Discourse Concerning Conscience By John Sharp UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES >& iX53 (V . DISCOURSE OF ICONSCIENCE: With Refped to thofe that Se- parate from the Communion of the Church of 'England upon the Pretence of it, THere is nothing more in our Mouths than Con- jcience ; and yet there are few things we have generally taken lefs Pains to underitand. We fit down too often with this, that it is fome- thing within us, we do not know what, which we are to Obey in all that it Suggefts to us, and we trouble our felves no further about it. By which means, it frequently comes to pafs ; that though we have efpoufed j very dangerous Errors, or happen to be ingaged in very Sinful Practices ,- yet be- lieving, and Acting, as we fay, according to our Con fcience ; we do not only think our felves perfectly Right and Safe, while we continue in this State; but are Effectually Armed againft all forts of Arguments, and Endeavours that can be ufedfor the bringing us to a better Mind. This is too Vifible in many Cafes ; but in none more than in the Cafe of thofe that at this Day Sepa- B rate rate from the Communion of the Church as it is Eftabliih- cd among us. Though the Laws of the Land both Ecdejiajlical, and. Civil, do oblige them to joyn in our Communion ; though many Arguments are offer'd to convince them, not only that they Lawfully may , but that they are bound to do it : though they them- felves are fenfible, that many- fold, and grievous mis- chiefs, and dangers, do enfue from this breach of Com* munion, and thefe unnatural Divifions, both to the Cbriftia* Religion in General, and to our Reformed Re- ligion in particular, yet if to all thefe things, a Man can reply, that he is Satis fed in his Conscience that he doth well in refuting his Obedience to the Laws , or that he is not fatisfied in his Conscience that he ought to joyn with us upon fuch Terms as are required; this iingle pretence ihall be often thought a fuiiicient An- fvver, both to Laws, and Arguments. Arrange thing this is; that Confcience^ which a- mong other ends, was given to Mankind for a Pr-efer- vative, and Security of the Publick Peace ; for the more Effectually Obliging Men to Unity, and Obedi- ence to Laws ; yet ihould often be a means of fetting them at diftance, and prove a Shelter for Difobedience, and Diforder : That God iliould Command us to O* bey our Governours in all Lawful things for Confcience fake , and yet that we ilio^ld Difobey them in Lawful things for Confcience fake too. It is the Defign of this Difcourfe to examine what there is in this Plea, that is fo often made by our Dif- fenters for their not complying with the Laws, viz. That it is astainft their Confcience fo to do ; and to iliew in what Cafes this Plea is juflly made, and in what Cafes not ; and where . it is Juftly made, how far it w.jll Juftify any Mans Separation, and how far it will not, And.,all this in order to the poflefiing thofe who are (3) are concerned, with a Senfe of the great Neceflity that lyes upon them, of ufing their moil ferious endeavours to inform their Coufcience aright in thefe matters, be- fore they prefume to think they can Separate from us with *gooaCofc/effce 9 which isall we defire of them; for it is not our bufinefs to perfwade any Man to con- form againft his Confcience j but to convince every Man how Dangerous it may be to follow a mifinformed Confcience. But before I enter upon this difquifition, it will be neceflary in the firft Place, to prepare my way by lay- ing down the Grounds, and Principles, I mean to pro- ceed upon. And here that I may take in all things , that are needful to be known before-hand, about this matter, I (hall treat diftinclly of thefe Five Heads. i Of the Nature of Confcience. a Of the Rule of Confcience. And under that, 3 Of the Power of Humane Laws to Oblige the Con- fciencf. 4 And particularly in theinftance of Church Ccwwu- 5 Of the Authority of Confcience ; or how far a Man is Obliged to le guided by his Confcience in his Aclioxs. I. And firft, as for the Nature of Confcience, the ^ruefl way to find out that will be, not fo much to en- quire into the Signification of the word Confcience or the feveral Scholajtical Definitions of it ,- as to conflder what every Man doth really mean by that word when he has occafion to make ufe of it ; for if it do appear that all Men do agree in their Notions, and Senfe, a- bout this matter ; That without doubt, which they all thus agree in, is the true Notion, and Senfe of Cox- fcience. Now as to this, we may obferve in the firH Place , that a Man never fpeaks of his Confcience^ but with B % refpeft (4) to Ms oiw Actions, or to fomething that hath the Nature of an Action which is done or omitted by him, or is to be done or omitted, Matters of meer Knowkdg, and Speculation, we do not concern our Confcience with ; as neither with thofe things in which we are purely Pajjive ; as neither with A ft ions , if they be not eur own. Wedo not for inftance, make it a Point of Confcience one way or other, whether a thing be true or falfe ; or whether this or the other Accident that befals us, be profperous or unfortunate ; or whether another Man hath done good or bad Actions, in which we are no way concerned. Thefe kind of things may indeed prove matters of great Satisfaction or Difquiet ; of Joy or Grief to us : But we do not take our Conference to be affected with them. That word never comes in, but with refpedt to fomething willingly done or left undone by us^ or which we may do or may forbear. Secondly, we may obferve that in Common Speech, we do not neither ufe this word Confcience about our Actions , but only, fo far as thofe Actions fall under a Moral confideration ; that is , as they have the Nature of Duties or Sins,, or as they are -Lawful or >#- lawful. Always when we fpeak of Confcience in our Actions, we have refpedt- to fome Law or Rule , by which thofe Actions are to be directed, andgovern'd, and by their agreeablenefs or difagreeablenefs with which they become morally Good or E-vtL Thirdly, this being fo ; the only thing remaining to be enquired into for the finding out what Confcience is, is, what can be reafonably thought- to be our Senfe , and meaning, when we ufe the word Conscience , with fuch Application to our> Aft ions as we have now faid. Now for that I defire it may be confidered ; that when we talk of our Aft ions as we concern our Confcience in in them, they can but fall under thefe two Heads of Diftinftion, that is to fay, in the firil place, we either confider our Actions as already done or omitted : or we t cenfider them as yet not done, but as we are deliberating a- lout them. And then Secondly, whether we confider them as done or not done , as pad, or future ; yet we. Rank them under one of thefe three Notions. We either look upon them as Commanded by God , and fo to be Duties ; or as forbidden by God, and fo to be Sins ; or as neither Commanded nor forbidden, and fo to be indifferent Actions. ( With thefe lad Actions in- deed Conscience is not properly or direftly concerned, but only by accident, to wit, asthofe indifferent Aft ions do approach to the Nature of Duties or Sins : ) Our Actions, I fay, do not touch our Confcience, but as they fall under fome of thefe Heads. 'Now in all thefe Refpecls we have indeed different ways of bringing in Cpnfcience but yet as it will ap- pear, we mean the fame thing by it in them all. Firfl of all when we are confidering an Action as yet not' done ; if we look upon it as Commanded by Godj we fay we are bound in Confcience to do it ; if we look up- on it as a Swfal Action, we fay it is againft our Confci- ence to do it ; if we look upon it as an indifferent thing, \ve fay we may do it or not do it with a Safe Conjuence. Now I pray, what do we mean by thefe ex- preilions ? I defire that every one would confult his own Mind, and deny if he can, that this is the Senfe of his words. If he faith he is bound in Confcience to- do th:.s or the other thing, whether he doth not mean this ? thar he verily thinks it is his Duty to do that Aftion. If he faith that it is agafaft his Confcience to do fuch an Aftion ; whether he means any more than- this ? that he is perfwaded in his Judgment that to do fuch an Aftion is an Offence againft God. If he faith, that (*) that he can do it with a Safe Confcience whether he hath any ether meaning than this .> that to the bell of his Knowledg, and Judgment, the Action may be done without Tranfgreiling any Law of God. This is now undeniably , the Senfe that every Man in the World hath, when he makes mention of Confcience as to Actions that are not yet done , but only pro- pofed to his Confideration. So that taking Confcience as it refpects our Attions to be done or omitted, and as it is to Govern, and Conduct them (in which Senfe we call Confcience a Guide or a Monitor, and fome- times, though very improperly, a Rule of our Actions) it can be nothing elfein the Senfe of all Men that ufe that word, but a Mans Judgment concerning the good- nefs or badnefs ; the Lawf ulnefs or Unlawfulnefs of Actions in order to the Conduct of his own Life. But Secondly if we fpeak of our Actions that are done and paft, and confider Confcience with Reference to them; here indeed we do a little vary the Expref- fion about Confcience, but the Notion of it is the fame we have now given. As for inftance, when w r e talk of Peace of Confcience^ or Trouble of Conjcience , with Reference to forne Action we have done or omit- ted ,- when we fay My Confcience lears me Witmfs, that I have Acted rightly, and honeftly in this Affair , or my Confcience acquits me from blame, as to this or the other Action , or I am troubled in Confcience for do- ing what I have done : If we turn thefe Fhrafes into other words, wefhall find that there is nothing more at the bottom of them than this ; that reflecting upon our own Actions, we find that in this or the other in- flance, we have either Acted or omitted, as we are convinced in our Judgment we ought to do , and the remembrance of this is fome Pleafure, and Satis- faction to us : or we have done or forborn fornething con- contrary to what we take to be our Duty , and the remembrance of this affects us with grief and trouble. But flill, in both thefe inftances of ExprefTion, that which we mean by Confcience is the lame thing, as in the former Cafes, viz. It is our Judgment and Per- fwafion concerning what we ought to do^ or ought mt to do\ or Lawfully may do ; only here we add to it this Confr* deration, that the Action which we are perfwaded to be good, or bad, or indifferent, is now done or omitted / t>y us, and we do remember ir. In the Former Cafe, ^Confcience was eonfidered as the Guide of our Actions. ( In the latter Cafe it is confidered as the Witnefs of our Actions. But in both Cafes, Confcience is the Judge, and consequently in both Cafes the Notion of it is the lame, only with this difference, that in the former it was a Mans mind, making a Judgment what he ought to do or not to do,- in tke latter it is a Mans mind reflecting upon what he hath done or not done, and Judging whether he be Innocent or Culpable in the matter he reflects upon. I do not know how to give a clearer account of the Nature of Confcience in general than this I have now given. This I believe is the Natural Notion that all Men have of it, and there is no Expr^ffion in Scripture about it but what doth confirm this Notion. If indeed we put Epithites to Confcience, and talk of a Good Confcience or an Evil Confcience; A. Tender Confcience or a Seared Confcience or the like. Then it includes more, both in Scripture, and in Common Language, than I have now mentioned. But to give an account of thofe things I am not now concerned, as being with- out the Limits of our prefent enquiry. II. And now we are fufficiently prepared for our Se- cond general Point whidi is touching the Rule cfCox- fctertce ; ( 8 ) if indeed after what we have already faid it be not fuperfluous to infift upon that. It appears plainly by what I have reprefented, that Confcience muft always have a Rale which it is to fol- low, and by which it is to be Govern'd. For fmcc Confcience is nothing elfe but a Mans Judgment con- cerning Attion as good, or lad, or Indifferent ; it is cer- tain that a Man muft have fome meafures to proceed by in order to the framing fuch a Judgment about Aftions ; that is to fay, there muft be fomething di- ftinft from the Man himfelf that makes Actions to be good, or bad, or indifferent ; and from which, by ap- plying particular Actions to it, or comparing them with it, a Man may be able to Judge whether they be of the one fort or the other. Now this, whatever it be, is that which we call the Rule of Confcience; and fb much it is its Rule, that ConfiieMce can be no farther a fafe guide than as it follows that Rule. If now it be asked what this Rule of Confcience is, or what that is which makes a difference between Afti- ons, as to the Moral goodnefs or badnefs of them ; the Anfwer toit is Obvious to every Body : That it can be nothing elfe but the Law of God. For nothing can be a Duty but what Gods Law hath made fo ; and no- thing can be a Sin but what Gods Law hath forbidden ( the very Notion of Sin being, that it is a TranfgreP- fion of the Law , ) and laftly we call a thing Lawful 6r Indifferent upon this very account, that there is ne Law of God either Commanding or Forbidding it ; and where there is no Law, there is no Tranfgrefiion. So that undeniably the great, nay I fay, the only Rule by which Confcience is to be Governed is the Law of God) confdered either as it Commands Aftions, or For" lids them, or as it neither Commands them nor For lids them. But. But in order to the giving a more diflinft account , of this Rule of Confcience, there is this needful to be enquired into, viz. In what Senfe we take, or what we mean by the Law of God; when we fay it is the Rule of Confciencs. Now to this our Anfwer is, That by the Law of God, we here underhand Gods Will, for the Govern- ment of Mens Actions, in what way foever that Will is declared to them. Now the will of God is declared to Men two ways; either by Nature, or by Revelation ; fo that the juft, and, adequate Rule of Confcience is made up of two parts the Law of ftfcfwf, and Gods Revealed Law. By the Law of Nature, we mean thofe Principles of Good and Evil, Juft and Unjuft, which God hath Stamp d upon the Minds of all Men, in the very Con- flitution of their Natures. There are fome things E- ternally good in themfelves j Such as to Worihip God, to Honour our Parents, to (land to our Covenants , to Live Peaceably in the Government, from which we receive Protection ; and the contrary to thefe will be Eternally Evil ; the Heads of all which things thus good in themfelves, are writ fo plainly, and Legilly , in the Minds of Mankind, that there is no Man who is come to the ufe of his Reafon, but muft of necefftty be convinced, that to Practice thefe things will alway be his Duty, and not to Practice them, will always be Evil, and a Sin. Now all thefe Heads, and Principles put together, is that we call the Law of Nature, and this is all the Rule of Confcience, that Mankind had, before God was pleafed to difcover his Will by more particular Revelation. And this is that Law, which the Apoflle fpeaks of when he faith that the Gentiles, who had not the Law of Mafes yet fad j Law written / their Hearts , by their Acting according n C which (to) which, or contrary to which their Confcicnce t ear Witnefs to //^w,anddid either Accufe thern,or Excttfe-.thetn. But then Secondly, to us Chrijlians ,. God to this Law of Nature hath fuperadded a Revealed Law ^ which is contained in the Books of Holy Scriptures. Which Revealed Law yet, is not wholly of a different kind from the former, nor doth it at 11 void the Obligation of it. But only thus ; God hath in his Revealed Law, declared the Precepts of the Law of Nature, more cer- tainly, and accurately than before,- He hath given greater Force, and Strength to them, than they had before, by the Sanctions of greater Rewards, and Pu- nifhments : He hath likewife herein perfefted the Law of Nature, and hath Obliged us, in point of Duty , to more and higher Inftances of Vertue, than Nature didftriflly Oblige us to : And Laftly, He hath added fome Pofitive Laws for us to obferve which were not at all contained in the Law of Nature, as for inftance, to believe in Jefus Chrijt, in order to Salvation, to make all our Applications to God, in the Name of that Mediatour Chr'tft Jefus ; to enter into a- Ckriftian Socie- ty y by Baptifm , and to Exercife Communion with that Society, by partaking of the Lords Supper. And this is that Law, which we Chriftians are Obli- ged to, as well as to the Law of our Natures, and which as it is a Summary of all the Laws of Nature,fo indeed is it a Summary of all our Duty. So that if a- ny Man will call it the great, or only Rule of ckri- ftian Confcience , I fhdl not much oppofe him, pro- vided that this be always Remembred, that, In the Third Place, when we fay that the Natural and Revealed Law of God, is the juft Rule, by which we are to Govern our Confcience, or when we fay that the Law of God, as Revealed, and contained in the is to us Chriftians, the juft Rule. We are fo to to underftand this Propofition as to take into it, not only all that is dire&ly, and exprefly Commanded, or Forbidden by either of thofe Laws : But alfo all that by plain Collection of Right Reafon in Applying Ge- nerals to Particulars,or comparing one thing with ano- therdoth appear to be Commanded or Forbidden by them. So that by the Law of Nature , as it is a Rule of Confcience, we are not only to underftand the prime Heads, and moft general Di&ates of it, ( which are but a few ) but alfo all the neceflary Deduftioas from thofe Heads. And by the Law of Scripture , as it is the Rule of Confcience, we are not only to underftand the exprefs Commands, and Prohibitions, we meet with there, in the letter of the Text ; but all the things likewife, that by unavoidable Confequence do follow from thofe Commands, or Prohibitions. In a word, when we are deliberating with our (elves, concerning the goodnefs, or badnefs ^ the Lawfulnefs, or Unlaw- fulnels of this, or the other particular Aftion : We are not only to look upon the letter of the Law, but to attend further to what that Law may be fuppofed by a Rational Man to contain in it. And if we be con- vinced, that the Action we are deliberating about, is Commanded, or Forbidden, by direcl: Inference, or by Tartly of Reafon ; we ought to look upon it as a Duty, or a Sin, though it be not exprefly Commanded , or Forbidden , by the Law, in the letter of it. And if neither by the letter of the Law ; nor by Confequence from it; rior by Parity of Reafon ; the Action before us, appear either to be Commanded, or Forbidden . In that Cafe, we are to look upon it, as an indifferent Aftion ; , which we may do,or let alone,with a fafe Confcience,- or, *TV to exprefs the thing more properly, we are to look upon it asanA&ionin which our Confcience is not fo much con- cerned as our Prudence. Cx J . HI. Having thus given an account of the Rule of Confcience , tint which Naturally follows next to be confidered, with Reference to our prefent deHgn, is, what (bare Humane Laws have in this Rule of Confa- ence ? whether they be a part of this Rule, and do re- ally bind a Mans Conference to the Obfervancc of them or no.? which is our Third general Head. Now as to tiiis, our Anfwer is, that though the Laws of God be the great , and indeed the only Rule of Confcience, yet the Laws of Men, generally fpeakujg, do alfo bind the Confcience, and are a part of its Rule in a Secondary Senfe, that is, by Venue of, and in Subordination to the Laws of "Gbdr* I (hall briefly explain the meaning of this, in the Four following Proportions. Firft, there is nothing more certain than that the Law of God, as it is declared both by Nature, and Scrip" tare doth Command us, to Obey the Laws of Men. There is no one Dictate of Nature, more Obvi- ous to us, than this , that we are to Obey the Govern- ment we Live under, in all honeft, and Juft things. For this is indeed the Principal Law, and Foundation of all Society. And it would be impo&ble, either lor Kingdoms, or States ; for Citys, or Families to fub- fift ; or at lead to maintain themfelves in any Toler- able degree of Peace, and Happinefs , if this be not acknowledged a Duty. And then, as .for the Laws of God in Scripture , there is nothing more plainly declared there^than, that it is Gods Will, and our Duty to ley them that have the Rule over us ; and to -Submit our f elves to every Or- dinance of Man, for the Lords fake, and t& le Suljeft not only for Wrath but for Confcience fake. So that no Man can doubt that he is really bound in Duty to Obey the Laws of Men that are made by Juft, and Sufficient Authority. And Confequendy no Man can doubt that Hu- Humane Laws do. really bind the Confcience, and are one part of the Rule by which it is to be directed, and Governed. But then having faid this, we add this farther in the Second Place, that Humane Laws do not bind the Con- fcience, ly any Vertue in themfefoes ; lut weerly ly Vertue of Gods Law , who has Commanded that we fhould in all things le Suljecl to our Lawful Gover- twurs , not only for Wrath , lut for Confcience Jake. Confcience is not properly concerned with any Being ^^" in the World, fave God alone , it hath no Supehour but him : For the very Notion of it, as I have often faid, is no other than our Judgment^ what thivgs we are bound to do ly Gods Law, & what things we areForlidden to do ly Gods Law. So that all the Men in the World, cannot bind any Mans Confcience , by Vertue of any Power, or Au- thority, that is in them .- But now God having made it an everlasting Law, both by Nature, and Scripture, that we fliould Obey thofe who are fet over us, whe- ther they be our Parents, or our Mailers ; and much more our Princes, and the Soucraign Legiflatiue Power, under whom we Live ; by Vertue of this Command of God, and this only ; we are for ever bound in Con- fcience , to Govern our Actions, by the Commands , that they impofe upon us ; and thofe Commands of theirs are a Rule, ( though a Cwfequential, or a Secon- dary Rule, ) by which we are to Govern our Confci- ence, becaufe they are the Inftances of our Obedience to the Laws cT God. But"TIrea m TSe Third Place, this is alfo to be re- membered , that Hwnane Laws do m farther bind the _ Confcience, and are a Rule of it, than as they are agree- alle to the Law < of God. If any Law, or Command of Man, do CJafh with any Law of God , that is, if it be either Evil in it felf, or Contradictory to the Duty of of Chrijlians, as laid down in the Scriptures; in that Cafe, that Law or Command, by what Huciane Au- thority foever it was made or given, doth not bind our Confcience, nor is any Rule of our Aftions, On the contrary we are not. at any Rate to yield Obedi- ence to it ; but we are here reduced to the Apoftles Cafe, and muft Adas they did ; that is, we wuftObey God) rather than Men, and we Sin, if we do not. For fince God only hath proper, and direft Authority o- ver our Confcience, and Humane Power, only, by Delegation from him : And fince God hath not given *ny Commiflion to the moft Soveraign Princes upon Earth, to alter his Laws, or to impofe any thing up- on his Subjefts, that is inconfiftent with them. It fol- lows by neceflary Confequence, that no Man can be Obliged to Obey any Laws of Men, farther than they are agreeable to, and confident with the Laws of God. There is yet a Fourth thing, neceflary to be taken in for the clearing the Point we are upon, and that is this, That though Humane Laws, generally fpeaking, may be faid to bind the Confcience, and to be a part of its Rule : Yet we do not Aflertthat every Humane Law, (though it doth not interfere with any of Gods Laws) doth at all times, and in all Cafes, Oblige Every Mans Confcience to Atti've Obedience to it j fo as that he Sins againft God, if he Tranfgrefs it. No, it would be a very hard thing to affirm this ; and I do not know what Manamong us, upon thefe Terms, would be Innocent. Thus much I believe we may fafely lay down as a Truth; That where cither the Matter of the Law is of fuch a Nature ; that the Publick, orfome private Perfon ihali Suffer Damage, or Inconvenience, by our not Ob- ferving it. Or Secondly, Though the Law, as to the matter of it be never fo Trifling ; nay, though per- haps (is) haps all things confidered, it be an inconvenient yet if the Manner of our not Obeying it, be fuch, as gives Offence to our Superiours, or to any others ; that is, either Argues a Contempt of Authority, orfets an ill Example before our fellow Subje&s : I fay in ei- ther of theie Cafes, the Tranfgrefilon of a Humane Law, renders a Man guilty of a Faulty as well as Ob- noxious to the Penalty of that Law. But out of thefe two Cafes, I mud confefs, I do not fee, haw a purely Humane Law doth Oblige the Confcience ,- or how the Tranfgreffion 6f it, doth make a Man guilty of Sin, before God. For it is certain if we lecure thefe two Points ; that is to fay, the good of the Publick, and of private Perfons , and with all the facrednefs y and refped, which is due to Authority, (which islike- wife in Order to the Publick good : ) We Anfwer all the Ends, for which the Power of making Laws, or. laying Commands upon Inferiours, was Committed by God to'Mankind. So that though it be true, that Humane Laws do Oblige the Confcience, yetitisalfo true that a great many Cafes may, . and do happen ^ in which a Man may Aft contrary to a purely Humane Law, and yet not be;a Sinner befcreGod. Always luppoilrig (as I faid,) there be no Contempt, or Refrattorynefs exprefled to- . wards the Go vernours . Nor, no Scandal, or ill Ex- ample given to others , by the Aftion. For if there be either of thefe in the Cafe; I dare not ac- quit the Man, from being a Tranfgreflbur of Gods- Law, in the inftance, wherein he Tranfgrefieth the Laws of Men. For this is that which we infift upon ;.~that the Au- thority of our Governours ought to be held, and e- fleemed very fecred, both becaufe the Laws of God r and the Publick good require it fhouid be fo. And herefore , wherever they do peremptorily lay their Com- Commands upon us, we are bound in Confcience fo far to comply, as not to cwteit the matter with them ; nor to jeem to do it. And though their Commands , as to the matter of them, be never io flight -, nay , though they iliouid prove really inconvenient, either to our ielvcs, or the PubLck. Yet if they ft and up- on them, it they perfift in requiring our Obedience to them ; we muft yield, we mult Obey ; always fup- pofmg they be not againil Gods Laws. For we are at no hand either to aKront their Authority our felves ; or to encourage others, by our Example, to do it. For to do either of thefe things is a greater Evil to the Publtck, than our Obedience to an incom enient Law can eafily be. IV. And now it is time for us to apply what been (aid in General, concerning the Rule of Conscience, and the Obligation of Humane Laws ; to the particular Matter here before us ; that is, the buiinels of Church Communion ; The Obligation of Cmlawct to which, m fuch manner as the Laws have appointed , is the Fourth general Head we are to confider. This point of the Obligation to Communion with the Church, as by Lam EftaUijbsd, hath been largely hand- led by feveral Learned Men of our Church, and par- ticularly it is the Argument of one ot thofe Diicour- fes which have lately been writ for the lake of cur Dit fenters. Thither therefore I refer the Reader for full Sa- tisfe&ion about this Matter being only juft to touch upon it here, as one of the Principles \ve take lor granted, and (hall proceed upon in the following Dif- courfe. And here the Proportion we lay down is this, That ft is even Mans Duty, and conj'equently every Man is loun as an unjud Pcrfon before God. And his willingnefs to Submit to the Forfeiture of his Goods, will not fender him left unjuft, or more excufcsble. The Cafe is much the lame .is to the matter V. c have now before us. It b riot ii ineer Humane Law , D i or (20) or Aft of Parliament that Obligeth us to keep the Uni- ty of the Chflrch ; to bring our Children to be made Chriftians by Baptifme j.to meet together at Solemn times for the Profe/lion of our Faith, for the Wor/hip- ping God, for the Commemorating the Death of our Saviour in the Sacrament of his Supper. All' this is tyed upon us by the Laws of Ckrift. Thefe things are as much required of us by God, as Chrifticws ; as it is required that we mould Pay the King, and every Man, what is due to them, if we would not be difhonefl & unjull. It is true that the particular Forms,and Modes, and Circumftances of doing thefe things, are not Commanded, nor PrefcribedJ by the Laws, of Obv/?, in ; this Instance of Church Communion, no more than they are prefcribed by the Laws of God in the other Inftance I gave : But they are left intirely to the Prudence , and Difcretion f the Governours that God hath fet over us in Ecclefiaftical matters , juft as they are in the other. But in the mean time thefe things thus Clothed by Humane Authority , as to their Circumftances i^ Yet being for the Matter of then* bound upon us by Chrift himfelf, we can no more de- ny our Obedience to the Publick Laws about them than we can in the other Inilance I have named: And that Man may as well for Inftance , purge liimfelf from the Imputation of. Knavery before God, that will contrive a way of his own, for the Paying his juft Debts contrary to what the Law of the Land hath de- clared to be Juft and Honjeft : As any Man can acquit himfelf from, the Sin of Schifm "before God, that will chufe a way of his own for the Publick Wor/hip different from, and in Oppofition to what the Laws of the Church have prefcribed , always fupppfmg, thac the Worftiip Eitabli^lied be Commanded by jjul! Au- thority, and there be nothing required ia it as a Con., > * ... ditjon dition of Communion that is.againft the Laws of fa. Jus Chr/Jt. The Sum of all this is, that it is every Mans Duty by the Laws of Chnft, as well as the Laws of Man, to Worfhip God-m the way of the Church ;. fo long as there is nothing required in that Worfliip, that can juUJy otteid the Conference of a Wife and Good Chri- IhatL And therefore there is more in departing from the Communion of the Church, when we can Law- tully hold it, than meerly the Violation of a Statute or a HwnaneLaw, for we cannot do it without break- ing the Law of God. Nay fo much is it againft the Law of God to do this, that I think no Authority up- on Earth can warrant it. So that .even if there was a Law made which fhould Ordain that wilful, cauflefs Separation from the Eftabliflied Church fhould be al- lowed .and tolerated, and no Man ihould be called to an Account for it .- Yet neverthelefs fuch a Separa- toon would flill be a^/yfo, would ilill be a Sin a- gamft God; for no Humane Law can make that Law- tul which Gods Law hath forbid. There now only remains our lail general Head about Gonfcience to be fpoken to, and then we have done with our Preliminary Points: And that isy concerning the Authority of CvnfcKce, or bow far a Man is Qllived to follow or le guided ly his Confcience in bis Attiotrs. When we fpeak of the Obligation of Confcience or of being bound in Confcience to do or not to do aa Action, it fu/ficiently appears from-, what hath been faid, .that we can mean no more by thefe Phrafes than this, that we are convinced in our Judgment that it is our Duty to do this or the other A-ilion, becaufe \ve blieve tliat God hath Commanded it. Or we arc perfwaded in : our Judgment that ,we> ought to forbear this, O) this or the other A&ioa, becaufe we believe that <2od we mean by the C 4/o here we come to inquire how far fh s Perfwafion or Judgment of ours, concerning vLVourDuty, nnd what isSmful, hath Authority oveV us ; how far it doth Oblige us to Aft or not Aft, aC No d w n m Order to the refolding of this we muft take Notice, that our Judgment concerning what God hath Commanded,or Forbidden, or left Indifferent^ either true or faife. We either make a right Judgment of our Duty, or we make a wrong one. In the former Calr we call our Judgment a Right Co*fcic*ce ; m the latter we cill it an Erroneous Cenfciencc. As for thofe Cales where we doubt and hcfitate, and know not well how to make any Judgment at all ( which is that we call * Doubting Conference, but indeed is properly no Con- fcience, unlefs by Accident, ) we have nothing here to do with them, but (hall refervc themto another place. Here we fuppofe, that we do make a Judgment ot the thing that is, we are perfwaded in our Mmds, con- cernin^ the goodnefs, or badnefs of this, or the other Aftion : And that which we are to inquire into, is, how far that Judgment binds us to Act according to ' Now if our Confcience be a Right Conference ; that is, if we have truly informed our Judgment according to the Rule of Gods Law: It is beyond all Quefhon , and acknowledged by all the World, that we are in that Cafe perpetually bound to Aft according to our Judgment. It is for ever our Duty fo to do ; and there can no blame, no guilt fall upon us, for fo doing, let the Confequence of our Afting, or not Ading, be what it will. So that as to a ff^f Cwr/Sr/wer, or a informed Judgment, there is nodifputc among a- ny fort of Men. But the great thing to be inquired into, is, what Obligation a Man is under to Act according to his Judg- ment, fuppofing it be falfe, fuppofing he hath not rightly informed his Conference, but hath taken up falfe meafurcs of what God hath Commanded, or For- bidden. Now for the Refolution of this , I lay down thefe Three Propofitions, which I think will take in all that is needful, for the giving Satisfaction to every one, concerning this point. Firft, H7?ere a Man is miflakenin his Judgment, even. in that Cafe it is always a Sin to Aft againft it. Be our Conference never fo ill inftru&ed , as to what is GW, or *//, though we (hould take that for a Da/y, which is really a Sin ; and on the contrary, that for a Si* which is really a Duty : Yet fo long as we are thus perfuaded, it will be highly Criminal in us, to Aft in contradiction to this perfuafion ; and the reafon of this is evident, becaufe, by fo doing, we wilfully Aft againfl the beft light, which at prefent we have, for the di- reftion of our Aftions ; and confequendy our Will is as faulty, and as wicked, in confenting to- fuch Afti- ons, as if we had had truer Notions of things. We are to remember , that the Rule of our Duiy, whatever it be in it fclf , cannot touch or affeft cur Aclions, but by the Mediation of our Coxfciewe ; that is^ no farther than as it is apprehended by us , or as we do underftand and remember it. So that when all is done, the immetliafe Guide of our Aftions , can be nothing but our Confcierte ; our Judgment and Perfvva- fion, concerning the Goodnefs, . or Badneft, or Indiffe- rency, of things. It is rrue ; in all thofe Inftances where we arc mifL- ken ,- ken our Conscience proves but a very bad and unfafe Guide ; becaufe it hath it felf loft its way, in not fol- lowing its Rule as it ihoald have done : But however our Guide dill it is, and we have no other guide of our Aftionsbut that. And if we mav lawti% refufe to be guided by it in one In !ance, we may With as much reafon rejeil its Guidance in all. What is the Notion that any of us hath of t Wilful $in, or a Sin agamll Knowledg, but this ? That we have done other wife than we wert convinced to be our Duty, at the fame time that we did fo. And what o- ther meafures have we of any Mans Sincerity or Hypo- crifie ? But only this ; that he Adls according to the beftof his Judgment, or that he doth not Aft accord- ing to what he pretends to Believe. We do not indeed lay,, that every one is agWMan, that Afts according to his Judgment ; or that he is to be commended for all Aftions that are done in purfu- ance of his Perfwafion .- No , we meafure Ve rtue and Vice by the Rule, according to which , a Man ought to Aft ; as i*#-as by the Mans intention in Acting. But however we all agree that that Man is a fame, that in any inftance Afts contrary to that which he took to be his duty. And in palling this Sentence we have no regard to this j whether the Man was Right or mifta- ken in his Judgment, for be his Judgment Right or Wrong, True or Falfe ; it is all one as to his Honehy ., in Ading or not Abing according to it. He that hath afalfe perfwafion of things ; folong as that perfwafion continues, is often as well fatisfied that he is in the Right, as if his Perfwafion was true. That is, he is oftentimes as "Confident when he is in an Error, as when he is in the Right. And therefore we cannot but conclude, that he, who being under ami- Hake, will be tempted to Aft contrary to his Judgment ; would would certainly upon the fame Temptation Aft con trary to it, was his Judgment never fo well informed And therefore his Will being as.fod in the one Cafe, as in theother, he is equally 'a Sinner as to the 'Wilfulnefs of the Crime, tho indeed in other refpecls there will be a great difference in the Cafes. This I believe is the Senfe of all Men in this matter. If a Man for inftance, .fliould of a Jew become a Chriftian ; while yet in his Heart he believeth that the Mejjtah is not yet come, and that our Lord Jefus was an Impoftor. Or if a P-api(l fiiould to fervc fomc*- private ends, Renounce the Communion of the Roman Church, and joyn with ours ; while yet he is. perfwaded that the , Roman Church is the only Catholick Church ; and that our Reformed Churches are Heretical or Schzfaati- cal : Though now there is none of us will deny that the Men in both thefe Cafes have made a good change; as having changed a falfe Religion for a true one : yet for all that, I dare t fay, we (hould all agree, they were "both of them -great Villains and Hypocrites^ for making that change j becaufe they made it not upon Honeft Principles, and in purfuanceof their Judg- ment, but in direct Contradiction to both. Nay I dare fay we fliould all of us think better of an igno- rant well meaning Proteftanf, that being feducecjt by the perfwafions and Artifices of a cunning Popijb Fa- ftor, did really outfpf Conscience, abandon *our Com- munion, and go over to the Romanics ; as thinking theirs to be the fafefl .- I fay we fliould all of us enter- tain a more favourable Opinion of fuch a Man in fuch a Cafe , Though really here the change is made from a true Religion to a falfe one ; than we fhould of either of the other Men I have before named. All this put together is abundantlyfufficient to Ihew that no Man can- cart irt any Cafe Aft againft his Judgment or Perfwa?, fion,, but he is Guilty of Sirt in lb doing, Bur then, our Second Propofition is this, Them^ take / a Mi MS "judgment way fa uf fuck a Nature, that as it mllle a &in to Atl againft his Judgment , Jo it mil likeivife le ~a Sin to Att according to it. For what Authority foever a Mans Confcience has over him, it can never bear him out, if he do an E- vil tli-ng in compliance with it. My Judgment is ( as we have faid ) the guide of my Acljonsj but it muy through my negligence befofar mifguided it felf- as that if I follo'w it r it will lead me into the moft horrid Crimes in the World. And will it be a fuificient Excufe or Juflification of my Adhon in fuch- a Cafe to fay , that indeed herein I did but Acl according to my Perfwafion ? Nb< verily ;. I may as certainly be damn'd without Reperitance r for Acling according to my Judg- ment, in forhe Cafes, where it is miflaktn, as 1 AaJJ be, for Ading contrary to it in other Cafes where it is right- ly informed And the Reafon of this is very plain. Tt is not my Judgment or Perfwafion that makes Good or Evil , flight or Wrong, 'jufllce or Injujfice, rertue or>/rc, But it is the Nature of things themfelves j and the Law of God, ( and of Men under that N Commanding or Forbidding things, that makes them fo. If the Moral Goodnefs. or badnefs of Actions was to be meafured by Mens Opinions, and Perfwafi on* ; tlien Good and Evil, Duty and Sin; would Le the mod various, uncer- tain things in the World. They would change their Natures as often as Men change their Opinions ; and that wh.ch to Day is a Vertue, to Moriow would be a Crime ; and that which in one Man, would be a He- roicalh good -\ftion, would in another Man be a Pn - d.gious Piece of VUlanyj though yet there was no differ- 27 difference in the.A&ion k felf, or in the Cirenmftances of the Man that did it, fave only the difaence of Q- pinion. But fuch conferences as thefe are intolerable, nor indeed do Men -either talk or think after this manner. Every Man when he fpeaks of Good or Evil, Lawful or Unlawful, ;means fome certain fixed dung which it is not in his Power to alrer the Nature and Property of. That Action is good, and a Duty, which is ei* ther fo in it felf, or made fo by fome pofitive Law of God. And that Aftion is Evil, and a Sin, that is For- bid by God in either of j&efc Ways. So that unlefs it was in our Power to cl^nge the Nature of things ^ or to alter the Laws of IVtgfl^ Judgmeot: may le of fucii a Nature, that #s it w-jtU be a a ^in in him to Aft againit it, foit will like wife be Sin to Aft according to it. It is not every Error in Morals that brings a Ulan under the neceflity of Sinning^ it lie purfues it .n his Aftions. A Mans Confcience may rniuake its Bu'e inaHuticlred inllances, and yet he may lately en --ugh Aft according to it. And the Rea- fbn'is becauie a Man may entertain a great many mif- .a takes, '( 28 i and fafe Notions' of his" Duty, ancf Aft ac- cording to them too ; .and -yet in fuch Aftions he fliall not Tranfgrefs any Law of God. Now this that I fay, holds chiefly in thefe two in* fiances. For example in the firfl place, if a Man be- lieve a thing to be Commanded by God which yet indeed is not ; but neither is it Forbidden : As if a Man fhould think himfelf- Obliged to retire himfelf from his bufmefs, Seven times or Three times a Day; for the purpofe of Devotion'; or to give half of his Yearly Income to Pious, and < haritable ufes, if he can do it without Prejudice to his family. Now in this Cafe he is certainly miftaken in his Duty , for the Law of 'God hath not bound hirrrup to fuch meaiures in either of thefe inflances : But yet becaufe God hath not on the other- hand laid any Commands upon him to the contrary ; it is certain he 'may in both thefe inftan- ces A& according to this miflake, withdiit any Guilt in the Worlds' ^a.V, folorig-aff that rhiflake conti- aues, he is bound to Adi: accordingly. Again in the fecond place, if a Man believe a thing' to be Forbidden by Gods Law, which yet is not; but neither is it Commanded :- As for in fiance, if a Mart think .that he ought by Vertue of a Divine Command to abftain from all Meats that are iirangled or have 1 Bloud in them, j or if he believe It unlawiul to Play at Cards or Dice j or that it is Forbidden by Gods w"ord l t let out Money at Intereft : Why in all thefe Cafes he may follow his'Opinion, though k be a falfe one without Sin Nay, he is bound to follow it, becaufe itis the didlate of his Cbnfcience, however his Con- fcience be miftaken. And the reafon is plain, becaufe though he be miftaken in his Judgment about thefe matters, yet:fice"' God hath not by any Law, Forbid thefe fhefe things ; there is no Tranfgreffion follows upon Afting according to fuch a miftake. But then in other Cafes where a Mans miflake hap- pens to be of fuch a Nature, as that he cannot Aft according to his Confcience, but he Tranfgrefleth fomc law of God ; by which Confcience ought to be Go- verned : As for inftance, when a Man looks upon that as a Lawful Action, or as a Duty, which God hath Forbidden , or looks upon that as- a Sin, or at leaft an indifferent Action, which God hath Commanded ; here it is that the miftake becomes dangerous. And in fach Cafes the Man is brought into that fad Dilemma we have been reprefenting, viz. That if he Adi: accord- ing to his perfwafion he TranfgrefTetli Gods Law, and fo is a Sinner upon that Account : If he Afts againd his perfwafion, then he is felf condemned, and very guilty before God upon that Account. Well, but is there no avoiding of this ? Muft it be laid down as aconitant Univerfal Truth; that in all Cafes where a Mans Judgment happens to be contra- ry to the Rule of his Duty, Commanding, or For- bidding an Aftion ; he mutt of neceflity Sin; whe- ther he Aft, or not Act, according to that Judgment ? If indeed he Act againft his- Conference 1 , it is readily granted he Sins; But it feems very hard, that he ihould be under a neceflity of Sinning when he Acts according to it ; efpecially when he is perfectly igno- rant- of, or miftaken in the aw againft: which he Offends. This is indeed the great difficulty that occurs in this matter ; and for the untying it, I lay down this third general Proportion, viz. That the great thing to It at- tended to in this Cafe of a Mans following a wiflakett Judgment, is the Culpablcnefs' or Inculpdllenefs ; the or Innocence of the mi (take, upon which h?Afts ; for or accorJiitgas this is; fo will his Guilt i* Attt*g accent- ing to it be either greater, or tefs, or none at all. We do not fay that a Man is always Guilty of a Sin before God, when upon a mu information of Judgment he Omits that whch Gods Law hath Commanded ; or doth that vvh.ch Gods Law hath Forbidden. No though thefe Omifliofls or Actions may be faid to be Sins A n themfelves ; that is, as to the Matter of them ; as being TranlgreiTions of Gods Law : Yet before we ai, rm tnat ttiey will be imputed to a Man as fuch ; that is prove formally Sins to him \ we fail confider the Nature of the Action, and the Circum^ances of the Man. it we iind upoa t xam nanon that the inllance wherein Gods Law is TranSgreifed, is luch an inftance as even an Honeil minded Man may-well befuppofed to millake in : And i/ we find Lkevwle rhar the Man had not futficient means for the mtormmg h.mfelf aright as to this matter ; and that he hath done all that he could do in his Qrcunrlances to underhand his Out) : If in fuch a Cafe as this he be mi aken in his Duty and Act upon that mi : ake; yet we do not lay tiuat the Man is properly Guilty of any >in in thar Action , however that Action is indeed contrary to the Law of God. On the contrary we believe h m to be Innocent as to this matter ; nor will God ever call him to an Account for what he hath done or om.tted in thefe CircumOances. And the Reafonsand Grounds upon which we affirm this are plain, and Fvident at the firft hearing. No Man ran be Obliged to do more then what is in his Power todo. And what ever a Man ; s-net Obliged to do, it is no -Sin m him it he do it not. So that it a Man do all that one in his Circumstances can, or fliould do ; for the r.ght underflandmg of his Duty : If he hap- gens to pe mulaken, that miftake cannot be imputed to to him as a Sin ; becaufe he was not Obliged to un- derhand better. And if his miflake be no sin, it is certain to A& "according to that millake can be no Sin neither. So that the whole point of Sinning, or not Sinning, in follow ing an Erroneous Conscience y lies here. Whe- ther the !V tn that is thus miiperfuaded, is to be bla- med , or not blamed , for his Mifyerfuafion. If the Error he hath taken up do not proceed trom his own Fault anJ Neg! gence ; but was the pure unavoidable Effefts of the Orcum lances, in which he is placed ^ ( which Circu mi Dances we iuppofehe contributed no- thing to, but he was put inro them- by the d.ipolition Ot Oivme Providence ;. ) Then of what Nature foever the Error be ; he dorh not contract any guik by any Action which he doth iirpurfuf nee of that Error. But if it was in his power to Rectifie that Error ; if he had Means and Opportunities to inform his Confcience bet- ter ; and the nature of the Action was fuch, that it was his Duty fo to do ^ So- that he mua be account- ed guilty of a Grofs and Criminal Neglect in not doing it : fn this Cafe the Man is a Tranigreflbr , and ac~ countable unto God r as fuch, for all the Actions that he doth, or omits, contrary to Gods Law ; while he Acts under that miliake, or in purfuance of it. And ac^ cordmgly as this Neglect or Carelefnefs is greater or lefs , Ibis the Sinful nets of the Action which lie doth in purfuance of it, greater or lefs Lkewiie. And this is a plain account of this matter. So that We fee there is no Fatal unavoidable neceffity laid upon* any Man to commit a Sin by Acting according to ILS Confrience. But if at any time he be brought under thoe fadCircum.'ances, he brings that nece^ity upon him -elf. 3od never put anv Man into fudi a Conditi- on, but that he might do that Duty whiei> was requi- red (ttJ fed of him , and be able to give a good account of his Actions. But here is the thing ; Men by their Vice and. Wickednefs: by neglecting the "leans of In-* ftruction, that are afforded them ; and not uf~ng their Reafon and Underftanding as they fliould do , may fuf- fer themfelves to be brought under the Bondage of fuch Falfe and Evil Principles ; that they fliall fo long as they hold thofe Principles , fall into Sin , whether they Act according to their Confcience, or Act againft it. I have done with the general Points concerning Con- ference, which I thought needful to be premifed, as the Grounds and Principles -of our following Difcourfe. I now come to that which I at firft propofed , and for the fake of which all this is intended ; that is, to fpeak to the Cafe of thofe that Separate from the Communion of the Church of England, upon this pretence ; That it is again/I their Confcience to join ivi'k us in it. Now all that I conceive needful to be done, in order' to a full difcuflion of this Cafe, and givingjatisfaction about it, are thefe Two things, 7 O * Firfl, To Separate the pretences of Confcience that are trulj and juftly ftoaae, in this matter , from the falfe ones : Or to fhew who thofe are that can rightly plead Con- fcience for their Nonconformity j ana who thofe are that cannot. Secondly, To inquire ;how far this Plea of Confti* erne, when it is trttly made , will Juftife any Diffenter that continnes in Separation from the Church , as Efla- Uifhed amdng us ; and what is to be done by fuch a Perfon , in order to his Acting with a fafe and good Confcience in this affair. Our firft inquiry is what is required in order to iny Mans truly pleading Confcience for his refufing to ;;oyn in Communion with tbe Eflablifhed Church. Or who (3?) who thofe Perfons are that can with juftice make that Plea for themfelves. I think it very convenient to begin my Difquifition here, becaufe by removing ail the falfe Pretences to Confcience ; the Controverfy will be brought into a much lefs compafs , and the cMculties that arife wiJi be moreeafily untyed. The truth is, if the thing be ex- amined, I believe it will be found, that the pretence to Confcience in the matter we are talking of , is, as in many other Cafes , extended much farther than it ought to be. My meaning is, that of all thofe who think fit to withdraw from our Communion, and to live in Difobedience to the known Laws of the Church, and pretend Confcience for fo doing ; in a great many of them it is not Confcience, but fome other thing miflaken for Confcience, which is the Principle they Act upon. So that if the true Plea of Confcience be feparated from thofe counterfeit ones, which ufually ufurp that Name ; we fliall not find either the Perfons to be fo many that refufe Communion with us, upon the Account of Confcience truly fo called , nor the Ca- fes to be fo many in which they do refufe it upon that Account. Now in Order to the making fuch a Separation or Diftinftion between Confcience truly fo called , and the feveral Pretences to it, in this bufmefs of not conform- ing to the Eftablifhed Worlhip, I lay down this general Propofition; That, if the Principles I have laid down about Confcience be admitted ; then it is certainly true, that no Man among us can juftly plead Confcience for his Separation from the Church of EitgUxd ; or can fay that it is againft his Confcience to joyn in Com- munion with it ; but only fuch a one, as is perfwaded in his own mind, that he cannot Communicate with us without Sinning againfl God in fo doing. E For (34) Forfmce,as we have faic^Confcience is nothing elfe but a Mans Judgment concerning Actions, whether they be Duties, or Sins, or Indifferent : And fince the Law of God Commanding or Forbidding Actions , or neither Commanding them, nor Forbidding them , is the only Rule by which a Man can Judg what AHons are Duties, and what are Sins, and what are Indiffe- rent : It plainly follows ; that as a Man cannot be lound in Conference to do- any Action which it doth not appear to him that Gods Law hath fome way or other Commanded; and made a Duty : So neither can it go againft a Mans Confcience, to do any Action which he is not convinced that Gods Law hath fome way or other Forbidden, and fo made a Sin. And therefore in our prefent Cafe. That Man only can juftly plead Confci- ence for his Nonconformity that can truly fay he is perfwaded in his Judgment that Conformity is'Forbid- den by fome Law- of God : Or which is the fame thing ; No Man can fey, it is againft his Confcience to jpyn in our Communion, but only fuch a one as really believes he ihall Sin againft fome Law of God, if foe do joyn with us, If againft this it be excepted ; that it is very po fible for a Man to be well fatisfied that there is no- thing . diredlly Sinful in our Worfliip ; but yet for all that it may be againft his Confcience to joyn with us in.it : As for inftancej. in the Cafe where a Man takes it really to be his Duty to hold conftant Commu- nion with fome other Congregation, where he believes he can be more Edified, or to which he is related by fome Church Covenant : To this I anfwer, that in this Cafe,Igrant,Confcience is rightly pleaded for Separation ( though ho\v juftifiably I do not now Examine : ) But then I fay this Plea proceeds upon the fame grounds I juft now laid down. For if the Man- as is fuppofed in (35) in the Cafe ) be convinced that it is his Duty by Gods Law, ( as there is no other meafure of Duty ) to hold Communion with others, and not with us ; then he muft at the fame time be convinced that he cannot without Tranfgreiiion of Gods Law, ( that is, without & n > ) jyn with us ; And that is the fame Account which we give, of its being againft any Mans Coufcience to hold Communion with us. Further, If it be urged againft our Proportion, that not only in the Cafe where a Man is perfwaded of the Unlawfulnefs of our Communion, but alfo in the Gafe where he only doubts of the Lawfulnefs of it, a Man may juftly plead Confcience for his Nonconformity , fo long as thofe doubts remain : And therefore it is not truly faid of us, that in Order to the Pleading Confcience for Nonconformity, one muft be perfwaded in his own mind, that Conformity is Forbidden by fome Law of God. lAnfwer, that if the Man who thus doubts of the Lawfulnefs of Conformity, hath really entertained this Principle, that it is a Sin to do any thing with a doubting Confcience ; I grant that it muft go againft his Confcience to conform fo long as he doubts. But then, this is but the fame thing we are contending for; for therefore it goes againft his Confcience to Communicate with us, doubting as he doth; becaufe he believes he {hall Sin againft God if he ihould. But if the Man we are fpeakingof, do not think it a breach of Gods Law, to Aft with a doubting Confcience ; then I do not fee how it can in the leaft go againft his Confcience to Communicate with us upon that pre- tence. So that notwithftanding thefe two Exceptions ; which are all I can think of ; it will ftill remain true, that no Man can juftly Plead Confcience for his Sepa- ration from the Church, but he that is perfwaded that n^ F - ^* <" y he cannot joyn with it without Sinning againfl God. Now if this Proportion be true, as certainly it is ; then how many Mens pretences to Confcience for their Separating from us, are hereby cut off : And in- deed how few ( in Comparifon of the multitude of DhTenters among us ) will be left, that can be able with Truth to fay that it is againft their Ccnfcience to Communicate with us in our Prayers, and in our Sacraments. In the firft Place, it is Evident that all thofe who Separate from us upon Account of any private grudge or pique -, becatfe they have beendifobliged,or have re- ceived fome difappointment in the way of our Church, or by the Men that are favourers of it , and therefore out of a Pet will joyn themfelves to another Commu- nion. All thofe that think they can ferve their own turns more effectually, by being of another way ; as for in fiance, they can thereby better pleafe a Relation from whom they have expelances ; they can better advance their Trade ,or increafe their Fortunes ; they can better procure a Reputation, or regain one that is Sunk. In a;word,all thofe that to ferve any ends of Pridepr- IK* terefty or Pajjion , or out of any other worldly Confi- deration, do refuse us their Company in the Worihip of God. I fey, all fuch are certainly excluded from pleading Confcience for their Separation. * In the fecond Place, all thofe Lay People who refufe our Communion upon Account that the /V/^, and Tea- chers^ whom they moil Love, and Reverence, arc not permitted to Exercife their Function among us ; whofe Pretence it is, that if thefe good Men were allowed to Teach in our Churches, tliey would come to our Con- gregations ; but fo long as that is refufed, they will hear them where they can ; I fay, all thefe are likc- wife excluded from Pleading. Conlcience for their So paragon. paration. For, however it may really and truly be a- gainfl the Confcience of their Minijiers-tQ conform , ( there being other things required of them, than of ordinary People, ) yet it is not again!! their Confci- ence fo to do ; for they know no ill in Conformity, b *t only that fo many good Men are filenced, In the third Place, all thofe that refufe our Commu- nion upon a meerdijlike of fcveral things in our Church Offices : They do not for inftance, like a Form of Prayer in general, and they have feveral things to Ob- ject againft our Form in particular ; they do not like our Ceremwies , they do not like the Surplice, or the Croft in Baptifm.; and fuiidry o- ther things they find fault with : Not that they have any thing to fay againft the Lawfulness of thefe things ' but only they have an Averfion to them : All thefc Men likewife are cut off from Pleading Confcience for their Separation. For they do not pretend that is is unlawful, or a Sin againft God to joyn with us in our Service which is the only thing wherein their Con- fcience can be concerned ; ) but only they are not pleafed with many things in our Service ; as fancying them not to be fo decent, or convenient, or not to be fo prudently Order'd as they would have them. But what of all this ? Admit the things to be fo as they fancy them ; yet ftill fo long as they do not think there is any Sin in them, it cannot go againft their .Confcience to joyn with any Aflembly in which they are Praftifed. Becaufe Confcience as we have often faid is not touched, is not affecled where no Law of God is Tranfgrefled. In the fourth Place, all thofe that are .kept from our Communion, purely upon the Account of Education, cr acquaintance with Perfons that are of another per- iwafion. Thofe that have nothing to fay againft our Worlhip j but only t^arthe were bred in another way ; f- 44/fuch, as do teally believe that our Communion is unlawful, or that they cannot Communicate with us without Sin, as I have before proved. As for thofe that only doubt of the Lawfulnefs of our Communion, but are not perrwaded that it is un- lawful ; I do not here confider them j becaufe they can- not fay that it is againft their Confcience to Communi- cate with us , any more than they can fay, that they are louxd in Confcience to Communicate with us : For they are uncertain as to both thefe things, and are not determined either way. But however be- caufe thefe men may juflly Plead Confcience upon this Account j that they think it is a Sin to joyn with us fo (40 fo long as they doubt of the Lawfulnefs of our Com- munion : I fliali confider their Cafe after\vards in a particular Difcourfe upon that Argument. - Thofe that I am now concerned with, are fuch, as do believe, or are perfwaded , that there is fomc thing in our Worihip which they cannot comply with without Sinning againft God. And my buimefs is to Examine whether fuch a Belief or Perfwafan of the Vnlawfulnefs of our Communion will juftifie any Mans Separation from us ? Or how far it wp!l do it ? And what is to be done by fuch Perfons, in order, either to their Communicating, or not Communicating with us, with a fafe Conference ? This is our fecond Point, and I apply my felf to it. There are a great many among us, that would with all their Hearts ( as they fay ) Obey the Laws of the Church,and joyn in our Worfliip and Sacraments ; but they are really perfwaded that they cannct do it without Sin : For there are fome things required of them as Conditions of Communicating with us, which are Forbidden by the Laws of God. As for Inftance, it is againft the Commands of j . Chrifl to appoint, or to ufe anything ia theWorfhip of God, which God himfelf hath not appointed. For this is to add to the word of God, and to -Teach for Do- ftrines the Commandments and Traditions of Men. It is againft the Commands of Jefus Chrifl to Stint the Spirit in Prayer ; which all thofe that ufe a Form of Prayer, muft neceflarily do. It is againft the Commands of Jefus Chr'/fl to ufe ar ny Significant Ceremony in Religion : As for Inftance, the Croft in Baptifm,"for that is to make new Sacra- ments. It is againft the Commands of Jefus Chrift to kneel at the Lords Supper, for that is dire&ly to contradict G ou (4 2 ) our Saviours Example in his Inftitution of th^t Sacra- ment, and Savours befides of Po'pijb Idolatry. Since therefore there are thefe Sinful things in our Worftiip ; and thofe too impofed as Terms df Gdm- munion ; how can we blame them, if they withdraw themfelves from us ? Would we have them joyn L vvifh us in thefe Praftices which they verily believe to be Sins ? Where then was their Confcience ? They might perhaps by this means fhew how muchth^y were the Servants of Men : fcut what would become of their Fidelity to fgfus Chrift. What now fhall we fay to this ? They themfelvies are fo well fatisffd with their own doings in thefe matters, that they do not think they are in the teaft to be blamed for refufmg us their Communion, fo long as things Hand thus with them. They are fure they here- in tollow their own Confcience ; and therefore they cannot doubt but they are in a iafe Condition , and may juftifie their Proceedings to God, and to all the World ; let us fay what we pleafe. This is the Cafe. Now in Anfwer to it, we fciuil grant them thefe two things. Firft of all, that if indeed they be right in their Judgment ; and thofe things which they except a- gainft in our Communion -be really Unlawful, and Vorbiddea by Jefus Chrifl; then they are not at all to be blamed for their not Communicating with us. For in that Cafe, Separation is not a Sin but a Duty : We being for ever bound to 0% God rather Han Men. And Secondly, fuppofing they be miftaken in their Judgment, and think that to be unlawful, and For- bidden by God which is not really fo : Yet fo long as this perfwafion continues (though it be a falfeone^we think they cannot without Sin joyn in our Communion. For (43) For even an Erroneous. Confcience ( as we have ihew- ed ), binds thus far, that a Man cannot without Sin Aft in Contradiction to it. Thefe two things T fay we grant them, and let them make the bed advantage of them. But then this is the point we (land upon, and which if it be true, will render this whole Plea for Noncon- formity upon account of Confcience, as I have now o- pened it, wholly inefficient, 'viz. If it iliould prove that our Diflenters are miftakea in their Judgment , and that our Governours do indeed require nothing of them in the matter of Church Communion, but what they may comply with, without breach of Gods Law : Then I fay it will not acquit them from being Guilty of Sin before God in withdrawing from our Communi- on ; to fay , that they really believed our Communion to be unlawful : and upon that Account they durft not . ! r J joy n with us. ft is not my Province here to Anfwer all their Ob- jections ^tgainft our Forms of Prayer, our Ceremonies, pur .Orders and Rules, in Ad miniftring Sacraments , anrf other things that concern our Communion: This hath been done feveral times ; and of late by feveral P?rfons which have treated of all thefe particular mat- ters ; and who have frewed with great clearnefs and ftrength, that there is nothing required in our Church Appointments, which is in the lead inc9nfiftent with, or Forbidden by any Law of fefxs Cbrift : But on the contrary, the Eftablifhmcnts of our church, are for,. Gravity, Decency, Purity, and agreeablenefs with the Primitive Chriftianity ; the moft approvablc, and the lead Exceptionable of any Church Conftitutions at i J u tTr j T T i T *.. before God it I break it. The Truth' and Reafon of this t have fully ftewed before, in what I have faid about the Authority of Con- fcience. I fhall now only by way of further Confirma- tion ask this Q^e (lion : Was St. 'Paul guilty of Sin or no , v^'hen he Perfecuted the Chriilians , being verily pemvaded in his ow n mind that he ought fo to do, and that he Sinned if he did not ? If any will fay that St. Paul did not Sin in this, becaufe he did but Aft accord- ing to his Confcience ; they contradict his own ex- prefs words. For he acknowledged! himielf to be the greateft of Sinner^ and that for this very reafon le- cwfe he perfected the Church of Chrzft. If they lay that C45,) that he did Sin in doing this : Then they muft at the fame time acknowledg, that a Mans perfwafion that a thing is a Duty, wilt not excufe him from guilt in pradifing it if really and indeed it be agamit Gods Law : And on the other fide,by the fame reafon, that a Mans perfwafion that a thing is unlawful, will not excufe him from gu.lt in not Praftifing it ; if indeed Gods Law hath made it a Duty. So that it infinitely concerns all our Diflenting Bre- thren to confider very well what they co , when they withdraw from our Communion. Scbifin undoubtedly is a great and crying Sin. A Sin, againll which, there are as many hard things fa id in the Difcourfes of our Lord and his Apoftles , and in the Writings of the Ancient Chriftians ; as againfl a- ny other Sin whatfoever. And therefore let thofe that forfake our Communion j and fet up,or joy n with other Aflembltes in Oppofition to ours : I lay, let them look to it that they be not involved in the Guilt of this dreadful Sin. They mud be fure that their Separation proceeds upon good grounds, if they would free them- felves from the imputation of it. It is not always e- nough to excufe them , that they do believe there are Sinful Conditions impofed in our Communion, and confequently it is their Duty to withdraw. For unlcfs the thing be fo indeed ; their believing fo will not cancel their Obligation to our Church Communion ; or make it ceafe to be Schifm to withdraw themfelves from it. This may perhaps at the firft hearing feem very ftrange Doctrine to many, but yet it is true for all that ; and will appear a little more Evident, if we put- the Cafe in another inftance, wherein we are not fo nearly concerned. Here is one of the RomaK-Catholick perfwafion^. ( as *w <) ( as they call it, ) that hath been trained up in Pope- ry ; and heartily believes it to be true Religion, and the Only one, wherein Salvation is to be had , and therefore in Obedience to the Laws and Cuftoms of that Church, doth pay Religious Worflup to Images ; doth pray to (Saints and Angels; doth give Divine A- doration to tlic Confecrated Bread in the Sacrament ; as really believing it to be turned into the Body of Chrift, to which his Soul, and Deity is perfonally U- nited. Is now fuch a Perfon as this Guilty of Idolatry in thefe Practices or is he not ? He doth verily believe that he is not. He would abhor thefe Practices, if he did in the lead believe, that God had Forbid them as Idolatrous. Nay he is fo far from believing that they are Forbid, that on the contrary he hath been taught to believe that they are neceflary Duties ; and he can- not be a good Catholick, unlefs he thus Worfliip Ima- ges, and Saints, and the Bread of the Hoft. Well, now the point is, Whether fuch a Man, believing as he doth, be upon that Account acquitted from the Sin of Idolatry ? We all grant, that if he had fuch clear Information about thefe things as we Proteftants have lie would certainly be an Idolater if he fliould conti- tinue in thefe Practices ; But whether his belief, and Opinion, and perfivafion concerning thefe things, do not excufe him ; and make that ceafe tobe//*?/*/ that would otherwife be fo , This I fay is the queftibn. But yet none of us make any great queftion of it. For we do charge the Papifts indifcriminately, with Ido- latry in their Worfliip ; notwithstanding their difclaim- ing it ; notwithftanding their Profeflion to Worfliip God, no otherwife than according to his own Will ; notwithftanding they do really take themfelves Obli- ged in Confcicnce to give Divine Worfliip to the Con- fecrated (47) fccrated Elements, and thofe other Obje&s. -And we charge them rightly in this. For if it A? reaUy Idola- try by Gods word, to do thefe things.; then it will be Idolatry in any Man to do them, let his Opinion a- hout them be what it Will. A Mans Ignorance, or miitake, or falfe Opinion doth not alter the nature of things ; it can neither make that ceafe to be a Duty, which God hath Commanded, nor that ceafe to be a Sin which God hath Forbidden. All that it will do, is, that according to the Nature and Circumftances of it, it may more or leis Extenuate the Tranfgrellion that is committed upon the Account thereof. And the Cafe is juft the fame in the matter before us. For any Man to withdraw his Communion from that Church, with which he ought, and with which he may Lawfully Communicate ; .That is as property the Sin of .Schifm y as it is the Sin of Idolatry to give Divine Worfhip to that which is not God. For any Man, therefore, to break the Unity of the Church ; though it be upon this very Account, that he doth believe it is his Duty fo to do ; or that he cannot Communicate with that Church without Sin : Yet if this perfwafion of his be falfe,and Erroneous ; he is no lefs a Scbtfmatick for all this ; than the other Man is ' an Idolater that thinks it his Duty to adore Images, and thofe other undue Objects of Divine Worfhip among the Romamfts. It is true, the Mans Igno- rance or Mifperfwafion will according to the greater or lefs Culpability of it ; more or lefs excufe the Maas Perfon before God, as it doth in the other Cafe. But it cannot in the lead make that which God hath made to be Schifm to be no.Schiftn ; no more than in the other Cafe, it makes that to be no Idolatry which Gods word hath declared to be Idolatry. Well now admitting all this ; here comes the pinch of the thing. It will be faid, What, would you have a Man (48) Man do in this Cafe ? He cannot confewn with a fafe Confcience ; and yet he is a Tranfgrefibr if "he do not. If he comply againft his Confcience, you grant he is guilty of Sin in fo doing : If he doth not Comply ; then you fay he is a Sckifwatick ; and fo is a Sinner upon that Account. Why to this I fay, that both thefe things are often true j tind here is that Dilewma y which Men by Suffering their minds to be abufed with Evil Principles, and Perfwafions, do frequently run tliemfelves into. They are reduced to that Ex- tremity that they can neither Act, nor forbear Acting .% They can neither Obey, nor Difobey without Sin. But what is to be done in this Cafe ? I know no- thing but this : That all Imaginable Care is to be ta- ken that the Error and fa lie Principles which mifled the Man be depofed ; and that his Judgment be better informed ; and then he may both do his Duty which Gods Law requireth of him, and avoid Sinning againft his Confcience.' Jon u But how is this to be done ? Why no other way, but by ufing Confcientioufly all thofe means which corrh mon Prudence will Recommend to a Man, for the gaming Inftruction and Information to himfelf about any point that he defires throughly to under ftand. That is to fay, Freeing his Mind from all Pride, -and Paflion, and Intereft, and all other carnal Prepoflef- fions ; and appl} ing himfelf ferioufly and impartially to the getting right Notions and Sentiments about his Duty in thefe matters : Confidering without prejudice what can be faid on both fides : Calling in thebeft a fiftance of the ableft and wifeft Men that he can come by .- And above all things ferioufly endeavouring to underftand the Nature and Spirit of the Ckriftian Reli- gion ; and to practice all that he is undoubtedly con- vinced fhr'q sdt ^^mo eirh Its gniilinL.. ' vinced to be his Duty: And for the matters in queftf- on, mod earneftly imploring the Afliftance of Gods Spirit to guide and direct him. Well, but fuppofmg a Man has endeavoured to in- form his Judgment as well as he can, and hath uied all thofe Prudent means that were in his Power, to fa- tisfiehimfelfoftheLawfulnefs of our Commun.oi ; But yet after all, he is of the fame pfcrfwafion that he was, ?//z, That he cannot joy n in our Worlhip without Sin : what will we fay to fuch a Man as this ? Will we Hill fay that this Man muft either Conform,though againft his Confcience , or he is a Schifmatick before God ? This is the great difficulty, and! have two things to fay to it. In the firfl place, we do heartily wifli that this was the Cafe of all, or of the mod of our Diflenters , ( viz. that they had done what they can, to iatisfie themfelves about our Communion. ) For if it was, I do verily perfwade my felf that there would prefent- ly be an end of all thofe much to be-lamentcd Scbifms^ and Divijtcns, which do now give fo much Scandal to all good Men , and threaten the Ruin of our Reformed Religion ; And this poor Church of England^ which hath fo Jong Laboured and Groaned, under the furious Attacques that have been made upon her, ,by Enemies without, and Enemies Within her own Bowels, would in a little time, be perfeMy fet free from all apprehen-. fion ef Danger, at the lead from the one fort cf her Adverfaries. Jf all our Brethren of the Separation would moft ferioufly follow after the things that wake for Peace, and walk ly the fame Rule as far as they were able, and in things where thev were otherwise minded^ would Religi- oufly apply themfelves to God for direftion j and to the uie of Prudent means for Satisfaction : I doubt H v not not but the Face of tilings would preferitly' be changed among us ; and we Ihouid hear no more of any Divi- fion or S:bifm in our Nation, that was either dangerous to the Church, or tcrth/2 Salvation of the Men that were concerned, in it. But alas, we fear we have too great reafon to fay, that the generality of our Diflenting Brethren, even thofeof them tint Plead Confciericefor their .Separation;- have not done their Duty in this matter ; have not hear- tily endeavoured to fatisfie theirMirids about the Law- fulneis. of Conformity in thofe Points which they flick at. If they had , o'ne would-' think that after all their endeavours they fliould; before they pronounced Con- formity to be unlawful, be able to produce fome on' plain Text of Scripture for the proving it fo,either in the whole 1 or in any part of it; but this they are not able tb' do. They do indeed produce fome Texts of Scripture- which they think do make for them : But really they are fuch, that' if they had not fupinely taken" up their meaning upon ti uil ; but would have been at the pains of carefully examining' them,- and ufmgfuch helps as they have every where at hand for the under- flanding them .- It would have been fomewhat difficult for thein> to : Have .expounded thole 1 Texts in fuch a fenfe as would infer the unlawfulnefs of our Communion. But further I fay, it' is not probable that the genera- lity of our Diflenters, who condemn our Communion as unlawful, have ever anxioufly applied themfelves to the confidering . the Point, or gaining Satisfaction about it ,* betaufe they do riot fecm to have rhtich con- fulted their own Teachers in this ai 7 a;r, and much lefs thofe of our way. If they had, they would have been difpofed to think better of our Communion ; than they do : For not to mention what the Churchmen doteach&prefsinthis matter; the mod Eminent of their own ]VUnif!ers 7 are ready^thus far to give their Te- flimony (si ) flimony -to our 'Communion. That there is nothing -required ink, but what a Lay-Ferfin may Honeitly and Lawfully corn-ply withjthough there may be fome things inconvenient, and which they wifn were amended. Nay they themfelves are re?dy upon cccafion to afford us their Company,in all the inftances of I^y-CcwwuMion. But I derlre not to enlarge upon this Argument, be- caufe it is an Invidious one. All that I fay is, that we wifh it was not too apparent by msriy Evidences, that mod of thofe who feparate from us, are fo far from having done all they can to bring tl em.elves to a com- -plyarice with our Church Coniliiutionsj. that they have done little or nothing at all towards it : But have^taken'up their Opinions, hand over head, without -much thinking or enquiring , and having once taken up an Opinion, they -adhere -to it, without fcarce fo much as once thinking , that it is poffible for them to be in t : hc wrong. If you fpcak ef-aMan that may with reafon befaid to have done his endeavour to fatisfte himfelf about the Points of -his Duty in -this matter: Give us fuch a one ; as hath no end, no intereil to ferve by his Reli- gion, but only-to PleafeGod, and to go to Heaven , ^nd-who .-in the choice <$f -the -way Uiat le^ds thither, hath the TndiCerence of a'Tra-veller to whom it is all one, whether his way light on the -risk Hand, -or on the left ; being only concerned that it be the way vvhich leads to his Journeys end. Give us a -Man, that -concerns -himfclf as little as you pleafe, in the Speculative Difputes, and Contro- verf.es of Relig'on : But yet is wonderfully -Solicitous about the.-Praftice of his Duty ; and therefore will rc- fufe no pains or trouble that may give him a right un- derllanding of that. Give us a Man, that in -the 'midft of the great Heats and Divifions, and different Communions of H z '( 52 ) the Church , is yet modeft, and humble^ and docible : 1 har believes he may be minaken, and that his private Friends may be miuaken too, and hath fuch an Efleem and Reverence for the Wifdom of his Govcrnours in Church or htate ; as to admit that it is probable they may fee farther into matters of State and Religion, than he dorh : And that therefore every Tenent, and Opin.on.diat was inbibed in his Education , that was infufed- by private Men of his acquaintance ; or that was efpouled upon a very few thoughts, and little Con- fideration ; ought not to be fo ftifly maintained , as to control, or to be fet in Oppofition to the Pubhck Eilabli.hmentsof Authority. Laftly, give us a Man,that where the Publick Laws do run counter to his private Sentiments ; and he is at a lofs to reconcile* his Duty to Men, with his Duty to God: Yet dth not prefently upon this, fet up a Flag of Defiance to Authority ; but rather applies tomfelf with all the Indifference, and Honefty he can, to get a true Information of thefe matters: Ard to that end; he-Prays to God continually for his afliiiance^ Jie calls in the beu helps, and confults- the beft guides he can ; his Ears are open to what both fides can lay for themfelves ; and he is as willing to read a Book which is writ againft his Opinion, as one that defends it : In a word -if he be prejudiced, or biased any way ; it is on the -fide of Authority ;/ being rather de. rJus to find h.mfelf midaken, and his Governours in the Right; than h.mielf in the Right, and his Gover- nours miuaken. J fay fhew us fuch a Man as this ; and we readily grant, you have produced a Perfon , that doth fmcerely ufe h s endeavours to fatisfie him- feJt about the .Lawfulnefs of our Communion. But then we mu{> fay th.s alf<' ; that as the Cafe (lands be- tween the Church ol England, and the Diflenters ; we C st) we caff hardly believe, that fuch a Man will long eot& tinue in Separation from the Church ; but will in a little time gam the Satisfaction of feeing, not only that he may Lawfully joy n with us, but allothat it is his Duty fo to do. But let us admit, that a Man may have endeavour- ed to Inform his Judgment as well as he cat* ; and yet be fo far from being convinced that it is his Duty to joyn with us in our Worihip ; that he is ft ill of O- pinion that it is his Duty to ^eparate from us : What will we iay of fuch a Man? Wrll we itiU brand hinv for a Schilmatick^ notwithstanding he hath done all he can, to bring himfelf over to us ; but cannot ? To this I anfwtr in the fccond Place, according to the Principles I have before laid down, that if fuch a Cafe do ever happen ; though the Man cannot be ex- cufcd from Scbifm , as to the matter of it ( becaufe wherever there is an Actual Separation from a Church, with which we ought, and with which we may, Law- fully Communicate ; there is an Actual Schifm Com- menced ; let the pretence for the Separation be what it wJl :-) yet \ truft he (hall not be charged belore God, with the Formal guilt of the- Schifm ; any farther than the Error that led him into it, was contracted by his own fault. Though Schifm in it felf ( as we have fa^d ^ be a great Sin .- yet we do not fay that all thofe who are engaged in the fame Schifm , are e<[ uatty Guilty betore God. In the ^rft place, thofe that feparate from the Church, to ferve any private fecular turn ; thefe are molt hor- ribly guilty of Schifm , and there is nothing to be laid in their excufe. In the fecond plare, thofe who feparate from the Church, through milperfwafions, and mihakes of Judg- 54 ) judgment, which they groundlefsly, and fooUfMy took up ; and might have avoided ; and would yet {till certainly correct in themfelves, if they were but ib Careful, and Confcientious about their Duty as they ought to be : Thefe Men, haX 7 e indeed far more to lay for themfelves, than the former; but yet they are very blameable, and are bound as they Love their Souls, to take more Gare of Informing their Confci- ence aright,- that fo they may leave that Sin they arc engaged in. But Thirdly, thofe that feparate from the Church of God, becaufe they know no better, nor never had means to know better : Or thole that have fincerely endeavoured to underftand their Duty as much as could be expefted from one in their Circumftances ; yet through weaknefs of undemanding, or want of" Op- portunity, light into wrong Paths : In a word, thofe that are unhappily engaged ma-Schifm, but God Al- mighty who fearcherh the Hearts, knoweth, that it is not through the Fault of their Wills, but the misfor- tune of their Circumftances : I fay, if there be any Man among us that is in this Condition ; though he be a 'SckijmatJck Materially ; yet he is funacentlyj at Jeaft,/ 1 /'/- .t t ally fo. And if he be as free from blame in the o- iher parts of .his Life ; be may be a good Chriiiian for all that. And God Almighty we hope who Judg- th cf Men by their inward Sincerity, and not by fheir outward Circum-anccs ,- will impute that Schifm ( which in others perliaps is a wilful Crime ^ to this Man, no othenvife then as a pure Sin of Ignorance^ which iliall not (upon a general Repenrance for all Sins' known and unknown,) be accounted for at the la. ft day. Efpecially if this innocently mm? ken Man we fpeak of, do to the other Regularities of-his Life, add a diligent Care in -thefefour following Points. Firfr. ($s) 1 ft, that he be not O&flinate, and Perth his way, but that he keep his mind readily i difpoied to receive any Conviction, wtfktf G< byany ^eans or fnftruments -/hall offer to" him. Secondly That he Separate no farther from the Jrcn, of which he ought to be a Member than h* needs muu but do chsarfully comply with the Pub ck Laws, and Eftabhfliments in all thofe Instances where he is Satisfied he may do it with a-fafe Cbnfci- encc. Thirdly, that where lie cannot give Aftive Obedi- ence to the Laws ,- he do in. .thofe In Dances Patzefly y and Ckriftianly, fubmit to the Penalties^ which tho'fe Laws infli6t: Neither exclaiming again ft his Gover- nours, or the Magidrates, as-Periecutors ; for 1 enacl- ing, or Executing thofe Laws : Nor uf.ng any undue, Illegal means to gethimfelf more eafe and Liberty : But in all things behaving himfelf as a quiet^and peaceable Subject to the Government he lives under. And Fourthly, and lallly, that he Ihew himfelf a good Neighbour as well as a good Sufyett ; in avoiding all peeviih and bitter Cen fares of thofe that differ in :" Opinion, and perfwafion from him ; and Exercifing Humanity, and Friendlinefs, and Charity to all his Fellow Chriftians. Whofoevcr I fay, of our Brethren, of the Separa- tion make good thefe Points: That is to fay, are in the firfl place, very fincere in their endeavours, to inform their Conscience aright in the matter of our Commu- nion : Ana in the next- place, when they cannot Satis- fie their Conference about our way ; do yet in their DiiTent from us, Obferve the four Particulars T have now named ; I fhould be loth for my part to Cenfure them either as ill Men, or ill Subjects, or \\\Ckriftians. But then all that I have faid in this matter, doth no more (5*) more juftifie the Sin of Schiftn, or Extenuate the hai- npufnefs of it in its own Nature ; Than it would ferve tojuftifie or Extenuate the Sin of Idolatry ; if all that I We now faid, was applied to the Cafe of an Ignorant, well meaning, devout Papift. For 1 do ve- rily believe that what I have now reprefented by way of Apology for an innocent niiftaken Separatift ; will hold true, mutatis mutandis, in the Cafe of a deluded Ramantft) who is invincibly, and without any fault of his, intangled in the Practice of their Idolatries. But I believe for all that, the Sin of Idolatry is in it ftlt a moft grievous Sin, and fo I believe is the Sin of Sch/Jm and therefore notwithilanding all that may be faid ;> concerning the Innocence, or Excufeablenefs of fome Mens miilakes about thefe matters j yet nevertheJeis, it infinitely concerns every Perfon, to have a care how he be engaged, either in the one, or the other. To xojne to a conclufion; that which I would moft ierioufly prefs from what hath been faid is this. It ap- pears from the foregoing Difcourfe, how abfolutely neceflary it is ,- that every Man {hould endeavour to inform his Judgment aright in the matters that offend his Confcience ; before he withdraw liis Obedience from his Lawful Governours, and his Gommunion from thofe that Worlhip God in Publick under them. It appears likewife that it is not enough to juftifie a Mans Separation ; that this or the other thing in our Worihip, is really againft his Confcience ; for he may be a great Sinner notwithstanding that, for leaving oyr Aflemblies, if it fliould prove at laft that he is mj- ftaken in his Notions. What therefore {hould. every Diflenter amorg us do, that hath any regard to his Duty, and would pre- fervea good Conicience? I fay, what is there that more concerns him to do? than prefently tofet abowt the the true informing of his Judgment in the porats Points difputed pro and contra amongft the Divines: An^ therefore why fhould they trouble their Heads about them j nay per- haps if they fhould, they have neither Abilities nor Opportunities to underftand them. It mufl be confeOed that fomething of this is true ; But yet it is nothing to their purpofe. It is very welJ, that we aJU agree in .the Rule of Faith^ and Manners ; 4nd it would jbs happy if all the Chriftian World did fo too,/ But fldrSchiitmis a dreadful Sin : And a Man as certainly, without Repentance, be damned for as for being an Here tick in his Qpinicn y or a wel, iforinCUjacq, vn.\v$.jttanrtcr$>, Sttfclam, the Ancient Cl^rift ian Fathers -{bought (fe wjj . . It is mae likewife, that the buimefs at-Ch*rcb Govern lJnejiQd other Points of Ecdcfiaftical Con- ^ is a matter of Difpute, and Controverfy among us : But whoi is it t&at miuje, if -fo ? The Church of ^g/W.wkhout.ilcmb^ would teve been very well pkafed, if tliere had foeen no duil^ifecij nedifputeor conrentiOns moved in thefe matters ; but that every Meniber would have done his Duty peaceably, aiA quiethf. in his Station.- Or that if any Controverfy arofe $ it fhould have been debated among Learn- cd ed Men ; and never have proceeded to Separation from rhe'Conimunion. We do not pretend to lay any flrefs upon Skill, and Knowlede about thefe matters, in Order to a Mans Salvation! We believe, and teach that a Man may be a very good Chrtfixn, and go to Heaven ; that ne- ver urtderltcod how to jiiftific the Cr'ofs in Baptifm, or to defend the 'CoHtmon'-Praier Book againft all the Ex- ceptions that a*e ^&*aga : inft it. All that we fay is, tlmt' if any -Ma^ :\\ v ill-^upley and except againft the ufe of thefe things - it lyes upon him, nay he is bound as h- would keep a good Confciencc, to ufe the bed means- he ' ^fliWy : '-, an3 'vfcrftMt*& enough, to cavil and find fault with thefe things, and upon that Account, to de- ny their Obedience to thofe Lawful Powers, which God hath fet'over them: One would think they ifetild at th^ametime have fo much ~ Honejty, as- fe- nouflvto endeaVour^to give themfelves. Satisfaction ass tQ th(Me thirigs^they find fault with: And this is all we de- rire- oi- them : And it is for their own fakes too , as well as ours,that -\ve defire it. For otherwifc they will never be able to anlw-er either to. God or Man, for the liornblc Inconveniences, arsd mifehiefs, that arife to the (5*) the Church of Chrift, by the Divifion, and Separation which they are engaged in. To conclude, if in any Intlance, that Famous Pre- cept of the Apoftle, of proving all things, and hold- ing faft that which is good, do Oblige Chriftians ; it doth efpccially in this. If ever it be a Mans Duty to fatisfie himfelf, about the goodnefs^ and Lawfulness of a thing, that he is apt to doubt of ; it is certainly in the Cafe, where his Superiours have laid their Com- mands upon him': For there he cannot difobey with- out Sin ; unlefs lie can allure himfelf that he hath done all that he can, to reconcile their Commands with his Duty to God j but upon the belt means he hath ufed , he finds them irreconcileable. For a Man to difbbey till he has done this, is an unwarrantable thing, and in the Cafe that I now fpeak of, it is no lefs than the Sin of Formal Criminal Schifm. F I N I nil 2 I Ti I UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is DUE on the last date stamped "below AUG 1 2 FormL-9 20m-12,'39(33R8> BV 4615 Sharp - A diacrmrsft 1684 concerning v.l 3 1158 00710 4499 1 y 195C BV 4615 S53d 1684 v.l