The Divinity of the Holy Ghost The Authority and Interpretation of the Scriptures The Judgment and Communion of the Church The Worship of Gods Sanctuary By ROBERT MOSSOM LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb 1657. To the most Noble LADY MARY Dutchess-Dowager of RICHMOND and LENOX Her Grace And to the Illustrious ESME Duke of RICHMOND and LENOX Earl of MARCH c. His Grace Most Noble and Illustrious ACcept the Devotion of an humble Votary who truly honors the Name you bear and beautifie presuming it will be no Soloecism to join in one Dedication of Honor whom God and Nature have conjoin'd in so near a Relation of Blood Besides it is here an innocent Policy though in Religion no right Piety by offering a Supplication to the Mother to make more acceptable to the Son and by making an oblation to the Son to become the better accepted of the Mother For thus I have a Patronage secur'd by a Mediation which will not be denied And indeed it is auspicious this that confuting Schism I have an United Patronage for my protection But that the Inscription of Your Names may appear neither insolency nor insinuation be pleas'd to know the main design of this Dedication is to be a Monument of Gratitude to the happy memory and excellent merit of that Illustrious Personage JAMES Duke of Richmond and Lenox c. the deceased Husband and Father In whom Vertue gave Honor its perfect tincture He was truly FAITHFUL and RELIGIOUS A Title which doth eternize his Name and Person Now that from him my former Labors received approbation and my self encouragement I cannot acknowledge on a fitter Scene nor perpetuate in a firmer Record then this of a Publick Dedication Thus Madam you see what tribute of Thankfulness I owe to your deceased Lord And to whom shall I pay the debt but either to the Executrix or the Heir the Heir to his Fathers vertues and goodness as well as Honors and Estate And here I cannot but congratulate that enlarged comfort your Grace hath in beholding the fair hopes of this tender Youth so green and flourishing his Heroick disposition sheweth of what Stock he comes A Generous Plant which watered by a skilful hand and cherished with an Heavenly influence will doubtless grow up to be a lofty Cedar in our Libanus whose leaves will shade and boughs will shelter being as spreading as tall as good as great as vertuous as honorable And thus whilst after-Ages blush at the Prodigies of this they reading your Name My Lord upon record shall adore the Providence which hath preserv'd in You a Nursery of Heroick worth which maugre all the malice and mischief of degenerate Times shall flourish to Posterity and bless After-dayes with that we deplore as lost in ours Piety Prudence and Honor the truest Patriots of a Nations happiness and the Churches peace ESME the Name as it is antiently observed of the most eminently successful Lords of this Illustrious Family May your Person My Lord be as prosperous as your Name 's auspicious A Name that speaks Nobility of the best stock Antient Descent and of the fairest impression too Vertue and Valor I will not presume to instruct your tender Age knowing well in what Artists hands you are for the Jewels polishing Only what is presented may happily contribute to the right informing of your Noble Youth that no False Light of our Days Impostures may seduce you to become a Proselyte of Heresie and Schisme but as a true Disciple of the Holy Jesus you may be firm in the faith religious in your life blessed in your death and glorious to Eternity Now as I have begun so I shall close my Dedication with an happy Union not declaring only mine own thoughtt but even Fame's report That you are Madam an happy Mother in so good a Son and that you are My Lord an happy Son in so good a Mother And see the Cedar's shade I joy my self as happy too in so good a Patronage For in all humility I devote my self Most Noble and Illustrious YOUR GRACES Unfeigned Votary and Servant R. MOSSOM THE FIRST SERMON UPON 1 COR. 11.19 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you THE INTRODUCTION IT is our joy as well as our glory The Introduction that we can say of our English Church what Lyrinensis does of Origen's Family Illustrata Martyrio c. Vincent Lyâ—in cont Novat c 23. That it is made Illustrious by Martyrdom as with a Royal Crown and beautified with the magnificent furniture of all kinde of Learning whether it be that of divers Tongues of Humane Sciences or in Divine Mysteries as if God had blest and honored our Reformation with another Pentecost Effusion of Gifts and Graces But oh how does our sad experience tell us That with the bu lding up of Sion Satan and his agents have begun to destroy and pull down what was built The holy zeal of Martyrs and Saints hath been undermined with the Hypocritical zeal of Heresie and Schisms Heresie endeavoring to pervert the Catholick Doctrine and Schism to subvert the Apostolick Discipline of our Church and so at once to raze the Foundation and at least break down the walls of this Spiritual building A Fabrick of so rare and divine a structure as did attract the eye of all Nations The Romanist looking on with envy the Protestant with love all with wonder But oh the guilt the provoking guilt of ingratitude and prophaneness By a just judgment of our God Heresie and Schism have prevailed Psal â—02 13 14. Our Sion is laid in the dust And now as in the broken Walls of a Palace Adders and venemous Serpents so in the publick ruptures of our Church factions and poysonous opinions do daily breed and multiply Yea in a sinful fecundity of Error one Heretical opinion hath given birth unto another till this whole City yea this whole Nation once incorruptae veritatis Sacrarium the very Temple of chast Truth Lyrin Cont. Haeres c. 31. is now become in the words of Vincentius Turpium errorum Lupanar the unclean Stews of adulterate Errors Oh how is the Beauty of our Religion reformed wholly defaced with the many Forms of Religion even to a making the greater number wholly irreligious It is an hard yet a just censure That men either turn Scepticks and question all things or Atheists and believe nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph lib. Haeres Like those in Epiphanius neither Christians Jews nor Gentiles but whilest they will be something of all they become nothing at all But Beloved in this general defection however persons Schismatical Heretical and Atheistical however they forsake the Church as the Capernaits did Christ Joh. 6.67 who followed him for the loaves yet hear the Church be speaking you as Christ did his Apostles Nunquid vos Will ye also go away Oh methinks I hear and I hear with
joy the secret whisper of your secret thoughts returning the Church St. Peters answer of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life O this this is your day of trial as well as of trouble be not then too much offended that there are Heresies amongst us What St. Paul spake to the Church of Corinth it was spoken also to the Church of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Division Observe in the words two general parts A Premonition and a Premunition a Fore-warning and a Fore-arming The Premonition and Fore-warning in the former words There must be also Heresies among you The Premunition and Fore-arming in the latter words That they which are approved may be made manifest among you In the first general part the Premunition observe four particulars the evil foretold in its quality of nature its quantity of guilt its certainty of event and its propinquity of danger First Its quality of nature Heresies Secondly Its quantity of guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also or even Heresies Thirdly The certainty of event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be also Heresies Fourthly The propinquity of danger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you There must be also Heresies among you In the second general part the Premunition observe two particulars a Fore-arming them with Constancy and with Comfort Constancy in the Faith and comfort in their Tryal First Constancy in the Faith That they be approved Secondly Comfort in their Tryal knowing this to be the end of God's permitting Heresies in the Church That they who are approved may be made manifest Thus There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Method Explication and Application THe first general part the Premonition Explic. and therein of the first particular The evil foretold in its quality of nature Heresies There must be also Heresies We will consider the name and then the nature 1. The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is derived say the best Etymologists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from chusing as being that opinion or sect which a man chuseth to himself At first a word of an indifferent signification till by use in St. Paul's Epistles and Ecclesiastical Writers it became appropriated to signifie that sect or opinion which is opposite to the Truth of Christ and the Faith of his Church From the name then pass we to the nature and joyning the materiale and the formale of Heresie together I conceive we may thus define it to be a Pertinacious error of judgment in the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith Upon which definition we will give you our several Observations As first observe not every Error of Judgment in Doctrines of Observ 1 Faith is Heresie for there are some Doctrines of greater obscurity and some of less moment in which we have the Apostles indulgence Every man to abound in his own sense with this proviso That we violate not the Analogy of Faith Rom. 12.6 and use our liberty without breach of Charity for as there was no noise of Axes or Hammers in the building of the Temple so nor should there be any jars from the difference of Judgment and Opinions in the Edifying of the Church True it is no Instrument was ever so perfectly in tune but the next Artists hand would mend something and so no judgment was ever so perspicaciously knowing but that some fancy or opinion could finde matter of dissent Look we back upon the Primitive times themselves and how do we finde Chrysostome and Epiphanius Basil and Damasus Jerome and Austine Victor and Irenaeus and others though learned and holy men Famous in their Generations yet in matters of some consequence though of less moment differing in their opinions and so necessarily some of them erroneous yet did not their dissention of judgments in which they were excellent Paterns of Humâ—lity and Charity yet dâ—d not I say their dissention of judgments break forth into disunion of hearts but in all things thâ—y held fast the bond of love as Disciples of Christ and sons of the Church Observ 2 Secondly observe The Error of Heresie must be in the Fundamentals of Faith eâ—ther evertendo or concutiendo in direct terms or by necessary consequence either manifestly overthrowing or dangerously shaking the very basis and foundation of our Christian Religion But here is the great quaere What Doctrines of Faith are fundamental in which to erre with pertinacy is Heretical Here not to determine the cause but to give you my judgment For I finde the ablest judgments declining the cause as too weak to determine it 1 Cor. 3.11 To give you I say my judgment observe St. Paul Other foundation saith the Apostle can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ But how then is Jesus Christ objectivè the foundation of our Faith Why in his one Person his divers Natures his different Estates his several Offices and his inestimable Benefits According to all which me thinks our Church gives us the best Commentary upon the Apostles Text in that Analogy of Faith set forth in the Apostles Creed the Decalogue the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments of the Sacraments as to their Essentials Observ 3 Thirdly observe Heresie is an Error Dogmatical not Practical of judgment in Doctrines of Faith not of manners in actions of life For that Murder Adultery Theft and the like though they be sins of an hainous nature yet are they not of an Heretical guilt to act those sins forbidden by Gods Word is Prophaneness but to deny those acts to be sins and Gods Word to have forbidden them that is Heresie So then dogmatically to deny any Article of our Creed any Command of the Decalogue any Petition of the Lords Prayer any Essential part of the Sacraments is Heretical Observ 4 Fourthly observe It is not the Error of Judgment but the pertinacy of will which does formally constitute the Heretick For so St. Augustine was wont to say Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo I may erre but I will not be an Heretick not be pertinacious in Error wilfully opposing the light and evidence of Divine Truth And it is Bellarmin's Apology which he makes for Durand Bellarm de Euchar. l. 3. c. 13. That though his opinion in some things was Heretical yet was he not himself an Heretick And why Quia paratus fuit Ecclesiae Judicio acquiescere Because he was ready to acquiesce in the Churches judgment Indeed Humility and Charity preserves from Heresie as being formally pertinacious though not as materially erroneous We see it in St. Cyprian in the case of Rebaptization to whom the Church of Christ hath given a general approbation of his Person and Gifts yet an Universal condemnation of his Opinion and Error And it is Vincentius his observation
Authores ejusdem opinionis Cathelici consectatoâ—es vero haeretici judicantur â—hsolvuntur Magistri condemnantur discipali Vincent Lyrin Adv. Haeres l. 11. Correcturus erat sententiam suam tanto excel lenitor quanto humilior Aug de Bapt. l. 2. c. 4. That oftentimes the Authors of the same opinion are judged Catholick but their followers Heretical the Masters absolved the Disciples condemned and he gives the instance in St. Cyprian and the Donatists In him Humility and Charity made his Error pardonable in them Pride and Pertinacy made it inexcusable Had the good Father heard the Question as it was afterwards fully discust and cleared St. Augustine undertakes to be his compurgator That he would have corrected his judgment and rectified his opinion being by so much the more excellent by how much he was the more humble To this instance of St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage adde we an other of St. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers Who is it that does not read his name in the Album or Church Roll of Holy and Orthodox Fathers Yet how doth he again and again write plain Heresie as to the Error of Judgment concerning the indolency of Christs Humane nature He affirms Hilar. in l. 10. de Trin. That Christ had Corpus quidem ad paciendum sed non naturam ad dolendum a Body indeed to suffer but not a nature to grieve And again his stripes and buffettings Afferre quidem ei impetum passionis non tamen dolorem passionis inferre Sic in Psal 53. in Psal 138. his thorns and nails they did bring upon him the force of violence but not the anguish of pain in his Passion Though in this his opinion he was Heretical yet not being admonished not being convinced and so not guilty of being obstinate or pertinacious he is no Heretick whereas on the contrary in a far less Error even this That Christ was wounded in his side with the Spear whilest alive upon the Cross For this Peter the Minorite who at first affirmed it in a predicant zeal to move the Auditors tears but after maintained it in a pertinacious obstinacy to a disturbing the Churches peace Guido Carme lit l. de Haeres Anno 1311. For this I say he was justly censured and condemned by the Council of Vienna for an Heretick To close then St. Augustine is positive and plain Aug. ep 162. ad init That they who defend their opinion though false with no pertinacious animosity but seek the truth in a wary tenderness and cautelous solicitude Corrigi parati cum invenerint being ready to amend their Error when they finde the truth As for such Nequaquam sunt inter Haereticos deputandi They are by no means to be reckoned in the number of Hereticks But now then in the close Seeing Pertinacy formally constitutes the Heretick when is a man said to be pertinacious I answer When being admonished by the Church and convinced by the Word he will yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold fast his Tenet Aristot Ethic. l. 1. c. 3. keep still to his opinion and rather disturb the Churches peace then acknowledge his own error such a person is in the judgment of St. Paul to be rejected Tit. 3.10 11. that is Excommunicated and cast out of the Church as a man subverted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himself as sinning against the Light and Evidence of his own Conscience Thus we have laid open unto you the several particulars of Heresies definition as a pertinacious Error of Judgment in the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith And in this you have the Explication of the first particular The evil foretold as to its quality of nature Heresies There must be also Heresies Quest Here let us enquire what are the means Satan makes use of to draw men to Heresie Answ Answ 1. Pride and pertinacy of spirit 2. Impurity and prophaness of life 3. Envy at some and admiration of others 4. A familiarity with Hereticks and indifferency in Religion 5. An itching curiosity and affectation of Novelties Lastly Covetous desires and ambitious designs 1. Pride and pertinacy of spirit Pride Lucifers sin and fall and the Schollers are of the same temper with their Master all Hereticks of the same resolution with Satan Isa 14.13 ascendam in altum They will up on high they will be above above the Church above the Fathers above Councels above all Antiquity yea and above all Authority Bern. ep 190. As St. Bernard of Abailardus so experience tells us of all Hereticks they are at their Omnes sic ego autem non sic Though the Antients and the Orthodox think and say thus I think and say otherwise they of that minde but I not of their minde This the right genius and proper strain of Heresies Such a Scelerata praesumptio Vincent Lirin c. 42. such a daring and high-towering presumption Lirinensis tells us was in Nestorius who boasted himself the first and onely man who understood Scripture such a pride is common to all Hereticks especially those of the Anabaptists race all Gnosticks for their pretensions of knowledge in Divine Mysteries 1 Tim. 6.3 4 But as St. Paul gives us the resolution If any man consent not to the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is puft up with an airy conceit of knowing much yet is empty and vain knowing nothing It is the Hereticks aim to be all Masters in Israel Gamaliels all Preachers all every one a Simon Magus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some great one And this Pride it is that begets Pertinacy Pertinacy that bar upon the Window of the Soul to keep out the light of truth Sicut constantia non sinit hominem depravari sic pertinacia non sinit corrigi Aug. ep 110. Quando animositatem illam viceris qua teneris veritatem tenere poteris qua vinceris Aug. l. 6. c. ult As Constancy in the truth will not suffer a man to be depraved with Error so Pertinacy in error will not suffer a man to be corrected by the truth And therefore St. Austin writing against Julian the Pelagian he thus bespeaks him When thou hast overcome come that pertinacy with which thou art held then thou shalt hold that truth with which thou art overcome Oh how loath are men who have profest errors to come to their retractations Though in this of retracting error they have learned St. Augustine for their pattern They shame to recant errors yet shame not to oppose the truth Oh the Pertinacy of a proud spirit 2. Impurity and prophaneness of life It is the excellent observation of Gregory in his Morals Vt per hoc quoâ— quidam nequitèr vivunt illud peâ—â—ant quod salubriter credunt Greg. Moral l. 25. c. 10. 1 Tim. 1 19. Rom. 1.28 Aug. de Nâ—t grat c. 67. that it oftentimes comes to pass by a dispensation of just Judgment That some men by
5.2 4 7. and overthrew the faith of some The Church of Galatia hath those that joyn Judaism with Christianism the Ceremonial Rites with the Evangelical Mysteries The Church of Coloss hath those that patch Philosophical Notions to Gospel Truths Col. 2.18 and the Worship of Angels to the Worship of God The Church of Pergamus hath those that assert the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicholaitans Revel 2.14.15 The Church of Thyatira hath those that teach it lawful to commit fornication Revel 2.20 and eat things sacrificed to Idols Yea so plentiful was the increase of these Tares that in the Primitive and Purest age of the Church to St. Augustines time which was about the fourth Century August l de Haeres c. 88. no less then Eighty eight Sects of Heresies were sprung up in the Church each divided one from another and all from the truth How many Heresies there are amongst us passeth my skill to reckon as much as it doth your judgments to ghess Since we may say of London what was once said of Africa Semper aliquid apportat novi it always is bringing forth someâ—hing new as that Countrey some new Monster so this City some new Heresie Here at Congregational Meetings Heresies engender as there wilde Beasts at the Rivers still begetting by their ungodly mixture of Opinions some monstrous new Heresie so that to give you a view of all the Sects of our age were to lead you thorow all Africa And as before we could pass thorow that Countrey there would be some new monster so confident I am before we could well pass thorow those Sects there would be some new opinion some new opinion which we had not met with some mungrel Heresie new hatcht which we thought not of Oh how do the Anabaptists by a corrupt mixture of opinions as those African Beasts by an unnatural mixture of Seeds how do they engender with the Novatians and beget a mishapt brood called Separatists Again how do they engender with the Apostolici and beget another as deformed a brood called Levellers They engender with Donatus and are called Brownists they engender with Montanus and are called Enthusiasts they engender with Cerinthus and are called Millenarians they engender with Priscilianus and are called Familists and upon other prophane and heretical mixtures are engendred the Antinomians the Adamites the Libertines with many very many other too numerous to be numbred and too horrid to be mentioned And to all these extends our Apostles Oportet in the Text Quest There must be even these Heresies amongst us Answ Must but how Why from the Devils tempting in malice Mans consenting through Wickedness and Gods permitting in Justice 1. The Devils tempting in malice He is that implacable enemy of Christs Church and Truth who seeks all opportunities and pursues all occasions of her mischief and ruine sometimes infesting her with bloody persecutions sometimes seducing with corrupt doctrines always disquieting with hellish temptations 2 Chro. 18.21 This that lying spirit in the mouth of all false Prophets Matth. 13 28. this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the enemy which soweth Tares in the Lords field Revel 12.9 this that old Serpent which seduceth the Nations And therefore our Saviour calls the Congregations of Hereticks Revel 2.9 the Synagogues of Satan 2. Mans consenting through wickedness It is with too too many as with Judas and Ananias Satan hath filled their hearts even with Treachery and Treason against Christ and his Church with Hypocrisie and Hate against his Holiness and Truth So that what was said of Aretine that foul mouthed Italian may be too truly said of the Hereticks in our times Quicquid Diabolus audet cogitare hi audent proloqui What the Devil dares suggest to the Thoughts these dare utter with their Tongues Satan is not more ready to suggest then some men to broach that doctrine which is blasphemous Hieron Apol. Adv. Ruff. l. 2. For this St. Jerome called Arrius Daemonium meridianum The Noon-day Devil so high was the impudence of his Blasphemies 3. Gods permitting in Justice What Heresies are amongst us God could in his power and providence prevent but he rather wills in his Wisdom and Justice to permit ordering and disposing the end to be his own glory and his Churches good True Heresies God forbids and yet he permits he forbids in his Word yet permits in his Providence and thus Miro ineffabili modo by an admirable and ineffable manner Non fit prater ejus voluntatem quod fit contra ejus voluntatem that is not done beside his will in the disposings of his providence which is done against his will in the precepts of his Word August En. chir c. 100. so St. Augustine And that God permits men to fall or rather run into Heresies we say it is in Justice even according to that rule of equity given by St. Paul 2 Thes 2.11 12. where the Apostle tells us That because men receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved They are given up to strong delusions to believe a lie whereby they are damned Thus then upon Satans tempting in malice Mans consenting through wickedness Gods permiting in Justice Upon this is founded the force of the Apostles Oportet in the certainty of event There must be also Heresies Applic. Socrat. Hist l 4 c 27. August de Heres c. 72. To reprove and convince those Licentious men of folly and prophaneness in whom Themistius the Philosopher and Rhetorius the Heretick are revived though not by a transmigration of Souls yet by a transmission of their opinions imagining yea asserting that by diversity of Judgments and variety of Opinions God does gloriam suam illustrare illustrate his own glory and so a man may be saved of any Faith of any Religion But sure I am he who believes a man may be saved of any Religion is not himself of the true Religion and that of Leo is most infallibly true Nisi una sit Leo in Nativ Dom. Serm. 4. fides non est Faith is not at all if it be not one And so that must needs be contrary to the truth of Faith which is contrary to the unity of Faith especially if that of St. Paul stand firm Eph 4.5 as There is but one Body so but one Spirit and as but one Lord so but one Faith Indeed God is truth and reason then tells us there can be but one Truth as there is but one God And further from hence it appears That to assert Toleration of Heresies from the Word of God is it self most Heretical and intolerable We read of Julian alone that gave Toleration of all Sects and he was an Apostate whose aim and end was not a regard to tender Consciences but the destruction of Christs Church If Heresies were to be tolerated in vain had St. Paul given in charge unto Timothy saying A man that is an Heretick reject Yea Tit.
engines for the Churches ruine Ignat. ad Trall They are says Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not followers of Christ but hucksters of Christianity they cry up their opinions as Mountebanks their Salves and promising strange Empyrical cures they cheat simple souls with their adulterate wares The Antients to shew their hate of Heresie compare it to those diseases which are most deadly and those Beasts which are most dangerous They call it that contagious Plague which killing one infects an hundred that Hectick Feaver in the Churches Body which is at first facilis curatu but diffici is cognitu easie to be cured but hard to be discovered afterwards becomes facilis cognitu but difficilis curatu easie to be discovered but hard to be cured Further The Antients call Heresie that Scorpions sting which invenoms whilst it wounds that Hyaena which deceives and devours this subtile and cruel Beast as it is reporâ—ed will imitate the voice of a man and oftentimes calling at the Shepherds Cottages doth seise and devour them Such a thing is Heresie counterfeiting the voice of Christ as the Hyaena does the voice of a man it deceives and destroyes Souls yea its malice and rage is especially against the Pastors of the Church as the Shepherds of the Flock on purpose the more easily to scatter and spoil to raven and devour the Sheep I might enlarge in setting before you the bitter fruits of this cursed stock of Heresie even Sedition Murder Sacriledge Oppression and the like to witness which I might bring you the sad experiences of Christs Church under the Arrian Nestorian and Macedonian factions yea and under the rage of the Anabaptists frenzies and above all under the unparralel'd fury if these days have not out-vied them of Papal persecutions The Orthodox in their just prosecution of Hereticks still tempered Severity with Charity they not onely called them Brethren but applied themselves to them as Brethren convincing their judgments with the evidence of truth and winning their affections with sweetness of love Thus did the Orthodox in their prosecutions of Hereticks but how much different were the Hereticks in their persecutions of the Orthodox Non ex dialecticorum locis sed ex carnificum officinis argumenta solvebant The Prison the Dungeon the Stake the Gibbet these were their Topicks from whence they argued Socrat. l. 2 c. 22 30 Sâ—zâ—â— en l. 4. c. 2. 20. and by which they convinced thus Socrates of the Macedonians And such the confutation from the Spanish Inquisition and the Marian Persecution Notantur articuli parantur fasciculi saith Erasmus The Articles are read and the Faggots are ready and yet certainly to bring to the Stake and cut off with present death was a mercy to this cruelty of pineing the whole Family with want and exposing not onely the persons to the hardships and sufferings the names to the ignominy and disgraces but also the souls the precious souls oâ— their Brethren to the snares and temptations of beggery and necessities It is a mercy indeed to give life but it is a cruel mercy unless that life be suffered to have its livelihood To close Amongst the Heathen Ingratus superbus unâ—hankful and proud were thought a compendium of all reproachful language Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris If thou callest un hankful thou speakest all evil saith Seneca and to set forth Tarquinius in the deepest dy of basest ignominy the Romans named him Tarquinius Superbus Tarquin the Proud Now as for ingratitude what greater then that of the Heretick who Viper-like eats out the Bowels of his Mother that gave him birth And as for the pride of the Heretick it is that of Lucifer truly Diabolical a preferring the spirit of error before the Spirit of Truth as in Pertinacy of Will so in Pride of Judgment And those whom Satan hath fast in the Chain of Heresie he can easily lead if it suit with his further ends into any other enormous impiety though never so bloody and cruel never so filthy and carnal Thus we have given you the Exposition of the second particular The quantity of the guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even or also Heresies 3. The certainty of its event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies Must not in an Oportet of right and duty but of fact and necessity not of right and duty as to obedience but of fact and necessity as to event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostom Chrys Tom. 5. Serm. 21. in loc Luke 9.22 The words are a Prophecy not a Precept a Prediction not an Exhortation the Oportet is like that of our Saviours The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders An Oportet equivalent to a necesse est a necessity not absolute and fatal but upon supposition and conditional even Positâ causâ ponitur affectus the cause being granted the effect doth follow this being supposed That Satan is malicious against the Church and truth of Christ envious at the grace and peace of Gods chosen and irritated by this malice and envy he will not fail to endeavor whatsoever may corrupt the truth disturb the peace and destroy the grace of the faithful And it being further supposed That suâ—h is mans unconstancy curiosity pride self-love and the like that he is easily swayed readily prompted to what is evil and irreligious Lastly this being also supposed That Gods will is not wholly to suppress the Devil and his agents but in wisdom to order and in power to moderate their subtilty and rage so as may make for his Churches tryal his Saints honor and his Truths advancement All this being supposed we may be assured the Oportet stands firm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies How often was there an Oportet in the New Testament for a fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Now as concerning these last days How many are the prophecies which foretold false Prophets how many are the prophecies from Christ and his Apostles Many false Prophets shall arise Matth. 24.11 and shall deceive many so our Saviour foretells us And this began betimes to be fulfilled for not many years after 1 John 4.1 St. John witnesseth Many false Prophets are gone out into the world the whole world is the false Prophets diocess And now as for the latter days which though it take in the whole Chronical account from our Saviours Ascension yet more especially does it point to our times upon whom the end of the world is come As to these then our latter days the Spirit speaks expresly That some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils so St. Paul 2 Tim. 4.1 Yea we may observe the very Apostles are put to weed whilest they plant the Church of Corinth and of Ephesus even in St. Pauls time have those that deny the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 2 Tim. 2.18 Galat.
Pious and most of the Orthodox so prophanely impious but I have soon silenced those thouâ—hts and husht that wonderment When I apprehend how it is Satans master-peece of subtlety to blast the honor of the true Faith by an open prophaneness and to set off the credit of Heresie with a form of Holiness Besides Luxury Drunkenness Whoredome the too too common sins of prophane persons otherwise Orthodox in the faith they are sins truly bestial but as for Pride Malice Envy the common though close sins of Heretical persons Formal in Holiness they are sins right Diabolical And it is our Saviours resolution Matth. 21.23 That Publicans and Harlots enter the Kingdom of God that is are wrought upon to Conversion before Pharisaical Hypocrites and Formal Hereticks Wherefore when according to our Saviours rule Matth. 7.15 16. we judge of false Prophets by their fruits we must not onely examine the fruits of manners because their Hypocrisie may for a time deceive us but also the fruits of their doctrine whether what they teach us tend to the violation of divine Charity the dissolution of holy Unity or the breach of publick Peace again whether that they teach us tend to the prophaning Gods worship the depressing his grace and the diminishing his glory Are these the fruits of their doctrine to destroy Magistracy in the State and Government in the Church To bring neglect of Gods worship and contempt of his Ordinances to promote Licentiousness countenance Disorders and hasten on Confusion If so notwithstanding their plausible pretences of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus The Throne of Christ the Liberty of the Gospel the Discoveries of Grace the Breathings of the Spirit the Outgoings of the Lord and the like Notwithstanding all these plausible pretences yet by their fruits we know them know them to be Ministers of Satan taking upon them to be Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11.15 and though with the Prince of darkness they are transformed into Angels of Light yet their cloven foot discovers them their Doctrine which still ends in deformity and division That all this is infallibly true finde it attested by St. Peter and St. Jude in their several Epistles We will close then with St. Augustines observation That the Devil seeing his Temples forsaken and his Oracles silenced he subtlely deviseth to make a new supply to his Kingdom by having his Ministers still in and about the Church Qui sub vocabulo Christiano Doctrinae resisterent Christianae who under a Christian name should resist the Christian Doctrine and under the shew of sanctity seduce into the way of Heresie No wonder then if St. Paul to put his Corinthians upon their stricter guard does give them the emphatical Premonition of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you Quest To propose then and resolve this Quaere That seeing Satan arms his Instruments with his own arts and instructs Hereticks with a sleight and cunning Eph. 4 14. even to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an art and method of deceiving Seeing it is thus How may we know the deceitful workings of Heresie by what means and in what manner does it instil its poyson Answ and spread its infection Answer 1 By pretending and perverting the sacred Scriptures The Spirit of delusion still brings Scripture in the front of his temptation not to instruct but to deceive And as it was with the Master so is it with the Schollers the Hereticks mouths are full of Scripture Matth. 22.29 yet we may truly say of them what our Saviour said of the Sadduces They erre not knowing the Scripture They have the Words indeed but not the Sense the Letter but not the Spirit however they boast themselves with confidence of both Iren. l. 1. c. 1. But as Irenaeus gives us the apt Simile comparing Hereticks to the maker of Molten Images who taking the Golden Statue and Image of a King and transforming it into the shape and Image of a Wolf he may by a fallacy affirm This is the Kings Image Now by the like couzenage and deceit the Heretick perverting the precious Word of God and framing from thence his Heretical opinions may say This is the Word of God True this Heretical doctrine is said to be the Word of God right as that Image of the Wolf is said to be the Royal Statue and Image of the King materially but not formally so There is the same Matter but not the same Form the same Word but not the same Sense And the true Believer whilst he acknowledgeth the mettal he discerneth the shape the mettal that of the Kings the shape that of the Wolfs The words those of Scripture sacred and true but the sense that of Heresie perverted and false 2. A vain gingling and jugling of words I cannot call it a wily Sophistry but a witless Vanity yet like the cantings of the Gypsies it takes the ignorant An instance and example of this Epiphanius gives us in the Arians who denying Christ to be the eternal Son of God Epiphan Haeres 69. they say of him That he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Creature but not as one of the Creatures a work but not as one of the works begotten but not as one of the begotten Here that of Nazianzen is very apt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these follies to cure their Brains is to confute their Arguments Hellebore is the best Syllogism Anticyrae the fittest Schools This of the Arians a Creature but not as one of the Creatures begotten but not as one of the begotten A â—han cont Arian râ—n 1. orat 3. Athanasius answers with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should speak without speaking and understand without understanding 2 Tim. 2.16 This right that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that vain babling which Timothy must avoid as being proper for them Whose words increase unto more ungodliness whereas that Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus hath still its form of sound words 2 Tim. 2.13 its proper phrase to express plain truth Yea besides their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of vain babling it is ordinary with the Hereticks of late as once with the Valentinians and Gnosticks of old they have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their words of new coyning such as neither themselves nor their followers ever understood Yet these simple Souls because they understand not they admire and admiring they are seduced to believe what they do not understand 3. A busie Tongue and Pen always prating and printing As they swell big with self-conceit so Emperick and Mountebank like they are still professing their art and prescribing Receipts yea the very Women as Tertullian speaks of old how malepert how confident Tere. de Prae script c. 41. and daring even to teach to dispute and that with the ablest Divines as some of them have sent their challenge Nazian Orat. 51. And
as the Tongues of Hereticks are still babling so are their Pens still scribling as Nazianzen of the Apollinarists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They take a pride and glory in the multitude of Books though as the penning was but waste time so the printing proves but waste Paper 4. A disesteem of all mens judgments and opinions but their own This that Egregium Sophisma Lyrin c. 16. that notable Sophism Vincentius speaks of in Nestorius Aug. de Utilit cred c. 1. Plus in refellendis aliis diserti copiâ—sâ— quam in suis probandis firmi â—erti manebant and St. Augustine observes the like in the Maniches They were more eloquent and large in confuting other mens doctrines then constant and firm in proving their own opinions Yea rather then not to have something to confute Heretical persons they will fancy Chimera's raise scandalous imputations which they cast upon their Brethren and then inveigh against them Right like children with their Cherristones who build Castles on purpose to throw at them and then pride themselves in overthrowing them O how do many raise Objections and fancy Errors which never were imagined muchless asserted and then confute them with zeal that they may seem unto the ignorant great Champions of truth 5. Their Proteus-like changing themselves into many shapes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Orat. 51. sometimes smooth and pleasing sometimes harsh and rugged that to speak their sweetness of love this their heat of zeal If they be to gain a Proselyte habent artificium they have an artifice Tert. Adv. Valen c. 1. as Tertullian observes of the Valentinians Quo prius persuadeant quam edoceant Whereby they perswade the Affection before they convince the Judgment whereas truth Docendo persuadet non suadendo docet It perswades by conviction not convinceth by perswasion The Hereticks art is insinuation not instruction and therefore their business is to work more upon the Affection then upon the Understanding But observe To pervert their credulous Auditors and seduce their easie Proselytes Ad ruinas solummodo humiles blandi submissi agunt caeterùm nec suis praesidihus reverentiam noverunt Tert. de Praescript c. 42. Tert. de Praescript c 42. they are as gentle as Lambs humble and meek but bring them to their Pastors the Fathers of the Church yea to the Politick and Ecclesiastick Governors and then the Lamb is become a Tyger they are presently at their words of mutiny and rebellion Ye Moses and Aaron take too much upon you 6. Their making Subversion not Conversion their work Pulling down not building up which is a work easiest and soonest done It is a general rule Tertullian observes in all Hereticks in their service of Ministry they have an aim Non Ethnicos convertendi sed nostros subvertendi Not to convert those who are out of the Church but to subvert those that are in the Church And thus the proper work of Heresie is not so much to establish it self as to destroy the truth and therefore it labors the destruction of that Order Form and Faith which is established no matter for building up it self for Heresie is unconstant to its own principles and loves change it does its work if it does destroy O the very picture of our times No new Form or Faith hath had the fate to be setled onely the Good and old to be pulled down And this the work of Heresie so long since observed by Tertullian and now experienced in our selves 7. Lastly By making women their agents to propagate their errors Satan knows well by his first temptation how facile and yet how prevalent that Sex is the weakest to be won and yet the strongest to win Heresie still prevails soonest with them and most by them so that in all propagating of errors the multiplying Proselytes hath been still by women Hieron Tom. 2. epist ad Crefiphont Optar contr Parmen l. 6. And therefore had Simon Magus his Helena Apelles his Philumene and Nicholas of Antioch Choros duxit foemineos he became leader of the Feminine Troops Montanus had his Prisca and Maximilla the Donatists their She-preachers Though we read in all the Gospel but of one woman that taught in the Congregation and in the same line we read the effect of her teaching even a Seducing the servants of God to commit fornication so it is recorded of that Jezabel Rev. 2.20 And thus Hereticks by a pretending the sacred Scriptures by a vain gingling and jugling of words by their busie Tongue and Pen by their disesteem of all mens judgments but their own by their Proteus like changing themselves into many shapes by their making Subversion not Conversion their work pulling down not building up and lastly by making women their agents to propagate their errors even by these means Hereticks exercise their art and method of deceiving Which means I have discovered to you from the sure observation of the Antient Fathers and I think you are sensible how too well they agree with the sad experience of our present Church To whom St. Paul directed his Premonition as well as to Corinth in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you c. Here let us make Application 1. By way of Complaint Applic. That such is the power and prevalency of Heretical Impostures that our Sacraments are not esteemed sacred nor our Worship of God holy but in contempt of both our Churches are without people the people without Priests the Priests that are without that reverence that should be Et sine Christo deinde Christiani Bern. ep 24. and from hence it is that we are become Christians without Christ having the name but wanting the truth of Christianity amongst us It was Gods complaint of old and may be now unhappily renewed That from the Prophets of Jerusalem Jer 23.15 and so from the Prophets of this great City Prophaneness and Hypocrisie are gone forth into all the Land But what Prophets are these Why God himself tells us V. 21. They are such as Preach without Mission or Commission He sends them not and yet they run he speaks not to them and yet they prophecy And as we see who are the Prophets so see what is their prophecy V. 23. They prophecy lies saith God in my name that is they Preach Heresie and Error under the specious pretences of Gods Word and Truth Thus St. Pauls Premonition given the Corinthians hath extended unto us and we subscribe to his sure prediction by our own sad experince when he says There must be also Heresies among you 2. By way of Vindication To answer the calumny and exprobration of the Romanist who objects to the Protestants what the Heathens of old objected to the Christians Ye Christians Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 7. said the Heathens and so ye Protestants say the Romanists ye disagree amongst your selves and divide into so many and different Sects that it is
hard to finde a Christian among Christians a Protestant among Protestants each Sect condemns the other And amidst those divisions which are so many where shall we finde truth which is but one Indeed we must confess there is too much of truth though too little of Charity in the Objection We cannot but own our unhappiness yet as an object of compassion not as a subject of exprobration To acquit our selves then of the Calumny of our Adversaries though we cannot but bewail the misery of our Brethren know if rightly considered so far is any Church from being Heretical because there Heresies spring up against the truth that it is therefore Orthodox because even then the truth is maintained against Heresies And this is the present condition of the distressed Church of England But we further return upon our Adversaries That the Church of Rome is not therefore the true Church because they suffer not amongst them the Heresies that are amongst us for they have their Errors and those Heretical too onely they maintain and defend what they should acknowledge and reform at least oppose and disclaim The Jesuite indeed he thinks he hath set a sufficient guard upon St. Pauls Oportet And whereas the Apostle says to every Church what he says to that of Corinth There must be also Heresies among you The Jesuite says There shall be no Heresie in Rome and the Popes pretended infallibility shall be their protection But what Do not we know that those very Churches which were as so many Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. 2. and had Christ walking in the midst of them do not we know that those very Churches had then their blasphemous Heresies and prophane enormities amongst them Which Heresies and enormities did not unchurch those Cities till there ceased to be an holy Seed a remnant of Orthodox Ministers to preach and profess against them Indeed where grow the Tares but in the Lords field where spring up Heresies but in the Church It is not then that the Church of Rome hath no Heresies but wants truth to discover and faithfulness to exterminate them Would they begin to weed their field the Tares would soon appear would they begin to cleanse their Floore the Chaff would easily be discovered Let it then be candidly considered whether does more Christianly and ingenuous we who confess we have Heresies yet publickly profess the truâ—h or they who profess they have the truth yet will not confess their Heresies If they will own themselves a Church as Corinth was they must subscribe to St. Pauls Oportet as our Church does That there must be also Heresies and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you 3. By way of Comfort And blessed be God that as he foretels us of Heresies for our Caution so he prescribes us remedies for our comfort And amongst those remedies what more soveraign then the truth of his Word well digested by Prayer and Meditation This is a sure preservative for though all Heresies plead Scripture yet I like not that opinion and prescription of taking away the Scriptures from the people least they become Heretical This is a remedy like that of famishing the children because the Dogs eat their Bread or of plucking up the flowers from the Bees because the Spider sucks out poyson or taking away the pasture from the Sheep because the Wolves devour many of the flock This prescription we leave to those of the Roman Church as suitable to their Roman not to our Christian Faith Tert. de Resur Carn c. 47. For our parts we are no Lucifugae Scripturarum as Tertullian speaks of some we shun not the light of Scripture but are willing to bring our Gold to the Touchstone our Line to the Rule our Doctrines of Faith to the Word of God We know well those Gyant-Heresies of Sabellius Arius Nestorius Eutyches Apollinaris and others we know well those Gyant-Heresies were overâ—hrown by the holy Fathers in the General and Provincial Councils with stones from Davids sling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Athanasius with Arguments drawn from the sacred Scriptures Athan. cont Arian Orat. 2. We like not then to forbid all Coyn because much is counterfeit nor quite to take away the Scriptures because much is perverted Indeed the Patrons of Heresies are not always nor for the most part of the Plebeian rank but rather of the Ministerial Order they are not such as have not enough of knowledge but such as have too much of perversness True the Heresies of the Anabaptists I think are all the peoples Brats Errors of their bringing forth and nursing up they are the Births of a Proud ignorance And seeing these are now the most infesting the Church I would have all her Sons and Daughters so experienced by the help of a faithful Guide in the Doctrine of the Scriptures that they might be able in their Conference with Hereticks Matth. 4.6 7. to imitate our Saviour in his combate with Satan to repel the Error of Scripture misinterpreted by the Truth of Scripture rightly understood and aptly applied For sure to this end that we should be prepared did the Apostle here premonish saying There must be also Heresies among you 4. Exhortation To joyn to our profession of Faith an holiness of life for the Mysteries of Grace are Mysteries of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 they have their holiness as well as their truth And what thinkest thou then O man that thou canst be a fit Judge of the Truth when thou art not acquainted with the holiness of Gospel Mysteries No sure for to instance in some particulars Art thou fit to determine what concerns the dispute of Free-will Rom. 6.20 who art thy self a Servant unto sin a slave unto thy lusts Art thou fit to decide what is the use and efficacy of Grace Jude 4. who thy self dost turn the Grace of God into wantonness Art thou fit to state the nature and necessity of good Works who art thy self to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 Art thou fit to prove the Divinity of Christ who thy self feelest nothing of the power of his Divine Spirit Art thou fit to judge what is Truth in doctrine and purity of Faith who dost stain and dishonor the Truth by thy conversation and impurity of life Whosoever of you then Beloved that desire to avoid the guilt that is so great the danger that is so near even Heresies among you do you joyn to your profession of Faith an holiness of life and then though there must be Heresies among you yet shall you be of the number of those who are approved and made manifest among you THE FOURTH SERMON UPON 1 COR. 11.19 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you THE INTRODUCTION Introduction THe Church of Christ is the House and Temple of the living God yea the Pillar and ground of sacred Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 even as the Edicts of Kings
in the Ceremonial ordinances being abolished the Gentiles are receiv'd into communion with the Jews Eph. 3.6 being made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-heirs of the same eternal inheritance heaven yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-members of the same mystical body the Church lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-partakers of the same gracious promise that made to Abraham Gal. 3.8 when the Gospel was preached unto him that in his seed should all the nations of earth be blessed Thus we have done with the first particular what it is to disciple it is to receive into the communion of the Church 2. Who they are that are to be discipled who they are that are to be receiv'd into the Churches communion even of all Nations as many as believe and the believing Parents bringing in with them their Infant-children Of believing parents we have no doubt of the Infant-children is all the question Wherefore how come they to have any right to or share in the communion of the Church To resolve this grand Quaere I will first prove that Infants of believing parents they have a right and interest in the communion of the Church Secondly give you the reason of that interest and right First prove that Infants of believing parents have a right and interest in the communion of the Church from three Arguments 1. Because the Jews infants were members of the visible Church therefore are the Christians 2. Because our Saviour testifies that to them belongs the kingdom of God Mar. 10.14 1 Cor. 7.14 3. Because S. Paul affirms them to be holy 1. Arg. Because the Jews infants were members of the visible Church therefore are the Christians That infants were accounted members of Christs visible Church under the Law and before the Law if not from Adam as it is probable yet from Abraham as it is infallible Ger. 17.11 12. Circumcision the then initiating seal of Church-communion is our argument and proof invincible Now that infants should be within the communion of the Church under the Old Testament and not under the New under the Law and not under the Gospel is repugnant to Gods mercy and inconsistent with the Gospels fulness in the dispensations of grace Besides observe the state of Church-communion is not chang'd in its nature and essence by the access of the Gentiles For some of the natural branches being broken off Rom. 11.17 we of the wild Olive are ingraffed in and made to partake with them of the root and fatness of the good Olive-tree As with the Jews they and their children are broken off so with the Gentiles they and their children are graffed in yea with the natural branches the ingraffed Gentiles partake of the root and fatness of the Olive that is they partake with the Jews of the promises and priviledges of the Church of which priviledges this is a chief one That the infants of believing parents are members of the visible Church If it were not so the Jews children which were in Church-communion before their parents became Christians they should lose the priviledge they before enjoyed and become so far from being bettered in their estate by their parents believing in Christ come in the flesh that their estate is made very much worse And if this be so that children lose the benefit and blessing under the Gospel which they enjoyed under the Law shew us what guilt in infants forfeited it or what act of Christ repeal'd it Sure we are infants were members of the Jewish Church and that of our Saviour Mar. 10.14 Suffer little children to come unto me we shall hereafter prove confirms them members of the Christian To enlarge a little further When Jews and Gentiles are united we find in Scripture Eph. 2.14 it is by taking down the partition-wall not taking away the Churches communion If there were any change in this sure we are it were for the better not for the worse even such as might advance the grace and riches of the Gospel so that the Jews should not lose though the Gentiles gain not they have less priviledge though the Gentiles more in being one Church with them Wherefore that children should be in Church-communion before Christ's and not after Christ's coming in the flesh is so absurd a Tenent and opinion as deserves none other confutation then to be hist out of the Church Yet for your clearer satisfaction I thus plainly and fully argue the cause When the Jews were converted to the faith of Christ did their children which were before Church-members then cease to be of the Churches communion If so I ask what cast them out If the repealing of that priviledge give testimony of that repeal if the forfeiting that blessing give witness of that forfeiture On the contrary did the Infant-children of the believing Jews retain and shall not then the Infant-children of believing Gentiles receive this priviledge of the Churches communion Sure had it been the doctrine or practice of Christ or his Apostles to exclude Infants from the communion of the Church we should have heard on 't and that loudly too from the unbelieving Jews complaints and clamors though the Apostles pens and tongues had been ne'r so silent Yea doubtless had this so dearly priz'd this so long enjoy'd priviledge been either prohibited or omitted so great a change of so great a concernment would have had some special precept to warrant it or even amongst believers themselves some notable dispute if not disturbance rais'd about it 2. Arg. Our Saviours testifying that to little children belongs the kingdom of God And his testimony we have from S. Mark s Gospel Mar. 10.14 where we find some zealously devoted bringing young children unto Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sucking children Sure we are they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Suidas speaks of some children borne in arms for so it is implied in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adferebant non adducebant Apud Scap. in Lex graec they brought them in their arms not led them in their hands and Christ receives them as they brought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He embraced them in his arms So that it is apparent beyond all contradiction they were little children very babes or infants v. 16. And these they bring to Christ as a great Prophet sent of God or the Messiah in whom they believed and to this end they bring them that he might bless them But the Apostles for what reason we know not they forbid them whose imprudent or sinful act moves our Saviour's just displeasure yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was much displeased saying Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not Where the negative command is the stronger enforcement of the affirmative precept Of both which if we enquire the reason our Saviour answers Of such is the kingdom of God that is they have a right and interest in the communion of the Church and the Covenant of grace
Anabaptists subtleties with which we find him to puzzle some of his eminent opposers In that the Apostle says then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unbelieving husband hath been sanctified by the wife and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unbelieving wife hath been sanctified by the husband the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the Praeter-tense hath been sanctified the Apostle speaks of what had been experienc'd that the wife had been a means to sanctifie the unbelieving husband and the husband of sanctifying the unbelieving wife in their converting to the faith of Christ A good reason this why the believer should not separate from the unbelieving upon this hope of gaining him or her unto the Church And this interpretation is apt to what the Apostle subjoins to confirm his judgment and opinion v. 16. What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife Which saving answers so pat to the former sanctifying that to be sanctified seems plainly to be a converting to the faith and so bringing in to the communion of the Church in respect of which communion says the Apostle your children are holy which otherwise were unclean Act. 10.14 And that this is so S. Peter's Vision will resolve us where by unclean is meant not fit to be received into the communion of the Church and so by holy opposite to unclean must be interpreted one already received or fitted to be received into the Churches communion So that from these three Arguments 1. That Infants of believing parents were members of the visible Church under the Jews and that this priviledge is not repealed 2. That our Lord and Saviour hath testified that to such Infants belongs the kingdom of God 3. That S. Paul hath asserted it of all such Infants that they are holy From these three arguments the surest and soundest we can fix upon to plead the Infants cause against the Anabaptists from these I say I may make my infallible inference of holy truth That the Infants of believing parents have a right and interest in the communion of the Church as the Disciples of Christ This I have been the more large in because I intend this my sure foundation whereon according to the method of my Text to build the structure of Infants baptism according to our Saviours commission and instruction Go disciple all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 2 Having proved that Infants of believing parents as Disciples of Christ have a right and interest in the communion of the Church I shall now give you the ground and reason of that interest and right which ground and reason is this most sure and firm Their being parties in the same Covenant of grace with their parents upon which Covenant of Grace is founded the Communion of the Church and therefore they who are parties in that Covenant must needs be partakers of this Communion And that children are parties in Covenant with their Parents is most plain from the express words of the Covenant first made with Abraham Gen. 17 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee and that this thy Seed after thee doth relate to the Infant posterity of all Believers as well as of Abraham is not onely evident from the Seal of the Covenant-Circumcision Deut. 29.10 11. but also from that renewing of the Covenant to Israel where are present before the Lord to enter into his Covenant not onely the men of Israel but also their wives and their little ones Now this same Covenant which God made with Abraham Jere. 31.31 and established with Israel we finde renewed by the Prophet which is therefore called the New Covenant and as renewed by the Prophet so published and declared by the Apostle Indeed God had told Abraham Heb. 8.10 that he did establish with him an Everlasting Covenant and such as is the Covenant such must be the Communion both Everlasting and therefore Infants admitted in the Jewish Church must not be excluded the Christian And further That children of believing Parents do retain their interest in the Covenant of Grace is confirmed by the doctrine of St. Peter in that his powerful Sermon where he tells the Jews Acts 2.38 39. The promise is to them and to their children as if the Apostle had said Now God hath remembred his Covenant unto Abraham and performed it he hath sent that blessed Seed the promised Messiah in whom all Nations of the Earth are blessed Deprive not then your selves of the Blessing of Grace and Life through obstinacy and unbelief for according to the tenor of the Covenant so runs the promise of the Gospel To you and to your children And that what is here said unto the Jews does also reach the Gentiles and what is spoken to those then present does extend to all that shall come after is fully implied if not plainly exprest in that the Apostle addes And to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Which clause As many as the Lord our God shall call no ways excludes Infants they being called in their Parents And observe the Apostles argument is purposely framed in a regard to that benefit which their children should receive under the Gospels administration of the Covenant by Baptism And if this sense be not purposely intended children will seem but needlesly exprest But the Adversaries urge None but Believers ever had Object or shall have a right to the Covenant of Grace I answer True Answ none but Believers ever had or shall have a right in themselves yet this excludes not Infants for it is the Parents right who is a believer that brings in the infant by vertue of the promise Herein then is the ground of error that men imagine we affirm the childs right to the blessing of the promise is in himself as a child whereas it is in the believing parent who conveys the right in this relation to the infant that it is his child his to whom God hath oblig'd himself by the promise of his covenant that he will be his God and the God of his seed Indeed it is worth our observing that in the right manner of entring covenant with God no parent can enter single but he must stipulate for himself and his children And this is plain both from the condition on mans part and the promise on God's On God's part the promise runs to us and our children that he will be our God and on our part the condition runs from us and our children that we will be his people That as by vertue of the promise God makes it his act of grace that the seed of the godly be blessed so by vertue of the
then that will intrust his liberty or estate to the judgment of a few puny Novices rather then the sage Baristers of the Law And what shall we intrust our Faith and in that our Souls to the opinions of Fanatick Enthusiasts and not rather to the Religious Pastors of the Church and faithful Preachers of the Gospel Yea let me propose it to the judicature of your own reason whether it be equal when any ware hath been judged warrantable or sophisticate by any of your companies that then the judgment of some puny Journeymen should be preferred The like case is in the Controversies of the Church and what will you have more regard to your wares then to your Faith to your commodities then to your Salvations and allow that in the Church which you will not admit of in your shop I urge this the rather because though we may say of our Church what Lyrinensis does of Origens family Vincent Ly◠cont Donat. c. 23. that it is illustrata mantyrio made glorious by Martyrdom such Martyrdom as no Church in the World can out-vy in its Crown of Glory yea beautified with the richest and most magnificent furniture of all kinde of learning yet as Iraeneus tells us of the Hereticks of old Iren. l. 3 c. 1. That they took upon them to be Emendatores Apostolorum Reformers of the Apostles so since that the Romanists have took upon them to be Emendatores Patrum Reformers of the Fathers witness their Index Expurgatorius yea we have them rose up amongst us who will be Emendatores Reformatorum such as reform our Reformers calling into question that Gold which the whole Company of Goldsmiths have tryed by the Touchstone Those Doctrines our Church hath examined and determined according to Gods Word and given Testimony too to those Truths sealing them with their blood Wherefore seeing in the publick ruptures of our Church Heresies and Schisms as in the broken Walls of a Palace Adders and Serpents do breed and multiply that you may avoid their infection and sting 1 John 4.1 Believe not every Spirit Non omni quia omni Believe not every Spirit because it will be every thing any thing but what it ought to be Eph. 4.4 believe that Spirit which is but one but one Spirit as but one Truth One truth delivered us by the faithful Pastors of the Church as by one mouth whereas the factious and heretical they are divided in their spirits Tert. de praescript c. 42. and their opinions so that Schisma est unitas ipsis as Tertullian tells us their unity is that of Schism not of Faith not of Faith for that hearkens to the voice and Ministry of the Church delivering the Word and Truth of God in which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded In the farther prosecution of the two parts of our Saviours Instruction establishing to us the Authority of the Scriptures and the Doctrine of his Church we will resolve you three seasonable questions and clear unto you two vulgar Errors 1. Resolve you three seasonable questions which are these 1. What is the Authority of the Church compared with the Scriptures 2. How do we come to believe that the Scriptures are the Word of God 3. In doubtful cases how may we best interpret the Scriptures First What is the Authority of the Church compared with the Quest 1 Scriptures I answer Answ The Church of England keeps the middle path betwixt two extreams both by ways of Error she gives due honor to the Catholick Church but cheif honor to the sacred Scriptures whereas the Romanist exalting the Churches dignity debaseth the Scriptures Authority and the Sectary advancing the Scriptures Authority debaseth the Churches dignity Avoiding then the Errors of Papism and Faction we acknowledge with St. Paul Eph. 2.20 Quippè illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam de doctrina quà m de persona intelligendum Ambros de Fid. l. 1. c. 4. That the Church hath its Foundation fixt upon the Scriptures and from thence we infer infallibly the Scriptures cannot have their Authority derived from the Church And therefore St. Ambrose makes his challenge to the Emperor Gratian Nolo argumento credas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus in terrogemus Apostolos interrogemus Prophetas interrogemus Christum quod multum Patrem interrogemus cujus honori studere se dicunt I desire not O sacred Emperor that thou shouldst believe our Argument and Dispute let us ask the question of the Apostles of the Prophets of Christ What shall I say more Let us ask the Father whose honor they say being Arians they contend for And we hearken with consent of judgment to that known resolution of Faith given by St. Augustine Audi non dicit Donatus hear Aug. ep 48. it is not said Thus saith Donatus thus saith Rogatus or thus saith Vincentius or thus saith Hilarius or thus saith Austine no but Thus saith the Lord. It is the Authority then of the Scripture which gives firmness of truth to the Doctrines of the Church Yet again we acknowledge what St. Paul affirms 1 Tim. 3.15 That the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillar and stay of truth in that as the Edicts of Kings are fastned unto Pillars so the Word of Truth the Gospel of Christ is committed unto the Church to be held forth in its genuine sense and proper interpretation to the view of all as the sole object of Faith So that the seat of saving Truth the custody of the Gospels promises the treasury of spiritual riches in a word the faithful depositary of Gods Word is to be found in Sion the City of the living God the Church of Jesus Christ And thus the Church does not give Authority to the Scriptures yet declares the Authority of the Scriptures she doth not impose a sense but expounds it So that the Church is the Heavenly Orbe in which the glorious light of saving Truth and Gospel Mysteries shines forth unto the Faithful Secondly How do we come to believe that the Scriptures are the Quest 2 Word of God In answer to this observe Answ Ep◠3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Mysteries of the Gospel contain such a manifold wisdom as is the Angels astonishment so that needs must they be the Council of Gods Bosom not the invention of mans brain However then the Grammatical sense and Logical connexion of words and phrases be discerned by the common light of Humane Reason yet that of our Saviours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conviction of the Spirit John 16.8 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Cor. 4.2 and St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstration and manifestation of the Spirit is a work transcending the skill a wonder surpassing the discovery of natural men here Omnis Platonicorum caligavit subtilit as Cypr. de Sp. Sancto All the subtlety of Plato's School is put to silence A Deo then
brings in the Directory and sets up Lay Elders and all upon this ground That what they did was conformed to the Doctrine of the Scriptures of whose interpretation themselves would be Judges But at the heels of the Presbyterian follows close the Independent and treading in his steps at last over-teacheth him in his design and carries away his Helena from him he pulls down the Classes and the Synod as humane inventions and remains of Antichrist denying That by the Scripture any Presbyters or persons whatsoever ought to have power over the Churches of Christ which are by Scripture-rule Independent in their Government to any Secular or Ecclesiastical power whatsoever And for this they urge their Scripture Texts with much heat of contention against the Presbytery pleading this their common ground of interpretering Scripture by the Spirit whose inspirations and revelations they pretend to above what the Presbytery dare own or acknowledge As then in joyning the Authority of the Scripture with the judgment of the Church was our Reformation so is it Satans subtlety and the Jesuites design both acting by the Enthusiast That in dividing the judgment of the Church from the authority of the Scriptures may be our ruine To the prevention whereof what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder The Word of God and the Ministry of the Church for so faith Christ in Instruction to his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptising and teaching Teaching whatsoever I have commandâ—d you 2 Having resolved you the three seasonable Questions we proceed to clear unto you two Vulgar Errors no less dangerous then epidemical as mischievous in their consequents as spreading in their infections First That the sacred Scriptures are the onely rule of all mens actions Secondly That every man may be an Interpreter of sacred Scripture Which two make up that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that grand and primary falshood which laid the ground for all that division and disobedience which hath of late broken forth into violence and blood both in Church and State 1. That the sacred Scriptures are the onely rule of all mens actions 1. Vulgar Error An opinion however made plausible yet is it indeed pernicious To state the case right That the Sacred Scriptures are our perfect rule of direction as to the knowledge of supernatural Truths in the objects of divine Faith and the exercise of supernatural Graces in the duties of Evangelical obedience we willingly acknowledge and therefore reject all humane Traditions urged by the Romanist as supplements to the Doctrine of Faith and Codicils to the Testament of Christ But now that the sacred Scriptures are our onely rule of direction in matters Civil or Natural especially as extended by the Brethren of the Separation to indifferent actions whereas indeed this opinion makes no actions to be indifferent all being commanded by the Word of God This we can by no means admit of it being an opinion which makes an inâ—et to all Schism and Sedition For Beloved upon diligent search and judicious observation you may finde That in the Controversies of this last age since the Reformation they who have so earnestly preached printed and what not for the change of Church Discipline and Government they have certainly made this the head Theorem of all their Pulpit discourse the very Corner stone of all their Babel-argumentation That simply whatsoever we do and are not thereto commanded and directed by the Word of God it is sin As if when God gave his Scriptures he then made null the Law of Nature and of Right Reason which Law of Nature and Right Reason imprinted in our hearts is as truly and indeed the Law and Word of God as that written and printed in our Bibles And therefore Non differet Scripturâ an ratione consistat Tert. de cor Miâ— c. 4. so Tertullian it will not matter much whether our warrant be from Scripture or from Reason both being the Word of God onely with this difference That Humane Reason is subordinate to Divine Revelation Besides if the Scriptures are the onely rule of all our actions then where there is no Scripture there should be no rule and where no rule no Law But to the Gentiles having no Law written in Tables there is a Law written in their hearts Rom. 2.15 and according unto this Law their Consciences do either accuse or excuse them And thus If the Gentiles have a Law then have they a rule of their actions and that to excuse too and so not every thing which is done without direction of the Scriptures is therefore sin nor yet the written Word the onely rule of what is Natural and Civil To say as some do to mitigate the rigidness and harshness of this opinion to say That the Scriptures are the rule of all mens actions in those general maxims dispersedly and occasionally set down of doing unto others Matth. 7.12 as we would they should do unto us and of doing all things decently 1 Cor. 14.40 Rom. 15.2 Phil. 4.8 orderly and to edification and the like especially of doing whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report c. This were indeed to the purpose if those maxims known principles of Nature and Reason had never been heard of but by Scripture Revelation But in that holy Scripture points us expresly to those maxims in general it withal directs us implicitely to the use of Nature and Reason in all ordinary affairs in particular To convince you more fully of the great danger see the evil consequents of this Erroneous opinion which are especially these three 1. An unavoidable guilt of Superstition 2. A vexatious perplexity of Conscience 3. A seditious contempt of Humane Laws whether Civil or Ecclesiastical First An unavoidable guilt of Superstition For that this opinion takes away the indifferency of things and actions making all necessary as commanded or else to be sinful So that it is well observed the Romanist and Separatist as they go upon contrary grounds yet both false so they run into quite contrary errors yet both superstitious The error and superstition Affirmative on the one hand that 's the Romanists who cutting short the Scriptures perfection impose Humane tradition with an opinion of absolute necessity and divine authority The Error and Superstition Negative on the other hand that 's the Separatists who extending too long or rather laying too low the Scriptures perfection they condemn Natural and Civil Actions with a censure of being sinful which yet the Word of God condemneth not And thus to take away what is indifferent in its self by commanding it as absolutely necessary or forbidding it as absolutely unlawful is Superstitious By commanding it as necessary when Gods Word requires it not and by forbidding it as unlawful when Gods Word condemns it not Secondly A vexatious perplexity
Not onely yearly or monethly but even daily new Doctrines of Faith and all from the pretended new Revelations and new discoveries of the Spirit Yea from the influence of this Vulgar Error it is That the meanest Artisans become the chief Preachers the Day-laborer in the Brick a Master builder of the Temple from hence it is That Sacriledge is expunged the Decalogue the Lords Prayer and the Creed banished the Church and all disorder and confusion breaks in like a flood That you may know then we heartily desire to preserve your common right and special blessing of reading the sacred Scriptures against the Papists as well as prevent the particular abuse and fatal mischief of corrupting the holy Word by the Factious Observe We acknowledge that the holy Scriptures in Truths absolutely necessary to Salvation they are plain and easie but 2 Pet. 3.16 in Mysteries excellently profitable for edification they are in many places dubious and difficult to be understood Wherefore we allow every private person a Judgment of Discretion to apply what is easie and plain but not a Power of Interpretation to expound what is difficult and dubious Certainly John 5.39 2 Pet 3.18 every man is bound to search the Scriptures that he may know and improve that knowledge too of Gods will Yea bound he is to apply what he reads and reading understands for the ordering his conversation in Truth and Holiness in Faith and obedience Thus then you see we by no means like that Popish stupidity that you should live like Horse and Mule without understanding No more then we like that factious frenzy that every man should think himself more then Doctor of the Chair to interpret Scripture by his private Spirit Wherefore for the true Interpretation of Scripture observe We admit the Judgment of the Church as a Trusty Guide and the Opinion of the Learned as a Rational Argument but we approve the Scripture it self as an Infallible Rule clearing those Texts which are dark and doubtful by those places which are more plain evident being still careful to keep close to the Analogy of Faith consisting in those principles of Christianity which are clearly set forth in Scripture and generally receiv'd of the Church What think you now then Beloved he who is not acquainted with the Judgment of the Church and so wants his Trusty Guide he who is not acquainted with the Opinions of the Learned and so wants his Rational Argument he who is not well instructed in the Principles of Religion and so knows not the Analogy of Faith he who is not skilled in the Language and Phrase and Method of the Scripture and so wants his Infallible Rule is such a person however he may pretend to the Spirit is such a person think you fit to be an Interpreter of the Word Wherefore to interpret Scriptures by the Spirit not being qualified as to the use of means for right Interpretation it is certainly most certainly plain Enthusiasm A phanatick presumption the greatest evidence of the Spirit of Error being so opposit in act and operation to the order and method of the Spirit of Truth Object But here the Enthusiast to prove his interpeting Scripture by the Spirit to be lawful and right he urgeth that of St. Paul as his Herculean Argument 1 Cor. 2.14 That the Spiritual man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligit ac discernit as Beza renders it he understands and discerns Judicat as the Vulgar Latin and our English he judgeth and that all things in matters of Faith and of Manners of Doctrine and of Conversation So that what needs more to interpret Scripture then to have the Spirit the case seems clear if St. Paul may decide the Question Answ But stay no Triumph before Victory To this I answer The same Apostle who saith The spiritual man judgeth all things says also 1 Cor. 14.32 The Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets where by Prophets are especially intended the Interpreters of the Scriptures and that the Enthusiast himself will readily acknowledge Now then observe If the Spiritual man will interpret Scripture by the Spirit he must remember That his spirit must be subject to the Prophets submit unto the Judgment of the Church in those holy Interpreters which have gone before him or which are now surviving with him Otherwise he is not spiritual but carnal carnally puft up with the pride of his own spirit which he blasphemously calls the Motion of Gods Spirit Thus then to interpret Scripture by the Spirit according to St. Pauls direction taking the Church for our Guide holy Expositors for our Instruction there can be no just quarrel at our Interpretation For that we keep to the right Rule and Line to the Polar Star and the skilful Pilot the happy Union of what the Text hath joyned the Word of God and the Ministry of the Church for so is the Instruction of our Saviour in his Commission to his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you 1. By vertue of our Ministerial charge we do here Applic. in foro Conscientiae in the Court of Conscience arraign and condemn the Heresies and Schisms of our present times of that so horrid though so common sin of Scripture-Sacriledge men surreptitiously stealing away the true meaning or prophanely corrupting the proper phrase of Gods Word thereby making the Delphick Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred Scriptures I mean to speak that sense which the Spirit of Error hath imposed not the Spirit of Truth revealed Church-Sacriledge and Scripture-Sacriledge they commonly go together they who will prophane the House of God will not stick to corrupt the Word of Christ and they who will not spare to defile his Worship will not care to pervert his Truth Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz oâ—at 36. Rev. 22.18 19. as for the Sacrilegious invaders of the Holy Scriptures whether they be such as violate the Letter or such as pervert the Sense let them see the guilt of their sin in the horror of its punishment denounced by St. John saying I testifie unto everyman that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this Book If any man shall adde unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book And if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and from the things which are written in this Book O dreadful Commination God will assuredly cut him off from benefit by the Testament of Christ who shall by Heretical forgery either detract or corrupt it The Gospel of Christ is his Testament and if it be but a Mans Testament how much more when it is The Testament of God being confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being by Legal Authority ratified and declared Authentick No man disannulleth Gal.