A Stay Against Straying, Part 2 · Section 1
SECT. 1.
WHen Satan cannot draw men to one extremitie, he ſeekes to bring them unto another. The truth of this, the Holie Scripturesa1 Cor. 5. 11. compare with 2 Cor. 2. 6, 7. not only ſhew, but ſundry examples alſo prove it in this preſent age.
It is true (as the Treatiſer ſaith) there are many who affecting alienation from others, Numb. 14 35, 45.make their differences as great, and their adverſe opinion or practice as odious as they can. Deut. 1, 42. 44.A moat ſhalbe a beame with them, a knatt, a Camell. And hence through want of a take heed, they become rejecters of perſons and things which they ought not.
Againe, on the other hand, there are not a few, who deſiring liberty, and large walking, and to have the credit and love of all men, uſe all their witt, ſkill, & power, to have great things (I meane evils and ſinnes) eſteemed ſmall things: And what is ſmall, that nothing. That ſo they may finde a doore of entry, to accord and agree with others in unlawfull practiſes.
Here therefore is the wiſedome of the Saints, namely, that they ſhunne both theſe two extremities. Medium tenuere beati. And for my part of this later number, I ſhall, while I live, profeſſe my ſelfe (by Gods grace) be to both a Companion & guide: That is, not at any hand to condemne what is to be juſtified, neither to approve that thing which ought to be condemned.
There are two reaſons laid downe by the Treatiſer, wherefore he penned this diſcourſe. 1. For the freeing of his owne conſcience. 2. The information of other mens.
Anſw. 1. J dare not thinke, but the Treatiſer when he fell firſt upon this point of Hearing, ſpake as he thought of it, and did nothing but what his minde gave him to be right and good: But this makes not the thing therefore juſtifiable; For as Martyr ſaith:bLex Dei is regula conſcientiae. Loc. Comm. Claſſ. 2. cap. 1. pag. 165. The Rule of our Conſcience muſt be the Law of God. Gideons Ephod was erected with a well meaning minde, but it became a ſnare,c…udg. 8. 27. and a ſcandall, and an occaſion of great idolatrie, and the overthrow and ruine of his whole familie. What hath this hearing been? but a ſnare in Iſrael, an occaſion whereby many people have turned aſide from the ſtreaght wayes of the Lord.
2. I doe not ſee what ſatisfaction any man can have from his writing: Seeing he hath not alleadged any one Sentence of Scripture to prove the point in queſtion lawfull. Omne quod loquimur, debemus affirmare de Scriptur is Sanctis: ſaith Hierom in Pſal. 98. Tom. 8. But this he hath not done, onelyonly he tels us, that Hearing is a naturall action: Hearing is no Communion, &c. Now, where this ſo (which is not in the ſence he intendeth) yet it ſerves not his turne in the leaſt.
If a Theefe, to cleare himſelfe, ſhould ſay, that he hath not ſtolen ſuch particulars: Yet if he have done other things, he is a Theefe notwithſtanding. So in this caſe, thought to heare falſe Miniſters, be not a ſinne in ſuch a reſpect: Yet if it be in ſome other, the action is neither Lawfull nor neceſſarie.
And here by the way, let me ſpeake a word to you, whoſe warrant for your going unto unlawfull Aſſemblies, is only the Treatiſers writing: This J doe affirme and will make good againſt all gainſayers, that if the thing could be juſtified, yet for his part he hath not proved it ſo, but hath left the point it ſelfe wholy untouch'd, and taken up a by-thing.
Therefore what Alcibiades ſaid of the Athenians, I may well apply to you, You take things from other men, not by triall, but by truſt, and doe them rather of affection and will, then out of any ſure knowledge you have of the truth of them.
That the Treatiſer made account to meet with Oppoſites, I marvaile not: OnelyOnly I marvaile, ſeeing he fore-ſaw ſo much, that he had not done his worke to ſome better purpoſe.
The firſt ſort of Oppoſites are ſuch who truly deſire,Treat: and carefully indeavour to have their whole courſe both in Religion, and otherwiſe, framed by the holy and right Rule of Gods Word.
Anſw. Theſe cannot chuſe but be his Oppoſites, and that for 3. reaſons ſpecially.
1. Becauſe of his lightnes and inconſtancie in the matters of God: and for that he ſeekes to build againe the thing which hee had before deſtroyed. What he hath ſaid againſt this Hearing, the World is not ignorant of; and therefore here is a fitt place to lay downe his own words, & to apply them to himſelf: He ſucks up his former breath; and eates the words he had formerly uttered, as though he had either forgotten what he wrote before, or cared not how he croſſed himſelfe, ſo he might oppoſe us.*Iuſtificat. of Separ. p. 276.
2. Becauſe the drift and ſcope of his writing, thwarteth the truth, and leadeth unto ſinne againſt the Lord.
3. Cauſeth troubles in the Churches of God, and hinders many from receiving the love of the truth.
But did the Treatiſer thinke, that the cloſeſt walkers with God, would oppoſe him in this thing; Then it muſt needs follow, he made account, that the looſeſt people for judgement & practice would be the embracers of it.
A ſecond ſort is of them,Treat: whoſe tender and ſcrupulous conſcience makes them fearefull & jealous of everything that hath in it the leaſt appearance on ſhew of evill, &c.
Anſw. He that will not fall into a deepe pit, will not come very neere to it in his travell.
Gods people (ſaith TheodoreteCōment. in Theſ. 5, 22.) must be ſo abhorrent from evill, both in Doctrine and manners, that the ſhew of both ought to be avoyded. And thus the Scriptures f1 Theſ. 5, 22. Iam. 1, 27. Iud. 23. Rev. 16, 18.preſſe, and the Saints gDan. 1, 8 Rev. 3, 4. Luke 1, 5.have practiſed.
For his diſtinction between things onelyonly naturally good in their kinds and uſe, and others morallie, &c. I ſee nothing in it, wherefore he ſhould deſire the reader to take knowledge of it. For as for riches, credit of the World, and outward peace, here inſtanced, as they are good things in themſelves, ſo they may be deſired, and in a right way and courſe Lawfully ſought after.
For the other, namelie, Hearing of the Word, obedience to the Magiſtrate, &c. In theſe things too, we muſt keepe our ſelves within the limits and bounds, which God hath ſet us. For his phraſe of ſtreaning and gooing as neere the Winde as may be, J hope he meant no ſtreaning of a good conſcience; If he did not, then his counſell is of no uſe at all: except it could be proued, that the Lord requires his people to heare in the way and manner hee pleads for: a worke (ab Aſino lanam) not poſſibly to be done.
As there are ſome ſcrupulous in things amiſse touching outward Ordinances, and yet faultie otherwayes: So I beleeve there are many not ſcrupulous in things amiſse touching outward ordinances, and yet in their courſe of life, baſe and ſcandalous enought.
But what of this, muſt not Gods Houſe and Ordinances be deare to our ſoules, becauſe ſome mens converſation is not according to their profeſſion? God forbid. For in the holieſt Society upon Earth, it is poſſible that there ſhould be wicked perſons. When there was but 4: in the World, one was a Kaan: when 8. onelyonly in the Arke, one was a Cham: Among the 12. one a Iudas. The pureſt Wheate hath ſome chaffe with it; The faireſt garden ſome weeds in it; Therefore let no man forbeare to practice any knowne truth for other mens lewd lives; onelyonly let them be carefull to doe well themſelves: Mourne for ſuch as doe otherwiſe, and ſeeke by all due and lawfull meanes their Amendment. And this is the burden, and no other, which the Lord layes upon them.
The laſt ſort he divides into 5 rankes; at which he either girds, or right-out chargeth, with Hypocriſie, partialitie, pride, ignorance, mallace, and the like.
It is ſaid of Tamberlane *Richard Knowles in the life of Baiazeethat he raiſed warre againſt Baiazet the fourth King of the Turkes, becauſe he refuſed to receive certaine ſtrange Garments, which he ſent unto him. I beleeve, had theſe men, embraced the Treatiſers opinion in this point of Hearing, they ſhould not have heard him ſpeake ſo bitterly againſt them. But to the particulars.
Some are carried with ſo exceſſive admiration of ſome former guides in their courſe,Treat. as they thinke is halfe Hereſy to call into question any of their determinations, or practiſes.
Anſw. Howſoever we muſt live by our owne faith; notwithſtanding we are not lightly to eſteeme of the determinations and practiſes of our guides, ſpecially when we know they are no reeds; but men ſtable and unchangeable in the truth. He is a fooliſh traviler that will leave the way which he hath long kept, unleſſe he be ſure, he is out. There is (as Polanus hCōment. in Ezech. cap. 20. pag. 487.ſaith) a laudable imitation of Elders. That is, ſo farre to follow them, as they are followers of Chriſt.
2. J know none more faulty this way, then ſuch as have learned of him to heare unlawfull Miniſters: For were not theſe men ſuperſtitiouſly addicted to his new deviſe, they would beware, how to reject (as they doe) the unanimous judgement and practice of all Learned Men and true Churches, and follow the blinde trodd of his ſingle opinion.
Such as lay downe rules to finde out the truth by, write thus: What the FathersiQuid-quid omnes pariter uno codemque conſenſu, &c. Vincent: Lirenenſ. cont. prophanos haeret. c. 4. all with one conſent have held and written, is a neceſſary token to know the truth by.
Againe, kD. Feild of the church, l. 3. c. 43, p. 175Whatſoever hath beene holden at all times, and in all places, by all Christians, that hath not beene noted for novelty, ſingularity and diviſion is to be received as the undoubted truth of God.
If theſe Aſſertions be true, the Treatiſers then is untrue. For not onelyonly are all old Writers againſt it, but the moſt Learned of later times: Yea (and let it be minded) all Sects and ſorts of people, profeſſing Chriſtianitie, abhorre it; J except onelyonly Familiſts: For they and he (…dem in lud… docti,) are for the pleading and practice here much alike.
Some againe are much addicted to themſelves as the former to others:Treat: Conceiving in effect, though they will not profeſſe it, the ſame of their Heads which the Papists doe of their Head the Pope, that they cannot erre or be deceived. And this specially in ſuch matters us for which they have ſuffered trouble and affliction formerly.
Anſw. 1. Wee are all more ready to blame faults in others, then to ſee our owne and amend them. Had not the Treatiſer thought to well of himſelfe, I doubt whether he would ſo lightly have ſingled himſelfe out, and become (as it were) every mans oppoſite, Humble minds, are affraid to meddle with novelties: but ſuch as ſeeke humane praiſe, imagine they cannot enought be obſerved, unleſſe out of the dreggs of Sophiſtry, they raiſe ſome ſtrange quiddities, whereby to croſſe truths generally received.
2. That any man ſhould love and like a thing, becauſe it leads to perſecution; That J cannot thinke; But this J thinke: There are ſome which doe profeſſe & practice many things (and namelie this of Hearing) on no better ground or reaſon but hereby, to keep themſelves out of troubles.
There is alſo a third ſort who bend their force rather to the weakning of other men in their courſes,Treat: then to the building up of themſelves in their owne; halfe imagining that they draw neere enought to God, if they can withdraw enought from other men.
Anſw. I cannot deviſe for what end the Treat. *Aliquid latet quod non patet.ſhould ſeeke thus to diſcover other mens nakednes, except it be, he thought that the more vile and contemptible he made his Oppoſites appeare in the Readers eye, the eaſier he would be won, to embrace this his opinion of Hearing Antichriſtian Miniſters; a prittie trick; Much like that Leſſon of the Cannon Lavv: Si non caſte tamen cause. But ſuch ſhifts profit not, for a godly minde will ſearch and looke into the cauſe it ſelfe; and not on the perſons either for, or againſt it.
To oppoſe a bad courſe, is meet and lawfull, and ſhould we be ſilent when we are called to teſtifie againſt it, we ſhould make our ſelves hereby open tranſgreſſours.
Touching the building up of our ſelves: This (as Iude †Ver. 20.teacheth) muſt be in our moſt holy faith. He that rayſeth up a Houſe with rotten ſtuffe, *What is there elſe in Babilon.will looſe his coſt and labour by it.
I know not what withdrawing he meanes from other men: if he intend a withdravving from the Hearing of falſe Miniſters, then I anſwer, they doe well that doe it. For if the Temple made with hands, defiled through idolatrie, was odious unto God, how much more will he loth our Spirituall Temples (not made with hands) if we ſuffer them to be polluted with filthy ſuperſtition. But ſo abſolutely we ſhall doe, if we doe the thing which the Treat: here contends for.
A good man (ſaith AmbroſemLib 5. Epiſt. 30.) will be earneſt and Zealous against idolatry.
Another ſaith: nBradſhavv on 2 Theſ. 2, p. 130.The better a man is, the more carefull will he be to withdraw himſelfe from it. Theſe witneſſes are true.
Fourthly, there are ſome to be found ſo ſowred with modines and diſcontentment,Treat. as they become unſociable: If they ſee nothing lamentable, they are ready to lament: If they reade any Bookes, they are onelyonly invectives specially against publicke Sa…es and Governours.
Anſvv. 1. As to be unſociable, is inhumaine and brutiſh, ſo to be careleſſe with whome we joyne in communion, is ſinfull and vicious. A traviler were better goe alone, then have one in his company that ſhould rob him, and cut his throat.
2. This is not an age, which wants cauſe of juſt lamentation, conſidering not onelyonly the evils without, but what perverſe things are brought into the Churches of God, whereby poore people are dayly deceived.
3. That we ſhould looke into publicke States and Governours, there is reaſon for it; and ſpecially, if the ſame be Eccleſiaſticall, for elſe, how can we walke as men of knowledge, and hold faſt onelyonly that which is good.
Lastly,Treat. ſome thinke to cover their owne both groſſer and more proper and perſonall corruptions, under a furious march, not onelyonly againſt the faylings, but the perſons alſo failing of infirmity in matter of Church-order and Ordinances.
Anſvv. I ſuppoſe by Church-ordinances and Order, he meanes the Miniſterie, Worſhip, and Government under Antichriſt. Now, that ſome of ignorance ſubmit to theſe things, there is nothing more certaine; notwithſtanding this gives not allowance to others others (knowing better) to doe ſo too. If there failing be of infirmity, there is the more hope of their reformation, I meane when they ſhall heare the truth taught, and ſee the Teachers walke cloſely in it.
In concluſion, the Treat: pleas the Rhetorician, and makes a ſhew, as if he could ſay more, but he will spare his oppoſites.
Anſvv. As for his minſing figure of extenuation (to let much paſſe) I like it not; For he doth here no otherwiſe then if a Theeſe when he hath ſtript a man out of all that he hath, would faine yet be counted mercifull, in that he doth not murder him, or bind him as ſome others have done. Let any indifferent man read his writing, and he will ſay, the Treat. hath not ſpared his oppoſites. but ſhort at them arrowes of bitter words, and made them as odious and vile as a man can doe. But bleſſed is he, that is not offended at the truth for ſuch things.