Golden Apples, Title page – Dedication
GOLDEN APPLES. OR Seaſonable and Serious Counſel from the Sanctuary to the Rulers of the earth, held forth in the Reſolution of ſundry Queſtions, and Caſes of Conſcience about Diviſions, Schiſms, Hereſies, and the Tolleration of them.
Collected out of the Writings of the moſt Orthodox, and judicious Divines, Both Presbyterians, and Independents.
By Sa. Clarke, Paſtor in Bennet Fink.
Qui non prohibet malum cum poteſt, facit.
I have a few things againſt thee, becauſe thou ſuffereſt that woman Jeſabel which calleth her ſelf a Propheteſſe to teach, and to ſeduce my ſervants, &c. Rev. 2.20.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe, for Tho. Underhill at the Blue Anchor in Pauls Church-yard. 1659.
To the Honourable Sir Arthur Heſilrig, Knight, and Baronet. Sir Henry Mildmay, Knight, and Collonel George Thompſon,Eſq
Noble Gentlemen,
I Know that time is very precious with you by reaſon of the multipliplicity of affairs that lie upon your hands: you are come to the Helm of a much ſhaken, and almoſt ſinking ſhip, and the winds, and waves are ſtill boiſterous: there are dangerous rocks, and ſhelves to be avoided, and therefore the greater Art, and Induſtry is required of thoſe that are the ſteerſmen. Yet my humble requeſt to you is, that you will be pleaſed to ſpare ſo much time as to peruſe this little Treatiſe: It will diſcover to you one of the muſt dangerous Rocks, which if not carefully ſhuned will certainly ſplit our ſhip, and endanger all the paſſengers that are imbarked in it. You cannot but be ſenſible of the many Diviſions, and ſubdiviſions that are amongst us; and our Lord Chriſt hath told us in his Word of Truth, That a Kingdom divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand, Mar. 3.24. You cannot but ſee what an inundation of Errors, Hereſies, and Blaſphemies is broken in upon us, and truly it is as evident, that Romes Emiſſaries are both the Fathers, and Nurſes of moſt of theſe Baſtards, and that which they now hope for, and expect from you is, a Boundleſs Tolleration of them, that ſo they may live, and proſper under the ſhadow of your wings: But if you pleaſe to caſt your eies over this book, you ſhall ſee how inconſiſtent ſuch a Tolleration would be with the word of God: how deſtructive both to our Church and State: How dangerous to thoſe that grant it, and pernicious to thoſe that deſire it. You are Political Shepherds, and will you not drive away thoſe wolves that devour the Flock? Magistrates are not only Cuſtodes, but Vindices utriuſque Tabulae, and ſhould they not then take care of the Honor, and Concernments of God, as well as of their own? Is it not their duty to take thoſe Foxes that deſtroy the vines of Chriſt? Can. 2.15. Doth not Paul tell us, That they bear not the ſword in vain, but are the Miniſters of God, and Revengers to execute wrath upon them that do evil? Rom. 13.4. And that Schiſms, and Hereſies are evil: The ſame Apoſtle makes it as clear, when he reckons them up amongſt the works of the fleſh, and joines them with Idolatry, Witchcraft, &c. Gal. 5.20.
I know …hat Politicians give many Rules, and Directions for uphoulding…, and conſerving Kingdoms and Common-wealths: but that of Solomons is beyond all, Prov. 16.12. The Throne is eſtabliſhed by Righteouſneſs: and to take care of Religion, as well as of Righteouſneſs, conduceth much to the proſperity, and Peace of a Nation. Very memorable is that of Aſa: 2 Chron. 14.2. &c. He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: for he took away the Altars of the ſtrange gods, and the high places, and brake down the Images, a…d cut down the groves; and commanded Judah to ſeek the Lord God of their Fathers, and to do the Law, and the Commandment, &c. and then the Kingdom was quiet before him. And chap. 15.3, 5. Iſrael had been for a long ſeaſon without the true God, and without a teaching Prieſt, and without Law; and in thoſe times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Countries, and Nation was deſtroyed of Nation, and City of City: for God did vex them with all adverſity. The like we ſee: Judg 5.8. They choſe new gods (ſaith Deborah) then was War in their Gates. It is ſaid alſo of Jehoſaphat; 2 Chron. 17.6, 10. That his heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord, and that he took away the high places, and groves out of Judah, and then the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdomes of the Lands that were round about Judah, ſo that they made no war againſt Jehoſaphat. I know that common exception againſt theſe Scriptures is, that theſe are Old Teſtament Examples, and therefore not binding, or imitable under the Goſpel; which you ſhall ſee fully anſwered, and ref…ted, if you pleaſe to peruſe this Book. Neither indeed is the New Teſtament any more favourable to a Tolleration of Errors, Schiſms, and Hereſies, then the Old, God being as jealous of his honor now, as he was then, and corruptions in Religion being as deteſtable to him now, as they were then: Hence it is that our Saviour Chriſt, and his Apoſtles give ſo many Caveats to take heed of, and to ſhun falſe Doctrines, and Teachers of them: As Mat. 7.14. Beware of falſe Prophets which come to you in ſheeps cloathing, &c. Mat. 16.6. Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Phariſees, and of the Saduces. Mat. 24.4, 5. Take heed that no man deceive you: For many ſhall come in my name, ſaying, I am Chriſt, and ſhall deceive many. And verſe 11. Many falſe Prophets ſhall ariſe, and ſhall deceive many. So verſe 23, 24. and Rom. 16.17, 18. I beſeech you brethren, mark them which cauſe diviſions, and offences, contrary to the Doctrine that ye have learned, and avoid them; For ſuch ſerve not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but their own belly, and by good words, and fair ſpeeches deceive the hearts of the ſimple. And, 1 Cor. 1.10. &c. how doth he reprove them for their Schiſms, and exhorts them to Ʋnity? And, 1 Cor. 5.7. Purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump. 2 Cor. 6.14, 15.16. What communion hath light with darkneſs? What concord hath Chriſt with Belial? &c. And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? &c. Gal. 1.8, 9. If an Angel from Heaven preach any other Goſpel, then that which we have preached, let him be accurſed, &c. Gal. 5.12. I would they were even cut off that trouble you. Phil. 3.2. Beware of Dogs, beware of evilworkers, beware of the conciſion. 2 Theſ. 3.6. We command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ye with-draw your ſelves from every brother that walketh diſorderly, and not after the traditions which he received of us. 2 Tim. 2, 16, 17. Shun prophane, and vain bablings; for they will increaſe to more ungodlineſs, and their word will eat as doth a Canker, &c. 2 Tim. 4.14, 15. Alexander the Copper-ſmith did me much evil, &c. of whom be thou ware alſo, &c. Tit. 3.10, 11. An Heretick after the firſt, and ſecond admonition reject, knowing that he that is ſuch is ſubverted, and ſinneth, being condemned of himſelf. 2 Pet. 3.17. Seeing ye know theſe things before, beware, leſt being led aſide with the Errors of the wicked, you fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſs. 2 Epiſt. of John 10.11. If there come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your houſe, neither bid him God-ſpeed: for he that bids him God-ſpeed, is partaker of his evil deeds. Rev. 2.2. The Angel of the Church of Epheſus is commended, for that he could not bear with them which were evil: and had tried them which ſaid they were Apoſtles, when they were not, and had found them lyars: As alſo for that verſe 6. He hated the deeds of the Nicholaitans. Rev. 2.14, 15. The Angel of the Church of Pergamos is reproved, and threatned for ſuffering them that held the Doctrine of Balaam, and of the Nicholaitans: And verſe 20. The Angel of the Church of Thyatira is reproved, and threatned for permitting the woman Jeſabel to teach, and to ſeduce gods ſervants, &c. Rev. 3.15, 16. The Angel of Laodicea is reproved for being lukewarm, and neither hot, nor cold: and ſuch are they, (ſaith ar…verend Divine) who grant a Tolleration of divers Religions, whom God will ſpue out of his mouth.Mr. Gabri. Powel.
It were eaſie to bring Arguments againſt ſuch a Tolleration out of the Canons of the first, and beſt Councils, and Writings of the Fathers, as Tertullian, Athanaſius, Auguſtine, Jerom, Gregory Nazianzene, Ambroſe, Chryſoſtom, Irenaeus, Cyprian, &c. As alſo from the Laws, Conſtitutions, Decrees, and Edicts of the beſt Chriſtian Emperors, as Conſtantine the great, Valentinian, Gratian, Theodoſius Maior, Arcadius and Honorius, Theodoſius Minor, Martian, Juſtinian, &c. unto which might be added the Judgement of many forreign Divines that were godly, learned and judicious, beſides our Engliſh Divines mentioned in this Book, and many others that concur with them therein, but that it would ſwell to too great a volumn, and prove tedious to the Readers.
Let me only add this, That ſuch Rulers as impro…e their power againſt ſuch enemies of God, and his Church, ſhall (beſides the Euge of a good conſcience, which is far better then the worlds Plaudite) delight themſelves in the Lord, and raign in the hearts, and affections of all good men. As they do worthily in Ephraca, ſo they ſhall be famous in Bethlehem, Ruth 4.11.
Honourable Sirs, May I not ſay to the ſame purpoſe to you, as Mordecai did to Heſter, Who can tell but that God hath reſerved you for ſuch a time as this? I hope you will improve all your abilities, and intereſts for the decrying of ſuch an intollerable Tolleration, and for the countenancing, and encouraging of the truth, and the Aſſertors of it, which will be your joy, and the rejoycing in that great, and approaching day, when you muſt give up your account to him that is no Reſpecter of perſons, but will render unto every one according to his works. My prayer for you is, That ye may be blameleſs, and harmeleſs, the ſons of God, without Rebuke, in the midſt of a crooked, and perverſe Nation, amongſt whom ye may ſhine as lights in the world; deſiring to be eſteemed, as I am
Devouted to the ſervice of your Faith, From my Study in Thridneedle-ſtreet; May 25. 1659. SA. CLARK.