Independency Not Gods Ordinance, Tract (5 of 5)
All theſe things I deſire the brethren by evident places of the holy Scripture to make good and to confirme, or by any preſident or example to declare to have been practiced either by Chriſt or his bleſſed Apoſtles; for I looke for a law from Chriſt the King of his church, who was as faithful in the houſe of God as Moſes was, and hath not left the ordering and diſpoſing of his church to the will of men, but has commanded the church to heare his voyce, who is the great Paſtor and Biſhop of our ſouls, and the teacher of his church; his Word therefore I look for, for a warrant for the ratifying of all theſe doctrines; and I have good ground and reaſon to demand of them a warrant and authority out of Gods Word for what they both teach and practice; for we are taught by Chriſt the onelyonly Prophet of his church, that they that ſerve God after the precepts of men, offer him a vaine worſhip: and it ſtands with all good reaſon, that if all humane traditions, though of never ſo ancient ſtanding, and of never ſo long antiquity were all caſt out of the church, becauſe they had no footing or ground in Gods Word, that all novelties or new inventions of men (which notwithſtanding are impoſed upon the people as the wayes of God) ſhould be abrogated and nullified and caſt out of the church.
It is recorded in holy writ, Joſhua 9. that the Gibeonites deceived Joſhua and the people of Iſrael, under pretence that they came from a farre country, and for proofe of that they produced their mouldy bread, and their tattered boots & their old ſhooes, and they taking what they ſaid, pro confeſſo, and not conſulting with the mouth of the Lord (as it is fully related in that chapter) were deceived by them, and entred into a League with their enemies: And thus the Papiſts and Prelats, for theſe many hundred yeers, have deluded the world, under pretence of their mouldy antiquities & tattered ragges of traditions, and in all this time they prevailed to miſlead the poore people, becauſe they conſulted not with the mouth of God, nor examined things by the Word of God and the holy Scripture, as the noble Bereans did.
Now whatſoever was written, was written for our inſtruction, upon whom the ends of the world are come; and therefore as it was the errour of the Iſraelites that they received things barely upon report, without conſulting with the mouth of God; and as it was the honour and praiſe of thoſe noble Bereans, that they ſearched the Scriptures to ſee whether the preaching of Paul were according to the holy Scripture: ſo if we ſhall receive theſe new borne truths, theſe new lights, theſe new wayes without conſulting with the living Oracles, we ſhall offend as the Iſraelites did in beleeving the Gibeonites upon their words, and ſhall degenerate and be unlike to thoſe the renowned Bereans, who would not receive Paul's doctrine, though an Apoſtle, without ſearching the Scriptures, whether things were ſo or no, as he taught them: and ſurely now much more ought we to try all things by the Word in theſe erroneous times; whoſoever they be that preach them unto us, and if they be not evidently proved unto us out of the Scriptures, we may not admit of them, for it will be not onelyonly a ſinne, but for our immortall ſhame, to be deluded with novelties, much more than it was our anceſtors diſgrace to be deceived by pretended antiquities.
And therefore it is the duty of every chriſtian ſeriouſly to conſider with themſelves, that theſe are matters of God, and concerne no leſſe than our eternall welfare; and in that regard, we may not call mens wayes, Gods wayes but we are to ſeek for the old wayes, Jer. 6. we are to examine Chriſts and his holy Apoſtles wayes in gathering of churches and making of members, and if we find no footſtep in all Gods Word of theſe new wayes, we ought to relinquiſh them and turne againe into the pathes that God has commanded us to walk in, wherein we ſhall be ſure to find reſt for our ſoules and comfort in life and death and it will be no diſgrace to any to be undeceived; for they are deceived, and that, greatly and dangerouſly, that thinke or beleeve, that any men mortall can ſhew or teach a better way to Heaven, or ſet downe a better way of converting ſoules and of gathering of churches and making of members and of ſetting up Chriſt as King upon his Throne, than that which Chriſt himſelfe and his bleſſed Apoſtles have taught and ſet downe to all poſterity; and from the which rule we ought not to ſwerve, though an Angel from Heaven ſhould teach us otherwiſe, Gal. 1. ver. 8, 9.
When therefore the Miniſters of the church of England follow Chriſts and his Apoſtles way and method in their teaching and for the converting of men, and heare onelyonly the voyce of Chriſt their King, and the chriſtian beleevers through the Kngdome under their miniſtries, doe all faithfully cleave unto the written Word and ſquare both their faith and obedience according to that rule; there is no juſt cauſe why the Independents ſhould proclaime them all enemies of Chriſt and his Kingdome, and ſuch as oppoſe his royalty; and preach up themſelves and their congregations as the onelyonly people of God and his Saints, and account all thoſe that diſſent from them as oppoſers of Chriſts government, telling the people in their Sermons, that they come over from beyond the ſeas, thinking that they would have ſet up Chriſt upon his Throne, and that they would have embraced him for their King, and would have eſtabliſhed his government, and have gone on in a church-way, and have ſet up the wayes of God; but they find it otherwiſe, that they deny and diſclaime and preach againſt Chriſts Kingly government, and perſecute the wayes of the Lord Chriſt; ſo that they can find more favour from moderate Papiſts and common Proteſtants than from them, by which their dealing, ſay the brethren, they have ſo taken off the edge of Gods peoples affection from them, that the Saints and ſervants of God cannot pray for them, proclaiming themſelves the Saints and people of God, as if all the other beleevers through the Kingdome diſſenting from them, in their opinions were no Saints nor people of God.
Nay, they affirme it in their Pulpits and in every Pamphlet, that both Miniſters and people are enemies of Jeſus Chriſt and his Kingdome, and all ſuch as will not joyne with them in their new wayes: And one of them not long ſince affirmed unto me, that the church of England was a Strumpet & an arrant Whore, and that ſhee being once a Whore, could never be preſented unto Chriſt as a chaſte Spouſe: which was an expreſſion not onelyonly uncivill and unbeſeeming a chriſtian, but untrue alſo; for grant ſhee had been ſo, ſhee is now come out of Babylon, and has entred into a publike covenant againſt her; and we read of Juda and Samaria, howſoever they had defiled themſelves and played the Harlots, yet upon their unfained repentance and true faith in Jeſus Chriſt and renewing their covenant publikely of new obedience, were preſented unto Chriſt as a chaſte Spouſe, ſo that what is impoſſible with man is poſſible with God.
But this is the generall opinion of the brethren. and howſoever they will not all of them ſpeak it out in plaine words, as ſome of them doe, yet they preach and practice a ſeparation from all our aſſemblies and congregations, as from a people not to be communicated with, and declare that by their deedes, which they will not as yet publiſh in their writings, nor expreſſe words as he did.
And one of the Independent Miniſters not long ſince, denouncing Gods judgements againſt all thoſe that would not aſſent unto their new wayes, nor light their candles at their new lights, nor embrace their new-borne truths, told them, that by their ſtanding out againſt the wayes of God (for ſo they ſuppoſe theſe are) and by their unkind uſage of the Saints, and perſecuting of them, they would at laſt drive from amongſt them the praying people (meaning themſelves, as if no other prayed but they onelyonly) and then they might look that the judgements of God would ſpeedily come downe upon them, as it happened to the Lutherans in Maydenburge in Germany, who thruſt out all the Calvaniſts out of their Towne, a praying people, and immediatly after, the enemy came upon them with fire and ſword and deſtroyed them all.
With theſe and ſuch like expreſſions are their preachments ſtuffed, and to ſay the truth of many of their Sermons, they are like Taylors cuſhions, conſiſting of a hundred ſeverall ſhreds of various colours, all independent, making a fine ſhew, but comely no where but in a Taylors ſhop: and ſurely ſuch kind of expreſſions as theſe are may beſeem their Pulpits, but no grave and learned honeſt mens; for they have no juſt cauſe to complaine of perſecution amongſt us, it is a calumny; neither deale they chriſtianly with us, to accuſe us that we oppoſe the wayes of God, for we doe not ſo; we onelyonly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints, and againſt the wayes of men, and ſuch as were brought into the Church by the cunning craftineſſe of ſome, and thruſt upon the people as the Lawes and Ordinances and wayes of God, when they are but their owne inventions, and tend to no edification, but to the trouble and diſturbance of Church and State, and ſuch as already have brought a confuſion upon us all, and if the Lord doth not ſpeedily from Heaven ſend his helping hand, we can expect nothing but deſolation, and all from theſe deviſions that their new wayes have brought in, and therefore it is high time for all good chriſtians and ſuch as love the peace of Sion, more exactly to examine all theſe new wayes; and to put them upon the proofe of them.
But that the brethren ſhould complain of perſecution amongſt us, and of evill uſage, it is againſt all reaſon and humanity, and ſheweth little gratitude in them to all the chriſtians both thorow city and country; for if they remember when they came over, though they had deſerted the cauſe when they had moſt need of them, they were more honoured then any of thoſe famous and learned Miniſters that had undergone the labour and heat of the day, and they were preferred before them all, and ſetled in the prime Lectures of the Kingdome, and had more honourable maintainance than was uſually given to any Lectures before them; and therefore they deale not brotherly in none of all their proceedings, nor humanely ſo to aſperſe them as they ordinarily doe both publikely and privately.
I am confident there is not ſuch a preſident in the world of humanity as that ſhewed here to them; it is well known, and their books and practices declare it, that they preach new wayes, newborne truthes, and ſet up new lights: Now where was it ever heard of either in the Chriſtian or Pagan world, that it was ever permitted unto any Miniſters or Preachers to have all the Pulpits in any nation to preach a divers doctrine, to that which is ſet up by authority, and ſuch as tends to make a faction and deviſion amongſt the people? I doe moſt aſſuredly beleeve that there cannot the like preſident be produced.
Amongſt the Heathen, the Jewiſh Religion in many countries was tolerated; but they were confined to their owne Sinagogues, they might not come in the Heathens Pulpits to preach up the Jewiſh worſhip amongſt them or to ſet up another ſervice contrary to the cuſtome of the Nation: It was an abomination to the Egyptians that the Jewes ſhould ſacrifice in their land, they would not have ſuffered them then to have preached up their Religion in all their Pulpits.
In Turkey at this day Chriſtians in many places have the liberty of their conſciences amongſt themſelves, and have their places for worſhip to aſſemble in; but they are not ſo much as permitted to come into their Temples, much leſſe to preach up their Religion in their Pulpits.
In France the Proteſtants are permitted to preach, but it is onelyonly in ſuch places as are appointed for them, they may not preach in popiſh Pulpits, that is not permitted unto them.
In the Low countries there is liberty of conſcience, which they ſo much plead for (of which afterwards) and yet the divers ſects that are there, are not ſuffered to preach out of thoſe places aſſigned unto them, or to preach publikely in any of their Pulpits againſt the Religion eſtabliſhed by authority, neither are they permitted to unchriſtian them or unchurch them, and publikely and in print to proclaime them enemies, of Chriſts government; and if any ſhould dare attempt ſuch a thing, or goe about to diſgrace their Miniſters and church-government, or in the leaſt intrench upon the Mrgiſtrates authority, they would be made fly like lightning before thunder.
And yet the brethren among us have the liberty of all the Pulpits through the Kingdome without controle, and vent all their new wayes and their new-borne truths, and ſet up their new lights without any moleſtation, and have all reſpectfull uſage and the onelyonly eſteem of the people, and are more followed than all our learned, godly and painfull orthodox Miniſters, and yet they cry out of perſecution, and unchurch and unchriſtian us all, and proclaime both Miniſters and people all enemies of Chriſt and his Kingdome, and count of us little better than of Infidels, and keep our children from baptiſme, and debarre us from communion with them, and exerciſe a kind of abſolute lordſhip over all their brethren, ſo as Deotraphes never did the like, nor the Pope more, and yet they cry out of perſecution againſt the Saints, and lay odious aſperſions upon their brethren and fellow-Presbiters, perſwading the people that the presbiterian way will be as bad or worſe than that of the Prelats.
But if we as duly examine the manner of the Independent government, and compare it with the Presbiterian, as we have done the manner of their preaching with theirs, we ſhall find there is little reaſon why they ſhould ſo villipend the Presbiterian and magnifie their owne, and why they ſhould make it ſo hatefull and odious to the people; laying aſide therefore all prejudice, let us examine things with deliberation, and then it will be ſoon evident, that the Presbiterian government is not as bad or worſe than that of the Prelats, nor ſo lordly as that of the Independent government which is alſo Presbyterian, and they as well Presbyters as their brethren.
It is well knowne that the Prelats aſſumed and arrogated unto themſelves to be the onelyonly Paſtors of their Dioceſſes, and ruled all the Miniſters and people under them by their owne authority and ſpoyled all both Minſters and people, and the ſeverall congregations under them of their liberty, and made them all both Miniſters and people their vaſſals and ſlaves, and from whoſe Courts there was no appeale: Whereas the Presbiterian manner of government is not as that of Lords and Maſters over Subjects and Servants, but ſociall as between equals, between brethren, friends and colledges, who all judge and are all judged according to the Word of God, where no congregation is above another congregation, no Miniſter is above another Miniſter, but onelyonly for order-ſake, where every Presbiter is left to enjoy the whole office of a Presbiter, and each congregation to the freedome of a congregation, & what belongs unto them, and they able to performe it, and the claſſes to corroborate and ſtrengthen them.
And if any man be wronged by the Presbitry, he may have the benefit of his appeale, and be cleered by more righteous Judges (a courſe ever followed by the Churches, and agreeable to the light of nature) ſo that I ſay, if men would without a prejudicate opinion weigh and conſider all things, and compare the government of the Prelats with that of the Presbiterian, they would ſpeedily be undeceived. And againe, if they would compare the Presbiterian government dependent with the Presbiterian government independent, they would have more honourable thoughts of the one and a leſſe eſteem of the other; for in the Presbiterian government independent, they exerciſe a kind of abſolute power and ſoveraignty amongſt themſelves in every of their ſeverall Churches or congregations; ſo that if two or three of the Presbiters be malicious or ſelf-will'd, or corrupt or hereticall, as it happens many times, and by their learning or eloquence or great abilities of wit and ſchollerſhip, or by their wealth or power, the congregation perhaps conſiſting of many poore people, and it may be ignorant, who are relieved by them, and whoſe favour they dare not forfeit, if they prevailing with the major part of the congregation (as commonly the poore people are like a company of wild Geeſ, who which way ſoever their leader flyes they all follow) I ſay, if they do once deliver a man to ſatan, and will not by any art of perſwaſion be induced to reverſe their unrighteous ſentence, the innocent and wronged man muſt live under this doome all the dayes of his life without any remedy, and muſt be held by all the Churches of Chriſt (that are after that new modell) to whom their ſentence is given notice of as an excommunicated perſon and ſhun'd accordingly, they have no power to abſolve or help him, and from which he hath no benefit of appeale.
And this that I now ſpeake, there is not any of the brethren that is well verſt in the grounds of that kind of government, that either will or can deny it: And this rigor to my knowledge, both in the low Countries in the ſeverall congregations of the Engliſh there, and in ſome here in England among us was the cauſe of making ſo many ſeverall ſects; for when they were caſt out of one congregation, for ſome particular opinion, in the which they differed from them, the other churches and congregations of the ſame mould and profeſſion could not abſolve them, nor durſt not receive them into church fellowſhip with them, without an atteſtation from the church, out of which they were excommunicated of their chriſtian walking amongſt them, or had given ſatisfaction to that church of which they had been members, and that they would never be brought unto conceiving that the wrong was theirs, who complained as unjuſtly excommunicated, neither would they relinquiſh their opinion, as being perſwaded it was grounded upon the Word of God; whereupon they finding others of their owne opinion joyned themſelves into a new ſociety and congregation, and had a peculiar church by themſelves, and this has been one of the chiefeſt cauſes of all theſe rents and deviſions we now ſee every where; for when they are upon every ſlight occaſion, or for any difference in opinion caſt out then they congregate a new church by themſelves, and turne Paſtors.
The which, bleſſed be God, in the reformed churches of France and Germany, hath not yet been ſeen ſince the firſt reformation; for the governing of Churches by the Common-counſell of their Presbiters, where they find ſuch brotherly dealing, and where they have their appeals upon any conceived wrong or injury, and have right and juſtice done them, makes them willingly ſubmit themſelves to that manner of government, without making rents and ſciſmes: And truly, if things were but maturely weighed, all men would readily perceive that there is no juſt ground of reproach to be laid upon the Presbiters, neither would they ſee any reaſon, why, in way of diſdaine, the Miniſters of the Church of England ſhould be more called Presbiterians than the Independent Miniſters; for they alſo are Presbiterians, and labour to ſet up a presbiterian government as well as the other, and profeſſe in their writings that they contend for the ancient presbitry, ſo that they alſo are presbiterians as well as the other; and if the one be made hatefull and formidable to the people, in the judgement of all ſolid men, the other alſo may be made as odious and hatefull; for if that odium and hatred they bring upon the presbitry, be for the onelyonly feare, they have conceived the Presbiters will lord it too much over them, and that onelyonly I ſay, be the occaſion that ſo terrifies the people from that government; let all men here conſider and compare each kind of presbitry together, both that of the Dependent and that of the Independent; for if the Independent Presbiters in the infancy and very firſt beginning and riſe of their government aſſume unto every ſeverall congregation and presbitry of theirs, an abſolute kind of ſoveraignty and juriſdiction from which there is no appeale, and if they already take upon them to unchurch all Churches but their owne, and proclaime all the Miniſters and people, but thoſe of their owne congregations, profeſt enemies of Chriſts Kingdome; what would they doe if they were once eſtabliſhed by authority in their ſeverall Juriſdictions and Aſſemblies? and if now they will admit of none into their ſeverall Aſſemblies, though never ſo eminent beleevers, but upon their owne conditions, and unleſſe they will be admitted members upon ſuch tearmes as they propound, without either precept or preſident out of the Word of God for their ſo doing (which is the greateſt tyranny of the world) how would theſe men lord it if their government were once eſtabliſhed by Parliament? It is well knowne and can ſufficiently be proved, that godly chriſtians and people of approved integrity and of holy converſation, againſt whom they had no exception either for doctrine or manners, and who offered themſelves to be admitted members upon their owne conditions, and yet were not ſuffered to be joyned members, onelyonly becauſe they were poore; and this very reaſon was given unto them for their not admiſſion, that they would not have their Church over butdened with poore.
And others deſiring that their Children might be baptized in their Congregations, and going to the Miniſters of thoſe Aſſemblies to entreat this favour, that their children might be baptized among them. For anſwer, it was told them; that they could baptize none but ſuch as were infants of their joyned members (which is their practice) and wiſhed them firſt to be made joyned members in one of their Churches: Whereupon they thought that there was no congregation fitter for them to joyne to, than to that Paſtors Aſſembly that had given them this counſell, and therefore applyed themſelves unto him, and deſired that they might be admitted joyned members: for anſwer, it was replyed, that the congregation of which he was Paſtor, conſiſted of great perſonages, Knights, Ladies and rich Merchants, and ſuch people as they being but poore, could not walk ſo ſuitably with them; withall he ſaid, he could doe nothing without the conſent of the Congregation, wherefore he perſwaded them to joyne themſelves to ſome other Congregation among poore people, where they might better walk, and more comfortably in fellowſhip with them, ſo that the laſt news I heard of this buſineſſe, was that the children were neither baptized nor the poore men admitted to be joynt members of that Congregation.
What their Miniſters have done ſince I know not, but I well perceive, it is as great a difficulty for a poore man to get into ſome of their Congregations, as to get into Suttons-Hospitall; and that I conceive to be the onelyonly occaſion that makes ſome walk ſo long in many Congregations before they come to be admitted members, for if they be rich they are ſpeedily received, nay invited to be members.
It is too well knowne, that many godly and holy people have left their native country, and tranſporttd themſelves over into New-England, where this government is ſet up, onelyonly that they might enjoy the Ordinances there in their purity, they were beleevers before they went, and were baptized, and ſuch as were knowne before they went thither to be the deare ſervants of God; but when they came there (eſpecially if they be poore) they make them walk ſome a yeer, ſome more, yea, ſome ſix or ſeven before they can be admitted members of their Congregations, and they baptize none of thoſe children that are borne there before their parents be joyned members; and except they will in all things conforme themſelves to their own conditions, they ſhall never be admitted.
And ſometime the man onelyonly is admitted and his wife left out ſtill to walk, and ſometime the wife is admitted and the man left out ſtill to walk, and both theſe notwithſtanding are beleevers and baptized; and after with a great deale of difficulty, they are admitted to be members, a very ſmall offence will be ſufficient to caſt them out againe, if they be poore. But for ſtories of this nature, I doe not love to multiply them; but I have heard many of this kind from thoſe places, and from ſuch as have been in New-England, and men both then and now no way evilly affected either to the place or people, ſerving God there.
But it is too notorious, they lord it there over Gods poore Clergies in the ſuperlative degree, and every man that has but eyes in his head may ſee it here in England in their congregations, what difference they make between the rich and poore, and that they have the faith, of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in reſpect of perſons, a ſinne in Saint James his time highly blamed in chriſtians, James 2. and as in their carriage towards the poore, they are very lofty, and look for great obſervance and attendance from them whereſoever they come, ſo likewiſe a little thing will diſpleaſe them, if they ſpeak a word amiſſe, it is enough to be caſt out of the Congregation; preſidents of this nature might be brought many: And if all this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies, I know not what it is; to admit of none, though beleevers, and already baptized, but ſuch as will come in upon their owne tearmes, and keep out the poore either altogether, or as long as pleaſeth them, without any other reaſon but becauſe they are poore, and caſt them out againe upon every ſlender occaſion; I ſay, if all this be not a moſt diabolicall tyranny & lording it over Gods Clergies, I referre it to any moderate man to judge of; and if to unchurch all churches but their owne, and at one blaſt to proclaime them all enemies of Chriſt and his Kingdome, and to deny all church-fellowſhip with them, be not more than a Diotrephian, prelaticall and papall authority there was never any in the world, and if this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies, there was never any knowne.
Now I ſay, if the Independent Presbiters doe ſo timely begin their abſolute lording of it, what would they doe if their government were eſtabliſhed by authority? Their miniſtry and government is farre different from that of Chriſt and his holy Prophets and Apoſtles, for they invited all the poore to come in and to buy milk, yea, to come in and buy milk without mony, Iſa. 55.1. and Saint Paul for the encouraging the poore to come in, ſaith, not many mighty not many noble, but the meane and contemptible things hath the Lord made choyce of; intimating unto the poore, that they have as good right to Heaven as the greateſt and chiefeſt; and our Saviour Chriſt ſaith, come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and ye ſhall find reſt unto your ſoules: Our Saviour has no reſpect of perſons, but the poore are with him as acceptable as the rich, if they be weary and heavy laden with their ſinnes; for that is all the condition that Chriſt requires, in all that deſire to be admitted members of his Church.
Now when theſe Presbiters already make ſo great difference between the poore and the rich, and between beleevers and beleevers, as they will admit none but at their owne times, and upon their own conditions, I do conceive that this is a moſt tyrannically lording it over Gods Clergies and inheritance; which when they daily doe it, and the Presbiters of the Church of England doe it not, it is moſt apparent that their rule and domination is more prelaticall and more to be feared than that of the Presbiters of the Church of England; for from the independent Presbiters they can never expect any appeale for reliefe and redreſſe, whatſoever wrong or injury they have ſuſtained by them; and therefore there is no juſt cauſe why any ſhould ſo traduce the Presbitry of the Church of England, as to think they will lord it over the people, from whom they may ever expect farre better meaſure than ever they can from the independent Presbitry, which if it ſhould once be eſtabliſhed, would tend to nothing elſe but to enſlave the whole Kingdome, and to bring in a confuſion upon both Church and State.
But now it will not be amiſſe before the concluſion, as we have compared the Presbiters of the Church of England with the Presbiters independent, both in regard of their doctrine and diſcipline; ſo now likewiſe here to paragonate them together, in their proceedings for the advancement of Chriſts Kingdome, that all men may ſee in that regard alſo, which of their endeavours tend moſt to the advancement of the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, and which of them ought to be preferred before other, and which of them doth more really and truly tend not onelyonly to Gods glory but to the peace alſo of the Church and State: For the Presbiters of the Church of England, they labour and endeavour, as there is but one body, one ſpirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptiſme, one God and Father over all, who is above all, and through all, and one true chriſtian Religion, Eph. 4. ſo that this only may be eſtabliſhed, through the three Kingdomes; and that all erronious wayes of worſhipping and ſerving God, and that tends to lead men to perdition, and make diſturbance in Church and State, may not publikely be tolerated: The Independents on the contary, both publikely and privately, and in all their bitter railing and intolerable pamphlets, as that of the compaſſionate Samaritan, the ſtorming of Antichriſt, and that of the arraignment of perſecution, and in many more of their ſcurrilous writings, plead for a toleration of all Religions (under pretence of liberty of conſcience) whatſoever they be, as Judianſme, Turciſme, Popery, Paganiſme, and all manner of ſects, and for the confirming of this their diabolicall tenent, they bring in the example of the heathen Nations, who ſuffered all Religions amongſt them; and the example of Poland, Tranſſilvania and Holland, thoſe pantheons of all Religions, and tell us of the Parable where Chriſt commanded that the Tares and the Wheat ſhould be ſuffered to grow together till the harveſt, the day of judgement: And uſe or abuſe rather ſome other places of Scripture, which as they conceive make all for a toleration of all Religions.
To all which their pretences, I ſhall at this time briefly anſwer, after I have ſet downe ſome grounds out of holy Scripture, and produced ſome examples of Gods deare children friends and ſervants out of the ſame, which muſt be the warrant of all chriſtians to follow to the end of the world; for whatſoever was written before was written for our learning, 1 Cor. 10. Rom. 15. and by the Word of God, and from the example of Gods ſerants, we are ever taught, that diverſity of Religions amongſt Chriſtians ought not to be tolerated.
And firſt to begin with Abraham, the Father of the faithfull, and his ſeed, whoſe examples, all that are his and their children, oughtto ſet before their eyes for imitation: The Lord called Abraham, as it is in Joſhua 24. out of his Father Terah's houſe, and from his kindred, when they ſerved other Gods, & made a covenant with him, as it is at large ſet downe in the 12. of Geneſis, and in divers other places of the ſame book, and in ſpeciall in the 17. of Geneſis, verſe 1, 2, 3, &c. where the Lord reneweth his covenant with him and his ſeed, and ſets downe the conditions of his covenant with Abraham, which was, that Abraham ſhould walk before him and be perfect, and that then he would be his God al ſufficient to provide for him and protect him whereſoever he came; which covenant the Lord ever kept with Abraham and his ſeed, delivering them out of the hands of all their enemies, when they ſerved him according to the conditions of the covenant, walking uprightly before him (as he will doe to all his children to the end of the world, walking in father Abraham's ſteps) and of Abraham the Lord ſayes this, in the 18. of Geneſis, ver. 17, 18, 19. Shall I hide from Abraham that which I doe, ſeeing that Abraham ſhall become a great and a mighty Nation, and all the Nations of the earth ſhall be bleſſed in him? for I know him, that he will command his children and houſhould after him, that they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, to doe Juſtice and Judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath ſpoken of him, &c.
In theſe words, we have Gods teſtimony of Abraham, in the which he gives this witneſſe of him, that he would command his children and houſhold after him, that they ſhould keep the way of the Lord to doe juſtice and judgement: Then it is manifeſt, that Abraham tolerated neither in his children, nor in his houſhold any Religion contrary unto that that God had taught him, nor ſuffered no Idolatry nor ſects in his family, for this had not been to walk uprightly before God, for it had been unjuſt dealing with God ſo to have done; for Abraham and his ſeed were to walk perfectly and ſincerely before God, and therefore he would never tolerate all Religions or the worſhipping of a falſe God, or the worſhip of the true God after a falſe manner, which alſo is idolatry, for this had not been to doe juſtice and judgement; but Abraham ſet up the true worſhip of God whereſoever he came, as the whole ſtory of his life doth abundantly declare: And ſo did Iſaac after him, and Jacob after him, as in the 33. of Gen. doth appeare, where Iacob ſaid, unto his houſhold and to all that were with him, put away the ſtrange gods that are among you, and be cleane, and change your garments, and let us ariſe and goe up to Bethel, and I will make there an Altar unto God who anſwered me in the day of my diſtreſſe, and was with me in the way which I went; and they gave unto Jacob all the ſtrange gods that were in their hands, and Jacob hid them under the Oake that was at Sechem, and the terrour of God was upon the cities which were round about them, and they did not purſue after the ſonnes of Jacob.
In theſe words we have a preſident for imitation with the fruit and benefit that doth redound to al thoſe people & Nations that ſet up the true worſhip of God, and root out all idolatry and falſe worſhip out of their families & countries; for Iacob gives no toleration in his houſe nor amongſt his people for all Religions, or for any other but that which God himſelfe had appointed; he ſets up the true worſhip of God, and that onelyonly within his Juriſdiction and buries all the Idols, of what price and how rich ſoever they were, and he found the comfort and benefit of this his ſo doing; for the Lord for this his faithfull ſervice, bleſſed him and protected him from the fury of all his provoked enemies; for the terror of God was upon them all, ſo that they durſt not purſue him.
And if we take notice in our reading of the holy Scriptures, we ſhall find and that through the whole Word of God that the Lord ever followed that people and thoſe Kings and governours and their whole Kingdomes and countries with ſpeciall bleſſings and ſingular favours that purged their country from idolatry and all falſe worſhips, and ſtruck a terror into all their enemies round about them; neither did they ever purge their countries from idolatry, and root out idolaters, but the anger of the Lord was preſently appeaſed by it, and it is alwayes recorded to the eternall praiſe and honour of thoſe Kings, Rulers and Judges that were moſt forward in reformation, and that ſet more throughly upon that good work of reformation; and thoſe that did things but to the halves in reformation, have not ſo honourable a teſtimony in holy Scripture as the other: and that God has ever been pleaſed when idolatry has been rooted out, and idolaters put to death, there be many preſidents of it in the Word of God.
Amongſt others, that in the 32. of Exodus, how highly was God diſpleaſed there with the making of that Calfe? and how well was he pleaſed when execution was done upon the contrivers and authors of that idolatry? that place ſufficiently declareth, yea, in the 13. of Deuteronomie, the Lord declaring how much he deteſteth idolatry & all falſe worſhip, giveth a diſpenſation to children for diſobedience to their parents (who by his law they are bound to obey) in Gods matters; ſo that if thoſe of their nigheſt relations ſhould goe about to intice any to idolatry, or to the worſhipping of falſe gods, or the true God in a falſe manner, or ſhould endeavour but to bring in another Riligion than that the Lord had appointed, that then they ſhould bring them forth and have juſtice done againſt them; ſo that God abhorreth that any Religion amongſt his owne people ſhould be tolerated or ſet up beſides that he himſelfe hath commanded; and he had forbid in his law, that any man ſhould make to themſelves any graven Image, or ſet up any way of worſhipping him but that which he himſelfe had ordained and injoyned, and commanded that they that ſhould attempt any ſuch thing ſhould be put to death.
We ſee likewiſe what Joſhua did according to the commandement of God, who ought to be a patterne to all chriſtians, and all chriſtian Magiſtrates, chap. 24. ver. 14.15, 16. Now therefore (ſaith he) fear the Lord and ſerve him in ſincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your Fathers ſerved on the other ſide of the flood and in Egypt, and ſerve ye the Lord; and if it ſeem evill unto you to ſerve the Lord, chooſe you this day whom yee will ſerve, whether the gods which your Fathers ſerved that were on the other ſide of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whoſe land yee dwell; but for me and my houſe we will ſerve the Lord: And the people anſwered and ſaid, God forbid that we ſhould forſake the Lord and ſerve other gods, for the Lord our God is he that brought us up and our Fathers out of the land of Egypt, out of the houſe of bondage, &c.
Here we may obſerve, firſt, that Joſhua injoynes them to ſerve the Lord in ſincerity and in truth, and that they might do that, to put away all their idols; he gives no toleration of all Religions: and the like may be ſaid of Joſhua, Joſ. 24.15. and that they might with the more alacrity yeeld obedience to God's command, he ſets his owne example before their eyes, with his reſolution, which was, that both he and his houſhold would ſerve the Lord onelyonly and ſet up his worſhip, and all the people likewiſe aſſented to doe the ſame, and gave their reaſon why they would ſerve the Lord, and tolerate no other Religion, becauſe ſay they, the Lord hath brought us up out of the land of Aegypt and out of the houſe of bondage and made us his peculiar people, and therefore they reſolved to ſerve him onelyonly, and tolerate no other ſervice amongſt them but that which God himſelfe had commanded and appointed: And this example of Joſhua and the people of Iſrael is left to all the people of God, to all ages for imitation, whoſe duty it is to ſet up the true worſhip of God onelyonly amongſt them, and none but that which Chriſt their Redeemer, King and Law-giver hath injoyned them; and therfore all ſuch as would have all Religions tolerared, do exceedingly forget themſelves, and are highly unthankfull to Chriſt their King and Redeemer.
And if we look into the ſtory of the Judges, the book following that of Joſhua, when this generation was dead, and that they had forgot their covenant, and began to tolerate all religions amongſt them, they brought downe all thoſe plagues upon themſelves by it, that were writen in the law of Moſes; and for no other cauſe, ſaith the holy Scripture, but for that they ſet up thoſe Religions the heathens had ſerved their gods by, as is manifeſt from the ſixth chapter; for when the people cryed unto the Lord becauſe of the Midianites; the Lord ſent a Prophet unto them firſt, who told them that the cauſe of all the judgements was, becauſe they had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord, but had ſerved the gods of the nations which he had forbidden them: and afterwards he ſent an Angel unto Gideon, and commanded him to break downe the Altar af Baal which his father had, and to cut downe the Grove that was by it, and to ſet up an Altar to the Lord: In the firſt place Gideon was enjoyned to root out idolatry, and then to ſet up Gods true worſhip onelyonly; here we find no toleration of any Religion but the true Religion, when they ſet upon the work of reformation and when the men of the City made inquiry after him that had broken down the Altar and cut downe the Grove, and would have put him to death, it is related, that Ioaſh the Father of Gideon ſaid to all that ſtood againſt him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye ſave him? he that will plead for him let him be put to death whiles it is yet morning, if he be a god let him plead for himſelfe, becauſe one hath caſt downe his Altar: Here we find no toleration of Baal's Religion, but that they that would plead for him ſhould be put to death; and ſurely, thoſe that will plead for a toleration of all Religions, doe no leſſe than fight againſt God.
But now let us ſee what Elias did, 1 King. 18. ver. 21. (who was counted as the Chariot and Horſe-men of Iſrael) with Baals Prieſts, and what he ſaid to all thoſe of his times, How long (ſaith he to the people) will ye halt between two Religions? if the Lord be God follow him, but if Baal be God then follow him. The holy Prophet would not admit, of a toleration of all Religions, but when God had miraculonſly manifeſted from Heaven that Elias his Religion was the true Religion, and which God in his holy Word had eſtabliſhed, all Baals Prieſts were put to death, and that by Elias his command, who ſaid, Take the Prophets of Baal let none of them eſcape, and they took them, and Elias took them and brought them downe to the Brook Kiſhon and ſlew them there. And ſo upon all reformations, all other Religions were caſt out but the true Religion, as we may ſee through the whole Scripture, as in the ſtories of the Kings and Chronicles, and thoſe of Nehemiah and Ezra and through all the Prophets; and the Lord in the ſecond of Ieremiah complaineth againſt his people, that they had forſaken the fountaines of living water, that is, they had forſaken the true God and ſerved other gods, and forſaken their maker, and had been more unconſtant than the very Heathen, who had not forſaken their idoll gods, and therefore for this their rebellion and ingratitude, the Prophet denounces all thoſe plagues that were written in the law againſt them, as all the other Prophets did: for there is not any ſinne in all the old Teſtament that the Lord more complaines of than that of idolatry, and the toleration of many Religions amongſt them, as is moſt abundantly ſet downe both in Iſaiah, Ieremiah and Ezekiel, Daniel, and in all the other Prophets, all which were written for our learning, ſo that if the people of God ſhall imitate them in their ſinnes, they muſt look to partake with them in their plagues; for the tolerating of all Religions would be a juſt provoking of the Lord our God to anger now, as it was then. And we have ſad experience already, what the tolerating of the idolatry of the Maſſe, that Dagon of Ginger-bread, hath brought upon us; for God will not be mocked, if God be God, and the chriſtian Religion of the reformed Churches, and which we find in the holy Scriptures, and which was confirmed by ſo many ſignes and wonders, and miracles, be the true religion, than let that and that onelyonly be ſet up amongſt Chriſtians, and no other tolerated, for if they be, they will ſpeedily bring the plagues of God upon the Kingdome, and confuſion upon us all; as we may well perceive by the ſuffering of them but a few yeers, what good effects they will produce: for toleration of all Religions cannot be pleaſing unto God no more in our times, than it was amongſt his ancient people the Jewes, and in the primitive Churches; and therefore all thoſe that plead for a toleration of all Religions are no friends of Chriſt nor lovers of Religion, pretend what they will; for neither Abraham, Iſaac nor Iacob, nor any of the Prophets nor holy men of God would ſuffer it, neither would the Apoſtles ever endure it, but in all their writings give eſpeciall charge to all the people to take heed of all the falſe teachers of their time, and forewarnes them to take heed of them in all ſucceeding ages, ever deſcribing them by their crafty dealings, that they ſhould come in ſheeps cloathing, and in all-ſeeming holineſſe and fained ſimplicity, and therefore that they are the more to be avoyded: And Paul writing to the Galatians, in the fifth chapter, wiſht and deſired that the falſe Teachers were cut off, ſo far were the holy Apoſtles from tolerating all Religions, as in all their Epiſtles they invay againſt them and that continually as falſe Apoſtles and deceivers, and command all chriſtians to receive no other Religion but that which they had taught them, Gal. 1. and bids the people come out of Babylon; and tels them there is no fellowſhip with light and darkneſſe, and ſurely if al the Prophets & Apoſtles did command al the people of God to come out of Babylon, they never gave leave to any Chriſtians to ſet up Babylon amongſt them, and to tolerate the confuſion and mingling together of, all Religions, for this would be a thing not onelyonly againſt the Scripture and revealed will of God, but againſt all ſolid reaſon and ſound judgement.
Nay we ſee that Chriſt himſelfe in writing to the ſeven Churches in Aſia, and in them to all Chriſtians in the world, he blames the Angel of the Church of Pergamus, and that of Thyatira, in the ſecond chapter, in theſe words, To the Angel in the Church of Pergamus, write theſe things, ſaith he that hath the ſharp ſword with two edges, I know thy works and where thou dwelleſt, even where ſatans ſeat is, and thou holdeſt faſt my Name, and haſt not denyed my faith, even in thoſe dayes wherein Antipas my faithfull Martyr, who was ſlaine among you, where ſatan dwelleth: but I have a few things againſt thee, becauſe thou haſt them there that hold the doctrin of Baalam, who taught Baalak to caſt a ſtumbling-block before the children of Iſrael, and to eat things ſacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication: ſo haſt thou them alſo that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate: repent, or elſe I come unto thee quickly, and will ſight againſt thee with the ſword of my mouth. And unto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write, theſe things ſaith the Sonne of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine braſſe, I know thy works and charity and ſervice, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works and the laſt to be more than the firſt; notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee becauſe thou ſuffereſt that woman Jezabel which calleth her ſelfe a propheteſſe to teach and ſeduce my ſervants to commit fornication, and to eat things ſacrificed unto idols, &c. and in the 3. chap. ver. 14. Unto the Angel of the Church of Laodicea write theſe things, ſaith the Amen, the faithfull and true Witneſſe, the beginning of the creation of God, I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot, I would thou were cold or hot; ſo then becauſe thou art lukewarme, and neither cold nor hot, I will ſpew thee out of my mouth, &c.
Out of the which places, it is ſufficiently manifeſt, that it is a thing highly diſpleaſing unto God, that his people ſhould give a toleration of any Religion but that he hath eſtabliſhed and thoſe that labour for a toleration of all Religions muſt needs be lukewarme, neither hot nor cold, which is an evill the Lord is ſo much diſpleaſed with, as he tels them that he will ſpew them out of his mouth; and ſurely there is nothing that ſavours more of licentiouſneſſe and eareleſneſſe in Religion, and want of zeal to Gods glory in any men, than when they would bring in a toleration of all Religions: And many of them can report, that there is no Religion in Holland, where there is a toleration of all Religions, though it is well knowne that there are men in that Country of the native Dutch people, that are as zealous for the true religion as any of them, and are as much deſirous that tolerations of all religions amongſt them were not there permitted, as they now wiſh a toleration of all religions were ſuffered here amongſt us; for they find by experience that it is an occaſion of all prophaneneſſe, and if they ſhould have there the like occaſions of civill combuſtions as we have, through Gods diſpleaſure for our ſinnes and ingratitude towards him, here in England, I am afraid they would find the toleration of all thoſe religions amongſt them, would prove an intolerable thing to them, if not the cauſe of the ruine of their whole Country. The Lord divert his judgements from them, and grant that they may never taſte of the miſeries that we now are acquainted with, but for tolerating of popery and Arminianiſme, and the prelaticall faction and without doubt if the ſuffering but of theſe three has ſo diſpleaſed God, the tolerating of all would give him a juſt cauſe of his more hot indignation.
But now to anſwer to their Objections in order; the Heathens ſay the Independents ſuffered Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and the people of Iſrael where ever they came to exerciſe their owne religion, and tolerated all religions amongſt them. For anſwer, let them take notice, that no thank is due to the heathens for it (as we may ſee in Geneſis, the 12. chap. and the 20 chap. and chap. 26.) but onelyonly the glory of that is to be aſcribed to God who reſtrained them when they intended evill againſt them; for he appeared to ſome of them in viſions, and commanded them not to touch his anointed people, and forbad them to doe his Prophets any harme, and by the ſpeciall bleſſings that he rained downe upon his people, and by his miraculous preſerving of them in fiery furnaces and in Lyons dens, from the fury of Savage-beaſts, & delivering them ſo often out of the hands of all their enemies, he ſtruck ſuch a terror into the heathen nations, that they durſt not oppreſſe his people, ſo that the ſingular providence of God, who watcheth over them alwayes for good, was their ſhield and Buckler; ſo that what they did in tolerating them and their Religion, was not of their good nature, but it was Gods ſpeciall favour towards his owne peculiar people, and for the maintainance of his owne Cauſe, and that Religion which they had learned from him; and therefore thoſe heatheniſh examples are not for Chriſtians imitation to tolerate all Religions, who are bound to obey Gods commandements, and to follow the example of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, and all the holy Prophets and Apoſtles, who all of them have condemned the toleration of all Religions amongſt his people, and have denounced Gods judgements againſt them for ſo doing.
Againe, we muſt conſider the principles of the heathen Philoſophers, and the practice of all wicked godleſſe politicians in all ages; for the Philoſophers, though they were ſufficiently convinced by their naturall reaſon, that there was a God, and that this God was the author of all good, and the puniſher of all evill, and therefore that he ought to be feared and ſerved of all nations and people, yet becauſe they by that naturall light of underſtandding (which was but darkneſſe in them) could not comprehend what that infinite Majeſty and divine being and God-head was, and were not in themſelves able to ſet downe a deſcription of him, nor how to conceive of that inviſible Deity, nor what worſhip would be moſt pleaſing unto him (which they could never doe without God himſelfe had revealed himſelfe unto them as he did to his owne people) they ſerved him after ſome traditions they had received from their fathers, and left all nations, cities and families to ſerve God as they thought beſt, and according to their owne vaine imaginations; and for the Atheiſticall politicians of all ages, all Religions are one to them, who never regard any one more than another, and therefore tolerate all for their owne baſe ends, and think it beſt for the enriching of all their countries (as the experience of all ages and hiſtories can ſufficiently witneſſe) and many of them doe not refraine to ſay, that Religion was onelyonly brought into the world out of policy, and to keep people in awe; ſo that God of his infinite goodneſſe having the ordering of all mens hearts in his hands, did ſo diſpoſe of all things, that by their owne principles they ſhould give toleration of all Religions in their ſeverall countryes and juriſdictions, ſo that his people being ſcattered here and there through other nations by their ſinnes, yet found this favour, that they alſo for the moſt part enjoyed the liberty of their Religion (though they met ſometimes with moſt hot perſecutions) but all this is ever to be aſcribed to God alone (as I ſaid before) and to his over-ſwaying providence and guidance, who ever preſerved thoſe that truſt in him and ſerved him according to his revealed will, though it be in Babylon it ſelfe, and therefore it is not to be attributed to the good nature of the Heathen neither would that toleration now be tolerable in Chriſtians, who have learned Chriſt otherwiſe than to ſet up any Religion but that which he the King and Prophet of his Church hath taught them.
But now I will briefly anſwer to what they pretend out of Scripture, and runne through the ſeverall Objections drawne from thence.
And firſt to begin with that of Joſhua 21. where he ſaith, chooſe you this day whom you will ſerve, &c. In theſe words, by their favour, there is no toleration of many Religions, for he was to follow the law of God, and not to decline from it, neither to the right hand nor to the left, Joſhua 1. and by that law he was forbid to ſuffer or tolerate any Religion but that which Moſes had taught them; and therefore thoſe words were a meere ſcrutiny, and to find out thoſe that were idolaters to puniſh them, as any wiſe governour may at any time make uſe of the like Query, to find out men not well affected to Religion or to their Country, that by this meanes they may be brought to condigne puniſhment: As if now any Officer or Commander, under the Parliament ſhould ſay to a company of men that he were jealous of, being deſirous to diſcover them and find them out chooſe you this day who you will ſerve, whether the King or the Parliament, but for my ſelfe and my houſe we will ſerve the Parliament: would not any by and by gather that he ſpake this onelyonly to find out Malignants to puniſh them? Even ſo Joſhua a wiſe and religious governour did the ſame, not that he over intended to give them a toleration of all religions for that had been againſt the law of God and againſt their owne example for in the 22. of Ioſhua, we read that becauſe the people had built but an Altar on the other ſide of Iordan, they intended forthwith to make war upon them (a preſident to teach chriſtians that they may fight for their religion) and they had gone out to battell againſt them and had deſtroyed them, had they not given a ſatisfactory anſwer that they had no intent to bring in any innovation in religion; and therefore this is but a poor cavill: Now for that they pretend out of Gamaliel's ſpeech, Acts 5. ver. 38, 39. where he ſayth, Refraine from theſe men (ſpeaking of the Apoſtles) and let them alone, for if this counſell or this work be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, leaſt happly ye be found fighters againſt God: Ergo, all Religions are to be tolerated.
This Objection has ſufficiently ſhewn that our brethren the Independents that thus argue, may well be made fellowes of Gotham-Colledge, as knowing not as yet their Primer in polititicks, nor their Catechiſme in divinity: For who knowes not that it is as eaſie with God who is of infinite wiſdome, out of mens fooliſhneſſe to procure ſafety for his owne people, as it was for him, out of Achitaphels wiſdome to bring deſtruction upon himſelfe, and to turne his wiſdome into fooliſhneſſe; for that which Gamaliel ſpake was neither as a wiſe man, nor as a Chriſtian; for he would never be thought a wiſe man that hearing of any commotion in the Kingdome, and had the power in his hands to ſuppres it, ſhould ſay if it be of men it will come to naught, but if it be of God if we ſhal oppoſe it, we ſhal be found fighters againſt God, and therefore let us let them alone; would not all the world think this man a Ninny, that ſhould thus ſpeak, and a man unworthy to ſit in counſell in any State? whereas a wiſe man if he hears of any inſurrection he will forthwith uſe the weapons of his right hand and firſt ſeek God by prayer and in his Ordinances, and then betake himſelfe to the weapons of the left hand and uſe the ſword to ſuppreſſe them, and this man would be thought a wiſe man that ſhould ſo doe, and not he that with Gamaliel ſhould ſay, if it be of men it will come to nought, and ſo let them goe on to doe miſchife: Neither did he anſwer as a chriſtian; for what chriſtian that ſhould heare of any new monſtrous Religion newly printed & newly come forth (as there are many at this day to be ſold about towne and Country for pence apiece) and ſhould underſtand that ſome of thoſe ancient hereſies were againe revived, as that of the Arians, Pelagians, or Neſtorians, ſhould ſay let them alone, for if they be of men they will come to nought, but if they be of God ye cannot overthrow them, leſt you will be found fighters againſt God, and ſo let the ſeducers goe on without queſtioning them, or ſuppreſſing their hereſies; would not every man that hath any feare of God in him ſay, ſurely that man that ſhould thus anſwer, did not ſpeak like a chriſtian? for a good chriſtian like the good Bereans would ſay, come let us ſit downe and examine theſe new doctrines newly brought into the world by the holy Scriptures, and let us follow the example of the Apoſtles, Act. ch. 15. in that aſſembly and ſearch the Scriptures, and if we find them not to be grounded on the Word of God, nor to be of God, let us forthwith as God himſelfe hath commanded, ſuppreſſe them and not ſay, without examining of them, as wiſe Gamaliel let them alone, that was not God's method; for God ſent his people to the law and to the teſtimony, Iſa. 8 and proclaimes that all that ſpeak not according to them, it is becauſe there is no light in them, and that all opinions not grounded on the Word, are but darkneſſe and errour, and therefore they are not to be tolerated or ſuffered; ſo that for any man to gather a toleration of all Religions from Gamaliels ſpeech, is but to prove himſelfe a meere groll; and as little to the purpoſe is that they urge out of the words of our Saviour, Matth. 22. where anſwering the Sadduces, he ſaith, Ye doc erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God, v. 29. From whence the Independent brethren conclude a toleration of all Religions, for our Saviour ſay they, onelyonly convinced them of their errour, and yet tolerated them and ſuffered them to enjoy the liberty of their conſcience.
I have heard many magnifie our Independent brethren for their great learning, ſome affirming that they were ſchollers from their mothers womb, and I for my part beleeve it, for ignorance of God and of his holy Word came with all men from their mothers wombe, and if ſuch interpretations of Scripture and ſuch illations from them, as theſe be proceed not from the ignorance of God and of the Scripture never any did; for what learned man that knowes what Chriſts office was in taking humane nature upon him, when he became a Mediator and the high Prieſt of our redemption, would argue as theſe men doe; eſpecially when Chriſt hath ſo often in holy Scripture profeſſed of himſelf that he came then to ſave thoſe that were loſt, and not to judge the world; for he hath left that imployment till his next comming, when I am moſt aſſured theſe men will have a great deale to anſwer for, for ſo abuſing the holy Scriptures to maintaine their owne baggatellies: Beſides, Chriſt came to keep the law for us, which he himſelfe had given unto his people and took no way the office of a judge upon him, but in ſcourging out the buyers & ſellers out of the Temple that I remember, and ſaith, that he came not to break the bruiſed reed, or quench the ſmoking flax, onelyonly he had declared his lawes unto his people, Malachy the 4. by his ſervant Moſes, and the execution of theſe lawes was put into the hands of the Elders of Iſrael, whoſe place it was to puniſh all ſeducers, and who ſhould have performed that work of juſtice which our Saviour declaring doth not give liberty for the tolerating of all Religions, which was againſt the revealed will of God; and therefore they that will out of this place argue a toleration of all Religions, may as vvell conclude, that Chriſt tolerated adultery and injuſtice, and all manner of vvickedneſſe, becauſe our Saviour Chriſt ſaid unto thoſe that brought the Woman to him, that vvas found in the act of uncleanneſſe, he that is without ſinne amongſt you, let him caſt the firſt ſtone, and vvhen her accuſers vvere gone, ſaid unto the woman, Woman where are thy accuſers, goe thy way and ſinne no more. Ergo, Chriſt gave a toleration for all Adulterers; and when the young man in the 16. of Luke came to our Saviour and complaining of unjuſtice done unto him by his brother, and deſiring him to ſpeak unto his brother that he would divide the inheritance with him, to whom our Saviour anſwered, man, who made me a judge or a divider among you? ergo, Chriſt gave toleration of all injuſtice. And becauſe our Saviour Chriſt ſaid in that Parable of the good ſeed that was ſown and of the tares that ſprung up, that they ſhould let them alone till the harveſt, an argument which they much depend on: Ergo, all wicked men are to be tolerated and no juſtice to be done upon them till Dooms-day, & they are to live without moleſtation, and the Magiſtrate ought not to meddle with them, becauſe Chriſt ſaid, let the good corne and the tares grow together till the harveſt; who would not admire to heare any man thus to argue, that there ſhould be ſuch either folly or wickedneſſe in the heart of man, to abuſe the holy Scriptures for their owne ends? And who knowes not, that it is concluded amongſt all learned men, that Simbolica Theologianon eſt argumentativa; and that the Parable inferres no more, but that it is not for any private man to take upon him the Magiſtrates office, or raſhly to intrude himſelfe into the place of Rulers and Governours: But truly all ſuch conſequences may as well be gathered from every one of the above ſpecified Scriptures, as they gather from our Saviours words to the Sadduces, and from the Parable of Chriſt for the tolerating of all Religions, and therefore all ſuch argumentations as theſe are but poore props to uphold their Tenent: For God-hath given us that are chriſtians both the Law and the Goſpell, by which we ought to be guided in the ſerving of him, and by the which all Chriſtians are directed what courſe to take in the puniſhing of vice, and for the ſuppreſſing of errors and offenders, whether they be delinquents in doctrine or manners: And although chriſtians by the Goſpell are freed from the ceremoniall law, yet we are not freed from the ſubſtance of it; for he that ſaid to the Iſraelites, be ye holy as I am holy, ſaith alſo to all chriſtians, be ye holy as I am holy, 1 Pet. 1: ſo that although the ceremony be aboliſhed, yet the ſubſtance remaineth ſtil in force; and although the rigor of the judiciall law be taken away, and chriſtians are not tied to that manner of adminiſtration of juſtice, yet the equity of that law doth ſtill continue, and righteous judgement is every where amongſt all chriſtians to be executed, and ſatisfaction to be made to all ſuch as have been unjuſtly damnified; and although we are freed from the curſe, malediction and coaction of the morall law, yet we are not freed from the obedience of it; ſo that whatſoever was commanded in it to the Iſraelites, or forbidden them, the ſame is both commanded and forbidden to all chriſtians to the ends of the world, and whatſoever was death by the law of God and nature then, for ought I know, ought to be puniſhed with death now amongſt Chriſtians as blaſphemours, wizards, witches, idolaters, and all ſuch as deſpiſe Moſes law; under the month of two or three witneſſes, if they be people within the pale of the Church, and make profeſſion of the Chriſtian Religion; for Chriſtians have nothing to do with thoſe that are without to judg them except they offend againſt the civill and municipal laws of the country, and againſt the laws of nations & nature when they live amongſt them: for Chriſt came not to change the morall law but to ratifie it in all things. And although the Sabbath be changed in reſpect of the day, yet for the holineſſe of the firſt day of the week (which is the Chriſtians Sabbath) and which is in place of it, I am confident it ought moſt carefully to be obſerved, and that the whole day ought in all ſanctity and holineſſe to be kept, and beſides the fourth Commandement for the ſanctification of a ſeventh day, we have the example of the primitive Chriſtians and bleſſed Apoſtles, who alwayes had their meetings on the firſt day of the week, and ſpent the whole day in the duties of piety and charity; for in the 20. of the Acts we read, that on the firſt day of the week the Diſciples came together to break bread, that was for the hearing of the Word, and for the adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and for the exerciſing of all holy duties and that Paul preached there untill midnight, and that when Euticus was fallen downe with ſleep. Paul reſtored him to life againe to all their comforts; ſo that here we have one preſident, that the whole Lords day was ſpent by all thoſe Chriſtians in the works of piety and charity. Againe in the firſt of the Revelations Saint John ſaith that he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, that is, the firſt day of the week called by Saint John the Lord's day, and there the Angel preached unto him that day, and commanded Saint John to take ſo much of his Sermon by writing, as God in his wiſdome thought fit to reveale unto his Church, and he that ſhall diligently read what is there written, will gather, that the whole day was taken up by Saint John and ſpent in hearing, and writing, and meditating of what he had heard; for without doubt Saint John made it his whole dayes work to be ſpiritually imployed, and as the holy Communion is called the Lord's Supper, and all the time of that action is holily to be imployed, as being ordained by Chriſt himſelfe to that end; even ſo the Lords day being a day dedicated unto Chriſt, and ordained by him for holy duties, and for the hearing of the Word, and for the adminiſtration of the Sacraments and prayer, the whole day ought both privately and publikely to be taken up in the imployments and works of piety and charity, as hearing, reading meditating, prayer, repetition of Sermons in their Families, catechizing and inſtructing their children and ſervants ſinging of Pſalmes, in viſiting the ſick and them that are in priſon, relieving the poore and neceſſitated &c.
Theſe examples of the primitive Chriſtians are for our imitation for ſo Saint Paul in the third of the Phillippians in the 17. verſe ſaith; Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk ſo, as ye have us for an example, for our converſation is in Heaven. And in the 4. chap. ver. 8. he ſaith, Finally brethren, whatſoever things are true, what ſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report; if there be any vertue, if there be any praiſe, think on theſe things: Thoſe things which ye have both learned and received, and heard, and ſeen in me, doe, and the God of peace ſhall be with you. By the which teſtimonies to omit many more, we are tyed to follow the examples of the Apoſtles, and to imitate them in all that is holy and good, and of good report; now it is praiſe worthy and of good report to ſpend the whole Lords day in holy imployments, and we have the Apoſtles examples and the primitive Chriſtians for ſo doing, and therefore we ought to ſpend the whole Lords day in the works of piety and charity; and by this the ſanctifying of the Chriſtian Sabbath, (which is every ſeventh day) is ratified; the prophanation of the which in the reformed Churches, and in many places through theſe three Kingdomes has been one of the cauſes of all thoſe heavy judgements the whole chriſtian world now groanes under, and ſo much more would the Lord be provoked by the toleration of all Religions amongſt us which would give juſt occaſion of violating of all the Commandements of God, and of diſobedience both to God and man; for it is moſt ſure, that the morall law is not altered in any thing for ſubſtance, and that God that by it injoyned but one Religion to the Iſraelites, and commanded them to keep that pure and undefiled, and to puniſh all idolaters, blaſphemers and ſeducers hath injoyned the ſame to all Chriſtians, and hath not ſuffered or permitted them to tolerate all Religions or any ſects or hereſies which by the Apoſtle in the fifth of the Galatians are called the works of the devill; and that they that doe them ſhall not enter into the Kingdome of God. So that thoſe that would bring in a toleration of all Religions, have a deſire to ſend men to the devill.
For the examples of Poland, Tranſſilvania and Holland, they are no preſidents to other Nations, their politick proceedings are no examples for other chriſtian Countries and Nations to follow; for chriſtians are to live by the rule of God's Word, and Chriſt's their Kings lawes, and to follow the examples of his own people only in their wel-doing, and not in their failings; and therfore we are to follow the example of Abraham, Joſhua Elias & the other Patriarchs, Prophets, and holy Apoſtles who never tolerated all Religions. Yea, we are commanded in Romans the 12. not to conforme our ſelves to this world, but that we ſhould be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is the good and the acceptable and perfect will of God. Now when by the Word of God that acceptable and perfect will of his we are taught that he was diſpleaſed with his people the Jewes, for tolerating of all Religions amongſt them, and that he was highly offended with thoſe chriſtian Churches in Aſia for tolerating the doctrines of Balaan and Jezabel, we are ſufficiently taught and inſtructed, that Chriſtians ought not to tolerate any other Religion but that which Chriſt the onelyonly King and Law-giver of his Church hath taught us, and that whoſoever ſhould take that authority upon them to tolerate all Religions, would be found fighters againſt God, and ſuch as deſervedly would bring downe his judgements upon the Land by it; for if but conniving at evill and conſenting to it be a thing diſpleaſing unto God, how would the tolerating of it by a law be abominable unto his ſacred and divine Majeſty? for this were to eſtabliſh iniquity by a law. We are taught in the holy Scriptures, that the conſenting with a theefe makes a man as guilty before God as the acting of theevery, and that they that aſſented unto Jezabel in killing the Prophets, made themſelves all as guilty as Jezabel her ſelfe, and that the Heathen Romans Rom. 1. ver. 32. who knowing the judgement of God (that they which commit ſuch things are worthy of death) not onelyonly doe the ſame but conſent with them that doe them; made themſelves as equally guilty as the actors of them, as Paul in his bill and information put up in the Court of Heaven againſt them ſufficiently declareth; the ſame did Elias in his bill of information againſt the people in his time, accuſing them all as equally guilty of the blood of the Prophets, and deſtroying Religion as Jezabel, and onelyonly becauſe they conſented unto it; They (ſaith Elias) have killed thy Prophets and have broken down thy Altars: Which they? all the people that aſſented unto her, as well as the Officers and Executioners: And ſo our Saviour in his time, accuſeth the people as well as Herod for ſlaying of Iohn the Baptiſt ſaying, They have done to him what ſoever they pleaſed. They, which they? all the Nobles that ſate at table with Herod, that did not diſſwade Herod from that bloody and tyrannicall act, and all the people that liked well of it: the ſinne of this Nation who aſſented unto the bloody decrees and cenſures given in the High-commiſſion-Courts, and in the Star-Chamber, and in all other unjuſt Courts, the people that aſſented unto all their cruell cenſures againſt Gods people and liked well of it, are as equally guilty, who would ordinarily ſay, that had they been Judges they would have done the like, and that they were men worthy of death, which made them (I ſay) as equally guilty as their wicked Judges and Executioners; as we may ſee alſo in thoſe that aſſented unto the High-Prieſts, and to the Scribes and Phariſees in putting to death the Lord of life, they made themſelves all guilty of his blood, and by that meanes brought the curſe of God upon them and their children by it to this day as well as the High-Prieſts themſelves: a fearfull ſinne, though the world take no notice of it, and which all theſe Kingdomes have yet to repent of: Saint Paul alſo makes himſelfe as guilty of Stephen's blood, as they that ſtoned him, ſaying, When the holy Martyr Stephen was ſtoned, I ſtood by and aſſented unto it, and held the garments of thoſe that stoned him: By which he acknowledgeth himſelfe equally guilty, and ſo all thoſe that aſſented to all the cruelty done to the people of God in theſe Kingdomes, and were approvers of their tyranny, are as guilty as the actors of it, for conſenting unto any treaſon or conſpiracy, or with any malefactors, and all their complices, both by the law of God nature and nations, makes them all guilty before God and men, and as liable to juſtice and puniſhment as thoſe that acted in thoſe malefices; and therefore thoſe that but aſſent unto a toleration of all Religions (a ſinne ſo highly diſpleaſing unto God) are as guilty as the actors of it; and if but conſenting make them guilty, how guilty are they then that uſe arguments to bring in a toleration of all Religions, and abuſe the Scriptures to this end, and plead for it, and would have it eſtabliſhed by a law? ſurely they are offenders againſt divine Majeſty in an elevated nature, and have a great deal to anſwer for it before God eſpecially when they doe it in a moſt ſcurrilous and railing manner, by which they manifeſt to all the world that they are more verſt and better acquainted with the doctrine of Billingſgate than with the language of Canaan.
But this may ſeeme a wonderfull thing to all judicious men, that that people which within theſe ſix yeers were afraid of a Surplice & of the croſſe in Baptiſme and of any popiſh ceremony or of any of their vain traditions and wil-worſhip (which was their honour then) ſhould now plead for the toleration of the body and ſoule of popery, and for all other both jewiſh and heatheniſh Religions, and all manner of ſects, ſo deſtructive to that Religion, which the King of Saints and King of Kings, and the onelyonly King of his Church, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe hath taught us, and to the peace and quietneſſe of the Land; this I ſay muſt needs ſeem a monſtrous thing to any moderate minded Chriſtian: Nay, how unreaſonably doe theſe men deale with their brethren? they plead for a toleration of all Religions here in England and yet in New England baniſh men into Iſlands from amongſt them, for diſſenting from them in their new modell of Church government, and for but diſſenting from them in their opinions about Religion; and here amongſt us what impious and railing books doe they make againſt the Miniſters for endeavouring to eſtabliſh that Religion and that church-government that God himſelfe in his holy Word hath ſet down? and what opprobrious names doe they give the faithful and painfull Preachers and Paſtors of the Church of England, calling them Baals Prieſts the profeſt enemies of Jeſus Chriſt & his Kingdome, the limms of Antichriſt, falſe Prophets the brood of Babylon, terming ſome particular men of them Rabſhekes, others Bands, others Black mouthes, legall preachers, and ſtiling all of them the curſed enemies of Jeſus Chriſt, and think of them as men not worthy to live, and in expreſſe words profeſſe it; and yet theſe men plead for a toleration of all Religions, when both by their words and deeds they manifeſt, if it were in their power, the firſt work they would do ſhould be to root us all out of the Kingdome: ſo that all men may ſee, they ſay one thing and meane another, that they would tolerate all Religions, but onelyonly that which is the true Religion, & ſo by that meanes have no Religion at all but one of their own making, which by their new lights they have of late found out, which they call the ſtraight way to Heaven, and the onelyonly way of ſetting up Chriſt upon his Throne, which is nothing elſe, to ſay the truth, but to diſthrone him and ſet up themſelves and their new modell, for who doth not ſee how already they lord it over all good chriſtians, not admitting them to the Sacraments but upon their owne termes, nor ſuffering their children to be baptized amongſt them, nor ſo much as ſuffering any they call Presbiterians to preach in their new congregated Aſſemblies: & if this be to give a toleration of any Religion but their owne, let all the world judge: but I ſay, and will ever by Gods aſſiſtance be able to make it good, in that they plead for a toleration of all Religions, they are as guilty of hainous and ſoule ſinnes being complices, as well as they that are actors.
Now then, when the Presbiters of the Church of England ſeek and endeavour in all their proceedings to eſtabliſh that Religion which Chriſt the King of his Church hath taught them and his bleſſed Apoſtles, and labour to ſet up that government that was ordained in all Churches to be perpetuated to the end of the world; in their ſo doing, they imitate all the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apoſtles, and in that they doe more advance Chriſt's Kingdome than the Independents, who under pretence of liberty of conſcience, would bring in a toleration of all Religions and confuſion upon us all. Surely, if ever any Miniſters deſerved well from the people, the Miniſters of England now doe, who by all their endeavours ſhew that they ſeek to bring them to the knowledge of God and of his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt, and to the knowledge of themſelves which is life eternall: For what could men doe more than that which they have done, who have petitioned the houſe of Lords and Commons now ſitting in the great Counſell of the Kingdome, that they might be armed with authority from them in their ſeverall charges, to have the examination of ſuch as ſhall be admitted to the Sacraments, that they may be rightly informed in the knowledge of thoſe holy Myſteries and that none that are either ignorant or ſcandalous in their lives, may be ſuffered to communicate at the Lord's Table, by which their endeavour, they ſhew the chriſtian care they have of their eternall welfare (for which the people are ever bound unto them) and by the which alſo they take away all ſcandall & occaſion of offence to others which formerly pretended that the cauſe of their ſeparating from our Congregations and Aſſemblies was, in regard they could not communicate with dogs and ſwine, and with the tagragge and bobtaile of all the Malignants; for in ſuch termes they uſually expreſſe themſelves.
Now when the occaſion of this ſcandall and offence is taken away by the care of the Miniſters, and all ſuperſtition and popiſh ceremonies, and all will-worſhip is alſo rooted out, and when the Goſpell is truly and faithfully by them preached, both in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, and the Name of God truly invocated and the Sacraments duly and rightly adminiſtred, what juſt cauſe have the Independents now either of ſeparation or of traducing either Miniſters or people of being enemies of Chriſt and his Kingdome, when by all their endeavours they onelyonly ſeek the advancement of him and his Kingdome amongſt them? I have ſo good an opinion of all moderate minded chriſtians, that when they ſhall ſeriouſly weigh and conſider what I have here writ, and truly and faithfully ſet downe, that thoſe of them that have formerly been alienated from them will again, being now undeceived, returne every one of them to their owne Paſtors, by whoſe miniſtries they have been converted; and that all other underſtanding men will not onelyonly have more charitable thoughts both of the Miniſters and beleevers of the Church of England, but wil likewiſe look more narrowly into, and examine more diligently all thoſe new wayes, and by finding them out, to be indeed but new, will ſeek for the old way and walk in it, which ſhall ever be his prayer that wiſheth that all men may be ſaved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth.