as they do the Second Commandment concerning Images will they judge us therefore Should we not have the liberty to teach and to learn the Commandments of God as God himself hath spoken them from heaven and with his own finger graved them in the Two Tables of stone Whereas we tolerate the Omission of the Commandment of Images in them that hold it not absolutely necessary for Children and Ignorants though we cannot approve thereof nor excuse it especially seeing what great Idolatry it hath bred in Popery and that the said Commandment doth extend as well to the Children and Idiots as to the Priests and Levites yea we conceive it to be most necessary for those being naturally bent to Images and Idolatry Also in the differences in Doctrine of Faith that in the holy Communion by eating Sacramentally the blessed bread and wine we believe onely a Spiritual partaking or communion and presence of the Body and Blood of Christ and not a carnal and corporal Neither believe Vbiquity or Omnipresence of Christs Body but the Omnipresent power vertue and raigning of Christ true God and Man even in those places where his Body is not present Nor an Vniversal reconciliation and propitiation by Christs death whereby indifferently all men whether they do believe or not believe repent or not repent have remission of their sins already But whereby principally Repentance and Faith is required from all in general and withal forgivenesse of sins and life in Christ is faithfully offered and promised and consequently really and effectually conferred and given to those onely who effectually believe and repent Nor also an Vniversal Election of all men unto Salvation but onely of the Believers and yet so that they are not elected by and according to their faith or works which God hath foreseen in them before the election much lesse that they should be saved without faith or without good works But so that they are elected out of a meer special grace in Christ even to this end that they through faith might be converted from the bondage of sins to be adopted unto children of God and to good works and made fit for to walk therein and obtain everlasting Salvation Will they for these or other such like points of Controversie in Doctrine for the most part arising from thence judge and condemn us as Hereticks as most of them use to do then they must first prove that their opinions and manner of expressions in those points which they so fiercely insist upon and whereon commonly all the controversie dependeth are not onely agreeable to Truth but also absolutely necessary unto Salvation But we shall sooner prove those not to be warrantable by Scripture then they shall make them good to be necessary seeing we cannot finde any wherein the Word of God the truth much lesse the necessity thereof For what is then that is necessary unto salvation We agree already both in this against the Papists namely that whatsoever is necessary unto salvation is plainly and expresly taught in the holy Scripture but whatsoever are onely bare words of men and Humane Traditions and Doctrines ought and must not be necessary unto salvation though otherwise they are not repugnant to truth Wherefore they must first prove that such opinions and manner of expressions of theirs which they esteem to be necessary are expresly taught in the Scripture and yet so that we also may certainly and undoubtedly conceive them to be grounded thereon as a necessary point of saving Faith and obedience to Christ They will say That they have proved it already sufficiently and abundantly if not by words of the Scripture it self at least by equivalent words and by a necessary consequence drawn out of them And that we therefore onely will not receive and condescend unto it because it is contrary and repugnant to our natural reason As for Example When the Lord speaketh of the Bread Take eat this is my Body they make it to be equivalent as if he had said Eat my Body in and with the bread and that he meant a natural corporal and carnal eating Likewise when the Lord said I am with you till to the end of the world they infer that his Body also is present with us because Jesus Christ or his Godhead is nowhere without his Body or separated from it But although this may seem to them in their Reason to be a clear and plain Exposition or a necessary Consequence yet we examining and comparing not onely our Reason but also the words of Christ himself and not the Five words by themselves alone but all the words of the whole Institution together yea of the whole Scripture we finde the Contrary a great deal clearer and plainer that the words of Christ are not agreeable to their Interpretation nor their Consequence of any validity much lesse of necessity For indeed this is plain and manifest that Christ saying to his disciples Take eat spoke of the bread which he took brake and gave to them and that he meant there a corporal carnal visible and natural eating of the bread And it is also manifest and evident that he spoke of that bread This which I have broken and given This bread which ye take and eat This is my Body which shall be given for you But that this is to be understood after a carnal and corporal manner so that his body who sate with them at Table and reached to them the bread hath been Invisibly in and under the bread and eaten though supernaturally with their carnal mouth is no ways clear and manifest But they themselves and the Papists also notwithstanding they adhere and insist both upon the literal sense yet they cannot agree among themselves in their pretended literal meaning and besides they both must confesse that they are words of peculiar Mysteries which ought to be Mystically and Sacramentally understood Wherefore it is yet more clear and manifest since Spiritual things must be compared with Spiritual 1 Cor. 2.13 that these words also after the na ure and propriety of other Sacraments must have a Spiritual meaning as the Lord himself saith of the eating of his Body and the drinking of his Blood The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life Joh. 6 63. As both Papists and Lutherans must acknowledge that in the Lords Supper is principally required a Spiritual eating We have also many pregnant motives which are not onely grounded upon Natural Reason but upon the words of the Institution it self upon the undoubted Articles of the Christian Faith and upon many other manifest places of the Scripture and therefore binde not onely our Vnderstanding but our Consciences that we cannot receive by any means their Interpretation concerning the Invisible body in the bread and the carnal eating thereof which may be common both to the unbelieving and ungodly Hypocrites and also to the believing because it doth more evidently appear to be repugnant to these words of God
and conversion from sin and without new obedience to Christ Commandments Which all is so plainly and expresly taught in the undoubted Word of God especially in the Five aforementioned principal Points that every Christian may sufficiently understand them unto his salvation and hath been unanimously professed in the Primitive Apostolike Church But whatsoever is not so clearly and expresly taught in the Word of God as a necessary Article of Faith Love and Obedience towards Christ nor hath been understood and taught out of the same in the Primitive Church That very same though it dependeth from it by a necessary consequence and therefore may be true doctrine and agreeable to Scripture yet it cannot be necessary for them who do not understand it as yet and retain onely the Fundamental doctrine it self the saving faith and love towards Christ at least so long till God enlighteneth and bringeth their understanding to a fuller knowledge of the Truth which they in the fear of God ought daily to search into Whereby we do conclude further that We ought also not to judge one another according to the aforesaid rule of the Apostle in these doctrines Especially when the other may produce Motives and reasons to the contrary and such which are taken not from natural reason but from the Word of God and therefore bindeth not onely his understanding but also his conscience that he cannot receive such doctrines for fear of sinning against God and his Word but must at least doubt of them For in such a case we must say Whosoever doubteth if he eateth if he receiveth them is damned by his own conscience And rather according to the Apostle's exhortation in such controversies of doctrines We must receive him that is weak in faith but not to doubtful disputations Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth Let us therefore not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or offence of conscience in his brothers way CHAP. IV. That the Romane Catholike Church hath no ground to Judge and condemn the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Churches as Heretical HAving laid this ground we may easily and as much as is necessary for every ones conscience unto salvation deliver our Judgement and Opinion concerning the Modern differences and dissentions in matters of Religion which among the Christians that make on all sides profession of the written Word of God contained in the Old and New Testament are fomented and aggravated meerly out of an Unseasonable and Uncharitable judging and condemning with such vehemency and bitternesse yea with such great effusion of blood and lamentable devastation of Countreys that never the like was heard of any other Religion in the world At this present I will make but a short Application to the Three principal divided and dissenting Churches Differences betwixt the Romane Catholikes Lutheran and Reformed Churches which are dispersed in the Occidental Christian World thorowout whole Provinces and Kingdoms As first the said Romane Catholikes or Papists so called who besides the holy Scriptures are grounded upon the traditions of the Church and especially upon the Councel of Trent and generally are altogether subjected and depend on the Pope of Rome as being their Supreme Head and Judge in matters of Religion and Conscience as the Churches in Italy Spain and the greater part in France Germany and Poland Then the Protestant Evangelical Lutherans as they themselves will be called who besides the holy Scripture professe Confessionem Agustanam Saxonicam formulam Concordiae as their Symbolical and Universal Books of doctrine not that they ground principally their Faith and Religion upon them but that they hold the doctrine and opinions of them conformable to Scripture and necessary unto Salvation as in Germany especially in high and lowe Saxony some Churches in Swaben Francony Westphaly Hessen c. and without Germany the Churches in Denmark Sweden and Prussia although there is some difference perceived betwixt them because some have not received hitherto as yet the said formulam Saxonicam and some of them have collected their own peculiar Corpora doctrinae Confessions and Books of Doctrine Thirdly those Evangelical Christian Protestants who because they will not be bound and tied to any man's whether it be Luther's Calvin's Zuinglius or any other's Doctrine or Books and therefore not be named by any man's name but have purged and reformed their Doctrine and Religion from the abuses of Popery onely according to the written Word of God are commonly called Reformed by some Papists they are called Biblists or Scripture-men of which name they need not to be ashamed because they are grounded on and refer themselves wholly to the holy Bible as the Churches in England Scotland Helvetia the United Provinces of the Low-Countreys all the reformed Churches in France with some particular Churches in Germany Poland Hungary c. Which though they have collected and framed also their peculiar Confessions yet not with the intent to binde other Christians consciences even to their word but onely to testifie their Unanimous consent and Uniformitie first and principally in the necessary fundamental Points of salvation out of the manifest Word of God then secondarily in the confutation and rejecting of the erroneous By-doctrines especially those of the Popish Churches which have no ground in the Word of God but are è diametro opposite to it by a necessary consequence And withal to decline and refute all sorts of calumnies and slanders of their Adversaries Wherefore also they by a special Confession of theirs do not reject the Confession of others especially that of Augspourg though there be some difference in words remaining much lesse do presume to condemn other Eastern and Western Churches because of some different opinions or Ceremonies if onely they do agree with them in the fundamental points of doctrine and for the rest withhold themselves from condemning others And even for these very same reasons have I hitherto addicted my self to the Confession of these Reformed Churches and am resolved with Gods assistance to persevere in it even unto death not onely because I acknowledge in the controverted Points the doctrine of these Churches I say Their own doctrine which they themselves Vnanimously professe to be consonant and agreeable to Scripture but especially because besides the Indubitable Universal Fundamental Doctrines and necessary Articles of faith which they with one consent receive they do not maintain or impose upon others any other doctrine as necessary unto salvation which in it self and by Gods command is not but impart and permit to every one the due libertie of Conscience and also do neither deny pervert or mutilate any part or articles of the true Gospel of Christ nor introduce any other By-Gospel or By-articles or judge or condemn others for it Whereas other Churches principally the Papists and partly the Lutherans if they do not quite deny any necessary point of true
as it hath been said many times heretofore Which we may illustrate with one or two Examples As the first Chapter of John which the Primitive Church whose Writings and Doctrines are descended and conveyed to us whereof no doubt but it hath together with the Books of the Scripture received also from the Apostles themselves the true meaning thereof at least in the principal necessary points of which this si one hath Unanimously and Undoubtedly interpreted of the Son of God who was in the beginning of all things as the Substantial Word with the Father If the Modern Socinians interpret it of the beginning of the Gospel and the humane nature of Christ to the end that they may deny the Article of Christs Godhead we rightly reject such Interpretation not onely as not necessary but as false and heretical not that it is onely contrary to our Interpretation but that it is so manifestly repugnant to the words of Saint John that the Primitive Church hath with one consent taught the contrary Insomuch also that none of the Ancient Arrians or Photinians to our and all Modern Socinians knowledge ever thus understood or expounded it But Socinus was the first man as he himself must confesse that spun this Interpretation out of his own head wherein at first his own brethren have partly contradicted him Yet since that time hath he together with his followers preferred it as if it were the undeniable Word of God it self and a most necessary Interpretation before the words of Saint John and the Uniform meaning of the Primitive Church Which may not be done without great presumption nor if it be obstinately urged without damnable Heresie principally in such a deep important and necessary Article of Faith as it is accounted not onely by us but the true Primitive Church and the word of God it self On the other side if they in such profound and incomprehensible Mysterie did adhere positively and closely without mutilation and contention to the words of the Scripture nor added thereunto their own Interpretations and Inferences of their reasoning beyond and against the Articles of Faith we should then have no cause to judge them so sharply though they would not receive or use all our expositions or humane expressions Likewise when Socinus and his followers do wrest and pervert so many manifest places of the Scripture which speak of Christs death that he died for the propitiation satisfaction and remission of our sins to this sense as if he had not appeased Gods wrath against us or which is as much made satisfaction to appease Gods wrath or purchased propitiation and forgivenesse but that he died meerly to this end that he might by his doctrine and example convert us from our sins to God and to pacifie our hearts towards him And account their own Interpretations as worthy and necessary as Gods Word it self So that they grievously slight and revile the Doctrine concerning the reconcilation of Gods wrath against us and the satisfaction for our sins which neverthelesse is so manifestly and evidently taught by so many testimonies of the Scripture that the Universal Christian Church hath professed it with one accord at all times and ever therefore held Jesus Christ for its onely High-Priest Mediatour and Saviour Insomuch that even the greatest Papists though they supply by way of concomitancy the merits of Christ by the Intercession and merits of other Saints and their own merits and satisfaction the daily Sacrifice of Masse Indulgences Purgatory and such like things yet have not denied the propitiation by Christs merits and satisfaction nor any other Sectary as far as we know nor Pelagius himself hath directly opposed it except onely Socinus and perhaps before him Adailerdus Whereas Socinus himself cannot but acknowledge that the Mediatour of the Old Testament Moses hath in some manner appeased by his intercession as Aaron and some other high-Priests by their Sacrifices Gods wrath against his people of Israel and yet will deny such power and vertue of the propitiation for our sins to the most-perfect Obedience Sacrifice and Intercession of our Mediatour and high-Priest Jesus Christ Who seeth not then that they intend arrogantly to prefer their own singular Interpretations before the manifest Word of God and the unanimous consent of the Universal Christian Church and thereby as much as lies in their power shake and subvert the very foundation of our chief consolation in Jesus Christ The Second Objection against the aforesaid Doctrine In the Second place may be objected against the aforesaid ground of Saving Truth and Unitie that neverthelesse the Primitive Christian Church hath condemned many Sects not onely for not receiving the plain words of the Scripture but also for refusing the Interpretations and words of the Church For example The ancient Arrians in the Councell of Nicen and others Chap. 8. for not receiving the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantial alledging that such a word was not to be found in the Scripture But we Answer to this That they were not condemned even for this bare word but rather because of their peculiar Arrian phrase and expressions and expositions concerning the created Divinitie of Christ Against whom the Orthodoxall and true-beleeving Church did very earnestly insist upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though not in the letter yet it is found in the Scripture more plainly and evidently and more conformably to the unanimous understanding and meaning which the Churches in the first three hundred yeers professed concerning the eternall God-head of Christ not that it was directly necessary unto Salvation but conducible to the confutation of the ambiguous terms and opinions of the Arrians Otherwise there hath been in those times true-beleeving Bishops who though they had rejected the Arrian Heresie concerning the created Divinitie of Christ and yet doubted of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not to be found literally in the Scripture were therefore not condemned but tolerated as weak in Faith This very same we may say of all other ancient Sectaries Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches Pelagius which were at all times condemned for their singular new fangled Interpretations out of the word of God according to the unanimous meaning and doctrine of the Churches in the first three or four hundred yeers CHAP. VIII That in the Reformed Churches no new Doctrin as necessary to Salvation is taught IN the third place it will be objected The Third Objection against the aformentioned Doctrine That we our selves defend many doctrines as necessary unto salvation which yet neither in the Scripture were so plainly expressed nor unanimously taught in the Primitive Church I will give but a touch in some few but principall Instances That we deny the free will in man the merits of good works and the Sacrifice of the Masse Which points were with one consent asserted of all ancient Fathers almost That we teach the Justification ex Solâ fide onely by Faith That we hold the
adhere to the ancient Catholick Apostolick Doctrine So that the principal difference betwixt us and the Papists and the Lutherans doth not properly concern the Doctrine which we for our part maintain as necessary unto salvation but onely the by-Doctrines and additions which they for their part have innovated and besides the Universal undoubted Christian Doctrine will inforce upon us as necessary but we reject either as false and erroneous or at least as unnecessary and doubtful For notwithstanding some new Interpretations of some place of the Scripture or some new opinions in some Controversie may be found amongst our Divines as they are very obvious and ordinary amongst the Papists and Lutheran-Divines yet by such singular Interpretation of some dark places of the Scripture no new Doctrine is introduced but grounded upon more evident Warrants Or though one or other should maintain some new opinions yet they are not pressed by them or by the Universal Church for necessary Doctrines but liberty is given therein for each ones opinion Yea there are some which are not approved of at all but rather rejected and set by Like as not onely we but the Papists themselves do not approve and allow of every thing expressed in the most ancient and principal monuments and writings of the Fathers But in case One or some of ours would cry up and urge their own singular opinions as necessary to salvation With those we should finde even as much fault as with the Papists and Lutherans Quidquid ille quamvis sanctus doctus quamvis Episcopus quamvis Confessor Martyr praeter omnes aut etiam contra omnes senserit id inter proprias occultas privatas opiniunculas à communis publicae as generalis sententiae authoritate secretum sit Vincent Licin commonit 2o. Conclusion of the first Part. BY all this what hitherto hath been declared every understanding and consciencious man may without partiality and passion judge and discern whether there is any lawful ground or reason to judge and condemn us or our Church as heretical because of our Doctrine and Religion Whereas we for our part prescribe not to other men any Doctrine as necessary unto salvation except onely what is so evidently and expresly grounded upon the Word of God that they themselves with us must receive for certain and undoubted or the Primitive Church hath received and taught unanimously nor contrary wise do we deny any Doctrine which is thus necessary Though we cannot acknowledge and receive each particular Interpretation or Inference which either of the different parties accounteth for necessary Now If we may not justly be judged or condemned for the very Doctrine of all our Churches in general much lesse may we be judged then for some different and controverted doctrine or expressions which peradventure have been maintained by particular Teachers and not generally approved by all the Churches or by our selves who are cryed down for Hereticks For it is said By thy words and not by other mens words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Matth. 12. v. 37. Much lesse then for such Doctrines which neither we nor any of ours have ever maintained but are laid to our charge by dreadful slanders or mis-construction and perversion of our words and meaning or by groundlesse vain Scholastick consequences and illations as that we deny Gods Truth Omnipotency Justice and Mercy that we make God to be an Hypocrite a Tyrant Author of sin yea a Divel and more such like unchristian inhumane and very diabolical calumnies which we for our part commit to the Supreme and Soveraign Judge and instead thereof we say with the Apostle to all those that are yet inclinable to Christian Peace and Unitie Let us not judge one another any more what art thou that judgest another mans Servant To his own Master he standeth or falleth There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another James 4. v. 12. And if it be that we shall not rashly judge one another with words how much worse is it then When they from a verbal judging fall at length to a cruell and bloody persecution with fire and sword or other violences against life goods honour and dignities When they not onely excommunicate and cut off from the Christian Church but if possibly could be exclude from mens society and extirpate from the face of the Earth those who onely professe Christ and his Word and will not heark and countenance humane doctrines and traditions This is the blood-thirsty course of Cain and Caiaphas whom God also in his due time will judge accordingly THE SECOND PART CHAP. IX Whether and how far we ought or are bound in conscience to judge others in matters of Religion AGainst all this The fourth objection against the aforesaid doctrine what hitherto we have declared concerning the rash and unseasonable judging and condemning in matters of Religion Many will object that yet we our selves use to judge and condemne others And not only the old Sects rejected by the Primitive Church but also the modern Roman Catholicks and the said Lutherans who never as yet have been heard much lesse judged or condemned in any universall Councell or other legall Ecclesiasticall Consistory and that neverthelesse we judge and condemne them not only with words but rather with deeds in regard we separate our selves from their Churches and Congregations perform our Divine Service in our peculiar Assemblies apart or reform whole Churches in their Doctrine and Ceremonies And that in such a manner that we give thereby a great scandall unto others causing by such separations or reformations at least a Schisme Division and Discord in the Christian Church whereof the Apostle both in the often cited place and else-where hath faithfully warned us Let us not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Wherefore having hitherto been informed by the first part of this Apostolicall rule Wherein and why we ought not to judge one another Let us now go on and learn also by the second part whether and how far we ought and are bound in conscience to judge in matters of Religion We also shall easily thereby discern which side of the modern dissenting parts transgresseth or exceedeth therein and which part is guilty of the pernicious Schisme Division and Separation and of the great scandall and other distractions of the modern Christian Church from thence arising And withall whether and which part ought PART II. or is bound in conscience to reforme the other in Doctrine and Religion Chap. 9. The Apostle teacheth us in the said place that we ought principally to judge this That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Where First is to be observed that this judging he speaketh of is referred rather to the matter to the works
deny or omit what God hath ordained and commanded Whereby we should give yet a more dangerous offence first to our own Conscience who have the knowledge thereof out of the Word of God and then to others whether they have the knowledge thereof or not not only to do against erroneus or weak but against true-beleeving Consciences and withall against Gods command it self IV. But most of all when such false Doctrine or Religion which God hath forbidden is pressed upon us not only as sound and true but as necessary unto salvation or on the contrary when the true sound Doctrine and worship which God hath commanded is forbidden and condemned not only as unnecessary or erroneous but even as hereticall Which also if we did confesse or practice that and did deny or omit this against Conscience would not only prove a common sinne and offence to our and our neighbours Conscience but also idolatry and a denying of God For since we ought not to give way that such things which God in the Gospel left free and indifferent unto us as for example the Mosaicall distinction of meats or the Circumcision which was injoyned to the people of Israel in the Law should be as necessary imposed on us lest we might seek our salvation without Christ Gal. 5 v. 1 2 3 4. How much lesse then ought we to countenance those things which God hath absolutely forbidden whereby we would seek our salvation not only without but against Christ and because of mens Traditions and Doctrines make Gods commandement of none effect Matth. 15. v. 6. Whether and how farre we may separate ourselves in the doctrine and religion of the erroneous Church V. From whence we conclude further when we because of such erroneous doctrine or Religion inforced upon us as necessary against the Word of God as much as in our conscience we may have knowledge of it are cried downe for Hereticks condemned excommunicated shut out and cut off from the Christian Church and the communion of the Saints That then we have not only good reason but also are in conscience bound and constrained of necessity and force to separate our selves and with-draw from that Church thus proceeding with us And not consequently those who of necessity as excommunicate and rejected men must separate themselves but those which do reject and force them to such a separation are properly guilty of the unjust uncharitable judging of mens Consciences and also of the scisme and division of all the miseries and distractions depending from the same VI. Yea that no man who in his Conscience acknowledgeth that this Doctrine is the truth of God which by such erroneous Churches or those that have charge over them is thus excommunicated and condemned may with a safe Conscience remaine in their outward communion and fellowship First because he cannot but play the Hypocrite and dissemble thereby against his own true beleeving Conscience and against the Word of God so that he would become to himselfe a heavie offence and stumbling blocke to his own conscience Then because he would also by his example be scandalous and offensive to other true beleevers who together with him did acknowledge the same and were excommunicated for it yea should strengthen and confirm their excommunication and condemnation as much as did lie in his power which certainly is a most grievous sinne not only against the confession of faith but against the Christian brotherly charitie Thirdly because he would also give an offence to the erring partie by confirming him both in such errours and in the uncharitable excommunication and condemnation with his own example and assent and by making himself partaker of their sinnes and persecutions VII Moreover when such Church or part of it although it doth maintaine such erroneous doctrine and religion yet inforceth it not upon ' its fellow-members as necessary nor excommunicateth or reiecteth them for it but in such erroneous points of doctrine permitteth the true-beleevers to inioy their liberty of conscience These then though they have reason to avoid and beware of the Communion of the erroneous doctrine and worship as of an abominable and pernicious leaven and to contradict it out of the word of God in due time and place with Christian charity and meeknesse yet in their other points of doctrine and Religion agreeable to the word of God ought not as yet utterly to withdraw and separate themselves from such a Church lest by their separation an occasion may be given to further scisme and division which many times is more prejudiciall and offensive then the errour it self Whereof we have set before our eyes not only the Prophets and other true-beleeving Israelites who lived in the idolatrous times at Bethel and during the Baal-service in Israel and yet not bowed their knees unto him But also the example of Christ himself and his Disciples before and after his ascension who did not separate themselvs from the Jewish Temple and Synagogues as long as they could be tolerated in them because of the leven of the Pharisees and Saduces yea the Lord rather exhorted them that though they should take heed and beware of the leven Mat. 16. v. 6. yet should labour to do and to observe whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees did bid them observe in Moses seat out of the law Matth. 23. v. 1 2. VIII Out of all this we inferre yet further When and how farre we may undergo the Refomation If not only private particular persons but whole Congregations or the greatest and principall part of them especially they that have charge over them acknowledge and discover by the Word of God any dangerous errour and abuse which hath peradventure taken root in them Whereby somewhat that is erroneous and pernicious is added or somewhat that is sound and necessary is diminished or perverted in the Vniversall indubitable saving doctrine and worship That then they have good reason yea are bound in their Conscience and function to reform such dangerous abuses and errours according to the Word of God and the example of the Primitive undoubted Apostolicall Church yea withall to exhort and animate out of Gods Word other Congregations unto like Reformation lest they cast any further stumbling block and occasion to fall both in their own and their posterities way Deut. 13. Jos 22. Judg. 6. v. 10. 1 Sam. 7. 1 Chron. 13. 15. 2 Chron. 15. 17. 29. 30. 31. 34. c. 1 Cor. 5. v. 7. 11. v. 16. Gal. 5. v. 1.10 Revel 2. v. 5.14 15.24 3. v. 2 3. Yet so that they do not therefore rashly condemn other particular Churches which do not acknowledge such errours but rather carefully endeavour to conserve the bond of Christian charity and unity in the rest of the Universall undoubted Doctrine till they are likewise edified by their example and delivered from such dangerous errours But if other particular Churches are so much scandalized and offended at such
points of their doctrine and Ceremonies to be ereoneous and false and if not directly yet by a necessary consequence repugnant to the word of God and some Articles of faith Neverthelesse if but they who have not the knowledge yet of such consequence account their owne opinions agreeable to Scripture might not impose them or theirs as necessary Articles of faith but let us enjoy therein our liberty of Conscience If they also would leave to our freedome such Ceremonies of theirs as they themselves will have held as free indifferent things and consequently would tolerate and receive us and our teachers as true Christians or at least as weake brethren in faith though we cannot assent to their owne peculiar opinions as some peaceable Divines amongst them Paulus Eberus David Chytraeus Christopherus Donaver Nicolaus Hemmingius and principally Philippus Melanchton besides many others of his Followers yea whole Congregations and Churches especially in the Kingdom of Poland and great Dutchy of Lithuania a great while since have declared themselves Wee should then have no reason at all yea we were rather to be blamed and should be Schismaticks indeed if we of our owne accord should with-draw and separate our selves from them because of such different opinions and Ceremonies Of whom we yet acknowledge and confesse that for the rest if they doe not make their owne opinions to be necessary fundamentall points they retaine with us the true ground of Christs saving Doctrine and are exempted in their Religion from a publick and manifest Idolatrie And for these reasons have our Churches and Divines at all times most faithfully earnestly and zealously sought to procure and settle a Christian reconcilement and Unitie as formerly in Luthers time in the conference at Marpurg An. 1529 in the Concordia at Wittenberg Anno 1536. and in later years the Palatine and others in their Declarations for Ecclesiasticall peace which also were reassumed in the Conference at Leiprig Anno 1631. As likewise at those present times many eminent Divines beyond Sea in England France and Scotland whose opinions and assistance therein as that Reverend and worthy man Mr. Iohn Duray hath solicited with a singular industry and zeale to a peaceable Unitie and Reconcilement faithfully and sincerely wish advise in their publick Writings such an Unanimitie Uniformitie amongst the Churches in Germany Whence it sufficiently appeareth that we for our part are not inclined to judge and to condemne the Lutherans or to continue in the division and separation from them which hath lasted already above a hundred years Againe it is knowne and manifest on the other side that the Lutherans on their part will hearken and condescend not only to no absolute agreement and reconcilement but also to no Christian and brotherly toleration or moderation in this unhappy Ecclesiasticall difference Because the greater part of their Doctors and Divines upom whom also many Lay-men depend especially the vulgar sort though with indiscretion and defend their zeale maintain their different and controverted opinions not only as agreeable with Scripture but impose them also as necessary grounds and principall Articles of Christian faith without which men may not be counted true Christians nor be saved And so in some manner falsifie therwith the ground-work it self by their owne additionall opinions which they lay for a By-ground of salvation And will not let us effectually injoy our Liberty in such ceremonies which they themselves call adiaphora free indifferent things nor consequently receive us or our teachers as fellow-Christians unlesse wee acknowledge and professe with them the Omnipresence of Christs body the carnall eating thereof in the bread and other such like points of doctrine contained in their formula concordiae much lesse admit us to the Ministery but most vehemently condemne us as the worst Hereticks who doe ovorthrow the foundation and exclude us from the Communion of their Churches yea in many places exclude us from civill society from dignities and offices from Senates from priviledges of the Citie from marriages and from honourable burials Moreover they yet daily and most spightfully pervert calumniate and slander the Doctrine of our Church and continually and most unjustly without the least ground against our owne so often reiterated Declarations charge it with dreadfull and abominable Blasphemies which neither Luther himselfe nor other his Ancient followers ever did and for no other reason but that they might pretend so much more cause for to condemne and reject us What is most reprovable in Lutheran Divines And this is that we finde in the said Lutherans most reprovable and damnable not simply the erroneous Doctrine in it selfe but that they make it a necessary fundamentall Doctrine and of their owne particular Opinions make Articles of Faith and that they therefore so uncharitably and un-Christian like judge and condemne us Why the Reformed must separate themselves from the Lutherans Whereby also every one may evidently see that we therefore have not onely good reason but are of necessity constrained to separate our selves in our Religion from those who will by no means tolerate us nor receive us as Christians least we professe and addict our selves against conscience to such Doctrines and acknowledge them as necessary Articles of saving Faith whereof we have not onely no certaine warrant from the word of God but are convinced in our consciences of their repugnancy to it Wherewith we would give a dangerous scandall and offence first to our own Conscience by denying the knowne Truth of God and then to other fellow Christians as well to the true-Beleevers who with us have the knowledge of the Truth that they might by our example proceed against conscience as to the erring that they might be strengthened and confirmed by our example in their errours And here againe we are not those that separate themselves from them but they are those that Separate and reject us and yet not because of the manifest Word of God as they pretend but because of their owne Opinions Interpretations Inferences Formaâ—ls and Expressions Whereby they put a very dangerous stumbling block and occasion to fall both in our and their owne way yea in the way of the Universall Christian Church and though they proceed not against the ground of Faith yet they are against the ground of CHRISTIAN CHARITIE Especially whereas also the Christian Unitie or brotherly toleration which hath been of our side offered to them at severall times both by word of mouth and in writring not onely hitherto hath been utterly refused by them but also by many mis-interpreted to the worst reviled slandered so that the most pernicious Schism and breach of the Church is but grown thereby more dangerous lamentable Which al we ought to beare yet with a Christian Patience committing it to the Soveraigne and highest Judge and therefore not omit to seeke and maintaine the Unitie of spirit in Faith and love with them that are peaceably affected Some Lutheran Divines are
least not without prejudice and occasion unto Idolatry and therefore are more safely omitted by us And this will not serve for an excuse to those who now adayes against their conscience go to Masse out of a meer hypocrisie and fear of men because that it is so vehemently pressed upon us from the Papists meerly for to give assent to their errour and Idolatry that we must adore the consecrated Hostie in the hand of the Masse-Priest as Christ himself and put our hope and confidence in that Masse-Christ whom he hath formed out of bread with five words and offereth for us again Neither may this clear the rest of Papists from Idolatry who now adayes with such a blinde zeal impose and presse this Adoration and Sacrifice of the Bread instead of Christ Nor those in general who build their salvation upon their Popish Doctrine and commandments of men which they have added to the true ancient Catholick Divine Doctrine and obstinately adhere thereunto without searching and receiving the Truth especially when therefore they uncharitably condemn and persecute other Christians which cleave onely to Gods Commandment and Doctrine Of whom we may judge in general that in this manner they are in a damnable condition yet so that we hope of every one in particular judicio charitatis that God may convert him yet before his end Whereas there is no doubt but many thousands even amongst themselves who in the time of their life have been most vehemently zealous against us have at length in their last agony learned to acknowledge that they could finde no certain comfort for their souls in all those auxiliary means of salvation which they so fiercely maintained but ought onely to seek their total happinesse and salvation in the meer grace and merey of God so that though they lived as Papists yet at last died Evangelical Christians Whether and how far the Lutherans may be saved in their Religion Whatsoever now hath been said of the Papists that may we apply so much more to the Lutherans because they absolutely agree with us in this principal and chief Point of saving fundamental Doctrine and are otherwise exempted in their Religion from all exteriour Idolatry Wherefore if they onely build their salvation upon such fundamental Doctrine of Faith in Christ Jesus and labour withall to testifie their Faith with Christian charity and godly conversation so that they do not uncharitably condemn nor persecute us but rather diligently search in the rest of different Points into Gods Truth and Doctrine revealed in his Word and having attained the knowledge of it to be ready most willingly to professe and receive it We cannot then condemn them for their often-mentioned errour which they meerly out of humane weaknesse and ignorance stick unto Of what sort of Lutherans are those who live in a dangerous condition of their souls Neverthelesse this may by no means excuse those who 1. will have their own erroneous or at least controverted opinions to be most necessary fundamental Doctrines and Articles of Faith and consequently astrain and binde in some manner both theirs and other Christians salvation thereunto 2. So that Others do not onely not receive us for fellow Christians but judge and condemn us as unfaithful Hereticks who 〈◊〉 in our consciences allow of such their pretended Articles Whereby tâ—â—y â—â—â—er and destroy the Christian Unitie and Ecclesiastical Peace as much as lieth in their power 3. Not onely condemn and cut us off from the Communion of the Christian Church but uncharitably persecute us though not in lives yet in honours and goods by excluding us from the Political Society 4. Especially When they do it not meerly out of humane infirmity and ignorance or out of a false information of our Doctrine and Faith but partly out of obstinacy and malice So that they will not suffer nor hearken to a better Instruction of Truth much lesse search into it themselves in the Word of God Or although they have partly been informed and heard it yet stop their eares and hearts before the Truth out of sinful corrupted affections out of hatred and envy against men out of contention ambition private interest and the like Yea against their own conscience obscure pervert and calumniate it with all sort of slanders detractations and aspersions or intricate Sophistries Of these and like persons we cannot generally out of the Word of God judge any thing else but that they in this manner live in a very dangerous yea damnable state not simply because of the errour it self but because they partly pervert through such errour the ground of Faith in regard they make their own particular opinions to be fundamental Doctrines partly dissolve the bond of Christian charity in regard they judge and condemn other Christians by reason of them But he that doth this not out of a meer ignorance and weaknesse of understanding but out of malice of heart not we but God alone is able to know and discern him Wherefore we ought not rashly to judge and determine of any certain person 5. Those also who though they have had a sufficient knowledge of the Truth in their hearts and yet will not openly professe it out of shame before men or out of other carnal respects are almost in a more dangerous case then the erring themselves because they proceed therein against their own conscience and make themselves guilty of the Lords Sentence Whosoever shall deny me before men or be ashamed of me and of my words him I will also deny Matth. 10. v. 3. Mark 8. v. 38. For not onely he that denieth against his conscience the whole Doctrine of Christ but also he that denieth but one Point of it which he hath known out of the Word of God for mens sake who oppose and condemn it he hath partly denied thereby Christ and been ashamed of his words And whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. vers 19. For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Gal. 5. vers 8. They burden also therewith their conscience with the woe and curse which is pronounced against all unrighteous judgement because against their conscience they call evil good and good evil Isai 5. vers 20 23. and decline after many to wrest Judgement Exod. 23. vers 2. For if men be obnoxious to that curse when they peradventure in temporal judicial matters judge unjustly betwixt private persons or following the multitude incline and assent to unrighteous judgement How much more he that doth it in matters of Religion when the Doctrine of â—â—â—ist is disputed and controverted betwixt whole Churches There we ought to labour as much as is possible by fair means to reconcile the different parties and not rashly to judge and condemn the erring Yet not so that we wrest or pervert the Judgement or assent to the injust partie with words or works in their errour and contrarywise withdraw
and separate us from the righteous party in the profession of the Truth calling good evil and light darknesse Cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the stranger fatherlesse and widow Deuteron 27. vers 19. Should he then not be guilty also of the curse that would wilfully pervert or deny the judgement of the Church yea the Judgement and Truth of God Whereby they also though in their own persons they might not be inclinable to condemn and persecute any man would yet make themselves by their assent partakers of the condemnation and persecution which proceedeth from others who according to the prophesie of Christ shall hate and reproach us separate us from their company and cast out our name as evil Luke 6. vers 22. To let passe how they scandalize others in their conscience by such dissembling and denying both the true beleevers from whom they separate themselves and the erring whom they confirm with their example in the errour whereas they might have induced and perswaded them by a free profession of the known Truth at least to a further inquisition or also to a brotherly reconciliation Now although we cannot generally judge any thing else of the obstinate erring and of such dissembling persons but that they in this manner live in a dangerous condition of their souls and even for this reason we exhort them as tenderly as they love their own salvation to the knowledge and profession of Truth or at least to the mitigation of their uncharitablenesse Yet we may not therefore instantly and rashly condemn the persons but rather hope and pray to God he may if not now by our admonition yet finally before their last gasp illuminate and bring the erring unto the knowledge of the Truth or unto Christian love and reconciliation and move the dissembling to a sound and wholesome Confession Conclusion of the second Part. NOw by the Declaration of this Apostolick Rule even the most unlearned Christian may sufficiently learn both what and how far we ought not to judge and what and how far we ought to judge in controverted and different matters of Religion The Sum and result of it is this 1. We ought to judge and condemn none as Unbeleeving if he doth but closely retain the Universal Undoubted Fundamental Doctrine of Faith and love of Christ which is necessary for all men unto Salvation 2. Although he doth not receive our own or our particular Churches and Teachers Opinions and Interpretations which we acknowledge as agreeable to Scripture and necessary for us to beleeve because he hath no knowledge of them as yet out of the Word of God 3. On the contrary although he adheres to his own or his particular Churches and Teachers singular Opinions which he esteemeth to be consonant to Scripture and necessary for him to beleeve Yet to such Opinions which are uncertain or unnecessary or erroneous also and repugnant to the Word of God or to the saving fundamental Doctrine it self by a necessary consequence 4. As long as he doth not acknowledge such consequence and retaineth but the fundamental Doctrine it self positively and without any mutilation and doth also not erre out of malice of heart but onely out of weaknesse of understanding 5. As long as he doth not make quite fundamental Doctrines of them nor imposeth them on others as necessary neither judgeth and condemneth others therefore or disturbeth the Church of God with prejudicial and unnecessary disputes 6. As long also as he doth not obstinately reject better information but rather laboureth to search further the Truth in the Word of God and to testifie his Faith by Christian charity and godly conversation So that he is not to be accounted for an obstinate unfaithful schismatical heretick but for a weak Beleever and erring Brother Contrarywise 1. They that will have their own erroneous or controverted and unnecessary opinions to be necessary fundamental Doctrines in so much that they repose their comfort and hope of salvation in them 2. Which they also inforce upon others as necessary fundamental Doctrines or judge condemn exclude and separate from the Communion of the Christian Church others therefore whereby they cause Schisms and Divisions in the Church of God 3. Especially such opinions which are not onely doubtful and erroneous but also repugnant to the true undoubted Articles of Faith and fundamental Doctrine if not directly and expresly yet by a necessary consequence 4. They also who cruelly and uncharitably persecute others because of such humane opinion and thereby occasionate not onely Schisms in the Church but distempers and distractions in Common-wealths 5. And that not meerly out of ignorance and humane infirmity but out of a wilful blindnesse and malice so that they will not hearken nor receive any information of the Truth much lesse search into it themselves but obstinately oppose it out of carnal blinded affections Those we may and must thus far judge out of the Word of God First Concerning the matter it self That we no wayes make our selves partakers of such errours and other sins arising from thence but had rather be condemned rejected separated and persecuted by them lest we may become a stumbling block and offence first to our own then to other true beleeving or erring consciences Secondly As much as concerneth the persons That though we cannot judge any thing else of such persons in general but that they in this manner are in a dangerous and damnable condition yet we condemn none in particular First Because we cannot directly discern in no man whether he doth erre out of humane weaknesse or obstinate malice Secondly Because though he did erre out of malice yet we ought still to hope seek and pray to God for his conversion and commit the judgement concerning him to the Soveraign Judge Would to God That all that are called Christians or at least Catholicks and Evangelical did agree with us herein with one minde seeing that all those that will not proceed against conscience nor parallel and equal mens words with Gods word neither place themselves in Gods Tribunal must herein agree Then the Christian love and peaceablenesse would raign instead of this unhappy Schism cruel distraction and lamentable devastation of Christendom And the easiest and safest way be opened unto right Christian Unitie in the Doctrine of Truth instead of the manifold dissensions and differences in Doctrine and Religion The Apostle Paul hath not onely most earnestly and faithfully exhorted us all in general and especially the Romane Church to which he directeth his Epistle but also added most efficacious and pregnant motives thereunto Wherefore let us not judge one another any more Why That is evident by the precedent words We shall all stand before the Judgement-Seat of Christ So then every one of us shall give accompt of himself to God Rom. 14. v. 10 12. Like as he writeth to the Corinthians Therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. v. 5. If we had that great day of Judgement of the Lord continually set before our eyes especially the Divines and Ecclesiasticks who before all others should be the Sons of Peace Luke 16. v. 6. yea the true Ambassadours of Peace Isai 33. v. 7. 52. v. 7. Nah. 1. v. 15. whereas many are Authors of most of the disturbances in the Christian Church by their unchristian judging and condemning They would not be so rash and severe in judging one another but every one would first think and consider with himself how we shall give once an accompt of our selves before that Tribunal And though we must judge for conscience sake because of our function yet we should not more rigourously judge others then we our selves desire to be judged by the Lord viz. not for our ignorances nor for our weaknesse not for every faulty word nor according to other mens words or traditions of men or humane opinions yea not after the severity of Gods Law nor uncertain doubtful Interpretations of the Word of God But onely according to the undoubted saving Gospel of Grace and Truth of Christ in Fatherly goodnesse tendernesse grace and mercy Wherefore we conclude with the words of the Apostle James 2. v. 12 13. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty For he shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy And mercy rejoyceth against judgement To him the Father of Judgement and Father of Mercy be adscribed all honour and praise for ever and ever Amen FINIS