Divines against the Papists It would be too vast and intricate The result of all would be but this one Position that the Word of God and God in his Word the Scripture and God in Scripture is the only infallible supreme authoritative Rule and judge of matters of doctrines and worship of things to be believed and things to be done And this I shall make good to you in brief by Scripture-arguments and by the suffrage of learned and holy men and answer some Objections and come to the third Question That alone to which all the properties of a Rule doe belong is surely the rule and touch-stone whereby we should try opinions But to the Scripture alone doe all the properties of a Arg. 1 Rule belong And therefore surely the Scriptures are alone the Rule and touch-stone of opinions I suppose the first Proposition is clear all the difficulty lies in the second That to the Scriptures alone doe all the Properties of a Rule belong And this I will evince to you by the enumeration of some of the chief properties of that which is to be a Rule which I shall shew you are incommunicable to any thing but Scripture I will number six of them Prop. 1 The Rule of divine and heavenly things ought to have the authority of God who you know is alone acknowledged the Law-giver to his Church As in Common-wealths it is not in every Lawyer to make Laws these are established by the supreme authority so in divine things it is not for any man to constitute rules of faith and worship but it is proper to God alone Vide Dav. de jud norm fidei p. 46. who hath the supreme authority in his Church The Rule of divine things ought to have Gods authority and that alone the Scripture hath as it is confessed by all And therefore the Word only can be the Rule Prop. 2 The Rule of divine and heavenly things ought to be known and evident and clear to all who are to live by it You know in Common-wealths * Ignorantia juris neminem excuset the ignorance of the Law doth not excuse any man that breaks it because all are bound to know it And so ignorance of the minde of God in Scripture doth not excuse any because all are bound to search and enquire all are bound to know it and if so then must it be supposed to be evident and clear in things pertaining unto life .. And that is implied in those words of Christ Luk. 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them As if he had said they need no miracles they need not one to rise up from the dead the Word is nigh unto them they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them and like to that is Rom. 10.6 7 8. Say not in thy heart who shall ascend up to heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach Prop. 3 The Rule of divine things ought to be constant stable immutable and unmoveable Consul Whitak cont 1. q. 5 c. 12. Misner de eccl Sect. 4 c. 7. Thes 3. Morton Apol Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c 9 10. c. But this only belongs to the Word men are fickle unstable like water Councels may alter be one to day another to morrow to day determine this and afterwards upon better grounds recede from their former thoughts and determine the contrary But now the Scripture that is ever the same it is an unalterable Rule it is unmoveable and unchangeable like God himself ever the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever The grasse withereth the flower fadeth but the Word of the Lord continues for ever Prop. 4. That which is to be the Rule to try opinions by Consul Whit. con 1. q. 6 pâ—â— totam Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 1. c. 53 54. Necesse est Scriptur dâ— sanct as in testimoniuÌ„ vocate naÌ„ sine his testibus enarratione c. Orig. Non afferamus stateras dolosâ—â— ubi appendamuâ— quod voâ—â—mus quo modo volumus pro arbitrio nostro sed stateram divinam de Scripturis sanctis c. Aug. Peccurro ad illam stateram dominicam ubi non ex bâ—mano sensu sed ex authoritate divina rerum monâ—eÌ„ta pensantur Aug. de cap. l. 2. c. 6 14. or the touch-stone to prove and examine opinions by it must be able and sufficient to doe it it must be adequate and proportionable to the things which are to be â—ryed it must be able to discover all truths and to evidence all errours Otherwise it is not a compleat Rule But that alone is the Scripture neither Men nor Councels are able to doe this some things may appear to them to be errours which are truths and to be truths which are errours and therefore men cannot be the touch-stone or the rule of tryall but now the Scripture is able this is a compleat rule this is proportionable and adequate to the things to be tried and doth reveal errour by discovering it to be dissonant to it and truth by declaring it agreeable to it self Prop 5. That which is the rule of tryall must be infallible it be such a Rule as cannot deceive if we come to aâ—ke for bread and it should give us a stone for truth and it should deceive us with errour it cannot be said to be a just Rule of tryall The rule must be unerring it must be infallible But this can no man be none can plead an unerring priviledge none can say that their determinations are infallible we know but in part and the best the most learned may not only come short in things they ought to know but may fail may mistake in the things they thinke to know As might be evidenced at large in many famous Councels therefore men cannot be the rule they are not infallible But now the Scriptures are they are the Word of the living God they are the standard of truth and truth it self We may deceive our selves in the search but the Scriptures are infallible they cannot deceive if a man have never so juct a measure yet he may deceive himselfe in the measuring but yet this deceit is not to be charged upon the measure but upon our selves So the Scriptures are a just infallible unerring rule yet may a man be deceived in the measuring of things by it but this deceit is not to be charged upon the rule but upon our selves Either we err not knowing the Scriptures or we err in the partiall search enquiry into theÌ„ we are not faithfull in the scrutiny All fayling ariseth either from ignorance from neglect or from corrupt affections and not from the Scriptures themselves All errours doe pretend to have then
thee on selfe purging but at last he that shall come will come 4. A fourth ground of instability may be the violence and heate of their affections to find out truth which puts them on to an inquisitivâ—nesse a triall a search of all things In which search it may be this appeares a truth and may be another time there seemes a truth in another men are not setled while they are searching they are not fixed while they are inquiring their good affections prompt them on to inquire after truth and during inquiry they are unfixed and unsetled in the truth And so much for the second generall ground why many are carried away viz. want of stability 3. A third ground too much credulity Some men are too slow to beleeve and some are too facile and easie of beliefe to be too slow to beleeve when God speakes is our wickednesse and to be too facile and easie of beliefe what man speakes is weaknesse It is not good to be slow to beleeve a truth and it is evill to be facile to beleeve an errour and yet both these may arise from the same grounds in the spirit A man is slow to beleeve a truth because he doth suspect it an errour and he is facile to beleeve an errour because he doth apprehend it for a truth so that both these may arise from the honesty of a mans spirit in the one he is fearfull to entertaine an errour and therfore slow to beleeve a truth in the other he is fearfull to reject a truth and therfore gives entertainment to an errour Feare is oftentimes made a shooing-horne to draw on an errour and to hold out a truth But this I am not now to deale withall That which I am now upon seemes the contrary to feare viz. too much credulity and easinesse of spirit to beleeve which though it be contrary yet two contrary causes may produce one and the same effect Errour may be the effect of an excessisive feare as well as of an easie faith though indeed it be more properly the effect of too easie faith then of an excessive feare Men that take all upon trust are like to be deceived And it is a maine ground why many are carried away with errour their overmuch credulity their easinesse of beliefe There is too much of this temper even in the godly themselves and I have thought of divers grounds of it 1. This easinesse to beleeve doth arise from the great esteeme of the wisdome and holinesse of those who hold forth an opinion if indeed he were learned and not godly or if he were godly and weake in knowledge it would give some place to jealousie but where these two meete together they have great authority upon the spirits of men and all that proceeds from such men is received as infallible truth men take things upon trust from an honest man but they will examine what a cheater brings if an honest man bring you gold you will scarce try it especially if he say it is weight he hath tried it and he knowes it to be weight but if a dishonest man bring it though he say it is good yet you will try it Men will suspect a truth if a liar tell it and therfore Christ would not own the Devils acknowledgement of him when he said thou art the Sonne of God But they will be ready to beleeve an untruth if an honest faithfull man affirme it When you heare any news of great concernment the first thing you enquire is of what credit is the authour and if he be thus qualified 1. That he be a man of great intelligence one who knowes much of affaires 2. If he be a wise man and an honest man one who is not over credulous that will beleeve all and disperse for truth what ever he heares if he be one who hath seldome failed in his intelligence one that hath often spoken truth you conclude that what ever he brings is truth and yet it is possible for this man to publish a falshood too So if you know one who is a wise learned man a man hath much commerce with Heaven and intelligence thence one who is godly and holy and a man not apt to receive all opinions not overcredulous to take in all nor forward to vent all which he hath heard nay and perhaps hath been one who hath delivered many glorious truths of Christ why such a man you are ready to receive all from him even as Gospell you beleeve all he saith every thing comes with a great deale of authority into your spirits And yet its possible for this man to be mistaken it is possible to erre we know but in part saith the Apostle and who can say he is infallible in his knowledge Indeed there is much to be given to a man thus qualified in points that are of lesse concernment and controverted on all sides and this may be done I conceive without any prejudice to faith I say it may be done and yet not to resolve our faith into the authority of men But when this carries all when opinions are drunke in because they are the judgement of such men or because such men so godly so learned so faithfull doe hold them forth this is to pin our faith upon anothers sleeve this is to resolve our faith into the authority of others and is a shread of that garment whereby Babylon is distinguished it hath much of the Roman doctrine in it I beleeve as the Church beleeves so I beleeve it because such hold it forth And that is the first ground of overmuch credulousnesse in men which we had need to beware of and the more because we are too apt to slide into it and put man in Gods steed to us 2. A second ground of this overmuch credulousnesse is the benigne and faire aspects which an opinion carries It may be you heare of an opinion and it is comely drest it carries such faire and benigne aspects it lookes so lovely that we are ready to receive it and give entertainment to it without any more examination Thus the Devil beguiled Eve at the first the Apostle tells us she was deceived and what deceived her it was the benigne aspects which the fruit carried you reade it Gen. 3.6 And when she saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise here were the benigne aspects the lovely lookes of it and what followes she tooke of the fruit thereof and did eate and did eate her death in it too so here when we looke upon the benigne and faire aspects which an opinion may seeme to carry we are ready to receive it and give entertainment to it without further triall This is to worke upon the understanding by the affections which is a preposterous and a dangerous way because the affections are blinde coecae potentiae and those gain'd they win the understanding to them by
world will make men embrace errour in stead of truth as you sadly see in Spira There is no cause can be sure of them whom either money or honour can buy out such men they are only this way till they can mend their wages As they say the winde it follows the abundance of exhalations so they follow that way where most abundance of profit He that will serve God for a little will serve the devil for more he will be any way where most wages may be had There are indeed four sorts of men who will never hold to truth or any cause of God 1. Ignorant persons such as know not truth we must first know and prove before we can hold fast the Apostle tels us so Prove all things and hold fast that which is good When men are ignorant and know not what is truth how can they hold to it 2. Unsound hearted persons Apostasie and hypocrisie like the Symbolicall qualities one quickly slides into the other It is an easie matter to make him an Apostate who is first an Hypocrite An Hypocrite is but an Apostate vailed and an Apostate an hypocrite revealed One vertually and in causis the other actually and in effectis 3. A lover of the world The love of money will cause to erre from the faith saith Paul Demas was a sad example of that he forsooke Christ and embraced this present world he went to be an Idol priest at Thessalonica as Dorotheus saith There is no cause can be sure of those whom either money or honour can buy out such men they are only this way till they can mend their wages 4. Cowardly and fearfull spirited men The fear of men will worke a snare Prov. 29.25 And this is one snare it will not only make men shie of truth with Nicodemus but baulk decline suppresse nay fall to errour and forsake truth A fearfull man will never be a faithfull man it s all one to trust a coward and a traitor he that is the first will quickly be made the second Fear will undoe him as it hath done many To conclude this is certaine who ever is under the command of any lust truth hath no command over him he that is given up to any sinne will quickly be given up to errour too And thus you see who those are who are in danger to be carried away with errour And how much this Nation nay every one of us are guilty of these sinnes you will know if you doe but impartially looke over them 1. We have not retained the notions of God in holy hearts 2. Nor received truths with love 3. Nor walked sutable to truths revealed 4. We have adhered to truth for partiall respects 5. We are not grounded in truth 6. We have rejected truth on corrupt grounds 7. We have been servants to the world and how just it is with God thereupon to give us up to wayes of errour I have already shewed you to conclude then if you would be established in these times let it be your care 1. To get into Covenant with God Jer. 31.34 2. Get to be his childe Isa 54.13 3. Get to be his friend Joh. 15.15 4. Get the Spirit of Christ Joh. 16.13 5. Be willing to embrace truth revealed and practise truth received Hos 6.3 Joh. 7.17 6. Be humble Psal 25.11 7. Entertain truth into thy heart 1. Truth 2. All truth 3. As truth 4. And with love of the truth 2 Thess 2.10 And thus much for the fourth Question We are now come to the fift and grand Question Qu. 5. Qu. 5. The grand Question is What may be the Examens of truth and errour I say What are the Examens of opinions or the tryals and discoveries of truth and error In the handling of this in regard it is the main of all I shall take more liberty to be larger And we shall breake this into these foure Quaeries 1. Who are to examine opinions 2. By what rule or by what touch-stone we are to examine 3. Who is to judge of them 4. By what markes or signes may a man be able to distinguish truth from errour and discover errour from truth We shall now begin with the first And that is a maine inquiry viz. 1. Who those are who are to examine And if you aske the judgement of the Papists in this point they will tell you that none are to examine or judge of opinions or controversies but only the Church that is a Synod of Bishops or an Assembly of Roman Prelates This is their tenent that what ever the Prelates doe define in cause of faith that ought to be beleeved and received of all Christians without any examination or doubt Bellarm. hath this passage * Ecclesia non potest errare in explicanda â—octrina fidei Christiani tenentur eam recipere non dubitare an haec ita se habent debet Christianus sine examine recipere doctrinam Ecclesiae the Church cannot erre in unfolding the doctrine of faith and all Christians are bound to receive their determinations without any doubt whether they be true or not A little further he saith Every Christian ought without any examination to receive the doctrine of the Church that is that doctrine those prescriptions and definitions which they shall stablish And he gives one reason because what they doe establish and prescribe to others they doe it not as teachers but as Judges He hath these words It is one thing to interpret the rule after the manner of a teacher another thing to interpret it after the manner of a Judge to the explanation of it after the manner of a teacher there is required only learning and knowledge but to the explanation of it after the manner of a judge there is required authority The doctor doth not propound his sentence as necessary to be followed but as reason doth perswade but the judge propounds it as necessary to be followed Augustine and the rest of the Fathers had but the office of teachers Aliud est interpretari legem more doctoris aliud more judicis c. Bellar. Tum doctrinam ex Dâ—o esse sat is inrelligium cuÌ„ a legitimo pastore proponi eam animad vertimus c. Greg. de Vol. but Councells and Bishops in Convention have the office of Judges thus he So that you see this is their opinion 1. That Christians are to receive all the explanations and definitions of the Church touching doctrine of Faith without any Examination and doubt 2. That the Church doth interpret the Law of God or scripture not after the manner of a Doctor or Teacher but a Judge or a Supreame and absolute Prince who requires obedience not so farre as law and reason perswades but for his authority 3. That this Church to which they give this absolute Empire over Christians is nothing else but an Assembly of Roman Bishops You see he speakes high and yet some goe farther then this One of them hath
that which is good 1 Joh. 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone forth into the world So that you see the truth clear in Scripture That it is the duty of every one to examine not only private opinions but even the sentences definitions and determinations of Synods of Councels themselves and to receive them and reject them as they are evident to be agreeable and consonant or dissonant and contrary to the Word of God But against these places the Papists object Object That those commands of proving Praedicta mandata non ad omnes sed ad Doctores pertinent Bellarm. examining and trying of opinions doe belong unto the Doctors and Steers-men of the Church and not to all Answ First for that place in Matth. 24.4 though it may seem to be spoken to the Disciples yet are others alike concerned in it if the Disciples were to take heed much more others if the Disciples were in danger of seduction much more are others also who wanted that knowledge that light and illumination which they had And therefore there was greater necessity that ordinary men should take heed For the other place in the 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things It seems clearly that the Apostle did rather speak to the people then their Pastors for having before exhorted them to the due respect of those who were set over them vers 12. and that they should not despise prophesying he comes to admonish them that they doe not give too much as well as too little To despise prophesying is to give too little and to take all is said upon trust is to give too much It is to set up men in Gods steed It is to make masters of your faith in earth and therefore he exhorts prove all things and hold fast to that which is good And for that place in the 1 Joh. 4.1 It is evident the Apostle spake to believers in generall First in respect of his appellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children which appellation better suits with thâ— people then with the Doctors And secondly because he chargeth them concerning such as were teachers there are many false Prophets gone out and therefore take heed this seems the ground of his exhortation because there were many false teachers therefore they were to beware So that you see it 's clear in Scripture that it is the duty of believers to examine c. We will now come to the second thing propounded viz. confirm it by Arguments and we will put these Scriptures into an Argument which shall be the first Arg. If every beleeving Chistian be commanded of God to take heed to prove to try to examine doctrines then God would not have us to take things of trust to submit to the definitions and determinations of men the best of men without examination and search but this is the command of God to all Christians as I have shewed therefore All the doubt lyes in the consequence that if we be commanded to prove and try all things then God would not have us submit to any thing but upon examination and search And this is plaine for if we are to swallow all if we are to receive what ever is offer'd if we are to take all upon trust It is then impossible that ever we should doe these duties of proving and trying and examining before we embrace and therefore seeing God would have us to doe the one certainely God would have us to doe the other also viz. to examine things before we doe embrace them Obj. But this is spoken of doubtfull doctrine for that only needs tryall and proving but the doctrine which is commended by them who are in authority is manifestly good therefore are we to receive it without tryall this is Bellarmines Ans Were the doctrine that were prescribed good in it selfe yet if not evidently good it could not be received and it cannot be evidently good till it is evidenced to me to be established upon the Word and this cannot be till it have passed a scrutiny till with the Bereans we have search't whether these things are so or no Act. 17.11 This is certain doctrins may not be in se dubiae in themselves doubtfull and yet auditoribus dubiae incertae doubtfull to the people I say they may not be doubtfull in themselves and yet they may be doubtfull and incertaine to us and therefore we are not able to receive them though cleare in themselves and to others if not cleared to us And they cannot be cleare to us till we have tryed and examined them The doctrine that the disciples preached to the Bereans it was cleare in it selfe but yet it was not cleare to them till they had searched and examined it And if the doctrine of the Apostles were subject to tryall and they commended for their scrutiny and tryall of it much more any doctrine of man or any prescriptions of meere men and they deserve no lesse commendation who will take pains in the scrutiny and search of it 2. To the second part of the Objection viz. That the Doctrine commended by them in authority is manifestly good you know this is built upon a false foundation they say Councels and Synods are infallible they have an unerring spirit and therefore they say all their conclusions are good But we say Councels and Synods may erre * Et errore pâ—sse errasse coÌ„cilia certum est That Councels may that Councels have erred is certain and therefore their results in stead of being manifestly good may be evidently bad witnesse the results of the Councel of Neocaesariensis Doctores in Synodis congregati vel concilia sive particularia sive generalia sinâ— uti saepiuâ— in rebus fidei errarunt itâ— etiâ—â—num errare possunt Misner Praesbyteris in nuptiis bigami prandere non convenit quia cum poenitentia bigamus egeat quis erit Praesbyter qui propter convivium talibus nuptiis possu praebere consensum Post consecrationem corpus sanguis Christi est sensualiter in sacramentis manibus sacerdotum tractotur c. Confess Berenger errat apud Gratianum de Consecrat distinct cap 2. Consul Daven de judice normâ fidei p 136 usque ad p 142. Consul Misner de ecclesia pag. 615. usque ad pag. 744. which condemned second-marriages as a great sinne And the Roman Councel approved on by Nicolaus the 2d who concluded the reall presence in the Sacrament and in as grosse a manner as ever was viz. that after the consecration the body and bloud of Christ was sensually in the Sacrament handled by the hands of the Priests torn in peeces with the teeth of believers The like I might shew of the Councel of Laterens which is said for the greatnes of it to be an oecumenicall generall Councel who put in this as an Article into the Creed to believe that Christs body and bloud were
of touch in application we come now to the Query Qu. 3. If the Scripture be the Rule God in Scripture Judge yet the great Question is Who shall judge that this is Gods minde in Scripture Here lies all the controversie There is great cause of propounding this Question in regard that the Scriptures they are not in all things so clear but that you see they are capable of many interpretations Capable I say not that these divers senses doe arise from the nature of the things affirmed or from the minde and intention of the declarer but from the ignorance or perverseness of the searchers and inquirers as was said before There is nothing more known then that there are divers senses various interpretations of the same Word of God of the same texts in Scripture Had it never been known before yet our daies had given us plentifully sad experience of it which is the root of all the divisions and differences among the people of God The Papists indeed have a way for union though not Gods way they take away from the people first the Scriptures and then the judgement of discretion or rationall judgement and give them no power to examine and try their Councels sentences determinations but contrarily tell them they are bound with implicite faith and blinde obedience to submit to and receive the doctrines and determinations of the Church and their safety lies in submitting their judgements to their guides though they lead them in a way of errour not considering that which Christ saith If the blinde doe lead the blinde they shall both fall into the ditch Thus they doe they take away the Scriptures from them the light of the Sunne and then put out their eyes too take from them a common and rationall light tell them they have no power to examine their sentences and determinations and then they bid them follow them in the dark give up their faith and consciences to be ruled and guided by them thus after they have made them as beasts they put them under the yoak and deal with them as beasts And now when they have done this they boast of the unity that is among them and tell us they are all of one minde they are not divided into so many factions and different opinions as Protestants are Indeed they have a blinde agreement The Protestant Churches goe not this way for to bring men to union they render us the Scriptures in our own tongue Whitak cont 3. q. 6. Daven de judic nor fidei p. 110 111 112. c. 136 142. they tell us it is our duty to search and examine them they tell us that Councels are not infallible that every Christian hath the judgement of discretion and is bound to try all things they tell us that we are not bound to submit to the determinations of any no further then they shall be made evident to be consonant and agreeable to the Word of God Consul Whitak cont 1. q. 5. c 8. Mort. Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c 11 12. And if this occasion difference which it doth not of it self yet it is better knowingly to differ then brutishly to agree It is better to differ as men nay as Christians for so we doe in a kinde every one holds forth light and conscience to be the ground of difference though this conscience may be misled and this light may be darknesse I say it is better to differ as men as Christians then to agree as beasts if we differ we differ Christianly if they agree they agree brutishly A conscientious dissent is better then a blinde union if the one be ours I am sure the other is theirs But I am too injurious to you We will come to the Question Qu. The Scripture is granted to be the rule whereby we are to try opinions and God in Scripture is agreed to be the supreme Judge of them But here is the Question who shall judge that this is the meaning of the spirit that this is the minde of God in Scripture It is granted * Scriptura est sui ipsâ—m interpres Whit. cont 1. q. 5. cap. 13. Scriptura se clarissimè laculentissimè interpretatur si nos ScripturaÌ„ sese interpretantem attendere volumus si non in omnibus ubique locis ficut dubitationis â—ihil relinquatur tamen in pâ—urimis maximeque necessariis in sum mis fidei nostrae capitibus Whitak loc cit Consul Paâ—k l. 2. c. 2 p. â— 151 152. Mort Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c. 9. Scriptura eam stidiosè perscrutantibus est sui interpres Consul Dave de judic ac nor fidei c c. 17. q 4. p. 95 96. c. Vâ—de Whitak cont 3. q 6. An Concilia possint errare per totam quaestionem that the Scriptures are the best interpreters of themselves and thither all must goe for the discovery of the truth or falshood of opinions not only private men but Synods and Councels if they speak not according to this Word it is because the truth is not in them And there are eight severall Rules laid down by that learned Whitaker which if they were observed by all in the tryall of opinions and searching out the minde of God in Scripture abundance of controversies would come to a fair end you may peruse them in his 1. Cont. q. 5. cap. 9. de medijs inveniendi verum Scripturae sensum But it will be said if every man is to be Judge then so many men so many mindes there will be nothing but differences divisions and confusions If it be said a Synod or a Councell are to judge then are men either to submit to their sentences and determinations before they have examined them or they are to examine them before they submit to them If we say the first that we are to submit to them before or without examination then doe men give up their faith and consciences to men and yeeld implicite faith and blinde obedience to humane authority If we say the second that we are to examine before we are to submit which certainly is the truth no Councell upon earth is infallible if not infallible it may erre if it may erre then certainly there is a liberty left for every one to examine and if a liberty to examine then the like liberty to assent or dissent from their determinations as they shall be made evident to his own understanding and conscience to be consonant or dissonant to the Word of God the supreme Judge of doctrine But I am not in this Question to deal with the consequences or the severall inferences that will be made upon the answer of it I have reserved that to the next which is the sixth generall Question viz. What are the remedies against errours and erronious opinions I shall therefore at this time only lay down the answer and so passe on Qu. The Question is who is to judge that this is the minde of
God in Scripture And here I must tell you it is a knotty Question and of great concernment the issues may be dangerous on both sides if the results be that Synods are to judge it will be said there will be danger of subjecting mens consciences to the determinations of men if that every one are to doe it then will there be danger of confusion It is a tickle point and more need of your prayers for Gods assistance Now then for the answers of this Question that I may not beat the air and speak at randome there will be a necessity of premising some distinctions 1. Concerning Judges 2. Concerning points to be judged 1. Concerning Judges As we say of judgement so we may say of Judges There is a two-fold judgment and there are two-fold Judges 1. There is a two-fold judgement 1. Ministeriall 2. Rationall Judgment Reynolds in his conference with Hart cap 2. div 2 p. 100. midle of it Or there is 1. A Judgement in foro externo or publico a publike and authoritative judgement in Synods Councels Assemblies 2. There is a judgement in foro interno or privato a private and self-directive judgement in the Court of conscience And this distinction is founded upon the Word of God it hath footing there The first viz. Ministeriall judgement or that publike authoritative decision in Councels or Synods you may see it plain to have its footing in the Word of God Look to Act. 15. here was the occasion of this convention much trouble of the Churches concerning some difficult points and errours spread ver 2. then here 's messengers sent from the Churches and here 's the matter of a Synod Apostles and Elders of severall Churches here 's the forme assembling together here 's the end of it after much debate to clear and settle the truth Act. 15. â—8 Act. 16.4 here was the determination of the doubt with authority to binde the Churches For the 2d viz. private rationall or self-directive judgement in the Court of conscience I have clear'd that to you by many Scriptures 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good which I have shewed you to be a charge to all Christians 1 Joh 4.1 Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God yea or no And the example of the Bereans who were yet commended for trying and examining the doctrines of the Apostles themselves Act. 17.11 the Apostle injoyns us Let every man be fully perswaded in his own minde Ro. 14.5 And if so then is he to examine and judge And great reason for this will not bear us out to say that Authority commanded a Councel determined it and therefore I obeyed I submitted the Papists indeed say this will bear a man out in a way of errour but Christ saith If the blinde leade the blinde they shall both fall into the ditch And the Apostle tels us that wâ—ll not excuse us that we followed the determinations of Councels of Synods For every man shall bear his own burthen Gal. 6.5 Nay and every man shall give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 So that you see this distinction of ministeriall and rationall publike and private judgment and Judges is founded in the Word of God We come to the second and that is to distinguish of points to be judged they are not all alike I will give you these distinctions of doctrine to be judged 1. Some are Doctrines of faith Some are Doctrines of worship And both these admit of their severall distinctions too 1. The doctrines of faith they are either such as are Fundamentall or Superstructive Doctrines I say these are either foundation-truths or building-truths And building-truths are such as are either More necessary or Accessory Accessory truths are such as are either More Evident and clear Or More Ambiguous and doubtfull Those more ambiguous and doubtfull are so either In themselves or To us 2. The Doctrines of Worship and those are such as concern Either 1. Internall worship and so they come under the Doctrines of faith 2. Externall and so they fall under the externall regiment or government of the Church The Doctrines of externall worship are either Essentiall or Circumstantiall Essentiall are those things which belong to the distinction of offices the choice of Officers and execution of them c. Circumstantiall are such as may be added for order for the commodity and profit of the people viz. time place hours In disciplina ecclesiastica distinguamâ—â— ea qua sunt fundamentalia ab accessoriis levioribus fundamentalia sunt haec ut legitimae vocationes personaruÌ„ retineantuâ— veluti pastores presbyteri diaconi ut ij legitime electi suo munere fungantur vel dâ—ponantur removeantur Accessoria dico quae ut haec fiant observentur in ecclesia quaque pro teÌ„pore c. Danaeus in 1 Tim. 5.13 p. 289. with such like And that these distinctions also are founded upon the Word of God I might shew you at large The distinctions of Doctrines of faith and worship they are the summe of Christian Religion Fides cultus faith and worship are the two generall heads of Christian Religion spread thorow the whole Scripture And concerning the Doctrines of faith the distinction of foundation and building-doctrines you may see plain 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12. I have laid the foundation but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ There is the great foundation-truth Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble Here are building-truths of which there is distinction some precious stones some gold some but silver The hay and stubble are errours and erroneous doctrines built upon a good foundation bad consequences drawn from good conclusions bad superstructions upon a good foundation So that you see there is footing for those distinctions I might shew the like of the Doctrines of worship those that are Essentiall and those that are Circumstantiall This distinction hath also countenance in the Word of God And for the Essentials of discipline there is mention made in the Word but for the other they are left to the prudence and wisdom of the Churches And now having propounded these necessary distinctions I come to the Answer of the Question Who is to judge of Gods minde in the Word And here we must runne over all the distinctions we have named There will be need of all for the clearing of the point First I told you that there was a ministeriall publike and authoritative judgement and there was a rationall * Dantur errores duplices quidam sunt fundamentales quâ—â—â— ipsum fidei fundamentum consequenter salutis aeternae possessio tollitur quidam sunt mâ—â—us principales non tam de fiâ—e quam circa fidem quibus nec ipsum fundamentum destruitur nec salutis adeptio anceps
you study if you examine and be faithfull in your scrutiny God will reveal them to you also at least so much as is for your comfort and chearfull walking in the waies of God Fourthly I told you that accessory truths were either such as were evident and clear or such as were doubtfull and obscure The Question needs not to be asked of the first of these for those that are evident and clear of themselves every Christian may judge of But the Question will be of obscure and doubtfull truths * See Mast Reynolds on the 110 Psa p. 273 274. Of those which are doubtfull some are obscure respectu objecti rejectu subjecti Some are obscure in themselves and some are obscure not in themselves but to us If the Question be of such as are obscure in themselves who shall judge of Gods minde in them I say there are some truths which are beyond the fathom of the tallest understanding there are certain Abysses and depths that no man is able to sound no finite understanding can determine See Reynolds conf with Hart. p. 96 97 98. here we must fall down and adore fall down and admire the doctrine of the Trinity and of the Vnity of divine essence in the Trinity of persons the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ the hypostaticall Vnion of natures in one Person the doctrine of Predestination of the Jews rejection which was a depth to the Apostle himself over which he cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.33 34. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out for who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Councellour In other truths such as were necessary the Apostle when he makes the same Query he gives this answer But we have the minde of Christ as you may see in 1 Cor. 2.16 Who hath known the minde of the Lord that he may instruct him or who hath been his Counsellour We have here the same Query but not the same answer he answers this Query We have the minde of Christ which is to be understood in things necessary In the other you see he makes the Question and leaves it without answer only cries out Oh the depth of the wisdome So that if the Question be of Doctrines in themselves obscure It is beyond man to fathom faith is our best understanding admiring and adoring our best knowledge But now if the Question be of such truths that are not obscure in themselves but obscure to us not to all but to some which are therefore obscure by reason of the imperfection of our knowledge c. It is the office of the Ministers of the Gospel to preach them and reveal them of Synods and Councels to declare them and of every Christian to study them to examine to search them out There are four waies that we are to goe in the finding out of truths doubtfull 1. Look into the harmony of Scripture see what the agreement what the concord of the Word of God will doe to help thee Consul Whitak cont 1 q 5. c. â— ubi de mediis inveniendi verum Scripturarum sensum Scripturae Scripturis conferendae fi quid in Scripturis recte intell gere volumus See â—eynolds c. 2. divis 2. p. 95 96. Faâ—eamur ergo necessâ— est justificationis nomen variè sumi nisi velimus exisâ—mare Apostolos à se dissentire pugnantia enunciare apud Jacobum ergo justificari idem valet quod justum declarari ac demonstrari apud Paulum verò justificari idem est quod à peccatis omnibus absolvi justumque apud Deum reputari Whitak loco citat many things seem to be truths if you look on one text alone that yet if you did but look upon the harmony of the Word would thereby be discovered to be errours For example St James saith Chap. 2. ver 21. Abraham was justified by works now if you look no further it holds forth this that we are justified by works for as the father of the faithfull was justified so all the children all believers must be justified and is this a truth then Certainly no. Why but how shall we know it we must compare Scripture with Scripture as for example in this point compare this place of James with Rom. 4.2 3. If Abraham were justified by works he had then somewhat whereof to glory for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousnesse and therefore the one speaks of justification before men the other of justification before God the one of justification properly the other of declarative justification Study the harmony of Scripture see how one Scripture agrees with another and how this doctrine agrees with all Rom. 12 6 Analogia fidei nihil aliud est quam constans perpetua sententia Scripturae in apertis minimâ— obscuris locis quales sunt Articuli fidei in symbolo quaesque continentur in oratione dominica in decalogo c. Consul Whitak loc citat 2. Look upon the Analogie of faith whatsoever doctrine either directly or by way of immediate consequence opposeth the Analogie of faith is to be rejected as contrary to the platform of wholsome words that 's another way to finde out truth in doubtfull cases See the Analogie of faith look over your Creed the Lords prayer crooked things are discerned by bringing them to straight c. Many Doctrins would be found erroneous if they were but brought to the Analogie of faith That doctrine of Transubstantiation or rather monster of opinions which they would seem to build on Scripture This is my Body if it were but brought to the Analogie of faith you shall see at once it overthrows four severall Articles 1. The incarnation of Christ 2. His ascension 3. His sitting at the right-hand of God 4. His comming to Judgement for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread and in so many places at one time how can all this be The Doctrine of Christs kingdom and visible glory before the day of Judgement it seems to contradict another part of it he is gone to heaven sits at the right-hand of God and from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead So that nothing is between his sitting in heaven and his comming to judgement Alsted and therefore those that most rationally hold it doe say this Kingdom shall be in tempore judicij the time of judgement the Jews conversion and the fulness of the Gentiles are to be the morning of it 3. Look upon the concordant confessions of the Churches of Christ in all ages here is another way and certainly it doth afford a great deal of light and help in points and cases doubtfull this is not to submit my judgement and faith unto any authority of man but to goe to them who excell to be helpers
to my faith and understanding M. Reynolds 110. Psal 273 274. Whitak cent 1. Jam. 1.5 Dixit aliquis patruÌ„ se orando magis quaÌ„ studeÌ„do ac legendo in cognitioneÌ„ Scripturarum prosecisse Aug in l. Scal para c 2. Orationi lectio lectioni succedar oratio Hieron ad Lâ—tam The Church of God is called The pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.16 not that which gives being to truth nor that which gives authority to truth but the Church is the depository of truth the orb out of which this glorious light shineth the Candle-stick which holds the light the pillar not so much to hold up as to hold forth truth as the Law and Proclamation of Christ it doth not hold up the authority of it but bear witnesse to that authority in it 4. The fourth way is to goe to God by prayer and desire him who is the father of light to reveal the way of truth to thee Jam. 1.5 Are such and such things doubtfull Thou lookest upon many opinions abroad and thou art brought to a stand thou knowest not what to determine the cases are very doubtfull goe and strip thy self maked of self of by-ends of corrupt affections unbiasse thy self denude thy self before God and desire him to reveal his will to thee begg of him that he would lead thee into the way of all truth tell him he hath ingaged himself to teach thee he hath promised we shall all be taught of God he hath said He will lead us into the way of all truth urge God with his promise believe it conclude it either God will reveal it to thee or it is not necessary it should be known Cum Petro dicendum ediscere nobis Paraholam istam Hier. Non solum stuatuÌ„ nobis adhibeÌ„dum esse ad discendas literas sacras ve um supplicandum Domino diebus ac noctibus obsecrandum ut veniat agnus de tribu Iuda ipse accipiens librum signatum dignetur aperire Orig. Hom. 12. in Exo Cons Whit. p 397. Whitgift p. 3. p 77 81 82 83 84. Hooker l. 3. Sect. 2. Sutclive tract de dis c. 1. p. 5 Heb. 3.2 Cons Park l 2 c 39. per totum We read in Revel 5 9. That when John saw the book was clasped he fals down and weeps bitterly and then Christ comes and opens and unclasps the book thus let us doe are opinions doubtfull is the book clasped canst thou not read Gods minde in these and these things Oh fall down weep to him pray to him either I say again God will unclasp the book either he will unfold the doubt or assure thy self it is not necessary to be known And thus we come from the distinctions of the doctrine of faith to those we named of the doctrine of worship These I told you were either such as did concern internall worship of which I shall not speak or such as did concern externall worship viz. the outward Regiment of the Church of God in the world And I told you the doctrines of Gods externall worship were either such as were essential or such as were circumstantiall only Now if the Question be asked who shall judge of Gods minde in Scripture concerning the essentials of government It is hard to tell you who shall resolve you 1. Some say that doctrine only is contain'd in the Word and not discipline and that there is no particular and absolute form expresly prescribed in the Word nor yet any that can be made out of the word they lay this as a charge upon those who hold the contrary that they make Christ a Law-giver to his Church and do put no difference between Christ and Moses Indeed they may seem to come under a charge who make that comparison between Christ and Moses and say that as Moses had order for every pin in the tabernacle So Christ unlesse he was lesse exact then Moses and took lesse care of his Church under the new Testament then under the old left certain Rules for the ordering and regulating of all particulars in the Church of God an opinion very high and an expression very harsh 2. Others say there is a discipline in the Word but it is only morall not ecclesiasticall If that will not doe some goe farther and say there is an ecclesiasticall teaching but not an ecclesiasticall governing-discipline in the Word 3. Others say there are some foot-steps and rules of an ecclesiasticall Discipline in the Word Sutclive ib. but they are rather described then prescribed and those are neither perfect to which nothing may not be added nor immutable of which nothing can be altered but may be modified and tempered to the severall constitutions and tempers of States Kingdoms and Common-wealths as shall be seen convenient 4. Others say there are Essentials of government in the Word though not the circumstantials Danaeus in 1 Tim. 3.15 p. 169. etiam in 1 Tim. 5.13 p. 289. there are rules laid down for those things of chief concernment though not for things of a lesser and inferiour moment but amongst these here is this controversie whether those rules as touching essentials are immutable and unchangeable or whether they may be altered and changed according to the will of man and tempers of states 5. Others say there is a certain exact entire form of government prescribed in the Word of God and that not determined ad hic nunc to the Apostles daies the times of persecution and gathering of Churches but to be an unchangeable ordinance for the governing of Christs Church till his comming again And what that particular form is there is as much controversie one saith one another saith another Certainly if there be such an exact way in the Word its strange it cannot be found it 's a wonder it cannot be made out if it be it is no lesse wonder that those who are willing to open their eyes broad to let in light cannot yet be able to see To most men it appears a dark controversie and that there is not much in the Word to discover it if there be a great deal seems to be buried up in the dark and cannot be clearly made out It was once the speech of one that God had done by the externall government of the Church as he did by the body of Moses he hid it lest men should make an idoll of it Some doubt whether there be any such thing or no Cons Park l. 2. c. 41 42 43. others say if there be it s in the dark it 's hid but whether it be so or no this I am sure of it s made an Idol of men make that all and all the heats of their hearts are turn'd to contentions of the head I may say this controversie hath wrought more division in the hearts of Saints one towards another and more separation one from another and keeps them at greater distance in all the offices of love and hath more taken
this time with Commission to preach and instruct men in waies of worship to reveal to men the truth and prepare mens hearts that so when things come to be setled we might not if possible have any to yeeld to things with implicit faith and blinde obedience It was the practice of good Hezekiah when he restored the worship of God 2 Chron. 29. beg he sent out Posts like to Evangelists to prepare the people and to humble them for their revoltings and to reduce them to the worship of God And if this be not done 2 Chro 29. beg compared with the 2 Chro. 30.6 7. we may fear either great opposition in men or else blinde submission and implicit obedience 2. Or the multitude adheres to doctrines out of corrupt ends As the Ivy adheres to the tree not because it loves the tree but because the tree feeds it with berries and leaves it adheres to it for its own advantage because out of it it may suck berries So doe most men adhere to Religion and doctrine Or as the winde follows the abundance of exhalations So they go where there is the most advantage to be got indeed innumerable are the corrupt ends that corrupt minded men propound to themselves in the entertaining doctrine some out of fear others out of faction a third for repute the most for profit and advantage all speak this language Who will shew us any good It was the great Argument of the Craftsmen of Diana why they adhered to that Idolatry By this craft we have all our gain And it is a great motive to a carnall heart he that hath no principle of motion and life within he either stands still or is moved with the crowd or if he have any motion of his own something without him is the spring of it The multitude is a great body and a dull body and indeed hath no motions of it 's own it is carried about meerly with weights and the great weights are outward things which taken off there is no motion at all they are like the dead sea and cannot stirre So that you see if we goe about to take up our judgement of truth or errour from the multitude of them who adhere to it how dangerous it is to be mistaken 3. If by multitude be meant the greater number of holy and learned men in the Church of God I say then this is a probable signe though no infallible evidence that the opinion held forth is a truth 1. I say it is a probable signe I have told you God doth never desert his people in necessary essentiall truths He hath promised they shall be taught of God and they have an unction of the holy One whereby they know all things that is all things necessary to salvation And for accessory and circumstantiall truths It is a probable signe that the things which upon impartiall search and debate they hold forth are truths though it be not sufficient for us to conclude them so because they have determined so but we are to examine and search whether they be so or no. I say it is a probable signe but we are not to submit to it as their judgement but are to see the judgement of God in them Cons Park l. 2 c. 11. de authoritate PatruÌ„ not to conclude our selves upon the authority of men unlesse we see the authority of God in them 2. Though it be a probable signe yet it is not an infallible evidence We all know that godly and learned men have yet much darknesse in their understanding they doe but know in part none can plead an unerring spirit none are infallible I have shewed you that Synods and Councels may erre What David confessed he spake in haste we may speak upon best deliberation so farre as men All men are liars As the learnedst men have darknesse in their understanding so they have corruption in their hearts there is self and pride and corrupt aims and ends which may creep into the hearts of the best And how farre God may suffer men to be byassed by these things it is not for man to determine how farre corrupt aims and ends may winde themselves into the heart and bribe a mans understanding or blinde his sight it is not for man to judge they who are most acquainted with their hearts doe finde cause enough to be jealous and suspect them yea and upon known experience And therefore though the multitude of godly and learned men concurring in an opinion to be a truth though it may be a probablâ— signe yet can be no infallible evidence that what they hold forth is a truth I say it is no concluding evidence There may be cases wherein one man may be in the truth and yet many godly and learned men may be in an errour * Vnâ—â— Puphnutius toâ—um Concilium Nicaâ—â—um direxit Niceph. l. 8 c. 19. Eliâ—s nuâ—s erat sed totus mundus non erat dignus qui rependeretur ipsi Chr. One Paphnutius was in the truth when the whole Councel of Nice were in an errour they were learned men and it appears they were godly by their humble submitting of themselves to better reason though but one man brought it they were not so partiall as to adhere to their own votes nor were they so proud as not to recede from their opinions and be concquered by truth nor did they stand upon their number when they saw truth against them One naked truth should conquer them and make them throw down their weapons and one man having truth with him should be too big for that great Assembly they did not plead their number their votes and the multitude which adhered to them but as men that came to search out truth not victory they yeelded up themselves to the power and conquest of it A mighty argument of their humility and sincerity Indeed we are not to measure truth by the number of votes but by the authorities of Scripture a Nos numero sen â—enitam noÌ„ metimur Verâ—tas numero non astimatur vel unuâ— qui veritatem habet sufficienter munitur adversus totum mundum Mat. D. White de eccl l. 30 p. 127. Whit. cont 2. q. 5. c. 5. We doe not judge of truth by the number of men though a man be alone yet if he have the truth with him he is sufficiently armed against the whole world One Micheas having the truth with him was too hard for the 400. Prophets who were in an errour 1 King 22.15 Indeed it is not impossible that one man should be in the truth and many in an errour nor is it absurd to prefer the judgment of one man in the truth before many in an errour It was well spoken of Augustine a Si justus es noli numerare sed appende stateram afferaequaÌ„ non dolesaÌ„ Aug. in Ps 39. If thou would passe right judgment of an opinioÌ„ do not number but weigh weigh not in the false
the sword of the Spirit the power of Excommunication John Bapt. 63 p. Another also who writes for the same We grant it evident that the power of redressing emerging enormities in a Church in every kinde is committed by Christ to every particular Church respectively within it self and so they ought to be cut off by that particular Church that is troubled by them if there be no remedy otherwise By all which you see it is evident upon the confession of all That God hath not left his Church without some means for the suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons That if a man be obstinate in his opinion and will not be reclaimed he may he ought to be cast out of the Church whereof he is a member And thus we have finished the first judiciall means for the suppressing of errour 2. Means to suppres errour viz. Synodicall we are now come to the second judiciall or authoritative means for the suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons which I told you was Synodicall if fraternall if pastorall if Congregationall means have been used and those found insufficient and too short there is yet another means which God hath ordain'd and set up in his Churches more powerfull and effectuall then the former and that we call a Synod or combination of Churches which was appointed by Christ practised by the Apostles continued by their successours for 300. years before ever there was any Christian Emperour or any other means and assistances to the Church for thâ—â—e ends And indeed the light of Nature the equity of rules and examples in Scripture do teach That particular Churches may Amos Medul l. 1. c. 39. ib. 17. and ought often to enter into a mutuall confederation and consociation among themselves in Classes and Synods that they may use common consent and mutuall help in those things especially which are of greater moment and beyond the power of particular Congregations to determine and conclude In the Discourse upon which that I may the more avoid all Collaterall and impertinent controversies and disputes and speak to it mainly as it relates to the Question propounded I shall restrain my Discourse to these four particulars 1. I shall shew you what a Synod is 2. That God hath ordain'd and set up this as a means for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons 3. That this means hath been blessed of God with power and efficacy for such ends 4. What is the power wherewith God hath endued and enabled it to be subservient to these ends The great burthen of the Discourse will lie upon the last And therefore I shall be briefer upon the rest Quest 1. What a Synod is It is a consociation or combination of Churches in their officers and delegates conveened in the Name and authority of Christ to determine according unto Scripture all controversies of doctrine government manners for the comfort peace and order of the Churches 1. In which description you have 1. What it is It is a consociation or union of Churches One Church cannot make a Synod a Synod is a Collection a combination of Churches There is a two-fold Church 1. Ecclesia prima 2. Ecclesia orta A prime Church and a Church arising out of the prime Churches 1. * Collectio singulorum fidelium in unum congregationeÌ„ gâ—neralâ— nomine eâ—clesia dicitur The prime Church is a collection of divers faithfull persons into one Congregation and in a generall name is called a Church 2. The Church arising from the prime * Ecclesia oâ—ta est â—ollâ—ctio coâ—binatio EcclesiaruÌ„ primaâ—um plurium in unum coetuÌ„ appellatur Synodus It is a collection or combination of more Churches into one Assembly and it is called a Synod So there is the nature of a Synod It is a consociation of Churches 2. You have in the definition the persons whereof a Synod is constituted or made and that is not of all the members of every Church but of officers and delegates or persons chosen out and sent by the Churches Indeed no faithfull persons who desire are excluded a liberty or presence of reasoning or speaking provided they doe it orderly and wisely but they are not there as partes constituentes as constituting parts or members of such an Assembly they are there rather by permission then by commission as consenters not determiners and rather spectatours auditours witnesses then as officers Yet it will be easily granted and Act. 15. seems to hold forth some footsteps of it 1. That the brethren by a solemn Church-act should designe and choose their officers and commissioners they send thither So you see they did at Antioch Act. 15.2 they send the whole Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 determined they made a Church-ordinance to send Paul and Barnabas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And certain others of them to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem 2. That the severall Churches should have liberty to convey with them whom they have chosen their burthens doubts scandals and desires and so you see in Act. 15.2 they sent their doubts with the persons they determined they should go up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about this Question not that this was the only end of their going to have the Question resolved or that this was the only subject of the Apostles disputes and determinations In the 6. verse It is said the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this matter not only of the Question but of the scandall the rent and division among them and how to heal that as well as remove the scandall And their determinations make it plain ver 22 23 24. 3. The brethren especially such as are most eminent among the brethren and others so farre as the conveniency of the place and other circumstances will admit have a liberty of presence to hear the debates and take notice how things are transacted in the Synod This is seen in the 12. vers of that Chapter 4. These brethren may have liberty of speech in case they dâ—sire it or if interessed and concerned more especially in the determinations of the Synod There is something of this in the 7. and 12. verses of that Chapter 5. Their approbations and concurrence may be desired to the results and determinations of the Synod and that they might joyn in consent and handing them to the Churches for the more receptive entertainment of them Relique ecclesiae hanc non secus ac matrem colebant Calv in Act. 15.2 Thus you see it was in that Synod vers 22 23. Though indeed there be not so great reason for other Churches concurrence as there was here for Jerusalem because this was the most eminent Church and of great esteem and account among the Churches of Christ consisting of many eminent members able to be teachers to others and therefore there was some more reason why their concurrence might be desired But
we passe this and we come to the third thing in the description 3. You have the form of this Convention expressed in these words Met together in the Name and Authority of Christ As he tells us Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are met together in my Name which is spoken of Churches as well as members The Papists raise up great disputes upon these words In my Name and say they denote him who hath authority of calling and appointing such conventions which say they doth not belong to Emperours or Kings or Magistrates but to the Pope to whom Christ in Peter did commit the government of the Church And so by these words in my Name according to their interpretation is signified the efficient cause not the form of such a Convention But to leave that to * Chamier Tom. 2 l. 1â— c. 10. Sect. 5.6 7 8. Ob Christi gloriam honorem convenire those who enter the long disputes with them Chrysostome expounds it To meet together in Christs Name is to meet together for the honour and glory of Christ a Nomen Christi pâ—cem charitatem interpretatur Hâ—lar Another To meet together in the peace and love of Christ Another b Propter me est meâ cauâ—a quia res facit ad honorem meum Lucâ—s Bruâ—eÌ„s To meet together for me and for my cause and for my glory Another c Nâ—hâ—l aliud est in Christi nomine congregari quam una fide uno redemptore unoque consensu quae alâ—aeternam vitam pertinent mutuo conferre saith To meet together in Christs Name is to meet in one faith in one Christ with one consent mutually to conferre about the things which doe belong to eternall life Take but one more To meet together in Christs Name is d Ita congregari ut solâ—s Christus praefideat ut nulluâ— collegam habeat sed omnes subjectos Calâ—â— so to meet that Christ alone may be president and he may have no fellow but all his Subjects So that now to gather all this together To meet together in Christs Name is to meet in the cause in the faith in the love for the glory of Christ to consult about spirituall and divine things in which they desire to make Christ their Counsellour and Law-giver and give up themselves to be guided and directed by him * Quomodo possunt duo aut tres in nomine Christi colligi quos constat à Christo ab ejus Evangelio separari Cypr. In Christo nomine non congregantur qui abjecto Dei mandato pro arbitrio quidvis statuunt Calv. by which many a Convention is evidenced not to be of Christ nor to meet in his name 4. You have the proximate or immediate end of this convention and that is to determine In which you have 1. The object of those determinations 2. The rule by which they are to be determined 1. The object and there you have it's Extents Restraints 1. It 's extents all controversies to determine of all controversies 2. It 's restraints yet not of all but Church-controversies only which are summed in these three heads viz. 1. Doctrine 2. Government 3. Manners 2. The rule by which they are to be determined viz. The Scriptures all determinations of Councels and Synods c. are to be rejected so farre as they are not consonant and agreeable to Scripture 5. You have the ultimate end of all which is 1. Supreme the glory of God 2. Subordinate viz. 1. The Comfort of the Churches of Christ 2. The Peace of the Churches of Christ 3. The Order of the Churches of Christ And all this you shall see in some degree in that great Synod which we read of in Act. 15. which is left for an example and patern of Synods to us 1. There was a consociation of Churches we reade of two Churches consociated Jerusalem and Antioch and how many more is not evident only it is probable there were others also 1. De jure it ought to have been so the case was no lesse theirs in Syria and Cilicia then theirs in Antioch it was every way their case they were alike concerned in the case and cure they were troubled with the same doctrine and their souls were subverted as well as Antioch as it appears by Act. 15.23 24. And being alike interessed and their case the like and knowing of the remedy it may be probable I say that the Churches of Syria and Cilicia had their Elders there as well as Antioch 2. The acts determinations and decrees are sent unto them all conjunctly I say to them even as to Antioch and messengers appointed to report the determinations of the Assembly to them as to the other as you see vers 23. And therefore as they ought to be here in their delegates and messengers as well as Antioch that which concerns all ought in this case to be handled of all and by the Letters sent to them as to Antioch it is probable they joyn'd in the referring the Question and cause to the results of that Assembly Besides they sent to these Churches but we read not that they sent to other Churches but yet other Churches were bound by this decree and why therefore did they send to these and not to other if that these and not the other had not deferr'd the same cause and sent their Commissioners to Jerusalem with Antioch Neither have we any thing in Scripture to the contrary to prove they were not there and therefore it may be probable they were there in their delegates But this shall suffice to shew you here was a consâ—ciation 2. Here were Officers and delegates sent you see that in Act. 15.2 They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other if them should goe up they determined they made a Church-ordinance as I said before to send Paul and Barnabas as Church-messengers or Church-commissioners to the Assembly It was not an Apostolicall journey performed by Paul as an Apostle but he went as a Messenger of the Church of Antioch and as a Messenger Paul returneth with Barnabas and giveth an account of his Commission to the Church who sent him vers 30. as in the 14th Chapter 27. And besides them here is certain other They determined that Paul and Barnabas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem There is some controversie about these certain other some would have them to be the opposite party whom they sent with the Apostles to speak for themselves or that they might have a fair hearing and there is something to countenance this in the 10th verse where Peter saith Now therefore why tempt you God by which words there seem something to strengthen such a conjecture as this that this was spoken to the opposite party therefore they were present Rutherf Due right p. 40â— But I rather concurre with the learned Professour of Scotland and with Junius that by these other doe
conceive might be meant Pastours and Elders of Antioch who were delegated and chosen by the Church for that service And it may be so conceived because it is said certain others of them which seems to relate to some other in office or to some other of the same spirit now officiated or sent as Messengers from the Church But that shall suffice for the second Here were officers and delegates sent Obj. But you will say here was more then officers and delegates sent here was the whole Church vers 23. and not only present but had their liberty in decision Ames Bel. enerv de concil l. c. 2. and the letters and decrees to the Churches were sent in their name also Answ 1. It was not possible that the whole Church consisting of so many thousands were able to meet in such a place as this is rendered to be being but a private house and therefore not of that large reception to receive the whole Church 2. It was not fit and convenient they should the presence of great multitudes is not proper for the decision of causes and d terminations of Questions But yet 3. Admit there were many present which I am not unwilling to doe the 12th verse tells us The whole multitude kept silence Beza which although some doe interpret not to be meant of the number of believers but of the company of Officers and Commissioners sent from the Churches yet I am willing to allow that many of the Church were present here at this time and in this Assembly but certainly not as Commissioners but rather spectatours and hearers though they were present yet it doth not follow that they had the power of voting and determining that was peculiar to the Apostles and Elders neither was their presence necessary but only occasionall in respect of their vicinity and neighbourhood of place where the businesse was debated if their presence had been necessary then had it been alike necessary for the Church of Antioch and the other Churches to be there being more neerly interessed in the decision then they were And 4. For the other part of the Objection That the letters were written and the decrees sent in their name as vers 23. The Apostles Elders and Brethren send greeting 1. It will be said There is a difficulty what these Brethren are Judas sirnamed Barsabas and Silas were two of them and they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chief or leading men among the Brethren vers 22. If you look into the 23. verse you shall see what these were they were Prophets and Teachers men in office 2. But admit they were such Brethren as were members not in office yet it will not follow that they joyned in the imposition of these decrees upon the Churches but only were drawn forth being choice Disciples to expresse their liking and assent unto those determinations to advantage the reception of them among the Churches nor can we conceive of it in the former sense For as ordinary members they had no power to send decrees to binde their fellow-members nay if it had been the whole Church together they had no power to lay burthens upon other Churches no more then other Churches to impose burthens on them Sister and equall Churches have no power or authority one over another But so much for the second I will be brief in the rest 3. Here was in this Synod the form of the Convention they met in the Name of Christ they were two or three not persons but Churches met in Christs Name They met in the cause in the faith in the love for the glory of Christ to consult about such things as made for his glory and the peace edification and stability of the Churches 4. You have here the proximate end of this meeting or convention which was as is granted on all hands dogmatically to determine In which you have also two things observable 1. The object 2. The rule of these determinations 1. The object of them which was not meerly a Question of faith but also how the Churches were to be regulated what they were to observe for the avoiding of scandall and peace of the Churches 2. The rule by which they determined that was Apostoli haec decreta ex Scripturis sanxerunt Whitak Do â—ec abso scandalo penitiâ—â— omitti queant Chamier Tom. 3. l. 15. c. 10. § 4. Ex lege haec omnia dicunt Chrys See Whit. contr 3 q 6 c. 2 p. 610. a. by the written Word of God So you see vers 15 16 17. And those decrees imposed were no new law established but an old one repeated till without scandall it might be left wholly off and buried All the determinations of this Councell were according to the Word And if other Councels doe determine and define nothing but what is in the Scriptures as this Councell did not if they follow the voice of Scripture in all their determinations they may then say with the Apostles here It seems good to the holy Ghost and us 5. Lastly We have here the ultimate end of a Synod which is 1. Supreme the glory of God 2. Subordinate viz. 1. The Comfort 2. The Peace 3. The Order of the Churches And so much shall serve for the first Query what a Synod is we will now come to the second * Possunt alia legitima concilia similiter asserere decreta sua esse decreta spiritus sancti si huic coâ—cilio simâ—â—â—a suerunt si eandem regulam servaveriâ—t quam in hoc concilio servarunt secuti sunt Apostoli Whitak ibid. Si nihil nisi ex Scripturis statuerunt c. 2. That God hath set up this Ordinance as a means for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons That God hath set up this means for this end you read in Mat. 18.15 17. If thy brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault where I told you by trespassing was not meant civil injury but spirituall scandals it is not expressed by such a word as signifies injustice but sin not is it meant of scandals only in life and conversation but of scandals also in Doctrine and opinion And the remedy for them as well as the other when more private and brotherly means will not doe then they are to gâ—e and tell the Church Ob. But you will say this Church here spoken of is a particular Congregation where do you read you are to tell it to a Synod Answ There is the same reason in one as in the other mark the proportion Christ commands that from the admonition of one being despised you proceed to the admonition of two or three if that be contemned to the censure of the Church and therefore by proportion if the Church be despised why ought we not to complain to a Synod of Churches a Church of Churches as some of the brethren call it there is the same proportion if indeed thy brother wil hear thee thou ought not
consult but they also judged and determined those opinions which had been taught to be disturbing destructive and subverting errours v. 24. 3. They have not only power to enquire and judge but they have power to censure and condemn errours All which is but yet a dâ—gmatiâ—all or doctâ—inall power of declaring and determining of truth or of errour which I conceive will be granted on all hands even by those who are most shie and tender in weighing forth â—ny power unto them And indeed Act. 15. doth make all this evident there they examined they judged they censured the errour which was broached among them And after ages they followed the same patern The first great Councel of Nice as I shewed you did censure and condemn the heresie of Arius The Councel of Ephesus did condemn the heresie of Nestorius the Councel of Constantinople did censure and condemn the heresie of Macedonius Euseb eccl hist l. 6. c. 42. The errour of Montanus was judged and condemned by many Synods in Asia So that this is cleer a Synod hath power to examine to judge to censure and condemn errours Obj. But it will be said Councels may erre That famous Councel of Nice it self had yet it's errours one of which was That heretikes should be rebaptized c. And if Councâ—ls may erre Concilium Nic enum primuâ—â— quod suit omnium nobilissi â—um â—eleber â—â—mum tamen erravit Whit. â—oâ—t 2 c 2. q 6 p 6 8 620. then may they censure and condemn truth as well as errour and that is fearfull Answ This is one of the Scepticall Objections of this age we have too many who themsâ—lves being sure in nothing seek to weaken all determinations what ever as if they because they are subject to errour might not be certain in truth but for answer 1. It 's granted Councels may erre and the best of Councels may erre That famous Councâ—l of Nice had it's errours which Whitaker in respect it was so famous is tender of uncovering But though they may erre doth it follow that they do alwaies erre This is a non sequitur 2. Again though they may erre doth this take away their right of judgement of errour and truth weaknesse and subjection to errour in judgement doth not take away right of judgement God hath allowed this way of judgement to determine of doubtfull doctrines and decide controversies and he hath said Let the spirit of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 A place which Junius applies to this and the errour of some must not nullifie the ordinance of God 3. Though they may erre yet they are not so likely to erre as others an Assembly of godly and learned men met together in Gods way they are under a promise to be led into the way of all truth 4. Though they may erre in some particulars of lesser moment yet points of greater moment are clear and evident 5. In what they erre we are not to follow them Ministeriall judgement is theirs private and practicall judgement is yours and you are not to receive and embrace their determinations further then they shall appear to you to be consonant and agreeable to the Word of truth you are not to obey because they say it but because they say it authoritatively from Gods word Officiall authority they have as a Church of Christ but objective authority they have not so that what they say because they say it is therefore to be closed with Thus the Papists say not we We say that Synods have no peremptoâ—y absolute illimited authority to determine as they please but their power is Ministeriall and limited to the Word of God and we may say for our own practice Tantum valet â—ecretum Conâ—tlâ—j quantum vaâ—et ejus ratio Amâ—s The decrees of Councels are no farther binding then the reasons of them are evident to be of God And so much shall serve for the first generall branch of the power of Synods We come to the second 2. As they have power relating to erroneous doctrines so they hâ—ve power as relating to erroneous persons And this we will lay forth in these branches 1. They have power to conveâ—n them and call them before them if by their writings or otherwise their persons are known Indeed in Act. 15. we doe not reade of any summons of those false teachers nor was there any need for they may be conceived to be personally present and rebuked in the face of the Synod as subverters of souls And if they were not present to whom doth Peter speak vers 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples Certainly it was not to the Apostles and Elders they were not guilty of that fact but those who sought to obtrude the observation of the Mosaick Law upon the Brethren Again who were they that made much disputing in the Synod ver 7. sure it was not the Apostles nor any others besides themselves but had they not been there I thinke there is no question among rationall men but the Apostles and Elders conveened had a power to call them and that it was their duty to come Certainly if we be bound to be ever ready to give to any that asketh us a reason of the hope which is in us much more to such an Assembly as this authorized of God for such ends as these were So that I take the first for granted they have power to call erroneous persons 2. They have power to admonish and rebuke them this is evident also from Act. 15. those disturbers were rebuked in the face of the whole Assembly There is a three-fold rebuke Fraternall Concionall Judiciall the one is done by a brother the second may be done by one single Pastour as is commanded 1 Tim. 4.2 3 4 5. Preach the Word reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering the last is done by a consociation of Pastours and Elders If one single Pastour hath power to rebuke authoritatively an erring brother how much more a consociation a Synod of Pastours and Elders 3. They have power doctrinally to censure such persons and to condemn them Thus you see in Act. 15. They censured those for lyars troublers subverters of souls And thus may a Synod censure and condemn an erroneous person Thus did the Councel of Nice censure and condemn Arius not only his errour but the person also * Tom. 1. epiâ—t ad ubâ—â—j orthodoxos Act. 1. ult Athanasius desired and vehemently supplicated his fellow-pastours of other Churches to meet together in a Synod to vindicate and redeem the Church from errour and that they would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thâ—ir suffrages condemn and reject the authours of such mischiefs There are usually laid down three wayes of censuring and condemning erroneous persons 1. The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 politically when an erroneous person is censured by civil censures viz. to be imprisoned or to suffer in his
but he doth this by the key of knowledge the power of order not the power of jurisdiction And though our Brethren doe not allow the power of jurisdiction in a Synod yet some of them grant an authoritative power not only differing from the former gradually as a greater power to advise differs from a lesser but specifically and in nature different from the other indeed their brethren grant not so much in this kinde they say the power of a Synod differs from the power of Congregations only gradually and extensively not essentially and specifically And could that specificall difference of power be fully made out certainly it would be a good medium to our reconciliation in this point of difference 3. A Synod hath power not only to declare and counsel but to admonish and rebuke an erring Church if one brother may admonish another and if he will not hear him he may tell it to two or three and if he will not hear two or three he may tell it to the Church then by the same proportion if one sister Church will not hear another admonishing her from her errour or scandall she may tell it to more if yet they will not hear they may go and complain of it to a Synod or Church of Churches That Scripture which bids me to admonish and rebuke an erring brother doth warrant by way of proportion one Church much more a Church of Churches to admonish and rebuke one erring Church And in this also wee agree 4. A Synod hath power to promulge and publish their errours to other Churches I say a Synod having first examined and debated any opinion or doctrine by the Word and found it to be erroneous they may promulge and publish those doctrines as they have found them thus you see they did in that great convention in Act. 15. having examined and debated that opinion of theirs Act. 15 â—4 and upon debate had concluded it to be eroneous they sent their letters to the Churches of Antioch Syria Cilicia wherein they published the errour and danger of those doctrines to them as you see vers 24. charging them to be destructive and subversive to their souls where by the way let me tell you though the resolution of this Question was the end of this Convention For Paul and Barnabas was sent from the Church of Antioch unto Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning this Question vers 2. ver 2. And the Apostles and Elders came together to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 6. ver 6. of this matter yet I conceive it was not the adequate end if it had been the totall and adequate end of this meeting in a meer doctrinall way to resolve the Question then had Peter vers 10 11. made a clear issue of the Question when he said we are saved by the grace of God both Jews and Gentiles And it was to tempt God to lay the yoke of the Law of Moses upon the brethren here was a full determination of the Question And if the resolving of this Question had been the adequate end of this Synod why is there more done why doe they censure and brand the false teachers for subverters and liars Why doe they publish and promulge this to other Churches send binding decrees to be observed by all the Churches of the Gentiles All this shews that though the resolving of the Question was the end of their meeting yet was it not the full and adequate end of it nor did the Church of Antioch send to them meerly for the help of their Councel in the dogmaticall determining of the Question in doubt but for the assistance of their authority in strengthning those determinations and healing those present ruptures and divisions among them The determinations of Paul for the dogmaticall part might have been as valid as the sentence of them all he was an Apostle as well as they or if his Apostleship were more questionable among the Gentiles by reason he had not gone in and out with Christ in his life as the other did yet the sentence of the other Apostles at Jerusalem might have been valid enough to have setled the controversie for the doctrinall part and if no more had been required why are Elders joyned with them in the determination they could contribute nothing to strengthen the doctrinall part the sentence of the Apostles was strong enough without them and therefore there was some further end of this Convention then meerly Counsel the setling and determination of the Question which might be the joynt authority of a Synod not only to make decrees but to binde those decrees upon the Churches And so not only to discover doctrinally to declare those opinions obtruded to be errours but also to publish and promulge them as errours to the Churches that they might avoid them And thus it was the practice of the Primitive times in their Conventions after they had censured and condemned errours they writ letters to the Churches which were called literae communicatoriae or Communicatory letters wherein they let them know that such opinions were censured and condemned for false and erroneous opinions and that 's another branch of the power of a Synod toward erring Churches 5. A Synod hath power to send to other Churches to beware of such a society I say upon the publishing and declaring of the danger of their erroneous opinions to other Churches they may caution other Churches to take heed and beware of them if the Pastour of one particular Church may Caution his people to beware of such and such errours as doe arise among them much more may many Pastours and Elders in consociation doe the same to many Congregations And this was another ground of these Communicatory Letters in the Primitive times after they had published their errours to other Churches they did also by these Letters caution them and warn them to take heed of them Thus Alexandâ—r Bishop of Alexandria Theod. l. 1. c 3. Chamier l 14 c â— sect 8 9. after Arius his heresie had been sentenced in a Synod he sent to all the Churches of Christ to beware of that dangerous hâ—resie 6. They may declare such Churches unworthy communion with the Churches of Christ I say they may in an authoritative judiciall way in the name and authority of Christ declare these erring Churches are not worthy communion nor to be received into fellowship with any of the Churches of Christ nor to have communion one with another in the Ordinances of Christ nay and yet more they may send to other Churches and charge them as they are the Churches of Christ to withdraw all fellowship and communion from them which certainly if it be not all yet it seems to be proportionable to what is contended for Par in parem non habet potestatem It is a censure and this shews there is authority in Synods for no equall can censure or give out the sentence of non-communion against another
equall Nor would Christ have one Church to forego communion with another Church but upon presupposed censure some foregoing act of authority if he would not have a brother to renounce communion with a brother but upon some fore-going Church-authority Mat. 18.15 16. much lesse would he have a Church And as it is a censure and so declares authority in Synods so it is to me a censure proportionate to excommunication and so certainly the brethren would have the Churches to receive it otherwise I conceive they were not to withdraw communion from them Ames saith Ames cas consc l. 4 c 29 q. 11. th 26. Rutherf though whole Churches and members of another Church cannot properly be excommunicated by a Synod yet for manifest heresie a Synod may 1. Condemn 2. Forsake 3. Reject such a Church which saith he is proportionable to Excommunication And is Excommunication in the essence and substance of the act as the other brethren say Of which I shall speak more by and by Now in the close of all this Discourse of the power of Synods we have two main Objections which we shall endeavour to answer and so conclude this Discourse Ob. 1. But it will be said Are the Churches to obey such a sentence meerly because the Synod commands it If indeed a Synod were guidâ—d by such an extraordinary and infallible spirit as that in Act. 15. and could say with them It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us then were the Churches bound to obey but our Synods now are not assisted with any such infâ—llible spirit nor have they that extraordinary concurrence of the spirit therefore we are not bound to obey Answ For the first part of this Objection viz. Whether the Churches are to obey because a Synod commands and enjoyns such things I answer No and demand what Protestant Authour ever said so Certainly the power of a Synod is not absolute but limited not magisteriall but ministeriall a power only in the Lord nor are we to be meer instruments moved by the will of those in authority as the Papists say but are morall Agents and ought no lâ—sse to obey in faith then they command in faith and are to give câ—re and diligence we be not accessary to unjust sentences lest we also partake in other mens sinnes But though we are not to obey meerly because they command yet are we to obey because we are commanded in the Lord A Synod is to be looked upon as a solemn ordinance of Christ And the Elders are to be looked upon as the Officers of Christ and they decreeing and commanding in the Lord Manuscr quoted by Rutherf Due right of Preâ—b p. 365. we are to obey Our brethren say thus much Though every particular Church of Christ hath right and power to exercise its own Ordinances Christ hath left them yet in difficult cases we are bound to seek advice of other Churches and to give so much authority to the concurrence of judgements in a Synod as shall and ought to be an obligation to us not to depart from any such resolutions as they shall make upon any consideration what ever but where our conscience and our peace with God is apparently concerned 2. For the second branch of the Objection which is taken from the different concurrence with and the assistance of the Spirit to our Synods and to that in Act. 15. they were guided by an extraordinary and infallible Spirit and could say It seems good to the holy Ghost and us our Synods have only at the best the ordinary assistance of the Spirit nay and may erre and therefore there is a vast difference An. I answer to this 1. This Argument strikes against all jurisdiction in a particular Congregation as wel as against all power in a Synod for a particular Congregation is not infallible neither they may erre in their administrations and therefore shall they not administer censures at all who will say this Nay 2. This strikes against all authoritative delivering of doctrine in single Pastours â—s well as the Dogmaticall and doctrinall power of delivering doctrine in Synods ordinary Pastours they have not that extraordinary concurrence of the spirit they are not infallible they may erre therefore are they not to preach 3. A man and so a Synod may be guided by an infallible spirit although his or their spirit be not infalliblâ— And the results of a Synod may be infallible and founded upon a certain word though a Synod it self be not infallible 4. I conceive these two are not convertible an infallible and an extraordinary spirit A man may be guided by an infallible yet not by an extraordinary spirit the ordinary presence and guidance of the spirit of truth in the word may be infallible yet but ordinary It is not an extraordinary assistance and guidance 5. But fifthly you suppose that here which cannot be made evident and clear that the Apostles were guided in this Synod by an extraordinary spirit or by the extraordinary assistance of the spirit The Papists indeed do affirm it and hence take a ground to inferre the infallibility of their Councels and Synods Non sequitâ—â— spiritus sanctus huic Concilio adsuit ergo aâ—iis adest VVhitak And many famous Protestant Authours in their Tracts against the Papists affirm the same and make use of this as a medium to prove the fallibility of Councels that Councels may erre because they are but men and subject to errour and not guided with such an extraordinary assistance of the spirit as the Apostles were in thâ—s great Councell a Chamier Tom. 3. l 15. c. 10. sect 3. Illis aderat extraordinem spiritus sanctus adeo ut quae illi propoâ—erent adâ—â— simplicitèr manarent at reliquis pastoribus adsistentia spiritus nulla extra ordinem One speaking of this Convention saith The holy Spirit was extraordinarily present with them in so much that whatever they propounded was simply Gods communications but God affords no such extraordinary assistance to ordinary Pastours The like Whitaker also b VVhitak de authoritate Sac. Scrip. l. 1. p. 78 etiam controv 3. q. 6 c. 2. p 610. Certum est hoc fuisse singulare concilium singularibus privilegiis donatum c. It is certain this Councel was a singular Councel and was endued with singular priviledges in regard of the presence of the Apostles Shall we compare saith he the Councel of Trent yea that famous Councel of Nice to this in which there were so many Worthies endued with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost farre be it from us to make such a comparison And a little after he saith c Omnes definâ—tiones ecrâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scripturis pares fuere Ibid p. 115. All their determinations were inspirations of God and equall to the Scriptures And in this opinion runs the stream of our famous Writers against the Papists With reverence to the vast abilities of these famous
have gone on in a totall abstinence of all Ceremonies which might have been scandalous to some Gentiles and the Gentiles should have gone on in eating blood meats offered to Idols and things strangled which had been highly scandalous to the Jews which certainly had Paul or Peter acted here as Apostles by vertue of the immediate inspired spirit they could not have overseen nor had they let it passâ— By all which to me it seems clear that the Apostles and Elders in this Convention did not act by vertue of an immediate inspired spirit nor had they any further extraordinary assistance of the spirit Possunt alia legitima concilia similiter asserere decreta sua esse decreâ—a spiritus fancti si huic concilio similia fuerint si eandem regulam servaverint quam in hoc concilio servaverint secuti sunt Apostoti Whâ—t cont 3. q. â— c. 2. p. 610. a but as ordinary Pastours and Elders in this act That this Synod or Convention was led by the holy Ghost is evident by vers 25 28. where it is said It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us But that this was the holy Ghost immediately inspiring the Apostles and Elders upon these grounds alledged I deny But that it was the ordinary concurrence of the spirit such as ordinary Pastours and Elders may have in the truth And thus Whitaker himself notwithstanding all those former passages affirmes saying That other lawfull Councels may in like manner assert their decrees to be the decrees of the holy Ghost if they were like to this Councel and if they did observe the same rule which the Apostles did observe and follow in this Councel meaning the word of truth And indeed if otherwise then either we have no patern for Synods or else all Synods doe act with the same spirit I say either we must with the Papists say That all Synods are infallble or we must say with the Socinians and Arminians we have no patern for Synods at all And thus I have shew'd you that the Apostles and Elders in this Synodicall Convention were not immediately inspired nor had they an extraordinary concurrence of the spirit nor did they act by their Apostolicall spirit but as ordinary Pastours And in this we have the concurrence of some of the Brethren who have written on this subject The Apostles did not in this great Convention determine the matter by Apostolicall authority Cotton Keyes p. 48 49. from immediate revelation but they assembled together with the Elders to consider of the matter ver 6. and a multitude of brethren together with them vers 12 22 23. And after searching out the cause by an ordinary means of disputation vers 7. Peter cleared it by the witnesse of the spirit to his Ministery in Cornelius family Paul and Barnabas by the like effect of their Ministery among the Gentiles James confirmed the same by the testimony of the Prophets wherewith the whole Synod being satisfied they determine of a judiciall sentence in which they censure the false teachers as troublers of the Church subverters of souls They reject the imposition of Circumcision as an insupportable yoke They impose on the Churches none but some necessary observations and them by way of that authority which the Lord had given them vers 28. By all which you see it is fully granted by some of the Brethren themselves That the Apostles in this Convention did not act as Apostles or as men immediately inspired And so much for the first great Objection we come to the second Object 2. But it will be said Though it be granted that a Synod hath power to counsell admonish rebuke an erring Church nay and to publish their errours to other Churches to caution other Churches to beware of them yea and to declare those erring Churches unworthy communion and to charge other Churches to withdraw from them yet notwithstanding all this suppose that an erring Church will yet persist in it's errour and will not be healed and reclaimed hath a Synod no further power to put forth to the gaining of them May not a Synod proceed to further censure viz. the Excommunication of such an erring obstinate Church Answ And here indeed is the great knot of the controversie this is the great dividing point between some of the Brethren on both parts at this time In the perusall of Discourses I finde men various in their thoughts concerning this I will lay down five severall opinions about this Question 1. Some say that no Church or member of any Church is under the jurisdiction of any Church or Church of Churches whatever but that every single Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath full and entire power within it self to administer ordinances dispence censures and independent upon any other or others either for the enjoyment or imployment of this power and when they seek to other Churches it is for assistance and direction not for precepts and injunctions It is not to adde to their authority but to strengthen their ability in the managing of it Park polit eccl l. 3. p. 335. 2. Others say That not only person 's but Churches also are subordinate unto the power and jurisdiction of a Synod or Church of Churches and that a Synod hath not only power to excommunicate erroneous persons but erring Churches also if they will not be reclaimed And this they establish by way of proportion upon Matth. 18. Goe tell the Church of which before and say there is the same reason for the Excommunication of whole Churches as of some persons in them viz. the taking away the scandall the conversion of the sinners and the preserving of other Churches from seduction As two or three persons may scandall and give offence to one Church so may two or three Churches give offence and scandall to many Sister Churches The Apostle implies so much 1 Cor. 10.32 1 Cor. 10.32 where he saith Give no offence neither to the Jew nor to the Gentile nor to the Church of God And if Churches may be offended certainly Churches may offend And therefore without doubt Christ who hath provided remedies for the scandall and offences that may arise among a few in a particular Congregation hath not lâ—ft many Churches and Congregations without some remedy against the scandals and offences of a few Certainly remedies there are And some thinke th s viz. Excommunication and say a Church fals under a two-fold consideration 1. As having communion with it self Pagets power of Classes Synods p. 109. in answâ—â— to D. Ames 2. As having communion with other Churches Though a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self Yet it may be cast out of communion with other Churches of Christ So Paget in answer to D. Ames 3. Some again thinke that a whole Church is not to be excommunicated and yet not upon D. Ames grounds because a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self c. Ames Cas
consc l. 4. c. 29. Nor yet upon this ground because the other remedies alleadged are sufficient remedies But for this reason because probably the whole Church is not corrupted and it were better to spare many offenders then to censure one innocent And therefore it is judged safer that this censure of Excommunication should be dispenced distributively rather then collectively by singling out the chief offenders in a Congregation rather then by the cutting off the whole body and society And this is one thing objected against the sentence of Non-communion that it doth without any distinction or difference cut off a whole Church from communion and fellowship with other Churches of Christ when it may be the whole Church is not corrupted and guilty 4. Some thinke the way to deal with an hereticall Church if I may so call it is not by Excommunication but by dissolution of the society But this not being a Church-censure I have nothing to doe with it here 5. And lastly Some thinke That though a Synod cannot excommunicate an erring Church yet may they doe that which is proportionable to it they may censure them condemn them forsake them reject them and render them odious to other Churches for their errours And if this be not Excommunication yet certainly it is analogicall and proportionable to Excommunication Ames cas consc l 4. c. 29 q 11. thes 26. So Ames And is held by some to be it self Excommunication The learned Authour of the book entituled Observations and annotations upon the Apolog. Narration p. 43. hath this expression to those Brethren It is a mistake in you to thinke that in declaring of your non-communion with other Churches you doe not excommunicate them for what is Excommunication but a privation of Cimmunion c. And indeed Excommunication being an ecclesiasticall word and not found in Scripture and the substance of that we finde in Scripture being done why do we lengthen out the contention Object 3. But it will perhaps be said by some That all this is not Excommunication this is but the half of it the negative part of it and not the positive part of it which indeed is that wherein the proper nature of Excommunication doth lie viz. a dâ—livering up to Satan Answ And here we are now come up to the highest step of the controversie This is the the very point of the difference 1. For the first part of the Objection That this is not Excommunication because it wants the positive part To me it seems evident that which is granted by Ames in the fifth opinion and which our Brethren grant in the sentence of non-communion hath something positive as well as negative in it Yea but you will say here is not the delivering up to Satan and in that consists the formality of this sentence of Excommunication Indeed this is a great Question and requires more pains and time then I can spend about it 1. Some there are indeed that thinke in this to lie the formality of the censure viz. The delivering up to Satan 2. Some again thinke it a higher and more dreadfull degree of the sentence The authour of the Observations on the Apâ—l Nar p. 43. 3. Others thinke this Delivering up to Satan to be a fruit and consequent of the sentence and not of the formality of it 4. And there are some that thinke that this delivering up to Satan is neither of the formality of the sentence nor yet a fruit and consequent of it but an act of Apostolicall power put forth by the Apostles towards eminent and great offenders And such an act as ordinary Pastours and Elders neither in the Apostles daies nor ever since could put forth beiâ—g a power proper to the Apostles onely Pet. Molin vat c. 11. p. 10â— De potestate Apostolorum in corpora whereby they delivered up the bodies of great offenders to be tormented by Satan That the soul might be saved in the day of Christ. And this they call that virga Apostolica which you read of 1 Cor. 4.21 Shall I come to you with a rod Such a rod as Peter came withall to Ananias and Sapphira such an one as Paul put forth to Elymas the Sorcerer and such an one as he put forth to Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 and towards the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.3 5. I have decreed that this man shall be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh That is say they for I will give you their thoughts for the punishing and tormenting of the body by weaknesse sicknesse griefs c. for so by flesh they understand the body * Cum spiritâ—â— manifestè hic significat animam necesse eâ—t per â—aâ—nem spiritui oâ—positam corpuâ— intellâ—gâ— Mol. p. 10â— And say the opposition here between flesh and spirit doth make much for it for if by spirit be meant the soul as in this place it must then by flâ—sh to hold the opposition must needs be meant the body and the sense will then be he hath delivered such an one to Satan for the d struction of the flesh that is for the punishing and tormenting of the body which they exemplifie in Job that the spirit that is the soul may thereby be brought to repentance and saved in the day of the Lord and this extraordinary and miraculous power of inflicting torments on the bodies of eminent malefactours in the Apostles daies is conceived by some to be afforded to the Apostles for to supply and make up the defect of the Magistrates power which they wanted in those daies But yet they deny not but that Paul would have the incestuous person to be cast out of Communion with the Church but this he would have done by the Church of Corinth and by the authority of the ordinary Elders as appears vers 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump so in vers 13. Put away therefore from among your selves that wicked person But when the Apostle speaketh about delivering to Satan he doth not expect the consent of the Church of Corinth but decrees this by his apostolicall power and authority to which decree of his he requires the Churches consent to be joyn'd as he saith I as absent in body but present in spirit have decreed that he that hath done this thing should be delivered up to Satan And that which he adds When ye are gathered together and my spirit it is not to be understood say they as if the decree of the Apostle did depend upon the consent of the Church but having decreed he requires their assent to it And this they prove in the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander whom he delivered up to Satan without the consent of any Church what ever So that you see there is a great deal of difference in mens thoughts concerning this delivering up to Satan 1. Some you see would have it an act of apostelicall power and a punishment inflicted upon the body
and not Excommunication they finde it not in the first institution of this ordinance Matth. 18.17 nor doe they think Satan a fiâ— instrument to bring about those holy ends for which this ordinance was instituted And how ever Satan may doe much good to the souls of Gods people against his will occasionally and accidentally by his buffetings and temptations yet it sounds harsh to them that God should set up so solemn and holy an ordinance as this is to continue in the Church while Christ hath a Church on earth wherein Satan is so farre honoured as to be serviceable and instrumentall in the saving of soules c. 2. Some will have this delivering up to Satan of the formality of the sentence urging the Apostles phrase of speech in the 1 Cor. 5. to import so much to us 3. Some again assert it to be a further and more dreadfull degree of this censure 4. And others say it is not of the formality of the censure but a fruit and consequent of it Now if it be the first of these viz. an act of apostolicall power as many conceive who yet hold up this ordinance of Excommunication yea and from that place also 1 Cor. 5.2 7 13. then did it die with the Apostles and we have nothing to doe with it It is utterly inimitable and impracticable by ordinary Elders and officers And if it be the second viz. That this delivering up to Satan be the formality of Excommunication then it will follow when there is not such a delivering up to Satan there is no Excommunication which I thinke few will say And the condition of persons not only censured but censuring doth prevail much with me not to thinke and if it be the third viz. a further degree of the censure then either a degree prudentially to be annexed according to the atrocity and heinousnesse of the fact of which I see not any warrant or it is a degree necessarily to be added and if so then is it inseparable from the censure nor can the censure be dispenced without it and so it is of the formality of it which to me is not so evident But if this delivering up to Satan be the consequent and fruit of the censure as the fourth opinion saith and many upon good grounds doe chuse rather to affirm then the controversie will be at an end in this particular For those brethren of the Congregationall way do affirm That when a Synod met together in the Name of Christ Burrough Heart division p. 44. have in the authority of Christ solemnly judged condemned and censured such an erring Church to be such an one as hath no right to any Church-ordinance nor is to have any communion with the Churches of Christ if this judgement be right then such a Congregation is thereby put out of the kingdome of Christ and consequently is put under the power and kingdom of Satan And thus I have done with the answer to the Objections and with that have at length finished this discourse of Church power as relating to this Question The suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons Yet give me leave before I shut up this work in regard it is a better work to unite then to divide to compound differences then to heighten and increase them to lay down the grants of our brethren of the Congregationall-way unto this Question In which we shall tell you what materials they will afford us to the making up of this Fabrick And first though they expressely say that every particular Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath right to decide it's own controversies and to conclude it 's own differences instancing in the Church of Antioch whose endeavours among themselves to end their difference and conclude the controversie which arose â— Hâ—â—rt divisions p. 43. before ever they purposed to goe to Jerusalem doth clearly demonstrate that they had right though they wanted power yet they affirm that such a Church is to render an account to other Churches of Christ of their actions And this is not arbitrary that they may or may not doe it but they are bound in conscience to it as a duty they ow to God and to their sister-Churches Ibid. 2. They grant that a consociation of Churches in Synods consisting of Ministers and Elders is a precious ordinance of Jesus Christ for the preserving of the Churches against errours schisms and scandals 3. They grant that in case a particular Church or Congregation either want light or unity among themselves that they are not able to determine and conclude their own controversies Cotton Keys p. 48 either they are too difficult by reason of want of light or too hard for want of love or by reason of division among themselves that then it is their duty to repair unto a Synod or consociation of Churches for their help and assistance to the determining of their doubts and controversies And this they conclude upon these two grounds or reasons 1. The want of power in such a Church to passe a binding sentence Where errour or scandall is maintained by a faâ—tion the promise of binding and loosing made to the Church Ecclesia errans vel liâ—igans noÌ„ ligat is not given to the Church when it is leavened with errour and variance It is a maxime The censure of an erring or disagreeing Church doth not binde it is required a Church should agree and agree in Christs name that is in the truth Matth. 18.19 20. otherwise their censure is of no power 3. They conclude this from the patern in Act. 15. which patern clearly shews to whom the power and authority is committed when there groweth offence and difference in a Church even to a consociation of Churches c. 4. They grant these Synods thus conveened have power further then to counsell an erring Church they have a power from Christ to admonish men or Churches in his name Cotton K ys p. 53. when they see a Church to walk in any way of errour and their admonitions are more then brotherly perswasions for they carry with them the authority of Jesus Christ and that a Church fallen into errour and offence is subject both to the admonitions of other Churches and to the determinations and judiciall sentence of a Synod for direction in a way of truth and peace And this say they ariseth from that was spokâ—n before The sentence of an erring nor of a disagreeing Church doth binde and therefore in case a Church fail in either viz. truth or peace a Synod is the first subject of power and such a Chuâ—ch doth fall under the censure of a Synod 5. They grant that if there be cause given either of errour or of scandall A Synod hath power in the name of Christ to declare such Churches to be subverters of the faith Hâ—art divisions p. 43. or scandalous and offensive to shame them to all Sister and neighbour Churches 6. They grant that
will shall stand for a law In this also Jeroboam and Nebuchadnezzar offended when they would command things upon their own will not only without but contrary to the will of God This proved a dangerous rock to them and will be to any who shall follow their steps God is a jealous God and cannot brook with any rivall in matter of his worship As they cannot command so we cannot thus obey without sinne and dishonour to God Christ bids us in this sense Call no man Rabbi And the Apostle enjoyns us not to be the servants of men which then we are in a high measure when the warrant of our actions is only taken from the will and pleasure of men Vid. Pareâ—Ì„ in Rom. 13 praecog 3. propos 6. Justinianus imâ—erator agnovit Catholicam fidem nullam innovationem posse recipere ex authoritate principuâ—s sed solunmodò confirmatioreÌ„ virdicationem Po estates suo loco humanas suscipinâ—us donec contid Deum suas erigaÌ„t voluntates Synac when we shall subjugate and vassall our understandings and consciences to the meer commands and dictates of men And so much for the first 2. The Magistrate hath no power against God God never set up a power against himself he is the minister of God and all his power is subordinate to the will and glory of God All which being granted I need not to say any more of it 3. The Magistrate hath no power to enforce the conscience of any Conscience rightly understood fals under no power but the power of God alone I have read it was the speech of Stephen King of Poland I am King of men and not of consciences a Commander of bodies and not of souls All power is usually expressed in Scripture by this Metaphor of Keyes and though God hath committed many Keyes much power to man yet there are three Keys which God doth reserve and keep in his own hands only 1. The Key of the womb he shuts it Gen. 20.18 and he opens it at his pleasure Gen. 30.22 2. The Key of the grave 1 Sam. 2 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up he and he alone doth this 3. The Key of the conscience Act. 16.14 He opened the heart of Lydia and he opens so as none can shut and shuts so as none can open This power over the heart and conâ—cience God hath reserved in his own hands It was the speech of one God hath reserved three things to himself 1. To make some thing of nothing 2. To know things future 3. To rule over consciences A dominion that is proper to God alone men may tyrannize but they can never rule over the consciences of men Conscience fals under no subjection but Gods alone The Turks and Persians themselves though they have upheld and propagated their way by the sword yet they acknowledge that the conscience neither can nor ought to be compelled Conscience is like a Virgin which cannot be forced Lex nostra non se vindicat ultore gladio Tertul. Men may perswade but they can never compell conscience according to that old maxime Religio suaderi potest cogi non potest Men may be perswaded into a religion but they can never be compelled unto it Nihil est tam voâ—un tarium quaÌ„ religio in qua sâ— animuâ— sacrificanâ—es eversus jam sublata jaÌ„ nulla est Lactant. Instit l. 5. c. 19. Procop in â—eca histo It lies as a blot upon Justinian that he compelled the Samaritans to embrace the Christian faith And it is more condemnable in the Papists among the Indies of which they finde no more fruit then with the Moors of Granado who were forced to Masse in the morning and freely practised Mahome tanisme in the afternoon Like those we read of 2 King 17.33 who because of the Lions feared the Lord but served their own gods Those acts of conscience which are internall are free and uncogible they fall not under mans cognizance nor if they did doe they fall under mans power No power on earth can either judge or punish the internall acts of the minde The Question is not here about the elicite acts of conscience but the imperate commanded and externall acts It is easily granted That no power on earth is able to compell the former the internall acts of the minde and conscience but the dispute will be about the later the externall acts either in the restraint or constraint of them Of which more anon 4. The Magistrate hath no power properly called Church-power though he have a power about the businesse of the Church and the affairs of worship yet he hath not any power properly called Church-power He is helpfull to the government of the Church but in this sense no Church-governour The Church hath the exercise of her power from him but not the power it self the Magistrate gives ability but doth not give the authority The Church say Divines hath protection and encouragement from him but hath her authority and power from Christ I finde divers opinions among men about this 1. Some say that the Magistrate hath all power 2. Some say he hath no power in matters of Religion 1. Some say he hath all power and that the government of the Church is by God devolved upon the civil Magistrate whereby the Magistrate is the head of the Church and hath a Nomothetick and legislative power in things ecclesiasticall which power say they is not only ecclesiastick in respect of the object being exercised about Church matters but in respect of the subject or person exercising whom they make to be a mixed person and hath a mixed power Salcobridgensis p. 121. and by vertue of his office can act and exercise it I shall not speak much to it it is a discourse by the by only I shall tell you that Pareus who gives more to the Magistrate in this particular then others of his brethren yet saith That the civil Magistrate is not to assume to himself any proper parts of Ecclesiasticall ministery as to preach to administer censures Sacraments c. and he gives these two reasons of it 1. Because he is not called to this office Vedel de Episcop Constant q. 2. Christ did not say to him Go and preach the Gospel and baptize and therefore being not called to it he ought not to assume it No man saith the Apostle taketh this Ministery upon himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5.4 Pareus in Rom. 13. prop. 3. nor is he saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to intermeddle in other matters not proper to his station 1 Pet. 4.15 but every one is to abide in the same calling wherein he is called And he gives a second reason lest they incurre the sin and punishment of Jeroboam and Vzziah one of whom had his arm dried up the other was strucken with leprosie 1 Kin. 13. 2 Chron. 26. And the same Authour a little
after answering this Question Par. in Ro. 13. dub 5. in append adsol arg resp 1. Whether ecclesiasticall power doth reside in the Prince He saith ecclesiasticall power is two-fold 1. Proper and internall 2. Improper and externall This distinction he foundeth upon that speech of Constantine to the Bishops Vot quidem intra c. The first of these he affirms to be exercised by ecclesiasticall persons ecclesiastically The other vix Externall and improperly called Church-power he saith may be exercised by the Magistrate Calvin speaks more home Calvin in Amos c. 7. v. 13. They are saith he inconsiderate men who make Magistrates too spirituall â— this evil saith he prevails in Germany and in the countreys round about us we finde what fruit grows from this root namely that those who are in power thinke themselves so spirituall that there is no other ecclesiasticall government this sacriledge comes in violently among us because they cannot measure their office within it's due bounds Thus he Indeed it hath usually been distinguished between Church-power civil power between officers in the Church officers of State and that the one is Gods officer or Christs as God The other is Christs officer as Mediatour the one belongs unto his generall kingdome and rule over all the other belongs to his Mediatory kingdome or government over his Church Christ is a head of supereminence to all but a head of influence to his Church only As he is God so he is head of all principalities and all powers govern by him but as he is Mediatour so he is head only of his body and all officers therein Eph. 1.21 have their authority from him and are said to manage their office under and for Christ In the name of Christ they doe assemble Matth. 18.20 In his Name they preach Luk. 24.27 Act. 4.17 18. In his Name they baptize Act. 2.38 Ast. 4.12 16. Act. 19.2 In his Name do they administer censures 1 Cor. 5.5 And if the Magistrate be invested with such a power then either as a Magistrate or as a Christian Magistrate Not the first for then every Magistrate hath it without exception even Pagans and Heathens and such as know not God and Christ not were ever yet baptized not any member of the Church if you say as he is a Christian Magistrate it will be said that his Christianity doth adde no further authority to him but further ability to execute his authority this is but potestas executiva the gracious ability to exercise that power which he had before and sinned in that was a talent buried up and not imployed for Christ And for that place which is usually alledged 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governments in his Church I say first that the Apostle doth there speak of ecclesiasticall and spirituall officers and therefore it is strange that civil government should come in the enumeration of Church-officers 2. I say the Apostle spake there of such government as the Church had at that time he saith God hath placed in his Church and thence Calvin takes up an argument to prove that the Apostle in that place spake of ecclesiastical and not of civil government because at that time the Church enjoyed not such a priviledge But of this sufficient We come to the second which certainely is an extreme on the other hand viz. 2. That the Magistrate hath no power in matters of religion It was the speech of Donatus What hath the Emperour to doe with the Church Quid est imperatori cum ecclesia Imperator in divâ—nis nulluÌ„ jâ—â— habet Optat. l. 3 cont Pâ—rmen par 1367. The Magistrate hath no right to meddle about things that are divine We shall speak fuller to this by and by only here I shall clear some expressions which we usually read among learned men from some mistakes that may be fastened on them and give too much strongâ—h to such a position as this viz. That the Magistrates power doth not reach to matters of Religion We often read in the writings of learned men of a difference made between Church-power and civil power chiefly in their objects and in their ends 1. That the object of the Magistrates power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly things or the things of this life the object of Church-power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall things and matters concern a better life 2. They say The end of Magistracy is the preservation of peace and the externall tranquillity of the Common-wealth but the end of Church-power is the good and edifying of the body of Christ We had need to speak something of this it hath been too farre extended And therefore 1. To the first of these I say 1. That though the things of this life be the object of the Magistrates power yet are they not the sole and adequate object of it Spirituall and heavenly things doe fall in under the object of his power also as well as temporall He is called a nursing father to the Church he is Custos vindex utriusque inbulae Sed ita distinguuntur ut in modo procuraâ—â—i rex politicè sua partes oget sacerdos ecclesiasticè suas Ame. de consc l. c. 25 thes S. Ames Medul Theol. l 2. c. 17. thes 48 49. the keeper and revenger of both tables of the Law Deu. 17.18 Josh 1.8 Rom. 134. The affairs of Jehovah and the matters of the King are not so different saith Ames as that the care and knowledge of the things of God belongeth not to the King But they are thus distinguished that in the execution of them the King performs his part in a politicall way the officers of the Church in an ecclesiasticall way 2. I say yet further That though the power of the Magistrate and the power of the Church doe not differ in their materiall objects yet they differ in their formal objects The Magistrate as a Magistrate and the Church as the Church in the name of Christ may command and forbid one and the same thing viz. They may command the sanctification of the Lords day or they may forbid blasphemy idolatry Here their objects are materially the same But now they differ formally the Magistrate he commands or forbids upon penalty of bodily punishment but the Church upon pain of ecclesiastical censures Leg Ames Med. Theol. l 2. c. 17. thes 48. the Magistrate upon civil mulcts the Church upon spirituall penalties And this may be thought one reason why many holy and reverend Divines have asserted the object of the power of the Magistrate qua talis to be the externall man and the things of this life because that he doth bring about higher ends by more external and not such spiritual waies as the Church doth 2. And what I say hereof the object of the power of the Magistrate I may say also of his end The end of the Magistrate is not so different from the Church but they
Imperatorum judiciaria authoritas religionem ethnicam mandavit haec tamen conculcata indâ—es suit nostra autem fides caput exeruit Grae. am Philosophâ—aâ— si quivis Magistratus prohibuerit ea statim perit doctrinam ChristianaÌ„ oppugnant reges tamen crescit Clera Alex. Strom. By instance and experience of the Primitive Churches The kingdome of Christ was not only planted but it was propagated and encreased by the industry and labours of a few fisher-men when the Kings of the earth Non modo minime faventes sed frementes were so farre from yeelding their concurrence and assistance that they set all their power and malice against it to suppresse it And till Constantines time which was not till the fourth century some 300 years and upwards after Christ the Gospel never found any assistance from the secular power those former Emperours putting forth all their power to condemn and suppresse Christian religion and to command and advance Heathenish superstition and idolatry yet notwithstanding that it might be evident our faith is not of man but of God the Church increased the Gospel was propagated and Paganisme and superstition notwithstanding all these outward supports and props was dead stroâ—k and died daily All which shews the mighty power of God and of his Goâ—pel â—f any Magistrate saith one had prohibited the Greek Philosophy it had quickly perished but the Kings of the earth oppose Christian Doctrine and yet it increaseth All which as it shews the power of God and of his Gospel So it tels us that there is not an absolute necessity of any secular power for the planting or propagating of Christs Gospel and kingdome 2. This is also demonstrated by the efficacy if not sufficiency of spirituall means wherewith Christ hath furnished his Church for the advancement of these ends though the Kings of the earth should not lend their assistance 1. Christ hath ordained and set up a ministry which is to continue to the end of the world Mat. 20 19 20. and this being strengthned by the Spirit of Christ is of might to carry on his own ends to advance his own kingdom To throw down all strong holds of contrary reasonings and to bring in subjection every thought to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle doth declare 2 Cor. 10.3 4. 2. Besides this Christ hath ordained and appointed censures in his Church which being faithfully and duely administred may be effiâ—acious means to preserve the truth suppresse errour and remove out of his kingdome what ever doth offend And the Primitive Churches in the want of any other assistance though they were indeed infested with many heresies and dangerous errours yet had plentifull experience of the efficacy and blessing of these means whereby the Churches did in a great measure preserve and free themselves from those poysonous errours that did arise among them All which shews that the civil coercive power is not of absolute necessity either to the planting or propagating of Christs Church and kingdome But yet Conclus 4. Although this civil power be not absolutely necessary to the being yet it is very conducefull and apprimely requisite to the well-being and flourishing condition of the Churches of Christ in peace and godlinesse This the Apostle intimates in 1 Tim. 2.2 where he exhorts us To pray for Kings and them in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And this the Primitive Churches in the first Centuries found by experience though in the want and opposition of it they were kept in being for God will have his Church on earth though all the powers of the earth should set themselves against it yet they were miserably infested not only with disturbing but with d structive errours which threatned the very unbeing of the Churches of Christ All which tells us how conducefull and requisite this power is for the preserving of the Churches of Christ in their well-bâ—ing Nay and I say yet further though this power be not absolutely necessary yet is it necessary by Gods ordination God hath ordain'd Magistracy to be the fence of his Churches the protection of his people he hath promised they shall be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Churches of Christ under the Gospel Isa 49.23 A great honour as well as duty And it is our speciall duty to pray for such in the want of them and in the enjoyment of such to rejoyce under them and blesse God for them as the highest outward priviledge the Churches of Christ can enjoy on earth And thus much shall serve for the fourth Question We come now to the fift and last propounded viz. Qu. 5. How this power is to be dispenced In answer to which I shall lay down six necessary rules or cautionary advices to which I shall only annex my desires and some wayes for a happy accommodation between the brethren and so conclude this Discourse We shall begin with the Rules necessary to be observed in the dispencing of this power And 1. This power is to be dispenced rightly Magistrates have not an absolute power to establish what they please in point of religion but a power subordinate unto and to be regulated by the will of God He is Gods minister and therefore is not to set his will above or against his Master Reget cuâ— in errore sunt pro ipâ—o leges contra veritatem faciunt cum in veritate sunt coÌ„tra errorem pro ipsa verita e decernunt Aug. cent Cresc l. 3. c. 51. Cum catholici sum reges benè utuntur hac potestaÌ„te cum haeretici abutuntur câdem It were better the Sword should rust in the scabbard then it should be drawn forth against God and truth better to bear the Sword in vain here then to mannage the Sword to the disservice of God It will be farre more easie to render an account of not using then for ill using of this talent of power Certainly this power may be lawfully used and it may as sadly and as dangerously be abused It is lawfull to suppresse some errours but it is fearfull to lend the sword to the suppression or extirpation of any truth It is better not to doe then to doe wickedly How miserably Kings and Emperours have failed nay abused their power in this is known to all When Kings have been in an errour they have established laws for that against the truth when in the truth they have made decrees for the truth against errour which may be a trembling consideration to those who write of this power and an awfull caution to them who are to use it Volumes might be written how miserably the Kings and Potentates of the earth have been abused in lending their Sword to suppresse those for errours which have been the precious truths of God and to advance those things for truths which have been pernicious and destroying errours Sâ— e ictum imperatoâ—is sit ut propter verae fide professâ—o
God hath not commanded unlearned men to study Divinity that thereby they might be able to maintain the truth God doth not require of them say the Papists that they should understand those things or come to the knowledge of them a Iudicando ex ratione doctrinae by judging of the truth or falsehood of doctrines b Sed pendendo ex authoritate docentium but by depending upon authority of the teachers Ans Briefly to answer this It is not necessary to all and singular persons to judge of all Questions and Controversies arisen touching faith and therefore not necessary they should make it their study But for such as are necessary doctrines without which there is no salvation it is needfull that all that would be saved should both hear them and understand them and judge of them What a fearfull thing if our condition were such as those blinde Papists who know nothing but believe as the Church believes and that they might not know the key of knowledge is taken from them they are interdicted the private use of Scriptures and the publike use of them is rendred unusefull being read to them in an unknown tongue And having thus beasted men they say to them after this manner * Vos rudes est is imperiti nullo modo potestis judicare de quaestionibus fidei ergesi salvi esse velitis nihil jam reliquum est nisi ut coecâ obedientiâ nostro judicio subscribatis Bellar. You are unskilfull and illiterate and therefore are no way able to judge of Questions of faith if therefore you would be saved there is nothing then remaining but that you should with a blind obedience subscribe unto our judgements and determinations Here is the miserable condition of those blinde deluded souls We know better we know it is our worke to study and enquire into the things of heaven It is our worke to learn to be able to judge of things that differ if to prove all things then to judge Indeed if by Divinity be meant Spiâ—osas Scholasticorum altercationes those thorny disputes of School-divinity or wrangling questions doubtfull disputations such points as doe but nourish contention not edifie the heart and conscience then we say indeed that God hath not tyed all men to the study of such Divinity The Apostle saith Him that is weak in faith receive ye but not to doubtfull disputation But if Divinity be meant the holy Scriptures and those things necessary to salvation then we say that God hath tyed all men upon this bond and obligation of life to study enquire and to be able to judge of these things which concern eternall life One objection more Obj. 5. But you will say It hath been the constant custome of the Church of God in all ages that those who have not restâ—d in the judgement of those who were their guides and such set over them were deemed for heretikes therefore it was never lawfull for private men to examine and to judge and reject the doctrines of their Superiours Ans A short answer will serve for this It is one thing to be a Heretike Daven de Jud. norma pag. 159. another thing to be so reputed There is nothing more common then this that they who have gotten publike power and authority to joyn with them to account them for Heretikes who reject their decrees and determinations because they are perswaded they have decreed nothing but what is according to the rule of the Word But if they be deceived as it hath often fallen out and that the other be in the truth those who are called Heretikes are the Orthodox To reject the decrees of Councels doth not make a man an Heretike but to reject the truth the Word of God And therefore it is needfull to examine and to judge of things * Ne dum haberi pro haereticis vitamus esse haeretici incipiamus Daven ib. lest while we would shun to be called Heretikes we begin to be Heretikes And thus we have done with the first grand Query Who are to examine of opinions I told you there was a two-fold examination one publike the other private And I laid downe this position That it was the duty of every Christian not onely to examine private opinions but the sentences determinations of Councels Synods and to reject them or receive them as they shall be evidenced to be consonant or dissonant to the Word of God It is needfull before we passe to the second to make some application of this first the season cals upon it The Position applied Let us then give to Synods and Councels that which is their right It is their right and office to expound Scriptures and to unfold and determine controversall doctrines and to declare their sentences and decrees to the Churches But let us not give to them that which is divine and Gods right to submit to their definitions and determinations of faith without any scrutiny examination and judgement whether they be according to Gods minde or no. It is the speech of a learned Divine a Laicis praecipiamus quod illis ut â—â—e est ne temerè superbè rejiciant sanà orthodoxa decreta praepositorum sed ne illis mandemus quod planè servile est ut nullo judicio adhibito faciant quae vis imperata Superiorum Daven Let us charge the people with that which is profitable to them that they doe not rashly headily proudly reject the sound and Orthodox decrees of Councels and of them set over them but let us not prescribe that which is beastly and servile that without any scrutiny and examination they subscribe to the judgement and impositions of them over them this is as one speaks b Homines in belluas transformare to transforme men into beasts to denude them of man of reason this is c Fedibus potiâ—â— quaÌ„ cordibus irâ— in sententiam aliorum rather to goe into anothers opinion with the feet then the heart My Brethren you have now a Councel an Assembly at work about the Reformation of the worship of God We all know it hath been corrupted and blessed be God we have so much hopes it will be reformed we have an Assembly of choice and godly men who I perswade my self look toward God for his direction But they are but men though choice men they doe not claim an unerring priviledge none will say they are infallible and therefore it is our work to examine d Non est satis dicere quod visum est seâ— oportet etiam probarâ— quod dictum est non expectamuâ— testimonium quod datur ab hominibus sed quod voce Domini probatur quaeritur Clem. Alexand Strom. 17. Judicium ministrale is with them they have publike and ministeriall judgement and are to determine define and declare the doctrines of faith and manner of worship unto the Churches of God Judicium discretionis is left to us every one hath
liberty nay they are bound to examine and judge of the definitions and determinations of them They desire not that their authority shall be valid with you unlesse they bring the authority of God nor that you should hear them unlesse you hear God in them It is their work to propound to determine to declare yours to examine to prove and judge As one speaks e Cum dogma prâ—ponitur credendum aut praeceptum aliquod faciendum quum credere facere sunt actus mei Si me hominem rationis participem praestare velim c. Examinare oportet quicquid proponitur ad scientiam meam when any doctrine is propounded to be believed or any thing commanded to be done because to believe and to doe are my acts if I will shew my self to be a man endued with reason I ought to examine what is propounded and so to assent or dissent so far as agreeable or disagreeable to the Word And indeed unlesse you will say we are bound ad personas titulos to persons and titles and not to the truth of the Gospel it is requisite that we should not only examine f Non modò qualitatem authoritatem docentium sed qualitatem doctrinae the quality and authority of the teachers but the quality of the doctrines and what conformity it hath with the minde of Christ Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from heaven should preach another doctrine let him be accursed Neither indeed is it possible you should assent to and receive any truth of Christ without the previous action of a mans own judgement unlesse there passe examination and judgement in a mans own spirit that it is a truth of God I say there can no man embrace a truth and assent to it upon the bare perswasion or determination of another Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2 l. 5. c. 9 10 12 c. although he doth never so much desire it unlesse there passe an examination and a proper act of a mans own judgement that the thing commanded is the minde and will of Christ Indeed a man may not contradict it or a man may give up his affections to it and subscribe to it out of corrupt affections and from humane or rationall grounds but he can never receive it as a man never subscribe to it as a Christian till there hath passed an act of his own proper judgement and this upon scrutinie and examination It is a shame to thinke how the common sort of people doe embrace doctrine the authority of the imposers doth give them eyes to see and judgements to assent and faith to believe and subscribe to what ever is imposed In the reign of former Princes how soon were the body of the Nation converted from Popery to Protestantisme receiving and rejecting embracing and refusing the sacred truths of God mainly if not meerly according to the aspects and commands of authority And is there not the same spirit in the multitude to this day ready to embrace and receive what authority shall command without any previous search and examination whether the things be of God or no A blessed and happie thing it is for a Nation to reject corruption in worship superstition in the service of God but then to doe this as men as Christians knowingly And as blessed it is to embrace a reformation to submit to the waies of God but to doe it knowingly upon scrutiny and examination this will make you men and to adhere to the truths of God received upon the utmost hazzard I see in many a preparation of heart to subscribe to what ever is of God but oh that there were the care the study the endeavour to examine things also that you might evidence them to be the truths of God that you might say as they of Samaria Joh. 4.42 Now we believe not because thou hast told us but because we have heard our selves and we know him to be the Messiah So now we embrace this Doctrine this way of worship not because it is imposed not because it is prescribed of men but because I see and am perswaded in my heart it is of God this were a work worthy a Christian This I exhort you unto away with blinde faith with blinde obedience you are men doe things as men you are Christians doe things as Christians embrace not any thing out of fear but out of faith not out of corrupt affections Nec ego Ariminensis concilij authoritate nec tu Nicaeni detineriâ— Au. but out of a pure and holy heart reject nothing out of pride prejudice but out of light do nothing ignorantly but all knowingly be resolved in your selves and that upon search upon examination Do not pin your faith upon the bare authority of men no not the best of men 1. You will wrong God what a wrong is it to God to attribute that to man which is proper to him alone to set man in Gods throne and to receive and subscribe to man before you see God to speak in them 2. And what a wrong is it to man to make them masters of your faith they claim it not it is Gods due and as you wrong God so will you them if you doe give it to them 3. You wrong your own souls you prejudice your selves in the wayes of God wound your souls with guilt of sin 4. It declares you either ignorant atheisticall or carelesse about the businesse of your souls or to be led and byassed with corrupt affections fears and hopes when you will close with any thing till you have tryed it and examined it and brought it to the barre past sentence and judgement on it It is the bravest thing in the world to see men do things knowingly if not you doe but side with a way out of faction and affection not out of knowledge and conscience It is not easie to determine whether is worse to be rationally and knowingly in an errour or to be ignorantly and blindely in a truth Get light therefore to discover and then to embrace 5. You prejudice the cause of Christ when you adhere to it upon slender grounds What a shame to doe that which we are not able to evidence is our duty to doe to walk in that way which we are not able to maintain 6. You endanger your own revolting that man can never hold to a way which he hath not clear'd and thereby is perswaded to be the way of God The same ground upon which he receives a truth he will reject it and embrace an errour If authority come in it shall cast the scale any way if it had not been for this that authority came in we should not have had so many Protestants and if that authority had not come in we should not have had so many Papists When the Standard is set up all flock to it but to the standard of authority not of truth I may say of most they are this way and they are not that they embrace