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cause_n	church_n	civil_a	magistrate_n	2,297	5	8.3227	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49256	Short and plaine animadversions on some passages in Mr. Dels sermon first preached before the Honourable House of Commons on Novemb. 25. 1646. But since printed without their order Setting forth the many dangerous and destructive assertions therein both to church and state, the covenant, and the reformation so much desired. Together, with an answer to an unlicensed pamphlet annext to the sermon, entituled, A reply to Master Loves contradictions. By Christopher Love minister of Anne Aldersgate, London. The second edition. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford. Decemb. 17. 1646.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.	1647 (1647)	Wing L3175; ESTC R220429	46,782	54

in outward dutyes of outward worship and government and to confirme these by civill sanction I shall lay down briefly 1. Because the Magistrate is ordained by God not onely to be a practicer of the law himselfe but to be a protector thereof and to punish the breach thereof in others this not onely the Presbyterians but Master Burton the vindicator of the Independent Churches saith a mans practises if they bee against any of Gods commands of the first or second Table it appertaines to the civill Magistrate to punish who is for that cause called custos utriusque tabulae the keeper of both Tables These bee his very words Now if a Magistrate may protect the law and punish the open breach of the law of the first Table as well as the second what should hinder but hee may enjoyne externall conformity to the law I know not 2. Reason else a Magistrate in a Common-wealth should behold men as an indifferent spectator not caring what Religion they be of whether Papish Pagans Arrians Socinians c. unlesse he hath a power to enjoyn external conformity in outward worship 3. Reason else the holy Princes and Rulers as Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosiah with others who are recorded to be zealous in enjoyning outward conformity and that under a penalty in outward worship should lye under blame for thus doing as doing a worke not belonging to them If Mr. Dels assertion were true that secular power cannot enjoyne outward conformity in dutyes of outward worship But observe good reader how Mr. Dell doth endeavour to hinder the Magistrate to countenance and confirm by law or civill sanction as he cals it the worship and government of Christ and externall conformity thereto by this following passage After this manner the old Prelates reformed who were wont to say in the Kings wee will study out the faith and you shall maintain it and the faith they studied and brought to the Kings the Kings must maintain and * not question but that it was Jure Divino Prithee Reader observe Master Dels reasoning in this place is neither Logicall nor Theologicall this is the force of what he writes The Prelates desired their government to bee confirmed by Kings to be Iure Divino therefore the Assembly for I know not else who he should meane by that tearme which hee useth ironically the sacred Clergy who desire the Parliament to settle their moddell of Church government and confirme it by civill sanction is not Iure Divino If Prelaes intreated Princes to confirme by civill sanction what was not Jure Divino shall the Assembly not Petition the Parliament to confirme what is But the more to cast dirt on that Ecclesiasticall Reformation which the Presbyterians desire of the Parliament to settle he doth reproach it with this scandall that after this manner the old Prelates Reformed p. 5. l. 33. now observe how unjustly this is charged upon them for 1. The Prelates desired the secular power to enjoyn conformity to boundlesse groundlesse burdensome and superstitious ceremonies The Presbyterians desired the removall of them all 2. The Prelates desired the King to injoyn a law to prophane the Sabbath the Presbyterians desire lawes to bee still in force to have it sanctified 3. The Prelates saith Master Dell brought the faith they studied to the King● and Kings must maintaine it and not question it but that it was Jure Divino but the Presbyterians say not so They acknowledge that it belongs to the Magistrate to have his Conscience satisfyed in the truth of that government of the Church which he will set up by his Authoritie 4. The Prelats desired the civill Magistrates to inflict heavier punishments fo● not observing a fruitlesse ceremony then for grosse sins in practice or errours in judgement but the Presbyterians doe not so 5. The Prelates had costly courts to picke the purse and crush the person of him that came under their clutches the Presbyterians desire none such Yea 6. The Prelates desired Princes to settle a government which had no footing in the Word the Presbyterians desire such a government settled as may be most agreeable to the word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches put these 6 particulars together then doe but judge whether Master Dell spake true that the Prelat● of old Reformed after the same manner as the Presbyterians labour for now Mr. Dell having laid down some differences twixt Heart-Reformation and Ecclesiasticall-Reformation he hath this passage Civill Ecclesiasticall Reformation is onely outward and busieth it selfe in reforming the outward man in outward things and is very industrious and elaborate about outward formes and outward orders and outward government and outward confession and outward practice and thinkes if these be but put into some handsomenesse and conformity they have brought about an excellent Reformation though the heart remain sinfull c. and so this Reformation is like that Reformation of the Scribes and Pharisees notorious Hypocrites who made cleane the outside of the cup or platter leaving them all filthy-and unclean within 1. In these words observe he runs into 4 mistakes 1. He joynes Civill and Ecclesiasticall-Reformation together as if one and the same whereas they are clearly distinct as 1 There are distinct officers secular rulers in one Pastors and Teachers in the other 2. There are distinct censures the one may abridge of liberty and life the other only excommunicate from a Church societie but cannot inflict any bodily censure 3. Distinct in their ends Church-Reformation onely ayming at the gaining of our brother to God and preserving the Church from infection and offence State-Reformation reaching onely to the outward practice ayming at the outward peace now though they be thus distinct yet he jumbles them together as if one and the same 2. He condemnes Ecclesiasticall-Reformation because it busieth it selfe in Reforming the outward man when it cannot reform the heart whereas this is rather a commendation to our government that it can doe so much as by Master Dells owne confession to reform the outward man then a discommendation to it that it can doe no more 3. Take notice he is not onely an enemy to our government but to the confession of faith brought in by the revernd Assembly to the Parliament and to shew how he distastes it he thinkes not one place enough in his Sermon to manifest his dislike wherefore I observe hee hath 3 loose flings at the confession of faith as in page 7. l. 16. and page 23. l. 28. and here in this place of which I am mentioning pag. 7. l. 5. 4. He makes tha● Reformation which the godly Presbyterian Ministers and people desire to be no better then the Reformation of the Scribes and Pharisees notorious Hypocrites Though my conscience bears me witnesse and his also could testifie would hee become a judge of righteous thoughts that they of a Presbyterian judgement rest not in outward formes and professions as the

wherefore it made me thinke when hee used those words that something either erroneous as indeed it was or controversall would fall from him else there had beene no need of such a Preamble as that was I will now addresse my selfe to view over those causes or reasons he gives why he will by no meanes grant the Spirituall Church of Christ to be reformed by worldly and Secular power which if hee meanes in this sense that Secular powers cannot Reforme the heart hee might well spare his paines in alleadging reasons all the Congregation was fully satisfied in that without further reasons but certainly something else these causes hee laies downe were intended for to plead for some such thing as this that because the Magistrate cannot reforme the heart therefore hee must not put to his hand to represse the divulging of Hereticall opinions nor punish those persons that doe I cannot discerne at what marke hee should aime at but this I now come to consider of the Causes or Reasons as he layes them downe His first Reason Forcible Reformation is unbeseeming the Gospel for the Gospel is a Gospel of peace not of force and fury Civill Ecclesiasticall Reformation reformes by breathing out threatnings punishments prisons fire and death To strengthen this he quotes many Authors in page 21. Observe 1. If by forcible Reformation he meanes that a Christian Magistrate should not force by fire and sword an heathen people to embrace the faith I shall not contend with him but if he meanes that Magistrates must not among people professing the faith put forth their power to suppresse Heresies and punish the divulgers thereof this is not unbeseeming the Gospel but most consonant unto it For did not Paul in the want of a Christian Magistrate in an extraordinary way doe the Magistrates worke inflict a bodily punishment on Elymas the Sorcerer struck him blinde onely because hee would have seduced Paulus Sergius from the faith Acts 13.8 9 10 11. Now what Paul did extraordinarily the Christian Magistrate may doe ordinarily as an ordinary act of his charge There are a cloud of witnesses that affirme this that it is the Magistrates duty to suppesse errors and punish the spreaders thereof Zanchy saith That almost all Divines in his time were of this minde that Hereticks were to bee punisht with the sword So is Beza likewise who saith Docemus Christianis Magistratibus praecipue dandam operam ut purus ac sincerus Dei cultus vigeat ejusque perturbatores ut res postvlat authoritate sua legitime juadicatos capitali quoque paena si necessitas et sceleris magnitudo postulent coerceant potius quam ecclesia detrimentum capiat The Christian Magistrate saith Beza should use his endeavour that the pure sincere worship of God might flourish and that he should restraine and punish and that with a capitall punishment if need so require all the disturbers thereof rather then the Church should receive any dammage Of the same minde is Bullinger conc. 18. fol. 89. and Aretius in Historia valentini gentilis Danaeus in Ethic. Christi lib. 2. c. 13. fol. 199. So Iunius in defensione 2. de Trinitate adversus Samosatenianos edita Heidelb Ann. 1591. p. 40. now lest it might invalidate what these Orthodox Divines assert as being of a Presbyterian judgement I shall here insert what some of the Independent way doe hold touching the Magistrates power in suppressing Heresies and punishing the promoters thereof Mr. Iohn Goodwin in a booke intituled M. S. to A. S. pag. 50. saith that if the Magistrate avoid this danger that hee smite not the truth of God instead of Heresie and the Worship of God instead of superstition he professeth that for his part when the civill Magistrate shall bee far enough out of this danger of fighting against God in opposing truth instead of Heresie hee hath nothing to say against his fighting with superstion Heresie Schisme as well as corruptions in manners Hee grants what the Presbyterian desire so doth Mr. Burton likewise in his vindication of the Independent Churches pag. 70. you must distinguish betwixt mens consciences and their practice the conscience simply considered is for God but for mans practises if they bee against any of Gods commands of the first or second Table that appertaines to the civill Magistrate to punish who is for this cause called custos utriusque tabulae the keeper of both Tables I shall only instance in one more the glory of their way I mean that man of God Mr. Burroughs who quotes that text in Deut. 13.6 That the Magistrate must not tolerate but may inflict death for Idolatry yea as hee saith lest any should put off this saying this is in the Old Testament he therefore to take this off doth urge Zach. 13.3 He that takes upon him to prophecy to speake lyes in the name of the Lord his father and mother that begat him shall say unto him thou shalt not live and they shall thrust him through when he prophe●●eth And this Text he affirmes to be a prophecy of the times of the Gospel not as if the paren●s should presently run a knife into him but that they should bee the meanes that such an erroneous Idolatrous Prophet or Teacher should bee brought before the Civill Magistrate to receive condigne punishment even to the taking away his life 2. Observe that the many quotations in pag. 21. prove onely that an Heathen people must not bee forc't by fire and sword to embrace the Faith but contradicts not this that a Christian people should not by the Christian Magistrate bee punisht for or restrain'd from the professing of blasphemous opinions or damnable Heresies 3. Observe 't is an unjust charge on Ecclesiasticall Reformation as if that did breath out threatenings punishments prisons death The Church by all its censures can inflict no corporall punishment 't is the sword in the Magistrates hand only must do that thus much in answer to the first cause His second reason he layes downe is That forcible Reformation is unsuitable to Christs Kingdome which if it bee meant in the sense mentioned in my Animadversions on the foregoing Reason 't is no wayes unsuitable to Christs Kingdome but is assented to by Presbyterians and Independents also as consonant to the word Now under this second cause hee hath this groundlesse assertion viz. You may as well goe about to bring the Angels of Heaven under an outward and secular power as the faithfull who being borne of the Spirit are more spirituall then they Serm. p. 22. l. 21. If Mr. Dells assertion should be beleeved that the faithfull are more spirituall then Angels then foure absurdities would follow 1 Civill Lawes must have no more to doe with the faithfull then it hath with Angels who are above the reach of humane laws 2 If more spirituall then Angels then must they have no bodies as Angels have not 3 If more spirituall then Angels then

must they be more free from sin then they are 4 If more spirituall then Angels then men whiles they live here should have a greater degree of grace then Angels have Considering then that the faithfull here on earth are to bee subject to humane Laws which Angels are not seeing they have bodies which Angels have not and have sinne in their natures and imperfection in their graces which the Angels of heaven have not I cannot see reason why Mr. Dell should say That the faithfull and elect were more spirituall then Angels His third Reason by ●orcible Reformation humane Institution is set up I shall bee as briefe in my answer as hee is in this Reason If humane Institution should bee set up by the Civill Magistrate which is not intended by any as a part of Gods worship this would bee unjustifiable but if humane Institutions bee set up circa sacra onely as a prop to Gods worship by their Civill sanction to give protection for the free and publique exercise of the worship of God Against this there can be nothing justly objected His fourth Reason It brings men into blind obedience If Ecclesiasticall Reformation brings men into blinde obedience this is but an accidentall effect the fault lies not in the Reformation but in the ignorance of a mans owne minde or perversnesse of will that will not know or learne His fifth Reason It makes men Hypocrites and not Saints yea saith afterwards pag. 24. lin. 13. This Reformation makes no Saints but all Hypocrites If Church-Reformation confirmed by the Secular Power makes Hypocrites this is but an accidentall effect as the former was the fault is not in the Reformation but in the unsoundnesse of mens hearts This would reflect on the sincere powerfull preaching of the Word as well as the Reformation for by living under it many are moulded into a forme of godlinesse who yet are hypocrites shall the word be therefore blamed Iosiah in that glorious Reformation in Iudah caused all Iudah to stand to the Covenant 2 Chron. ●4 32. yet many of those that did so were but meere hypocrites as they are charged by Ieremiah c. 3.6 10. shal therefore the Covenant he then prest upon the people be ill thought of because many did shew themselves hypocrites after their taking of it His sixth Reason Hee saith it causeth disturbances and tumults in the world In laying downe my answer to this sixth cause I shall suggest these foure particulars 1. That this effect is but accidentall as the two former were disturbance and tumults doe not arise from any thing in Ecclesiasticall Reformation but from the turbulency and violence of mens spirits who plead for a lawlesse liberty and are loath to be restrained by the golden reines of Discipline 2. That disturbances and tumults following a Reformation is no grounded Argument that that Reformation is evill for then this would condemne Jesus Christ himselfe for when hee came from the bosome of his Father to reforme his Church 't is said That hee came not to send peace in the world but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother c. Mat. 10.34 35. Now because these offences and differences doe arise because of Christ dare any lay the blame on him as if hee were the cause thereof 3. Where Presbyteriall Government is in use protected and confirmed by the Civill Magistrate there is most peace union and brotherly love and least divisions and disturbances should I confirme this by quoting any Author of a Presbyterian judgement some would not therefore beleeve it wherefore that holy man of God Mr. Burroughs though hee bee dead yet hee speaketh in a Speech of his at Guildhall on Friday October 6. 1643. hee hath these words That Scotland is certainly a Nation that God doth love a Nation that God doth honour it is a Nation that is united the most firmely under Heaven wee may truly call it a Phiadelthia had wee the like union among us O what great things had wee done before this time So it should seeme in Mr. Burroughs opinion Presbyterian Government was no cause of Disturbance● and Tumults but a bond to union yea Mr. Burroughs was not alone of this minde but the other fou●e Apologists Mr. Goodwin Mr. Nye Mr. Bridge Mr. Simpson acknowledge that Presbyterian Government hath been accompanied with more peace then other formes of Government see the Apologeticall Narration p. 4. Is not Mr. Dels charge then unjust that Ecclesiasticall Reformation which Presbyterians desire to settle doth breed disturbances and tumults in the world 4. Where Errors and Heresies spread are connived at or tolerated for want of Ecclesiasticall Reformation there are likely to be● most disturbances and divisions This generation can give a sighing testimony hereto Spanhemius in a small Tract or Narration of the rise and progresse of the Anabaptists in Germany declares that they occasioned many commotions and the effusion of much blood in those parts of the world what the Division of the times may doe among us who knows These particulars considered Mr. Dell and others of his minde had more ground to lay these brats of Disturbances and Tumults at their owne doores that cry downe an Ecclesiasticall Reformation and cry up a Toleration then father it upon them who desire unity truth and order His seventh Reason Christ useth no such outward force it was foretold of him That he should not strivel nor cry nor lift up his voyce in the streets to call in outward and Secular aide and power 'T is true Christ used not outward power and who saith hee should doe not as I have said before all Presbyterians hold that the Word not the Sword must propagate the Faith but what then did not Christ call for outward aide from the Rulers of the world to preserve the Faith are wee not enjoyned by Christ to pray for Kings that they might protect us in the profession of godlinesse are not Kings nursing Fathers appointed by Christ to take care of his Churches safety Doth not Mr. Dell say as much that the Magistrate should protect us in godlinesse It is worth your notice that hee doth not onely corruptly expound but impudently adde to the Scripture Hee tells you That it was foretold that Christ should neither strive nor cry nor lift-up his voice in the streets to call in for outward and Secular aide and power Hee quotes not the place where this Prophecy is least the Reader should readily turne to it and so discerne his perverting of the sense and adding to the words this phrase To call in for outward and Secular aide which is not in the Text yet hee would make the world beleeve as if it was prophesied of Christ hee should neither strive nor cry nor lift up his voice in the streets to call in for Secular aide that holy Prophecy which hee doth so grosly abuse is

doth openly declare elswhere as if some in this age preacht that the government of the Church which hath power over mens estates bodies and lives belongs not to King nor Parliament but to the Ministers and their Elders Some indeed may preach it as Mr. Dell hath written it upon hear-say and so charge that on the Presbyterians what they never meant unlesse he names the men and proves the words I shall not beleeve that any of a Presbyterian judgement should preach thus read over all the Presbyterian Authors about Ecclesiasticall discipline they unanimously renounce that the government of the Church reaches to mens estates liberty and lives but that censures in those regards belong to the secular powers 3. That because Christ sent out his Disciples without power of swords States or Armies to propagate the Gospel it will not therefore follow that States should not employ their outward power to preserve the gospel in safety from open enemies without the Church and in truth from perverting Heretiques within the Church which is all that Presbyterians desire that Magistrates should doe Reader take notice that Mr. Dell in handling the third generall which was by what meanes Christ brought about this Reformation he gives an Orthodox answer that 't is brought about by the Word and Spirit Serm. p. 14. but yet in the explicating and amplifying of these two meanes hee hath very harsh and unsavoury passages against the morall Law which makes mee suspect him to be tainted with the Antinomian errour I 'll gather up his own words scattered up and downe his booke as in pag. 17. lin. 23. hee saith The word by which the Church is Reformed is not the word of the Law for the Law made nothing perfect but the word of the Gospel this this is the onely-word that workes Reformation by which it seemes to mee hee excludes the Law from being any way instrumentall for the converting and reforming of a sinner Then observe further in pag. 18. lin. 5. hee saith to the same effect That the word whereby Christ Reformes is not the word without us as the word of the Law is but the word within us Then in pag. 19. lin. 3. hee saith That the word of the Gospel is the onely reforming word and if there bee never so much preaching if it bee but legall it will Reforme no body aright Now what he meanes by legall preaching I cannot tell for my part I account that onely to bee legall preathing either to cry up the observation of the ceremoniall Law or to preach justification by the workes of the morall Law besides this I know not what is legall preaching Surely Mr. Dell hath not such cause to taxe the godly Ministers of this Kingdome to be legall Preachers for who goes about to set up the ceremoniall Law for the observation thereof or the morall Law to get justification thereby I know none but if Mr. Dell meanes that to preach the duties of the morall Law or the matter contained in the Law which to mee seemes to bee his sense that this cannot bee instrumentall to reforme the heart in this I am against him and the Scriptures also gain-say him touching this matter When the Levites read the Law and expounded it the people wept very sore Nehem. 8.8 9. A good evidence of the Reformation of some among them besides the preaching of the Prophets was but an expatiating and explicating the duties commanded in the Law of Moses and shall we imagine that none were reformed by that way of preaching besides to what end doth Christ himselfe expound and presse the Law Mat. 5. and the Apostles after him urge the duties of the Law Eph. 6.1 2. Iames 2.8.10 11. If preaching the duties of the morall Law or the matter contained in it could be no wayes instrumentall to reforme the hearts of men I have herein beene too large I shall onely mention one unsavoury passage more about the Law then proceed to what else may be justly excepted against 'T is in page 19. lin. 14. In the Law there was letter without the spirit and so that could doe nothing but in the Gospell the word and the spirit are alwayes joyned together Here hee falls into the Socinian Error againe as if the Spirit did not accompany the Ministery of Moses as if there was in the Law onely the letter without the Spirit whereas indeed the efficacy of the Spirit was as Really operative then as now though not so abundantly Doth not the Scripture assure us that the Spirit did accompany the Ministery of the Prophets and did not Christ by his Spirit preach unto the Old World in the Ministery of Noah How then dares Master Dell affirme that in the law there was letter without the Spirit But then observe he runs into another error that in the Gospell the Word and Spirit are alwayes joyned If this were true then certainly none could perish that heare the Gospel which would be neare of Kin to Origens opinion that all shall bee saved yea by this t is manifest that in the Gospel the Word and Spirit are not alwayes joyned together in that the Gospel becomes a blocke of offence to some and a savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 which could not be if in the Gospel the Word and Spirit were alwayes joyned together Object Yea but I hope you will allow Secular power too may not the spirituall Church of Christ bee reformed with Worldly and Secular power I answer by no meanes and that for these causes So it is printed but it was preacht thus I answer by no meanes and what I say I shall make good out of the Gospel if it offend any wee cannot helpe that the word of God should bee a stone of stumbling and rocke of offence All these words are left out in the printed Copy and what should be the reason thereof Oh that the omission of these words did arise from a suspicion of the invalidity and impertinency of his proofes for what he intends if this did abate his confidence in the Presse from what it was in the Pulpit I should in time hope that he would with Augustine write a booke of Retractations and reclaime his dangerous opinions I am not in despaire as touching this for hee hath turned from Episcopacy to Independency and now for Anarchy and who knows whether he may not turne for Presbytery in the end which is my earnest desire to God for him since I heard and read what opinions he holds There is one thing more I might inquire into What reason Mr. Dell had to use those words as a Prologue to what hee was to say If it offend any we cannot helpe that the Word of God should be a stone of stumbling and rocke of offence If hee intended onely that Magistrates cannot reforme the heart that is Christs worke alone I doe not thinke there was one in the Congregation that would bee or could bee offended at that