for the manner yet in effect he did shew what should be done in the like case by the Magistrate in his place as also by the Church in their place as in the case of Phinehas Numb. 14. of Elijah 1 King 18. 40. of Samuel 1 Sam. 15. 33 c. those malefactours were extraordinarily executed by the Lords servants for breach of the first and second Table because the Magistrates duty was neglected therein 2. That Law of Christ which authorizeth the Magistrate to act for him under him and like him in punishing the breaches of every command whether of the first or second Table doth also regulate him in that execution 1. Declaring his power to be Civil not Ecclesiasticall by civil orders proceedings and censures not by such means as he appoints to his Church Indeed the Magistrate may also be a Church-member but in this he acts not as such but as a civil Officer yet under Christ 2. His power reaches to things that concern the outward man whether verball or actuall not mentall and secret 3. In those externals he must have a clear rule of Gods Word either expresly or by sure consequence not his own conceit or any mans will 4. Therein he must proportion the punishment to the nature of the transgression whether lighter or heavier for matter or manner to avoid foolish pity and rigorous cruelty 5. His end must be a godly peace 1 Tim. 2. 2. that thereby all may be quickned to a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Thus the Magistrate is given as an Ordinance of God Rom. 13. 12. being a power ordained of God for a terrour to all evil works v. 3. yea the Ministry of God for mans good v. 4. and that for conscience sake v. 5. to be done and obeyed Thus acted pious Job ch. 29. declaring corruption of worship in covetous idolaters to be punishable by the Judge Job 31. 24 28 c. Thus Moses the Magistrate by Gods command punished the breaches of the Sabbath abuse of Gods Name Idolatry c. Thus Joshua that noble conquering Protector of Israel resolved himself and advised others Josh. 22. 23. 24. chap. Thus Abraham that faithfull Prince ordered his charge and was so favoured of God for it Gen. 18. 18 19. Thus victorious David wise Solomon valiant Asa zealous Jehoshaphat heroicall Josias noble Nehemiah acted Gods part in ordering the affairs of Gods house directing his people punishing the abuses of his worship c. which the Lord records for a monument and Crown of glory to them Thus for the New Testament God himself promiseth Isa. 49. 23. to give such nursing fathers and mothers of a Royall bloud and spirit who shall instrumentally build up Zion in mercy and pull down Babylon in justice Rev. 12. compared with Rev. 17. ch. 18. ch. 19. When Christ is Generall of the field his followers Jews and Gentiles the two Armies portraied out Cant. 6. 13. Zach. 12. 6 7 8. shall be more zealous for his house than for their own But our Querist pekes Qu. 2. Whether persecution for conscience doth not harden men in their way and make them cry out of oppression and tyranny Ans. Persecution of good is evil but persecution of evil is good 2. A good conscience must be preserved an evil conscience must be renewed 3. A godly conscience will abhorre every evil but a pretended conscience will plead for evil 4. A true conscience will thank the Physician that cures it though with smart a false conscience will cry out against the Physician and smart to retain its evil 5. A wise conscience will cry up the judicious care of Gods servants for good against evil but a foolish conscience will cry down both for evil against good 6. God gives not over his care of mens souls for causless out-cries neither will his servants neglect their duty for groundless calumnies Qu. 3. Whether to convert an heretick and to cast out unclean spirits be done any other way than by the finger of God by the mighty power of Gods Spirit in the Word Ans. 1. Heresie is described Tit. 3. 10. to be a self condemning errour perverting Gods truth and mens souls What course is to be taken by the Church with a member pertinaciously offending is there also declared It 's a work of the flesh and what course is to be taken with a member of the State by the Magistrate for such an evil work we reade also Hereticks in all ages have troubled the Church and very few were ever reclaimed For 300 years after Christ Satan employed many such Engineers to undermine Religion and disparage the profession of Christ Thus Simon and Cerinthus Menander and Ebion disturbed the Apostolicall daies Sabellius and Marcion Priscillian and Samosatenus Arrius and Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches with many more succeeded them in opposing the Person and Office the Nature and Grace the Spirit and Truth the Sabbath and Ordinances of Christ The Roman Antichrist contracted the substance of all them and no sooner did Reformation dawn but all parts of Europe were infested anew with that poisonous vermine Mans dunghill heart yielded still matter and help to such a hellish brood What the Gnosticks did of old and the ranting crue of Germany in the last age we finde sadly revived among us now The conversion of such is very rare and difficult witness the Apostle such being given up to the raign and vigour of delusion Those spirituall judgements that give up mens consciences to that efficacious power of hell are the most dreadfull judgements bringing most of them to that sin unto death which puts them into an impossibility of repentance and salvation It 's indeed the finger of God by the mighty power of his Spirit in his Word that must do the work when ever it s done There is the more need therefore that all means should be used with diligence in subordination to that powerfull Spirit and Word of his Thereby some German and Brittish Jesuites have been converted and Indian * Pawawes reduced to Christian faith The Magistrates help hath often been found very effectuall thereto if not to convert the seducers yet to prevent their infection from spreading and plucked many as brands out of the fire Their mouth is to be stopped from biting and their hands to be kept from abuse whilst their phrensie rages and ranges like a gangrene A Bedlam may cure many such mad pranks or at least tame them The prudent zeal of one Magistrate doth often in such a case more good than the labours of many Ministers To be plucked out of the devils snares is a mercy that God affords by blessing the endeavours of his servants as by his Word Ecclesiastically so by his Sword Magistratically Such seducers being reclaimed by those censures sanctified to them will bless God and man for these healing wounds received in the house of friends 2. Unclean spirits denote in Scripture sometimes
the multiplying Heresies and Blasphemies of that monstrous brood which swarmed every where made way for that grand Apostasie of the Roman Church and advanced that man of Sin into Christs Throne to make him and his the sons of perdition {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Was not the like course revived by Satan ever since the Reformation was revived by Christ formerly and lately Our wofull experience will give a sad though clear answer thereto Is it not high time then for all Superiours and others to hearken to Christs voice speaking from heaven to us as he did to languishing Ephesus Remember we now before it be too late whence we are fallen and repent lest our Candlestick be removed suddenly If our complexion be still Laodicean what is our condition like to prove but like to theirs They were overthrown with an Earthquake that despised Christs warning if the quakings of Church and State prognosticating the like now effect not our overthrow the treasures of Divine grace will be the more magnified Obj. 3. The Querist objects again to himself Then every one may live as he lists Ans. He answers Had he not as good live as he lists as live as you list Reply Mans List is not his Rule but Gods revealed Will in his Word of Scripture By that measuring line of the Sanctuary all men and all their actions are to be measured That is the perfect Copy that Gods people in all ages have learned to write after That 's the ballance of the Sanctuary that must weigh us all That 's the Touchstone that will try our Alloy By that Standard godly Magistrates have been in all ages taught to govern happily in promoting good and punishing evil So farre as they keep close to that Rule all their commands are to be obeyed for conscience sake in matters of Religion as of Morality That 's the bridle of evil and the spur to all good Libertines therefore in all ages have shewed most spight against it by reproaches and gross abuses thereof The Roman Antichrist to set up his own Traditional List blasphemes it many waies charging it with imperfection obscurity defects insufficiency and corruption The Quaking Libertines their bastard brood hath done what they could to defame deface and destroy it At their first stirring they wholly denied the need and use thereof But because they lost credit thereby on a sudden in all places they agreed upon the owning of it at least verbally that they might the better abuse it and others by it That sudden change observed by the Judicious so unanimously carried on in all parts may discover much of that strong design which is so notably fomented if not begun among them by the Pontifician brats Now that in words they profess to own the Scripture how deal they with it Just as the Romanists that give it as little credit as they can Both Originals Hebrew and Greek must be slighted and slandered as corrupt the Vulgar Translation exalted above them Then there is no absolute need of it they can live well enough without it by Traditional and Enthusiastical help Then it must have a Competitor the Popes infallible Chair or the Councils determination and the Quakers Oracle written or verbal Then it must be wrested to patronize their grossest and wildest extravagancies No blasphemy so horrid no Ceremony so ridiculous no Doctrine so vile but a Scriptural varnish must be got to set it out But what 's the end of all That man may not be taught or ruled as God lists but as they list Thence such specious Pleas against the need and use of the Ministerial Function under many taking pretences That Gods Will may be determined by every ones list Thence such reasonings with plausible Sophisms against the Magistrates power in Religious matters that they may be taken off from attending the Lords Will therein Thence also such painted Arguments drawn from the very dregs of Pelagianism revived by Popery and Arminianism for the sufficiency of the light within that all things at last may be brought to their list Obj. The Querist again Objects to himself Then it seems Errours may be suffered Ans. He answers If truth may be suffered also it will prevail against Errours It 's no more in your power to binder Errours than it was in the Prelates to hinder preaching speaking and writing against them If you can hinder Satans suggestions and the vain imaginations of their hearts and expell the darkness in men and place light in stead thereof and hinder men from speaking to each other then you can suppress Errour else not The Lord alone by the mighty power of his Spirit with his Word can suppress Errours and we beleeve he will certainly do it in his time to his glory and the comfort of his people Amen Reply This is the upshot of our Querists attempt in this Serpentine way of ambiguous Queries pleasingly dressed for the stomack of this Libertine age for answer whereto we grant That truth will indeed prevail against errours as surely as God the Author thereof is sure to prevail against Satan the father of errours Truth will seasonably prevail whether suffered or opposed it being still like to the Palm tree that will not be suppressed though much oppressed But is suffering of errours a good way to that end Is the Patronage of lies a friendly help to Truth when Truth doth rife it will be with the fall and ruinous shame of all its oppressors wherein neutral spirits will finde little comfort and as little excuse Are not errours the diseases of mens souls and is there no way to cure them but by letting them alone Your instance from the Prelates is to little purpose unless you intend to plead their cause or can demonstrate the case in hand to be like theirs It 's not our work to revive now that Controversie which so many able pens have sufficiently cleared from mistakes Their Persons we leave for account to their only Judge Their Ministerial Office though corrupted many waies we can own so farre as therein they owned Gods institution whilst we sever from it all humane inventions and corruptions Their Lordly Pomp and Tyrannical carriage we heartily renounce hoping that all good men among them have done the like Their usurped Jurisdiction and self advancing Authority above their Brethren of the Ministry we also finde in Scripture Reason and Antiquity sufficient cause to disclaim The many endeavours of many among them to obstruct the Truth and abuse her friends we suppose to have been one chief means of hastning their ruine Too many of them shewed too much compliance if not cordial friendship to the Popish Arminian errours which are now put into a more fashionable garb by our Notionists Seekers and Quakers As then the friends of Truth prevailed at last though after much â—…ugging against that Van-Guard of the Romish Camp the good hand of heaven
that juncture of affairs required It will be the joy of all Gods friends to see more of the like among us Their success mentioned so remarkably in the context will not be far from us whilst we keep close to God in their way But how farre are our Querists friends from following that good example Do they labour still to disgrace and discourage faithfull Magistrates and Ministers from promoting it Is it not their business day and night every where to obstruct and disturb it what they can If they seem of late to be grown more mild and reserved we may thank the care of such Magistrates who have given them cause to fear the deserved lash Their poyson is but refined by this change and made more taking Ans. 3. He answers again The Kings of Israel had extraordinary Prophets to direct them infallibly Our Kings and Governours have none such to direct them Reply We reply Though many of them had such yet even then the Standard of all Doctrine and Worship was the Law and the Testimony thereby all spirits and pretended Prophets were to be tried The like have we now in Gospel-daies even a more sure word of Prophesie a word surer than the greatest Revelations mentioned in that context of Peter a word sufficient every way to compleat the man of God in the knowledge and doing of his will This is our Doctrinal foundation our infallible Judge whereby all spirits and Doctrines are to be tried If any teach otherwise though he should be an Angel from heaven he is accursed We need then no infallible Prophets or Apostles seeing we have that sure word of theirs which the Spirit of Truth spoke and writ by them confirmed by their miracles and hath infallibly made the perfect rule of our faith and life all differing interpretations thereof may and must be reconciled by the light of that unerring spirit which is inseparable from his Word Though fallible men mistake often yet the sense of Christs Spirit in his Word is clear and sure still Though blind eyes see not at all and sore eyes see but dimly though blood-shot eyes will see amiss the light of that Sun is alwaies clear and sure Though some expressions may seem obscure yet the rest duly compared will sufficiently clear them Though the self-conceited and proud will wrest and mistake it yet the humble will God teach Though a corrupt mind will extract poyson as a spider out of flowers errour out of truth by poysoning it yet Christs Spirit will lead his people thereby into all Truth needfull for them to know Though the carnal heart will still be ignorant yet the teachable heart by that anointing from above will be taught all things gradually proportionably and seasonably so that he shall not need to be taught by any Sect master or Pharisaical Teacher or infallible Pope as too many have been and are still Though this Gospel be hid to them that perish whose eyes are blinded by sin and Satan yet is it plain to him that understands and is tractable in the School of Christ Though it may prove a savour of death to reprobate consciences yet is it still the sweet savour of Christ to his Disciples Though worldly spirits will slight and abuse the simplicity thereof yet spiritual hearts will admire and improve still the Majesty of it Though the perverse minde will account it a self-contradicting word yet the rational Christian will find it still most harmonious in its whole composure Though a vain soul will finde it to be a killing letter yet the wise heart will finde it experimentally to have a most quickning Spirit Though the superficial Reader will finde its shell and bark to be hard and knotty yet the studious Christian will tast the sweetness and tenderness of its kernell and marrow Though deluded Impostors will pervert it still to the taking off the Magistrate from his duty about the first Table yet the Lords servants shall finde every part thereof to be an eminent motive to quicken direct and enable all Superiours to the faithfull preserving and vindicating of it Ans. 4. He answers fourthly The Kings and Rulers of Israel did not imprison Schismaticks Pharisees Herodians Reply 1. The Law of God directed his servants then to dispense all censures in a way proportionable to the nature of the offence and condition of the offender which faithfull Magistrates observed as hundred instances might demonstrate The King to that end was commanded to have a Copy of the Law by him to direct him still daily Reply 2. As there were divers sorts of Hereticks which the Lords Word bound over to just penalties so was there variety of Schismaticks raised up by Satan to rend the Church as the Hereticks work was to poyson it for a just execution on the spirits of such as had not received the Truth in the love thereof that they might be saved God gave them up to strong delusions to beleeve lies as he doth daily Because they voluntarily separated from God and his Truth to give up themselves to the service of sinne and Satan he justly gave them up to a perverse spirit to break them into fractions and factions both in Church and State even as he doth now by sad experience Because they would not be separated from the evil of men he permitted them to follow those seducers that drove on their own interest by separating from good men Doth he not so still Because they wilfully chose heaps of Teachers self-called to serve their fansies and lusts God also chose their delusions to give them up to the efficaciousness of deceit Is it not so still Because they refused and abused the lights of his own setting up was it not just with him to leave them in darkness to abuse themselves and others even as it 's now Thus Gods refusals are still the devils choice and they that forsake his waies cannot escape the devils crooked paths Whilst Authority kept all in their places close to the Word and Waies of God Jerusalem the Metropolis of Church and State was a glorious and harmonious City But as fast as they declined in their zeal of Gods house towards worldly Politicks they ushered in as fast all sorts of discords and discontents Civil and Ecclesiastical Josephus their Historian and many others compared with Scripture Records will fully demonstrate this to the judicious Reader As before their Babylonian Captivity so after it they gradually lost Purity then Peace inclining still towards Errour and Discord Thence the direfull separations of Pharez and Sadock the Ringleaders of so many Myriads into Pharisaism and Sadducism followed close by the Monkish Essens and the Politick Herodians those State separatists The like befell the Christian Churches in the very Apostles daies and successively more and more The sinfull separations of the Novatians Acesians Donatists c. with
THE Libertine School'd OR A VINDICATION OF THE Magistrates Power in Religious matters IN ANSWER TO SOME FALLACIOUS QUAERIES Scattered about the City of Limrick by a Nameless AUTHOR about the 15th of December 1656. And for Detection of those Mysterious Designs so vigorously fomented if not begun among us by Romish Engineers and Jesuitick Emissaries under Notionall Disguises Published By Claudius Gilbert B. D. and Minister of the Gospel at Limrick in IRELAND Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Let every soul be subject c. Zech. 13. 2 3 4 5 6. And I will cause the Prophets and unclean spirits to pass out of the Land c. Isa. 49. 23. And Kings shall be thy uursing Fathers c. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Magistratus in terra Coarctionis haeres quodvis improbum pudefaciens Judic. 18. 7. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Dei timor Principium Sapientiae Politicae uti Ecclesiasticae Axiom Arabic London Printed for Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet 1657. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE Lord HENRY CROMWELL Commander in Chief of the Forces in IRELAND And to the Right Honourable HIS Highnesses Councel FOR THE Affairs of IRELAND Right Honourable THe Glory of the latter daies consists very much in their godly Magistrates and the Glory of those Magistrates in their promoting of Christs Glory When the Lords Spirit would give an abstract of heaven on earth he promises Kings and Queens for nursing Fathers and Mothers to his Church Thus Portion and Protection are assured to his people on the most honourable and happy tearms The Lord himself is pleased to put his own Name upon those persons to whom he gives a providentiall Commission to act in his Name with civil Authority in the managing of his interest on earth He hath said Ye are Gods by a providentiall voice that ye might act like God and for God in subordination to his providence Such Shields of the earth belong unto him in a peculiar way which are made by him and must act for him in a peculiar manner He needs no instruments about any work yet is he pleased to honour instruments about his greatest work It s Your Honour to be employed by him he makes it Your Happiness to be faithfull to him That he will employ Ministers of his Word to instruct his Church it 's from his Grace that he doth intrust Magistrates with his Sword for the protection of his Church it 's for his Glory Both Jewell and Case mans Soul and Body were framed by him as God of Nature both Soul and Body were by his Sonne redeemed as the God of all Grace Both the internall and externall man do need his Spirit for the good of both Magistrates and Ministers are called to Office and blessed therein by the same Spirit Moses and Aaron were joined of old in ordering Christs Law Zerubabell and Joshua were not severed in the restoring thereof Though Primitive Churches wanted for a season the Magistrates help yet in due season were they made partakers of that Royall favour They wanted them first that Gods glory might not on mistake be given to man they had them again that the same Glory might not be still abused by man No sooner did Antichrist make incroachments on Christs Ministry but he usurped as fast on his Magistracy he swallowed up that as the two horned Beast Ecclesiastically and he subdued this as the ten horned Beast Politically Christ recovered both from Antichristian Yoke in his great Reformation as both had been usurped from him by Antichristian defection When he took care to purifie his Church in its Ministry he shewed no less care about the Magistracy As some of both sorts have witnessed for him in a sackcloth condition so some of both sorts shall witness of him in a seasonable ascension When he gives his people Pastors after his own heart he gives them Rulers to govern in his waies Thus he acts by men after the manner of men because he deals with men in the things of God The world is his great house that must be well taught but it 's through sinne a discomposed house that needs a good Rule Gods interest is such in faithfull Rulers that Satan will be still attempting all means to blast their faithfulness if he cannot keep them from doing Gods work he will use instruments to marre that very work Much of it appeared in former experiences and we see it too sadly in these latter daies Good men shall be seduced to betray Gods work yea and perswaded that it 's Satans work That which the Lord doth tender with most zeal Error will perswade to slight with most neglect If God put much stress on the first Table of his Law Error will take it off from the Magistrates care What many other parts have sadly bewailed we finde now much cause to bemoan afresh That spirit that once disturbed Germany is gotten too deeply into our bowels Christs Ministers were first struck at by that hand which reached the next blow to the Magistrates Those Foxes and Wolves that would worry Christs Flock cannot bear good will to faithfull Shepherds They would first debauch the spirits of men and then their bodies will be surely theirs The Ministers first shall be Antichristian and the Magistrates shall bear that title next Munster had once many fair warnings but the things of their peace were hid from their eyes If we gain wisdom by our neighbours harm it 's a mercy of the choicest kinde That good hand of heaven that brought Your Honours into this wilderness hath much to do here for you and by you Israels condition in their wilderness is a most lively parallell of this Land They had Christ present in his Ordinances but wanted a heart to improve the same Signall redemptions the Lord wrought for them but his wondrous works they had soon forgotten Magistrates and Ministers he provided them but they slighted and scorned the one and the others Holy profession God called them to they soon abused it to self-exalting Moses and Aaron were easily despised when Corah and his crue had once got their hearts When Divine Ordinances were counted humane humane presumptions were counted Divine Their Levelling spirits that would equalize all soon met with a check from their Superior They sank alive into the earths bowels that bid defiance to the God of heaven The Lords jealousie maintained his servants who had zealously maintained his Name They were soon consumed by fire from Gods house who made it their work to fire Gods house They regarded not his daily provisions and they paid dear for foolish desires When the Lords servants were doing them most good they were then plotting to do them most evil Thus are they our glass and our pourtraiture that we may the better learn to mend our faults Moses had to do with a
froward people Your Honours charge here looks too much like them The wisdom and zeal He received from God are stored up in Christ for all Your supplies That Christ who was all to Him and to them is ready to give all to You and to us His Substitutes You are who is our Sovereign that His work in Your hands may be prosperous is our ardent prayer The Magistrates Right is the scope of these Papers duly therefore presented to You to do their homage They speak Your Honour and Your Happiness in Your honouring and serving the Lord His Jewels on earth he trusts with You that his Worship and friends may be Your Jewels The Lord is with You whilst You be with Him if any forsake Him such will He forsake The glorious characters of His presence with You to this very day may much revive Your hearts and strengthen Your hands He hath been with You as the Lord of Hoasts He will be Yours still as the God of Peace That You may do much expect much from Him so shall Your Returns answer Your Receipts Those unclean spirits that are now raging shall soon be cast out by the Prince of Peace He doth overturn and shake all Nations that Christ the desire of the Nations may come That King of Nations shall regain his right which as King of Saints he will still improve Your Honours daily work is multiplicious and momentous still Aarons and Hurs hands must be subservient to uphold your own It 's our delight to serve You cordially that You may serve Christ most effectually I dare not presume any longer on You than to signifie my zealous ambition to be and appear in the work of Christ Your Lordships humbly devoted Servant Claudius Gilbert From my Study in Limrick Decem. 22. 1656. THE PREFACE Christian Reader THe Civil power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion is a weighty Point much controverted in these daies as it hath formerly been upon severall accounts The Champions of Truth have been put upon it in all ages to vindicate this part of Christs interest against the renewed assaults of numerous adversaries The sophisticall mistakes of its oppugners hath drawn them and their followers into dangerous absurdities and contradictions therein Very few of them if any have laboured to state the question aright that they might debate it methodically Many outcries we indeed meet with against compulsion of conscience but very little of sober discourse about the Magistrates Civil power in Religious matters where it crosses the pretence of conscience That no violent force should or can be put upon mens consciences being granted to them most of their Arguments fight with their own shadows Some would seem to oppose all kinde of Magistraticall power in any part of the first Table pleading for a licentious liberty of all sorts therein Others admit of limitations and severall distinctions therein and yet the strength of their reasons complies with the former when duly weighod Many worthy Pens have taken very commendable pains in stating and vindicating of that legall Right which the Lords Magistraticall substitute is entrusted with as Custos vindex utriusque Tabulae Specially Mr Thomas Cobbet in 1653. N. England hath found abundant cause to praise the Lord for the due exercise and vindication of that Power the neglect and opposition whereof was like to have proved their overthrow in Civils and Ecclesiasticals The same spirit of Error hath struggled there so hard for Libertinism hath gotten too much strength and favour in these Nations The like design hath been therefore vigorously drawn on to take off the Magistrate from that part of his work which is the most noble and most needfull in such a season Various interests have joined forces herein yea divers good men have been ensnured into it at unawares There is a fallacious plausibility in many things said therein which takes easily with the weak and credulous Christian as in all other doctrines of Error Some would promote it that they may promote and shelter at pleasure their Levelling Ranting and Quaking principles Others favour it for fear of being restrained in some things which the Magistrate cannot but see just cause to take cognizance of for regulation What rank our Querist is to be numbred in we cannot certainly say his Paper not being subscribed by any though his drift may be easily guessed at It grieves our hearts most to see any of Christs professed friends taking part in such a quarrell with the common enemy of his Word and Ordinances The sad consequent of sinfull separations from the Reformed Protestant Churches appears much in this as in other things When the unity of the Spirit that should keep the bond of peace in the unity of Christian Faith and Baptism within Gods house comes into disregard it cannot but prove fatally ominous to the ushering in of those many evils which have still been concomitants thereof The Primitive times afford us many wofull instances of it and Germany with other parts hath verified it by sad experience ever since the great Reformation begun Schismaticall rendings of the Church of Christ were very seldom free from hereticall Apostasiâ—s Had we no Record Divine or Humane Ancient or Modern to testifie this truth the posture of persons and things among us would demonstrate it too abundantly Yet would not we be mistaken in shewing the bitter fruits of sinfull separations as if we disowned all separations There is a good separation from evil required of God as there is an evil separation from good forbidden by him A separation from the man of sinne and from the sinne of man is a Christians duty Revel. 18. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 18 19. Isa 52. 11. Jer. 51. 6. But separation from the Church and good Ordinances of God is an unchristian sinne Christ owned the Jewish Church in its publique Ministry and worship though distempered with many corruptions in every part thereof whilst they retained the fundamentals of Religion he still entertained communion with them As long as that first administration of the Lords gracious Covenant lasted both he and his Apostles maintained correspondency with that visible Church of his whilst they did most keenly rebuke the members thereof for their severall enormities yea and after their setting up of that Evangelicall worship which as the second administration of the Lords gracious Covenant was to make an end of the Ceremonials and continue to the worlds end Heb. 9. 10 11 12. Heb. 12. 26 27. Matth. 28. 21. Matth. 26. 1 Cor. 11. 26. yet were they so shie of rending the Garment of Christs body his Church that they did for a long time bear with the Jewish outrages labouring by all means to keep fair with them and broke not off as long as they could hold with them in the great foundation of Religion The like course was taken by God and his servants towards Israel and Judah before their
in their Inquisitory practises and whether so long as they are hardned and confirmed by us there be any likelihood that the Gospel should take footing in Spain or Italy Ans. Our Doctrine and practise are no encouragement to Spanish and Romish Inquisitions no more than the execution of Justice upon Malefactors may be called encouragement to the bloodiness of wicked men against honest righteous persons Let Justice be done what ever become of it said that famous Emperour upon good ground The great favour shewed to the Irish Papists against the Laws of God and man before the late unparallel'd Rebellion did no good but much hurt to all sorts The pampering of a foul body is no good way to the curing of it but effectuall physick diet and dressing Evil men will take advantage from and offence at the best things as good men will extract good out of the worst Spain and Italy were awed in Queen Elizabeths time when good Laws were vigorously prosecuted against perverters and pretenders of conscience who carried on hellish designes under specious disguises But the sinfull compliances of King James and King Charles Courts though from pretended depths of politick interest proved fatall to all as in these Nations so in foreign parts Thereby were very many thousands of Protestants betrayed and deserted in Bohemia and the Palatinate in France and Germany in Denmark and Hassia c. Thereby were these Nations almost enslaved under Romish and Spanish tyranny and the Reformed Religion brought to its last gasp if an extraordinary hand of heaven had not made way towards our hopes of recovery in the severall parts of Europe Spain and Italy have been the Mother and Nurse of Antichrist from his first rise hitherto which way soever you please to reckon it Some begin about Anno 396. at the division of the Roman Empire after the death of Theodosius the Great between his sons Honorius and Arcadius Others begin about Anno 408. when the Empire was torn into ten parts by the barbarous invasions of the Huns and Goths Vandals and Franks Heruls and Burgundians Alemans and Jepids c. which gave rise to that ten-horned Beast in Politicals and to that two horned Beast in Ecclesiasticals Others rather begin it about Anno 607. when Mahomet did rise in the East and Bonifacius the Romish Prelate in the West first obtained the Title of Universall Bishop from bloody Phocas who gave it him to gain a friend in the West who soon overtopp'd all Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome Bonifacius his Predecessor had declared a while before the Patriarch of Constantinople to be the fore-runner of Antichrist for usurping that Title of Universall Bishop The Italian and Spanish Churches did suck in apace the multiplicious Errors and Idolatrous Superstitions which did from time to time infest Christianity witness the many Councils and Synods of Rome Braga Toledo Sevill and of other Cities of Spain and Italy in their successive progress Since the setting up of the Austrian family first in the German Empire and in the Kingdom of Spain both Italy and Spain have been twisting into one Antichristian interest though some particular States and Princes of Italy sometimes be over-ruled by their own proper byas And the Jesuites of all Nations have learned to center all their designes in the advancement of the same for the framing of a new European Monarchy under an Austrian Head and the Popes guidance All their mysteries of State their Arcana Imperii move towards this Head-plot in every Nation They have knit so fast into mutuall intimacy that what the one gains shall help the other Thus were Navarre and France England and America given up to the Spaniard by the Popes bounty under pretence of executing his Holinesses decrees There is therefore little hopes of doing them any good or expecting converts there Their doom seems to have been signally foretold That they should not repent neither by fair nor foul means whilst the judiciall Vials of Gods wrath are pouring forth upon that Antichristian Sun the Austrian family and on Rome it self the Metropolitan Seat of that Antichristian Beast This our brave Queen Elizabeth with her wise Council did still well observe maintaining all in a flourishing state by keeping the Spaniard and Pope at the swords point They clearly discerned the interest of England to lie in uniting of all Protestants and keeping all close to the truth and waies of Christ against the renewed combinations of Spain and Rome Some few sprinklings of converts have indeed formerly been found in those places as Zanchius Peter Martyr the Noble Marquess Caracciolus of Vico c. But of late they have been much rarer since the desperate Inquisition the Spaniards right eye as he cals it hath been so exquisitely cruell and tyrannicall Thus the nearer they draw to their dregs the worse they prove It 's observable that the great Merchants of the Beast the Spanish and Italian Grandees are not amended by her ruine but only cast into despairing horrors and lamentations So that little hope is left us of doing them good upon any terms though we be still bound and ready to pray for them and further their good who may be found there to belong to God so farre as we may go without neglect of our duty and without breach of Gods Law which hath been sufficiently cleared as to the Magistrates charge in the preceding Discourse Qu. 13. Whether it be wisdom and safe to make such Judges in matters of Religion and to follow their dictates who are not infallible but as subject to errours as others Ans. In this our Querist begins more overtly to open his Romish pack and usher in a Popish infallibility from the triple Crown for supream Judge of all Controversies This insinuation would make Protestants believe that there is neither wisdom nor safety in their Religion and consequently that they must be looked for from that Church alone where they pretend that Judge to be found that is in their own Thus the Papist and Quaker do boast of that most whereto they are the greatest strangers viz. Perfection and Infallibility We indeed confess our selves at the best subject to errour and pretend not to be infallible Judges We would not seem wiser than Paul who knew but in part 1 Cor. 13. 12. or better than James and John who tell us that in many things we sin all both in opinion and practice But what then Who shall be Judge of the meaning of Scripture We answer 1. The Spirit of truth speaking in his Word is the supream infallible Judge 2. Where he seems to speak obscurely his words in the context scope and other places must be compared to clear his meaning to our shallow judgements 3. Much industry study and sobriety are required to attain thereto in sundry places yet the Fundamentals of Religion are plainly laid down for the meanest capacity The Lamb may
devils sometimes wicked men the devils instruments sometimes wicked mens lusts serving the devils purpose All societies are too often pestered therewith and their ejection is chiefly to be minded The principall efficient of that cure is indeed the mighty Spirit of God His powerfull Word is the principal Instrument Yet are men and means appointed and blessed of God in subserviency thereto Christ himself told his Disciples that their unbelief hindered such a cure from being perfected upon that famous patient some of them being so tenacious that they go not out but with prayer and fasting It 's dreadfull to see mens bodies possessed with such guests but their souls possession more frequent and terrible is not so much dreaded because less sensible The sad symptoms of such a Possession are so wofully manifested in the Quaking crue that it infests all parts among us It concerns all sorts among us if ever to observe Christs method for their ejection They fume and foam they range and rage tossed they are from one extream to another sometimes cast into the fire then into the water first ranting then quaking The filthy excrements of these unclean spirits boil so excessively within them that they do enormously work out at every part of their bodies Their feet ramble their tongues rail all the faculties of their souls testifie the strangeness of their inmate He that but observed within these few years what horrid things have appeared before multitudes of people from that miserable generation cannot but wonder at Gods patience the devils malice and those wretches wofull state The poison hath seized on their brains and spirits as the pestilence is wont to do and casts many into Phrensies others into Lethargies The Ranters were merrily the Quakers are melancholically mad those had more of the fire The Legions that possess them shew varieties of tricks and are shifting daily that they may best sute the various complexions of men and seasons Ranting Paracelsus and fanatick Behmen are out stripped in their horrid jugglings by these up-start disciples of theirs David George and the rest of those German Impostors came short of these The great Patrons of Quakers Mahomet with his Dervis in the East the Romish Dominick and Francis Benedict and Ignatius Katharine of Siena and Bridget in the West can hardly parallell them Yea the Brachmans of the Eastern and the Pawawes of the Western India's can hardly out-match them When so many spirits are abroad to represent the Tragedy of hell let loose doth it not concern all Superiors in civils and spirituals to look narrowly to themselves and to their respective charges Should not that warning be cautiously improved which Christ himself gives in such a juncture They are indeed spirits nimble and supple shifting and active crafty and restless hardly discern'd but wofully felt easily piercing hardly removed soon infecting difficult to cure But they are unclean spirits bearing their fathers image lying spirits in every word and act As the devil of old by his Pythons and Oracles so do these still speak ambiguities Slippersy spirits that easily shift off the strength of Scripture and reason by equivocations and roving about Scarce a Scripture word do they understand in a Scripture sense but use that language only to deceive the simple Their Christ their light their heaven and hell their perfection and righteousness when brought to the touch prove but Chimaera's and fanatick conceits That pure convincement of the Ranters as the Quakers call it of God being all things and all things God appears to be their grand Principle but trimm'd anew to please the better They finde no fault with the Ranters principles though they blame something of their practise witness their books complaining that they had a pure convincement but they sank in the flesh and grew too loose Atheism in a word the bottom of all evil is the spawn and substance of these unclean spirits Their venom like that of the * Tarantula kils suddenly in the midst of pleasing dreams making their disciples dance about the brims of eternall wo What think you of these things ye sober Christians do not these Nations need good Physicians and utmost care to prevent the subversion of all Do not our State-Physicians finde work enough among such a variety of Bedlams Is not this Calenture to be looked after with all diligence Are not we all bound to sollicit heaven day and night that such unclean spirits may be cast out Could you but conceive what direfull spectacles the stage of Germany felt and saw at the breaking loose of such a hell among them for near twenty years space you would fast and pray to better purpose than you have hitherto done These unclean spirits do most storm at those spirituall Physicians that would gladly be helpfull to them What hope then of a cure that way They will not they cannot hear them with sense patience or manners What hopes of help below but in a Bedlam or Bridewell for such Who can tame these but the Magistrates power under God In bodily phrensies we finde still hard usage to be the best means of cure to the patient and safety to the rest The like hath been found often in this very case witness that blasphemous villain of Andover who stiled himself the Bridegroom and his Trull enticed by him away from her friends Mary the Lambs Wife The Justice of the Bench and the executionlash reclaimed them out of their madness by the sense of shame and pain to bewail their folly and publickly curse their seducers To be sure if the Magistraticall Rod appointed for the fools back do not convince their folly and teach them it will teach others wisdom and prevent that horrid confusion which otherwise is like to overflow all our banks If these Bears cannot be tamed they had need be chained except we love to see them do mischief Qu. 4. Whether if no Civil Law be broken the Civil Peace be hurt or no Ans. 1. Where there is no Law there is no transgression For sin is opposition to the Law both privative and adversative habitual and actual The Law of God is the revelation of the Divine will touching mans duty The Civil Law then must be the rule set among men by authority in conformity That is understood in its large signification comprising all sorts of humane Orders for in a strict sense the Civil Laws signifie the imperial Law called Civil in distinction from our Municipal Law which is either Common or Statute Law the standard of good manners in this Commonwealth This Law of ours being the quintessence and extract of the best Laws known among the Brittains and Romans Saxons and Normans refined for English use by the Saxon Wittagen-Mots or General Assemblies and English Parliaments is indeed the choice Rule and Fountain the Mother and Nurse of our Civil Peace when execution answers their Institution and Constitution Peace in general
sense is the harmonious agreement of things attending their orderly composure and motion Peace with God by Christ conjugally embraced produces peace of conscience in man and civil peace among men Our civil peace must still then have reflexion upon our Civil Law and that upon the Divine Law Whilst the Law is thus kept peace is not hurt so the Querist is answered But would not he insinuate that the Quakers and corrupters of our Religion break not the Law and therefore not the Peace Ingenuity it self can make no other construction of his dubious Query compared with his title and scope If so then we Answer 2. Our Lawyers can more exactly acquaint him with the many branches of our Common and Statute Laws which are continually broken by this lawless brood They that make so light of the Divine Law indited by the Spirit of God penned by the Prophets and Apostles of Christ and given to man for his eternal good in conforming him through grace to the Lords Image whose extract and representation it is are not like to be very carefull of mens Law in any sense The beams of that good just and holy Law which do shine through the several parts of our English Laws carry too much light for such birds of darkness who can like and will own none but their light within The light above and about them is so offensive to them and so little valued of them that the brightest beams of Scripture light finde no credit nor favour with them if not suted to their phantasticall light Their own light is their Law as it 's their God their Christ their perfection their righteousness their All All the Laws of God and men must be reduced to that standard They judge themselves still observers of the Law in the most egregious breaches thereof for indeed what Law can they break whose will is their only Law Sometimes they pretend that Will in them not to be their own but Gods Will But that easily appears to be but a cunning shift to father their will on God as they do their light and all As then their Law is in their breast though they be daily convinced by every one that speaks with them who hath not lost his reason and Religion at once and particularly by Authority of their foul transgressions yet are they still faultless They witness perfection You do but mistake them They cannot sin They cannot break the Law All Authority is tyrannical that humours them not The best Ministers are fools and knaves to them None knows and keeps the Laws but themselves and followers Dare you then after this charge or punish these men for breach of any Law No by no means They are but misunderstood Their railing and cursing their slandring and wandering their idleness and irreverence their disobedience and seducing their errors and blasphemies against God and Christ against the Divine Trinity and holy Spirit against the Scriptures and Ordinances of the Gospel their contempt and scorn of all goodness and good men not dancing after their pipe These are no breaches of Law but degrees and signes of their perfection Their pride and passion their malice and hatred their choler and rage their Atheism and ignorance their deceits and charms are but conformities to the light within Yea their Pharisaicall abstinence and fastings their formalities and ostentations their disorderly speeches and carriage their opposing of Orders from God and his servants their self-conceitedness and self-confidence must not be thought breaches of Law but fulfillings thereof In a word if you think they can break the peace by breaking the Law you are much mistaken for they are a Law to themselves and the utmost mischief they can do to us all that comply not with them is but the fulfilling of that Law Qu. 5. Whether corporall punishment either by imprisonment or otherwise for errours is not a means sometimes to destroy mens bodies and possibly prove a prevention of their conversion seeing some are not called till the eleventh hour and if they be cut off the seventh hour for their errours how shall they come in Matth. 20. 6. Ans. Errour is a crooked deviation of a mans judgement from the Truth of God That Truth is considerable either in the Divine Being or in the Emanation thereof Truth in Gods Essence is Essentially and Personally considered Essential Truth is God himself in the eternal Unity of his Divine Excellency Truth Personally expressed sets forth each of the three Divine Persons subsisting in the Divine Essence distinguished by their personal properties the Father is Truth Begetting the Sonne is Truth Begotten the Spirit is Truth Proceeding from the Father and from the Son Truth in the Emanation of the Divine Being or the Truth of God is the conformity of Gods expression to himself which is considered Intentionally Verbally and Actually in his Thoughts Words and Works I. The Truth of his Thoughts is called his Purpose and Decree pleasure and good will to signifie his eternal Councel fore-ordaining all future things This is an absolute entire perfect and unchangeable Act of the Divine Will about the good and evil of future Beings as of themselves especially about rational creatures men and Angels This Divine Truth or Act as it respects evil is called Permission and Regulation as it respects good it 's called fore-ordination As it respects the objects of Divine Benevolence it 's called Election and Predestination Election chusing them in Christ to glory Predestination fore-appointing them to conformity and Adoption by Christ Election called also his fore-knowledge which in the Hebrew imports affect and effect regarding chiefly the End and Predestination the Means to that End That eternal purpose as it regards the objects of Gods disowning is called Reprobation and Predamnation Reprobation being properly an Act of Sovereignty we cannot speak of God but after the manner of men with distinctions and denominations extrinsecal though he be one pure Act all the change being in the creature is also called Preterition non-Election and non-Predestination properly regarding their State and End absolutely Predamnation being an intended Act of Justice properly considers the Means with tendency to that End viewing such under the consideration of future sinners The like denominations may be given to Divine Purpose about Angels consideratis considerandis Thus of Intentional Truth II. The Verbal Truth of God is called his Word which is the declaration of his Mind and Will revealed to man concerning himself and all his creatures This he did manifest to Adam in his Creation writing it upon his soul in the characters of his own Image in perfect knowledge righteousness and holiness and by positive significations of his pleasure After his fall and successively to others this Truth of God about the salvation of his Elect in and by Christ alone with all things else needfull to be known he did variously reveal unto men
mischief restrained usefully thereby Better have the devil bound then loose though he will be a devil still The duration of every mans life is certainly fore-appointed of God beyond which he shall not pass This will not indeed excuse any mans wilfull neglect of himself or others yet it may satisfie mans heart upon the unchangeable event of things He that appoints the end appoints indeed the means subservient thereto when therefore his providence indispensably necessitates the defect of the means it clearly signifies that it 's Gods purpose to have such a thing come to pass Joseph comforts his Brethren on that consideration though they had used ill means God over-ruled them to a good end But if such malefactors hasten their own end by unlawfull means as * Parnell lately in Colchester Gaol did starve himself to death by fasting ten daies wilfully and ill demerits they can blame none but themselves Qu. 6. Whether compulsion of conscience do not make differences arise to a greater heighth which if men were left to their own light what is not of God would far more easily fall Ans. Conscience properly cannot be compelled it being the Reflexion of mans judgement on himself with respect to Gods judgement Such is the nature of humane souls in their intellectuals that they cannot be forced though they may be moved by external objects God alone is the Lord of conscience he made it and knows how to rule it at his Will Conscience is his Royal fear his Throne of Majesty his Deputy and Witness his Recorder and Judge his Teacher and Executioner in mans heart It was thus perfectly before the fall but it 's now corrupted by mans sin and little remains of that glorious fabrick but ruinous heaps though enough to testifie the wofulness of that fall In the most it still lies under darkness and death the devil being gotten into Gods seat by just judgement doth usurp further in playing the pranks of a dreadfull Jaylor In the Regenerate conscience is purified and restored to its primitive use in part though much evil remains there as in other faculties to be gradually removed Conscience then cannot be constrained but the evil of a pretended perverted conscience may be restrained If that Officer that should act Gods part in mans soul be bribed by Satan to take his part through the compliance of inward corruption against God his Sovereign he may surely be called to account for it by men as far as that treason appears externally God judges of the outward by the inward man judges of the inward by the outward man The Magistrate is Gods externall Deputy called therefore an heir of restraint to put the wicked to shame The first and second Table of Gods Law are both committed to his charge as to the externals thereof as we hinted before When that care was wanting Gods honour suffered sadly in all ages So farre as conscience is corrupted so farre are the differences widened between God and man which increases differences among men The way then to compose differences is not to dally with any corruption either of judgement affection or practice but to remove it effectually Man can but use the means and is obliged thereto specially the Magistrate in his place for God as every one should do in himself and by himself through Gods help To leave every man to his own light is to leave a mans ground to it self without dressing The most consciences are but like the dunghill as all are by nature before conversion The best are like a garden wherein the Lord through grace hath set and sown the fruits of his Spirit But if you let the dunghill alone will it ever be better If you let the best garden alone will it not soon grow worse and will not the weeds spoil all at last Doth not Christ himself press this parable to that end What 's a mans own light before conversion but the dim snuff of a candle every moment ready to go out in a stink into utter darkness What will become of him and of his light if left to himself What 's mans light after conversion in the best but a weak glimmering candle though snuffed and renewed by the Lords gracious hand yet every moment ready to perish in the storms of temptations and corruptions if not continually revived supported and supplied by the same Almighty hand How doth God promise and use to effect this and all other favours but in the diligent use of the means whereto he ties us and whereby he conveys his blessing Is not mans heart full of corruption by nature Doth not much of it remain in the best Will not corruption increase if let alone Try it in your sinks and kennels if you be yet strangers to your own heart then answer this Query What sad work would so many foolish heads like Sampsons Foxes tied only by the tail of carnal interest with burning fire-brands make in Church and State in following every one his own light A short portraicture may be seen of it in Whimses Island vulgo Road-Island near N. England the Receptacle of Notionists where confusion and profanness seem to triumph over all order and piety to say nothing of these distempered Nations Qu. 7. Whether it be not the command of Christ that the Tares i.e. they that walk in lies and the Wheat i.e. they that walk in truth should be let alone Matth. 13. 30 31. Ans. 1. No parable is to be strained beyond its scope Scriptura parabolica non est argumentativa The scope of that Parable appears clearly in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and explanation thereof given by Christ himself where he omits that branch of letting them alone and only mentions the event of the Tares and Wheat following the purpose of his Will but nothing of the precept of his Will concerning mans duty in point of obedience Ans. 2. Mind the particulars of that Parable The Field is the World the Angels are the Reapers the Wicked are the Tares the Godly are the Wheat saith Christ describing the Tares to be such as offend and do iniquity the Wheat to be the children of the Kingdom By Field you may understand either the state of the Church visible universally considered in the world or the world wherein that Church subsists from time to time In either sense the case will be clear 1. If you understand it of the Catholick Church considered in its succession from age to age it will signifie the permission of providence which suffers some hypocrites still to remain therein even in the purest times but it cannot be meant of Gods precept to man to let known wicked persons alone in the Church seeing he hath appointed censures for such commending the use rebuking and threatning the neglect thereof 2. If you understand it of the world it self