losse of a precious Consort a beloved companion a dear yoke-fellow a losse I say incomparable being one of whom the world was not worthy and a losse incompensible unlesse made up by Christ alone She was a branch of a noble stock but yet more nobly born then of flesh and blood being born from above and more happy in her second then she was eminent in her first birth it was my happinesse to have large and inward experience of her spirituall worth which indeed was obvious to all with whom she did converse and could be no more secreted then the light of the Sunne a jewel she was which after God had polished shewed to the world and made your adornment for a time he took unto himself where now she is one of those beautifull stones which adorns the new Jerusalem while she was upon the earth she breathed after or rather breathed heaven as if she had been but a piece of glory sojourning in grace and a spark of immortality fallen down to kindle our more earthly substance She lived in the world but as much above the world as we poore creatures live below heaven Christ was her onely element upon whom her soul in it's right actings did as naturally feed as do our bodies upon our daily bread being no more able to live without him then the body without the soul Her whole life was nothing else but a continued design drawn out for the advancement of Christ the spring of whose motions was the grace of Christ and the end of whose movings was the glory of Christ She was alwaies being spirited with life from above very active and indeed her body not being able to keep pace with her soul she often out-went the strength of her body yet towards the end of her daies as all naturall motions drawing nearer to their center she moved as if every motion should put her into her rest and as if by every step she would reach the Garland and apprehend the prize She was one who scarce had another no fellow but her fellow who indeed were a pair of such noble Sisters as England could hardly match in whose two bodies lived one soul and in whose two souls lived one Christ between whom if I would make any difference it should be such an one as Alexander made between his two friends the one was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Alexander the other was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of the King or else such an one as another makes between Peter and John the one was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Christ the other was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Jesus or if you will take it in this the one excelled in knowing and doing the other in doing and knowing the one in light and heat the other in heat and light In a word they were both of them the glory of their family the comfort of their Parent the crown of their Consorts the adornment of Religion the rejoycings of the godly the refreshment of the Saints and are now both entred into the possession of that which was their breathings in grace and is their satisfaction in glory And ô that their examples might ever live as paterns to those who doe yet supervive And now my Lord having breathed out my sad resentments of your losse give me leave to put into your hands these weak but willing labours designed to the service of these times and seeking your Patronage in them they flee to you for protection and yet I know no reason they should fear harm their great design is truth the message they bring is peace the language they speak is accommodation In which word me thinks I please my self though I see lesse and lesse hopes of seeing the thing accomplishd Some Essaies I have attempted to lay down in relation to such a happinesse which were they brotherly undertaken sweetly managed faithfully pursued might either procure our agreement or lessen our difference either make us one or not so much two I cast them down such as they are at your feet as one able to judge of things And when you take them up take up these thoughts with them that he that penned them is one who while he can speak will speak peace and while he hath a being will desire to be Your humble Servant in the service of Christ to be commanded S. BOLTON TO THE Christian Reader Christian Reader THe multitude of prevailing opinions at this time was the great ground and the preservation of my own people was the main end of the undertaking the following Discourse I had not in my first undertaking the work thought it would have been so large as now it is but it swell'd under my hand and I hope thou wilt esteem its bignesse to be its perfection not its disease It usually fares with works of this nature as with our Masters bread they multiply in the breaking The whole is digested into six Questions set down in the Title page from which Generals many other particular Queries are deduced discussed and resolved In the first part my great design hath been to fence from errour and to put a stop to the wantonnesse of mens spirits in the handing and receiving of opinions In the body of the Discourse I have laid down the Examens of opinions and the Characters of truth And in the close of the whole I kept this in my eye as the mark I aimed at to drive on a happy agreement among those who did conscientiously differ Wherein it is my hope if my extreme desire of a happie accommodation hath in thy thoughts carried me too farre I may obtain the excuse of my affection For it is not granted say some to love and to be wise I am not ignorant that essaies of this nature have often proved not only Abortive but the trouble of the Parent And therefore politick men as they will reserve themselves and not speak all their heart so they will not ingage themselves beyond their power of retreat if they shall after see reason for it You know whose speech it was That he would launce no farther into the Sea then he might safely return to shore again Thou wilt see in this Discourse I am not of that versatilis ingenij And indeed the greatnesse of the evil of division and the miserie that doth attend it with my vehement desire of a happie Accommodation of our differences not too dear to be bought out even with our blouds hath over-powred me to speak my whole heart and to lay out my whole strength without those politick reserves Though I would give all reverence to the results of other Churches yet would I set up none as Hercules Columns beyond which nothing more is to be known nor nothing more to be enquired We have the same Starre to sail by which others have and it shines as bright in our Horizon as in any part of the Christian world Nor can it be any scandall
And if any thing will treasure up sinne if any thing will make men as bad as the Devill it is the sinnes of the understanding those sinnes make men the likest to the Devill in sinne of any other sinnes of the spirit more then sinnes of the flesh for he hath no body sinnes of the understanding they are properly the sinnes of the spirit which as it is best renewed and therefore the Apostle saith Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind Ephes 4.23 so it is worst corrupted The understanding it is the purest spirituallest and refinest part corruptio optima pessima corruptio the corruption of the best part is the worst and most dangerous of corruption when that which should keep other faculties from corruption nay recover others out of corruption is it selfe corrupted how great is that corruption As Christ saith of the eye of the body the light of the body is the eye if the eye be darke if that which should give light be it selfe darknesse how great is that darknesse So I may say of the understanding * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glasse the eye of the soule if that be darkned if that be corrupted how great is that darknesse how great is that corruption Though the streames be corrupt yet if the fountaine be cleare there is more hope but when the fountaine it selfe is poison'd when the fountaine is corrupted the corruption is dangerous So though a man had many errours in his life and conversation yet if the understanding were kept pure and untainted if that were kept from corruption there were yet some hope but when the fountaine of action is corrupt when the understanding is polluted there is great danger of recovery It would be a hard question to resolve whether a sound judgement though with corrupt conversation which seldome meet yet if they doe whether it may not hold weight with a corrupt judgement though the conversation be not blameable Indeed a corrupt heart and a corrupt life is not so bad as a corrupt head and heart too Some say the corruption of the understanding is the worst corruption though minoris infamiae yet majoris culpae though of lesse scandall yet more fault And the grounds might be in regard that the corruption of the understanding doth make men likest to the Devill and may seeme to be most opposite to God God is a Spirit and the corruption of the spirit must needs be most opposite to God Indeed were the conversation sinfull and the spirit not corrupted then were not sinne in conversation so opposite to God as errour in understanding but both are corrupted in wicked men the practise and the principle affection and action and therefore to say that the corruption of the understanding is most opposite to God I dare not for as errour in the understanding is opposite to Gods truth so sinne in affection is opposite to Gods holinesse And yet there is thus much seemes to speake for it that the corruption of the understanding is most opposite to God because the understanding is not only our spirit but it is the spirit of our spirit as the Apostle Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind Ephes 4.23 But however though that should not hold yet we may say that sinne in conversation is not so bad as sinne in affection nor sinne in affection and conversation so bad as errour in the understanding at least to a mans selfe 1. Because the one doth not fight against the meanes of his conversion as the other doth 2. Nor is he so hard to be reclaimed and recovered out of his condition as the other is I speake after the manner of men for it is all one when Almighty grace comes that knowes no difficulty all is then alike to Almighty power 3. Errour in principle will breed errour in practise and if it do then will a man run headlong and violently in wayes of sin if the understanding were not corrupted it would be as a bridle of restraint that our passions and affections could not drive so furiously in a way of sinne this would curb us and check us but when that is corrupted then the reines are laid upon the neck of our furious passions and affections and a man goes headlong in sinne Jehu's pace When that which should be our bridle becomes our spurre when that which should restraine us becomes it selfe an instigation to sinne such a man he sinnes twice at once he never scores but twice at once While the understanding was preserved it held the hand it awed the spirit restrained practise but now he sinnes fully he sinnes fully that sinnes with understanding as well as with his affection and that man sinnes with his whole heart his whole soule that man sinnes twice at once though he did wickedly before yet his understanding did not assent to it did not allow it he did not say it was well done but now the understanding allowes it and assents to it his life sinnes his affections his understanding and all sinnes heart and head are joyned all sinnes and nothing stands out and this man must need fill his measure quickly this man will quickly have done he ripens with a witnesse this doth aedificare ad gehennam build up to hell with a strong hand and so in the issue a corrupt life may hold weight with a corrupt understanding Besides a corrupt life is not so dangerous to others men are not corrupted by practise so much as by error errour in conversation doth not prevaile with men so much as errour in judgement this seduceth and drawes many away It is more destructive and dangerous then sinne in conversation men may more easily discerne evill in practise and conversation and so avoid it then they can errour in principle and therefore this is most dangerous for the corruption of others A third end Satan hath to the Promoters 3. It standeth with Satans ends to increase their torment As it suits with his end to increase their sin so it suits with his end to increase their torment too Satan is not content to bring wicked men to hell but he would have them as low in hell as he can faine he would have some as miserable as himselfe as he labours to make them as sinfull so he desires to have them as miserable as himselfe is And this bids faire for it Divines say of Pauls glory it receives augmentation and is increased every day as his labours and paines are fruitfull We may as well say the torment of wicked men is increased and augmented as their errours doe take effect and prosper in the poisoning and corrupting of soules which should make men beware as of what they vent in life so of what they leave after death The parable of Dives speakes something to this opinion he desir'd that Moses would send Lazarus to goe and preach unto his brethren that they might avoid that place of torment why we cannot think there
second ground men are carried away with errour the first was incident to the godly this is proper to the wicked only A godly man may entertaine an errour out of weaknesse of head but not out of wickednesse of heart A godly man he entertaines an errour with honest affections and to honest ends and a wicked man entertains a truth with corrupt affections and for corrupt ends He is carried naturally to errour he is nothing else but darknesse and errour but he goes not to truth without a byasse To that which is evil he hath a naturall motion a principle within carries him but to that which is good he is mooved by weights either feares or hopes Naked evil he can close withall but truth must have a baite else he hath no heart to it Godlinesse is no gaine he thinks uâ—lesse he can make a gaine by godlinesse as he will forsake truth to preserve his estate so he will entertaine errour to gaine an estate men will make all serviceable to that which is their God Mammon is his God and therefore all is serviceable to that he will either wave truth or embrace errour upon this ground to advantage himselfe We say all other desires they are serviceable to the great desire Caeterae cupiditates ingenti cupiditati subservient what ever is a mans master-desire all the rest are servants to it as all other lusts they are serviceable to the master-lust c. Now Mammon the world is his master-desire and therefore all other vailes to it and serves it To be short he is a man who mooves not out of himselfe selfe is the spring and principle and selfe is the end of all his motions When he receives a truth he will aske what it can doe for him before he bid it welcome and so when he entertaines an errour here is the difference some truths he will not receive upon any termes and those he doth entertaine they shall bid high and offer largely before they shall be welcome but now errour shall be entertained at low rates even at any hand he will not stick with it it is his friend his flesh and bloud Corrupt men they seldome scruple errours but they scruple entertainment of truth I have heard some to scruple to goe to prayers in their family and they say Where have we a word for it its superstition and will-worship and yet they have never scurpled to drinke to bezzle Some who never scrupled to sweare oathes enough but yet scruple a religious oath The Jews scrupled not to murther Christ but scrupled to have him hang on the crosse because of the preparation to the Sabbath Mens scruples of conscience are oftentimes the punishment of their loosenesse of conscience I shall proceed no farther upon this It would be endlesse to set down the many grounds which corrupt hearts have for the entertainment of errour And because I have spoken already much to this purpose upon a former inquiry I shall therfore shut up this and come to the next question propounded which is the fourth generall laid downe Quest. 4. Who those are that are in danger to be carried away and led aside with errour Before I come to give a full answer to this we will premise three or foure things which may be serviceable to the more cleere and distinct answer 1. There is no man can plead immunity from all kinde of errours there is not a man but is in danger to be led aside with some errour or other as we say of sin â—in atham asher lo jechate there is no man which sins not so we may of errour there is no man who errs not There is no man on earth who hath an unerring priviledge an unerring spirit no not all men on earth together not Fathers Synods Counsells but are subject to errour as is confessed by all and largely proved against the Papists that is the first that no man can pleade an immunity and freedom from any kinde of errour Nemo sine crimine nemo sine errore are alike 2. That even the best men are subject to the worst of errours I say the best men on earth are subject to the worst of errours Subject I say what 's that that is they are incident to them they are liable to them that 's something as our bodies are incident to all sicknesse so our soules to all sin and errour too But that is not all to be subject to errour is not only to be incident to it but be inclinable and that 's more A man may be incident to many sicknesses which yet he is not inclinable unto inclinablenesse doth not only imply a passive capacity in the subject but a prepared disposition As in hard wax there is a passive capacity but in soft wax there is a prepared disposition to receive the impression of the seale And in saying the best of men are in themselves subject to the worst of errours I do not only meane they are incident but inclinable they have not only a passive capacity to be corrupted but they have a prepared disposition as to sin in practice so to errour in judgement yet this inclinablenesse is not alike in all it is capable of degrees not as it is by nature for so all are equally corrupted but as some have improved their corruptions more then other some are more inclinable and some to one errour more then another 3. That though none can pleade immunity from all kinde of errours nay though the best of men may be subject to the worst of errours in themselves yet are the Saints secured from such kinde of errours by the grace of Christ though they are subject to all yet they are secured from some I say by the grace of Christ I have formerly told you from that 1 Cor. 3.10 that there was foundation-truths and building-truths so there are foundation-errours and building-errours damning and defiling errours all errours are defiling but all are not damning all are dangerous but all are not destructive Though the godly are incident to defiling yet Christ hath secured them from damning errours though they may be carried away for a time with sinfull and dangerous errours yet hath Christ fenced them from destructive and undoing errours And this I conceive expressed in these two places Joh. 10.4 5. The sheepe follow him for thâ—y know his voice but a stranger they will not follow for they know not the voice of a stranger This place by all Interpreters is taken for following Christ in doctrinall truths and it must be meant of necessary or fundamentall not of accessary and building-truths It must be meant of such doctrinall points as are essentiall to salvation and the being of godlinesse not to such which are lesse necessary and are only of the welbeing of a Christian for if you looke there even the sheep of Christ have followed the voice of a stranger embraced errour instead of truth as I could instance in all ages which hath arisen
either this doth fill his spirit with horrour to heare it and so doth awaken him and puts him upon reading praying studying searching or else he is carried away with the streame of the temptation and if not openly yet he â—acitely subscribes to the thing though he speakes not out witnesse the casting off that feare that awe that care he had before And thus Satan comes to Atheist men if he doe not awaken and unatheist you by this he will certainly Atheist you more 2. To discourage and take off the heart of men from doing any thing As it doth weaken the beliefe of truths so it wounds the practise of them much more if men faile in principles they will not long hold out in practise if in rebus credendis things to be beleeved surely in agendis of things to be done Men you know will not labour and take paines for that which they have no beliefe of you shall heare men discouraged and taken off from plaine common duties praying hearing reading why will a man say I see all I doe to no purpose I have done this and that I have prayed gone to Church walked in such and such wayes and now all this is cried downe there are opinions abroad which throw down all these as nothing and therefore as good to sit still and doe nothing as to doe all this and to no purpose 3. It may stand with Satans ends that there should be multitude of erronious opinions I say not only some errors but many should abound that he may the better suite himselfe to the tempers of men every fish is not to be caught with the same bait some with one and some with anâ—ther therfore the cunning Fisherman doth suite his baites to the fishes he angles for So every man is not carried away with the same error some are led aside with one and some with another there is a dissonancy between a man and some errours scelera dissident and therefore Satan he hath multitudes and variety of errours abroad to suit with every mans temper of lust As it is with errours of conversation every one is not carried away with the same lusts that may be lovely to one which is no way pleasing to another the covetous man he will not be prodigall and a spend thrift c. and therefore Satan suites temptations to the temper of spirit in men So it is with errours of judgement every one is not seduced and led aside with the same errour c. and therefore it suits with Satans ends not only to have errours but many errours on foote that he may have a bait for every mans temper provision for every mans lust As the lusts of life are diversified you see the Apostle tells us that wicked men served divers lusts Tit. 3.3 for we our selves were disobedient serving divers lusts they are diversified according to the measure of understanding according to notions received according to tempers of men relations interests and diversity of wayes men are ingaged in Every man is not carried away with the same bait temptation nor lust some are carried away with grosse lusts lusts of life and practise men of grosse and beastly temper sensuall men others againe of finer tempers and spirits that must be undone a finer way a more spiritfull way the grosse way is too low for them and here he hath the lusts of the understanding and yet every one of these are not taking with all some are taken with one errour some with another according to the difference of knowledge and understanding and the command of some lust in the heart And therefore Satan hath multitude of errours on foote that he may suite temptations to the tempers of men Non promotus sed expertum doctor Luth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.14 Rev. â— 24 2 Cor. 3.2 14. And hence he is called a Serpent a wily creature yea and the old Serpent and his temptations the depths wiles methods of Satan You had need to take heed of him if he see a man conscientious he will not goe about with grosse temptations to corrupt him for there he thinks it will be labour in vaine but he endeavours to corrupt the understanding with errours and such as are agreeable and correspondent to the conscientiousnesse of his spirit as I might shew at large 4. A fourth end that Satan hath to the wicked in multitude of errours it is to corrupt them and defile them more errour is of a corrupting and defiling nature Satan labours all he can to corrupt the soules of men and his chiefe designe is to corrupt the fountaine the understanding He doth not so much care for to corrupt a man in his practise as to corrupt a man in his principle to corrupt a man in his life as to corrupt a man in his judgement he knowes an erronious head will quickly come to a sinfull life Mens lives are but squared according to notions received and impressions of things retained in the understanding As true notions doe help to frame a good life so false notions are serviceable to a bad the one is the seede of a holy the other of a sinfull life so that though you could not know truth and falshood in the seede in notion yet you might know it in the fruit in the conversation Men act surely according to their principles received if there be not a bridle and restraint upon them by something without And therfore if Satan can but corrupt a mans understanding he knowes such a man he will be sure for him he will sin without reluctance without check or disturbance If a man have some true notions or light in his understanding though for the present his life be bad and he be carried away with strength of temptation yet Satan is not so sure of this man as of the other he knowes so long as this light is in him he will not sin so fully if he sin yet not without controle and check and he is in danger to loose him at every turne Satan is ill troubled with a man sound in judgement though corrupt in life either the light in his understanding will overcome his darknesse in life or the darknesse in his life will overcome the light in his understanding and the combates such a soule finds makes Satan he cannot yet conclude which shall have the day But now if he can corrupt the understanding if he can pollute the spirit the refined part of man then he knowes this man is sure he can bring this man to maintaine his sinne yea and argue for it and doe all this with shew of religion I told you a corrupt heart will breed a corrupt judgement in time but a corrupt judgement will presently work a corrupt life A man that hath his understanding yet preserved he doth not work regularly in a way of sin he is off and on as his lust doth prevaile but now the other he walkes uniforme he is alwayes the same
is charity in hell it was not out of love to their soules but love to himselfe because he had corrupted them with his life and practise before and had left a bad example behind him which they followed and therefore he desired that they might if not be saved for that I think a damned soule cannot desire yet that they might not for his cause and example be brought into that place of torment because this would be the increase of his torment too as he was guilty by his example and practise of the murthering and undoing of their soules It should be a caveat to you how you live and walke least the example of the husband the father the master be the undoing of the wife the child the servant and the increase of your torment too Your examples will prevaile more to their undoing then all our rules for their saving It is a fearefull thing by our examples to draw others to destruction when your children and servants shall see you walke in a way of sin they themselves are drawne aside and undone by your examples There are many have so much in them that though they will sweare and drinke themselves yet they will not allow it in their children their servants but if thou wouldst not have them walke in the same way of sin leave not such a sinfull example behind thee But this by the way It suits with Satans ends that men should broach erronious opinions for the increase of their torments Which it doth not only directly and in it selfe but indirectly and by consequent contracting the guilt of soule murther from those who are undone with their precepts and poisonous doctrines And thus Satan deales with all his servants they who doe him most service shall have most torment those who have been his statists designed all for him or his engineeres to act all for him this is the reward he gives them greater torment soarer damnation the deepest cellars and darkest vaults of hell are reserved for such persons But mistake me not I speake not this of all kind of errours in judgement what man is he that erreth not All errours are sinfull but all errours are not damning all errours are hurtfull but all errours are not destructive and undoing errours I told you there were some errours which were building errours and some which were fundamentall errours as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12 c. In the one the work shall be burnt in the other the workeman one shall be saved but so saved as by fire the other shall be destroyed in fire work and workman person and errours shall perish together 1 Cor. 3.13 14 15. And thus I have done with two of the first generals propounded and shew'd you how it may stand with Gods ends and how with Satans ends to suffer errours abroad We come now to the third how it may stand with mans ends It may then stand with mans ends also that there should be multitude of dangerous and erronious opinions The men with whose ends it may stand may be distinguished into three kinds 1. The contrivers 2. The actors 3. The abettors I shall only speake to two of them 3. It may stand with mans ends 1. Those that are the Contrivers of this designe to set on foot errours it may stand with their ends There are two maine ends the common adversary hath 1. To blast the truth 1. To divide the professors of it 1. Their end is to blast the truth to bring the truth of religion into disrespect among men to render the professors giddy and unstable and their profession unsound and unorthodox Doe not our enemies within our selves take advantage to cry down the truth to blast reformation and to bring religion into disrespect by the multitude of opinions that are abroad It may be they themselves have been the envious men have sowen tares and wheâ— they have done they tell us it is because the watchmen who were ever asleepe are taken away doe they not take occasion to blast the truth and to say that their oppugners are a sort of giddy and unstable empty and illiterate men who are certaine in nothing but uncertainty and stedfast in nothing but unstedfastnesse Anabaptists Brownists Antinomians And is it not the same argument their elder brethren hold forth doe not the Papists argue our religion to be unsound and indeavour to bring the truth into disrespect by telling men of so many opinions so much difference as there is among those who are the prefessors of it doe they not say our religion is divided into factions Lutherans Calvinists Arminians Socinians some of which differences they themselves have contrived and set on foote to bring religion into disrespect and to render it of lesse credit by reason of the multitude of divisions among us though all agree in this that theirs is false and erronious 2. A second end they have and that is to divide the professors of the truth Si sumus inseperabiles sumus in superabiles If we are unseparable we are unconquerable and therefore it is the Machivillian designe divide vince divide and conquer and hence it suits well with their designe that there should be a multitude of opinions that thereby the professors of the truth might be divided amongst themselves It was frequently observed in the raigne of the Bishops that those that were called non-conformists were farre worse handled then those who were called Brownists one would think this strange that they should deale better with them that said they were no Church then with those who said they were a Church but corrupted that they who cried their government down for Antichristian should fare better then they who only said it wanted reformation what should be the reason of it sure they were greater enemies that strooke against their being then they were who desired only reformation not unbeing But here was the businesse they liked division well enough and they feared one side it was too great but they slighted the other and therefore would rather countenance them in designe then suppresse them because all this served to weaken them that were their terrour And in this also they agree with them of Rome who send forth their Emissaries Jesuits Priests who shall turne Socinians c. and other opinions on purpose to divide the reformed Churches among themselves that so they may drive their mils with our breath and use our hands to doe their work and this designe hath been too successefull in the Netherlands especially in Socinianisme which was broached as is reported by a Jesuit on purpose to divide them So you see it stands with mans ends 1. The Contrivers 2. It stands with mans end the broachers and actors of this St John divides all that is in the world into lusts of the flesh lust of the eye and pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 And I may ranke all the men in it into these three 1. Some are proud and ambitious
this way and the other this and in both it may be the Scripture is silent or holds out as much for one as the other Now in this case why should there be falling out certainly diversities of opinion may be countenanced and yet without sin provided that it doth not arise either from ficklenesse unsetlednesse and inconstancy in us or from pride that we love to side and differ from others or that it doth not tend to make disturbance of the peace of the Churches of Christ But I am too long on this I will therefore conclude this second generall the ground of abounding errours and come to the third Q. 3. What are the grounds that so many are carried away And because this question doth fall in so much with the former question therefore I shall be short on it In briefe then I shall resolve all into these two generall grounds 1. Weaknesse 2. Wickednesse One incident to the godly the other proper to the wicked The first ground that men are carried away with errour it is weaknesse I will branch this into three particulars 1. Weaknesse of judgement which is the weaknesse of head There are many who though they have grace and good affections in them yet want knowledge they are babes in understanding they want judgement to examine and try opinions the things in controversie are above their fathom their line is too short and they want sufficiency of light to discerne of things that differ to distinguish between truth and errour there is a great deale of sophistry in errour there is the head of the serpent in it who was too subtile for our parents in innocency it may be an errour may be handed out to us by holy men and represented to us under faire specious and high pretexts and we our selves want wisedome or knowledge to see to the bottome of it and therfore embrace a shadow for substance an errour for truth 2. Want of stability though they have some knowledge yet they are not fixed and stablished in the truth there is a kind of lubricity and ficklenesse and inconstancie of spirit in men which the Apostle takes notice of and blames in Ephes 4.14 That we henceforth be no more children tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse wherby they lie in wait to deceive too many who are of this temper like children tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine It is a metaphor taken from a weather-cock which is carried about with every wind it stands this way now but it is because another wind blowes not they are not fixed and stablished in the truth There are many who are fixed and grounded in errour and too many who are unstable and unsetled in the truth which doth not meerely arise from want of knowledge but from want of stability They are of uncertaine and unconstant spirits that spirit which many men have in errour would be a precious spirit if it were joyned with the truth but to be stable in errour is a punishment and to be unsetled in truth is our sinne and yet how many who are fixed in the one and will boast of it I thanke God I am no changling when others are unstable in the truth I have sometimes thought what might be the ground of this inconstancy and instabability of spirit in those who yet are full of good affections And to let goe the naturall grounds which arise from the tempers of nature I have thought of these foure spirituall grounds 1. Want of knowledge they are but yet babes and children in knowledge and therfore may be unsetled according to the measure of knowledge such is the measure of setlednesse and stability of spirit if we knew perfectly we should never change but we know but in part and therfore being imperfect in knowledge we are also imperfect in our stability 2. Want of grace I say degrees of grace not truth and essence of grace this the Apostle sets downe Heb. 13.9 Be not carried with divers and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace here was inconstancy in them what was the reason they had grace but were not stablished with grace they wanted such a measure as to stablish their hearts Grace will ballace the most unsetled heart it will fix the most unfixed spirit a little grace will so fix the heart as 1. It shall never entertaine any fundamentall errour 2. Nay he shall never make any errour his choice 3. Nay if he give way to any errour it is still under the notion of truth A little grace will doe this but there is required a greater measure of grace to stablish a man in the truth and to preserve a man that he shall not be led aside with any way of errour 3. Want of comfort may be another reason of instability It may be a man hath walked in these wayes and finds no comfort in them his heart is troubled he can get no peace and because they find not comfort in those wayes they expected they look for it in other wayes It is a sad thing for a soule to be without comfort As the body without the soule is dead so is the soule without comfort that which the soule is to the body comfort is to the soule and therefore men in the want of comfort are apt with the Bee to goe from flower to flower from one opinion to another if God keep them not upon this ground many have fallen to Popery because they could not get comfort upon the principles of our Religion which affords no comfort to them who would reserve their sins And upon the same ground men under troubles and wanting comfort they are apt to run from this opinion to that hoping in all to find comfort to their troubled spirits Like men sick of a Fever they think their disease is in their beds when it is in their bodies they think by shifting of beds to be ridd of their distemper when yet they carry the distemper with them yet some refreshment for present may come with change but certainly it is a great mercy and a wonder of mercy when men have long been in trouble and in want of comfort that God hath kept them and not suffered them to seek for comfort out of Gods way that he hath not suffered them to runne into any way of errour to find comfort that he hath given them patience to wait upon God in the wayes of obedience in his own way And rather to charge themselves then the way if they want comfort and surely the fault is at home either you are formall in your walking or you hold compliancie though you give not entertainment to some corruption or you give way to your own unbeliefe the doubtings and misgivings of your own spirit or God is willing to deny thee comfort for thy further exercise to quicken to humble to put
learned men were faithfull to their light and would not be byassed or corrupted for a world then one would thinke it some wisdom to resigne up our judgement to such and be of their opinion but first it is not a competent judge Christ tels us there is a learning from which truths are concealed and hid he blessed his Father Who hid these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes And secondly learned men are not uninterested men they have corruptions in them and this doth bias them often times to the maintaining of errour and opposing truth and therefore dangerous Nay though there be grace as well as learning yet they are subject to passions they have corruptions in them and how farre those may work in the delivering of truth or opposing errour how farre their fears and hopes their pride may work you know not And therefore though they were learned and holy men yet you are not to resign up your faith and judgements to their opinions 1 Thess 5.21 1 Joh. 1.4 but are to trie all things and prove the spirits whether they be of God or no. And thus much shall serve for the answer to the fifth Question one more and we will conclude the false marks the sixt Question then is this Qu. 6. Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or declare it to be a truth the multitude or the paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it It is you know the great Argument the Papists have and therefore they set it down as one note of the true Church the multitude of professours And though it was opposed against the Papists yet was it an Episcopall argument against the reformed Churches * Mos totius orbis omniuÌ„ teraporum ecclesiarum potior esse debet eo qui est exigui populi parvi temporis Sarar Cons Park de polit eccles l. 2 c. 35 p. 297. 298. etiam l 2 c 6 7. That which hath been the custom of the whole world and of all times of the Churches ought to be more desirable then such a discipline which is maintained by a few and is but of late standing Again It is most just and equall that seeing the number of the reformed are but few they should yeeld unto the other who are many yea and many of them in authority and office in Church and Common-wealth Another speaks yet plainer a AbsurduÌ„ est Deum velle inspirare unum potius quaÌ„ multos Sutâ—l It is absurd to thinke that God should inspire one man rather then many by which expressions of theirs it may seem too evident that though they opposed this argument of the Papists and b In rebus fidem concerneÌ„tibus judicium unius private hominis praeferenaum est Papae toti Concilio si ille moveatur meltoribus rationibus authoritatibus N V. Testam D. White citing Panormitan against the Papists held it forth to be of no weight when they were to deal with them because the Papists might glory most in multitude yet they esteemed it of some weight against the reformed Churches they being farr lesse in number then they were It shews a cause to be weak when they have recourse to such poor weapons and that surely there is not much to maintain it when such arguments as are taken from number and multitude are made use of But to come to the answer of the Question which I conceive will not require much pains The Question is Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or to declare it to be a truth the multitude or paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it I shall answer this in brief 1. If by multitude be meant the greater number of mankinde then it is a certain evidence of errour The greatest number of mankinde lies in darknesse and errour as St John saith 1 Joh. 5.19 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lies in wickednes If you divide the world into four parts you will finde above three parts to be Pagans Heathens Mahometans Idolaters Atheists how few will be the residue Alas they are but a few in the North-east passages that doe professe and acknowledge a Christ and of those how few 2. If by multitude be meant the greatest number of men in the Church who doe adhere to an opinion neither will this be sufficient to discover it a truth And that upon these two grounds 1. Because the greatest number they are ignorant and so are not able to judge of truth and errour blinde men cannot discern of colours they want knowledge to discern of things that differ they are not able to try nor upon triall are they able to determine 2. Because the greatest number they are corrupt and vicious they are for the most part either Atheisticall or prophane or proud and ambitious men or worldlings covetous hypocrites formall professours If you look upon the multitude they adhere to doctrines 1. Either out of ignorant grounds 2. Or out of corrupt ends 1. Out of ignorant grounds viz. because this was the way of their Fathers and they doe traditionally adhere to it or because such men whom thâ—y respect and honour are in that way or because it is commended to them by the learned or prescribed and commanded by authority Indeed it is an easie matter to make any thing of the multitude they are soft wax in regard of their religion and can receive any impression they are fit for any stamp their superiours will put upon them they are but a body and authority is their soul which moves them which way they pleâ—sâ— in point of Religion truth and errour are all one to them It is an easie matter to make them any thing who are indeed nothing It was a heavie charge was cast upon us by our right hand adversaries that England was converted from Popery to Protestanisme by the blast of one trumpet In Q. Maries daies they were Papists and upon her death within an hour after as soon as Qu. Elizabeth was proclaimed here was a Kingdom of Protestants a nation was converted at once Though this charge is not true in all for after her Coronation besides Commissioners sent unto all parts to deface all the monuments of Idolatry Vid. The most grave and modest confuâ—aâ—ion puâ—lâ—shed by Mâ—st Rathbone p. 10. there were Ministers sent about to preach the Word of God viz. Knox Leave Gilby Sampson Whitingham Goodman who in Q. Maries daies had exercised their Ministery in the best reformed Churches beyond the seas who were now sent out to gather the people to the Lord to discover the errours of Popery to reduce men to the knowledge of the truth And upon the meeting of a Parliament those acts which were formerly made in Qu. Maries daies were repealed and the doctrine of truth again with Religion established And it were well to avoid this charge if Ministers were sent thorow the Kingdom at
themselves with the more shame and sorrow they humble themselves before God they are as little before God as bigg with men This is the nature of truth where it is entertained either it will inable you to be humble or humble you for your pride it will worke one way either it will empty of pride or empty for pride if you have swelled those swellings are breathed out in sighes the sighes of the closet doe abate the swellings of the chayre and if it work either way notwithstanding this objection this operation may be a good evidence of truth that truth doth humble those who entertaine it and so much for the first eminent operation of truth I shall be briefer in the rest The second great operation of truth is this Secondly Truth hath a heart-changing a heart-transforming power I put them both together because I would draw up all as close as I can It hath I say a heart-changing power Paul had no sooner seen that great truth Jesus was the Christ but he became another man of a wolfe he is now a lambe of a sinner a Saint of a persecutor he becomes a Preacher So the Jaylor what an eminent change did the receiving of the truth make in him he that before was so cruell and inhumane to them how gentle how tender how sweet was he now Truth makes such a change upon the soul that this worke is called a new Creation and the man upon whom it is wrought is a new creature he hath a new judgement and notions of things a new heart and affections to them a new life and conversation in them he is a man who differs as much from himselfe as before he did from another man head and heart and life and all are changed And this change is not a morall a partiall a formall change but a thorow universall and spirituall change they are sanctified by truth Joh. 17.17 And therefore I say it doth not onely change but it transformes it hath a soul-transforming power truth doth transform the soul into the nature of truth it makes the soul holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall it makes a man like unto it selfe Be but at the paines to peruse two places for this the first is 1 Jam. 21. where the word is called an ingraffed word which indeed changeth the stock into the nature of it selfe As you cut off the boughs and branches of a crab-stock that you may ingraff the better fruit into it so the Apostle he bids us there to lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtines which are the corrupt branches in which a corrupt stock doth abound and saith he receive with meeknes the ingraffed word which as it is able to save your souls hereafter so now to change the whole stock into its own nature the second place I would present to you is the 2 Cor. 3 18. While looking upon him as in a glasse we are changed into his own image from glory to glory truth hath this transforming power where it is entertayned such as mens notions are such are their spirits ill precepts beget ill principles corrupt doctrines corrupt hearts A mans heart carryes a conformity with his notions and principles there is a great agreement between what is entertained into the understanding and what is wrought in the heart the worke of the heart is but the births of the understanding the issue begotten upon the heart by the power of the notions in the minde never face answered face more exactly in the water then the heart answers the head where truths are of divine reception you may receive truths partially and as men onely and yet be never the better for them there may be truth in the head and a lye in the heart but if you receive truth fully and as Christians as the wax takes the impression of the seale so doth the heart of truth and principles are bred in you suitable to those notions you have truly received truth where it is entertained in truth it hath a heart-changing and a heart-transforming power It makes you like it selfe holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall And when men are not so one of these two must surely follow 1. Either that is not truth which you have received 2. Or else you have not received it truly either that is not a good word which is ingraffed or that good word was never yet ingraffed into you Certainely where that is ingraffed both stock and fruit are changed And so much for the second Oper. 3 A third operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertained It hath a sinne-subduing power truth is of a purging healing purifying and commanding nature Where truth is received in power nothing is in power besides it where it commands in the soul the soul is under no other command but truth where it is truly a Master and it is not there truly where it is not a Master there nothing rules but truth what the Apostle saith of the spirituall man I may say of truth which is a great part of him It judgeth all and is judged of none and it commandeth all and is commanded of none Truth was never there in power where lust hath power nor never had command in that soul where corruptions beare sway Indeed sin may dwell where truth doth dwell but sin doth not command where truth doth reign No man can be under the reign of truth and under the power of lust a servant to truth and a vassall to his corruptions truth hath a sin-subduing power it can pull downe strong holds cast downe high imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Are you then under the authoritative power of any corruption are you under the command of any lust lusts of the understanding lusts of the heart or lusts of life Know this either that is not truth which you have entertained or you have not entertayned truth in the power of it Oper. 4 Fourthly A fourth operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertayned It hath a heart-quickning power as the main truth did raise us up from death and beget life in us at the first for every truth in its measure and proportion is serviceable to cherish and quicken life begotten in us Truth and life alwayes goe together truth alwayes carries life with it and life is ever the companion of truth Christ is called truth and he is called life too Joh. 14.6 I am the truth and the life hee could not bee the one if hee had not been the other Now as all light is in the body of the Sunne yet every ray every beam carries light with it So all life is in Christ who is the great truth and yet every truth is a beam from this Sunne and great truth it carries life with it it is therefore called the light of life Joh.
9.5 You can have no communication of truth but there is a conveyance of life with it every notion will beget motion every beam of light will be a stream of life and carry you on with power to the obedience of truth revealed the same spirit which is the spirit of truth is the spirit of life and of power and where hee is a spirit communicating light and truth there he a spirit conveying life and power to the soul also To conclude this then you have entertain'd some opinions for truth but are they soul-quickning truths are they helpfull to the life of God and to the life of grace in you Tell me doe they dead you or doe they quicken you more and doe they quicken your graces or stirre up your corruptions Are they serviceable to grace or are they helpfull to sinne It is the nature of truth to quicken our graces but to dead our corruptions and this is the nature of errour to provoke our lusts but to dead our graces A fifth Operation of truth where it is entertain'd it hath a Opera 5 heart-inflaming power Truth is a beam of that Sun which doth not only enlighten but heat and warm us Claritas in intellectu parit arderem in affectu Light in the understanding begets heat in the heart the understanding is as the medium between the heart and Christ and serves as the burning-glasse to the heart whereby the heart is set on fire with those notions which are carried from Christ by the understanding to the soul hee that is baptized with the holy Ghost the spirit of truth is baptized with fire Fulget cherub intelligentia luce ardet Seraph charitatis igne Pic. Mirand de dig hom his affections are inflam'd with the love of it He that like the Cherub doth shine with light and truth like the Seraph burns with heat and love Truth hath an heart enamouring power could wee but see it in it's beauty as the Philosopher said of vertue I may of truth we could not chuse but be in love with it and that which doth enamour the heart must needs enflame the heart that which takes the heart must needs set the heart on fire either with desire to enjoy it or with love in the enjoyment of it Indeed it is true many are too hot in an errour and others are too cold in the truth and it is the ones sinne and the others shame the one is the fruit of the partiall reception of truth they take it into the head not into the heart Thâ—y receive not truth with the love of it as the Apostle saith 2 Thess 2. and the other is the fruit of the blinde entertainment of errour they have light without heat and thou hast heat without light their light is a false light because it is not joyn'd with heat and thy heat is a false heat because it is not joyn'd with light And yet I confesse many are zealous in a way of errour when the best are too cold in the truth it is our shame as their sinne But here is the comfort a little true heat is worth a great deal of false fire a little zeal acted with grace is worth a great deal spirited with corruption Men in ignorance are like those under the frigid zone they are cold and frozen and have no heats or affections in them Wee may love things we have not seen as the Apostle speaks of Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen Ignoti nulla cupidâ— Invisa pos summa amare incognita ne quaquam yet you love but wee cannot love things wee have not known and men in errour are like men under the torrid zone who burn with a false heat but men in the truth they are like those who live under the temperate zone whose heat is comfortable and makes them fruitfull or if you will take it in another comparison men in ignorance they are like dead men altogther cold and have no heat in them Men in errour are like men in a fever whose heat is their distemper but men in the truth they are like unto men in health whose heat is their health and enables them to action and resisteth corruption And that is a fifth operation of truth where it is entertain'd it hath a heart-warming a heart-inflaming power We come to the last Oper. 6 Sixthly and lastly Truth hath a heart-raising and spiritualizing property where it comes into the heart with power it doth raise and spiritualize a man indeed the naked knowledge of truth doth no more raise the heart then the sight of the Sunne doth lift a man up to heaven but when truth comes into the heart in it's power it carries the soul thither whence it came All truth as it came from God so it carryes the soule to God it rayseth and spiritualizeth a man it doth spiritualize and rayse his understanding his notions and conceptions of things it doth spiritualize a mans heart a mans affections a mans actions it makes him a spirituall man 1 Cor. 2.15 Men are much according to their notions of things men of low conceptions are men of low spirits men of higher and more spirituall notions are men of finer tempers of more refined spirits so farre as truth is received so farre it doth refine a man if it enter the head a man is part refined but if it be received into the heart the whole man is spiritualized A mans head may be refined and yet he may have a grosse heart as Christ saith Make their hearts grosse that seeing they might not see they did see in the head and that was refined but they did not see in their heart and therefore that was still grosse but if the heart once be spiritualized with truth then the whole man is made spirituall for truth is of a spiritualizing nature And so much shall serve for the operations of truth and this third and last Character viz. Truth doth advance the whole worke of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints Well then you see there are many opinions abroad Vse and it may be some of you have given entertainment to some of them I doe not say that they are all of them erroneous but many are others have much errour mingled with some truth I have given you three touches whereby you may be able to judge of them three Characters whereby you may be inabled to discover truth from errour And doe you try your opinions by them see are they such as are word-revelation doth the word plainly and evidently hold them forth or are they deductions drawne from the word But see is not the place mistaken are the deductions rightly gathered are they consonant to the harmony of Scriptures doe they suite with Gods maine end in Scripture By these you may be able to discover them Again the opinions which are held forth or you have entertained doe they I say advance God doe they advance all God all the Attributes all
your selves you must be content to sacrifice all to the obedience of truth you must be content to give up your sinnes as a snare and your selves as a sacrifice for the enjoyment of it he that sees not truth more riches then all riches he that prizeth not truth above riches friends the world he shall never be a true owner of it Indeed he may own it but never be true owner of it he may own it as a servant and make use of it so farre as it may be serviceable but he will never own it as a Master to which he makes all serviceable Many love to command truth but few to be commanded by truth many love to be master of it but they will not be mastered by it they look upon truth as we look upon fire and water to be good servants but bad Masters and therefore as they entertain it when it may serve them so they can disclaim it when they are to serve it I see a deal of self in the world both in the setting on foot and in the entertaining and maintaining of opinions nothing would be so great a check to errour nor open so free a course for truth as the removing of this great obstacle of self out of the way let it be all our prayers we had never more cause Good Lord deliver us from our selves Let not self interpose it self either in the venting the searching the entertainment or rejecting of opinions lest we close with errours and deny the truth And so much shall serve for the third Caution I will be brief in the rest If you would finde out truth Caut. 4. beware of wilfulnesse and perversnesse of spirit we are oftentimes too stubborn in errour and too easie in the truth we are I say too facile in the truth and too tenacious in errour and though there be no reason why we should be so yet there is great reason why we are so errour you know errour hath more agreement with us then truth it is more sutable to our natures and our tempers and therefore we doe more strongly adhere to it besides it may be an errour may be the birth of our own hearts a brat of our own breeding and bringing forth and we love our own It is more easie to deny the births of our body then the births of our souls it is more easie for a man to deny his naturall affections then his sensuall affections sinne is more our selves then our substance is and there is much to heighten the difficulty Certainly it is an act of great self-emptying for a man to recede from and deny what he hath sweat for what he hath brought forth with a great deal of pains and handed to others under the most lovely and receptible notions of truth and hath perhaps gotten a great deal of honour of applause of gain thereby I say it is hard for such a man to deny himself in such opinions There is no man would be accounted either weak or wicked either a deceiver or a fool now he knows he shall run the censure of one of the two either men will look upon him as wicked and a deceiver one that hath been an impostor and seducer or else they will look on him as weak and simple And the present height of esteem which the opinion hath raised him up unto doth heighten the act of his self-deniall and make it more difficult for him to become nothing we have need to beware of such a spirit men have taken too much liberty in our daies to vent themselves and it may be have drawn many disciples after them they have gotten much applause and much honour by being singular none indeed have more esteem amongst many then they whose hearts are the forges of novelties It is a sad thing Oh! but take heed of being perverse in your way learn to deny your selves and judge it your honour to be conquer'd by truth It is greater honour to be the spoil of truth then to carry the trophies of errour a greater honour to be a servant a vassall to truth then to be a King in errour And with that I shall shut up the Cautions We shall now come to the Directions whereby you may be able to finde out truth in these daies wherein errour abounds Direct 1 1. Consult impartially and diligently with the Word of God and God in the Word There is much in this first Direction It is indeed the main of all and therefore we shall speak the more largely to it The Word of God is held by all the touch-stone to try and discover opinions the mine where truth lies the mint of doctrine the orb out of which truth shines the casket wherein this jewel is locked up the Starre by which we must sail if we would be preserved from those rocks and shelves which otherwise we are in danger to split our selves upon 1. But then 1. The Word of God must be consulted withall the Starre will be no guide if we doe not eye it nor will the Word be any direction if we doe not consult with it we must then consult with the Word which hath relation to the understanding for the affections are not to intermeddle in the finding out of truth 2. And secondly we must consult impartially that is without prejudice without prepossession without byassing without sinister affections without corrupt aims and ends consult impartially as men desirous to know and resolved to doe It was the fault of the Israelites they desired Jeremy to enquire what was the minde of God but they were pre-resolved before what to doe Optimus lector est qui dictoruÌ„ intelligentiam expectat ex dictis potius quam imponat retulerit magis quam attulerit Hillar Non enim sensum queÌ„ extrinsecus attuleris alienum extraneum debetis sed ex Scripturis sensâ—m capere veritatis Morton Apol Cath. p. â— l. 5. c. 9. de Scr. jud and therefore when Jeremy brought them a message contrary to their mindes and pre-resolutions they rejected it and said in plain termes they would not obey the Word of the Lord which he had spoken So many they enquire into the Word but not with impartialnesse of spirit they are men pre-resolved and rather enquire to strengthen their own resolutions and pre-possessions and engagements then as naked single inquisitours to know and obey the minde of God revealed this is the doublenesse of spirit in men these doe not enquire Gods minde but enquire to strengthen their own minde they are resolved of their way and rather search to fortifie themselves in their pre-resolutions then to alter their resolutions according to Gods discoveries Take heed of such a spirit Consult but consult impartially as men that doe apprehend it their happines to know the good and acceptable will of God 3. Consult diligently Wisdome is a treasure that must be digged for as the wise-man tells you and so is truth and I may say of one
have yet another which is of great moment also and I have then done with this discourse The sixth and last Quaery is this viz. Quest 6. What waies God hath left us in his Word for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons A Question certainly of great concernment among all the contentions of the times I know none of greater concernment then this viz. What are the boundaries of opinions It were a sad thing as our case stands if there were no bounds for errours and as fearfull a thing to goe beyond Gods bounds for the suppressing of them Certainly there are some means warranted and anointed of God for such ends but what those means are and where they are to be bounded there is all the controversie I finde learned and godly men differing each from other in this point and * Augustinus retractavit pristinam sententiam fuam quâ existimavit contra haereticos nâ—hil vi agenâ—um esse Aug. retract l 2. cap. 2.5 Epist 48 50. some also differing from themselves afterwards retracting what formerly they have held forth for truth in this point witnesse Augustines retractations Indeed it is a tender point it concerns the conscience a tender part against which who that hath any thing of God in him but trembles to sinne and who doth not fear to injure and offend It is a point of great subtilty which most cannot discern there are many labyrinths many winding subtilties in it and it is of no lesse intricacy having many other subtile and intricate disputes complicated and folded up in it Two of the main subtilties are founded upon those two places of Scripture one the 2 Cor. 13.12 We know but in part the other Rom. 14.23 What ever is not of faith is sin From both which it is argued We know but in part There will be difference in opinions these opinions have power on the conscience for what ever a man hath received he is bound to walk in it and who ever recedes from what he hath received for truth either for fear or for favour he sinnes against his conscience For what ever is not of faith is sinne Again we know but in part therefore no Councels on earth are infallible if not then may they err if they may err it is certainly our duty to try prove their determinations before we do approve them if our duty to try them then it is our duty to assent or dissent to them as those determinations shall appear to us to be consonant or dissonant to the Word of God and if it be our duty to assent or dissent as those results and determinations shall be evidenced to us to be or not to be of God then how can it be the duty of any to compell us to the contrary or to punish us for the doing of that which is our duty It is a controversie full of subtilties and intricacies and it is diversly asserted and as differently maintained according to the different apprehensions principles interests and ingagements of men Some cry up liberty for all opinions Others and most decry that Some would have a toleration or an allowance for lesser differences only Others doe rather desire an accommodation then a toleration and that differences may rather be healed and composed then allowed and tolerated among us Men are divers in their thoughts their thoughts being for the most part diversified according to the proportions and latitudes of their differences in opinions from generall received truths Men of lesser difference in opinion pleading only for a mercifull allowance of some Those of wider difference contending for a liberty of all opinions To both which we shall speak something in the following discourse For the present let us return to our Question propounded viz. What waies God hath lâ—ft us in his Word for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons For the answer to which we shall in brief comprize those waies under two generall heads 1. Ecclesiasticall 2. Civil Both which we shall clear to be warranted and allowed of God to these ends viz. The suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons We shall begin with the first 1. First then there are some means ecclesiasticall which God hath warranted for these ends And herein we shall finde few to differ from us most concurring in this that God hath warranted some means in his Church for this end though indeed there is some dispute what those means are but there needs nor any among us for we freely concurre with any that those means which God hath appointed in his Church are of a spirituall nature and influence we utterly cast out and abominate all corporall or crumenall mulcts and say the Church hath no power to punish the body or to lay fines upon the estate or to deal with men at all as they stand in any civil or worldly respects The Church of Christ owns no such weapons in her warfare * Gregor de Vâ—lent in m â—ae disp 1. q. 11. punct 3. Azor. instit moral Tom. 1. l. 8. c. 14. It is for the man of sin to propagate his way and suppresse his adversaries with such fleshie weapons The Church of Christ knows not how to use any externall violence or outward force either to advance truth or suppresse errour though the Church be in readinesse to revenge all disobedience as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 10.6 2 Cor. 10.6 yet not by such carnall weapons in such fleshie waies as these are Christ tells us that his Kingdome is not of this world And the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. The weapons of our warfare they are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God for the pulling down of strong-holds and bringing every thought in obedience to Christ So that spirituall means and remedies are onely to be used in the kingdom of Christ the Church of God For all other 1. They are improper not only in respect of the persons that are to uâ—e them but improper in their own nature And that because 1. They are externall means and those are too short for internall maladies 2. Besides they are heterogeneall they are diversi generis of a divers and different kinde the one carnall the other spiritual the object of one the body the estate of the other the soul and conscience 2. And secondly these were never ordained never appointed of God for such ends in his Church We cannot expâ—ct Gods blessing upon any thing further then it hath Gods ordination Now these were never ordained and anointed of Christ as means to be used in his Church and Kingdome for such an end and therefore there can be no blessing expected on them 3. Besides these means are unsutable to the ends to which they are intended fleshie means are unsutable to bring about spirituall ends the end of all Church Ordinances are not ruine but amendment not destruction but edification as the Apostle
obedience An opinion which as abominable in it self so hath it been justly opposed and as fully confuted by our famously learned and godly writers 2. A second opinion which is questioned to give too little is that which denies all jurisdiction unto Synods and Councels and saith Though God hath afforded further means of suppressing errour and reducing erroneous persons then a particular Congregation yet hath he not afforded any further jurisdiction 3. A third opinion saith That God hath given to a Synod a power of jurisdiction yet that not absolute but ministerial not privative any way robbing and depriving of particular Congregations of their just rights and power but cumulative to strengthen and uphold particular Congregations in their power and priviledges they take not the power out of their hands but strengthen and direct them in the use of it I shall not speak to all these separately The first of these is justly exploded and cast out the second and third are controverted one is thought to give too much the other is reputed to attribute too little It sutes not with my Discourse nor yet with my purpose to examine and dispute them here That which I intend to pursue is to lay down such evident grants of power as may happily suggest some mediums of reconciliation in this difference First then a power there is that is granted on both hands but what that power is what are the limits and bounds of it there is the controversie There is potestas arrepta potestas data a power given a power usurped a power truly granted and a power falsly claimed But what that is which is exercised under a false claim there is the dispute Thus far we agree in the negative What their power is not 1. A Synod or a Councel hath no civil power they have no power either to make or impose civil laws or to punish the breach of them nor have they power to enforce any laws upon men upon any civil mulâ—ts or penalties what ever the power they have is of a spirituall not a civil nature it doth not reach to the bodies estates liberties priviledges of men the object of it is their spirits their souls Chamier Tom. 3. l. 15. c. 8. s ct 5. 6 7 8 9. 2. In this we agree also That a Synod hath no absolute but only a Ministeriall power The Word of God is both the rule and limits of their power they can doe nothing against the Law of Christ they may ordain nothing Bez. de ecclesia c. 5. p. 125. Dâ—ven de judic nor c. 27. Whit. cont 3. q. 6. p. 612 c. Etiam con 4 q. 7. p. 884. but by warrant from Christ It doth not belong to Synods saith Beza to make new Articles of Religion nor to bring any thing into Gods house which he hath not commanded in his Word Another saith Ministers are stewards whose duty is not to prescribe new laws unto the family but faithfully to keep the laws of the housholder and to doe every thing according to his command The power of a Synod is not magisteriall but ministeriall not absolute but limited by the word and will of Christ 3. In this we agree also * CoÌ„s Whit. contr 3. c. 2 q. 6. Daven de jud nor fid c. 22 24 p 133 142. Ruthers 3â—4 335. Due Right of Presb par â— That a Synod hath no infallible power Synods and Councels may erre and therefore their decrees are to be examined and not to be received further then they are consonant to the Word of God 4. In this we agree That a Synod hath no power to make things indifferent necessary I say they have no power to make things in their own nature indifferent necessary The Papists indeed infer from Act. 15.28 29. That it is in the power of a Councel or Synod to alter and change the nature of things indifferent and to make those things which are indifferent in themselves by their authority to become necessary we have had such doctrine preached but this is to give power to Synods and Councels over and above the Scripture they have no power to alter and change the nature of things and make those things necessary which are indifferent no more theâ— to make those things indifferent which are necessary * Adverte nè intelligas haec necessaria una endeÌ„ ratione recessitatis nam raâ—io necessario vitandi fornicatâ—onâ—m divini juris est raâ—io aâ—â—eÌ„ abstinendi ab esu sanguinuÌ„ c. Est ut â—morem geratis ijs quibus vivitis â—udaeis Cajet Indeed the Apostle there calls those things imposed necessary things but they were not all alike necessary some were simply and absolutely necessary at all times viz. this of abstaining from fornication but the three other were only extrinsecally and accidentally necessary in respect of the present occasion nor were they necessary because they commanded them but because they were necessary therefore they commanded them * Chamie tom 2. l 15 c. 8. sect 5 6 7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Chrysost vid Cham. tom 3 l 15. c. 10 sect 4 Besides these were no new laws imposed as the Papists contend but only old Laws repealed repeated for a time Donec absque scandalo penitus omitti queant till without scandall they might be left off * Ex ege â—ec dicunt veâ—era retinere longe aliuâ— est quam nova instituere Cham ibid And there is much difference between the retaining of an old law and instituting of a new 5. In this we also agree That no act of a Synod as theirs is binding to the conscience Conscience is under no bonds or obligations save Gods onely It can neither be enforced nor can it be engaged by any ties or bonds of men There is no power on earth that can properly and immediately reach the consciences of men Conscience is a thing out of mans jurisdiction it will neither be beholding to man for it's liberty nor is it capable of his restraint it is out of the reach of all humane power Indeed the matter of the things decreed or commanded may reach the conscience but not as they are impositions of men but as the commands of God conscience is bound to observe and obey such things as are commanded according to the Word but yet not by vertue of any humane decree but divine ordinance or the law of God who alone can lay the obligation on conscience Indeed the Papists doe urge from these decrees of the Apostles imposed on the Churches that the decrees and acts of a Synod or Councell doe in themselves and because imposed binde the consciences of men Against which I need to produce no more then what Chamier urgeth in the fore-going place where he laies down three Arguments out of Calvin to prove that these decrees of the Apostles were not imposed as necessary and binding to the conscience
consc l. 4. c. 29. Nor yet upon this ground because the other remedies alleadged are sufficient remedies But for this reason because probably the whole Church is not corrupted and it were better to spare many offenders then to censure one innocent And therefore it is judged safer that this censure of Excommunication should be dispenced distributively rather then collectively by singling out the chief offenders in a Congregation rather then by the cutting off the whole body and society And this is one thing objected against the sentence of Non-communion that it doth without any distinction or difference cut off a whole Church from communion and fellowship with other Churches of Christ when it may be the whole Church is not corrupted and guilty 4. Some thinke the way to deal with an hereticall Church if I may so call it is not by Excommunication but by dissolution of the society But this not being a Church-censure I have nothing to doe with it here 5. And lastly Some thinke That though a Synod cannot excommunicate an erring Church yet may they doe that which is proportionable to it they may censure them condemn them forsake them reject them and render them odious to other Churches for their errours And if this be not Excommunication yet certainly it is analogicall and proportionable to Excommunication Ames cas consc l 4. c. 29 q 11. thes 26. So Ames And is held by some to be it self Excommunication The learned Authour of the book entituled Observations and annotations upon the Apolog. Narration p. 43. hath this expression to those Brethren It is a mistake in you to thinke that in declaring of your non-communion with other Churches you doe not excommunicate them for what is Excommunication but a privation of Cimmunion c. And indeed Excommunication being an ecclesiasticall word and not found in Scripture and the substance of that we finde in Scripture being done why do we lengthen out the contention Object 3. But it will perhaps be said by some That all this is not Excommunication this is but the half of it the negative part of it and not the positive part of it which indeed is that wherein the proper nature of Excommunication doth lie viz. a dâ—livering up to Satan Answ And here we are now come up to the highest step of the controversie This is the the very point of the difference 1. For the first part of the Objection That this is not Excommunication because it wants the positive part To me it seems evident that which is granted by Ames in the fifth opinion and which our Brethren grant in the sentence of non-communion hath something positive as well as negative in it Yea but you will say here is not the delivering up to Satan and in that consists the formality of this sentence of Excommunication Indeed this is a great Question and requires more pains and time then I can spend about it 1. Some there are indeed that thinke in this to lie the formality of the censure viz. The delivering up to Satan 2. Some again thinke it a higher and more dreadfull degree of the sentence The authour of the Observations on the Apâ—l Nar p. 43. 3. Others thinke this Delivering up to Satan to be a fruit and consequent of the sentence and not of the formality of it 4. And there are some that thinke that this delivering up to Satan is neither of the formality of the sentence nor yet a fruit and consequent of it but an act of Apostolicall power put forth by the Apostles towards eminent and great offenders And such an act as ordinary Pastours and Elders neither in the Apostles daies nor ever since could put forth beiâ—g a power proper to the Apostles onely Pet. Molin vat c. 11. p. 10â— De potestate Apostolorum in corpora whereby they delivered up the bodies of great offenders to be tormented by Satan That the soul might be saved in the day of Christ. And this they call that virga Apostolica which you read of 1 Cor. 4.21 Shall I come to you with a rod Such a rod as Peter came withall to Ananias and Sapphira such an one as Paul put forth to Elymas the Sorcerer and such an one as he put forth to Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 and towards the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.3 5. I have decreed that this man shall be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh That is say they for I will give you their thoughts for the punishing and tormenting of the body by weaknesse sicknesse griefs c. for so by flesh they understand the body * Cum spiritâ—â— manifestè hic significat animam necesse eâ—t per â—aâ—nem spiritui oâ—positam corpuâ— intellâ—gâ— Mol. p. 10â— And say the opposition here between flesh and spirit doth make much for it for if by spirit be meant the soul as in this place it must then by flâ—sh to hold the opposition must needs be meant the body and the sense will then be he hath delivered such an one to Satan for the d struction of the flesh that is for the punishing and tormenting of the body which they exemplifie in Job that the spirit that is the soul may thereby be brought to repentance and saved in the day of the Lord and this extraordinary and miraculous power of inflicting torments on the bodies of eminent malefactours in the Apostles daies is conceived by some to be afforded to the Apostles for to supply and make up the defect of the Magistrates power which they wanted in those daies But yet they deny not but that Paul would have the incestuous person to be cast out of Communion with the Church but this he would have done by the Church of Corinth and by the authority of the ordinary Elders as appears vers 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump so in vers 13. Put away therefore from among your selves that wicked person But when the Apostle speaketh about delivering to Satan he doth not expect the consent of the Church of Corinth but decrees this by his apostolicall power and authority to which decree of his he requires the Churches consent to be joyn'd as he saith I as absent in body but present in spirit have decreed that he that hath done this thing should be delivered up to Satan And that which he adds When ye are gathered together and my spirit it is not to be understood say they as if the decree of the Apostle did depend upon the consent of the Church but having decreed he requires their assent to it And this they prove in the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander whom he delivered up to Satan without the consent of any Church what ever So that you see there is a great deal of difference in mens thoughts concerning this delivering up to Satan 1. Some you see would have it an act of apostelicall power and a punishment inflicted upon the body
will shall stand for a law In this also Jeroboam and Nebuchadnezzar offended when they would command things upon their own will not only without but contrary to the will of God This proved a dangerous rock to them and will be to any who shall follow their steps God is a jealous God and cannot brook with any rivall in matter of his worship As they cannot command so we cannot thus obey without sinne and dishonour to God Christ bids us in this sense Call no man Rabbi And the Apostle enjoyns us not to be the servants of men which then we are in a high measure when the warrant of our actions is only taken from the will and pleasure of men Vid. Pareâ—Ì„ in Rom. 13 praecog 3. propos 6. Justinianus imâ—erator agnovit Catholicam fidem nullam innovationem posse recipere ex authoritate principuâ—s sed solunmodò confirmatioreÌ„ virdicationem Po estates suo loco humanas suscipinâ—us donec contid Deum suas erigaÌ„t voluntates Synac when we shall subjugate and vassall our understandings and consciences to the meer commands and dictates of men And so much for the first 2. The Magistrate hath no power against God God never set up a power against himself he is the minister of God and all his power is subordinate to the will and glory of God All which being granted I need not to say any more of it 3. The Magistrate hath no power to enforce the conscience of any Conscience rightly understood fals under no power but the power of God alone I have read it was the speech of Stephen King of Poland I am King of men and not of consciences a Commander of bodies and not of souls All power is usually expressed in Scripture by this Metaphor of Keyes and though God hath committed many Keyes much power to man yet there are three Keys which God doth reserve and keep in his own hands only 1. The Key of the womb he shuts it Gen. 20.18 and he opens it at his pleasure Gen. 30.22 2. The Key of the grave 1 Sam. 2 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up he and he alone doth this 3. The Key of the conscience Act. 16.14 He opened the heart of Lydia and he opens so as none can shut and shuts so as none can open This power over the heart and conâ—cience God hath reserved in his own hands It was the speech of one God hath reserved three things to himself 1. To make some thing of nothing 2. To know things future 3. To rule over consciences A dominion that is proper to God alone men may tyrannize but they can never rule over the consciences of men Conscience fals under no subjection but Gods alone The Turks and Persians themselves though they have upheld and propagated their way by the sword yet they acknowledge that the conscience neither can nor ought to be compelled Conscience is like a Virgin which cannot be forced Lex nostra non se vindicat ultore gladio Tertul. Men may perswade but they can never compell conscience according to that old maxime Religio suaderi potest cogi non potest Men may be perswaded into a religion but they can never be compelled unto it Nihil est tam voâ—un tarium quaÌ„ religio in qua sâ— animuâ— sacrificanâ—es eversus jam sublata jaÌ„ nulla est Lactant. Instit l. 5. c. 19. Procop in â—eca histo It lies as a blot upon Justinian that he compelled the Samaritans to embrace the Christian faith And it is more condemnable in the Papists among the Indies of which they finde no more fruit then with the Moors of Granado who were forced to Masse in the morning and freely practised Mahome tanisme in the afternoon Like those we read of 2 King 17.33 who because of the Lions feared the Lord but served their own gods Those acts of conscience which are internall are free and uncogible they fall not under mans cognizance nor if they did doe they fall under mans power No power on earth can either judge or punish the internall acts of the minde The Question is not here about the elicite acts of conscience but the imperate commanded and externall acts It is easily granted That no power on earth is able to compell the former the internall acts of the minde and conscience but the dispute will be about the later the externall acts either in the restraint or constraint of them Of which more anon 4. The Magistrate hath no power properly called Church-power though he have a power about the businesse of the Church and the affairs of worship yet he hath not any power properly called Church-power He is helpfull to the government of the Church but in this sense no Church-governour The Church hath the exercise of her power from him but not the power it self the Magistrate gives ability but doth not give the authority The Church say Divines hath protection and encouragement from him but hath her authority and power from Christ I finde divers opinions among men about this 1. Some say that the Magistrate hath all power 2. Some say he hath no power in matters of Religion 1. Some say he hath all power and that the government of the Church is by God devolved upon the civil Magistrate whereby the Magistrate is the head of the Church and hath a Nomothetick and legislative power in things ecclesiasticall which power say they is not only ecclesiastick in respect of the object being exercised about Church matters but in respect of the subject or person exercising whom they make to be a mixed person and hath a mixed power Salcobridgensis p. 121. and by vertue of his office can act and exercise it I shall not speak much to it it is a discourse by the by only I shall tell you that Pareus who gives more to the Magistrate in this particular then others of his brethren yet saith That the civil Magistrate is not to assume to himself any proper parts of Ecclesiasticall ministery as to preach to administer censures Sacraments c. and he gives these two reasons of it 1. Because he is not called to this office Vedel de Episcop Constant q. 2. Christ did not say to him Go and preach the Gospel and baptize and therefore being not called to it he ought not to assume it No man saith the Apostle taketh this Ministery upon himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5.4 Pareus in Rom. 13. prop. 3. nor is he saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to intermeddle in other matters not proper to his station 1 Pet. 4.15 but every one is to abide in the same calling wherein he is called And he gives a second reason lest they incurre the sin and punishment of Jeroboam and Vzziah one of whom had his arm dried up the other was strucken with leprosie 1 Kin. 13. 2 Chron. 26. And the same Authour a little
or exception And we use to say Non distinguendum ubi Scriptura non distinguit we are not to distinguish when the Scripture doth not distinguish and therefore the Scripture not distinguishing of evil doers such persons may well fall under the Category of evil doers And should we restrain this unto evil doers only in a civil sense then the state of the Church in regard of the civil Magâ—strate should be worse under the new Testament then under the old for if then he was to maintain it by his civil power and now he neither doe nor can then it must needs follow the condition of the Church in respâ—ct of the civil Magistrate is worse now under the new Testament then under the old Besides it would be strange that it is the duty of the Magistrate to punish injuries done to the state but not injuries done to God that he is to punish those who destroy mens bodâ—es buâ— not those who destroy mens soules that who ever draws away the people from the obedience of the Magistrate and the laws of the Land must be punished but they who will draw away a people from the truth of the Gospel and from the waies of God as Hymenaeus and Philetus who ovâ—rthew the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.17 18. they must not be censured And therefore seeing the new Testament declares the power of the Magistrate and makes the object of this power evil doing in generall and requires submission in such generall tearms therefore may we conclude that the Lord did leave his people for their subjection to the Magistrate to the light of nature and to the equity of those generall rules in Scripture in former times Other places might be alleadged as 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as to the supremâ— or unto Governours which are sent for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well So in the 2 Tim. 2.1 2. where the Apostle exhorts us to pray for Kings and them in authority and he gives this reason That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty By which is evident that the object of his power is not only things concerning externall peace but such things as concern godlinesse also he is to be the promoter of the one as well as the preserver of the other And this was prophesied of Magistrates under the Gospel Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers And the preservation of the civil peace is not enough to afford such a denomination nor adequate to the appellation or title of nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church under the Gospel And it is said Revel 21.24 of the future times of the Gospel That the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church There will be such a time which declares that they are to be more then meer protectours of their external civil peace Nor will this which is usually alleadged weaken this assertion that if this power do belong to the civil Magistrate as civil then to every civil Magistrate then to Pagan as well as to Christian Magistrates For we say though this power doe belong to Magistracy in generall and to all Magistrates yet all are not fit and ablâ— to exercise it the authority belongs to the Pagan as well as the Christian Magistrate say Divines but in a different sense one hath this power in actu signato the other in actu exercito one hath the right but he wants the ability to exercise it because being ignorant of Christ and the principles of Christian religion and thereby wanting the directive power he cannot use the commanding and executive power And thus much shall serve for answer to the third Quâ—stion I have purposely waved Objections that I might not unnecessarily lengthen out this Discourse knowing this maxime to be true Rectum est index sui obloqui We come to the Quest 4. Whether such a power be needfull to the Church To which I shall give an answer in these few Conclusions Conclus 1. This civil coercive power iâ— not only unnecessary but unlawfull to be exercised in the planting of the Church and bringing men to the faith of Christ Churches are not to be planted by weapons Lactant instit l. 5. c. 10. but by doctrines not by the power of the sword but by the efficacy of the Word not by carnall weapons but by spirituall means The Commission that Christ gave his Apostles for the spreading and planting of the Gospel was only this Goe and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 20. the like in Mark 16.15 And Christ tells us his Kingdome is not of this world for then his servants would fight for him Joh. 18.36 but that was not the way to plant or advance his kingdom Christ hath no need of such carnall weapons for the planting of his Church or the setling him in his kingdome the Apostles had a warfare to fight but the weapons of their warfare were not carnall but spirituall and yet strong to pull down the strongest helds of sin and Satan and to bring every thought in obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10.3 4. They had a sword to weild but that sword was no other but the Word of God the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 Revel 19.15 here were Armies to subdue even Nations to Christ but these were armies of teachers not of souldiers as the Psalmist alludeth Psal 68.11 Externall force is not the way of Christ for the spreading his Gospel and planting of his kingdome It is true here Religio suaderi potest cogi non potest Men may be perswaded into a religion but they can never be compelled All externall acts of power are not able to beget internall acts of faith That is the first Conclus 2. This civil coercive power is not absolutely simply and indispencibly necessary to the being of the Church of Christ upon earth The Church of Christ had being and was perfect in it's being and operations when they wanted the priviledge and comfort of a civil Magistrate The Church of Corinth when the Magistrate was Pagan 1 Cor. 6.1 2 3. was yet a Church sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 4 5 7. had power of Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. 7 13. was a perfect body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. was able to edifie the whole body 1 Cor 14 12 25 26 27. and had power of the seals of the Covenant 1 Cor. 11.20 21. All which shews this power was not absolutely necessary to the being of the Church of Christ Conclus 3. This civil coercive power is not absolutely ne-necessary to the propagating and increasing of the Church and kingdome of Christ And this we see clear 1. Vsque ad Constantini tempora
diffâ—rence in waies that those who doe agree in so many things should differ in one nay in one thing in many things whereof they also do agree I may sâ—y here as it is subscribed at the foot of a complaint concerning the differences of the Reformed Churches Oh that we should agree in so much and differ for so little It is a sâ—d thing and speaks more evil to us then all our evils upon us 2. Shall I say as this agreement is possible so it is exceeding desirable 1. It is desirable to Christ witnesse his prayer Joh. 17.21 That we may be one even as God and he is one Shall I say it would be the joy of Christ in heaven to see this accord on earth it is that which he sweat for that which he did bleed for it is a part of the travel of his soul the income whereof will be desirable to him And doe but thinke what a grief it is to your Saviour to see his people members of his body heirs of the same hope that lay together in the same bosome of election are sharers in the same priviledges born to the same hopes that they whose names he carries together and presents before the Father continually in heaven should be divided and rent asunder upon earth It is a patheticall passage which Luther hath in an Epistle to the Ministers of Norimberg Suppose saith he you saw Jesus Christ standing bodily in the midst of you and by his very eyes speaking thus unto your hearts What do you ô my dear children whom I have redeemed by my blood renewed by my word that you might mutually love one another There is no danger in your difference but there is much in your dissension Do not thus sadden my spirit Do not thus spoyl the holy Angels of their joy in heaven Am not I more to you then all your matters of difference then all your affections then all your offences Can any unjust trouble pierce your heart so much as my wounds as my blood as I the whole Saviour Jesus Christ Certainly as it is the grief of Christ in heaven so let me speak after the manner of men it would be his joy and glory in heaven to see the hearts and spirits of his own people united and made one in the truth 2. As it is desirable to Christ so it is desirable it self the miseries we feel in the want of it doe exceedingly heighten and advance the worth of it to us This indeed will be the crown of all our conquests the glory of all our deliverance the ruine of our enemies is nothing to the union of our friends nor are all sad calamities upon us to be compared to the divisions among the Saints Eusebius saith of Constantine He was more troubled at the dissensions in the Church then with all the warrs in his dominions Indeed these are the saddest of divisions and carry desolation in the face of them The Philosophers tell us that each naturall body doth no lesse desire it's unity then it 's being and how much more should the body mysticall without which unity it cannot long subsist in being Every difference from unity is a steppe towards a nullitie 3. It is desirable to us It is the subject of all our prayers of all our tears and so desirable that nothing will satisfie without it though God have done much for this kingdome and is still riding on in his glory to doe more yet we cannot but say with Abraham What will all this profit us if thy people be not one Alas how can we give up one another Those who have wept together prayed together worked together taken sweet counsell together hitherto been one how can we now be two how sad were it if that those who have been fellow-mourners fellow-suffâ—rers joynt prayers and contenders with God for these deliverances should not now be joynt enjoyers of the mercy and deliverance Certainly this is desired of all as the way to it let us breath after and hasten that of the Prophet Zeph. 3.9 When all that call on the name of the Lord shall serve him with one consent And that of the Apostle Rom. 15.5 6 7. That God would grant us to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that we may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God This is sure the desire of all and ô that we should be at one in our desires to be one and at difference in the waies whereby we may be one 4. It is desirable to all the Churches of Christ. Where hath Christ a Church on earth that is not now in travel to see the birth of this unioâ— where hath he a people that doe not pray and wait we may be one What the Historian said of Ormus I may say of England If all the world were a ring England were the jewel It is so looked upon as the Jewel of all the Christian world for eminency of grace and holinesse And as our differences are the sadning of the spirits of the Churches of Christ so our union would be the jâ—y of their souls even life from the dead a sufficient income for all their prayers their tears laid out for it Certainly it is desirable to all but those who desire to dance in our ashes and would rejoyce in our ruine the speeding of which doth lie in our differences one with another Thus I have shewed you that this agreement is possible it is desirable I might shew you the necessity of it the mischiefs which are like to follow if it be not but being done so fully by another hand I shall wave it And now in the last place unto these weak desires cast in some few thoughts which may be subservient in this happy union and accommodation 1. I wish that both parties would get their hearts more overcome with the love of union and peace this very love of peace would carry us a great way towards an union we can talk of it but our hearts are not taken with it we can play the Oratours say much in the commendation of it but who pursues it who makes it the businesse of his life to attain it Doe we not rather side with our dividing interests then with our uniting engagements and seek rather to be well alone then to be happy together Who is it that saith resolvedly we must be one we cannot live without you nor you without us It was a superlative expression of Luthers writing to the Pastours of Stratsburg I pray you saith he be perswaded that I shall alwaies be as desirous to embrace concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus propitious to me O that we had more of this spirit That our hearts were so overcome with the love of union that we could be content to be any thing that this might be and to tread upon our choisest priviledges and interests if they might be a rise and advantage to this desired union 2. Silencing all
and not Excommunication they finde it not in the first institution of this ordinance Matth. 18.17 nor doe they think Satan a fiâ— instrument to bring about those holy ends for which this ordinance was instituted And how ever Satan may doe much good to the souls of Gods people against his will occasionally and accidentally by his buffetings and temptations yet it sounds harsh to them that God should set up so solemn and holy an ordinance as this is to continue in the Church while Christ hath a Church on earth wherein Satan is so farre honoured as to be serviceable and instrumentall in the saving of soules c. 2. Some will have this delivering up to Satan of the formality of the sentence urging the Apostles phrase of speech in the 1 Cor. 5. to import so much to us 3. Some again assert it to be a further and more dreadfull degree of this censure 4. And others say it is not of the formality of the censure but a fruit and consequent of it Now if it be the first of these viz. an act of apostolicall power as many conceive who yet hold up this ordinance of Excommunication yea and from that place also 1 Cor. 5.2 7 13. then did it die with the Apostles and we have nothing to doe with it It is utterly inimitable and impracticable by ordinary Elders and officers And if it be the second viz. That this delivering up to Satan be the formality of Excommunication then it will follow when there is not such a delivering up to Satan there is no Excommunication which I thinke few will say And the condition of persons not only censured but censuring doth prevail much with me not to thinke and if it be the third viz. a further degree of the censure then either a degree prudentially to be annexed according to the atrocity and heinousnesse of the fact of which I see not any warrant or it is a degree necessarily to be added and if so then is it inseparable from the censure nor can the censure be dispenced without it and so it is of the formality of it which to me is not so evident But if this delivering up to Satan be the consequent and fruit of the censure as the fourth opinion saith and many upon good grounds doe chuse rather to affirm then the controversie will be at an end in this particular For those brethren of the Congregationall way do affirm That when a Synod met together in the Name of Christ Burrough Heart division p. 44. have in the authority of Christ solemnly judged condemned and censured such an erring Church to be such an one as hath no right to any Church-ordinance nor is to have any communion with the Churches of Christ if this judgement be right then such a Congregation is thereby put out of the kingdome of Christ and consequently is put under the power and kingdom of Satan And thus I have done with the answer to the Objections and with that have at length finished this discourse of Church power as relating to this Question The suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons Yet give me leave before I shut up this work in regard it is a better work to unite then to divide to compound differences then to heighten and increase them to lay down the grants of our brethren of the Congregationall-way unto this Question In which we shall tell you what materials they will afford us to the making up of this Fabrick And first though they expressely say that every particular Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath right to decide it's own controversies and to conclude it 's own differences instancing in the Church of Antioch whose endeavours among themselves to end their difference and conclude the controversie which arose â— Hâ—â—rt divisions p. 43. before ever they purposed to goe to Jerusalem doth clearly demonstrate that they had right though they wanted power yet they affirm that such a Church is to render an account to other Churches of Christ of their actions And this is not arbitrary that they may or may not doe it but they are bound in conscience to it as a duty they ow to God and to their sister-Churches Ibid. 2. They grant that a consociation of Churches in Synods consisting of Ministers and Elders is a precious ordinance of Jesus Christ for the preserving of the Churches against errours schisms and scandals 3. They grant that in case a particular Church or Congregation either want light or unity among themselves that they are not able to determine and conclude their own controversies Cotton Keys p. 48 either they are too difficult by reason of want of light or too hard for want of love or by reason of division among themselves that then it is their duty to repair unto a Synod or consociation of Churches for their help and assistance to the determining of their doubts and controversies And this they conclude upon these two grounds or reasons 1. The want of power in such a Church to passe a binding sentence Where errour or scandall is maintained by a faâ—tion the promise of binding and loosing made to the Church Ecclesia errans vel liâ—igans noÌ„ ligat is not given to the Church when it is leavened with errour and variance It is a maxime The censure of an erring or disagreeing Church doth not binde it is required a Church should agree and agree in Christs name that is in the truth Matth. 18.19 20. otherwise their censure is of no power 3. They conclude this from the patern in Act. 15. which patern clearly shews to whom the power and authority is committed when there groweth offence and difference in a Church even to a consociation of Churches c. 4. They grant these Synods thus conveened have power further then to counsell an erring Church they have a power from Christ to admonish men or Churches in his name Cotton K ys p. 53. when they see a Church to walk in any way of errour and their admonitions are more then brotherly perswasions for they carry with them the authority of Jesus Christ and that a Church fallen into errour and offence is subject both to the admonitions of other Churches and to the determinations and judiciall sentence of a Synod for direction in a way of truth and peace And this say they ariseth from that was spokâ—n before The sentence of an erring nor of a disagreeing Church doth binde and therefore in case a Church fail in either viz. truth or peace a Synod is the first subject of power and such a Chuâ—ch doth fall under the censure of a Synod 5. They grant that if there be cause given either of errour or of scandall A Synod hath power in the name of Christ to declare such Churches to be subverters of the faith Hâ—art divisions p. 43. or scandalous and offensive to shame them to all Sister and neighbour Churches 6. They grant that