Glimpses of Christian History Presents Pastwords #139: The Source of True Religion and Causes of its Corruption by Sir William Hale ©2007

Sir Matthew Hale (1609-1676), was lord chief justice of England under Charles II. He played a prominent part around the years of the Puritan Revolution, but was noted for his moderation and fairness. He wrote many books. Among his religious writings the Contemplations, Moral and Divine (1676-1677) holds first place. [Adapted from Encyclopedia Britannica.]

RELIGION.
The Ends and Uses of it, and the Errors of Men touching it.

rue religion is the greatest Improvement, Advantage, and Privilege of Humane Nature; and that which gives it the noblest and highest Pre-eminence above other visible Creatures.

We may observe in many Bruit Beasts and Birds admirable Instincts, Dexterities, and Sagacities; and in some of them some dark resemblance's of Reason, or Ratiocination: But Religion is so appropriate to the Humane Nature, that there are scarce any sort of Men, but have some Religion: Nor do the most subtle or sagacious Bruits afford any signs thereof, as communicated to their Natures.

It is one of the chiefest Mercies and Blessings that Almighty God hath afforded to the Children of Men, and that which signally manifests his Providential Care towards and over them, that in all Ages and among all Nations he hath given to them some Means and Helps to discover unto them, though in different Degrees, some principal Sentiments of true Religion:

1. By the secret Characters, and Impressions, and Structures thereof in their Minds and Consciences.

2. By his Glorious and admirable Works, commonly called the Works of Nature.

3. By signal Providences, and Providential Regiment of the World.

4. By raising up Men in all Ages of great Wisdom, Observation, and Learning, which did instruct the more ignorant in this great Concernment, the Rudiments of Natural Religion.

5. By Traditionary Transmission of many important Truths and Directions of Life, from Ancestors to their Posterity, and others: Though in process of time evil Customs and evil Men did in a great measure impair and corrupt the Sentiments and Practices of Men, notwithstanding these helps. Therefore the same Mercy, and Goodness of God, for the preservation and propagation of the true Religion, was pleased to substitute a more fixed and permanent means; namely, the Holy Scriptures, or Divine Revelations, committed to Writing in the Books of the Old and New Testament. Though the Religion delivered in both Testaments, be in substance the same; yet the true Religion was more fully, and plainly, and distinctly delivered by Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament, together also with some additional Instructions, for the better preservation and propagation thereof to Mankind, and divers additional Evidences to prove and manifest the truth of this Religion, to procure its belief and acceptation: As the Birth, Miracles, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ Jesus, the great Reformer of the Jewish, and great Institutor of the Christian Religion, so called from Christ that taught and asserted it. The Christian Religion on is the most perfect Rule of our Duty to God, ourselves, and others; and was designed principally for these Great Ends.

1. To restore to the Glorious God, the Honor, Duty, and Obedience of his Creature, Man; teaching him to Know, to Glorify and serve his Creator, to be Thankful to him, to submit to his Will, to obey his Law and command, to be thankful for his Mercies, to acknowledge him in all his ways, to call upon him, to Worship him, to depend upon him, to walk sincerely in his sight, to admire and adore his greatness and Goodness in all his words, especially in the great work of the Redemption of Mankind by his son Christ Jesus.

2.To enable Man to attain everlasting Happiness, the perpetual Vision of the Glorious God, and to fit and prepare him to be a partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and Glory.

3.To compose and settle Mankind in such a decent and becoming gratitude, order, and deportment in this World, as may be suitable to the Existence of a Reasonable Nature, and the Good of Mankind: Which consists principally in a double relation:

1. To a Mans self, Sobriety.

2. To others, which consists in those two great Habits or Disposition beneficent of Mankind, vix. Righteousness, or Justice and Charity, or Love and Beneficence.

These three Great Ends are succinctly delivered, Tit. 2. 11,12. For the Grace of God, that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in this present World. Here we have these three Ends of Christian Religion.

1. Godliness, or our Duty to god.

2. Salvation, or our own everlasting Happiness.

3. Sobriety, Righteousness, which also includeth Charity, a part of Evangelical Righteousness.

And because Christian Religion was intended and instituted for the good of Mankind, whether Poor or Rich, Learned or Unlearned, simple or Prudent, Wise or Weak, it was fitted with such plain, easy, and evident Directions, both for things to be known, and things to be done, in order to the attainment of the End for which it was designed, that might be understood by any Capacity, that had the ordinary and common use of Reason or Humane Understanding, and by the common assistance of the Divine Grace might be practiced by them.

The Crecenda, or things to be known or believed, as simply necessary to those Ends, are but few, and intelligible, briefly delivered in that Summary of Christian Religion, usually called the Apostles Creed.

The Agenda, or things to be done or forborne, are those few and excellent Precepts, delivered by Christ and his Apostles, in that little Book of the New Testament; and yet even the tenth part of that little Book will contain all the Precepts of Christian Duty and Obedience contained in that Book: And in brief the Baptismal Covenant, as it is contained in the Liturgy, and Explanation thereof in the Church Catechism used among us, together with the Precepts of the Decalogue, contain in effect a Summary or brief Epitome of our Christian Duty.

And certainly it was necessary and becoming the wisdom of the most Wise God, that that Religion and Doctrine, which equally concerned Men of all Kinds and Capacities, should be accordingly accommodated as might be useful for all. If the Doctrine or Precepts of Christian Religion should have been delivered in over sublime or seraphical expressions, in high Rhetorical Raptures, in intricate and subtile Phrases or Stile, or if it should have been surcharged with multitude of particulars, it would have been like a Sealed Book, to the far greatest part of Mankind, who yet were equally concerned in the Business and End of Religion, with the greatest Philosophers and Clerks in the World.

Upon what hath been said, we may therefore Conclude,

1. That there is not, nor indeed may not be any great difficulty in the attaining of a true saving Knowledge of Christian Religion.

2.That the Duties of Christian Religion are not of so vast an Extent, but the Knowledge of them may be also attained by an Ordinary Capacity willing to learn.

And,

4. That when all is done, in this Belief and this Obedience consists our Christian Religion. This is the One thing Necessary, the Magnum Oportet, which is of highest Concernment and greatest Importance to Mankind.

But now if we do but look about us in the World, and observe and consider the Matters, wherein Men for the most part do place, Religion we shall find quite another kind of Rate and Nature of Religion than what Christ Instituted or intended, and yet all vailed and shrouded under the Name of Christian Religion; and greater weight and stress laid upon them than upon the True, Real, grand Imports of Christian Religion.

Again there are other Points disputed which are of a lower allay, and yet not to be distinctly known without more clear Revelation than we yet have of it, nor yet of any Necessity for us distinctly to know: As for instance, concerning the Nature and Manner of Transmission of Original sin; How far the sins of immediate or remote Parents affect their Posterity with Guilt or Punishment; The Origination of the Humane Soul; How far the Efficacy of the Sacrifice of Christ was intentionally for all Men; concerning, the Means of Communication thereof to Infants, Idiots, and the invincible Ignorant; What is the real consequence of Baptism of Infants, or its Omission; How far the Will of man is Operative to his Conversion, or Perseverance; Wherein the formal Nature of Justification consists; How far forth Faith singly is sufficient for it, without Sanctification and Habitual Holiness at last, and how far forth the Sincere Love of God by a person invincibly ignorant of many or most Points of Christian Religion is sufficient thereunto; Concerning the Estate of the separate soul before the last Judgment, and how far it enjoys the Beatisical Vision before the Resurrection.

Disputes touching these and the like difficult Questions, have blown up mens Fancies with Speculations, instead, of filling their Hearts with the true and genuine Effects of Christian Religion.

It is true, that Physicians and Naturalists do and may make Inquiries into the Method and Progress of Generation, and Digestion, and Sanguification, and the motions of the Chile, the Blood, the Humors: for, 1. They have means of access to the discovery thereof by Dissection and Observation. And,

2. It is of some use to them in their Science, and the Exercise thereof. But when all is done, a man of a found Constitution digests his Meat, and his Blood Circulates, and his several Vessels and Entrails perform their offices, though he know not distinctly the Methods of their Motions and Operations. But these speculations above mentioned, in Points of Divinity, as they are not possible to be distinctly determined with any certainty, so they are of little use to be known.

If the heart be seasoned with the true knowledge of the things that are revealed, and with the Life of the Christian Religion, and the love of God, it will be effectual enough to order his life, and bring him to Everlasting Happiness, though he be not, like an exquisite Anatomist, acquainted with a distinct comprehension of Knowledge of the several difficult Inquiries of this Nature. Believe what is required by the word of God to be believed, and do your Duty, as by that word is directed; so that the Life of Religion, and the love of God be once set on foot in the soul, and there nourished, and commit yourself to the Faithfulness and Goodness of God, and this will be effectual to the great End of Religion, though all these Disputes be laid aside.

Again, a third mischief of Scholastics, is in relation to Practicks: 1. Some Casuistical Divines have so distinguished concerning Religious External Duties, that they have left little Practical Religion or Morality in the world, and by their subtle curious Distinctions, have made almost every thing lawful, and with the Pharisees, in the time of our Savior, have made void the Laws of God, (and of Man also) by their Traditions and Distinctions: So that Religion towards God, and all Righteousness and Sobriety, is so thin and narrow, and subtle, that by their Doctrine of Probability, and Casuistical distinctions, all the Bones thereof are loosened. It would be too long to give Instances in particular: The late Velitations in France between some of the Popish Priests and Jesuits furnish the World with instances enough of this kind.

The Second Instance is this, the turning of the greatest part of Religion into Politic contrivances, for attaining or upholding Power, Wealth, or Interest.

There have been Instances many in this kind among Secular Princes and States. This was the act of Jeroboam to set up Idolatrous Religion in Samaria, for preventing a return of the Ten Tribes to the House of David. And we may observe it in most of the Religion established by Heathenish Princes, which was so ordered to accommodate their Interest, though to the extreme corrupting of Natural Religion.

But there is not so eminent an Instance thereof in the whole World, as that of the Ecclesiastical State of the Church of Rome, who have corrupted, as much as in them lies, the most pure and innocent Religion that ever the world knew, namely, the Christian Religion, by distorting it to Ends of Wealth and Power, and appendicating to it certain new Doctrines and Practices merely to those Ends. And not only so, but have laid the greatest weight of Religion in the observation of these Politic Appendicatims; so that a man, that either questions or not observes these Politic Additaments, runs as severe a Censure and Danger among them, as he that denies the most unquestionable Principles of Christian Religion. Such are their Doctrines of the Popes Supremacy, the Popes Infallibility; the necessity to Salvation to be of the Romish Church, the Adoration of Images, Saints departed, and Angels; the Veneration of Reliques; the Doctrine of Purgatory, Indulgences, and the Church Treasury of redundant Merits; the Doctrine and Practice of Dispensations and Indulgences; their Canonization of Saints; their Pilgrimages, numerous Ceremonies, Theatrical spectacles; their Doctrine of Transubstantiation, and divers other Superadditions and Appendications to Christian Religion, which any person, not captivated by them, may with half an eye perceive to be invented and continued merely for the support of the Grandeur of an Universal Monarchy, which they miscall the Church, and for the amassing of Wealth and Power for the support of it, as might most early be evinced by the particular Examination of all those Politic Appendixes.

And yet let any man observe it, he shall find as great a servour for the upholding of these Doctrines and Practices, and as a great a jealousy of the least branch made upon them, as if the whole concern of Christian Religion, and the Salvation of Souls lay in their Belief and Observance.

The third instance is in relation to the Forms of Church Government and Ceremonies. That Ecclesiastical Government is necessary for the preservation of Religion, is evident to any reasonable and considerate man: and that the Episcopal Government constituted in England, is a most excellent Form of Ecclesiastical Government, and exceeds all other Forms of Ecclesiastical Government, may be easily evinced; and that it is the best adapted to the Civil Government in this Kingdom, is visible to any intelligent person: And yet I do not think that the Essence of Christian Religion Consists in this or any other particular Form of Government. It is a great help to the preservation of it in its Purity and Unity, and may be well called Sepimentum Religionis Christiane, as the Jews call their Oral Traditions Sepimentum Legis, the Fence of the Law. But a man may be a good and excellent Christian under this or any other Form of Ecclesiastical Government, nay in such places where possibly there is no settled Form of Ecclesiastical Government established.

But is we observe many persons in the world, we shall find some so highly devoted to this or that particular Form of Government, as if all the weight of Christian Religion lay in it: Though the wise and sober sort of Conformists know and profess this, yet there be some rash people that will presently Un-church all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas which are not under Episcopal Government. That is they see a man, otherwise of Orthodox Principles, of a Pious and Religious life, yet if scrupling some Points of Ecclesiastical Government, though peaceable, they will esteem him little better than a Heathen or Publican, a Schismatic, Heretic, and what not: ON the other side, if they see a man of great servour in asserting the Ecclesiastical Government, observant of External Ceremonies, though otherwise of a loose and dissolute life, yet they will be ready to applaud him with the Stile of a Son of the Church, and upon that account over-look the Miscarriages of his life, as if the Essence and Life of Christian Religion lay in the bare asserting of the best Form of Ecclesiastical Government.

On the other side, there is a great an Extremity of the other hand: there are many indiscreet persons, as well Divines as others, that having either by their Education, or by Conversation with Dissenters, or possibly to gain a Party, taken upon them the Patronage or Asserting of some other Form of Church-Government, either Presbyterian or Independent, or some thing framed by their own invention, presently cry down the Established Government of the Church, as Antichristian or Popish, and cry up that which they have thus espoused as the only true Christian Regiment instituted by Christ; and presently among them, and their Followers, this is made the discriminative Mark of a True Christian. If they see a man Conformable to the Established Government, tho' he be pious, sober, and truly Religious, yet they despise and neglect him, censure him a Formalist, and without the Power of Godliness: But if a man will but revile the Established Government, and be bold against it, cry it down, and cry up the New Institution into which they are lifted, tho' the man be Covetous, Uncharitable, Hard-hearted, Proud, Impetuous, and possibly otherwise Loose in his Conversation, yet such a man shall be cherished, applauded, cried up for a Saint, a Precious Man, and Zealous for the Truth.

And although Decent Ceremonies, that are for the Preservation of the Dignity of Religion, and to keep due Order and Regularity, are not Essential Parts of Christianity, nor were ever so esteemed by wise and sober men, and yet are of use and convenience in the Church, nevertheless, we may easily observe among men the same Extremes as are before noted: some placing the whole weight of Religion in their strict Observance, and making them the principal, if not the only Badge of a Son of the church, hating and despising those that scruple any thing in them, or that do not come up in every punctilio to their Observance, though they be otherwise, found in the Principles of Faith, pious and strict in their lives, just and honest to all men, and sober, temperate and blameless.

On the other side, there be a sort of men that place the greatest stress and discriminating Point of Christian Religion in opposing and decrying all Instituted Ceremonies, though Innocent, Decent, and without any the least touch of Superstition in them, yet these must be decried as Popish, Antichristian, destructive of Christian Liberty, and the Party that with most boldness and vehemence declaims against them, is valued by them as a most precious man, a man of zeal and courage, and needs little else to justify and magnify him with his party.

On the other side, though a man be of an holy and conscientious life, found in Principles, sober, blameless, peaceable; yet if he observe blameless Ceremonies, though with great moderation and Charity to Dissenters, he shall be slighted and undervalued, esteemed a Formalist, a Time-server, or at best, a man wanting Courage, Zeal, Lukewarm, Timorous, and wanting the Power of Godliness. Such wild and wrong Measures do men of Extremes on all hands take of the true Essence and Ends of Christianity.

Again, even among Professors of the Protestant Religion, there are divers disputed and Controverted Points; as between the Calvinists and Armenians, especially touching the Universality of the Redemption by Christ, Perseverance and Falling from Grace; and almost every day there arise certain new Opinions, some of greater importance, but very commonly of small and inconsiderable moment; and these are taken up by the several Parties possibly agreeing in the same Fundamentals of Christian Religion. And some times they are entertained by a Party of men, because their Pastors are of that Opinion, or seem to be so; though often they are taken up, or instilled into a Party, to make a discriminative Mark between Persons of several Congregations. And then it is wonderful to see with what servour each Party maintains his Tenent, and as great weight is laid upon it, as if the whole stress of Christian Religion, and the Salvation of the souls of men lay upon it; when God knows they are not of any moment in it.

Such was the old Controversy between the Eastern and Western Churches about Easter-day, and ancienter than that, in the Apostles times, about Eating of meats offered to Idols, and among us at this day touching the five Armenian Questions. And yet we shall see men as servent and zealous about them, as censorious of Dissenters from them, as fond of those of the same Opinion with them, as if all the Articles of the Christian Faith were immediately concerned in them; when all the while they are not of any moment to the Salvation of men, nor or any Concernment to the Christian Religion, or the Ends thereof, but are only Artifices imposed upon men to hold up Parties, or to keep up some Man or Parties Reputation; imaginations which men are fond of, because they are their own, at least theirs whom they have in great Veneration or Esteem.

Again, the fond Mistakes of men in this kind, are observable in very slight and trivial matters, which yet are entertained with a kind of Religious Veneration, when they serve to hold up Parties, or as discriminations of their Professions. Among the professed Monks and Friars they have certain Habits assigned to several Orders, and as well anciently as now have several kinds of Tensures of their Heads, which they observe with great severity; and place much Religion in them.

And even among the various Sects, or Persuasions among those that at least abhor Popery, yet we shall find some such fond things upon which they lay a great weight of their Religion: sometimes in very Looks and composing of their Countenance; sometimes in the manner or Tone of Expressions; sometimes in affected Phrases; sometimes in Gestures, sometimes in Habits and Dresses, sometimes in use of Meats and Drinks of one kind or another. I shall give some few instances:

You shall have some that place a great point of Religion in forbearing the eating of Flesh upon Fridays, or in the time of Lent, but yet indulge themselves oftentimes in the eating of the choicest Fish, and the most costly Diet of other Meats: Others again think they must needs go as far on the other Extreme, Choosing those Seasons for Feasting upon flesh, and think it acceptable to God, because it runs counter to the other Extreme.

Again, a time there was when it was thought that long Hair was unbecoming Professors of Christianity, and upon that account some did wear their Hair short, even to extremity. But about the beginning of the late Wars, many took up, as they thought, a more elevated way of Christianity, and as a Badge thereof wore their Hair extreme Long.

The Conformists usually wears Gowns or Canonical Coats; Many of the Nonconformists by the way of Discrimination use other Habits.

The former officiate, as the Canons require them, in Surplices, and sometimes with Hoods, and some are so taken with it, that they think the Offices want an Essential part when performed without it; some of the latter think the solemn Ordinances are profaned by it, and rendered superstitious.

But among all the differing Persuasions among us, there are none that give a man more ample Evidence of Mistakes of this Nature, than those called Quakers, who place a great part of their Religion in keeping on their Hats, in using the words Thee and Thou, in stiling the Months and Days of the Week not according to the usual Appellation, but the first, or second month, or day, in certain Habits and Postures unlike other men; in Silent Devotions at their Public Meetings, in reviling and crying down the Established Ministry, Churches, Sacraments, Lords-day, and all manner of Forms, whether commanded or used by others; in refusing to take an Oath when lawfully called thereunto; and some such other singularities. Take away but these, and the like affected Superadditions, the man are as other men, some indeed very sober, honest, just and plain-hearted men, and found in most, if not all the important Doctrines and Practices of Christianity; others (as it happens in all Professions) Subtle, covetous, Uncharitable Tumultuous, Ignorant, proud Despisers of others, Slanderers, and yet as long as they conform to their Sect in these impertinent or unwarrantable singularities, they please themselves with the Stile of the People of God, and are for the most part esteemed such by those of that Sect.

By this little Survey, we may easily take an Estimate of the Mistakes of Mankind, and even among Christians, touching the Mistakes in point of Christianity and Christian Religion, and how common it is to misplace the Name of Christian Religion and the Nature of it, and attribute it to such things as in truth have nothing to do with it, but many times are directly contrary to it.

And yet even in these Impertinences many men place the greatest moment of their Religion, and have as great and many times a greater zeal and fervor for them, than for the weighty Points and Duties of Christianity, and most of the business of many men consists in Velitations and Defenses and Invectives about them; the Pulpits and the Press in engaged about them. Love, and Charity, and even common Humanity, and mutual conversation between man and man, Church and Church, party and party, is broken by the Mutual collisions and animosities concerning them. So that ( the Lord be merciful to us and forgive us) there is as little love, and as great distance and animosity between many of the dissenting Parties among Protestants, touching these Matters, as there is between Papists and Protestants, or between Christians and Infidels. And by this means the true Life of Christian Religion, and that which was the great End of its Institution, and the true genuine and natural Effect of it upon the heart and soul, and course of life, is lost or neglected by them that profess it, or disparaged among those that either have not entertained it, or at least entertained it as they do the Customs of the Country wherein they are educated. These men, when they see so much Religion placed by Professors of Christianity in these things, which every intelligent man values but as Forms, or Inventions, or Modes, or Artifices, and yet as great weight laid upon them, as great fervor and animosity used for or against them, as almost for any Points of Christian Religion, they are presently apt to censure and throw off all Religion, and reckon all of the same make.'

But when all is done, true Christian Religion is a thing of another kind of Make, and is of another kind of Efficacy, and directed unto, and effective of a nobler End, than those things about which, as above is said, men so much contend, and that makes so great a bustle and noise in the world. As the Credenda are but few and plain, so the Facienda, or things to be done, are such as do truly ennoble and advance the Humane Nature, and brings it to its due habitude, both to God and Man.

It teacheth and tutors the soul to a high reverence and veneration of Almighty God, a sincere and upright walking as in the presence of the Invisible, All-seeing God: It makes a man truly to love, to honor, to obey him, and therefore careful to know what his will is; it renders the heart highly thankful to him, both as his Creator, Redeemer, and Benefactor: It makes a man entirely to depend upon, to seek to him for guidance, and direction, and protection; to submit to his Will with all Patience, and Resignation of soul: It gives the law not only to his Word and Actions, but to his very Thoughts and Purposes, that he dares not entertain a very thought unbecoming the sight and presence of that God to whom all our thoughts are legible: It teacheth and bringeth a man to such a deportment both of external and internal sobriety, as may be decent in the presence of God and all his holy Angels: It crusheth and Casts down all Pride and Haughtiness both in a man heart and carriage, and gives him an humble frame of soul and life, both in the sight of God and men: It regulates and governs the Passions of the Mind, and brings them into due moderation and frame: It gives a man a right estimate of this present world, and sets the heart and hopes above it, so that he never loves it more than it deserves: It makes the Wealth and Glory of this World, high Places, and great Preferment's, but of a low and little value to him; so that he is neither covetous nor ambitious, nor over solicitous concerning the advantages of it: It brings a man to that frame that Righteousness, Justice, Honesty, and Fidelity is as it were part of his Nature; he can sooner die than commit or purpose that which is unjust, dishonest, or unworthy a good man: It makes him value the love of God and peace of conscience above all the Wealth and Honors in the World, and be very vigilant to keep it inviolably: Though he be under a due apprehension of the love of God to him, yet it keeps him humble and watchful, and free from all presumption, so that he dares not under a vain confidence of the Indulgence, and Mercy, and Favor of God, turn aside to commit or purpose even the least injury to man, he performs all his Duties to god in sincerity, and integrity, and constancy; and while he lives on Earth, yet his conversation, his Hopes, his Treasure, and the flower of his Expectation is in Heaven, and he entirely endeavors to Walk suitably to such a Hope: In sum, it restores the Image of God unto the soul in righteousness and true Holiness.

These, and the like to these, are the Ends, Design and Effect of True Christian Religion, truly received and digested in the soul. And certainly any man that duly considereth, will find that they are of another kind of Nature and Value, than those sublime Speculations, Politic Constitutions, Forms or not Forms, affected Singularities, upon which many lay the weight of Religion, and for and touching which there is so much Contention and Animosity in the World. So that me thinks men in this regard are like to a Company of foolish Boys, who when the Nut is broken, run scrambling after the pieces of the Shell, and in the mean while the Kernel is neglected and lost.

Now touching the Reasons or Causes of these Misapprehensions touching Religion, they are various: some deserve compassion, and others are more of less excusable, according to their several kinds: 1. Some persons truly Conscientious and zealous of any thing that they judge to be displeasing to God, as not agreeable to his Will, and observing the many corruption's, that the Romish Church have brought into the worship of God, are very suspicious of any thing that may look, as they think, that way; and therefore, though they are otherwise men of sound and Orthodox Principles, and of a truly righteous, sober, and pious Life, yet perchance are transported somewhat too far in scrupling or opposing some Ceremonies or Forms; And possibly their Education and Conversation with men of such persuasions have confirmed them in it, so that they do not oppose out of a forwardness or peevishness of Mind, or out of Pride, or a Spirit of Opposition, but in the sincerity and simplicity of their hearts, and out of a tenderness for the Honor of God. These, though they are or may be mistaken in their Persuasions, yet certainly deserve compassion, Tenderness, yea and Love also, much rather than Severity or Contempt.

Others again, observing that certain Modes and Forms, and the rigorous Observations of them, are the common road for attaining Preferments or Favors of great Persons, upon that account exercise a marvelous fervor of mind for them, and a vigorous opposition of all that come not up to them in every punctilio, that they may thereby be taken notice of, and employed as useful and fit and vigorous Assertors and Instruments for this purpose.

Many times Gain and Profit is the End and Design of many Practices and Positions appendicated to Christian Religion, as is before observed in the Romish Church; and it is easily observable that Interest, Profit, and Temporal Advantage have a strong bias upon Mens Affections, and are dearer to them than the Truth of Religion, and carry men more vigorously in their upholding and maintenance, than Religion itself doth: And because the presence of zeal for Religion carries a fair Plausibility with all men, therefore those very things that are but Engines of Gain and Profit are Christened with the specious Name of Religion.

It was the making of Silver Shrines for Diana, the Art whereby the Artificers got their living, that made the Out-cry, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

Again, it is very certain that mankind hath a huge kindness and partiality for matters of their own Invention, and set a greater rate upon them, than upon other matters handed over to them by others: And hence it comes to pass that a new Fancy or Opinion, a new Form of worship, discipline, or Government that, any man hath invented or studied out, is to such a man ordinarily of greater value and moment than it deserves, and shall be maintained with greater zeal, Fervor and Animosity, than Points of greater truth and moment, as if the great moment and weight of Religion and Christianity lay in it, which is in truth nothing else but the Effect of Self-love and Self-conceit.

Again, though by Nature man be a sociable Creature, yet there is in most Men a certain Itch of Pride, which makes them affect a Discrimination from others, and to become a kind of separated Party more refined than the rest of the same Common Profession.

I do remember in the beginning of our late Troubles, the only Party that visibly appeared, were some that desired some Reformation in church-matters: And when that Party had obtained, under the Name of the Presbyterian Party, in a very little while there arose a more sublime Party of men, called the Independent or congregational men, which much despised the former, as not arrived to a Just Measure of Reformation. Shortly after that there arose a kind of Lay Party, which as much undervalued the Independent, and indeed the Ministry in general.

After that there arose a party discriminating itself from all the former, viz. the Quakers. These various Parties were so many Subdivisions and Rectification's of what went before.

Now the Means of holding up this Discrimination of Parties are certain select Opinions, Practices, or Modes, which are like the Badges or colors that give each party his Denomination, Distinction, and Discrimination: And consequently these Discriminative Badges have as great a rate set upon them as each Sect sets upon itself; and therefore must be upheld under the very Notion of the life of Religion, and must be maintained with the greatest fervor imaginable; for otherwise the Distinction of the Sects themselves would fall to the ground, and become contemptible both among themselves and others, because otherwise there would appear very little and inconsiderable reason, upon trifling or small reasons, to Separate and Divide from others, and to Un-Church and Un-Christen them that are not Their Company or society.

And considering these unhappy consequences of these fervors of minds touching these small Appendixes and Superstructions, even more than about, or concerning the very weighty things of the gospel, I have endeavored to search out the Reason how this strong distemper comes to pass; and there seems to be these Causes thereof.

1.Ordinarily a man is more fond of, and concerned for something that is his own, than for that which is of God; as we are transported with a Love to ourselves, so we are transported with a love and admiration of what is our own: and hence it is that the weightier and more important Duties enjoined by Christ, partake less of our zeal, or courage, or intention of mind, than our own little Fantastics and Inventions.

2 Pride, Credit, and Reputation are commonly engaged in either Party in the things contested, when they are once contested; and these are violent and pressing Interests and Motions.

3. The Plainest Truth and Purity of Religion is a thing that seldom pleaseth and suiteth to the Curiosity and Appetite of Men; they are always fond of something Annexed or Appendicated to Religion to make it pleasing to their Appetite. A certain sauce that may entertain their Fancy, after which it may run, and wherein it may please itself. And these Sauces to Religion are various, and variously pleasing, according to the Various Inclinations of Men: Most ordinarily the Fancies of men affect some things Splendid and Sensible to be Superadded to Religion; the Israelites would needs have gods that might go before them; and incompliance with this Humor, most of the Strange modes and Gesticulations among the Heathens, and most of the Superstitions, Ceremonies and Rites among the Papists were invented. Again, sometimes the Humor of the People runs in the other Extreme, either they will have nothing of Form or Order, or all such Forms or Orders as are extremely opposite to what others use, and place their delight and complacency therein: And by this means oftentimes it comes to pass, that men are carried with greater earnestness and vehemence after those Placentia, the entertainment's of their fancies, than to the true Substance of Religion itself.

4. Oftentimes it comes to pass that there are two very jealous Concerns, and impatient of any corrival, that are engaged each against other in these different and dissenting Practices, relating to Collateral's in Religion: On the one side, Power and Authority is very tender of its own Interest, and jealous of a Competitor or Rival: On the other side, conscience and Persuasion either of the Necessity or Unlawfulness of any thing, is very jealous, or fearful, and suspicious of any thing that might injure it: And whether the conscience be mistaken or not, yet so long as its Persuasion, that is entertained sub ratione conscientie, prevails this jealousy will still prevail in the mind; and it many times falls out that Authority on the one hand is impatient, or at least jealous of Opposition, and conscience on the other hand restless and unquiet.

5. And the difficulty is so much the greater, because each seems to derive their obliging Authority from God; the Magistrate recognizing God Almighty as the Fountain, Root, and Foundation of his Power; and the conscience supposed to be the Vicegerent of God in the Soul.

For instance,

1. Extremity of Passion and Indignation,

2. Violence and Bitterness of Writings and Speeches,

3. Each Party rendering the other as odious and ridiculous as is possible:

4. Scoffing, jeering, and personal reflections:

5. Artifices and Designs each to catch and undermine the other:

6. And industrious and willing mis-interpretation of each others Words, Writings, and Actions, and raising them to odious Inferences and consequences, beyond what they were meant, or really and truly bear.

7. Disgenous Quotations out of each other, without those ordinary Remedies that might be allowed by comparing of other parts of their Writings.

These and the like Auxiliaries are on each part taken into these Velitations between Christians, and in relation to things contended for or against in these Differences, whereas the whole tenure of the Doctrine of Christianity, as it was delivered by Christ and his Apostles, decries nothing more than Anger, Wrath, Malice, Railing, Evil-speaking, Back-biting Slanders, Reproaches, Names and Epithets of Scorns, Craft, and Subtilty; yet all these black Legions are called, used, and employed in the management of that Cause, which each Party pretends to be the Cause of Christ; as if Fiends, and Furies, and Legions of Devils were though fit Auxiliaries on each Party, wherein both pretend the interest of Christ Jesus.

And that this is so, let any man but read those books which have flown abroad from either Party, he will find it evident in all the contentions of this nature: Witness on the one part Martin Marprelate, the Odious Centuries put out by Mr. White in the beginning of the Long Parliament, the frequent Invectives and odious epithets given to Liturgy, to the Bishops, conforming Ministers, and to the Church of England itself, as Antichristian, Idolatrous, Babylonish, and a thousand such Names and Stiles.

And on the other side there have been many that have not been behind hand with bitter Invectives, Scornful and mocking Expressions and Appellations, odious Reflections, unnecessary to be repeated. By all which these two things are evident.

1.That these Transports of either side come not from that Spirit which Christ brought with him into the world, and which he commended and left to his Disciples and Followers; namely, a spirit of Love, of Charity, of Gentleness, Patience, Kindness, and Sweetness of disposition.

2.That is men go about to justify this, because first provoked by the adverse party, and so justify it by the Law of Taliation, these men do not remember that as on the one hand the Duty of Christians is Self-denial, Moderation, and Peaceableness; on the other side, that a Spirit of Revenge, and Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth, is as much against the doctrine of Christ, as any thing in the world.

Therefore certainly it becomes those of either Party either to casheer these black Auxiliaries of their Wars, and contentions of this kind, or otherwise for the sake and honor of Christ and the Christian Religion, plainly declare that he is not concerned in the Contest, but that the contest is a Contest of Interest and Vain-Glory, of Pride and Ambition, and Reputation, and desire of Victory; Or if they will not declare so much to the World, yet they must give leave to the Spectators to judge of it so.

Now these bitterness and virulentnesses of either side, have been commonly of two kinds: first such as reflect, if not all together, yet most of all, upon the Persons of their Adversaries. Or such as reflect only upon the Matters in difference between them; both were bad enough, and such as serve to make the Differences and Breaches wider.

But of late times, I know not by what unhappy star, there hath prevailed more than formerly, certain Invectives that have gone much farther, even to the rendering of Religion itself, and Scripture Expressions ridiculous, and pieces of raillery; and I could have wished that some late Books, put out under the fashion of Dialogues, and some other Books of that kind, had not been too Guilty of this fault.

I do remember when Ben. Johnson made his play of the Alchymist, wherein he brings in Anartas in derision of the persons then called Puritans, with many of their Pharisees in use among them, taken out of the Scriptures; with a design to render that sort of persons ridiculous, and to gain applause to his wit and fancy. But although those persons were not in very good esteem among the Great Ones and Gallants, yet the Play was disliked, and indeed abhorred, because it seemed to reproach Religion itself, though intended only to render the Puritans ridiculous. That which was uncomely and unseemly in a Poet, who made it his business to make Plays, certainly is much more fulsome and unsavory in another; especially if the Author be a Clergyman, as I suppose he is: for of all men in the world it becomes such porspicere honori Religionis christisne, and not to render it ridiculous and contemptible, by raillery and scurrilous jesting.

And yet I do not find in all Ben. Johnson's Alchymist one half of those ridiculous and unseemly repetitions of Scripture Phrases and Expressions, as well as mimical imitations and disdainful mockings of those Persons, and that Party whom he designs to disparage: Scarce a Page but some unhandsome mention of the Spirit, and Christ and Grace, and Saints, and some Scripture Expressions: And if it shall be said that he doth it but only in expropriation of such persons as abused or misapplied such expressions, and it is not with intent to reproach the Scripture or those Phrases that are desumed from it, but to show the boldness and mistakes of them that have misapplied or abused them.

I answer, That these Misapplications and inconsiderate Uses of Scripture-phrases by them, though it be justly reprovable, yet it is far more intolerable in him. Though their mistakes were weak and foolish, yet they were serious in those very mistakes; but this man industriously and designedly makes the Expression ridiculous and contemptible. Their Abuses of Scriptures and Scripture-phrases will not at all justify the like in him, though in another kind, and to another end; he might have learned to have avoided the folly and inconsiderateness of the others, and not have multiplied it in himself by a worse method of abuse.

Certainly, who ever he was that made these Conferences, I dare say he hath no such pattern of writing from the Apostle or Fathers. The nearest Copy that I know of it, if the A_____ and though he seems a man of Wit and Learning, and possibly would be some body in the world, I dare say they that cherish him in the main of his design are ashamed of his scurrility, and wish it had been spared, and so perchance may he be when more years have better consideration. The mischief's that come by this manner of writing are very great and many.

It makes Differences irreconcilable. When differences Civil or Ecclesiastical in Judgment or Practice happen, gentleness, softness, mildness, and personal respectfulness quiet the Passions and Spirits of the adverse Party, gain upon him, get within him; and when the person is thus won, and over-matched with Sweetness and Kindness, and personal Jealousies and prejudices removed, Persuasions and Arguments grow prevalent, come with their full weight, are entertained calmly, and considerably, and insensibly gain grounds even upon the judgment: But I yet never knew any man converted by an angry, passionate, railing Adversary, for such kind of behaviors presently raiseth in the Adversary the like Passions and Prejudice, and makes the Distance greater; and the Passions being engaged in the quarrel, the Judgments of both sides are lost, or blinded, or silenced with the dust and noise of passionate digladiations; and indeed considering how apparently and evidently such kind of dealing between Dissenters renders composure's almost impossible; and yet observing how much this course of reviling, and opprobrious, and unmanly as well as unchristian Language, is in practice, I though that it hath been a real design to render each Party odious and irreconcilable to the other, and the hopes of composure desperate: For who can ever expect that any man, or any sort of men, should be drawn over to that Party that shall publicly stile him brain-sick, a fool, filly, hypocrite, fanatic, and a hundred such scornful Appellations; or that men will be easily drawn to relinquish those Opinions or Persuasions when they must thereby in effect subscribe to such Epithetes and Appellations before all the world; and of all things in the world men can with the least patience bear reflection upon their intellectuals and are most irreconcilable to them that traduce or abuse them therein.

It greatly disadvantageth that Cause, as well as the Persons of those that use this method amongst sober indifferent Observers, who will be ready to conclude them a parcel of people transported by passions, weak, and prejudicated; and look upon such a Cause as is maintained by railing, scoffing, raillery, and unproved Calumnies, as weak, and standing in need of such rudeness to support and maintain it.

It exposeth Religion itself to the derision of Atheists, and confirms them in their Atheism's, and gains them too many Proselytes; and that Principally upon these Reasons, 1. Because they find that Clergy-men do tell them in the Pulpits, that Christ himself and his Apostles condemned railing, scandalous Appellation, as Raca, and Fool, Evil-speaking, foolish-jesting, Mocking, Reviling; This they tell men, and they tell them truly, and yet these very men that call themselves Ministers of Christ, Messengers of the Gospel of Peace, take that admirable liberty of reproaching, scoffing, and deriding one another in their public Pamphlets and Discourses, that can scarce be exampled among the most invective Ranks of Persons, whose trade it is to be Stryrical, and render people ridiculous: Nay so far hath this Excellent manage prevailed among Clergy-men, that their Scoffs and Reproaches are not leveled at the Persons, or Personal Defects or Dissenters, but rather than want supports for their Party, will have ugly flings at Religion itself, at Scripture expressions; and when men see such a course of Practice among the Preachers and Clergymen, they are ready to conclude, that surely they believe not themselves what they preach to other; therefore think they have a fair pretence not to believe them.

But principally these great Animosities and Transports of dissenting Clergymen, confirms and promotes Atheism, upon this account, that the things about which this wonderful hate is strucken between these Parties, are such as both Parties agree to be none of the fundamentals of the Religion professed by both, but Accessaries and Accessions, and such indeed as By-standers think are of very small moment, and yet when men see so much heat and passion, so much fervor and contention, such reproaches and reviling, such exasperation's of Authority on either Party, such mutual Prosecutions one of another, that more could not possibly be done between Dissenters in those points which both agree to be Fundamental, Atheistic spirits are apt to conclude, that probably those points, that both sides supposed to be of greater moment, are ejusdem farine, with those in contest, since they are not, nor cannot be prosecuted with greater fervor, than these which all men take to be small and inconsiderable, and that it is Interest, Vain-glory, and Applause, or some other Temporal Concern, that gives this Fervor and Zeal in Matters of Religion, more than the true Concerns of itself. The conclusion therefore is, That men for their own sakes, and for the sake and honor of the Christian Religion, would use more Temperance, Prudence, and Moderation, in contests about circumstantials.