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A Reflection upon divers Wayes or Methods for the Prevention and Cure of Church-Divisions.
HAving in the former Part of this Discourse, diligently enquired into, and faithfully recited the principal Causes of the dis∣contents with, and secession from this Church; It would now ill be∣seem Christian Charity to rest here; for (God
knows) neither the Evils nor the Causes afford any pleasant speculation.
It was a bad state of things at Rome which the Historian reports in these words, Nec morbos nec remedia pati possumus, That they were come to so ill a pass that they could neither indure their Distempers, nor admit of the Remedies. But I perswade my self, though the condition of our affairs be bad enough, yet that it is not so deplo∣rable as to discourage all Endeavours of a cure. And in this hope I take the courage to propound the following considerations; wherein if I be deceived and miss of my aim, I shall notwithstanding have that of Quintilian to comfort my self withal, Pro∣habilis est cupiditas honestorum, & vel tuti∣oris est audaciae tentare ea, quibus est para∣tior venia.
It hath not been the single Unhappiness of this Church alone, to be molested with Disputes, loaden with Objections, and disho∣noured by Separation. Nor can it be hoped that where the business is Religion, and the concern Eternal Life, that men should incuri∣ously swallow every thing without moving any question or stirring any dispute. And there∣fore all Churches must of necessity more or
less have conflicted with the same difficulties we complain of. And consequently the di∣sease being so common, it cannot be but that many and divers Remedies have been tryed and made use of. And out of that store we will in this Chapter make election of such as seem best to fit the condition of the Patient and are most practicable in the Case.
And in the first place, they of the Church of Rome, (as many and great Schisms as they have laboured under formerly, yet) now glo∣rying in their Unity and Peace, and upbraid∣ing all others with their respective Distracti∣ons, may seem to have arrived at some re∣markable skill, and to be fit to be advised withal; and they attribute an admirable ef∣ficacy to the following Method.
First, By way of Prevention, they pre∣scribe that the people be kept in profound Ignorance, and then they suppose, they will never trouble the Church with Disputes, nor themselves with Scruples. Let them but be blind enough, and they will swallow many a Flye that others strain and boggle at: keep them up in the dark like Birds or Wild Beasts, and you will render them tame and manageable.
They affirm Pictures to be Books good enough for the Laity, and say, Those are the best Sheep that know nothing but their own Fold. The Priests lips, they confess should preserve knowledge; but so they pre∣serve it from the people, it is no great matter whether they have it themselves or no.
This Opiate or stupefactive Ignorance these Empiricks mightily cry up; and for proof of the virtue of it, go but over into Spain or Italy, and you shall observe what strange cures it hath done. It hath made as saga∣cious people as any in the world naturally, so far from Disputes in Religion, that they scarce know what it means. Administer but a large Dose of this, and it shall have the same effect the Plague of Darkness had in Aegypt, that suffered no man to stir out of his place.
But this Advice how successful soever it hath been in other places, will not be ad∣mitted in England for two reasons.
1. If it were commendable in it self, yet it comes too late; for the people of En∣gland know so much already that the only
way to cure the inconveniences of that, is to let them know more. And as an Excel∣lent Person hath well observed concerning Atheism, That a little smattering in Philoso∣phy disposes men to it, by intangling them in Second Causes which they cannot expli∣cate, but a through insight into it leads them through that perplexed maze to the discove∣ry of the First Cause of all things. So 'tis only superficial knowledge in Christianity that gives occasion to our troubles, when men think they know, but do not; or be∣cause they know a little, conceit they un∣derstand all that is knowable, and hereupon refuse instruction, and oppose their private opinions to the publick wisdom. Whereas did these men see further into things, they would then discover a reason of many things they are now dissatisfied with, or at least di∣strust their own understandings and grow mo∣dest and peaceable.
2. Besides, if this Advice came timely, yet we take the Remedy to be worse than the Disease; for we esteem it better (if one be necessary) to erre like Men, than to be driven like Beasts, or acted like Puppets.
The Gospel Church is frequently called in Scripture the Kingdom of Heaven, and
the Kingdom of light; but by this course of blind Devotion and stupid Ignorance, it would become more like Hell, which they say hath heat without light.
God in the Gospel requires a reasonable service, and it can never be consistent that those that pretend Christ Jesus is risen upon them as a Sun of Righteousness, should think to worship this Sun by turning their backs upon him, or shutting their eyes against his light. If it were or could be so, then this Proposition would be true, That the way to become good Christians, is to cease to be Men.
2. Secondly, They direct us to an Infal∣lible Judge of all Controversies. And this they so much magnifie and represent as ab∣solutely necessary to Peace, that they tell us we shall labour in vain, in the use of all other Expedients, and only roll up a weight with infinite pains, that will with the great∣er violence return upon us again, till we make use of this Remedy.
But it is so Mountebank-like to pretend to Infallible Cures, that we desire to be re∣solved of these two or three things before we can comply with the advice.
1. We would fain know how it came to pass, that so important a point as this is (of an Infallible Judge of Controversies) which it is pretended would secure the Peace of all States, preserve the Concord and the Dignity of all Churches, stop the mouths of all Atheists, prevent the Sin and the Damna∣tion of many Souls, is no more plainly as∣serted in Scripture, nor proved by Reason, nor better agreed of amongst themselves, that thus recommend it? A man would reasona∣bly expect that a business of this nature, (which is therefore of more value than any one Article of Faith, in as much as that it hereupon depends what shall be so,) should have been more clear and evident than those things that depend upon it: but contrari∣wise, we find that no man ever yet could perswade by Reason, that one certain man in the World was more than a man, and all the rest less.
And then for Scripture, that plainly tells us, that all men are lyars; i. e. such as may deceive, or be deceived; and most un∣doubtedly would never have made such a distinction of Christians, as strong men and babes in Christ, nor made it our duty to consider one anothers weakness, and practise
mutual forbearance, if it had intended any where to direct us to such an Umpire as should have ended all disputes, and made all men equally certain.
But then for agreement amongst them∣selves, where to lodge this Infallibility, whe∣ther in the Pope alone, or in the Pope and Consistory, or in a General Council, or in all these together, or in something else, is, for ought I see, a Question that needs an In∣fallible Judge to determine.
2. How comes it to pass that all Contro∣versies are not determined and Disputes ended long ago, if this were true that is pretend∣ed?
Whether there be any Infallible Judge to resort to now, is the point in question; but it is certain there was such a thing in the Apostles times: they had the assistance of the Holy Spirit in such a manner as to guide them into all truth, and gave miraculous proofs that they had so; and yet this would not cure all the Schisms, nor resolve all Scruples, nor silence all Disputes then. And how Infallibility in a Pope or any other person, (if it were there to be found) should have better success now than it had in those
more sincere and simple times of Christia∣nity, I think is not very reasonably ex∣pected.
Besides, We find manifestly that those that glory so much of this Remedy, have not found such benefit by it, as that they commend it to us for. For it is well enough known, that the Romanists have their Disputes as well as we; The Franciscans against the Dominicans, and the Jansenists against the Molinists, and their several Perswasions ma∣naged with as much heat as any of our Con∣troversies; saving that indeed they all agree in uno tertio the Supremacy of the Pope. Therefore we say, Medice cura teipsum. Let us see all their own Difficulties decided and Disputes ended, and then, and to be sure not till then, shall we be encouraged to make use of the Remedy.
3. Thirdly, They have another Remedy which I must needs confess hath done strange things and been very successful amongst themselves, and I will transcribe the Receipt of it out of an ingenious Book called Europae speculum, pag. 34. of the Edition at the Hague, 1629. in these words: The parti∣cular wayes they hold to ravish all affections and fit each humour, are well nigh infinite;
there being not any thing either sacred or prophane, no virtue nor vice almost, nothing of how contrary condition soever, which they make not in some sort to serve that turn, that each phancy may be satisfied. What∣ever wealth can sway with the lovers, or voluntary poverty with the despisers of the world; what honour with the ambitious, what obediene with the humble; what great employment with stirring and active spirits, what perpetual quiet with heavy and restive bodies; what content the pleasant na∣ture can take in pastimes and jollity, what contrariwise the austere mind in discipline and rigour; what love either chastity can raise in the pure, or voluptuousness in the dissolute, &c. What change of vows with the rash, or of estate with the unconstant; what pardons with the faulty, or supplyes with the defective; what miracles with the credulous, or visions with the phantastical; what gorgeousness of shews with the vulgar and simple, what multitude of Ceremonies with the superstitious, what prayers with the devout; And in summ, whatsoever can prevail with any man, either for himself to pursue, or to love and reverence in another, the same is found with them.—On the one side of the steet a Cloyster of Virgins, on the other a Stye of Courtezans, with pub∣lick
toleration. This day all in Masks with loosness and foolery, to morrow all in Proces∣sions, whipping themselves till the blood fol∣low. To conclude, Never State, never Go∣vernment in the world, so strangely com∣pacted of infinite contrarieties, all tending to the entertainment of the several humours of men.
Now no wonder that this course should keep them generally contented, since it is in effect an universal Toleration, a permitting men to be and do what they list, so they cast but some garb of Religion or other over it.
In the United Provinces, it is commonly said, There is an allowance of all Opinions; but the truth is no more but this, That that State being made up of a combination of se∣veral Free Cities, he that finds not his Opi∣nion countenanced in one City so much as he desires, may retire to another where it is publickly profest. So in the Church of Rome, he that likes not the debaucheries of the Court, may enjoy severities in a Mona∣stery, he that is offended with one Order, may make choice of another; a man may be a good Catholick as they call it, without
being a good Christian; he may perfectly ac∣commodate his own humour, if he have but the wit to make a right choice for himself; he need not be at the Self-denyal to conform his humour to his Profession, but may fit his inclination with a way of Religion, if he have not prevented himself by an imprudent electi∣on. He may almost do any thing, provided, as Erasmus observes, He let but two things alone, which are the only dangerous points, that is to say, that he meddle not with the Popes Crown, nor the Monks Bellies.
But we of this Church are not of opini∣on, that such a Tenet as this is, is worth the prostitution of Religion, and the de∣bauching of mens minds and Consciences; and have too much simplicity and sincerity of Devotion, to make use of this Remedy, to put an end to our Distractions.
4. Fourthly, But the great and infallible Remedy is yet to come, and is that which others express by several words, Axes, Hal∣ters, Racks, Fire and Faggot; but they by one word that signifies as much as all those, viz. the Holy Inquisition. This is that Engine that stretches all mens Intellectuals to the proportion of the Priests, or cuts them off
to the publick Standard; this decides all Controversies, silences all Disputes, resolves all Scruples, and makes perfect Peace where∣ever it comes. But,
Though we grant all this, yet will not this down with Englishmen. For besides that our Gospel is not like (what they say of) the Laws of Draco, written in blood, nor have we any Rubrick, to kill men for qui∣etness sake; besides this, I say, the Genius of this Nation is both too couragious and too compassionate, to be this way Go∣verned.
No people in the world are less moved by the apprehension of death and danger than they, and no people are more tender of the Lives of others than they. For ge∣nerally these two Virtues are inseparable, and the most generous tempers are common∣ly the most merciful. The English will be led like Men, but not driven like Beasts. They have great minds that will be moved by example, and wrought upon by kindness, and melted by good nature; but will sooner suffer themselves to be broken in pieces, than that cruelty shall force them, or fear and dan∣ger prevail over them.
It is generally observable here, that no Laws so soon grow in desuetude, and are rendered unpracticable, as those that are too severe. It is counted a butcherly way of Chirurgerie with us, for every slight wound to cut off the member. And the exercise of so much Cruelty upon the account of Reli∣gion, by those Blood-letters in Queen Ma∣ries time, hath (thanks be to God) made that Profession detestable to this day; and it looked so ill in the Romanists, that we shall never be perswaded to practise it our selves.
Therefore none of the Romanists Expe∣dients will work the Cure we desire in this Church.
Let us see then what other courses there are to be taken, and there remain yet these three to be considered of. 1. Universal Toleration. 2. Comprehension. 3. Instru∣ction and Consideration.
1. Universal Toleration. This is highly commended by some as the most Christian Remedy, to let all grow together till the harvest. We are told,
That it was it
made the Primitive Church so happy, and we may observe that this the Christians pleaded for under persecuting Emperours, affirming, That it was every mans natu∣ral right to serve what God, and use what Religion he thought good. This the Great Constantine declared at his first entrance upon the Empire, and they say that every Prince is bound to do so too. Besides, it is affirmed, that this is the best way of propagating Truth and giving it Reputa∣tion, and making its Triumphs conspicu∣ous, by setting it upon even ground, and giving it no advantage in the encounter of Error. And that the minds of men will be as open to truth as falshood, when they are delivered from the prejudice. That it is Power and Interest make men of such or such Opinions. That this is the only way to make a Learned Clergy, when they shall have a necessity upon them to be able to prove substantially whatever they ex∣pect should be received; and in fine, That the only way to make peaceable Subjects, a rich Countrey and a happy Prince is to open a Pantheon, to give Liberty to all Religions.
But two things would be considered of in this point.
First, That whatsoever fine things are said of this or whatever collateral advan∣tage may be reaped by it, they are of no other force, than to incline the Magistrate prudentially in some cases to use Indulgence; for it never was nor will be proved, that it is the express duty of a Christian Magistrate to tolerate all Opinions whatsoever; for some are such as destroy all Religion which he is to protect, others subvert all Civil So∣cietie which he is to maintain: Therefore it can never be his duty to carry an indiffe∣rent hand in Religion.
And though it be true, that the Primitive Christians used such general expressions as are above-specified, and Constantine made such a declaration, yet both he and they limited and interpreted themselves afterwards. And in∣deed it cannot be shewn de facto that any Go∣vernment in the whole Christian World doth tolerate all Opinions whatsoever. For should they do so, it must be supposed, that the Magistrate is to have no Conscience or Religion himself, that other men may have
no check in theirs whatever it be.
2. But if it were true, that the Magistrate might (if he would) indulge all Sects and Opinions, and also were disposed so to do; yet besides the Inconveniencies that would follow, This very thing would be very un∣acceptable to the people of this Nation; amongst whom there is so much sincerity and heartiness in Religion.
It might go down perhaps amongst such as have a great Indifferency and Lukewarm∣ness in Religion, with such people whose God is their Gain, and whose Religion is their Trade or Interest. But devout and se∣rious people had rather suffer some hardship themselves upon the account of their Con∣sciences, than buy their own quiet at the price of Gods dishonour. And whatever kindness they may have to some dissenters, or fondness to some by-path themselves, yet rather than open so wide a Gap as that Popery and Atheism it self should enter in by it, they would deny themselves and think it the duty of all other good Christians to do so too.
2. Comprehension; whereby, I suppose, is
meant the making the terms of Communion more free and easie, an opening the arms of the Church to receive more into her bosome, thereby to enlarge both the Society and Interest of the Church. This is highly re∣commended by some good men as the most proper expedient for a Protestant Church in our condition, as by means whereof it may be both better strengthened and secured against its Enemies abroad, and enjoy Peace and Contentment at home.
And truly for my part, if such a course please our Governours, I have no mind to oppose any thing to it; but only I desire it may be considered, that there are many things that look very probably in the general notion and speculation, and that would flat∣ter one into a great opinion of them, and expectation from them, which when they come to be tryed, they are no wayes answera∣ble to. Many difficulties occurr in the reducing things of this nature to practice that were not foreseen in the theory, and nothing more common, than for mens minds to deceive them, or their constancy to fail them, so as that they shall take no great pleasure in the enjoyment of that which they languisht with desire of, whilest it was sweetned to them
by the poinant sauces of hope and fear. Besides, this is not yet done, nor do we know when it will be set about, and it's pity the wounds of the Church should bleed so long as till that can be effected, espe∣cially if there be any Balm in Gilead, any way of binding them up in the mean time. And there seems to me to remain no other but that of the third Conside∣ration, which is the course I have pitch∣ed upon to recommend in the following Chapters.
By which I mean nothing else but an Endeavour of better informing the minds of men, in the nature of those things which are the matter of our disputes, and occasions of our disturbances, together with the un∣happy consequences of sin and danger in persevering in our present case.
Which if it can be done, we may hope to see the Church recover its antient felicity and peace, and shall not need for cure of our distempers, to resort either to such severities as are abhorrent to all Englishmen, or to such arts as deform Christianity in general, or to be alwayes changing and altering to the great dishonour of Protestant Religion
in particular. And this I do not de∣spair may be obtained, if those Protestants of this Church and Kingdom that at pre∣sent differ from the Church in some parti∣culars, will impartially consider the follow∣ing Propositions.