Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly That man solâ Fide onely by Faith is accounted righteous before God Although we understand nothing else by the word solâ but what the Apostle saith 4. Of Justification onely by Faith that he is justified by meer grace through Faith onely for Christs sake without the works of the Law and as some ancient Fathers interpreted it Yet we desire not to impose and inforce that word as necessary upon any man in regard that by many it may be abused and mistaken as if we could be justified and saved by such a Faith which is onely without any good works If that likewise the Papists did not inforce upon us their own expressions and doctrines concerning the merits and satisfaction of works which are yet lesse warrantable by Scripture But as long as they stick fast to this Tenet and opinion of theirs that we are justified also before God by merits of our good works They cannot finde fault with us if we do reply to them by way of retortion that the justification is done by Faith alone and not by merits 5. The true meaning and declaration of Christs words in the Holy Communion Fifthly The declaration and meaning of Christs Word that he called the Bread his Body because it did signifie and represent his Body or because it is a signe of his Body Although we for our part acknowledge this exposition to be agreeable both to the words and very end of the Institution and to all the Articles of Faith and that some ancient Fathers Tertullian Augustine Theodoret and others have expounded it thus As the Papists and Lutherans themselves do not deny the blessed Bread and Wine to be signes and seals of the Body and Blood of Christ given and shed for us Yet we desire not to inforce and presse upon any man such interpretation as necessary unto salvation or as the Word of God it self Whereas many of ours vide inprimis Wolfang Musculum in 26 Matth. pag. 552 554 555. confesse openly that this exposition though it be not erroneous in it self yet is not sufficient unlesse it did shew and expresse withall the sort and nature of those signes viz. not bare naked significative and representative signes nor bare historical symbols and tokens of remembrance but signa exhibitiva exhibiting and certifying pledges and assurances whereby the things signified by them namely the Body of Christ which hath been given for us the Blood of Christ that is shed for us are really and verily by vertue of his promise though not for the nourishing of our bodies but to the cherishing and quickning of our souls delivered and appropriated unto us and likewise really and verily received by us though not corporally and carnally by our mouth but spiritually by faith As the Papists and Lutherans themselves do not deny such spiritual partaking as hath been said before but acknowledge it to be the onely saving Communion Wherefore we for our part teach thereby no new Doctrine as necessary unto Salvation but onely teach that very same they themselves must allow and approve of If but they reciprocally do not inforce upon us their own particular Interpretations as hath been mentioned oftentimes already nor judge and condemn us therefore but give us liberty to adhere to the Words and Declaration of Christ and the Apostle Paul But as long as they intend to obtrude unto us their pretended carnal supernatural eating for a necessary Article of Faith we cannot but contradict it by a more solide exposition and illation grounded upon the Word of God Sixthly Concerning the Doctrine of Gods absolute purpose and decree of election and reprobation we acknowledge and receive it thus far as our adversaries commonly construe our meaning thereof not onely for no necessary Doctrine of Faith but also not for the proper Doctrine and Opinion of our Churches Being that such a term is not expressed in any general Confessions but onely used by some Divines which yet others do rather absolutely forbear because of the misapplication and abuses with all sorts of calumnies that may arise from them And although we finde many disceptations and different Interpretations concerning the eternal Predestination and Reprobation not onely betwixt our Divines but also betwixt the Romish-School Authors amongst themselves and no lesse between the said Lutherans Yet we cannot receive either theirs or our particular opinions for necessary Doctrines which are professed of all Christians without the manifest Word of God and unanimous consent of the Primitive Church not onely because very few men are capable to comprehend the depth and profunditie of those Points but also because it is sufficient for us unto salvation to know onely of the Elect and Predestinated as much as the Apostle expresly teacheth Ephes 1. vers 4 5 6. That God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his Will To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he made us accepted in the beloved Ephes 2. vers 8 9 10. 2 Tim. 1. vers 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Contrarywise concerning the Reprobates it sufficeth us to know onely that what Christ himself saith He that beleeveth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God John 3. vers 18. So that the fault and defect can no wayes be imputed to God who himself taketh no delight in the death and destruction of a sinner but will that he may repent and live not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Exod. 18. vers 23 32. and 33. vers 11. 2 Petr. 6. vers 9. But the fault and defect lieth absolutely and totally in themselves who loved darknesse rather then light and therefore receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved John 3. vers 19. So that we are elected not out of any consideration and respect in our selves but out of meer grace in Christ Jesus both unto salvation and the means ordained thereunto through sanctification of the Spirit and beleef of the Truth whereunto he called us through the Gospel 2 Thessal 2. v. 13 14. But the Reprobates are cast away by Gods just judgement because of their sins unbeleef and impenitency unto the just punishment and condemnation of sins according to the Word of the Lord O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Hos 13. v. 9. Moreover all other Disputes and Controversies of the predestinate and reprobates which may be moved and debated on as Why God to one
all Christians to know and at all times especially in the Primitive Church of the Apostles have been unanimously received taught and believed by all true Christians as the aforementioned Fundamental doctrine of salvation with all that is evidently and undoubtedly depending from it so that no man can reject it without he rejecteth also the Fundamental doctrine it self But some are but Theological Doctrines which are not necessary for all Christians but onely for some to know to whom God hath imparted before others a fuller measure of knowledge and more excellent gifts and charge from whom also he will require more then of others according to the rule of Christ To whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Luk. 12.48 So that it is sufficient for one to know and to believe onely implicitely in the principal General Articles that what another doth know and believe explicitely in many Special Points which are comprehended therein For the one that he should believe and do that which in it self and directly is necessary unto salvation for the other that which he knoweth to be consequently necessary or to be inseparably annexed thereunto Yea for one it is necessary to believe many Truths whereof he hath good ground and knowledge out of the Word of God which neverthelesse for another who wanteth such knowledge are either not so necessary or not so profitable to believe without ground yet are necessary not to deny or contradict them obstinately out of carnal affections because he cannot but have lesse ground to deny them and rather ought to search the Truth diligently in the fear and worship of God and to be ready to receive and acknowledge it with thankfulnesse when it is demonstrated unto him out of the Word of God Otherwise the Obstinate denying which is incompatible and inconsistent with true faith and love to Christ and his Word and proceedeth meerly from carnal affections whereby the understanding in the knowledge of the Truth is darkened and eclipsed would prove damnable unto him not onely by reason of the errour it self but rather because of his Obstinacie Thirdly and principally we must discern what is necessary or not necessary in regard of the revealed Word 3. In regard of the revealed Word of God being the rule and means whereby we may know what we ought to believe and to do Which Word though properly there is nor ought to be but onely one yet is delivered to the Believers in a Twofold manner by Preaching and Writing From whence we must distinctly consider Whether and how far the written Word of God and whether and how far the preached and ministerial Word or the traditions and doctrines of the Church and their teachers ought to be the rule of our Faith and life But since this is the Point that principally is controverted and debated betwixt the Romane Catholikes and the Evangelical Protestants we intend at this present to lay down the ground-work of that which is undoubtedly agreed on by both Parties As first of all That the Books of the Prophets and Apostles of the Old and New Testament which we on all sides acknowledge and receive for Canonical are the undoubted Word of God and the perfect and infallible rule of our Faith and life and that consequently every thing that is taught in them so clearly and manifestly that every understanding Christian certainly and undoubtedly may know and conceive it must be necessary for all unto salvation so that though they do not know explicitè and particularly all things yet are ready to believe and receive undoubtedly all things assoon at they do apprehend them The Sum of the Articles we must believe unto salvation is briefly collected in the Apostolical Creed into which all Christians are baptized and received as fellow-members of the Christian Church What we must Morally do is exhibited in the Commandments of the First and Second Table concerning the love and duty towards God and our neighbour But what we must Ceremonially and Sacramentally perform is contained in the words of the Institution of the holy Baptism and the blessed Communion or Supper of the Lord being the Two Sacraments of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ himself as it is generally and undoubtedly agreed on And lastly what we ought to desire and ask of God is included in the Lords Prayer In which Five Fundamental Points of Christian Religion viz. in tribus Symbolis doctrinalibus credendorum faciendorum petendorum what we ought to believe to do and to ask and in duobus Symbolis Sacramentalibus regenerationis nutritionis spiritualis how we ought to be regenerated and as Children of God in Christ spiritually nourished unto a new and eternal life doth consist the whole Catechism which we for our part think generally necessary for all Christians yet all is to be understood in that sense which is most clearly taught and expressed in the Scripture yea also whatsoever so evidently and necessarily doth depend from the said Fundamental Points that every Understanding Christian though he is not able to conceive the Divine Mysteries by his natural reason may yet certainly and undoubtedly apprehend the doctrine or meaning of the Scripture or the necessary consequence of it Therefore although any Controversie should be raised and moved about these Fundamental Articles which in the Primitive Church had not been sufficiently declared or unanimously taught yet they could not be generally necessary unto salvation for all Christians but onely their unanimous and undoubted meaning Moreover besides that what directly in it self is necessary there are yet many other points of doctrine partly Theological partly Historical and partly Philosophical yea in general whatsoever is clearly taught in the holy Scripture though its consequence and dependence from these Fundamental Articles is not of such necessitie and therefore not directly necessary unto Salvation yet it is necessary for us to believe it because it is thus certainly and clearly revealed in the Word of God For Example That our Lord Jesus Christ suffered under the Emperour Tiberius and under the Governour Pontius Pilate as it is expressed in the Apostles Creed or that the mother of the Lord was called Mary or that our Lord rose from the dead the Third and not the Fourth day c. These are such circumstances in the historie of the Birth and Death of Christ which though directly they are not necessary for us to believe and know unto salvation yet they are necessary for us to believe because they are as clearly and expresly set down in the Word of God as the Articles themselves so that no man that knoweth them may deny or make a scruple of them unlesse he would also deny together the whole Word of God Likewise that in the last times the great Antichrist shall come That at Christs coming to judge the world not all men shall die but the rest be changed which though it is not absolutely necessary unto salvation to know yet it is
and conversion from sin and without new obedience to Christ Commandments Which all is so plainly and expresly taught in the undoubted Word of God especially in the Five aforementioned principal Points that every Christian may sufficiently understand them unto his salvation and hath been unanimously professed in the Primitive Apostolike Church But whatsoever is not so clearly and expresly taught in the Word of God as a necessary Article of Faith Love and Obedience towards Christ nor hath been understood and taught out of the same in the Primitive Church That very same though it dependeth from it by a necessary consequence and therefore may be true doctrine and agreeable to Scripture yet it cannot be necessary for them who do not understand it as yet and retain onely the Fundamental doctrine it self the saving faith and love towards Christ at least so long till God enlighteneth and bringeth their understanding to a fuller knowledge of the Truth which they in the fear of God ought daily to search into Whereby we do conclude further that We ought also not to judge one another according to the aforesaid rule of the Apostle in these doctrines Especially when the other may produce Motives and reasons to the contrary and such which are taken not from natural reason but from the Word of God and therefore bindeth not onely his understanding but also his conscience that he cannot receive such doctrines for fear of sinning against God and his Word but must at least doubt of them For in such a case we must say Whosoever doubteth if he eateth if he receiveth them is damned by his own conscience And rather according to the Apostle's exhortation in such controversies of doctrines We must receive him that is weak in faith but not to doubtful disputations Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth Let us therefore not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or offence of conscience in his brothers way CHAP. IV. That the Romane Catholike Church hath no ground to Judge and condemn the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Churches as Heretical HAving laid this ground we may easily and as much as is necessary for every ones conscience unto salvation deliver our Judgement and Opinion concerning the Modern differences and dissentions in matters of Religion which among the Christians that make on all sides profession of the written Word of God contained in the Old and New Testament are fomented and aggravated meerly out of an Unseasonable and Uncharitable judging and condemning with such vehemency and bitternesse yea with such great effusion of blood and lamentable devastation of Countreys that never the like was heard of any other Religion in the world At this present I will make but a short Application to the Three principal divided and dissenting Churches Differences betwixt the Romane Catholikes Lutheran and Reformed Churches which are dispersed in the Occidental Christian World thorowout whole Provinces and Kingdoms As first the said Romane Catholikes or Papists so called who besides the holy Scriptures are grounded upon the traditions of the Church and especially upon the Councel of Trent and generally are altogether subjected and depend on the Pope of Rome as being their Supreme Head and Judge in matters of Religion and Conscience as the Churches in Italy Spain and the greater part in France Germany and Poland Then the Protestant Evangelical Lutherans as they themselves will be called who besides the holy Scripture professe Confessionem Agustanam Saxonicam formulam Concordiae as their Symbolical and Universal Books of doctrine not that they ground principally their Faith and Religion upon them but that they hold the doctrine and opinions of them conformable to Scripture and necessary unto Salvation as in Germany especially in high and lowe Saxony some Churches in Swaben Francony Westphaly Hessen c. and without Germany the Churches in Denmark Sweden and Prussia although there is some difference perceived betwixt them because some have not received hitherto as yet the said formulam Saxonicam and some of them have collected their own peculiar Corpora doctrinae Confessions and Books of Doctrine Thirdly those Evangelical Christian Protestants who because they will not be bound and tied to any man's whether it be Luther's Calvin's Zuinglius or any other's Doctrine or Books and therefore not be named by any man's name but have purged and reformed their Doctrine and Religion from the abuses of Popery onely according to the written Word of God are commonly called Reformed by some Papists they are called Biblists or Scripture-men of which name they need not to be ashamed because they are grounded on and refer themselves wholly to the holy Bible as the Churches in England Scotland Helvetia the United Provinces of the Low-Countreys all the reformed Churches in France with some particular Churches in Germany Poland Hungary c. Which though they have collected and framed also their peculiar Confessions yet not with the intent to binde other Christians consciences even to their word but onely to testifie their Unanimous consent and Uniformitie first and principally in the necessary fundamental Points of salvation out of the manifest Word of God then secondarily in the confutation and rejecting of the erroneous By-doctrines especially those of the Popish Churches which have no ground in the Word of God but are è diametro opposite to it by a necessary consequence And withal to decline and refute all sorts of calumnies and slanders of their Adversaries Wherefore also they by a special Confession of theirs do not reject the Confession of others especially that of Augspourg though there be some difference in words remaining much lesse do presume to condemn other Eastern and Western Churches because of some different opinions or Ceremonies if onely they do agree with them in the fundamental points of doctrine and for the rest withhold themselves from condemning others And even for these very same reasons have I hitherto addicted my self to the Confession of these Reformed Churches and am resolved with Gods assistance to persevere in it even unto death not onely because I acknowledge in the controverted Points the doctrine of these Churches I say Their own doctrine which they themselves Vnanimously professe to be consonant and agreeable to Scripture but especially because besides the Indubitable Universal Fundamental Doctrines and necessary Articles of faith which they with one consent receive they do not maintain or impose upon others any other doctrine as necessary unto salvation which in it self and by Gods command is not but impart and permit to every one the due libertie of Conscience and also do neither deny pervert or mutilate any part or articles of the true Gospel of Christ nor introduce any other By-Gospel or By-articles or judge or condemn others for it Whereas other Churches principally the Papists and partly the Lutherans if they do not quite deny any necessary point of true
of them that hate and abhore reconciliation may without any difficulty be United nay are already United by the Spirit of Christ upon the evident word of God in the Vniversall saving Faith and sincere love and obedience of Christ who also upon this only solide and firme ground of the universall saving truth and unity may in safenesse quiet and pacifie their own Conscience amongst so many Divisions and Seducing Spirits and withall declare themselves upon good grounds against all different dissenting parties and yet shew themselves peaceable and without scandall CHAP. VII That even these are the safest meanes to restrain all Erroneous Sects THere may be severall objections made against this our Declaration The First Objection against the aforementioned Doctrine As first that in this manner a great gap would be opened to all Sects Arrians Photinians Socinians Weigelians Anabaptists Arminians or of what name soever who though they referre themselves on all sides to the Scripture yet they obscure and pervert the plainest and most evident places of it so that at length we should retaine nothing but the bare words and letters of the word of God nor them also without controversie and disputes But if we do seriously consider the matter this will be rather the only true sure easie and most efficacious meanes not only to maintaine Peace and Unity amongst true beleevers but also to silence and restraine all erroneous Sects yea to cut of all occasions least they disturbe seduce or teare the Church of God any more by their perverse interpretations and opinions namely First That we know that their own particular interpretations inferences must not be necessary unto Salvation because they do either assert affirm some new doctrin which is not so manifestly and expressly asserted in the word of God or deny some what which is not so plainly denied therein That both we and other Christians can in conscience acknowledge and receive the same or the Primitive undoubted true-beleeving Church could have unanimously received such a meaning sence thereof Which is a certain infallible sign that it must be either a false perverted or at least an unnecessary interpretation or meaning and that we therefore may reject it as unnecessary with a good conscience but they may not with a safe conscience disturbe the Church of God with such unnecessary new doctrines Secondly When they cry up such interpretations and opinions of theirs though we certainly know them not to be necessary not only for necessary articles of Faith or Gods Commandements and their owne words for meere words of God Then we know further undoubtedly that they are just such Prophets as God hath warned us from Who shall presume to speak in his name that which he hath not commanded them to speak Deut. 18.19 20. Who shall say The Lord spoke thus when he did not speak it Exod. 13. Especially when they are so obstinate in their opinions that they judge and condemne others for the same or revile and blaspheme the contrary doctrine or otherwise knowingly purposely and wilfully draw thereby some distractions and divisions upon the Church of God For which reason we have good cause to shun and eschew them according to the doctrin of Christ and the Apostles Tit. 1.10 2 Tim. 3.6 to avoid them Rom. 16.17 to withdraw ourselves from them and have no company with them 2 Thes 3.6.14 2 Joh. 10. Who by judgeing others and causing therewith divisions and sects separate themselves from the Assembly of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 19. And also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being condemned of themselves Tit. 3.11 Who also ought to be instructed in meeknesse of spirit and convinced by sounder better surer and plainer interpretations and inferences out of the word of God and sometimes sharply rebuked Tit. 1.9 10.13 2 Tim. 2.24 25. And to restraine them with all other spirituall meanes that Christ hath Ordained least they may prejudicate and hurt the Christian Church by their seductions and spread farther their leaven and sow tares Thirdly How much more when they by their own interpretations and conclusions in doctrine of Faith and life do not only affirme or deny some what which in the word of God is not so expressly affirmed or denied but also do affirme some things which are so evidently and expressly denied therein or deny some things which are so expressly affirmed therein that all learned Christians who will but understand them and not out of carnall affections sticke unto them may comprehend them without any difficultie nay it being evident and palpable to every one that those Interpretations and opinions of theirs are but meerly strained and spun out of their own fancies and not grounded upon the text and words of the Scripture it self or equivalent places of it Especially the true Primitive undoubted Church having with one accord taught absolutly the contrary Those if they in such a manner obtrude and urge their own forced Interpretations or rather perversions of the Scripture both without and against the manifest Word of God as necessary as the Word of God it self and thereby deny or pervert the true necessary Articles of Faith or Precepts of God and that obstinately as hath been mentioned before They are not onely like to those Prophets who presume to speak in the Name of the Lord that which he hath not commanded them to speak but also like them that speak in the name of other gods Deut. 18.20 because they will thrust as out of the way which the Lord our God hath commanded to walk in Deut. 13.25 From whom he hath warned us that we should not believe nor hearken unto their words though they shew great signes and wonders Deut. 13.1 2. Matth. 24.24 25. Whereby I hope every one may see that by the often-mentioned ground of the manifest Scriptures not onely no occasion is given to the erroneous Sects but rather the Sectaries mouth may be stopped with much facility and safety and with more efficacie then by many subtil and endlesse Altercations and Disputes or by all-Excommunications and Persecutions of Hereticks although we do disapprove also this to be used against manifest obstinate Blasphemers as Servetus was who vomited such terrible and horrid Blasphemies and contumelious words against the holy and blessed Trinity that they are noways to be suffered amongst Christians Or when they under the colour of Religion plot Tumults and Insurrections against legal Magistrates as formerly Munzerus and the Anabaptists at Munster did which is not justifiable though it happeneth for true Religion much lesse for erroneous Doctrines sake But those that peaceably and closely adhere to the words of the Scripture without maintaining and introducing singular By-Interpretations and opinions of theirs as hath been told those I say though they do not receive ours or any other particular Churches true Interpretations and expressions we cannot nor will therefore judge as Hereticks but ought to tolerate and receive as weak brethren in faith
and separate us from the righteous party in the profession of the Truth calling good evil and light darknesse Cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the stranger fatherlesse and widow Deuteron 27. vers 19. Should he then not be guilty also of the curse that would wilfully pervert or deny the judgement of the Church yea the Judgement and Truth of God Whereby they also though in their own persons they might not be inclinable to condemn and persecute any man would yet make themselves by their assent partakers of the condemnation and persecution which proceedeth from others who according to the prophesie of Christ shall hate and reproach us separate us from their company and cast out our name as evil Luke 6. vers 22. To let passe how they scandalize others in their conscience by such dissembling and denying both the true beleevers from whom they separate themselves and the erring whom they confirm with their example in the errour whereas they might have induced and perswaded them by a free profession of the known Truth at least to a further inquisition or also to a brotherly reconciliation Now although we cannot generally judge any thing else of the obstinate erring and of such dissembling persons but that they in this manner live in a dangerous condition of their souls and even for this reason we exhort them as tenderly as they love their own salvation to the knowledge and profession of Truth or at least to the mitigation of their uncharitablenesse Yet we may not therefore instantly and rashly condemn the persons but rather hope and pray to God he may if not now by our admonition yet finally before their last gasp illuminate and bring the erring unto the knowledge of the Truth or unto Christian love and reconciliation and move the dissembling to a sound and wholesome Confession Conclusion of the second Part. NOw by the Declaration of this Apostolick Rule even the most unlearned Christian may sufficiently learn both what and how far we ought not to judge and what and how far we ought to judge in controverted and different matters of Religion The Sum and result of it is this 1. We ought to judge and condemn none as Unbeleeving if he doth but closely retain the Universal Undoubted Fundamental Doctrine of Faith and love of Christ which is necessary for all men unto Salvation 2. Although he doth not receive our own or our particular Churches and Teachers Opinions and Interpretations which we acknowledge as agreeable to Scripture and necessary for us to beleeve because he hath no knowledge of them as yet out of the Word of God 3. On the contrary although he adheres to his own or his particular Churches and Teachers singular Opinions which he esteemeth to be consonant to Scripture and necessary for him to beleeve Yet to such Opinions which are uncertain or unnecessary or erroneous also and repugnant to the Word of God or to the saving fundamental Doctrine it self by a necessary consequence 4. As long as he doth not acknowledge such consequence and retaineth but the fundamental Doctrine it self positively and without any mutilation and doth also not erre out of malice of heart but onely out of weaknesse of understanding 5. As long as he doth not make quite fundamental Doctrines of them nor imposeth them on others as necessary neither judgeth and condemneth others therefore or disturbeth the Church of God with prejudicial and unnecessary disputes 6. As long also as he doth not obstinately reject better information but rather laboureth to search further the Truth in the Word of God and to testifie his Faith by Christian charity and godly conversation So that he is not to be accounted for an obstinate unfaithful schismatical heretick but for a weak Beleever and erring Brother Contrarywise 1. They that will have their own erroneous or controverted and unnecessary opinions to be necessary fundamental Doctrines in so much that they repose their comfort and hope of salvation in them 2. Which they also inforce upon others as necessary fundamental Doctrines or judge condemn exclude and separate from the Communion of the Christian Church others therefore whereby they cause Schisms and Divisions in the Church of God 3. Especially such opinions which are not onely doubtful and erroneous but also repugnant to the true undoubted Articles of Faith and fundamental Doctrine if not directly and expresly yet by a necessary consequence 4. They also who cruelly and uncharitably persecute others because of such humane opinion and thereby occasionate not onely Schisms in the Church but distempers and distractions in Common-wealths 5. And that not meerly out of ignorance and humane infirmity but out of a wilful blindnesse and malice so that they will not hearken nor receive any information of the Truth much lesse search into it themselves but obstinately oppose it out of carnal blinded affections Those we may and must thus far judge out of the Word of God First Concerning the matter it self That we no wayes make our selves partakers of such errours and other sins arising from thence but had rather be condemned rejected separated and persecuted by them lest we may become a stumbling block and offence first to our own then to other true beleeving or erring consciences Secondly As much as concerneth the persons That though we cannot judge any thing else of such persons in general but that they in this manner are in a dangerous and damnable condition yet we condemn none in particular First Because we cannot directly discern in no man whether he doth erre out of humane weaknesse or obstinate malice Secondly Because though he did erre out of malice yet we ought still to hope seek and pray to God for his conversion and commit the judgement concerning him to the Soveraign Judge Would to God That all that are called Christians or at least Catholicks and Evangelical did agree with us herein with one minde seeing that all those that will not proceed against conscience nor parallel and equal mens words with Gods word neither place themselves in Gods Tribunal must herein agree Then the Christian love and peaceablenesse would raign instead of this unhappy Schism cruel distraction and lamentable devastation of Christendom And the easiest and safest way be opened unto right Christian Unitie in the Doctrine of Truth instead of the manifold dissensions and differences in Doctrine and Religion The Apostle Paul hath not onely most earnestly and faithfully exhorted us all in general and especially the Romane Church to which he directeth his Epistle but also added most efficacious and pregnant motives thereunto Wherefore let us not judge one another any more Why That is evident by the precedent words We shall all stand before the Judgement-Seat of Christ So then every one of us shall give accompt of himself to God Rom. 14. v. 10 12. Like as he writeth to the Corinthians Therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. v. 5. If we had that great day of Judgement of the Lord continually set before our eyes especially the Divines and Ecclesiasticks who before all others should be the Sons of Peace Luke 16. v. 6. yea the true Ambassadours of Peace Isai 33. v. 7. 52. v. 7. Nah. 1. v. 15. whereas many are Authors of most of the disturbances in the Christian Church by their unchristian judging and condemning They would not be so rash and severe in judging one another but every one would first think and consider with himself how we shall give once an accompt of our selves before that Tribunal And though we must judge for conscience sake because of our function yet we should not more rigourously judge others then we our selves desire to be judged by the Lord viz. not for our ignorances nor for our weaknesse not for every faulty word nor according to other mens words or traditions of men or humane opinions yea not after the severity of Gods Law nor uncertain doubtful Interpretations of the Word of God But onely according to the undoubted saving Gospel of Grace and Truth of Christ in Fatherly goodnesse tendernesse grace and mercy Wherefore we conclude with the words of the Apostle James 2. v. 12 13. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty For he shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy And mercy rejoyceth against judgement To him the Father of Judgement and Father of Mercy be adscribed all honour and praise for ever and ever Amen FINIS