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fignificant laws, relative to fishing, fowling, hunting, or the like?

OBJECT. XXXVIII. "Let things be reduced to practice. What could be done, just now, in Britain, without an authoritative toleration of the different parties in religion."

ANSW. I. No difficulty of the performance of duties can be a fufficient reafon for the neglect of them. No difficulty of rectifying what is in diforder, can be a proof that it is not duty to attempt it. Becaufe I find it so hard work to keep my heart with all diligence, and often know not how to get its finful diforders rectified, it will not follow, that to obtain inward quietnefs, I fhould, in God's name, give an authoritative toleration to my feveral lufts, exceptperhaps the groffer ones of malice, whoredom, drunkenness.

2. The rules of rectifying what pertains to religion in Britain, is plain. Let magiftrates and fubjects impartially and earneflly fearch the oracles of God, depending on the illuminating influence of his Spirit. Let every thing not contained in the. Scripture be thrown out of both civil and ecclefiaftical establishments of religion, and every thing plainly appointed therein for the gofpel-Church, be authorized. Let the whole adminiftration of government in Church and State, and fubjection to it, be: regulated by the law of God.Let every prudent and winning method be taken to promote an univerfally chearful compliance.If any continue to diffent, let every degree and form of tender forbearance be exercised towards them, which the exprefs laws of God will permit, efpecially, if by a circumfpect life, they manifeft themfelves perfons of a truly tender confcience, with refpect to what they apprehend.If all will not concur in these measures, let particular perfons, in their feveral ftations, act as becometh L

the gofpel of Chrift, obeying God rather than man, and doing all that he hath commanded, without turning afide to the right-hand or the left. And if need be, let them take up their crofs, and patiently fellow Christ, counting nothing too dear unto them, if they may uprightly finish their course with joy. Upon trial, it would be found as eafy for magiftrates to rectify the disorders in their department, relative to religion, as it would be for Church-rulers in Britain, to rectify what pertains to theirs, in which, you just now pled, that there never should any toleration at all.

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OBJECT. XXXIX. «The great Dr. OWEN zealously pled for authoritative toleration, and that magiftrates ought not to interfere with religious matters."

ANSW. I. We call no man mafter. One is our mafter even Chrift. Dr. Owen's authority would be too light to balance that of many thousands of Proteftant divines. But let us hear his judgment, for ought I know his FINAL JUDGMENT, in his Sermon before the English Parliament, OCTOBER 13th, 1652

"The civil powers-fhall be difpofed of, into an ufeful fubferviency to the interest, power, and kingdom of Jefus Chrift; hence they are faid to be his kingdoms, Rev. xi. 15. Judges and Rulers AS SUCH must kifs the Son and own his fceptre and advance his ways. Some think, if you were well fettled, you ought not, as rulers of the nations, to put forth your power for the intereft of Chrift. The good Lord keep your hearts from that apprehenfion +. It is the duty of magiftrates to feek the good, peace, and profperity of the people committed to their charge, and to prevent and remove EVERY THING, that will bring confufion, destruction and defolation

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upon them, Esther x. 3. Pfal. ci. Magiftrates are the minifters of God for good-UNIVERSAL GOOD of them, to whom they are given, Rom. xiii. 4. and are to watch and apply themselves to this very thing, ver. 6. It is incumbent on them to act, even as kings and men in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honefty,-and all may come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. ii. 1--4- They are to feed the people committed to their charge, with all their might, unto univerfal peace and welfare. -The things oppofite to the good of any nation and people, are of two forts;

(1.) Such as are really, directly, and immediately opposed to that ftate wherein they close together, and find prosperity,-feditions, tumults, diforders, -violent or fraudulent breaking in upon the privi leges and enjoyments of fingular perfons without any confideration of him who ruleth all things.

Such evils as thefe, nations and rulers, fuppofed to be atheists, would, with all their strength, labour to prevent.

(2.) Such as are morally and meritoriously opposed to their good and welfare, in that they will certainly pluck down the judgments and wrath of God upon that nation, where they are practifed and allowed, Rom. i. Shall he be thought a magiftrate to bear out the name, authority, and prefence of God to men, that, fo he and his people have present peace like a herd of fwine, cares not though fuch things as will certainty devour their strength, and then utterly consume them, do pafs current. Seeing they that rule o ver men must be just, ruling in the fear of the Lord, the fole reason why they fheathe the fword of juftice in the bowels of thieves, murderers, adulterers, is not, because their outward peace is actually disturbed by them, but principally because he, in whofe ftead they stand and minifter,is provoked by fuch wickedness to deftrog

both the one and the other. And, if there be the fame reafon concerning other things, they alfo call for the fame procedure.- To gather up now what hath been fpoken; Confidering the gospel's right to be propagated with all its concernments in every nation under heaven, and the blessings, peace, profperity, and protection, wherewith it is attended, when and where received, and the certain deftruction 'which accompanies the rejection and contempt of it.

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-Confidering the duty, that by God's appointment is incumbent on them that rule over men, That in the fear of the Lord they ought to feek the good, peace, and profperity of them that are committed to their charge, and to prevent, obviate, remove, and revenge that which tends to their hurt, perturbation, destruction, immediate from heaven, or from the hand of men; and in their whole ad-ministration to take care, that the worshippers of God in Chrift may lead a quiet and peaccable life in all godliness and honefty. Let any one, who hath the leaft fenfe of the account, which he must-make to the great King and Judge of the world,-of the authority and power wherewith he was intrufted, determine, Whether it be not incumbent on him, by all the protection he can afford; by all the privileges he can indulge; by all the fupport he can grant; by all that encouragement he is required or allowed to give to any perfon whatsoever,--to further the propagation of the gospel, which upon the matter, is the only thing of concernment, as well unto this life, as unto that which is to come.. And, if any thing be allowed in a nation, which, in God's esteem, may amount to a contempt and defpifing thereof, men may be taught by fad experience, what will be the iffue of fuch ALLOWANCE* Although the inftitu

P. 58, 59.

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tions and examples of the Old Teftament, of the duty of magistrates in the things about the worshipof God, are not, in their whole latitude and extent, to be drawn into rules-obligatory to all magiftrates, now under the gofpel,-yet doubtlefs, there is fomething moral in these institutions. Subduct

from these administrations, what was proper to the Church and nation of the Jews, and what remains upon the general account of a Church and nation, must be everlastingly binding; and this amounts thus far at least, That Judges, Rulers and Magiftrates, which are promised under the New Teftament, to be given in mercy, and to be of fingular usefulness, as the Judges were under the Old, are to take care, That the gofpel-Church, may, in its concernments as fuch be fupported and promoted and the truth propagated, wherewith they are intrufted.--Know, that ERROR and FALSEHOOD have no right or title, either from God or men, unto any privilege, protection, advantage, liberty, or any good thing, you are intrusted. withal. To difpose that unto a LIE, which is the right of, and due to TRUTH, is to deal treacheroufiy with Him, by whom you are employed *. Know that in things of practice fo of PERSUASION, that are impious and wicked, either in themselves or natural confequences, the plea of confcience is an aggravation of the crime. If men's confcience be feared, and themfelves given up to a reprobate mind, to do those things, that are not convenient, there is no doubt but they ought to fuffer fuch things as are affigned and appointed by God to fuch practices + A truly golden speech, and which nothing, but the deepest conviction of its truth, could have drawn from an Independent, in his then circumftances.

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Upon the whole, Sir, I readily grant, that a mul...

*P. 62, 63.

+P. 64

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