a man or no. It is taken for a thing out of controversie yea that this is no question at all Whether or no doth an erroneous conscience so bind that we can doe nothing against the standing enditement of an erring conscience for the Scripture is cleare in this Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing of meat-kind now under the Gospel uncleane or unlawfull to eat of it selfe but to him that esteemeth any thing to bee uncleane in the light of his il-informed and erroneous conscience to him so thinking it is uncleane that is to this man now under the actuall darknesse and errour of an ill-informed conscience it is not lawfull to eat but hee must abstaine from eating not simply from eating but from eating â—â—li modo So all who have commented on the place Calvin Beza Parâ—us Rollocus c. and of the Fathers all who either commented on or handled the text occasionally as Theodoret Chrysostome Basilius Augustine Cyprian Ambrose Origen Anselm all the Popish writers Lyra Hugo Cardinalis Aquinas Toletus Pirerius Estius Cornelius a Lapide c. yea Adrianus Vasquez Pezantius say it is manifestly against the Scripture and hereticall to say it is no sinne to doe contrary to the commandement or prohibition of an erring conscience 3. Hence the conscience carrieth to the agent from God a twofold obligation most considerable here 1. one from the action it selfe to be done or not done and this commeth wholly from the oblieging Law of God and not from the conscience there is another obligation that consisteth not in the action and commeth not from the action but in the manner of doing and this obligation commeth from conscience it selfe and that is that we doe nothing in such a manner that is against the light or inditement of our conscience for this is an imbred Rose Flower of divinifie and majestie that groweth kindly out of conscience according to that high place of some sort of royaltie that it hath to bee something of God a little breast-God a little Deputie and Judge not to bee contemned so when a proconsull bringeth to mee a forged commandement from my Soveraigne and Prince I may receive it with non-obedience if I know it to bee a forgery but I am not to despise and put any note of disgrace upon the proconsull be cause hee is in respect of his office the deputie of my Soveraigne though in this particular mandat hee doth prevaricate and not represent the soveraigne power and Prince whose deputie otherwayes he is by vertue of his office so is this the deputed royaltie of conscience that it standing to me bic nunc as representing a message from God though it represent it falsely that I can doe nothing in the contrary that deputry and message standing actually in vigor 4. I desire that these two obligations of conscience bee carefully kept in mind hence I say that conscience carrying the former obligation of Gods Law from which formally the action hath its lawfulnesse and in an eccentrick and irregular discrepance from which it hath its unlawfulnesse it doth not obliege mee to the action because it is conscience simply for when it offereth an action to mee as lawfull which in very deed and a parte rei in it selfe is unlawfull I am not oblieged to that unlawfull action for as God hath given to no ruler made of clay any royall power to bee a tyrant and to destroy where as his office is as a father to save and governe so hath not God given to conscience any power to obliege me to sinnes yea and conscience remaineth conscience when it representeth forged and illegall mandates under the notion of things good even when men love to goe to hell by reason yet in that false representation conscience is not Gods deputie therefore though if a man judge some doctrines to bee errors though they bee in themselves truths to him that so judgeth they are errors yet are these truths not to bee rejected simpliciter and absolutely by him who judgeth so ony they are to be rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some respect as they come in under the notion and garments of errors also if any suffer death for an error which in conscience he conceiveth to be truth that error is to him truth Distinguo it is to him truth that is he conceiveth and dreameth that it is truth that is most true but to him it is truth that is it ought to bee beleeved by him as truth and practised as lawfull that is most false for it ought to bee rejected both in point of beleefe and in point of practise and the erroneous opinion thereof should bee rejected and therefore if hee receive it as truth and professe it and die for it hee dieth not for righteousnesse sake but hee dieth for errour and for the dreames of his owne head and so is not blessed as one who dveth for righteousnesse for this vaine reason saith 1. that it is no sinne for the mind to beleeve a lie to bee a divine truth and it is righteousnesse upon the beleefe whereby I beleeve a lie to bee a truth to suffer for a lie under the notion of a truth Both these are false the former is false for the mind is under Gods oblieging Law to conceive aright of all divine truths as all the faculties of the soule are under a Law 2. The latter is false for to beleeve lies as divine truths and suffer for them because the erring conscience saith they are divine truths is not righteousnesse but sinfull credulity and blind zeale 1. Because wee are not to beleeve what our conscience dictateth as truth under this formall reduplication because our conscience thus doth dictate and saith it is truth but because Gods spirit saith to our conscience it is a divine truth not because our owne spirit and our owne dreaming and misâ—ed conscience saith so This is the controversie betwixt us and Papists anent the authoritie of Gods Word but with a little change for our conscience or the testimony of our conscience as such is no more the formall object of our faith and the formall medium and reason why with a divine faith I beleeve a divine truth to bee a divine truth then the testimony of the Church or the Pope is the formall reason of my faith so An â—baptists make a Pope and an infallible spirit of their owne conscience but the whole formall obligation tying mee to receive this and this point as a divine truth is because God hath revealed it in his Word the consciences representing of it is but a necessary condition of my beleeving but not the formall object of my beleeving the conscience is the cause why I beleeve it tali modo after a rationall way and by the evidence of practicall reason but it is not the formall cause why I beleeve it simpliciter for Papists Arrians Macedonians and the most
all fundamentalls 3. Totally and finally But wee are not to beleeve Papists who say things are fundamentall materially in themselves as all points necessary to bee beleeved but things are not formally fundamentall but such things onely as the Church dâ—fineth to be fundamentall But 1. the foundation of our Faith is Gods Word and Gods Word is necessary to be beleeved to salvation whether the Church define it or no to abstaine from Idolatry is necessary to be beleeved though Aaron and the Church of Israel say the contrary neither doth Gods Word borrow authority from men 2. If the Church may make points to be fundamentall by their definition whereas before they were not fundamentall then may the Church make articles of faith Sure I am Paipsts as Gerson Occam Almaine Suarez yea and a very Bellarmine is against this Yea and by that same reason they may make fundamentall points to bee no fundamentall points and they may turne the Apostles Creed into no faith at all for ejusdem est potestos creare annihilare 3. There cannot be a greater power in the Church to define Articles of faith then is in God himselfe but the very authority of God doth not define a matter to bee an article of faith except the necessitie of the matter so require for God hath determined in his word that Paul left his cloake at Treas but that Paul left his cloake at Troas is not I hope an article of faith or a fundamentall point of salvation 4. What can the Church doe saith Vincentius Lyrinens but declare that that is to be beleeved which before in it selfe was to bee beleeved and Bellarmine saith Councells maketh nothing to be of infallible verity and so doth Scotus say Verity before heresies erat de fide was a matter of faith though it was not declared to be so by the Church Determinatio non facit vertatem saith Oâ—cam The Churches determination maketh no truth 3. The evidence of knowledge of fundamentals is gravely to bee considered Hence these distinctions 1. One may beleeve that Christ is the Sonne of God by a Divine faith as Peter doth Matth. 16. 17. and yet doubt of the necessary consequences fundamentall Ergo Christ must bee delivered into the hands of sinners and bee crucified as the same Peter doubted of this for as one may fall in a grievous sinne though regenerated and faile in act and yet remaine in grace in habitu the seed of God remaining in him so may Peter and the Apostles doubt of a fundamentall point of Christs rising from the dead John 20. v 8 9. in an act of weakenesse and yet have saving faith in Christ as it is like many of of the Saints at Corinth denyed an article of their Faith the rising againe of the dead one act of unbeleefe maketh not an infidell 2. Dist. A simple Papist and a Lutheran not well educated doth beleeve upon the same former ground that Christ is true man hath an habitual faith of this article that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of David yet holdeth transubstantiation or consubstantiatiâ— that Christs body is in many sundry places in heaven and earth on this side of the Sea beyond Sea yet the connâ—xion betwixt Christs humanitie and this monster of transubstantiation not being possible all the error may be meerely philosophick that the extention of quantitative parts without or beyond part is not the essence of a quantitative body while as the rude man beleeveth firmely that Christ is true man and so beleeveth contradictory things by good consequence therefore the qualitie of the conscience of the beleever is to be looked into since fundamentall heresie is essentially in the mind and pertinacy and selfe-conviction doth inseparably follow it 1. There is a conscience simply doubting of fundamentall points this may be with a habit of sound faith 2. A scrupulous conscience which from light grounds is brangled about some fundamentall points and this is often in sound beleevers who may and doe beleeve but with a scruple 3. A conscience beleeving opinions and conjecturing and guessing as in Atheists this is damnable but where obstinacy is as defending with pertinacie transubstantiation and that it is lawfull to adore bread this pertinacious defending of Idolatry doth inferre necessarily that the faith of the article of Christs humanitie is but false and counterfeit and not saving 3. Dist. There is a certitude of adherence formall and a certitude of adherence virtuall A certitude of adherence formall is when one doth adhere firmly to the faith of fundamentalls A certitude of adherence virtuall is when with the formall adherence to some fundamentall points there is an ignorance of other fundamentall points and yet withall a gracious disposition and habit to beleeve other fundamentalls when they shall bee clearely revealed out of the word so Luke 24. Christ exponed the resurrection and the articles of Christs sufferings and glorification vers 25 26 27. to the Disciples who doubted of these before and yet had saving faith of other fundamentall points Matth. 16. 17. 18. 4. Hence there be two sorts of fundamentalls some principally and chiefely so called even the elements and beginning of the doctrine of Christ as Credenda things to be beleeved in the Creed the object of our faith and pâ—tenda things that we aske of God expressed in the Lords Prayer the object of our hope specially 2. Agenda things to be done contained in the decalogue the object of our love to God and our brethren Others are so secundarily fundamentall or lesse fundamentalls as deduced from these yea there be some artcles of the Creed principally fundamentall these all are explicitely to be beleeved noted by Vigilius Martyr and Pareus as that Christ died and rose againe c. Other Articles are but modi articulorum fundamentalium and expositions and evident determinations of cleare articles As Christs incarnation and taking on our flesh is explained by this conceived of the holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary the death and suffering of Christ is exponed by subordinate articles as that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucisied c. and these lesser fundamentalls are to be beleeved necessitate praecepti because God commandeth them but happily non necessitate medii It is possible many bee in glory who beleeve not explicitely but onely in the disposition of the mind as some are baptized in voto in their desire onely these lesser fundamentalls it is enough they have the faith of non-repugnancy or negative adherence to these so as they would not deny them if they had beene proponed to them in a distinct and cleare way 5. The faith of fundamentalls is implicit three wayes 1. In respect of the degree of beleeving 2. In respect of the object 3. In respect of the subject or our adherence to things beleeved In respect of degrees the faith is implicite and weake three wayes as Calvin may teach 1. Because we are
ignorant of some lesse fundamentalls 2. Because we see in a mirror and imperfectly 3. In respect of beleeving upon a false ground as for miracles In respect of the object the certaintie is most sure as sure as that God cannot lie In respect of our adherence of understanding and affections in this respect the knowledge of fundamentalls must bee certaine 1. By a negative certitude which excludeth doubting and so Pastor and people must have a certitude of fundamentalls as Rom. 14 5. Col. 1. 9. Heb. 5. 12. but for a positive certitude there is not that measure required in a teacher that is in a scholler for all the body cannot be an eye 1 Cor. 12. 17. yet is a Christian certitude and fulnesse of perswasion required even of all Christians Colos. 2. 2. Colos. 3. 16. highest and greatest in its kind though many may bee saved with lesse yet a distinct knowledge of fundamentalls in all is not necessary by a necessitie of the meanes necessitate medii as Beza and Doctor Ames teach There is a faith of fundamentalls implicite in respect of the will and affections which Papists make a wide faith as the Jâ—uâ—e Becanus thinke to beleeve these two fundamentalls 1. That there is a God 2. That this God hath a providence conâ—â—â—ning mens salvation though other particulars be not knowne Or implicite faith is saith Estius when any is ready to beleeve what the Church shall teach which faith Suarez saith though it include ignorance yet keepeth men from the danger of errors because it doth submit the mind to the nearest rule of teaching to wit to the Church the knowledge of fundamentalls in this sense doth not save but condemne Thomas saith better then he 6. Dist. They are not alike who beleeve fundamentall hereâ—ies 2. And who defend them 3. And who teach them and obtrude them upon the consciences of others For the first many beleeve fundamentall errors who are ignorant of them and doe thinke that they firmely adhere to Christian Religion Oâ—cam termeth such haereticos nescientes ignorant heretickes as the Marcionites and the Manicheans and these the Church should tolerate while they bee instructed It is true the Jesuite Meratius saith When many things are proposed to the understanding for one and the same formall reason to wit for divine authoritie the understanding cannot imbrace one but it must imbrace all nor â—â—ject one but it must reject all which is true of a formall malitious rejecting the Manichean beleeveth nothing because God saith it and hath faith sound and saving in nothing but it is not true of an actuall or virtuall contempt in one or two fundamentalls because beleevers out of weakenesse ignorance and through strength of tentation may doubt of one fundamentall as the Disciples doubted of the resurrection Joh. 20. 9. and yet in habite beleeve all other fundamentalls but the Church is to correct such as professe fundamentall heresies and to cast out of the Church seducers and deceivers 7. Dist. It is one thing to hate a fundamentall point as that Christ is consubstantiall with the Father as the Arians doe and another thing by consequence to subvert a fundamentall point as Papists by consequence deny Christ to bee true man while they hold the wonder of Transubstantiation yet doe not they hate this conclusion formally that Christ is true man 8. Dist. Though it were true which Doctor Christo. Potter saith If we put by the Points wherein Christians differ one from another and gather into one body the rest of the articles wherein they all gnerallaly agree we should finde in these propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian world so much truth is contained as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient io bring a man to everlasting salvation I say though this were true yet will it not follow that these few fundamentalls received by all Christians Papists Lutherans Arians Verstians Sabellians Maccdonians Nestorians Eutychanes Socinians Anabaptists Treithitae Antitrinitarii for all these be Christians and validely baptized doe essentially constitute a true Church and a true Religion Because all Christians agree that the old and New Testament is the truth and Word of God and the whole faith of Christian Religion is to bee found in the Old Testament acknowledged both by Jewes and Christians for that is not the Word of God indeed in the Old Testament which the Jewes say is the Word of God in the Old Testament Yea the old and new Testament and these few uncâ—nâ—â—averted points received universally by all Christians are not Gods Word as all these Christians expone them but the dreames and fancies of the Jewes saying that the old Testament teacheth that Christ the Messiah is not yet come in the flesh the Treithitae say there be three Gods yet are the Treithitae Christians in the sense of Doctor Potter so that one principall as that There is one God and Christ is God and man and God is noely to be adored not one of these are uncontraverted in respect every society of Sectaries have contrary expositions upon these common fundamentalls and so contrary Religions Who doubteth but all Christians will subscribe and sweare with us Protestants the Apostolicke Creed but will it follow that all Christians are of one true Religion and doe beleeve the same fundamentalls now these fundamentalls are the object of faith according as they signifie things To us and to the Treithitae this first Article I beleeve in God as I conceive doth not signifie one and the same thing now joyne this I beleeve in God with holy obedience as wee expone it and as the Treithitae expone it it could never bee a step to everlasting salvation for it should have this meaning I beleeve there is one only true God and that there be also three Gods and what kind of obedience joyned with a faith made up of contradictions can bee availeable to salvation 3. One generall Catechise and confession of faith made up of the commonly received and agreed upon fundamentalls would not make us nearer peace though all Christians should sweare and subscribe this common Christian Catechise no more then if they should sweare and subscribe the old and new Testament as all Christians will doe and this day doth 9. Disl Though the knowledge of fundamentalls be necessary to salvation yet it cannot easily be defined what measure of knowledge of fundamentalls and what determinate number of fundamentalls doth constitute a true visible Church and a sound beleever as the learned Voetius saith Hence 1. They are saved who soundly beleeve all fundamentalls materially though they cannot distinctly know them under the reduplication of fundamentalls nor define what are fundamentalls what not 2. Though a Church retaine the fundamentalls yet if wee beforced to avow and beleeve as truth doctrines everting the foundation of faith against the article of one God if we must worship as many Gods as there bee hosties if Christs
and their doctrine judged by the Prophets now if such could erre our faith were not immediately builded upon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Answ. This is before examined by me the consequence is null for the holy Spirit saith Pareus did not dite all things which the Prophets spake they might have mixed in some thing of their owne Robinson saith that Paul could not have said if any thinke himselfe to be a Prophet c. let such an one acknowledge that the thing I wrote are the commandements of the Lord if these had beene extraordinary Prophets they should have knowne Pauls writings undoubtedly to have beene the Canonick word of God and could not have beene ignorant thereof Answ. This presupponeth that these extraordinary Prophets might have beene ignorant that the Apostles commandements was the commandements of the Lord which is not absurd for Nathan and Samuel were ignorant of Gods will in some points for Prophets see and know sometimes as men and sometimes as Prophets in the former they may erre in the latter they are infallible He subjoyneth The word of God came it to you or came it from you if the word of God came after a sort to the Corinthians and not from them then were they not immediatly and extraordinarily inspired whereas indeed the Word of God came from the Apostles Answ. This proveth not the point for hee condemneth the arrogancie of some immediately inspired Prophets Came the word of God from you that is are yee above the Apostle to whom the word of God was committed that it may bee preached to all the world that it might come from the Apostles to others Or came it to you onely as to the only Apostolick teachers that you neede no admonition but hence it followeth not but they were extraordinarily inspired Prophets for Peter might be rebuked though an Apostle a chief one Neither is it any imputation to Paul or to any who hath received the Spirit in measure to be censured It is true Canonick doctrine as it is such cannot be censured but the teachers thereof though infallible even Paul Act. 17. 10 11. and every spirit is to bee tried whether they be of God or no 1 Joh. 3. 1. yea to say that the Church cannot be builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles as Mr. Robinson saith pag. 68. if these Prophets extraordinary can erre or can bee subject to the censure and judgement of the Church is the very argument of Papists for they say that the Word of God borroweth authoritie quoad nos in respect of us from the Church and is to be beleeved because Peter Paul the Prophets and Apostles the then present Church say it is the Word of God So Stapleton as Whittakerne teacheth that Christ was the Sonne of God dependeth to our faith upon the testimony of John Baptist. See Bellarmine Gregorius de Valent. Gretser So three famous commentators say Jansenius Cardinalis Cajetan and Cardinalis Toletus But our Divines answer that the Word of God is true in it selfe and the authentick ground of our faith not because the Prophets and Apostles say it is the word of God not because Paul or an Angel from heaven saith it is so Gal. 1. 8. for even the Prophets and Apostles were but men and so their testimony not infallible but because God himselfe saith so See for this Rivetus Whittakerus Bucerus Calvinus yea and the Fathers most expressely say that the Prophets and Apostles are not the foundation of our faith nor their word because they were infallible but Gods word by their mouths and penne So Theaâ—â—â—lact Chrysostome Beda Ambrosius Occam and Gerson doe roundly acknowledge that their Popes word is not the foundation of faith quia Papa potest heretiâ—ari because the Pope may erre What because Samuel was deceived in calling Eliah the Lords annointed are not his bookes a part of canonick doctrine whereupon our faith is builded Lastly saith Robinson Pastors must preach and pray before they hee put in office otherwise they cannot bee trâ—ed if they bee apt to teach as they must be 1 Tim. 3. 2. Tit. 1. 9. It is decreed that all may preach Ministers Teachers Elders Deacons and if there beam ex ipsa plebe any of the common people who would imploy their gift for the good of the Church and it is practised in the Colledges where all must preach though they were never Priests Answ. 1. It is lawfull that these ayming at the office 2. Brought up in humane sciences 3. Called by the Church preach by way of tryall before they be admitted to the office but hence it cannot be concluded that tradesmen and artificersvoyd of learning and ignorant of the Scriptures should preach not for try all or as ayming at the office of the Ministery but as ordinary ministers of the conversion of soules to the faith and that without any calling of the Church either to the office or to the degree preparatorie to the office 2. All gifted should preach yea and in England ought to bee put in office where there is a reading ministery which Christ never ordained to bee in his house and this the harmony of confession and Synods teach and no more It is a fault that in Colledges all doe preach whether Christ hath called them or not such unsent runners Mr. Robinson cannot approve Ambrose saith at the beginning it was granted that all should preach and baptize that the Church might grow and Origen said the same But otherwise Hieronymus saith it is praesumptio temeritatis a rash presumption for any to preach who are not sent and Theophylact calleth them false Prophets Augustine will have them all to come before Christ and so to bee theeves and robbers who commeth not sent Sicut Moses Prophetâ— as Moses and the Prophets were sent Coachman saith if preaching be tyed to the ministery and that order there shall neither bee faith nor grace in a Church where there is no ministery Answ. It followeth not for faith may come by reading by conference and you expone Rom. 10. 14. As Arminians and Socinians doe 2. We as Embassadors pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. Ephes. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 29. Are all Prophets Ergo would you say no reconciliation in a land without apostolick Ambassadors It followeth not ex negatione unius medii for then there should be no grace nor salvation where there be none of your lay-Preachers Coachman Knowledge judgement utterance with gravitie authoritie power maketh a man a Minister whether he be in office or not Preaching is accidentall to the office and no part of the office but onely an ornament or appendix of it a Minister is in full office of the order of Priesthood though he never preach an office maketh not a Preacher it maketh him onely such
by the dominion of free-will but this is Pelagianisme and Arminianisme and Papists and Pelagians will needs examine the inclinations powers and motions of the soule which goe before the wills consent or arise in us without the wills consent from all subjection to a Law that so originall sinne may bee no sinne because as Pâ—â—agius said it is not voluntary and concupiscence when the will joyneth no consent to it is no sinne yea so the unbeleefe and ignorance of fundamentall points as they remaine in the mind shall bee no sinne 3. If this bee no sinne we are not to pray for illumination to see either the truth on the one side nor on the other and what actions wee doe according to these opinions in things not fundamentall wee doe them not with any certaintie of faith or any plerophorie but blindly or doubtingly and so sinfully which is expresly condemned Rom. 14. 13. and is expressely against that full assurance of faith that wee are to have in those very actions which in their owne nature are indifferent as is evident Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing uncleane of it selfe â— 5. Let every one bee fully perswaded in his owne mind 4. If they be not sinnes then are none to bee rebuked for these opinions no more then they are to bee excommunicated for them and though any erre in points not fundamentall they are not to bee rebuked yea nor to bee convinced of them by the light of the word 2. If they bee sinnes then when they are publickly prosested they must scandalize our brother but there bee no sinnes which scandalize our brother but they are susceptible and in capacitie to bee committed with obstinacie Every sinne sub ratione scandali is the subject of Church-censure Yea Iâ—m 16. 17. Every one is to bee avoyded who causeth divisions and 〈◊〉 es contrary to the doctrine which the Church hath learned of the Apostles and every one who walketh disorderly 2 Thess. 3. 11. and 〈◊〉 not the commandement of the Apostles is to bee excommunicated 〈◊〉 hee bee ashamed v. 14. but opinions contrary to the Apostles doctrine in non-fundamentalls are not fundamentalls and if they bee professed cause divisions and offences contrary to the Apostolik doctrine for many non-fundamentalls are the Apostles doctrine 3. What ever tendeth to the subversion of fundamentalls tendeâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 to the subversion of faith and so doth much truly scandalizâ—anâ— bring on damnation that Christ hath ordained to be removed out of the Church by Church-censures but erroneous opinions in points not fundamentall and in superstructures being professed and instilled in the eares and simple mindes of others tend to the subversion of fundamentalls as having connexion by just consequent with fundamentalls and doe scandalize and bring on doubtings about the foundation and so bring damnation Ergo erroneous opinions in points not fundamentall must be removed out of the Church by Church-censures The proposition is cleare he that falleth in a publicke scandalous sinne is to be delivered to Satan both for his owne sake that he be not damned himselfe but that 1 Cor. 5. 5. to the destruction of the flesh the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord and so also for others because a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump v. 6. The assumption is proved by dayly experience for corruption in Discipline and Government in the Church of Rome brought on corruption in Doctrine and the same did we find in the Churches of Scotland and England 4. Fundamentalls are no other thing then that which the Apostle calleth Heb. 6. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first principles of the oracles of God and ch 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctrine of the Principles of Christ which are laid as foundations as ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not laying the foundation againe c. Then non-fundamentalls must be such superstructures as are not the first Principles of the Oracles of God and are not the Doctrine of the Principles of Christ. But the Apostle will not have us to fluctuate and doubt as Skeptickes in a Pyâ—rhonian Vacillation and Uncertainty in these which he calleth the superstructures 1. As is evident by his words 11 Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered but you are dull of hearing 12. For when for the time yee ought to be teachers yee have need that one teach you againe which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have neede of milke and not of strong food 13. For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse for he is a babe 14. But strong meate belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discerne both good and evill Chap. 6. 1. Therefore leaving the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let us goe on unto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes c. Whence it is more then evidently apparent to any intelligent mind 1. That when he saith they ought to be teachers of others he cannot be thought to meane that they should teach fundamentalls onely to others because he would have them to be capable of the food of such as are stronger and have their senses exercised to discerne good and ill and will have them carried on to perction now fundamentalls are expressely the foode of babes which bâ—â— neede of milke c. 6. v. 12. and not the foode of the stronger if then they ought to teach superstructures and non-fundamentalls to others they cannot teach and exhort privately for of such he speaketh these things whereof they have no certainty of faith and which they beleeve with a reserve as ready to reject them to morrow upon second thoughts for what we teach to others those as I conceive we are oblieged to speake because we beleeve Psal. 116. 10. 2 Cor. 4. 13. and those we are to perswade because we know not with a reserve but with certainty of faith the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. If it be said teachers now are not oblieged to know all that they teach now to be divine truths with such a certainty of faith as Prophets and Apostles who were ledde by an infallible Spirit for our private exhorting our publick Sermons come not from a Spirit as infallible as that Spirit which spake and wrote canonick Scripture for we may erre in exhorting in Preaching in writing but the pen-men of canonick Scripture were infallible I answer the pen-men of Scripture when they did speak and write Scripture were infallible de jure de facto they could neither erre actually and by Gods word they were oblieged not to erre and in that they were freer from error then we are who now succeed them to preach and write but what God hath revealed in his word whether they be fundamentalls or superstructures doth obliege
morall respect of a savour of some Pharisaicall ostentation that you pray to be seene of men and so the circumstance now is morall and is to be regulated by the Word whereas the circumstance that is meerely physicall is not as it is such in any capacity to receive scripturall regulation nothing is required but a physicall convenience for the action Now for fundamentall superstructures for things about the foundation in so farre as they have warrant in the Word to me they oblige to faith and practises in so farre as the Lord intimateth to us in his Word either expressely or by good consequence that they are lawfull Now I may adde to these that there be some things adjacent circumvenient circumstantiall to these fundamentals superstructions and others that I named wherein mutuall tolerance is commendable Nor doe we thinke any Church Reformation so perfect as that reformers have not left it in some capacity more or lesse of receiving increase and latitude of Reformation but truely I doe not see the consequence that therefore in all points not fundamentall the conscience must be of that compliable latitude of Kid-leather to take in and let out so as none of these superstructures or non-fundamentals are to be beleeved but with a reserve that you take them to day as Gods truths and are in capacity to beleeve their contradicents to be Gods truth to morrow And for the place Phil. 3. 14. 15. The sense given by Zanchius pleaseth me We that are reputed perfect let us all think and mind this truth that I write to contend for the price of the high-calling of God and if any mind any other thing contrary to or diverse from my doctrine God in his owne time shall reveale it to him Zanchius saith Deus id quoque revelabit suo tempore nempe an falsum sit vel verum God shall reveale it to him in his owne time whether it be true or false to which part I doe not subscribe that God shall reveale to any other minded then Paul whether his doctrine be true or false for that may inferre a possibility that Paul taught in this point or in the matter of ceremonies something false but the meaning is God shall make him know by the revelation of truth that what I have taught is true and he addeth as Zanchius Estius Cornelius à Lapide Sâ—lmeron yea our owne Calvine Marlorat and others upon this condition that they walke with us in peace and concord according to the 〈◊〉 the Gospel and that these words are a condition I beleeve because Christ saith John 7. 17. If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe But I see nothing here that reacheth the conclusion that we deny it will beare this indeed if any man be otherwise minded and thinke that Paul hath not delivered sound doctrine either concerning our pressing forward toward the prise of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ or concerning ceremonies that is if any man beleeve untruths contrary to Pauls doctrine let him beleeve these untruths leaving roome to Gods light to bow downe under truths feet when God shall reveale that Pauls doctrine is true and that his thoughts diverse from Pauls doctrine was misapprehensions and errours but there is nothing here that if any beleeve true non-fundamentals he is to beleeve them with a reserve that if God with a new light shall appear to discover these truths to be untruths he shall change his mind Now the supposition is vaine and as unpossible as to say God can contradict and belie his owne truth nor is there any word of toleration of Sects in the text Yea but say they Paul professeth to walke according to the rule to which they 〈◊〉 all attained with those who are contrary minded Ergo we are to tolerate and to keepe peaceable communion with those who are contrary minded in opinions and disagree from us Answ. Marke I pray you that Paul doth not say he will walke with them and keepe communion with them simply but onely 1. while God shall reveale their error and by his light make them see that Pauls doctrine is true 2. So in other things they be of one minde with Paul as perfect men should be and so I thinke Paul doth indeed condemne separation and breach of love for diversity of opinions in some things and we doubt not but if the servant of the Lord should with gentlenesse instruct malicious opposers of the truth and wait on them to see if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. farre rather should Paul walke with those that are perfect according to the same rule though they be of another mind but it followeth not that those who are of another mind from Paul should 1 obstinately continue in that mind after that God hath by writings and dispute convinced them of their error 2. It followeth not that their obâ—tinate continuance in their error should alwayes be tolerated and never censured especially if it be such an error as causeth divisions and offences Rom. 16. 17. for then such should be avoided saith Paul in that same place 3. It followeth not that we are to beleeve no superstructures or non-fundamentals but with a reserve it is observable that Paul speaketh here of those who beleeve errors and doctrines contrary to Pauls doctrine Now consider then the force of the argument those who beleeve errors contrary to Pauls doctrine have no certainty of faith that what they beleeve is true and therefore must beleeve with a reserve leaving roome to new light therefore those who beleeve any true superstructures and any non-fundamentals have also no certainty of faith but must beleeve with a reserve that when light shall appeare they shall beleeve the contradicent of what they now beleeve there is no force in this connexion It is just like the question betwixt us and the Papists whether a man can be certaine with any divine and infallible certainty that he is in the state of grace and salvation Papists say hypocrites beleeve that they are in the state of grace and yet they have no certainty thereof Ergo say they the regenerate beleeving that they are in the state of grace can have no certainty This is a very ill consequence for a sleeping man is not certaine whether he be dreaming or waking Ergo a waking man knoweth not whether he be waking or not So a distracted man hath no certainty that he is as wise as seven men who can render a reason therefore a man sober in his wits knoweth not that he is in his sober wits these be poore and loose consequences It is true when we beleeve some alterable circumstances of some things rather about then in doctrine and discipline which are disputable and to us both sides have great probability we have not certainty of faith and possible here in
every one of the visible Church and that he inteneth to save all and every one of the visible Church This I prove for if thâ— covenant and promises of the covenant if the stiles of Christs Body his Love his Spouse his Sister and Dâ—ve if the revelation of Christ made not by flesh and blood but by Christs Father the ground of that blessed confession of Peter Mat. 16. 17. For which the keys were given to the visible Church if I say all these be proper to the visible Church as visible and due to her as to the first principall and prime subject and not to the chosen redeemed and invisible Church as such then the promises of the covenant and all these styles belong to the visible Church and God promiseth and intendeth a new heart and a new spirit to all visible Professors as such and so he intendeth redemption in Christ and salvation and Christs Righteousnesse and Forgivenesse of sins to all the visible Church But our Brethren do not I hope thinke that Gods intentions are castles in the Aire and new Ilands beyond the Moone as if his intentions could be frustrated and he could misse the white of the scope he shooteth at for certainly these to whom the covenant and promises thereof belong as to the prime and first subject these are his covenanted people now the orthodox and reformed Church holdeth that the covenant and promises are preached to the whole visible Church but for the elects sake and that howsoever externally the covenant of grace and promises be promulgated to every one and all within the lists of the visible Church yet they belong in Gods Intention and gratious purpose only to the Elect of God and his reseemed ones to that invisible Body Spouse Sister whereof Christ alone is Lord Head Husband and Brother and the first begotten amongst many Brethren Hence let me reason thus The Church whose gathering together and whose unity of Faith knowledge of the Son of God and growth of the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ the Lord intendeth by giving to them for that end some to be Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4. 11 12 13. must be the Church to which all the promises of the covenant and priviledges do belong But the Lord intendeth the gathering together the unity of Faith the knowledge of the Son of God and growth of the measure of the stature of Christ only of the invisible Elected and Redeemed Church not of the visible professing or consesing Church nor doth the Lord send Pastors and Teachers up-on a purpose and intention of gathering the visible Church and visible Israel except you flie to the Tents of Arminians I conceive these arguments cannot be answered If any say that Christ in giving Prophets Pastors and Teachers to his Church intendeth to save the true visible Church of the chosen and redeemed in so far as they are chosen and redeemed now they who answer thus come to our hand and forsake the Doctrine of their visible Church and say with us that the Ministery and the keys are given only upon a purpose on Gods part to save the invisible Church and that all these promises of the covenant the styles of Christs Spouse Sister Faire one are not proper to the visible Church nor any ground or argument to prove that the keys the power of excommunication ordaining of officers are given to the visible Church as to the prime and principall subject 4. The invisible Church and not the visible Church as it is such hath right to the Sacraments because these who have right to the covenant have right to the seales of the covenant and this is Peters argument to prove the baptizing of Infants to be lawfull Acts 2. 38 39. But only the invisible Church hath right to the covenant For God saith only of and to the invisible Church and not of the visible Church in his gratious purpose Jerem. 32. 38. And I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts 34. They shall all know me all within the covenant I will forgive thâ—ir iniquity Now the visible Church as the visible Church is not within the covenant therefore the visible Church as the visible Church and being no more but the visible Church hath not right to the Seales of the covenant but in so far as they are within the covenant and in so far as God is their God and they his pardoned and sanctified people as it is Ierem. 31. 33 34. 5. It is knowen that our Brethren here joyne with Papists for Papists ignorant of the Doctrine of the visible Church labour to prove that the visible Church on Earth the Ministeriall Teaching and Governing Church cannot erre but that she converâ—ed in a visible Synod and met in Christs Name hath a promise of an infallible assistance And by what argumunts do they prove it You know here Bellarmine Pererius Tolet Stapleton Bailâ—â—s Suarez Vasquez Harding Gretsirus Costerus Turrecremata Salmoron Locinus Cajetan and an host of them say because the Church is builded on a Rock and against it the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile because Christ saith I have prayd to the Father that thy Faith faile thee not because Christ saith I will send you the holy Spirit and he shall leade you into all truth Now our Divines say that the invisible Church of Elect believers cannot fall off the Rock and cannot fall from saving Faith and cannot erre by falling into fundamentall heresies but it followeth not Ergo the visible ministeriall and Teaching Church either out of a Synod or convened in a Synod have an infallible and Apostolick Spirit to lead them so as in their determinations they cannot erre Just so our brethren take all the places for the priviledges covenant promises stiles of Sister Love Dove Spouse mysticall Body of Christ c. Which are proper only to the invisible redeemed chosen sanctified Church of God and they give all these to their only visible ministeriall and right constituted Church in the New Testament and say that this visible church gathered in a church-state because of the foresaid priviledges and stiles hath the supreame and independent power and authority of the keys above all Teachers and Pastors whatsoever and that the right visible church consisteth only of a Royall generation Temples of the Holy Ghost a people in covenant with God taught of God partakers of the Divine nature c. And that all visible churches that meet not in a materiall House in a visible and conspicious Society as on visible Mount Zion and not consisting of such a covenanted sanctified and separated people are a false church false in matter not an ordinance of Christ but an Idoll an antichristian device a Synagogue of Satan voyd of the power of the Keys 6. A church in covenant with God and the Spouse of Christ and his mysticall Body and a church which
principles for sometime they say the Apostles gave out this decree as Apostles and sometime there is nothing here done by a meere doctrinall power such as Paul had over Peter or one single Pastor hath over another now it is sure that Paul had no Apostolick power over Peter and that one Pastor have not Apostolick power over another 2. When our brethren say here that the Apostles as Apostles by an infallible spirit gave out this Decree they doe in this helpe the Papists as Bellarmine Becanus Grâ—â—rut and in particular the Jesuit Lorinus who saith decrâ—um authenticum cujus inspirator spiritus sanctâ— and so saith Cornelius a lapide visiâ—m est nob is inspiratis decretis a Spiritu sanctus therefore saith hee the councell cannot erre and so Salmeron and Cajetan say and expresly Stapleton saith this Apostosack definition flowed from the instinct of the holy Ghost observandum saith Stapleton quanta habenda sit ecclesiae definienth authoritâ—s hence our brether here must yeeld either that all Synods are infallible as Papists say this Synod the patterne of all Synods being concluded by an Apostolick spirit could not erre and so neither can councells erre or they must with Socinians and Arminians say there is no warrant for Synods here at all And certainly though wee judge our brethren as farre from Popery and Socinianisme as they thinke wee detest Anti-Christian Presbytery yet if this Synod bee concluded by an Apostolick spirit it is no warrant to bee imitated by the Churches and wee have no ground hence for lawfull Synods Whittakerus Calvin Beza Luther and all our Divines do all alledge this place as a pregnant ground not of Apostolick but of ordinary and constant Synods to the end of the world and Diodatus good to the holy Ghost because they did treat of ecclesiasticall reders concerning the quietnes and order of the Church wherein ecclesiasticall authoritie hath place the Assembly used this tearme it seemed good to us which is not used neither in articles of faith nor in the commandements which meerely concerned the conscience and to shew that authoritie was with holy reason and wisedome there is added and to the holy Ghost who guided the Apostles in these outward things also 1. Cer. 7. 25. 40. 2. If our brethren meane that the Elders and brethren were in this Apostolick and immediatly inspired Synodicall determination not as collaterall penners of Scriptures joyned with the Apostles but onely as consenters and as consenters by power of an ordinary holy Ghost working consent in them more suo according to their capacitie as ordinary Elders 1. They yet more helpe the Papists because they must say onely Apostles and so onely their successors the Prelates had definitive voices in this Synod the Presbyters and Brethren did no more then Papists and Prelates say Presbyters did in generall councells of old and therefore the Presbyter is to subscribe Ego A. N. Presbyter consentiens subseribo whereas the Prelate subscribed say they Ego A. B. Episcopus definiens subscribo wee crave a warrant in Gods Word to make an Apostle or a Prelate a Synodicall definer having a definitive voyce and the Elder Brother or Presbyter to have a consultative voyce for here all the multitude if there was a multitude present doe make Synodicall decrees by consulting and consenting yea all the nation may come to a nationall Synod and both reason dispute and consent because matters of doctrine and government of the Church concerneth all therefore all have an interest of presence and all have an interest of reasoning and 3. by consequent all have an interest of consenting yea of protesting on the contrary if the Synod determine any thing against the Word of God If they say there is a threeford consent in this Synod 1. an Apostolicall 2. a second Synodicall agreeing to Elders as Elders and a third that of the people or a popular What a mixt Synod shall this be but 1. then as the Epistle to the Tlxssalonians is called the Epistle of Paul not the Epistle of Silvanus and Timotheus though Silvanus and Timotheus did consent so these dogmata or decrees should not be called the decrees of the Apostles and Elders as they are called Act. 16. 4. Act. 15. 6. Act. 21. 25. but onely the decrees of the Apostles seeing the Elders did onely consent and had no definitive influence in making the decree by this doctrine as Silvanus and Timotheus were not joynt pen-men of Scripture with Paul 3. When as it is said the specification of actions must not bee taken from the efficient cause but from the formall object and all that a done in this Synod might have beene done by a single Pastor I answer wee doe not fetch the specification of this rebuke and of these decrees from the efficient causes but from the formall object for an Apostle might his alone have rebuked these obtruders of circumcision and made this decree materialiter for Paul did more his alone then this when hee wrote the Eâ—istle to the Romans but yet one Pastor could not have Synodically rebuked and given out a decree formally Synodicall laying an Ecclesiasticall tie on moe Churches then one there is great ods to doe one and the same action formally and to doe the same action materially and I beleeve though actions have not by good logick their totall specification from their efficient cause yet that ordinances of God as lawfull have their specification from the efficient causes in part our brethren cannot deny For what made the difference betwixt Aaron his fire offered to the Lord and Nadab and Abihu their strange and unlawfull fire that they offered to the Lord but that the on fire had God for its author the other had men and the like I say of Gods feasts and the feasts devised by Jeroboam else if a woman preach and administrate the Lords Supper in the Church that preaching and sacrament administrated by her should not have a different specification and essence if wee speake morally or Theologically from that same very preaching and celebration of the Supper performed in the Church by a lawfull Pastor it is as I conceive of the essence of an action Synodicall I say not its totall essence that it cannot bee performed by one in a Church-way and with an ecclesiasticall tie but it must be performed by many else it is not a Synodicall action and it is true that Paul Rom. 14. and 1 Cor. 8. 10. hath in substance the same Canon forbidding scandall which is forbidden in this Canon prohibiting eating of meats offered to Idolls and blood in the case of scandall but I pray you is there not difference betwixt the one prohibition and the other yea there is for Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 10. it hath undenyably Apostolick authoritie here it hath onely Synodicall 2. There it is a commandement of God here it is a Canon of the Church 3. There it commeth from one man here from a
Earth Answ. I see this sayd without any probation Churches depend on many above them for unity but what consequence is this Ergo they depend upon one visible Monarch It is an unjust consequence Mr. Mather Mr. Thomson c. 2 pag. 26. The Graecians and Hebrewes made not two Churches but one Congregation they called the multitude of Disciples together v. 2. Answ. That the chiefe of both Grecians and Hebrewes were convened in one to give their consent to the admission of their Officers the Deacons I conceive but that all the thousands of the Church of Jerusalem were here as in one ordinary Congregation I judge unpossible Mr. Mather c. 3. pag. 27. 28. If your argument be good if thy Brother offend and refuse to submit tell the Church because Christs Remedy must be as large as the Disease then if a Nationall Church offend you are to complaine to a higher Church above a Nationall Church and because offences may arise betwixt Christians and Indians you may complain of an Indian to the Church Ans. Because ordinary communion faileth when you got higher then a Nationall Church and Christs way suppoleth an ordinary Communion as is cleare If thy Brother offend c. Therefore I deny that this remedy is needfull in any Church above a Nationall Church 2. Christs remedy is a Church remedy for Offences amongst brethren and Members of the visible Church And Indians are no Members of the Church and so being without they cannot bee judged 1 Co. 5. 12. We say that if the Magistrate be an enemy to Religion may not the Church without him convene and renew a Covenant with God Mr. Mather and Mr. Thomson answer c. 3. pag. 29. if the supreame Magistrate be an enemy to Religion it is not like but most or many of the people will be of the same mind Regis ad exemplum as it is in France and Spaine and was in the dayes of Queene Mary and then the Believers in the Land will not be able to beare the name of the Land or Nation but of a small part thereof nor can it be well conceived how they should assemble in a Nationall Synod for that or any other purpose when the Magistrate is a professed Enemie nor doth God require it at their hands Answ. This is a weake answer the Christians under Nerâ— were not like their Prince and it s not like but sincere Christians will bee sincere Christians and professe truth even when the Magistrate is an enemy And 2. If your meaning be it cannot be conceived how they should assemble in a Nationall assembly when the Magistrate is an Enemy because it is not safe for feare of persecution Then you say nothing to the argument because the argument is drawen from a duty a Nation professing the Gospell after many backslidings are obliged to convene in a Nationall Synod and are to renew their Covenant with the Lord and your answer is from an ill of affliction and if you meane that because the Princes power is against their Synodicall convening this is nothing against the power of the Synods that CHRIST hath given to His Church But if your meaning be that it is not lawfull to them to convene in a Nationall Synod to renew a Covenant with GOD against the supreame Magistrates will I hope you minde no such thingâ— for so doe Malignants Now alledge that wee never read of any Reformation of Religion in Scripture warranted but where the Prince did contribute his authority because he onely is to reforme and he onely rebuked for the standing of the high places but hee may soone be answered 1. Both Israel and Iudah were so bent to backsliding that wee read not that ever the people made any reall Reformation of Religion Josiah Hezekiah and Asa did it for them But what an argument is this Iudah did never for the most of the Land seeke the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart Ergo the seeking of the Lord God with all the heart is an unwritten tradition 2. Princes are obliged to remove high places But are they obliged with their owne Hands to breake all the Images No I thinke if they remove the high places by the Hands of their Subjects or command their Subjects to remove them they doe full well But I see not this consequence Ergo Princes onely are obliged to remove the high places it followeth not 3. If it be the Princes part to command his Subjects this duty of Reformation and removall of the high places then they may performe their duty without the Prince 4. There is a twofold Reformation one an heart-Reformation Sure this is not the Princes onely All the Land may repent without the King There is another an outward Reformation And that is twofold either Negative or Positiveâ— Negative is to refraine from ill and the unlawfull and superstitious manner of worshipping GOD as in new Offices not warranted by his Word Antichristian Ceremonies and a Masse-Booke c. Certainly all the Land are to abstaine from sinne though the King command not now all the Reformation for the most part in both Kingdomes is in obstinence from superstitious superadditions that defiled the worship of GOD and to this there is no necessity of the Magistrates authority more then wee needâ— the Kings warrant to put an Obligation upon Gods Negative Commandements All that is Positive is the swearing of a lawfull Covenant to observe and stand by the faith and true Religion of the Land but I see no more a necessity that a King warrant the lawfull Vow of twenty thousand then the Lawfull Vow of one Man seeing it is a lawfull profession of CHRIST before Men commanded in the third Commandement And to the observance of that Law of God which God and Conscience hic nunc doe oblige us there is no addition of a Kingly authority by necessity of a Divine Law required to make it valid no more then if all the Kingdome at such a solemne day of humiliation should all in every severall Church sweare to Reformation of life 5. The Apostles and Christ positively did reforme Religion and the Church without and contrary to the mind of civill authority nor is it enough to say the Apostles were Apostles but wee are not Apostles for upon this morall ground Acts 5. 29. Wee ought rather to obey GOD than man they reformed contrary to the Magistrates mind And wee doe but contend for that very same Faith Jud. 3. which was once delivered to the Saints So to Reforme is to seeke the old way and to walks in it Jeremy 6. 16. to turne to the LORD with all the heart Jeremy 1. and for this cause Jeremy 3. 10. Iudah is sayd not to veturue to the LORD with her whole heart but fainedly because when a zealous King reformed them they returned not with all their heart Whence Reformation of Religion must bee the peoples duty no lesse then the Kings and I believe such a divine precept carrying
Gerson as also Glorianus but he who is casten out as a Schismaticke is in the same case with an excommunicate person Lastly baptisme is not a priviledge of a particular visible Church onely nor doth the place of 1 Cor. 12. vers 13. meane of the visible parishionall Church of Corinth but of the whole visible Church of Jew and Gentile bond and free as the words doe beare Quest. III. In what cases it is lawfull to separate from a Church In this discourse three things must bee discussed 1. With what Church retaining the doctrine of fundamentalls we are to remaine 2. Whether our separation from Rome bee not warrantable 3. Whether wee may lawfully separate from true Churches for the sinnes of the Churches 1 Cor. 3. 11. Another foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ. Hence Jesus Christ is the foundation of faith reall or personall and the knowledge of Christ is the dogmaticall foundation of faith Upon this foundation some build gold that is good doctriae some hay and stubble that is as Calvin faith curious doctrine Pareus vaine and frivolous doctrine We are to distinguish betwixt articles of faith or res fidei matters of faith and fundamentall points of faith Matters of faith I reduce to three 1. Fundamentall points 2. Supra-fundamentalia superstructions â—â—illed upon fundamentalls 3. Circa-fundamentalia things about maâ—ers of Faith for praeter fundamentalia things indifferent and besides the foundation in matters of Religion and morall carriage I acknowledge none fundamentalls are the vitall and noble parts or the soule of Divinitie The ignorance of fundamentalls condemneth which is to be understood two wayes 1. The Ignorance of fundamentalls such as are supernaturall fundamentalls condemneth all within the visible Church as a sinne but it doth not formally condemne those who are without the visible Church Job 15. 22. It onely maketh those who are without the Church incurable but doth not formally condemne them as medicine not knowne and so not refused maketh sicke men incurable as a losse but doth not kill them as a sinne 2. Superstructures which by consequence arise from fundamentalls are fundamentalls by consequent and secondarily as the second ranke of stones that are immediatly laid upon the foundation are a foundation in respect of the higher parts of the wall and therefore are materially fundamentall and the ignorance of these virtually condemne and the denying of such by consequence is a denying of the foundation Things about the foundation circa fundamentalia are all things revealed in the word of God as all Histories Miracles Chronolâ—gie things anent Orion the Pleiades the North starres Job 38. 31. 32. That Paul left his cloakc at Troas The knowledge of these is considered three wayes 1. As necessary by necessitie of a meane necessitate medii and the knowledge so is not necessary to salvation many are in glory I doubt not who lived in the visible Church and yet knew never that Sampson killed a Lion but the knowledge of all these is necessary necessitate praecepti because all in the visible Church are oblieged to know these things therefore the ignorance of these onely doth not actually condemne but virtually and by demerit lead to condemnation 2. This knowledge is considered as commanded in the excellency thereof and so error and bad opinions about these are sinfully ill though in the regenerate by accident such errors condemne not where the foundation is holden 3. The knowledge of these is considered as commanded and enjoyned to us with the submission of faith for the authority of God the Speaker and the malicious opposing of these is a fundamentall error not formally but by evident consequent for though the matter of these errors be not fundamentall yet the malicious opposing of these is a fundamentall error against this principle What ever God saith is true but God saith there were eight soules in the Arke of Noah Hence because the historiall things of Scripture and things about the foundation as that Paul purified himselfe with the Jewes Act. 21. that Paul rebuked Peter Gal. 2. is no lesse true because God hath so spoken in his Word then this fundamentall point Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners it is cleare that the specifice and essentiall forme of a fundamentall article is not taken from the authoritie of God speaking in the Word seeing Gods authoritie is one and the same in all that he speaketh but from the influence that the knowledge of an article hath to unite us to God in Christ and bring us to salvation And secondly it will follow that this Thou shalt not by the use of things indifferent kill him for whom Christ died and the like be no lesse fundamentall by evident consequent in respect it is spoken by Gods own authority then articles of our faith Thirdly it followeth that formalists ignorantly divide matters of Gods worship into matters of Faith or points fundamentall and things indifferent as if many Scripturall truthes were not to be found in Gods Word such as the miracles of Moses and Elias the journeyes of Paul which are neither matters fundamentall nor yet things indifferent Fourthly many things may be fundamentall by consequent to one who can reade the Word and heareth it read which is not by consequent fundamentall to a rude and ignorant man The knowledge of points fundamentall is necessary 1. To obtaine salvation 2. To keepe communion with a true Church for we are to separate from a Church subverting the foundation and laying another foundation Fundamentalls are restricted by many to the Creed of Athanasius and Gregorius Nazimzen and Cyrillus of Jerusalem to the Apostles Creed as it is called others reduce all fundamentalls to the famous Creeds of Niâ—e of Constantinople of Ephesus of Chalcedâ—n Estius restricteth fundamentalls to things necessary for the well ordering of our life Davenantius saith better That such are fundamentall the knowledge whereof is simply necessary to salvation iâ— ignorance whereof doth condemne Doctor Potter calleth them Pâ—ime and capitall doctrines of our Religion or of that faith which essentially constituteth a true Church and a true Christian which is good but that he contradivideth from these things not fundamentall which may be disputed on either side and cannot be determined by the Word of God and must lie under a non liquet is his error Yet he may know that Bellarmine saith right many things are of faith and cleare in Scripture as historicall relations which are not fundamentall Camero and a greater Divine then Camero Dom. Beza reduceth all fundamentalls to things which necessarily belongeth to faith and obedience and great Calvin retrincheth fundamentalls within the Apostles Creed Occam will have the militant Catholicke Church alwayes explicitely or expressly beleevings things necessary to salvation and our Divines teach that the Catholike Church cannot erre in fundamentalls they meane with pertinacie and obstinacie 2. In
required no calling of the Church to make one a Lawfull minisâ—er And your Arguments they have and you have their Arguments to evert all ministerie and order of calling of pastors so teach the Arminians and so Episcopius disp 26. thes 4. 5. Necessitatem missionis jam cessare dicendum est ac pâ—inde fas licitumve esse homini Christianâ— non tantum in magno necessitatis casu aut in enormi ecclesiae defectione sed quovis etiam tempore vâ—rbum divinum docere si ad docendum sit idoneus qui doari vâ—lunt id serio obnixè postulant So doe the Socinians Aâ— lr Roddeccius in not is in lib. Smiglecii pag. 3. Confitemur olim â—â—lâ—sie ministros vocari potuisse imo vocatos fuisse nunc etiam vocâ—ri posse in vero id quod olim factum est hodie fieri potest ad mâ—nus ministrorum requiratur hoc vere perpetuo quaeritur Catâ—ch siâ— Raccoviensis cap. 11. 305. 306. Cum per hujusmodi ex praesâ—ripto Apostolicae doctrinae constituuntur in his duabus rebus praest â—ut vitae innocontiâ ad docendum aptitudine propter ejusmodi constitutionem apud omnes authoritatem suam merito in venire debent Smaleius in refut thes D. Frantzii parte 2. disp 4. pag. 377. Hoc enim in questione est an hujusmodi constitutio sit prorsus necessaria ad constituendum verbi dei ministrum hoc autem nos negamus nihil enim tale quod caput reiest in descriptione eorum quae ad episcopum constituendum requiritur nec uspiam judicatum vel levissime videmus cum qui talis sit postea vocari mittiab aliquo debere imo posse aliquem per se munus tale concupiscere vel affâ—ctare manifeste scriptum legimus Theoph. Nicolaid in refut tract de miss ministrorum cap. 10. pag. 80 87. 88. Munus docendi non tam est honos quam labor laborem autem semper sumere liâ—et hâ—ores non item pag. 91. Docet Paulus rectâ— id fieri posse unumquâ—mque munus docendi aggredi mâ—do ad id aptus sit quod aggredi cogitat vel cupit Quest. II. Whether or not all gifted persons may preach the Word of God publikely and ordinarily for the gathering in of soules to Christ though they be destitute of all officiall authoritie or Church calling to that ministery Our brethren hold all gifted persons not in office may ordinarily preach publikely So teach Mr. Robinson in a Treatise intituled The peoples ple t for prophecying the Arguments of which booke I shall shortly discusse Hence these considerations 1. Distinct. There is one power of publike preaching in a Church not constitute and another in a Church constitute gifted persons in extraordinary cases where a Church is not planted may publikely preach but the case is otherwise in a Church constituted 2. Distinct. Pastors not onely as gifted men but as Pastors are â—illed of God for the conversion of soules and the visible Church is Christs visible kingdome and visible society to make persons members of the invisible Church of the first borne 3. Dist. Publike preaching as it is the ordinary meane of saving such as beleeve is proper and peculiar to the Church both subjectively as being onely in the Church and objectively as being onely exercised on the Church members perse but upon Pâ—gans by accident 4. Dist. There is a call to an habituall and ordinary propheâ—ying here is required not onely a calling by gifts but also a collation of authoritie to the office either immediately by God or mediately by the Church and there is a call to some particular or occasionall acts of exhorting as the Martyrs and Stephen are called to give consession of their faith and a King in battell to exhort his army or a Prince his Subjects to piety and to this latter there is no other call required but the place and profession of the exhorter though hee bee not by office a Pastor 5. Dist. There is a formall calling of the Church as the laying on of the hands of the Elders and a virtuall and interpretative calling or tacite approbation of the Church when learned men of eminent gifts not in office do write Commentaries Sermons on Canonick Scriptures and tractates resuting heresies to this the tacite approbation of the Church is required but these have not ordinary pastorall care nor are they the ordinary converters of soules to Christ as the pretended Prophets of Separatists are 6. Dist. Gifted Christians may occasionally admonish warne rebuke and exhort one another 1. privately 2. without any Pastorall care of soules as they are a Church but onely as they occasionally converse with them 3. Excommuni officio charitatis by the Law of nature charitie tying one member to helpe another 4. Not authoritatively by speciall office but all authoritie here is from the word occasionally spoken The Pastor is to preach 1. Publikely 2. To the Church as the Church 3. With a pastorall obligation to all alike whether he converse daily with them or not 4. Not onely by the tie of common Charitie but by a vertue of a speciall office 5. With authority both objective from the word and officiall from his charge 6. And is obliâ—ged to separate himselfe for this charge allanerly as a watchman who must give an account in a speciall manner to Jesus Christ. Our brethren hold that the ordinary and established way in the Church of Christ to the end of the world is that all that are converted are made fit materialls for the visible Church by private Christians as gifted of God to preach publikely and to gather a true Church to Christ. 2. That none unconverted as they are such are under any pastorall care of Christs officers 3. That Pastors as Pastors doe convert none but onely confirme those who are already converted and that if Pastors shall convert any to Christ it is by accident as we say with Aristotle Musicus curat aegrotum a Musician cureth a sick man which he doth no wayes as a musician for Pastors doe convert as gifted persons and not as Pastors and conversion of soules is no proper Church-worke but accidentall to Pastors But that none can take on him lawfully to preach the Word publikely in the established and ordinarily approved way of Christ for the conversion of soules but he who is not only gifted but also called thereunto by God and his Church I prove 1. Argum. If faith come ordinarily by hearing a Pastor sent of God and such Pastors as are called messengers with good newes and watchmen not onely gifted but also instructed with authority of office then are not gifted persons because gifted called of God to be ordinary converters of soules But the former is true Rom. 10. 14. for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of these the Prophet saith Isa. 52. 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voyce And it is thus confirmed That Gospel which is the power
matters darke and doubtsome Answ. We seeke a warrant from the word for this for Elders are present at the admission and choosing of officers as prime agents by authority not by way of naked counsell and advise Act. 1. 13. c. 6. 26. c. 14. 23. Act. 13. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Manuscr The fourth way saith he is by gathering many Churches or their messengers in a Synod to examine and discusse either corrupt opinions or suspicious practises Here 1. the Magistrate is acquaint with our Assembly he being a nourishing Father of the Church 2. They meete in Christs name 3. The Elders declare their judgement in order and the reasons thereof 4. All may speake till the truth either be cleared and all either convinced or satisfied as Act. 15. 7. 5. If things be not fully cleared and if it seeme that the nature of them admit farther disquisition yea and difference of judgements without disunion of affections or prejudice of salvation each man is left to his Christian liberty and if any be otherwayes minded God shall reveale the same thing to him Answ. This Section being closed I have here two considerable points to be discussed the one anent the power of Synods the other anent the power of the civill Magistrates Quest. I. Whether or not Synods have authority by divine right to obleige the Churches to obedience in things lawfull and expedient For the fuller clearing of this grave question I would have these considerations weighed by the godly reader Consider 1. Canons of Councells may be thought to â—ye as authoritative Commandements or as advises and friendly counsells 2. An advise or counsell doth obleige and tye both for the intrinsecall lawfulnesse of the counsell it being for matter Gods word and also for the authority of the friends counselling because the first Commandement enjoyneth obedience to all our betters not onely inplace and officiall relation as to Kings Fathers Pastors c. but also to all above us in age gifts knowledge experience 3. Hence there is a superiority of dominion or jurisdiction and a superiority of reverence and endowments the former is the narrower inadequate and straiter subject of the fifth Commandement and both are considerable objects in this Commandement 4. All who as friends equalls brethren and indued with more grace experience and light doe advise and counsell good are superiors in so farre but it is a superiority of reverence not of jurisdiction for by this they who are aged and may counsell what is lawfull have not power to censure or excommunicate those who follow not their counsell Yet if David had rejected the counsell of Abigail disswading him from passionate revenge he had in that despised God unlessethe Prince or the High-Priest had given that counsell by way of command though there be degrees of Latitude in despising the one rather then the other 5. There is a difference betwixt hability to judge and right or power to judge a Presbyteriall Church may have right jus and ecclesiasticall Law to judge of a point to the judging whereof they want hability and therefore de facto it belongeth to a higher Synod where more learned men are though de jure the Presbytery may judge it 6. Though government of the Church by Synods be Gods positive Law yet upon the laid downe ground Christ hath given the keyes and power of Government to every visible Church the Government of united Churches by Synods is a branch of the Law of nature 7. Synods are necessary for the well-being of the Church and still are in the visible Church in more or lesse degrees for the authority of Synods consisting of fix onely differeth not in nature and essence from a generall councell of the whole Catholike visible Church Magis et minus non variant speciem And therefore if Synods be warranted by the word of God as no question they are there is no neede to prove by particular places of the word the lawfulnesse of every one of these a sessionall meeting of the Eldership of a single Congregation 2. A Presbytery or meeting of the Elders or Pastors Doctors of more Congregations 3. A Provinciall Synod of the Presbyteries of a whole province 4. The Nationall Assembly or meeting of the Elders of the whole Nation 5. The generall and Occumenick Councell of Pastors Doctors and Elders of the whole Catholick Church visible for all these differ not in essence but degrees and what word of God as Matth. 18. 16 17. proveth the lawfulnesse of one is for the lawfulnesse of all the five sorts of Synods 8. Grant the consociation of authorities in sundry Churches and you cannot deny the authority of Synods above particular Churches 9. Consociation of Churches to give advise and counsell is not Consociation of Churches as Churches but onely consociation of Christian professors who are obleiged to teach admonish and rebuke one another 10. There is a right of dominion and a right of jurisdiction as we shall heare anon Hence our first conclusion a generall councell is a Congregation of Pastors Doctors and Elders or others met in the name and authority of Jesus Christ out of all Churches to determine according to the word of God all controversies in faith Church-government or manners no faithfull person who desireth beeing excluded from reasoning and speaking Neither is the definition of Aâ—mâ—in and Gerson much different from this save that they thinke that councells are lawfully conveened if such and such onely as are of the Hierarchike order be members thereof which we thinke Antichristian 2. As also the Pope president here we disclaime Yet doth Almain confesse that a generall councell may be conveened without the Pope in three cases 1. when the Pope is dead either departing this life or civilly dead being excommunicated for any crime of heresie for the Apostolike Sea hath vaiked often two yeares together 2. When the Pope is averse and opposeth reformation 3. When time and place hath beene assigned for the next generall councell as was done in the councell of Basil and the Papists grant that Matth. 18. Tell the Church is a warrant for a generall councell 1. Because it is a meane for the saving of the spirits of all men even Pastors and Apostles in the day of the Lord. 2. Because Apostles though in prophecying and writing canonick Scripture when they were inspired could not erre yet otherwise they might erre and if Peter should have remained obstinate in his Judaizing Gal. 2. and resused to heare Paul or the Church hee was to bee excommunicated 3. By the Church Matth. 18. saith the Schoole of Paris cannot bee understood the Prelats of the Church onely because Christ did speake to Peter and saith Almain and Gerson Peter cannot bee both an acâ—user a witnesse and a Judge 4. There is a power of the keyes to bind and loose given immediatly by Christ to all the rulers of the Catholick or universall Church visible Ergo the exercise of this power though it
bee sometimes physice impossible because of the corruption of mans nature there being bloody warres in Christendome yet it is morally lawfull for many things may bee inconvenient through mans wickednesse and so hic nunc not expedient which are morally lawfull 2. Conclusion Every particular Pastor hath a power though unproper of dominion and authoritie even out of a Synod about the Acts of preaching and determining truth according to the word of God as Jer. 1. 10. See I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdomes c. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich that they bee not high minded c. 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead c. So any Pastor hath power of dominion and authoritie over a Synod and Paul as a Pastor might preach even before the councell at Jerusalem passed their Synodicall determination Act. 15. that circumcision was not necessary and that to obstaine from things strangled from blood and fornication was necessary and lawfull yea and in preaching truth the Pastor is subject to no Synod But the Pastor hath not full power of jurisdiction about his acts of preaching necessary truth 1. Because the Church may for just causes deprive him from preaching 2. Because hee cannot use the censure of excommunication against those who refuse to receive his true and necessary doctrine without the Church joyne her power of jurisdiction with him 3. He his alone cannot in a Synod determine ecclesiastically and in an authoritative Church power that same truth which as a Pastor hee determined and with the power of pastorall dominion hee pressed upon the consciences of the Church yea of the whole Synod because one man is not the Church or Synod and James his alone Act. 15. v. 15. could but say Wherefore my sentence is that yee trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned unto God though this was the very word of God which James as a Pastor even as an ordinary Pastor might have preached in the name of God yet is it not the decree of the Church which the Churches is to keep Act. 16. 4. while it bee determined by the Church An example wee may have possible not unlike to this A man hath a power of dominion over his owne proper lands and goods to use them in God for his owne use but the supreme magistrate and Parliament hath a dominion of jurisdiction in a judiciall sentence over those same lands to forfeit them for crimes committed against King and State or this may cleare it Samuel hath a power immediately from God to annoint David King and in this hee is not subject to the suffrages of the tribes of Israel hee hath a power of dominion here but suppose wee that Samuel live till Gods time when all Israel shall crowne David King at Hebron Samuel as a part of the Assembly of Israel his alone without the suffrages of Israel could not make him King at Hebron Hence wee may see how weake the assertion of our brethren is who say That Synods should have power to bind the Churches say they wee see not Bellarmine indeed holdeth so But orthodox writers hold that the sentence of councels is but a certaine inquisition of the truth and a ministeriall and limited sentence so that the decree of a councell is of as great force as the reason thereof so saith Amesius and Junius But certainly this is a meer mistake of our brethren as if they were not orthodox writers but conspirers against the truth with Bellarmine who hold the authoritie of Synods The essentiall end to speak so of Synods is unitie and the eschewing of schisme and wee doubt not but Peter Paul James had in their Sermons and doctrine determined that same veritie to wit that the Law of Moses and ceremonies was a yoak not to bee laid upon the Christian Churches yet it was not a decree for unities sake and fuller authoritie binding the Churches to observe these as Act. 16. 4. while it was determined in a Synod Act. 5. 24. 25. But truely wee hold nothing in this common with Jesuites and Papists for wee condemne not that in Bellarmine that hee holdeth that lawfull Synods for of such wee dispute with him do bind the Churches to obedience in God to their decrees not because they say it but because they say it authoritatively from Gods Word authoritie of Synods no orthodox writers deny authoritie officiall as the representative Church of Christ they have He that heareth you heareth mee hee that despiseth you despiseth me Where two or three are gathered together in a Synod say our Divines I will bee amongst them But authoritie objective they have not so as what they say because they say it therefore the very matter object and thing said by them is no lesse the Word of God then if the Prophets and Apostles by divine inspiration had said it at least it is not infallibly true because they say it for that wee disclaime and it is that authoritie of Synods which Bellarmine and Papists hold Councells saith Bellarmine and Scripture are both infallible and the Jesuits of Rhemes and Lorinus the Jesuite said councells are infallible the holy Spirit is there present Gratian said all the decretall Epistles of Popes and the Canons of the Councells are of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and their Gregorius said hee received with the same reverence and authoritie the foure generall Councells the foure Evangelistâ— it is certaine saith Suarez that a Councell is an infallible rule of faith and Turrecremata saith the same It is certaine saith Bailius Councells are â—â— the Oracles of God to us in difficulties so saith Cajetanus Canus and Gregorius de Valentia wee hold the authoritie of Councels but ascribe to them as much power over the conscience as there is reason in them from Gods Word and no more But 2. This is a weake reason councels have no power to command obedience because their Canons and Decrees are of no more force then they have reason from Gods Word For 1. Friends brethren equals by that have no warrant to rebuke because their rebukes have but as much force as they have reason from the word of God for the reason is alike in both lawfull Pastors cannot command obedience in the Lord your independent Congregations cannot command that which bindeth the Church to obedience because the word or a commandement of a Pastor or your independent Church is onely a commandement ministeriall and limited and hath as much force as there is reason in it from the Word of God yea the Church of Corinâ—h hath not then the power of the Lord Jesus to excommunicate the incestuous person nor the Church of Thyatira to cast out and condemne Jezabell the false prophetesse nor do these commandements of the Synod
review of the councell of Trent saith gravely It is but a theating of Christâ—ndome above board to leave the judgement of the necessitie of generall councells to the Popes will and no marvell then Popes decline councells for the councell of Pisan as Bellarmine granteth was convocated against Julius the second that wicked man and therefore was rejected by Julian the second in the councell of Lateran yet this councell and all the decrees thereof was approven and confirmed by Alexander the first who was accounted lawfull Pope and b Platina faith this councell was approved and that in it Gregory 12. and Benet 13. were deprived of their papall dignitie all nations assenting except neither Spaine the King of Scotland and Earle of Arminac who followed Pope Benet and for approbation of the councells of Pise Constance and Basil which censured Popes and deprived them and subjected them to a generall councell let any man read the Review of the Councell of Trent and Bellarmine is therein fully consuted Also generall councells have condemned the doctrine of the Church of Rome for which they thinke them not necessary as the councell of Frankford saith Bellarmine and Basil and Constance are not approved in all because they favour not the Roman Churches doctrine and the Popes supremacy above Councells yea and generall councells cannot bee simply necessary saith hee because the Catholick Church remained safe the first three hundreth yeers after Christ without generall councells and might have remained safe other three hundreth yeers and so a thousand yeers and faults may bee amended by the Lawes of Popes and by provinciall councells saith hee and their Costerus saith the Pope him selfe without councells hath condemned many heresies and this is a shorter and more compendious way then by councells for it is hard and laborious to conveene councells therefore the Churches salvation doth not depend upon them saith Bellarmine yea it is in vaine saith the Jesuit Pererius to doe that by many which may as conveniently bee done by fewer he meaneth councels may be wanted Our brethren rejecting councells and their necessitie at all in this sideth with Papists Though Calvin saith Nullum esse nec melius nec certius remedium that there is no better nor surer remedy to find out the truth then a Synod of true Pastors And Arminians and Socinians thinke that Synods are neither necessary nor profitable for as our brethren here give no authoritie to Synods but to counsell and advise the very same is taught by a grand Arminian Episcopius who saith Synods are not profitable for the establishing the truth or rooting out of errors and heresies but onely to advise sist examine and by reasons and arguments to perswade and therefore are not profitable either for the being or for the well being of the Church Synodici conventus nec ad â—esse nec ad bene esse ecclesiae absolute necessarii sunt ad veritatis divinae stabilimentum hereseon errorumque averruns itionem vel exstirpationem eo tantum casu utiles esse statuimus si ad deliberandum ventilandum examinandum rationibus argumentisque persuadendum congregentur litium finem facere circa religionis capita aliter quam persuadendo est tyrannidem in ecclesiam invehere libertatem conscientiarum si non omnino tollere saltem vehementer astringere ligare To â—nd controversies in the Church any otherwise then by perswading is to bring in a tyranny in the Church of Christ and to hurt if not altogether to evert the libertie of consciences of men And the Arminians in their Apologie teach us that a decision or a determination of a Synod obligeth not those who were not present at the making of that decision And so have I shown from Answorth and our brethrens doctrine that they teach people cannot assent without tyranny of consciences to the decrees of the Elders at the making whereof they were not present and present consenters 2. A Synods decision doth incline the mind to consider of the decision but doth not compell authoritatively to consent and obey 3. This is violence to the conscience 4. To setch expositions of the word from confessions of faith or decrees of councells is dangerous and this is the doctrine of Socinians for Theophil Nicolaides saith the Church in a Synod cannot decide controversies because shee may erre neither can shee take them away for that were to doe violence to mens consciences and Smalcius saith this were tacite quietly to leave the writings of the Apostles and commend humane traditions So our brethren give nothing but a power of counselling and morall perswading to Synods and no authoritie to command because say they in their answers to the 32. questions Synods may erre and their decrees have no more force then they fetch reason from Gods Word and truely our brethren with Socinians and Arminians here do fall in many foule errors For 1. all preaching of the Word and all power of authoritie of Pastors commanding in the name of the Lord faith and obedience is onely morall and to perswade and not authoritative to command because Pastors may as well erre in preaching as the Church may erre in Synods 2. Because what Pastors preach hath no more force over the conscience then they have warrant to speake from the Word of God as is cleare Ezek. 3. 7. Gal. 1. 9. 1 Thess. 2. 13. 2. All confessions of faith that are set downe by lawfull Synods are null 3. Libertie of prophecying and a Cassandrian licence of beleeving in things controverted any thing in this or on that side is lawfull 4. A perpetuall doubting of conscience except in two or three points fundamentall that all Christians beleeve yea and all hereticks is brought in in the Church 5. The Lords working with the word preached is but by way of morall perswasion 6. But our Divines hold the authoritie of Synods and of Pastors preaching the Word from the Scriptures but I find both our brethren and Arminians do misken the authority of the Church and of Pastors in both Preaching and Synods for they thinke to set up the authoritie of Synods is to cast downe the authoritie of the Scriptures because things to bee distinguished are confounded for wee deny that Synods or Pastors have peremptory absolute and illimited authoritie and power to determine as they please in Sermons and Synods their Power is limited according to the Word of God and their word is onely to bee beleeved in so farre as it is agreeable to the Word of God but hence it followeth not that Pastors and Synods have no power and authoritie at all to determine but onely to counsell advise and perswade for private Christians our equalls and inferiours have power to counsell perswade and advise in a private way by teaching admonishing exhorting rebuking conference They build upon the reproving of events of councells by
plant soules who were non-converts and branches of the wild olive in Christ Jesus and to make new visible Churches but it is certaine that the Apostles as Apostles and as Pastors by vertue of their office converted obstinate sinners to the faith of Christ and planted them in a visible Church consisting of professors of the faith partly converted partly not converted but the pastors by your doctrine have no power as Pastors or by any Pastorall authoritie to plant the Gospell where it hath never beene that pastorall spirit is dead with the Apostles and in this contrary to all reason and sense and contrary to the Scriptures you make private Christians the successors of the Apostles to plant Churches and to convert soules and to make them fit materialls for the visible Church of regenerate persons for Pastors as Pastors and visible Churches as visible Churches doe nothing at all to the multiplying of Churches seeing Pastors and visible Churches as they are such by your doctrine are but nurses to give suck to those who are already converted but not fathers to convert them for private Christians or pastors as Christians gifted to prophesie not as Pastors doe multiply Churches and convert men to Christ as you teach now wee all know that nurses as nurses doe not propagate or by generation multiply people in the Common-wealth that fathers and mothers onely can doe your Churches have no ministeriall breasts but to give suck to babes who are already borne but wee see by your doctrine no ministeriall power of Pastors or Churches to send forth members to enter in a Church covenant or to enter in a new Church relation of a daughter or a sister visible Church if they send a number to bee a new Church your Pastors or visible Church did not multiply them it is presumed they were converts before they were members of the visible Church which now sendeth them out and if they bee multiplied in the bosome of your visible Church and converted they were not truely members of that visible Church before their conversion and also that they were not converted by any publike ministery but by private Christians gifted to prophesie who are the onely successors of the Apostles to plant visible Churches but what pastorall authoritie have you to send them forth to bee a new visible Church none at all they have as beleevers power to remove from you and because of multiplication to make themselves a new Church and this ministeriall power of making themselves a new Church they have not from you but from their fathers who converted them so that you make a visible Church within a visible Church but not a Church begotten or borne of a visible Church as a child of the mother and wee desire a word of God either precept promise or practise of such a Church multiplication mans word is not enough 2. Wee hold that the sending of the Apostles to all the world was not in it selfe that which essentially distinguisheth the Apostle from the now ordinary Pastor who is fixed to a single Congregation but the gift of tongues to preach to all the world upon the Lords intention to send the Gospel to all nations that as many as were chosen to life might beleeve was that which essentially differenceth the Apostle from the ordinary pastor together with a speciall revelation of God to goe to such and such people to Macedonia and not yet to Bythinia And now seeing these two are taken away the ordinary Pastors which now are have as Pastors a sufficient calling to preach the Gospel to all nations to whom by Gods providence they shall come and can understand their language whether of their owne Congregation or not Neither is a Pastor tied as a Pastor by Gods Word to one onely Congregation for then it should bee unlawfull for a Pastor as a Pastor to plant a new Church but shall it bee lawfull for private Christians to plant new Churches who are not the Apostles successors and yet it shall bee unlawfull for Pastors who are the undoubted successors of the Apostles to plant new Churches I would think that admirable doctrine for so you give to private Christians that which you make essentiall to the Apostles and you deny it to the undoubted successors of the Apostles to wit to Pastors But we hold a lawfull Pastor is a Pastor in relation to all the world with this distinction hee is by Christs appointment and the Churches a Pastor to all congregations to plant and water and preach but by speciall designation of Gods providence and the Churches appointment designed and set apart for such a determinate flock just as the Apostles in generall were made Pastors to all the world Matth. 28 19. Go teach all nations but by speciall revelation and Apostolick appointment Peter was appointed the Apostle of the Jewes Paul of the Gentiles Gal. 2. 9. yet Paul was a Pastor in relation to the Jewes and Peter also in relation to the Gentiles so by speciall revelation Act. 16. they are forbidden to preach the word in Bythinia and commanded to preach it elsewhere and for this cause pious antiquity as Morton observeth called some learned fathers Pastors of the World Athanasius is saluted Pontifex maximus as Russinus saith and Origen magister ecclesiâ—rum master of the Churches so Hieronymus and Cyprian totius orbis praeses Cypâ—ian the Bishop of all the world yea and Pope so Nazianz. Hilarius is called by Augustine insignis ecclesiae doctor a renowned teacher of the Church and Nazianzenus calleth Basilius the light of the word and Damascenus the light of the whole world and Theodoret saith Chrysostome is called totius orbis terrarum doctor the Doctor and teacher of the whole world all which titles saith evidently that antiquitie beleeved never a Pastor or Bishop not to bee a Pastor onely in relation to the one single Congregation whereof hee is Pastor but a Pastor in relation to the whole visible Church though by designation of the Church his ministery bee appropriated to one particular Church Thus it is cleare that our brethren deny all communion of Churches while they confine a visible Church to one onely single and independent Congregation subjected in its visible government to Christ Jesus immediatly and to no universall visible Church or Synod on earth Quest. II. Whether the Magistrate hath power to compell persons to a Church profession Anent Magistrates sundry things are questioned to make presbyteriall government odious And first our brethren complaine that our Churches are constitute by the authoritie of the Magistrate Robinson saith it was a presumptuous enterprise that people were haled against their will into covenant with God to sweare obedience to the protestant Faith being a profane multitude living before in grosse idolatry and that by the authority of the supreme magistrate for the commandement of the magistrate say they can make no members of the visible Church or of
Christs body because it is a voluntary act of obedience to Christ that men adjoyne themselves to the visible Church Ergo none can be compelled thereunto by the authoritie of the Magistrate faith may bee counselled it cannot bee compelled For the clearing of this question these considerations are to bee weighed 1. The Magistrate may compell to the meanes and externall acts of worship and to desisting from externall false worship of the false God or of the true God worshipped in a false way hee cannot compell to internall acts of faith love and such like as having no power over the conscience 2. There is one consideration of a Heathen or Pagan nation which never received Christianitie and the true faith and another consideration of a nation baptized and professing Christ. 3. A Magistrate may compell a heathen nation to the negative reverence of Christ in a indirect way and that with the sword though he cannot compell to the positive worshipping of him if a Christian Prince subdue a Pagan nation hee cannot force them with the Sword to a positive receiving of the doctrine of the Gospell but if it bee a nation expressely blaspheming Christ as the nation of the Jewes now do hee may compell them to an abstinence from a professed blaspheming of Christ because he is to use the sword against blasphemy 4. The weapons of the Church as the Church are not carnall but spiritual and mightie through God 5. The compelling power of the Magistrate is terminated upon externall worship as abstracted from either hypocrisie or sinceritie in worship 6. Though no man resist the Magistrate in a matter of religion except in a hypocriticall way save onely he who thinketh hee hath reason 〈◊〉 and is led by the judgement and inditement of conscience to resist â—et is not the in litement of conscience but onely the Word of God â—et rule of mans obedience or resisting in actions purposes conversation 1. Conclusion Fire and sword or warre or the coactive power of a magistrate is not Gods way of planting the Gospell in a heathen nation which never heard of the Gospell before 1. Because the Apostles were commanded by teaching the Gospell to all nations Matth. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 15. Act. 7. 8. and not by warre to spread the Gospel 2. Because Christs Kingdome is not of this world for then his servants would fight for him Joh. 18. 36. nor are the weapons of our warfare carnall 2 Cor. 10. 4. nor is Christs sword any other thing then the Word of God Rev. 19. 15. Gal. 6. 17. And in this meaning and with relation to the internall acts of sound beleeving have the learned taught us that religio suaderi potest cogi non potest if these bee the constitutions of Clemens let it goe for a truth in this sense that God hath given libertie of will to men not punishing them with temporall death but calleth them to give an account of â—â—eir doings in the life to come which yet cannot bee universally true except that the Author with Anabaptists take away the power of the civill magistrate and Athanasius meaned with us when hee citeth that If any will come after me let him take up his crosse to prove that the will cannot bee compelled and that of Lactantius is approved by all defendenda tamen religioest non occidendo sed moriendo non saevitiâ sed sapientiâ non sâ—â—lere sed fide illa enim malorum sunt baec bonorum necesse est bonum in religione versari non malum Nam si sanguine si tormentis si malo religionem defendere velis jam non defendetur illa fed polluetur violabitur Nihil est tam voluntarium quam religio in qua si animus sacrificantis est eversus jam sublata jam nulla est all which tendeth to this that religion is like free-will and free-will like a Virgin which cannot bee ravished Let that of Tertullian stand Lex nostra non se vindicat ultore gladioâ— Procopius saith that Justinian was blamed because hee compelled the Samaritans to imbrace the Christian faith 2. Conclusion A Christian Prince subduing a heathen Nation may compell them to desist from a negative disâ—onouring of Christ and from an externall false worship Dan. 3. 29. Therefore I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language which speake any thing amisse against the God of Sadrach and Abednego shall be cut in peeces and their houses shall be made a dungâ—ill 2. The Magistrate beareth not the sword for nothing or invaine for he is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath on those who doe evill Rom. 13. 4. Therefore he should be Gods Minister to execute wrath on those who dishonour Christ. Nor must we approve of that of Tiberius that Gods take care of wrongs dene to themselves and that of the Emperour Alexander it 's sufficient that the breach of an oath hath God to be the revenger Yet the Emperour Constantine commanded all the Churches of the Pagan Gods to be closed up and Ambrose and Augustine both commended the fact and Ferdinand King of Spaine commanded all the Jewes who would not turne Christians to remove out of Spaine 3. Conclus Where a Nation hath embraced the faith and sworne thereunto in Baptisme it is lawfull for the Magistrate to compell them to professe that truth to the which they have sworne in Baptisme 1. Because the Magistrate is a keeper of both Tables of the Law Ergo he may take care that these who are baptized and sworne to be followers of Christ should professe what they have sworne to professe 2. Because the Magistrate may compell ad actus imperatos non ad actus elicitos commanded and externall acts of worship though he have no power over the conscience to command the elicit acts of will and mind 3. He may command to use the meanes of Religion though he cannot force Religion it selfe and this Jehoshaphat Ezechiah Asa and Josiah and other good Kings commanded and in that are set forth to all Princes as patterns of zeale 4. The most pungent argument of our brethren in the contrary is of no weight because say they for one to adjoyn himself to the visible Church in a profession of the faith it is a supernaturall worke of Grace and must be voluntary else the Magistrate should compell men to hypocrisie yea and he should saith Gregorius de Valentia following Cajetanus indirectly concurre to sacriledge to profane the holy things of God and feare of punishment maketh an action against the will secundum quid in some respect and for the point of supernaturality of professing Durandus handleth it Now I say that this is of no weight because as Suarez saith one may be compelled to heare the Word who yet cannot be compelled to beleeve so say I to make such a profession as may constitute any one a member of the visible
us to belief and certainty of faith no lesse then it obliegeth the Pen-men of Scripture and our certainty of saving faith is as infallible as the faith of the Prophets and Apostles except with Papists we say no man can be assured that he is in the state of grace If therefore we be oblieged to beleeve all revealed superstructures though not fundamentall as the Prophets and Apostles were we sinne scandalously when obstinacie is added to ignorance if we beleeve them with such a reserve as is contrary to faith and because there is no ignorance of those who teach others but it is capable of obâ—tinacie and consequently it is capable of Church censure Matth. 18. 17. I grant the weake and unlearned though ignorant of their Christian liberty in that interim and case when many things are indifferent as the case was Rom. 14. though they be instructed by Paul sufficiently that nothing is uncleane and that they erre in that out of an erring consciences light or rather darkenesse they abstain from such and such meates as Gods law hath now made lawfull to both Jew and Gentile yet are they not to be censured nor troubled with thorny disputations but if these weake ones 1. persist in their error and 2. teach it to others and mislead them they knowing that they beleeve these errors with a reserve are as I conceive false teachers and censurable by the Church and State and not weake but obstinate 2. We are not to be dull of hearing but are to be fully instructed und certainly perswaded so of superstructures which are not the first principles of the Oracles of God as that we are to teach others Ergo a Pyrrbonian fluctuation in these is damnable How then can it be a principle next to Gods word most to bee followed not to make our present judgement and practise in matters not fundamentall a binding Law to us for the future 2. The Apostle ought not to rebuke them for being dull of hearing of those things whereof either sides may be beleeved in a necessary case of syncretisme and pacification without any hazard of punishment or Church-censures for what is a necessary principle and to be holden and enacted as the most sacred Law of all others next unto the Word of God the matter of that principle being unknowne and neither sides understood received or beleeved cannot put on any the rebuke of dull hearing For example if the point of Presbyteriall government of the Church or of independencie of single congregations be a point not to be received with such certainty of faith and assurance but we are to reject either or both when we shall receive new light that they are false and contrary to the rule of holy Scripture and againe if we are to reject the opinion contradicent to these former points of Presbyteriall government and independent congregations for there is by this opinion the same reason of the contradicent as of the formerly affirmed opinions I see not how I may not be dull of hearing yea how I may not simply be ignorant of both and not sinne against God 3. Those superstructures which are not fundamentall are the strong persons food as the knowledge of principles fundamentall is the food of babes vers 12 13. Then I must be perswaded of the truth of them else they cannot feed my soule with knowledge because knowledge of Pyrrhonian fluctuation which is conjecturall and may be no lesse false then true and which I must so beleeve for truth as possible the tyde of a contrary light may carry me to beleeve the just contrary as truth can never be the strong food of such as are skilled in the word of righteousnesse 4. The knowledge of these superstructures or non-fundamentals belongeth to those who are of full age and have their senses exercised to discerne both good and ill vers 14. and which are carried on to perfection c. 6. v. 1. having now left the fundamentals as food to babes and unskilled c. 5. v. 12. But I heartily crave to learn what perfection doewe arive unto and what encrease of fuller age what experience of more spirituall knowledge perfecting the spirituall senses doe I attaine to know certaine truths which to me may be no lesse rotten conclusions and meere forgeries of mens braines then divine truths Hence if this Arminian liberty of prophecying and this perpetuall fluctuation of men alwayes learning and never comming to the knowledge of the truth be contrary to growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. and contrary to that which is called 1 Cor. 1. 5. all knowledge and to the abundance of knowledge which in the last dayes is to fill the earth as the sea is filled with waters so that when I have once over-sailed that point of the coast of the knowledge of fundamentall articles I am now in a Sea of foure contrary winds and foure contrary tydes at once and I know nothing for truth but its contradicent may be yea and to me is as true I say if this fluctuation of knowledge be contrary to growing in knowledge it must be rejected as a Chimera and the dreame of mens heads 5. Let us take one point not fundamentall to wit this Every congregation hath absolute power of Church government within it selfe without subjection to Classes Presbyteries and Synods You are so perswaded of the truth of this that your present judgement and practice is no binding Law to you for the morrow but you leave roome in your judgement to beleeve to morrow the contradicent when new light shall appeare Well then to morrow this non-fundamentall and this contradicent is now to you true No congregation hath absolute power of Church-government within it selfe but hath its power in dependance upon and with subjection unto Classes Presbyteries and Synods Well to morrow is come and this you beleeve now to be Gods truth yet so as your present judgement and practice is no binding Law to you for the second morrow but you leave roome for light which shall appeare the second morrow well in the second morrow new light appeareth and convinceth you that the contradicent is true and you recurre in a circle to beleeve your first proposition againe is true to wit the contradicent of your second dayes proposition and now to you this is true as it was once Every congregation hath absolute power of Church-government within it selfe without subjection to classes Presbyteries and Synods Now on the third morrow a new light appearing you are to beleeve the contradicent and because all circular motions are in credit to be deemed eternall and your mind is alwayes obliged to stoop and fall downe before new light and the conscience is to render her selfe captive to every emergent truth what can you here say but there is no end of fluctuations and doubtings But you say Gods spirit the revealer of all truth doth not fluctuate though I change God Jebovah