as it hath been said many times heretofore Which we may illustrate with one or two Examples As the first Chapter of John which the Primitive Church whose Writings and Doctrines are descended and conveyed to us whereof no doubt but it hath together with the Books of the Scripture received also from the Apostles themselves the true meaning thereof at least in the principal necessary points of which this si one hath Unanimously and Undoubtedly interpreted of the Son of God who was in the beginning of all things as the Substantial Word with the Father If the Modern Socinians interpret it of the beginning of the Gospel and the humane nature of Christ to the end that they may deny the Article of Christs Godhead we rightly reject such Interpretation not onely as not necessary but as false and heretical not that it is onely contrary to our Interpretation but that it is so manifestly repugnant to the words of Saint John that the Primitive Church hath with one consent taught the contrary Insomuch also that none of the Ancient Arrians or Photinians to our and all Modern Socinians knowledge ever thus understood or expounded it But Socinus was the first man as he himself must confesse that spun this Interpretation out of his own head wherein at first his own brethren have partly contradicted him Yet since that time hath he together with his followers preferred it as if it were the undeniable Word of God it self and a most necessary Interpretation before the words of Saint John and the Uniform meaning of the Primitive Church Which may not be done without great presumption nor if it be obstinately urged without damnable Heresie principally in such a deep important and necessary Article of Faith as it is accounted not onely by us but the true Primitive Church and the word of God it self On the other side if they in such profound and incomprehensible Mysterie did adhere positively and closely without mutilation and contention to the words of the Scripture nor added thereunto their own Interpretations and Inferences of their reasoning beyond and against the Articles of Faith we should then have no cause to judge them so sharply though they would not receive or use all our expositions or humane expressions Likewise when Socinus and his followers do wrest and pervert so many manifest places of the Scripture which speak of Christs death that he died for the propitiation satisfaction and remission of our sins to this sense as if he had not appeased Gods wrath against us or which is as much made satisfaction to appease Gods wrath or purchased propitiation and forgivenesse but that he died meerly to this end that he might by his doctrine and example convert us from our sins to God and to pacifie our hearts towards him And account their own Interpretations as worthy and necessary as Gods Word it self So that they grievously slight and revile the Doctrine concerning the reconcilation of Gods wrath against us and the satisfaction for our sins which neverthelesse is so manifestly and evidently taught by so many testimonies of the Scripture that the Universal Christian Church hath professed it with one accord at all times and ever therefore held Jesus Christ for its onely High-Priest Mediatour and Saviour Insomuch that even the greatest Papists though they supply by way of concomitancy the merits of Christ by the Intercession and merits of other Saints and their own merits and satisfaction the daily Sacrifice of Masse Indulgences Purgatory and such like things yet have not denied the propitiation by Christs merits and satisfaction nor any other Sectary as far as we know nor Pelagius himself hath directly opposed it except onely Socinus and perhaps before him Adailerdus Whereas Socinus himself cannot but acknowledge that the Mediatour of the Old Testament Moses hath in some manner appeased by his intercession as Aaron and some other high-Priests by their Sacrifices Gods wrath against his people of Israel and yet will deny such power and vertue of the propitiation for our sins to the most-perfect Obedience Sacrifice and Intercession of our Mediatour and high-Priest Jesus Christ Who seeth not then that they intend arrogantly to prefer their own singular Interpretations before the manifest Word of God and the unanimous consent of the Universal Christian Church and thereby as much as lies in their power shake and subvert the very foundation of our chief consolation in Jesus Christ The Second Objection against the aforesaid Doctrine In the Second place may be objected against the aforesaid ground of Saving Truth and Unitie that neverthelesse the Primitive Christian Church hath condemned many Sects not onely for not receiving the plain words of the Scripture but also for refusing the Interpretations and words of the Church For example The ancient Arrians in the Councell of Nicen and others Chap. 8. for not receiving the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantial alledging that such a word was not to be found in the Scripture But we Answer to this That they were not condemned even for this bare word but rather because of their peculiar Arrian phrase and expressions and expositions concerning the created Divinitie of Christ Against whom the Orthodoxall and true-beleeving Church did very earnestly insist upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though not in the letter yet it is found in the Scripture more plainly and evidently and more conformably to the unanimous understanding and meaning which the Churches in the first three hundred yeers professed concerning the eternall God-head of Christ not that it was directly necessary unto Salvation but conducible to the confutation of the ambiguous terms and opinions of the Arrians Otherwise there hath been in those times true-beleeving Bishops who though they had rejected the Arrian Heresie concerning the created Divinitie of Christ and yet doubted of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not to be found literally in the Scripture were therefore not condemned but tolerated as weak in Faith This very same we may say of all other ancient Sectaries Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches Pelagius which were at all times condemned for their singular new fangled Interpretations out of the word of God according to the unanimous meaning and doctrine of the Churches in the first three or four hundred yeers CHAP. VIII That in the Reformed Churches no new Doctrin as necessary to Salvation is taught IN the third place it will be objected The Third Objection against the aformentioned Doctrine That we our selves defend many doctrines as necessary unto salvation which yet neither in the Scripture were so plainly expressed nor unanimously taught in the Primitive Church I will give but a touch in some few but principall Instances That we deny the free will in man the merits of good works and the Sacrifice of the Masse Which points were with one consent asserted of all ancient Fathers almost That we teach the Justification ex Solâ fide onely by Faith That we hold the
Bread and the Wine in the Supper of the Lord to be bare signes and Seales whereby the Body and Blood of Christ is but Signified and not really given That we defend Absolutum decretum that God freely without any respect of Faith or Unbelief good or evill works of men hath decreed in his eternall Councell to elect and choose some unto Salvation others the greatest part to cast away and reject as Reprobates unto damnation Also That we understand by Christs going down into Hell the hellish paines and torments Christs Soul suffered Lastly that we hold the Pope at Rome to be the great Antichrist Which Articles of Doctrine are neither plainly expressed in the Scripture nor by the Ancient Doctors of the Church The true Doctrine of the Reformed Churches 1. Of Free-will We Answer First that we do not deny the free will in man in that sence and meaning as some and all the Ancient Fathers have taught out of the Scripture For we confesse 1. That the Naturall man hath a Free-will in many Naturall and Temporall Free indifferent matters 2. In Celestiall Spirituall things to many Outward sins either to commit or to avoid them 3. Yea also to many Outward good works 4. That the Regenerate man hath a true Free-will or which is made Free by the grace of God to true Spirituall works which are acceptable to God Yet so that not onely the beginning but also the continuall help and assistance of Gods grace is required unto it 5. This onely we deny That the Naturall unregenerated man hath naturally without the preventing gracious help and operation of the holy Ghost any Freewill to true Spirituall inward works which are acceptable to God as to Saving Faith Charity Hope and consequently to the true Spirituall outward works which arise from those inward Which also the holy Scripture hath unanimously taught against Pelagius That the Naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can be know them 1 Corinthians 2. verse 14. And that we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Corinthians 3. verse 5. For it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Philipp 2. Verse 13. He that hath begun a good worke in us will also performe it Philippians 1. Verse 6. Without him we can do nothing John 15. Verse 5. For we are by nature the Children of wrath dead in sins Ephesians 2. Verse 5. And he that obeyeth sin is the Servant of Sin Romans 6. Verse 16.20 2 Peter 2. Verse 19. But if the Sonne maketh us free wee shall be free indeed John 8. verse 34.36 And faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it 1 Thessalonians 5. verse 24. But if there be besides any other controversie of mans Free-will or Gods gracious help we hold neither theirs nor our particular opinions to be necessary unto Salvation especially for all Christians who oftentimes understand but little or nothing at all of such subtil questions and therefore ought not to judge nor condemne one another Like as amongst the Papists themselves the modern Dominicans and Jesuites cannot agree about these questions nothwithstanding the prohibition made by the Pope not to accuse and condemne one another for errours in Faith 2. Of merits of good works 2. Nor do we deny the merits of good works in that sence as the ancient Fathers use the word Meritum desert or Mereri to deserve viz. That we obtaine thereby temporall and eternall remuneration by grace for Christs sake in vertue of his promise Which we confesse unanimously with them by warrants of the Scripture But we deny onely Meritum de condigno as the Papist School-authors and Divines principally the Jesuites do teach that such in themselves are condigne meritorious works of eternall life so that God is bound to give everlasting life not onely by reason of his truth and mercy for Christs sake but also of right and debt though he had not ingaged himself thereunto by any promise Which condigne meritorious works were never taught either by the Scripture or by the ancient Fathers but are rejected of many Schoole-authors and Divines yea by many moderne Roman Catholicks themselves As the famous Jesuite Vasques confesseth that many Catholickes dissent from us calling us Hereticks but in words but most agree with us in the matter it selfe and condiscend of necessity unto our opinion And the Jesuits themselves are not as yet agreed wherein properly the Efficacy and worthinesse of such Condigne merits of works consisteth Vide Bellarm. de Justific lib. 5. c. 17. Suarez in 3. Thom. Tom. 1. quest 19. art 3. disp 39. Vasq. in lib. 2a. quest 114. disp 214. c. 2. 4. 3. Concerning the Sacrifice of the Masse 3. Of the Masse it is sufficiently evident and manifest that there is nothing plainly and expressly taught and declared thereof either in the Institution of the Lords Supper or in the whole volume of the Scripture And although some or all the Ancient Fathers had taught it yet it could not be received for an Article necessary unto Salvation because they had not taught it out of the word of God and because Faith love and obedience of Christs Commandments and Institution may very well subsist without the Masse But it is certaine that even the Ancient Doctors of the Church never have taught such Sacrifice of the Masse as now a dayes in Popery is professed and held for the Soveraigne Worship and chiefest part of Religion For although they called the Administration of the Lords Supper Missam and that from thence because the Catechumeni those that were not yet Baptized were usually dismissed from it with these words Ite Missa est And although they have attributed the name of Sacrifice to the Holy Communion it selfe yet they did it not in such a sence and meaning that the Priest should offer againe the real and essentiall body of Christ in his hand and mouth and also performe a new Propitiatory Sacrifice both for the quick and dead and for other necessities as for sicke Cattell for good weather as it is taught and expressed in the Councell of Trent Sess 22. c. 2. v. 9. Canon 1.3 But that it is Sacrificium Eucharisticum a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving partly because the faithfull gathered and collected the Bread and Wine upon the Lords Table for the Holy Communion and necessitiy of the poor from whence the Germans retain still the name of Oblateâ— partly because the Holy Communion it selfe is a Commemoration and Representation of the perfect Oblation and Sacrifice of Christ finished upon the Crosse as the principall Roman â—chool authors and Divines themselves do expound it by calling it Sacrificium commemorativum representativum So that we also may say as much not of their Masse but of the Holy Communion as it hath been Instituted by our
Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly That man solâ Fide onely by Faith is accounted righteous before God Although we understand nothing else by the word solâ but what the Apostle saith 4. Of Justification onely by Faith that he is justified by meer grace through Faith onely for Christs sake without the works of the Law and as some ancient Fathers interpreted it Yet we desire not to impose and inforce that word as necessary upon any man in regard that by many it may be abused and mistaken as if we could be justified and saved by such a Faith which is onely without any good works If that likewise the Papists did not inforce upon us their own expressions and doctrines concerning the merits and satisfaction of works which are yet lesse warrantable by Scripture But as long as they stick fast to this Tenet and opinion of theirs that we are justified also before God by merits of our good works They cannot finde fault with us if we do reply to them by way of retortion that the justification is done by Faith alone and not by merits 5. The true meaning and declaration of Christs words in the Holy Communion Fifthly The declaration and meaning of Christs Word that he called the Bread his Body because it did signifie and represent his Body or because it is a signe of his Body Although we for our part acknowledge this exposition to be agreeable both to the words and very end of the Institution and to all the Articles of Faith and that some ancient Fathers Tertullian Augustine Theodoret and others have expounded it thus As the Papists and Lutherans themselves do not deny the blessed Bread and Wine to be signes and seals of the Body and Blood of Christ given and shed for us Yet we desire not to inforce and presse upon any man such interpretation as necessary unto salvation or as the Word of God it self Whereas many of ours vide inprimis Wolfang Musculum in 26 Matth. pag. 552 554 555. confesse openly that this exposition though it be not erroneous in it self yet is not sufficient unlesse it did shew and expresse withall the sort and nature of those signes viz. not bare naked significative and representative signes nor bare historical symbols and tokens of remembrance but signa exhibitiva exhibiting and certifying pledges and assurances whereby the things signified by them namely the Body of Christ which hath been given for us the Blood of Christ that is shed for us are really and verily by vertue of his promise though not for the nourishing of our bodies but to the cherishing and quickning of our souls delivered and appropriated unto us and likewise really and verily received by us though not corporally and carnally by our mouth but spiritually by faith As the Papists and Lutherans themselves do not deny such spiritual partaking as hath been said before but acknowledge it to be the onely saving Communion Wherefore we for our part teach thereby no new Doctrine as necessary unto Salvation but onely teach that very same they themselves must allow and approve of If but they reciprocally do not inforce upon us their own particular Interpretations as hath been mentioned oftentimes already nor judge and condemn us therefore but give us liberty to adhere to the Words and Declaration of Christ and the Apostle Paul But as long as they intend to obtrude unto us their pretended carnal supernatural eating for a necessary Article of Faith we cannot but contradict it by a more solide exposition and illation grounded upon the Word of God Sixthly Concerning the Doctrine of Gods absolute purpose and decree of election and reprobation we acknowledge and receive it thus far as our adversaries commonly construe our meaning thereof not onely for no necessary Doctrine of Faith but also not for the proper Doctrine and Opinion of our Churches Being that such a term is not expressed in any general Confessions but onely used by some Divines which yet others do rather absolutely forbear because of the misapplication and abuses with all sorts of calumnies that may arise from them And although we finde many disceptations and different Interpretations concerning the eternal Predestination and Reprobation not onely betwixt our Divines but also betwixt the Romish-School Authors amongst themselves and no lesse between the said Lutherans Yet we cannot receive either theirs or our particular opinions for necessary Doctrines which are professed of all Christians without the manifest Word of God and unanimous consent of the Primitive Church not onely because very few men are capable to comprehend the depth and profunditie of those Points but also because it is sufficient for us unto salvation to know onely of the Elect and Predestinated as much as the Apostle expresly teacheth Ephes 1. vers 4 5 6. That God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his Will To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he made us accepted in the beloved Ephes 2. vers 8 9 10. 2 Tim. 1. vers 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Contrarywise concerning the Reprobates it sufficeth us to know onely that what Christ himself saith He that beleeveth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God John 3. vers 18. So that the fault and defect can no wayes be imputed to God who himself taketh no delight in the death and destruction of a sinner but will that he may repent and live not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Exod. 18. vers 23 32. and 33. vers 11. 2 Petr. 6. vers 9. But the fault and defect lieth absolutely and totally in themselves who loved darknesse rather then light and therefore receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved John 3. vers 19. So that we are elected not out of any consideration and respect in our selves but out of meer grace in Christ Jesus both unto salvation and the means ordained thereunto through sanctification of the Spirit and beleef of the Truth whereunto he called us through the Gospel 2 Thessal 2. v. 13 14. But the Reprobates are cast away by Gods just judgement because of their sins unbeleef and impenitency unto the just punishment and condemnation of sins according to the Word of the Lord O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Hos 13. v. 9. Moreover all other Disputes and Controversies of the predestinate and reprobates which may be moved and debated on as Why God to one
therefore tumultuously rise when they maintaine and use the like libertie for themselves and them that are of the same confession and Faith Being the Lutheran Divines and confessours have hitherto not as yet attributed to themselves the power and as I hope will never do it to absolve and discharge the Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance towards the Magistrats who have renounced the Obedience of the Popish See and Supremacy as is sufficiently evident by the examples in France and England Besides it would be thought in it selfe an unheard of injustice if Subjects should not suffer their Magistrats to have as much liberty of conscience and Religion as they themselves enjoy under their protection Neverthelesse if the Christian Magistrats might but so much obtaine of the Lutheran Divines and Congregations of their Jurisdiction that they might not calumniate or condemne the Doctrine of our Church but receive us also as fellow-brethren and Christians in our Faith and Confession unto the Ministery of the Word of God and use of the Holy Sacraments in their Assemblies I willingly then confesse that men should not rashly undertake such a particular Reformation in Ceremonies whereby a Division may be occasioned but rather tolerate such defects because of the Ignorant and weake in Faith who do little apprehend and discerne the Discrepancy of the Doctrine and at the alteration of Ceremonies presently imagine a quite new Religion whereas they should insist upon the found information of Doctrine till they at length without offence and division either might be corrected with an unanimous goodly consent or each one enjoy his owne libertie therein To which purpose it conduceth also what Augustine saith of such like alterations Ep. 118. Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat That many times the alteration doth not profit and edifie as much as the Division doth hurt and destroy CHAP. XII Whether or how far we may judge or condemn the persons in matters of Religion BY all this what hitherto hath been declared of judging the matter it self in different and controverted Doctrine and Religion and of Separation and Reformation which ariseth from it We may easily now understand whether and how far we ought to judge the persons For as far as we must discern the matter what is sound and true or false and erroneous Doctrine or Worship So far we can and must also extend our judgement to the persons according to the Word of God which of them teacheth true or false Doctrine to the end that we may know whom and how far we ought to follow lest they become not to us or others a stumbling block or an occasion to fall seeing that that judging of the Doctrine cannot be performed without this judging of the persons who maintain the Doctrine yet so that we ought not instantly to condemn the erring persons because of their errour though it be damnable in it self but rather alwayes hope for their amendment as much as is possible As First Those that maintain ignorantly such an errour which by a necessary consequence is repugnant to the saving fundamental Doctrine and yet stand steadfastly to the fundamental Doctrine it self and build not their salvation even upon such an errour and therefore do not condemn us and our Churches which maintain the very same ground Those I say no doubt notwithstanding their errour they may be saved if they do but labour to testifie also their Faith in Christ by the works of Christian charity and godly conversation And that such an errour which would be damnable unto us that have the knowledge of it if we should receive it against conscience yet is not damnable to them by the grace of God who will judge them according to their Faith and works and not according to their ignorance Secondly Those also which condemn us yet if they do it not out of malice as those false Apostles Gal. 1. and 3. and 4. but out of humane weaknesse and meer ignorance either because they are not truely informed of our Doctrine and Faith or esteem it to be repugnant to the Word of God and the Doctrine of the Primitive Apostolical Church Those I say we ought not to condemn although they condemn us with indiscretion but rather pray for them and hope the best of their salvation as long as they hold fast the ground of Faith and the love of Christ which we presume not without reason the greatest part of them do Thirdly Those likewise who ground and build their salvation upon erroneous and false Doctrine and Religion which in some manner all those are enforced to do who account them for necessary fundamental Doctrine and indeed sufficiently testifie that they do not condemn us meerly out of infirmity but out of an uncharitablenesse and malice and also retain not the true ground of Faith nor the love of Christ Those we may judge by the Word of God as all other men who passe their life in notorious sins and vices without true repentance that they are in a damnable condition which is to say That God could condemn them of right in their blindnesse and malice and shall undoubtedly condemn them unlesse they repent Finally we may proceed also with them after the rule of Christ and the Apostles A man that is an Heretick reject let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publicane Matth. 18. v. 17. after the first and second admonition knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Yet we ought not therefore utterly to condemn them but rather still pray for them hoping God may convert them yet before their last gasp For although the Apostle saith 1 John 5. vers 16. There is a sin unto death for which we shall not pray Yet he saith not that we shall not pray for the sinner much lesse condemn him unto death we being not able exactly to know nor ought to judge whether he hath committed the sin unto death viz. the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or in other sins is given over to a hardned and an obdurate unbeleef and impenitency With one word We must absolutely resigne and commit the judgement of eternal damnation to God alone being the onely Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4. v. 12. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand Rom. 14. v. 4. Which we now may easily apply to our often-mentioned twofold Adversaries God forbid that we should condemn all Roman-Catholicks much lesse all Lutherans in general or even one single and particular man For first concerning the Papists Whether and how far the Papists may be saved in their Religion like as a twofold Doctrine and Religion is maintained amongst them viz. partly the true Primitive Catholick Apostolick Doctrine wherein they with us and we with them do agree partly the new Popish
far the Reformed Churches ought or are bound to judge the Lutherans in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to reform them XII Whether or how far we may judge or condemn the persons in matters of Religion Imprimatur Joseph Caryl AN Apostolical Direction What and how far we ought to judge and not to Judge in matters of FAITH DOCTRINE and RELIGION ROM 14. Verse 13. Let us not Judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brothers Way The First Part. CHAP. I. Of Judging in general THe love and charity we owe unto our Neighbour Which are the true works of Charity if we desire that God may shew mercy unto us doth not onely consist in those works of Charity specified in Matth. 25. To feed the hungry to give drink to the thirstie to clothe the naked and to comfort and relieve our neighbour especially such as professeth himself a Christian in all corporal and temporal necessities these being the most notorious works wherein Christian Charity is externally manifested above all others insomuch as they are accounted evident marks and fruits of a true and lively faith and love towards Christ whereof also the Apostle James Chap. 1. vers 17 speaketh Pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father is this To Visite the Fatherlesse and the Widows in their afflictions But we must also principally shew our selves charitable and compassionate towards our neighbour in his sins and not onely in those sins he committeth against us to forgive him willingly and from the bottom of our heart which is the most necessary and difficult work of Charity without which no Sacrifice nor Alms will be acceptable to God and whereof we are put in minde daily in the Lords Prayer but also in all other trespasses against God and men not to judge him rashly much lesse condemn him as our Saviour doth teach us Matth. 1.7 and Luke 6.37 where he comprehendeth all the works of Charity in these four words Judge not condemn not Forgive give For first We ought not to judge him in his sins especially in such which proceed from humane infirmitie and ignorance but rather excuse him as much as lies in our power Secondly we ought not suddenly to condemn him in such offences which are committed more out of an inexcusable malice then weaknesse but rather use all our possible endeavours to convert him and save his soul from death and damnation Thirdly We ought to forgive him with all our heart those sins he hath committed against us Fourthly We ought also to give to him and supply willingly all his wants And thus we shall fulfil all the works of Christian Love and Charity To which the Lord in the said Chapter doth earnestly exhort us by three strong and efficacious Motives 1. By the example of our heavenly Father to whem We being his children must conform our selves especially in love and compassion Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful 2. By the promise of a proportionable remuneration If we do not judge nor condemn God will not judge nor condemn us if we forgive God will forgive us also If we give and willingly assist others God will forgive and relieve us also and not sparingly but liberally and abundantly Finally in every thing With the same measure that we mete withal it shall be measured unto us again 3. By the representation of our faults and weaknesses which he setteth out by Three similitudes Of one blinde person leading another which is likewise blinde Of a Master who will have his disciple more learned and perfect then himself Of a Physitian or Oculist who will pull out the mote of another man's eye when he himself hath a beam in his own eye Lest we may not presume to Judge and condemn others in their ways or to hate and forsake others when yet we our selves are many times blinde and stand in need of a good master and guide nor to upbraid others with their indiscretion and imperfections when We our selves are in many things indiscreet and imperfect masters neither to finde so great fault with other mens motes in their eyes or to undertake so boldly the pulling out when many times by the cure of the motes of our brother We our selves thrust into our own eye a strong and great beam of Hypocrisie Spiritual pride Presumption and Self-love without perceiving it at all What sort of Judging is prohibited and what not Neverthelesse this sort of Judging which the Lord speaketh of is not so meant or to be understood as if all judging in general were prohibited and unlawful For he doth not thereby prohibit the Jurisdiction and Judicature whereby the Magistrates do judge and condemn Delinquents in God's stead and whereby the Church or the Ministers and Elders of the Church in Christ's stead do judge scandalous members nor the Judging of Conscience whereby every Christian ought to judge and discern aright in his own Conscience good from evil truth from falshood justice from injustice that he may know both in doctrine and life what to believe and not to believe what to do and what to eschew Such manner of Judging is not onely not prohibited but often commanded Joh. 7.24 Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement 1 Cor. 5.12 13. Do not ye judge them that are within But them that are without God judgeth 1 Cor. 10.15 I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say 1 Joh. 4.1 Try the spirits whether they are of God 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good But Christ's meaning was to prohibit thereby all Presumptuous judging of other men as far as it is repugnant to love and charitie or to justice and truth When we presume to be our neighbours Judges 1. In regard of his sins and that when we judge him either by his afflictions tribulations and sufferings like as Job was judged by his friends and David oftentimes especially in Psal 41 crieth out against such judging of his enemies or false friends or by his words and works when we either make the worst construction or sense of that which was not so evil meant spoken and done whereas we might have extracted and made the best of it and excused it or when we exasperate too much the defects and faults proceeding out of humane infirmity and so make huge and vast beams of the least motes or censure upon false and ill grounded slanders and calumnies that which is uncertain yet if not altogether forged whether it was thus spoken done and meant 2. In regard of the very thoughts of his heart minde and intentions against his own words and works meerly out of a malicious suspition to render him odious and contemptible to others or when we will needs judge him in matters though certain and evil enough yet with little or no respect either to his or our
own good or lastly when we are not contented to judge his sins but even presume to sit down in God's Tribunal pronouncing sentence against his soul and condemn it to hell it self All this presumptuous uncharitable unjust and unprofitable judging is prohibited by Christ and extendeth to all sins in worldly businesses and ordinary temporal affairs viz. to such as are incident to words or works of the Second Table and much more to all sins in matters of God's service and Religion viz. to the words and works of the First Table Again he enjoyneth these Two duties being the chief and most requisite works of charity that we should not judge others but rather excuse them not condemn but rather further and hope for their amendment because without these the other Two duties which consist in Forgiving and Giving cannot be well performed Yea he doth in this order presse the aforesaid duties because by such judging and condemning as he forbiddeth most commonly though unjustly occasion is taken by many to conceive that they are not obliged to any charity at all towards criminous persons nor to forgive them their sins neither to give unto them nor help them in their wants but rather to resist them in every thing and to hate and persecute them to the uttermost Act. 26.9 11. In opposition to which evil apprehension our Lord Christ alleadgeth against such unseasonable judging this notable and familiar place of Scripture Hos 6.2 I desired mercy and not sacrifice and giveth especially this lesson to the Pharisees and Scribes to be learned by them who did transgresse it most of all Matth. 9.11 Go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercie and not sacrifice and Matth. 12.7 If ye had known what this meaneth you would not have condemned the guiltlesse Unseasonable and rash Judging a grievous sin And although this be in it self the easiest work of Charity for what is easier for a man then to abstain and withhold himself from judging the right performance whereof is the most difficult and dangerous work in the world and pertaineth properly to God alone yet it is the hardest work by reason of the perversenesse of mans heart and some finde it more difficult then to forgive their neighbours Moreover Unseasonable and tenacious judging is not without reason esteemed to be the most common the most pernicious and yet the most hidden and secret Vice of all sins and corruptions The most common Because we are all generally swayed by a natural proclivity rather to judge and censure other men then our selves And all sorts of men high and lowe of what dignity and degree soever are obnoxious to this Uncharitablenesse The most supreme Magistrates and Rulers of this world Kings and Princes whom God hath ordained to be Judges over other men must give way often to be very injustly judged and censured not onely by their enemies but even by their own servants and subjects Preachers and Ministers of God's Word not onely by their Adversaries but even by their fellow-brethren and Auditors The most godly by the most ungodly The wisest by the most foolish Yea God himself in heaven is oftentimes judged and blamed by fools and mad-men on the earth Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 The most pernicious For whilst we reprove others we forget to judge our selves though this be the most necessary and profitable judging yea wherein we judge others we condemn our selves Rom. 2.1 And all sorts of calamities and miseries amongst men all disorders distempers distractions differences and dissentions in every estate in Common-wealths in Christian Churches even in Families if we seriously search thereinto proceed originally from no other ground but from an Unseasonable rash uncharitable and injust judging one another The most secret Because it happeneth not onely in words and works but many times in the very thoughts as in those to whom our Saviour sayeth Wherefore think you evil in your hearts Matth 9.4 And then it comes commonly under the colour and appearance of singular zeal towards Justice truth and the honour of God and withal under pretence of love and charity to pull out the more out of our brother's eye From whence it is that it is not counted for a sin or vice at all but rather passeth for a commendable vertue for a good holy profitable yea sometimes for a necessary work whilst many Imagine that they must judge and condemn lest otherwise they should be judged and condemned by God Especially in matters of Religion Which Unjust judging if it be a dangerous and pernicious Vice in any temporal and worldly matters certainly it must needs be more prejudicial and dangerous in matters of Religion and Faith as being of the greatest moment and importance in regard all differences contentions dissentions slanders all vain and swelling babling all scholastical and profane Controversies all foolish and unprofitable questions and literal disputes which we are admonished so often by the Apostle to avoid In like manner all enmitie hatred envie and bitternesse which arise from them And lastly all Heresies Schisms Sects Separation and the destruction of the Universal Christian Church do originally proceed from nothing more then from such Uncharitable judging and condemning Wherein in these later days more then in former not onely the vulgar and ignorant People but even most of all those that should admonish others Learned Divines have transgressed and thereby given much occasion to this present lamentable devastation and destruction of Christendom and wrought so much already with the greatest part of the Christians by such judging and contentions arising from the same that in stead of true Godlinesse and Christian Charitie which should be the onely scope and fruit of Christian Doctrine at this present the Christian Religion is turned almost into a meer disceptation and debate of words which at length may open a door to the Contempt of all Religion and Universal Atheism as it is already in several places apparently manifest And although amongst these modern contentious Divines some are more exorbitant then other yet none of them shall be able so fully to excuse and vindicate themselves but they will be found to have sometimes transgressed the limits and moderation of Christian Charitie Wherefore we all have great need to repeat and ruminate again on Christ's old Lesson Go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice To the apprehension and learning of which none can give us better direction then the Apostle Paul who during his ignorance was also such a zealous and vehement judge but afterwards when God had shewed mercy unto him did the more faithfully dehort others from it especially the Romanes in his most excellent Epistle to them thorow the Whole Fourteenth Chapter the chief sum and argument whereof is comprehended in Verse 13. Wherefore let us not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or occasion to fall in his brothers way In which