exprest in the said Covenant II. That an Army of the Kingdome of Scotland shall be levied forthwith c. Which Treaty is approved by each Parliament respectively and by the Parliament of England 1643. Novem 1. Now what ever power the Parliament of England hath in relation to England to alter make and unmake Lawes as shall seem most fit to the wisdome of the Houses yet they neither have nor can have power against the Law of nature and Nations to alter retract or breake their promise agreement faith and contract made with another Kingdome so that both Kingdomes binde their owne hands that they cannot but command the Covenant to be taken by each Kingdome not by the Representative Kingdome or Parliament onely but by the collective or diffusive body of both Kingdomes in regard that the 〈◊〉 not between the Parliaments onely but between the Kingdomes nor can the Houses thinke it lawfull at that time to offer violence to the consciences of some which some now say is to force them to doe against the present judgement and light of conscience and unlawfull at this time to presse others for this is a Covenant as one faith well that is never to bee forgotten by us nor our posterity And the parties ingaging in this League are three Kingdomes famous for the knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ above all Kingdomes of the world that this Covenant tyes us to defend one another beside the words thereof the former Authour saith God hath wisdome to discover and strength to punish if our hearts he not upright to our brethren in this matter So do the Houses say Our purpose is to consult with godly and learned Divines that so we may not only remove governments by Archbishops but likewise settle such a government as may be most agreeable to Gods holy word most apt to procure and preserve the peace of the Church at home and a happy union with the Church of Scotland and other Reformed Churches abroad and establish the same by Law In the Treaty between the Kingdoms an 1642. the Scottish Army shall grant no tolleration for the Popish Religion The Honourable Houses must intend a quite other thing then pretended liberty when they according as they are obliged by the Treaty of both Kingdomes passe an Ordinance that the Covenant be taken throughout the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales and their names to bee returned to the Houses who shall refuse And an Exhortation is framed by the Assembly for taking the Covenant which was approved by the Houses and Printed by a speciall Ordinance to wit That no faithfull English heart be afraid to joyne with our Brethren of all the three Kingdomes in this solemne League as sometime the men of Israel although under another King did with the men of Judah at the invitation of Hezekiah 2 Chro. 30. And as Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra 10. Neh. 9. drew all the people into a Covenant without any speciall commission from the Persian Monarchs then their Sovereignes so to doe albeit they were not free Subjects but Vassals And the two Kingdoms joyntly declare that not onely Papists and Popish Recusants and Irish Rebels that are actually in Armes against the Parliament shall looke for no favour but be punished as Traytors but also all Newtralists all the ignorant and simple that were seduced or compelled to take Armes all of the Scotish Nation mis-led through private respects all dividers between the King and his Parliament if they would expect pardon and favour should speedily take the Covenant and joyn heartily and really in the defence of this Cause Nor can the examples of Ezra Nehemiah and Hezekiah be good Divinity then and bad now or the plea of not forcing the conscience be then weake but now strong except wee dreame that Parliaments by a Nemothetick power can alter divine truthes which wee are unwilling to beleeve of the Parliament of England Such a tolleration must thwart and crosse the professed sincere intentions of the Honourable Houses for uniformity and the advancement of true Religion out of which there will also undoubtedly result a most firme and stable union between the Kingdomes and contrary to that proposed end of the Covenant and of all our travels for Reformation which the Assembly of Divines testified at the special command of the House of Commons assembled in Parliament to be aimed at by both Kingdomes in this defencive warre in letters sent to the reformed Churches abroad in France Helvetia Geneva Wallacria c. what a letter most contradicent to that might they now write whereas this tolleration must be the sad scandalizing and sorrow of all Reformed Churches in the Christian world the joy and triumph of Papists the mocking and dispising of the wayes of Christ to Heathens within to Atheists round about the sadning of all the godly the condemning of our former wayes as acts of apostacy from God and rebellion and dis-loyalty to our Prince The Houses also declare if his Majesty had not denied his consent to a Bill for an Assembly of Divines they had long since manifested to the world their utter dislike of Brownisme and Anabaptisme As also that it is farre from their desire and intentions to let loose the reines of Discipline and Church Government and to let private persons and particular Congregations take up what forme of worship they please but doe hold it requisite there should be through the whole Realme a conformity to that order which the law injoynes according to the word of God We was invited to bee instruments of a glorious Reformation for a nearer union in Church-government against the common enemy in the Cause of God The Commissioners of England say the Parliament desires a nearer conjunction in forme of Church-government Directory Confession and Catechisme and utter extirpation of Prelacie the most effectuall and ready meanes whereunto is now conceived to be the stricter union and league between the Nations and our assistance of England by an Army It rejoyced the hearts of the Godly in the three Kingdomes when the Houses passed an Ordinance for the directory of publicke worship to be used in all the three Kingdomes and layed aside the booke of Common-prayers and burdensome Ceremonies upon a resolution professed to the world according to the Covenant to reforme Religion according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches which was accordingly approved and ratified in the Parliament of Scotland if wee then turne backe againe from that begunne uniformity what doe wee also but pull downe and destroy what we have builded Especially since uniformity which we sweare to indeavour in our Covenant is cryed downe by Familists and Antinomians and all externall worship and profession of Christ before men as indifferent and all Religion retrinched into onely things of the minde and heart upon a dreame that the written word of God is not our rule
providence God hath made the supreme Magistrate Judge of all murthers yet may this godly Prince and the generality of men be ignorant yea uncapable at least most unfit to judge how a bloody Physitian tooke away the life of such a childe by this vegetable or this herbe or this syrrope to the end his owne sonne might be heire dare we say with this Objecter therefore this providence in appointing such a godly Prince to be â—udge of murther because he is not a skilled Physitian is inconsistent with the wisdome and goodnes of God in the government of the world the like instances I may give in thousands of the like cases in which the Christian Judge may be ignorant And I cannot dissemble but it is a hard question how the Magistrate as a Magistrate doth punish Gospel-hereticks for so all Magistrates even heathen Magistrates who are invincibly ignorant of the Gospel in regard they never heard of the Gospel should be obliged to punish false-teachers and Gospel-hereticks which seems hard for it is a sinne against the Magistraticall duty of an Indian Magistrate not to punish Gospel-hereticks Answ It follows not for nothing follows but it s a sin in an Indian Prince and he sinneth against his Magistraticall office in that he punisheth not an Indian false-teacher who teacheth against the Law of nature because an Indian should not worship the Devill but the Indian Ruler invincibly ignorant of the Gospel sinneth not against his office as a Magistrate because he punisheth not a Gospel-hereticke for he is not obliged to every Magistraticall act as a Magistrate not to those of which he is invincibly and faultlessely ignorant as an Indian husband and Master invincibly ignorant of the Gospel sinnes not against the duty of a husband and head of a family though he teach not wife children and servants the principles of the Gospel which a Christian husband and head of a family is obliged to doe not as a husband and head of a family simply but as such a husband and head as heareth the Gospel and so either heareth and knoweth or may heare these Gospel principles if he were not thereof ignorant through his owne sinfull neglect Object But the Magistrate as the Magistrate punisheth Gospel-heretickes ergo All Magistrates even heathen Magistrates faile against their Magistraticall duty if they punish not Gospel-heretickes and their ignorance cannot excuse them Answ The Antecedent is not simply true every Magistrate as a Magistrate sinneth against his office if he punish not some false teachers if convened before him and convinced But every Magistrate as a Magistrate punisheth not every heretick against the Gospell but onely such a Magistrate as heareth the Gospell punisheth such a Gospell Heretick We say that Magistrates by vertue of their office make lawes for no transporting of monies out of England but you cannot inferre that if Magistrates did this by their Magistraticall power then Magistrates as Magistrates and so all Magistrates of India and all Heathen Magistrates ought to make lawes that no mony bee transported out of England it is no consequent at all for though English Magistrates make such lawes by their Magistraticall power yet they doe this as such Magistrates not as Magistrates thousands such wee may alleadge Object How then doth the Magistrate as the Magistrate serve Christ Mediator in punishing Gospell hereticks and bringing his Kingly honour to the new Jerusalem and casting his Crowne downe at the feete of the Lambe Answ The Magistrate as the Magistrate should wee speake accurately in such an intricate debate doth not serve Christ as Mediator for then all Magistrates Heathen and Indian were oblieged to serve him as the axiome proveth Quod convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Magistrate as such a Magistrate lustred with Christianity punisheth Gospel Hereticks and sinneth against his Magistraticall office if hee doe not so for Christianity spiritualizeth the exercise of maritall paternall Magistraticall power and elevates them above their common nature in Christian Husbands Fathers Magistrates which it cannot do in all husbands as husbands fathers as fathers Magistrates as Magistrates even suppose they be heathens Quod non ni est non operatur Object But why then may not a Christian Magistrate as a Christian if not as a Magistrate be a Vicar of Christ Answ 1. Because Christ as Mediator hath no Vicars nor sub-mediators so the Minister or the Christian Magistrate as the Christian Magistrate cannot be the Vicar of Christ 2 Because the Christian Magistrate as the Christian Magistrate and even lustered with Christianity which is not in every Magistrate yet operatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in externals and onely can as a Christian Magistrate proceed according as the heresie is proved by witnesse or confessed and obstinately maintained by the Heretick and all this is externall and doth but externally and in external means promove the Churches spirituall good and the mediatory Kingdome and it is such a promoving as Christ may wel want though ordinarily he cannot want pastors and teachers Quest But doth not the Mediator Christ as Mediator promove his Mediatory Kingdome in and through the Christian Prince as his instrument subordinate to him as Mediator Answ Not at all for Christ useth the Christian Migistrate as his servant to beat the wolves from the flock but not as King mediator as God-man head of the Church for Christ Mediator as Mediator works not by externall violence or by the sword in his mediatory Kingdome Joh. 16 36. If my Kingdome were of this World mine owne would fight for mee Ergo it is but borrowed accidentall helpe and service that Christ hath in his mediatory Kingdome from Kings he workes not as Mediator by fighting Christ who is Mediator qui est Mediator acteth by beleeving Kings not quâ Mediator as he is Mediator the sword may procure good and peace to the mystical visible body and immunity from spirituall errors But this is a meanes to Christ as Mediator in the by and at some times not such as is the ministery of the word 2 Cor. 10. 5. which is spiritual not carnal though ministers be not sub-mediators yet Christ as Mediator workes and conquers in them and by them But I returne 6 To say the text speakes of evill doers which appertaines to the cognizance of the ordinary Magistrate if it were not as ordinary to the Magistrate to be an understanding Christian as another man is to begge the question for we say false teachers wolves in sheeps skins woorying the flock which may be knowne by their works as a figâ—ree is known from a thistle by its fruit are such evill doers The text and law distinguisheth not and mentioneth no more murtherers then false teachers Therefore the text meanes all evill doers that perâ—urbe humaine societies as spirituall wolves and lyons that devoure the flocke and those that thinke ill in their hearts to all men of sound sense are punishable onely by
ill-doers 1 Pet. 2. 13. and that by a writ under the hand of the Mediator of the new Covenant theeves robbers murtherers adulterers which be innocent if compared with false teachers and grievous wolves may claim the same liberty to the flesh for why should freedome to one sinne and with immunity from the Magistrates sword bee fathered on a charter sealed with Christs blood and not freedome to all sinnes 3. The end of Christs redemption is that we should use our freedome for no licence to the flesh but as bought from bondage to sinne If the conscience be immediately now under the New Testament subject to God onely and free from all Commandments of Ministers Church-Magistrates who are to command according to the word of God and if notwithstanding of that yet the practicall conscience which should be the principall of all the morall actions of a Christian in the duties of the second Table as touching the life chastity goods name and good report of our neighbour must be forced if subject to the lawfull commands of superiours all men may doe to God and men and destroy and kill and steale as well as blaspheme and seduce soules and the Magistrate have nothing to doe with them let Anabaptists deny to pay tithes or to pay souldiers for warres kill innocent men upon the ground of immediate raptures rob and steale because the just shall inherit the earth deny and belye Christ and Religion before men as Familists now teach for Libertines must give a reason why Christ hath freed a speculative conscience as touching all acts of the first Table from the Magistrate and his Jedbrugh-slaves but hath left as innocent a conscience to wit the practicall conscience as concerning the second Table which is as free in the Court of the Almighty under the compulsion and bondage of the sword and haâ—â— not taken in all consciences in the same charter Argument XVI CHrist hath left the consciences of false teachers and hereticks under Ecclesiasticall censures of admonitions rebukes excommunication so as those that hold the doctrine of Balaam and Jezâ—bel and such as call themselves Apostles and are not and grievous wolves must not be suffered Rev. 2. 1 2. v. 13 14. v. 20. Tit. 1. 13. Matth. 18. 15 16 17 18. Act. 20. 28 29 30. and these doe no more act upon the consciences of men by way of teaching but by way of punishment then the sword of the Magistrate doth and they are as compulsory as the sword for this threatning if yet still pervert the right wayes of the Lord and teach false doctrine then must yee be casten out of the Church delivered to Sathan branded and shamed as ravening wolves soxes wasting the stocks and the vineyard this I say doth as much in way of compelling as the weapon of iron and steele yea and in the New Testament hereticks are to be no lesse compelled then under the Old Testament though Libertines most ignorantly talke of compelling of consciences and forcing of men to opinionâ— for we are to reject and avoid the company of heretickes and to put them to shame and reproach not to eat with an Idolater nor to lodge in our houses him that brings another Gospel Tit. 3. 10. Rom. 16. 17. 2 Tim. 3. 5 6 7 8 9. 1. Cor 5. 11. 12. because of the publicke scandalls by which the soules of others are infected and their faith 〈◊〉 What soever maketh the name of God to be â—vill-spokeâ—◠〈◊〉 and all damnable heresies which bring swift 〈◊〉 and by which men make merchandise of soules these we are charged to avoid and these the whole Church should censure and should far more avoid CHAP. XX. The parable of the Wheat and the Tares discussed and cleared NOw for the parable of the Tares and the Wheat Matth. 13. The Author of the Apologie of the Belgicke Arminians saith I deny not but the parable of the Tares is not meant directly of Hereticks The scope of the parable hath nothing to doe with the office of Magistrates in punishing or not punishing hereticks but tendeth to moderate the too forward zeale of the Disciples and of all the godly that are inclined to murmure at providence that suffers wicked men to flourish and live with the godly and that they are not cut off before the day of judgement so doth the godly complaine and stumble at this dispensation Job 21. Jer. 12. 1 2. Psal 73. 1 2 3. c. 1. Christ forbids not simply to plucke up the tares but onely secundum quid in a case when there is danger to plucke up the wheat with the tares as in punishing a multitude or a whole society 2. Christ expounding the Parable passeth that part of it best while ye plucke up the tares yee plucke up the wheat also and that part of the parable that Christ expoundeth not when he expoundeth all the rest must belong nothing to the scope of the parable and we can conclude solidly no controverted point from every limbe joynt or wing of a parable nor was it Christs scope to shew that Magistrates should punish none of the children of the wicked one because of the danger of cutting off the children of the Kingdome with them for the words may beare saith Calvin then that all punishments and censures both Civill and Ecclesiasticke rebukes and excommunication should cease till the end of the world and so also saith Bullinger and the truth is if the danger of erring in taking wheat for tares or punishing the good and innocent in place of the guilty should hinder Rulers to punish such as are hardly knowne to be guilty we should not so much as rebuke one another til the day of judgement for there is danger in sinning if we rebuk an innocent man in liew of a guilty maÌ„ or that the Magistrate kil an innocent man inplace of a Murtherer for the danger in sinning in the least is as good ground of abstaining from a duty as in sining in the greatest and therfore this new poynt of Divinity that the Magistrate should punish no false Prophets or Seducers but let them al grow til the day of judgment for fear that he punish or put to death a faithfull teacher in liew of a false seducer as Luther following some of the fathers teacheth is so farre from being in this text that it is not a truth contained in al the Old or New Testament Yea it is openly false for then should wee not avoyd and turne away from Idolaters and Hereticks contrary to 1 Cor. â— 11. Tit. 3. 10. Rom. 16. 17. But live and converse with them to the end of the world because we may take some to bee Hereticks who are no such thing but sounde in the faith then our selves shew me a warrant for such an untruth that wee are to doe no duties till the day of judgement for feare of sinfull miscarriages in the manner of doing them 3 By the tares Christ
endeavour the extirpation of Schisme and whatsoever shal be found contrary to â—ound doctrine c. be levelled onely against the Congregational men it was not faâ—re to draw them into a Covenant to destroy themselves It s disservice to the State to spoyle the State of so many Godly and brave men and seemes to be but the birth of that challenge against these men to bee the Sanballets and Tobia's of this present worke and is the highest breach of love Answ It is apparent the Congregationall men he meaneth are the Independents who would have their Churches gathered out of true Churches Who will not be called Schismaticks as if ensis and gladius were not one thing then this Author levelled these words against Presbyterians as the Schismaticks for where ever one Church is rent from another true Church one of the two is the Schismatick Church sure but the Author will not have Independents the Schismaticks then was it faire to levell these words in the Covenant against Presbyterians and draw them in a Covenant to destroy both their soule and body 2 The Congregationall men were not drawne but they came to another Kingdome with faire words to draw Presbyterians in a Covenant and said and swore to indeavour uniformity and yet practise this day multiformity of Religions and have put to the saile the blood of many gallant men in Scotland that so they may buy with their lives cursed Liberty of Conscience But will it not be bitternesse in the end 3. The Author hints at a story that fell out in the Assembly of Divines where I was witnesse Mr. Phi. Nye having sworne to endeavour the preservation of Presbyterian government in the Covenant was pleased in the face of the Assembly in the hearing of that renowned Generall of England for the time the Earle of Essex and many other honourable and noble persons to declaime against Presbyteriall government as formidable to States and free Kingdomes as of old some called Jerusalem the rebellious City and the Prelates the same way burdened the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland but Mr. Alexander Henderson a man for piety learning prudency and singular moderation from zeale not from the spirit of gall and wormewood as the Authour slanderously speaketh said they were the words of Tobiah and Sanballet to hinder the worke of Reformation now whether that worthy man spake what hath now come to passe let the godly Divines of the Assembly be judge 4. We know no service to the State done by these men but that they set up with the sword all the blasphemous and hereticall Sects and Religions that Th. Muncer or John of Leydon phancied contrary to the oath of God for they all professed they were for the Covenant many of them did sweare it with what conscience to perfome let Crumwel and others speake God will not be mocked which is such disservice to the State of England as cannot but draw downe from heaven the vengeance of the Lord and the vengeance of his Temple upon the land or was it fair when the Congregationall men did hide their conclusion of liberty of conscience would keepe that intended Idoll in the bottome of their heart and joyne in Covenant with Presbyterians and sweare against multiformity of Religions in words known to be contrary to the sense of those who drew up the Covenant contrary to sense and reason and the same words of the Covenant and now obtrude on us multiformity for uniformity 5. The Authour insinuates as much as not to give them liberty of conscience as a reward of their valorous fighting is disservice to the State But ingenuous workmen speake of their wages before they ingage in the work but to keepe up any word of liberty of conscience untill the worke bee ended and it come to disbanding is no fair bargaining but rather in plaine English either sell to us Law Liberties Religion and give them to us beside our arreares or we must be a perpetuall standing Army to governe England and manage Religion with the sword and to set up all Religions and destroy the Covenant and the Protestant faith and live upon the sweat of other mens browes The Covenant with a faire interpretation may be urged against Presbyterians and for the Congregationall way as well as otherwise The Covenant binds no man nor number of men to State or Church for their parts respectively to any paterne or degree of Reformation conformity or uniformity with other Churches but what shall satisfactorily to them and each of their consciences appeare to be according to the word of God and such a Reformation doe the Congregationall men desire pray preach endeavovr for and after in the pursuance of the Covenant as if there had beene no such outward Covenant obliging them would yee have men driven in droves to the Sacrament still and the pretious and the vile mixed and Idol-shepheards suffered and Bishops Courts and Consistories continued had these beene beaten downe had not we under God as a forlorne hope first given them battell how can ye say we hinder Reformation when we are for a further and purer Reformation your selves being judges you would â—it down on this side Jordan we would advance Siâ— you quiet if you will not helpe us as we helped you Answ When you of the Congregationall way that is of the Church way for none are Churches but you we are excommunicated and all else but your selves did sweare to endeavour the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in doctrine worship discipline and government which to your consciences and all the Reformed Churches is Presbyterian can the Covenant be turned against Presbyterians as well as against you 2. You write and preach that the government Presbyterian is Popish Antichristian more tyrannicall then that of Babel of Aegypt so all your way and particularly Mr. Burton in his conformities deformity and your Independents in the Assembly yet you did sweare to endeavour its preservation and all the Independents in both Houses spake against it as tyrannicall and have voted to clog it with Erastianisme I would beleeve Erastus if he had sworne to endeavour the preservation of it better then your oath I think Pagans would not sweare to endeavour the preservation of any religious way which with tongue pen lawes and sword they endeavour to undoe and extirpate see if distinctions will defend it against the common enemy and whether these words according to the word of God expounded by you will save you from the quarrell and wrath of God for a broken Covenant Passe over the Isles and goe to Turkey to America and see if such a thing as this hath been 2. The Covenant bindes no man saith he to any degree of Reformation but what shall satisfactorily appeare to each mans conscience to be according to the word of God 1. Then the Reformed Religion in Scotland in doctrine worship and government according to the word of
1 Tim. 2. 1 2. 3 explained We are to pray that Magistrates as Magistrates may not only permit but procure to us that we may live in godlinesse Rev. The ten Kings as Kings punish the where and burne her flesh for her Idolatry Extraordinary punishing of hereticks no case of the magistrates neglect argueth that the magistrate ought to punish them This liberty of conscience is not Christian liberty A speculative conscience no more freed from the magistrate then a practicall conscience Ecclesiasticall censures as compulsory as the sword Remonstrantes Apo. 24. fol. 278. Noâ— dâ—â—â—â—teor parabolam hanc de zizaniâ—s de beretici non directe agere The scope of the paâ—â—ble of the tares and the vindication thereof The danger of punishing the innocent in due of the guilty through mistak is no argument that hereticks should not be punished by the Magistrate The Tares are not meant of hereticks but of al the wicked who shall be burnt with unquenchable fire Calvinus in Math. 13. Non quemlibet rigâ—rem cessare subâ—â— Christus sed 〈…〉 The Parable of the Tares and of the Sower most distinct Parables in matter and scope let them grow not exponed by Christ and what it meanâ—â—h What is understood by Tares Heresie may be knowne What is meant by plucking up What is meant by the field what by the Wheat All the tithes of the Parable must be not expounded nor the time exactly searched into when the Tares were first sowne How sins are more hainous under the New Testament how God 〈◊〉 now no lesse sâ—v◠〈◊〉 under the â—aw and a City that will defend and protect a false Prophet against justice is to be dealt with the same wayes as under the Old Testament except that the typâ—calnesse is removed What let them grow imports How we are to beare permissive providences wherein evills of sin fall out Christ must mean by Tares and Wheat persons not doctrines good and ill Minus Celsus Whether false teachers if they repent must be spared or because they may repent Minus Celsus â—o 53. Zizania Trâ—â—ico non nocent sed prosunt Augustin Omnis 〈◊〉 auâ—dco 〈◊〉 ut corrigatur aut ut per eum bonus exâ—erceatur Minâ—â— Celsus de hereticcus â—ocrecudis 24. Remonstrantes Beâ—gâ—ci Apol. c. 24. p. 279. The not burning of the Samaritans doth prove nothing for the immunity of hereticks from the sword How sâ—re wee may compell other Nations or â—eathen to imbrace the true faith Of the Covenants obliging of us to the religious observance thereof Ancient bonds c. 10. sect 3. p. 67. 68. The word of God as it is in every mans conscience no rule of Reformation in the Covenant The â—quivocation of Sectaries in swearing the Covenant Ancient bonds p. 68. The Author of the Antient bonds an ignorant prevoricator in the Covenant Al moral compelâ—ing of hereticks and refuting of falseâ—teachers by the woâ—d 〈◊〉 as unlawfull as câ—â—pâ—lâ—ion â—y the swâ—rd according to the principles of Libertines p. â—6 69. The Magistrate is the magistrate cannot send ministers but 〈◊〉 a complâ—sory way p. 〈…〉 How Independents were insnared by Presbyterians to take the Covenant as the lying Author saith Pag. 70 71. How Independents sware to defend the Presbyterian government with tongâ—â— pen sword cry out at it as Tyrannicall Antichristian and Popish Libertines make conscience not the word of God their rule So Remoâ—strantes in vindiciâ—s Apol. l. 2. c. 6. 135 136. nominem post quam acceptavit decretum this Author post quam acceptaâ—it â—uramentum tenâ—ri illo diutius quam ea â—â—ge quaâ—enus quâ—ndin ipse iâ— co 〈◊〉 sua judica illud esse â—erum How appearing to the conscience makes not the word of God to be the obliging rule but onely as touching the right and due manner of being obliged thereby Returne to the Commiss of the Gen. Assemb of Scotland an 1642. p. 5. Returne of the Parliament of England to the Com. p. â— 6. Anno 1644. The pretended liberty is contrary to the Nationall Covenant Petition to the King inviting him to returne to his Parliam Dâ—â—laration from the Paul 〈◊〉 to the state of Scotland by mr â—ickriâ— 1642. Petition to the King 1643. 〈◊〉 11. Declaration of the Kingdome of Scotland when they came into England in their second expedition to joyne in the cause for Religion and the Covenant Treaty betweene England and Scotland Ordinance of both Houses 1643. Die Lunae 13. Septem Appoved by the Assembly of Divines at Westmin 64 Septem 15. Mr. Phillip Nye his exhortation before he read the Covenant which was taken by the Parliament of England and Assembly aâ—no 1643. Decâ— 25. at Margarets Church mr Nye p. 20. Returne from the Parliament of England to the Commission of the Generall Assembly anno 1642. Ordinance of Lords and Commons an 1643. Feb. 2. Ordinance of Parlam 1643. Feb. 9. The Declaration of both Kingdomes an no. 1643. p. 15. p. 7 8 9 10 Declaration to the Gen. Assembly Aug. 1642. Letters of the Assembly of Divines and commissioners of the Church of Scotland to the Belgik French Helvetian and other reformed Churches an 1644. We indeavour making the word our rule the nearest conformity to the best reformed Churches and uâ—iformity in all the Churches of the three Kingdomes Decla after the battle of Kenton Remon of the Parl. Decla of the Parliament of Scotland â—642 Nov 7 Parliaments Decla given by their Commissio Aug. 1643. Commission papers to the convention of States in Scotland Ord. of Parl. 1644 Jâ—n 3 Salâ—m Spark of glory p. 287. 292. 243 244. Del ser before the house of Commons p. 7 8. 19. 22. Ordin 1645 Octo. 20. Ordina 1645 march 14. And an Ord. 1646 Aug. 28. Ordinance of Parl. 1645 March 14. Ordinance of Parl. 1645. Nov. 9. Propositions of peace sent to the King to Newcastle an 1646 July 15. and now again 1647 Sep. Ordinan 1646 feb 4. Ordinance 1646. Feb. 4. Ordinance 1647. Maâ— 1. Declaration of the House of Commons 1646. April 18. Declaration of both Kingdoms 1643. Returne to the Commiss of the Gen. Assem p. 4. Declaration after the battle at Kenton Declaration of both Kingdomes an 1643 Returne from the Parl. to the privy Councel of Scotland 1643. Confession of faith c. 20. s 4. c. 23. s 4. Mr. Goodwins unsound glosse touching the counsell of Gamaliel Acts 5. Calvin censures both Gamaliel and Iohn Goodwin Commen in Acts 5. 34. Caeterum si quis omnino rite expendat indigna est homine prudente sententia Gamalielis Scio qâ—â—dem a multis haberi pro oraculo sc eos Anabaptistas perpâ—ram judicare vel hinc satis clarè pateâ— quod hoc modo abstinendum esse ab omnibus paenis nec amplius ullum maleficium corrigendum verè quidem dicitur non posse ullis consilus dissolvi quod ex Deo est quod autem ex hominibus minus fiâ—mum esse quam ut consistat sed hinc perperam colligitur cessandum
c. What reason in nature can there be to punish the one and not the other for it may with as good colour of reason be said that all the Lawes in the old Testament for drawing of the sword against Sodomites Adulterers and such like were typicall and temporary and are done away now in Christ for Christ will have these converted in as spirituall a way by the onely power of the word of God as the other and no where in any expresse law in the New Testament doth God command to use the bloody sword against them more then against blasphemers And to remove these grosse sins out of Christian societies by the sword is no lesse a carnall and a bodily afflictive way of dealing with their consciences as to deal so with seducers and it s enough to that negative argument that no where it is expressed as a dutie of the Magistrate under the New Testament to use the sword against false teachers nor does our Saviour or the Apostles rebuke the Magistrate for omitting of their dutie in this Yea Paul 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. when he shewes that some of the Corinthians abused their body with mankinde were theevâ—s drunkards extortioners he no where saith that it was the Magistrates dutie to take away their head for Sodomie which certainly it was and that by the verie law of nature but he was Gods instrument for their conversion by the power of the word ver 11. and 1 Cor. 4. 15. as he laboured to convert the Galdehians who sometimes worshipped dumb Idols and the Ephesians who worshipped the vaine Idol Diana Act. 19. yea nor is there any New Testament law for taking away the life of a murtherer for that of our Saviours Math. 26. 52. all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword except we say it was so a Judiciall law among the Jews as it was a law of nature Gen. 9. before there was a Common wealth erected among the Jews cannot be called a new Testament law to Peter and John and the disciples who were obliged at that same verie time to keepe the passeover and to be subject to all the Jewish laws CHAP. V. Of Fundamentals A Foundation saith Pareus Iren. c. 9 is that which is in the lowest place of the building to beare up that which is built upon it and without which the building cannot stand That then must be the foundation of faith and salvation which is precisely necessary to be believed by all that are saved Alardas Valek gives us four fundamentals facienda vitanda things to be done and eschewed in the Decalogue 2. credenda to be believed in the Creed 3. roganda to be sought from God in prayer 4. â—surpanda things to be practised as the Sacraments How the repenting thiese knew all these I see not yet a taste of some of them ye may see and with the infused life of God he was ready to believe and doe the rest For the first he knew robberie and violence to be damned in the Decalogue we are justly here and repented 2. for the second he believed in Christ as a King the Son of God and a Saviour Christ was accused that he called himself the Sonne of God and a king when the man saith of Christ this man hath done nothing amisse he believes him to be the Sonne of God and the Saviour who had the keyes of paradice at his girdle 3. he prayes to him Lord remember me when thou comes to thy Kingdome 4. for externall worship or Sacraments it is like he knew little yet he confessed Christ a King when his disciples denyed him and fled and the world persecuted him Cycillus Hyerosolymitian reduceth them to two the knowledge of points of faith 2. the doing of good works Had he added according to the new covenant it were good Calvin saith epist 182. I refuse not the Augustine confession Cui pridem volens libens subscripsi sicut eam Author interpretatus est Yet in the 10. article thereof the substantiall bodie and blood of Christ is said to be really present under the spece of bread and wine Ambrose in cap. 9. Lu. negat Christum qui non omnia qua sunt Christi confitetur It is onely thus farre true the that hath sufficient meanes of believing what the word saith may confesse all truths of Christ and doth not denie Christ but as some doe not all the good they may yet have a saving disposition to it though either they through infirmities leave it undone or through want of oportunitie yet believing are saved So these that want means of knowing and confessing all truths yet have the habit of faith to believe them though they never actually confesse them doe not deny Christ Though Irenem l. 1. c. 3. Tertullian de Virginibus velandis Augusti to 10. de Tempore sar 2. and Russiâ—â—â— in the exposition of the Creed say that which is called the Apostles Creed came from the Apostles yet there is no sufficient ground for us to believe the authentick Authoritie of it Conrad worships while he was yet sound de pausis just it necessariis deserendi papatus par 1. dis 1. the 29. saith of these points that are contained in the Apostles Creed some things are simply necessarie for salvation without which faith and repentance cannot be 2. some not so necessarie yet profitable and of themselves saving 3. other things by consequence and by accident are necessarie not of themselves and separate from the fundamentals the Church of Rome erres in the fundamentals in the doctrine of our Saviour and his offices in the doctrine of merit humane satisfactions indulgences the Scriptures the Church In the 2. they erre about baptisme the Lords supper confirmation unction pennance though of themselves they happily deprive not of life eternall yet because the subject about which the matter is versed is most necessary they are pernicious errors These of the third sort touching creation providence mortification though of themselves they might be called errours simple ignorance yet for the dangerous consequences they are pernicious heresies Mr. John Durie in his Theological consultation maketh three sort of necessary points 1. these without the knowledge of which Christ cannot be known in the covenant of grace nor by faith retained which are comprehended in the paction of the covenant 2. saving points which secretly lurk in these necessirie points yet by just and evident consequence may be deduced there from though they be not in the expresse words of the covenant 3. some things that are profitable the expresse knowledge whereof conduceth to the fuller knowledge and faith of these things necessarie yet are not such but Christ may be believed by simple soules and rested on for salvation without such a precise forme of speaking Augusti de Trinit l. 14. c. 1. It is one thing to know what we are to believe another thing how or with what certaintie we
him that knowes the heart not by Judges 7 To say the light and law of nature is the Judges only compasse hee must sayl by and that hee must punish no sinnes but such as are against the law of nature 1. It pulls the booke of the law of God yea the Bible out of the Kings hand that containes greater deepes then the law of nature can reach contrary to the word of God Deut. 17. 18 19 20. Deut. 17. 10. 11 12. For the King as the King should have the booke of the law with him on the throne to be his rule Deut. 17. 18. Josh 1. 8. 2. This rule hinders not but the King and Ruler may judge ill doers so farre as the light and law of nature will goe along with him Yet the Objector will be unwilling the Ruler take away the head of a seducer that should say and teach men with Caligula there is no God Chance made all and rules all we want not such blasphemous impostors as these But sayth the Objector by him that doth evill is not meant the spreading of errors or heresies 1. They had no reason to feare the Magistrate spoken of here Rom. 13. for spreading and publishing the most orthodox truths for they might without any danger at all from the Magistrate here spoken of have taught that the Roman Idols were true Gods They had ten times more cause to be affraid of the power of publishing orthodox truths as that there is but one God and the Roman Gods are dumbe Idols or speaking Devills 2. That doing of evill against which the Magistrate here spoken of IS THE MINISTER OF GOD to execute wrath is opposed to that subjection to higher powers ver 1. And of the same consideration with resisting of powers so sharpely reproved Vers 2. Then by it is only meant the doing of evill which was prohibited by the Roman lawes and edicts and no man resistes the power who lives in an orderly subjection and obedience to all their lawes now the Romans in their lawes never forbad the publishing of errour and heresies in Religion then doing of evill in spreading of heresies can be no resisting of the Roman powers and lawes Againe that doing evil ver 4. Is opposed to doing of good ver 3. Vnto which there is a premise of a reward promised even prayse from the magistrate 〈◊〉 the doing of good for which the Apostle undertakes they shall have prayse from the Roman magistrate was not the preaching and publishing the great and Orthodox truths of Christian Religion yea they were enemies to that good doing Answ All these leane upon a castle beyond the moone to wit that Paul speakes Rom. 13. of no powers but the Roman Magistrate and that hee is to bee obeyed at the onely minister of God and then having layd this most false and vaine ground he cryes out O England England make much of thy Scriptures but take heed of the glosses of thy teachers Which we may retort but this is an impious glosse For though Paul aymed at obedience to Magistrates even to persecuting Nero in things lawfull because some then as Anabaptists now said the Gospell freed Christians from subjection and obedience to lawfull Magistracy But I prove that the Apostle speakes of the Magistrate such as he is by Gods appoyntment and such as hee ought to bee whither hee bee Heathen or Christian and he speakes of a Magistrate in generall Now the Roman Emperor and Senate were not such powers in all their Government Lawes and Edicts as every soule should be subject unto For they made lawes in acts of the second Table and accordingly practised them with violence and unjustice to joyn not only house to house but not being provoked by any wrong Kingdome to Kingdome the Isle of Brittain and all the people of the world and in that every soule I conceive ought to be subject to supperiour powers If the Objector render this sense let every soule on earth be subject to the Roman Emperor Nero for he is the minister of God for thy good that is for the good and peaceable Government of all and every one that hath soules because hee would raise warre and tyrannically subject them all to him We wish England to beware of such glosses 2 Whatever people resisted the Roman Empire and their bloody Emperor Nero and others in all their bloody Edicts against innocent Christians for he is the Magistrate here spoken of sayth the Objector they receive not damnation not doe they resist the ordinance of God 3. The Roman Emperour and Senate in their Laws and Edicts were a terror to good workes not to evill they rewarded those that persecuted and killed Christians and those that shed the blood of innocent people that they might bee tyrannous conquerours of them and made them commanders in warre and hyred them so to doe then the Roman Magistrate as he actually governed and made neither Law◠nor Edicts against spreading of errors and heresies cannot be the Magistrate here spoken of 4. The Objector would be put in minde of the same Answer given to this place and others of the New Testament by the Anabaptists who say there is no warrant in the Old Testament that Christians should bee Magistrates because the use of the sword was then typicall and ceremoniall and this and all places of the New Testament doth command conquered Christians subjection to heathen Magistrates and not to raise Armes against them but warrants not Christians to take on them Magistracie because heathens should not be our patterne but the word of God 5. Most false it is and a begging of the question that evill doing is contracted and hampered in here to subjection to the higher powers that is to the Roman Laws and Edicts onely for it is opposed to the lawfull subjection due to the Parliament of England and to the King of Britaine and to all lawfull powers as well as to Roman Magistrates as is cleare for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God and Paul speaketh of all Magistrates Christian and heathen that are lawfull Magistrates and commandeth subjection to every power Roman and Christian in the Lord. What Are there no powers ordained of God but Roman Magistrates Then may Anabaptists well say wee owe not subjection to Christian Magistrates by this text but onely to the Roman Magistrate who made no Lawes against spreading of heresies and when the Apostle faith Let every soule bee subject to superiour powers shall every soule by this text be subject to none but the Roman Magistrate I am sure the Reformed Churches and all our Writers argue that as many as have soules Popes Prelates and Roman Clergy ought to be subject by this text to the good lawes of the Christian Emperours and that all men none excepted neither Clergy as they call them nor others but are obliged by this Scripture and 1 Pet. 2. and Tit. 3. to give obedience
understands all the children of the devil ver 38. and those are the tares gathered and burnt in the fire ver 40. all things that offend and they which doe iniquity ver 41. That shall be casten into a furnace of fire where there shal be wailing and gnashing of teeth 42. and they are such as are opposed to the righteous who shall shine 〈◊〉 the sunne in the Kingdom of their Father Now 1. The righteous that shall shine in heaven are not the sonnd in the faith only opposed to hereticks except we say none shall be casten in the furnace but hereticks 2. Hereticks are innocent men say Libertines and not doers of iniquity as the â—ares are called v. 41. 3. Nor are hereticks the only children of the devill ver 38. And the ill seede sowne by the envious man and the onely seede of Sathan if the field bee the Church if wee would beleeve Libertines as it is not but exponed by one Saviour to be the world ver 38. Yet the false teachers would be but the least part of the visible Church in comparison of the ignorants the Atheists the murtherers adulterers and so not able to come up to compleate the visible Church as a company of good and bad that is of hereticks and true teachers for these would not make the quarter of the Church yet Christ makes all the Church of wheate and tares 4 Since the tares are all that worke iniquity it shall follow that the Magistrate by expresse command of God is to suffer all the children of the wicked one and all that worke iniquity all adulterers sorcerers paricides murtherers perjured persons traytors robbers theeves and all evill doers punishable by the Magistrate for sure all these as wel as hereticks are such as offend and work in iniquity in this Kingdom to grow and live till the end of the world then sure the Magistrate may goe hunt Goats and hang up his sword 5 If we sift every graine of the text we must say that the Magistrate makes a doubt Lord shall I draw the sword against bloody men and traytors And the Pastors and Church shal we cast out the leaven that leaveneth the whole lumpe and how carnall must they imagine the Lord to be who first went on a way of forcing the consciences of men and converting men by the bloody sword rooted out wheate tares in the old Testament and now is become a little more just and meek and will have the consciences of none to bee forced but all to grow to harvest Whereas the Rulers and Pastors make no such question but the godly wonder at a providence in God not in Magistrates that good and il should grow together But God rebukes mens carnall â—eale that murmure at his longanimity that he throwes not all the wicked in hell fire long before the harvest and burns not chaffe ere ever it grow to blade and makes not harvest ere summer be well begun 6 The danger that Libertines phancy to be in killing Hereticks is the taking them away being elect before they be converted which is as strong against divine providence that appoints the Magistrate to kill the murtherer without respect of persons not considering whether he be converted yeâ— or not to doe justice is the Magistrates duty election and reprobation are secrets that belong to the Lord. Nor doth Minâ—â— Celsus promoâ—â— their cause by saying the tares must signifie false doctrine as in the fâ—rmer parable an which this depends the seed is the word of God and Christ was sent in preach the Gospell Heb. 1. 1. to tell us all things John 4. 2â— a guide and leader of the people the councellor Esay 9. 6. in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. Christ was no law-giver and when he speaketh of the conversations of men and their manners that is not from his cheif office which is to be a Prophet then ill seed must be bad doctrine Answ Reduce this to an argument and it shall runne madde 1. What the seed signifies in the former parable that it signifies here I deny the proposition the scopes of the parable are different In the former the ground is the heart of men but here the Ground is the World 2. In the former Christ expones the seede to be the Word Here hee expones it to bee the children of the Kingdome and of the wicked one 3. In the former there are not two seedes good and ill and two births but rather foure the wayside-men the thorny-men the rocky-men the good and fruiteful-hearers and here there be but two seeds the seed of wheate and of tares 4. The scope of the former is to show who heare fruitfully the Gospel who not this hath no such scope but to compose our rashnesse in quarrelling with God that he suffers the wicked to have the benefit of the soyle hedge sunne raine dew with the godly and to live untill harvest 2 He saith that which was Christs principall worke the preaching of the word of the Kingdome that must be meant here by the seed and wheate It is a false proposition and a connexion of hay and sand 2. Christ came to save the lost to give his life a ransome for many Ergo by this argument the good seed should hold forth the redeemed of God 2. The assumption is false to wit that Christ came to be a King yea and as principally to be a Priest to offer himself for the sinnes of the world to give his life for his sheep and goates must rather be meant by Wheat and Tares then any other thing 3 By this argument Christ should propons no Parables but all must aime at good seed and doctrine what say we then of the parable of the five Talents The theefe in the night Of the letting out of the Vineyard to those that killed the servâ—â—ts and the heire and brought forth ill fruite And many other parables respecting our Christian conversation and sober and vigilant walking rather then the doctrine of the Gospell though that bee the rule of all Christian walking And saith he by our sense if the tares signifie all wicked men then must all robbers and murtherers escape the bands of the Magistrate for the Lord bids let them grow till the harvest Answ Then must no blasphemer not a Julian nor any that should teach there is no God â—ee rooted out of the Church and State for we say pulling up is not necessary to be meant precizely of killing but rather of any punishing 2 That Let them grow till the Harvest say we is neither a charge nor a command given to Magistrate or Church touching censures to bee inflicted by men For Christ expones no where let them grow to any such meaning Libertines yeeld that sense and Calvin undeniably inferres by this all censures of Magistrate or Pastors are cut off and casten over till the day of judgement both the word in rebuking or
excommunicating and so Ecclesiasticall plucking up and the sword must go and sleepe but the sense of let them grow is Why doe ye quarrell at the wisdome and providence of the Lord of the field that he suffers the children of the devill to flourish and whereas the servants say 28. wilt thou then that we go and â—ather them up It is a parable and this part not being exponed can yeeld no new doctrine and the most can be is Lord give us a providence of our owne and a power not to leave one son of that wicked one in the earth we shal make a clean field to our Lord rather then suffer them thus to suffocate and corrupt the wheat The Lords answer is I have ordained rather then such a providence be committed to you that the â—ares should grow till harvest though the Lord have appointed a way how to purge leaven out of the Church 1 Cor. 5. 1. Mat. 1â— 15 16. and how evill doers shal be â—ut off Rom. 13. though not in so strict and accurate a way as we dreame who would not have one thistle in our Lords field Yea would not suffer one sin to be in the world as wee dreame if we could hinder it though God seeth a permitting providence to be more glorious But saith Celsus if the Lord understand by tares thefts adulteries robberies extortion he would not have used the metaphor of tares but of briars thornes nettles hemlocks or the like thâ—â— are easily discerned from wheat whereas tares are like wheat Answ Wee will not take on us to teach our Saviour to speake we answer The Lord understands whatever wickednesse cannot be punished without â—â—rt to the godly and that hereticks and Idolaters may be knowne by ordinary Christians as well as robbers and theeves by Magistrates the Holy Ghost teacheth when he hiddeth us not eat with them but reject and avoid them and judge them accursed Gal. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 11. and forbiddeth us to receive them into our house Tit. 3. 10. 2 Joâ— 10. Now if they cannot bee discerned he should bid us eat converse with them lodge them blesse them till the harvest come and also theeves and robbers are as undiscernable under the notion of theeves so are murtherers adulterers plotters of treason for all these have such shifts and coverings that it is hard for the Judge to plucke them up and as hard in the matter of fact and more then to know who are heretickes now heresie is knowne to be a worke of the flesh no lesse then witchcraft but to finde out who is the hereticke and what is heresie the Holy Ghost supposeth it to be feazeable else he could not bid us avoid them and judge them accursed but by this exposition because there is danger that we judge them accursed whom God hath blessed private Christians should no more judge them cursed theâ— publicke Magistrates but both should lodge them in their hearts in the state in their houses blesse them till the harvest Yea and Minus Celsus and other Libertines speake against the Holy Ghost so why shall ye judge a false teacher and a hereticke to be accursed should you reject and avoid him and deny him lodging for he is not a thiefe a robber or a murtherer nor sinnes he against the light of nature nor is he seduced by Sathan but to be pitied yea he is innocent and godly and so pious that ere he sinne against the word and his owne conscience he had rather be forsaken cast out of our houses and so not to be rebuked contrary to Tit. â— 13. Celsus by plucking up must be meant killing as an her be withers when plucked up by the roots but when one is excommunicated bee dyes not Answ Plucking up is a metaphor and when an hereticke is pulled out of the gates and courts of the Lords house the Church of God and casten out of the society of the godly and cursed by them Gal. 1. 8. and they pray against him and in faith avoid him and â—â—l fellowship with him hee must Ecclesiastically dye and wither if Gods ordinance be not blessed to recover him and plucking up is as well a removing of him out of that condition and place as any other thing By the field Christ understands the world Celsus saith the whole is put for the part the world in which that seed of the word of the Gospel is sowne and that is the Church for the Gospel is but heard in a small part of the world But when did Christ sow the good seed of the Gospel first happily when Christ himselfe first preached the Gospel or rather when the old impostor Sathan first deceâ—â—ed our first parents but if so then the Serpent did not immediately after â—ow tares for they were long agoe sowne and the â—eed was then growne into range growing corne and there was no need of his â—owing but of his further manuring of it but this seed is sowne with every new act of preaching of the Gospel so this parable cannot agree to the parable of the draw-net in which there be both good and ill fish now good and ill fish had their first breeding in the water since the beginning not agreeth it for the same cause with the parable of wheat and chaâ—â—e which hath ever been in the world whereas the tares are sowne upon a new occasion of preaching the Gospel Answ There be nothing here but vain and forced conjectures Christ expounds the wheat of the children of the Kingdome Celsus of the doctrine of the Gospel Christ makes the field the world Celsus makes the field the Church and when he hath fancied these dreames contrary to Christs exposition he goes to the time when the Gospel was first preached which hath nothing to doe with the text for when God made men good Sathan came and sowed tares and corrupted men and turned them into Apostates from God And ever since the beginning in the world there hath been a mixture of chaâ—â—e and corne fishes good and bad and of the children of God and children of Sathan and the Saints must let both grow till harvest that is they must not stumble nor murmure at God but submit to his wisdome who will have this mixture till the last separation of men for heaven and the barne of the great husbandman for hell and the furnace in which all things that offend are casten 2. For the time of sowing wheat and tares it hath beene from the beginning since there was a field that is a world and the parable that speakes of sowing wheat and the envious mans sowing of tares immediately after is but borrowed from men as the sleeping of a husbandman which may as soone prove that he that watcheth over Israel doth both slumber and sleep and that the sowing of tares and of the sonnes of Sathan in the world is as much without the foreknowledge counsell and providence of God as the husbandman is ignorant
had never been made if the erroneous conscience gainsay 6. You did know the discipline of the Church of Scotland debars not all from the Sacrament except known unregenerate persons yee knew their Consistories to be hatefull to the common enemies why then did you swear to defend them against the commmon enemy since both to your conscience and the common enemy they are contrary to the word of God 7. You durst not give the first battle to Bishops Scotland gave it to them when your Grandees were as low as shrubs as feared as Harts 8. You hinder Reformation your Independents wrought with all their power there should be no Assembly and that no old non-conformists such as sound and learned Mr. Ruthband gracious and zealous Mr. Ash and others to bee members thereof and would rather have had Prelaticall Conformists in the Assembly then they You joyne with all the Sectaries who are against Covenant Government Confession of faith and Directory of worship retarded the proceedings of the Assembly we heard often in Scotland you wished Prelacie were gone if ye knew what to put in its place as if no Government known to you could fit England but Prelacy and that of the Reformed Churches were not so good 9. You would goe further on then we and be over Jordan but we had rather sit downe on this side of Jordan as go over with you for ye was not well over when yee set up at the Kings house Idolatrous bowing to Altars and the abjured Masse-booke and Familists Socinians Antinomians Seekers Arrians preaching Souldiers who teach as many Saints as many Christs and Gods manifested in the flesh and when these perverters of the right wayes of God were silenced by a godly Preacher at London they prayed woe with learning it opposeth all the wayes of God and is that a Reformation on the other side of Jordan which sends out Apostles to preach that are as blinde as Moles in the principles of the single Catechisme who know not whether there bee-one God and one Mediator Christ or millions of Gods and Christs yet these are the onely aâ—ointed ones It were good that such a Reformation were over Jordan and millions of miles beyond America CHAP. XXII The pretended Liberty of Conscience is against the Nationall League and Covenant and the Ordinances of the Parliament of England ingaged by Oath for a Reformation of Religion A Midst our greatest feares and the inlarged sorrowes of our heart for the calamitous condition of our dear brethren in England by reason of an unnaturall warre raised by a Prelaticall popish and malignant party tending to the destruction of the Kingdome subversion of Religion Lawes and Liberties we exceedingly rejoyced when the Lord mighty in counsell did lay in Sion the foundation of a hopefull building and stirred up the spirits of the Honourable Houses of Parliament to declare to the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly of the Kirke of Scotland their sense of Church government by Archbishops Bishops c. to be dishonourable to God by arrogating to themselves a preâ—â—minence and power which he had not given justly offensive to the Kingdome a great impediment to the growth of Religion and promising to remove the same desired for the obtaining of aâ— happy union with the Church of Scotland and other Reformed Churches abroad the Generall Assembly to send to the Assembly of Divines at Westminster some godly and learned Divines of that Church whereby an uniformity in forme of Church government might be obtained and tâ—ereby a more easie passage made to the settling of one confession of faith one Liturgie or Directory of publicke worship and one Catechisme in all the three Kingdomes and when for our faith fulnesse to our brethren in sending an Army to England to helpe them the enemy had wasted our land and we were given for lost and filled with the cup of astonishment of waters of gall and wormewood in our greatest midnight darkenesse it was to us the morning dawning of the flourishing condition of the Isle of Britaine when we did reap first fruits of that blessed union of both Kingdomes by that Nationall Covenant with the Lord the most high and of the three Kingdomes amongst themselves never to bee forgotten and when we received the Directory for the publicke worship of God throughout the three Kingdomes passed in Ordinance of Parliament in each Kingdome But now we are stricken with amazement exceedingly when we reape no other fruit of our expence of blood wastation of our Kingdome attendance on this Assembly four years but in stead of the nearest uniformity of the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes in Religion Confession of faith form of Church government Directory for worship and catechising a far more capacious and wide deformity in all these then there was before our taking of the Covenant yea or since Christian Religion came first into this Island When we see a licentious tolleration in one of the three Kingdomes of all formes and wayes of serving God established by Law and no limitation nor bordering provided to hedge in the fleshly and lawlesse exorbitances of men whose apprehensions and phancies of the one onely true God in three distinct persons and of his revealed will in his word are now by nature vaine superstitious Idolatrous blasphemous impure and devilish save onely a poore narrow and dubious circle of some few fundamentalls that may be and are by men of corrupt mindes changed in lyes and blasphemies We therefore the Commissioners of the Kirk of Scotland according to the trust committed to us are necessitated in the name of Jesus Christ the onely King and head of his Church and at the commandement and in the name of the Kirke of Scotland to protest and by these presents doe protest and declare against the said pretended tolleration as followeth 1 Such liberty is inconsistent with and repugnant to the word of God Deut. 13. 1 2 3 to ver 12. Rom. 13. 1 2 3 compared with Phil. 3. 2. 2 Joh. 10. where false teachers are câ—â—â—ed evill doers so Ezra 7. 23 24 25 26 27 28. Neâ—em 13. 15. 17. 21 22. 25. 30. 2 Chron. 34. ver 33 2 Chron. 15. 12 13. 16 17. 2 Kings 23. 5 6. 9. 20 21. Dan. 3. 29. Dan. 6. 26. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Revel 17. 12 16 17. Zach. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Esay 49. 23. Exod. 20. 8 9 10 11. Levit. 20. 2 6. Deut. 17. 2 3 c. Exod. 32. 26 27 28 29. Numb 25. 1 2 3 c. Deut. 28. 18 19 to ver 22. Josh 22. 10 11 c. 2 God severely avengeth and plagueth breach of Covenant either with the Lord himselfe or men We therefore appeale to the righteous Judge of the whole earth whose dreadfull name is ingaged in this Covenant Nor can wee imagine that this Covenant is temporary for we swear to continue in this blessed union all the dayes of our life zealously and constantly Nor hath
oblieging us but an inward law in the mind beyond all ordinances must regulate us now under the Gospell The Honourable Houses in rules and directions for suspending from the Lords supper enumerating most of the fundamentals doe by divers Ordinances evidence they are by law to bee punished who professe or teach contrary to these And in rules for trying of Ministers before they be ordained though thousands now are constant Preachers without any ordination at all the Minister must be one that is able to defend the Orthodox doctrine contained in the Scriptures as the Scripture saith 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 9 10 11. against all unsound and erronious opinions especially those of the present age such as these of Arrians Socinians Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Familists Antinomians Libertines Seekers c. Where the Houses mention the great duty lying on them to settle matters concerning Religion and the worship of Almighty God and have continually before their eyes the Covenant which they have so solemnly taken and in pursuance of the ends of the Covenant have removed the booke of Common-prayer with all its unnecessary and burdensome Ceremonies and have established the directory in the roome thereof and have abolished the Prelaticall hierarchy by Arch-Bishops Bishops and instead thereof have laid the foundation of a Presbyterian Government in every Congregation with subordination to Classical Provinciall and Nationall Assemblies and of them all to the Parliament Both Houses of Parliament and the Parliament of Scotland agree that the Kings Majesty take or at least approve and ratifie the Covenant and that all the Subjects of either Kingdomes sweare it What then shal become of the Covenant shall it not be buried if a law passe it shall be voluntary to men to take it or not to take it The Honourable Houses ordaine That any preaching or writing or maintaining such errours as doe subvert any Articles of the true Protestant Religion shall be excluded from the Lords Supper and in case of refusal to compear before the Eldership or obstinate persisting in the errour shall be imprisoned by the Justice of peace till he submit to order The Houses give thankes to the Commissioners of the Kingdome of Scotland that the Lords of privy Councell do so farre respect the welfare and peace of England that they are pleased to second the desires of the Generall Assembly of that Church for unity in Religion and uniformity in Church-government in his Majesties three Kingdomes We cannot thinke the Honourable Houses would passe an Ordinance for an universall Fast through all the Kingdome to seeke assistance from God to suppresse Heresies and Errours except the whole land be injoyned to take the name of God in vaine if it were not the will and minde of the Houses to detest liberty of conscience especially since in the Ordinance they mention the wonderfull assistance of God since their engagement in the Covenant in which they are to endeavour sincerely really and constantly the Reformation of Religion in doctrine discipline and worship and the extirpation of Popery Superstition Heresie Schisme and Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine And that they are resolved to improve the utmost of their power that nothing be said or done against the truth but for the truth Now by the utmost of their power they must meane their Parliamentary power of the sword committed to them as the Ministers of God for that is their utmost and highest power otherwise all private men are to improve the utmost of their power for the truth In the Ordinance for Reforming of the University of Oxford the Honourable Houses ordaine to punish those that take not the Covenant or oppose the execution of the Ordinances of Parliament concerning the Discipline and Directory The Honourable House of Commons say their true and reall intentions are and endeavours shall be to settle Religion in the purity thereof according to the Covenant Nor can the Parliament loose men from the oath of God nor put any exposition on the Covenant other then the words naturally hold forth nor can any one Parliament obtrude any Law interpretation of the Covenant on the subjects different from the true sense and genuine meaning conceived by the Parliament of the other Kingdome since it is not the Covenant of any one single Kingdome nor can we say without mocking of God and dallying with the oath of God that the Covenant was conceived in any such doubtsome equivocall and two faced sense so as each Kingdome may sweare it according to their owne sense and the one sense for or not against the pretended liberty of conscience the other for it And both Kingdomes esteeme the end of the Warres an abundant reward of all that we can doe or suffer in this cause to settle Religion and we have resolved and decreed never to lay downe Armes untill truth and peace be settled in this Island upon a firme foundation for the present and future generations Then what ever Kingdome shall resyle from the Covenant to a detestable liberty of all pretended truths as they breake with God so must they breake with men seeing the two Kingdomes are mutually and reciprocally ingaged to one another in the meanes and the end and they must looke that the righteous God shall avenge breach of Covenant and such apostacie from his truth with the saddest and heaviest of judgements that we or our fathers have heard of the rumour whereof shall cause our eares to tingle The Honourable Houses professe an union in doctrine discipline and worship to be a more strong bulwarke against the bloody practises of Papist and deceitfull errors of other Sectaries and more profitable use of the Ministery Other Sectaries can be no other then such as swarme and abound in the Army and Kingdome And this diversity of Religions by tolleration utterly weakens yea and dissolveth the blessed union betweene the Kingdomes For the Houses say Religion cannot be altered in the one Kingdome without the other and the Lord would not have put it in the hearts of both Kingdomes if he had beene minded to destroy us They acknowledge that Religion is the band and foundation of the safety and happinesse of both Kingdomes When therefore God suffers it to enter into our hearts to breake our Covenant with God and our Brethren the Lord hath a minde to disquiet the inhabitants of England so as the fierce anger of the Lord and his jealousie must smoake against them as fire The Reverend Assembly of Divines give their sense of this pretended liberty to be against the will and minde of God in his word FINIS CHAP. XXIII The place Acts 5. v. 34. to wit the counsell of Gamaliel discussed and found nothing for liberty of Conscience THe most of the strength of Master John Goodwins Argument stands thus Theomachia ser 2. 11. This doctrine or way is either of men or of God saith Gamaliel If it
Testament he shall thrust through the false Prophet that speaketh lies in the Name of the Lord Zach. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Kings as Kings must confer some royall service to the Church over which they are Nurse-fathers But all the power that Kings have is essentially co-active and in order to rewarding or punishing Rom. 13. 3 4. therefore they must confer coactive service Piscator saith well That the Prince is called the keeper of both Tables of the Law by our Divines therefore he is to vindicate Gods glory in both He that hath the keeping of two pits one more horrible and dark another more mild and heartsome for two malefactors a theef and an adulterer he must not cast the theef in such a dark dungeon as the adulterer So if the Magistrate keep both Tables he must not punish according to his own will but according to the rule and prescript of God Nor saith the Author of the Bloody Tenet any thing when he tels us that the Magistrate owes to the true Religion 1. Approbation and reverend esteem 2. Personall submission to the spirituall government Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. 3. Protection to the Subjects whether they be apart or met together To a false Religion he oweth permission not approbation Mat. 13. 30. 2. Protection from violence to their persons and estates Answ All this is very nothing 1. Approbation and submission to truth is no royall power Isaiah giveth a paternall and fatherly power to the King in Church matters when he saith He shall be a nurse-father Now all he gives in these two former points to wit approbation of and submission to truth is no more then any tradesman or son owes to the Church So Isaiah makes the King a father this author makes him a son subject to the Church which subjection I deny not in another consideration but that as a nurse-father he should approve the truth and submit thereunto as all the members of the Church makes him both a father and a son a commander and a humble submissive obeyer in the same considâ—ration which is most contradictorious and uncongruous for he must speak of him as a Ruler or else he saith nothing The third thing which is protection to the true Church is nothing to the purpose for that he owes to them as subjects not as they are serving God in the duties of the first Table for the King by this man can neither command them nor forbid them by his Magisteriall or coactive power to serve God or not to serve him in the duties of the first Table and by the true Church that the King owes protection to the Author meaneth not the Church that is in it self sound and true but the Church that seemeth and appeareth so to the conscience of the Magistrate though most erronious Now this is the Church of Seekers and Anabaptists but suppose the Magistrate or Commander in war be a Familist a grosse Anabaptist the Author will not say That he ought to protect the Church assembled to worship God and to excommunicate and deliver to Satan such as subvert the faith of many and say the Resurrection is already past or that he ought to protect an Assembly of Divines that are for Presbyteriall Government and the truth that Calvin and our Reformers delivered These are to him Antichristian Synagogues or if he owe them protection he ought to offer violence with his sword to Anabaptists such as rose in Germany under John Becold of Leydon that out of meer principles of Religion killed all that were not of their way and to displace imprison and confine Presbiterians So yet in a defensive way the Magistrate must offer violence to the conscience of men who for meer Religious grounds doe labour to scatter and violently to hinder the meetings of the servants of God for how many of the Sectaries of England who are for liberty of conscience have come into Churches in England and stepped up to the Pulpit and hindered the Minister the discharge of his conscience to the flock and offered violence to the meeting of the true Church now it is not enough to say the Minister was but an Antichristian service-bookman and it was no true Church whose service such Sectaries interrupted but giving and not granting it were so yet are Libertines not to offer violence to the conscience of any Church true or false if they be true to their own principles but this Author being an Anabaptist and a Seeker will say neither warres nor such violence are lawfull but if so the Magistrate then cannot with the sword protect the true Church against the violence of men who upon meer conscience disturbe their Assemblies 2. To Libertines all Churches professing true Religion as all Churches on earth Indians and Mahometanians not excepted do must be true Churches for they are not to judge but that they follow their conscience and so the Magistrate owâ— protection to them though their conscience be most erroneous even for such as they conceive to be true Churches they are not infallibly perswaded they are such and so the Magistrate gives no protection to them as true Churches but only as Subjects which the Author tells the Magistrate he owes to false Churches so the King by this is a Nurse-father by his office and by the places Isai 49. 23. and 60. 10. to bring his glory of protection to the where of Rome if they be his Subjects as well as to the New Jerusalem but sure the King by these places ows father-nursing and Magistratical protection to the true Church not to the false because Isai 49. 23. 1. The place is clearly of such a Church as the Lord can no more forget then a woman cannot have compassion on the fruit of her wombe v. 14 15. 2. Such a Church as is graven on the palmes of Gods hands v. 16. 3. Whose â—â—sters and destroyers shall be removed v. 17. and destroyed vers 18. 4. Which shall be inlarged by the incomming of the Gentiles whose place shall be too narrow for multitude of Sons and daughters begotten by the power of the Gospel though she was a captive removing too and fro v. 19 20 21. 5. A Church that shall lift up a standard to the Gentiles and Nations to take in their Sons and daughters to fight under Christs colours as being baptized to the same faith vers 22. 6 A Church whose spirituall Government Kings and Queens shall obey licking the dust before them v. 23. 7. A people that wait for the Lord and so shall not be ashamed v. 23. Now to say that a false Church shall have all these glorious priviledges needeth no refutation and they must be stupid who teach that Kings are made Nurse-fathers by this Text to Antichrists Kingdom as if the Lord had the Beast and his followers written on the palmes of his hands or that Kings being made Nurse-fathers to the true Church owe nothing to those that wait on the
nor can an English Judge as a Judge judge of transporting of wines out of France or of crying down or up the worth of Monies within Scotland only the judges of France can and ought to judge of the former and that not as Judges simply but as â—â—th Judges of France and only the Judges of Scotland as they are such can judge of crying up or down monies in Scotland and upon the same ground Judges as Judges are not nor ought they as Judges to determine what Gospel truths are praise-worthy in order to civill rewards and what Gospel heresies are punishable for of these they are to determine judicially as such judges as Christian Judges who are hearers of the Gospel Though Christianitie adde nothing to the essence of a judge as a judge yet Christianity addeth something to the being and authoritative power of such a judge a Christian a Scottish an English judge this remaineth then true of a judge What a Judge doth as a Judge that all Judges may do for quod convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but what such a judge doth as such a judge as Christian as Scottish as English that all judges may not nor cannot doe So a Christian husband father master as Christian is to give Christian Counsels and instructions to his wife children servant but it followes not that all husbands all fathers all masters though heathenish and Pagan though they never head of Christ are to give Christian counsells and 〈…〉 to the principles of the Gospel to their wives sons servants So the Christian Prince not as a Prince simply but as a Christian Prince is to confer his royall authority in a politick and co-active way to promote the Mediatory Kingdome of Christ which all judges on earth are not to doe for these Judges only Psal 2. are to kisse the Son who hear the decree published Thou art my Son Psal 2. 6. for a Law never proâ—â—â—gated neither by heart ingraving neither by minister all publication can oblige no man as is cleer Rom. â— 12. Rom. 10 14 15. and 5. 13. Joh. â—5 22. Matth. 11. 2â— 23 24. Yet shall it not follow that the Christian Judge is a sub-mediator under Christ and subordinate as a Vice-gerent to the Mâ—diator for the christian Magistrate does not promote Christs Kingdome as the Minister of Christ or as representing Christs person for the Christian Magistrate is the Minister of God and the Vice-gerent of God now God as the Soveraign Lord hath a co-active power overall the Magistrate Heathen or Christian is his Vicegerent and the Christian Ruler may compell with the Sword all to serve the Son yet the Son as Mediator whose kingdome is not of this world sends not men out to promote his Kingdome with the sword Joh. 18 36 37. Mr. Williams civill peace is pax civitatis the peace of the citie Jer. 29. 7. Pray for the peace of the Citie which peace of the citie or citizens so compacted in a civill way of union may be intire unbroken safe c. notwithstanding so many thousands of Gods people the Jewes â—â—re there in bondage and would neither be constrained to the worship of the City of Babell nor restrained from so much of the worship of the true God as they 〈◊〉 practise as is plain in Shadrach Moshaâ—â— and Abedaego Daniel 3. in Daniel c. 6. who would rather suffer then deâ—ist from true worship or practice falsâ— So the 〈…〉 Papists keep the peace of their Townes and Cities safe and distinct where there is no spirituall and heavenly peace Answ All this is to prove that there may be no breach of Citie peace or civill peace where there are 〈◊〉 of sundry Religions But 1. the mans should remember there is a Christian externall peace which 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 providence can not be kept where there be divers Religions and sundry waies of worshipping Christ we beleeve our Saviour intendeth so much Mat. 10. 34. Thinke not that I am come to send peace 〈◊〉 earth I came not to send peace but the sword v. 35. For. I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against hâ—r mother Luke 21. 16. And ye shall be beâ—r dyed â—oth by your parents brethren kinsfolks and friends and some of you they shall cause to be put to death And what is the quarrell but divers Religions and waies of worship about Christ So Paul exhorteth to Christian peace Ephes 4. 3. Indeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace not because of contrary Religions and many Sectaries called the holy partie that are to bee tolerated in meeknesse and mutuall forbearance But v. 5. Because there is but one Lord one faith one baptisme and but one Religion whether Presbyteriall or Independent and since the Apostles and Christ in the New-Testament so often recommend peace and never once insinuate forbearance in diversitie of Religion and all the Apostles and Apostolike Church had but one Religion toleration of many Religions not being a part of the New Testament liberty where with Christ hath made us free as is the libertie from Ceremonies and righteousness by the Law that the foolish Galathians affected Gal. 5. 1 2 We conclude there is a Law against Toleration of many Religions not any repealing of that Law in the New Testament but divers Religions expressely forbidden as contrary to peace and foretold to fall out as sad judgements Mat. 19. 35. Mat. 24 24 Luke 21. 14. 15 16 17 18. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3 4. 2 Tim. 3. 5 6 7. 8. 2 Joh. 10. Affirmanti incumbit probatio Our Adversaries are obliged to give us precept promise or godly practice why a morall sin forbidden and severely punished in the old Testament should yet remaine a Moral sin in the New Testament and yet not be punishable by men or Churches yea Solomous toleration of the Idolatrous worship 1 Kings 11. provoked the Lord to anger yet his wives consciences should not have been compelled to leave off the worshipping of the Gods of the Moabites Ammonites by this way Rom. 14. 19. Let us follow after the thing that makes for peace saith Paul but Toleration of many Religions is contrary to peace if one of them be the only true way the rest are all false waies the mixture of the two contrary seeds the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman must be against peace and Paul exhorting to union and Christian peace thinks many Religions many Sects and opinions tolerated 1 Cor. 1. 10. to be just contrary to peace Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement Hence he seriously dehorts from Schismes and Sects whereas upon supposition of divers Sects all being godly we should have
of strength that men cannot be perswaded to cast off opinions of God for feare For 1. Some must be saved through feare and pulled out of the fire Jude v. 23. 2. Augustine answered this argument of Donatists feare of Princes Laws 1. compelleth men to come in and hear truth and truth perswadeth Epist 48. ad Vincent Aliâ— dicant nos falsâ—s rumorâ—â—â— terribamâ—r 〈◊〉 quâ—â— falseâ— esse nesciremus si non intraremus nec intrarimus nisi cogereâ—â—er gratias domino qui trepidationem nostram flagello abstulit 2. Fear of Civill laws may draw men out of the societie of bewitching Seducers where they are â—ettered with chaines of lies Epist 50. ad 〈◊〉 Quid de 〈…〉 confitentur quod iam olim volebant esse Cathâ—◠〈…〉 eos habitabant inter quos id quod vâ—â—ebant esse non poteâ—â—â—t per infirmitatem timoris ubi si unum verbâ—m pro Catholica fide diâ—â—rent ipsi domus corum funditus everâ—â—â—entur Quâ—â— est tam â—â—ens qui neget istie 〈◊〉 per â—â—ssa 〈…〉 tanto â—uerentur 〈◊〉 c. 3. Feare of Laws as Augustine saith to the Donatist Vincentius Epist 48. hath daunted wild Hereticks Qui tamen ad hanc sanitatem non 〈◊〉 nisi legum istarum quae tibi displicent vinculis tanquam â—â—netici ligarentur Obj. 4. Artaxerxes gave the people libertie to return to 〈◊〉 own Land assisted them with other favours and enabled 〈◊〉 to execute Laws according to their Nationall state But did God put it in the Kings heart to restrain nations from their Idolatrie to constrain them to ferme the worship build the Temple 〈◊〉 an Altar Answ Ezra 6. 3. Cyrus 〈◊〉 decree Let the house of the Lord be built c. Ezra 7. 23. Artaxerxes in his decree faith Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven let it be diligently done for the God of heaven c. he restrained men from Idolatry and all disobedience to the Law of God ◠〈…〉 whosoever will not doe the Law of thy God 〈…〉 Law of the King Let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or unto banishment or unto confiscation of 〈◊〉 or to imprisonment Ergo This heathen King by the â—ight of nature by a civill Law established the Law of God against Idolaters and false Prophets which is all we crave of Christian Magistrates and for this cause said Ezra Blessed â—e the Lord God of our Fathers who hath put such a thing in the heart of the King to beautifie the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem He interposeth the Kings law to the law of God though the Law of God borrow no obligatory power or dignitie from the King and the Lord need not the sword of flesh yet that it may get externall obedience before men and with the externall man it is the dutie of Artaxerxes and of all kings to adde their law of death banishment or confiscation c. to the Law of God that such as refuse to doe the Law of God and seduce the people of God with lies and false doctrine may be punished it was the defect of dutie in these Kings that they compelled not the people to return Obj. 5. For Jewes and Nations that blaspheme Christ must be put to the Sword according to the Scriptures Exod. 22. 20. Levit 24. 16. Deut. 13. Answ It followes no way two things hinder any to execute these Laws 1. They are not so under us as we have a Magistratical power over them as Magistrates have the sword over ill-doers that are subjected by divine providence to the power 2. They are not convicted of Blasphemie nor instructed in the doctrine of the Gospel as they are convicted by the Law of nature that murther and adulterie deserve punishment Obj. 6. In all the New Testament we find not a prison appointed by Jesus Christ for an Heretick Blasphemer Answ Where are the ten Commandements set down in the New Testament in expresse words of Scripture order or where speaketh Christ or his Apostles of prison sword gallows faggot to witches murtherers parricides yea or of so much as rebuking or excommunicating such by their specified sins in particular more than of blasphemers yet doth he Rom. 13. appoint prison and sword for all ill doers and the same Socinians and Anabaptists object against all Magistracie Obj. 7. The State and Nationall Church of the Jewes sware a Covenant 2 Chron. 15. that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman But may whole Nations or Kingdomes now according to any title expressed by Jesus Christ to that purpose follow that patterne of Israel and put to death all both men and women great and small that according to the rules of the Gospel are not born again penitent humble heavenly patient c. What 1. Hypocrisie brings this 2 What a prophanation of the holy name of God bringeth this 3. What masacring of people by civill wars Answ 1. I confesse the swearing of the Covenant in Israel and in National Churches may hence be proved to differ 1. As touching the externall worship for their seeking of God and ours differed they sought God in circumcision Passeover Sacrifices Feasts Divine Ceremonies but we doe not so 2. They sware the Covenant 2 〈◊〉 15. with blowing of Trumpets Cornets c. We do not so 3. A whole City that maintained a false Prophet against the sword of justice Deut. 13. was destroyed sacked their very cattell and every thing in it accursed Wee are not obliged to deaths and punishments every way thus ceremoniall as they but as for the substance of the service the swearing of an Oath and Religious Covenants being of the law of Nature and the Punishing of Apostates from the doctrine of the Gospell to which they have sworne though the Gospel it selfe be farre above natures law must be from the Law of nature lying on us we must by the same law be tyed as they not to kill all not borne again I hope the antitipe is here of Mr. Williams foregoing not of God no word of Christ saith that Christ chargeth to inflict bodily punishment on men by the sword of the Magistrate because not borne againe Nor do we thinke that by small and great here are meant sucking children who could not sweare a Covenant for the text restricteth the Covenant-breach to such as swear the Covenant and where infants are to be put to the sword by the Magistrate in the Old Testament as it is like Deut. 13. 13 14 15. and 1. Sam. 15. 1. 〈◊〉 they are morally culpable before God but not that wee should mistake that sort of justice noâ— to kill infants under the New Testament for the sin of their parents 2 We thinke Mr. Williams Arguments weake and Anabaptisticall we should not swear such a Covenant 〈◊〉 why It were hipocrisie and a prophaining of Gods
prove that there must bee a God though they be strong enough for the wit of the devill to answer Now for these that are of their owne nature controversall though no truths especially truths revealed and spoken by the God of truth are in themselves controversall or such as can bee opposed yet are there two sorts of truths that are in relation to humane reason controvertable 1. The principles of nature that God is that he is infinit omnipotent just mercifull omniscient c. to be loved served obeyed c. that superiours and parents are to be honoured our neighbour not to bee hurt that wee should doe to others as we would they should doe to us are not of themselves controversall but the practicall conclusions drawne from thence are controversall in regard of our darkenesse as polygamy community of goods all these whether the Saints may rob and spoyle wicked men of their possessions and kill them upon the right and authority of Saintship are of themselves controversall in relation to our nature who acknowledge Scripture to bee the word of God but for supernaturall truths that cannot finde lodging in the sphere or under the shadow of naturall reason such as the doctrine of one God in three persons of the incarnation of two natures in Christ of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ of salvation by beleeving in a crucified Saviour the resurrection of the dead and those that are not knowable but by supernaturall revelation though they be the fundamentalls of the Christian faith yet are they more controversall of themselves then the most part of non-fundamentalls as Joh. Goodwin does rightly observe for nature hath more shadow of reason to cavill and plead against these then any other truths if then no coercive power ought to be used against such as teach errours contrary to the word of God and against fundamentalls because such points are controversall there is farre more warrant to free those from all coercive power who deny all principles of the Christian faith and turne so from the faith that they deny the word of God the bookes of the Old and New Testament to be any thing but phansied fables because they teach things most controversall and so upon the grounds of Libertines one Catholicke toleration is due to all and if any shall turn Jew or Mahometan or Indian or Heathenish in his Religion having been a glistering star in the Firmament of Christianity should pervert the right wayes of the Lord with Elimas the Magistrate hath nothing to doe to punish him though he carry Navies and millions of soules to hell yea nor is he to be rebuked nor declaimed against as a childe of the devill and an enemy to all righteousnesse but with all meeknesse and gentlenesse to be instructed for rebuking of him thus is as unjust since it is not in his power what he thinks or apprehends for truth or what not say Libertines as to command the Sun to shine at midnight CHAP. VII What opinions 〈…〉 BUt are there no far off 〈◊〉 at all to be 〈…〉 not learned men give divers and contrary expositions 〈◊〉 one and the same text of Scripture and hath not the Church suffered errours and erronious 〈◊〉 in godly 〈◊〉 men in all ages even in 〈◊〉 〈…〉 have not implored the sword of the 〈…〉 them though all errours printed and preached hurt the soules of others more or lesse Answ Some errors are about things that God 〈◊〉 indifferent for the time 〈◊〉 opinion and 〈…〉 meateâ— and dayes Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 〈◊〉 in these God gives an indulgence and bidâ— us so long as the date of indifferency in doreth bea with the 〈…〉 1 Cor. 8. you shall not finde that Paul 〈…〉 with the unlimited practise of dayes and meates 〈…〉 and in all cases as for the case of scandall 〈…〉 the practise to the scandalizing of the weake and calleth it soul-murther and here it in like the Church may suffer sinfull ignorances for â—s the Magistrate is not to publish all externals sinnes of infâ—rmity against the second table â—or then humaine societies must be dissolved and 〈…〉 subsist except there be a reciprocall yeâ—lding to the infirmities of men as they are weake and 〈◊〉 as we must not make a man an offender for a word though it bee a hasty and sinful word even in a family where the Lord of the house hath the power of the 〈◊〉 and proportionally in other societies we would heare Solomon saying Eccles 7. 21 Also take not heed to all words that are spoken least thou leave thy servant curse thee So it would appeare that some lower errours that are farre off without the compasse of the ordinary discerning of man and lye at a distance from the 〈…〉 on as fundametals and Gospell promises lye heard the heart of Christ may bee dispensed with as a conjecturâ— what became of the meate that Christ eats after his resurrection when he was now in the state of immortality and some probable opinions that neither better the holder noâ— much promove or hinder the edification of others are not much to be 〈◊〉 save that 〈…〉 is sinfull and happily may bee tollerated or whether the heavens and 〈◊〉 after the day of judgement shall be 〈…〉 and turned to nothing and be no 〈◊〉 or if 〈◊〉 shal be renewed and delivered from vanity and indeed with new 〈◊〉 to stand 〈◊〉 as lasting and eternall 〈…〉 and witnesses of the glory of God 〈…〉 Christs and the redeemed in heaven in 〈…〉 live in glory to be eternall lectures and testimonies of the glory of the Lord Redeemer and Sanctifier of his people 〈…〉 most probable and the Scripture may 〈◊〉 to say much some other side 2 For diverse expositions of one and 〈…〉 Heavens and new Earth when 〈…〉 of the expositions so farre as is revealed â—o the godly and learned who in this life doe but know and prophesie in part doe neither doubt the fundation 〈…〉 truth that is non-fundamentall we think the opinion of both may be tollerated even though the one of them be in it selfe an errour and that upon the ground that Church and Magistrates both are to tollerate not to punish these infirmities against both tables that are the necessary results of sin originall common to all men as men 〈◊〉 about with them a body of sin And the like I say another the like opinions about matters of religion and especially matters of fact as the virginity of Mary for all her life 3 Such opinions and practise â—â—as make an evident schisme in a Church and set up two distinct Churches of different formes of Government and pretending to different institutions of Christ of which the one must by the nature of their principles labour the destruction of the other cannot be tollerated c. for each pretending their fellow Churches to bee of man and so of the devill though they should both make one true invisible Church agreeing in all
fundamentals and many other truths yet sure the whole should be a Kingdome devided against it selfe 〈…〉 destroyeth peace much 〈…〉 the devisions of one and the 〈◊〉 Church of 〈◊〉 though they pretended not to be different Churches for those that said they were of Paul professed they could not be disciples of Peter but he sharpely rebuked them 〈◊〉 man and such as devided Christ and by consequence must say Paul was crucified for them and was their redeemer and so if obstinately they had proceeded 〈◊〉 that separation Paul would have none on to higher censures of the Church farre more could he not endâ—â—e gathering of true Churches out of true Churches which is the professed practise of Independents and yet both sides pretending the spirit of descerning could say the spirit testifies to my soule that Paul is the onely called preacher and the other nay but to my discerning Cephaâ— or Peter is the onely man that I can heare or follow And a third nay not any on earth nor any ministery wil I acknowledge but Jesus Christ whom the heavens must containe till the last day 〈◊〉 my onely onely preacher now if a Jezabel come in and say no ministry is to be heard but Christ and turne away all from hearing the word and not suffer Sergiur 〈◊〉 or any other to hear Paul or any godly minister sure Jezabel should be a perverter of the right wayes of the Lord and so not 〈◊〉 suffered 4 As touching opinions more manifesty erronious aâ— Justine Martyâ— his saving of men 〈◊〉 of they used the light of nature wel though they were ignorant of Christ the Montanisme of Tertullian and his way of damning 〈◊〉 mariage which the very Jesuit Toleâ—uâ— commiteur in Joan. Said he wrote contro fidem Catholicam against the Catholick faith and Augustine his condemning of all in 〈◊〉 dying without Baptisme and Origen his 〈◊〉 at a soâ—â— of purgatory after death the greek fathers their presidence of good works and faith as the causes of predestination their Pelagâ—â—nisme and Semi-pâ—lagianisme touching menâ— freewll beginning and meeting Gods grace especially hard sayings of Chrysostome Gregâ—â— Nyssyâ—â—â— and others and the 〈…〉 Hieronymus nostrum est incipere dei 〈◊〉 〈…〉 extolling of the Bishop if Rome for personall gifts their orations of 〈…〉 to the Martyrs dead without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with that doubtsome condition if there be 〈◊〉 feeling of our affaires in the dead which was the ground worke of invocation of Saints it is a question and to be proved whether the Church and Christian Magistrate when thâ—â— were any should tollerate these for some opinions to truths are as brasse so as we cannot put a stamp of necessity of edification on them and some are peeces of gold and foundation stones so other truths are neare of blood to fundamentalls and pinnings in the wall though not foundations and because the want of them may hurt the 〈◊〉 they must goe as peeces of current silver Onely two or three objections must be removed As 1. Rom. 14. They erred against a Law of God who kept dayes and abstained from meaâ—s conceiâ—ing that the conscience of Gods Law did injoyne such a practises whereas there was no such Law now the Apostle was perswaded there were no creatures uncleane now but to him who through error of conscience believed they were uncleane v. 14. Yea the earth bring the Lords they might eat swines flesh or meats though sacrificed to Idols without conscience of a Law 1 Cor. c. 8. c. 10. yet Paul is so far from censuring such weake ones that he bidâ— receive them as brethren and not trouble them with thorny disputations Answ Paul bids receive them ergo he bids tollerate them all together it follows not he will have them informed that there is no such divine Law that presseth them and so a morall tolleration of not refuting their error is denyed to them 2. He bids receive them in a practice in it selfe for that time indifferent for 1 Cor. 8. 8. Neither if they did eat were they the better nor if they did not eat were they the worse but onely erroneous in the manner because of the twilight and sparklings of the light of the Gospell not fully promulgated to the Jewes Will it follow that the Jewes should be tollerated still and perpetually to circumcise and keepe the Ceremoniall law and to teach others so to doe for Libertines contend for a constant and perpetuall tolleration of all Jewish and sinfull practises Ob. 2. Paul speaking of Ceremonies Ph. 3. 15. saith Let us therefore as many to be perfect be thâ—â— minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you 16. Neverthelesse whereunto we have attained let us walke by the sâ—me rule let us minde the same things Answ This is the onely Magna Charta abused for liberty of conscience which yet crosseth it but favours it now Paul giveth two rules neither of them are for tolleration but against it the one is for the minde within the other for the practice without for the former he willeth all the perfect to minde this that is to endeavour Pauls one thing and to be followers of him v. 17. forgetting that which is behind and pressing toward the marke and if any be otherwise minded in the matter of circumcision if he minde the journey toward the garland God shall cleare his doubts to him there is nothing here for Libertines except we say let all the godly minde to walke toward the garland by practising circumcision as if that were the way and by tollerating of others to practise Jewish Ceremonies and if they be otherwise minded God shall reveale their error but in the meane time we are to suffer them to minde that for the which Paul saith their end is destruction their belly their God and they are dogs and evill doers v. 19. 2. 3. as for the other rule of practise v. 16. If it plead for Libertines the sense must be as far as we have obtained the minde of Christ let us practise that is let us be circumcised and teach and professe and publish to others all the heresies and blasphemies that seeme to us to be true doctrine according to this rule and let us minde the same thing let us contend for the garland and walking according to our conscience our onely rule and practising unlawfull ceremonies and publishing and professing all the heresies we can we minde the same crowne and garland Now except walking according to the rule be restricted to carefull and diligent practising of these things in which we all agree which must exclude a practising or publishing of doctrines controverted and that we should abstain from practising and publishing of opinions in which we agree not nothing can be extorted hence in favour of tolleration Our brethren say Let us gather Churches out of true Churches and separate our selves from true Churches and preach Familisme Antinomianisme Arrianisme and