in hypocrits in a Jew following the righteousnesse of the Law Rom. 10. 1. and renouncing Christ Surely if works of saving grace speake another thing then hypocrites and devils may have then first holy walking is no ground of comfort and a good conscience hath no more to yeeld David Job Ezechiah Paul the Apostles and Martyrs when they suffer for Christ and his truth and are in heavie afflictions and chaines then it can yeeld to the viledest of men 2. A man a Christian shall never findeâ—ny grounds of certainety of his adoption in any thing save in the hidden decrees of Election and reprobation and in some immediate testimony of a Spirit which may be a great doubt to many who walke as many Antinomians doe according to the flesh 3. All their rejoycing in simplicity and godly sincerity 2 Cor. 1. 12. is emptie phancies and delusions for they rejoyce in that in which hypocrites and reprobates may have is deepe a share as they But that there is also some immediate testimony of the Spirit though never seperated from the fruits of the Spirit I hope to prove elsewhere The last act of Conscience is in relation to the Conclusion which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or judgement of all from whence flow the acts of approving or improving excusing or accusing condemning or absolving from these as the Conscience doth well or ill arise 1. Joy called a feast in which the soule is refreshed not the phancie 2. Upon a solid ground a bottome that cannot sinke from that which is well done 2. Consolution which is a joy in tribulation 3. Faith going from what the man doth well to a generall To these that walke according to this rule peace 4. Hope that the Lord who hath promised will doe the soule good in the latter end these foure issue from a good Conscience from approving and â—â—â—cusing But the affections which flow from improving and â—â—cusing and condemning are 1. Shame whence the man 〈◊〉 displeased with what he hath done this is good when it looketh onely or most to the sinne or ill when most to the punishment 2. Sadnesse 3. Distrust or unbeliefe 4. Feare 5. Dispaire 6. Anger vexation or the worme that dyeth not it is no wonder that a greater number of troublesome affections â—low from the one then from the other evill is fecound and broody The 4. which I proposed is the second circumstance of the Text which draweth in the rest and it is a conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free of stones or blocks that neither actively causeth my self nor others to stumble nor passively is under a reatus or guilt before God called a good Conscience to which is opposite an evill conscience Now the Conscience is good either in regard of integrity a cleane a good a pure conscience or secondly in regard of calmenesse and peace to this latter is opposed a Conscience penally evill or troubled of which no more the good Conscience is either good in Judging or recta or vera the contrary of this an erring Conscience which I speake of after the other or good in a morall quallity In this meaning the Conscience is good which is first sprinkled with the blood of Christ from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. For by Christ must the guilty be purged that there may be no more Conscience of sinnes Hebr. 10. 2. This is the Conscience which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good 1 Tim. 1â— 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purged and washen Hebr. 10. 2. in regard the great spot of guiltinesse is taken away and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1. 5. cleare pure terse like a Christall glasse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 13. 18. good and honest or beautifull and faire a good Conscience is a comely resplendent lovely thing and it is a Conscience in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 void of stumbling there is a Conscience that wants feet and is lame and halteth and is alwaies tripping stumbling falling to this is opposed a Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 22. let us draw neere with a true heart with full assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being sprinkled in the heart from an evill Conscience and to this is opposed a polluted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience Tit. 1. 15. The wisdome of God in creating the world is much and most seene in creating so rare a peece as the soule and the most curious peece in the soule is that lumpe of Divinitie the Conscience it is the likest to a chip and 〈◊〉 of God though it be not a part of the infinite Majestie yet it smelleth more of God then the heavens the sunne the starres or all the glorious things on earth Precious stones Saphires Rubies or Herbes Roses Lilies that the Lord hath made now whâ—n the floure and crown of the whole creation which is the spirit is corrupted it is the fowlest thing that is when the Angelâ— the sons of the Morning fell and their Conscience the Spirit of the purest and most glorious Spirits was polluted with guilt though infinite grace could have cured this rare peece yet infinite wisdome as it were giving over the cause and Grace and Mercie standing aloofe from the misery of Angels a Saviour is denyed them and Justice worketh the farther on this noble peece the Conscience of these fallen Spirits to destroy them God would not stretch out one finger to repaire their Conscience but when the Conscience of man was polluted because Grace has ever runne in this channell to worke upon free choise and arbitration to save Men not Angels and of Men these and these not others therefore the Lord fell upon a rarer worke than Creation to redeeme the choisest peece of creation to wash soules and to restore consciences to a higher luster and beauty then they had at the first Now what ever God doth no man can doe it for him an infinite agent cannot worke by a deputie and among all his works none required more of God of the Artifice of Grace and mercy wisdome deepenesse of love then to wash a polluted Conscience there was more of God required to mend and sodder the Jewell than to make and preserve it The blood of Bulls and Goats cannot be spoken of here now to make Conscience againe fundamentally good there was need that the most curious art of free grace should bee set on worke to act a greater miracle on this choisest peece then ever was before or after to make the conscience good an act of attonement and expiation to satisfie infinite Justice must passe and by shedding of and sprinkling on the Conscience the blood of God the Conscience onely and no other way known to Men or Angels could be restored Vse We professe that the morrall washing of the out-side of the cup hath nothing in it of a good Conscience morrall honestie alone can no more inherite the Kingdome of heaven then
signifieth a picture Joâ— 38. 36. Who hath given understanding to the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth curious ingtaving wittily devised by the understanding and it noteth an excellent picture pleasant to see from root that signifieth to behold and to paint for all the inventions pictures ingraven works in the soule is in the conscience Sinners draw on their conscience and heart many faire fancies pictures and ingraven peeces of devised pleasures They use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit for the Conscience also Psalm 34. 18. The Lord saveth the broken in spirit Prov. 18. 4. A wounded spirit who can beare it For the word spirit in that language signifieth the whole soule 〈…〉 and the whole strength marrow courage and 〈◊〉 of the foule Joâ— 6. 8 Josh 5. 1. There was no more Spirit in them because Conscience is all it is the good or best or the evill or worst in the man does he keepe conscience all is safe doth hee lose conscienes all is gone it is the spirits the rose the onely precious thing of the soule the body is clay and â—are the conscience is the gold of the man Now touching Conscience I propose these 1. It s nature 2. It s object 3. It s office 4. The kinds of Conscience And 5. the adjuncts of it the libertie of Conscience and that much controverted prerogative to be free in opinions and in religions from bands that men can lay on it Conscience is considered by Divines as a principle of our acting in order to what the Lord commandeth us in she law and the Gospel and it commeth here to be considered in a three-fold consideration 1. As Conscience is in its abstract nature yet as it is in man only I speak nothing of the conscience of Angels and Devils 2. As the Conscience is good or bad for the conscience in Adam before the fall was in a great perfection and the Glorified spirits carrie a good conscience up to heaven with them as the damned take to hell a peace of hell within them an evill conscience yet their was neither in Adam not can there be in the Glorified an evill conscience nor any such accidentall acts of Conscience as to accuse smite tormenâ— 3. Conscience is considered as acting well or ill it hath influence on the affections to cause a feast of joy to stirre vp to faith hope sadnesse c. Touching the nature of Conscience It seemeth to me to be a power of the practicall vnderstanding according to which the man is oblidged and directed to give judgment of himselfe that is of his state and condition and of all his actions inclinations thoughts and words It is first an understanding power not an act or an actuall judgement 1. It is nor a distinct facultie from the understanding but the understanding as it giveth judgement in court of the mans state and of all his waies as whether hee be in favour with God or no and now whether he be in Christ or not and of all his motions and actions within or without But it would appeare not to be an act because to oblidge to direct to accusâ—â— are acts of the Conscience and therefore doe 〈◊〉 slow from other acts it is true the thoughts Rom. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 said to â—â—cuse or â—â—cuse but by thoughts there is meaâ—â— the Conscience 〈…〉 not first thinking and then accusing but the Conscience brething out the bad or good 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 longing and accusing or of exercising and conforming though and acts All acts flow from either young powers which they call potencie or from stronger and more aged and indicated powers which they call habits Things produced by motion and motion It selfe are the effects of the never saith Amesing de 〈◊〉 cap. 1. 〈◊〉 4. â—â—nd therefore the act of accusing may be from the Conscience which is an act this consequence cannot stand the motion and the thing produced by motion is from the mover true but the act of moving is from the mover as he actuateth his power so is directing accusing from the power in the practical understanding not from the act of understanding which is nothing in this case but the act of accusing and nothing can come from it self as a cause 2. When the beleever or wicked men go to sleep and put off their cloaths they doe not put off their Conscience and though the conscience sleeps not with the man yet doth it not in sleep necessarily act by accusing or excusing and therefore remaineth as a power in man not ever acting See Malderus in 12. q. 19. Disp 82. ar 4. 5. 2. It s an understanding power and belongeth to the judgement and understanding Esa 5. 3. Judge I pray you between me and my vineyard It s true some make it the inclination of the will as Henriquez Quodlih 1. q. 18. And Durandur may seeme not farre from it 2. d. 39. Some say it belongeth to both But the will is no knowing facultie the Conscience is a knowing facultie Eccles 7. 22. For oftentimes also thine heart knoweth that thou also hast cursed others 2. There is more of reason and sound knowledge in the conscience then in the whole understanding soule it is a Christall globe of reason the beame the sunne the candle of the soule for to know God and the creatures in out relative obligation to God in Christ is the rose the blossome the floure of knowledge Joh. 17. 3. to see God and his beauty expressed in Christ and the comlinesse aâ—d incomparable glory of his amiable and lovely Essence as holden forth to us in Christ is the highest reach of the conscience Iâ— Conscience be so divine a peece 〈◊〉 banke-full with reason and light then the more of knowledge the more of conscience as the more of fire the more heâ—â—â— the more of the sun the more light Then when phancie goes for conscience as in 〈◊〉 by siasts and new Spirits gropling beside the word of God a new Angel commended onely from Nâ—wnesse a white Angel without and a black Angel within conscience must be turned in a dreame 2. Noveltie can goe for conscience our nature is quickly taken with novelty even as a new friend a new field a new house a new garden a new garment so a new Christ a new saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delights us 3. Heresie goeth for Conscience somes Conscience phancie that to kill their children to Molech is a doctrine that entred in the heart of God to command Jer. 7. 30 31. 2. A Conscience void of knowledge is void of goodnesse silence and dumbnesse is not peace An innocent toothlesse conscience that cannot see nor heare nor speake cannot bark farre lesse can it bite before it have teeth such a conscience covenanteth with the sinner Let me alone let me sleep till the smoake of the furnesse of hell waken me If there be any sense or life fire can bring it forthe a worme at the heart can bear witnesse
that may hinder love but let this wrangler answer whither it be more reall love to the murtherers soul to informe against him and more glory to God more peace to the familie or to be silent and let his brother run to hell and wrath lye upon the whole land It is but a losse of time to refute such weak foolerie against naturall reason far more contrary to sound Divinitie for if pastors informe against evil doers out of desire of revenge malice or hatred they ought not upon these grounds to rebuke any sins at all and we condemn the doing of good duties upon evill motives and principles CHAP IIII. The state of the question of compulsion of Conscience and tolleration THe question touching Libertie of conscience was never by us nor any man save Libertines themselves and ignorant Anabaptists both of old and late moved concerning internall libertie remaining within the soule as libertie to think understand judge conclude whither the Magistrate can force men with the sword to opinions and cudgell them out of some into other contrary judgements in the matters of God for the Magistrate cannot take on him yea nor the Church under the paine of censures compell any to think well of Christ or ill or Antichrist Yet most of the senslesse arguments of the times are drawn from the immediate subjection of the conscience to God from the nature of conscience Religion faith fear and the elicit acts of the soul which cannot be compelled yea in this meaning we think God can neither offer violence to minde understanding will or affections of love fear joy because all these clicit acts cannot slow from any principle but the internall and vitall inclinations of the soul though the devils be said to beleeve against their will yet not against the inclination of the understanding or desiring facultie All the question is concerning the imperated acts and these externall that is not touching opinions and acts of the minde but that which is visible and audible in these opinions to wit the speaking professed holding of them publishing teaching printing and known and externall perswading of others to be of our minde So that the question will come to this whither the Magistrates sword be to regulate our words that concerns our neighbour as that we lie not we forsweare not to the hurt of the life and credit of our neighbour that we slander not raile upon no man farre lesse against the prince and ruler of the people but whether the words we utter or publish of God though never such blasphemies and lies because they come from the conscience as if truths or words we speak for or against our neighbour did not slow from a conscience either good or ill be above or beyond all swords or coercive power of men It is clear the question must be thus stated for all the lawes of the old Testament which we hold in their morall equitie to be perpetuall that are touching blasphemies heresies solicitation to worship false Gods and the breach of which the Godly Magistrate was to punish command or forbid onely such things as may be proved by two or three witnesses and which husband and wife are not to conceale and from which all Israel must abstain for fear of the like punishment Deut. 1â— 8 9 10 11. Deut. 17. 5 6. Levit. 20. 1 2 3 4 5. But opinions in the minde acts of the understanding can never be proved by witnesses and such as neither Magistrate nor Church can censure Then we referre to all the Godly if Libertines and Anabaptists deal brotherly in affirming that Presbiterians persecute them because out of tendernesse of conscience they cannot come up to the light and judgement of their brethren in all opinions 2. There is a tolleration pollitick and Civil and spirituall or Ecclesiastick shame and fear in punishing heresies either by the Judge or the Church whither in civil or Ecclesiasticall censures rebukes Excommunication is an evil of punishment in both as is evident if we compare Judg. 18. 7. Where it is said There was no Magistrate in the land that might put them so shame in any thing Deut. 13. 11. With these places that speaketh of spirituall censures in the feare and shame of them as 1. Tim. 5. 19. Receive not an accusation against an Elder but before two or three witnesses then an Elder that is scandalous may incur shame of being accused and Mat 18. 17. let him be to thee as a heathen and a Publicane 1 Tim. 5. 20. them that sinne rebuke before all that others also may fear So the avoiding of Idolaters and Hereticks 1 Cor. 9. 11. Tit. 2. 10. â— Joh. 10. Gal. 1. 8. brings publicke shame on them 2. Thesse 3. 14. then looke what forcing power the shame the Magistrates can put Hereticks to and what compulsory 〈◊〉 it hath on the conscience and so should not be inflicted on men for their conscience and holding of heresies as Libertines say the same compulsorie power hath concionall rebukes of Pastors or private Christians and of admonition excommunication or the avoiding of the societie of false teachers either by the whole Church or by private Christians and the arguments proving the Magistrate cannot punish for conscience in his politick Spheare doe also prove that hereticks should be rebuked sharply that they may be sound in the faith contrary to Tit. 1. 13. and that we should neither admonish them nor avoid their company which is absurd so they be more ingenious Libertines who free false teachers and hereticks from both civil and ecclesiasticall censures than these who free them from civil and subject them to Ecclesiasticall censures for Ecclesiasticall compulsion hath no more influence on the conscience by way of teaching then politick or civil and the arguments taken from the nature of conscience is as strong to prove that the Church of Pergamâ—â— Ephesus Thyatira should suffer lyars false Apostles and seducers such as hold the doctrine of Balaam and Jezabel the deceiving Prophetesse who teach and professe according to their erroneous conscience contrary to Rev. 1. 2 3 14 20. as that the Godly Prince should suffer them nor can it be said that Church-censures are spirituall punishments and so work on the spirit and have instructing rebuking and exhorting going before but the sword is a bodily punishment and hath not instructing going before For I answer though these two punishments differ yet they agree that formally both are alike compulsory of the conscience and neither of them act upon the spirit by teaching and instructing as the word doth so as excommunication of a heretick should have instructing and convincing going before so should also the Magistrate presuppose before he strike with the sword that the false teacher hath been instructed and convinced and so he doth formally punish him with the sword for his pertinacious perverting of souls 3. Nor can it be replyed that men should not be punished for either opinions or for
ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. then the Holy Ghost allows 5. Yea this will make heresie and hereticks that are to the Holy Ghost seducers â—aâ—ching wolves subverters of the faith of others theeves and robbers foxes reprobate concerning the faith selfe-condemned to be godly zealous innocent erring against their will free of malice and so the Holy Ghost must doe a great deale of injury â—o 〈◊〉 who goe for hereticks in this characterizing them 〈◊〉 us 〈…〉 titles and characters which no mortall man can give to them But what surer signe can there be saith Celsus of no evill conscience then that a man will spend his blood neglect his life drink a cup which was so horrible to Christ that it caused him sweat blood and fall on the earth and yet he will joyfully dye rather ere hee quit the knowne truth this he must doe for some end and is there any man who will willingly chuse eternall destruction nor can his and be pleasure for he is to leave all these wife children goods nor honour for an hereticke dyes a most infamous man and full of reproaches Answ This renders the hereticke the most innocent and righteous Martyr that ever was for if his end be onely life eternall and none of the three ends which lead all sinners neither pleasure nor profit nor honour 1 Joh. 2. 16. and if he ought to follow his conscience all heresie shall be nothing but a most innocent harmelesse godly and zealous errour why then doth this Author say it is such a sinne as he is selfe-condemned that is as he expoundeth it though there were not a God nor any other to condemne him yet he is condemned of himselfe why doth the Holy Ghost bid us turne away from such a godly innocent man who loveth the truth of Christ Christ and heaven better then father mother brother sister lands inheritances his owne glory and name yea nor his owne life sure he must be the man to whom life eternall and a hundreth fold more is due by the promise of our Saviour Matth. 19. 28 29. yea he doth more then merit life eternall he is free of selfe any aime to pleasure profit honour or any created thing and mindes God onely as his end but can his end though never so good justifie his heresie or his dying for a lye let Celsus or any Libertine shew what end the Fathers had in killing their sonnes and daughters to God the Holy Ghost saith they sacrifice to devills not to God but they would not say they intended to gratifie the devill but to serve God in giving the dearest thing they had for God and could their end be pleasure profit honour to looke on these except in a spirituall fury and mad zeal that Sathan inspired them withall is folly for there was no pleasure in it but sorrow no gaine but to lose a sweet child but it purchased to them great glory to be said to love their Lord God above the fruit of their body and to give the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul Religio tantum potuit suadere malorum That they might be delivered from the torment of conscience they were under and the fury and hellish zeale of not sparing the flesh and losing the life for an heresie which the hereticke knowes through the glimmering of a conscience deluded to be a heresie but will revenge on a contrary sect of a contrary opinion desire of glory and a name of knowledge of a great wit singular holinesse blind the light and what was their end who baked bread and warmed themselves with a part of an Ash tree and of the residue made a God and worshipped it It is a vaine thing to aske what rationall end a man hath in these for God hath judicially shut his eyes and his heart as the devill hath runne away with his naturall wit 2. It is bad Divinity to say there was no other cup offered to Christ but the cup of temporary death offered to all the Martyrs as if Christ suffered not the wrath of God and death due by justice to all the Elect whose sinnes hee bare he must thinke basely of Christ the grace of union and of unction of whom it is said Esa 42. He shall not be discouraged who teacheth that the feare and apprehension of death temporary caused him sweat blood and complain My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and what comfort have we in Christs death if he suffered not that which is equivalent to eternall wrath and if he suffered no other death then a godly Martyr did whereupon Minus Celsus goeth on to extoll heathens who dyed worthily for the hope of eternity as Anaxarchus who bad the enemies beat the bellows not Anaxarchus when they were hammering him alive with iron hammers and Hannibal who lest he should come into the hands of the Romans dranke the poyson which he carried under a pearle in his ring hoping for immortality these and the like serve to equall the death of Hanniball and Jesus Christ and to make Anaxarchus Hannibal Empedecies Seneca who Judas-like murthered themselves to be freed of servitude and upon the leane and empty hope they had of eternall life to have dyed conscientiâ— non malâ— with no ill conscience for neither pleasure profit nor honour but for the hope of life eternall as the Martyrs of the devill doe especially Servetus who dyed roaring and crying like a hopelesse beast as if there could be a good conscience in Hannibal or any heathen who knew and heard nothing of a conscience sprinkled in the blood of Jesus and purged from dead workes to serve the living God as if heathen selfe-murtherers who against the Law of nature kill themselves deserved no more to bee punished by the Magistratâ—â—he Minister of God then a godly innocent hereticke burnt for blaspheming of the Trinity and the Sonne of God As a despairing dog Servetus dyed and that they had officax signum conscientiae non malae they had truly a good conscience were free of hypocrisie or vaine-glory or any bad end in killing themselves this serves as much to free the most desperate and hellish murtherer from the sword of the Minister of God as heresie so Celsus playes the Atheist egregiously in setting selfe-murtherers Hannibal Seneca Empedocles slaves of vaine-glory up at the right hand of God with Christ But if Celsus would but offer a shadow of an argument it should be thus Innocent men that dye for no worldly end and will both willingly be killed and kill themselves with their owne hands for no end but to obtaine life eternall and because they will not doe that which an erroneous conscience stuffed with arrogancie pride self-alloâ—ation of learning zeal and a name judgeth to be sin are not to be punished by the sword but such are hereticks willing to be Martyrs for the devill and heathen that kill themselves to obtain eternall life ergo the major is false the assumption bloody
the conscience of others the Church the learned and godly say for we make not the word of the Church the formal object of our faith but thus saith the Lord onely because the Church is but a company of men and so our faith should depend upon men even though holy and speaking ingenuously what their conscience dictates as true which is absurd ergo by the same reason what one mans conscience our owne or others say is not the formall object of our faith and practises for so also our faith should depend on man not on God And we say the conscience at its best is but Regula Regulata not Regula Regulans nor ought it to have the throne of God for God is only Regula Regulans If it were a rule it is to bee ruled by God and his word yea as we are to try all things and not beleeve with a blind faith what others say or their conscience proposeth to themselves and us as truth for then we make a Pope of the consciences of men under the notion of teachers and Church so we are not to be ruled without trying and absolutly by our owne conscience but to try its dictates by the word of God otherwise wee make a Pope and a God of our owne conscience Some say as a right informed conscience obliegeth to doe what it dictates so an erroneous conscience obliegeth to do according to its prescript Durandus and others saith â—gat non obligat it bindeth that yee cannot doe against it which some call negative obligation but non obligat it obliegeth not as a divine rule which is positive obligation Tannerus saith A Conscience that invincibly erreth both bindeth that we cannot doe against it and obliegeth that we should not follow it Which hath truth in the matter of fact a Judge invincibly ignorant of an accused mans innocency when two or three witnesses doe sweare hee is guilty doth lawfully condemne the innocent man having used all 〈◊〉 diligence to finde out the truth and not being 〈◊〉 to find it but this is rather error or ignorance of the fact than an erronious conscience for hee proceeds according to the law with a well-informed conscience following what the law saith by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every thing be established The erroneous conscience so long as it remaineth by the law of nature layeth on an obligation on a man not to doe against it Rom. 14. 14. To 〈…〉 the esteemeth any thing to be uncleane to him it is uncleane vers 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne So Ambrose our opinion layeth a law upon us Gammacheus saith it is a vain distinction of binding and oblieging Inter ligationem obligationem And that we are oblieged to follow an erroneous consciencesse long as it continueth erroneous because here saith hee 〈◊〉 dispute not concerning that which is good but that which is commanded But if the conscience dictate that something is to be commanded and to bee done under paine of sinne and yet we doe iâ— not we resist conscience and so we sin because the obligation is no mere 〈◊〉 good onely but rather to that which is commanded The Jesuite Mâ—lderus saith the same Contientiam erroneam ligare obligâ—re because an object materially considered is such an object by 〈◊〉 but it is an object per se kindly when it is proposed by practicall â—â—â—son for what is not of faith is sinne Gal. 5. 3. I testifie to 〈◊〉 one that is circumcised that hee is debter to doe the whole law Answ There can be no reason why conscience because conscience or because wicked more obliegeth then why Will because wicked will should obliege since in every wicked conscience actually drawing men to ill of either heresie or practise there is something of wicked Will and though there were nothing of will or of the affections in an erroneous conscience yet since conscience as a knowing faculty is under the law of God an erroneous conscience must bee a transgressing conscience and it is a contradiction that a faculty sinning should obliege to obedience to the law of God in the same consideration because it sinneth But these Schoole-â—â—â—ties doe not obliege us wee shall bee unwilling in any tearmes to say that God or which is all one the law of nature layeth on us an obligation to that which is sinfull or 〈◊〉 if any thinke he is oblieged to be circumcised sure he must thinke himselfe oblieged to eate the passeover also and to keepe the whole Ceremoniall law but that the law of nature obliegeth him either so to thinke and erroneously beleeve and practise the whole Ceremoniall Law is another thing It is true a doubting conscience that thinks hee is oblieged by the law to abstaine from eating swines flesh is either oblieged to eate swines flesh or not to eate for to eate or not eate are opposed by way of contradiction but there is no apparent contradiction but admiteth of some qualification and modification set the contradiction in an evangelicall sence as you must and then it shall be there be none in the visible Church but he must either eate in faith or not eate in faith he must either bee circumcised in faith and in a certaine perswasion that circumcision is acceptable to God or hee must not bee circumcised in faith c. For both the Law and Gospell obliege to the action and to all the manner way and requisite circumstances of the action to wit that it be done in faith sincerely for God in a due manner c. Now so wee say hee is neither to eate simply nor not to eate simply but either to eate in faith or to abstaine from eating in faith and without an erring and doubting conscience and we are not to do upon a supposition that the conscience stand erroneous nor hath the erroneous conscience any warrant at all nor commission from the Sovereigne Lord of conscience to command you to beleeve you must be circumcised or upon the supposall of that faith to obliege you to be circumcised more then any earthly judge hath a warrant from God to command murther or robery nor is it a law of nature or of God that you must do absolutely and without trying what an erroneous conscience indites you to do under paine of sin nor is it a sin to resist an eroneous conscience by not doing or suspending the action more then it is a sin not to obey an earthly Judge when he commandeth beside and contrary to the law of the supreame Law-giver No wonder they make a Pope of conscience who make the conscience of the Pope the supream court that obliegeth all men on earth The reason of this errour is Papists and Libertines joyn with them in this dreame hat as God doth command unerringly indeclinably so hte hath communicated to Popes and Heraulds and to every lawful 〈◊〉
understands all the children of the devil ver 38. and those are the tares gathered and burnt in the fire ver 40. all things that offend and they which doe iniquity ver 41. That shall be casten into a furnace of fire where there shal be wailing and gnashing of teeth 42. and they are such as are opposed to the righteous who shall shine 〈◊〉 the sunne in the Kingdom of their Father Now 1. The righteous that shall shine in heaven are not the sonnd in the faith only opposed to hereticks except we say none shall be casten in the furnace but hereticks 2. Hereticks are innocent men say Libertines and not doers of iniquity as the â—ares are called v. 41. 3. Nor are hereticks the only children of the devill ver 38. And the ill seede sowne by the envious man and the onely seede of Sathan if the field bee the Church if wee would beleeve Libertines as it is not but exponed by one Saviour to be the world ver 38. Yet the false teachers would be but the least part of the visible Church in comparison of the ignorants the Atheists the murtherers adulterers and so not able to come up to compleate the visible Church as a company of good and bad that is of hereticks and true teachers for these would not make the quarter of the Church yet Christ makes all the Church of wheate and tares 4 Since the tares are all that worke iniquity it shall follow that the Magistrate by expresse command of God is to suffer all the children of the wicked one and all that worke iniquity all adulterers sorcerers paricides murtherers perjured persons traytors robbers theeves and all evill doers punishable by the Magistrate for sure all these as wel as hereticks are such as offend and work in iniquity in this Kingdom to grow and live till the end of the world then sure the Magistrate may goe hunt Goats and hang up his sword 5 If we sift every graine of the text we must say that the Magistrate makes a doubt Lord shall I draw the sword against bloody men and traytors And the Pastors and Church shal we cast out the leaven that leaveneth the whole lumpe and how carnall must they imagine the Lord to be who first went on a way of forcing the consciences of men and converting men by the bloody sword rooted out wheate tares in the old Testament and now is become a little more just and meek and will have the consciences of none to bee forced but all to grow to harvest Whereas the Rulers and Pastors make no such question but the godly wonder at a providence in God not in Magistrates that good and il should grow together But God rebukes mens carnall â—eale that murmure at his longanimity that he throwes not all the wicked in hell fire long before the harvest and burns not chaffe ere ever it grow to blade and makes not harvest ere summer be well begun 6 The danger that Libertines phancy to be in killing Hereticks is the taking them away being elect before they be converted which is as strong against divine providence that appoints the Magistrate to kill the murtherer without respect of persons not considering whether he be converted yeâ— or not to doe justice is the Magistrates duty election and reprobation are secrets that belong to the Lord. Nor doth Minâ—â— Celsus promoâ—â— their cause by saying the tares must signifie false doctrine as in the fâ—rmer parable an which this depends the seed is the word of God and Christ was sent in preach the Gospell Heb. 1. 1. to tell us all things John 4. 2â— a guide and leader of the people the councellor Esay 9. 6. in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. Christ was no law-giver and when he speaketh of the conversations of men and their manners that is not from his cheif office which is to be a Prophet then ill seed must be bad doctrine Answ Reduce this to an argument and it shall runne madde 1. What the seed signifies in the former parable that it signifies here I deny the proposition the scopes of the parable are different In the former the ground is the heart of men but here the Ground is the World 2. In the former Christ expones the seede to be the Word Here hee expones it to bee the children of the Kingdome and of the wicked one 3. In the former there are not two seedes good and ill and two births but rather foure the wayside-men the thorny-men the rocky-men the good and fruiteful-hearers and here there be but two seeds the seed of wheate and of tares 4. The scope of the former is to show who heare fruitfully the Gospel who not this hath no such scope but to compose our rashnesse in quarrelling with God that he suffers the wicked to have the benefit of the soyle hedge sunne raine dew with the godly and to live untill harvest 2 He saith that which was Christs principall worke the preaching of the word of the Kingdome that must be meant here by the seed and wheate It is a false proposition and a connexion of hay and sand 2. Christ came to save the lost to give his life a ransome for many Ergo by this argument the good seed should hold forth the redeemed of God 2. The assumption is false to wit that Christ came to be a King yea and as principally to be a Priest to offer himself for the sinnes of the world to give his life for his sheep and goates must rather be meant by Wheat and Tares then any other thing 3 By this argument Christ should propons no Parables but all must aime at good seed and doctrine what say we then of the parable of the five Talents The theefe in the night Of the letting out of the Vineyard to those that killed the servâ—â—ts and the heire and brought forth ill fruite And many other parables respecting our Christian conversation and sober and vigilant walking rather then the doctrine of the Gospell though that bee the rule of all Christian walking And saith he by our sense if the tares signifie all wicked men then must all robbers and murtherers escape the bands of the Magistrate for the Lord bids let them grow till the harvest Answ Then must no blasphemer not a Julian nor any that should teach there is no God â—ee rooted out of the Church and State for we say pulling up is not necessary to be meant precizely of killing but rather of any punishing 2 That Let them grow till the Harvest say we is neither a charge nor a command given to Magistrate or Church touching censures to bee inflicted by men For Christ expones no where let them grow to any such meaning Libertines yeeld that sense and Calvin undeniably inferres by this all censures of Magistrate or Pastors are cut off and casten over till the day of judgement both the word in rebuking or
endeavour the extirpation of Schisme and whatsoever shal be found contrary to â—ound doctrine c. be levelled onely against the Congregational men it was not faâ—re to draw them into a Covenant to destroy themselves It s disservice to the State to spoyle the State of so many Godly and brave men and seemes to be but the birth of that challenge against these men to bee the Sanballets and Tobia's of this present worke and is the highest breach of love Answ It is apparent the Congregationall men he meaneth are the Independents who would have their Churches gathered out of true Churches Who will not be called Schismaticks as if ensis and gladius were not one thing then this Author levelled these words against Presbyterians as the Schismaticks for where ever one Church is rent from another true Church one of the two is the Schismatick Church sure but the Author will not have Independents the Schismaticks then was it faire to levell these words in the Covenant against Presbyterians and draw them in a Covenant to destroy both their soule and body 2 The Congregationall men were not drawne but they came to another Kingdome with faire words to draw Presbyterians in a Covenant and said and swore to indeavour uniformity and yet practise this day multiformity of Religions and have put to the saile the blood of many gallant men in Scotland that so they may buy with their lives cursed Liberty of Conscience But will it not be bitternesse in the end 3. The Author hints at a story that fell out in the Assembly of Divines where I was witnesse Mr. Phi. Nye having sworne to endeavour the preservation of Presbyterian government in the Covenant was pleased in the face of the Assembly in the hearing of that renowned Generall of England for the time the Earle of Essex and many other honourable and noble persons to declaime against Presbyteriall government as formidable to States and free Kingdomes as of old some called Jerusalem the rebellious City and the Prelates the same way burdened the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland but Mr. Alexander Henderson a man for piety learning prudency and singular moderation from zeale not from the spirit of gall and wormewood as the Authour slanderously speaketh said they were the words of Tobiah and Sanballet to hinder the worke of Reformation now whether that worthy man spake what hath now come to passe let the godly Divines of the Assembly be judge 4. We know no service to the State done by these men but that they set up with the sword all the blasphemous and hereticall Sects and Religions that Th. Muncer or John of Leydon phancied contrary to the oath of God for they all professed they were for the Covenant many of them did sweare it with what conscience to perfome let Crumwel and others speake God will not be mocked which is such disservice to the State of England as cannot but draw downe from heaven the vengeance of the Lord and the vengeance of his Temple upon the land or was it fair when the Congregationall men did hide their conclusion of liberty of conscience would keepe that intended Idoll in the bottome of their heart and joyne in Covenant with Presbyterians and sweare against multiformity of Religions in words known to be contrary to the sense of those who drew up the Covenant contrary to sense and reason and the same words of the Covenant and now obtrude on us multiformity for uniformity 5. The Authour insinuates as much as not to give them liberty of conscience as a reward of their valorous fighting is disservice to the State But ingenuous workmen speake of their wages before they ingage in the work but to keepe up any word of liberty of conscience untill the worke bee ended and it come to disbanding is no fair bargaining but rather in plaine English either sell to us Law Liberties Religion and give them to us beside our arreares or we must be a perpetuall standing Army to governe England and manage Religion with the sword and to set up all Religions and destroy the Covenant and the Protestant faith and live upon the sweat of other mens browes The Covenant with a faire interpretation may be urged against Presbyterians and for the Congregationall way as well as otherwise The Covenant binds no man nor number of men to State or Church for their parts respectively to any paterne or degree of Reformation conformity or uniformity with other Churches but what shall satisfactorily to them and each of their consciences appeare to be according to the word of God and such a Reformation doe the Congregationall men desire pray preach endeavovr for and after in the pursuance of the Covenant as if there had beene no such outward Covenant obliging them would yee have men driven in droves to the Sacrament still and the pretious and the vile mixed and Idol-shepheards suffered and Bishops Courts and Consistories continued had these beene beaten downe had not we under God as a forlorne hope first given them battell how can ye say we hinder Reformation when we are for a further and purer Reformation your selves being judges you would â—it down on this side Jordan we would advance Siâ— you quiet if you will not helpe us as we helped you Answ When you of the Congregationall way that is of the Church way for none are Churches but you we are excommunicated and all else but your selves did sweare to endeavour the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in doctrine worship discipline and government which to your consciences and all the Reformed Churches is Presbyterian can the Covenant be turned against Presbyterians as well as against you 2. You write and preach that the government Presbyterian is Popish Antichristian more tyrannicall then that of Babel of Aegypt so all your way and particularly Mr. Burton in his conformities deformity and your Independents in the Assembly yet you did sweare to endeavour its preservation and all the Independents in both Houses spake against it as tyrannicall and have voted to clog it with Erastianisme I would beleeve Erastus if he had sworne to endeavour the preservation of it better then your oath I think Pagans would not sweare to endeavour the preservation of any religious way which with tongue pen lawes and sword they endeavour to undoe and extirpate see if distinctions will defend it against the common enemy and whether these words according to the word of God expounded by you will save you from the quarrell and wrath of God for a broken Covenant Passe over the Isles and goe to Turkey to America and see if such a thing as this hath been 2. The Covenant bindes no man saith he to any degree of Reformation but what shall satisfactorily appeare to each mans conscience to be according to the word of God 1. Then the Reformed Religion in Scotland in doctrine worship and government according to the word of
he of men you shall not need to represse it for it will of it selfe come to naught which he proves by the instances of Judas and Theudas If it be of God it is in vaine to strive against it for it must prevaile and the counsell of Heaven must stand for then ye run the hazard of fighting against God and incurring the displeasure of the Romans by whose courtesie and meere grace you have the liberty of capitall punishments The Grounds that Master Goodwin layes downe are Gamaliel at this time was a convert and tooke on him the patrociny of the Apostles 2. His reasoning to abstaine from them is Orthodox and sound and from the holy Ghost 3. It holdeth That when Judges are not infallibly perswaded as these were not knowing the way of Christ to coerce any Religion or way never so false is persecution straining of free consciences and fighting against God I Judge John Goodwin hath ploughed with the Heifer of Vaticanus who writes a virulent peece against Caloin and condemnes the burning of that Monster Michael Servetus brings the same argument Vaticanus some thinke it was Castalio adversus Calvinum Num. 10 and Bellius arg 5. But 1. Though Libertines espouse and owne the Argument of Gamaliel as from the holy Ghost to condemn all use of the sword against false teachers yet it is Gamaliels rotten Dialemme not the holy Ghosts 2. Abstaine from these men is according to the medium or reason of Gamaliel speak no boasting words Deale not morally with the conscience though ye by office ought so to do as sitting in the chaire of Moses far lesse use the sword against them The reason is if the Doctrine be of God it shall stand and ye are no more to fight against God with the tongue than the hand and with corrupt reason than with a steele sword and if the Doctrine be of men it shall fall of will neither then are you to preach nor with the arme of flesh to act against them and the word in the Greeke is stand up from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omittite eos v. 38. Let them alone v. 38. and the intention of Gamaliel if he speak as a Convert to Christ as Goodwin and Vaticanus suppose must import no lesse 2. The Argument is as strong in the matter of adultery treason bloody rebellion and murder against the lawfull Magistrates power coercing all disorders against the second table as against Religion or a way of God or of men by which wee worship God and therefore as Beza sayth The man was no favorer of the Gospell but feared the evill that might follow upon the displeasure of the Romans And Piscator and Gualther saies well It was an evill counsell Gualther sayth Since the scope of Gamaliel was onely to save the Apostles from present danger they abuse this argument who thereby shake all discipline civill and Ecclesiasticall For the Magistrate beares not the Sword in vaine and ought to extirpate Heresies by his Office And Calvin saith It was a sentence unworthy of a wise man because that which is of God shall stand Gamaliels consequence is null that therefore the Magistrate whom God armed with the Sword should doe nothing against sinne The consequence is as strong in murthers Paricides Sedition as in Heresies whatever Vaticanus says in the contrary applying this argument only to doctrine and to plants that our heavenly father hath not planted For 1. It is not the purpose of Gamaliel to draw his doctrin to so narrow a channel as to doctrins only as if doctrins of men only came to nought for Gamaliel alledgeth the examples of Iudas and Theudas the Galilean whose fault was not only false prophecying but rebellion and sedition for foure hundred armed men gathered to this man and obeyed him Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et abierunt post cum quasi quadringenti homines They went after him as their Captaine in the fields And the other Judas of Galile drew away much people Now they were drawn away in a course of tumultuary rebellion as is clear by the two words they obeyed him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dispersi sunt they were scattered as an armie of men then these men were not onely false teachers but levied men to rise against authority as Anabaptists doe after them so shall it follow that when men rise in bloody murthers and insurrections we must leave them to God for when they rise to cut the throats of innocent people whether that ignis fatuus the foole fire of blind zeale or a treasonable designe raise them in armes their way is either of men and so God will bring it to nought and we must sit still and suffer our selves to be murthered contrary to the law of Nature because God will not faile to crush these novators and firebrands or their way and courses of God and so yet we must sit still and all the most just defensive warres shall be unlawfull for if we stir one foot against them we run the hazzard of the bold blind Gyants to fight against God it is all one to the dialemme of Gamaliel whether he speakes of Theudas the Magician or Sorcerer as Josephus antiq lib. 20. cap. 2. and Eusebius who rose in the time that Cuspius Fadus governed Judea who said hee could divide Jordan and gathered his men to the banks of Jordan in the fourth year of Claudius or if it bee Theudas that rose long before Fadus before the reigne of Agrippa who did reigne seven yeares under Caligula and Claudius or who this Iudas was it is sure the argument will prove that Magistrates are not to draw their swords against rebells and traitors and this subverts all policy and Government Civil or Ecclesiastical 3 The Argument of Gamaliel cannot conclude that God is lesse watchful and lesse severe to take vengeance on Sorcerers Murtherers Lions and cruel tyrants bloody and deceitful men than against new false religions for if the way of Robbers Conspirators Armies that rise in rebellion against their masters Covenant-breakers bee of men God wil bring it to nought and destroy it as he overturned the way of Theudas and Iudas as is cleare God turnes the way of the wicked upsidedown Ps 146. 9. And the bloody and deceitfull man shall not live halfe his days Ps 55. 23. And so shall the old Lion perish for want of his prey Job 4. 11. and shall want and suffer hunger Psalm 34. 10. ergo Iob or any Magistrate should refraine from plucking the prey out of the Jawes of the oppressours contrary to Iob 29. 16 17. or if the way of Oppressors bee of God and if God have armed them with his power to be a scourge Rulers should not defend the fatherlesse the widdow and the stranger from the pawes of the Lions and Murtherers but should refrain
why If Gods power bee with them we resist the power of God we fight against God Nor is it enough that the patron of liberty Servetus and Goodwin tell us in doubtsome things such as controversies of Religion we would refraine from drawing the sword against men for their conscience and religion because we know not infallibly but their way may be as well or rather the way of God than our own and then wee run the hazzard of fighting against God Omnipotent and when it is dubious to us but it may be the way of men it is safest to leave it to God and that we hold back our hand from offering violerce to them for God will save our labour and burne the hay and stubble of mens drossie inventions and what need then is there to file the edge of the Magistrates sword in a dubious case when we have not certaineâ—y of faith that the now Sectaries way is of men and Sathan Answ 1. Pharoahs tyranny in detaining the people in bondage notwithstanding of the wonders that the God of the Hebrews wrought by Moses was as doubtsome to him to be Tyranny since his God-Idol of Egypt did the like wonders by the Magicians as controversies of Religion are and blindnesse in duties in the second table when Judiciall and from the power of the prince of darknesse is as strong and may as much make men excuseable and shield them from the sword of God or man as blindnesse in the duties of the first table 2 This Answer does oyle the head and flatter the wilfull and malicious ignorance of Pharisees who both knew Christ and whence he was and were convinced that the Gospell was from God and that the miracles of Peter and John came nothing short of the Miracles of Moses in point of glory and power and by this all the Seducers even such as sin against the Holy Ghost as did these Pharisees shall bee tollerated because wee know not infallibly but their Anti-gospell and blaspheming of God and his son may bee the way of God and therefore we must refraine from lifting a tongue against them and they know not but our Gospell may be the Gospel or it may be the divinity of devills and by this the knowledge of the Elements and first fundamentalls of the Gospell to wit that Iesus died rose againe ascended to heaven and through faith in his name Jewes and Gentiles are saved the only doctrine for which these Apostles were persecuted shal be mere Scepticisme and an adventuring fluctuation wee must leave to God either to reward and establish or to annihillate or crush this way of the Apostles wee must not oppose it because no morall man with certainty of faith can oppose the most false way though as cleare point-blanke contrary to the Gospel as noon day to blacke midnight but he must run the hazzard of either fighting against God or invading the chaire of God or of bringing to nought that which God onely brings to nought and of striking but not in faith him whom God will have us not to strike But 3. This argument of Gamaliel and Mr. Goodwin must conclude that we must not smite with the tongue or argue by the Scriptures of God against any false way 1. It is dubious to us as to the Pharisees and to al Christian Magistrats who are infallibly in no Gospel principle and so they cannot in faith draw the sword where the certainty of faith does not lead them for fear they fall upon Gyant fighting against God in lieâ— of acts of justice But so neither should Vaticaâ—â—â— Mâ—mus Câ—lsus Mr. Goâ—dwin nor any smite with the tongue Presbyterians Socinians Antiscripturians or fight against their way by Scripture arguments because their way may bee the way of truth as wel as yours and to fight against any truth of God when ye know not but it may be truth of God is a fighting against God and so al preaching al writing against Heretickes shal be a fighting against God for it is no more lawful to fight morally then phisically against God or his truth and that without faith and infallibility for to reproach any precious truth of the spirit in Saints and cal it a lye must be to reproach God and his Son Christ as to deny any truth of God before men is to deny God and Christ before men Matth. 10. 32. Mark 8. 38. Luk. 9. 26. 2 Tim. 2. 12 13. 4. This Dilemma of Gamaliel saith any way or Doctrine of men must be refrained from and nothing can be done by Magistrates or Ministers nor spoken on the contrary because God himself will have it reserved to him that he may bring it to nought Now by this Argument we are not by teaching and Doctrine so much as in us lies to hinder grievous wolves to draw disciples after them and corrupt hearers to gather to themselves an heap of teachers by preaching the contrary sound Doctrine contrary to Acts 20. 28 29 30 31. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2 3 4. Tit. 1. 10 11 12 13. For 1. we are no more to convince refute and rebuke false teachers except we could do it in faith and assurance that their way is of men and false since all we do or do not speak or speak not must be in the perswasion of faith else we sinne Rom. 14. 12 14 22 23. then Christian Magistrates can punish them with the sword 2. We can no more fight against a way of God for so the heretick to death under torturing Professeth and you have no faith on the contrary say Libertines with the tongue nor with the hand Yea we can no more labour to suppresse what God onely in his sole prerogative of providence immediately working ought to suppresse and that in a mediate providence of our own making with preaching refuting watching over the flock stopping the mouthes of gain-sayers then we can indeavour the suppressing of it with the sword 5. Gamaliel intended to have the Apostles not to be medled with either because godly men and Disciples of Christ as he was or because their way was dubiously not notively and manifestly false if the former Then 1. Godly men though in an evill way though they murther play the Traytor Rebell commit adultery are not to be any way censured This is the way of Anabaptisme that sets all beleevers above and beyond the reach of the Magistrates sword and his dilemma cannot have this sense for if godly men as godly men are upon this formall reason because godly men must not be punished by the Magistrate neither must they ever at all be punished for the acts of oppression or murthering or treacherous dealing or adultery for it is cleere in the person of David Lot and others that they remained godly and Saints under those acts 2. It is said not proved that Gamaliel being a secret Disciple of Christ as Nicodemiâ—â— was favoured the Gospell and the witnesses of it for the Text insinuates no such thing but
Taylors sentence we are not rest much upon the Fathers whether they be for or against liberty of conscience For course to be taken with Pagans to speake by the way all that Lactantius l. 5. c. 20. Tertulli ad Scapâ—lam c. 2. Augustine ser 6. de verb. dom c. 7. cont lite Petitian lib. 2. c. 83. we approve and what famous Schoolmen 〈◊〉 Thomas Bannes Durandus Paludâ—â—â— Richardus 〈…〉 Paluda and that of Augustine sâ—â— 6. de verb Dom. c. 7. Glandiendum est Paganu ut audiant veritatem in Christianis vero secanda putredo Pagans must be allured and not compelled by Warres to the faith Because the just cause of Warre must either be an open breach of Nations against the Law of nature for it must be a finne of which a multitude may easily be or are convinced of as is cleare in the Aâ—â—lekites and all the Nations who invaded Israel Josh 11. v. 19 20. or then in a visible Church it must be for manifest Apostacy from the Covenant of God and 〈◊〉 Religion as the new Altar supposed to be erected by the two Tribâ—â— and the halfe against the only one Altar commanded by God See Cavarruvias in Regnum paccatum part 2. sect 4. Setus in 4. distin 5. 4. 1. art 10. Molina de Justitia disp 106 and Bannâ—s 11. g. 10. art 11. saith that Paul the third defined well that the Westerne Indians being capable of life eternall were true Lords of their possessions and could not be justly deprived thereof To tollerate Jewes openly blaspheming Christ or to receive them in the Common-Wealth cannot be allowed or to suffer them to have Synagogues In regard they blaspheme the God we are in Covenant with and doe no lesse deny him then Goliah and Senacharib did 2. But simply seduced Jewes are to bee instructed for there is a peculiar prophecy touching the Jewes Rom. 11. Jer. 50. 5 6. That they shall bee brought in to know Christ and beleeve in him 3 Argument That which was a meere judiciall law and not onely in no force now as touching any obligation to bodily punishment from the Christian Magistrate is now under the Gospell either a sin offensive to humane society Or 2. No sin but innocency as some say Or then 5. â— thing lndifferent If it be a sin offensive to humane society and the people of God to drive them away from the Lord their God and an abomination that Israel should feare to doe in the dayes of Moses and before Christ came as is cleare Deut. 13. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. It must be so now for since it is not a Typicall but a morall sin it is at all times and in all places to us and now and to them and then an abomination Ergo the Argument of the holy Ghost being perpetâ—all that it is destructive to humane society the Lord must provide the same or as effectuall means for the remedying thereof But if the Christian Magistrate have no place or power to represse such abominations but Isreal may seduce men after false gods and not feare the stroke of 〈◊〉 sword then hath the Lord left the Church to the lust of â—avenous Wolves that destroy the flocke and hath left these wolves to the Lords immediate hand of judgement for rebukes Church-censures are not to be used against them upon the same ground that the sword should not be drawne against them by the ground of Libertines for rebukes and Church-censures doe 1. Force the conscience no lesse than the sword 2. They beget Hypocrites 3. Are as contrary to the law of meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ and his servants who used no such way to gaine the Samaritans and other gaine-sayers as the sword is repugnant to Christs meek administration who did not use either sword crying rebukes or excommunication against broken reeds though both these may be used against Seducers in great gentlenesse and tendernesse toward their soules by fathers in State or Church 4. They are no lesse against liberty of prophecying beleiving with a reserve to beleeve the contrary than the sword For how can we in the name of the Lord rebuke threaten eterned wrath deliveto Sathan seducers more than the Magistrate can use the sword against them yea or refute their errors in the name and authority of Christ or strike with his rod since wee are not infallibly perswaded more than these we call Seducers for they may upon the same grounds call us Seducers threaten us with eternall wrath and deliver us to Sathan in the same name and authority that the sound Church proceedeth against them for neither side had the infallibility of divine authority in a reflex knowledge more than others by the Doctrine of Libertines 5. They are no lesse contrary to growing up in knowledge and new light for contrary reasons and rebukes and threatnings are as apt to expell new light and to reduce the Seducer to old darknesse for any certainty of perswasion any of the sides have for both may see beside their book and dreame the moone is made of wax by this way and instructing of teachers that see but on this and the yonder side of truth with eâ—â—s of flesh as they say is as uneffectuall a remedy against Teachers as the sword 6. Since the sword and stoning when used by the Jewes Deut. 13. presupposeth infallibility What warrant doe our Lords of licence of conscience give us that all the Commons and Lads and Girles that lifted a stone against the Seducer had Prophâ—ticall infallibility or that every wife to whom her husband might say Let us go and follow Baal and Dagon for sure the Zidâ—nians and Philistines are a people taught of God as well as we was infallible in her knowledge and unerrable and the husband an erring Seducer according to the principles that masters of licence would lead us on for there must be a response given to all and every one to beleeve this is the Seducer from the light of Moses law else they had no more right to stone the Seducer then the Seducer to stone them For as wee may erre in persecuting true Prophets I hope so did the people kill the Prophets and stone them that were sent Matth. 23. 27 and 2 Chron. 36. 16. they mocked and misused the Prophets of God and did as foully erre in persecuting as now we under the Gospell Yet Mr. Goodwin gives to the Jewes an infallibility of an Oracle to tell them who was the man to be stoned as a Seducer But let him answer these Queries 1 Did the Oracle speak immediately to all the actors in the stoning I thinke no then the Oracle spake to the Priest only To Pashur then the Officers had but the word of Peshur to put Jeremiah in the stockes and the people had but the Priests word for stoning the man 2 Query Were the people infallible in discerning the Priest to be a true relater of the mind of God
perswasions and reasons but since the creation of the world to this day the understanding and will keep ever their naturall way of working 8. And that which our Saviour calleth the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them was the Law of Nature and the Morall Law and the doctrine of the Prophets in the time of Moses and in the Kingdome of the Messiah though Libertines put a false glosse on it for I would not that others should punish me if I murther steal speake lyes in the name of the Lord though if I had authority I should will to punish others that are guilty of these crimes for so they expound it now if wee should not will to punish others for their conscience under the New Testament neither should the godly Magistrate in Moses and Davids dayes will to punish others for their conscience and if we should not will to rebuke and excommunicate hereticks now neither ought the godly Jewes to will to doe the same to others because of old men did not will to be punished with the Sword rebuked or excommunicated for their conscience 9. It was no lesse unlawfull for a Judge in Israel to domineere and tyrannize over the conscience of a false Prophet a Priest of Baal Dagon and to answer the arguments subverting the doctrine of Moses Law so shining with Divinity Majesty and the Wisdome of God with the bloody sword and throwing of stones then it is for the Christian Magistrate to labour to convert the false Prophet now by a Sword or an Axe domineering over his conscience so rendring him a Lambe disputing and trembling under the paw of the Lion And whatever arguments Libertines draw for pretended toleration from the Law of Nature making punishing for conscience contradictory to the light of Nature must inferre that the Judiciall Law of Moses for punishing false Prophets was not onely beside but contradictory to the Law of Nature which were a wronging of the wisdome of God and of the perfection of all his Laws Nor shall it helpe the matter to say the Law of punishing the false Prophet Deut. 13. c. was onely to be executed on such a man as 1. sinned against his conscience shewing him that to say other Gods beside the God that made the heaven and the earth were to be adored and worshipped was repugnant to the light of Nature 2. And on such as the infallible oracle of God fell and blacked as a heartblasphemer and to punish such a seducer was not to compell understanding and will nor to force the conscience nor to make stoning and the sword of steel the carnall weapons that produce spirituall repentance because there was foregoing conviction from the light of Nature perswading the man or which might have perswaded him that his blasphemy was against Nature whereas ye will have the godly punished meerly by the Magistrate because he cannot command his minde and conscience to be of the Magistrates Religion which he judgeth in his conscience to be a false superstitious and Idolatrous way for this containes many uncertainties and lyes For death was to be inflicted not on those onely that sinned against the Law of Nature but 2 Chron. 15. 13. Whosoever would not seeke the Lord God of Israel was put to death small or great man or woman now the seeking of the Lord God of Israel was to serve him according to the rule revealed in the supernaturall spirituall and holy Law of God contained in Moses his Books This I judge was some higher then the Law of Nature 2. Let us put Libertines to make this good that those who said the golden calves were the gods that brought them out of Egypt and adored them and were therefore put to death Exod. 32. since our Divines prove from the place that they made those Calves memorative objects of Jehovah onely did that against the light of their conscience and the manifest Law of Nature What if God had made Calves and Bullocks to represent God as there were Bullocks in the Temple and the sacrificed Bullocks were all types of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe to God And what if the Lord should command to adore himselfe before those Bullocks as he commanded to pray to him before the Arke and the face toward the Temple I conceive Libertines shall have to doe with the bottome of their wits to bring arguments from the Law of Nature to prove that every false instituted worship punished by the Sword of old was against the Law of Nature and that the Seducers were convinced in their conscience it was so 2. If there was an infallible Oracle to backe the false Prophet why was he judged Deut. 17. by the Law then why must witnesses two or three depose against him why must the people that stone him or concurre to execute the sentence of death against a City that will welcome and defend false Prophets know it by report and hear-sayâ— Deut. 13. 12. and enquire and make search and aske diligently if the thing be truth and certaine v. 14. what need of exposition of the written Law Deut. 17. 11. what need of witnesses Deut. 17. 6. here is shorter worke and we must be wiser then God Libertines save all the travell an immediate Oracle from heaven is both the Judge witnesse party and all and infallibly saith this man hath prophesied falsely in the name of the Lord good people rise and stone him Judge you need no witnesse 〈◊〉 a witnesse from heaven what needed the Priests and Pharisees trouble themselves to seek witnesses against Christ Mr. Goodwin and others are of the minde Caiaphas Priest and Prophet could have given a word from heaven whether he was a blasphemer or not But a Prophet of God being infallible might have infallibly informed them if the man were a false Prophet Yea but what shall be done when the Priest and Prophet of God himselfe is called in question shall he aske the Oracle whether he himselfe be the false Prophet or no 3. This answer layes ground that the Jewes might know the false Prophet and punish him but under the New Testament we cannot know him But I have proved under the 〈◊〉 Testament we may sufficiently know 〈◊〉 so as we may try him not beleeve him not bid him God 〈…〉 and avoid him and rebuke and excommâ—nicate him as many Libertines grant 4. As the Jewish Judge did not domineere over the conscience nor compell understanding and will because conviction by a cleare Law of God went before so say we upon the same ground we hold none under the New Testament to be punished by the Sword for false doctrine but he that is admonished convicted and selfe-condemned Tit. 3. 10. But your Arguments for Presbytery and against Toleration cannot convert us say they I answer nor could Pauls Arguments that convicted Sergius convict Elymas actu secundo God must