us but the illumination of the Holy Spirit so interpreting that scripture as warrantable only to our selves and to such whose consciences we can so perswade can have no other ground in matters of religion but only from the scriptures And these being not possible to be understood without this divine illumination which no man can know at all times to be in himself much less to be at any time for certain in any other it follows cleerly that no man or body of men in these times can be the infallible judges or determiners in matters of religion to any other mens consciences but thir own And therfore those Beroeans are commended Act. 17.11 who after the preaching even of S. Paul searchd the scriptures daily whether those things were so Nor did they more then what God himself in many places commands us by the same apostle to search to try to judge of these things our selves And gives us reason also Gal. 6.4 5. let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another for every man shall bear his own burden If then we count it so ignorant and irreligious in the papist to think himself dischargd in Gods account beleeving only as the church beleevs how much greater condemnation will it be to the protestant his condemner to think himself justified beleeving only as the state beleevs With good cause therfore it is the general consent of all sound protestant writers that neither traditions councels nor canons of any visibie church much less edicts of any magistrate or civil session but the scripture only can be the final judge or rule in matters of religion and that only in the conscience of every Christian to himself Which protestation made by the first publick reformers of our religion against the imperial edicts of Charls the fifth imposing church-traditions without scripture gave first beginning to the name of Protestant and with that name hath ever bin receivd this doctrine which preferrs the scripture before the church and acknowledges none but the Scripture sole interpreter of it self to the conscience For if the church be not sufficient to be implicitly beleevd as we hold it is not what can there els be nam'd of more autoritie then the church but the conscience then which God only is greater 1 Ioh. 3.20 But if any man shall pretend that the scripture judges to his conscience for other men he makes himself greater not only then the church but also then the scripture then the consciences of other men a presumption too high for any mortal since every true Christian able to give a reason of his faith hath the word of God before him the promisd Holy Spirit and the minde of Christ within him 1 Cor. 2.16 a much better and safer guide of conscience which as far as concerns himself he may far more certainly know then any outward rule impos'd upon him by others whom he inwardly neither knows nor can know at least knows nothing of them more sure then this one thing that they cannot be his judges in religion 1 Cor. 2.15 the spiritual man judgeth all things but he himself is judgd of no man Chiefly for this cause do all true protestants account the pope antichrist for that he assumes to himself this infallibilitie over both the conscience and the scripture siting in the temple of God as it were opposite to God and exalting himself above all that is called god or is worshipd 2 Thess. 2.4 That is to say not only above all judges and magistrates who though they be calld gods are far beneath infallible but also above God himself by giving law both to the scripture to the conscience and to the spirit it self of God within us When as we finde Iames 4.12 there is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another That Christ is the only lawgiver of his church and that it is here meant in religious matters no well grounded Christian will deny Thus also S. Paul Rom. 14.4 who art thou that judgest the servant of another to his own Lord he standeth or falleth but he shall stand for God is able to make him stand As therfore of one beyond expression bold and presumptuous both these apostles demand who art thou that presum'st to impose other law or judgment in religion then the only lawgiver and judge Christ who only can save and can destroy gives to the conscience And the forecited place to the Thessalonians by compar'd effects resolvs us that be he or they who or wherever they be or can be they are of far less autoritie then the church whom in these things as protestants they receive not and yet no less antichrist in this main point of antichristianism no less a pope or popedom then he at Rome if not much more by setting up supream interpreters of scripture either those doctors whom they follow or which is far worse themselves as a civil papacie assuming unaccountable supremacie to themselves not in civil only but ecclesiastical causes Seeing then that in matters of religion as hath been prov'd none can judge or determin here on earth no not church-governors themselves against the consciences of other beleevers my inference is or rather not mine but our Saviours own that in those matters they neither can command nor use constraint lest they run rashly on a pernicious consequence forewarnd in that parable Mat. 13. from the 26 to the 31 verse least while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers Gather ye together first the tares c. whereby he declares that this work neither his own ministers nor any els can discerningly anough or judgingly perform without his own immediat direction in his own fit season and that they ought till then not to attempt it Which is further confirmd 2 Cor. 1.24 not that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy If apostles had no dominion or constraining power over faith or conscience much less have ordinary ministers 1 Pet. 5.2 3. feed the flock of God not by constraint c. neither as being lords over Gods heritage But some will object that this overthrows all church-discipline all censure of errors if no man can determin My answer is that what they hear is plane scripture which forbids not church-sentence or determining but as it ends in violence upon the conscience unconvinc'd Let who so will interpret or determin so it be according to true church-discipline which is exercis'd on them only who have willingly joind themselves in that covnant of union and proceeds only to a separation from the rest proceeds never to any corporal inforcement or forfeture of monie which in spiritual things are the two arms of Antichrist not of the true church the one being an inquisition the other no
better then a temporal indulgence of sin for monie whether by the church exacted or by the magistrate both the one and the other a temporal satisfaction for what Christ hath satisfied eternally a popish commuting of penaltie corporal for spiritual a satisfaction to man especially to the magistrate for what and to whom we owe none these and more are the injustices of force and fining in religion besides what I most insist on the violation of Gods express commandment in the gospel as hath bin shewn Thus then if church-governors cannot use force in religion though but for this reason because they cannot infallibly determin to the conscience without convincement much less have civil magistrates autoritie to use force where they can much less judge unless they mean only to be the civil executioners of them who have no civil power to give them such commission no nor yet ecclesiastical to any force or violence in religion To summe up all in brief if we must beleeve as the magistrate appoints why not rather as the church if not as either without convincement how can force be lawfull But some are ready to cry out what shall then be don to blasphemie Them I would first exhort not thus to terrifie and pose the people with a Greek word but to teach them better what it is being a most usual and common word in that language to signifie any slander any malitious or evil speaking whether against God or man or any thing to good belonging blasphemie or evil speaking against God malitiously is far from conscience in religion according to that of Marc 9.39 there is none who doth a powerfull work in my name and can likely speak evil of me If this suffice not I referre them to that prudent and well deliberated act August 9. 1650 where the Parlament defines blasphemie against God as far as it is a crime belonging to civil judicature pleniùs ac meliùs Chrysippo Crantore in plane English more warily more judiciously more orthodoxally then twice thir number of divines have don in many a prolix volume although in all likelihood they whose whole studie and profession these things are should be most intelligent and authentic therin as they are for the most part yet neither they nor these unnerring always or infallible But we shall not carrie it thus another Greek apparition stands in our way heresie and heretic in like manner also rail'd at to the people as in a tongue unknown They should first interpret to them that heresie by what it signifies in that language is no word of evil note meaning only the choise or following of any opinion good or bad in religion or any other learning and thus not only in heathen authors but in the New testament it self without censure or blame Acts 15.5 certain of the heresie of the Pharises which beleevd and 26.5 after the exactest heresie of our religion I livd a Pharise In which sense Presbyterian or Independent may without reproach be calld a heresie Where it is mentiond with blame it seems to differ little from schism 1 Cor. 11.18 19. I hear that there be schisms among you c. for there must also heresies be among you though some who write of heresie after their own heads would make it far worse then schism when as on the contrarie schism signifies division and in the worst sense heresie choise only of one opinion before another which may bee without discord In apostolic times therfore ere the scripture was written heresie was a doctrin maintaind against the doctrin by them deliverd which in these times can be no otherwise defin'd then a doctrin maintaind against the light which we now only have of the scripture Seeing therfore that no man no synod no session of men though calld the church can judge definitively the sense of scripture to another mans conscience which is well known to be a general maxim of the Protestant religion it follows planely that he who holds in religion that beleef or those opinions which to his conscience and utmost understanding appeer with most evidence or probabilitie in the scripture though to others he seem erroneous can no more be justly censur'd for a heretic then his censurers who do but the same thing themselves while they censure him for so doing For ask them or any Protestant which hath most autoritie the church or the scripture they will answer doubtless that the scripture and what hath most autoritie that no doubt but they will confess is to be followd He then who to his best apprehension follows the scripture though against any point of doctrine by the whole church receivd is not the heretic but he who follows the church against his conscience and perswasion grounded on the scripture To make this yet more undeniable I shall only borrow a plane similie the same which our own writers when they would demonstrate planest that we rightly preferre the scripture before the church use frequently against the Papist in this manner As the Samaritans beleevd Christ first for the womans word but next and much rather for his own so we the scripture first on the churches word but afterwards and much more for its own as the word of God yea the church it self we beleeve then for the scripture The inference of it self follows if by the Protestant doctrine we beleeve the scripture not for the churches saying but for its own as the word of God then ought we to beleeve what in our conscience we apprehend the scripture to say though the visible church with all her doctors gainsay and being taught to beleeve them only for the scripture they who so do are not heretics but the best protestants and by their opinions whatever they be can hurt no protestant whose rule is not to receive them but from the scripture which to interpret convincingly to his own conscience none is able but himself guided by the Holy Spirit and not so guided none then he to himself can be a worse deceiver To protestants therfore whose common rule and touchstone is the scripture nothing can with more conscience more equitie nothing more protestantly can be permitted then a free and lawful debate at all times by writing conference or disputation of what opinion soever disputable by scripture concluding that no man in religion is properly a heretic at this day but he who maintains traditions or opinions not probable by scripture who for aught I know is the papist only he the only heretic who counts all heretics but himself Such as these indeed were capitally punishd by the law of Moses as the only true heretics idolaters plane and open deserters of God and his known law but in the gospel such are punishd by excommunion only Tit. 3.10 an heretic after the first and second admonition reject But they who think not this heavie anough and understand not that dreadfull aw and spiritual efficacie which the apostle hath expressd so highly to be in church-discipline
taken scandal not a given To heal one conscience we must not wound another and men must be exhorted to beware of scandals in Christian libertie not forc'd by the magistrate least while he goes about to take away the scandal which is uncertain whether given or taken he take away our liberty which is the certain and the sacred gift of God neither to be touchd by him nor to be parted with by us None more cautious of giving scandal then St. Paul Yet while he made himself servant to all that he might gain the more he made himself so of his own accord was not made so by outward force testifying at the same time that he was free from all men 1 Cor. 9.19 and therafter exhorts us also Gal. 5.13 ye were calld to libertie c. but by love serve one another then not by force As for that fear least prophane and licentious men should be encourag'd to omit the performance of religious and holy duties how can that care belong to the civil magistrate especially to his force For if prophane and licentious persons must not neglect the performance of religious and holy duties it implies that such duties they can perform which no Protestant will affirm They who mean the outward performance may so explane it and it will then appeer yet more planely that such performance of religious and holy duties especialy by prophane and licentious persons is a dishonoring rather then a worshiping of God and not only by him not requir'd but detested Prov. 21.27 the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde To compell therfore the prophane to things holy in his prophaneness is all one under the gospel as to have compelld the unclean to sacrifise in his uncleanness under the law And I adde withall that to compell the licentious in his licentiousness and the conscientious against his conscience coms all to one tends not to the honor of God but to the multiplying and the aggravating of sin to them both We read not that Christ ever exercis'd force but once and that was to drive prophane ones out of his temple not to force them in and if thir beeing there was an offence we finde by many other scriptures that thir praying there was an abomination and yet to the Jewish law that nation as a servant was oblig'd but to the gospel each person is left voluntarie calld only as a son by the preaching of the word not to be driven in by edicts and force of arms For if by the apostle Rom. 12.1 we are beseechd as brethren by the mercies of God to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is our reasonable service or worship then is no man to be forc'd by the compulsive laws of men to present his body a dead sacrifice and so under the gospel most unholy and unacceptable because it is his unreasonable service that is to say not only unwilling but unconscionable But if prophane and licentious persons may not omit the performance of holy duties why may they not partake of holy things why are they prohibited the Lords supper since both the one and the other action may be outward and outward performance of dutie may attain at least an outward participation of benefit The church denying them that communion of grace and thanksgiving as it justly doth why doth the magistrate compell them to the union of performing that which they neither truly can being themselves unholy and to do seemingly is both hatefull to God and perhaps no less dangerous to perform holie duties irreligiously then to receive holy signes or sacraments unworthily All prophane and licentious men so known can be considerd but either so without the church as never yet within it or departed thence of thir own accord or excommunicate if never yet within the church whom the apostle and so consequently the church have naught to do to judge as he professes 1 Cor. 5.12 them by what autoritie doth the magistrate judge or which is worse compell in relation to the church if departed of his own accord like that lost sheep Luke 15.4 c. the true church either with her own or any borrowd force worries him not in again but rather in all charitable manner sends after him and if she finde him layes him gently on her shoulders bears him yea bears his burdens his errors his infirmities any way tolerable so fulfilling the law of Christ Gal. 6.2 if excommunicate whom the church hath bid go out in whose name doth the magistrate compell to go in The church indeed hinders none from hearing in her publick congregation for the doors are open to all nor excommunicates to destruction but as much as in her lies to a final saving Her meaning therfore must needs bee that as her driving out brings on no outward penaltie so no outward force or penaltie of an improper and only a destructive power should drive in again her infectious sheep therfore sent out because infectious and not driven in but with the danger not only of the whole and sound but also of his own utter perishing Since force neither instructs in religion nor begets repentance or amendment of life but on the contrarie hardness of heart formalitie hypocrisie and as I said before everie way increase of sin more and more alienates the minde from a violent religion expelling out and compelling in and reduces it to a condition like that which the Britains complain of in our storie driven to and fro between the Picts and the sea If after excommunion he be found intractable incurable and will not hear the church he becoms as one never yet within her pale a heathen or a publican Mat. 18.17 not further to be judgd no not by the magistrate unless for civil causes but left to the final sentence of that judge whose coming shall be in flames of fire that Maran athaà 1 Cor. 16.22 then which to him so left nothing can be more dreadful and ofttimes to him particularly nothing more speedie that is to say the Lord cometh In the mean while deliverd up to Satan 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 1.20 that is from the fould of Christ and kingdom of grace to the world again which is the kingdom of Satan and as he was receivd from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26.18 so now deliverd up again from light to darkness and from God to the power of Satan yet so as is in both places manifested to the intent of saving him brought sooner to contrition by spiritual then by any corporal severitie But grant it belonging any way to the magistrate that prophane and licentious persons omit not the performance of holy duties which in them were odious to God even under the law much more now under the gospel yet ought his care both as a magistrate and a Christian to be much more that conscience be not inwardly violated