Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Errours in Non-Fundamentals obſtinately holden are puniſhable.
YEe muſt beare one anothers infirmities, and reſtore theſe that fall with the ſpirit of meekneſſe. Gal. 6. 1. and yet not tollerate their errours, and forbear to admoniſh and alſo ſha…ply rebuke them and if need be, the Church and Magiſtrate may proceed to further cenſures, to excommunication and the uſe of the ſword, for juſtice is not contrary to meekneſſe, nor one fruit of the Spirit contrarie to another.Obſtinacie in Ceremonies after full information deſerveth puniſhment. He … ſpareth the rod hateth the childe: yet ſhould not a father be cruell to his childe, nor is his correcting contrarie to fatherly compaſſion, but not correcting is crueltie to and hatred of the childe: and the like we are to think of the puniſhments and cenſures of the Nurſe father of the Church, and of the Church.
There be ſome things of doubtfull diſputations that the weak in knowledge cannot conceive, and yet are to be inſtructed in meekneſſe and received as brethren. Rom. 14. 1. 2. but if theſe ſame weak, after ſufficient inſtruction, when the Ceremonies of Moſes law became deadly and unlawfull (as they were then indifferent) would needs be circumciſed, abſtain from meats, and keep the whole Ceremoniall law, whatever ſhould be ſaid on the contrarie, and would compell others to be circumciſed and pervert the ſouls of many even after the date of the indifferencie of theſe things is expired Paul then is ſo farre from giving place for an hour or betraying Chriſtian libertie Gal. 2. or from bearing with them that he withſtandeth them to their faces, and wiſheth that ſuch as trouble others ſo were cut off and might bear their judgement. Theſe that err in non-fundamentals may deſerve to be puniſhed.Gal. 5. 10. 11. which clearly holdeth forth, what ever the meaning of theſe words be, that Paul though theſe that would teach others they muſt be circumciſed, were worthy to bear their judgement and to be puniſhed for ſo foreign importeth.
And it ſhall be a work of difficultie to prove that to be circumciſed was neceſſary to ſalvation, and theſe that ſo taught Act. To teach the neceſſity of circumciſion not an error formally and primarily; but by conſequence fundamentall and the contrary truth not neceſſarie neceſſitate medij.15. and Gal. chap. 5. did teach an errour of it ſelf fundamentall and that ſubverted the faith: who ever then would be circumciſed fell from Chriſt Gal. 5. as Paul ſaith, but that was by conſequence, ſure it was not an errour, in terminis fundamentall, as this, Chriſt is not the Saviour of mankinde, onelyonly it was an errour that by conſequence ſubverted the foundation, and was a falling from Chriſt by conſequence, and a comming again under the debt of the whole law, and of ſalvation by the law, which was ever impoſſible, and to ſay it was neceſſary to ſalvation, neceſſitate medij, ſo as all the Galathians who received Chriſt and the Goſpel and would have plucked out their eyes for Paul, who died ignorant of this point (who ever will now be circumciſed is fallen from Chriſt) were eternally damned, and dyed out of Chriſt is a groundleſſe ſaying: there was a glorious Church in Galatia before Paul wrote that epiſtle to them, for he wrote it upon occaſion of their being ſeduced, who were made believe the neceſſitie of circumciſion, and it is clear Paul would not have written that of circumciſion, if that errour had not been ſowen among them by falſe teachers, if therefore ſuch as were made beleive that had not beene bewitched to believe the neceſſitie of Ceremonies for juſtification, they being in Chriſt, ſhould have been ſaved by faith, though this controverſie in terminis had never come to their ears: whither are believers juſtified by faith onelyonly, or muſt they alſo be circumciſed and keep the Law? that they may be juſtified and ſaved. And ſure many are now in our dayes (which is more) glorified, who never knew, but onelyonly virtually, and implicitely, that to be circumciſed, or to keep Jewiſh dayes is not neceſſary to juſtified perſons, yea ſure many in Britaine are ſaved who never knew this fundamentall truth. 2. Act. 15. it is cleare that ſome taught the brethren, except ye be circumciſed after the manner of Moſes, ye cannot be ſaved: the contrary truth is no expreſſe fundamentall truth, becauſe a fundamentall truth expreſſely neceſſary is ſo neceſſary (neceſſitate medij) as without the knowledge thereof we cannot be ſaved. Now theſe teachers knew that the Apoſtles and Elders and Saints at at Jeruſalem were not circumciſed ſo, and they knew believing Gentiles were not circumciſed at all, and yet they knew the Apoſtles were not damned, they knew all children dying before the eight day were not damned, they muſt then hold that Circumciſion was onelyonly neceſſary to ſalvation, by way of precept: and the brethren that believed and ſo if they had dyed in that ſtate had undeniably been ſaved, were ignorant of this; and v. 7. there was much diſputing among believers yea among the Apoſtles who were not ignorant of fundamentals: and undoubtedly had ſaving faith long before, Math. 16. 17. 18. till James fully determined the queſtion from the word of God. v. 13, 14, 15, 16. then it is moſt clear that theſe that erre in other points that are not fundamentals in which all Chriſtians agree may be perverters of ſouls and ſo deſerve to be rebuked by the Church and puniſhed. 3. This opinion of ſo … ring all, ſave ſuch as erre in fundamentals, though they … non fundamentals is grounded upon this, that the Scripture is evidently plain and clear in fundamentals,The tolleration of all who err in non fundamentals examined. but in other points … non-fundamentals, the Scripture is dark, and in regard of the darkneſſe and naturall ignorance of our minde which is in… cible almoſt, we muſt forbear one another and give and take elbow-roome and latitude of indulgence, becauſe the Magiſtrate and Church are not infallible, but both Godly and learned may be on each ſide, ſo that there ſhould be no peace nor union of hearts in Chriſtian ſocieties, but all Churches or earth muſt disband and be diſſolved, if each ſhould puniſh and cenſure one another for holding contrary tenets.
But 1.M. Iohn Goodwin hag…omaſtix ſect. 26. pag. 24. Mr. John Goodwine who contendeth for a Catholicke tolleration of all, of any Religion whatſoever, whither they erre in fundamentals or non-fundamentals, and his words becauſe nnanſwerable to me againſt this diſtinction I ſet down I deſire it be taken (ſaith he) to ſerious conſideration, …, or how farre, it is meet to puniſh or cenſure poor miſerable men, for not holding or not aſſerting the truth of theſe things, which they cannot come without much labour and contention of minde, yea not without ſome good degree of ſome reaſon and underſtanding too, to judge ſo much as probable, nor at all to come to believe or know them certainly, but onelyonly by an immediate and ſupernaturall work of the Spirit of God… are … to be puniſhed, becauſe God hath not imparted to them his Spirit of grace and ſupernaturall illumination? This learned and ſharp witted Divine (as any I ſee of that way) confirms me much that tolleration in non-fundamentals and non-tolleration in errours fundamentall, is a diſtinction cannot ſubſiſt, in the way that Libertines in England now goe: for to know or believe ſupernaturall non-fundamentals as the hiſtories of the miracles of Chriſt the Prophets and Apoſtles requires a work of the Spirit of grace and ſupernaturall illumination, is to know or believe fundamentalls; why then ſhould men be puniſhed for holding errours in the one and not in the other? and the conſcience cannot be compelled in the one more then in the other: but with favour I deſire an anſwer to theſe quaeries.
Quaere. 1. Whether men deſerve to be pitied and ſpoken of compaſſionately,Queries propoſed to Mr. Joh. Goodwin, who aſſerteth a Catholicke toleration of all Religions, upon the ground of weakneſſe, of free-will, and want of grace. as poore miſer … which they … work of the Spirit of grace, and ſupernaturall … the falſe Prophet, Deut 13. and Elima… the perverter of the Goſpel deſerves to be pi…ied?
Query 2. Hence whether the ſinfull blindneſſe of our in … that makes us, becauſe poor and miſerable, … muſt not black the ſpotleſſe juſtice of our Lord, who yet puniſheth originall mind-blindneſſe in thouſands of the ſons of Adam?
Query 3. Whether this hinteth not at … power of believing, and doing what we can, otherwiſe God cannot deny further grace, or puniſh that naturall impotency of not knowing or not believing?
Quer. 4. Whether the ſame query may not be retorted upon the Juſtice of Gods law, Deut. 13. …, thus whether is it mee… that the juſt God ſhould command a poo… miſerable ſeducing Jew, who ſaith, Let us go and worſhip ſtrange Gods, ſince this miſerable impoſtor▪ being a ſon of ſin and wrath by nature, cannot come without much labour and contention of mind, yea nor without ſome good degree of reaſon to judge ſo much as it is probable, nor at all to believe or know certainly, that … no… the true God, but the God of the Jews, onelyonly; excluding on the world from ſaving means of ſalvation, is the onelyonly true God, onelyonly to be ſerved and worſhipped, but onelyonly by an immediate and ſupernaturall work of the Spirit of God? are men either Jews under the Law, or Gen…les under the Goſpel, to be puniſhed and ſtoned to death, becauſe God hath not … parted to them his Spirit of Grace, and ſupernaturall …?
Quer. 5. Is it meet to puniſh David (ſuppoſe he were no King) for adultery and treacherous murther, ſince without a worke of the Spirit of Grace, who only effectually … being led into temptation, he cannot eſchew the … into adultery and murther? are men-adulterer… and men murtherers to be puniſhed, becauſe God hath not imparted …to them his Spirit of grace, by whoſe actuall aſſiſtance only they can decline adultery and marther…
Quer. 6. Whether did even … teach that the Magiſtrate ſhould puniſh with the ſword poor miſerable men, becauſe they canot believe … of faith by the ſupernaturall illumination of the Spirit? whether is … the queſtion perverted when a Query is made, whether the Magiſtrate is to puniſh poor men for not underſtanding, not … not judging, not believing ſupernaturall truths? we ſay the Magiſtrate or his ſword hath nothing to do with the elect and internal acts of the minde, of underſtanding, knowing, judging or believing, but onelyonly with the externall acts of ſpeaking, teaching, … …iſhing dangerous and pernitious doctrines to the … and deſtraction of the ſoules of others?
Quer. 7. Whether the Magiſtrate does therefore force the conſcience of a falſe teacher, becauſe he cannot, he dare not keep up doctrines pornicious to the ſouls of others, but publiſh them, becauſe his erroneous and evill conſcience judgeth them to be ſaving and neceſſary truths, when the Magiſtrate puniſheth him, more then he forceth the conſcience of a murtherer whom he puniſheth, though this murtherer judged in his conſcience that the man be killed did him ſo crying and oppreſſive an injury as in the court of God, deſerved bodily death; or when this man murthered his ſon in a ſacrifice to God out of meer conſcience?
Quer. 8. Whether or no this divine, who will have … to be puniſhed for erring in fundamentalls, becauſe they believe them not, doth not ſay, none that teacheth there is … God, that Jeſus Christ is a grand impoſtor, and faller … the truth, and ſaith Satha… is the only God of this world, and … to be ſerved, ought to be ſo much as rebuked, for without the immediate and ſupernaturall worke of the Spirit of God, they cannot know or believe theſe truthe; and are men to be rebuked and preached againſt, becauſe, God hath not imparted to them his Spirit of grace? whether doth not this arguing evict all the Miniſtery, rebukes, and exhortation, and morall extirpating of hereſies by the power of the word?
Quer. 9. Whether this be not the old argument of … who argued from liberty of free-will to conclude liberty of conſcience? and ſaid forcing of free-will, if the Magiſtrate hinder men to be a willing people to Chriſt, is an injury done to conſcience and to free-will, and to God the Creat…, of the ſoule? and the ſame might be objected againſt the decree of …
Quer. 10. Whether on … are men puniſhed, becauſe God … not beſtow the Spirit of grace … them,… by which they would flye all evill-doing, when they are puniſhed for evill-doing.
Quer. 11. Whereas this diſtinct argument preſuppoſeth that the Magiſtrate ſhould tolerate errors in fundamentalls, and in non-fundamentalls, becauſe of the difficulty of knowing of fundamentalls, muſt it not follow that men are far rather to be tolerated,Auguſ. … dicu, relinqu…s liber… orbatrio, cur enim non in homicidiis & in ſtupris, & in quibuſcunque … facinorib… & flagiciis libere arbitrio dimittendum to eſſe proclamas? quae tamen omnia juſtis leg ib… comprim… utiliſſimuma …ahiberrimu… eſt, dedit quidem De… homini liberani … ſed nec bonam Infruct: …oſam, nec malam voluit eſſe impunitam, li. 1. Con. Gaudenti c. 19. ſecundum eſt as fallatiſſimas vanisſim…ſque rationes, haberis laxatis atque dimiſſis, humana licentia impu…ſta pe…cata omnia relinquentur, … … …re in fundamentalls, … ſuch as erre in non-fundamentalls, and ſo the more blaſphemous that ſeducing teachers be, as if they deny there is a God, and that nature, and chante rules all, and that Chriſt was an impoſter, the Goſpel a fable, the Scripture a meer …, the more they are to be pitied, and … meaſure of indulgence and toleration is due to them then to ſuch … are godly and erre but in leſſer points, that are more eaſily … concerning uſury, accidentall killing of our neighbour, or the meaning of ſome places of Scripture, or erre in matters touching Church-government or the like?
Quer. 12. Since alſo … lay for a ground, that the Magiſtrate is not infallible in judging of matters of Religion, eſpecially that are ſupernaturall, ſuch as the myſteries of the Goſpell, the incarnation, ſufferings and death of Chriſt, his ſatisfaction for ſinners, &c. and Chriſtians are not infallible in either reaching theſe to others, or in believing them, for their faith and practiſe, and therefore the Magiſtrate ought to tolerate all theſe; how then can this Divine talke of a certainty of knowing and teaching, and holding of divine truthe… for by … principle of toleration, that no man hath infallibility in matters of Religion, ſince the Prophets and Apoſtles fell aſleepe, there can be no certainty of faith either in ruler or people, but all our faith in fundamentalls or non-fundamentalls, muſt be fallible, dubious, conjectu…
And for ſuch as yeeld a toleration in non-fundamentalls, but deny it in fundamentals: 1. They muſt quit all arguments uſed by Libertin… for toleration, from the nature of duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page conſcience,Moſt arguments of Libertines infer a Catholicke toleration in non-fundamentals, as wel as … fundamentals. that it can not be conſtrained. 2. That they … bee a willing people that follow Chriſt. 3. That … Lord of the conſcience onelyonly. 4. That co…pulſion … hypocrites. 5. That to know, maintaine, a…d … truths of the Goſpel, is not in our power, as to kill or … to kill, becauſe acts of the underſtanding fall not … dominion of free-will. 6. That the preaching of the … and perſwading by Scripture and reaſon, not the ſword and ſtrong hand, is the way to propagate truth, and … pate hereſies. 7. That the laws of Moſes againſt falſe …, were onelyonly typicall, and periſhed with other …, and therefore there is no warrant under the N… Teſtament for puniſhing hereticks; all theſe and the like … with equall ſtrength conclude againſt toleration of ſuch … erre in non-fundamentalls, as well as in fundamentall … in neither the one not the other, is the conſcience to …ſtrained; nor can Magiſtrates be Lords of the … fundamentalls, more then in non-fundamentalls, and … muſt be a willing people in fundamentalls, as in non-fundamentalls; nor can the ſword, but preaching of the word onelyonly, be a means of propagating of non-fundamentalls more then of fundamentalls, when then Libertines … loſt all theſe arguments, by reaſon of this … which here hath no place, their cauſe muſt bee weake and leane.
To determine what is fundamentall, what not, and the number of fundamentall points, and the leaſt meaſure of knowledge of fundamentals, in which the eſſence of ſaving faith may conſiſt, or the ſimple want of the knowledge of which fundamentalls, is inconſiſtent … ſaving faith in minimo quod non, is more then Magiſtrat… or Church can well know. Sure it borders with one of Gods ſecrets, touching the finall ſtate of ſalvation, or damnation of particular men.
And it is as ſure, this is a fundamentall, to belie… that God is, that hee is a rewarder of thoſe that ſeeke hi…, that there is not a name under Heaven by which men may … ſaved, but by the Name of Jeſus that no man … come to the Father, but by Chriſt, that hee that … not, the wrath of God abideth on him, and he is condemned …, then he was condemned and under wrath before, even from the wombe.
Nor is this a good argument of Bellius, where Chriſt is, what he doth, how he ſits at the right hand of God, how he is one with the Father, many things of the Trinity, of God, Predeſtination, Angels, the ſtate of men after this life, are points not ſo neceſſary to be known, for publicans and harlots who enter into heaven, may be ignorant of them, and though they were knowne, they make not a man better, according to that, if I had all knowledge, if I have not love, it is nothing.
For 1. The exact knowledge of theſe are not ſo neceſſary, and that is all that this argument can conclude:—but the Scripture ſaith no more, that publicans and harlots, remaining publicans and harlots, enter into the Kingdome of heaven, in ſenſu compoſito, nor when it ſaith, The blinde ſee, the deafe heare, What deductions the ſpirit makes in the ſoule of an elect, knowing but a few f… dam, and going out of this life, thou knoweth?the dead are raiſed, the meaning ſhould be, blinde, and deafe, remaining blinde, and deafe, doe ſee and heare: or the dead remaining dead in their graves, and void of life, doe live and have life; but theſe that were blinde now ſee, when blindneſſe is removed, otherwiſe ſome may take harlotry into heaven with them: and becauſe the word of God is a ſeed, when this is in the heart of a dying harlot, Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, and to ſave me: how, or what way the Spirit ſits upon this egge and warmes it, and what births of ſaving truths, the Spirit joyned with the ſpirit of a dying man, brings forth, who knowes? the repenting thiefe knew Chriſt to be the Saviour of men, and a King, who could diſpoſe of heaven, but what deductions the Spirit made with in, who knows? nor is it a truth that the knowledge of any revealed truths of God makes no man the better; for it leanes on this ground, That,
1.To know revealed truths of God, is a commanded worſhip of God. The ſpirituall Law of God commands not a conformity between the underſtanding power of the ſoule and the Law, to require that the minde conceive, apprehend, and know God, and his will, as he reveales himſelfe to us, which yet is included in the command of loving of God with all the heart, with all the ſoule, with all the ſtrength, and ſo with all the minde, though that knowledge be directed to no other practice, but beliefe.
2. It leanes upon another falſe ground, that to believe (I ſpeake of an intellectuall aſſenting to divine truth…) it being an act of the underſtanding, and a neceſſary reſult of knowledge doth not make a man better, which yet is moſt falſe, for beſide that it is commanded, not to believe a re…aled truth, is a ſin, and renders men morally ill, and wor… now that text that ſaith, 1 Cor. 13. Though I had all knowledge, ſaith alſo, though I had all faith, yea though I gave my goods in the poore, and my body to be burnt, I am nothing; that is, I cannot bee ſaved, or any other then a damned hypocrite that tinkles like gold, and is but braſſe: now by this reaſon, to give to the poore, to believe omnipotency in miracles, ſhould not be commanded of God.
Davenentius thinkes a Generall confeſſion of the Catholicke Church ſufficient,One Generall Confeſsion of faith, without a particular ſenſe containing the true and orthodox meaning of the word, not ſufficient. and that betweene us and Lutherans there is not required a confeſſion in particulars controverted. But it is true Lutherans and we agree in moſt fundamentalls, but a confeſſion in generall fundamentals when expounded and believed practically by each ſide (as it muſt be) muſt have contrary ſenſes to each ſide; now this way the Jewes and Samaritans both agreed, there was one God, and that the Meſſiah ſhould come, and that he ſhould tell them all things, yet one confeſſion common to both, that each might believe and be ſaved was not poſſible, for Chriſt ſaith, Joh…. The Samaritans worſhipped they knew not what, but ſalvation is of the Jewes: And ſhould Chriſtians and Jewes agree in one generall confeſſion drawne out of the Old Teſtament, that there is one God, that the Meſſiah is, he that dyes for the ſinnes of his people, that the Decalogue it a perfect rule, … we could not ſweare and ſubſcribe that confeſſion, for … expounded by the Jewes, it could not be the doctrine of the Old Teſtament, nor any part of the word of God, but … contradictory thereunto as any point of heathen Divinity, for fundamentalls to ſome may be, and are untruths to others, even this,Divers pious conferences betweene us and Lutherans. that the Meſſiah Chriſt is the Saviour of the world, both Iewes, and we ſay, but they meane one thing by Meſſiah, we another; ſo we cannot have one faith, nor one confeſſion.
I deny not, but theſe were pious conferences, that at Lipſe an. 1631. in which there were on the one ſide, Matthias Hocus, Polycarpus Leiſerus, Henricus Haffuerus; on the other ſide, Joan. Bergius, Joan. Crotius, Theophilus Nenbergius, who went through the Auguſtine confeſſion and agreed in the truth, almoſt in all.
At the agreement or concord of Marpurge, an. 1529. were Luther, Melanthon, Oſiander, Brentius, Stephanus Agricola, who brake not the bond of peace with Zwinglius, Bucer, Hedion, there preſent.
At the conference of Wittingberge, an. 1536. where were preſent Capito, Bucerus, Muſculus, and other grave Divines of higher Germany; on the other ſide, Luther, Melanthon, Pomeranus, Cruciger, in which Luther ſaid, brethren, If ye teach and believe that the true body and true blood of the Lord is exhibited in the Supper, & quod hee percept…o vere fiat, and that truely or really there is a receiving thereof, we agree as brethren; but the truth is, there were contrary faiths touching the preſence of Chriſts body and blood in the Sacrament; and therefore I humbly conceive all ſuch Generall confeſſions as muſt be a coat to cover two contrary faiths, is but a daubing of the matter with untempered mortar; much dealing like this was in the Councell of Trent, in which neither Papiſt nor Proteſtant was condemned, and yet the truth ſuffered; I ſpeake not this as if each ſide could exactly know every lith and veine of the controverſie, for we propheſie but in part, but to ſhew I cannot but abominate truth and falſehood, patched up in one confeſſion of faith; for if two men ſhould agree in ſuch a bargaine, A covenants with B to give him a ſhip full of ſpices; B promiſes to give an hundreth thouſand pounds for theſe ſpices, A believes they are metaphoricall ſpices he gives, B believes they are the moſt reall and excellent ſpices of Aegypt; B promiſes a hundreth thouſand pounds of field ſtones, A expects good, reall, and true money; this were but mutuall jugling of one with another. It were another conſideration, if both ſides agreeing in this Generall confeſſion were ignorant, and did neither know nor believe any ſenſe that were deſtructive to the true and ſound ſenſe of the Confeſſion, for then they might be ſaved by, or in one and the ſame faith of this General Confeſſion, whereas now the contrary ſenſes of this Confeſſion make them now not one Generall, but two particular …, and contradictory faiths; for the queſtion is, whether the ſide believing the Generall Confeſſion with a ſenſe in the conſequence, that deſtroyes the text, have any faith at all of this Generall Confeſſion. For it is a queſtion to me whether a Turke hath the faith of this point, that there is a God, ſince he believes poſitively ſo many blaſphemous fooleries of this God, as the Alcharon ſuggeſteth, and whether a Papiſt as a Papiſt, believes Chriſt to be the onelyonly one Saviour of ſinners, ſince withall he believes ſo many thouſand Gods and true Chriſts to be at once in ſundry places, and ſo many blaſphemies againſt the nature, offices, and eſſentiall properties of Chriſt, as the Romiſh faith teacheth.
But ye will ſay, it is not charity to ſay that Papiſts have not the faith of the one onelyonly Saviour, ſeeing he would dye for that point, and for the conſequences that there bee many Saviours, if the monſter of tran-ſubſtantiation ſtand, yet he neither knows nor believes the logicall conſequence, nor the conſequent, but hates both, to wit, if the bread bee truely and really the Saviour that dyed on the croſſe, ergo, how many hoaſts and conſecrated breads there bee, there muſt be as many a thouſand, ten thouſand Chriſts and Gods, yea he would be burnt quick before be deny this truth, there is but one onelyonly Saviour the Son of Mary; then if yee hang him or … him for believing tranſubſtantiation, ſince he is otherwiſe a …, pious and juſt man, ye hang him for the meere ignorance of a poore logicall conſequence, and for no blaſphemy: and the like may be ſaid of Familiſts, Antinomians, and others, who (as they ſay) are godly men, and cannot ſee the logicall conſequences, and abſurd blaſphemies that you with your wit, deduce from their doctrine, for their ſou…e hates theſe blaſphemies as much as you.
Anſ. They hate God, and love blaſphemies in the conſequence, who obſtinately hold them in the antecedentI ſay not for believing tran-ſubſtantiation only, men are to be hanged; the queſtion now is of bodily puniſhing, hanging and burning quick, are particular kinds of puniſhing, in which I ſhould be as ſparing as another man, but the queſtion may draw to this, whether the Laws of England & Scotland be bloody and unjuſt, that ordains ſeminary Prieſts and Jeſuits, whoſe trade it is to ſeduce ſouls to the whole body of Popery, to bee hanged. I conceive they are moſt juſt Lawes, and warranted by Deut. 13. and many other Scriptures, and that the King and Parliaments of either Kingdomes ſerve Chriſt, and kiſſe the Son in making and executing theſe Laws.
2. I ſee nothing ſaid againſt bodily puniſhing of ſuch as teach tranſubſtantiation to others: for the Idolaters and Seducers in the Old Teſtament believed the ſame way, there is one true God Jehovah that brought them out of Aegypt, Exod. 32. 4, 5. Jeroboam who made two Gods, and Jehu who was zealous for Jehovah, 1 King. 13. 6. c. 13. 1, 2, 3. 2 King. 9. 25. 36, 37. c. 10. 16. 20, 21. and Joram, 2 King. 5. 7. acknowledged God could kill and make alive, and was juſt in his promiſes and threatnings, yet worſhipped the golden calves, thoſe who cryed the Temple of the Lord, muſt acknowledge there was but one true God, yet they burnt incenſe to Baal, and killed their children to Molech, Jer. 7. 4, 5 9. 30, 31. They that asked of Jehovah the ordinances of their God, and faſted to Jehovah, Eſa. 58. 1, 2, 3, 4. yet inflamed themſelves under every green tree, Eſa. 57. 5. and ſlew their children under the clifts of the rocks: the heathen knew God, and one God, who made the heaven and the earth, and worſhipped him, though ignorantly, foreign Rom. 1. 20, 21. Act. 17. 23. yet denyed and hated this logicall conſequence that they had forſaken the Lord, Jer. 9. 13, 14. or Deut. 32. 18. forgotten the rocke that begat them, Pſ. 78. 11. 41. Pſ. 107. 12, 13. that they forſooke him dayes without number; yea they did more then God required, to keep God in their minde, and not forget him as they ſaid, they changed him into the forme of corruptible things to be memorialls of God to them; and the Lord ſaid, For all this, they r…fuſe to know me; they have ſaid, It is not the Lord, yea they would have dyed for it, rather then have ſaid, there is no God that made heaven and earth. And they did erre indeed, in a conſequence, againſt the light of nature, yet the irreligious and wicked ſtopping of eyes and eares at naturall conſequences in matters of Religion is no innocent … as is cleare, Eſa. 44. 18. They have not knowne, nor underſtood▪ for he hath ſhut their eyes that they cannot ſee, and their hearts, that they cannot underſtand, 19. And none conſiders in his heart, neither is there knowledge, nor underſtanding to ſay, I have but in part of it in the fire, yea alſo I have baked bread upon the coales thereof, I have roaſted fleſh and eaten it, and ſhall I make the reſidue thereof a… abomination, ſhall I fall downe to the flocke of a tree, 20. He ſeedeth on aſhes, &c.
Now as Iſrael ſaid ever, the Creator of the ends of the earth is our God, the tree is but a likeneſſe and reſemblance of God, Eſa. 18. 18. Eſa. 46. 5, 6, 7. ſo they denyed this conſequence, ergo, a part of your God is burnt in the fire, and with the coals of your burnt God, you bake bread, roaſt fleſh, and warme your bodies when you are cold, and worſhip a lye, and an abomination, as the Papiſts ſay, we adore very Chriſt in, and under the accidents of the bread, even the ſame God-man, Maries Son, who dyed on the croſſe; yet they deny this conſequence, ergo, a part of your God and Saviour is baken in the oven, eaten, and caſt out with the draught, and a part thereof, even of the ſame floore and dough is made a God by the Prieſt, and ye ſay, I will b… downe and worſhip the reſidue of that which the baker did bake, and roaſt, in the oven. and ſo yee worſhip a lye, and an abomination, as the old Idolaters did, Eſa. 44. yet the Papiſt will deny this conſequence, that he multiplyes Gods as loaves are multiplyed in an oven; becauſe as Eſaiah ſaith, he knoweth not, he underſtandeth not, God hath ſhut his eyes; certainly that knowledge he denyes to the Idolator, is the naturall knowledge of a naturall conſequence. if ye worſhip a bit of an aſh-tree, or a bit of bread, ergo, the halfe of your God, or the quarter thereof, is baken in an oven, ergo, there is a lye, and an abomination in your right hand; then the deniall of logicall conſequences in Religion, and the teaching thereof to others, may be, and is an hereſie, and puniſhable by the Magiſtrate, as Deut. 13. and Exod. 32. ſo Chriſt rebukes Matth. 22. Saduces as ignorant of the Scripture, when they denyed but the conſequence or a logicall connexion, as God is not the God of the dead but of the living, ergo, the dead muſt riſe againe, and Abraham muſt live, and his body be raiſed from the dead. And 2. the Idolaters who were to dye by the Law of God, Exod. 32. Deut. 13. denyed not the true God more then our falſe teachers doe now. We ſee no reaſon why none ſhould be falſe teachers, but ſuch onelyonly as deny fundamentals, and that pertinaciouſly, though theſe by Divines be called Heretickes.
1.They may bee falſe teachers, and ſo puniſhable, who erre not in fundamentals. Rom. 16. 17. Paul ſaith, Now I beſeech you, brethren, marke them that cauſe diviſions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them, then as we are not to diſtinguiſh where the Law and the Word of God does not diſtinguiſh, ſo we are to count them falſe teachers, who lead in a faction in the Church, contrary to any doctrine of truth, whether fundamentall or not fundamentall, and to avoid them as Seducers.
2. Peters errour, ſince he beleeved Chriſt was come, Matth. 16. 17. was not fundamentall, but conſiſtent with faith, yet Paul withſtood him to the face, becauſe he was to be blamed, and if he had pertinaciouſly gone on to walke not uprightly according to the truth of the Goſpel, ſince Paul would not have given place by ſubjection to ſuch, no not for an houre, Gal. 2. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. he ſhould have been worthy of more then rebuke, yea of higher cenſure, the like we muſt ſay of Barnabas and other Jewes, who all ſinned though in a farre inferiour degree with theſe, who came in privily to ſpye out the Chriſtian liberty of the Gentiles to bring them into bondage, under the Ceremoniall law.
3. Gal. 1. 8. Paul ſaith, If we or an Angel from heaven ſhould preach (any other Goſpel) then that which we have preached, let him be accurſed; which place, with good warrant, our Divines bring againſt the unwritten traditions of Papiſts, of what kinde ſoever they be, fundamentalls or non-fundamentalls, whether they be obtruded as neceſſary points of ſalvation or not neceſſary, but accidentalls, or arbitrary points, yet conducing for the better obſerving of neceſſary points, for I have proved elſe-where, that Papiſts eſteem their unwritten traditions, not neceſſary points of faith, yea many of them to be accidentals, ſerving onelyonly ad mellus eſſe, Divine right of Churchgovernment.for order and decency, yea and great Doctors of them ſay, neither the Pope nor the Church can devile novum dogma fidei, a new article of Faith, or a new Sacrament: nor can we ſay that the adding of Romiſh ceremonialls, ſuch as conſecrating of Churches, baptiſing of bells, ſigne of the croſſe, are fundamentall errours, and inconſiſtent with ſaving faith; the text Gal. 1. 8, 9. evinceth that they or ſome other Goſpel or doctrine, beſide that the Galathians had learned (for Paul taught the Galathians many points beſides fundamentall onelyonly) and ſo that the teachers of them were accurſed, and ſo to be ſeparated from, rebuked, withſtood, cenſured, yea cut off as troublers of the Church, Gal. 5.
4. Theſe to whom the Spirit of God giveth the title due to falſe teachers are puniſhable as falſe teachers and heretickes, though in a leſſe degree. But the Holy Ghoſt giveth the title due to falſe teachers to ſuch as erre not in fundamentalls, ergo, the aſſumption is made good by Tit. 1. 13, 14. the Apoſtle willeth them to be rebuked as not ſound in the faith, as thoſe that turne others from the truth in giving … to Jewiſh fables and commandements of men, to fables and needleſſe Genealogies, and vaine janglings, and ſtrivings about the Law that were unprofitable and vaine: now theſe queſtions about Genealogies and the Law, opinions on either ſides being vaine and unprofitable, and not edifying in the faith could not be fundamentall errours of themſelves, and inconſiſtent with ſaving grace and ſalvation, but hay and ſtubble builded upon the foundation: yet conſider what the Holy Ghoſt ſaith of them, Tit. 1. 10. For there are many unruly and vaine talkers, and deceivers, eſpecially they of the circumciſion, 11. whoſe mouth muſt be ſtopped, who ſubvert whole houſes, teaching things they ought not, 13. Rebuke them ſharpely that they may be ſound in the faith, and to ſoundneſſe in the faith he oppoſeth, v. 14. giving heed unto Jewiſh fables and commandements of men that turne from the truth, 1 Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwiſe (then I have taught; now Pauls doctrine of widows, of elders, and not ſudden accuſing them, his charge to Timothy not to drinke water, but a little wine, were not fundamentalls, the ignorance whereof excludeth men from ſalvation,) If any man conſent not to the wholeſome words, even the words of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to the doctrine which is according to godlineſſe, 4. He is proud knowing nothing as be ought, doting about queſtions and ſtrife of words, whereof commeth envy, ſtrife, railing, evill ſurmiſings, 5. Perverſe diſputing of men of corrupt mindes, and deſtitute of the truth, ſuppoſing that gaine is godlineſſe, from ſuch turne away; then doting about queſtions, ſtrife of words, beſides, not conſenting to the words of Chriſt and doctrine of godlines, is diſputing of men of corrupt minds, from which we are to turn away. 1 Tim. 1. 3.As I beſought thee to abide ſtill at Epheſus, when I went into M…cedonia, that thou mighteſt charge ſome that they teach no other doctrin. 4. Neither give heed to fables and endleſſe Genealogies, which miniſter queſtions, rather then edifying, which is in faith, then to preach fables and endleſſe Genealogies which are not fundamentall errors, are yet another doctrine then the Apoſtles taught, and thoſe that ſo teach are to be charged to teach no ſuch thing, and ſo under two or three witneſſes▪ if they wilfully continue therein;1 Tim. 5. 19, 20. to be accuſed and cenſured, yea and we are to avoid them, and not to receive them in our houſes, nor bid them God ſpeed, 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5.and ſo non-fundamentalls as queſtions of Genealogies come in under the name of foreign of teaching … doctrine. Now ſure queſtio…s of Genealogies are but the hay & ſtubble that are builded on the foundation,2 Job. 10, 11 1 Tim. 1. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 3. which ſhal ſuffer burning, when the teacher holding the foundation Chriſt ſhal be ſaved, yea ſuch as teach circumciſion, though with Chri…t, then muſt teach another Goſpel, though not as neceſſary to juſtification, as Peter and Barnabas, compelled the Gentiles to be circumciſed▪ though they believed that circumciſion was not neceſſary to ſalvation.Act. 2. And it ſhould be hard to aſſert the believing of the day of Chriſt to be at hand,Act. 11. 1, 2, 3, 4. &c. ſince the believing of it was an article of faith, the time when, or how ſoon, in the believing Theſſalonians, though they were miſ-led by ſome falſe teachers, is nothing ſo fundamentall as that an errour touching that time muſt be inconſiſtent with ſaving faith, for the Apoſtles ſaid,Divers things not fundamentally believed with certainty of faith. Theſe were the laſt dayes, and Chriſt had told, the day and hour was known to no man, no not to the Angels, yet Paul inſinuates as much, as they did, ſhake the faith of the Theſſal…nians, who made them believe, it was at hand. 2. Theſſ. 2. 2. Wee beſeech you brethren by the comming of the Lord Jeſus—that ye be not ſoon ſhaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by ſpirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Chriſt is at hand.
Yea, 5. We beleeve with certainty of faith, many things which are not fundamentals, as 2 Pet. 3. 8. But (beloved) be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thouſand yeares, and a thouſand yeares as one day. How many (ſuppoſe we) are in glory that dyed ignorant of this, and had not faith, or any certainty of faith of this point, that time … with God no coexiſtence of a duration long and … Yet Peter propoſeth it to bee beleeved with certain…y of faith, and how many poynts of ſacred hiſtory doth the … Ghoſt tell us Heb. 11. of Caine and Abels ſacrificing, … Abraham ſojourning in a ſtrange Country, of Sarabs … a child in her old age, of Iſaacks bleſſing of Jacob, and Joſephs worſhipping leaning on the end of a ſtaffe, Moſes being hid three months, the falling of the Wals of Jerich…, which we beleeve by certainty of divine faith, that are not fundamentals? Yea, and if we beleeve not whatever Paul and the reſt of the Apostles have written, and what Moſes and the Prophets, have ſaid, we muſt take them to be falſe witneſſes in ſaying, preaching, & writing what is not true, as Paul …, 1 Cor. 15. 15. and the Apoſtles ſayth, Act. 5. 32. And we are his … of theſe things, and ſo is alſo the Holy Ghoſt. Now … things referre not onelyonly to Chriſts death and reſurrection, but to poynts not fundamentall: as namely who were the Inſtruments of his death, even the high-Prieſt, Phariſees and cheife-Prieſts, ver. 30. Whom yee ſlew and hanged on … tree, Act. 4. 10. Whom yee crucified, Act. 2. 36. Whom yee have crucified. Now the Apoſtles and the Holy Ghoſt were witneſſes of the truth of both fundamentals and non-fundamentals, of all that Jeſus began to doe and teach, untill the day … was taken up to heaven, as is cleare, Act. 1. 8. Ye ſhall be witneſſes unto me both in Jeruſalem and in Judea, and in Samaria, and … the uttermoſt part of the earth, Luke 24. 48. Ye are my witneſſes of theſe things, that is, ver. 44. Of all things that muſt be fulfilled with were written in the Law of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalmes concerning me, then the witneſſing of the ſacrificed, types, and particular ceremonies that ſhadowed out Chriſt, of his being borne in Bethlehem, Mic. 2. of his being crucified between two tranſgreſſors, Eſay 53. of his riding … Jeruſalem on an Aſſe colt. Zach. 9. Of his caſting out buyers … out of the Temple, through his zeale to the houſe of God, Pſal. 69. of the betraying of him by Judas, and … hiſtoricall things that are not fundamentals, yet all th… were a part of the Apoſtles and the Holy Ghoſts teſtimony, Act. 5. 32. And to be beleeved with divine certi…ude of … faith, no leſſe then the Articles of fundamentalls, that Chriſt was the ſonne of man, and died for our ſinnes and roſe for our righteouſnes, except we ſay that the Apoſtles are falſe witneſſes, and make God a lyar, in ſaying that Judas betrayed him not, and that Barrabas a Murtherer was not preferred to him, 1 Cor 15. 1…. Job. 3. 33. 1 Job. 5. 10. For if we give God the lye in non-fundamentals, and turne non-fundamentals into controverſies and conjectures, and thinke we muſt beleeve fundamentals, one or two fixedly and peremptorily, and lead a good life, and ſo we are ſaved but not otherwiſe, but as touching non-fundamentalls, we may beleeve theſe with a reſerve and a demurre, and may beleeve them for a day, or an houre, and deny them to morrow, and again, bee carried about with a new wind of doctrine and beleeve the third day, and deny them the fourth day, beleeve them the fift day, and deny them the ſixt day, and ſo make a whirly-gigge of our faith, and a new faith for a new-moone, or for a halfe, and a quarter moone, as the Independents, in their Apology makes this a principle of their faith to beleeve theſe things ſo, as wee leave roome for a new light to caſt a board again at the blowing of the wind of a new phancy (of which we have ſeene more in the Aſſembly of Divines,Rom. in a …. f. 7 fides millinaria poteſt eſſe omnium peſſima. theſe four years, paſt then we deſire to ſee in any that profeſſe godlineſſe) and as the Holland-Arminians ſay (from whom new lights or old darkneſſes have their riſe) a faith of a thouſand yeares may be the worſt of all, which (ſay we) is moſt falſe,Beleeving of truths revealed of God with a reſerve blaſphemous, and concerning beleevers in Scepticks and …, a falſe opinion of God, and a thouſand yeare old lye, a gray-haird untruth is the worſt of conjectures, but faith it neither is, nor can be called. But the late Independents, and the new Libertines of England do only ſay ſuch a monthly faith is to be tollerated becauſe of the darkenes of our mind in the matters of God, which yet is faith, not but a conjectural opinion. But they ſay, by a command of God, we muſt have no other faith except in ſome few fundamentals, and no man ſince Adam died (except the man Chriſt) ever knew or could determine how few, or how many, ſo our faith in fundamentals in that, totters, for they ſay, theſe precepts and commands of the Holy Ghoſt. Try the ſpirits whither they be of God or no. Try al things, hold that which is good, & the example of the noble Bereans who examined Pauls doctrine, by the Scriptures, doth lay a divine command in them to beleeve non-fundamentals with a reſerve. Yea they ſay with the Arminians, &c. that it is againſt liberty of propheſying, whereas liberty of lying in the name of the Lord is of the devil, who hath taken liberty or rather heliſh licence to lye from the beginning, & they ſay, it is againſt our growing in knowl…dge, and the prayers of the Saints that God would open their eyes to ſee the wonders of his Law, and lead them into all truth, and againſt the propheſies that in the laſt days the earth ſhal be filled with the knowledg of the Lord, the light of the moon ſhal be as the light of the ſun, and the light of the ſun, as the light of ſeven days, and the day ſtar ſhal ariſe in the hearts of many, and the ſpirit ſhall be powred on all fleſh, young and old, maids and children. To all which I ſay, either the Spirit of God moves men to the faith of this (there is no Church viſible on earth, but ſuch as is conſtituted of beleevers, ſuch as thoſe of Corinth, and Rome, and others were, after they were planted and watered by the Apoſtles) or no. If no, they have not faith of it, and ſo it is. 1. No truth of God to Independents, &c. for which they can ſuffer, but a meer opinion, then they cannot ſuffer for it in faith, and to beleive any truth of God becauſe the Lord ſo ſaith,Beleev…ng w…th a reſerve …gainſt the motion of the Holy Ghoſt is wrought only by the Holy Ghoſt, if it be wrought by the Holy Ghoſt, then it is a truth of God, and a divine truth, for the Holy Ghoſt moves no man to beleeve a lye, for a truth of God, if it be a divine truth then doth not the Holy Ghoſt will you ſo to beleeve it for a truth, as you muſt upon a new light beleeve the contrary to morrow. For I renew the argument in its full ſtrength, touching the faith of the contradicent which you beleeved the laſt day, either the Holy Ghoſt muſt move you to beleeve that contradicent as a truth of God, or no: I… no, It is not divine faith you have of it; if yea, then the faith of the former was the beleeving of a lye,Beleeving with a reſerve againſt the ſtability of faith. ſo that you muſt make the Holy Ghoſt the father of beleeving a lye. 2. The object of divine faith a lye.
2 This is to teach us to be carried about with every wind of doctrine, whereas faith of fundamentals or non-fundamentals is to beleeve a truth, becauſe ſo ſaith the Lord, that cannot lye, nor ſpeake untruth, but you will men to beleeve thoſe non-fundamental truths, ſo as they may bee as well lyes as divine truths
3.Againſt the trying of all things, and ſpirits, injoyned by the Holy Ghoſt. Theſe Precepts, Try the Spirits, Try all things, enjoyne an examination of fundamentalls, as well as non-fundamentalls: and what reaſon have Independents to ſay theſe Precepts hold in non-fundamentalls onelyonly. Mr. John Goodwin with better ground ſaith, they hold in all, for muſt we hold that which is good onelyonly in non-fundamentalls? And did not the Bereans try Pauls doctrine by the Scripture, in the moſt and onelyonly neceſſary fundamentall which Paul preached, that Jeſus Chriſt was the Meſſiah that dyed, roſe againe, Act. 17. 3. and are therefore commended by the Holy Ghoſt, v. 10. 11? above thoſe of Theſſalonica, and muſt wee beleeve every Spirit who preach fundamentall truths, or fundamentall errours, who ſay Chriſt is not yet come in the fleſh, upon truſt? the contrary of which John expreſly enjoyneth, 1 Joh. 4. 1, 2, 3: yea we are rather to try fundamentalls, and to walke upon ſure and unmoveable principles, ſince an errour here hazardeth our eternall ſalvation, and is of as great concernment as our ſouls are, but errours or miſtakes in non-fundamentalls, though they bee ſinnes, yet are conſiſtent with ſaving faith, and the ſtate of ſalvation.
4. Try all things, try the ſpirits, muſt have this ſenſe, beleeve what ever God ſaith, be it fundamentall or non-fundamentall, not onelyonly after you have ſearched the Scriptures, and ſound it agreeable thereunto, as the Bereans did, but though you finde it conſonant to the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles; yet becauſe you are not infallible, nor the Spirit that leads you therein infallible, beleeve it with a reſerve (ſay the Independents) and with leaving place to a new light, ſo as you muſt believe it to day to be a truth of God, to morrow to be a lye, the third day a truth, the fourth day a lye, and ſo a circle till your doomſday come, ſo as you muſt ever beleeve and learne, never come to a ſettlement and eſtabliſhing in the truth; but dye trying, dye doubting, dye with a trepedation and a reſerve, and dye and live a Scepticke, like the Philoſophers that ſaid they knew nothing, and I thinke Libertines cannot but be Scepticks, and there is more to bee ſaid for the Scepticiſme of ſome, then the Libertiniſme of others.
5. Would theſe Maſters argue formally, they muſt ſay what ever doctrine, we are to try before we receive it, that we may uncompelledly receive and beleeve it, after tryall that ought to bee tolerated by the Magiſtrate in doctrine and practice, or profeſſion ſutable thereunto before men.
I would aſſume, But whether there be a God, and but one God, and all fundamentalls or non-fundamentalls, be divine truths; yea, and whether fornication be ſin, and plurality of wives, and community of goods, and ſpoyling of wicked men of their wives, and their lands, and poſſeſſions, as the Iſraelites ſpoyled the Aegyptians, are ſuch truths that we muſt try before we receive, beleeve, and accordingly beleeve and practice; ergo, the Magiſtrate is to tolerate fornication, plurality of wives, ſpoyling of men of their poſſeſſions and goods, and community of goods, but the concluſion is abſurd and blaſphemous, and againſt the Law of nature; for if there be no Magiſtracy, nor violence to bee done to ill-doers under the New Teſtament, neither muſt we defend our owne lives, nor flye, nor reſiſt injuries, but turne up the other cheeke to him that ſmites the one, and if a man take your cloake, give him your coat alſo, according to the ſenſe that Anabaptiſts put on the words; yea and cut off your hands and feet, plucke out your eyes, if they cauſe you to offend and ſhed your owne blood, which is the greateſt and moſt unnaturall violence that is.
6. The ſenſe of this (Try all, and hold that which is good) muſt be, Try and ſearch the true ſenſes of divine truths, and then having tryed and beleeved, hold the truth, and beleeve it for a day, and yeeld to the light of the juſt contrary to morrow, and having found a contrary light, try that the third morrow, and yeeld to another new and contrary light the third morrow. Now the Holy Ghoſt muſt command doubting by that meanes, and doubting till we loſe faith, and finde it againe, and loſe it againe in a circle, and if we muſt try all things, and try all ſpirits, the Bereans muſt try their owne trying, and their owne doubtings and beleeving, and ſo into infinite; and when they finde Chriſt to be in Pauls doctrine, and that of Moſes and the Prophets, yet muſt they try and doubt, and beleeve the doctrine of the Prophets and Apoſtles, and of the Holy Ghoſt, with the Libertines reſerve, waiting when the Holy Ghoſt ſhall give himſelfe the lye, and ſay, I moved you to beleeve ſuch a truth, and ſuch an article of faith the laſt yeare, but now after a more deepe conſideration, I move you to beleeve the contrary, yet ſo as yee leave roome to my new light.
7.Faith with a reſerve againſt our prayers for knowledge, and growing therein. The ſenſe alſo of theſe (Lord enlighten mine eyes) that I may know thee with a ſuller evidence not of Moon-light, but of Day-light, or as of ſeven dayes into one, bee this, Lord open my eyes, and increaſe my knowledge, grant that thy holy Spirit may beſtow upon my darke ſoule more Scepticall, conjecturall, and fluctuating knowledge to know and beleeve things with a reſerve, and with a leaving of roome to beleeve the contrary to morrow of that which I beleeve to day, and the contradicent of that the third day which I ſhall beleeve to morrow, and ſo till I dye; let me, Lord, have the grace of a circular faith, running like the wheels of the wind-mill; for the growing knowledge we ſeeke of God as in a way of growing ever in this life, till grace be turned into glory, 2 Pet. 3. 18. if our growth of knowledge ſtand, as Libertines ſay, in a circular motion from darkneſſe to light, and backe againe from light to darkneſſe, like the motion of a beaſt in a horſe-mill, ſo as I know, and learne and beleeve this topicke truth of faith to day, I unknow, I unlearn and deny it to morrow as an untruth: And againe, I take it up the third day as a truth; then we ſeeke in prayer not ſettled and fixed knowledge, and a well-rooted faith of truths to beleeve them without a reſerve, or a demurre, to ſen… way the opinion I have of this non-fundamentall or fundamentall truth as a groſſe miſtake, and to welcome the juſt contrary opinion as a truth: And againe, to ſend it away upon a new light, &c. now this is but a mocking of God to pray for his Spirit that wee may barter and change opinions with every new Moone; for our prayer for new light, is not that the Holy Ghoſt would teach us faith and opinion of truths and falſehoods in a circle; but that God, 1. Would give the Spirit of revelation to ſee Goſpel truths with a cleare revelation of faith. 2. That hee would be pleaſed to cauſe that light by which we ſee the ſame ancient Goſpel-truths, ſhine more fully, with a larger meaſure of heavenly evidence. 3. That our light may ſo grow into the perfect day, that we ſee new deductions, conſequences, and heavenly new freſh concluſions from the former truthe of God. But by ſcepticall faith, we pray that God would give us a contrary new light, to get a new faith, of truths, formerly beleeved contradicent to the word of God, and to that faith which produced joy, yea joy unſpeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1. 7, 8. and glorying in tribulation, and ſweetneſſe of peace, Rom. 5. 1, 2, 3. for this, not the light of the Moone turned in the light of the Sun, or of the Sun, as ſeven dayes in one, but light turned in night darkeneſſe, the truth in a lye, and the Spirit of truth made the father of lyes
8. The Apoſtles never bid us know any truth of God with a reſerve.The Holy Ghoſt bids us not beleeve with a reſerve. Libertines bi…lus, the Apoſtles, and the Holy Ghoſt in them, bids us know aſſuredly that Jeſus is Chriſt the Lord, they exhort us to bee rooted and eſtabliſhed in the faith, Col. 2. to be fully perſwaded of all, both fundamentalls, and the hiſtoricalls, of the birth, life, miracles, words, facts, death, ſufferings, and buriall, reſurrection, aſcention, &c. of Chriſt, as Luke exhorteth Theophilus, Luke 1. 1, 2, 3. yea the Apoſtle clearely Heb. 5. exhorteth to the faith of many points concerning Chriſt, beſide the firſt principles of the Oracles of God; that of Catecheticke points fit for babes who have not ſtomachs to beare ſtronger food, v. 12. 13. 1. Becauſe he rebuketh them for being dull of hearing, which is oppoſite to being teachers of the word of truth to others; which muſt inſinuate they were to have faith, and not conjecturall and fluctuating opinions of the things they were to teach. 2. He reproves them for that they had not their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcerne good and ill, and that they were unskilfull in the words of righteouſneſſe. 3. He exhorteth them, chap. 6. 1. to be carried on to perfection, beyond the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt. Now to be carried to know all, except ſome fundamentalls and principles with a reſerve and a doubting of the truth, is not to have the ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and ill, nor to be skilfull in the word of truth, nor to goe on to perfection, but to ſtand ſtill, as in a horſe-mill, and be at the ſame perfection of knowledge in knowing and beleeving all, even fundamentalls, ſay ſome, or all non-fundamentalls, ſay other Libertines, with a reſerve, and a reſolution to judge them all falſehood and lyes.
9. It argues the word of God, of obſcurity and darkneſſe, as not being able to inſtruct us in all truths, and renders it as a noſe of wax in all non-fundamentals, hiſtories, narrations, &c. in which notwithſtanding the Scripture is as evident, plaine, ſimple, obvious to the loweſt capacities in moſt points, except ſome few Propheſies, as it is in fundamentalls, and layes a blaſphemous charge on the Holy Ghoſt, as if hee had written the Scriptures, upon an intention that we ſhould have no aſſured and fixed knowledge, no faith but a meere probable opinion, a conjecturall, dubious apprehenſion of truths, with a reſerve to beleeve the contrary, as if the Lords purpoſe had beene that we ſhould all be Scepticks, and dye doubting: and how then can God in juſtice puniſh any man, for not beleeving and doing the will of our Maſter and Lord? If it bee unpoſſible even by the light of the Spirit to know his will in whole (as ſome ſay) and in the moſt part (as others ſay) yea it muſt not be our ſinfull darkeneſſe in that wee cannot beleeve moſt of the matters of God, but with a reſerve, but it is the will and command of God we doe ſo: and how ſhall we know the ſecond faith contradictory to the former to be the minde of God; and not the firſt, and the third, and not the ſecond, and the fourth; and not the third, and ſo to the end? ſince we are to beleeve all the foure with a reſerve, and all to our dying day with a reſerve for the word is alike dubious now as in Pauls dayes: and ſince the Apoſtles charge us to beleeve and be comforted in beleeving the truths which they beleeved, not as Apoſtles, but as Chriſtians, and as fellow-Citizens with us, we muſt ſay that the Apoſtles alſo beleeved with a reſerve, which is blaſphemous.
10 All our practiſes according to fundamentals or nonfundamentals muſt bee in faith,To beleeve with a reſerve contrary to our doing and ſuffering for truth in faith. that is, with a perſwaſion that what we doe is according to the revealed will of God, otherwiſe we ſin, Rom. 14. 23. and are condemned in all we doe. But if this faith with a reſerve, be the rule of our practiſe, we can do nothing in faith, but with a reſolve upon doubting: ſo what you doe, may as poſſibly be murther, idolatry, ſtealing, lying, as obedience to God, yea, you muſt beleeve, that what you do to day is lawfull, but yet ſo, as to morrowyou muſt beleeve upon a new light, that it is unlawfull and ſin, yea, and this makes the erroneous conſcience the rule of your faith, and practiſe, for if the holy ghoſt command you to beleeve ſuch points, with the faith of a reſerve, he muſt command you to practiſe, according to the preſent faith that he commands you to have of thoſe truths. But the preſent you have, may be the beleife of a lye and a blaſphemous untruth, and ſo the ten Commandements ſhould bee a rule to no man. But his erroneous conſcience, if then he beleeve that it is ſuch acceptable worſhip as God craved of Abraham, that you ſacrifice your Sonne to God, you beleeve it with a reſerve, and you are to practiſe it with a reſerve, and oblieged to practice what you are oblieged to beleeve: but you are oblieged to beleeve with a reſerve, that it is acceptable ſervice to God to ſacrifice your child to him; for it is a nonfundamentall not clearly determined in the word, as leaſt it is contraverted by many that goe for godly people. Now if ſo, God ſhall obliege men to ſin and not to ſin; to doe his revealed wil, and not to doe his revealed will, in the ſame commandement, which were blaſphemous, now that we are to practiſe according to our faith of reſerve. I prove by the doctrin of Libertines, for they teach a man is to ſuffer death, and any torment, rather then that he ſay, there bee three perſons in one God, and two natures and one perſon in Chriſt, and that Presbyterian Government is lawfull, that the Chriſtian Prince is to puniſh falſe teachers if he beleeve in his conſcience, though hee is to beleeve with a reſerve and doubt ſomely, that theſe are truths contrary to the word of God, then is his faith with a reſerve, which may be the faith of a lye, his onelyonly oblieging rule of his practiſe, according to the way of Libertines. I confeſſe hee is rather to ſuffer death then to profeſſe any doctrine contrary to the dictates even of an erroneous conſcience, becauſe he ſhould chooſe afflictions rather then ſin. But when we are commanded faith with a reſerve, as they ſay, we are commanded to beleeve a lye (which is blaſphemous) and what we are commanded to beleeve by the Lord in his word, that muſt be an oblieging rule to our practice, and ſo muſt we be oblieged to ſin; nor can it be ſaid to offer your child to God in a ſacrifice, is againſt the light, and a cleare Law of nature, and a fundamentall errour; for in this diſpute Libertines arguments are for a toleration of all, whether they erre in fundamentalls or non-fundamentalls, nor can they determine what is of their owne naturall, are controverſall and diſputable to humane reaſon,Two diſtinctions neceſſary touching controverted points. and what not, for we either ſpeake what are de facto actually controverted, in all the Chriſtian world, or what be thoſe that in regard of their diſproportion to humane reaſon, of their owne nature, may be controverted. 2. Or we ſpeake of thoſe which are not controverſall amongſt Chriſtians, who acknowledge the Old and New Teſtament, to be the word of God, and what are not clearely determined in the word; and touching the former, there is nothing we know not controverted in the Chriſtian world, except that there is a God; and that is alſo controverted two wayes: Atheiſts ſo farre winke, though nature cannot, no not in devills, and godleſſe men run it ſelfe ſtarke blinde, as they deny there is a God, out of malice. 2. They cavill at all arguments brought to prove that there muſt bee a God, though they be ſtrong enough for the wit of the devill to anſwer.
Now for theſe that are of their owne nature controverſall (though no truths,Some things of their own nature not controverſall, yet the deductions from them to our blinde nature, are controverſall. eſpecially truths revealed and ſpoken by the God of truth, are in themſelves controverſall, or ſuch as can bee oppoſed) yet are there two ſorts of truths that are in relation to humane reaſon controvertable. 1. The principles of nature that God is, that he is infinit, omnipotent, juſt, mercifull, omniſcient, &c. to be loved, ſerved, obeyed, &c. that ſuperiours and parents are to be honoured, our neighbour not to bee hurt, that wee ſhould doe to others as we would they ſhould doe to us, are not of themſelves controverſall; but the practicall concluſions drawne from thence are controverſall in regard of our darkeneſſe, as polygamy, community of goods, all theſe, whether the Saints may rob and ſpoyle wicked men of their poſſeſſions, and kill them upon the right, and authority of Saintſhip, are of themſelves controverſall in relation to our nature who acknowledge Scripture to bee the word of God; but for ſupernaturall truths that cannot finde lodging in the ſphere, or under the ſhadow of naturall reaſon, ſuch as the doctrine of one God in three perſons of the incarnation of two natures in Chriſt, of the imputed righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, of ſalvation by beleeving in a crucified Saviour, the reſurrection of the dead; Fundamentalls of faith moſt controverſall to our blinde nature.and thoſe that are not knowable but by ſupernaturall revelation, though they be the fundamentalls of the Chriſtian faith, yet are they more controverſall of themſelves then the moſt part of non-fundamentalls, as Joh. Goodwin does rightly obſerve, for nature hath more ſhadow of reaſon to cavill and plead againſt theſe, then any other truths; if then no coercive power ought to be uſed againſt ſuch as teach errours contrary to the word of God, and againſt fundamentalls, becauſe ſuch points are controverſall, there is farre more warrant to free thoſe from all coercive power who deny all principles of the Chriſtian faith, and turne ſo from the faith that they deny the word of God, the bookes of the Old and New Teſtament, to be any thing but phanſied fables, becauſe they teach things moſt controverſall; and ſo upon the grounds of Libertines, one Catholicke toleration is due to all; and if any ſhall turn Jew or Mahometan, or Indian or Heatheniſh in his Religion, having been a gliſtering ſtar in the Firmament of Chriſtianity, & ſhould pervert the right wayes of the Lord, with Elimas, the Magiſtrate hath nothing to doe to puniſh him, though he carry Navies, and millions of ſoules to hell, yea, nor is he to be rebuked nor declaimed againſt as a childe of the devill, and an enemy to all righteouſneſſe, but with all meekneſſe and gentleneſſe to be inſtructed, for rebuking of him thus, is as unjuſt, ſince it is not in his power what he thinks or apprehends for truth, or what not, (ſay Libertines) as to command the Sun to ſhine at midnight.