Arminians Pelagians and old Anabaptists expound it of the visible Church that they may make Judas whom they alledge was chosen out of the world no lesse then Peter an example of their universall election and of the small apostasie of the truly elected and regenerated And you have to side with you in this the Apostate Peter Bertius the Arminians at Hage Arminius himselfe the Socinians as Socinus Theoph. 〈◊〉 and you may see your selves refuted by Amesius refuting the Arminians in the conference at Hage and this you expressely say with Arminians and Socinians 1. Because as you say Judas was one of them whom the Father had given to Christ out of the world whom alone of all them so given to him he hath losed Ergo Christ speaketh of a visible donation Answ. The Antecedent is false Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father had given me commeth unto me and him that commeth unto me I will in no wayes cast out v. 39. And this is the Fathers will which â—â—th sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day But Judas was cast out and losed and is not raised up at the last day as one which commeth that is beleeveth in Christ. 2. This is the very exception of the Arminians and Amesius answereth quae Scriptura manifesto est judicio Iudam non it a Christo datum commendatum fuisse a Patre ut â—aeteros Christ saith Robinson speaketh of such persons as the world hated because they were not of the world Job 15. 14. But the wicked world 〈◊〉 not hate men as they are elected before God and invisibly or inwardly separated â—ut as they are outwardly separated whether they bee inwardly so or not Answ. 1. Invisible election and the contrary spirit that the children of God are led by which is most unlike to the spirit that leadeth the world is the true ground and cause why the world doth hate them and this choosing out of the world is seene and made visible by the fruits of the spirit to the wicked world but the consequence is nothing he speaketh of election that is visible or made visible yet not as visible for often Paul tâ—â—rmeth the visible Churches Saints Temples of the holy Spirit the sonnes and daughters of the living God and when he tearmeth them such he speaketh to and of a visible Church yet not as visible because to be the temple of the holy Spirit and a sonne and daughter of the living God is a thing formally and properly invisible for faith and the spirit of adoptien are not things visible or obvious to the senses but Separatisâ—s are often deceived with this hee speaketh to the visible Saints Ergo he speaketh to them as visible Saints this is the vaine collection of ignorant Anabaptists Paul writeth to the visible Church but every priviledge that hee doth ascribe to them doth not agree to them as they are visible He saith to the visible Church of Colossians ch 3. v. 3. your life is hid with Christ in God an unvisible life cannot agree to the Colossians as they are a visible Church so separation from the world made manifest and visible is the cause why the world hateth the children of God yet that separation is formally invisible and not seene to the eye of men for it is an action of God to choose men out of the world and no eye mortall can see his actions as they be such And therefore except Robinson prove that this choosing out of the world is common to elect and reprobate and to be seene in Peter and Iudas he bringeth nothing against us to prove his point but hee plainly contradicteth his owne tenents for in his first reason he will have the true Church separated from the world as Iudas the traytor was separated from the world which we grant that is separation in show and in profession and so maketh his visible Church to be made up of traytors and hypocrites who cannot bee the Spouse of Christ nor a part of Christ his mysticall body and his redeemed flocke Now hee still harpeth on this that the visible Church rightly constitute is the Spouse of Christ the redeemed of God the mysticall body of Christ and so hee contradicteth himselfe and saith with us that there bee no visible separation from the world essentiall to such a Church as they dreame of to wit of called Saints Temples of the holy Spirit c. and therefore never one of that side understood to this day the nature of a true visible Church though they talke and write much of it for the truth is the essence and definition of a Church agreeeth not equally to a true Church and a visible Church yea a visible Church as it is visible is not formally a true Church but the redeemed Church onely is the true Church Lastly He speaketh saith he of such a choosing out of the world as he doth of sending unto the world v. 18. Which sending as it was visible and externall so was the selection and separation spoken of Answ. The choosing out of the world is not opposed to sending unto the world for sending unto the world is an Apostolick sending common to Judas with the rest whereby they were sent to preach the Gospell to the world of chosen and unchosen of elect and reprobate but to bee chosen out of the world and given to Christ is proper to the elect onely who are chosen out of the loosed and reprobate world 2. It is also false that the sending of the Apostles is altogether visible for the gifting of them with the holy Spirit is a great part of sending the Apostles as our brethren say a gifted man is a sent Prophet but the Lord his gifting of the Apostle is not visible You cannot saith Robinson be partaker of the Lords Table and of devills Ergo we must separate from the ungodly Answ. The Table of Idols is that Table of devils and of false worship kindly in respect of the object that wee must separate from but a scandalous person at the Lords Supper partaketh of the Table of devils by accident in respect the person being out of Christ eateth damnation to himselfe but it is not per se and kindly the Table of devils to others and therefore I must not separate from it The Supper was to Judas the devils Table because Satan entered in him with a sup to cause him to betray the Lord and Christ told before one of them twelve had a devill and so to one of the twelve the Supper was the devils Table yet could not the Disciples separate therefrom Further he objecteth Paul condemned the Church of Corinth as knâ—â—ed lumpe and as contrary to the right constitution finding so many aberrations and defections from that state wherein they were gathered unto a Church who dare open so prophane a mouth as to affirme that this faithfull labourer
here truth and more true and most true Truth is in an indivisible line which hath no latitude and cannot admit of spleeting And therefore we may make use of the Philosophers word amicus Socrates amicus Plato sed magis amica veritas Though Peter and Paul bee our beloved friends yet the truth is a dearer friend The Sonnes of Babylon make out-cries of divisions and diversity of Religions amongst us but every opinion is not a new Religion But where shall multitude of Gods be had for multitude of new wayes to Heaven if one Heaven cannot containe two Gods how shall all Papists be lodged after death what Astronomy shall teach us of millions of Heavens for Thomists Scotists Franciscans Dominicans Sorbonists c. But I leave off and beg from the Reader candor and ingenuous and faire dealing from Formalists men in the way to Babylon I may wish this I cannot hope it Fare-well Yours in the Lord S. R. A Table of the Contents of this Book A Company of believers professing the truth and meeting in one place every Lords day for the worshipping of God is not the visible Church endued with ministeriall power p. 1. 2 3. seq The keys of the Kingdome of Heaven are not committed to the Church of Believers destitute of Elders p. 7 8. The keys are given to Stewards by office p. 13 14 seq The places Mat. 18. and Mat. 16. fully discussed by evidence of the text and testimonies of fathers and modern writers p. 14 15 16 17. seq Power ministeriall of forgiving sins belongeth not to private Christians as M. Robinson and Others imagine p. 20. 21. seq Private Christians by no warrant of Gods Word not in office can be publick persons warrantably exercising judiciall acts of the keys p. 26 27 28. seq Who so holdeth this cannot decline the meere popular government of Morellius and others p. 28. These who have the ministeriall power by office are not the Church builded on the Rock p. 29. The place Col. 4. 17. say to Archippus discussed p. 26 27. The keys not given to as many as the Gospell is given unto as Mr. Robinson saith p. 28 29. seq There is a Church-assembly judging excluding the people as judges though not as hearers and consenters p. 32. 33. Reasons why our Brethren of New England allow of Church-censures to the people examined p. 33 34 35 36. There is no necessity of the personall presence of all the Church in all the acts of Church censuâ—es p 36 37. seq The place 1 Cor. 5. expounded p 36 37 38. How farre Lictors may execute the sentence that is given out without their conscience and knowledge p. 41. 42. seq A speculative doubt â—nent the act maketh not a doubting conscience but onely a practicall doubt anent the Law p. 43. Ignorance vincible and invincible the former may bee a question of fact the latter is never a question of Law p. 43 44 45. The command of superiors cannot remove a doubting conscience p. 45 46. The conscience of a judge as a man and as a judge not one and the same p. 46 47. The people of the Jewes not judges as Ainsworth supposeth p. 48 49. That there is under the New Testament a provinciall and nationall Church p. 50. 51. seq A diocesian Church farre different from a provinciall Church p. 52 53. The place Acts 1. 21. proveth the power of a visible catholick Church p. 54 55. The equity and necessity of a Catholick visible Church p. 55. 56 57 58. How the Catholick Church is visible p. 58 59. The Jewish and Christian Churches were of one and the same visible constitution p. 60 61 62. The Iewish Church was a congregationall Church p. 61. 62. seq Excommunication in the Iewish Church p. 62. 63 64 65. Separation from the Jewish and the true Christian Churches both alike unlawfull p. 68. 69. The Iewish civil state and the Church different p. 68. 69 17. Separation from the Church for the want of some ordinances how far lawfull p. 71 72 73. A compleat power of excommunication how in a Congregation and how not p. 76. 77. How all are to joyne themselves to some visible Church p. 78. 79 80. The place 1 Cor. 5. 12 considered p. 80. That all without are not to be understood of all without the lists of a parishionall Church ibid 81. 82. That persons are not entered members of the visible Church by a Church-covenant p. 83 84 85 86 87. seq That there is no warrant in Gods word for any such covenant ibid. in seq The manner of entering in Church state in New England p. 91. 92. The place Act. 2 37 38. is not for a Church-covenant ibid. The ancient Church knew no such Church-Covenant p. 97. 98. No Church-Covenant in England p. 98. 99. Nor of old the places Genes 17. 7. Exod 19. 5. Acts 7. 38. favour not the Church-Covenant p. 100. 101 102. Nor Deut. 29. 10. p. 104 105. seq The exposition of Deut. 29. given by our Brethren favours much the glosse of Arminians and Socinians not a Church-Covenant p. 102. 103. 104. 105. A Church-covenant not the essentiall forme of a visible Church p. 123 124. The place 2 Chro. 9. 15. 2 Chro. 30. 8. speak not for a Church-covenant p. 111. 112. Nor doth Nehemiahs Covenant ch 10. plead for it the place of Esai 56. alledged for the Church-covenant discussed p. 112. 113. The place Ezech. 20. 27. considered p 114. 115. And the place Jer. 50. 5. p 115. 116. And the place Esay 44. 5. p 116. 117. The place 2 Cor. 11. 2. violently handled to speak for this Church-covenant p 118. 119. seq A passage of Iustine Martyr with the ancient custome of baptizing vindicated p. 121. John Baptists baptising vindicated p. 121. The place Acts 5. and of the rest durst no man joyne himselfe to them c. wronged and put under the Arminian glosse p. 123. 124. The pretended mariage betwixt the Pastor and the Church no ground of a Church-covenant and is a popish error p. 127. 128. Power of election of Pastors not essentiall to a Pastor all relation p. 128 129. It is lawfull to sweare a platforme of a confession of faith p. 130 131 132. seq Our Brethren and the Arminian arguments on the contrary are dissolved p. 136 137 138. Pastors and Doctors how differenced p. 140. Of ruling Elders p. 141. 142. And the place 1 Tim. 5. 17. farther considered the place 1 Tim. 5. 17. Elders that rule well examined p. 141 142 143. especially 144 145. seq Arguments against ruling Elders answered p. 152. 18. seq The places 1 Cor. 12. 18. Rom. 12. 8 discussed and vindicated p. 154. 155 156 157. seq Of Deacons p. 159. 160. seq The place Acts 6. for Deacons discussed p. 161. 162. The Magistrate no Deacon p. 161 162. Deacons instituted p. 163. 164. seq Deacons are not to preach and Baptize p. 165 166. seq Os Widdowes p. 172. 173 174. How the Church is before the
Scripture being sufficient Ans. 1. This is the argument of Arminians Episcopius saith and expresly Smalcius Qui vnlt sensum scripturae ab ilâ—s confessionibus peti tacitè deserit scripta Apostolica traditiones humanas commendat And therefore such decisions are â—ay the Remonstrantes Pestes Ecclesiarum regni Anâ—christi idest tyrannidis fulcra tibicines Secondly this Arâ—ument may be as well propounded against the preaching of the Word all printed Sermons Commentaries and interpretation of Scripture as against a Confession For if the doctrine in Serâ—ons bee not agreeable to Scripture then in so farre as Ministers commend and command it to their hearers it is unlawfâ—ll if it be agreeable to the Scripture it is needlesse the Scriptures saith the Socinian Smalcius are sufficient Our brethren answer Preaching is an ordinance of God but a â—atforme of confession is not an ordinance of God Answ. A platforme as it is conceived in such a stile meâ—hod and characters and words is a humane ordinance Tali â—rie ordine and so is preaching but we sweare to no plat-â—orme in that consideration but a platforme according to the truth contained in it in which sense onely it is sworne unto is the Word of God as are systemes of Divinity â—ermons printed and Preached and so though preaching be an Ordinanced God as it is Rom. 10. 14. yet according to the words expression dialect method or doctrine it is an humane ordinance and so the Argument is against preaching as against our platforme Our Brethrens second Argument is The Platforme abridgeth Christian liberty to try all things and so though it be some means of unity yet it is a dangerous hinderance of some verity binding men to rest upon their former apprehensions and knowledge without libery to better their judgements Ans. 1. This in stile of language and truth of words is the very argument of Arminianâ— So in their Preface and in their Apology it selfe they say All liberty of prophecing and disputing against the Orthodox faith is taken away if men be tied and obliged to decisions and confessions of Churches and Synods Yea to make an end of controversies saith Episcopius otherwayes then by perswading is to bring a tyranny into the Church of Jesus Christ and wonderfully to bind if not to take away liberty of consciences So in their Apology they say confessions and decisions of Synods imposed by Oath and to be firmely believed arâ— contrary to the prayers of Saints where they pray that God would teach them his starutes and reveale his Law and Testimonies â—â— them and open their Eyes to behold the wonders of Gods Law But the truth is though these of Berea did well to try Pauls Doctrine if it was consonant to the Scriptures or not Yet Pauls Doctrine was the determination apostolick of Gods Spirit to the which they were firmely to adhere and their judgements are to be bettered in graduali revelatione creditorum â—â—â— revelatione plurium credendorum in cleare revelation of things revealed For so the children of God are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 3. 14. After Christ is once revealed but not in believing in a new Christ or in believing of poynts contrary to the confession of faith The Argument presupposeth the Doctrine of the Arminians that there be a number of points in our confession of which we have no certainty of faith that they are Gods truth but are things controverted and being not fundamentall poynts may be holden or we may forsake them as false after better information Which indeed maketh our faith of Gods Word â—o full perswasion but as the learned professors of Leyden say a faith of an houre or a month or a yeare which we may â—ast away the next yeare And this is to deny all confessions and points of truth with pretence that the Spirit hath revealed new truth but how are these new revealed truths the Revelation whereof wee obtaine by prayer rather workes of the spirit of truth then the former poynts which wee retract No man by this can be rooted and built in the faith of any thing except in the faith of things simply fundamentall By which meanes all poynts at least many of them betwixt us and Papists Arminiaâ— Macedonians Sabellians Arrians Anabapâ—tiste are matters reconcileable and either side may be holden without hazard of salvation Neither is this definition of confessions any tyranny Because confessions are to be believed in so far as they are agreable to Gods Word and lay upon us an obligation secondary onely yet are they not so loose as that we may leap from poynts of faith and make the doctrine of faith arena gladiatoria a fencing field for Gamesters and Fencers The materiall object of our faith and the secondary ground and foundation thereof may be very well and is Gods Word primary is preaching confessions Creeds Symbols which are not serie ordine Scripturae and yet have wee certainty of Divine faith in these things because the formall object is because God so saith in hiâ— Scripture and wee believe these with certainty of Divine Faith under this reduplication because the Lord hath spoken these quoad sensum in true meaning though not in illâ scrie ordine But more of this hereafter CHAP. 6. SECT 6. Touching Officers and their election OUr Author laboureth to prove that Pastors and Doctors are different Officers which wee will not much improves but if the meaning be that they are inconsistent in one man person wee are against him 1. Because the Apostles in their owne persons and in feeding the flock 2 Tim. 3. doth both under the name of Overseers and Bishops and exercised both as they could according as they did finde the auditory 2. Because the formall objects the informing of the judgement and exhorting are not so different as that they should be imcompatible for if God give them gifts both for the Doctors Chaire and the pastors Pulpit as hee often doth what should hinder but the Church may call one and the same man to both the Pastor and the Doctors Chaire as hee is able to overtake both Author 1. Reas. 1 Cor. 12. 8. To one is given a word of wisdomâ— for direction of practice to another a word of knowledge for direction of judgement Ans. This proveth they be different gifts and Offices yet not that they are incompatible in one person as one may have both gifts given unto him as is cleare by experience 2 Reas. Author ib. Hee speaketh of diverse members of the Church as of diverse members of the naturall body v. 4. 5. All the members have not one Office it is the action of the Tongue to speak not to see Ans. The comparison holdeth not in all The eye cannot heare the eare cannot see yet the pastor may both see as pastor and heare and delate to the Church as the Churches eare the manners of
every one of the visible Church and that he inteneth to save all and every one of the visible Church This I prove for if thâ— covenant and promises of the covenant if the stiles of Christs Body his Love his Spouse his Sister and Dâ—ve if the revelation of Christ made not by flesh and blood but by Christs Father the ground of that blessed confession of Peter Mat. 16. 17. For which the keys were given to the visible Church if I say all these be proper to the visible Church as visible and due to her as to the first principall and prime subject and not to the chosen redeemed and invisible Church as such then the promises of the covenant and all these styles belong to the visible Church and God promiseth and intendeth a new heart and a new spirit to all visible Professors as such and so he intendeth redemption in Christ and salvation and Christs Righteousnesse and Forgivenesse of sins to all the visible Church But our Brethren do not I hope thinke that Gods intentions are castles in the Aire and new Ilands beyond the Moone as if his intentions could be frustrated and he could misse the white of the scope he shooteth at for certainly these to whom the covenant and promises thereof belong as to the prime and first subject these are his covenanted people now the orthodox and reformed Church holdeth that the covenant and promises are preached to the whole visible Church but for the elects sake and that howsoever externally the covenant of grace and promises be promulgated to every one and all within the lists of the visible Church yet they belong in Gods Intention and gratious purpose only to the Elect of God and his reseemed ones to that invisible Body Spouse Sister whereof Christ alone is Lord Head Husband and Brother and the first begotten amongst many Brethren Hence let me reason thus The Church whose gathering together and whose unity of Faith knowledge of the Son of God and growth of the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ the Lord intendeth by giving to them for that end some to be Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4. 11 12 13. must be the Church to which all the promises of the covenant and priviledges do belong But the Lord intendeth the gathering together the unity of Faith the knowledge of the Son of God and growth of the measure of the stature of Christ only of the invisible Elected and Redeemed Church not of the visible professing or consesing Church nor doth the Lord send Pastors and Teachers up-on a purpose and intention of gathering the visible Church and visible Israel except you flie to the Tents of Arminians I conceive these arguments cannot be answered If any say that Christ in giving Prophets Pastors and Teachers to his Church intendeth to save the true visible Church of the chosen and redeemed in so far as they are chosen and redeemed now they who answer thus come to our hand and forsake the Doctrine of their visible Church and say with us that the Ministery and the keys are given only upon a purpose on Gods part to save the invisible Church and that all these promises of the covenant the styles of Christs Spouse Sister Faire one are not proper to the visible Church nor any ground or argument to prove that the keys the power of excommunication ordaining of officers are given to the visible Church as to the prime and principall subject 4. The invisible Church and not the visible Church as it is such hath right to the Sacraments because these who have right to the covenant have right to the seales of the covenant and this is Peters argument to prove the baptizing of Infants to be lawfull Acts 2. 38 39. But only the invisible Church hath right to the covenant For God saith only of and to the invisible Church and not of the visible Church in his gratious purpose Jerem. 32. 38. And I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts 34. They shall all know me all within the covenant I will forgive thâ—ir iniquity Now the visible Church as the visible Church is not within the covenant therefore the visible Church as the visible Church and being no more but the visible Church hath not right to the Seales of the covenant but in so far as they are within the covenant and in so far as God is their God and they his pardoned and sanctified people as it is Ierem. 31. 33 34. 5. It is knowen that our Brethren here joyne with Papists for Papists ignorant of the Doctrine of the visible Church labour to prove that the visible Church on Earth the Ministeriall Teaching and Governing Church cannot erre but that she converâ—ed in a visible Synod and met in Christs Name hath a promise of an infallible assistance And by what argumunts do they prove it You know here Bellarmine Pererius Tolet Stapleton Bailâ—â—s Suarez Vasquez Harding Gretsirus Costerus Turrecremata Salmoron Locinus Cajetan and an host of them say because the Church is builded on a Rock and against it the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile because Christ saith I have prayd to the Father that thy Faith faile thee not because Christ saith I will send you the holy Spirit and he shall leade you into all truth Now our Divines say that the invisible Church of Elect believers cannot fall off the Rock and cannot fall from saving Faith and cannot erre by falling into fundamentall heresies but it followeth not Ergo the visible ministeriall and Teaching Church either out of a Synod or convened in a Synod have an infallible and Apostolick Spirit to lead them so as in their determinations they cannot erre Just so our brethren take all the places for the priviledges covenant promises stiles of Sister Love Dove Spouse mysticall Body of Christ c. Which are proper only to the invisible redeemed chosen sanctified Church of God and they give all these to their only visible ministeriall and right constituted Church in the New Testament and say that this visible church gathered in a church-state because of the foresaid priviledges and stiles hath the supreame and independent power and authority of the keys above all Teachers and Pastors whatsoever and that the right visible church consisteth only of a Royall generation Temples of the Holy Ghost a people in covenant with God taught of God partakers of the Divine nature c. And that all visible churches that meet not in a materiall House in a visible and conspicious Society as on visible Mount Zion and not consisting of such a covenanted sanctified and separated people are a false church false in matter not an ordinance of Christ but an Idoll an antichristian device a Synagogue of Satan voyd of the power of the Keys 6. A church in covenant with God and the Spouse of Christ and his mysticall Body and a church which
Christ to be their Head though we cannot conceive whether they be sound believers or not for a profession is sufficient to make them members of the visible body though indeed to be souâ—d Believers maketh them members of Christs Body invisible 2. That Christ is the Head of the visible Church as visible iâ— not in all the Word of God he is the Head of the Church catholick and invisible by influence of the Life and Spirit of Christ Eph. 1 22 23. Eph. 4. 16. Coloss. 1. 18. and in a large sense may be called the Head of the church-visible as visible in regard of the influence of common graces for the Ministery government and use of the keys but because of such a degree of Christs Head-ship it followeth only that these are to be admitted members under Christ the Head whom we conceive to be â—t members of the Church as it is a Ministeriall and a governing society and for this there is not required an union with Christ as head according to the influence of the life of Christ but only an union with Christ as head according to the influence of common gifts for the governing a Ministeriall Church in which respect Christ may be called the Head of Judas the Traitor and of some other hypocriticall Professors and also though the promiscuous multitude that is a multitude of prophane Atheists and scandalous mockers be not members of Christ nor are to be acknowledged as his members but to be Excommunicated yet the promiscuous multitude of Professors whereof there be Reprobate and Elect good and bad are to be received and acknowledged as members of Christs visible body wherof he is Head in the latter sense 2. The Argument proceedeth upon the false ground before observed and discovered that Christ is Head of the Church and the Spouse redeemer and Saviour of the visible Church as it is visible which is the Arminian Doctrine of universall grace 3. If these who are conceived to be members of Christ the Head and sound Believers are to be admitted why doe you professe that Brethren of approved piety and so conceived to be Believers by you and consequently members of Christ the Head cannot be members of your Church except they sweare to your Church government which you cannot make good from Gods Word Now to refuse communion to these who are knowen to be members of Christs body and to separate from them is all one and therefore in this you separate your selves from Christs Body The Author addeth The visible Church is said to be the habitation of God by the Spirit Eph. 2. 22. to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of God to dwell in them 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. To he espoused to Christ as a chaste Virgin 2 Cor. 11. and sonnes and daughters of the Lord God Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 18. And are exhorted to be followers of him as deare children Eph. 5. 1. Now how can the visible Church be the members of the Body and the Spouse of Christ c. Except they be in charitable discerning as indeed the Holy Ghost discribeth them to be Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1. 2. and faithfull Brethren Gal. 1. 2. and that not only in externall profession for these are too high stiles for hypocrites but in some measure of sincerity and truth Answ. The argument must be thus These only we are to admit members of the visible Church who in the judgement of charity are conceived to be such as were the members of the visible Church of Corinth and Ephesus But only such as are the habitation of God by his Spirit and the sons and daughters of the living God not only in profession but in some measure of truth and sincerity were the members of the visible Church of Corinth and Ephesus Ergo such onely are we to admit to be members of the visible Church Now this argument concludeth not what is in question Ergo only these are to be admitted members of the visible Church whom we conceive to be the Spouse of Christ and truely regenerated Now if our conception be erroneous as it cannot be infallible then we may admit these who are not regenerated to the Church-membership if we conceive them to be regenerated and so our Brethren say falsely that the admitted must be Saints and faithfull not only in profession but in some measure of sincerity und truth for these are members of the invisible Church who are truly and in a measure of sincerity regenerated if our conception be not erroneous yet it is by accident that they are admitted de facto who are not Saints in truth for the Church may be deceived and receive in for members of the Head Christ hypocrites and such as are not the Habitation of God by his Spirit but of Satan as is cleare in Ananias and Saphira admitted by the Apostles to Church-fellowship Acts 5. 1. 2. and in Simon Magus Acts 8. admitted to the Church and baptized by the Apostolick Church who was yet in the Gall of bitterness But. 1. The assumption is false for the Apostle admitted to be members of the Church visible of Corinth and Ephesus not only Saints by true profession but also carnall men deniers of the Resurrection partakers of the Tables of Divells and in Ephesus false Apostles and Liers Revel 2. 3. But Paul speaketh of Corinth according to the best part for the Epistle and Doctrine of the covenant is written and preached for the Elects sake and for Believers neither is the covenant of grace made with the Reprobate and Unbelievers nor doe the promises of the covenant indeed and in Gods Intention belong to the visible Church though the Word be preached to carnall men for their conviction 3 This proposition is false these onely we are to admit to the visihle Church whom we conceive to be Saints and are in the judgement of charity perswaded they are such for the Apostles admit all Professors even three thousand at one Sermon in one day Acts 2. and they could not be perswaded in the judgement of charity that they were all Saints 4. This argument sayth that all the visible Church of Ephesus was a Spouse betrothed to Christ and Saints by calling which the Word of God sayth not For were all the carnall in Corinth betrothed as one chaste Virgin to Christ were these who called themselves Apostles in Ephesus and tryed by Church censures to be Liers Revel 2. 2 3. betrothed to Christ as a chaste Virgin were all the visible Church the sinnes and daughters of the Lord God Almighty and that not only in profession but in some measure of sincerity and truth It is true the stiles given to the Church of Corinth are too high to be given to hypocrites but these stiles are not given to that Church precisely as visible and as a professing Church as you suppose but as an visible and true Church of Believers for a Church of Believers and a Church of Professors of beliefe
Prophets doth beleeve in Christ love Christ contend for the prise of the high calling of God as is cleare Rom. â— 37 38 39. 1 Cor. 2. 12. 16. Phil. 3. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 9. 25. Yea Paul beleeveth not in Christ as an Apostle but as a Christian and yet hee beleeveth by the grace of the holy Ghost but â—â— followeth not that the same spirit which immediatly inspired the Prophets doth not immediatly inspire Paul as an Apostle and all the rest of the Apostles Object 5. These decrees Act. 16. 4. are called the decrees of the Apostles and Elders but if the Apostles in giving out these decrees gave 〈◊〉 as ordinary Elders not as Apostles then the sense of the words Act. 16. 4. should bee that they were the decrees of the Elders and of the Elders which is absued Answ. It followeth onely that they are the decrees of the Apostles who in that give them out as Elders and as a part of the ordinary established Elders of Jerusalem Whence if Christ promise the holy Spirit to lead his Apostles in all truth hee promiseth also the holy Spirit to all their successors Pastors Teachers and Elders not onely conveened in a Congregationall-Church but also in a Synod as hee maketh good his promise here Act. 15. 28. and whereas the holy Ghost commandeth in a Synod of Apostles and Elders who are lawfully conveened by our brethrens confession and speaketh authoritatively Gods Word by the holy Ghost Act. 15. 28. they cannot speake it as a counsell and brotherly advise onely for that a brother may doe to another a woman to a woman Abigail to David a maide to Naaman wee desire a warrant from Gods Word where an instituted societie of Pastors and Elders conveened from sundry Churches and in that Court formally consociated and decreeing by the holy Ghost as Act. 15. 28. against such and such heresies shall bee no other then a counsell and advise and no Church-commandement nor binding decree backed with this power Hee that despiseth you speaking by the holy Ghost the Word of God despiseth mee and whether doctrines or canons concerning doctrine comming from a lawfull Court conveened in Christs name have no ecclesiasticall power of spirituall jurisdiction to get obedience to their lawfull decrees for if every one of the suffrages of Elders bee but a private counsell having onely authoritie objective from the intrinsecall lawfulnesse of the thing and no authoritie officiall from the Pastors because Pastors then the whole conclusion of the Synod shall amount to no higher rate and summe then to a meere advise and counsell If it bee said that when they are all united in a Synod and speaking as assembled Act. 15. 25. and speaking thus Assembled by the holy Ghost v. 28. the authoritie is more then a counsell yet not a power of Church-jurisdiction Then 1. give us a warrant in Gods Word for this distinction 2. Wee aske whether this authoritie being contemned the persons or Churches contemnibg it bee under any Church-censure or not if they bee under a Church-censure what is this but that the Synod hath power of censure and so power of jurisdiction if you say non-communion is a sufficient censure But I pray you spare mee to examine this 1. If the sentence of non-Communion bee a sentence of 〈◊〉 it must proceed from a judicature that hath a 〈◊〉 of jurisdiction but give mee leave to say as all Church 〈◊〉 have and must have warrant in Gods Word so must 〈◊〉 such as non-communion for the ordinary Church punishments such as publike rebuâ—ing have warrant in the Word as in 1 Tim. 5. 20. and excommunication 1 Cor. 5. 4. 〈◊〉 1â— and the great Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. and forbearing to eate and drinke with scandalous persons 1 Cor. 5. 10 11. withdrawing from his company 2 Thâ—s 3. 14. and I pray you where hath the Word taught us of such a bastard 〈◊〉 ensure or if you will not allow it that name a censure indicted by the Church or Churches as is non-communion May our brethren without Christs warrant shape any punishment equivalent to excommunication without Gods Word 〈◊〉 they may as well without the Word mould us such a censure as excommunication if they say separation warrenth this censure of non-communion But 2. By what Law of God can an equall give out a sentence of non-communion a 〈◊〉 an equall an equall cannot as an equall punish when a Christian denieth followship to another because hee is excommunicated hee doth not punish as an equall for the punisher in this case denying fellowship to the excommunicated doth 〈◊〉 an equall but as having authoritie from the Church who hath given this commandement in the very sentence of communication 1 Cor. 5. 4. compared with v. 10 11. Separation under a great controversie and denyed in many cases â—â— the way of those who are more rigid therein even by our 〈◊〉 2. Christ Matth. 18. 15 16. will not have any brother who 〈◊〉 but private authoritie and no Church-authoritie over a broâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 non habet potestatem to presently renounce 〈◊〉 give up all communion with his brother though hee bee 〈◊〉 before two or three witnesses and inflict on him the sentence of non-communion while hee first tell the Church and non-communion is inflicted on no man as if hee were a heathen 〈◊〉 to speak no thing of delivering to Satan while hee â—â— conveened and judicially sentenced before the Church 〈◊〉 our brethrens sentence of non-communion is in inflicted by an equall Church upon a â—â—ster Church in a meere pâ—â—â—â— way and by no Church-proces 4. Non-communion if it bee warranted by the law of â—â—ture as communion of equalls is yet should wee not bee refused of the like favour when wee plead that the Law of nature pleadeth for combination and communion of joynt authorities of sâ—sâ—er-Churches in one presbytery for if non-communion of Churches bee of the law of nature so must communion of Churches and authoritative communion and authoritative and judiciall non-communion by natures law must be as warrantable upon the same grounds They 6. Object â— the Apostles were in this Synod as ordinary Elders thâ—n The Synod might have censured and in case of obsâ—inacie excommunicated the Apostles which were admirable Answ. For reâ—ukeing of Apostles wee have against Papists a memorable warrant in Paul Gal. 2. withstanding Peter to â—ce face and Peter his giving an account Act. 11 1 2 3. to the Church of Jerusalem of his going in to the Gentiles which Parker acknowledgeth against Papists and Prelats to bee a note of Peters subjection to the Church Papists say it was Peters humilitie other Papists say Peter gave but such a brotherly account to the Church such as one brother is oblieged to give to another also all our Divines and those Papists who contend that the Pope is inferiour to universall councels doc with good warrant alledge that by Matth. 18. Peter is subjected to the Church-censures if hee sinn against
his brother and therefore we doubt not but the Church hath jus law to excommunicate the Apostles in case of obstinacie and would have used this power iâ— Judas had lived now when the power of excommunication was in vigor but wee say withall de facto the suâ—position was unpossible in respect that continued and habituall obstinacie and flagitious and atâ—ocious scandals deserving excommunication were inconsistent with that measure of the holy Spirit bestowed upon those Catholick Organs and vessels of mercy but this exempteth the Apostles from act all excommunication de facto but is our brethren exâ—â—pt them a jure from the Law they transforme the Apostles into Popes above all Law which wee cannot doe Apostolick eminencie doth 〈…〉 neither Peter nor Paul to bee above either the 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Law or the positive Lawes gi 〈…〉 One doth wittily say on these 〈…〉 Matth. 8. 15. The Pope is either a 〈…〉 if hee bee a brother offending 〈…〉 complaine of him to the Church 〈…〉 bee no brother there 's an end 〈…〉 his father and never after this 〈…〉 〈…〉 in a Synod as Apostles doth not 〈…〉 in Apostolick acts could not use Sy 〈…〉 others 1. Because Daniel 9. 2. 〈…〉 understood by books the num 〈…〉 Lord came to Jeremiah the 〈…〉 Paul 1 Cor. 1. 1. and Timothi 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 1. 1. and 3. The 〈…〉 and yet â— ophâ—ts and Apostles were immedi 〈…〉 which they â—â—ote and spake Answ. 1. Daniel â—â—d the Prophecie of Jeremiah and the Pro 〈◊〉 the books of Moses and the Apostles read the old Testament 〈◊〉 and Paul read â—eathen Poets and citeth them Act. 17. 〈◊〉 Tiâ— 1. 12. and maketh them Scripture 2. But the question is now if as Prophets and immediatly inâ—â—â— Prophets and Apostles they did so consult with Scripture which they reade as they made any thing canoniâ—k Scripture upon 〈◊〉 medium and formall reason because they did read it 〈◊〉 it out of bookes and not because the immediate iâ—â—piration of the holy Ghost taught them what they should 〈◊〉 canonick Scripture Suppone a sentence of a â—eathen 〈◊〉 suppone this that Paul left his cloake at Troâ—s not the â—â—â—wledge of sense not naturall reason not experience none â—â— these can bee a formall medium a formall meane to make scripture but as thus saith Jehovah in his word is the formall reason why the Church beleeveth the Scripture to be the Word â—â— God so the formall reason that maketh Prophets and Apostles to put downe any truth as that which is formally canonicall scripture whether it bee a supernaturall truth as the 〈◊〉 was made flesh or a morall truth as Children obey your 〈◊〉 or a naturall truth as The Oxe knoweth his owner or an experienced truth as make not friendship with an angry 〈◊〉 a truth of heathen moralitie as mee are the off-spring of God or a truth of sense Paul lest his cloâ—ke at Tâ—oas I say the 〈◊〉 formall reason that maketh it divine and Scripturall truth is the immediate inspiration of God therefore though 〈◊〉 learned by bookes that the captivitie should indure seventi yeares yet his light by reading made it not formally Scripture but Daniels putting it in the Canon by the immediat actiâ—r impulsion and inspiration of the holy Spirit and though Matthew did read in Esaiah A Virgin shall conceive and beared Sonne yet Matthew maketh it not a part of the New Testament because Esaiah said it but because the holy Ghost did imdiatly suggest it to him as a divine truth for a holy man might draw out of the Old and New Testament a Chapter of orthodox truths all in Scripture words and beleeve them to bee Gods truth yet that Chapter should not formally bee the Scriptur of God because though the Author did write it by the light of faith yet the Propheticall and Apostolicall spirit did not suggest it and inspire it to the author I know some Schoolâ— Papists have a distinction here They say there bee some sepernaturall truths in Scriptures as predictions of things that tall out by the mediation of contingent causes and the supernaturall mysteries of the Gospell as that Achab shall bee killed in the wars the Messiah shall bee borne c. Christ came to 〈◊〉 sinners and those were written by the immediatly inspiring Spirit others were but historicall and naturall truths of fact as that Paul wrought miracles that hee left his cleake at Troas and these latter are written by an inferior spirit the assisting not the immediatly inspiring Spirit and by this latter spirit say they much of Scripture was written and from this assisting Spirit commeth the traditions of the Church say they and the decrees of Popes and councells and this holy Spirit though infallible may and doth use disputation consultations councells of Doctors reading but wee answer that what counsells determin by an assisting spirit is not Scripture nor yet â—m-ply infallible nor doth Daniel advise with Jeremialis writing what hee shall put downe as Scripture nor Paul with Sosâ—hâ—â—â—â— with Timothy and Silvamus what hee shall write as Canonick Scripture in his Epistles for then as the decrees of the coun 〈◊〉 at Jerusalem are called the decrees of the Apostles and Elders and this decree which commeth from the Apostles and Elders assemâ—led with one accord and speaking with joynt suffrages from the holy Ghost v. 7 8 9 10 c. v. 28. as collaterall authors of the decree is the conclusion of Apostles and Elders so also should the prophâ—cie of Daniel at least the first two verses of the ninth chapter bee a part of Daniel and a part of Jeremiâ—hs prophecie and Pauls Epistles to the Corinthians should bee the Epistle of Paul and Sâ—stheâ—es and his Epistles to the Colossians and Thessahâ—ianâ— the Epistles of Paul of Timothy of Silvanus whereas Sosthenes Timothy Silvanus were not immediatly inspired collaterall writers of these Epistles with Paul but onely joyners with him in the salutation The erring and scandalous Churches are in a hard condition if they cannot bee edified by the power of jurisdiction in presbyteries Object But it never or seldome in a century falleth out that a Church is to bee excommunicated and Christ hath provided Lawes for things onely that fall out ordinarily Answ. It is true wee see not how an whole Church can bee formally convented accused excommunicated as one or two brethren may bee in respect all are seldome or never deserted of God to fall into an atrocious scandall and wilful obstinacie yet this freeth them not from the Law as suppose in a Congregation of a thousand if five hundreth bee involved in libertinisme are they freed because they are a multitude from Christs Law or from some positive punishment by analogie answering to excommunication 2. The Eldership of a Congregation being three onely doth not seldome scandalously offend and are they under no power under heaven The people may withdraw from them saith the Synod of New England what then so may I withdraw
ignorant of some lesse fundamentalls 2. Because we see in a mirror and imperfectly 3. In respect of beleeving upon a false ground as for miracles In respect of the object the certaintie is most sure as sure as that God cannot lie In respect of our adherence of understanding and affections in this respect the knowledge of fundamentalls must bee certaine 1. By a negative certitude which excludeth doubting and so Pastor and people must have a certitude of fundamentalls as Rom. 14 5. Col. 1. 9. Heb. 5. 12. but for a positive certitude there is not that measure required in a teacher that is in a scholler for all the body cannot be an eye 1 Cor. 12. 17. yet is a Christian certitude and fulnesse of perswasion required even of all Christians Colos. 2. 2. Colos. 3. 16. highest and greatest in its kind though many may bee saved with lesse yet a distinct knowledge of fundamentalls in all is not necessary by a necessitie of the meanes necessitate medii as Beza and Doctor Ames teach There is a faith of fundamentalls implicite in respect of the will and affections which Papists make a wide faith as the Jâ—uâ—e Becanus thinke to beleeve these two fundamentalls 1. That there is a God 2. That this God hath a providence conâ—â—â—ning mens salvation though other particulars be not knowne Or implicite faith is saith Estius when any is ready to beleeve what the Church shall teach which faith Suarez saith though it include ignorance yet keepeth men from the danger of errors because it doth submit the mind to the nearest rule of teaching to wit to the Church the knowledge of fundamentalls in this sense doth not save but condemne Thomas saith better then he 6. Dist. They are not alike who beleeve fundamentall hereâ—ies 2. And who defend them 3. And who teach them and obtrude them upon the consciences of others For the first many beleeve fundamentall errors who are ignorant of them and doe thinke that they firmely adhere to Christian Religion Oâ—cam termeth such haereticos nescientes ignorant heretickes as the Marcionites and the Manicheans and these the Church should tolerate while they bee instructed It is true the Jesuite Meratius saith When many things are proposed to the understanding for one and the same formall reason to wit for divine authoritie the understanding cannot imbrace one but it must imbrace all nor â—â—ject one but it must reject all which is true of a formall malitious rejecting the Manichean beleeveth nothing because God saith it and hath faith sound and saving in nothing but it is not true of an actuall or virtuall contempt in one or two fundamentalls because beleevers out of weakenesse ignorance and through strength of tentation may doubt of one fundamentall as the Disciples doubted of the resurrection Joh. 20. 9. and yet in habite beleeve all other fundamentalls but the Church is to correct such as professe fundamentall heresies and to cast out of the Church seducers and deceivers 7. Dist. It is one thing to hate a fundamentall point as that Christ is consubstantiall with the Father as the Arians doe and another thing by consequence to subvert a fundamentall point as Papists by consequence deny Christ to bee true man while they hold the wonder of Transubstantiation yet doe not they hate this conclusion formally that Christ is true man 8. Dist. Though it were true which Doctor Christo. Potter saith If we put by the Points wherein Christians differ one from another and gather into one body the rest of the articles wherein they all gnerallaly agree we should finde in these propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian world so much truth is contained as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient io bring a man to everlasting salvation I say though this were true yet will it not follow that these few fundamentalls received by all Christians Papists Lutherans Arians Verstians Sabellians Maccdonians Nestorians Eutychanes Socinians Anabaptists Treithitae Antitrinitarii for all these be Christians and validely baptized doe essentially constitute a true Church and a true Religion Because all Christians agree that the old and New Testament is the truth and Word of God and the whole faith of Christian Religion is to bee found in the Old Testament acknowledged both by Jewes and Christians for that is not the Word of God indeed in the Old Testament which the Jewes say is the Word of God in the Old Testament Yea the old and new Testament and these few uncâ—nâ—â—averted points received universally by all Christians are not Gods Word as all these Christians expone them but the dreames and fancies of the Jewes saying that the old Testament teacheth that Christ the Messiah is not yet come in the flesh the Treithitae say there be three Gods yet are the Treithitae Christians in the sense of Doctor Potter so that one principall as that There is one God and Christ is God and man and God is noely to be adored not one of these are uncontraverted in respect every society of Sectaries have contrary expositions upon these common fundamentalls and so contrary Religions Who doubteth but all Christians will subscribe and sweare with us Protestants the Apostolicke Creed but will it follow that all Christians are of one true Religion and doe beleeve the same fundamentalls now these fundamentalls are the object of faith according as they signifie things To us and to the Treithitae this first Article I beleeve in God as I conceive doth not signifie one and the same thing now joyne this I beleeve in God with holy obedience as wee expone it and as the Treithitae expone it it could never bee a step to everlasting salvation for it should have this meaning I beleeve there is one only true God and that there be also three Gods and what kind of obedience joyned with a faith made up of contradictions can bee availeable to salvation 3. One generall Catechise and confession of faith made up of the commonly received and agreed upon fundamentalls would not make us nearer peace though all Christians should sweare and subscribe this common Christian Catechise no more then if they should sweare and subscribe the old and new Testament as all Christians will doe and this day doth 9. Disl Though the knowledge of fundamentalls be necessary to salvation yet it cannot easily be defined what measure of knowledge of fundamentalls and what determinate number of fundamentalls doth constitute a true visible Church and a sound beleever as the learned Voetius saith Hence 1. They are saved who soundly beleeve all fundamentalls materially though they cannot distinctly know them under the reduplication of fundamentalls nor define what are fundamentalls what not 2. Though a Church retaine the fundamentalls yet if wee beforced to avow and beleeve as truth doctrines everting the foundation of faith against the article of one God if we must worship as many Gods as there bee hosties if Christs
as are truely faithfull remaine in Covenant with God because the seed of faith remaineth in them yet to the society of the faithfull joyned in a particular visible Church they are not knit but wholly cut off from their communion for it is not the seed of faith nor faith it selfe that knitteth a man to this or that particular Church but a holy profession of the Faith which when a man hath violated by a grievous sinne and is delivered to Satan he is now not as a dead palsie-member cut off from the body though bee may remaine a member of the invisible Church of the first borne yet he hath neither part nor portion nor fellowship in the particular visible Church of Christ Jesus but is as an heathen and a publican now Sacraments are not given to the invisible Church nor the members thereof as such but to the visible particular Churches of Jesus Christ and therefore we dare no more baptize his childe than the childe of an heathen I Answer First if Faith remaine in some excommunicated person as you grant it must be seene in a profession for though for some particular scandall the man be excommunicated yet is he not cut off as we now suppone for universall apostasie from the truth to Gentilisine or Judaisme for then he should be cursed with the great excommunication 1 Cor. 16. v. 22. and so though he be to the Church as a heathen in that act yet is he not to the visible Church an heathen but a brother and to be admonished as a brother 2 Thess. 3. 15. and the Church is to use excommunication as a medicine with intention to save his Spirit in the day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. 1 Tim. 1. 20. an excommunicated apostate is not so now if hee retaine faith to the Churches decerning he retaineth the profession of Faith and in so farre a visible membership with the Church in the Covenant Ergo for that professed Faith by our brethrens grant his childe should be baptized and so is not wholly cut off but is as a dead palsie member of the Church and so as a member though in a deliquie and Lethargie 2. You say to the faithfull of a particular Church the excommunicate is wholly cut off What doe you meane if his sinnes be bound in heaven as they are if he justly be excommunicated is he not also cut off to all the visible Churches on earthâ— are not all the Churches to repute him as a publican and a heathen I beleeve they are but you deny in this all visible communion of Churâ—hes 3. You say it is not the seede of Faith that knitteth a man to a particular visible Church but an holy profession But in the excommunicate person if the seede of faith remaine as you grant this faith must be seene by you in a holy profession else to you he hath no seed of faith and if his profession of faith remaine intire though it bee violated in the particular obstinate remaining in one scandall for the which he is excommunicated you have no reason to say that to the particular Church hee is wholly cut off since his profession remaineth 4. You say It is not the seed of faith nor faith it selfe that knitteth a man to this or that particular visible Church but a holy profession of faith Then I say one may be knit to a particular visible Church and a true member thereof though he want both the seed of Faith and Faith it selfe I prove the connexion A man is a perfect and true member of a Church though he want that which doth not knit him to the Church this is undenyable But without the seed of Faith or Faith it selfe as you say hee is knit to the true Church Ergo. But this is contrary to your Doctrine who require chap. 3. sect 3. that none must bee admitted members of a visible Church but those who are Christ his body the habitation of God by the Spirit the Temples of the Holy Ghost c. And that noâ— onely by externalâ— profession but in some measure of sincerity and Truth Now consider my Reverend Brethren if there bee a measure of sincerity and Truth where there is neither the seed of Faith nor Faith it selfe and surely by this you cast downe and marre the constitution of your visible Church when you exclude from the members thereof the seed of Faith and Faith it selfe and you come to our hand and teach that the seed of Faith and Faith it selfe is accidentall to a visible Church as visible which wee also teach and so there is no measure of truth and sincerity required to the essentiall constitution of a visible Church 5. But I would gladly learne how you contra-distinguish these two Faith and a holy profession of Faith Doe you imagin that there can be a holy profession knitting a man to the visible Church where there be neither the seed of Faith nor Faith it selfe It is Arminian holinesse which is destitute of Faith but if you meane by a holy profession a profession conceived to be holy though it be not so indeed then you doe yet badly contradivide a holy profession from faith for before any can be knit as a member to the visible Church you are to conceive him to be a Saint a Beleever and so to have both the seed of Faith and Faith it selfe though indeed he have neither of the two and so Faith is as wel that which knitteth a man as a member to the visible Church as holinesse 6. If he remaine a member of the universall Church of the first borne is hee therefore so as a heathen and so that you dare no more receive him to the Supper nor his seed to baptisme nor you dare receive a heathen and his seed to the Seales of the Covenant is a heathen a member of the invisible Church of the first borne but the excommunicated you presume is such a one 7. What warrant have you for this Doctrine That the Sacraments are not given to the invisible Church as it is such but to the visible Certainely God ordaineth the Sacraments to the beleevers as beleevers and because they are within the Covenant and their interest in the Covenant is the onely true right of interest to the Seales of the Covenant profession doth but declare who beleeve and who beleeve not and consequently who have right to the Seales of the Covenant and who not but profession doth not make right but declareth who have right The Author subjoyneth Christ giveth no due right unto baptisme to the child but by the Fathers right unto the Covenant and communion of the Church so by taking away right unto the Covenant and Communion of the Church from the Father he taketh away the childrens right also the personall sinne of the parent in this case is not a meere private personall sinne but the sinne of a publike person of his family for as his profession of his faith at his receiving
this doctrine should the people of the Jewes leave off to be the visible Church and so the promise of the Covenant should faile in the line from Abraham to David and from David to Christ even so oft as the nearest parents did evill in the sight of the Lord and many times should God have cast off his people whom be foreknew contrary to that which Paul saith Rom. 11. 1 2 3. To these I adde if the infants of the Christian Church have onely right to baptisme through the faith of the nearest parents onely then is this to be conceived either to bee true and saving faith in the nearest parents or onely faith in profession if you say the former then 1. The seed of the excommunicated parents in whom is faith or the seed thereof is to be baptized the contrary of which you affirme 2. Then the seed and Infants of no Parents but of such only as are members of the invisible Church of the first borne are to be baptized the contrary whereof you teach while you say The Sacraments are not given to the invisible Church and the members thereof but to the visible particular Churches 3. The Infants of the unbeleeving parents though members of the visible Church have no right to baptisme and the Covenant though they be the elect of God and borne within the visible Church which is admirable to us now it is knowne that Hypocrites and unbeleeving parents have often such a luster of a greene and fairelike profession as that they goe for visible members of the Church so as their children are by Christs warrant and right baptized I come to the other point if the faith of nearest parents onely true in profession and show before men give right to their Infants to bee sealed with the seales of the Covenant Then 1. apparent and bypocriticall faith conferreth true right to the seales to Infants and there is not required as the author saith Chap. 3. Sect. 3. that the members of the visible Church be the called of God the sonnes and daughters of the Lord God Almighty not onely in externall profession but also in some measure of sinceritie and truth 2. God hath warranted his Church to put his seale upon a falsehood and to conferre the seales upon Infants for the externall profession of faith where there is no faith at all this your writers thinke inconvenient and absurd Also it is objected by us that excommunicates children are in no better case by this doctrine then the children of Turkes and Infidels The Author answereth We willingly saith he put a difference excommunicates are nearer to helpes and meanes of salvation and conversion then Turkes 1 Cor. 5. 5. because excommunication it selfe is a meane that the spirit may be saved and Turkes are nearer then Apostates who turne enemies to the truth for better never have knowne the way of truth then to turne backe But in this they agree they are all of them as Heathen Matth. 18. and therefore neither parents nor children have right to the seales Answ. This is not an answer for the Infants of excommunicates though they be the seed of ancestors as grandfathers who were true beleevers yet as infants and dying in Infancy are no lesse without the Covenant and excluded from the seales thereof by you then the Infants of Turkes 2. The Infants of nearest parents in the Jewish Church though wicked were not excluded from circumcision nor were they in the case of the Infants of the prophane heathen and the same covenant made to the Jewes and their seed is made to us and to our seed Gal. 3. 8. Heb. 8. 9. 10. Rom. 11. 27. 28. Act. 2. 38 39. We also affirme that the Lord extendeth the mercy of the Covenant to a thousand generations and therefore the line of the covenant-mercy is not broken off for the unbeleefe of the nearest parents Our Author answereth Is the extension of Gods mercy to a thousand generations be a sufficient ground to extend baptisme to the Children of excommunicates in the right of their ancestors it may suffice as well to the children of Turkes and Insidels and Apostates for it is not above sixty and six generations from Noah to Christ as is plaine in the Genealogie Luk. 3. 13. and there have not passed as many more generations from Christs time to the Turkes and Infidels of the present age And all will not amount say they in their answers to the summe of two hundred generations The true meaning is that God out of his abundant and rich mercy may and doth extend thoughts of redeeming and converting mercy and grace unto thousand generations but he never allowes his Church any warrant to receive unto their Covenant and communion the children of godly parents who lived a thousand yeares agoe much lesse a thousand generations nay rather the Text is plaine 1 Cor. 7. 14. that the holinesse of the children depends upon the next immediat parents to wit upon such faith as denominateth them beleevers in opposition to Pagans and Infidels and that holinesse to the children is called federall which receiveth them unto the Covenant and seales thereof Answ. 1. We stand not on the number of a thousand precisely nor doth the holy Ghost intend that for as it is usuall in Scripture a definite number is put for an indefinite Wrath followeth the Ammonite and Moabite to the tenth generation Deut. 23. 2 3. and the Edomite and Egyptian though cursed entereth into the Congregation of the Lord the third generation v. 7. 8. The Lord here walketh in a latitude yet so as the mercy of the Covenant is extended to more generations a thousand for foure beyond the anger of God to the generation of the wicked nor doth the Authors consequence stand good that then wee had right and warrant to baptize the children of Turkes Pagans and Indians as for one single Apostate I account him as one single excommunicate Christian in this point because the Lords comparison of proportion holdeth in generations of the same kind and is restricted to the generations within the visible Church sheweth mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keepe my Commandements which must be extended to professed love of a nation that is federally holy Now Turkes and Indians are neither lovers of God nor in profession through federall holinesse such and it is most pregnant against such as confine and imprison the mercy of the Covenant towards poore Infants to their next immediate parents and by the Authors interpretation the thousand generations to which God extendeth mercy is confined to one because if the wicked two the father and mother bee violaters of the Covenant though nine hundreth foregoing generations have beene lovers of God yet the Covenant mercy is interrupted to the innocent Infants in this innocent and they are translated over to the classe and roll of the children of Turkes and Pagans under the curse and wrath of God for hundreth of generations
and Paul tooke Titus and Timothy with him often for helping the worke of the Lord. The next Scripture saith Robinson is 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. As every man hath received the gift so let him minister as good stewards of the manifold graces of God if any man speake let him speake as the oracles of God Answ. This saith with us for private Christians are not stewards who gave them the keyes Yea 1 Cor. 4. 1. it is a word of office and it is not given to Ministers not in office as Beza observeth well he setteth downe one generall that the Ministers be ready to distribute and then two species 1 Preaching Ministers that they speake the Oracles of God 2. Serving Ministers Elders and Deacons that they minister out of the habilitie that God giveth them and the place is against private Prophets Robinson alledgeth Revel 11. 3. I will give power to my two witnesses and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundreth and sixtie dayes clothed in sackcloth The Clergie men are not onely witnesses against the Antichrist In the Antichrists raigne no Church officer aâ— anâ— officer witnesseth against him but all for him as both having their authority from him and binding themselves to submit their doctrine to his censure The persons indeed that were officers even Masse-Priests Monkes and Friers witnessed some of them against him but so did not their office something was extraordinary I acknowledge in respect of the then prevailing order and in respect of their degree of gifts and graces but no extraordinary and miraculous gift of prophecying and Brightman exponeth the two witnesses to bee the holy Scriptures and assemblies of the faithfull Answ. The two witnesses saith Junius are the Ministers for number few and for place contemptible so saith Couper and Paraeus induceth many paires of witnesses as in Bohemia John Hus and Jerome of Prague An. 1415 1416. in Saxonie Luther and Melancthon in Argentine Bucer and Cariton in Helvetia Zwinglius and Oecolampadius in France Farell and Calvin and these were Pastors in office We need not stand upon the number of two but because two is the least and fewest number the witnesses were two But first there is no reason to fetter and restrict the Text to witnesses and Martyrs out of office excluding the Ministers and Prophets in office and to inferre thence that gifted persons in a constitute Church are the ordinary Ministers of conversion 1. These two witnesses did prophecie in the midst of Popish Babylon where God had no visible Church They did upon a particular exigence being called thereunto as the Martyrs of Christ to give a witnesse for Christ against Antichrist and they sealed the truth with their blood but the consequence is null a Martyr at the stake though no Pastor may give a confession of his faith to the persecutors as Stephen did Therefore a gifted person not in office may ordinarily preach in the Church I would not buy such logick with a rotten nut 3. Many women were witnesses and Martyrs and gave a testimony against Antichrist Ergo women may preach in the Church what vanitie is this 2. Also if those witnesses had an extraordinary measure of gifts and graces to beare witnesse to the truth it followeth not Ergo Christians gifted with an ordinary measure of the Spirit are ordinary Prophets for the conversion of soules 2. Though these witnesses were only unofficed Prophets yet the prophecying ascribed to them after they arose from the dead will not inferre that unofficed Prophets are ordinarily to preach for the rising againe of slaine Prophets is not to be exponed of the raising againe of the persons of unofficed Prophets to preach but it is to be exponed of the rising againe of the buried Gospel which in the ministery of faithfull Pastors and in other new Martyrs Pastors and others arose againe from the dead with the Spirit and power of these Martyrs and that buried truth that was in former times persecuted by Antichrist did now revive againe to the wondering of Babylon for the intent of the Spirit is to show that the Gospel and true Church slaine and buried shall arise againe within a short time as three dayes and a halfe 4. It is vaine that he saith none of the Clergy witnessed and prophecied against Antichrist he is not versed in the Churches history who teacheth so for Monkes and Fryars were Ministers though their office unlawfull and as Ministers of Christ. Luther Melancthon and thousands other gave testimony against Antichrist Robinson addeth Revel 14. 6. Where an Angell flyeth in the midst of heaven that is in the visible Church having the everlasting Gospell to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kinred That is God raised men in the midst of popery not miraculously inspired for you can show me no such who preached the Gospel not by vertue of an office The office of a Friar Monk or Massâ—-Priest is no ministery of Christs appointment and when they gave their clearest testimony they were almost all excluded out of Rome and so in respect of their personall gifts and graces they were Angels of God in respect of their office they were Angels of Antichrist Answ. 1. There is no reason to reject the interpretation of Junius that this Angell was a type of the servants of God who opposed Popery after the times of Bonifacius the eight as Cassiodorus the Italian Arnoldus de villa nova Occam Dante 's Petrarcha Ioannâ—s de Rupe the Franciscan Wickliff And Pareus refers the type to Wickliffe Marsilius Patavinus Petrarcha Our country man Napper exponeth it of Luther Melancthon and Calvin in the seventh age Anno 1541 and it is false that they were all excommunicated and though the accident of their office to be a Monke a Fryar was Antichristian yet the ministery it selfe was of Christ and by it they did preach against Antichrist as they did validely baptize for I hope they did not baptize as unofficed Prophets Lastly this Angel did not preach in the visible Church but in the midst of Popery and therefore doth not prove it is lawfull in a true visible constituted Church for gifted Prophets out of office to bee ordinary Preachers Robinson much urgeth the place 1 Cor. 14. 1 Because the Apostle speaketh of the manifestation of the gifts and graces common to all as well brethren as ministers ordinary as extraordinary 2. Hee speaketh of the fruits common to all edification exhortation and comfort compared with 1 Thess. 5. 11. 14. and of that which at all times remaineth amongst the Christians to wit love Answ. The cohesion of this Chapter with the former is cleare charitie should be followed because so excellent Therefore cover gifts which are most conducing to love and edification and that is to prophecie he proveth excellencie of prophecying above others and teacheth in this Chapter the right ordering of publick Church meeting Now Robinsons Argument is
Church is no supernaturall act though there be a morall obligation tying the professours to the supernaturall sincerity of the act yet there is no essentiall obligation as touching the essence of a visible member tying him thereunto and therefore the Magistrate may compell thereunto and so Antonius following Gregorius doe teach that an indirect compulsion to the faith is lawfull and the compelling power of the Magistrate is terminated upon the profession not upon the hypocrisie of the profession else it were as good an argument to prove that the Magistrate by the sword cannot compell subjects to abâ—taine from murther sorcery perjury because many in an hypocriticall and servile manner for feare of the Magistrates wrath not for feare of God doe abstaine from these ils nor is their abstinence from worshipping idols a thing of it selfe as the Magistrate commandeth it supernaturall Neither would men by the Covenant of the Lord which King Asa did cause the people to sweare to wit that they should seeke the Lord God of their fathers 2 Chron. 15. 12. be compelled so as their seeking of God should not be willingly performed 5. This opinion is the way to Arminian liberty of conscience that men in a Christian Common-wealth may be of any Religion and the Magistrate is to behold men as an indifferent spectator not caring what religion they bee of whether they be Papists Jewes Pagans Anabaptists Socinians Macedonians c. which should inferre that the Magistrate were no nurse-father of the true Church nor yet a preserver of Religion if men might be of any Religion Neither is this the way as saith Robinson to the Papists implicite faith when men beleeveth as the Church beleeveth though they know not what it is nor is it a compelling of men as he saith to blasphemy and apparent wickednesse because the Magistrate is not to compell to profession of the truth immediately and without any foregoing information of the mind for the Church is to teach and instruct in all the externall acts of worship before the Magistrate doth compell to these acts yea and the same Robinson acknowledgeth that Jehoshaphat made compulsive lawes about Religion Ergo if he should execute these Lawes he should compell to some acts of Religion and should compell to hypocrisie as the same Mr. Robinson argueth against us 4. Conclus It is one thing to command acts of divine worship under the paine of civill punishment and another thing to punish or inflict civill punishment when these commandements are transgressed Christian Princes may doe both And that they doe the latter by Gods commandement and warrant is cleare in that Jehu destroyed all the house of Ahab for Idolatry and killed Baals Priests Good Josiah killed the Priests of the high places and burnt their bones upon the Altar Elias when the Magistrate would not doe his duty in an extraordinary way killed Baals Priests and if the Magistrate also in the New Testament have the sword given to him of God for the punishing of evill doers as Rom. 13. 4 5. that same Law must now also have force though in the use of the sword sundry hereticks are here to be distinguished as 1. seducing hereticks drawing others away from the worship of the true God to idolatry such are not to be pitied by the Magistrate as Deut. 13. 5 6 7. Zach. 13. 4 5 6. whereas seduced and drawne away soules for simple heresie cannot be put to death 2. Hereticks falling away in many particulars from the faith to Popery or other hereticall wayes are more severely to be punished then those who are hereticks in one or two fundamentall points onely And those who are universall Apostates and fall from the Christian faith to Judaisme and Paganisme deserve no lesse then death 3. Selfe-condemned hereticks after sufficient information and malitious opposers of the truth deserve harder dealing then simply seduced hereticks 4. All who beleeve blasphemies to be truth and hold them are not to be reckoned amongst formall blasphemers whose malice carrieth them on to raile upon the unspotted wayes of God 5. No hereticks having false opinions of God such as Antinomians and Libertines who thinke that the regenerate cannot sinne or that the worshipping of a creature is not idolatry can be innocent as if â—â—â—mply acts of the judgement and mind not conforme to Gods will revealed in his word were not sinnes as Arminians teach whereas all the faculties of the soule are under Gods Law 2. Hardly doth the mind conceive false thoughts of God or his worship but there be wicked crookes in the will and affections inclining thereunto the mind and smoaking the mind with will-guiltinesse 6. Except God was too rigorous and cruell in the Old Testament God avert such blasphemous thoughts what ever punishment even to bloud and death was inflicted upon hereticks seducing Prophets Idolaters Apostates these same stande yet in the plentitude of morall obligation against such as offend in the New Testament if the Magistrate beare the Lords sword as he doth in the New Testament Rom. 13. 4 5. Monfortius the Anabaptist as Beza saith had no Scripture to say because Christ is a meeke Saviour all corporall punishment inflicted upon hereticks in the Old Testament is turned over in spirituall punishment onely our brethren who deny that the Magistrate can compell any to an externall profession of the Gospel doe herein follow Arminians and Socinians So the Reâ—onstrants and Episcopius deny that the Magistrate can use any bodily punishment against hereticks The learned Professors of Leiden observe that Arminians here teach that same with the Socinians and the same is refuted well by Vedelius yea and Gerardus and Mersnerus and other pretended Disciples of Luther in this side with Arminians and Socinians and Socinians teach in this 1. that Hereticks should not be molested nor punished with the sword So Socinus Theophilus Nicolaides Ostorodius because the tares are not to be rooted out till harvest 2. Episcopius Slatius amongst Arminians and Ostorodius and the Catechise of Raccovia teach farther that the Magistrate may punish by fines and pecuniall mulcts but he cannot shed bloud or punish to death any murtherer because the Commandement of our meeke Saviour doth not permit to take away any mans life now it is certaine meeke Jesus while hee was on earth did neither fine nor imprison more then put to death 3. Soâ—inians teach that all warres under the new Testament are unlawfull for saith Smalâ—ius warres cannot consist with the 〈◊〉 of our enemie commanded by Christ Socinus and Ostorodius say it is an old precept not to shed blood and never retracted in the New Testament and God licenced it to the Jewes because he promised to them an earthly kingdome which hee hath not now promised under the New Testament Our Divines hold ringleading and seducing hereticks are to bee punished to death for so Beza Junius
Bucanus Zanchius Perkinsius Daneus Bullingerus the Professors of Leiden teach All that can be said commeth to this that Hereticks should not bee punished 1. Cyprian saith to Demetrius that hee was greater then his Gods because he revenged the wrongs done to his Gods and that it was a shame for him to hope for helpe from the Gods which hee behooved to defend Answ. This proveth that the false Gods of Demetrius were but false Gods because they were not able to revenge the wrongs done to themselves as the true God who made the heaven and the earth can doe but nothing against the punishing of the Hereticks for then it should follow that blasphemy against the holy Ghost and no sinnes should bee punished for all sinnes are injuries done to God and therefore neither Magistrates nor parents nor doctors yea nor the Church should use any rod either corporall or spirituall against subjects children or scandalous persons because God can revenge his owne quarrell yea excommunication is a revenging of a wrong done to God 2. They object the Apostles way was to watch against Hereticks Act. 20. 29. 31. and Rom. 16. 17. to esâ—hew them 2 Tim. 2. 25. the servant of the Lord must bee gentle Answ. This is objected by Gerardus as also because they may bee converted Ergo they are not to bee killed Christ would not have fire comming downe from heaven to destroy the Sa 〈◊〉 for afterward they were converted but wee thinke not any should be put to death for simple heresie as Musâ—uâ—us and Whittaker teach they are to bee instructed censured rebuked eschewed but though Ananias and Saphira might bee converted Peter strake them with death and Paul did right in â—iking Elymas the Sorcerer with blindnesse Act. 13. because he laboured to turne away Sergius Paulus from the faith these were extraordinary judgements but yet they doe well prove that where the Magistrate is armed with authority hee ought to inflict bodily punishment upon the seducing hereticks so it hee done as Augustine saith Animo corrigendi non vindicandi See Beza Professors of Leyden and what Elias did by an extraordinary power in killing Baals Priests that Achab the then supreme Magistrate should have done 3. They object that it is contrary to the meeke spirit of Christ in the New Testament that any should bee punished for heresie and that it is proper to enemies of the truth and Antichrist so to doe as their practise declare Nestorius being made Archbishop of Constantinople said to the Emperour I will give thee heaven O Emperour if thou with free the earth of hereticks Dioscorus compelled with armed souldiers the Bishops to subseribe to the heresie of Entyches Eudâ—xius the Arrian obliged Valens the Arrian Emperour to root out 〈◊〉 orthodox professors The Turke in his Alcoran commandeth to kill all who obey not his law Answ. The sword is expressely given by God Rom. 13. to Christian Magistrates and this is not against the meeknesse of Christ no more nor to deliver to Satan or to curse and excommunicate Apostats with that great curse called Anathâ—ina Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. And though Hereticks and Mahomet teach that Hereticks as also they teach that manslayers adulterers paricides should die the death it followeth not that we are not to teach the same Fourthly The parable of letting the Tares grow while the day of judgement is alleaged It is true Chrysostome saith that many innocent persons are killed in the rooting out the tares by bloody warres Chrysologus saith Neither Matthew the publican nor Paul should have beene comerted if the Sword had beene used and Augustine seemeth to call the tares haereticorum falsitates and Theophylact Zizania sunt haereses But I answer Christ exponeth the tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syriace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza filii illius improbi Erasmus diaboli the children of the devill and Theophylact addeth Zizania sunt hâ—reses vel malae cogitationes and Gerardus perverteth Theophylact for he extendeth the tares not onely to Hereticks but also to wicked men to Matthew who was a publican but not a Heretick properly And first the field is the world of the visible Church where the seed of the Word is sowne and it must bee meaned of all scandalous persons in Christs visible kingdome so all shall bee spared and there shall neither bee use of the Magistrates sword nor of the Church discipline in the Church as Anabaptists expone the place 2. There should not so much as rebukes and threatnings beene used but wicked men should bee permitted to grow while the day of judgement that the Angels root them out Now it is knowne that the power of the word preached hath rooted out some tares because it hath converted them 3. Hereticks are not all things which offend the incestuous Corinthian offended also 2. Onely Hereticks are not such as worke iniquitie there bee others also in the visible Church as our brethren expone Revel 22. 15. nor are onely hereticks to be cast out in the furnace of fire where there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth 3. Nor are onely the good wheat those who are orthodox and opposite to hereticks who shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father p. 42. 43. except wee would say that all sound in the faith and holding no hereticall doctrine shall shine in the firmament as the Sun 4. The casting out of Hereticks out of the visible Church by excommunication is a rooting of them out of the field of the visible Church Let more of this be seen and considered in those who have written thereof as in Gâ—rardus loc cit Beza de puniend Haeret. Bellarm. de laicis c. 21. Costerus Enchirid. de moriâ—us haereticor Pelr. Gregorius lib. 12. de repub c. 4. Suarez de tripl virtut theolog disp 18. sect 2. Gregorius de Valent. 〈◊〉 3. disp l. q. 10. punc 6. Jus Canonicum C. Quid autem dist 49. Meiser lib. 4. de legibus sect 1. â— 10 11 12. Lipsius l. 4. 〈◊〉 c. 2. Coâ—â—d Bâ—unus l. 3. de haeretic c. 13. Paulus Windeck lib. de exsâ—irpandis haeretic APPENDIX A further consideration of compelling or tolerating those of contrary Religions and Sects in the Church WEe still hold as is already said that Christian Magistrates cannot compell Pagans to embrace the Christian faith Nor can the Church in a Church-way compell Pagans or Jewes comming to remaine amongst us Christians because Pagans are to bee gathered to a Church by the preaching of the Word and by that way that the Apostles planted Churches which was by the sword of the Spirit only as Matth. 28. 19 20. 1 Cor. 2. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5 6. But the argument which the Jesuit Tannerus other Papists bring for it I judge most weake for they will not have them compelled to the faith because 1. faith is a voluntary and
us to belief and certainty of faith no lesse then it obliegeth the Pen-men of Scripture and our certainty of saving faith is as infallible as the faith of the Prophets and Apostles except with Papists we say no man can be assured that he is in the state of grace If therefore we be oblieged to beleeve all revealed superstructures though not fundamentall as the Prophets and Apostles were we sinne scandalously when obstinacie is added to ignorance if we beleeve them with such a reserve as is contrary to faith and because there is no ignorance of those who teach others but it is capable of obâ—tinacie and consequently it is capable of Church censure Matth. 18. 17. I grant the weake and unlearned though ignorant of their Christian liberty in that interim and case when many things are indifferent as the case was Rom. 14. though they be instructed by Paul sufficiently that nothing is uncleane and that they erre in that out of an erring consciences light or rather darkenesse they abstain from such and such meates as Gods law hath now made lawfull to both Jew and Gentile yet are they not to be censured nor troubled with thorny disputations but if these weake ones 1. persist in their error and 2. teach it to others and mislead them they knowing that they beleeve these errors with a reserve are as I conceive false teachers and censurable by the Church and State and not weake but obstinate 2. We are not to be dull of hearing but are to be fully instructed und certainly perswaded so of superstructures which are not the first principles of the Oracles of God as that we are to teach others Ergo a Pyrrbonian fluctuation in these is damnable How then can it be a principle next to Gods word most to bee followed not to make our present judgement and practise in matters not fundamentall a binding Law to us for the future 2. The Apostle ought not to rebuke them for being dull of hearing of those things whereof either sides may be beleeved in a necessary case of syncretisme and pacification without any hazard of punishment or Church-censures for what is a necessary principle and to be holden and enacted as the most sacred Law of all others next unto the Word of God the matter of that principle being unknowne and neither sides understood received or beleeved cannot put on any the rebuke of dull hearing For example if the point of Presbyteriall government of the Church or of independencie of single congregations be a point not to be received with such certainty of faith and assurance but we are to reject either or both when we shall receive new light that they are false and contrary to the rule of holy Scripture and againe if we are to reject the opinion contradicent to these former points of Presbyteriall government and independent congregations for there is by this opinion the same reason of the contradicent as of the formerly affirmed opinions I see not how I may not be dull of hearing yea how I may not simply be ignorant of both and not sinne against God 3. Those superstructures which are not fundamentall are the strong persons food as the knowledge of principles fundamentall is the food of babes vers 12 13. Then I must be perswaded of the truth of them else they cannot feed my soule with knowledge because knowledge of Pyrrhonian fluctuation which is conjecturall and may be no lesse false then true and which I must so beleeve for truth as possible the tyde of a contrary light may carry me to beleeve the just contrary as truth can never be the strong food of such as are skilled in the word of righteousnesse 4. The knowledge of these superstructures or non-fundamentals belongeth to those who are of full age and have their senses exercised to discerne both good and ill vers 14. and which are carried on to perfection c. 6. v. 1. having now left the fundamentals as food to babes and unskilled c. 5. v. 12. But I heartily crave to learn what perfection doewe arive unto and what encrease of fuller age what experience of more spirituall knowledge perfecting the spirituall senses doe I attaine to know certaine truths which to me may be no lesse rotten conclusions and meere forgeries of mens braines then divine truths Hence if this Arminian liberty of prophecying and this perpetuall fluctuation of men alwayes learning and never comming to the knowledge of the truth be contrary to growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. and contrary to that which is called 1 Cor. 1. 5. all knowledge and to the abundance of knowledge which in the last dayes is to fill the earth as the sea is filled with waters so that when I have once over-sailed that point of the coast of the knowledge of fundamentall articles I am now in a Sea of foure contrary winds and foure contrary tydes at once and I know nothing for truth but its contradicent may be yea and to me is as true I say if this fluctuation of knowledge be contrary to growing in knowledge it must be rejected as a Chimera and the dreame of mens heads 5. Let us take one point not fundamentall to wit this Every congregation hath absolute power of Church government within it selfe without subjection to Classes Presbyteries and Synods You are so perswaded of the truth of this that your present judgement and practice is no binding Law to you for the morrow but you leave roome in your judgement to beleeve to morrow the contradicent when new light shall appeare Well then to morrow this non-fundamentall and this contradicent is now to you true No congregation hath absolute power of Church-government within it selfe but hath its power in dependance upon and with subjection unto Classes Presbyteries and Synods Well to morrow is come and this you beleeve now to be Gods truth yet so as your present judgement and practice is no binding Law to you for the second morrow but you leave roome for light which shall appeare the second morrow well in the second morrow new light appeareth and convinceth you that the contradicent is true and you recurre in a circle to beleeve your first proposition againe is true to wit the contradicent of your second dayes proposition and now to you this is true as it was once Every congregation hath absolute power of Church-government within it selfe without subjection to classes Presbyteries and Synods Now on the third morrow a new light appearing you are to beleeve the contradicent and because all circular motions are in credit to be deemed eternall and your mind is alwayes obliged to stoop and fall downe before new light and the conscience is to render her selfe captive to every emergent truth what can you here say but there is no end of fluctuations and doubtings But you say Gods spirit the revealer of all truth doth not fluctuate though I change God Jebovah
a man or no. It is taken for a thing out of controversie yea that this is no question at all Whether or no doth an erroneous conscience so bind that we can doe nothing against the standing enditement of an erring conscience for the Scripture is cleare in this Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing of meat-kind now under the Gospel uncleane or unlawfull to eat of it selfe but to him that esteemeth any thing to bee uncleane in the light of his il-informed and erroneous conscience to him so thinking it is uncleane that is to this man now under the actuall darknesse and errour of an ill-informed conscience it is not lawfull to eat but hee must abstaine from eating not simply from eating but from eating â—â—li modo So all who have commented on the place Calvin Beza Parâ—us Rollocus c. and of the Fathers all who either commented on or handled the text occasionally as Theodoret Chrysostome Basilius Augustine Cyprian Ambrose Origen Anselm all the Popish writers Lyra Hugo Cardinalis Aquinas Toletus Pirerius Estius Cornelius a Lapide c. yea Adrianus Vasquez Pezantius say it is manifestly against the Scripture and hereticall to say it is no sinne to doe contrary to the commandement or prohibition of an erring conscience 3. Hence the conscience carrieth to the agent from God a twofold obligation most considerable here 1. one from the action it selfe to be done or not done and this commeth wholly from the oblieging Law of God and not from the conscience there is another obligation that consisteth not in the action and commeth not from the action but in the manner of doing and this obligation commeth from conscience it selfe and that is that we doe nothing in such a manner that is against the light or inditement of our conscience for this is an imbred Rose Flower of divinifie and majestie that groweth kindly out of conscience according to that high place of some sort of royaltie that it hath to bee something of God a little breast-God a little Deputie and Judge not to bee contemned so when a proconsull bringeth to mee a forged commandement from my Soveraigne and Prince I may receive it with non-obedience if I know it to bee a forgery but I am not to despise and put any note of disgrace upon the proconsull be cause hee is in respect of his office the deputie of my Soveraigne though in this particular mandat hee doth prevaricate and not represent the soveraigne power and Prince whose deputie otherwayes he is by vertue of his office so is this the deputed royaltie of conscience that it standing to me bic nunc as representing a message from God though it represent it falsely that I can doe nothing in the contrary that deputry and message standing actually in vigor 4. I desire that these two obligations of conscience bee carefully kept in mind hence I say that conscience carrying the former obligation of Gods Law from which formally the action hath its lawfulnesse and in an eccentrick and irregular discrepance from which it hath its unlawfulnesse it doth not obliege mee to the action because it is conscience simply for when it offereth an action to mee as lawfull which in very deed and a parte rei in it selfe is unlawfull I am not oblieged to that unlawfull action for as God hath given to no ruler made of clay any royall power to bee a tyrant and to destroy where as his office is as a father to save and governe so hath not God given to conscience any power to obliege me to sinnes yea and conscience remaineth conscience when it representeth forged and illegall mandates under the notion of things good even when men love to goe to hell by reason yet in that false representation conscience is not Gods deputie therefore though if a man judge some doctrines to bee errors though they bee in themselves truths to him that so judgeth they are errors yet are these truths not to bee rejected simpliciter and absolutely by him who judgeth so ony they are to be rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some respect as they come in under the notion and garments of errors also if any suffer death for an error which in conscience he conceiveth to be truth that error is to him truth Distinguo it is to him truth that is he conceiveth and dreameth that it is truth that is most true but to him it is truth that is it ought to bee beleeved by him as truth and practised as lawfull that is most false for it ought to bee rejected both in point of beleefe and in point of practise and the erroneous opinion thereof should bee rejected and therefore if hee receive it as truth and professe it and die for it hee dieth not for righteousnesse sake but hee dieth for errour and for the dreames of his owne head and so is not blessed as one who dveth for righteousnesse for this vaine reason saith 1. that it is no sinne for the mind to beleeve a lie to bee a divine truth and it is righteousnesse upon the beleefe whereby I beleeve a lie to bee a truth to suffer for a lie under the notion of a truth Both these are false the former is false for the mind is under Gods oblieging Law to conceive aright of all divine truths as all the faculties of the soule are under a Law 2. The latter is false for to beleeve lies as divine truths and suffer for them because the erring conscience saith they are divine truths is not righteousnesse but sinfull credulity and blind zeale 1. Because wee are not to beleeve what our conscience dictateth as truth under this formall reduplication because our conscience thus doth dictate and saith it is truth but because Gods spirit saith to our conscience it is a divine truth not because our owne spirit and our owne dreaming and misâ—ed conscience saith so This is the controversie betwixt us and Papists anent the authoritie of Gods Word but with a little change for our conscience or the testimony of our conscience as such is no more the formall object of our faith and the formall medium and reason why with a divine faith I beleeve a divine truth to bee a divine truth then the testimony of the Church or the Pope is the formall reason of my faith so An â—baptists make a Pope and an infallible spirit of their owne conscience but the whole formall obligation tying mee to receive this and this point as a divine truth is because God hath revealed it in his Word the consciences representing of it is but a necessary condition of my beleeving but not the formall object of my beleeving the conscience is the cause why I beleeve it tali modo after a rationall way and by the evidence of practicall reason but it is not the formall cause why I beleeve it simpliciter for Papists Arrians Macedonians and the most