Answer to Stillingfleets Irenicum, Title page – Dedication
ANSWER TO Dr. Stillingfleet's IRENICUM:
By a Learned Pen.
Sed hoc quidem affirmare non vereor, quod heu nimium tristis Experientia jampridem docuit, sensim inter eodem & pari munere sacro fungentes, ordinem Divinum, in gradum humanum, & hunc gradum, ruptis verorum purorum Canonum vinculis, in tyrannidem manifestam, &, si restitutam Ecclesiam malumus, abolendam evasisse. Theod. Bezae Resp. Sarav. de Ministr. Evang. grad. cap. 15. à calce.
LONDON, Printed for Richard Janeway in Queens-head▪ Alley in Pater-noster Row. 1680.
TO THE READER.
THE World may know, that this Treatise, however little in bulk, and as little in it's own eyes, yet presumes not to walk abroad, after so long confinement, without the perusal and approbation of several very Learned and Judicious Men, as skilfull in the Controversies of Church-Government as most of their Age. If any demand why a posthumous piece shall need to be anonymous too? Its answered, that though the worthy and much lamented Author hath been a Dead Man ever since 1662. Yet there may be Reasons which concern the living why it should be so. If another ask, why the lists are entered so late, after 20 years silence? Ans. Better late than never. And as Diogenes said of Dineing, A Rich Man when he will, and a poor Man when he may; so say I of Printing. The Hebrew servant who refused his liberty in that year of Jubilee, when he might have had it, was to be a slave for ever. But the greatest Question is yet behind, and it is about the seasonableness of this Work. Wherefore, if any shall say with Paul to the Priest, withdraw thine hand: this is not a time to plead for a Jus Divinum of Church-Government, when the Church it self, is like to be swallowed up of Popery; even the Holy City trod under foot of the Gentiles; and our Common Enemy be glad to see Protestant against Protestant (that they may divide the spoil) and so great a Champion of the Protestant Cause assailed. To this several things must be said: 1. As some may write for their way, when they will, (as I have said) why should others neglect the year of Release, which falls out but once in an Age? 2. But if you would know why we venture on offending Episcopacy, by asserting the principles of Presbytery, when Popery so pretends to be the Ascendant. Truly, there's but little reason to stick at this; Partly because the Reformed Churches generally look on Prelacy as a limb of Popery; and partly to the grief of our hearts we see many of those men fallen in so kindly with that interest, that it causeth great thoughts in heart: I mean, not so much by the Popish doctrines that many of them vent, as by a more general palliating of the late hellish, popish plot, to murther our King, and introduce the Romish Religion into these Nations. There being no person more ingrateful to some of them than Dr. Oates, the first and great Discoverer of the Plot; no discourse more unsavoury to them than the discovery it self, and no Parliament so dreaded by them as one likeliest to prosecute the discovery of the Plot, and punish the Papists. And let the World judg whether we have cause to be tender in offending such Protestants in this Controversie, who had rather the Plot should be stifled and the Papists go unpunished, than poor dissenting Protestants should have any favour shewed them. Now the good Lord forgive these men, and turn their hearts from hating of their Brethren to love the Truth. 4. As for Dr. Stillingfleet (whom this Author deals with about Church-Government) I am far from placing him, Dr. Tillotson, and several of his Worthy Brethren in that Category, They have done so worthily in our Israel; especially, himself hath writ so learnedly against the Papists, that he deserves well of all good Protestants. But yet, seeing the learned Dr. seems to have repented of his writing against the Jus divinum of Episcopacy (having since his Irenicum, much applauded and congratulated the happy restitution of the Church of England to its wonted lustre and Grandeur (far enough from his formerly desired Reduction to Primitive Presbyteries:) I know not but he may find as good Reason here, for his repenting to write against the Jus Divinum of Presbyterie. For the end of his Epistle to the Irenicum, about this matter, may be recanted, but never reconciled to the beginning of his Epistle to Arch-Bishop Laud's Defence against Fisher. What pity so grave and great a Man should thus expose himself by a Contest too palpable between principle and preferment. Now though this hath the last word, and carries it with the World; yet the Elder Brother will be accounted the honester with the wise, because born of the Free-woman, while the after-seed was conceived and brought forth in Bondage. 5. It may be judged a fit season of asserting the Kingly Power of Christ in setling the Government of his own House, when Men so liberally give away the Lord's Prerogative; Not a coal of the Altar, almost, which they are not willing to carry to the Eagles nest. Pray God they fire it not. Our Pulpits now so ring with a Catholick Jus Civile, that there is scarce any Jus Divinum left, but of Tythes, which I hope they will hold to the last, being good Church-men. Those prodigal Sons of the Church, are like to prove the profusest spenders of her Patrimony, that ever she brought forth: and, which is worst of all, they are like to promote a DIVORCE from her Husband, by cutting her off from Subjection unto, and Communication with the true Head. A fair Charter hath Christ sealed to his Church with his own blood, giving her Officers, Ordinances, and free Courts within her self; all which unfaithful Children, with profane Esau often sell for morsels of meat, and by base compoundings alienate the Churches Good's from her self (the greatest of Sacrileges) and put them into the hands of strange Children, to the unspeakable detriment of Religion, and disgrace of Christianity.
Now could Men let Christ alone, to govern his own House in his own Way, by his own Officers and Ordinances; how happy were we! Who can better reprove the Atheism of the World in setting up Mans Post by Christ's, than Dr. Stillingfleet hath done in his other works, while he sayeth that To say a Man may be of any Religion, according to the Laws of Men, is to take it for granted, that there is no such thing as Religion in the World. And again, That no Men do so dangerously undermine the foundations of Civil Government, as those who magnifie it to the contempt of Religion. Fear, i. e. Religion, and particularly Worship and the Ordinances of Christs House must not be taught more by the Precepts of Men, than by the Truths of God. Nor may Polititians and Court-parasites dare to form a Religion in the flexible mould of State. A municipal Religion would many fain promote, following Reasons of State more than Rules of Conscience, like the Heathens, who first built Cities, and then instituted a Religion fit for the Inhabitants. The Roman Empire flourished while Virtue was nourished, to shew, says Austin, how happy they should be, who should have Religion superadded. And indeed they had no better Subjects than Christians: for none can give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, upon any valuable or holding account, who make no Conscience of giving unto God the things that are God's. Now this innocent and learned Book can hardly offend any, that are not Adiaphorists on Erastians: pleading in Thesi the faithfulness of Christ in setling a form of Church-Government in his Fathers House, which he is set over: and the Hypothesis of Presbyterie, or a parity of Governours, is not so much asserted positively (further than the Dr's Concessions give ground to build on) as arguments are answered, being brought against its divine Right. So that the design is meerly to set it as right as it was before the Dr. imployed his Ordinance against Presbyterie and Episcopacy as to divine Right, with equal force. And how the learned, and unprejudiced, (if it fall into such hands) shall find this Defence managed, Judicium sit penes lectorem. Sed frustra ferit aures Orator, si Cor non reserat Creator, says great Calvin like himself. If Men could come with a prepared mind to read Books, i. e. with some sense of their own blindness at best, looking to God for more light, supposing that clear Scripture and strong Reason may be brought against some things they hold, there were some hope of getting Good, and Truth's taking place. How may the Most High, after all the Antichristian encroachments on the Scepter of his Son, bring back the hearts of this People to himself, making them yield to the internal Government of his Spirit, and the true, Apostolick, and ancient external Government of his House: that the glory of the Latter House may be greater than the glory of the former, even a spiritual Glory of the powerful presence of the Lord may appear among us; and the pleasure of the Lord may prosper by his own Ordinances in the hands of his own appointed Servants as the beauty of his House, and the blessing of his Chosen. Amen. Even so Lord Jesus, let thy Kingdom come!
Feb. 20. 1679/80.