The Ancient Bounds, Title page – Preface
The ancient Bounds, OR Liberty of Conſcience, TENDERLY STATED, MODESTLY ASSERTED, AND MILDLY VINDICATED.
1 COR. 10.15. I ſpeake as to wiſe men, judge yee what I ſay.
Quid jam nobis ulterius relinquitur, ſi etiam hoc quod voluntate fieri oportet libido extorquet aliena? Lactan. lib. 5. Inſtit. cap. 14.
Etiamſi Magiſtratus Legum ſuarum Regulis ſubditos ſuos, Coercere debeat ne Religioni quam approbat, apertè maledicant, Cogere eos tamen non poteſt ad fidem qua iſtam receptae Religionis formam approbent. Fides enim perſuaderi vult non Cogi, ae nihil tam voluntarium eſſe debet ac Religio, nihil à Magiſtratu Chriſtiano magis alienum, quàm praepoſtera ſeveritas quae homines hypocritas reddat, ecoſque ore Confiteri Cogat, quod corde non Credant.Prof. Leid. Synopſ. pag. 767.
Licenſed and Entred according to Order.
LONDON, Printed by M. S. for Henry Overton, and are to be ſold at his Shop in Popes-head Alley. 1645.
TO THE READER.
AS is the fining pot to ſilver, (ſaith Solomon) ſo is a man to his praiſe; and (to accommodate onelyonly the moralitie of this ſentence to my purpoſe) ſo is a Booke to its title. Wherefore leſt I be thought to praevaricate by prefixing either an improper or imperfect or in ſignificant title to this Booke, not holding forth ſufficiently the nature of the Diſcourſe, which (as may be early deſcryed) is partly of the Magiſtrates duty as well as of Conſciences liberty: It appeares needfull to advertiſe the courteous Reader, that this Diſcourſe was intended primarily (as to its ultimate and adaequate ſcope) onelyonly in the nature of a Plea for the Liberty of tender Conſciences; and meerly in relation thereto, (the condition of the Argument devolving it thither) it comes to have (what it hath) to doe with the Magiſtrate; otherwiſe power and intereſt (eſpecially when ſo eminently ſubjected) are render and delicate things; and our Saviours ſpeech of John may be applyed thereto, among all Arguments of this lower Region that are handled, there is not a greater then this; though the leaſt in that higher ſpheare of ſpirituall truthes (which God is not jealous of our prying into, and being familiar with in a holy way) is greater then it. But ſure it cannot be unacceptable either to the wiſe and judicious (Magiſtrates, or others) that count not names of honour a valuable conſideration, for loads of trouble, or to the Conſcientious, that looke to the work more then the title to apologize in the Chriſtian Magiſtrates behalfe, to exempt or excuſe him from the publique determining Cognizance of differences in Religion (though this by the way onelyonly) and the deciſion therof with the ſword, as whereby, if it prove not to be a meanes ſeparated and anointed by God to ſuch an end, he ſhall onelyonly be ſure unneceſſarily to contract debt and ſin upon himſelf. Yet not that I would tempt the Magiſtrate to any thing, whereby he might incurre the ſcandall of Scepticknes and indifferency in Religion, or limit him from lifting up the head of his owne avowed way (above others which he apprehends in ſome things alien from the truth) by a more eminent countenancing and ample endowment thereof with priviledges of maintenance, &c. (for as He ſays; As is the man, ſo is his might; and ſo let his Religion be for outward accommodations;) or that I would indulge or comply with ſuch an unreaſonable expectation in any materially differing Party to ſtand upon equall termes of outward advantage, and to glory equally (with the moſt received way) in outward Priviledges of publiqueneſſe and publique maintenance (which are but Civill and ſecular things, and the Magiſtrates own that he may doe with what he will, and the truth depends not upon them:) for I waſh my hands of theſe in the ſixth particular of the ſecond Chapter; where as in other parts of the diſcourſe may be ſeene as well what I aske, as what I am far from asking. And this I deſire may be carried along and ſupplyed through the whole diſcourſe, and each particular therein; and if any paſſage or inſtance upon particular reaſon ſpeake higher, to bee reſtrained hereby and taken downe (which is no fault in an Inſtance to need it) to a Diapaſon with the poſtulation of this Diſcourſe, made upon grounds of Morall and Univerſall Reaſon and Juſtice.
I have but a word more, and I have done; Let it not ſeeme an unreaſonable requeſt to be beleeved, that what I have here attempted, (as it is not carried with any ſuch reflexion, ſo it) was not bred with any approbatory reſpect in my heart unto thoſe inventions which now like tares ſpring up with the wheat, and wherein many Saints are involved; but what is ſpoken is (1) in favour of the perſons that differ, not of their errours, for I would pleaſe my Brother, but to his Edification; and while I carry his perſon before the Lord with love in my prayers, I deſire to carry his errours with complaints. (2) To take men off from the wrong way of oppoſing errours, which will be as fruitleſs as 'tis faithleſs, that they may apply themſelves to the uſe of the right meanes, as ſure as ſafe, the Word of God, which requires this Libertie (but accidentally onelyonly ſerving to errours) for 'its better operation, as Phyſick doth require open weather, when the humors are ſtirring, not clung up nor reſtrained, for to purge them away. I ſhall not be offended nor count it ſtrange to heare of much weakneſſe and many failings in the handling of this Argument (which by the tenour of this proportion, being ſo early driven to my Apology, I may well expect to be multiplyed through the Diſcourſe) but I beg but that charitie to be beleeved, that could I foreſee them, I ſhould prevent them with an amendment, or Apologize for them particularly as for this: whereas now all I can doe is to crave a generall pardon. Many Ahimaazes, which I call not ſo for impertinentneſſe, for they are before me, but for latterneſſe of ſetting out, have over-run me, who was ready more then ſix moneths ſince: and what ſimilitude of Notions I have with others, is not (I may cleare my ſelfe and the matter herein) by any furtive extraction out of them; (though I am a debtor to them all, and the leaſt of them may adde to me who am leaſt of all) but through the onenes of Truth. And as I have been preſt in ſpirit, and ſerv'd with an opportunitie of vacancy from ſome other buſineſſe to the vindicating of this Truth; ſo in the bearing it forth, I have no leſſe ſtrangely to my ſelfe, (if ſo ſafely, and that it appeare ſo to others) obſerved a ſpeciall conduct leading me all along contrary to thoſe prae-engagements (ſuch as they were) upon my judgement, who had dipt my pen on the other ſide; I ſay, I have been no leſſe ſtrangely led, then the milch Kine that did beare the Arke out of the Land of the Philiſtims, taking the ſtraight way to Bethſhemeſh, the inſtinct of Providence ſuperſeding the inſtinct of Nature.
The Series, and Titles of the Chapters.
Sect. 1.
Chapter 1. The State of the Queſtion.
Chap. 2. An appendix to the State of the Queſtion, clearing the Principles of this Book from diſcharging or diſcouraging the Chriſtian Magiſtrate, to improve his authoritie for the Lord Jeſus, his truth, and people.
Chap. 3. Coercive power (as before ſtated) diſputed againſt by a Medium taken from the Conſent of all Presbyterian Authors (though alſo the Medium be proved by the Authors own reaſons) viz. that the Magiſtrate hath not the Cognizance of differences in matters of Religion, in the ſenſe that is expreſſed in the Chapter.
Chap. 4. Coercive power more directly impugned.
Chap. 5. The Cognizance aforeſaid, and Coercive power, both together oppoſed: and theſe three Chapters bitherto are with ſpeciall Relation to the Magiſtrate, if he exerciſe it.
Chap. 6. Againſt all Coercive power, exerciſed by whomſoever for the forementioned matters in Chap. 1.
Sect. 2.
Chap. 7. The Argument Illuſtrated and Confirmed by Examples and Teſtimonies; and firſt out of the old Teſtament.
Chap. 8. By Examples and Teſtimonies out of the New.
Chap. 9. By ſome few fragments of Examples and Teſtimonies out of humane Story.
Sect. 3.
Chap. 10. Objections againſt the premiſſes anſwered.
A light to the Work.
THere are two things contended for in this liberty of Conſcience; Firſt, to inſtate every Chriſtian in his right of free (yet modeſt) judging and accepting what he holds. Secondly, To vindicate a neceſſary advantage to the truth; and this is the maine end and reſpect of this liberty. I contend not for variety of opinions, I know there is but one truth; But this truth cannot be ſo eaſily brought forth without this liberty; and a generall reſtraint, though intended but for errours, yet through the unskilfulneſſe of men, may fall upon the truth; and better many errours of ſome kinde ſuffered, then one uſefull truth be obſtructed or deſtroyed. Beſides, truth would not oftentimes be ſuffered in the world, if it went not diſguiſed, and if there were not other things like the truth, therefore this liberty is neceſſary alſo to its preſervation, (as well as production) as it is for a Prince or Generall when he fights to diſguiſe himſelfe, and habit himſelfe like one of his Souldiers, elſe all would lay at him, and fight with neither ſmall nor great but him. When Chriſt was to be borne, all the world was to be quiet, and it was ſo, though immediately after there was a cruell ſlaughter; and then if other infants had not been like Chriſt, and Chriſt like other infants, he would have been ſingled out and ſlaine; So that as errours muſt be, that thoſe that are approved may be made manifeſt to God and ſpirituall men, ſo errours muſt be that the truth and the profeſſors of it may be tryed, and ſometimes alſo covered from the world, from their diſdaine which lights upon common and obvious things; and from their Odium, that it may be divided and diſtracted, and may ſpend and wast it ſelfe againſt other things then the truth; and ſo the earth helpes the woman, and ſwallowes up the floud that is powred out againſt the truth. Moſes permitted divorce to the Jewes, notwithſtanding the hardneſſe of their hearts; ſo muſt this libertie be granted to men (within certain bounds) though it may be abuſed to wanton opinions more then were to be wiſhed.