The Necessity and Use of Heresies, Title page – Dedication
THE NECESSITY & USE OF HERESIES, Or The Third and Laſt Part OF THE Great Queſtion About INDIFFERENT THINGS IN Religious VVorſhip, CONTAINING An Anſwer to the Objection againſt Liberty of Conſcience, from the Growth and Spreading of Hereſies. By Edward Bagſhaw, Student of Ch. Church.
LONDON, Printed for S. M. at the Star in St. Pauls Church-Yard, 1662.
To the Honourable Sr JOHN VAUGHAN Knight of the Bath, Second Son to the Right Honourable, the Earl of Carberry.
Noble and Learned Sir,
HAd I had no other knowledge of your eminent Worth and Quality, but what was tranſmitted to me by common fame (which places you, and that deſervedly in the firſt Rank of our moſt knowing and Religious Gentry) that alone would have ſufficiently warranted me in this Addreſſe, ſince thoſe who ſhine like you, in ſo vigorous and active a Sphere of conſtant and unblemiſhed Piety, may eaſily excuſe the careful Beholder, if he turn his body with ſome kind of particular Reſpect & Obſervance towards them. But when to this general Account, which claimes a Reverence from all, there is ſuperadded an Intention you long have had, to ſhew me ſome perſonal kindneſs (which you have lately performed, with very many Noble and Obliging Circumſtances) I could no longer be juſt, either to my own Reſentments of Gratitude, or to the Expectation of others, ſhould I not have taken the very firſt Opportunity of manifeſting to the world, how much I think you are to be honoured; and how fit to be propoſed as a Publick Pattern. For others of mean Endowments, and narrow Fortunes, to be well principled in vertue, or to take a little compaſs of Learning in their way to Preferment; this carries with it no ſingular commendation, for in ſuch, neceſſity may ſeem to make their choyce for them; but for one in the greateſt outward affluence, & in the midſt of the moſt charming Temptations, both from Honour & Pleaſure, to preſerve an unſpotted integrity, and to keep himſelf free and dis-intereſſed; for the purſuit only of what is truly Great and Noble; this is a degree of Excellence, which God vouchſafes to very few: And, Sir, you are one of thoſe, in whoſe manner of Life and Studies, we may read, that ſuch kind of rare examples are not wholly diſcontinued; but God ſhews he hath a Care of this Age alſo, how corrupt ſoever, in that he hath given you, as Salt, to ſeaſon it.
But while others are taken up with admiring, what you ſet the loweſt value upon, your accurate Learning, and through Inſight into the profoundeſt depths of Philoſophy, together with a Maſculine and Clean Expreſſion, give me leave to take notice of that, which I have often in private Wondred at, your ſtrict and impartial ſearch into the myſteries of Chriſtian Religion, which, while others paſs lazily over, or take the belief of them upon truſt, you have made it your buſineſs ſeverely to examine; and thence have arrived to ſuch an height of Aſſurance, that you can look down upon thoſe Objections & Difficulties, where with puzling Diſputers do trouble both themſelves and others, with a fixed and ſteady eye; and only pity thoſe poor miſtaken Rationaliſts, who ſeek for ſatisfaction, where it is not to be had; like Saul, who conſulted with a Witch, when none but the Lord could truly anſwer him.
I cannot therefore wiſh an higher Elogy, to this ſmall Treatiſe, then that it were as fit for your view, as you are able to judge of it; For you, Sir, are experimentally acquainted with the Truth it contains; and can demonſtrate from the moſt undoubted Teſtimony, that God hath a little number in the world, whom in ſpite of Hell or Hereſies, he is reſolved to ſave; and therefore by ſtate-Arts and Politick Contrivances, to labour the Prevention of Hereſies, it is as to the Elect, a needleſs, as to Reprobates an unprofitable care, and unwarrantable to both, ſince, when the Scripture tels us, there muſt be Hereſies; they only take the way to perpetuate them, who endeavour their ſuppreſſion, by waies which that Word hath not warranted. As winds, till they are pent up & reſtrained from their motion, do ſeldom any hurt; ſo nor Hereſies neither, till they are impoſed and forced, they make no publick diſturbance. The world would never have been Arian heretofore, nor Antichriſtian now, did not Princes lend their Power to the Beaſt, to make it kill, whom it cannot confute. That all mens Eyes may be opened to ſee that Chriſtian Religion, which is the Power of God, needs not any Aſſiſtance from the undue Power of man, and that you, whoſe eies are already opened, may be long Preſerved for the Information and Example of others, is, and ſhall be the conſtant Prayer of
Drury Lane, Jan. 10, 1661. NOBLE SIR, Your truly Affectionate and most Obliged Servant, Edward Bagſhaw.