in their Inquisitory practises and whether so long as they are hardned and confirmed by us there be any likelihood that the Gospel should take footing in Spain or Italy Ans. Our Doctrine and practise are no encouragement to Spanish and Romish Inquisitions no more than the execution of Justice upon Malefactors may be called encouragement to the bloodiness of wicked men against honest righteous persons Let Justice be done what ever become of it said that famous Emperour upon good ground The great favour shewed to the Irish Papists against the Laws of God and man before the late unparallel'd Rebellion did no good but much hurt to all sorts The pampering of a foul body is no good way to the curing of it but effectuall physick diet and dressing Evil men will take advantage from and offence at the best things as good men will extract good out of the worst Spain and Italy were awed in Queen Elizabeths time when good Laws were vigorously prosecuted against perverters and pretenders of conscience who carried on hellish designes under specious disguises But the sinfull compliances of King James and King Charles Courts though from pretended depths of politick interest proved fatall to all as in these Nations so in foreign parts Thereby were very many thousands of Protestants betrayed and deserted in Bohemia and the Palatinate in France and Germany in Denmark and Hassia c. Thereby were these Nations almost enslaved under Romish and Spanish tyranny and the Reformed Religion brought to its last gasp if an extraordinary hand of heaven had not made way towards our hopes of recovery in the severall parts of Europe Spain and Italy have been the Mother and Nurse of Antichrist from his first rise hitherto which way soever you please to reckon it Some begin about Anno 396. at the division of the Roman Empire after the death of Theodosius the Great between his sons Honorius and Arcadius Others begin about Anno 408. when the Empire was torn into ten parts by the barbarous invasions of the Huns and Goths Vandals and Franks Heruls and Burgundians Alemans and Jepids c. which gave rise to that ten-horned Beast in Politicals and to that two horned Beast in Ecclesiasticals Others rather begin it about Anno 607. when Mahomet did rise in the East and Bonifacius the Romish Prelate in the West first obtained the Title of Universall Bishop from bloody Phocas who gave it him to gain a friend in the West who soon overtopp'd all Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome Bonifacius his Predecessor had declared a while before the Patriarch of Constantinople to be the fore-runner of Antichrist for usurping that Title of Universall Bishop The Italian and Spanish Churches did suck in apace the multiplicious Errors and Idolatrous Superstitions which did from time to time infest Christianity witness the many Councils and Synods of Rome Braga Toledo Sevill and of other Cities of Spain and Italy in their successive progress Since the setting up of the Austrian family first in the German Empire and in the Kingdom of Spain both Italy and Spain have been twisting into one Antichristian interest though some particular States and Princes of Italy sometimes be over-ruled by their own proper byas And the Jesuites of all Nations have learned to center all their designes in the advancement of the same for the framing of a new European Monarchy under an Austrian Head and the Popes guidance All their mysteries of State their Arcana Imperii move towards this Head-plot in every Nation They have knit so fast into mutuall intimacy that what the one gains shall help the other Thus were Navarre and France England and America given up to the Spaniard by the Popes bounty under pretence of executing his Holinesses decrees There is therefore little hopes of doing them any good or expecting converts there Their doom seems to have been signally foretold That they should not repent neither by fair nor foul means whilst the judiciall Vials of Gods wrath are pouring forth upon that Antichristian Sun the Austrian family and on Rome it self the Metropolitan Seat of that Antichristian Beast This our brave Queen Elizabeth with her wise Council did still well observe maintaining all in a flourishing state by keeping the Spaniard and Pope at the swords point They clearly discerned the interest of England to lie in uniting of all Protestants and keeping all close to the truth and waies of Christ against the renewed combinations of Spain and Rome Some few sprinklings of converts have indeed formerly been found in those places as Zanchius Peter Martyr the Noble Marquess Caracciolus of Vico c. But of late they have been much rarer since the desperate Inquisition the Spaniards right eye as he cals it hath been so exquisitely cruell and tyrannicall Thus the nearer they draw to their dregs the worse they prove It 's observable that the great Merchants of the Beast the Spanish and Italian Grandees are not amended by her ruine but only cast into despairing horrors and lamentations So that little hope is left us of doing them good upon any terms though we be still bound and ready to pray for them and further their good who may be found there to belong to God so farre as we may go without neglect of our duty and without breach of Gods Law which hath been sufficiently cleared as to the Magistrates charge in the preceding Discourse Qu. 13. Whether it be wisdom and safe to make such Judges in matters of Religion and to follow their dictates who are not infallible but as subject to errours as others Ans. In this our Querist begins more overtly to open his Romish pack and usher in a Popish infallibility from the triple Crown for supream Judge of all Controversies This insinuation would make Protestants believe that there is neither wisdom nor safety in their Religion and consequently that they must be looked for from that Church alone where they pretend that Judge to be found that is in their own Thus the Papist and Quaker do boast of that most whereto they are the greatest strangers viz. Perfection and Infallibility We indeed confess our selves at the best subject to errour and pretend not to be infallible Judges We would not seem wiser than Paul who knew but in part 1 Cor. 13. 12. or better than James and John who tell us that in many things we sin all both in opinion and practice But what then Who shall be Judge of the meaning of Scripture We answer 1. The Spirit of truth speaking in his Word is the supream infallible Judge 2. Where he seems to speak obscurely his words in the context scope and other places must be compared to clear his meaning to our shallow judgements 3. Much industry study and sobriety are required to attain thereto in sundry places yet the Fundamentals of Religion are plainly laid down for the meanest capacity The Lamb may
by Inspirations Dreams Visions Oracles Paternall Traditions c. and from Moses time saw it fit to give it in writing for a sure Record to all Ages by inspiring and inditing the same upon the Spirits and by the Pens of his holy Prophets and Apostles successively in an immediate infallible and extraordinary manner Thence are we said to be built upon their doctrinal or Scriptural foundation holding forth Christ as we are properly on Christ himself the personal foundation held forth by them These Writings are called the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament containing all things needfull to the salvation of Gods Elect and the common good of man called therefore his Laws and Statutes Ordinances and Precepts Testimonies and Judgements c. being the perfect Rule of Truth and Grace faith and obedience Gods mercy and mans duty requiring from man truth mental oral and actual i. e. a due conformity of every thought word and work to that truth of God declared III. The Actual Truth of God is manifested in all his Works of Creation and Providence carrying on a constant perfect conformity to Gods intentional Truth as also to his verbal in order to his supream End his own glory by the seasonable and admirable dispensations of all his Attributes especially mercy and justice towards men and Angels in the most wise holy and powerfull preserving of all his creatures and all their actions as they were all created of nothing by the Word of his power in the space of six daies and all very good Errour then being a crooked deviation of mans judgement from the truth of God revealed will admit of several degrees and considerations according to the varieties and imports of that truth and mans deviating from it Some truth is natural some moral some spiritual about external internal and eternal things Some are Fundamental of salvation some supra fundamentall or juxta others more circumstantial and superficial Errours in Fundamentals about the perfection of God the Trinity of Divine Persons Christ the Mediatour God-man the fall of man his forlorn state his absolute need of regeneration faith repentance obedience as also of the sufficiency of Scripture of mans eternal state c. are properly called Heresies which if obstinately persisted in after due means used of reclaiming such render men unfit for Christian communion Supra-fundamental Truths are the next built on them which admit of various debates among the Learned Errours against them are dangerous but not so pernicious as the former especially if the person erring be humble and teachable Such are many points of worship discipline c. Circumstantial Truths are more external about place and time order and manner c. expressed in that usuall Verse Quis quid ubi quibus anxiliis cur quomodo quando Errours against these are bad but nothing like the former This needful explication will clear and answer to the Query The punishment for errour is not to exceed the nature of that errour and the manner of holding it whether Ecclesiastically by the Church or Civilly by the Magistrate The truth of God gives a rule for all such cases either in express words or in clear consequence to be exactly studied and observed by all persons concerned so that the ends of that punishment be attended viz. Gods honour and the publick good with the parties also as farre as may be The Church meddles not with Civil censures such as imprisoning having its proper way of Admonition Suspension Excommunication c. for its offending members Imprisonment and other corporal punishments for errours require a sufficient cause as in case of herefie endangering mens souls disturbing Gods service and the publick peace c. A godly Magistrate will be heartily glad never to meet with such occasions but when he doth as he cannot but be often forced to in this revolting age it concerns him to attend those forementioned ends with zeal and prudence lest foolish pity spoil the City and lest seeming gentleness prove real cruelty to many Destructive errours specially blasphemous ones are the malignant humours of mens consciences which endanger them and thousands besides in their eternal state Such persons especially if obstinate are the very plagues of the body Politick endangering the whole What mischiefs may not such Pests procure if without restraint as sad experience shew'd in the Familists crue whereof Henry Nichols was leader followed by Hacket Coppinger and Arthington till Hackets execution and Arthingtons recantation had repressed the fury thereof in Q Elizabeths time The Grundletonians in Yorkshire acted divers such mad pranks as Valentinus Basilides and the Carpocratians of old were wont Out of the North have we had the like Impostors of late to confirm the Proverb Omne malum ab Aquilone Such phrenetick persons had need be closely kept and look'd to for their own and others good Such mad folks cannot be kept from hurt but by being kept from company If restraint may seem to endanger their bodies they must thank themselves so long as care is taken for sutable accommodations It were to be wished that fair means might prevent that rigor but if the Patient by his folly necessitate his Chirurgion to bind and wound him who must be blamed If such belong to God he will bless that very dressing to the humbling and healing of them whether in the seventh or eleventh hour he best knows how to order it to the fulfilling of his eternal purpose on such vessels of mercy to be prepared for glory through grace Thus Manasseh that bloody wretch was changed in his prison and not till then His heart was there broken and cured wonderfully The hammer of that weighty punishment drave home to the head into his heart the many instructions of Gods Word which he had so long heard and despised being guided by the hand of Christs Spirit Thus the believing thief repented at his execution The prodigall child came not to himself till his misery justly procured was sanctified of God to the opening of his eyes England hath had experience of some late Quakers horriby blaspemous much reclaimed by the prison and lash and Ireland knows others of that tribe who are come back again to sobriety by the sense of that poverty whereinto their idle courses and ill companions had reduced them But if any such grow worse still as is the usual lot of such seducers by a dreadfull judgement of heaven it will fall on their own heads and that penalty will do others much good if it do them but little It may deter many from the like excess so that paena ad paucos proves terror ad omnes It keeps them from doing more mischief and from increasing their sins and eternal sufferings thereby Though Lions and Bears nature be not changed by their chains yet is their
that juncture of affairs required It will be the joy of all Gods friends to see more of the like among us Their success mentioned so remarkably in the context will not be far from us whilst we keep close to God in their way But how farre are our Querists friends from following that good example Do they labour still to disgrace and discourage faithfull Magistrates and Ministers from promoting it Is it not their business day and night every where to obstruct and disturb it what they can If they seem of late to be grown more mild and reserved we may thank the care of such Magistrates who have given them cause to fear the deserved lash Their poyson is but refined by this change and made more taking Ans. 3. He answers again The Kings of Israel had extraordinary Prophets to direct them infallibly Our Kings and Governours have none such to direct them Reply We reply Though many of them had such yet even then the Standard of all Doctrine and Worship was the Law and the Testimony thereby all spirits and pretended Prophets were to be tried The like have we now in Gospel-daies even a more sure word of Prophesie a word surer than the greatest Revelations mentioned in that context of Peter a word sufficient every way to compleat the man of God in the knowledge and doing of his will This is our Doctrinal foundation our infallible Judge whereby all spirits and Doctrines are to be tried If any teach otherwise though he should be an Angel from heaven he is accursed We need then no infallible Prophets or Apostles seeing we have that sure word of theirs which the Spirit of Truth spoke and writ by them confirmed by their miracles and hath infallibly made the perfect rule of our faith and life all differing interpretations thereof may and must be reconciled by the light of that unerring spirit which is inseparable from his Word Though fallible men mistake often yet the sense of Christs Spirit in his Word is clear and sure still Though blind eyes see not at all and sore eyes see but dimly though blood-shot eyes will see amiss the light of that Sun is alwaies clear and sure Though some expressions may seem obscure yet the rest duly compared will sufficiently clear them Though the self-conceited and proud will wrest and mistake it yet the humble will God teach Though a corrupt mind will extract poyson as a spider out of flowers errour out of truth by poysoning it yet Christs Spirit will lead his people thereby into all Truth needfull for them to know Though the carnal heart will still be ignorant yet the teachable heart by that anointing from above will be taught all things gradually proportionably and seasonably so that he shall not need to be taught by any Sect master or Pharisaical Teacher or infallible Pope as too many have been and are still Though this Gospel be hid to them that perish whose eyes are blinded by sin and Satan yet is it plain to him that understands and is tractable in the School of Christ Though it may prove a savour of death to reprobate consciences yet is it still the sweet savour of Christ to his Disciples Though worldly spirits will slight and abuse the simplicity thereof yet spiritual hearts will admire and improve still the Majesty of it Though the perverse minde will account it a self-contradicting word yet the rational Christian will find it still most harmonious in its whole composure Though a vain soul will finde it to be a killing letter yet the wise heart will finde it experimentally to have a most quickning Spirit Though the superficial Reader will finde its shell and bark to be hard and knotty yet the studious Christian will tast the sweetness and tenderness of its kernell and marrow Though deluded Impostors will pervert it still to the taking off the Magistrate from his duty about the first Table yet the Lords servants shall finde every part thereof to be an eminent motive to quicken direct and enable all Superiours to the faithfull preserving and vindicating of it Ans. 4. He answers fourthly The Kings and Rulers of Israel did not imprison Schismaticks Pharisees Herodians Reply 1. The Law of God directed his servants then to dispense all censures in a way proportionable to the nature of the offence and condition of the offender which faithfull Magistrates observed as hundred instances might demonstrate The King to that end was commanded to have a Copy of the Law by him to direct him still daily Reply 2. As there were divers sorts of Hereticks which the Lords Word bound over to just penalties so was there variety of Schismaticks raised up by Satan to rend the Church as the Hereticks work was to poyson it for a just execution on the spirits of such as had not received the Truth in the love thereof that they might be saved God gave them up to strong delusions to beleeve lies as he doth daily Because they voluntarily separated from God and his Truth to give up themselves to the service of sinne and Satan he justly gave them up to a perverse spirit to break them into fractions and factions both in Church and State even as he doth now by sad experience Because they would not be separated from the evil of men he permitted them to follow those seducers that drove on their own interest by separating from good men Doth he not so still Because they wilfully chose heaps of Teachers self-called to serve their fansies and lusts God also chose their delusions to give them up to the efficaciousness of deceit Is it not so still Because they refused and abused the lights of his own setting up was it not just with him to leave them in darkness to abuse themselves and others even as it 's now Thus Gods refusals are still the devils choice and they that forsake his waies cannot escape the devils crooked paths Whilst Authority kept all in their places close to the Word and Waies of God Jerusalem the Metropolis of Church and State was a glorious and harmonious City But as fast as they declined in their zeal of Gods house towards worldly Politicks they ushered in as fast all sorts of discords and discontents Civil and Ecclesiastical Josephus their Historian and many others compared with Scripture Records will fully demonstrate this to the judicious Reader As before their Babylonian Captivity so after it they gradually lost Purity then Peace inclining still towards Errour and Discord Thence the direfull separations of Pharez and Sadock the Ringleaders of so many Myriads into Pharisaism and Sadducism followed close by the Monkish Essens and the Politick Herodians those State separatists The like befell the Christian Churches in the very Apostles daies and successively more and more The sinfull separations of the Novatians Acesians Donatists c. with
by neglect of his own duty Salomon is charged for going after Ashtaroth because he gave his wives leave to do it and joined therein afterwards himself The Toleration of the High-places though they were for worship to God only 2 Chron. 33. 17. yet it was the sin of those Princes that suffered it a long time being contrary to Gods Law Deut. 12. 11 12 13. God charges it even on godly eminent Reformers as Asa Jehoshaphat c. till Josias Gamaliels counsel pleaded by some will prove a poor shelter of fig-leaves to cover such a sinfull nakedness of permitting known evil with such a neutrall spirit What wickedness might not be pleaded for by the same reason A Christian indeed should be meek and patient 1 Cor. 13. in a good way but not to the neglect of his duty against evil which was Eli's great sin who therein honoured his sons more than God 1 Sam. 2. 29. it cost him them and all Israel dear for a warning to us all Eccl 8. 11. Sinfull Tolleration brings wofull augmentation of evil still We must do to others it 's true as we would be done to so that Gods will and mans duty be not neglected The Law indeed is not to the righteous or against the righteous as righteous but it 's laid against all unrighteousness whether reigning or remaining in any Paul himself was not without the Law but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9. 21. Jam. 2. 8. We should have a tender care of tender consciences but a most tender care of Gods pleasure and honour the sole rule and source of mans duty and good Vnfaithfull tenderness is cruell pity both to the patient and others The Magistrate is Lord of the externall man for good though not of any mans faith mans soul being above his reach whereof faith is a speciall act He infringes no Christian liberty when he checks sinfull Libertinism miscalled liberty prosecution of evil is no persecution of good If Papists and others take occasion to abuse any from hence so do they abuse and pervert Scripture and all good things We must not think to do Jews or others good by doing or tollerating evil Gods cause needs not be beholding to the devils help nor will it be furthered thereby White witches are alwaies most mischievous in the conclusion The Magistrates authoritative owning of the truth is not like to hinder the progress thereof he may possibly mistake and therefore needs all meet help being accountable to God for the matter and manner of his work What other Objections are moved against this Truth may be more fully answered in the following Resolves Decemb. 22. 1656. C. G. THE Libertine School'd OR A VINDICATION OF THE Magistrates Power in matters of RELIGION IN Answer to the Fallacious Queries of a Nameless Author lately spread about the City of Limrick For Detection of those Mysterious Designs so vigorously fomented if not begun among us by Romish Engineers and Jesuitick Emissaries under Notionall Disguises Thus begins our Querist Qu. 1. WHether it be not better for us that a Patent were granted to Monopolize all the Corn and Cloth and to have it measured out unto us at their price and pleasure which yet were as intollerable as for some men to appoint and measure out unto us what and how much we shall believe and practise in matters of Religion Ans. 1. The whole may be granted without danger as it 's expressed 2. If we may guess that their meaning by their scope is to shew by this comparison the unreasonableness of the Magistrates inforcing in Religious matters then we answer by shewing the fallacy of the comparison in setting forth the true parallel The Lord is the absolute Sovereign of all things Civil and Sacred man is not so in neither yet is the Magistrate the Lords servant to enforce by Civil power the disposall of things in both as God hath appointed in his Word For things Civil it 's easily granted for Sacred matters besides many other signall instances given in both Testaments by way of precept and promise prefiguration and president see Deut. 13. 5. Deut. 17. 2 3 4 5 6. Ezra 6. 11. 12. Ezra 7. 6 11 25 26 27. compare those verses together proving the Kings grant to be an answer to Ezra's request for constituting Magistrates with coercive power in Religious things in Gods Name Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. Zech. 13. 3 4 5 6. a Prophesie of Gospel times 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Isa. 49 23. applicable especially to later daies Qu. 2. Whether there be not the same reason that they should be appointed by us what they shall believe and practise in Religion as for them to do so to us seeing we can give as good ground for what we believe and practise as they can do for what they would have if not better Ans. It 's not reasonable that either they or we should appoint to each other what is to be believed or practised in Religion but it 's most reasonable that Christs Law given to us both should be inforced by the Magistrate the Civil substitute of Christ The former proofs do fully clear this and many other such places as also 2 Chron. 15. 12 13. 2 Chron. 19. 2 3 4 c. 2 Chron. 34. 4 5. Neh. 13. 19 21 22 c. We might easily bring in many instances for each command of the first Table how the godly Magistrates acted for God according to his command were it necessary Qu. 3. Whether they that would force other mens consciences be willing to have their own forced Ans. No man may or can force another mans conscience but the Magistrate is bound by his Office as the Lords Deputy to oblige and force the externall man to the observance of Gods will manifested in his written word though he be unwilling and pretend conscience Besides the former proofs clearing this see 1 King 18. 40 41 c. though Baals Priests pleaded conscience for Idolatry yet were they put to death by Elijahs command which execution was attended with speciall blessings Joh. 16. 2. They that plead conscience for putting Christians to death it excuses not but they should suffer for it according to that indispensable Law Genes 9. 6. Asa 2 Chron. 14. 4. commanded all to seek the Lord and to do the Law Nehemiah contended with the Nobles and threatned strangers about their abuses in Tithes and the Sabbath Neh. 13. 11 17 19 21. Qu. 4. Whether Christ hath said he will have an unwilling people compelled to serve him Ans. Though he hath not said those very words yet hath he said in effect so much in those many Scriptures that testifie the Magistrates duty to that end either by precept commanding it or by presidents commended for it or rewarded in it or by the contrary forbidden reproved threatned and punished for neglect contempt or abuse of that duty The Scriptures forementioned do fully prove this as also very many more were it needfull to
quote them It was the commendation of Asa and his people 2 Chron. 14. 4 5. 2 Chron. 15. having been stirred up by the Prophet they acted further vers. 12 13 14 15 16 putting down the Idolatrous Queen-mother with her Idoll for which they were signally blessed Qu. 5. If a Father or Magistrate have not power to force a Virgin to marry one she cannot love whether they have power to force one where they cannot believe against the light and checks of their own consciences Ans. 1. The Discourse hitherto hath been concerning acts of the outward not of the inward man whereof Believing is one wherein the Magistrate hath no power nor authority neither {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} nor {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as is confessed by all So that the question as worded is but captious and impertinent Yet if by Believing the Querist means profession of faith or practise of religious duties required of the outward man it 's answered That though a Father or Magistrate have no power to force a Virgin to marry one she cannot love yet hath the Magistrate power to force one where he cannot believe though against the light and check of his conscience Because 1. A Virgin before contract is not bound to any one person for a husband but every soul under Gospel-publication is bound to own Christ for a husband and his Word written for the Rule of their faith profession and practice 2. Though God allows Virgins to chuse their husbands yet doth he not allow men to chuse any Religion besides his own 3. As the Magistrate hath power to restrain forcibly all women from fornication and adultery and punish them for it so may and should he restrain all persons from spirituall fornication and adultery committed by the outward man and punish them for the same though the light and checks of their consciences should erroneously justifie them in their said fornication and adultery seeing no plea of conscience can be on any account a sanctuary to any sin or breach of Gods revealed will The Scriptures formerly named do sufficiently clear this truth We meet next with an Objection proposed by the Querist to be answered by himself drawn from Luke 14. 23. which being but a man of clouts for himself to skirmish withall and not so pertinent to the point in hand as more weakly asserting the Magistrates power we wave that we may come the sooner to more express matter for demonstration by this Querist cavilled at Qu. 6. Whether the servants of the Lord are not forbidden to strive but to be gentle towards all 2 Tim. 4. 2. Ans. 1. We readily grant it and that it was of force of old when transgressours of the first and second Table were most severely dealt withall 2. The Scripture quoted saith nothing for their purpose in that 1. It speaks not of Magistrates but of Ministers duty properly as appears by the whole context directed to Timothy a Minister of Christ as a directory for the Ministry 2. Though it should be applied to the Magistrate yet will it not exclude his civil Jurisdiction and power as it excludes not the Ministers the scope of the place signifying to us that none of the Lords servants should strive for any evil matter nor in an evil manner though for good but against evil in a good manner as Jud. 3. 4. Gal. 2. 11. Neh. 13. Rom. 13. 4 5 6. For this they are commended Rev. 2. 2 3. For the neglect thereof they are rebuked Rev. 2. 14. 20 21. Rev. 3. 13 16. To this duty they are also often stirred up both in their civil and spirituall relations It becometh not Christian Magistrates to be cowed in Christs Cause nor to betray the same by cowardliness or by respects Prov. 20. 8. Exod. 32. 20 26 27 28 29 30. Rom. 13. Zech. 13. 2 3 4 5. Rev. 17. 16. Qu. 7. Whether the Saints weapons against errors be carnall or no 2 Cor. 10. 4. or whether the semi-independents were of that minde in the Bishops daies Ans. 1. To the first part Ministers weapons of whom the text properly quoted speaks are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God of this minde were judicious Christians whether nick-named Independents or others in the Bishops daies as they are still 2. If we should grant it to include the Magistrates weapons we deny them to be sinfully carnall though we grant them to be civilly carnall and yet according to Gods Ordinance Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. Qu. 8. Whether it be not in vain for us to have Bibles in English if even against our souls perswasions from the Scriptures we must beleeve as the Church or Parish beleeves Ans. 1. This Question is impertinently proposed to Protestants who deny either Church or Parish to be the Rule of their faith however it may be among the Papists and all Pharisaicall professours of implicite faith and blinde obedience 2. The Scripture must therefore be translated into all Vulgar tongues that every man may thereby learn to know and discern what the Church and we ought to beleeve and to conform his belief thereto Conscience is to be enlightned and quickned by Gods light in Scripture that our faith may not be pinned upon any mans sleeve but that all as the noble Beraeans may try all Doctrines by the Word bringing all to the Law and to the Testimony that thereby their dark mind may be gradually directed through that light which shines in the Ministry of Christ and the Church and their mistakes rectified Wherein their judgements may possibly differ they are to enquire soberly diligently and submissively till satisfaction be mutually given and received But this takes not off the Magistrates power in commanding the outward man about things clearly revealed in Scripture witness Peter Paul and all the Scriptures before quoted Qu. 9. Whether our Magistrates and Governours be not wronged to give them the Titles of Civil Magistrates only if their power be spirituall Ans. 1. The Magistrate is not wronged thereby seeing his Power is not spiritual but civil though sometimes imployed about spiritual things 2. Our Magistrates are truly called Civil because the means and manner of executing their Office their Laws and Arms their Proceedings and Courses their Rewards and Punishments are all Civil only and not Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Though their object is sometimes spirituall as in things of the first Table So that it s their duty to reduce all to Gods honour and therefore to maintain and observe his will revealed being Custodes utriusque tabulae uti Vindices Keepers and Defenders of both Tables to regulate the externall man accordingly They act politically about Ecclesiasticall things as Constantine the Great said of himself and as becomes the Nursing-Fathers of Gods people Their charge is to be the Shepheards of Nations as that great Prince is styled in History Their
sense is the harmonious agreement of things attending their orderly composure and motion Peace with God by Christ conjugally embraced produces peace of conscience in man and civil peace among men Our civil peace must still then have reflexion upon our Civil Law and that upon the Divine Law Whilst the Law is thus kept peace is not hurt so the Querist is answered But would not he insinuate that the Quakers and corrupters of our Religion break not the Law and therefore not the Peace Ingenuity it self can make no other construction of his dubious Query compared with his title and scope If so then we Answer 2. Our Lawyers can more exactly acquaint him with the many branches of our Common and Statute Laws which are continually broken by this lawless brood They that make so light of the Divine Law indited by the Spirit of God penned by the Prophets and Apostles of Christ and given to man for his eternal good in conforming him through grace to the Lords Image whose extract and representation it is are not like to be very carefull of mens Law in any sense The beams of that good just and holy Law which do shine through the several parts of our English Laws carry too much light for such birds of darkness who can like and will own none but their light within The light above and about them is so offensive to them and so little valued of them that the brightest beams of Scripture light finde no credit nor favour with them if not suted to their phantasticall light Their own light is their Law as it 's their God their Christ their perfection their righteousness their All All the Laws of God and men must be reduced to that standard They judge themselves still observers of the Law in the most egregious breaches thereof for indeed what Law can they break whose will is their only Law Sometimes they pretend that Will in them not to be their own but Gods Will But that easily appears to be but a cunning shift to father their will on God as they do their light and all As then their Law is in their breast though they be daily convinced by every one that speaks with them who hath not lost his reason and Religion at once and particularly by Authority of their foul transgressions yet are they still faultless They witness perfection You do but mistake them They cannot sin They cannot break the Law All Authority is tyrannical that humours them not The best Ministers are fools and knaves to them None knows and keeps the Laws but themselves and followers Dare you then after this charge or punish these men for breach of any Law No by no means They are but misunderstood Their railing and cursing their slandring and wandering their idleness and irreverence their disobedience and seducing their errors and blasphemies against God and Christ against the Divine Trinity and holy Spirit against the Scriptures and Ordinances of the Gospel their contempt and scorn of all goodness and good men not dancing after their pipe These are no breaches of Law but degrees and signes of their perfection Their pride and passion their malice and hatred their choler and rage their Atheism and ignorance their deceits and charms are but conformities to the light within Yea their Pharisaicall abstinence and fastings their formalities and ostentations their disorderly speeches and carriage their opposing of Orders from God and his servants their self-conceitedness and self-confidence must not be thought breaches of Law but fulfillings thereof In a word if you think they can break the peace by breaking the Law you are much mistaken for they are a Law to themselves and the utmost mischief they can do to us all that comply not with them is but the fulfilling of that Law Qu. 5. Whether corporall punishment either by imprisonment or otherwise for errours is not a means sometimes to destroy mens bodies and possibly prove a prevention of their conversion seeing some are not called till the eleventh hour and if they be cut off the seventh hour for their errours how shall they come in Matth. 20. 6. Ans. Errour is a crooked deviation of a mans judgement from the Truth of God That Truth is considerable either in the Divine Being or in the Emanation thereof Truth in Gods Essence is Essentially and Personally considered Essential Truth is God himself in the eternal Unity of his Divine Excellency Truth Personally expressed sets forth each of the three Divine Persons subsisting in the Divine Essence distinguished by their personal properties the Father is Truth Begetting the Sonne is Truth Begotten the Spirit is Truth Proceeding from the Father and from the Son Truth in the Emanation of the Divine Being or the Truth of God is the conformity of Gods expression to himself which is considered Intentionally Verbally and Actually in his Thoughts Words and Works I. The Truth of his Thoughts is called his Purpose and Decree pleasure and good will to signifie his eternal Councel fore-ordaining all future things This is an absolute entire perfect and unchangeable Act of the Divine Will about the good and evil of future Beings as of themselves especially about rational creatures men and Angels This Divine Truth or Act as it respects evil is called Permission and Regulation as it respects good it 's called fore-ordination As it respects the objects of Divine Benevolence it 's called Election and Predestination Election chusing them in Christ to glory Predestination fore-appointing them to conformity and Adoption by Christ Election called also his fore-knowledge which in the Hebrew imports affect and effect regarding chiefly the End and Predestination the Means to that End That eternal purpose as it regards the objects of Gods disowning is called Reprobation and Predamnation Reprobation being properly an Act of Sovereignty we cannot speak of God but after the manner of men with distinctions and denominations extrinsecal though he be one pure Act all the change being in the creature is also called Preterition non-Election and non-Predestination properly regarding their State and End absolutely Predamnation being an intended Act of Justice properly considers the Means with tendency to that End viewing such under the consideration of future sinners The like denominations may be given to Divine Purpose about Angels consideratis considerandis Thus of Intentional Truth II. The Verbal Truth of God is called his Word which is the declaration of his Mind and Will revealed to man concerning himself and all his creatures This he did manifest to Adam in his Creation writing it upon his soul in the characters of his own Image in perfect knowledge righteousness and holiness and by positive significations of his pleasure After his fall and successively to others this Truth of God about the salvation of his Elect in and by Christ alone with all things else needfull to be known he did variously reveal unto men
the multiplying Heresies and Blasphemies of that monstrous brood which swarmed every where made way for that grand Apostasie of the Roman Church and advanced that man of Sin into Christs Throne to make him and his the sons of perdition {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Was not the like course revived by Satan ever since the Reformation was revived by Christ formerly and lately Our wofull experience will give a sad though clear answer thereto Is it not high time then for all Superiours and others to hearken to Christs voice speaking from heaven to us as he did to languishing Ephesus Remember we now before it be too late whence we are fallen and repent lest our Candlestick be removed suddenly If our complexion be still Laodicean what is our condition like to prove but like to theirs They were overthrown with an Earthquake that despised Christs warning if the quakings of Church and State prognosticating the like now effect not our overthrow the treasures of Divine grace will be the more magnified Obj. 3. The Querist objects again to himself Then every one may live as he lists Ans. He answers Had he not as good live as he lists as live as you list Reply Mans List is not his Rule but Gods revealed Will in his Word of Scripture By that measuring line of the Sanctuary all men and all their actions are to be measured That is the perfect Copy that Gods people in all ages have learned to write after That 's the ballance of the Sanctuary that must weigh us all That 's the Touchstone that will try our Alloy By that Standard godly Magistrates have been in all ages taught to govern happily in promoting good and punishing evil So farre as they keep close to that Rule all their commands are to be obeyed for conscience sake in matters of Religion as of Morality That 's the bridle of evil and the spur to all good Libertines therefore in all ages have shewed most spight against it by reproaches and gross abuses thereof The Roman Antichrist to set up his own Traditional List blasphemes it many waies charging it with imperfection obscurity defects insufficiency and corruption The Quaking Libertines their bastard brood hath done what they could to defame deface and destroy it At their first stirring they wholly denied the need and use thereof But because they lost credit thereby on a sudden in all places they agreed upon the owning of it at least verbally that they might the better abuse it and others by it That sudden change observed by the Judicious so unanimously carried on in all parts may discover much of that strong design which is so notably fomented if not begun among them by the Pontifician brats Now that in words they profess to own the Scripture how deal they with it Just as the Romanists that give it as little credit as they can Both Originals Hebrew and Greek must be slighted and slandered as corrupt the Vulgar Translation exalted above them Then there is no absolute need of it they can live well enough without it by Traditional and Enthusiastical help Then it must have a Competitor the Popes infallible Chair or the Councils determination and the Quakers Oracle written or verbal Then it must be wrested to patronize their grossest and wildest extravagancies No blasphemy so horrid no Ceremony so ridiculous no Doctrine so vile but a Scriptural varnish must be got to set it out But what 's the end of all That man may not be taught or ruled as God lists but as they list Thence such specious Pleas against the need and use of the Ministerial Function under many taking pretences That Gods Will may be determined by every ones list Thence such reasonings with plausible Sophisms against the Magistrates power in Religious matters that they may be taken off from attending the Lords Will therein Thence also such painted Arguments drawn from the very dregs of Pelagianism revived by Popery and Arminianism for the sufficiency of the light within that all things at last may be brought to their list Obj. The Querist again Objects to himself Then it seems Errours may be suffered Ans. He answers If truth may be suffered also it will prevail against Errours It 's no more in your power to binder Errours than it was in the Prelates to hinder preaching speaking and writing against them If you can hinder Satans suggestions and the vain imaginations of their hearts and expell the darkness in men and place light in stead thereof and hinder men from speaking to each other then you can suppress Errour else not The Lord alone by the mighty power of his Spirit with his Word can suppress Errours and we beleeve he will certainly do it in his time to his glory and the comfort of his people Amen Reply This is the upshot of our Querists attempt in this Serpentine way of ambiguous Queries pleasingly dressed for the stomack of this Libertine age for answer whereto we grant That truth will indeed prevail against errours as surely as God the Author thereof is sure to prevail against Satan the father of errours Truth will seasonably prevail whether suffered or opposed it being still like to the Palm tree that will not be suppressed though much oppressed But is suffering of errours a good way to that end Is the Patronage of lies a friendly help to Truth when Truth doth rife it will be with the fall and ruinous shame of all its oppressors wherein neutral spirits will finde little comfort and as little excuse Are not errours the diseases of mens souls and is there no way to cure them but by letting them alone Your instance from the Prelates is to little purpose unless you intend to plead their cause or can demonstrate the case in hand to be like theirs It 's not our work to revive now that Controversie which so many able pens have sufficiently cleared from mistakes Their Persons we leave for account to their only Judge Their Ministerial Office though corrupted many waies we can own so farre as therein they owned Gods institution whilst we sever from it all humane inventions and corruptions Their Lordly Pomp and Tyrannical carriage we heartily renounce hoping that all good men among them have done the like Their usurped Jurisdiction and self advancing Authority above their Brethren of the Ministry we also finde in Scripture Reason and Antiquity sufficient cause to disclaim The many endeavours of many among them to obstruct the Truth and abuse her friends we suppose to have been one chief means of hastning their ruine Too many of them shewed too much compliance if not cordial friendship to the Popish Arminian errours which are now put into a more fashionable garb by our Notionists Seekers and Quakers As then the friends of Truth prevailed at last though after much â—…ugging against that Van-Guard of the Romish Camp the good hand of heaven
seuding them a strong Reserve of the Magistratical power duly dispensed * We have likewise ground to hope that the followers of Truth in this season also may obtain a favourable success against the recruits which that old enemy hath rallied again under new Colours Yet dare we not limit our General Christ in the time or manner of relieving us Possibly our hour of Temptation is not yet over we may haply undergo yet longer the contradictions of many sinners as our former Worthies did in their opposing the Romish Invasions Our incouragement is that Truth will prevail to Gods honour and to the shame of errour It becomes therefore all Christians to be more zealous and faithfull in their several places for Truth against Errour Magistrates and Ministers being Officers of note under the Lord of Hoasts should be most forward therein as becomes their several Functions that Satans suggestions may be hindred and the vain imaginations of mens hearts That darkness may be expelled thence and light set is stead thereof That great God who hath promised to bring this about eminently in the later daies by the powerfull Word of his holy Spirit that the Purchase of his Son may be compleatly applied to all his Elect according to the eternal purpose of his glorious grace hath also promised to bless the labours of his servants in subordination thereto within their several capacities Blessed are those servants of his whether Superiour or inferiours whom their Master coming shall find so doing It concerns every one to begin at our own hearts that Satans suggestions may not be yielded to but that Christ may garrison them effectually against all the black Regiments of hell We must look therefore more watchfully to the suppressing of those vain imaginations in our hearts which are still acting against the Crown of Christ by corresponding treacherously with the common enemy We are naturally darkness and retain too much of it at the best the more need have we to attend the light of his Truth and Grace that we being made light in the Lord may walk as children of light The sensible experience of that gracious work will render us more capable of furthering it in others To effect such a cure all impediments must be removed former causes prevented and sutable means used as in Ecclesiasticall so in Political relations by the Lords peculiar servants appointed to that work If Seducers be active for evil we have much more cause to be active for good Up therefore and be doing for this work will be rewarded The Lord teach and enable our Magistrates thereto who are entrusted with so much of Christs interest in these three Nations that their comfort in the blessed issue may be answerable to their trust All mountains shall casily become plain before our Zerubbabels when their hearts heads and hands do harmoniously concur in this great enterprize Let 's pray and beleeve wait and labour for it and the Lord shall be with the good Postscript IN the close of our Querists Paper we meet with a Postscript written with another hand which was thought fit to be inserted here that they might not miss of their own nor complain of suppressing any part It runs thus The main end of the Proposer in these modest Questions is to assert Christ to be the sole Lord and Ruler in and over the Conscience who obtained the same by vertue of his Death and Resurrection for to this end saith the Scripture Christ died rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living and that every one might give an account unto God and Christ alone as their own Master unto whom they stand or fall in judgement and are not in these things to be oppressed and brought before the Judgement seats of men for why shouldst thou set at naught thy brother in matters of his faith and Conscience and herein intrude into the proper Office of Christ since we are all to stand before the Judgement seat of Christ whether Governours or governed and with his Decision only are capable of being declared either in the right or in the wrong This specious Conclusion deserves a few Animadversions 1. He would insinuate thereby whoever be the Author that all this labour tends to the Vindication and advance of Christs Prerogative whereas their desire if obtained would prove most destructive thereto as we have demonstrated sufficiently in the preceding Answers 2. He proposes his desires so generally for Universal Toleration in all matters of Worship that the vilest Blasphemies the grossest Idloatry and most desperate Heresies are not to be excluded from it 3. He would perswade that the Scripture is altogether for it whereas it 's as diametrally opposite thereto as heaven is to hell as hath been cleared 4. He strives to strip the Magistrate of the best Jewel of his Crown and the chiefest part of his Authority wherewith he is entrusted by Christ in his stead the preservation and promoting of his Worship according to his own written Word 5. He opens a gap thereby to the greatest flood of Infidelity and wickedness that ever can be imagined to the swift and desperate overwhelming of Truth and Peace both in Church and State 6. He sweetens this poysoned Cup with a handfull of Scripture quotations and plausible expressions of Gods Word but miserably wrested and misapplied as will appear to the Judicious peruser thereof for instance the words of Scripture he uses we find them in Pauls Epistle to the Corinthians whereas as its most clear by comparing them with the context and scope of that Chapter that there is no discourse of the Magistrates power there sufficiently cleared elsewhere but of every Christians liberty in indifferent circumstantials and particularly about Jewish meats drinks and daies wherein he would not have them to offend nor take offence by rashness of judging nor remain unsetled in their conscience about the same shewing that the Kingdom of God consists not in meats drinks or any such externals but in righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost That therefore they should use Christian wisdom tenderness and diligence towards each other for their mutual edification There was then a special ground moving thereto because the Jewish Worship having been so long in force and being but lately removed many of the Christian converts the Jews especially thought themselves bound still to the observance thereof which offended others who were better informed Therefore the Apostle who became all things to all in such indifferent matters did use much compllance and forbearance in this case towards weak Christians pressing others to do the like as in other places also yea himself made use sometimes of those Jewish Ceremonials having circumcised Timothy shaven his head made vows c. to win the more upon the Jews his Countrymen who were so desperatly incensed against him for his leaving their way Thus the Ceremonial Rites were gradually to