under him and so to the conscience that they may â—â—errandly and indeclinably also command but they should remember when power of commanding comes out of God the fountain of authority now it looseth its absolute undeclinablenesse when it is in conscience or in any creature and it is onely conditionall and limited in the streames whereas it was absolute and soveraigne in the fountaine 2 In the case of an erroneous conscience standing in its vigorous thing the question is both what is commanded and what is good for these two are not contrary but agree well for the Lords command to Adam eate not of this fruit is to Adam the cause why the not eating is good and the cause of the obligation to what is commanded also but onely the obligation is ad modum facti non ad factum to the â—â—â—ner of doing that if we doe or abstaine we do it 〈…〉 in faith and perswasion without any jarring between the conscience and the object but there is no obligation to the fact On the regular way of doing I am never oblieged to obey God with an erring conscience or contrary to the inditement of an erring conscience 3 The material object being sin and forbidden by the law of God is an object by accident even when it is proposed by practicall reason if that reason be erroneous and misinformed as it is in this case the proposing of practicall reason doth not make that to bee good or commanded which of it selfe was neither good nor commanded but sinfull it may make it good in the manner of doing and obliege in the manner of doing but that is not our question but whether the practicall judgement and conscience remaining erroneous doth both ligare bind and obliege to the fact that is sinfull that is denied And though hee that is circumcised upon the supposall of a blind erring and Jewish conscience thinking the law of shaddowes obliegeth when the body Christ is come he is a debter to doe the whole Law and to eate the Passeover to sacrifice at Jerusalem to keepe the new-Moones c. But how is he debter He is this way debter what warrant he hath to be circumcised he hath the same warrant to keepe the Passeover to sacrifice that is he hath as good reason for to doe all or is as well obliged upon his false principles he goes on to keep all the law of ceremonies as to be circumcised or doe a part onely but he is erroneously and sinfully made by himselfe a debter to the whole Law but God made him a debter neither to the one nor to the other and in Gods Court though if he be circumcised he must be circumcised this way that is his conscience must dictate that Gods Law still in force commands him so to doe but this is but a necessity of supposition that falleth upon the manner of the doing not upon the fact for no Law of God warranteth him to be circumcised and no Law of God makes him debter to doe all the rest of the law of ceremonies he is obliged neither to be circumcised erroneously nor to abstaine from circumcision erroneously but to lay aside his erroneous conscience and to abstaine from circumcision according to the enditement of a well informed conscience So we easily answer that ignorant objection of phantasticall Sectaries in needlesse Pamphlets and Queries smelling of non-sense and selfe-conceit speaking they know not what If the sword be used against errours to suppresse them then must the Magistrate command and compell men of tender consciences to sinne and to doe against the light of their conscience for what is not of faith is sinne And the Spirit himselfe waites and violates not the liberty of the reasonable soule by superseding the faculties thereof but approves every truth to the understanding and moves the will without violence with a rationall force Shall man be more zealous for God then God is for himselfe God himselfe doth not force men but call them to repentance If the word calling be considered whether will it warrant any further meanes then arguments perswasions and intreaties make them as forceable us you can if you hold the feare of punishment over men it must be the feare of divine punishment c. Answ For 1. wee no where teach that the sword is a meanes of converting but the just vengeance that is inflicted by the Minister of God upon false teachers as upon other evill doers so it is not destinated by God for spiritual gaining and reducing of hereticks that may repent but for judiciall expiation of wrongs done to the flock and Christian society 2. This poore argument will conclude against all 〈◊〉 of Magistrates against murtherers bloody traitors for the Lawes of the Minister of God the King forbids the English Jesuit to stab his Prince and compells him to 〈◊〉 from King-killing and if this Jesuit abstaine from killing his Sovereigne Lord and abstain not in faith but against the light of his Jesuiticall and bloody conscience which dictates to him that he is a Protestant Prince and a heretick and he is obliged in conscience for the advancement of the Catholicke cause to stabbe him doth the supreme Magistrate compell this Jesuit to sin and doth hee force the Jesuits conscience for to doe in faith hath place in duties of the second Table as well as in the first and men out of conscience and in faith and moved by the Holy Ghosts gracious actings are to obey all lawfull commands of the Magistrate as to pay tribute to abstain from murther treason adultery robbing and stealing if they be subjects of tender consciences and why then should the Magistrate compell and force men to these duties which are to be done in faith and in a spirituall manner for sure the Spirit forces them not to doe these in faith so the command of the Magistrate moveth every Christian to practise and act of obedience to mens Lawes for conscience sake and the Spirit moves the whole powers of the soul both the understanding and the will without violence with a rationall force and why should the Magistrate then be more zealous for God then God is for himselfe and all this may be said against all Lawes in the Old Testament why should the Magistrate compell men against their faith and conscience not to beleeve not to practise any such seducing wayes as to say Come let us goe serve other Gods Should Moses be more zealous for God then God is for himselfe but the truth is the Magistrate as the Magistrate doth not meddle with the conscience not the manner of obedience to Law whether they be obeyed in faith or against the light of conscience that is nothing to him he commands but the externall actions preach no heresie no Familisme Sociâ—â—nisme under the paine of corporall punishment if Pastors obey this charge hypocritically not in faith it is their sin not the Magistrates he neither commands thus preach no heresie in faith
in hypocrits in a Jew following the righteousnesse of the Law Rom. 10. 1. and renouncing Christ Surely if works of saving grace speake another thing then hypocrites and devils may have then first holy walking is no ground of comfort and a good conscience hath no more to yeeld David Job Ezechiah Paul the Apostles and Martyrs when they suffer for Christ and his truth and are in heavie afflictions and chaines then it can yeeld to the viledest of men 2. A man a Christian shall never findeâ—ny grounds of certainety of his adoption in any thing save in the hidden decrees of Election and reprobation and in some immediate testimony of a Spirit which may be a great doubt to many who walke as many Antinomians doe according to the flesh 3. All their rejoycing in simplicity and godly sincerity 2 Cor. 1. 12. is emptie phancies and delusions for they rejoyce in that in which hypocrites and reprobates may have is deepe a share as they But that there is also some immediate testimony of the Spirit though never seperated from the fruits of the Spirit I hope to prove elsewhere The last act of Conscience is in relation to the Conclusion which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or judgement of all from whence flow the acts of approving or improving excusing or accusing condemning or absolving from these as the Conscience doth well or ill arise 1. Joy called a feast in which the soule is refreshed not the phancie 2. Upon a solid ground a bottome that cannot sinke from that which is well done 2. Consolution which is a joy in tribulation 3. Faith going from what the man doth well to a generall To these that walke according to this rule peace 4. Hope that the Lord who hath promised will doe the soule good in the latter end these foure issue from a good Conscience from approving and â—â—â—cusing But the affections which flow from improving and â—â—cusing and condemning are 1. Shame whence the man 〈◊〉 displeased with what he hath done this is good when it looketh onely or most to the sinne or ill when most to the punishment 2. Sadnesse 3. Distrust or unbeliefe 4. Feare 5. Dispaire 6. Anger vexation or the worme that dyeth not it is no wonder that a greater number of troublesome affections â—low from the one then from the other evill is fecound and broody The 4. which I proposed is the second circumstance of the Text which draweth in the rest and it is a conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free of stones or blocks that neither actively causeth my self nor others to stumble nor passively is under a reatus or guilt before God called a good Conscience to which is opposite an evill conscience Now the Conscience is good either in regard of integrity a cleane a good a pure conscience or secondly in regard of calmenesse and peace to this latter is opposed a Conscience penally evill or troubled of which no more the good Conscience is either good in Judging or recta or vera the contrary of this an erring Conscience which I speake of after the other or good in a morall quallity In this meaning the Conscience is good which is first sprinkled with the blood of Christ from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. For by Christ must the guilty be purged that there may be no more Conscience of sinnes Hebr. 10. 2. This is the Conscience which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good 1 Tim. 1â— 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purged and washen Hebr. 10. 2. in regard the great spot of guiltinesse is taken away and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1. 5. cleare pure terse like a Christall glasse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 13. 18. good and honest or beautifull and faire a good Conscience is a comely resplendent lovely thing and it is a Conscience in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 void of stumbling there is a Conscience that wants feet and is lame and halteth and is alwaies tripping stumbling falling to this is opposed a Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 22. let us draw neere with a true heart with full assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being sprinkled in the heart from an evill Conscience and to this is opposed a polluted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience Tit. 1. 15. The wisdome of God in creating the world is much and most seene in creating so rare a peece as the soule and the most curious peece in the soule is that lumpe of Divinitie the Conscience it is the likest to a chip and 〈◊〉 of God though it be not a part of the infinite Majestie yet it smelleth more of God then the heavens the sunne the starres or all the glorious things on earth Precious stones Saphires Rubies or Herbes Roses Lilies that the Lord hath made now whâ—n the floure and crown of the whole creation which is the spirit is corrupted it is the fowlest thing that is when the Angelâ— the sons of the Morning fell and their Conscience the Spirit of the purest and most glorious Spirits was polluted with guilt though infinite grace could have cured this rare peece yet infinite wisdome as it were giving over the cause and Grace and Mercie standing aloofe from the misery of Angels a Saviour is denyed them and Justice worketh the farther on this noble peece the Conscience of these fallen Spirits to destroy them God would not stretch out one finger to repaire their Conscience but when the Conscience of man was polluted because Grace has ever runne in this channell to worke upon free choise and arbitration to save Men not Angels and of Men these and these not others therefore the Lord fell upon a rarer worke than Creation to redeeme the choisest peece of creation to wash soules and to restore consciences to a higher luster and beauty then they had at the first Now what ever God doth no man can doe it for him an infinite agent cannot worke by a deputie and among all his works none required more of God of the Artifice of Grace and mercy wisdome deepenesse of love then to wash a polluted Conscience there was more of God required to mend and sodder the Jewell than to make and preserve it The blood of Bulls and Goats cannot be spoken of here now to make Conscience againe fundamentally good there was need that the most curious art of free grace should bee set on worke to act a greater miracle on this choisest peece then ever was before or after to make the conscience good an act of attonement and expiation to satisfie infinite Justice must passe and by shedding of and sprinkling on the Conscience the blood of God the Conscience onely and no other way known to Men or Angels could be restored Vse We professe that the morrall washing of the out-side of the cup hath nothing in it of a good Conscience morrall honestie alone can no more inherite the Kingdome of heaven then
the world As if a robber arraigned upon his head before a judge would say there is no such thing in the world as Robbery it is a meere fiction or their reasons partinary which we say is the formal reason and essence of heresie is onely in the heart and knowne to God onely and therefore since neither the Church nor the Magistrate know the heart we must leave it to God all mens judgements of the heart are uncertain and deceiving conjectures no man of set purpose desires to doe evill but when hee knowes he does evill no man perswades himselfe that he erreth when the matter is about eternall salvation therefore it is not lawfull to charge any heretick that he acts malice against his light charity perswadeth another thing and who knowingly saith Minus Celsus and willingly sinnes against the knowne truth his crime is not properly heresie but the sin and blasphemy against the holy ghost for whom we are not to pray and is a sin that shall never be pardoned and therefore it is in vaine to accuse this man of heresie Answ This vaine argument of foolish men is against the Holy Ghost not against us for charity then must forbid us to judge evill of our brother or to beware of him to avoide him to admonish or rebuke him for heresie for a sin knowne to God onely or to reject him or to refuse him lodging in our house or to bid him God speed for you condemn him and flee and avoyd him as an Heretick and in so doing ye take Gods office on you to judge the heart now when the Holy Ghost bids us admonish rebuke instruct with meeknesse Heretickes if they wil not be gained reject and avoid them doth he not clearly hold forth that Hereticks may be knowne When Solomon saith goe not by the doore of the whore make no friendship with an angryâ—man be not companions with theeves and robbers doth he not insinuate that the whore and the angry man and the theefe may be known or would he say the whore is onely knowne to God and charity forbids you to judge any womâ—n a whore or any teacher who saith he would show you the strâ—ight way to heaven and the way that he himselfe walketh in and no man perswades himselfe that he erreth when the matter is concerning his owne eternall salvation and it is onely knowne to God whether he be an Hereticke or no yet admonish him at an Heretick and reject him and avoid his company as a Heretick This is as much as if a Phisitian would say it is impossible to any man to know save God onely what houses are infected with the pestilence yet I councell you for your health goe not into any pest-house 2 It is most false that pertinacy is knowne to God only that pertinacy that evidenceth it selfe to us by such markes and outward evidences is knowne to us as such a Familist a Socinian leadeth silly women captive and subverteth the faith of many and causeth simple people to beleeve the God manifested in the flesh and crucified is nothing but a Saint-suffering and having much of God and saving grace evidenced in him and he is ones and twice by word and writing admonished but he still goeth on and seduceth many then he is so farre pertinacious as ye may judge him an Heretick and having tryed that hee is an hereticall spirit avoid him and bid him not God speed doth not Paul exhort the Elders of Ephesus to take heede of ravening Wolves that should arise and speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perverse things to draw away disciples after them and they should not spare the flock Act. 20. 29 30. Yea but our abâ—ominable Libertines come in and say Elders of Ephesus be charitable judge them not to be grievous wolves least ye condemn them for wolves before men who are the redeemed sheepe of Christ in the high court it is true they speake perverse things as yee apprehend but Elders are you infallible now when Paul and the Apostles are departed this life they judge that you speake perverse things and ye are the grievous wolves You heare them speake new doctrines it is true but you know not whether they be pertinacious pertinacy is in the heart onely be charitable for only God knowes the heart say not 〈◊〉 the flocke they are ravening wolves seducers and that knowingly and willingly they sin against the knowne truth no man erreth dediâ—â— opera of set purpose nor perswades himselfe that he erres when the matter is concerning eternall salvation charity forbids you to ascribe malitiousnesse of erring to men who erre not with their will and you Church and Angell of the Churches of Pergamus and of Thyatâ—ra be charitable and judge not those that teach the doctrine of Balaam and Jezabell to be false Prophets you heare their words but God only tryeth the reignes and the heart you know not whether they teach what they teach with pertinacy all judging of the minde and heart of others are uncertaine conjectures neither they nor any other doe give beleeving and being perswaded that they erre when the matter is of such concernment as eternall salvation 3. Nor is the crime the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost when any doe maliciously resist the truth 1. When there is not a high measure of illumination and perswasion going before which is not in every hereticke 2. When pertinacy is bent against a side and party of godly men not so much for despite and malice against them as they are godly or out of despite to the Spirit of grace as out of a minde puft up with love-sicknesse of their owne learning and great parts and undervaluing of a contrary faction as they suppose for there be divers branches of opposing the knowne truth as from fleshly lusts 2 Pet. 2. 17. 18. 2 Pet. 3. 3. from pride 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. from avarice and love of the world v. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 3. 15 16. and yet all maliciously that are not to be judged the sin against the Holy Ghost except it be such an opposing of the knowne truth as comes from the spirituall malicious opposing of God and his knowne truth as the devills did and it may be also that some heretickes sin the sin against the Holy Ghost in teaching lyes in hypocrisie as the Pharisees did who leave not off for that to be hereticks and false teachers 4. Where men are savingly and soundly perswaded that the businesse is a matter of salvation they will not finally and totally erre but that there is such a perswasion in heretickes is utterly denyed by us and where there is a perswasion in great measure but literall and historicall and faith thereunto answerable that the matter is eternall salvation and damnation that they doe not erre and lead other captives to their error is denyed and it is more charity of hereticks who are selfe-condemned by their owne heart Tit. 3. 10. and are willingly
and perswasion nor yet in no faith in no perswasion And Augustine tells us the Donatists objected the same God compelleth none but hath given men freewill to obey him contr petil l. 2. c. 83. Epist 48. ad vincention Contr. Gaudentiâ—â— l. 1. c. 25 Contr. Cresc l. 3. c. 51. which I often re-minde the Reader of and the Donatists also said this compulsion makes hypocrites when they are compelled to goe to heare the word Augustine answers Although some that are compelled to beare remain hypocrites and counterfeit yet for these such as are sincere should not have been left ungathered in And for that of Gods calling to repentance he is but an ignorant senselesse man who wrote that booke The Spirit waits saith hee and violates not liberty If the meaning bee the Lord is long-suffering and patient and lets men goe on in their sins and in his owne time effectually calleth them this is a senselesse sense for God waits not on one out of his longanimity and forbearance lest he should force freewill for the freewill is ever alike impotent rebellious and refractory till God subdue it if the meaning be as another sense it cannot have The Spirit waites and violates not liberty that is the Spirit waites untill freewill be in a good blood and a congruous disposition to obey and then the Spirit for feare of forcing of it if he should come on it undexterously to worke it against the haire catcheth the opportunity when he sees it is not on a straine of rebellion and in a distemper and then he drawes the freewill without force the man I judge is innocent and uncapable of this schoolheresie of late Jesuits who devise a Pelagian congruous calling and this were nothing to the purpose and should neither have head nor feet to the matter in hand for the Spirit who can carry freewill though most rebelliously distempered his way is not afraid of freewills contradictorious opposing but can in every moment subdue freewill without forcing he never waites on for such a matter except there bee a time when freewill is to hard a party for the Spirit to yoake withall or when nature or some preparatory grace makes it easier for the Spirit to conquiesse consent at one time more then another 2. Gods not forcing of freewill is no rule to the Magistrate not to awe men to abstaine from perverting of soules for fear of the sword for by the same reason because Gods Spirit moves the Saints to be subject to every ordinance of 〈◊〉 Judge or good Law for the Lords sake and for conscience for hee must obey this Rom. 13. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13. and the Spirit compells not in these more then in the others so this argument God must worke faith give repentance and make a willing people ergo the Christian Magistrate cannot with his authority doe it is all granted This is but a very rotten rush a straw Entbysiasts so argue God teacheth sufficiently ergo the Scriptuâ—â— and ministery of men are not requisite the discipline of the godly Magistrate cannot ascend so high as to have influence on the conscience and beget faith no more then the preaching of the word by the Ministers of the Gospel without the 〈◊〉 ergo the godly Magistrate cannot with the sword keepe the externall man in outward obedience to Gospel-ordinances it in no sort can can be a good consequence nor is it good divinity to say with Pelagians and Arminians that the calling of God extends no further then to arguments perswasions intreaties and threatnings for the calling of God extendeth further then to so much as man can doe in calling of sinners to repentance but men can act upon the minde will and reasonable soule by arguments perswasions intreaties and threatnings for all that is done by the Ministery of men But in effectuall calling of which we here speake it is certaine the Lord infuseth a new heart a new spirit 〈◊〉 efficaciously to the Son which is a further and higher 〈◊〉 of omnipotencies calling and drawing then all the morall perswasion by arguments intreaties and threatnings performable by men or Angels so this man is either an ignorant or a grosse Arminian Now from all this it is easie to expound that character which the Holy Ghost putteth upon the hereticke Tit. 3. 10. he is judged or condemned of himselfe that is the truth is so clearely opened to him or he may if he did not wincke and shut his eyes clearely see and beleeve the truth if he did not knowingly prudently and willingly resist the truth and therefore is condemned by his owne heart But Minus Celsus saith the words carry a farre other sense to wit That by sinning he is the authour of his 〈◊〉 condemnation because in chusing true Religion be thinkes he both made a right choice when he hath chosen a false Religion being deceived by his owne judgement he falleth into damnation which miserable man he hath created to himselfe and in which he chuseth to persist and therefore is to be esehewed So it is said the Jews judged themselves unworthy of eternall life but knowingly they judged not so of themselves but they did so behave themselves as if they made themselves unworthy of eternall life So I beleeve the hereticke is called selfe-condemned because he doth those things that renders himselfe worthy of damnation So Castalio or he is selfe-condemned that is he is damned though there were none to condemne him but himselfe So Erasmus Answ He is selfe-condemned who may be condemned by his owne conscience though for the present the conscience be burnt with a hot iron and the man will not permit it to summon accuse condemne no lesse then hee who is actually condemned of his conscience for it is a laudable act and a naturall vertue of the conscience to give sentence against a heresie when it ought so to doe as it is a vice of the conscience to be dumbe at heresies but if he love the truth though he cannot actually condemne the heresie hee is not selfe-condemned The hereticke saith Celsus is an innocent man and is not such a man as sins against light nor maliciously nor with an ill conscience nor is his end gaine pleasure nor an ambitious lusting after a name hee seeth none of these are attaineable yea it is his desire of life eternall and his â—eale that setteth him on worke and rather or he dishonour God and deny the knowne truth and sin against his conscience he had rather chuse torment and dye a martyr and drinke that direfull and bitter cup of death which was so terrible to Jesus Christ that it caused him to fall to the earth sweat blood and water So he fol. 14 15 16. which if it be true an hereticke is rather an innocent Angell then a guilty man condemned of his owne conscience Yet Minus Câ—lsus saith here he behaveth himselfe as one worthy of damnation and damned though none but himselfe
and envied that he should go to their enemies though I deny not that the Samaritans had too base and irreligious thoughts of Christ yet that was not all the injury they did to Christ 3. The Samaritans worshipping a false God They know not what Joh. 4 22. and no salvation being in their Religion cannot be called Hereticks and we confesse to burn Cities because the in-dwellers are of a false Religion is no fit way to convert them to the true Religion and because the Apostles to whom God hath not given the sword but onely the spirituall armour of the word 2 Cor. 10. 5. are not to use fire and sword and that out of a vindictive spirit against Samaritans who despise Christ and the Gospell it is no consequence Ergo Christian Magistrates by this place Luke 9. must not use the sword against false teachers and apostates 4. I grant Christ the Mediator and the Embassadors of peace whose office it is to save soules are not to kill men because they are of another Religion then they are or because they seduce souls nor are we to neglect what Beza saith against Monfortius p. 160. in opus de punien heret Elias did from Gods command what he did the Disciples call for fire from a wild spirit 2. It was not a proper function for the Apostles nor had they any extraordinary calling from God as Elias had 3. There is one consideration of Elias who came to restore Religion after great apostacy another of Christ who came to propagate the Gospell I see not much inconvenience in the answer of Swarez They were not to use violence and threatning against the Samaritans but to shake the dust of their feet against them for Christ and his Disciples bare not the sword as Magistrates Whatever arguments Libertines extort from these places which say Christ is so meeke as he shall not cry nor strive nor breake the bruised reede the Ministers must be so gentle that they must teach with meeknesse Isa 42. 1 2. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Not strike but be apt to teach and keepe themselves to the foolishnesse of the Gospell and onely shake the dust of their feet off against rejecters Acts 18. and not judge before the time 1 Cor. 4. 5. for the sword may make a whole Nation of hypocrites Isa 10. but can never recover them out of the hands of Sathan I say whatever arguments they throw by the haire from these places are but tokens of the prejudices of Libertines For 1. Is not Christ as meek to whores publicans the theife and robber on the crosse persecutors and to seducing teachers and hereticks and should not Ministers in all gentlenesse teach and instruct drunkards adulterers murtherers yea and as many as are taken Captives in the snare of the Devill at his will and are in such a case as God peradventure may give them repentance For of such speaketh the place 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. and must not Pastors be gentle patient apt to teach and labour the conversion of all drunkards whores bloody men as wel as hereticks What warrant have Libertines to straiten the meeknesse of our Saviour and his Embassadors in these Scriptures and confine and limit the sweet qualifications of Christ to onely seducing teachers whereas the word doth extend these to all sinners of what ever rank that are slaves of Sathan but especially if they be sin-sicke for Christ and bruised reeds such as seducing teachers and Wolves that worry the Lambs and lead silly women captives are seldome and such sinners as the Phisician came to cure whereas false teachers are all for the most part selfe righteous sonnes of pride Now make an argument from these Scriptures and it concludeth that it is against the meeknesse of Christ that murtherers drunkards adulterers be punished by the Sword for since Christ and his Ministers are no lesse with all patience gentlenesse forbearance to instruct these if at any time God shall give them repentance and this strongly sinels of Anabaptists and Socinians way who contend that the meeknesse of our Saviour hath deposed the Magistrate from his place of shedding any mans blood be he never so notorious an il-doer so saith Socinius Catechesis Raccoviensis Ostorodius Smalcius Meek Jesus warranteth no Magistrate to take away any mens life for any fault or to make warre for the Scripture wil have the meeknesse and mercy of Christ if it stand in not punishing with bodily violence evil-doers as these men suppose to bee extended to all sinners of whatsoever kind 2 The argument hath no foot except it so run That which is no means of the converting of soules Christ will not have to be used for the conversion of soules But such is bodily violence we grant al for the Sword avengeth hurting of soules but is not a meanes ordained of Christ for the converting of soules or if it doe it is by accident as afflictions doe as Hos 5. in their affliction they will seeke mee early 3 If Christ be merciful and meek and wil have his Ministers with gentlenesse and patience to instruct gain-saying sinners then wil hee not have the Magistrate to draw his Swordand be severe against seducing teachers D. Adam Stewart in his learned and solid answer to Mr. Goodwin of Right de jure denies the proposition and so doe the learned professors of Leyden answer Arminians objecting the same and say Christ is meek to repenting sinners but a severe judge and a revenger of ill-doers Re. 2. 6. 9. 14. 20 21 22 24. his garments are red died with the blood of his enemies he is so a Lambe as he is a Lyon 2. Nor is the meeknesse of Christ inconsistent with his justice and righteousnesse in commanding the nurse-fathers of his house the Rulers of the earth that which the Morral and perpetual standing Law of God requireth to wit that they use the Sword against il-doers of all sorts and degrees for they stand together in the person of Christ who is a meeke King Zach. 9. 9 and lowly and just having salvation and breaketh not the bruised reed nor quencheth the smoaking flax which is not meant of his forbearing the use of the Sword against grievous Wolves that spareth not the flock and Wolves in the skin and cloathing of Sheepe seducing hereticks for neither Calvin Musculur Gualther Junius Scultetus Marlorat nor any sound interpreter Protestant Lutheran or Papist save Socinians and Anabaptists professed parties render any such sense for not to breake or to quench by a figure Merosis or Litote is to cherish and deale meekly and tenderly with weak beleevers that have something of the life of God and saving light of grace in them as weake growing reeds and smoaking flaxes and it saith that Christ doth cherish saving seeds of grace in them â—ay 50. 5. The Lord God hath opened mine eare that I was not rebellious that is that I was very
can preaching of man or angel doe without God is it not God and God only who can open the heart therefore this is no argument against the use of the sword against false teachers because it hath no strength against soule obstinacie to work repentance for neither hath preaching but the sword hath strength and more strength against the outward man the tongue the pen the profession of seducing preachers to coerce it and to guard the flock from grievous Wolves for these being testâ—â—ined the flock is in no more danger from the conscience of the Heretick then peaceable men are in danger of the bloodie mans thoughts hatred heart-malice if the Magistrate tie his hands from murther and violence by the sword of God which hee beareth Rom. 13. it hath I say more force in its way then the preaching of the word hath in regard Hereticks men of corrupt minds fearâ— men and the sword of the Magistrate more then God and the threatnings of the word as murtherers and adulterers abstain from disturbing the peace of humane societie more for fear of the laws of men then for God I grant the excessive fear is from the corruption of nature for oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae yet this argues that the sword is ordained of God to order the outward man in a peaceable way both in state and Church for lay down this ground which Libertines do that God hath appointed no law nor rule to men of corrupt minds to those that subvert whole Houses but their own erroneous consciences grievous Wolves may doe in the flock to waste destroy and pervert the flock as they please But they are say Libertines no wolves but the lambs of Christ the anointed ones whom Presbyterians so call and the Presbiterians are the wolves who so domineer over the consciences I answer this is a manifest perverting of the State of the question and to leap from the Proposition to the Assumption for we dispute only upon the Supposition that there be Wolves and Seducers in a Christian societie but who they be Presbyterian or others is another question whether or not the Christian Magistrate should for his part leave them to themselves and suffer them to preach print what blasphemies they list and their erroneous conscience dictates to them for truths But neither the Christian Magistrate not being infallible nay nor any Church on earth can judge who is the Heretick who the Saint and therefore should take on him to judge none at all to be Hereticks but should suffer tares and wheat to grow till harvest for fear he pluck up the wheat in lieu of tares and persecute Saints under colour of justice Hence I argue in the contrary demonstratively that liberty of Conscience is unlawfull and not of God Whatever way layeth down a principle most false and contrary to the word of God is not of God but must be unlawfull but the pretended liberty of conscience is such Ergo c. The Proposition needs no probation That must be false that by strong consequence follows from a false principle I prove the Assumption The prime and first principle of libertie of Conscience now under the New Testament is that Hereticks and seducing Teachers are therefore unpunishable by the sword because they are unknowable The formall and that which constituteth an Heretick an Heretick is in the heart to wit heart-contumacie legible and obvious only to him that knows all say the Belgicks Arminians and therefore they can neither be judged nor punished observe by the way the Church of Thyatira must be then unjustly rebuked for suffering Jezabel to seduce and this exempteth all false Teachers from Church-censures yea from rebukes for who dares rebuke men for fâ—â—s knowable to the almightie only who knows the heart 2. We are expressely commanded say Libertines to suffer the tares that is Hereticks to grow till harvest because we cannot know tares from wheat and we run the hazard saith Iohn Goodwin of fighting against God and fighting against Saints and God in them saith Saltmarsh when we punish Hereticks 3. We have not that infallible Spirit and those Prophets who cannot erre and can infallibly tel us who is the Heretick who not 4. There is a great variety and such contrarietie of judging say they what is heresie what not that what is heresie to one is saving truth to another who is as worthy to be beleeved as he Ergo We are all in the mist and in a sea of uncertainties in judging who is the Heretick who the Saint 5. Heresie is innocencie Ergo there is no such fault reproveable or punishable in the world say they But this principle that the Seducer is not knowable in the New Testament is most false and contrary to Scripture 1. He whom the Holy Ghost bids as try and not beleeve till we try he is knowable but every teacher true or false the Holy Ghost bids us try 1 Thes 5. 21. 1 Joh. 4. 1. and for this are the Bercans commended because they tryed Paul and his doctrine by the Scriptures Acts 17. 11. Ergo If Paul had been an Heretick and a false Teacher he might have been found out 2. Such an one as the Lord forewarns us to beware of and avoid such an one is knowable But the Lord bids us beware of false Prophets and Seducers and bids us avoid them and beleeve them not Matth. 7. 15. Remore of false Prophets Marth 24. 23. If any man say to you loe here is Christ or loe there beleeve it not why if he teach me where Christ is if I heare not him I refuse to hear Christ Matth. 10. 40 41. Ergo the false Christ is knowable Tit. 2. 10. An hereticke avoid c. when Solomon saith Make not friendship with an angry man is not the formality of anger in the heart if any should reply to Solomon God onely knows who is the angry man who is the patient and meek man therefore we will make friendship withall men or with no man Should any say there is no such 〈◊〉 knowable should he not contradict the Holy Ghost So must we say there is not such a man knowable to a mortall man as a false Prophet or an heretick and therefore Paul doth but mocke the Philippians who were not infallible when he writeth to them thus Beware of dogs and John when he saith If any man bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house Might not Libertines say God commandeth us to run the hazard of incroaching upon Gods chaire for who but he who knows the heart can tell who is the heretick who not when the Lord rebukes association with Theeves Robbers Slanderers Prov. 1. 11 12. Ps 15. 18 holdeth he not forth that the Theif the Robber and the Slanderer are knowable 3. These whom the Lord rebukes because they judge not Jezabel and deceiving teachers may know Jezabel and deceiving teachers but the Lord rebukes the Church of Thyatira for