destruction I would only say thus much to them that when they have sufficiently lamented their own maladies I wil give them free leave to recreate themselves with laughing at ours Let them turn over the ancient histories and see if the Church of God were ever in so good an estate but that there were therein many things which might deserve the grief of every good man and finding the condition of the Church to have been always such what cause is there for them to wonder if we are not in every part sound But let them laugh that list Our endeavor should be by removing all just cause of reprehension not so much to suppress their laughter as by all excellency of examples to invite them together with us to come unto Christ And that thou maist not fear any sharpness of language in this Discourse know that we endeavor no other thing so much in all this work of ours as to reduce all those which handle any points in the Church whether by word or writing to the greatest mildeness and gentleness that may be How unseemly therefore and how unjust a thing would it have been if I had refused to be subject to that Law which I had set to others How justly might that proverb be laid in my dish Physician heal thy self But to come to the paine In this Treatise Reader we present thee with those Stratagems whereby Satan lies in wait to overthrow the Kingdom of Christ and in such sort to root it up as it were out of the world that it might never be again repaired and to set up a Kingdom of his own and to maintain the same if not all of them for that were an impossible thing yet I am perswaded the most principal And that thou maist wonder shal I say or rejoyce the more thou shalt find them marshalled in such order and method that thou shalt find them to make a certain kind of Art We have added cautions for the avoyding of them and they are such as if I am not mistaken whosoever shal not slight them may have good ground to hope that though Satan plot never so much yet he shal but lose his labor In some cases peradventure when the caution seemed manifest enough of it self by the rule of contraries we have forborn to put our selves to unnecessary labor Some things indeed there are which for want of examples may seem somewhat obscure which exam les were therefore omitted because such as we found ready to our hand could not as we conceived be alledged without the offence of some men Which thing lest our labor might be fruitless to them ward we were carefully to shun in some cases we could not conveniently feign examples in others though we might have done it yet we feared lest they might occasion new contentions which I wish we have not too much occasioned notwithstanding all our care to the contrary But if thou shalt read the Discourse frequently and attentively there wil be nothing which thou shalt not at length understand even without examples Some wil wish that this Argument had been handled more largely and that not without just cause to such all that I shal answer is this that I have done what the time would permit me if I would have deferred the impression the work might have appeared to the world at least more polished and exact but forasmuch as I conceived that it greatly concerned the common good of all Christians that these Stratagems should see the light with all possible speed I was wiling rather to set at nought mine own reputation then to defer the Edition the least moment If the Lord shal afford me any leasure I shal endeavor that they may hereafter come forth more compleat and better adorned In the mean time gentle Reader take in good part this abortive birth and joyn thy godly prayers to mine that the Lord would be pleased to furnish me with somewhat beter and more profitable then what for the present I am able to present Satans Stratagems The first Book The Argument THe end Satan aimes at in all his Stratagems The Nature of Man since the fall how fit for Satan to work upon The ways and means Satan uses to attain his end How true opinions concerning religion come to be changed into false Deceitful and invalid Arguments Passions and Affections of the mind A good opinion of those that are erronious An evil opinion of those that hold the truth lying signs and wonders what force they have to change mens Judgments from truth to Error Satans devices to make disputes and debates intended for the clearing of truth to serve his own ends in the advancement of Error Many prime persons Pillars of the Church whiles they Zealously as they think maintain the cause of Christ do drive on and advance Satans designs A passionate indiscreet opposition a great encreaser of Sects No unnecessary Controversy ought to be raised An opinion ought not to be condemned for appearing new but must be examined by the word A very hard thing to embrace Truth when it hath the appearance of an Error To reject what ever savours of Novelty wil cause that remaining errors shal never be purged out of the Church How erronious persons are to be prepared to receive a sight of their errors What caution is to be used that we oppose not truth under the name of error What ought to be accounted knowledg what opinion What Man is most like to find the Truth Most men suppose they are led by the word and spirit to think as they do in matters of Religion whiles their Judgments are biased by Antiquity estimation of mens learning Multitudes of those that judg so or so c. He that would have his Judgment swayed by Gods spirit must pray earnestly for the spirit and cast out of his consideration whatsoever is not of God nor his word as if there were no such thing in the world He that hath attained to a clear and perfect knowledg cannot suspect himself of error in that point Before a man oppose a tenet as erronious and impious he ought seriously to consider what assurance he hath of the error and impiety of the said point A man may pray long for the knowledg of the Truth before the wisedom of God may think fit to discover the same unto him God is free to discover the truth to a man when and by whom he pleases yea by him whom he opposes as a seducer In controversies of religion Sathan can play the part both of opponent and defendant in respect of one and the same tenet We must first hear and examine a point before we condemn it and never say it is an old Error and hath bin oft confuted for it may have bin an old truth ill defended Controversies soon raised hardly laid Before we oppose an error we must consider of what moment it is Vain questions and tenets not to be confuted but avoided Satan labours to perswade
terms who was sent to curse and yet in conclusion blessed altogether Numb 24.10 It is hard to say whether that hand which desires to be lifted up against Error and Heresie with success had more need of softness or strength Few mens Errors finde access to their judgments but by the way of their affections He that will the Judgment win With th' Affections must begin Nor will it be easie for men to come at them to dethrone them but by making their approaches the same way I mean by making friends of their affections that they may not side with their Judgments against them I have not met with any Author comparable to this now in thine hand for a Christian genius and dexterity in teaching that desireable and happy Art as well of composing differences in matters of Judgment as far as a composure in this kinde may with the honor of Truth be admitted as of opposing that which is not meet to be admitted to composition He intituleth his Book Stratagemata Sathanae Satans Stratagems He might as properly with respect to the matter of it have stiled it Stratagemata Christi the Stratagems of Christ inasmuch as the wisdom which is revealed from Heaven for the countermining of Satan in his attempts upon the precious souls of men by errors and heresies is here drawn out in such happy directions and instructions for that purpose that had they their weight and worth in practise and due obedience the Kingdom of Error and Heresie would soon be shaken If any man listed in this warfare being of Iehu's complexion cannot endure to march against his Enemy with a sober pace and had rather be tossing Firebals of Granado's then weilding the Sword of the Spirit this Author is like to find smal thanks from such a person ten to one but he wil * Ier. 8.18 smite him with the tongue To such an one I would make no other Answer but that of the man that had been healed of blindness to the Pharisees concerning our Lord Whether he be a sinner or no I know not one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see Whereas I was ignorant in many things which it concerned me to know about opposing Errors and Heresies I now understand them Reader though I am none of those that are facile * Prov. 6.22 26. to strike hands or become surety for debt yet thus far I dare engage for the Treatise in thy hand that if thou wilt diligently peruse it it shal recompence thee with a better thing then Repentance for thy pains The Father of lights and God of Truth according to the unsearchable riches of his Grace in Christ break up at last all the fountains of the great deep of Truth and open the windows of Heaven that knowledg may fil the Earth as waters cover the Sea keep thee and me from the danger and defilement of Error and Heresie and vouchsafe us the honor of being instruments in his hand for the preservation of others also from the same misery Thine to serve thee in the Faith and Love of Jesus Christ J. GOODVVIN From my Study Colemanstreet LONDON Feb. 9. 1647. The Testimonies of the famously learned Petrus Ramus a French Protestant Martyr slain in the Massacre of Paris for the witness of Iesus and of Mr Commâ—nius a learned and godly German Writer now liviâ—g and of great fame for his labors in the Reformation of Learning concernâ—ng the Worth of our AUTHOR THe name of Jacobus Acontius hath now of a long time been fameously known to the world by the excellent Monuments of his Wit I took great content to hear tel of the Humanity and Grace together with the various and profound Arts of Jacobus Acontius P. Ramus in an Epistle to our Author being in England which is extant in a Collection of Epistles and Orations of P. Ramus Aud. Talaeus in 8o. Scripturientis nostri aevi cacoethe offensus Jacobus Acontius Vir excellentissimus provideri posse optabat c. that is Jacobus Acontius a most excellent man offended at the scribling sickness of our Age wished that order might be taken c. Johan And Commenius in the Preface to his Idea or Epitomie of Nat. Philosophy at the beginning The Testimony of certain most eminent French Divines concerning this Treatise WIth the reading of Acontius his Book of the Stratageâ—s of Satan I was not only my self exceedingly refreshed but having commended the same to the reading of some of our Divines of greatest Reputation and Learning they exceedingly approved both the modesty of the language and the Prudence of the Discourse it self I am possessed with an earnest longing to know and peruse all Acontius his writings Pet. Ramus in Epistola ante citatâ A Letter of the learned and judicious Mr DURY one of the Assembly of Ministers to Mr SAMUEL HARTLIB touching the Author Dear Friend I Am heartily glad that some body hath taken the pains to translate into English Acontii Stratagemata in these times of strife and confusion The Author was an excellent man and throughly knowing in many Sciences his excellency did lie in the depth and solidity of his Judgment in every thing and in the Piety and Moderation of his spirit in Matters of Religion At the breaking forth of the Gospel when he did live many that were convicted of the errors of the Church of Rome were staggered at the Truth and the profession thereof by the Reformed Churches because of the manifold disputes and the disorders found amongst them and ever since continued by the subtilty of Satan who not being able to hinder the breaking in of more light doth endevor to make it either ineffectual or hurtful to the salvation of mens souls As it was then so it is now at every Period of our Reformation he doth make every Truth a Matter of Strife and what he cannot suppress by the power of ignorance he endevors to pervert by the evil use that men make of knowledg to disappoint them of the end for which God hath given it This wise man in his time did discover Satans aym and warned his Generation faithfully and chiefly the Watchmen of the grand adversaries design against them But how much this Admonition is laid to heart doth appear by the Distempers of all places whereof both the Causes and Remedies are here discovered and offered to the Churches but minded almost by none However some there are at all times wil be who wil be affected herewith and God is able by their means to qualifie the spirits of others and to cast Satan under the feet of his Elect and Faithful servants in his own time Therefore it is very useful that such Testimonies as these should be extant and now to us they are very seasonable although perhaps in haste we shal see no great fruit thereof But our comfort is that although the Kingdom of Heaven is as a grain of mustard seed yet it groweth at last to be a mighty
case Now in the first place this ought to be layd down for a sure rule that if we shal depart from the Divine Oracles contained in the holy Scriptures there is nothing whereto we may safely trust there is nothing but what is liable either to fraud or Error Gods Testimonies are only sure they only are of that worth that the Conscience of a man may rest upon them and quiet it self And doubtless if there shal be such a Cuntroversy about any point of Religion as that some shal say it is a point so necessary to be resolved about and to know the Truth of as that he which shal not understand and close with it cannot be saved possibly others though they are of the same judgment for the point it self shal yet deny that it is of such weight and rather conceive that such as judg amiss thereabout may attain salvation and ought notwithstanding to be reputed members of the Church In case I say such a Controversie arise when both sides cannot be said to judg according to Truth the one or other must of necessity err Wherefore to be certainly informed which part thinks aright wil be to know some what even as to be at a stand and doubt herein wil be to be ignorant of somewhat whence it must be concluded that we cannot come to certain knowledg in this point unless there be some word of God extant to guide us Now we must be sure to mark in this place that a point of Religion and the judgment which is made concerning the weight and consequence of that point are very different things As it is one thing to say A Christian ought not to be Circumcised another thing to say if ye be Circumcised Christ shal profit you nothing For he which had heard how that a Christian must not be Circumcised might yet think that though a Christian should not be Circumcised yet if a man iudg that he ought to be Circumcised it were not much material But having heard that other word If you be Circumcised Christ shal profit you nothing he wil now understand the matter to be of fargreater importance And inasmuch as a Doctrine is one thing and the iudgment and estimation of the weight of that Doctrine is another if it shal be put to the question concerning any Tenet whether or no it be a point which ought of necessity to be known as for example that it is lawful to swear before the Judg it wil be nothing to the purpose for a man to bring many Texts to prove that an oath in point of judicature ought not to be refused for it wil be said by one or other that I grant neither do I any ways make scruple thereof but I would be resolved concerning the weight of the thing whether it be a matter of such consequence as that in case any man shal be perswaded that he ought not in any case to swear and shal remain in that Error there is no hope of his salvation So that such proofs are in this case requisite not which evince that a man ought to swear before the Bench for that is not the thing in question but which prove that he which is perswaded he ought not to swear shal be damned such as there is concerning the not retaining of Circumcision Now a point is then to be accounted proved by divine Testimony when the Testimony or Text cannot be true unless the point in question be true which may come to pass both when the Text shal contain the very thing which it is brought to prove as also when it shal lay down that which being granted the other must of necessity follow as for example we are to prove that a man is accounted just by beleeving and not by the works of the Law we alledg the words of Paul We judg therefore that by faith a man is iustified without the works of the Law This Testimony expresses the very thing which we would prove But suppose it were to be proved that a man is iustified only by faith and one did thus reason Unless there were only one way of Justification and that by Faith the Apostle had foolishly inferred that forasmuch as the iust should live by faith and that works were not faith therefore no man living is just by the works of the Law but it cannot without great wickedness be charged upon the Apostle that he reasoned foolishly there is therefore righteousness in faith alone and so a man is justified only by faith Now this Testimony of Scripture cannot be said to contain that which it is brought to prove but yet it affirms such things as being granted the point in question must needs follow But if so be that which is brought as a Testimony may be true while the thing it is brought to prove may be false that thing cannot be said to be proved by such a Testimony so that if a man to shew that the Pope hath Authority to make new Laws wherewith to bind the Consciences of men shal cite that place what ever thou shalt bind on earth shal be bound in heaven it wil be therefore denyed that that place proves the point in question because power of binding might be given to Peter and yet no power be given to the Pope to make new Laws Now a thing may be expressed either by comprehension under general terms or word for word for when as the general term Law comprehends as wel those Laws concerning Conversation as those concerning religious Ceremonies as wel Divine Laws as Humane that Christ shal not profit him who shal place his Righteousness in keeping the moral Law is in general terms comprehended in that speech of the Apostle where he denys that they have any share in Christ who place their Righteousness in the works of the Law And that a man is justified by Faith is in so many words comprehended in that passage of the same Apostle We iudg therefore that a man is iustified by Faith without the works of the Law Furthermore as concerning our present occasion I find that one thing may follow from another two manner of ways One is when a matter is laid down as necessary to be known which cannot yet be understood and believed unless some other thing shal be first understood and believed for in such a case the latter is to be reckoned among such things as are of necessity to be known Thus inasmuch as it is necessary that we believe that Christ is rifen from the dead and we cannot believe that unless we shal likewise believe that he died it is altogether necessary that we believe he died The other way is this if we find expresly set down that a matter more doubtful then the point in question whether it ought of necessity to be known is to be known necessarily yea if it be notless doubtful for that which is less doubtful or at least not more doubtful must be as necessary as the other But some
there onely two or three that prophesied according to what the Apostle said but to all was given to speak so that the wish of Moses seems rather to have been fulfilled in them when he said Would God all the people might prophecâ— There was no spleen no envy the gifts of God were dispensed every one according to his ability contributing his assistance for the confirmation of the Church And all was done with love in such sort That they strove mutually to honor each other and every one to prefer another before himself But to the end this common prophesying may be profitable to the Church we must diligently mark what the Apostle advises For a sure thing it is that the pride of man is so great that whatever hath once fallen from him he will by any means have it stand for a Truth neither can he suffer that any man should infringe the same So that if he might be pâ—rmitted to judg that last spake it will be a miracle if a man in his life-time should see any one give way to him that contradicts him What is Pauls advice therefore in this case Let two or three Prophets speak and let the rest judge He will not therefore have the same persons to be parties and judges And he adds a little after And the spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets for God is not the Author of dissention but of peace So that as soon as any man hath spoken his own mind he ought to rest himself satisfied with the judgment of the rest and not obstinately to make no end of contending if this be not done a sure thing it is there will be no end of strife But what if any man will not be content to submit to the judgment of the rest Verily I would avouch that being sharply admonished that he disturb not the Congregation and that he go not against the command of the Apostle or rather of our Lord commanding the spirits of the Prophets to be subject to the Prophets he ought to be cast out of the society though he should hold the prime place in the Congregation The people likewise must frequently be admonished that liberty for any one to speak in the Congregation is not therefore granted by the Apostle to the end every one should speak what comes to his tongues end as if he were in a market but whereas he gives liberty to him to speak to whom any thing is revealed he would have all rashnesse and impudence to be laid aside He that reverences not the Church of God let that man know he despiseth the Spirit of God who is President there and shall be sure not to escape unpunished Before a man propounds any thing to the Church he ought to consider again and again how sure a manifestation he hath of that thing and what ever the matter be let him be sure not to forget a sober modest bashful behavior without which vertues doubtles no good can be effected But here we must attentively consider both how far a man ought to submit to the judgement of the Congregation and who may deservedly be accounted a troubler of the Church Verily I conceive a man ought so far to give way as that after I have alledged what I had to say for my opinion if yet the rest shall not allow of my judgment I ought to give over defending of it and cease to be troublesome to the Congregation concerning the same But I ought not to be compelled to confesse that I have erred or to deprecate any fault whiles I do not yet understand that I have erred for so I should sinne against God He therefore is a troubler of the Church that will not so far as we have expressed submit to the judgment of the Church but goeth on to be troublesome but especially that man who would exact of another that which he ought not to do viz. to recant being not perswaded that he is in an error But those men are commonly reputed troublers of the Church who refuse to ratifie what ever shall any wayes fall out of the Pastors mouths Again in this place it may reasonably be demanded whether when that a matter hath been once or twice debated and some man knowing the judgment of the Congregation would again reduce it into Controversie he ought to be heard or enjoyned silence and take the matter for determined But of this we shall in another place more conveniently dispute That which remains therefore is that we wrastle with God by daily prayers to grant that we may have the use of this so soveraign and saving liberty so profitable to the Church and that thereby we may reap aboundance of fruit And that he would to that end tame and break our spirits with his Spirit and render them milde and gentle and not suffer what he hath ordained for the confirmation and establishment of his Church to be by the stubbornnesse and perversness of our wits and minds turned to the mischief and destruction thereof Now it hath been frequently practised that when some difficult point hath been to be decided not only one particular Church should judge but a Councell of that Province or of the whole Christian world hath been called Which whether it ought to be done or no and what ought to be the Authority of Councels may be by some demanded That the custom of calling Councels ought to be retained seems clearly to me to be taught by the example of the Apostles For if it were requisite for men endued with so great a measure of the Spirit to confer together about matters of Religion in controversie It seems that it ought much more to be practised by those that have not such a portion of the spirit Neither ought we to make light account of our Lords promise who hath engaged himself that where two or three shall be gathered together in his Name there he will be the in midst of them But the question moved concerning the authority of such a Councell is harder And for as much as I have not now to deale with Papists but with such as would have the truth of the Gospel restored I shall not need with many words to demonstrate that no Councel hath authority either to make new Lawes or to ordain new worships But what shall we say concerning controversies of Religion which are raised about interpretation of Scripture Whether or no hath a Councel authority in such cases to determine what ought to be held And if a Councel cannot do thus much at least what other use there can be of Councels beside And whether there be any difference between the Councel of the Apostles and those of their successors If as certain as it is that our Lord will always perform what he hath promised so certain it were that such as meet to consult would evermore refer all their cogitations to the glory of God and place all their hope of discovering the Truth in the promises
when the Congregation justly rejects it does not therefore justly reject because the man will not embrace its tenets or stand to its judgment But because he rejects the doctrine which came from God and that doctrine of such consequence That it ought of necessity to be known to salvation Likewise when a particular Congregation allowes of one tenet disallowes of another it does not impose a law upon any mans belief but onely declares its own faith to the end That he which is not of the same minde at least in the more principal points of doctrine may know that he belongs not to that society for there must of necessity be some kinde of Government that the Congregation may not be forced to communicate in Religious Services with that man of whom she is perswaded that he is not any ways related to the Church of Christ neither hath any right to the priviledges thereof Hence we may easily understand and in one word express what difference there is between the Councel of the Apostles and those who make themselves their successors be they who they will Forasmuch as it was apparent that the Apostles were by name chosen by our Lord himself to the office of Apostleship it was manifest that they were endued with a large measure of the holy Ghost which Spirit would lead them into all truth Now there is no testimony of any such concerning any of their successors We are left onely to conjecture what they are by their words and actions which are subject to counterfeiting and fraud In the Councels of the Apostles men were not to minde so much what was judged and determined as by whom it was so determined So that they needed not with many words to render a reason why they so ordained Contrariwise in the Councels of their successors it matters not so much who they are that decree a thing as what that thing is which they so decree what testimonies they produce from Scripture how clearly and manifestly those testimonies do teach the point determined So that doctrine of Luther That we are saved onely by the merits of Christ is embraced by us yet do not we look upon Luther but upon those testimonies which are by him cited from Scripture which also the holy Ghost that internal Expositor witnesses to our spirits that they teach the same Otherwise be they never so many let them be pious learned holy yea verily let them be angels of heaven unless thou shalt perceive that what they affirm is proved by the Word of God there is no reason for thee to suffer thine eyes to be dazled with the splendor and pomp of a Councel Howbeit fitting it is to attribute so much authority to a Councel unless it be of such as are manifestly enemies to truth as not rashly to reject the judgment thereof but let every man diligently weigh the same desiring earnestly the assistance of God that he may judge aright Hence likewise we may conjecture who ought to be admitted to a Councel For since they do not meet to make any laws of Faith but rather to pray for the holy Ghost by whom they may be led into all truth and in a word to learn It will not be necessary that he that must be admitted should be a Bishop or an Archbishop or a Pope nor yet that he should be famous for learning nay rather no reason there is why any man should be excluded that appears to be possessed of any measure of piety and of the holy Ghost So we see in that same decree of the Apostolical Councel after the Apostles and Elders the whole Church is named For inasmuch as the holy Ghost is not tied to any dignity or to any certain kinde of persons Who knows by whom God will chuse to discover the Truth And forasmuch as we are not to regard any number of voices but onely what that is which is said although some foolish indiscreet person or a man that makes onely a shew of godliness shall be admitted they cannot do much hurt for we must count every man to be such as his speech shall declare him to be And thus we have declared by what means the doctrine of Religion comes to be corrupted and what cautions we are to use when it is pure to keep it so FINIS ERRATA PAge 2. l. 6. is not God p. 3. l. 6. is to take into l. 27. disobeys the command p. 6. l. 32. yet is their strength p. 8. l. 31. self interests p. 18. l. 10. like wise men l. 22. it is no small p. 22. l. 5. any time come into p. 30. l. 8. should contend p. 31. l. 9. the time place p. 36. l. 18. to that end p. 37. l. 1. shal set upon the another way p. 45. l. 15. wonderful example is that p. 46. l. 31. best of shepheards l. 33. to thee weak p. 55. l. 24. be so ingenuous p. 58. l. 1. 2. one whole sentence ere his mouth be wel open l. 23. a benefice p. 65. l. 38. betide others as p. 74. l. 20. shal by his 22. the instrument p. 75. l. 37. accounted of others howbeit p. 78. l. 33. of our Lord. p. 82. l. 24. ingenuously l. 38. a couple p. 83. l. 17. is not to p. 93. l. 7. hereticks in the. p. 99. l. 10. to vanquish an Apostate l. 16. means of them the. p. 102. l. 35. that when he p. 108. l 4. and will attempt p. 135. l. 2. 3. no such testimony concerning any successors