Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	john_n	truth_n	7,355	5	5.9439	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83437	The casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Or, A treatise against toleration and pretended liberty of conscience: wherein by Scripture, sound reason, fathers, schoolmen, casuists, Protestant divines of all nations, confessions of faith of the Reformed Churches, ecclesiastical histories, and constant practice of the most pious and wisest emperours, princes, states, the best writers of politicks, the experience of all ages; yea, by divers principles, testimonies and proceedings of sectaries themselves, as Donatists, Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents, the unlawfulnesse and mischeif [sic] in Christian commonwealths and kingdoms both of a vniversal toleration of all religions and consciences, and of a limited and bounded of some sects only, are clearly proved and demonstrated, with all the materiall grounds and reasons brought for such tolerations fully answered. / By Thomas Edvvards, Minister of the Gospel. The first part.; Casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Part 1	Edwards, Thomas, 1599-1647.	1647 (1647)	Wing E225; Thomason E394_6; ESTC R201621	211,214	231

learned men well setled in the faith may understand and beleeve certainly and not be led away with their error to fall from their stedfastnesse as that place in 2 Pet. 3. 16 17. implies That Controversie in Acts 15. about keeping the Law of Moses and circumcision was hard and difficult considering that time and state of the Church as appeares by many passages in that chapter and yet from the Scriptures by the means of a Synod after much disputation and debate the truth was certainly resolved on and so received by the Churches who when they heard it rejoyced in it Asts 15. 21. Secondly The Spirit of God in and by the Scriptures doth infallibly and certainly assure and perswade the heart of the truth of the Doctrines of faith t is a good saying of Luther The holy Spirit is no Sceptick neither doth it write doubts or opinions in our hearts but assertions more certaine and firme then life it selfe and all experience The illumination inward Teaching and Perswasion of the Spirit certainly assures us of the truth of the Doctrines of faith John 16. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1 Ioh. 2. 20 27. 1 John 5. 6. The Spirit of truth guides into all truth It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse because the Spirit is truth which Spirit as it seals and confirmes in our consciences the truth of all the Doctrines of faith and salvation so also it certainly perswades us those Books to be Canonicall from whence all those Doctrines of faith are drawn But concerning these points of the Scriptures being the infallible inflexible Rule and the Spirit of God speaking in and by the Scripture being the supreme infallible Iudge in Controversies of Religion and of the Plerophorie wrought in the minds of the faithfull concerning the Scriptures and the Doctrines of faith therein contained by the illumination and inward perswasion of the Spirit and that every mans private Spirit is not thereby made the Iudge of Controversies I referre the Reader for full satisfaction to the learned writings of Whitaker against the Papists upon that Controversie of the Scriptures De Scripturae Authoritate perspicuitate Interpretatione of Rivet in his Catholicus Orthodoxus first Tract Question 8. 17. and his Isagoge ad sacram Scripturam cap. 19. 20 21. of Davenant De Judice ac norma Fidei cap. 13. 30 32 33. and Cameron de ecclesiae constantia in retinenda veritate 291. 292. 3. Besides the certaintie and Infallibilitie by the Scriptures and the Spirit of God there is a certaintie in points of Religion even points controverted for Christian Magistrates to attaine unto by means of the Ministerie of the word in the preaching of Pastors and the Advice and resolutions of Synods and Councels for next after the absolute supreme judgement of the Scriptures and the Spirit in questions of faith God hath appointed a publick Ministeriall judgement of Pastors and Synods who have a delegated power from the supreme Iudge that what the Law hath defined in general they should according to the rule of the Law apply to particular cases Controversies and Persons Now however these Ministeriall Iudges are subject to error and mistake Synods and Councels may erre as the most earned Protestants hold against the Papists yet for all that they may certainly and infallibly judge in matters of faith yea and have A man may certainly know some things and yet not be infallible in all things A Physition is not infallible in judging of the nature of all drugs herbes c yet he may certainly know the nature of some drugs and that such a thing is ranck poison of which the Reader may find more in the Vindication of the Ordinance against Heresie Blasphemie c to which Hagiomastix answers never a word in his pretended Answer T is one thing to be subject to error posse errare and another thing actually to erre de facto errare it followes not because Ministers and Synods may erre that therefore in all particular Articles of faith propounded by them they do erre T is a knowne Axiome in the Schooles Aposse ad esse non valet consequentia And therefore Ministers and Synods in their Interpretations and Decisions going according to the word of God which is infallible judge infallibly and may be said to be infallible in their determinations in those points Hee that is directed by an infallible truth in his determinations he determines infallibly although he be a man of a fallible judgement Thus many Orthodox Councels and Synods in great Controversies and maine points of faith have determined the truth certainly and infallibly and so propounded them to the Churches to be certainly beleeved not that they thought their judgement to be infallible but that they knew the word of God according to which they judged to be infallible Doctor Davenant in his learned Tractate de judice ac norma Fidei in answering the Arguments of the Papists that General Councels cannot err and among others this that if all Generall Councels can err then it certainly followes that all Councels have admitted intolerable error answers T is one thing posse errare another thing de facto errare every particular Pastor mayerre as also every particular Councell yet therefore they doe not admit intolerable error as often as they propound to the People that which is drawn from the word of God where he further showes how a man may be said to judge infallibly that yet is fallible and for conclusion of this I desire the Reader to observe two things First that Synods and Councels however in themselves fallible and subject to erre yet being Lawfull quoad id quod requiritur intrinsecus and going according to the Scripture their results and determinations are from the holy Ghost and so infallibly and certainly true as that of Acts 15. 28. demonstrates It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us which words a Synod having like cleare evidence of Scripture may without presumption use as well as that Councell at Jerusalem did for proofe of which kind of infallibilitie besides what I have already said p. 140 141 of this Booke I shal adde the judgement of learned Whittaker upon the words Other Lawful Councels may in like manner lassert their Decrees to be the Decrees of the holy Ghost if they shall be like to this Councel and shall keep the same rule which in this Councell the Apostles did keep and follow For if they shall decree and determine nothing but from Scripture which was done in this Councell and if they shall examine all Questions by the Scriptures and shall follow the voice of the Scriptures in all their Decrees then they may assert that the holy Ghost so decreed of learned Cameron in his Tractate De Infallibilitate Ecclesiae We doe easily grant Lawfull Councels Lawfull in respect of what is inwardly required in them that is Councels truely gathered together without all fallacie and deceit

in the name of Christ cannot erre in those things which are of any great moment For we truly willingly confesse many Councels not to have erred yea wee confesse Lawfull Churches as in the sense above is explained by us that are truely gathered in the name of Christ not to erre in necessary things and of Baron in that acute and learned Reply of his to Turnebull the Iesuite wee doe not simply and absolutely condemne that which the Doctors of Paris doe teach of the infallibilitie of Councels For it may be piously and probably beleeved that Councels truely generall and Lawfull that is Lawfully gathered and proceeding to be so governed and directed by the holy Spirit that they may not erre in fundament all points I say this may be beleeved because t is certaine such Councels have never hitherto erred in Doctrines fundamentall Secondly although the Authoritie and Power of Synods and Councels is not of it selfe infallible neither appointed of God that it should be the supreme and principall Rule of our Faith and therefore cannot by it selfe and of its owne Authoritie bind the faithfull to beleeve whatever is determined in a Synod or Councell yet there is in them the supream Ecclesiastical Power of judging and determining Controversies of Faith and that appointed by God to avoid confusion and rents in the Church Hence the Authoritie of Lawfull Councels hath a speciall force and singular efficacie before many other motives of faith to beget a peswasion in the minds of men of the truth of the Doctrine agreed on in the Councell And because in our times the best Synods and Councels are rejected and flighted and every private person takes upon them a boundlesse Libertie of contradicting all Synodicall Decrees I shall therefore lay downe briefly out of divers learned Authors what preeminencie there is in Synods and Co●ncels towards the compounding of Controversies and doubts in Religion above what is in private Christians or single particular Ministers 1 There is an Authorite given them by God they are an Ordinance of Jesus Christ to judge of and determine Controversies of faith which no man of a sound mind affirmes of private Christians or particular Ministers Secondly they have a power of subjecting those to excommunication and other Ecclesiasticall censures who openly contradict their Decrees Thirdly they have a more peculiar assistance of the Spirit so greater then that which particular Ministers judgeing apart have Fourthly They have surer means of finding out the truth viz. The Prayers Fastings Disputations c. of the cheifest Pastors of the whole Church For as Cameron speaks In a Councell if there be present piou● and learned men they open things which before were shut by their mutual disquisition which cannot be so easily done of particular men apart Fifthly A better ground of knowing what is the judgement of the whole Church concerning any Question in Controversie and what the Churches have observed in such cases Sixthly A more easie way of reducing the Decrees and Determinations of the Church to practice Seventhly greater Reverence Respect and Obedience is owing to the Determinations and Decrees of Synods and Councels then of particular Persons or Churches the Authoritie of Synods in their place and degree is so to be looked upon that particular Ministers or private Christians should not lightly or easily for every probable Reason or conjecture reject their determinations Hence Cameron speaking of Councels well observes So oft as any thing is decreed by an Assembly of men who are put into Anthoritie in the Church that should be a ground that such a thing should not rashly nor without a great deale of accurate and serious observation be rejected For first of all we owe Reverence to a Synod even then when we judge it decrees false things A pious sonne of the Church doth not vainely insult over her but with a kind of Reverentiall shamefastnesse departs from her Secondly wee owe outward obedience unlesse wee doe evidently perceive the Synod to prescribe and determine false and wicked things for t is not Lawfull upon light and probable Reasons to oppose the judgement of the Pastors of the Church the certaine manifest Authoritie of God commands us to obey the decrees of the Church and when wee have only uncertaine conjectures and probable Reasons then that common rule is to be followed Hold that which is certaine leave the uncertaine And therefore they who doubt of the truth of the Decrees of a Synod or upon light and probable Reasons think their Opinion false but doe not cert●inly know it to be such are bound by the Synodicall decrees to performe such an obedience as is agreeable to order comelinesse and peace which obedience is nothing else but the observance of Christian humilitie and modestie by which the faithfull in such cases abstaine both from a publike open profession of their Opinion and a condemning and confuting of the Synods Opinion and in the meane time by diligent searching of the Scripture do enquire out the truth and pray to God to manifest his truth to men and to discover the errors of the Synod that so they being knowne contrary Doctrine may be established in another Councel Of which seven particulars and divers others of Synods whoever would see more let them read Baron against Turnebull Tract 5. De Authorit Ecclesiae cap. 17. Camerons Praelect De Eccles Infallibilitate 292. 293. Apollon Jus Magist circ sacra first part cap. 4. 247. 248 249. Fourthly there is a greater degree of infallibilitie and certaintie in matters of faith and religion to be attained by means of the Scriptures then was by the high Priests answers by Vrim or then is to be had by miracles by one arising from the dead and comming to us then by an Apostle or an Angel from heaven yea or from a voice comming from heaven of each of which I will speake something briefly 1. There was more certaintie even under the old Testament in the word written in the Law then in the high Priests Answer which appeares thus because the Law was made by God himselfe the cheife rule and measure of the high Priests Answer and in difficult cases wherein the Iewes were commanded to come to the high Priest for resolution the last reference is made to the Law That very place Deut. 17. 9. 10 11 12. brought by Hagiomastix page 130. to prove the sentence there spoken of only such a sentence which the Priest did upon enquiry by Vrim and Thummim receive immediately or however infallibly from the mouth of God himselfe and by the Iesuits Bellarmine Lorinus Bailius c brought to prove the Pope the supreame infallible Iudge of Controversies and not the Scriptures showes cleerly whatever answers the high Priest gave in matters of judgement they are limited expresly to the word of God and that is made the supreme Iudge The Iewes were not simply to rest in the judgement of the high Priests whatever they

stated the question of Toleration and Liberty of Conscience and laid down many Particulars usefull and necessary to bee known as giving understanding and light into the nature of this Controversie I now come as to the proving of a Toleration in it self of Blasphemies Heresies Errors Schisms unlawfull so of showing the Christian Magistrates Power and Warrant yea necessity that is laid upon him of hindring and suppressing all false wayes and worships and of promoting and commanding by his Authority with all his subjects the true Religion and Faith and this I shall do by laying down divers Theses and Positions one following upon another and each going further and rising higher then the other and the method I propound to follow in this Tractate shall be that of the Title page of this Book First by Scripture Secondly by sound Reasons Thirdly by Fathers Fourthly Councels and so as it there followes setting down upon all those Heads by way of Theses the proofs of the points in hand though upon some more some fewer as the nature of the things may require and I shall judge needfull and convenient CHAP. I. The Theses grounded on expresse Scriptures proving the sinfulnesse and wickednesse of Tolerations and the Magistrates duty with●● his Territories to suppresse Blasphemies Errors Heresies Schisms 1. THESIS AS there is but one God one Lord Christ one Spirit one Heaven so there is but one Faith and that once delivered to the Saints one Truth one Gospel and one Way the Scripture every where speaking of these in the ●ingular number as of one not as of many never calling them Faiths Truths Gospels Wayes but the Faith she Gospel the Truth the way of Truth the good old way one way the right way the way of righteousnesse and such like whereas falshood and error is manifold the Scripture speaking of false wayes 〈…〉 of Antichrists as many Falsum est multiplex verum autem 〈…〉 sibi per 〈◊〉 conforme est 2. THESIS The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament in many placeth old forth and command to aske for follow after walke in that one good way to strive and contend earnestly for that one Faith to hold fast the truth to serve God only and on the contrary reproves prohibits condemns turning afide to the right hand or to the left or halting between two or more Religions and Worships hence those complaints 1 Kin. 18. 21. of the people halting between two opinions between God and Baal of fearing the Lord and serving their owne Gods after the manner of the Nations 2 King 17. vers 33. 41. of worshipping and swearing by the Lord and by Malcham Zeph. 1. 5. and those prohibitions of not letting cattell gender with a diverse kind of not sowing fields with mingled seed of not wearing garments mingled of linned and wollen of not sowing of Vineyards of divers seeds and of not ploughing with an Oxe and an Asse together Levit. 19. 19. Deut. 22. 9 10. 3. THESIS God both foretels and promises in his word and that more particularly of the dayes of the Gospel to give one heart and one way to his people and as there shall be one Lord so his name shall be one and that they shall all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Jer. 32. 39. Ezek. 11. 19. Zeph. 3. 9. Zach. 14. 9. Christ praies earnestly to his Father for beleevers that they all may be one and that they may be perfect in one John 17 21 22 23. and there are many exhortations to Christians to be of one mind and of the same mind in the Lord to be of one accord of one mind all to speak the same thing that there be no Schisms among them but that they be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement and that they keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. Philip. 2. 2. Philip. 4. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Ephes 4. 3. Now what God hath promised and foretold what Christ hath prayed for in a speciall manner what the Apostles in their Epistles have so pathetically intreated and exhorted to that Christians should especially labour after and all the meane tending thereunto which the desiring and granting of a Toleration of all wayes or many wayes must needs be contrary unto 4. THESIS A Toleration and sufferance but of any one or two false ways and worships fights directly against these and many such like places of Scripture For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. Buy the truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. be valiant for the truth strive for the faith of the Gospel Be zealous beware of false Prophets beware of dogs beware of evill workers beware of the Coucision A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject They that keep the Law contend with the wicked Pauls not giving place to false brethren no not for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might continue Paul and Barnabas having no small dissention and disputation with those who taught Circumcision If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed the Angel of Ephesus his commendation for that he could not beare them which are evill and which say they are Apostles and are not and for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans the Angels of the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira being threatned by Christ for suffering them that held the Doctrine of Balaam the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans and that woman Jez abel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce his servants 5. THESIS Whereas a particular partiall Toleration offends against many particular places of Scripture a Vniversall Toleration is against all Scripture goes against the whole current scope and sense of Scripture both in the Old and New Testament both in matters of Faith and Manners both in the generall rules and commands and the particular and that both in personall actions and in all Relations to others The sum of the Scriptures is Faith and good life and the end of the severall states appointed by God both Politicall Ecclesiasticall and Oeconomicall are to maintain and continue these Now a generall Toleration of all Religions and consciences is diametically opposite to all these against the whole will of God overthrowing all that God in the Scripture expresses of sins duties and relations I would have any thing in the Scripture named in point of faith holinesse in the relations of Magistrates Ministers Governours of Families which this Toleration some way or other does not make void Other Errors and Heresies as Arrianisme Anabaptisme c. do not offend against all Scripture but against such and such places but this generall Toleration throws down all at once it overthrows the Scriptures in that it allowes a Liberty of denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God in that it

men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake Yea the wisest and most learned of them are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe now what the Government of the Church was in the Apostles dayes what the duties of a Minister are to the People as how oft he must preach so that upon Hagiomastixs cleere reason in his 36. Section against the old Testament Law for Magistrates punishing Blasphemers Idolaters c whatsoever can be brought out of the old or new Testament in matters of dutie may be evaded and it may be said this or that was commanded or forbidden because then they had the high Preists Prophets and Apostles who were infallible and could determine all difficulties In a word if some dissimilitude that may be shown either under the old Testament or the new in the times or state of things there when those Commands and Rules were given from the times and state of things now may be a sufficient reason of the Rules and Commands themselves being now not in force then it will follow that all morall duties laid down both in the Law and the Gospel bind not us because the same dissimilitude or as great may be shown in whatsoever dutie upon any Ordinance of Christ or relation among men is propounded Upon this ground the Sacrament of Baptisme shall not be perpetuall not universall in the Church because of some differences between that time when Christ instituted it and the times now as Socinus thereupon held Baptisme an indifferent thing belonging only to the infancie of the Church in which out of a rude people and accustomed to ceremonies a Church was gathered to Christ So neither an outward calling and Ordination of Ministers shall be perpetuall because then there were Apostles and other extraordinary men who in ordaining them could conferr the gifts of the Holy Ghost and had the gift of discerning of spirits So all the commands given by Paul and Peter of servants obeying their Masters and being subject to their Masters with all feare may be evaded and they may say they concerne not us because the servants in those times were their slaves bought with their money at their dispose but wee are borne free as well as our Masters and then those servants in any commands doubtfull had Apostles or other infallible men to go to to be resolved which wee have not they being long since ceased and so I might goe over all examples and commands both in the old or new Testament Fifthly This cleere reason of Hagiomastix in his 36. Section and 130. page why Magistrates under the old Law might exercise coercive Power upon false Prophets Blasphemers c because in all difficult cases of Religion the Iewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunitie of enquiring by Vrim and Thummim of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe by the high Priest seems not to be any reason upon these grounds First that reason is never expressed in those commands or examples for putting to death false Prophets Blasphemers Idolaters c. but other reasons are alledged viz. from the nature of the sinnes drawing away from God the putting away of the evill and that others may feare and do no more so with other such like all reasons of a common nature to the times now as well as then Secondly before there was a high Priest and holy garments made for him particularly the brest plate of judgement the Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28. 15. 30. the Law was given for putting to death Idolaters Exod. 22. 20. and in Jobs time long before the high Priest and in a Land where the high Priest was not enquired by Idolatry was an iniquity worthy to be punished by the Iudges 3. Those who were Heathens strangers in the Land of Judea that beleeved not in the God of Israel nor understood not what the judgement of Vrim was and the sentence thereof yet the Iewish Magistrates would not suffer such whilst staid among them to blaspheme God to worship strange Gods or to offer their children to Molech as appears in Levit 20. 2. and in page 49. 50. of this Treatise Fourthly the Magistrates exercised their coercive Power in matters of Religion as freely after Vrim and Thummim were lost and that judgement ceased as they did before which cleerly showes the enquiring by Vrim under the old Law was not the cause of those Lawes concerning punishing Idolaters and false Prophets being in force It is the judgement of most of the learned writers both Robbins and others that the oraculous consultation with the Breast-plate continued no longer then to the captivitie of Babylon Vrim and Thummim being lost at the captivitie of Babylon and wanting at the Peoples returne as these Scriptures show Ezra 2 63. Nehem. 7. 65 neither do we find that ever God gave Answer by them any more divers learned men who write of the Iewish Church and State and of the first and second Temple of Hag gai 1. 8. Haggai 2. 9. The glory of this latter House shall be greater then of the former show the want of five things in the second Temple which had been in the first 1. The A●ke with the mercy seat and Cherubims Secondly the fire from Heaven Thirdly the Majesty or divine presence Fourthly the holy Ghost Fifthly And the Vrim and Thummim of which the Reader may see fully in Ainsworths Annot. on Exod. 28. 30. Now that after the Captivitie of Babylon Princes and Magistrates used a coercive Power for offences against the first Table is plaine by those instances Ezra 10. 7 8. of making Proclamation that all who had taken strange wives of the People of the Land should come unto Jerusalem for the putting them away and such as were borne of them and that whosoever would not come within three dayes according to the Councell of the Princes and the Elders all his substance should be forfeited c Nehem. 9. 38. Nehem. 10. and 13. chapters Nehemiab and other Rulers entring into Covenant for Reformation in the matter of the Sabbath strange wives maintenance for the service of the House of God and Nehemiah commanding and contending to have matters reformed in the worship and house of God yea restraining and hindring the Prophanation of the Sabba●h and smiting some for marrying wives of Ashdod of Ammon and of Moah Yea the want of a Priest standing up with Vrim and Thummim by whom the Magistrates might enquire was so far from hindring Magistrates in punishing about matters of Religion that the quite contrary is expressed both in Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra 2. 63. Nehem. 7. 65. some Priests being put from the Priesthood and forbidden by the Governor to eat of the most holy things till their stood up a Priest with Vrim and with Thummim that is for want of Vrim and Thummim by which God might be consulted with and his mind known herein Zerubbabel the Tirshatha is commonly said to be

Zerubbabel would not let the Priests that knew not their genealogies eat of the most holy things so that some Priviledges are denied for want of Vrim and Thummim in a case of Geneologie and birth after a confusion and mixture of marriages for the space of about 70. yeares being a matter of fact of what genealogie verse 62. not a matter of Law but no restraints of punishments upon Prophaners of the Sabbath those who married strange wives c for want of Vrim and Thummim And long after the losse of Vrim and Thummim we find Artaxerxes Darius the King of Niniveh and Nebuchadnezzar making Lawes for punishing men in cases of Blasphemie and other matters of the first Table and the places of Scripture relating such Edicts and Lawes speak of them by way of approbation as I have shown before in the 15. and 16. pages of this Treatise whereunto I refer the Reader and shall only adde one passage out of Calvin upon that Edict of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 29. For this Edict Daniel celebrates and sets forth in which capitall punishment is denounced against any man that shall speake amisse of the God of Israel Truely t is no common honor that is given to a cruell Tyrant when God assignes his Prophet as the Preacher to publish the Lawes he made and puts those Lawes among his acts and numbers them among his holy Oracles What whether is Nebuchadnezzar praised by the Testimoniall of the Holy Spirit and of the Prophet for taking upon him according to his Power and Authoritie the defence of the glory of the true God that holy Magistrates should beare with the wicked prophanation of his glory and does not the Lord rather under the Person of a Prophane King showe what becomes them to doe And certainly what is more preposterous then in the bosome of the Church to foster unpunished wicked contumelies against God which was in Babylon enacted to be punished with capital punishment Fifthly this cleere Reason of Gods immediate and infallible declaring his own mind and pleasure under the old Testament even according to Hagiomastix Principles is so far from being any reason why Magistrates might then punish Blasphemers Idolaters false Prophets c but not now as that the contrary seems more reasonable for in cases of immediate and infallible Answers from Heaven God declaring who was an Idolater and what was Idolatrie c convincing men so powerfully as leaving them without all subterfugies one would think there should need the Magistrates Power a great deale lesse then in a time when there are no such immediate Answers from God nor discoveries of men from heaven For it cannot be thought but that very bad men when they certainly knew that if they prophecied falsly entised persons to Idolatrie c could not upon any Pretences whatsoever escape from being convicted but should by God himself from heaven be judged Idolaters false Prophets and thereupon bee but to death they would either wholly forbeare the outward acts or if committed any such they would confesse them repent and do no more so whereas when men know there is no such way of finding them out of God from heaven naming persons and things this is the man and this is Idolatrie Blasphemie c they would be incouraged both to doe such things and to maintaine them when they have done to bring Scripture against Scripture and Reason against Reason as knowing all immediate Answers and Discoveries to be ceased Unto which if that be added that under the old Testament God himselfe inflicted more outward bodily punishments upon persons for Idolatrie wil-worship Scisme c then hee does now under the new the judgements under the Gospel being more spirituall as many examples in the old Testament show being a more Immediate Iudge and Inflicted of bodily punishments on the Jewes as he was to them a more Immediate Legislator of which I have spoken before in page 64. of this Booke there appears lesse reason for those coercive commands being in force under the old Testament then now there being in both these respects now named without the Magistrates coercive Power greater means for awing and restraining Violators of the first Table viz. Gods immediate discovering and inflicting of punishment then in our times And for illustrating this wee may observe that in the Primitive times when there were extraordinary gifts in the Church of Miracles c and immediate Answers and Revelations by Apostles and Prophets then the Church needed not so much the helpe of the Magistrates and the civill sword God giving no Christian Magistrate all that time but the Magistrates that were in those dayes were Persecutors and enemies of the Christians but after the Planting of the Gospel and watering it and the extraordinary Gifts and Offices in the Church ceasing then God gave Kings and Princes to be nursing Fathers to defend the Church and the truth by their Laws and Power and hath continued such ever since as a great helpe to the Church as a wall to the weak Vine So when under the old Testament there was according to this Reason of Master Goodwin such immediate and infallible Answers from the Mouth of God himselfe in all difficult cases of Religion and such immediate visible judgements by the immediate hand of God upon Idolaters false Prophets especially upon Despisers of the glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God amongst them except men had been desperately and outragiously wicked and had with a high hand despised God himselfe speaking and presently striking dead in case of disobedience they could not have been obstinate Seducers to Idolatrie false Prophets Blasphemers should neither so much have needed Magistrates armed with commission from God to execute those commands of the 13. and 17. chapters of Deut. c as in these dayes we doe wherein both these are wanting according to Hagiomastixs own confession and so much for the fifth Answer Sixthly If this bee a cleer Reason why that old Testament Law for the putting of false Prophets Blasphemers c to death should not be now in force because in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion the Jewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunitie of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe who could and did from time to time infallibly declare what his owne mind and pleasure was in them So that except those that were to give sentence in cases of Religion had been desparately wicked and set upon bloud and had despised that glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God among them they could not do injustice because God himselfe was alwayes at hand to declare unto them what was meet to be done whereas now the best Oracles that Magistrates and Iudges have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake then t is as cleer a Reason why the old Testament Law for punishing Murtherers and other

exercise it were infallible and not subject to error which that t is so may be demonstrated by these following reasons First In the Churches of the new Testament in the Apostles dayes when they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly and tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture notwithstanding all that Infallibilitie and Immediatenesse of Inspiration such Persons Tenets and Practises though erroneous and mistakes as by the rules of faith and love could and might be tolerated and suffered were tolerated and the Apostles in those things so far from giving any directions to the Churches for withdrawing or excommunicating that they give commands to the contrary namely to receive bear with please such and not our selves follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another and whereto we have already attained to walk by the same Rule as these Scriptures Rom. 14. 1 2 3 4 13 19. Rom. 15 1 2 3. Phil. 3. 15 16. with divers of the like kind show The holding the day of Christ to be at hand was an error and Paul writes pathetically to disswade the Thessalonians from it 2 Thes 2. 1 2 3. yet for all that hee accounts them brethren and so I might instance in other such particulars whereas on the contrary in damnable Heresies Scismes and such like as denying the resurrection of the dead holding Circumcision necessary to Iustification in denying Jesus Christ to be come in the flesh in teaching the Doctrines of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans in separating themselves and going out from the Church the Apostles are against all suffering bearing with receiving of and for rejecting delivering up to Satan and cutting of all such as these Scriptures testifie 1 Tim. 1. 20. Tit. 3. 10. Gal. 1. 8 9. Gal. 5. 12. the second Epistle of Iohn 7. 9 10. Jude 19 23 v. Revel 2. 14 15 20. with many more Now in the Tenets Opinions and Practises of the first sort the Apostles could have resolved the Romans Philippians as infallibly who held the truth and who in the error in those particulars as in the latter of Heresies This is acknowledged by Master Burroughs himselfe in page 59 60 61. of his Heart divisions even where he pleads for a Toleration in all points doubtfull and controverted among godly men who writes thus all these people spoken of in Rom. 14 were not in the right for a man not to eat flesh out of conscience when the thing was not forbidden certainly was a sin or to make conscience of a Holy Day which God required not was a sin Now the Apostle did not come with his Authoritie and say I will make you leave of keeping such dayes or you shall eate or to abstaine thus as you doe is evill and it must not be suffered in you No the Apostle layes no Apostlicall Authoritie upon them but tels them That every man must bee ful●y perswaded in his owne mind in what he doth and who art thou that judgest another mans servant the Lord hath received him And yet the Governours of the Church in the Primitive times might upon much stronger grounds have stood upon such a Principle then any Governours of the Church now can there was lesse Reason why they should suffer any difference in Opinion or Practise amongst them then why wee should suffer differences amongst us for they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly they could tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture And yet we see plainly the Apostle applies himselfe both in the Romans and Philippians rather to presse mutuall forbearance and keeping the Vnitie of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace using all arguments of that kind as God hath received him be that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it he that cateth eateth to the Lord c. Neverthelesse whereunto wee have attained let us walk by the same Rule and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you then from God immediately and infallibly to declare who were in the right and truth in those particulars wherein they differed and thereupon to command the others to be of their mind and Practise in all the particulars or else upon such an infallible resolution to declare they ought to be cast out of the Church and no communion hold with them By all which t is evident that Infallibility and opportunitie of immediatenesse of consultation with God is not the formall Ground of censure but the nature of the things themselves being destructive to faith Godlinesse and edifying for if the power of punishing had beene founded on infallibilitie seeing the Apostles were as able and infallible to give certaine resolutions in the matter of dayes meate and drinks and such like as in matters of faith they would have given other manner of Rules then they did in Rom. 14. Phil. 3. And indeed if Hagiomastize infallibilitie were good what reason can be given why the Apostles did not proceed with all errors and all persons as with Hymene●s Alexander and the woman Iesable which cleerly showes the lawfulnesse of censures lay not in the infallible knowledge of the Governours of the Church but the Apostles in persons and things themselves the one sort weak peaceable Christians holding the head and communion with the body the other turbulent wilful holding Doctrins subverting in the foundation the precious soules of men and godlines And certainly if infallibility were not the just ground and formall reason of censuring but some other thing then fallibility a possibility of mistaking in some things cannot be a just cause of taking away all power of punishing from Governors and that in all points though never so destructive to Gods glory and the soules of men Secondly in the new Testament there are many commands given and many ●●●les laid down both for those times wherein they were written and for all times till the comming of Christ unto persons who were not infallible nor immediately inspired concerning Heresies and Hereticks Scismes and Scismaticks to beware of folk Prophets and false Teachers to avoid reject and turne away from them not to beleeve every Spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God not to receive into house neither to bid God speed those that trasgresse and abide not in the Doctrine of Christ not to suffer those who teach false Doctrine and sed●ce the servants to God to countend ●arnestly the faith to hold fast the truth and sound Doctrine show was these Scriptures to whole Churches and particular Persons both private Christians and Pastors and Teachers not Apostles and Prophets the extraordinary Officers Rom. 1. 16 17 18. Phil. 3. 2. 1. Tim. 6. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 17. 1 John 4. 3. 2. Epist John 9. 10. Jud● 3. Revel 2. 14 20. Revel 3. Now however the

of that knowne axiome A particulari ad universale non valet consequentia and therefore though that particular reason be ceased although I haue fully shown that never was any reason of those Laws under the old Testament for punishing of false Prophets but a meer device and a fancie t is no good consequence all the other reasons yea and the commands themselves should cease also Seventhly to that Hagiomastix saith that the punishments enjoyned by God then under the Law to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents were more bodily and afflictive to the outward man then the punishments enjoyned under the Gospel and consequently were not only carnall or bodily but typicall also and prefignificative of those greater and more spirituall under the Gospel cutting off from his people then as of casting out from his people now cutting off under the Gospel being no where found to be used but in a metaphorical and allusive sense also to what Minus Celsus Senensis writes that that corporall punishment in Deut. 13. was a Type of eternall damnation and therefore that Law with all the rest given for the future signification of things by the comming of Christ ceased I answer as followes First I deny the punishments enjoyned by God under the Law to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents to be bodily or afflictive at all to the outward man as by donfiscation of goods or by death but they were spirituall and inflicted upon the soules by suspension excommunication and such like spirituall censures as well as now under the Gospel T is true there were bodily outward punishments in the Civill Iudicatories inflicted then on the bodies of false Prophets Idolaters c but by the Magistrates the Civil Governors and not by the Priests the Ecclesiastical Governors in the Church of the Iewes For under the Law the Jewish Church and Common-wealth the Civil Government and Ecclesiastical the censures and punishments of Church and State were formally distinct as Master Gillespie hath fully and excellently proved in his Aarons rod blossoming in many places particularly 1. Book cap. 2. 3 4 5 and the Church of the Iewes proceeded then against false Prophets only with the sword of the Spirit and spirituall weapons and the State with the materiall Sword and bodily punishments Which truth is fully acknowledged also by Master Cotton however differing from Presbyterians about a National Church in his Answer to Master Williams Bloudy Tenet saying I should think mine eye not only obscured but the fight of it utterly put out if I should conceave as he doth that the National Church State of the Jewes did necessarily call for such weapons a speaking of a Sword of Iron or Steel to punish Hereticks more then the Congregetional State of particular Churches doth call for the same now in the dayes of the new Testament For was not the National Church of the Iewes as compleatly furnished with spirituall Armor to defend it selfe and to offend men and Divels as the particular Churches of the new Testament be Had they not power to convince false Prophets as Eliah did the Prophets of Baal Had they not power to seperate all evil doers from the fellowship of the Congregation what power have our particular Churches now which their National Church wanted or what efficacie is there found in the exercise of our power which was wanting to them It is therefore a Sophistical imagination of mans Braine to make a mans selfe or the world believe that the National Church State of the Iewes required a Civil Sword whereas the particular State of the Gospel needs no such helpe And was not the National Church of Israel as powerfully able by the same spirit to doe the same surely it was both spoken and meant of the National Church of the Jewes not by might nor by Power but my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Zach. 4. 6. So that by what I have already said Hagiomastix must either I suppose recall what he hath written of carnal bodily punishments enjoyned by God then to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents or else must joyne with the Erastians in holding the Iewish Church and Common-wealth their Governement and Censures all one and the same Secondly The foundation upon which Hagiomastix rears this building of outward punishments under the old Testament being typical of spiritual under the new viz the Land of Canaan with the external happinesse and peace there being typical and therefore reasons a compara●is and from the Analogie is sandie and unsound for the Land of Canaan with the external happinesse and long life in it whatsoever it was typical of was from what God had put into the Land being a Land healthful pleasant flowing with milke and honey abounding in excellent precious fruits the immediate blessings of God upon it and not from what came to it by the Magistrates Laws and their good Government for further satisfaction of which I wish Master Goodwin to resolve me this question whether the Land of Canaan were not typical as well in times of wars and troubles and under bad Princes as in dayes of peace and under good Princes and so to reason a comparatis to use his owne Phrase and adidem if temporall threatnings and bodily punishments inflicted upon delinquents under the old Testament were typicall and Praesignificative of greater under the Gospel they must be threatnings and bodily punishments inflicted from God upon false Prophets c not thoe executed by the Magistrates on them Thirdly Granting both Hagiomastixs foundation and the building reared upon it to be good yet they no whit prove bodily and outward punishments to be wholly taken away under the new Testament for suppose the temporal happinesse and the temporal punishments had typified more spiritual happinesse and lesse of the earth more spiritual judgements and lesse of outward or bodily sufferings under the Gospel yet it followes not they take away all outward happinesse and blessings and all outward bodily punishments there may be greater or lesser degrees of things under the old and new Testament suitable to some difference in the manner of Administration betweene the old and the new and yet not the substance of the things taken away These are knowne axioms Gradus non tollunt substantiam Magis Minus non variant speciem T is apparent by sense and experience that how much soever spirituall blessings and spiritual judgements in the dayes of the Gospel abound above the times under the Law yet they take not away all temporal outward blessings nor all temporal outward judgements but God for all that gives many outward blessings and sends many temporal judgements on the earth So supposing God should inflict more spiritual judgements on the soules of men under the new Testament and the Church greater spiritual censures then under the old it no way followes the Magistrates may inflict none at all especially when all spiritual judgements on the soule are slited and with a high hand

of your Ruling Elders the necessity of Widowes as Officers in the Church the absolute necessity of one and the same governmant or Discipline in all particulars whatsoever for all Churchès in all times and places a full and peremptory determination of all things whatsoever appertaining to the worship of God with divers such like positions which are the very life soule and substance of your way I am at perfect peace in my thoughts that you will never be able to demonstrate or prove from the Scriptures to any sober minded or confidering man Master Goodwins Appendix in his Preface to the Reader If the soules and consciences of men have any cause at all to blesse me it is because I have clothed them with strength and confidence of the royall parentage and descent of the Scriptures and subdued their fears and jealousies of any subornation in that kind under their feet Nay did I not verily beleeve the Scriptures to be the word of God I would not for their sakes expose my selfe as now I doe But that beleif I speak of which hath reigned in me and over me hitherto and hath blessed me with such an abundance of peace of comfort in sufferings for it will not c. An Apologeticall Account of some Brethren of the Church whereof Master Goodwin is Pastour pag. 5. 6. The Doctrines of the Father and of the Sonne the involving whereof in the clouds of uncertainty the said Vindication most falsely and mal●tiously charges upon him hath he brought into so cleare and open view that we have seen the peace and everlasting salvation of our soules in them Every one of those fundan entail Principe● of Christian Religion which this gangren'd pen would perswade the world he denies or doubts of hath he not only asserted in our hearing againe and againe but proved them with such evidence and demonstration of the spirit that our consciences were forced to fall flat before them and to confesse that of a truth God was in them * Anonymi Dissertatio De pace Concordia Ecclesi●e pag. 91 92. Apologia pro Socinianis Fallunt falluntur qui ad florentis istius aetatis exemplum nostra tempora exiguut Non iisdem remediis nunc afflicta Ecclesiae valetudo restitui potest quibus olim poter●● aegritudo submoveri Cum sanam esset ac robusta Ecclesia in primo illo aetatis store Apostolorū choro superstite etiam violentis utiremediis ob vigorem suum par erat Nunc morbis ac senio confecta debilis superanti jam aegritudini pene succumbit ●ec magis unquam periclitatur quam cum in crudeles medicos incidit Vide ibi plura * Gerard. Joh. Vossii Theses Theolog. De necessi Baptismi Thes 4. contra F●ust●̄ Socinū Praeterea etsi concederetur Christum de Baptismo de disse praeceptū censet illud tantùm pertinuisse ad initia quibus exrudi populo ceremoniis assueto Ecclesia Christo colligebatur Denique eo etiam concesso ut perpetuo debeat in Ecclesia obtinere negat tamen universale esse nam cum aquae Baptismus nihil aliud sit quam publica● solennis quaedam professio nominis Christi minime hunc iis necessarium esse ait qui ex Christianis id est Christum profitentibus nascuntur aut qui in Christiana fide sunt educati * But some commands that in regard of their manner some degrees and adjuncts may not bind yet in respect of their substance and the things themselves are perpetuall of which I have spoken before p. 81 82 83 84. whoever does but consider the difference between the essence of a thing and the adjunct of a thing how the essence is one thing and the adjunct another and how some change may be in an adjunct when not in the essence at all will be satisfied a Vid. Jun. Annot. in Ezr. 1. 65. and Eng. Annet * Calvin Refut E●●orum Serveti p. 598. Hujus rei illustre nobis exemplum spiritus Dei proponit in Nebuchad Nam ejus edictum celebrat Daniel quo capitalem paenam denunciat siquis in Deum Israel blasphemus fuerit Honor profecto non vulgaris crudeli tyranno habetur quum Prophetam suum Dominus ad publicandas quaet tulit leges qua si praeconem assignat leges ipsas in acta sua refert sacrisque suis oraculis annumerat Quid an spiritus sa●cti Prophetae elogio laudatur Nebuchadnezer qui veri Dei gloriam pro imperio tutandam suscepit ut ad impiam ejus prophanationem conniv●ant sancti Magistratus an non potius his dominus sub profani regis persona quid agere ipsos deceat praescribit Et c●rte quid magis praeposterum quam in Ecclesiae sinu impune foveri fcelestas in Deum c●nt●elias quae in Babylone paena capitali sanitae fuerunt ☞ * Bulling adversus Anabaptistas l. 4. c. 5. c. 6. Osiandri Enchiridion c. 2. Qust 41. De Magistratu Politico * The Errors and Controversies in matters of the second Table upon the 5 6 7 8 and 9. Commandements are the most exactly summed up by Danaeus in his Book De Haeresibus of any Author in that kind that ever I met with Index● Tertius de Decalog Legis De quinto Praecepto Magistratum damnant tollunt Manichai Anabaptistae Magistratus ●utoritatem in negotiis religionis negant D●n●tistae Judicia capitalia à Christian● homine exer●●i posse negant Tertullianiss● De sexto precepto seipsos occiacre putant licere hominibus Patriciani Circumcelliones De septimo Praecepto Vxores communes promiscuas ess debere d●cent Simoniani Nicolaitae Carpocratiani Incestus admittunt probant Catap●●yges De octavo praecepto Propria quaedam à Christianis poss●deri posse negant Apostolici Jesuitae Anabaptistae De nono praecepto mentiri homini Christiano licere putant Messaliani Priscillianistae ☜ * Whites way to the Church pag. 81. 83 84 85. Neither can the Jesuite assigne any Company or State of men whereby the Church may be supposed to manifest her teaching but the same may be subject to error and in experience hath erred as wee see in Councels Doctors and all other meanes which she hath used in teaching us except that of the Scriptures only Willets second Generall Controversie concerning the Church second question whether the Church may erre pag. 69 70 71. Amesii Bellarm. Enervat Tom. sec●nd cap. 2. De Eccles visibilit quaest 4. An Ecclesia● possit errare Rivet Catholic Orthodox Tractat. 2. Quaest 3. An Ecclesia possit errare Cameron Praelect de Eccles De Eccles Infallibilit 281 282 c. ☞ * Chamier Panstrat Cathol De Canon summa Regula Fidei Apostoli fuerunt infallibiles ex particulari assistentia spiritus habuerunt particularem non habitualem assistentiam spiritus Lutherus spirtus Sanctus non semper tangit corda Propheta●um * Whitak Controv 3. quaest 6 An Assertion of the Government of the Church of