Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Of the obliging power of Conſcience.
LIbertines bewilder themſelves, Bloody Tenet c 3 p. 19.and the Reader, both touching an erroneous conſcience, and the obligation thereof, Mr. Williams ſaith, Such a perſon (what ever his doctrine be, true or falſe) ſuffereth perſecution for conſcience; as Daniel was caſt into the Lions den, and many thouſand Chriſtians, and the Apoſtles were perſecuted, becauſe they durſt not ceaſe to prea… and practiſe what they beleeved was by God commanded.
But this is a foule miſtake, Daniel ſuffered not for conſcience ſimply, becauſe he practiſed what he beleeved to be truth, but becauſe he practiſed what he truely congr…enter Dei voluntati revelatae, congruouſly and agreeably to the revealed will of God, he beleeved, and the like is to be ſaid of the Apoſtles, not the conveniency, and commenſurableneſſe of their practiſe, and their conſcience ſimply, but their beleeving, …all modo, ſuch a way made their ſufferings to bee ſufferings for righteouſneſſe ſake; for then muſt we ſay that Paul perſecuted with the tongue, the Corinthians for their conſcience, 1 Cor. 15. 34. Awake to righteouſneſſe and ſin not, I ſpeake… it to your ſhame, for ſome have not the knowledge of God. Thoſe that denyed the reſurrection; through errour of conſcience, ſaid the dead ſhall not riſe againe, for Paul proves by ſtrong arguments that the dead ſhall riſe, and ſo takes away the errour of their conſcience, why then puts he ſhame and reproach on them, and names them fooles, and void of the knowledge of God? and ſuch as beleeved in vaine? it was not in their power to correct the errors of their conſcience, and if they maintained, what they beleeved in conſcience, was true (as by Pauls demonſtrating the truth to their conſcience is evident) they were perſecuted for righteouſneſſe, if out of meere innocent and faultleſſe ignorance, they denyed the reſurrection, Paul ſhould deale more gently with them, then upbraid them as fooles and Epi…ures who ſaid, Let us eat, for to morrow, we ſhall dye, if they did all beleeve the Reſurrection, and yet profeſſed the contrary, there was no need to take paines as he doth to prove it.
Saul killed the Gibeonites out of zeale to the children of Iſrael: R…monſt. Apo c. 25 245. Nam v…rbu… Dei etiamſi vin obligandi ex ſe & p…rſe habeat, actu t…en non obligat quenquam niſi intellectum & ſic pr…ut adhibi…a omni poſſibili diligentia & prudentia …nclligendum eſſe creditur, re…no enim obligatur, ad verum v…rbi divini ſenſu … ſequ…dum contra conſcientiam ſuam erro…am.It is like the blinde ignorant zeale he had, thinking the Covenant that Joſhua made with them, did not oblige the poſterity, was the cauſe of his murthering of them, yet he ſuffered not in his ſons that were hanged for that blinde zeale, as righteous, and following the rule of his conſcience in that.
But touching an erring conſcience, the queſtion is not whether an erroneous conſcience doth ſo tye, that we muſt do nothing on the contrary, nor is the queſtion whether the neareſt actually obliging rule, be conſcience; the Arminians tell us, Though the word of God, of it ſelfe, and by it ſelfe, have power to oblige, yet it actually obligeth no man, except it be underſtood, and ſo is beleeved to bee underſtood, after we uſe all poſſible diligence and prudence, for no man is obliged to follow the true ſenſe of the word againſt his conſcience, though it be erroneous; but we thinke the word of God is both the farreſt and neareſt, and the onelyonly obliging rule, and that the dytement of the conſcience doth neither binde potentially nor actually,The ſtate of the queſtion touching the obligation that conſcience layeth on us. but is a meere …, a meſſenger and an officiall relater of the will and mind to God, to us, and all the obliging power is from the word, … the meſſenger of a King and Judge, is not the obliging … that tyes the ſubject, or the Heraulds promulgation of the Law, is no obliging rule, for promulgation of Heraulds, is common both to juſt and to unjuſt lawes, and certainly unjuſt lawes from a juſt Prince lay no band on the conſcience or on the man, farre leſſe can the promulgation as the promulgation lay any bands on the conſcience, the word of a Meſſenger and Herauld is at the beſt but a condition, or the approximation of the obliging power to us, but all the obliging power is from the King and the Judge. It is moſt falſe then, that theſe Libertines ſay, that the word doth not actually oblige, except it be underſtood, for the underſtanding, information, and indycement of conſcience, doth not adde any actuall obligation to the word that it had not before, it onelyonly is a Reporter, to carry both the word and the actuall obligation to the man; the Herauld promulgating the law, addes no obligation actuall or potentiall to the law that it had not before, onelyonly it makes an union, in diſtance, and neare application and conjunction between the actually obliging law, and the underſtanding knowledge of the perſon, or ſubject, who is obliged to keep the law, though it bee true the fire cannot actually burne, but as timber is caſt to it, yet the fire hath from its owne nature both potentiall and actuall burning, not from the act of caſting the timber in the fire; nor is this a concludent reaſon, no man is obliged follow how the true ſenſe of the word againſt his conſcience, though erroneous, ergo, the erroneous conſcience doth oblige, or ergo, actuall obligation to obedience is not from the word, but from the conſcience; no more then this is a good conſequence, no man is obliged to obey the Law in it ſelfe, iuſt contrary to the promulgation of an erring and miſtaking Herauld, ergo, the miſtaking Heraulds promulgation giveth to the Law actuall obligation over the ſubject, for it onelyonly followeth, … we are not to doe contrary to the actuall indic…ment of an erroneous conſcience, but not obliged to follow the erroneous conſcience, nor are we obliged to follow what our conſcience ſaith is true and good, becauſe, or upon this formall reaſon and ground, that the conſcience ſaith ſo, more then we are to beleeve and practiſe, what the Church or the conſcience of others: the Church, the learned and godly ſay, for we make not the word of the Church the formal object of our faith, but (thus ſaith the Lord onelyonly) becauſe the Church is but a company of men, and ſo our faith ſhould depend upon men, even though holy and ſpeaking ingenuouſly what their conſcience dictates as true, which is abſurd, ergo, by the ſame reaſon, what one mans conſcience, our owne, or others ſay, is not the formall object of our faith and practiſes, for ſo alſo our faith ſhould depend on man, not on God. And we ſay the conſcience at its beſt, is but Regula Regulata not, Regula Regulans, nor ought it to have the throne of God, for God is only Regula Regulans. If it were a rule, it is to bee ruled by God, and his word, yea, as we are to try all things and not beleeve with a blind faith what others ſay, or their conſcience propoſeth to themſelves and us, as truth, for then we make a Pope of the conſciences of men, under the notion of teachers and Church, ſo we are not to be ruled without trying, and abſolutly by our owne conſcience, but to try its dictates by the word of God, otherwiſe wee make a Pope, and a God of our owne conſcience.
Some ſay, as a right informed conſcience obliegeth to doe what it dictates, ſo an erroneous conſcience obliegeth to do according to its preſcript. Durandus and others ſaith, …gat non obligat, it bindeth that yee cannot doe againſt it, which ſome call negative obligation, but non obligat, it obliegeth not as a divine rule,Tanner. Jeſuit… to 2. in 12. diſp. 2. q 4. dub. 2. n. 21. which is poſitive obligation.
Tannerus ſaith, A Conſcience that invincibly erreth, both bindeth, that we cannot doe againſt it, and obliegeth that we ſhould not follow it. Which hath truth in the matter of fact, a Judge invincibly ignorant of an accuſed mans innocency, when two or three witneſſes doe ſweare hee is guilty, doth lawfully condemne the innocent man, having uſed all … diligence to finde out the truth, and not being … to find it, but this is rather error or ignorance of the fact, than an erronious conſcience, for hee proceeds according to the law, with a well-informed conſcience, following what the law ſaith, by the mouth of two or three witneſſes ſhall every thing be eſtabliſhed. The erroneous conſcience ſo long as it remaineth, by the law of nature, layeth on an obligation on a man, not to doe againſt it, Rom. 14. 14. To … the eſteemeth any thing to be uncleane, to him it is uncleane, verſ. 23. He that doubteth is damned, if he eat, becauſe he eateth not of faith, for whatſoever is not of faith is ſinne. So Ambroſe, our opinion layeth a law upon us. Gammacheus ſaith it is a vain diſtinction of binding and oblieging, Lib. de paradiſo opinio noſtra nobis legem in ponit. Ph…. Gammacheu. in 12. q. 19. de act…. hum. c. 2. ſect. 173.Inter ligationem & obligationem. And that we are oblieged to follow an erroneous conſcienceſſe long as it continueth erroneous, becauſe here (ſaith hee) … diſpute not concerning that which is good, but that which is commanded, But if the conſcience dictate that ſomething is to be commanded and to bee done under paine of ſinne, and yet we doe i… not, we reſiſt conſcience, and ſo we ſin, becauſe the obligation is no mere … good onelyonly, Malderus 12 q. 19. a…t 5, …. diſ. 84.but rather to that which is commanded. The Jeſuite M…lderus ſaith the ſame; Contientiam erroneam & ligare & oblig…re, becauſe an object materially conſidered is ſuch, an object by …, but it is an object per ſe, kindly when it is propoſed by practicall … ſon, for what is not of faith is ſinne, Gal. 5. 3. I teſtifie to … one that is circumciſed, that hee is debter to doe the whole law.
Anſw. There can be no reaſon, why conſcience, becauſe conſcience, or becauſe wicked, more obliegeth; then why Will, becauſe wicked will ſhould obliege, ſince in every wicked conſcience actually drawing men to ill, of either hereſie or practiſe, there is ſomething of wicked Will, and though there were nothing of will, or of the affections in an erroneous conſcience, yet ſince conſcience as a knowing faculty is under the law of God, an erroneous conſcience muſt bee a tranſgreſſing conſcience, and it is a contradiction, that a faculty ſinning ſhould obliege to obedience to the law of God, in the ſame conſideration, becauſe it ſinneth. But theſe Schoole-… ties doe not obliege us, wee ſhall bee unwilling in any tearmes to ſay that God, or, which is all one, the law of nature, layeth on us an obligation to that which is ſinfull, or … if any thinke he is oblieged to be circumciſed, ſure he muſt thinke himſelfe oblieged to eate the paſſeover alſo, and to keepe the whole Ceremoniall law, but that the law of nature obliegeth him either ſo to thinke, and erroneouſly beleeve and practiſe, the whole Ceremoniall Law is another thing. It is true, a doubting conſcience, that thinks hee is oblieged by the law to abſtaine from eating ſwines fleſh, is either oblieged to eate ſwines fleſh, or not to eate, for to eate, or not eate, are oppoſed by way of contradiction, but there is no apparent contradiction but admiteth of ſome qualification, and modification, ſet the contradiction in an evangelicall ſence, as you muſt, and then it ſhall be, there be none in the viſible Church, but he muſt either eate in faith, or not eate in faith, he muſt either bee circumciſed in faith, and in a certaine perſwaſion that circumciſion is acceptable to God, or hee muſt not bee circumciſed in faith, &c. For both the Law and Goſpell obliege to the action and to all the manner, way, and requiſite circumſtances of the action, to wit; that it be done in faith, ſincerely for God, in a due manner, &c. Now ſo wee ſay; hee is neither to eate ſimply, nor not to eate ſimply, but either to eate in faith, or to abſtaine from eating in faith, and without an erring and doubting conſcience: and we are not to do upon a ſuppoſition, that the conſcience ſtand erroneous, nor hath the erroneous conſcience any warrant at all, nor commiſſion from the Sovereigne Lord of conſcience, to command you to beleeve you muſt be circumciſed, or upon the ſuppoſall of that faith to obliege you to be circumciſed, more then any earthly judge hath a warrant from God to command murther or robery; nor is it a law of nature, or of God that you muſt do abſolutely and without trying what an erroneous conſcience indites you to do, under paine of ſin, nor is it a ſin to reſiſt an eroneous conſcience by not doing, or ſuſpending the action, more then it is a ſin not to obey an earthly Judge, when he commandeth beſide, and contrary to the law of the ſupreame Law-giver. No wonder they make a Pope of conſcience, who make the conſcience of the Pope the ſupream court that obliegeth all men on earth. The reaſon of this errour is, Papiſts (and Libertines joyn with them in this) dreame hat as God doth command unerringly, & indeclinably, ſo hte hath communicated to Popes and Heraulds, and to every lawful … under him, and ſo to the conſcience, that they may … errandly, and indeclinably alſo command, but they ſhould remember when power of commanding comes out of God, the fountain of authority, now it looſeth its abſolute undeclinableneſſe, when it is in conſcience, or in any creature, and it is onelyonly conditionall and limited in the ſtreames, whereas it was abſolute and ſoveraigne in the fountaine.
2 In the caſe of an erroneous conſcience ſtanding in its vigorous thing, the queſtion is, both, what is commanded, and what is good, for theſe two are not contrary, but agree well: for the Lords command to Adam (eate not of this fruit) is to Adam the cauſe why the not eating is good, and the cauſe of the obligation to what is commanded alſo, but onelyonly the obligation is (ad modum facti, non ad factum) to the … ner of doing, that if we doe, or abſtaine, we do it …, in faith, and perſwaſion without any jarring between the conſcience and the object, but there is no obligation to the fact. On the regular way of doing, I am never oblieged to obey God with an erring conſcience, or contrary to the inditement of an erring conſcience.
3 The material object being ſin, and forbidden by the law of God, is an object by accident, even when it is propoſed by practicall reaſon, if that reaſon be erroneous, and miſinformed, as it is in this caſe, the propoſing of practicall reaſon, doth not make that to bee good or commanded, which of it ſelfe was neither good nor commanded, but ſinfull, it may make it good in the manner of doing, and obliege in the manner of doing, but that is not our queſtion, but whether the practicall judgement and conſcience remaining erroneous, doth both ligare, bind and obliege to the fact that is ſinfull, that is denied. And though hee that is circumciſed upon the ſuppoſall of a blind, erring, and Jewiſh conſcience, thinking the law of ſhaddowes obliegeth when the body Chriſt is come, he is a debter to doe the whole Law, and to eate the Paſſeover, to ſacrifice at Jeruſalem, to keepe the new-Moones, &c. But how is he debter? He is this way debter, what warrant he hath to be circumciſed, he hath the ſame warrant to keepe the Paſſeover, to ſacrifice, that is, he hath as good reaſon for to doe all, or is as well obliged upon his falſe principles he goes on, to keep all the law of ceremonies as to be circumciſed, or doe a part onelyonly, but he is erroneouſly and ſinfully made, by himſelfe, a debter to the whole Law, but God made him a debter neither to the one, nor to the other, and in Gods Court, though if he be circumciſed, he muſt be circumciſed this way, that is, his conſcience muſt dictate that Gods Law ſtill in force commands him ſo to doe, but this is but a neceſſity of ſuppoſition that falleth upon the manner of the doing, not upon the fact, for no Law of God warranteth him to be circumciſed, and no Law of God makes him debter to doe all the reſt of the law of ceremonies, he is obliged neither to be circumciſed erroneouſly, nor to abſtaine from circumciſion erroneouſly, but to lay aſide his erroneous conſcience, and to abſtaine from circumciſion according to the enditement of a well informed conſcience.
So we eaſily anſwer that ignorant objection of phantaſticall Sectaries, Ancient bonds of liberty of Conſcience, ſe. 1. c. 6. p. 26.in needleſſe Pamphlets and Queries, ſmelling of non-ſenſe and ſelfe-conceit, ſpeaking they know not what: If the ſword be uſed againſt errours to ſuppreſſe them, then muſt the Magiſtrate command and compell men of tender conſciences to ſinne,Though the Magiſtrate puniſh falſe teachers it followeth not that he compels them to ſinne againſt their conſcience. and to doe againſt the light of their conſcience; for what is not of faith, is ſinne. And the Spirit himſelfe waites and violates not the liberty of the reaſonable ſoule, by ſuperſeding the faculties thereof, but approves every truth to the underſtanding, and moves the will without violence, with a rationall force: Shall man be more zealous for God, then God is for himſelfe? God himſelfe doth not force men, but call them to repentance.—If the word (calling) be conſidered, whether will it warrant any further meanes then arguments, perſwaſions, and intreaties (make them as forceable us you can) if you hold the feare of puniſhment over men, it muſt be the feare of divine puniſhment, &c.
Anſw. For 1. wee no where teach that the ſword is a meanes of converting, but the juſt vengeance that is inflicted by the Miniſter of God upon falſe teachers, as upon other evill doers, ſo it is not deſtinated by God for ſpiritual gaining and reducing of hereticks that may repent, but for judiciall expiation of wrongs done to the flock and Chriſtian ſociety.
2. This poore argument will conclude againſt all … of Magiſtrates, againſt murtherers, bloody traitors, for the Lawes of the Miniſter of God, the King forbids the Engliſh Jeſuit to ſtab his Prince, and compells him to … from King-killing, and if this Jeſuit abſtaine from killing his Sovereigne Lord, and abſtain not in faith, but againſt the light of his Jeſuiticall and bloody conſcience, which dictates to him, that he is a Proteſtant Prince and a heretick, and he is obliged in conſcience for the advancement of the Catholicke cauſe to ſtabbe him, doth the ſupreme Magiſtrate compell this Jeſuit to ſin? and doth hee force the Jeſuits conſcience? for to doe in faith hath place in duties of the ſecond Table, as well as in the firſt, and men out of conſcience and in faith, and moved by the Holy Ghoſts gracious actings are to obey all lawfull commands of the Magiſtrate, as to pay tribute, to abſtain from murther, treaſon, adultery, robbing and ſtealing, if they be ſubjects of tender conſciences, and why then ſhould the Magiſtrate compell and force men to theſe duties which are to be done in faith, and in a ſpirituall manner? for ſure the Spirit forces them not to doe theſe in faith, ſo the command of the Magiſtrate moveth every Chriſtian to practiſe, and act of obedience to mens Lawes for conſcience ſake, and the Spirit moves the whole powers of the ſoul, both the underſtanding and the will without violence, with a rationall force, and why ſhould the Magiſtrate then be more zealous for God, then God is for himſelfe? and all this may be ſaid againſt all Lawes in the Old Teſtament, why ſhould the Magiſtrate compell men againſt their faith and conſcience not to beleeve, not to practiſe any ſuch ſeducing wayes, as to ſay, Come let us goe ſerve other Gods, Should Moſes be more zealous for God, then God is for himſelfe? but the truth is, the Magiſtrate as the Magiſtrate doth not meddle with the conſcience, not the manner of obedience to Law, whether they be obeyed in faith, or againſt the light of conſcience, that is nothing to him, he commands but the externall actions, preach no hereſie, no Familiſme, Soci… niſme under the paine of corporall puniſhment; if Paſtors obey this charge hypocritically, not in faith, it is their ſin, not the Magiſtrates, he neither commands thus, preach no hereſie, in faith and perſwaſion, nor yet, in no faith, in no perſwaſion. And Auguſtine tells us the Donatiſts objected the ſame,Auguſtin contr. Gau…e…ti… n, l. … c. 24. Et ſi ficti aliq …i perſever…, non utique …op er ipſos … fucra…t colligendi quos viden…s ver…e…. God compelleth none, but hath given men freewill to obey him, contr. petil. l. 2. c. 83. Epiſt, 48. ad vincention, Contr. Gaudenti…. l. 1. c. 25 Contr. Creſc. l. 3. c. 51. which I often re-minde the Reader of, and the Donatiſts alſo ſaid this compulſion makes hypocrites, when they are compelled to goe to heare the word, Auguſtine anſwers, Although ſome that are compelled to beare remain hypocrites and counterfeit, yet for theſe, ſuch as are ſincere, ſhould not have been left ungathered in.
And for that of Gods calling to repentance,Gods way and manner of calling, is no ground why the magiſtrate ſhould not puniſh falſe teachers. he is but an ignorant ſenſeleſſe man who wrote that booke. The Spirit waits, (ſaith hee) and violates not liberty. If the meaning bee, the Lord is long-ſuffering and patient, and lets men goe on in their ſins, and in his owne time effectually calleth them, this is a ſenſeleſſe ſenſe, for God waits not on one out of his longanimity and forbearance, leſt he ſhould force freewill, for the freewill is ever alike impotent, rebellious and refractory, till God ſubdue it, if the meaning be (as another ſenſe it cannot have) The Spirit waites and violates not liberty, that is, the Spirit waites untill freewill be in a good blood and a congruous diſpoſition to obey, and then the Spirit, for feare of forcing of it, if he ſhould come on it undexterouſly to worke it againſt the haire; catcheth the opportunity when he ſees it is not on a ſtraine of rebellion, and in a diſtemper, and then he drawes the freewill without force; the man (I judge) is innocent and uncapable of this ſchoolhereſie of late Jeſuits, who deviſe a Pelagian congruous calling: and this were nothing to the purpoſe, and ſhould neither have head nor feet to the matter in hand, for the Spirit who can carry freewill, though moſt rebelliouſly diſtempered his way, is not afraid of freewills contradictorious oppoſing, but can in every moment ſubdue freewill without forcing, he never waites on, for ſuch a matter, except there bee a time when freewill is to hard a party for the Spirit to yoake withall; or when nature or ſome preparatory grace makes it eaſier for the Spirit to conquieſſe, conſent at one time more then another.
2. Gods not forcing of freewill is no rule to the Magiſtrate not to awe men to abſtaine from perverting of ſoules for fear of the ſword, for by the ſame reaſon, becauſe Gods Spirit moves the Saints to be ſubject to every ordinance of …, Judge, or good Law, for the Lords ſake, and for conſcience, for hee muſt obey this, Rom. 13. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13. and the Spirit compells not in theſe more then in the others; ſo this argument, God muſt worke faith, give repentance, and make a willing people, ergo, Ancient bonds of liberty of Conſcience, ſ. 1 c. 6. p. 26.the Chriſtian Magiſtrate cannot with his authority doe it, is all granted. This is but a very rotten ruſh, a ſtraw, Entbyſiaſts ſo argue, God teacheth ſufficiently, ergo, the Scriptu… and miniſtery of men are not requiſite, the diſcipline of the godly Magiſtrate cannot aſcend ſo high as to have influence on the conſcience and beget faith no more then the preaching of the word by the Miniſters of the Goſpel without the …, ergo, the godly Magiſtrate cannot with the ſword keepe the externall man in outward obedience to Goſpel-ordinances, it in no ſort can can be a good conſequence, nor is it good divinity to ſay with Pelagians and Arminians, that the calling of God extends no further then to arguments, perſwaſions, intreaties and threatnings, for the calling of God extendeth further then to ſo much as man can doe, in calling of ſinners to repentance, but men can act upon the minde, will, and reaſonable ſoule, by arguments, perſwaſions, intreaties and threatnings, for all that is done by the Miniſtery of men. But in effectuall calling (of which we here ſpeake) it is certaine, the Lord infuſeth a new heart, a new ſpirit, … efficaciouſly to the Son, which is a further and higher … of omnipotencies, calling and drawing, then all the morall perſwaſion by arguments, intreaties, and threatnings, performable by men or Angels; ſo this man is either an ignorant or a groſſe Arminian.
Now from all this, it is eaſie to expound that character which the Holy Ghoſt putteth upon the hereticke,Who is the ſelf condemned heretick, Tit. 3. 1. Tit. 3. 10. he is judged or condemned of himſelfe, that is, the truth is ſo clearely opened to him, or he may, if he did not wincke, and ſhut his eyes, clearely ſee and beleeve the truth, if he did not knowingly, prudently, and willingly reſiſt the truth, and therefore is condemned by his owne heart.
But Minus Celſus ſaith, … ſect. …. 1. 13.the words carry a farre other ſenſe, to wit, That by ſinning he is the authour of his … condemnation, becauſe in chuſing true Religion, be thinkes he both made a right choice, when he hath choſen a falſe Religion, being deceived by his owne judgement, he falleth into damnation, which, miſerable man, he hath created to himſelfe, and in which he chuſeth to perſiſt, and therefore is to be eſehewed. So it is ſaid, the Jews judged themſelves unworthy of eternall life, but knowingly they judged not ſo of themſelves, but they did ſo behave themſelves as if they made themſelves unworthy of eternall life. So I beleeve the hereticke is called ſelfe-condemned, becauſe he doth thoſe things that renders himſelfe worthy of damnation. So Caſtalio, or he is ſelfe-condemned, that is, he is damned, though there were none to condemne him but himſelfe. So Eraſmus.
Anſw. He is ſelfe-condemned, who may be condemned by his owne conſcience, though for the preſent the conſcience be burnt with a hot iron, and the man will not permit it to ſummon, accuſe, condemne, no leſſe then hee who is actually condemned of his conſcience, for it is a laudable act, and a naturall vertue of the conſcience to give ſentence againſt a hereſie when it ought ſo to doe, as it is a vice of the conſcience to be dumbe at hereſies; but if he love the truth, though he cannot actually condemne the hereſie, hee is not ſelfe-condemned.
The hereticke (ſaith Celſus) is an innocent man, and is not ſuch a man as ſins againſt light, nor maliciouſly, nor with an ill conſcience, nor is his end gaine, pleaſure, nor an ambitious luſting after a name, hee ſeeth none of theſe are attaineable, yea, it is his deſire of life eternall, and his …eale that ſetteth him on worke, and rather or he diſhonour God and deny the knowne truth, and ſin againſt his conſcience, he had rather chuſe torment, and dye a martyr, and drinke that direfull and bitter cup of death, which was ſo terrible to Jeſus Chriſt, that it cauſed him to fall to the earth, ſweat blood and water. So he, fol. 14, 15, 16. which if it be true, an hereticke is rather an innocent Angell, then a guilty man, condemned of his owne conſcience. Yet Minus C…lſus ſaith here, he behaveth himſelfe as one worthy of damnation, and damned, though none but himſelfe condemne him, 1 Joh. 3. 20. For if our heart condemne us, God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things. It is like then, an innocent man is condemned, and his company to be eſchewed as a peſtilent wretched man.
Yet the Arminians ſay, though diſcipline is to be exerciſed on hereticks condemned by themſelves,R…monſt. vi. di. l. 2. c. 8. Ut hereſis naturae potius quam vitium vo untatis ſit. yet are they bewitched with A great prejudice—ſo as hereſie is a vice of nature rather then of freewill. And in another place, onelyonly nature, by no fault of heretickes, void of grace, begetteth theſe errours, and not freewill deſpiſing the help of grace; they are ſeduced not of their owne accord, but by neceſſity of nature,L. 11. c. 2. Err…ces iſtos ſola parit natura per nullam ipſoram culpam deſtituta gratia, non voluntas auxilium gratia aſpernata Seducuntur non ſponte ſua ſed naturae neceſſitate ſeducunt enim non quia ſeducere volunt, ſed quia non poſſunt non ſeducere. for they ſeduce not becauſe they will ſeduce, but becauſe they cannot ſeduce.
It needs not an anſwer, that they ſay, the Jews judged themſelves unworthy of life eternall, not knowingly, for knowingly they did it, Act. 13. v. 45. they ſpake againſt the convincing and enlightning Goſpel, contradicting and blaſpheming. So …. 14. 1, 2. for which ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, Paid turned from them, and preacheth the Goſpel to the Gentiles; yea Minus Celſus will have the Jewes to erre innocently in that malicious fact.
Anſw. To forbid marriage and meats, can hardly be arraigned as fundamentall errours, nor the Authours ſuch as muſt deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, yet they are ſuch as depart from the faith, teach doctrines of devils, ſpeke lyes in hypocriſie, and have their conſcience burnt with an hot iron; and if hereticks be as innocent as their ſin, if it be but a fault of nature, as blindneſſe from the wombe, or deafneſſe, not of will, but of nature, why are they to be rebuked, accuſed, condemned of their owne conſcience? But they little know the heart of man, who finde not malice, prejudice, pride, deſire of glory, to hold up a faction, often gaine and hunger for court to lodge with errours of the minde; and whereas Libertines ſay we promote truth with blood, we retort it thus, they promote hereſie with the ſword, and deny thouſands of Atheiſts, bloody men their way, becauſe the… purſe, the Parliament, the ſword, the Army is on their ſide.