world will make men embrace errour in stead of truth as you sadly see in Spira There is no cause can be sure of them whom either money or honour can buy out such men they are only this way till they can mend their wages As they say the winde it follows the abundance of exhalations so they follow that way where most abundance of profit He that will serve God for a little will serve the devil for more he will be any way where most wages may be had There are indeed four sorts of men who will never hold to truth or any cause of God 1. Ignorant persons such as know not truth we must first know and prove before we can hold fast the Apostle tels us so Prove all things and hold fast that which is good When men are ignorant and know not what is truth how can they hold to it 2. Unsound hearted persons Apostasie and hypocrisie like the Symbolicall qualities one quickly slides into the other It is an easie matter to make him an Apostate who is first an Hypocrite An Hypocrite is but an Apostate vailed and an Apostate an hypocrite revealed One vertually and in causis the other actually and in effectis 3. A lover of the world The love of money will cause to erre from the faith saith Paul Demas was a sad example of that he forsooke Christ and embraced this present world he went to be an Idol priest at Thessalonica as Dorotheus saith There is no cause can be sure of those whom either money or honour can buy out such men they are only this way till they can mend their wages 4. Cowardly and fearfull spirited men The fear of men will worke a snare Prov. 29.25 And this is one snare it will not only make men shie of truth with Nicodemus but baulk decline suppresse nay fall to errour and forsake truth A fearfull man will never be a faithfull man it s all one to trust a coward and a traitor he that is the first will quickly be made the second Fear will undoe him as it hath done many To conclude this is certaine who ever is under the command of any lust truth hath no command over him he that is given up to any sinne will quickly be given up to errour too And thus you see who those are who are in danger to be carried away with errour And how much this Nation nay every one of us are guilty of these sinnes you will know if you doe but impartially looke over them 1. We have not retained the notions of God in holy hearts 2. Nor received truths with love 3. Nor walked sutable to truths revealed 4. We have adhered to truth for partiall respects 5. We are not grounded in truth 6. We have rejected truth on corrupt grounds 7. We have been servants to the world and how just it is with God thereupon to give us up to wayes of errour I have already shewed you to conclude then if you would be established in these times let it be your care 1. To get into Covenant with God Jer. 31.34 2. Get to be his childe Isa 54.13 3. Get to be his friend Joh. 15.15 4. Get the Spirit of Christ Joh. 16.13 5. Be willing to embrace truth revealed and practise truth received Hos 6.3 Joh. 7.17 6. Be humble Psal 25.11 7. Entertain truth into thy heart 1. Truth 2. All truth 3. As truth 4. And with love of the truth 2 Thess 2.10 And thus much for the fourth Question We are now come to the fift and grand Question Qu. 5. Qu. 5. The grand Question is What may be the Examens of truth and errour I say What are the Examens of opinions or the tryals and discoveries of truth and error In the handling of this in regard it is the main of all I shall take more liberty to be larger And we shall breake this into these foure Quaeries 1. Who are to examine opinions 2. By what rule or by what touch-stone we are to examine 3. Who is to judge of them 4. By what markes or signes may a man be able to distinguish truth from errour and discover errour from truth We shall now begin with the first And that is a maine inquiry viz. 1. Who those are who are to examine And if you aske the judgement of the Papists in this point they will tell you that none are to examine or judge of opinions or controversies but only the Church that is a Synod of Bishops or an Assembly of Roman Prelates This is their tenent that what ever the Prelates doe define in cause of faith that ought to be beleeved and received of all Christians without any examination or doubt Bellarm. hath this passage * Ecclesia non potest errare in explicanda â—octrina fidei Christiani tenentur eam recipere non dubitare an haec ita se habent debet Christianus sine examine recipere doctrinam Ecclesiae the Church cannot erre in unfolding the doctrine of faith and all Christians are bound to receive their determinations without any doubt whether they be true or not A little further he saith Every Christian ought without any examination to receive the doctrine of the Church that is that doctrine those prescriptions and definitions which they shall stablish And he gives one reason because what they doe establish and prescribe to others they doe it not as teachers but as Judges He hath these words It is one thing to interpret the rule after the manner of a teacher another thing to interpret it after the manner of a Judge to the explanation of it after the manner of a teacher there is required only learning and knowledge but to the explanation of it after the manner of a judge there is required authority The doctor doth not propound his sentence as necessary to be followed but as reason doth perswade but the judge propounds it as necessary to be followed Augustine and the rest of the Fathers had but the office of teachers Aliud est interpretari legem more doctoris aliud more judicis c. Bellar. Tum doctrinam ex Dâ—o esse sat is inrelligium cuÌ„ a legitimo pastore proponi eam animad vertimus c. Greg. de Vol. but Councells and Bishops in Convention have the office of Judges thus he So that you see this is their opinion 1. That Christians are to receive all the explanations and definitions of the Church touching doctrine of Faith without any Examination and doubt 2. That the Church doth interpret the Law of God or scripture not after the manner of a Doctor or Teacher but a Judge or a Supreame and absolute Prince who requires obedience not so farre as law and reason perswades but for his authority 3. That this Church to which they give this absolute Empire over Christians is nothing else but an Assembly of Roman Bishops You see he speakes high and yet some goe farther then this One of them hath
this way and the other this and in both it may be the Scripture is silent or holds out as much for one as the other Now in this case why should there be falling out certainly diversities of opinion may be countenanced and yet without sin provided that it doth not arise either from ficklenesse unsetlednesse and inconstancy in us or from pride that we love to side and differ from others or that it doth not tend to make disturbance of the peace of the Churches of Christ But I am too long on this I will therefore conclude this second generall the ground of abounding errours and come to the third Q. 3. What are the grounds that so many are carried away And because this question doth fall in so much with the former question therefore I shall be short on it In briefe then I shall resolve all into these two generall grounds 1. Weaknesse 2. Wickednesse One incident to the godly the other proper to the wicked The first ground that men are carried away with errour it is weaknesse I will branch this into three particulars 1. Weaknesse of judgement which is the weaknesse of head There are many who though they have grace and good affections in them yet want knowledge they are babes in understanding they want judgement to examine and try opinions the things in controversie are above their fathom their line is too short and they want sufficiency of light to discerne of things that differ to distinguish between truth and errour there is a great deale of sophistry in errour there is the head of the serpent in it who was too subtile for our parents in innocency it may be an errour may be handed out to us by holy men and represented to us under faire specious and high pretexts and we our selves want wisedome or knowledge to see to the bottome of it and therfore embrace a shadow for substance an errour for truth 2. Want of stability though they have some knowledge yet they are not fixed and stablished in the truth there is a kind of lubricity and ficklenesse and inconstancie of spirit in men which the Apostle takes notice of and blames in Ephes 4.14 That we henceforth be no more children tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse wherby they lie in wait to deceive too many who are of this temper like children tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine It is a metaphor taken from a weather-cock which is carried about with every wind it stands this way now but it is because another wind blowes not they are not fixed and stablished in the truth There are many who are fixed and grounded in errour and too many who are unstable and unsetled in the truth which doth not meerely arise from want of knowledge but from want of stability They are of uncertaine and unconstant spirits that spirit which many men have in errour would be a precious spirit if it were joyned with the truth but to be stable in errour is a punishment and to be unsetled in truth is our sinne and yet how many who are fixed in the one and will boast of it I thanke God I am no changling when others are unstable in the truth I have sometimes thought what might be the ground of this inconstancy and instabability of spirit in those who yet are full of good affections And to let goe the naturall grounds which arise from the tempers of nature I have thought of these foure spirituall grounds 1. Want of knowledge they are but yet babes and children in knowledge and therfore may be unsetled according to the measure of knowledge such is the measure of setlednesse and stability of spirit if we knew perfectly we should never change but we know but in part and therfore being imperfect in knowledge we are also imperfect in our stability 2. Want of grace I say degrees of grace not truth and essence of grace this the Apostle sets downe Heb. 13.9 Be not carried with divers and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace here was inconstancy in them what was the reason they had grace but were not stablished with grace they wanted such a measure as to stablish their hearts Grace will ballace the most unsetled heart it will fix the most unfixed spirit a little grace will so fix the heart as 1. It shall never entertaine any fundamentall errour 2. Nay he shall never make any errour his choice 3. Nay if he give way to any errour it is still under the notion of truth A little grace will doe this but there is required a greater measure of grace to stablish a man in the truth and to preserve a man that he shall not be led aside with any way of errour 3. Want of comfort may be another reason of instability It may be a man hath walked in these wayes and finds no comfort in them his heart is troubled he can get no peace and because they find not comfort in those wayes they expected they look for it in other wayes It is a sad thing for a soule to be without comfort As the body without the soule is dead so is the soule without comfort that which the soule is to the body comfort is to the soule and therefore men in the want of comfort are apt with the Bee to goe from flower to flower from one opinion to another if God keep them not upon this ground many have fallen to Popery because they could not get comfort upon the principles of our Religion which affords no comfort to them who would reserve their sins And upon the same ground men under troubles and wanting comfort they are apt to run from this opinion to that hoping in all to find comfort to their troubled spirits Like men sick of a Fever they think their disease is in their beds when it is in their bodies they think by shifting of beds to be ridd of their distemper when yet they carry the distemper with them yet some refreshment for present may come with change but certainly it is a great mercy and a wonder of mercy when men have long been in trouble and in want of comfort that God hath kept them and not suffered them to seek for comfort out of Gods way that he hath not suffered them to runne into any way of errour to find comfort that he hath given them patience to wait upon God in the wayes of obedience in his own way And rather to charge themselves then the way if they want comfort and surely the fault is at home either you are formall in your walking or you hold compliancie though you give not entertainment to some corruption or you give way to your own unbeliefe the doubtings and misgivings of your own spirit or God is willing to deny thee comfort for thy further exercise to quicken to humble to put
Transubstantiated in the Sacrament I might adde to this the Councel of Trent and others And therefore seeing that all Doctrines are not free from dâ—ubts which are established by Councels nay seeing that Councels themselves may erre therefore these commands of Christ Take heed of being deceived and those of the Apostle Prove and try all things are of use and requisite to the examination and tryall of the results of Councels and Synods themselves They that prescribe things are but men and therefore not infallible they may erre and we that receive them we are men too and therefore are to receive them as men that is rationally not precipitantly deliberately not rashly a Omnis homo dimittens rationem propter authoritatem humanam incidit in insipientiam best ialem Dur. That man that puts off reason for humane authority fals into beastly folly b Nullius puri hominis authoritatem rationi praeserrimus We preferre no authority of pure man before reason so that as we are men we are to receive doctrines and that 's rationally but yet more we are not onely men but Christian men and therefore are to receive doctrines as Christians having a light of the Word added to the light of reason whereby we may be able to examine those things which are prescribed And that shall suffice for the first argument Arg. 2. Why Christians are to examine the doctrins and definitions of men Because God hath furnished Christians with abilities for such a work I will name three 1. They have light as men 2. They have light as Christians 3. They have a faculty whereby they are able to reflect and upon reflection to discern of things that differ 1. God hath furrished them with light as men he hath given them a reasonable soul an understanding faculty which was therefore set up and created of God to enquire and finde out saving truth and every mans understanding doth owe this operation to God to take pains in the search and examination of the minde of God And certainly it is a great fault in those who out of sloth and sluggishnes doe adhere to the dictates and opinions of others because they would not be troubled with the pains of a scrutiny and examination whether the things commanded be agreeable to the Word of God yea or no. 2. God hath furnished them with light and abilities as Christians he hath not only given a naturall but a spirituall and supernaturall light whereby we are made able to enquire into the truths of God It is the opinion of our learned Divines against the Popish tenent of implicite faith and blinde obedience * Quod singuli fideles habent adeò tale donum illuminationis quod eos reddit sufficientes idoneos ad examinandum dijudicandum discernendum in dogmatibus fidei quod verum quod salsum quatenus sunt unicuique eorum ad salutem necessariò credenda vel cavenda Daven de jud fidei That all and every believer hath of God such a gift of illumination that renders them sufficient and fit to examine judge and discern of the doctrines of faith what are true and what are false so farre as they are needfull to salvation to be embraced or rejected And there is enough in the Word to prove it Isa 45.13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. Christ speaketh the same Joh. 6.45 Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe my will he shall know my doctrine Psal 25.14 The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Consul Whitak cont 1. q. 5. c. 8. arg 4. Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God c. Joh. 10.4 5. My sheep hear my voice and know it but they know not the voice of a stranger 1 Cor. 2.14 15. The carnall man discerneth not the things of God c. but he that is spirituall judgeth all things and he himself is judged of no man Ephes 5.8 Ye were once darknesse now light in the Lord. All which doe evidently and clearly prove that God hath given to believers a sufficient light and illumination whereby they are able to discern of things that differ and are able to examine and to try whether doctrines propounded if necessary to salvation are of God yea or no. 3. God hath given them a faculty to reflect and upon reflection to know things that differ And not to use it to examine all things to finde out truth and to discover errours to judge false teachers to know the minde of Christ the voice of our shepherd what is it but to hide our talent in a napkin to bury up those abilities that God hath given us and to be unserviceable by them This is a second reason why we are to examine the doctrines of men because God hath given us abilities for the doing of it we have a naturall light as men and we have a supernaturall light as we are Christians and we have a faculty whereby we may make use of this and by comparing and bringing things to the rule may be able to discern of things that differ If indeed there were no more required then to embrace and receive what ever were tendered without any further tryall or examination of it there were no need of all this there were no need of the understanding of Christians nay indeed of the understanding of men As one saith to this purpose to receive all and swallow all offer'd * NoÌ„ est opus viriliâ— intelligentiae sed pucritis inscitiae there is no need of the understanding of a man but of the simplicitie of a childe Infants doe swallow what ever the Nurse puts into the mouth but men examine whether that which they eat be wholsome yea or no now if you will swallow what ever is offer'd and not examine it what needs the understanding of men the simplicity of children will serve for that And so much in brief for the second reason Arg. 3 Either we are to try and examine what ever Doctrines are prescribed and imposed or we are to receive what ever is imposed or reject what ever is imposed without examination But this we are not to doe 1. Not to reject without examination for so we may reject truth in stead of errour 2. Nor to receive what ever is imposed 1. For if we were to receive what were imposed without tryall then should we make men masters of our faith but that we ought not to doe as I shall shew hereafter Ergo. 2. Again if we are to submit to what is imposed without tryall and examination then would not God charge us with sinne if we believed any errour or heresie provided it were imposed or prescribed by them to whom it was our duty to submit without tryall or examination The ground is this because none ought to be blamed who have done their duty who have obeyed Gods ordination or Gods
not only to use others eyes but our own eyes nor are we to commit our faith to others judgements but to clear it to our selves l Pedibus potius quam cordibus caâ—t in sententiam aliorum qui dogmata non expendunt They rather bring their feet then their hearts into a way who subscribe to the doctrines of any without examination and search m A fiâ—guliâ— ergo in doctrina sâ—â—â—tis admittendâ— usus propriae rationis propriique judicij requiritur c. The use of a mans proper reason and judgement is required of all those who are to receive the doctrine of salvation not that we should judge according to naturall reason of divine truths but that we should use our understandings enlightned according to the rules of good and necessary consequence what is agreeable and what is disagreeable to the Word of God and are no further to submit to the doctrine of any mortall man then it is evidenced to us to be deduced out of the Word of God and agreeable to the minde of Christ I have here given you a taste of an abundance more that might be alleadged you see a cloud of Witnesses that it is the duty of all to examine not only the opinions of private men but the sentences determinations of Synods and Councels and to receive or reject them as they shall be found consonant or dissonant to the Word of God We will now come to the fourth thing propounded viz. The answer of objections and so passe to the second viz. By what rule we are to examine Obj. If Christians are to examine and judge of the opinions and doctrines of their guides or them who are set over them then it will follow they are judge of their Judges but this is absurd And therefore Ans A Christian makes himself Judge of none nor is he judged of any as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.15 It is one thing judicare another thing judicem agere one thing to judge of mine own acts another thing to act a Judge To judge by way of authority in foro externo in publike way of doctrine doth not belong to private Christians but to judge by way of a Christian in the Court of conscience in foro interno what is to be done what is not to be done what is according to the will of God what not this belongs to every Christian It is the duty of every Christian to weigh perpend examine the opinions and doctrines of others so farre as they contain any thing to be believed or done and in this doing he judgeth not of persons but of things not of men but of doctrines not as they are the acts of others but as they are to be his own acts The Apostles in Acts 5.40 did judge it not fit to abstain from preaching the Gospell notwithstanding that decree of the Priests and yet they made not themselves Judges of them So the Christians judged notwithstanding the sentences and decrees of Emperours that Idols were not to be worshipped and yet they were not the Judges of those Emperours So the three children in Dan. 3. There is a two-fold judgement granted by Papists themselves Forense Rationale The former to wit publike judgement they say belongs to them that are in publike authority the other belongs to all to whom God hath given a reasonable soul And * Vâ—â—squisque debet â—â—tus suos examinare ad scientiaÌ„ quam à Deo habet omnis enim homo debet secundum rationeâ— agere Aquin Aquinas grants some kinde of judgement to the people And therefore this judgement viz. rationall and private judgement may be exercised by their own confession and yet in this they are not judge of their Judges Obj. 2. Those who ought to rest in the judgement of their Doctors and teachers they ought not to examine and judge of doctrines and receive or reject them as they shall appear to them to be true or false But private Christians ought to rest in the judgement of their Doctors For this they urge that of Christ The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chair what ever they say to you doe Answ For the first part of the objection that we are not so farre to rest in the doctrines and determinations of any as not to examine I have fully cleared to you in this Discourse already and this doth but beg the Question if indeed we are to rest in the judgement of others then its true it were not our work to examine but to doe but I have shewed we are not to rest in the judgement of others and therefore our work first to examine before we doe And for that Allegation of Christs Sedendo sâ—per caâ—hedram Mosâ—s legem Dei docent ergo per illos Deus docet sua vero illi si vâ—lint dâ—cere nolitâ—â— audire nolite facere Aug. â—ract 46. in Joh. we are to understand it that Christ would have them to hear them so farre as they might hear God in them that is so farre as that which they speak was agreeable to the Word 〈◊〉 God and no otherwise certainly Suppose that the Scribes and Pharisees should have preached to the people as no doubt but they did that Christ was not the Messiah that he was not sent of God to be the Saviour of the world would Christ have them hear them in that certainly they themselves doe not hold that and therefore that whatsoever is to be understood with this limitation so farre as their doctrine and precepts were consonant and agreeable to the Word of God For where they erred he himself blames them And indeed if the Papists would consult with their own authors as touching this point they would resolve them in it One of them propounding this Quâ—stion Whether people are bound to obey their Superiours in all things 1. Non tenâ—tur subd tus obedire superiori suo coÌ„â—ra praeceptum majoris potestatis â— NoÌ„ tenetur obedire si ei aliquid praecipiat in quo ei noÌ„ subdatur Aquin. 2. 2. q. 104 art 5. he resolves it after this manner 1. The people are not bound to obey their Superiours if that their command be contrary to a command of greater power 2. The people are not bound to obey their Superiours if their Superiours should command any thing to them in which the people are not subjected to them that is if in his commands he goe beyond his bounds and require that of them which is due to God to require only When he commands things which are contrary to the Word of God we are not bound to obey because this is contrary to a command of greater power When he commands things which are besides the warrant of the Word and beyond his bounds we are not to obey because he hath not dominion over our faith he commands things above his power It is a savoury speech of Austin a Oportet nos ex ea parte quae ad haÌ„c vitaÌ„
liberty nay they are bound to examine and judge of the definitions and determinations of them They desire not that their authority shall be valid with you unlesse they bring the authority of God nor that you should hear them unlesse you hear God in them It is their work to propound to determine to declare yours to examine to prove and judge As one speaks e Cum dogma prâ—ponitur credendum aut praeceptum aliquod faciendum quum credere facere sunt actus mei Si me hominem rationis participem praestare velim c. Examinare oportet quicquid proponitur ad scientiam meam when any doctrine is propounded to be believed or any thing commanded to be done because to believe and to doe are my acts if I will shew my self to be a man endued with reason I ought to examine what is propounded and so to assent or dissent so far as agreeable or disagreeable to the Word And indeed unlesse you will say we are bound ad personas titulos to persons and titles and not to the truth of the Gospel it is requisite that we should not only examine f Non modò qualitatem authoritatem docentium sed qualitatem doctrinae the quality and authority of the teachers but the quality of the doctrines and what conformity it hath with the minde of Christ Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from heaven should preach another doctrine let him be accursed Neither indeed is it possible you should assent to and receive any truth of Christ without the previous action of a mans own judgement unlesse there passe examination and judgement in a mans own spirit that it is a truth of God I say there can no man embrace a truth and assent to it upon the bare perswasion or determination of another Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2 l. 5. c. 9 10 12 c. although he doth never so much desire it unlesse there passe an examination and a proper act of a mans own judgement that the thing commanded is the minde and will of Christ Indeed a man may not contradict it or a man may give up his affections to it and subscribe to it out of corrupt affections and from humane or rationall grounds but he can never receive it as a man never subscribe to it as a Christian till there hath passed an act of his own proper judgement and this upon scrutinie and examination It is a shame to thinke how the common sort of people doe embrace doctrine the authority of the imposers doth give them eyes to see and judgements to assent and faith to believe and subscribe to what ever is imposed In the reign of former Princes how soon were the body of the Nation converted from Popery to Protestantisme receiving and rejecting embracing and refusing the sacred truths of God mainly if not meerly according to the aspects and commands of authority And is there not the same spirit in the multitude to this day ready to embrace and receive what authority shall command without any previous search and examination whether the things be of God or no A blessed and happie thing it is for a Nation to reject corruption in worship superstition in the service of God but then to doe this as men as Christians knowingly And as blessed it is to embrace a reformation to submit to the waies of God but to doe it knowingly upon scrutiny and examination this will make you men and to adhere to the truths of God received upon the utmost hazzard I see in many a preparation of heart to subscribe to what ever is of God but oh that there were the care the study the endeavour to examine things also that you might evidence them to be the truths of God that you might say as they of Samaria Joh. 4.42 Now we believe not because thou hast told us but because we have heard our selves and we know him to be the Messiah So now we embrace this Doctrine this way of worship not because it is imposed not because it is prescribed of men but because I see and am perswaded in my heart it is of God this were a work worthy a Christian This I exhort you unto away with blinde faith with blinde obedience you are men doe things as men you are Christians doe things as Christians embrace not any thing out of fear but out of faith not out of corrupt affections Nec ego Ariminensis concilij authoritate nec tu Nicaeni detineriâ— Au. but out of a pure and holy heart reject nothing out of pride prejudice but out of light do nothing ignorantly but all knowingly be resolved in your selves and that upon search upon examination Do not pin your faith upon the bare authority of men no not the best of men 1. You will wrong God what a wrong is it to God to attribute that to man which is proper to him alone to set man in Gods throne and to receive and subscribe to man before you see God to speak in them 2. And what a wrong is it to man to make them masters of your faith they claim it not it is Gods due and as you wrong God so will you them if you doe give it to them 3. You wrong your own souls you prejudice your selves in the wayes of God wound your souls with guilt of sin 4. It declares you either ignorant atheisticall or carelesse about the businesse of your souls or to be led and byassed with corrupt affections fears and hopes when you will close with any thing till you have tryed it and examined it and brought it to the barre past sentence and judgement on it It is the bravest thing in the world to see men do things knowingly if not you doe but side with a way out of faction and affection not out of knowledge and conscience It is not easie to determine whether is worse to be rationally and knowingly in an errour or to be ignorantly and blindely in a truth Get light therefore to discover and then to embrace 5. You prejudice the cause of Christ when you adhere to it upon slender grounds What a shame to doe that which we are not able to evidence is our duty to doe to walk in that way which we are not able to maintain 6. You endanger your own revolting that man can never hold to a way which he hath not clear'd and thereby is perswaded to be the way of God The same ground upon which he receives a truth he will reject it and embrace an errour If authority come in it shall cast the scale any way if it had not been for this that authority came in we should not have had so many Protestants and if that authority had not come in we should not have had so many Papists When the Standard is set up all flock to it but to the standard of authority not of truth I may say of most they are this way and they are not that they embrace
God in Scripture And here I must tell you it is a knotty Question and of great concernment the issues may be dangerous on both sides if the results be that Synods are to judge it will be said there will be danger of subjecting mens consciences to the determinations of men if that every one are to doe it then will there be danger of confusion It is a tickle point and more need of your prayers for Gods assistance Now then for the answers of this Question that I may not beat the air and speak at randome there will be a necessity of premising some distinctions 1. Concerning Judges 2. Concerning points to be judged 1. Concerning Judges As we say of judgement so we may say of Judges There is a two-fold judgment and there are two-fold Judges 1. There is a two-fold judgement 1. Ministeriall 2. Rationall Judgment Reynolds in his conference with Hart cap 2. div 2 p. 100. midle of it Or there is 1. A Judgement in foro externo or publico a publike and authoritative judgement in Synods Councels Assemblies 2. There is a judgement in foro interno or privato a private and self-directive judgement in the Court of conscience And this distinction is founded upon the Word of God it hath footing there The first viz. Ministeriall judgement or that publike authoritative decision in Councels or Synods you may see it plain to have its footing in the Word of God Look to Act. 15. here was the occasion of this convention much trouble of the Churches concerning some difficult points and errours spread ver 2. then here 's messengers sent from the Churches and here 's the matter of a Synod Apostles and Elders of severall Churches here 's the forme assembling together here 's the end of it after much debate to clear and settle the truth Act. 15. â—8 Act. 16.4 here was the determination of the doubt with authority to binde the Churches For the 2d viz. private rationall or self-directive judgement in the Court of conscience I have clear'd that to you by many Scriptures 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good which I have shewed you to be a charge to all Christians 1 Joh 4.1 Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God yea or no And the example of the Bereans who were yet commended for trying and examining the doctrines of the Apostles themselves Act. 17.11 the Apostle injoyns us Let every man be fully perswaded in his own minde Ro. 14.5 And if so then is he to examine and judge And great reason for this will not bear us out to say that Authority commanded a Councel determined it and therefore I obeyed I submitted the Papists indeed say this will bear a man out in a way of errour but Christ saith If the blinde leade the blinde they shall both fall into the ditch And the Apostle tels us that wâ—ll not excuse us that we followed the determinations of Councels of Synods For every man shall bear his own burthen Gal. 6.5 Nay and every man shall give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 So that you see this distinction of ministeriall and rationall publike and private judgment and Judges is founded in the Word of God We come to the second and that is to distinguish of points to be judged they are not all alike I will give you these distinctions of doctrine to be judged 1. Some are Doctrines of faith Some are Doctrines of worship And both these admit of their severall distinctions too 1. The doctrines of faith they are either such as are Fundamentall or Superstructive Doctrines I say these are either foundation-truths or building-truths And building-truths are such as are either More necessary or Accessory Accessory truths are such as are either More Evident and clear Or More Ambiguous and doubtfull Those more ambiguous and doubtfull are so either In themselves or To us 2. The Doctrines of Worship and those are such as concern Either 1. Internall worship and so they come under the Doctrines of faith 2. Externall and so they fall under the externall regiment or government of the Church The Doctrines of externall worship are either Essentiall or Circumstantiall Essentiall are those things which belong to the distinction of offices the choice of Officers and execution of them c. Circumstantiall are such as may be added for order for the commodity and profit of the people viz. time place hours In disciplina ecclesiastica distinguamâ—â— ea qua sunt fundamentalia ab accessoriis levioribus fundamentalia sunt haec ut legitimae vocationes personaruÌ„ retineantuâ— veluti pastores presbyteri diaconi ut ij legitime electi suo munere fungantur vel dâ—ponantur removeantur Accessoria dico quae ut haec fiant observentur in ecclesia quaque pro teÌ„pore c. Danaeus in 1 Tim. 5.13 p. 289. with such like And that these distinctions also are founded upon the Word of God I might shew you at large The distinctions of Doctrines of faith and worship they are the summe of Christian Religion Fides cultus faith and worship are the two generall heads of Christian Religion spread thorow the whole Scripture And concerning the Doctrines of faith the distinction of foundation and building-doctrines you may see plain 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12. I have laid the foundation but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ There is the great foundation-truth Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble Here are building-truths of which there is distinction some precious stones some gold some but silver The hay and stubble are errours and erroneous doctrines built upon a good foundation bad consequences drawn from good conclusions bad superstructions upon a good foundation So that you see there is footing for those distinctions I might shew the like of the Doctrines of worship those that are Essentiall and those that are Circumstantiall This distinction hath also countenance in the Word of God And for the Essentials of discipline there is mention made in the Word but for the other they are left to the prudence and wisdom of the Churches And now having propounded these necessary distinctions I come to the Answer of the Question Who is to judge of Gods minde in the Word And here we must runne over all the distinctions we have named There will be need of all for the clearing of the point First I told you that there was a ministeriall publike and authoritative judgement and there was a rationall * Dantur errores duplices quidam sunt fundamentales quâ—â—â— ipsum fidei fundamentum consequenter salutis aeternae possessio tollitur quidam sunt mâ—â—us principales non tam de fiâ—e quam circa fidem quibus nec ipsum fundamentum destruitur nec salutis adeptio anceps
you study if you examine and be faithfull in your scrutiny God will reveal them to you also at least so much as is for your comfort and chearfull walking in the waies of God Fourthly I told you that accessory truths were either such as were evident and clear or such as were doubtfull and obscure The Question needs not to be asked of the first of these for those that are evident and clear of themselves every Christian may judge of But the Question will be of obscure and doubtfull truths * See Mast Reynolds on the 110 Psa p. 273 274. Of those which are doubtfull some are obscure respectu objecti rejectu subjecti Some are obscure in themselves and some are obscure not in themselves but to us If the Question be of such as are obscure in themselves who shall judge of Gods minde in them I say there are some truths which are beyond the fathom of the tallest understanding there are certain Abysses and depths that no man is able to sound no finite understanding can determine See Reynolds conf with Hart. p. 96 97 98. here we must fall down and adore fall down and admire the doctrine of the Trinity and of the Vnity of divine essence in the Trinity of persons the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ the hypostaticall Vnion of natures in one Person the doctrine of Predestination of the Jews rejection which was a depth to the Apostle himself over which he cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.33 34. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out for who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Councellour In other truths such as were necessary the Apostle when he makes the same Query he gives this answer But we have the minde of Christ as you may see in 1 Cor. 2.16 Who hath known the minde of the Lord that he may instruct him or who hath been his Counsellour We have here the same Query but not the same answer he answers this Query We have the minde of Christ which is to be understood in things necessary In the other you see he makes the Question and leaves it without answer only cries out Oh the depth of the wisdome So that if the Question be of Doctrines in themselves obscure It is beyond man to fathom faith is our best understanding admiring and adoring our best knowledge But now if the Question be of such truths that are not obscure in themselves but obscure to us not to all but to some which are therefore obscure by reason of the imperfection of our knowledge c. It is the office of the Ministers of the Gospel to preach them and reveal them of Synods and Councels to declare them and of every Christian to study them to examine to search them out There are four waies that we are to goe in the finding out of truths doubtfull 1. Look into the harmony of Scripture see what the agreement what the concord of the Word of God will doe to help thee Consul Whitak cont 1 q 5. c. â— ubi de mediis inveniendi verum Scripturarum sensum Scripturae Scripturis conferendae fi quid in Scripturis recte intell gere volumus See â—eynolds c. 2. divis 2. p. 95 96. Faâ—eamur ergo necessâ— est justificationis nomen variè sumi nisi velimus exisâ—mare Apostolos à se dissentire pugnantia enunciare apud Jacobum ergo justificari idem valet quod justum declarari ac demonstrari apud Paulum verò justificari idem est quod à peccatis omnibus absolvi justumque apud Deum reputari Whitak loco citat many things seem to be truths if you look on one text alone that yet if you did but look upon the harmony of the Word would thereby be discovered to be errours For example St James saith Chap. 2. ver 21. Abraham was justified by works now if you look no further it holds forth this that we are justified by works for as the father of the faithfull was justified so all the children all believers must be justified and is this a truth then Certainly no. Why but how shall we know it we must compare Scripture with Scripture as for example in this point compare this place of James with Rom. 4.2 3. If Abraham were justified by works he had then somewhat whereof to glory for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousnesse and therefore the one speaks of justification before men the other of justification before God the one of justification properly the other of declarative justification Study the harmony of Scripture see how one Scripture agrees with another and how this doctrine agrees with all Rom. 12 6 Analogia fidei nihil aliud est quam constans perpetua sententia Scripturae in apertis minimâ— obscuris locis quales sunt Articuli fidei in symbolo quaesque continentur in oratione dominica in decalogo c. Consul Whitak loc citat 2. Look upon the Analogie of faith whatsoever doctrine either directly or by way of immediate consequence opposeth the Analogie of faith is to be rejected as contrary to the platform of wholsome words that 's another way to finde out truth in doubtfull cases See the Analogie of faith look over your Creed the Lords prayer crooked things are discerned by bringing them to straight c. Many Doctrins would be found erroneous if they were but brought to the Analogie of faith That doctrine of Transubstantiation or rather monster of opinions which they would seem to build on Scripture This is my Body if it were but brought to the Analogie of faith you shall see at once it overthrows four severall Articles 1. The incarnation of Christ 2. His ascension 3. His sitting at the right-hand of God 4. His comming to Judgement for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread and in so many places at one time how can all this be The Doctrine of Christs kingdom and visible glory before the day of Judgement it seems to contradict another part of it he is gone to heaven sits at the right-hand of God and from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead So that nothing is between his sitting in heaven and his comming to judgement Alsted and therefore those that most rationally hold it doe say this Kingdom shall be in tempore judicij the time of judgement the Jews conversion and the fulness of the Gentiles are to be the morning of it 3. Look upon the concordant confessions of the Churches of Christ in all ages here is another way and certainly it doth afford a great deal of light and help in points and cases doubtfull this is not to submit my judgement and faith unto any authority of man but to goe to them who excell to be helpers
Apoc praeâ—ect 4. Origen and Tertullian did greatly excell in learning insomuch that the one was esteemed the chief of the Greeks and the other of the Latines yet they fell into many errours and those who held their opinions were judged Heretikes and called Tertullianists and Origenists c. Yet in this I say thus much that so farre as they have learn'd of the Spirit so farre as their learning is implanted so farre it judgeth truly but that which is ours and the improvement of our knowledge by industry and diligence that improved knowledge is subject to errour and mistake The Father may leave his childe a good stock and well gotten but the childe may fail in his improvement of it his additions to it may be faulty The first stock is Gods and that is light in main things he gives his people an unerring an infallible light in essentiall and fundamentall truths or truths necessary to salvation but now the improvement of this stock is ours the additions and accretions to it in accessory and circumstantiall truths and herein we are subject to fail and erre Thus I have answered this Question Whether it be not enough to discover an opinion to be a truth that it is maintained and upheld by learned men c. But least you may think I have been too abstruse that I may speak plain to all take in these three things Learning then I say cannot be a conclusive evidence of truth 1. Because all learned men are not gracious men 2. Because learning without grace is but the forge of errour such men they are for the most part self-conceited part-proud and the pride of the head is a dangerous engine for errour 3. The most learned and the most gracious men may erre as I shewed before I see this spirit in many men that they are great admirers of learning indeed some give too little to it as well as others too much to it some wildly crie down all learning as if it were a prejudice and utterly disserviceable to the finding out of truth in divine things Indeed learning without grace is a forge for errour and an engine against the truth but if you take learning only as we speak it for the improvement of holy reason by the helps of Arts of Sciences tongues and the writings of men there is no Question to be made of it but that learning viz. holy reason thus improved is a great a mighty advantage to the finding out the minde of God and the want of this is the cause why men run headlong into many errours and for ought I see to the contrary that place of St Peter 2 Pet. 3.16 2 Pet. 3.16 where the Apostle speaks of some things hard and difficult in Pauls Epistles Which unlearned and unstable men doe wrest as they doe other Scriptures to their own perdition I say for ought I see to the contrary unlearned in that place may be taken in this latitude which I speak though it 's true those who have not this learning if they have this inward teaching shall never wrest Scriptures to their perdition they shall never erre and continue to erre damnably yet may they erre dangerously And we see this to be true in every daies experience the knowledge of divine things is exceedingly increased Pâ—â—ker de polâ—t ecclâ—â— 2. c 18 p 244. the hidden things of God are revealed truths revealed and confirmed errours discovered and condemned and the perusall of godly and learned men together with the study meditation and debate of things may much improve mens holy reason and strengthen men in the truths fence men against errour the want of which may render men lesse able to stand against the Sopâ—istries of men and more endanger men to be carried away with the stream of errour So that I would not be apprehended to speak against learning under that notion that is the use of any thing which might improve our holy reason and make us able to convince gain-sayers We have to deal with subtill Sophisters and there is need of the utmost of the improvement of reason in divine things But I speak against those who would give too much to it men are all in extreams Is there no middle between too much admiring of it and contemptuous despising of it though it doe not evidence where it is there is truth yet is it of no use to finde out truth Because gold is not good to eat is it not therefore good to buy meat So because learning is not truth is it not therefore serviceable to finde out truth Julian Indeed there are some give too little to it and there are some again which give too much Some that doe not give the least weight to it to cast the balance and others that are ready to resign up their faith and judgement to the learning of others if they see men of learning though they be not able to judge of it they are ready to resign up themselves and yeeld up look and key to them and let them take possession and have full dominion over their faith and consciences Most men are led by blinde obedience and implicite faith in divine things and seeing they will resigne up their understandings they act their reason thus farre that they will resigne up their judgements to those they apprehend most learned they will be of their opinions and of their judgements though they can say no more for it but that such a man saies so it is the opinion of such a learned man I tell you this is as blinde obedience as implicite faith as any is in Rome To conclude this Question there is both danger and folly in this too much admiration of learning 1. There is danger in it you are endangered to resigne up your judgement and faith to them which you are not to doe you are not to make any men the Masters of your faith you see how the Apostle abominaâ—â—d that when he saith 2 Cor. 7. We are not Masters of your faith but helpers of your joy You are not to give up your faith your conscience to the doctrines or opinions of men though the best the holiest the learnedst of men as I have shewed you at large 2. There is great folly in it 1. You are neither able to judge of learning 2. Nor is learning able to judge of truth If you will aske all the learned men in the world out of the Church they will tell you the Gospel is foolishnesse And if you will aske many of them in the Church there are many precious truths which they judge folly and the rest they receive them by tradition or as the received doctrine of the age they live in their knowledge in divine things it is gotten up by industry even as the knowledge in any Art or Science and it is but the improvement of their reason not the revelation of the Spirit If learning alone were a competent Judge of truth and errour and that
may meet together and as they agree in their objects so these powers may also agree in their ends Though the preservation of peace and the quiet of the Common-wealth be the end of Magistracy yet I conceive it is not the only not the adequate end externall peace to me seems too narrow for to be the end of Magistracy who is a nursing father to the Church and whose power reacheth as well to the setling and advancing the true worship of God as to the externall peace and safety of his kingdoms and to the helping of men as Christians as well as helping them as men though he doe endeavour to compasse and bring about these ends in a different way to the Church the one by carnal the other by spiritual weapons the one more externally the other more internally and divinely And this I conceive is plain from Rom. 13.4 He is the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evil he afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain where by good and evil which the Magistrate as a Magistrate doth procure I conceive is not only meant the naturall happinesse and quiet life of civil society but also the good and evil which concerns us as Christians And therefore his end is higher then meer civil peace and tranquillity being he is a Magistrate not only of our good and evil as men but our good and evil as Christians but yet the way he procures this is different from the Church the one as I told you being in a more spiritual and heavenly way the other in a civil and external way And thus much shall serve for the answer to the second opinion and also to the fourth particular branch laid down What the Magistrates power was not Besides these there may be other branches laid down but I shall desire to wave them and shall fall upon the second Question Qu. 2. What the power of the Magistrate is asserted to be as relating to this Question And here I finde three severall opinions two of them are extreams the third is the middle between both and conceived nearest to the truth 1. The first extreme is that of the Papists who say That the Magistrate is by fire and sword to extirpate all errour and heresie that is all religions which doe not agree with Rome See Suarez de triplici virture Tract 1. disput 23. Sect. â— for they call all those Heretikes that are not of the faith of Rome that so having put us into a bears skin they may with some colour woorty us 2. The second extreme is That the Magistrate hath no power to deal with any opinion whatsoever by civil coercive means Others more warily infâ—rt If it be not evidently and manifestly destructive and disturbing to the peace of the Common-wealth But the meaning is this that there ought to be a liberty for all opinions and the Magistrate is only to be an indifferent spectatour and not to take care what religion men are on whether Papists Jews Pagans Socinians Macedonians or what ever If they be not inconsistent with the government of the Common-wealth they are to look no farther they are not to matter how or whether they worship God at all or what their opinions and practices are And so in effect the Magistrate must say with Tiberius Tacit in Tiberio Deorum injurius Dijs curae Let the Gods make care for wrongs done against themselves Or with the Emperour Alexander Iuris jurandi contempta religio satis Deum ultorem habet It is sufficient that the breach of an oath hath God to be the avenger with Gâ—llio they must care for none of these things They may revenge injuries done against them but may not meddle with those done against God they may suppresse their enemies but must not meddle with Gods enemies They may punish those who seek to draw away a people from the obedience of the Magistrate but not those who labour to draw away a people from the truth of the Gospel and obedience to God An opinion certainly as wide as the former Without doubt the object of the Magistrates power is not simply a peaceable life and the external peace of humane societies as I shewed before he is a nursing father to the Church he is the minister of God for good and religion is the chief good and therefore the object of his power is not simply external peace but godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 which he may endeavour to advance by his secular power and in civil and politick waies It was the speech of Augustine Will any one that is in his right wits say unto Kings It doth not concern you in your kingdome who wil be religious or who will be sacrilegious Intimating it was a madnesse for any to thinke the King had nothing to doe in matter of religion * Quis mente sobrius dicat regibus non ad vos pertinet quis in regno vestro velit esse relâ—giosus vel sacrilegutâ— Au. de correct donat c. 13. Certainly though it should be granted that the Magistrate were Gods officer not Christs as Mediatour yet it will not weaken this truth which we assert for it cannot be but that God who hath made it his design to preserve and advance the kingdome of Christ should especially aim at it in the constituting and setting up a government in the world Julian saw this well enough and therefore it was the counter design of that Apostate to tolerate and grant liberty to Pagaâ—s and all sorts of heresies that by suffering all these weeds to grow up he might choke up the vitals of Christianity and weaken the kingdom of Christ and overthrow the truth of the Gospâ—l which was the object of his envy and malice This was also the practice and sinne of other Emperours Valens the Arian did the like and indeed such a course is the speediest way to destroy all godlinesse to suppresse the truth and to bring in all mischief to Church and State It is the speech of one Liberty for all opinions is the speediest way of embroyling States of ruining Churches of erecting a Pantheon in every City That of omnium Deorum among the Romans of omnium sanctorum among the Papists offends lesse then this of omnium sectarum here in England Sure I am one God one faith one Mediatour was Catholike doctrine in Pauls time every variation from a unity is a step to a nullity if ever England come from one â—eligion to all she will quickly go from all to none Certainly the toleration of all Religions as it is against nature against Scripture against reason so it cannot choose but be destructive to peace and truth But of this more afterwards These are the two extremes which certainly are wide of the truth We come to the third opinion which lies between these two and is conceived to be most agreeable to truth It is this 3. That the Magistrate
maintaining of an opinion c. But I passe this 2. Conscience in an errour is able to hold forth some evidence some light out of the Word though mistaken he is able to say something for his opinion conscience is not prevailed withall but by some shew of truth some appearing demonstration from the Word such a man he is able to tell you what that is which doth over-power him in the belief of such Doctrines or opinions he is not led by example nor carried away with a faction nor doth he take up this opinion because others doe nor doe interests and relations prevail with him but it is some shew of reason some evidence of Scripture that hath over-powered him If any thing below this hath wrought him into an opinion certainly the opinion hath not power over his conscience and something below this may bring him out again This is a good discriminative discovery of men if conscience be truly in an errour he can say something for it he can tell you what hath prevailed what hath over-powered his conscience No man can say this is an errour or this is a truth because I am so perswaded but because God hath so revealed To the word and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this truth it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 And therefore conscience in an errour can give you some grounds out of the Word it can tell you what hath prevailed with his spirit what hath commanded his soul into the belief of that which he holds for a truth 3. Conscience in an errour is willing to receive to let in and submit to further light if it can be held out to him if any can make out by the Word his opinion to be an errour he is willing to submit to it and fall down at your feet blessing God for it and humbly thanking you for the discovery of it which certainly is the genuine disposition of conscience in an errour as light brought it in the appearance of light so light shall drive it out the evidence of light And he thinks it honour enough to be conquer'd by truth as I told you he would rather be the spoyls of truth then carry away the trophies of errour So willing is he to give up himself to truth and to retract his errours which makes me sometimes wonder at Luther who you know held Consubstantiation and did violently maintain it against many learned Divines of his time yet a little before his death talking with Melancthon whom he had often opposed in it doth ingenuously confesse that in the point of the Sacrament he had gone too farre here was something the acknowledgement of the truth but yet taking counsell of men rather then of God for fear lest if he retracted those opinions the people would have suspected his other doctrines also he would not publish it but left it to others who succeeded him to root it out insensibly which hath been the ground of so many divisions D. Reyn. praelect 4. in l. Apoc. p 53. Col. 1 and so much blood between the Calvinists and Lutherans and is such a breach to this day 4. Conscience in an errour bear with my expression fears no storming There is errour in conscience and conscience in errour when errour is in conscience it hath conscience for its buckler it takes conscience for its shelter and defence it gets into conscience as its strong hold being otherwise afraid of stoâ—ming but when conscience is in errour it holds out errour for its buckler and defence which because he apprehends it to be truth for it is conscience in errour therefore he fears no storming no power or opposition what ever He apprehends it to be a truth and therefore is confident of its strength that it is able to hold out all opposition if it will not he is glad to revoke it and will conclude it an errour because it will not hold out opposition and so will no longer make lies his refuge 5. Conscience in an errour is firm in the truth If you see men to yeeld up truth and yet are stiff in their errour if you see one to wave a truâ—h which is received of â—ll and yet is pertinax in an errour peremptory in an opinion which is opposed by all you may suspect that man Try then if such men have the like firmnesse to truths of common reception and agreement as they have to those things wherein they are singular and differ from others if so certainly here is not conscience truly in an errour 6. Conscience in an errour is uniform conscience truly conscience is uniform and regular in all the acts of conscience We say that temper of body is not good which is hot uniform if it be hot in one place and cold in another nor is that temper of conscience neither see then if there be the like conscience in other things whether he be in all his actions under the power of conscience as he professeth to be in this whether he doe not make conscience of tithing mint and anise and none of the great things of the law or as the Priests who made no conscience of murthering Christ and yet they made conscience as they said of suffering his body to hang upon the crosse because it was the preparation for the Sabbath This was devilish hypocrisie Conscience is uniform and he that is truly under the power of conscience in one thing is also under the power of conscience in all things St James saith He that bridles not his tongue that mans religion is in vain 7. Conscience in an errour will not make use of any sinful unlawfull way to uphold his errour He will not make other truths a stalking horse to hold up that he will not stretch a place of Scripture to serve his ends he will not cast dirt upon another truth to give more lustre to his he will not make use of other truths of greater concernment to serve as a threshold to advance his Indeed where errour is maintained out of faction or a spirit of errour there they will make all to serve their own ends they care not to pull down the very pillars of religion nor what they ruine to raise up a structure for errour he cares not to weaken the power of such Scriptures which afford foundations of comfort to a soul if he may make them serviceable and usefull to him he will give up a place for comfort loosen the foundations of comfort and holinesse if by that he may lay the foundation or strengthen his own fabrick and errour which is a high peece of devilishnesse And I say this age is too guilty of it And now by these rules you may be able to know whether conscience be truly in an errour or whether only errour be in conscience whether it be truly conscience or only a pretence of conscience if it be truly conscience and such a conscience as I have spoken of God