two Churches one of the Jews and another of the Gentiles walking at peace in the Faith of the Gospel but differing as to some Ceremonial Observances The whole Society of the Apostles observing their difference to prevent any evil consequent in their Assembly at Jerusalem assigned to the several Parties their particular bounds how far they should accommodate themselves unto one another by a mutual condescension that they might walk in love and Peace as to what remained of difference among them The Jews are taught by them not to impose their Rites and Ceremonies on the Gentiles and the Gentiles to abstain from some things for a season whereunto their liberty did extend whereby the other were principally provoked Their Bounds being so fixed and their general duty stated both parties were left at liberty as to their practice in the things wherein they could not yet be recondiled and in that different practice did they continue for many years until the occasion of their division was by the providence of God in the destruction of the Judaical Church utterly taken away These were the Rules they proceeded by this their course and practice which unquestionably under the Lord Jesus were intrusted with supreme Authority over the whole Church of that kind which is not transmitted unto any of the sons of men after the ceasing of their Office and Work and were guided infallibly in all their determinations Coercions Restraints corporal punishments were far from their thoughts yea the very exercise of any Ecclesiastical Power against them who dissented from what they knew to be truth so that in general they were sound in the Faith and walked in their Lives as became the Gospel And whereas they sometimes carry the matter to a supposal of disobedience unto those important things which they taught and commanded in the Name of their Lord and Master and thereupon proceeded to denounce Threatnings against the Disobedient they expresly disclaim all thoughts of proceeding against them or any power or warrant from Christ committed unto them or any others or that afterward in his Providence should so be so to do with external carnal force and penalties avowing their Authority over all that was ever to be put forth in things of that nature to
they suffered in the days of Constantius unto whom the words of Hillary in this case are worthy consideration Let saith he your Clemency take care and order that the Presidents of the Provinces look to Publick Civil Affairs which alone are committed to them but not meddle in things of Religion And again Let your gentleness suffer the People to hear them teaching whom they desire whom they think well of whom they choose GOD TEACHETH rather than BY FORCE EXACTETH the Knowledge of Himself and ascertaining the Authority of his Commands by Works of Power DESPISETH ALL COMPELLED Confession of Him If Force be used to compel Men unto the True Faith the Bishops that profess it would interpose and say God is the God of the whole World he needs no compelled obedience nor requires any such Confession of him He is not to be deceived but to be well pleased Whence is it then that persons are taught how to worship God by Bonds and Perils These are the words of Hillary But the same Persons suffered more during the Reign of Valens who was disswaded from Cruelty against the Christians by Themistius a Pagan Philosopher on the Principles of Common Reason and Honesty plainly telling him That by the way he used he might force some to venerate his Imperial Robes but never any one to worship God aright But the best Emperours in the mean time bewailed those fierce Animosities whereby every Sect and Party laboured to oppress their Adversaries according as they had obtained an Interest in Imperial Favour and kept themselves from putting forth their Authority against any Dissenters in Christian Religion who retained the Foundation of the Faith in any competent measure Valentinianus by publick Decree granted liberty of Religion unto all Christians as Zosomen testifies Lib. 6. Ammianus Marcellinus in his History observes the same Gratian made a Law that Religion should be free to all sorts and sects of Christians except the Manichees Eunomians and Photinians and that they should have their Meetings free as both Socrates and Zosomen acquaint us Neither have they been without their Followers in those Ages wherein the Differences about Religion have risen to as great a height as they are capable of in this World Nor will Posterity be ever able to take off the lasting Blot from the Honour of Sigismund the Emperour who suffered himself to be imposed upon by the Council of Constance to break his word of Safety and Liberty to John Hus and Jerom of Prague And what did Charles the Fifth obtain by filling the World with Blood and Uprores for the extirpation of Protestantism Notwithstanding all his Victories and Successes which for a while smiled upon Him his whole Design ended in loss and disappointment Ferdinand his Brother and Successor made wise by his Example kept constant the peace of the Empire by a constant peace granted to the Consciences of Men. His Son Maximilian continually professed That the Empire of Conscience belonged unto GOD alone wherein He would never interpose And upon the Return of Henry the Third of France out of Poland He gave Him that Advice to this purpose which it had been happy for that Prince if He had understood and followed before He came to dye But then even He also having the severe Instruction given Him of His own Experience left that as His last Advice to his Councellors That they should no more with Force interpose in the matters of Religion Rodulphus who succeeded Maximilian by the same means for a long time preserved the peace of the Empire And after he had by the perswasions of some whose interest it was so to perswade him interdicted the Protestants in Bohemia the use of their Religion upon the tydings of a defeat given to his Forces in Hungary by the Turks he instantly replyed I looked for no other issue since I invaded the Throne of God imposing on the Consciences of Men and therefore granted them their former Liberty Doth not all the World behold the contrary issue of the Wars in France and those in the United Provinces begun and carried on on the same account The Great Henry of France winding up all the differences thereof by granting Liberty to the Hugonots laid a firm Foundation of the future Peace and present Greatness of that Kingdom Whereas the Cruelty of the Duke D'Alva and his Successors implacably pursuing the Netherlands to ruine on the same account hath ended in the utter loss of sundry Provinces as to the Rule and Authority that he and they endeavoured absolutely to inthrone and rendered the rest of them scarce worth the keeping The World is full of Instances of the like kind On the other hand When by the crafty Artifices and carnal Interests of some the Principle of External Coercion for lesser Differences in matters of Christian Religion came to be inthroned and obtained place in the Emperial Constitutions and Laws of other Kingdoms the main use that was made of it was to drive Truth and the purity of the Gospel out of the World and to force all men to center in a Profession and Worship framed to the Interest of some few men who made no small advantage of it According as the Power and Purity of Religion decayed so did this perswasion get ground in the Minds of Men untill it became almost all the Religion that was in the World That those who submitted not unto the Dictates of them who by various wayes obtained a mixture of Power Civil and Ecclesiastical into their hands should be destroyed and rooted out of the Earth This Apostacy from the Spirit Principles Rules and Commands of the Gospel this Open Contradiction to the Practice of the Apostles their Successors first Churches best and wisest Emperours attended with the woful consequents that have ensued thereon in the ruine of Souls proscriptions of the Truth Martyrdom of thousands and ten thousands commotions of Nations and the destruction of many of them We hope will not be revived in these dayes of Knowledge and near approach of the Judge of all We trust that it will not be thought unequal if we appeal from the example of the Professors of Christianity under its wofull Degeneracy unto the first Institution and publick instance of its Profession especially being encouraged by the Judgement Example and Practice of many Wise and Mighty Monarchs in these Latter Dayes The Case is the same as it was of old no new Pretences are made use of no Arguments pleaded for the Introduction of Severity but such as have been pretended at all times by those who were in possession of Power when they had a mind to ruine any that dissented from them That the end of their Conventicles was for Sin and Uncleanness that the permission of them was against the Rules of Policy and Laws of the Empire that they were Seminaries of Sedition that GOD was displeased with the confusion in Religions introduced by them that Errors and mis-apprehensions of GOD were nourished in them