meeting there a certain Sorcerer false Prophet named Elymas who seeking to turn away Sergius Paulus from the Faith Act. 13.9 St. Paul filled with the holy Ghost set his eyes on him and said O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil and enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right waies of the Lord And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind not seeing the Sun for a season and immediatly there fellon him a mist and darkness These instances demonstrat a spirituall Power of Truth to rectifie erroneous and to punish and to have coercion for evil and seared Consciences for such there are 1 Tim. 4.2 Some speaking Lyes in Hypoorisy having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron And the holy Scripture lets us all know that the Holy Ghost appeared in fiery Tongues as wel as in the shape of a Dove Acts 2.1 2. Mat. 3.16 to signify to all the world that as it presented innocency and such are the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 so in the shape of fiery Tongues it presented judgement and indignation to those who resisted the motions of that blessed Spirit This is told often in the holy Scriptures but twice more emphaticatically in the Epistle to the Hebrews and that with great terror For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good word of God and of the Powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renue them again unto Repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.4 5 6. There is a second sting which is as equally sharp Let us hold fast the Profession of our faith without wavering and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching for if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins Heb. 10.26 27. but a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries By this time it appears very evident that the unanswerable Texts of the holy Scripture so ill interpreted or so ill applyed doe not take away all Coercion in Religion because a Conscience may be erroneous and so ought to be rectifyed or very bad and seared and so ought to be coerc'd and punished yet these Proceedings are to be guarded with greatest spirituall care and cautions that the weak and erroneous Conscience may be directed and then comforted by the Word of God and the bad and seared Consciences refisting the good motions of Gods Spirit gathered by the conclusions of found reason and the right and true Applications of holy Scripture growing still more impenitent and hardened may be punished and that God may be glorified in his judgements where his truth and mercies have been despised CHAP. XV. IN the next succeeding Chapter the Author pleads against the constraint of Conscience pretending that all the godly and well affected of the Nation are of his Principle who is introducing Popery into the Countrey with his Arguments of kinness to a tender Conscience and to be more plausible and complacent with the Souldier he urgeth the Motto of the Armies viz. Liberty to all tender and oppressed Consciences by which device Mr. Birchley seems forward to shelter his Popish Arguments under their Banners and Ensigns But this spirituall abuse or rather chear is so palpable and visible that all ingenuous minds cannot but conclude such applications to be very odious and ridiculous as no way encouraging Popish aims or ends but rather an extirpation of Papall as well as Presbyterian Tyranny As for other arguments either from reason or Scripture they are not considerable the discourse of this Chapter being spun out with gross impertinent flattery or repetition of texts of Scripture as Rom. 14.15 formerly examined CHAP. XVI THe next tract is a discourse as it appears in the title of tender Consciences wherein the Author surely blushing for something said before seems to address himself to Excuses and Apologies confessing there that tenderness of Conscience is not an extravagant licentiousness for Blasphemy in Doctrine or Debauchery in manners This part is a large Negative description what tender Conscience is not then determining as the Doctor in the Chair he tels us It is a Proceeding bona fide without sinister Respects or dissimulation seeking before all things to know God and fearing above all things to offend him This description for it is not a Logical definition as neither having a proper Genus nor Differentia specifica is as large and wild in the Affirmative as the other part was in the Negative and thus M. Birchley after his great struglings telling us but confusedly what tender Conscience is not and not directly what it is Resolves for they are his own words Page 14. It is the only means God hath allowed our Nature to guide her Resolutions of judging of others in which result this Builder pulls down all the structure he had so artificially built up before for his positions were formerly out of misapplyed places of holy Scripture Iames 4.12 Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that judgest another c. And in this last clause the Sophister concludes God alloweth the nature of a tender Conscience to the Resolution of judging others and this Pill once swallowed other Physick is prepared in the signs of a tender Conscience which he reckons to be Regular lives no opinions of self-interest severity against corrupt nature steddiness of judgement constancy in their perswasions untill death dying not only in but for the faith suffering all things to be taken away patiently and for Christs sake These are indeed Evangelical Counsels and great perfections and well become all good Christians but when the Application of all these religious duties is more closely drawn to the Papists as it appears in Mr. Birchleys a Dialogue with his friend page 16. the secreted plots appear more plainly while it is insinuated to please some parties that tender Consciences have the power of judging others Mr. Birchley quickly determins that the Papists are the men of the Regular lives c. and in the end if his doctrin take place they must judge of all others which is the present tyranny of Popish usurpation where it rules and reigns As for the rest of the discourse of the tract of tender Consciences it is a tedious deviation to other matters as a complaint against the former Oaths of Supremacy and Allegeance or the present Oath of Abjuration in which murmuring dislike the Author fights most against himself pleading formerly for the Papists peaceableness and humbleness of submission
change and alter the very letter and phrase of the Text as he doth likewise the sense and application The words pretended for Master Birchleys purpose are taken out of Rom. 2. vers 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly rendered in the second Person and so the translation hath it behold Thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent Thence Master Birchley passeth with an c. and skippeth farther augmenting his error at the 20 verse changing there the singular number to the plural the second Person to the first which is not Grammatical and Tu to Nos saying We therefore who teach another teach we not our selves These are very bold Corrections and savor of no ingenuous and humble spirit but rather of prophane Arrogancy as though the holy Scriptures were indeed Nasus cereus a very Nose of wax which the Pope and Mr. Birchley could turn to any form they pleasâ—d Secondly the sense and application is most erroneous and disorderly placed For if Master Birchley intend by the Nos We the Commissioners for Sequestrations rest in the Law approve the things that are most excellent c. This is nothing but gross and odious flattery And if by the Nos in the second quotation Mr. Birchley intend the Commissioners Mr. Birchley approves himself a peremptory Moderator his application is very sharp and without the rules of good manners or charity for he concludeth them no better than Iews who rob and steal but it may be rather conjectured by any sober and judicious Reader that Mr. Biâ—chley applyed the first quotaâ—ion with Reflexion on himself and his Roman party concluding Pharisaically that he and they rested in the Law and approved the things that were more excellent And that those who were not or his opinion and releeved not him and his comparâ—ners were as hard hearted as Iews and rob'd and stole The last words of the Title are Video meliora proboque Deterâ—ora sequor which as they are the words of an excellent Poet expressing the passion of a frantick Queen so are they as rashly applyed if to any other than Mr. Birchley himself who hath scattered such desperate Popish poyson into the Countreys more soundly reformed from the errors and superstitions of Rome The Title of Mr. Birchleys Moderator being thus past over the inside of this miscellaneous and monstrous building is to be viewed which is likely to prove as slight and treacherous as untrue and dangerous CHAP. XII THe Introduction or Preface to the Moderator is a discourse which perswadeth much to Christian charity to which purpose our Saviours words are quoted Iohn 13.15 By this shall all men knâ—w that you are my disciples if you love one another And that of St. Paul to the Galathians chap. 5. All the Law is fulfilled in one word thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself These Advertisements are very heavenly Meditations and the practice of this Duty of Charity well becomes all professing Christianity And it is a fad sight to see so much effusion of blood and other sinfull mischiefs for differences in Christian Religion But the Quarrel in this Case is very antient the two first Brothers in the World went peaceably to the Altar but there Cain grew first in wrath and his Countenance fell Gen. 4.5 And after these Conceptions of rage and malice he acted his cruelty on his innocent Brother Abel at a second meeting Cain talked with Abel his Brother and it came to pâ—ss that when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him Thus Jeroboam was inflamed in an instant against the old Prophet who cryed against the Altar in Bethel And it came to pass when King Ieroboam heard the saying of the man of God which had cryed against the Altar in Bethel that he put forth his hand from the Altar saying â—â—y hold on him â— Kings 13.4 Ieroboam laid his ground-work and hopes for the Crown of Israel on the quarrell and differences in Religâ—on 1 Kings 12.28 Wheâ—eupon the King took Counsell and made two Calves of Gold and said it is much for you to go up to Hierusalem behold thy Gods O Israel The antient Wars of the Heathens were commenced and undertaken as well pro Aris as Focis their Gods as their Goods And as for the Gospel though it bring bonum nuntium glad tydings of Salvation and that the causes and proceedings of Cain and Ieroboam were most horrid and unjust yet Christ is pleas'd to tell us That he came not to bring Peace but a Sword Mat. 10.34 35. And the History of the four Evangelists relates to us that Christ never spake so wrathfully nor strook so sharply as in his zeal for Religion Mat. 21.12 Mark 11.15 Luke 19.45 Iohn 2.15 And when he had made a whip of small cords he drove them all out of the Temple counselling them not to make his Fathers house a house of merchandise nor the house of prayer a â—en of Thieves And though St. Paul be quoted Gal. 5. as a high perswader to Charity yet if his Epistles be well examin'd they generally discover his great zeal and ardor in order to the promotion and preservation of all the Circumstances of Christian Religion founded by Christ and preached to the world by his Apostleâ— Saint Luke tels the Church that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contention betwixt Saint Paul and Barnabas was so sharp that they parted asunder Acts 15. 39. And though St. Paul pleaded so much for charity 1 Cor. 13. yet he accounted his duty to God above all Relations to his Brethren and the zeal and love of Gods honor and service above any thing else and in this holy Affection the Apostle St. Paul was bold when St. Peter was come to Antioch to withstand him to his face because he was to be blamed and seeing other Iews dissembling likewise insomuch as Barnabas was carried away with dissimulation he rebuked not only the Disciples and converted Iews but St. Peter and St. Barnabas because they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2.11.13.14 These truths thus cleared Mr. Birchley must not think it any breach of charity nor disagreeing from the word of God if there be coercion used to draw and gain the erroneous to come to the truth and the superstitious to the true Religion To which if men out of wilful obstinacy or self-opinion will not be perswaded their submission to the Power and Lawes where they live and a quiet possesâ—ing of their souls in Patience best becomes their Christian dutyes according to the primitive rules and practice of the best Christians who first spread their Religion by perswading and suffering and when Kings and Emperors and superior Governors came to be converted Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Rules were made and exercised the Temporall still supporting the Spirituall juriâ—dictions and proceedings CHAP. XIII 1 MR.
converted to the Faith not so much as to keep company * 1 Cor. 5.11 if any that is called a Brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one no not to eat These are censures surely of sound authority being the doctrine of Christ and his A postles and therefore to be denyed by none but A theists or Infidels 6 If an erroneous Conscience may have liberty to conceive what Opinion she pleaseth and so Speak and Act what she will there will be no end of scandals and offences nor no Wo to them by whom they are caused The antient Fathers * Multis profuit prius timore vel dolore cogi ut possit postea doceri aut quod jam verbis didicerint opcâ—e Sectari S. Aug. Ep. ad Bonif. Qâ— jam sacro lavaâ—ro tincti essent cogerentur ad servandam fidem quam acceperant Decreium pro parte rescissa in IV. concil Toleta Scitum est semper coerctionem in Novatores suisse J. Lip advers Dialogistam and Writers were of another opinion It was Tertullians judgement writing against the Gnosticks Ad officium Haereticos compelli non illici dignum est that if they would not be perswaded they should be forced to their duty Tertul. contra Gnost cap. 11. He prosecuted that Argument with the same sense in another phrase Duritiâ vincenda est non suadenda haeresis Heresie was to be subdued with Power where it would not be convinced with Truth and though Mr Birchley seem to argue that no Compulsion is to be exercised on the Conscience yet he meanes certainly somthing else knowing the common censures of the Romish Inquisitions as well as the severities of the Assemblies of the Presbyteries which are both in high extremes as not sparing the most Soveraign authorities CHAP. XIV IN the next General head Mr. Birchley hath ranged as he calls them his invincible and unanswerable Texts of Scripture against Coercency in Religion urging 1 St. Paul 2 Timothy 2.24 c. where the servant of the Lord is directed to be gentle unto all men but as there he counselleth him to gentleness and meekness so 1 Tim. 4.1.2 the Apostle puts on him the spirit of Courage saying expresly That in the later times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils And then the Apostle tels his Disciple at the 6. verse If thou put the Brethren in mind of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ And â—f those places quoted Jam. 4.12 Rom 14.4 There is one Lawgiver c. and who art thou that judgest another c. be rightly examined we shall find they doe not oppose the disquisition of Truth nor the correction of erroneous offenders but they suppress all personal rancor and rashness and all bitterness and uncharitableness against the Brethren But in the determinations of Faith and reformation of mens lives the holy Scripture tels us That their Inspiration was profitable for doctrine as well as Reproof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for correction as well as instruction and so the Bishop of Ephesus was as well taught by S. Paul to correct the errors of his Diocese as to use meekness and gentleness to his Flock In the first Apostolicall Councill St. James passeth a Determination and Sentence an argument of Judiciall power Act. 15.19 Wherefore my Sentence is That we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God but that we write unto them that they abstain from Pollutions of Idols and from fornication and from things strangled and from blood Thus St. James who forbiddeth personall and private malicious censure and judgement one of another concludes it necessary to condemn the Sects of the Pharisees broaching the doctrine of Circumcision Acts 15.5 And St. Paul who so often Preacheth against rash and uncharitable judgement taketh a Power as Mr. Birchley closeth the Text though to another purpose of giving Laws and Rules out of his Apostolical jurisdiction to Husbands Wives Virgins Widdows and Servants as it appears in his first Epistle to the Cor. 7.17 where speaking with much tenderness to the infancy and primitive times of Christianiâ—y yet concludes autoritativè So I ordain in all Churches And though the Apostle in his divine eloquence denieth a Dominion over the Corinthians faith 2 Cor. 1.24 yet when he seeth cause he passeth his Spiritual Censure and Excommunication against the incestuous Fornicator 1 Cor. 5.3 4.5 For I as absent in body bu present in spirit have judged already as though I were present who hath so done this deed In the name of the Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the Power of the Lord Iesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lâ—rd Iesus And though St. Paul taught so many lessons of humblâ—ness and meekness qualities best becomming the Ministers of Christ to Timothy yet he writeth to him the manner of his Proceedings against those who made shipwrack of Faith 1 Tim. 1.20 of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme And according to the Apost les rules St. Augustin submitteth his judgement to those who cryed in his time for free-will and liberty of Conscience Frustrà dicis relinquar libero arbitrio Cur enim non in homicidi is stupris quibuscunque aliis facinoribus flagitiis libero te Arbitrio dimittendum esse proclamas quae tamen omnia justis le gibus comprimi utilissimum est Dedit quidem Deus homini liberam voluntatem sed nec bonam infructuosam nec malam voluit esse impunitam S. Aug. lib. 2. contra Crescent cap. 51. When the people cryed where is the freedom of our minds and liberty of our Consciences if we have it why do ye restrain us from any thing as Murder or Adultery or any thing else we judge lawfull which foul sinnes are justly punishable by the Laws and then that Father concludes Although God gives to men freedom of will and mind yet he will neither suffer a good Conscience to be unfruitfull nor a bad Conscience and too many such there are to be unpunished And although our Saviour condemned the furious zeal of Iames and Iohn Luke 9.54 knowing out of what spirit they moved for vengeance yet we have the examples of the two great Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul the one exercising the vengeance of God on Ananias and Saphira for lying against the Holy Ghost Acts 5.4 so mortal was St. Peters sentence Acts 5.9 How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord behold the feet of them that buryed thy Husband are at the door and shall carry thee out then fell she down straightway at his feet And Saint Paul being at Paphos and
Birchley in his Demonstrative Reasons against forcing of Conscience concludes That the intolerable yoke of Popish infallibility is shaken off and yet his whole discourse aâ—ms at nothing but a toleration First for himself and the Papists of the Kingdom and Countrey and then he doubts noâ— but in time either by Insinuation or an Inquisition all his fellow-subjects may be brought under the same yoke He taxeth the Parliament charging them with the Abrogation of the Articles of Faith * Moderator part 1. pag. 2. and calls the factious swallowing of the Covenant which was the work and ploâ— of some few and a Declared party and the rash mistake of many a Reformation of Religion He calls the late Assembly of Divines at Westminster a Synod which no Learning nor Antiquity will allow but condemn either as a seditious and schismatical or ridiculous and impudent meeting And as for the Confession of Faith the Assembly after long sitting presumed to hatch it is agreed that as their Proceedings were preposterous their Conclusions were dangerous as neither savoring aright of the Spirit of truth nor humility And as for the persons of those who sate so long and to so scandalous and ill as well as little purpose the World knows they had most of them taken former oaths as that of the Allegiance and Supremacy and then the Protestation but no engagements as it appeares were strong enough to oblige their fidelity whose ambitious minds were inflamed with the hopes of high authority whose covetous expectations were fed with 4 s. per diem and the choicest Bâ—nefices and their Brethrens just legall maintenance and livelyhood 2 The Author argues from the word of God That the Word being the sole Rule of Faith no humane Authority is impowred to bind up our assents in the interpretation of that Word a Conclusion so untrue an illogicall as may be For then the Commission of Ite Praedicate Go Preach and Teach was given to the Apostles to no purpose Then the Wife must not learn of her Husband at home Nor the Father teach his Children either the Commandements of God or the Articles of Faith if there were not an authority in the Teachers rightly and orderly sent Rom. 10.15 to oblige the Disciples and Scholars to the right Interpretation of holy Scriptures and if every â—ne be admitted to broach and defend his own sâ—nsâ— and opinion in divine Resolutions as in Baptism the Lords Supper or the like there must needs follow not a Communion but a Confusion amongst the Saints and best Christians To prevent wâ—ich dangerous inconveniency Saint Paul boldly rebukes the Corinthians charging them That they were carnall for whereas there is among you envying and strife and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divisions are ye not carnal and walk as meâ— For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3.4 And as the Apostle sharply rebuked the Corinthians for their divisions so he meekly entreated the Ephesians to accord in the Articles of Religion and to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace for there is one Body one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Eph. 4.4 Thus Saint Paul laboureth and pleadeth for Vnity in the Church as the best preservation of Christianity But Mr. Birchley pleadeth for a toleration of diversity in opinions and so in practice which Doctrin is neither true Divinity nor sound Policy unless by the multiplicity of opinions Master Birchley and the Papists hope at last to bring in Popery which hath much thriven by late endeavors of their subtle insinuations 3 In the third Demonstration Mr. Birchley answereth himself and seems to cut his fingers with his own tools when he urgeth that straight is the gate and narrow is the path and confesseth that here we see but in part and know but in part and that the Spirit bloweth how and where it listeth from these Texts of Scripture concluding that we must not despise the weak mistakes of our brethren This conclusion like others is brought in without Reason or Logick it had been more properly resolved that because straight is the gate and narrow is the path that leadeth to life Therfore it is necessary that some faithfull Pastorall authority like that of Saint John the Baptist Io 3.5 should level the Mountains of Pride streighten the crooked perversness of carnall humours and abate the swellings of self-opinion that Pride being humbled and Mistakes rectifyed the passage into the straight gate and narrow path might be more easie and possible And Mr. Birchley pressing that here we see but in part and know but in part therefore it is the more necessary that we should have Guides and Seers as well as Lights and Lanthorns to direct us in the straight and narrow way of Truth lest otherwise following the glympses of our own opinions and dark lights we fall into the dark fire of the infernall Pit 4 In the 4th Argument Mr. Birchley seems to speak rejoycingly because of a deliverance from the Slavery under the Prelats and from the implicit faith of the Papists and yet whiles he Plougheth his ground with these Heifers he Sowes the seeds of Popery under whose Prelacy is truly the greatest Tyranny that is imaginable And it is to be admired that Mr Birchley presseth so sharply against Compulsion of Consciâ—nce and yet pleadeth for a toleration of that Religion wherein is not only taught a necessity of Auricular Confession but the Priest as well punisheth as rectifyeth the Conscience erring or offending 5 In the 5th he tels us That force is punishment and consequently not just If this Position be true * Omnis denegatur haereticis facultas militandi quinimo extra urbis moenia a centur Lex fuit Imper. Theodosti Valâ—nt Arcadâ—i Vide Cod. Theodo Tunc Episcopi ne viâ—us baereticum latius superet eosdem publice pronuntiâ—tos haereticos co porali disciplinae subdendos Catholico Principi tradiderunt qui Praecepit haereticae infamiae characterem frontibus corum inuri spectante populo virgis exercitos urbe eâ—pelli Guliel Neubrigens sub Henri 2. Rege Ang. then Heresie and Blasphemie are not punishable but Christ gave another Rule commanding his Apostles to shake off the Dust of their shoes where their words were not received Mat. 10.14 And teacheth that if thy Brother trespass against thee goe and tell him his fault betwixt thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother but if he shall not hear thee take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear thee tell it to the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or a Publican And as Christ taught the way the Apostles followed St. Paul exhorting the Corinthians being