The Mischief of Impositions, Section 3
SECT. III. The Diſſenters Plea from Rom. 14. and whether the Doctor hath ſpoken Reaſon to invalidate their Reaſonings from hence?
THe Reverend Dr. having toiled hard to prove the neceſſity of a fixed ſtanding Rule, notwithſtanding the different attainments of Chriſtians about unneceſſary matters, and caught nothing to reward his pains, bethinks himſelf of an objection, that Diſſenters might poſſibly make, which he thus words for them: Doth not the Apoſtle in the 14th. Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Rom. lay down quite another Rule? viz. only of mutual forbearance in ſuch Caſes where men are unſatisfied in Conſcience? Yes, he doth ſo, and the ſame Rule he lays down in the verſe before the Drs. Text: That if any were otherwiſe minded, they ſhould wait, and not Act; the Church ſhould wait and not impoſe, but leave them to the inſtruction of God. To which the Dr. gives an intimation of a general anſwer: That there was a vaſt difference between the caſe as it ſtood then at Rome, and the caſe as it ſtood at Philippi: For, (ſayes he) The Church of Rome conſiſted moſt of Jews, where they did not impoſe the neceſſity of keeping the Law on the gentile Chriſtians. —And therefore in this caſe he perſwades both parties to forbearance and charity. But now, in thoſe Churches (ſuppoſe at Philippi for one) where the falſe Apoſtles made uſe of the pretence of the Levitical Law being ſtill in force to divide the Churches, there the Apoſtle bids them beware of them and their practices, as being of a dangerous and pernicious conſequence: So that the preſerving the peace of the Church, and preventing ſeparation was the great meaſure, according to which the Apoſtle gave his Directions, and that makes him inſiſt ſo much on this adviſe to the Philippians; that whatever their attainments were, they ſhould walk by the ſame Rule, and mind the ſame things.
I have often obſerved that when men are pinch't with plain Scripture, they uſe to twiſt and twine, and turn themſelves into all ſhapes, to get out of their ſtreights: and they have no more ordinary way of evaſion, than to fancy ſome imaginary various Caſes, upon which a various judgment muſt be made, and a various Rule laid down, to ſerve the preſent turn; which is moſt notorious in this anſwer. The Apoſtle acted like a prudent governour, (ſays he) and in ſuch a manner, as he thought did tend most to the propagation of the Goſpel, and good of particular Churches: To which ſome would reply; that then there are a great many in the world that have acted like fools: But my general anſwer is, that the Apoſtle acted upon higher Reaſons, than thoſe dictated to humane prudence, even the infallible guidance, and immediate direction of the Holy Ghoſt; Divine directions, and the ſupernatural counſels of the H. Spirit, are well conſiſtent; and had he only gone upon (thinking) as the Dr. fancies, I had rather have built my faith and practice, upon one of his thinkings, than upon one of the Drs. full perſwaſions, 1 Cor. 7.40. I think alſo that I have the Spirit of God. And he was not deceived in ſo thinking. But for a particular anſwer.
§ 1. The Doctors Reaſon why the Jewiſh profeſſors at Rome did not impoſe on the gentile Chriſtians, the neceſſity of keeping the Law of Moſes, is this, Becauſe we do not find they did ſo! And is not this an ingenious courſe for a perſon of his learning to ſuppoſe the main foundation upon which he builds, the variety of the caſe, with no other proof, but that he does not find it ſo? I do not find a thouſand things that they did, and muſt be preſumed to have done, and may I thence conclude they never did 'em; and thence make what inferences, collections, and concluſions I think good?
§ 2. He aſſerts, that becauſe the Apoſtle was willing to have the law buried with as little noiſe as might be, that therefore in this caſe, he perſwades both parties to forbearance and charity. And what is that other caſe, or thoſe other caſes wherein the Apoſtle would diſpenſe with forbearance and charity? Are there any ſelect and reſerved caſes wherein he would have Chriſtians fall together by the ears? was it a duty at Rome not to judge, and deſpiſe one another? and will theſe be ſuch Cardinal Virtues at Philippi? or were they at Rome only to ſtand or fall to their own Maſter and muſt the poor wretches at Philippi be ſold for Galley-ſlaves? was it good Doctrine in one Church, that every man ſhould be fully perſwaded in his own mind, before he adventured upon acting? and was it Heterodox in the other, that they might debauch and proſtitute conſcience to all pretenders, and ſet their ſouls for every dog to piſs on? If the Doctor preſumed upon his Auditors, had he the ſame confidence to impoſe upon his Readers?
§ 3. The Church of England in her Canons of 1640. tells us ſhe followed the Rule preſcribed by the Apoſtle in this chapter to the Romans: and has 40. years more ſo altered the caſe? If the Rule of Charity, preſcribed by the Apoſtle to Rome, does reach us here in England, it's leſs matter whether it obliged them at Philippi or no; and yet that it obliged them alſo has been made clear from the Text.
§ 4. The Dr. manifeſtly prevaricates when he tells us, The Apoſtle does ſo much inſiſt upon this advice to the Phillippians, that whatever their attainments were, they ſhould walk by the ſame Rule, when the innocent Apoſtle inſiſts upon no ſuch thing! He commands (as I have oft obſerved) the clear contrary, that different attainments ſhould have different walkings and practices, that they are to walk as they have attained, and not a… they have not attained: And that Rule to which the Apoſtle refers, that which he injoyns is a Rule that may be equally obſerved under different attainments as under the ſame: namely, that evangelical Rule of charity, which neither infringes chriſtian liberty, nor violates conſcience, but teaches us to exerciſe forbearance of one another, notwithſtanding our different attaintments, which is that Royal Law, commanded by the Apoſtle James, Jam. 2.8. Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf. Not to be repealed by all the authority on earth, nor ever will, by that of Heaven.
§ 5. If the Apoſtle bids the Churches beware of thoſe who make uſe of the pretence of the Levitical Law being ſtill in force to divide the Churches; He does alſo by parity of Reaſon bid us beware too of thoſe who upon pretence of any other Ceremonies, old Cuſtoms, and apocryphal uſages divide the Church, and render Communion with it grievous and burdenſom; and I hope we ſhall hearken to his advice, to beware of them, and truſt them no further than needs muſt; eſpecially when thoſe old cuſtoms have been found of ſuch dangerous and pernicious conſequences, that they have divided and almoſt ruined a moſt flouriſhing Church, and madeway for a common Enemy to break in with utmoſt fury upon us.
§ 6. If the preſerving the Peace of the Church, and preventing ſeparation, was the great meaſure according to which the Apoſtle gave his Directions; Then thoſe directions (or whatever they are called) that diſturb the Churches Peace, and give juſt cauſe for ſeparation, proceed by other meaſures; and it's time to look about us when we meet with ſuch as hazard that precious bleſſing of Peace upon ſuch Rules, Canons and Inſtitutions, as have almoſt, and (if not ſeaſonably prevented) will certainly deſtroy us.