IF for no other Cause, yet for this, that 'tis more generous to vindi­cate the Dead, where the Living are concern'd in the impressions of Envy upon their silent Ashes, than to comply with the Humours of our Dear­est Relations; and especially, where Truth is like to suffer by our silence; I have adventur'd to publish this small Piece, for the Justification of Mr. Clif­ford's Excellent Treatise, Entituled Hu­mane Reason, by way of Reply to that Gent. who wrote the Answer, call'd [Page 2] Plain Dealing, without assigning any Reasons why this was not published till now, having been written at Mr. Clif­ford's desire, who dyed soon after.

Pursuant therefore to my Title Page, as to the Countrey Gentleman's pretty Story of his travelling and enquiring of a lusty Follow the way to the next Town, and of his direction, (after wise circumspection) to go by the Esquire's House; I am oblig'd to say, the Folly lay in the Enquirer, who might, with the same Breath, have ask'd, on which hand, or whether right on, the House stood: but it seems the Queen of Wa­ters had too much influenc'd his upper Garret, being as much out of his Wits, as out of his Way.

But I'le be charitable, only craving leave to infer, it is more than probable, his narrow Collegiate Education (a thing often fatal to good Wits) hath a little blown him up, and consequent­ly expos'd him to the Character of Pe­dantry; otherwise, had he consulted, more cooly our Learned Author's very generous Design, and observ'd how ge­neral [Page 3]an Applause that which he terms a little Pamphlet, hath worthily had here at London, from the best Persons, as to Understanding, he would have been more civil to the Writer, and more cautious in his Censures; unless it be grown a Fashion at Cambridge to make up defects of Reasoning with Clamour or Impertinency: if that be the Mode there, or if it be not, the Gentleman's Design is equally defeated; for even in the Conduct of it, he hath yielded up the Palm to our Author, as having made use of what way he conceived most ra­tional to confute him.

However, the Gent. saith, and truly, that all which the Author hath said amounteth to no more than this, that every man must follow right Reason, which is his direct way; whither? to his pro­posed End; and what's that? he hath told him, to Happiness; but he urgeth, that he who doth not before hand know wherein right Reason doth consist (as most Mankind doth not) will, saith the Gent. be as much to seek in his way, notwithstanding the Author's Directi­ons, [Page 4](which are, that a man should use those Directions with Care and Constancy which Reason affordeth) as he himself was, not knowing whereabouts the Esquire's House was, whereunto his wise Guide directed him.

To all which the Answer is at hand, and easie; for if the way to Happiness be no otherwise to be found out and attained, than by an orderly pursuance of Virtue, (which the Gent. will not deny) then to live virtuously is to live Rationally; consequent whereunto, it appeareth, that to use Reason, is no other, than to be obedient to the Di­vine Law, of which if any man be ig­norant, in Christ'ndom, either he doth not follow Reason's guidance, or is a Fool, by reason of some Defect in his Natural Organs.

The Gent. granteth, that by reason of the intricacies of the way to Happiness, to choose the right paths, and then to guide our selves therein, we had need of a better Eye-sight than is left us by the Fall of our First-father; but quarrelleth that the Author, after all Considerations, assign­eth [Page 5]no other Guide than Reason, and pretendeth not to understand how that can be; nay, he putteth his Life upon it to verifie his ignorance; for he knoweth of no other Guide left unto us, after the Fall but Humane Reason; concluding, that the Author, by telling us we had need of a better Guide, hath confuted his whole Book: for then we have need of a bet­ter Guide than Humane Reason, and this the Gent. calleth the coming out of Truth in spite of the Author's teeth.

The onely Question here is, what those Directions are which a man's Reason ought to take, before, and in his Journey to Happiness: for the Author told the Gent. Reason would do it, if it took right Directions, which the Gent. somewhat slily pretermitteth in his dis­ingenuous and carping Inference; I say, what those Directions are, and really, I (after having consider'd the great truth of the Assertion) do more admire the Gentleman's blindness, than he him­self can be pleas'd with what he hath written: for, that the Author intended [Page 6]by right Directions, Tradition, is obvi­ous to any indifferent Reader; which is, a due consideration of the History of God's Providence, his Love, Promises, and Performances: but, lest the Gent. should still be obliged to rejoin that I also have left him in the dark, I make this Explanation of what I think the Author meant by the other Guide, which was, that after the Laws of Nature, the onely Rule, for ought appeareth, af­forded by God to govern the World by, for some thousands of years, at first, be­came either neglected, or forgotten. Moses was commanded to publish the Decalogue, and some other Laws, part­ly repeating the Laws of Nature, and, in part, superadding, upon the Com­plexion of all which, and of Christ our Saviour, we have rationally inform'd our selves of the Way to Happiness.

As to what the Gent. saith of our bruise in our Reason upon the Fall of Adam, that it cannot now take directi­ons fit for our Journey, and that it is a Supposition as improbable, as to as­sume, that if the Sky falleth we shall [Page 7]catch Larks, I think the Simile Ridicu­lous: I am sure it is improper, and shall only desire to be resolved by him, if Reason be not the most probable way to Happiness, what is? But we come now, having pass'd all his Out-guards, to his main Posts, upon the Front whereof he boldly pretendeth to prove, that the Author's Assertions are impra­cticable, and destructive to all Arts, Orders, and Corporate Societies of men; taking a Leap from the Happiness there intended by the Author, after this Life, head and shoulders, into the Politick In­terests and Concerns in this World, which, how foreign soever to the Au­thor's Design in that place (though af­terwards considered by him) I intend to refute in every Instance worthy my consideration.

The first Instance the Gent. giveth is this, that if every man must make Use of no other Guide but his own Reason (suppose in Cases which concern his Life and Estate) and must take Dire­ctions from himself only, (which the Author hath not yet said) the honou­rable [Page 8]Professions of Physick and Law would be useless; and that it is impossi­ble Private men should understand so well those things as the Professors there­of. I answer, That the Use of Tempe­rance hath preserved, and still doth pre­serve, many in constant Health; that Laws are begotten and continued most­what from the Vices of men; but be­cause some are either from the Infirmi­ties of their Parents, their own Consti­tutions, or other accidental Causes, va­letudinary, Reason teacheth men to find out proper Remedies by Physick, and it is only Reason which teacheth men the Use of it, or to apply to such other Persons as they suppose can ease their Distempers; which also instructeth others to apply themselves to such Law­yers for Advice, whose proper Study it is: not but that Rational men have a great deal of Law in themselves; so the par­ticular Persons in each Science being chosen by Reason of man's own, or by the Advice of some others upon whose Judgment they depend, it cannot thence be supposed, that the exercise of Rea­son [Page 9]is any way destructive to either of those two honourable Sciences.

But, saith the Gent. this also holdeth as to Divinity, for if men were as care­ful of their Souls as of their Bodies and Estates, they would, in all difficulties of Confcience, take the Advice of Divines, as frequently as of the Judge and Do­ctor in Cases proper to them; and then concludeth, we must not be governed by our own Reason (exclusively taken from all other helps) for this would destroy all the Chief Professions of the Nation; we might pull down all our Inns of Courts and Chancery, all Col­ledges, the Charter-house, the Royal Society, and all Schools of Learning; and that it would destroy all Laws and Or­der, if every man, with the Author, were resolved to have no other Guide than his own Reason, which the Author ne­ver said.

A Charge with a witness, but let us examine it a little: the Gent. complaineth of men's not being careful to advise with Divines in difficulties of Consci­ence: As to the point of Conscience, I [Page 10]presume every Sober man doth or should advise himself, and can finally have no other Adviser: (yet not exclusive of others Advice, and of others Reason) for the Author never said so, but on the contrary, told us of fit helps for Rea­son's Assistance, and surely Advice must be one of them. If the Gent. mean about matters of Faith, which is but Rea­son reciify'd, the Assent any man giveth to any Proposition of that kind, must be from Causes, otherwise he believeth he knoweth not what, nor why; who can believe so? Now I think there are very few men of Understanding but do, one time or other, consult with others about their Scruples of Conscience, or at least, their Consciences were not fixt to any Credentials without Observati­on, Advice, or Reading; however, I know no Law of God or Man which obligeth me to be totally govern'd in my Conscience by any particular Classis of men, now in Being upon Earth: If I am satisfy'd, it is well with me, having used all Rational means to satisfie my self; and I wish it were not true which [Page 11]the Judicious Author hath observed, viz. that if men had used their own Rea­sons, so many had not been mis-led by the Errors and Deceits of others: And as to the other Point, of taking direction from a Judge, the Gent. speaks without Reason; for he is to know, that for any Judge to speak extrajudicially, is, many times, Criminal in the Judge, and uncivil in him that desireth his O­pinion; and for that Inference, as if the Use of Reason would dissolve Or­ders and Bodies Politick, it is a non sequitur; for all Rational Persons are presum'd to know, their Constitutions are founded upon Reason and Law; and it is for the interest and safety of the Members to obey their Superiours; because their Disobedience naturally be­gets Exclusion: so far is any thing, or all the Gent. hath objected against the reliance upon Reason, been from pro­ving it destructive, or prejudicial to any of those Noble Professions, as it appears it is the onely thing which fortifies and consolidateth them, or all Artificial Cor­porate Bodies whatsoever.

The next thing the Gent. objecteth, is, that the Author hath said, They that dis­pute against Reason, do it because their own Reason persuadeth them to that Belief, &c. and this he calls, Ironically, a killing Ar­gument. But for the Truth of it, I ap­peal to every man's Reason. viz. If I dis­pute against any Proposition, either I do it really, or feignedly; if feignedly, it's idle, if really, is it not, because I conceive it irrational? neither can the Gentleman's Instance help him out, which is, (and he borrowed it out of Mr. Chillingworth) that though Reason must direct us to the Rule by which we are to act, yet when we have found out such a Rule, as our Reason assureth us is infallible, we ought no longer to govern our selves by our bare Reason, but by our Reason guided by that Rule, and to act such things (not that Reason doth direct but such) as our infallible Rule doth command us; so that we see (saith he) that Reason is so far from being our Guide, that it directly leadeth us to the Scripture, and leaveth us to be directed by it, by which, it confesseth, it self ought to be guided.

It is very well, the Gent. hath confest that Reason must direct us to the Rule, but stay the Bells; Sir, when I come thither, how shall I understand to take my Mea­sures by that Rule? that is, how shall I use it, if Reason do not still direct me: For the Question is not amongst Chri­stians, whether the Scripture be true or no; but this, what the meaning is of particular Texts therein: or if any man can shew me any other way to under­stand it but Reason, I shall be very thankful; if then there be no other way but the Mediation of Reason, Reason, and bare Reason, is to be followed: Which Demonstrative Method, lately gene­rally embrac'd by the most Learned Divines in London and elsewhere, hath, certain I am, brought more Fixation upon men's Spi­rits to Truth, than all the Canting of many years before, if I should say many Ages, it were no Hyperbole.

This may serve for Explication of the Author, and to exempt him from the Aspersion which the Gentleman en­deavoureth to cast upon him; as if his Design had been to deter any man from [Page 14]conforming to the Church of England; because, if it be rational to comply, he that doth not, being convinc'd, it is so, is brutish; and he that doth it uncon­vinc'd, is an Hypocrite: but if any Dis­senter whatsoever, from the Church, have collected other things than the Book will bear, it is not the Fault of the Au­thor, but the Ignorance of the Colle­ctor.

Here I might add the inestimable Be­nefit accruing to all rational men in those vast Tracts of Land where the Scripture was never publisht, and where, probably, the very Name of Christ is unknown, from their natural and in­stinctive Adorations of a Deity, where­unto, and consequently to Morality, ve­ry Reason doth invite.

And I could wish the Gent. who pre­tendeth so much to civil Education, and to be so dutiful a Son of the Church, would be a little more charitable to men of tender Consciences, who cannot conform, without offering Violence to their Reasons; for that, it was not long since, a very great Politician, and rati­onal [Page 15]man said, There is nothing which is not made necessary by Divine Precept, but is eligible.

But saith the Gent. I would have the Author, when he writeth next, shew us more of his honesty, though less of his Ingenuity: how that Confession of the Authors Ingenuity doth consist with the Gentleman's often future Endeavour to expose him to the Censure of Folly, though weakly enough, God knoweth, will appear afterwards in this Reply; for like the good Cow that spills her Milk with her Heels, he immediately repenteth of the Character, so giv'n to the Author, of Ingenuity, by telling of us, he is resolved Step by Step to lead us out of those Errors, which the Treatise of Humane Reason hath lead us into, by shewing us the way back again, by the same Steps we were first led into them.

And I am resolv'd to follow the Gent. till he looseth himself, or meets with some Ignis fatuus, and there it will be fit for me in all our March, ever to retire to my Center, which is Reason, whose [Page 16]Guide if I follow, I am sure to be very near the Road unto Happiness, this be­ing, I think, taking of things by the right Handle.

And now the Author answering the Objection supposible, viz. That many of the greatest Wits, by following their own Opinions, have encreased the Catalogue of Heresies, thus, that those men either fol­lowed not their own Reason, but their Wills, or first hudwinckt their Reason by Interest, Prejudice or Passion; escapes the Gentle­man's Censure, it is very well, how then? What shall we think of that frightful Word Heresie, Which the Scripture hath not defin'd, that one Church calleth Piety, another Impiety, which must be in the World, and which hath occasion'd the Effusion of so much Christian blood, but this, that the Tares must grow up with the Wheat till the time of Harvest; and that Experi­ence hath more than once, made it evi­dent, that men of fiery and blind Zeal, have, for haste, pluckt up the Wheat also?

But the Gent. groweth angry with the Author, for saying it is no great matter for falling into Heresies (so called) by the Weakness of their understandings, for they are neither hurtful to themselves, nor o­thers: and,

I cannot choose but add Coals to his Wrath, being of the Author's Mind as understanding nothing else by the Term Heresie, but Opinion, for how can it hurt others, what I think? Nor my self, for I do nothing which I can avoid, while I think so, as the last Dictate of my Un­derstanding; and when I am convinc'd by Reason, I must think and believe otherwise.

Ay! But saith the Gent. is it not the best way for the Magistrate, since the Number of Fools exceedeth the Wise in Number, by Penalties to restrain these Fools within the Pale of the Church, thereby to prevent Heresyes, Irreligion, and Atheism? Grotius was of another Opinion, and I believe ten parts of twelve in London are of Opinion, that to punish for a bare Opinion, is something against the Hair, and abhorrent to the [Page 18] English Nation; indeed it is not practi­cable now here, nor consistent with Trade which is preferrible much to the Humour of a few violent men.

Nor do I believe Irreligion getteth any Ground by the Peoples not conforming, nor Immorality neither; for they that do but pretend to Religion, are for the most part, careful (at least outwardly) to appear honest men.

Probably, it were better in several considerable respects, if the People would conform, but it will not do, nor is it, some think, as of absolute ne­cessity for the Peace of England, nor for any individual Mans Salvation, un­less he doth believe himself oblig'd in Conscience to conform.

But the Gent. is displeas'd highly with the Author, for saying, That every man's Soul hath so much Light in it self, as is re­quisite for it's Travel towards Heaven, ap­prehending it to be down-right Pelagi­anism.

I am perswaded, Pelagius is not very well understood, but what if it be Pe­lagius his Opinion? If it be Truth it is [Page 19]not the worse for being his Opini­on.

Certainly, every man is capable to consider God, as in the course of Nature, which is the way he is pleas'd to govern the World by, in the Scripture, which is the History of the divine Providence, and his Duty, and the Consequence of Sin: Why is it not then proper to say, every man hath so much Light in his Soul, as will lead him to Happiness? (for I take Light, Reason, and Consci­ence to be the same thing) so that not­withstanding the Gentleman's Obje­ction, the Text standeth impregna­bly firm.

And seriously, methinks the Gentle­man trifles, in excepting at the Author, who saith, That we must search for Truth in the Center of our selves; it being an As­sertion worthily memorable from so judici­ous a man.

Where should we search for Truth but in our Hearts, which is the Center? and it is the Heart God requireth.

Let men be of what Persuasion soever, make what Pretences soever of never so [Page 20]much Christianity or Morality, (which goes very far) is not Truth in the Cen­ter? Do not the Pretenders know, whe­ther they are cordially religious, or whe­ther they lay on that only as a Fucus for Interest sake? But I pass on.

The next Accusation which the Gent. bringeth against the Author is, that he endeavoureth to shift off the third Ob­jection, calling it the most tragical Ar­gument against him, which is, That an universal Liberty of particular mens Dis­courses, would beget as many Religions, as there are men, and would be inconsistent with the Peace of all Societies. The Au­thor's Answer to the said Objection be­ing in the Negative, and proving it from the Examples of different Sects of Philosophers; for, saith he, There were not fewer Sects in Athens, than in Am­sterdam or London; and yet this Variety of Opinions neither begat any civil War in Greece, neither was there any In­quisition nor high Commission to prevent them.

If the Gent. did not forget his Promise of leading us out of all those Errours the [Page 21]Author (as he pretended) leads us into. I believe he would have disproved it by a more pregnant Instance, than that out of Josephus, about Apollonius Mo­lon's inveighing against Plato (who commanded the Citizens to persist in the unalterable Obedience to their Laws and against the not retaining in his Coun­try, men of strange Opinions or Reli­gion; the Gentleman telling of us, Apol­lonius was ignorant of the Athenian Con­stitutions, but how he could be igno­rant of them, and yet inveigh against them for not admitting such men of strange Opinions and Religion, I can­not imagine, nor by what figure that Slip is to be made good.

I believe there was amongst the Gre­cians (as there is now amongst us Chri­stians, of other matters) various Disputes touching the Souls of men, viz. whether they are praeexistent, traductive and mor­tal, or eternal? of the summum bonum, about the Pythagorean Metempsycosis, of the Na­ture of Daemons, the Seat of the Passions, the Origine and Nature of good and evil: whether the highest Power (God) did sit [Page 22]majestically idle, or did providentially govern sublunary Affairs? whether the World were eternal or no? and many such; but I never heard or read of any (besides Diagoras and Protagoras,) who were taken notice of for absolute Atheists of old, and who were therefore worthi­ly condemned for that irrational Opini­on: and it is very well known, what Ages passed away in those kind of inno­cent Altercations, before ever the name of Christ (at least before his Doctrine) was known in Greece: neither is it im­pertinent to our Subject, to insinuate, that the Crime objected against Christi­ans, was not, at first, for worshipping Christ, but because men gave Him Di­vine Honours, who was not by the Ro­man Senate enrolled amongst the rest of their Dieties.

Certain it is, where the Law is silent, men have Liberty, and so they had in Greece (at Athens and elsewhere) there­fore, till the Gentleman doth shew us any positive Law there, forbidding Dis­putes about Divine matters (every Poet there, feigning Romances about their [Page 23]Gods, and yet the wisest amongst the Grecians confessing and believing one Supream Power) the Author's Instance standeth firm. What Liberty Tamerlane gave, as to particular Modes of Worship, so men did acknowledge and believe in one God, is well known; and that the Turks, at this day, permit men to enjoy their general Liberty in Worship, so they do not interrupt theirs: whence a great Argument may be drawn, by supposing it to have been not the least Means to support the Force, Peace and Grandeur of that Empire: so that every Society or Kingdom in the World, doth (not to speak of the Low Countries) not impose severely merely for Opinions in religious matters, no, nor for the variety of ex­ternal Worships, so men obey, as good Subjects, in all other things.

But saith the Gent. Christians ought not to follow such Examples, if any such have been or are, because we have a positive and stated Religion given us by God, in a most clear and infallible Revelation, which our Governours ought to establish and maintain, and [Page 24]therefore men must be restrain'd from discoursing, else there would be as ma­ny Religions as there are men; and so saith he, the Author's Argument remain­eth as Tragical as ever it did. This is indeed a very Tragical Story, to say, Men ought not not to be restrain'd from discoursing.

I am satisfied we have Religion well stated here, but for all that, we do not pretend to infallibility; wherefore, for us to impose, being our selves falli­ble, is a little severe: as to the Ro­manists, they have something more colour, they pretending to Infalli­bility; though it was not because of their pretence to Infallibility we left them, but 'twas principally, because they set the Miter above the Crown: See the Laws, and the Reason of them: but the truth is, that Disease of, at least, equalling the Miter with the Crown, doth, some suppose, still affect all those who pretend something like a Title to their Commission without the Law, which no wise Divine will do: be it how it will, there is, nevertheless, a [Page 25]great Latitude for Reason to discourse, without offering Violence to any Arti­cle of our Faith: and if I do believe any Article to be true, either from Traditi­on, or from Education; yet, if another can handsomly make it appear, it is otherwise rational for me to believe it, I shall believe it upon a more strong Mo­tive.

And as to the Gentleman's terming the Author's Assertion, a sly Insinuation, which was, That the Stoicks themselves, who inslaved the Will, did never offer Vio­lence to the Ʋnderstanding; I suppose it not at all sly, but true, and proper: for they had more Wit than to think the Un­derstanding could be violently impos'd on, any other way than by Reason; they meaning, as we do, that the Will must necessarily follow the last Dictate of the Understanding, that is, of the conside­rative Faculty; so the Will is not, can­not be compell'd.

Let the Gentleman shew us, if he can, that the Author hath any where said, the Church of England goeth about to inslave our Understandings, (but a [Page 26]gall'd Horse back is soon hurt) if he can­not shew it, why doth he ask that Que­stion of the Author, whether he doth or no? What then, hath the Author done, or written shamefully, to forfeit the Title of an English Gent.? to prove he hath (a strange Proof) done some­thing meriting that Degradation, the Gent. insisteth upon the Obscurity of page the 12. and 13. of the Author's Book; an obscure Proof, scarce able to satisfie any Jury: as if from those pages, the Author seems to deserve the Loss of his Spurs, and the Gent's. Exoration to the Author, is, that he would, upon his Reputation, discover whether the Church of England be there meant or no? I do not understand that there's any Necessity in point of Reputation, to accuse a man's self: let those who are disturb'd blow the Coal first; this is a pretty Low, not an High Commissi­on Court, but like it.

Certainly, it had been more ingenu­ous (if he had not mistaken the Handle) for the Gent. to have manifested to the Reader, what was justly exceptionable [Page 27]in these two pages; but he taketh ano­ther Course, and seems to hold it for granted, the Author meant the Church of England: I know not how to judge of an Author's meaning, but by his words, and they must be these in the 12 page; viz. That the greatest Incon­veniences, (meaning Vexatious and trouble­some Heats) hind'ring Peace every where, have been begotten from the strange and un­charitable Pride of those men, who (having justly vindicated their own Reason, from the Tyranny of unnecessary Bonds) endea­vour, nevertheless, to impose upon others: so that, not the use of such Liberty, but the appropriating it to our selves only, is the sole Fountain of these Disorders. That this is true, who is so blind, but may ob­serve? and that it is applicable, especially to such, who study all imaginable ways to punish men who dissent, and cannot comply to their so much extoll'd, but alterable external Worship, which is, at least would be, very prejudicial to Trade, if the Rigour of Law did run with a fierce Current, I say Trade and Com­merce; and how one Trade dependeth [Page 28]upon another, I suppose the Gent. little considers.

Now as to what the Author saith, That some Errors are the inseparable Com­panions of Humane Nature; a Tincture of self Opinion, being in most men, which Reason ought to correct; I think it was no great Crime to say so.

And to give the Gentleman his due, it was none of his least Policies, silently to pass by the Author's, never to be enough commended, words pag. the 14. of his Book, which are, that all the Miseries which have follow'd the Variety of Opini­ons, since the Reformation, have proceeded entirely from these two Mistakes, viz. the tying of Infallibility to whatsoever we think Truth, and Damnation to whatsoever we think Errour: a most uncharitable Method to Judge by, I leave the Readers to consi­der who are guilty.

But the Gent. will never leave beating upon the old String, that the Church punisheth none for Errour, unless it be accompany'd with Contumacy, and Contempt of Authority.

He meaneth, unless the parties refuse to do as she would have them external­ly, or shall discourse any thing repug­nant to her Doctrines; but I think, this is another Error inseparably accompany­ing humane Nature, (if it be an Error) for who can be contented to run on in the Course of his Life under the Umbrage of an implicite Faith, which the Gent. labours to infuse every where, though un­der other more specious Pretexts: where­as 'tis apparent, cool and rational men, do soonest obey and conform every where.

I wish heartily, those men whom our Law intrusteth with the Power of Ex­communication, were more careful up­on what Grounds that now contemned (but of old Solemn) Exclusion should be issued out; for familiar Storms afright little.

Next, as to what the Gent. inserteth, that the Author might have spar'd his Discourse about the Causes of so much bloodshed since the Reformation, I wish it had not been true; and the Gent. must give me Leave, for this once, to mind [Page 30]him, that while he so confidently ex­cuseth the Church of that Crime, and all her true Sons thereof, he forgot that haughty Bishop, which I suppose he will grant, was a legitimate Son of the Church, who, in our late civil Wars, having deserted the Royal side, defend­ed, with Arms, a Castle against his Sove­reign's Forces: and it is yet fresh in Memory, how much blood was spilt in the Low Countries in the sixty years War 'twixt Spain and the Dutch, and upon what Cause; let the Gent. consider it, and the direful Effects of the Scottish Covenant, but I stop here. Heret late­ri lethalis arando.

Then, for what is presently objected against the Author's peaceable Doctrine, pag. 11. & 12. viz. That to permit diffe­rent Beliefs would take away all Occasions of Quarrels, when both he himself is suf­fered to enjoy his own Opinion; and his own Opinion is this, that he ought to suf­fer others to do the same: This, I say, is perverted by the Gentleman, for the Au­thor only speaketh of Opinions, not of Practises disturbing the publick Peace, [Page 31]for that they may be justly punished for breaking the Peace, was never deny'd; but that the Difference in Opinion must necessarily beget Disturbances against the publick Peace, is, de facto, inconse­quent from many years Experience in England, of late: so that the Peace being unbroken, and all Obedience yielded to every Command, which is not about Conformity ecclesiastical, they that shall unseasonably, against the most general Inclination of the People, actually di­sturb the Dissenters in their respective Exercises of their Consciences, are more likely to break the Peace, than the Dis­senters who keep it; and I say, are ob­lig'd, in point of Interest, to keep it; that is, in Respect of Trade, the main thing.

That the Papists do promote a gene­ral Toleration of all Opinions in Reli­gion, I believe, nor can any man blame them, it being their Interest, that way, to shroud themselves from the Rigor of the Laws.

But for the Presbyterians, who alone (it is said) are so fierce, that they will [Page 32]abate nothing, by their good wills, of their endless Ambition to get power to prosecute others; I suppose their Zeal over-boyling, and really they are too blame if they do so.

I could never think any man, very eager for External Ceremonies, which is but the shell of Religion, wise, there­fore (and I blush to name it) far more those of New England were too blame, for their barbarous Cruelty in destroy­ing some Dissenters there; since the very Original Grant from the Crown did express the Royal condescentions to have been for the ease of their Con­sciences who at first transplanted them­selves thither.

Nor do I think it impertinent to in­sert that single Argument of Grotius, who I named before, to prove the irra­tionability of any other, as well as of Sanguinary Punishments, for a bare Opi­nion: I say that single Argument, but a good one, from the Example of the [Page 33] Jews permission of the Sadduces, not only to enjoy the liberty of their Opi­nion, so contrary to what was the Na­tural Religion, but also to enjoy Judi­cial Places amongst them.

The next thing considerable is, the Gentleman's huffing at the Author for his Answer to this Objection presup­pos'd by himself, viz. That if we guide our selves by our own Reasons, we shall differ from our selves as well as others, and change our Religion as often as our Habits, unto which the Answer is gi­ven in the Text, That he cannot conceive the fear of this Scandal obligeth us to a blind, unalterable obedience to those Laws and Opinions, to which either the Fate of our Birth and Education, or other Acci­dents have engaged us: and this is called obscure and impertinent by the Gent. How the Author is guilty of both at once here I cannot imagine, for it is very confessedly plain, our Birth and Edu­cation do most times ingage us in our Religion: where's the Obscurity? and it is accounted Scandalous to change our Religion above once, at least, that is [Page 34]plain; and that we are not obliged to a blind, unalterable obedience about out­ward Forms, is also reasonable to say for any Protestant, which non-obliga­tion the Gent. also agreeth is unneces­sary.

And I will admit the Gent. saith well, that it becometh every Separator from the Church of England to inform himself from his own Reason, and from the Reason of others, especially from his Lawful Minister, (I loving to hear the word Lawful in this case) whether she doth injoyn him any thing that is sin­ful in it self; and if he cannot find her guilty of any such Command, then his Separation can no wayes be excusable either before God or Men, for it is mere Obstinacy.

But what if after all these Enquiries and Consultations with others, mine own Reason (that is my Conscience) does inform me, it is not lawful to obey her Commands, must I violate that Light? Surely the Gent. will not per­swade me to do so, if he doth, I shall and ought to deny his Rhetorick: for [Page 35]he is to know, it is sinful for me to act without Faith, and if I do not believe it Lawful, and yet do it for Fear or In­terest, it is not onely sinful, but argues a Servile and degenerous Spirit. And though I may think there ought to be some visible Judge of these things, that is, either the Pope, or my particular So­vereign, or those he appointeth; yet at last, my own Reason, you may call it Conscience or Light within, will be my Judge do what I can.

And now, as to the Reasons and Causes which moved some, upon the Act of Distinguishment, to take the Sa­crament, and yet to refuse hearing of our Liturgy; which Refusal the Gent. instanceth and calleth a great Sin; tho' it concerneth not the Author nor me nei­ther, and was drawn in by the Gent. af­ter his Custom of abounding in his own Sallyes: yet I shall adventure to say, from an unexceptionable Authority, viz. Bi­shop Andrews, that de modo, of Under­standing the Subsistence of Christ in the Sacrament, it was never disputed till some Centuries after his Ascention, and is [Page 36]not considerable; which satisfy'd a very learned King of our own, and many, the most authentick learned Protestants besides: that, to wit, it is enough if a man, after due Preparation, take it reve­rentially in Obedience to Christs Com­mand, and live, after the taking of it, like a true Christian, holily and vertu­ously, as aware, and minding the dam­nable Consequences of returning to Im­piety, and the great Assurance by hope of the Benefit, accruable from future Obedience, all which Complexion and Satisfaction to Protestants depended, and still doth depend upon the Reasona­bleness of the Bishop's Argument, where I leave it.

From whence I proceed to observe, what an huge Crime the Gent. maketh it, in the Author, for saying, A man may be a Papist at one time, and seven years af­ter a Protestant, and yet the Faith of the Party so changing, may remain the same: for that, saith the Author, It is all the while actuated by the same Soul of Faith, which is Conscience; presuming, that both when he was a Papist, and when he [Page 37]is a Protestant, he may truly say, with these Eyes I shall behold my Saviour. But I answer, If it be a Crime to change from Popery to Protestantism upon rational Gonviction, it wanteth a name; and that great Witt Chillingworth, was mi­staken who was induced so to change alternately (for he was first a Protestant, then a Papist, and lastly a Protestant, and so died) he alledging Reason always to be the Cause of his Changes, but certainly, it was Reason (with its due helps) which urged him to change: that Chillingworth, who out-witted the most learned Romanists, putting them to Si­lence, 'twas he who first (after Sir Walter Raleigh began and was stopt by Queen Elizabeth upon an Insinuation that it would bring in Atheism, Cujus contrarium verum est) from rational In­ferences made it evident, that insignifi­cant, scholastick Velitations, were too weak to hold sagciaous men in that blind Obedience, which had long muz­zl'd the greatest part of Europe: where­fore unless the Gent. be of opinion, that any Power upon Earth is entit'led from [Page 38]above to subject us to an unalterable O­bedience to Ecclesiastical Sanctions, which is to admit one universal, visible Mo­narch Ecclesiastical: or if the Romanists have all truth, though superadding ma­ny unnecessary things, and probably, impure: I say, if the Learned cannot agree, then it is very charitable to con­clude, men that are actuated by Consci­ence to Holiness, while on one side or o­ther, may be in a salvable Condition. I can­not think otherwise, than that the Que­stion at the last day shall not be, whether I have lived allways a Protestant, or allways a Papist? whether I have been an high Churchman, a Latitudinarian, or a Dis­senter? but whether I have lived holily, and have used all rational ways to in­form my Understanding of the Truth expressed in Scripture and Nature? which is to pursue the main end of my Creati­on; it necessarily begeting a rational Adoration towards God, and Duty to­wards men. Which last (that is, the Observation of the second Table) is so indispensibly necessary, that if there were neither God nor Devil, Heaven [Page 39]nor Hell, it is most undenyably true, the World could not stand without the Observation thereof, and was worthily intimated by the judicious Raleigh.

And if I should suppose this Plaster, as the Gent. calleth it, will serve an Hea­then's turn, under invincible Ignorance, (as to the truth of the Scripture, which he never heard of) yet living according to the Light of Nature, I do not think it amiss (charitably) to suppose he may be saved.

But for that idle Question of the Gentleman's to the Author, whether he thinketh an erroneous Conscience shall excuse a man from all Crimes whatsoever, it is scarce worth answering: for as much as every sober man will grant it to be im­possible for him who followeth the Di­ctates of Reason, to be advisedly wick­ed, Conscience being, without all doubt, an act of Reason or Intellect, (not a ha­bit) it is always a Judge, yet may err, as all other Judges: but it sits a-top, and is divine, therefore who resisteth it, resisteth his own Reason, and what is done against either, or without Faith, is Sin: what then is the best [Page 40] Medium to rectifie my Conscience which is erroneous? Even the same way that I was lead into Errour, will bring me out of it, that is, by giving my Reason its free Mediation without hud winking of it, darling or strangling of it by implicite Faith, insignificant Terms, violent Di­stractions, and Prejudices, and Preoccu­pations, Pride, Interest, or other Vices, of all which pestilent Fevers, I can assign no other cause than the Author hath done already to my hand, which is the not giving Obedience to, and not exer­cising of that Light wherewith the infi­nite Goodness of God hath indued men as men.

However, certain it is, let a man (suppose him Christian) hold what Opinion he will (and we find as great Differences amongst the Learned as the Unlearned) if he followeth his Con­science, that is, his Reason, he shall at last, enjoy all the possible Advantage that Opinion can yield him, living morally vertuous: and that any Separatists amongst us (in terminis) do hold any Opinion, which doth necessarily exclude them [Page 41]from Salvation, through Christ, is more than, I believe, the Gent. can prove: and the Dissenters generally obeying all Laws besides the matters of Conformity to the external way of Worship, publickly com­manded, and declaring it to be their Principle, (as I know, and they also, it is their Interest to obey in all other things) I presume to say, it seemeth not, that the Magistrate is obliged to vex and disturb so numerous a party of peaceable and considerable Persons, merely to gratifie a few in respect of the Whole; and further to alleviate the matter, we know very well, there is a Due to God, and a Due to Caesar.

But to come closer to the Causes of Nonconformity of late years: it seemeth not the least, that it is contrary to the Principles of Many, nay most men's Edu­cation (in the Southern parts of Eng­land) all the times of the Civil Wars, other Opinions having gradually been instilled into them, and the Examples of their Parents and Masters confirming their Aversion to Conformity, or these Ministers or Heads of Parties, who pre­tended [Page 42]to have a Call to instruct them, and whom they thought they had rea­son to believe, whence hath arisen that tenacity of Prejudice against our Church-Government; and it being grown a Chronical Distemper it is harder to be cured.

I may add the Act which ejected so many Ministers for Non abjuration of that lawless, (but nevertheless, as they were persuaded, obliging) Covenant, which produced Effects quite contrary to the Project of those, who so earnest­ly advanced it. For the People being in Love with the Plausibility of their Tea­chers, and their zealous Urgency to Strictness of Life, their Detestation of the Roman Church, by them call'd and believed to be idolatrous, and other cap­tivating Insinuations, did really appre­hend, upon their Pastors Leaving of the Pulpits, all Religion went away with them: who if they had stay'd there, would, in all Probability, have kept them closer, and whom they since either con­scientiously followed to other Meetings, or, for want of being united as before, [Page 43]under some kind of Order, they moul­der'd away into Indifferency, or other more wild Excursions.

And that these now last mentioned, which make up, or from whence are spawn'd, a very considerable part of Dis­senters, do necessarily involve many others, in point of Interest depending upon them, to the Humour of Noncon­formity, is easily conceivable; which hu­mour (if it were no more at first) was easily cultivated by more subtle heads, in­to the reverend name of Conscience, and may gradually, possess the well-meaning part of these men into a real Belief, that to conform is sinful; where they must be left, till otherwise con­vinc'd, for Force will not do it, if Rea­son cannot.

I do freely confess, we are, at this hour, very happy in the admirable Learning and Virtues of many of our Clergy: and as for my self, I do say, That neither the length of our Service, my Love of Variety as an Englishman, nor being an Islander, nor the Vices of some Clergy-men, nor the Weakness of [Page 44]others, nor Laziness of many, nor any Exceptions that can be taken against our Liturgy, either as to Matter or Form, seem, together, Ground enough to me for to leave going to hear the publick Service at Church; which Calvin did not dislike, who persuaded Bishop Hooper to Conformity, and which is so unanswerably defended by incomparable Hooker: but for all that, some of these Objections may sway with others, my Superiours in point of Learning and Wit, with others of more tender Con­sciences, with others, in respect of In­terest: all which I dare not condemn, because I would not be condemned; and we must allow some Grains to Persons, Times, Infirmities, and mens Lively-hoods, or dissolve Commerce, the very Life and Strength of every Body Poli­tick.

From whence I have reason to hope, no Gentleman who hath taken but a cursory View of the Design of Fiat Lux, (which is to captivate our Reasons to the Will of the old Gent. who pre­tendeth to Infallibility, and which I. O. [Page 45]as it is evident, hath discover'd to be a pious Cheat) but will excuse me from a particular Replication to our Gentle­man's impertinent Comparison betwixt the Author's Intention, and the Project of Fiat Lux: not to say, how much the Gentleman seems pleas'd with those Shadows he hath raised, and the pretty mock Fights naturally arising from them.

Let I. O. defend his Book himself, I reply to the Gentleman's next Objection and say, it is not so wonderful an Im­possibility, but that men may be thought to renownce Christ as soon by other Guides, as by following their own Reason, whereof the Arrian Heresie is abundant Testimony, settled by Coun­cil under Constantius: who, saith the Gent. was wheadl'd into that Party, and that it was not a general Council, which is a piece of Confidence, only due to the Gentleman I suppose, and crave Pardon if I am mistaken.

Whether the Holy Ghost was sent to Trent in a Cloak-bag from Rome, as the Covenant was in Mr. Marshal's Port­mantua [Page 46]from Scotland to England, I think it scarce worth while to en­quire.

However, since General Councils have erred damnably, that they may do so again, is probable enough: which doth evidence, that particular Reason is safer sometimes, otherwise, how come those Errors to be discover'd? And if Luther had not follow'd his own Rea­son, the Reformation would not have been, in all humane Probability, brought to pass: for either it was Reason which satisfy'd him then, and others since, who forsook the Roman Church, or they were unreasonable that did forsake her; and we as unreasonable, nay more, who follow their Examples, which I hope the Gent. will not affirm.

But the Gent. designedly hath slipt over the Author's pertinent Question, viz. what it is (for something it must be) which is properly placed in the same Eccle­siastical Authority with Reason; it being evident from the very Elements of Councils, and their frequent Declinati­ons from Truth; that If God had not [Page 47]stirred up Persons of extraordinary Abili­ties to examine, by the Rules of their own Reasons, those Follies and dangerous Er­rors in Religion, which, by the Ignorance or Interest of men, or the insensible Advances of ill Customs, were blindly embraced by the World; the Christian World before this time, from the Adoration of Images, and the boundless Increase of vain and supersti­tious Ceremonies, might have past to its vain and abominable worship of several Dei­ties: To which I presume to add, or of none at all; for I know nothing hath more augmented the unreasonable Folly of Atheists, than that very gross Do­ctrine which diverted the great Arabian Philosopher from Christianity: not to mention their Claim to Infallibility, and our own Persecution of one another; who pretend not to it, yet endeavour to lock up the only way left us to van­quish Atheists, Heathens, Papists or any other, in the magisterial, positive, and implicite Breasts of that sort of Men, who give the greatest Blow to Religion it self, by such Preclusion of Enquiry; when the Scripture biddeth us search, [Page 48]and we cry out upon the Church of Rome for her imposing implicite Obedi­ence.

The next thing the Gent. falleth upon (after his having abounded in his Repe­tition of Rules to interpret the Scripture by) having also before agreed Reason to be useful in leading us to the Truth of Scripture (which Rules are ordina­rily in Books laid down) is, that the Author useth too great a Latitude, in setting the Gates of Heaven too wide open, calling it Charity with a Witness; inferring, as if the Author had designed to prove, we ought to believe Turks, Jews, Heathens and Atheists themselves to be in an equal Possibility of Salvation with the unerring Christian, which must be true, so far as it is possible, these or any of these are in a Possibility of being convinc'd of their Turkism, Judaism, Heathenism, and Atheism to Christianity; and may be true, as to the Heathens, from the Plea allowable to them of in­vincible Ignorance, not so as to Turks, because Christianity is amongst them, nor to Jews from their Obduration [Page 49]against immediate Miracles done for their Conversion, nor to Atheists, be­cause they are convincible from the course of all natural Agents, though the Author only ask'd the Question, Whe­ther we ought to believe these be forenamed were in an equal possibility of Salvation with Christians? and to shew he did not believe it, he confesseth, there is no other name to be saved by (that is, to speak strictly) but that of Christ, and then subjoyneth, that he may very well believe, there are other secret and won­derful ways, by which God may be pleas'd to apply his Merits (that is, Christ's Merits to mankind) besides those direct, open, and ordinary ones of Baptism and Confession; which I sup­pose is no Crime to say, nor hard to prove, if the time would give Leave; so that for all these Scratches of the Gent. the Author's Charity is safe enough. Let us see how charitable the Gent. is to his own Countrymen; for I must make Leaps as he doth, else I cannot overtake him.

To evidence it, pag. 75. of his Answer, he saith, that when he seeth others, when they should worship God, sit on their Tails like Dogs, or wallow and loll, and grunt, and groan like Swine, or stand up and wriggle and make ugly Faces, and grin and make Mouths like Apes, or Ba­boons, he must confess, he cannot, for his Soul, but think, their way of Wor­ship ridiculous and contrary to the due Expressions of the Reverence they owe to the infinite God of Heaven and Earth, which is the Witness of his Cha­rity. Now pray observe if I have not Reason enough to think, that the Gen­tleman's way of Worship may seem as ridiculous to the others; I am sure his Censure is very uncharitable: for though men, worshipping according to their Consciences, may miss, in legal Circumstance, yet it is rational to sup­pose, there's much of Devotion in their manner of worship: and Saint Paul was of another mind than this Gent. is, for he would not eat, rather than offend his weak Brother; and there is no one thing more press'd by Christ, than Charity, [Page 51]which I leave to the Gent's. Considera­tion at his Leisure.

But he objecteth against the Author, for saying, That as well different Thoughts may represent the Worship of God and his Son Jesus Christ, as different Words can represent the same Thoughts; which the Gent. termeth an extravagant Assertion in the literal Sense of it; to which I an­swer.

It is possible I may have Thoughts of God's several Representation of himself, as by Moses, by the Man Christ, by his Apostles, which is to worship him for his gradual Exertion of himself; and in the Wisdom and Method of his Opera­tion, and otherwise; I may reflect upon the Creation of the World beyond that, upon the first Race of Intellectuals: and then again, of the fall of man, his be­ing thereby subjected to God's Wrath; and finally of Christ's Passion; which put us again into a potentiality of being saved: by all which (to instance in no more) I do render him no different, but one Worship, though every part of my Worship be not at all times subtiliz'd [Page 52]in my Imagination and Memory. There­fore, though I should admit to the Gen­tleman, that the Worship of God is es­sentially plac'd in the Thoughts, it doth not thence follow, as he would have it (though illogically) that diffe­rent Thoughts must make different Worships; for there is allways an Iden­tity of Worship both natural, and grounded upon revealed Truths: and if internal Worship be no more than con­ceiving of all ways, according to the best of my Reason (so govern'd) to honour God, by, from and under the Sa­tisfaction to me, of his incomprehensible Existence and Power, I shall have much Peace by it.

Again, How disingeniously the Gent. endeavoureth to possess his Readers, that the Author goeth about to prove a man may be excusable, though he fol­loweth humane Reason, to the denyal of Christianity; when the Author ex­presly saith, pag. 57. and 58. That the best and truest humane Reason could not have found out, of it self, the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, ev'n that hidden Wisdom [Page 53]which God ordain'd before the World, which is the Mystery of Christ, Jesus Christ; for saith the Author, it was neces­sary it should be first revealed by the Spirit of God, which can only discover the deep things of God, but as soon as God had re­vealed it by Miracles, fulfilling of Prophe­sies, humane Reason was able to behold it, and confess it, not that Grace had al­ter'd the Eye-sight of humane Reason, but that it had drawn the Object nearer to it. So far is the Learned Author from al­ledging, that a man may be excusable by following of Reason to the Denyal of Christianity, that he hath made it primarily subservient to the Divine Spi­rit, and yet capable to embrace the ra­tionability of Scripture-evidence; which is one of the main, but not the sole Foundations of Christianity.

And for Answer to the Gentleman's confident Challenge to the Author, that he would prove, that ever the hea­then Greeks had amongst them any Que­stion which they defended, more direct­ly contrary to the Christian Religion, than the Author's, I suppose he mean­eth [Page 54]our Relyance upon Reason. I will Instance in one only, though I might produce more, and that is, the Epicure­ans Doctrine, which acknowleding God, deny'd nevertheless his Providence, by pretending it below and inconsistent with his Majesty Divine, to trouble it self with humane Affairs: but if Providence had been exploded out of the minds of men, it had been impossible to have per­suaded us, that God was ever displeas'd at the Fall of A [...]an; and consequently, there would have appear'd no need at all of Restauration by Christ.

But the Gent. flyeth yet higher in the very same page, by charging the Author that he hath busied himself to prove, Humane Reason may, with Safety to eternal Happiness, tolerate Atheism it self, and consequently, all kind of Lusts and Wickedness whatsoever.

Really, a most irrational and degene­rous Objection; such an Objection, as no man, who pretendeth to be a Gentle­man, but would blush to make: to cancel which, I need do no more than repeat the Author's own Words. pag. 31. [Page 55]which are these, I believe first, that Rea­son it self will declare to every man in the World, that he ought to adhere to the Chri­stian, rather than to any other, Religion in the World. Now if Christian Religion ought to be adhered to, it followeth necessarily, that Vertue ought to be embrac'd, and Vice detested, because that Religion doth engage men to Holi­ness, without the Practise whereof, none can be happy, according to the very Ele­ments of that Religion.

The next things quarrell'd at, are those Positive and undeniable Arguments which the Author propoundeth to esta­blish, the Excellency of Humane Reason, (taking it with it's due Helps) that is, by comparing it with other Guides, standing in Competition with it: in the Prosecution whereof, how learned­ly, accurately, and judiciously, the Au­thor hath particularly demonstrated the Uncertainty of many other pretended Guides, and the Improbability of their being able to satisfie a solid Inquisition after Truth, and which we are com­manded to make, and for which, the [Page 56] Bereans were called noble, appeareth so clearly from the 62 pag. of his book to pag. 64. that I dare say, no unprejudi­ced Reader having considered them, will suppose less than this, that his Arguments need not any other Proof, but the bare Prolation.

But however, to give the Gent. fair Play, I will go back a little to the Au­thor's page 63. where he proveth Autho­rity less safe than humane Reason; out of which the Gent. would very fain squeeze something like a Face of Con­tradiction; to which I answer.

He that believeth any thing because enjoyned by Authority, is not, nor can­not in his own Conscience, be so fase, as he that believeth and obeyeth Autho­rity; because he is rationally convinc'd he ought to obey it, having commanded a rational thing.

As to the Gentleman's Instance of the Judges passing Sentence Secundum alle­gata & probata, he is mistaken; for our Judges do not so judge, nor will our municipal Law bear it (nor is it any thing pertinent to the Business in hand) [Page 57]for it is the Jury that groundeth the Sentence here, the Judge only pronoun­cing it.

And touching the Gentleman's Instance about Adam's Fall, from want of fol­lowing of the Dictates of his own Rea­son, asserted by the Author, and which the Gent. would elude, by saying that Adam's Crime was for believing Eve, rather than his own Reason; insisting, that the Inhibition was not a Law of Nature or Reason, but a mere positive Law. I answer, if the Law were mere­ly positive, Adam had the greater Rea­son to observe it, and therefore it was irrationally done, to follow the Persua­sions of his Wife (you may call it Au­thority if you please, considering our Wives now in England) before the Command of his Maker, and indeed a thing altogether unbecoming his mascu­line Superiority; and by the Gentleman's Favour, Eve did not plead the Authori­ty, but Fraud of the Serpent which be­guiled her, nor did the Serpent pretend to any Dominion over her. [Page 58]But I see the Gent. groweth angry, by his Excursions in the upper part of his 96. pag. being nothing civil at all to the Author, nor indeed pertinent to the Controversie: which for the Gentleman's own sake, because possibly, 'twas but the effect of mere Passion, I shall for­bear to mention here particularly, and now I must look backwards.

To what is objected against the Au­thor's Words, which are, That they who commit themselves to the Guidance of their own Reason, if they do commit themselves wholly to it, are as safe on the Left band, as on the Right: as secure of Happiness in their Errors, as others are who are otherwise guided ev'n in the Truths which they happ'n to fall into. I suppose it is no more than if he had said, that Councils, Doctors, Fathers, School­men, Churches &c. have erred both ways: and therefore I am in as great Danger in submitting to such fallible and blind Guides every whit, nay great­er, than if I happ'n to err, after having searcht, with all the imaginable Strength of my Reason, for Truth: for saith the [Page 59] Author, There is no danger of perishing but for Disobedience, to what? to God's Com­mands: and I am commanded to offer a reasonable Service, I am to give a rea­son of my Faith, and that Hope which is in me, and doth it look like a good Plea to say, that I did search, and pray'd to God, to direct me in that Search by his Spirit? or is it better to say, and more tolerable, that I believ'd as the Church believ'd, and rested there as safe I thought, as a Thief in a Mill? but this last Plea can never hold, for me to pretend I did so with other men's Eyes, when God hath giv'n me Eyes of mine own: and this made Luther stir, and H. 8. too; who being King of a Kingdom independent of Rome, properly (though many ways usurpt by the Pope) was not, à parte rei, obliged to refer himself to the Decision of any foreign Poten­tate about that which, he alledg'd, trou­bl'd his Conscience; or if it were from any other Motive, yet it was generously done upon the main; and God can bring Good out of Evil: whence the Author's Assumption, that there is in [Page 60]man a natural Ability of searching for spi­ritual Truths, and that it can be nothing else but the Ʋnderstanding, neither to any thing else can the Command of search­ing be directed &c. cannot be shaken by what is objected; besides that, the Author has the Suffrage of the best learned in all Ages to back him.

As to what fell in betwixt the Au­thor and Master Hobbs, it doth not much concern me to meddle with, in this place, T. H. will shift for himself: but I will tell the Gent. he is the first Christian that ever interpreted the fifth of Mat­thew, Let your Light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, to warrant the Necessity of Obedience to external Worship; nor will the Scope of that Chapter bear it, the Apostle intending to explain thereby, the bles­sed State of Christianity in Suffering for Christ. &c.

And that it is impossible, Humane Reason (so guided as the Author hath told us) should lead men into those Sins of Theft, Murder, &c. and all other Villanies, appeareth from this, that no­thing [Page 61]else besides it, can preserve us from the Commission of them; for no man while he used his own Reason rightly, ever committed any of them, it being impossible to suppose it could be the Effect of Reason, to be impious, but it may be the effect of the enslaving of our Reason, to the brutish part of a man, which is his sensual Appetite, or the like, which indeed is too familiar while Youth lasteth.

It is true which the Gent. affirmeth, that whoever faileth by the willfull ne­glect of finding out of Truth, which was in his Power to help, is therefore inexcusable; but he that persecutes those who have searcht according to their best means, and yet cannot satisfie their own Consciences, is more inexcu­sable; by doing that to others which he would (for no man would be perse­cuted) not have done to himself.

But the Gentleman excepts against the Author's asserting, That we ought not to believe Errors of Faith to be damnable, it being unreasonable to teach men, that Errors overthrow our Hopes of [Page 62]Salvation, unless we could likewise give them a Catalogue of those Errors which are so: Paul indeed saith, there are damnable Heresies, and Peter, but names none in particular, but denying of the Lord that bought us, thereby bringing swift Destruction, &c. it is very plain thereby, Peter defin'd, or rather determin'd the denying of the Lord that bought them, to be the only damnable Heresie, which indeed I take to be Apostacy.

However the Gent. adventureth to give us another manner of Catalogue of damnable Heresies, which he saith, are all such as are continued in, in Opposi­tion to the Authority of the Church perversely and obstinately; I grant it true. But if all are guilty of damnable Errors, or damnable Heresie, who do not obey what the Church enjoyneth, that is, the Law in England and Scot­land, considering the Indifferency of some, and the dissenting of others; there will be but a few compar'd to the guilty, in any Possibility of Salvation in those two Kingdoms; and it must needs invite all lukewarm Protestants [Page 63]to the Roman Religion, rather than to stick to the Religion of that people, so generally infected with damnable Er­rors; the Papists have reason to thank him for it.

Yet again, the Gent. quarrelleth at the Author, for saying; Where we do not know our Fault, we have no means of Re­penting of it, and consequently, cannot ex­pect Pardon for it, there being no Forgive­ness without Repentance, and Repentance is impossible without knowledge of our Fault.

To which the Gentleman's answer is, if this be true, it would damn all Man­kind; and my Reply is, If it be not true, it must damn most of Mankind: for confident I am, there's not one in a thousand that thinketh himself obliged to repent of Sins he never knew of, it being enough, and more than most men do, to repent of known sins. Pardon im­plyeth a Guilt, Guilt is a Breach of the Law. The old Testament condemneth none but for actual Sins, the new ma­keth few new Sins, more than the old: for Thoughts, if transient, and not re­duc'd [Page 64]into Act, are not Sins; and what David saith, Who can understand his Er­rors? there is not any more meant by it, than that it is difficult to understand them; and when he prayeth to be par­don'd his secret Sins, he intended not any other than such Sins, as were only known to God and himself; so against presumptuous Sins, which are intended against Light, against Reason, no man having ever had greater Reason to be thankful to God than he, who had been preferr'd and preserved in so admirable a manner, more than once from his Ene­mies, &c. And the Gent. cannot forget who prayed to be deliver'd from unrea­sonable men, nor who fought with Beasts at Ephesus.

Again, the Author having said, the great Probability of Truth on all sides, ev'n in the erring ones, ought to make us believe, that God will pardon those Errors: the Gentleman answers thus.

If our Errors be such as are not the Effects or Causes of any Sin, we have no Reason to think but God will par­don them: and I say, If our Sins be the [Page 65]Causes of our Errors, we have no Reason to think, that God will pardon them; and that Sin is for the most part the Cause of Errors, is plain to any man who shall observe the Effects of Debau­chery: for how is it possible, any man can act rationally, who drowneth his Reason? or believe, as convinc'd by Reason, when he will offer Violence to it, and brutifie himself.

But saith the Gent. if our Errors are the Effect of willfull Ignorance, Pride or Idleness, if they have lead us into Schism and Heresie, and thereby into Contempt of Authority, then we can have no Hopes of Pardon without Amendment; wherefore Sin being most commonly the Cause or the Effect of Errors, or both, it proveth there is no small Danger in them.

I must mind the Reader here, how the Gentleman runneth the Wild-goose Chase; one while putting an erroneous person in hope of Pardon (in which he implieth Guilt) or else why Pardon? Another while, no Pardon without Amendment; as if Amendment were [Page 66]not the tacite Condition of every par­don; which if it were not true, men might presume to sin daily upon Assu­rance of daily Pardon, or, at least, upon Presumption of it: I suppose he should rather have said, no Pardon was to be had without Repentance in any Case: which he was afraid, or unwilling to say, least he should have admitted the Truth of the Author's Assertion, which was, that true Repentance could not be without fore-knowledge of the Fault; and I think, as concerning Errors, to mend is no more than to repent of them.

But for that the Gent. makes Wilful Ignorance a damnable sin, I do not well understand what he meaneth by the term Wilful, there, it being as absurd, to my apprehension, to call Ignorance, Wilful, as to talk of Free Will; the Will alwayes following, and being acted by the last Dictate of the Understanding: so that, it not only seemeth to be, but is necessitated, being no Faculty in it self: men cannot therefore believe what they please, nor think what they please, [Page 67]that such or such an Opinion, or thing, is true or false. Indeed a man may act contrary to his Understanding, which is Hypocrisie, and which, if the Gent. pleaseth, he may call Wilful Hypocrisie: nor do I know a fitter man to make Hypocrites than himself, who is so fierce, nay fiercer than our Laws are them­selves, to have all men compelled to Conformity, whether it be with or against their Reasons, after the way Carters use, by the Whip, to teach their poor Horses obedience.

Now again; the Author having said, and truly, that there is no such great dan­ger from Errors, since there is but one true way for a thousand false ones, and that there's no mark set upon that true way, to distinguish it from others, (Reason being the Judge) the Gent. argueth, that where the difficulty surpasseth the Fa­culty that God hath given us (Reason still, for we have no other) we need not fear he will punish us for not finding out such Truths: (Where's Wilful Ig­norance now? for, saith he, if they had been necessary (I wish he had told us [Page 68]what are necessary for our Salvation,) they would have been suited to our Ca­pacities, but if we are wilfully ignorant of necessary Truths, then it is not more contrary to the Goodness of God to punish us Eternally for that, than for any other sin which we dye in, without Repentance. I reply,

That in all Cases where I cannot as­sent to any Proposition about Faith, (because unconvinc'd) having search'd and try'd what possibly I could to con­vince or inform my self; I need not fear God will punish me eternally; for, in this case, I cannot be guilty of that he calleth Wilful Ignorance, for it fol­loweth, that all Truths which I assent not to (having so search'd by my Reason) do either surpass my Under­standing, or they do not: if they do, I am not punishable, saith the Gent. eter­nally, and I say, If they do I am not punishable eternally, because I could not know they were Truths; Punishment al­wayes presupposing Guilt, and it is no Crime not to be able to know, but a natu­ral Infirmity: indeed it is a Crime not to [Page 69]search for Truth; but none to think such a Position false; Neither do I know that men are any were, in Scripture said to be condemned eternally for any other but unre­pented actual Sins.

But if I should grant that some Er­rors are damnable, how shall I know which are so? one Church condemn­ing another, must not my Reason judge for me?

Yet higher, If it be hard to say, which a Great Author saith, not yet answer'd, (nor perhaps ever will) that God who is the Father of Mercies, that doeth, in Heaven and Earth, all that he will, that hath the Hearts of all men in his dis­posing, that Worketh in men both to Will and to Do, and without whose free gift a man hath neither inclination to Good, nor repentance of Evil, should punish mens Transgressions without any end of Time, and with all the extremity of Torture that men can imagine, and more: it seemeth hard to think (which I add) that he will punish men eternally for not being able to find out the Truth: harder for their Errors, which they believe to be Truth, [Page 70]but hardest of all, for not conforming to the External Modes of honouring him, which are alterable, and many times accommodated to the Interest of a Nation; and are only honourable to­wards him, because they are legally de­clar'd to be honourable in one place, not so in another. How much there­fore doth it concern the Supreme Pow­er, every where, to consider and weigh the present Genius of the People, before they make Ecclesiastical Laws? for they alwayes touch the Consciences of men, not so other Laws (for they are for Publick Peace (strictly) and must be obey'd) they are, I say, to be consider­ed, especially there, where, in the very Nature of the People, there is much pity for Sufferers about Religious concerns, and in whom there is a general abhor­rence (as with us, about Religion) from Persecution, which His Majesty well understood, when he afforded that Gracious Condescention: besides, all men know, Persuasion was the Method of the Apostles, not Rigor, nor will Rigor prevail here.

And we have lived to see (once more to say it) the Profit of that de­monstrative and rational way of Preach­ing, and Printing used of late; where­of. D. Stillingfleet's Book Entitled Origi­nes Sacrae, that most Excellent Book, proving the Being of God, the Immor­tality of the Soul, and the truth of Scri­pture, is no mean Example; nor are D. Tillotson's Printed Sermons less con­siderable against Atheism. From whence I pass by (as granted on all hands) the Gentleman's long Harangue (which he before play'd with) of the Rationa­bility of Men's being obliged to consult with Divines, Lawyers and Physicians, as answered before.

Though I may pertinently subjoyn, what great Reason our Author had to mention the Ignorance or Malice of one sort of our spiritual Phisicians, together with their too visible Vices (I mean in some of them) as none more likely to let in a Flood of Atheism and Popery, than the Disobedience of Dissenters: from whence I pass to the Gentleman's next Argument against our Relyance upon [Page 72]Reason; he putting the case, of meeting with a Jesuit, or Sectary, who shall at­taque me, how I will avoid being made ei­ther of those two?

To which I must reply, and can give no other than this, that in such a Case, I must fly to Reason as my safest Guard; all other Guides being fallible, which no man in his Wits was ever yet so ir­rational as to say of Reason, nor the Gentleman neither.

Yet to speak freely, I cannot think otherwise, but that I am obliged to yield to either of those two, if they ap­pear either of them to have greater Rea­son than mine; and that I may be safe with either of them, the Gent. allows: so there's no Danger at all, in meeting with either the one or the other, but a possible Profit.

So great is the use of Reason, and so great is the Force and Defence of it. The plain Truth is, it is the thinking man that is wise. As for Books, they may be useful, yet 'tis dangerous rely­ing upon them: 'tis true, a few Books well chosen and digested may open and [Page 73]establish the Understanding, when as too much reading dazles it: how ma­ny Persons of good Natural Parts, ac­quired Wit and Learning, wear out their dayes in a perpetual hurry of read­ing, is obvious to every man of general Conversation; such are alwayes learning, and never come at truth. So that every Humane Excellency resolves into Rea­son, or shrowds under its Umbrage; Reason, which (as a Light Divine) govern'd the World before the Meta­phorical word Conscience was known.

This begot Government, teaches O­bedience; and, first of all, oblig'd men to Natural Religion, which can never be cancell'd or forgotten. All the Law­yers in the World cannot make any Case Law, which is not Reasonable; 'tis not Precedents will do it, they are but Opi­nions. Nor can any Divine preach me into a belief of any Proposition, unless he be able to convince my Reason, that what he sayes is true. Nor any Politi­cian warrant the soundness of his Ad­vice to his Sovereign, till the Event has justified the Rationability of his [Page 74]Counsel, which is the Reason, why it has been observed, that some wary men in Counsels endeavour to speak last.

'Tis hard to conceive, what that thing is, which the Learned call Physi­cum Fatum; so many little (and im­possible to be foreseen) intervening Ac­cidents, may, and do often, alter the most subtile Projections.

On the other side, a Rational and Prudent man may live in Peace in most Times, under the changes of Govern­ment, by complying; as Judge Hale did, in the times of Usurpation, to maintain Property. 'Tis true, Subjects have Liberty in all things, where they are not restrain'd by Laws, and in such things they have restrain'd themselves. As too furious Use of Power has en­danger'd many States, so the want of Power has ruin'd others.

But, as there is nothing weaker than to think, that any Government will be baffled by Private men; so, upon this Discretion, the Peace of every Nation depends; which is the greatest Earthly Blessing.

And, if I do say, the Peace of most men depends upon the Use of their own Reason, I think 'tis no Paradox: 'tis the want thereof puts us many times, (uncompell'd) upon accidental Juries; where, very often, Passion, Malice, or secret Interest swayes; or the corrup­tion of Judges, or their cowardise, or want of Patience to hear; or, which is too frequent, the mercenary impudence of some Pleaders; or, which happens some­times in Courts of Equity; where, un­less the Judge be very able, the Barr will run round him, and abuse his In­tentions, to the ruin of the unfortunate Plaintiff or Defendant.

And, though I may appeal to most men of Business, for the Warranty of these general Instances, yet, because the Gent. is guilty of uncivil Excursions from the Text, he undertakes to confute: I will discover the Fox, that Vulgar Eyes may see his unkind wiles, to evade the Au­thor's fair Intentions with labour'd Fal­lacies.

Pursuant to which Design, the Read­er may please to observe, what Pains he takes in half a dozen Pages, of his Plain Dealing, to tell our Author the necessary Consequences of taking Religion quite away from the World, by removing it, as he calls it, out of the minds of men, which no man will deny (if it were possible to banish it) but whether he had any reason to huff, with all that Harangue, from any slip of the Author's, I leave all Ingenuous Persons to judge, considering the whole thread of the Au­thor's Book: for, where the Author sayes if such Pretences (meaning Pre­tences of Religion, not Religion it self) were removed, by granting Liberty of Conscience every where; I say, such Liberty, as do's not hinder Peace and Trade, the cause of most Wars and Bloodshed would be removed; the Cause, I say again, of most Foreign and Civil Wars.

This to prove, I may instance the War by the Spaniard in 88. against Eng­land; the Irish Rebellion in the Queens time: and more dreadful in ours, the [Page 77]direful Effects of the Scotish Covenant, the present Stirs in Hungary, &c. all which evince the Truth of our Author's Argument.

As to the French King's Actions, be they the effects of Ambition or other­wise; yet this is plain, there is a King­dom of Darkness endeavour'd to be im­pos'd by the dark, cunning, and inde­fatigable Industry of it's Emissaries and Bigots every where; and very wise, loy­al persons, do ascribe much of our peace, since the happy Restauration of our pre­sent King, to his being freed from hu­mouring of uncharitable Zealots even amongst our selves at home.

Nor need I reckon up Zisca's Actions; nor the Ravage of the Swedes, under Gustavus Adolphus, in Germany, the Effu­sion of Blood by Duke D'alva, who put 18000. to death in cold Blood, (having toucht the indiscreet Zeal of his Master Philip already,) nor the misguided Zeal of our Queen Mary, nor the prodigious Fortune of O. C. in his Pretences for Religion, nor his Actions complying with such a Vizard: yet it may not be [Page 78]amiss to remember the Breach of that League the Hungarians had made with Amarath the third, the Turkish King; how 'twas broken by the religious heat of the Pope's Legate, which was the cause of shedding so much Christian Blood, and God was pleas'd to give the Turk Victory after three days Fight, and the Othoman's appeal to Christ for Ju­stice; and we must not forget the Suf­ferings in Peimont of late years, upon the score of Religion, not to speak of particular Massacres occasion'd from Biggotism, whereof Histories are so full, 'tis not necessary to insert them in this Paper, nor would I have so far waded in Particulars, but to shew and expose the Gent's. unreasonable Confidence on the other hand inferring, that most of our late Wars have arisen upon purely politick Pretensions, and not upon reli­gious Colors.

And I not only hope, but am really persuaded, it will never be within the Power, nor Design of any dissenting party in England, (so men be not too much prosecuted for Nonconformity) to [Page 79]stir up my Country-men into actual Disobedience against his Majesties Laws, farther than to suffer: for the Scars of the late intestine Wars, remaining still, be­ing fresh in Memory, the greatest Convulsions the British Empire ever felt (which I hope never will be renew'd) being hardly yet shak'd off.

But because this general Toleration to all Protestants which I seem to plead for, at least wish, if Authority shall think fit, may seem of Right, indulgi­gible to that sort of men, who claim their Religion under a foreign Head. The Answer is easie, viz. That 'tis not for their Religion, but for designing to alter the Government, and for drawing off his Majesty's Subjects to the Allegi­ance of the Roman See, they are corre­cted by our Laws; which Laws, when strain'd by passionate Judges, beyond the Intention of former Legislators, to the Oppression of peaceable dissenting Protestants, gratifie ill men, hinder Trade, scandalize the Protestant Church­es beyond the Seas, and seem to deserve a Parliamentary Explanation.

However, our Diffenters are to know, there must always be, and ever since Christianity was embrac'd by Princes, there has been, general Rules authorized for the Church, whereby Indecencies have been punish'd, which are judg'd so to be such, by the Supreme Authority in all States, relating to the external way of honouring God; and because Peace is the end of Government, men's opi­nions, when publickly vented and found inconsistent with Peace, must be regula­ted by the Magistrate, which is not to make men see double by being dazl'd betwixt Ecclesiastical and Temporal powers, for all Power is temporal, as Power.

Nevertheless, as T. H. saith, Paul or Cephas, or Apollo may he followed, per­haps as the best way, according to a mans li­king, so it be done without Contention, and without measuring the Doctrine of Christ by our Affection to the person of the Mini­ster; (the Fault which Paul reprehended in the Corinthians,) his Reasons follow, See the Leviathan ch. 47. pag. 385. and they are such as no man has ever hither­to [Page 81]presum'd to refute; though his sworn Enemies have assaulted him o­therwise by Shoals.

The English are loth to venture their Salvations at Cross and Pile; which Be­canus urges in his Chapter, de fide, a little too eagerly.

Let us take heed, Since the Tares must grow up with the Wheat till the Harvest, least by furious Zeal, we be found guil­ty of plucking up the Wheat with the Tares.

And let us remember our blessed Sa­viour's Censure of those who requir'd Fire from Heaven, to consume the ap­parent Unkindnesses of, perhaps, (in some measure) ignorant men; he tells his Disciples, they knew not what Spirit they were of.

'Tis as hard to be virtuous, as to be whipt into any particular Religion; be­cause our natural passions are contrary to the Laws of reason: and for that, the Vices of some of the Clergy, on both sides, have render'd them contemptible, for which last, God has, more than once, removed the Candlestick.

The Object of their Profession being properly, Eternal Life; the people think, and truly, they ought not to inter-med­dle with Government, at least in the Pulpit: England has felt the ill Conse­quence of their Excursions more than once, and what Prejudice the Spaniard has gotten, and how he has dwindl'd in Power, by his bloody and perverted Inquisition and blind Zeal, otherwise, he that runs may read.

What Liberty the Turk allows to peaceable Christians in his Empire, is well known, and how he thrives by it, has been here hinted before.

We are near enough to the Ʋnited Provinces, to understand their Permissi­ons, as to Conscience, and the Advance of their politick Interests thereby, which never lyes.

The Seat of Power is absolute there, and every where, therefore a Lenitive Law is not impracticable here, in reason, if our Superiors please, nor inconsistent with our Government Regal.

The Church depends upon the State not the State upon the Church, for the [Page 83]King is Head of both, and they both [...]re consolidate in him, Jure Coronae.

All Kings, as Kings, were originally vested with that Power, so the Pope, in his own Dition, has it Jure Papatus.

Some say, Nothing is Conscience to any man, which ought not to be so to another; 'tis regularly true, I think, and though, sure, he that said, Tales pub­lickly told and allow'd, was Religion, spake wittily, relating to Sacred History; yet, methinks, 'twas something below his Gravity, it was a Definition a little too jocular, but that Gentleman spake of Religion in General.

However, since the Gent. in his Plain Dealing, has discover'd his dislike of T. H. I may take leave to say, I think him a most excellent Philosopher, and Great in several other respects; for warranty whereof, I need only produce that admirable Pindarick Ode upon him, written by my School-fellow Cowley, where he saith,

Speaking of T. H.

'Tis such an Ode, as perhaps excells all made before it, and I shall think it true, till I see a fairer Idaea of Truth, and no longer: for it is not my purpose to be an obstinate Heretick, no nor a State-Martyr neither. Nor to suffer at all for Disobedience to Laws. I take him to be the best Subject, who obeys them; not him, who patiently yields to pay the Penalties; Passive Obedience, and Free Will, are sense alike to my Under­standing.

Why should a man be miserable before his time? was the Question of the Wise King.

I do think, 'tis best to be of the Re­ligion of a man's Countrey, Externally at least; and sure I am, there is nothing morally evil in ours: and for External Worship in Religion, as to time and place, it is determinable by the Supreme Magistrate (in my opinion) not as a Christian, but as King. For neither the Brazen Serpent, nor the Golden Calf, were naturally preferrible one more than another; 'twas Moses gave the Precedency. Betwixt the Laws of [Page 85]Reason (which are undoubtedly God's Eternal Laws) and the Laws of a man's Civil Sovereign, which we are com­manded to obey, I know none; the Mo­ral Law being but a repetition of the Laws of Reason.

This Consideration gives me occasi­on to slight the huge Volumes of stuff obtruded upon us, otherwise, imperti­nently, as grounded upon the Old Testa­ment, but without any warrant to ob­lige us, as Christians and Subjects; to believe the Authors of such waste Papers, in what they write. All this while, every good man is to consider the most Excellent Counsels of cur Saviour, eve­ry where in the New Testament, and the History of God's Divine Providence in the old.

Herein we agree; but I do not un­derstand what the Gent. means by the Laws of the Church: for the Church of England never did, nor can make any Law, nor is it Rational to say she can, for when Laws are made, they are the King's Laws, and the Bishops are his Bishops.

And if all the Bishops in England had been dead, when the King was restor'd, (there did not above three survive the Usurpation, as I am inform'd) unless the King had been pleas'd to grant his Licentiam Eligendi, there could have been no new ones made. His Majesty, in his Natural Capacity, is the Causa sine quâ non. This strikes off the Explo­ded Pretence of the Bishops Jus devi­num, and for their Politicum, they were better without it. Let the Parliament judge, as to their Legal Rights.

But, whether the greatest part of our Dissenters go to Meetings, out of Inter­est to carry on their Trades, and not out of Religion, (which the Gent. saith they do) I know not: Probably they do: and 'tis as true, that many go to our Churches for such Ends, or worse. Let every man examine himself, and, by the Lives of each sort, judge which are most probably Atheistical; it being hard to believe, that they who live in advised sins, do really believe there is any God at all, let them be of what Party they please.

As for my own part, I am apt to think, there are with us two main and Evident Causes of Atheism: The first is, the Example of Great Men and Vi­cious; the second is, the Debauchery of some Ministers, especially in Coun­treys far off London: for, in and about London, to speak candidly, I find many worthy Preachers, and vertuous men; but how the Flights and Mountees of the Gent. against Atheism, came to be inserted into Plain Dealing, as in an­swer to our Author, I cannot tell, un­less it were to shew his flosculous Ora­tory; much good may it do him, he is a Plain-dealing Person: but the plain truth is, the midling sort of men will not be brought to rest with an im­plicit Faith in their authoriz'd Teach­ers; that will not do in England: the People apprehend well enough, for they feel soonest; so far Vox populi is Vox Dei. 'Tis the mediation of Reason must convince them, and reduce them, or the special Revelation of Gods Spirit, which, how easily mistaken, is easily un­derstood; I say, mistaken by such, who [Page 88]take their own Dreams for the Holy Spirit.

All mens Condescentions, Adheren­cies, and Procedures in Moral, Religi­ous, and Politick Affairs, being built upon what they think Reason, and no otherwise, which needs no illustration to a direct Atheist; for he, disbelieving a Deity, gives no Adoration: to a mere Pagan, for he, probably, gives it to Sun or Moon, and yet thinks they are Di­vine Powers: to one of the Roman Church, for he takes the Pope to be infallible, &c. to any Dissenter; for if his dissenting proceed from Conscience, it proceeds from his Reason: So the Merchant, and all other Tradesmen are directed, and conducted by that which seems the most Rational way towards their respective Ends. Yet the Gent. is pleas'd to term the Author's Argument, proving, invincibly, the necessity of our Appeal to Humane Reason, a foolish Ar­gument. But some are too hasty to wear Swords.

I might add, that Obedience is more chearfully and rationally given to Prin­ces, [Page 89]from their Subjects, from their be­ing protected by their Princes: Self-preservation being an essential part of the Law of Nature, and involves the Summary of the Laws of Reason, to do as a man would be done unto; for if I abuse my Power, there are Arms strong­er than mine.

And as things are, (in my poor Opi­nion) at this Juncture, it comports best with the Interest of England, and consequently with the King's Interest, (whose Greatness and Safety is in­volv'd in the Riches and Strength of his Subjects) that all Dissenting Par­ties, about the External Worship of God (for Opinions may be, and will be internally free) should be kept, as near as can be, in a Balance (the Ro­manists excepted, so far as they are in­consistent with the Government, be­cause, 'tis said, they would bring in a Foreign Head;) all which W. Penn has substantially proved, in a little Trea­tise lately published, and dispers'd into most Parliament mens hands by him­self; which, to speak truly, is accu­rately, [Page 90]candidly, and juicioussy com­pos'd, and with a good Masculine Style, free from Canting; which, with­out offering violence to Reason, can ne­ver be answered: for it is proved from the Laws of Reason, from Scripture, from the Laws of Nations generally, and from those of England, and relates to Eternal Happiness after this Life, as well as to Temporals. Besides, I am very well satisfied, the Scale of Trade would never have held, as it has here, since the King came in, if the Dissent­ers had been rigorously punished in Lon­don, the Center of Commerce.

'Tis true, now that the Dissenting Parties are fix'd under their respective Ministers, into a kind of Corporate So­cieties, and their Ministers live by it: it may be suppos'd it will be more difficult, every day than other, to make such a Comprehensive Law (as is desir'd by the most Prudent men) to bear well at this time: As to that, the Parliament can cure it well enough, with the Permission of the King, and by apt Qualifications and Restrictions, if it pleases. And, I [Page 91]am inform'd, Judge Hale did draw an Act for that end, which Sir Orlando Bridgman put him upon: but there is a Time for every thing, and God's Time is the best time. And now to return to our Province, that the Gent. may not think I have forgot him.

I must presume to tell him, his An­swer does contain many other frivolous Objections, impertinent Stories, wild, and illogical Conclusions, deduc'd from precarious Principles, or totally Foreign to our Author's Treatise and Design; which, I cannot hold my self ob­lig'd to reply. Neither did I ever pro­mise, or undertake to obey the Gent. in such invitations, nor to follow him in such extravagant Processions; for I hold it loss of time, and a kind of saw­ing off the Reader's Ears.

We are indeed too much pester'd with Books, every day creeping abroad, scri­bled Pro and Con by passionate men, which signifie nothing.

But the Design of our Author was, in Appearance at least, pious and honou­rable to pacifie all parties in Religion, [Page 92]I mean all Protestants, of what Species soever, here in England, with a Lenitive both charitable and rational, which may seem now seasonable, since it's found by Experience, such Corrosives as have been applyed, prove altogether ineffectual. And let us consider mature­ly, the Wish of Moses, I would that all God's people were Prophets, the Exam­ple of our blessed Saviour in chiding of his Disciples, Who ask'd Fire from Heaven &c. of St. Paul's being all things to all men, that of following Paul, Ce­phas or Apollo, and the Patterns of the Primitive Times of the Church, when preaching was, as it ought to be now, catechetical, not theatrical. I say, let us consider, if all the Causes and Rea­sons before sparsedly given in this Reply, and the Complexion of things, do not seem to conspire for a legal Plaster, to cure that incancerating Humor of vex­ing one another about Trifles, at least, Indifferencies, compar'd to the Elements of Christianity, or to the Essence there­of. Good Laws, and well executed, to suppress Vice, will keep all steady; let [Page 93]the old Gentleman at Rome, be as angry as he pleases, he has got nothing by us of late; and had he seen the throng, in our Streets, of stout Fellows, when his Effigies was burnt last, 'twould have made him despair of being able to rig­gle in here.

The Nation is well rouz'd up, and we have a Wise Prince, able to judge of Exigencies: all the little Shams and pretended Plots, I say, pretended Plots, of ill-affected men, of all sorts, to the Government, begin to dwindle, and look as they indeed are, ridiculous. How far the main Design of our Adver­saries does still advance, and by what Artifices, Authority must judge, and does, I doubt not, take Care to prevent the Mischief.

Now as to our Design in this Re­ply, I hope enough hath been said to satisfie all ingenious men, and un­prejudic'd, that Reason is the safest Guide; and consequently, that the Au­thor of that most ingenious, much ad­mired, and fortunate Treatise, entitled Humane Reason, well deserves the Gra­tulation [Page 94]of every judicious person, for his Pains in composing it.

As to the Reader of this Paper, I shall not (as the Author of Plain dealing does) implore his reasonable and impar­tial Censure (though I know 'tis a very critical Age) because if he that reads be rational, I am sure I shall have it; if he be otherwise, I cannot have it, therefore I will not ask it.

Nor will I counterbuff the Gent. with Grub-street Poetry, in Opposition to his Comical Ralpho, though I can do it with as nimble a Sarcasme; it being at best, only a gentile kind of Buffoon'ry, something like the Rymes which the Parson of Pentlow, in Essex, when he was seventy at least, told me he tyed in Paper about a Buzards Neck, taken a little before in Lime-twigs, which had snatcht away one of his Gosslings, and which follows here.

What became of the Buzard so used, after she had spent her Wings, I never heard, but if it were plain, it was not fair dealing from a man of his Coat to be so cruel to the hungry Bird.

Neither was it Charity in the Gent. we oppose, to design the switching out of our Author's Light, because he saw farther into a Mill-stone than other men, and taught the Geese how to avoid the Fox, by perching upon the tree of Life; Reason, whose Fruit, when taken into a Stomach, not overcharg'd with Cho­ler, always purifies the Brain.

I have done with the Gent. and having a small Book just now sent me by a very ingenious Lady, designedly written by a Romanist to strike our Author dead; I read it over and found it fill'd up with Arguments of Universality, Tradition, and Infallibility of that Church, Peter's Authority &c. and all these larded with Zeal to persuade me into a Dependance and Reliance upon the Roman Church, as the true one; in which Treatise that Author boldly said, my Reason ought to Acquiesce, 'tis well that side also makes Reason the Judge.

I was pleas'd with the sound of the Word, more than with his reasons, for they did not satisfie my Understanding: yet had I known that Authors Genius inclin'd to Poetry, I would have recom­mended him, for Instruction, to, my old Friend the Parson of Pentlow.

And now I begin to think my self fortunate, having hitherto sided with a noble Captain (for so I account Humane Reason) which 'tis confest, every side pre­tends to, and which may possibly be beat­en from it's Posts by the clatter of some Coffee-house, but it will always recover and baffle its greatest Antagonists, at the long run: for Truth is strongest, but Reason does assure it, without whose gentle Mediation and Midwifry, we had still remain'd in the State of War, and consequently, had been miserable.