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
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
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
flesh and blood 2. A good conscience from justification hath peace and joy Prov. 15. 5. A good conscience or Heb. he that is good in heart is in a continuall feast It s an allusion to the Shew-bread that was set before God alwaies or as Exod. 2â— 30. bread of faces that was to be before the Lord continually called by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perpetuall bread this hath no fountaine cause but sense of reconcilliation with God 3. A good Conscience is a complent intire thing as our Text saith both toward God and man it s not to be a morall man in the duties of the second Table and a seepticke in the duties of the first Table not in some few fundamentals as Parrones for Libertie of Conscience doe plead but in the whole revealed will of God and therefore the good conscience consisteth in an indivisible point as they say the number of foure doth if you adde one or take one from it you vary the essence and make it three or five not foure so Paul taketh in compleatnesse in it I have all good Conscience either all or none and a good Conscience toward God and man not a conscience for the streets and the Church and not for the house and not for the dayes Hosanna and not for eternity therefore they require an habit to a good Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have exercised my self to have alwaies a good conscience there is a difference between one song and the habit of Musick and a step and a way Psal 119. 133. order not my one single step but my steps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number to fall on a good word by hazard to salute Christ in the by doth not quit from having an evill Conscience as one wrong step or extemporary slip doth not render a beleever a man of an ill Conscience the wicked world quarrell with the Saints before men because they cannot live as Angels but the true and latent cause is because they will not live as Devils and goe with them to the the same excesse of ryot 4. The Formalis rates of all good Conscience as conscience Conscience acteth not on by-respects but for conscience Rom. 13. 5. Wherefore yee must be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Conscience then doth all by 〈◊〉 and fayleth by compasse and considereth the 〈◊〉 not of the clouds but of the starres which 〈◊〉 regularly whereas the evill conscience Levit. 26. 15. is said to play the reprobate in Gods testimonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cast away to loath it is called jer 6. 30. reprobate mettall which no man would chuse there is Conscience that walketh contrary to God Levit. 2â— 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in occursu there is a defect of the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is from a root that signifieth to meet in the way or to rafter or plank an house where board is joyned with board some will joyn issue with God as if they had heardned their heart against him and were nothing afraid to meet him and joyne battle with him as if they were good enough and strong enough for God as one rafter in a house is apt to joyne with another there bee some froward ones who wrestle with God Psalm 18. 27. With the froward with the wrestler who boweth his body thin wilt wrestle But a good Conscience knoweth God better then so and is a masse of heavenly light and therefore joyned with faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. and vers 19. Timothy is exhorted to held faith and a good Conscience as if they failed both in one vessell if faith sinke a good Conscience cannot swimme much more might be added of a good Conscience but our care would be to keep Conscience as we would doe a Jewell of greâ—â— price and as we doe a watch of Gold a meat or straw will interrupt the motion of a watch it cannot be violently moved when Grace and the blood of attonement oyleth the wheeles of Conscience they move sweetly and equally Some times its secure or dead or which is the extreamity of sleepe as death is superlative and deepest sleepe feared or burnt with a hot iron when the man hath sinned God out of the world first as fooles doe Psal 14. 1. and next out of his owne conscience and such a Conscience in Pharoah may awake per intervalla and goe to bed againe and be buried at other times it can discourse and argue away heretically the ill day judgment at other times it will crow furiously and as unseasonably as the Cock which they say hath much in it of the Planet of the Sunne and therefore beginneth to sing when the Sunne hath passed his declination and beginneth to ascend when men are in deepest sleep There is a second division of Conscience and it is from the second acts and good disposition of Conscience and that is a tender or a not tender Conscience The tender Conscience is onely choisest of Consciences so â— Ames maketh it that which is opposed to an hard heart the worst conscience that is we have some choise examples of a tender conscience 2 King 22. 19. Because thy heart was tender and thou wast cast downe before the face of the Lord the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to grow soft is ascribed to oyle Psalm 55. 22. His words were softer then oyle it is Prov. 4. 3. tender and deare it is ascribed to young children or young cattell it s a conscience that easily yeildeth and rendreth to God So in Job chap. 31. who was so tender at the remembrance of Gods rising up against him to visit him that vers 13. hee durst not despise the cause of his man-servant or his maid-servant when they contended with him and in David who when hee but cut off the lap of the Mans garment who sought to cut off his life yet his heart smot him the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to strike or kill or plague frequent in the Booke of Eâ—codus God shooke every herb of the field God strook or plagued the first borne it is some times to whip or scourge so as the marke of the stroake remaineth after Davids striking of the Lords anointed there remained an vibex an impression and a marke in a soft heart Who ever would ingrosse the name of a tender Conscience to themselves doe challenge the high perfection of David Josiah Job and of that which is the floure and Garland of all godlinesse and these that are not tender in Conscience in some measure if any will thinke they have it in the perfection they see little in their owne heart are deemed prophane irreligious and men of bold and daring Consciences so wee shall and must yeeld in a question of personall interest that these are the onely Perfectists and tender Consciences who are for tolleration of all religions and are professed Antinomians Arrians Arminians Socinians and
as unable to work 〈◊〉 as the Sword p. 351 Heresies are knowable p. 353 Forced Conscience as strong an argument against Deut. 13. as against us p. 355 The Magistrate commandeth the outward man and yet commandeth not carnall repentance and hypocriticall turning to God p. 356 Because we may abstain from Heresie upon false grounds it follows not that the Magistrate hath not power 〈◊〉 punish heresie p. 359 Libertinisme of toleration is grounded upon the pretended obscuritie of Scripture p. 360 Toleration putteth a hundred senses on the Scripture and makes many rules of faith p. 361 John Goodwin denieth that we have Scriptures or any ground of Faith but that which is made of mens credit and learning p. 362 The means of delivering of Scripture to us may be falliâ—le yet the Scripture infullâ—ble ibid. Reasons to prove that the Scriptures our non have are the very Word of God p. 364 The knowledge of God is commanded and the â—ind is under a Law as well as the will and affections p. 371 The trying of the Missals of Gregory Ambrose was meer foolery 372 Speculative ignorance of things 〈…〉 p. 373 The place 1 Cor. 3. 11 12 13. cleared and vindicated ibid. Doctor Taylors mistake of Heresie ibid. What vinciblenesse must be in Heresie p. 374 D. Taylor maketh the opinion of Purgatorie no Heresie 376 Simple errors of things revealed in the 〈…〉 sins 378 How opinions are judicable and punishable p. 379 Son-sacrificing upon a meer religious ground is not murther punishable according to Libertines way p. 380 Chap. 28. Divers other Arguments for pretended Toleration answered p. 381 The Magistrates ministerie is civill 〈◊〉 spirituall p. 384 The Laws of 〈◊〉 Cyrus Danius the ratifying the Law of God by civill punishments were the dutie of Magistrates ibid. Artaxerxes made laws by the light of nature to restrain men from idolatrie page 385 From punishing of false teachers it followes noâ— that Jewes and the Idolatrous Heathens should be killed p. 〈◊〉 Differences betwixt punishing of false teachers in the Old and 〈◊〉 New Testament p. 387 Circular turnings from Protestanisme to Poperie proveth nothing against the punishing of Seducers p. 388 The objection That the sword is a carnall way to suppresse heresie answered p. 390 Most of the objections from forcing of Consciences conclude against the Laws of God in the Old Testament as well as against us ibid. The Law Deut. 13. Levit. 24. c. was not executed upon such only as sinned against the Law of nature p. 392 No need of a Law processe Judge witness accuser or inquiring in the written Law of God p. 393 Ecclesiastical and civill coaction doe both worke alike upon understanding and will p. 394 Errors against supernaturall truth are not rebukeable because not punishable contra p. 395 Libertie of Conscience makes false Prophets to be true and such as shall dwell in the mountain of God p. 〈◊〉 Four sundry considerations by which sins are censured p. 397 The Magistrate is subject to the just power of the Church 〈◊〉 Church to the just power of the Magistrate neither of them 〈◊〉 abused power p. 398 How the Jews suffered heathen Idolaters to dwel amongst 〈◊〉 Joh. Baptist would have us lesse careful of thereticall doctrines 〈◊〉 cause we are elected to glory then of other vile sins p. 3â—9 Joh. Baptist and Libertines teach that libertie of Conscience the way to find out truth ibid. When the Holy Ghost forbids us to beleeve false Christs or to 〈◊〉 Antichristian teachers be bids us also beleeve and receive them 〈◊〉 Saints by the Libertines way 400 Libertines make the judging of hereticks to be hereticks a bold intending into the counsell of God p. 402 Libertines say God hath decreed Heresies to be ibid. Variety of judgements in Gods matters a grief to the godly p. 403 The punishing of Heresies investeth not the Magistrate in a beadâ—â—â—â— over the Church 404 CHAP. I. Of Conscience and its nature ACTS 24. 16. And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have 〈◊〉 a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward man THis is a part of Pauls Apologie which hee brings out before Festur the Governour he dare bring out his conscience before his accusers the subject of this part is conscience In which we have 1. the subject Conscience 2. The qualitie of it Free of offence 2. The intâ—â—â—nesse and perfection of it in the first Table as a religious man toward God as one of a sound conversation in the duties of the second Table toward man 3. And that not aâ—starts when 〈◊〉 good blood of godlinesse came on him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alwayes at all times 4. This was not a conscience to lie beside him is the wretches Gold which for many yeares feeth neither sâ—nne nor winde but it is a Conscience walking in the streets and fraction Herein that is in this religion and hope of the restriction do 〈◊〉 or exercise my selfe this field doe 1 plow 5. There is considerable Grammer in the object of this exercise I labour to have to be a Lord a Master and anowner of a good conscience a conscience is one thing and to have a conscience another thing often the conscience hath the 〈◊〉 and Lords it over him or rather Tyrannizeth over the Judas and the man hath not the conscience And these five doe 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 the length and breadth of a good conscience Therefore of conscience 2. of the good Conscience Of conscience a little of the Name 2. Of the thing The Habrewes expresse the name by the name of heart 〈◊〉 which I grant does signifie the minde understanding will and by a figure it noteth the heart 2 Sam. 24. 10. And Davids heart smote him Salomon saith to Shimei 1 King 2. 44. Thou knowest all the evill that thy heart thy conscience is privie to Conscience is but knowledge with a witnesse it s observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience a Word used about 32. times in the New Testament is but once by the Translators in the Old Testament Eccles 10. 20. Hence it noteth that a Man hath a fellow or to speake so a College-observer with him and that is God who knoweth first and perfectly the wayes and thoughts of a man and his conscience is an under-witnesse and an observer with God but a dimme and blind beholder in comparison of God 2. It is a knowledge not as large as that of the whole understanding facultie but restricted and in order onely to the mans actions words thoughts the condition or state hee is 〈◊〉 in Christ or not in Christ It so signifieth practicall knowledge that there is a Verbe Nifhal that signifieth to have a heart or 〈◊〉 be practically wise Joh 11. 12. Vaine man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would have a heart or be hearted and wise and Cont. 4. 9. Thou hast taken away my heart or unheartned me my sister my 〈◊〉 2. The heart goeth also for a word that
if it have any life This Conscience is like the service Book or like the Masse or the Popish Image you but see these things they cannot speake nor act upon the soule 2. The nature of Conscience is further cleared by its office and object which are the second and third particulare proposed That we may the more distinctly speake of these it would be cleared what sort of knowledge is ascribed to the Conscience Conscience is not the simple judgement and apprehension of things as things are knowable this is the speculative understanding but it is the power to know things our selfe and actions in order to obey God and serve him 2. But the question is whether Conscience bee a simple practicall apprehension of things or a compounded and discoursive apprehension To which I answere 1. That as the speculative understanding knoweth many things without discourse as to a pure head the sunne heaven nature of motion and many things in its second operation and worke as to apprehend the Sunne to be an hundreth sixtie and seven times more then the Earth yet it referreth both the first and second operations of the mind to know things by discourse so the Conscience as conscience doth apprehend in its first operation God Christ sinne and in its second operation God to be infinite Christ to be the alone choisest of Saviours So it is consummate and perfected in a discourse or syllogisme by Conscience totally and compleatly in order to our practice and faith As He that killeth his brother hath not life eternall But I have killed my brother Ergo I have not life eternall So Caine. And He that beleeveth in him who justifieth the ungodly is justified and saved But I beleeve in him who justifieth the ungodly Ergo I am Justified and saved So David Paul The knowledge of the major by it selfe is an act of conscience as to deny and mis-beleeve the major Proposition is an act of a blinded and evill conscience but the compleatenesse of Conscience standeth in the knowledge of the whole syllogisme Hence they say that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Magezine and Thesaure-house of the conscience the habit or power that judgeth of the Law of nature is the major Proposition or the principles of right or wrong written in the heart by nature maketh the conscience in regard of the proposition to be called Lex the Law In regard of the assumption or the second proposition Conscience is a witnesse a spie sent from heaven to record all the facts in whiâ—h assumption are included both our facts actions words thoughts inclinations habits of sin or grace and the mans state and condition In regard of the conclusion or third proposition Conscience is a Judge and the deputie of God and it is but one and the same conscience acting all the three the acts of Law a Witnesse a Judge The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the conserving power of the soule is that facultie or power in which are hidden and laid up the morall principles of right and wrong known by the light of nature and so is a part of a naturall conscience and in it are treasured up the Scripture and Gospel-truths which are known by the light of a starre of a greater Magnitude to wit the candle shining in a divine revelation and this is part of the inlightened and supernaturall Conscience Of this intellectuall Treasure-house wee are to know these 1. That in the inner Cabinet the naturall habit of Morall principles lodgeth the Register of the common notions left in us by nature the Ancient Records and Chronicles which were in Adams time the Law of Nature of two volumes one of the first Table that there is a God that he createth and governeth all things that there is but one God infinitely good most just rewarding the Evill and the good and of the second Table as to love our Parents obey Superiours to hurt no man the acts of humanity All these are written in the soule in deep letters yet the Inke is dâ—mme and old and therefore this light is like the Moone swimming through watery clouds often under a shaddow and yet still in the firmament Caligulâ— and others under a cloud denyed there was any God yet when the cloud was over the light broke out of prison and granted a God there must be strong winds doe blow out a Torch in the night and will blow in the same light againe and that there be other seeds though come from a farre Land and not growing out of the ground as the former is cleare for Christ scattereth some Gospel-truths in this Chalmer as Joh. 7. 28. Then cryed Jesus in the Temple as he taught saying Yee both know me and whence I am Joh. 25. 24. But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father 2. This is a part of the Conscience because by no faculty in man but by the conscience are these truths apprehended 2. And when any in ill blood deny such truths as that there is a God and Parents are not to be loved we all say such doe sin and offer violence to their conscience 3. Sins against these fundamentals cry vengeance with a more hiddeous shout and cry than spirituall sins that are spun with a smaller threed for such goe nearer to put off humanity The knowledge of the assumption is Conscience as a Booke or Witnesse and it is either considered as it is in habit and keeps a record of the mans facts or as in act it bringeth them forth and applyeth the Law to the fact and is called diâ—tâ—â—â—â— the enditement and charge given in This and this hash than done Now that Conscience bringeth good or ill out of the 〈◊〉 that containeth memoriall or Cronicle or the mans 〈◊〉 cleare as 1. The Conscience can looke back and laugâ—â—â— solace it selfe at that which is well done and bring it forth Psal 16. 2. O my soule thou hast said unto the Lord thou art 〈◊〉 Lord. Psal 140. 6. I said unto the Lord thou art my God 〈◊〉 Ezekiah like the man that cheareth himselfe with the sight of the gold in his treasure Esai 37. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Or 2. it can looke back and purge it selfe as David Psal 7. O my God if I have done this Job 16. 17. Job 29. 12 13 14. chap. 31. 5 6 7 8 9 c. 3. It can bring out evill deeds as Josephs brethren doe when they are in trouble This distresse is come on us for that when we saw the anguish of our brother and he besought us wee would not heare Gen. 42. 21. The knowledge of the conclusion is judgement and the sentence of a Judge 2. For the second point of Conscience which is its object this can be nothing but Gods revealed will expressed to us either in the Law of Nature or in the Law written or the Gospel
till James fully determined the question from the word of God v. 13 14 15 16. then it is most clear that these that erre in other points that are not fundamentals in which all Christians agree may be perverters of souls and so deserve to be rebuked by the Church and punished 3. This opinion of so 〈◊〉 ring all save such as erre in fundamentals though they 〈◊〉 non fundamentals is grounded upon this that the Scripture is evidently plain and clear in fundamentals but in other points 〈◊〉 non-fundamentals the Scripture is dark and in regard of the darknesse and naturall ignorance of our minde which is inâ—â—cible almost we must forbear one another and give and take elbow-roome and latitude of indulgence because the Magistrate and Church are not infallible but both Godly and learned may be on each side so that there should be no peace nor union of hearts in Christian societies but all Churches or earth must disband and be dissolved if each should punish and censure one another for holding contrary tenets But 1. Mr. John Goodwine who contendeth for a Catholicke tolleration of all of any Religion whatsoever whither they erre in fundamentals or non-fundamentals and his words because nnanswerable to me against this distinction I set down I desire it be taken saith he to serious consideration 〈◊〉 or how farre it is meet to punish or censure poor miserable men for not holding or not asserting the truth of these things which they cannot come without much labour and contention of minde yea not without some good degree of some reason and understanding too to judge so much as probable nor at all to come to believe or know them certainly but onely by an immediate and supernaturall work of the Spirit of Godâ— are 〈◊〉 to be punished because God hath not imparted to them his Spirit of grace and supernaturall illumination This learned and sharp witted Divine as any I see of that way confirms me much that tolleration in non-fundamentals and non-tolleration in errours fundamentall is a distinction cannot subsist in the way that Libertines in England now goe for to know or believe supernaturall non-fundamentals as the histories of the miracles of Christ the Prophets and Apostles requires a work of the Spirit of grace and supernaturall illumination is to know or believe fundamentalls why then should men be punished for holding errours in the one and not in the other and the conscience cannot be compelled in the one more then in the other but with favour I desire an answer to these quaeries Quaere 1. Whether men deserve to be pitied and spoken of compassionately as poore miser 〈…〉 which they 〈…〉 work of the Spirit of grace and supernaturall 〈…〉 the false Prophet Deut 13. and Elimaâ— the perverter of the Gospel deserves to be piâ—ied Query 2. Hence whether the sinfull blindnesse of our in 〈◊〉 that makes us because poor and miserable 〈…〉 must not black the spotlesse justice of our Lord who yet punisheth originall mind-blindnesse in thousands of the sons of Adam Query 3. Whether this hinteth not at 〈…〉 power of believing and doing what we can otherwise God cannot deny further grace or punish that naturall impotency of not knowing or not believing Quer. 4. Whether the same query may not be retorted upon the Justice of Gods law Deut. 13. 〈…〉 thus whether is it meeâ— that the just God should command a pooâ—â— miserable seducing Jew who saith Let us go and worship strange Gods since this miserable impostor being a son of sin and wrath by nature cannot come without much labour and contention of mind yea nor without some good degree of reason to judge so much as it is probable nor at all to believe or know certainly that 〈◊〉 noâ— the true God but the God of the Jews onely excluding on the world from saving means of salvation is the onely true God onely to be served and worshipped but onely by an immediate and supernaturall work of the Spirit of God are men either Jews under the Law or Genâ—â—les under the Gospel to be punished and stoned to death because God hath not â—â—parted to them his Spirit of Grace and supernaturall 〈◊〉 Quer. 5. Is it meet to punish David suppose he were no King for adultery and treacherous murther since without a worke of the Spirit of Grace who only effectually 〈…〉 being led into temptation he cannot eschew the 〈◊〉 into adultery and murther are men-adultererâ— and men murtherers to be punished because God hath not imparted â—â—to them his Spirit of grace by whose actuall assistance only they can decline adultery and martherâ— Quer. 6. Whether did even 〈…〉 teach that the Magistrate should punish with the sword poor miserable men because they canot believe 〈◊〉 of faith by the supernaturall illumination of the Spirit whether is 〈◊〉 the question perverted when a Query is made whether the Magistrate is to punish poor men for not understanding not 〈◊〉 not judging not believing supernaturall truths we say the Magistrate or his sword hath nothing to do with the elect and internal acts of the minde of understanding knowing judging or believing but onely with the externall acts of speaking teaching 〈◊〉 â—ishing dangerous and pernitious doctrines to the 〈◊〉 and destraction of the soules of others Quer. 7. Whether the Magistrate does therefore force the conscience of a false teacher because he cannot he dare not keep up doctrines pornicious to the souls of others but publish them because his erroneous and evill conscience judgeth them to be saving and necessary truths when the Magistrate punisheth him more then he forceth the conscience of a murtherer whom he punisheth though this murtherer judged in his conscience that the man be killed did him so crying and oppressive an injury as in the court of God deserved bodily death or when this man murthered his son in a sacrifice to God out of meer conscience Quer. 8. Whether or no this divine who will have 〈◊〉 to be punished for erring in fundamentalls because they believe them not doth not say none that teacheth there is â—â— God that Jesus Christ is a grand impostor and faller 〈◊〉 the truth and saith Sathaâ— is the only God of this world and 〈◊〉 to be served ought to be so much as rebuked for without the immediate and supernaturall worke of the Spirit of God they cannot know or believe these truthe and are men to be rebuked and preached against because God hath not imparted to them his Spirit of grace whether doth not this arguing evict all the Ministery rebukes and exhortation and morall extirpating of heresies by the power of the word Quer. 9. Whether this be not the old argument of 〈◊〉 who argued from liberty of free-will to conclude liberty of conscience and said forcing of free-will if the Magistrate hinder men to be a willing people to Christ is an injury done to conscience and to free-will and to God the Creatâ—â— of the soule and the same
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
and unjust the conclusion blasphemous and Atheisticall 3. Consider how Celsus proveth that the heretickes that dye for heresies is not taken with vaine-glory and for a name because a hereticke dyes infamous and filled with reproach but make an argument of that he that dyes for that which in the opinion of the contrary side is infamous and reproachfull cannot dye for a name among men and vaine-glory but he that dyes for heresie dyes so ergo The major is most false for to dye for heresie in the estimation of the heretick and of all of his opinion and of all that for all after generations shall be of his opinion is no reproach but an everlasting name to the hereticke so dying and a name and glory with men is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opinion and is coyned lives and breaths in the conceit and braine of men we all say Lucretia Seneca Caâ—o dyed for vaine-glory for to the Romans it was glorious yet they dyed truly and really infamous for Christians who know what true honour and true liberty is say and truly thinke they dyed infamous and shamelesse murtherers and slaves to the people and the aire and breath of the peoples mouth and their empty plaudite 4. Nor will any man far lesse an hereticke willingly chuse the destruction of his owne soule Answ An Atheist sticks not to contradict God Prov. 8. 36. All they that hate me love death but false teachers and hereticks hate wisdome and Christ Deut. 13. 3. not to follow God is to hate God he denyes the Lord that bought him he is proud destitute of the truth a vaine and unruly talker reprobate as concerning faith leads captive soules and such cannot chuse the feare of the Lord. 2. He speaketh like an heathen for the will of hereticks and of all godlesse men is captive and the will they have is to serve the devill and though we could not tell determinately what end an hereticke hath in dying for his heresie it cannot prove his innocencie Yea the Donatists killed themselves and cast themselves downe head-long from an high place they did that saith Mr. Celsus out of obstinacy and malice to be avenged on Catholicks and bring them under the guilt of persecuters which was an evill conscience in them but there can be no evill conscience in an heretick dying for his opinion an hereticke dying for his opinion cannot have an ill conscience he prayes to God commends his safety to him acknowledgeth Christ his Son his Redeemer and Saviour sings hymnes and praises in the midst of the flames of fire Answ That is a conjecture that Donatists and Circumceâ—â—ions killed themselves to be revenged on Catholicks Augustine neither Ep. 61. nor Ep. 50. nor elsewhere makes mention of such an end they had but because they beleeved it was happinesse to dye for Christ yea though so it were praying and praising and crying The Temple of the Lord will he say there can be no malice in theeves murtherers adulterers perjured persons walkers after other Gods and such as kill their sonnes to the devill in Topâ—eâ— Jer. 7. 3 4 5 9. 30 31. and in bloody persecuters who said the Lord be glorified Esa 66. 5. and in these that thinke they doe God service in killing the Apostles of the Lord Joh. 16. 1. the man speakes not like a divine but an Atheist and most that are for Libertinisme to me are Atheists 2. When Servetus and other Martyrs of the Devill dyeâ—â— we heard nothing of their singing of Psalmes in the fire Paul 〈◊〉 a swearer and a drunkard who denies the Deity of the Son of God is not one of these But Celsus I conceive thinkes the godly martyrs that the bloody mother of fornications Babylon hath killed for the testimony of Jesus were heretickes because they had no certainty of faith for the truths they were burnt for because the faith of Libertines is Scepticisme 3. Heretickes may before men pray and acknowledge a Saviour but as the formall of heresie so of sound faith is in the heart and unseen to Celsus and therefore this argument is but a conjecture and so Paul 2 Tim. 3. saith those that 〈◊〉 from the faith have but a form of godlinesse deny the power thereof 4 Though heretickes acknowledge a Redeemer which yet may be questioned whether they doe all so even those who deny the Lord that bought them yet these arguments of Celsus and Libertines plead for liberty of conscience not onely to hereticks that acknowledge a Redeemer but to all to open blasphemers apostates from the Christian faith to Judaisme and Mahometisme for should any Christian turn Jew as some have done and pray to God and be willing to dye for Judaisme and acknowledge the Messiah to come Libertines can no more make a window in this mans conscience to see his end in so doing and know infallibly that neither pleasure profit nor honour led him but meere and onely principles of Religion in regard places in the New Testament cite passages of the Old so farre seemingly to reason contrary to the scope of the Prophets then you can see to the conscience of a hereticke and Religion is to be compelled in no man one or other nor the sword or violence used against any though Celsus and the Belgick Remonstrants thinke false teachers may rather be banished and imprisoned leâ—t they pervert the faith of others But if they yeeld any corporall restraint or violence may be used against false teachers they fall from their cause and lose all their arguments for one degree of one violence though banishment be cousen Germanes to death and to some who cannot live and subsist but in England as there are many such far worse can no more be used against the conscience then forcing of ten degrees or tormenting deaths Butâ— saith Celsus Heretickes that dye for their heresie are stupid and drunken But how can stupidity and malice be in one saith he malice is not without certaine knowledge stupidity deprives men of knowledge and render them blocks can ye find a man who willingly and wittingly makes defection from God and resists the truth against his owne conscience and yet is so stupid that he knowes not what he doth and can indure foolishly to dye for maintaining a lye Answ If the Author were not stupid hee would not declare himselfe so Atheistically ignorant of spirituall stupidity for highest malice and a hardened and fatned heart eyes eares and a heart that cannot see heare or perceive and so are spiritually stupid doe not lodge sundered one from another Esay 6. 9 10 11. hath this man read the word Esay 29 9. Stay your selves and wonder cry ye out and cry they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drink 10. The Lord hath powred out upon you the spirit of a deep sleep and hath closed your eyes the Prophets and your Rulers the Seers hath he covered and yet these same were deep
hypocrites and malicious opposers of the wayes of God enemies to and persecuters of the true Prophets sent of God v. 13. and who were these but Scribes Pharisees in whom there was as much malice against Christ and his Disciples as can be in the devill or such as sin against the Holy Ghost as may be seen Matth. 13 14 15. Matth. 12. 31 32. Matth. 15. 1 2 3 7 8 9. And God powred the spirit of slumber on the Jewes Rom. 11. 7. 8. and there was superlative malice in them against the knowne truth Act. 13. 45. 46. and blasphemy Act. 14. 2 3 4 5. and yet these men in evill and as touching litterall knowledge know well what they were doing though they were spiritually blocks See Matth. 2. 4 5 6. Joh. 7. 28. Joh. 3. 2. They privily bring in 2 Pet. 2. damnable heresies they make merchandise of you with faire words then they wanted not devillish wit enough And 1 Tim. 4. 1. They speake lyes out of hypocrisie and the doctrine of Devills forbidding meates and marriage there is wit for these look like singular mortification yet they have a conscience so stupid as it were burnt with a hot iron This also is grosse ignorance in Libertines that they thinke those who sinne against knowledge and conscience and out of malice as those that sin against the Holy Ghost doe not sinne through ignorance also which is most false for the most malicious sin against knowledge hath an interpritative ignorance conâ—oyned with it as the Pharisees who sinned against the Holy Ghost in crucifying Christ some of them as is cleare Joh. 8. 28. Joh. 9. 40 41 and else where yet they sinned ignorantly also for had thy knowne they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. CHAP. IX Of Liberty of prophesying of erroneous inditement of Conscience that it is not our Rule BUt we judge that Hereticks admonished and convinced of their errour doe sinne on the borders at least of the sin against the Holy Ghost in regard they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe condemned as Paul saith Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject 11. Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe Where the Apostle saith an admonished and wrought upon hereticke who is convinced of the truth and yet still resisteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is perverted or subverted desperately perverted like a building throwne downe to the foundation 2. he finneth as condemned of himselfe that is judged and condemned by his owne conscience and so sinneth willfully and with a high measure of light but hee shutteth his eyes against the light and known truth and resisteth it 1 The Hereticke here spoken of Tit. 3. 10. is not the man who moves such questions say they as he knowes to be vaine and light as Arminians say For as Vedelius saith he expresly speakes of an heretick 2 It is a question if any bee called an Hereticke in the word because he moves such questions 1. The Hereticke here is subverted and so turned off the foundation Christ But he that moveth vaine and unprofitable questions can at best but build his hay stubble upon the foundation Christ now such a man may bee builded on the foundation and saved though the fire destroy his worke and so he is not turned off the foundation Yea if he wittingly and willingly move vain and light questions he cannot be saved nor doth that follow for his knowledg of the levity of these questions aggravates his sin but cannot cause to amount to a sin so high as to subvert the mans faith because he may keepe the foundation though he hold these vaine and light opinions for they are not in themselves destructive of the foundation 2. There is no mention nor any hint here of vaine and light questions but of admonished heretickes therefore Eusebius l. 4. c. 13. referres it to those that deny Christs divinity to Marcion and Corinthus and they say John would not stay in the stoves with Cerinthus and Polycarpus his disciple would not speake with Marcion but said I know thee to be the first borne of Sathan 3. It is here to be noted that these Authors also make the conscience though erroneous even in fundamentalls the rule of faith if the person beleeve that he worships God according to the rule of the word and there be some morall honesty in him and so teach there should be a toleration of al hereticks then no man is the heretick but he who professeth points of truth which he believeth to be lyes untruth but so there is not an hereticke in the world but the devill and such as professe a false Religion before men which in their conscience they beleeve to be false But the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 3 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times men shall depart from the faith giving beed to seducing spirits Popish Priests and Familists and doctrine of Devills 2. Speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their conscience seared with an hot iron 3. Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats Now a seared conscience burnt with an hot iron may and doth teach marriage to be unlawfull to some and doe beleeve it for a truth that Church-men should not intangle themselves with the affaires of this life such as marriage and care of children because Pastors goe a warfare for Jesus Christ yet the text saith they that so teach are seducers who with a seared conscience speake lyes in hypocrisie and so must be hereticks and worse 2. No rule can be falser and more crooked then the conscience for if ye must be obliged to follow conscience because it is conscience or because right or wrong if you must follow conscience because conscience yee must ever follow your conscience though never so wrong for the most erroneous conscience is conscience though the devill should immediately actuate it yet doth not leave off to bee conscience and to be the rule and if so when the conscience of some saith its good service to God to kill the Apostles of our Lord because they preach the Gospel then doe persecuters nothing but what they are in duty bound to doe when they murther the Apostles because they preach the Gospel for to follow the rule which God hath appointed must be a bounden duty And the same must follow if the conscience as evill be the rule for then should men serve God in sacrificing their sonnes to God in community and plurality of wives when ever their conscience should dictate any such thing to be lawfull though in it selfe it be most contrary to the word of God If the conscience as good or as the Arminians seeme to say as principled with morall honesty be our rule then the conscience as conscience is not the rule but as it is ruled by morall honesty this wee cannot say
some charitable precepts commanding men of divers Religions to beare with one another but where is that written and if they dwell together peaceably why but they may marry together Achab then in marrying the King of the Zidonians daughter failed not and he married her wicked Religion Clotildis the daughter of Clodoveus married Almaricus the Arrian King of the Wisigots the Maid being educated in the sound faith but Procopius l. 1. Bell. Gothorum said there was never peace between them As for Mr. Williams Chaldean and Heathenish or American peace we leave it to himself the peace the people of God was to pray for Jer. 29. was onely outward prosperity freedome from the Sword of Egypt and from other Nations that the captive Church might also partake of that peace But I hope Jeremiah bad not the people of God in Judea under the Babylonish captivity follow an Heathenish peace with toleration of divers Religions or yet a Religious peace or a Church peace that standeth well with many Religions yea they are to denounce wrath against the Chaldee Religion Jer. 10. 11. and would he have Christians all keeping such an Heathenish unity and peace as Babylonians and Americans have and in the mean time tolerate all Religions Christians who have one God and one faith and one hope are to follow more then a Civill and Heathenish peace It is therefore in vaine for Libertines to tell us that Abraham lived long amongst the Canaanites who were contrary to him in Religion Gen. 13. and Isaac with them Gen. 26. and Jacob twenty years with Laban an Idolater Gen. 31. Israel in Egypt 430 years in Babylon 70. Israel under the Romans with Herodians Pharisees What of all these the godly Rulers and Church sometimes Pilgrims sometimes servants sometimes captives never having the Sword nor power of it as Magistrates to take order with false Teachers did peaceably dwell with them ergo godly Magistrates armed with the Sword must now suffer the Sheep of Christ to be worried and preyed upon by Wolves this consequence is nothing this is à facto adjus and to argue from the controverted practice of Heathen CHAP. XXVI Whether punishing of Seducing Teachers be persecution for Conscience LIbertines lay downe for a ground That to punish any for their conscience must be persecution Anninians call punishing of Hereticks persecution it is proper to carnall men to persecute the Children of the Promise He that is sick onely of an errour of the minde breaks not the Law of God If the Magistrate punish him for that he is a Persecuter So also the Anabaptists in Bullingers time Mr. Williams going after these guides saith I acknowledge that to molest any person Jew or Gentile for either professing doctrine or practising worship meerly Religious or Spirituall is to presecute him and such a person what ever his doctrine be true or false suffereth for his conscience and beside a man may be persecuted because he holdeth or practiseth what he beleeves in conscience to be truth as Daniel and because he dare not yeeld obedience to doctrines and worships invented by men and so the Authour of Storming of the Anti. and of the Ancient bounds Answ The very like the Donatists objected so Cresconius Grammaticeus Quisquis Christianum persequitur Christi inimicus est whoever persecutes a Christian is an enemy of Christ Augus l. 3. contra a Cresconium c. 51. answereth Verum dicis â—â— non in illo persequitur quod Christi est inimicum neque enim Dominus in servo pater in filio maritus in conjuge cum sine utrique Christiani non debent persequi vitia Cbristianae contraria veritati an vero si non persequuntur non rei negligentiae merito teneluntur It is true saith he He is an Enemy to Christ who persecuteth a Christian if he doe not persecute in a Christian that which is enmity to Christ yet are not the master father husband not to persecute in servant son and wife if they be Christians sinnes contrary to Christian truth and if they persecute not these sinnes are they not justly guilty of the negligence of their brethrens soules So also Augustine distinguisheth a two fold persecution de unit Eccl. c. 20 Psal 100. Had these men given us one letter of Scripture for their bastard definition of persecution we should not stumble to heare Tongue-persecuters and Raylers and Hand-persecuters say so but we goe from them to our Saviours words Matth. 5. 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you not for an erroneous and bloody conscience as Libertines define it but falsely for my sake Persecution that the Scripture condemnes is persecution for righteousnesse â—â—d truth such as the true Prophets suffered for the truth Matth. 5. 12. for Christs names sake Luke 21. 17. Matth. 19. 29. for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Rev. 1. 9. Rev. 6. 9. for the testimony of the trutb Rev 11. 7. for righteousnesse Matth. 5. 10. for the Gospel Mark 4. 17. Acts 12. 25. Acts 13. 50. Gal. 5. 11. Gal. 6. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 12. Mark 10. 30. 2 Cor. 12. 10. 2. Thess 1. 2. Tim 3 11. Matth. 10 23. Joh. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 20. Rom. 12. 14. Acts 7. 52. 1 Cor 4 11. Gal. 1. 13. 1 Thess 2. 15. Acts 9. 4. Acts 22. 7. c. 26. 14. Phil. 2. 6. And why was Jeremiah persecuted the three Children Daniel Christ Paul Peter John James the Martyrs Heb. 11. not for Familisme Antinomianisine Socinianisme Anabaptisme c. shew us a word of Old or New Testament warranting you to call it persecution to molest any for worship or practice though most false Mr. Williams saith to malest any for their conscience is persecution then must Jeremiah be a Persecuter for he molested those with rebukes and threatnings who out of meer conscience killed their sons and daughters to Malech Christ molested Pharisees and Sadduces who out of meer conscience defended the traditions of men false interpretations of the Law denied the Resurrection yea the Lord commanded the Judges in his Law not onely to molest but to stone to death without mercy those who professed doctrine out of meer conscience and practice worship upon meerly Religious grounds which tended to drive away people from the true God and such as blasphemed God Deut. 13. Exo. 32 26 27. Rom. 15. 1. 13. 4. Lev. 24. 10 11. Deut. 17. 2. Levit. 20. 2. But God never commanded in any Law persecution but hated it and no more commanded it then his holy Laws can be unjust 2. Asser There is a persecution with the tongue by words like coals of Juniper Psal 120. 2 3. and like the arrows of the mighty like a sharp razour Psal 52. 23. Job 19. 3. These ten times ye have reproached me and are not ashamed v. 21. Why doe ye persecute me as God Jobs friends never put hand
not necessarie necessitate medij The tolleration of all who err in non fundamentals examined M. Iohn Goodwin hagâ—omastix sect 26. pag. 24. Queries proposed to Mr. Joh. Goodwin who asserteth a Catholicke toleration of all Religions upon the ground of weaknesse of free-will and want of grace 〈…〉 Augus 〈◊〉 dicu relinquâ—s liberâ— orbatrio cur enim non in homicidiis in stupris in quibuscunque 〈◊〉 facinoribâ—â— flagiciis libere arbitrio dimittendum to esse proclamas quae tamen omnia justis leg ibâ—â— comprimâ— utilissimuma â—â—ahiberrimuâ— est dedit quidem Deâ—â— homini liberani 〈◊〉 sed nec bonam Infruct â—osam nec malam voluit esse impunitam li. 1. Con. Gaudenti c. 19. secundum est as fallatissimas vanissimâ—sque rationes haberis laxatis atque dimissis humana licentia impuâ—â—sta peâ—cata omnia relinquentur 〈…〉 Most arguments of Libertines infer a Catholicke toleration in non-fundamentals as wel as 〈◊〉 fundamentals What deductions the spirit makes in the soule of an elect knowing but a few fâ—â—dam and going out of this life thou knoweth To know revealed truths of God is a commanded worship of God One Generall Confession of faith without a particular sense containing the true and orthodox meaning of the word not sufficient Divers pious conferences betweene us and Lutherans They hate God and love blasphemies in the consequence who obstinately hold them in the antecedent They may bee false teachers and so punishable who erre not in fundamentals Divine right of Church-government 1 Tim. 1. 3. 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. 2 Job 10 11 1 Tim. 1. 3 4. 1 Cor. 3. Act. 2. Act. 11. 1 2 3 4. c. Divers things not fundamentally believed with certainty of faith Rom. in a 〈◊〉 f. 7 fides millinaria potest esse omnium pessima Beleeving of truths revealed of God with a reserve blasphemous and concerning beleevers in Scepticks and 〈◊〉 Beleevâ—ng wâ—th a reserve â—gainst the motion of the Holy Ghost Beleeving with a reserve against the stability of faith Against the trying of all things and spirits injoyned by the Holy Ghost Faith with a reserve against our prayers for knowledge and growing therein The Holy Ghost bids us not beleeve with a reserve To beleeve with a reserve contrary to our doing and suffering for truth in faith Two distinctions necessary touching controverted points Some things of their own nature not controversall yet the deductions from them to our blinde nature are controversall Fundamentalls of faith most controversall to our blinde nature Some far off errors may bee tollerated Schisme and actuall gathering of churches out of churches cannot be tollerated The place Ro. 14. willing us to receive the weake no plea for tolleration The place Philip. 3. 15. Let us walke according to the same rule c. nothing 〈◊〉 tolleration Remonstrant iâ— Apologia p. 40. P. 268. 〈◊〉 tuâ—a heresis 〈…〉 â—rrâ—r qui in merte errantis taâ—â—um lâ—cum habet â—rrer nec objectum nec causa punitionis est error enim merus erraâ—tem non egreditur ergo 〈◊〉 necoerâ—â—ri quidem potest animus hominis imprio humano non 〈…〉 humane 〈…〉 Apo. â—24 â— 28â— Libertiâ—es mâ—ke heresie a meere innocent and unpunishable error of the minde Heresie is a sin as well as Idolatry though we could neither desine heresie nor Idolatry Heresie proved to be an hainous sin Remonstrance Apol. 24. f. 283 Remon Apol. 24. f. 285. Minâ—s Celsus 〈◊〉 heretic coer seâ— â— f. 9 10 11 12. The holy ghost contrary to Libertines supposeth undenâ—â—â—bly that hereticks are knowne and so they are not knowne to God only when 〈◊〉 bâ—ds us beware of them avoid them bid them not God spâ—â—d Pertinacie may be is known to men Libertines openly contradict the holy ghost in that they forbid to judge false teachers to bee grievous wolves Remonst Apol. c. 24. 285 de maâ—iâ—ioso voluâ—tatis actu 〈◊〉 pertinaâ—ia que est formalis ratione hâ—resees 〈◊〉 nisi soâ—us â—oâ—e judicari potest humana omniâ— judicia de mente animoque alterius incerta sunt conjectura fallaces nisi cum quis quod malum esse novit facere vult nemo dedita opera erras aut errare se sibi pâ—rswadet cum de â—terna salute agitur quare fas non est invito alicui tribuere malitiam caritas aliud swades Heresie a wicked resisting of the truth and yet not the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Libertiâ—es say that an hereticke dying for his heresie hath no evill conscience but a spirituall and heavenly end Tundite tundita Anâ—xâ—rchi follem Anaxâ—rchum enim non tundit Celsus ibid. The vain glory and malice of the devills martyrs who dye for heresie Fol. 18. Spirituall stupidity and malice both together in hereticks and Sathans martyrs Some ignorance consists with the sinne against the holy ghost Reâ—â—â—n apol c. 24. 280 281. Ve lelius de Arâ—â—n Arâ—ini P 4. l. 2. c. 4. n. 5 Who is an to Arminians Titus 3. 10. Nevi te esse primo genitum Satauae None to Libertines are hereticks but such as professe a Religion which they with perswasion beleeve to be false Liberty of prophesying taken in a threefold sense The words quench not the spirit vindicated from speaking for liberty of prophesying any thing Remon Apol. c. 24. Fo. 281 282 Spiritum ne extinguite id est spirituales verbi Dei sensus quos quis se habere a Spiritu Dei id est vel per inspirationem suggestionem Spiritus vel anxiliante Spiritu Dei sibi persuadet quo sensu vocem Spiritus videntur ipsi Apostoli aliquando accipere 2 Thes 2. 2. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Qua quam alio sensu accipi potest Râ—mon Ap 282 To desire false Prophets to cease out of the land is no quenching of the Spirit Remon Apo. 282. Remon 16. How the Arminian Libertines do define an heretick Heretickes to Libertines only such as deny things knowable by the light of nature diversity of opinions among them The punishing of men forpublishing of fundamental errors and the indulgence of a toleration yeelded to them though they teach all errors in non-fundamentals a vain distinction and hath no ground in scripture Some murthers non-fundamentall â—n David which yet are consistent with the state salvation should as wel be tolerated as some errours in non-fundamentals by the distinction of Libertines Some non-fundamentals clearely in the 〈◊〉 revealed not to be beleeved with a reserve and others non-fundamentals with 〈◊〉 Queries propounded to Libertines Why may not the Magistrate lawfully spare the life of him who out of a Libertine conscience meerly sacrificeth his childe to Godâ— or why should â—e punish with the sword some acts not destructive to peace in the conâ—cience of the punished and not aâ— acts of the same kiâ—d To compell men to do against their conscience that is to sin neither in Old or New Test-lawfull Deut 13. Deut. 17. â—pan◠〈◊〉 Apo c. 25. f. 290. There is