And this opinion they grounded chiefly upon those places which seem to speak of the perpetual duration of those Statutes Deut. xxix 29. Levit. iii. 11. Exod. xii 17. and say they shall be ordinances to them for ever and consequently seem to infer a Declaration from the mouth of God that they should not be altered Moreover it is certain that as the Protestants condemn as sinful and pernitious many Traditions and Customs of the Roman Church so did that Jesus whom Christians honour as the true Messiah as frequently inveigh against and solemnly condemn many Traditions which then were generally received and practised in the Jewish Church as vain and sinful customs and such as tended to make void the Scriptures and render the whole Jewish worship vain He therefoce seemeth to have been as great an enemy to Ecclesiastical Traditions though they were generally owned by the then present Church as such as Protestants can be esteemed Lastly Certain it is that the Superiours and Church Rulers or at the least the Major and prevailing part of the Church Rulers did then as firmly and unquestionably believe that those Traditions which were condemned by your Jesus and which so evidently proved if true he was not the Messiah promised to the Jew were both agreeable to the word of God Expounded by their Church Tradition and were delivered to them by Moses and the Patriarchs and Prophets and were continually practised by their Forefathers as doth the Roman Church believe that her Traditions were taught and practised by Christ or his Apostles and by their Successors throughout all Ages of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. xv 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. i. 14. Hence are they often styled by them the Traditions of the Antients or the Traditions received by succession from their Fathers And in their later writers they are always held to be derived from God by Moses together with the written Law and as an explication of it Hence like good Roman Catholicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. xxi 21. Act. xxviii 17. they were more exceedingly zealous for the Traditions of their Fathers than for the Law it self They accuse all who walked not according to these customs of their Fathers as persons who forsook the Law of Moses And to do any thing against these customs of their Fathers was reputed Criminal This being so I ask why the tradition of the major part of the Church Catholick or Christians in any Age whatsoever and their concurring judgment that what she doth at present teach and practise she received from Christ and his Apostles should be esteemed sufficient to render all those persons guilty of Heresie and Schism who do not yield assent to what they teach or a compliance with their practices as Roman Catholicks assert and yet that the general tradition of the then present Jewish Church even including the Disciples of Christ should not conclude them Schismaticks and Hereticks who being Members of that Church would not assent unto what they so generally taught or comply with that which they practised as delivered to them by Moses and the Patriarchs and Prophets But to apply these things if it be possible yet more particularly unto the pleadings of the Roman Church and to shew the weakness and the pernicious results of their most specious pretences I add 1. That notwithstanding it was the duty of the Priests and Rulers of the Jewish Church both to preserve and teach unto the people the knowledg of the Law yet did the major part of these Church-Guides both oft and dangerously swerve from this their duty For they did teach and practise and direct the people into those ways which were destructive to the eternal welfare of their Souls God by his Prophets doth complain without exception of them Esa xxviii 7. Ibid. v. 15. that they erred in vision and stumbled in judgment that the teachers of his people made lies their refuge and under falshood hid themselves saying the overflowing scourge shall not come to us Isa xliil 27. Isa lvi 10 11. that their Interpreters had transgress'd against him that his watchmen were blind they were all ignorant all dumb dogs that could not bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber that they were greedy dogs that could never have enough Jer. ii 8. Shepherds that could not understand that the Priests said not Where is the Lord and they that handled the Law knew him not that the Pastors also transgressed against him and the Prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that did not profit Jer. v. 31. Jer. vi 13 14. That his Prophets prophesied falsly and the Priests bare rule by their means That from the Prophet to the Priest every one dealt falsly That they heald also the hurt of the Daughter of his people slightly saying peace peace when there was no peace Jer. viii 9. Jer. xxiii 1 2. That his wise men had rejected the word of the Lord. And that the Pastors whose business it was to feed his sheep destroy'd and scattered and drove them away and did not visit them Ibid. v. 11. Ezek. xxii 26. That both Priests and Prophets were profane That they had violated his Law and had profaned his holy things putting no difference betwixt the Holy and profane the clean and the unclean and hid their eyes from his Sabbaths Ezek. xxxiv 1 6. That the Shepherds of Israel fed themselves but did not feed the flock the diseased did they not strengthen neither did they heal that which was sick nor bring again that which was driven away nor seek that which was lost but with force and cruelty they Ruled so that the sheep were scattered because there was no Shepherd Hos iv 6. Zeph. iii. 4. That they rejected knowledg so that Gods people were destroyed for lack of it That her Prophets were light and treacherous persons her Priests had polluted the Sanctuary they had done violence to the Law Mal. ii 8. That they had forgotten the Law of their God they departed out of the way they caused many to stumble at the Law they corrupted the Covenant of Levi. Moreover of these Guides it is expresly said Isa iii. 12. Chap. ix 16. Jer. l. 6. Matt. xxiii That they which led his people caused them to err and destroyed the way of their paths That the Leaders of the people caused them to err and they that were led of them were destroyed and that their Shepherds caused them to go astray Our Lord declares that they were fools blind Guides full of Hypocrisie and of iniquity that they had taken away the key of knowledg Luke xi 52. Matt. xxiii 13. and had shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men not going in themselves nor suffering them that were entring to go in That they made many false decisions in matters of so great importance as to make void the Law of God Matt. xv 6 9. and render his whole
many Synods so often weighing the Adversaries reasons and evidences was not sufficient for setling such a point at least as to the obedience of future silence and noncontradiction and as to suffering the Church to enjoy her peace what can hereafter be sufficient Or can we ever hope that any Controversie shall be finally determined or ended by any future Council if this of the Messiah is not by these forepast Can there be any ground here to question the integrity or lawful proceedings of so many Councils all concurring in the same judgment for a Corporal presence saith the Romanist that Christ was a Deceiver saith the Jew Or could there be any new light in this point attainable in those times by the private person or Christian Convert which those Guides of the Jewish Church who condemned your Jesus were not capable or had no notice of 2. They who so often and so unanimously condemned your Saviour and his Doctrine saith the Jew were the Church-Guides by God appointed Levit. x. 11. Deut. xxxiii 10. Mal. ii 7. Ibid. to teach the Children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord had spoken to them by the hand of Moses to teach Jacob his judgments and Israel his Law and by whose lips the knowledg of it was to be preserved They were the men who are in Scripture styled the Messengers or the Ambassadors of the Lord of Hosts that is the men appointed by him to declare his message to the people Deut. xvii 8 12. They were the men Ordained to Minister before the Lord in every Controversial matter 2 Chron. xix 8. men who were set for the judgment of the Lord and for Controversies In Controversie they shall stand in judgment Ezek. xliv 24. Deut. xxi 5. saith the Lord and by their word shall every Controversie be tried Deut. xvii 12. Wherefore to act in opposition to the judgment of these Guides must be to act presumptuously as God himself declares to despise the verdict of Gods Messengers and in a Controversial matter of the highest moment to reject the sentence of those men who are by God Ordained to define it and by whose words according to his Ordinance it must be tried 3. As for the common people who in this matter did oppose their private judgments to the Decrees of their Church Guides not acquiescing in their Conciliar determinations that your Jesus was not the true Messiah they saith the Jew must act against that Rule which both the Law of Moses and the Prophets have prescribed for by that Law they are commanded under pain of death when any Controversie should arise among them to go to the Priests and Levites and to the Judg then living Deut. xvii 8.12 to enquire the sentence of judgment from his mouth and to do according to the sentence which they shall shew them and according to all that they inform them not declining from it to the right hand or the left Hag. ii 11. Mal. ii 7. They by the Prophets are instructed to ask the Priests concerning the Law and to seek the knowledg of it from their mouths They therefore stood obliged to assent to the determinations of the Sanhedrim and the Conciliar Decrees of Priests and Levites Scribes and Pharisees confirmed by the High-Priest and so they were obliged to believe that according to the true intent and meaning of the Law your Jesus could not be the true Messiah And consequently they must err who quitting the Decisions of the Pharisees and other Rulers of the Church embrace that Tenet of the ignorant and giddy multitude Thus the Jew pleads from Scripture against our Blessed Lord. And if you do compare these pleas and others of like nature which might be offered from the Scriptures by the Jew with what the Romanists do offer for the infallibility of any of their Councils you will soon find that all their pleas for this infallibility from the New Testament are paralleled or rather over-ballanced with places of like nature in the Old which do more strongly plead for the infallibility of the High-Priest and Rulers of the Jewish Church For 1. Matth. xxviii 20. Doth the Romanist plead Christs promise to be for ever with his Church Answ The Jews had equal reason to expect Gods presence among them Exod. xxix 42 43 44 45. Mic. iv 7. Psal cxxxii 13 14. 2 Chron. vii 16. because he promised to dwell among the children of Israel to meet them at the Tabernacle of the Congregation and there speak with them to Reign over them in Zion from henceforth and for ever He chose Zion for his habitation and said of it this is my rest for ever here will I dwell and of Jerusalem that he would put his name for ever in that place and that his eyes and his heart should be there for ever 2. Matth. xviii 20. Do they add that Christ hath promised that where two or three are gathered together in his name he will be in the midst of them Answ Psal cxxxiv. 3. Exod. xx 24. God also promised to the Jews that he would bless them out of Zion and that wheresoever he did record his name there would he come and bless his people 3. Luke x. 16. Matth. xviii 17. Do they alledg these sayings of our Lord to his Disciples viz. He that heareth you heareth me He who neglects to hear the Church shall be accounted as a Heathen and a Publican Answ Deut. xvii 12. God also said that he who will not hearken to the Priest that stands to minister before the Lord even that man shall die for his presumption 4. Heb. xiii 7 17. Do they say that Christs Apostles commanded Christians to obey those that had the rule over them and to follow their faith Answ Matth. xxiii 3. Our Jesus did command his hearers to do all that the Scribes and Pharisees did say unto them and that because of their Authority derived from Moses Deut. xvii 10. and God himself commanded all his people to do according to all that they should be informed of by the Priests And 5. John xvi 13. Chap. xiv 26. Do they plead Christs promise made to his Apostles that he would send the Spirit of Truth to guide them into all Truth Answ Whereas this promise doth personally belong to the Apostles John xiv 26. John xvi 13. and not to their Successors for it is a promise to bring to their remembrance by his Spirit what he before had said to them and to shew them things to come to which Spirit of Prophesie the Roman Doctors do not now pretend I say whereas this promise did belong to the Apostles only God stood obliged by Covenant to cause his holy Spirit to remain among the Rulers of the Jewish Church Hag. ii 5. For thus he speaks according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Aegypt so my Spirit remains among you
Numb xi 17. Moreover God promised to the Sanhedrim that he would put the spirit of Moses upon them and in compliance with that promise he came down in a Cloud and took the spirit which was upon Moses and gave it to the seventy Elders so that they Prophesied and did not cease Or 6. Do they argue for their infallibility because the Church is stiled by St. Paul 1 Tim. iii. 15. the pillar and the ground of truth by reason of that truth which is preserved by her Governours Answ God also hath declared touching his Priests Mal. ii 6. Zech. viii 3. that the law of truth was in their mouth and of Jerusalem that she should be called the City of truth And if the Church of Judah hath since failed so also hath the Church of Ephesus of which alone St. Paul affirmeth that it was the pillar and the ground of truth 7. Eph. iv 11 12. Do they conclude that the Church-Guides must be infallible because God hath placed in the Church some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and some Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine Answ Were not the Jewish Priests placed also for this end for the work of their Ministry the perfecting of their Saints the edifying of their Flocks Were not their lips to preserve that knowledg which should restrain the people from their errors Ezek. xxxiv 4. Were not they appointed to heal that which was sick and bring again that which was strayed Or Lastly Do they triumph in that promise of our Lord Matth. xvi 18. that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against the Church Answ Jer. xxxiii 20 21. God also promised that his Covenant made with his Levites Priests and Ministers should be as certain and perpetual as that of day and night So that I need not add that by this Phrase Essay Chap. 3. Christ only promiseth that pious Christians shall not for ever be detained under the power of the grave which I have elsewhere shewed to be the natural and only import of these words the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church Moreover the plain meaning of the foregoing words viz. Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church is as a Si quia dixerit Petro Dominus Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam id circo praesumis ad te derivasse solvendi ligandi potestatem qualis es evertens commutans manifestum domini intentionem personaliter N.B. hoc Petro conferentem sic enim exitus docet in ipso Ecclesia exstructa est id est per ipsum ipse primus in Christi Baptismo reseravit aditum caelestis Regni De Pudicitia cap. 21. p. 574. B. Tertullian well informs us only this Thou who hast first of all my Disciples acknowledged me to be the Christ thou shalt first preach this Doctrine to the World and by so doing lay the first foundations of a Christian Church Which he accordingly performed first laying the foundation of a b Acts 2.41 Church among the Jews by the conversion of three thousand souls And after laying the foundation of a Church amongst the Gentiles by the conversion of Cornelius and his friends Christ having to fulfil his promise c Acts 15.7 made choice of him among the rest of the Apostles that the Gentiles by his mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and believe Now to pretend to be St. Peters Successor in this matter is in effect to say that the foundations of a Christian Church are not yet laid If therefore Roman Catholicks conclude from these ambiguous and obscure places for the infallibility of Councils or of the major part of the Church guides concurring with the Pope in any Sentence or Decree although these places do not speak one syllable of any Pope or major part of the Church-Guides and much less of the Romish Prelats and less of their infallible assistance what Ovations and Triumphs would they have made had it been said expresly of their Cardinals and Councils as it is said of Jewish Priests that they were set for judgment and for Controversie had God fixed his glorious presence at Rome as he did at Jerusalem and setled there a seat of Judgment and a continual Court of highest judicature as was that Sanhedrim which in Jerusalem was setled had he dwelt in St. Peters as he dwelt in the Temple had he left with them as he did with the Jewish Priests a standing Oracle a Vrim and a Thummim to consult with on all occasions so that this plea being much stronger for the infallibility of the Superiors of the Jewish Church than for the infallibility of the whole Western Church or any of its Councils the Roman Doctors must acknowledg either that they fallaciously urge it against Protestants or must confess that it stands also good against the Christian and is a confirmation of all those traditions which were condemned by our Saviour and a sufficient plea for all those errors and corruptions which as the Prophets do complain were generally taught and practised by the Church-Guides in the declining Ages of the Jewish Church V. Stillingfl Sermon upon Acts 24.14 p. 39. For if these Arguments be good now they were so then and if they were good then for ought that I can see the High Priest and the major part of the Church Rulers of the Jews were always in the right and Christ and his Apostles with the Holy Prophets must be in the wrong Moreover had we no evidence from Scripture may the Jew say in prosecution of this Argument reason seems very strongly to conclude for this submission of the common people and some few Priests to the concurring judgments of their Church-Guides and of the major part of Jews who joyned with then in condemnation of your Jesus as a Blasphemer and false Prophet and of his followers as Hereticks and Schismaticks or men who worshipped God after that way which by the Jews was called Heresie Acts 24.14 ibid. v. 5. and were Ring-leaders of a Sect. For still to argue after the manner of the Romish Doctors 1. Is it not reasonable to conceive that they who were Gods Ministers appointed for this very thing to judg in controversial matters and to make tryal of such as did pretend to Prophesie as was the Jewish Sanhedrim I say is it not reasonable to conceive that the assistance of the Holy Spirit should be vouchsafed to these Rulers of the Church and Doctors of the Law rather than to those common people who bore no such relation to God had no commission from him to direct others in the meaning of his word but had so many and such express injunctions to seek it at the mouth of their Church-Guides Can we
worship vain That they transgressed the commandment of God by their Traditions That notwithstanding their instructions the people were as sheep without a Shepheard Matt. ix 36. Matt. xv 14. or only had such Guides as would most certainly if they submitted to their guidance lead them to the pit Hence therefore I infer 1. That even those Spiritual Guides who are by Gods appointment constituted to instruct his people and to feed his flock for such our Lord acknowledged the Scribes and Pharisees and Rulers of the Jewish Church to be may scatter and destroy that flock And they who are set for the judgment of the Lord and for controversies may violate corrupt pervert that Law they should interpret they may be partial in it they may depart out of the way they may make the Commandments of God of none effect and his whole worship vain by their traditions they may cause their sheep to err stumble and go astray and that so dangerously that they who are led by them shall be destroyed with them and find no entrance into bliss And hence I hope I may assume the boldness to conclude against the Infallibility of our Spiritual Governours or the concurring judgments of the major part of them which is sufficient to root up even the foundations of the Romish Babel 2. Hence I infer that notwithstanding all the formentioned Scriptures which say it was the duty of the people to ask of their Spiritual Guides the meaning of the Law and seek the knowledg of it at their mouths and to enquire after their judgments in all those Controversies they were not able to resolve I say hence I infer that notwithstanding this the people were not absolutely obliged to rest in the decision of the major part of these Church Guides or bound to practise all that they approved for then an obligation must be laid upon them not only to err in judgment with them to countenance false Prophets and to speak peace to themselves when there is no peace but also to violate the Law and to comply with their false glosses and corrupt interpretations of it nay which is more unreasonable they must be then obliged to be destroyed to fall into the pit and to exclude themselves from the enjoyment of Christ Kingdom Whereas it is a contradiction to say that God obligeth any Person to transgress his Law and it is little less than Blasphemy to say hâ— doth require them to destroy themselves to falâ— into the pit or to deprive themselves of the enjoyment of his Kingdom Hence therefore I infeâ— this Corollary That neither are all Christian people Churches 〈◊〉 Nations absolutely bound to rest in the decisions of thâ— major part of Christian Bishops or to practise all thâ—â— they approve and impose Which proposition overthrows that absolute and blind obedience to their Church Guides or Councils which Romanists â—â— stifly plead for 3. Hence it is also evident that private persons or that the minor part of the whole Church may have sufficient ground either from reason or cleaâ— Scripture for their refusal of assent and of submission to the Authority and definitions of the major part of their Church Guides for the Jews were bound to believe Christ to be the true Messiah although the High Priest and the Elders had pronounced him a deceiver and a Malefactor They were obliged to believe his Miracles were wrought not by Belzebub but the Spirit of God that Christs Kings was not of this world that John Baptist was that Elias which was for to come and that to eat with hands unwashed to heal the sick to pluck some ears of Corn upon the Sabbath day were not unlawful actions although the major part of their Church Guides taught and believed the contrary Matt. xv 5. They were obliged not to void that Law of nature which required Children to relieve their own distressed Parents and therefore stood obliged not to comply with those traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees which made the word of God of none essect and would not suffer them to yield obedience to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark vii 8. And seeing they had many traditions and decrees of the like nature which obtained amongst them and only were rejected by the Saduces and the Disciples of our Lord in none of these could they comply with their Church Guides without the violation of that Law of God which sure they had sufficient ground and reason to observe In a word in all those cases in which they were not bound to rest in the decisions of the major part of their Church Guides or practise what they did approve that is in all the cases mentioned in the former head they must have had sufficient ground either from Scripture or from Reason for their refusal of submission to them Now these three inferences do fully justifie the Reformation of the Church of England 4. From what hath been discoursed we may see the weakness of those pleas the Roman Doctors make in their own defence and of the Arguments they use to shew that 't is impossible they should be guilty of those corruptions in Doctrine or in manners which we charge them with For their most specious pretences are to this effect that we confess the Church of Rome was once both true and Orthodox shew then say they how we did cease to be so whether by Schism or Heresie With Schism you cannot justly charge us R. H. Rational account disc 3. Chap. 5. §. 63. p. 203. for that can never be of a much major and more dignified part in respect of a less and inferior subject to it because this main body in any division is rightly taken for the whole from which a separation is Schism and to which every Member ought to adhere as to the body and head here upon earth to which it belongs we therefore being the much major and more dignified part of the Church cannot be Schismaticks in reference to Protestants who are and were at their departure a less and an inferior body to us If Heresie be the crime charged upon us by what Church were we condemned what body of men before you found fault with those corruptions which you pretend to reform for sure it was not possible for so many errors and corruptions to come into the Church and no one take notice of them could this be so where was the watchful eye of providence over the Church But if we could suppose this providence was unconcerned for preservation of the Church could all the Pastors fall asleep at once or could they all conspire together to deceive their Posterity Moreover since God will always have a visible Church what can you mention besides that which holds Communion with the Church of Rome as the then present visible Church of Christ when you began your reformation except perhaps some Eastern Churches which you dislike almost as much as that of Rome And if that Church could teach such