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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83437	The casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Or, A treatise against toleration and pretended liberty of conscience: wherein by Scripture, sound reason, fathers, schoolmen, casuists, Protestant divines of all nations, confessions of faith of the Reformed Churches, ecclesiastical histories, and constant practice of the most pious and wisest emperours, princes, states, the best writers of politicks, the experience of all ages; yea, by divers principles, testimonies and proceedings of sectaries themselves, as Donatists, Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents, the unlawfulnesse and mischeif [sic] in Christian commonwealths and kingdoms both of a vniversal toleration of all religions and consciences, and of a limited and bounded of some sects only, are clearly proved and demonstrated, with all the materiall grounds and reasons brought for such tolerations fully answered. / By Thomas Edvvards, Minister of the Gospel. The first part.; Casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Part 1	Edwards, Thomas, 1599-1647.	1647 (1647)	Wing E225; Thomason E394_6; ESTC R201621	211,214	231

Lord is sure Luke 1. 3. 4. that Gospel was written that Theophilus might know the certaintie of those things wherein he had been instructed Colos 2. 2. there is a full assurance of understanding to know the misterie of God and of the Father and of Christ the Scriptures are cald the Oracles of God Acts 7. 38. Rom. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 4. 11 as well as the judgement by Vrim to show they are infallible and certaine Master Goodwin in his Anapologesiates page 103. saith of some Doctrines that he holds For my part I have the grounds of God I mean the Scripture I would fain know of Hagiomastix what made the Answer by Vrim to be infallible and to be beleeved and rested in by those who came to enquire but that God who was true and infallible said so and revealed it and is there not the same in the Doctrines contained in the Scriptures hath not God who is truth and infallible revealed and declared them in Scriptures and thereupon propounded them to be beleeved The Doctrines of faith must be laid downe certainly and infallibly in Scriptures both from the nature of faith which in respect of the matter to be beleeved must have certaine infallible and undoubted truth and not that which is false or doubtfull and from the formall reason and ground of beleeving which is the Authoritie of God who is true and infallible revealing his mind not the Testimonie of the Church as also from the end and use of the Scriptures to be the Canon and Rule of faith Now the Canon of a thing especially the supreme cheif by which all other are to be tried and judged of had need be certain and known and not doubtful and unknown Learned Rivet and other Protestant Divines writing of that question against the Papists of the Scriptures being the Canon and Rule of faith speak thus the Canon and Rule of faith must be certaine and known The best Protestant Divines writing against the Papists of the Canon of the Srcipture show that is one principall requisite to make a Canon and Rule that it should be certaine and infallible the Metaphor it selfe from whence the name is borrowed viz. not from any private measure but the publick and allowed according to which by the Law all other are to be measured demonstrates the certaintie and infallibilitie of a Canon and Rule that which in it selfe is uncertaine and variable cannot be the Canon or rule of any Doctrine much lesse of faith Yea * Bellarmine himselfe disputing for the Scriptures against Enthusiasts proves the Rule of the Catholick faith must be certaine and known for if it be not knowne it cannot bee a rule and if it be not certaine neither shall it be a rule Whoever is but versed in the writings of Protestant Divines upon that head of the Scriptures against Papists on the one hand and Anabaptists on the other or who so will consult them as Whitaker Chamier Rivet Amesius Bishop Davenant Whites way to the true Church Gerardus Robertus Baronius Maccovius Willets Synopsis Spanhemius Cloppenburgius shall find the infallibilitie and certaintie of the Scriptures and of the Doctrines of faith contained in them under the new Testament abundantly cleared and made good and the cavils about the interpretations of Scripture the need of a visible infallible Iudge of every mans private Spirit being Iudge c fully answered and therefore I shall not enlarge further on it only I shall briefly adde that God in these times of the new Testament hath left this threefold way and means of infallible certainty in Doctrines of Faith and Worship First the Scriptures and more especially since the Canon hath been sealed and compleated contains and holds forth all things necessary to salvation and out of them they may be certainly and infallibly known the word of God written is an inflexible golden rule not leaden nor be bent for all matters of faith and manners and there is such a certaintie of the Doctrines of faith laid down in the Scriptures that 1. all poins of faith necessary to salvation are plainly therein set forth so that all men who have spirituall eares and eyes may understand their meaning which position besides that t is held generally by our most learned Divines against the Papists may be demonstrated by these places of Scripture and reasons as Psal 19. 7. 8. enlightning the eyes making wise the semple Psal 119 105. 2 Pet. 1. 20. compared to a candle and a light to our feet and paths to a light shining in a darke place Deut. 30. 11. the commandement is not hidden all which show the clearenes and plainnesse of the Scriptures the Scripture in evident places calleth us to search it and seeke to it as John 5. 39. Esay 8. 20 c which had been to no purpose if they could not bee understood againe the end of the Scripture is for our learning Rom. 15. 4. but now obscuritie and things not to be understood ex diametro oppose learning lastly I might produce a multitude of pregnant quotations out of the Fathers Justin Martyr Chrysostome Austin Clemens Alexandrinus Isidorus Pelusiota Gregorius c speaking of Gods fitting the Scriptures even to the capacity of Babes and Sucklins of the Scriptures being a River wherein the Lamb may walke and the Elephant may swim of being a common light that shineth to all men of being easie to be understood by the Plowman the Artificer the widow woman and him that is most unlearned but I remember I am handling the question of Toleration and not that of the Perspicuitie of the Scriptures and doe therefore conclude affirming things necessary to salvation to be so cleerly laid down in the Scriptures that no man who can understand the words need doubt of the sense 2. There is not only a certaintie and assurance to be had from the Scriptures of things more plainly laid downe therein the matters of faith absolutely necessary to salvation but from the Scriptures by comparing Scripture with Scripture considering of circumstances by just consequences and such like many hard doubtfull points in Religion which to one man alone or to weak unlearned men are very uucertaine and doubtfull yet by the helpe of many learned men in Synods and Councels going Gods way may from the Scriptures be made cleare and certaine That place of Scripture Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. showes us that hard matters and matters of Controversie too hard for a few Priests the lower Courts may by the help● of the higher Courts be so certainly and clearely resolved from the sentence of the Law the written word in that time that they who will not hearken in that case deserve to die and so in the new Testament some things in Pauls Epistles hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction

before Apostles yea Angels and anathematizes them if they bring any other Gospel then what the Apostles had preached which in many places he declares was according to the Scriptures Chrysostome saith that the Scripture is to be preferd before the Angels in the matters of faith The word of God is the cheife and highest rule of faith for as learned Chamier writes The word of God is God speaking therefore look what is the authoritie of God speaking the same is of the word of God and therefore above Angels And by the way I desire the Reader to observe against Hagiomastix who makes such a do of infallibilitie that not whatsoever is infallible is the supreme rule of faith for that is a grand mistake to make every thing that is infallible the ground of beleeving or the cheife rule of it but this is the ground of being the supreme Rule of faith that it be summae suaeque authoritatis of supreme authoritie of it selfe and not from another which is apparent because Angels are infallible the Apostles also were ex particulari assistutia Spiritus and yet neither of them are nor have been the supreme Rule of the Church This Paul hath taught us in Gal. 1. 8. how Apostles and Angels are to be anathematized if they bring any other Gospel But these things are unworthy to be affirmed of the Rule of faith and especially of the supreme Rule which ought not to be so resembled to any thing that by that it should be corrected and ordered for then it ceases to be a Rule but rather that by the Rule especially the highest all things else are to be judged wherefore besides infallibilitie there is something else necessary to a thing that it should become a Rule namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that it be of cheife and of its owne Authoritie not of a subordinate and borrowed Authoritie from another but whoever would be further satisfied in this point let him read learned Chamier 6. Then Gods owne voice from heaven the Apostle Peter tels us 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19. of that voice of God from heaven which came to Jesus Christ This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased which Peter Iames Iob● heard when they were with Christ in the holy mount Matth. 17. 5 6. and yet Peter speaking of the Scriptures and comparing them with this voice from the excellent glory writes thus We have also a more sure word of prophecie whereunto you doe well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place until the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts upon which words Interpreters on the Place and other learned men show however that voice from heaven being from God as the written Prophecies were was in it selfe as sure yet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken either for a most lure or very sure word a comparative for a superlative so used in other places of Scripture so setting forth to us the Scriptures being founded on the firmest and greaest authoritie or more sure or more firme So the word in the Greek properly signifies to the Christian Jewes to whom the Epistle was written which by long use and experience were more setled in their hearts and so sooner beleeved then the voice from heaven although that were sure also Christ in Joh. 5. from verse 31. to the 40. speaking of the many Testimonies concerning him as his own Johus testimony the Testimony of his works instances in the voice from heaven witnessing to him Matth. 3. 17. 17. Matth. 5. and then Christ goes to the Scriptures as the highest and cheifest Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke you have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me wee may observe the gradation of the witnesses Christs works greater then the Testimony of John the Fathers witnessing from heaven above that of his workes and the Scriptures testifying of him the last and greatest of all and for a conclusion of this Gods speaking to his Church under the new Testament especially since the Canon was sealed and confirmed as Divines speake that is by his Sonne making known the whole Evangelical Doctrine and Will of God concerning mans salvation is by the holy Ghost preferred far before the divers manners and wayes of Gods making known his will before as that of dreams visions Vrim and Thummim voice from heaven Angels c as is evident by Heb. 1. 1 2 3. compared with the second of Heb. 1. 2 3 4. In a word they who are so wicked to wrest and pervert manifest plaine places of Scripture would not if they had lived in those dayes have rested satisfied in the Sentences of the high Priest by Vrim in one comming from the dead in the Doctrine of an Apostle or Angel or in a voice from heaven but would have made cavils and sound pretences to have eluded and evaded all or any of those as well as the Scriptures in all which I might give particular instances but for present I shall instance only in the voice from heaven of which voice from heaven John 12. 28 29 30. though it was so plain and distinct testifying Christ to be sent of God and the Messiah yet t is perverted and misinterpreted as much as the Scriptures of which voice from heaven how perverted I referre the Reader to learned Rollock Calvin and other Interpreters on that place of Scripture and so much for this seventh Answer Eightly Supposing all Hagiomastix saith in page 46. 47. and 130 to be true that that sentence of the Priest or Iudge against which hee that would doe presumptuously was to be put to death was only a sentence upon enquiry by Vrim and Thummim and that the Iewes opportunitie of immediatenesse of consultation with the mouth of God himselfe was a cleer reason why that old Testament Law for putting of false Prophets c to death was given to them yet it followes not these Laws cannot be in force now unlesse that can be made apparence to have been the only reason and ground of the Magistrates punishing for if there were other reasons as well under the old Testament of those Lawes and that by God formally and particularly declared and expressed as t is evident there were and I have proved page 70. 76. and divers other pages of this Treatise then they being in force still the Lawes bind though one particular reason or more proper to that time bee ceased I might instance in many morall things commanded under the old Testament that unquestionably I suppose in Master Goodwins judgement are in force under the new of which among other reasons given there was some one particular reason proper to the Iewes that holds not now but for this I refer the Reader to page 83. of this Book and to put an end to these eight Answers to the sixth evasion of Hagiomastix page 46. 47 130 I shall only mind him

yet plead Revelations and visions for feare of his fate who said it was revealed to him the day of judgement should be on such a day in Aprill last now long since past Fourthly upon the same cleer reason and ground why the old Testament Law for punishing false Prophets c should not now be in force because the Iewes in all difficult cases about Religion might have immediate and infallible Answers from God it followes necessarily that all Scriptures brought out of the new Testament for Magistrates punishing in cases of Heresie Idolatrie Blasphemie or for Church-Officers censuring by Deposition Excommunication in points of Error should not bind now and so whatever is brought out of the Scriptures for punishing Errors and Heresies whether by Civill Punishments or Eccle●iasticall censures shall be all evaded for the same thing may be said and is said against the places of the new Testament that in the time when the Gospels Acts of the Apostles and Epistles were written the Churches had Apostles and Prophets who were immediately inspired and infallible and could in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion declare infallibly from God what was Heresie and Scisme and what was not and therefore a Heretick after the first and second admonition might be rejected and Hymeneus and Alexander delivered unto Satan and Iezabel for seducing censured because Christ was alwayes at hand by Apostles or Prophets to declare unto them infallibly who were Hereticks and seducers whereas now since the Apostles and Prophets are ceased and all extraordinary wayes the best Oracles Ministers and People have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake the best Synods and Councels being not infallible And so whatsoever Hagiomastix speakes of the old Law another may say the same of the new as to this effect I am confident that the wisest and most learned of the Ministers are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe the Magistrate what Heresie or what Scisme it was or what kind of holding the resurrection past already it was for which the Apostles censured Hymeneus and commanded to reject avoid Hereticks and Scismaticks and therefore to goe about to prove those commands in the new Testament against false Prophets Hereticks Scismaticks Troublers of the Church to be in our dayes in force because they were given in the Apostles dayes and practised by them is as if one should prove that a man may safely and without danger walke among bogs Precipices and ditches at midnight because he may well doe it at noon day The Socinians upon this very ground plead against Excommunication and al Church censures in matters of Doctrine now however in use in the Primitive Churches and answer to the commands and examples alledged out of the new Testament after this manner For ther 's much difference between Hereticks now and those Hereticks in the Apostles dayes For grant them who now erre in matters of faith were set before that venerable companie of Apostles and their equals suppose them to be admonished and convinced and yet neverthelesse to persist obstinately though but in a light error who would not detest their malice In this case a light error is turned into the nature of a great wickednesse wherefore you will say because they dare to resist the Spirit speaking by the Apostles and when they have no cause of doubting of the Doctrine and faith of that Councell yet they would not beleeve nor obey But now although wee are ve●emently perswaded of the certainty of our faith who can in such aname assure us or certifie that wee cannot erre What Councell can wee now perswade our selves so uncorrupt as that of the Apostles or Primitive Church Those who deny Excommunication of Hereticks say bring not arguments and reasons out of the new Testament but that power of the Spirit with which the Apostles being endowed delivered up to Satan and kild Hypocrites with a word If you want this Powerfull efficacie of the Spirit acknowledge your rashnes and iniquitie in condemning those to whom you cannot demonstrate your Interpretation of Scripture Neither is the Spirit now so weak but that bee is able to give Testimonies of the divine Authoritie and his presence in his Ministers now against his enemies It followes not because many things were not tolerated in the infancie of the Church in the Primitive times therefore they ought not to bee tolerated now in the old age of the Church They deceive and are deceived who would bring our times to the example of that flourishing age When the Church was healthfull and strong in that first flower of its age and whilst the company of the Apostles were living the using of violent remedies in respect of the Churches vigor was meet and agreeable Now the Church with diseases and old age being weakned and spent it now almost falls downe under its prevailing sicknesse neither is it any time more in danger then when it fals into the bands of cruell Physitians In time past its first vigor admitted of opening of veines and losse of bloud now if after strength exhausted by so many evils there remaine any vitall Iuyce and moisture it cannot but by letting bloud be poured out with the life and Spirit and therefore this remedie of the punishment of Hereticks for the Preservation of the Church ought to bee omitted now when it will bring more hurt and danger then profit to the Church So some of our Sectaries in a late Pamphlet put forth upon occasion of their Indig●ation at the late solemne Fast of the tenth of March against Heresies plead that the Scisme spoken against in the new Testament is only of separating from those Primitive Apostolicall Churches planted immediately by the Apostles and by infallible direction but hath no reference at all to the Churches of these times Nay further upon this cleere reason why that old Testament Law about false Prophets c should not now bind all the Lawes and commands written in the old Testament yea and in the new concerning the whole will of God may bee as well not in force and men may say for any thing pressed upon them out of the Scriptures of the old or new Testament that they concern them not because in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion in Doctrine Worship Government c the Iewes to whom those commands were given and the Churches in the Apostles dayes to whom the Epistles were written had the opportunity of immediate and infallible direction from God himselfe by the high Priest Prophets and Apostles who could and did in all doubts from time to time infallibly declare and resolve what was Gods mind and Pleasure what was Scisme what was Heresie what use the Law was of how often Christians should pray heare Gods word c whereas now the best Oracles Christians have to direct them about matters of Religion are

that is handled is Politicall or Ecclesiasticall The Politicall is Criminall or Civill but the Ecclesiasticall is Ceremoniall So Lyra understands between blood and blood when one part of the Judges say that this shedding of blood is to be punished with death as being voluntary murder the other part sayes no it is but casuall Master Gillespie in his Aarous rod blossoming Book 1. chapt 3. showes t is agreed upon both by Jewish and Christian Expositors that this place holds forth a supreme Civill Court of Judges and that this text holds forth two sorts of causes some foren●icall betweene blood and blood some ceremoniall between stroak and stroake Now this Scripture speaking how that man shall die that will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the Judge as well as he that will not hearken unto the Priest and speaking of matters of the second Table as well as of the first and the sentence of death here spoken of if immediate and infallible by Vrim extending equally to difficult cases in Civill matters as in matters of Religion or rather more there being divers particular instances in Scripture of Answers in Civill matters as of war and foretelling of some events in Civill affairs but none in matters of Religion if then the Magistrate because of his immediatenesse of consultation with God might punish in matters of Religion but not now that immediatenesse being ceased it will also follow he might then punish for bloud c because by Vrim hee might certainly know whether it was wilfull or voluntary but now he may not because t is possible and probable in doubtfull and difficult cases about mans life meum and tuum he may run into errors and mistake Sixthly this cleer Reason of Hagiomastixs making infallibility the ground of coercive Power and Fallibility a being subject to error and mistake the ground of the deniall of such a power is a fundamentall falsity and a grand mistake overthrowing equally all spirituall censures and punishments in cases of false Doctrines and Hereticks and all bodily outward punishments in Criminall Civill matters and so at once making void all the Civill Power of the Magistrate and all the Ecclesiasticall power of the Church For the Magistrate is not infallible absolutely free from all possibility of error and mistake in his judgement in matters of the second Table many Magistrates in those matters have and doe daily grosly mistake many innocent persons have suffered and doe daily and many guilty persons have and doe escape who does not see in Civill matters what mistakes there are and may bee both in point of law and matter of fact how Lawyers and Iudges are divided in their Opinions what controversies and difficulties arise upon cases what doubts and Scruples grow upon witnesses testifying quite contrary and other circumstances so that what Iudge can say hee is infallible and certaine that hee is not mistaken that hee saw such a fact committed that the accusers and witnesses have deposed nothing but truth I could Instance in a hundred particulars both in regard of the Law-Makers the Lawes the Jewry Witnesses the accused partie the Iudges themselves c wherein Magistrates are as fallible and as obnoxious unto error in matters of the second Table as in the first yea and in divers respects more but I must refer this to the second part of this subject where the Grounds for Toleration particularly that of no man being infallible in our dayes is to be answered Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. showes us there are difficultcases and Controversies in matters of the second Table between blood and blood c and that among the Iudges themselves so that higher Courts are appointed to go unto and the highest of all the Councell of Seventie at Jerusalem Who sees not in Kingdomes about their Lawes and Civill Rights as high and great Controversies and Contestations as in matters of Religion each partie having great Lawyers and able men on their side So the Church with the best Councels and Synods are not infallible but may mistake and erre and in in some things have mistaken as many learned Protestants have shown against the Papists upon that question whether the Church may erre And therefore by this cleer reason of Master Goodwin it should not be only unlawfull for the Magistrates to punish for Idolatrie Blasphemie Heresie Scisme but for Murder Theft Polygamie Adulterie c yea as unlawfull for the Church to admonish and excommunicate for Idolatrie Heresie Blasphemie c as for the Magistrates to punish corporally But now M. S. Hagiomastix Ancient Bounds or Liberty of Conscieuce stated with divers of our Sectaries who write of this question yeeld the Magistrates power in matters of the second Table answering that of Rom. 13. 4. to be understood in things concerning the second Table and the Churches power in censuring for Heresies evading that of Revel 2. 20. to be meant of Ministers not Magistrates and of spirituall censures not Civill who yet are alike fallible and subject to error and mistake the Magistrates in Civill judgements and Ministers in spirituall as they are in punishing corporally in matters of Idolatrie Heresie and indeed considering the state of the question of Magistrates coercive Power in matters of Religion as I have laid it downe in the Prolegomena and so is to be understood viz. that the Magistrate is to doe it upon advice and after advice in all difficult doubtfull cases with the ablest Godliest Ministers in the Church by the advice of Synods with Solemne Prayers after meant of instruction and conviction used to the parties which means and helps being not in Civill causes nor in the censures of particular Churches are more liable to error and mistake then Magistrates So that if Magistrates and Churches may punish the one corporally in matters of the second Table the other spiritually in cases of both as is confessed by our grand Patrons of Toleration notwithstanding their fallibilitie and possibilitie of mistake then in difficult doubtfull cases Magistrates may punish in matters of the first Table notwithstanding they are men of very fallible judgements or in case the want of the Magistrates infallibilitie puts a supersedeas to his coercive Power in matters of Religion the same want deprives him of Power in Civill things and Ministers in Ecclesiastical because of their Possibilitie of erring in both By all which the Reader may see t is a very rotten foundation both to build upon or to take away the Power of censuring evill and erroneous persons upon the infallibilitie or fallibilitie of those who have Authoritie from God no certainly this Power and dutie of those who are in place both in Church and State are founded on the Ordinance and Institution of God in appointing such Offices and in the nature of the Crimes and offences and on the ends of vindicating Gods Glory and Name and preserving others from being ruined c but never on that that the persons who should

exercise it were infallible and not subject to error which that t is so may be demonstrated by these following reasons First In the Churches of the new Testament in the Apostles dayes when they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly and tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture notwithstanding all that Infallibilitie and Immediatenesse of Inspiration such Persons Tenets and Practises though erroneous and mistakes as by the rules of faith and love could and might be tolerated and suffered were tolerated and the Apostles in those things so far from giving any directions to the Churches for withdrawing or excommunicating that they give commands to the contrary namely to receive bear with please such and not our selves follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another and whereto we have already attained to walk by the same Rule as these Scriptures Rom. 14. 1 2 3 4 13 19. Rom. 15 1 2 3. Phil. 3. 15 16. with divers of the like kind show The holding the day of Christ to be at hand was an error and Paul writes pathetically to disswade the Thessalonians from it 2 Thes 2. 1 2 3. yet for all that hee accounts them brethren and so I might instance in other such particulars whereas on the contrary in damnable Heresies Scismes and such like as denying the resurrection of the dead holding Circumcision necessary to Iustification in denying Jesus Christ to be come in the flesh in teaching the Doctrines of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans in separating themselves and going out from the Church the Apostles are against all suffering bearing with receiving of and for rejecting delivering up to Satan and cutting of all such as these Scriptures testifie 1 Tim. 1. 20. Tit. 3. 10. Gal. 1. 8 9. Gal. 5. 12. the second Epistle of Iohn 7. 9 10. Jude 19 23 v. Revel 2. 14 15 20. with many more Now in the Tenets Opinions and Practises of the first sort the Apostles could have resolved the Romans Philippians as infallibly who held the truth and who in the error in those particulars as in the latter of Heresies This is acknowledged by Master Burroughs himselfe in page 59 60 61. of his Heart divisions even where he pleads for a Toleration in all points doubtfull and controverted among godly men who writes thus all these people spoken of in Rom. 14 were not in the right for a man not to eat flesh out of conscience when the thing was not forbidden certainly was a sin or to make conscience of a Holy Day which God required not was a sin Now the Apostle did not come with his Authoritie and say I will make you leave of keeping such dayes or you shall eate or to abstaine thus as you doe is evill and it must not be suffered in you No the Apostle layes no Apostlicall Authoritie upon them but tels them That every man must bee ful●y perswaded in his owne mind in what he doth and who art thou that judgest another mans servant the Lord hath received him And yet the Governours of the Church in the Primitive times might upon much stronger grounds have stood upon such a Principle then any Governours of the Church now can there was lesse Reason why they should suffer any difference in Opinion or Practise amongst them then why wee should suffer differences amongst us for they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly they could tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture And yet we see plainly the Apostle applies himselfe both in the Romans and Philippians rather to presse mutuall forbearance and keeping the Vnitie of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace using all arguments of that kind as God hath received him be that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it he that cateth eateth to the Lord c. Neverthelesse whereunto wee have attained let us walk by the same Rule and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you then from God immediately and infallibly to declare who were in the right and truth in those particulars wherein they differed and thereupon to command the others to be of their mind and Practise in all the particulars or else upon such an infallible resolution to declare they ought to be cast out of the Church and no communion hold with them By all which t is evident that Infallibility and opportunitie of immediatenesse of consultation with God is not the formall Ground of censure but the nature of the things themselves being destructive to faith Godlinesse and edifying for if the power of punishing had beene founded on infallibilitie seeing the Apostles were as able and infallible to give certaine resolutions in the matter of dayes meate and drinks and such like as in matters of faith they would have given other manner of Rules then they did in Rom. 14. Phil. 3. And indeed if Hagiomastize infallibilitie were good what reason can be given why the Apostles did not proceed with all errors and all persons as with Hymene●s Alexander and the woman Iesable which cleerly showes the lawfulnesse of censures lay not in the infallible knowledge of the Governours of the Church but the Apostles in persons and things themselves the one sort weak peaceable Christians holding the head and communion with the body the other turbulent wilful holding Doctrins subverting in the foundation the precious soules of men and godlines And certainly if infallibility were not the just ground and formall reason of censuring but some other thing then fallibility a possibility of mistaking in some things cannot be a just cause of taking away all power of punishing from Governors and that in all points though never so destructive to Gods glory and the soules of men Secondly in the new Testament there are many commands given and many ●●●les laid down both for those times wherein they were written and for all times till the comming of Christ unto persons who were not infallible nor immediately inspired concerning Heresies and Hereticks Scismes and Scismaticks to beware of folk Prophets and false Teachers to avoid reject and turne away from them not to beleeve every Spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God not to receive into house neither to bid God speed those that trasgresse and abide not in the Doctrine of Christ not to suffer those who teach false Doctrine and sed●ce the servants to God to countend ●arnestly the faith to hold fast the truth and sound Doctrine show was these Scriptures to whole Churches and particular Persons both private Christians and Pastors and Teachers not Apostles and Prophets the extraordinary Officers Rom. 1. 16 17 18. Phil. 3. 2. 1. Tim. 6. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 17. 1 John 4. 3. 2. Epist John 9. 10. Jud● 3. Revel 2. 14 20. Revel 3. Now however the