Hiera dakrya, Ecclesiae anglicanae suspiria, The tears, sighs, complaints, and prayers of the Church of England setting forth her former constitution, compared with her present condition : also the visible causes and probable cures of her distempers : in IV books / by John Gauden ...

CHAP. III.

I Know and allow that just plea, which is made by lear∣ned and godly men, for Christians mutuall bearing with, and forbearing one another, in cases of private and mo∣dest differings, either in opinions or practises: yea, as S. Ambrose, S. Austin, S. Jerome, and others observe, there is a great latitude of Charity to be exercised among particular Churches, in their different methods, and outward forms of holy ministrations, according as their severall polities are locally distin∣guished by Cities, Countreys, or Nations. I willingly yield to all men, much more to all Christians, that liberty naturall, civil and re∣ligious, which may consist with Scripture-precept and right reason, with grounds of morality and society; which is as much as I desire to use or enjoy my self, in point of private opinion, or publick profes∣sion.

I have other where observed out of Tertullian, that Religion is not to be forced, but perswaded. I admire the Princely and Christian temper of Constantine the Great, who professed he would not have men cudgelled, but convinced to be Christians; that Religion was a matter of choice, not of constraint; that no tyranny, no rape, no force is more detestable, than that which is committed upon mens consciences, when once they come to be masters of so much reason, as to chuse for themselves, and to hold forth those principles upon which they state their Religion. This indeed was the sense of that great and good Emperour: But then withall, he professed not to meddle, by any Imperatorian or Senatorian power, with matters of Religion, either to alter and innovate, or to dispute and decide them, but left them to the piety and prudence of those holy and famous Bishops, which were chief Pastors of the Church; whose unanimous doctrine and uniform practise had carried on Christian Religion a∣midst all persecutions with so great splendour, uniformity, authority and majesty, that few Christians were so impudent as to doubt, much

less contradict, and openly dissent from their religious harmony, publick order and profession, which was grounded on Scripture-pre∣cepts, and guided by Apostolicall patterns.

Yet amidst those primitive exactnesses, to preserve the publick peace and unity of Churches, nothing was more nourished and pra∣ctised, than that meeknesse of wisdome, which every where sought to instruct men, not to destroy them for their private differences in Re∣ligion, when they were accompanied with humility, modesty and charity, not carried on with insolence and injury, to immorality and publick perturbation; in all which men shew malice and pride, mix∣ed with, and sowring their opinions, which easily and insensibly carry mens hearts from dissentings to emulations, from emulations to an∣ger, from anger to enmity, from enmity to despiciency, from de∣spising to damning one another. Private perswasions, like sticks, when they come to vehement rubbings or agitations, conceive heat, and kindle to passionate flames; whereas in a calm and Christian tem∣per, who so differs from me, is in charity to be interpreted, as desi∣rous either to learn of me, or to instruct me better: and therefore such an one deserves to be treated, not as an enemy, but as a brother; not tetrically, morosely, injuriously, but candidly, charitably, chri∣stianly.

Yet because experience teacheth us, that the ignorance, infirmity and incapacity of most people is such, that they cannot easily find out of themselves the Truths of God, which are the grounds of true Religion; yea, some are so lazy and indifferent, as to neglect all means which might help them; yea, and many are either so peevish or proud, as they are impatient not to be singular, or not to lead Disciples after them in Religion (the highest ambition being that of Hereticks, which seeks to domineere over mens souls and consciences:) for these and other weighty reasons, both in civil and religious re∣gards, Christian Religion ought not in any Christian Church-polity or Nation to be left so loose and dissolute, as to have no hedge or wall to the vineyard, no limits or restraints set to the petulancy of those, who under the name of liberty, study to be malicious, licentious, ab∣horring any thing solid, strict, or setled in Religion, either as to themselves or others; counting all those as enemies to their factious designs and interests, who enjoyn them to live in any godly order. Hence these Oecumenicall censors and universall criticks as boldly and easily reproch, revile, contemn, injure as they please, all those Christians and Churches too, who humbly conform to that profes∣sion of Religion, though never so Christian and Reformed, which is once established in any Nation or Church, by publick consent and sanction, upon the most mature deliberation and impartiall advise, in order to Gods glory, and the common good of that society.

If these dissolute fancies of Christian liberty should be followed or indulged to people by such Magistrates and Ministers as own that Religion, certainly no society of men would be more unsociable, more sordid, more shamefull, or more miserable. Common people

will be starved or poysoned, if they be left to feed themselves; they will be as so many ragged regiments, if they be left, as the Isra∣elites, to pick up Religion, like straw, where they can find it.

Therefore all piety, policy and charity commands, that in every Nation professing the faith of Jesus Christ as the only true Religion, there should be, as there was in Engl. some such wise and grand esta∣blishment, as should be the publick measure or standard of Religion, both as to Doctrine, Worship & Government.

This in all uprightness ought to be set before people: not onely propounded and commen∣ded to them, but so far commanded and enjoyned by authority, as none should neglect it, or vary from it without giving account; much less should any man publickly scorn and contemn it, or the Ministers and dispensers of it, by writing, speech, or action, to the scandall of the whole Church and Nation, yea to the scandall of the very name of Jesus Christ and his holy Institution, which ought to be (as Ter∣tullian rarely expresseth it) received with godly fear and reverence, entertained with solicitous diligence, maintained with honourable mu∣nificence, contained within the bounds of charitable union and humble subjection; such as no way permits any private fancy, upon any pre∣tensions whatsoever, rudely and publickly to oppose or despise it.

But, because it is possible that some truths of Religion may be unseen, and so omitted by the most publick diligence; and some may afterward be discovered by private industry and devotion, which ought not to be prejudged, smothered or concealed, if they have the character of Gods will revealed in his written Word, whose true meaning is the fixed measure and unalterable rule of all true Religi∣on: to prevent the suppressing or detaining of any Truth, which may be really offered to any Church or Christians, beyond what is publickly owned and established; also to avoyd the petulant and insolent obtruding whatever novelty any mans fancy listeth to set up upon his own private account, variating frō, or contrary to the publick establishment; nothing were more necessary and happy, than to have in every Nationall Church (which hath agreed with one heart, one mind, one spirit, and one mouth to serve the Lord Jesus) accor∣ding to the pattern of primitive piety and wisdome, persons of emi∣nent learning, piety, prudence and integrity, publickly chosen and appointed to be the constant Conservators of Religion; whose office it should be, to try and examine all new opinions publickly propoun∣ded: no man should print or preach any thing different from the publick standard and establishment of Religion, untill he had first humbly propounded to that venerable council in writing his opinion, together with his reasons, why he adds to, or differs from the pub∣lick profession.

If these grand Conservators of Religion, who ought to be the choisest persons in the Church and Nation, both for ability, gravity and ho∣nesty, do (at their solemn and set meetings once or twice every year) allow the propounders reasons and opinions, he may then publicate his judgement by preaching, disputing, writing or printing:

But if they do not, he shall then keep his opinion to himself, in the bounds of private conference onely, for his better satisfaction; but in no way publicate it, to the scandall or perturbation of what is set∣led in Religion. Here every man may enjoy his ingenuous liberty, as to private dissenting, without any blame or penalty, which he shall incurre and undergo, in case he do so broach any thing without leave, as a rude Innovator and proud disturber.

Private and modest dissentings among Christians safely may, and charitably ought to be born with all Christian meeknesse and wis∣dome: but certainly it would be the very pest and gangrene of all true Religion, also the moth and canker of all civil as well as Eccle∣siastick peace, to tolerate every mans ignorance, rudeness and prag∣maticalness, to innovate and act what they please in Religion. Though Christians may be otherwaies sound and hearty, yet they may have an itch of novelty, popularity, vain-glory. It would make mad work in Religion, if every man, under the notion of Christian liberty, should be permitted not onely to scratch himself as he listeth, but to infect others by every pestilent contagion, yea to make what riotous havock he pleaseth of the publick peace and order.

It were a miserable childishnesse in any nation professing Christi∣anity, to be ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of saving and necessary truths; to be still tossed to and fro with winds of doctrine, and never cast anchor upon sure and safe grounds; which are easily found, if men aimed at piety as well as policy, and regarded Christs interest or his Churches, more than their own private and secular advanta∣ges: which was once happily done, by Gods blessing, in the Church of England, to so great an exactness and completeness of Religion, that nothing for necessity, decency, or majesty, was to be added or desired by sober Christians; nor could much be added for conveni∣ency.

When Religion is thus setled by publick counsel, consent and sanction, it ought in all reason and conscience to be preserved in wayes of honour, peace and safety, more carefully than those banks are, which, by keeping out the seas inundations, preserve our pa∣stures and cattel from drowning: else every Polity and Nation pre∣tending to be Christian, proclaim to all the world, that they think Religion to be no better than matters of Scepticall dispute, and vari∣able opinion, having nothing in it clear or certain, as to any divine truth, or infallible Revelation. Of which, since their ignorance and weakness, or passion and partiality (to which every private man is subject) makes them less capable either to search or judge, to dis∣pute or determine; the wisdome of God hath alwayes either esta∣blished, or exemplarily directed his Church to use and enjoy some such constant Conservators of Religion, besides the occasionall Reformers and restorers of it; which were of old the Prophets ex∣traordinarily sent, besides those that were ordinarily brought up in the schooles of the Prophets, which were the nurseries of those lear∣ned and wise men, who made up the Sanhedrim or grand Council a∣mong

the Jews, consisting of seventy men, who were for piety, parts and place, chief Fathers, Doctors and Rabbies in the Church of the Jews, and the great Conservators of their Law and Reli∣gion.

Answerably we read in the Primitive Churches and times, this care and power was by the wisdome of Christ fixed, and by all good Christians owned, in the Apostles and Elders; to whom, in case of any dispute or difference in Religion, address was made, not onely to hear their counsel and judgement, but to submit to their decisions and decrees; which bound every man to preach no other doctrine, different from, much less contrary to, what that venerable consistory both taught and summarily delivered to the Churches of Christ, viz. wholsome formes, and short summaries of sound doctrine, as well as in their more diffused writings, occasionally sent to particular Chur∣ches, and divinely delivered to the use, care and custody of the Ca∣tholick Church.

Agreeable to these holy precedents, every Christian Church in after-ages had (within their several distributions, or dioceses, di∣stinguished by their Cities or Provinces) their Synods or Ecclesiasti∣call Councils, for all those emergencies or concernments of Religion which arose within their limits and combinations: proportionably they had more extensive Conventions and generall Councils in cases of grand concernment, for the comprimising of all differences in Religion, and conservation of the Churches both purity and peace. These methods of prudent piety and pious prudence, as they were of divine Institution, so they ought to be perpetuall in the Church of Christ, as being the onely means left for the conservation and refor∣mation of Religion.

'Tis true, in the dimness of after-ages, when the decay of Primi∣tive zeal, love, sanctity and sincerity, had too much prevailed over these Western Churches, the Bishops of Rome, taking the advantage of the higher ground, whereon the fame of that City was raised, not onely for being the Metropolis of the Roman Empire, but for being a prime Church of Apostolicall plantation, and high renown for the Faith and martyrly constancy of its first Bishops; these, with no great difficulty, as with great art and policy, contrary to the judgement and practise of Antiquity for the first 600. years, sought to fix the Standard of Religion in the Popes chair, and to make his breast the great Conservator of Religion: certainly a very easie, compendious, and happy way to keep up the peace and honour of Christian Reli∣gion and Churches, if the Bishop of Rome could, in the noon-day-light of these, times either convince the world of his speciall gift of Infal∣libility, or make good his claim of being sole and supreme Judge of all controversies in Religion, above any other Pastors and Bishops, yea and above a generall Council.

This late prodigious pillar, or huge Colosse of the Popes infallible, sole and supreme power, hath, as of old, so of late years, not onely been much weakned by many Churches, Greek and Latine, dissen∣ting,

but by some it hath been quite overthrown, demolished and bro∣ken in pieces, as an arrogant abuse and intolerable tyranny, contrary to all rules of Scripture and reason, never challenged by the first fa∣mous and holy Bishops of that Church, nor owned in after-ages (when Popes began to usurp upon other Bishops and Churches) by the most learned and godly men of those times.

This justice being done to the honour and liberty of the Churches of Christ, and their respective Bishops or Pastors, against the Papall obtrusion of his sole judicature: yet no Reformed Church, of any re∣pute, hath been so transported by just indignation against the Papall usurpations, as to expose themselves and their Religion to the various breach and giddy brains of the vulgar; but every one hath both con∣fined and setled their profession by some publick profession, as the standard of Religion; also they have some such Conservators of Reli∣gion, either ordinary or extraordinary, as do take care that the esta∣blished Religion suffer no injury or detriment.

This authority or power seems now much wanting in England, though it be very necessary, in my judgement, which should so pre∣serve the publick stability of true Religion, as not to invade any good mans private liberty, which ought not to be too severely curbed; yet not so indulged, as to injure the common welfare, contrary to all rules of reason, justice and charity.

These Conservators of Religion should not exact of private Christi∣ans any explicite conformity or subscription, under penalty of any mulct or prison, much less with the terrour of fire and faggot, which was the zealotry of Papal tyranny: onely they should take care that people be duly taught that Religion which is setled; that none be a publick Preacher, that is a declared dissenter or opposer of it; that no man do broach any novelty without their approbation; that no man do petulantly blaspheme, oppose, scorn or perturb that con∣stitution of Religion which is publickly setled, as supposed to be the best; that no man abuse the name of Christian liberty to the publick injury.

All sober and wise Christians do see and feel, by late sad experi∣ence, that liberty, in the vulgar sense and notion, is but a golden Calf, which licentious minds set up to themselves under that specious name; as the Israelites did their abominable Idoll, under the popular title and acclamation of These are thy Gods, O Israel.

If common people be indulged in what freedome they will chal∣lenge to themselves, wise men will soon find, that their Christian liberty is no better than an Image of jealousie, a Teraphim, a Tamuz, or Adonis, offensive to the God of reason, order, law and govern∣ment; destructive to humane society; dishonourable to the name of Christ, and that holy profession which was so renowned of old, as Christian, that is, the most regular, meek, harmlesse, strict, peaceable and charitable Religion in the world: whose divided and deformed aspect, even now in England, if (as Clem. Alex. observes in his time) a prudent Heathen, or morall Turk, or sober Jew, or grave Philosopher,

should behold, as to the effect of some mens principles and practises, who glory much in their Christian liberty, would they not con∣clude, that Christ their Master was the Author, and Christion profes∣sion the favourer of all manner of Licentiousnesse?

Which is not more a dehonestation of the Doctrine, Spirit, Disciples and Mysterie of Christ Jesus, than an infinite damp and hindrance to the propagation and spreading of the Gospel in the world: yea, it is the high-way, through the justice of God upon the wanton wicked∣ness and hypocriticall profaneness of such Christians, utterly to extir∣pate the power, peace, comfort, yea and profession of Christian Re∣ligion. The Mahometan power and poyson had never spread so over those famous Asian, African, and Eastern Churches, if Heretical and Schismatical liberty had not first battered the strength, and corrupted the health of Christianity. Hence those inundations of barbarity, those incursions of forraign enemies, following those intestine wars and confusions, by which the wise and just God hath in all ages pu∣nished the folly and presumption of petulant and licentious Christians, who first dare to think, then to speak, at last to act, what they fancy and affect, instead of what God commands, and the Catholick Church hath observed in all ages. These popular provocations of God, which are full of impudent impiety, commonly are revenged by dreadfull and durable judgements, long and lasting miseries. For the pertinacious mischiefs of Heresie and Schisme once prevailing upon any Church & Nation, are, like frenzy or madness, rarely cured, with∣out loss of much blood; besides the iron goads and sharp harrows of mutuall depredations and oppressions, which are used between parties and factions, once in religious respects engaged against each other. 'Tis not expectable that Christians thus tearing and mas∣sacring each other, should recover their wits, till sharp and succes∣sive afflictions have shewed them how unholy and unthankful they are, without naturall and spirituall affections, who dare at once despise their Fathers, reproch their Mother, and devour their Brethren; who being baptized, instructed, communicated and converted (as they pretend) to the same Lord Jesus Christ, and to his holy profession, by the Ministry of such a Church as England was (so Christian, so Reformed) yet by a voluntary separation and desperate defection (as (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) self-condemned) dare to execute such bold and rash censures of excommunication, both upon themselves and others, as a sober Christian should greatly tremble to undergo, if the sacred au∣thority of such a Church, by its Bishops, Ministers, and other Mem∣bers, should joyntly pass such a censure upon them, as their own pride, passion, superstition, and licentious humours daily dare to do. May they not justly fear, lest God should satisfie them with their own delusions, and ratifie that judgement which they have un∣charitably chosen, of being ever separated from his Church, and from himself? might not God justly despise and reject them, who have despised and rejected such means, such Ministers, such Ministra∣tions, as some have done, and still do, in the Church of England? If the

dust of his Ministers feet will rise up in judgement against ingrateful refu∣sers; how much sorer punishment may they expect, who are the inso∣lent abusers of such messengers of peace, and cruell vastators of such a Church as England was, before it felt the sad effects of this Chri∣stian liberty, which common people are prone not more to magnifie, than to mistake and misuse?

Notes

• What Christi∣an liberty is desirable and tolerable a∣mong people.
• Euseb▪ in vita Const. M.
• Rom. 14.3.
• 2 Thes. 3.15.
• Acts 20.30.
• Ubi metus in Deum, ibi gra∣vitas modesta, & diligentia attonita, & cu∣ra solicita, & adlectio ex∣plorata, & com∣municatio deli∣berata, & pro∣motio emerita, & subjectio re∣ligiosa, & ap∣paritio devota, & processio mo∣desta, & ec∣clesia unita, & Dei omnia. Tert. de praes. c. 43.
• 2 Tim. 3.7. Ephes. 4.14.
• Acts 15.
• 1 Tim. 1.3.
• 2 Tim. 1.13.
• Rom. 1.8.
• Exod. 32 4
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Clem. Alex. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 7.
• Tit 3.11,
• Luke 20.16.
• Mat. 10.14.