the truth which I assert which is as plain for it as can well be spoken The whole Chapter shewing that the weake brother that Paul speaketh of was one that with Conscience of the Idol did eate it as a thing offered to an Idol and their Conscience being weak was defiled ver 7. 9 And it is one whose Conscience is emboldened or confirmed to eate those things which are offered to idols and thereby he may perish ver 10 11. And it is he that is not displeased but made to offend And the scandalizing which Paul would avoid is called becoming a stumbling to them that are weak ver 9. Emboldening to that heinous sin ver 10. Making a brother to offend v. 13. twice over Is this think you displeasing the innocent or rather tempting those that are apt to sin and confirming the faulty Read what Dr. Hammond saith of their weakness and what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth there and then further tell me 1. Whether you mean such weak ones that you would not have me offend 2. Whether those that are most displeased with us for Communion in the Liturgie be such as you will say are most in danger of yielding to sin 3. Whether you would do as Paul doth Call those weak brethren who to that day did eate in Idols temples and that as a thing offered to idols 4. Whether Paul commanded the Corinthians to separate from the Church because such men were in their Communion 5. Whether Paul himself in communicating with that Church did not that which you write against 6. Whether by this rule we should not take heed most of scandalizing those Christians that are aptest to sin 7. Whether this text which you so abuse well considered is not sufficient against all your Cause and for that which I maintain EXCEPT XIII p. 6. Answered Here is nothing but 1. His saying that He may well doubt of the truth of what I report viz. whether any or many faithful Ministers would so reproach their people and their honourable name which is upon them as to call them pievish and self conceited Christians Answ. 1. Are there any such Christians or not 2. If they are should their fault be healed or cherished 3. If healed should it be reproved or concealed But I will answer this further anon when it comes in again 2. He doubts not but those that thus complained to me expected so much prudence and faithfulness in me as to conceal their Complaints and not vent them now when the state of affairs is so much altered Answ. Here are two untruths implied 1. That these complaints were only made in secret with an expectation that not only the persons but the case it self should be concealed But how did he know this Might not many of them be men that since conform and make the same complaint now openly Yes I could name you more than one such Might not some be such as have done the same in print themselves Yes Old Mr. Rob. Abbot was one who after removed to Austins London and died there before Mr. Ash. If you will but read his book against separation you will see thathe silenced not such matters but hath said more than ever you are able well to answer 2. It is not true that these Complaints were only made before the state of affairs was altered for I have oft heard it since with greater sense of it than ever before Nor is it any dishonour to a Minister not to be ignorant of Satans wiles The more they know them the liker they are to overcome them 3. In his conclusion are two more mistakes but because they are prophetical I will not count them with the grossest The first is that he hopes that hereafter all that fear God will be very careful how they make any complaint unto a Person The Second who will take the next worst occasion to revile a whole innocent and Godly Party by a malicious publishing of it Whereas 1. Since the writing of his book I have had complaints against such as he by many that fear God 2. And he cannot prove what he prophesieth I will do But yet two more untruths are implied in the prophesie 1. That I will revile a whole Innocent Godly suffering Party when I protested I meant no particular party but those of every party Episcopal Presbyterian Independent Anabaptist c. who through want of Love are aptest causelesly to condemn their brethren and avoid them unless he will call all the Ignorant Proud and Uncharitable of all parties by the name of a whole Godly suffering party 2. That I will revile them maliciously unless he mean that writing for Love and Unity is a malicious act against Satan and his Kingdom EXCEPT XIV Hereafter I must number them for he is weary of it Answered This hath little worthy observation but his 12th Untruth viz. that by mentioning the separatist as a distinct body of men from the Antinomian Quaker and Anabaptist it is evident I can mean no other but my Presbyterian and Congregational brethren which he follows with An Appeal to God against this Slanderer and earnestly prayeth that he would please to rebuke him Whether this earnest prayer be a Curse and whether it be like to that rule to pray for them that curse us and whether this brother himself doth not in these very words put his error into his earnest prayer even in print and so verifie what he would so vehemently gainsay to say nothing of the Common fame in London that he that is famed to be the Author of these Exceptions kept a day of Humiliation about me and my book I leave to the Readers observation And also whether this earnest prayer or Curse and this bold Appeal to God be not prophane and rather a fruit of passion than charitable zeal And whether he here knew what spirit he was of But to his Untruth I answer 1. I protested openly that my meaning was not what he affirmeth it to be And could he know it better than I 2. An Antinomian and Anabaptist as such are distinct from Separatists as such But doth it follow that therefore they may not be Separatists also that are Antinomians and Anabaptists Though the Errors whence the Sects are denominated be various 3. I have long ago in many books told the Papists that I mean them as the Chief Schismaticks and Sect and Dr. Hide for the first page of his book what I thought of him And the Lutherans that so resist all the endeavours of Dury Calixtus Bergius Lud. Crocius and many more in refusing Communion with the Calvinists that I mean them And here I profess that I mean no other party of men at all but the Dividers of all parties whatsoever even in the beginning of my Preface And yet alas brother did you not tremble first to publish so gross an Untruth and when you had done to ground your Appeal to God and earnest prayer against me upon it
the Cause But that our hearts may yet more relent in this sad condition of the seduced let us hear the following words Besides saith he we cannot understand the meaning of such phrases as dull Christians Ignorant and injudicious Christians For whoever are Christians indeed have received an anointing by which they know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. 27. And should not have such vile Epithets affixed to them which only â—â—nd to expose even Christianity it self as if it did not cure those that sincerely imbraced it of their Ignorance and Injudiciousness Answ. It is no disgrace to Christianity that it is set off by the presence of Ignorance and Injudiciousness As sickness maketh us know the worth of health Nor is it long of life or health that doleful diseases remain yet uncured For were it not for them instead of diseases there would be death It is Godliness and Christianity which bringeth that Light and Health into the World that is in it And men are not ignorant and bad because they are Christians and Religious but because they are not better Christians and more Religious Perfect Christianity would make men perfectly judicious The weakest true Christian exceedeth the Learnedst Ungodly Doctor even in judgement and knowledge Because he practically and powerfully knoweth that God is God and to be preferred in honour obedience and love before all the World and that Christ is Christ and to be believed in for Justification and Salvation And that the Holy Spirit is his Advocate and our Quickener Illuminater and Sanctifier to be believed and obeyed and that there is a Life of Happiness to be hoped for which is better than all the pleasures of sin and the felicity of worldlings In a word they have a real though imperfect understanding of the Baptismal Covenant and of the Creed or Symbole of Christian Faith And this is a great and noble knowledge and Cure of them that were lately ignorant of all these things and were led Captive â—y the Prince of darkness at his will If the Reader that would see the difference will peruse my small Tractate of Catholick Unity he may be informed of it But yet is there no such thing as Ignorant dull injudicious Christians because they know all things Must we not use such phrases and Epithetes because Christianity cureth them Dear brother I have no mind to make you odious nor to open your sin to others But you have opened it to the World and I must open it to you if possibly you may repent But especially I am bound to try to save mens souls from this perilous deceit And therefâ—â—â— I shall prove to you that there are such 〈…〉 and ignorant and injudicious Christians And 2. I shall tell you the greatness of your error and sin That there are such is proved 1. By the words of Scripture Heb. 5. 11 12 13 14. Seeing yee are dull of hearing For when for the time yee ought to be teachers yee have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat For every one that useth milk is unskilfull or unperienced in the word of Righteousness for he is a babe But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil 1 Tim. 3. 6. Not a novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is otherwise by our Translators in the margin turned besotted And Strigelius saith that it signifieth not only puffed up but one crack'd brain'd and phanatick And Lyserus saith of the same word 2 Tim. 3. 4. translated High minded that it answereth an Hebrew word which signifyeth to be dark and not to shine clearly which Leigh reciteth See Martinius de Typho 1. Cor. 3. 1 2 3 4. And I brethren could not speak unto you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal as unto babes in Christ I have fed you with milk and not with meat For hitherto yee w 〈…〉 t able to bear it neither yet now are yee able For yee are yet Carnal For whereas there is among you envying the word is Zeal that is emulation and strife or contention and divisions or factions are yee not Carnal and walk as men or according to man For when one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are yee not Carnal Eph. 4. 14. That we henceforth be no more children tost to and fro and carried about with every wind by the sleight or cousenage of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in Love may grow up c. Luke 24. 25. O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Mark 6. 52. They considered not the miracle of the Loaves for their heart was hardened Mark 8. 17. Why reason yee because yee have no bread Perceive yee not yet neither understand Have yee your hearts yet hardened Having eyes see yee not And having ears hear yee not And do you not remember Luke 12. 16. These things understood not his Disciples at the first Luke 18. 32 33 34. They shall scourge him and put him to death and the third day he shall rise again And they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things which were spoken 1 Cor. 8. 2. 7. 10. If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge but some with Conscience of the Idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered to an Idol and their Conscience being weak is defiled Shall not the Conscience of him that is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to Idols See Rom. 14 and 15. Gal. 6. 1. 1 Cor. 9. 22. Gal. 3 and 4. throughout Col. 2. 21 22 c. Heb. 13. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 3. Should I recite all such Epithetes convictions and reproofs in Scripture it would be tedious 2. The thing is further proved by the common experience of mankind which it amazeth me to think a man that liveth among men in the world awake and in his senses can be ignorant of Enemies know it Friends know it not only that there are Ignorant and Injudicious Christians but that the far greatest part are such though not in a damning yet in a sad and troublesome degree And that the far greatest part of those that we hope are truly godly remain so lamentably ignorant of abundance of things that should be known and continue in such an infancy of understanding as is a great advantage to the Tempter and many waies calamitous to themselves and to the Church It is the lamentation of all experienced Ministers Alas how ignorant even honest people remain And how
never tell any of their sins nor preach repentance to them whilst I lived and that I must not deny my duty and Charity to one sort because another sort will not receive it and seeing also necessity increase and having already writen and said so much to the other party I resolved to imitate those two excellent faithful Tractates viz. 1. Mr. M. Pool's Vox clamantis in deserto in Latine calling the Non-conformable Ministers to Repentance and Mr. Lewis Stukeley's a worthy Congregational Minister in Exeter and a kinsman of the late General Monkes enumerating copiously most of the Common sins of Religious Professors and calling them earnestly and faithfully to repentance which since the writing of this I find excellently done in a book called Englands danger and only Remedy And therefore I first published some old notes written eleven or twelve years ago called Directions for weak Christians and annexed to it The Character of a sound Christian In both which I wrote that which was as like to have exasperated the impatient as this book is And yet I heard of no complaints And afterward I wrote this which I now defend and sent it to the Licenser who upon perusal refused to License it And so it lay by and I purposed to meddle with it no more But leaving it in the Booksellers hands that had offered it to be Licensed after a long time he got it done and so unexpectedly it revived The Reasons of my writing it were no fewer than all these following which I now submit to the judgement of all men truly peaceable and impartial who value the interest of Christianity and of the universal Church above their own 1. To make up my foregoing Directions to weak Christians more compleat Having directed them about the private matters of their souls I intended this as another Part to Direct them in order to the Churches Peace 2. Many good people of tender Consciences and weak judgements desiring my advice about Communion in the publick Assemblies I found it meetest to publish this general Advice for all to save me the labour of speaking to particular persons and to serve those that lived further off 3. I saw those Principles growing up apace in this time of prevocation which will certainly increase or continue our divisions if they continue and increase I am sure that our wounds are made by wounding principles of doctrine And it must be healing doctrines that must heal us And I know that we cannot be healed till doctrinal principles be healed To give way to the prevalency of dividing Opinions is to give up our hopes of future unity and peace And to give up our hopes of Unity and Peace is to despair of all true Reformation and happiness of the Church on earth If ever the Church be reduced to that Concord Strength and Beauty which all true Christians do desire I am past doubt that it must be by such principles as I have here laid down 4. But my grand reason was that I might serve the Church of Christ in the reviving and preservation of Christian Love As it was an extraordinary measure of the Spirit which Christ made his Witness in the Gospel Church so is it as extraordinary a measure of Love which he maketh the New Commandment and the mark of all his true Disciples And whether afflicting on one side and unmerciful and unjust censures on the other side one driving away and the other flying away be either a sign or means of Love And whether taking others to be intolerable in the Church and unworthy of our Communion and separating from or avoiding the Worship where they are present be likely to kindle Love or to kill it let any man judge that hath himself the exercise of Reason and unfeigned Love I know that this is the hour of Temptation to the sufferers to stir up passion and distaste and that men have need of more than ordinary grace and watchfulness and therefore of more than ordinary helps warning to preserve due Love and keep out an undue hatred of those by whom they suffer And how great a temptation also their censures and discontents will prove to their Superiours and others by whom they suffer and what unspeakable hurt it may do their sâ—uls may easily be conjectured This sin will prove our greatest loss 5. Hereupon men will be engaged in sinful Actions of injustice and uncharitableness against each other They will be glad to hear and forward to believe hard and false reports of one another And too forward to vent such behind one anothers backs And there is no doubt but many of each party already think worse of the other commonly than they are Though alas we are all too bad and some egregiously wicked And those Persons and Churches that would censure a man for Curses or Oaths should also censure men for slanders and backbitings And should I not do my best to prevent such a course of daily sin 6. Both violence and separation tend to divide the builders themselves and keep the Ministers in contending with and Preaching and Writing against each other which should be employed in an unanimous opposition to the Kingdom of Satan in the world And when all their united wisdom and strength is too little against the common Ignorance and Prophaneness of the world their division will disable them and give sin and Satan opportunity to prevail 7. It may engage them on both sides in the dreadful fin of persecuting each other one party by the Hand and the other by the Tongue even while they cry out of persecution And on both sides to hinder the Gospel and mens salvation on one side by hindering the Preachers from their work and on the other side yea on both by hindring the success For what can be more done to make men despise the word than to teach them to despise or abhor the Preacher And what more can be done to destroy mens souls than to harden them against the Word Is there any sâ—bâ—r man on either extream that dare say I would have none of the people saved that are not or will not be the hearers of our party If you dare not say that you would have all the rest to be damâ—ed dare you say you would not have them be taught by others Or that you would not have them profit by the Word they hear If not how dare you tempt them to vilifie and despise their Teachers If they will not learn of you be glad if they will learn of any other and do not hinder them 8. By these means they will cherish an hypocritical sort of Religiousness in the people which is more employed in Sidings Opinions and Censurings of others than in humble self-judging and in a holy heavenly mind and life A man need not the Spirit of God and supernatural Grace nor much Self-denyal nor Mortification of the flesh to make him choose a certain fashion of external Worship and think that now he