name How doth this follow but that wee must put none to an Oath but such as are regenerate and wee know wil swear sincerely and not prophaine the name of God None then can bee witnesses under the New Testament to sweare but such as are regenerate where is this divinity warranted Or if it be because the substance of the Oath is sin in that we sweare to put to death the innocent and unrenewed we crave a ground for it in the word But we know no such Covenant or Oath But here if toleration of all Religions stand the Parliaments of both Kingdoms grievously sin in that they proclaime not an open liberty to the Masse to Jesuits Priests to set up Altars Temples the whole body of Popish worship and they ought to proclaime liberty to all Jewes to come and dwell in Britaine erect Synagogues blaspheme Christ for this is the Liberty wherewith Christ hath set us free by Libertines way Obj. Papists would cut our throats Jewes would destroy us and blaspheme Christ Answ No doubt they would but Libertines do ill that good may come of it in not acting lawfull liberty for Christ though the firmament should fall we are not to oppresse consciences force Religion abandon the Gospell liberty and meeknesse in gaining all to Christ in finding truth c. Obj. Henry the 7 Leaves England Papists Henry 8 brings all to halfe Papists halfe Protestants Edward the 6 stirres about the wheele to absolute Protestanisme Mary turnes about all againe to Popery Elizabeth againe sounds the Trumpet all are Protestants are not we even now making unregenerate men the subject of these nationall changes by a nationall Covenant Answ Does not this man lay upon the National Church of the Jewes a Church framed by the wisdome of God the like revolutions from Jehovah to Baal and the golden Calves from Baal and the golden Calves backe againe to Iebovah according as David Achab Ieroboam Ieâ—u Afa Hezekiah Manasseh Iosiah Ammon Godly or ungodly Kings came to the throne and God must so institute and procreat hypocrisie prophaining of the name of God domineering over and compelling consciences then at now onely subject to the Lord of spirits and his word by a sword of steele Whereas now as then hypocrits change from Religion true or false and backe againe in a circle as times blow faire or foule through the corruption of nature and this is not to be fathered upon that lawfull punitive power that God hath given to the Christian Ruler to coerce wolves and seducing teachers which power Kings whose breasts the Church should sucke often doe abuse to establish Popery and tyrannize over the conscience of the Godly and undo religion but both now and then Sophists may bring a caption ab accidente against any lawfull power What if murtherers Sorcerers Drunkards abound under unjust and loose Princes and when a just and watchfull Prince comes to the throne men out of hypocrisie return from these sins and again when another unjust King Reignes they return to their vomit is this against Nationall righteousnesse and Magistracy 2 Under all those Revolutions Christ had a Church professing the Protestant faith under gracious Kings and sealing the same faith with their blood under persecuting tirants so that change was never in the true invisible Church but onely in the scum and outside of the Church and the change came never from the pâ—â—itive lawful power rightly used but from the hollownes of the hearts of time servers or some weake men that denied their Master in an hour of temptation and repented again 3 By this Argument Mr. Williams wil give us no visible Church but the Church of Anabaptists consisting of sinlesse regenerated and justified men who are beyond the courtesie of the Law free grace and a Redeemer or pardon of 〈◊〉 Obj. An arme of flesh and 〈◊〉 of steel cannot reach to cut off the darknesse of the mind the hardnesse and unbeleife of the heart saith Mr. Williams A woolfe saith Dr. Taylor may as well give lawes to the understanding as bee whose dictates are only propounded in violence and written in blood and a Dugge in 〈◊〉 capable of a Law as a man if there be no christ in his obedience noâ— discourse in his choice nor reason to satisfie his discourse Aman cannot saith the Bounder beleeve at his own will how much lesse at anothers Who can reveale and infuse supernaturall nation and truth but the spirit Answ This strongly concludes that the understanding and wil cannot bee forced by the sword but must move a connatural way by the indictment of reason and nothing followes but that the internal and elicite acts of the understanding and will cannot be produced by external violence which we yeeld ye say that it involves a contradiction that the elicite acts of the understanding and will can be produced by external force but if masters of Logicke infer Ergo the Magistrate cannot punish a Seducer a false Prophet for teaching what his erroneous conscience dictates to him then we say this argument is against the Holy Ghost not against us and blaspheming Celsius Lucianus doe c. object the like against Moses Lawes as unjust and bloody and Scripture For 1 Whatever involves a contradiction in the Old Testament involves a contradiction in the New and contra then Gods Lawes in Deut. 13. Levit. 24. are contradictions to reason 2 Then God forced the understanding and will in their elicit acts in the Old Testament as if a Wolfe had given Lawes to the conscience of the false Prophet yea so a dog was as capable of a law as the false Prophet being forced by stoning both under the Old Testament and under the New stons were as hard weapons as steel swords to the Jewes as to us 3 Stones were as unable to cut off the darknesse of the mind and unbeleefe and hardnesse of heart of Iewes as a steele sword can prevaile with our hearts 4 None but the spirit of God could infuse supernaturall notions and truths into the mind and will of a Seducing prophet among the Jewes more then of an heretick among christians except Libertines think the Iewes had no need of the spirit of grace free will was stronger of old than now 5 They must say a Iew might have beleeved at his will or not beleeved and could have commanded his conscience which we cannot doe 6 The Law of God compelling conscience made hypocrites then or then forced men to beleeve against their mind and will as well as now 7 Carnal weapons then could have produced spirituall repentance saith and obedience but steele hath lost its spirituall vertue now but sure though the Jews administration was rough servile and harder and ours under Christ milder sweeter and easier Gal. 4. 7. yet were these Laws of Moses righteous but are not made milder as Socinians say the will and understanding were not then compelled to obedience but now led with
the house of God Psal 69. of the betraying of him by Judas and 〈◊〉 historicall things that are not fundamentals yet all thâ—â— were a part of the Apostles and the Holy Ghosts testimony Act. 5. 32. And to be beleeved with divine certiâ—ude of 〈◊〉 faith no lesse then the Articles of fundamentalls that Christ was the sonne of man and died for our sinnes and rose for our righteousnes except we say that the Apostles are false witnesses and make God a lyar in saying that Judas betrayed him not and that Barrabas a Murtherer was not preferred to him 1 Cor 15. 1â— Job 3. 33. 1 Job 5. 10. For if we give God the lye in non-fundamentals and turne non-fundamentals into controversies and conjectures and thinke we must beleeve fundamentals one or two fixedly and peremptorily and lead a good life and so we are saved but not otherwise but as touching non-fundamentalls we may beleeve these with a reserve and a demurre and may beleeve them for a day or an houre and deny them to morrow and again bee carried about with a new wind of doctrine and beleeve the third day and deny them the fourth day beleeve them the fift day and deny them the sixt day and so make a whirly-gigge of our faith and a new faith for a new-moone or for a halfe and a quarter moone as the Independents in their Apology makes this a principle of their faith to beleeve these things so as wee leave roome for a new light to cast a board again at the blowing of the wind of a new phancy of which we have seene more in the Assembly of Divines these four years past then we desire to see in any that professe godlinesse and as the Holland-Arminians say from whom new lights or old darknesses have their rise a faith of a thousand yeares may be the worst of all which say we is most false a false opinion of God and a thousand yeare old lye a gray-haird untruth is the worst of conjectures but faith it neither is nor can be called But the late Independents and the new Libertines of England do only say such a monthly faith is to be tollerated because of the darkenes of our mind in the matters of God which yet is faith not but a conjectural opinion But they say by a command of God we must have no other faith except in some few fundamentals and no man since Adam died except the man Christ ever knew or could determine how few or how many so our faith in fundamentals in that totters for they say these precepts and commands of the Holy Ghost Try the spirits whither they be of God or no. Try al things hold that which is good the example of the noble Bereans who examined Pauls doctrine by the Scriptures doth lay a divine command in them to beleeve non-fundamentals with a reserve Yea they say with the Arminians c. that it is against liberty of prophesying whereas liberty of lying in the name of the Lord is of the devil who hath taken liberty or rather helish licence to lye from the beginning they say it is against our growing in knowlâ—dge and the prayers of the Saints that God would open their eyes to see the wonders of his Law and lead them into all truth and against the prophesies that in the last days the earth shal be filled with the knowledg of the Lord the light of the moon shal be as the light of the sun and the light of the sun as the light of seven days and the day star shal arise in the hearts of many and the spirit shall be powred on all flesh young and old maids and children To all which I say either the Spirit of God moves men to the faith of this there is no Church visible on earth but such as is constituted of beleevers such as those of Corinth and Rome and others were after they were planted and watered by the Apostles or no. If no they have not faith of it and so it is 1. No truth of God to Independents c. for which they can suffer but a meer opinion then they cannot suffer for it in faith and to beleive any truth of God because the Lord so saith is wrought only by the Holy Ghost if it be wrought by the Holy Ghost then it is a truth of God and a divine truth for the Holy Ghost moves no man to beleeve a lye for a truth of God if it be a divine truth then doth not the Holy Ghost will you so to beleeve it for a truth as you must upon a new light beleeve the contrary to morrow For I renew the argument in its full strength touching the faith of the contradicent which you beleeved the last day either the Holy Ghost must move you to beleeve that contradicent as a truth of God or no Iâ— no It is not divine faith you have of it if yea then the faith of the former was the beleeving of a lye so that you must make the Holy Ghost the father of beleeving a lye 2. The object of divine faith a lye 2 This is to teach us to be carried about with every wind of doctrine whereas faith of fundamentals or non-fundamentals is to beleeve a truth because so saith the Lord that cannot lye nor speake untruth but you will men to beleeve those non-fundamental truths so as they may bee as well lyes as divine truths 3. These Precepts Try the Spirits Try all things enjoyne an examination of fundamentalls as well as non-fundamentalls and what reason have Independents to say these Precepts hold in non-fundamentalls onely Mr. John Goodwin with better ground saith they hold in all for must we hold that which is good onely in non-fundamentalls And did not the Bereans try Pauls doctrine by the Scripture in the most and onely necessary fundamentall which Paul preached that Jesus Christ was the Messiah that dyed rose againe Act. 17. 3. and are therefore commended by the Holy Ghost v. 10. 11 above those of Thessalonica and must wee beleeve every Spirit who preach fundamentall truths or fundamentall errours who say Christ is not yet come in the flesh upon trust the contrary of which John expresly enjoyneth 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3 yea we are rather to try fundamentalls and to walke upon sure and unmoveable principles since an errour here hazardeth our eternall salvation and is of as great concernment as our souls are but errours or mistakes in non-fundamentalls though they bee sinnes yet are consistent with saving faith and the state of salvation 4. Try all things try the spirits must have this sense beleeve what ever God saith be it fundamentall or non-fundamentall not onely after you have searched the Scriptures and sound it agreeable thereunto as the Bereans did but though you finde it consonant to the writings of the Prophets and Apostles yet because you are not infallible nor the Spirit that leads you therein
Commandement as it is probable it is true and acceptable and worship to God and though it were false worship it is as probable that to punish it is a sacrilegious invading of Gods place as it is an act of justice in the Magistrate 4. If the Magistrate must beleeve as the Libertine doth doth and teacheth him what he will if it were King and Parliament and all the Judges in Britain if they be of the faith of Libertines what conscience have they to take away the â—ead of a father who sacrificeth his onely childe to God upon meere religious principles what warrant have they before the tribunall of God to cut off his head as a peace-breaker rather then to spare his life as a sacrificer and a devout and zealous whether it be blinde zeal or no the Libertine Magistrate hath nothing to do to judge worshipper of God whether or no hath the Magistrate who in that case killeth aâ— innocent man according to his own libertine-conscience greater respect to false peace in a humane society then to true piety and innocent walking with God which forbids him to punish any thing that is onely to the subject he punisheth a meere devout worshipping of God 5. Upon the same ground should not the masse and all the broad worship on earth be tolerated since it hath farre lesse connexion with disturbance of peace then the Anabaptists children-killing worship of God 6. If the formall is ratio the onely formall reason and cause why the Magistrate is to use corporall coersion against none now under the New Testament but is to suffer every man to worship God as he best pleaseth because the worship of the New Testament is more spirituall the Law-giver Christ a meeker Mediator then Moses and there is no warrant now to hinder any man or lay bands and coactive violence upon Christs free subjects with force of sword to restraine them in one worship more then another what reason an Anabaptists offering his son a sacrifice to God should be restrained in his sacrificing more then in other acts of worship is not the man persecuted for his conscience is not this a carnall and no New Testament way of restraining him when he is restrained by the sword is not the onely word of God and no weapons that are carnall the way of rescuing men from all false worship and the onely way 7. Nor can the bloodinesse and cruelty of that worship be a sufficient ground why the Magistrate may restraine the conscience of the devout worshipper for who ought to sit as Lord Judge above the conscience of this father and sentence the worship as destructive to peace or the worshipper as a bloody man his conscience is under the New Testament and the Lord his onely judge But by the light of nature that the father kill the sonne to God 〈◊〉 murther and â—ruelâ—y But I answer if it be gratefull worship to God it is no more cruelty then to burne a beast to God and you are to suppose that a godly Anabaptist hath warrant from God for that worship as well for burning of beasts and offering yearely thousands of bullocks and sheep to God in memory of Christ once already sacrificed for sinners and that there is in it neither cruelty to beasts nor hurt to the Common-wealth that the Magistrate can restraine for though there be no reason at all for the worship ex natura rei if we consider the worship it selfe yet there is such reason to tolerate the worship so as if the Magistrate restraine he tyranniâ—eth over the conscience and a bloody conscience is a conscience as uncapable of violence and as immediately in the New Testament subject to God onely not to the sword as a good conscience then if the sword can straine no conscience as conscience how can it squeeze a conscience wading in bloody son-butchery more then any other conscience 8. If the Magistrates punishing of any for his conscience be a violent compelling of him to sin to worship or to forbeare worship against his conscience how will Libertines cleare Magistracy in the Old Testament from being intrinsecally a sinfull ordinance for the Magistrate in the Old Testament in stoning to death the seducing Prophet and the blasphemer must compell him to sin against his conscience and to professe Jehovah not Baal was the true God whereas the seducer believed in his conscience the contrary since to compell men to sin is intrinsecally sinfull let Libertines answer the query if God ever in Old or New Testament could command sin or if there was ever such a thing heard that a Magistrate might by his office command men to sin or then punish them 9. Let Libertines answer if Arminians extend not liberty of prophesying as farre as mens lusts can carry them in these words But to suffer every man say they to 〈◊〉 publickly in Religion every thing iâ— perilous Why for either that which 〈◊〉 asserteth is true or false if it be true why admit we is not why doe we imprison the Author thereof this injury reflects upon God the Author of truth if it be false the truth shall easily overcome â—â—ar of it self it shall melt like was before the Sunne if ye offer violence 〈◊〉 it yee strip Religion of its glory and furnish oyle to errâ—â—â— Whether is not reason as strong to refute errours fundamentall as non-fundamentall whether if ye offer violence to truth in fundamentalls as well as in non-fundamentalls yee strippe Religion and truth of its glory and furnish oyle to errour They goe on and tell us Wee need not ever bee in learning these that are clearely determined in the word for they are cleare open and of undoubled truths in the Scripture in other points not fundamentall a Christian is ever a disciple and a searcher not that he doth ever doubt and hesitate but because though for the present he neither doubt nor hath cause of doubting yet can he not be sure of these points with such a certitude which is free of all danger of errour and therefore he is often to examine these according to the rule that cannot erre and so it is enough before God that he may be said ever to learne and to come to the knowledge of the truth as far as frailty in this life can permit Answ 1. There is then no stability of faith but in two or three points in which all Papists Latherans Antiâ—â—niâ—arâ—ans Arrians Socinians Libertines Familists Sabellians Nestorians Macedonians Arminians Antinomians Seekers Fâ—thystasts Anabaptists c. agree and make one true Church beleeving what is necessary for salvation and holding the foundation Christ and we have no divine faith of the miracles that Christ wrought that the old world perished with waters which God speakes as clearly in the word as he doth fundamentalls But Libertines should distinguish the formall reason of beleeving truths which breedeth an obligation and the necessity of beleeving for the one onely
the conscience of others the Church the learned and godly say for we make not the word of the Church the formal object of our faith but thus saith the Lord onely because the Church is but a company of men and so our faith should depend upon men even though holy and speaking ingenuously what their conscience dictates as true which is absurd ergo by the same reason what one mans conscience our owne or others say is not the formall object of our faith and practises for so also our faith should depend on man not on God And we say the conscience at its best is but Regula Regulata not Regula Regulans nor ought it to have the throne of God for God is only Regula Regulans If it were a rule it is to bee ruled by God and his word yea as we are to try all things and not beleeve with a blind faith what others say or their conscience proposeth to themselves and us as truth for then we make a Pope of the consciences of men under the notion of teachers and Church so we are not to be ruled without trying and absolutly by our owne conscience but to try its dictates by the word of God otherwise wee make a Pope and a God of our owne conscience Some say as a right informed conscience obliegeth to doe what it dictates so an erroneous conscience obliegeth to do according to its prescript Durandus and others saith â—gat non obligat it bindeth that yee cannot doe against it which some call negative obligation but non obligat it obliegeth not as a divine rule which is positive obligation Tannerus saith A Conscience that invincibly erreth both bindeth that we cannot doe against it and obliegeth that we should not follow it Which hath truth in the matter of fact a Judge invincibly ignorant of an accused mans innocency when two or three witnesses doe sweare hee is guilty doth lawfully condemne the innocent man having used all 〈◊〉 diligence to finde out the truth and not being 〈◊〉 to find it but this is rather error or ignorance of the fact than an erronious conscience for hee proceeds according to the law with a well-informed conscience following what the law saith by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every thing be established The erroneous conscience so long as it remaineth by the law of nature layeth on an obligation on a man not to doe against it Rom. 14. 14. To 〈…〉 the esteemeth any thing to be uncleane to him it is uncleane vers 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne So Ambrose our opinion layeth a law upon us Gammacheus saith it is a vain distinction of binding and oblieging Inter ligationem obligationem And that we are oblieged to follow an erroneous consciencesse long as it continueth erroneous because here saith hee 〈◊〉 dispute not concerning that which is good but that which is commanded But if the conscience dictate that something is to be commanded and to bee done under paine of sinne and yet we doe iâ— not we resist conscience and so we sin because the obligation is no mere 〈◊〉 good onely but rather to that which is commanded The Jesuite Mâ—lderus saith the same Contientiam erroneam ligare obligâ—re because an object materially considered is such an object by 〈◊〉 but it is an object per se kindly when it is proposed by practicall â—â—â—son for what is not of faith is sinne Gal. 5. 3. I testifie to 〈◊〉 one that is circumcised that hee is debter to doe the whole law Answ There can be no reason why conscience because conscience or because wicked more obliegeth then why Will because wicked will should obliege since in every wicked conscience actually drawing men to ill of either heresie or practise there is something of wicked Will and though there were nothing of will or of the affections in an erroneous conscience yet since conscience as a knowing faculty is under the law of God an erroneous conscience must bee a transgressing conscience and it is a contradiction that a faculty sinning should obliege to obedience to the law of God in the same consideration because it sinneth But these Schoole-â—â—â—ties doe not obliege us wee shall bee unwilling in any tearmes to say that God or which is all one the law of nature layeth on us an obligation to that which is sinfull or 〈◊〉 if any thinke he is oblieged to be circumcised sure he must thinke himselfe oblieged to eate the passeover also and to keepe the whole Ceremoniall law but that the law of nature obliegeth him either so to thinke and erroneously beleeve and practise the whole Ceremoniall Law is another thing It is true a doubting conscience that thinks hee is oblieged by the law to abstaine from eating swines flesh is either oblieged to eate swines flesh or not to eate for to eate or not eate are opposed by way of contradiction but there is no apparent contradiction but admiteth of some qualification and modification set the contradiction in an evangelicall sence as you must and then it shall be there be none in the visible Church but he must either eate in faith or not eate in faith he must either bee circumcised in faith and in a certaine perswasion that circumcision is acceptable to God or hee must not bee circumcised in faith c. For both the Law and Gospell obliege to the action and to all the manner way and requisite circumstances of the action to wit that it be done in faith sincerely for God in a due manner c. Now so wee say hee is neither to eate simply nor not to eate simply but either to eate in faith or to abstaine from eating in faith and without an erring and doubting conscience and we are not to do upon a supposition that the conscience stand erroneous nor hath the erroneous conscience any warrant at all nor commission from the Sovereigne Lord of conscience to command you to beleeve you must be circumcised or upon the supposall of that faith to obliege you to be circumcised more then any earthly judge hath a warrant from God to command murther or robery nor is it a law of nature or of God that you must do absolutely and without trying what an erroneous conscience indites you to do under paine of sin nor is it a sin to resist an eroneous conscience by not doing or suspending the action more then it is a sin not to obey an earthly Judge when he commandeth beside and contrary to the law of the supreame Law-giver No wonder they make a Pope of conscience who make the conscience of the Pope the supream court that obliegeth all men on earth The reason of this errour is Papists and Libertines joyn with them in this dreame hat as God doth command unerringly indeclinably so hte hath communicated to Popes and Heraulds and to every lawful 〈◊〉
the Lord instamped his divine Image of making just Lawes upon any nomethetick power of the most free and Independent Kingdome on earth so as the breach of lawfull promises Covenants Contracts which are against the Law of God of nature of nations should or can be the subject matter of any nomethetick power for God gives no power to make unjust decrees The pretended liberty is against the Articles matteâ— and ends of the Covenant a Parliamentary power interposed for the not punishing of deformity as touching many Religions must destroy the commanded nearest uniformity of the one only true Religion 2 Nor can they defend the one onely reformed Religion of Scotland commanding the Magistrate the Minister of God to use the sword against false teachers who give liberty to all Religions 3 Nor can the word of God bee our rule of Reformation except this rule be one and injoyne one only true Religion and forbid tolleration of all others 4 There can be no way so prevailing to promote cherish and foment Heresie and what is contrary to sound doctrine as for publique authority by law to permit it except wee would praise and reward such fleshly wayes 5 The Lord cannot be one nor his name one in both Kingdoms when by Law multitudes of names wayes and Religions are tollerated 6 Many Religions suffered must be contrary to the true religious liberty of Christian States and Churches when men are licenced to professe slavery and bondage to the efficacy and power of errour to beleeve professe and disseminate lies and blasphemies in the name of the Lord. 7 Many false wayes of religions doth in the Scripture argue a change of Gods for these that are no Gods which Heathens doe abhorre Jer. 2. 9 10 11. and a multiplying of Gods according to the number of each Sect and Societie Jer. 2. 28. and a manifest countenancing of Scepticisme of many Gods and of no God since then the Parliament not onely as Christian men but as a Parliament and as Magistrates have sworne the Covenant they must sweare each one of them to defend his owne Religion Familisme Arrianisme Antinomianisme which he beleeves to be the true religion and that as a Magistrate with the sword of God and so to oppose his fellow members with his Parliamentary power how then can the Parliament command others or ingage themselves to the Lord their God to indeavour the preservation of the one reformed Religion in Scotland that we and our posterity may live in faith and love for this is many faiths professedly different and that the Lord may delight to dwel in the midst of us and this is many Gods in the midst of us and that we shall indeavour the extirpation of heresie superstition prorpanenesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine It is not every Parliament man who by law may be of any Religion oblieged by the oath of God to endeavour the extirpation of the true Protestant Religion since to him who is a Familist and Antinomian it is heresie and contrary to sound doctrine Are not Papists though known Papists to be Judges and Members of Parliament why should they be debarred for their Religion and they must by this oath indeavour the extirpation of Heresies and Hereticks that is of Protestanâ—s 8 The foresaid licentiousnesse is contrary to the indeavour to preserve the Rights Liberties of Parliaments and just power and greatnesse of the King now both King Parliaments and all Rulers have the sword committed to them to defend the Church against Seducers Wolves Hereticks false Teachers and by the sword are to stand against the violation of mercy righteousnesse and the peace of humaine societies and so against such as from meere grounds of conscience serve God in sacrificing their children to God promiscuous use of wives a part of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free community of goods robing the just owners of their inheritances and possessions because the word saith the meeke shall inherit the earth lying and denying of our Religion before men For should the Magistrate kil the father whose only conscience nothatred which is the only essentiall ingredient to make killing of our neighbour without lawfull authority that murthering of our brother which by the law of God and Man is punishable with death Deut. 19. 11 12 13. c. 4. 42. c. 19. 4. and the sword of the Magistrate not any hatred I say or desire of revenge towards his sonne whom he loves as tenderly as Abraham did Isaack presseth out of meere religious obedience to God to offer his sonne to God in a sacrifice he should not punish a murtherer but offer violence to the conscience of his father since the word of God condemneth this as false worship not as murther yea as superstitious adding to the Word and as wil-worship Deu. 4. 31 32. Jer 7. 30 31. 9 Divers Religions being contrary to Christ and the one truth of the Gospell of their owne nature raise fire and sword betweene brethren and the mother against the daughter in law and must be a seminary of factions and devisions which is distructive to the unity in our Covenant Micah 7. 5 6. Matth. 10. 34 35. Luke 5. Verse 51 52. Gen. 3 16. 10 By which it cannot be possible we should defend one another in this common cause of Religion except a reconciliation be made betweene the seed of the woman and the serpent 11 And many being of divers Religions must need give themselves to a detestable indifferency and newtrality as touching the Common cause of God Since it cannot be the common cause of God but of Sathan and of forcing conscience by persecution to them Many men yea it s the cause of God to many to hate and persecute the Gospell by this 12 By which meanes every man may resile from this blessed union and conjunction so far must he be from zealous and constant continuing therein all the dayes of his life for Parliamentary authority frees them to imbrace any new Religion contrary to the Protestant Religion 13 And to what Church Sect or Religious societie can the Christian Magistrate be a nurse-father by his office is it not to the one onely true Church of Christ that professeth the sound faith certaine the Scripture saith as the sonnes of strangers shall build the wals of the true Church so Kings shall minister unto her Esay 60. 10. And she must sucke the brests of Kings Esay 6. 16. which evinceth that Kings as Kings are by their Office to doe some princely and royall acts of justice and favour for the good of the true Church and true Religion then must either the King by Office be indifferent and newtrall to all other Religions and Sects which must be inconsistent with his duty as nurse-father to the Church Esay 49. 23. whose part it is that according to his place he take care that the children sucke not poyson for milke or he must be newtrall to all Religions except to
new Blasphemies now on foot in England are all these blasphemies the Gospel and whosoever suffer for monstrous heresies must they suffer as the Apostles did and must they lay claim to all the comforts that our Saviour hath bequeathed in his Testament to his Disciples who were to suffer for Christs sake and for righteousnesse then surely an erronious and a blaspheming conscience must be righteousnesse and to suffer for blasphemy and Satan must be to suffer for righteousnesse and for Christs sake for these Libertines say the Assembly of Divines teach Blasphemies Popery murthering of Saints for conscience So Baptist so Necessity of Toleration so Ancient Bounds 3. If such as are persecuted and disclaime totally persecution for conscience be the onely true Church and none but they then these Papists in England in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who were onely persecuted in your sense of the word Persecution and wrote and petitioned against Persecution and totally disclaimed it are the onely true Church The like I may say of the Arrians in the Emperours times against whom most severe Laws and Edicts were made which to M. Baptist was direfull persecution and yet they totally disclaimed persecution for conscience and pleaded for Toleration So say I of the Arminians in Holland who alwayes plead for liberty of Prophesying and of Anabaptists and all the Sectaries in Germany when they first arose of the Familists and most rigid Anabaptists in New England and of all the vilest Sects Anabaptists Antiscripturists Socinians Familists c. in Old England Yea we may suppose all Papists Iewes and the most abominable Sects living where there are strict Lawes for the onely one true Religion to hold the opinion of totall disclaiming persecution for conscience for sure they are most capable of this opinion hence it shall follow that all these wretched Hereticks shall be the only true Church and body of Christ 4. This monopolizeth the nature and name of the true Church to onely Sectaries that professe they are ready to suffer for their conscience and doe totally disclaime persecution that is for liberty of conscience so this opinion shall be the only essential not and constituent form of the true Church and shall exclude the sound faith of all fundamentalls and the doctrine of the Law and Gospell The vilest Hereticks living holding this one Article of Baptists faith shall be the onely true Church and this opinion shall unite men and societies formally to Christ their head and yet it is no matter of faith except Libertines say none are capable of faith and salvation but such as hold this opinion Hence it must follow all these named Calvinists all the Reformed Churches all the Churches and Saints in New England all the ancient Brownists the old Non-conformists who all disclaimed toleration and licence of conscience must not onely not be the true Church but the malignant Church of such as professe that which they cal Persecution yea and since they detest and abhor liberty of conscience as Atheisticall All these Saints must be uncapable of saving faith and necessarily damned because being professed persecutors and totâ—â—ly disclaiming toleration they are in the judgement of this Baptist such as have no capacity without Gods infinitâ— mercy and dispensation converting them to such Libertinisme to be hewne out and squared to such a head as Christ for contrariorum eudem est ratio 5. Forme an Argument Mr. Baptist from your two Scriptures If to persecute for conscience be essentiall to such as are borne of the flesh and to be persecuted for conscience be essentiall to such as are born after the Spirit then to be thus persecuted and to disclaim totally persecution for conscience is an essentiall note of the true Church This Proposition can never be proved in your sense for to be persecuted for conscience that is for a well informed conscience which is sound in the faith of Articles of saving knowledge is indeed such an essentiall note and so we yeeld all but it is nothing for toleration but much against it but to be persecuted for conscience though erroneous and holding Judaisme Turcisme Arrianisme Papisme Familisme c. to be the true and saving way which is the sense of Baptist is no wise a note of such aâ— are born after the Spirit not doth any place of Scripture by the thirteenth consequence prove the same for Isaac was not persecuted by Ishmael for his erroneous conscience The Text sayes no such thing except Baptist make Isaac an Heretick and a false Prophet If Ishmael persecuted Isaac for his conscience which yet Baptist cannot prove from Scripture sure it was not for the hereticall conscience of Isaac nor will it help Baptist to say in the minde and conception of Ishmâ—â—l Isaac was an Heretick Answ How is that proved the Text sayes no such thing 2. We teach no such thing as that men should be punished by the Magistrate not because they are but because they seem only to â—e Heretickes or because Isaacs and Saints are Hereticks in our mind and conception but because they are so indeed as the Magistrate punisheth not justly a murtherer because he seems in the minde and conception of the Magistrate to be a murtherer but because he is a murtherer and is proved by faithfull witnesses to be a murtherer so is the Heretick proved to be a Heretick by the Magistrate and so convicted that he is self-condemned for we never make the Magistrates thoughts and his conception to be the rule of punishing an Heretick even as we are not to avoid an Heretick after admonition because he is an Heretick in our conception onely for our conception must not be the rule or formall ground of casting out any man from our society and avoiding of him but we avoid him because he is an Heretick in himself nor exhorts Peter any man to suffer for well-doing that is for his conscience or for his erroneous and hereticall conscience that is but an abusing of the word of God for he speaks not of suffering directly for onely Religion true or false though he exclude it not but saith 1 Pet. 4. 15. But let none of you suffer as a murtherer as a theefe as an ill-doer and in so saying he means that no man should as Elimas suffer blindnesse for perverting the faith of Sergius Paulus and I beleeve it will be a peece of labour for Libertines to prove that such opposers of the Gospel as Elimas and Hymeneus who suffered as ill-doers did yet know in their conscience the Gospel to be the onely saving truth and way of God and that against the warning of an illuminated conscience Elimas perverted the right wayes of God However to suffer here as a well doer by Baptists way is to suffer for an hereticall conscience defending and teaching lies in the name of the Lord If so such a well-doer if blasphemously unsound is to be thrust through and stabbed as an Impostor by the Lords
not hypocrisie and sin for this argument may as well prove the Magistrate should neither forbid nor punish murther nor command abstinence from murther to an unrenewed man for an unrenewed man cannot but abstaine from murther in a sinfull way and his abstinence from murther in order to the spirituall Law of God is no better then the oblation of Swines bloud and the cutting off of a dogs head to God Esa 66. 1 2. as is all externall obedience of either Tables of the Law first or second without faith and spirituall inward morall principles and heart-obedience and Mr. Williams cannot answer this argument but by the principles of Anabaptists Familists and Enthysiasts who say all outward Ordinances Ministery Preaching Sacraments yea Preachers and Magistrates who command outward obedience to God are unlawfull now under the New Testament So Mr. Dell denies all Reformation but heart-reformation Other reformation beside this in the heart I know none and Gospel-reformation onely mindeth the reformation of the heart then away with Preaching Laws the Sword Synods Gospel-reformation saith he is inward layes hold upon the heart soule and inner man and changes and renewes that doth not much busie it selfe about outward formes or externall conformity but onely mindes the conformity of the heart for when the heart is right with God the outward formes cannot be amisse Christ saith touching the worship of the New Testament God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth he speakes not one word of any outward formes so that God in the Gospel-reformation aimes at nothing but the heart So the father of the Familists impure H. Nicholas If I could give all my goods to the poor c. if I have not love it is not any thing to me that is whosoever hath not Christ he is without God and without righteousnesse in this world I mean the being like Christ which is conceived through the power of the Holy Ghost and not any ceremoniall Christ which one man speaketh to another or promiseth to another through his ceremoniall service which he out of his prudency according to his fleshly minde setteth up O no The worke or begetting of God commeth not so â—lenderly to passe as men now at this time teach each other out of their unregenerate Spirit he meaneth by men now at this time Protestants who conjoyne Pauls planting and the watering of Apollos with the working of the Spirit whereas this Impostor taketh him to the latter and railes against the former as a ceremoniall and fleshly Christ See more of this in Del Theologia Germanica Rise and Reigne of Antinomians Bullinger Calvin Towne the Antinoâ—ian Salâ—marsh Upon this ground Samuel Gortyn right down denies all Magistracy learning books Libraries Lawes and he hath reason so to do for Magistracy because it is a carnall Ordinance cannot produce inward and spirituall repentance therefore Magistrates upon the same ground cannot coerce nor punish hereticks since heresie is a spirituall evill which cannot be remedied by a sword of steal for God onely can enlighten the minde 3. If therefore this argument be good neither can the externall preaching of the word be a lawfull Ordinance for God onely gives repentance the preaching of the Word without the Spirit can but produce a carnall repentance and the Bounder may cry downe all preaching of the word if he but change the word Magistrate into the word Preacher or Ambassadour for this course of Preaching by men may lay a stumbling I speake in his words in every mans way to prophane the things of God by doing them out of obedience to men that are but earthen vessels not to God If he say that is by accident because men look to men as men and not to God whose word men carry So say I mens abstaining from doing violence and murther which the Magistrate forbids may infer God hath given no power to the Magistrate to forbid murther and adultery for men may so prophane the sixt Command and abstaine from murther because the Magistrate forbids it not because God forbids it in the sixt Commandement And the preaching of the word may be art downe errours so long as a man sound in the faith preacherâ— but when there ariseth a corrupt teacher a â—â—araâ—h that knew not Joseph errours shall walke on every side and that not by permission but by commandement Now this is the reasonlesse reason of the 〈◊〉 against the coercive power of Magistrates these men argue ever from the abused power of a Magistrate and from persecution to provâ— hereticks ought not to be punished as if punishing of false teachers were persecution which they can never prove But to goe on That cannot be the way of God which necessarily inferreth the darkeness inevidence and inextricable difficultie of understanding the Scriptures But such is the way of Libertie of Conscience Ergo. The Proposition is clear for if God hath not sufficiently cleared the way to heaven but left a Testament that men may expound to be the pathway to life eternall and the just contrary a pathway to life eternall then shall men know certainly no safe way to life eternall and the Scriptures shall not make men inexcusable contrary to Hos 5. 2. and 8. 12. Psal 19. 7 8 9 10. Ezek. 3. 5 6. Luke 16. 29 30 31. Joh. 20. 31. and 15. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Psal 119. 9. Prov. 3. 21 22 23. Deut. 31. 28 29. Matth. 11. 21 22 23. 24. 2. Papists shall be in better case then we for though they say that the Scriptures are darke and obscure and admit of themselves divers and contrary senses so that we cannot bottome our faith on them yet the juridical interpretation of the Church is to men a ground of faith and that is the ground of faith which the Church giveth as the only true sense of Scripture The Assumption is clear because Libertines suppose that the sense of Scripture can be undeniably known to none what is to one saint a ground of faith the just contradicent to another is a ground of faith and what sense to one Saint is an Article of saving faith to another is a damnable Heresie and both are to be tolerated neither corrected nor punished for since neither are infallible neither can deserve rebukes or rods nor punishment civill or Ecclesiasticall because knowing of the word of God in Scripture is not in our freewill but natural and whatsoever sense the word offers to the understanding true or false the man cannot be guilty in receiving the false sense because he is not punishable therefore as Libertines argue and what then should hinder but Jewes may be saved in their sense of the old Testament who yet deny Christ to be come in the flesh nor are they to bee rebuked far lesse to be punished by God or man therefore because 2 Cor. 3. in reading of the Old Testament a vaile
be reverenced ibid. Of obligation of Conscience and the acts therefrom resulting p. 10. Of witnessing of Conscience and self-reflection p. 11. The knowledge of our own state of grace may be had by the fruits of the spirit of Sanctification p. 12 Acts of Conscience in relation to the Conclusion p. 14. A Conscience good or ill p. 15. A good Conscience ibid Conscience the rarest peece that God made ibid. A tender Conscience p. 19. Who ingrosse the name of tender Consciences to themselves ibid. Of a scrupulous Conscience p. 21 The causes of a scrupulous Conscience ibid. Chap. 2. Conscience under Synods and how and that the Conscience cannot have absolute libertie in matters of Religion How a Synod compelleth p. 23. The Conditions that Libertines require to be in a Synod p. 24. Libertie to question every thing is Licence ib. The Church though not infallible may determine infallible points ib. A Confession Covenant or Synodicall decree a secondarie rule of Faith p. 25 A Ministeriall and publike and a Christian and private judgement and faith how they differ ibid. Libertines give us Sceptisme and Fluctuation for Faith p. 28 There is need of Interpretation and decision of Synods ib. That Confessions ought to be only in expresse Scripture words is â—â—â—ther false principle of Libertines p. 29 Ancient bonds of Liberty of Conscience p. 32 The end of Synods is not to remove heresies by any means good or bad or to crush Heresie so effectually as these Heresies shall never 〈◊〉 heard of in the world again ibid. The necessity of Synods p. 33 Pastors subject the disobedient to wrath yet are not Lords over the Conscience Ergo neither are Synods Lords â—ver the Conscience for that ib. The subject of a Synod not a Sceptick Conjecturall truth as Libertines suppose p. 34 The sence of Scripture from Synods beleeved truly to be infallible though Synods consist of men who are not infallible as an 〈◊〉 Pitcher doth contain gold and precious Rubies and Saphires in it though there be no gold in the matter of the Pitcher but only clay 2 Cor. 4. 7. ibid. How a true decision of a Synod is ever the same and not retractable p. 36 Though all truths be peremptorily decided in the word yet is there need of a Ministeriall and declarative decision of men because Teachers may deceive and those that are taught are ignorant and dull p. 37 Men are to come to Synods not as Nullifidians but as ingaged for truth p. 38. Synods may impose upon others and how ibid. Ancient bonds or Libertie of Conscience stated p. 40 The Conditionall imposing of Synods consisteth well with trying of all things what Libertines say on the contrary is naught ibid. Conditionall imposing proveth the imposeâ— to be no Lord of the Conscience p. 42 Chap. 3. The Church may complain of Hereticks p. 43 Pastors are not out of their calling nor Apparitors nor tale-bearers if they complain to the Magistrate of Hereticks p. 44 Chap. 4. The State of the question of compulsion of Conscience and toleration p. 46. Opinions cannot be compelled nor the mind or will in the elicite acts ibid. The question is Whether the Magistrate may compulsorily restrain the externall act of the outward man in religion ibid. Shame and feare of rebukes by Pastors and Church-censures have the same compulsorie influences on false Teachers that the fear of publike punishment by the Synod hath p. 47. Church censures are as compulsorie on the Conscience as coercing by the Sword p. 48 Some externall actions of injustice flowing from meer conscience are punished justly without any note of persecution by grant of Libertines and why not all others also p. 49 Ancient bonds of Libertie of Conscience p. 50 Discountenancing of men and negative punishing of them for their Conscience is punishing of them ibid. Ancient bonds p. 12. ibid. How Religion may be compelled how not p. 51 One mans Religion remaining in the mind and will may hurt or benefit the man himself not any others but true religion as it comes forth into acts of teaching may edifie and win others and false religion may subvert the faith of others ibid. The Magistrate does not command religious acts as service to God but rather forbids their contraries as disservice to Christian Societies ibid. How Tertullian and Lactantius are to be expounded of forcing to Heathen religion ibid. Though we can compel none to Religion it follows not that the Magistrate may not punish those that seduce others to a false religion ibid. Lactantius speakes of compulsion without all teaching p. 53 Those that are without the Church are not to be compelled ibid. Because the Magistrates compulsion makes Hypocrites it followeth note hee should not punish Hereticks for so he should not punish murtherers p. 54 The Magistrate may by the sword curbe such impediments that keep men from embracing the truth according to Augustine p. 56 Answer to Doctor Adam Stewart ibid. Impotencie of free will objected by Master John Goodwin no reason why the Magistrate ought not to punish seducing teachers as of old the Donatists objected ibid. State of the question more strictly proposed p. 57 It may as well be said because there be no expresse Laws against murtherers Parricides Sorcerers Sodomites in the New Testament more then against false Teachers that therefore Sorcerers are no lesse then Hereticks to be tollerated p. 57 Chap. 5. Of Fundamentals The number of Fundamentalls p. 59 A saving disposition of faith to beleeve all truths revealed though the man be ignorant of many may consist with the state of saving grace ibid. Three things among those that are to be beleeved 1. Things simply necessarie 2. Simply profitable 3. By consequence necessarie how the Papists erre in these page 60 Some Consequences necessary ibid. Builders of Hay and stubble on the foundation may be saved and those that fall in murther and Adultery out of infirmitie may be also saved yet there is no consequence Ergo the Magistrate should tollerate both p. 61. Chap. 6. Errors in non-fundamentals obstinatly holden are punishable Obstinacie in ceremonies after full information deserveth punishment p. 62 Those that erre in non-fundamentals may deserve to be punished ibid. To teach the necessity of Circumcision not an error formally primarily but by consequence fundamentall and the contrary truth not necessary necessitate medii ibid. The toleration of all who erre in non fundamentals examined p. 64. Queries proposed to M. Joh. Goodwin who asserteth a Catholike toleration of all religions upon the ground of weaknes of freewill and want of grace p. 61 Most arguments of Libertines infer a Catholike toleration in non-fundamentals as well as in fundamentals p. 64 What deductions the Spirit makes in the soul of an elect knowing but a few fundamentals and going out of this life who knoweth p. 65. To know revealed truths of God is a commanded worship of God ibid. One generall confession of faith without a particular sense containing the true
Physitian who can whol broken consciences or the saddest enemie if sick it is like an aking tooth the more you touch it the more it paines you The Conscience of its owne nature is a knowing power of the practicall understanding aâ— therefore no ilicite acts of the foule can be compelled neiâ—â—er can Conscience act being muzled and forced but this 〈…〉 but that men and devills in their conscience 〈…〉 beleeve many things in some 〈◊〉 against their will 〈…〉 out of the naturall efficacie of conscience cannot 〈◊〉 but â—ee must beleeve that there is a God yet where there is a trembling there must be some reluctancie in the will and affections Judaâ— must beleeve his damnation was approuching when he hanged himselfe but against his heart The Balgick Arâ—iâ—iaâ—s who contend for libertie of conscience in all wayes Apol. 95. 〈…〉 say By determinations of Synods violence iâ— not offered to conscience as conscience signifieth a meere internall act of the mind immanent or byding within the mind but as conscience signifieth an act of the mind by which any doth beleeve 〈…〉 oblieged 〈◊〉 teach others which he per 〈◊〉 himselfe to 〈…〉 so the man is compelled by a Synods prescription to dissemble what he beleeveth he ought to professe and which he beleeveth to be false Answ Say that the decision of the Synod be agreeable to the word the Lord layeth on the coaction to all to beleeve and accordingly professe the truth and that by a Synod as Christ saith he that heareth you heareth me so the coaction such as it is must come principally from God instrumentally from the Synod but it floweth from both by accident and through mens abuse who receive not the truth in love but for feare of shame least they should by the godly goe for perverters of soules Act. 15. that they doe hypocritically professe what they ought sincerely to beleeve and professe May we not say many men of corrupt minds beleeved Circumcision to be necessary and yet for feare of the Apostles censure that they should be judged troublers of souls lyars and false teachers as they are judged to bee Act. 15. 24. would dissemble And they are no other wayes by a Synodicall truth compelled to lie and dissemble by shame and falling out of the hearts of the Apostles and of all the godly the one way than the other in that case than in this 〈◊〉 For there be but two wayes of working on the mind to drive men to bee of another opinion one by feare either of shame reproach or censures civill or ecclesiasticall another by meere teaching and instructing Now for the libertie of prophecying that Arminiaâ—s require and so the libertie of Synods let us inquire if it be true libertie 1. They require a full libertie to every man without scruple or feare of danger to declare his mind in Synods and to examine what is controverted Answ It is in some respect commendable that hereticks be candid and ingenuous to declare even what their hereticall judgement and inditement of conscience leades them to beleeve but a full liberty to question in the Synode whether there be a God or no or whether Christ dyed for sinners ought not to be for that is lycense and hereticall lycense a point controverted any may question and these that Act. 15. held necessitie of circumcision might seeke resolution of their arguments and doubts but under pretext of libertie free of feare and danger they have not libertie to sinne that is after they are or may be if wilfulnesse stood not in their way inwardly convinced they have not libertie obstinately to presse sophismes against the truth for this is an undenyable principle libertie to sinne is fleshly lycense not libertie Armin. In controversies of Religion which the Scripture doth not evidently decide what can certainely be determined by the Church which ever and in every thing which it determines is beleeved may erre Answ There is nothing that the Scripture hath left simple and in it selfe controversall Actâ—â— primo the Scripture hath determined of all things conteined in it whether fundamentals or not fundamentals onely in regard of our dulnesse and sinfull blindnesse some things are controverted and therefore the Church may determine from light of the word some thing that was a controversie to the Fathers ignorant of the originall tongues which is now no controversie Yea the fallible Church may determine infallible points This is a principle that Libertines proceed upon that men who are not infallible may erre and therefore can hold forth to others no infallible truth Which is most false for Prophets and Apostles Nathan Samuel David Peter being deserted of the immediately inspiring Spirit did erre as well as the Church and Pastors now deserted of the ordinary Spins can and doe erre For â—â—ll men Prophets and Apostles are 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. yet they may and doe carrie infallible truth to others 〈◊〉 blind man may hold a candle to others 3. By this reason Pastors can preach nothing certaine in fundamentals though faith come by hearing and faith is of a certaine and determinate fixed truth of God more permanent than heaven or earth why because by this reason Pastors in preaching fundamentals are not infallible 4. Nor is this a good reason it is beleeved the Church may erre in Synods ergo it doth erre and determines nothing that is infallible and certaine in Synods no more then this is a good consequence David may sinne in praying ergo he doth sinne in praying a potentia ad actum non valet consequentia Armin. A confession is not a rule of faith it hath not the lowest place in the Church Answ The Covenant written and sealed in Nehemiahs time was a secondarie rule of faith and a rule e'n so farre as it agreed with the Law of Moses for they enter in a curse and an oath to walke in Gods Law not to give their sonnes and daughters in marriage to the Heathen not to buy victuals from the Heathen on the Sabboth to charge themselves to give money to maintain the service of God Nehe. 9. 38. chap. 10. 1 2 3. 29 30. 31 32. Which written Covenant was not Scripture and Act. 15. the decrees of the Synod was not formally Scripture yet to bee observed as a secondary rule For so farre Arminians A Doctor as a Doctor beleeveth not a Doctor beleeveth as a sheepe not as a shepheard and his judgement of matters of faith is not publick but private and common to teachers with every one of the sheepe and there is a like and equall power in shepheard and every one of the flock of beleeving and the sheepe in matters of faith are no more obleiged to stand to the judgement of the shepherd than the teachers to the judgement of the sheepe the teachers have a priviledge of order and honor above the sheepe but no priviledge of Law and power Then the Church though she beleeve
and certainly know that she erreth not in her decisions yea though it fall out she erre not yet ought not to take power to her selfe to command others to beleeve that to be true which she beleeves or to impose silence upon others who cannot in conscience acquiesce to what they command Answ There is some-thing true in this there is a two-fold judgement one saving and Christian common to all by which both shepheard and sheep beleeve and its true of this that the sheepe are no more to stand to the judgement of shepheards thâ—â— the shepheards to the judgement of the sheepe in point of Christian beleeving which sure is common to both shepheard and sheepe for the alone authoritie of God speaking in his word And so the Doctor beleeves not as a Doctor but as a Christian But secondly there is another judgement that is ministeriall officiall and authoritative and this is terminated not on Christian beleeving but supposeth a ministeriall beleeving that what the shepheard teacheth others God revealed to him first and is put forth in a ministeriall and officiall judging either in Synods or in publick Pastorall Sermons and authoritative but ministeriall publishing the will and mind of Christ Mal. 2. 7. They shall seeke the Law from his mouth Heb. 13. 7. 17. That way the people depends upon the Ministeriall judgement of Synods and Pastors but it s most false that Pastors depends on their Ministeriall judgement who are sheepe and that there is a like and equall power in shepheards and sheepe and its false that though the Church beleeves she erres not and doth not erre yet the Church may not command and in Synods Ministerially and with all authoritie rebuke such a pervert soules Act. 15. 22. And that Doctors may not as the Heraulds and Ministers of Christ rebuke men sharply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1. 12. For Pastors and Synods teach fundamentals of faith ministerially to the people and by hearing of them is faith begotten in the hearers and they may command exhort rebuke with all long suffering 2. Tim. 4. 1 2. 2 Tim. 2. 14. stop their mouthes Tit. 1. 11. and authoritatively enjoyne them silence Act. 15. 22 23 24 25. Act. 6. 4. Though they cannot by reason of an erroneous conscience or a conscience burnt with an hot iron acquiesce to the determination of a Synod Yea though they bee unruly vaine talkers and deceivers they must be commanded to bee silent Nor must the Church and Angels of the Church of Thyatira Ephesus or Pergamus suffer Jezabell to seduce not â—avening wolves to devoure the flock nor their word to eate as a Caâ—ker For this judgement authoritative as it is in the head of the Church Christ as in the fountaine and onely Law-giver so it is Ministerially onely and by way of office in the Elders as the will and mind of the King is in the inferiour Judge the Ambassadour or Herauld not in the people And the people are obleiged to obey those that are over them in the Lord who watch for their soules as those who must give an account But there is no ground to say the shepheards are obleiged to stand to and obey the ministeriall and officiall judgement of the people and of this it is said he that heareth you Ministers of the Gospel not the people heareth me he that dispiseth you dispiseth mee And this is more then a priviledge of order and honor which one Christian hath above another in regard of eminencie of graces gifts and of wisdome experience and age it is a priviledge of office to speake in the name of the Lord and yet it is inferiour to a priviledge of law because the Lord onely imposeth lawes upon the Conscience for it is a middle judgement lesse then Legislative Supreme and absolute over the Conscience this is in none save onely in the King and head of the Church and is Royall and Princely Yet is it more I say not more excellent it not being saving of it selfe as in beleevers than a priviledge of meere honour and order for though it lay no more bands on the Conscience to obtain faith because it is holden forth by men it having no influence on the Conscience because of men whose word is not the formall object of faith yet hath it an officiall authoritie from Pastours which is not meerely titularie so as they may ministerially and officially command obedience to their judgement as far as it agrees with the mind of Christ no farther and when it is disobeyed may inflict censures which private Christians cannot doe and putteth these who disobey under another guiltinesse then if private Christians did speake the same word to wit not onely in a case of disobedience to the second command but in a state of disobedience to the fift command formally as not honouring father and mother where as to disobey that same word by way of Counsel in the mouth of a brother though it be the breach of the fift command also Yet not in such a manner as when we refuse to heare the messenger of the Lord of Hoasts and his judgement as a messenger of God is publique and bindes as publike to highest obedience to the fift command but as it is a judgement of faith common to the Doctor with other Christians it bindes as the minde of God holding faith in the second Commandment what wee are to believe Armmians The word of God is sufficient for the deciding of controversies its cleare what neede it there of decision if men acquiesce to the decision of God as it lyes in Scripture if the word of God expresse the sense of God or if it have need of interpretation why is there not a free interpretation left to every manâ—â— doe we think that our words are clearer than the word of God we doe a â—â—nithic injury to the word of God if we believe that How much better were it if we would nourish peace and concord leaving interpretations free to every man It is most sure to containe our selves within the speaking of the holy Scripture and the forme of words of the holy Ghost and that no man be troubled who shewes himself willing to containe himself within these Answ Here is a meere fluctuation and Septicism even in fundamentals and the faith of them for all interpretation of Scripture is rejected there is no destinction in fundamentals or no fundamentals for in principles of faith that Christ is God and man and dyed for sinners the Scripture is most plaine and what need then of our interpretation then let Arrians and Secinnians beleeve him to be God man and to die for sinners in their sense the Familists in a contrary sense the Georgians in another contrary sense the Papists in a third the Protestants in a fourth and so as many heads as many faiths every sect and man must have some sense else his faith is non-sense and if
he erre from the sense of the Holy Ghost the Scripture is no Scripture if it be believed in a sense contrary to the Scripture to him who so believes and so his faith is no faith but a vaine night-phancie and seeing the word of God gives us but one faith and one truth and one Gospel if interpretations be left free to every man these Libertines gives us millions of faiths with millions of senses and so no faith at all Secondly They give us two decisions one made by God and another by the Church contrary to Gods that has no rule but every mans private judgement and free phancie as if the decision of controversies made by the Church in Synods which we suppose is not divided from that of Gods were some other thing then the decision of the Holy Ghost speaking in the word and declared by the Church in a ministeriall way and if it be any other than this it is not to be received nor a lawfull decision ministeriall of a Synod but to be rejected Thirdly if there be no need of a decision to expone the word because the word is clear if we wrong the word of God if we think our words are clearer that Gods it is true if we had eyes to see and apprehend the minde of God in his word without an interpretation then all ministerie and proaching of the Gospel is cried downe by this what have any to doe to expone the first principles of the Oracles of God to the Hebrews c. 5 â— or what need they teach exhort preach in season and out of season What needeth the Eunuch a teacher or Cornolius Peter or Saul Ananias to teach them had they not the Scriptures if Timothie the preachers that speake the word of the Lord to the Hebrews Philip Peter Ananias think their words clearer than the word of God they doe a great injurie to the word of God or if they beleeved their words were clearer than the words of Esaiah and the Prophets and they did that which was not necessary if they opened and expounded the Prophets and decided controversies for they should have acquiesced to the decision of God as it lyeth in the Scripture and not have preached but read the Prophets and left it free to the hearers to put on the words of Scripture what interpretation and sense they thought best Fourthly That no Confessions ought to be but in expresse words of Scripture shall free all one and consequently all Churches from obedience to that which Peter commands 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be readie alwayes to give an answere to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with â—â—eeknesse and fear When Stephen Acts 7. and Paul Acts 26. were accused of heresie and speaking against Moses and the semple they made a confession of their faith not in words of Scripture but in deductions and necessary consequences drawne from Scripture and applyed to themselves and these in Nehemiahs time who wrote and sealed or subscrubed a Covenant did not write and seale the expresse Decalogne and ten Commandements 〈◊〉 the words of the Covenant of Grace I will be thy God and the God of thy seed but entered into a curse and into an Oath to walke in Gods Law which was given by Moses the servant of God and to observe and to doe all the Commandements of the Lord our God and his judgements and his statutes and that say they we would not give our daughters to the people of the Land nor take their daughters for our sons and if the people of the Land bring ware or victuals on the Sabbath day to sell that we would not buy it of them Nehemiah c. 10. v. 29 30 31 32 33 34. c. compared with Nehe. c. 9. v. 38. Which words are not a confession nor Covenant in expresse Scripture save that they are historically insetted in the Cannon of the Scripture by the Holy Ghost In which sense the law and decree of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 6. And of other heathen Kings as Daniell 3. 29. 30. Ezra 1. 2 3. c. 7. 11 12 13 14. c. Are Scriptures but they are not the expresse words of the Law for there is nothing in the expresse Law touching the Sabbath of not buying ware and victual from the heathen of the land that Nehemiah speakes of which warranteth us to enter in the like Covenant and make the like Confession of faith to defend and stand to the Protestant Religion and that Christ was God and man and man in one person and that we shall not buy ware or victuals from the Anabaptist and Familists of England who trample on the Sabbath day though these be not expresse words of Scripture It is true Libertines say men have made Apologies and confessions of faith for their own defence as Steven and Paul but they injoyned not these by authoritie and command as a rule of faith upon others and wrote them not as a fixed standard of the faith of others and that warrants no Church to impose a faith upon others Answ 1. This will prove that as one man accused of heresie may publish a confession of his faith which may cleare his innocencie and the soundnesse of his faith to others and remove the scandall according to that of 1 Pet. 3. 15. And by the same reason Independents Libertines Familists Antinomians Anabaptists and all the Sects of England upon the same ground that the Albigenses went upon should by some Confession and Covenant give an account of their faith and hope with meeknesse and feare And what particular persons are obleiged to doe that Churches when they are slandered as unsound in the faith are oblieged to doe and so I looke at a forme or confession of faith as a necessary Apologie for clearing of the good name of a Church defamed with Heresies and new sects but for the imposing of this Confession upon others these others are either Neighbour-Churches or their own Members As concerning neighbour-Churches they have no Authoritie over them Yet may they declare that Familists who say Christ is not come in the flesh are the Spirit of the Antichrist and for these of their own Church if they goe out from them and separate to an Antichristian side after the example of the Apostles and Elders they may command them to abstaine from such and such hereticall opinions and after they have convicted them as perverters of souls proceed to excommunication against them as refusers to consent to the forme of wholesome words as may be prooved from Math. 18. 15 16 17. c. Rom. 16. 17 1 Thes 2. 13 14 15. And other Scriptures as Reve. 2. 1 2 3. v. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. Now that it is not sufficient that they be put to subscribe a confession of faith in onely scripture words is cleare 1. because the Jews will sweare and seale the old Testament in their own sense but their sense makes the old
Testament to be the word of man not the word of God The Sadduces acknowledged the five books of Moses to be the word of God yet because they denyed the resurrection of the dead Christ argueth them Math. 22. 45. Ignorant both of the power of God asserted in the books of Moses and of the scriptures especially of that scripture which God spake out of the bush to Moses I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac c. Exod. 3. 6. Yet would the Sadduces have sworn and subscribed all the booke of Exodus as the undoubted word of God but when they denyed the resurrection sure these words I am the God of Abraham c. making the Covenant of grace to dye when Abraham dyed and Abraham to have perished in soule and bodie as they expounded it was not the word of God and Papists will subscribe the old and new Testament and the three Creeds the Nicene Creed the Creed of Athanasius and that which commonly is called the Apostles Creed Yet as they expound the word and these Creeds we say they transforme the word of God into the doctrine of devils and most abominable Idolatrie The greatest hereticks that were Arrius Nestorius Appolliuaris Macedonius the Treithite acknowledge the scripture to be the word of God and will sweare and subscribe the word of God and containe themselves intra sacra scripturae lâ—cutiones within the words of scripure But their faith is not the saith of the scripture and this makes ten thousand and millions of faiths where as the word faith there is but one faith For Arrius hath one faith Apollinâ—ris another Nestorius another and every heretick a faith according to the sense that he fallely puts on the scripture and all may sweare one Confession of saith in Scripture-words Arminians say no man after he hath received a decree of a Synod is longer oblieged to it nor upon any other condition but in so farre and so long as he judgeth in his conscience that it is true Answ This is meere Scepticisme and to make the conscience whether erroneous or not erroneous to be a bible and a rule of faith For though the erroneous conscience say it is service to God to kill the innocent Apostles John 16. 1. Yet the sixt commandement lyes upon these murtherers with equall strength thou shalt not kill otherwise they are nor guilty of murther For if a Synod decree to kill Peter and John because they preach that the Son of Mary is the Messiah is bloody persecution Then so soone as Scribes and Pharisees in their erroneous conscience for Libertimes make exceptions of no consciences an erroneous more than another nor erring in fundamentals more than of another shall judge it service to God to kill the Apostles they are loosed from the sixt commandement and no longer oblieged to this thou shalt not murther So the authour of the tractate called Armini Where mens scope is any way to remove controversies there is there no care or little at all of the trueth of God and where the externall peace of the Common-wealth is heeded precisely there peace of conscience is of none or of little value the truth is not there perswaded but crushed Ans The learned and renowned professors of Leiden answer the end of Synods is not by any means good or bad to remove controversies but to burie them by the power of the word 2. Onely externall peace separated from truth should not be intended but conjoyned with truth and peace of conscience 3. The end of Synods is not effectually and actu secundo to silence hereticks and gain-sayers of the truth nor is it Christs scope in convincing the Sadduces that the dead must rise Math. 22. to perswade the truth so as there shall never be on earth Sadducie again who denies the resurrection for in Pauls and in the Apostles time the Sadducies still denyed the resurrection after the Synod of Jerusalem Acts 15. There arose many that said we must keep the Law of Ceremonies but the end of Synods is to doe what may actu prime remoove controversies and silence Hereticks by clearing scripture and truth but the end is not to remove obstinacy that is not the scope of Synods nor of preaching nor of the scriptures but of all these are in the event as God blesseth them and concurreth with them the end of Synods is not to oppresse or deprive ministers the end of despised and obstinately refused truth is such Armini Synods should not ayme at setting up their own authoritie which in matters of faith is none at all such decisions are the heart of Poperie and makes all religion without Synods to be uncertain Ans Synods should take care that no man despise their Authority as Timothie is exhorted by Paul but their Authoritie in matters of faith is conditionall and so not nul 2. Synods are necessarie ad bene esse not absolutely for many are saved both persecuted Churches and believers who neuer had help of Synods to cleare their faith 3. But none more contend then Libertines doe for a faith as uncertaine as the weather which may change with every new moone The same also may be said of preaching and a ministerie which the Lord Jesus ascending on high gave for the edifying his body the Church that religion is uncertain without it For Pastors in publick should convince gainsayers and so remove heresies Tit. 1. 9 10 11. 1. Tim. 6. 3 4 as well as Synods and Libertines in their conscience know Protestant Synods Lord over the faith of none as if they took to themselves in fallibilitie as Popish Synods doe Armini Since Synods may erre how then place they religion in securitie Ans No otherwise then Doctors and Pastors doe place religion in security by teaching truth and refuting errors and yet they may erre Obj. But Pastours oblidge not men to receive what they say under paine of Censures as Synods doe Answ Vnder paine of divine if not Ecclesiasticall punishment and the one is that way as binding to the conscience as the other yea more for it is a greater obligation for Pastours to subject men to divine wrath if they receive not what they preach then for Synods to binde them onely to Ecclesiasticall censurers and yet none can say that Pastours exercise tyrannie over the conscience for the former Ergo neither can Synods justly he deemed Lords over the conscience for the latter Armin. Very often fewer and provinciall Synods doe 〈◊〉 mine more soundly then many and Occuminical Synods Answ That is by accident one Machaiah saw more that foure hundred prophets of Baal But this objection is against the saftie that is in a multitude of counsellers and in the excâ—llencie of two convened in the name of Christ above one Armin. Decision of Synods cannot oblidge men while they know that the decision was rightly made it is not enough to oblidge any to consent that that which is
decided be true and agreeable to the word of God of necessitie every mans private judgement must goe before otherwise it s an implicite faith Answ That any man should duely and as he ought beleeve and receive the decision of a Synod it must be both true and 〈◊〉 must believe and know that it is true but that it may oblidge him and doth oblidge him whether his conscience be erroneous or no is as true for then this Commandement Thou shalt not kill Honour thy father and thy mother should lay no 〈◊〉 on a man that believes it is service to God to kill the Apostâ—â— as Joh. 16. some doe For no man is exempted from an obligation to obey Gods Law because of his own sinfull and culpable ignorance for we speak not now of invincible ignorance of these things which we are not oblidged to know or believe But if our sinfull and erroneous conscience free us from actuall obligation to be tyed by a Law then our erroneous conscience freeth us from sinning against a Law and â—o from punishment for what ever freeth a man from actuall obligation freeth him also from actuall sinning for all sinne is a doing against a Law-obligation and if so then are none to be led by any rule but their own conscience the written Law and Gospel is not henceforth our rule any more Arminiars The last condition of a Synod is that the subject of a Synodical decision be ever left to a free examination and to a farther free discussion and revise The learned professours of Leyden answer that which is once true and fixed in the word of God is ever true and fixed in the word of God The Arminians reply what is true and fixed in the word of God is â—ver so and ought to remaine so for the word is beyond all danger of erring But what is believed to be fixed and fixed and Ratified in a Synod is not so because it is obnoxious to errour Answ They require that before we come to a Synod where fundamentall truths are Synodically determined we be as a razed table and as cleane paper in which no thing is written and so must we be after a Synod hath determined according to the word of God that is be still Scepticks and believe nothing fixedly and be rooted in no faith nay not in the faith of the fundamentals that are most cleare in the word of God for it is unpossible that we can beleeve the clearest fundamentals as that God created the world and Christ God-Man redeemed it but we must beleeve them by the intervening and intermediation of â—ur own sense or the Churches sense or the sense of some Godly Doctour now because all these senses are fallible and we see Familists put one sense on fundamentals Papists another sense and all private men may doe the like it is not possible that any man can be rooted in any faith at all by this way for all senses are fallible though the scripture giveth clear evident senses yet such is the Hereticall dulnesse of men that reject these infallible senses as false and those others that by their own confession are fallible and so can neither be established by the word nor by the interpretations of men though senses of Scripture rendered by Synods be fallible in the way they come to us because men delivering them may erre yet being agreeable to the word they are in themselves infallible And so the old and new Testament in the way they come to us may be fallible because Printers are not prophets but may miscarry and dreame but it followeth not they are not the infallible word of life in themselves when the Spirit witnesseth to us that God divinitie transforming glory are in these books as a spouse knoweth the hand-writstill lovelinesse of a letter from her husband to be certainly no counterfeit but true though the bearer be a rogue and can deceive Secondly this answer still supposeth that Synods do give senses contrary to the word of God and so we grant they are not onely fallible but false and erroneous and are to be examined of new again in that case but we hold when lawfull Synods convened in the name of Christ doe determine according to the word of God they are to be heard as Ambassadours who in Christs stead teach us and what is once true and ratified in Synods in this manner is ever true and ratified as the reverend professours say and never subject to any further examination and new discussion so as it must be changed and retracted as false For this is to subject the very word of God to retractation and change because a Synod did declare and truely determine it in a Ministeriall way to be the word of God For what Synods determine being the undenyable word of God iâ— intrinsecally infallible and can never become fallible though fallible and sinfull men that are obnoxious to errour and mistakes doe hold it forth Ministerially to others and it is false that we are to believe that what Synods determine according to the word of God we are to believe it is fallible and lyable to errour and may an untruth because they so determine for then when a Synod determines there is but one true God the principle of faith is believed to be subject to Retraction and falshood because a Synod hath determined it to be a truth But the truth is we are to believe truths determined by Synods to be infallible and never againe lyable to retractation or discussion because they are and were in themselves and without any Synodicall determination infallible but not for this formall medium because so saith the Synod but because so saith the Lord It is true new hereticks pretending new light may arise as Math. 24. 24. And call in question all Fundamentalls that are determined that are cleared in former Synods but it follows not but these truths are still in themselves fixed and unmovable as the Pole-star though evil men bring them under a new Synodicall examination as Familists doe now raze the foundations of Christianitie yet Daniel and Christ are Innocent though wicked men accuse them judicially as deceivers nor is it enough that Libertines say it may be the word of God and the infallible word of God which the Synod determineth but it is not so to us we are to believe it with a reserve because we cannot know it so to be But I answer this concludes not onely against a Synodicall determination but against all Scripture and all Propheticall and Apostolicall determinations in the Scripture for that there is one God not three as the Treithits dreame is believed by some to be false by others to be true Yet undenyably it is in it self true that there is but one God nor is it therefore to be believed with a reserve because the Synod hath so determined according to the word of God and this were some answer if we should teach
that men should believe because so saith a Synod But all the mysterie is though a Synod should determine a truth an hundred times according to the word yet if the conscience say it is no truth the determination of a Synod doth not obliedge at all say Libertines because the conscience according to the minde of Libertines is the nearest obleidging rule but any thing obleidgeth not to obedience and faith as it appears either true or good to our conscience for to kill the Apostles appears lawfull to commit adulterie and murther appeareth good to many yet are not men obleidged to kill the Apostles or to commit adulterie Armini If a thing be determined out of the word of God by a Synod then was that thing before determined in the word of God and yet that must be examined in a Synod which is supposed to be decyded in the word what need is there of a Synodicall examination of that which is supposed to be lyable to no errour for so must the word of God be examined Answ What the Bereans heard the Apostle Paul preach Act. 17. 11 12. was the verie Gospel determined in the Scriptures of the Prophets what then needed they try the Gospel or examine what is infallible in private among themselves more then in publick Synods this argument is against the Apostles rule Try all things and try the Spirits whether they be of God or not for sure these rules warranted them to examine Paul Peter and Johns doctrine and Spirits and finding them to be truths decyded in the word to receive them therefore after there is a Scripturall decision it doth not follow that there should not be a Declarative or Ministeriall decision by Synods and by pastours preaching the Gospel For this doth close subvert all Ministery and Preaching and all trying of the Spirits nor is it hence concluded that we examine the word of God as if it could be false but that we are both in private and in publicke to examine and try whether that which is proposed to us as the word of God be the word of God or no But wee examine and suspect the credit of men who may and can lye Secondly but this supposeth that what ever is brought under a Synodicall discussion is false or at least fallible which is a most false principle of Libertines and that nothing which is the word of God should fall under a Synodicall discussion to be tryed which is true thus farre the word of God as it is the word of God is not to be tried nor determined but in reference to messengers who are but sinfull men and can deceive and to our dulnesse and sinfull ignorance there is need that a Ministerie and Synods help us with declarative and misteriall declarations untill we be where they shall not need a Temple And what Libertines say the same said Anabaptists so Buâ—â—inger saith Anabaptists taught that the Evangelist should be recited without words casting it that is without preaching and that every man was free to interpret the Scripture as he will and that the interpretation of Scripture is not the word of God So that the peoples conscience and private sense is their Scripture and rule of faith we need not then Scripture every mans sense is his Rule which yet is not so good divinity as the heathen Melytus accused Socrates of and thought Socrates was worthie to die for that such as the people beleeveth to be gods he believeth to be nothing such but thinketh there be some new Dieties and was it a crime that Socrates thought the peoples lust was no good rule in divinitie Armini All should be admitted to Synods because Religion concerneth the Conscience of all or if it be confusion to admit all to come yet should no decision be except first all the Church be acquainted with the businesse Answ God never appointed all and every one to lay burdene and Directories or Lawes upon themselves as is cleare Act. 15. God keeps ever that order in his Church of some to teach and some to be taught of some to obey and some to be over others in the Lord that before Lawes bee made that concerne the conscience there should be a reference of all made to the people and they acquainted with reasons from the word of God before a decision we shall not condemn but it is nothing against us Armini These that come to Synods ought to be ingaged to be Church or to no Confession But every way free Answ Then such as convened in a Synod in the Church of Pergamus and Thyatira should not be principled in the faith of Christ and his truth against the deeds of the Nicolaitanes with whom fornication went for a thing indifferent or against such as hold the doctrine of Balaam or Jezabel they must all come as indifferent to absolve as to condemn the Nicholaitanes and the false Prophetesse Jezabel But Paul and Barnabus came to the Councell of Jerusalem as Members thereof being fore engaged to condemn Circumcision as not necessary to salvation and had preached against such a necessitie and yet were not byassed Voters in the Assembly and by this reason if Fundamentals be to be established in a Synod and the contrary errours to be refuted when Doctours come to a Synod they must leave faith and soundnesse of faith at home and come to the Synod with purpose to buy and bargain there for a new faith And let all men come thither as Scepticks and Nullifidians and goe so also away believing with a reserve that that the Synod hath determined may be a lie But as Arminians take true libertie of free-will to be an absolute power to doe ill or well stand or fall eternally so they judge that Libertie of prophecying is a Liberty to teach and believe Indifferently either lies or truth heresies or sound doctrine whereas libertie to doe ill in any sense is licentiousnesse not libertie Armini The question is not whether a man when he judges right can erre for who can affirme that but whither either a man or a Church who judgeth rightly according to the word of God have any law or power to command and injoyn others to receive and believe what they have rightly Judged and that without controversie for no man is obleidged to receive and beleive a truth which a Synod unanimously or for the most part hath truely judged because the Synod hath so judged or sayth so Answ But Libertines make such a question for they affirm that a Synod doth never judge so rightly but we must believe what they judge with a reserve and so that what they determine is false or may the next day be false Secondly we conceive that God hath given to some one single Pastour and farre more to a Synod of Pastours and Doctors a power to rebuke teach exhort with all authoritie 2. Tim. 41. 2. To charge Tit. 2. 14. them before the Lord. 1. Tim. 6.
doctrine if Paul tooke Gods roome and commanded the Bereans to receive his Gospel hand over head whether it was agreeable to the Scriptures or no the ignorance of the nature of Protestant Synods and of Popish Synods begetteth many ignorant and foolish objections in Libertines It is true Papists say their Synods but impose Ministerially upon men not as lords of mens faith but they take away what they give For 1. they will have none to examine and try the decrees of their Synods which we leave to all 2. Though they say they propose nothing in Synods but what is agreeable to the word of God yet wil they be the sole only infallible judges of what is the word of God what not what is Scripture what is the word of God in the breast of the Church and they must be the onely infallible Expositors of the word of God and what is agreeable to the word of God or which is all one to mens traditions what not and so they by consequence make themselves lords over mens faith Which the Apostle Paul would not doe for he said not to the Bereans when you have tryed whither my doctrine be agreeable to the Scripture or no yet I and the Apostles are the onely sole infallible judges both of our own doctrine and of all your tryings and you have not so much as a private judgement left to you CHAP. III. The Church may complain of Hereticks THe same Authour argueth against the Churches instigating of the Magistrate against men for matters of conscience 1. Ministers are not armed with force and it is not fit they should saevire per alios stirre up the Magistrate against others the Magistrate is the Minister of God properly for wrath But it is fit for Ministers to say as Christ I came not to destroy but to save alive Answ The Authour saith the question is not of transmitting of such things to the Magistrate as belong to manners but to conscience as if an heretick failed against no manners Yet all his Arguments prove that Ministers should not complaine to the Magistrate of ill manners and the scandalous conversation of any and this he instanceth from the example of Christ who Joh. 8. would not accuse a woman of adulterie 2. The Magistrate is as properly the Minister of God for good for the praise of well-doing as the Minister of God for wrath and if the Church should tell the Magistrate his dutie as watchmen should doe to all under their care Ezek. 3. 16 17 18 19. Magistrate or other if the Magistrate spare the life of a murtherer the watchmen are unfaithfull if they complaine not openly and tell the Magistrate he does not his dutie and upon the same ground if the Magistrate must coerce with the sword seducing wolves and Jezabels the Pastours ought to admonish him And its Atheisticall to say the Magistrate is conscious of sins against manners and of his dutie and obligation he needs no instigation Because no Magistrate be he an Achab or a David but he needs be quickened to his dutie and will send a murtherer away and a bloody Joab whom God will have not to live and should the Prophets be called instigatores and savientes per alios such as destroy mens lives when they tell the Magistrate he is a murtherer and guilty of innocent blood if he suffer the bloody man to live or should this be called tale-telling and the Pastor thrusting of himself into a more disaffecting office to be a Tale-teller an Apparitour or summoner of men to the Civill Magistrates court he made such a poor man be fined and wife and Children be starved because he is not of his opinion What would this authour give an Atheist leave to say but so sâ—ander free preaching or free Synodicall complaining to the Magistrate such a man of our charge is damned by his own conscience and devours the flock as Arrius and Manes did such a one is a bloody murtherer a Sorcerer the Magistrate bears the sword to execute vengeance on evill doers and yet suffer known murtherers to live and be gray-haird are Ministers who are to warn Fathers Teachers Masters Judges Kings Jer. 1. 10. Nations and Kingdomes of their dutie thrusters of themselves into a disaffecting office and Apparitours and Summoners of men before Civil courts because they warne the Magistrate of his dutie is this obtruding into another office to give warning to all to be free of the blood of all men this is like the speech of a wicked King Amaziah 2 Chro. 25. 16. To the Prophet who rebuked him for seeking after the Gods of the Nations Art thou made of the Kings Counsell forbear why shouldest thou be smitten I therefore summon this authour to compeer before the judge of the world and give an accompt of this doctrine for he speaks it against the faithfull servants of God of the Church of Scotland who complained to the king of Idolatrous seducers and Semminary priests and Jesuits of bloody murtherers of grinders of the faces of the poore and inâ—orrigible scandalous offenders whose wretched example was a shame to the Gospel and brought guilt upon the land that he might use the sword against such evill doers and should Ministers be Apparitours and tale-tellers either against such as deserve capitall punishment for sins against the second table as well as against the first table woe will be to him that calls good evill and evill good Is the necessary duty of the calling of a watchman to warne the Magistrate of his bloodie omissions for so the Lord calls it Esay 1. 21 22. Esay 3. 12 13 14 15. Prov. 2â— 7. Prov. 31. 8. And exhorts to it an over-doing and a tale-bearing He cites also the example p. 76. 77. of Christ who would not accuse the woman taken in adulterie What doth this prove Ergo Christ would not have faithfull pastors to complaine both to God and to preach against Rulers who punish not uncorrigible adulterers Christ would not accuse her he would not judge her Ergo the Judges under the new Testament who accuse judge and condemn adulterers are not followers of Christ What can an Anabaptist alleadge more to prove there ought to be no Magistrates under the new Testament Adulterers must be tollerated A Minister should not preach that the Magistrate sins in not punishing the Adulterer Christ complained not of Pilates mixing the Galileans blood with their sacrifice to Caesar should therefore Ministers not complaine though the Christian Magistrate suffer such blood-shed Of the same kinde is that wrangling prudent fathers encourage not their children to informe of one anothers faults because it doth not nourish love What then Ergo Ministers should complaine to the Godly Magistrate of no omissions at all I think by this Divinitie if one brother know his brother to kill his brother he should neither informe father nor Magistrate that the murtherer may be rebuked by the father or corrected by the Judge because
that may hinder love but let this wrangler answer whither it be more reall love to the murtherers soul to informe against him and more glory to God more peace to the familie or to be silent and let his brother run to hell and wrath lye upon the whole land It is but a losse of time to refute such weak foolerie against naturall reason far more contrary to sound Divinitie for if pastors informe against evil doers out of desire of revenge malice or hatred they ought not upon these grounds to rebuke any sins at all and we condemn the doing of good duties upon evill motives and principles CHAP IIII. The state of the question of compulsion of Conscience and tolleration THe question touching Libertie of conscience was never by us nor any man save Libertines themselves and ignorant Anabaptists both of old and late moved concerning internall libertie remaining within the soule as libertie to think understand judge conclude whither the Magistrate can force men with the sword to opinions and cudgell them out of some into other contrary judgements in the matters of God for the Magistrate cannot take on him yea nor the Church under the paine of censures compell any to think well of Christ or ill or Antichrist Yet most of the senslesse arguments of the times are drawn from the immediate subjection of the conscience to God from the nature of conscience Religion faith fear and the elicit acts of the soul which cannot be compelled yea in this meaning we think God can neither offer violence to minde understanding will or affections of love fear joy because all these clicit acts cannot slow from any principle but the internall and vitall inclinations of the soul though the devils be said to beleeve against their will yet not against the inclination of the understanding or desiring facultie All the question is concerning the imperated acts and these externall that is not touching opinions and acts of the minde but that which is visible and audible in these opinions to wit the speaking professed holding of them publishing teaching printing and known and externall perswading of others to be of our minde So that the question will come to this whither the Magistrates sword be to regulate our words that concerns our neighbour as that we lie not we forsweare not to the hurt of the life and credit of our neighbour that we slander not raile upon no man farre lesse against the prince and ruler of the people but whether the words we utter or publish of God though never such blasphemies and lies because they come from the conscience as if truths or words we speak for or against our neighbour did not slow from a conscience either good or ill be above or beyond all swords or coercive power of men It is clear the question must be thus stated for all the lawes of the old Testament which we hold in their morall equitie to be perpetuall that are touching blasphemies heresies solicitation to worship false Gods and the breach of which the Godly Magistrate was to punish command or forbid onely such things as may be proved by two or three witnesses and which husband and wife are not to conceale and from which all Israel must abstain for fear of the like punishment Deut. 1â— 8 9 10 11. Deut. 17. 5 6. Levit. 20. 1 2 3 4 5. But opinions in the minde acts of the understanding can never be proved by witnesses and such as neither Magistrate nor Church can censure Then we referre to all the Godly if Libertines and Anabaptists deal brotherly in affirming that Presbiterians persecute them because out of tendernesse of conscience they cannot come up to the light and judgement of their brethren in all opinions 2. There is a tolleration pollitick and Civil and spirituall or Ecclesiastick shame and fear in punishing heresies either by the Judge or the Church whither in civil or Ecclesiasticall censures rebukes Excommunication is an evil of punishment in both as is evident if we compare Judg. 18. 7. Where it is said There was no Magistrate in the land that might put them so shame in any thing Deut. 13. 11. With these places that speaketh of spirituall censures in the feare and shame of them as 1. Tim. 5. 19. Receive not an accusation against an Elder but before two or three witnesses then an Elder that is scandalous may incur shame of being accused and Mat 18. 17. let him be to thee as a heathen and a Publicane 1 Tim. 5. 20. them that sinne rebuke before all that others also may fear So the avoiding of Idolaters and Hereticks 1 Cor. 9. 11. Tit. 2. 10. â— Joh. 10. Gal. 1. 8. brings publicke shame on them 2. Thesse 3. 14. then looke what forcing power the shame the Magistrates can put Hereticks to and what compulsory 〈◊〉 it hath on the conscience and so should not be inflicted on men for their conscience and holding of heresies as Libertines say the same compulsorie power hath concionall rebukes of Pastors or private Christians and of admonition excommunication or the avoiding of the societie of false teachers either by the whole Church or by private Christians and the arguments proving the Magistrate cannot punish for conscience in his politick Spheare doe also prove that hereticks should be rebuked sharply that they may be sound in the faith contrary to Tit. 1. 13. and that we should neither admonish them nor avoid their company which is absurd so they be more ingenious Libertines who free false teachers and hereticks from both civil and ecclesiasticall censures than these who free them from civil and subject them to Ecclesiasticall censures for Ecclesiasticall compulsion hath no more influence on the conscience by way of teaching then politick or civil and the arguments taken from the nature of conscience is as strong to prove that the Church of Pergamâ—â— Ephesus Thyatira should suffer lyars false Apostles and seducers such as hold the doctrine of Balaam and Jezabel the deceiving Prophetesse who teach and professe according to their erroneous conscience contrary to Rev. 1. 2 3 14 20. as that the Godly Prince should suffer them nor can it be said that Church-censures are spirituall punishments and so work on the spirit and have instructing rebuking and exhorting going before but the sword is a bodily punishment and hath not instructing going before For I answer though these two punishments differ yet they agree that formally both are alike compulsory of the conscience and neither of them act upon the spirit by teaching and instructing as the word doth so as excommunication of a heretick should have instructing and convincing going before so should also the Magistrate presuppose before he strike with the sword that the false teacher hath been instructed and convinced and so he doth formally punish him with the sword for his pertinacious perverting of souls 3. Nor can it be replyed that men should not be punished for either opinions or for
that the sword is a kindly means to force outward performances for the Magistrate as the Magistrate does not command these outward performances as service to God but rather forbids the omissions of them as destructine to man for example a Physician commands fasting Pastors after the example of James commands fasting when judgements are on us the physician commands it in so farre as eating troubles the common societie of humours members and temper of the body and the Physician forbids eating so as he will have no more to do with the patient if he will disobey and so trouble the temper of the bodie which is the onely object the physician works on Pastors command fasting to be in sincerity for afflicting and humbling the soul under the mightie hand of God So the Magistrate forbids cutting of a veine or shedding of blood as a thing troubling the peace of humane societie yet his command is not a direct means of preventing diseases in the bodie of a subject and for healthie living But the Physician commands to cut a viene and to shed blood for health and to prevent a disease and sinnes neither against the Magistrate nor God in so doing so doth the Magistrate not directly command going to Church as a worship to God so as his commands have influence on the conscience as the Pastors commands have but he commands going to Church and hearing so as the omission of hearing harts the societie whereof God hath made him a civill and politick head in this latter sense must Lactantius Tertullian and others be taken otherwise these words the Religion of another does his neighbour neither good nor ill in rigour are not true the ill example of others in Idolatrie brings ill upon all the Church Deut. 13. 5. yea and the fierce anger of God v. 17. Again Laâ—â—antius saith false Religion cannot be compelled but he denyes not that Christians may punish blasphemies in true religion 2. he denyes we may propagate the Gospel among Pagans with the sword both which points we teach There 〈◊〉 saith he of force and injurie because Religion cannot be compelled the business is to be tranâ—acted by words rather than blowes that there may be willingnesse Let them enemies of the truth draw the sword or sharpnesse of their wiâ—â— if their reason be good let it be produced we are ready to 〈◊〉 if they teach nothing more cleare then that he speaks of the Pagans that would force Pagans worship on Christians we beleive nothing of their Religion whilt they are silent as we cannot yeeld to them while they rage against us let them imitate us and declare the reason of the whole matter for we Christians doe not allure as they Pagans frequently object to us but we teach we prove we demonstrate therefore none by us are kept against their will for he is unprofitable to God who wants devotion and faith and yet no man departs from us when the truth detains him But saith Celsus fol. 84. if in the time of Lactantius Christians killed men for their religion no man can doubt but Lactantius in these same generall words inveighs against Christians who would compell men to their faith against their will and that he abhorres the violence of ours against hereticks Answ These are of a wide difference to kill blasphemers and false teachers for spreading heresies and blasphemies and to compell them by warre and fire and sword to be of our Christian Religion As I hope to prove for the formers lawfull â—he later unlawfull It s true Lactantius speaks of all Religion true and false that we are to compell none with the sword to any Religion but he no where saith that the Magistrates may not kill open and pernicious seducers and false teachers who pervert others for the Magistrate is not to compell yea nor to intend the conversion of a pernicious seducer but to intend to take his head from him for his destroying of souls And Lactantius denyes Religion after it is begotten can be defended that is nourished and conserved in the hearts of people by the sword but by the word and Spirit Those are farre different tormenting and pietie saith he nor can violence be conjoyned with veritie nor justice with crueltie And again but as in Religion so also in defending of Religion they are deceived Religion is to be defended not by killing but admonishing others read by being killed not by crueltie but by patience not by wickednesse but by faith But here he speaks of defending in a hostile way by killing those that will not be of our Religion be it the Pagan religion and most develish not of defending the Christian professors from the infection of wolvish seducers by the sword of the Nurse-father of the Church who is to defend good men and to execute vengeance on evill doers For in all this Lactantius speaks of such a violence as is without teaching parati sumâ—s andire si doccant tacentibus certe nihil credimus But suppose some father were in that errour as Augustine was but retracted it though Augustine 〈◊〉 we may compell man to the faith yet 〈◊〉 of improper compulsion and of Donatists the such as are 〈◊〉 the Church whom he thinks the Magistrate on 〈◊〉 to punish which is not a compelling of the 〈◊〉 to the sound faith but an act of justice in punishing him for his 〈◊〉 of heresiâ—s to the perverting of the faith of others Upon these 〈◊〉 is Cyrilius saith Moyes Law is one and he Kingdom of Câ—â—â—t is wholly heavenly and spirituall and 〈◊〉 â—efore hath spirituall 〈◊〉 and spirituall armour and therefore a spirituall not a carâ—â—â— sword to punish the enemies of this Kingdom 〈◊〉 Christian men But he speaks of 〈◊〉 without the Church who as I constantly 〈◊〉 are not with warres and the sword to be compelled to 〈◊〉 the Christian Religion and therefore aâ—deth on the 〈…〉 did fight against Amorites Canaanites and 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 of iron but he speaks not of the Laws 〈…〉 24. and 〈◊〉 in which death was decreed for the false Prophet within the visible Church At 〈…〉 the fathers have 〈◊〉 with unsound Emperours who have tollerated 〈◊〉 Arrians and Jews but that is no law for us But the other point is that though these that are without are not to be compelled to embrace the true Religion it followeth nto that the Magistrate should not 〈…〉 Prophets or pernicious teachers such as Baals 〈◊〉 who openly 〈◊〉 the people of God to Idolatrâ—â— 1. Become the Magistrate cannot 〈◊〉 ought not to compell 〈…〉 lyars to be 〈…〉 it with their own as well as they must be such externally no more then he can compell them to inward fear love faith in God and to the externall performances 〈◊〉 But it doth not follow that therefore the Magistrate cannot command externall acts of mercie câ—â—astitie selfe-contentednesse and should not punish murther adulterie theft robberie perjurie for to punish these makes many
hypocritically peaceable chast content with their own true in their word as well as punishing false teachers and hereticks maketh many hypocritically sound in the faith So Augustine contra Petilian l. 3. c. 83. 2. There is no ground in Scripture to say that because the Canaanites erred against the duties of the first table onely that therefore israel was to destroy them in warre For Joshua 11. 26 27 28. the contrarie is clear Joshua made warre with them because God having hardened their heart they came out in battle against Israel and so the cause of the warre was not Religion and their madnesse of Idolatrie though on the Lords part it was a provoking cause but violence in invading an harmelesse and innocent people so Ioshua and Israel compelled them not to embrace the true Religion then from thence it cannot follow therefore no lawes were to be made against the false Prophets and blasphemer And if that consequence was null then it cannot be strong now So we say under the new Testament we cannot bring in to the faith the Heathen and Pagans by violence and the sword it follows not Ergo no blasphemer within the visible Church should be forced 3. violence and the sword is no means to work men to subjection to Christ it follows not Ergo because the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall 2 Cor. 10. 5. 6. the Apostle should not say shall I come unto you with the rod or in love or in the spirit of meeknesse 1. Cor. 4. 21. and therefore he should not deliver any to Sathan 4. nor is this a good consequence because the fear of bodily death or punishment by the sword cannot convert therefore it cannot terrifie men from externall blasphemie and tempting of others to false worship for the externall man his words solicitations doe ill by teaching and his actions not the inward man or the conscience and the soule is the object the Magistrate is to work on For neither under Moses more then now could the sword convert men to the true Religion yet bodily death was to be inflicted on the seducer then as now Deut. 13. 11. And all Israell shall hear and fear and shall doe no more any such wickednesse as this is among you and afflictions work the same way now Rom. 13. 3. for rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil wilt thou then not be afraid of the power doe that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same There be five pull-backs that keep men even in heresie and in a false way as may be collected out of Augustines writings from which by the terrour of just lawes they may be affrighted from seducing of others as 1. fear of offending men especially those of their own way 2. an hardning custome in a false way 3. a wicked sluggishnesse in not searching the truth of God 4. the wicked tongues of enemies that shall traduce them if they leave heresies 5. a vaine perswasion that men may be saved in any Religion See Augustine epist 114. ad Vincent epist 48. epist 50. ad Bonifacium contra Petilianum l. 3. c. 83. lib. 3. contra Cresconium cap. 51. contra Guidentum l. 1. c. 19. lib. contra Parmen c. 10. contra Gaudent l. 1. c. 24. de unitate Eccles c. 20. epist 166. And so that which the Objector Mr. John Goodwine long agoe objected is easily answered that the Magistrate cannot in justice punish that which is unavoydable and above the power of free-will to resist but such are all heresies and errours of the minde For this might well have been objected against that most just law Deut. 13. why should God command to stone to death a seducer that tempts any of his people to worship false Gods because such a man is sick but of an errour in the minde he beleeves he does service to his God whom he beleeves to be the true God in so doing and had the heathen and Jews under Moses more strength of free-will and more grace to resist Apostacie Blasphemie wicked opinions against the true God then we have now under the Gospel And the Lord hath expressely said Deut. 13. 11. Israel shall feare bodily death and doe such wickednesse no more now this was not Ceremoniall or typicall fear but meere naturall feare sufficient to retract and withdraw men from externall acts of seducing and blaspheming which is all that the Magistrate can doe 2. this is the verie objection of Donatists and Augustine answers truely By this answer the Magistrate should not punish murtherers and adulterers for they have not grace to resist temptation to murther certainly the Spirit of Revenge and of whoredoms must be as strong above free will as the Spirit of errour and lies Achab then sinned not in beleeving the lying Prophets who deceived him and it was not in his power to resist the efficacie of lying inflicted on him for his former sins And what sinnes the Magistrate punisheth he doth punish as the formall Minister of God Rom. 13. and so this is the Pelagian Arminian and Popish objection against God and free Grace as much as against us 3. the wickedest seducer is punished for his externall acts of false teaching and seducing which may and must be proved by witnesse or confessed by the delinquent before he can justly punish him but not for any mind-error which is obvious neither to judge nor witnesse Then the true state of the question is not whether the sword be a means of conversion of men to the true faith nor 2. whither heathen by fire and sword are to be compelled to embrace the truth nor 3. whither violence without instruction and arguing from light of Scriptures should be used against false teachers nor 4 whither the Magistrate can punish the opinions of the mind and straine internall liberty But whither or no ought the Godly and Christian Prince restraine punish with the sword false teachers publishers of hereticall and pernicious doctrines which may be proved by witnesse and tends to the injuring of the souls of the people of God in a Christian societie and are dishonourable to God and contrary to sound doctrine and so coerce men for externall misdemeanours flowing from a practicall conscience sinning against the second table as well as from a speculative conscience to borrow these tearmes here when they professe and are ready to swear they performe these externalls meerely from and for conscience For since false teachers and hereticks in regard of the spiritualnesse of their sinne are the worst of evill doers and such as work abomination in the Israel of God and there is no particular lawes in the New Testament for bodily coercing of Sorcerers Adulterers Thieves Traitors false witnesses who but speak lies against the good name of their neighbour not against the name of God nor against Sodomites defilers of their bodies with beasts perjured persons Covenant breakers liars
of Aegypt Exod. 32. 4 5. Jeroboam who made two Gods and Jehu who was zealous for Jehovah 1 King 13. 6. c. 13. 1 2 3. 2 King 9. 25. 36 37. c. 10. 16. 20 21. and Joram 2 King 5. 7. acknowledged God could kill and make alive and was just in his promises and threatnings yet worshipped the golden calves those who cryed the Temple of the Lord must acknowledge there was but one true God yet they burnt incense to Baal and killed their children to Molech Jer. 7. 4 5 9. 30 31. They that asked of Jehovah the ordinances of their God and fasted to Jehovah Esa 58. 1 2 3 4. yet inflamed themselves under every green tree Esa 57. 5. and slew their children under the clifts of the rocks the heathen knew God and one God who made the heaven and the earth and worshipped him though ignorantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 20 21. Act. 17. 23. yet denyed and hated this logicall consequence that they had forsaken the Lord Jer. 9. 13 14. or Deut. 32. 18. forgotten the rocke that begat them Ps 78. 11. 41. Ps 107. 12 13. that they forsooke him dayes without number yea they did more then God required to keep God in their minde and not forget him as they said they changed him into the forme of corruptible things to be memorialls of God to them and the Lord said For all this they râ—fuse to know me they have said It is not the Lord yea they would have dyed for it rather then have said there is no God that made heaven and earth And they did erre indeed in a consequence against the light of nature yet the irreligious and wicked stopping of eyes and eares at naturall consequences in matters of Religion is no innocent 〈◊〉 as is cleare Esa 44. 18. They have not knowne nor understood for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see and their hearts that they cannot understand 19. And none considers in his heart neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say I have but in part of it in the fire yea also I have baked bread upon the coales thereof I have roasted flesh and eaten it and shall I make the residue thereof aâ— abomination shall I fall downe to the flocke of a tree 20. He seedeth on ashes c. Now as Israel said ever the Creator of the ends of the earth is our God the tree is but a likenesse and resemblance of God Esa 18. 18. Esa 46. 5 6 7. so they denyed this consequence ergo a part of your God is burnt in the fire and with the coals of your burnt God you bake bread roast flesh and warme your bodies when you are cold and worship a lye and an abomination as the Papists say we adore very Christ in and under the accidents of the bread even the same God-man Maries Son who dyed on the crosse yet they deny this consequence ergo a part of your God and Saviour is baken in the oven eaten and cast out with the draught and a part thereof even of the same floore and dough is made a God by the Priest and ye say I will bâ—â— downe and worship the residue of that which the baker did bake and roast in the oven and so yee worship a lye and an abomination as the old Idolaters did Esa 44. yet the Papist will deny this consequence that he multiplyes Gods as loaves are multiplyed in an oven because as Esaiah saith he knoweth not he understandeth not God hath shut his eyes certainly that knowledge he denyes to the Idolator is the naturall knowledge of a naturall consequence if ye worship a bit of an ash-tree or a bit of bread ergo the halfe of your God or the quarter thereof is baken in an oven ergo there is a lye and an abomination in your right hand then the deniall of logicall consequences in Religion and the teaching thereof to others may be and is an heresie and punishable by the Magistrate as Deut. 13. and Exod. 32. so Christ rebukes Matth. 22. Saduces as ignorant of the Scripture when they denyed but the consequence or a logicall connexion as God is not the God of the dead but of the living ergo the dead must rise againe and Abraham must live and his body be raised from the dead And 2. the Idolaters who were to dye by the Law of God Exod. 32. Deut. 13. denyed not the true God more then our false teachers doe now We see no reason why none should be false teachers but such onely as deny fundamentals and that pertinaciously though these by Divines be called Heretickes 1. Rom. 16. 17. Paul saith Now I beseech you brethren marke them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them then as we are not to distinguish where the Law and the Word of God does not distinguish so we are to count them false teachers who lead in a faction in the Church contrary to any doctrine of truth whether fundamentall or not fundamentall and to avoid them as Seducers 2. Peters errour since he beleeved Christ was come Matth. 16. 17. was not fundamentall but consistent with faith yet Paul withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed and if he had pertinaciously gone on to walke not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel since Paul would not have given place by subjection to such no not for an houre Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14 15. he should have been worthy of more then rebuke yea of higher censure the like we must say of Barnabas and other Jewes who all sinned though in a farre inferiour degree with these who came in privily to spye out the Christian liberty of the Gentiles to bring them into bondage under the Ceremoniall law 3. Gal. 1. 8. Paul saith If we or an Angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel then that which we have preached let him be accursed which place with good warrant our Divines bring against the unwritten traditions of Papists of what kinde soever they be fundamentalls or non-fundamentalls whether they be obtruded as necessary points of salvation or not necessary but accidentalls or arbitrary points yet conducing for the better observing of necessary points for I have proved else-where that Papists esteem their unwritten traditions not necessary points of faith yea many of them to be accidentals serving onely ad mellus esse for order and decency yea and great Doctors of them say neither the Pope nor the Church can devile novum dogma fidei a new article of Faith or a new Sacrament nor can we say that the adding of Romish ceremonialls such as consecrating of Churches baptising of bells signe of the crosse are fundamentall errours and inconsistent with saving faith the text Gal. 1. 8 9. evinceth that they or some other Gospel or doctrine beside that the Galathians had learned for Paul taught the Galathians many points besides fundamentall onely
formall reason of beleeving both fundamâ—ntalls and non-fundamentalls is thus saith the Lord. For we are as much obliged to beleeve non-fundamentalls that are cleare as that there were eight persons saved in the Arke and the old world drowned with waters Sâ—dome burnt with fire as to beleeve fundamentalls that there is no name whereby men may be saved but by the 〈◊〉 of Jesus for the Authority of God speaking in his word and his Command doth equally oblige to both but there is no such necessity so absolute in beleeving non-fundamentalls as in beleeving these without the knowledge whereof wee cannot be saved but it never followeth that errours in non-fundamentalls published and taught to the ruine of the soules of many they having such a strong connexion and influence on the knowledge of fundamentalls are to bee tolerated since our sinning here doth as equally and strongly strike against the authority and expresse command of God at least in most things of that kinde as in points fundamentall and therefore the Magistrate who is to looketo the honour of God as a Christian and peace of societies in all is as much obliged to punish clearly opened non-fundamentall as fundamentall false doctrines CHAP. XI Of the obliging power of Conscience LIbertines bewilder themselves and the Reader both touching an erroneous conscience and the obligation thereof Mr. Williams saith Such a person what ever his doctrine be true or false suffereth persecution for conscience as Daniel was cast into the Lions den and many thousand Christians and the Apostles were persecuted because they durst not cease to preaâ—â— and practise what they beleeved was by God commanded But this is a foule mistake Daniel suffered not for conscience simply because he practised what he beleeved to be truth but because he practised what he truely congrâ—enter Dei voluntati revelatae congruously and agreeably to the revealed will of God he beleeved and the like is to be said of the Apostles not the conveniency and commensurablenesse of their practise and their conscience simply but their beleeving â—all modo such a way made their sufferings to bee sufferings for righteousnesse sake for then must we say that Paul persecuted with the tongue the Corinthians for their conscience 1 Cor. 15. 34. Awake to righteousnesse and sin not I speakeâ— it to your shame for some have not the knowledge of God Those that denyed the resurrection through errour of conscience said the dead shall not rise againe for Paul proves by strong arguments that the dead shall rise and so takes away the errour of their conscience why then puts he shame and reproach on them and names them fooles and void of the knowledge of God and such as beleeved in vaine it was not in their power to correct the errors of their conscience and if they maintained what they beleeved in conscience was true as by Pauls demonstrating the truth to their conscience is evident they were persecuted for righteousnesse if out of meere innocent and faultlesse ignorance they denyed the resurrection Paul should deale more gently with them then upbraid them as fooles and Epiâ—ures who said Let us eat for to morrow we shall dye if they did all beleeve the Resurrection and yet professed the contrary there was no need to take paines as he doth to prove it Saul killed the Gibeonites out of zeale to the children of Israel It is like the blinde ignorant zeale he had thinking the Covenant that Joshua made with them did not oblige the posterity was the cause of his murthering of them yet he suffered not in his sons that were hanged for that blinde zeale as righteous and following the rule of his conscience in that But touching an erring conscience the question is not whether an erroneous conscience doth so tye that we must do nothing on the contrary nor is the question whether the nearest actually obliging rule be conscience the Arminians tell us Though the word of God of it selfe and by it selfe have power to oblige yet it actually obligeth no man except it be understood and so is beleeved to bee understood after we use all possible diligence and prudence for no man is obliged to follow the true sense of the word against his conscience though it be erroneous but we thinke the word of God is both the farrest and nearest and the onely obliging rule and that the dytement of the conscience doth neither binde potentially nor actually but is a meere 〈◊〉 a messenger and an officiall relater of the will and mind to God to us and all the obliging power is from the word 〈◊〉 the messenger of a King and Judge is not the obliging 〈◊〉 that tyes the subject or the Heraulds promulgation of the Law is no obliging rule for promulgation of Heraulds is common both to just and to unjust lawes and certainly unjust lawes from a just Prince lay no band on the conscience or on the man farre lesse can the promulgation as the promulgation lay any bands on the conscience the word of a Messenger and Herauld is at the best but a condition or the approximation of the obliging power to us but all the obliging power is from the King and the Judge It is most false then that these Libertines say that the word doth not actually oblige except it be understood for the understanding information and indycement of conscience doth not adde any actuall obligation to the word that it had not before it onely is a Reporter to carry both the word and the actuall obligation to the man the Herauld promulgating the law addes no obligation actuall or potentiall to the law that it had not before onely it makes an union in distance and neare application and conjunction between the actually obliging law and the understanding knowledge of the person or subject who is obliged to keep the law though it bee true the fire cannot actually burne but as timber is cast to it yet the fire hath from its owne nature both potentiall and actuall burning not from the act of casting the timber in the fire nor is this a concludent reason no man is obliged follow how the true sense of the word against his conscience though erroneous ergo the erroneous conscience doth oblige or ergo actuall obligation to obedience is not from the word but from the conscience no more then this is a good consequence no man is obliged to obey the Law in it selfe iust contrary to the promulgation of an erring and mistaking Herauld ergo the mistaking Heraulds promulgation giveth to the Law actuall obligation over the subject for it onely followeth 〈◊〉 we are not to doe contrary to the actuall indicâ—ment of an erroneous conscience but not obliged to follow the erroneous conscience nor are we obliged to follow what our conscience saith is true and good because or upon this formall reason and ground that the conscience saith so more then we are to beleeve and practise what the Church or
be saved seeing God will have all men to be saved that they may promote godlinesse in a politicke way by their sword Hence those that have no more to doe to procure a peaceable life in all godlinesse by their office then heathens and pagans or if they were not in such an office yea those who have far lesse interest in Christian Religion then if they did not beare the sword at all can in no sort be the object of our prayers to God for the procuring of such a life in all godlinesse But the latter is contrary to the word of truth Argument XIII THat which is foretold to be a fruit of repentance and a casting off of the Antichristian yoke must be lawfull and praise-worthy but that the ten Kings who made war with the Lambe and agreed for a time to give their Kingdome to the beast should now turne their swords against Babylon under the notion of a whore for the Idolatrous worship and spirituall fornication of Rome and shall hate the whore as a whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire is a fruit of the repentance of the ten Kings Rev. 17 12 13 14 15 16. therefore their turning of the sword against the Pope the whore of Rome for their whoredomes must be lawfull and praise-worthy the proposition is cleare for if to joyne in warre with the whore against the Lambe and his followers was a worke of the devill in giving their power and kingdome to the Beast when God inclines their hearts to the contrary and they joyne their power with the Lambe against the whore and destroy her and make her naked and desolate for her whoredomes it must be a worke of the Spirit of God and a fruit of the repentance of those Kings for when they repent and hate Babylon the Holy Ghost would not set downe their repentance in a worke of cruelty and bloody persecution for consciences sake as Liâ—ertines define punishing Idolaters to be Argument XIV THat which the servants of God doe in an extraordinary impulsion of the Spirit in the case of the sinfull neglect of the lawfull Magistrate or when there is no Christian Magistrate to doe it that must be the ordinary constant duty of the Magistrate especially when that turns away wrath from the Land and is taken as acceptable service to God as if the ordinary Magistrate had done it But the extraordinary punishing of those that violate the worship of God and pervert the wayes of God and the faith of others is such ergo to punish such as violate the worship of God and pervert the faith of others must be the ordinary constant duty of the Magistrate The proposition is evident because extraordinary acts necessary to bee done supply the want of ordinary acts as in morall acts acceptable to God is cleare when the under-Rulers doe not their duty Phineas is praised that he being a Priest not a Judge slew Zimri and Cosbey and Phineas did acceptable service to God in so doing Num. 25. 11 12 13. and Elias in his zeale killed the Priests of Baal when Achab the ordinary Magistrate sinfully neglected his duty and Samuel now being no Judge killed Agag â—â—go it was the duty of Saul as the ordinary Magistrate to doe it Now in the New Testament it is cleare the ordinary officers and porters should violently have casten out the buyers and sellers and tables of money changers out of the Temple our Saviour Christ doth it iâ— an extraordinary way and it was the zeale of the house of God that moved him Ps 69. 9. Job 2. So Armanias and Sapheira lyed to the Holy Ghost defrauded the Church in a matter of goods therefore Peter struck them dead then if there had been a Christian Magistrate he should have inflicted bodily punishment upon Annanias and Saphira so Paul strikes Eliâ—â—â— with blindnesse for attempting to pervert the faith of Sergius Paulus ergo the Magistrate if there had been any to procure a quiet life in all godlinesse to the Church should have punished Elimas and this is evident in acts of justice and sinfull omissions of men in ordinary places nor were these acts extraordinary in the substance of the act as I have observed but onely in regard of the efficient and manner of doing though there be required an extraordinary impulsion in the doer which in others in place should be ordinary for acts extraordinary in the manner and exigence of providence may be in the substance of the act ordinary duties and to neglect them is to sinne against a set command if David and his followers had refused to eat the Shew-bread because the Law made it lawfull to none to eat it but Priests they had sinned against Commandements of mercy injoyned in the Law of nature nor was that an extraordinary rule I will have mercy and not sacrifice when the Law of nature for the good of spirituall societies requires that the godly Magistrate drive away the Wolves and Lions from the flocke we may see a positive command is not necessary CHAP. XIX Exemption of false Prophets from coerâ—ive power is not Christian liberty Argument XV. THat doctrine is not to be held which maketh that a part of Christian liberty which the word of God maketh no part at all thereof For 1. If there be no bodily punishment to be inflicted on false teachers and blasphemers then must Christ by his blood repealâ— all those Lawâ—â— in the Old Testament but the Scripture shewes us all our parts of Christian liberty in these places of Scripture Titâ—â— 14. Rom. 14. 14. 1 Thess 1. 10. Gal. 3. 13. Gal. 1. 4. Gal. 1. 13. Act 26. 18. Rom. 6. 14. Rom. 8. 28 Ps 119. 71. 1 Cor. 15. 54 55 56 57. Rom. 8. 1. Gal. 5. 1. 1. Job 4. 18. Act. 15. 10. 11. Heb. 4. 14. 16. Heb. 10. 19 20 21 22. Col. 2. 15 16. 2 Cor. 3. 13. 17. 1◠〈…〉 Rom. 14. 4. Act. 4. 9. Act. 5. 29. 1 Cor. 7. 23. Math. 23 8 9 10. Maith 15. 9. and elsewhere in all which places nothing 〈◊〉 hinted of the false teachers patent under the seale of the blood of the eternall Covenant that he is freed from the Magistrates sword though he destroy millions of soules 2. Where the common place of subjection due to Kings and governours sent by them 1 Pet. 2. 11. 12 13 14. is hanâ—led c. freedome to sin and consequently freedome to heresies and teaching and spreading of false doctrines that eat as a gangreen and is no lesse a worke of the flesh then adultery murthers witchcrafts Gal. 5. 19. 10 11 12 â—â— judged false liberty for a cloake of maliciousnesse as if Christiâ—ns were so made free by Christ as subjects were loosed from subjection to Kings and servants from being buffeted for ill-doing 1 Pet. 2. 16. if some ill-doers and the worst of men even soule-murtherers be freed from punishment due to
excommunicating and so Ecclesiasticall plucking up and the sword must go and sleepe but the sense of let them grow is Why doe ye quarrell at the wisdome and providence of the Lord of the field that he suffers the children of the devill to flourish and whereas the servants say 28. wilt thou then that we go and â—ather them up It is a parable and this part not being exponed can yeeld no new doctrine and the most can be is Lord give us a providence of our owne and a power not to leave one son of that wicked one in the earth we shal make a clean field to our Lord rather then suffer them thus to suffocate and corrupt the wheat The Lords answer is I have ordained rather then such a providence be committed to you that the â—ares should grow till harvest though the Lord have appointed a way how to purge leaven out of the Church 1 Cor. 5. 1. Mat. 1â— 15 16. and how evill doers shal be â—ut off Rom. 13. though not in so strict and accurate a way as we dreame who would not have one thistle in our Lords field Yea would not suffer one sin to be in the world as wee dreame if we could hinder it though God seeth a permitting providence to be more glorious But saith Celsus if the Lord understand by tares thefts adulteries robberies extortion he would not have used the metaphor of tares but of briars thornes nettles hemlocks or the like thâ—â— are easily discerned from wheat whereas tares are like wheat Answ Wee will not take on us to teach our Saviour to speake we answer The Lord understands whatever wickednesse cannot be punished without â—â—rt to the godly and that hereticks and Idolaters may be knowne by ordinary Christians as well as robbers and theeves by Magistrates the Holy Ghost teacheth when he hiddeth us not eat with them but reject and avoid them and judge them accursed Gal. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 11. and forbiddeth us to receive them into our house Tit. 3. 10. 2 Joâ— 10. Now if they cannot bee discerned he should bid us eat converse with them lodge them blesse them till the harvest come and also theeves and robbers are as undiscernable under the notion of theeves so are murtherers adulterers plotters of treason for all these have such shifts and coverings that it is hard for the Judge to plucke them up and as hard in the matter of fact and more then to know who are heretickes now heresie is knowne to be a worke of the flesh no lesse then witchcraft but to finde out who is the hereticke and what is heresie the Holy Ghost supposeth it to be feazeable else he could not bid us avoid them and judge them accursed but by this exposition because there is danger that we judge them accursed whom God hath blessed private Christians should no more judge them cursed theâ— publicke Magistrates but both should lodge them in their hearts in the state in their houses blesse them till the harvest Yea and Minus Celsus and other Libertines speake against the Holy Ghost so why shall ye judge a false teacher and a hereticke to be accursed should you reject and avoid him and deny him lodging for he is not a thiefe a robber or a murtherer nor sinnes he against the light of nature nor is he seduced by Sathan but to be pitied yea he is innocent and godly and so pious that ere he sinne against the word and his owne conscience he had rather be forsaken cast out of our houses and so not to be rebuked contrary to Tit. â— 13. Celsus by plucking up must be meant killing as an her be withers when plucked up by the roots but when one is excommunicated bee dyes not Answ Plucking up is a metaphor and when an hereticke is pulled out of the gates and courts of the Lords house the Church of God and casten out of the society of the godly and cursed by them Gal. 1. 8. and they pray against him and in faith avoid him and â—â—l fellowship with him hee must Ecclesiastically dye and wither if Gods ordinance be not blessed to recover him and plucking up is as well a removing of him out of that condition and place as any other thing By the field Christ understands the world Celsus saith the whole is put for the part the world in which that seed of the word of the Gospel is sowne and that is the Church for the Gospel is but heard in a small part of the world But when did Christ sow the good seed of the Gospel first happily when Christ himselfe first preached the Gospel or rather when the old impostor Sathan first deceâ—â—ed our first parents but if so then the Serpent did not immediately after â—ow tares for they were long agoe sowne and the â—eed was then growne into range growing corne and there was no need of his â—owing but of his further manuring of it but this seed is sowne with every new act of preaching of the Gospel so this parable cannot agree to the parable of the draw-net in which there be both good and ill fish now good and ill fish had their first breeding in the water since the beginning not agreeth it for the same cause with the parable of wheat and chaâ—â—e which hath ever been in the world whereas the tares are sowne upon a new occasion of preaching the Gospel Answ There be nothing here but vain and forced conjectures Christ expounds the wheat of the children of the Kingdome Celsus of the doctrine of the Gospel Christ makes the field the world Celsus makes the field the Church and when he hath fancied these dreames contrary to Christs exposition he goes to the time when the Gospel was first preached which hath nothing to doe with the text for when God made men good Sathan came and sowed tares and corrupted men and turned them into Apostates from God And ever since the beginning in the world there hath been a mixture of chaâ—â—e and corne fishes good and bad and of the children of God and children of Sathan and the Saints must let both grow till harvest that is they must not stumble nor murmure at God but submit to his wisdome who will have this mixture till the last separation of men for heaven and the barne of the great husbandman for hell and the furnace in which all things that offend are casten 2. For the time of sowing wheat and tares it hath beene from the beginning since there was a field that is a world and the parable that speakes of sowing wheat and the envious mans sowing of tares immediately after is but borrowed from men as the sleeping of a husbandman which may as soone prove that he that watcheth over Israel doth both slumber and sleep and that the sowing of tares and of the sonnes of Sathan in the world is as much without the foreknowledge counsell and providence of God as the husbandman is ignorant
had never been made if the erroneous conscience gainsay 6. You did know the discipline of the Church of Scotland debars not all from the Sacrament except known unregenerate persons yee knew their Consistories to be hatefull to the common enemies why then did you swear to defend them against the commmon enemy since both to your conscience and the common enemy they are contrary to the word of God 7. You durst not give the first battle to Bishops Scotland gave it to them when your Grandees were as low as shrubs as feared as Harts 8. You hinder Reformation your Independents wrought with all their power there should be no Assembly and that no old non-conformists such as sound and learned Mr. Ruthband gracious and zealous Mr. Ash and others to bee members thereof and would rather have had Prelaticall Conformists in the Assembly then they You joyne with all the Sectaries who are against Covenant Government Confession of faith and Directory of worship retarded the proceedings of the Assembly we heard often in Scotland you wished Prelacie were gone if ye knew what to put in its place as if no Government known to you could fit England but Prelacy and that of the Reformed Churches were not so good 9. You would goe further on then we and be over Jordan but we had rather sit downe on this side of Jordan as go over with you for ye was not well over when yee set up at the Kings house Idolatrous bowing to Altars and the abjured Masse-booke and Familists Socinians Antinomians Seekers Arrians preaching Souldiers who teach as many Saints as many Christs and Gods manifested in the flesh and when these perverters of the right wayes of God were silenced by a godly Preacher at London they prayed woe with learning it opposeth all the wayes of God and is that a Reformation on the other side of Jordan which sends out Apostles to preach that are as blinde as Moles in the principles of the single Catechisme who know not whether there bee-one God and one Mediator Christ or millions of Gods and Christs yet these are the onely aâ—ointed ones It were good that such a Reformation were over Jordan and millions of miles beyond America CHAP. XXII The pretended Liberty of Conscience is against the Nationall League and Covenant and the Ordinances of the Parliament of England ingaged by Oath for a Reformation of Religion A Midst our greatest feares and the inlarged sorrowes of our heart for the calamitous condition of our dear brethren in England by reason of an unnaturall warre raised by a Prelaticall popish and malignant party tending to the destruction of the Kingdome subversion of Religion Lawes and Liberties we exceedingly rejoyced when the Lord mighty in counsell did lay in Sion the foundation of a hopefull building and stirred up the spirits of the Honourable Houses of Parliament to declare to the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly of the Kirke of Scotland their sense of Church government by Archbishops Bishops c. to be dishonourable to God by arrogating to themselves a preâ—â—minence and power which he had not given justly offensive to the Kingdome a great impediment to the growth of Religion and promising to remove the same desired for the obtaining of aâ— happy union with the Church of Scotland and other Reformed Churches abroad the Generall Assembly to send to the Assembly of Divines at Westminster some godly and learned Divines of that Church whereby an uniformity in forme of Church government might be obtained and tâ—ereby a more easie passage made to the settling of one confession of faith one Liturgie or Directory of publicke worship and one Catechisme in all the three Kingdomes and when for our faith fulnesse to our brethren in sending an Army to England to helpe them the enemy had wasted our land and we were given for lost and filled with the cup of astonishment of waters of gall and wormewood in our greatest midnight darkenesse it was to us the morning dawning of the flourishing condition of the Isle of Britaine when we did reap first fruits of that blessed union of both Kingdomes by that Nationall Covenant with the Lord the most high and of the three Kingdomes amongst themselves never to bee forgotten and when we received the Directory for the publicke worship of God throughout the three Kingdomes passed in Ordinance of Parliament in each Kingdome But now we are stricken with amazement exceedingly when we reape no other fruit of our expence of blood wastation of our Kingdome attendance on this Assembly four years but in stead of the nearest uniformity of the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes in Religion Confession of faith form of Church government Directory for worship and catechising a far more capacious and wide deformity in all these then there was before our taking of the Covenant yea or since Christian Religion came first into this Island When we see a licentious tolleration in one of the three Kingdomes of all formes and wayes of serving God established by Law and no limitation nor bordering provided to hedge in the fleshly and lawlesse exorbitances of men whose apprehensions and phancies of the one onely true God in three distinct persons and of his revealed will in his word are now by nature vaine superstitious Idolatrous blasphemous impure and devilish save onely a poore narrow and dubious circle of some few fundamentalls that may be and are by men of corrupt mindes changed in lyes and blasphemies We therefore the Commissioners of the Kirk of Scotland according to the trust committed to us are necessitated in the name of Jesus Christ the onely King and head of his Church and at the commandement and in the name of the Kirke of Scotland to protest and by these presents doe protest and declare against the said pretended tolleration as followeth 1 Such liberty is inconsistent with and repugnant to the word of God Deut. 13. 1 2 3 to ver 12. Rom. 13. 1 2 3 compared with Phil. 3. 2. 2 Joh. 10. where false teachers are câ—â—â—ed evill doers so Ezra 7. 23 24 25 26 27 28. Neâ—em 13. 15. 17. 21 22. 25. 30. 2 Chron. 34. ver 33 2 Chron. 15. 12 13. 16 17. 2 Kings 23. 5 6. 9. 20 21. Dan. 3. 29. Dan. 6. 26. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Revel 17. 12 16 17. Zach. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Esay 49. 23. Exod. 20. 8 9 10 11. Levit. 20. 2 6. Deut. 17. 2 3 c. Exod. 32. 26 27 28 29. Numb 25. 1 2 3 c. Deut. 28. 18 19 to ver 22. Josh 22. 10 11 c. 2 God severely avengeth and plagueth breach of Covenant either with the Lord himselfe or men We therefore appeale to the righteous Judge of the whole earth whose dreadfull name is ingaged in this Covenant Nor can wee imagine that this Covenant is temporary for we swear to continue in this blessed union all the dayes of our life zealously and constantly Nor hath
Testament he shall thrust through the false Prophet that speaketh lies in the Name of the Lord Zach. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Kings as Kings must confer some royall service to the Church over which they are Nurse-fathers But all the power that Kings have is essentially co-active and in order to rewarding or punishing Rom. 13. 3 4. therefore they must confer coactive service Piscator saith well That the Prince is called the keeper of both Tables of the Law by our Divines therefore he is to vindicate Gods glory in both He that hath the keeping of two pits one more horrible and dark another more mild and heartsome for two malefactors a theef and an adulterer he must not cast the theef in such a dark dungeon as the adulterer So if the Magistrate keep both Tables he must not punish according to his own will but according to the rule and prescript of God Nor saith the Author of the Bloody Tenet any thing when he tels us that the Magistrate owes to the true Religion 1. Approbation and reverend esteem 2. Personall submission to the spirituall government Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. 3. Protection to the Subjects whether they be apart or met together To a false Religion he oweth permission not approbation Mat. 13. 30. 2. Protection from violence to their persons and estates Answ All this is very nothing 1. Approbation and submission to truth is no royall power Isaiah giveth a paternall and fatherly power to the King in Church matters when he saith He shall be a nurse-father Now all he gives in these two former points to wit approbation of and submission to truth is no more then any tradesman or son owes to the Church So Isaiah makes the King a father this author makes him a son subject to the Church which subjection I deny not in another consideration but that as a nurse-father he should approve the truth and submit thereunto as all the members of the Church makes him both a father and a son a commander and a humble submissive obeyer in the same considâ—ration which is most contradictorious and uncongruous for he must speak of him as a Ruler or else he saith nothing The third thing which is protection to the true Church is nothing to the purpose for that he owes to them as subjects not as they are serving God in the duties of the first Table for the King by this man can neither command them nor forbid them by his Magisteriall or coactive power to serve God or not to serve him in the duties of the first Table and by the true Church that the King owes protection to the Author meaneth not the Church that is in it self sound and true but the Church that seemeth and appeareth so to the conscience of the Magistrate though most erronious Now this is the Church of Seekers and Anabaptists but suppose the Magistrate or Commander in war be a Familist a grosse Anabaptist the Author will not say That he ought to protect the Church assembled to worship God and to excommunicate and deliver to Satan such as subvert the faith of many and say the Resurrection is already past or that he ought to protect an Assembly of Divines that are for Presbyteriall Government and the truth that Calvin and our Reformers delivered These are to him Antichristian Synagogues or if he owe them protection he ought to offer violence with his sword to Anabaptists such as rose in Germany under John Becold of Leydon that out of meer principles of Religion killed all that were not of their way and to displace imprison and confine Presbiterians So yet in a defensive way the Magistrate must offer violence to the conscience of men who for meer Religious grounds doe labour to scatter and violently to hinder the meetings of the servants of God for how many of the Sectaries of England who are for liberty of conscience have come into Churches in England and stepped up to the Pulpit and hindered the Minister the discharge of his conscience to the flock and offered violence to the meeting of the true Church now it is not enough to say the Minister was but an Antichristian service-bookman and it was no true Church whose service such Sectaries interrupted but giving and not granting it were so yet are Libertines not to offer violence to the conscience of any Church true or false if they be true to their own principles but this Author being an Anabaptist and a Seeker will say neither warres nor such violence are lawfull but if so the Magistrate then cannot with the sword protect the true Church against the violence of men who upon meer conscience disturbe their Assemblies 2. To Libertines all Churches professing true Religion as all Churches on earth Indians and Mahometanians not excepted do must be true Churches for they are not to judge but that they follow their conscience and so the Magistrate owâ— protection to them though their conscience be most erroneous even for such as they conceive to be true Churches they are not infallibly perswaded they are such and so the Magistrate gives no protection to them as true Churches but only as Subjects which the Author tells the Magistrate he owes to false Churches so the King by this is a Nurse-father by his office and by the places Isai 49. 23. and 60. 10. to bring his glory of protection to the where of Rome if they be his Subjects as well as to the New Jerusalem but sure the King by these places ows father-nursing and Magistratical protection to the true Church not to the false because Isai 49. 23. 1. The place is clearly of such a Church as the Lord can no more forget then a woman cannot have compassion on the fruit of her wombe v. 14 15. 2. Such a Church as is graven on the palmes of Gods hands v. 16. 3. Whose â—â—sters and destroyers shall be removed v. 17. and destroyed vers 18. 4. Which shall be inlarged by the incomming of the Gentiles whose place shall be too narrow for multitude of Sons and daughters begotten by the power of the Gospel though she was a captive removing too and fro v. 19 20 21. 5. A Church that shall lift up a standard to the Gentiles and Nations to take in their Sons and daughters to fight under Christs colours as being baptized to the same faith vers 22. 6 A Church whose spirituall Government Kings and Queens shall obey licking the dust before them v. 23. 7. A people that wait for the Lord and so shall not be ashamed v. 23. Now to say that a false Church shall have all these glorious priviledges needeth no refutation and they must be stupid who teach that Kings are made Nurse-fathers by this Text to Antichrists Kingdom as if the Lord had the Beast and his followers written on the palmes of his hands or that Kings being made Nurse-fathers to the true Church owe nothing to those that wait on the
is over their heart and if it be injustice in the Magistrate to punish men for Errors which they cannot eschew can the righteous judge of the world punish them therefore Ergo In such Errors they are innocent and sin not and if this bee said what should hinder others to be saved by beleeving the contrary sense of the old Testament and the like may be said of the new Testament and so all Hereticks and Sectaries receiving the Scriptures as Pharisees Sadduces Herodians Papists Socinians c. shall be saved every man in his own Religion and the sense of this Eschew an Heretick to a Saint must be eschew the company of an heretick to another Saint it is Adhere to and converse with the same saint for he is no heretick but sound in the saith and it falsely supposed to be an Heretick and the Scripture upon this ground hath two contradictorie senses which being beleeved and practised must save and revealeth two contradictorie wills of God and every man may take Scripture as his minde apprehends it and whereas the Scripture makes it self the judge and determiner of all questions and controversies in religion This way leaves all questions to every mans conscience to the conscience of a Jew of a Turk of an American of a Papist the old Testament as expounded by a Jew is his Conscience the old and new Testament as the popish Church expound it is their rule of faith and the Scripture lifting up Christ and casting down Christ and speaking with a hundred divers and contrary tongues is every mans obliging rule and because there is no man infallible in taking up the right sense of the Scripture if yee controll the Jew or put him off his sense of the old Testament which yeelds him this faith Maries son is a false lying Prophet the Apostles and all the martyrs are but cousening Impostors yea domineer over the Conscience and force his faith because yee are not infallible ye may not condemn the way of any for yee know not but they be the wheat and you the tâ—res for ought that Scripture saith on either side Never man in this life is sure of his faith and salvation from Scripture and since the Jew may be wheat if ye would go to raze his faith you go to pluck up the wheat before the harvest and suppose we and all the Jewes were converted to the Christian faith and if we conceive Pauls prophecie concerning them Rom. 1â— to be fulfilled they shall be converted yet 1. we are not infallible but live upon our fancies and conjectures touching the meaning of Rom. 11. say Libertines 2. Suppose the fulness of the Gentiles be converted to Christ and we among them and all the Jewes and that in our daies the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord and that all the sons of Zion be taught of God and that the wildernesse blossome as a rose and the light of the moon be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun be seven-fold as the light of seven daies and that all the glorious prophecies in Isaiah Zechariah and the rest be fulfilled in our daies yet by the doctrine of Libertines all these are but to us for any certaintie we have night fancies and dreames of crazie and feaver-sick heads For Master John Goodwin undeniably the learnedst and most godly man of that way hath said in a marginall note of men for piety and learning I cannot admire enough The Vindicators call the denying of Scriptures to be the word of God a damnable Heresie and we have no certainty that the Scriptures of the old and new Testament which we now have either the English translation or the Originall of Hebrew and Greek copies are the word of God So then holding the Scriptures to be the Word of God in either of these two senses or significations of the words either translations or originall can with no tolerable pretext or colour be called a foundation of Christian Religion unlesse their foundations be made of the credit learning and authoritie of men Because there is need to wonder by the way at this Let the reader observe that Libertines resolve all our faith and so the certaintie of our salvation on Paper and Inke and Mr. John Goodwin will allow us no foundation of faith but such as is made of grammers and Characters and if the Scripture be wrong pointed or the Printer drunke or if the translation slip then our faith is goâ—e Whereas the meanes of conveying the things beleeved may be fallible as writing printing translating speaking are all fallible meanes of conveying the truth of old and new Testament to us and yet the Word of GOD in that which is delivered to us is infallible 1. For let the Printer be fallible 2. The translation fallible 3. The Grammer fallible 4. The man that readeth the word or publisheth it fallible yet this hindreth not but the truth it self contained in the written word of God is infallible I suppose four men who shall shew to a wife her Husband among ten thousands all four fallible and may mistake yet when they have brought the Husband to the wife it cannot follow that the Wife doth not certainly and as infallibly know her own Husband by his tongue voice countenance proportion of body and statute as one can know another without any danger of mistake so it comes to the eares of a man born blind Joh. 9. there is a Prophet called Iesus the Son of Marie who will infallibly and indeclinably restore sight to this blind man yet the fame and report by which this is carried to the mans notice and knowledge is fallible all men standing truly that which the Lord reporteth of them liars and such as can be deceived yet it is no consequence that Iesus doth restore the man to his sight in a way subject to miscarrying and declinably and upon a fallible hazard so as he may goe as blind from Iesus as he came to him Now in the carrying of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles to our knowledge through Printers translators grammer pens and tongues of men from so many ages all which are fallible we are to look to an unerring and undeclinable providence conveying the Testament of Christ which in it self is infallible and begs no truth no authoritie either from the Church as Papists dreame or from Grammer Characters Printer or translator all these being adventitious and yesterday accidents to the nature of the word of God and when Mr. Goodwin resolves all our faith into a foundation of Christian Religion if I may call it Religon made of the credit learning and authority of men he would have mens learning and authoritie either the word of God or the essence and nature thereof which is as good as to include the garments and cloathes of man in the nature and definition of a man and build our faith upon a paper foundation but our faith is
not bottomed or resolved upon these fallible meanes But what Arguments have Bellarmine Stapleton Grâ—â—serus Becamâ—s 〈◊〉 Valentia the Councel of Trâ—nt and other Papists to make good that the Church of sound Catholikes who if they could fill their chaire are of more authoritie then Printers or particular men translators of the Scripture for they lead us from the written word as Mr. Goodwin doth and say the Church giveth authoritie to the word of God and resolve our faith upon the Testimonie of the Church saith Tannâ—rus as the infallible rule of faith on the authority of the Church saith Bellarmine quoad explicationem quoad nos in regard of our beleeving on God not simply revealing but so and so revealing saith Stapleton by his Church c. so as we know not that God hath revealed his truth but by and for the infallible proposal of the Church saith Gregorius de Valentia on the authoritie of the first veritie God revealing himselfe as the principle and first cause of faith saith Ioan. de Lugo and Malderus and on the authoritie of the Church as they are men eminent for Miracles as in that which is first beleeved ut in primo creditum and the only infallible rule of faith say Suarez Aegid Connick Lod. Maeratius And. Duvallius Fr. Silvius Lod. Caspensis All which speak fairer for the credit of faith in words then Mr. Iohn Goodwin who raiseth our faith no higher then the English grammer the Printer the learning and authoritie of men 2. We beleive that Christ is God man not for the authoritie of men and so of the rest of the Articles of our faith because Christ saith Iohn 5. 34. Ye sent unto Iohn and he bare witness to the truth v. 34. But I receive not testimony from men on which word Chrysostome saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I need not saith our Saviour the testimonie of men 〈◊〉 I am God but because ye give more heed unto Iohn and beleeve him to be most worthy of all of credit and ye come to him as a Prophet I speak this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will then receive Mr Goodwins Testimonie who gives us nothing for faith but fluctuation of opinion and some Topick grounds from mens credit learning and authoritie that the Scripture is the Word of God and turnes all our faith into fancie 3. The Scripture resolves our faith on Thus saith the Lord the only authoritie that all the Prophets alledge and Paul 1 Thes 2. 13. For this cause also thanke we God without ceasing because when yea received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man made of mens credit and learning as Mr. Goodwin saith but as it is in truth the word of God 4. Weak dry and saplesse should be our faith all our patience and consolations of the Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. all our hope on the word of God Ps 119 49 50 52 54 55. all our certainty of faith if it were so as Mr. Goodwin averreth But we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word of Prophesie surer then that which was heard on the Mount for our direction and the establishing of our faith 2 Pet. 1. 19. Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for they bear witnesse of me let them be judge between the Jews and me whether I be the Son of God or no for they beare witnesse of me now if we have no better warrant that the books of the Old and New Testament that we now have to wit the originall of Hebrew and Greek and translations are the word of God then that which is made of the credit of the authority and learning of men then must all our comfort of beleeving be grounded upon this mans and this mans Grammar and skill in Hebrew Greek Latine English aâ—d he is not infallible in any of these And must our lively hope be bottomed on mens credit and learning then for any thing we know on the contrary we have but dreams opinions and at best mans word for the word of God and how is the word of Prophesie a more sure word for these were written and translated prophesies of which Peter speaketh Mr. Goodwin and Libertines who put heaven and Christ and the lively hope of our inheritance to the conjectures of doubting Scepticks could well reply to Peter the word of prophesie cannot be sure for we have no certainty that the Scriptures of the Prophets of the Old and New Testament which we have either Hebrew or Greek copies of are the word of God but undoubtedly Christ appealeth to the Scriptures as to the onely Judge of that controversie between him and the Jewes whether the Son of Mary was the eternall Son of God and the Saviour of the world he supposed the written Scriptures which came through the hands of fallible Printers and Translatours and were copies at the second if not at the twentieth hand from the first copy of Moses and the Prophets and so were written by sinfull men who might have miswritten and corrupted the Scripture yet to be a judge and a rule of faith and fit to determine that controversie and all others and a Judge de facto and actually preserved by a divine hand from errours mistakes and corruptions else Christ might in that appealed to a lying Judge and a corrupt and uncertaine witnesse and though there be errours of number genealogies c. of writing in the Scripture as written or printed yet we hold providence watcheth so over it that in the body of articles of faith and necessary truths we are certaine with the certainty of faith it is that same very word of God having the same speciall operations of enlightning the eyes converting the soule making wise the simple as being lively sharper then a two-edged sword full of divinity life Majesty power simplicity wisdome certainty c. which the Prophets of old and the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles had M. Goodwins argument makes as much against Christ and the Apostles as against us for they could never in all their Sermons and writings so frequently bottome and found the faith on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written in the Prophets as David saith as Isaiah saith and Hosea as Daniel saith as Moses and Samuel and all the Prophets beare witnesse if they had had no other certainty that the writings of the Prophets that came to their hands was the very word of God but the credit learning and authority of men as Mr. Goodwin saith for sure Christ and the Apostles and Evangelâ—sts had not the authentick and first copies of Moses and the Prophets but only copies written by men who might mistake Printers and Translators not being then more then now immediately inspired Prophets but fallibly men and obnoxious to failings mistakes and ignorance of ancient Hebraismes and force of words and if ye remove an unâ—rring providence who doubts but men might
adde a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substract and so vitiate the fountaine sense and omit points change consonants which in the Hebrew and Greek both might quite alter the sense nor can any say Christ and the Apostles being infallible could well cite the Prophets without a mistake though the copies might have been vitiate and corrupt 2. Because the very citing of these Testimonies by Christ and his Apostles made them Scripture and so of infallible authority but our citing of them since both Printers and Translatours are not immediately inspired and we also might erre cannot adopt them into Canonicall and authentick Scripture such as was first written by the immediately inspired Prophets I shall answer that first this objection presumeth that Christ and the Apostles might and did finde errours and mis-printings even in written Scripture which might reduce the Church in after ages to an invincible ignorance in matters of faith and yet they gave no notice to the Church thereof or if there was no errour de facto then for so many hundred yeares yet there are now substantiall errours and so soule that it may be we have no word of God at all amongst us and God hath no Church no beleever on earth but we must all take the word of Printers and Translatours which is meerly the word of man and what is become of all the Martyrs that suffered by the bloudy woman Babel they dyed for meer conjectures and opinions for they had not the first originall copies of Moses and the Prophets yea Stephen the first Martyr who according to all our copies Act. 7. addeth five to Moses his 70 soules that went downe to Egypt in that glorious Sermon that he hath before his death when he sealed the truth with his bloud and dyed gloriously and said Lord Jesus receive my spirit dyed but upon the faith of mens fallible skill in Grammer Printing and writing for he citeth the writings of Moses to his enemies that stoned him according to the copies that they then had who would quickly have controlled him if he had cited false copies and Stephens owne Testimony was contraverted and therefore except we say that Stephen and Christ and the Apostles cited the testimonies of the Prophets as they were then obvious to the eyes and reading of both the people of God and the enemies and that not simply as their owne words which they spake as immediately inspired but as the testimony of the Prophets according to the then written copies we must say they spake not Ingeniously the truth of God for it was against truth candour ingenuity to Christ and the Apostles to say as it is written in your Law Jo. 8. 17. and so often it is written if they would not have the hearers to receive with certainty of faith and full assurance free from all doubting and feare of humaue fallibility that what they cited as written was undoubtedly the same very truth of God and no other which Moses and the Prophets spoke and wrote and if they would not have them to read search and beleeve these same Scriptures and to conceive that they drew arguments in the New Testament to prove and confirme their doctrine from that which was written by Moses and the Prophets in the Old Testament and would not have them to beleeve them onely because New Testament writers immediately inspired had so said 6. If God will have us to try and examine all Spirits all Doctrines by the Scriptures written then are we certainly assured that the books we now have of the Old and New Testament are the very word of God though we cannot by any possibility have the first and originall authentick copies of Moses and the Prophets and Apostles Because 1. God would not bid us try and then leave us no rule to try withall but our owne naturall light which must lead us into darknesse 2. The visible Church should not be guilty of unbeleefe if the written word were not among us or then Christ and his Apostles speaking to us as is cleare Joh. 15. 22. Rom. 10. 14 15. Matth. 11. 21 22. The assumption is cleare by the commended practise of the Bereans who tryed Pauls doctrine by the Scriptures Act. 17. See Rivetus Whitaker Calvin 3. By the command of God 1 Thess 5. 2. 1 Joh. 4. 1. Try all things try the Spirits 7. John would not call those blessed who read and hear Rev. 1. 5. nor would Paul recommend reading to Timothy and continuance in the doctrine of the Scriptures and so extoll the necessity and utility of the Scripture and the indwelling of the word of God in us as he doth 1 Tim. 4. 16. 2 Tim. 14 15 16. Col. 3. 16. nor could the things written by John c. 21. 31. by Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. 29 30 31. be holden forth as sufficient to bring soules to heaven and to cause them eschew hell if it were true that we have no certainty that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the very word of God but such as is made of mens credit and learning 8. Yea and so what God spake immediately to Abraham Moses and the Prophets could not be infallibly and by certainty of faith to them the word of God for if God spake to them in a language intelligible they had no certainty of faith that the words that came from God did signifie thus and thus for sure God by immediate inspiration taught them not Grammar and significations of words and those that read the Law written by Gods finger on two Tables of stone those who heard Moses and the Prophets preach in their Mother-tongue even the Jewes who read the originall first Hebrew copy of Moses and the Prophets must have had no warrant that that was the word of God but the authority of Father Mother and Nurses who first taught them their Mother-tongue for sure the Prophets were not School-masters to teach them Hebrew so by this learning there was never since the world was any certainty of faith but such conjecturall humane and fallible opinions in all the matters of God as is resolved ultimately saith Mr. Goodwin into mens fallible and topicke authority and skill of Grammar and all divine faith is perished out of the earth nay there never could be any divine faith on earth except God by a supernaturall power taught men first Grammar and then to beleeve for which we have no warrant so all our faith must bee dreams And since Mr. Goodwin acknowledgeth a supernaturall power of the Spirit of Grace to beleeve what else doth this Spirit cause us beleeve but lyes or at best phancies resolved into humane credit which may be false for any certainty of knowledge that Libertines allow us Yea confident I am saith Mr. Goodwin that the wisest and most
will bide the tryall of the fire and not be consumed and the man rewarded for his so building and bad doctrine will be burns and not abide the Lords fire when it is tryed for false doctrine will vanish in the day of tryall and yeeld the sower of such doctrine no comfort yet he himself keeping the foundation Christ shall be saved but he shall be â—eded and 〈◊〉 afflicted for his fruitlesse building so the day seems to be the day of tryal and fiery persecution coming on all the Preachers of the Gospel to try theâ— and their doctrine as Rev. 3. 10. the place smels nothing of pâ—â—gatoâ—ie fire and the most judicious interpreters even Esâ—ins 〈◊〉 Papist â—â—pounds iâ— well of the Lords trying of the sons of Levi Mal. 3. 5. I will not say Amen to Dr. Taylor that to count a man an heretick his opinion must be a plaine upon recession from demonstrative authority which must needs be voluntary vincible and criminall for the Sadduces were wilfull obstinate hereticks in denying the resurrection of the dead a principall Article of faith yet it is not clear that their opinion was an open recession from demonstrative authority The Doctor will not call Christs argâ—ing God is the God of dead Abraham Ergo the dead must live againe Matth. 22. demonstrative We may have as much naturall blindnesse as we can hardly see the truth of Christs ascention to heaven and comming againe to judge the quicke and dead by demonstrative authority from Scripture yet those in the visible Church denying these Articles of faith are Hereticks though there may be degrees of voluntarinesse and obstinacy in Hereticks 6. That there must be vinciblenesse in all heresie is anobiguous in the Doctors sense for by vinciblenesse I take he means such vinciblenesse whereby none by their owne industry and strength of freewill may if they be not wanting to that grace which is denyed to none as Arminians say attaine to the light of such consequences as hereticks wilfully deny If this be his meaning he is a friend to Pelagius 2. If he take vincible as opposed to invincible ignorance he Popishly then saith that the Scripture offereth to us many things whereof we may be invincibly ignorant Now invincible ignorance Protestants acknowledge onely in matters of fact or of Gospel-truths never so much as in the letter revealed as Heathens may be invincibly ignorant of Christ and their ignorance not be sinfull as Joh. 15. 22. and Jacob was invincibly ignorant in lying with Leah instead of Rachel There can be no such vinciblenesse or invinciblenesse in an Heretick that hears the Gospel for who ever heare the Gospel and yet remaine ignorant their ignorance is not invincible Nulla est invincibilis ignorantia juris 7. The opinion of Purgatory though it were no heresie as the Doctor saith and bringeth no argument to prove it yet is not simply a finlesse errour in such as know or ought to know since the Scripture is before their eyes that 1. There is no word of God to warrant it 2. Since the word in the Parable of Lazarus and the rich Glutton sheweth us what abideth all men immediately after they dye that the bodies of all goe to the earth and one way or other are buried and the souls either to heaven or hell and this he saith of all mankinde 1. Because all receive either their good things or their evill of suffering in this life 2. All men are such as if they beleeve not Moses and the Prophets will not beleeve though one rise from the dead 3. Christ should be unperfect in this place and in all other places who should not tell us of a third doom befalling some after they are dead and buried where their bodies that were instruments of sin as the rich gluttons tongue was of gluttony should be tormented for their veniall sinnes yea and Purgatory dwells door-neighbour with covetousnesse if the Doctor remembers that Soul-masses to Romish Masse-mongers as well as Durges Requiems Mâ—sses are not a little gainfull 8. Nor is there any errour of things revealed by the wise Lawgiver in Scripture which is meerly speculative in order to Gods end his glory It is no lesse derogatory to the Lawgivers glory not to beleeve A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and there is one God in three persons then to kill our Brother though the former be more speculative farther from the experiments of humane affairs as he speaketh and more difficult and remoter from humane observation then the other Object 1. Errours are then saith he made sins when they are contrary to charity or inconsistent with a good life or the honour of God Answ Not to beleeve what God saith is inconsistent with his honour for nothing intrinsecally is inconsistent with the honour of God not the eating of the tree of knowledge no simple act of loving fearing beleeving all are inconsistent with or agreeable to the honour of God because he commands or forbids them Object 2. No mans person is to be charged with the odious consequences of his opinion though the doctrine may be therefore charged because if he did see the consequences and then avow them his person is chargeable with them Answ The very opinion it selfe may be a blasphemy by consequence though the man see it not to be blasphemy will the Doctor say Hymeneus and Alexander did make shipwrack of faith and blaspheme because they said the resurrection was past Yet Paul 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. chargeth the persons with blasphemy and can the Doctor deny that Hymeneus and Philetus increased unto more ungodlinesse and that their word did eat as a canker in saying that the resurrection was past which yet Paul chargeth on them 2 Tim. 2. 15 16 17. and those that taught circumcision are charged as perverters of soules Act. 15. yet they but perverted soules by consequence The like may be said of such as Paul said tell from Christ and lost all benefit in Christ if they were circumcised Gal. 5. 2. It may be they would retract the heresie if they saw the blasphemies to follow by strong consequence and it may be not since they are selfe-condemned But sure the Lord chargeth the persons of men as making God a lyar who beleeve not his truth and he chargeth Epicurisme Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall dye 1 Cor. 15. on the persons that deny the resurrection and if the doctrine be a lye I wonder how these that lye of God since God commandeth to know and beleeve whatever he saith in his word can be innocent Object If no simple errour condemne us before the throne of God since God is so pitifull to our crimes that he pardons many de toto de integro he will far lesse demand an account of our weaknesse the strongest understanding cannot pretend immunity from being deceived Answ Then though Christ said Joh. 8. Except ye beleeve that I
doe that who onely hath the key of the heart nor could Gospel-arguments that convinced many that the resurrection was not passed convince Hymeneus Phyletus Alexander actu secundo Therefore Paul might not deliver them to Sathan nor is excommunication being a meer punishment an argument to prove that the resurrection is not passed any other way their the sword or banishment both of them are compelling and penall arguments the one spirituall the other corporall but both work co-actively as evills of punishment and privations of comfort neither of them give light to this conclusion The Resurrection is not past for these two have both alike inconsequences logicall The Church will excommunicate you Ergo beleeve not that the Resurrection is past And the Christian Magistrate will punish you Ergo beleeve not that the Resurrection is past There must either be other arguments to sway the conscience to the faith of this That the Resurrection is not past then either sword or excommunication or these cannot worke nor settle the conscience As Christ is risen in his body from the dead Ergo his members that are sleeping in the dust must rise God is the God of Abraham who is dead and buried Ergo Abraham and the dead must rise againe This I observe to prove that those arguments of Libertines at least for the most part that they bring against punishing of false Prophets with the Sword doe also conclude against all Church-censures and excommunication and the truth is we are not warranted to gaine the Jewes the Indians the Papists over-sea to the truth either by the sword or by excommunicating and delivering them to Sathan for we cannot judge those that are without But to returne to all those kinde of Argumentations that Libertines bring against opinions from the nature of opinion faith perswasion which are all internall acts of the minde which neither Church nor Magistrate can punish they are nothing against our conclusion who maintain that publishing and teaching and professing of erroneous and false Doctrines are punishable by the Magistrate for externall acts that come from meer Conscience as the sacrificing of innocent children to God by all the Arguments we hear are not punishable by the Magistrate for sure the Magistrates punishing of unlawful practises coming from meer Conscience do no lesse force the Conscience and domineer over it then when he punisheth erroneous opinions and therefore the Bounder draweth the question to acts and facts externall as he saith the Magistrate 〈◊〉 punish Polythesme and Atheists worshipping of Images and of the breaden God blasphemie for these saith he fight against the light of nature but if you judge only professed opinions against the light of nature not against the Gospel punishable because we may by freewill master professed opinions against nature but we cannot master opinions against the supernaturall truths of the Gospel these require supernaturall grace then good masters why doe you rebuke 〈◊〉 against the Gospel more then you can punish them 〈◊〉 what is of its own nature unrebukeable is unpunishable 〈◊〉 what is unpunishable as being above our nature is unrebukeable and falleth not under exhortation as we cannot exhort rebuke or punish a stone because it descendeth or fire because it ascendeth But the Papist saith nay but they fight not against the light of nature for to adore Christ under the accidents of bread is my conscience and indeed Doctor Taylor saith you must beleeve it is his conscience and reallities and pretences are 〈…〉 here though he contradict himself and in another place say 〈◊〉 some blasphemies are punishable by the Magistrate But Libertines are 〈◊〉 of Babel and almost as many Heads so many sundry opinions Mr. Willams goes one way Mr. Goodwin another the Bounder a third way John Baptist a fourth way Doctor Taylor a fift way The Belgick Arminians a sixt way None of them please Mr. Jeresiah Burroughes nor Mr. Philip Nye yea and Mr. Sadr Simpson is as grosse as any of them so Socinians have a way of their own Anabaptists another way Seekers and Familists as Saltmarsh a far different way Mr. Oliver Cromwell calls all Religions things of the mind Vaticanus tells us si Deum negent si blasphemant si palam de sanct à Christianorum doctrinâ maledicunt quo crimine reus est ipse Castalio si sanctam piorum vitam detestantur eos ego relinquo Magistratibus puniendos non propter religionem quam nullam habent seâ— propter irreligionem But the Bounder and Castalio must be bloodie persecuters by this For 1. What the Magistrate calleth truth and godly doctrine that these men whom the Bounder and Castalio call Atheists judge in their conscience to be Idolatrie and Blasphimie and if yee kill a man because he speakes as he thinketh yee kill him for the truth for it is truth to speak what â—â—â— think for the 15. Psalm pronounceth him blessed who speakes 〈◊〉 what is in his heart But Castalio may read righter if he please and he is blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who speaketh truth not falsely from his heart nor doth the Psalmist speak of the doctrine of truth so as he should blesse Mattan and Pashur or any false Prophet or the King of Assyria because he saith No God can deliver out of the hand of that Tyrant but the God of the Assyrians for so I conceive he thinketh when he relates what false experiences he had of that Bastard God but he speaks of truth of facts between man and man Psal 15. in speaking whereof there may be invincible and so excusable error whereas men sin grievously in false apprehensions of Gods truth when as God reveals himself sufficiently to us in his works and word but thus do Libertines leave the first simple apprehensions of the mind because they are naturall not under the stroak of free-will free from all Law and guiltinesse so as the Egyptians sin not in apprehending the Godhead to be a Cow the Persians to be fire or the Sun Israel to be a Calfe the Philistines to be a Fish for certain it is all Idolaters who worship the God that made the Heavens and the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignorantly Acts 17. in the creature or in the works of mens hands should have by this way no sinfull nor unlawfull apprehensions of God when shamefully they apprehend the Creator of the world to be a Beast 2. They must be blessed then and speak truth from their heart by the Exposition that Vaticanus putteth upon Psal 15. who say that God is a cow a calf a fish why because their erroneous conscience dictateth so to them But why should they be punished then who blaspheme commit Idolatry for it is the conscience and the meer conscience of Baals Priests to speake of God and worship him as they doe they had rather dye as not doe that which you call Blasphemy and 1. It is not in their will to think what they will
way to spare the bloud of the Saints and not resisting the blessed Spirit in them then we cannot punish hereticks and men of corrupt mindes but we are in hazard to resist the Saints and kill the Spirit in them then when the Holy Ghost forbids us to beleeve false Christs Matth. 24. which is a resisting of their spirit we know not but he bids us beleeve the word of truth in Gods dearest Saints since for any knowledge we can have not to beleeve these false Christs it may be they are Gods dearest Saints whose words we refuse to beleeve then in one and the same Commandement of Christ which is beleeve them not he bids us beleeve their word and resist not the Spirit of truth in Gods dearest Saints and when Tit. 3. 18. he forbids us to keep company with an heretick but avoid him and 2 Joh. 10. receive not an impostour into your house he bids us run the hazard of avoyding a Saint and of refusing to lodge in your house Gods deare childe 5. What if Gods dearest Saints beleeve and publish an heresie and the doctrine of Familisme then they are to be pardoned because they are dear Saints But let Libertines answer the Query why should Indulgence and Toleration be yeelded to a Saint that speaks lyes in the name of the Lord more then to a wicked man who also doth prophesie lyes if both may fall in the same heresie with the like pertinacy for a time if we be not respecters of persons they no lesse deserve both to be punished then when both commit adultery and murther 2. Why lying of God and speaking words that eat like a gangrene and beleeving a lye deserveth rather an indulgence in a Saint then murthering whoring oppressing And why but we may tolerate all the Saints because they are Saints as well as some sinne no lesse yea more dangerous then these that are not to be tolerated for to infect the flocke with lying doctrine is more hurtfull to the Church then the example of adultery or murther in a Saint if toleration of all wayes and liberty of professing or publishing whatever tenets or doctrines seem good to a man in his owne eyes though to the perverting of the faith of many be a means of finding out many precious truths as Libertines say then hath God commanded all men to speake all kind of lies against God his Son Christ heaven hell the resurrection the last judgement the immortalitie of the soul though most pernicious to soules for God commandeth all meanes of finding out truth for it cannot be said he commands all lawfull meanes for Libertines hold that to professe and publish what the most erroneous conscience dictates to be the truth of God though it be black heresie is to speak the truth as an Indweller in the Lords holy hill Psal 15. so saith Vaticanus and all the Libertines who make the conscience right or erroneous the rule of the Christian mans walking not the word of God and in so doing the Lord must by the Libertines doctrine command men to speak lies in the Name of the Lord and must command Hereticks and Saints to pervert the soules and the faith of one another and make one another children of perdition and not spare the flock but devour and hunt soules and so shall the Lord command sinne 6. How doth non-toleration and libertie of beleeving every spirit seeming to us to be of God bring men in a posture of uncapabilitie of being delivered from error and ignorance the word never maketh a libertie to beleeve lies a way to be delivered from error The way to be delivered from error is to be humble and fear God and he shall teach us his waies Psal 25. 9. 14. Joh. 7. 17. 2 Thes 2. 11 12. Baptist ibid. God will have the meanes used by every man according to his own light and knowledge that he may be fully perswaded in his own conscience and no man knowes Gods cabinet counsell Ergo We cannot be competent judges of other mens consciences who are Hereticks who not Answ God will have the meanes used by every man according to his own light I distinguish according to his own light and conscience as a necessarie condition that must be in all right judging it is most true for he sins grievously who in judging goeth contrary to the inditement of his own conscience and so God will have the meanes used by every man according to his own light and conscience as his obliging rule which layeth a law and a tie upon him to beleeve and professe that is most false for the word of God not every mans conscienceis the obliging rule of his actions as is proved 2. The conclusion is most false for though we are not to judge who are elect and who reprobate because we are not upon Gods Cabinet counsell yet do we not intrude upon Gods secrets to judge who is an Heretick or a false Teacher or who sound in the faith by his doctrine examined by the law and the Testimonie for how can God say Beware of the false Prophet Matth. 7. 15. if it were arrogancie and an intruding upon Gods Cabinet counsel to judge a false Prophet by his doctrine to be a false Prophet how can we avoid an Heretick more then a Saint if we may not lawfully judge an heretick to be an Heretick Obj. 14 The Holy Ghost not only foresaw there would but determines there must be heresies and its expedient for the exercise of love and the discoverie of truth and the Professors thereof are not Errors as well as afflictions a part of Christs discipline then let it have its perfect work till it be cured by its proper remedie the sword of the Spirit It s not said there must be murtherers as it is said there must be Heresies Some seem so to be in love with new opinions as they extoll them one a very worthy Preacher saith variety of faces is not an affliction but matter of much admiration to behold So varietie of judgements simplie considered is not a grief but a glorie to me to behold when one spirit of grace and heavenlinesse is in them all for I count it a glasse of Gods own making wherein to behold his manifold wisedome Answ 1. There is no question but God hath wise and noble ends why he permits Heresies but we no more can Orthodoxly say That God determines Heresies then that God determines that sin must be for Heresies are sins now wee say not soundlie That God determines or decrees sins shall be sine adjecto he determines to permit sin 2. God determines Heresies must be so he determines that murthers adulteries oppressions must be it then shall follow the Christian Magistrate by this Argument does tolerate murthers oppressions as he tolerates heresies but the conclusion is grosse because Heresies are the Churches affliction and so are bloods and oppressions of the Saints shall then Christian Magistrates tolerate
sect 2. The conditions that Libertines require to be in a Synod Liberty to question every thing is lycence Remonst Apo. c. 1. fol. 41. The Church though not infallible may determine infallible points Apol. in Pref. et in declar in Pref. A Confession Covenant or Synodicall de 〈◊〉 a secondarie rule of faith Remonstr in vindic l. 2. c. 6. fol. 126. Note Ibid 133. A ministeriall and publike and a Christian and private judgment and faith and how they differ Remov 16. 〈…〉 〈…〉 That Confessions ought to be onely in expresse Scriture words is another false principle of Libertines Roman Vindi l. 2. c. 6. 135. 13. 〈◊〉 post quam acceptavit decretum 〈◊〉 illo â—â—â—tius quam ea lege quatenis quamdia 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 indicat ill deffâ—â—â—rum Ancient bonds of Liberty of Conscience 〈◊〉 Apol c. 25. 291. The end of Synods is not to remove heresie by any means good or bad 〈◊〉 to ciuil heresie so effectually as these heresies shall never be heard of in the world againe Remon c. 25. Apol. 294. The necessitie of Synods Pastors subject the disobedient to wrath yet are not lords over the conscience ergo neither are Synods lords over the conscience for that fol. 2â—5 Error of conscience 〈◊〉 from â—â—igation of obedience Apo. 25. f. 226. The subject of a Synod not a Sceptick conjecturall truth as Libertines suppose The sense of Scripture from Synods beleived truly to be infallible though Synods consist of men who are not infallible as an earthen pitcher doth contain gold and precious Rubies and Saphires in it though there be no gold in the matter of the pitcher but onely clay 2. Cor. 4. 7. How a true decision of a Synod is ever the same and not retractable Remon Though all truths be peremptorily decyded in the word yet is there need of a Ministeriall and declarative decision of men because teachers may deceive and these that are taught are ignorant and dull Anabaptist dimâ—ed interpretation of Scriptures as 〈…〉 〈…〉 Anabaptist l 3. c. 11. Daâ—â—aut Anabaptistis Scripturiram â—â—terpretatiâ—rem recitari evangelium debere 〈◊〉 verbi a 〈◊〉 ut cuique liberium sit prosuo Spritu hoc est prosua voluntate â—â—â—dine interpretaâ—i 〈◊〉 non esse verbum Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 7. Men are to come to Synods not as Nullifidians but as ingaged for truth Synods may impose upon others and how Ancient Bonds or Libertie of Conscience stated c. 10. Sect. 3. p. 74. 45. The conditional imposing of Synods consisteth well with trying of all things what Libertines say on the contrary is nought 〈…〉 〈…〉 16. 75. Pastors are are not out of their calling nor Apparitours nor tale-bearers if they complaine to the Magistrate of hereticks and all evâ—â—-doers Opinions cannot be compelled not the 〈◊〉 or will in the 〈…〉 â—he question is whether the 〈…〉 Shame and fear of rebâ—kes by Pastors and Church censures have the same compulsorie in 〈…〉 false teachers that the feare of publick punishment by the Synod hath Church censures are as compulsâ—rie on the Conscience as coercing by the sword Some externall actions of unjustice sâ—â—wing from meere Conscience are punished justly without any note of persecution by grant of Libertines and why not all others also 〈…〉 bonds pag. 12 Lactan. Inst l. 5. c 14 quid 〈…〉 quod 〈…〉 fieri 〈◊〉 libido 〈…〉 Tertullian ad Scapulâ—â— Humani juris naturalâ—s potestatis est unâ—cuique quod putavertis colerâ— nâ—â— alii prodostâ—nt oâ—est alterius Religio Sed nec Religionis est cogere Religionem quae sâ—ont◠〈◊〉 debeâ— non 〈◊〉 How Religion may be compelled how not One mans Religion remaining in the minde and will may hurt or benefit the man himself not any others but true Religion as it comes forth iâ— to acts of teaching may coine and winne the souls of others and false Religion may subvert the faith of others The Magistrate does not command Religion acts as service to God but rather forbids their contraâ—â—â—â— as disserâ—â—â—â— to Christian societies How â—ertull and Laâ—â—antâ—â—s are to be expounded of forcing to heathen Religion Though we can compell none to Religion it follows not that the Magistrate may not punish there that 〈◊〉 others to a false Religion Lactanâ—â— 5. c. 20. non est opus vt 〈…〉 cogi non potest 〈◊〉 potius quam verberibuâ— res agenda 〈…〉 Distringant hostes Religionis Christianae aciâ—m ingeniorum suertâ—â— si ratio corum vera est offeratur parati sumus audire si doceaâ—â— Tacentibus certè nihil credimus sicut ne saevientibus quidem cedimus imitentur nos aut rationem rei totius exponant nos enim non illicimus ut ipsi objectant sed docemus probamus ostendimus itaque nemo a nobis retinetur invitus imutilis est enim deo qui devotione ac side caret tamen nemo discedit ipsa veritate retinante Lactan 〈◊〉 longè diversa sunt Carnificina pictas nes potest aut veritas eum vi aut justitia eum crudelitate conjungi Ibid. Sed ut in ipsa Religione sic defensionis genere falluntur Defendenda eâ—im Religio est non occidendo sed monen lo alij codices moriendo non sevitia sed patientia non scelere sed fide Lactant. speaks of compulsion without all teaching These that are without the Church are not to be compelled 〈…〉 〈…〉 punish heâ—â—â—ides so so he should not punish murtherers The Magistrate may by the sword curb five impediments that keep men from embracing the truth according to Augustine Answer to Doctour Adam Stewart Impotencie of free will objected by Mr. John Goodwine no reason why the Magistrate ought not to punish seducing teachers as of old the Donatists objected State of the question more strictly proposed It may as wel he said because there be no expresse laws against murtherers parricids sorcerers Sodomites in the new Testament more then against false teachers that therefore Socerers are no lesse then hereticks to be tollerated De vivendis Christianorian animus in fide illibata tom 1 l. 1. c. 10. The number of Fundamentals An saving disposition of faith to beleeve all truths revealed though the man be ignorant of many may consist with the state of saving grace Calv. epist ad Martinum Shallingium an 1557. Three things among these that are to be believed things simply necessarie 2. simply profitable 3. by consequence necessary how the papist erre in these Joan. Durens in consulta Theologica p. 14 15. Some Consequences necessary Builders of hay and stubble on the foundation may be saved and these that fall in murther and adultery out of infirmity may be also saved yet there is no consequence ergo the Magistrate should tollerate both Obstinacie in Ceremonies after full information deserveth punishment These that err in non-fundamentals may deserve to be punished To teach the necessity of circumcision not an error formally and primarily but by consequence fundamentall and the contrary truth