A Stay Against Straying, Part 2 · Section 5
SECT. 5.
THE Treatiſer layes downe our next OBJECTION thus:
By this then it ſeemes, a man may be preſent at any act of Idolatrie, and doe as others doe, that practice Idolatry, yet not approue of it. And ſo the three Nobles in Danial needed not to have put themſelves upon ſuch pikes of daunger as they did, for not falling downe as others did in the place.
To this he anſwereth: Treat:1. In preaching of the truths of the Gospell, no idolatrous act is performed.
Anſw. I perceive it is an eaſie thing to conqueſt, if begging may procure one that: But wee are no ſuch children as to give the cauſe ſo away.
1. Therefore J ſay, in preaching of the truths of the Goſpell (viz: by a falſe Miniſter, about which is our diſpute) an idolatrous act is performed; And that the Reader may underſtand this thing the better: He is to conſider, that divine worſhip is not to be determined by a particular thing (howbeit in it ſelfe good) but as all the eſſentiall parts belonging thereto (whether they are perſons or things) are kept and obſerved.
The Church of Rome in Baptiſme uſeth water, and in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, gives bread, and otherwhile wine too; doth this cleare their adminiſtrations of idolatry? So runns the Treat: reaſoning: But wee cannot receive it, for the Lord never ſpake ſo by him.
J thinke all men doe thinke, that Vzziah a2 Chro. 26. 16.committed an idolatrous act, when he invaded the Prieſts Office. But what made it ſo? Tooke he unlawfull incenſe? No. Uſed he ſtrange fire? No. Offered he prohibited ſacrifice, or upon a wrong Altar? No. Where then lay the fault? The Scripture tels us it pertained not to him to burne incenſe unto the Lord, but to the Sonnes of Aaron bVer. 18.To apply this, if his act were idolatrous, becauſe he wanted a calling, howbeit obſerved many truths of the Law; By the ſame reaſon, the Church-acts of Antichriſtian Miniſters, are idolatrous; Yea & as for the truths which they preach, this clears their acts no more from idolatry; then Vzziahs true incenſe and Altar, quitted him from tranſgreſſion.
It is truely ſaid of one cLavaret. in Joſh. 22. Hom 61. pag 7.We ought not to conclude of an action, that it is good, becauſe it hath in it ſome thing which in it ſelfe is ſo.
And this is true, as in divine things, ſo in humane too: For it is a knowne Tenent of Philoſophers,dOmne totum ſuis partibus ordinatur, menſuretur & determinatur. the vvhole is compoſed, meaſured and determined of all the parts.
VntoUnto the conſtitution of the whole (according to Ariſtotlec) is required foreign.
2. As Iob fIob. 24.4.ſaith, vvho can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? Not one. The falſe Office by our Oppoſit…es is acknowledged to be uncleane. Now, to deny that their Miniſteriall acts are not from thence, is againſt common ſence. And this further may be amplyfied by that paſſage in the Prophet,gHag. 2. 12 13. See Iunius on the place. where it is ſhewed, that holy things are polluted by touching things uncleane.eAriſt. 12. Met. 3, & Lib. de Poet. cap. 7.
3. If in preaching the truth (according to the point in queſtion) no idolatrous act is performed: Then it will follow, that a man may remaine a Miniſter of a falſe Church all his life time: Provided, he only teach *Note that ſuch whom they call Lecturers, in ſome places only preach, and doe nothing elſe: As I my ſelfe for ſome yeares ſtood ſō.the truths of the Goſpell; Our reaſon is, for in this, if he doe no idolatrous act, then he ſinneth not, & ſo Conſequently no juſt cauſe of his comming out from among them. The vileneſſe of which thing, I leave to the Readers cenſure.
4, By the Treat: aſſertion, all uſurpers of civill Offices can juſtifie themſelves eaſily; For although they are inrtuders and Tratours: Yet ſeeing their adminiſtrations are ſo and ſo: No Rebellious Act is performed. I could note here many more ſuch abſurdities & inconſequences, tualoga in theologa, as they cal them: but enough is ſaid; Conſidering the truth brings forth no errour nor abſurditie by true conſequence. Neither doth one part contradict another, as Auguſtine hScriptura ſancta in nulla parte diſcordat. De verb. dom. 2. & 11.well obſerveth.
Let us heare what he hath further to ſay: Treat.The Jewes after Chriſts death, and the taking away and aboliſhing of the legall ordinance thereby, circumciſed their infants, and frequented the Temple for purification and other M…ſaicall Ceremonies, as parts of Gods Worſhip, and ſtill remaining of divine inſtitution. Paul alſo circumciſed Timothy, entred the Temple, and yet did not approve any manner of way of the errour and evill of the Iewiſh worſhippers.
Anſw. It is truely ſaid of the Orators, there is nothing done ſo evill, but with faire coulers a man may defend it. To alleadge the Legall Ordinances for the juſtifying of this Hearing, is a poore ſhift, and ſhewes a deſperate caſe. For 1. it is doubtfull to ſome, whether any did well to practice the Moſaicall Ceremonies after our Lords ſuffering; I could name not a few, who ſay, it was their failing that did ſo.
But 2. grant (and ſo I thinke) that yet the Iewiſh Rites were tollerable, I ſay in reſpect of the time, of an indifferent nature, and therefore their obſervation till further propagation of the Goſpell in offenſive, and in it ſelfe not evill; And ſo thinkes Calvin iInſtit. l. 3 c. 19, Sect. 10.Bez… kAnnot. in Act. 21, 27.P. Martyr lLoc. Coō. in Claſ. 2, c. 4, pag. 200., Zanchy mIn praecept. 3, pag. 338., the Writers of the Centuries nCent. 1. l. 1… pag. 416., the Rhemiſts oIn Act. 21 24.. God minding (ſaith Auguſtine pAd Hierom. Epiſt. 16.) to have them honourably buried.
Now, what makes this for his purpoſe: if there be any agreement betweene this Example and the thing he ſtands for, thus it muſt be: if it were lawfull for Paul and others, to doe a thing which might be either done or not done, according to circumſtances; then it is Lawfull to heare falſe Miniſters, howbeit the practice be againſt the Word of God. I ſhall need ſay little more, for if his beſt friends will but draw the curtaine and looke on both parts with a ſingle and impratiall eye, they muſt without more adoe, confeſſe that I have rightly applyd it, or they themſelves applyed to it, what we ſay commonly, non cauſam pro cauſa; he takes that for defence of his cauſe, which maketh naught to the purpoſe.
3. To ſpeake a little further in this thing, (becauſe ſome of our Oppoſites conceive it is much for them:) I deſire theſe few particulars may be conſidered: 1. The Ceremonies whereof we ſpeake, had a neceſſarie uſe of avoyding ſcandallqAct. 15, 28. 2. They were expedient for drawing of people unto the faith & order of the Goſpellr1 Cor. 6, 20, 22.: 3. Of Gods owne inſtitution at firſt. 4. No part of worſhip. 5. During a time after Chriſts reſurrection in their nature indifferentsRom: 14 16, Gal. 6 15.. 6. In the uſe of them it was not a holding of conformity with idolaters in their Ceremonies.
Contrary to this is the Hearing in queſtion. For it giveth offence to Brethren, hinders many from entring into Church-eſtate; it hath no other ground but mans invention, it is a ſpeciall part of divine worſhip, in it ſelfe a practice ſinfull and unlawfull, and makes the obſervers like idolaters in their idolatrous actions.
That which next followes, is his Wodden Reaſon of a Croſſe. I will ſert downe his owne words.
To come neerer home,Treat: it is the cuſtome in Popiſh Countries, that all that paſſe by a Croſſe, muſt in honour of it leave it on the right hand, as they may doe, by reaſon of the placing of it, comming or going.tD. Rainold againſt Hart. c: 1, diviſ: 2, pag: 46 Now, if I ride with others that way, I may doe the thing that they doe, and keepe Company with them, and yet not honour the Croſſe.
Anſw. It was a common practice (as a wiſe and learned man obſerves) among young Students, in the time of the Dunſes, that if in diſputation they were brought to an inconvenience, were it never ſo abſurd: they would have a diſtinction, though without braine or ſence.
I will not ſay, that the Trea. diſtinction here is ſenceleſſe, but this I ſay (and will make it good) it is truthleſſe, beſides hurtfull and dangerous.
For to take the things as he layes it downe; that is, there are two wayes to paſſe by a Croſſe, and I know there are in company ſome, who in honour of the idol, will leave it on the right hand; Now in this caſe, if I ſhould ſilently paſſe on that ſide with them, I ſhould offend, yea though I did it, for no other cauſe, but to keepe on with my company.
My reaſons for it are theſe: 1. The practiſing of an indifferent thing, wherein others ſuperſtitiouſly put holineſſe and neceſſity, is an occaſion of confirming and hardning of them in their ſuperſtition. Of this judgement were the German Churches in the Confeſſion of Auſpnrg aHarm. Confeſſ. pag. 222., and Muſculus bLoc. Com. pag. 422., Chyereus cIn Mat. p. 342, 343., Bucanus dLoc. pag. 353. & 332., B. Jewell eDefen. of Apol. p. 386., D. Whitaker fDeſcript. pag. 483., and others.
2. Gods Word chargeth us to avoyd all appearance of evill, and condemnes all ſuch, as with their bodies, and in outward ſhewgLevit. 18. 34. and 19. 19 Exo. 23. 24., give any appearance to idolaters, of conforming themſelves to them in their idolatrous actions; howſoever they doe it not with the ſame minde and intent that the others doe. And this is affirmed by Bucer hCom. in Mat. c. 18. fol. 143. 6., Polanus iIn Ezech. c. 16., Calvin kIn Levit. 19. pag. 207., B. Hooper lƲpon Ionas: Serm. 6. fol. 146., and others.
3.Deu. 14. 1. and 12. 4. 30. 31. Gē. 35. 5. I muſt pleaſe my neighbour to edification*Rom. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 8. 33.. Now marke it, if I yeeld him not due helpe in fitt time and place, whereby to with-hold him from ſinne, I become acceſſarie to the evill he doth, So write The…philact mCom. in Rom. 15., D. Ames nDe conſcien. l. 5. c. 10. p. 282.and others.
4. Here the Proverbe is fulfilled, Silence is conſent, For not only by words, workes and Examples, may a man become partaker of anothers ſinne; Verum etiam ſilentio, & diſſimulatione vel conniventia, communionem poſſimus habere cum aliorum peccatis, ſaith D. Ames in the fore-named place.
Another oDanaeus Comment. in 1 Tim. c. 5. ver. 22. p. 339.thus: Agentes & conſentientes pari paena puniuntur, qui cum furibus pro fures habentur apud Deum.
5. If that paſſage in CalvinpInstit. l. 3. c. 19. Sect. 11. be true, they give offence who doe any thing unſeaſonably, raſhly, and out of order and place, unto the hurt of others: then is not this thing voyd of ſcandall.
6. Diſſimulation is a kinde of deniall of Chriſt. So ſaith Zanchy qPraecept. 3. pag. 554. Tom. 4.And Aquinas rAquin. 2. 2. quaest. 3. art. 1.cals it mendacium in factis. And that this is diſſimulation: the diſcription of that vice will make it evident. For according to Davena… sDeterm. quaect. 7. pag. 40.that is diſſembling, cum aliquis per ſigna factorum contrarium eius ſignificat quod in mente clauſum habet. And theſe reaſons may bee applyed againſt the going with others to an idol-miniſterie, Church, Worſhip, &c, as here unto a Croſſe.
The Treat. goes foreward thus: If I have just and reaſonable cauſe of comming or ſtanding before the Magistrate (to whom I owe civill honour) while he is performing ſome act of idolatrie, in the ſtreets or elſe where; I may upon the ſame ground, goe or ſtand uncovered by him, without just blame.
Anſw. I may ſay (as another ſaid tD. Fulk. Confut. Rhem. on Philip. 2. 10.in a like caſe) vvith ſuch respects, relations, and diſtinctions, all idolatry and will-worſhip may be defended.
It greeves me truely, to ſee his fearefull retyring into the battered workes of the Familiſts: for howſoever he minſeth it, and would make his thread ſomewhat fairer; notwithſtanding their web and warpe is one: for let the doctrine of the Familiſts be peruſed, and it will appeare, it is all one here with the Treatiſers. Men (ſay theyuSee a Booke ſet forth by Edmond Ieſſop. againſt Anabapt.) upon occaſion may be bodily preſent where idolatrie is practiſed; yet ſo, as they loth the ſame, and keep their hearts to God only. So they
What they (by Occaſion) do meane, and he by a juſt and reaſonable cauſe, I know not, neither doe I much deſire to know; but this I know, there can be no reaſon given, that a man ſhould come where idolatry is practiſed, (be the Magiſtrate preſent) and there in any outward ſignes and geſtures doe as the reſt, ſecretly propoſing to himſelfe, not to give any honour to the falſe worſhip, but to the Magiſtrate, to whome he owes civill vvorſhip.
If Namaan had beene of the Treat. judgement, he would not have queſtioned the lawfulnes of going with his maiſter into the Houſe of Rinnon: For he had as juſt and reaſonable a cauſe, as the Treat. I thinke could inſtance. Moreover, he meant only in applying himſelfe in civill ſervice to the King, and had renounced before all ſuperſtitions of the Heathens, ſo that he would not bow in reſpect of the idoll, for he deteſted it with his heart: Notwithſtanding all this, to goe thither, he could not lawfully doe, I ſay upon no termes was it lawfull for him, to doe any civill reverence and honour to the Magiſtrate▪ while he was performing acts of idolatry. And ſo, ſay Calvin aIn 2. King. 5., Martyr bLoc. Cō. p. 199. and 643., Sedelius cCommēt. in 2. King. 5., Bidembachius dId., Zanchy ePraec. 3. p. 536., Muſculus fIn a dial. tranſlated out of French into Engliſh, Virel gGround Rel. l. 2. p. 103., and others.
We are to ſerve God in the ſight of the world, and what wee thinke in our hearts, that ſhould bee written (as it were) and ſeene in our foreheads. But many now a dayes, make no conſcience of diſſembling in Religion, ſo it be for ſome worldly advantage; as that Iewd fellow profeſſeth in the Poet hTeren. in Phorm. Act. 3. Scen. 2., Non pudet vanitatis, minime, dum ad rem.
But ſuch as deſire to walke (… iGal. 2. 13.) with a right foot, cannot indure it. Policarpus kEuſeb. l. 4. c. 15.might have ſaved his life if hee would have diſſembled before the Magiſtrate, but he ſaw it would have beene an appearance of evill, and a diſcouragement to the breathren, and therefore ſpake boldly, Christianus ſum.
Sozemon lHiſt. l. 5.reports that Iulian the Apoſtate calling all his ſouldiers before him, gaue to every one a grain of incenſe to caſt into the fyer, and a peice of gould; they that were chriſtians, having alſo receaved each man his inſence and gould; not vnderſtanding at the firſt that he was performing any act of idolatry, but that the rite tended either to his owne per…onall dignity, or to make ſome ſweet perfume; but hearing-afterwards that this perfume was made unto the idols, they returned every one with his gould againe, gaue it to him, deplored their overſight, though in ſo dooing they endaungered themſelues of martyrdome.
The proteſtant princes of Auguſta, in the daies of Charles 5. could not bee wonne either by faire meanes of foule to ſtand by the Emperour vncovered while he was performing ſom acts of idolatry: For if they would have done ſo, there eſtates, honour, liberty, &c. would have beene granted to them.
I could preduce the examples of many others, who rather then they would come and ſtand by the magiſtrate whilſt he was performing ſome act of idolatry and there bow the knee, or vnc… ver the head and ſuffer both their krees and head to be cut of; and good reaſon too: for ſuch a practice, is the high of deluſion and deph of diſſimulatio: and as onemCalf hill on the Croſſe, fol. 185. truelie ſayth howſoever men flatter themſelves with a hidden opinion yet the evident and apparent worke of capping bowing and kneeling, ſhewes that the heart is unſound, and the dore a meere idolater. Bleſſed is he therefore, that condemneth not himſelfe in the thing he approveth.
In concluſion he ſaith: To apply theſe things to the Objection moved,Treat: ſeeing no other cauſe could reaſonably be conceived of the Kings commaunding ſuch a thing, or of their doing the thing at his commaundement, ſaue the worſhipping of the idoll, in ſo doing they could not have eſcaped the iust plaime of idolatry: But now I have iuſt cauſe more then one of my hearing, and amongst the rest mine edification; & therefore cannot be challenged therein, to appr… of the miniſters state, or ſtanding, beſidee that, as I formerly anſwered here is none idolatrous act performed.
Anſw. 1. Thine owne mouth (ſaith Eliphaz in Iob nChap. 15, 6.condemneth thee, and not I: Yea thine owne lips teſtifie against thee. His application here, is indeed againſt himſelfe: For Jf the 3: Nobles in Daniell, had committed idolatry in falling downe before the idol… (yea howſoever they had not intended to honour it) becauſe it was the knowne and publick intent of the ſetting up of it, to be adored, and the Kings commaundement was that it ſhould be ſo: This being ſo, then it followes, that ſeing falſe churches and falſe miniſters are real idols, ſet up by earthly Princes; & their knowne intent by publick proclimation is, that all people within their dominions ſhould come to them, bow before them, and by outward geſtures approue of them: This I ſay being ſo, the concluſion is (certo certius) not lyable to exception, that whoſoever comes, and bowes before thoſe idols, cannot e…cape the iuſt blame of idolatry, howſoever in himſelfe, hee intendeth no ſuch thing.
And here let it bee obſerved (what wee even now ſaid) if a man performe an action in a ſtate, and of publick nature, he is to be conſidered (in reſpect of himſelfe) as is that ſtate, and according to the publick ordinances: For If the ſtate, bee falſe, and the officer unlawfull, it is familiſme for him to ſay, I knowe this ſtate, is ſet up againſt the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and every commer here to worſhip, according to the conſtitution, is an idolater: but I will have in my ſelfe aſecret meaning from the reſt, and in this regard, I cannot be accounted an approver of the ſtate, or that I doe any worſhip here, as the ſame is publickly eſtabliſhed and intended it ſhould be don.
The learned condenme this, and ſtile it groſſe diſſimulation, and a mocking of God. So Scarpius, oSymphom proph. pag. 238.Caelius, pA little Treat: to all faithfull Chriſt.Hemingius, qIn Ephe. c. 5.Rivetus, rIn Pſa. 16 p. 53, 54.Zanchy, sin Comt; 3, p. 534;Mr. Philpot, tAct. mon. pag; 2002;yea the thing is ſo vile, as a PapiſtuCalled the love of the …oule; hath writen againſt it, a whole treatiſe.
The authors of Pirth aſſembly write thus: Whereſoever the publick intent of a Kirk is to worſhip the ſacrament, every private man following that intent, is formallie an idolater: if his private intent be diverſe from the publick, yet he is ſtill materially & interpretative an idolater.
What they ſay, wee ſay: and heare lies the difference betweene our oppoſites and us. Wee both, grant the publick intent of a falſe Church, is, to have their State, Worſhip, and Governement, approved,x Pag. 49▪ But here is the ods; they ſay, ſeing their private intention, is diverſe from the publick, they are not treſpaſſers with the publick: though in publick they doe the ſame action. We on the contrary affirme, ſeeing the publick intent of the Church, is to honour the idol, every private man following that intent is formably an idolater: if his private intent be diverſe from the publick, yet he is ſtill materially and interpretatiue an idolater.
Iſmenias (as the ſame authors note) ſtoping downe before the king of Perſia,Ibid. to take up a ring, which hee of purpoſe let fall; was not excuſed, becauſe this ſtoping in common vſe, was the adoring of the Kings of Perſia: Let the godly reader conſider of it, take adviſe, and ſpeake his mind.
2. J deny, that any man hath iuſt cauſe to heare (in the way wee ſpeake of) for his edefication. For what he ſaith here, he produceth neither ſcripture nor reaſon, nor any authority but his own; as if his ipſe dixit, like the popes ſentence were penitus definitiua, abſolate difinitiue and to be reſted in: but to vſe his owne wordesaIuſtificat. ſeparat. pag. 47. 48. ſeing he ſoevveth himſelfe barren of Divine authority. I will proofe what I doe deny by theſe reaſons.
1 Whatſoever Chriſt hath thought fitt to teach his Church & the inſtruments & helps whereby, that hath hee fully ſet downe in his wordb2 Timot. 3 16▪ 17. Act. 20. 27. Ioh. 20. 30. 31. 2 Pet. 1. 3.: ſoe that to acknowledge any other meanes of edefication, then ſuch as he hath appointed, is to receiue another Teacher into the Church beſides him, and to confeſſe ſome in perfection in thoſe meanes which he hath ordained for our edefication; this argument is brought againſt the vaine traditions of Rome and England by Gualter c…n Habac. fol. 270., Lavater din 1. Chron. 10. 11., V…ſinus eCatech. par. 3. p. 758. 760., Polanus fPartit. Theol. pag. 83 191▪, Ames g…, the authors of the Abrigement h…, and it holds every way as firme and good in our diſpute.
P. Martyr ſpeakes *…home to this point. For as much as God▪ is most wiſe, he needs not our deviſe for inſtruments to ſtirr up faith in vsus, which thing no tradeſmā in this kind would indure; but would chuſe to himſelfe at his owne pleaſure wha… hee ſhould thinke most fit, &c. How bold are theſe … who w…ll P…aeſcribe to God after What manner and by … ſhall edefie …s. Soe hee.
2 Seeing our diſcourſe … edefication, which Chriſt the onelyonly Teacher of his Church hath appointed, then is it is ſet downe, by the appoſtle in Epheſ: 4. 11. 12. 13. the reaſon is, becauſe Paul there mentioneth all miniſteriall meanes for the perfect and complet building of the Church from the firſt to the laſt: ſoe write, Fenner iSacr. Theol. c. 7, p. 119., Laiton kSyons p. 10., Piſcator lAphoriſm. loc. 20., Cartwright mRepl. 1. to Whitg. p. 85., Beza nin Epheſ. 4, 10., Calvin oinſtit. l 4 c. 1. Sect. 5, Polanus pSyntag. l. 10, & 11., and others.
But … thinke our Oppoſites wil not ſay, that Paul there intendeth this Hearing, as a meanes of our edification: Jf they ſhould, l the Treat: would be againſt them, for hee confeſſeth it is not any perticular ordinance left vsus by Chriſt. Ergo. &c.
3. As Augustine ſaithqMori fame, quā idolothytis veſci. de bono congug. c. 16. it is better to dy with famen, then to eate with Idolothites, Daniell choſe rather to live upon pulſe, then to be fed, with the moſt delicate meats from the kings table, ſeing they were ſuch meat as he ought not to eat. For he knew (as onerOſiand. in Dan. 1. p. 367. writes on the place) Not by the power of the meate, but by Gods divine bleſſing, is the body preſerved: To apply this, ſeeing the Hearing ſtood for,p Pag. 37. is a ſpirituall eating with idolaters: and men cannot receive the food without pollution; Our beſt courſe, is to cōtent our ſelvs with what meanes of edefication, we find in Gods way, be it much or little, I ſay not diſpiſe ‡Zach. 4. 10.the day of ſmall things: and the rather, conſidering, that it is not the meanes, but Gods bleſſing on the meanes, that edefieth vsus.
4: VVhoſoever takes to himſelfe, a practice, which is not grounded on Gods word, and therein is ſtrict, he is juſt overmuch *D. Gouge on Epheſ. 6, 14.and preſumeth bove that which is writen: and this is their caſe who heare unlawfull miniſters for edefication.
5. Jt is not true, that a man being out of the falſe Church, and a viſible member of a true, ſhould bee furthered in the way grace, by returning thither to heare the word. Vpō better ground I may ſay, his grouth in knowledge and ſincerity hereby wilbe hindered, and probably he in time drawne back to his former vomit; or if he eſcape ſhip-wrack this way,Treat. 2. par. 4, p. 78. yet to meet with ſuch heavy terrors of conſcience, as that his time after wilbe ſpent with griefe, and his yeares with ſighing.
And here (chriſtian reader) I thinke fit; to make knowne unto thee,Cartvv. Hom. in Eccleſ. 7, fol. 149. what happened about 7 yeares paſt in England, there was a gentle man of warick ſheir, by name Mr Edward Grefwold, aman very religious, as many beſides my ſelfe can teſtifie: He and I, being boſome Freinds (or to uſe his owne common ſaying o… hearts being as Davids and Ionathans, knitt together) vponupon iuſt cauſe, wee both left the pariſh aſſemblies. He afterward by the meanes of ſome crafty men, was perſwaded vntounto hearing againe: vponupon this he fell into great troble of ſpirit, and could have no feeling aſſurance of any peace with God: remaining thus awhile, at length he ſent a letter by his ſervant vntounto me (the which I have kept a long time by mee) in this letter he largely acknowledgeth his offence, and among other paſſages writes thus: You, ah you are happy: but I by my fall am miſerable and wretched: and for the preſent time, I feele my ſoule to bee no otherwiſe, then if it were in hell: &c, ever ſince I went to their Aſſemblies I have obſerved the Lords hand againſt me: &c, wherefore I beſeech you by the mercices of God, ſet a day apart for mee, and ſeeke the almighty by faſting and praying, that the waterflood over flow mee not: &c. what his refreſhings were after this, J cannot ſay, the report is, that to his changing, he had ſad & ſorrowfull dayes: notwithſtanding I am confident, that his ſoule is with Chriſt in paradiſe. As I am writing this, I thinke of the words in the ProphetsPſal. 119 120. My fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments. He that is wiſe will conſider of theſe things: For as one*Hal. antiq. Rom. l. 11. ſaith providing before is better then repenting afterward.
It is no marvaile that falſe churches by ſome are called Officina ſcelerum, & carnificina ſanctorum, ſhops of wickednes, and chambles of the ſaints; for what can a tender conſcience expect in frequenting them, but indeed, pricks, racks, and tortures. Aquila & Symmachus for the Hebrew Aven, which ſignifieth the falſe ſtate vnderunder Jeroboam, render it in Greeke foreign, an vnprofitable houſe: and well they might for whoſoever goes to ſuch houſes, he may be ſure he ſhall loſe by it. And this is the judgment of Botſach aPrompt. alleg. c. 21, de miniſt., Lutz bIn Evāg; Dom. 8, post pent. p 339., Polanus cIn Ezech. 44▪ pag. 800., Pelargus d, and others. And whereas ſome put difference betweene the Preachers there; as one ſayth e the beſt are the worſt: a Quaeſt. Evang in Mat. 23. Motives to the king and ſtate, Pag. 32.For theſe as evill workers, ſecretly, and by degrees, and with as little noyſe as may bee, ſeeke to keepe people in errour and diſorder.
3. The conſequence of his (therefore) concluſion, no logician can make it good: For he argueth iuſt for all the world, as if one ſhould ſay, Becauſe I goe to the aſſize or ſeſſion for right or to ſchoole for education, therefore I cannot be chalenged therin, to approve of the Iudge, Iuſtice, or maiſter their ſtate or ſtanding: J could goe on thus a tribus ad centum, for there is no end of ſuch abſurdities; the very naming whereof, is anſwere enought.
But to the point, the Treat here yeelds the cauſe; For if a man ſhall heare in a falſe church for edefication; therein he approues directly of the ſtate, For this is a ſure thing (and let it be noted) no adminiſtration performed in a ſtate, and by a power and conſtituted office, can bee ſought,eThere are maine difference betvveene a mans bare preſence in a cōſtituted ſtat…; as beeing there, unavvares, unvvillingly, or by compulſion; & preſence there of purpoſe to partake of the admiſtrations. deſired & receaved, but in ſo doing, the doer (Ipſo facto) really approves of that ſtate, power, and office be the ſame lawfull or unlawfull. And as for any mans ſaying to the contrary, it is ſine capite fabula, a viſion of his own head, and will prove as good as the miracles which Iamnes and Iambres wrought, even meanes to harden his owne heart and ſome others, as they did Pharoahs by doing them.
Laſtly where as hee tels vsus, Hee hath formerlie ſaid here is noe idolatrous act performed, in ſtead of this twice ſodden Coleworth, I looked hee ſhould have alleaged ſome Scriptures from whence this might have beene gathered, or concluded at the leaſt, or brought ſome convincing argument, which might have cleared it, or if none of thoſe, yet that he would have ſhewed ſome authority or author, which had ſoe written or ſpoken; but here is deepe ſilence; and we muſt take all (pro confeſso,) vponupon his bare word; but by his leave, wee purpoſe to try his novelties, and not take them vponupon truſt.
And howſoever I have ſaid enought before in confutation of this, yet I will add a word more, and the rather, becauſe not only is this a main point between vsus, but alſo here is a ground laid, for groſſe idolaters, to iuſtifie their evils by: For If in preaching of the truths of the Goſpel in a falſe Church (ſay by a Pope, a Cardinall, an Arch-biſhop, a Lord-Biſhop, or any other enemy of God) no idolatry be done, then may a mā worſhip God in a way of his own diviſing blameleſſe. We have hitherto been inſtructed, that unto divine worſhip two things are required, matter and manner, Firſt it muſt be a true matter of worſhip, grounded on the word: Secondly done in aright and lawfull manner, order, forme, way, &c. and if either of thoſe be wanting, it cannot be a reſonable ſervice; and of this judgement were Perkins, fJdolat. laſt times, p. 674. 675. laſt volum.Brinſley, gTrue vvatch, p 28.Elton hOn Coloſ. p. 308., Dod, iOn the cōmand. 2.Hieron, kOn Pſa. 51, pag. 4.Bates, lHis booke againſt Ceremonies, p. 191.Trailor, mOn Tit. c. 3. v. 10. p. 715.and others. But according to the Treat: teaching the later here, is (etrivio) of noe vſe at all; for ſo a man preach the truths of the Goſpell he doth no Idolatrous act; although in the mean time he exerciſe an antichriſtian office; hence this muſt follow: viz, ſoe the truth be preached it is no matter whether the preacher bee ſent from Antichriſt, or from Chriſt; nor whether he preach at Dan and Bethell, or at Ieruſalem in the temple. For if the former committ no idolatrous act, hee is then as blamles in his way, as the latter is in his. Better the Treat, had ſpared his words, and lookd better to his anſwere, or eat them both, then to blott paper, and abuſe the reader with ſuch unſound and hurtfall aſſertions.