to doe would have all Christians dwelling together so far as they can to unite into a body but there is no such order of Christ that all that dwell on the one side of the street should be of one body and all on the other of another body if they be more then can joyn into one spirituall corporation they are bound to joyne into severall so as they may best to their own and other Churches edification and if they should fail in this not joyning in the best way that possible might be their sin is against that edification that Christ requires but not therefore the sin of Schisme Who ever they were that bounded Parishes surely they did not so bound them to the greatest edification of the Church that possible might be and yet who will say they were therefore Schismaticks But suppose you have joyned with any company of Saints in a spirituall corporation if you now shall uncharitably unjustly rashly and violently break from communion with them then you contract the guilt of Schisme upon you First the separtion must be from want of charity By faith especially we are united to Christ our head and by charity to one another If a man appeares departing from any fundamentall Article of our faith which joyned him to his Head he is to bee judged an Heretick So by his appearing to depart from that love by which he was joyned in communion with the members he is to be judged a Schismatick If his departure proceeds from his love of God his love to his Saints and his owne soule yea his love to that very Church from whence he departs as sometimes it may witnessing in a gratious way against evill in it he is farre from the guilt of Schisme If you say love is a secret thing we cannot judge of what is in the heart We cannot judge of it while it is in the heart but when it appeares we may You may know whether this or other principles act men or no by their behaviour in their breaking off communion Where this is not bitcernesse pride selfe-ends will soone appear and carry them beyond those principles themselves professe they goe upon Secondly If the cause of leaving communion be just then those who give this cause are the Schismaticks not those who withdraw upon it Thus the Governours of the Church may be the Schismaticks and a private member withdrawing may be free Suarez a great Jesuite in his disputation De Schismate sayes in some cases the Pope may be a Schismatick If Governours shall enjoyne any thing upon the Church or any member that is sinne or if they shall mingle evill in the publick worship so that there can be no joyning with their worship but there must be likewise a joyning with sinne in this case if any withdraw from them they are the Schismaticks not those who withdraw they are fugati not fugitivi The blame of Schisme sayes learned Voâ—tius must not be upon those who forsake such as have forsaken Christ and the ancient faith but upon those who have thus forsaken Christ and his truth When the second Councell of Nice set up Image-worship many thousands could not yeeld to it but were forced to withdraw who was the Schismaticall party there but the Synod and those who joyned with it Yea further if they impose that which is not necessary though in it selfe not sinful and will not beare with the weaknesses of such as thinke it to be evill if upon that they be forced to withdraw in this the Governours are the Schismaticks also the cause of the rent is in them they ought in such things to beare the weaknesses of their Brethren and not imperiously to require of them those things that there is no necessity of If such things be sinne to their Brethrens consciences if they will stand upon it to enjoyne them they lay a necessity upon them to withdraw from them God will not lay the Indictment of Schisme thus Such a one departed from the communion of such a Church because he would not doe what was lawfull to be done but thus You imposed that upon your Brother which there was no necessity of and would not forbeare him in what I would have you forbeare him but caused him by your imperiousnesse and stiffenesse to depart from communion with you It is true sayes God the thing might have been done but it was not necessary it was out of conscience to me that they forbore the weaknesse is theirs but the Schisme is yours This hath beene generally received though it be very false that if a man departs from a Church because he refuseth to joyn with it in that which is not in it selfe evill that this mans departure is Schismaticall Certainly no Grant there is a weaknesse in his conscience and so a sinne he should informe his conscience better but cannot and this inability is not without sinne yet this arises not to that height of sinne as to make that which supposing him to be in this condition is better for him to doe then not to doe to become Schisme especially if he be willing to hold communion with that Church still in all acts of worship wherein he can joyne without sinning against his conscience and continues brotherly love to them as Saints in all the expressions thereof as he is able The first great Schisme in the Church that was caused by the Governours of it was that which Victor Bishop of Rome and those who joyned with him caused by that imperious way of enjoyning Easter to be kept at such a time which you have mentioned pag. 15 16 17. The story of which you have in Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 23. Those who denyed not the lawfulnesse of keeping Easter yet have generally accused Victor and such who so violently urged this upon the Churches as the cause of the Schisme not such who did not conforme to what was enjoyned them because the thing was not necessary and there should have beene a forbearance in it No Governour ought to urge such unnecessary things which are but under suspition by tender consciences if they do the Schisme is justly charged upon them Thirdly where a man cannot have his soule edified in some Ordinances and truths of great moment which that Church whereof he now is shall deny and is in great danger of being seduced to evill he may depart from that Church to another if he does it orderly and not be guilty at all of Schisme love to God and his owne soule is the cause of this not want of love to his Brethren It is a good speech I finde Chillingworth hath what the goodnesse of the man was I know not but in that Treatise of his The Religion of Protestants a safe way Cap. 5. Part. 1. Sect. 61. answering that plea of his adversary against Protestants that communion with a Church not erring in fundamentals upon pretence of erring in other matters must not be forsaken he
greatest troublers in Church and State Thus in the generall mens lusts are the cause of divisions but let us enquire into the particular lusts of men which wee may also charge Wee shall find these dividing distempers to be as many as the dividing Principles As the Philosopher speaks of four Cardinall vertues so the first four that I shall name I may call the four Cardinall vices these are Pride Self-love Envy Passion or Frowardnesse All the other distempers that cause divisions have the poyson of these four at the root of them These are the Chariot wheels of the Furies or the four horses that drawes them up and down hurrying from place to place CHAP. XVI The Pride of mens hearts the great dividing distemper PRide is the greatest Master of mis-rule in the world it is the great incendiary in the soule of man in families in Townes Cities in all societies in Church and State This wind causeth tempests to arise Prov. 13. 10. Onely by pride comes contention The holy Ghost singles out pride as the only cause of all contentions because it is the chief though there be many in a ryot the whole usually is laid upon the ring-leaders Pride is the ring-leader to all ryots divisions disturbances amongst us Prov. 21. 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Pride may be well indicted for the great common Barrettor in all Towns and Cities and Kingdomes it makes wofull troubles wheresoever it comes Mathematicians make this a rule to know when a thing is exactly round and when it is exactly plaine Round things will not touch but in puncto if you lay plaine things together they will touch in every part of them Proud hearts will joyne only in some things that concern themselves but plain hearts will joyn in every thing wherein God may have glory and their Bâ—ethren good Gâ—uty swoln legs keep at distance one from another bladders that are blown up with wind spurt one from another they will not close but if you prick them and so let out the wind you may pack a thousand in a little room Wee finde this by experience when God gives us most successe in our Armies then are we most divided then every man begins to look high and to be sharking for himself and when the Lord discountenances our Armies and brings us low then we think and speak ways of Accommodation then we bewaile our divisions with some brokenness of spirit As it is with Souldiers when they are fighting against the common adversary then they can agree well enough but when they come to divide the spoile or be put into their Garrisons then they fall out When we lye under the danger of the same common calamity then we can agree but when we come to share for our selves then our spirits swell one against another We read in Scripture of the Mannah that God gave his people such was the nature of it that the heat of the Sun melted it You wil say How could it then endure the heat of the oven for they baked it in the oven yet so it was of a strange kind of nature that it could bear the heat of the oven and not the heat of the sun Even of such a temper are our hearts the heat of the sunne of prosperity dissolves us causes us to runn one from another but the heate of the fire of affliction bakes us brings us and settles us together it makes us to be one it takes away our rawnesse it consumes many of our ill humors and so composes our spirits into one The stupidness of our hearts is such as we do not make our brethrens case who suffer the rage of these wars our owne But we for the present having some more liberty then formerly we are lifted up and in the pride of our hearts push at our brethren and smite our fellow-servants If the dogges be at a little distance from us though we even heare the cryes of our brethren who are worried by them yet we foolishly blesse our selves in our present ease enjoyments and hopes as if our flesh must be spared our estates our liberties and enjoyments must be continued yea raised whatsoever becomes of others Oh sinfull vaine spirits befooled and hardned with their pride But what are the severall workings of pride that make such a stir in the world First A proud man thinks himself too great to be crossed Shall I beare this I will make you know what it is to doe such things against me he thinks it a great dishonour to him to beare any thing therefore he must needs quarrel and contend if it be but to shew what a man of spirit he is or to shew that he is a man of such worth as whatsoever others beare yet it is not fit for him to bear it it is but reason that such a man as he should make men who will presume to crosse him to yeeld to him to stoop under him Now when one proud man thinks it a dishonour for him to put up wrongs from another who it may be is as proud as himself and he thinks it a dishonor for him to put up wrong what peace can there be some wrongs must be put up but proud men will never agree who shall begin Secondly because his spirit swells so big he thinks every thing that crosseth him to be very great his sufferings are great to him according to what great thoughts he hath of himself according to the excellency or meannesse of any person So are his sufferings to be reckoned sufferings of a man in eminency are judged according to his eminency and place if a mean man suffer the same things they are not accounted so great now whether a man be great really or in his owne apprehension it s all one in regard of his esteem of his sufferings he thinks himselfe therefore intollerable because they are against himself Dan. 3. 14. Is it true O Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Do not ye serve my gods that which you have in your books is it true Arius Montanus translates Nunquid de solatio what is there desolation made what you to oppose the command of a King if this be suffered what desolation must needs follow Add indeed the root from whence the word comes signifies desolari to make desolate why was it a desolation that these three poor innocent men made because they would not nay they could not do as this proud K. would have them w ht made him thus to aggravate the offence but meerly the pride of his heart he thought that any thing cross to his command was a most hainous offence a thing most horrid in the very mention of it no lesse then the utter undoing of all things Pride ever aggravates any thing done against its owne mind This in Dan. that Montanus turns Nunquid desolatio Buxtorfius translates num de industria what on purpose you doe it on purpose to provoke
hath this excellent saying If I did not finde in my selfe a love and desire of all profitable truth if I did not put away idlenesse and prejudice and worldly affections and so examine to the bottome all my opinions of divine matters being prepared in minde to follow God and God onely which way soever he shall lead me if I did not hope that I either doe or endeavour to doe these things certainely I should have little hope of obtaining salvation When I consider of these causes of departing from a particular Church that speech of Tertullian concerning a Martyr comes into my minde Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem Not the punishment but the cause makes a Martyr So Non decâ—ssio sed causa facit Schismaticum Not the departing but the cause makes a Schismatick Aquinas shewing that wherein the vitiousnesse of Schisme lyes sayes As in naturall things that which is by accident does not constitute the species so in morall not that which is beside the intention for that is accidentall therefore sayes he the sin of Schisme is in that it intends to separate from that unity which charity makes and therefore Schismaticks are properly those who of their own accord and intention doe separate themselves from the unity of the Church The next thing considerable in the description of Schisme is the rashnesse of the separation though the cause of separating be just yet the manner of it may be schismaticall if done rashly or violently Those who are joyned in communion with others when they differ from those with whom they have communion they are bound to examine try to make use of all meanes they can to satisfie their consciences in things they scruple and if they cannot yet before they breake off communion they are bound to seek by all means they can for a redress of those things which after most serious examination appeare evill to them they are bound to wait with much forbearance and longsuffering And at last if there be a necessity of departing they must not rend away with violence but shew themselves willing and ready in the spirit of love and meeknesse to open their cause to shew their reasons to the Church why they cannot continue in that communion with them they formerly had and desire that they may peaceably and lovingly depart seeing they cannot with peace of their conscience and love to their soules continue with them and that they may joyne with some other Church where they may enjoy peace and further edification Surely here is no Schisme this is no rending away here is no violence used here is onely a loving and peaceable secession notwithstanding this were it not the pride envy and frowardnesse of mens spirits much love and peace might continue amongst Christians and Churches True indeed if men can beare no contradiction no kinde of blame of their wayes there must needs be trouble but then those who doe contradict or blame though they be in the wrong yet if it be through weaknesse and carryed with meeknesse they are not so much the cause of the trouble as those who cannot beare this weaknesse of their Brethren without frowardnesse and contention There are other names of division the name of Puritan what a divider hath it been but that seeing it self ready to dye divided it self into two Round head and Independent these are now the opprobrious discriminating scornfull names of division amongst us For the first there is so much folly and absurdity in it that surely it will soone vanish of it selfe if you contemne it it is too low and contemptible for a Pulpit or a Pen to meddle with But the other carries in the face of it an open defiance to all kind of government a monstrous kind of liberty for men to live as they list and to be accountable to none whatsoever they hold or doe Certainly such kinde of people as these are not to be suffered shall I say in any Christian society no not in any humane society if there be any such people as these they are one of the most monstrous kinde of people that ever lived upon the face of the earth How many runne away with the word and cry out of men and their wayes under this name which they know not How farre those who are for the Congregationable way are from such an uncontroulable liberty hath beene shewne Chap. 7. Pag. 41. I shall adde this one thing of all kinde of governments in the Church that which hath this name fastened upon it is most opposite to the name of any in that sense it is ordinarily taken for there is no Church-government that holds forth more means to reduce from errour or any miscarriage then this doth examine it with the Prelaticall or Presbyteriall Government and you shall find it for first in the Prelaticall Government if once the Prelates determine any case you must there rest there is no Church helpe for you except you will say it is in a Convocation where we know they ruled both in the choyce of members and ordering all things as they list In the Presbyteriall way if so many associated Elders determine any case it must in them receive the finall determination you must rest in it although the greater part of the Churches and the greater number of Elders in a Kingdome should be of another minde for if you rise to a Nationall Assembly there are not the twentieth part of Elders of the Kingdome in it But those who men call Independents say that if any thing be done by them that is offensive not only those associated Elders but all or any Elders or Churches whatsoever may require account may in the name of Christ doe all in effect for the reducing of them that those associated Elders can doe still remembring that Church-power in one or the other goes no further then mens consciences if men wil not conscientiously regard what is done to reduce them from evill there is no help within the Church but to appeale to CHRIST as for the externall helpe by the Magistrate that concernes not the controversie about Church-government and yet for subjection to that Ordinance of God the principles and profession of those you call Independents leave as much to the Magistrate as the principle or profession of those who are Presbyteriall doe if not more Tolle â—am nominis crimen nihil restat nisi criminis nomen Now take away the crime of the name and there remaines nothing but the name of a crime CHAP. XXVI The seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth dividing Practices The seventh Whatsoever personall evill there is in any one who is in a differing way from others is cast upon all that are in that way THis you know was the practice of former times whatsoever evill any forward Professour was guilty of that was cast upon all they are all thus Doe you not see that Hypocrites they are whatsoever their shewes be yet if they have opportunity they
infinite scandall that comes by dissention Oh that there were such hearts in us Christ expects it from us all but especially from his Ministers for they are his Ambassadours for peace to beseech men in his stead to be reconciled to God reconciliation with God will reconcile us one to another If God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 John 4. 11. The faces of the Cherubims in the Temple looked one towards another which some think signified the agreement that should be amongst Ministers of the Gospel So the six branches in the Candlestick joyned all in one those who hold the light of truth before others should be united in peace in one amongst themselves The first thing Christs Ministers were to doe when they came to any place was to say Peace be to that place if any sons of peace were there they were to abide otherwise not Surely then it is expected that themselves should be sonnes of peace The contentions of private Christians are offensive but the contentions of Ministers is a scandall with a witnesse Yet in all Ages of the Church the corrupt Clergie have been the greatest causes of divisions they have been of the most cruell spirits against any that differed from them But let not such a spirit be in us we have enough to do to contend with the wicked of the world with the malice of Satan let us not contend one with another Luther writing to the Ministers of Norimberg brings in Christ saying to them Satis est vobis ob nomen meum malorum You are like to suffer evil enough for my name you need not be afflictions one to another It was barbarousnesse in the Priests of Baal to cut and slash themselves but it is worse for the Ministers of Jesus Christ to cut and slash one another 1 Kings 6. 23. The Cherubims were made of the Olive tree If you be typified by them as we hinted before let it appeare that you are olives not brambles yea and v. 31. For the entring of the Oracle the doores were of Olive-tree who will believe that you bring the Oracles of God with you when they see by your froward contentious carriage that you never entred in at these doores People cannot but think it a miserable thing to have a scratching tearing bramble to be over them Oh that God would set the beauty glory of peace friendship love before us That this precious pearle Vnion might be highly valued by us All men are taken in some degree or other with the excellency and sweetness of love and friendship Some men sayes Cicero despise riches others honours those things that by some are delighted in by others are vilified but all men of all sorts have a high esteem of friendship they think there can be no life without it Gen. 34. 21. The great commendation that Hamor and Shechem give of Jacob and his Sons as an argument to perswade the men of Shechem to joyn with them in the giving their daughters to them for wives and in taking theirs is These men are peaceable with us A peaceable disposition is very convincing Cant. 6. 6. My dove my undefiled is but one she is the onely one of her mother she is the choice one of her that bare her What then followes The daughters saw her and blessed her yea the Queenes and the Concubines and they praised her Who I se she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the moone cleare as the Sunne terrible as an Army of Banners Let the Saints be but one and then they will appeare beautifull and glorious indeed yea they will be terrible as an army of Baners Evagrius in his Ecclesiasticall History records an Epistle of Cyrill of Alexandria written to John of Antioch upon the occasion of a Pacificatory Epistle of John unto him his spirit was so taken with it that it breaks forth thus Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad the mid wall of rancour is battered downe the boyling choler which bereaved the mindes of quietnesse is purged from among us and all the occasion of discord and dissention is banished away for our Saviour Iesus Christ hath granted peace unto the Churches under heaven The Thebans made Harmonia a goddesse they accounted her the defender and patronesse of their City Harmonious peaceable uniting dispositions have much of God in them if not from sanctifying grace yet it is from a common work of the Spirit of God there is a noblenesse in such a heart By the Lawes of England Noblemen have this priviledge that none of them can be bound to the peace because it is supposed that a Noble disposition will never be engaged in brawles and contentions it is supposed that the peace is alwayes bound to him that of his own accord he will be carefull to preserve it It is the base Bramble that rends and teares Nazianzen reports of Alexander who having taken a City and consulting what to doe one Parmenius answered If he were King he would raze the City to the ground Alexander answers So would I too if I were what you are rigour may become you but gentlenesse becomes me Gentlenesse mercy goodnesse love tendernesse of others sufferings are the greatest ornaments to a noble spirit If this be sanctified the glory of God shines bright indeed in such a heart For God glories in this to be the God of peace and love 1 Thess 5. 23. The very God of peace 2 Thess 3. 16. The Lord of peace himselfe Jesus Christ in being the Prince of peace the holy Ghost in being like a Dove that hath no gall the Gospel is the Gospel of peace the Kingdome of God is peace as well as righteousnesse the legacy that Christ left is a legacy of peace the Apostolicall benediction is grace mercy and peace the glory of the Church is in this that it is a City compact at unity within it selfe Yea this will be the glory of that glorious Church that God is raising a new Jerusalem there shall be no more crying there Apoc. 21. 4. Ezech. 14. 9. The Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day there shall be one Lord and his name shall be one There is but one Lord now but he is called by different names but in that day his name shall be but one Zeph. 3. 9. Then will I turne to a people of pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one consent The Hebrew word is with one shoulder now we shoulder one another but then all shall serve the Lord with one shoulder This love and peace is compared to the most delightfull and the most profitable things Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell at unity it is like the precious ointment upon the head that ranne downe upon the beard even Aarons beard that went downe to the skirts of his garment as the dew of
require why should we distinguish where the Scripture doth not You will say The nature of the thing spoken of will require that it must be restrained to those things that belong to his cognisance Such a limitation must of necessity be granted therefore it is true that the Magistrate cannot command every good thing nor punish every evill the abstruse controversies in Religion come not under the cognisance of a Magistrate as a Magistrate only such things as are against the rules of common justice and equity and the common light of Christianity where he is to govern Christians for he is to enjoyn and punish such things only as if he were not the community of people which sets him up ought to enjoyn and punish for he hath his power from them but of this more in the next Principle If you shall say But those Scriptures speaking of Civill Magistrates wee must understand them to be meant onely of civill things The Magistrate hath his appellation civil because the power that he exercises is civill the things that he do are civill he cannot do the works of a Church-officer by all the power he hath as administer Sacraments and the like but this hinders not the use of his civil power and the doing of external acts upon the outward man subservient to spiritual good indeed what he doth hath not any spirituall efficacy in it for then it were worship Though he cannot work in a spirituall way upon mans soule by his power it is not an Ordinance set apart by God to that end yet he may by the exercise of his power upon the outward man restrain it from the externall act of evill or bring it to an externall good his power still that he exercises is civill yet ordered to the help of spirituall good either removendo prohibentia or applicando media externa or cohibenda a malo externo removing outward things that hindered applying outward means or keeping from outward evils Whatsoever Commandement requires any duty requires us to make use of all things that may help us to the performance of that duty if there be any civil naturall spiritual helps we are bound to make use of all Only here lies the great doubt Whether hath God appointed the use of the Magistrates power to be a helpe to the things of Religion Hath God made this to be an Ordinance for the spirituall good of people That it is by God an Ordinance for their civill good is plaine out of those Scripture before mentioned but how doth it appeare that ever God intended it to be an Ordinance for their spirituall good What naturalnes there is in any thing it hath it from God for nature is Gods worke if there be a naturalness in it to work upon the outward man for the furtherance of spiritual good this is from God if I should use it to work upon the inward man expecting a spirituall efficacy then I make it an ordinance to my self and sin against God presuming to put more in a creature of his then it was appointed to In this consisted the evil of ceremonies they were used in a spirituall way to work upon the heart of man by vertue of that institution that man put upon them beyond what God in their natural power ever put into them But how can naturall and externall things be helps to things spirituall and divine Any mans reason yea sense may tell him that the taking away externall hindrances and the putting upon externall use of divers things may keep from much evill and further much good that is spirituall and divine though it cannot reach to the spiritualnesse and divinenesse of that good yet it reaches to the externall action without which that divine and spirituall good cannot be Wherefore seeing the New Testament sets out the power of Magistrates and requires submission to them in such generall termes from this we may draw such a conclusion Therefore the Lord intended to leave Christians for their subjection to Magistrates to the light of nature to the equity of the generall rules that were in Scripture before time if God should say Ye are Christians see you part not with that liberty Christ hath purchased for you we may give this account Lord we found in thy word that once thou didst make use of the power of Magistrates in matters of Religion in the New Testament there was nothing revealed to forbid their power in them nay Lord Thou toldst us there that thou hast appointed them for our good and to be a terrour to evill workes in the generall From thence we gathered that in our yeelding to their power it was thy will we should make use of those generall rules in Stripture wee found before the times of the Gospel of the light of nature Being also perswaded it was thy mind we should make use of all the naturall helps we could for our spirituall advantage we found it recorded in thy Word that thou didst allow of the exercise of such power in the things of Religion even to those who had only the light of nature to guide them and being the use of it reached only to the outward man we did not see a necessity of a speciall institution for this knowing what naturalness it had in it to be an externall help was put into it by thy self therefore we made use of it God will accept of this account Add yet a consideration or two 1. When the Apostles were convented before Civil Authority about matters of Religion we never find that they pleaded for themselves You have no power to meddle with us in the things of Religion they belong to Jesus Christ only who is our King to that government he hath set in his Church No their plea was only the justness of their cause that what they professed and preached was the truth of God they did it in obedience to God 2. If all men be bound to improve all the abilities gifts talents they have for the propagation of the Gospel the Magistrates are bound to improve those which are peculiar to them If a man hath more wisdom then others or a greater estate or more friends he is to make use of all these for helps to the furtherance of Religion if then a man hath more power then others he is to improve that likewise not onely by countenancing what he conceiveth to be right but by all other means according to the dictates of Reason not forbâ—â— by Scripture But we have often heard that of Tertullian urged If it be therefore said it is lawfull because the Scripture doth not forbid it is therefore unlawfull because the Scripture doth not command Ans In the matters of Gods worship this rule is to be urged but not in matters civil or natural though in their way subservient to worship their Reason may guide very far But you will say What will you then make the Magistrate a Judge in all causes of
account to your Brethren then this This is to abuse your conscience and the indulgence of God and the respect he would have men shew to the consciences of his people this is a hardning conscience against the truth no true tenderness of it Secondly If Conscience be such a thing as none must have the power over it but God such a thing wherein thou hast to deal so much with God thou hadst need keep it very clean it is above all creatures next to God take heed of defiling it oh keep it pure Unclean consciences are good enough to prostrate to men but consciences reserved for God need be kept unspotted and very clean Doves love white houses the holy Ghost loves a pure conscience Thirdly thou wilt have none to commaud thy conscience let conscience then command thee if thou wilt rebell against thy conscience it is just with God to suffer men to tyrannize over thy conscience When you complain of men seeking to have power over your consciences lay your hand upon your heart and say Have not I rebelled against my conscience I have resisted the power of it over me just therefore it is that others should seeke to bring it under their power CHAP. VII They who are for a Congregationall way doe not hold absolute liberty for all Religions BUt for all that hath been said Are there not yet a sort of men who though they would colour over things put fair glosses upon their opinions and ways saying they would not have such an absolute liberty as to have all religions suffered yet do they not come near this in their tenets and practise Doe not men in a Congregationall way take away all Ecclesiastical means that should hinder such an absolute liberty as this for they hold every congregation hath sole Church power within it selfe and they are not tyed to give any account to others but meerly in an arbitrary way will not this bring in a toleration of all Religions and a very Anarchy First I know none holds this and how farr men in a congregationall way are from it shall appear presently In the clearing of this thing I shall not argue for one side or other I shall only shew you that there is in effect as much means to prevent or subdue error heresie schisme in the congregationall way which you call by another name as there is in that way other Brethren endeavour to hold forth I am not here to plead what is right what is wrong but onely to shew you the difference is not great so far as concernes this thing what one holds the same the other holds in effect if this be done with clearness then the great out-cry against that way as fomenting divisions by opening a gap to all kind of liberty will I hope be stilled and your hearts in some measure satisfied I confesse were it as many of you are made to believe that that way gives liberty or at least hath no helpe against all errors heresies it must be acknowledged it were a means of most fearfull divisions and in no case to be tolerated But certainly you will find it far otherwise This argument I am now about namely how far Brethren agree in a matter of so great moment and in that which they are by some thought most to disagree in and their disagreement most feared as a matter of dangerous consequence I know cannot be an unpleasing argument to you although we cannot be ignorant that there is a generation of men that are vexed when they hear how near their brethren come to them in way of agreement it serves more for their turns to have the distance wide they would keep open the wounds yea widen them but God forbid there should be such a spirit in you Wherefore for your help in this thing these two things are to be premised 1. That the only way the Church hath to keep downe errors or heresies is spirituall as for other means they are extrinsicall to the Church this all acknowledge as for subjection to the Magistrate if he pleases to interpose to that both they and we must yeeld 2. The vertue of spiritual power works not upon the outward man by its prevailing upon conscience therefore so far as men are conscientious so far it works and no farther Now then see what difference there is in the Congregationall way from the Presbyterian for the prevailing with mens Consciences to reduce to the trueth those who goe astray from it First Those in the Congregationall may acknowledg that they are bound in conscience to give account of their ways to Churches about them or to any other who shall require it this is not in an arbitrary way but as a duty that they owe to God and man Secondly they acknowledge that Synods of others Ministers and Elders about them are an ordinance of Jesus Christ for the helping the Church against errors schismes and scandals 3ly That these Synods may by the power they have from Christ admonish men or Churches in his name when they see evils continuing in or growing upon the Church and their admonitions carry with them the authority of Jesus Christ Fourthly as there shall be cause they may declare men or Churches to be subverters of the faith or otherwise according to the nature of the offence to shame them before all the Churches about them 5ly They may by a solemn act in the name of Jesus Christ refuse any further communion with them till they repent Sixtly they may declare and that also in the name of Christ that these erring people or Churches are not to be received into fellowship with any the Churches of Christ nor to have communion with one another in the ordinances of Christ Now all this being done in Christs name is this nothing to prevail with conscience You will say What if they care not for all this That is as if you should say What if they be not conscientious What if nothing can prevaile with conscience I demand what can any Church-power do more to work upon mens conscience for the reducing them from evill You will say They may doe all this with more authority then the Congregationall way will allow We need not contend about the word Authority But how much higher is an act of authority in the Church then for the Officers of Christ to act in the name of Christ If you say private Brethren may admonish and declare in the Name of Christ This is more then if any private Brethren should doe the same thing for a Synod is a solemne Ordinance of Christ and the Elders are to be looked on as the Officers of Jesus Christ But our Brethren say There is one meanes more in their way then the Congregationall way hath that is if the sixe former will not worke then Synods may deliver to Satan In this very thing lies the very knot of the controversie between those who are for the Presbyteriall and those
who are for the Congregationall way in reference to the matter in hand namely the means to reducing from or keeping out errours and heresies from the Church in this lyes the dividing businesse But I beseech you consider what a punctum we divide here and judg whether the cause of division in this thing be so great as there can be no help and whether if an evil spirit prevail not amongst us we may not joyne For First consider what is there in this delivering to Satan which is a seventh thing that our Brethren thinke may hopefully prevail with mens consciences when the sixe former cannot Yes say they for by this they are put out of the Kingdome of Christ into the Kingdome of Satan and this will terâ—ifie This putting out of Christs Kingdome must be understood clave non errante if the Synod judges right not otherwise Yes this is granted by all Then consider whether this be not done before and that with an authority of Christ by those former six things for Hereticall Congregations or persons are judged and declared in a solemn Ordinance by the Officers of Christ gathered together in his name to be such as have no right in any Church-ordinance to have no communion with any of the Churches of Christ Now if this judgement be right are not such persons or Congregations put out of the Kingdome of Christ and put under the power of Sathan consequently But they are not formally and juridically delivered up to Satan What shall we still divide as to devour one another for formality and juridically when those termes are not at all in Scripture seeing we agree not in the substance of the thing which may as really and fully prevaile with conscientious men as if formality were observed especially if we consider Secondly that it is a great question amongst our Brethren whether this traditio Satanae were not Apostolicall peculiar to the power of Apostles so as ordinary Elders had it not and if it prove so then non-communion will prove the utmost censure the Church now hath But thirdly if some brethren rise to a seventh degree and others stay at six which yet have such a power over conscience that if they prevaile not the seventh is no way likely to prevaile Why should not the Apostles rule quiet us all Phil. 3. 15 16. whereunto we have already attained let us walke by the same rule If in any thing you be otherwise minded God will reveale even this unto you If we have attained but to six and our brethren have attained to seven let us walk together lovingly to the six If God shall after reveal the seventh we will promise to pray and study in the mean time wee shall walke with them also why must it needs be now urged with violence so as to divide else and although we hold not the seventh yet there is an ingredient in the sixt that hath in it the strength of the seventh For wherein lyes the strength of the seventh above the rest is it not in this that it is the last meanes Christ hath appointed in his Church to worke upon the heart this consideration hath much terrour in it Now those in the Congregationall way say that this is fully in the sixt wherefore that it is as terrible to their consciences as the seventh can be to the consciences of our brethren and that upon the same ground And consider now my Brethren whether the Congregationall way be such as if it be suffered there will be no helpe to reduce an erring or hereticall Church but all Religions Arrianisme Mahumetisme any thing must be suffered Surely men doe not deale fairly in raising such mighty accusations upon such poor and weak grounds this great aspersion and huge out-cry that these men would have all religions suffered and in that way there is no help against any Heriticall Congregations moulders and vanishes away before you Let no man yet say All this that hath been said is nothing If you be conscientious who hear them say so your owne breasts must needs suggest an answer surely these things would be very much to me to prevaile with my conscience But what if Congregations refuse to give account of their wayes what if they will not shew so much conscientiousnesse as to regard admonitions declaring against them withdrawing communion from them So we may say what if they will not regard your delivering them up to Satan but will go on still You will say then you will complain to the Magistrate his power must come in to assist to make them regard what the Church doth But now you have no further help from any intrinsicall power the Church hath and as for subjection to the Magistrate there we are upon equall ground if he will interpose he may assist and second the sentence of judging men subverters of faith of withdrawing communion from them in the one as well as the sentence of giving men up to Satan in the other and we must still be subject here to suffer what is inflicted if we cannot do what is required onely we do not go so far as some do in this one thing whereas they lay a Law upon the consciences of Magistrates that they are bound to assist with their power the decrees of the church taking cognisance only of the fact of the Church that they have thus decreed not enquiring into the nature of the things we dare not lay any such bond upon the Magistrates conscience But say that he is to assist the Church both upon the knowledg of what the Church hath done and the knowledg of the nature of the thing seeing every private man hath this power to be judg of his own act it were a great misery upon those who have power over men to be denyed this power If it shall be said But surely they do not agree so far they do not come up to these six things mentioned To that I answer I do not in these deliver only mine own judgment but by what I know of the judgments of all those Brethren with whom I have occasion to converse by conference both before and since I stand charged to make it good to be their judgements also yea it hath been both theirs and mine for divers years even then when we never thought to have enjoyed our our own Land again and if it be so then let the Lord be judg between us and our Brethren for those lowd and grievous out-cryes there hath been against us in this thing But if the difference be so little why doe they not come in We come as far as we have light to guide us we dare not step one step in the dark if we do we shall certainly fall into sin whatsoever else we fall into what ever the thing be to others it would be our sin if there were no other reason but because we venture in the dark We sayl up to our Brethren as far as we can see
That is not enough sayes the Apostle to justifie them though there should be no hurt in them yet seeing they perish in the use seeing there comes no good by them you must not doe them But what if they shall be commanded by authority may wee not doe them then No sayes the Apostle that is another argument against them they are after the commandements and doctrine of men if it be a meere ordinance of man and there be no other reason in the thing but because man enjoynes it in the Church you are not to doe it Yea in some respect we have not so much liberty in things indifferent if they be enjoyned by men as we had before This is thought to be a very strange assertion by some but consider this one thing and it will not appear so Though I might doe such a thing before yet if man shall take upon him this authority to command meerly because of his will and pleasure if I now obey I am in danger to edifie him to strengthen him in his sinne he challenges this authority and I seeme to yeeld it to him certainly he is strengthned in it by my subjection except I doe this at least professe against any such authority of man granted by Jesus Christ But say some If you take from Governours power to command things indifferent you take away all their power for things necessary are required without them and things sinfull they may not command Surely this conceit comes rather from tradition then from due consideration for it is not power enough to see to the keeping of the commands of God that the Ordinances be kept pure that there be justice between man and man to reward those which doe well and to punish the evill doers Yet thus farre must be granted to the Officers of the Church they have authority from Christ to declare dogmatically when a thing in it selfe indifferent yet by reason of some circumstances comes to be a duty and this is to be regarded more then the declaration of any private brother or brethren for they doe it by way of office in the name of Christ This we finde Acts 15. the Apostles and Elders sent their Decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dogmaticall determinations about some things in themselves indifferent but as cloathed with those circumstances they call them things necessary they determine them to be done from the reason of the things not from their authority those things were duties before they decreed them and had been had they never decreed them Even forbearing the eating of blood was a duty in case of offence though their decree had never been and otherwise it was no duty notwithstanding their Decree for afterward Paul sayes that whatsoever is sold in the shambles they might eate of it asking no question for conscience sake and every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving Thus we have seen what the bounds are which God hath set to men in authority or at least the controversie about them Let them be carefull to keep within their bounds as they are set to keep others within theirs by this Church and State may enjoy much peace CHAP. XXIII The fourth dividing practise Gathering of Churches disorderly THis is cryed out of as the greatest dividing practice of all You may speak of this or that to be dividing amongst us say some but above all things this Gathering of Churches is the great divider amongst us To this I shall speak in these six things First it is not absolutely unlawfull for a Church to be gathered out of a Church Voetius that learned Professor of Viretcht answering Jansenius pleading against us for seperating from the Romish Church which was the most ancient and famous Church No sayes he it is not absolutely evill to separate from such a Church for then the Christians gathering themselves out of the Jewish Church were Schismaticks which is false Doctor Jackson a Prelaticall man in the 14. Chapter of his Treatise of the Church gives two reasons which he sayes are just and necessary for which men whether few or many may and ought to seperate themselves from any visible Church First because they are urged or constrained to professe or beleeve some points of doctrine or to adventure upon some practices which are contrary to the rule of Faith or love of God Second in case they are utterly deprived of freedome of Conscience in professing what they inwardly beleeve or bereft of some other meanes either altogether necessary or most expedient to salvation For which latter he quotes 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price bee not ye servants of men Although sayes he we were perswaded that we could communicate with such a Church without evident danger of damnation yet inasmuch as we cannot communicate with it upon any better termes then legall servants or bondslaves doe with their Masters we are bound in conscience and religious discretion when lawfull occasions and opportunities ore offered to use our liberty and to seeke our freedome rather then to live in bondage This doctrine was allowed of in the Bishops times Now suppose upon these two grounds there be a withdrawing from a Church Christ does no where require his people to live without Ordinances all their dayes rather then they should joyne themselves together into another body Secondly yet where these causes are not but men may communicate without sinne professing the truth and enjoy all ordinances as the freemen of Christ Men must not seperate from a Church though there be corruption in it to gather into a new Church which may be more pure and in some respects more comfortable First because we never finde the Saints in Scripture seperating or raising Churches in such a case and secondly There would be no continuance in Church fellowship if this were admitted for what Church is so pure and hath all things so comfortable but within a while another Church will be more pure and some things will be more comfortable there The generall peace of the Church should be more regarded by us then some comfortable accommodations to our selves Thirdly Although you cannot for the present communicate with the Church in which you are without sinne or bondage yet you are not presently to withdraw to gather into another or to joyne with another you are bound to give so much respect to the Church as to continue with much long-suffering to seeke the good of that Church to remove the sinne that is upon it with all good meanes you can You must beare much with a brother much more with a Church Fourthly If things were in that ordered and settled way as they ought there ought to be no gathering of any new Churches without consulting and advising with neighbour Churches Christ would have all Churches unite themselves and have conjunction one with another being all of the same body of Christ If then there be to be raised a new Sister Church
the Lord takes this Mat. 24. 49. 50 51. that evill servant who begins to smite his fellow-servants provokes his Lord against him so as to come upon him with such severity as to cut him asunder and to appoint his portion with the Hypocrites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will dichotomize him divide him in two he by his smiting his fellow-servants makes divisions but his Lord will divide him It may be he pretends that his fellow-servants do not do their duty as they ought as if he were more carefull of the honour of his Lord then others who are of a different way from him But in the meane while he inveighs against others smiting them with the tongue and otherwise as he is able He sits at full Tables eats and drinks of the best with such as are carnall and sensuall but they are great men to have their countenance is brave this is extreme sutable to a carnall heart who yet keeps up a profession of Religion hath some forme of godlinesse he is afraid to lose his fleshly contentment therefore he smites those who stand in his way Thus divisions and troubles are made in Gods family The Lord the master of it will reward accordingly he will divide such by cutting them asunder and appointing them their portion with the Hypocrites 5. One Faith What though we agree not together in some things of lesser moment yet we agree in one faith Why should we not then keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace The agreement in the faith one would think should swallow up all other disagreements We should rather blesse God for keeping men found in the faith then contend with them for lesser mistakes When the Pharisees Acts 23. 9. understood that Paul agreed with them in that great doctrine of the Resurrection they presently overlooked his other differences saying We finde no evill in this man Our Brethren agree with us in more Fundamentals then this and yet we can finde evill in them and aggravate their evill beyond what it is and improve it all we can against them This is worse then Pharisaicall Master Calvin in his Epistle to our Countreymen at Frankford fled for their lives in witnesse to the truth yet miserably jarring and contending one against another there to the scandall of all the Churches of God in those parts begins his Epstle thus This doth grievously torment me it is extremely absurd that dissentions should arise amongst brethren exiles fled from their countrey for the same faith and for that cause which alone in this your scattering ought to be to you as a holy band to keepe you fast bound together Their contentions were about Church-worship 6. One Baptisme We are baptised into Christs death and is not that to shew that we should be dead to all those things in the world that cause strife and contention among men Our Baptisme is our badge our livery it furthers somewhat the unity of servants that they weare all one livery 7. One God Though there be three persons in the Divine Nature and every person is God yet there is but one God here is an union infinitely beyond all unions that any creature can be capable of the mystery of this union is revealed to us to make us in love with union Our interest in this one God is such a conjuction as nothing can be more Josephs brethren Gen. 50. 17. looked upon this as having very great power in it to make up all breaches to heal all old grudges After their Father was dead their consciences misgave them for what they had done to Joseph they were afraid old matters would break forth and that Joseph would turn their enemy now how do they seek to unite Josephs heart to them We pray thee say they forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God of thy Father and the Text sayes Joseph wept when they spake unto him Oh this was a heart-breaking speech to Joseph The servants of the God of my Father Shall my heart ever be stranged from the servants of the God of my Father The Lord forbid This offence indeed was great but their God is my God he was my Fathers God this argument had more in it to draw Josephs heart to them then if they had said We are your brethren we came from the same loynes you did True that is something but the servants of the God of thy Father is much more Let us look upon all the godly though they have many weaknesses though they have not carryed themselves towards us as they ought yet they are the servants yea the children of our God and of our fathers God let this draw our hearts to them If they be one with us in their interest in one God let them be one with us in the affections of our heart to love them delight in them and rejoyce in communion with them One God and Father Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us why do we deale treacherously every man against his brother Job 31. 15. Did not he that made me in the wombe make him and did not one fashion us in the wombe Is it seemly that one mans children should be alwayes contending quarrelling and mischieving one another do you thinke this is pleasing to your Father It followes in that 4. of Ephes who is above all and through all and in all You have enough in your Father to satisfie your soules for ever whatsoever you want other wayes he is above all he that is so glorious and blessed infinitely above all things hath put honour enough upon you that he is your Father why will you contend and quarrell about trifles He hath absolute authority to dispose of all things as he pleaseth let not the different administrations of his to some in one kinde to some in another be matter for you to contend about And he worketh in all Those gifts and graces especially that are in his children are his workings that some have more then others it is from his working You may see the workings of your Father in the hearts of your Brethren He is in all Men may have children in whom little or nothing of their Father appeares but God is in all his children notwithstanding all their weaknesses therefore our hearts should be in them and with them This Scripture is one of the most famous Scriptures for the union of the Saints in one that we have in all the book of God You will say If indeed we could see God in such if we could see grace and holinesse in them our hearts would close with them but we see not this 1. Take heed thou dost not reject any from being thy brother whom Jesus Christ at the great day will owne for his and God the Father will call Child 2. Suppose thou canst not be satisfied in their godlinesse yet the gifts of the Spirit of God that are in them should cause some kind