consc l. 4. c. 29. Nor yet upon this ground because the other remedies alleadged are sufficient remedies But for this reason because probably the whole Church is not corrupted and it were better to spare many offenders then to censure one innocent And therefore it is judged safer that this censure of Excommunication should be dispenced distributively rather then collectively by singling out the chief offenders in a Congregation rather then by the cutting off the whole body and society And this is one thing objected against the sentence of Non-communion that it doth without any distinction or difference cut off a whole Church from communion and fellowship with other Churches of Christ when it may be the whole Church is not corrupted and guilty 4. Some thinke the way to deal with an hereticall Church if I may so call it is not by Excommunication but by dissolution of the society But this not being a Church-censure I have nothing to doe with it here 5. And lastly Some thinke That though a Synod cannot excommunicate an erring Church yet may they doe that which is proportionable to it they may censure them condemn them forsake them reject them and render them odious to other Churches for their errours And if this be not Excommunication yet certainly it is analogicall and proportionable to Excommunication Ames cas consc l 4. c. 29 q 11. thes 26. So Ames And is held by some to be it self Excommunication The learned Authour of the book entituled Observations and annotations upon the Apolog. Narration p. 43. hath this expression to those Brethren It is a mistake in you to thinke that in declaring of your non-communion with other Churches you doe not excommunicate them for what is Excommunication but a privation of Cimmunion c. And indeed Excommunication being an ecclesiasticall word and not found in Scripture and the substance of that we finde in Scripture being done why do we lengthen out the contention Object 3. But it will perhaps be said by some That all this is not Excommunication this is but the half of it the negative part of it and not the positive part of it which indeed is that wherein the proper nature of Excommunication doth lie viz. a dâ—livering up to Satan Answ And here we are now come up to the highest step of the controversie This is the the very point of the difference 1. For the first part of the Objection That this is not Excommunication because it wants the positive part To me it seems evident that which is granted by Ames in the fifth opinion and which our Brethren grant in the sentence of non-communion hath something positive as well as negative in it Yea but you will say here is not the delivering up to Satan and in that consists the formality of this sentence of Excommunication Indeed this is a great Question and requires more pains and time then I can spend about it 1. Some there are indeed that thinke in this to lie the formality of the censure viz. The delivering up to Satan 2. Some again thinke it a higher and more dreadfull degree of the sentence The authour of the Observations on the Apâ—l Nar p. 43. 3. Others thinke this Delivering up to Satan to be a fruit and consequent of the sentence and not of the formality of it 4. And there are some that thinke that this delivering up to Satan is neither of the formality of the sentence nor yet a fruit and consequent of it but an act of Apostolicall power put forth by the Apostles towards eminent and great offenders And such an act as ordinary Pastours and Elders neither in the Apostles daies nor ever since could put forth beiâ—g a power proper to the Apostles onely Pet. Molin vat c. 11. p. 10â— De potestate Apostolorum in corpora whereby they delivered up the bodies of great offenders to be tormented by Satan That the soul might be saved in the day of Christ. And this they call that virga Apostolica which you read of 1 Cor. 4.21 Shall I come to you with a rod Such a rod as Peter came withall to Ananias and Sapphira such an one as Paul put forth to Elymas the Sorcerer and such an one as he put forth to Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 and towards the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.3 5. I have decreed that this man shall be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh That is say they for I will give you their thoughts for the punishing and tormenting of the body by weaknesse sicknesse griefs c. for so by flesh they understand the body * Cum spiritâ—â— manifestè hic significat animam necesse eâ—t per â—aâ—nem spiritui oâ—positam corpuâ— intellâ—gâ— Mol. p. 10â— And say the opposition here between flesh and spirit doth make much for it for if by spirit be meant the soul as in this place it must then by flâ—sh to hold the opposition must needs be meant the body and the sense will then be he hath delivered such an one to Satan for the d struction of the flesh that is for the punishing and tormenting of the body which they exemplifie in Job that the spirit that is the soul may thereby be brought to repentance and saved in the day of the Lord and this extraordinary and miraculous power of inflicting torments on the bodies of eminent malefactours in the Apostles daies is conceived by some to be afforded to the Apostles for to supply and make up the defect of the Magistrates power which they wanted in those daies But yet they deny not but that Paul would have the incestuous person to be cast out of Communion with the Church but this he would have done by the Church of Corinth and by the authority of the ordinary Elders as appears vers 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump so in vers 13. Put away therefore from among your selves that wicked person But when the Apostle speaketh about delivering to Satan he doth not expect the consent of the Church of Corinth but decrees this by his apostolicall power and authority to which decree of his he requires the Churches consent to be joyn'd as he saith I as absent in body but present in spirit have decreed that he that hath done this thing should be delivered up to Satan And that which he adds When ye are gathered together and my spirit it is not to be understood say they as if the decree of the Apostle did depend upon the consent of the Church but having decreed he requires their assent to it And this they prove in the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander whom he delivered up to Satan without the consent of any Church what ever So that you see there is a great deal of difference in mens thoughts concerning this delivering up to Satan 1. Some you see would have it an act of apostelicall power and a punishment inflicted upon the body
world will make men embrace errour in stead of truth as you sadly see in Spira There is no cause can be sure of them whom either money or honour can buy out such men they are only this way till they can mend their wages As they say the winde it follows the abundance of exhalations so they follow that way where most abundance of profit He that will serve God for a little will serve the devil for more he will be any way where most wages may be had There are indeed four sorts of men who will never hold to truth or any cause of God 1. Ignorant persons such as know not truth we must first know and prove before we can hold fast the Apostle tels us so Prove all things and hold fast that which is good When men are ignorant and know not what is truth how can they hold to it 2. Unsound hearted persons Apostasie and hypocrisie like the Symbolicall qualities one quickly slides into the other It is an easie matter to make him an Apostate who is first an Hypocrite An Hypocrite is but an Apostate vailed and an Apostate an hypocrite revealed One vertually and in causis the other actually and in effectis 3. A lover of the world The love of money will cause to erre from the faith saith Paul Demas was a sad example of that he forsooke Christ and embraced this present world he went to be an Idol priest at Thessalonica as Dorotheus saith There is no cause can be sure of those whom either money or honour can buy out such men they are only this way till they can mend their wages 4. Cowardly and fearfull spirited men The fear of men will worke a snare Prov. 29.25 And this is one snare it will not only make men shie of truth with Nicodemus but baulk decline suppresse nay fall to errour and forsake truth A fearfull man will never be a faithfull man it s all one to trust a coward and a traitor he that is the first will quickly be made the second Fear will undoe him as it hath done many To conclude this is certaine who ever is under the command of any lust truth hath no command over him he that is given up to any sinne will quickly be given up to errour too And thus you see who those are who are in danger to be carried away with errour And how much this Nation nay every one of us are guilty of these sinnes you will know if you doe but impartially looke over them 1. We have not retained the notions of God in holy hearts 2. Nor received truths with love 3. Nor walked sutable to truths revealed 4. We have adhered to truth for partiall respects 5. We are not grounded in truth 6. We have rejected truth on corrupt grounds 7. We have been servants to the world and how just it is with God thereupon to give us up to wayes of errour I have already shewed you to conclude then if you would be established in these times let it be your care 1. To get into Covenant with God Jer. 31.34 2. Get to be his childe Isa 54.13 3. Get to be his friend Joh. 15.15 4. Get the Spirit of Christ Joh. 16.13 5. Be willing to embrace truth revealed and practise truth received Hos 6.3 Joh. 7.17 6. Be humble Psal 25.11 7. Entertain truth into thy heart 1. Truth 2. All truth 3. As truth 4. And with love of the truth 2 Thess 2.10 And thus much for the fourth Question We are now come to the fift and grand Question Qu. 5. Qu. 5. The grand Question is What may be the Examens of truth and errour I say What are the Examens of opinions or the tryals and discoveries of truth and error In the handling of this in regard it is the main of all I shall take more liberty to be larger And we shall breake this into these foure Quaeries 1. Who are to examine opinions 2. By what rule or by what touch-stone we are to examine 3. Who is to judge of them 4. By what markes or signes may a man be able to distinguish truth from errour and discover errour from truth We shall now begin with the first And that is a maine inquiry viz. 1. Who those are who are to examine And if you aske the judgement of the Papists in this point they will tell you that none are to examine or judge of opinions or controversies but only the Church that is a Synod of Bishops or an Assembly of Roman Prelates This is their tenent that what ever the Prelates doe define in cause of faith that ought to be beleeved and received of all Christians without any examination or doubt Bellarm. hath this passage * Ecclesia non potest errare in explicanda â—octrina fidei Christiani tenentur eam recipere non dubitare an haec ita se habent debet Christianus sine examine recipere doctrinam Ecclesiae the Church cannot erre in unfolding the doctrine of faith and all Christians are bound to receive their determinations without any doubt whether they be true or not A little further he saith Every Christian ought without any examination to receive the doctrine of the Church that is that doctrine those prescriptions and definitions which they shall stablish And he gives one reason because what they doe establish and prescribe to others they doe it not as teachers but as Judges He hath these words It is one thing to interpret the rule after the manner of a teacher another thing to interpret it after the manner of a Judge to the explanation of it after the manner of a teacher there is required only learning and knowledge but to the explanation of it after the manner of a judge there is required authority The doctor doth not propound his sentence as necessary to be followed but as reason doth perswade but the judge propounds it as necessary to be followed Augustine and the rest of the Fathers had but the office of teachers Aliud est interpretari legem more doctoris aliud more judicis c. Bellar. Tum doctrinam ex Dâ—o esse sat is inrelligium cuÌ„ a legitimo pastore proponi eam animad vertimus c. Greg. de Vol. but Councells and Bishops in Convention have the office of Judges thus he So that you see this is their opinion 1. That Christians are to receive all the explanations and definitions of the Church touching doctrine of Faith without any Examination and doubt 2. That the Church doth interpret the Law of God or scripture not after the manner of a Doctor or Teacher but a Judge or a Supreame and absolute Prince who requires obedience not so farre as law and reason perswades but for his authority 3. That this Church to which they give this absolute Empire over Christians is nothing else but an Assembly of Roman Bishops You see he speakes high and yet some goe farther then this One of them hath
learned men were faithfull to their light and would not be byassed or corrupted for a world then one would thinke it some wisdom to resigne up our judgement to such and be of their opinion but first it is not a competent judge Christ tels us there is a learning from which truths are concealed and hid he blessed his Father Who hid these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes And secondly learned men are not uninterested men they have corruptions in them and this doth bias them often times to the maintaining of errour and opposing truth and therefore dangerous Nay though there be grace as well as learning yet they are subject to passions they have corruptions in them and how farre those may work in the delivering of truth or opposing errour how farre their fears and hopes their pride may work you know not And therefore though they were learned and holy men yet you are not to resign up your faith and judgements to their opinions 1 Thess 5.21 1 Joh. 1.4 but are to trie all things and prove the spirits whether they be of God or no. And thus much shall serve for the answer to the fifth Question one more and we will conclude the false marks the sixt Question then is this Qu. 6. Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or declare it to be a truth the multitude or the paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it It is you know the great Argument the Papists have and therefore they set it down as one note of the true Church the multitude of professours And though it was opposed against the Papists yet was it an Episcopall argument against the reformed Churches * Mos totius orbis omniuÌ„ teraporum ecclesiarum potior esse debet eo qui est exigui populi parvi temporis Sarar Cons Park de polit eccles l. 2 c. 35 p. 297. 298. etiam l 2 c 6 7. That which hath been the custom of the whole world and of all times of the Churches ought to be more desirable then such a discipline which is maintained by a few and is but of late standing Again It is most just and equall that seeing the number of the reformed are but few they should yeeld unto the other who are many yea and many of them in authority and office in Church and Common-wealth Another speaks yet plainer a AbsurduÌ„ est Deum velle inspirare unum potius quaÌ„ multos Sutâ—l It is absurd to thinke that God should inspire one man rather then many by which expressions of theirs it may seem too evident that though they opposed this argument of the Papists and b In rebus fidem concerneÌ„tibus judicium unius private hominis praeferenaum est Papae toti Concilio si ille moveatur meltoribus rationibus authoritatibus N V. Testam D. White citing Panormitan against the Papists held it forth to be of no weight when they were to deal with them because the Papists might glory most in multitude yet they esteemed it of some weight against the reformed Churches they being farr lesse in number then they were It shews a cause to be weak when they have recourse to such poor weapons and that surely there is not much to maintain it when such arguments as are taken from number and multitude are made use of But to come to the answer of the Question which I conceive will not require much pains The Question is Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or to declare it to be a truth the multitude or paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it I shall answer this in brief 1. If by multitude be meant the greater number of mankinde then it is a certain evidence of errour The greatest number of mankinde lies in darknesse and errour as St John saith 1 Joh. 5.19 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lies in wickednes If you divide the world into four parts you will finde above three parts to be Pagans Heathens Mahometans Idolaters Atheists how few will be the residue Alas they are but a few in the North-east passages that doe professe and acknowledge a Christ and of those how few 2. If by multitude be meant the greatest number of men in the Church who doe adhere to an opinion neither will this be sufficient to discover it a truth And that upon these two grounds 1. Because the greatest number they are ignorant and so are not able to judge of truth and errour blinde men cannot discern of colours they want knowledge to discern of things that differ they are not able to try nor upon triall are they able to determine 2. Because the greatest number they are corrupt and vicious they are for the most part either Atheisticall or prophane or proud and ambitious men or worldlings covetous hypocrites formall professours If you look upon the multitude they adhere to doctrines 1. Either out of ignorant grounds 2. Or out of corrupt ends 1. Out of ignorant grounds viz. because this was the way of their Fathers and they doe traditionally adhere to it or because such men whom thâ—y respect and honour are in that way or because it is commended to them by the learned or prescribed and commanded by authority Indeed it is an easie matter to make any thing of the multitude they are soft wax in regard of their religion and can receive any impression they are fit for any stamp their superiours will put upon them they are but a body and authority is their soul which moves them which way they pleâ—sâ— in point of Religion truth and errour are all one to them It is an easie matter to make them any thing who are indeed nothing It was a heavie charge was cast upon us by our right hand adversaries that England was converted from Popery to Protestanisme by the blast of one trumpet In Q. Maries daies they were Papists and upon her death within an hour after as soon as Qu. Elizabeth was proclaimed here was a Kingdom of Protestants a nation was converted at once Though this charge is not true in all for after her Coronation besides Commissioners sent unto all parts to deface all the monuments of Idolatry Vid. The most grave and modest confuâ—aâ—ion puâ—lâ—shed by Mâ—st Rathbone p. 10. there were Ministers sent about to preach the Word of God viz. Knox Leave Gilby Sampson Whitingham Goodman who in Q. Maries daies had exercised their Ministery in the best reformed Churches beyond the seas who were now sent out to gather the people to the Lord to discover the errours of Popery to reduce men to the knowledge of the truth And upon the meeting of a Parliament those acts which were formerly made in Qu. Maries daies were repealed and the doctrine of truth again with Religion established And it were well to avoid this charge if Ministers were sent thorow the Kingdom at
we passe this and we come to the third thing in the description 3. You have the form of this Convention expressed in these words Met together in the Name and Authority of Christ As he tells us Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are met together in my Name which is spoken of Churches as well as members The Papists raise up great disputes upon these words In my Name and say they denote him who hath authority of calling and appointing such conventions which say they doth not belong to Emperours or Kings or Magistrates but to the Pope to whom Christ in Peter did commit the government of the Church And so by these words in my Name according to their interpretation is signified the efficient cause not the form of such a Convention But to leave that to * Chamier Tom. 2 l. 1â— c. 10. Sect. 5.6 7 8. Ob Christi gloriam honorem convenire those who enter the long disputes with them Chrysostome expounds it To meet together in Christs Name is to meet together for the honour and glory of Christ a Nomen Christi pâ—cem charitatem interpretatur Hâ—lar Another To meet together in the peace and love of Christ Another b Propter me est meâ cauâ—a quia res facit ad honorem meum Lucâ—s Bruâ—eÌ„s To meet together for me and for my cause and for my glory Another c Nâ—hâ—l aliud est in Christi nomine congregari quam una fide uno redemptore unoque consensu quae alâ—aeternam vitam pertinent mutuo conferre saith To meet together in Christs Name is to meet in one faith in one Christ with one consent mutually to conferre about the things which doe belong to eternall life Take but one more To meet together in Christs Name is d Ita congregari ut solâ—s Christus praefideat ut nulluâ— collegam habeat sed omnes subjectos Calâ—â— so to meet that Christ alone may be president and he may have no fellow but all his Subjects So that now to gather all this together To meet together in Christs Name is to meet in the cause in the faith in the love for the glory of Christ to consult about spirituall and divine things in which they desire to make Christ their Counsellour and Law-giver and give up themselves to be guided and directed by him * Quomodo possunt duo aut tres in nomine Christi colligi quos constat à Christo ab ejus Evangelio separari Cypr. In Christo nomine non congregantur qui abjecto Dei mandato pro arbitrio quidvis statuunt Calv. by which many a Convention is evidenced not to be of Christ nor to meet in his name 4. You have the proximate or immediate end of this convention and that is to determine In which you have 1. The object of those determinations 2. The rule by which they are to be determined 1. The object and there you have it's Extents Restraints 1. It 's extents all controversies to determine of all controversies 2. It 's restraints yet not of all but Church-controversies only which are summed in these three heads viz. 1. Doctrine 2. Government 3. Manners 2. The rule by which they are to be determined viz. The Scriptures all determinations of Councels and Synods c. are to be rejected so farre as they are not consonant and agreeable to Scripture 5. You have the ultimate end of all which is 1. Supreme the glory of God 2. Subordinate viz. 1. The Comfort of the Churches of Christ 2. The Peace of the Churches of Christ 3. The Order of the Churches of Christ And all this you shall see in some degree in that great Synod which we read of in Act. 15. which is left for an example and patern of Synods to us 1. There was a consociation of Churches we reade of two Churches consociated Jerusalem and Antioch and how many more is not evident only it is probable there were others also 1. De jure it ought to have been so the case was no lesse theirs in Syria and Cilicia then theirs in Antioch it was every way their case they were alike concerned in the case and cure they were troubled with the same doctrine and their souls were subverted as well as Antioch as it appears by Act. 15.23 24. And being alike interessed and their case the like and knowing of the remedy it may be probable I say that the Churches of Syria and Cilicia had their Elders there as well as Antioch 2. The acts determinations and decrees are sent unto them all conjunctly I say to them even as to Antioch and messengers appointed to report the determinations of the Assembly to them as to the other as you see vers 23. And therefore as they ought to be here in their delegates and messengers as well as Antioch that which concerns all ought in this case to be handled of all and by the Letters sent to them as to Antioch it is probable they joyn'd in the referring the Question and cause to the results of that Assembly Besides they sent to these Churches but we read not that they sent to other Churches but yet other Churches were bound by this decree and why therefore did they send to these and not to other if that these and not the other had not deferr'd the same cause and sent their Commissioners to Jerusalem with Antioch Neither have we any thing in Scripture to the contrary to prove they were not there and therefore it may be probable they were there in their delegates But this shall suffice to shew you here was a consâ—ciation 2. Here were Officers and delegates sent you see that in Act. 15.2 They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other if them should goe up they determined they made a Church-ordinance as I said before to send Paul and Barnabas as Church-messengers or Church-commissioners to the Assembly It was not an Apostolicall journey performed by Paul as an Apostle but he went as a Messenger of the Church of Antioch and as a Messenger Paul returneth with Barnabas and giveth an account of his Commission to the Church who sent him vers 30. as in the 14th Chapter 27. And besides them here is certain other They determined that Paul and Barnabas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem There is some controversie about these certain other some would have them to be the opposite party whom they sent with the Apostles to speak for themselves or that they might have a fair hearing and there is something to countenance this in the 10th verse where Peter saith Now therefore why tempt you God by which words there seem something to strengthen such a conjecture as this that this was spoken to the opposite party therefore they were present Rutherf Due right p. 40â— But I rather concurre with the learned Professour of Scotland and with Junius that by these other doe
and not Excommunication they finde it not in the first institution of this ordinance Matth. 18.17 nor doe they think Satan a fiâ— instrument to bring about those holy ends for which this ordinance was instituted And how ever Satan may doe much good to the souls of Gods people against his will occasionally and accidentally by his buffetings and temptations yet it sounds harsh to them that God should set up so solemn and holy an ordinance as this is to continue in the Church while Christ hath a Church on earth wherein Satan is so farre honoured as to be serviceable and instrumentall in the saving of soules c. 2. Some will have this delivering up to Satan of the formality of the sentence urging the Apostles phrase of speech in the 1 Cor. 5. to import so much to us 3. Some again assert it to be a further and more dreadfull degree of this censure 4. And others say it is not of the formality of the censure but a fruit and consequent of it Now if it be the first of these viz. an act of apostolicall power as many conceive who yet hold up this ordinance of Excommunication yea and from that place also 1 Cor. 5.2 7 13. then did it die with the Apostles and we have nothing to doe with it It is utterly inimitable and impracticable by ordinary Elders and officers And if it be the second viz. That this delivering up to Satan be the formality of Excommunication then it will follow when there is not such a delivering up to Satan there is no Excommunication which I thinke few will say And the condition of persons not only censured but censuring doth prevail much with me not to thinke and if it be the third viz. a further degree of the censure then either a degree prudentially to be annexed according to the atrocity and heinousnesse of the fact of which I see not any warrant or it is a degree necessarily to be added and if so then is it inseparable from the censure nor can the censure be dispenced without it and so it is of the formality of it which to me is not so evident But if this delivering up to Satan be the consequent and fruit of the censure as the fourth opinion saith and many upon good grounds doe chuse rather to affirm then the controversie will be at an end in this particular For those brethren of the Congregationall way do affirm That when a Synod met together in the Name of Christ Burrough Heart division p. 44. have in the authority of Christ solemnly judged condemned and censured such an erring Church to be such an one as hath no right to any Church-ordinance nor is to have any communion with the Churches of Christ if this judgement be right then such a Congregation is thereby put out of the kingdome of Christ and consequently is put under the power and kingdom of Satan And thus I have done with the answer to the Objections and with that have at length finished this discourse of Church power as relating to this Question The suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons Yet give me leave before I shut up this work in regard it is a better work to unite then to divide to compound differences then to heighten and increase them to lay down the grants of our brethren of the Congregationall-way unto this Question In which we shall tell you what materials they will afford us to the making up of this Fabrick And first though they expressely say that every particular Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath right to decide it's own controversies and to conclude it 's own differences instancing in the Church of Antioch whose endeavours among themselves to end their difference and conclude the controversie which arose â— Hâ—â—rt divisions p. 43. before ever they purposed to goe to Jerusalem doth clearly demonstrate that they had right though they wanted power yet they affirm that such a Church is to render an account to other Churches of Christ of their actions And this is not arbitrary that they may or may not doe it but they are bound in conscience to it as a duty they ow to God and to their sister-Churches Ibid. 2. They grant that a consociation of Churches in Synods consisting of Ministers and Elders is a precious ordinance of Jesus Christ for the preserving of the Churches against errours schisms and scandals 3. They grant that in case a particular Church or Congregation either want light or unity among themselves that they are not able to determine and conclude their own controversies Cotton Keys p. 48 either they are too difficult by reason of want of light or too hard for want of love or by reason of division among themselves that then it is their duty to repair unto a Synod or consociation of Churches for their help and assistance to the determining of their doubts and controversies And this they conclude upon these two grounds or reasons 1. The want of power in such a Church to passe a binding sentence Where errour or scandall is maintained by a faâ—tion the promise of binding and loosing made to the Church Ecclesia errans vel liâ—igans noÌ„ ligat is not given to the Church when it is leavened with errour and variance It is a maxime The censure of an erring or disagreeing Church doth not binde it is required a Church should agree and agree in Christs name that is in the truth Matth. 18.19 20. otherwise their censure is of no power 3. They conclude this from the patern in Act. 15. which patern clearly shews to whom the power and authority is committed when there groweth offence and difference in a Church even to a consociation of Churches c. 4. They grant these Synods thus conveened have power further then to counsell an erring Church they have a power from Christ to admonish men or Churches in his name Cotton K ys p. 53. when they see a Church to walk in any way of errour and their admonitions are more then brotherly perswasions for they carry with them the authority of Jesus Christ and that a Church fallen into errour and offence is subject both to the admonitions of other Churches and to the determinations and judiciall sentence of a Synod for direction in a way of truth and peace And this say they ariseth from that was spokâ—n before The sentence of an erring nor of a disagreeing Church doth binde and therefore in case a Church fail in either viz. truth or peace a Synod is the first subject of power and such a Chuâ—ch doth fall under the censure of a Synod 5. They grant that if there be cause given either of errour or of scandall A Synod hath power in the name of Christ to declare such Churches to be subverters of the faith Hâ—art divisions p. 43. or scandalous and offensive to shame them to all Sister and neighbour Churches 6. They grant that
Imperatorum judiciaria authoritas religionem ethnicam mandavit haec tamen conculcata indâ—es suit nostra autem fides caput exeruit Grae. am Philosophâ—aâ— si quivis Magistratus prohibuerit ea statim perit doctrinam ChristianaÌ„ oppugnant reges tamen crescit Clera Alex. Strom. By instance and experience of the Primitive Churches The kingdome of Christ was not only planted but it was propagated and encreased by the industry and labours of a few fisher-men when the Kings of the earth Non modo minime faventes sed frementes were so farre from yeelding their concurrence and assistance that they set all their power and malice against it to suppresse it And till Constantines time which was not till the fourth century some 300 years and upwards after Christ the Gospel never found any assistance from the secular power those former Emperours putting forth all their power to condemn and suppresse Christian religion and to command and advance Heathenish superstition and idolatry yet notwithstanding that it might be evident our faith is not of man but of God the Church increased the Gospel was propagated and Paganisme and superstition notwithstanding all these outward supports and props was dead stroâ—k and died daily All which shews the mighty power of God and of his Goâ—pel â—f any Magistrate saith one had prohibited the Greek Philosophy it had quickly perished but the Kings of the earth oppose Christian Doctrine and yet it increaseth All which as it shews the power of God and of his Gospel So it tels us that there is not an absolute necessity of any secular power for the planting or propagating of Christs Gospel and kingdome 2. This is also demonstrated by the efficacy if not sufficiency of spirituall means wherewith Christ hath furnished his Church for the advancement of these ends though the Kings of the earth should not lend their assistance 1. Christ hath ordained and set up a ministry which is to continue to the end of the world Mat. 20 19 20. and this being strengthned by the Spirit of Christ is of might to carry on his own ends to advance his own kingdom To throw down all strong holds of contrary reasonings and to bring in subjection every thought to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle doth declare 2 Cor. 10.3 4. 2. Besides this Christ hath ordained and appointed censures in his Church which being faithfully and duely administred may be effiâ—acious means to preserve the truth suppresse errour and remove out of his kingdome what ever doth offend And the Primitive Churches in the want of any other assistance though they were indeed infested with many heresies and dangerous errours yet had plentifull experience of the efficacy and blessing of these means whereby the Churches did in a great measure preserve and free themselves from those poysonous errours that did arise among them All which shews that the civil coercive power is not of absolute necessity either to the planting or propagating of Christs Church and kingdome But yet Conclus 4. Although this civil power be not absolutely necessary to the being yet it is very conducefull and apprimely requisite to the well-being and flourishing condition of the Churches of Christ in peace and godlinesse This the Apostle intimates in 1 Tim. 2.2 where he exhorts us To pray for Kings and them in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And this the Primitive Churches in the first Centuries found by experience though in the want and opposition of it they were kept in being for God will have his Church on earth though all the powers of the earth should set themselves against it yet they were miserably infested not only with disturbing but with d structive errours which threatned the very unbeing of the Churches of Christ All which tells us how conducefull and requisite this power is for the preserving of the Churches of Christ in their well-bâ—ing Nay and I say yet further though this power be not absolutely necessary yet is it necessary by Gods ordination God hath ordain'd Magistracy to be the fence of his Churches the protection of his people he hath promised they shall be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Churches of Christ under the Gospel Isa 49.23 A great honour as well as duty And it is our speciall duty to pray for such in the want of them and in the enjoyment of such to rejoyce under them and blesse God for them as the highest outward priviledge the Churches of Christ can enjoy on earth And thus much shall serve for the fourth Question We come now to the fift and last propounded viz. Qu. 5. How this power is to be dispenced In answer to which I shall lay down six necessary rules or cautionary advices to which I shall only annex my desires and some wayes for a happy accommodation between the brethren and so conclude this Discourse We shall begin with the Rules necessary to be observed in the dispencing of this power And 1. This power is to be dispenced rightly Magistrates have not an absolute power to establish what they please in point of religion but a power subordinate unto and to be regulated by the will of God He is Gods minister and therefore is not to set his will above or against his Master Reget cuâ— in errore sunt pro ipâ—o leges contra veritatem faciunt cum in veritate sunt coÌ„tra errorem pro ipsa verita e decernunt Aug. cent Cresc l. 3. c. 51. Cum catholici sum reges benè utuntur hac potestaÌ„te cum haeretici abutuntur câdem It were better the Sword should rust in the scabbard then it should be drawn forth against God and truth better to bear the Sword in vain here then to mannage the Sword to the disservice of God It will be farre more easie to render an account of not using then for ill using of this talent of power Certainly this power may be lawfully used and it may as sadly and as dangerously be abused It is lawfull to suppresse some errours but it is fearfull to lend the sword to the suppression or extirpation of any truth It is better not to doe then to doe wickedly How miserably Kings and Emperours have failed nay abused their power in this is known to all When Kings have been in an errour they have established laws for that against the truth when in the truth they have made decrees for the truth against errour which may be a trembling consideration to those who write of this power and an awfull caution to them who are to use it Volumes might be written how miserably the Kings and Potentates of the earth have been abused in lending their Sword to suppresse those for errours which have been the precious truths of God and to advance those things for truths which have been pernicious and destroying errours Sâ— e ictum imperatoâ—is sit ut propter verae fide professâ—o
a step-mother to sound doctrine Indeed some errours had their frownes few their blowes them that had it was not as they were errours but as the persons which held them were enemies to them This I speake the rather because men say it was better in the Bishops time then now for then there were not so many errours I say there were yea and such as were more dangerous being foundation errours such as opposed the power of godlinesse such as were flatly opposite to the offices of Christ such as were destructive to the true religion and such I know none on foot now if there were yet they had their being then and their corruption in doctrine and discipline hath been a great occasion to the breeding and begetting of them if you say though they were in that time yet they durst not appeare I may say againe in answer to that 1. There were other errours farre more dangerous that durst appeare both in Presse and Pulpit 2. Againe as those errours durst not appeare so neither was the truth suffered to appeare for one errour which they suppressed they held down many a truth if they suppressed errour they murthered truth and stifled it 3. If they suppressed any yet they reformed none It is the proper work of the discipline of Christ rather to reforme then to restraine rather to amend then to suppresse at least to reforme with restraining and to restrain together with reforming Indeed to suppresse by reforming and amending and not by silencing and smothering them which was their way and the great occasion of the swelling and not the abating of them As it is with Rivers the stopping of them doth but swell them and increase them the more it doth not any way lessen and abate them Certainly the way of Christ to deale with errours is to endeavour to reforme them to amend them to preach the word boldly to convince gainsayers to admonish to exhort to reprove to mourne over them and when nothing will doe to ejâ—ct them and cast them out Tit. 3.10 and when that is done not to leave them but to labour still to convince them to mourne over them Government as Christs doth not reach to crumenall or corporall punishment either to the punishment of the body or the state as I shall shew at large hereafter when I come to set down the wayes which are left us in the word to restraine to reduce men from errour Now then the way which they went silencing suspending imprisoning fining of men whipping undoing men Certainly was not the way of Christ for the reforming of errours * Suadenda fides non imponenda saith Bern. men are rather to be perswaded then commanded rather to be dealt withall by the authority of God then of man which is as nothing in heavenly things when God concurres not but this I shall speake unto at large in the last question and therfore will proceed no farther now This is the fourth ground of abounding errours in our dayes even the want of the discipline of Christ the want of regular proceedings in severall Congregations and Synods for the reforming of them 5. A fift ground is the too much connivance nay incâ—uragement that they find among the people of God this is a great ground of broaching opinions We say a receiver makes a thiefe your readinesse to comply with opinions and to receive all doth give great incouragement to broach them It was that which the Prophet complained of in his time Jer. 5.31 The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bear rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so and what will be the end thereof ô quam consentaneum cries one in the reigne of the Bishops how did the Prophets or those Emissaries Preachers they had sent forth prophesie falsely and how did the Priests bear rule by that meanes they held up the standing and dignity of the Bishops and how did the people love to have it so they were well enough pleased and contented with their doctrine and way We were like Issachar who thought rest was good although it was with burthen and you see now what is the end thereof Some of this may be appliable to us the Prophets Prophecie falsely and my people love to have it so there is too much connivance too much content too much pleasing among the godly themselves in variety of opinions though none under the notion of errour Indeed there is thus much good in it that things come to be debated and scanned by this we come to search upon what grounds we stand we come to sift out the truth of God which certainly never was more clearely revealed then when some errours have been the occasion to cleare it and bring it forth as I shewed before In the point of Free-grace in opposition to mans free-will in the work of conversion which had not been so fully discovered if Pelagius had not broached that errour that a man might be saved if he would So the freenesse of Gods grace in justification had not been so clearely discovered if the Papists had not broached and maintained that errour of justification by works Indeed were they undoing errours that are preached and held forth by any St Johns rule comes in Epist 2. ver 10 11. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine that is that Jesus is the Christ as he shews you before ver 7 8. Receive him not into your houses neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds So then did you know any to hold forth fundamentall errours such as are the overthrow of faith or destructive to the power of godlinesse there is no countenance to be given to such you make your selves sharers with him in his fin and bring upon your selves the same guilt And therefore saith Paul Tit. 3.10 A man that is an heretique after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe These are the rules for undoing errours Nay and were they defiling though not daâ—ning errours were they but sinfull though not destroying errours yet if they were evidenced to us and manifest to us to be errours we ought not to connive at them to countenance them in their way but to admonish to reprove them to exhort them and use all possible wayes left by Christ to reclaime them But now when the things held forth are but meerely opinion or if more yet they are not any way injurious to faith or hurtfull to the power and practise of godlinesse then there may be more agreement the difference of judgement should not in this case alienate affections though you are not all of one mind yet you are all of one heart and here you differ only about the way to advance Gods glory You have both cordiall affections to God and Christ you desire to bring him glory only you differ in the way one thinks
inticement not by demonstration they inveagle they doe not informe the understanding they perswade by inticing and not by evidence and reason A man may well suspect those opinions which are wrought upon the understanding by the affections and not by demonstrations the affections often inveagle the understanding sometime inforce it sometime they bribe somtime they threaten the understanding into an opinion its dangerous for the affections to work upon the understanding The lesse the understanding hath to deale with the affections in judgement of truth or errour and the lesse the affections with the understanding the safer and clearer is the judgement A man may well suspect those opinions which are wrought upon the understanding by perswasions and not by demonstrations The Philosophers used to say that to win the understanding by gaining first into the affections is to woe the Mistris by the maid Affections are to attend and serve the understanding and not to inforce it they are not to tell what is truth but to follow the understanding with love and delight in the embracing of it Suspect that for truth that you are threatned or bribed into And so much for the second ground 3. A third ground of credulousnesse is the similitude and likenesse which errour may carry to a truth of God you must know that though Gods people may entertaine errour yet no damning though defiling errours nor doe they entertaine any errour as an errour but under the notion nay apprehension that it is a truth and there is such similitude which an errour may carry to truth that they may entertaine it without debating and examining of it I told you from the 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. That Satan might transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and so may represent errour under such a shew of truth that it is not for every one to distinguish between that and truth There was never any errour set on foote but it was indeavour'd to be grounded on the Scripture the word is pleaded on all sides and many places alledged which may seeme to afford strength even to false opinions by which an errour may be represented to them who are not able to discerne as if it were a truth There are but few errours in our dayes but they carry some resemblance of truth with them at least the face and appearance of truth nay but few but have some ingrediency of truth in them and therefore carrying such a resemblance with truth looking upon the first view like a truth the best may be deceived with errour instead of truth if they take things on trust though this deceit shall not be an undoing deceit if it be not an undoing errour and that Gods people shall never be given up unto We say though error fortunae a mistake in the estate doth not cause an anullity in marriage yet error personae the errour of the person doth if you were married to one whom you tooke to be another person this doth cause an anullity in the marriage The entertainment of truth or errour is a kinde of marriage between the soule and it and there is a firme marriage between corrupt hearts and errour but the contract which is between a godly man and errour is a false contract and therefore that claime which errour hath to him is a false title because though it be an errour yet he entertain'd it for a truth and therefore it shall not damne him though it doth for the present defile him 4. A fourth ground of the credulousnesse of the godly their facile and easie beliefe it is the high and specious pretexts which an errour may carry Errour may beare as big a saile and hold up as high pretexts as truth it selfe and this may prevaile much to the entertainment of an errour this is a great advantage which errour hath It may hold forth the same authority beare it selfe up upon the same bottome it may pretend holinesse the glory of God the good of our soules c. and what not Doe not the Papists hold forth the same authority for their errours which we doe for truth doe they not perswade to the entertainment of them by the same arguments will they not tell you that these are for the glory of God for the good of your soules Was it not the usuall argument of the hierarchy for their superstitions and humane inventions for their Altars and Jesu-worship and bowing towards the East with the rest that all this was to declare our reverence humility c. in coming into Gods presence it was for the glory of God c. And are there any errors now that carry not as high as fair pretexts as specious shewes Who doth not say loe here is Christ and here is Christ who doth not challenge patronage from Heaven for their severall opinions who doth not stamp their opinions with the authority and minde of Christ Is it not that which Christ doth here foretell they shall come in his name that is they shall pretend to doe so they shall pretend his authority and commission and they shall say I am Christ they shall pretend that that which is held forth is the minde of Christ which sets out the danger of the temptation such an errour comming with such high and specious pretexts being held forth with such authority may prevaile much towards the entertainment of it In our dayes if we looke upon the present contentions of the times the cause now on foote and acting sadly with the sword doe not our adversaries hold up the same pretences doe they not speake in our own language doe they not say the same things that they fight for the Protestant religion Liberty of the subject Laws of the Land and if we take all on trust how daÌ„gerous to be deceived When the Pirate hangs forth your own colours there is danger of robbing The Crokadile sheds teares when he hath a minde to shed bloud the foulest designes are often masked with the fairest pretences the spiders webb is full of art but she her selfe is full of venome you may truly suspect most venome where you see most art There is not any bad cause nor any errour but is handâ—d to us under faire pretexts and specious colours which wins many and that 's the fourth ground 5. A fift ground why men are apt to take opinions upon trust either because they cannot try them they want knowledge and wisedome to examine and try them or they want judgement to determine upon triall either they cannot or they are unwilling to put themselves to the trouble in the triall of them But I passe this We have done with the first ground why men are carried away with errours and that is weaknesse 1. Weakenesse of understanding 2. Want of stability 3. Too much credulity and I have given you the severall grounds of these also We come now to the second generall ground why men are carried away with errour The second ground and that is wickednesse A
yeild your selves to be wholly and absolutely ruled by the will of any nor inthrall your judgements submit your consciences to the sentences lawes definitions doctrines of any man or Angell but onely to your Lord and Master Christ But if so be we were to receive all that is prescribed and submit to impositions of men without search and scrutiny whether they be of God or no we should make men Masters of our faith This were to set man in Gods stead to put man in Christs throne this were to yeeld an implicite faith and blinde obedience which to doe is to make men Gods and your selves beastes Thus you see I have laid downe the position I have cleared it to you by Scripture I have confirmed it by argument 3. I am now in the third place to shew you that this hath been the constant doctrine of our learned and orthodox Divines in opposition to the Papists ancient and moderne I thinke it not necessary to name many a few therefore for all Clem. Alex. hath this passage * Non absolutè enuntiantibus fidem habemus quibus licet contrarium enuâ—tiare c. Clem. Alex. Si contraria invicem senserint concilia debemus quasi judices probare meliora Hilar. de Synod advers Arianos We are not absolutely to assent to the doctrines and determinations of men who themselves may dissent from their owne opinions nor to expect the testimony which is given of men but to search and prove what is the voice of God Another this * If Synods should determine contrary we as judges should prove and approve of the better It is the speech of another viz. a Ego solis eis Scripturarum libris qui jam canonici aâ—pellantur didici hanc honorem timo remâ— differre ut nullum eorum authorem sâ—ibendo aliquid errasse firmissi nè credam c. Aug. Dâ—v 169. I have learned to give this honour and reverence to the Canonicall Scriptures only to believe what ever is therein is truth it self but for other writings though men excellent in learning and holines yet I reade them so as that I do not therefore think theÌ„ to be true because they have thus spoken thought but because they do thus appear to me to be consonant agreable to the minde of God the word of truth Another thus b Iâ— qui praeest si praeter voluntatem Dei vel praeter quod in Sacris Scripturis evidenter praecipitur vel dicit aliquid vel imperat tanquam falsus test is Dei aut sacrilegas habeatur Isidor If any that are in authority shall declare or command any thing which is not agreeable to the will of God or not evidently commanded in Scripture let him be held as a false witnes of God or one sacrilegious Another c Omnis homo dimittens rationem propter authoritatem humanam incidit in inspientiam bestialem Daven He that puts off reason or subjects reason to meet humane authority fals into beastly folly and the same Author d Nos plus rationi damus quà m cutcunque authoritati humanae c. We doe not preferre the authority of any meer man before reason and therefore seeing the fathers whether taken singly or joyntly in Councels are but meer men and their authority but meer humane authority The faith of Christians is not to be so subjugated to the determinations of them that there shall be left no use of reason much more of Scripture in proving and examining doctrines whether of God or no. e Sicut debitor est voluntas suae operationis in bonis volenâ—iâ— sic intellectus suae operationis debitor est in veris credendis seu cognoscendis quare nec error nec ignorantia excuset unquam a perditione Paris de leg cap 21. Pariensis hath this passage As the will is a debtor unto God in its operations for the choice of good so is every mans understanding a debtour to God in its operations for the beleeving of truth Therefore neither errour nor ignorance can excuse any before God if they perish Another saith this f Ad ipsum verbum Dei oportet nos omnes scientiarum disciplinaâ— opiniones tanquam ad lydeum lapidem examinare c quodcunque ab eo authâ—râ—tatem non habet eadem facilitate contemnitur quâ affertur Cornel. Agrip de vanit scient cap 100 de verbo Dei It is our duty to bring all opinions to the Word as the touch-stone of them and if any hath not its authority thence It may be as easily contemned as it is offered and held forth Luther also speaks the same thing he hath this passage g Over debent ferre judicium utrum Praeâ—ati vocem Christi vel alienorum proponant Luther Tom 2. pag. 375. Consul Dav. de Jud. nor fidei ubi plures recitantur pag. 167 186. c. etiam 168 c. It is the duty of the flock of Christ to examine whether their Pastors doe speak the voice of Christ or visions of their own heart The same man saith further Where the Word of God is preached the people have not only power and command to judge of doctrines but every godly man ought to performe this under danger of salvation And if we should consult with all they all speak the same language and say though there is not given to all the faithfull a spirit of interpreting Scripture in an authoritative and publike way yet every Christian hath a spirit to examine and judge of doctrine in his own conscience Learned Whitaker hath this expression h Non datur omnibuâ— fidelibus spiritus interpraetandi Scripturas ad authoritatem publicam in ecclesia sed tamen â—â—nâ—us cujuscunque Christiani est spiritâ—◠〈◊〉 ad privatam doctrinae probationem dijudicationem in conscientia ipsius Polan Syntag. l. 1. cap 45. Omnibus piis incumbit ut sibi caveant quam vis doctrinaÌ„ diligenter examinent ne falsa forsan pro veris suscipiaÌ„t quisquis debet niâ—i sua fide sueque judicio diviniâ—us in spâ—rato non ex alterius nutu arbitrio pendere Whitak cont 1. quaest 5. de interpret Script It lies all Christians much upon to examine all doctrine lest they doe otherwise take false doctrine for true and every one ought to lean to the perswasion of his own judgement enlightned and not to depend upon the will and judgement of others Another of our learned Divines saith i In doctrinis quorumvis mortalium admiâ—tenâ—is adhibendum est examen judicium discretionis ut possimus tanquam probi argentarij adulterinam à legâ—tiâ—â—a doctrina discernere Dâ—v In the receiving of the doctrines of any mortall man we are to examine and like unto tryers of silver are to discern between false doctrine and true Again k In doctrina investiganda non alienis tantum modo oculis sed suis utendum c. Daven In the finding out of doctrine we are
not only to use others eyes but our own eyes nor are we to commit our faith to others judgements but to clear it to our selves l Pedibus potius quam cordibus caâ—t in sententiam aliorum qui dogmata non expendunt They rather bring their feet then their hearts into a way who subscribe to the doctrines of any without examination and search m A fiâ—guliâ— ergo in doctrina sâ—â—â—tis admittendâ— usus propriae rationis propriique judicij requiritur c. The use of a mans proper reason and judgement is required of all those who are to receive the doctrine of salvation not that we should judge according to naturall reason of divine truths but that we should use our understandings enlightned according to the rules of good and necessary consequence what is agreeable and what is disagreeable to the Word of God and are no further to submit to the doctrine of any mortall man then it is evidenced to us to be deduced out of the Word of God and agreeable to the minde of Christ I have here given you a taste of an abundance more that might be alleadged you see a cloud of Witnesses that it is the duty of all to examine not only the opinions of private men but the sentences determinations of Synods and Councels and to receive or reject them as they shall be found consonant or dissonant to the Word of God We will now come to the fourth thing propounded viz. The answer of objections and so passe to the second viz. By what rule we are to examine Obj. If Christians are to examine and judge of the opinions and doctrines of their guides or them who are set over them then it will follow they are judge of their Judges but this is absurd And therefore Ans A Christian makes himself Judge of none nor is he judged of any as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.15 It is one thing judicare another thing judicem agere one thing to judge of mine own acts another thing to act a Judge To judge by way of authority in foro externo in publike way of doctrine doth not belong to private Christians but to judge by way of a Christian in the Court of conscience in foro interno what is to be done what is not to be done what is according to the will of God what not this belongs to every Christian It is the duty of every Christian to weigh perpend examine the opinions and doctrines of others so farre as they contain any thing to be believed or done and in this doing he judgeth not of persons but of things not of men but of doctrines not as they are the acts of others but as they are to be his own acts The Apostles in Acts 5.40 did judge it not fit to abstain from preaching the Gospell notwithstanding that decree of the Priests and yet they made not themselves Judges of them So the Christians judged notwithstanding the sentences and decrees of Emperours that Idols were not to be worshipped and yet they were not the Judges of those Emperours So the three children in Dan. 3. There is a two-fold judgement granted by Papists themselves Forense Rationale The former to wit publike judgement they say belongs to them that are in publike authority the other belongs to all to whom God hath given a reasonable soul And * Vâ—â—squisque debet â—â—tus suos examinare ad scientiaÌ„ quam à Deo habet omnis enim homo debet secundum rationeâ— agere Aquin Aquinas grants some kinde of judgement to the people And therefore this judgement viz. rationall and private judgement may be exercised by their own confession and yet in this they are not judge of their Judges Obj. 2. Those who ought to rest in the judgement of their Doctors and teachers they ought not to examine and judge of doctrines and receive or reject them as they shall appear to them to be true or false But private Christians ought to rest in the judgement of their Doctors For this they urge that of Christ The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chair what ever they say to you doe Answ For the first part of the objection that we are not so farre to rest in the doctrines and determinations of any as not to examine I have fully cleared to you in this Discourse already and this doth but beg the Question if indeed we are to rest in the judgement of others then its true it were not our work to examine but to doe but I have shewed we are not to rest in the judgement of others and therefore our work first to examine before we doe And for that Allegation of Christs Sedendo sâ—per caâ—hedram Mosâ—s legem Dei docent ergo per illos Deus docet sua vero illi si vâ—lint dâ—cere nolitâ—â— audire nolite facere Aug. â—ract 46. in Joh. we are to understand it that Christ would have them to hear them so farre as they might hear God in them that is so farre as that which they speak was agreeable to the Word 〈◊〉 God and no otherwise certainly Suppose that the Scribes and Pharisees should have preached to the people as no doubt but they did that Christ was not the Messiah that he was not sent of God to be the Saviour of the world would Christ have them hear them in that certainly they themselves doe not hold that and therefore that whatsoever is to be understood with this limitation so farre as their doctrine and precepts were consonant and agreeable to the Word of God For where they erred he himself blames them And indeed if the Papists would consult with their own authors as touching this point they would resolve them in it One of them propounding this Quâ—stion Whether people are bound to obey their Superiours in all things 1. Non tenâ—tur subd tus obedire superiori suo coÌ„â—ra praeceptum majoris potestatis â— NoÌ„ tenetur obedire si ei aliquid praecipiat in quo ei noÌ„ subdatur Aquin. 2. 2. q. 104 art 5. he resolves it after this manner 1. The people are not bound to obey their Superiours if that their command be contrary to a command of greater power 2. The people are not bound to obey their Superiours if their Superiours should command any thing to them in which the people are not subjected to them that is if in his commands he goe beyond his bounds and require that of them which is due to God to require only When he commands things which are contrary to the Word of God we are not bound to obey because this is contrary to a command of greater power When he commands things which are besides the warrant of the Word and beyond his bounds we are not to obey because he hath not dominion over our faith he commands things above his power It is a savoury speech of Austin a Oportet nos ex ea parte quae ad haÌ„c vitaÌ„
liberty nay they are bound to examine and judge of the definitions and determinations of them They desire not that their authority shall be valid with you unlesse they bring the authority of God nor that you should hear them unlesse you hear God in them It is their work to propound to determine to declare yours to examine to prove and judge As one speaks e Cum dogma prâ—ponitur credendum aut praeceptum aliquod faciendum quum credere facere sunt actus mei Si me hominem rationis participem praestare velim c. Examinare oportet quicquid proponitur ad scientiam meam when any doctrine is propounded to be believed or any thing commanded to be done because to believe and to doe are my acts if I will shew my self to be a man endued with reason I ought to examine what is propounded and so to assent or dissent so far as agreeable or disagreeable to the Word And indeed unlesse you will say we are bound ad personas titulos to persons and titles and not to the truth of the Gospel it is requisite that we should not only examine f Non modò qualitatem authoritatem docentium sed qualitatem doctrinae the quality and authority of the teachers but the quality of the doctrines and what conformity it hath with the minde of Christ Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from heaven should preach another doctrine let him be accursed Neither indeed is it possible you should assent to and receive any truth of Christ without the previous action of a mans own judgement unlesse there passe examination and judgement in a mans own spirit that it is a truth of God I say there can no man embrace a truth and assent to it upon the bare perswasion or determination of another Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2 l. 5. c. 9 10 12 c. although he doth never so much desire it unlesse there passe an examination and a proper act of a mans own judgement that the thing commanded is the minde and will of Christ Indeed a man may not contradict it or a man may give up his affections to it and subscribe to it out of corrupt affections and from humane or rationall grounds but he can never receive it as a man never subscribe to it as a Christian till there hath passed an act of his own proper judgement and this upon scrutinie and examination It is a shame to thinke how the common sort of people doe embrace doctrine the authority of the imposers doth give them eyes to see and judgements to assent and faith to believe and subscribe to what ever is imposed In the reign of former Princes how soon were the body of the Nation converted from Popery to Protestantisme receiving and rejecting embracing and refusing the sacred truths of God mainly if not meerly according to the aspects and commands of authority And is there not the same spirit in the multitude to this day ready to embrace and receive what authority shall command without any previous search and examination whether the things be of God or no A blessed and happie thing it is for a Nation to reject corruption in worship superstition in the service of God but then to doe this as men as Christians knowingly And as blessed it is to embrace a reformation to submit to the waies of God but to doe it knowingly upon scrutiny and examination this will make you men and to adhere to the truths of God received upon the utmost hazzard I see in many a preparation of heart to subscribe to what ever is of God but oh that there were the care the study the endeavour to examine things also that you might evidence them to be the truths of God that you might say as they of Samaria Joh. 4.42 Now we believe not because thou hast told us but because we have heard our selves and we know him to be the Messiah So now we embrace this Doctrine this way of worship not because it is imposed not because it is prescribed of men but because I see and am perswaded in my heart it is of God this were a work worthy a Christian This I exhort you unto away with blinde faith with blinde obedience you are men doe things as men you are Christians doe things as Christians embrace not any thing out of fear but out of faith not out of corrupt affections Nec ego Ariminensis concilij authoritate nec tu Nicaeni detineriâ— Au. but out of a pure and holy heart reject nothing out of pride prejudice but out of light do nothing ignorantly but all knowingly be resolved in your selves and that upon search upon examination Do not pin your faith upon the bare authority of men no not the best of men 1. You will wrong God what a wrong is it to God to attribute that to man which is proper to him alone to set man in Gods throne and to receive and subscribe to man before you see God to speak in them 2. And what a wrong is it to man to make them masters of your faith they claim it not it is Gods due and as you wrong God so will you them if you doe give it to them 3. You wrong your own souls you prejudice your selves in the wayes of God wound your souls with guilt of sin 4. It declares you either ignorant atheisticall or carelesse about the businesse of your souls or to be led and byassed with corrupt affections fears and hopes when you will close with any thing till you have tryed it and examined it and brought it to the barre past sentence and judgement on it It is the bravest thing in the world to see men do things knowingly if not you doe but side with a way out of faction and affection not out of knowledge and conscience It is not easie to determine whether is worse to be rationally and knowingly in an errour or to be ignorantly and blindely in a truth Get light therefore to discover and then to embrace 5. You prejudice the cause of Christ when you adhere to it upon slender grounds What a shame to doe that which we are not able to evidence is our duty to doe to walk in that way which we are not able to maintain 6. You endanger your own revolting that man can never hold to a way which he hath not clear'd and thereby is perswaded to be the way of God The same ground upon which he receives a truth he will reject it and embrace an errour If authority come in it shall cast the scale any way if it had not been for this that authority came in we should not have had so many Protestants and if that authority had not come in we should not have had so many Papists When the Standard is set up all flock to it but to the standard of authority not of truth I may say of most they are this way and they are not that they embrace
Scripture but declares the necessity of the illumination of the spirit So much for the first objection 2 Obj. Another objection against the Scriptures being judge of opinions is this It is the worke of a judge so to declare his sentence that the one party may see he was in an errour and the other that he is in the right but the Scripture nor the Spirit of God in Scripture doth thus evince truth and convince of errour as to make the parties to know they are in truth or were in errour therefore the Scripture cannot be the judge of opinions Answ It is the worke of a Judge to declare the law to give his sentence declare his judgement and not to convince partyes It will be a hard thing to convince the loser that he is in the wrong Men who are given up to errour blinded with folly and bewitched with selfe-love in love with their owne opinions it is a hard thing to convince such that they aâ—e in an errour And shall we say the Word of God shall lose its judiciary authority because men in errour will not discerne of its judgement 2. Though they will not see now and be convinced yet the time will come that they shall see if not before yet at the greâ—â— day of account all things shall be made evident many that breake the lawes and are guilty of felony or of murther yet will not confesse to a petty Justice that he is guilty but at the Assize he is made evident and then he is convinced of it so however men sew fig-leaves and cover their nakednesse now will not confesse their error yet at the great day of Assize all shall be made evident and their mouthes stopped 3. I say that the Scriptures do sometimes so clearly evince truth and convince of errour that the parties themselves even in this life are convinced of it and cannot gaine-say or stand out against the evidence 4. I say againe if that the light and judgement and authority of the Word will not convince men of errour neither will any authority upon earth doe it * Quae controversiae siniri non possunt ex determinatione verbi divini neque finâ—entur unquamex determinatione cujuscunque authoritatis humane Daâ—en Qui ex scripturarâ—m lata sententia se victum non agnoscit nunquam agnoscet se victum ex sententia alterius judicis cujuscunque Daven Those controversies that cannot be concluded and determined by the judgement of the Word neither can they be determined and ended by any authority upon earth He that doth not acknowledg himselfe conquered by the evidence of Scripture will never acknowledge himselfe overcome by the sentence of any judge upon earth Give me leave to shut up what I have spoken in a word of application and I shall enter upon that enquiry Vse You see I have shewed you two things Who are to examine and by what rule to examine I have charged one upon you as your duty at all times It is the duty of every one to examine c. And I have given you here the rule by which you are to try viz. the Word of God This is the touch-stone It is not men not Councels not Synods much lesse the Pope whose unerring authority the Papists set above Councells But it is the Word of God which is the rule and judg a Theodor. histor Eccles l. 1. c. 7. In epist ad Innocent Epis 90. Inrer Epist Aug. and therefore by this the Councell of Nice both tryed and condemned the Arian Heresy by this the Councell of Carthage of Melevis of Orange tryed and condemned the Pelagian Heresy It is the speech of a heathen Philosopher b Qui ponit legem judicem ponit Deum qui addit hominem addit Bestiam he that makes the law judge makes God judge but he that makes man substitutes a beast instead And he gives this reason c Quia homines optimi distorquentur affectibus lex autem vacua est hujusmodi preturbationibus Arist because the best men are wrested with affections but the law is free of these perturbations If so much is to be given to humane lawes above the judgements of the best of men how much more to the divine the Law of God It hath been my work to clear this to you the Scripture is the rule Oh that now you had wisdome in the tryall you had need of wisdome to search to examine and need of wisdom to determine It is a shame to see how men sit as if these things did not belong to them Some are slothfull and will not enquire like Gallio they care for none of these things I have read of a Story of Henry the fourth of France who asking the Duke of Alva whether he had not observed the eclipses he answered no he had so much he said to doe upon the earth that he had no leisure to look up to heaven and there are many of this spirit who are so taken up and have so much to doe with the businesse of the world that they have no leisure to look up to heaven Some who enquire but sleightly and overtly they aske with Pilate what is truth but doe not take paines to finde it Others again who enquire but with corrupt affections which either bribe the understanding into errour or blinde the understanding that it cannot discern of truth Others that perhaps finde but either fear to own it or turn their backs on it as the young man in the Gospel Pelago se non ita coÌ„missurâ— esset quin quando liberet pedeÌ„ referre posset and you know what the King of Navar is said to speak to Beza that he would lanch no further into the deep then he might come safe to shore Men look upon truth as an ignis fatuus that leads them into boggs most men would entertain truth as a servant but few as a King they would own so much as might be serviceable to them but they will not own any more not so much as may master them so long as they may live on truth they like it but cannot away with it when it comes to live on them nay and live on the best of their comforts to live on their estates wives children possessions nay liberty and life c. this is hard And he that sees not truth his honour truth his riches truth his friends truth his liberty life that man will never own truth alone In the disquisition of truth in the enquiring after truth in these daies beware of a double spirit beware there be not treachery in thee beware of a double spirit beware of being byassed with corrupt affections c. Aske the way to Sion with your faces thitherward that is with resolution to goe it when it is revealed be not only willing to know but stand resolved to doe and when God sees you willing to doe he will make you able to know And so much shall serve by way
God in Scripture And here I must tell you it is a knotty Question and of great concernment the issues may be dangerous on both sides if the results be that Synods are to judge it will be said there will be danger of subjecting mens consciences to the determinations of men if that every one are to doe it then will there be danger of confusion It is a tickle point and more need of your prayers for Gods assistance Now then for the answers of this Question that I may not beat the air and speak at randome there will be a necessity of premising some distinctions 1. Concerning Judges 2. Concerning points to be judged 1. Concerning Judges As we say of judgement so we may say of Judges There is a two-fold judgment and there are two-fold Judges 1. There is a two-fold judgement 1. Ministeriall 2. Rationall Judgment Reynolds in his conference with Hart cap 2. div 2 p. 100. midle of it Or there is 1. A Judgement in foro externo or publico a publike and authoritative judgement in Synods Councels Assemblies 2. There is a judgement in foro interno or privato a private and self-directive judgement in the Court of conscience And this distinction is founded upon the Word of God it hath footing there The first viz. Ministeriall judgement or that publike authoritative decision in Councels or Synods you may see it plain to have its footing in the Word of God Look to Act. 15. here was the occasion of this convention much trouble of the Churches concerning some difficult points and errours spread ver 2. then here 's messengers sent from the Churches and here 's the matter of a Synod Apostles and Elders of severall Churches here 's the forme assembling together here 's the end of it after much debate to clear and settle the truth Act. 15. â—8 Act. 16.4 here was the determination of the doubt with authority to binde the Churches For the 2d viz. private rationall or self-directive judgement in the Court of conscience I have clear'd that to you by many Scriptures 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good which I have shewed you to be a charge to all Christians 1 Joh 4.1 Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God yea or no And the example of the Bereans who were yet commended for trying and examining the doctrines of the Apostles themselves Act. 17.11 the Apostle injoyns us Let every man be fully perswaded in his own minde Ro. 14.5 And if so then is he to examine and judge And great reason for this will not bear us out to say that Authority commanded a Councel determined it and therefore I obeyed I submitted the Papists indeed say this will bear a man out in a way of errour but Christ saith If the blinde leade the blinde they shall both fall into the ditch And the Apostle tels us that wâ—ll not excuse us that we followed the determinations of Councels of Synods For every man shall bear his own burthen Gal. 6.5 Nay and every man shall give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 So that you see this distinction of ministeriall and rationall publike and private judgment and Judges is founded in the Word of God We come to the second and that is to distinguish of points to be judged they are not all alike I will give you these distinctions of doctrine to be judged 1. Some are Doctrines of faith Some are Doctrines of worship And both these admit of their severall distinctions too 1. The doctrines of faith they are either such as are Fundamentall or Superstructive Doctrines I say these are either foundation-truths or building-truths And building-truths are such as are either More necessary or Accessory Accessory truths are such as are either More Evident and clear Or More Ambiguous and doubtfull Those more ambiguous and doubtfull are so either In themselves or To us 2. The Doctrines of Worship and those are such as concern Either 1. Internall worship and so they come under the Doctrines of faith 2. Externall and so they fall under the externall regiment or government of the Church The Doctrines of externall worship are either Essentiall or Circumstantiall Essentiall are those things which belong to the distinction of offices the choice of Officers and execution of them c. Circumstantiall are such as may be added for order for the commodity and profit of the people viz. time place hours In disciplina ecclesiastica distinguamâ—â— ea qua sunt fundamentalia ab accessoriis levioribus fundamentalia sunt haec ut legitimae vocationes personaruÌ„ retineantuâ— veluti pastores presbyteri diaconi ut ij legitime electi suo munere fungantur vel dâ—ponantur removeantur Accessoria dico quae ut haec fiant observentur in ecclesia quaque pro teÌ„pore c. Danaeus in 1 Tim. 5.13 p. 289. with such like And that these distinctions also are founded upon the Word of God I might shew you at large The distinctions of Doctrines of faith and worship they are the summe of Christian Religion Fides cultus faith and worship are the two generall heads of Christian Religion spread thorow the whole Scripture And concerning the Doctrines of faith the distinction of foundation and building-doctrines you may see plain 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12. I have laid the foundation but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ There is the great foundation-truth Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble Here are building-truths of which there is distinction some precious stones some gold some but silver The hay and stubble are errours and erroneous doctrines built upon a good foundation bad consequences drawn from good conclusions bad superstructions upon a good foundation So that you see there is footing for those distinctions I might shew the like of the Doctrines of worship those that are Essentiall and those that are Circumstantiall This distinction hath also countenance in the Word of God And for the Essentials of discipline there is mention made in the Word but for the other they are left to the prudence and wisdom of the Churches And now having propounded these necessary distinctions I come to the Answer of the Question Who is to judge of Gods minde in the Word And here we must runne over all the distinctions we have named There will be need of all for the clearing of the point First I told you that there was a ministeriall publike and authoritative judgement and there was a rationall * Dantur errores duplices quidam sunt fundamentales quâ—â—â— ipsum fidei fundamentum consequenter salutis aeternae possessio tollitur quidam sunt mâ—â—us principales non tam de fiâ—e quam circa fidem quibus nec ipsum fundamentum destruitur nec salutis adeptio anceps
balance of the multitude but in the balance of truth the Word of God This is certain b Veritas neque à nultis neque à paucis pendet Park l. 2. p. 253. Truth doth neither depend on many nor few And therefore we are not to goe by number of votes and voices in finding out of truth but by the authorities of Scripture we are not here to goe by the pol but by the line the Word of God To the Law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this the light is not in them most voices are not here to carry it but enquire What saith the answer of God You know if the diall be not set by the Sunne you care not what it saith So if men be not guided by the Word it 's no matter what they say though they be myriads of men that speak it Indeed we may give too little and too much to multitude 1. We give too little when the concurrent opinions and deliberate thoughts of a number of godly learned and holy men is of no weight with us when we will reject their results ignorantly wilfully without an impartiall debate and examination of them an honour that you give to the opinions I may say the errours of men of no name Certainly as you are not to submit to the judgement of any Assembly or company of the learnedst and holiest men with a blinde obedience So neither are you to reject their results and determinations with a perverse will you are to try them and be so farre from unprejudiced thoughts that you are charitably to judge that probably so many holy and learned men are not in an errour probably they are in the truth and if you thinke otherwise before triall and debate you give too little to them and it is your sin 2. We give too much to multitude and number 1. Either when we judge of an opinion to be truth because the promiscuous multitude doth adhere to it 2. Or when we blindly subscribe to an opinion for truth because many learned and holy men are the Patrons and maintainers of it 1. When we judge of an opinion to be truth because the promiscuous multitude abundance in the Church adhere to it And this is indeed the great errour men are carried away with the crowd they are not able to stand against the stream they are carried down with the multitude and the number of them in the way is the great argument that concludes them in it also Christ tells us here in the text That many shall come in his Name and say they are Christ and shall deceive many Here you are told there may be a multitude of seducers and a multitude of seduced they shall deceive many And it is the worst of arguments to prove truth by multitude It is a passage of Chrysostom * In theatris multitudo quaeratur Multitudo nota ecclesiae ac proindè veritatis noÌ„ est quia ecclesia saepe in paucis confistit deinde quia multitudo malorum impiorum major est post reâ—â—ò faâ—sa Religio majora occupavit spatia quaÌ„ vera Chry. ad pop Antioch â—om 26. The multitude can be no true Character of the truth and he gives three reasons 1. Because the Church of God doth consist in a few 2. Because the number of wicked men are the greatest 3. Because errour hath gotten more ground then truth the possessions and territories of errour doe farre exceed the bounds of truth you know there are more tares then wheat in Gods field more Goats then sheep in his fold more chaff then corn in his floor more bad fishes then good in his net if Atheisticall prophane men unbelievers proud ambitious men coverous and worldly persons hypocrites and formall professours were singled out the residue would be but few you would see ground why Christ calls his flock a little flock a small remnant and to take up the complaint of the Prophet that the number was but as the gleanings of grapes after the vintage is over but as the shaking of an Olive-tree after the fruit is gathered even one of a City two of a Tribe and to say with Christ Broad is the gate that leads to death and many there be that enter thereat but narrow and strait is the gate which leads to life and few there be which enter therein So that you see if we take up judgement of truth by the number of men in the Church that adhere to it we may be mistaken we are commanded not to follow a multitude to evil * Quae nam precor utilitas est multuÌ„ esse foenum quaÌ„ paucos lapides praeciosos non in numeri multitudine sed in virtutis probitate multitude consistit There is much drosse little gold much hay and stubble and little precious stones If there be any validity in this argument of number it is not in the weight but in the worth a Non in quantitate molis sed in qualitate virtutis Non salvat Christianum quod pontifex dicit praeceptum suum esse justum sed oâ—o tet illud examinare atque se iuxta regulaÌ„ superius dataÌ„ dirigere Ger. Laicus temerè doctoribus ecclesia credere non debeat sed coriaÌ„ doctrinas examinare praesertiuâ— cum populi aures sacerdotum cordibus sape sanctiores sim Hieronâ— Epist. not in the bulk or quantity but in the worth and quality of the persons that are the maintainers of it And yet therein we may erre also which is the second way whereby we give too much to multitude When we blindely subscribe to an opinion for truth because many learned and holy men are the Patrons and maintainers of it I have clear'd this to you at large that it is the duty of every Christian to examine not only the private opinions of private men but the sentences definitions debates of Synods and Councels and to embrace or reject them as they shall appear consonant and dissonant to the rule of truth the Word of God And the Scriptures are plain for it we are commanded to try all things 1 Thess 5.21 And not to believe every spirit 1 Joh. 4.1 and to search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Isa 8.20 And the Bereans were commended for the same notwithstanding the doctrine they examined was the doctrine of the Apostles Act. 17.11 And it will not be sufficient for you to say you followed the doctrines of your leaders Christ tells you If the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch And therefore we shall give too much to a number of holy and learned men to drinke in and receive what ever they doe propound to subscribe our judgement to their positions without further debate and examination of them though the things be truths yet we erre in our way of closing with them we give blinde obedience and implicit faith to them we make men the masters of our faith which wrongs God and injureth
to go tell more of it or if he will hear more thou ought not to tell the Church But in case that more private means will not doe we are to make use of that which is more authoritative and publike So here in case one Sister Church cannot prevail with another then may we by the like proportion make use of a consociation of Churches And to this argument of proportion we may give you the instance of a patern by which might be evidenced that this means of a Synod is warranted for such an end the patern you may read in Act. 15. where you see ver 1. There was false Doctrine broached errour and heresie taught Certain came down from Judea and taught the brethren that except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved Now when all means within themselves were found to be insufficient to suppresse this dangerous errour and reduce these erroneous persons they determined to make use of some further means of Gods appointment and thereupon ordered that Paul and Barrabas and others of their Elders should goe up to Jerusalem and there in a Synod or consociation of Churches to determine and conclude this Question so you see it was a meanes ordain'd and a meanes practised yea Fulk deâ—er or ecâ—l go p. 11â— 116 117 118 c. and not onely by the Apostles but continued by their successours 300. years after as Fulk saith before ever there were any Christian Emperours and long time after even as long at any purity continued in Religion untill both Emperours and Synods were both thrust out of all lawfull authority which they ought to have in the Church by the tyranny of Antichrist So that you see this ordinance is appointed of God for this end but yet let me adde It is not an ordinary but an extraordinary means a means to be used in want of skill or want of power in particular Churches I conceive it is not to be used as diet but at physick God hath set up other ordinary means which hath been effectuall but this is a means when ordinary means proves too weak and insufficient * Ruâ—herf due Right p. 306 307 Synodicall Churches are not ordinary but occasionall A Synod is not the prime proximate means which God hath appointed but a secondary remote and ultimate means to be used and in case the other is insufficient You see here in Act. 15.2 that the Church of Antioch did not presently run to a Synod with this controversie but first they laboured to their utmost to take up conclude and determine this controversie among themselves it is said Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them about it And for other means besides disputation viz. censure it is probable they wanted either sufficient light or power in the Church in respect of the adverse party to proceed to censure when therefore they had used what means they could and had found that means used insufficient to settle the brethren and to stop the mouths of the false teachers then they determined to send Paul and Barnabas and others to Jerusalem about this matter So that you see It was not the prime proximate and immediate means but a secondary remote and ultimate means which they used upon the deficiency of other And that caution I shall only annex to it it is a means and a means ordain'd of God but to be used when other means are unavailable M. Cotton p. 23. Some of our brethren lay down three grounds of Synods 1. In case a particular Church wanteth light or peace at home 2. In case any Church lie under scandall through corruption in doctrine and practice and will not be healed by more private means as one brother being offended with another and not able to heal him by the mouth of two or three brethren privately it behoveth him to carry it to the whole Church so by proportion if one Church see matter of offence in another and be not able to heal it in a more private way it will behove them to procure the Assembly of many Churches that the offence may be heard judged removed in a more publike way 3. It may fall out the state of all the Churches in a countrey may be corrupted and beginning to discern their corruption may desire the concourse and counsell of one another for a speedy and safe and generall Reformation Thus farre that learned authour By all which it is granted The use and necessity of Synods as an ordinance of God to suppresse errour and reduce erroneous persons Now we are to shew you Thirdly That this means hath been blessed of God with power and efficacy for these ends And you see the truth of this in that first great Apostolike Synod and Councell Act. 15. There was an errour broached the Question and cause referred and by common consent and decree Reynolds conf with Hart. c 6. d 2 p. 206. saith Reynolds the controversie was ended the truth of doctrine established errour condemned the false teachers branded and the souls of the believers established and peace maintained in the Churches as is evident Act. 16.4.5 And as they went thorow the Cities they delivered them the decrees of the Apostles and Elders and so were the Churches established in the faith and increased in number daily After which example the Churches which succeeded made the like Assemblies upon the like occasions and by this chiefly of judgement as he calls it healed breaches suppressed errours removed scandals and extirpated heresies out of the Churches The Primitive times of the Church were blessed with such conventions and found Gods blessing in them Whit. cont 3 q. 5 p. â—1â— The Arian heresie that strook agianst the Deity of Christ was convinced and condemned by the first great Councell of Nice The heresie of Nestorius that made two persons in Christ was overthrown by the Ephesine Councell The heresie of Macedonius that denied the Divinity of the holy Ghost was suppressed by the Councel of Constantinople The heresie of Eutiches which affirmed but one nature in Christ the Councel of Chalcedon was famous for the extirpation of that And besides these many other might be named Euseb eccl Hâ—st l. 6. c. 42 l. 5. c. â—4 l. 7. c. 26 281 Mâ—g Cent. 3. l. 7. Col. 161. Cent 3. c. 9. de Syn Col. 192 193. Park 3.9 330. Nullum n c melius nec certius remedium Calâ— Eusebius records how the errour of Montanus was judged and condemned by many Synods in Asia l. 6. c. 42. Besides which there are the examples of many others as will be seen if any doe please to peruse the places cited in the margin And indeed it was the ordinary way when any difficulty or any heresies did arise presently the Churches would runne into a Synod as finding there the best strength and remedy to oppose them judging themselves best able in consociation to oppose those rising opinions and heresies
but he doth this by the key of knowledge the power of order not the power of jurisdiction And though our Brethren doe not allow the power of jurisdiction in a Synod yet some of them grant an authoritative power not only differing from the former gradually as a greater power to advise differs from a lesser but specifically and in nature different from the other indeed their brethren grant not so much in this kinde they say the power of a Synod differs from the power of Congregations only gradually and extensively not essentially and specifically And could that specificall difference of power be fully made out certainly it would be a good medium to our reconciliation in this point of difference 3. A Synod hath power not only to declare and counsel but to admonish and rebuke an erring Church if one brother may admonish another and if he will not hear him he may tell it to two or three and if he will not hear two or three he may tell it to the Church then by the same proportion if one sister Church will not hear another admonishing her from her errour or scandall she may tell it to more if yet they will not hear they may go and complain of it to a Synod or Church of Churches That Scripture which bids me to admonish and rebuke an erring brother doth warrant by way of proportion one Church much more a Church of Churches to admonish and rebuke one erring Church And in this also wee agree 4. A Synod hath power to promulge and publish their errours to other Churches I say a Synod having first examined and debated any opinion or doctrine by the Word and found it to be erroneous they may promulge and publish those doctrines as they have found them thus you see they did in that great convention in Act. 15. having examined and debated that opinion of theirs Act. 15 â—4 and upon debate had concluded it to be eroneous they sent their letters to the Churches of Antioch Syria Cilicia wherein they published the errour and danger of those doctrines to them as you see vers 24. charging them to be destructive and subversive to their souls where by the way let me tell you though the resolution of this Question was the end of this Convention For Paul and Barnabas was sent from the Church of Antioch unto Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning this Question vers 2. ver 2. And the Apostles and Elders came together to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 6. ver 6. of this matter yet I conceive it was not the adequate end if it had been the totall and adequate end of this meeting in a meer doctrinall way to resolve the Question then had Peter vers 10 11. made a clear issue of the Question when he said we are saved by the grace of God both Jews and Gentiles And it was to tempt God to lay the yoke of the Law of Moses upon the brethren here was a full determination of the Question And if the resolving of this Question had been the adequate end of this Synod why is there more done why doe they censure and brand the false teachers for subverters and liars Why doe they publish and promulge this to other Churches send binding decrees to be observed by all the Churches of the Gentiles All this shews that though the resolving of the Question was the end of their meeting yet was it not the full and adequate end of it nor did the Church of Antioch send to them meerly for the help of their Councel in the dogmaticall determining of the Question in doubt but for the assistance of their authority in strengthning those determinations and healing those present ruptures and divisions among them The determinations of Paul for the dogmaticall part might have been as valid as the sentence of them all he was an Apostle as well as they or if his Apostleship were more questionable among the Gentiles by reason he had not gone in and out with Christ in his life as the other did yet the sentence of the other Apostles at Jerusalem might have been valid enough to have setled the controversie for the doctrinall part and if no more had been required why are Elders joyned with them in the determination they could contribute nothing to strengthen the doctrinall part the sentence of the Apostles was strong enough without them and therefore there was some further end of this Convention then meerly Counsel the setling and determination of the Question which might be the joynt authority of a Synod not only to make decrees but to binde those decrees upon the Churches And so not only to discover doctrinally to declare those opinions obtruded to be errours but also to publish and promulge them as errours to the Churches that they might avoid them And thus it was the practice of the Primitive times in their Conventions after they had censured and condemned errours they writ letters to the Churches which were called literae communicatoriae or Communicatory letters wherein they let them know that such opinions were censured and condemned for false and erroneous opinions and that 's another branch of the power of a Synod toward erring Churches 5. A Synod hath power to send to other Churches to beware of such a society I say upon the publishing and declaring of the danger of their erroneous opinions to other Churches they may caution other Churches to take heed and beware of them if the Pastour of one particular Church may Caution his people to beware of such and such errours as doe arise among them much more may many Pastours and Elders in consociation doe the same to many Congregations And this was another ground of these Communicatory Letters in the Primitive times after they had published their errours to other Churches they did also by these Letters caution them and warn them to take heed of them Thus Alexandâ—r Bishop of Alexandria Theod. l. 1. c 3. Chamier l 14 c â— sect 8 9. after Arius his heresie had been sentenced in a Synod he sent to all the Churches of Christ to beware of that dangerous hâ—resie 6. They may declare such Churches unworthy communion with the Churches of Christ I say they may in an authoritative judiciall way in the name and authority of Christ declare these erring Churches are not worthy communion nor to be received into fellowship with any of the Churches of Christ nor to have communion one with another in the Ordinances of Christ nay and yet more they may send to other Churches and charge them as they are the Churches of Christ to withdraw all fellowship and communion from them which certainly if it be not all yet it seems to be proportionable to what is contended for Par in parem non habet potestatem It is a censure and this shews there is authority in Synods for no equall can censure or give out the sentence of non-communion against another
Worthies Champions for God in their generations Shall I take the boldnesse to say That I conceive how ever the Apostles in the penning of Scriptures were assisted and directed with an immediate inspired spirit Yet in this Synodicall Convention they did not proceed by their Apostolicall authority nor had they an extraordinary concurrence or immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God I shall give you these reasons and shall then leave it to your thoughts to judge 1. We read vers 2. That Paul and Barnabas were sent from the Church of Antioch to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem about this Question now Paul as an Apostle and a man immediately inspired did need not to goe to Jerusalem for the assistance of the other Apostles for he was able as an Apostle to have determined the Question himself he knew the whole mysterie of the Gospel Gal. 1.16 17. Gal. 1.16 17. Gal. 2.6 and was inferiour to none therefore he went not as an Apostle but as an ordinary Elder One Apostle as an Apostle might have determined the Question without the help of a Synod 2. The persons here assembled together do declare That they were not directed by an immediate inspired Spirit It is said The Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this Question Now if the Apostles were to act as Apostles what light and assistance could the Elders adde to the Apostles as Apostles But you see the Elders as well as the Apostles met together to consider of the matter and in Act. 21.18 25. Act. 21.18 25. All the Elders of Jerusalem with James take upon themselves these acts and decrees as well as the Apostles and in Act. 16.4 they are called the decrees of the Elders as well as the Apostles but now the Elders of ordinary Churches such as these were here conveened in this Synod could not be collaterall actors with the immediately inspired Apostles as in this Synod they were nay the whole Church say our brethren therefore certainly they did not act as Apostles 3. The manner of the Apostles proceeding in this Councel holds forth to us that they did not act as Apostles nor were immediately inspired because they proceeded by way of communication of Counsels It is said They met together to consider that 's one phrase of speech shews it was not acted by an apostolicall spirit where there are inspirations there is no need of considerations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.7 And it is said there was dispute nay much dispute great and earnest disputation vers 7. When there had been much disputing Peter stood up So that there was much debating to finde out the truth a great dispute And every one delivers his thoughts in order first Peter speaks vers 7 8. then Barnabas and Paul ver 12. and after James ver 13. So that you see here was a great dispute now immediate inspirations are not gathered up by disputes what the Apostles doe as Apostles they doe not by conferring and debating and seeking light one of another but they are directly and immediately inspired of God Indeed the immediate inspired spirit it may discourse and inferre a conclusion from such and such premisses as Paul doth Rom. 4.4 5 6. and Rom. 3.28 But the immediately inspired spirit of God in arguing doth not take the help of disputing one with another things immediately inspired are not gathered up by disputations but by revelations There is no concurrence of man to them they are done without the help of our own reason and without the help of others also 4. If they had been guided by an immediate inspired spirit then should every of them have rested in the sentence of another for the immediate inspired spirit is a like perfect in all his determinations and so Paul should have subscribed to Peters or Peter to Pauls and James to them all and not all to James especially when he doth for ought the phrase imports but set down his own judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 19. I judge and the manner and phrase of speech implies as if it were his private opinion with reverence to what Peter and Paul said to which yet all submitted Now I say if every one were guided by an immediate inspired spirit why should any recede from his own sentence And why should they all submit to the sentence of another seeing they were better able to clear the spirit whereby themselves spake was infallible then the spirit by which another spake 5. If here the Apostles speak by the immediate inspired spirit the Churches had been here left in some doubt which to follow for though one Apostle doth not speak contrary yet they speak divers one to another James speaks of abstaining from bloud and things strangled and things offered to idols which the other Apostles did not speak of and therefore if the other did speak as they were immediately inspired the Churches would have been left in doubt whether to follow what James said or what Paul and Peter said If it be said the occasion of doubt which of them to follow was removed because all of them afterwards agreed to what James said I say 1. Though the occasion of the doubt was thereby removed from them who were willing to be satisfied yet here was a great advantage given to them who would except against these results because the other Apostles who were yet directed say you by the immediate inspired spirit laid no such burthens nor imposed no such commandments of abstinence c. upon the Churches in what they had said and therefore they might say either this ultimate determination was not the minde of the spirit or the spirit was divers from himself in the procedure of these determinations 2. In that they all agree to James it is a plain evidence that they had not spoken by the immediate instinct of the spirit neither had been directed by any extraordinary dictate and assistance of him because they decline if not recede from what themselves had spoken and now as it were upon further and second thoughts do wholly concurre with James 6. And indeed which may be a sixth instance of the thing in proof though that which Peter and Paul said was a truth that the Gentiles should not be pressed to the observation of Moses Law upon necessity of salvation yet they did not so fully speak to the resolution of the Question nor would that they said have satisfied the consciences of the Churches in their present practice if James had seen no further or spake no more in the resolving of the Question then they did For notwithstanding what Peter and Paul said They might have eaten things offered to Idols and blood and things strangled which at that time had been a sinne against the law of nature and a great scandall and offence to the Jews and so notwithstanding this determination the divisions would have been greater the rents wider the scandall more dangerous then before the Jews they should
have gone on in a totall abstinence of all Ceremonies which might have been scandalous to some Gentiles and the Gentiles should have gone on in eating blood meats offered to Idols and things strangled which had been highly scandalous to the Jews which certainly had Paul or Peter acted here as Apostles by vertue of the immediate inspired spirit they could not have overseen nor had they let it passâ— By all which to me it seems clear that the Apostles and Elders in this Convention did not act by vertue of an immediate inspired spirit nor had they any further extraordinary assistance of the spirit Possunt alia legitima concilia similiter asserere decreta sua esse decreâ—a spiritus fancti si huic concilio similia fuerint si eandem regulam servaverint quam in hoc concilio servaverint secuti sunt Apostoti Whâ—t cont 3. q. â— c. 2. p. 610. a but as ordinary Pastours and Elders in this act That this Synod or Convention was led by the holy Ghost is evident by vers 25 28. where it is said It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us But that this was the holy Ghost immediately inspiring the Apostles and Elders upon these grounds alledged I deny But that it was the ordinary concurrence of the spirit such as ordinary Pastours and Elders may have in the truth And thus Whitaker himself notwithstanding all those former passages affirmes saying That other lawfull Councels may in like manner assert their decrees to be the decrees of the holy Ghost if they were like to this Councel and if they did observe the same rule which the Apostles did observe and follow in this Councel meaning the word of truth And indeed if otherwise then either we have no patern for Synods or else all Synods doe act with the same spirit I say either we must with the Papists say That all Synods are infallble or we must say with the Socinians and Arminians we have no patern for Synods at all And thus I have shew'd you that the Apostles and Elders in this Synodicall Convention were not immediately inspired nor had they an extraordinary concurrence of the spirit nor did they act by their Apostolicall spirit but as ordinary Pastours And in this we have the concurrence of some of the Brethren who have written on this subject The Apostles did not in this great Convention determine the matter by Apostolicall authority Cotton Keyes p. 48 49. from immediate revelation but they assembled together with the Elders to consider of the matter ver 6. and a multitude of brethren together with them vers 12 22 23. And after searching out the cause by an ordinary means of disputation vers 7. Peter cleared it by the witnesse of the spirit to his Ministery in Cornelius family Paul and Barnabas by the like effect of their Ministery among the Gentiles James confirmed the same by the testimony of the Prophets wherewith the whole Synod being satisfied they determine of a judiciall sentence in which they censure the false teachers as troublers of the Church subverters of souls They reject the imposition of Circumcision as an insupportable yoke They impose on the Churches none but some necessary observations and them by way of that authority which the Lord had given them vers 28. By all which you see it is fully granted by some of the Brethren themselves That the Apostles in this Convention did not act as Apostles or as men immediately inspired And so much for the first great Objection we come to the second Object 2. But it will be said Though it be granted that a Synod hath power to counsell admonish rebuke an erring Church nay and to publish their errours to other Churches to caution other Churches to beware of them yea and to declare those erring Churches unworthy communion and to charge other Churches to withdraw from them yet notwithstanding all this suppose that an erring Church will yet persist in it's errour and will not be healed and reclaimed hath a Synod no further power to put forth to the gaining of them May not a Synod proceed to further censure viz. the Excommunication of such an erring obstinate Church Answ And here indeed is the great knot of the controversie this is the great dividing point between some of the Brethren on both parts at this time In the perusall of Discourses I finde men various in their thoughts concerning this I will lay down five severall opinions about this Question 1. Some say that no Church or member of any Church is under the jurisdiction of any Church or Church of Churches whatever but that every single Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath full and entire power within it self to administer ordinances dispence censures and independent upon any other or others either for the enjoyment or imployment of this power and when they seek to other Churches it is for assistance and direction not for precepts and injunctions It is not to adde to their authority but to strengthen their ability in the managing of it Park polit eccl l. 3. p. 335. 2. Others say That not only person 's but Churches also are subordinate unto the power and jurisdiction of a Synod or Church of Churches and that a Synod hath not only power to excommunicate erroneous persons but erring Churches also if they will not be reclaimed And this they establish by way of proportion upon Matth. 18. Goe tell the Church of which before and say there is the same reason for the Excommunication of whole Churches as of some persons in them viz. the taking away the scandall the conversion of the sinners and the preserving of other Churches from seduction As two or three persons may scandall and give offence to one Church so may two or three Churches give offence and scandall to many Sister Churches The Apostle implies so much 1 Cor. 10.32 1 Cor. 10.32 where he saith Give no offence neither to the Jew nor to the Gentile nor to the Church of God And if Churches may be offended certainly Churches may offend And therefore without doubt Christ who hath provided remedies for the scandall and offences that may arise among a few in a particular Congregation hath not lâ—ft many Churches and Congregations without some remedy against the scandals and offences of a few Certainly remedies there are And some thinke th s viz. Excommunication and say a Church fals under a two-fold consideration 1. As having communion with it self Pagets power of Classes Synods p. 109. in answâ—â— to D. Ames 2. As having communion with other Churches Though a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self Yet it may be cast out of communion with other Churches of Christ So Paget in answer to D. Ames 3. Some again thinke that a whole Church is not to be excommunicated and yet not upon D. Ames grounds because a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self c. Ames Cas
or exception And we use to say Non distinguendum ubi Scriptura non distinguit we are not to distinguish when the Scripture doth not distinguish and therefore the Scripture not distinguishing of evil doers such persons may well fall under the Category of evil doers And should we restrain this unto evil doers only in a civil sense then the state of the Church in regard of the civil Magâ—strate should be worse under the new Testament then under the old for if then he was to maintain it by his civil power and now he neither doe nor can then it must needs follow the condition of the Church in respâ—ct of the civil Magistrate is worse now under the new Testament then under the old Besides it would be strange that it is the duty of the Magistrate to punish injuries done to the state but not injuries done to God that he is to punish those who destroy mens bodâ—es buâ— not those who destroy mens soules that who ever draws away the people from the obedience of the Magistrate and the laws of the Land must be punished but they who will draw away a people from the truth of the Gospel and from the waies of God as Hymenaeus and Philetus who ovâ—rthew the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.17 18. they must not be censured And therefore seeing the new Testament declares the power of the Magistrate and makes the object of this power evil doing in generall and requires submission in such generall tearms therefore may we conclude that the Lord did leave his people for their subjection to the Magistrate to the light of nature and to the equity of those generall rules in Scripture in former times Other places might be alleadged as 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as to the supremâ— or unto Governours which are sent for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well So in the 2 Tim. 2.1 2. where the Apostle exhorts us to pray for Kings and them in authority and he gives this reason That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty By which is evident that the object of his power is not only things concerning externall peace but such things as concern godlinesse also he is to be the promoter of the one as well as the preserver of the other And this was prophesied of Magistrates under the Gospel Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers And the preservation of the civil peace is not enough to afford such a denomination nor adequate to the appellation or title of nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church under the Gospel And it is said Revel 21.24 of the future times of the Gospel That the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church There will be such a time which declares that they are to be more then meer protectours of their external civil peace Nor will this which is usually alleadged weaken this assertion that if this power do belong to the civil Magistrate as civil then to every civil Magistrate then to Pagan as well as to Christian Magistrates For we say though this power doe belong to Magistracy in generall and to all Magistrates yet all are not fit and ablâ— to exercise it the authority belongs to the Pagan as well as the Christian Magistrate say Divines but in a different sense one hath this power in actu signato the other in actu exercito one hath the right but he wants the ability to exercise it because being ignorant of Christ and the principles of Christian religion and thereby wanting the directive power he cannot use the commanding and executive power And thus much shall serve for answer to the third Quâ—stion I have purposely waved Objections that I might not unnecessarily lengthen out this Discourse knowing this maxime to be true Rectum est index sui obloqui We come to the Quest 4. Whether such a power be needfull to the Church To which I shall give an answer in these few Conclusions Conclus 1. This civil coercive power iâ— not only unnecessary but unlawfull to be exercised in the planting of the Church and bringing men to the faith of Christ Churches are not to be planted by weapons Lactant instit l. 5. c. 10. but by doctrines not by the power of the sword but by the efficacy of the Word not by carnall weapons but by spirituall means The Commission that Christ gave his Apostles for the spreading and planting of the Gospel was only this Goe and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 20. the like in Mark 16.15 And Christ tells us his Kingdome is not of this world for then his servants would fight for him Joh. 18.36 but that was not the way to plant or advance his kingdom Christ hath no need of such carnall weapons for the planting of his Church or the setling him in his kingdome the Apostles had a warfare to fight but the weapons of their warfare were not carnall but spirituall and yet strong to pull down the strongest helds of sin and Satan and to bring every thought in obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10.3 4. They had a sword to weild but that sword was no other but the Word of God the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 Revel 19.15 here were Armies to subdue even Nations to Christ but these were armies of teachers not of souldiers as the Psalmist alludeth Psal 68.11 Externall force is not the way of Christ for the spreading his Gospel and planting of his kingdome It is true here Religio suaderi potest cogi non potest Men may be perswaded into a religion but they can never be compelled All externall acts of power are not able to beget internall acts of faith That is the first Conclus 2. This civil coercive power is not absolutely simply and indispencibly necessary to the being of the Church of Christ upon earth The Church of Christ had being and was perfect in it's being and operations when they wanted the priviledge and comfort of a civil Magistrate The Church of Corinth when the Magistrate was Pagan 1 Cor. 6.1 2 3. was yet a Church sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 4 5 7. had power of Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. 7 13. was a perfect body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. was able to edifie the whole body 1 Cor 14 12 25 26 27. and had power of the seals of the Covenant 1 Cor. 11.20 21. All which shews this power was not absolutely necessary to the being of the Church of Christ Conclus 3. This civil coercive power is not absolutely ne-necessary to the propagating and increasing of the Church and kingdome of Christ And this we see clear 1. Vsque ad Constantini tempora