learned men were faithfull to their light and would not be byassed or corrupted for a world then one would thinke it some wisdom to resigne up our judgement to such and be of their opinion but first it is not a competent judge Christ tels us there is a learning from which truths are concealed and hid he blessed his Father Who hid these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes And secondly learned men are not uninterested men they have corruptions in them and this doth bias them often times to the maintaining of errour and opposing truth and therefore dangerous Nay though there be grace as well as learning yet they are subject to passions they have corruptions in them and how farre those may work in the delivering of truth or opposing errour how farre their fears and hopes their pride may work you know not And therefore though they were learned and holy men yet you are not to resign up your faith and judgements to their opinions 1 Thess 5.21 1 Joh. 1.4 but are to trie all things and prove the spirits whether they be of God or no. And thus much shall serve for the answer to the fifth Question one more and we will conclude the false marks the sixt Question then is this Qu. 6. Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or declare it to be a truth the multitude or the paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it It is you know the great Argument the Papists have and therefore they set it down as one note of the true Church the multitude of professours And though it was opposed against the Papists yet was it an Episcopall argument against the reformed Churches * Mos totius orbis omniuÌ„ teraporum ecclesiarum potior esse debet eo qui est exigui populi parvi temporis Sarar Cons Park de polit eccles l. 2 c. 35 p. 297. 298. etiam l 2 c 6 7. That which hath been the custom of the whole world and of all times of the Churches ought to be more desirable then such a discipline which is maintained by a few and is but of late standing Again It is most just and equall that seeing the number of the reformed are but few they should yeeld unto the other who are many yea and many of them in authority and office in Church and Common-wealth Another speaks yet plainer a AbsurduÌ„ est Deum velle inspirare unum potius quaÌ„ multos Sutâ—l It is absurd to thinke that God should inspire one man rather then many by which expressions of theirs it may seem too evident that though they opposed this argument of the Papists and b In rebus fidem concerneÌ„tibus judicium unius private hominis praeferenaum est Papae toti Concilio si ille moveatur meltoribus rationibus authoritatibus N V. Testam D. White citing Panormitan against the Papists held it forth to be of no weight when they were to deal with them because the Papists might glory most in multitude yet they esteemed it of some weight against the reformed Churches they being farr lesse in number then they were It shews a cause to be weak when they have recourse to such poor weapons and that surely there is not much to maintain it when such arguments as are taken from number and multitude are made use of But to come to the answer of the Question which I conceive will not require much pains The Question is Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or to declare it to be a truth the multitude or paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it I shall answer this in brief 1. If by multitude be meant the greater number of mankinde then it is a certain evidence of errour The greatest number of mankinde lies in darknesse and errour as St John saith 1 Joh. 5.19 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lies in wickednes If you divide the world into four parts you will finde above three parts to be Pagans Heathens Mahometans Idolaters Atheists how few will be the residue Alas they are but a few in the North-east passages that doe professe and acknowledge a Christ and of those how few 2. If by multitude be meant the greatest number of men in the Church who doe adhere to an opinion neither will this be sufficient to discover it a truth And that upon these two grounds 1. Because the greatest number they are ignorant and so are not able to judge of truth and errour blinde men cannot discern of colours they want knowledge to discern of things that differ they are not able to try nor upon triall are they able to determine 2. Because the greatest number they are corrupt and vicious they are for the most part either Atheisticall or prophane or proud and ambitious men or worldlings covetous hypocrites formall professours If you look upon the multitude they adhere to doctrines 1. Either out of ignorant grounds 2. Or out of corrupt ends 1. Out of ignorant grounds viz. because this was the way of their Fathers and they doe traditionally adhere to it or because such men whom thâ—y respect and honour are in that way or because it is commended to them by the learned or prescribed and commanded by authority Indeed it is an easie matter to make any thing of the multitude they are soft wax in regard of their religion and can receive any impression they are fit for any stamp their superiours will put upon them they are but a body and authority is their soul which moves them which way they pleâ—sâ— in point of Religion truth and errour are all one to them It is an easie matter to make them any thing who are indeed nothing It was a heavie charge was cast upon us by our right hand adversaries that England was converted from Popery to Protestanisme by the blast of one trumpet In Q. Maries daies they were Papists and upon her death within an hour after as soon as Qu. Elizabeth was proclaimed here was a Kingdom of Protestants a nation was converted at once Though this charge is not true in all for after her Coronation besides Commissioners sent unto all parts to deface all the monuments of Idolatry Vid. The most grave and modest confuâ—aâ—ion puâ—lâ—shed by Mâ—st Rathbone p. 10. there were Ministers sent about to preach the Word of God viz. Knox Leave Gilby Sampson Whitingham Goodman who in Q. Maries daies had exercised their Ministery in the best reformed Churches beyond the seas who were now sent out to gather the people to the Lord to discover the errours of Popery to reduce men to the knowledge of the truth And upon the meeting of a Parliament those acts which were formerly made in Qu. Maries daies were repealed and the doctrine of truth again with Religion established And it were well to avoid this charge if Ministers were sent thorow the Kingdom at
either this doth fill his spirit with horrour to heare it and so doth awaken him and puts him upon reading praying studying searching or else he is carried away with the streame of the temptation and if not openly yet he â—acitely subscribes to the thing though he speakes not out witnesse the casting off that feare that awe that care he had before And thus Satan comes to Atheist men if he doe not awaken and unatheist you by this he will certainly Atheist you more 2. To discourage and take off the heart of men from doing any thing As it doth weaken the beliefe of truths so it wounds the practise of them much more if men faile in principles they will not long hold out in practise if in rebus credendis things to be beleeved surely in agendis of things to be done Men you know will not labour and take paines for that which they have no beliefe of you shall heare men discouraged and taken off from plaine common duties praying hearing reading why will a man say I see all I doe to no purpose I have done this and that I have prayed gone to Church walked in such and such wayes and now all this is cried downe there are opinions abroad which throw down all these as nothing and therefore as good to sit still and doe nothing as to doe all this and to no purpose 3. It may stand with Satans ends that there should be multitude of erronious opinions I say not only some errors but many should abound that he may the better suite himselfe to the tempers of men every fish is not to be caught with the same bait some with one and some with anâ—ther therfore the cunning Fisherman doth suite his baites to the fishes he angles for So every man is not carried away with the same error some are led aside with one and some with another there is a dissonancy between a man and some errours scelera dissident and therefore Satan he hath multitudes and variety of errours abroad to suit with every mans temper of lust As it is with errours of conversation every one is not carried away with the same lusts that may be lovely to one which is no way pleasing to another the covetous man he will not be prodigall and a spend thrift c. and therefore Satan suites temptations to the temper of spirit in men So it is with errours of judgement every one is not seduced and led aside with the same errour c. and therefore it suits with Satans ends not only to have errours but many errours on foote that he may have a bait for every mans temper provision for every mans lust As the lusts of life are diversified you see the Apostle tells us that wicked men served divers lusts Tit. 3.3 for we our selves were disobedient serving divers lusts they are diversified according to the measure of understanding according to notions received according to tempers of men relations interests and diversity of wayes men are ingaged in Every man is not carried away with the same bait temptation nor lust some are carried away with grosse lusts lusts of life and practise men of grosse and beastly temper sensuall men others againe of finer tempers and spirits that must be undone a finer way a more spiritfull way the grosse way is too low for them and here he hath the lusts of the understanding and yet every one of these are not taking with all some are taken with one errour some with another according to the difference of knowledge and understanding and the command of some lust in the heart And therefore Satan hath multitude of errours on foote that he may suite temptations to the tempers of men Non promotus sed expertum doctor Luth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.14 Rev. â— 24 2 Cor. 3.2 14. And hence he is called a Serpent a wily creature yea and the old Serpent and his temptations the depths wiles methods of Satan You had need to take heed of him if he see a man conscientious he will not goe about with grosse temptations to corrupt him for there he thinks it will be labour in vaine but he endeavours to corrupt the understanding with errours and such as are agreeable and correspondent to the conscientiousnesse of his spirit as I might shew at large 4. A fourth end that Satan hath to the wicked in multitude of errours it is to corrupt them and defile them more errour is of a corrupting and defiling nature Satan labours all he can to corrupt the soules of men and his chiefe designe is to corrupt the fountaine the understanding He doth not so much care for to corrupt a man in his practise as to corrupt a man in his principle to corrupt a man in his life as to corrupt a man in his judgement he knowes an erronious head will quickly come to a sinfull life Mens lives are but squared according to notions received and impressions of things retained in the understanding As true notions doe help to frame a good life so false notions are serviceable to a bad the one is the seede of a holy the other of a sinfull life so that though you could not know truth and falshood in the seede in notion yet you might know it in the fruit in the conversation Men act surely according to their principles received if there be not a bridle and restraint upon them by something without And therfore if Satan can but corrupt a mans understanding he knowes such a man he will be sure for him he will sin without reluctance without check or disturbance If a man have some true notions or light in his understanding though for the present his life be bad and he be carried away with strength of temptation yet Satan is not so sure of this man as of the other he knowes so long as this light is in him he will not sin so fully if he sin yet not without controle and check and he is in danger to loose him at every turne Satan is ill troubled with a man sound in judgement though corrupt in life either the light in his understanding will overcome his darknesse in life or the darknesse in his life will overcome the light in his understanding and the combates such a soule finds makes Satan he cannot yet conclude which shall have the day But now if he can corrupt the understanding if he can pollute the spirit the refined part of man then he knowes this man is sure he can bring this man to maintaine his sinne yea and argue for it and doe all this with shew of religion I told you a corrupt heart will breed a corrupt judgement in time but a corrupt judgement will presently work a corrupt life A man that hath his understanding yet preserved he doth not work regularly in a way of sin he is off and on as his lust doth prevaile but now the other he walkes uniforme he is alwayes the same
a step-mother to sound doctrine Indeed some errours had their frownes few their blowes them that had it was not as they were errours but as the persons which held them were enemies to them This I speake the rather because men say it was better in the Bishops time then now for then there were not so many errours I say there were yea and such as were more dangerous being foundation errours such as opposed the power of godlinesse such as were flatly opposite to the offices of Christ such as were destructive to the true religion and such I know none on foot now if there were yet they had their being then and their corruption in doctrine and discipline hath been a great occasion to the breeding and begetting of them if you say though they were in that time yet they durst not appeare I may say againe in answer to that 1. There were other errours farre more dangerous that durst appeare both in Presse and Pulpit 2. Againe as those errours durst not appeare so neither was the truth suffered to appeare for one errour which they suppressed they held down many a truth if they suppressed errour they murthered truth and stifled it 3. If they suppressed any yet they reformed none It is the proper work of the discipline of Christ rather to reforme then to restraine rather to amend then to suppresse at least to reforme with restraining and to restrain together with reforming Indeed to suppresse by reforming and amending and not by silencing and smothering them which was their way and the great occasion of the swelling and not the abating of them As it is with Rivers the stopping of them doth but swell them and increase them the more it doth not any way lessen and abate them Certainly the way of Christ to deale with errours is to endeavour to reforme them to amend them to preach the word boldly to convince gainsayers to admonish to exhort to reprove to mourne over them and when nothing will doe to ejâ—ct them and cast them out Tit. 3.10 and when that is done not to leave them but to labour still to convince them to mourne over them Government as Christs doth not reach to crumenall or corporall punishment either to the punishment of the body or the state as I shall shew at large hereafter when I come to set down the wayes which are left us in the word to restraine to reduce men from errour Now then the way which they went silencing suspending imprisoning fining of men whipping undoing men Certainly was not the way of Christ for the reforming of errours * Suadenda fides non imponenda saith Bern. men are rather to be perswaded then commanded rather to be dealt withall by the authority of God then of man which is as nothing in heavenly things when God concurres not but this I shall speake unto at large in the last question and therfore will proceed no farther now This is the fourth ground of abounding errours in our dayes even the want of the discipline of Christ the want of regular proceedings in severall Congregations and Synods for the reforming of them 5. A fift ground is the too much connivance nay incâ—uragement that they find among the people of God this is a great ground of broaching opinions We say a receiver makes a thiefe your readinesse to comply with opinions and to receive all doth give great incouragement to broach them It was that which the Prophet complained of in his time Jer. 5.31 The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bear rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so and what will be the end thereof ô quam consentaneum cries one in the reigne of the Bishops how did the Prophets or those Emissaries Preachers they had sent forth prophesie falsely and how did the Priests bear rule by that meanes they held up the standing and dignity of the Bishops and how did the people love to have it so they were well enough pleased and contented with their doctrine and way We were like Issachar who thought rest was good although it was with burthen and you see now what is the end thereof Some of this may be appliable to us the Prophets Prophecie falsely and my people love to have it so there is too much connivance too much content too much pleasing among the godly themselves in variety of opinions though none under the notion of errour Indeed there is thus much good in it that things come to be debated and scanned by this we come to search upon what grounds we stand we come to sift out the truth of God which certainly never was more clearely revealed then when some errours have been the occasion to cleare it and bring it forth as I shewed before In the point of Free-grace in opposition to mans free-will in the work of conversion which had not been so fully discovered if Pelagius had not broached that errour that a man might be saved if he would So the freenesse of Gods grace in justification had not been so clearely discovered if the Papists had not broached and maintained that errour of justification by works Indeed were they undoing errours that are preached and held forth by any St Johns rule comes in Epist 2. ver 10 11. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine that is that Jesus is the Christ as he shews you before ver 7 8. Receive him not into your houses neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds So then did you know any to hold forth fundamentall errours such as are the overthrow of faith or destructive to the power of godlinesse there is no countenance to be given to such you make your selves sharers with him in his fin and bring upon your selves the same guilt And therefore saith Paul Tit. 3.10 A man that is an heretique after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe These are the rules for undoing errours Nay and were they defiling though not daâ—ning errours were they but sinfull though not destroying errours yet if they were evidenced to us and manifest to us to be errours we ought not to connive at them to countenance them in their way but to admonish to reprove them to exhort them and use all possible wayes left by Christ to reclaime them But now when the things held forth are but meerely opinion or if more yet they are not any way injurious to faith or hurtfull to the power and practise of godlinesse then there may be more agreement the difference of judgement should not in this case alienate affections though you are not all of one mind yet you are all of one heart and here you differ only about the way to advance Gods glory You have both cordiall affections to God and Christ you desire to bring him glory only you differ in the way one thinks
Sermon on Hag. 1.2 3 4. p. 171 c. that as the name of Antiquity hath been the pretence for many errours so novelty hath been the plea which men have used in all ages against the truths discovered in their generations Since God hath broken the Antichristian yoak which lay upon all the world there is scarce any generation which he hath not honoured with some new or fuller discoveries of truth See Iewel to the same Sermon Mark 1.27 Act. 17.19 Antichrist had corrupted all both worship and doctrine and there must be a time of clearing that which he hath corrupted and when that is done he shall fall for he shall be consumed with the breath of Chirsts mouth and God doth honour every age with something he reforms us by parcels and this hath been the prejudice against truth in all generations the novelty of it this hath been the plea that corrupt hearts have had against the truths of their generation they are new things when indeed they are not new in respect of their being but in respect of their observation Nay and from the beginning it hath been the same pretence that careless and Atheisticall hearts have had against the truths of God You see in Christs time and in the Apostles time when they revealed the will of God they judged all to be new What new doctrin is this that we hear they said so of Christs Mark 1.27 and the like of the Apostles Act. 17.19 Let us hear what new doctrine is this you teach And in after ages there was the same spirit in men they adhered to their old customs and their ancient waies and rejected what ever was contrary to them as new It was Augustins complaint a Hic est mos diabolicus ut per antiquitatis traducem commendetur fallacia This is the devils custom to commend errour to us for truth under the notion of Antiquity Custom without verity is the antiquity of errour Again b Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas c. adverterdum est quod Dominus dicit ego sum via veritas vita if you doe oppose custom to truth consider what Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life c NoÌ„ lixit ego â—um consuetudo sed veritas Aug. He doth not say I am custom but I am truth And besides him others have had the same spirits to conflict withall Cyprian tells those of his time Every custom although old and common yet is inferiour to truth and that custom which is contrary to truth is to be abolished Another hath these words d Religionis authoritat non tempore aestimanda est sed numine neque enim quo die sed quid colere caeperis in tueri convenit quod verum est serum non est Arnob. Quod nos agemus novum quod vos priscum The authority of Religion is not to be reckoned by time but by revelation nor art thou to take notice what day this worship began but what this worship is which began at that time that which is truth is not late The same Authour dealing with those which did plead Antiquity against truth he saith That which we say is new and that which you doe is old but what doth this help you or weaken us The authority of truth is not to be measured by time but by revelation And Tertullian dealing with the same spirits in his generation saith f Hereâ—es non tam novitas quam veritaâ— revincit quodcunque contra veritatem sapâ—t haeresis est etiam vetâ—â— consuetudo Tertul. Novelty doth not confute an errour but the truth what ever is contrary to truth doth savour of heresie even though it be the most ancient custom And Bernard tels us of the wicked tongues of men g Qui cum manifestâ—â—â—umen obnubulare noÌ„ queunt de solu novitatis nomine ca villantur Bern. Cons Park de polit ecclesâ—t 2. c. 20 p. 254 who when they are not able to cloud or darken the evident light they cavil at it for a novelty But in vain doe those alledge custom who are convincâ—d with reason reason is to be preferred before custom much more is truth and the authority of God I name these for this end to shew you that it hath been the spirit of corrupt mâ—n in all ages to reject those things which are contrary to their erroneous customs for novelties and new things And it is the same spirit which acts in men to this day they will rather adhere to an old errour then embrace a new truth I say such a truth as is not new in respect of it's being but only in respect of our observing I might instance in many things what if I should single out this one only viz. our Lyturgie It may be you will say this was composed by learn'd and holy men such as were Reformers in their time it was so but there was never any Reformation since defection to Antichristianisme but in time that Reformation hath been discovered to stand in need of further Reformation we know but in part and God doth reveal his will gradually not all at once The Church grows to perfection not all at once but by degrees and it may be they went as farre then as the times would suffer there is something implied to that purpose in the front of it they had a contrary stream to conflict withall being newly come out of Poperie And I know not whether is the greater wonder of these two that they went so farre then at the first jump out of Popery when so many to oppose them or that we never went farther since after so many years preaching of the Gospel to us Certainly they were holy men precious men in their Generation but yet not perfect men thou rejects their holiness and closest with their imperfections thou adherest to their imperfections and makes use of their holiness for no other end but to retain their imperfections such which if they lived in our daies themselves would disclaim They were holy men and I may say of thee as Augustine did to the Donatists who alleadged Cyprian to patronize them in their errour i Quod in Cypriano naevuâ— in vobis fuligo est c. Aug. That which was a spot in Cyprian is Tartarian darkness and smoak in you Or as another answered the Armenians who said they held the same things with the Fathers k Quod in patribâ—â— error in Armenis haeresis est That which was but an errour in the Fathers is a heresie in the Armenians Or as another speaking of the African Fathers l Patres Africani ex ignorantia deâ—epti suere voâ— vero ex malitia peccatis Nobis vero qui admoniti edocti sumus nulla ejusmoâ—â— indulgentia relinquitur Cy The African Fathers were deceived out of ignorance but you sinne out of malice theirs was the impâ—rfection of their knowledge but yours is the perverseness of your wils Or
loved him not wisely he blamed their ignorance And thus farre it holds men may doe things with honest affections and yet doe them ignorantly And if you grant not this what flesh can be saved There were many of our Fathers that have opposed many things as errours Cons Park de polit eccles l. 2. c. 20. p. 256. which are the received truths of God certainly they opposed them with honesty of heart though not with an understanding heart the fault was not so much in their heart as in their head they did not oppose them out of sinister and corrupt affections but with honesty of heart they walked according to their notion of things and that will serve to demonstrate a man an honest man though not an upright man a good Christian that demonstration must be taken in upon better grounds It was said of Asa That notwithstanding the high places were not removed yet his heart was perfect with the Lord all his daies 1 King 15.14 perfect that is sincere A man may have a perfect heart in this sense that is a sincere heart and yet have many failings in life nay and not only many imperfections in his judgement but some errours too such as are not damnable fundamentall errours but only circumstantiall and lesser but then these errours must a rise from the imperfections of his knowledge not from the corruption of his heart The Apostle seems to imply this Phil. 3.15 16. As many as be perfect let them be thus minded and if any be otherwise minded God shall reveal even that unto them Neverthelesse whereunto you have already at mined let us walk by the same rule let us minde the same things So much for the third 4. Here is another efficacy of errour it will ingage a man to doe much for it a man may doe much service for an errour as well as for a truth a man may preach may write may dispute may be at much pains spare for no cost to advance and promote to an errour I could give you as you all thinke innumerable testimonies and experiences of this It was said of the Pharisees that they would compasse sea and land take much pains to make a Profelyte which when they had done A man was much more the childe of the devil then he was before as Christ saith And what pains will not the Papists take how doe they compasse sea and land What unwearâ—able pains doe they take and all this to Proselyte men to bring them to their Religion Doth it not often fare that a servant of errour will doe much more for it then they who are the children of truth will doe for the truth What drudges are they often to Satan when we are too slack in the service of God and at two times especially the authours and maintainers of errour are active and sedulous viz. either in the rise of it or in the fall of it either when it first appears or when it doth decline then they set themselves with all their strength in the one to advance it in the other to hold it up When the beast was wounded there was great pains to lick him whole again It teacheth us what we are to doe for truth Indeed errour is more beholding to it's servants then truth is to hers Oh that men should doe so much for the devil and so little for God that they should think no pains too much for errour and that we should be at no greater layings out for the truth It is a consideration may humble us all that men should doe more for their sins then others for their graces Micah 6.8 That men should take more pains and be at more cost for errour then we will be at for the truth As men will spend themselves to nothing for a sin to maintain their lusts so will they doe for an errour nay and much more because when men spend themselves for a sin a lust they doe it not without some check of conscience for the doing of it they have inward troubles and stings of conscience in the doing of it they are self-condemned in it and therefore cannot do it without much regreeting but when a man doth any thing for an errour when a deluded man spends himself for his opinion he doth it chearfully he glories in it he looks upon all as set upon Gods score he looks upon what he doth as the evidence of his sincerity and love to God and therefore glories in it triumphs in it and doth it chearfully he is glad he hath been so serviceable to his opinion and looks upon it as being serviceable to God in it as no question many have done and many deluded Papists do and this is a great work of errour 5. As it will engage a man to doe so it will check a mans conscience if he doe not As when a man deals not faithfully with truth if for fear or hope or worldly respects he will either be shie to own it as Nicodemus Christ or if he will suppresse it baulk and decline it if he will detain the truths of God in unrighteousnesse or if he will deny a truth conscience is up in arms against him and flees in his face for it checks him reproves torments him So it may be with an errour if a man have received and entertained an errour and he is perswaded it is a truth though it be an errour if now he have not been faithfull to it if he have for fear favour carnall and worldly respects been either shie to own it in some company if he have baulked it and declined it if he have betrayed it receded from it and denied it conscience is presently up to check to reprove him and torment him for it Indeed a man may close with an errour for base ends and respects and for the same respects may recede from it and yet never be touched for it no checks within him but if a man have closed with an errour with an honest simple heart then if he doe not walk answerable to it if he baulk and decline it he shall hear of conscience If a Papist should be forced from his Religion for fear though his way be an errour yet not forsaking it out of light and conviction that it was an errour but out of fear of punishment his conscience will torment him for it and so in any other opinion if the heart embrace it with honest respects which hath caused some to say that men are neither to be bribed nor threatned out of their opinions but to be convinced and perswaded they are not to be compelled by force nor yet to be seduced allured or bribed by rewards this is to make men sinne against conscience It was Augustines but he retracted it * Fides non est imponenda sed suadenda contra haereticos nihil vi agendum No force is to be used against Heretikes which we shall speak to in the next great Querie Thus you see as errour will
will shall stand for a law In this also Jeroboam and Nebuchadnezzar offended when they would command things upon their own will not only without but contrary to the will of God This proved a dangerous rock to them and will be to any who shall follow their steps God is a jealous God and cannot brook with any rivall in matter of his worship As they cannot command so we cannot thus obey without sinne and dishonour to God Christ bids us in this sense Call no man Rabbi And the Apostle enjoyns us not to be the servants of men which then we are in a high measure when the warrant of our actions is only taken from the will and pleasure of men Vid. Pareâ—Ì„ in Rom. 13 praecog 3. propos 6. Justinianus imâ—erator agnovit Catholicam fidem nullam innovationem posse recipere ex authoritate principuâ—s sed solunmodò confirmatioreÌ„ virdicationem Po estates suo loco humanas suscipinâ—us donec contid Deum suas erigaÌ„t voluntates Synac when we shall subjugate and vassall our understandings and consciences to the meer commands and dictates of men And so much for the first 2. The Magistrate hath no power against God God never set up a power against himself he is the minister of God and all his power is subordinate to the will and glory of God All which being granted I need not to say any more of it 3. The Magistrate hath no power to enforce the conscience of any Conscience rightly understood fals under no power but the power of God alone I have read it was the speech of Stephen King of Poland I am King of men and not of consciences a Commander of bodies and not of souls All power is usually expressed in Scripture by this Metaphor of Keyes and though God hath committed many Keyes much power to man yet there are three Keys which God doth reserve and keep in his own hands only 1. The Key of the womb he shuts it Gen. 20.18 and he opens it at his pleasure Gen. 30.22 2. The Key of the grave 1 Sam. 2 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up he and he alone doth this 3. The Key of the conscience Act. 16.14 He opened the heart of Lydia and he opens so as none can shut and shuts so as none can open This power over the heart and conâ—cience God hath reserved in his own hands It was the speech of one God hath reserved three things to himself 1. To make some thing of nothing 2. To know things future 3. To rule over consciences A dominion that is proper to God alone men may tyrannize but they can never rule over the consciences of men Conscience fals under no subjection but Gods alone The Turks and Persians themselves though they have upheld and propagated their way by the sword yet they acknowledge that the conscience neither can nor ought to be compelled Conscience is like a Virgin which cannot be forced Lex nostra non se vindicat ultore gladio Tertul. Men may perswade but they can never compell conscience according to that old maxime Religio suaderi potest cogi non potest Men may be perswaded into a religion but they can never be compelled unto it Nihil est tam voâ—un tarium quaÌ„ religio in qua sâ— animuâ— sacrificanâ—es eversus jam sublata jaÌ„ nulla est Lactant. Instit l. 5. c. 19. Procop in â—eca histo It lies as a blot upon Justinian that he compelled the Samaritans to embrace the Christian faith And it is more condemnable in the Papists among the Indies of which they finde no more fruit then with the Moors of Granado who were forced to Masse in the morning and freely practised Mahome tanisme in the afternoon Like those we read of 2 King 17.33 who because of the Lions feared the Lord but served their own gods Those acts of conscience which are internall are free and uncogible they fall not under mans cognizance nor if they did doe they fall under mans power No power on earth can either judge or punish the internall acts of the minde The Question is not here about the elicite acts of conscience but the imperate commanded and externall acts It is easily granted That no power on earth is able to compell the former the internall acts of the minde and conscience but the dispute will be about the later the externall acts either in the restraint or constraint of them Of which more anon 4. The Magistrate hath no power properly called Church-power though he have a power about the businesse of the Church and the affairs of worship yet he hath not any power properly called Church-power He is helpfull to the government of the Church but in this sense no Church-governour The Church hath the exercise of her power from him but not the power it self the Magistrate gives ability but doth not give the authority The Church say Divines hath protection and encouragement from him but hath her authority and power from Christ I finde divers opinions among men about this 1. Some say that the Magistrate hath all power 2. Some say he hath no power in matters of Religion 1. Some say he hath all power and that the government of the Church is by God devolved upon the civil Magistrate whereby the Magistrate is the head of the Church and hath a Nomothetick and legislative power in things ecclesiasticall which power say they is not only ecclesiastick in respect of the object being exercised about Church matters but in respect of the subject or person exercising whom they make to be a mixed person and hath a mixed power Salcobridgensis p. 121. and by vertue of his office can act and exercise it I shall not speak much to it it is a discourse by the by only I shall tell you that Pareus who gives more to the Magistrate in this particular then others of his brethren yet saith That the civil Magistrate is not to assume to himself any proper parts of Ecclesiasticall ministery as to preach to administer censures Sacraments c. and he gives these two reasons of it 1. Because he is not called to this office Vedel de Episcop Constant q. 2. Christ did not say to him Go and preach the Gospel and baptize and therefore being not called to it he ought not to assume it No man saith the Apostle taketh this Ministery upon himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5.4 Pareus in Rom. 13. prop. 3. nor is he saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to intermeddle in other matters not proper to his station 1 Pet. 4.15 but every one is to abide in the same calling wherein he is called And he gives a second reason lest they incurre the sin and punishment of Jeroboam and Vzziah one of whom had his arm dried up the other was strucken with leprosie 1 Kin. 13. 2 Chron. 26. And the same Authour a little
after answering this Question Par. in Ro. 13. dub 5. in append adsol arg resp 1. Whether ecclesiasticall power doth reside in the Prince He saith ecclesiasticall power is two-fold 1. Proper and internall 2. Improper and externall This distinction he foundeth upon that speech of Constantine to the Bishops Vot quidem intra c. The first of these he affirms to be exercised by ecclesiasticall persons ecclesiastically The other vix Externall and improperly called Church-power he saith may be exercised by the Magistrate Calvin speaks more home Calvin in Amos c. 7. v. 13. They are saith he inconsiderate men who make Magistrates too spirituall â— this evil saith he prevails in Germany and in the countreys round about us we finde what fruit grows from this root namely that those who are in power thinke themselves so spirituall that there is no other ecclesiasticall government this sacriledge comes in violently among us because they cannot measure their office within it's due bounds Thus he Indeed it hath usually been distinguished between Church-power civil power between officers in the Church officers of State and that the one is Gods officer or Christs as God The other is Christs officer as Mediatour the one belongs unto his generall kingdome and rule over all the other belongs to his Mediatory kingdome or government over his Church Christ is a head of supereminence to all but a head of influence to his Church only As he is God so he is head of all principalities and all powers govern by him but as he is Mediatour so he is head only of his body and all officers therein Eph. 1.21 have their authority from him and are said to manage their office under and for Christ In the name of Christ they doe assemble Matth. 18.20 In his Name they preach Luk. 24.27 Act. 4.17 18. In his Name they baptize Act. 2.38 Ast. 4.12 16. Act. 19.2 In his Name do they administer censures 1 Cor. 5.5 And if the Magistrate be invested with such a power then either as a Magistrate or as a Christian Magistrate Not the first for then every Magistrate hath it without exception even Pagans and Heathens and such as know not God and Christ not were ever yet baptized not any member of the Church if you say as he is a Christian Magistrate it will be said that his Christianity doth adde no further authority to him but further ability to execute his authority this is but potestas executiva the gracious ability to exercise that power which he had before and sinned in that was a talent buried up and not imployed for Christ And for that place which is usually alledged 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governments in his Church I say first that the Apostle doth there speak of ecclesiasticall and spirituall officers and therefore it is strange that civil government should come in the enumeration of Church-officers 2. I say the Apostle spake there of such government as the Church had at that time he saith God hath placed in his Church and thence Calvin takes up an argument to prove that the Apostle in that place spake of ecclesiastical and not of civil government because at that time the Church enjoyed not such a priviledge But of this sufficient We come to the second which certainely is an extreme on the other hand viz. 2. That the Magistrate hath no power in matters of religion It was the speech of Donatus What hath the Emperour to doe with the Church Quid est imperatori cum ecclesia Imperator in divâ—nis nulluÌ„ jâ—â— habet Optat. l. 3 cont Pâ—rmen par 1367. The Magistrate hath no right to meddle about things that are divine We shall speak fuller to this by and by only here I shall clear some expressions which we usually read among learned men from some mistakes that may be fastened on them and give too much strongâ—h to such a position as this viz. That the Magistrates power doth not reach to matters of Religion We often read in the writings of learned men of a difference made between Church-power and civil power chiefly in their objects and in their ends 1. That the object of the Magistrates power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly things or the things of this life the object of Church-power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall things and matters concern a better life 2. They say The end of Magistracy is the preservation of peace and the externall tranquillity of the Common-wealth but the end of Church-power is the good and edifying of the body of Christ We had need to speak something of this it hath been too farre extended And therefore 1. To the first of these I say 1. That though the things of this life be the object of the Magistrates power yet are they not the sole and adequate object of it Spirituall and heavenly things doe fall in under the object of his power also as well as temporall He is called a nursing father to the Church he is Custos vindex utriusque inbulae Sed ita distinguuntur ut in modo procuraâ—â—i rex politicè sua partes oget sacerdos ecclesiasticè suas Ame. de consc l. c. 25 thes S. Ames Medul Theol. l 2. c. 17. thes 48 49. the keeper and revenger of both tables of the Law Deu. 17.18 Josh 1.8 Rom. 134. The affairs of Jehovah and the matters of the King are not so different saith Ames as that the care and knowledge of the things of God belongeth not to the King But they are thus distinguished that in the execution of them the King performs his part in a politicall way the officers of the Church in an ecclesiasticall way 2. I say yet further That though the power of the Magistrate and the power of the Church doe not differ in their materiall objects yet they differ in their formal objects The Magistrate as a Magistrate and the Church as the Church in the name of Christ may command and forbid one and the same thing viz. They may command the sanctification of the Lords day or they may forbid blasphemy idolatry Here their objects are materially the same But now they differ formally the Magistrate he commands or forbids upon penalty of bodily punishment but the Church upon pain of ecclesiastical censures Leg Ames Med. Theol. l 2. c. 17. thes 48. the Magistrate upon civil mulcts the Church upon spirituall penalties And this may be thought one reason why many holy and reverend Divines have asserted the object of the power of the Magistrate qua talis to be the externall man and the things of this life because that he doth bring about higher ends by more external and not such spiritual waies as the Church doth 2. And what I say hereof the object of the power of the Magistrate I may say also of his end The end of the Magistrate is not so different from the Church but they
may meet together and as they agree in their objects so these powers may also agree in their ends Though the preservation of peace and the quiet of the Common-wealth be the end of Magistracy yet I conceive it is not the only not the adequate end externall peace to me seems too narrow for to be the end of Magistracy who is a nursing father to the Church and whose power reacheth as well to the setling and advancing the true worship of God as to the externall peace and safety of his kingdoms and to the helping of men as Christians as well as helping them as men though he doe endeavour to compasse and bring about these ends in a different way to the Church the one by carnal the other by spiritual weapons the one more externally the other more internally and divinely And this I conceive is plain from Rom. 13.4 He is the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evil he afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain where by good and evil which the Magistrate as a Magistrate doth procure I conceive is not only meant the naturall happinesse and quiet life of civil society but also the good and evil which concerns us as Christians And therefore his end is higher then meer civil peace and tranquillity being he is a Magistrate not only of our good and evil as men but our good and evil as Christians but yet the way he procures this is different from the Church the one as I told you being in a more spiritual and heavenly way the other in a civil and external way And thus much shall serve for the answer to the second opinion and also to the fourth particular branch laid down What the Magistrates power was not Besides these there may be other branches laid down but I shall desire to wave them and shall fall upon the second Question Qu. 2. What the power of the Magistrate is asserted to be as relating to this Question And here I finde three severall opinions two of them are extreams the third is the middle between both and conceived nearest to the truth 1. The first extreme is that of the Papists who say That the Magistrate is by fire and sword to extirpate all errour and heresie that is all religions which doe not agree with Rome See Suarez de triplici virture Tract 1. disput 23. Sect. â— for they call all those Heretikes that are not of the faith of Rome that so having put us into a bears skin they may with some colour woorty us 2. The second extreme is That the Magistrate hath no power to deal with any opinion whatsoever by civil coercive means Others more warily infâ—rt If it be not evidently and manifestly destructive and disturbing to the peace of the Common-wealth But the meaning is this that there ought to be a liberty for all opinions and the Magistrate is only to be an indifferent spectatour and not to take care what religion men are on whether Papists Jews Pagans Socinians Macedonians or what ever If they be not inconsistent with the government of the Common-wealth they are to look no farther they are not to matter how or whether they worship God at all or what their opinions and practices are And so in effect the Magistrate must say with Tiberius Tacit in Tiberio Deorum injurius Dijs curae Let the Gods make care for wrongs done against themselves Or with the Emperour Alexander Iuris jurandi contempta religio satis Deum ultorem habet It is sufficient that the breach of an oath hath God to be the avenger with Gâ—llio they must care for none of these things They may revenge injuries done against them but may not meddle with those done against God they may suppresse their enemies but must not meddle with Gods enemies They may punish those who seek to draw away a people from the obedience of the Magistrate but not those who labour to draw away a people from the truth of the Gospel and obedience to God An opinion certainly as wide as the former Without doubt the object of the Magistrates power is not simply a peaceable life and the external peace of humane societies as I shewed before he is a nursing father to the Church he is the minister of God for good and religion is the chief good and therefore the object of his power is not simply external peace but godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 which he may endeavour to advance by his secular power and in civil and politick waies It was the speech of Augustine Will any one that is in his right wits say unto Kings It doth not concern you in your kingdome who wil be religious or who will be sacrilegious Intimating it was a madnesse for any to thinke the King had nothing to doe in matter of religion * Quis mente sobrius dicat regibus non ad vos pertinet quis in regno vestro velit esse relâ—giosus vel sacrilegutâ— Au. de correct donat c. 13. Certainly though it should be granted that the Magistrate were Gods officer not Christs as Mediatour yet it will not weaken this truth which we assert for it cannot be but that God who hath made it his design to preserve and advance the kingdome of Christ should especially aim at it in the constituting and setting up a government in the world Julian saw this well enough and therefore it was the counter design of that Apostate to tolerate and grant liberty to Pagaâ—s and all sorts of heresies that by suffering all these weeds to grow up he might choke up the vitals of Christianity and weaken the kingdom of Christ and overthrow the truth of the Gospâ—l which was the object of his envy and malice This was also the practice and sinne of other Emperours Valens the Arian did the like and indeed such a course is the speediest way to destroy all godlinesse to suppresse the truth and to bring in all mischief to Church and State It is the speech of one Liberty for all opinions is the speediest way of embroyling States of ruining Churches of erecting a Pantheon in every City That of omnium Deorum among the Romans of omnium sanctorum among the Papists offends lesse then this of omnium sectarum here in England Sure I am one God one faith one Mediatour was Catholike doctrine in Pauls time every variation from a unity is a step to a nullity if ever England come from one â—eligion to all she will quickly go from all to none Certainly the toleration of all Religions as it is against nature against Scripture against reason so it cannot choose but be destructive to peace and truth But of this more afterwards These are the two extremes which certainly are wide of the truth We come to the third opinion which lies between these two and is conceived to be most agreeable to truth It is this 3. That the Magistrate
this time with Commission to preach and instruct men in waies of worship to reveal to men the truth and prepare mens hearts that so when things come to be setled we might not if possible have any to yeeld to things with implicit faith and blinde obedience It was the practice of good Hezekiah when he restored the worship of God 2 Chron. 29. beg he sent out Posts like to Evangelists to prepare the people and to humble them for their revoltings and to reduce them to the worship of God And if this be not done 2 Chro 29. beg compared with the 2 Chro. 30.6 7. we may fear either great opposition in men or else blinde submission and implicit obedience 2. Or the multitude adheres to doctrines out of corrupt ends As the Ivy adheres to the tree not because it loves the tree but because the tree feeds it with berries and leaves it adheres to it for its own advantage because out of it it may suck berries So doe most men adhere to Religion and doctrine Or as the winde follows the abundance of exhalations So they go where there is the most advantage to be got indeed innumerable are the corrupt ends that corrupt minded men propound to themselves in the entertaining doctrine some out of fear others out of faction a third for repute the most for profit and advantage all speak this language Who will shew us any good It was the great Argument of the Craftsmen of Diana why they adhered to that Idolatry By this craft we have all our gain And it is a great motive to a carnall heart he that hath no principle of motion and life within he either stands still or is moved with the crowd or if he have any motion of his own something without him is the spring of it The multitude is a great body and a dull body and indeed hath no motions of it 's own it is carried about meerly with weights and the great weights are outward things which taken off there is no motion at all they are like the dead sea and cannot stirre So that you see if we goe about to take up our judgement of truth or errour from the multitude of them who adhere to it how dangerous it is to be mistaken 3. If by multitude be meant the greater number of holy and learned men in the Church of God I say then this is a probable signe though no infallible evidence that the opinion held forth is a truth 1. I say it is a probable signe I have told you God doth never desert his people in necessary essentiall truths He hath promised they shall be taught of God and they have an unction of the holy One whereby they know all things that is all things necessary to salvation And for accessory and circumstantiall truths It is a probable signe that the things which upon impartiall search and debate they hold forth are truths though it be not sufficient for us to conclude them so because they have determined so but we are to examine and search whether they be so or no. I say it is a probable signe but we are not to submit to it as their judgement but are to see the judgement of God in them Cons Park l. 2 c. 11. de authoritate PatruÌ„ not to conclude our selves upon the authority of men unlesse we see the authority of God in them 2. Though it be a probable signe yet it is not an infallible evidence We all know that godly and learned men have yet much darknesse in their understanding they doe but know in part none can plead an unerring spirit none are infallible I have shewed you that Synods and Councels may erre What David confessed he spake in haste we may speak upon best deliberation so farre as men All men are liars As the learnedst men have darknesse in their understanding so they have corruption in their hearts there is self and pride and corrupt aims and ends which may creep into the hearts of the best And how farre God may suffer men to be byassed by these things it is not for man to determine how farre corrupt aims and ends may winde themselves into the heart and bribe a mans understanding or blinde his sight it is not for man to judge they who are most acquainted with their hearts doe finde cause enough to be jealous and suspect them yea and upon known experience And therefore though the multitude of godly and learned men concurring in an opinion to be a truth though it may be a probablâ— signe yet can be no infallible evidence that what they hold forth is a truth I say it is no concluding evidence There may be cases wherein one man may be in the truth and yet many godly and learned men may be in an errour * Vnâ—â— Puphnutius toâ—um Concilium Nicaâ—â—um direxit Niceph. l. 8 c. 19. Eliâ—s nuâ—s erat sed totus mundus non erat dignus qui rependeretur ipsi Chr. One Paphnutius was in the truth when the whole Councel of Nice were in an errour they were learned men and it appears they were godly by their humble submitting of themselves to better reason though but one man brought it they were not so partiall as to adhere to their own votes nor were they so proud as not to recede from their opinions and be concquered by truth nor did they stand upon their number when they saw truth against them One naked truth should conquer them and make them throw down their weapons and one man having truth with him should be too big for that great Assembly they did not plead their number their votes and the multitude which adhered to them but as men that came to search out truth not victory they yeelded up themselves to the power and conquest of it A mighty argument of their humility and sincerity Indeed we are not to measure truth by the number of votes but by the authorities of Scripture a Nos numero sen â—enitam noÌ„ metimur Verâ—tas numero non astimatur vel unuâ— qui veritatem habet sufficienter munitur adversus totum mundum Mat. D. White de eccl l. 30 p. 127. Whit. cont 2. q. 5. c. 5. We doe not judge of truth by the number of men though a man be alone yet if he have the truth with him he is sufficiently armed against the whole world One Micheas having the truth with him was too hard for the 400. Prophets who were in an errour 1 King 22.15 Indeed it is not impossible that one man should be in the truth and many in an errour nor is it absurd to prefer the judgment of one man in the truth before many in an errour It was well spoken of Augustine a Si justus es noli numerare sed appende stateram afferaequaÌ„ non dolesaÌ„ Aug. in Ps 39. If thou would passe right judgment of an opinioÌ„ do not number but weigh weigh not in the false