GOLDEN APPLES OR Seasonable and Serious Counsel from the Sanctuary to the Rulers of the earth held forth in the Resolution of sundry Questions and Cases of Conscience about Divisions Schisms Heresies and the Tolleration of them Collected out of the Writings of the most Orthodox and judicious Divines Both Presbyterians and Independents By Sa. Clarke Pastor in Bennet Fink Qui non prohibet malum cum potest facit I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jesabel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants c. Rev. 2.20 LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe for Tho. Underhill at the Blue Anchor in Pauls Church-yard 1659. To the Honourable Sir Arthur Hesilrig Knight and Baronet Sir Henry Mildmay Knight and Collonel George Thompson Esq Noble Gentlemen I Know that time is very precious with you by reason of the multipliplicity of affairs that lie upon your hands you are come to the Helm of a much shaken and almost sinking ship and the winds and waves are still boisterous there are dangerous rocks and shelves to be avoided and therefore the greater Art and Industry is required of those that are the steersmen Yet my humble request to you is that you will be pleased to spare so much time as to peruse this little Treatise It will discover to you one of the must dangerous Rocks which if not carefully shuned will certainly split our ship and endanger all the passengers that are imbarked in it You cannot but be sensible of the many Divisions and subdivisions that are amongst us and our Lord Christ hath told us in his Word of Truth That a Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand Mar. 3.24 You cannot but see what an inundation of Errors Heresies and Blasphemies is broken in upon us and truly it is as evident that Romes Emissaries are both the Fathers and Nurses of most of these Bastards and that which they now hope for and expect from you is a Boundless Tolleration of them that so they may live and prosper under the shadow of your wings But if you please to cast your eies over this book you shall see how inconsistent such a Tolleration would be with the word of God how destructive both to our Church and State How dangerous to those that grant it and pernicious to those that desire it You are Political Shepherds and will you not drive away those wolves that devour the Flock Magistrates are not only Custodes but Vindices utriusque Tabulae and should they not then take care of the Honor and Concernments of God as well as of their own Is it not their duty to take those Foxes that destroy the vines of Christ Can. 2.15 Doth not Paul tell us That they bear not the sword in vain but are the Ministers of God and Revengers to execute wrath upon them that do evil Rom. 13.4 And that Schisms and Heresies are evil The same Apostle makes it as clear when he reckons them up amongst the works of the flesh and joines them with Idolatry Witchcraft c. Gal. 5.20 I know â—hat Politicians give many Rules and Directions for uphouldingâ— and conserving Kingdoms and Common-wealths but that of Solomons is beyond all Prov. 16.12 The Throne is established by Righteousness and to take care of Religion as well as of Righteousness conduceth much to the prosperity and Peace of a Nation Very memorable is that of Asa 2 Chron. 14.2 c. He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord for he took away the Altars of the strange gods and the high places and brake down the Images aâ—d cut down the groves and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their Fathers and to do the Law and the Commandment c. and then the Kingdom was quiet before him And chap. 15.3 5. Israel had been for a long season without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law and in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vex them with all adversity The like we see Judg 5.8 They chose new gods saith Deborah then was War in their Gates It is said also of Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 17.6 10. That his heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord and that he took away the high places and groves out of Judah and then the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdomes of the Lands that were round about Judah so that they made no war against Jehosaphat I know that common exception against these Scriptures is that these are Old Testament Examples and therefore not binding or imitable under the Gospel which you shall see fully answered and refâ—ted if you please to peruse this Book Neither indeed is the New Testament any more favourable to a Tolleration of Errors Schisms and Heresies then the Old God being as jealous of his honor now as he was then and corruptions in Religion being as detestable to him now as they were then Hence it is that our Saviour Christ and his Apostles give so many Caveats to take heed of and to shun false Doctrines and Teachers of them As Mat. 7.14 Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing c. Mat. 16.6 Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Saduces Mat. 24.4 5. Take heed that no man deceive you For many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many And verse 11. Many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many So verse 23 24. and Rom. 16.17 18. I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine that ye have learned and avoid them For such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And 1 Cor. 1.10 c. how doth he reprove them for their Schisms and exhorts them to Vnity And 1 Cor. 5.7 Purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump 2 Cor. 6.14 15.16 What communion hath light with darkness What concord hath Christ with Belial c. And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols c. Gal. 1.8 9. If an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel then that which we have preached let him be accursed c. Gal. 5.12 I would they were even cut off that trouble you Phil. 3.2 Beware of Dogs beware of evil-workers beware of the concision 2 Thes 3.6 We command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye with-draw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the traditions which he received of us 2 Tim. 2 16 17. Shun prophane and vain bablings for they will increase to more ungodliness and their word will eat as doth a Canker c. 2 Tim.
Lord i.e. Christ who is to be served by us Indeed if there were many Lords as the Papists set up many Saints in heaven all which have their peculiar worship then no wonder if there were several faiths and worships But the Lord Christ is one he is not divided 1 Cor. 1.13 If Christ be not divided there should be no division in the Church Again There is one Faith i.e. One Systeme of Doctrine to be believed Though there be many particulars yet they make up one entire truth Indeed there be many called Religions and called Churches but in truth there is but one true Church Again There is one Baptism i.e. one Profession of the Doctrine of faith so the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is made an Argument of Unity 1 Cor. 10.17 The Sacraments manifest one body one Spirit why then are there so many Rents and Divisions about the Sacraments which yet are the bodies and seals of Unity and Communion Lastly There is one God and Father of all therefore we ought to be at Unity God being but one cannot be divided in himself he cannot command things to be done or believed contrary to himself upon all these considerations we should endeavour after Unity I might add that there is Unity in hell all the Devils agree against the Church If there be Unity against us shall there not be Unity amongst us Quest Quest Seeing God hath promised one heart and one way and Christ hath prayed so earnestly that they may be one John 17.21 How is it that there are so many breaches amongst the godly A. Answ 1 First Though Unity amongst the godly be so necessary yet that necessarily infers Divisions and Oppositions to the world It s no marvel therefore if the Gospel and powerful dispensing of it make Fractions and troubles in the world For the godly cannot have peace with themselves but they must be at open opposition with the world Hence Christ said That he came to send fire and a sword in the earth c. Luke 12.49 which is not from the nature of Christs Doctrine which is the Gospel of Peace but from the corrupt indisposition of the Subject as the Sun offends soar eies so then the godly and the wicked can have no unity Proverbs 29.27 Secondly Seeing there can be no Unity betwixt these therefore in the Church of God seeing there be so many that still retaine their beastly nature though they are called Christians hence it is that in the Church there are often such deadly oppositions It s no marvel though even amongst those that pretend so highly to Christ there be sad divisions for many of them are in the flesh still and savour not experimentally the things of God Act. 20.30 2 Pet. 2.1 There are false Prophets and why because they are men of corrupt minds and 1 John 2.19 They went out from us because they were not of us c. and 1 Cor. 11.19 There must be Heresies that such as are sound may be esteemed Thirdly There is a Unity in Fundamentals or Essentials and a Unity in Circumstantials or less Principals Now Gods Children though in many things they have not attained the same mind and judgement yet they all agree in those things which are necessary to salvation and this is called All truth John 16.13 and the Unction that teacheth them all things 1 John 2.20 A godly man cannot live and die in a fundamental error Fourthly Even in accessaries and less Principals their Unity shall be consummate in heaven then all the godly will lay aside all their bitterness one against another Fifthly God hath not given his Spirit in full measure to his Church in this life therefore they know but in part they love but in part now all Divisions arise from ignorance in the mind and corruption in the heart as long therefore as there be such relicts there will be Divisions Sixthly The Devil here puts forth his Power and his work is to fill the Church with Divisions and to raise up Instruments to foment the same therefore so long as the Devil dies not though some of his Incendiaries die he will still be thrusting in his cloven foot where God raiseth up any Church Quest Quest What means may be used for preventing and healing Divisions in the Church Answ Answ There are two Remedies suggested but they are both in extreams First The Popish party say that the way to prevent Division is a rigid and imperious commanding of uniformity in every punctilio so that no dissent shall be allowed to a man though humble and peaceable and earnestly desiring to finde out the truth Thus Victor Bishop of Rome made a great rent in the Church about the time of keeping Easter whom Iraeneus gravely opposed It s true the least truth of Christ is precious and we are not to deny it yet may we not violently obtrude it except the contrary be damnable Mat. 9.17 If new wine be put into old bottles the bottles will break So whilest men impose opinions and practices of lesse consequence upon a people not prepared instead of promoting unity they make factions yet this way hath much infested the Church when some have been in power they have pressed unity not so much out of love to Christ as to keep up their interest Aut subscribe aut discede was a speech of old in the Church Secondly there is another false way of unity quite contrary to this maintained by the Socinians and that is a licentious and unbounded toleration of all damnable Heresies and opinions and this Julian the Apostate promoted as the most probable way to overthrow the Christian Religion and as the former was maintained by those that had power in their hands so hath this by the oppressed party But the Scripture prescribes a middle way between these two For Rev. 2.2 6. the Angels of the Churches are commended for not tollerating nor bearing with such as taught false doctrines and such as did suffer them are reproved Rev. 2.14 15 20. and the Apostles in their Epistles do oppose false doctrines and false Teachers with as much earnestnesse as false and corrupt practices 1 Tim. 1 20. Paul delivered up to Satan Hymenaeus and Alexander for their blasphemies and false doctrines and commands Tit. 3.10 that we should reject an Heretick after the first and second admonition Whence its clear that Church-censures should be inflicted upon obstinate offenders in this kinde This unbounded tolleration the Remonstrants themselves who yet cried up a liberty of prophecying as their great Diana did condemn and professed that it was better living ubi nulla licent then ubi omnia where there was no latitude then where all things were allowed this licentiousnesse then doth not heal but encrease breaches for it gives way to mens corruptions to vent themselves Quest Quest What then are the true remedies Answ Answ As the breach of unity may be made three wayes 1. Of the true doctrine by heresie 2. Of godly order
4.14 15. Alexander the Copper-smith did me much evil c. of whom be thou ware also c. Tit. 3.10 11. An Heretick after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself 2 Pet. 3.17 Seeing ye know these things before beware lest being led aside with the Errors of the wicked you fall from your own stedfastness 2 Epist of John 10.11 If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God-speed for he that bids him God-speed is partaker of his evil deeds Rev. 2.2 The Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended for that he could not bear with them which were evil and had tried them which said they were Apostles when they were not and had found them lyars As also for that verse 6. He hated the deeds of the Nicholaitans Rev. 2.14 15. The Angel of the Church of Pergamos is reproved and threatned for suffering them that held the Doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicholaitans And verse 20. The Angel of the Church of Thyatira is reproved and threatned for permitting the woman Jesabel to teach and to seduce gods servants c. Rev. 3.15 16. The Angel of Laodicea is reproved for being luke-warm and neither hot nor cold and such are they saith arâ—verend Divine who grant a Tolleration of divers Religions whom God will spue out of his mouth Mr. Gabri Powel It were easie to bring Arguments against such a Tolleration out of the Canons of the first and best Councils and Writings of the Fathers as Tertullian Athanasius Augustine Jerom Gregory Nazianzene Ambrose Chrysostom Irenaeus Cyprian c. As also from the Laws Constitutions Decrees and Edicts of the best Christian Emperors as Constantine the great Valentinian Gratian Theodosius Maior Arcadius and Honorius Theodosius Minor Martian Justinian c. unto which might be added the Judgement of many forreign Divines that were godly learned and judicious besides our English Divines mentioned in this Book and many others that concur with them therein but that it would swell to too great a volumn and prove tedious to the Readers Let me only add this That such Rulers as improâ—e their power against such enemies of God and his Church shall besides the Euge of a good conscience which is far better then the worlds Plaudite delight themselves in the Lord and raign in the hearts and affections of all good men As they do worthily in Ephraca so they shall be famous in Bethlehem Ruth 4.11 Honourable Sirs May I not say to the same purpose to you as Mordecai did to Hester Who can tell but that God hath reserved you for such a time as this I hope you will improve all your abilities and interests for the decrying of such an intollerable Tolleration and for the countenancing and encouraging of the truth and the Assertors of it which will be your joy and the rejoycing in that great and approaching day when you must give up your account to him that is no Respecter of persons but will render unto every one according to his works My prayer for you is That ye may be blameless and harmeless the sons of God without Rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation amongst whom ye may shine as lights in the world desiring to be esteemed as I am Devouted to the service of your Faith From my Study in Thridneedle-street May 25. 1659. SA CLARK A Table Of the Questions and Cases of Conscience that are resolved in this Book Quest WHence do Discords and Divisions arise pag. 1. Quest What doth the word Schism signifie 3 Quest What is Schism ib. Quest Whence doth Schism proceed 4 Quest How many sorts of contentions are there p. 5 Quest What are the causes of contentions 6 Qu. What are the sinful effects of contentions about worldly things and how are they discovered 8 Qu. What are the effects of contentions about religious matters 9 Quest What are the aggravations of the sin of discord 10 Q. How may Schisms be divided 11 Quest What makes Divisions 13 Quest Whence else proceed Divisions 16 Quest. What are the effects of Church divisions especially in the Ministry 17 Quest What should people do when Ministers and Professors are divided 18 Quest Why is unity amongst them so necessary 19 Quest. Seeing God hath promised his people one heart and one way and Christ hath pray'd for it how comes it that there are so many breaches amongst the godly 22 Q. What means may prevent and heal divisions in the Church 24 Qu. What are the remedies of Divisions 27 Qu. What wil preserve unity in the Church and prevent Schism 32 Q. How may Divisions amongst the godly be prevented or healed 34 Qu. Why are Divisions in Church or State so dangerous 35 Qu. Why are they destructive to States Cities and Families 37 Qu. What other mischief proceeds from Church-divisions 40 Q. What sorts of discontented persons nourish our divisions 42 Qu. What may provoke us to endeavour after unity 44 Qu. What means may be used to procure unity and peace 46 Q. Whether Magistrates may meddle with mens consciences 49 Qu. How may Schisms be distinguished 50 Quest What conclusions may be laid down about separation 51 Qu. If wicked persons continue in Church-society is that not a sufficient ground of separation 52 Q. Doth not fellowship with wicked men in the Ordinances make them ineffectual ib. Obj. But a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 53 Obj. But Paul saith being many we are one bread ibid. Obj. But we cannot do the duties commanded Mat. 18.15 c. if we continue in such a Church may we not then separate 54 Qu. Should we not desire communion with the purest Churches 55 Qu. How else may Schisme be defined 56 Qu. May we not separate from a Church for corruptions in it though they be not in fundamentals 58 Qu. How may this be proved 59 Qu. How may we prevent seduction by Schismaticks 60 Qu. How doth the common enemy instil poison into the people to make foment our divisions 61 Qu. How may these be prevented 62 Qu. These are Old Testament examples and those Kings were types of Christ but now Gods people are a willing people therfore not under any Coertion 64 Q. Doth it not abridg and anul that liberty which should be indulged to the consciences of men 68 Qu. What are the best meanes to be used by Magistrates in these seducing and seduced times 71 Qu. Is not persecution for the cause of conscience against the doctrine of Christ 73 Qu. Christ commands to let the tares grow with the wheat till the harvest 75 Obj. Christ would have the blinde let alone till they fall into the ditch 76 Obj. Christ blames his Disciples that would have fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans c. ib. Obj. But the Prophets foretold that carnal weapons should cease in the times of the
by Schisme 3. Of Christian love by contentions in outward matters so there are peculiar remedies proper to each As first for matters of Doctrine these are uniting principles First so farre as there is an agreement in judgement we should close heartily and embrace one another in that It s a mercy that the difference is not in fundamentals Seeing therefore we agree in these let that unity be nourished and it will be a meanes to produce further union So Phil. 3.15 16. wherein we have attained let us walk by the same rule c. Secondly let private Christians highly esteeme and submit to those godly and faithful Pastors that God sets hath over them When men will not own those officers whom God hath set over them then these runne into by paths Ephes 4.12 13. One end of the Ministry is to keep men from being carried about as children c. the other for our spiritual edification till we all come in the unity of faith c. Thirdly get a pitiful and compassionate spirit to those that go astray Indeed we must be zealous in the things of God but it must be mixed with pity Of some have compassion making a difference Jude 22. Consider how prone we are to receive error for truth and that we stand by Gods strength this will move us to pity others Fourthly we must candidly and truly report the opinions of others that dissent from us Nothing hath made the rents in the Church greater then a malevolent perverting the opinions of others when we make them to hold such monstruous things as with all their hearts they do detest How oft was Christ and his Apostles traduced for preaching such things as they never taught which proceeded from the malice of those who laboured to make them odious and to bring them into danger Thus the Papists represent the Protestants as if they were the greatest Hereticks that ever were The end of such is not to bring dissenters to the knowledge of the truth but to disgrace and defame them therefore it s necessary in all disputations to state the controversie aright without which men may write volumes and bring multititude of arguments and all to no purpose To know therefore the true and proper distance is the best and only way at last to unity Fifthly we must not impose such conclusions and inferences upon the Doctrines maintained by Dessenters that are not the proper and genuine effects thereof To cast that upon them for their Doctrine which is but our owne inference is not fair especially when they do with their soul abhor such conclusions Because the Apostle had taught where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more some wicked persons forced this consequence upon the Apostles doctrine Let us sinne that grace may abound Rom. 6.1 Thus the Papists charge this hideous calumny consequence upon the Doctrine of the Protestants that God is the Author of sinne whereas we use but the words and expressions of the Scripture Indeed what is the evident and plaine consequence of a doctrine that is to be accounted of as the doctrine it self As whatsoever is a clear genuine consequence from Scripture is Scripture but not every consequence that we are apt to deduce Sixthly whatsoever truth God may make known to us or if in our perswasion only we are to be very careful how we publish it This hath always kindled great fires in the Church of God when men have either or in perswasion only some doctrine different from the current way of the Church at that time Now it s a very hard thing thus to be with child as it were and not to be in pain till we have delivered it to the world But such qualifications as these are necessary 1. We should in such cases question and examine our own spirits and not presently believe our own hearts we should have modest doubtings of our own ignorance and pronenesse to erre in every thing that we are so confident of So we see in Paul 1 Cor. 7.12 25 26 40. Wheresoever the Spirit of God leads into all truth there he doth likewise into all humilitie 2. Before we publish it to the world we should communicate it to some able wise and learned persons in the Church of God who have the Spirit of God and his unction as well as we Paul though immediately called by Christ yet went up to Jerusalem to confer with the chief pillars there and though he was miraculously converted yet he must go to Ananias to be further directed So 1 Cor. 14.29 32. those that had extraordinary gifts yet were to submit to the judgements of others Seventhly we must highly prize and delight in the known and plain truths of Christ Paul even after he had been wrapt up into heaven desired to know nothing but Christ crucified Peter thought it not inconvenient to write the same things they knew already Nothing hath caused greater rents in the Church then an affectation of singular and high things To bring in some unheard and unknowne truths It shews great pride when men affect to be accounted the authors of such new notions as the Jesuite of his scientia media Ego primus inveni But to be weary of known truths is to be weary of the same God and the same Christ Quest Quest What will keep up unity in the Churches order and prevent Schism there Answ Answ 1 First if such be the corruptions of the Church that thou canst not keep fellowship with her but by partaking of her sinnes yet before thou leavest her be sure to take the way which Scripture commands Let it not be for some lesser corruptions but for such as eat up the very vitals of Religion Leave not a Church till God leaves it Unchurch it not till God doth Secondly let it be thy endeavour before thou departest in thy place to informe and heale her Plead with thy mother as Hosea 2.2 and if thou must needs depart yet do it unwillingly being compelled to it by the enemies of all godlinesse who will not suffer thee under their power When those in Israel that would not worship the Calves departed from Jeroboam and went to Jerusalem to worship they did not make the Schisme but Jeroboam 2 Chron. 11.13 14 15. the Papists call us Schismaticks because we with-drew from obedience to the Pope as head of the Church but ours was a secession from their errours not a Schisme they are the Schismaticks who fell from the primitive order and the institutions in the Church so that the Pope is the greatest Schismatick that ever was in the Church and drove us from his Church by fire and fagot Thirdly Though there be many corruptions in Government and Administrations yet we are not to make sinfull Rents For these as St. Austin saith do Plus perturbare infirmos bonos quam corrigere animosos malos Only these two things we have to do 1. As our Calling and Relation is so to oppose and reprove the
against dangers threatened from a common enemie Fourthly they should secure and set bounds about fundamental doctrines for which end they should take care and promote the dutie of Catechising Fifthly they should provide that Ministers may be known to be Orthodox in the great and weighty Controversies between us and the Hereticks of our times that woâ—ves may not privily creep in under sheeps cloathing Sixthly they should hinder the printing and spreading of dangerous and infectious books either from Ports or Presses and all other ways of diffusing leaven into the people Dr. Reynolds Peace of Jerusalem A certain friend having sent to Mr. Cotton of Boston in New England sundry Arguments against persecution for cause of conscience Mr. Cotton returned him this answer Quest Quest Your question saith he which you put is whether persecution for cause of conscience be not against the Doctrine of Christ who is King of Kings Answ Answ By persecution for cause of conscience I conceive you mean either for professing some point of doctrine which you believe in conscience to be truth or for practising some work which in conscience you believe to be a religious duty Now in points of Doctrine some are fundamental without a right beliefe whereof a man cannot be saved others are circumstantial and less principal wherein men may differ in judgement without endangering their salvation So in points of practice some concern the weightier duties of the Law so as if it be right fellowship with God is held If corrupt fellowship with him is lost Again in points of doctrine or worship less principal they are either held forth in a meek and peaceable way or in so arrogant and violent a way as tendeth to the disturbance of civill peace Lastly when we are persecuted for conscience sake it s either for conscience rightly informed or for an erronious and blinde conscience These things premised the answer is laid down in these conclusions First it s not lawful to persecute any for conscience-sake rightly informed for then Christ himself is persecuted in them Act. 9.4 Why persecutest thou me Secondly for an erroneous and blind conscience even in fundamentals it s not lawful to persecute any till after once or twice admonition Tit. 3.10 where the Apostle gives the direction and the reason viz. because in fundamental points of Doctrine and Worship the Word of God is so clear that he cannot but be convinced in conscience of the dangerous error of his way after one or two admonitions wisely and faithfully dispensed and then if he persist it s not out of conscience but against his conscience as ver 11. He is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself If then such a man be punished he is not persecuted for his conscience but justly punished for sinning against his conscience Thirdly in things of lesser moment whether in doctrine or worship if they be held forth in a spirit of meeknesse and love he is not to be persecuted but tollerated till God shall please to manifest his truth unto him Phil. 3.17 Rom. 14.1 2 3 4. Fourthly but if a man hold forth any error or false way with a boisterous and proud spirit to the disturbance of civil peace he may be justly punished according to the quality of the disturbance made by him Obj. Object But Christ commands to let the tares and wheat grow together till the harvest Mat. 13.30 c. Answ Answ Tares are not Briars and Thornes but partly hypocrites like unto the godâ—y as tares are like the wheat or partly such corrupt doctrine or practises as are indeed insound but yet such as come nere the truth and so neere as good men may be taken with them and so the persons in whom they grow cannot be rooted out but the good will be rooted up with them and in such a case Christ calls for a tolleration not for a penal prosecution Obj. Object But Christ Mat. 15.14 would have the blinde let alone till they fall into the ditch therefore he would have their punishment deferred till their final destruction Answ Answ Christ speaks not there to publick Officers whether in Church or State but to his private Disciples concerning the Pharisees over whom they had no power But this makes nothing to the matter in hand Obj. Object But Luk. 19.54 Christ blames his Disciples who would have fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans who refused to receive him Answ Answ This directs Ministers of the Gospel how to deal not with obstinate offenders who sinne within the Church against conscience but either with men without as the Samaritans were and many unconverted Christians in Creet whose conversion Titus was to seek or at best with some Jews and Gentiles within the Church who though carnal yet were not convinced of the errour of their way and so indeed it became not the spirit of the Gospel to convert aliens to the faith of Christ by fire and brimstome nor to deal harshly in their Ministry or private conference with all contrary minded men as either had not entred into Church fellowship or if they had did yet hitherto sin of ignorance not against conscience But neither of these do hinder Ministers from proceeding in a Church-way against Church-members when they become scandalous either in life or doctrine much lesse do they speak at all to the civil Magistrates Obj. Object But the Prophets foretold that carnal weapons should cease in the dayes of the Gospell as Isa 2.4 and 11.9 Micha 4.3 4. and Paul saith our weapons are not carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 and Christ bids his disciples not to persecute but to pray for their persecutors because they who are now persecutors may be converted Answ Answ The Prophets predictions do shew First with what kind of weapons God would subdue the Nations not by fire sword but by the power of the word and spirit 2. They shew what a meek and peaceable temper true Converts would be of not Lions Leopards c. not biters one of another but this forbids not to drive ravenous wolves from the sheepfold and to restraine them from devouring Christs sheep and when Paul saith our weapons are not carnal he â—enies not weapons of justice to the Civil Magistrate but onely to Church-Officers and yet he allows them such weapons as are ready to take vengeance on all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 which refers to the censures of the Church against scandalous Offenders 3. When Christ commands his Disciples to bless them that cursed and persecuted them he gives not a rule to publick Officers either in Church or State to suffer gross sinners either in life or doctrine to passe unpunished but teaches private Christians to suffer persecution patiently and to pray for their persecutors 4. Christ indeed would have his Disciples far from persecuting for that is a sinful oppression of men but this hinders not but that he would have them execute upon all disobedience the vengeance required in the word 2 Cor. 10.6
much multiplied Sects amongst them that for this one thing they have beene infamous in the Christian world as men preferring Policy before Piety the godly amongst them have been more grieved with this scandalous sin then with any other and those of them that are wise do see their State in greater civil danger by this peice of impious policy and from it apprehend greater hazards of commotion and ruine to their State then from any other ground However the connivance there at Sects and the multiplication of Sects by connivance is no wayes comparable to what is amongst us at this day Mr. Bailies Parl. Serm. July 30. 1645. Quest Quest How will it appeare that Schisms Heresies and Errors are so dangerous Answ Answ 1 First because error destroys the truth 2 Tim. 3.8 as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth c. 2 Tim. 2.18 Hymeneus and Philetus concerning the truth have erred c. Jer. 23.30 the false prophets stole away the Word of God every one from his neighbour 2 Cor. 4.2 False Teachers adulterate the word of God As in nature darknesse destroys light and sickness removes health so errours destroy and remove the truth Hillarius observes that the Arians made various confessions of Faith that they might have none This is a sore mischief which our Church for the present labours under there is scarce any one truth which by one opinion or other is not directly opposed or indirectly undermined Vincentius Lirinensis observes that when any branch of Divine truth is by any rejected presently another and another and after that another and another will be rejected till at last none at all will be left remaining So we see in the Church of Rome whose errors at first were little in comparison and almost insensible but by degrees she became the Mistris and mother of all abominations and a sink and sea of Heresies the Anabaptists who at first erred but in one particular proceeded some of them in other parts to fourty eight more many of them dangerous and racing the foundation Hence the ancients counted the least alterations in matters of faith to be the extreamest blasphemy and ungodlinesse and were willing to undergo all kindes of death rather then to desert one syllable of the truth the least errour entertained prepares a way for greater and disposeth the heart to reject all truth as the pulling of one stone out of an Arch disposeth the whole to ruine Secondly the Apostle speaks expresly that errors overthrow the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18 Athanatius observes in his time that new opinions made believers infidels and infidels more adverse to the faith We see it by woful experience amongst our selves that multitudes being unsettled by unsound doctrine have changed their faith either into Sceptichisme to doubt of every thing or into Atheisme to believe nothing Thirdly heresies and errors eat up peace the Legacy of Christ and love the bond of perfection they overthrow the peace of the Church they disturb the peace of the Common-wealth Hence come envy strife reviling evil surmisings c. and where these are what peace can there be Act. 15.2 24. when that false Doctrine was broached at Antioch there was no small dissention and disputation c. the like befell the Churches of Galatia Gal. 5.2 c. and it s confirmed by the Holland Arminians the New England Familists besides our own woful experience Judg. 5.8 when they served strange Gods then was warre in their gates and 2 Chron. 15.5 6. Nation was destroyed of Nation City of City c. and its righteous with God that they which will not maintain peace with heaven shall have trouble upon earth Obj. Object But a Tolleration of all Religions would be a meanes to cure all Dissentions c Answ 1. Answ 1 Would they that so hotly plead for a tolleration if they had power in their hands grant it unto others The Arians at first seemed as earnest enemies to persecution as these men but when they had authority on their side they raised a more cruel persecution against the Orthodox then any of the Heathen Emperors did against the Christians as may be seen in my General Martyrology and Athanasius describes at large the more then beastly cruelty that was used by them against all sexes and ages both living and dead and concludes that he had said lesse then their inhumanity deferved because it exceeded all expressions The Donatists did ordinarily plead for tolleration and seemed implacable enemies to all disturbances for conscience-sake yet when under Julian the Apostate they had gotten power who can declare saith St. Austin what havock they made of the Orthodox All Africa was filled with blood and desolation by them men were rent mattons defiled infants slaughtered women with childe miscarried none were secure in their houses the ways were unsafe for travellers and the letters of them that boasted to be the captaines of the Saints were terrible to all 2. Would such a tolleration establish peace in the Common-wealth hath it ever done it Indeed the equality of powers may possibly for a while perswade each party to suppress their discontents but can tolleration prevent but that upon sensible advantages they will break out Let the experience of former and later times determine this What peace was theâ—e in the Roman Empire upon the tolleration of the Donatists Optatus and Austin tell us that all places were filled with confusion the Circumcellions or furious Sectaries not waiting for a Law to authorize them set the world on fire so that Macarius and others with the forces of the Empire were scarce sufficient to quench the burning was it not so in Germany in France in Irâ—land will a tolleration satisfie Hereticks if they have power in their hand Error may tollerate error but can darknesse agree with light or wolves with sheep Fourthly Heresies and Schismes eat up the power of godliness 2 Tim. 2.16 they will encrease to more ungodlinesse 2 Pet. 2.2 c. Jude 8. where you have the Hereticks of those times described and Paul tells us Rom. 16.18 that they that cause divisions cause scandals and serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies A good conscience and true faith like Hippocrates twins live and die together Epiphanius observes concerning the Gnosticks of old that having corrupted the judgements of their Proselites they drew them into fornication uncleanness and such like abominations c. Quest Quest Whence comes this to pass Answ Answ 1 1. Because that time which should be imployed in the examination of conscience is laid out in the examination of opinions they employ all their care about notions of the brain which should have been exercised for the bettering of their hearts As in children that have the Rickets their heads grow bigg but their bodies crooked their chests narrow and their inferior parts pine away So erroneous persons for errors are the Rickets of children in understanding may perhaps
ungrounded in the principles of Religion become an easie prey to Seducers being like Children c. Eph. 4.14 The sin 〈◊〉 believe every word Prov. 4.15 Sitty women are led captive that are ever learning but come not to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 Seducers are furnished with subtilty to deceive and people prepared through simplicity to be deceived 2. Through Curiosity men are not content with sound Doctrine and old Truths but Athenian-like spend their time to tell and hear some new thing Act. 17.21 They have itching ears and therefore heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts c. 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Fourthly It may be ascribed to Gods Providence justly permiting it to be so And that 1. As a Punishment for Luke-warmness and want of love to the truth when the light is undervalued darkness is sent in stead thereof The Gentiles that held the truth in unrighteousness and delighted not to have God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate sense Rom. 1.28 They became fooles their foolish hearts were darkened Ahab hated Michaiah for speaking the truth and therefore a lying spirit was sent into his Prophets to seduce him to his destruction 2 Kin. 22. So Mich. 2.7 12. Prophesie not say they They shall not prophesie saith the Lord but if a man walk in the Spirit and lie he shall be a Prophet to this people 2. As a trial of those that are sound 1 Cor. 11.19 There must be Heresies amongst you that the approved may be made manifest If they had been of us they would have continued with us The house founded on the rock falls not The rising of Heresie is a great trial Deut. 13.1 2. c. The Lord your God trieth you saith Moses and the prevailing of Heresie is a greater It s hard to swim against the stream If Peter dissemble Barnabas is carried away with it Quest Quest How then may we prevent being ensnared by them Answ First Answ 1 Cleave to your own Ministry if godly and wait upon those whom God hath set over you God gives us pastors for this end that we should be no longer Children in knowledge tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine Eph. 4.14 God will bless and make effectual his own Ordinance Why should we wander abroad to seek when we have food at home Why should we withdraw our selves seeing the mothers milk is most natural for the Infant The sheep that wanders is in most danger of the wolfe Change of diet is not wholesome for the body much less for the soul Another man may have more gifts then thy Pastor but he hath not more love to nor care of thy soul then he that must give an account of it Children that oft change their Masters seldom prove good Scholers nor they solid and understanding Christians that oft change their Ministers How doth this suit with the Apostles Precept Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you c. Secondly Try all things believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God or no for many false Prophets are come into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 1 Thes 5.17 Shall I saith Athanasius believe unreasonably Shall I not search what is possible or profitable or comely or pleasing to God agreeable to nature and consonant to the truth c. But many will not take the pains to do it we say they hear such as are honest and godly c. but will you not tell money after them and weigh gold after them And will you take their Doctrine upon trust without trial Others pretend want of skill they cannot do it But the most silly Creature from the instinct of nature knows wholesome food from unwholsome and art thou a man a Christian a Professor and canst thou not distinguish between light and darkness To what purpose serves the anointing that we have of God 1 John 2.27 but to inform and teach us about those that would seduce us wariness is required in nothing so much as in matters of Religion the rather because some errors are so like the truth that they can hardly be distinguished bring them therefore to the touch-stone of the Scripture and errors will be known from truth Thirdly Avoid the personal Converse with and the congregational meetings of corrupt and heretical persons In times of infection we not only use Antidotes but shun infected persons and places Hence Rom. 16.17 I beseech you Brethren mark those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine that you have received and avoid them and 2 John 10 Bid not such God speed c. St. John would not be in the bath with Cerinthus the Heretick Polycarp abhored conference with Martian as the first born of the devil Antonius detested communion with all such as had corrupted the faith and divided the Church Can a man touch pitch and not be defiled May not Satan seise upon thee finding thee amongst his own as he did upon that woman in the Theatre He that would not be drawn away by the workers of iniquity must hate the congregation of evil doers Psalm 26.4 Mr. Cranfords Mischief of Heresies Quest Quest Seeing the Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended for that he could not bear with them which were evil Rev 2.2 who are those evil ones that must not be born Answ Answ We must distinguish of evill men First Some are private and close offenders others are publick and scandalous Secondly Some are weak and scrupulous others are obstinate and pertinacious Thirdly Some are evil-doers and evil practisers only others are evil Promoters and evil Plotters Fourthly Some are seduced and misled others are Seducers and Leaders into mischeif Fifthly Some are curable and willing to be reformed others are incurable and hate to be reformed Now such as are publick and scandalous such as are obstinate and pertinacious such as are evil-plotters and evil-promoters such as are Seducers and Misleaders such as are incurable and hate to be reformed these and such like ought not to be born As for the others which are private offenders weak and scrupulous or seduced they being willing to be reformed in some cases I say in some cases Justice may bear with them Quest Quest What doth not bearing with them import Answ First Not to bear Answ 1 is not to like or consent to them Secondly Not to countenance or uphold them Thirdly Not to allow or grant them a toleration Fourthly Not to hide or conceal them Fifthly Not to pity or compassionate them Affirmatively Not to bear is 1. To admonish and reprove them 2. To oppose and resist them 3. To censure and punish them 4. To remove and cast them out 5. In some cases to destroy and cut them off either by the sword of the Law or by the Law of the sword Thus we have it in the case of Enticers to Idolatry Deut. 13. If thy brother c. entice thee secretly saying Let us go
as can be proved to be Hereticall and Blasphemous Fourthly A setting up of Church Discipline in its full power that so it may reach these Heresies and Blasphemies Were this done you should not have an Heresie or Blasphemie shew its head but there would be a timely discovery of it and a spirituall remedy to recover erring persons to prevent their further growth Fifthly An encouraging and heartning the godly Orthodox and painfull Ministers of the Gospell in their assertings and vindicating the truths of Christ and in their oppugning of wicked dangerous and damnable opinions Not suffering them to be abused for opposing the adversaries of the truth Why should the shepherd be discouraged because he keeps off Wolves from the sheep Sixthly Using their Authority in a timely causing to be sent forth more faithfull and able Ministers such as are thorowly tried approved to be sound in the faith and skilful to convince gainsayers and seducers Seventhly Using their Coercive power with such Methods and proportions as the reall safety of truth and soules doth require and the repression of dangerous errors doth need Not under the pretence of sanctity to favour the growth of Heresie Quest Quest What must private Christians doe to prevent infection in these times Answ First be not light Answ 1 or proud Christians Errors are most apt to breed in a proud braine and a gracelesse heart Proud and Blasphemers are joined together 2 Tim. 3.2 It s the proud man that consents not to the wholesome words of Christ but dotes about questions 1 Tim. 6.3 4. Secondly Be not loose Christians If ungodliness be in the heart error will easily get into the head A loose heart can best comply with loose principles Thirdly Be not weak Christians He whose faith is implicit and leaning on man doth often trust out his Judgement and soul The weaker light you have of truth the more easily may you be cheated with error instead of truth Fourthly Be not low Christians A wordly heart is a very low heart It will be bought and sold upon every turn to serve its own turn If thou beest the servant of truth for gain thou wilt be a slave to error for more gain Fifthly Be not rotten and hypocritical Christians Such are given up to believe lyes who receive not the truth in the love of it It s just with God that such should fall into real error whose hearts did never love real truth The deceitfull heart proves at lenth a deceived heart Sixthly Be not tottering and unstable Christians Halt not between two opinions He whose mind is but indifferent about a truth is more then half on his way to Error Seventhly Be not venturous and soul-tempting Christians Julian sipt in his Apostacy by going to hear Libanius Satan is ready enough to tempt you be not forward to tempt him Eve lost all by hearing one Sermon from the mouth of the Serpent That man that will expose himself to hear new truths doth oft come back with old Errors newly dressed Mr. Obad. Sedgwick's Parl. Sermon Jan. 27. 1646. Dr. Amias in his Cases of Conscience propounds these Questions Quest Quest Whether are Anabaptists to be accounted Hereticks Answ Answ They are not properly to be accounted Hereticks which only deny Infant-Baptism yet is this such an Error as is not to be tollerated in the Church But those of them which deny original sin and the humane nature of Christ born of the blessed Virgin c. are Hereticks Quest Quest Whether are the Arminians Hereticks Answ Answ The opinions of the Arminians as they are received and held by the common people are not properly Heresies though they are grievous Errors tending to Heresie but as they are defended by some of them so they are the Pelagian Heresie because they deny the efficacious operation of internal grace to be necessary to Conversion and begeting faith in us Quest Quest Whether are the Lutherans Hereticks Answ Answ Such amongst them as pertinaciously hold the Ubiquity of Christs humane nature cannot be excused from Heresie because that opinion doth directly overthrow the humane nature of Christ But because many amongst them do disown that opinion and others of them defend it rather in the heat of contention then because they believe it to be so therefore they are rather to be accused for stupidity or madness or Schism then for Heresie Quest Quest Whether are Hereticks to be punished by the civil Magistrate Answ Answ 1 First It s an undoubted truth that Hereticks are to be suppressed by all godly persons according to their calling and that power which they have received from God and the reason is because all the godly are called to the Christian War-fare that in their several stations they should oppose themselves to the kingdom of Darkness Secondly The place and office of a Magistrate is that he should as there is need suppress all wicked disturbers of the peace of Church or State by his Authority and the sword which he bears not in vain Rom. 13.4 1 Tim. 2..2 Thirdly Hereticks therefore that are manifest and publick disturbers of the peace ought to be restrained by the publick Authority of the Magistrate Fourthly Such of them as proceed to Blasphemy and are pertinacious and obstinate therein may be cut off by death according to that Law Lev. 24.15 16. He that curseth his God or he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death c. For though this doth not bind Christians as it was a Law given to the Jews yet as it was the Command of God himself it serves for direction to Christians what to do in the like cases When therefore the glory of God and the Well-fare of the Church do require that such exemplary punishments should be inflicted the Magistrates may ye ought to make use of this when other means will not prevail to amend them Amesii Cas Consc l. 4. c. 4. Quest Quest Why are Hereticks and false Teachers called the tail Isa 9.15 Answ Answ 1 First For baseness and contempt Let them pride themselves never so much in their wit learning and others admiration of them yet God accounts them base Secondly For their base flattery and playing the Parasites fawning on Princes and Patrons as dogs do on their Masters for a bone or crust Thirdly For their inconstancy as Dogs move their tails easily every way so they in their Doctrine and Conversation are here and there and buzzing every where for advantage Fourthly Especially for their poysonfull and hurtfull disposition and effects For as Serpents hide their venom in their tails by which they do much hurt and mischief so false-false-Teachers by their Eloquence Sophistry and base shifts hide the poison of their false Doctrines whereby they infect and corrupt the Church of God Hence false-Doctrine is compared to Cokatrice eggs Isa 59.5 which if eaten cause present death Such Doctrines are pernicious Authoribus to the inventers of them and Auditoribus to the hearers and