The Scripture Gospel Defended, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. To moderate M…s … C…nſ…ri…g th… E…r… ….
Rec…cil.
HAving enumerated a Centur… of their Errours, I ſhall next t…ll …ou, how, and why▪ notwithſtanding all theſe groſs Corruptions, you ſhould m…erate, and regulate your Cenſure of the Men, and of other ſuch.
Ortho.
Yo… …av… … ſufficie…tly w…at to think of them, whe… you have told me what they hold; I muſt n…ither judge of the Faith by the Man, …or forbear judging …f the Man by …is Faith. Can any man judge … hardly of men that overthr…w all Religion? They ſ…m to me to be Atheists, Infidels, Anti-Chriſtians, Prophane, and open Enemies of all that is Holy and Good, …ave only the Name of God, a…d Chriſt, and Fr…e Grace, and that Good which they opp…ſe.
This Charact…r of them, I gather from y…ur …wn Words.
I. They deny the only true God, and feign or make us another God: The true God is Holy, and hateth ſin: But they feign a God, who is the maker of ſin; yea, that … his own Son the greateſt ſinner in the World, by m…king all the ſins committed by all the Elect, to be really his ſins, and ſo making him the worſt of men.
II. Yea, whereas Devils can but tempt men to ſin, they feign God to tranſlate our ſins themſelves Eſſentially on Chriſt, and ſo to make him a ſinner that could not be tempted to it.
III. They make us another (pretende…) Chriſt, and ſo deny the true Chriſt, and ſo are Anti-chriſts. The true Chriſt had no ſin, but only became a S…crifice for our ſin; which were laid upon him, no further than to ſuffer for us. But they feign a Chriſt, that was a hater of God, an Atheiſt, a Servant of the Devil, and the greateſt ſinner in all the World, and yet ſinned not himſelf.
IV. They deny G…d dwelling in us as Love, and Chriſt living in us by his Spirit, by feigning us to be never the better for his Grace and inward Operations, as to any furtherance of our Salvation; as if the Life of Chriſt within us, were not ſaving.
V. They deny the great Ends, and uſe of a Savi…ur, to ſave us from Sin, as a means to ſave us from Hell, and as the means of our Glorification; and as a Prophet by his Doctrine and Example, to teach us how to ſeek and obtain the purchaſed Salvation.
VI. They deny the Holy Ghoſt, by denying that his Sanctifying Work and Grace, muſt be eſteemed and uſed as a furtherance of our Salvation: Becauſe Chriſt hath ſaved us by himſelf already.
VII. They d…ny the Goſpel, while they deny it to be the Law or Do…ation of God, which as an Act of Oblivion, is his Inſtrument of our Juſtification and Pardon; our Title to life (for Titulus eſt fundamentum juris;) And as the Inſtrument of our virtual Juſtification.
VIII. They do as Anti-chriſtians, deny Chriſt's Prophetical Offi…e, by which, by Doctrine and Example, he teac…eth us what w… muſt do to be ſaved; And his Kingly Office, by which h… maketh Laws to Rule us, or to Ju…ge us by, as the impoſed term of Life and Death.
IX. They deny the Law of Innocency, and forge another of their own instead of it, which nameth Chriſt as inſtead of us.
X. They hold all the Elect Lawleſs, and ſo no Subjects of Chriſt, while they ſay, they are under no Law.
XI. Hereby they deny God and Chriſt's Government by Law.
XII. They have no humiliation for ſin, and ſay, they have no ſin; for ſince Christ's death, it is none of theirs.
XIII. They hold, that there is no ſuch thing as ſin in the World (of the Elect) becauſe Chriſt took it from them (before they were born or had it;) and he hath none now in Heaven.
XIV. They deny all Juſtification by Faith, and ſay, that it is not by Faith, but by the Object of Faith only.
XV. They make Christ no true Mediator, but ſuch a ſurety as was a party in the Bond with us, a…d ſuffered for his own ſin, and was condemned by that Law of Innocency for us.
XVI. They deny Juſtifying Faith it ſ…lf, while inſtead of it they feign a meer belief that we are Juſtified.
XVII. They harden ungodly men in their damning preſumption, o…trudi…g on them a belief, that they are Elect and Justified, tho' un…odly; and telling th…m, that this is coming out of themſelves to Chriſt, and that they cannot believe this too ſoon; and that Chriſt hath Repented, Believed, and been Holy for them.
XVIII. They di…ectly fight againſt all mens Salvation, by telling them, that they ought to do no Duty inward or outward, as a means of their Salvation, lest it be againſt Chriſt and Free Grace which ſaveth them. And that nothing that they do, can do them any good, nor any ſin, poſſibly can do them any hurt, becauſe they are already perfect, and ſaved only by Chriſt.
XIX. They expoſe Chriſtianity to the ſcorn of Infidels, by telling men, that it conſiſteth in that which every novice in L…gick or Reaſoning, knoweth to be impoſſible; that one mans Sins, and one mans Righteouſneſs, ſhould be made anothers: Not only ſo far as that others partake of the Effects (Chriſt of our ſins in ſufferings, and we of the benefits of his Righteouſneſs) which we all maintain; but that the thing it ſelf, is eſſentially thus transferred: And ſo the Accidents do tranſire a Subjecto in Subjectum: And whereas Sin and Righteouſneſs, are Accidents in the three predicaments of Habit (or Privation) Acts, and Relation, they feign the Habits, Acts, and Relation, of …us deformity of all the Elect, to become in themſelves the Habits, Acts, and R… lati…ns of Chriſt: And the Habits, Acts, and Relations of perfect Rig…teouſneſs in Chriſt, to becom… eſſ…nti…lly the very Ha…its, Acts, and Relati…s of every Perſon Elect.
XX. They do (like the Papiſts that hold Tranſubſt…nti…tion) teach m…n to re…ounce … m… ſ… and reaſon, in believing that no pain, or l…ſs o… Grac…, is a puniſhment (t…' but caſtigatory) t… the Elect, b…cauſe all puniſh…ent is ſuffered by Chriſt. As if C…riſts thre…tning [wh…m I love, I r…e, and chaſten] were a denying …f himſelf.
XXI. T…y deny the very eſſenti…l principle of ſ…lf-…e, w…ile t…y t…h men to do n…thing for their Salvati….
XXII. They co…ſ…que…tly teach men to d… nothing for t…eir Liv…s, H…alth, or any Corporal good; to Pio…, …r So…, or Lab…ur. For if they muſt do nothing for t… go…d … the Soul, much leſs of the Body: Fo… C…riſt is ſuffici…nt f…r b…th.
XXIII. T…ey he…eby, deſt…oy all Preaching, and all … to …hers: For we muſt love others, but as …r ſ…lves; and if we may do nothing as for our o…n …ood, th…n not for any oth…rs.
XXIV. They read in Scri…ture, a…ove Six Hundred T…xts, that ſpeaks of I…herent, and Acted Perſonal Ri…t…ouſn…, j…yned with the pr…miſes of life and G…ds acc…ptance, and threatnings to th…m that have it …t: And yet they by putid Contradictio…, ſay, It is a Rig…teouſneſs that maketh no man Righte…us, t…' …ut in tantum, ſubordinate to the me…us perf…ct Righteouſ…ſs of Christ: And that we are J…tified never the m…re for it, than if we had it not. And ſo it is, as Learning that makes not Learn…d, or li…eneſs that maketh not like, &c. That is, It is Righteouſ…eſs, and no Righteouſneſs.
XXV. T…ey make the Baptiſmal Covenant, and the Lords Supper, to be no Covenanting, or to have no Condition: And yet their own Church-Covenants have Conditions, and are of Works.
XXVI. They deny all the Scripture-promiſes of reward.
XXVII. They deny and reproach Heaven it ſelf, a great part whereof is in the perfection of Holiness, while they make Holineſs here, and the Exerciſe of it to do us no good, or ſave us.
XXVIII. By all this, they would make, 1. The Concord of Chriſtians impoſſible, as if they must agree in all this Errour. 2. They harden Papiſts in contempt and ſcorn of Protestants. And, 3. They notoriouſly militate for the Kingdom of Satan.
And now tell me, whether there were ever damnable Hereticks in the World, if theſe be none?
Reconcil.
Many that hold ſome of the forementioned Errours, yet hold not all the reſt: All ſpeak not ſo groſly, as ſome do. Therefore lay your charge, but where it is due.
And all are not properly Hereticks, that hold the ſame Errour that Hereticks do. If all Errour were Herefy, all men were Hereticks.
Ortho.
But he is a Heretick, who ſubverteth the Fundamentals.
Reconcil.
If he do it directly and knowingly, he is an Infidel: For he is not to be called a Chriſtian, or a Believer, who denyeth any thing Eſſential to Chriſtianity. But you muſt diſtinguiſh between, 1. Denying the Words, and denying the Thing ſignified by them. 2. Between denying Directly, and denying by Conſequence.
1. When Words are uſed in diverſe Sences, he that denyeth them in one Sence, denyeth them not in another: And he that miſtaketh the meaning of a Word, may deny the Word, and yet hold faſt the matter ſignifyed by it And he that ſpeaketh the greateſt Errour in Terms not underſtood, may mean and hold the truth.
2. And Conſequences not diſ…erned, will n… prove a man to be a real Heretick, or one that holdeth not the truth, which by ſuch conſequences he ſubverteth: Therefore all Pa…i…ic…t…s conclude, that Conſequences are not to be charged too far, when not underſtood.
Ortho.
Who k…oweth mens minds but …y th…i… Words? What ev…r they be to God who ſearcheth the heart, they are damnab…e Hereticks in foro Eccleſiaſtico▪
Reco…cil.
I excuſe not the Words which I have largely accuſed: I would ſave others from them, I confeſs it is W…rds that the Church muſt judge of, and judge by. But it muſt be Words as ſignif…cant of the M…tter, and of the Mind of the ſpeaker. And therefore the Church muſt try the ſpeakers meaning by informing and convincing queſtions and explications. I pray you tell me, when you are Catechizing your Pariſhioners (young or old) do you me…t none that in ignorance ſpeak words that ſubvert the Foundation? And yet when you better ſearch their meaning, you may find that they mean better than they ſpeak. I write againſt all their dangerous words, eſpecially to ſave others from being drawn by them to errour, and to Prevent the errour that the Church and Goſpel may receive thereby.
Ortho.
But if they defend them, they are Hereticks: For how elſe ſhall we know whether they deny not Fundamentals?
Rec…ncil.
I will tell you how; Ask him firſt, whether he believe the Fundamental Truth? If he ſay, yea: Ask him whether if he knew that his Conſequence contradicted or ſubverted it, which of the two he would let go? And by that, you may know which it is that he holdeth faſteſt.
For Inſtance, Ask ſuch a one as Dr. Criſpe, whether he would hold that Chriſt was really a ſinner, and God made him ſuch, and the Eſſence of all our ſins were his, and none of ours, if he knew that this were inconſiſtent with the perfection and Office of Chriſt, and the truth of the Goſpel? Ask him whether he would hold that the ſin of the Elect cannot poſſibly do them any hurt; nor any Duty that they do, be any means or help to their Good or Salvation, if he knew that this were contrary to the Goſpel and Free Grace, and tended to mens damnation? Ask him whether he would hold that our inherent and acted Righteouſneſs did not make us ſo far Righteous, and no whit furthered our Juſtification or Salvation, if he knew this were a contradiction, and againſt Chriſt?
Ortho.
By this Rule, we ſhall judge none Hereticks, but Infidels; f…r who will …xpreſly renounce Christianity but they?
Reconcil.
The Word Hereticks, is variouſly uſed as men are inclined: 1. Of all that are ſtiff in any hurtful Errour, againſt ſound Doctrine; and ſo all or moſt Chriſtians are Hereticks. For all have many Errours, and all men are too ſtiff in their own conceits. 2. For thoſe that conſequentially ſubvert Eſſentials.
Ameſius is not ſingular, who ſaith (in Caſ. Conſc.) that Theology is ſo concatenated, that every Errour by conſequence (near or remote) ſubverteth the Foundation. I would except only Genealogies, Chronologies, Topography, Grammar, & ſome Prophecies & Poſitives: But of meer morals it is not improbable.
3. For all that Schiſmatically ſeparate from the Apoſtolical Churches and their Commmunion, and gather Sects to themſelves, for the promoting of their Errors; I provoke you to name to me any Text of Scripture, that calleth any by the reproved Name of Hereticks, that did not ſeparate from the Catholick Church? Though all Schiſmaticks be not Hereticks (for ſome cauſe diviſions in the Church, and yet depart not from it): Yet all Hereticks in …cripture-ſence were Schiſmaticks; for foreign ſignfieth …ot only the chooſing of a new Doctrine, but alſo a new ſeparated Sect and Church, for the promoting of it.
Ortho.
Th…ſe Libertines are generally Separatiſts.
Reconcil.
You are hiſtorically miſtaken: Dr. Criſpe was a Conformiſt himſelf; and ſo have been many hundreds, who have held ſome of the forementioned miſtakes. Have you read Luther on the Galathians? And Aepinus, and Gallus, and Am…ſ…rphi…s, and S…hluſſeloergius, and abundance ſuch Lut…erans, who damn George Major for ſaying, That Good works are neceſſary to Salvation, and that maintained, that they were hurtful to Salvation (tho' no doubt they meant, that confidence in them was hurtful). Have you read Iſlebius, that turned from Antinomianiſm to be a Papist Biſhop, and helpt to rectifie Luther's Phraſe, by calling him to oppoſe him? Have you read Learned Beza himſelf, and many, and many ſuch excellent men, both Calviniſts and Lutherans, of imputed Righteouſneſs, and againſt Imputing Faith for Righteouſneſs, and of the definition of Faith? Till Camero, Pla…eus, Amyraldas, Capellus, Teſtardus, Codurcus, Bloudel, Dallaeus, Drelincourt ſtopt them; and before them Melanchthon, Bucer, and after Cargius, Olevian, Ʋrſine, Parcus, Scultenus, Wendeline, Ludovicus Crocius, Conradus Bergius, Johannes Bergius, Martinius, and ſuch other great Divines ſtopt them in Germany: How many ſpeak indeſenſibly? How many Biſhops and Conformiſts in England, have held, and written unjuſtifiable words about Juſtification? Was Dr. Tully a Non-conformiſt? No, nor Mr. Ro…orough, Mr. Walker, and many ſuch, before the Aſſemblies times.
Though Dr. Gell, Mr. Thorndike, and many ſuch did ill, in inveighing againſt imputed Righteouſ…ſs, in undiſtinguiſhing words; yet too many by a very ill ſence and ſort of it, gave them too much occaſion; which put ſo many Learned, Judicious Divines to explain it, of whom in England the chief were Ant. Wotton, Mr. William Bradſhaw, Mr. Tho. Gataker, Biſhop Davenant, Biſhop Ro…ert Abbot, Mr. William Fenner, and other Zealous Converting Preachers; ſuch as Jo…n Rogers, Tho. Hooker, Tho. Shephard, and the New-England Churches againſt Mrs. Hutchinſon, and Mr Wheeler, that by Mr. Weld publiſhed the Narrative …f the Antinomian Errors; and of the ſtrange Monſters from Mrs. Dyer, and Mrs. Hutchinſon, and her death; and of late, Mr. Benj. Woodbridge, Mr. Tho. Hot…hkis, Mr. Tho. Warren, Mr. Graile, Mr. Jeſſop; but eſpecially Mr. Truman, Mr. Gibbons of Blackfryers, and Dr. Stilling fleet. It is not a thing unknown, that it was not only ſuch as you call Separatiſts, but many Biſhops and Conformiſts, that in oppoſition to Popery, for want of diſtinguiſhing, have ſuch words about Imputation, as encouraged the Antinomians. Therefore you cannot take all as Hereticks in the Scripture-ſence, who hold the ſame Errors.
Ortho.
Then we ſhall not know what H…reſie is, i… men d… not ſegregate themſelves to propagat… it.
Reconcil.
You may know what opinions are pernicious, (or if you will Heretical) when you know not whether the man be a Heretick that owneth them: Even the Heretick Hereticating Papiſts ſay, there muſt be an obſtinacy againſt ſufficient light of evidence. And all ten…tiouſneſs through prejudice, ignorance, or incapacity is not obſtinacy. If your Schollar or Apprentice be ſeven years learning what you teach him, it may not by that be proved obſtinacy.
The word Heretick is uſed as pleaſe the ſpeaker, in various ſences. 1. Some call all Hereticks that obſtinately oppoſe any Opinion (or truth) which the Church determineth to be Believed. 2. Some call all Hereticks that gather any ſegregate Church to maintain or propagate any Error. 3. Some call all Hereticks, who oppoſe any Poi…t eſſentiall to Chriſtianity; though but ignorantly by remote conſequence. 4. Some call thoſe Hereticks, who deny ſome one eſſential Article of Chriſtianity, directly and knowingly, while they own the reſt. 5. And ſome call no…e Hereticks but thoſe that joyn together, the denying of ſome eſſential Arti…le directly or by plain evident conſequence, and gather ſegregate Churches to propagate it, and do this obſtinately againſt ſufficient light: If you will uſe the Name, tell men which of theſe you mean.
Ortho.
Y…u encour…ge Hereſie, by making it ſo hard to know a Heretick: May we not know them by their Doctrin…?
Reconcil.
You may know what is Error, and Heretical, when you know not the man to be an Heretick: do what you can juſtly, to ſave men from their Error, without unjuſt and uncha…itable cenſuring of the perſons. To which end I remember you of the writing of worthy Dr. Fow…, that H…li…eſs is the deſign of Chriſtianity: If then it prove that many of theſe that hold theſe …ad opinions, are men of ſincere Holineſs, then Chriſtianity in them hath reached to its deſign: Now …nd that the moſt of them that I have known, ſeem to me to be perſons of ſerious Holineſs (notwithſtanding their infirmities): They are Zealous towards God; they greatly honour Chriſt; they avoid known Sin; they live juſtly and charitably towards men; yea, it is the Piety and Strictneſs of the lives of many of them, which hath drawn many well-meaning ignorant perſons to their Errors. Bu…nian, an unlearned Antinomian-Anabaptiſt, wrote againſt the foreſaid Book of Dr. F…wler; yet (abating his ſeparation) I never heard that Bunnian was not an honeſt Godly man. If then he attained the deſign of Chriſtianity, was he not a Chriſtian?
Ortho.
Could …e be Godly that ſaid a…d did ſo …u…h againſt the Truth, and ſo much to draw men t… his Errors?
Reconcil.
There is no man without many Errors: And do not all deſire that others ſhould take that for Truth, which they take to be Truth? And how few be there in the world, that embody not with ſome Sect or Faction, for the promoting of their Opinions? And how few that do not over-vilifie and wrong thoſe from whom they differ?
And Bunnians laſt preachings give me hope that he repented of his Errors; for he Zealouſly preached but the common acknowledged doctrine of Chriſt's readineſs to receive and pardon converted ſinners.
Ortho.
But unholy Doctrine will not make men holy, nor coſist therewith.
Reconcil.
1. It is Holy Doctrine, practically received, that maketh them Holy; and that which is Unholy, is received but notionally, and ſo prevaileth not againſt the power of truth. No doub… but falſe unholy Doctrine greatly tendeth to unholineſs of heart and life; Therefore let us all do our beſt to cure it. But it is not the ſharpeſt cenſures, nor the greateſt fierceneſs, or fouleſt words, or puniſhments, that are the right o… wiſeſt way of cure: But t…e cleareſt explication of the Truth, and the moſt loving and meek inſtructing oppoſers, if God peradventure will give them repentance, to the acknowledging of the Truth.
Ortho.
I am ſure General Councils, and H…ath…ns, Biſhops and Emperors alſo of old, were ſevere againſt Hereticks.
Reconcil.
What will you ſay, if I fully prove, that Hereticks themſelves, as ſuch, did not mor… hurt to the Church, than the ſtir and violence uſed againſt them that were accounted ſuch, hath done, and ſtill doth? No, nor ſo much hurt: But what need I more proof of this, than what Popery hath done theſe 800. or 900. years in the World? Did Hereticks ever murder ſo many hundred thouſands as the Papiſts did of the Waldenſ…s, B…hemia…s, French Proteſtants, Dutch, Iriſh, Engl…ſh, Polanders, Hungarians, &c. by Wars, Maſſacres, Inquiſitions, &c.
Ortho.
Thoſe men were not Hereticks, but men falſ…y a…cuſ…d of Hereſie: Why inſtance you in Papiſt Tyrants?
Reconcil.
And who think you will be Judge who ſhall ſuffer as Hereticks? Will it not be thoſe that are uppermoſt, and get greateſt ſtrength? And are thoſe uſually the wiſeſt: Who is the Judge, now in the Turks Dominions? and among Chriſtians? who is Judge in Muſcovy, where Preaching is forbidden?
Ortho.
But it is the Clergy that is the Judge of Hereſie.
Reconcil.
And how ſmall a part of the Earth is ſo happy as to have the major part of the Clergy, wiſe, ſound, honeſt and orthodox? Where's the Clergy ſo powerful as in the Roman Kingdom? And where more erroneous, or more cruel?
Ortho.
But you muſt inſtance in times of the Churches Purity, and not in the time of Anti Chriſts Reign.
Reconcil.
Few of us are agreed, when the time of the Church-Purity ended, from the Apoſtles days; till the Fall of the Pagan Empire, there were great Numbers of Hereticks in the Church; and no Sword was drawn, or deſired, againſt them, by the Churches: And yet all the Number of that time, mentioned by Epiphanius, hurt not the Church, ſo much as the Pride and Contention of the Clergy, even before Diocleſia…s Perſecution, if Euſebius may be believed, lib. 8. c. 1.
And for long time after, the Church abhorred the uſe of the Sword, or Violence, againſt Hereticks: Or elſe Martin had not with ſuch abhorrence, ſeparated from the Biſhops that were for the uſe of the Sword, againſt the Priſcilian Gnoſticks.
And whereas Auſtin is cited as the chief that changed his mind herein, his inſtance is but one, and it is uſually abuſed. 1. It being not againſt Hereſie, but Schiſm, that he writeth: The Donatiſts were Prelatical Zealots, that thought themſelves the greater Number, and ſo called themſelves the Church; for being the ſuppoſed Majority in Africk, and having the trueſt Biſhop, as the Papiſts and ſome Prelatiſts arrogate the Name of the Church on thoſe Accounts: W…at Errour had they more than Cyprian, and all his pious Councils had, ſaving their Factiouſneſs for their own choſen Biſhop.
2. And it was not this Shiſm neither, that Auſtin, was for Violence againſt, but to repreſs Force with Force; for the Donatiſts uſed Murder and Violence.
But come to the Times and Councils that ſuppreſſed Hereticks with the greateſt Zeal. I have nothing herein to ſay againſt the Council of Nice; though ſome good men think that they had done better to tolerate the Eaſter-Day different; yea, and to have done leſs to ſtir up Diſputes about One Subſtance: But do you think Neſtorius did more hurt, by ſaying, That Mary was not to be called, The Mother …f God; but, [The Mother of him who is God,] than was done by baniſhing him? Who was ſo far from being a Sectary, that he was the greateſt Patriarch, and ſo deadly an Enemy to the tolerating of men, called Hereticks, that he began with urging the Emperour to proſecute them; and was juſtly ſo uſed for his Violence, as a Heretick himſelf: And being baniſhed, ſet up ſo great a Party in Syria, and other Countries, to this day, called Neſtorians, as continue the abhorrence of the Council of Calc…don and Epheſus, and the Church of Rome, and the great Diviſions of the Chriſtian Church, Would the tolerating of the accuſed Phraſe have done ſo much Hurt as this?
And did the Biſhops and Councils, that condemned his Adverſaries, Eutiches and Dioſcorus, and baniſhed him that was the ſecond Patriarch of the East, do leſs hurt to the Church, than it would have done, to have patiently inſtructed them in what ſence Chriſt's Nature remained Two, and to have granted, that in other ſence and reſpe…t, they might be called One, as agreeing and united? When now the Eutychian Jacobites, by Dioſcoru… Baniſhment, fill the vaſt Country of A…a…ſia, and many other Countries, in Diviſions from other Churches, and Oppoſition to the Council of Calc…d…n.
And did the Monothelites do ſo much harm, by ſaying, that Chriſt might be ſaid to have but One Will and O…eration, (by Concord, called One) as all the Councils and Biſhops did, by their condemning and proſecuting them, till the Imperial Churches were by it broken all to pieces?
And did the three Words in the Writings of Theodor…t, Ib… and Theodore Mopſueſt, do ſo much hurt, as the Councils that condemned theſe Tri… Capitula did, by woful Diviſions?
Or did they, that Juſtinian called Corrupticolae, do more hurt, than he did, by murdering thouſands, and waſting Aegyp…, and other Countries, by his blind Zeal againſt Hereticks? Surely there is no Compariſon in the hurt.
Epipha…ius himſelf recordeth how much hurt Hereticating Heat did, againſt Audius and others called Hereticks: And Luci…er Calaritanus was made a Heretick, for his inordinate Zeal againſt the Arrians themſelves. And I think few now doubt, but the blind Zeal of Epiphanius himſelf, and of Cyril Alexand; and the Council that condemned Chryſoſtom, as if he were not hot enough againſt Origin, did a great deal more harm than good: And that Atticus and Pr…clus, by their Indulgence to the Joanites, were fain to heal the Wounds that thoſe mens Heats had made. And more than Socrates and Zozomene tell us, that the ſaid Atticus and Proclus did the Church more Service, againſt the Novatians, by Gentleneſs and Liberty, than their Predeceſſors ever did by their zealous Fierceneſs.
The Church hath ſuffered much by Sects and Hereſie, but, I think, much more by the ignorant Tyranical Attempts of ſuppreſſing them, and of ſuch as are falſly accuſed of them.
Ortho.
But the Errours of former Times muſt not ſtop our Zeal againſt Errour, nor reconcile us to Hereſie.
Reconcil.
But why do we not enquire how far, even the godly Orthodox-Miniſters, in theſe times, alſo have been guilty of occaſioning that which they juſtly reprehend?
I have ſeldom obſerved any Hereſie or Errour to riſe up, but what the Orthodox were a culpable Cauſe of: The Chief Riſe of Anabaptiſty hath been by our moſt vile Abu…e of Infant-Baptiſm, 1. Receiving all Infants of Atheiſts and Infidels. 2. And that, on an unproved Title, and on the perfidious Vows and Sponſions of God-fathers and God-mothers, that never owned them, nor intended to perform their Vows. 3. And forceing Miniſters to baptiſe them againſt their Judgments. 4. And worſt of all, inſtead of cauſing them at age, ſolemnly to renew their Chriſtian Covenants, cheating thouſands of ignorant Souls, with a Ceremony, called, Confirmation.
So have the Separatiſts riſen from the Corruptions of the Clergy and Church, and their wicked Lives, and Tyrannical Impoſitions and Perſecutions.
And ſo have theſe Antinomians riſen, firſt, From the Papiſts Falſe Doctrines, about their Good Works; and next, From many godly Proteſtants, ſeldom, and unskilful opening the Myſtery of Redemption and Grace, and preaching almoſt all for Humiliation, and too little of the wonderful Love of God, revealed in Jeſus Chriſt; till Dr. Sibbes and ſuch others, led them into another ſtrein: And, thirdly, by their unskilful Managing the Doctrine and Cont…overſies of Juſtification; till the Breme and French Divines abroad, and Dav…nant, Ant. Wotton, Bradſhaw, Gataker, and ſuch others at home, taught them to ſpeak more diſtinctly and ſolidly, (which Le Blanck hath done above all before him.)
And they, that by Unskilfulneſs have occaſioned other mens Extreams, ſhould not be over-rigorous againſt them.
Enquire into the Temper and Lives of moſt of this ſort of men, among us of late, [even Dr. Criſpe, Lancaſter Town, Walter Cradok, Saltmarſh, Den, Hobſon, and ſuch other] and you will find, that though they had their Temerities and Blemiſhes, they were in the main, Men, far from wicked and prophane Lives; much more, Mr. Walker, Mr. Roborough, Mr. Craudon, Mr. Eyir, blind Mr. Troughlar, Dr. Tully, and ſuch other that came too near them.
I will now inſtance more largely, in one, who, in the Fervour of his Zeal, Preach'd at Pinners-Hall-Lecture, and after printed a zealous ignorant Sermon, againſt ſuch of us, as judge not as confuſedly and erroneouſly as himſelf; when I had avoided Preaching on any ſuch Subject, and Printing what I had long before written on it, leſt I ſhould revive the Strife; and yet he is known to be a worthy vertuous Man.
I will give you yet another Proof, that ſuch may be ſerious godly Men, who Preach a Doctrine, quoad Verba, Heretical or Anti-evangelical. The Renovation of an unſanctified Soul, requireth a Change ſo great, on all our Faculties, as muſt turn a meer natural man into a ſpiritual; and give a man a new End, new Principles, and a new Heart and Life; and this by Divine transforming Influence: But to cure one of theſe Erroneous Men, there needs not ſo a great Renovation, but only the better informing of an ignorant mans Judgment, that was carryed away by Education, Prejudice▪ the Veneration of his chief Teachers, and the weakneſs of his own dull undiſtinguiſhing Mind; yea, perhaps, the Cure of his Ignorance, in Grammar or Logick, in ſome one word, may make him Orthodox.
Could you but get out Prejudice and Ignorance, ſo far, as to teach theſe men but Two or Three Diſtinctions, in all likelihood, it would cure them, E.G.
1. To diſtinguiſh between a Surety antecedent, and ſubſequent.
2. To diſtinguiſh between the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, given or imputed to us in ſe it ſelf, (one mans Accidents made anothers) and his Righteouſneſs given us in its Effects and Benefits, reputed the ſole meritorious Cauſe.
3. Between Juſtification by Efficiency, (principal and inſtrumental) and juſtifying us conſtitutively, (as Matter and Form) juſtifying by Grant in Law, or by Evidence, or by Witneſs, or by an Advocate Defence, or by Judicial deciſive Sentence, or executely; and theſe, as ſuppoſing actual or legal Accuſations.
4. Between the Law or Covenant of Innocency with Adam; the Mediatorial Law or Covenant to Chriſt; the Common Law of Grace, made with Adam and Noah; the Covenant of Preculianity with A…rah…m; the Political Law of Moſ…s to the Jews; and the Law or Covenant of Chriſt, of Grace, of Faith, by which Chriſt doth Govern, and will Judge his viſible Church. Get unſtudied dull heads, but to underſtand theſe four diſtinctions, and you cure them without a new regeneration: And doth not this prove that they are Godly?
To inſtance no more, but in the firſt; an Antecedent Surety is either, 1. A party in the Bond; 2. Or an Inſtrument of the party Bound.
1. If two perſons be bound disjun…tively (this or that) to a Duty or a Penalty, the bond is anſwered if either of them perform it. If the Law to Adam had either ſaid, thou, or Chriſt for thee ſhalt perfectly Obey, ſhalt dreſs the Garden, ſhalt take Eve for thy Wife; or that thou or Chriſt ſhall ſuffer for not doing it; then Chriſt's performance had antecedently freed us from Guilt and Puniſhment.
2. Or if the Law had ſaid or meant, thou ſhalt Obey or Suffer by thy ſelf, or by thy ſubſtitute or p…r alium as a man may pay his debt by his Servant, or appear by his Attourney; then Chriſt's Righteouſneſs or Suffering would have proved us guiltleſs.
But a ſubſequent Surety, who, after the guilt, doth voluntarily, as a Mediator, undertake the diſcharge of the guilty, is no ſtrict or abſolute Repreſentative, but, as a Mediator, purchaſeth the Captive, to receive his Grace on the terms, and to the ends, which by a Law or Covenant of Grace, the Mediator ſhall appoint.