The English Nonconformity Under King Charles II and James II, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Point XII. Of Consenting to the false Rule to find out Easter-day in the Liturgy.
M.
THE next Point is materially a trifle, but formally so palpable an untruth, that we cannot deliberately declare that we Assent to it, viz. They tell us in their Calender truly how to find Easter-day, and they add another Rule to find it always which is frequently false, as every Almanack will tell you: viz. that [it is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon, which happens next after the one and twentith day of March.]
L.
It is true for the most part, though not always.
M▪
And we will Assent that it is true for the most part, but not always.
L.
This is but a mere mistake, and can you scruple Conformity for such a trifle.
M.
Is it lawful deliberately to lie in a trifle? In them it was but an untruth, for they wrote what they thought had been true. But it would be a wilful lying in me who know it to be false.
L.
But you may in your Subscribing, or Declaring except that which you know the Authors would have excepted, had they known them to be false.
M.
Say you so? Then I may except all the rest which I here except against; For Truth is so naturally the object of the Intellect, that I may suppose that the Convocation would have put none of them on us, had they known them to be false.
Do you mean that I may except them in words or writing, or only mentally? If the first, I have offered them to declare my Assent and Consent to all things in the Book in which the Authors were not mistaken: But that is refused with derision and is contrary to the Act of Uniformity, which saith, [They shall declare in these words and no other.] If you mean mentally then a man may Covenant, or swear any falsehood with a mental exception; and so any … may subscribe, or covenant what you will.
L.
But you know those two most knowing men, Grotius (de Iure Beili) and Bishop Jer. Taylor (Duct. Dubit.) maintain that useful Lying which hurts no one, is no sin: A man's Life may be saved by a lie.
M.
And in my Housholders Catechism on the ninth Commandment I have fully confuted it, to which I refer you… No man's private commodity or life must be preferred before the common welfare of mankind: Why do Souldiers hazard, their lives, and Malefactors lose them, but for the common good and safety? But if men had leave to lie when it is for their safety, or commodity it would utterly overthrow all humane converse and Societies, by over-throwing all Trust and Justice: Rulers and Subjects, Preachers and Hearers, Judges, Jurors, Witnesses, Traders▪ Contractors, would all find some reason from their commodity to Lie. Laws are made chiefly for the common safety and profit, and must not allow a single persons to the common hurt.
L.
I confess the reason is weighty: But most men will but laugh at you, to suffer ruine rather then to Assent to so harmless a Lie as that is.
M.
It is to God's judgment that we stand or fall, who hath decreed to cast out of his Kingdom all Lyars, Rev. 21, and 22.
L.
It's a wonder to me that all the Bishops, Doctors, and Church of England should publish and impose such a mistake, and never a man of them examine it, and detect it: And yet a greater wonder that the Lords and Bishops and Commons in Parliament should pass and impose it without examination?
M.
Neither of them is any wonder to me, considering who the men were, and in what circumstances, and what moved them? No more than that they would rather England were in the case it is in, than to have forborn any of their impositions, called Things indifferent, or than the King's Declaration of Ecclesiastical Affairs, should have healed us.
But do you think that such mens Volumns are like to be so infallible in matters of Faith, Doctrine and Right, who no more examine plain Matters of fact, as that all the Clergy may boldly declare Assent and Consent to all contained in, and …escribed by their book? And that before they ever see it. And did not Convocation, Parliament, and the whole Declaring Clergy go one way, and notably Trust some body, And are we not excusable for trying further? Doth this common belief deserve honour and preferment, and our unbelief of such things deserve silencing and ruine?
L.
I marvail what they say to this, who expound their Assent and Consent as to the Use: If they Use this Rule we must keep two Easters oft, one at a right time, and another at a wrong.
M.
It's enough to justifie themselves, to call Refusers Schismaticks, Rogues, and disobedient to Government, as the poor Protestants are called in France