HAving the priviledge to be present at your Consultation about the pretended Agreement, I rejoyced greatly to hear your concurrence in some things indeed con­ducing to the common welfare, which I should be as sad to see blasted through Debates about Religious Worship, which is so exceedingly beyond your sphaere and measure, that if not ma­naged with sutable simplicity, and more then your ordinary meekness and self-denial, may prove the miserable miscarriage of that second Price reposed in your hands to improve for this oppressed Nation: For prevention whereof, I shall with all single­ness prostrate my weak assistance by advice, That you confer not with Powers or Policy in this matter; but as your selves would be indeed accounted Christians, and not (as some suspect) over-byassed, according to the exigency of Civil Interest, nor the inspiration of the great things of this world; as you will allow Christ indeed to be Supream, and his proclaimed Law your line (at least for the work of his own Worship and Temple) I pray you measure your proceedings herein by the patern of his Scriptures: For, I must tell you, though your policy may appear in the managing of the uncertain Affairs of an Earthly and Politique State, yet, if you intermeddle with matters beyond that sphaere, viz The ordering of the visible Worship and Service of God, wherein all are alike subject, and your selves as unskilful as any, whereunto no Terrestial Poten­tate hath a Grain more Title then the poorest Peasant, nor is able to subdue the least of his own or anothers sins, and in which Kingdom Christ alone should have the Dominion, 1 Cor. 1.24. and wherein its sin to be the servants of men, 1 Cor. [Page 4]7.23. I say, However you determine of earthly Affairs now in your hands, to the overturning or altering such Govern­ments, Beware how you go about to gain any Party whatso­ever, by gratifying their proud Expectations of Dominion or Preeminence in these Heavenly affairs (never committed to your selves) lest you be judged Infringers of, or Copartners with, whats committed alone to be both governed, ordered and stablished for evermore in Justice and Judgement by the Scepter of Christ Jesus, Isa. 9.7. wherein you may not adde nor diminish, neither alter or repeal the least tittle of that most Royal Rule, under penalty of everlasting ruine, Rev. 22.19. For if you herein please men, you shall be judged by the impartial Judgement of Truth to be none of the servants of Christ, Gal. 1.10. and consequently Idolaters, 1 Kings 18.21. Having thus presented my Advice, I crave your single consideration of the ensuing Scriptures and Reasons, which through Grace, may contribute towards the answering of your Quaere, ‘Whether the Civil Magistrate, though he shall not compel, yet may not restrain those who profess not Christianity from divulging their Principles, especially by visible Worship or Practice in Idolatry?’

Whereunto, First, I must needs affirm, That my capacity cannot discern your distinction betwixt the Compulsive and Restrictive Power, being fully perswaded, That the former (though seemingly here excepted) is sufficiently included in the latter; and he who hath power for the latter, shall by frequent restraining upon every frivolous occasion, make me restless, until I read his pleasure, That I Worship as he Worships, and so I feel his Power to the former. And indeed, though the Restri­ctive may be different, as being the forerunner, yet it ever cen­ter'd in the Compulsive; and the most cruel of Tyrants have first appeared but in the Restrictive: and therefore the Pharisees intreat Christ to preach no more in their Countrey; and the Jews first charge the Apostles, To speak no more in the Name of this Jesus, before they execute the rigor of Compulsion; and so [Page 5]Compulsion comes in as the consequent, if men continue incor­rigible after Restriction.

Secondly, Hereby I make the Civil Magistrate Judge of Chri­stianity; which as none can assume without sin, 2 Cor. 1.24. so none can consent to, without being guilty of strong endeavors to dethrone the Lord Jesus, to whom this Judgement alone is committed, and whose Scepter onely can sway the Conscience, and subdue the proud imagination of the stoutest Idolaters: So that its indeed a way insufficient to effect the overthrow of Ido­latry or Antichristianity; wherein also you would bewray your great pride, in over-advancing the Civil Power, to the under­valuing of the Word of God, which onely is able to restrain from Idolatry, 2 Cor. 10.5. and herein you would not onely be guilty of exceeding diffidence, in esteeming ineffectual that way of his Word, which he hath esteemed sufficiently powerful for this work, Heb 4.12. but indeed could not discharge your selves from being guilty of making God a lyar, who hath given this record of his Son, That he alone was sent, and sufficiently seal­ed for the restraining of poor Sinners, by compelling them to the Worship of his Father, and that by no Humane Power or striving, Isa. 42.2. but by the Sword of his Mouth. And as he never assumed any such Civil Power of restraining the most re­fractory, so he hath Commissioned no other with it; But to preach the Gospel and long-sufferance of God, which onely leads to Repentance: And this was Pauls Restrictive power he exercised upon Mars-hill, amidst a crowd of Athenian Ido­laters, As I passed by and beheld your Devotions (saith he) I found an Altar with this Inscription, TO THE UNKNOVVN GOD; whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you: This is a sure way of restraining from Idolatry; And daily in the Jews Synagogues did Christ and his Apostles reason against Superstition and false worship, which you will not now have so disturbed: To which also I must needs give this Caution, That if Christ send a servant, as (its probable) saying, What I have revealed to you in secret, preach you on the house top; Go to the publique Synagogue in this season of their assembling, which otherwise you cannot procure; Go, I say, and reason with them, [Page 6]for they are in all things too superstitious, Do not you run the hazard of restraining in this case, under pretence of disturbance: If their publique way be according to the way of Christ, the priviledge of Disputing what was delivered is according to the Directory of Christ, 1 Cor. 14.22. But if their Worship be (as its to be feared) unsutable to the Way and Worship of Christ, take heed of restraining those that would go singly to shew them a better way, lest you conclude Christ (whose Practice was, and Precept is, the same) a disturber. But

Thirdly, The conviction of the Understanding being the foundation of Conversion, and that being a faculty which can­not be forced, nor satisfied without an overcoming Reason pre­vailing over what it hath first received. A powerful Argument would soon subdue that noble part, when Civil Restraint would increase prejudice, and confirm obscurity; and therefore the way of God is rather, Come, let us reason together; and, I be­seech you therefore, Brethren, by the tender mercies of God (or, forasmuch as God is thus merciful) that you offer up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, which is your reasonable service, &c. This is a Christians way of restraining; Which Apostle also commends the Bereans nobility, for refusing to re­ceive him implicitely, until they were confirmed in the truth of his Doctrine by scrutiny: And, I say, a noble Spirit the Carnal Sword can never restrain, but who ere attempts it, shall but partake (at best) in other mens Hypocrisie.

Fourthly, Humane Restriction is so inconsistent with the ve­ry name and nature of the Gospel, that a man cannot mention such a thing, without including himself amongst the Enemies thereof: If your president for it be from the Law (wherein indeed such Restriction would better suit with literal ser­vices, especially the Restrainers being as well Typical as the Sacrifices) You are debtors to the whole Law, to do it; and, Christ shall profit you nothing: But if you indeed pursue Christi­anity as you pretend, why propose you such Opposition to it? which imports nothing but a proffer of Peace, Love, Gentle­ness, glad Tidings, Freedom, and not forcible restraint, even [Page 7]to the poorest of Captives, to flat Idolaters; and on the con­trary, Violence, Fury, desire after Civil Power to restrain, &c. is the lively Character of men not yet reformed by the power of the Gospel: This was poor Pauls Damascus work, Acts 9.2.13. which he so much disowned, Verse 22. when he had in­deed tasted the more milde nature of Christianity. Moreover, if your Policy be not become Scripture proof, I shall propose some so plainly positive against this Restrictive Power, that I believe you cannot reasonably evade; as, Mat. 13.28. If you please to peruse that place, you shall perceive a zealous servant for the honor of Christ, discerning clearly the Enemies of Christ, and was also told they were such by Christ, apparent Idolaters, for they were the visible children of the Devil, com­pared to Tares; of a very ill quality, especially growing Tares, the most at enmity with Wheat of any Weed that groweth: Well, the Servant desires to destroy them, No, saith Christ, lest you pluck up the wheat likewise: Yes, but might he not restrain them? No, let them grow, &c. from which Answer I conceive may be clearly and safely concluded, That men, though the servants of Christ, and clearly discerning his Enemies, may not yet pluck them up, or restrain them by a Humane Power with­out trespass, against the express command of Christ, who hath re­served that work to his Harvest, the end of the world, &c. v. 38. Fifthly, Its the most usual thing in the world for Christians in­deed to be plucked up and restrained, though under other Noti­ons; and that perhaps might be the Reason why Christ refused to suffer any restraining president, though by a Tare-discerning servant: I pray you then agree you to none in our Erroneous age, wherein is nothing more common then to put a Christian into a Bears skin, when men intend to bait him, and the Magi­strate (so called) as prone to miscal good evil, and evil good as any.

To which I Answer, That let him say what he will, it must [Page 8]not then be as the accused says, but as he whom you make Judge determines in these Restrictive cases, which if any people could possibly, or durst be so brutish to betrust, With whosoe­ever should presume the execution hereof, I am perswaded it would be more effectual to say Mar. 7.11. Corban, then, Sir, I am a Christi­an, to free me from his snare: And sure I am, let a man say what he will for himself, he cannot say more then Christ Jesus could (and did) for the clearing of his innocency; and yet the Re­strictive Sentence (Nemine contradicenti) concluded him a Blasphemer, a Wine-bibber, a Companion with Harlots, a man not fit to live, because he would not be restrained, &c. Nei­ther indeed do the most cruel amongst Tyrants persecute or re­strain Christians, as Christians, but under other horrid criminal Notions, &c. which have ever been a poor Christians portion, as being the standing Principle of all oppressing Powers, to vi­lifie, that they may pluck up or restrain whomsoever they cannot otherways more voluntarily subject unto their lusts; Witness the Ordinance of Parliament lately renewed, for the restraining and punishing of men as Blasphemers and Sectaries, even with Death, for many Points consonant with sound Christiani­ty, so unskilful are our Civil Stewards in such Affairs; nor can any commit such trust unto them, because they could not indeed give, nor the people who should betrust them could possibly take, an account from them in such cases, so confused is the judge­ment of the universal, that we cannot expect a concurrance of any party considerable in the Nation, in Principles of Christia­nity; and, I hope, there's none that aspire to any power, but what the People shall invest them with, and may repeal, as they shall see such their Servants proceedings conduce to or against their common safety, which by Nature all men are enabled to determine. Or if any amongst you shall contend for other Power, then whats thus betrusted in his hands, and himself ac­countable unto those who betrusted him, he shal not free himself from being a Tyrant, seeking some private Factions, or his own single Interest, to the subverting of the Common Freedom, and so ought to be proceeded against according to your own patern or president, against him or them who thus before op­ [...]ss [...]d us.

Moreover the fury of Smectimnius and others, though some­times groaning under this restraint themselves, having yet in their deliverance and arbitrarily usurped power used the same violence not only to their fellow sufferers, but towards even those who wasted themselves to effect their freedom, (though we might in faith, which yet no friend to Christ dares assert,) yet considering the common frailty, especially in men, deputed to publique Trust, the best of whom have not well discharged their six years Session, as civil Representatives, through their continuing so long unac­countable shall I trust sufficiently forewarn us, that we depute no such power, whereof they cannot possibly be accountable, except we will herein become the sinful servants of men, and set them up in the stead of Christ, yea to Lord it over the flock of Christ, and sit Judg as if in the room of Christ, which as none can do without most Antichristian Tyranny, so none can desire to depute him to without partaking of his great Iniquity; for indeed this is the An­tichrist, to deny Christ come in the Flesh, by depriving him of his Offices; and though your selves should say, you profess Christ, and yet contend (as herein) to assume the kingly Office of Christ, you will be found no such friends, as you esteem your selves, to Christianity.

Furthermore, if we should reflect unto former times, should we consider poor Israels possessing the Canaanities sins with their Nation? Amazaahs adoring the gods of Seir, when he had redu­ced the Edomites, 2 Chron. 25.14. and inumerable such examples, both in pristine and present time, would so confirm any faithful man in the frailty of the most faithful and deserving; that though they should fray away the horns of former oppressors, Zech. 1.21. he would not repose to him any such restrictive power in spiritual cases, (wherein he cannot possible be accountable,) nor indeed any civil Trust without constant account, as occasion serves, how he hath performed it: For in the first he should be absolutely guilty of dethroning the Lord Jesus; by the latter also he would incou­rage men (as of late) to such corruptions, that to keep themselves from account, they would endeavor to enslave those who intrusted them.

I must add one word more to the unfitness of the Magistrate a­bove [Page 10]all others, as considering how much more Self-Denial it would require in him then in another, to be single in these affairs, as considering him, continued by the consent, and originally the e­lective of the people, who, though he might be fit enough for civil and accountable services, which every carnal spirit would for self sake seek to preserve, yet probably not the quaintest choice to be Judg in matter of Christianity. More might be said to the spirit of those men whom you desire to delude with this compliance, as how much it would incourage them to what your conscience knows they are too much inclin'd: How much you would sup­port, and make provision for their sin and future cruelty: How much indeed you would promote most foul Idolatry, and fill the world with Pharisees and Hypocrites, and that not from the Spirit of Christ, I am sure, but plain Self-Interest.

I should too far trespass now to be more tedious, and my insuf­ficiency reproves my wading far in such a weighty subject. I will present you with another Scripture, and hasten to a period, but I pray you consider it impartially, 2 Tim. 2.24. The servant of the Lord must not strive, (for his Master did it not, Isai. 42:2.) but be gentle, (gentleness, it seems, best befits a Christian, and restrains the rebellious,) unto all men who oppose themselves, (poor Naturalists, Jews, Heathens, Idolaters, &c.) yea (saith that word) to those that are so in the snares of the Devil, that they are taken captive, or a­live, at his pleasure; and this simple way is the Lord Christs way of restraining: Though it confound the wisdom of the wise, and be accounted an inlet to all manner of Libertinism, esteemed less then the carnal weapon, &c. yet this way Christ hath chosen, as his mighty way of restraining; hee'l have no unwilling worshipers, no civil restraining; A word of glad tydings, the Gospel of Peace, is that which he proclaims to poor Idolaters; and this is the sword which he alone will allow of to reduce the rebellious, and make the worst of them a willing people in this day of his Power: If that this weapon were more well managed amongst us, your de­stroying one would be much more disesteemed, &c.

Truly friends, you know not what spirit you are of in this sword­restraining desire, &c. If England should now call to an account her late civil Stewards, I see they are not able to give an account of [Page 11]their earthly stewardship: Most of them drunk with Iniquity, Pride, Passion, Oppression, Tyranny, protecting the rich and their great relations untaxed, without pity, grinding the face of the poor, cannot lose the least lust to set the captive and the oppressed at liberty, Partial, Extortioners, Lovers of pleasure, and humane praise, what not, that may compleat a wicked one, &c. Most un­conscionably covetous, which the Word of God declares to be flat Idolatry, Colos. 3.5.

And how shall we trust these (if we could trust any) with re­straining, &c? No my friends, if your faces be indeed toward the welfare and freedom of the Nation, consult rather how you may, in your place and sphere, restrain the rage of our civil wrongs, and great agrievances, by laying a sure Foundation for our Countries Freedom: Confer with your fellow-Freemen of England, con­cerning it, with singleness of spirit, say unto them, truly you were the life of our power, by you we were lifted up into these places which men call Honorable: It's our honor truly to serve you in your distress, which is our own also: Your money and other assistance, hath been the sinews of our Service: and our Service having been prospered to effect our mutual Peace, pray let's con­sult how we may be setled in a more firm Quiet to universal Free­dom: How we may be united against the first appearance of Ty­ranny, &c. This language would be your Laurel indeed; you might then sit down with great content, acknowledging Gods goodness in chusing you (the most contemptible) to be so serviceable to your native Country. But alas, with sorrow, even to impatiency, do I consider, that after this Nation hath been these seven years languish­ing under a Bloody Flux, and but beginning to recover, that any of her (esteemed) Doctors should, like unmerciful Mountebanks, display their policy by trying conclusions with an almost consumed Nation! Oh how dare any Christian contend for the continuing (yea, by a free Agreement, supporting and renewing) of that re­straining power which hath been from age to age, since Christ was crucified at Jerusalem to this present time, the known supporter of the Dragons Crest! Oh let all that call themselves Christians be­ware they please not men on such accounts, lest they cruelly con­tract upon themselves all the righteous blood that hath been shed [Page 12]since Abel, by justifying Christian crucifiers, in pleading for re­strictive power, Rev. 17.13.

Object. But you will say, What the Jewish Magistrates punish­ed as evils and discernable by the light of nature, Magistrates may punish now? But the Magistrates restrained Idolaters of old, and that as being against the light of nature, and so they may now.

In answer to this, let us examine the true ground of Idolaters be­ing punished, and we shall find in it these three things remarkable.

1. That they never punished them, till they were commanded from Heaven to do it, Exod. 22.20.

2. The people, as well as the Magistrate, had a hand in punish­ing the Idolater, Deut. 13.9.

3. The punishment is exactly there described, and so, if we make that our rule, we must not mangle it according to our own imaginations; But death even to wives or ne [...]st relations was here commanded, and yet as well for secret as publique Idolatry: Neither were Idolaters suffered to live in Israel, but to be driven out. Besides, they had a compulsive power, as well as a restrictive, Deut. 6.13. All which indeed did lively represent, in every of those particulars, the power of Christ, and the spiritual order of his Church in the Gospel, and hath now no relation to any Nation or Civil Power whatsoever, which to affirm would but render the observer mainly disobedient to his own rule, which requires exact obedience; so also would it thwart the very drift of the Gospel, which is, without respect to any nation, tongue or kindred, to gather out of every nation a people unto Christ: and therefore, in order to that work, his servants are to converse with Idolaters, and may have civil society with them also, 1 Cor. 5.10. I might speak yet to the vast disagreement betwixt England and Israel, and their Magistrates; but I think no man, except such who plead now National Churches for their profit, or absolute Monarchy through their aspiring hope, can well conceit a paralel.

Yet if you desire to be Restrainers of false worship, seeing the civil Sword in spiritual affairs is the supporter of the beast & not Christs way of restraining, it remains that we use Christs weapons only in his work, and rather that you pity poor Idolaters, even as God for Christs sake pityed us; And, considering that such were all of [Page 13]you, that you now apply your selves suitably to succor such poor creatures, who oppose themselvs; beseeching them, as if in Christ stead, to be reconciled unto God: convincing their under­standing, and so restraining them from Idolatry. You who call your selves Christians, giving no occasion of stumbling by a vain conver­sation, &c. should hereby add much to the restraint of false wor­ship, yea and compel to the true, if your selves walked Christian­like in it: When by assuming to confer on others a power which never was, nor can safely be committed to your selves, you should become the chief in restraining of Christianity, in sowing of inno­cent blood, and reaping hypocrisie.

Object. But would you then have Idolaters to dwell amongst us? Men may then live as they list?

Ans. I would neither have them live as they nor as you list, but wish that you, as they, were more led by light and truth, setting you free from all false ways, attempts, and worships: But I would indeed have all Jews or Heathens, or what ever Ignorants are Native, with all such Forreign you invite to traffique and suffer to inhabit, as freely to Converse as Commerce with you, with­out restraint upon religious Causes; and that you would consider your selves might never have been converted, if you should not so have been freely suffered; nor that you would, by any practice in your pride, reprove Christ for providing no other way to restrain Idolatry. I have heard of a few Christians that wrought righteousness over Idolatrous Nations by the power of their word, but never of Idolaters that so subverted Christians; for its the word of Christs patience, and a name written in the book of life shall preserve and establish them, when all the world be­fideshall wonder after the beast and worship him; they can freely converse with Heathens, and account it their meat and drink, yea it shall renew their strength to discourse with poor Idolaters, e­specially in their publique assemblies: You that have tasted of the Word of Christ, know this to be the restrictive power and way of Christ.

Object. But if you will allow this, we may quickly have our civil State subverted?

Ans. To this the experience of other Nations might be a suffi­cient [Page 14]answer: let any man consider the flourishing e­state of the Low Countries ever since they suffered e­very man to worship according to his Conscience, and even the Lews themselves to worship in their pub­like Synagogues; And let it be observed, that whilest every man enjoys his Liberty, it is his proper Interest to endeavor the Preservation of that Common-wealth (for in that he preserves himself,) and in the subversion of such a State no sort of people could be gainers, only it might be the Interest of one, or some few men, to en­deavor to tyrannize over the rest. But there would be no great danger of their prevailing, because the whole multitudes Interest lead them to oppose any such at­tempts. Yet if a fuller answer be thought necessary, I may shew clearly that there is no danger of the subvert­ing the State, by reason of every mans worshiping God according to his Conscience; For a State cannot be subverted but either by force, or by a general consent of the people. The Force is easily prevented, when the first thirty men, meeting in Arms for any such end, are by the Law Traytors, and may be proceeded against accordingly; and I suppose no man will imagine it possible to subvert the State by a general consent of the People, when there will be such a variety of judgments, and every man is free, and in fear of a change, lest he be a loser by it.

Finally, having through the Discourse declared the civil Steward no fit restrainer nor determiner of what's Idolatry; I would not now be thought I judg you free from that foul sin, to whom I speak, who act so fierce for this restraint; nor call I that the most gross Idolatry which you account so, but the more spiritual extract, [Page 15]the more strong and desperate, except it shall be a re­strictive sin, that one cannot so skilfully cloak his cor­ruption as another, and that snare indeed would take the simplest, and loose the subtilest sinners; but Christ, who shall be Judg, will far more righteously, and acquit poor dumb Idolater, as soon as one that calls himself a Christian, and yet walks not accordingly: His is the way of Truth, and all ways else are but Imaginary. Examine your selves, whether you walk in the Faith, and are freed from flat Idolatry. The Disciple John laying down sure Principles before a People not inclined to dumb Idolatry, yet saw great occasion to sum up all with this exhortation, Little children keep your selves from Idols, 1 John v. 21. which compared with Ezek. 14.7. 2 Cor. 10.5. Col. 3.5. Would be, I fear, fit counsel for you al­so; and truly when I consider the uncertain found this day amongst many, who oft Trumpet out the word Christianity, but yet by far exceed the Native Indian in fallacious fancies, alledging the leadings forth of God by his infallible and transparent Spirit, to their most inextricable absurdities; and what recent my self have had, and some have still of such their flashes, it makes me tremble to conceipt how unfit frail man at best is for restrictive power in these affairs, &c. I will shut up all with this assertion, That Christians and Hea­thens in civil offences are alike subjected to the civil Sword, and pretence to the former would aggravate his misdemeanor, but neither subject in religious causes, and there can be no such restraint where there must be no superiority. What Salmeron observed upon John 2.4. may as fitly be applyed to our Publique Deputies, as to Parents; In causa Religionis Consanguineos non esse [Page 17]Audiendos nee respiciendos. Now the God of Wisdom restrain you from your ways, and compel you to his Will; but if ye now draw back from his pleasure to your own policy, (let your end be never so good,) My Soul shall have no pleasure in you.

BUt one strange Argument for restrictive Power came to my ear since the conclusion; and some I understand do start this Quaere from the word Agree­ment; How can it be called an Agreement of the Peo­ple when many thousands there are, (who are otherwise faithful) yet in conscience cannot consent or subscribe to it, if ye disallow of this civil restrictive Power, &c. and so shall be deprived of their other Priviledges? I an­swer, That the Title (An Agreement) imports nothing without relation to the substance following, which is for the Foundation of future Peace & Freedom, and he that lays a foundation of slavery to please oppressors, when he proclaims out Freedom, shal not answer that Agreement, but the carnal heart of a deceitful Tyrant. Nor deserves he to be accounted faithful, but deprives himself of profer'd Priviledg and Freedom that cannot subscribe or agree thereto, except he may make all others his slaves. Which pride, I hope, no Christian will sup­port, nor take are to gorge his Pallet with Antichristi­an (restrictive Power,) [...]ho at easier rates will not agree to Common Right and Freedom.

Soli deo Gloaia.