in Muncer that thus mocked or it more justly befell the miserable people thus to be mocked the reader may consider Paraeus laments whilest he reports of a Papist glorying over his countrey-men that if the Pope should so Command the Germans under pretence of the redemption of their souls they would eat hay grass like Cattel wo be to Ahab when both God the lying prophets and himself conspirer spectively the same deception unto his destruction Though the being of heresies be a great evill yet heresies must be as serving the counsell of God unto divine uses In respect of the world in respect of the professors of the truth both hypocriticall sincere In respect of the world Ma. 18.7 woe be to the world because of offences Open enemies of the trueth rejoyce in them harden their hearts in impenitence by them whereby these vessels of wrath fill up their measure and fit themselves for their just greater condemnation Concerning hypocriticall professors God hereby discovers them They went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1. John 2.19 God in his own season many times detects unsound professors Church members in this life to shew that whatever name they had in the Churches which they lived in yet they were never unseen to his alseeing eye 2. To make others afraid how they approach to his holy things in hypocrisy Acts. 5.14 3. To prevent others being deceived by them When the state of the republick is quiet all the members seem to be wel-affected like minded to the state but as soon as Absaloms trumpet sounds there quickly followeth a visible separation in Jsrael Now David knoweth whose hearts are indeed with him whose not During the churches peace all the members seem orthodox but if a strangers voice be heard then the lovers of sound doctrine itching ears fall into parties follow not the same Teacher As concerning sincere professors of the trueth Teachers of false doctrine are unto them as so many tempters or tryars For the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul Deut. 13.3 Temptations of an high nature trying to the utmost if it were possible as we said before to deceive the very Elect. Tryalls greater then those of persecution exile spoyling of goods c Witness the sad apostacy of too many in this present assault of hetrodoxie who quitted themselves with reputation before men in the fore-named sufferings The same temptation managed under the notion of a Prophet and as the word of God prevailed which proposed by King Jeroboam with the proffer of half his house super-added was rejected 1 King 13.19 8. Yet the demonstration of their love to the Trueth is sweeter then the probation therof is bitter Furthermore false Prophets do not only prove our sincerity between God and our selves but also 1 Cor 11.18 occasionally make it known unto others For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you The manifestation of their zeal for the Trueth was evangellically provoked by the antiperistasis or opposition of error Error heresie by accident conduce much unto the furtherance of the trueth Opposition occasions light Light proceeds unto confession of the trueth Confession is a divine meanes of conquest Opposition begets disputation that removes objections and clears the trueth Every article of religion triumphs upon a just inquisition Nothing prejudiceth verity more then the hiding and smothering of it by falsehood sophistry The sight of the trueth is the confusion of the adversary Trueth cleared after us questioning becometh out of question Nothing more approved then that which is approved upon tryal The invading of that great and mysterious trueth by Aâ—titrinitarians ended in the establishment of the doctrine of the Trinity The faith concerning the Person of Christ was advantaged by its conflict with Arrianism The doctrine of free grace hath been triumphantly confirmed by its contests with Arminianism The point of Church-governmenâ— much more understood by reason of its man fold controversies with Antagonists The light thus vindicated and illustrated by polemical labours cannot be hid but by the open profession of the assertors shâ—neth forth unto the world Witness the Apostle's Creed so called with other ecclesiastical Creeds whether proper viz such as were set forth by single persons or particular viz such as were set forth by this or that Church or general viz such as were published by general Councils namely the Nicene Ephesine and Chalcedon penned partly for the better exposition of the Apostle's and partly that men might the better know how to avoid the heresies of those dayes Witness the acts of orthodox Councels down all along since these ancient times Witness the Harmony of confessions of the reformed churches throughout the chief protestant states in the Century last foregoing concerning which Century as it cannot be denyed that no one for many hundred yeares together so abounded with errors so must it also be acknowledged that no one throughout so long a tract of time abounded more with confessions of the trueth and all those worthy labours performed with a spirit as zealous for Preface to the Harm as the enemy was malignant against the faith Let them therefore saith the godly prefacer leave off in mocking to terme us confeâ—sionâ—sts unless perhaps they look for this answer at our hands that it is a farr more excellent thing to bear the name of confessing the Faith then of denying the Trueth Very notable memorable is Christs improvement of the various and erroneous conceptions of man concerning him unto a distinct and famous confession of him Mat. 16 13.-16 As also of that opprobrious apostacy of many of his disciples unto a most confident profession of him John 6.66 -69. Thus through the mysterious administrations of God even apostacy it selfe from the trueth occasions a victorious testimony unto the trueth Victorious both in respect of the Confessors Confessions and they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony Rev. 12.11 The Confessor dyeth the Confession liveth The Conflict of the Confessors ceaseth but the Testimony of the Confessors yet speaketh and conquering goeth on to conquer Though Dionysius seeing the darkness which was upon the face of the earth at the passion of Christ feared a dissolution of the universe yet Faith seeth that it is but an Eclipse The Sun of Righteousness will shortly shine again Whilest you look upon the efficacy of error with the eye of Reason its motion seemes to proceed according to Satan's will but whilest you look upon it in the Scripture you shall find its motions ordered exactly by and subservient unto Gods will If you look upon the hour power of darkness as a man it represents it self as the apparition of Satan loose but if you look upon it as a believer you
destruction of a nation Mat 24.5 For many shall come in my name saying I am Christ False teachers shall come and lest any should think their comming notwithstanding happily they shall not prevail it is added and shall deceive many Again verse 11. Many false prophets shall arise Forget not again what followeth and shall deceive many So verse 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes wonders in so much that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. Hereunto if with some learned interpreters we understand by the end mentioned Mat 24. that famous period destruction of the Nation of the Jewes we may not unaptly annex that of the Apostle 1 John 2.18 in the judgment of some as attesting unto Mat 24.3 6 33 34 Namely that these grand-deceivers were fore-runners of the then ensuing misery of that nation Little children it is the last time as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time The summ is that the doctrines of Devils audaciously disseminated by numerous false teachers pretending themselves to be immediately sent of God are SIGNAL or are signes of evill times in four respects i. e. They signifie four things 1. Greater light then Ordinary foregoing 2. The non-reception of that light by many in the love of it 3. The Judicial giving up of many non-recivers of the Trueth in the love of it to believe their lyes 4. Sometimes at least also a National Calamity impending when the prementioned iniquities are in Conjunction with other crying sinns without Repentance Sinning against the Gospel is very sinfull The Gospel is a constitution or effect tempered of the Grace of God and the blood of Christ ingredients neither of which are to be found in the Law So much as the Gospel excelleth the Law so much is sinning against the Gospel aggravated compared with sinning against the Law Sinning against the Gospel is yet heightned by circumstances that it is given to us after the transgression of the Law Given to some transgressors and not unto others Of them to whom it is given dispensed with greater light to some then to others What Nation gloryed in these priviledges above our own our selves being witnesses From the kind of sinning If the non-reception of the trueth in the love of it exposeth unto this vindictive deception according to what dreadfull degree shall they be counted obnoxious who persevere in scandals under the light Count it pleasure to riot in the day time yea fear not to commit that abomination in Israel of turning the grace of God into wantonness From the doctrine of free grace drawing a licence to sin to take their fill of lust and that without the guilt of sin without the conscience of sin yea with a pretended conscience of obedience In a word to feast the old man unto the highest with the blood of Jesus and compleat the mystery of iniquity by the mystery of the Gospel As the non-reception of the trueth of the Gospel is a fearfull sin so the fruit thereof is a fearfull evill Their unbelief is fearfull their belief is fearfull Vnbelief of the trueth is iniquity Belief of a ly is both iniquity folly The trueth they unbelieve is a trueth of the greatest wisdom The ly which they believe is an object of the greatest vanity To believe the trueth is a great mercy 1 Cor. 7.25 At one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull To believe a destructively is a great judgment 2 Thes 2.11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a ly that they all might be damned who believed not the truth Not to believe Christ is to make him an Impostor remarkable is divine justice that the issue of such unbelief should be the believing of Impostors So legible is divine justice in that they who forsake the way of salvation should choose the way of damnation that the folly of that wisdom may be manifest whose wisdom is to disacknowledg the Wisdom of God and that the glory of that wisdom may be ever adored the contempt wherof delivereth the contemners unto such finall folly These lying Spirits with other like Pests howsoever inconsiderable despicable looked at as in themselves yet if looked at as messengers of Divine wrath witnesses of guilt and impenitence instruments of penalty and commissionated to do effectual execution they are now represented under a formidable aspect and become objects of great terrour God can plague Egypt with lice and make locusts wormes grashoppers a matter of horror unto Judah though there remained but wounded men amongst the Caldeans yet should they rise up every man in his tent burne this Citty with fire Alas t is sin that armes justice and disarmes the sinner When there is a concurrence of delinquency and authority the meanness of the executioner aggravates not extenuates the anguish of the malefactor What more formidable then a penall and vindictive-permission of a delusion-destructive Upon Gods willing the permission of sin sin falleth out infallibly Upon this antecedent Adam when all mankind was conteined in that one man yet in innocency is deceived sinneth away not only the Image of God from his posterity but also sinneth mankind into the guilt of eternal death The woman which thou gavest to be with me gave mee of the tree and I did eat Upon a permission penal-corrective Peter falleth as shamefully before the temptation of a poor maid as he engaged confidently No merveil then if upon a permission penal-vindictive foregoing we read and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him i. e. the Beast whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And that Christ warneth us of the perill thereof as such which threatens to deceive if it were possible the very Elect. The strength of false prophecy lay not in the argument of the speaker but in the affection of the hearer My people love to have it so Jer. 5.32 The conjunction of a Judicial dispensation with a pleasing error an itching ear presents a sufficient reason why men otherwise rational are intoxicated with doctrines most irreligious irrational Why the success of false teachers at times hath been such as hath exceeded their own expectation Hence was the ground of that old saying of the Monk insulting over the peoples credulity Si mundus vult decipi decipiatur If the world will be deceived let it be deceived When the Duke of Saxony affected with Muncer's crying out under the severity of his tortures said unto him truely Muncer you indure at present but think also upon the ruine of so many poor people which at this day by occasion of your seduction are slain He answered after a laughing manner they would so have it Whether it were more wickedly done
horrid aspect then all the forenamed put together as arguing some signal inlargement of the power of darkness as being in a high degree diabolical prodigious portentous Heretical doctrine is not only a sin but profession of a doctrine which is both all sin a way of sin The speaking of lies against the Lord and his trueth destructive to the soules of men and all this in the name of the Lord. Heretical doctrine consists in the blaspheming of the trueth as it is in Jesus as a ly and publishing of a ly in the place thereof The first born of Satan not a little aggravated in respect of its propagation by apostates viz. those tongues which formerly bare testimony to the trueth now bent against it and for opposite errours Thine own nation the chief Priests have delivered thee unto mee what hast thou done If the people of God did well upon the hearing though of but single blasphemie to manifest deep detestation thereof by the rending of their cloathes should wee at the publishing of such a compiled Systeme frame of heresie which containeth many blasphemies befound insensible would not their pious zeale rise up in judgement against us It is from the Spirit of trueth to open our eyes to discern the Spirit of errour The remedie or Scriptural-prescript to be applied in times of heretical pestilence consists of some dueties common to all persons and orders Some proper to families Churches the Christian Magistrate The Dutyes common to all are 1. To sanctify God in respect of his present providence looke not upon these emissaries of Satan as casuall or despicable but as commissionated executioners of Gods coercive vindictive displeasure for our abuse of the Gospel without repentance of which before Chap. 2. 2. To justify God in the humble confession of our sin acknowledgment of this his righteous tremendous dispensation 3. Repentance 4. A speedie and effectuall endeavour to stablish our hearts in the trueth That wee henceforth be no more children tossed to fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine Ephe. 4.14 For when for the time yee ought to be teachers c Heb. 5.12 Hold fast that which is good 1. Thess 5.21 2. Tim. 1.13 Tit. 1.9 Rev. 2.13.25 3.3 11. Distingwish between questions of docility or teachablenes tending to cofirme us in the truth and questions of scepticisme tending to hold the mind in an irresolution concerning the trueth Affectation of uncertaintie in matters of religion is against religion Certainty is of the nature of faith Doubting Faith are opposite To reduce trueth unto the hazzard and promote errour unto the hope of a question is to render errour trueth of equall credit An anti-religious levelisme leading unto Atheisme and if the triall be before corrupt reason as the judge it is a notable stratageme to represent trueth for errour errour for trueth The serpents art in managing the first temptation was by way of question Yea hath God said Gen 3.1 Vncertainty between two Opinions was the cause of Israels halting Advantagious indeed unto Baal's followers but an evill unsufferable unto the holy spirit of Elijah zealous that the people of God should walk upright No marveil the state was distracted whilest religion was unsetled So farr as the way whereby we should serve God is a question it is out of question we cannot serve God Scopticism in all points of faith is deservedly abhorred See Kecker Gymnas Log. lib. 2. cap. 7. but especially in fundamentals Monstrous births saith Plato are not brought to light neither are portentous disputations and monstrous opinions to be suffered in the Common-wealth 5. Fidelity in walking according to the trueth If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self John 7.27 Duties incumbent upon the heads of families are Exemplarines Instruction Government Vpon the Churches Doctrine and Discipline All experience proveth that the bitter root of heresie hath never prevailed where Doctrine Catechism and Discipline have been upheld in their purity vigour Concerning the power and duty of the Christian Magistrate in matters of Religion it is summarily spoken to in the Authors preface unto the sufferings of Christ But full information is at hand in diverse elaborate and solid treatises upon that subject lately published It may therfore suffice at Present to present the Reader with some texts to that purpose And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying who soever curseth his God shall bear his sin And he that blasphemeth the Name of the Lord he shall surely be put to death and all the Congregation shall certainly stone him as well the stranger as he that is born in the land when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death Lev 24.15 16 But other Scriptures omitted I shall here transcribe only two more both which are eminently pregnant with this trueth wherein also are cases put between the cause of God and our neer relations on purpose to provide against obstructions in this great business of Religion The first we have Deut 13. per totum Relating to all times succeeding that constitution If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wâ—fe of thy bosome or thy freind which is as thine own soul intice thee secretly saying Let us go and serve other gods thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pitty him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceale him but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death afterward the hand of all the people vers 6 8. The second wee have Zech. 13.1 3. Expressely relating unto the times of the Gospel In that day viz after the Comming of the Messiah in the time of the Gospel when the families of the tribes shall mourne Chapt. 12.11 The familie of the house of David apart the familie of the house of Nathan apart c There shall be a fountain opened i.e. the doctrine of Christ under Moses dispensation is compared to a fountain vailed 2 Cor 3.13 c Under the Gospel-dispensation unto a fountain opened The vail of the Temple the ceremonial law being taken away And it shall come to pass that when any shall yet Prophecie then his father his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth These words thrust him through may be understood either of a Capital punishment Juridically dispensed or of any other smart punishment piercing though not Capital As God hath armed the Magistrate with Civil power for the defence of Religion so hath he animated him unto the regular and seasonable exercise thereof by holding forth many excellent fruits through the concurrence of divine benediction concomitant and consequent unto his fidelity in this duty 1. The vindication of the name trueth of God from
the dishonour done thereunto by Heresie blaspemie Such Anathemata Tertulliō calleth devotamenta The Judicial consuming of the Apostate-cittie by fire was a repairing of the honour of God who was before dishonoured by the revolt of the inhabitants from him by the meanes of Seducers And thou shalt burn with fire the Cittie and all the spoil therof every whit for the Lord thy God i. e. in Zeal of the honour of the Lord thy God Deut 13.16 2. Hope of cruing the offenders if they belong to God as the healing of the delinquent is one end of the administration of Church censure Of whom is Hymeneus Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim 1.20 So is it also of Civil administration and one shall say unto him what are these wounds in thine hand then he shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zech 13.6 The person questioned who of a husband-man was become a false Prophet now through Grace having renounced that way of lying and being returned to his honest old calling again renders the sharp stripes and chastisements inflicted upon him whether by his parents or freinds authorized therunto or by their procuring as the means of his recovery Here note also that this convert howsoever whilest acted by a Spirit of lying he might look at the instruments of his chastisements as persecutors of him injurious unto the liberty of his conscience yet now being in his right mind he both justifieth the act ingenuously acknowledgeth them therin to have approved themselves reall freinds cordial lovers of him in the Lord. 3. The putting away of evil from Israel So shalt thou put away evil from the midst of thee Deut. 13.5 Blasphemous Benhadad's escape is Ahabs guilt that such out of which he doth not escape The not bearing testimonie against iniquities to be punished by the Judge by meet execution of justice renders Israel from time to time both guilty scandalous in respect of such sinns Commission of evil makes it the sin of the delinquent irregular permission thereof makes it the sin of the state 4. The preventing of infection and spreading contagion of an evil example And Israel shall hear and fear and do no more any such wickedness as this is among you Deut 13.11 Impunity of the sinner encourageth others to do the like but punishment speedily and seasonably inflicted makes others more afraid of such evills then they were before Sinn looseth more by the execution of the Ordinance of Justice then it gained by the scandal 5. The preventing of the wrath of God continuing the state still in the enjoyment of the protection benediction of the covenant That the Lord may turn from the fiercenes of his anger shew thee mercy have compassion upon thee and multiply thee as he hath sworne unto thy fathers Deut 13.17 The good of the regular execution of justice shews the great evil of irregular impunity This abundant encouragement from him that cannot ly should quicken the minister of justice to be as faithfull in the application of the remedy as Satan is watchfull to cause the malady Go in this thy might and thou shalt save Israel from the forementioned evill doers Have not I sent thee Object The interposal of Authority in matters of Religion is a prejudice to and a violation of liberty of conscience Answ Church-Authority is Authority were this objection good the Church might not Authoritatively deal with any of her members for holding forth or teaching of false doctrine Contrary to Gal. 5. 12. Rev. 2.2 20. Distinguish between Conscience properly so called The errour of Conscience Conscience properly so called denoteth such a knowledg of the object as is in conjunction with and is agreeable unto the knowledg of another concerning that object It supposeth two distinct knowers of the same thing viz God the conscience Conscience is Gods vice-gerent in the soul God is the absolute and primary judge conscience is a secondary subordinate judge Conscience is the judgement of a mans self answering unto the judgement of God concerning him Conscience as operating supposeth a principle enlightened and erreth not concerning the notional doctrinal part of the object Conscience cannot ly witness the conscience of the damned that tormenting and never dying worm conscience as conscience is a meer creature of God but the errour of conscience is from the old man and the Serpent Distinguish between Liberty of Conscience Errour Liberty of Conscience as relating to the question under dispute is a freedom from all impediment in respect of man as to the following of the dictate of Conscience in acting according to Rule But liberty of Errour or liberty of the error of conscience is falsly called liberty of Conscience being indeed opposite thereunto It is a liberty in respect of man to answer the dictate of the error of Conscience in walking contrary to Rule It is a liberty to blaspheme a liberty to seduce others from the true God A liberty to tell lies in the name of the Lord. It is indeed a liberty unto bondage The exercise very bondage Restraint from it is a restraint from bondage They shall put you out of their Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will thinke that he doth God service John 16.2 To thinke the murther of the Saints was service unto God was not from their Conscience but from the errour of their Conscience and the practice of it a fearefull liberty I verily saith the Apostle thought with my self that I ought to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth Acts. 26.9 Who was before a blasphemer a persecutor injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly 1 Tim 1.13 This was not from Paul's conscience which is a principle of light created placed by God in the soul but from the errour of his Conscience and himself being witness from his ignorance which is of sin and Satan but not of God The object subjected to the Coercive power of the Magistrate must be some Act of the outward man T is not matter of judgement but matter of fact which Civil-power dealeth with Hence so far is it from being a truth that the magistrate proceeding according to Rule either punisheth or troubleth any for their Conscience as that it neither doth nor can concern him to meddle with the errour of their Conscience Lex non Judicat du occultis as such be it heresye or whatsoever Whilst a man keepeth his heterodoxy to himself he is doubtlesse out of the reach of the Magistrate in that respect Conscience properly so called error of Conscience or heresy heresy uttered retracted heresy uttered not retracted but quiet called heresy alone heresy Turbulent are all distinct of distinct consideration Heresy schisme and sedition differ Though usually it falls out otherwise yet a man
THE Heart of N-England rent at the BLASPHEMIES OF THE PRESENT GENERATION Or A brief Tractate concerning the Doctrine of the Quakers Demonstrating the destructive nature thereof to Religion the Churches and the State with consideration of the Remedy against it Occasional Satisfaction to Objections and Confirmation of the contrary Trueth By JOHN NORTON Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston Who was appointed thereunto by the Order of the GENERAL COURT I know thy works and thy labour and patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evill and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars Rev 2.2 Printed by Samuel Green at CAMBRIDG in New-England 1659. CHAP 1. The Original of the Doctrine of the Quakers With some of their principal Heterodoxies A brief Demonstration of three distinct Persons in the Divine Essence Satisfaction to some Objections And a Vindication of some Scriptures WHen that grand-Heretick Swenok feild who in eighteen yeares had published fifty scripts such as they were sometime troubled Luther with his papers which he sent unto him for an answer his returne was quick saying to the messenger the Deuil was the author of them the Lord rebuke thee O Satan Quod-vult-deus whilest he desired Augustine to publish a tract of al the heresies which infested the church in those dayes discerned the undertaking to be too immense great this Calvin also perceiving being about to write against the Libertines presently determined omitting the rest of their wild endlesse heterodoxies to addresse himselfe unto the enumeration refutation of some of their principall portentous tenets Luthers answer may seeme too short Augustines taske is acknowledged too long Calvins example in this brief treatise I shall in part God assisting endeavour to follow The recalling of the beginÌ„ing of the Father of lyes may soon lead us to the Original of Errour but the full discovery of its progresse encrease is not to be expected untill that day which shall bring to light all the workes of darkness He that desires no inconsiderably to informe himselfe Dâ—naeus de â— Haeâ—esibus ante Christú concerning the attempts of the old Serpent upon this designe from the beginÌ„ing of time untill the times of Christ may consult antiquity not unprofitably for that end In the very Apostles times wee read of Deceivers who pretended to higher attainments to be stars of light that of the first magnitude Jaâ—e 13. but were indeed Raging waves of the sea foâ—mâ—ng out their owne shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever That the doctrine of the Enthusiasts in Germany Libertines in the low-countryes was a dead sea of heterodoxy consisting in a great degree of the pernicious waters of old heresyes till then out of mind for many hundred yeares and that the doctrine of the Quakers as to the substance of it is but the opening of that vast and horrid sinke such as makes the land to stink in the nostrils both of God and man more then the Frogs that sometime annoyed Egypt But the same doctrine of the Enthusiasts Libertines of the last Century though in a second edition is thus manifested The great doctrine of The Trinitie Christ The Scripture Gospel Ordinances Ministry Order The Christian Magistrate Civil Order Are the Objects that the three following stages of heterodoxie finally engaged engage against and that so as the second viz Enthusiasts Libertines were indeed not only actors Preachers of what was prepared but also in some considerable degree Collectors out of the scatterings of their Predecessors to compleat their body of false doctrine but the last viz the Quakers are more deluded by their masters in wickedness whither Satan or any Jesuitical or other malignant serpentine agents who making use of the mystery of iniquity thus farr perfected to their hand notably abuse their ignorant and selfe conceited proselytes whilest under the pretence of new light they communicate both stale and exploded heresies error to be disseminated by them the second time Certain old heterodoxies concerning the forementioned heads of Religion from wheÌ„ce or the like the Enthusiasts Libertines might arise Praxeas who lived in the year two hundred taught that there was but one person only in divers respects called the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost After ariseth Sabellius under Valerian affirming that in the Divine Essence there were three names but denyed that there were three distinct subsistences or persons Concerning Christ the enmity of the father of lyes hath no where more shown it selfe then in his malignant contrivances concerning the person office of Christ. The Gnosticks denyed Iesus to be the Christ Cerinibus denyeth the Dvinity Nestorius affirmeth two persons Eutiches denyeth the two Natures Marcion affirmeth his passion to be imaginary not reall Ignatius mentions incredulous men who were ashamed of the trueth of the Incarnation some pretended themselves to be Christ. Concerning the scriptures considered as the rule of life the Messalian Enthusiasts expected divine raptures without the word they waited for the operation of a certain Daemon or a spirit and this operation which indeed was the operation of the Devil they esteemed to be the presence of the Holy Ghost called their fantasies prophecyes Athanasius in one of his sermons concerning heresies writes against such who in those times held that the words of the scripture were to be taken simply without consideration had unto what they signifyed Concerning Gospel Ordinances Ministry Order the authors to the Hebrews Jude and Iohn make mention of Apostates there from such who in their dayes forsook the church assemblies separated themselues went out from the fellowship of the Saints Heb. 10.25 Iude. 19.1 Iohn 2.19 Jude also informeth us of such who despised Dominion spake evill of dignitie and perished in the gainsaying of Core which consisted in murmuring rebelling against Moses and Aaron The Gnosticks represented themselves perfect against whom John is conceived to write 1. Epistle 1.8 The old Catharoi called puritans affirmed also that they were perfect without sin The tenets of the Enthusiasts Libertines concerning the same heads of Religion The Enthusiasts began about 1521. The Libertines in Calvin's time both Sects vexed the Church and State many yeares Concerning the Trinitie they acknowledged three Sleidan commeÌ„â— lib. 5 et 10. but they denyed the Father Son Holy-Ghost to be three distinct Persons Concerning Christ they said Christ incarnate was nothing but a godly man or a believer made of a body and an opinion Lu. Ofiand Cent. 16. lib. 2. cap. 33 they made euery saint equal with God according to the imagination of the Libertines each one of them was Christ Calvin adversus libertinos Guy de 〈◊〉 hence Quintinus as offended with those who asked him how he did was wont to answer how do I can Christ do amiss Concerning the Scripture
Essence Who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his Person Heb 1.3 The first manner of existence in the Divine Being is here called Hypostasis which imports a distinct subsistence If the Father viz. the Correlate be a distinct subsistence there is the same reason of the Son vâ—z the Relate If the Father be a distinct subsistence the Son is a distinct subsistence If the Son be a distinct subsistence the Father is a distinct subsistence the Son is as distinct from the Father August de trinit lib. 7 c. 4. as the Father is from the Son that which the Greek calls hypostasis the latine calleth persona from which last is our English word person Christ speaking of the Father Iohn 5.32 calleth him another there is another that beareth witness of mee likewise speaking of the Holy-Ghost he calleth him another Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter this predicate another is unintelligible of the Essence for so the Father Son Holy-Ghost are one Iohn 10.30 1 Iohn 5.7 therfore it must proceed concerning the Subsistence what is more manifest then that another Subsistence and another subsistence speake distinct subsistences The distinction of the persons or Subsistences is manifest from the relative properties of begetting being begotten and proceeding Psal 2.7 Iohn 15.27 Begetting is distinct from being begotten being begotten from begetting both from proceeding A personal act is God necessarily relatively and in an Incommunicable manner acting within or upon himselfe Now these acts of the Persons one upon another argue the distinctnes of the subsistences viz to beget being begotten proceeding God in the first manÌ„er of subsistence is considered as acting upon himselfe in a way of understanding in the second manner of Subsistence as reflecting upon himself understood August de trinit lib. 5. c. 11 lib. 6. c. 5. in the third manner of subsistence as willing of delighting in himselfe Hence the Spirit is called the hand of the Trinity proceeding from the two other persons as the Love of them both which selfe-sufficient and infinitely blessed Communion of God in and with himself before there was either mountain or hill while as yet he had not made the earth wee read of Prov. 8.30 Then was I by him as one brought up with him I was dayly his delight rejoycing alwayes before him The distinction of the Persons further appeares from the order of their operations upon the creature held forth in their mission or sending the second Person is sent from the Father Iohn 8.42 Iesus said unto them if God were your father yee would love mee for I proceeded forth came from God neither came I of my selfe but he sent mee The Holy-Ghost is sent from the Father the Son whom the Father will send John 14 26. whom I will send John 15.26 Sending imports two things First an eternall relative property of the Divine Essence the order original whereof is not of it self Secondly a designation of the Person distinguished by this relative property unto some work concerning the creature to be performed in time Now evident it is that he which sendeth and he which is sent are distinct That the Father sending the Son sent by the Father the Father and Son sending the Spirit and the Spirit sent by the Father Son are distinct subsistences and not the same Concerning satisfaction to some Objections Object 1 The Church was without the Scripture or written Word for the space of 2454 yeares untill Moses during which space the Doctrine of Life was communicated VOCALLY by the Patriarches Therefore there is no need of the Scripture or written Word Answ There are many Reasons obvious why the Tradition of the Rule of life by word of mouth might better suit the state of the Church in the time of the longâ—evity of the Patriarchs then now as also why God saw not good to continue unto after ages such and so frequent extraordinary manifestations of himself as wee read of in those elder times Why God dispensed the Rule of life then by word of mouth not by writing a principal reason thereof was his good pleasure The same good pleasure may stand for a principal reason way he dispenseth the Rule of life now by the word written and not by vocall tradition Even so Father because it pleaseth thee Distinguish between necessity absolute necessity according to Divine constitution God according to his absolute power can communicate the rule of life by what means he pleaseth therefore the scripture is not necessary absolutely But Gods will being to communicate the Rule of life by his written word hence the scripture is necessary by necessity of divine constitution or appointment Whilest Israel was in the wilderness God give them Manna bread from heaven in an extraordinary manner After their comming into Canaan he changeth his dispensation and giveth them bread in the ordinary way of agriculture or tillage He could still have supplyed them in an extraordinary way out he would not The Maana ceased Josh 5.12 Not the letter without the mind of the Author nor the Spirit without the letter but the Scripture i. e. the word-written as including the sense of the author is the Rule of life Distinguish between Moral-obliging-power and strengthning-Physical-power All the strengthning-Physical-power whereby we are enabled to obey the Rule is from the Spirit but the Moral-obliging-power is from the Scripture it self or CoÌ„mand as denoting the will of God signifyed thereby Surely they are under a Rule who have not the Spirit Since the Canon of the Scripture is closed so farr is the Spirit from being a Rule of life that to us it is not the Spirit but as it moves agreeably to the written word Hereby we are taught to discerne between the Spirit of trueth and the Spirit of error Object 2 The words of the Scripture are to be taken simply without interpretation or consideration of what is signifyed by them Answ This Objection exposeth Scripture to the imputation of non-sence which cannot be without at least the reflexion of blasphemy interpretative upon the author It was wont to be said Scripture lyeth not in the Sound but in the Sence They are not the inkie characters without the mind of the author that can constitute Scripture But taking the mind of the objection more favourably as proceeding only against any other sense or interpretation to be given of Scripture then according to the sound of the words in a proper or according to some in a literall sence yet it unscriptures a considerable part of the Scripture unto us becommeth a fruithfull womb of confusion error and absurdity should it stand in force The example those words that they may be one as wee are one John 17.22 give an uncertain sound Nay the Papists Transsubstantiation Origen's castration are hence warrantable Distinguish between no interpretation mis-interpretation sound
made between that which is good and that which is bad That we ought not to ly steale c In reference whereunto men are said to have a natural Conscience bearing witness unto their actions and their thoughts to be accusing or excusing Rom. 2.14 15. The use is First to be a help whence they might seek after God Acts 17.27 by meanes hereof some have arrived at the discovery that there is but â—one God that he is an act void of all passive quality yea hereby they ascend so farr as to discover some of his attributes viz his Eternity Omnipotency being the Creator For thus much may be known of God to them Rom. 1.19 20. 2. To leave them inexcusable in that they walk not answerable to the light of nature Aâ—dem natura vi rationis hominem conciliat homini ad orationis et ad vitae societaten Cicero lib 1 de Officijs August Epis 105. Rom 1.20 3. For the preservation of humane society Their principles speculative rise higher then their priniples practicall Yet their Principles practical concerning deportment towards God are more obscure then those which relate to their behaviour towards man 〈◊〉 their knowledg as to that which is saving is but folly Where is the Scribe where is the disputer hath not God made foolish the wisedome of this world 1 Cor 2.20 Hence the times of Gentilism are called times of ignorance Acts 17.30 Of wrath Rom 1.18 Without God without hope Eph. 2.12 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the Children of men to see if there were any that did understand seek God There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14.2.3 53.2.4 Rom. 3.9.10 Moreover this little light that there is is much miscarried whilest it is managed by the reigning influence of the power of darkness the Judgement is corrupt as well as the will whose corruption perverts the exercise of the faculty of reason They became vaine in their reasonings Rom. 1.21 To conclude the light of nature notwithstanding the irregenerate man is darknesse Star-light cannot make it otherwise then night The light of nature since the fall compared with the light of the image of God before the fall hath not the proportion of Star-light to the bright Sun-light at noon-day This indeed is but darkness But if compared with the light of the Gospell it is worse then gross darkness Yee were darkness Eph. 5.8 Alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Ephe. 4.18 Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compass your selves about with sparkes walk in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that ye have kindled this shall ye have of mine hand ye shall ly down in sorrow Isaiah 50.11 Quantâ sub nocte jacebat nostra dies Concerning the sense of the place distinguish 1. Of the light where by we are enlightned 2. Of the light enlightning 3. Of every man Concerning the light whereby wee are inlightened it is either the light of nature of right reason or the light of saving grace The light inlightening is either the WORD i e. The Sonn considered onely as the second person not incarnate or Christ i e. the sonn considered as incarnate This phrase Every man is taken collectively for all men that come into the world absolutely none excepted Or distributively for all men so qualified of all sorts Calvin Beza Piscator and others understand these words every man collectively by the light wherewith we are enlightened The light of Reason and look at this light of reason as an effect proceeding from the WORD i. e. the Sonn considered as the Second Person But as concerning man endued only with the light remaining in him since the fall they conclude him to be darkness and unable to comprehend the light so as to improve it to salvation They are so farr from affirming this light to be the light of life as they are from denying Christ to be the light of life Others understand Every man distributively by the light wherewith we are enlightened the light of saving grace or Regeneration and look at this light of Saving grace as an effect proceeding from Christ i.e. the Son incarnate That phrase every man is illustrated by Psal 145.14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall and rayseth up all that be bowed down The meaning is not that ALL that fall are upholden by the Lord but that ALL amongst those which fall who are upholden are upholden by the Lord. It is an usual speech to attribute all those deeds unto God which none can do but God Both interpretations have many authors and are analogous unto Scriptures which of them is genuine is left free to the judgment of the Reader Jer 31.34 Heb 8.11 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord Hence it is inferred that there is no need of the ministry of man under the times of the Gospel Answ It is true that the times here spoken of are the times after those dayes Jer 3.33 Heb 8.11 viz the times after the dayes of the Mosaical administration of the Covenant of Grace which expired fully at the Passion of Christ so that the times here spoken of are the times of the Gospel-dispensation of the Covenant of Grace beginning at the abrogation of the Mosaical-dispensation and continuing untill time shall be no more But what more disconsonant from or what more contradictory to Scripture then to teach that throughout all the time of the Gospel-dispensation there is no need of the ministry of man wee appeal to the examples of the Apostles Evangelists Ordinary Office-labourers in the word doctrine and Gospel-churches recorded in sacred writt as also to the institution of the Gospel-ministry by Pastors and Teachers for the calling of the Elect amongst all Nations for the perfecting of the saints untill we come unto a perfect man i. e. untill the perfection of the Mystical body of Christ Jer 31.31 34. We have an illustrious comparison between the external Covenant of Grace made with the National Israel in the time of Moses and the internal Covenant of Grace made with the elect Israel in the time of the Gospel As also the second covenant other respect of its preheminence omitted not so nextly pertinent to the present discussion preferred before the first upon the account of the betterness of the discriminating promise They i. e. the national Israel brake the covenant although God was an husband unto them But as concerning the elect Israel under the better covenant I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts I will be their God and they shall be my people
saith the LORD which is in effect the same with Isay 54 13 Iohn 6.45 And they shall be all taught of GOD i.e. They shall not be onely taught of man as others in externall covenant onely are These words They shall be all taught of GOD are not to be interpreted exclusively so as to exclude the teaching of man but extensively so as to include the teaching also of God witness the cloud of Scripture-instances of all those under the Gospel-dispensation who were taught of God but how by not without the teaching of man Further the promise undertakes for such a writing of the Law in their hearts such a teaching of God as that they shall not finally apostate from the Covenant Jer 32.40 But I will put my Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me The Subject spoken of are such persons which are actually the people of God such in whose hearts the Law is written The knowledg of God is taken either for that knowledg of him which is essential to effectual vocation or for the knowledg of edification Taking knowledg in the former notion of writing the Law in the heart indelebly this being a property of the Covenant of grace the sense naturally flowes viz that after conversion once wrought there shall be no need to speak unto such to know the Lord namely with a knowledg essential to vocation as if they were ignorant thereof for this were in effect to deny a characteristical priviledg of the Covenant and to affirm falling from grace Regeneration is not iterable they who are once converted need not to be converted from the state of nature to the state of grace a second time This seemeth to be the genuine sense of the place If we take knowledg in the latter notion viz for the knowledg of edification then the interpretation proceeds comparatively thus comparing the Gospel-Israel having the law written in their hearts being also under a clearer dispensation under the promise of an efficacious copious influence of the Spirit with the National-Israel finally impenitent under the Law the teachers of the one as to a great part of the labour of their ministry in respect of the consolatory success thereof especially in the glorious times shall not look upon it as labour compared with the fruitless labours of the other so as the forementioned Gospel-hearers in respect of the premises might seem rather comparatively to have been taught by some immediate irradiation then by meanes of ordinary instruction 1 John 2.27 But the annointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is no ly Hence it is inferred that believers have no need of being taught by man Answ The Objector mistakes the question The Apostle speakes of heterodox doctrine taught by man The objection proceeeds concerning teaching by man The sense of the words alledged is you believers who through grace are an̄ointed with the in dwelling saving operatiōs efficatious influence of the Spirit which is the only Teacher have so learned Christ i.e. the Lords Christ that you need not be troubled with nor ought you to harken to the doctrine of Cerinthius Ebton or the Gnosticks who though they pretend themselves to be teachers of Christ are indeed Antichrists 1 John 2.18 So teaching Christ as that they un-Christ Christ nor have you need of any other doctrine whatsoever from any other man not agreeable unto the doctrine of the true Christ which you who are annointed have received 2 Pet 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesy where unto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-starr arise in your hearts Hence is inferred that after the reception of the Spirit or believing there is no more need to attend unto the Scripture Answ This interpretation presupposeth three things any where of failing it cannot stand 1. That we are to understand by a sure word of Prophecie the whole Scripture 2. By the day dawning and the day-starr arising the Spirit of grace in Regeneration 3. By the particle Vntill the limited instant of regeneration Before which though we either do or may yet after which we are not to attend unto the Scripture Peter himself expounds the word of prophecie verse 19 of the Scripture of the old Testament verse 20 21. Which Scripture-testimony compared with the verbal testimony of the Apostles concerning the voyce heard in the holy mount in relation to the doctrine of Christ he preferreth not as the most true but as the most sure ground for Faith of the two and upon this account because the verbal testimony of the Apostles though Apostolical was as yet but verbal and not scriptural So that should this text upon a false supposition be looked at as speaking of a believers non-attention unto Scripture yet it proceeds not concerning the Scripture in general but concerning the Scripture of the old testament only not of the Canon of the new Testament The day dawning and the day-starr appearing denotes either the saying light of the Spirit making our attention unto the Scripture from time to time effectual during the season of our dependance hereupon throughout this life or that day-light of the vision of glory both which senses in conclusion issue in one But it cannot be understood of the regenerating-light of the Spirit because the Apostle speakes to those who are believers still to attend upon the Scripture The particle untill any other acception not pertinent to the matter under consideration omitted either noteth a certain time before which such a thing is to be which was not before or after which such a thing is not to be which was before The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come Gen 49.10 But here it denoteth not any certain time in this life after which we are not to attend upon the word written For then that certain time notified by the day dawning and the day-starr appearing must either relate to Christs comming in the flesh or to the beginning of the Gospel-dispensation or to the effectual revelation of Christ in vocation or to some other terme that may rationally and scripturally be instanced in but it cannot relate unto the first because it is not an appearance in the flesh but an appearance in the heart that is here expresly spoken of and the day-starr arise in your HEARTS Neither indeed can it relate either unto the first or any other of the termes or limits mentioned because Peter writes unto such still to attend upon the word of Prophecie who were regenerate who were believers haveing obteined like precious faith with himself Cap 1.1 Yea such who cannot be looked at otherwise then of considerable standing proficiency in the faith and lived after his incarnation and Gospel-dispensation whence were this
The exemplary justification of Abraham by faith is written in the old Testament for our sakes Rom 4.23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in him that raysed up Jesus our Lord from the dead The examples of the old Testament are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor 10.11 Not now to labour further in the proof hereof by an induction of particulars the usefulness of the old Testament to those that live under the New we haue asserted once for all and that concerning all that part of Sacred writt Rom 15.4 For whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope John 5.39 The Jewes in the time of Christ are Commanded to search the Scripture which necessarily proceeds of the Scriptures of the old Testament the new as then not being extant After the time of Christ we hear the Testimony of the new Testament concernning the profitableness of the Old 2 Tim 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes Understand this as spoken of the holy Scriptures known by Timothy of a child which must necessarily be the Old Testament CHAP. 2. Of the Signal Nature of the Quakers and other false Teachers arising and prevailing among the people of God AS the Soveraigne Lord and onely wise God is both the disposer and interpreter So hath he given unto his servants to be discerners of the times The Scriptures held forth many occurrents of providence Significative of the state of religion of the respective condition of the profession thereof as also of Gods more remarkable administration unto his people whether with relation unto his Predictions permissive or comminatory or both Hence we read of signes of the times Mat 16.3 Of good times in the place cited Of evill times Mat 24.33 This trueth the Psalmist mentions as of acknowledg'd notable moment in Israel Psal 74.9 We see not our signes The not discerning herof as it is a matter of blame but how is it ye discern not this time Luke 12.56 So in the discerning thereof is a matter of praise And the Children of Issachar which were men which had understanding of the time to know what Jsrael ought to do The heads of them were two hundred and all their brethren were at their Commandement 1. Chron. 12.32 Consortative unto the good awing unto the bad was that seasonable word of an Ancient who when terror had surprised the hearts of thousands by reason of that fearfull earth-quake which in Julians time threw up the very foundation of the temple then about to be reedified by the Apostate-Emperour told them that this amazing strange accident to them was but the accomplishment of that prophecie Verily I say unto you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Full of presence of Spirit in a time of Calamity was that speech where with Lupus a Bâ—shop is reported to have greeted the enemy Attilas then depopulating laying wast his countrey I rejoyce saith he that you are come safe whom I judge to be the scourge of the Lord of my God sent to chastise his people The good man howsoever others hearts might faile under their fears both of present â—â—â—e of everlasting burnings looking at the King of the Hunnes not as a weapon of destruction according to his own desire but as a rod of correction in the hand of God and choosing affliction rather then iniquity gathers meat out of the eater False Teachers and false Prophets are signal i. e they are signes that the time is come when God will inflict vindicative spiritual-justice upon the non-receivers of the Trueth in the love of it They are executioners of spiritual justice punishing the non-reception of the trueth with deception by their lyes They are instrumental executioners of Justice to punish the non-reception of the trueth dispensed by the Ministers of Christ with deception by and reception of a ly disseminated by the ministers of Satan This solemn and by reason to the iniquity of the times both awfull and seasonable trueth the Reader is desired the rather to attend the proof of Aâ—aâ— besides other sinners laden with the guilt of the escape of a blasphemous Syrian rejects the trueth in the mouth of Micaiah the Lords Prophet diswading him from going against Ramoth-Gilead This God visited by giving him up to believe a ly in the mouth of the false Prophets commissioned to perswade him to go to Ramoth-Gilead unto his destruction 1 Kings 22.19 -23. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive John 5.43 The awfull trueth contained in this text will be the better seen by resolving it into four propositions 1. Christ came unto sinners i. e. tendered himself to them according to the Covenant of grace and that according to the appointment of the Father an external unparallelled mercy But last of all he sent unto them his Son saying surely they will reverence my Son 2. They received not the Son though sent unto them in the Fathers name As the Gospell is the great command so the rejection of the Gospel is the great sin If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sinn but now they have no cloak for their sin John 15.22 3. Upon the rejecting of the Doctrine of the great Teacher there are teachers supposed to come in their own name A famine of the word of trueth is a sore judgment Amos 8.11 But these teachers are worse then no teachers Accursed ominous 4. That those who received not Christ comming in his Fathers name will receive teachers comming in their own name No better Teacher no such teacher no other teacher then he was whom they refused Scarce any if any worse teachers then those whom they received T is not so ready to say whether their unbelief or belief was more dreadfull Wofull is their condition when the teacher is accursed Gal. 1.9 and the hearer bewitched Gal. 3.1 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a ly that they all might be damned who believed not the trueth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.11 12. See here the non receivers of the trueth in the love of it punished both with a penal and effectual mission of deceivers That this tremendous dispensation may have the deeper impression upon our hearts we find the Vindictive hand of God upon the contempt of the Gospel mentioned thrice in one chapter and that also sometime as a forerunner of the
shall see Satan in a chaine The first aspect presents all formidable as the product of Satans will which conteining the extirpation of all good with the introduction of all iniquity confusion misery upon supposition it should obtaine what can be superadded in the way of evill therunto The secōd represents every thing beautiful in its time it being an impossibillity that he whose wayes to his end are past finding out should do any thing in relation either to way or end incongruous or indecent unto him who is absolute perfection it self Look upon the spirit of error in it self it is like the Lyon roaring upon Sampson look upon it in the Promise 't is as the Carkass of the Lyon but behold there is a swarm of Bees and honey in the carcass of the Lyon In its own nature it is a flood of waters cast out of the mouth of the Serpent In the promise it is as the waters of Noah unto the freinds servants of the Trueth When I thought to know this it was too painfull for mee untill I went into the sanctuary of the Lord then understood I their end Psal 73.10 17. CHAP 3. Of the destructivenes of the Doctrine and Practice of the Quakers Vnto Religion the Churches of Christ and Christian States DIseases may well be concluded malignant and mortal at least in their next tendency when they seize vpon the vitalls and Spirits The doctrine under examination being censured according to this proportion will soon be found guilty of the charge The destructivenes of the doctrine of the Quakers unto Christian States appeareth from The nature of the Object they single out imediately to fight against viz The Trinity Christ The Scripture as the Rule of life Order both Civil especially as acknowledged in al Christian States with Power in matters of Religion Ecclesiastical as instituted in the Gospel The Spirit they are acted by The suitablenes of their doctrine unto discontented seditous factious and tumultuous spirits especially if pressed with poverty or a suffering condition The experience of the examples of their predecessors in Germany acted by the same principles Fundamentals in Religion are so denominated Principally properly so Christ is a foundation Mat. 16.16 Doctrinally so the Scripture is a foundation in that it holds forth the doctrine of life 1 Cor 3.10 11. Eph. 2.20 Practically so Order is according to some not ineptly said to be of the foundation in that it is requisite in the way of means for the preservation of what is fundamentall For the making good the first maine article of the charge the clearenes of the trueth of the heads instanced in as the four parts thereof their fundamentality with the contrariety of the doctrine-impleaded thereunto being manifest is necessary In order whereunto the Trinity and Scripture being some-what spoken to above and that of the Person of Christ in this place not calling for it it remaineth onely to demonstrate 1 The nature and necessity of order 2 That in their opposing the Magistrats as now established in Christian estate they oppose civill order 3. That the visible-politicall-Churches Church-Officers Church-worship administrations are Gospel-institutions appointed by Christ to continue to the end of the world Order is a divine disposal of superior inferior relations in humane or Christian societies distributing to each one respectively what is due thereunto There was Order directive in Innocencie order both directive and coactive is necessary in mans fallen estate Order is Gods way of lapsed mans wel-doing wel-being It is the forme of societies Formes are essential without which things cannot be By Order plurality is formed into and subsists in unity Without it plurality is but an heap Neither nature nor society whether humane or christian no not so much as a family can stand without order Ephe. 1.22 1 Cor 12.19 If all were one member i. e. if there were no order where were the body Order is a divine preservative of Trueth Peace and Communion The good of Order is further intelligible by the evill of confusion James 3.16 As confusion is not farr from every evill work so order hath a tendency to every good work Order without action is negligence action without order is presumption Action without knowledg is reprehensible and order unprofitable but Order Action Vnderstanding perfect bodies Politick The great good which is in order is the cause why the wicked one so restlesly oppugneth it The working of Satan against Order is a policy against a policy The policy of hell against the Policy of heaven Whilest we remember that God is the God of Order it is not hard to discern the maligning therof as proceeding from the Serpent For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor 14.33 34. In Ecclesiasticks it is a maxime indispensable in Paul's motion Let all things be done decently and in Order 1 Cor 14.40 Doing nothing is more eligible then doing without order Many times there is not so much good in the matter done as there is evill in that it is disorderly done In Civills in case of non-administration wickedness reignes Judges 17.6 In case of mal-administration incorrigible in the Magistrate the Psalmist cryeth out that the foundations of the earth are out of course Psal 82.5 Such a foundation then is Order as it being cast down what shall the Righteous do Their Opposition to Civil Order is thus evinced That doctrine which denyeth obedience unto the order of Magistracy in its due subject Exod. 18.21 interpretatively and in effect denyeth the order of Magistracy i. e. Civil order But their doctrine denieth Obedience unto the order of Magistracy in its due subject Therefore their doctrine denyeth the order of Magistracy i. e. Civil order That they deny obedience unto the order of Magistracy in its due subject witness both their scripts behaviour wherin they deny obedience unto all Christian Magistrates who are not of their own mind Their pernicious principles herein from the execution of which the good hand of God hath hitherto restrained them are notoriously palpable in the practise of Storke Mancer their Predecessors About 1521. Nicholas Storke a ring-leader amongst a company of mutinous and seditious persons pretended to immediate visions and thereupon preached that there should come a new world wherein should dwell Righteousness therefore they ought to exterminate all the wicked withall the Princes unbelieving Magistrates from the earth They faith the Author called all those unbelievers which were not of their faith faction In Alstad a Town in the Earledome of Manifield one of the 4. Estates in upper Saxonie Thomas Mancer enrolls the names of them which were entered into league with him and by solemn Oath promised assistance to dispatch the wicked Prince to substitute new ones They saith the same Author generally accounted all Superiours wicked The being of Magistracy is from God immediately There is no
great thing if the ministers of Satan transform themselves into the ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor 11.15 Nor so much by their Conversation for the trueth were not true if such ravening Wolves did not come in sheeps cloathing as by their doctrine by which fruit they are in an especial manner to be known Mat. 7.16 Iohn 2 Epist 9 10. Yea and upon just tryal so farr ought we to bee from being moved by them in point of our faith as confidently to pronounce them Anathama's But though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that yee have received let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that yee have received let him be accursed Scepticks all others are heÌ„ce beseeched to consider what unmovednes and firmnes in fundamentalls Christ looks for especially from those who would acquit themselves as Church-members in reference to such deceivers Though we have no Scripture warrant to expect immediate missions and have both frequent and solemn cautions concerning the rising of false pretenders therunto yet it being also a trueth that the holy One of Israel hath not limited himself herein When any arise with the gifts prementioned and with the fruits both of doctrine life conformable to the Scripture they are accordingly to be received in the Lord. The Lords Supper is a Visible-Political-Church-Ordâ—nanceâ— and is to continue unto the end of the world For as after as yee eat this bread drinke this Cup yee shew forth the Lords death untill he come 1 Cor. 12.26 In these words saith Paraeus is a tacite promise of the conservatioÌ„ of the Church unto the end of the world Baptisme is a Visible-Political-Church-Ordinance and is to continue unto the end of the world Teach and Baptise c and loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Mat 28.19 20. Therfore visible political-Church-ordinances are to continue unto the end of the world Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in our translation we read world signifieth an Age and according to this version the text alledged speaks not of the continuance of Baptism unto the end of the world but unto the finishing of the age viz of that ministration or of the Apostles age Answ The trueth of the premises already evicted concludes this evasion a falsity Hence it would follow that the instant of John's death the last surviver of the Apostles the instant of the dissolution of Church order was the same But that John did not thus understand Christ yea that Christ did not thus understand himself witness besides his silence of any such notion in his Epistles to the other Churches his writing expresly to the Church of Thyatira that it was the precept of the Son of God concerning that Church that they should hold fast the doctrine they had received part whereof was chuâ—ch-estate not till John's death but till Christ's Comming Rev. 2.25 Namely to Judgment If the words be understood by any of his speciall comming to them by their personal deaths the like also being to be understood concerning others it effectually makes void this objection Add hereunto that John by that formidable Anathema chap 22.18 19. secureth the obligatory observance of all the words of the Revelation wherein is mention of Political church-estate as also of the rest of the sacred Canon according to the judgment of the best orthodox interpreters untill the second comming of Christ Rev. 22.7 12 20. Neither did Ignatius who lived in the time of the Apostles outlived Iohn thus understand Christ Witness those Epistles which are acknowledged by orthodox learned Criticks in antiquity as genuine wherein he attesteth unto owneth many churches then in being by honouring of them with the express titles of the Churches of Christ This objection renders the motion of Christ retrograde viz first forwards from the daâ—ker dâ—spensation of the law unto a more cleare dispensation of the Gospel and then backwards again unto a dâ—spensation more dark then that of the Law wherein the people of God may we credit the objecter are for 1500 yeares left without a Rule without Order without Seales without any sent by Office to preach unto them or any Church-Ordinance That the English translation is apt and renders not onely a true sense of the word but also its proper sense in this place appeareth from a particular indiction of its various acceptions in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to its proper notation signifieth such a duration as is without an end for EVER Hence in reference unto duration it is used in diverse notions 1. For everlasting Iohn 12.34 6.51 4.14 14.16 2 Pet. 2.17 The objecter reading the word in these and many other texts the Age of a man must therewithall a firm that the residence of the Holy Ghost the state of grace heaven and hell shall continue but the age of a man 2. It is used also for a duration that is long viz for all the tract of time from its beginÌ„ing untill such a Term then spoken of Iohn 9.32 3. For the whole course of time Mat. 13.39 40 49. 4. For the Vniverse or frame of Creation it â—elâ— which is the Subject of time that duration being an insepperable adjunct thereof Thus it is rendered worlds Heb. 1.2 11.3 importing in born the visible world The world 2 Coâ— 4 4. speaking of this world as contradâ—stinct from the world to come For there are two worlds this world Iohn 12.31 and that world Luke 20.35 This present world 2 Tim 4.10 and the world to come Ephe 1.21 This is the subject of the duration of time that of the duration of Eviternity Of the premised expositions the reader may soon perceive both from the subject matter spoken of and the collation of other Scriptures that the third acception only agreeth with the text presented unto consideration and that this acception fully agree to therewith There is yet in the Gospel according to some learned men another acception of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely for the whole course of the time of the Gospel-dispensation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the abrogation of the Mosaical-dispensation at the ascention of Christ This is called the last Age of the world after which there is no other to be looked for by us here as after old age man is to expect no other age in this life but death which putteth an end unto his time And the Scripture as they conceive in this notion of age relates to a very notable distribution of famous account amongst the jewes of the time before and after the Messiah into two ages The first is called the Age before the Messiah the then present age the age of the jewish state The secoÌ„d the Age after the Messiah the future age the age of Christianitie Not inconformably whereunto Tobit speaking of the second Temple rebuilded
may be an heretick who is neither dogmatist schismatick or seditious neither teaching his errours as truthes nor causing irregular separation from Church-Cōmunion nor sowing seeds of discord or mutiny in the Common-wealth By Quiet heresy or heresy alone understand heresy although uttered and not retracted yet without endeavour either directly or indirectly tending to induce others to receive their errours As also without disturbance of publick order either ecclesiastical or Civil This divers godly-learned do not only exempt from the number of Capitals but also seeme Cautious if not silent concerning subjecting it to any Corporal punishment By Heresy Turbulent understand heresy both uncured and incorrigible i. e. in Coniunction either with Teaching lyes in the name of the Lord. Or with disturbance of publick-order whether Ecclesiastical or Civil This is not only heretical but also pestilential and here is a season wherein it is the duety of the Civil-Magistrate to put forth his Coercive power as the matter shall require in the defence of Religion Order Church common-wealth So farr is our doctrine from asserting subiection of the Conscience to the Coercive power of the Magistrate as that we look at it as irrational to extend his power unto the error of Conscience as such We subiect not the bare proposal owning of heresie if cured as obnoxious unto Civil authority We affirm not that it belongs to the Magistrate to inflict any punishment for quiet heresie We affirm not quiet heresie to fall within the necessary obiect of Magistratical Cognisance but leave it unto free disquisition We know that it belongeth not unto the Magistrate to compel any man to be a believer nor to punish any for not being a believer But we believe it belongs to him in case to punish a Blasphemer or turbulent hereticks who seeth not a wide difference between these Wee through grace abhorre prejudicing the liberty of Conscience in the least measure and account such report of us to be a slander And through the same grace Wee both dread and beare witness against liberty of heresy liberty to Blaspheme the Blessed Trinity the Person and Office of Christ the holy-Scripture the tabernacle of God and those that dwell in heaven Howsoever fallaciously transformed into mis-represented under the plausible vizard of liberty of conscience falsly so called We say Religion is to be perswaded with Scripture-reasons not Civil weapons with Arguments not with punishments But Blasphemies immediate and heresies carried on with an high hand and persisted in are to be suppressed with weapons punishments where reasons arguments cannot prevail We distinguish between Heresie Quiet and alone Turbulent i. e. Incorigible accompanied with soliciting the people to apostacy from the Faith of Christ to defection from the Churches to Sedition in the Common-wealth And that after due meanes of conviction and Authoritative Prohibition We subject not any to Civil or Corporal punishment for heresie if quiet and alone We do not inflict any Church-censure in case of heresie without doctrinal conviction on the Churches part and contumacy on the delinquents part foregoing In case of Heresie incorrigible in conjunction with endeavours to seduce others thereunto and tending to the disturbing of Publick-order we accknowledg it to be the pious wisdom of the Magistrate to proceed gradually and where gentler meanes may rationally be looked at as effectual there to abstain from the use of any severer remedie And according to this method hath been the gradual proceeding of the Magistrate here with those hitherto incorrigible Quakers who from England have unreasonably and insolently obtruded themselves upon us 1. Instructing them 2. Restraining them untill an opportunity of their returne 3. Publishing a law to warne and prohibite both them and all others of their sect from cōming into this Iurisdiction otherwise to expect the house of Correction And in case they returned yet again then to loose one of their eares c. At last upon experience of their bold contempt of these inferior restraints that after their being sent away againe again they continue to returne yet again and again to the seducing of diverse the disturbance vexation hazard of the whole Colonie The Court finding the Law passed to be an insufficient fence against these persons proceeded to a Sentence of Banishment Their restraint before the Law published was but restraint in the Prison until an opportunity of shipping them away They who after the Law was published would that notwithstanding break in upon us from England or other forraign parts by Rode-Island after their correction received and discharging their daes might return again to the Island if they pleased The wolfe which ventures over the wide Sea our of a ravening desire to prey upon the sheep when landed discovered taken hath no cause to complain though for the security of the flock he be penned up with that door opening unto the fold fast shut but having another door purposely left open whereby he may depart at his pleasure either returning from whence he came or otherwise quitting the place Their Sentence of Banishment as Circumstanced by an Impartial and equal eye may be looked upon as an Act which the court was forced unto Se defendend in defence of Religion themselves the Churche and this poor State and People from Ruine which the principles of confusion daylie and studiously disseminated by them threatned to bring all unto if not seasonably prevented Exile from a wildernes from a place of exile though voluntarie from a place confinement whereunto would indeed justly be counted exile is an easie exile Object If it be the trueth of God which is pleaded for it is below the trueth to stand in need of the defence of man God can defend the cause of Religion without his help Answ Whether this obiection savour more of Inchantment then an argument i. e. whether it be looked upon as a meer argument or doth not rather give cause to call to mind the witchcraft practised sometimes upon the Galatians is with the Reader whose senses are excercised in discerning good evill to consider That a malefactor especially such who chooseth sin rather then suffering pleadeth for impunity why should it seem strange But to attempt the representing of the application of the remedy of iniquity as iniquity Antichristianism persecution is indeed a device and that as empty of reason as full of transgression A piece of the sophistry of the Prince of darkness to charm that sword into a perpetual scabbard by a sallacie the dexterous vigorous use wherof puts away the evill committed from and for the time to come prevents the committing of evill in Israel But Christians especially Church-members should not be ignorant of his devices 2 Cor 2.11 The Jewes acted with a spirit of mockery hardned their hearts desperatly by putting the tryal of Christ upon a false discovery Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the Cross that we may see and believe Mark 15.32