Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	communion_n	separation_n	2,767	5	10.7643	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79892	Golden apples. Or Seaonable and serious counsel from the sanctuary to the rulers of the earth, held forth in the resolution of sundry questions, and cases of conscience about divisions, schisms, heresies, and the tolleration of them. Collected out of the writings of the most orthodox, and judicious divines, both Presbyterians, and Independents. / By Sa. Clarke, pastor in Bennet Fink.	Clarke, Samuel, 1599-1682.; Anthony, Burgess, d. 1644.	1659 (1659)	Wing C4518; Thomason E1881_3; ESTC R209888	84,688	239

little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Answ Answ Profane persons leaven a Church Physically not by their presence simply because they are there For then the presence of an hypoctite being in Church fellowship would leaven all if bare presence did it but morally by his impurity he being suffered without censure for so great an offence doth embolden and harden others in sin whereby the whole Congregation might in time be soured with such leaven The presence of an uncleane person cannot hurt you further then you make his uncleanness yours by not doing your duty against it Obj. But the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.17 Object You being many are one bread Answ Answ If an unworthy person coming to Gods Ordinances and enjoying communion with the Saints therein doth obtain this advantage so as by profession to seeme one bread and one body with them yet this doth not imply that the Saints are therefore made one with him in his wickednesse If an unclean person challenge more then is due to him this doth not devest the Saints of what is their due and their priviledge nor must it hinder them from performing that service that they owe to Christ being called to it they must remember Christ and his death though others forget him and their duty towards him Obj. Object But I cannot do those duties expressed Matth. 18.15 c. remaining in communion with such a particular Church may I not then separate Answ Answ 1 First in this case a man had need be clearly satisfied that such duties of admonishing c. there mentioned be his duty pro hic nunc in such and such circumstances Affirmative precepts though they do binde semper yet not ad emper they do not binde me to act in every juncture of things Secondly a man likewise before he separate from a Church because he cannot do his duty therein he had need be sure that his not being in a capacity to do his duty to the full be a sufficient ground of separation the order Mat. 18. is to cast off an Offender if he heare not the Church not to cast off the Church if she censure not him Quest Quest But may we not desire communion with the purest Churches Answ You may Answ yet withal observe how it may be obtained with the peace order and edification of the Churches It s possible to remove to another Church without separation from your owne only let such as think of separating remember these two things First try to promote purity in your own Church and to separate all impurity from it before you separate or gather Churches out of Churches Endeavour to separate the dross from amongst you before you separate your selves from the true gold Secondly if at last you will needs separate do not uncharitably condemne the true Church that you leave when Saints do separate let it be 1. A prudent separation from evil not from good from the vile not from the precious Rom. 12.9 Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good 2. A pious separation from evil unto good not from one evil to another not from Tyranny to Anarchy not from prelatical usurpation to popular licentiousness 3. A peaceable separation Separate from the unclean without a Schisme not rashly condemning all that come not up to your height not as one affecting a proud singularity but as one necessitated to withdraw out of pure tendernesse of conscience and as one who labours to please his neighbour for good to edification Rom. 15.1 2. 4. A loving separation though thou canst not concurre in some opinions and practices wherein the Scripture allows a latitude yet continue united in affection though in divers Churches still striving together for the Faith of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 Dr. Hills good separation Quest Quest What is Schism Answ Answ The word imports a rent or division of things that were or should be undivided and as it s taken in the matters of Religion it signifies a rupture in the communion or from the communion of the Church upon unnecessary and unwarrantable causes and grounds Society and communion are of great importance and the evil of Schism is answerable to the good of communion and if Schisme be made upon a cause not warranted by the word of God it s a sinne of an high nature the formality of Schism consists in the rupture or departing though the coalition or joyning in new bodies which was called setting up Altar against Altar may make it more pernicious So that Schisme simply and nakedly is a breaking off from the communion of the Church upon such grounds as are not warranted by Gods Word as namely when the same Faith and doctrine in the substantials is held yet through passions or private ends and fancies there is offence taken at lesser matters of fact or order and so a divorce is made for such faults in the yoke-fellow as are far short of adultery As if the members of any of those seven Asian Churches should have separated because of some drosse in those golden Candlesticks the Donatists who separated upon that principle that there was no true Church where good and bad are mixed and that the chaffe in the floor made the wheat unclean was an open Schisme both in breaking off from the Churches of Christ and in assuming liberty to erect new Churches which they affirmed to be the only true Churches of Christ Mr. Ri. Vines Parl. Serm. Quest Quest May we not separate from a visible Church for the corruptions in it though they be not in fundamentals Answ Answ No we read not of any of the Prophets in the Old Testament that left the Church but in most corrupt times continued in it reproving and threatning praying and mourning for them but not separating from them St. Austine observes that Ezek. 9.4 they were marked that mourned for the sins of the times not that separated themselves from the Church In the New Testament neither Christ nor his Apostles forsook the Church but continued in it though marvellous corrupt teaching reproving and mourning for it The six Asian Churches are blamed for their corruptions but none bid to separate for them To this purpose is that Heb. 10.24 25 38 39. Quest Quest What reasons may be rendred for this Answ First Answ 1 None ought to separate from a true Church of Christ Now such is an assembly professing the true faith notwithstanding other corruptions Secondly Separation and Excommunication from a true Church is the most heavy and greatest censure of the Church which as no man should incur by his evil behaviour so no man ought to inflict upon himself for the corruptions of others who happily deserve to be separated themselves St. Austin told Petilian that he did not well to leave Christs heap of corn because some chaff was still in it till the great winnowing day and that he shewed himself to be lighter chaff driven out by the wind of tentation that flew out before the coming

Corruptions that do abound Thus the Prophets of old and Christ and his Apostles did with zeal rebuke the prevailing Corruption of their times but separated not 2. When we have thus done our duties if corruptious are still suffered we must leave our Complaints with God who hath promised at last to take all scandals out of the Church and in the mean time we must sigh under this burden patiently Fourthly To prevent Schism in the Church take heed of Pride and Ambition and seeking after preferments in the Church Most of those that have made the greatest Rents in the Church were discontented because with Diotrephes they could not have the preheminence Even Christs Disciples began to quarrel one with another De primatu who should be the chiefest which made Christ so often to press Humility Quest Quest How may Divisions amongst the godly in their particular civil deportments be prevented or healed Answ Answ 1 First Remove the cause kill the Serpent in the egg and that is the lust in the soul Jam. 4.1 From whence come jars and fightings Is it not from your lusts first we have warring within and then one against another Now any lust unmortified is enough to set the Church on fire so Covetousness is a great cause of Discord as the Philistins and Isaac strove about the wels Gen. 26.20 21. we fall out about earthly things because the Creature is too scant to give content to all so envy causeth disunion c. Secondly Be importunate with God by prayer to give thee an humble and peaceable heart Peace is an excellent thing It s called the peace of God and God is called the God of peace and Christ The Prince of Peace and our Peace and he hath prayed for Unity and peace amongst his members John 17.21 Mr. Ant. Burgess on John 17. and 1 Cor. 3. Quest Quest How may it be proved that Divisions in Church or State are so dangerous and destructive Answ By the examples of all ages Answ As long as the Jews were at unity amongst themselves in David's and Solomons time they flourished exceedingly but so soon as they were divided into ten Tribes and two Tribes they presently began to war one against another whereby a door was opened to forraign invasions and at last to their utter destruction As long as Alexander the great lived and kept the Grecian Empire in Unity it greatly flourished but after his death when by his Major Generals it was divided into parts their Divisions encreased till they had destroyed one another Whilst the Empire of Rome continued entire it encreased and flourished exceedingly but so soon as it was divided into the Eastern and western Empire it declined till at last it came to utter destruction When Jersualem was besieged by Titus Vespasianus there were three great factions in it under three chief Captains Jehochanan Eleazar and Simeon who killed more by their mutual quarrels then the Romans without did and this proved the ruine of that famous City The like may be said by Constantinople when it was taken by the Turks But we need to look no further then to England to see how destructive Divisions in a State are When Caesar first entred into Britain he was called in by the faction of Mandubratius And Tacitus acknowledges that the Factions and Divisions which were amongst the Britains gave advantage to the Roman Victories Afterwards Vortigerne that had gotten the British Kingdom by a faction called in the Saxons who taking advantage of those Divisions amongst the Britains made themselves Masters of all So likewise when the Normans conquered England they were called in by Factions that were here especially the faction of Earl Goodwin and his son Tostane But I need not mention the miseries of England in the factious times of the Barons-wars nor in the woful Divisions between the two houses of York and Lancaster Our eyes have seen the sad effects of our late Divisions and our hearts ake to think of the miseries that are coming upon us by reason of the continuance and increase of Divisions amongst us Quest Quest But why are Divisions so destructive to Kingdoms States Cities and Families Answ First Answ 1 Because intestine divisions destroy all those things that are as walls and Bulwarks to preserve a Nation from Ruine As 1. Divisions destroy the peace of a Kingdom Now there is nothing that preserves a Kingdom more then peace The Hebrews comprehend all blessings under the name of Peace Heaven it self is Tranquillitas pacis Take away peace and you destroy a Kingdom Indeed no outward Blessing is real where peace is wanting 2. Divisions take away the Unity of a Kingdom Now Unity is the great preserver of Church and State yea of every thing what preserves the Fabrick of Heaven from falling in peeces but the Union and Conjunction of the parts of it The Church of Christ at first Calente adhuc sanguine Christi as Jerom speaks whilst the blood of Christ was yet warm was at unity in it self and flourished exceedingly Acts 2.46 47. The Church was then like a pure Virgin attended with all the graces of Gods Spirit as with so many handmaids But when it fell into Divisions it lost its Virginity and all her handmaids forsook her Unity is the glew and soder that cements a Kingdom or Church together and therefore Paul calls love the bond of perfection Col. 3.16 Secondly As Divisions take away all those things that are the butteresses to uphold a nation so they open a door to all kind of misery they are like Pandora's box which being once opened out-flew all kind of Sicknesses and Diseases As 1. Where are intestine Divisions there dwells Strife and Envy and where these are there is Confusion every evil work Jam. 3.16 2. They open a door to let in a forraign enemy 3. They so weaken a Kingdom that they make it unable to resist a forraign enemy Unita vis fortior strength conjoined is much stronger but divided is much weakened 4. Divisions set a Kingdom against it self and then it cannot stand Mat. 12.15 they bring in Civil wars which of all others are most uncivil For 1. There are no wars so unnatural as Civil wars The Father fights against the Child the Child against his Father Friend against friend c. 2. There is no war so cruel as Civil War The Hagarens and Ammonites and Moabites and Edomites were the greatest enemies that Israel had because they were nearly related to them Odia proximorum sunt acertima the hatred of brethren is most bitter when they fall out So Jud. 20.28 3. These wars are most treacherous for there will alwayes be false brethren that will labor to betray their brethren into the hands of their enemis Complain therefore as Jer. 9.2 3 4 5. 4. These of all wars are most uncomfortable therefore when Israel had overcome Benjamin instead of rejoycing they all fell a weeping Judg. 21.2 Quest Quest What are the mischiefes which proceede

as can be proved to be Hereticall and Blasphemous Fourthly A setting up of Church Discipline in its full power that so it may reach these Heresies and Blasphemies Were this done you should not have an Heresie or Blasphemie shew its head but there would be a timely discovery of it and a spirituall remedy to recover erring persons to prevent their further growth Fifthly An encouraging and heartning the godly Orthodox and painfull Ministers of the Gospell in their assertings and vindicating the truths of Christ and in their oppugning of wicked dangerous and damnable opinions Not suffering them to be abused for opposing the adversaries of the truth Why should the shepherd be discouraged because he keeps off Wolves from the sheep Sixthly Using their Authority in a timely causing to be sent forth more faithfull and able Ministers such as are thorowly tried approved to be sound in the faith and skilful to convince gainsayers and seducers Seventhly Using their Coercive power with such Methods and proportions as the reall safety of truth and soules doth require and the repression of dangerous errors doth need Not under the pretence of sanctity to favour the growth of Heresie Quest Quest What must private Christians doe to prevent infection in these times Answ First be not light Answ 1 or proud Christians Errors are most apt to breed in a proud braine and a gracelesse heart Proud and Blasphemers are joined together 2 Tim. 3.2 It s the proud man that consents not to the wholesome words of Christ but dotes about questions 1 Tim. 6.3 4. Secondly Be not loose Christians If ungodliness be in the heart error will easily get into the head A loose heart can best comply with loose principles Thirdly Be not weak Christians He whose faith is implicit and leaning on man doth often trust out his Judgement and soul The weaker light you have of truth the more easily may you be cheated with error instead of truth Fourthly Be not low Christians A wordly heart is a very low heart It will be bought and sold upon every turn to serve its own turn If thou beest the servant of truth for gain thou wilt be a slave to error for more gain Fifthly Be not rotten and hypocritical Christians Such are given up to believe lyes who receive not the truth in the love of it It s just with God that such should fall into real error whose hearts did never love real truth The deceitfull heart proves at lenth a deceived heart Sixthly Be not tottering and unstable Christians Halt not between two opinions He whose mind is but indifferent about a truth is more then half on his way to Error Seventhly Be not venturous and soul-tempting Christians Julian sipt in his Apostacy by going to hear Libanius Satan is ready enough to tempt you be not forward to tempt him Eve lost all by hearing one Sermon from the mouth of the Serpent That man that will expose himself to hear new truths doth oft come back with old Errors newly dressed Mr. Obad. Sedgwick's Parl. Sermon Jan. 27. 1646. Dr. Amias in his Cases of Conscience propounds these Questions Quest Quest Whether are Anabaptists to be accounted Hereticks Answ Answ They are not properly to be accounted Hereticks which only deny Infant-Baptism yet is this such an Error as is not to be tollerated in the Church But those of them which deny original sin and the humane nature of Christ born of the blessed Virgin c. are Hereticks Quest Quest Whether are the Arminians Hereticks Answ Answ The opinions of the Arminians as they are received and held by the common people are not properly Heresies though they are grievous Errors tending to Heresie but as they are defended by some of them so they are the Pelagian Heresie because they deny the efficacious operation of internal grace to be necessary to Conversion and begeting faith in us Quest Quest Whether are the Lutherans Hereticks Answ Answ Such amongst them as pertinaciously hold the Ubiquity of Christs humane nature cannot be excused from Heresie because that opinion doth directly overthrow the humane nature of Christ But because many amongst them do disown that opinion and others of them defend it rather in the heat of contention then because they believe it to be so therefore they are rather to be accused for stupidity or madness or Schism then for Heresie Quest Quest Whether are Hereticks to be punished by the civil Magistrate Answ Answ 1 First It s an undoubted truth that Hereticks are to be suppressed by all godly persons according to their calling and that power which they have received from God and the reason is because all the godly are called to the Christian War-fare that in their several stations they should oppose themselves to the kingdom of Darkness Secondly The place and office of a Magistrate is that he should as there is need suppress all wicked disturbers of the peace of Church or State by his Authority and the sword which he bears not in vain Rom. 13.4 1 Tim. 2..2 Thirdly Hereticks therefore that are manifest and publick disturbers of the peace ought to be restrained by the publick Authority of the Magistrate Fourthly Such of them as proceed to Blasphemy and are pertinacious and obstinate therein may be cut off by death according to that Law Lev. 24.15 16. He that curseth his God or he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death c. For though this doth not bind Christians as it was a Law given to the Jews yet as it was the Command of God himself it serves for direction to Christians what to do in the like cases When therefore the glory of God and the Well-fare of the Church do require that such exemplary punishments should be inflicted the Magistrates may ye ought to make use of this when other means will not prevail to amend them Amesii Cas Consc l. 4. c. 4. Quest Quest Why are Hereticks and false Teachers called the tail Isa 9.15 Answ Answ 1 First For baseness and contempt Let them pride themselves never so much in their wit learning and others admiration of them yet God accounts them base Secondly For their base flattery and playing the Parasites fawning on Princes and Patrons as dogs do on their Masters for a bone or crust Thirdly For their inconstancy as Dogs move their tails easily every way so they in their Doctrine and Conversation are here and there and buzzing every where for advantage Fourthly Especially for their poysonfull and hurtfull disposition and effects For as Serpents hide their venom in their tails by which they do much hurt and mischief so false-Teachers by their Eloquence Sophistry and base shifts hide the poison of their false Doctrines whereby they infect and corrupt the Church of God Hence false-Doctrine is compared to Cokatrice eggs Isa 59.5 which if eaten cause present death Such Doctrines are pernicious Authoribus to the inventers of them and Auditoribus to the hearers and

God hath not put his Children into so sad a condition but hath provided better for them Thirdly We find it recorded in Scripture that heathen Magistrates which had only the light of nature to walk by yet interessing themselves in matters of Religion and the Holy Ghost relates it as matter of commendations in them As Ezra 7.26 Artaxerxes interposes his power in matters of Religion and Ezra blesses God for it So Nebuchadnezzer Dan. 3.29 I make a decree that whosoever speakes against the God of Shadrach c. shall be cut in pieces and his house be made a Dung-hill c. This is recorded as a work of the Kings Repentance So Jona 3. The King of Niniveh proclaims a Fast and commands all to observe it Quest Quest But doth not the holy Ghost justifie this power of the Magistrate in the times of the Gospel Answ Answ Yea and that First In the Prophesies of the times of the Gospel for Prophesies the afore-named place Zach. 13.3 cannot be put off and Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers c. But their Protection of the civil peace cannot be sufficient to give them the title of Nursing fathers So Isa 60.10 The sons of the strangers shall build up thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee to wit by their power So Rev. 21.24 The Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor to the Church and surely this is more then meerly to protect their outward peace Secondly In the New Testament Rom. 13.4 He is thy Minister for thy good And 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Magistrates are sent for the punishment of evil-doers c. Now therefore why should we distinguish where the Scripture doth not Non distinguendum ubi Scriptura non distinguit Object Object But the nature of the thing requires that it be restrained to those things that belong to his cognizance Answ It s true Answ the Magistrate cannot command every good thing nor punish every evil The abstruse controversies in Religion come not under his cognisance as a Magistrate only he is to punish such things as are against the rules of Justice and Equity and the common light of Christianity Object Object But those forenamed Scriptures speaking of civil Magistrates speak only of their power in civil things Answ Answ The Magistrate is called civil because the power that he executes is Civil He cannot do the works of a Church-Officer as to administer the Sacraments preach c. by all the power he hath but this hinders not the use of his Civil power and the doing of external acts upon the outward man which are subservient to a spiriual good Though he cannot work in a spiritual way upon mans soul by his power yet he may by the exercise of it upon the outward man restrain it from the external act of evil or bring it to an external good For what Commandment soever requires any duty requires us to make use of all helps that may further the performance of it and if there be civil natural or spiritual helps we are bound to make use of all Object It s granted that Magistracy is Gods Ordinance for our civil good by those Texts of Scripture but how will it appear that he intended it for our spiritual good Answ What naturalness there is in any thing it hath it from God For Nature is Gods work So then if there be a Naturalness in it to work upon the outward man for the furtherance of its spiritual good this is from God Quest How can natural and external things be helps to things spiritual and divine Answ Reason yea sense tells us that the taking away of external hinderances and the puting men upon the external use of divers things may keep from much evil and further much spiritual good Seeing therefore that the New Testament sets out the power of Magistrates and requires submission to them in general tearms we may thence conclude that the Lord intended to leave Christians for their subjection to Magistrates to the light of nature and to the equity of the general rules which were in the Scripture aforetime so that we may boldly say to God himself Lord We found in thy Word that once thou didst make use of the power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion and it s no where forbidden in the new Testament nay it s there said that they are appointed for our good and to be a terror to evil workers whence we gathered that it was thy will that we should submit to them according to those general rules We found also that it was thy mind that we should make use of all natural helps for our spiritual advantage and we found in thy Word that thou didst allow the Exercise of the Magistrates power in matters of Religion even to those that had but the light of nature to guide them and seeing the use reached only to the outward man we did not see it necessary to have a special institution for it therefore we made use of it and without question God will accept of this plea. Consider also further First That when the Apostles were convented before Magistrates about matters of Religion they never pleaded You have no power in things of this nature they belong only to Christ who is our King and to the Government he hath set in his Church but they only pleaded the justness of their cause and that which they preached was the truth of God and that they did it in obedience to him 2. If all men are bound to improve all their gifts and talents for the propagation of the Gospel then the Magistrate that hath more power then others must improve that likewise not only by countenancing the truth but by all other means according to the Dictates of reason not forbidden by Scripture Object Object But Conscience is a tender thing and therefore must not be meddled with Answ Answ For all this the devil must not be let alone when he gets into mens consciences God hath appointed no City of refuge for him If he be got into the Conscience he must be fetched from thence as Joab was from the horns of the Altar or faln upon there Quest Quest What then may be done to a man in such a ease Answ Answ 1 First A man that pleades Conscience may be required to give an account of his conscience and the grounds upon which he goes It s against the light of nature for men that live in a society that they should do such things whereof they need give no account to any whatsoever Secondly Enquire whether the devil indeed be in the conscience it may be he is in some other room in the soul only he pretends to this as to his sanctuary If he should be found in a mans will he thinks he should be hunted thence with violence but he hopes men will deal more tenderly with conscience and will let him alone there Quest Quest But how shall we know whether the

esteemed to be Atheists Hereticks Blasphemers of their gods or oppugners of their established Religion Fifthly this coercive power of the Magistrate is every way as useful and necessary now for the glory of God salvation of mens souls and peace of the Church and State as it was then yea in some respects more necessary there being in our dayes not onely the same reasons and causes for the power of the Magistrate but many others also as was shewed by Master Burroughs before Mr. Tho. Edw. against tolleration Quest Quest How may it further appeare that corruption in Religion outwardly breaking forth and expressed may yea and must be restrained and punished by the civil Magistrate Answ Answ From the example of Christ John 1.13 c. who whipped out of the Temple those that sold Oxen and Sheep c. Object But Christ did this as God Object or at lest as the Messias therefore it s not imitable Answ First Answ 1 Civil Rulers are Christs vice-gerents as he was God and therefore they are called Gods Psal 82.1 6. and said to judge for God 2 Chron. 19.6 and are called the Ministers of God Rom. 13.4 who are to take vengeance in Gods stead they are also Christs vice-gerents as Mediator as one that hath all power committed to him in earth as well as in heaven Mat. 28.18 From him therefore as political head of his people Magistrates power on earth must come Prov. 8.15 16. Hence he is called King of Kings 1 Tim. 1.16 17. Rev. 19.16 yea he makes them nursing fathers to his Church and so commits his Church which is his house into their hands as to those who by their civil authority are every way to further its welfare and therefore what Christ did when on earth to purge corruptions out of his Church he now doth by the hands of his vice-gerents Secondly he that was God man who acted here did it in a mixt way not only as God but partly as man also as man he made the whip of cords and smote them therewith his example therefore herein is imitable by men of place and the reason whereby Christs act was justified was the zeale of Gods house John 2.17 which must needs be yeelded to be an apt and just reason sutable to the act and imitable by others which are called thereunto Object Object It was an extraordinary act in Christ as man to punish abuses in Religion in a Corporal way Answ Answ 1 First admit that yet at least the act it self of such punishment of the abuses in religion must needs be in it self that whereon the image of Christs zeal was enstamped and that which in it self is good or else Christ could not have done it without sin and if in its nature it was good its imitable by such as are called thereunto to do that in an ordinary way which he did in an extraordinary Secondly be it that it was extraordinary in Christ as man to act thus So was Phineas his act in killing Zimri and Cozbi Numb 25.7 8. and Samuels in hewing Agag in pieces 1 Sam. 15.33 and Elijahs slaying of Baals Priests 1 King 18.40 yet it must be yeelded that there must be some who by office might and should in an ordinary way have punished such sins the Lord not using to stirre up any in an extraordinary way to do any such acts but in a defect of ordinary power So by these extraordinary acts was a supply made of the defect of Magistratical power which in an ordinary way makes use of the sword or whip for the corporal punishment as Rom. 13.4 rather then such abuses in Religion shal not be in an external coercive way curbed and punished therefore Christ thought it fit to put forth his hand to so good and blessed a work when those whose duty it was to do it would not discharge their trust Quest Quest What corruptions in religion are thus to be punished by the Civil Magistrate Answ Answ We must distinguish of corruptions in Religion and they are First either Dogmatical or Practical and these again are either such as are more grosse and strike at the fundamentals or vitals of Religion whether directly or collaterally or such as are of a more circumstantial and lighter nature Secondly corruptions in religion are either such as are secretly taken up and embraced or such as come under mans view being outwardly expressed by word writing c. and these again are either such as are held forth with meeknesse and real expressions of a cordial readinesse to lay them aside upon better information or such as are carried on in a turbulent way and with contempt of Civil or Church order Againe restraint and punishment of these is either that which is meerly and immediately divine or that which is partly Divine and partly humane in respect either of the agent or manner of acting or that which is properly in the nature of the act person and manner of acting humane and this againe is either Political which is carried on in a Civil way and by Political means or Ecclesiastical which is carried on in a Church-way and by Church meanes Thirdly a call of God to restraine and punish abuses is either immediately Divine as when by Divine vision revelation prophesie inspiration instinct c. or that which is mediately divine in respect of God the author but immediately humane in respect of man designing and inviting Quest Quest What conclusions may be laid down upon these premises Answ We shall shew 1. Answ Negatively what may not be done 2. Affirmatively what may and must First Negatively we say that 1. No private person in these dayes under any pretence whatsoever may take upon him to restraine and punish corruptions in religion in those who are not under their personal charge It 's rash zeal zeal without knowledge to do any thing this way without the bounds of ones particular calling in the limits whereof every one should abide with God 1 Cor. 7.20 24. It tends to confusion and God is no authour of that 1 Cor. 14.33 2. No civil authority nor persons thereunto called may as such punish abuses in Religion in any Ecclesiastical way as excommunication c. Christ never gave the power of the keys to Civil Magistrates but to his Church-Officers Mat. 16.18 19. and 18.17 18. 1 Cor. 5.4 neither may Church-Officers punish in an external way as by imprisonment fines stripes sword c. Mat. 20.25 26. 3. Neither Civil nor Church power may punish a meer supposed corruption in Religion but that which doth manifestly appear to be so by the Word of God they must not make men offenders for a word rightly uttered by the just Isa 29.21 that 's blind zeal as Joh. 16.2 3. 4. Neither of them may censure or punish corruptions in Religion till they break forth in outward expressions For then and not till then they are of legal proof scandalous and infectious Hence Deut. 13.13 14. and 17.2 3 4 5.

as are cross to the word of God punish only such things as men in conscience should avoid and will this make them to dissemble c. Obj. Such coercive power in matters of Religion is the way to bring in persecution for conscience sake Answ 1. Teaching Magistrates their duty to punish things manifestly cross to the Word of God and that after due means used for conviction is rather a way to restraine them from persecuting the Saints for a good cause or conscience and if accidentally Gods enemies take occasion hence to abuse their power this must not take away the due use of it Papists and Prelates abused Church-censures against the godly yet this their sin dischargeth not the Church from its duty 2. It s an absurd argument to reason thus Men may not be persecuted for a good cause and conscience therefore they may not be punished for maintaining a bad cause c. Obj. The exercise of any such power by godly Rulers is crosse to the meek Spirit of Christ and to that merciful spirit which he requires to be in his Saints Rom. 15.1 Gal. 6.1 2. Eph. 4.32 2 Tim. 2.25 Answ Zeal of God in sharp punishing of such corruptions flood well with Christs Dove-like spirit None so meek as he and yet none so zealous this way The zeal of Gods house even consumed him and made him lay on so hard with his scourge upon those who polluted the Temple John 2.16 with 14.15 16 20. Moses was the meekest of men in his own cause Numb 12.3 yet lion-like in that cause of pollution of Gods worship Exod. 32.26 27 c. Hezekiah was a shadow to the Saints Isa 32.2 Yet a fiery flying Serpent against Gods and the Churches enemies Isa 14 29 30. Quest Quest What other reasons may be rendred why the higher Civil powers ought not to grant a Tolleration to their Christian subjects to hold and professe in matters of Religion what themselves may pretend conscience for their so doing when indeed grosly erring and contemptuously and pertinaciously holding the same forth Ans Answ 1 First because they may not give liberty to their Subjects to live in and practice the works of the flesh But Heresies and Schismes are works of the flesh Gal. 5.20 therefore not to be tollerated Secondly that liberty which suffers men ordinarily to draw persons away from God is not to be granted by Christian Magistrates but to tollerate persons under a pretence of Conscience pertinaciously to hold forth corrupt opinions is to suffer them to draw others from God therefore it s not to be allowed Deut. 13.9 Thirdly that liberty which suffers the sheep of the Lord in an ordinary way to wander from their fold and pasture without restraint or effectual care to reduce them is not to be allowed by political shepherds which God placeth over them This the Lord complains of and sharply reproves Ezek. 34.5 6 7 8. There was no Shepherd neither did my Shepherds search for my flock but they wandred and became a prey were driven away and devoured there were Shepherds but they did not execute their office but suffered Gods flock to be seduced and corrupted by false prophets But the liberty aforementioned doth thus therefore it s not to be allowed Fourthly such a liberty carries a brand of Anarchy in the State yea and of a sad judgement of God upon that State for the provoking sins both of rulers and people 1. It s one brand of Anarchy Judg. 17.6 there was no King in Israel every one did what was right in his own eyes 2. It s a sad judgement of God as appears Zach. 11.9 with 15 16 17. where the Lord threatens to leave those of his flock alone to themselves and to killing courses of sinne that which dieth let it die and the judicial means he useth is in judgement to raise up a foolish Idol Shepherd i.e. such Rulers in Church and State into whose hands the flock is delivered to be spoiled as v. 5 6. such as care not what becomes of their souls So 2 Chron. 20.33 where it appears that to be left by authority to take up corruption in religion under pretence of conscience is a sad judgement of God for the sins of a professing people Fifthly such a tolleration makes Rulers not to be for Christ but in that respect against him for it makes them not to be for one chief end of his coming which was to destroy the works of the devil For a tolleration of errours is a tollerating the works of the devil because erroneous doctrines are forged by the devil and are some of those lies whereof he is the Father John 8.44 Those doctrinal lies are doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4.2 unclean frogges that come out of the Dragons mouth Rev. 16.13 14. yea lesser errors about meats and marriage are called doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. therefore they ought not to be tollerated Sixthly Such a Tolleration will wound a State in the very continuity of it It breaks the hedge and walls of a State and so lets in manifold mischiefs For 1. Corrupt Doctrines so allowed do mingle with and wil eat out sound Doctrine pure Religion and the Covenant of God which are the ligaments and bands of a Christian State and made Jerusalem so compacted together Psalm 122.1 2 3. For 2 Tim. 2.16 17. They will encrease to more ungodliness and their words will eat as a Canker or Gangrene 2. Corrupt Doctrines tend to the breaking of the peace of such societies where they are tollerated Hence Gal. 5.10 12. I would they were cut off that trouble you And Acts 20.30 They draw away or rent away as members from the body Disciples after them Where there are Heresies amongst Church-members there will be Schisms and Divisions 1 Co● 11.18 19. Such filthy Dreamers Jude 8. are branded for sedicious persons in Common-wealths They despise Dominions and speak evil of Dignities witness the many breakings of our Parliaments and turning of Governments upside down Such justly perish as did seditious Corah verse 11. Hence Seducers are called Traitors heady high-minded Truce-breakers False-accusers fierce c. 2 Tim. ● 1 2 3 4 5. and that he speaks this of Seducers appeares verse 6 7 8 9 13. And Jude 16. They are branded for Murmurers and Complainers quarrelling against matters in Church and State All ages have declared that persons of corrupt Principles in Religion are frequent Movers and Abettors of civil seditions 3. Corrupt Doctrines break the hedges and walls of a Christian Common-wealth and leave it naked to become a prey to its adversaries So was Israel when they had corrupted Religion Exod. 32.25 till Moses commanded Justice to be executed upon some for the terror of others ver 26 27. False Prophets let alone spoil the vines and break the hedges as is implyed Ezek. 13.4 5. So Ezek. 22.26 27. When such corruptions are let alone a gap is made verse 30. and when none in Authority are found to make it up by punishing them God powers out his indignation upon them verse 31. Solomons connivence at Idolatry in his wives rent his Kingdom in pieces but punishing such corruptions puts away evill Deut. 17.2 3 7. 7. Such a tolleration God accounts to be a kicking at Religion and honoring such Corruptors above God himself as appears 1 Sam. 2.12 to 16. with 23 24 25 29. Elies sons corrupted the worship of God by snatching what came first to hand and the Lord saith not only to them but to Eli too Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and honourest thy sons above me c. therefore it ought not to be granted 8. Such a Tolleration of such evils causes those very evils to be charged on Rulers themselves and bringeth the wrath of God upon them So Elies sons sins were charged upon and punished on Elie himself and Solomons connivence at the Idolatry of his wives And Nehemiah contends with the Rulers for not reforming the prophanations of the Sabbath Nehe. 13.10 11 12 16 17 18. the sin of the people in doing corruptly in the matters of God is charged upon Jotham 2 Chron. 27.2 he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet the people did corruptly 2 Kin. 15.34 35. and that is charged upon him as his sin 9. Such a Tolleration makes men abhor Religion and to speak evil of the way of truth as Elies sons corruptions being connived at made men abhor the Lords offerings 1 Sam. 2.17 So 2 Pet. 2.1.2 3. 10. Such a Tolleration is intollerable because it is an allowing of Foxes to spoil Christs vines Can. 1.2.16 Of Wolves that spare not Christs flock Acts 20.30 with Ezek. 34.8 10. Of Sorcerers that bewitch men 2 Tim. 3.13 Gal. 3.1 Who hath bewiched you c they are also as Jesabel whom God will punish if men neglect their duty in doing of it Rev. 2.20 21 c. Thus you have the Judgement of Mr. Tho. Cobbet of New England against a General Tolleration See more of this in Mr. Cottons answer to Mr. Williams FINIS Errata Typographica PAg. 2. lin 6. pro Nobathaea leg Nabathaea p. 3. l. 21. pro Saphirus leg Sapphirus p. 4. l. 1. pro phorus leg pharus p. 6. l. 13. pro pollysyllaba leg polysyllaba l. 18. pro ped●x leg pedis in margine pro Harpago est faem leg masc p. 7. l. 26. post silex adde et p. 9. l. 20. pro mine leg minae p. 10. l. 4. pro vendiciae leg vindiciae p. 11. l. 11. pro facinum leg fascinum p. 15. l. 10. pro Ligar leg Ligur p. 20. l. 8. pro areo leg aveo p. 23. l. 6. adde distinguo