Compulsion of Conscience Condemned, Section 2
SECT. II.
HE that will Seriouſly conſider how tenderly the Lord Jeſus Recommends the precepts of mutual Love, to all that profeſs his Name, making it the very Character of his Followers, Luk▪ 13. 35. By this ſhall all Men know that you are my Diſciples, if ye have Love one to another; And how highly the Apoſtle Paul exalts the ſame Duty, reduceing the whole Duty of a Chriſtian to a ſingle precept, Gal. 5. 14. For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou ſhalt Love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. See Levit. 19. 18. Mat. 22. 39. Cannot but ſufficiently wonder, to ſee ſuch as profeſs the Chriſtian Religion Quarrel one with another, upon the account of ſpecial and doubtful Circumſtances, reſpecting Divine Worſhip!
It is Lamentable to ſee how much the preſent Age differs from Primitive Chriſtianity! The Servants of the Living God in thoſe times, would rather have given their own Lives to perſwade their Enemies to Piety, then ſeek to undo their Brethren, to force them to Hypocriſie.
Thoſe Maximes that interfere with the Sacred Rules of the Goſpel, and threaten deſolation to Men for what they cannot help, are undoubtedly to be laid aſide in a Chriſtian Common-Wealth. And I queſtion not but that our Gracious King, when he thinks fit to meet his People in Parliament, will order a Regulation of theſe proceedings, ſuitable to his Beneign and merciful temper before expreſſed.
In the mean time I humby crave leave to offer a few general Reaſons againſt the preſent Proſecutions, which my Zeal for Truth and the management of Church-Wars (like Chriſtians indeed) extort from me.
It is notorious by Univerſal Experience that it is the perverſe Nature of Man, Niti in vetitum, to long (like Eve) for what is forbidden; A Malady derived by an uninterpreted ſucceſſion from our firſt Parents. Hence grew a neceſſity of Eſtabliſhing Laws and Civil Sanctions, the end of which are, to reſtrain and Puniſh Tranſgreſſors, who by the Intemperate Sallys of private or publich Ambition, Revenge, Luſt or other Vice, attempt or actually perpetrate any thing Injurious to their Fellow-Creatures.
Theſe Laws are Calculated for the reſpective Meridians of ſeveral Nations and Governments, and Levell'd againſt the prevailing vice of the place, Ex malis moribus bonae leges natae ſunt: The pravity of Mans Nature, cauſed a neceſſity of Laws, as Diſtempers do of Phyſick. And as the Office of the later, is to preſerve the Health, and Cure the Diſeaſes of the Body; ſo the Office of the former is to preſerve the Body Politick. Neither of theſe are ſo limited, but that the private or publick Phyſick may be altered according as the Symptoms of the Diſeaſe direct the Application. And ſo we ſee that Parliaments (without any diſparagement to their Wiſdoms) Repeal Laws proper to the times they were Enacted in, and make New, as the Viciſſitudes of the Publick Pulſe ſtands in need of. The wiſeſt Men have changed Counſels and Reſolves upon Second thoughts: The very Popes themſelves, and General Councels have done it, though the former Arrogate to themſelves an Infallibility.
No meer Man is ſo ſharp ſighted as certainly to foreſee what the Events and Revolutions of things to come may be, without Divine Inſpiration. Therefore it is rather to be Eſteemed a prudential Skill, then an Arraignment of the Acts of our Predeceſſors, when what was ſuitable to them, and improper for us, are repealed, and a more ſeaſonable remedy Applied, when the inconveniences of the former are diſcovered. I am certain that the beſt way to convince Proteſtant diſſenters, (and moſt agreeable to the Dictates of Chriſtianity,) is to Win them by fair and Charitable Methods; and that thoſe Penalties the Law inflicts, ſhould at leaſt be relaxt, for Reaſons hereafter to be produced. Every conſidering Man muſt needs know that the Biaſs of Intereſt and Education are ſtrong Shackles to the Judgment, which Fetter it from yeilding to Demonſtrated Truth. That of Education is very hard to be over-maſter'd. We have had Deplorable Experiments, that Opinion meerly got by Education, is ſometimes as hard to be removed, (yea harder) then the Body from the Soul. It ſo Wheels and Intoxicates the Brain, that even amongſt the Turks, we Read of ſome Wiſe and Moderate Perſons, who would Die to maintain their ridiculous Alcaron.
Cuſtome is grown ſuch a Tyrant, that ſome would rather ſtarve then eat Bread bak'd in a Pan (as a Reverend Prelate ſaid) becauſe he uſed to eat Bread bak'd in an Oven. Religion in many is really their humour, and a Darling Fancy paſſes with ſuch for Reaſon; and Faſhion is more prevailing then the beſt Arguments. O the Deplorable Eſtate of Chriſtianity: Men will now reject the moſt Sacred of Truths, if they can but find a Pique at the Meſſenger, as if the Raving Patient would ſpill the beſt of Cordials, becauſe not preſented in a Golden Spoon!
The Deſign of what is ſaid, is to make way for what follows, viz.