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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88987	Christian liberty vindicated from grosse mistakes, occasioning so great divisions in England. Or, A tract, shewing what it is, and what it is not, the diversity of errours, a generall councell to be the meanes of beating them down, and how far forth conscience is to be born with, and the insolencie of the late remonstrants. Most earnestly recommended to the reading of the Right Honourable Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and all those that through a mistake stand so stifly for the priviviledge [sic] of conscience at large, ... Whereunto is added an appendix of 17. questions, necessary to be discussed and be determined by the Assembly of Divines without delay, that every one may know what to hold and rest in, and the unnaturall divisions in the same body may cease. / By John Mayer, D.D. of Divinity.	Mayer, John, 1583-1664.	1646 (1646)	Wing M1421; Thomason E361_4; ESTC R201203	21,204	33

the spirit of giddines by which the Hereticke is lead Whereas they object Christs not bidding to punish Hereticks by death or other worldly mulcts or yet by Church censures this last is apparantly false for somuch as binding is in Church-censure and hereof it is said Whatsoever ye bind upon earth c. implying that as they should see cause they should bind and upon this ground S. Paul censured Hy●●●●●s and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. for denying the Resurrection delivering them to Satan and for his not bidding to inflict worldly punishments no more did hee upon Malefactors but contrariwise seemed to be against the punishing of the adulterous woman Joh. 8. and spake kindly to the Thiefe upon the Crosse c. if then an Argument may bee drawne from hence in favour of errour much more in favour of Malefaction But all men will count him absurd that shall argue thus Christ hath not bidden to punish Malefactors under the Gospel therefore they ought to be permitted and not punished But to put it out of doubt that such as are punishable by the Law are still punishable under the Gospel he sayes I came not to dissolve the Law but to fulfill it but how is it not dissolved if punishments set about it as walls to sence it be taken away whether they be of the Malefactour or wedded to their owne wills against determinations made according to God But shall a man be compelled to any thing against his conscience Object which it is Christs will that every one should be permitted to follow as S. Paul declares it I answer if this be received as a generall rule it will both follow Sol. that whosoever doth according to his conscience sinneth not neither ought he therefore to be proceeded against and then what sinner shall be counted a sinner or justly bee brought under censure Not the poore who steale from the rich for he thinkes in his conscience that being in want and the other man abounding he may take a little from him for his succour Nor the godly as they are taken to be who unreasonably oppresse such as they count wicked for they thinke i● their consciences the wicked are but as the Aegyptians whom the Israelnes robbed without scruple and that all things are theirs and that the wicked are usurpers Nor the Fornicator who hath no wife of his owne and therefore thinks it is no sinne to lye with a Maid especially if he intends to make her his wife afterwards Nor the Higher Powers exercising tyranny against those that will not submit to give unto them what they require for he thinks in his conscience forsomuch as every soule ought to bee subject to the Higher Powers and Samuel tells the people that this will bee the manner of the King he may be thus tyrannie all towards those that deny And so Ahab might thinke he did not ill in taking away Naboths life and Vineyard both who would not yeeld unto him his Vineyard Lastly that I be not too tedious in this straine a justified man may steale lye commit adultery drinke drunken and what not because he thinkes in his conscience it is no sinne in him and so a gap shal be opened to all abominations and he that seekes to stop it shall be a wicked intrencher upon the Christian Liberty and make that punishable which by divine Authority is commendable Seeing then to what exorbitancie such a tenet groweth to stand for the liberty of every conscience let us see if wee can find out what the liberty of conscience indeed is It is nothing else but a liberty in things indifferent which are neither commanded in the Word of God nor forbidden or if they be it is not yet manifest to my conscience that they are so to doe or not to doe them till that by a Generall Councell assembled the questions be determined and then they are no more indifferent but a conscience is to bee made by every Christian of submitting therevnto For first that the conscience spoken of Rom. 14. and permitted to each one to follow is conversant about indifferent things onely appeares because all his discourse there is about meates eating or not eating and keeping or not keeping dayes which being formerly commanded but now that command released yet not in the conscience of some who were not perswaded of it they refrained from uncleane meats still and kept still the Sabbaths and new Moones If therefore in his conclusion he should make conscience a mans guide in all other things also his conclusion should be larger then the premises which is against the Law of disputation It is therefore certainly in indifferent things onely that a man may and ought to follow his conscience and not in any of the cases before spoken of or the like for therein we have a more certaine rule viz. the Word written according to which every one ought to walke and if he doth not he is a transgressour and ought to be judged therefore whatsoever he thinks in his conscience touching the same According to this the Papists conscience will not beare him out in his Idolatry or exempt him from punishment nor the troublers of our Church peace by Sosinianisine Independencie Anabaptisme or Seperatisme some denying Christ to be God the Resurrection of the dead some the distinct Beings of soules after death the Unity of the God-head without distinction of persons and the Holy Scriptures not to be the Word of God Some againe standing for each particular Congregation to be absolute in it selfe and not to take Ordinances or Decrees about divine things from any Synod or Assembly whatsoever and to consist onely of holy persons gathered out of divers Congregations Some against the Baptizing of Infants for want of actuall faith and some denying all Congregations to be Churches wherein the wicked are mixed with the righteous For first the Papist goeth against the generall Rule of all consciences in his Idolatry Secondly the Sosinian raseth the foundation of the true Christian Faith Thirdly the Independants conscience is not conversant about indifferent things And the like may be said of Seperatists and Antinomians and Anabaptists For how ill doth it follow they whose consciences would not permit them to eate of some meates or told them that the appointed Feasts were still to be kept were tollerated to follow their owne consciences therefore they ought to be tollerated whose consciences are for wayes of their own which even themselves are not yet fully resolved upon or at the least refuse to declare which were never commanded or in the ancientest times walked in and which so farre forth as they are declared tend to the taking away of the meanes of unity in the Churches of England and consequently to endlesse contentions and confusion as is the case of the Independents Againe how ill doth it follow therefore they are to bee left to their owne consciences who judge others against the evidence of Scripture as no true Churches

a light and puts it under a bushell c. which words what doe they show but that the Ministers of the Gospel ought to be used as lights not onely to give light by clearing obscurities in the word but also by determining the truth in any darke or difficult question which shall arise But it is feared if this be granted the power of the Minister will be too great over-topping even the highest in some things and why did not Joshuah then fearing this desire the Lord that he might not have recourse to Eleazar the High Priest for councell and direction Numb 27.11 and likewise other Judges and Kings after him What King did better then Joash in the dayes of Jehoindah whilst he hearkned unto and suffered himselfe to be informed by him and that it was a custome in Israel even till the birth of our Lord Mat. 2 4. to seeke information about divine things in difficult cases of the Priests appeares in that Herod gathered all the chiefe Priests together to know in what place Christ should be borne and the first most famous Christian Emperour Constantine that things might be rightly determined in the Church did the like when he called the Councell of Nice that I say nothing of other Emperours his Successours calling other Councells at sundry times to the same ends If a transcendent power in the ministery be feared if it be committed to them to judge in difficult cases why is it not likewise feared in their having power to preach permitted unto them to all estates and degrees For the Preacher in the Pulpit is above all his hearers how great and excellent soever they be as being one that personates Christ as his Embassadour Heb. 13.17 to whom even Kings and Princes must submit as to an accountant for them unlesse they will have him doe it with heavinesse which will be unprofitable for them There is no man that knoweth not that such as are superiour in some respects to all others are yet inferiour in some to the Higher Powers subject unto them even as others of their Kingdom and even in that wherein they are superiour they are subject at their command to assemble together and to doe their office and to such mulcts and punishments as they shall inflict upon them whether justly or unjustly as Zechariah stoned by Joash Michaiah imprisoned by Ahab Abiathar deposed by Salomon and the Prophet reproving Asa put in the Stocks by him onely let the Higher Powers take heed that they punish not unjustly as some of these did and smarted for it If then their Soveraignty in worldly things bee kept untoucht notwithstanding the determinative power in things pertaining to godlinesse permitted to chosen men of the Clergy why should they sinne against their owne soules so much as debarring them herefrom to whom it is given of God and properly belongs to ingrosse it to themselves Is a Kings power any whit the lesse if he commits his Law-businesses to the judgement of his Lawyers and then followes that which they prescribe No more is it when Ecclesiasticall matters being committed to Ecclesiasticall men to judge and shew the truth therein their judgements are followed by all men And hitherto of whom a lawfull Councell doth not consist Now let us see how it should be composed and by what authority called and to know this wee need not look further then to the Councell assembled at Jerusalem for of such as that consisted ought every Councell that resolves doubtfull questions to consist and so they ought to be brought together that is of Preachers sent from those places where the questions doe arise to the chiefe City to joyne with the Elders or Preachers there all the Brethren that will being present to beare and consent They are not then to be appointed by particular men of what power or authority soever but a certaine number to be chosen and sent from each great Towne or City even so many as they shall think fit who have the power to command this to be done for it is a businesse concerning all and therefore in choosing the men through whose hands it must goe there is great reason that both Ministers and people should all have a stroake the Decrees concluded upon being thus in a manner their owne and therefore such as every good Christian will be regulated by and ashamed to oppose If the Councels called by the Popes of Rome be considered by this rule they will be found not to have beene any lawfull Councells because they appointed each one in his time the men that should assemble Neither were those Councels called by the Higher Powers as all the most ancient Councels were ever since there were any Higher Powers to call them Lastly the Decrees of those Councels especially of Trent were none other but the Popes by whom a party was made to carry all things as ●ee would have them And even for our owne Assembly I would it might be considered whether there were not an error in the calling of it which haply is the cause why it succeeds no better nothing being yet done to the beating downe of dissentions in our Church but they rather encreasing more and more But although the Assembly be most lawfully met they are not infallible as the Apostles were who met in the first Councell at Jerusalem I answer a lawfull Councell or Assembly is the most infallible meanes that we have given us of God to determine the truth in every particular and therefore the Decrees thereof ought to be followed and reverenced by every childe of the Church none of them being against but according to the evidence of the Word which is the rule whereby we ought to goe in all things That it is the most infallible meanes it appeares because here are assembled the greatest Lights and most Orthodox from all parts of the Kingdome and that according to our president and what are a few in corners here or there in comparison of them that their opinions should not all give way to the Councels Decrees Certainly if these Decrees be fallible theirs be much more for the promise runnes Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them it being said before What soever two of you shall consent about on earth shall be ratified in Heaven Where hee speakes without all doubt of Preachers rightly assembled to determine of difficulties for he saith Whatsoever yee bind on earth shall be bound in heaven And not of men privately meeting some few of them together because so the Decrees and points agreed upon by one Assembly might be contradicted by another which would be so farre from conducing to unity where there be differences that they would be in danger of encreasing more and more And if Councels consisting of Elders or Preachers be not the most infallible meanes why did the Apostles adjoyn the Elders to them in that first Councell when as they alone were sufficient

Sanctuary as in Hezekiah his time 4. Whether all the Communicants ought not to sit about the Table and not be left to this disjunction either at it or neere to it for then in one Church they may sit still to have it carried to them to other seates about and in another sit at the Table which tends to division in Christs Churches that ought all to goe by one Rule 5. VVhether the Minister ought not to forbeare giving the Bread to the Communicants before that be hath said all the words of institution touching the same because it is in the Directory said after these words Take eate here he shall give them the bread and whether his giving it ought to be any other then moving the vessell wherein it is towards them that each one after other may take it himselfe and then move it to the next till it comes to the neather end because these things are not sufficiently expressed 6. VVhy upon a day of Thanksgiving an afternoones meeting it intimated contrary to Nehem. 8.10 12. as though all the rejoycing then must bee spirituall and none civill which also hath beene used commonly Judg. 21.19 21. Hosea 2.11 Either 9.19 c. 7. Whether the keeping of the feast of the Nativity of our Lord ought to be altogether sleighted as superstitious sith it is of greater Antiquity by far then any other holy-days intituled from the Saints and although not commanded by the Lord in expresse word yet it is by consequence and commended by the Saints doing the like in former ages as by Ester and Mordecai appointing the Feast of Purim to be kept that the remembrance of the Jewes deliverance by Ester might never be forgotten And by Judas Maccabeus the Feast of Dedication graced by Christs owne keeping of it Joh. 10. And for the Antiquity consult with Chrysostome J●r●my and Augustine who lived before Gregory the first who had this fault that he was very superstitious and therefore this day and the Resurrection and Pentecost being kept before all Popish superstition by the testimony of the foresaid worthies cannot be taxable hoc nomine but for superfluity and excesse of riot onely then used which as chaffe let be winnowed away but let the VVheat remaine 8. VVhether the disorder of some of this or that particular Congregation in going commonly from that whereof they are members upon the Lords day may be tollerated where there is a faithfull and painfull Pastour as conducing to their more edification because this is pleaded yet to doe so is apparently evill the discouraging and quenching of the spirit in one Minister of Christ and puffing up of another a ground of disorder laying in many who are glad of such a pretext to goe for other ends c. Et non faciendum est malum ut inde proveniat bonum 9. VVhether being uncovered for reverence to God and his Ordinance in men in●●●me of prophesying ought not to be commended to the people because S. Paul speakes of it as asha●● and dishonour to a man to doe so as in praying so in prophesying 10. Whether the children of beleeving Parents ought not to bee baptized and whether sprinkling sufficeth without dipping and what solid reasons of both these 11. Whether Sureties are not rather to be accepted then rejected for somuch as we say Abundans cautela non nocet and many poore children have fared the better for their God-fathers or Godmothers 12. Whether both in administring this Sacrament and that of the Lords Supper it were not better to have a prescribed form of prayer then to commit it to each Ministers present conception because so this service must needs be unequally performed and by some very deficiently 13. Whether private meetings for preaching may be tollerated where the publike place is open because Christians met not in corners of old but being inforced through persecution about this Ordinance and this seperating is a condemning of our Congregations as impure and Antichristian 14. Whether persons justified by faith in Christ thenceforth are not lyable to sin any more 15. Whether Christs descent into hell be to be reteined as an Article of our Faith because it was out of the Apostles Creed in the Latin Churches for 500. yeares 16. Whether there be not a Catholike Church 17. Whether the Articles of our Faith and Ten Commandements have not need to be recited in the Congregation every Lords day Touching all these great satisfaction may be given to thousands by their determinations and convincing reasons and so most probably our Church-tempest will turne into a calme but otherwise it will probably rage more and more FINIS

and therefore contrary to them forsake their Assemblies as the Separatists or they are to be left to their owne consciences who call in question the constant practice of the Universal Church ever since the Primitive times to this day as the Antbaptists O● lastly they who by their new Doctrine lay a foundation of Libertinisme as the Antinomians The consequence indeed is good therefore they ought in times past to have been left to their owne consciences who would not submit to the use of Ceremonies introduced by man into God publike Worship And I am perswaded that the most religious who lived then but departed before these troublous times had no further thing in their desires then the abolishing of them and of Lord Bishops their violent abettours and of Prayers reading in the Congregation and a Presbyteriall Government setting up and Canons and Constitutions to bee made by a Generall Assembly for the regulating of all particular Churches in the Kingdome Having therefore by Gods providence attained to all these things why should we instead of being thankfull to God therefore mutin and make new stirnes and troubles to the eclipsing of the glory of this our happinesse and to the retarding of a compleat blessed Reformation and Government setling for want of which Schismes and disorders doe so much abound in all places And why should yee that are the Higher Powers if such as dissent will not by any perswasion be moved to reconcile through a tender regard to cōsciences in these cases not to be regarded cherish any hopes in them of being tollerated in their singularities any longer Consider I beseech you what hath been said and provide that there may speedily be such an Assembly or yeeld unto your owne that power which belongs unto them suffering them to declare their judgement themselves touching Government and of all doubtfull cases to determine in things pertaining to their owne Profession and this being done by your Authority confirme it not suffering any impunè ferre that shall oppose or contemne the determinations thus made under any pretence whatsoever Thus peace and unity shall soone be restored to our Church which is so well pleasing to God and an end put to hellish dissentions impossible otherwise to be quelled and yee by being a meanes hereof under God as hee expects in regard of your place that yee should be shall be blessed and happy for ever And hit●erto or sinne and errour unto which no liberty is given by Christ Now thirdly I say that Christian liberty is not to shake off the yoake of the King and Parliament a Democracie being advanced above all according to a late seditious Pamphlet going under the name of A Remonstrance of many thousands being full of unparallell'd insolencies For Christians must be subject to the Higher Powers as all men that are but little conversant in the Holy Scriptures know and hereby purchase credit to their Religion which would otherwise become odious to Principalities keeping them far enough off from being nursing Fathers to Gods Church under the New Testament as it is prophesied that they should be They are the Ordinance of God and such an Ordinance as that whosoever resists them shall reape unto himselfe damnation as a resister of God It is not to bee inquired into what miseries the Kingdome hath suffered by Kings for so they did in the Kingdome of Judah and Israel yet nothing by any man of God intimated that they should attempt to shake off that yoake A King is sometime given by God by whom he reigneth in wrath and then hee must be endured till he that gave him releaseth the Kingdome of him againe For as David said even touching Saul who can lay his hand upon the Lords Anointed and be blamelesse And for a Nations being under a Monarch it was Gods owne constitution when he set up Moses after that Judges successively to rule in Israel untill the time that he gave them a King and when for their sinnes after the Reigne of many Kings they were carried away captive into Babylon Esa 1.23 the Lord promising at their returne from thence more pure golden times he saith that hee would restore them Judges as at the first and not put them into a Democraticall estate and by Princes as Judges one succeeding another they were ruled untill the time of Antiothus Epiphanes above two hundred yeeres which sheweth Monarchy to be of God and best for his people where it may be had and that they know not of what spirit they are that cry it downe And as for the Parliament which is the great Councell of the Land without which the King can doe nothing it is therefore to be understood also under the name of the Higher Powers that is both Houses and not one of them the other being nullified at the will of the people and therefore as Higher Powers to be submitted to and wherein they doe amisse to be sought to by petition that it may be reformed and not taunted and checked as underlings by the multitude yet the multitude is not by them to be contemned through pride but their grievances duly to be considered and their just desires satisfied which is the end of Parliaments that it prove not according to the saying Laesa patientia furor and in a mad fit what expectation that men should be moderated by reason and not rather breake out to the confusion of all which God avert for his Mercies sake Amen An Appendix of 17. Questions necessary to be discussed and determined by the Assembly of Divines without delay that every one may know what to hold and rest in and the unnaturall divisions in the same Body may cease 1. VVHether it be not best to have one set Form of Prayer to be publikely used throughout this Kingdom instead of the Old Liturgie as conducing most to Uniformity and to Unity and is most agreeable to the practice of other Reformed Churches and the judgement of our most judicious Calvin and others of great note in the Church of God The Prayer made by each Preacher in the Pulpit being short at ordinary times and onely ad appositum but the Lords Prayer not left out but once at the least used every day as ●s therein implyed that it ought to be for feare of cherishing that opinion of some that it is no Prayer but onely a pattern for direction 2. Whether it be not necessary for us all to have one Catechisme to avoid confusion by teaching divers in divers places and to be so short yet full that the meanest capacities may be capable of learning it and to injoyne the diligent teaching of it in every Congregation till that all have hereby some good distinct knowledge to salvation formed in them 3. Whether the celebration of the Lords Supper may be deferred at any time without limitation of time because the Passeover might not although it were so that some came to it not prepared according to the preparation of the