the apostles, either mediately or immediately; but we have shewn before, in the tenth proposition, that they have no mediate power, because of the interruption made by the apostacy; and for an immediate power or command by the Spirit of God to administer these things, none of our adversaries pretend to it. We know that in this, as in other things, they make a noise of the constant consent of the church, and of Christians in all ages; but as tradition is not a sufficient ground for faith, so in this matter especially it ought to have but small weight; for that in this point of ceremonies and superstitious observations the apostacy began very early, as may appear in the epistle of Paul to the Galatians and Colossians; and we have no ground to imitate them in those things, whose entrance the apostle so much withstood, so heavily regretted, and so sharply reproved. But if we look to antiquity, we find, that in such kind of observances and traditions they were very uncertain and changeable; so that neither Protestants nor Papists do observe this ceremony as they did, both in that they gave it to young boys, and to little children; and for aught can be learned, the use of this and infantbaptism are of a like age, though the one be laid aside both by Papists and Protestants, and the other, to wit, baptism of infants, be stuck to. And we have so much the less reason to lay weight upon antiquity, for that if we consider their pro

fession of religion, especially as to worship, and the ceremonial part of it, we shall not find any church now, whether Popish or Protestant, who differ not widely from them in many things, as Dallæus, in his treatise concerning the Use of the Fathers, well observeth and demonstrateth. And why they should obtrude this upon us because of the ancients' practice, which they themselves follow not, or why we may not reject this, as well as they do other things no less zealously practised by the ancients, no sufficient reason can be assigned.

Nevertheless I doubt not but many, whose understandings have been clouded with these ceremonies, have notwithstanding, by the mercy of God, had some secret sense of the mystery, which they could not clearly understand, because it was sealed from them by their sticking to such outward things; and that through that secret sense diving in their comprehensions they ran themselves into these carnal apprehensions, as imagining the substance of the bread was changed, or that if the substance was not changed, yet the body was there, &c. And indeed I am inclinable very favourably to judge of Calvin in this particular, in that he deals so ingeniously to confess he neither comprehends it, nor can express it in words; but yet by a feeling experience can say, The Lord is spiritually present. Now as I doubt not but Calvin sometimes had a sense of his pre

sence without the use of this ceremony, so as the understanding given him of God made him justly reject the false notions of transubstantiation and consubstantiation, though he knew not what to establish instead of them, if he had fully waited in the light that makes all things manifest, and had not laboured in his own comprehension to settle upon that external ceremony, by affixing the spiritual presence as chiefly or principally, though not only, as he well knew by experience, there, or especially to relate it, he might have further reached unto the knowledge of this mystery than many that went before him.

Lastly, If any now at this day, from a true tenderness of spirit, and with real conscience towards God, did practise this ceremony in the same way, method, and manner as did the primitive Christians recorded in scripture, I should not doubt to affirm but they might be indulged in it, and the Lord might regard them, and for a season appear to them in the use of these things, as many of us have known him to do to us in the time of our ignorance; provided they did not seek to obtrude them upon others, nor judge such as found themselves delivered from them, or that they do not pertinaciously adhere to them. For we certainly know that the day is dawned, in which God hath arisen, and hath dismissed all those ceremonies and rites, and is only to be worshipped in Spirit, and that he appears to them

who wait upon him; and that to seek God in these things is, with Mary at the sepulchre, to seek the living among the dead: for we know that he is risen, and revealed in Spirit, leading his children out of these rudiments, that they may walk with him in his light to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

CONCERNING THE POWER OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE IN MATTERS PURELY RELIGIOUS, AND

PERTAINING TO THE

CONSCIENCE.

Since God has assumed to himself the power and dominion of the conscience, who alone can rightly instruct and govern it, therefore it is not lawful for any whosoever, by virtue of any authority or principality they bear in the government of this world, to force the consciences of others; and therefore all killing, banishing, fining, imprisoning, and other such things which are inflicted upon men for the alone exercise of their conscience, or difference in worship or opinion, proceedeth from the spirit of Cain the murderer, and is contrary to the truth; providing always that no man, under the pretence of conscience, prejudice his neighbour in his life or estate, or do any thing destructive to, or inconsistent with, human society; in which case the law is for the transgressor, and justice is to be

administered upon all, without respect of persons. Luke ix. 55, 56. Mat. vii. 12, 13, 29. Tit. iii. 10.

Liberty of conscience from the power of the civil magistrate hath been of late years so largely and learnedly handled, that I shall need to be but brief in it; yet it is to be lamented that few have walked answerably to this principle, each pleading it for themselves, but scarce allowing it to others, as hereafter I shall have occasion more at length to observe.

It will be fit in the first place, for clearing of mistakes, to say something of the state of the controversy, that what follows may be the more clearly understood.

By conscience then, as in the explanation of the fifth and sixth propositions I have observed, is to be understood that persuasion of the mind which arises from the understanding's being possessed with the belief of the truth or falsity of any thing; which though it may be false or evil upon the matter, yet if a man should go against his persuasion or conscience, he would commit a sin; because what a man doth contrary to his faith, though his faith be wrong, is no ways acceptable to God. Hence the apostle saith Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin; and he that doubteth is damned if he eat; Rom. xiv. 23. though the thing might have been lawful to another; and that this doubt