The New Query and Determination Upon It, Section 4
SECT. IIII. Reaſons againſt the preſent ſetling of Government taken from Conſcience anſwered.
THe next reaſon for adjourning or putting off the Government to a further time, is taken from Conſcience; and that in two reſpects.
1. In that the conſcience hereby, that is, by a ſpeedy ſetting up of government, is miſ-guided to a compliance with a *§ 2. p. 3.Principle of Popery againſt the Nationall Covenant.
Anſw. It is very ſtrange that any one, who remembreth the Nationall Covenant (as he taketh upon him to doe that citeth it) wherein we are bound ſincerely, really, and conſtantly to endevour the reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland in Diſcipline and Government, in the firſt Article of it, ſhould from the ſame Covenant plead for delay in the eſtabliſhment thereof; and yet more ſtrange, that he ſhould doe it under the title of Popery, which in the next Article of the Covenant is diſavowed; which (if his reaſoning were right) were ſuch a contradiction, as would argue the compoſers and penners of the Covenant to be men of moſt pitifull ſimplicitie.
But wherein appeareth this Popery? Why, in *§ 2. p. 3.bringing the people under a Popiſh implicit obedience; and he confirmes it by experience: *§ 2. ibid.We know it by e…eperience (ſaith he) that the people have beene ever devoted to any thing that the State ſets up, all the diſputes or conſcience of the common people ending in this, Whether it be eſtabliſhed by Law, or no; and going uſually no higher, or further then a Statute, or Act of State for their Religion. To which I anſwer.
1. For that he ſaith of implicit Popiſh obedience, it is very impertinently applied to the Diſcipline, or Government in queſtion; ſince (as I have ſhewed in what I ſaid to his firſt reaſon) it is ſo ordered already that therein inſtruction muſt preced, or goe before obſervation; nor ſhall any one be bound to act in that particular any further then according to his light.
2. For his obſervation upon experience, it maketh as much againſt matter of Doctrine as mattes of Diſcipline; and more againſt the Authority of the Parliament then the authority of Miniſters; ſince They, not Miniſters, make Statutes, and eſtabliſh Lawes; and if the people be ſo apt to idolize a Statute, or an Act of State, (but I beleeve they more often offend in defect then in exeeſſe of reſpect unto them) it will be the duty of ſuch as have the Legiſlative power (wherein he that finds the fault is fitteſt to doe the office of an Admonitor unto them) to ſuſpend their authoritie for matter of Religion, and to ordaine and decree nothing of that ſubject to be received or obſerved.
2. A ſecond reaſon, which hath reference to Conſcience, he brings in upon experience thus: *§. 5. p. 4.We have found by experience that the ſpeedy ſetling of Government upon a Nation, hath made reformation take little root, ſave in the outward man, or formall obedience; becauſe they received not reformation in the power of the word; but of the State, which went not ſo deepe into the conſcience but they could part with it at any time upon a Law: And he concludes his obſervation with a patheticall interrogation: O then why doe not dayes ſpeake, and multitude of yeares teach knowledge?
To this may be replyed:
1. That if he meane it in reſpect of our owne Kingdome (and that experience is moſt like to come within his cognizance) the fault was not in the over-ſpeedy ſetling of a Government, but in the choyce of a wrong Government: viz. that of Prelacy, which by an Act and Ordinance of Parliament, and by the Nationall Covenant is cryed downe.
2. If when Diſcipline is eſtabliſhed, Doctrine were aboliſhed, or for a time ſuſpended and ſilenced, there were ſome force in this exception of Mr. Saltmarſh; but Doctrine goeth on where Diſcipline cometh in; as a Schoole maſter is at the ſame time in Office both a teacher, and a corrector of his ſchollers; and ſo the power of the word may go deep into the conſcience, and the Diſcipline or Government is rather an helpe, then an hindrance to that operation: for,
3. The Diſcipline or Government is as an hedge or wall about the Doctrine of Religion; a goad or ſpurre to the meanes of grace, to bring men under the power of the Words operation; a curbe to licentious courſes; all which conduce much to the keeping of the conſcience voyd of offence toward God and man: and though with many the reformation reach no further then the outward man, yet that is not to be imputed to the Diſcipline which brings them to the Word, but to their owne corruptions, and Satans ſleights, and deceits which hinder the Words kindly and ſaving worke upon them.
4. Where the Diſcipline hath beene rightly choſen, and timely eſtabliſhed, God hath bleſſed it with better fruits; as in the Kingdome of Scotland; whence it is that that Church hath had the favour and honour from God, to be free both from hereſie and ſchiſme, where with we of this Kingdome and State have abounded ſo much the more, as the Diſcipline bath beene the more delayed; which agreoth to Mr. Saltmarſh his politick obſervation in theſe words: *M. Saltmarſh his practiſe of policy, pol. 81. p. 69.When places of authoritie be likely to be vacant (much more when authoritie it ſelfe is at a nonplus) be ready in proiect with a ſucceſſour; long interregnums or interſtices, (i.) intermiſſions in government, are the Winter and ill ſeaſon of a State, where the nights are long, and the dayes ſhort.
5. And laſtly, for his Epiphonema with the words of Elihu forementioned which are taken out of Iob 32. verſ. 6, 7. Why doe not dayes ſpeake, and multitude of yeares teach knowledge? they make nothing for his purpoſe; for the meaning of them is not that Government, or Diſcipline, or any other uſefull thing ſhould not be with all convenient ſpeed eſtabliſhed, but that the ancient, with whom is wiſdome, Iob 12.12. the gray headed and very aged men, Chap. 15.10. who have had the experience of many dayes, and yeares, ſhould be heard and heeded in matter of advice, and conſultation, before ſuch green-headed Counſellours as Rehoboam followed to his ruine, 1 King. 12. verſ. 13, 14.