to bee extended to every error which may be confuted by Scripture although happily such an error be too tenaciously maintained Nor yet is it to be so farre restricted as that no error shall be accounted Hereticall but that which is destructive to some fundamentall Article of the Christian faith if by a fundamentall Article you understand such a truth without the knowledge and faith whereof 't is impossible to get salvation When Peter Martyr defines Heresie he makes no mention of a fundamentall error but of an error contrarie to the Scriptures loc com class 2. cap 4. § 50. So Calvin Instit lib 4. cap 2. § 5. understands all such to be Heretiks as make a breach in the Church by false Doctrines Walaeus tom 1. pag 57. saith Hereticall Churches do either erre in the foundation or onlie in some other things built upon the foundation When Peter speaks of such Heresies as take away the very foundation Iesus Christ he thinks it too little to call them simple Heresies but he cals these damnable Heresies But if you understand by fundamentall truths all the chief and substantiall principles I do not mean onely the first Rudiments or A B C of a Catechisme which we first of all put to new beginners but I mean all such truths as are commonly put in the confessions of faith and in the more full and large Catechismes of the reformed Churches or all such truths as all and every one who live in a true Christian reformed Church are commanded and required to learn and know as they exspect in the ordinary dispensation of God to be saved in this sense I may yeeld that Heresie is alwayes contrary to some fundamentall truth 'T is one thing to dispute of the absolute soveraigne power of God and what are the truths without the beleif whereof 't is absolutly and altogether impossible that one can be saved Which question I doubt is hardly determinable by Scripture nor do I know what edification there is in the canvassing of it sure I am 't is a question much abused 'T is another thing to dispute what are these truths which in a Church where the Gospell is truely preached all and every one come to years of knowledge and discretion and having means and occasions to learne are bound to know and according to the revealed will and ordinary dispensation of God must learne as they desire or exspect to have a true fellowship with Christ in the Sacrament of the Lords supper or to bee accepted of God and saved eternally 2. We must not think that no man is a Heretick but he who is consistorially or judicially admonished and thereafter continueth pertinaciously in his error For where 't is said Tit 3. 10 A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject 'T is intimated that he is an Heretick before such admonition Positively I concieve that these six things doe concurre to make a Heresie 1. T is an error held by some Minister or member of a Church I mean either a true Church or an assembly pretending and professing to be a true Church For both Peter and Paul where they foretell that Heresies were to come 2 Pet 2. 1. 1 Cor 11. 19. they adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you i.e. among you Christians So Act 20. 30. also of your owne selves shall men arise speaking perverse things Therefore the Scripture gives noâ—… the name of Heretiâ—…ks to these who are altogether without the visible Church but it calleth such by the names of Heathens or unbelâ—…evers or they that are without or the like 2. T is an error volunntarlie and freely chosen both in the first invention and broaching of it which is proper to the Heresiarchs and in the maintaining of it or adhering to it whicâ—… is common to all Hereticks This I collect from the very name which the Scripture gives to it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I choose Therefore we give not the name of Hereticks to such Christians as are compelled in time of persecution to profess such or such an error which peradventure were a formal Heresie if voluntarly and without compulsion professed They ought indeed to die and to indure the greatest torments before they professe what they know to be an error but this their sin is not properly called Heresie for an Heretick doth freely and voluntarily hold that which is his error And in this respect and consideration Tertullian thinks that an Heretick is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himself Tit 3. 10. because he hath of himself choosed that which doth condemne him The Apostle there hath commanded to reject an Heretick If I reject him might one say then I loose him I destroy his soule Nay saith the Apostle his perdition is of himself for he hath chosen his own wayes and his soul delighteth in his abominations This interpretation is much surer and safer then to say that a Heretick is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or self-condemned because he goes against his own light and against the principles received and acknowledged by himself Which sense is accompanied with many dangerous consequences 3. 'T is such a choosing of error as is accompanied with a rejecting of Truth A Hereticke puts light for darknesse and darknes â—…or light good foâ—… evill and evill for good he chooseth eâ—…ror as truth and refâ—…seth truth as error they that give heed to seducing â—…pirits and doctrines of Devils do also depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. resist the 〈◊〉 2 Tim 3. 8 and turne away their ears from the truth 2 Tim 4. 4. their course hath a teâ—…minus a quo al 's well as ad quem 4 'T is an error professed and maintained and which â—…y that means becomes a scandal and snare to others For although there may be Heresie aâ—…s well as other kinds of sinâ—…urking and hid in the thoughts yet that belongs to Gods judgement only not to mans The Heresies which are spoken of 1 Cor 11. â—…9 are certainly known and apparently discriminative even among men And Hereticâ—…s are scandalous persons to be avoided and rejected Rom 16. 17. Tit 3. 10. which could not be except their errors were known 5. 'T is an error contradictory to some chiefe and substantialâ—… truth grounded upon or be necessary consequence drawne from the holy Scripture There was never yet any Heretick in the Christian world who contradicted that whiâ—…h is literally and syllabically in Scripture The most damnable Hereticke will offer to subscribe to the Scripture in stead of a Confession of Faith who yet will not subscribe to all truths which necessarily follow from the words of Scripture But I call not every error Heresie which is contrary to any consequentiall truth grounded upon Scripture As the Scrâ—…pture reckons not all who sin to be workers of iniquitie so it reckons not all who erre to be Hereticks Although there is not any either sin or
first caution most necessary for the Sectaries of this time whose new lights are such that among them vetera deperdita and nova reperta go hand in hand together and are almost convertible termes as if a man should not keep what he had because he finds somewhat which he had not Secondly many of those new lights which some brag off not onely expell much of the good old light but bring in grosse Egyptian darknesse There is a woe denounced against those who put darknesse for light as well as against those who put light for darknesse Isay 5. 20. I may well say that grosse darknesse is introduced when the fundamentall Articles of faith are called in question denied and oppugned as the Godhead of Jesus Christ the divine authority of the Scriptures the immortality of the Soul the eternity of glory to the Elect and of torments to the Reprobate c. If the foundations be shaken what can the righteous doe If wee hold not fast this Gospell if we embrace not this Saviour we cannot have another 1 Cor 3. 11. For other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ Gal 1. 6. I marvell that ye are so soone removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospell vers 8. But though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which wee have preached unto you let him be accursed Thirdly beware of those new Lights which make any certain truth although neither fundamentall nor circumfundamentall to be uncertaine as wee ought not to say of any sin so neither of any truth Is it not a little one Let every truth be highly valued Buy the truth and sell it not say not This truth is but a matter of discipline let it goe 'ts not worth the buying He that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is unâ—…ust in the least is unjust also in much Luke 16. 10. Melchior Adamus both in the life of Carolostadius and in the life of Luther observeth the great evill which grew out of Luthers dislike of Carolostadius his strictnesse zeal and forewardnesse in abolishing auricular confession and difference of meats and casting out images out of Churches at which things Luther was the more offended because done by Carolostadius in Wittenbreg during Luthers absence and without his knowledge and counsell Luther did also alledge that Carolostadius his strictnesse and zeal in these lesser things hindered and retarded the Reformation in more substantiall points of Doctrine However the story noteth that hence was the first rise of that deplorable Sacramentarian controversie which hath ever since made so great a rupture in Germany I could never yet observe or read or hear of controversies about discipline in any Christian Church but still they grew higher and higher and those who rejected or slighted the will of Christ in smaller things did afterwards slight it in greater things Fourthly beware of those new lights which not only refuse to admit some certaine truths but refuse to admit any truth now held or professed in the reformed Churches as sure and certaine and infallible as if because mens judgements are not infallible but subject to error therefore wee cannot be sure nor infallibly perswaded of this or that Article The holy Scripture will teach us that beleevers may attaine to a certaine and infallible knowledge of some truths for it was no impossible thing that Paul prayed for when he prayed that the Colossians might have all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. The mystery of God that he is and that he is eternall invisible omnipotent c his nature and attributes the mystery of the Father or that there is a distinction of persons in the holy Trinity and an eternall generation the mystery of Christ his person natures offices birth passion death resurrection ascension and intercession these are things of which the Apostle would have us most fully and certainly perswaded Timothy was assured of the things he had learned 2 Tim. 3. 14. so was Theophilus Luke 1. 4. A Mariner is not infallible in his judgement yet hee may bee assured infallibly that such a thing is a rocke which he must avoid and such a way is the way he must direct his course A Physitian is not infallible in his judgement concerning the symptomes causes and cures of diseases yet he may be most certainly perswaded such a disease is deadly and there is no cure for it or such a thing may be cured and this is the cure So in Divinty the obnoxiousnesse of mens judgement to error hindereth not but they may be infallibly perswaded of this and this and the other truth Fifthly beware of those new Lights which come not from the Sunne of righteousnesse To the Law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 20. When men walk in the light of their owne sparkes they shall lye down in darknesse New fancies are not new lights 't is no truth which cannot bee grounded upon the word of truth It was a wilde fancy of the Weigelians that there is a time to come which they cal seculum Spiritus sancti in which God shal by his Spirit reveal much more knowledge and light then was revealed by Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures There is so much revealed in Scripture as the Apostle calls the wisdome of God and the hidden wisdome of God 1 Cor 2. 7. the things which are preached and written to us are the things which the very Angels desire to look or pry into 1 Pet. 1. 12. and saith not Christ That which ye have already hold fast till I come Revel 2. 25 more of this error see in Brochm and System theol com 1. Article 6. cap 2. quaest 12. Sixtly take heed of proud and lofty and self conceited new Lights 1 Cor 14. 32 33. And the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets for God is not the author of confusion but of peace If the spirits of the Prophets must be so subject how much more the spirits of private persons Wherefore in a reformed Church all pretended new Lights which are against the receaved Doctrine government or forme of worship ought to be in all humility and submission offered to be tryed by a learned and godly Synod The Loâ—…rean severity was such that no man might move for a new law but with a rope about his neck that if his motion were thought good he might be spared but if bad hanged So Demosthenes advers Timocr tells us I will not allow this severity against such as offer new Lights or move for new changes in the Church But I may well applie here the Athenian law recorded by Demosthenes in the same Oration The Athenians went not so
to plant vacand Churches upon the sute and calling of the Congregation In the fourth place the point is confirmed from sound reason For 1. It is very expedient for the credite and better successe of the Ministery that a Bishop have a good name and testimony even among them that are without as the Apostle teacheth 1 Tim. 3. 7. It is much more necessary that he bee well lyked and approved of them that are within the Church 2. It is a common maxime among the Fathers Schoolmen and Summists Quod ad omnes pertinct ommium consensu siere debet 3. As the free consent of people in the Election is a great obligation and ingagement both to them to Subject themselves in Christian and willing obedience to him whom they have willingly chosen to be over them in the Lord and to the person elected to love them and to offer up himselfe gladly upon the service and sacrifice of their faith So where this obligation or mutuall union of the hearts of Pastor and People is wanting mutuall dueties are not done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as it were by constraint and necessity they in the mean time drawing back from the yoke and hee at the best watching over them not with joy but with grief and sorrow of heart 4. In stead of peace and harmony there shall be contention and contradiction Gerhard tom 6. pag 105. Ministros vocaricum consensu suffragiis Ecclesiae cui praeficiuntur alit mutuam concordiam inter auditores Pastores summe necessariam a movet etiam dissidia ex neglectu hujus ordinis metuenda 5. It breadeth great peace and confidence when one is thus called Whittaker de Ecclesiâ quaest 5. cap 6. defendeth the calling of Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius c. Upon this ground quia sunt a populis gregibus vocati 6. Experience hath made men to know the comfortable fruits of free Election and the unhappie successe of violent intrusion Constantius the sonne of Constantine did put Orthodox Bishops from their places and substitute Arrians in their roome with the contradiction and reluctation of the Churches The like did Papists in the Palatinat and other places where their Dagon was set up againe So did the authors and urgers of the Interim in Germany So did the Prelats in Scotland England Ireland Upon all which intrusions many unspeakable evils did follow If wee after a second Reformation should now permit violent intrusions this might well be a prologue to much coâ—…fusion and disorder Lastly I argue from the confessions of adversaries themselves we have cited before the confession of Bilson and of the author of the history of Episcopacy and of Salméron I will adde Peresius de traditionibus who undertaketh to confute the Protestant tenent That it belongeth to the people to elect or reject their Ministers Hee argueth from antiquity and yet in that same argumentation he is constrained to speak for us For speaking of the three Bishops which by the ancient Canons might ordain a Bishop he sayeth Verum tamen est quod Episcopi isti qui ad electionem Congregabantur consensum expectabant cleri populiut in concilio carthaginensi quarto refertur qui consensus magis erat testificatio vitae ejus qui erat ordinandus signum quoddam expressivum ejus desiderii quod volebat Paulus quando bonum testimonium populi dicebat expectandum ante ordinationem Et infra Hoc enim modo magis pretiosus esset illis praelatus magisque amabilis ne cogerentur inviti inutiles homines inter dum perniciosos suis sudoribus alere And Answering to the passage of Cyprian lib 2. Epist 5. he sayeth That tho hee hath not read of it yet forte erat mos tempore ejus in Ecclesiis Hispaniarum for they were two Spanish Bishops of whom Cyprian writs in that Epistle ut aliqui ex populo vocem haberent electivam Quod vero dicit populum posse recusare indignos etiam fassi sumus quantum ad Electionem si indignitas ordinandi sit not a populo perniciosa But what sayeth the Canon law it selfe Decr part 1. dest 62. Electio clericorum est petitio plebis He was a Popish Archbishop who condescended that the city of Magdeburg should have jus vocandi câ—…nstituendi Ecclesiae Ministros Neither would the city admit of peace without this condition Thuan hist lib 83. pag 85. I had almost forgot D Feild of the Church lib 5. cap 54. Confessing plainly that each People and Church stand free by Gods law to admitte maintain and obey no man as their Pastor without their lyking and that the peoples election by themselves or their rulers dependeth on the first principles of humane fellowships and Assemblies For which cause tho Bishops by Gods law have power to examine and ordain before any man be placed to take charge of Souls yet bave they no power to impose a Pastor upon any Church against their wills Hee citeth diverse testimonies of antiquity to shew that the ancient Elections were by the Church or the greater part thereof It remaineth to answer some objections And first it is objected That this is a tenent of Anabaptists Independents and Separatists Ans 1. But shall we condemne these truthes which either they or Papists or Arrians doe hold Quid est saith Cyprian quia hoc facit Novatianus ut nos non putemus esse faciendum We may goe one myle with the Scriptures though we goe not two myles with the Independents or three myles with the Anabaptists or Separatists 2. Neither in this same point of Elections doe we homologat with them who give to the collective body of the Church women and children under age onely excepted the power of decisive vote and suffrage in Elections we give the vote onely to the Eldership or Church representative so that they carrie along with them the consent of the Major or better part of the Congregation Gamachaeus in primam secundae quaest 15 tells us out of Thomas this difference betwixt consent and election that though every choosing bea consenting yetevery consenting is not a choosing The liberty of consent is one thing counsell or deliberation another thing The power of a decisive voice in court or judicatory a third thing I speak of a constituted Church for where there is not yet an Eldership there can be no such distinction yet however bee there an Eldership or bee there none the Churches consent must be had The first of these we ascribe to the whole Church without whose knowledge and consent Ministers may not be intruded The second to the ablest and wisest men of the Congregation especially to Magistrates with whose especiall advice privity and deliberation the mater ought to be managed The third which is the formall and consistoriall determination of the case of election consisteth in the votes of the Eldership Their way is much different from this who would have the matter prepared by the conference and
errour in the own nature of it veniall yet every sin is not a grosse and hainous sin and every errour is not Heresie Heresies are mentioned as greater evills then Schismes 1 Cor 11. 18. 19. which could not be so if every errour were an Heresie 6. 'T is an errour factiously maintained with a renting of the Church and drawing away of Disciples after it In which respect Augustine said Errare potero Haereti us non ero I may eâ—…re but I shall not be an Hereticke Hereticks are deceivers and seducers who endeavour to pervert others and to overthrow their faith 2 Tim 3 13. Act. 20 30. 2 Tim. 2. 17. 18. Rom 16. 17 18 19. 2 Pet 2. 2. All known and noted Hereticks are also Schismaticks who make a rupture and strengthen their own party by drawing after them or confirming unto them Disciples and followers in so much that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used for a Sect as Act. 5 17. and 15. 5. and 24. 5. and 26. 5. For this cause the Donatists were condemned as Hereticks without imputation of Heresie to Cyprian And O strange turning about of things saith vincentius Lirinensis advers haeret cap 11. the Authors of the same opinion are judged Catholiks but the followers Hereticks The Masters are absolved the Disciples are condemned The writers of these books are the Children of the Kingdome but Hell shall receive the assertors or mantainers This last ingredient which is found in Heresie is hinted by the Arabick interpreter 1 Cor 11. 19. where he joyneth Schismes and Heresies as was noted before And indeed in the Originall the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the rising of the speech sets forth Heresie as carying schisme with it in its bosome I believe saith the Apostle in part what I hear of your schismes for there must be also Heresies i.e. both Schismes and somewhat more Calvin Institut lib 4. cap 2. § 5. makes the breaking of Church communion the making of a rent a thing common both to Hereticks and Schismaticks for Hereticks break one band of Church communion which is consent in doctrin Schismaticks break another which is love though sometimes they agree in the like faith From all which Scripturall observations we may make up a description of Heresie to this sense Heresie is agrosse and dangerous errour voluntarily held and factiously maintained by some person or persons within the visible Church in opposition to some chief or substantiall truth or truths grounded upon and drawn from the holy Scripture by necessary consequence But next why saith the Apostle that there must be Heresies This is not a simple or absolute necessity but ex Hypothesi I mean not onely upon supposition of Sathans malice and mens corruption but upon supposition of Gods eternall and infallible foreknowledge and not only so but upon supposition of the eternall decree of God whereby he did decree to permit Sathan and corrupt men to introduce Heresies into the Church purposing in the most wise and most holy counsell of his will to disabuse as I may so say his Church by these Heresies that is to order and over-rule them for the praise of his grace and mercy to manifest such as are approved and from the glory of his justice in sending strong delusion upon such as received not the love of the truth but had pleasure in unrigâ—…teousnesse These things being so i. e. Sathans malice and mens corruption being such and there being such a foreknowledge yea such a decree in God therefore it is that there must be Heresies and so we aâ—…e also to understand Mat 18. 17. it must needs be that offences come These things I doe but touch by the way That which I here aime at is the good use which God in â—…is most wise and soveraigne providence can and doth make of Heresies 'T is that they which are approved may bee made manifest Whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they which are approved we can understand nothing but such as are true and sincere Saints approved and accepted of God or as Bullinger on the place vere pii truely godly In which sense the same word is used Rom 16. 10. 2 Cor 10. 18. 2 Tim 2. 15. Iaâ—… 1. 12. The word is properly used of good money or silver well refined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is transferred to Saints with speciall reference to their mortification or to the refyning of them from the drosse of their corrupâ—…ions and so noteth such as walk in the spirit and not in the flesh The contrarie word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reprobate rejectaneous naughty or to bee cast away like the drosse of silver 1 Cor 9. 27. 2 Cor 13. 5 6. But how is it that by means or occasion of Heresies the godly party is made manifest Surely the meaning of the Apostle is not that the authors and followers of Heresies are the godly party for he calls Heresie a work of the flesh Gal 5 20. and will have an Heretick to be rejected as one who is of himself condemned Tit 3. 10. Therefore most certainly his meaning is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they which are approved are known by this as one of their characters they hate avoid and resist Heresies and earnestly contend for the faith they hold fast the truth of Christ without wavering And those who broach or adhere unto Heresies are thereby known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unapproved and such as are like reprobat silver Whosoever therefore sideth or ingadgeth with Heresies or Hereticks yea whoever stands not fast in the faith doth ipso facto declare himself to be none of Pauls godly party So contrary is the holy Ghosts language to the tone of Sectaries in these dayâ—…s Neither is it in this Scripture alone but in diverse other Scriptures that the holy Ghost distinguisheth those that are approved of God from such as turne away from the truth after false doctrines and beleeve seducing spirits as well as from those who are of an ungodly life So Deut 13. 3. when a false Prophet arose and the signe or wonder came to passe what was Gods meaning in permitting these things The Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and wâ—…th all your soule They therefore that hearkened to the false Prophet even when his signe or wonder came to passe made themselves known thereby that they had not been lovers of God with all their heart Again Matth. 24 24. those that are elect are not deceived by false Christs and the false Prophets and by the rule of contraries they who are deceived by them and go in their errour to the end are not elect but reprobat Gal 5. 20. 21. Heresie is a work of the flesh and is reckoned among these things which render a person uncapable of inheriting the Kingdome of God They therefore who walk in the spirit and not in the flesh and are made meet to be partakers
full and perfect discovery who are approved who not is reserved to the great and last day and there is no company Assembly nor visible Church in this world without a mixture of Hypocrites yet surely the word of the Lord hath been and shall be so far fulfilled that in a great measure and according to the knowledge which the church can have of her members in this life there is in times of Heresies and Schismes a discovery made who are the approved Ones who not 2. We must remember t is not the scope of this Text to give us a note of distinction between these who are approved and all counterfits or unapproved Christians but between these who are approved and these who are the fomenters or followers of Heresies Thus they who are indeed approved of God continue in the truth of Christ grounded and setled and stand fast in the faith and contend for it and this is one of the characters found in all such as are approved And thus far saith Augustine are Hereticks profitable to the Church for by their meanes those who are approved of God and spiritual men are stirred up to vindicat open and hold foorth the truth whereby they become more manifest then otherwise they could have been Upon the other part who ever turne away from the truth and from the Doctrine of Christ and turne aside after Heresies do thereby infalliblely declare themselves to be unapproved whatsoever profession or shew of holine â—…e they have Whatsoever become of the white mark of these who are approved which also holds true as I have explained it most certainly this black mark cannot fail upon the other side and he who supposeth any person who is of a Hereticall belief and faction to be holy spirituall mortified and approved or one that walketh in the spirit and not in the flesh doth but suppose that which is impossible And I do not doubt but God is by the Heresies and Schismes of these times making a discovery of many unapproved unmortified Professors who pretended to Piety So that I may transferre to our time what Chrysostome observed of his owne lib. 1 ad eos qui scandaliâ—…ati sunt cap. 19. How many are there clothed with a shadow and shew of godlinesse how many who have a counterfit meeknesse how many who were thought to be some great Ones and they were not so have been in this time when so many fall off and make defection quickly manifested and their Hypocrisie detected they have appeared what they were not what they feigned themselves and most falsly pretend to be Neither is this a small matter but very much for the profite and edification of these that will observe it even to know distinguishingly these who are clothed in sheeps clothing not to reckon promiscuously those Woolves so hid among the true sheep For this time is become a fornace discovering the false Copper coyne melting the lead burning up the Chaffe making more manifest the precious Mettals This also Paul signified when he said For there must be also Heresies that they who are approved may be made manifest among you Vincentius Lirinensis doth also record to this purpose that when almost the whole world was infected with the Arrian Heresie some being compelled to it others cheated into it yet every true lover and worshipper of Christ was preserved pure from it CHAP. X. Of new Lights and how to keep off from splitting either upon the Charybdis of pertinacy and tenaciousnesse or upon the Scylla of Levity Wavering and Scepticisme T Is pleaded by some who pretend to more tendernesse of conscience then others that to establish by the Law of the Land a Confession of Faith or a Directory of the worship of God and of the Government of the Church and to appoint penalties or punishments upon such as maintaine the contrary Doctrines or practises is to hold out and shut the doore upon new Light That as the State and Church hath discovered the evill of diverse things which were sometime approved and strengthned by the Law of the Land so there may be afterwards a discovery made by the light of Experience and a further search of the Scripture to make manifest the falshood of those Doctrines which are now received as true and the evil of that Government and way which is now imbraced as good for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For satisfaction in this difficulty First of all I do not deny but most willingly yeeld yea assert as a necessary truth that as our knowledge at its best in this world is imperfect for we know but in part so it ought to be our desire and endeavour to grow in the knowledge of the minde of Christ to follow on to know the Lord to seek after more and more light for the path of the Iust is as the shyning light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. Secondly I acknowledge that this imperfection of our knowledge is not only in degrees but in parts that is we may know afterwards not only more of that good or evill or truth or error of which we knew somewhat before but we may happily come to know the evill of that whereof we knew no evill before or the good of that in which we knew no good before so may we come to know diverse truths which before we knew not Thirdly I acknowledge there is not only this imperfection but oft times a great mistake misunderstanding error and unsoundnesse in the judgement of Christian persons or Churches so that godly men and true Churches may come to know that to be evil which they sometime thought good and that to be false which sometime they thought true or contrariwise Which experience hath taught and may teach again Fourthly I confesse it is no shame for an Augustine to writ a Book of Retractations It is the duty not only of particular Christians but of reforming yea reformed yea the best reformed Churhes whensoever any error in their doctrine or any evill in their Government or forme of worship shall be demonstrated to them from the word of God although it were by one single person and one perhaps of no great reputation for parts or learning like Paphnuâ—…ius among the many learned Bishops in the counsell of Nice to take in and not to shut out further light to imbrace the will of Christ held foorth unto them and to amend what is amisse being discovered unto them Fifthly I also believe that towards the evening of the world there shall be more light and knowledge shall be increased Dan 12. 4. and many hid things in Scripture better understood when the Jewes shall be brought home and the Spirit of grace and illumination more aboundantly powred foorth We have great cause to long and pray for the conversion of the Jewes surely we shall be much the better of them But on the other hand the greatest deceits and depths of Sathan have been brought into the
farre as the Locri yet no man might move for a new law in Athens unlesse the motion were offered and submitted to the Senat who were to judge whether the old or the new were better Seventhly beware of separating new Lights to separat from or gather Churches out of the true reformed or reforming Churches hath not the least warrant from the word of God When we see this or that amisse in a Church wee are bidden exhort one another and provoke one another to good but not to separate Heb. 10. 24 25. Zuinglius conferred amicably with the Anabaptists in Zurik as with dissenting brethren and no course was taken to suppresse or restraine them by the secular power till they grew to gather Churches out of the true reformed Churches but when it came to that they could not be suffered or forborn it was thought necessary to restrain them Eightly beware of those new Lights which dare not be seen and are kept up in corners Truth seeks no corners light doth not shun light a candle is not lighted to be put under a bushel but on a candlestick Matth 5. 15. 1 Ioh 3. 20 21. Every one that doeth evil hateth the light neither commeth to the light lest his deeds should be reproved but he that doth truth commeth to the light Prov. 4. 19. The way of the wicked is as darknesse they know not at what they stumble I adde to make up the Antithesis to vers 18. their way is darkened more and more untill the dark night I have heard when the Arminians were pâ—…tto it in the Synod of Dort to declare their judgement and sense which they would hold at they declined it and Episcopius answered in the name of the rest Dies diem docet And is it not so with the Sectaries of this time from whom you cannot draw a clear modell of what they hold Ninthly refuse such new Lights as have fellowship with the unfruitfull workâ—… of darknesse Eph 5. 11. 'T is a deceitfull new Light which makes men forbear to reprove speak or petition against those evills in a state which their consciences know to be sinfull and to wink at such things as publikly dishonour God in a nation upon hopes that themselves shall be winked at and tollerated But what communion hath light with darknesse 2 Cor. 6. 14. There are some who pretend to new Light and to tendernesse of conscience who yet are content to combine and associat themselves with those of another and different way which themselves condemn as a sinfull way in that common cause of theirs for crying up their great Diana liberty of conscience and for opposing the Church government by Presbyteries and Synods How they who would not assist the Presbyterians for the purging of their Congregations and keep off all scandalous persons from the Sacrament and yet do assist and strengthen Separatists Anabaptists Antinomians Socinians Erastians Sâ—…ekers in seeking after tolleration how I say they will answer this to God and their own consciences let them look to it Again many of the pretended new Lights have communion with darknesse in another respect because they are borrowed from Heresies buried in darknesse How many new Lights are now brought from the Arrians Manichees Novatians Donatists the contemplative Monkes and Friars the Photinians Socinians Arminians c. These are no more new Lights then a beggars cloak is a new garment being newly made up out of many old riven and rotten cloâ—…ts sowed together Tenthly away with those new Lights which let men see nothing better which bring no edification those Baeotiâ—… aenigmata those none sense and naughty high notions in which some frothie spirits evanish Let all things bee done unto edifying 1 Cor 14. 26. There are vaine bablings and science falsly so called which hath made men erre from the faith 1 Tim 6. 20 21. Lastly take good heed of those new Lights which follow new interests Such was that of Ieroboam 1 Kings 12. 26. to the end and that of Balaam Num 22. 15 16 17 18 19 20. There are some who suppose that gaine is godlinesse saith the Apostle 1 Tim 6. 5. and so there are some who suppose new interests to be new Lights CHAP. XI Of Stability and firmnesse in the truth IT is good Divinity to maintaine that Skepticisme fluctuation and wavering concerning those things which God hath revealed to be beleeved or done by us is a sinne and to bee firme â—…xed and established in the truth to hold fast the profession thereof to stand fast in the faith is a duty commanded I shal first prove it to be so then give reasons for it and thirdly some helps to this duty and preservatives against this sinne For proof of the thing somewhat might bee said from the very light of nature for hâ—…th a nation changed their Gods â—…er 2. 11. Religion hath the very name of it a Religando so farre it is a Relaxando The heathen Greeks cald a â—…ubricus and inconstant man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They said also that he who erres or miscarries in his Religion doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drink out of a bored or foraminous cup. How firme and constant have heathen Philosophers been in maintaining their opinions they could not onely displease their friends amicus Plato c. but suffer the heaviest things for their opinions And shall not we much more hold fast the profession of the true faith Zonaras Annall tom 3. In the raign of Michael the Emperour the son of Theophilus tels us that when the sister of the Prince of Bulgaria became a Christian and the Prince also by her means converted the â—…ulgarians conspired against him for this change of Religion This diabolicall stedfastnesse of theirs provoked him to a true Christian stedfastnesse till by Gods assistance and blessing they were made to turne to him but he turned not again to them The Athenians impeached Socrates upon his life for going about to innovat and change their Religion But to set aside natures light there is not any of the primitive Churches to which the Apostles wrote Epistles but they were expressely warned either positively to stand fast in the faith to hold fast their profession or negatively to beware of and to avoid false teachers and not to be carried about with diverse and strange Doctrines Now it must needs be not only a truth but a most speciall and necessary truth which the Apostles thought fit thus to presse upon the Churches in all their Epistles writen to them See Rom 16. 17 18. 1 Cor 16. 13 2 Cor. 11 3 4. Gal 1 6 8. Eph 4. 14. Phil. 3. 2. 18. Col 2. 6. 7 8. 2 Thess. 2. 2. 3. Hebr. 10. 23 and 13. 9. Iames 5. 19 20. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. and 3. 16 17 18. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Iude ep vers 3. 4. All these Texts are full and plain as to this point which I speak to and in that respect most worthie of our frequent thoughts and
2. 8. 1 Ioh 2. 23. 2 Epis vers 9. or holy Ghost Ioh 14. 17. Thirdly as the infection of sinne spreadeth it self throughout the whole soule and all the faculties and powers thereof so doth the worke of the Spirit of God Wee finde light and holinesse 1 Pet. 2. 9. joyned together like the Vrim and Thummim See also 1 Thes 5. 23. here is both Soul and Spirit sanctified which two are plainly distinguished Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is so quick and powerfull as that it pierceth even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit if either the intellectuals be not sound or if the vitals and animals bee not right the word will finde it out A well meaning pious soul a good heart and affection which perhaps a person may sit down satisfied with will not excuse a corrupt minde an erroneous spirit neither will a sound and orthodox judgement excuse a corrupt heart and inordinat affections Aristotle himself could distinguish Art and knowledge from vertue because the most excellent intellectuals cannot make a man so much as morally vertuous without the practise and exercise of vertue Both soul and spirit both the inferior and superior part of the soule must be sanctified Reason is as the helme the affections as the sailes let the helme bee stirred never so right if the winde either blow not at all or blow crosse in the sailes the ship makes no speed in her way let the winde blow never so faire and fill all the sailes yet if the helme be off ' its hingers or be not rightly stirred the ship may quickly run upon a rock or run a shore where 't is not saife so he that hath a sound judgement without good affections cannot move heaven ward He that hath good affections without a sound judgement will make more haste than good speed Reason is as the rider affections as a nimble horse a man is but in an ill taking if either this rider mistake his way or the horse run away with him out of the way having no raines to governe him or if the horse be lame and cannot ride Fourthly consider what the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. He tels us of foure ends and uses of Scripture the first two are commonly referred to doctrinals the last two to practicalls the Scripture is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfect throughly furnished unto ali good works If any of these be wanting a Christian is not perfect so much as in the perfection of parts He is but halfe a Christian who is an orthodox beleever if he be not practicall also and he is but halfe a Christian who is practicall if he bee not an orthodox beleever These ends of Scripture do not consist nor stand sure one without another Fifthly to bee led into all truth and preserved from error is a work of the spirit of truth and this spirit of the truth is the Comforter and the spirit of sanctification which spirit the Mediator prayeth the Father to give unto those that are his Ioh 14. 16 17. and 16. 13 14. 1 Ioh 2. 27. no promise of being led into all truth but to those that receave the anoynting of the holy Ghost Isa. 54. 13 Psal 25. 12. Sixthly by how much a man falls from the truth by so much he falls from grace and by how much a man falls from grace by so much he falls from the truth for stability in the statâ—… of grace dependeth in a manner upon stability in the truth for proof whereof mark three Ifs Christs Ioh. 8. 31. Pauls Col 1. 23. Iohnes 1 Ioh. 2. 34. Again stability in the truth dependeth upon stability in grace For proof whereof marke a fourth If 1 Ioh. 2. 19. These Scripturall Ifs have much in them and should make us very cautious and headfull that we do not so farre deceave our selves as to divide what God hath joyned together a sound head and a sound heart Chrysostome exhorteth his hearers to joyn Christian vertues and purity of doctrines together for saith he it profiteth us nothing to be orthodox if the life be vitiated as upon the other part a uncorrupt life profiteth nothing without soundnesse of faith licentiousnesse of judgement in Doctrines will certainly introduce licentiousnesse of heart and life in practicalls Arminius himself although many of his followers have cryed up Septicisme in Religion could say that different doctrines produce in a people a dubitation or hesitation concerning Religion that this doubting of the truth produceth despairing to finde the truth and thence followes Atheisme and Epicurisme yet when Heresies and false Doctrines introduce Atheisme Epicurisme they do but discover those roots of bitternes which were before in the heart Therefore as Christ tells those Jews that beleeved on him if they continue not in his word they are not his disciples indeed Ioh 8. 31. so the Apostle Iohâ—… gives this reason why Simon Magâ—…s Hymeneus Alexander Philetus Meâ—…ander Carpocrates Basilides Ebion Cerinthus and such like went out and separated from the Church and from the profession of the truth because saith he they were not of us meaning in respect of lively faith true grace and regeneration therefore they went out from us 1 Ioh 2. 19. which Text in Iohn Hierome in the close of his first book upon Ieremiah applyes to Hereticks in this respect when they fall away openly they doe but shew those very idols of their hearts which in their in ward parts they worshipped before I will adde a seventh reason look how the Scripture distinguisheth the Elect from those who are of an ungodly life in the same manner it distinguisheth them who are of an erroneous beleif 1 Cor 11. 19 the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 10 11. tells us that these who perish beleeve a lie i. e. an error pretending to be a truth but vers 13. he gives thanks for the beleeving Thessalonians because God had chosen them to saâ—…vation through sanctification of the spirit and beleif of the truth so that they who beleeve not the truth are no more elected then the unsâ—…nctified Our Saviour Mat 24. 24. intimateth that it is impossible that the Elect should be deceaved by false prophets that is in the same sense as he that is borne of God doth not commit sin 1 Ioh 3. 9. Christ characterizeth his true disciples and distinguisheth them from others not onely by obedience and a good life Mat 7. 17. 24. and 25. 35. Ioh 13. 35. but also by light in the eye of the understanding Matth 6. 22. 23. with Ephes 1. 17. 18. by continuing in his word Ioh 8. 31. by knowing his voice and fleeing from a stranger Ioh 10. 4. 5. I hope I have aboundantly proved what I undertook and so I conclude that he said right who compared truth to the teacher holinesse and righteousnesse to the ruling Elders I adde where Heresie is the teacher
will return to the good old way the Scripture way Christs way the Apostles way in which I shall finde rest to my soule The third point now remains viz. that there is no such inextricable difficulty darknesse or mist in this mark the love of the brethren but that the children of God may and sometimes do clearly and safely assure their hearts by this mark that they have passed from death to life Which that it may appeare I shall speak first to the Object the Brethren then to the Act which is love Touching the Object let foure things be observed First this we certainly know that there are Saints on earth we believe the holy universall Church Now all who have passed from death to life those and none but those have a true and sincere love to the saints in generall praying heartily for them sympathizing with their suffering and rejoycing at their felicity None but a Saint can say in truth and with a sincere selfe-denying affection If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to theroof of my mouth If I preferre not Ierusalem above my chief joy Ps. 137. 5. 6. The Apostle commends praying for all Saints Eph 6. 18. and love to all the Saints Col 1. 4. I conceive he means not only all the Saints known to us but the whole invisible Church of Saints on earth That prayer and protestation Psal. 122. 7 8. when uttered in Spirit and Truth can proceed from no other but a gracious renewed heart peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces For my brethren and companions sake I will now say peace be within thee This very love to the Saints in generall as to the excellent and precious ones of the earth is a fruit of Sanctification and a mark of a renewed and gracious estate even as contrary wise they that have no love to the Saints in their species or kind that love and esteem men only for some earthly respect and consideration the Rich the Honourable the Mighty c. or for some particular humane relation Parents Wives Children Kindred Friends Benefactors c. much more they that delight in the company and fellowship of the prophane and ungodly prove themselves to be such as have not yet passed from death to life Secondly t is neither necessary nor possible that we have a a certain and infallible knowledge of the true Saintship and regeneration of these particular persons whom we love under the notion of Brethren and Saints The Apostles themselves did once look upon and love some as Saints who were no Saints Iudas Simon Magus Ananias and Saphyra and others of that kind It is Gods own prerogative to know certainly the hearts of men To require a certain knowledge of the Saintship of others before we can say we love the Brethren doth not only strike at the mark of love but at the duty of love and makes the yoke of Christ heavy yea unsupportable and the very Evangelicall commandment of love to be most grievous yea impossible And if the Antinomian objection hold good no man on earth can performe acceptably this duety of Love except he know the hearts of those whom he loves under the notion of Saints If it be replyed that the commandement of Christ is acceptably performed when to my best knowledge and observation and according to the best tryall which one Christian is allowed by Christ to take of another they are Saints whom I love under that notion and that tiâ—… not necessary to the acceptable pâ—…rformance of the duty of love that I know infallibly such a one to be a true Saint Then it will follow by the like rule and by parity of reason that comfort and assurance may be had from this mark I love the Brethren although I cannot certainly and infallibly say these whom I love are true Saints For if I can be cleare in point of the duety and that my obedience to the new commandement of Christ love one another is acceptable to God then may I also be clear in point of the mark or signe this proposition I love the Brethren being a necessary consequent from that proposition I have through the grace of Christ so far performed the duty of Love as that it is acceptable to God in point of new obedience and this leads me to a third answer 3. Particular or individuall Saints may be so farre known by their fruits and are so farre discernable and visible as that our love to them under that notion may be known to be an acceptable service to God and so a comfortable mark or evidence to our selves Which plainly appears from what Christ saith Math 10. 41. 42. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward And whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Before verse 11. Into whatsoever City or Town ye shall enter enquire who in it is worthy and there abide till ye goe thence Heb 6. 20. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love which ye have shewed towards his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister These believing Hebrews did not infallibly know that they were Saints to whom they ministred yet the Apostle tels them their worke was acceptable to God and made himself to be perswaded of them things that accompany Salvation They to whom he writes being conscious to themselves of the truth and sincerity of their love might much more be perswaded of themselves things that accompany Salvation from this mark of Love although they could not know infallibly the hearts of those whom they loved as Saints We may without either revelation or infallibility of judgement by the marks which the word gives us for judging and discerning of others so farre be perswaded in a judgement of Charity that this or that person is a Saint a Brother a Sister one in Christ as that our love to the person under that notion is according to the rules of Christ flowes from faith which worketh by love and is acceptable to God as a part of our new obedience If it were not so this absurdity would also follow there could be no communion of Saints one with another at least no such thing done in faith Do not Believers act in Faith and not doubtingly when they have communion one with another when they exhort and comfort one another when they pray one with another when they sympathize one with another If they do not act these things in Faith they sinne for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin 4. It is to be observed that he who objects to others