ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. then the Holy Ghost allows 5. Yea this will make heresie and hereticks that are to the Holy Ghost seducers â—aâ—ching wolves subverters of the faith of others theeves and robbers foxes reprobate concerning the faith selfe-condemned to be godly zealous innocent erring against their will free of malice and so the Holy Ghost must doe a great deale of injury â—o 〈◊〉 who goe for hereticks in this characterizing them 〈◊〉 us 〈…〉 titles and characters which no mortall man can give to them But what surer signe can there be saith Celsus of no evill conscience then that a man will spend his blood neglect his life drink a cup which was so horrible to Christ that it caused him sweat blood and fall on the earth and yet he will joyfully dye rather ere hee quit the knowne truth this he must doe for some end and is there any man who will willingly chuse eternall destruction nor can his and be pleasure for he is to leave all these wife children goods nor honour for an hereticke dyes a most infamous man and full of reproaches Answ This renders the hereticke the most innocent and righteous Martyr that ever was for if his end be onely life eternall and none of the three ends which lead all sinners neither pleasure nor profit nor honour 1 Joh. 2. 16. and if he ought to follow his conscience all heresie shall be nothing but a most innocent harmelesse godly and zealous errour why then doth this Author say it is such a sinne as he is selfe-condemned that is as he expoundeth it though there were not a God nor any other to condemne him yet he is condemned of himselfe why doth the Holy Ghost bid us turne away from such a godly innocent man who loveth the truth of Christ Christ and heaven better then father mother brother sister lands inheritances his owne glory and name yea nor his owne life sure he must be the man to whom life eternall and a hundreth fold more is due by the promise of our Saviour Matth. 19. 28 29. yea he doth more then merit life eternall he is free of selfe any aime to pleasure profit honour or any created thing and mindes God onely as his end but can his end though never so good justifie his heresie or his dying for a lye let Celsus or any Libertine shew what end the Fathers had in killing their sonnes and daughters to God the Holy Ghost saith they sacrifice to devills not to God but they would not say they intended to gratifie the devill but to serve God in giving the dearest thing they had for God and could their end be pleasure profit honour to looke on these except in a spirituall fury and mad zeal that Sathan inspired them withall is folly for there was no pleasure in it but sorrow no gaine but to lose a sweet child but it purchased to them great glory to be said to love their Lord God above the fruit of their body and to give the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul Religio tantum potuit suadere malorum That they might be delivered from the torment of conscience they were under and the fury and hellish zeale of not sparing the flesh and losing the life for an heresie which the hereticke knowes through the glimmering of a conscience deluded to be a heresie but will revenge on a contrary sect of a contrary opinion desire of glory and a name of knowledge of a great wit singular holinesse blind the light and what was their end who baked bread and warmed themselves with a part of an Ash tree and of the residue made a God and worshipped it It is a vaine thing to aske what rationall end a man hath in these for God hath judicially shut his eyes and his heart as the devill hath runne away with his naturall wit 2. It is bad Divinity to say there was no other cup offered to Christ but the cup of temporary death offered to all the Martyrs as if Christ suffered not the wrath of God and death due by justice to all the Elect whose sinnes hee bare he must thinke basely of Christ the grace of union and of unction of whom it is said Esa 42. He shall not be discouraged who teacheth that the feare and apprehension of death temporary caused him sweat blood and complain My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and what comfort have we in Christs death if he suffered not that which is equivalent to eternall wrath and if he suffered no other death then a godly Martyr did whereupon Minus Celsus goeth on to extoll heathens who dyed worthily for the hope of eternity as Anaxarchus who bad the enemies beat the bellows not Anaxarchus when they were hammering him alive with iron hammers and Hannibal who lest he should come into the hands of the Romans dranke the poyson which he carried under a pearle in his ring hoping for immortality these and the like serve to equall the death of Hanniball and Jesus Christ and to make Anaxarchus Hannibal Empedecies Seneca who Judas-like murthered themselves to be freed of servitude and upon the leane and empty hope they had of eternall life to have dyed conscientiâ— non malâ— with no ill conscience for neither pleasure profit nor honour but for the hope of life eternall as the Martyrs of the devill doe especially Servetus who dyed roaring and crying like a hopelesse beast as if there could be a good conscience in Hannibal or any heathen who knew and heard nothing of a conscience sprinkled in the blood of Jesus and purged from dead workes to serve the living God as if heathen selfe-murtherers who against the Law of nature kill themselves deserved no more to bee punished by the Magistratâ—â—he Minister of God then a godly innocent hereticke burnt for blaspheming of the Trinity and the Sonne of God As a despairing dog Servetus dyed and that they had officax signum conscientiae non malae they had truly a good conscience were free of hypocrisie or vaine-glory or any bad end in killing themselves this serves as much to free the most desperate and hellish murtherer from the sword of the Minister of God as heresie so Celsus playes the Atheist egregiously in setting selfe-murtherers Hannibal Seneca Empedocles slaves of vaine-glory up at the right hand of God with Christ But if Celsus would but offer a shadow of an argument it should be thus Innocent men that dye for no worldly end and will both willingly be killed and kill themselves with their owne hands for no end but to obtaine life eternall and because they will not doe that which an erroneous conscience stuffed with arrogancie pride self-alloâ—ation of learning zeal and a name judgeth to be sin are not to be punished by the sword but such are hereticks willing to be Martyrs for the devill and heathen that kill themselves to obtain eternall life ergo the major is false the assumption bloody
flexible and obedient to give my backe to the smiters John 6. 37. Him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out that is I will make the beleevers dearly welcome raise him up at the last day and give him life eternall vers 40. Libertines then must say Heretickes and bloody wolves are such tender weake beleevers as weake reeds and smoaking floxes and Christ doth not only not use the sword against such tender ones but he taketh Wolves and sedncing teachers in his bosome and nourisheth and tenderly charisheth the principles of men of corrupt minds destitute of the truth but as Christ is meek to weak ones so is Isa 11. 25. Righteousnesse the girdle of his loynes So Psalm 110. 5. Shall be strike through Kings in the day of his wrath 6. And judge 〈◊〉 the heathen and fill the places with the dead bodies and wound the heads over many Countries And Rev. 19. 11. In righteousnesse shall be judge and make war 2 Considering the parties he hath to do with he is meek toward the meek but so as he destroyes his enemies and burns their Cities with fire who will not have him to reign over them Mat. 22. 7. which yet I expound not to be the sword of the Christian Ruler as if hee were an office-bearer in the Church but only bring it to prove how weak these allegorick places are either for or against the point in hand 3 To correct with the sword and with the rod of men as a father is consistent with Covenant-Mercy and Meeknesse Psal 99. 32 33 34 as not to punish is one of divine wrath Hos 4. 14. yea to deliver scandalous persons to Sathan to excommunicate them to thunder wrath against them to pull them out of the fire by the haire that they may bee saved in the day of the Lord by as good reason are against the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ as the Christian Magistrates using of the sword against hereticks if we speake of that which is penal in both these to wit to be under infamy reproach and shame and cast out of the society of the Godly 4 To judge before the day 1 Cor 4. 5. is not to forbid al judging of hereticks for except we judge them to be hereticks how shall we beware of them as Christ biddeth us Mat. 7. 15. and eschew them Rom. 16. 17. And not bid them God speed nor receive them into our houses Joh. 2. 10. And avoid them Tit. 3. 10. and farre lesse must a judicial tryal of Jezabel be forbidden to the Church of Thiatira Rev. 2. 20. but it is rash judging of hidden things as Calvin P. Martir Bullinger Murlorat Pareus Beza and the place expounds it selfe for the Corinthians crowned false teachers defamed the sound teachers which was to anticipate God for it is the Lord who brings to light the hidden thiugs of darknesse and makes manifest the councells of the heart and then every man shall have praise of God so he manifestly forbiddeth peremptory judging proper to God and judging upon dark grounds known to God only the words in the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudge nothing before the time are brought by Anabaptists to prove that no Christian should bee a Judge and so to judge a Murtherer is to usurpe the place of God so the places Mat. 7. 2. and Rom. 14. are brought by Libertâ—nes and Anabaptists to prove that all judging is unlawful whether of false teachers or malefactors which is but an abusing of the word 5 The author of the bloody Tenet saith the sword maketh a nation of hipocrites but converteth none and he citeth If. 10 which speaketh no such thing But that God sendeth the sword of the Assirians against an hipocriticall nation That the Sword maketh hipocrites and men to professe the truth against their conscience not kindly nor perâ—se but through the corrâ—ption of mens hearts who make themselves hipocrites of it selfe and perâ—se all Israel fear the sword and shall no more tempt others to go after other Gods Deut. 13. 11. but that they do this in an hipocritical manner is not from the innocent sword but from this that men feare him that can kill the body more than they feare him that can destroy both soul and body in bell Mat. 10. 28. for upon this ground the Sword should make hipocrites because for fear of the Sword men abstaine from bloodshed Sorcery Paricide Sodomie more then for feare of God and shall therefore the Magistrate not use the sword against Paricides and Sodomies so many are made hipocrites by hearing and external performances drawing neer to God with their lippes when their hearts are farre from God shall therefore the hearing of the word and the prosperity that followeth the Gospell which begetteth believers for a time who wither when the sun riseth and shall power in the hands of the people of God that maketh the enemies lye and hypocritically submit Psal 81. 15. be as unlawfull as the drawing of the sword against false teachers for all these beget hypocrites but they do it by accident not kindly and if we made the sword a meanes of conversion of sinners as Libertines falsly suppose the Argument should have some colour or if drawing of the sword against Seducers were of it selfe indifferent and yet by accident did make hypocrites they might conclude against it as we argue against humane ceremonies in the supposition of many who suppose their indifferency Of this sort is the Pamphleters objection Religion should not be inacted by the Lawes of the Magistrate why It is inacted saith he already by an higher Authority than any earthly King or Magistrate and if it will not sway the conscience to obey what can the Lawes of men do can these cobwebs catch those that the Lawes of God cannot catch Answ There is a fallacy in the word catch though he be but an innocent Sophist who propounds it for Lawes of men to fence from outward disorders cannot catch soules to convert them as they are Lawes of men nor teach we that Acts and Statutes of Parliament are the power of God to salvation that is the honour of the preached Gospell But shall good Lawes of Artaxerxes Darius for fearing the God of Daniel and obeying the God of Gods be trampled on because they cannot come up to the power and excellency of Gods Lawes yet they so far catch that Lawes inacted upon paine of the sword binde up hands and tongue from doing wickedly and this man argues against Scripture Deut. 3. 11. And all Israel shall heare and feare for the paine of stoning and the sword of King or Prince Moses and shall do no more any such wickednesse as this amongst you The man argues against the Statutes of Parliament against Sabbath-breaking which yet catch some Neh. 13. 21. If you do so I will lay hands on you from that day forth came they no more on the Sabbath Externall obedience is given
not bottomed or resolved upon these fallible meanes But what Arguments have Bellarmine Stapleton Grâ—â—serus Becamâ—s 〈◊〉 Valentia the Councel of Trâ—nt and other Papists to make good that the Church of sound Catholikes who if they could fill their chaire are of more authoritie then Printers or particular men translators of the Scripture for they lead us from the written word as Mr. Goodwin doth and say the Church giveth authoritie to the word of God and resolve our faith upon the Testimonie of the Church saith Tannâ—rus as the infallible rule of faith on the authority of the Church saith Bellarmine quoad explicationem quoad nos in regard of our beleeving on God not simply revealing but so and so revealing saith Stapleton by his Church c. so as we know not that God hath revealed his truth but by and for the infallible proposal of the Church saith Gregorius de Valentia on the authoritie of the first veritie God revealing himselfe as the principle and first cause of faith saith Ioan. de Lugo and Malderus and on the authoritie of the Church as they are men eminent for Miracles as in that which is first beleeved ut in primo creditum and the only infallible rule of faith say Suarez Aegid Connick Lod. Maeratius And. Duvallius Fr. Silvius Lod. Caspensis All which speak fairer for the credit of faith in words then Mr. Iohn Goodwin who raiseth our faith no higher then the English grammer the Printer the learning and authoritie of men 2. We beleive that Christ is God man not for the authoritie of men and so of the rest of the Articles of our faith because Christ saith Iohn 5. 34. Ye sent unto Iohn and he bare witness to the truth v. 34. But I receive not testimony from men on which word Chrysostome saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I need not saith our Saviour the testimonie of men 〈◊〉 I am God but because ye give more heed unto Iohn and beleeve him to be most worthy of all of credit and ye come to him as a Prophet I speak this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will then receive Mr Goodwins Testimonie who gives us nothing for faith but fluctuation of opinion and some Topick grounds from mens credit learning and authoritie that the Scripture is the Word of God and turnes all our faith into fancie 3. The Scripture resolves our faith on Thus saith the Lord the only authoritie that all the Prophets alledge and Paul 1 Thes 2. 13. For this cause also thanke we God without ceasing because when yea received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man made of mens credit and learning as Mr. Goodwin saith but as it is in truth the word of God 4. Weak dry and saplesse should be our faith all our patience and consolations of the Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. all our hope on the word of God Ps 119 49 50 52 54 55. all our certainty of faith if it were so as Mr. Goodwin averreth But we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word of Prophesie surer then that which was heard on the Mount for our direction and the establishing of our faith 2 Pet. 1. 19. Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for they bear witnesse of me let them be judge between the Jews and me whether I be the Son of God or no for they beare witnesse of me now if we have no better warrant that the books of the Old and New Testament that we now have to wit the originall of Hebrew and Greek and translations are the word of God then that which is made of the credit of the authority and learning of men then must all our comfort of beleeving be grounded upon this mans and this mans Grammar and skill in Hebrew Greek Latine English aâ—d he is not infallible in any of these And must our lively hope be bottomed on mens credit and learning then for any thing we know on the contrary we have but dreams opinions and at best mans word for the word of God and how is the word of Prophesie a more sure word for these were written and translated prophesies of which Peter speaketh Mr. Goodwin and Libertines who put heaven and Christ and the lively hope of our inheritance to the conjectures of doubting Scepticks could well reply to Peter the word of prophesie cannot be sure for we have no certainty that the Scriptures of the Prophets of the Old and New Testament which we have either Hebrew or Greek copies of are the word of God but undoubtedly Christ appealeth to the Scriptures as to the onely Judge of that controversie between him and the Jewes whether the Son of Mary was the eternall Son of God and the Saviour of the world he supposed the written Scriptures which came through the hands of fallible Printers and Translatours and were copies at the second if not at the twentieth hand from the first copy of Moses and the Prophets and so were written by sinfull men who might have miswritten and corrupted the Scripture yet to be a judge and a rule of faith and fit to determine that controversie and all others and a Judge de facto and actually preserved by a divine hand from errours mistakes and corruptions else Christ might in that appealed to a lying Judge and a corrupt and uncertaine witnesse and though there be errours of number genealogies c. of writing in the Scripture as written or printed yet we hold providence watcheth so over it that in the body of articles of faith and necessary truths we are certaine with the certainty of faith it is that same very word of God having the same speciall operations of enlightning the eyes converting the soule making wise the simple as being lively sharper then a two-edged sword full of divinity life Majesty power simplicity wisdome certainty c. which the Prophets of old and the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles had M. Goodwins argument makes as much against Christ and the Apostles as against us for they could never in all their Sermons and writings so frequently bottome and found the faith on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written in the Prophets as David saith as Isaiah saith and Hosea as Daniel saith as Moses and Samuel and all the Prophets beare witnesse if they had had no other certainty that the writings of the Prophets that came to their hands was the very word of God but the credit learning and authority of men as Mr. Goodwin saith for sure Christ and the Apostles and Evangelâ—sts had not the authentick and first copies of Moses and the Prophets but only copies written by men who might mistake Printers and Translators not being then more then now immediately inspired Prophets but fallibly men and obnoxious to failings mistakes and ignorance of ancient Hebraismes and force of words and if ye remove an unâ—rring providence who doubts but men might
will bide the tryall of the fire and not be consumed and the man rewarded for his so building and bad doctrine will be burns and not abide the Lords fire when it is tryed for false doctrine will vanish in the day of tryall and yeeld the sower of such doctrine no comfort yet he himself keeping the foundation Christ shall be saved but he shall be â—eded and 〈◊〉 afflicted for his fruitlesse building so the day seems to be the day of tryal and fiery persecution coming on all the Preachers of the Gospel to try theâ— and their doctrine as Rev. 3. 10. the place smels nothing of pâ—â—gatoâ—ie fire and the most judicious interpreters even Esâ—ins 〈◊〉 Papist â—â—pounds iâ— well of the Lords trying of the sons of Levi Mal. 3. 5. I will not say Amen to Dr. Taylor that to count a man an heretick his opinion must be a plaine upon recession from demonstrative authority which must needs be voluntary vincible and criminall for the Sadduces were wilfull obstinate hereticks in denying the resurrection of the dead a principall Article of faith yet it is not clear that their opinion was an open recession from demonstrative authority The Doctor will not call Christs argâ—ing God is the God of dead Abraham Ergo the dead must live againe Matth. 22. demonstrative We may have as much naturall blindnesse as we can hardly see the truth of Christs ascention to heaven and comming againe to judge the quicke and dead by demonstrative authority from Scripture yet those in the visible Church denying these Articles of faith are Hereticks though there may be degrees of voluntarinesse and obstinacy in Hereticks 6. That there must be vinciblenesse in all heresie is anobiguous in the Doctors sense for by vinciblenesse I take he means such vinciblenesse whereby none by their owne industry and strength of freewill may if they be not wanting to that grace which is denyed to none as Arminians say attaine to the light of such consequences as hereticks wilfully deny If this be his meaning he is a friend to Pelagius 2. If he take vincible as opposed to invincible ignorance he Popishly then saith that the Scripture offereth to us many things whereof we may be invincibly ignorant Now invincible ignorance Protestants acknowledge onely in matters of fact or of Gospel-truths never so much as in the letter revealed as Heathens may be invincibly ignorant of Christ and their ignorance not be sinfull as Joh. 15. 22. and Jacob was invincibly ignorant in lying with Leah instead of Rachel There can be no such vinciblenesse or invinciblenesse in an Heretick that hears the Gospel for who ever heare the Gospel and yet remaine ignorant their ignorance is not invincible Nulla est invincibilis ignorantia juris 7. The opinion of Purgatory though it were no heresie as the Doctor saith and bringeth no argument to prove it yet is not simply a finlesse errour in such as know or ought to know since the Scripture is before their eyes that 1. There is no word of God to warrant it 2. Since the word in the Parable of Lazarus and the rich Glutton sheweth us what abideth all men immediately after they dye that the bodies of all goe to the earth and one way or other are buried and the souls either to heaven or hell and this he saith of all mankinde 1. Because all receive either their good things or their evill of suffering in this life 2. All men are such as if they beleeve not Moses and the Prophets will not beleeve though one rise from the dead 3. Christ should be unperfect in this place and in all other places who should not tell us of a third doom befalling some after they are dead and buried where their bodies that were instruments of sin as the rich gluttons tongue was of gluttony should be tormented for their veniall sinnes yea and Purgatory dwells door-neighbour with covetousnesse if the Doctor remembers that Soul-masses to Romish Masse-mongers as well as Durges Requiems Mâ—sses are not a little gainfull 8. Nor is there any errour of things revealed by the wise Lawgiver in Scripture which is meerly speculative in order to Gods end his glory It is no lesse derogatory to the Lawgivers glory not to beleeve A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and there is one God in three persons then to kill our Brother though the former be more speculative farther from the experiments of humane affairs as he speaketh and more difficult and remoter from humane observation then the other Object 1. Errours are then saith he made sins when they are contrary to charity or inconsistent with a good life or the honour of God Answ Not to beleeve what God saith is inconsistent with his honour for nothing intrinsecally is inconsistent with the honour of God not the eating of the tree of knowledge no simple act of loving fearing beleeving all are inconsistent with or agreeable to the honour of God because he commands or forbids them Object 2. No mans person is to be charged with the odious consequences of his opinion though the doctrine may be therefore charged because if he did see the consequences and then avow them his person is chargeable with them Answ The very opinion it selfe may be a blasphemy by consequence though the man see it not to be blasphemy will the Doctor say Hymeneus and Alexander did make shipwrack of faith and blaspheme because they said the resurrection was past Yet Paul 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. chargeth the persons with blasphemy and can the Doctor deny that Hymeneus and Philetus increased unto more ungodlinesse and that their word did eat as a canker in saying that the resurrection was past which yet Paul chargeth on them 2 Tim. 2. 15 16 17. and those that taught circumcision are charged as perverters of soules Act. 15. yet they but perverted soules by consequence The like may be said of such as Paul said tell from Christ and lost all benefit in Christ if they were circumcised Gal. 5. 2. It may be they would retract the heresie if they saw the blasphemies to follow by strong consequence and it may be not since they are selfe-condemned But sure the Lord chargeth the persons of men as making God a lyar who beleeve not his truth and he chargeth Epicurisme Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall dye 1 Cor. 15. on the persons that deny the resurrection and if the doctrine be a lye I wonder how these that lye of God since God commandeth to know and beleeve whatever he saith in his word can be innocent Object If no simple errour condemne us before the throne of God since God is so pitifull to our crimes that he pardons many de toto de integro he will far lesse demand an account of our weaknesse the strongest understanding cannot pretend immunity from being deceived Answ Then though Christ said Joh. 8. Except ye beleeve that I
be reverenced ibid. Of obligation of Conscience and the acts therefrom resulting p. 10. Of witnessing of Conscience and self-reflection p. 11. The knowledge of our own state of grace may be had by the fruits of the spirit of Sanctification p. 12 Acts of Conscience in relation to the Conclusion p. 14. A Conscience good or ill p. 15. A good Conscience ibid Conscience the rarest peece that God made ibid. A tender Conscience p. 19. Who ingrosse the name of tender Consciences to themselves ibid. Of a scrupulous Conscience p. 21 The causes of a scrupulous Conscience ibid. Chap. 2. Conscience under Synods and how and that the Conscience cannot have absolute libertie in matters of Religion How a Synod compelleth p. 23. The Conditions that Libertines require to be in a Synod p. 24. Libertie to question every thing is Licence ib. The Church though not infallible may determine infallible points ib. A Confession Covenant or Synodicall decree a secondarie rule of Faith p. 25 A Ministeriall and publike and a Christian and private judgement and faith how they differ ibid. Libertines give us Sceptisme and Fluctuation for Faith p. 28 There is need of Interpretation and decision of Synods ib. That Confessions ought to be only in expresse Scripture words is â—â—â—ther false principle of Libertines p. 29 Ancient bonds of Liberty of Conscience p. 32 The end of Synods is not to remove heresies by any means good or bad or to crush Heresie so effectually as these Heresies shall never 〈◊〉 heard of in the world again ibid. The necessity of Synods p. 33 Pastors subject the disobedient to wrath yet are not Lords over the Conscience Ergo neither are Synods Lords â—ver the Conscience for that ib. The subject of a Synod not a Sceptick Conjecturall truth as Libertines suppose p. 34 The sence of Scripture from Synods beleeved truly to be infallible though Synods consist of men who are not infallible as an 〈◊〉 Pitcher doth contain gold and precious Rubies and Saphires in it though there be no gold in the matter of the Pitcher but only clay 2 Cor. 4. 7. ibid. How a true decision of a Synod is ever the same and not retractable p. 36 Though all truths be peremptorily decided in the word yet is there need of a Ministeriall and declarative decision of men because Teachers may deceive and those that are taught are ignorant and dull p. 37 Men are to come to Synods not as Nullifidians but as ingaged for truth p. 38. Synods may impose upon others and how ibid. Ancient bonds or Libertie of Conscience stated p. 40 The Conditionall imposing of Synods consisteth well with trying of all things what Libertines say on the contrary is naught ibid. Conditionall imposing proveth the imposeâ— to be no Lord of the Conscience p. 42 Chap. 3. The Church may complain of Hereticks p. 43 Pastors are not out of their calling nor Apparitors nor tale-bearers if they complain to the Magistrate of Hereticks p. 44 Chap. 4. The State of the question of compulsion of Conscience and toleration p. 46. Opinions cannot be compelled nor the mind or will in the elicite acts ibid. The question is Whether the Magistrate may compulsorily restrain the externall act of the outward man in religion ibid. Shame and feare of rebukes by Pastors and Church-censures have the same compulsorie influences on false Teachers that the fear of publike punishment by the Synod hath p. 47. Church censures are as compulsorie on the Conscience as coercing by the Sword p. 48 Some externall actions of injustice flowing from meer conscience are punished justly without any note of persecution by grant of Libertines and why not all others also p. 49 Ancient bonds of Libertie of Conscience p. 50 Discountenancing of men and negative punishing of them for their Conscience is punishing of them ibid. Ancient bonds p. 12. ibid. How Religion may be compelled how not p. 51 One mans Religion remaining in the mind and will may hurt or benefit the man himself not any others but true religion as it comes forth into acts of teaching may edifie and win others and false religion may subvert the faith of others ibid. The Magistrate does not command religious acts as service to God but rather forbids their contraries as disservice to Christian Societies ibid. How Tertullian and Lactantius are to be expounded of forcing to Heathen religion ibid. Though we can compel none to Religion it follows not that the Magistrate may not punish those that seduce others to a false religion ibid. Lactantius speakes of compulsion without all teaching p. 53 Those that are without the Church are not to be compelled ibid. Because the Magistrates compulsion makes Hypocrites it followeth note hee should not punish Hereticks for so he should not punish murtherers p. 54 The Magistrate may by the sword curbe such impediments that keep men from embracing the truth according to Augustine p. 56 Answer to Doctor Adam Stewart ibid. Impotencie of free will objected by Master John Goodwin no reason why the Magistrate ought not to punish seducing teachers as of old the Donatists objected ibid. State of the question more strictly proposed p. 57 It may as well be said because there be no expresse Laws against murtherers Parricides Sorcerers Sodomites in the New Testament more then against false Teachers that therefore Sorcerers are no lesse then Hereticks to be tollerated p. 57 Chap. 5. Of Fundamentals The number of Fundamentalls p. 59 A saving disposition of faith to beleeve all truths revealed though the man be ignorant of many may consist with the state of saving grace ibid. Three things among those that are to be beleeved 1. Things simply necessarie 2. Simply profitable 3. By consequence necessarie how the Papists erre in these page 60 Some Consequences necessary ibid. Builders of Hay and stubble on the foundation may be saved and those that fall in murther and Adultery out of infirmitie may be also saved yet there is no consequence Ergo the Magistrate should tollerate both p. 61. Chap. 6. Errors in non-fundamentals obstinatly holden are punishable Obstinacie in ceremonies after full information deserveth punishment p. 62 Those that erre in non-fundamentals may deserve to be punished ibid. To teach the necessity of Circumcision not an error formally primarily but by consequence fundamentall and the contrary truth not necessary necessitate medii ibid. The toleration of all who erre in non fundamentals examined p. 64. Queries proposed to M. Joh. Goodwin who asserteth a Catholike toleration of all religions upon the ground of weaknes of freewill and want of grace p. 61 Most arguments of Libertines infer a Catholike toleration in non-fundamentals as well as in fundamentals p. 64 What deductions the Spirit makes in the soul of an elect knowing but a few fundamentals and going out of this life who knoweth p. 65. To know revealed truths of God is a commanded worship of God ibid. One generall confession of faith without a particular sense containing the true
aggravate the fact and give light to the Judge and what testimony the Conscience giveth of the actions of man the like it is to give of the state and condition whether it be good or ill hence these acts of recognition As 1. Conscience doth its duty in reflecting on it self It tryes the mans actions and state hence these three words 2 Cor. 13. 5. try or tempt or pierce and dig into your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many dig holes and windows in the conscience of others who never digged a hole in their own heart 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 examine what mettall is in your selves and actions men are unwilling to find oare or drosse in themselves and we are bidden 1 Cor. 11. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lead witnesses sentence and Judge our selves To these generals there is a second act which is called Psalm 4. 5. Speake with your heart You testifie little of the man that you never heard speake Men are frequently to converse with their heart by heart-communing and soule quaerees so you find out the by as and the weight that swaies with the heart Jer. 5. 24. Neither say they in their heare let us now feare the Lord our God Hos 7. 2. They say not in their heart that I consider all their wickednesse 3 There is laying of the Consience in its reflect act and the actions together Hag. 1. 5. Lay your heart upon your wales It is that which David saith Psalm 119. 59. I considered Heb. I thoughted my wayes 4. There is wandring and estrangement of a man from his own heart when he laies his case to heart he is said to return to his own heart 1 King 8. 47. If they shall be thinke themselves heb if they shall return to their owne heart or come home to their own heart in the land of their captivitie and repent then heare then Men are abroad in their thoughts and seldom at home with their own heart But of this act of witnessing of the Conscience it is of moment to know how by what Medium or way the conscience doth witnesse to man of his state that he is a childe of God in Christ whether God doth witnesse our state and condition to us by inherent quallifications in us Because we love the brethren because we have sincere hearts and ayme in all things to obey God Aâ—er 1. God speaketh by his owne works of Sanctification that we are in Christ 1 Joh. 2. 3. And hereby we know that we know him because we keepe his commandements 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren Now as God speaketh and revealeth his glory God-head power and eternitie by his visible works of creation so as we may gather by certainty of faith that God is glorious wise omnipotent eternall Rom. 1. 19 20 21. Psal 19. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 10. 17 18 19 20 Upon them grounds when we finde in our soules the works of that spirit that raised the Lord from the death as love to the brethren because brethren sincere walking with God and Christs life Gal. 2. 20. we may with the certainty of faith collect that we are the children of God and if the knowledge of our state in Christ from the works of Sanctification be but conjecturall and may deceive us and not a sufficient foundation of sound peace nor enough to make us unexcusable that from the sicknesse of inward heart-love which I feele in my owne soule to Christ I can have no divine assurance that I am in Christ and cannot be made inexcusable in not beleeving the spirit dwelleth in me by his acting and working then we cannot inferre Gods infinite wisdome omnipotencie and eternity from his works of Creation and I cannot be inexcusable if I beleeve not Gods wisdome and power from the works of creation is not the pertinacie of unbeleefe as damnable when I beleeve not God acting in his Spirit as sanctifying as when I beleeve not God acting in this first workmanship of Creation 2. In all the actings motions and walkings of the Holy Ghost in my soule in the stirrings of the New birth when the spirit of Jesus maketh a noise with his feet walking acting moving in love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse temperance which are apples and blossomes which grow on the tree of life Gal. 5. 22 23. It were no sinne to me to sleepe and beleeve these were but imaginary dreames and phancied notions if I ware not to beleeve where these are the soule that findeth them undenyably is in Christ 3. The Saints comforting themselves in their godly sincere and blamelesse walking before God in love knew what they spoke and what spirit was in them and that they walked not after the flesh as men speake and phancie in a night dreame not knowing whether they be in Christ or not these were speeches of waking men whose wits were in action Psalm 26. 8. Lord I have loved thy habitation and the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that feare thee and of them that keepe thy precepts vers 97. O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day vers 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste Yea sweeter then honey to my mouth vers 111. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart vers 162. I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth 〈◊〉 great spoile and the Church Cant. 2. 3. I sate downe under his shaddow and his fruit was sweet to my taste ver 5. Stay me with flagons and comfort mee with apples for I am sick of love Esay 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me I will seeke thee early And Ezekiah looking to his good Conscience saith Ezech. 39 3. Remember now O Lord that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Paul 2 Cor 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards Now if the Saints can thus speake with the light and perswasion of Faith before God and men to their owne solid peace and consolation then may they be perswaded by these fruits of the Spirit that they are branches growing in the Vine Christ else all these speeches are but delusions and phancies and they must speake no other thing of themselves as vessels of the grace of God then hypocrits 〈◊〉 reprobates may say of themselves For D. Crispe and also Libertines of New England whose doctrine subverts the Faith say there can be no marks of saving grace from whence we can draw either comfort or peace be it universall obedience stâ—â—rity love to the Brethren but it may bee
holding opinions that slow from meer conscience when they publish preach and print them from no principle but meer conscience not for gain or a morsell of bread or for preferment in the state or Armie To this I answer lay aside opinions and answer me this how the Judges that are for libertie of conscience are not to punish some words except they would be guilty of persecution to wit such as these the Trinitie is but a fiction Christ is no more God then another holy man Yea Christ was but an Impostor and yet they punish words and deeds of the same kinde that come from meere conscience The answer must be the former words are from meere conscience and the publishers thereof will swear they hold them as the meere inforcing light and judgement of their conscience But these other words and deeds which the Magistrate censures are not from meere conscience But I beleeve these that acted in the late controverted Parliament and by vertue thereof yea and many Godly men of them that are punished by the Judges and many of the Godly that fled for fear act from meere conscience and will sweare they did so act according to their sworn covenant and to prevent a new warre and that they did it neither for gain nor for preferment in State or Armie And if it were referred to the consciences of most of the Armie why they disbanded not when the Parliament commanded them but doe by their practices treat a warre to themselves and the land a judgement of God of all others the saddest when they have none to fight against but shadows and enemies of straw and hay I judge they would swear that they judged the charge of the Houses against their conscience and unjust and that they hold up warres out of meere conscience and to vindicate the oppressed subjects and for preventing of a new warre and not for gaine or preferment So the question is not yet answered why some externall actions of words and deeds comming from meere conscience without any carnall pretext as they will swear cannot be punished but violence must be done to conscience so the men persecuted and others that doe the like and speak the like from no principle but pure conscience without any carnall pretext as they will sweare are punished and yet neither violence is done to conscience nor the men persecuted for acting according to conscience and a sworn Covenant But they justly punished if acting from meere Conscience be the formall cause why men are not to be punished it should hold in all such acts 4. They seeme to me sick in the braine who hold that it is an act of love and charity in the Magistrate to restrain 〈◊〉 Socinianisme c. and to discountenance such seducers and yet bring arguments against all externall 〈◊〉 in matters of Religion or compulsion in generall a discouâ—â—â—nancing and a keeping of men from places dignities offices is the highest compulsion of penaltie you can devise What arguments fight against any compulsion of the Magistrate positive or negative doth fight against all If it be lawfull for the Magistrate as for all other men to doe all hee can for the truth as some say and the Magistrates invitations recommendation exemplarie profession generall tuition excluding coercing are all nothing but words these agree to all Christians as Christians and are nothing peculiar to the Magistrate the Magistrate as a Magistrate cannot request he must command as a Magistrate and all his commands if disobeyed are in order to the sword 5. The question is not whether Religion can be inforced upon men by the Magistrate by the dint and violence of the sword or onely perswaded by the power of the word Wee hold with Lactantius that Religion cannot be compelled nor can mercie and justice and love to our neighbour commanded in the second table be more compelled then faith in Christ Hence give me leave to prove two things 1. That Religion and faith cannot be forced on men 2. That this is a vain consequence Religion cannot be forced but must be perswaded by the word and Spirit Ergo the Magistrate can use no coercive power in punishing Hereticks and false teachers For the first we lay hold on all the arguments that prove the word preached to be the onely means of converting the soule begetting of faith and that carnall weapons are not able yea nor were they ever appointed of God to doing down strong holds nor can they make a willing people and Lactantius said well What is left to us if anothers lust 〈◊〉 thâ—t by force which we must doe willingly And that of Tertullian It is of the law or right of man and of his natural power what every man worships what he thinks he should worship nor doth the Religion of one either doe good or doe evill to another man nor is it religion to compell religion which ought to be received by wâ—ll not by force since sacrifices of worship are required of a willing minde In which I observe 1. Tertullian speaks not of the true Christian Religion which is now in question but of Religion in generall as it is comprehensive of both true and false Religion Because he speakes of that Religion which by the Law of nature a man chooseth and is humani juris naturalis potestatis but it is not of the law of man or naturall power nor in flesh and bloods power to chuse the true Christian Religion that election is Supernaturall saith Tertullian there and else where often as also the Scripture Joh. 6. 44. Math. 16. 17. Math. 11. 25 26 27 2. Religion is taken two wayes 1. for the inward and outward acts of Religion as seen both to God and man as Lactantius Tertullian and others say so it is most true Christians ought not with force of sword compell Jews nor Jews or Pagans compell Christians to be of their Religion because Religion is not begotten many by perswasion of the minde nor by forcing of the man Again Religion is taken for the externall profession and acting and performances of true Religion within the Church or by such as professe the truth that are obvious to the eyes of Magistrates and Pastors and thus the sword is no meanes of God to force men positively to externall worship or performances But the sword is a means nâ—gâ—tively to punish acts of false worship in those that are under the Christian Magistrate and professe Christian Religion in so farre as these acts come out to the eyes of men and are destructive to the souls of these in a Christian society T is even so not otherwise punishable by the Magistrate for he may punish omissions of hearing the Doctrine of the Gospel and other externall performances of worship as as these omissions by ill example or otherwise are offensiveâ— to the souls of these that are to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie nor does it follow
that the sword is a kindly means to force outward performances for the Magistrate as the Magistrate does not command these outward performances as service to God but rather forbids the omissions of them as destructine to man for example a Physician commands fasting Pastors after the example of James commands fasting when judgements are on us the physician commands it in so farre as eating troubles the common societie of humours members and temper of the body and the Physician forbids eating so as he will have no more to do with the patient if he will disobey and so trouble the temper of the bodie which is the onely object the physician works on Pastors command fasting to be in sincerity for afflicting and humbling the soul under the mightie hand of God So the Magistrate forbids cutting of a veine or shedding of blood as a thing troubling the peace of humane societie yet his command is not a direct means of preventing diseases in the bodie of a subject and for healthie living But the Physician commands to cut a viene and to shed blood for health and to prevent a disease and sinnes neither against the Magistrate nor God in so doing so doth the Magistrate not directly command going to Church as a worship to God so as his commands have influence on the conscience as the Pastors commands have but he commands going to Church and hearing so as the omission of hearing harts the societie whereof God hath made him a civill and politick head in this latter sense must Lactantius Tertullian and others be taken otherwise these words the Religion of another does his neighbour neither good nor ill in rigour are not true the ill example of others in Idolatrie brings ill upon all the Church Deut. 13. 5. yea and the fierce anger of God v. 17. Again Laâ—â—antius saith false Religion cannot be compelled but he denyes not that Christians may punish blasphemies in true religion 2. he denyes we may propagate the Gospel among Pagans with the sword both which points we teach There 〈◊〉 saith he of force and injurie because Religion cannot be compelled the business is to be tranâ—acted by words rather than blowes that there may be willingnesse Let them enemies of the truth draw the sword or sharpnesse of their wiâ—â— if their reason be good let it be produced we are ready to 〈◊〉 if they teach nothing more cleare then that he speaks of the Pagans that would force Pagans worship on Christians we beleive nothing of their Religion whilt they are silent as we cannot yeeld to them while they rage against us let them imitate us and declare the reason of the whole matter for we Christians doe not allure as they Pagans frequently object to us but we teach we prove we demonstrate therefore none by us are kept against their will for he is unprofitable to God who wants devotion and faith and yet no man departs from us when the truth detains him But saith Celsus fol. 84. if in the time of Lactantius Christians killed men for their religion no man can doubt but Lactantius in these same generall words inveighs against Christians who would compell men to their faith against their will and that he abhorres the violence of ours against hereticks Answ These are of a wide difference to kill blasphemers and false teachers for spreading heresies and blasphemies and to compell them by warre and fire and sword to be of our Christian Religion As I hope to prove for the formers lawfull â—he later unlawfull It s true Lactantius speaks of all Religion true and false that we are to compell none with the sword to any Religion but he no where saith that the Magistrates may not kill open and pernicious seducers and false teachers who pervert others for the Magistrate is not to compell yea nor to intend the conversion of a pernicious seducer but to intend to take his head from him for his destroying of souls And Lactantius denyes Religion after it is begotten can be defended that is nourished and conserved in the hearts of people by the sword but by the word and Spirit Those are farre different tormenting and pietie saith he nor can violence be conjoyned with veritie nor justice with crueltie And again but as in Religion so also in defending of Religion they are deceived Religion is to be defended not by killing but admonishing others read by being killed not by crueltie but by patience not by wickednesse but by faith But here he speaks of defending in a hostile way by killing those that will not be of our Religion be it the Pagan religion and most develish not of defending the Christian professors from the infection of wolvish seducers by the sword of the Nurse-father of the Church who is to defend good men and to execute vengeance on evill doers For in all this Lactantius speaks of such a violence as is without teaching parati sumâ—s andire si doccant tacentibus certe nihil credimus But suppose some father were in that errour as Augustine was but retracted it though Augustine 〈◊〉 we may compell man to the faith yet 〈◊〉 of improper compulsion and of Donatists the such as are 〈◊〉 the Church whom he thinks the Magistrate on 〈◊〉 to punish which is not a compelling of the 〈◊〉 to the sound faith but an act of justice in punishing him for his 〈◊〉 of heresiâ—s to the perverting of the faith of others Upon these 〈◊〉 is Cyrilius saith Moyes Law is one and he Kingdom of Câ—â—â—t is wholly heavenly and spirituall and 〈◊〉 â—efore hath spirituall 〈◊〉 and spirituall armour and therefore a spirituall not a carâ—â—â— sword to punish the enemies of this Kingdom 〈◊〉 Christian men But he speaks of 〈◊〉 without the Church who as I constantly 〈◊〉 are not with warres and the sword to be compelled to 〈◊〉 the Christian Religion and therefore aâ—deth on the 〈…〉 did fight against Amorites Canaanites and 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 of iron but he speaks not of the Laws 〈…〉 24. and 〈◊〉 in which death was decreed for the false Prophet within the visible Church At 〈…〉 the fathers have 〈◊〉 with unsound Emperours who have tollerated 〈◊〉 Arrians and Jews but that is no law for us But the other point is that though these that are without are not to be compelled to embrace the true Religion it followeth nto that the Magistrate should not 〈…〉 Prophets or pernicious teachers such as Baals 〈◊〉 who openly 〈◊〉 the people of God to Idolatrâ—â— 1. Become the Magistrate cannot 〈◊〉 ought not to compell 〈…〉 lyars to be 〈…〉 it with their own as well as they must be such externally no more then he can compell them to inward fear love faith in God and to the externall performances 〈◊〉 But it doth not follow that therefore the Magistrate cannot command externall acts of mercie câ—â—astitie selfe-contentednesse and should not punish murther adulterie theft robberie perjurie for to punish these makes many
spirit of my Disciples is not so 2. Your spirit seeks to destroy lives out of a zeale for Religion the Spirit of the Son of man is for saving not for destroying of mens lives And this generall answer of Christ forbids all cruelty in the matters of Religion saith Celsus Answ First the Libertines must prove from this that the Disciples made Religion the quarrell why they would have the Samaritans burnt and not an inhumane fact of denying against the Law of nature an act of hospitality to strangers and that because of the envy between the Jews and Samaritans Christ seeming to grace Jerusalem with his presence then the Samaritans have had a high esteem of Christ were offended that so mighty a Prophet should visit their hatefull enemies this was an act of envy rather then an heterodoxy in the faith or opposing the doctrin of the Gospel 2. The Samaritans were yet in their Idolatry and utterly ignorant of the Gospel now we had never a question with Libertines whether the first thing to be done to such as will not admit Christ or his messengers within their houses for the first act of refusing to hear the Gospel before they be instructed we are to call for the Magistrates sword to kill them or for fire from heaven to destroy them we think no we should thinke this no way of God to convert them wee plainly say It is not lawfull to us to goe with fire and sword to force the Indians Samaritans or any heathen to embrace the Christian faith the weapons of our warfare are not carnall if they be within our power we may restraine them 1. From spreading their blaspemies to hurt and seduce the soules of the people of God 2. We may hinder them from reproaching God or his son Christ in the hearing of the people of God as David fought against Goliah who blasphâ—med the 〈◊〉 God 3. If they do Nationall injuries and acts of hostility we may raise armes against them and in these warres in case of subduing we may intend the propagating of the Gospel to them as the Master is to command and teach his servants Gen. 18. 18. Deut. 6. 6 7. so the victors having made the subdued people their servants doe now acquire some masterly power over them to see them instructed in the knowledge of the true God Nor is the intention of overcomming in a lawfull warre the more unlawfull but rather more spirituallized by the accession of a spirituall intention to doe good to their soules whether wee may by force take their children from them and train them up in the Christian Religion is disputable since their condition of being subdued denudes them not of the naturall relation of fathers to sonnes or because in so robbing them of their children we should but spoyle them of the actuall abuse of that paternall right which is now conveyed to runne in a right channell to traine up young ones in a right way whereas their parents would imploy it to a wrong end it would seeme no violence to the soules of young ones since nothing is done but by gracious education and instruction 4. If they joyne with us in one Religious Covenant and we sweare with our lives and goods to defend one another we may cause them stand to the oath of God they were under As Asa compelled not onely Judah but those of Israel that fell in to him to stand to the oath for the Covenant when it is mutuall giveth a reciprocation of Rights to each Kingdome over the other for if he that makes a promise to another much more he that sweares a Covenant to another makes over a right to the other to plead for the fulfilling thereof omnis qui promittit facit jus alteri cui est facta promissio ad requirendam promissi implectionem This is cleare in the Kingâ— covenanting at his coronation with his people and the people with the King in the compacts between the master and the hired servant between two merchantâ— if thiâ— were not the nerves of all societies and lawfull confederations between man and man nation and nation should bee broken 2. Omne promissum cadit in debitum promise becomes debt and so doth a Covenant But before I say more of compulsion of heathen that are without A word to the wise of forcing within and of the Covenant endeavouring of uniformity not the Prelaticall in Ceremonies and canonicall obedience which Familists impute to the Covenant but Scripturall uniformity in the same faith and forme of wholesome words and externall worship and ordering of it which is not indifferent as Libertines and Familists who in this are brethren against Presbyterians the Authors of their breathing in England but we intended good to men not to sects endeavouring of nearest uniformity in the three Kingdomes which we did sweare is contrary to actuall tollerating of all sects and Religions but the Sectaries endeavour the latter and have compassed it ergo the Sectaries are gone contrary to their Oath and Covenant The Proposition is evident setting up of all sects and Religions by a Law-tolleration is an endeavouring yea and actuall erecting of the widest multiformity that is Yea but the Ordinance provides against Antitrinitarians Socinians Papists Answ There is no provision against them Papists will say Amen to tollerate them 2. There is no provision made to try Socinians and Papists whether they be such or no but the old way of trying them by the Law removed and no new one established then are they the same way tollerated that the Familists Aminomians Arminians Libertines Enthysiasts Antiscripturists Sceptists Seekers are tollerated who all will acquiesce to the Ordinance as I conceive and within these few yeares would have rejoyced at lesse then the halfe of it A certaine Author hath written a Treatise called Ancient bonds in which there is little antiquity lesse 〈◊〉 no impartiality much ignorance for he neither doth nor can so much as state the question And he faith 1. We are to endeavour Reformation of Religion in the three Kingdomes not simply but according to the word of God the only patterne and regulation of the best Reformed Churches and of us we clip the Covenant of these words Answ The word of God say the Familists in their Petition to King James an 1604. as we understand it So as Libertines understand it and according to their conscience so the Jewes would sweare to endeavour a Reformation according to the word of God in the Old Testament as they understand it and the Papists according to the word of God as they understand it to written and not written and will the Author dare to looke God or men in the face and say the words according to the word of God is according as every Covenanter understands the word of God the Prelaticall man the Socinian Arrian Familist Antinomian Seeker Separatist Antiscripturist Antitrinitarian Arminian for all these did take the Covenant if we
that God used him as a morall moderate wise man to save the Apostles from death for fear of politick inconveniences 2. Anabaptists can have no better grounds then Papists for Lorinus Salmeron and some Jesuites thinke so they tell us that Gamaliel was the master of Paul Barnabas and Stephen and counted among the Martyrs and that his body was found with the reliques of Stephen and Nicodemus as Baronius saith Clemens in his Recog li. 1. c. 9. Beda saith he was a companion of the Apostles but Occumenus and Chrysostome say the contrary 3. The best can be made out of his speech is dissimulation to save the lives of the Apostles for 1. he will have the Councell to carry themselves to the Gospell the onely instrument of their salvation as Neutrals and wils them neither to try it and believe nor to persecute it Againe if the Councell must not dare to meddle with the Apostles because their way was dubious he proves that the Councell as Magistrates should not interpose their sword but leave them to God by a weake argument because the Romane Magistrates left not Theudas and Iudas to God but tooke order with them and killed and dissipated all their followers so that the contrary followes from his reason That the Councell should not leave them to God and his immediate revenging hand for immediate providence cannot be the rule that the Magistrate or Church must follow in punishing ill doers and in censuring scandals the revealed will of God must be their rule but let them alone because God shall bring them to nought by Gamaliels Logick shal leave the Rulers of Church and State to immediate providence 6. The Councell had power of Ecclesiastick Censures and of casting out of the Synagogue at which the Romanes tooke no exception but this Dialemme proves they should be left to God as touching all censures and that they should have leave to ruine their own soules and the soules of millions in a pernitious way against Moses his Law and the onely true way of God as they conceived CHAP. XXIV Whether punishing of seducing Teachers be inconsistent with the meeknesse of Christ place Luke 9. 54. discussed LIbertines cry much for the mansuetude and clemency of our Saviour Christ to be a skreen and shield betwixt false teachers and the sword So Arminians Apolog. c. 24. fo 279. If Christ will not permit to his Disciples a desire of punishing out of zeale and love to Christ to whom the Samaritans denyed lodging far lesse will he permit Christians to punish Hereticks for their conscience onely But Christ proves the former to come from a spirit not such as was in Elias 1. That spirit is sharp and bitter 2. tending to destroy lives which I came to save 3. not acceptable to me in that you would destroy for Religion and this is against all cruelty for Religion So Vaticanus Num. 116. So Monfortius So Mimus Cels Answ 1. Theophilactus saith it is an example of blinde anger or zeale the Samaritans did sooner believe by clemency than by fire But 1 to consume a whole City men mothers and sucking children and many innocent people not for Idolatry there was need of an expresse Law of God and as Hieronimus saith on the place the known will of God though there was a Law Deut. 13. of destroying a City that maintained Idolaters that tempted to follow strange Gods and kept out against all Israel and so defied Israel and their God Yet we finde not the executing of such a temporary judiciall Law without asking at the mouth of God Here the fiery Disciples shape a way of their owne to Christ in revenge in asking fire from Heaven 2. Neither here nor in the case of Elias was Idolatry or false worship the quarrel but denying of an act of humanity to Christ to wit not lodging of him and because Christ would have nothing done or said against Samaria for this shall Libertines I must use this name because of the dangerous error infer upon the same grounds of Christs meeknesse that therefore Pastors ought not sharply to rebuke and Magistrates may not in a well ordered City reprove and punish such as refuse an open Inne to innocent strangers against the Law of nature For this conclusion followes as well as theirs 3. Elias desired not fire to come downe and burne Cities men women and sucking children but fifty and fifty murtherers that came to kill him or then to bring him to a Tyrant who against all Law sought his life and so the case was not alike 4. There is no ground in the Text that Christ condemns Elias as too severe but the Disciples at too vindictive and by this blasphemers and obstinate open despisers of Christ and the Gospell should not be punished Vaticanus saith Nu. 129. sect seque If they deny God and blaspheme the holy Doctrine of Christ and detest the holy life of the godly Eos ego relinquo Magistratibus puniendos I leave them to be punished by the Magistrats not for their Religion for they have none Sed propter irreligionem for their want of Religion So were the Samaritans void of Religion and blasphemers and maligners of the Gospell and of Christ and as Libertines say by this Text not to be punished and yet the Text declares them to be irreligious and prophane Atheists and so to be punishable But it is not our minde saith Mimus Celsus pag. 24. to compare and resemble by this Text Samaritans to Hereticks and Ministers of the Word to Magistrates for that were to no purpose but to condemne all cruelty flowing from desire of revenge in the matter of Religion Answ If so the Argument is much weaker than it was for we condemne cruelty and desire of revenge in the matter of justice as well as of Religion for Libertines beg the question when they will have no bloodshed for blaspemy but it must be cruelty and desire of revenge for there can be no greater cruelty then for a Christian Magistrate to suffer bloody wolves to prey upon the flock and false teachers to hunt soules and destroy them It was justice not cruelty yea mercy to the Church of God to take away the life of Servoâ—us who used such spirituall and diabolick cruelty to many thousand soules whom he did pervert and by his Booke does yet leade into perdition 2. The mature object of the Disciples furious and blinde zeale was not Religion but refusing of lodging most inhumanely to Christ because the Samaritans did not receive him for his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem Luke 9. 51. and the Samaritans so maliced and envied the Jewes that because he aimed to go to Ierusalem being so glorious a Prophet and famous for holinesse among them they refused him lodging Then surely they had an esteeme of Christ as a rare and singular Prophet and would have monopolized him as a Samaritan and worker of miracles as their own
mouth Zach. 13. Lastly Baptist is so charitable of all Saints that are not for liberty of conscience as that he makes it their doom to be cast out as Ishmael and to have no share in Christ or in the Gospel But Baptist if you judge us and be not infallible you take the Lords throne upon you and you judge us before our day which is to you a strong argument against liberty of conscience c. 3. pag. 14. Know ye we are selfe-condemned and saw you Gods secret book and saw our names dashed out of the book of life and that we are inrolled with Ishmalites Take the beam out of your own eye CHAP. XXVII Whether our darknesse and incapacity to beleeve and professe together with the darknesse and obscurity of Scripture be a sufficient ground for Toleration AS Mr. John Goodwin the Lord pardon his perverting of Soules led the way from Arminian principles who teach with Socinians that 1 To know is not in our power which he and they borrowed from Aristotle but wickedly understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 2 Arminians taught that God by an irresistible power works illumination in the minde So opinions not being in our power the Magistrate can have no power over men to coerce them from spreading of heresie Hence Baptist the Bounder the Stormer and other Libertines M. Goodwin speaks for That which is not in our power to doe or not doe and is wrought in us by supernaturall grace and by God onely we are not punishable by the Magistrates sword but to beleeve to repent to be sound in the faith is wrought in us by supernaturall grace and by God onely Baptist heaps together but eighteen Scriptures produced against Pelagians Papists Arminians and his brethren Socinians and old Anabaptists that no man can come to the Son except the Father draw him the naturall man understands not the things of God c. And I am sure he is ignorant of the conclusion for we professe the sword is to be drawn against no man because he repenteth not or beleeveth not c. Hence Baptist spitting out with other Antinomians his venome against us though no matter excepting the sin of it if he wronged not Christ and his truth For when a weak Christian a disciple of Servetus Socinus an Apostate denying the Lord Jesus to have come in the flesh and all the Scriptures to be the word of God tyred of longer imprisonment and death shall say You say well but how shall I prevaile with my selfe to beleeve what you say Thus reply these miserable comforters Yeeld obedience to what is taught you meditate on it often desire to beleeve it and God in time will bring you to beleeve it Then poore Popery why art thou evill spoken of and this is a lie why It is the Spirit that teacheth us to pray Abba Father This is merit and supererogations ground-stone Answ 1. What if a man void of the Spirit cannot pray ergo we should not advise him to pray Is it Popery to advise him so to doe or to pray when he wants the Spirit sure Peter taught no Popery to Simon Magus a man as void of the Spirit as any Socinian or Familist a man in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Act. 8. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickednesse I conceive this is yeeld obedience to what is taught you and meditate on it and your evill wayes and change your minde and pray God though thou hast no Spirit of Adoption more then a Familist who makes you beleeve hony words or the very Spirit given to his Anointed ones such as they onely if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee and whom does the Lord command Ezek. 18. that they would make a new heart I conceive such as were as unable to doe it as to make one haire white or blacke as the Bounder saith and this is our advice not because we thinke they can do it without the Spirit of Christ more than those that move the question Act. 2. 37. What shall we doe to be saved Act. 9. 6. Act. 16. 30. But if unconverted they may be humbled and convinced that they are in a lost condition And I confesse if Antinomians will advise them to beleeve and pray though they have not the Spirit and to pray as they can and beleeve as they can and without any preparative work of the Law or sense or knowledge of sin or sicknesse for Christ immediately and forth with beleeve Christ dyed for thee obstinate Socinian and wrote thy name in the booke of life and beleeve thy election to life Baptist is a miserabâ—e comforter and how he censureth this Its Gods absolute will and pleasure you should beleeve and that you must necessarily beleeve upon perill of damnationâ— which he saith is our Catechisme I understand not except he shew us a conditionall Commandement to beleeve the Gospell and a conditionall election and reprobation suspending Gods decrees on what we are foreseen to doe and except he deny the threatnings in the Gospel which shall finde out an unbeleever Joh. 3. 18. 36. If the man be a weak Christian or a weak beleever when the advice of yeelding obedience praying desiring to beleeve is given him appearingly he would have weak Antinomians and all anointed ones loosed from all precepts rule of obedience and have them under no rule but the immediate impulsion of the Spirit which if it be his mind he should have set it down and must prove a miserable Comforter in so teaching 2. But are we in all these Scriptures that hold forth our impotencie to beleeve to thinke a good thought to doe the works of righteousness mercie truth chastitie sobrietie prescribed in the second Table unable only to conceive sound opinions of God and eschew Hereticall wayes and false Religions Are we not also unable to abstain from murther adulterie c. without the supernatural grace of God Yea all these places shall prove that the Ministerie of men Pastors and Teachers of the word are as unlawfull means of converting soules as the Magistrates Sword to beare down Heresiâ—â— O say they preaching is an Ordinance of Christ and a spiritual means ordained to convert soules the Sword is nothing but a carnall humane device I answer it is an humane device of converting souls to shed the blood of their bodie but it is to beg the question and not to prove it to call it a humane device to punish ill doers and false Teachers who pervert the souls of many 2. I speak to the Argument the only preaching of the word it alone without the Spirit can no more make an hair white or black or draw us to the Son or work repentance in sinâ—â—rs then the sword of the Magistrate can work repentance What can man doe saith the Bounder Is it not God that must give repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth So say I what
this Revel 2. 20. and all other Churches in them 4. Those that faithfull Elders are to beware of and to watch against are knowable but the faithfull Elders of Ephesus are to watch against the incomming of grievous wolves Act. 20. 29 30 31. 5. Those that the Holy Ghost doth forewarn the Saints of that they may be rooted in the truth and armed against them those are knowable But Christ forâ—told his people that some would come in his name and professe so much who yet come in their owne name Paul foretels of some who shall speake lyes in hypocrisie and teach doctrines of Devills 1 Tim. 4â— and Peter 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. tele of some bringing in privily damnable heresies doth the Lord bid us judge in charity all these tares to be wheat and their heresies truths because we are not infallible and doth he foretell of such coggers and jugglers and yet presupposeth none on earth shall be able to know them and if any man say Familists Socinians c. are these men they runne the hazard of reproaching God notwithstanding the Lord foretold us of them and set marks upon their brows 1600 yeares agoe or if any now say there is a false teacher or an heretick breathing on earth they must either give themselves out to be infallible and so must either be grand impostors or then Apostles and Prophets living againe And this same argument from our impotency to beleeve was as strong in the Old Testament against the equity of such Laws as God made against false Prophets Deut. 13. Levit. 24. For it was as unjust for God to command to put to death men the frame and imaginations of whose heart were onely evill from their youth then as now because they beleeved not and could not repent and abstaine from Prophesying in Baal and speaking lyes in the name of the Lord since hearts were no more naturally able without the grace of God to repent and beleeve under the Old Testament then under the New And upon the same reason they tell us God must have a willing people Psal 110. and obedience compelled by the Sword is no obedience at all and far lesse is it religions obedience To which I answer And did not the Lord require a willing people then in the Old Testament as now 2. Did God ever accept of faith and repentance extorted through feare of a direfull sword 3. Does the Lord accept of compelled and forced abstinence from murther patricide adultery as obedience because undeniably the sword of the Magistrate doth avenge murther adultery parricide Rom. 13. M. Williams a carnall weapon a sword does produce a carnall repentant a 〈◊〉 an outside as uniformity things a 〈◊〉 what an unregenerate man does is sin preaching sin-preaching breaking of bread no betterthen the oblation of Swines bloud Ergo the Magistrate must compell men to sin if he force the conscience by the Sword Answ The Sword produceth no repentance at all for externall repentance is no repentance either in name or thing the Lord commandeth indeed externall repentance but Precepts are not given to the outward man as to the adequate and proper object of the Commandement of God the Magistrate indeed forbiddeth speaking of blasphemy and teaching of lyes in the name of the Lord but he forbiddeth not teaching of lyes or abstinence from blaspheming in a spirituall but in a carnall co-active by force of the sword and externall way because he cannot punish the spirituall and internall wayes and manner of externall obedience and therefore he cannot under paine of bodily censure command and forbid these wayes of obedience so the Magistrate forbiddeth murther but God not the Magistrate forbiddeth murther or commandeth abstinence from killing out of mercy and love to our neighbour for the Magistrate cannot punish heart-hatred of our neighbour or rash anger but in so far as it comes out to his senses in striking maiming or opprobrious speeches and these he can forbid and censure and punish So we say the Magistrate is but a peece or a bit of an Ordinance though both lawfull and necessary Rom. 13. for our good to reform the outside to work outward reformation and when he commandeth the outward man and saith Sweare not blaspheme not speake not lies in the name of the Lord kill not steale not under the paine of feeling the stroke of the Sword he commands not sinning for though he forbid onely externall abstinence from sins that troubles the outward man without any spirituall and internall right way of abstaining he commands not sin and hypocrisie perse and kindly and properly 1. Because the Magistrate as the Magistrate should and ought as the Minister of God give commandements to the outward man under paine of corporall punishment not to the soule or to the inward man 2. Because that externall obedience not to kill not to steale not to speake lies is good lawfull externall obedience to man and profitable in the State for the end that God hath appointed it which is the peaceable conversing one with another that same abstinence from killing in an unrenewed man who abstaineth not from killing for fear of God and love to his brethren is a sinfull abstinence and carnall repentance by accident and in relation to the Law of God but the Magistrate neither commandeth abstinence from killing from an inward spirituall principle nor forbiddeth he the contrary he commandeth not abstinence from false doctrine out of the love that the messenger ows to him who purchased the flock with his bloud nor forbiddeth he such abstinence but onely he commandeth abstinence from speaking lies to the people of God 3. If we distinguish obedience there is first a necessary and good and lawfull obedience 2. There is an obedience compleat and intire and full and sincere Outward obedience which the Magistrate commandeth is good and lawfull and necessary obedience and is in the kinde of externall and necessary obedience I mean necessary for its end the safety of the society not hypocriticall unlawfull or sinfull In this notion onely it is commanded by the Magistrate and the omission of it unlawfull and punishable by the Sword of the Deputy and Minister of God but if we speake of an obedience compleat full and sincere which is required from the whole man in order to the Law of God Then the outward obedience that the Magistrate demandeth is not compleat intire nor sincere but in relation to the Law of God which requireth intire obedience from the whole man soule and body it is not full not intire not sincere obedience but an outside of obedience but in this sense the Magistrate doth not demand obedience to the Law of God for he hath to doe with the outward man onely and as a Magistrate hath nothing to doe with the soule and conscience so than though the Magistrate command to preach sound doctrine forbid to preach lies in the name of the Lord yet he commandeth
not necessarie necessitate medij The tolleration of all who err in non fundamentals examined M. Iohn Goodwin hagâ—omastix sect 26. pag. 24. Queries proposed to Mr. Joh. Goodwin who asserteth a Catholicke toleration of all Religions upon the ground of weaknesse of free-will and want of grace 〈…〉 Augus 〈◊〉 dicu relinquâ—s liberâ— orbatrio cur enim non in homicidiis in stupris in quibuscunque 〈◊〉 facinoribâ—â— flagiciis libere arbitrio dimittendum to esse proclamas quae tamen omnia justis leg ibâ—â— comprimâ— utilissimuma â—â—ahiberrimuâ— est dedit quidem Deâ—â— homini liberani 〈◊〉 sed nec bonam Infruct â—osam nec malam voluit esse impunitam li. 1. Con. Gaudenti c. 19. secundum est as fallatissimas vanissimâ—sque rationes haberis laxatis atque dimissis humana licentia impuâ—â—sta peâ—cata omnia relinquentur 〈…〉 Most arguments of Libertines infer a Catholicke toleration in non-fundamentals as wel as 〈◊〉 fundamentals What deductions the spirit makes in the soule of an elect knowing but a few fâ—â—dam and going out of this life thou knoweth To know revealed truths of God is a commanded worship of God One Generall Confession of faith without a particular sense containing the true and orthodox meaning of the word not sufficient Divers pious conferences betweene us and Lutherans They hate God and love blasphemies in the consequence who obstinately hold them in the antecedent They may bee false teachers and so punishable who erre not in fundamentals Divine right of Church-government 1 Tim. 1. 3. 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. 2 Job 10 11 1 Tim. 1. 3 4. 1 Cor. 3. Act. 2. Act. 11. 1 2 3 4. c. Divers things not fundamentally believed with certainty of faith Rom. in a 〈◊〉 f. 7 fides millinaria potest esse omnium pessima Beleeving of truths revealed of God with a reserve blasphemous and concerning beleevers in Scepticks and 〈◊〉 Beleevâ—ng wâ—th a reserve â—gainst the motion of the Holy Ghost Beleeving with a reserve against the stability of faith Against the trying of all things and spirits injoyned by the Holy Ghost Faith with a reserve against our prayers for knowledge and growing therein The Holy Ghost bids us not beleeve with a reserve To beleeve with a reserve contrary to our doing and suffering for truth in faith Two distinctions necessary touching controverted points Some things of their own nature not controversall yet the deductions from them to our blinde nature are controversall Fundamentalls of faith most controversall to our blinde nature Some far off errors may bee tollerated Schisme and actuall gathering of churches out of churches cannot be tollerated The place Ro. 14. willing us to receive the weake no plea for tolleration The place Philip. 3. 15. Let us walke according to the same rule c. nothing 〈◊〉 tolleration Remonstrant iâ— Apologia p. 40. P. 268. 〈◊〉 tuâ—a heresis 〈…〉 â—rrâ—r qui in merte errantis taâ—â—um lâ—cum habet â—rrer nec objectum nec causa punitionis est error enim merus erraâ—tem non egreditur ergo 〈◊〉 necoerâ—â—ri quidem potest animus hominis imprio humano non 〈…〉 humane 〈…〉 Apo. â—24 â— 28â— Libertiâ—es mâ—ke heresie a meere innocent and unpunishable error of the minde Heresie is a sin as well as Idolatry though we could neither desine heresie nor Idolatry Heresie proved to be an hainous sin Remonstrance Apol. 24. f. 283 Remon Apol. 24. f. 285. Minâ—s Celsus 〈◊〉 heretic coer seâ— â— f. 9 10 11 12. The holy ghost contrary to Libertines supposeth undenâ—â—â—bly that hereticks are knowne and so they are not knowne to God only when 〈◊〉 bâ—ds us beware of them avoid them bid them not God spâ—â—d Pertinacie may be is known to men Libertines openly contradict the holy ghost in that they forbid to judge false teachers to bee grievous wolves Remonst Apol. c. 24. 285 de maâ—iâ—ioso voluâ—tatis actu 〈◊〉 pertinaâ—ia que est formalis ratione hâ—resees 〈◊〉 nisi soâ—us â—oâ—e judicari potest humana omniâ— judicia de mente animoque alterius incerta sunt conjectura fallaces nisi cum quis quod malum esse novit facere vult nemo dedita opera erras aut errare se sibi pâ—rswadet cum de â—terna salute agitur quare fas non est invito alicui tribuere malitiam caritas aliud swades Heresie a wicked resisting of the truth and yet not the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Libertiâ—es say that an hereticke dying for his heresie hath no evill conscience but a spirituall and heavenly end Tundite tundita Anâ—xâ—rchi follem Anaxâ—rchum enim non tundit Celsus ibid. The vain glory and malice of the devills martyrs who dye for heresie Fol. 18. Spirituall stupidity and malice both together in hereticks and Sathans martyrs Some ignorance consists with the sinne against the holy ghost Reâ—â—â—n apol c. 24. 280 281. Ve lelius de Arâ—â—n Arâ—ini P 4. l. 2. c. 4. n. 5 Who is an to Arminians Titus 3. 10. Nevi te esse primo genitum Satauae None to Libertines are hereticks but such as professe a Religion which they with perswasion beleeve to be false Liberty of prophesying taken in a threefold sense The words quench not the spirit vindicated from speaking for liberty of prophesying any thing Remon Apol. c. 24. Fo. 281 282 Spiritum ne extinguite id est spirituales verbi Dei sensus quos quis se habere a Spiritu Dei id est vel per inspirationem suggestionem Spiritus vel anxiliante Spiritu Dei sibi persuadet quo sensu vocem Spiritus videntur ipsi Apostoli aliquando accipere 2 Thes 2. 2. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Qua quam alio sensu accipi potest Râ—mon Ap 282 To desire false Prophets to cease out of the land is no quenching of the Spirit Remon Apo. 282. Remon 16. How the Arminian Libertines do define an heretick Heretickes to Libertines only such as deny things knowable by the light of nature diversity of opinions among them The punishing of men forpublishing of fundamental errors and the indulgence of a toleration yeelded to them though they teach all errors in non-fundamentals a vain distinction and hath no ground in scripture Some murthers non-fundamentall â—n David which yet are consistent with the state salvation should as wel be tolerated as some errours in non-fundamentals by the distinction of Libertines Some non-fundamentals clearely in the 〈◊〉 revealed not to be beleeved with a reserve and others non-fundamentals with 〈◊〉 Queries propounded to Libertines Why may not the Magistrate lawfully spare the life of him who out of a Libertine conscience meerly sacrificeth his childe to Godâ— or why should â—e punish with the sword some acts not destructive to peace in the conâ—cience of the punished and not aâ— acts of the same kiâ—d To compell men to do against their conscience that is to sin neither in Old or New Test-lawfull Deut 13. Deut. 17. â—pan◠〈◊〉 Apo c. 25. f. 290. There is