Refutation of a Puritan-Papist, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I. ¶ Of the diuerſitie of Opinions concerning Pacification.
Diuers opinions concerning Pacification.DIVERS hauehave beene the proiects, deuiſes and practiſes of ſundrie men, to redreſſe the difference in Religion and diſparitie of worſhip, which now for many ages hauehave vexed the Chriſtian world.
Some hauehave thought it neceſſarie that the common Cauſe were debated in a free,I A generall Councell. lawfull and generall Councell. Which would to God we might ſee ſo aſſembled and ordered by Chriſtian Princes, as the WORD OF GOD preuailing, and all our Controuerſies taken away; there might be but one flocke and one folde, as there is but one Shepheard Chriſt Ieſus. But this cannot be obtained of the aduerſe partie, without moſt vniuſt and vnequall conditions, of appointing him to be the iudge of our cauſe, whom we are to charge before Almighty GOD,No man ought to be Iudge in his owne cauſe. his holy Angels, and his whole Parliament of Saints, to be the very ſame great ANTICHRIST, whom the Scriptures foretold ſhould come for iuſt puniſhment of the wicked, who hauehave not receaued the louelove of the trueth; and the very head of that great Whoore, which hath made all kingdomes drunke with the cup of her fornications. Wherefore ſeeing ſuch a free and lawfull aſſemblie cannot be had, we muſt remitte our ſelues to the Great Day of triall, when Chriſt ſhall come with thouſandes of his mightie Angels to iudge the quicke and the dead, and before Saints and Angels, before Heauen and Earth (all Creatures bearing witneſſe of his Iuſtice) giuegive ſentence according to his written-word on our ſide againſt our aduerſaries.
Others imagined that the difference betweene both Religions is not ſo great, but that there might be a Reconciliation made betweene them without any great difficultie:II. Reconciliation. that we diſſent but onelyonly in ſophiſticall captions of words and tearmes: and that but for the humors of the Diuines of both ſide, all things might be compoſed very eaſilie. But theſe drones and dreamers, becauſe they thinke there may be an agreement betweene Chriſt and Antichriſt, light and darkeneſſe, truth and falſhood, God and the Diuell, I will remit vntill ſome other day of hearing, as being vnworthy in this place (where breuity is intended, and other more neceſſarie points to be handled) to receaue their anſwer.
III. Toleration.A third ſort there are, who to take away all contrarie profeſſion, to extirpate hereſies, to repreſſe ſchiſmes, to reſtraine ſects, and to procure vnitie in Religion, iudge this the onelyonly meanes, to wit, to permit the promiſcuous vſe of all Religions, to tolerate all Sects, to abandon no Heretique or profeſſion whatſoeuer. Which wicked deuiſe how contrarie it is vntounto the Word of GOD, and the rule of reaſon; how abhorrent from all examples of former ages and ſtates; and how pernicious vntounto the Common-wealth, I will (God willing) declare in as few wordes and with as much perſpicuitie as may be.
CHAP. II. Reaſons againſt Toleration and Permiſsion of diuers Religions, out of the Old Teſtament.
Toleration wicked and vnlawfull prooued out of the Old Teſt. Moſes.1 IN the Old Teſtament, all communion and ſocietie with Idolaters, heretiques and ſchiſmatiques is vtterlie forbidden and prohibited. Hence it is that Moſes ſpake vntounto the Congregation, Depart from the tents of theſe wicked men (Korah, Dathan and Abiram) and touch nothing of theirs, leaſt you periſh in all their ſinnes. Numb. 16.26.
2 It is commanded in the Law, that the falſe Prophet and the ſeducing Idolater, whether he be our brother, or ſonne, or daughter, or wife, or friend; ſhould be taken away from amongſt vsus and ſlaine, that all Iſraël may heare, and ſee, and feare, and not dare to commit the like. Thou ſhalt not conſent vntounto him (ſaith the Text) nor heare him, neither ſhall thine eye pittie him, nor ſhew merciemercy, nor keepe him ſecrete: But thou ſhalt euen kill him: thine hand ſhall be first vponupon him to put him to death, and then the handes of all the people, &c. Deut. 13.1. & ſeqq.
3 Againe, There ſhall not be amongst you man nor woman, nor familie, nor tribe which ſhall turne his hart away this day from the Lord our God, to go and ſerue the gods of theſe Nations: there ſhall not be amongst you any roote that bringeth forth Gall and Wormewood. Deut. 29.18.
4 Hitherto appertaineth that for the fact of Achan who tooke of the excommunicate things being ſacrificed vntounto Idols, the Children of Iſraël could not ſtand before the face of their enemies. Ioſh. 7.1.5. And God threatned he would be no more with them except they would deſtroy the peccant and guiltie perſon from amongſt them. Ioſh. 7.12.
5 This anger of God the Iſraëlites feared, in ſo much as when the Reubenites, the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manaſſes, whoſe lot fell beyond the riuer, built themſelues an Altar vponupon the borders of Iordan; they came to warre againſt them with this exprobration: HaueHave we too little wickedneſſe of Peor, whereof we are not cleanſed vntounto this day, though a Plague came vponupon the congregation of the Lord? Yee alſo are turned away this day from the Lord: and ſeeing yee rebell this day against the Lord, euen to morrow he will be wroth with all the Congregation of Iſraël. Notwithſtanding if the land of your poſſeſsion be vncleane, come yee ouer vntounto the Land of the poſſeſsion of the Lord, wherein the Lords Tabernacle dwelleth, and take poſſeſsion among vsus; but rebell not against the Lord, nor rebell against vsus in building you an Altar, beſides the Altar of the Lord our God. Ioſh. 22.17.18.19. But when the other excuſed themſelues, that they built the Altar, not for ſacrifices and offerings, but only for a witneſſe, then were the Iſraëlites contented and their anger appeaſed.
6 Neither doe the Scriptures forbid vsus onelyonly the companie and ſocietie of our Bretheren which were Idolaters and Heretiques, but alſo of any Stranger dwelling among vsus, and of our Neighbours about vsus. Take good heed vntounto your ſelues that you louelove the Lord you God: Elſe, if you goe backe and cleaue vntounto the rest of theſe Nations, that is, of them which remaine with you, and ſhall make marriages with them, and goe to them and they to you: Know you for certaine, that the Lord your God will cast out no moe of theſe Nations from before you, but they ſhall be a ſnare and deſtruction vntounto you, and a whip on your ſides and thornes in your eyes, vntill you periſhout of this good Land, which the Lord your God hath giuen you. Ioſh. 23.11.12.13.
7 Hereupon after the death of Ioſhua,The Booke of Iudges. when the Iſraëlites had made a league with the Cananites, an Angell of the Lord came vp from Gilgal to Bochim, ſaying in the perſon of God, I promiſed that I would neuer breake my couenant with you; ſo that you made no couenant with the Inhabitants of this Land, but breake downe their Altars: But you hauehave not obeyed my voice. Why hauehave you done this? Wherefore I will not caſt them out before you, but they ſhal be as thornes vntounto your ſides, and their gods ſhall be your deſtruction. Iudg. 2.2.3.
By the example of Kings.8 Diuerſe was the eſtate of the Kings of Iſraël and Iudah, according as they walked with God, proſpering when they truſted in God and worſhipped him purely and ſincerely: and decaying when they forſooke him, and corrupted the ſinceritie of Gods worſhip and Religion. The Kingly Prophet Dauid exhorteth Kings to be wiſe, Dauid.and Iudges to be well aduiſed that they worſhip GOD and his Annoynted, denouncing to the Aduerſaries the Almightie power of Chriſt, to the confuſion of all that ſet themſelues againſt him. Pſal. 2.10.11.12.
9 And for himſelfe, ſpeaking of Idolaters, he proteſteth ſaying: Their offerings of blood will I not offer, neither make mention of their names with my lips. Pſal. 16.4. Wherefore this godly King had a very proſperous raigne, and good ſucceſſe in all things, as himſelfe often acknowledgeth. 1. Sam. 15. Pſal. 18.2. Sam. 22.
10 King Salomon,Salomon. his Sonne, becauſe he fully eſtabliſhed the ſeruice of God according to all that had beene commanded by the Prophets, the Lord alſo eſtabliſhed his ſeate, and encreaſed his glory aboue all the Kings of the earth: till he began to decline from the Lord his God, and brought the abhominable Idols of the Strange women whom he loued into his Kingdome and houſes. 1. King. 10. Then the Lord rayſed vp his Seruant againſt him; who alſo in the daies of his Sonne, ſo rent away the ten tribes of Iſraël from the houſe of Dauid, that they neuer returned vntounto it againe.
11 Rehoboam, Salomons Sonne,Rehoboam. becauſe he permitted Iudah to corrupt true Religion, to make them high places and Images, and groues on eueryevery high hill and vnderunder eueryevery greene tree; therefore Shiſhak King of Egypt came vp againſt Ieruſalem, and tooke the treaſures of the houſe of the Lord, and the treaſures of the Kings houſe, and tooke away all. &c. 1. King. 14.23.25.
12 Abiiah the Sonne of Rehoboam becauſe he walked in his Fathers ſinnes,Abiiah. and was polluted with Idols had continuall warre with Ieroboam King of Iſraël. 1. King. 15.3.7.
13 But this Abiiah obiected againſt Ieroboam that he could not proſper, becauſe he had erected Idols in his kingdome, and had made him Prieſtes contrarie to the Law, and aſſured himſelfe of Gods aſſiſtance againſt him; for this reaſon, becauſe they had the Lord for their God, who was their Captaine, and his lawfull Prieſtes the Sonnes of Aaron ſounding the Lords trumpets in the fielde before them. Therefore ſaith he, O yee children of Iſraël, fight not againſt the Lord God of your Fathers; for ye ſhall not proſper. And accordingly it is added that the Iſraëlites were ouercome, hauing fiue hundred thouſand men of warre ſlaine: and the Iewes were ſtrengthened, becauſe they reſted vponupon the Lord God of their Fathers. 2. Chron. 13. throughout.
14 Aſa,Aſa. his Sonne, one while proſpered, when he put away all the Idols that his Father had made; and then decayed, when he followed the vaine diſcourſe of fleſh and blood, and ſought vntounto the Aſſyrians for helpe. 1. King. 15.10. 2. Chron. 14.1. &c.
15 Iehoſhaphat the Sonne of Aſa proſpered and grew vp on high, Ichoſhaphat.becauſe he lifted vp his hart vntounto the waies of the Lord, and tooke away the high mountaines and groues out of Iudah. 2. Chron. 17.6.12. Notwithſtanding he is reprooued for his affinitie and ſocietie with wicked Achab King of Iſraël. 2. Chron. 19.2.
16 Amaſiah,Amaſiah. becauſe he obeyed not the Prophet, but defiled himſelfe with Idolatrie, heard this ſaying, I know that the Lord hath determined to deſtroy thee, becauſe thou hast done this. 2. Chron. 35.16.
17 The ſame thing alſo cauſed Azariah or Vzziah firſt to fall into ſinne,Azariah. and then to become a leper. 2. King. 15.4.5. 2. Chron. 26.
18 It was an obiection againſt Iotham the ſonne of Azariah,Iotham. and a great fault laid to his charge, 2. King. 15.35.Ahaz. as alſo vntounto Ahaz, his ſonne, 2. King. 16.4. and to Manaſſes after his repentance, 2 Chron. 33.17. that they tooke not away the high places.
19 Ezechiah,Ezechiah. becauſe he tooke away the high places, and brake the images, and cut downe the groues, and brake in pieces the braſen Serpent, and truſted in the Lord God of Iſraël; deſerued this commendation, that after him there was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah, neither were there any ſuch before him. 2. King. 18.4.5.
20 Manaſſes,Manaſſes. his Sonne, falling into Idolatrie, was carried away priſoner into Babylon: but humbling himſelfe, and praying vntounto GOD, he was reſtored againe to his kingdome, which he purged from Idolatrous worſhip. 2. Chron. 23.11.12.15. Albeit it was a blemiſh vntounto him that he tooke not away the high places, as we hauehave noted before.
21 Notable is the hiſtorie of King Ioſiah,Ioſiah. who did vprightly in the ſight of the Lord, walked in all the waies of Dauid, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left, who read the law before the people, put downe the Idols, killed their Prieſts, deſtroied the Coniurers, and at laſt was mercifullie taken away, that his eies ſhould not ſee all the euill which the Lord was to bring vponupon Ieruſalem. 2. King. 22. and 23. throughout. alſo 2. Chron. 34. and 35.
22 Nebuchadnezzar when he had ſeene the power of God in the deliuerie of Shadrach,Nebuchadnezzar. Meſhach, and Abednago, made this decree, ſaying: I make a decree that eueryevery nation, people and language which ſpeake any blaſphemie againſt the God of Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednago, ſhalbe drawen in pieces, and their houſes ſhalbe made a iakes. Dan. 3.29.
23 King Darius ſeeing Daniel ſtrangely deliuered from the Lions denne,Darius. made this decree, that all people, nations and languages in the world, ſhould reuerence and feare the God of Daniel. Dan. 6.25.26.
24 The King of Niniueh compelled the whole Citie to humble themſelues before God,King of Niniuth. to turne from their euill way, and from the wickedneſſe that was in their handes. Ionah. 3.6. & ſeqq.
25 Ieroboam King of Iſraël,Ieroboam. knowing that vnity in Religion would turne the hearts of the people to the obedience of Rehoboam; brought in new worſhip, and cauſed them to commit Idolatrie. And Ieroboam thought in his heart, (ſaith the text) Now ſhall the kingdome returne to the houſe of Dauid. If this people go vp and do ſacrifice in the houſe of the Lord at Ieruſalem, then ſhall the heart of this people turne againe vntounto their Lord, euen to Rehoboam King of Iudah: ſo ſhall they kill me and goe againe to Rehoboam King of Iudah: Whereupon the king tooke counſell, and made two calues of gold, and ſaid vntounto them, It is too much for you to goe vp to Ieruſalem, Behold, ô Iſraël, thy gods which brought thee vp out of the land of Aegypt; and he ſet the one in Bethel, and the other in Dan. 1. King. 12.26.27.28.29. Whereupon the Children of Iudah were interdicted their company.
26And of the Prophets. A man of God.And when a Prophet ſent from Iudah, did but goe in vntounto another Prophet ſent from Iudah, did but goe in vntounto another Prophet in Bethel to eate bread, he was ſlaine by a Lion as he returned homeward. 1. King. 13.24.
27 The Prophet Elias could not endure mixture of Religion, but exhorted the people to one Religion, ſaying; How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal be he, then go after him. 1. King. 18.21.
28 The Lord ſaith by the Prophet Zephaniah;Zephaniah. I will ſtretch out mine hand vponupon them that worſhip, and ſweare by the Lord, and ſweare by Malcham. Zephan. 1.5.
Hoſea, Amos & Micah.29 Hoſeah, Amos, and Micah, directed their Prophecies againſt the tribe of Ephraim, or Samaria, with whom Iudah had made a league.
30 I will adde this one out of the Apocrypha, that Iudas Macchabeus being alwaies a Conquerour, as ſoone as he had made a league with the Romans, was preſently ouercome and periſhed; and his Brethren, when they had renewed their friendſhip with them and with the Spartanes, neuer proſpered in batraile. 1. Macch. cap. 1. and 9. and 12. and 14. and 16.
Theſe and infinite ſuch like auctorities and examples, declare that puritie of Religion and true pietie are the foundation of all true wiſedome and policie, and the cauſe of all happie ſucceſſe and proſperitie: and that impietie, idolatrie, hereſie, corruption and mixture of diuers Religions, what ſhew ſo euer it hath of outward commoditie and profit for a ſeaſon; yet indeed and in the end to be the very cauſe of ruine and ouerthrow to all eſtates and kingdomes.