not yet entred § 33. IX Those that are cast out unjustly must be pityed and allowed entrance into another Church Those that are cast out justly must 1. remain under that penalty and shame till they repent 2. And also be further used according to their crime whether murder fornication theft perjury c. as the Law punisheth such offenders If it befor Infidelity or Apostasie they must be used as the Churches deserters or adversaries as aforesaid and restrained from opposing it § 34. X. The Papists should be used as men and as the faultier and weaker sort of Christians but so as 1. May secure Princes from being unwillingly subjected to a foreign Usurper or being abused by him or his Agents and as may secure the people from the efficacy of their laws for burning killing and exterminating them 2. And so as they may be soberly restrained from such seducing and hurting the souls of others as is after proved to be Intolerable § 35. XI Diocesans that are as Arch-Bishops and destroy not Parish Churches Episcopacy and Discipline are to be numbred either with the Promoted or Tolerated party as they are taken by the Rulers for the Best or second But those that would unchurch Parish Churches and make them but Chapels and set up only one tribunal for the Discipline of many hundred Parishes and thereby make Discipline Impossible and deprive particular Churches of the Rights given them by the spirit of Christ in his Apostles or would silence and persecute faithful Ministers or oppress the flocks should be restrained from such abuse and Tyranny by the Prince § 36. XII The very same I say of the Synods and Classes of Presbyters whether provincial or national § 37. XIII Churches are not to be discountenanced meerly because they are so independent as not to be over and under each other in a regimental way no more than Scholes of Grammer or philosopy or other sciences or arts But the Magistrate must make them Dependent on him as his governed subjects and must exhort them to that dependence on each other as is necessary to their mutual help and peace and moderately urge them hereto for Religion sake § 38. XIV Adverse contentious militate Churches must be restrained from abusing one another and destroying Christian Love and peace And Justices of the peace should keep peace among them and correct railers slanderers and peace-breakers § 39. XV. But the main care concerneth practice And here the sound in faith the Charitable the peaceable and of good Conversation should be promoted praised and maintained with special favour and approbation § 40. XVI The meerly Tolerable as to Doctrine Charity and conversation should be defended and kept in peace § 41. XVII The Intolerable must be suppressed or restrained according to the quality of their offence § 42. To these great ends as Campanella would have every Sovereign to have three sorts of Councils under him One for Learning and Religion another for Civil affairs and another for War so it may be wished however that the Prince have a Council that shall specially take care of Religion and the necessary subservient learning And that there be drawn up three several Catalogues or Laws for these various ranks of Christians That is I. The foredescribed necessary parts of Christianity and Communion the Baptismal Covenant Creed Lords Prayer and the Essentials of Ministry and Communion which all Tolerated Ministers shall subscribe to or profess having also Testimonials of their competent Abilities Piety and peaceableness II. Some of the great sort of Integrals added that are needful plain and certain and therefore it is best in the very words of Scripture which all agree to and this to be consented to by the approved and preferred Ministers who shall have the Temples and publick countenance and maintenance III. A Catalogue of Doctrines of so great use as that none be suffered to Preach or privately dispute against them And a Catalogue of sins which none may commit And those that break either of these Laws and subscribe not to the Essentials first mentioned to be judged Intolerable till reformed in the Ministry Who shall be judged Intolerable in the Commonwealth the first rank of enemies here considered sheweth And what private members shall be Tolerated in the Churches may be gathered from what is said viz. Those that joyn with the Tolerated Ministers and violate not this last Prohibiting Law by incorrigible opposition to the Truth here intimated or by wicked or unpeaceable behaviour § 43. It is here supposed that the Catalogue imposed on the Approved maintained Ministers be not of too many things nor of any but great and sure And they that will needs stretch it to the utmost of plain and certain truths need no other Catalogue of the third rank And were it not that men are very inclinable to overdo in rigor against dissenters I should rather leave out the third Catalogue And that which the Tolerated be forbidden to Preach against should be but the same Catalogue which the Approved must subscribe and so two will be enough so be it that all unpeaceable preaching as to the manner be restrained by the Justices of peace § 44. This rule the antient Churches followed and when they suppressed the intolerable heresies they tolerated the Novatians even in Constantinople And the worst Bishops were most against their toleration as Nestorius and such like and the best dealt gentliest and lovingly with them and thereby did more for the peace of the Church than the overdoers The Lordly turbulency of Theophilus and Cyril with Epiphanius's silly passion set all on a flame against Chrysostome and his Joannites which the wisdom and peace of two peaceable Patriarchs soon quenched § 45. That the Integrals to be subscribed by the Approved Ministers be not too many is requisite 1. Because it is not many things that are necessary to be preached Read the preachings or doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and you may soon see this And they need to subscribe no more than they need to preach 2. Because else overdoing will be undoing and unavoidable dissent will cause divisions and distractions And for the same reason it should be written if possible in the very words of Scripture which though some deride is of great moment Because nothing more tendeth to avoid division by dissent For all are agreed of the truth of the Scripture and even they that understand not the words confess them to be true and take not the liberty to except against them as they will against the words of fallible men The objections against this are answered after § 46. Penalties must not be equal as offences are not equal As the Approved are not ejected for every fault so the Tolerated are not to be silenced for every fault A prophane swearer payeth twelve pence an oath And some faults of preachers are not worse But some are so great at first and others by the addition of impenitencie and incorrigibleness
Creed respectively every one making one as some have feigned and though I deny not what he and Bishop Vsher and many others say of the two or three Articles being not found in the most ancient Copies or Records and though I verily consent to Parker de Descensu and many others that the words of Baptism were the first Creed and that the Creed was brought in by degrees as the Exposition of the Baptismal profession and that at first it had but three Articles I believe in and give up my self to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Yet I take the Creed in the sence at least to be of necessary use to the ends now mentioned and I think we may say so much as is of greatest antiquity to be Divine and the word of God and a special part of his word more necessary to be believed than many other parts § 15. For 1. Though we receive not the pretended Traditions of Rome or any Church that shall be obtruded on us without proof or as accusing the Scripture of insufficiency yet we never denyed that the Apostles preaching was Gods Word before they wrote it and as well as their writing It being eight years after Christs Ascension as is commonly supposed before the first part of the New Testament was written by St. Matthew and near an hundred years after his incarnation that the last was written by St. John and only four or five of the twelve Apostles having left us any of their writings it were intolerable to deny that the constant preaching of them and all the rest to their death was not done by the inspiration of the same infallible spirit as their writing was and so was the Word of God § 16. 2. And it is certain that Baptism was then as common as Christians and that nothing was sooner done by the Apostles nor more constantly nor with greater concord and concent than discipling persons and baptizing them For this was the summ of their first appointed work in which Christ promised to be with them to the end § 17. 3. It is certain that the Apostles did administer Baptism as wisely and holily according to Christs will as any that ever did come after them And therefore that they did not take up with mens bare saying of three words I believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost without understanding what they said All following ages Cathechized or examined the adult before baptism and to this day we would take the contrary course for an abuse Therefore no doubt but the Apostles did it and appointed it § 18. 4. And this is plainly implyed in the Scripture when believers are all said to be inlightned and translated from darkness to light and to know God and Jesus Christ as being life eternal Eph. 1. 18. Act. 26. 18. Joh. 17. 3 c. and to be wise to salvation and indeed when they are said to Believe For believing supposeth understanding And when Peter saith that Baptism saveth not the washing of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God And when all the Christians in the world as far as we have any notice from the Apostles dayes have been baptized after Profession of faith we have no reason to doubt but that the Apostles used and appointed the requiring of it § 19. 5. In doing this it is no doubt but what they required of the Confessours from their mouths was short and plain or else those multitudes of men and women who were in a short time baptized would neither have had capacity nor time to do it But the words of the Teachers and baptizers in explaining the said articles were large and many For we find that it was their common preaching work § 20. 6. It is most probable by the reason of the thing and the history Act. 2. and elsewhere that at the first no form of words was required and used besides the form in baptism but that the people being instructed in the sense of those words thereupon professed understanding belief and consent And no more is essentially necessary But that after a Creed in terms was the common form which was used by Professors in order to baptism 1. Because so many thousands being baptized the matter being short and meerly Divine they could not be supposed to be left to much variety of expression Divine great necessary things must be spoken with so much caution as may avoid errour heresie corruption and abuse And if every ignorant man and woman were left to use only words of their own devising to express the Christian faith it would be of confounding and dishonourable consequence 2. And the great care that then was used that all Christians might be of one faith and speak the same things and that the heresies then arising might be suppressed doth imply that this necessary means was then used by those that commanded that all be done to edification and unity and in order 3. And many expositors think that this Creed is it that Paul meant by the depositum and form of wholsome words to Timothy 4. But the fullest proof is universal historical tradition and consent of the Christian Churches who have ever used Catechizing and the Creed as the profession of faith in order to baptism and this as from the Apostles without the least notice of any other original of it There is some difference in words between that recited by Irenaeus and two recited by Tertullian and that which we now use and some little difference between that of Marcellus in Epiphanius and that of Aquileia in Ruffinus and ours now used And the forming of the Nicene Creed in other words doth shew that the Churches took not themselves to be so tyed to the same words of the former Creed as not to alter any part of them And it is supposed that before the Nicene Creed the Greek Church had a Creed that had as much of the words of the Nicene as of that called the Apostles And no doubt it was the wisdom of the Apostles and the Churches not to lay too much on particular words and make them seem essential to baptism or more necessary than they were And to this day if any in other words exprest the same thing he may be baptized But ad melius esse and for concord and safety the Churches that still agreed in words of the same sence and mostly the same words as to all that explained the essentials of Christianity found it more and more needful to agree in every word and leave men no room for dangerous diversity though over and above they may explain their minds From whence it was that so great contentions have risen about some single word as the Nicene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latines Filióque lest the Creed should be altered at the will of man and the Christian faith seem to be an uncertain mutable thing § 21. By all this it is evident that the Church must make
the Father and the Holy Ghost nor Sanctification Consolation and Sealing to the Holy Ghost than to the Father and the Son and so that they are not hence relatively distinguishable to us and by us at all III. Of the Person of Jesus Christ 1. That Christ is but a Creature or not eternal or not of the same Divinâ— Essence as is the Father 2. That Christ hath no humane created soul but the Divine nature was to his body instead of a soul 3. Or that a superangelical created nature united to his Divine nature was instead of a humane soul to his body 4. That Christs body was not derived from the Virgin Mary but only passed through her as water through a Channel 5. That the Mother of Christ alone was as much the cause of his soul and body as our Fathers and Mothers both are of ours 6. That the Virgin Mary was not the Mother of him that was God and man 7. That she was the Mother and actual cause or procreator of the Godhead and of Christ as God 8. That Jesus Christ was two Persons a Divine and Humane 9. That he had not two distinguishable natures viz. the Divine and Humane 10. That he had not two distinguishable understandings wills and operations 11. That the Body of Jesus Christ was incorruptible in and by its own nature and constitution and not only by its union with the Deity and by Gods will decree and preservation 12. That he was begotten by Joseph or some other man 13. That Christs humane nature soul or body suffered no real pain nor was capable of suffering any 14. That he was not of the line of David after the flesh 15. That he had original sin guilt or vitiosity 16. That Christ is not now God and man in heaven 17. That the Glorified Body of Christ is now formally flesh and blood so called univocally as ours having the same formal constitutive essence 18. That every Priest maketh Bread and Wine by the Consecration in the Eucharist to become no longer Bread and Wine but the very Body Flesh and Blood of Christ or that God so maketh it or the Priests speaking those words And so that all the consecrated Bread and Wine since Christs days till now are made Christ's flesh and blood and yet his flesh and blood no whit increased 19. That all believers are by union part of the Natural Person of Christ 20. That the humane nature of Christ is now the Godhead or is become a proper part of the second Person in the Trinity as such And here presumptuous men must take great heed of medling too far some Scholastick Divines say It is errour to say that Christs humane nature is a Part of his person because his Person was perfect from eternity and the Divinity cannot be a Par. of any thing Others say that It is erroâ— to say that the Humane nature is no part of Christ 〈◊〉 seeing it is no part of the Divine Essence or nature therefore it is a part of his person Others say that it is only an Accident of Christ some think that if it were not for fear of the clamours of Ignorant Hereticaters that will call it Nestorianism it were soundest and safest to say that the word Person is equivocal And that as it is taken for the second eternal person in the Trinity the humane nature is no part of it But as it is taken Relatively for the Person of the Mediator the humane nature is a part And so that Christ hath two persons but not univocally but equivocally so called IV. Of the Holy Ghost and the Holy Scriptures 1. That the Holy Ghost is but a creature or not God of the same essence with the Father and the Son 2. That the Holy Ghost is but the Angelical nature or species and as the diabolical nature and many Devils are called singularly the Devil so the many Angels are called the Holy Spirit 3. That the Immortal part of man called his Spirit is the essence of the Holy Ghost 4. That the Holy Ghost as operative on man is not a valid witness of the truth of Christ and Christianity in the world 5. That the Holy Ghost did not impregnate the Virgin Mary or that Christ was not conceived by him 6. That Adam had not the Holy Ghost or true Holiness 7. That the Prophets spake not by the Holy Ghost Or that their prophecies are of Private interpretation that is objectively to be interpreted of such private persons and things as they immediately spake of and which were but types of Christ or grace 8. That the Holy Ghost in the Prophets was not the Spirit of the Redeemer and sent by him 9. That the miracles of Christ and his Apostles were not wrought by the Holy Ghost 10. That the Holy Ghost may set the seal of true uncontrolled miracles to a lie 11. That the Canonical Scriptures were not indited by the Holy Ghost as infallible records of the Divine will 12. That they are but for a time till a perfecter Law is made called The Law of the Spirit 13. That they are imperfect without the supplement of Roman Tradition as part of the Rule of faith and life 14. That they were but occasional writings never intended for the universal law or rule of faith and holy living 15. That there are in the true original as they came from the Apostles some errours 16. That in the present received Originals there is any errour inconsistent with true saving faith and practice 17. That we are not bound to believe the Holy Scriptures to be Gods word but by the authoritative proposal of the Church of Rome that is A general Council subject to the Pope or called or approved by him as authorized thereto by Christ or that we must believe that the Pope or Council are authorized by Christ before we are bound to believe in Christ himself 18. That the Scriptures are not intelligible in necessary things till the Church Council Pope or Fathers expound them to us 19. That the Scriptures have no such imâ—â—ss or excellency by which they manifest themselves to be of God supposing necessary conveyance and ministerial explication 20. That we must not understand any text of Scripture but as the consent of ancient Fathers expoundeth it 21. That the Spirit now given to Poâ—â— Councils or to individual Christians is as much the Rule of faith and life as 〈◊〉 holy Scriptures or that the Spirit is not given now to us 〈◊〉 to teach us to understand believe love and practise Gods word indited by the more emmenâ— inspiration of the Apostles and Prophets â—ut also to inspire us as infallibly to know more than is revealed in the Scripture and that as needful to Salvation Or that it is not so much the Spirit extraordinarily inspiring the Apostles as the Spirit as inspiring ourselves which is every mans rule of faith and life 22. That the Light which is in Heathens Infidels and all men is this
as to Government And that none are of the visible Church that are not the Popes Subjects and that they that refuse such Subjection are Schismaticks or Hereticks or Infidels And that all that own Christ should be compelled by Sword or torment to own the Pope as his Vicar General Sect. III. Campanella de Regno Dei openeth the Mystery of the Fifth Monarchy and alledgeth the texts that are brought for it as intending Christs Reign on Earth by the Pope as his Viceroy And indeed it is an Universal Kingdom or Monarchy which they plead and strive for under the name of the Universal Church But in this they greatly differ whether the Pope have the universal Power of both Swords or but of one that is both Civil and Ecclesiastical and be really the King of all the World And herein they are of three Opinions as to the Subject of this Power and of three Opinions as to the degree Sect. IV. As to the Possessor of this Authority 1. One party say that the summa Potestas is in thâ—â— Pope 2. Another saith it is in the Pope presiding in a General Council or in the Pope and Council agreeing 3. And another party hold that it is in a General Council alone yet so as that the Pope is the Head of the Universal Church as the chief Prelate and Ordidinary Governour though subject to the Legislative and Judicial Power of the Council Sect. V. And as to the Degree of Power 1. Some hold that the Pope is the Monarch of all the Earth having the chief Power of both Swords and that the World is his Kingdom as Gods Vicegerent 2. Others hold that he hath directly only the Ecclesiastical Power but indirectly and in order to Spirituals he hath also the Temporal power of the Sword Or as the most hold that in his own Territories he hath both Powers as to Personal exercise but in other Kingdoms he can himself only execute the Church-power but he may command Kings to execute the power of the Sword for Religion according to his and his Bishops decrees and may force them to it by Anathema's and releasing their Subjects from the Bonds of Fidelity and giving their Kingdoms to others As some say that the King may not be personally Judge in the Courts of Justice but he may make Judges and force them to their duty and depose them if unworthy This differeth little from the former The Monarchy is nevertheless absolute though Kings be the Popes Officers or Lictors 3. But some few hold that the Pope and Bishops have no Power of the Sword at all nor of forcing Kings to use it The Controversie was hotly handled when Popes and Emperors were in Warrs The Volumes written on both sides are published by Goldastus to which William Barkley and some others in France have added more Sect. VI. Rightly therefore doth the Geograph Nubiensis call the Pope A King The Name of a Church maketh not a difference in the thing There be some that think that all Kings should be also Priests and the Popes will grant it so far as to hold that all Bishops should be Magistrates and the Chief Priest be Univerâ—al Kingâ— Cardinal Bertram in Biblioth Patr. saith God had not been wise if he had not set up such a Monarch under him over the World And in 〈◊〉 seu Bulla Sixti quarti Philippo Palatino Rhâ—ni in â—rehero Vol. 2. pag. 162. you may see their Claim in these words Universos Christianos Principes acâ—omnes Christi fideles requirere eisque mandare vice Dei cuius locum quamvis immeriti tenemus in terris To require all Christian Princes and all faithful Christians and to command them in Gods stead whose place on earth we hold though unworthy The Twelfth General Council viz. at the Laterane sub Innoc. 3. and some at Rome under Greg. 7. and many others put this Claim of theirs past doubt Sect. VII Now that the Universal Church will never unite in the Roman Papacy I prove undeniably as followeth 1. Because Christians will never unite in an Agreement to forsake the Scriptures as Gods Word and Law where they will still find that he never instituted such a Roman Monarch The Papists contrary Assertion will never convince the World when the Book it self is open before them They will there find no one man that ruled all the rest no one to whom Appeals were made no one that ever claimed such a power much less that settled any such at Rome or that ever a word was left by Christ to direct the Church to center in the Bishop of Rome Nor that ever the Apostles preached this to the Churches which they must needs have done had it been essential to the Church Catholick or half as necessary as the Papists make it Sect. VIII 2. Because in Scripture Christians will not only find nothing for it but much against it which many Volumes having largely proved Chamier Whitakers White and abundance more it would be vain here to repeat I commend to the English Reader now but Dr. Challoners small Book of the Catholick Church Sect. IX 3. Because were it but as dark and doubtful and uncertain as common Reason and Disputers experience proveth it the universal Church can never unite in a thing which so few can see any certainty in or evident proof of Sect. X. 4. Because the greatlyest reverenced General Councils are against it limiting the Popes power to his Diocese as Nice first doth and declaring him to be National and of humane Institution as being Bishop of the Imperial City and advancing Constantinople from the same Reason as doth the Council of Chalcedon Of which I have largely written against Terret Sect. XI 5. Because the Greek Church hath ever held the Papacy to be of humane Institution Proved briefly 1. Because they ever held the Popes power to stand on the same Foundation with the other Patriarchs But they ever held the other Patriarchs to be of Humane Institution which needs no proofs to men of Reading 2. Because they set up Constantinople first next him and then equal to him and then above him which they had never done had they taken the Papacy to be of Divine Institution For they never pretended any such foundation for the Bishop of Constantinoples power and they were never so desperate as to set up Mans Ordination above Gods 3. Because they took his Power to be limited by the Laws of the Empire and him to be subject to the Emperours All which is known to men that know Church-History Sect. XII 6. Because the common Reason of Mankind will still discern that a humane Monarchy of all the Earth is a dream and Impossibility and that no man is naturally capable of exercising such a power Sect. XIII 7. Because while Baronius Binius Crab Surius and other Histories of the Councils are extant and Platina Anastasius and other Histories of the Popes and while all the old Church-History is extant and all the German
the world that doth not save his own disciples from sin and folly No wonder that God hath no pleasure in fools and that the foolish shall not stand in his fight when they are such a dishonour to Christ and him what fellowship hath Light with darkness And who knoweth not that disagreement proveth ignorance and errour in one party at least When they hold and plead for contrary opinions both cannot be in the right And when this is but in dark and difficult matters of no great influence on our hearts and lives and future hopes it is tolerable and no more to be wondered at than that we are yet but imperfect men in flesh and in this low and darksome world But when it amounteth to that which maketh Christians judge it necessary to anathematize one another and to cast out each other from their communion as intolerable and perhaps to seek one anothers destruction do they not loudly proclaim their shameful ignorance to the world § 3. I know that discipline must be exercised and the precious separated from the vile and this especially for the honour of Christianity For if the Church be as a Swinesty and the clean and unclean the sober and the drunken the chaste and the fornicators equally members of it such a society and their religion will be contemned For sin is a reproach to any people But casting a felon or murderer in Jaile doth much differ from a civil war For the Church to cast out the impure that repent not is necessary to their honour but to divide and subdivide among themselves is their reproach though the dividers have never so fair pretences § 4. I know also what pretences against heresie c. the dividing sects have had in all ages They have pretended that they only being the true Church the condemning and rejecting of all others was necessary to the Churches honour But is it indeed to the honour of the Christian name that so great bodies for so many ages have continu'd to condemn and anathematize each other That the Greek Church condemneth the Western and the Western them That the Eastern and Southern are separated from both And the Western Christians so divided among themselves Who that is not a stranger to man and history knoweth not that it hath been to exercise a Dominion over others and also to extol the skill of their understandings as speaking rightlier than others when they strove about ambiguous words that very much of their anathematizing hath been used And when the Pope hath anathematized the Patriarch of Constantinople he hath anathematized him again yea so hath the Patriarch of Alexandria also And when the three parties the Orthodox the Nestorians and the Eutychians for so many ages have continued anathematizing each other the dishonour falleth on them all in the eyes of beholders and no party recovereth their honour with the rest § 5. Undoubtedly it is they that God shall make the blessed instruments of restoring the necessary means of Concord and thereby of reviving Christian Love and peace that will be the chief and honourable agents for the repairing of the honour of the Christian Church if ever it be repaired in this world All parties seem agreed in this even they that most foolishly and cruelly tear and distract the Church that it must be Love and Concord that at last must heal it and recover its glory if ever it be healed And how much Christ is pleased to see his servants live in Love and peace his office his nature his many and vehement Commands do tell us CHAP. VII III. What obligations are on all Christians to avoid sinful divisions and discord and to promote this Vnity and peace § 1. FRom what is already said it is easie to gather that many and great obligations are on all Christians to be promoters of Concord and enemies of discord and divisions I. The many and express commands of Christ in Scripture do oblige them This is no dark or controverted point written in words which are hard to be understood but plainly uttered and often urged Yea when several of Gods commands are mentioned this is still preferred before most others that can be imagined to stand in competition against it As the uniting Love of God is called the first and great Command so the uniting Love of man is called the second like to that and the summ of the second table and the fulfilling of the Law It is not mentioned as an Accident of the New Creature but as an essential part not as the high qualification of some rare Christian but as that which is necessary and common to all that are the living members of Christ Not only as needful to some inferiour uses but as necessary to all the great Ends of our Religion preferred before sacrifice and all the rituals and not to be dispensed with on any pretence § 2. II. No man therefore can be an obedient servant of Christ that seeketh not to keep the Vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace If he that breaketh one of the least commands and teacheth men so to do shall be called Least in the Kingdom of God what shall he be called and where shall be his lot that breaketh the greatest § 3. III. The Love of God our Father and of Christ our Redeemer doth oblige us For if he that loveth not his brother whom he seâ—th daily cannot Love God whom he never saw how much less he that loveth not the multitude of believers and so great an interest of God in the world as is that unity and concord of the body of Christ And if he that doth or doth not good to one of the least of the servants of Christ is supposed to have done it or not done it to himself how much more he that doth or omitteth that which Christ and his whole Church is so much concerned in § 4. IV. The Love of our own souls obligeth us considering how many and great impediments discord doth raise against all grace and duty and against our holiness comfort and salvation And how much Christian Love and Concord do conduce to the preservation of all grace and to the attainment of Glory All men in true Concord are our helpers and all men in discord are our hinderers and tempters How fair and easie is the way to Heaven among true Loving and agreeing Christians and how hard is it where divisions and contentions take place § 5. V. The Love of our neighbours souls obligeth us to this That which is best for us is best for them Alas carnal minds deceived by sin need not to have the way to heaven made harder nor to be tempted by the discords of Christians to despise them Their own malignity and the devils temptations when we have done our best may suffice to deceive them and undo them Every Christian should be a helper to the salvation of all about him and a souldier under Christ to fight against Satan as he
Governours under the Emperours Civil Government and not over the world nor was there ever such a thing as a General Council of all the Christian world but only General as to one Empire Nor did any of these Councils take on them to make Constitutive terms of the Universal Church or its Union but only to preserve declare and expound them and to make subordinate governing Canons And if they had undertaken more no wise man can imagine that all Christians will therefore confess the right of such a claim and so submit to it The proof of their authority will be so obscure that as such as I cannot see it so there will be so many no wiser than I am as that the exclusion of all Christians that are but of our size will never stand with Catholick Unity And if it were possible to satisfie all the present age 1. that some have such authority from God 2. and who they are 3. and how far it extendeth yet still such will succeed them in whom the uncertainty and dissent will be revived What needeth there more proof than mans incapacity and the experience of so many Generations All Christians agree in Christianity All Christians never agreed on any human◠terms of Unity Pope Council or Monarch One Empire hath pretended to agree in Councils but have been so far from it as that they have been the occasion of their greatest disagreements witness even the Great ones Const 1. Ephes 1. 2. Calcedon which some blessed and some cursed for many generations after and that at Constantinople that made the decree de tribus capitulis divided even the Roman Church so far as that for one hundred years a great part of it renounced the Roman Bishop and set up another Patriarch against him And Abassia and other extra-imperial Churches were never under the Roman or Imperial Government § 12. V. And that the terms of Catholick unity must not be very many things is evident from the foresaid Incapacity of the most to comprehend many things and also from the confession of almost all sorts of Christians Even the Papists who have advanced the Christian Religion to the monstrous magnitude of their vast and numerous Decrees of Councils are forced yet to make them almost all unnecessary under the name of Implicite belief and do narrow the necessary articles of the Christian faith almost to an annihilation while they agree not whether it be necessary explicitely to believe the life death resurrection mediation judgement yea or being of Christ himself or any more than that there is a God and an Infallible Church Of which see Francisc de sancta Clara his Deus Natura Gratia at large And those of our selves that eject Ministers and Christians for dissenting from some of their own impositions are yet contented to admit such as submit to themselves upon very low terms of Christian knowledge to the Sacraments and Communion of the Church And indeed he knoweth not man who knoweth not that universal unity and concord will never be had upon the terms of Many dark uncertain humane or unnecessary things but only on the terms of things Few sure plain divine and necessary CHAP. II. Some instances of Gods description of these terms in the words of the Sacred Scriptures § 1. I Have before proved that Christ instituted the terms of Catholick Unity in Scripture and have cited some texts on the by It will not be amiss for conviction to set divers texts together which will fullier open the terms themselves § 2. The words of the institution of Baptism before mentioned are the most convincing Matth. 28. 19 20. Go ye and disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world Here Christ himself sendeth his messengers and prescribeth them their work and maketh the terms of Baptism the Entering and Constitutive terms of his Church which they were to gather But the Administring or Governing terms are larger even teaching them all things which Christ hath commanded them And this was a Law not only for that age but to the End of the world § 3. It is the same in sense which reduceth all the terms to Believing in Jesus Christ as including Belief in the Father and the Holy Ghost John 1. 12. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name John 3. 14 15 16 18 36. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life He that believeth on him is not condemned He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life John 17. 3. This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 14. 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me John 15. 1 2 3. Now are ye clean through the word that I have spoken to you abide in me and I in you c. See John 6. Mark 16. 16. Preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned It will be needless to repeat all words to the same purpose Matth. 18. 6. He that offendeth one of these little ones that believe in me it were better a mill-stone were hanged about his neck c. And yet must Bishops curse such from Christ and excommunicate them Mar. 1. 15. John 6. 29 69. 7. 39. 4. 35 38. 11. 27 42. 12. 36. 13. 9. 16. 30. 31. 17. 20 21. 20. 31. 2. 11 22. 9. 53. 16. 27. 7. 31. 8. 30. 10. 42. 11. 26 27. 5. 24. 6. 35 40 47. 7. 38. 12. 46. Acts 10. 42. 5. 14. 8. 37. 13. 39. 16. 31. 19. 7. 18. 8. 17. 4 34. 14. 1. 13. 12 48. And all these believers no doubt of no hard numerous humane articles lived in Love and Communion Acts 2. 44. 4. 32. so Rom. 3. 22. The Righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ is unto all and upon all them that do believe for there is no difference 4. 11 24. Abraham is the Father of all them that believe and righteousness shall be imputed to them all Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Gal. 3. 22. 2. 16. Heb. 11. 6 c. 10. 39. 4. 3. 1 John 3. 23. 5. 1 5 10 13. § 4. Other texts that add Repentance to Faith speak but the same sense adding the express mention of the terminus à quo as well
of such things indifferent as the Church had not setled by any Law and would not so settle but that it 's nothing to such as the Church either hath or will so command This opinion hath carried it in England and other Nations of the world Being once commissioned to plead this cause by his Majesty among others I then presumed to say 1. That St. Paul here writeth not only to the laity but to all the Roman Church That therefore he writeth as Christ Rev. 2. 3. to the Angels of the seven Churches to the Rulers of the Church as well as to the People 2. And therefore he forbiddeth those Rulers what he forbiddeth others and so forbiddeth them the imposing of any thing contrary to this his full determination 3. Yea himself was an Apostle and a Church-Governor of as great authority as those that he wrote to And these his words signified his own judgement and what he would do himself Yea they were as good a Law as any the Romans could make that he wrote to Therefore when an Apostle by the Spirit of God shall write thus plainly and peremptorily to Priests and people thus to tolerate and receive each other he that now expoundeth it with an except the Church otherwise decree maketh this the sence I do by all these great reasons charge and perswade you not to judge despise or reject one another unless you decree to do it or not to make such rejecting Laws unless you make them And the Holy Ghost speaketh not in the holy Scriptures at this rate § 10. Yea I prove from the arguments used by St. Paul that he extended his speech to the Clergy or Rulers as well as to the people and so forbad them making such Laws And indeed the knack of making Church-Laws without the Holy Ghost in Apostolick persons was not as then learnt and used by the Churches 1. Because St. Paul argueth from Universal reasons 2. and from Moral and necessary arguments and 3. Speaketh by the Spirit and Apostolical Authority § 11. I. His reasons touch not only some singular persons and case but the case of all Churches in all Ages He argueth from the difference between well-meaning Christians as Weak and Strong as doubting and as assured as mistaken and as in the right as in danger of being damned if they act doubtingly and of stumbling and being offended c. Now such weak mistake◠Christians in such matters ever have been and ever will be and so the reason from their case and necessity will hold in all Countreys and Ages to the end § 12. II. And many great and pressing Moral reasons that all Christians are bound by are here heaped up 1. One is from Christian Love to brethren 2. Another from humane Compassion to the weak 3. Another is from Gods own example who receiveth such whom therefore we must not reject 4. Another is from Gods prerogative to judge 5. and another from his propriety in his own servants 6. Another is from our having no such judging power in such cases 7. Another is from Gods Love and mercy that will uphold such 8. Another is because what men do as to please God must not be condemned without necessity but a holy intention cherished so it be not in forbidden things 9. Another is that men must not go against Conscience in indifferent things 10. Another is from Christs dreadful judgement which is near and which we our selves must undergo and must be that final decider of many things which here will not be fully decided 11. Another is from the sin of laying stumbling-blocks and occasions of offence 12. Another is from the danger of crossing the ends of the death of Christ destroying souls for whom he dyed 13. Another is that it will make our good to be ill spoken of 14. Another is that the Kingdom of God or the Constitution of Christianity and the Church lyeth in no such matters but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost 15. And another that Christ is pleased in this without the other and God accepteth such 16. Another is that such are approved of men that is This righteousness peace and holy joy without agreement in such Ceremonies and by-matters beareth its own testimony for approbation to the judgement of all impartial men humanity and Christianity teach us to love and honour such 17. Another is from our common obligation to live in peace with all 18. Another is from our obligation to do all to the edifying of one another 19. Another is because Gods work else is destroyed by us 20. And our own lawful acts are turned into sin when they hurt another 21. Another from the obligation that lyeth on us to deny our own liberty in meat wine c. to avoid the hurting of another that is weak 22. Another is from the damnation of such as are driven or drawn to act doubtingly 23. Another is from the special duty and mercy of the strong that should bear the infirmities of the weak 24. Another is from the common duty of pleasing others for their good and edifying 25. Another is from the example of Christ himself that pleased not himself 26. Another is from Gods patience to us 27. Another is from our great obligation to imitate Christ 28. Another because indeed this is the true way to Love and unity that with one mind and one mouth we may glorifie God while we lay not our concord on impossible terms 29. Another is in the concluding precept because Christ receiveth us and it is to Gods Glory therefore we must thus receive each other If all these moral arguments signifie no more than this Receive and tolerate such till you make Laws against it I cannot understand the argumentations of God or holy men § 13. III. And to conclude Paul spake by the Holy Ghost and by Divine authority himself and his words recorded are part of Christs Law indited by the Spirit and no man that cometh after him or to whom he wrote had power to contradict or obliterate it All this methinks should satisfie men of the meaning of so full a decision of an easie case about things indifferent which it's strange that so many yet for nothing do oppose And that the authority of an Apostle in Sacred Scripture the peace of the Church and the souls and peace of all dissenters and doubting persons should seem so contemptible to them as not to weigh down their humour and domineering will in an unnecessary and indifferent thing But it is the nature of sin especially Pride to be unreasonable and unpeaceable and the troubler of the soul the Church the world § 14. The same Apostle in the Epistles to the Corinthians 1. c. 1. v. 10. c. importuneth them to peace and unity and sharply reprehendeth their divisions 1. c. 3. He desireth them to be perfectly conjoyned in the same mind and in the same judgement But what are the terms and means of such a
union Is it that they all unite in Cephas Peter or in One Patriarch or Pope Or that they adhere to men with greater estimation No but contrary It is this that divided them while one was for Paul and another for Apollos and another for Cephas He calls them to unite in Christ alone and not to think of men above that which is written nor to be puffed up for one against another nor to take any Pastors as the Lords of their faith but as Ministers of Christ and stewards of his mysteries given for their good and helpers of their joy and edification c. 3. 4. He tells them that neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase and he that planteth and he that watereth are one c. 3. v. 7 8 9. And in case of eating things offered to Idols as to so much as was lawful in it self he chargeth them to deny their liberty when it will be a stumbling-block to the weak and tells them that he will never eat flesh while the world standeth if it make his brother to offend c. 8. 13. Telling them that when they sin so against the brethren and wound their weak Conscience they sin against Christ v. 12. And he himself would labour for his bread and not take a lawful and due maintenance from them when he saw it would hinder his success c. 9. and would rather dye than any should make void this his glorying v. 15. To the Jews he became as a Jew to gain the Jews and to the weak he became as weak to gain them and was made all things to all men that he might by all means save some v. 20 21 22 23. His rule is Give no offence to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved c. 10. v. 32 33. Their divisions at the Communion he reproveth ch 11. not caused by ceremonious impositions but their own partiality and selfishness The great difference among Christians in gifts and strength he largely openeth c. 12. to shew them that all this must stand with unity and that yet there must be no Schism in the body but the members must have the same care one of another v. 25. yea the less comely parts must have the more care v. 23 24. And ch 15. 1 2 3. he giveth us this sum of the Gospel which he preached Moreover brethren I declare to you the Gospel which I preached which also you have received and wherein ye stand by which also ye are saved if ye hold fast what I preached to you unless you believed in vain Are not here the terms of Christian unity and salvation For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and was seen c. whence our resurrection is proved Here is nothing but the common articles of the Creed and this was the Gospel Indeed St. Paul is an Anathematizer too but it is not of men that differ about words or humane forms but of all them that love not the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. § 15. The same Apostle sharply reprehendeth the faults of the Galatians But what is it for not for differing about things unnecessary but for making such necessary that were not For which he wisheth those cut off that troubled them And he concludeth all with this uniting true Canon c. 6. v. 15 16. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a New Creature And as many as walk according to this Canon or Rule peace be on them and mercy and on the Israel of God I Can any thing be plainer No say the battering Canoneers As many as walk according to this Canon but conform not to all our Canons or Decretals let them have no peace or mercy but be cut off from the Isreal of God so contrary is the Papal Spirit to Christs And Paul there giveth also this rule and the reason of it c. 6. 1 2. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ And because he knew that self-esteem and contempt of dissenters lay at the root of impatience towards others he addeth If a man think himself to be something to whom all must needs consent when he is nothing he deceiveth himself § 16. The same Apostle to the Ephesians accurately openeth the terms of Christian Unity and Church Concord in my Text purposely describing both the end the instruments and the terms so that I know not how we could have desired more The End is For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carryed about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up in him in all things which is the head Christ From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying of it self in love Can all the Canons in the world attain more Concord and higher ends than these exprest And the Instruments are the gifts which Christ gave to men even to Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and the loving endeavours of all believers § 17. And the Terms of all this Union and Concord are these seven 1. One Body of Christ the only Head that is all true Christians in the world 2. One Spirit given by Christ to quicken illuminate and Sanctifie and confirm and comfort them 3. One Hope of their calling that is the Glorious coming of Christ and our Heavenly Glory 4. One Lord the King Head and Saviour of the Church 5. One Faith that is Christianity expressed in the Churches Creed or common profession 6. One Baptism that is One solemn entrance into the Church and Covenant of God in the publick profession of this one faith 7. One God and father of all who is above all and through and in us all But all this consisting in various degrees of grace and gifts ch 4. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. These are Gods own terms of Christian Unity and Concord sufficient in their kind but judged insufficient by the ignorant proud tyrannical
Ministers be tryed men of sound understanding in that which they must teach and do and therefore that both the ordainers and the hearers try them This account of their understanding is better than the imposing of humane forms upon them for subscription Not but that Teachers should know more than the flock that is than the essentials nor that I presume to condemn all the Churches that impose their Confessions to be subscribed in their own and not in Scripture-words while they keep only to necessary certain things But I shall afterward prove that this way though tolerable is not best but unnecessary and dangerous 1. the Scripture affording us apt words enow to form our Confessions in which are past Controversie 2. and there being no probability of bounding mens Impositions of this kind when once they set upon this way 3. and most Confessions of that nature now extant having some needless words which other Churches or good Christians do dissent from 4. And the ancient Creeds understood which the ordainers must try and the old Catechistical Verities being sufficient to this use 5. And there being means of restraining men from preaching and vending heresies which are more safe and congruous 3. I add therefore that a certain Confession containing the certainest and needfullest Integrals of Religion should or may well be drawn up as a Law forbidding all upon meet penalties to preach or speak against them without any subscribing promising or professing 4. And upon proof of the violating of such a Law and preaching against such articles it is sufficient that both the Church and the Christian Magistrate in their several ways may judge them and by just penalties correct them of which more after in due place For it is very hard so to form long Confessions beyond the old Creeds Lords Prayer Decalogue and the General belief of Scripture and this not in Scripture-terms which shall not have some words which sound and honest Ministers cannot assent to without lying which they will not do But to silence many words which yet we conceive true and forbear speaking against some things which yet he cannot profess assent to there are very few sober men but will do And an errour never spoken or written hurts not others nor is to be judged being not known Non apparere here is as non esse And if it be vended the person may be judged as well as if he had sworn subscribed or promised And they that will tell us yet what evil may befall secret whispering errours without out such oaths subscriptions or promises do by this over-doing dangerously undo and lest man should be man and the Church imperfect on pretence of avoiding a possible unavoidable hurt they will set up knaves that will say any thing shut out honest men and necessitate divisions confusions and persecutions where they can never stop on this side banishing or killing or continued imprisoning multitudes of faithful men and never the more attain their ends Sound doctrine may be kept up as far as is to be hoped by the aforesaid means § 41. III. It is greatly needful to the well-being of Ministry and Church that Gods publick worship and Sacraments be kept pure Not that any thing done by man will be void of imperfection but that it be such as is acceptable to God honourable to Religion and profitable and suitable to the flock and to good men To which end 1. Christian simplicity here also is necessary That it be not corrupted or clogged with things uncertain needless curious nor yet much defective not confused disorderly much less erroneous superstitious ludicrous undecent false or prophane 2. It is needful that men to be ordained be tryed and known to be such as can speak to God and men without such unsufferable mis-performance 3. And that they be responsible to the Church and Magistrate for what they say and do Of Liturgies I am to speak in the third Part Only here 4. I add that fit words and spiritual life are the body and soul of worship and one must not be pleaded against another nor any by Formality mortifie holy worship and turn it into a Carkass or a lifeless image Nor yet on pretence of spirituality condemned the frequent use of the same words commonly called Forms whether prepared by the speaker who best knoweth what he needeth or agreed on by the Churches in fit cases and measures for greater Concord § 42. IV. It is needful to the well-being of the Ministry and Churches that all Pastors in their places be not only allowed to use Christs true Discipline but that it be expected and really done in every Church and that this Discipline be neither cast aside nor corrupted and turned into malignant war against the good nor into tyranny and usurpation § 43. What this Discipline is is opened before It is described by Christ in Matth. 18. If thy brother trespass against thee tell him his fault between thee and him If he hear thee thou hast won thy brother If he hear thee not take with thee two or three If he hear not them tell the Church If he hear not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or a publican Serious convincing admonition must be used with due patience to bring a sinner to repentance And more publick admonition after private And the person sentenced unfit for Christian Communion when refusing all he sheweth himself utterly impenitent And he must be reconciled absolved and received when he giveth the Church just proof of his true repentance § 44. 1. It is a great corruption of this Discipline when it is exercised by Lay-Chancellors or other Lay-men to whom the Keyes of the Church-Government were never committed by Christ § 45. 2. It is a great corruption when it is done only by an officer of another species than Christ ever instituted § 46. 3. It is an usurpation and corruption when it is done by the Pastor of some other Church and not by the proper Pastor of the Church where the sinner liveth Such is Papal Usurpation when the Bishop of Rome will be judge in London § 47. 4. Especially when such a pretender liveth far from the place where persons and actions are not half known and that only by great charge and travel When the Pastor and people of the present Church may easily know all and it belongeth to them who are executively either to communicate with him or avoid him which distant strangers have no opportunity or occasion to do further than by declared consent § 48. 5. It is a heinous corruption of it to Excommunicate men in a prophane worldly manner without wise serious patient endeavours to apply Gods word to the sinners case and conscience to bring him to true repentance and amendment § 49. 6. And it is yet more heinous abuse to excommunicate the faithful for a fearful avoiding sin in some imposed Oath Covenant Profession promise subscription or unnecessary Ceremony or Form and especially withal
such bloody work as hath been made by Bishops Councils and Emperors for the suppressing of dissenters What hath been done at Alexandria Antioch Constantinople Jerusalem Rome I have elsewhere shewed The late publisher of his travels in Egypt Vaneslup a Roman they say a Jesuite tells us that Egypt is deprived of her ancient sort of inhabitants destroyed for following Dioscorus and that Justinian killed no less than two hundred thousand of them I believe not his number But if this be true the tyrannical hereticaters are the Pikes in the pond and a far more bloody and devouring sort of men than most of those that they destroy as intolerable 3. But it is not yet divers Religions that is the subject in dispute every different opinion or practice or diversity in some small point in Religion is not a divers Religion He knoweth not what Religion is that thinketh that there are as many different Religions as there are controversies among religious persons In a word Bear a little or you must bear more § 8. Obj. 8. But the tolerated will seduce the ignorant and poison Souls And therefore are no more to be tolerated than murderers souls being more precious than bodies Answ 1. Who have poisoned the Church and souls with more errors and more palpable than the Papists who are most against Toleration 2. The meerly Tolerated being discountenanced by Authority have less advantage to deceive men than the Approved if as erroneous 3. We plead for restraining men from poisoning souls by dangerous doctrines and not for tolerating that But every dissenter or mistaking person is not such a poisoner of souls 4. The Tolerated speaking in publick are more responsible and more easily convicted of their fault than those that do it secretly where there are no witnesses And this your violence cannot hinder 5. As their errors will be openly known so you have advantage openly to confute them and to keep the people right § 9. Obj. 9. But dissenting teachers will unsay what the Approved Teachers say and hinder their work and steal the hearts of the people from them and make their calling bur densome to them Answ 1. They are to be restrained from preaching against any great sure necessary doctrine or practice 2. Christ never sent out his Ministers with a supposition that none should contradict them but with that light and strength which which was to overcome contradiction Do you so debase and disgrace your selves and your religion as to think or say that it cannot prosper if any be but suffered to speak against you 3. Doth the work of Christ afford you no more comfort than shall leave you thus burdened if any will but gainsay you How unlike Christs Ministers or Christians do you speak 4. Have not you that have sound doctrine Gods promise the Rulers countenance maintenance and honour much more to support you than they that are supposed to have none of these 5. If you tolerate not their open preaching their secret endeavours and your seeming cruelty together will alienate more from you and make you not only neglected but abhorred § 10. Obj. 10. The number of the erroneous will increase by a toleration Answ And the number of the ungodly that will say swear or do any thing for worldly respects will increase by your mistaken way of suppressing them 2. It is better that tolerated honest Christians erring in tolerable cases do increase than that they be banished or destroyed and a worldly Ministry thereby lift up abhorred by the religious and heading the malignant and prophane against all serious piety 3. Violence and Tyranny against good men for tolerable error hath already increased that same error more than wiser means would have done and hath introduced worse 4. We have found where I lived in Worcestershire and the neighbouring Counties Warwickshire Staffordshire and Shropshire in the late times of liberty in Religion that an unanimous humble able diligent Ministry frequently and lovingly consulting and all agreeing did more effectually suppress heresie error and schism than violence ever did or would have done The next Parish to me had a grave learned sober Anabaptist B. of D. that had great advantages and yet almost all our flocks were kept from the infection In my own Charge a great Parish of many thousand souls where I was above 14. years we had no one separate assembly nor one sectary that I remember save two or three apostate Infidels or Socinians and two or three Papists A faithful agreeing Ministry with the advantage of a good cause we found sufficient to shame all the Sectaries and frustrate most of their endeavours and to keep the people unanimous and right § 11. Obj. 11. If every one that will may set up for a preacher and gather a congregation or if the ignorant people shall all choose their own Teachers we shall have ignorance error and confusion Answ 1. I told you that every one that will may not turn preacher The Tolerated are to pass their proper tryal as well as the Approved before they receive their Toleration 2. The Churches commonly chose their own Bishops or Pastors for near a thousand years after Christ or had a Negative consenting voice at least And many Canons did confirm it yea and decrees of the Popes themselves yea when the Popes and Emperours in Germany the Henries c. strove about the investing power it was yet granted that the people should have their electing or free conrsenting power continued And no man can be really their Pastor till they consent And your contrary course will make worse work 3. Our way is of all other the safest Two or three locks keep the Churches treasure safest We say none shall be approved but by three parties consent nor Tolerated but by two or three The Ordainers are to consent to him as a Minister and the people as their Minister and the Magistrate as a Tolerated Minister or if any unordained be tolerated which I determine not at least the People and the Ruler must consent and that upon a just testimonial of his ability Piety and fitness for such toleration 4. And yet we speak this but of Pastors not denying but Teachers and Catechizers may be imposed on children infidels and others that are not in Communion with any particular Church § 12. Obj. 12. You would have the Church Articles at least for the Tolerated in Scripture phrase And what 's the phrase without the right sence How easily may Hereticks creep in under such phrases as several men put several sences on Answ 1. Is there not Truth enough in all the Bible in intelligible words necessary to salvation and Church Communion Is the Scripture as insufficient as the Papists make it without their supplemental Traditions or Decrees And had not the Holy Ghost skill to speak even things necessary in tolerable intelligible phrase who are they that are wiser to reform it 2. Almost all words are ambiguous and may be diversly understood your own
invented expositions will be as liable to be wrested by Hereticks as the Scripture It is ridculous presumption to talk of making any Law profession or Articles that a false Heretick may not subscribe to 3. But there is another remedy against them while they conceal their heresie they are no Hereticks in the judgment of the Church Non apparere here is as non esse when they divulge it the judicatures must correct them It 's vanity to dream that the Law is faulty as long as it is but such as men can break or that any Law can be made which none can break But as they break them they are to be judged 4. And we must not rack and divide the good for fear of such letting in the bad The Churches Concord and peace is of more regard than the keeping out of some secret Heretick yea of old he was not called a Heretick that did not separate from the Church All good men agree to the word of God but all will not agree to every word of yours § 13. I conclude In humane affairs there is nothing without imperfection weakness and incommodity and to pretend the cure of these by impossibilities or mischiefs is the way of such as these Thirteen hundred years have been the true schismaticks and distracters of the Church CHAP. X. A draught or specimen of such Forms as are before mentioned for the Approved and the Tolerated Ministers § 1. TThis Chapter should have gone before the ninth But I thought to pass it by lest it seem presumptuous But the observation how ordinarily men miscarry in this work hath perswaded me to run the hazard of mens censures § 2. 1. The form to be subscribed by the Approved Ministry I A. B. do seriously as in the sight of God profess that as I have been in Baptism devoted by the sacred Covenant to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the Devil the world and the flesh so far as they are his enemies so I do unfeignedly Believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and consent still to that Covenant in hope of the grace and Glory promised obliging my self to continue by the help of that grace in Faith Love and sincere obedience to the end More particularly § 3. I. I do unfeignedly Believe 1. That there is one Only God an infinite Spirit of Life understanding and will most perfectly powerful wise and good incomprehensibly Three in One and One essence in Three called persons or subsistences by the Church the Father the Word and the Spirit of whom and through whom to whom are all things he being the Creator preserver Governour and the ultimate End of all Our absolute owner our most just Ruler and our most gracious and amiable Father and benefactor 2. I believe that this God created all the world things invisible and visible And made man in his own Image forming a fit Body and breathing into it a spirit of Life understanding and will fitted and obliged to know love and serve his Creator giving him the inferior Creatures for this use making him their Owner their Governour and their End under God But specially forbidding him to eat of the Tree of knowledge on pain of death 3. The woman being tempted by Satan and the man by the woman both fell by wilful sin from their Holiness Innocency and Happiness into a state of Pravity Guilt and misery under the slavery of the Devil world and flesh under Gods vindictive Justice and the condemnation of his Law Whence sinful corrupted guilty and miserable natures are propagated to all mankind And no meer Creature is able to deliver us § 4. II. I believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to be their Saviour Who being God and one with the Father took our Nature and became man being conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary named Jesus the Christ who was perfectly holy without sin fulfilling all righteousness and being tempted overcame the Devil and the world and after a life of humiliation gave himself a sacrifice for our sins by suffering a cursed death on the Cross to ransome us and reconcile us unto God and was buryed and descended to Hades and conquering death the third day he rose again And having sealed the New Covenant with his blood he commanded his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the world and promised the Holy Ghost and after forty daiesascended into heaven where he is God and man the glorified Head over all things to his Church all power being given him in heaven and earth our prevailing Intercessor with God the Father to present us our service acceptable to God and communicate Gods grace and mercies unto us to Teach us Govern protect and judge us and to save and bless and glorifie us § 5. 2. By the new Testament Covenant or Law of grace God through the aforesaid Mediation of Jesus Christ doth freely give to fallen mankind Himself to be their Reconciled God and Father his Son to be their Saviour and his holy Spirit to be their sanctifier and comforter if they will accordingly believe and accept the gift and by faithful covenant give up themselves to him in these Relations Repenting of their sins and consenting to forsake the Devil the world and the flesh so far as they are enemies to God and their salvation and sincerely to obey Christ his Laws and his Spirit to the end bearing the Cross and following him though through sufferings that they may reign with him in Glory All which God will faithfully perform § 6. III. I Believe that God the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and from or by the son was given to the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to be their infallible Guide in preaching and recording the doctrine of salvation and to be the great witness of Christ and his truth by his manifold Divine operations And that he is given to quicken illuminate and sanctifie all true believers and to save them from the Devil the world and the fleshes temptations from sin and from spiritual misery And that the Holy Scriptures indited by this Spirit are to be believed loved and obeyed as the word of God § 7. 2. I believe that all who by true Consent are devoted to God in the foresaid Baptismal Covenant and so continue are one sanctified Church or Body of Christ and have Communion in the same spirit of faith and Love and have forgiveness of their sins and having one God one Christ one spirit one faith one Baptism and one Hope of Heavenly Glory are bound to keep this unity of the spirit in the bond of peace in the Doctrine worship order and conversation and mutual helps which Christ hath by himself or his Apostles commanded avoiding uncharitable contentions divisions injuries and offences And that the Baptized Covenanters and external Professors of the foresaid Covenant consent are the visible
Spirit and sufficient Rule 23. That men must believe the Scripture without reason for their believing it or must believe it to be Gods word without seeking any proof that it is his word 24. That it is meritorious to believe the Scripture to be Gods word without knowing any proof or reason of it this being an infused faith and proof making it but acquired 25. That we must believe Gods word no further than we have evidence of truth from the nature of the matter revealed 26. That Mahomet is the Paraclet promised by Christ V. Of the Creation 1. That this world was from eternity and not made in time 2. That an evil God made this earth or a middle God between the perfect God and the evil one As old Hereticks variously spake 3. Or that such an evil or middle God made the body of man 4. Or that such an evil or middle agent made the woman 5. That God made sin and death and disorder before sin deserved them 6. That when God had made this world he left it to the Government of certain Angels who fell and necessitated man to fall 7. That the World is Gods body and he the Soul of it and no more 8. That the world came by chance or by a fortuitous conflux of atomes and was not made by Gods wise and powerful word or action 9. That there is nothing in the world but matter and motion and the various shapes of matter caused by motion or at least nothing but God and matter and motion and its modal effects 10. That the world is Infinite as being made by that infinite God who made it as great and good as he was able and therefore infinite in his own similitude VI. Of Angels and Spirits and Heaven 1. That men can certainly tell the space number and order of all the celestial regions orbs or spaces and the number of Angels or when the first were made 2. That this world or earth was made by Angels only 3. That the fallen Angels were necessitated by God to sin and to tempt man 4. That God hath so left to Angels the Government of this world as not to govern it himself save by such leaving all to their free contingent action 5. That all that which scripture ascribeth to the Holy Ghost is done only by Angels 6. That we may know which are our Guardian Angels 7. That men may choose their own guardian Angels or spirits 8. That we must pray to Angels though we see them not or have no special notice when they hear us 9. That Angels lusted after women and begat Giants of them before the deluge 10. That they fight with each other for the government of the Kingdoms of this world even the good Angels among themselves VII Of Man as man in his nature and first state 1. That mans soul is God or part of God 2. Or is only a part or act of an universal soul of the world and is no singular or individual substance in each one 3. That the soul is but a quality motion or action of a higher agent 4. That the soul is mortal and dieth with the body being either annihilated or asleep or sunk into a meer potentia or hath no knowledge will sense or action or is swallowed up in the universal soul so as to lose its proper or numerical existence 5. That mans soul is of the same species as the bruits 6. That mans spirit only is immortal and continueth after death but not his soul 7. That mans soul or spirit was from eternity 8. That it was made before this earth and sinned in a former body and was thrust for punishment into this body and world 9. That the souls departed of men are sent back into beasts or at least into other men and so are oft born 10. That mens souls are fallen Angels 11. That Adams soul was made first male and female before it was incorporate 12. That Adams body was the cloathing that God made him after he sinned having no body before 13. That neither soul nor body was made after Gods image as Epiphanius ill affirmeth 14. That mans Vital faculty Intellect and Will are but accidents of his soul 15. That the soul is moved but as an engine by an extrinsick cause and hath not any Essential self-moving form or power 16. That no man can do more or less or otherwise than he doth because God as the first mover necessitateth all his actions 17. That the will hath no habits but a meer power and liberty 18. That Adam and Eve had no holiness or holy inclination to love God as God and to obey him but a meer neutral possibility 19. That Adam had not help or strength sufcient or necessary power to have forborn his first sin 20. That man was made only to be an inhabitant of earth as Angels are of heaven and is not capable of an higher habitation VIII Of sin Original and subsequent 1. That God is as much the Cause of all sin as he is of darkness and such other privations and that he made Adam sin or that he irresistibly predetermineth every ones will to every forbidden act which it doth 2. That the Devil irresistibly necessitated Adam to sin and so some superior cause did the Devils 3. That sin is not only the occasion of much good but a proper cause and as such is decreed willed and caused by God 4. That God made a Covenant with Adam that if he sinned all that came of him should be reputed sinners farther than they were really seminally in him and by natural in-being and derivation were partakers of his guilt and corruptions and so that God made them sinners by his arbitrary imputation when naturally they were not so 5. That Original sin necessitateth every sin of omission or act which ever after followeth in the world 6. That sin being a meer privation all are by nature deprived of all moral good and so all are equally evil and as bad as those in hell notwithstanding any thing that the Redeemer hath done to prevent it 7. That infants have no Original sin no guilt of Adams sin and no sinful pravity of nature 8. That Infants have no participation of guilt of any nearer parents sin but Adams only and God doth not inflict any punishment on children for their fathers sin because of their derived guilt by nature 9. That therefore Infants have no need of a Saviour to suffer for their sin nor of a pardon 10. That Infants need not the Holy Ghost to sanctifie them by killing any sinful pravity or inclination in them 11. That sin was not the cause of death 12. That sin deserveth not hell or an everlasting punishment IX Of Redemption and the Covenant of grace made to Adam and Noah 1. That God made no promise Covenant or gift of grace to Adam after his fall 2. That God made the Covenant of grace only to Adam and the elect and not to all mankind in him
Sect. X. 4. Yet when the very Matter of a dividing Heresie is laid upon much Learning or subtle Notions or any words or things very hard to be understood it seldom spreadeth far and liveth long Because it must cost men dear to understand it and humane nature is slothful and multitudes will not be at long and hard study to know what is right or wrong Therefore such as the Rosie Crucians Behmens c. do but little harm Sect. XI 5. It is not only separating from the Church but causing divisions and contentions in a Church which in Scripture is reproved as sinful Schism And indeed this is the commonest acception of the word as may be seen Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 3. 3. 11. 18. Matth. 12. 25. Luk. 12. 52 53. 2 Cor. 12. 25. They that by ill Doctrine or abuse of each other or causless quarrels do disturb the Churches Peace and cause disaffection murmurings and unbrotherly distance are guilty of Schism though they separate not Sect. XII 6. Separating from a Church is sometimes a greater and sometime a less fault than dividing in a Church and sometime no fault but a duty It is a greater fault 1. When the Church is by the Separater falsly accused of greater crimes 2. And when it tendeth to greater hurt It is a less fault when a man removeth from one Church to another though causelesly yet with less accusation of that Church and less detriment to the common Cause It is no fault when there is just cause and it is done in a just manner Sect. XIII 7. Separating from the Universal Church which is the Universality of Christians as Headed by Christ is separating from Christ and ever damnable and is Apostasie Sect. XIV But to separate from some Accident or Integral part of the Church Universal is not to separate from the Church To differ from Christians in any thing essential to Christianity is to apostatize or separate from the whole Church and so it is à materia to renounce the universality of Christians But to differ from the whole Church in some accident or integral is not to separate from it Sect. XV. To separate from any one Church upon a reason common to all is so far to separate from all And upon a reason that is against the essence of all it is to separate from all as Churches Sect. XVI To separate from any Church by denyal of some one essential part of Christianity though all the rest be confess'd is Heresie in the strict sense and Apostasie in a larger sense and to deny all Christanity is Apostasie in the strict sense But the ancient Christians called it Heresie when men separated into distinct opposing Bodies as parties from the generality of Christians for the cherishing of any dangerous errour Sect. XVII It is lawful to separate from particular Churches in all the degrees and Cases following 1. It is lawful to abate our esteem of any Church or Pastor as they are less worthy or more corrupt or culpable and to value more the more worthy Sect. XVIII 2. It is lawful to remove ones dwelling from one City or Parish to another for the just reasons of our worldly Affairs and thereby to remove from other Churches And it is lawful to do the same for the good of our Souls when one Minister is bad or less fit for our Edification and one Church more corrupt and culpable and others more sound and pure and their Communion more conducible to our Salvation Sect. XIX 3. Parish bounds being but humane Institutions for order sake it is lawfull to be of a Church in a neighbour Parish instead of ones own Parish Church in case we have the allowance of the higher Powers or without that in cases of true necessity or when consideratis considerandis the Benefit is evidently greater than any hurt that it is like to do For no man hath power to bind me to that which is to the danger or detriment of my Soul unless at least some greater notorious interest of the Community require it If my Parish have an ignorant unsound Teacher or a weak dull dangerous or unprofitable careless or scandalous vicious Pastor yet tolerable rather than to have none or judged tolerable by the Rulers and the next Parish have an able holy faithful Pastor by whom I am more abundantly edified I am not bound by Mans Commands to trust the conduct of my Soul with the former or to deny my self the benefit of the latter when I cannot remove my dwelling For mens power is not to destruction but to edification and Order is for the Thing Ordered and not against it My Soul is more Christs and my own than the Rulers And I am not unthankfully to neglect the helps offered me by Christ who ascended to give gifts to men for the edifying of his Body merely because a man commandeth me so to do Sect. XX. 4. Even Pope Nicholas and some of the Popish Councils forbad all men to hear Mass from a fornicating Priest Protestants should not be less strict And it is as lawfull to depart from the Parish-Priest for being a Drunkard a Scorner at Godliness a Persecutor an insufficient Guide of Souls as for being a Fornicator And many Councils forbid me hearing Hereticks Sect. XXI 5. There is so great difference between Teachers and Teachers that are tolerable that some by unsuitableness are to some persons almost equal to none some that preach only in high Language fit for learned ears and withall never speak to the people singly in any private oversight do little or no more good to some of the ignorant than none And God useth to work on Souls by Means and according to the aptitude of Means and therefore Heathens that have no Preachers are unconverted And men are not to forsake the ordinary helps and hopes of their Salvation for Parish-Order or mens Commands Christ twice sent the Pharisees to learn the meaning of I will have mercy and not sacrifice Souls are better than Ceremonies as the Redeemer of Souls will judge Sect. XXII 6. Where we cannot joyn with any Congregation without sin imposed on us by Profession Subscription Covenants Oaths Declaration Practice or Omission it is a Duty not to joyn with such Sect. XXIII 7. When the Pastor is an Usurper and hath no true title to that place it is no Schism to desert him By many Canons of Councils and it seemeth to me by Scripture the Bishop is an Usurper who hath not the consent of his Flock and of the Ordainers Much more he that is utterly intolerable by Insufficiency Heresie Tyranny wickedness or Malignancy against that Piety which he should promote Sect. XXIV 8. Where one Diocesan Bishop hath many hundred Parishes under him which have no other Bishop and so are not taken for Churches but for Chappels or parts of a Church by them that take a Bishop to be a constitutive part of a Church there he that goeth from his
us the Britains rejected them and the Scots would not eat or converse with them The Abassine Empire was never under them nor those of India and Persia And the Councils in which they had the first seat were but of one Empire as is after proved And as for the first three hundred years under Pagan Emperours their own Writers confess the Church of Rome was little set by that is it had no governing power over the rest nor is there any pretence to think they had The first that talk'd very high was Leo the first who called himself the Head of the Catholick Church But by Catholick was then meant usually the Churches in the Empire only and by Head he meant the prime Bishop in order but not the Governour of all Nor was his claim if he meant any more approved by the Churches in that Age. Though the Council of Chalcedon highly applauded him and his Epistle as an advantage to carry their Cause against Dioscorus who had excommunicated the Pope and took him for the prime member of their Council yet they thought meet in their Canons to declare that it was but by humane mutable right in the Roman Empire Let them shew us if they can when and where the universal Church on Earth ever subjected themselves at all to the Pope Much less can they bring any pretense of it for the first three hundred yeas Had they any Meeting in which they agreed for it Did they all receive Laws Ordination or Officers from Rome or from its Emissaries If we were so foolish as to believe that his precedence in General Councils was a proof of the Popes Monarchy yet it 's easie to prove 1. That for 300 years there was no General Council 2. And that it was not the Pope that presided at Nice 3. And that those Councils were but Imperial and not truly Universal But if all the Church ever had been subject to the Pope as being at first except Abassia almost confined to the Roman Empire it doth not follow that it will ever be so again when it is dispersed into so many Kingdoms of the World The Jesuites at first were all under the King of Spain and the Mahometans at first all under one Prince but they are not so now Is it likely that ever all Christian Mahometan and Heathen Kings will suffer all their Christian Subjects to be under the Government of a Foreign Priest But their own Writers agree that the Apostles at first were dispersed into many Countreys besides the Roman Empire and that Ethiopia was converted by the Eunuch mentioned Acts 8. initially its like before Rome and fullyer by St. Matthew And you may see in Godignus Alvarez Damianus a Goez and others full evidence that they were never Subjects to the Pope of Rome I conclude then 1. That Rome is not owned this day as the head of Unity by all Christians 2. That it never was so taken for the Governing and Uniting Head 3. And that the reason of the thing fully proveth that it never will be so I may adde that indeed it is not known among themselves who are the consenting Subjects of the Pope or Members of their Church It is indeed Invisible or a Church not knowable For 1. They are not agreed nor ever like to be what is the essential qualification of a Member of the Church Or what that Faith is that must make a Member Some say it must be the Belief of all the Creed explicitely others of some few Articles others that no more is necessary ad esse than to believe explicitly that God is and that he is a Rewarder of good works and to believe that the Church is to be believed Of which see Fr. a Sanct. Clara in his Deus Natura Gratia 2. And their forcing men into their Church with Tortures Fire and Sword leaveth it utterly uncertain who are Consenters and who are in the Church as Prisoners to save Limbs and Life And if they ever recover England Scotland Ireland Germany and the other Reformed Churches it must be by the Sword and Warrs and Violence and never by force of Argument And if they should conquer us all which is their hope and trust it will not follow that men are of their minds because they cannot or dare not contradict them no more than because they are dead Experience Reason and Scripture then do fully prove to men that are willing to know the truth that the Universality of Christians will never be united to the Roman Papacy Yea that this Papacy is the greatest of all Schisms 1. By setting up a false Head of Union and 2. By cutting off or renouncing three parts of the Christian World even all Christians except the Subjects of the Pope CHAP. V. The Vniversal Church will never unite in Patriarchs or any other humane Form of Church-Government Sect. I. WHether or how far such Forms may consist with Union is a Question that I am not now debating any further than shall be anon intimated by the way But that they will never become the Bond of Union or be received by all and that to make any such thought Necessary to universal Unity is Schism I am easily able to prove Sect. II. And this needeth no other proofs than what are given against uniting in the Papacy in the former Chapter As 1. Patriarchs and other humane Institutions being not of God but Man the whole Church can never unite in them 1. Because they will never all agree that any men have true Authority given them by God to make new Church-Officers and Forms that shall be necessary to the Unity or Concord of the Church Universal 2. They will never agree who those men are that God hath given such power to if they did suspect that such there are A Prince hath no Power out of his Dominions 3. They will never agree that if man made such Forms or Offices they may not unmake them again if they see cause or that their Acts bind all their Posterity never to rescind or change them 4. They will never find that all the Christian World ever agreed herein and so in all Posterity is obliged by their Ancestors 5. Much less will any ever prove that the Institution was Divine Sect. III. If any say that the Apostles settled this Form by the Spirit the Universal Church will never believe it For 1. No Scripture saith so 2. No true credible History saith so 3. If the Apostles settled Patriarchs it was either as their own Successors or as a new Office And it was either by joynt consent or man by man each one apart But 1. Had they settled them as their Successours they would have settled twelve or thirteen But there were but five settled at all besides some new petty Patriarchs as at Aquileia when they cast off Rome 2. No Writer tells us of any meeting of the Apostles to agree of such a Form 3. No nor that ever they settled them 4. History assureth
one Nature only but they meant that Christ had but one Nature as undivided which the Orthodox granted but denied not that the Godhead and Manhood were distinct And what was the difference then but whether the undivided Godhead and Manhood should be called one Nature or two which truly in one sense was two and in another one The like was the Monothelites Heresie for and against which were many Councils about one or two Wills and Operations no more disagreeing than as aforesaid about the sense of One and Two And had not a wise Explication and patient Reconciliation done better service than Cursing did whose doleful effects Hatred Hereticating and Schism continue to this day Should I come to the Councils about Images and that at Constantine that decreed the Tribus Capitulis and the multitudes since that have deposed Emperors and Kings raised Wars set up Popes and Anti-Popes c. Alas how sad a History would it be to convince us that Councils of Bishops have caused most of the Schisms Church-Tyranny Rebellions and Confusions in the Christian world And if the Popes have been restrained or deposed or Schisms at Rome partly stopt by any the flame hath quickly more broke out and condemned Popes have oft got the better of them And if one Council hath said That the Pope is responsible another hath determined the contrary If Basil and Constance decreed That a Council be called every ten years it was not done but was a mockery in the event In a word Councils of Bishops have been but Church-Armies of which at first the Patriarchs were Generals and afterwards Popes and Emperors and came to fight it out for Victory the sequel being usually Schism and Calamity And must this be the only way of Universal Peace CHAP. VII The Vniversal Church will never unite in many pretended Articles of Faith not proved to be Divine nor in owning unnecessary doubtful Opinions or Practices as Religious or Worship of God notwithstanding the pretense of Tradition Sect. I. I Need say no more for proof of this than is said in the first Part. If Preachers say that this or that is an Article of Faith If Popes say it If Councils say it this saying will never unite all Christians in the belief of it It is no belief of God whose object is not revealed by God and perceived so to be and received as such That the sacred Scriptures are written by Divine Inspiration Christians are commonly agreed But that Popes Prelates or Councils speak by Divine Inspiration even when they expound the Scriptures all Christians neither are agreed nor ever will be And till a man perceiveth that it is God that speaketh or that the word spoken is Gods Word he cannot believe it with a Divine Faith which is nothing but believing it to be Gods Word and trusting it accordingly God is true but men are Lyers Rom. 3. Sect. II. Before we can receive any thing as Truth from Man we must have evidence that it is true indeed And that must be 1. Either from the nature of the thing and its causes 2. Or from some testimony of God either concomitant as Miracles were or subsequent in the Effects 3. Or from our knowledge of the Veracity Authority Inspiration and Infallibility of the Instrument or Speaker If therefore any Church or company of men shall tell us that this is a Divine Truth or Article of Faith no more of the World can be expected to believe them than are convinced of it by one of these three proofs The first is the case of natural Revelation and not now questioned The Second none but the Church of Rome do plead for their own belief viz. that they work Miracles and therefore are to be believed in whatever they affirm to be the Word of God Knot against Chillingworth and others of them do ultimately resolve their Faith or their proof of the truth of their Religion into the Miracles wrought in the Church of Rome by which God testifieth his approbation of their Assertions Other Christians that may have more miracles than Papists yet resolve not their proof of Christianity into them but lay more stress on other Evidence and particularly on Christs and his Ministers miracles attesting the holy Scriptures and Gospel to be of God And when we can find just proof of the Papists Miracles we shall be willing to study the meaning of them But hitherto we have not found such proof If any Council in Rome France Germany or England shall say These are Divine revealed Truths and as such you must believe subscribe or swear to them the world will never agree in believing them when no sober man is bound to believe them but as humane uncertain and fallible witnesses according to the measure of their Credibility Sect. III. Long experience fully proveth this No Age of the Church did ever agree in Articles of meer humane Assertion for that had been but a humane Faith That which the Council of Nice said was denyed by the Councils at Sirmium Ariminum c. That which the Council at Ephesus the first and at Chalcedon affirmed they at the Council of Ephesus the second denyed That which the Monotholites under Philippicus innumerable Bishops saith Binius affirmed many other Councils condemned That which the Council at Nice the second decreed for Images was condemned by many other Councils That which the Councils at â—isa Constance and Basil decreed to be Articles of Faith the Council at Florence and others abhorre Much less will a Provincial Synod or a Convocation or a Parliament be taken by all the Christian world to be infallible Sect. IV. And indeed the obtruding of â—alshoods or Uncertainties on the Churches is a notorious cause of Schism For what can you expect that men of Sobriety and Conscience should do in such a case Discern the certainty of the thing they cannot nor can they believe that all must needs be true that is said by a Synod a Convocation or a Parliament And they dare not lie in saying they believe that which they do not And to take all for Schismaticks that dare not deliberately lie or that set not up 〈◊〉 men as Lords of their Conscience instead of God is Schismatical unchristian and inhumane And as mens mere wills ought not to rule their understandings nor the will of Synods of Bishops or others to be the rule and measure of our wills so though we were never so willing to believe all to be true that Councils of Bishops or Princes say 〈◊〉 are not our understandings in the power of our 〈◊〉 We cannot believe what we list To know or believe without evidence of truth is to see without light False Hypocrites may force their tongues to say that they believe this or that at the Command of man but they cannot force themselves indeed to believe 〈◊〉 How then can a book of Articles or the Decrees of a Council or the Laws of a Prince bring the World to any unity
of Belief in things not evidently of God Sect. V. What I say of Divine Faith I say of Points of Religious Practice For though all things believed be not to be done yet all things to be done as commanded by God must first be believed to be commanded by him And to believe and do is somewhat more than only to believe Sect. VI. But it 's one thing to say This is Gods Command and another to say This is our Command The first none will agree to that see not evidence to believe it The second is 1. Either according to Gods Command to drive Men to obey it 2. Or beside his Command 3. Or against his Command 1. Those Laws of Men which are according to Gods Laws those only will obey who discern them so to be on that account Therefore it must be in evident Cases or they will be no measure of Concord as such 2. Those that are but besides Gods Laws Men should obey so far as they can find that the Commanders have power from God to make them And how few such will be matter of Universal Concord 3. Those that are against Gods Laws no good Christians will knowingly consent to Sect. VII And I have before truly told them what great diversity of capacities and understandings there be in the world so that even in common matters that are still before our eyes at least in many or most few persons long agree In matters of Fact at any distance or matters of Prudence Husband and Wife Parents and Children Master and Servants daily differ Mens faces scarce differ more than their understandings It is only in few plain easie things that all Men are agreed And are ever all Christians like to agree in many humane dark opinions Or will it be taken for certain to all Men because it is so to some of clearer understandings or because a self-confident Imposer vevehemently asserteth it They know not themselves they know no Man that presume to unite the Church this way Sect. VIII Therefore the Popish numerous Decrees de Fide are but so many Engines of Schism made on the pretence of declaring Points of Faith If they were Articles of Faith before they may be maniâ—est to be so in the Divine Revelation that is the Holy Scriptures But for the Council to tell a Man This or That is in the Bible but we cannot shew you it there nor can you find it if you search but you must take our words as infallible This is not a center that the Christian world will ever unite in And if it be an Article of Faith either the Church held it before the Council declared it or not If they did then it was known without a Councils Declaration And what need a Council to declare that which all the Church did hold before and was in possession of But if not then either it was an Article of Faith before or not If it was then the Church before held not that Faith and so was Heretical Corrupt or wanted Faith and so by their own reckoning who will not endure the distinction of essentials from the rest was no Church If not then the Council declared that to be an Article of Faith which was none It must be such before it can be truly declared such else a false Declaration that it was such did now make it such But if they had openly professed That by Declaring it an Article they meant the Making one they must prove 1. That they are Prophets and have new Revelations even of Faith 2. And that the Scriptures were not sufficient measures of the Churches Faith to the end of the world 3. And that the Churches Faith is alterable and crescent and the old Church had not the same Faith which the present Church hath And will the Christian world any more agree in such absurdities than in a Quakers of Familists professing that he speaketh by Inspiration If the Members of the Council before they came thither were no wiser nor honester than other Men nor their words more credible how shall we know that when they are there they are become inspired and their words are Gods own words But if it be said That they neither make new Articles of Faith nor declare what is in Scripture by Exposition but declare the Verbal Tradition of the Apostles I ask 1. If so big a Book as the Bible contain not so much as all the Churches Creed 2. Where hath this Traditional Faith been kept till now If by all the Church then it was held possessed and known before that Declaration If but by part of the Church then it was but part of the Church that had the true Faith and one part was of one Religion and another part of another And which part was it that kept this Tradition And how come we to know that they were righter than the rest that had it not If it was Rome only then they had a Faith different from the rest of the Churches And how shall we know that they are not as true and sound as Rome But how hath this Tradition been carried on and kept right Was it by Writing or by Word If by Writings why are they not cited seen and tryed Other men can read as well as Popes and Councils If unwritten was it by publick Preaching or private Talk If the former then it was commonly known and declared before the Council declared it If by private Talk how shall we be sure 1. That they were honest men that would keep private the Publick Faith especially being Preachers that by office were to publish it 2. And that it hath been well remembred and carried on without alteration And were it preached or whispered mans memory is so frail and words so uncertain that for the Church or a piece of the Church to carry down from the Apostles from Fathers to Children so many Articles more than are in all the Bible and so hard and mysterious and by many now controverted and this not by writing and to be sure that no mistake hath been made by oblivion or misexpression this is a thing that the Church will never unite in the belief of And was it in a set form of unchangeable words that all these Articles or Expositions were carried down till now or not If yea we should have had that Form deliver'd us as we have other Forms the Creed Lords Prayer c. If not how shall we know that the Fathers and Children had the same understanding of the matter and changed not the Faith by change of words And it 's like that all the Churches since the Apostles delivered not these Articles down in the same words when in several Countries and Ages they spake not the same language And it is a wonder that they would never write their Faith for their Children to learn when the Jews Deut. 6. and 11. were commanded to teach their Children by writing the Law upon the very Posts of their Houses and their
Clergy And must hearken to wise pious considerate peaceable and experienced Counsellors and avoid the examples both of Rehoboam and of Jeroboam and be neither an Oppressor nor a Corrupter § XV. And to conclude good and wise men may well know their duty whom to silence and eject and whom to tolerate if they are but true to God by this one Rule They may by hearing all the case and knowledge of the Persons discern whether that mans Preaching consideratis considerandis is clearly like to do more good or harm and do accordingly But then they must not judge of good and harm by carnal sinful lusts and interests and by the counsels of selfish partial men but by wise and just reason guided by the Word of God § XVI And in all doubtful Cases choose the safer side and when the danger of overdoing is the greater as in case of Persecution rather do too little than too much And prefer not Ceremonies before Substance nor tything Mint Annise and Cummin before Love Truth and Judgment and the great things of the Law And be sure that you learn what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice that you may not condemn or accuse the Guiltless CHAP. XV. The Catholick Church will never unite in a Reception and Subscription to every Word Verse or Book of the Holy Scripture as it is in any one Translation or any one Copy in the Original now known § I. THis needeth no other proof than the reason of the thing and common experience 1. All Translations are the work of imperfect fallible men we have none made by the Spirit as working infallibly in the Apostles unless as some think the Greek of St. Matthews Gospel be a Translation The pretences of Inspiration of the Seventy two that are said to be the Authors of that Greek Translation of the Old Testament is not yet agreed on in the Church nor whether it was more than the Pentateuch which they Translated The Authority and Reasons of Hierome still much prevail Sect. II. And the Vulgar Latine most valued by the Papists is yet so much matter of Controversie between them that when Sixtus Quintus had stablished a corrected Edition Clement the 8th altered it in many hundred places after Sect. III. And all Protestants acknowledge the imperfection of all their own Translations English Dutch French c. And in the same Church of England we have the publick prescribed Use of two different Translations of the Psalms one sometime directly contrary to the other as Yea and Nay and one leaving a whole Verse which the other hath Sect. IV. And we know of no man that pretendeth to be sure that he hath a Copy of the Hebrew and Greek Text which he is certain is perfectly agreeable to the autography or first draught And the multitude of various Readings put us out of all hope of ever having certainly so perfect a Copy All therefore have the marks of humane frailty which cannot be denied Sect. V. And no wise and good man should deliberately deny this and so justifie falsly every humane slip But yet there is no such difference among Copies or Translations as should any way shake our foundations or any point necessary to salvation doth depend upon For in all such points they all agree Sect. VI. Object But if Copies and Translations differ and err how can we make them our rule of judgment Answ I say again They agree in as many things as we need them for as a Rule of Judgment And where they differ it being in words of no such use and moment that hindereth not our being Ruled by them where they agree The Kings Laws may be written in divers Languages for divers Countries of his Subjects And verbal differences may be no hinderance to their regulating use no more than the King himself doth lose his authority if his hair turn white Sect. VIII Object 2. But what then must all subscribe to if not to all the Bible Have you any other measure or test Answ We must subscribe That we believe all Gods Word to be true and all the true Canon of Scripture to be his Word and that we will faithfully endeavor to discern all the Canon And we must expresly subscribe to the Essentials of Christianity of which before and after Sect. VIII It was a considerable time before many Churches received the Epistle of James the 2d of Peter that to the Hebrews the Revelation c. And no doubt they were nevertheless true Christians And if now any believe all the Essentials of Religion and should doubt only whether the Canticles or the Epistle to â—iâ—â—mon or the two last of John or that of Jude were Canonical he might for all that be a true Christian and more meet to be a Bishop than Synesius was before he believed the Resurrection or Neclarâ—us before he was baptized c. Sect. IX The Churches are not fully agreed to this day about the Canonical Books of Scripture more than the Papists call some Books Canonical which we call Apocryphal And it is said that the Abassines and Syrians have divers not only as Ecclesiastical but as Canonical which we have not nor know not of Though we have good cause to judge best of our own received number by the proof well produced by Bishop Consins and many others yet have we no cause to unchurch all Churches that differ from us Sect. X. No Church therefore ought to cast out all Ministers that doubt of some words in any Translation or Copy or of some Verse Chapter or Book who hold the main and all the necessary Doctrines No such Test was imposed on the primitive Christians And it 's sad to hear the report that even the sound and humble Churches of Helvetia should lately make it necessary to the Ministery to subscribe to the antiquity of the Hebrew points though it may be a true and useful Assertion CHAP. XVI The Catholick Church will never unite in the subscribing to any mens whole Commentaries on the Bible § I. THis is yet more evident than the former 1. They do not at this day nor ever did agree in any mens Commentary They have great respect to the Commentaries of some of the Ancients and others but subscribe them not as infallible Though the Trent Oath of Pope Pius swear men not to expound the Scriptures otherwise than according to the agreeing Exposition of the Fathers it is well known 1. That they never told and proved to us who are to be taken for Fathers and who not 2. It 's known that few of them have written large Commentaries and fewer on all the Bible if any 3. That they oft differ among themselves 4. And the best have confessed their own Errors 5. And more have been found erroneous by others and are by us at this day 6. Yea they have cast out and condemned one another as the Case of Nazianzene Epiphanius Chrysostom Theophilus Alexand. Cyril and Theodoret and many