and may doe so now in the like cases yea Christians may Converse with them to convert them in their owne Countries But what 's this to the point in hand whether Magistrates Christian may restraine Idolaters in their owne Land from exercising their Idolatrie openly to the seducing of others as well as the publique dishonour of God Till this be proved let him know It is an unchristian slander to say That the Civill Sword in Spirituall Affaires is in its owne nature a Supporter of the Beast It hath beene so by accident abused the Magistrates themselves being Antichristian But if the Magistrate be Christian and Godly nothing is more destructive of the Beasts power as experience hath proved and nothing which the Beast doth more oppose then the Magistrates power in Spirituall Affaires as thaâ— which hath and doth and will at last utterly destroy his Usurped Kingdome Rev. 17.16 Christs weapons are very good and alone powerfull to make true Christians but the Magistrates Sword is also usefull to regulate them when so made Obj. 2. But would you have Idolaters to dwell amongst us men may then live as they list To this he answers I would indeed have all Jewes or Heathens or what ever Ignorants are native as freely to Converse as Commerce with you without restraint upon Religious Causes and that you would consider your selves might never have beene Converted if you should not so have beene freely suffered c. Repl. 1. What ever this man would have I am sure the Apostle would not have Christians freely to Converse which imports familiaritie intimacie with Idolaters no not in Civill Affaires 2 Cor. 6.14 Be not unequally yoked together in Marriage he meanes with Infidells or Vnbeleevers And vers 17. Summon all Christians to come out from among them and bee Separate and touch not the 〈◊〉 things 2. When he addes without Restraint upon Religious Causes it may be meant there First That they shall have free libertie to come to our Assemblies to heare the Word and that wee may discourse with them as occasion is offered to convert them or Secondly That they shall have libertie to Erect Synagogues or build Temples to Exercise their Idolatries in Christian â—ingdomes and ours be permitted freely to goe to their meetings where great danger of corruption of ours our nature being made prone to Heresie and Idolatrie as fruits of the flesh than hope of our Conversion of them If in the former sense he meane it wee grant it for otherwise wee or rather our fathers had never beene Converted They may come to us as Heathens of old might Proselyte to the Jewes If in the latter sense it is wee thinke clearely against Scripture side and the Saints practise Wee may not goe to them to their Idolatrous Temple nor make marriage with them c. nor yet suffer ours to be Seduced by them And here comes in the Restraint wee speake of by Superiours Fathers Masters Magistrates especially for the reason being the same and perpetually Morall it concernes the Christian Magistrate in the Gospell as well as the Jewish Magistrate Nor does this reprove Christ for providing no other meanes to restraine from Idolatry which he inferres For Christ hath provided other meanes even this power of Superiours in the sense aforesaid And I pray did this man never heare of whole Churches subverted by Heretiques and Idolaters What thinks he of the seven Churches of Asia and the Roman Church it selfe which he acknowledges and calls Antichristian Have not Seducers and Idolaters by degrees utterly subverted them Yet they whose names are written in the Booke of Life shall be preserved unto Heaven when the rest shall perish by his Toleration Obj. 3. But allow this and wee may quickly have our Civill State subverted He answers To this the experience of other Nations might bee a sufficient answer the Hollanders flourishing ever since they suffered every man to worship according to his conscience even Jewes themselves c. Repl. That prosperitie and flourishing should bee made a Marke of the Goodnesse of a State or Church by any but a Jesuit is to me very strange More that the Hollanders should be made a patterne of a true Reformed State And he may remember that if the Arminian Errours had prevailed in Holland but for a Toleration It was feared they had ere long subverted the State and reduced it into the King of Spains hand againe As for other States even the Roman it selfe considered either as Heathen Idolaters when they had a Pantheen of Gods and every one suffered to worship according to his Conscience or as Antichristian Idolaters since they worshipped the Host and Images they flourished in both Estates And prosperitie is rather a Marke of a false than a true Church Yea when Rome it selfe began to be Antichristian all Histories telâ— us how the State of the Empire was subverted and taken from the Emperours and given to the Pope But sayes he observe that whilest every man enjoyes his libertie it is his proper Interest to endeavour the preservation of that Common-wealth for in that he preserves himselfe c. But say I this is Athiesticall prophane Policie Indeed if there were no God or nothing to be respected but mens own Quiet and Interest this were a fine way All Errours will reasonably well agree together as the Devills doe in Hell But if men have any conscience of their owne dutie in a zealous promoting of Gods glory in an earnest contending for the Faith once delivered to the Saint Jud. v. 3. or in a charitable care over the Soules of other men this Interest would be quickly layd aside Is it not the dutie of every Superiour Father Master Magistrate to advance the glory of God and to secure the Soules of their Inferiours as well as their bodies Concernes it not every faithfull Minister Yea Christian to maintain the Truth and oppose Error This man speakes of a Matchiavilian politique Religion without any zeale for God any charitie to mens soules where selfe-love and selfe-quiet c. onely predominates And if it be the dutie of every one as it is to contend earnestly for the Faith will not this meet with much opposition by hereticall Spirits And will not that cause the most mortall divisions and so procure ruine to the Church first and then to the State Truth must oppose Errours and Errours will oppose Truth And if there be but one Truth and many Errours will not all Errours oppose that one Truth though they tolerate one another The reason is Errours are but Diversa Divers for the most part amongst themselves but Truth and Errours are Contraria Contraries and can no more be reconciled than Light and Darknesse I shall give him but one instance at Rome it selfe where almost all Errours and Sects are tolerated onely Protestants are not tolerated because Protestant Truths oppose all Errours Romish as well as others Now marke what will be the issue of such a Toleration as the
Gentleman pleads for viz. a Subversion and utter Suppression of Truth by the joynt opposition of all Errours at once And I am confident this is the last and most desperate Designe of Antichrist and his Agitators the Jesuits to destroy this Church and State and to subdue it unto Antichrist They have tryed all wayes by fraud and violence to effect this nothing blessed be God will yet doe it Now their last refuge is a Toleration of all Religions and Poperie it s hoped shall have a place amongst them Which if it be granted I dare be a Prophet that Poperie shall swallow up all the other Errours and bring them all to it selfe but poore Truth onely shall be denyed a Toleration For whereas before wee had onely or chiefly Poperie to oppose now all the Sects and Errours will joyntly fight against us And besides All the Sests in some things agree with Papists alreadie All the Arminian Points which are blanched Poperie having beene kept out at the fore-doore are crept in at the back-doore of Connivence and Preached and maintained by most of the Sectaries and new Jesuiticall Seducers How easie then is it for Papists and them to be reconciled â—n the rest by a Jesuiticall subtile wit So in the last ruine Poperie will be predominant Yea those very men that now â—ry up Toleration when once they have gotten power will cry â—owne Toleration not onely of true Portestant Religion â—ut also of any Sect unlesse it comply with their ends as exâ—erience tells us in their owne Countries They that now cry â—ut of Persecution of their Errours will be the greatest Perseâ—utors of the Truth Oh the Stupiditie shall I say or giddiâ—esse of the people of this Nation who are bewitched with â—esuiticall Counsells to hasten their owne and our ruine Oh â—hat the honest men in the Armie would but see how they do not onely the Cavaliers worke in the State but the Jesuits worke â—lso in the Church to the destruction of both The Lord aâ—aken and open their eyes betimes to see the things that beâ—ong to their and our Peace before it be too late and they be â—id from their eyes Yet further A State sayes he cannot be subverted but either by force or by a generall consent The force is easily prevented when the first thirtie men meeting in Armes for such an end are by the Law Traytors and may be proceeded against accordingly And no man can imagine it possible to subvert the State by a generall consent when there will be such varietie of judgements and every man is free and in feare of a change least he be a loses by it In answer wee say First a State may be subverted by fraud â—nd subtiltie and that 's the way now in Agitation But seâ—ondly I am glad to heare him say Force may easily a marke that easily be prevented when the first thirtie men meeting in Armes are by the Law Traytors and may be proceeded against accordingly I feare the Armie will give him little thankes for this Discoverie For what is the great pretence for all the irregular motions of the Armie but an impossibilitie to prevent the Force of the contrarie partie had the Treatie gone on effectually And this friend of theirâ—â— sayes plainly and honestly Force may easily be prevented by such a Law Such a Law there is not yet established but such a Law was intended in the Propositions to the King and if this might easily prevent Force all pretences of Impossibilitie are hereby made voyd Let all the people heare this Thus God catches the wise in their owne craftinesse and makes them betray themselves Thirdly But may not a State be subverted by consent No because there will be varietie of judgements c. There may be varietie of judgements and all differing from the Truth but who knowes not that Errours agree in the root and most of them bordering upon Popery which is naturall in many points to all men as might be proved how easie then is it to reconcile them all against the Truth to the subversion of the Church first and the State next Nor need they feare a change or to be losers by it for all Sects its observable enough propound one common end to themselves Libertie and Poperie is a Religion of Libertie enough and so no losers by it Obj. 4. There is one Objection more come lately to his knowledge and that is this How can it be called an Agreement of the people when many thousands otherwise faithfull in conscience cannot subscribe to it if you dis-allow of this Civill Restrictive power c. He sayes That the Title of Agreement imports nothing without Relation to the Substance following which is for the foundation of Future Peace and Freedome and he that layes a foundation of slaverie to please Oppressours when he proclaims out Freedom shall not answer that Agreement but the carnall heart of a deceitfull Tyrant Nor deserves he to be accounted faithfull but deprives himselfe of proffered Priviledge and Freedome that cannot subscribe or agree thereto except he may make all others his slaves c. This is plaine dealing indeed Here he tells us First That Restrictoâ— power is Oppressive Tyrannicall Antichristian which yet is proved to be the very ordinance of God unlesse he will say That Restrictive power in the Jewish Magistrates â—as Oppressive Tyrannicall Antichristian The Consciences â—f those Times ought no more to be restrained or complled â—han now under the Gospell Secondly He tells you what â—ou must trust to be you otherwise never so Faithfull If you â—annot in conscience subscribe that Agreement you must not be â—ccounted Faithfull nor may you expect any Priviledge or â—reedome So that the more Faithfull and Consciencious a â—â—an is the more he deprives himselfe of the proffered Freedome which is by another discovered to be present Slaverie M. Ashurst his Reasons c. And â—e more false and loose a man is the more benefit shall he â—ave by that Agreement a Libertie of Conscience to professe â—hat Errours he will and a Licentiousnesse of life to doe â—hat he list being himselfe made a Judge of his subscribed â—greement Besides he seemes to contradict here what he â—ranted above a Libertie to every man pag. 14. to worship God â—cording to his Conscience Which if it must be granted to all â—as by his Doctrine it must why shall not those that have â—eene Faithfull who cannot in Conscience consent or subscribe â—o that Agreement have their Libertie of Conscience as well as â—thers But I pray Christians take notice what you shâ—ll exâ—ect from these Jesuiticall Designes You shall be tolerated so â—ong as you agree with them in their Destructive Principles â—nd when they have gotten you iâ— to such a snare that you can â— Conscience proceed no further farewell your Priviledges and â—reedome You shall then be made the vilest slaves to Jesuitiâ—ll Lusts and your pretended Toleration end in Intollerable â—averie and bitterest persecution Consider what I have said â—nd the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS
THE Depths of Satan DISCOVERED OR The Jesuits last Design to Ruine RELIGION BEING Some Observations upon a Pamphlet called The Swords Abuse Asserted By JOHN VERNON Presented to the Consideration Of the Armie Citie Kingdome By PHILOPATRIUS PHILALETHES REV. 2.24 To as many as have not this Doctrine and which have not knowne the Depths of Satan 2 PET. 2.18 19. For when they speake great swelling Words of Vanitie they alluâ—e through the Lusts of the flesh c. Those that were clâ—aâ—e esâ—aped from them who live in Errour While they promise them Libertie they themselves are the servants of Corruption London Printed for John Wright at the Kings Head in the Old-Bayley 1649. To the truely Christian Reader IT is very well knowne to every understanding Christian that there are two maine Pillarâ— of a Reformed State the two great Ordinâ—nces of God Magistracie and Ministrie And it s as easily obseruable that many there are whether ignorantly or intentially who are Sampson like laying hold of those two Pillars though they pull downe therewith the house of the Kingdome and Church upon their owne and others heads How much the latter the Ministrie hath beene undermind in all times especially within these last dozen yeares there 's no observing Christian but hath taken notice What Innovasions and subscriptions have beene Imposed upon godly and faithfull Ministers by the Prelates to drive them from their Stations and out of the Kingdome who doth not yet remember Within these last seven yeares the same Designe hath beene carryed on buâ— in another dresse The great sesuiticall Project for they lye behind the Curtaine and Act it hath beene to make the Ministers whom they could not corrupt and Ministrie vile and contemptible which hath proceeded to a very high degree The 〈◊〉 to effect it hath beene this First To poure out upon them whole Dung-carts of the vilest Reproaches in Pamphlets that ever Christian eare heard thereby to expose them to the scorne of the people and so to nullifie the Successe of their Ministrie Secondly To cry downe their Office either as Antichristian or none Setting up Preachers of the basist of the people as Jeroboam made Priests admiring and adoring them above the most Learned Faithfull able Minâ—sters of the G spell from whom as Instruments under G d they reâ—â—â—ved the knowledge and grace they have if they have any yet now contemne them which true grace cannot doe as the dirt under their feet Thirdly To cry downe Learning Arts Vniversities as uselesse pretending to new Revelations which are the mâ—er delusions of Satan Fourthly The last but not least destructive to cry downe their setled Maintenance by Tithes and leave them to the cold and comfortlesse-Charitie of the people which will starve them out that are in and keepe others from entring in This alone will doe it if the rest faile For the former the Magistracie it hath beene the long policie of Antichrist to perswade the world that the Christian Magistrate hath nothing at all to doe in matters of Religion that so he might usurpe that power into his owne hands This damnable Doctrine destructive to Religion to State and Church hath long beene contended against by all the Reformed Churches and their Learned Champions And little could wee expect that any men that pretend to Reformation should herein have complyed with them But our feare and jealousie is they are acted and agitated either by strong delusions of Satan or by the subtile Insinuations of disguised Jesuites who have now at last transfrom'd themselves into Angels of Light in stead of their former fierce heat It 's knowne to all the world that the Protestant Religion in England is setled by Parliamentarie Power and Lawes by them established And whilst that stands in its faithfulnesse and vigour Poperie is not like to enter here Many wayes have beene attempted either to corrupt it or breake it in former and later times but blessed be God all in vaine But now of late there is at once a double designe upon it to breake the Being of it and the Authoritie of it in matters of Religion together or if not both the latter And this is the designe of the Pamphlet entituled The Swords abuse asserted Whither this Gentleman the Author of it or any in the Army have such Intentions I dare not say but the Positions lately offered to the world doe clearely ponderate that way This I find to be his Principle destructive enough which â—he asserts pag. 15. That Christians and Heathens in Civill Affaires are alike subjected to the Civill Sword but neither subject in Religious causes and there can be no Restraint where there must be no Superioritie than which no Jesuite could have spoken worse This he obscurely hinted in his Title Page but kept it for a Reserve till he had baffled his Readers eyes with some appearance of reasons against Restraint which is but one part of the Magistrates power Wee shall weigh what he sayes and cleare up to the Reader The Depths of Satan vailed therein The Depths of Satan DISCOVERED Quaere Whether the Civill Magistrate though he shall not compell yet may â—ot restraine those who professe not Christianitie from divulging their Principles especially by visible worship or practise in Idolary BEfore I come to debate this Controversie I shall say something by way of distinction to the stating of the question 1. For the Title of the Booke it might very well passe in a right sense as applyed to the distempers of the Times If he mean it of them to whom he speakes as he seemes to doe in that Dedication A word to the Armie viz. That it is an Abusing of the Martiall Sword to take upon them to determine of matters of Religion or to take power to themselves to limit or extend the Libertie thereof Wee should easily agree with him to assert it a very great Abuse for them a Parliament sitting from whom they have their Commission onely for Martiall Affaires to intermedle in matters of Religion as beyond their Spheare as he speakes But if he meane pag. 3. as he expressely discovers himselfe pag. 15. That the Supreme Magistrate hearing the Civill Sword hath nothing to doe about matters of Religion he abuses his Reader and his owne Reason to undertake to assert it as shall appeare in the sequell 2. Wee distinguish of Temple-worke as his Title Page calls it If he meane it thus That the Sword is an uselesse Toole his owne phrase for the first Erecting or Constituting Members of a Church gathered out from Heathens that is for the Conversion of men to the Christian Faith it s readily granted For Christs subjects must be all volunteers a willing people But if he meane that in a constituted Church the Christian Magistrate hath nothing to doe to restraine men from the violation of Christian Truths or the Rules of Religious worship in the externall Profession and exercises thereof he shall find himselfe miserably mistaken Conversion of
Soules belongs primarily to Christ by the operation of his Spirit instrumentally to the Ministers of Christ But when men are converted to the faith and profession of the Gospell and have embraced the Truths and worship of it if then they shall blaspheme or corrupt those Truths or prophane that worship the Magistrate wee thinke hath power to restraine yea and to punish them for that violation 3. Conversion it selfe is two wayes considerable either with respect to the Conscience which wee may call the internall reall Conversion to the Faith 's being made thereby truâ— beleevers and this is the worke of Christs Propheticall and Kingly Office or else with respect to the outward Profession of the Faith This latter is the object of the Magistrates power in regard of regulation of it according to the Rules of the word for he is made the Keeper of both Tables in regard of the externall acts and exercises thereof 4. It s one thing for the Magistrate to prescribe a Rule of Faith as the Pope presumes or a forme of worship of God another to look to the preservation of both prescribed by Christ from the corruption of Seducers and False Teachers or the violation of prophane men As he pag. 4. The ordering of the visible worship of God as he speaks and the ordaining of the Rule of Faith whereunto all are alike subject c. belonge entirely and solely to Jesus Christ 5. Wee note one notable fallacie all along this Disputeâ—â— Pamphlet that is Petitio principii that he seemes to insinuate it as granted which many others of his way doe That there is no Rule of Faith or Worship determined or held forth in the word but all is now Skepticall Sure wee are there is scarcely one Truth but it is questioned in this Age. For if there be any one Fundamentall Principle of Truth or Rule of Worship held forth clearely in the Scripture the Blaspheming of that Truth and teaching men so the Prophaning of that Worship and practising so may be restrained by the Magistrate yea and punished too as wee think And yet this very Restraint or punishment is deceyed and beaten downe by the force of this mans Arguments which what strength they have shall now be considered First he sayes His capacitie cannot discerne the distinction betwixt the Compulsive and Restrictive Power being fully perswaded the former is sufficiently included in the latter And he who hath power for the latter shall by frequent restraining upon every frivolous occasion make mee restlesse till I read his pleasure That I worship as he worships and so I feele his power to the former c. To which I answer First Surely then his capacitie is very narrow and shallow the distinction is so cleare and evident An instance is readie in Nebem 13. concerning the fourth Commadement one of the first Table and a part of worship Nehemiah did not compell the Heathen Merchants to keepe the Sabbath in the prescribed manner yet did he restraine them from polluting of it Secondly It is so farre from Truth that the fromer is included in the latter as that instance and many more demonstrate that it is rather true backward that the latter Restriction is included in the former Compulsion not Compulsion in Restriction Thirdly The Jewish Magistrates did restraine Heathens from the Prophanation of the Sabbath and other Services yet never did nor might compell them to the observation of them till they voluntarily Proselyted And this Restraint was thus farre beneficiall that it prevailed to bring them to Proselyte to the Jewish Religion that they might enjoy the Priviledges of it And if Restraint of Seducers and false-Worshippers have the same effect upon them to bring them to embrace the true Faith and right Worship of God I know no hurt they have by it A Stranger said the Law shall not eat of the Passeover nor enter into the Temple till circumcised And this difference in partaking of many priviledges was a mercie to the Gentiles to win them to come in for the priviledge sake There are many such Lawes of Restraint in all States which yet never come to Compulsion as he cannot but know But Though the Restrictive may be different yet it ever centeâ—'d in the Compulsive and the most cruell of Tyrants have first appeared in the Restrictive c. But this if it be not a contradiction is contrary to what he said afore There he said Compulsion was included in Restriction Now Restriction centers in Compulsion Secondly That word Ever is false and contrary to manifold experience as afore And marke the Logick of these men they commonly conclude a generall from one or two particulars Tyrants as the Pharisees and Jewes have sometimes appeared in the Restrictive before the Compulsive no Restriction ever centers in Compulsion Thirdly Nor is the Restraint to force them that obey it not to the contrarie practise Nor does Compulsion come as the consequent thereof If any punishment follow it is for disobedience to the Law of Restraint E. G. Nehemiah restraines the Heathens for selling wares on the Sabbath dayes and threatens to lay them in durance if they did transgresse that Prohibition but he never intended by the Restraint or punishment to compell them to observe the Sabbath as the Jewes did in Religious Sanctification of it Lastly To prevent this consequent Compulsion let it be made a Law that no man shall openly Blaspheme the Truth of God or Prophane the worship of God and if he doe not he shall not be compelled to beleeve as the Magistrate beleeves or worship as the Magistrate worships And as this may suffice for his securitie against Compulsion so it clearely puts a difference between Restriction and Compulsion Consider the next Secondly Hereby sayes he I make the Civill Magistrate Judge of Christianitie which as none can assume without sinne 2 Cor. 1.24 So none can consent to without being guiltie of strong endeavours to dethrone the Lord Jesus to whom alone this judgement is committed and whose Scepter onely can sway the Conscience c. 1. Let him apply this to the state of the Jewes and see how in consequent it is The Magistrate then had power to judge of the Rule of Worship without sinne else how could he Restraine men or punish them for transgressing the Rule And if the Rule of Christian Truth and Worship be as clearly prescribed in the new Testament as it is why may not the Christian Magistrate be as competent a Judge of Christianity and Restraine from the violation of it 2. It is equivocall the word Judge and so he deludes us It is one thing to be a Law-maker which is as his Text hath it to have Dominion over their Faith by prescribing a Rule of Faith or Worship Another to be a Judge of the Violation of that prescribed Rule The Apostle Paul himselfe was a competent Judge of the Rule of Faith and so of the Violation of it though he was not the
Lord of their Faith to coine new Articles of Faith without command from Christ Say the same of the prescribed Worship Nor is this to consent to the dethroning of Jesus Christ nor to take upon them to Sway the Conscience For wee suppose the Rule of Worship prescribed and the Magistrate to have power only upon the externall man to preserve from the violation of that worship not to Compell or Sway Consciences or Hearts to worship God aright with internall worship Therefore this Disputer whether ignorantly or fallaciously I know not deceives his disciples with a double false supposition First That there is no certaine * He cannot expect a concurrence of any partie considerable in the Nation in Principles of Christianitie pag. 8. determin'd cleare Rule of Faith or Worship in the Scriptures but all is doubtfull and uncertaine without Revelation Secondly That the Magistrate by this Restriction intends Compulsion and that of Conscience to beleeve or practise what it doth not beleeve to be the Rule of Faith or Worship And withall that those that grant him this power of Restraint give him a Power to Sway Conscience so to beleeve or practise which wee disclaime as much as himselfe Nor doth the Magistrate by this Restraint of Seducers or Idolaters take upon him to convert Soules the worke of Jesus Christ alone but to keepe them from infecting others by false Doctrine or false Worship and in the end to reduce the Eâ—roneous to the right wayes of God 3. The instance of Pauls Restrictive Power on Mars-hill in quite beside the question He was a Minister not a Magistrate and the worke being Conversion of Heathens to the Faith for the Constitution of a Church not in a Church Constituted For I demand If after Paul had setled a Church and given them the Rule of Faith and Worship any Professour thereof should have Apostated from both or either whether he would not by his Apostolicall power have restrained him by Church censures If so his Texts and proofes falls as heavily upon the Ecclesiasticall power as upon the Civill and all his absurdities pretended here fall upon S. Paul He makes himselfe a Judge of Christianitie and consents to the dethroning of Christ takes upon him to Sway the Conscience and convert hearts which is peculiar to the Scepter of Christ c. But this Doctrine tends evidently to nothing but Skepticisme and Prophanesse that every man may not onely beleeve but publish and practise Errours and Idolatry without controle either of Magistrate or Minister And thither wee see it inclines apace and there wee feare it will end if not betimes prevented But further He gives a caution That if Christ send a Servant saying What I have revealed to you in secret preach you on the house tops Goe to the publique Synagoge in this Season of their assembling which otherwise you cannot procure Goe I say and reason with them for they are in all things too Superstitious Doe not you runne the hazard of restraining in this case under pretence of disturbance If their publique way be according to the way of Christ the priviledge of Disputing is according to the Directory of Christ 1 Cor. 14 22. It not c. To this wee say First This man seemes to be a meere Skeptick and as was said afore to suppose there is no Rule of Truth or Worship prescribed and the times to be as in the Apostles dayes before the New Testament was written And withall he seemes to be a Familist expecting Revelations which he insinuates in those words What I have revealed to you in secert And yet afore he calls the Armie to direct themselves by Christs proclaimed Law as their Line at least for the worke of his owne worshâ—p and Temple pag. 3. and to measure their proceedings herein by the pattern of his Scriptures But it is no new thing for Errours to intersere and contradict themselves For if there be any certaine Rule of Truth or Woâ—ship what reason is there that any man under pretence of New Light should have libertie to dispute it Is not this a plaine disturbance of the Church Suppose the publique way be the Way of Christ why should any man dispute it over and over againe What need he goe and reason with them who are in nothing Erroneous or Superstitious but observant of the way of Christ Will Christ send men to disturbe his Setled Truths and Worship And yet if every man that will pretend a new Revelation may have liberty to dispute the old wayes of Christ and by a subtile wrangling Jesuiticall wit puzzle weake Christians with new Skepticismes nothing will more disturbe the Peace of the Church as was evident once in the Church of Galatia and is in Ours at this day I would they were cut off that thus Trouble it The priviledge of Disputing which he pleads from 1 Cor. 14. was before the Rule was written when there was an extraordinarie gift of Prophesying and new Revelations were discovered concerning the Truths of the Gospell But the same Apostle censures this libertie after the Truth and Rule thereof was clearly delivered 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse He is proud knowing nothing doting about questions and strifes of words whereof commeth Envie Strife Raylings evill Surmisings and mark that perverse Disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth from such withdraw thy selfe Where the Apostle meets just with the practises of our Times Supposing that when once the Forme of sound words as iâ— a called 2 Tim. 1.13 is delivered to the Church and the Doctrine according 〈◊〉 Godlinesse is once Setled no man may have the libertie to Dispute them And if he doe he is proud doting or sick and disturbes the Peace of the Church He that thus troubles the Church shall beare his judgement who ever be he Gal. 5.9 But wee proceed Thirdly The conviction of the understanding being the foundation of Conversion and that a facultie that cannot be forced nor satisfied without an over-comming Reason A powerfull Argument would soone subdue that noble part when civill Restraint would encrease prejudice and confirme obscuritie Therefore the way of God is rather Come let us reason together c. But this man dreames of such a Restraint as never came into any rationall mans head Was ever Restraint used as an argument to convince or convert men to make a man beleeve this or that without reason No The man shall be informed by the strength of Scripture-Reason and Light held forth to him if he be able or willing to receive it And if after all the best information he cannot or will not see that Light he shall not be forced to beleeve or practise what he understands not to be the way of Christ Onely if he be in an Errour in Doctrine or Worship as wee