necessary at all times to have a judicial meeting nor at any time is a present duty to be suspended by any person if no such meeting can be had What is said doth demonstrat that there is a difference to be made in reference to errours persons and cases CHAP. VIII When some errours are to be forborn IF it should be enquired how this difference is to be made or how it may be known when without guilt there may be some forbearance and when not Answ. This is indeed difficult and we will not undertake in particulars either to be satisfying or peremptory yet we supose the considering of these generall Distinctions will be helpfull and the application of them necessary in this case 1. We would distinguish betwixt some errours and scandals and others and that both in respect of their grosnesse and evidence for some errours are as Peter calleth them 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. pernicious and damnable as striking against the special Truths of the Word of God or inferring grosse practices with them as this of the Nicolaitans did and hazarding the souls of the maintainers of them not as other sins of infirmity but in respect of the principles which they imply and of this sort are many both errours and practices Again Other things may be errours that are contrary to Truth but not destructive unto nor altogether inconsistent with the foundation but such a thing as possibly many true Saints may be taken with and yet have accesse to God and may enter Heaven although they should die in that opinion of which sort are many things that are debated amongst orthodox Divines and indeed there is nothing but it hath a truth or a falshood in it yet are not all of equal necessity and weight Of the first sort was that errour which the false apostles endeavoured to bring-in that is the adding of the practice of the ceremonial Law to Christ in justification and the mixing-in of works moral and ceremonial therein as from the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians may be gathered Of the second kind was the debate for meats and other things mentioned Rom. 14. and in the Epistles to the Corinthians Of the first we say there ought to be no tolerance Therefore the Lord doth here reprove it and in the Epistles to the Romans and Corinthians Paul doth plainly and powerfully refute them and reprove them even when it was exceeding ill taken and they were ready to count him an enemy because he told them the truth Gal. 4. Yet will he not forbear because a little leaven of that sort will leaven the whole lump and hazard the making of his labour among them to be in vain Of the second sort we say That there is a moderation called-for in it and Ministers are not alwayes called either doctrinally or by Discipline judicially to reprove or censure them I will not say but sometimes it may be meet to discover the least errour and it may be by circumstances so aggreged that it may be needfull judicially to take notice of it as when it 's involved with offence and ready to breed Schism or Scandal or in such like cases in which respect there are some things mentioned in the decree Act. 15. which are not very material in themselves as the eating of things strangled yet we say it is not simply and alwayes necessary for Ministers to presse at the convincing of all who maintain something different from truth or which is supposed to be so by them if â—…it be of things extra-fundamental or which have not direct or palpable influence upon the violating of faith or corrupting of manners much lesse to censure for the maintaining of it For it is not of such that these Epistles speak And we see Rom. 14. and in the Epistles to the Corinthians in the debate about meats and eating of things sacrificed to idols and such like wherein though there was still a right side and a wrong yet doth he rather presse the forbearing of these debates than the dipping into them not astricting men alwayes to follow this or that providing it be done without breach of unity and charity Hence it is that although there be somethings he will give no forbearance unto but authoritatively and ministerially he decideth in them yet in the same Epistles there is something amongst the Saints that he seeketh rather to heal and to obtain mutuall forbearance in than peremptorily to decide See Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 2 3 c. Phil. 2. 3. 2. There are some truths and practices evident which by the light of the Word may be solidly demonstrated to an impartiall and unbyassed searcher and some contrary errours and scandals that are at the first obvious and it may be even to a naturall conscience to be such so that although men would use tergiversations and say as Hymeneus and Phyletus did 2 Tim. 2. 17. that there were no resurrection to come because the Scripture speaketh of a spirituall resurrection which in the Believer is passed already And although many deluded persons who will not admit of distinctions according to reason in such a case may be drawn away with them and adhere still to them yet are the things demonstrable to these that are even but of ordinary reach by sound grounds from the Scripture and that convincingly Other things again may be truths and there may be to some persons a possibility of reaching them by many consequences from Scripture yet are they not so clear to many whereupon it is that men yea even learned and godly men do differ in their apprehensions of several truths the Lord so thinking good to bridle mens humours and to let us see the necessity of humility and sobernesse and this may be in the meanestlike things these the Apostle Rom. 14. 1. calleth doubtfull disputations as being things wherein too many at least there is not such evidence attainable as to stay the minds of ordinary people or to refute the contrary assertions of any adversary of which are Genealogies and other things that Paul mentioneth to Timothy 1 Tim. 1. 4. and calleth them endlesse because there is no setled ground to rest on but one question doth generate another and so the principle that must be laid down for clearing such a thing to one is also disputable to another as the thing it self is and men know but in part even those that are eminent so that an universal harmony in these cannot well be expected In reference to this we say That greater peremptorinesse is required in the first sort than in the second wherein by reason of the practice of the Apostles in Scripture yea and of necessity there is a forbearance requisit Yet we would beware of partiality in accounting truths either evident or disputable as men according as they are judged are too apt to do it is better therefore to try these by the common account that the Godly and Learned have had in all times of such truthes
first direction that Paul giveth 1 Epist. 1 chap. ver 10. I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye all speak the same things that there be no divisions among you c. And when he hath been large in two Epistles he doth almost close with this 2 Epist. chap. 13. 11. Finally brethren farewell Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of peace shall be with you And he not only exhorteth to it But Rom. 15. 5. he prayeth for it upon the back of all his doctrine and directions concerning offences Yea it was the way that our blessed Lord Jesus took to commend union and to pray for it to His Disciples lest thereby the world should be stumbled and keeped back from the acknowledging of Him and the beauty of the Church should be obscured so as the members thereof should not be known to be His Disciples as may be at length seen in the Gospel and particularly Ioh. 17. 4. Ministers would study the diverting of people from these things which ordinarily breed offences as striving about words and jangling in controversies not materiall the judging and condemning of others and such like and they would study to be occupied themselves and to have others exercised in these things that come nearer the power of Godlinesse and the life of Religion We see when the rest of the Disciples offend at Zebedee's children for their suit the Lord checks that and proposeth to them the necessity of humility and mortification and such like that he might put the unprofitable question who should be greatest out of their head as it is in Matth. chap. 18. 1 c. and chap. 20. ver 20 and 25 c. And this is frequent in Paul's Epistles to Timothy and Titus whereas upon the one side he dehorteth from strife contention vain jangling following of fables and such like So he doth upon the other side exhort to the exercise of godlinesse and to the pressing of good works as good and profitable to men in opposition to these as may be gathered from 1 Tim. chap. 1. ver 4. 5. and chap. 4. ver 7 8. 2 Tim. chap. 2. ver 14. 15 c. Titus 3. ver 8. 9. Yea the Apostle will have Ministers so serious in this as to charge and obtest their hearers as he did his 1 Corinth 1. 10. and Phil. 2. 1. to eschew these things and not to strive about words 1 Tim. 1. 3. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 14 c. Especially Ministers would beware of mentioning such things unnecessarily as are the bone of contention or which may foster mistakes of or grudges against others or make themselves to appear to be carnal and to walk like men But rather they would endeavour to hush them to silence as they would have blocks removed out of the peoples way otherwise they cannot but lose of their ministeriall authority and discompose the frame of the people which by all means should be eâ—…chewed by them The considering of three Scriptures will give a view of Paul's carriage in reference to this And O how commendable is it The first is 1 Corinth 9. 19 20. 21 22 c. Though I be free from all men yet have I made my self servant unto all that I might gain the more And unto the Iews I became as a Iew that I might gain the Iews to them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gain them that are under the Law to them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without Law To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some Where his condescending to others his insinuating by all means to win the affection of people his greedinesse to edifie and save souls and his endeavouring by his own example to engage others to that same condescending way are abundantly holden forth as an useful and excellent copie to be followed especially by Ministers who should studie edification at such a time most seriously The second is 2 Corinth 6. from ver 1. to ver 11. It is a great word that he hath ver 3. Giving no offence in any thing that the ministery be not blamed for untendernesse in offences maketh the Ministery obnoxious to contempt But in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God that pointeth out a ministeriall walk which studieth more the Masters honour the credit of the Ordinances and the good of souls both his own and others than the pleasing of others and the making themselves acceptable only aâ—… men or as familiar companions to those they converse with Then followeth In much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in 〈◊〉 in labours in watchings in fastings By purenesse by knowledge by long-suffering by kindnesse by the holy Ghost by love unfeigned By the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true As unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed As sorrowfull yet alway rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Wherein as in so many steps he setteth forth his ministerial walk for the preventing of offence being a most excellent description of a patient diligent faithfull denied impartiall single powerfull preacher driving and pressing the great design of Reconciliation as his main scope as from the close of the former Chapter and the beginning of this is clear And this is pointed out as his work at such a time amongst such a people for such an end as the preventing of offence The third Scripture is 2 Corinth chap. 11. ver 28 29. which was formerly cited and is worthy to be engraven on a Ministers heart Beside that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the Churches Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not Never man was more serious in quenching fire in his house than Paul was in removing of offences and in recovering such as were offended He was not only carefull not to give offence himself nor only to keep others from giving offence nor yet only for removing of such as were taken at himself nay nor only to satisfie those that were strong that had offended but the very stumbling although without cause of the most weak ignorant silly persons affected him more than if it had peirced himself It is not like that he could have continued carelesse of mens constructions of him of their being grieved and made weak or of their being offended any other way as alas it is like too many do now It was no matter of laughing to him to
time in reference to the several steps for in some cases a Minister will be instantly put to what is beyond all these and to deal by some other means but it sheweth the order of nature and what way is to be followed according as there is accesse and opportunity Further It is necessary for Ministers at such a time especially to endeavour union among themselves and amongst the people of their flocks for oftentimes division and delusion are trysted together whereby the deluders are exceedingly strengthened Truth and the Ministers thereof made exceedingly contemptible and put in an incapacity to edifie or have weight till that be removed Therefore we see that in the Churches of Corinth Galatia and Philippi where Seducers were driving their designs and division had taken great footing the Apostle hath a special regard to the recovering of their union at such a time We may read it also in the Life of Basilius the great Antagonist of the Arians who being by some division with Eusebius then Bishop of Cesaria necessitated to withdraw for the Churches peace Whereupon Valence the Arian Emperour and other Arians thought that a fit opportunity to vent their errour in Cesaria which they could not succesfully do while union continued there To disappoint this design Gregory Nazianzen advised his return and uniting with Eusebius as the only mean to prevent the growth of that heresie amongst the people which being accordingly done and both of them forgetting their particular discontents for the publick good the Church was so established and the errour so opposed that the forenamed enterprisers were constrained to give over their design upon that union In the third place We come to consider a Ministers duty in reference to the flock in generall and certainly by proportion it may be gathered what seriousnesse gravity and diligence ought to be amongst Ruling-elders in their concurring with him in such a case who are also to joyn with him according to to their places in the former search and triall of their carriage and in fitting of themselves for being usefull in such a time for it cannot be denied but somewhat peculiar is called-for from the Minister in reference to his Ministery in common amongst the people more than is called-for at another time As 1. he is to be in respect of all Christian qualifications in his carriage and all ministeriall duties in his charge singularly serious and eminently exemplary because it is now a main and prime thing to have a testimony of sincerity faithfulnesse and love to the peoples edification in their own consciences and this cannot be obtained at such a time without the former For in experience we see that declining to errour and falling from esteem of the Minister go together and where this is preserved either the fall is prevented or there is the greater accesse to recover the person that is fallen Ministers therefore would especially study that as a main mean of the peoples edification And for that cause would observe 1. If any thing hath escaped them in their way which might have given offence and would by all means endeavour to remove it 2. If any thing hath been unjustly imputed to them they would condescend to clear it 3. They would take notice of what particulars they use to be charged with though it may be unjustly or what usually Ministers are charged with by the corrupt men of the world as pride coveâ—…ousnesse self-seeking hypocrisie and the like and at such a time Ministers would not only eschew these evils but also the very appearance of them which is a part of Paul's becoming all things to all that he might gain and save some 1 Cor. 9. And in a word a Minister would so carry in that time as every look word action gesture yea as every thing lesse or more in his Ministery in his family diet cloaths and such like may abide the triall of the most narrow and watchfull observers yea of one that is a more high and narrow observer than they 2. There are some things wherein particularly he would insist and seek to have born in upon the people As 1. to have them sensible of the evil of errour and of the hazard that cometh by it also of the devils subtilty and craft in carrying on of such a businesse 2. To have them instructed and cleared in the truths of the Gospel especially in such things as are controverted that the errours and consequents following thereon may be made as obviously clear and hatefull as may be 3 This would be done so as they be not diverted from practice in the main duties of godlinesse by any speculation but searching up-stirring and materiall Doctrines with powerfull and convincing applications of all kinds would be in a speciall manner pressed then as we see in these directions to Timothy and Titus is clear where upon the one side the taking head to fables and vain janglings is dehorted from and convincing exhorting reproving with all authority pressing of good works and exercising to godlinesse are on the other side exhorted unto 4. People would be pressed by all means to eschew snares and the company of seducers which was both our Lords practice and the practice of His Apostles There is no duty more frequently pressed than that It is true this is sometimes mistaken by people yet it is the duty of Ministers to presse it yea they are charged to charge others in reference to this as in the 1. to Tim. 4. 11. and 6. 13. being compared with the directions that are given in these Epistles 5. It may be it were not unmeet in such a time that something were done in writ for clearing of these things which are especially controverted and that some in particular might be designed for this part of the work for often seducers spread their errours by writ as we may in see in Ier. 29. 25. And sometimes there will be accesse to instruct and edifie by writ when it cannot be done by word yea so some persons may have objections moved and answered to them before they be confirmed in such and such opinions which possibly they would have thought shame to move till they had settled in them and so have been in a greater prejudice against the truth and in a greater incapacity to be gained from them and we see that the Apostles used this way unto Churches and People to confute materiall errours in writ and so also to confirm the truth against all cavils of adversaries even as they did it by word of mouth and preaching 3. In all this the Minister would take good heed to his manner of proceeding that it be grave weighty serious loving and in every thing such as may convince the people 1. Of his own seriousnesse and being much affected with such a businesse Therefore light and mocking expressions would be shunned but the Minister would be affectionate and serious like one travelling in birth while Christ be formed in them again
controversies and confuting of such errours that the truth may be the more clear 5. They may and ought to endeavour according to their place the composure and allayment of all the lesser and more petty differences and heart-burnings that may be found amongst these that are in the main one for truth for often as was said a vehement spirit of errour and delusion is trysted with heart-burnings divisions and offences in the Church and amongst the Officers thereof there were petty contests in Corinth biting and devouring one of another in Galatia trysted with the harmony that was amongst the followers of the seducers and at the Councell of Nice there was not only difference with Arians and other grosse hereticks but also there were petty differences and contests amongst the Bishops and Confessors who stood for truth and these differences are most advantagious to the spreading of errour and the removing thereof is a great bulwark against the same It is marked of Constantine at that Councell of Nice that amongst other means which he used to suppresse the Arian heresie he did most carefully endeavour the removing and burning of such differences and divisions and by serious Oration pressed the oblivion of all such that they might the more unitedly and with the lesse diversion be in capacity to oppose the common enemy For certainly when Ministers are armed one against another upon some lesse concerning and more unprofitable debates as alas too much of them is in the Christian reformed-Church at this time there cannot but be the lesse strength zeal and vigilancy against professed enemies in the most substantiall things 6. They may and ought to interpose their Authority for inhibiting the receiving and hearing or conversing with known and manifest seducers for this is but to discharge and thereby to preserve the people from runing to their own hazard even as men ought to be commanded to keep at distance with a place or person suspected to be infectious because of the Pestilence neither could such a restraint be accounted any diminution of their just liberty yea this were but a putting to of their sanction to the clear direction which the Lord layeth upon His people and therefore there could be no hazard to miscarry in it especially where the application to such and such persons might be as clearly discernable from the Word as the duty is 7. They might and ought to give their countenance unto and joyn their Authority with such ecclesiastick statutes overtures or means as Church-judicatories or Officers might be about to make use of for this end in their places and this can be no more prejudice to liberty to countenance with their authority the Ornance of Discipline than to confirm by their Authority the Ordinance of preaching the Gospel 8. They may and ought to preserve the Ordinances from being interrupted and the administrators thereof from being reproached and might justly censure these things when committed 9. In recovering a people in a reeling and staggering time a Magistrate may engage them to formerly received truth and interpose his authority for this end as is recorded of Iosiah 2 Chron. 34. 31 32 33. Also 10. He may and ought to remove all false worships and endure no corrupt preaching or writing or meetings for that end or administrating of corrupted Sacraments or any Ordinance other than what is allowed for Iosiah did cause the people stand to the Covenant that was made and having removed all Idolatrous worship he made Israel to serve the Lord that is he made them abandon corrupt worship and waiton pure Ordinances as keeping of the Sabbaths offering of sacrifices c. and that according to the manner prescribed by the Lord. Neither was it a wronging of their liberty to do so Because 1. it was the preservation of their liberty to keep them from the abominable bondage of these evils 2. It was their duty to abstain from these and to follow the Ordinances purely and the Magistrate may well put people to that 3. It is one thing by force to keep folks from dishonouring God in a corrupt Religion as Iosiah did another to force them to a Religion the one belongeth to the ordering of the outward man the other to the inward 4. He might order them to keep the Ordinances and in going about them to keep the rule because that is but a constraining of them to the means whereby Religion worketh and a making them as it were to give God a hearing leaving their yeelding and consenting to him when they have heard him to their own wills which cannot be forced yet it is reason that when God cometh by His Ordinances to treat with a people that a Magistrate should so far respect His glory and their good as to interpose His Authority to make them hear 5. Also there is a difference between the constraining of a circumcised or baptized people to worship God in the purity of Ordinances as they have been engaged thereto which was Iosia's practice and the constraining of a people to engage and be baptized which were not formerly engaged because actuall members of a Church have not even that liberty as others have to abandon Ordinances and this putteth them to no new engagement in Religion but presseth them to continue under former engagements and accordingly to perform Hence we see that both in the Old and New Testament Church-members have been put to many things and restrained from many things which had not been pertinent in the case of others See 2 Chron. 15. 13. In the fourth place there are many things also in their power in reference to these that are seducers or deluders or actually deluded which might be and ought to be improven for the Churches good not to speak now of any thing that may infer civil or capitall punishment upon men for their opinions or any way look like the enforcing of Religion upon consciences As 1. Magistrates might and ought to put Ministers and Church-officers and others to their duty in case they be negligent in trying discoverring convincing c. such as by their corrupt doctrine may hazard others 2. They may and ought to discountenance such in their own persons and by their authority inhibit them to vent any such thing yea under certifications yet this cannot be called a forcing of their conscience to any Religion but is only the restraining of them from hurting of the consciences of others 3. When such certifications are contraveened he may and ought to censure the contraveeners and so he may by his authority put them in an incapacity of having accesse to infect others yet this is not the censuring of a mans opinion for he might possesse his opinion without censure but it is the censuring of his disobedience and the prejudice done by him to others Nor is it the restraining of him from personall liberty because of it but because he doth not nor will not use his personall liberty without prejudice to the whole body which is
converted Iew or Turk should not be baptized in the manner that others are baptized but some other way it may be there was some Iew or Turk to be baptized when that determination passed but that particular Act being by there is no probability that ever there may be accesse to put the same in practice again although it be not simply impossible Now there is great odds betwixt these two and in effect this last case doth look liker a doctrinall determation when the occasion thereof is past than any way to be practicall Further we may distinguish these also in such practices that are positively enacted to be practised by an authoritative Act ordaining in such possible cases that it be so done that is when such a case occurreth men should be astricted to follow the same and Ministers should accordingly act Or they are such cases as do not ordain any practice to be done but do declare such a thing to be lawfull As suppose they should declare a Minister might lawfully baptize a Iew so as is formerly said without any peremptory ordaining of the same which is still rather a doctrinall decision than a positive ordinance We may yet add one distinction more which is this determination is either to declare such a thing lawful to Church-men in some Ecclesiastick matter as suppose as was sometimes in the primitive persecutions upon some Querie from some Ministers it should be enacted that in such and such cases Ministers might flie sell the Church-goods or use such and such shifts and means for their escape and deliverance as others it may be would think unlawfull Or it is when the practising of the supposed case belongs to Magistrates or men in civil stations as suppose upon some Queries from Magistrates or others enquiring if it were lawfull to admit Iews to dwell in such and such places meerly for civil traffick or if they might eat and drink with an Ambassador of the Cham of Tartaria or help Chinas against the Tartars or such cases which possibly beside the occasion of the Querie might never occur now supposing the case to be decided affirmatively by a Church-judicatory and a rent to have followed thereupon and to continue after the case is not probably practicall because of the former decision and so in the rest of the former suppositions it is to be enquired If and How union may be win at in them respectively Now these distinctions being premitted we come to consider accordingly How union may be made up where division standeth upon such accounts In reference to all which in the general we say That peremptorinesse and self-willednesse being excluded which are expresly prohibited to be in a Minister it is not impossible to attain union amongst faithfull sober and orthodox men who will acknowledge that mutuall condescending and forbearance is necessary which by going through the particular steps will appear wherein we may relate to the former generall grounds laid down and be the shorter in instances and reasons because this draweth out in length beyond our purpose and also because Verbum sapienti satis est and these especially that are concerned in this need not by us either to be instructed or perswaded to their duty many of whom the Lord hath eminently made use of to teach convince and perswade others We shall only as in all the rest offer some things to their view which may occasion the remembering of what they know and the awakening of the zeal and affection that they have to act accordingly To come then to the first sort of determinations which are doctrinall it may appear from what is said that there can be no just ground of division upon that account for in such things a Church may forbear particular persons and again particular persons may forbear a Church It is not to be thought that all orthodox Divines are of the same mind in all things that are decreed in the Synod of Dort particularly in reference to the object of predestination yet the Synod hath not made any division by Censuring of such neither these who differ from that determination have broken off communion with the Church but have keeped communion and union in the Church hath not been thereby interrupted yet these who apprehend themselves to be right cannot but think the other is in an errour and if this forbearance be not allowed there can never be union in the Church except we should think that they behoved all to be in the same mind about such things and that there should never be a decision in a Church but when there is absolute harmony for supposing the plurality to decide right yet these whose judgement were condemned were obliged according to their light to divide seing they are in their own judgments right It is true I suppose that it is not simply unlawful or hurtful to truth for a Church-judicatory out of respect to peace in the Church to condescend abstractly to wave a ministeriall decision without wronging of the matter As suppose these in Africk for peace had waved their judiciall decision of the necessity of rebaptizing in such a case or these who determined the contrary might have waved theirs yet neither of them had hurt their own opinion Or suppose that in the decisions that were concerning Easter upon both sides of the controversie either had past from their decisions and left the matter in practice to mens arbitrement without any decision I suppose this had not been a wrong to truth supposing it to have been on either side And indeed considering what is written in the History something like this may be gathered For first It is clear that there were determinations on both sides and particularly That the West Church and these that joyned with them did determine the Lords Day necessarily to be keeped for distinguishing them from the Iews 2. It is also clear That Policrates with many Bishops in Asia did judicially condemn that deed appointing the fourteenth day of the month to be keeped So that necessarily both decisions could not stand And 3. this is clear also That the way that was taken to settle that difference so stated was That judiciall decisions should be waved and men left to their own arbitrement to observe what day they thought good whether in the East or West Church whereupon followed an union and Policarpus did communicate with Anicetus at Rome upon these tearms Ut neuter eorum sententiam suam urgeret aut defenderet as the Centariators have it out of Ireneus that is that neither of them should urge or defend their own opinion and upon this there followed peace notwithstanding of that difference It brake up again more strongly in the time of Victor and although Ireneus was of his judgment yet did he vehemently presse him not to trouble the Church by pursuing such a determination and did exceeding weightily expostulat with him for it He wrote also to the other party that both of them might