A Persuasive to an Ingenuous Trial of Opinions in Religion, Section 4
§ 4.
Having premiſed thus much concerning this ſubject, I ſhall proceed in this method following.
I. To conſider in what caſes we are to enquire moſt of all into the Truth.
II. To ſhew how or by what Rules or Teſts we are to try and examine Opinions in Religion.
III. How we ought to be diſpoſed and qualified that our Inquiries may be profitable and ſucceſsful.
IV. To lay down ſome Motives whereby to perſwade men to ſuch Inquiry and examination.
V. To conſider what becomes us and is our duty, after the diſcovery and knowledge of the Truth.
I. I ſhall conſider in what caſes we ought to be moſt careful in making inquiries after the Truth, leſt we be impoſed upon▪ or miſtaken.
All inquiries about Religion are either concerning the truth of Religion in the general; or ſuppoſing the exiſtence and providence of God, which is the true Religion, whether the Pagan, or the Jewiſh, or the Mahometan, or the Chriſtian; or the truth of the Chriſtian Religion being granted, what Communion of men profeſſing Chriſtianity, is to be choſen; for inſtance, whether the Church of Rome, or the Church of England, or the Communion of the Diſſenters who ſeparate from this Church.
But now all things are not alike needful to be proved, or are equally proper matters of inqniry. For,
1. Every man is not bound to know all the falſe ways of Religion that are in the World, and therefore not to try and examine every one of them. It is ſufficient for moſt men, that they well conſider the Faith and Profeſſion to which they have been educated, that if it be the Truth, they may be well-grounded in it; if it be falſe, that they may upon good reaſon depart from it.
2. Things that are ſelf-evident, need not to be examined: for no Argument can make them plainer to us than they are already. We may without any heſitation aſſent to ſuch Principles as theſe: That God cannot lie; That men ought to obſerve fidelity and juſtice to one another, and the like. If there were not ſome Principles that needed no proving, it were impoſſible to prove any thing; and the more plain any thing is in it ſelf, the leſs need there is to examine it. If I am told that white is black, I ſhall not go about to diſprove it, becauſe the thing is evidently falſe of it ſelf, and I can uſe no Argument that can make the matter plainer than it was at firſt. In like manner, if any man pretends that there is no difference between Vice and Virtue but in name, and that all things are equally lawful; this ſhall not put me to the trouble of examining the thing, becauſe 'tis contrary to the common ſenſe of mankind. And for this reaſon any man is to be excuſed that diſmiſſes the Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, without taking much pains about it; becauſe upon a very little conſideration, there appears ſo many groſs contradictions and inconſiſtencies in it, that I can have no greater reaſon to believe any thing is true, than I have to believe that is falſe.
3. Some things are hardly worth the examining, and it ſignifies little or nothing to underſtand the right ſide of the Queſtion. If the Doctrine of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary were true, yet it were not worth a quarter of the pains they have taken about it in the Church of Rome. It is by no means true, that an infallible living Judge is neceſſary upon Earth, and that for the deciding of all Controverſies in Religion; ſince all ſuch Controverſies are not neceſſary to be decided, ſome of them being of ſo little concern to us, that it is no great matter if they remain Controverſies to the Worlds end.
But we ought to uſe our Reaſon as well as we can to find out the truth in all thoſe caſes wherein it will be dangerous to be deceived; and therefore in theſe four:
Firſt, When any man or company of men would gain us over to their way by lofty and extraordinary Pretences.
Secondly, When Doctrines are propounded to us with conſiderable Authority, which ſeem to encourage licentiouſneſs, and to render all care of living well needleſs.
Thirdly, When we are tempted to ſeparate from the Communion of the eſtabliſh'd Church where we live, or if we are in a ſtate of Separation from it.
Fourthly, When Opinions in Religion are propounded to us by thoſe that would get us to yield up our Judgments wholly unto them, and do what they can to keep us from examining them.
A prudent man would examine in all theſe caſes;
Firſt, When men make extraordinary Pretences. The reaſonableneſs of which I have already ſhewn, with reference to that Pretence of the Church of Rome to Infallibility. And the like is to be ſaid of thoſe that pretend to work Miracles, or that talk of immediate Revelations, of knowing the Truth by Inſpiration, and of more than ordinary Illuminations. For it is not onelyonly a childiſh thing to be frighted with big words from looking what is under them, but a very dangerous ſort of cowardize, to be afraid of calling thoſe things into queſtion which are ſet off with ſuch highflown Pretences. For from hence it has come to paſs, that Superſtition and Idolatry, Enthuſiaſms and Impoſtures, have prevailed ſo much in the World. It is ſomewhat ſtrange that we ſhould believe men the more, for that very reaſon upon which we ſhould believe them leſs, that is, for magnifying themſelves. And yet if this had not been common, Mahomet had not impoſed upon ſo great a part of the World, nor the Church of Rome upon ſo great a part of Chriſtendom, nor our Enthuſiaſts upon ſo many People in England as they have. I would not be backward to give that man a hearing, that pretends to great things in teaching Religion; but then I ſhould be ſomething forward to give him a tryal too: for otherwiſe I might encourage a very impudent Hypocrite to be more impudent ſtill, and to play upon my eaſineſs till I had ſwallowed all the fooliſh and damnable Opinions which he would have me believe for his own advantage.
Secondly, When we meet with Doctrines that ſeem to ſtrike at the foundations of Morality and good living, we are to examine them too, before we yield our aſſent▪ though they be recommended by men of name and authority. For the end of divine truth is a good and holy life; and therefore I ſhould ſuſpect that to be falſe Doctrine, which in my judgment either takes away the neceſſity of Piety and Virtue, or diſcourages men from endeavouring to attain them. For inſtance, I find this Doctrine maintained by ſome men of great note, That God hath from all eternity abſolutely choſen ſome men to ſalvation, and reprobated the reſt, without reſpect to any perſonal qualifications. Now if this be true, I cannot ſee for my life how the obtaining of eternal happineſs, and the avoiding of damnation, depends upon any care of mine, or upon any thing that I can do, ſince every mans ſtate is abſolutely over-ruled by predeſtination and an irreverſible decree; ſo that let me do what I pleaſe, all that I can do for another world will be but loſt labour, and might as well be ſpared. But if I am ſenſible of this, it is but reaſonable that I ſhould not rely upon the credit of the Author or of the Preacher for ſo perilous a Doctrine; but becauſe it is pretended to be grounded upon the ninth Chapter to the Romans, I ſhould go to the Apoſtle my ſelf, and carefully inquire into his meaning in that place, by the beſt Rules of interpretation that I can learn. And whoever goes thus impartially to work, will find that the Apoſtle in that place was diſcourſing of another Queſtion, and indeed upon a ſubject that has nothing to do with this Queſtion of abſolute Election or Reprobation of the perſons of men; and that though the words ſound that way to a man that is already prepoſſeſs'd, yet the meaning of them is nothing to the purpoſe. Suſpicion of Doctrines when it is grounded upon ſo good a reaſon as we are now ſpeaking of, ſhould cauſe inquiry, and then that inquiry will diſcover on which ſide the truth lies. He that would be a Libertine, and live as he liſts, may be pleaſed when he meets with any pretended Doctrine of Religion that will excuſe a wicked life, or diſcourage Virtue and holineſs; and therefore it is likely that he will reſt ſatisfied, and examine no farther. But an honeſt mind will not let a man deceive himſelf in this manner; but if it does not cauſe him to reject ſuch Opinions as ſoon as ever he has well ſatisfied himſelf of their conſequences, it will at leaſt keep him from admitting them, till he has tried them every way that he can.
Thirdly, We ought alſo to be very well ſatisfied, and that upon much conſideration of the matter, before we ſeparate from the Communion of the Church where we live. For whatever ſome men may think of it, this is a buſineſs of ſo weighty a nature and conſequence, that it is not to be reſolved upon or continued in, till we are ſure we are in the right, and that upon moſt plain and evident reaſons. And if there be any caſe in which a Chriſtian ought not to go raſhly to work, this is one. And therefore it is greatly to be lamented, that ſo many amongſt us pretending to the power of Godlineſs, ſhould make ſo light a matter as they plainly do of running into ſeparate Congregations; it being very notorious, when one diſcourſes the point with them, that they never enquired why the Church-Aſſemblies were to be forſaken, and what it is in the eſtabliſh'd Forms of Worſhip, or in the Terms of our Communion, that makes it needful for an honeſt and wiſe Chriſtian to depart from it. And this is an Argument that they take it to be a matter of very little conſequence; for otherwiſe they would have applied themſelves with more diligence to weigh it in all the particulars that belong to it.
And therefore I ſhall offer ſome Reaſons in behalf of ſuch inconſiderate People, to convince them how bold and dangerous a thing it is to ſeparate from this Church of England, unleſs they were fully ſatisfied upon mature examination that there are juſt and neceſſary cauſes for ſeparation, ſuch namely as will make them ſinners againſt God, if they do not ſeparate.
1. If without juſt cauſe I ſeparate from this Church, I do wilfully reject the great bleſſings and advantages of Communion with it, and muſt be anſwerable to God for ſlighting that merciful providence of his through which I happened to be born and bred in a place where I might enjoy the benefits of Church-Communion, without venturing at any diſorderly and ſinful practice for them. Surely it is no ſmall bleſſing, if my lot has been caſt where ſo great a bleſſing did, as it were, lie in wait for me, where the true Chriſtian Doctrine and way of Worſhip was recommended to me by publick Authority, and eſtabliſh'd by Law and Cuſtom, and defended to my hand by clear and ſtrong Arguments. If this be our Caſe in the Church of England, then my ſeparation from her (I ſay it again) makes me guilty of a ſtupid and ungrateful contempt of Gods exceeding mercies in diſpoſing my condition in this World ſo to my advantage, that I was born, baptized, and bred in a place where the Truth invited me, and was ready to receive me, before I made one ſtep towards a ſearch after her. Indeed to be baptized within the Communion of a particular Church, and to have been born and to live under that Authority which requires me to keep cloſe to it, is of it ſelf no ſufficient reaſon why we ſhould continue to be of it; but it is a mighty reaſon why we ſhould examine things carefully before we leave it, or take up a reſolution never to return to it, if we have left it already; becauſe if there be no juſt reaſon for ſeparation, we ſhall have the more to anſwer to God: For it is a great fault to neglect ſearching after the Truth in matters of this concern, even when it lies a great way off from a man; but it is much more inexcuſable to reject it when it lies at our doors.
2. I had need be very careful and impartial in this caſe, ſince if the reaſons upon which I ſeparate be not really weighty and ſubſtantial, I am at once guilty of throwing off that ſubordination and ſubjection to the Paſtors and Guides of the Church, which the Chriſtian Profeſſion requires, and of contemning the lawful commands of my Superiours in the State, contrary to the Rule of the Goſpel which obliges me to ſubmit to their Ordinances. I ſhould not eaſily be led to a Practice where there is danger of ſuch a complicated ſin.
3. I am to conſider, that differences in Religion and Worſhip, do dangerouſly affect the Peace of Kingdoms and all other Societies, eſpecially where the intereſts of Church and State are ſo mixed and interwoven together as they are in England. They that agree in Religion, are the moſt likely to be at peace, and to agree together in other things. But it ſeldom happens that they maintain hearty correſpondence in any thing, who are of oppoſite Communions in the ſervice of God. When the Unity of the Church is broken, there is a foundation laid of thoſe uncharitable cenſures and animoſities which for the moſt part end in violence and bloudſhed, very often to the diſſolation of Kingdoms and Nations. It were eaſie to put this out of queſtion by ſeveral inſtances of the ſad experience which Chriſtendom hath had of it. But the late and ſad Example hereof at home, is enough to make all others needleſs for our conviction. The Rebellion here was ſupported by nothing more than by difference about Religion. This was the principal cauſe that brought together ſo many People againſt the King, and that inſlamed them with anger and reſolution to venture all, till they had ſecured the King and enſlaved the Kingdom. I need not ſay (for ſure every body muſt be ſenſible of that) how diverſity of Religions weaken the Government, and render a People unable to do well for themſelves, to oppoſe foreign Enemies, and to uſe the moſt likely opportunities for the common ſafety and proſperity. Therefore in love to our Country, and for the ſake of Peace at home, and of ſucceſs in all juſt Enterprizes abroad, we ſhould be very backward to violate the preſent Conſtitution of the Church, and to unſettle the ſtate of Religion, and never ſeparate from the eſtabliſh'd Communion, till we find our ſelves forced to it by Reaſons ſo plain and weighty, that there is no avoiding of it, if we would keep our ſelves honeſt men and good Chriſtians.
4. The ſetting of a bad example to others ſhould in this caſe be moſt conſidered. For if where a neceſſary Reformation in things of Religion is made by juſt Authority, or a lawful ſeparation made by private perſons from a Communion polluted with unlawful conditions; it is yet very hard to keep the Example from being abuſed by others in reforming or ſeparating without any ſuch cauſe, and will ſtill be of worſe conſequence to ſet an example of wanton and unjuſtifiable ſeparation: for this is ſo plain a contempt of Authority, Order, and Unity, that others will be afraid to ſubdivide into more Parties, as Self-conceit, Ambition, or Revenge, or the like evil diſpoſitions ſhall prompt them.
5. If ſeparation ſhould not be made but with very great caution, for fear of incurring the guilt of Schiſm by a cauſeleſs and unlawful departure from the Aſſemblies of the Church, and ſetting up other Aſſemblies in oppoſition to them. This in the judgment of the ancient Chriſtians was no leſs than for a man to cut himſelf off from the Catholick Church of Chriſt; and if the body of Chriſt be but one, as the Scripture plainly tells us, he that divides himſelf from any particular Church that is a Member of this Body, divides himſelf from the whole Body. And therefore Schiſmaticks were not accounted by the Ancients to be within the Church, although they retained the profeſſion of the Common Faith. And ſurely a man would well adviſe with himſelf about an action whereby he may be in danger of putting himſelf into that condition. The Ʋnity of Chriſtians in one Body and Communion, was inſtituted by our Lord for very great and weighty reaſons, and particularly for the ſecuring of Brotherly kindneſs amongſt his Diſciples, who being Members of the Body of Chriſt, ſhould therefore love and care for one another more than other men are wont to do; and for the retaining of Profeſſors within the Rules of a true Chriſtian life, from which if they ſhould break away by any ſcandalous practice, they were to be puniſhed for it by the ſhame of being turned out of the Communion of the Church, and by the loſs of the great advantages thereof. But it is evident, that they who are guilty of dividing the Communion of Chriſtians, and ſetting up one Communion in oppoſition to another, without neceſſary cauſe, do what in them lies to render this proviſion for the maintenance of Charity and purity of Manners amongſt Believers, altogether ineffectual. And we ſee by experience that hatred and ill will, and looſeneſs of life, gains ground more by the Schiſms that are amongſt Chriſtians, than by any thing elſe; and no wonder, ſince men that are of different and oppoſite Communions do not uſe to love one another; and vicious perſons do not value the Communion of a true Church, nor care if for their ill manners they be turned out of it, when they can take Sanctuary in a pretended Church of another Communion, that makes as loud a claim to all the Priviledges of a Chruch-Society as that Church can do from which they have divided themſelves. Which things being conſidered, we are not to wonder that in St. Cyprian's time Schiſm was accounted no leſs, but rather a greater fault than to ſacrifice to Idols for the avoiding of perſecution. For though Idolatry ſimply conſidered be in it ſelf worſe, yet Schiſm in its conſequences is more pernicious. He that is the Head of a Schiſm, does more miſchief to the Church than if he turned a Pagan or a Mahometan. The concluſion from hence is this: That it concerns every man that ſeparates himſelf from an eſtabliſhed Church, it concerns him, I ſay, as much as his Soul is worth, to look to it that the cauſe of his ſeparation be juſt and neceſſary, and ſuch as will throw the guilt of Schiſm upon that Church from which he ſeparates.
But alas, how few are they that examine the reaſons upon which they have broken away from the Church of England? How many, that when they are preſſed in good earneſt, can ſay no more for themſelves than that they have better preaching, and more ſpiritual praying elſewhere, than in our Pariſh-Churches? How will they abuſe our Prayers and call them Porridge, and ſuch other vile names, who never in all their lives ſo much as read them, and are not aſhamed to own that they have not? They call the Biſhops Antichriſtian, and the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church Idolatrous or Superſtitious, who yet never well conſidered what Antichrist means, what is Idolatry or Superſtition; who have little or nothing to ſay, if they be asked what evil is in Biſhops, in Liturgies, and in the Rites of our Worſhip. How many others are there who read the Books written to defend the ſeparation, but will not vouchſafe ſo much as to look upon any one that is publiſhed in behalf of the Communion of our Church? God of his mercy give a better Spirit to ſuch people, and Repentance to thoſe that have miſled them.
Fourthly, We ſhould not eaſily believe thoſe men in matters of Religion, who would keep us from examining their Doctrines by fair ways of tryal, and would affright us into an implicit Faith, by pronouncing damnation againſt all that are not of their own way. If men uſe violence or ſubtlety to hinder us from judging for ourſelves, there is great reaſon to ſuſpect that they are conſcious to themſelves of a bad Cauſe which will not bear the tryal. I need not ſay how this reaches the Roman Church, which forbids the Laity to read the Scriptures, unleſs ſome one Lay-man has that ſpecial favour granted him of leave ſo to do from his Ordinary, who commonly is wiſe enough not to give this licenſe, but where he is ſure the party is faſt enough to the Cauſe of that Church.
Thoſe of the ſeparate Congregations beſt know what Arts are uſed to keep the people that go that way, from informing themſelves by reading our Books, or diſcourſing with our Miniſters about the matters in controverſie between them and us. But we are not ignorant of all of them, ſome of their Leaders teach them to pity our ignorance, and want of illumination; Alas, poor wretches that we are, we know not the things of the Spirit of God! we are ſtrangers to the life and power of Godlineſs!
Thus they uſe to repreſent us. They take all the good names and promiſes of the Scripture to themſelves, and leave the threatnings of God, and the puniſhments inflicted upon his enemies, to us. Now this is but a cunning and indirect way to keep the People from hearkning to any thing we can ſay to 'em, and to teach them how to conclude againſt us, without thinking it to any purpoſe to examine what is offered on both ſides. They that have a good Cauſe, need not uſe thoſe diſingenuous Arts; they will not fright men from conſidering what their adverſaries ſay, by denouncing damnation againſt them, nor forbid them to read their Books, but rather encourage them to do ſo, that they may ſee the difference between Truth and Errour, between Reaſon and Sophiſtry, with their own eyes. This is the effect of a well-grounded confidence in the Truth; and there is this ſigne of a good Cauſe apparently diſcernable in the Application of the Clergy of this Church both to their friends and enemies. They deſire both the one and the other to conſider impartially what is ſaid for us and againſt us. And whatever Guides of a Party do otherwiſe, they give juſt cauſe to thoſe that follow them, to examine their Doctrines ſo much the more, by how much they are unwilling to have them examined. It is a bad ſigne when men are loath to have their Opinions ſeen in the day, but love darkneſs rather than light.
Thus I have ſhewn in what caſes we are moſt concerned to examine the Doctrines of thoſe that undertake to inftruct and guide us.