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church_n	believe_v	faith_n	infallibility_n	5,890	5	11.4885	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83437	The casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Or, A treatise against toleration and pretended liberty of conscience: wherein by Scripture, sound reason, fathers, schoolmen, casuists, Protestant divines of all nations, confessions of faith of the Reformed Churches, ecclesiastical histories, and constant practice of the most pious and wisest emperours, princes, states, the best writers of politicks, the experience of all ages; yea, by divers principles, testimonies and proceedings of sectaries themselves, as Donatists, Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents, the unlawfulnesse and mischeif [sic] in Christian commonwealths and kingdoms both of a vniversal toleration of all religions and consciences, and of a limited and bounded of some sects only, are clearly proved and demonstrated, with all the materiall grounds and reasons brought for such tolerations fully answered. / By Thomas Edvvards, Minister of the Gospel. The first part.; Casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Part 1	Edwards, Thomas, 1599-1647.	1647 (1647)	Wing E225; Thomason E394_6; ESTC R201621	211,214	231

Lord is sure Luke 1. 3. 4. that Gospel was written that Theophilus might know the certaintie of those things wherein he had been instructed Colos 2. 2. there is a full assurance of understanding to know the misterie of God and of the Father and of Christ the Scriptures are cald the Oracles of God Acts 7. 38. Rom. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 4. 11 as well as the judgement by Vrim to show they are infallible and certaine Master Goodwin in his Anapologesiates page 103. saith of some Doctrines that he holds For my part I have the grounds of God I mean the Scripture I would fain know of Hagiomastix what made the Answer by Vrim to be infallible and to be beleeved and rested in by those who came to enquire but that God who was true and infallible said so and revealed it and is there not the same in the Doctrines contained in the Scriptures hath not God who is truth and infallible revealed and declared them in Scriptures and thereupon propounded them to be beleeved The Doctrines of faith must be laid downe certainly and infallibly in Scriptures both from the nature of faith which in respect of the matter to be beleeved must have certaine infallible and undoubted truth and not that which is false or doubtfull and from the formall reason and ground of beleeving which is the Authoritie of God who is true and infallible revealing his mind not the Testimonie of the Church as also from the end and use of the Scriptures to be the Canon and Rule of faith Now the Canon of a thing especially the supreme cheif by which all other are to be tried and judged of had need be certain and known and not doubtful and unknown Learned Rivet and other Protestant Divines writing of that question against the Papists of the Scriptures being the Canon and Rule of faith speak thus the Canon and Rule of faith must be certaine and known The best Protestant Divines writing against the Papists of the Canon of the Srcipture show that is one principall requisite to make a Canon and Rule that it should be certaine and infallible the Metaphor it selfe from whence the name is borrowed viz. not from any private measure but the publick and allowed according to which by the Law all other are to be measured demonstrates the certaintie and infallibilitie of a Canon and Rule that which in it selfe is uncertaine and variable cannot be the Canon or rule of any Doctrine much lesse of faith Yea * Bellarmine himselfe disputing for the Scriptures against Enthusiasts proves the Rule of the Catholick faith must be certaine and known for if it be not knowne it cannot bee a rule and if it be not certaine neither shall it be a rule Whoever is but versed in the writings of Protestant Divines upon that head of the Scriptures against Papists on the one hand and Anabaptists on the other or who so will consult them as Whitaker Chamier Rivet Amesius Bishop Davenant Whites way to the true Church Gerardus Robertus Baronius Maccovius Willets Synopsis Spanhemius Cloppenburgius shall find the infallibilitie and certaintie of the Scriptures and of the Doctrines of faith contained in them under the new Testament abundantly cleared and made good and the cavils about the interpretations of Scripture the need of a visible infallible Iudge of every mans private Spirit being Iudge c fully answered and therefore I shall not enlarge further on it only I shall briefly adde that God in these times of the new Testament hath left this threefold way and means of infallible certainty in Doctrines of Faith and Worship First the Scriptures and more especially since the Canon hath been sealed and compleated contains and holds forth all things necessary to salvation and out of them they may be certainly and infallibly known the word of God written is an inflexible golden rule not leaden nor be bent for all matters of faith and manners and there is such a certaintie of the Doctrines of faith laid down in the Scriptures that 1. all poins of faith necessary to salvation are plainly therein set forth so that all men who have spirituall eares and eyes may understand their meaning which position besides that t is held generally by our most learned Divines against the Papists may be demonstrated by these places of Scripture and reasons as Psal 19. 7. 8. enlightning the eyes making wise the semple Psal 119 105. 2 Pet. 1. 20. compared to a candle and a light to our feet and paths to a light shining in a darke place Deut. 30. 11. the commandement is not hidden all which show the clearenes and plainnesse of the Scriptures the Scripture in evident places calleth us to search it and seeke to it as John 5. 39. Esay 8. 20 c which had been to no purpose if they could not bee understood againe the end of the Scripture is for our learning Rom. 15. 4. but now obscuritie and things not to be understood ex diametro oppose learning lastly I might produce a multitude of pregnant quotations out of the Fathers Justin Martyr Chrysostome Austin Clemens Alexandrinus Isidorus Pelusiota Gregorius c speaking of Gods fitting the Scriptures even to the capacity of Babes and Sucklins of the Scriptures being a River wherein the Lamb may walke and the Elephant may swim of being a common light that shineth to all men of being easie to be understood by the Plowman the Artificer the widow woman and him that is most unlearned but I remember I am handling the question of Toleration and not that of the Perspicuitie of the Scriptures and doe therefore conclude affirming things necessary to salvation to be so cleerly laid down in the Scriptures that no man who can understand the words need doubt of the sense 2. There is not only a certaintie and assurance to be had from the Scriptures of things more plainly laid downe therein the matters of faith absolutely necessary to salvation but from the Scriptures by comparing Scripture with Scripture considering of circumstances by just consequences and such like many hard doubtfull points in Religion which to one man alone or to weak unlearned men are very uucertaine and doubtfull yet by the helpe of many learned men in Synods and Councels going Gods way may from the Scriptures be made cleare and certaine That place of Scripture Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. showes us that hard matters and matters of Controversie too hard for a few Priests the lower Courts may by the help● of the higher Courts be so certainly and clearely resolved from the sentence of the Law the written word in that time that they who will not hearken in that case deserve to die and so in the new Testament some things in Pauls Epistles hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction

yet plead Revelations and visions for feare of his fate who said it was revealed to him the day of judgement should be on such a day in Aprill last now long since past Fourthly upon the same cleer reason and ground why the old Testament Law for punishing false Prophets c should not now be in force because the Iewes in all difficult cases about Religion might have immediate and infallible Answers from God it followes necessarily that all Scriptures brought out of the new Testament for Magistrates punishing in cases of Heresie Idolatrie Blasphemie or for Church-Officers censuring by Deposition Excommunication in points of Error should not bind now and so whatever is brought out of the Scriptures for punishing Errors and Heresies whether by Civill Punishments or Eccle●iasticall censures shall be all evaded for the same thing may be said and is said against the places of the new Testament that in the time when the Gospels Acts of the Apostles and Epistles were written the Churches had Apostles and Prophets who were immediately inspired and infallible and could in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion declare infallibly from God what was Heresie and Scisme and what was not and therefore a Heretick after the first and second admonition might be rejected and Hymeneus and Alexander delivered unto Satan and Iezabel for seducing censured because Christ was alwayes at hand by Apostles or Prophets to declare unto them infallibly who were Hereticks and seducers whereas now since the Apostles and Prophets are ceased and all extraordinary wayes the best Oracles Ministers and People have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake the best Synods and Councels being not infallible And so whatsoever Hagiomastix speakes of the old Law another may say the same of the new as to this effect I am confident that the wisest and most learned of the Ministers are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe the Magistrate what Heresie or what Scisme it was or what kind of holding the resurrection past already it was for which the Apostles censured Hymeneus and commanded to reject avoid Hereticks and Scismaticks and therefore to goe about to prove those commands in the new Testament against false Prophets Hereticks Scismaticks Troublers of the Church to be in our dayes in force because they were given in the Apostles dayes and practised by them is as if one should prove that a man may safely and without danger walke among bogs Precipices and ditches at midnight because he may well doe it at noon day The Socinians upon this very ground plead against Excommunication and al Church censures in matters of Doctrine now however in use in the Primitive Churches and answer to the commands and examples alledged out of the new Testament after this manner For ther 's much difference between Hereticks now and those Hereticks in the Apostles dayes For grant them who now erre in matters of faith were set before that venerable companie of Apostles and their equals suppose them to be admonished and convinced and yet neverthelesse to persist obstinately though but in a light error who would not detest their malice In this case a light error is turned into the nature of a great wickednesse wherefore you will say because they dare to resist the Spirit speaking by the Apostles and when they have no cause of doubting of the Doctrine and faith of that Councell yet they would not beleeve nor obey But now although wee are ve●emently perswaded of the certainty of our faith who can in such aname assure us or certifie that wee cannot erre What Councell can wee now perswade our selves so uncorrupt as that of the Apostles or Primitive Church Those who deny Excommunication of Hereticks say bring not arguments and reasons out of the new Testament but that power of the Spirit with which the Apostles being endowed delivered up to Satan and kild Hypocrites with a word If you want this Powerfull efficacie of the Spirit acknowledge your rashnes and iniquitie in condemning those to whom you cannot demonstrate your Interpretation of Scripture Neither is the Spirit now so weak but that bee is able to give Testimonies of the divine Authoritie and his presence in his Ministers now against his enemies It followes not because many things were not tolerated in the infancie of the Church in the Primitive times therefore they ought not to bee tolerated now in the old age of the Church They deceive and are deceived who would bring our times to the example of that flourishing age When the Church was healthfull and strong in that first flower of its age and whilst the company of the Apostles were living the using of violent remedies in respect of the Churches vigor was meet and agreeable Now the Church with diseases and old age being weakned and spent it now almost falls downe under its prevailing sicknesse neither is it any time more in danger then when it fals into the bands of cruell Physitians In time past its first vigor admitted of opening of veines and losse of bloud now if after strength exhausted by so many evils there remaine any vitall Iuyce and moisture it cannot but by letting bloud be poured out with the life and Spirit and therefore this remedie of the punishment of Hereticks for the Preservation of the Church ought to bee omitted now when it will bring more hurt and danger then profit to the Church So some of our Sectaries in a late Pamphlet put forth upon occasion of their Indig●ation at the late solemne Fast of the tenth of March against Heresies plead that the Scisme spoken against in the new Testament is only of separating from those Primitive Apostolicall Churches planted immediately by the Apostles and by infallible direction but hath no reference at all to the Churches of these times Nay further upon this cleere reason why that old Testament Law about false Prophets c should not now bind all the Lawes and commands written in the old Testament yea and in the new concerning the whole will of God may bee as well not in force and men may say for any thing pressed upon them out of the Scriptures of the old or new Testament that they concern them not because in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion in Doctrine Worship Government c the Iewes to whom those commands were given and the Churches in the Apostles dayes to whom the Epistles were written had the opportunity of immediate and infallible direction from God himselfe by the high Priest Prophets and Apostles who could and did in all doubts from time to time infallibly declare and resolve what was Gods mind and Pleasure what was Scisme what was Heresie what use the Law was of how often Christians should pray heare Gods word c whereas now the best Oracles Christians have to direct them about matters of Religion are

exercise it were infallible and not subject to error which that t is so may be demonstrated by these following reasons First In the Churches of the new Testament in the Apostles dayes when they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly and tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture notwithstanding all that Infallibilitie and Immediatenesse of Inspiration such Persons Tenets and Practises though erroneous and mistakes as by the rules of faith and love could and might be tolerated and suffered were tolerated and the Apostles in those things so far from giving any directions to the Churches for withdrawing or excommunicating that they give commands to the contrary namely to receive bear with please such and not our selves follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another and whereto we have already attained to walk by the same Rule as these Scriptures Rom. 14. 1 2 3 4 13 19. Rom. 15 1 2 3. Phil. 3. 15 16. with divers of the like kind show The holding the day of Christ to be at hand was an error and Paul writes pathetically to disswade the Thessalonians from it 2 Thes 2. 1 2 3. yet for all that hee accounts them brethren and so I might instance in other such particulars whereas on the contrary in damnable Heresies Scismes and such like as denying the resurrection of the dead holding Circumcision necessary to Iustification in denying Jesus Christ to be come in the flesh in teaching the Doctrines of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans in separating themselves and going out from the Church the Apostles are against all suffering bearing with receiving of and for rejecting delivering up to Satan and cutting of all such as these Scriptures testifie 1 Tim. 1. 20. Tit. 3. 10. Gal. 1. 8 9. Gal. 5. 12. the second Epistle of Iohn 7. 9 10. Jude 19 23 v. Revel 2. 14 15 20. with many more Now in the Tenets Opinions and Practises of the first sort the Apostles could have resolved the Romans Philippians as infallibly who held the truth and who in the error in those particulars as in the latter of Heresies This is acknowledged by Master Burroughs himselfe in page 59 60 61. of his Heart divisions even where he pleads for a Toleration in all points doubtfull and controverted among godly men who writes thus all these people spoken of in Rom. 14 were not in the right for a man not to eat flesh out of conscience when the thing was not forbidden certainly was a sin or to make conscience of a Holy Day which God required not was a sin Now the Apostle did not come with his Authoritie and say I will make you leave of keeping such dayes or you shall eate or to abstaine thus as you doe is evill and it must not be suffered in you No the Apostle layes no Apostlicall Authoritie upon them but tels them That every man must bee ful●y perswaded in his owne mind in what he doth and who art thou that judgest another mans servant the Lord hath received him And yet the Governours of the Church in the Primitive times might upon much stronger grounds have stood upon such a Principle then any Governours of the Church now can there was lesse Reason why they should suffer any difference in Opinion or Practise amongst them then why wee should suffer differences amongst us for they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly they could tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture And yet we see plainly the Apostle applies himselfe both in the Romans and Philippians rather to presse mutuall forbearance and keeping the Vnitie of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace using all arguments of that kind as God hath received him be that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it he that cateth eateth to the Lord c. Neverthelesse whereunto wee have attained let us walk by the same Rule and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you then from God immediately and infallibly to declare who were in the right and truth in those particulars wherein they differed and thereupon to command the others to be of their mind and Practise in all the particulars or else upon such an infallible resolution to declare they ought to be cast out of the Church and no communion hold with them By all which t is evident that Infallibility and opportunitie of immediatenesse of consultation with God is not the formall Ground of censure but the nature of the things themselves being destructive to faith Godlinesse and edifying for if the power of punishing had beene founded on infallibilitie seeing the Apostles were as able and infallible to give certaine resolutions in the matter of dayes meate and drinks and such like as in matters of faith they would have given other manner of Rules then they did in Rom. 14. Phil. 3. And indeed if Hagiomastize infallibilitie were good what reason can be given why the Apostles did not proceed with all errors and all persons as with Hymene●s Alexander and the woman Iesable which cleerly showes the lawfulnesse of censures lay not in the infallible knowledge of the Governours of the Church but the Apostles in persons and things themselves the one sort weak peaceable Christians holding the head and communion with the body the other turbulent wilful holding Doctrins subverting in the foundation the precious soules of men and godlines And certainly if infallibility were not the just ground and formall reason of censuring but some other thing then fallibility a possibility of mistaking in some things cannot be a just cause of taking away all power of punishing from Governors and that in all points though never so destructive to Gods glory and the soules of men Secondly in the new Testament there are many commands given and many ●●●les laid down both for those times wherein they were written and for all times till the comming of Christ unto persons who were not infallible nor immediately inspired concerning Heresies and Hereticks Scismes and Scismaticks to beware of folk Prophets and false Teachers to avoid reject and turne away from them not to beleeve every Spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God not to receive into house neither to bid God speed those that trasgresse and abide not in the Doctrine of Christ not to suffer those who teach false Doctrine and sed●ce the servants to God to countend ●arnestly the faith to hold fast the truth and sound Doctrine show was these Scriptures to whole Churches and particular Persons both private Christians and Pastors and Teachers not Apostles and Prophets the extraordinary Officers Rom. 1. 16 17 18. Phil. 3. 2. 1. Tim. 6. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 17. 1 John 4. 3. 2. Epist John 9. 10. Jud● 3. Revel 2. 14 20. Revel 3. Now however the

those things by the Law So that by all this and a great deal more that might be spoken to this effect as the Magistrates and Priests combining together c. the Iewes to whom the Law was given for putting false Prophets Blasphemers to death for all the opportunitie of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe by Vrim and by Prophets might in many cases have been deceived mistaken and in as great uncertaintie every way as Hagiomastix supposes the Church to be in under the new Testament Thirdly supposing and granting there had been such a certaintie and infallibilitie in the matters of Religion under the old Law as is contended for by Hagiomastix and that free of all the exceptions now spoken of yet I affirme there is an infallibilitie and certaintie under the new also in the Doctrines of faith and worship and Christian Magistrates may infallibly and certainly know such and such Doctrines to be false and such true such Practises and speeches to be Idolatrous blasphemous as well as the Iewish Magistrates did and supposing that true which Hagiomastix saith that the Iewish Magistrates had a certaintie of knowledge in all difficult cases of Relgion by the judgement of Vrim which Christian Magistrates have not yet in another way and by other means they may have a certaintie and infallibilitie that these and these Doctrines are of God and other Doctrines are not of God when there are three or foure wayes to come to the certaine knowledge of a thing a man may be sure and certaine in one or two though he have not all the wayes A Iudge who hath three or foure honest witnesses and many circumstances with the parties own confession may be certaine though he might not see the fact committed nor have all wayes of knowledge that possible may be and so may Magistrates now in this case of Religion though they should want some one way the Magistrates under the new Testament had And for the certaintie and infallibilitie in matters of Religion under the new Testament it may apeeare thus 1. Hagiomastix must confesse upon his own Principles that during the Apostles times which was under the new Testament in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion Christian Magistrates might have had the same opportunities of immediate and infallible Answers as under the old Apostles Prophets then having as infallible immediate Revelations from God as the high Priests and therefore in case there had been Christian Magistrates in the Apostles days they might by this reason have exercised coercive power on Apostates Hereticks and Blasphemers as well as the Iewish Magistrates by which t is apparent those Lawes about false Prophets and Blasphemers were not only old Testament Lawes proper for Moses Paedagogie but new Testament Lawes and that for the prime flourishing state of the new Testament the Apostles times Secondly the Independents and Sectaries in many of their Books Sermon● and Discourses tell us of a time at hand wherein there will be a new and marveilous light when wee shall cleerly and certainly know the truth of these things now so much doubted of and controverted of the nature of a visible Church of the Government of the Church and such like Now then upon Master Goodwins cleare reason the old Testament Law for the putting of false Prophets c to death should be in force under the new Testament as well as under the old because then in all difficult cases in worship Doctrine c the Christians that live in those times may infallibly and certainly know the mind and pleasure of God in them Master Goodwin in his Postscript or Appendix to H●giomastix the scope of which Discourse is to make inval'd that Zach. 13. 3. from being any ground for Civill coercive Power against false Prophets among other evasions interprets the place to relate to those times of refreshing to the Iewish Church and Nation the time when God intends to build up the Iewes again into a Church of far more inward grace and holines into a Nation of far more outward beauty strength and glory then ever was their portion since they first became a Church or Nation unto this day either in the one kind or in the other Now of that particular time and day of the new Testament t is especially Prophecied that outward coercive Power shall be exercised upon false Prophets And it shall come to passe that when any shall yet Prophesit then his Father and his Mother that begat him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord and his Father and his Mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he Prophecieth As for Hagiomast figurative sense put upon these words against the literall and proper and other his glosses to corrupt the text I shall speak to them in the 19. Thesis where I shall prove that Zach. 13. 3. to be a good proofe of the Magistrates coercive Power under the Gospel Thirdly for that time and those dayes under the new Testament between the Primitive Apostolicall Churches and the calling of the Iewes into which we fall and among which our times are to be numbred there is an infallibilitie and certaintie to be had in Doctrines of faith and Christian Religion and the best Oracles Magistrates have to direct them in matters of Religion now are not fallible and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake The Scriptures are an infallible and certaine rule the voice and word of God himselfe God speaking by them as by Vrim and Thummim Learned Bishop Davenant in his Disputation De judice ac norma fidei Cultus Christiani in answering that objection of the Papists if generall Councels could erre their should be no firme Iudgement in the Church to compose Controversies answers If the Papists speak of a humane judgement we acknowledge non● so firme and infallible to which all men may safely and securely commit their faith without triall But if they speak of a divine judgement we affirme there is a firme and perpetuall judgement in the Church of all the Doctrines of faith namely the judgement of God speaking in the Scriptures for he is not to be confuted with arguments but to be reckoned among Atheists who denies in the Scriptures in the things of faith that there is a sentence pronounced by God himselfe and that intelligible firme and infallible Were those Answers by Divine inspiration and immediate Revelation So are the Scriptures of divine inspiration and immediate revelation also 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. No Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation for the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost were those Answers sure and certaine the Oracles of God among them so are the Scriptures sure and certain Psal 19. 7. The Testimony of the

in the name of Christ cannot erre in those things which are of any great moment For we truly willingly confesse many Councels not to have erred yea wee confesse Lawfull Churches as in the sense above is explained by us that are truely gathered in the name of Christ not to erre in necessary things and of Baron in that acute and learned Reply of his to Turnebull the Iesuite wee doe not simply and absolutely condemne that which the Doctors of Paris doe teach of the infallibilitie of Councels For it may be piously and probably beleeved that Councels truely generall and Lawfull that is Lawfully gathered and proceeding to be so governed and directed by the holy Spirit that they may not erre in fundament all points I say this may be beleeved because t is certaine such Councels have never hitherto erred in Doctrines fundamentall Secondly although the Authoritie and Power of Synods and Councels is not of it selfe infallible neither appointed of God that it should be the supreme and principall Rule of our Faith and therefore cannot by it selfe and of its owne Authoritie bind the faithfull to beleeve whatever is determined in a Synod or Councell yet there is in them the supream Ecclesiastical Power of judging and determining Controversies of Faith and that appointed by God to avoid confusion and rents in the Church Hence the Authoritie of Lawfull Councels hath a speciall force and singular efficacie before many other motives of faith to beget a peswasion in the minds of men of the truth of the Doctrine agreed on in the Councell And because in our times the best Synods and Councels are rejected and flighted and every private person takes upon them a boundlesse Libertie of contradicting all Synodicall Decrees I shall therefore lay downe briefly out of divers learned Authors what preeminencie there is in Synods and Co●ncels towards the compounding of Controversies and doubts in Religion above what is in private Christians or single particular Ministers 1 There is an Authorite given them by God they are an Ordinance of Jesus Christ to judge of and determine Controversies of faith which no man of a sound mind affirmes of private Christians or particular Ministers Secondly they have a power of subjecting those to excommunication and other Ecclesiasticall censures who openly contradict their Decrees Thirdly they have a more peculiar assistance of the Spirit so greater then that which particular Ministers judgeing apart have Fourthly They have surer means of finding out the truth viz. The Prayers Fastings Disputations c. of the cheifest Pastors of the whole Church For as Cameron speaks In a Councell if there be present piou● and learned men they open things which before were shut by their mutual disquisition which cannot be so easily done of particular men apart Fifthly A better ground of knowing what is the judgement of the whole Church concerning any Question in Controversie and what the Churches have observed in such cases Sixthly A more easie way of reducing the Decrees and Determinations of the Church to practice Seventhly greater Reverence Respect and Obedience is owing to the Determinations and Decrees of Synods and Councels then of particular Persons or Churches the Authoritie of Synods in their place and degree is so to be looked upon that particular Ministers or private Christians should not lightly or easily for every probable Reason or conjecture reject their determinations Hence Cameron speaking of Councels well observes So oft as any thing is decreed by an Assembly of men who are put into Anthoritie in the Church that should be a ground that such a thing should not rashly nor without a great deale of accurate and serious observation be rejected For first of all we owe Reverence to a Synod even then when we judge it decrees false things A pious sonne of the Church doth not vainely insult over her but with a kind of Reverentiall shamefastnesse departs from her Secondly wee owe outward obedience unlesse wee doe evidently perceive the Synod to prescribe and determine false and wicked things for t is not Lawfull upon light and probable Reasons to oppose the judgement of the Pastors of the Church the certaine manifest Authoritie of God commands us to obey the decrees of the Church and when wee have only uncertaine conjectures and probable Reasons then that common rule is to be followed Hold that which is certaine leave the uncertaine And therefore they who doubt of the truth of the Decrees of a Synod or upon light and probable Reasons think their Opinion false but doe not cert●inly know it to be such are bound by the Synodicall decrees to performe such an obedience as is agreeable to order comelinesse and peace which obedience is nothing else but the observance of Christian humilitie and modestie by which the faithfull in such cases abstaine both from a publike open profession of their Opinion and a condemning and confuting of the Synods Opinion and in the meane time by diligent searching of the Scripture do enquire out the truth and pray to God to manifest his truth to men and to discover the errors of the Synod that so they being knowne contrary Doctrine may be established in another Councel Of which seven particulars and divers others of Synods whoever would see more let them read Baron against Turnebull Tract 5. De Authorit Ecclesiae cap. 17. Camerons Praelect De Eccles Infallibilitate 292. 293. Apollon Jus Magist circ sacra first part cap. 4. 247. 248 249. Fourthly there is a greater degree of infallibilitie and certaintie in matters of faith and religion to be attained by means of the Scriptures then was by the high Priests answers by Vrim or then is to be had by miracles by one arising from the dead and comming to us then by an Apostle or an Angel from heaven yea or from a voice comming from heaven of each of which I will speake something briefly 1. There was more certaintie even under the old Testament in the word written in the Law then in the high Priests Answer which appeares thus because the Law was made by God himselfe the cheife rule and measure of the high Priests Answer and in difficult cases wherein the Iewes were commanded to come to the high Priest for resolution the last reference is made to the Law That very place Deut. 17. 9. 10 11 12. brought by Hagiomastix page 130. to prove the sentence there spoken of only such a sentence which the Priest did upon enquiry by Vrim and Thummim receive immediately or however infallibly from the mouth of God himselfe and by the Iesuits Bellarmine Lorinus Bailius c brought to prove the Pope the supreame infallible Iudge of Controversies and not the Scriptures showes cleerly whatever answers the high Priest gave in matters of judgement they are limited expresly to the word of God and that is made the supreme Iudge The Iewes were not simply to rest in the judgement of the high Priests whatever they

my pen to writefully against every particular passage in the 39. and 40. Section of Hagiomastix as I have done of some of them I should make his folly and weaknesse manifest to all but having hinted already his mistakes and the utter dissimilitude betweene that command in Deut. 13. and all his instances of an Idolatrous state and a Magistrate bound to make a bloudy desolation throughout al his Dominions c. I say no more but here is a great cry and a little wool and so come to the fixt head to give Answer to something that seems more materiall Sixthly to that Hagiomastix saith page 46. There is this cleer reason why that old Testament law for putting of false Prophets Blasphemers and Seducers to Idolatry to death should not now bee in force upon any such terms as it was when and where it was given because in all difficult cases that happened about maters of Religion the Iewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunity of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe who could and did from time to time infallibly declare what his own mind and pleasure was in them So that except those that were to give sentence in cases of Religion had been desperately wicked and set upon bloud and despised that glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God amongst them they could not doe injustice God being alwayes at hand to declare unto them what kind of Blasphemer and what kind of Idolater it was that hee by this Law intended should be put to death Whereas now the best Oracles that Magistrates and Iudges have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgemēts and every way obnoxious to error and mistake Yea confident I am that the wisest most learned of them are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe the Magistrate what Blasphemie or what Idolatry it was which was by God sentenced to death under the Law Therefore the going about to prove that the Law for putting Blasphemers and Seducers to Idolatry to death is now or amongst us in force because it was once given to the Jewes is as I should prove that a man may safely without danger walk among bogs praecipices ditches at midnight because he may well do it at noon day I answer in the generall this Section is full of many unsound and dangerous passages very prejudicial to the perspicuity perfection and certainty of the Scriptures very derogatorie to the state of the Church under the new Testament preferring the old before it for cleernesse and light as much as noon day before midnight which is contrary to many Prophecies in Scripture of the times under the Gospell and to divers texts in the new Testament 2 Cor. 3. 8 9 10 11 12 18. 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. and tending to bring in with a high hand Scepticisme and Pyrronian uncertainty in all poynts of Religion into the Church of God passages becomming a Iesuite and an Atheist but altogether unbeseeming a Protestant Minister and one who would bee accounted to have laboured more abundantly in vindicating the Authority of the Scriptures and building men on a rock then all other men Whoever does but compare the Iesuits Papists writings Stapleton Bellar. Turnebull Fisher c with learned Whittaker Chamier Rivet Cameron Doctor White Baron Willet and other Protestant Divines who have written of the Authority perspicuity perfection c of the Scriptures against the Papists and then look but upon this Section hee must needs say Higiomastix writes as one brought up in the Schools of the Iesuits and had sucked their breasts as also he that reads but Minus Celsus Senenses and the Socinians with the Netherland Arminians will confesse these lines are the very breathings and actings of that Spirit which dwels in that generation of men I could out of the writings of our Orthodox Divines written against Papists Socinians Arminians upon those heads of the authority perfection perspiculty certainty of the Scriptures and points of Christian faith at large confute him but these belong not properly to this Controversie about Toleration and therefore I shall not insist on them and further I desire the Reader to observe what followes that this cleere reason as Hag●omastix termes it may be resolved in that common evasion of Socinians and Arm●nians and all our Sectaries of Infallibility and Fallibility Whoever well weigh● that 36. Section of Hagiomastix with that part of the 107. Section page 130. fifth Answer will find the Summe and substance of all that discourse to be nothing else but the usuall Plea of the Patrons of Toleration in their late Libertine Pamphlets as Bloudy Tenet Storming of Antichrist Compassionate Samaritane Justification of Toleration Quaeres upon the Ordinance for preventing of Heresies c. that there is no infallible Iudge now all men are fallible subject to error or mistake and therefore the proper place of speaking to this will be in answering their Grounds for Toleration and pretended liberty of conscience where I hope by the grace of God to speak so fully to that particular of Infallibility and Fallibility that I doubt not to promise the Reader such ample satisfaction to that grand Argument as by the blessing of God all men who have not sold themselves to Libertinisme will never againe after that object it yet however for the present I shall hint these things by way of Reply 1. This very point of Infallibilitie and Fallibilitie was the main rise and cause of setting the Pope in his chair of making one that must be an infallible judge in the Church and so is the ground work of the Popes Authoritie and Tyrannie over the Church which all who understand the Controversies between the Papists and the Reformed Churches De Papa doe well know And on the other hand t is made the foundation of bringing in all Anarchie and Libertinisme into the Church to overthrow all power of Magistrates and of Synods and Councels in matters of Religion so that at on the one hand it hath exalted the Pope and given him an unjust Domination and usurpation so on the other it casts down the use of all civil and Ecclesiasticall power for the good of the Church so that the same thing that set up the Pope and made Antichrist sets up a Toleration and universall libertie of conscience which is a new and worse Pop● But as the want of infallibility was no good ground for ●etting up the Pope as I suppose Hagiomast and all the Sectaries will grant so will it be found no good argument for a generall Toleration of all Religions a farre greater evill then a Pope Secondly I deny that which Hagiomastix takes for granted the reason it self upon which he founds why the old Testament law for the putting of false Prophets Blasphemers and Seducers to Idolatry to death should not now be in force I desire him to prove the Vrim and Thummim of the

Apostles and Prophets in those Primitive times were infallible and immediately inspired of whose immediate infallibilitie how farre and in what way whether only in penning the holy Scriptures or how else whether ex hubituali asse●●entia Spiritus or only de particulere assistantia Spiritus I shall speake at large in the second part of my Anti-Toleration in answering that Objection we have now no externall infallible Iudge yet all those they w●●t unto in their Epistles every particular beleever man and woman were not neither are infallible not the Elect Lady and her children not all the beleeving Romans nor all those Christians to whom the Epistle generall of Iohn and Iude were written nor those Angels of the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira nor Christians in our times to whom those commands and Rules are written and given by the Apostles as well as those who then lived for the Epistles did not concerne the times and the particular Churches and persons only to whom they were written as some wickedly affirme and yet these are commanded to stand fast in the Faith to avoid those who cause divisions contrary to the Doctrine which they have learned to prove al things are reproved found fault with by the Spirit of God for not censuring of Heresie false Doctrine c. which fully proves true Doctrine may be known from false false Teachers may be discovered and censured by persons not infallible and so the judging of what is Heresie Scism and who is a Heretick or a Scismatick and the punishing or not punishing of them depends not upon infallibilitie or fallibilitie of Spirit infallibilitie is not the ground of censure nor fallibilitie of non censure Thirdly The Apostles who were infallibly and immediately inspired yet in cases of Controversie arising in the Church and in censures and determinations thereupon did not act from infallibility and immediatenes of Answers from God but from Scripture grounds by way of reasoning and disputation deduced and in a Synodical way by the joint common resolution of Elders as well as themselves as is evident by Acts 15. Acts 21. 18 19 20 21. In that dissention that Paul and Barnabas had with certainemen that came downe from Judea about circumcision Paul and Barnabas were able to have determined it without their and others going up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and Elders Paul by his Apostolicall infallible Spirit could have determined as in Gal. 5. 2. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing but the whole businesse is debated decreed and the decrees sent forth by Synodicall Authoritie determined according to the word of God and not by extraordinary immediate infallible inspiration of the Spirit the proofe of which seing the Reader may find so fully and largely in many learned Authors I shall spare to write anything of it So upon Pauls comming to Hierusalem Acts 21. and the offence that many thousands of the Iewes which beleeved and were zealous of the Law took at him Paul went not upon his own infallibilitie of Spirit or immediate Revelation but upon the joint councell and direction of Iames and all the Elders verse 18. 20 21 23 24 25 26. Now if the Apostles in judging of false Doctrine and Scisme censuring the Authors of these and imposing upon the Churches their Decrees to be kept all which are spoken of in A●ts 15. proceeded not in the way of infallible immediate Revelation from God laid it aside as it were but in an ordinary way by Scripture reason experience upon and after much debate as is apparent from verse 6. to verse 30. then t is evident that immediatnesse of Revelation with infallibilitie of Spirit is not the sole judge of Heresies and Errors and the only just reason of inflicting punishments upon Hereticks and Scismaticks Seventhly besides the other false Suppositions laid down by Hagiomastix in his 36. Sect. as the enquiring by Vrim and Thummim in cases of Idolatrie Blasphemie as that Inallibilitie is the ground of coercive power c this also is false that he supposeth under the new Testament there is no Infallibilitie nor certaintie to be had in difficult doubtfull matters of Religion but that in those things we walk at midnight in comparison of those under the old Law who walked at noon day which assertion of the uncertaintie and darkenesse of the Church in points of Religion under the new Testament compared with the old is contrary to these grounds First to many prophecies of the state of the Church after Christs comming which speak that then the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea and the light of the Moon shall bee as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sun shall be seven sold as the light of seven dayes and unto the manner of the Administration of the Covenant of Grace under the new Testament which however for substance was but one and the same under the Law and the Gospel yet for manner of Dispensation and Application differed and is various as many Divines show and one of the main differences between them in manner of Administration stands in this that the Covenant of Grace under the new differs from the old in Cleernesse and Evidence in that the Doctrine of grace and salvation by Christ and of faith in him together with the Appendixes is more distinct and expresse then before it was not being now under a vaile but beheld with open face 2 Cor. 3. 12 13 17 18. Secondly then the Church of Christ under the new Testament should be in a far worse condition then the Iewes were under the old for whereas they were sure and certaine in their Religion and had an infallible way of being resolved in all doubts Christians now should be in continuall doubts and uncertainties in matters of faith not knowing what to doe or whether to turne themselves which must needs be a most miserable condition and the Iewes case in the time before Christs comming in the flesh was to be much preferred before ours for the burden of being under the Pedagogy of the Law with a certaintie and infallibilitie of knowing what to hold and beleeve is a light burden in comparison of being freed from the Ceremoniall Law and in the meane time to be without all certaintie and assurance in points of faith and worship Who would not chuse rather to undergoe some burden with an infallibilitie and certaintie of Religion then to enjoy a Libertie from a Yoake with an uncertaintie and continuall feares Is not the bondage of feare worse then a bondage of ceremonies and many outward Legal observations If the deliverance of us from the Pedagogie of the Law hath brought us into this condition out burden is greater in this thing then any that the Law laid upon the Iewes Hath Christ delivered us from one burden to lay a greater upon us Have wee

pronounced but as it was according to the Law There is an expresse limitation in the text in verses 10. 11. thou shalt doe according to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee In the Hebrew text t is twice written juxta os legis according to the mouth of the Law and the ordinary Glosse upon that place notes that t is not said unto them thou shalt obey unlesse they teach according to the Law these words according to the sentence of the Law doe signifie a condition not a promise as if God did promise the Priests they should never depart from the Law which our Divines observe against Bellarmine and other Papists yea Master Goodwin himselfe Sect. 107. of his Hagiomastix speaking of this place to be meant only of such a sentence which the Priest did upon enquiry by Vrim receive immediately or however infallibly from the mouth of God himselfe grants it and puts in the same Section this sentence of the high Priest under the Law and saith the command in that Scripture is with that Caution and limitation of going according to the sentence of the Law for proofe of which I shall quote his own words verbatim Thirdly nor doth God in this passage of Scripture speaking of Deut. 17. 12. expresly command without caution and limitation that even in this Controversie it selfe he that would not stand to the sentence of the Iudge or high Priest should be put to death but only then when the Priests the Levites and the Iudge should give sentence or informe them according to the sentence of the Law And for the Readers further Satisfaction of the Scope and meaning of Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. to free it from Master Goodwins sense of only such a sentence which the Priest did upon enquiry by Vrim receive immediately by which he would evade all punishment from the Magistrate in matters of Religion though I have said much upon the place already I refer him to the first Tractate eight Question page 127. 128 129. of Rivets Catholious Orthodoxus 2. Then by miracles t is a saying of Chrysostome God hath left us the Scriptures more firme then any miracle where the word of God is for such a thing that thing is most true and certain the word of God standeth and ahideth for ever It is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the Law to faile t is impossible for God to lie miracles accompanying Doctrines are not alwayes infallible proofes of the truth of them for false Prophets teaching false Doctrines may doe miracles and come with signs and wonders Deut. 13. 1 2 3. showes that false Prophets who say let us goe after other Gods may give signs and wonders and the signe or wonder may come to passe Matth. 7. 22 23. Christ tels us that many who prophecied in his Name plead they have cast out Devils and done many wonderfull workes were workers of iniquity upon which place * Maldonate though a Iesuite confesses those false Prophets of which Christ speakes wrought true miracles truely Prophecied truely Prophecied truely cast out Devils neither doth Christ answer them that they lied but that he knew them not although they had done such miracles and thereupon he grants there can be no necessary argument taken from true miracles to prove the truth of Doctrine So Matth. 24. 24. 2 Thes 2. 9. Revel 13. 13 14. fully set forth how false Prophets and Anti-Christ shall doe great miracles by means of which they shall deceive many In Augustines time the Donatists would alledge miracles done by them to prove the truth of their Church and Doctrine and so doe the Papists now against the Protestants making the glory of miracles a note of their Church but Augustine against the Donatists of his time and learned Protestants against the Papists upon that Question of the notes of the Church doe prove the word of God a surer note and Argument of the true Church and Faith then miracles as whoever consults the writings of * Augustine Whitaker Cameron Rivet Ames Willet Whites way to the Church and especially of learned Gerard shall find 3. The proofe of Doctrine by the Scripture is more infallible then the testimonie of one coming from the dead Luk. 16. 29 30 31. Mases and the Prophets for perswading to beleeve are preferred before one arising from the dead They who elude and wrest the Scriptures interpreting them according to their own iust if one should arise from the dead they would not believe him in what he said against their Opinions but would put off all one way or other Experience hath taught that as Maldon●ie observes Christ raised up Lazarus from the grave who as t is to be thought told the Scribes and Priests many things agreeable to those which Christ taught them and yet they were so farre from beleeving him that they would have killed him John 12. 9 10 So the Scribes and Pharisees after Christs resurrection from the dead beleeved him never a whit more then before 4. Then an Apostle for the Apostles notwithstanding the prerogative of infallibilitie their certaine and infallible knowledge of the Gospel by the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost being infallible in their writings to the Churches and in those Doctrines of faith they preached to those to whom they were sent were in some things at some times subject to mistakes or errors Peter that great Apostle of the circumcision after the holy Ghost was given Acts 2. erred and mistooke in accounting the Gentiles at that time common and unclean as Acts 10. 13. 14 15 18 24 compared together fully showes and in the Doctrine of Christian Libertie compelling the Gentiles to live at the Jewes and not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel for which Paul withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14. But the Scriptures erre not at all are all fine gold without any drosse cannot deceive be perfect and glorious the Apostles themselves in their preachings and writings appealed to the Scriptures made them the chiefe rules of their Doctrines Acts 3. 21. Acts 4. 25 26. Acts 17 2 3. Acts 26. 22 23. Acts 28. 23 24 25 26 27. Rom. 1. 2. Rom. 3. 4. with many other places to the same purpose The 〈◊〉 are commended for that when Paul the Apostle preached to them they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so John the Baptist was sent from God 1 John 6. immediately inspired by the holy Ghost as well as the Apostles and yet Christ prefers the witnesse of the Scriptures before the Testimonie of John John 5. 34 36. 39. The Testimonie of the Scriptures is greater then the record of John of which see Willets Synops first general Controvers concerning the Scriptures quest fourth 5. Then an Angel Gal. 1. 8. But though wee or an Angel from heaven c. Paul prefers the Scriptures

of that knowne axiome A particulari ad universale non valet consequentia and therefore though that particular reason be ceased although I haue fully shown that never was any reason of those Laws under the old Testament for punishing of false Prophets but a meer device and a fancie t is no good consequence all the other reasons yea and the commands themselves should cease also Seventhly to that Hagiomastix saith that the punishments enjoyned by God then under the Law to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents were more bodily and afflictive to the outward man then the punishments enjoyned under the Gospel and consequently were not only carnall or bodily but typicall also and prefignificative of those greater and more spirituall under the Gospel cutting off from his people then as of casting out from his people now cutting off under the Gospel being no where found to be used but in a metaphorical and allusive sense also to what Minus Celsus Senensis writes that that corporall punishment in Deut. 13. was a Type of eternall damnation and therefore that Law with all the rest given for the future signification of things by the comming of Christ ceased I answer as followes First I deny the punishments enjoyned by God under the Law to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents to be bodily or afflictive at all to the outward man as by donfiscation of goods or by death but they were spirituall and inflicted upon the soules by suspension excommunication and such like spirituall censures as well as now under the Gospel T is true there were bodily outward punishments in the Civill Iudicatories inflicted then on the bodies of false Prophets Idolaters c but by the Magistrates the Civil Governors and not by the Priests the Ecclesiastical Governors in the Church of the Iewes For under the Law the Jewish Church and Common-wealth the Civil Government and Ecclesiastical the censures and punishments of Church and State were formally distinct as Master Gillespie hath fully and excellently proved in his Aarons rod blossoming in many places particularly 1. Book cap. 2. 3 4 5 and the Church of the Iewes proceeded then against false Prophets only with the sword of the Spirit and spirituall weapons and the State with the materiall Sword and bodily punishments Which truth is fully acknowledged also by Master Cotton however differing from Presbyterians about a National Church in his Answer to Master Williams Bloudy Tenet saying I should think mine eye not only obscured but the fight of it utterly put out if I should conceave as he doth that the National Church State of the Jewes did necessarily call for such weapons a speaking of a Sword of Iron or Steel to punish Hereticks more then the Congregetional State of particular Churches doth call for the same now in the dayes of the new Testament For was not the National Church of the Iewes as compleatly furnished with spirituall Armor to defend it selfe and to offend men and Divels as the particular Churches of the new Testament be Had they not power to convince false Prophets as Eliah did the Prophets of Baal Had they not power to seperate all evil doers from the fellowship of the Congregation what power have our particular Churches now which their National Church wanted or what efficacie is there found in the exercise of our power which was wanting to them It is therefore a Sophistical imagination of mans Braine to make a mans selfe or the world believe that the National Church State of the Iewes required a Civil Sword whereas the particular State of the Gospel needs no such helpe And was not the National Church of Israel as powerfully able by the same spirit to doe the same surely it was both spoken and meant of the National Church of the Jewes not by might nor by Power but my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Zach. 4. 6. So that by what I have already said Hagiomastix must either I suppose recall what he hath written of carnal bodily punishments enjoyned by God then to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents or else must joyne with the Erastians in holding the Iewish Church and Common-wealth their Governement and Censures all one and the same Secondly The foundation upon which Hagiomastix rears this building of outward punishments under the old Testament being typical of spiritual under the new viz the Land of Canaan with the external happinesse and peace there being typical and therefore reasons a compara●is and from the Analogie is sandie and unsound for the Land of Canaan with the external happinesse and long life in it whatsoever it was typical of was from what God had put into the Land being a Land healthful pleasant flowing with milke and honey abounding in excellent precious fruits the immediate blessings of God upon it and not from what came to it by the Magistrates Laws and their good Government for further satisfaction of which I wish Master Goodwin to resolve me this question whether the Land of Canaan were not typical as well in times of wars and troubles and under bad Princes as in dayes of peace and under good Princes and so to reason a comparatis to use his owne Phrase and adidem if temporall threatnings and bodily punishments inflicted upon delinquents under the old Testament were typicall and Praesignificative of greater under the Gospel they must be threatnings and bodily punishments inflicted from God upon false Prophets c not thoe executed by the Magistrates on them Thirdly Granting both Hagiomastixs foundation and the building reared upon it to be good yet they no whit prove bodily and outward punishments to be wholly taken away under the new Testament for suppose the temporal happinesse and the temporal punishments had typified more spiritual happinesse and lesse of the earth more spiritual judgements and lesse of outward or bodily sufferings under the Gospel yet it followes not they take away all outward happinesse and blessings and all outward bodily punishments there may be greater or lesser degrees of things under the old and new Testament suitable to some difference in the manner of Administration betweene the old and the new and yet not the substance of the things taken away These are knowne axioms Gradus non tollunt substantiam Magis Minus non variant speciem T is apparent by sense and experience that how much soever spirituall blessings and spiritual judgements in the dayes of the Gospel abound above the times under the Law yet they take not away all temporal outward blessings nor all temporal outward judgements but God for all that gives many outward blessings and sends many temporal judgements on the earth So supposing God should inflict more spiritual judgements on the soules of men under the new Testament and the Church greater spiritual censures then under the old it no way followes the Magistrates may inflict none at all especially when all spiritual judgements on the soule are slited and with a high hand