when there is any division of votes amongst them Fourthly and lastly if the Magistrate be bound in the case under consideration to cleave either to the one party or the other whether the lesser or the greater and to smite that with his sword as errour or Heresie which either of them adjudgeth for such he stands bound likewise to punish and smite with the sword that whole party of Ministers as erroneous and Hereticall whose judgement he rejecteth in the consultation though when he called them hereunto he looked upon them as godly orthodox and faithfull And if cases of this nature should frequently happen I meane wherein the civill Magistrate shall have occasion to advise with his godly Ministers for his information about errours and Heresies and these Ministers be divided in their judgements about them and the Magistrate be bound to punish errours and Heresies with the sword which that interpretation of the Scripture in hand now opposed by us imposeth upon him as a duty he should still toties quoties and from time to time be bound in conscience to destroy or molest one party of the godly Ministers under him and so ere long must needs make a sad desolation in his territories of such men Therefore Fourthly and lastly when the Apostle saith concerning the Magistrates that he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill c. that indefinit expression him that doth evill is not to be taken or understood universally for whosoever doth evill after what manner or in what kinde soever but with limitation pro subjecta materia 1. for the doer of such or of that kinde of evill which appertaineâ— to the cognizance of the Magistrate and whereof ordinary Magistrates or Magistrates in generall as well Heathen as Christian are competent judges as all such evill is which is manifestly such and of a Politicall consideration as that which is contrary to the light and law of nature as Whoredome Adultery Murder Theft Injustice Sedition Treason c. that this is the true interpretation and meaning of this Scripture is further confirmed First by the like expressions of frequent occurrence in the Sect. 47. Scriptures viz. where indefinit yea and sometimes universall expressions are used to signifie not a simple or absolute but a relative Sect. 48. or restrained universalitie of things i. e. either a vniversality of such things which are particularly treated of in those places where these expressions are found or of such whose natures or conditions are reasonably capable of those things which either are attributed to them or injoyned concerning them in such expressions As for example God himself saith Exod. 12. 48. that no uncircumcised person should eat of the passeover Yet this generall or universall expression is not to be extended unto women of the daughters of Abraham as if they were restrained hereby from eating the Passeover because they are persons uncircumcised the reason is because the note or universality NO in the prohibition NO uncircumcised person shall eat c. imports not an absolute but onely a relative universality viz. of all that kinde of uncircumcised persons which the verse speakes of which are males who also are the onely persons capable of circumcision So when the Apostle commanded the Thessalonians that if any would not worke he should not eat * 2 Thess 3. 10. his meaning was not to forbid nourishment or food to be given either to sicke or lunatique persons or to young children or to any person whatsoever uncapable of working but onely unto those who changed an ability of working into idlenesse and stubbornly refused to labour in a calling So in the Scripture in hand when he saith indefinitly that Rulers are not a terrour to good workes but to evill the word Rulers doth not signifie ALL Rulers whatsoever but onely such who rule according to the will of God for otherwise we know there are many Rulers who act contrary to this rule or assertion of the Apostle and are a Terrour not to evill workes but to good In like manner when the Apostle saith that the Magistrate is the Minister of God to execute wrath upon or against him that doth evill by him that doth evill it is no way necessary that he should mean every man without exception who doth that which is evill in one kind or other but onely every man that doth any such evill which is of a politicall cognizance and proper for a Magistrate as a Magistrate to punish Secondly if by him that doth evill in this Scripture were Sect. 48. meant every man without exception that doth any kinde of evill then should the Magistrate be the Minister of God and consequently be injoyned by him by way of duty to punish men for conceiving Sect. 49. evill thoughts for committing adultery in the heart for coveting that which is another mans without doing any thing outwardly which is evill or injurious to him c. For whosoever doth any of these things most certainely doth that which is evill but if we shall suppose that the Magistrate stands bound by his office to execute wrath upon such evill doers as these we had need make them Gods indeed and give them knowledge of the hearts of men or else we shall make them little better then devills by bringing the guilt of sin and of unfaithfulnesse in their places upon their heads without end Thirdly If God should require of the Magistrate to execute wrath upon spreaders of errors and heresies as evill doers he should be an hard Master indeed and think to gather where hee hath not strewed and to reap where he hath not sown * Mat. 25. 24. For doubtlesse he neither hath given nor doth give any sufficiency of means to discern between Heresie and sound Doctrine between Error and Truth at least in many points in Christian Religion to one Magistrate of an hundred I might I beleeve keep within the compasse of Truth and say of a thousand Especially if wee shall look upon those Magistrates which were then in being in the world when this Scripture was written and upon occasion of whose power to execute wrath upon him that doth evill this admonition was given by the Apostle unto the Romans it will clearely bee found that they generally were so farre from being able to judge what was Error and Heresie what Truth and Orthodox in Christian Religion that they judged this Religion it selfe to be the grand Error and Heresie of the world Fourthly That by him that doth evill in the clause under debate Sect. 49. the Apostle doth not mean spreaders of Errors or Heresies in Christian Religion but onely the actours of such impieties which were known to be such by the heathen Magistrates who then bare rule over them is evident from the context it self and the import of the same expression in the former part of the same verse which is this For he the Magistrate is the Minister
his being in London though it be never so true that there he is yea and that he hath inform'd Peter of never so many things It is not the ground cause or reason of any thing which necessarily furnisheth a man with the knowledge of the thing but the apprehension and knowledge of them and that in their relation of causality unto the thing So that the Vindicators are quite out in assigning the contrariety which is in the Opinions sentenced in the Ordinance to the manifest word of God together with their destructivenesse to the foundations of Christian Religion as a reason or ground why the makers of the Ordinance must needs CERTAINLY know them to be damnable heresies Fiftly whereas our Querie opponents talke with so much peremptorinesse Sect. 24. and importune confidence of a CERTAINE knewledge in the Ordinance-makers and consequently in themselves that the Opinions condemn'd in the Ordinance are damnable heresies I am halfe jealous from the aire of their confidence that Sect. 25. they understand not what they say nor whereof they affirme a 1 Tim. 1. 7. I meane that they know not or at least consider not what belongs to a CERTAINTY OF KNOWLEDGE in matters of Religion and the things of God It is a gracious and excellent degree of perswasion concerning the truth of the Gospel and much more concerning the Truth of particular Doctrines in it when men being called to it by God are made able and willing thereby to lay downe their lives for them or in confirmation of them If themselves have attained such a perswasion or knowledge of the Truth of Gospel-Doctrines as this they have cause to be thankfull and to glorifie God abundantly in this behalfe He hath noâ— dealt so with many of his children nor have thousands of Professors any such perswasion or knowledge of them Yet these Gentlemen may please to understand that such a knowledge of spirituall Truths which is sufficient to strengthen a mans hand to die for them may very possibly be farre from a CERTAINE knowledge of them Wee have read and heard of man 〈…〉 who have been enabled to die yea and have died for some Doctrines or Opinions out of that strength of perswasion which they had of the Truth of them which notwithstanding wee generally know were not true Now most certaine it is that there can be no CERTAINE knowledge of the truth of any thing that is false Therefore such a knowledge or perswasion of any Gospel-Truth which makes men willing and ready to die for it is no sufficient proofe of a CERTAINTY in this knowledge Which considered that opposition between a necessity of being Scepticks in Religion and a necessity of knowing some things certainly which our Answer-men make in the sequell of this part of their Answer gives no testimony at all either to their learning or understanding For no man I presume will call him a Sceptick in Religion who is so farre perswaded and confidenced of what he holds in it that he is willing and ready to die in attestation of the Truth thereof And yet as hath been said such a perswasion or confidence as this doth no wayes import a CERTAINTY of knowledge Sixtly It is the common Doctrine and Opinion of those Authors Sect. 52. which are generally by Protestants reputed Classique and Orthodox though mine owne Jugdement I confesse rather inclines another way that all other Arguments and proofes which Sect. 25. are usually yea or which can be brought to prove the Divinity of the Scriptures and the Truth of this Gospell are but Dialecticall and probable not demonstrative or conclusive without all feare of Truth on the other side or however not sufficient to perswade men to a firme assent unto them They onely allow the supernaturall and immediate worke of the Spirit * Atque hoc argumentum nempe Testificatio Spiritus Sancti c. ut est renatorum proprium ita solum corda eorum non solum de veritate Authoritate Scripturae sacrae convincit sed etiam persuadet ut assentiantur in eâ firmiter acquiescant reliqua omnia communia sunt etiam non conversis quos quidem etiam convincunt atque ora contradicentibus obturant sed SOLA NON PERSUADENT NEC MOVENT AD ASSENTIENDUM NISI INTUS TESTIMONIUM SPIRITUS SANCTI ACCEDAT Ursimus Catech. Proleg c. 4. Sect. 14. Haec cerâ—è à legentibus audientibus percipiuntur Sed ut cum fructu fiat verâ fide necessarium est ut suorum uniuscujusque afflatu Spiriâ—ls sui cor tangat ut veritatem Divinam in his Scriptis elucentem agnoscat ad quorum lumen alioqui ambulare non possunt qui spirituali caecitate detinâ—ntur donee Deus iis quibus verbum illud legitur aut praedicatur CORDA ILLUMINET sine quo Spiritûs motu Ecclesiae verae testimonium quod medium ad fidem utile etiam censemus sed neque unicum NEQUE SUFFICIENS prorsus esset inefficax Andr. Rivet Isag cap. â— Sect. 8. Quare quod piis hominibus sole clarius est illis qui sunt mentibus obtenebratis quavis est caligine obscurius Musc Loc. De sacris Scripturis Quare si nostrum illud credere Scripturae pendet à Spiritu Sancto quid obstat quò minùs conclâ—damus quod proposuimus Scripturae authoritatem quoad nos pendere à Spiritu Sancto agente in Conscientiis nostris Probatur jam minor Nemo câ—edit iis quae continentur iâ— Scripturâ Sanctâ nisi doctus à Deo At quicunque credit Scripturae credit iis omnibus quae continentur in eâ Ergo nemo credit Scripturae nisi doctus à Deo id est per fidem insusam Minor per se patet quia Scripturae credere in hac saltem controversiâ est eam habere pro verè Divinâ extráque omnem comparationis aleam Chamier Panstrat lib. 6. cap. 3. Sect. 2 3. Et posteà loquens de Augustino Sic bonus ille Pater propriá experientiâ didicit eam fidem quâ amplectimur Scripturarum Authoritatem esse à Deo NON VERO ACQUISITUM ALIQUID asserting and sealing up the Truth of both in the Consciences of men as an Argument of that Interest I meane as an Argument demonstratively and infallibly conclusive Is it then such an hideous or enormous supposition as these men desire to informe the world in thunder and lightning or is it at any such distance from their owne Principles to suppose that men may possibly not know CERTAINLY the great Truths of the Gospel to be Truths and consequently not know CERTAINLY that the opinions threatned with death in the Ordinance are damnable heresies Is there any thing more horrid or strange in such a supposition then there is in this that God hath not by the supernaturall infallible Sect. 26. immedate worke of his Spirit revealed and sealed up to the Consciences of many men the unquestionable Truth of the Gospel And is it any
cause so that whatsoever they shall say or argue in order unto this it receives this modification from betweene the efficient and the end it is SVFFICIENTLY argued and prov'd May they noâ— in a manner as well pretend and say when they have onely cited those first words in Genesis In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth that they have by this Scripture SVFFICIENTLY proved the Jus Divinum of Presbytery as make their boast that they have SVFFICIENTLY answered my second Querie with those impertinent weake reasonlesse truth-lesse allegations as hath been abundantly proved of which this Answer so called is made But as it was in that old saying amongst the Romans between their two Captaines that Odeâ—â—â—uâ— conquered but Gallienus triumphed so is it between the present Syllogisme and the Answer to it The Syllogisme conquers and the Answer triumpheth Oh England my heart is inlarged towards thee and I will open my mouth proportionably unto thee Take heed of the grand Imposture of this word SVFFICIENTLY in the writings and in the teachings of thy Teachers they have learned to call their chaffe wheat and to say of stones that they are bread But in what degree these men were straightned for want of reason Sect. 30. in answering their owne Argument they are inlarged in Sect. 30. passion against my Querie But what were they so super-superlatively incens'd against it because they were able to make no better worke of answering it Or diâ— thâ— spirit of it touch the apple of their eye and so through the extreamâ—ty of the paine their imaginations suffered yea and their Consciences also through a consent and sympathie with the part affected But whatsoever the true cause of the accident is I verily believe that never did there such a flood of prophane and senselesse passion breake out of the spirits of men that were called Christian from the first day of this Denomination in the world to this very houre as these men poure out upon a Querie whose innocencie I say not weight and worth hath been vindicated upon such grounds of evidence and Truth that the light of the Sunne is not more apparent at noone-day then it Were not the Fountaines of the great deep of Corruption within them all broken up when this Deluge of bitter waters issued from them And as Joshua that he and the people with him might be avenged of their enemies spake unto the Sunne and Moone to stand still Sunne stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Ajalon a Josh 10. 12. so did not these men their hearts being set to take revenge upon the Querist when they girded themselves to the worke commanded their reasons and consciensces to stand still and cease from their motions each of them respectively directing themselves to their own and saying Reason stand thou still over passion and thou Conscience in the valley of Indignation untill wee have avenged our selves in fire and brimstone upon our enemies that Arch-Enemy of our most beloved Designes But if in the day of their Answer I meane in the Rationall part of it we found nothing but night and darknesse can wee hope in the night thereof I meane the passionate part of it to find day or so much as the dawnings of reason truth or understanding I had once thoughts of speaking particularly to every straine and passage herein but upon more mature debate with my self about the undertaking I considered that in case I were an Engineere I should doe but childishly to load a Cannon only to batter a mushrome or a bubble which children raise with soape and spittle out of a nut-shell And thus our second Querie that great abomination of Classick soules hath fully recovered her selfe out of those fogges and Sect. 31. mists which partly by the ignorance partly by the ill will of her adversaries were spread round about her and shines in perfect beautie being onely troubled and full of sorrow for this that ever shee should be an occasion to men pretending to Religion of so much rebuke and shame as must needs fall upon those who have opposed her Sect. 31. Their third Argument rejoyceth against their Answer given to it because this also is built upon sandy foundations As 1. that to be called Rabbi is to require men to beleeve that which they teach them meerly because they teach it without any Authoritie from God in his Word This is a most strange and truthlesse saying and excuseth Scribes and Pharisees and who not from ever desiring to be called Rabbi For certainly none of these were ever so simple as to require men to beleeve that which they taught them MEERLY because they taught it without any Authoritie from God in his word There was none of them all but pretended Authoritie from God in his word for what they taught but especially it is the first-borne of incredibilities that they should require men to beleeve what they taught them upon this ground MEERLY because they taught it without any Authoritie from God in his word Can it enter into the heart of a man especially of any man that professeth the service of the true God and beliefe of the Scriptures to thinke honorably of his Teacher MEERLY and simply because he teacheth without any Authoritie from God in his word Certainly if the Scribes and Pharisees had fish'd with this baite especially amongst the Jewes for the acclamations of Rabbi they had caught nothing but contempt and shame in stead thereof Therefore for men to enjoyne or compell men to call them Rabbi is in the sence of the Querie in the Scripture import of the phrase either to enjoyne them especially under any penaltie as of their dis-favour or the dis-favour of God or otherwise to receive or beleeve any Doctrine as the Truth of God because they teach it for such viz. either as a true Interpretation of or deduction from the word of God whether they give any sufficient account that it is either the one or the other unto those on whom they impose upon such terms this tribute of beliefe or else to prohibit them on the like terms the holding and maintaining of such or such Doctrines because they judge them to be contrary to the word of God without giving any sufficient account or reason unto the prohibited Sect. 32. to prove them so Now I querie the Anti-Querists whether the makers of the Ordinance doe not in this sence compell men to call them Rabbi i. Whether they doe not prohibit men under penalties and those most grievous from holding forth such and such Doctrines as being contrary to the word of God without giving any sufficient account or indeed any at all that I say not without being able to give any that is sufficient unto the persons thus prohibited that they are indeed contrary to this word 2. The Answer now under correction is polluted with this uncleane Sect. 32. supposition viz. that the makers of
supposeth the erroneous opinion Sect. 53. of Consubstantiation to be farre more grosse and dangerous then many particularizâ—d in the Ordinance these Gentlemen Answer That Lutherâ— error of Consubstantiation is neither so grosse nor so dangerous as any of the opinions threatned by the Ordinance with death Doe not these men deserve and that ex abundanti their places in the Assembly for this Seraphicall strain The Queree querieth of them whâ—ther Luther dâ—served either imprisonment or death for his opinion about Consubstantiation To this they Answer that this error is not so grosse or dangerous as any by the Ordinance threatned with death So then by the way they grant that the Civill Magistrate under whom Luther lived was defective in his duty towards God that he did not put his great Embassadour and most faithfull servant Luther into prison and there keep him fast from doing the devill any more harme all his dayes But with what face of sense reason learning or Religion can these men affirme that The Error of Consubstantiation is neither so grosse or so dangerous as any of the opinions threatned by the Ordinance with death Certainly in point of grossenesse there is scarse any if any at all of these opinions from the first to the last of them to be compared therewith The error of Consubstantiation is apparently so grosse that the grossâ—st of the outward senses themselves I meane that of touching is able to discover and confute it Is the error of God his not being one in three persons or that the Holy Ghost is not God Sect. 54. with severall others threatned by the Ordinance with death are these I say errors of so terrene a calculation or so obnoxious unto a redargution by the senses And for matter of danger I would gladly learn from these Grandees what difference there is between holding the Error of Consubstantiation and that Christ is not ascended into Heaven bodily which latter is one of the opinions threatned by the Ordinance with death But Thirdly and lastly this Answer goeth out in this snuffe The Sect. 54. opinions which he and others held which were erroneous were in the beginning of the Reformation when thre had not been such means of conviction nor such a cleering or setling of Truth as there is amongst us aspecially in the fundamentall Doctrines c. But First why were there not such meanes of conviction in the beginning of the Reformation as there is now amongst us Certain I am that there was as much learning and as much labour and as much conscience and faithfullnesse in and about the beginning of Reformation in very many of those persons whom God interessed in this honourable service as there is amongst us Luther Melancthon Calvin Zuinglius P. Martyr Bucer Occolampadius with many more names of like note with these have not their Superiours in any of these now amongst us I wish they had their equalls There is no more comparison for stature in learning and in all manner of worth between young Luther * Mr. Edwards Gang. 3. par p. 77. printeth a passage of a letter sent by a godly Minister as he useth to call all those that will honor or rather flatter him wherein this minister affirmeth that he spake prophetically that usually called him the said mr Edw. in Cambridge â—â—â—g LVTHER and old then is between the thistle in Lebanon and the Cedar in Lebanon And for countenance from heaven the Histories of those times make it evident that the Worthies mentioned had another manner of a Divine presence and assistance with them then all the cleerers or setlers of Truth so called now amongst us can with any colour or face of Truth pretend Secondly I shall write my self a debtor of a very high favour unto these Gentlemen if they will please to informe me what cleering or setling of Truth there is now amongst us either in fundamentall Doctrines of Religion or in any other above what the primitive times of the late Reformation injoyed If by setling of Truth they mean suppressing of Truth by casting the diabolicall aspersions of Socinianisme Arminianisme Popery Antinomianisme c. * Mr. Edw. Gan. 3 par pag. 114. upon it that so it may stand still and rest where it is and propagate no further well may they glory or indeed be Sect. 54. ashamed of that setling of Truth now amongst us But if by setling of Truth they mean a building setling or holding of it forth upon substantiall cleere and demonstrative grounds what meanes the continuall enterfeâ—rings and clashings of our Presbyterian Pulpits themselves one against another yea how comes it to passe that so seldome can any one Sermon be heard out of their pulpits but quarrels with it self What meane the numerous Anti-Votes in the Assembly it self and some of these proceeding from persons of the most eminent worth amongst them if not against all or the greater part yet against some of the main and most materiall Doctrines concluded there what mean the crosse-lines and contradictions of that frequent occurrence in bookes lately printed and these not onely in and about the point of Presbytery between Presbyterians themselves and particularly between Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Edwards whereof instance might be given in sundry particulars but in Doctrines also of a farre more fundamentall consequence as about the power of man in his unregenerate yea and in his regenerate condition too about the nature of Justifying Faith yea about Justification it selfe then which I know no Doctrine more fundamentall concerning which notwithstanding it is a very rate thing to finde any two either of our late Writers or our present Preachers uniforme in their judgements yea or to finde any one of either of these intirely consistent with himself Severall months since I heard a Parliament man of eminent worth and note reckon up six or seven severall Sects or subdivisions amongst the Presbyterians themselves since which time I make little question but that their Sects have multiplyed So that whereas my Anti-Querists talke of so much cleering and setling of truth amongst us above the happinesse of the first times of Reformation in this behalfe the truth is that that Truth they speak of even in her maine and most fundamentall branches was never more disturbed perplexed intricated obscured made more inaccessible to the understandings capacities and consciences of ordinary men from the beginning of the Reformation they speake of then it is at this day amongst us O England England if thou dependest upon thy Teachers for truth even in the greatest points of that Religion which thou professest thou must fish for it in Sect. 55. their troubled waters In their eleventh Answer having built upon the rubbish of the Sect. 55. foundations lately demolished and told us First that the doctrine of the Lords day was not so cleared as it is now I wonder by whom or by what light of demonstration Secondly that even now it is not
are fornicators adulterers drunkards deceitfull covetous oppressors proud persecutors c. Doe they suppose I say that such abomination-workers as these doe not at all provoke God against the State or bring dishonour to him or do mischiefe unto his people For without such a supposition as this it is evident that those who maintain some one yea or more of the heresies so called or errors made punishable by the Ordinance may be as truly serviceable to the State as those of contrary judgement yea and this with the full consent of that very reason which is here brought to prove the contrary Or doe these men conceive that whosoever will undergo the penance of bowing downe his neck to the yoke of high Presbytery shall hereby obtaine Sect. 66. a plenary remission of all his sinnes from God yea and Doâ—aâ—iâ—tae qui prae sâ— omnes alios Christian as condemnaâ—ant severitatem censurae in suos reâ—ana 〈…〉 et in suis â—aetibus hâ—mi es 〈…〉 os â—â— optâ— oâ— Gildoâ—iaâ—â—s Primianosque pa â—â—â—auturâ—â— Mart. Loc. Class 4 cap. 5. â—â—ct 15. further be made uncapable of all further provocation These men who are so furiously clamorous against Sectaries and Heretiques in which bundle of clamour they binde up the names of many that are precious in the sight of God and good men doe themselves imitate one of the worst straines that was found in one of the worst kinde of Sectaries I meane the Donatists with the reproach of whose memory and practise they so frequently stigmatize those who dissent from them The Donatists saith Peter Martyr who condemned all other Christians in comparison of themselves were very remisse in their censures of those of their owne Sect. and patiently suffered even the most impure of men in their Assemblies * And of Eunomius the Heretique it is reported that suis sectatoribus quodvis scelus indulgebat That is he favored Sect. 68. his complices or followers in any mischiefe whatsoever Fourthly whereas they alledge that each of the erroneous opinions punishable by the Ordinance hath somewhat of visible prejudice Sect. 67. to the Church and state and from hence argue that those who hold and publiquely maintaine any of these opinions cannot be so serviceable to the State as those who hold the truth in those things may be this is a bird of the same feather and hath beene pluck't already Doubtlesse they who hold the truth in thâ—se things may notwithstanding hold such erroneous opinions otherwise and withall be so unworthy beyond the others in their practises and course of conversation that there may be much more visible prejudice both to the Church and State in these yea in either of them then in the errors of the other But when they adde that the Queree against which they argue seems to inferre that no Law is to be made to afflict or punish those that are godly and serviceable to the Common-Wealth they lay a necessity upon me either to judge them selfe-condemned in the charge or else weak beneath the line of such men who understand plaine English For the cleer truth is that there is not so much as the least sâ—emingnesse of any such inference or intimation in the Querie In their Answer to their seventeenth Argument they follow Sect. 68. their occupation first they dictate and then calumniate They dictate that the Ordinance is not like to discourage they meane from the Ministery any but hereticall and erroneous spirits who would do mischiefe in the Ministery if they were admitted unto it By the way is it not much that Ministers of an Anti-Congregationall Interest should speake against those who doe mischiefe in the Ministery Therefore saith the Apostle thou art unexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that judgest dost the same thing * Rom. 2. 1. But how doe they prove that the Ordinance is not like to discourage any but hereticall and erroneous spirits No otherwise then by the profound demonstration of an Authoritative silence They are nâ—â—i ad imperium borne to Sovereignty and it is an indigne thing to put them upon the servility of disputing The rule is Lex imperet non disputet and is it not meet that Law-makers should partake of the honour and priviledges of the Law But if they could content themselves with the office of Dictatours and not Sect. 69. intrench upon Sathans imployment also of calumniating it were a very considerable deduction from that summe of misery wherewith the nation is now charged by them Our Anti Querists have borrowed Gangrena's forehead and are not ashamed to say that it is the Querists calumnious insinuation that the common doctrines of the Churches of God in this present age are but misprisions and common errours in matters of Religion Reader if there be so much as the quantity of a moâ—e in the â—unne of any such insinuation in the Querie let them weare the crown of Sagacious and quick-discerning men and let the dung hill meet for slaunderers to sit on be assigned unto me for my portion But if they in the charge have sinned the sinne of the dung hill why should sinne and shame part company All the Querie can so much as seem to intimate about this point is that men of greatest worth for parts and abilities are more likely then other men to discover the common errours and misprisions of the present age in matters of Religion But doth he that supposeth there are common errours and misprisions in matters of Religion intimate that the common doctrines of the Churches of God are but misprisions and common errours in Religion Or doth he that supposeth that there is much base and counterfeit coine abroad intimate that the best Silver and Gold are but counterfeit Or doth he that supposeth that illiterate and ignorant men are common in the world intimate that the wisest and most learned men are but illiterate and ignorant Apagè calumniarum quisquilias In their eighteenth Answer p. 20. pretending to answer an Sect. 69. Argument drawn from the parable of the tares they say that the parable doth not forbid to pluck up the tares in one field for feare left others should plucke up the wheat in another field In this doubtlesse they speake most truly For Christ was not afraid left the plucking up of the tares in this world should occasion the plucking up of the wheat in the next world For the field wherein both the wheate and the tares are to grow together is expresly said to be the world i. e. this present world The field is the world Matth. 13. 38. So that our Antagonists thus farre in the point in hand speake most substantially for matter of truth but most childishly as for matters of Answer or reason otherwise Whereas they adde that the parable forbids to pluck up the tares when by the Sect. 70. same act they may be in danger to
by corrupting the purity of the Gospell as by spreading Errours and Heresies in the Churches of Christ amongst the Saints c. There are severall circumstances in the Parable which cleerly restraines the sense and interpretation of the tares to false Teachers and spreaders of Errours and Heresies First false Teachers and corrupters of the purity of the Gospell were not found in the world till some while after that the Gospell had been purely and sincerely taught in the world as the tares were Sect. 73 not sown till some while after the sowing of the wheat whereas there were evill-doers of all other kindes in abundance at this time and before as hath been already said There were indeed false Teachers and corrupters of the truth in the Church of the Jews before and at the time when the Gospell was first published in the world such were the Sadduces Pharises c. and so there were Teachers of many vanities amongst the Gentiles in many places But the Gospell cannot properly be said to be corrupted with Errours or false Doctrines mingled with it first untill the Truth of it was declared and planted in the world Nor secondly by any but by those who professe it Secondly the tares appeared not till after the blade of the wheat was sprung up yea and had brought forth fruite * Mat. 13. 26. Nor were there any false Teachers heard of who corrupted the Truth of the Gospell untill the Apostles had planted the Gospell in the purity of it and made many proselytes to it in the world which our Saviour elsewhere viz. Joh. 15. 16. calleth a bringing forth fruite But evill doers in other kindes there were as many or rather more before the wheat had brought forth this fruite as afterwards Thirdly the enemy or envious man who is said to have sowne Sect. 73. the tares the Devill went his way as the parable saith when he had done this worke that is he did it slily and covertly he was not seen or observed when he did it nor till some while after Those false Teachers who mingled Evangelicall Truth with Errours and Heresies were not suspected for such at the first no nor discerned at all by very many professing Christianity either first or last viz. all such who imbraced their errours instead of truth and continued in them Whereas in Murthers Thefts Seditions Rebellions Treasons with many other kindes of impiety Sathan is apparant and to be seene as it were with open face Fourthly the gathering up of the tarâ—s endangered the plucking up of the wheat also with them In like manner if Magistrates or others shall be busie about plucking up Sectaries Heretiques Teachers of Errours c. they will be in continuall danger of plucking up the wheat also I mean godly men and children of the Kingdome First because many truly pious and conscientious men children Sect. 73. of the Kingdome may easily bee drawn into some unwarrantable Sect or opinion Secondly such opinions as expose those who hold them forth to the reproachfull names of Sectaries Schismatiques Heretiques c. and in this respect shall be sentenced and proceeded against by the Magistrate as erroneous and hereticall may well be the sacred Truths of God and the persons holding them forth unto the world the best and faithfullest of his servants Examples hereof were frequent in this very Kingdome in the dayes of Papall power Thirdly and lastly the very example of one kinde of Magistrate plucking up the tares as he calls tares in one place is very likely to occasion the like plucking up by a Magistrate of another spirit in another place of such as he calls tares who yet very possibly may be the good wheat Whereas if we speak of morall impieties and the workers of these as Adulterers Murtherers Oppressors Traitors c. there is little or no danger that the Saints at least not any considerable numbers of them should suffer by any proceedings of the Magistrate against these because First they are seldome given up to the committing of such sins as these Secondly because there are no other practises whether righteous or unrighteous that are any thing like unto these or wherein there is ordinarily any place for a mistake by men of ordinary understanding Thirdly and lastly neither can the example of any one Magistrate inflicting punishment upon offenders in any of these kindes in reason or likelihood of event occasion another Magistrate of what spirit soever to inflict punishment upon those who are not offenders in as much as all Magistrates are of one and the same judgement in this that morall misdemeanours and particularly those that were mentioned with their like ought to be punished Fifthly and lastly the tares are by the order and command of Christ to be suffered to grow together with the wheat untill the harvest But evident it is that Christ would not have murthers thefts adulteries and other morall misdemeanors to be left unpunished by the Civill Magistrate untill the last day because then he should carry the sword in vain and not be Gods Minister to execute wrath upon such as doe evill and so the Office of Magistracy would be quite taken away by such an interpretation Therefore without all controversie by the tares are precisely and determinately Sect. 74. meant false teachers and spreaders of errors in Religion and yet not all these neither though now we have not time to distinguish whom the Magistrate may suffer to grow with the wheat unto the harvest and yet have work enough for his sword and his Office stand in full force strength and vertue for the benefit and accommodation of the world But our Anti-Querists perceiving this Parable comming against Sect. 74. them and their bloody Tenet like an armed man against whom no resistance is to be made they wisely seek to divert the course of it another way and fain would perswade the world that the scope of it rather relates to the providence of God in the ministery of Angels then to the duty of the Magistrate this certainly is a new light hung out by the Gentlemen Presbyterians And because they could not much confide in such an empty speculation as this or think that it would ever passe the judgements of men with acceptation therefore through feare they betake themselves to the refuge of this darknesse That there is some obscurity in all parables to make them sute And because they would not willingly be disturbed in their way by this or any other Parable therefore they further give this prudent admonition to their Adversaries concerning Parables that they are not to be urged beyond their scope which they would have both them and all the world to presume is never to hurt or to indanger High-Presbytery Which also in effect they confesse in the words following which the errors either of their presse or pen or both corrected with as much skill and faithfulnesse as I can are these The scope of which Parable that
meritorious straine of ingenuity in these men having two distinct senses of a clause ready formed stated and presented to their hand with a modest desire to know which of the two was to rule for them to have clearly answered either for the one or for the other or in case neither of them had comported with the intent of the Ordinance to have substituted a third in their stead But instead of this they disparage themselves with this tergiversation in the procedure of their answer But the Parliament hath so oft declared against Arminianâ—sme of which this I wonder which or what is a chiefe Article and so 〈…〉 our former Parliaments that no man hath any reason to imagine that they understand any other thing by that opinion they should have done well to have told us what opinion it is they speake of then the Arminian freewill which by the Reformed Churches is generally condemned as a pernicious Error But First I wonder how these men come to know or to presume what the Parliaments sense is about that Free-will which is sentenced with imprisonment in the Ordinance when as confident I am that they have never yet given an account of their sense therein either unto them or any other Secondly I would willingly ask these men what competent grounds they have to think especially with so much confidence as their words import that either the Parliament or especially the makers of the Ordinance mean the Arminian Free-will when as first it is probable that they never studied the state of the Controversie between the Arminians and their opposers about the point of Free-will and so cannot know at least otherwise Sect. 86. then by loose and common heare say what the Arminian Free-will is And secondly inasmuch as many and those Scholars and Students in Divinity by profession who have bestowed some time and study in the controversie are yet scarse able to give any sensible account of the difference or state of the Question between the combatants Thirdly I desire of them that they will please in their Rejoynder to relieve my darknesse in the point with their light and clearly informe me what themselves mean by the Arminian Free will I have bestowed some time and upon occasion inquired as narrowly as some others to finde out what was the sense and opinion of Arminius himself about the bondage and freedome of the will I have likewise consulted the writings of some that are generally reputed his followers upon the same occasion By comparing the Master with some of his Disciples I clearly finde that there is to the full as great a difference between the judgements of the one and of the other in the point now under consideration as there is between the judgement of the generality of learned Divines in England and Arminius himself Yea I professe that looking lately into Arminius on purpose to finde some passaâ—â— or expression one or more of some rank import upon the subject and I could meet with none but what with a faire and reasonable construction of the words was fully reconcileable with the judgements and expressions of some reformed Churches yea and of some of eminent note and desert both for piety and soundnesse of judgement amongst our selves Amongst some of Arminius followers I confesse I found it otherwise Now then this is the request which I make to these men and I trust they will not judge it unreasonable that they will plainly declare themselves what they mean by their Arminian Freewill whether that which is held and taught by Arminius himselfe or which is maintained by some of his followers there being so materiall and considerable a difference between them Fourthly and lastly whereas they send us to the generality of Sect. 86. the Reformed Churches to informe our selves what Free-will it is which is made punishable by the Ordinance with imprisonment defining it to be that which by the Reformed Churches is generally condemned as a pernicious Errour First I cannot but judge it unreasonable Sect. 87 in the highest that the generality of men amongst us should be made obnoxious to imprisonment by such an expression in an Ordinance or Law the sense and meaning whereof they cannot come to understand but onely by consulting the writings and all the confessions of Faith set forth by all the Reformed Churches respectively Alas the farre greater number of men amongst us are wholy uncapable of this information not understanding the language wherein these Confessions of Faith are written Secondly To my knowledge the Reformed Churches themselves do not generally at least not universally agree in condemning the Arminian free-will as a pernicious Errour but some of them doe subscribe and publish that to the world upon this subject for truth which others of them condemne for an Errour So that the Anti-Querists have meerly baffled in their Answer instead of giving any satisfaction to the Querie demanding the sense of this clause in the Ordinance that a man by nature hath free-will to turne unto God In their 26 and 27 Answer pag. 29. though they quit themselves Sect. 87. with somewhat more fairnesse and ingenuity then they do in all the rest yet they do not speak distinctly enough to the minde of the Querie when by Blaspheming in the Ordinance they say are meant onely such horrible expressions against God as cannot with patience be heard by any Christian eare In this description there are sundry particulars of a very doubtfull interpretation As first when they define Blasphemy by horrible expessions against God whether they exclude Christ man or as being man from being an object capable of this Blasphemy Secondly what they mean by a Christian ear whether the ear of a person who is Christian indeed i. e. a true and sound Believer or of a Christian at large and by outward prâ—â—â—ssion onely We know there is a great difference between the eare of the one and of the other in respect of tasting Blasphemy If they meane the eare of a sound Christian a true Beleever it is a point of no easie decision to determine who amongst men are such If the eare of a Christian at large I suppose they cannot but know that there are many such eares who can heare any Blasphemy whatsoever with patience whatsoever is meant by it more then enough Thirdly and lastly what they Sect. 88. meane by being heard with patience whether by Patience they mean such a composednesse of minde and spirit which keepes men from all unseemly deportment or expression of themselves outwardly in cases of provocation which is the common signification of the word or else such a temper by which a man is indisposed to greeve or take sorrow upon such occasions which usually cause sorrow and griefe of heart unto men Stand we by either the one signification of the word Patience or the other the clause cannot be heard with patâ—â—nce will be found very inconvenient to be put into the definition or description
Parish Churches I confesse that could I have presomed so far of the Ordinance that it had taken no knowledge of any Congregations but such well might this Querie have kept company with things that are not Nor is their 36 Argument framed to the Querie However in Sect. 102. their Answer they dissemble it and smite the Querist with their Censorian mace for saying that doubtlesse it is not lawfull to teach Children or whosoever to pray unlesse we can reasonably judge them capable of our Instruction in this kinde I thought such a saying as this had been innocent enough to escape the Inquisitors office But so officious â—t seems they are that they must have a saying to â—â— and their saying is this Although this Querist is so conâ—â—dent as to say Doubtlesse it is not lawfull by the way Doubtlesse doth not alwayes import confidence but sometimes rather an allay thereof yet he not onely therein contradicts the generall practise â—â—th of our Divines and Christians who began to teach children to pray as soone as they begin to speake or understand but opposes Christ himselfe who justified the childrens crying Hosanna to the son of David when it cannot reasonably be thought they understood so much of him as to have learned how to pray c. Reader canst thou thinke that these men understand the nature of a Contradiction I feare they are better at the practice then the Theorie of Contradictions But if thou hast ploughed with these Gentlemens Heyfeâ— I pray thee help me to finde out their riddle The Lord Christ saith speaking of those that cried Hosanna to him I tell you that if these should hold their peace the stâ—nes would â—rie * Luke 19. 40. Now suppose the persons of whom our Saviour speakes had been defective in the service and so the stones had supplyed this defect and cried as he saith they would have done as they did can it not reasonably bâ— thought that our Saviour would have justified these stones in such a seuse and upon such terms as now â—e justified the other And in case he had done this justified the stones in crying Hosanna can it reasonably be thought that this fact of his would have justified those that should have gone about to teach stones to pray or have contradicted the assertion of those who should notwithstanding affiâ—m it to be unlawfull to go about such a worke as to teach stones to pray But Secondly I wonder upon what ground or ingagement of their reasons they should say that it cannot reasonably be thought that they understood so much of him as to have learned how to pray Those that are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 21 15. the place cited by them which in this place is commonly translated children else where servants are Luk. 19. 37 39. called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciples which doubtles argueth more then a probability that they understood or at least were capable of understanding so much of Christ as to have learned in some measure at least how to pray Besides the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though sometimes it signifieth â— young child yet more frequently it signifieth a child of some growth and 〈…〉 ature capable of instruction c. sometimes as was said a young man or servant the diminutive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being more frequently used to signifie a little or young child So that there is very little in the word children to countenance these men in their assertion Thirdly Nor doth that testimony cited from David Psal 8. 1. Sect. 103. Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained praise by which they say that Christ justified the Childrens crying Hosanna any wayes attest their notion For first certainly those that were able to cry Hosanna were neither Babes nor Sucklings in the literall and strict signification of the words Secondly neither by this testimony did Christ intend so much to justifie the act of the children as the wisedome and power of God in the dispensation As when Babes and Sucklings shew forth the praise of God in Davids sense this act of theirs such as it is doth no wayes commend or justifie them but onely the gracious providence of * Ipsi quidem muti sunt sed mirabilis Dei providentia qua tâ— ipsis reluet instar est sonorae et magniloquae facuâ—…iae God about them They saith Calvin upon the place as cited by Matthew speaking of these Babes and Sucklings are mute and dumbe but the wonderfull Providence of God which shines forth in them is instead of a sounding and stately eloquence Thirdly The place in the Psalme is more generally understood in a metaphoricall sense by expositors and doubtlesse was no otherwise cited or applyed by our Saviour here viz. then as a Scripture holding forth and attesting this providentiall method course and practise of God to make the meanest and weakest of his creatures bountifull contributors unto his praise and glory Fourthly and lastly for this in case God should desire extraordinary praise and glory from children not yet capable of Instruction or learning how to pray the officiousnesse of men in attempting to teach them how to pray would rather be injurious unto then any wayes comporting with this his desire For whatsoever he in this case shall worke in an extraordinary way for his praise or glory in or upon or for such children the effect and fruite hereof will in all likelyhood be attributed atleast in part to the seemingly-pious endeavours of those who taught them to pray though to no purpose at least with no effect Fourthly and lastly Whereas they avouch it the generall practise both of our Divines and Christians that they began to teach children to pray as soone as they begin to speake or understand if instead of the disjâ—nctive or they had put the conjunctive and I should rather have beleeved them If they know some either Divines or Christians though the opposition or distinction is not very lovely who teach their children to pray as soone as they begin to speak whether they understand or no I know others that judge such a practise little lesse then the taking of the Name of God in vain and in that respect forbâ—â—re it So that howsoever the practise is not so generall as these men seem to import And to me it seems still unreasonable nor do I know how to helpe it but by a surrender of my judgement into the hands of unlawfull Lords that men should bestow their time and labour in teaching or instructing such subjects in any knowledge skill or facultie whatsoever which they cannot reasonably judge to be capable of their Instructions In their 37 Answer they suppose two great Suppositions Sect. 104. which I beleeve that seven yâ—ers study of all the Divines in the world will hardly make good As first that themselves and men of their party are iâ—gaged in the Truth in all things or all opinions whatsoever mentioned in the