to thy self before God Rom. 14. 22. From which words the Doctor would infer That there were no Governers then setled over the Christians who were at Rome For had there been a Bishop there it had been the duty of those under his charge in any matter of Hesitation to have consulted him to resolve their Doubts and settle their perswasions To this the Reconciler is pleased to answer by a double quere 1. Why may not he who hath Faith have it to himself that is forbear acting according to his full persuasion of his Liberty or divulging his opinion to his Brothers prejudice as well if he had twenty Bishops over him as if he had none 2. Why might not S. Paul advise without consulting of his Bishop I shall answer to his last quere first to which I say 1. If S. Paul's advice might satisfie when they had it yet it could not satisfie before when they had it not But 2. among Dissenting Persons there will be a thousand emergent Doubts and Scruples which an Apostle can no more prevent or answer than he can foresee them at such a distance which S. Chrysostome 1 Cor. 11. last thinks to be the Reason why the Apostle reserved the correcting of some things among the Corinthians till his coming to them To the second quere the Dr. gave his resolution in the Verdict p. 125. That Christian Liberty is a Spiritual Privilege and seated in the Soul and may be preserved there in silence But what the Reconciler has said to this Argument is nothing to the purpose He is again insnared in the common Fallacy Ignoratio Elenchi but while the Dr. studied brevity he might be obscure 〈…〉 which the resolves to make amends 〈…〉 question is whether there was 〈…〉 or Church-Governor a 〈…〉 Christians Dr. Woâ—◠〈…〉 none and he 〈…〉 proved from that Text for where there is such a Governor in any matter of doubt 'T is the Subjects Duty to apply himself to him for satisfaction and 't is equally the Bishops Duty to give it him * Id not and um adversus eos qui suo torpori hunc Apostoli Locum obtendunt quasi fidei professio non requiratur Beza ad Locum For certainly he is not set over his Flock to keep his finger in his mouth or which is all one to keep his Faith to himself his duty is to teach 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth who then is that faithful and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his Houshold to give them their Portion of meat in due season Luke 12. 42. and what is that Portion of Meat but the which is most proper for the present concern and interest of their souls and does not he feed their hunger in a Spiritual sence who resolves their Doubt and who does this so much belong to as to the Bishop No says our Reconciler These cautions or advices are not only for private persons but for Bishops and Governors and much more for them than for Private Persons Hast thou Rom. 14. 22. Faith have it to thy self before God i. e. take heed lest ye instruct the Ignorance of those under your Charge or help their infirmities or make them to understand what they are to do in doubtful cases This is our Reconcilers Doctrine but point blank against the Apostles Doctrine and Practice 1. Against his Doctrine 1 Thes 5. 14. where his charge to the Church-Governors is Warn them that are disorderly comfort the feeble minded support the weak which certainly is no otherwise to be done but by resolving and removing their doubts and scruples And this was the Apostles Practice two if we may take his own Protestation for it Acts 20. 27. For I have not shun'd to declare unto you the whole Counsel of God whereof doubtless the Truth and Priviledge of Christian Liberty was a part And now I hope the Reconciler will be able to understand the Drs. Argument drawn from those words of the Apostle which may be framed after this manner They who have a Divine Authority and command to resolve Doubts and settle Conscience about things indifferent They are not forbidden by the Apostle to resolve and settle them For then he should take them off from their Duty and obstruct Edification But Church-Governors have a Divine Authority to resolve doubts and settle Conscience about things indifferent Therefore Church Governors are not forbidden by the Apostle to resolve and settle them To argue the case a little further let Si Episcopus taceat alii per eos seductores corrumpantur ipse gravem redditurus est Corruptionis rationem si non possi os obturare ne sis Episcopus Theoph apud Joan. Crocium ad Tit. 1. 11. us descant upon the expostulation and advice upon it Hast thou Faith Keep it to thy self If this be a direction to Pastors and Teachers who has any Authority to reduce a Scismatick from the error of his ways or reconcile a Heretick to the Church This his interpretation of that Chap. and Text takes off all obligation from Bishops and Governors to attempt the Recovering of a Roman-Catholick Nay it makes the attempt unlawful For thus in Conscience according to our Reconcilers Principles he must argue with himself ☞ There could have been no conversion of the Jews from the Law of Moses to the Gospel of Christ if it had been the Duty of the Apostles c. to keep their Faith of those matters to themselves This man is under the jurisdiction of the Church of Rome and he is perswaded in his mind that the Laws and Customs of that Church are in force against him and that he is under an obligation to observe them For me to go about to teach him otherwise and reprove his practices this would grieve him and I should walk uncharitably towards him in so doing yea verily I should put a stumbling-block in his way and tempt him to forbear that practice against his Conscience and in so doing I should sin against Christ and destroy a Brother for whom Christ died This I ought not to do and tho I be otherwise perswaded in my own Judgment and ordained and put in trust to teach the Gospel yet I must herein follow the advice of the Apostle Hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God I will therefore accordingly resolve to keep my Faith and Opinion to my self and not disturb a weak Brother and so the poor man must perish if God be not the more merciful unto him in his Error and Superstition Whereas the good Pastor does otherwise He tells him Sir you live in a dangerous Error and tho the times you observe and the meats you eat be very indifferent in themselves yet your practice in the use of them is very Superstitious contrary to the Laws and Privileges of the Gospel and the practice of Christ
are reckoned up by Dr. Sclater There is ad 2 Thes 3. 6. Potestas Ministerii at large Authority to Preach the Gospel and administer the Holy Sacraments Mat. 28. 19. 2. there is Potestas Ordinis a power to Ordein Ministers and make Laws for external Government 1 Tim. 5. 22. Tit. 1. 5. 3. there is Potestas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Censurae to administer Censures less or greater according to the quality of Offences Every mans zeal and knowledge where there is no Organical Church setled was licence enough for him to report what had been done at Jerusalem and what was the present Faith and Practice there If they had any Ministers to Preach with Authority amongst them no doubt they had their Holy Orders and a Divine Mission and were put in Office to that purpose but 't is most likely they had none because tho they had knowledge to admonish one another of the Doctrine they had received yet they had no Authority to teach as S. Ambrose has observed Rom. 15. 14. non dixit ut invicem se doceant sed admoneant and if there had been any such spiritual guides doubtless in such a case of difficulty and danger the Apostle would have referred the Christians to their Conduct as he did in other places And yet every man that hath a licence as well as ability to preach the Gospel has not presently the Authority of a Governor Philip was an Evangelist and Preached Christ to the City of Samaria Baptiz'd Converts and wrought Miracles amongst them yet he had no Jurisdiction there The Apostles sent Peter and John from Jerusalem to lay their hands upon them to Confirm them Acts 8. 14. to 17. Secondly saith our Reconciler The Apostle among many others whom he calls his Helpers in Christ approved in Christ labourers in Christ Rom. 16. 3 9 12. who may all rationally be deemed to be Church-Officers and as rationally deemed to be none Presbyters Deacons and Diaconesses makes mention of Andronicus and Junias of note amongst Christ's Apostles i. e. saith our Reconciler among the Preachers of the Gospel the Teachers of the Christian Faith If these be his Church-Governors then there was a woman got into the Chair at Rome before Pope Joan was heard of for Theophilact saith that Junias was the name of a woman and Grotius thinks she was wife to Andronicus But what is all this to a setled Jurisdiction to establisht Laws and Governors appointed to put them in execution which was the thing he was obliged to prove and now to pay him back a little of his own coin of the finer mettal who could imagine this Reconciler would have had the confidence to oppose a deliberate Verdict upon a Melius inquirendum and pretermitting all the solid Grounds of Truth Reason and Authority upon which it is established think to quash it by his own vain Imaginations All the Ancients that write of the Church of Rome do conclude that it was founded by those two great Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and S. Paul being the Apostle of the Incircumcision and above all the rest adorned with the title of a chosen vessel to bear the name and Gospel of Christ among the Gentiles Acts 9. 15. in all reason we should allow him a good share in the establishment of that Church which was the most considerable in his whole Province but 't is evident when he wrote his Epistle he had never been at Rome to do it and tho he sent Phaebe with his Epistle I hope no man will be so ill advised as to think he gave her any Commission to Govern If there had been any such Governors there where should we look for them but among those persons of such excellent note whom S. Paul salutes and yet if the Reconciler will needs have them to be Church-Governors the first of the Catalogue is a Woman Rom. 16. 3. Priscilla so likewise 2 Tim. 4. 19. She is called Prisca and set before Aquila and 't is thought what e're the rest were that her Husband was her Convert Priscillam quidem priori loco ponit cujus ratio certa vix reddi potest Si tamen conjecturis locus est illustrior fortussis fuit uxor magis nota omnibus vel prior ad fidem conversa maritum postea instituit Gualt ad Rom. Homil. 93. in p. 225. 2. in fine He sets down Priscilla in the first place for which no certain Reason can be given but if we may conjecture probably the Wife might be of the more honourable extraction and so more publickly known or being first converted to the Faith her self afterwards instructed her Husband in the same That S. Peter was there to plant a Church and settle Governors so as to make a Coalition of Jew and Gentile into one united body before S. Paul wrote this Epistle if he can prove it solidly the present Church of Rome shall thank him for it but the generality of Protestant Writers are against it Take Gualterus instead of all the rest ad Rom 16. 7 16. Homil. 94. Non parum facit hic locus ad confutandum impudens Papistarum figmentum c. This place saith he makes strongly for the confutation of that impudent Fiction of the Papists who dream of S. Peters coming to Rome in the second year of Claudius and that he first constituted a Church there over which he himself did preside for five and twenty years together Now if they say true in this He must be at Rome when S. Paul wrought this Epistle Why then makes he no mention of him or what reason can be alledged why the name of Peter only should be left out of that long and honourable catalogue of those men who were famous in that Church at that time was it because he was ignorant of his being there But this cannot well be seeing that the Faith of Rome was published in most parts of the World and how could so great an Apostle escape S. Paul's knowledge who was acquainted with so many of far meaner quality or shall we think that he concealed S. Peter's name out of emulation But far be such a thing from the sincerity and uprightness of an Apostle and why should he envy Peter his honour who speaks so honourably of many others far inferior to him Therefore our Romanists will never be able to make good this fancy of theirs For what Answer will they give S. Luke who says that Peter was present at the Council of Jerusalem which as St. Paul witnesseth in his second Chapter to the Galathians was held in the eighteenth year after his Conversion which according to true computation falls on the ninth year of Claudius besides these men are not aware how great mischief they do S. Peter when they talk of his sitting as Bishop of Rome for full five and twenty years who according to Christs command ought to have travelled up and down and preached the Gospel in several places And truly
the Apostle alters his style to them 1 Thes 5. 12 13. after he had admonished the Disciples to have a special regard to those Spiritual Guides and a high value for them He treats them with great respect when he puts them in mind of their Duty Now we beseech you Brethren warn them that are disorderly But the Reconciler goes on with his exceptions and tells us The same Apostle writing to Timothy concerning such who had a Form of Godliness but denied the power of it writes certainly of Persons who did as much deserve the Churches Censures as those he mentioned Rom. 16. 17. This Reconciler always has a reserve of kindness for such as make Divisions and Dissentions in the Church and Timothy says he to whom he writes had power to inflict those Censures and yet he only saith unto him from such turn away The place is 2 Tim. 3. 5. But to this I reply 1. That no doubt Timothy after so long converse with this great Apostle very well understood the several parts of his Duty and the Apostle did not think fit to prescribe him particular Rules of Government having charged him in the General in his former Epistle chap. 5. 21. To proceed according to the merits of every cause that should be brought before him and to do nothing with Partiality 2. He speaks there of a dangerous sort of Impostors which crept into Houses and had cunning enough to lead Captive silly Women and such false Apostles as take sanctuary in great Families the Church-Censures cannot always reach them Timothy had not then the assistance of a Secular arm and perhaps they were not to be restrained without it 3. The Apostle forseaw the Reign of those Impostors would be but short and concluded it would be most prudent to let them alone to expose themselves to contempt and scorn to their own ruin and this is the importance of those words 2 Tim. 3. 9. They shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as perhaps our Reconcilers misadventure may be ere he be few months older But this shall suffice for the vindication of Grotius his little Argument The next Argument was that of Catharinus it was but short indeed and the Reconciler was too short-sighted to discern the force of it 't was taken from the Apostles expostulation who art thou that judgest another mans Servant Cum non sis Pastor aut Dominus ejus as Catharinus very truly and judiciously makes the sense of the Apostle when thou art not his Lord or Bishop and hast no jurisdiction and command over him This Argument saith our Reconciler is extremely frivolous which argues he does not understand it for saith he if this be the import of the Apostles words why dost thou judge another mans Servant who art not his Pastor then his own Master to whom he stands or falls must be his Pastor and therefore he must have a Pastor But the Master there mentioned is so plainly God that it is but lost time to prove it Thus our Reconciler argues But under favour he has insnared himself in a Fallacy which is called Ignoratio Elenchi For the Assertion was this that those Rules were given to private Persons and the reason of that were because there was no Governors then setled among the Christians at Rome and the proof of this was taken from a hint in Catharinus why dost thou judge thy Brother cum non sis Pastor aut Dominus ejus He had no Bishop or Pastor to Govern him in Church-matters and therefore the Apostle refers him to God's Tribunal And now I hope the Argument will be clear to the understanding of our Reconciler for thus it is framed They that were accountable to none but God in matters of Religion They were under no Jurisdiction they who were under no Jurisdiction had no Governors and consequently these directions could not concern them who were not then in Being especially being a Provision for quietness design'd for want of them And here it will not be impertinent to take notice of Aquinas his observation in Prol. That S. Paul wrote fourteen Epistles whereof nine were to instruct the Church of the Gentiles four to direct the Prelates and Governors of the Church and one for the Instruction of the People of Israel For the whole Doctrine concerns the Grace of Christ which falls under a threefold consideration One way as it is in Christ the Head and so it is commended to us in the Epistle to the Hebrews Another way as it is in the Principal Members of the Body Mystical and so it is commended in those Epistles which are directed to the Prelates A third way as it is in the Mystical Body it self which is the Church and so it is commended in those Epistles which were sent to the Gentiles amongst which this to the Romans was one and not directed to the Prelates of the Church as Aquinas well observes And it is further observable That here are Rules given and particularly in the 14th and 15th Chapters which are inconsistent with the Governors Duty For 1. He passeth by the Bishops Office and applies himself to the Disciples and instead of giving order to the first to excommunicate the scandalous offenders He requires the other to avoid them 2. He forbids judging which had been an obstruction of Justice and Discipline if there had been any Officers to execute and perform it 3. As he had done by the Women in another sence so here he injoyns the Men silence to keep their Faith their Opinion and Knowledge to themselves which in Bishops and Pastors was an obstructing of Edification 'T is clear S. Paul sends them a Prohibition against Judging but this we may be sure S. Paul would not have done against such as had Authority to Judge whence it will follow That he sent not this prohibition to Church-Governors and from hence it will follow that there were none such amongst them which was the thing undrtaken to be proved as was hinted by Catharinus The Argument may be put into Form thus Such as have a Jurisdiction and Divine Authority to Judge of Scandals and Offences those Persons the Apostle did not forbid to judge the reason is because the holy Apostle doubtless would not supersede a Divine Authority and obstruct the course of Justice and Reformation But Governors where they were duly setled had a Jurisdiction and Divine Authority to judge of Scandals and Offences Therefore the Apostle did not forbid them to Judge Here are but two things to be made good to clear the Argument from all possible objection 1. That there were among those Christians at Rome many Misdemeanors Scandals and Offences matters fit for Inquisition and Censure 2. That Church-Governors had Authority where they were duly setled to inquire into them and Censure them The first is clearly proved from the Admonition of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences and avoid c.
and Seditions as at this very day says Gualter many render our Religion suspected and odious to Princes upon the very same account For this reason the Apostle does so frequently extol Authority and so earnestly inculcate and press that Subjection and Obedience which is justly due to it Thus St. Peter commands the Jews 1 Pet. 2. 13. to 17. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 1. to obey Kings and such as Governed by their Commission And St. Paul enjoyns Titus to admonish those under his charge to obey the higher Powers And Timothy to make publick Prayers for them And this he does with the greatest care and concern when he writes to the Christians at Rome because their Animosities and Disputes about their Christian Liberty were high and nothing could be acted by the Professors of the Gospel there that looked so like Sedition without the apparent hazard of the whole Church And this Doctrine saith he is no less needful now than heretofore to repress the rage and madness of those turbulent Spirits the Anabaptists and Libertines who abuse their Christian Liberty to overthrow the Power of the Civil Magistrate For they presume They are Abraham's Seed too not Semen Carnis but Semen Foederis The Spiritual Israel of God and his peculiar People and consequently intituled to all the Prerogatives which the Scripture attributes to those under that Character And being puft up with the conceit of their Spiritual Dignity they look upon all Princes as Gods Enemies and Usurpers of a Spiritual Jurisdiction which they think does not belong unto them Hereupon they are ever ready to mutiny and raise Sedition to shake off that Yoak which they falsly conceive to be Tyrannical and to assert that Lawless Liberty which they mistake for their Christian Priviledg Does not the Reconciler too much favour such Factions and encourage the like Anabaptistical Outrages and run into the same excess of Riot upon the like unjust account of Christian Liberty I am sure he has given the Alarm to awaken the Jealousie of Princes by abetting such peevish quarrels at their commendable Impositions For what is his Practice and the business of this Book He speaks faintly of the Subjects Duty but falls foul upon his Superiors whom he condemns for their care to keep out the Wolf and the little Foxes and attempts to overthrow their Authority by such weak and fallacious Arguments as have been baffled twenty times over or else they are nothing to the purpose or may be retorted with greater force upon the Party he takes upon him to plead for For 1. He supposes men to be weak and then he pleads stifly for a Toleration for them yea he supposes them to be such weak ones and under such circumstances as those were in S. Pauls time and then alledges S. Paul's Arguments on their behalf These are gratis dicta and false suppositions which he can find no ground for among all the Fathers he heaps together to countenance his Hypothesis for which of them did ever condemn the Customs and Ceremonies of the Church in their times upon the account of any thing delivered to the contrary in St. Paul's Epistles Yet 2. He supposes a Multitude of Rites and Ceremonies among us and such as have nothing in them of real goodness or of positive Order Decency and Reverence but such as are burdensome and scandalous and these unjustly imposed which would be true enough if he could prove them to be such and then as such he disputes against them And indeed his design is to destroy all Authority in matters of indifferency and to extend this false and Seditious Doctrine to the utmost to blind and harden such as have rashly I will not say maliciously kickt at their Governors and taken a vain occasion to stumble into Schism He reckons not only the symbolical protestation of Christianity by the sign of the Cross but the external worship of God by bowing and kneeling amongst things indifferent p. 39. 76 iii. We are therefore concerned to take into consideration 1. The Persons supposed to be weak and 2. the Things they take occasion to scruple at I. Men may be weak either in their Faith or in their Morals These last come not under our consideration in this Controversie Him that is weak in the Faith saith Rom. 14. 1. the Apostle Faith is here taken for knowlege of Divine matters especially Rom. 12. 3. 6. of our Christian Liberty that a man understands the difference of days and meats establish'd by the Ceremonial Law of Moses to be taken away by Christ under the dispensation of the Gospel Calixt ad Rom. 14. 1. The Apostles observation was that all men had not this Knowledge And these were the 1 Cor. 8. 7. Apostles weak ones For 1. they had been bred under another dispensation the Discipline of a Ceremonial Law which stood by Divine Right and being of Gods own appointment it had the greater force and tye upon the Conscience and prevailed the more by bearing the Image of a venerable Antiquity for Custom which had inured them to the practice of it had a Prepossession and made it little less than Natural 2. On the other side they were called off to another Dispensation which totally evacuated the force of that Law and rescinded all those Rites and Ceremonies to which they had been so long accustomed Now that an Institution established with so much Grandeur Dread and Majesty should quite lose its Authority and that they should have a power to shake off that Yoak which had been put upon the Necks of their Reverend and Holy Fathers by God himself this was the great stumbling-block and the Objection they scrupled at They were but Novices in Christianity but newly called to the Profession of the Gospel and they did not perfectly understand the Nature of the Christian Liberty this was their weakness and their persons are recommended to us under the title of little ones of Babes in Christ and of weak Brethren Such little ones tho their judgments were weak if their hearts were sound and their Faith unfeigned Christ had a great compassion for them Take heed ye offend not one of these little ones that believe in me And so S. Paul for his Babes in Christ Him that is weak Rom. 1â— 1. in the Faith receive into your Communion but not so as to encourage him in his own prejudices to quarrel with the course of other mens Conversation But did either St. Paul or Christ cocker them up in their childish weakness and indulge them to continue Babes always as our Reconciler does Did not our Blessed Lord chide his Disciples Duncery in his School O ye of little Faith How long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you O fools and slow of heart to believe Luke 24. 25. And did not St. Paul check the dulness and non-proficiency of his Disciples And I brethren could not speak unto you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal
their own the Princes thought it high time when they had unmasq'd their hypocrisie to lay aside their own compassion and kindness and to deal with them according to their deserts at the rate of head-strong and sturdy Rebels But from the Persons he pleads for under the feigned notion of weak Brethren whose pulse and temper we may be called upon to feel and examine a little more precisely hereafter let us pass on to consider the things he pleads against as things indifferent whihc he thinks to be no less imprudently than uncharitably imposed And here I must premise that this Reconciler is as like to be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a busie-body in matters which he has no concern to intermeddle in as any of those whom the Apostle tells us do deservedly suffer as 1 Pet. 3. 17. chap. 4. 1◠it is sit they should amongst evil doers For has he any order from his Superiours to undertake the part of a Reconciler did they furnish him with instructions and give him his Rules and Measures to guide him in a matter of this importance to Church and State or has he any Commission from the Dissenters to act and play the Advocate on their behalf have they made their last Will and Testament about things indifferent Does he know what they are content to bequeath to the Church or what they are resolved to take from it Can he tell what will fully satisfie their scrupulosity and bring them into so hearty a compliance with us as may settle a happy and a seasonable conformity amongst us if he can produce no delegation to this effect the design he goes upon running Counter to the Laws and Customs establisht his attempt will be ridiculous and appear to consist of as many and as impertinent fooleries as those he has so civilly charged the Learned Meisner with But let us proceed When Moses the great Law-giver was about to make the Tabernacle a Type of the Church he was admonished thus of God see that thou make Heb. 8. ◠all things according to the Pattern shewed to thee on the Mount But I do not find that ever he called the people to consult whether they approved of this or that part of the pattern nor do I find any attempt of theirs to question or dispute the decency of any particular piece of that pattern Now parallel to the Pattern on the Mount the Apostles had the mind of Christ after his frequent Sermons and private discourses And Acts 1. Gal. 1. S. Paul had it also by a special revelation And a prospect of this Pattern we have in those General Rules of the Apostles let all things be done decently and in order to publick edification and the Glory of God These were the Pattern on the Mount under the New Testament the Ritual Law of the Holy Gospel by which alone the Authority of Governors is limitted and directed And when matters of Ecclesiastical Discipline are established by their Prudence according to this Rule the subjects Duty is to submit and follow their steps and practice And if this were well observed it would presently free them from all their doubts and scruples as well as from their Schism which can never be excused unless they can prove that their Governors do act contrary to the divine Canon in which case only they may plead with S. Peter whether it be right c. But Acts 4. 19. the Reconciler can never make use of that Plea against our Governors in favour of the Dissenters if he reckons them amongst S. Pauls weak ones because he confesses p. 73. the Apostle has made as perfect and full a determination against them as words can make And 't is a little strange to observe the want of Ingenuity in this Reconciler according to the wonted practice of the Party he repeats their Cavils and Objections but never takes notice of the Answers that have been returned it seems they have been refuted with so much strength of reason that he thought himself not able enough to grapple with it But this is not all he makes a great cry against the imposition of unnecessary Ceremonies as if the Constitution of this Church were over-burthened and the good Seed of the Gospel choaked with the multitude of them when in truth upon a strict examination they will not amount unto a number For we may observe That he reckons some observances among things indifferent which really are not so He does instance in bowing and kneeling which are parts of Gods external Worship suggested by the light of nature and enjoyned by the second precept of the Moral Law which command binds always semper non ad semper but because this external Worship may be exhibited in several gestures of the Body which cannot be all performed at once therefore it is left to the wisdom of the Church to determine it pro hic nunc for place and season for which notwithstanding She wants not Her sufficient directions in holy Scripture 2. We may observe that all things are not alike indifferent As in those Heavenly bodies there is one Glory of the Sun another of the Moon another of the Stars and one Star differeth from another Star in Glory So a great disparity there was betwixt the State and Magnificence of the first and second Temple for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth And to bring the discourse 2 Cor. 3. 10. more close to our concern a Surplice is generally a thing indifferent and yet when we come to specialties who sees not that there is a great difference betwixt one of Cambrick and one of Canvas and the richer it is in value according to common estimation the greater respect it shews to the person to whom we do therein administer And this is God's own account as well as mine when the people made the Table of the Lord contemptible by their lame and blind Sacrifices God upbraids them for their profane ingratitude Offer it now unto thy Governor will he be pleased with Mal. 1. 7. 8. thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts And we must remember that it was the Poverty of the Offerer which God condescended to when he accepted of a pair of Turtle-doves or two young Pigeons for an Oblation and this was only in case of a private person who was able to present no more and so must not be brought into example when we are concerned for publick Administrations And we may consider further that The estimate of Veneration and Reverence is taken from the customs of several Places and Countrys to put off our shooes in holy places among us would be undecent and so it would be thought to kiss the Kings hand upon our tails Whatever they do in other places our Governors have adjudged the Gestures and Observances in use among us to be the most Reverent and 't is left to their
Had there not been such Persons among them they could neither have been observed nor avoided Non quod condemnatione digna non agat ne ipsum judices he does not forbid judging upon this account because he had done nothing worthy of Condemnation as Bruno and Oecumenius Theophylact Infirmitas non ad corporis imbecillitatem sed ad animi superstitionem referenda Bullinger ad Rom. 141. in margine and so Hyperius and others and our Modern Commentators And among the best of those weak ones the Apostle was so tender of there were faults enough to be blamed 1. Ignorance of that Liberty wherewith Christ had made them free 2. Superstition in adhering so stifly to the Ritual Law of Moses and 3. Vsurpation of Authority to Censure and Condemn others who were better Christians than themselves Here was matter enough for the Cognizance of a Court of Judicature but Authority was wanting there were no Governors establisht for had there been such they had had power to judge which is the second thing that is to be proved And for this we can look no where but we may be furnished with Evidence for what was the Power of the Keys given by Christ to his Apostles but a Power to bind and loose to Inquire and Judge And having made Timothy Bishop of Ephesus and set him to Govern there He instructs him what to do in point of Judicature 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. Against an Elder receive not an Accusation but before two or three witnesses them that sin notoriously rebuke before all that others also may fear He does the like by Titus whom he ordained Bishop of Creet A man that is an Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject Tit. 3. 10. And was it not the Apostles own practice 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5. For I verily as absent in body 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5. but present in spirit have judged already as tho I were present concerning him that hath so done this Incestuous Deed In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ To deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his soul may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Do not ye judge them that are 1 Cor. 5. 12. within the Pale of the Church and your particular jurisdiction C. Catharinus his Argument is not so Ipse Paulus contra mandatum facientes jâ—dicavit aliis judicandi tribuit facultatem Hierom. Ad Rom. 14. Tu quis c. extremely frivolous as our Reconciler very rashly and ignorantly makes it For he that has a Governor may give an account and may be called to an account by him and must stand or fall by his sentence when he is accused before him 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 13. 2 Cor. 2. 6 8. But when there is no such Superior or Governor set over me by our Common Master then I may justly expostulate with my Rash Censurer 'T is his right to Judge me who is Governor or Lord over me Consider thy own business for I am not under thy Jurisdiction as Aretius hath it Thou art a private Christian as well as my self Par in Parem non habet imperium thou hast no command over me No Tribunal to cite me to no Authority to Judge me Who art thou that judgest c. where thou art neither certain of the badness of his action nor of his intention nor hast any Authority or Jurisdiction over him to meddle with or question any action of his whatsoever A Paraphrase and Annotations Anonymus This was the very fault that was condemned here by this Apostle that they Judged without Authority and so David Dicson understands it Iniquum est alienum servum sine vocatione à Deo judicare 'T is a wicked thing to judge another mans servant without a Call and Authority from God to do it How darest thou challenge the right to thy self when thou hast no Law of the Lord for it Thou dost presume too much in usurping that which does not belong to thee as our Synopsis has it out of Grotius and Tollet Aretius a Learned Protestant shall conclude this Argument who saith the same in effect with Grotius upon Rom. 16. 17. Mark and avoid them Because the Church then had no Ordinary Magistrate by which he means Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Governor Privatis ostendit viam quam sequantur Therefore he shews private Persons what course they should take which is the thing that was asserted by Dr. Womock after Grotius But has not this Reconciler taken a great deal of pains to make himself a transgressor and does he not teach the People to arraign their Governors And to give a good example for it he sets himself up a Tribunal and treats his Prince and Bishop as if they were his Servants and under his Jurisdiction What saith S. James He that speaketh evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh evil of the Law and Judgeth the Law so he does by consequence but if thou judge the Law thou art not a Doer of the Law but a Judge Jam. 4. 11. Now this Reconciler does directly speak evil of his Governors and the Law too and does freely Judge and Condemn them both and consequently he 's not a Doer of the Law but a Judge He should do well to learn what S. Paul says to his weak Brothers Censure Rom. 2. 21 22. Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Thou that Preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal Thou that saist a man should not commit Adultery dost thou commit Adultery Thou that sayst a man should not judge dost thou judge Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacrilege He robs his Governors of their Authority which is Sacred and usurps it to himself for while he disputes so fiercely against judging in his superiors he does not stick to judge them to censure their Laws and condemn their Innocent Impositions If it be never Lawful for the Christian of what degree or rank soever he be to judge the Person whom God has received to walk uncharitably towards his Brother as he saith p. 72. much less to carry himself thus towards his Superiors why then does he so rashly and insolently judge his Governors either he thinks God hath not received them and then he walks uncharitably towards them or else he believes God has received them and then his judging of them besides the incivility and sawciness of it is unlawful by his own Rule and so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Heretick Tit. 3. 10. condemned at his own Tribunal But 't is nothing with him to break his own Rules we shall find him at it again in handling the next Argument which the Dr. confesseth he had not the least hint of from any Author but took it upon trust from the words of the Apostle Hast thou Faith have it
and his Apostles I pray Sir be you better advised and harken to the Holy Scriptures that you may recover your self out of the power of Satan who by the crafty insinuations of bad instruments has taken you Captive in the snare of Superstition Thus a Conscientious Prelate would behave himself but our Reconciler has taught himself a more saving Doctrine to serve his Interest in times of Danger And doubtless the man would make a very Prudential Governor in a juncture of some difficulty For if a Demure Faction should ferment in his Neighbourhood and swell up into a Sedition for Conscience sake if he did not understand comply and cunningly encourage it he would at least wisely shut his mouth and to be sure not utter a word to check the wicked practice and he would have the confidence to say that he learned this Doctrine of Neutrality the Apostle But if he learnt it there why did he not practice it If he thought the sign of the Cross or the use of the Surplice or kneeling at the Sacrament inexpedient and burdensom and the imposition of them more than the Authority of his Superiors could justifie why did he not follow his own Rule and keep his faith to himself 'T is a wise mans advice Eccles 19. 10. If thou hast heard a word let it die with thee and be bold it will not burst thee The advice is as wise for an Opinion as for a Word and if his opinion had died with him the Funeral would not have been so chargeable to him as the Christening of it When he was fishing for Objections in Rom. 14. If he had but read to the end of the Chapter he might have met with something that concerns him in verse 22. Happy is he who condemneth not himself in doing that thing to the Affront and Scandal of the Laws and his Superiors which he alloweth lawful to be left undone I have now I hope sufficiently made good those little Arguments which were produced by Dr. Womock to prove that there was no setled jurisdiction at Rome amongst the Christians nor any Church-Governors to execute such a jurisdiction when S. Paul wrought that Epistle But to follow the steps of our Reconciler He says secondly had there been then no Church-Governors in the whole Church of Rome had they been destitute of any Ministers for publick Worship this will not in the least abate the strength of what we argue hence unless the Dr. dares assert that the Church-Governors were not as much concerned in the Reason here laid down as were the Common People that is that they were not obliged to receive the weak in Faith v. 1. and being strong to bear the infirmities of the weak Chap. 15. 1. that they might judge another mans servant v. 4. that they might put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in their Brothers way v. 13. That they might walk uncharitably might grieve and even destroy him with their meat for whom Christ died v. 15. that they might let their good be evil spoken of v. 16. and might for meat destroy the work of God And that tho it is good for private persons not to eat flesh nor drink wine nor to do any thing whereby their Brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak yet may Church-Governors impose such things although God hath declared that their power is only for Edification and not for Destruction 2 Cor. 13. 10. What therefore do men gain by saying These Precepts were directed to private Persons and not to Church-Governors since it is certain that they do more especially concern them whose work it is to build up souls and exercise the greatest charity towards them than any private Persons in the world Add to this lastly That S. Paul was certainly a Church-Governor who had as much power as any of his Successors in these matters and yet he was so far from varying from these Rules that chiefly he confirms them from his own example Thus our Reconciler In order to a full Answer of this plausible Harangue I must take notice of his Paralogisms as the Logician calls them * Hi paralogismi Seductorum nascuntur vel ex malitiâ vel ex inscitiâ Ex malitiâ cum veritatem agnitam oppugnant homines improbi vel ut sibi gloriam utilitatem quaerant vel ut veris Doctoribus molestiam invidiam creent Alii ex inscitia suâ nam ipsorum animi irretiti sunt iisdem Laqueis quibus â—liis irretire â—onantur Davenant ad Coloss 24. either he deceives himself by his false reasonings or else he studies to impose upon the weakness of his Reader by them and that is very frequent with him We have one Instance here Dr. Womock concludes that those cautions in Rom. 14. Viz. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant hast thou Faith have it to thy self were not directed to the Church-Governors at Rome because there were as yet none setled there Then saith our Reconciler Church-Governors are not obliged to bear the infirmities of the weak but may walk uncharitably towards them may put stumbling-blocks in their way and may destroy them which is a plain non-sequitur and Fallacia consequentis he may as well infer from thence that if I shall say the History of Bell and the Dragon doth not concern us that then we are left at liberty to worship them The inference is just as good as the Reconcilers What our Saviour said to the Jews John 7. 22. Moses therefore gave you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Fathers so I may say S. Paul gave us those injunctions not to despise our Brother not to put a stumbling-block in his way not to walk uncharitably towards him not because they were of S. Paul but of the Fathers they were Duties in force long afore S. Pauls time and had obliged us tho there had never been such an Epistle wrot to the Christians at Rome nor any such feuds about things Indifferent to occasion it And now I grant him that it is the work of Church-Governors to build up Souls and to that end They are to exercise the greatest Charity in the World towards them But withal I must take leave to re-mind him of the very true and useful observation of my Lord Keepers in his Lordships excellent Speech to Mr. Serjeant Saunders c. Sometimes says his Lordship a Private man is commended for Qualities which in a Magistrate would be faults A private Man is praised for shewing Humility and Deference to others in his Conversation and passing by Indignities But a Judge must take greatness upon him He must Consider he represents the Kings Person in his seat of Justice He must therefore be very careful to preserve the Dignity that belongs to it He must have Passions but not of a private Man that may Disturb his Judgment but he must assume Passion to set off his severity when the greatness of the Crime requires it
but it must be done so as it may appear that his Judgment governs his Passion and direct it against the offence and not against the Person Governors may set in order what they find Defective or Irregular in Gods Church and prescribe such things as make for Decency in Gods Publick and solemn Worship and these things they may Impose For that they should do so is the Apostles Injunction and Gods Command And for such as will not obey they may use Sharpness after S. Pauls Example to reduce them to obedience For this Power the Lord hath given them to Edification without the word only which the Reconciler has foisted into the Text. 2 Cor. 13. 10. Indeed the Apostle adds and not unto Destruction because the power of the Gospel Ministry is properly of it self and its own nature for Edification 't is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. But we are to take notice that Church-Governors have a Rod too a power to inflict punishment for the destruction of the flesh 1 Cor. 5. 5. and all the works of the flesh likewise amongst which are Heresie and a 1 Cor. 33. 4. Gal. 5. 19 20. Schism and so is Pride and Self-conceit which swell and puff men up against their Governors and the Law of Christ which the Apostolical Power was therefore designed to take down b 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. There is Destruction in Order to Edification The rubbish of Error and false Principles must be removed to make way to lay in and build on better And this is the Bishops great business to take care that the Enemy steals not in to sow his Tares that well-meaning souls be not seduced by false Teachers into ill Principles But diligently built up in their most holy Faith and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness And the exercise of this power in the very severest part of it is designed for the Edification of the whole Church and ultimately tends to the salvation of the most profligate Delinquent that suffers under it Tanti sacit Apostolus aedificationem 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. ut omnia ad hanc tanquam scopum ad 2 Cor. 13. 10. verse 8. Gal. 2. 14. primarium dirigat saith Aretius The primary scope of all his Dispensations was Edification for we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth and the sincere truth of the Gospel that is the solid Edification But the Apostle had a twofold way to deal with sinners as that learned man observes some he reformed by instruction i. e. he laid open to them the Nature the Guilt and hainousness of their sin and reasoned them into a better course of life which they followed upon his admonition But others who were more obstinate the Apostle handled with more severity The incestuous person he did Excommunicate Elimas the Sorcerer he struck with blindness some he delivered up to Satan and some he restrained by other means of Discipline And that was the Apostolical severity which he threatens to use among the Corinthians where he tells them he will not spare e 2 Cor. 13. 2. unless they correct their manners And this course of Discipline ought to continue still saith he where the Ad 2 Cor. 13. 2. Church of Christ is well established For all the Members of the Church are not sick of the same disease Nor does a good Physician undertake to cure all Persons with the same Medicine but in some cases he uses more mild and gentle Remedies in others more sharp ones searing scarifying amputation because the Diseases are grievous and the Bodies of such Patients cannot be cured otherwise And Hemmingius upon Ad Cor. 13. 2. those words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 2. If I come I will not spare makes this Comment Hoc severitatis exemplum Ministri verbi piè prudenter in aedificationem imitentur Let the Ministers of the Gospel imitate this example piously and prudently to edification And let it be observed saith he that the severer Jurisdiction or Church-Discipline concerns the Edification of the whole Church and of them who are particularly chastised And the Governors of the Church are armed with this Power tum ad puniendum tum ad salvandum as well to punish as to save and for punishment in order to their salvation And if any destruction happens besides that which ought to be destroyed in such as unruly est hoc ex accidente This is but by accident as Sclater hath ad 2 Cor 13. 8. 10. observed 2 Cor. 2. 16. And let us take this into consideration too that it is at the Governors discretion to use this Discipline according as he shall find the Temper and Disposition of the Subject 1 Cor. 4. 21. What will ye shall I come unto you with a Rod or in Love and in the spirit of meekness But you 'll say are not the Governors of the Church obliged to receive the weak in the Faith Rom. 14. 1. yes very highly obliged in S. Pauls sence as becomes their Place and Office Receive him that is weak that is instituite favete donec proficiat saith Bullinger take him into your tuition instruct and cherish him till he be a good proficicient in the School of Christ This is the Charity and Care of Church-Governors and ours are ready to perform it I dare say for them with all their heart if our weak Brethren would harken to it And being pious as well as strong They are willing also to bear their Infirmities and not only to bear with them which is the part of every private Christian but to heal them which is the part of every good Physician To bear them as our blessed Saviour bare our sins not so as to take them upon his shoulders only but to bear and carry them quite away and this is their Labour of Love and work of Charity But they cannot do this in effect no more could our Lord himself unless the People be willing to part with them But who art thou that judgest another mans Servant saith our Apostle and may a Church-Governor do this Why not He is in Authority and doubtless he may Judge where God hath called him to that Office and given him a jurisdiction for it Nay I say he must do it for what saith the Lord to his Prophet Jer. 15. 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth This is that the Lord requires of a good Governor Nempè ut condemnet libere quicquid vitiosum est fortiter defendat quod rectum est etiamsi totus mundus repugnet saith Calvin upon the place That he freely condemn whatsoever is vitious and as stoutly defend what is right and just tho the whole World should oppose it And what shall we say of S. Pauls Charge to Timothy 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. and to Titus Tit. 3. 9 10. and what shall we say to his own practice 1 Cor.
the progress of the Gospel amongst them in the very infancy of it And wanting Church-Governors with a secular Arm to assist them nothing was able to extinguish their dissentions and bring them to a quiet settlement till the fulness of Apostolical Authority with the power of Miracles should come among them as shall be declared hereafter But our Reconciler tells us 't is the perpetual Duty of the highest Christians to follow after the things which make for Peace and whereby they may edify one another This we can easily grant him but as Theodoret observes the Apostle Ad Rom. 15. 4. does not pray for their peace indefinitely and absolutely but 't is an honest and pious Consent and Concord that he wisheth them according to the example of Jesus Christ Has not God given us Guides and are not we bound to follow peace after their direction and example Have not they a command as well as a power Heb. 13. 7 17. to set things in Order to make Decrees and Ordinances for the establishment of Peace and Unity and are not these the means to promote Edification Did not S. Paul himself carry about such Decrees to be kept of the Churches where he went and were not those Churches established in the Faith thereupon and increased in their numbers as well as in their piety by that means Acts 16. 4 5. These are truths that are evident of themselves and owned by the Learned of all Perswasions the Ordering and Appointment of honest and decent Rites See the Verdict p. according to the word of God makes much for the preservation of Discipline and to strengthen the bond of Peace saith David Rungius and Calvin himself Hereupon we find that the great Apostle made Ordinances of the like nature which are called Traditions and they were about things indifferent of no absolute necessity but only for decency such as the Womans Vail in publick 1 Cor. 11. 2. Assemblies And such as did observe those Ordinances he commends but 2 Thes 3. 6 14. such as did neglect them he does severely censure And tho he was gentle as a Nurse to cherish his children in the Faith yet did he exercise the Authority of a Father too in charging and 1 Thes 2. 7 11. commanding them to observe his Discipline And let this Reconciler or any of the Dissenters whose Cause he Pleads prove that ever the liberty of such Children was allowed either by Christ or his Apostles to overtop or check the Authority of such a Father and I will yield the Cause In the mean while Dr. Womock keeps his Ground viz. That this was only a Temporary provision to keep the Peace among private Christians and hereupon the Reconciler requires him to prove that the things above-mentioned Rom. 14. were only Temporary and that Church-Governors are now at liberty to walk uncharitably towards the weak and to destroy the work of God for meat and drink and we are satisfied Here we are called upon to prove two things and I am afraid the last will prove him to be a Sophister But we shall attempt to prove the first That those things were only Temporary 'T is the express affirmation of Aretius Ad Rom. 15. that these Roman Christians having no Ordinary Governor the Apostle shews private men the way which they should walk in as was observed formerly And Ad Rom. 14. And Beza observes Apostolum non praecipere ut ejusmodl ignorantia foveatur sed duntaxat ut tuleretur tantisper dum isti possint erudiri Ad Rom. 14. 2. When they became stubborn and indocible They were rejected that the provision was but for a time is the express Doctrine of Hemmingius Aliquid ad tempus Fratrum infirmitati largiendum est Something is to be allowed for a time to the infirmity of our Brethren secus de obstinatis pertinacibus judicandum est but we must determine otherwise of the obstinate and stubborn He speaks of weak Christians which he supposes to be in every particular Church in these days but if care were duly taken to Catechise our Youth and to instruct them in the Principles of Acts 13. 46. Christianity touching Authority and Liberty according to the truth of the Gospel as S. Paul calls it this kind of Intellectual Rickets and the weakness that follows it would be perfectly corrected in our Minority and we should never infest the Church with our frowardness upon that account But my task is to prove that the Directions which the Apostle gives to those Christians at Rome had a peculiar reference 1. To that present time 2. To some special things and 3. To that Critical Dispensation 1. To that present time and he that will take the pains to consider the Case can never be perswaded that such cautions and directions as were given to Jews or Gentil-Converts in reference purely to those Federal Rites of the respective Institutions to which they had so lately been accustomed He I say can never be convinced that they do lay any obligation upon such as were bred up in Christianity from their Cradles But that these cautions were calculated for that present time we have reason to believe upon farther evidence 1. The Apostle in his great prudence was wont to make such Temporary 1 Cor. 7. 26. provisions such was his advice about Virgins I suppose saith he this is good for the present distress not that Marriage was a more impure state of Life but to avoid the difficulties and molestations of it Single persons were in a better condition more prompt and easie to grapple with Persecutions which in those days did more frequently afflict the Professors of the Gospel The Apostle has an eye to the like Rom. 12. 11. difficulties among the Romans and therefore he enjoyns them to be fervent in Spirit serving the season For many Copies See Dr. Hammond his note on the place and Dr. Stearne Aphoris de felicitate §. 2. Aphor. 22. read the Text so and therefore Dr. Hammond doth thus Paraphrase the Text Doing those things that in respect of the Circumstances of time and place wherein now you are may most tend to the honour of God and building up of the Church And S. Ambrose descants very well upon the place lest they should unseasonably press matters of Religion in an evil time whereby they might raise up Scandal therefore he subjoyns this caution serving the time The great matters of Faith and Religion Ambros ad Rom. 12. he would have them discoursed of modestly and discreetly in a fit time and in a convenient place and among fit Persons For there are som esaith he even among our selves in times of Peace The Epist for the 2d Sunday after the Epiphany in the old Liturgy read it so who do so abhor the way of Christ that they can no sooner hear but they will Blaspheme it And S. Paul himself made it his practice sometimes to apply himself to the
season and to do that which otherwise he had no inclination to do For he Circumcised Timothy unwillingly and shaving his head he purified himself according to the Law and went up to the Temple Vt Judaeorum sopiret insaniam that he might appease the Rage of the Jews And what have we been doing these twenty years but serving the time by Clemency and Condescention to gratifie an unsteady Faction whom nothing can oblige And no doubt S. Paul had an eye to the circumcumstance of time and the difficulty as well as the inconveniency of making a peremptory Order for them in this Case when he wrote that Epistle as shall be shewed 2. I am induced to believe this was but a Temporary provision because it was upon the account of Novices in the Faith as all the Antients do unanimously observe 'T was in Favour of such as had newly embraced the Gospel wherefore he would not have the strong Christians who understood the liberty of their Christianity to entangle the weak by intricate disputations which might provoke them unto Apostacy but charitably to bear with them for a time and that as a condescention which argues not a Law and stedfast Constitution but as they call it a Dispensation * Ita Chrysostomus simulaâ—ionem Petri saepius Dispensationem appellavit ad Gal. 2. Theodoret. Theophilact Ad Rom. 14. Whereupon even where he sollicits this Indulgence on their behalfs to prevent a Relapse he blames their Ignorance discovers the soft and tender part and lays open the Sore and gently drops in his Medicinal Wine and Oyl The observation is quick and very material That while he seems to chide the strong in the Faith under pretence of that freedom of Speech to them He turns all his Correption and Reproof upon the weak For in calling them weak he declares them to be valetudinary and when he bids the stronger Christians to receive to help and succour them it argues he thought they stood in need of a Keeper and good Remedies which is a certain Indication of a Distemper and a Mental Craziness so far was the Apostle from encouraging them as this Reconciler doth to continue and become obstinate in their weakness For tho he would have them treated like Babes while they were so Yet he would not have them be Babes always but to be men in understanding and to put away childish things 1 Cor. 3. 1. Heb. 5. 11 12. 3. If these directions given to the Christians at Rome were not temporary the Apostle contradicted his own Doctrine for in setled Churches afterwards He was so far from prescribing forbearance of Meats or the observation Gal. 4. 10 11. Chap. 5. 4. Col. 2. 8 16 21. of Jewish Festivals that he severely condemns them yea as Superstitious and destructive of Salvation as this Reconciler does observe when he finds occasion pag. 80. to forget his own hypothesis 4. That they were but Temporary is the Judgment of the Fathers and the most Learned Modern Writers The Verdict has mentioned Matthisius Estius our Synopsis and Mr. Perkins who saith expresly that Commandment Rom. 14. 22. was given by Paul for those times when men were not fully perswaded of the use of Gods Creatures as meats and drinks c. But to these Cum enim perfectam fidem 〈◊〉 non haberet infirmus se eâ— rum Esu pollcredebat Thâ— Ad Reâ— times it is not given 2. I say the Apostles Directions had reference to some special things forbidden by the Law of Moses 1. For the difference among those Christians ad Rom. 14. grew upon the account of a distinction betwixt things Clean and Vnclean as the Apostle declares expresly Rom. 14. 14 and mens minds being framed to practise according to that Notion they still disputed the Custom when the distinction was taken away not understanding fully the Priviledge of the Gospel 2. The Antients do restrain the matters in debate to the prohibitions of the Law so Theophilact seeing God Theoph. ad Rom. 14. hath bestowed his ineffable Grace upon the Gentils why do'st thou still contend with them about the Law 'T is manifest saith S. Ambrose that all things are clean through the grace of Christ who freeing us from the yoak of the Law hath restored the former Ambros ad Rom. 14. Ca. 48. P. Martyr state of Liberty So that we are now in a capacity to use all creatures as the Saints of old were wont to do But for such as are still in bondage under the Law it is not Lawful for them to eat or to do what the Law forbids Quia indulgentiam datam spernunt Because they despise the priviledge of the Gospel His multitude of quotations is to little purpose in this case rightly stated For 4. I dare be bold to say that not one of the Ancient Fathers ever applied that discourse of the Apostle to the prejudice of Authority in ordaining Rites and matters of Decency in Gods Service Did not all the Fathers he alledges Bow Kneel wear a Surplice sign with the Cross Yes and would have spit in his face that should have offered to dispute so general a practice of the whole Church His quoting their Authority in this case is therefore trifling and designed to impose upon the Reader or else he is deluded himself by a Fanatic Zeal and vain Imagination And if old Father Gregory were alive he would make as sharp an Invective against him for this as he did against Julian upon another account And I have observed particularly Vide Epist 119 that St. Austin when he complains of the multitude and burden of Ceremonies which were crept into some particular Churches yet he never dream'd that St. Paul had condemned any of them by a Spirit of Prophesie in that Epistle to the Romans Nay he saith plainly that the forbidding of meats as unclean was Heretical and so declared and condemned by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. which is directly contrary to the opinion and practice of those weak ones whom the same Apostle favours Rom. 14. and therefore the Rules he lays down in that Chapter can be no more than temporary unless we will be so bold with the great Apostle as to make him forget and contradict himself 4. Let me put the Case home to our Reconciler and his beloved the Dissenters if they claim a title to the Apostles Indulgence Rom. 14. in their refusal or forbearance of those things which are enjoyned by Authority Then they must look upon those things as common and unclean for that is the very case the Apostle speaks to Rom. 14. 14. If they esteem them unclean which signifies nothing but unlawful that must be either according to Moses's Law or according to the Gospel If they go according to Moses Law they run into Judaism and Superstition and tempt God as this Reconciler confesseth p. 75. and in effect deny that Judaism is abolished and hath given place to Christianity if they pretend to
go by the Gospel that very Gospel contradicts their pretence as we learn by a voice from Heaven to S. Peter Acts 10. 15. What God hath cleansed that call not thou common for persons were so esteemed by the Law as well as things and by the resolution of S. Paul in this place Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self 5. And I would have it considered that we have no Rites or Observances in use among us but what are taken up by the light of Nature or purely upon the account of Christianity They never had any Relation to the Institutions of the Heathen as the meats offered to Idols nor yet to the Levitical Covenant as Swines-flesh Circumcision the Jewish Sacrifices and Festivals had Shew me where St. Paul saith one man regardeth a Surplice the sign of the Cross kneeling another man regardeth them not Do not Judge do not grieve do not offend a Brother for these things He did not he could not say any thing to this effect of any of these 1 Cor. 14. 26 Eph. 3. 14. things not of kneeling or bowing for they are suggested to all mankind by the light of Nature and were the Apostles 1 Cor. 11. 5 11. own intimation charge and practice The Surplice he determined in the Womans Vaile by a Parity of Reason and for the sign of the Cross 't is so peculiarly related to Christianity that it can never tempt any man to turn either Jew or Gentile which was the great danger St. Paul so carefully provides against and he hath given us a Reason for it 1 Cor. 1. 22. in telling us that Christ Crucified was unto the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness To this I may add 6. The general opinion of Commentators is that the Apostle does not Anon. ad Rom. 14. not 1. speak here Rom. 14. of the weakness of a Brother in doing any thing unlawful or that he should be tolerated by the strong therein When the Apostle saith let every man Rom. 14. 5. abound in his own sense according to the vulgar Latin or let him be fully perswaded Theod. ad Rom. 14. 5. in his own mind as the English hath it Theodoret observes that the Apostle did not speak this in general nor may we be so free in our opinions or perswasions of Gods Word and Ordinances for he doth anathematize or Gal. 1. 8 9. strike him with a Curse who frames his mind to teach the things that are contrary to Divine Truth And Gualter Gualter ad Roman Homil. 80. to the same sense Quae palam contra Dei voluntatem fiunt ea in proximo reprehendere deque illis ex Dei verbo judicare licet What is clearly contrary to the will of God 't is Lawful for a man to judge of that by the word of God and to reprehend our Neighbour for it Now certainly this is Gods Ordinance let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers and this is the will of God even our Submission and Obedience to such as Rom. 13. 1. Heb. 13. 7 17. God hath set over us Wherefore unless the Apostle contradicts his own Doctrine he cannot be supposed to deliver any thing in this case that may derogate from the just power of our Superiors And let it be once proved that the Apostle has set up Liberty above Authority or in opposition to it and I shall yield the Cause but this is a challenge which I dare say none of our Dissenters No nor the Reconciler himself will have the hardiness to answer 3. I say Those Directions of the Apostle Rom. 14. had a special reference to that Critical Dispensation I call it Critical because it was something like that juncture of circumstances which hapned in St. Paul's Voyage to Rome when they came to the place where two Seas met except the Mariners the Guides of the Vessel did abide in the Ship and submit to the Apostles prudent Steerage and Direction They could not be saved For that this Indulgence of the Apostle was in favour of the Jews cannot be denied and he had taken the advice of the Colledge of Apostles and Elders in it who tell him thus Acts 21. 20. Thou seest Brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the Law Now Exodus 19. the condition of the Jewish Church was this The Religion established amongst them was of Divine Institution and the Rites and Ceremonies thereof imposed with great severity by a dreadful Majesty with an astonishing attendance this they had been bred in and lived under and were prepossessed with an opinion of the Sacredness and perpetual obligation of it But out of this sprang a more refined Religion introduced by the Ministry of the Son of God Whether the introduction of this did abrogate or supersede the Authority of the other was the thing in question The prejudice the Jews had against the abrogation of it for the Reasons now mentioned was so great that it was not easie to be conquered The Apostle was sensible hereof for he lost his own Carnal eyes before he could discern Acts 9. a Reason for it and he was smitten down to the Earth that he might there bury those beggarly Elements of Judaism wherein he had been Disciplined and for which he was so fiercely Zealous before he could learn humility enough to submit to the Voice and Gospel of the Messias and this made him so compassionate to his Brethren of Israel whom he knew to lye under the like prepossession and prejudice 'T is true Moses's Law was out of date de jure upon the publication of John 1. 31. Heb. 10. 1. the Gospel and assoon as our Lord was made manifest unto Israel For the Law was but a shadow of good things to come the Body and the Sun was Christ the Col. 2. 17. Rom. 10. 4. end and the Accomplisher of the Law De Jure therefore the Law of Ceremonies was abolish'd But yet till there was a clear promulgation hereof the old Law retained its force and vigour among such as understood not that it was now void and of no effect For tho the Law ceases by a meer abrogation yet the Subject cannot be free from his former obligation till it does some way appear that 't is his Superiors will and that the former Law be presently revoked which was not yet made manifest convincingly to all the Community of the Jewish Nation And that which increased the difficulty and confirmed if not heightned the prejudices on both sides was this The Jews they received the gifts of the Holy Act. 2. Act. 10 44 45. and Chap. 11. 2. to 18. Ghost under the observation of Moses's Law the Gentils did the like under the omission and neglect of it Hereupon why should we abandon our old Law seeing God hath received us All this the
Reconciler does acknowledge page 74. into favour and attested it by the effusions of his Spirit on us say the Jews And why shall we abandon our Liberty and Privilege say those Gentils seeing God hath done the like to us This was the difference and dispute between them and nothing but the Ministry of a Divine Authority assisted by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost and agreeing in a Declaration to the same effect and the power of Miracles was able to bring them to Conformity and unite them entirely into one Catholick Communion This I call a Critical dispensation and it can never be the Case of the Christian Church again unless Elias should come a second time as some do vainly dream to make a farther Reformation and then perhaps S. Pauls Rules might be in season again before the World could come to any settlement How far is the Case of Dissenters wide of this were they bred under any other Divine Law than that which we profess and practise Have they any pretence to some other divine Institutions Have they any divine prohibition against any thing the Church observes Do we violate any Ordinance that is known to be prae-establisht by Divine Authority why then do they take up the perverse or peevish practice of those Jews and run upon the same Rock of Judaism and Superstition as if they were called to it by a voice from Heaven when they have not the like pretence for it For either the Law of Moses is in force or it is not If they think it is in force They may scruple at the eating of a black Pudding or touching the Corps of their dearest friend deceased or ploughing with an Oxe and an Asse which conjunction in a Tropical sense they never scruple at If that Law be not in force at all in their opinion why do they plead what S. Paul discourses upon the account of them who believed it was If it concerns us at all it must be either directly or indirectly and by a parity of Reason But 1. not directly because it relates to a Law whereby things were distinguish'd into clean and unclean 2. Not indirectly or by a parity of Reason because the like critical juncture of circumstances is never like to happen Let them therefore set their hearts at rest For those Rules of condescention and forbearance which the Apostle prescribed as a temporary provision to keep those private Christians quiet under that Critical Dispensation can never serve to justifie their Separation upon such groundless doubts empty Scruples and vain Imaginations And now having made it clear to all Rom. 14. 1â— Chapters impartial Readers that the Apostle did not direct this his advice to Governors but prescribed it only as a Temporary provision to keep the peace among private Christians We must expect no Quarter from the Reconciler but to be severely loaden with the reproach of an odious Inference 'T is not enough it seems to prove that the things there mentioned were only Temporary but we are called to a fresh Task to prove that Church-Governors are now at liberty to walk uncharitably towards the weak and to destroy the work of God for meat and drink Do this says he very fairly and we are satisfied This any man would think a fair offer at the first hearing but upon second thoughts we find that by suppressing one of the premisses he hides a sallacy and herein he is either catch'd himself and deceived in his own captious way of reasoning and that betrays his want of Logick or else he designs wittingly to impose upon the weakness or credulity of his Reader and then he shews his want of honesty If we put his Argument into Form for him it must run thus He that says Those Rules above-mentioned were but a Temporary Provision to keep the Peace among private Christians he leaves Church-Governors at liberty to walk uncharitably towards the weak and to destroy the work of God for meat and drink But Dr. Womock says Those Rules above-mentioned were but a Temporary Provision to keep the Peace among private Christians ergo Dr. Womock leaves Church-Governors c. We must give him time to prove the major Proposition and I believe he will take till Dooms-day and then he may have something else to answer for His disturbing the peace of the Church and encouraging an ungovernable Faction in their Schism and Sedition But let us follow him Dr. Womock saith from Catharinus They were Rules to be received till the Apostles had made a perfect determination and truly saith the Reconciler if this were all they were not to be observed at all His Reason follows For in this very Chapter he plainly saith that the things scrupled by the weak were pure and lawful in themselves and that he knew and was perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there was nothing unclean of it self which is as perfect and full a determination of the Case against the weak as words can make Let us take notice 1. that we have here the Key put into our hands by the Apostle himself to open and unlock his meaning and to give us the full account of his design which was to indulge the Jewish Christians who had been bred up under the Mosaical Dispensation wherein days and meats were distinguished into such as were clean or unclean common or holy which cannot concern us who pretend to no such distinction in that Legal sense or of any Divine Authority Having observed thus much 2. I answer That the Apostle did declare his judgment in the Case as to the matters in question de jure but as to the use and practice of them at Rome He did not as yet settle or determine them de facto by his Apostolical Authority But with us the case is otherwise we have a Determination and Settlement against our pretended weak ones both de jure and de facto too For they know there is nothing de jure unclean or unlawful among us and that de Facto Authority hath setled what they dispute against That S. Paul has determined the Case de jure we have his own concession and that elsewhere he did state and settle it de facto he is forced to confess and indeed his concessions are so full when he comes to himself that they are a perfect confutation of his whole Book if a man would give himself the trouble or the leisure to collect them That the Apostle did determine the Case de facto as to other Churches are so full and clear that we have no need of other evidence to prove it The These Epistles were written after that to the Romans Apostle saith he doth in the Epistles to the Galathians and Colossians speak severely against their observation of the Jewish Festivals p. 80. And does he not condemn them for their superstitious abstaining from certain meats and drinks Let no man judge you in meats and drinks and let no man beguile you of your
both ears and the people shall be acquainted with it to judge of their gross neglect But of this we shall have a more fit occasion to discourse anon At present we are to observe That tho the Apostle did declare that the things which the strong did eat and the weak were offended at were lawful in themselves de jure and that he was so perswaded by the Lord Jesus yet he did not de facto presently determine the general use of them because the weak ones were not as yet so well perswaded This is the sense of all Commentators as well Ancient as Modern The Gentil Christians lived with Ad Rom. 14. great freedom saith Pet. Martyr as a People not tyed to the Laws of Moses They understood those Ceremonies of Hellenisme as he calls it to be vain and out of date But the Jews who knew the Law to be given by God himself they could not presently be perswaded that it was to be abolished Wherefore they demurr'd upon it and would not easily suffer themselves to be drawn from the observation of it And therefore they abstained from meats forbidden by the Law among which were things Offered to Idols Exod. 34. 15. which therefore does not vary the Case at all and observed the Jewish Festivals All which practices shewed them to be still weak in the Faith For they are the weak in Faith who do not understand the use of things indifferent saith Conciliat Con. 885. Pusilli habendâ— sunt illi qui non sunt sufficienter instituti circa libertatem â—ostram Joan. Thaddaeus Now tho the Law of Moses was abrogated and consequently the things prohibited by that Law were purified from their uncleanness that is were become lawful de jure yet God had not Amesius Cas Consc l. 5. c. 11. an 14. then clearly and authentically promulged the Abrogation of it de facto among these Christians at Rome and therefore the eating such meats and keeping such Festivals by them that knew their own Liberty was a scandal given to such as Illorum infirmitatem tum acriter taxabant tum irridebant P. Martyr knew it not especially if they were sensible of their ignorance and yet did wittingly and willingly deride and affront them for their weakness as is believed they did But admit that had been a scandal taken and not given yet the Reconcilers and therefore tho is perfect Non sequitur unless his skill will serve him to draw quidlibet ex quolibet what he list out of every thing or out of nothing and can make the Cart to drag the Horses after it For there is a vast disparity betwixt that Case of those Jews and this of our Dissenters And Amesius himself Cas Cons l. 5. c. 11. n. 17. does acknowledge it Non est tale periculum scandali saith he in humanis inventis negligendis quale Apostolus fuisse olim tradit in ceremoniis legis negligendis Nulla enim conscientia talis potest haberi de inventis hominum qualem Judaei habebant de institutis Dei There is no such danger in neglecting Humane inventions as the Apostle tells us there was of old in neglecting the Ceremonies of the Law For there can be no such Reckoning or Conscience made of Human Inventions as the Jews made of Divine Institutions Tho he would make the Ordinances of our Superiors odious by the name of humane Inventions yet he sufficiently declares the difference between the Case of the Jews and our Dissenters 'T is well observed by Beza De hac ignorantia hic agi quae tamen possit verbum Dei praetexere Erat enim hic delectus ciborum dierum de quo hîc agitur ex verbo Dei institutus adeo ut iis qui Christianam Libertatem ignorabant non esset res indifferens sed observatu necessaria ex Dei mandato ad Rom. 14. v. 2. The Jews might very reasonably be offended because the Divine Law according to their Present Opinion then in force was broken but here is no such Divine Law pretended to be in force among us and this the Dissenters know and are very well assured of and yet they are offended To make the difference more fully appear I argue thus either the Jews who are supposed to be those weak Christians knew that the Ceremonial Law was abrogated or they knew it not If they knew it to be abrogated then they were grosly Superstitious in their adherence to it and were not to be tolerated in it but to be restrained from it if they knew it not to be abrogated then they look'd upon the freedom the strong ones took contrary to the prohibition to be a breach of the Divine Law in force and that was Scandalum Datum as was said even now a Scandal given But with us these Dissenters have no Divine Prohibition to rescue them from the contempt of Authority no negative Precept to alledge to justify their refusal of Conformity but a Humane Constitution made according to Gods Ordinance is presumptuously broken contrary to a Divine Law in force which commands obedience to our Superiors for the Lords sake Pag. 78. But let the Reconciler go on if he can to run down Dr. Womock as he indeavours in these words When therefore Dr. Womock saith that the Scandal mentioned here is to be understood of an Active Scandal designed as a Mouse-trap set and baited on purpose to entice and catch the unwary Mouse * Hemmingius has the very same notion of the word Scandalum propriissimè significat tegillum in instrumentis quibus capiuntur mures c. Hemming Syntag de Scandalo This saith he is indeed an Exposition well becoming Cajetan and Tirinus from whom he doth confess he had it but most unworthy of a Minister of God For can any man of Reason think it lawful to do an unnecessary and uncommanded action which he knows will minister occasion to the Damnation of many thousand souls provided they by it be destroyed without his formal or express designation of their Ruine especially when the souls ruined are as much ruined by his action as if he had performed it to that end Does S. Paul say If meats make my Brother to offend I will not so eat as to design his ruine No but I will never eat whilst the World stands lest I make my Brother to offend Here the Reconciler quarrels at the critical Interpretation of a word tho the Learned and Pious Dr. Hammond does the same thing He observes that Mat. 11. 6. at note c. the word for Scandal signifieth a Trap a Gin a Snare Let the Reader consult him if he please For Cajetan and Tirinus they are not such contemptible writers with the Author of the Synopsis And why may not such an Exposition become Cajetan and Tirinus as well as Hemmingius Beza or any other Calvinist Certainly the expression of putting a stumbling-block in our Brothers way does denote a voluntary and deliberate action
13. amounts to this That the Apostle to prevent sin and especially the sin of Apostacy in others was willing to deny himself that Liberty which by the Law of Christ did truly belong to him and every good Christian will be ready to do the same where there is a just occasion for it But we must remember that our Liberty tho an excellent Privilege yet is not such an absolute good thing but it may be abused and evil spoken of and 't is Rom. 14. 16. as justly evil spoken of when it is abused to Schism and Sedition as when 't is abused to gratifie our fleshly Lusts and turned into wantonness But I am sure no good man no wise man will speak evil of my Liberty when 't is governed by a just Authority For I am not bound Amesius ubi supra to disobey the just Impositions of my Superiors i. e. I am not bound to omit my necessary Duty or to commit a sin because I am not bound to go to Hell to avoid Scandal Charity begins at home and there it obliges me to avoid sin in my self before I prevent it in another The Truth is the Reconciler is insnared in a Fallacy and out of great kindness he would draw in his Brethren for company The Fallacy is à dicto secundùm quid and tho it be not so perceivable in this yet in the other instance Rom. 14. 5 6. it would appear too gross to be swallowed for thus it would run It is not good to regard a day unto the Lord whereby my brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak Rom. 14. 21. wherefore if a day make my Brother to offend I will never regard a day never perform any solemn worship to God lest I make my brother to offend In this parallel instance he must distinguish of the Apostles meaning or confess his own false reasoning But this Reconciler whilst he allows nothing to be Lawful but what is necessary and commanded he destroys Authority he destroys Liberty and in contradiction to his own Hypothesis he imposes a Duty I cannot call it but a Task which is impossible 1. He destroys Authority he sets up the fourteenth against the thirteenth to the Romans And the command of Subjection to the higher powers he controuls by that expostulation Who are thou that judgest another mans Servant In favour of the Dissenters weakness he brings a Writ of Error against the force of Lawful Impositions and to secure them in their Superstition he makes a Tender Conscience a Supersedeas to the Sacred Prerogative of Authority and the Sovereignty of Governors of which we shall deliver more hereafter 2. If he allows nothing to be Lawful but what is necessary and commanded he destroys Liberty For what is that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free not to speak of our freedom from sin and Satan was it not from the Ceremonial Law of Moses If we are delivered from the Law then from the distinction of things Common and Vnclean from things that were not accounted such if from that distinction then from the superstitious Opinions and scruples of men about things indifferent which are grounded upon that distinction But if we be not set at Liberty from mens superstitious Opinions and Scruples about things Indifferent then are we still under that distinction of things Common and Vnclean and that distinction brings us directly under the Jewish Yoak of Bondage And if so we are in a much worse condition than the Jews were our burden and thraldom greater for that which obliged them was only the Institution of God but we are inthral'd to the Caprichioes of men and not to the humour or squeamish Fancy of any single Person but of a Multitude who can pretend no Authority over us but their own will and pleasure which is a derogation to the Gospel and a subjection of our Christian Liberty to the Arbitrary whimseys of all weak and Fanatick Persons 3. And this will destroy our peace too For one man will think he may take up Arms against his Prince to defend his conceits and scruples which he calls his Religion for what has been done may be done again by men of the same Principles another will think he may not one man will think he may disobey his Church-Governors another will think he may not if no man may be allowed to judge in this case as I do not see how they can according to this Reconcilers sense and principles what will be the end of our Peace or what will become of such Dissentions One man thinks he may wear a Surplice why because Authority has enjoyned it Another thinks he may not why he has no reason for it but his own will and humour If he saith he refuseth it because God has not commanded it The other will reply he does it because God hath not forbidden it And herein he follows the Apostles own Rule He obeys God rather than Man For God commands him to obey those that are set over him but they tempt him to disobey our Guides and follow a Rabble who have no stamp at all of Authority to recommend them to our observance To go further If this Doctrine of the Reconciler were in force no man could be sure that he is at peace with God or his own Conscience For let the Apostle profess as he doth 2 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World and more abundantly to you-wards The weak Brother can tell him his glorying is not good for he hath walked uncharitably he has done such things as were unnecessary and uncommanded whereby he stumbled and was offended and grieved and made weak and that hereby he had destroyed the work of God and a person for whom Christ died and made his good evil spoken of and tho there were neither any moral evil in the nature of the things he did nor any evil intention in his doing of them yet he had taken offence and in the event he was actually ruined by his practice as much as if he had designed it and therefore he must expect to bear his Judgement for it Can any man that understands his Interest in Christ and the Priviledges of the Gospel think himself concerned in such Scruples and Objections or disturb his inward peace upon that account 4. For this Doctrine that I must do nothing that is unnecessary and uncommanded for fear of Scandal puts a man upon a task which is impossible For suppose a Dissenter sees me for example wear a Surplice he tells me he is offended at it he is grieved and stumbled and made weak which perhaps he understands not the meaning of to give him the better satisfaction I consult the Reconciler as the great Oracle of Conscience in the case he tells me I must forbear the
use of it in hopes to gain this weak Brother Well I obey him and lay it by But then a Conformist comes in and observes me to officiate without it hereat he is offended and tells me it grieves him to see Authority contemned the Laws violated Christian Liberty betrayed by the superstitious forbearance of a thing indifferent to gratifie a Faction set up against the Government This he will say does weaken his faith and makes him question the sincerity of such as profess the Gospel and the Religion established among us By this Instance it is evident I cannot please them both I must unavoidably offend one of them Can I prevent them both from taking offence This affair is attended with such perplexity that the performance is impossible Cas Cons l. 5. c. 11. n. 18. and therefore it cannot be a Christian Duty And for this I have the suffrage of Amesius tho in his time a stiff Dissenter Nulla datur talis perplexitas ut necessarium sit pio homini sive hoc vel illud faciat sive non faciat scandalum alicui dare There can be no such case of perplexity that it should be necessary for a pious man to give any man scandal whether he does this or that or does it not But how to avoid such perplexity we must find out some better Rule among the Casuists than this Reconciler has yet prescribed or found out for us To shew his Ingenuity towards Dr. Womock or his artifice of concealment I shall let the Reader see how this Argument pag. 114. was managed in the Verdict where he takes notice from the Apostle that one man will observe a day another will not one man will eat Swines-flesh another does abhor it I Rom. 14. 5. cannot satisfie them both for both are scrupulous and both respectively offended at one anothers practice To eat and not to eat to esteem a day and not to esteem it these are perfect contradictions and 't is impossible for any Charity to reconcile mans practice to both their scruples S. Paul himself at last found this so perplex'd a case that the difficulty was insuperable This he learnt by experience upon the congress of the Jew and Gentile Converts at Antioch Gal. 2. of which we have given some account already wherefore instead of a prudent and charitable expedient which in this case was impossible to find out He withstood S. Peter to the face and with great Integrity and Stoutness asserted the truth of the Gospel and the extent of Christian Liberty And herein he left us his own practice for an Example to maintain our Privilege and not to govern our selves by the timorous squeamishness or pretended scruples of superstitious men which may be contradictory and endless but by the solid Rules of Truth and the prudent Resolutions of Pious and Careful Governors I shall conclude this with the words of Rollock When we are conscious to our Comment In Joan. 5. 9. selves in our actings that we aim at Gods glory above all things and do not transgress the limits of our Office and Calling we may act confidently tho all the World be offended at us and after we have done what we ought and what we were able to do if the success does not answer our expectation so happily as we could wish yet let us not be dejected at it but enjoy that good Conscience which the Apostle glories in 2 Cor. 1. 12. This will be of great force and efficacy to our comfort and rejoycing in the time of adversity and this we cannot but obtain if we keep within the bounds of our Profession and Calling and set the glory of God before our eyes in all our actions Thus saith R. Rolloc and herein he appears to be a better Casuist than our Reconciler hath expressed himself upon this occasion But let us hear what he hath to say further against Dr. Womock which is as followeth Secondly whereas he adds that the scandal here spoken of is in a matter of our own choice and power Pag. 79. and it is to be understood in a matter wherein Authority hath not interposed her determination This he grants is very true and the natural Inference from it is this c. Here the Reconciler fully acquits Dr. Womocks Doctrine in this point of scandal who pleads only for those things wherein Authority hath interposed her Determination Why then is he so peevish and froward towards the Dr. when he seems to acquit The reason is this he would set up the Liberty of the Subject in matters of Religion against the Authority of the Prince and Bishop which is establish'd in the same Charter of the Gospel by a divine Grant precedent to that Liberty and because Dr. Womock hath endeavoured to vindicate the Authority of our Superiors against his design therefore he is thus offended for he finds he shall never be able to prove what he calls the natural Inference from Dr. Womocks words but let us see what it amounts to Since therefore says this Reconciler no Authority can be supposed to interpose to determine our Superiors to the Imposition of these indifferent things or to hinder their abatement of them by the same power which imposed them in order to prevent the ruine of so many souls as are involved in a wretched Schism by the continuance of that Imposition since they declare 't is in their own choice and power to command or not to command them this case must by his own confession be good against the Imposition of them tho it does not hold good against obedience to them when Imposed In which words of his there are very many things observable 1. 'T is a great truth That the case he puts does not hold good against obedience to the things in difference among us when imposed 2. That 't is good against the Imposion of them is not the Drs. Confession but his own Inference which the Doctor is confident he can never make good being but one of his usual Paralogisms and false Reasonings 3. He confesseth that this wretched Schism of the Dissenters is damnable otherwise how could he object the ruine of so many souls as are involved in it But to save them harmless he lays their fault at the door of their Governors and to Commute for the Disobedience of the Dissenters he would be content to send our Governors to Hell in their stead 4. He can propound no way to prevent the ruine of our Schismaticks but to take down our Governors Authority by the abatement of their Impositions But if a Nation be addicted to Drunkenness is there no way to cure them but to root up their Vines and burn up all their materials that will afford strong Liquors A wise man sure will think it better and more rational to teach them temperance and the moderate use of those wholsom and comfortable Creatures In like manner when there are any Impositions which some men are led by their
to Christianity But if he would not have the weak to be of the same Principles and Apprehensions with the strong he must enjoyn the strong to be of the same Principles and Apprehensions with the weak or else he could never expect to see a good effect of his prayers and obtestations But this Reconciler has made himself not the Subject's but the Sovereign's Remembrancer He addresses himself to our Superiors and calls upon them to be dutiful to be subject to and to obey their good people This puts me in mind of the character which Isaiah gives of a false Prophet The Prophet that teacheth Isai 9. 15. Lies he is the tail But why is he the tail because the tail follows the body of the Beast is carried about by it and hangs upon it and so doth the false Prophet upon the Common People and whether the Reconciler does not so let his Neighbours judge But we see plainly he would have the Ancient and the Honourable who are the Head to do so that 's the Reverence he has for them But I humbly conceive our Governors will find many Reasons not to rescind the Laws establish'd not to restrain or abate the force of their Impositions as this Reconciler would have them 1. They should betray the Supream power and Prerogative of Authority 'T is a Rule laid down by a great Divine De facto lex humana obligat Humane Law does bind de Facto with a Non obstante to any danger whatsoever when the transgression of the Law would fall out to the ruine of the Community to the Contempt of Religion or the Christian Faith or to the lessening and despising of Authority or the Legislative Power In such Cases no fear of danger can excuse the transgression of the Law Upon this ground the General does expose the Sentinel to imminent danger of death to preserve the whole Camp or City from destruction The Prince commands a Physician to attend a place that is visited with a raging Pestilence And the Bishop injoyns a Priest in the like case of danger to administer to the Ghostly welfare of such as are under a great Contagion Where according to the judgment of wise men the advantage and benefit does preponderate and outweigh the danger or detriment that may insue there it is the Prerogative of Authority to interpose for the more publick and common safety But in such Cases the obligation does not properly arise from the Humane Law but from the Natural Divine Law which forbids that act which tends to the contempt of the Faith and the despising of Religion or to the ruine of the Community or the undervaluing of Authority and the Legislative Power For such an Act without doubt is intrinsecally evil Authority and the Legislative Power is a Counterpart of Gods Sovereignty a Depositum a sacred Trust for the Government of the World and to keep distinct Communities in Peace and Order As God allows no man to despise it so it ought much less to despise it self And nothing can make it more despicable than to stoop to a Lure of Feathers that is thrown out by a giddy Multitude To this purpose we have the judgment of the Learned and wise King James who in his Proclamation March 5. in the first year of his Reign having given Reasons why he would not be swayed to alteration in the Form of Gods Service by the frivolous suggestion of any light spirit he adds this Neither are we ignorant of the Inconveniencies that do arise in Government by admitting Innovation in things one setled by mature Deliberation and how necessary it is to use Constancy in the upholding the publick Determinations of States for that such is the unquietness and unstedfastness of some Dispositions affecting every year new Forms of things as if they should be followed in their inconstancy would make all actions of State Ridiculous and Contemptible whereas the stedfast maintaining of things by advice established is the weal of all Common-wealths And that resolution of King James was in the matter of Ceremonies which we discourse of And the truth is if the Prince be brought to those Terms that he must strike Sail to the humour of the People and vary his Compass according to every wind of Doctrine that blows from a Republican Coast he must at last leave the fifth Commandment out of the Catechism as the Church of Rome has done the second or give them leave to do by it as the Pharisees did of old to make it of none effect by their Traditions And how much the Prelates of the Church are concerned herein we may learn from Joannes Crocius for I will take in no Authority from the Jesuits or Church of Rome in this Case that the Reconciler may have no occasion to cavil upon that account Minister in omni muneris Parte Auctoritatem divinitùs concessam tueatur viriliter modestè In every part of his Office let the Minister manfully as well as modestly maintain the Divine Authority which is given him He gives us St. Pauls Authority and example for it His Authority is to Titus Bishop of Crete Tit. 2. 15. and for his example he refers us to Gal. 16. 7 c. to 2 Cor. 10 11 12 Tertul. de Baptis c. 17. 13. Chap. Dandi quidem habet jus Summus Sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Diaconi non tamen sine Episcopi authoritate propter Ecclesiae honorem Quo salvo sata Pax est And if Princes and Governors should rescind and Chop and Change and Innovate Laws and Constitutions upon the motion and Impulse of a turbulent People this will countenance their claim of a share * For the Fly upon the Wheel thinks that all the dust is raised by the force of her agitation in the legislative power which is of too dangerous a Consequence to be suffered in a Monarchy I do solemnly therefore aver that in all his Pleas for Christian Liberty S. Paul did never set it up above Authority nor allow it to controul the power of Governors or oppose them in things Indifferent 2. In abating these Impositions our Governors must needs act against their own Judgment and Conscience which is point-blank against St. Pauls Rule Rom. 14. 5. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind Now if our Governors be perswaded in their own mind that the things establish'd among us are Decent as well as Lawful in the performance of Gods publick Worship The Reconciler will tell them their Duty Vid. Protest Reconciler p. 157. as he calls it for he says expresly they are more concerned in those whether advices or injunctions of the Apostle than other men And if in favour of Dissenters as the Reconciler would have it they should abate their Impositions and enter their Protestations they do not esteem them sinful to be practised nor abate them upon that account This would not at all Correct the Judgment of the Dissenters but
it would tell all the World that such Governors renounced their own Judgment and 't is probable many would say they went against their Conscience to humour a froward and unsteady Faction How dangerous such a practice would be we may learn from the experience and complaint of the Royal Martyr in an instance of a like nature I never met saith he with a more unhappy conjuncture of affairs than * That concerned the Destruction of an excellent man and this of an excellent Church when between my own unsatisfiedness in Conscience and a necessity as some told me of satisfying the importunity of some people I was perswaded by those that I think wish'd me well to choose rather what was safe than what seemed Just preferring the outward Peace of my Kingdoms with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditat. on the Earl of Straffords Death men before that inward exactness of Conscience before God He tells us He had confessed it with sorrow both to God and men as an act of so sinful frailty that it discovered more a fear of man than God whose name and place on Earth saith he no man is worthy to bear who will avoid inconveniencies of State by acts of so high injustice as no publick convenience can expiate or compensate And then he goes on profoundly thus I see it a bad exchange to wound a mans own Conscience thereby to salve State sores to calm the Storms of Popular discontents by stirring up a Tempest in a mans own Bosom Wherefore our Governors being very well satisfied that in the present settlement of Church affairs they have acted within the proper sphere of their own Office and have had an eye all along to Gods Glory therein tho all the Pharisees of the World should be offended yet let them strenuously assert their own Injunctions with alacrity under the attestation and comforts of a good Conscience 3. In abating those Impositions as this Reconciler requires they should betray the truth of the Gospel in things Indifferent and depretiate the solemn Worship of God which among us is determined to be most Decently and Reverently performed by our present establishment we say according to the sense of the Apostle He that has a jealousie he shall displease God in doing such or such a thing and yet will venture to do it he sins in it because he shews a want of Reverence to the Authority and Majesty of God In like manner should we change that Form of Worship which we think better for that which we think worse a more decent way and manner of Address in our holy Duties for one that is less decent in our own esteem this would argue and declare a want of Reverence towards the Majesty of God whom we pretend to Worship 4. Taking away of those Impositions would cause a greater Mischief than it would prevent For 1. instead of a Passive it would procure an Active Scandal to prevent a Scandal taken there would be a Scandal given A Scandal per se laid in our Neighbours way to remove a Scandal per Accidens For a Scandal by Accident does happen Quando nec operantis intentio nec operis natura aut circumstantia eò tendit ut alter ruat sed prava peccantis dispositione fit ut occasionem peccandi inde hauriat ubi non est When neither the intent of the Imposer nor the nature of the Imposition nor any circumstance thereof tends to that end that any man should fall by it but it comes to pass through the corrupt disposition of the Delinquent that he draws an occasion of sinning from thence where really there is none this is a Scandal by accident and a Scandal taken and this is all the Scandal that the Dissenters have to complain of in these Impositions Whereas the Repealing or ruffling of these Impositions would unsettle a well establish'd Church and rob her of that which is her Glory her good Order which keeps her stedfast in her Faith and Allegiance both to God and man This was so Conspicuous in the Church of Coloss that all men observed it and the Apostle takes notice of it at a distance with great satisfaction Tho I be absent in the Col. 2. 5. flesh yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your Order and the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ Upon which words saith the learned Davenant Seeing Pastors have so great a joy from that good Order that flourisheth among a People it follows that they do unworthily afflict and vex the Prelates of the Church who do contemn and trample down the lawful Ordinances of the Heb. 13. 17. Church contrary to that of the Apostle Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit to them For Ordo est tanquam vallus seductoribus oppositus Order is a Bulwark opposed to prevent the incursions of Seducers They are therefore seldom precipitated into Errors who observe that order of Obedience which is due to their Governors but on the contrary where the Order of Commanding and Obeying is neglected ibi tanquam per disjectam aciem facilè perrumpitur there it is easie to break in upon them as upon a routed and scattered Army Hereupon Grynaeus Professor at 1585. A Col. 2. 5. Lect. 18. Heydelberge among those Gifts wherein a well constituted Church ought to excel he reckons these two Order and the solidity of Faith By Order he understands the whole Liturgie and Discipline of the Church where all things are to be done Decently and in Order 1 Cor. 14. 40. And such as walk Disorderly 2 Thes 3. 6. as far as is possible in ordinem Disciplinae Ecclesiasticae severitate adhibita redigendi sunt They are to be reduced to Order by the severity of Church-Discipline 2. A second Mischief that would arise from the Retrenching of those Impositions would be the Offence given to the weak and tender Members of the Church For we must not deny but we have those that are weak and tender and are not the worse for it and they may very well be jealous with a Godly Jealousie if they should see such a Change such an abolition of our establish'd Ordinances they might very well be Jealous of the truth of our Doctrine about things indifferent jealous of the lawfulness of our Practice herein or else Jealous of our sincerity in our profession of them both And this might prove so great a scandal that the Church of Rome might make a greater Harvest of it than they could of all the Plundering and Persecuting times of the late Rebellion when men of worth and honour did stedfastly adhere to the King and Church out of Conscience finding them so just and steadfast to their own well setled Principles And that of the Father is a known truth Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat The Change of an old Custom gives more trouble and disturbance by the novelty than it can give
usque procedit pervicacia ut quispiam sibi addictus vel discessionem faciat a Corpore vel a grege quosdam subtrahat vel impediat sanae Doctrinae cursum hic strenue obviandum est When the Obstinacy proceeds so far that a man enamour'd of himself departs from the Body of the Church or draws others from it or hinders the Course of sound Doctrine in this case a strenuous Opposition is to be made against him In summa In short sayes Calvin Haeresis vel secta ecclesiae unitas res sunt inter se oppositae Heresie or Schism and the Unity of the Church are things opposite and this Unity being so precious in the sight of God it ought also to be in the highest esteem with us and those Sects and Heresies ought to be no less detested Thus Calvin He that contemns all Admonitions saith Hyperius He that is distempered in his mind incurabili laborat contagio and when he is sick of an incurable Contagion refuses and derides the Remedy that is charitably offer'd to him This is the Party affected And how is he to be treated Must the Bishop flatter him Or is the Bishop alone obliged to avoid him No saith Hyperius the Bishop is to admonish Hyperius others to beware of him as a pernicious Wolf But what is the Civil Magistrate concerned herein Why sayes Aretius the Charge is here given to Titus who wanted a faithful Magistrate to assist Aretius him But doubtless St. Paul would have wrote otherwise to the Magistrate or to Titus if he had had such a faithful Magistrate to take care of Gods Church He speakes here of the Bishops Office how far he may how far in Duty he ought to proceed We now understand saith Mr. Calvin whom the Apostle means by a Heretick but we are not to determine who is such a Heretick or to reject him till we have first indeavoured to reduce him to a sound Judgment He must have a first and second Admonition not from Private Persons but from the Publick Authority and Ministry of the Church for the Words of the Apostle do import thus much Graviter quasi censoria correctione reprimendos esse That such Persons are sharply to be restrained by the Rod of Discipline for he is condemned of himself because being so Hyperius carefully instructed and so frequently admonished He has no body to impute his condemnation to but to himself and his own Malice But may we proceed no further against such Sectaries and Disturbers of the Churches Peace and Settlement They that think so do not argue to the purpose saith Mr. Calvin For the Bishop and the Magistrate have their several parts assigned them in this Work And St. Paul writing to Titus does not discourse of the Magistrates Duty but what is incumbent upon the Bishop What the Judgment of the most Learned and Pious Protestants was a Hundred years agoe I shall give you Ad Titum 3. 10 11. the account from Bullinger to whom Hyperius also refers his Reader That Bullinger was a man of so great Esteem that his Decades were translated into English and thought fit to be read in the Publick Congregations where they wanted able Preachers and this Doctrine of his passed for Currant till the Socinian Heresy which does so much impreach the Satisfaction Merits and Divinity of our Saviour prevail'd so much among us And this has hapned because the Canons of 1640. were not duely enforced to prevent the growth of it But to return to the business in hand I shall give the sence of Bullinger in Hen. Bullinger Commentar in omnes Pauli Epistolas a clear Translation of his own Commentary upon the Text which begins thus Quaerat aliquis quid agam cum eo c. Some perhaps may ask what I would do with Him that obeyes not Tiguri 1582. Hic Ad Titum 3. 10 11. the Truth but continues to be contentious and to stir up Faction The Apostle answers after the first and second Admonition if he will not obey your advice take heed and separate your self from such an hopeless Deplorato But adding the Reason why he commands Us to abbor the Communion and Fellowship of such an Heretick He sayes He that is such a one as will not admit of good Advice is rather exasperated by continual Admonitions and can never be brought to embrace the Truth For a simple Errour is quickly healed but Stubborness is uncurable But such a Man is subverted by Prejudice and therefore swerves from the true Faith and being intangled in Perplexity he remains in invincible Ignorance Hereupon Theophylact explaining these words sayes The Apostle understands by an Heretick an incorrigible Fellow and one that is on every side so entangled with Difficulties that He knows not which way to free himself Therefore such a One will never be perswaded to embrace the Truth but rather attempt to draw his Charitable Adviser into his own Opinion Wherefore here is a great deal of Danger but little Hope For when Hereticks are so wicked and hardned in those Things which are manifestly False there 's none or very small Hopes of their recovering nay on the contrary it oftentimes happens That they impose upon him who advises them if weak though otherwise a good honest Man Therefore He advisedly commands that they should be avoided But some perhaps will Object That it is a sad thing if we should thus neglect the Sheep that is gone astray our Lord did not so it 's to be feared his Destruction will be required at our Hands The Apostle answers If such a Man Perish he perisheth not by your Fault but by his own for Why did he not obey his Teacher Moreover they that gather from hence That it is against the Scriptures for the Civil Magistrate to restrain Hereticks that is to say not only such as are perverted from the Faith but such as Study to pervert others They do not consider That the Apostle here doth not Dispute about the Offices of a Lawful Magistrate but what the Bishop should do For in these and other of the Apostle's Prescriptions the Occasion is to be consider'd But they 'l say The Apostle's Command is Not Compel or Kill but avoid an Heretick It 's very true For no Man is rashly to be Condemned or Rejected but rather to be Endeared and Instructed This is the peculiar Work of Bishops But if after such an amicable and endearing Treatment and Admonition he refuseth to Repent and endeavours still to draw whole Multitudes into the same Sedition and Ruine with himself Here again it is the Bishops concern not only to Oppose that setitious Doctrine and Practice but also to lay down his Life for the Sheep against the assaults and incursions of such Wolves to defend and preserve his Flock with the Sword of Truth and manfully to Repel and Subdue them If the Apostle had written an Epistle to Cornelius or Sergius and had inform'd them of
much of St. Pauls Rule which the Reconciler would make his Reader believe was onely a Rule borrowed by Dr. Womock from our Roman Adversaries But 2ly This Rule saith the Reconciler condemns all Christ's Apostles and all the Primitive Weak Christians mentioned in Holy Scripture and in Church-History I can proceed no further till I have taken notice of the Reconcilers gross mistake 1st The Rule makes only the Major Proposition Authority must judge of the Matter of fact and so make the Minor without which no Conclusion can be inferred no sentence of Condemnation passed 2ly Here is Ignoratio Elenchi if they be Weak Christians they are not within this Rule which concerns onely such as have forfeited that Title and the Priviledge which belongs to it But let us hear his Reason such as it is For when the Apostles questioned the Power of our Lord as Christ assures us they did in many places does not our Saviours Reproof of this their Unbelief inform us That they had sufficient Reason from what he had already done before their eyes to be convinced of it When they doubted of his Resurrection or rather disbelieved it had they not had sufficient Cause both from Scriptures and their Masters frequent words to lay aside that Doubt When that after our Lords Commission to Go and Preach the Gospel to all Nations and the Descent of the Holy Ghost not only they but the whole Church held it unlawful to Preach the Gospel to any but the Jews or to the Circumcised could they justly pretend Ignorance after so plain an Admonition Were not the Judaizing Christians sufficiently admonished by the Holy Ghosts falling on Cornelius and his Friends and the Discourses at the Synod at Jerusalem That there was no necessity of Circumcising the Gentile Christians or of refusing to Converse with the Uncircumcised And must not only they but Peter also and Barnabas be Stubborn and Malitious for acting contrary to it I shall repeat no more of this Harangue to spare my self as well as the Reader Here we have Fallacy again so many things of different kinds jumbled together that no single Answer can comprehend them And this is a certain sign of Imposture Dolus versatur in Universalibus But I hope we shall give such a general Solution as will satisfy the Judicious 1. We are to consider That the Dispensation of the Gospel was stupendious and all Mystery The Incarnation of the Son of 1 Tim 3. 16. God was a Mystery The Resurrection of Christ from the Dead was a Mystery The calling of the Gentiles was a Mystery which St. Paul sets forth in these words Even the Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but Col. 1. 26 27. See also Ephes 3. 1. 2 3 4 5 6. now is made manifest to the Saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory Of the whole Dispensation the Prophet cries out Who hath Isa 53. 1. believed our report or to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed And again Behold ye among the Heathen and regard Habak 1. 5 and wonder marvellously for I will work a Work in your dayes which ye will not believe tho it be told you 2. We are to consider that Christs Disciples were but poor Ignorant and Unlearned Fishermen They had not bin bred in the Schools of the Prophets nor does it appear that their Apprehensions Luk. 24. 25. were very quick or their Memories very strong or retentive Their old Bottles needed a great Reformation before they were fit for the New Wine of the Gospel the Effusions of the Holy Ghost Christ was fain to open their Understanding after his Resurrection to help them to understand the Scripture and v. 45. Acts 1. 3. v. 8. Acts 2. 17. 18. John 16. 13. John 14. 26. to teach them the concerns of his Kingdom by Conference and to send down the Holy Spirit as well to enlighten them with further measure of Divine Knowledge as to bring former instructions into their Remembrance 3. As long as our Blessed Saviour does not charge them with Malice or Stubborness we have no reason to do it Nay tho they were dull and slow of heart to believe some Articles of great difficulty and not formerly propounded or with very Little Evidence Yet they Stubbornly rejected none but were willing from time to time to comply with such Notices as they clearly received from him and were glad to be convinced of any Errour They did not finally deny his Godhead or his Resurrection or the Dispensation of the Gospel John 20. 20. 28. Acts 11. 18. to the Gentiles nor yet dispute any needful or useful Article 4. There is a great difference betwixt a Church in Fieri and a Church in Facto A Church that is a making and one that is established The Church that travel'd in the wilderness was not under such fair Circumstances as that which was afterwards setled in the Land of Canaan The case of the Dissenters can never be justified by any thing that can be alledged under those circumstances For we are now under a Setled Church with Laws Discipline and Government and all established by mature and good Advice and a just Authority And the point in difference is drawn into so narrow a compass that he who unfeignedly desires to know his Duty if he will take St. Paul for his Tutor and Study to be quiet and to do his own business He may learn it out of half a Text of Scripture I mean Rom. 14. 14. and we Pag. 73. have the Reconcilers own word for it who tells us That in this Very Chapter the Apostles plainly saith that the things Scrupled by the weak were pure and lawful in themselves and that he knew and was perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there was nothing unclean of it self which saith the Reconciler is as perfect and full determination of the case against the Weak as words can make Granting this to be true I demand what is the Reason if they be not Jews that the Dissenters are not satisfyed I say if they be not Jews And let not the Reconciler conclude me Uncharitable for this Supposition For the Doctrine and Practice of this Phanatick Party has been so long corrupted with such a Jewish Leaven that they have layn under that Suspition at least these hundred years insomuch as Hyperius Ad. Tit. 1. 11. wisht so long agoe utinam hodiè nulli sint inter nos praeputiati Judaei I would to God there were no Uncircumcised Jews amongst us at this day 3ly Saith the Reconciler were we hereafter to be judged according to the Tenor of this Rule how sad would be our Doom For have not most Christians had sufficient Admonitions of those Duties they neglect and of those sins they do commit Might they not easily be convinced of these things by
In Ezek. Homil 46. the Jesuites especially those two Miraculous Principles as Montaltius calls them which enables them to work such Wonders I mean the Doctrine of Probability without which his Book would be utterly useless and the Doctrine of Directing the Intention without which he durst never Attempt either to Justifie or Excuse the Practices of his Party 4. Let me intreat him to consider whether he has not taken up the very Methods which St. Paul tell us were Rom. 16. 17. 18. us'd by the False Apostles who caused Divisions and Offences Schisms and Scandals contrary to the Doctrine which had been taught And by good Words and Fair Speeches deceived the Hearts of the Simple In which last words the Apostle gives a double Character of the False Teacher or 〈◊〉 postor First He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is one that 〈◊〉 much in Words but and end performerâ—◠〈◊〉 thing Again he is one whom if you Vide Bezam ad Locum heard him speak you would by ready to say that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more Solicitous for 〈◊〉 and your Interest than for himself The Apostle sayes also that he does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Applaud Commend and Flarier 〈◊〉 and Divine happy things to delude easy and wel meaning Souls with a preâ—â—nce of Piety He calls them Mentium â—â—ductores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hi Summi Artifices sâ—â—â— in Fallendo qui nor 〈◊〉 etiam mentem ipsam a Vero alienare These are excellent Artists in deceiving and skilful to alienate the very mind it self from Truth saith Hyperius They have a double Art Hyperius ad Tit. cap. 1. 9. Mel. Ad. Rom 15. to deceive saith Melanchthon First to apply themselves to the Lusts and Humours of the People and by this means they deceive the Vulgar but they have another Art to impose upon the Wiser sort Quod adserunt Erudite Cogitata quae non abhorrent a judicio Rationis When they craftily suggest such Sentiments as seem not altogether unreasonable In short the Reconciler has put himself upon the Stage to shew his Tricks of Activity to play Hocus Pocus or Handy Dandy with the Church of God 〈◊〉 This Book he has Acted the part of 〈◊〉 a â—â—rrâ— Filius to gratify Dissenters and men of that Lower Levell In the next 't is expected he should entertain if not Caresse our Governours what a Name will he purchase to himself by this Achiâ—â—ment I know no such standing Officer as a Fraevaricater Theologirâ—â— but if he comes off cleverly for ought I know he may gain the Title by a Popular Creation and so I leave him to the Honour of his New Conquests I had some hopes that my task had now been at an end But while the Reconciler was in pursuit of Meisners miserable Tristes and Fooleries as he is pleased to call them it came into his mind to have another fling at Dr. Womock and that he might do it the more cleverly he reserves a part of Meisners discourse and concealing the true Author entitles Dr. Womock to it in his Margent and then falls in upon it as we shall observe presently The Argument of Meisner the Reconciler Prot. Recon p. 335. and Verdict 274. turns into an Objection and it runs thus All change is dangerous in Church and State no man can see what disturbance may follow upon an inconsiderate 〈…〉 such Christian Priviledges and publick Authority ought to be own'd and preserved in viâ—â—â—lable what doubts may arise upon such a change and what confusion may follow it who will take upon him to determine To this the Reconciler returns a fourfold Answer First he saith so call the Ceremonies inoffensive the variation of Here the Reconciler is kind to leave out Authority but 't is a Question whether he would have it preserved inviolable them inconsiderate to say that they are Christian Priviledges is to affirm what never can be prov'd To this I Reply 1. That our Christian Liberty in the Use or Forbearance of such things as were restrained by the Law of Moses is no doubt a part of our Christian Priviledge 2. The Verdict told the Reconciler three lines before Good Order is not kept in tumultuous Alterations and I hope he will allow such to be call'd Inconsiderate I shall now add that whatever alteration is made upon such Motives is no more Considerate then the Mariners â—asting his goods into the Sea in a time of Storm and Tempest 3. That the Ceremonies are Inoffensive is no hard matter to prove 1. Inoffensive in their own Nature and for this we have the Apostles Judgment and Determination and he quotes our Savioâ—r's Authority for it Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self i. e. on lawful therefore Inâ—ffensive 2. They are Inoffensive to the Juriâ—â—â—us and sound Christian This is sufficiently Psalm 119. 165. asserted by the same Apostle Rom. 14. â— One man â—eâ—â—eveth i. e. Novit perâ—â—â—sus est He knows and is perswaded that he may eat and use all Indifferent things without sin See also 1 Cor. 8. 7 11. Psal 119. 165. When we call the Ceremonies Inoffensive we mean that they give no just Occasion of Offence to discreet and sober Persons 4. If the Reconciler will needs understand it of Offence taken so the Law of God is a Scandal and Offensive because it is an Occasion of sin and yet 't is not Evil in it self for all that as the Apostle tells us Rom. 7. 7 to the 14. Scandal properly is Malae rei exemplum aedificans ad delictum 't is the example of an Evill thing which does encourage and build up to Sin Bone â—â—â—â—res Develand Virg. c. 3. saith Tertullian Neminem Scandalizant nisi malam mentem Good things offend none but an Evil mind Here I cannot but take notice how fiereely Mr. Baxter argues against the Prot Recon p. 327. 328. Laws of our Superiours and the Recoâ—ciler applauds him for it though it has at least an equal force against the Laws of God When saith Mr. Baxter they first make their laws they know that some will obey them some will not if then they think that many will incur the gut it of sin unto â—â—â—â—ation by their Disobedience they must have something of greater worth than the souls of those men to encourage them to make those Laws for had there been no such Laws there would have been none of that Transgression and consequently no Damnation for it This is Mr. Baxters Argument In like manner I can argue thus when God first gave the Law or Command Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers for they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation and again Rom. 13. 1 2. when he tells us that Strife Seditions Heresies are the Works of the Flesh and they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and therefore