that will be well pleasing and approven in Magistrates when Christ Jesus shall come to judge both in reference to this thing Or if in that day when the great Judge will Sentence Ministers for tolerating in such a case He will take another rule to proceed by with the Magistrate Or if it be like that Christ out of love to His Church shall peremptorily require Ministers not to suffer false teachers but to restrain them according to their stations and not to endure them to teach and seduce His Servants and yet that the same Lord for the good of His Church should require Magistrates to tolerate and maintain the same 2. Consider if the grounds and reasons that bind this duty on Ministers will not equivalently and proportionably bind all men according to their stations for the grounds are in sum love to God and love to the edification and salvation of others which are the substance and fulfilling of the morall Law 3. If in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament or in History since these two be not ever joyned together the most commended Magistrate and one who is most zealous against corrupt teachers the fathers of old were noâ—… to spare their children Deut. 13. nor suffer them to teach or seduce to the dishonour of God and hazard of souls and can it be said that souls now are lesse precious or errour now lesse infectious and dangerous or these things lesse to be cared for now in the dayes of the Gospel than formerly that concern the glory of God and edification or destruction of souls 4. Consider if in the Book of the Revelation the suffering of Antichrist to delude souls be not mentioned as reproveable and if the destroying of that beast and putting him from corrupting the earth be not spoken of as a main piece of the commendation of such as shall be instrumentall therein Now in the Scripture-language all deluders and seducers are Antichrists being led with the same spirit and driving the same design against the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Can there be therefore any reason to make such difference where the Lord hath made it 5. Consider if it can be accounted single zeal that perswadeth to permit the Name of God to be dishonoured when any reflection upon our own doth so much move us for it doth infer that either there is an indifferency as to truth and errour So that in the one the Lord is not more dishonoured than in the other which will be found exceeding contrary to His own expressing of Himself in Scripture and will not I suppose be pleaded in the day of judgement when He will avenge Himself on such seducers or it must infer that men are not to take notice of what dishonoureth Him even though many things be within their reach to impede it And indeed if a conscience seriously pondering the thing will not be provoked out of zeal to God whose glory suffereth out of respect to the salvation of many souls that are hazarded and destroyed by such means and to prevent the many offences that wait necessarily upon such ills and the many inconveniencies divisions jealousies rents c. that follow in Families Congregations Cities and Nations and the great prejudice that the Common-wealth suffereth by the distracting of her members amongst themselves the incapacitating of many for publick trust the fostering of diverse interests and contrary principles in one body to the marring of honest publick designs If by these I say the zeal and conscience of these who are concerned be not provoked by what will or can they be If it be said That it looketh more Gospel-like and for the furtherance of Christs Kingdom that Magistrates should leave men to follow their light and to be dealt with by the preaching of the Gospel and force thereof We shall propose these Considerations in reference to this 1. Consider if it looketh christian and tender-like for men so to stand by in the Lord's Cause and to let Him do as it were for Himself It was indeed once said of Bâ—…al Iudg. 6. If he be a god let him plead for himself But will a tender heart think or speak so reproachfully of the Majesty of God He indeed can and will plead for Himself and it is not for defect of power He maketh use of men to defend His truth or to restrain errours yet it is His good pleasure to make use of Magistrates therein and thereby to honour them as He doth of Gideon in that same place 2. Consider if it look christian-like to give the devil equal accesse to follow his designs with Jesus Christ in the setting up of his kingdom Now absolute toleration doth this and more because there is but one Truth and there are many Errours and each of these hath that same liberty and indemnity to say so that Truth hath and may with the same confidence come forth to the open light as Truth may in respect of any Civil restraint 3. Consider the case of Antichrist there is no errour against which the Lord hath more directly engaged Himself to fight with the sword of His mouth than against this of Popery and yet we suppose none will think that Kings might warrantably suffer it to be spread and preached to the infecting of their People without adding or injoyning any restraint by their Civil power certainly their hating of the Whore and making her desolate doth imply some other thing And where-ever true hatred of Errour is there will be more effectuall streatching of mens power and places for restraining the same 4. We may adde this Consideration That hitherto toleration of Errours and diversity of corrupt opinions have ever been looked upon and made use of as a most subtil mean for undermining and destroying of the Church It is marked of that skilfull enemy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Julian That having improven his subtility to the utmost to find out means to destroy the Church by craft which his predecessors by violence could not obtain amongst other means he concluded this Not to raise open persecution but to give liberty to all the differing Bishops and Teachers which then after the Council of Nice and Constantins death were very many and bitter in their differences to follow their own way and to vent their own opinions without all fear of any restraint and therefore did call them that he might make intimation thereof to them for their further encouragement therein The words which he used to them as they are marked by Ammianus and cited by Lodovicus Molineus pag. 560 are Ut consopitis civilibus discordiis suae quisque Religioni serviret intrepidus that is in sum That every one forbearing Civil discords should worship in his own Religion without controle or fear And is it like that this shall prove a mean usefull for the good of the Church which that expert childe of the devil did make use of to destroy the same Our third Assertion then is That
controversies and confuting of such errours that the truth may be the more clear 5. They may and ought to endeavour according to their place the composure and allayment of all the lesser and more petty differences and heart-burnings that may be found amongst these that are in the main one for truth for often as was said a vehement spirit of errour and delusion is trysted with heart-burnings divisions and offences in the Church and amongst the Officers thereof there were petty contests in Corinth biting and devouring one of another in Galatia trysted with the harmony that was amongst the followers of the seducers and at the Councell of Nice there was not only difference with Arians and other grosse hereticks but also there were petty differences and contests amongst the Bishops and Confessors who stood for truth and these differences are most advantagious to the spreading of errour and the removing thereof is a great bulwark against the same It is marked of Constantine at that Councell of Nice that amongst other means which he used to suppresse the Arian heresie he did most carefully endeavour the removing and burning of such differences and divisions and by serious Oration pressed the oblivion of all such that they might the more unitedly and with the lesse diversion be in capacity to oppose the common enemy For certainly when Ministers are armed one against another upon some lesse concerning and more unprofitable debates as alas too much of them is in the Christian reformed-Church at this time there cannot but be the lesse strength zeal and vigilancy against professed enemies in the most substantiall things 6. They may and ought to interpose their Authority for inhibiting the receiving and hearing or conversing with known and manifest seducers for this is but to discharge and thereby to preserve the people from runing to their own hazard even as men ought to be commanded to keep at distance with a place or person suspected to be infectious because of the Pestilence neither could such a restraint be accounted any diminution of their just liberty yea this were but a putting to of their sanction to the clear direction which the Lord layeth upon His people and therefore there could be no hazard to miscarry in it especially where the application to such and such persons might be as clearly discernable from the Word as the duty is 7. They might and ought to give their countenance unto and joyn their Authority with such ecclesiastick statutes overtures or means as Church-judicatories or Officers might be about to make use of for this end in their places and this can be no more prejudice to liberty to countenance with their authority the Ornance of Discipline than to confirm by their Authority the Ordinance of preaching the Gospel 8. They may and ought to preserve the Ordinances from being interrupted and the administrators thereof from being reproached and might justly censure these things when committed 9. In recovering a people in a reeling and staggering time a Magistrate may engage them to formerly received truth and interpose his authority for this end as is recorded of Iosiah 2 Chron. 34. 31 32 33. Also 10. He may and ought to remove all false worships and endure no corrupt preaching or writing or meetings for that end or administrating of corrupted Sacraments or any Ordinance other than what is allowed for Iosiah did cause the people stand to the Covenant that was made and having removed all Idolatrous worship he made Israel to serve the Lord that is he made them abandon corrupt worship and waiton pure Ordinances as keeping of the Sabbaths offering of sacrifices c. and that according to the manner prescribed by the Lord. Neither was it a wronging of their liberty to do so Because 1. it was the preservation of their liberty to keep them from the abominable bondage of these evils 2. It was their duty to abstain from these and to follow the Ordinances purely and the Magistrate may well put people to that 3. It is one thing by force to keep folks from dishonouring God in a corrupt Religion as Iosiah did another to force them to a Religion the one belongeth to the ordering of the outward man the other to the inward 4. He might order them to keep the Ordinances and in going about them to keep the rule because that is but a constraining of them to the means whereby Religion worketh and a making them as it were to give God a hearing leaving their yeelding and consenting to him when they have heard him to their own wills which cannot be forced yet it is reason that when God cometh by His Ordinances to treat with a people that a Magistrate should so far respect His glory and their good as to interpose His Authority to make them hear 5. Also there is a difference between the constraining of a circumcised or baptized people to worship God in the purity of Ordinances as they have been engaged thereto which was Iosia's practice and the constraining of a people to engage and be baptized which were not formerly engaged because actuall members of a Church have not even that liberty as others have to abandon Ordinances and this putteth them to no new engagement in Religion but presseth them to continue under former engagements and accordingly to perform Hence we see that both in the Old and New Testament Church-members have been put to many things and restrained from many things which had not been pertinent in the case of others See 2 Chron. 15. 13. In the fourth place there are many things also in their power in reference to these that are seducers or deluders or actually deluded which might be and ought to be improven for the Churches good not to speak now of any thing that may infer civil or capitall punishment upon men for their opinions or any way look like the enforcing of Religion upon consciences As 1. Magistrates might and ought to put Ministers and Church-officers and others to their duty in case they be negligent in trying discoverring convincing c. such as by their corrupt doctrine may hazard others 2. They may and ought to discountenance such in their own persons and by their authority inhibit them to vent any such thing yea under certifications yet this cannot be called a forcing of their conscience to any Religion but is only the restraining of them from hurting of the consciences of others 3. When such certifications are contraveened he may and ought to censure the contraveeners and so he may by his authority put them in an incapacity of having accesse to infect others yet this is not the censuring of a mans opinion for he might possesse his opinion without censure but it is the censuring of his disobedience and the prejudice done by him to others Nor is it the restraining of him from personall liberty because of it but because he doth not nor will not use his personall liberty without prejudice to the whole body which is
did too imprudently construct well of him as if indeed he and his Prophetesses had truly had the gift of prophecy others again vehemently upbraided them for it 2. It is when things are pressed unseasonably or in an offensive manner without respect to the manner of things if they be satisfied in the matter There followed many divisions upon the back of the most famous Councill which made Greg. Nazianzen to say He never desired to see many Bishops together and the Centuriators give this reason or occasion Dum quidam fidem Nicenam imprudenter urgebant alii eam acriter impugnabant 8. Too much peremptorinesse where there may be some condescending hath much hand in this when men become not all things so far as is lawfull unto others It is marked in the Church-history That sometimes too tenacious adhering unto Canons and Councils by some who would not condescend in a syllable when others did condemn the matter hath been in this respect prejudicial Such was the cause of the schism betwixt the East and West Church and particularly the tenacious adhering in all things even as to the very manner to the Council of Chalcedon which was indeed a famous and orthodox Council in the matter The former instance cleareth this also 9. Sometimes this doth come from dissatisfaction in some particulars of Government as when some have been displeased that such and such men formerly cast out should have been again admitted to communion or that a person cast out of communion in one place hath been admitted in another This is frequent as after instances may clear 10. It is often occasioned by the encroachment of one upon another in the exercise of their power as to preach ordain and such like within the bounds of others beside or without their knowledge or against their will 11. It hath sometimes arisen from the Churches meddling in extrinsick or unnecessary things and seldome Church-men have been too much taken up and occupied about such things but it hath had such a consequent As when they are too much taken up about ceremonies and things not commanded as Easter was or about indifferent things as the prescribing of forms in every thing and such like Or about precedency in Government and what might conduce to the externall splendor of the Church in immunities priviledges fabricks dotations c. whereof instances are very many Or when Church-men have become too pragmatick in civil things or affairs of the world thereby to carry on a temporall grandour in the spirituall Kingdom of Christ which was often the rise and occasion of difference amongst the Apostles and although there was scarce accesse to this occasion in respect of practice while Magistrates were heathens yet in after times this is evident and sundry divisions followed upon such occasions as the approving or condemning of such and such an Emperours Election the transferring of the Empire from East to West or from one Family to another 12. New manner of expressions or new moulds of the Doctrine of the Gospel different from what hath been formerly delivered have given occasion to this that is when there is either a new form of speaking and an affectation of novelty in words different from the form of sound words which Ministers ought to hold fast or when things are so proposed as if all former moulds had been defective and all other Divines in their Preaching and Writings were nothing to such It seemeth that this newfanglenesse of speech had no lesse influence in dividing the Church of Corinth and begetting factions therein than the diversity that was in the matter wherein they are not so generally found guilty as being carried away with errour as of being itched with a humane kind of eloquence in the manner of Preaching This same also may be in Writtings and indeed when some cry up one manner or mould and some others the contrary it may breed siding and division even as well as diversity of Doctrine may do And it is not for nought that the Lord hath commanded simplicity in the manner and the holding fast of the form of sound words even as he hath commanded soundnesse in the matter and oftentimes there doth arise no lesse tastinesse or itching amongst people nor lesse emulation amongst Ministers from the one than from the other CHAP. III. The height of evil that division bringeth HAving now seen a little the rises of this evil we may look to the height it hath come to from such beginnings which we may consider in these steps 1. It engendereâ—… heat strife and contention and in that respect maketh men carnall 1 Cor. 3. 2. It breedeth alienation in affection and separateth these in fellowship that have been most intimate as if their companying together had lost that sweetnesse and refreshfulnesse that sometimes it had and thereby even their Christian communion is interrupted both those may be seen in that strange and hot contention which came to this height betwixt Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. 3. It breedeth jealousie and suspicion of one anothers actions and intentions yea it may be of the sincerity of their state it breedeth envy at one anothers prosperity and respect and maketh them lesse weighted with any crosse or adversity that the other falleth into Paul is suspected not only by the false teachers but even by the professors to be an enemy to them and not to be single in his designes amongst them some have counted others hypocrites as is before marked 4. It bringeth forth violent and virulent expressions and reflections upon each other and greater heat almost is not to be found than amongst differing Divines that yet do aggree in the main It is a wonder to read some of the expressions that are betwixt Ierome and Ruffin and betwixt Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria and Theophilus Bishop of Ierusalem with many others or to consider the sad regrates that Basilius Gregorius Nazeanzenus and others have of these differences something may be seen of it in the instance of Iob and his friends And what there is for the present amongst Orthodox Divines abroad and in this Island I fear out of honour to the men to mention them yet I suppose such things may be read in the Prefaces and Writings of the most eminent Divines as may make the hearts of all to loath such divisions 5. It hath come to that height as not to spare to publish even personall reflections yea sometimes it hath come to that that men have condem ned deeds in others after such begun differences which formerly they did highly commend in them thus their estimation construction of their actions doth ebb and flow according to their estimation of their persons It is marked of Demetrius of Alexandria that whiles he and Origen did continue in fellowship he was a great commender of that deed of Origen's to wit his gelding of himself while he was young yet after difference arose
the Church insisting long in charging many crimes upon men particularly upon Cecilianus and Osius which they could never be able to make out although they alleaged that such faults were cloaked by the Catholicks and that they were not to be communicated with In this case the Orthodox took three wayes to remove such a difference 1. By pleading forbearance of awakening such contests and exhorting rather to keep union than to hazard to break it upon such grounds and so as Augustine saith ut quaedam incerta crimina pro certa pace Deo dimitterentur Cont. Epist. Parm. lib. 1. cap. 3. 2. If that could not be acquiesced in they admitted the thing to proof over and over again that by lawfull triall it might be decided as we will find in the former instances the same case of Cecilianus was often tryed even after he was absolved It is true the Donatists did not acquiesce but did separate for which cause they were ever accounted most grosse Schismaticks yet is it of it self a way wherein men may satisfyingly acquiesce A third way sometimes used was That when divisions were like to be occasioned by dissatisfaction with a particular person against whom things could not be judicially made out so as to found a Sentence nor yet possibly was there so full satisfaction with him in every thing as by owning of him to hazard a rent where a people were stumbled by him they did without judiciall processing or Censuring interpose with the Bishop to cede and wrote to the people to choose another So in that Council of Carthage Canon 91. letters are written to Maximianus called Episcopus Bagiensis and the people that he might cede the Bishoprick and they might choose another yet there is no mention of any made-out accusation or Sentence but that for the good of the Church Synodo placuit c. There is mention made elswhere in history of a Bishop of that place of that name who had been a Donatist and did return to the communion of the Church but if this be he or what was the cause of this appointment is neither certain nor of great concernment in this A third sort of contests of this kind are When crimes are grosse and clear and men are either justly censurable or Censured some possibly honestly minded may be engaged to do for them by their insinuating upon them and giving misinformations and prejudices and so be brought to endeavour the preventing or removing of Sentences against or from such as justly deserve the same In this case we find a threefold way of composure 1. An endeavour used to clear to others the justice of such a Sentence when it hath been traduced Thus when Basilides and Martialis were justly deposed by a Synod of Spain they did by false pretexts engage the Clergie of Rome to owne them and write for their recovery which did exceedingly offend the Bishops of Spain whereupon they wrote to Cyprian and these in Africk for advice who being met in the Synod approved their deposition and advised them not to readmit them because none such who had any blemish and were not holy ought to minister in the holy things and that rather they should bear with Stephanus his mistake who out of ignorance and misinformation was led to side with such Thus Cyprian hath it in his Epistles to the Church of Spain Epist. 68. So that schism was stopped and the Churches continued to acknowledge the lawfully ordained Bishops that succeeded these And the readmission of such had neither been in it self lawfull nor yet had compassed the end of obtaining peace in these Churches where the people was stumbled by their carriages A second way was When the men were orthodox and profitable though failing in some grosse particular yet when they were owned by others in the Church Synods did not stand for concord to remove such Sentences as was formerly instanced in the case of Ostus Augustine also in a certain Epistle 164. doth approve the not-censuring of one Optatus lest thereby a schism should be occasioned because of manies adhering to him We will find also a third way That when men have been Sentenced and some have continued to owne them and others to oppose them such have been brought to submit themselves and so the division hath been removed It was so in that hot contest that continued long between the Bishops of Rome and the Church of Africk in the case of Apiratus Bishop of Sica c. who being deposed by the Synod of Carthage was pressed to be admitted by the Bishops of Rome whom by no means these of Africk would admit at last these that were Sentenced came to acknowledge the Sentence whereby the division was stopped A fourth sort of contests or divisions for matters of fact is When both sides have had their failings in a time of darknesse and tentation some one way and some another and after some breathing they fall by mutual upbraidings to hazard the Churches peace one casting up this fault to him and he again upbraiding him with another The way taken to prevent this is most satisfying when both acknowledging their own guilt to other did forgive one another and joyn cordially for the good of the work In the debates with the Donatists there is much mention made not without great commendation of the practice of a Synod which is called Concilium Cirtense wherein the members did mutually confesse their faults and saith he to wit Augustine in the conference formerly cited Sibi invicem ignoscebant ne schisma fieret And by the scope of the Catholicks in urging that example and by the vehemency used by the Donatists in denying the same it would seem that they looked upon this as a most excellent and satisfying way of removing differences amongst godly men when every one acknowledgeth their own fault and doth not upbraid but forgive one another endeavouring to have the rememberance of bypast miscarriages rather forgiven and buried in oblivion than mentioned Because good men being but men usually there are failings on both sides and the denying of it provoketh others to insist the more thereon as the acknowledging thereof doth stop the upbraiding of them with the same and usually it is to be seen that the best men had rather mention their own faults in their acknowledgements than hear the same done by any other Beza Epist. 23. also hath such an advice as this to a Church that had fallen into division Utinam utraque pars acquiescere malit quam si curiose nimium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quis sit in majori culpa inquiratur CHAP. XIII What to do toward uniting in divisions arising from diversity of circumstances in external administrations and especially arising from Church-government A Third matter that occasioneth divisions is a diversity in Worship Ceremonies or things that relate to externall administration of Ordinances when some follow one way in Preaching administrating of
condescending to be upon one side levelled according to the length that another goeth but condescending would be levelled mutually according as expediencie calleth for with respect to the edification of the Church for which end even many infirmities of others are to be for born and things otherwayes unreasonable in respect of these men we have to do with yet respect to the Churches peace ought to make men cede in these for if there ought to be condescending for private peace much more ought it to be for Church-peace and publick edification and though we cannot nor will not now be particular in this yet concerning it we may lay down these considerations 1. In what may involve a man in sin or in the approbation thereof in others there is no condescending but what length may warrantably be gone even to the utmost border of duty men ought to go for this end so that nothing ought to be a stop or march in condescension but this I cannot do this and sin against God otherwayes one ought to be all things to others This consideration will be more clear by comparing it with the former Rules and what afterward may be said 2. This condescension would be mutuall upon both sides that is one party would not expect full submission from the other for that is not union but dominion Hence the Apostle in his pressing of union in such cases doth ordinarily pray and obtest both sides And seing affection is the main ground of union it is fit there should be condescension for mutuall testifying of respect each to other This is also confirmed by an Epistle of Calvines to Mr. Knox afterward cited wherein he presseth that condescension be mutuall for removing of a division that was in his Congregation at Frankford 3. Even that party that seemeth to be rightest in the matter or to have authority on its side or to have countenance from others ought yet to condescend yea in some things to be most condescending because such are in some sort parents and strong they ought therefore the more tenderly to bear and cover the infirmities of the weak and because they are more sober and at themselves they therefore ought to carry the more seriously toward others whom they suppose to be in a distemper and not to be equally groffe in handling the tender things of the Church whereof union is a main one And considering that authority is given for edification it is not unsuitable for it to condescend for attaining its end for which cause we find often Paul laying by his authority in such cases and intreating and wooing as it were even the meanest dissenters in this matter of union as we see him Phil. 4. beseeching Euodias and Syntiâ—…he who were it is like but very private persons to be of one mind And in ancient times we will find 1. sometimes the innocent party ceding and condescending as in the case betwixt Basilius and Eusebius at Cesarea Basilius though having the best side and of greatest account yet did first cede by withdrawing for the peace of the Church and afterward for the good thereof to wit the preventing of its being tainted by the Arian heresie he did return and condescend to be subject to him who was in competition with him which tended exceedingly to the good of that Church to the removing of that Schism and the great praise and commendation of his zeal and singlenesse 2. We find that oftentimes the most tender and sincere and these who were upon the right side have been most condescending and oftentimes these who did the wrong such as it was were most averse from condescension as in all the Schisms that have arisen upon frivolous grounds will appear 3. These who condescended most in such things have ever been thought the greatest friends to the Church even sometimes when they have been deepest in the rise of the Schism and when their side was not so justifiable as the other yet by condescending they have commended themselves more to the Churches friends than their opposites It is marked in that schism at Antioch betwixt Miletius and Paulinus who were both Orthodox yet had they divided governments and Congregations in the Church because of different Ordinations which had keeped them rent for some time and although Miletius his Ordination and entry was not so justifiable according to the Canons as the others was yet the parties tenacious upon either side being strong there was accesse to settle it by no authoritative decision wherefore it came to a treaty by means of these that were appointed Arbiters that so union and communion in the Ordinances might be made up in that Church at which conference Miletius overtured that they might joyn together as Bishops to take care of one Flock while they lived and after the death of either he who survived should be only Bishop of the united Flock unto whom one only should succeed to have charge of all for preventing of division for the time to come to which overture Paulinus would not acquiesce but stood to the formality of order without valuing the Churches peace or proposing any just ground of exception against Miletius person or Doctrine he to wit Paulinus was counted unworthy to govern such a Church and removed therefrom and the other as more worthy because of that his condescending was therefore alone invested in the government therof 4. We will find them sometimes yeeld in all particulars that do not involve any consent unto or approbation of what is wrong It is marked by Augustine in his Writings against the Donatists that sometimes Councels that have condemned men have for peace without any satisfaction again restored them upon after thoughts and he marketh it as a great condescension of the Bishops of Spain that they did so in the case of Osiuâ—… when he was found innocent by the French they did not saith he pertinaciously with animosity defend their former Sentences lest they should fall in the sacriledge of a Schism which doth exceed all wickednesse and with that humility peace was keeped because saith he they had rather be against their own Sentences than the unity of the Church And he doth upbraid that principle of the Donatists in the case of one Primianus who was refused to be restored by an after Councell of theirs because a former pretended Synod of their own had deposed him alleaging and abusing that word of the Apostles for that end Gal. 2. If I again build what I have destroyed then am I found a transgressour and he doth more commend the practice of Pretextatus and Felicianus who being condemned it is like unjustly by three hundreth and eighteen Bishops yet did saith he for concords sake return and joyn with these who did condemn them and by them were without all losse or diminution of their honour received into fellowship And wat ever may be in the justice or injustice of any of these former deeds upon the