The Principle of Protestant Truth and Peace, Treatise 1 · Objection 1 – Objection 5
Object. 1. Every Falſe Religion, or refuſal of the True Religion in a Nation, not vindicated by due ſeverity upon Offenders, is an offence againſt the Divine Majeſty, of a National Guilt, and brings down National Judgments.
Anſwer. The government of Conſcience being Gods peculiar, no earthly Power ſhall be charged with the obliquities and errors of it, any more than with the ſecret ſins of men that are not known, or thoſe Diſtempers of Mind and Spirit, which coming into no palpable Inſtances can neither be convicted nor ſentenced by man.
Now miſtakes of men in Religion not cogniſable by the light of Nature, are to be reckon'd among the Errors of Conſcience, and ſo are properly left to Gods Judgment-ſeat, and the Magiſtrate ſtands free.
It is therefore very obſervable, Princes are called nurſing-Fathers, and Queens nurſing-Mothers; ſignifying not a Iſa. 49. 23.Commanding-Power, but a tender, inſinuating, cheriſhing, the Encouragements from them, that ſuch an Appellative carryes with it, in thoſe that declare it, in thoſe that are to receive it.
The Magiſtrate diſcharging this Honourable Truſt, may acquit himſelf and the Community before God from the guilt and deſtruction of thoſe that may be yet heinouſly guilty before God, as Jonah's Mariners did from the Blood of that Prophet conſigned over to the Sea by his own Sentence, Oh Lord! lay not this mans blood to our charge, who have Jon. 1. 14done all it pleaſed thee to command us.
When Soveraigns and Nations have conſidered the Wiſdom, Rationality and Heavenlineſs of Propoſals in Religion, and ſetled upon what they find of the higheſt Character, as the Religion of their Nation by Law to be eſtabliſhed; to which they allow the encouragement of their publick Honours and Maintanance, and taken care for the propagation of it by Inſtructions, Arguments, Reaſons, and good Examples, they have done all that God expects from them to do, and ſo have delivered their own ſouls.
That which was of their free judgment and arbitrement, (as proper to them, as to families and perſons, to diſpoſe of their own) they have placed as they thought upon due conſideration, moſt to the glory of God, and the good of the people; but to deprive men of their native rights, or to puniſh them in their Perſons or Eſtates (who are not Offenders againſt Natural Religion) for the ſentiments of their minds, of which they have only a humane judgment, is not a Power wherewith they think themſelves inveſted of God, and ſo forbear it.
This is indeed the Religion of a Nation of Men, a Nation of Chriſtians, a Vertuous, an Honourable Government, and more hopeful to propagate true Chriſtianity, than that which writes its Laws in Blood. And this is to Rule over men and not over Beaſts; bound up (as men ſhould be) with the cords of a man in Natural Religion; in what is beyond that, as revealed from God, with Bands of Love, to ſerve the Publick; Bleſſed are the people who are in ſuch a caſe; bleſſed is that people whoſe God is thus the Lord Jehovah.
Object. 2. What Peace can there be in the world amongſt private and particular perſons, while there are ſeveral opinions in Religion? how many Diſputes, and Calumnies, and Invectives are continually flying up and down by reaſon of differences in Religion? and how much better are all compelled into Ʋnion?
Anſwer. All theſe evils are but ſo many Arguments of depraved Nature, which creates its own occaſions out of every thing; and if the miſchiefs of Compulſion, or the ill ſtate even of thoſe parts of th… world, where the voice of Religion is all one la…ge, were caſt up, I doubt they would be found to ballance the worſt that can be charged on differences in Religion. But yet Natural Religion, and moſt evidently Chriſtian Religion, is moſt ſevere and poſitive againſt all Strife, Envy, Railings, evil Surmiſings, and bends men upon Peace, Love, Me…kneſs, Quietneſs, Charity towards all men, and eſpecially Chriſtians, as is after to be ſh…wn; and therefore undoubtedly thoſe evil effects where they grow to exceſs, may be reſtrained by Civil Magiſtracy, as in any other caſe; and the rather, that True Religion ſo much diſowning them, they are more inexcuſable in that cauſe, than any other; for though we find Scripture ſevere in its language in great caſes, as St. Paul againſt the Bigots of the Law; yet we muſt alſo conſider the Infallible Spirit that guided Sacred Writers, who alone knows how to direct thoſe ſharp arrows, and what effect they ſhall take.
Object. 3. This clips off the Royalty and Prerogative of Princes, if they have not the command of mens Sentiments, or at leaſt of their outward Actions and Practiſes in Religion.
Anſ. The unjuſt Enlargements of Earthly Power into the Divine Sanctuary, hath been always fatal to Princes. Ʋzziah's rude entrances into it, were puniſhed by God with infamous Leproſy: Herods Letting that ſacrilegious acclamation, It is 1 Chron. 28. 18, 19. Act. 12. 22, 23,the voice of a God, not of a man, ſink into him, was preſently reveng'd with a dreadful hand of Judgment. Humane Power is ſafeſt, keeping it ſelf within the verge of Divine Inſtitution; beyond that, though it may ſeem greater, yet it becomes only like a ſwelling wall, the bigger it is, the more ready to fall; or a tottering Fence expatiating to ruine.
Their Honour is great in being nurſing-Fathers; if God had intended Civil Magiſtracy to govern in any Religion but Natural, they ſhould have had as certain Rules to act by, as they have in Natural Religion.
Beſides what is the good of being great Maſters in Religion, except in that wherein God hath ſhewed every man what is good, ſeeing the greater Judgment waits for ſuch. Thus the Apoſtle James, James 3. 1. My brethren, be not many maſters, impoſers or preſcribers in Religion; that is, do not affect it, knowing we ſhall receive a greater Judgment.
Object. 4. But it is impoſſible to govern with any ſecurity, if Governours hold not the Reins of mens Conſciences, if they have not the Rule of that Helm, that turns about ſo great Bodies of people, which way ſoever they that have that Pylotry pleaſe, with what vigor and courage are men animated while the Principles and Rewards of Religion are in their hearts and eyes? If therefore the Prince rules not in theſe, his Command is but Cypher.
Anſwer 1. Religion is too great and noble a thing to be but an Expedient of Government.
2. The Hiſtory of Chriſtianity aſſures us no Princes have had more obedient Subjects, a more valiant Souldiery, than Heathen Princes of Chriſtians. True Religion knows its obligation to Government, and purſues the Laws of it, though that Government hath ſtood diſtinct from that True Religion. And this is the ſtanding-Rule of Chriſtians.
Object. 5. But what Tumults, Factions, Seditions, have been rais'd under Religious pretences, when Subjects have not yielded themſelves to the Empire of Princes in Religion?
Anſw. Theſe evils, as they are falſely pretended by men of turbulency to be for the ſervice of Religion; ſo they are unjuſtly charg'd upon it. There can be therefore no ſeverity too great upon thoſe that ſo abuſe ſo excellent a thing. But the ſ…m… care that ſecures againſt ambition, ſedition, rebellion, in one ſhape, will do it in another, without taking away lawful liberties. Nor is there any remedy ſo ſpecifick againſt the great Hypocriſie of covering Rebellion with Religion, Faction with Faith, as the ſevereſt Regiment of men according to the indiſputable Laws of Natural Religion, and allowance of the greateſt Tolleration in what no way contradicts that: For then is the artifice ſtrongeſt, when it is planted in the oppreſſion of mens conſciences, ſo great an illegality againſt Natural Principles. Take away ſevere Impoſitions, and what have ſuch Politicians to work upon?