the Prophets foretell shall commend the zeale of Kings and Rulers under the Messiahs Kingdome must be the lawfull and necessary duty of the Christian Prince under the New Testament But the punishing of false teachers under the New Testament is such ergo the proposition is undeniable the assumption I prove 1. The time when this zeale shall be put forth by the godly Prince or Ruler is v. 1. In that day when there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of David for sinne and for uncleannesse that is when remiâ—â—ion in the blood of Christ shall be preached by Apostles Pastors and teachers to Davids house to the Church of Christ as it clearly relates to that day or time c. 12. 8. When the Lord shall destroy the enemies of Jerusalem and make the house of David as God and as an Angel of God v. 9. And when he shall poure the spirit of grace and supplication on the Church and they shall see him whom they have pierced and crucified and shall mourne every family apart for their sinnes 2. Bodily punishment is descerned Thou shall not live 3. The cause is set downe for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord. 4. The execution of the sentence is his father and his mother the godly Rulers and the dearest of his friends shall thrust him through that is he shall cause the Law of God Deut. 13. 6 7 8. c. be executed against him The Answer to this argument hath no hue or apparent coulorablenesse of truth As 1. It respecteth onely the Church of the Jewes why because it saith The house of David and the Inhabitants of Ierusalem 2. because Matth. 15. 24. he saith I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and this Fountaine cannot reasonably be opened to the Gentiles but to the Iewes 3. It is for the Iewes encouragement Ezr. 5. 1. and the Prophets use not to speake of the Gentiles to make them equal and superior in holy priviledges to them for it argueth Gods displeasure with the Iewes I will move them to Iealousie with those that are no people 4. The word land I will cut off the names of Idols out of the land indefinitly put in the old Testament notes the Land of Canaan it was fulfilled under Antiochus and ended with the siege and destruction of Jerusalem Ans 1. It 's strange that the house of David should more note in prophecies the Iews excluding the Gentiles then the house of Israel and the house of Iudah should signifie the Jewes only which is apparently false for the house of Israel Ier. 31 v. 31. v. 33. 36. the seed of Israel Syon Iacob Esay 59. 21. 15. expounded to be the Church of the New Testament with whom the everlasting Covenant of Grace is made as is expounded Hebr. 8. 6 7 8 9 10. when the former Covenant that is faulty and made with the Jewes only and undeniably as the Fountaine is first opened and preached to the Jewes Mat. 15. 25. c. 10. 5 6. Act. 13. 46. yet not to them only except wee say this place and the powring of the spirit on Davids house Zach 12. 10. and the writing of the Law in the inward parts and the teaching by God and the eternall Covenant of grace is made with only the Jewes excluding the Gentiles that the new heart is not promised to them and the Law not written in the heart of the Gentiles see Rom. 11. 26. where it is said all Israel shall be saved and the fulnesse of the Gentiles comes in and the Gentiles that beleeved not have obtained mercy v. 25. 30. Act. 13. 47. 48. So James Act. 15. 16. After this I will returne and will build againe the Tabernacle of David 17. That the reâ—idue of men might seeke and all the Gentiles c. 2. It is a shame to blot paper with such Divinity that when God intends to comfort the Jewes hee is not wont to speake of the calling of the Gentiles for it still argues his displeasure with the Iewes the just contrary is the Divinity of the Prophets and Apostles Esay 54. 1. Sing O Barren 2. Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles Esay 60. 1. Arise shine for thy light is come 3. for the Gentiles shall come into thy light 4 5 6 7 8. 3. The names of Idols will not helpe nor the name of Land because they are old Testament words the contrary is Prov. 31. 23. Prov. 29. 4. the King by judgement establisheth the land any land not of Iudea only Prov. 10. 16. 17. Psal 107. 34. that this zeale ceased with the fiege of Ierusalem is said gratis and is no more true then that the Fountaine of Christs blood was dryed up then and ran no more to Davids house to Iewes and Gentiles this were to say this Fountaine is opened to the Iewes only and runs dry when it over-flowes more abundantly 2. Answ Be it that civill Magistrates ought to proceed with as great zeale against delinquents under the Gospel as Eliah against Baals preists and Phineas against Idolaters yet it followes not they ought to put out their zeal in killing false prophets with the â—word for this is blind zeale under the Gospell John 16. 1. Act 22 3. 4. Act. 26. 9. Answ The Holy Ghost commends this zeale under the Gospell when the fountaine shal be opened for Davids house his father that begat him shall thrust him through This answer saith that this zeale Zach. 13. is the bloody zeale of persecuting Saul and of others raising persecution against the Gospell preached by Paul and Barnabas so the answer contradicts God who saith this zeal was truely and lawfully set as touching the object not being set on against the members of Christ and Paul for the Gospell but against false prophets that speake lyes in the name of the Lord ver 3. Mr. Goodwin brings an example of blind and bloody zeale against the Saints and the Apostles to prove that the Christian Magistrate should have no zeale at all to punish false teachers under the New Testament which is just this in logicall reduction Magistrates under the New Testament should not butcher the innocent nor murther the Saints ergo under the New Testament magistrates should not take vengeance on murtherers evil doers and blasphemers who preach doctrines of devills It is as good logick as this Godly Rulers should not doe unjustice and oppression ergo They should not do justice and right in saving the flock from grievous Wolves 3 Answ These who are absolutely for slaying by death and thrusting through doe not allow that for every error the father should kill the childe Answ This is yet to object against the Holy Ghost not against us for the text will bear no such thing for the Prophet that is to be thrust through is not every sonne nor for every error But it is 1. A false Prophet not called to be a Prophet but one that takes on a
mouth Zach. 13. Lastly Baptist is so charitable of all Saints that are not for liberty of conscience as that he makes it their doom to be cast out as Ishmael and to have no share in Christ or in the Gospel But Baptist if you judge us and be not infallible you take the Lords throne upon you and you judge us before our day which is to you a strong argument against liberty of conscience c. 3. pag. 14. Know ye we are selfe-condemned and saw you Gods secret book and saw our names dashed out of the book of life and that we are inrolled with Ishmalites Take the beam out of your own eye CHAP. XXVII Whether our darknesse and incapacity to beleeve and professe together with the darknesse and obscurity of Scripture be a sufficient ground for Toleration AS Mr. John Goodwin the Lord pardon his perverting of Soules led the way from Arminian principles who teach with Socinians that 1 To know is not in our power which he and they borrowed from Aristotle but wickedly understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 2 Arminians taught that God by an irresistible power works illumination in the minde So opinions not being in our power the Magistrate can have no power over men to coerce them from spreading of heresie Hence Baptist the Bounder the Stormer and other Libertines M. Goodwin speaks for That which is not in our power to doe or not doe and is wrought in us by supernaturall grace and by God onely we are not punishable by the Magistrates sword but to beleeve to repent to be sound in the faith is wrought in us by supernaturall grace and by God onely Baptist heaps together but eighteen Scriptures produced against Pelagians Papists Arminians and his brethren Socinians and old Anabaptists that no man can come to the Son except the Father draw him the naturall man understands not the things of God c. And I am sure he is ignorant of the conclusion for we professe the sword is to be drawn against no man because he repenteth not or beleeveth not c. Hence Baptist spitting out with other Antinomians his venome against us though no matter excepting the sin of it if he wronged not Christ and his truth For when a weak Christian a disciple of Servetus Socinus an Apostate denying the Lord Jesus to have come in the flesh and all the Scriptures to be the word of God tyred of longer imprisonment and death shall say You say well but how shall I prevaile with my selfe to beleeve what you say Thus reply these miserable comforters Yeeld obedience to what is taught you meditate on it often desire to beleeve it and God in time will bring you to beleeve it Then poore Popery why art thou evill spoken of and this is a lie why It is the Spirit that teacheth us to pray Abba Father This is merit and supererogations ground-stone Answ 1. What if a man void of the Spirit cannot pray ergo we should not advise him to pray Is it Popery to advise him so to doe or to pray when he wants the Spirit sure Peter taught no Popery to Simon Magus a man as void of the Spirit as any Socinian or Familist a man in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Act. 8. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickednesse I conceive this is yeeld obedience to what is taught you and meditate on it and your evill wayes and change your minde and pray God though thou hast no Spirit of Adoption more then a Familist who makes you beleeve hony words or the very Spirit given to his Anointed ones such as they onely if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee and whom does the Lord command Ezek. 18. that they would make a new heart I conceive such as were as unable to doe it as to make one haire white or blacke as the Bounder saith and this is our advice not because we thinke they can do it without the Spirit of Christ more than those that move the question Act. 2. 37. What shall we doe to be saved Act. 9. 6. Act. 16. 30. But if unconverted they may be humbled and convinced that they are in a lost condition And I confesse if Antinomians will advise them to beleeve and pray though they have not the Spirit and to pray as they can and beleeve as they can and without any preparative work of the Law or sense or knowledge of sin or sicknesse for Christ immediately and forth with beleeve Christ dyed for thee obstinate Socinian and wrote thy name in the booke of life and beleeve thy election to life Baptist is a miserabâ—e comforter and how he censureth this Its Gods absolute will and pleasure you should beleeve and that you must necessarily beleeve upon perill of damnationâ— which he saith is our Catechisme I understand not except he shew us a conditionall Commandement to beleeve the Gospell and a conditionall election and reprobation suspending Gods decrees on what we are foreseen to doe and except he deny the threatnings in the Gospel which shall finde out an unbeleever Joh. 3. 18. 36. If the man be a weak Christian or a weak beleever when the advice of yeelding obedience praying desiring to beleeve is given him appearingly he would have weak Antinomians and all anointed ones loosed from all precepts rule of obedience and have them under no rule but the immediate impulsion of the Spirit which if it be his mind he should have set it down and must prove a miserable Comforter in so teaching 2. But are we in all these Scriptures that hold forth our impotencie to beleeve to thinke a good thought to doe the works of righteousness mercie truth chastitie sobrietie prescribed in the second Table unable only to conceive sound opinions of God and eschew Hereticall wayes and false Religions Are we not also unable to abstain from murther adulterie c. without the supernatural grace of God Yea all these places shall prove that the Ministerie of men Pastors and Teachers of the word are as unlawfull means of converting soules as the Magistrates Sword to beare down Heresiâ—â— O say they preaching is an Ordinance of Christ and a spiritual means ordained to convert soules the Sword is nothing but a carnall humane device I answer it is an humane device of converting souls to shed the blood of their bodie but it is to beg the question and not to prove it to call it a humane device to punish ill doers and false Teachers who pervert the souls of many 2. I speak to the Argument the only preaching of the word it alone without the Spirit can no more make an hair white or black or draw us to the Son or work repentance in sinâ—â—rs then the sword of the Magistrate can work repentance What can man doe saith the Bounder Is it not God that must give repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth So say I what
signifieth a picture Joâ— 38. 36. Who hath given understanding to the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth curious ingtaving wittily devised by the understanding and it noteth an excellent picture pleasant to see from root that signifieth to behold and to paint for all the inventions pictures ingraven works in the soule is in the conscience Sinners draw on their conscience and heart many faire fancies pictures and ingraven peeces of devised pleasures They use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit for the Conscience also Psalm 34. 18. The Lord saveth the broken in spirit Prov. 18. 4. A wounded spirit who can beare it For the word spirit in that language signifieth the whole soule 〈…〉 and the whole strength marrow courage and 〈◊〉 of the foule Joâ— 6. 8 Josh 5. 1. There was no more Spirit in them because Conscience is all it is the good or best or the evill or worst in the man does he keepe conscience all is safe doth hee lose conscienes all is gone it is the spirits the rose the onely precious thing of the soule the body is clay and â—are the conscience is the gold of the man Now touching Conscience I propose these 1. It s nature 2. It s object 3. It s office 4. The kinds of Conscience And 5. the adjuncts of it the libertie of Conscience and that much controverted prerogative to be free in opinions and in religions from bands that men can lay on it Conscience is considered by Divines as a principle of our acting in order to what the Lord commandeth us in she law and the Gospel and it commeth here to be considered in a three-fold consideration 1. As Conscience is in its abstract nature yet as it is in man only I speak nothing of the conscience of Angels and Devils 2. As the Conscience is good or bad for the conscience in Adam before the fall was in a great perfection and the Glorified spirits carrie a good conscience up to heaven with them as the damned take to hell a peace of hell within them an evill conscience yet their was neither in Adam not can there be in the Glorified an evill conscience nor any such accidentall acts of Conscience as to accuse smite tormenâ— 3. Conscience is considered as acting well or ill it hath influence on the affections to cause a feast of joy to stirre vp to faith hope sadnesse c. Touching the nature of Conscience It seemeth to me to be a power of the practicall vnderstanding according to which the man is oblidged and directed to give judgment of himselfe that is of his state and condition and of all his actions inclinations thoughts and words It is first an understanding power not an act or an actuall judgement 1. It is nor a distinct facultie from the understanding but the understanding as it giveth judgement in court of the mans state and of all his waies as whether hee be in favour with God or no and now whether he be in Christ or not and of all his motions and actions within or without But it would appeare not to be an act because to oblidge to direct to accusâ—â— are acts of the Conscience and therefore doe 〈◊〉 slow from other acts it is true the thoughts Rom. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 said to â—â—cuse or â—â—cuse but by thoughts there is meaâ—â— the Conscience 〈…〉 not first thinking and then accusing but the Conscience brething out the bad or good 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 longing and accusing or of exercising and conforming though and acts All acts flow from either young powers which they call potencie or from stronger and more aged and indicated powers which they call habits Things produced by motion and motion It selfe are the effects of the never saith Amesing de 〈◊〉 cap. 1. 〈◊〉 4. â—â—nd therefore the act of accusing may be from the Conscience which is an act this consequence cannot stand the motion and the thing produced by motion is from the mover true but the act of moving is from the mover as he actuateth his power so is directing accusing from the power in the practical understanding not from the act of understanding which is nothing in this case but the act of accusing and nothing can come from it self as a cause 2. When the beleever or wicked men go to sleep and put off their cloaths they doe not put off their Conscience and though the conscience sleeps not with the man yet doth it not in sleep necessarily act by accusing or excusing and therefore remaineth as a power in man not ever acting See Malderus in 12. q. 19. Disp 82. ar 4. 5. 2. It s an understanding power and belongeth to the judgement and understanding Esa 5. 3. Judge I pray you between me and my vineyard It s true some make it the inclination of the will as Henriquez Quodlih 1. q. 18. And Durandur may seeme not farre from it 2. d. 39. Some say it belongeth to both But the will is no knowing facultie the Conscience is a knowing facultie Eccles 7. 22. For oftentimes also thine heart knoweth that thou also hast cursed others 2. There is more of reason and sound knowledge in the conscience then in the whole understanding soule it is a Christall globe of reason the beame the sunne the candle of the soule for to know God and the creatures in out relative obligation to God in Christ is the rose the blossome the floure of knowledge Joh. 17. 3. to see God and his beauty expressed in Christ and the comlinesse aâ—d incomparable glory of his amiable and lovely Essence as holden forth to us in Christ is the highest reach of the conscience Iâ— Conscience be so divine a peece 〈◊〉 banke-full with reason and light then the more of knowledge the more of conscience as the more of fire the more heâ—â—â— the more of the sun the more light Then when phancie goes for conscience as in 〈◊〉 by siasts and new Spirits gropling beside the word of God a new Angel commended onely from Nâ—wnesse a white Angel without and a black Angel within conscience must be turned in a dreame 2. Noveltie can goe for conscience our nature is quickly taken with novelty even as a new friend a new field a new house a new garden a new garment so a new Christ a new saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delights us 3. Heresie goeth for Conscience somes Conscience phancie that to kill their children to Molech is a doctrine that entred in the heart of God to command Jer. 7. 30 31. 2. A Conscience void of knowledge is void of goodnesse silence and dumbnesse is not peace An innocent toothlesse conscience that cannot see nor heare nor speake cannot bark farre lesse can it bite before it have teeth such a conscience covenanteth with the sinner Let me alone let me sleep till the smoake of the furnesse of hell waken me If there be any sense or life fire can bring it forthe a worme at the heart can bear witnesse
aggravate the fact and give light to the Judge and what testimony the Conscience giveth of the actions of man the like it is to give of the state and condition whether it be good or ill hence these acts of recognition As 1. Conscience doth its duty in reflecting on it self It tryes the mans actions and state hence these three words 2 Cor. 13. 5. try or tempt or pierce and dig into your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many dig holes and windows in the conscience of others who never digged a hole in their own heart 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 examine what mettall is in your selves and actions men are unwilling to find oare or drosse in themselves and we are bidden 1 Cor. 11. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lead witnesses sentence and Judge our selves To these generals there is a second act which is called Psalm 4. 5. Speake with your heart You testifie little of the man that you never heard speake Men are frequently to converse with their heart by heart-communing and soule quaerees so you find out the by as and the weight that swaies with the heart Jer. 5. 24. Neither say they in their heare let us now feare the Lord our God Hos 7. 2. They say not in their heart that I consider all their wickednesse 3 There is laying of the Consience in its reflect act and the actions together Hag. 1. 5. Lay your heart upon your wales It is that which David saith Psalm 119. 59. I considered Heb. I thoughted my wayes 4. There is wandring and estrangement of a man from his own heart when he laies his case to heart he is said to return to his own heart 1 King 8. 47. If they shall be thinke themselves heb if they shall return to their owne heart or come home to their own heart in the land of their captivitie and repent then heare then Men are abroad in their thoughts and seldom at home with their own heart But of this act of witnessing of the Conscience it is of moment to know how by what Medium or way the conscience doth witnesse to man of his state that he is a childe of God in Christ whether God doth witnesse our state and condition to us by inherent quallifications in us Because we love the brethren because we have sincere hearts and ayme in all things to obey God Aâ—er 1. God speaketh by his owne works of Sanctification that we are in Christ 1 Joh. 2. 3. And hereby we know that we know him because we keepe his commandements 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren Now as God speaketh and revealeth his glory God-head power and eternitie by his visible works of creation so as we may gather by certainty of faith that God is glorious wise omnipotent eternall Rom. 1. 19 20 21. Psal 19. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 10. 17 18 19 20 Upon them grounds when we finde in our soules the works of that spirit that raised the Lord from the death as love to the brethren because brethren sincere walking with God and Christs life Gal. 2. 20. we may with the certainty of faith collect that we are the children of God and if the knowledge of our state in Christ from the works of Sanctification be but conjecturall and may deceive us and not a sufficient foundation of sound peace nor enough to make us unexcusable that from the sicknesse of inward heart-love which I feele in my owne soule to Christ I can have no divine assurance that I am in Christ and cannot be made inexcusable in not beleeving the spirit dwelleth in me by his acting and working then we cannot inferre Gods infinite wisdome omnipotencie and eternity from his works of Creation and I cannot be inexcusable if I beleeve not Gods wisdome and power from the works of creation is not the pertinacie of unbeleefe as damnable when I beleeve not God acting in his Spirit as sanctifying as when I beleeve not God acting in this first workmanship of Creation 2. In all the actings motions and walkings of the Holy Ghost in my soule in the stirrings of the New birth when the spirit of Jesus maketh a noise with his feet walking acting moving in love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse temperance which are apples and blossomes which grow on the tree of life Gal. 5. 22 23. It were no sinne to me to sleepe and beleeve these were but imaginary dreames and phancied notions if I ware not to beleeve where these are the soule that findeth them undenyably is in Christ 3. The Saints comforting themselves in their godly sincere and blamelesse walking before God in love knew what they spoke and what spirit was in them and that they walked not after the flesh as men speake and phancie in a night dreame not knowing whether they be in Christ or not these were speeches of waking men whose wits were in action Psalm 26. 8. Lord I have loved thy habitation and the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that feare thee and of them that keepe thy precepts vers 97. O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day vers 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste Yea sweeter then honey to my mouth vers 111. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart vers 162. I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth 〈◊〉 great spoile and the Church Cant. 2. 3. I sate downe under his shaddow and his fruit was sweet to my taste ver 5. Stay me with flagons and comfort mee with apples for I am sick of love Esay 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me I will seeke thee early And Ezekiah looking to his good Conscience saith Ezech. 39 3. Remember now O Lord that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Paul 2 Cor 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards Now if the Saints can thus speake with the light and perswasion of Faith before God and men to their owne solid peace and consolation then may they be perswaded by these fruits of the Spirit that they are branches growing in the Vine Christ else all these speeches are but delusions and phancies and they must speake no other thing of themselves as vessels of the grace of God then hypocrits 〈◊〉 reprobates may say of themselves For D. Crispe and also Libertines of New England whose doctrine subverts the Faith say there can be no marks of saving grace from whence we can draw either comfort or peace be it universall obedience stâ—â—rity love to the Brethren but it may bee
infallible beleeve it with a reserve say the Independents and with leaving place to a new light so as you must believe it to day to be a truth of God to morrow to be a lye the third day a truth the fourth day a lye and so a circle till your doomsday come so as you must ever beleeve and learne never come to a settlement and establishing in the truth but dye trying dye doubting dye with a trepedation and a reserve and dye and live a Scepticke like the Philosophers that said they knew nothing and I thinke Libertines cannot but be Scepticks and there is more to bee said for the Scepticisme of some then the Libertinisme of others 5. Would these Masters argue formally they must say what ever doctrine we are to try before we receive it that we may uncompelledly receive and beleeve it after tryall that ought to bee tolerated by the Magistrate in doctrine and practice or profession sutable thereunto before men I would assume But whether there be a God and but one God and all fundamentalls or non-fundamentalls be divine truths yea and whether fornication be sin and plurality of wives and community of goods and spoyling of wicked men of their wives and their lands and possessions as the Israelites spoyled the Aegyptians are such truths that we must try before we receive beleeve and accordingly beleeve and practice ergo the Magistrate is to tolerate fornication plurality of wives spoyling of men of their possessions and goods and community of goods but the conclusion is absurd and blasphemous and against the Law of nature for if there be no Magistracy nor violence to bee done to ill-doers under the New Testament neither must we defend our owne lives nor flye nor resist injuries but turne up the other cheeke to him that smites the one and if a man take your cloake give him your coat also according to the sense that Anabaptists put on the words yea and cut off your hands and feet plucke out your eyes if they cause you to offend and shed your owne blood which is the greatest and most unnaturall violence that is 6. The sense of this Try all and hold that which is good must be Try and search the true senses of divine truths and then having tryed and beleeved hold the truth and beleeve it for a day and yeeld to the light of the just contrary to morrow and having found a contrary light try that the third morrow and yeeld to another new and contrary light the third morrow Now the Holy Ghost must command doubting by that meanes and doubting till we lose faith and finde it againe and lose it againe in a circle and if we must try all things and try all spirits the Bereans must try their owne trying and their owne doubtings and beleeving and so into infinite and when they finde Christ to be in Pauls doctrine and that of Moses and the Prophets yet must they try and doubt and beleeve the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and of the Holy Ghost with the Libertines reserve waiting when the Holy Ghost shall give himselfe the lye and say I moved you to beleeve such a truth and such an article of faith the last yeare but now after a more deepe consideration I move you to beleeve the contrary yet so as yee leave roome to my new light 7. The sense also of these Lord enlighten mine eyes that I may know thee with a suller evidence not of Moon-light but of Day-light or as of seven dayes into one bee this Lord open my eyes and increase my knowledge grant that thy holy Spirit may bestow upon my darke soule more Scepticall conjecturall and fluctuating knowledge to know and beleeve things with a reserve and with a leaving of roome to beleeve the contrary to morrow of that which I beleeve to day and the contradicent of that the third day which I shall beleeve to morrow and so till I dye let me Lord have the grace of a circular faith running like the wheels of the wind-mill for the growing knowledge we seeke of God as in a way of growing ever in this life till grace be turned into glory 2 Pet. 3. 18. if our growth of knowledge stand as Libertines say in a circular motion from darknesse to light and backe againe from light to darknesse like the motion of a beast in a horse-mill so as I know and learne and beleeve this topicke truth of faith to day I unknow I unlearn and deny it to morrow as an untruth And againe I take it up the third day as a truth then we seeke in prayer not settled and fixed knowledge and a well-rooted faith of truths to beleeve them without a reserve or a demurre to senâ— way the opinion I have of this non-fundamentall or fundamentall truth as a grosse mistake and to welcome the just contrary opinion as a truth And againe to send it away upon a new light c. now this is but a mocking of God to pray for his Spirit that wee may barter and change opinions with every new Moone for our prayer for new light is not that the Holy Ghost would teach us faith and opinion of truths and falsehoods in a circle but that God 1. Would give the Spirit of revelation to see Gospel truths with a cleare revelation of faith 2. That hee would be pleased to cause that light by which we see the same ancient Gospel-truths shine more fully with a larger measure of heavenly evidence 3. That our light may so grow into the perfect day that we see new deductions consequences and heavenly new fresh conclusions from the former truthe of God But by scepticall faith we pray that God would give us a contrary new light to get a new faith of truths formerly beleeved contradicent to the word of God and to that faith which produced joy yea joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 7 8. and glorying in tribulation and sweetnesse of peace Rom. 5. 1 2 3. for this not the light of the Moone turned in the light of the Sun or of the Sun as seven dayes in one but light turned in night darkenesse the truth in a lye and the Spirit of truth made the father of lyes 8. The Apostles never bid us know any truth of God with a reserve Libertines biâ—lus the Apostles and the Holy Ghost in them bids us know assuredly that Jesus is Christ the Lord they exhort us to bee rooted and established in the faith Col. 2. to be fully perswaded of all both fundamentalls and the historicalls of the birth life miracles words facts death sufferings and buriall resurrection ascention c. of Christ as Luke exhorteth Theophilus Luke 1. 1 2 3. yea the Apostle clearely Heb. 5. exhorteth to the faith of many points concerning Christ beside the first principles of the Oracles of God that of Catecheticke points fit for babes who have not stomachs to beare stronger food v. 12. 13. 1.
doe the like and others the like till Religions bee multiplyed and this wee must say except it be affirmed that under the New Testament The corruption of our nature is not so great through neglect of Magistracy to doe what seemes good in our owne eyes under the New Testament and to runne a whoring from God to other high places as they did and if so neither should there be a Magistracy under the New Testament to restraine us in wayes of conversation touching the second Table to wit to hedge men in from robbing and stealing from incestuous Marriages and Polygamie upon meere conscience for if the Saints be the onely â—ust owners of the earth as many now hold it is no more punishable by the Ruler as robbery that a Saint take the Oxe Asse Monies Possessions of his neighbour who is a carnall and wicked man then that he take of his owne goods for his use when he is naked and starving which by the Law of nature hee ought to use before hee famishâ— and incestuous Maâ—riages are to some consciences as unpunishable now as when Cain and Abel married their owne sisters and if conscience ought not to bee forced in one thing neither can violence bee offered to it in any thing that unfainedly pretends to conscience Argument III. THAT indulgence and forbearance of all from the Ruler which layes an undeniable ground for Scepticisme Fluctuation and doubting in matters of Religion is not of God But such is toleration of sundry Religions ergo The major is thus proved True Religion suggesteth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a perfect understanding Luke 1. 3. knowledge and perswasion of faith Rom. 14. 14. 23. faith by many infallible tokens Act. 1. 3. Full perswasion Rom. 8. 39. 2 Tim. 1. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. All riches of the full assurance of understanding Col. 2. 2. The assumption I thus prove Because the Libertines say that speciall and principall ground of no indulgence to false Prophets under the Old Testament was because the Prophets were infallible God himself who onely knows the heart designed the false teacher and the blasphemer by immediate resolution from his owne oracle and made it out of question whether that was heresie or no and whether presumptuously against the light of conscience the man held professed and taught others so to doe and beleeve as he did So Arminian Libertines So Minus Celsus So Vaticanus So Jo. Goodwin and the English Libertines But now since the Prophets and Apostles fell asleepe no Magistrate no Synod is infallible all men are apt to deceive and be deceived for whether in fundamentals or non-fundamentalls none now can challenge Propheticall or Apostolicke infallibility the Synod condemning Socinians Familists as heretickes are not infallible but may as rather be the heretickes as those whom they condemne for they have not monopolized the Holy Spirit to them-themselves so say they wee have no immediate Oracle to determine heresie and what we beleeve in all except some few fundamentalls wee are to beleeve with a reserve leaving roome to a new contrary light say the Independents yea but it holdeth in beleeving fundamentalls as well as non-fundamentalls for in neither have wee Propheticall infallibility and immediate Oracles and Scripture shewes wee have as great darknesse blindnesse of minde naturall fluctuation to beleeve nothing in supernaturall fundamentalls in the Gospell as in non-fundamentalls but with trepidation and doubting of minde wee no more having monopolized the Spirit to us then Sectaries nor Sectaries more then we in the one then in the other in fundamentalls then in non-fundamentalls what ever wee beleeve upon this principle of Reciprocall Toleration both wee and Sectaries are to beleeve with a speciall reserve to change that faith with the next new Moone when contrary new light shall appeare so are wee taught to have faith of nothing but to bee tossed to and fro and to bee carried about with every wind of doctrine with wavering not rooted nor established nor fully perswaded of any thing contrary to Ephes 4. 14. Hebrewes 3. 19. Coloss 2. 2. 7. Roman 14. 2â— 2 Timoth. 1. 12. And this destroyes faith and makes it a meere conjecture and an unsettled opinion with a fluctuation of minde to waite the tyde of a new contrary light and send this old faith away and admit of another yet so as to lodge that new one with a moveable reserve and so must we live and dye doubting and meere nullifidians Argument IV. THat which destroyeth all our hope comfort of the Scriptures zeale constancy and rejoycing in suffering for the truth for Christ and the Gospel is not to be held nor is it from God But toleration of sundry Religions is such ergo The Proposition is cleare for the places of Scriptures placing these Christian graces in beleevers as Heb. 5. 19 20. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Thess 5. 8. Rom. 15. 4. 5. Rom. 12. 11. Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Eph. 3. 1. Phil. 1. 12 13. Heb. 10. 33 34. Matth. 19. 29 30. Now Toleration layes this ground as a principle Men are not to be troubled for their conscience because they beleeve hold publish and reach what they do right or wrong according to their conscience be it erroneous or not erroneous and their zeale hope perswasion comfort carrieth them to undergoe the reproaches of Heretickes Seducers false Prophets imprisonment torture death burning quicke rather then they would sinne against knowne truth and offend against a conscience though erroneous yet because the sufferers are not infallible and it may be a lye they beleeve publish and suffer for their hope may be grounded on a lye their comfort not bottomed on the Scripture and so false hope and comfort their rejoycing in sufferings and undergoing torture and violent death but fleeting and counterfeit joy their zeale without knowledge a bastard zeale having nothing to doe with the word and Gospel-promises but in the bottome as contrary to them as light is to darknesse for what any Saint or Professour beleeves and publishes hee is to beleeve and publish and dye in it and for it with a faith that the contrary may bee a truth of God and so to bee tolerated and borne with now the hope of the hypocriâ—e is therefore compared to the spiders web to a broken tree to a blasted olive tree his joy to a night vision a dreame the cracking of thornes under a pot because both hope and joy and all his comfort is grounded on an erroneous conscience a lye an imagination not on the word of God Now so is the joy comfort and hope of all Religions which Libertines contend must be tolerated they confesse they may bee truths they may bee lyes yet if they bee punished for them they suffer persecution for righteousnesse for Christ for truth Argument V. THAT which taketh away all wayes of removing Heresies under the New Testament both by the Sword and refuting of gaine-sayers by the word all rebuking all
and conjectures for it may be say Libertines that all those whom wee refute as hereticks be sound in the faith and we not they the hereticks and those whom we refute are as much oblieged in faith to refute us as we to refute them So I see not how Libertines can use so much as morall compelling of Hereticks For 1. They cannot compell them with the sword to forsake their heresies because the sword bearer being fallible knoweth them not to be heresies they may be necessary truths for him Ergo because the Pastor is no more infallible then the Magistrate the Pastor with certainty of faith cannot say thus saith the Lord. Jezabel is a false Prophetesse Hymaeneus and Phyletus depart from the faith for Jezabel Hemaeneus and Philetus may be sound in the faith and this Pastor who refuteth them the false heretick for there is no peremptory and imposing decision of any of these till the last judgement since now the infallible Prophets and Apostles are dead 2. Upon this ground yee cannot eschew any as a heretick after twise admonishing him of his hereâ—ie for ye have no faith nor divine certainty it is an heresie that he holdeth it mâ—y be you who admonish him are the heretick only upon opinion you admonish him 3 You cannot rebuke any Heretick sharpely that hee may be sound in the faith for you are not infallible in the bestowing of the lashings of your tongue on a heretick more then the Magistrate in beating him with the sword and your rebuking of him may be heretical and unjust and he the man sound in the saith 4. Upon the same ground you cannot admonish and instruct him in faith Nor 5. Call the opinion of the Magistrates coercing of men with the sword for their conscience a bloody tenet and persecution of the Saints Nor 6. Can you in faith refuse him lodging in your house and all your 7. Saying in the pulpit such a way of Familisme is a way of heresie is not resolved in thus saith the Lord by such a preacher but such a preacher so thinketh possibly phancies that the Lord sayth such a way is heresie And by the same reason what ever pastors preach especially except it be two or three fundamentalls which all Christians Papists Socinians Lutherans Protestants Familists Arminians Seekers c. Is but the dictates of their own conscience and so they preach so they beleeve and so they professe not because God so saith but because their conscience so dictates to them And here is the Libertines Creed Me thinks Christ died for sinners the dead shall be raised c. And so Libertines are very Papists in this and resolve our faith into the testimony of men the conjectures of the conscience So he goes on Hee expounds uniformity and nearest conjunction to be absolute conjunction and identitie If we be agreed of the same Church Officers with the reformed Churches and have cast out the old Vsurpers cashiered the Common-prayer booke Ceremonies Alters Crucifixes all which we have don by the Covenant do we not save our Covenant though we cast not our Churches into such Classicall provinciall or nationall formes Answ Nor do we plead for absolute identitie in doctrine and worship but indeavour it we ought But how I pray you doth the Magistrate for that I had almost forgot send Ministers to rebuke exhort and reclaime men from their errors but not compel gainesayers The Magistrate I am sure sent not Paul and Barnabas it was not so from the begining in the Apostilick Church there were no Parliament-Ministers But it may be the Authour meanes a politicall civill sending of Ministers to extirpate heresies But be it so all Magistraticall sending of Magistrates is a commanding of them by the sword in a compulsive way that they goe preach against Familisme Socinianisme Arrianisme But if so good Sir remember your selfe the Magistrate as the Magistrate doth not request and morally by the power of the word for he hath not any such spirituall armour I conceive for his warfare intreat and say good Pastors I beseech you go preach against Del Randal Saltmarsh and other Familists and extirpate their heresies private men so send Pastors but as a Magistrate he must say I command you goe preach against these heresies under the paine of bearing the vengeance of my sword now if the Pastors reply Good Master Judge we cannot doe that for we think Familisme a new glorious discovery of spirit and Mr. Saltmarsh hath beaten out of the Scriptures new sparkles of glory and flowings of free grace Familisme is no heresie If the Magistrate notwithstanding by his place and calling send these and command them to goe and extirpate Familisme doth he not compell the consciences of these pastors he sends what doe ye then talke of no compelling for what ever the Magistrate by his place doth command which is lawfull if Ministers or any other refuse to obey he may use the sword against them Ye cannot say if it be a matter of conscience he cannot compell them to doe it by his place then say I by his place hee cannot command them neither Beside that this answer is directly against the words of the Covenant if every man in like manner Art 2. Be to endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Heresie and Schisme in his severall places and calings as the Author saith this referres to the whole obligation of each person respectively Then is the Magistrate according to his place and calling which is to beare the sword to compell with the sword the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Heresie and Schisme and what hath the Author gained by this glosse which I conceive is the true glosse except he mean the Magistrate as the Magistrate should lay aside his sword and fall to prayers requests obtestations that hereticks would lay aside their errours and preach sound doctrine but now he doth so pray and request not according to his place as a Magistrate but according to his vocation as a Saint and a Christian which yet crosses the Covenant and makes the Parliament not as the supream Court of Judges to take the Covenant but as so many private Christians 2 If so the Judges are not in their respective places to take the Covenant nor endeavour the extirpation of heresie because that is against the word of God but then by what authority or calling did the Parliament cast out old Vsurpers the Prelates casheire the Service booke Ceremonies Alters and Crucifixes Either as a Parliament and so by the sword is not here yet the Prelates conscience squeezed to the blood is not here highest violence done to the consciences of high alter men and adorers of crucifixes Why to them more then to Familiâ—s But if this was done by requeâ—â— and wordâ— of butter and oyl from the Parliament and Committee-men then are Ordinances of Parliament but meer requests to the Subjects But it is protestatio conâ—raria facto He addeth if these words we shall
the Prophets and Apostles sell asleep being void of infallibility assuredly what he believeth unto salvation if any should deny there is a God or a Providence as I feare there be too many practicall and Judiciall Atheists amongst us he ought not by Prophecying or arguing to be plucked out of that estate till harvest but must with the clemency of Christ here dears brother Atheist you are a godly pious hereticke and have no God but your conscience and dare not for feare of your conscience believe that there is a God and I dare not rebuke you but be going on in your Divinity I have as little infallible assurance there is a God as you have there is no God and neither you nor I are to be punished for our consciences 3. Mr. Williams ought for no Religion venture his life to burning quicke for he cannot dye or cast away his life but upon a conjecture it may be there is a God and it may be there is no God for how dare he breake the sixt Command and hazard his life for a truth that may be a lye So neither should any persecute but in faith that he is infallibly sure the man is a reall hereticke neither should he be persecuted for he is not infallible in the knowledge that he suffereth for and so cannot suffer in faith see for more of this and the foregoing doctrine Cainbartus contra Lypsium Lincaeus de libertate Christiana Althusius in politicis and Celsus gives us good stuffe It was commanded Kings in the Old Testament to kill their enemies but in the New Testament we are to love our enemies and doe good to them that hate us 2 For edification not for killing and destruction is Church Discipline ordained Ans What this Socinian Author bringeth for new Precepts of Christ in the New Testament different from these of the Old is but wicked Socinianisme as you may see in the Catechisme of Raccovias Socinus Osterodius Smalcius Volkelius and the Arminians Episcopius Arminius who make the loving of our enemies commanded by Christ Matth. 5. 44. Luke 6. 35. and by Paul Rom. 12. 20. not to be commanded in the Old Testament which argueth their ignorance of the Scriptures Prov. 25. 21. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread Prov. 24. 17. Rejoyce not when thine enemies fall Exo. 23 4. If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or Asse going astray thou shall surely bring it backe to him yea David by an Old Testament spirit when his enemies were sick Psal 35. 13 14 was cloathed with sack cloth and fasted and behaved himselfe as one mourning at his mothers grave what David and Jerâ—mial did prophesie against Gods enemies is fulfilled in the New Testament and Paul and Luke say Amen to it Rom. 11. v. 8 9 10. Acts 1. 20 21. and we are to beare the like zeal yea more against false teachers under the Messias Kingdome then they did Zach. 13 1 2 3 4 5 6. 2 Joh. 10. Rom. 16. 17. Rev. 2. 19 20. 2 The end of Church-discipline is edification the taking away the life of a Blasphemer is the good of the society Deut. 13. 12. That all Israel may heare and feare and doe so no more but that the Christian Magistrates end is spiritual and the edification of souls we read it not The Author of Ancient bonds having forgotten Divinity cryes God waited for the Old world 120 yeers and when this date of patience is out I would have gathered you c. I sent my Prophets early but where doth the Lord charge the Prophet that the Magistrate did not force and compell the people Ans Will this man let us hear Logick the Lord waited on the old world 120 yeers and sent his Prophets early I dare say many hundred yeers Ergo The Blasphemer and the false Prophet contrary to Deut. 13. Levit. 24. must be spared 120 yeeres so Ergo Wee must exercise much long suffering in the old Testament while these Lawes were in vigour for then it must bee that the Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah were never charged that Magistrates compelled not consciences toward seducing Prophets Why but God using much long-suffering toward the old world and Israel not a world I jâ—dge of innocent and godly Hereticks but of men that corrupted their way despised the Prophets hardned their faces and hearts were murtherers oppressors grinders of the poor killed their children to Devils Ergo the Magistrate should extend long-suffering for as many yeers as this man will to these ill-doers no less then to seducing torchers should not Pastors Rulers extend long-suffering to all sorts of sinners as well as to Hereticks but where answers the Prophet doth the Lord lay it to the charge of Prophet or Magistrate that they did not force or compell the people to repent to leave their murthering their oppressing their grinding of the face of the poor We teach not that the Prophet ought to compell any nor that the Sword is an ordinance of God to convert oppressars and murtherers to turn meek and righteous judges co-action by fire and sword in Old or New Testament can convert none to Christ the word and the Spirit must ever doe the turn By accident God can change the nature of the rod and fanctifie it to Manasses for to bring him to humiliation and repentance But were these that Christ would have gathered Matth. 23. only false Prophets to whom he extended patience many hundred yeers even from Moses till his owne coming in the flesh Ergo We should extend to bloodie Murtherers of the Lords Prophets the like patience and not kill them for then they are past hope of being gained Now the Text means no such thing but that Christ waited long on and sent his Prophets early in the morning to those that were theeves Isai 1. murtherers adulterers Jer. 5. that slâ—w their Children to Moleâ—h by this argument the Magistrate should not draw his Sword against adulterers murtherers and I judge the Rulers were called Lions and Wolves Ezek. 22. because they extended too much cruel patience to these But if Gods patience be a rule men must not be cut off because there is hope of their repentance so long as they live your own Acontius saith by this reason Murtherers and adulterers should not be punished by the Magistrate for there often is more hope of Publicans Harlots and Murtherers that they may be the elect of God and gained to repentance then of self-wise and judicially blinded Pharisees Nor find we any so deserted of God and judicially blinded of God as Libertines read but the book intituled John the Baptist sure a wilderness man void of reason wrote it the man tells chap. 9. disclaiming against going to low and wars which yet Anabaptists and this Scholler of that Sect practise whether the Parliament will or no saith Are yee wronged in person estate good name or for Christs sake which is our conscience
our Saviour and his Saints have drunke the same cup. Hence he citeth to no purpose Scriptures but two and fourtie in number of the persecutions to follow the Lords Disciples for the Gospel and that it is proper to the world to persecute and to the Saints to be persecuted and hated for righteousnesse and that such as are persecuted and 〈◊〉 â—â—sallow all persecuting for matters of Religion as the greatest stumbling block to the propagation of the Gospel must necessarily be the true Church and 〈◊〉 of Christ none else having a capacitie without Gods infinite mercie and dispensation of being ever hewed out and squared as members sutable to such a head contrâ—riorum eadem est ratio since the true Church must needs be persecuted that must needs be a false Church which persecutes the true one for though this false Church be persecuted likewise yet in regard it cannot be both true and false that persecuted Church must needs be the only true one which doth not persecute others but that the argument may be compleat and full it had much need for it is weak and unstable as water as in the mouth of two witnesses unto this evidence of reason Let me adde a Scripture proofe Viz. we brethren true Christians as Isaac was are the children of promise but as he that was born after the flâ—sh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit 〈◊〉 so it is now Gal. 4. 28 29. yet since it is better if the will of God be so that we suffer for wâ—ldoing then for evill doing 1 Pet. 3 17 howevâ—r these Ishmalites are powerful prosperous prevaile against us and have the world at will for the present yet let us comfort our-selves that God hath chosen the dispised and poore rich in faith c. We close this Chapter with their doom and ours neverthelâ—sse what saith the Scripture Câ—st out the bondwoman for the son of the bonâ—woman shall not be heire with the son of the free-woman so then we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free Gal. 4. 30 31. So of that sort is the heedlesse Quaerist to the Assembly of Divines If the Magistrate as a Magistrate have a power from Christ to punish such as he is perswaded in his conscience are erroneous and hereticall or because he differs in Religion from the Magistrate then Queen Mary and her Parliament did well in burning the Martyrs for differing from her established Religion Answ 1. The man as an Anabaptist citeth Matth. 5. 39. 40. Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheâ—k turn to him the other Volkelius an arrand Socinian cryes down Lawes and Judges and all warres under the New Testament and maketh this a new Commandement not warranted in the Old Testament as if the hating of our enemie and revenge were commanded in the old and forbidden in the new Nay sâ—ith he what heavenly ravished and blessed Spirit will tell me what these Scriptures mean Mat. 39. 40. 41 42. as if none were heavenly and blessed Spirits that knew the meaning of the Scriptures but Volkelius Chellius Socinus and other Socinians and Anabaptisâ—s I answer Socinus and Volkelius are these blessed Spirits that can shew the meaning of these words and tender Lettice for your lips But see your Socinian dream and theirs refuted by Poliander and Joan. Peltius for Christ in the New Testament does no where contradict Moses Law nor refute Moses but he refuteth the false glosses which Scribes and Pharisees put on Moses Law For 1. Christ never saith It was said by Moses but I say the contrary But it was said of old by the unlucky Elders and Fathers of Scribes and Pharisees which these wretched Doctors and their sons said Eye for eye and thou shall not kill and thou shall not commit adultery As is cleare 1. Because loving of our Enemy was forbidden by Moses and in the Old Testament as in the New as I proved before revenge is forbidden Prov. 20. 22. Deut. 32. 35. Shedding of bloud is forbidden Gen. 9. 6. as well as by our Saviour Matth. 26. 52. 2. Because Christ saith Matth. 5. 20. I say unto you except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees he saith not except it exceed the righteousnesse of the Law of God commanded by Moses in the Old Testament Yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven And as Christ condemneth unjust anger so is it condemned aâ— murther and accursed in the Old Testament Gen. 49 7. 2 Chro. 28. 9. Daniel 3. 13. Prov. 14. 16. Gen. 27. 45. Est 1. 12. Prov. 15. 1. Prov. 19. 11. c. 27. 4. Eccles 7. 4. Esa 7. 4. Amos 1. 11. 1 Sam. 17. 28. 1 Sam. 20. 30. Prov. 14. 17. c. 29. 22. c. 21. 19. c. 22. 24. and forbidden in the sixt Commandement before Christ had that Sermon Matth. 5. And the forbidding of rash and sinfull anger is no new Commandement but more frequently condemned in the Old Testament then in the New And the like may be proved of heartlusting Prov. 6. 25. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart Gen. 6. 1. Job 31. 1. Jer. 5. 8. 2 Sam. 11. 2. Job 24. 15 16. Job 31. 9. All which places and many others in the Old Testament condemne lusting after a woman in the heart no lesse then Christ condemns it 3. Christ refuteth Socinians and Anabaptists Matth. 5. 17. Think not I am come to destroy the Law c. 18. For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all he fulfilled But if Christ oppose his new Precepts to the Law of Moses as Velkelius saith he must utterly destroy the Law of Moses and substitute a more perfect Law in the place thereof But Libertines as Joh. Baptist here would have heresie forbidden in the Old Testament and punishing of false prophesying commanded there But heresie must be Innocency and Righteousnesse in the New Testament and to be punished for false teaching in the old was to suffer for ill-doing but now in the New saith Baptist to be punished for false prophesying is to suffer for well-doing and he citeth 1 Pet. 3. 17. as if it were the will of God that Sectaries suffer for well-doing that is for Familisme Socinianisme Antmomianisme Popery Idolatry butchering of children to God as some Anabaptist Parents have done and for preaching Doctrine that eateth as a Gangrene 2 Tim. 2 for blaspheming and denying the Resurrection of the dead as Hymeneus did for he that suffereth for all these out of meer conscience suffereth for well-doing as Peter saith if we beleeve Joh. Baptist 2. But how shall Mr. Baptist prove Christ foretelling the Apostles should be persecuted for the preaching of the truth of God and the Gospel that these Apostles and the Anabaptists that now are must looke in like manner to be persecuted for the Gospel that is for Familisme Socinianisme all the
adde a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substract and so vitiate the fountaine sense and omit points change consonants which in the Hebrew and Greek both might quite alter the sense nor can any say Christ and the Apostles being infallible could well cite the Prophets without a mistake though the copies might have been vitiate and corrupt 2. Because the very citing of these Testimonies by Christ and his Apostles made them Scripture and so of infallible authority but our citing of them since both Printers and Translatours are not immediately inspired and we also might erre cannot adopt them into Canonicall and authentick Scripture such as was first written by the immediately inspired Prophets I shall answer that first this objection presumeth that Christ and the Apostles might and did finde errours and mis-printings even in written Scripture which might reduce the Church in after ages to an invincible ignorance in matters of faith and yet they gave no notice to the Church thereof or if there was no errour de facto then for so many hundred yeares yet there are now substantiall errours and so soule that it may be we have no word of God at all amongst us and God hath no Church no beleever on earth but we must all take the word of Printers and Translatours which is meerly the word of man and what is become of all the Martyrs that suffered by the bloudy woman Babel they dyed for meer conjectures and opinions for they had not the first originall copies of Moses and the Prophets yea Stephen the first Martyr who according to all our copies Act. 7. addeth five to Moses his 70 soules that went downe to Egypt in that glorious Sermon that he hath before his death when he sealed the truth with his bloud and dyed gloriously and said Lord Jesus receive my spirit dyed but upon the faith of mens fallible skill in Grammer Printing and writing for he citeth the writings of Moses to his enemies that stoned him according to the copies that they then had who would quickly have controlled him if he had cited false copies and Stephens owne Testimony was contraverted and therefore except we say that Stephen and Christ and the Apostles cited the testimonies of the Prophets as they were then obvious to the eyes and reading of both the people of God and the enemies and that not simply as their owne words which they spake as immediately inspired but as the testimony of the Prophets according to the then written copies we must say they spake not Ingeniously the truth of God for it was against truth candour ingenuity to Christ and the Apostles to say as it is written in your Law Jo. 8. 17. and so often it is written if they would not have the hearers to receive with certainty of faith and full assurance free from all doubting and feare of humaue fallibility that what they cited as written was undoubtedly the same very truth of God and no other which Moses and the Prophets spoke and wrote and if they would not have them to read search and beleeve these same Scriptures and to conceive that they drew arguments in the New Testament to prove and confirme their doctrine from that which was written by Moses and the Prophets in the Old Testament and would not have them to beleeve them onely because New Testament writers immediately inspired had so said 6. If God will have us to try and examine all Spirits all Doctrines by the Scriptures written then are we certainly assured that the books we now have of the Old and New Testament are the very word of God though we cannot by any possibility have the first and originall authentick copies of Moses and the Prophets and Apostles Because 1. God would not bid us try and then leave us no rule to try withall but our owne naturall light which must lead us into darknesse 2. The visible Church should not be guilty of unbeleefe if the written word were not among us or then Christ and his Apostles speaking to us as is cleare Joh. 15. 22. Rom. 10. 14 15. Matth. 11. 21 22. The assumption is cleare by the commended practise of the Bereans who tryed Pauls doctrine by the Scriptures Act. 17. See Rivetus Whitaker Calvin 3. By the command of God 1 Thess 5. 2. 1 Joh. 4. 1. Try all things try the Spirits 7. John would not call those blessed who read and hear Rev. 1. 5. nor would Paul recommend reading to Timothy and continuance in the doctrine of the Scriptures and so extoll the necessity and utility of the Scripture and the indwelling of the word of God in us as he doth 1 Tim. 4. 16. 2 Tim. 14 15 16. Col. 3. 16. nor could the things written by John c. 21. 31. by Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. 29 30 31. be holden forth as sufficient to bring soules to heaven and to cause them eschew hell if it were true that we have no certainty that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the very word of God but such as is made of mens credit and learning 8. Yea and so what God spake immediately to Abraham Moses and the Prophets could not be infallibly and by certainty of faith to them the word of God for if God spake to them in a language intelligible they had no certainty of faith that the words that came from God did signifie thus and thus for sure God by immediate inspiration taught them not Grammar and significations of words and those that read the Law written by Gods finger on two Tables of stone those who heard Moses and the Prophets preach in their Mother-tongue even the Jewes who read the originall first Hebrew copy of Moses and the Prophets must have had no warrant that that was the word of God but the authority of Father Mother and Nurses who first taught them their Mother-tongue for sure the Prophets were not School-masters to teach them Hebrew so by this learning there was never since the world was any certainty of faith but such conjecturall humane and fallible opinions in all the matters of God as is resolved ultimately saith Mr. Goodwin into mens fallible and topicke authority and skill of Grammar and all divine faith is perished out of the earth nay there never could be any divine faith on earth except God by a supernaturall power taught men first Grammar and then to beleeve for which we have no warrant so all our faith must bee dreams And since Mr. Goodwin acknowledgeth a supernaturall power of the Spirit of Grace to beleeve what else doth this Spirit cause us beleeve but lyes or at best phancies resolved into humane credit which may be false for any certainty of knowledge that Libertines allow us Yea confident I am saith Mr. Goodwin that the wisest and most
way to spare the bloud of the Saints and not resisting the blessed Spirit in them then we cannot punish hereticks and men of corrupt mindes but we are in hazard to resist the Saints and kill the Spirit in them then when the Holy Ghost forbids us to beleeve false Christs Matth. 24. which is a resisting of their spirit we know not but he bids us beleeve the word of truth in Gods dearest Saints since for any knowledge we can have not to beleeve these false Christs it may be they are Gods dearest Saints whose words we refuse to beleeve then in one and the same Commandement of Christ which is beleeve them not he bids us beleeve their word and resist not the Spirit of truth in Gods dearest Saints and when Tit. 3. 18. he forbids us to keep company with an heretick but avoid him and 2 Joh. 10. receive not an impostour into your house he bids us run the hazard of avoyding a Saint and of refusing to lodge in your house Gods deare childe 5. What if Gods dearest Saints beleeve and publish an heresie and the doctrine of Familisme then they are to be pardoned because they are dear Saints But let Libertines answer the Query why should Indulgence and Toleration be yeelded to a Saint that speaks lyes in the name of the Lord more then to a wicked man who also doth prophesie lyes if both may fall in the same heresie with the like pertinacy for a time if we be not respecters of persons they no lesse deserve both to be punished then when both commit adultery and murther 2. Why lying of God and speaking words that eat like a gangrene and beleeving a lye deserveth rather an indulgence in a Saint then murthering whoring oppressing And why but we may tolerate all the Saints because they are Saints as well as some sinne no lesse yea more dangerous then these that are not to be tolerated for to infect the flocke with lying doctrine is more hurtfull to the Church then the example of adultery or murther in a Saint if toleration of all wayes and liberty of professing or publishing whatever tenets or doctrines seem good to a man in his owne eyes though to the perverting of the faith of many be a means of finding out many precious truths as Libertines say then hath God commanded all men to speake all kind of lies against God his Son Christ heaven hell the resurrection the last judgement the immortalitie of the soul though most pernicious to soules for God commandeth all meanes of finding out truth for it cannot be said he commands all lawfull meanes for Libertines hold that to professe and publish what the most erroneous conscience dictates to be the truth of God though it be black heresie is to speak the truth as an Indweller in the Lords holy hill Psal 15. so saith Vaticanus and all the Libertines who make the conscience right or erroneous the rule of the Christian mans walking not the word of God and in so doing the Lord must by the Libertines doctrine command men to speak lies in the Name of the Lord and must command Hereticks and Saints to pervert the soules and the faith of one another and make one another children of perdition and not spare the flock but devour and hunt soules and so shall the Lord command sinne 6. How doth non-toleration and libertie of beleeving every spirit seeming to us to be of God bring men in a posture of uncapabilitie of being delivered from error and ignorance the word never maketh a libertie to beleeve lies a way to be delivered from error The way to be delivered from error is to be humble and fear God and he shall teach us his waies Psal 25. 9. 14. Joh. 7. 17. 2 Thes 2. 11 12. Baptist ibid. God will have the meanes used by every man according to his own light and knowledge that he may be fully perswaded in his own conscience and no man knowes Gods cabinet counsell Ergo We cannot be competent judges of other mens consciences who are Hereticks who not Answ God will have the meanes used by every man according to his own light I distinguish according to his own light and conscience as a necessarie condition that must be in all right judging it is most true for he sins grievously who in judging goeth contrary to the inditement of his own conscience and so God will have the meanes used by every man according to his own light and conscience as his obliging rule which layeth a law and a tie upon him to beleeve and professe that is most false for the word of God not every mans conscienceis the obliging rule of his actions as is proved 2. The conclusion is most false for though we are not to judge who are elect and who reprobate because we are not upon Gods Cabinet counsell yet do we not intrude upon Gods secrets to judge who is an Heretick or a false Teacher or who sound in the faith by his doctrine examined by the law and the Testimonie for how can God say Beware of the false Prophet Matth. 7. 15. if it were arrogancie and an intruding upon Gods Cabinet counsel to judge a false Prophet by his doctrine to be a false Prophet how can we avoid an Heretick more then a Saint if we may not lawfully judge an heretick to be an Heretick Obj. 14 The Holy Ghost not only foresaw there would but determines there must be heresies and its expedient for the exercise of love and the discoverie of truth and the Professors thereof are not Errors as well as afflictions a part of Christs discipline then let it have its perfect work till it be cured by its proper remedie the sword of the Spirit It s not said there must be murtherers as it is said there must be Heresies Some seem so to be in love with new opinions as they extoll them one a very worthy Preacher saith variety of faces is not an affliction but matter of much admiration to behold So varietie of judgements simplie considered is not a grief but a glorie to me to behold when one spirit of grace and heavenlinesse is in them all for I count it a glasse of Gods own making wherein to behold his manifold wisedome Answ 1. There is no question but God hath wise and noble ends why he permits Heresies but we no more can Orthodoxly say That God determines Heresies then that God determines that sin must be for Heresies are sins now wee say not soundlie That God determines or decrees sins shall be sine adjecto he determines to permit sin 2. God determines Heresies must be so he determines that murthers adulteries oppressions must be it then shall follow the Christian Magistrate by this Argument does tolerate murthers oppressions as he tolerates heresies but the conclusion is grosse because Heresies are the Churches affliction and so are bloods and oppressions of the Saints shall then Christian Magistrates tolerate
the house of God Psal 69. of the betraying of him by Judas and 〈◊〉 historicall things that are not fundamentals yet all thâ—â— were a part of the Apostles and the Holy Ghosts testimony Act. 5. 32. And to be beleeved with divine certiâ—ude of 〈◊〉 faith no lesse then the Articles of fundamentalls that Christ was the sonne of man and died for our sinnes and rose for our righteousnes except we say that the Apostles are false witnesses and make God a lyar in saying that Judas betrayed him not and that Barrabas a Murtherer was not preferred to him 1 Cor 15. 1â— Job 3. 33. 1 Job 5. 10. For if we give God the lye in non-fundamentals and turne non-fundamentals into controversies and conjectures and thinke we must beleeve fundamentals one or two fixedly and peremptorily and lead a good life and so we are saved but not otherwise but as touching non-fundamentalls we may beleeve these with a reserve and a demurre and may beleeve them for a day or an houre and deny them to morrow and again bee carried about with a new wind of doctrine and beleeve the third day and deny them the fourth day beleeve them the fift day and deny them the sixt day and so make a whirly-gigge of our faith and a new faith for a new-moone or for a halfe and a quarter moone as the Independents in their Apology makes this a principle of their faith to beleeve these things so as wee leave roome for a new light to cast a board again at the blowing of the wind of a new phancy of which we have seene more in the Assembly of Divines these four years past then we desire to see in any that professe godlinesse and as the Holland-Arminians say from whom new lights or old darknesses have their rise a faith of a thousand yeares may be the worst of all which say we is most false a false opinion of God and a thousand yeare old lye a gray-haird untruth is the worst of conjectures but faith it neither is nor can be called But the late Independents and the new Libertines of England do only say such a monthly faith is to be tollerated because of the darkenes of our mind in the matters of God which yet is faith not but a conjectural opinion But they say by a command of God we must have no other faith except in some few fundamentals and no man since Adam died except the man Christ ever knew or could determine how few or how many so our faith in fundamentals in that totters for they say these precepts and commands of the Holy Ghost Try the spirits whither they be of God or no. Try al things hold that which is good the example of the noble Bereans who examined Pauls doctrine by the Scriptures doth lay a divine command in them to beleeve non-fundamentals with a reserve Yea they say with the Arminians c. that it is against liberty of prophesying whereas liberty of lying in the name of the Lord is of the devil who hath taken liberty or rather helish licence to lye from the beginning they say it is against our growing in knowlâ—dge and the prayers of the Saints that God would open their eyes to see the wonders of his Law and lead them into all truth and against the prophesies that in the last days the earth shal be filled with the knowledg of the Lord the light of the moon shal be as the light of the sun and the light of the sun as the light of seven days and the day star shal arise in the hearts of many and the spirit shall be powred on all flesh young and old maids and children To all which I say either the Spirit of God moves men to the faith of this there is no Church visible on earth but such as is constituted of beleevers such as those of Corinth and Rome and others were after they were planted and watered by the Apostles or no. If no they have not faith of it and so it is 1. No truth of God to Independents c. for which they can suffer but a meer opinion then they cannot suffer for it in faith and to beleive any truth of God because the Lord so saith is wrought only by the Holy Ghost if it be wrought by the Holy Ghost then it is a truth of God and a divine truth for the Holy Ghost moves no man to beleeve a lye for a truth of God if it be a divine truth then doth not the Holy Ghost will you so to beleeve it for a truth as you must upon a new light beleeve the contrary to morrow For I renew the argument in its full strength touching the faith of the contradicent which you beleeved the last day either the Holy Ghost must move you to beleeve that contradicent as a truth of God or no Iâ— no It is not divine faith you have of it if yea then the faith of the former was the beleeving of a lye so that you must make the Holy Ghost the father of beleeving a lye 2. The object of divine faith a lye 2 This is to teach us to be carried about with every wind of doctrine whereas faith of fundamentals or non-fundamentals is to beleeve a truth because so saith the Lord that cannot lye nor speake untruth but you will men to beleeve those non-fundamental truths so as they may bee as well lyes as divine truths 3. These Precepts Try the Spirits Try all things enjoyne an examination of fundamentalls as well as non-fundamentalls and what reason have Independents to say these Precepts hold in non-fundamentalls onely Mr. John Goodwin with better ground saith they hold in all for must we hold that which is good onely in non-fundamentalls And did not the Bereans try Pauls doctrine by the Scripture in the most and onely necessary fundamentall which Paul preached that Jesus Christ was the Messiah that dyed rose againe Act. 17. 3. and are therefore commended by the Holy Ghost v. 10. 11 above those of Thessalonica and must wee beleeve every Spirit who preach fundamentall truths or fundamentall errours who say Christ is not yet come in the flesh upon trust the contrary of which John expresly enjoyneth 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3 yea we are rather to try fundamentalls and to walke upon sure and unmoveable principles since an errour here hazardeth our eternall salvation and is of as great concernment as our souls are but errours or mistakes in non-fundamentalls though they bee sinnes yet are consistent with saving faith and the state of salvation 4. Try all things try the spirits must have this sense beleeve what ever God saith be it fundamentall or non-fundamentall not onely after you have searched the Scriptures and sound it agreeable thereunto as the Bereans did but though you finde it consonant to the writings of the Prophets and Apostles yet because you are not infallible nor the Spirit that leads you therein