(480) by a forbearnce of their rebukes and Cenfures ; then is it the duty of Magif}rates to tolerate them,bya forbearance of penal- ties;and of Paflors to tolerate them by a forbearanceof excom- munication. Who can believe that God would leave fo full a determination for tolerating fuch perfons, and yet defire that Prelates fhould excommunicate them,or Princes imprifon, banifh or defiroy them. Some Englifh Expofitors therefore do but unreafonably abufe this text when they tell us that Magi. ftrates and Prelates may thus punifh thefe men,whom the refi of theChurch is fo firaitly commanded to bear with and not offend. 4. 3 2. So Col. 2. 16. t8 the end [ Let no man judge you in Meat or Drink, or in refpetl of an holyday, or ofthe newMoon, or of the Sabbaths, e c.] ver.2o. [ Wherefore if ye be dead w;th Chrift from the rudiments ofthe world , why as though living in the World are ye fsobjeft to Ordinances? ( Touch not, tafle not, handle not, whichall are to perifhwith the ufang,) after the com- mandmentsanddollrinesof men : which things have indeedaAm of à'ifdom in will.worfhip andhumility,and neglttling ofthe body, not in any honour to the fatisfying of the fle/h. ] Herealto God íheweth that it is his will that fuch Matters should not bemade Laws to the Church nor be impofed on his fervants; but their freedom fhouldbe preferved.Many other texts exprefs the fame, which I need not cite,thecafe being fo plain. 4.3 3. Reaf. 29. Moreover, me thinks every Chriflian fhould be fenfible, how infufficient we are to perform the great and many duties that God bath impofed upon us already. And therefore they fhould have little mind tobe making more work to the Churches and themfelves, till they can better difcharge that which is already impofed on them by God. Have not your felves and your flocks enough to do to ob. ferve all the precepts of the Decalogue, and underfland all the doctrines of the Gofpel, and believe and obey the Gofpel of Chrift, but you mutt be making your felves and others more work ? Have you not fin enoughalready in breaking the Laws already made, but you mutt make more Laws anciduties, that fo you may make more fin ? If you fay, that your precepts are not guiltyof this charge, you fpeak againa reafon : The more duty the more negleá we (hall be guilty of. See how theLord .Falkland urgeth this Objectionon the Papifis. And it is con- fiderable
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