A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 1 · Chapter 9
Chap. IX.
Inference 3. The true Preſervative of puzled Chriſtians, from the Errours of falſe Teachers, who vehemently ſollicite them to their ſeveral parties.
IT is the common out-cry of the World. How ſhall we know which ſide to be on? And who is in the right among ſo many who all with confidence pretend to be in the right?
Anſ. Your Preſervative is obvious and eaſie: but men uſually beſtow more labour and coſt for Error and Hell, than for Truth and Heaven. Pretend not to Faith or knowledge before you have it, and you are the more ſafe. SUSPEND your judgments till you have true evidence to eſtabliſh them. 1. It is only Chriſtians that I am now inſtructing: and if you are Chriſtians you have already received the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity even the Baptiſmal Covenant, the Creed, the Lords Prayer and Decalogue. And I need not tell you that moreover you muſt receive all thoſe Truths in Nature, and Scripture which are ſo plain that all theſe diſſenting ſects of Chriſtians are agreed in them. And when you have all theſe, and faithfully love and practice them, you are ſure to be ſaved, if you do not afterward receive ſome contrary Doctrine which deſtroyeth them. Mark then which is the ſafe Religion. As ſure as the Goſpel is true, he that is meet for Baptiſm before God, is meet for pardon of ſin, and he that truely conſenteth to the Baptiſmal Covenant, and ſo doth dedicate himſelf to God, is made a Member of Chriſt, and is juſtified, and an Heir of Heaven. Your Church Catechiſm ſaith truly of all ſuch, that in Baptiſm each one is made, a Member of Chriſt, a Child of God, and an Heir of Heaven. So that as ſure as the Goſpel is true, every true Baptized Chriſtian whoſe Love and Life doth anſwer that Faith, ſhall certainly be ſaved.
Ask all parties, and few of them but impudent deſigners can deny this. Well then, the Baptiſmal Covenant expounded in the Creed, Lords Prayer and Commandments is your Chriſtian Religion. As a Chriſtian you may and ſhall be ſaved: that a True Chriſtian is ſaved all confeſs. But whether a Papiſt be ſaved is queſtioned by the Proteſtants; and ſo is the Salvation of many other ſects by others. You are ſafe then if you take in nothing to endanger you. And is it not wiſdom then to take heed how you go further, and on what grounds, leſt you over-run your ſafe Religion.
Obj. But then I muſt not be a Proteſtant: For the Papiſts ſay that they cannot be ſaved.
Anſ. A Proteſtant is either one that holdeth to the ancient ſimple Chriſtianity without the Papiſts manifold additions:☞ Or one that poſitively alſo renounceth and oppoſeth thoſe additions. In the firſt ſenſe, a Proteſtant and a meer Chriſtian is all one; and ſo to ſay that a Proteſtant cannot be ſaved is to ſay that a Chriſtian as ſuch cannot be ſaved. If it be the meer name of a Proteſtant that the Papiſt accounteth damnable, tell him that you will not ſtick with him for the name: You are contented with the old name of Chriſtian alone.
But Proteſtantiſm in the ſecond ſenſe is not your Religion, but the Defenſative of your Religion; as flying from the Plague is not my Humanity or Life, but a means to preſerve it. And ſo Proteſtants are of many ſizes: Some oppoſe ſome points, and ſome others, ſome more, ſome leſs, which the Papiſts have brought in:☞ And yet they are not of ſo many Religions.
But whoever condemneth you, if Chriſt ſave you, he doth but condemn himſelf as uncharitable. Chriſtianity is certainly a State of Salvation; but whether Popery be, or whether the Greek Opinions be, or whether this or that difference and ſingularity ſtand with Salvation, is the doubt. Caſt not your ſelf then needleſly into doubt and danger.
Obj. But then you will have us be ſtill but Infants, and to learn no more than our Catechiſms, and not to learn and believe all that God hath revealed in his Word.
Anſ. No ſuch matter. This is the ſum of what I adviſe you to.
1. Hold faſt to your ſimple Chriſtianity as the Certain terms of Salvation.
2. Receive nothing that is againſt it.
3. Learn as much more as ever you can.
4. But take not mens words, nor their plauſible talk for Certifying Evidence: And do not think if you believe a Prieſt, that this is believing God, nor if his Reaſons ſeem plauſible to you, and you are of his Opinion, that this is Divine Knowledge. If you do incline to one mans Opinion more than another, tell him that you incline to his Opinion, but tell him that you take not this for Divine Knowledge or any part of your Religion. If you will needs believe one ſide rather than another, about Church Hiſtory, or the matters of their Parties Intereſt, tell them, I believe you as fallible men; but this is none of my Divine Faith or Religion. To learn to know, is to learn Scientifical Evidence, and not to learn what is another mans Opinions; nor whether they are probable or not; much leſs to read a Councils Decrees, or the Propoſitions of a diſputing Syſteme, and then for the mens ſake, to ſay, This is Orthodox: Nor yet becauſe it hath a taking aſpect. To learn of a Prieſt to believe God is one thing; and to believe him, or his party, Church or Council is another thing. Learn to know as much as you can; and eſpecially to know what God hath revealed to be believed: And learn to believe God as much as you can: And believe all your Teachers and all other men, as far as they are credible in that caſe, with ſuch a humane belief as fallible men may juſtly require. And where Contenders do conſent, ſuſpect them the leſs. But where they give one another the Lie in matters of Fact, try both their Evidences of credibility before you truſt them▪ and then truſt them not beyond that Evidence.
But ſtill difference your Divine Faith and Religion from your Opinion and Humane Faith. And let men ſollicite you never ſo long; take not on you to know or believe till you do; that is, not beyond the Evidence. I do but perſwade you againſt Preſumption and Hypocriſie. Shall I ſay, SUSPEND TILL YOU HAVE TRUE EVIDENCE, and you are ſafe? why if you do not, you will know never the more, nor have ever the more Divine Faith: For I can mean no more than SUSPEND YOUR PRESUMPTIONS, and do not fooliſhly or hypocritically take on you to know what you do not, or to have a Faith which you have not. If you can know truly, do it with fidelity, and be true to the Truth, whoever offer it, or whatever it coſt you. But ſuſpend your Profeſſion or haſty Opinions and Conceits of what you know not.
Obj. But every ſide almoſt tells me that I am damned if I do not believe as they do?
Anſ. 1. By that you may ſee that they are all deceived at leaſt ſave one (which ever it be) while they differ, and yet condemn each other. 2. Thereby they do but give you the greater cauſe to ſuſpect them. For by this ſhall all men know Chriſts Diſciples, if they love one another. Right Chriſtians are not many Maſters, as knowing that themſelves ſhall have the greater condemnation elſe; for in many things we offend all. And the wiſdom which hath envy and ſtrife is not from above, but from beneath, and is earthly, ſenſual and deviliſh, introducing confuſion and every evil work, Jam. 3.1, 15, 16. Chriſts Diſciples judge not, leſt they be judged.
3. By this you may ſee that unleſs you can be of all mens minds, you muſt be damned by the Cenſures of many. And if you can bear it from all the Sects ſave one, why not from that one alſo?
4. But I pray you ask theſe damning Sectaries, Is it believing your Word, and being of your Opinion that will ſave me? Or muſt I alſo know by ſcientifical Evidence that you ſay true, and that God himſelf hath ſaid what you ſay? If he ſay that believing him and his party (though he call it the Church) is enough to ſave you, you have then leſs reaſon to believe him: For unleſs he can undertake himſelf to ſave you, he cannot undertake that believing him ſhall ſave you? If he ſay, God hath promiſed to ſave you if you believe me, believe that when he hath proved it to you.
But if it be Knowledge and Divine Faith which he ſaith muſt ſave you, it is not your believing his Word or Opinion that will help you to that. I would tell ſuch a man, Help me to Knowledge and Faith, by Cogent or Certifying Evidence, and I will learn, and thank you with all my Heart. But till I have it, it is but mocking my ſelf and you to ſay that I have it.
Obj. But the Papiſts herein differ from all other Sects: For they will ſay, That if I believe the Church concerning Divine Revelations, and take all for Divine Revelation which the Church ſaith is ſo, and ſo believe it, then I have a Divine Faith.
Anſ. 1. And is this to you a Certifying Evidence that indeed God revealed it, becauſe their Church ſaith ſo? If their Church agree with Greeks, Armenians, Syrians, Copties, Abaſſines, Proteſtants, and all other Chriſtian Churches, then it will be no part of the conteſt in queſtion; and it is a ſtronger Foundation of the two, to believe it, becauſe all ſay it, than becauſe they ſay it. But if they differ from the reſt, know their proof that their Church can tell Gods mind, and not the reſt of the Chriſtian World. And that about a third part of the Chriſtians in the World have ſuch a promiſe, which all the reſt have not. 2. And how doth their Church know that it is Gods Word? Is it by any certifying Evidence, or by Prophetical Inſpiration? If by Evidence, let it be produced? Is it not revealed to others as well as to them? Muſt not we have a Faith of the ſame kind as the Church hath? If ſo, we muſt believe by the ſame Evidence as that Church believeth. And what is that? It is not their own words: Doth a Pope believe himſelf only? or a Council believe themſelves only? Or hath God ſaid, You ſhall be ſaved if you will believe your ſelves, and believe that I have ſaid all that you ſay I have ſaid? Where is there ſuch a promiſe? But if Pope and Council be not ſaved for believing themſelves, how ſhall I know that I ſhall be ſaved for believing them, and that one kind of Faith ſaveth me, and another them.
I ask it of each particular Biſhop in that Council, Is he ſaved for believing himſelf or the reſt? If no man be ſaved for believing himſelf, why ſhould another be ſaved for believing him? And the Faith of the Council is but the Faith of the Individual Members ſet together.
Obj. But they are ſaved for believing themſelves as conſenters, and not ſingly.
Anſ. All Conſenters know nothing, as Conſenters, but what they know as Individuals. And what is the Evidence by which they know, and are brought to conſent? Muſt not that Evidence convince us alſo?
Obj. But the preſent Church are ſaved for believing not themſelves but the former Church.
Anſ. Then ſo muſt we: It is not the preſent Church then that I muſt believe by a ſaving Faith: But why then was the laſt Age ſaved, and ſo the former? and ſo on to the firſt? Is any thing more evident than that all men muſt be ſaved for Believing God? And that his Word muſt be known to be his Word, by the ſame Evidence by one man and another? And that Evidence I have proved in ſeveral Treatiſes to be another kind of thing, than the Decree of a Pope and his Council.
But if it be not Evidence, but Prophetical Inſpiration and Revelation by which the Council or Church knoweth Gods Word, I will believe them when by Miracles or otherwiſe they prove themſelves to be true Prophets; till then, I ſhall take them for Phanaticks, and hear them as I do the Quakers.
Should I here ſtay to bid you ask them, as before, How you ſhall be ſure that their Council was truly General, and more Authentick and Infallible than the ſecond at Epheſus, or that at Ariminum, or that at Conſtance and Baſil, &c. And whether the more General Diſſent of all the other Chriſtians from them be not of as great Authority as they that are the ſmaller part? and how you ſhall be ſure of that? And alſo how but on the word of a Prieſt you can know all that the Church hath determined? with abundance ſuch Queſtions, of the Meaning of each Council, the ambiguity of words, the Errour of Printers, the forgery of Publiſhers, &c. I ſhould help you to ſee, that ſaying as a Prieſt ſaith, Is not Knowing the thing, nor Believing God.
Stop therefore till you have Evidence: Follow no Party as a Party in the dark: Or if probability incline you more to them than to others, call not this Certainty, Religion, Divine Faith. Thus your Faith will be Faith indeed, Fathering Errours on God, and ſaying that he ſaith what he never ſaid, and forbade or commanded what he doth not, is the moſt direct breach of the third Commandment. To father lies on God, is the taking of his Name in vain.and you will eſcape all that would corrupt and fruſtrate it. The buſineſs is great. God requireth you to refuſe no Light: But withal he chargeth you to believe no falſhood, nor put darkneſs for light: Much leſs to father mens Lies, or Errours, or Conceits on God, and to lay your Salvation on it, that they are all God's Word. How dreadful a thing is this if it prove falſe! Is it not blaſpheming God?
No man in his wits then but a partial deſigner can look that you ſhould make haſte, or go any further than you have aſſuring or convincing Evidence: If you Know that any Sect doth Err, you need no Preſervative: If you do not, tell them, I am ignorant of this matter, I will learn as faſt as I can; not neglecting greater matters; and I will be neither for you, nor againſt you, further than I can know.
And as to the former Objection, of being ſtill Infants, I further anſwer, that as feigned knowledge is no knowledge; ſo Manhood conſiſteth not in being of many uncertain Opinions, no not ſo much in knowing many little controverted things, as in getting a clearer, more affecting powerful practical Knowledge and belief of our Chriſtianity, and the great and ſure things which we know already; and in Love and Obedience practiſing of them. He is the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian who loveth God beſt, and hath moſt Holineſs; and he knoweth God better than any others do.
By this much you may ſee that the world is full of counterfeit Faith, and Knowledge, and Religion; even fancy and belief of men, and their own Opinions, which go under theſe names. One turneth an Anabaptiſt, and another a Separatiſt, and another an Antinomian, and another a Pelagian, and another a Papiſt, when if you try them you ſhall find that they neither underſtand what they turn to, nor what they are againſt: They do but turn to his ſide who hath the beſt advantage to perſwade them, either by inſinuating into their affections, or by plauſible reaſonings; they talk for one Doctrine, and againſt another, when they underſtand neither; much leſs diſcern true Evidence of their truth. And as for the Papiſts, what wonder is it, when their Religion is to believe as the Church believeth? And what the Church believeth, they know not perhaps but by believing a Prieſt: And then though they know not what the Church believeth, ſome ſay they are Catholicks, and others that this Implicite Faith is that in the virtue of which all the Explicite muſt proceed. And if God may but be allowed to be equal herein with their Church, and ſo that all ſhould be ſaved who Implicitely believe that all that he ſaith is true, though they know not what he ſaith at all, then I think few Infidels would periſh, that believe there is a God.
Reader I adviſe thee therefore as thou loveſt thy Soul, 1. Not to neglect or delay any true knowledge that thou canſt attain. 2. But not to be raſh and haſty in judging. 3. Nor to take ſhews and mens opinions, or any thing below a certifying or notifying Evidence of Truth, to make up thy Chriſtian Faith and Knowledge. 4. And till thou ſee ſuch Certain Evidence, ſuſpend, and tell them that ſollicite thee that thou underſtandeſt not the matter, and that thou art neither for them nor againſt them; but wilt yield as ſoon as Truth doth certainly appear to thee.
If an Anabaptiſt perſwade thee, yield to him as ſoon as thou art ſure that God would not have Believers Children now to be Infant-Members of his Church, as well as they were before Chriſts coming; and that the Infants of believing Jews were cut off from their Church State; and that there is any way beſides Baptiſm appointed by Chriſt, for the ſolemn initiating of Church-Members with the reſt which in my Treat. of Baptiſm I have produced.
If thou art ſollicited to renounce Communion with other Churches of Chriſt as unlawful, either becauſe they uſe the Common Prayer and Ceremonies, or becauſe that Miniſters are faulty (if tolerable) or the People undiſciplined, before thou venture thy Soul upon an uncharitable and dividing principle, make ſure firſt that Chriſt hath Commanded it. Try whether thou art ſure that Chriſt ſinned by Communicating ordinarily with the Jewiſh Church and Synagogues, when the corruption of Prieſts, People and worſhip was ſo much worſe than ours? Or whether that be now a ſin to us, which (in the General) Chriſt did then. And whether Pauls compliance, and his precept, Rom. 14. and 15. was an error; And Peters ſeparation, Gal. 2. was not rather to be blamed. With much more the like. Are you ſure that notwithſtanding all this, God would have you avoid Communion with the Churches that in ſuch Forms and Orders differ from you?
So if a Papiſt ſollicite you, yield to him as ſoon as you are Certain that the Church is the body or Church of the Pope, and that none are Chriſtians that are not ſubject to him, and that therefore three or two parts of all the Chriſtian world are unchriſtened; and that when the Roman Emperor made Patriarchs in his own dominion only, and there only called General Councils, all the world muſt now take ſuch as the Churches Heads, and muſt be their Subjects: When you can be ſure that all the ſenſes of all the ſound men in the world, are by a conſtant Miracle deceived, in taking the conſecrated Bread and Wine, to be Bread and Wine indeed, and that it is none: And that the Bread only without the Cup muſt be uſed, though Chriſts Command be equal for both: when you are Certain, truly Certain of theſe and many other ſuch things, then turn Papiſt. If you do it ſooner, you betray your Souls by Pretending to know and believe Gods word, when you do but believe and imbody with a faction.