A
Against pretended
Liberty of Conscience
Tending
To Resolve Doubts moved by Mr. John
Goodwin, John Baptist,
Dr. Jer. Taylor, the
Belgic Arminians,
Socinians, and other Authors
contending for lawless
Liberty or licen-
tious Toleration of Sects
and Heresies.
By Samuel Rutherford Professor of Divinity
In the University of St.
Andrews
Psalm 119:45
And I will walk at
liberty, for I seek thy precepts.
LONDON,
Printed by R.I. for Andrew
Crook, and are to be sold at his
Shop, at the sign of the Green
Dragon in St. Paul’s
Church-yard. MDCIL.
TO THE
Godly and impartial Reader.
I offer (Worthy
Reader) to your unpartiall and ingenuous censure these my ensuing thoughts
against Liberty of conscience, from which way looking to me with a face of
Atheism, I call the Adversaries, Libertines, not intending to reach a blow to
any godly man, or to wound those who out of weakness are captived with that
error, but to breed in the hearts of the godly a detestation of that way, which
in truth hath its rise from Libertinism, and savoureth rankly of wide, loose
and bold Atheistical thoughts of the majesty of God, as if our conscience had a
Prerogative Royal beside a rule; yea (which is prodigious) in its simple
apprehensions of God, of the Mediator, of the revealed will of God, above the
Law of God: So I think, and all say so, and our faith and hope must be resolved
in the first principle of skepticism. So it seems to me, for the young
daughters of the mind, the simplest acts of apprehendding, knowing, believing
God and divine truths are innocent, harmless ill-less soul-works, being from
un- der all dominion of either freewill or a divine Law, and the mind, a free
born absolute Princess, can no more incur guiltiness in its operations about an
infi- nite Sovereign God, and his revealed will, by this law- less way, then
the fire in burning, the Sun in enlightening, the stone in moving downward, be
arraigned of any breach of Law, if toleration have place.
2. All
certainty of believing, all steadfastness, rooting, and unmovable establishing
in the truth, all life of consolations and comforts in the Scriptures, all
peace of heavenly confidence, all joy unspeakable and full of glory, all lively
hope, all patient and submissive waiting for the fruits of the harvest, all
wrestling in prayer, all gloriation in tribulation, and all triumphing in
praising, all rejoicing in the Spirit, being bottomed on fallible opinions, on
doubtful disputations of skeptics, may be the reelings of windmills, fair
fancies, and dreams; for who (say they) is infallible: and who hath known the
mind of the Lord? so as the truth must be monopolized to any one Sect, or way?
Who in faith or fullness of assurance can convince or rebuke gainsayers,
heretics, or such as bring another doctrine, as Those whom you so labor to
convince and rebuke?
3.
Conscience is hereby made every man’s Rule, Umpire, Judge, Bible, and his God,
which if he follow, he is but at the worst, a godly, pious, holy Heretic, who
feareth his conscience more than his creator, and is to be judged of you a
Saint.
4. Hence
conscience being deified, all rebuking, exhorting, counter-arguing, yea all the
Ministry of the Gospel must be laid aside; no man must judge brother Idolater,
or brother Familist, or Saints to be Socinians, or men of corrupt minds,
perverse disputers, vain-janglers, wresters, rackers, or torturers of
Scripture, whose words eat as a canker, who subvert whole houses, who speak the
visions of their own head, and see false burdens, for all these who were of old, but are now quite gone out of the world; for who can make a
window in any man’s soul, and see there heart-obstinacy which only doth
essentially constitute the heretic, the blasphemer, the false prophet?
But is not
brotherly forbearance, Christian indulgence a debt we owe to brethren, Saints,
and the truly godly in errors, and mind infirmities, which by a natural
emanation or resultance get the fore-start of freewill?
To which I
shall speak in these few considerations.
1. It is
much to be desired with the prayers and suits of the children of God, that
where there are two opinions, there may be one heart, that the Father of
Spirits would unite the hearts of all the children of one Father, and the heirs
of one house.
2. Papists
here have exceeded in boundless domination and tyranny over the consciences of
men: and what ever is contrary to the lawless decrees of their Councils and
Popes, is an unexpiable heresy, and
cannot be purged but by fire and fagot. 2. Who ever refuse subjection of
conscience to that Enemy of Christ, and to that woman-mistress of witchcrafts,
on whose skirts is found the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, is presently an
heretic, and his arguments answered with burning-quick, this tyranny over
conscience we disclaim; yet for that ought not the other extremity of wild
toleration be embraced.
3. We
cannot think but all Saints in this side of glory carry to heaven with them
errors, mistakes, and prophesying in part, and the fairest Stars and lights in
this lower firmament of the Church are clouded, and the benefit of the Moon
serves to enlighten the under garden of Lillies, where Christ feedeth, till the day break, and the shadows
flee away. And here brotherly indulgence and reciporation of the debt of
compassionnate forbearance of the infirmities one of another must have place.
4. Yet so,
as there can be no conflict of grace against grace; nor can the taking off the
Foxes which destroy the Vines, be contrary to the gentleness and meekness of
the Saints in fulfilling the law of love, and bearing one another’s burdens,
nor can love seated essentially in a new born child of the second birth be
contrary to the zeal of God in withstanding to the face a Saint looking awry, and walking not
with a straight foot according to the truth of the gospel; which way if heeded in sincerity,
should breed more union of hearts, and be a greater testimony of faithfulness
to a straying sheep, than our cruel meekness, and bloody gentleness in a
pretended bearing with tender consciences under a color of paying the debt of
bastard love, while as we suffer millions to perish, through silence and
merciless condolency with them in their sinful depraving of the truth.
Farewell.
Yours
In the Lord Jesus,
S.
R.
The Contents
Chapt. 1. Of Conscience and its Nature.
Ø The name Conscience
Ø Conscience the practical knowledge
Ø Conscience a power, not an act or habit
Ø What sort of knowledge is ascribed to
the Conscience
Ø Of the sunthresis
Ø Of Conscience in relation to the major
Assumption and Conclusion of a practical Syllogism
Ø The object of Conscience
Ø Conscience to be reverenced
Ø Of obligation of Conscience, and the acts therefrom resulting
Ø Of witnessing of Conscience, and self
reflection
Ø The knowledge of our own state of grace,
may be had by the fruits of the Spirit of Sanctification
Ø Acts of Conscience in relation to the
Conclusion
Ø A Conscience good or ill
Ø A good Conscience
Ø Conscience the rarest peace that God
made
Ø A tender Conscience
Ø Who engross the name of tender
Consciences to themselves
Ø Of a Scrupulous Conscience
Ø The causes of a Scrupulous Conscience
Chapt. 2. Conscience under Synods, and
how; and that the Conscience cannot have absolute liberty in matters of
religion.
Ø How a Synod compelleth
Ø The Conditions that Libertines require
to be in a Synod
Ø
Ø The Church though not infallible, may
determine infallible points
Ø A Confession, Covenant, or Synodical
decree, a secondary rule of Faith
Ø A Ministerial and public, and a
Christian and private judgment and faith how they differ
Ø Libertines give us Skepticism and
Fluctuation for Faith
Ø There is need of Interpretation and
decision of Synods
Ø That Confessions ought to be only in
express Scripture words, is another false principle of Libertines
Ø Ancient bonds of Liberty of Conscience
Ø The end of Synods is not to remove
heresies by any means good or bad, or to crush heresy so effectually as these heresies
shall never be heard of in the world again
Ø The necessity of Synods
Ø Pastors subject the disobedient to
wrath, yet are not lords over the conscience; ergo, neither are Synods lords
over the conscience for that
Ø The subject of a Synod not a skeptic conjectural
truth as Liber tines suppose
Ø The sense of Scripture from Synods
believed truly to be infallible, although Synods consist of men who are not
infallible, as an earthen pitcher doth
contain gold and precious rubies and sapphires in it, though there be no gold
in the matter of the pitcher but only clay, 2 Cor. 4.7
Ø How a true decision of a Synod is ever
the same and not retractable
Ø Though all truths be peremptorily
decided in the word, yet is there need of a ministerial and declarative
decision of men, because teachers may deceive, and those that are taught are
ignorant and dull
Ø Men are to come to Synods not as
Nullifidians but as engaged for Truth
Ø Synods may impose on others and how?
Ø Ancient bonds or Liberty of Conscience
stated
Ø The conditional imposing of Synods
consisteth well with trying of all things, what Libertines say on the contrary
is naught
Ø Conditional imposing proveth the imposer
to be no lord of conscience
Chapt. 3. The Church may
complain of heretics
Ø Pastors are not out of their calling, nor
apparitors, nor tale-bearers, if they complain to the magistrate of heretics
Chapt. 4. The state of the question of
compulsion of conscience and toleration
Ø Opinions cannot be compelled, nor the
mind or will in the elicit acts.
Ø The question is, whether the magistrate
may compulsorily restrain the external act of the outward man in religion
Ø Shame and fear of rebukes, by pastors
and church censures have the same compulsory influences on false teachers, that
the fear of public punishment by the Synod hath
Ø Church censures are as compulsory on the
conscience, as coercing by the sword
Ø Some external actions of injustice
flowing from mere conscience are punished justly, without any note of
persecution by grant of Libertines, and why not all others also?
Ø Ancient bonds of liberty of conscience
Ø Discountenancing of men and negative punishing of them for their
conscience is punishing of them.
Ø Ancient bonds p.12
Ø How religion may be compelled, how not
Ø One mans religion remaining in the mind
and will, may hurt or benefit the man himself, not any others: but true
religion, as it comes forth into acts of teaching may edify and win others, and
false religion may subvert the faith of others
Ø The magistrate does not command
religious acts as service to God, but rather forbids their contraries, as
disservice to Christian societies
Ø How Turtullian and Lactantius are to be
expounded of forcing to heathen religion
Ø Though we can compel none to religion,
it follows not that the magistrate may not punish those that seduce others to
false religion
Ø Lactantius speaks of compulsion without
all teaching
Ø Those that are without the church are
not to be compelled
Ø Because the magistrate’s compulsion
makes heretics it followeth not, he should not punish heretics, for so he
should not punish murderers
Ø The magistrate may by the sword curb
such impediments, that keep men from embracing the truth, according to
Augustine
Ø Answer to Doctor Adam Stewart
Ø Impotency of free will objected by
Master John Goodwin, no reason why the magistrate ought not to punish seducing
teachers, as the Donatists of old objected
Ø State of the question more strictly
proposed
Ø It may as well be said because there be
no express laws against murderers, parricides, sorcerers, sodomites, in the New
Testament more than against false teachers, that therefore sorcerers are no
less than heretics to be tolerated
Chapt. 5. Of Fundamentals,
Ø The number of fundamentals
Ø A saving disposition of faith to believe
all truths revealed, though the man be ignorant of many, may consist with the
state of grace.
Ø Three things that are among those to be
believed. 1.Things simply Necessary 2.Simply profitable 3.By consequence
necessary; how the Papists err in these
Ø Some consequences necessary
Ø Builders of hay and stubble on the
foundation may be saved, and those that fall in murder and adultery out of
infirmity may be also saved? Yet there is no consequence; ergo, the magistrate
should tolerate both
Chapt. 6. Errors in
non-fundamentals obstinately held are punishable
Ø
Obstinacy
in ceremonies after full information deserveth punishment
Ø Those that err in non-fundamentals, may
deserve to be punished.
Ø To teach the necessity of circumcision,
not an error formally and primarily, but by consequence fundamental; and the
contrary truth not necessary, necessitate medii
Ø The toleration of all who err in
non-fundamentals examined
Ø Queries proposed to M. John Goodwin, who
asserteth a catholic toleration of all religions, upon the ground of weakness
of freewill, and want of grace?
Ø Most arguments of Libertines infer a
catholic toleration in non-fundamentals, as well as in fundamentals
Ø What deductions the Spirit makes in the
soul of an elect knowing but a few fundamentals and going out of this life who
knoweth?
Ø To know revealed truths of God is a commanded
worship of God?
Ø One general confession of faith without
a particular sense containing the true and orthodox meaning of the word not
sufficient
Ø Divers pious conferences between us and
Lutherans
Ø They hate God and love blasphemies in
the consequence who obstinately hold to them in the antecedents
Ø They may be false teachers and so
punishable who err not in fundamentals
Ø Divers things not fundamentally believed
with certainty of faith
Ø Believing of truths revealed of God with
a reserve, blasphemous, and turneth believers into Skeptics and Nullifidians
Ø Believing with a reserve against the
motion of the Holy Ghost
Ø Believing with a reserve against the
stability of faith
Ø Against the trying of all things, and
spirits, enjoined by the Holy Ghost
Ø Faith with a reserve against our prayers
for knowledge and growing therein
Ø The Holy Ghost bids us not believe with
a reserve
Ø To believe with a reserve contrary to
our doing, and suffering for truth and faith
Ø Two distinctions necessary touching
controverted points
Ø Some things of their own nature not
controversial, yet the deductions from them to our blind nature are
controversial
Ø Fundamentals of faith most controversial
to our blind nature
Chapt. 7. What opinions
may be tolerated, what not.
Ø Some far off errors may be tolerated
Ø Schism and actual gathering of churches
out of churches cannot be tolerated
Ø The place of Romans 14 willing us to
receive the weak, no plea for toleration
Ø Philippians
Chapt. 8. Whether heresy be a sin or a
mere error and innocency, whether a heretic be an evil doer?
Ø Libertines make heresy a mere innocent
and unpunishable error of the mind
Ø Heresy is a sin as well as idolatry
though we could neither define heresy nor idolatry
Ø Heresy proved to be a heinous sin
Ø The Holy Ghost contrary to Libertines,
supposeth undeniably that heretics are known, and so they are not known to God
only, when he bids us beware of them, avoid them, bid them not God speed
Ø Pertinacity may be, and is known to men
Ø Heresy a wicked resisting of the truth,
and yet not blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
Ø Libertines say that a heretic dying for
his heresy hath no evil conscience, but a spiritual and heavenly end
Ø The vain glory of the devils, martyrs
who die for heresy
Ø Spiritual stupidity and malice both
together in heretics and Satan’s martyrs
Ø Some ignorance consists with the sin
against the Holy Ghost.
Chapt. 9. Of Liberty of Prophesying, of
erroneous indictments of conscience, that it is not our rule.
Ø Who is a heretic to Arminians, Titus
3:10
Ø None to Libertines are heretic, but such
as profess a religion, which they believe with persuasion to be false
Ø
Ø To desire false prophets to cease out of
the land is no quenching of the Spirit
Chapt. 10. Of Indulgence in Fundamental
or Non-fundamental Errors.
Ø How the Arminian Libertines do define a
heretic
Ø Heretics to Libertines only such as deny
things knowable by the light of nature
Ø Diversity of opinions among them
Ø The punishing of men for publishing of
fundamental errors, and the indulgence of a toleration yielded to them though
they teach all errors in non-fundamentals, a vain distinction, and hath no
ground in scripture
Ø Some murders non-fundamental in David
which yet are consistent with the state of salvation, should as well be
tolerated, as some errors in non-fundamentals by the distinction of Libertines
Ø Some non-fundamentals clearly in the
word revealed, not to be believed with a reserve, and other non-fundamentals
with a reserve.
Ø Queries propounded to Libertines
Ø Why may not the Magistrate lawfully
spare the life of him, who out of a Libertine conscience merely sacrificeth his
child to God? or, Why should he punish with the sword, some acts not
destructive to peace in the conscience of the punished, and not all acts of the
same kind?
Ø To compel men to do against their
conscience, that is, to sin, neither in Old or New Testament is lawful,
Deuteronomy 13 and 17
Ø There is the same obligation, the same
formal reason (so saith the Lord) of believing non-fundamentals revealed, and
fundamentals, and the same necessity of divine command, not the same necessity
of means, called necessitas medii
Chapt. 11. Of Obliging Power of
Conscience.
Ø The state of the question touching the
obligation that conscience layeth on us
Ø Ancient bonds of liberty of conscience
Sect. 2 Chap. 6 p.26.
Ø Though the magistrate punish false
teachers it follows not, that he compels them to sin against their conscience
Ø God’s way and manner of calling, is no
ground why the magistrate should not punish false teachers
Ø Ancient bonds of liberty of conscience
Chapt. 6 p.26
Ø Who is the self-condemned heretic, Titus
3:10
Chapt. 12. Arguments against pretended
toleration.
Ø Toleration hath no warrant in the word
Ø Toleration inferreth skepticism
Ø Want of infallibility in new Testament,
no reason for the toleration in the new Testament
Ø Toleration is against faith, hope,
comfort in the Scriptures.
Ø Toleration is against the ministry of
the word
Ø Rulers by the fourth commandment are to
see all under them worship God
Ø Proposals of the army under Sir Thomas
Fairfax 12.p.10
Chapt. 13. Magistracy and perpetual laws
in the Old Testament warrant the civil coercing of false prophets.
Ø Rulers as rulers, not as typical rulers,
punished false teachers with the sword
Ø Typicalness did not privilege all the
kings of
Ø How typicalness priviledgeth men to such
and such actions, how not.
Ø Seducers punished by bodily death
Ø Punishing of idolaters and blasphemers
of the Law of Nature.
Ø How wars that are extraordinary in the
manner, and in some particular acts, may be and are in the substance of the
acts, ordinary rules obliging us
Ø The law of God warranted by the law
teacheth that false teachers and heretics are to be punished with the sword
Ø The law of Deuteronomy 17:2, 3 for
punishing idolaters
Ø There was no consulting with the oracle
who should be put to death for his conscience in the Old Testament, but an
ordinary way of trying evil doers by judicial proceeding and hearing of
witnesses
Ø The end of punishing of false teachers
with the sword is not their conversion to God (ministers of the Gospel only
labor in that field) but the not perverting of souls, and disturbing the
safety of human societies
Ø Sacrificing of Children to Molech
punished with death by God’s law, not as murder, but as spiritual whoredom
Chapt. 14. Cavils against coercive
judicial laws, for punishing false prophets in the old Testament.
Ø Laws punishing false teachers were
moral, not temporary and pedagogical
Ø Power of fathers and masters in the
fourth commandment coercive.
Ø Compelling to hypocrisy for fear of
shame and reproaches, as guilty as compelling men with the sword, not to
publish heresies, nor seduce others
Ø A third answer
Ø Blasphemers and idolaters never were
judged to die by consulting with the immediate oracle of God, as John Goodwin imagineth,
Hagiomastix Sections 34, 35, 36, 37
Ø We have as sure a word of scripture, as
immediate consulting with the oracle of God
Ø Want of infallibility should exclude all
judges to judge, pastors to preach or write, Synods to advise, because we
cannot do these with prophetical infallibility
Ø A twofold typicalness in the Old
Testament, one merely ceremonial, unreducible, another typical, but of civil
and natural use; the use of the latter ceaseth not, because it was sometime
typical, so is punishing of seducers
Ø Seducers of old denied no other-waies
God, than our false prophets now a-days do deny him
Ø Not only those who offend against the
principles of nature, but those that publish and hold errors against the
supernatural principles of the Gospel are to be punished by the sword
Ø Such as slew their children to Molech
denied no more the word of God than our heretics now do
Ø There be false prophets now under the
New Testament as there were under the Old Testament
Chapt. 15. Christ’s not rebuking
toleration, and the law, Deuteronomy 13 vindicated.
Ø Christ’s not express rebuking of the
Magistrates tolerating heresies, makes not for Christ’s approving of toleration
of heresies, more than of tolerating the absolving of a murderer at the time of
the feast, or other crimes against the second table
Ø The laws Deuteronomy 13 three in number
explicated, the first two were moral, the third ceremonial for the most part
Ø The wars in the Old Testament warrant
wars in the New, according to the natural equity in them, but they bind not
according to the ceremonial and temporary typicalness annexed to them
Chapt. 16. Prophecies in the Old
Testament especially Zechariah 13:1-6 for punishing false prophets vindicated.
Ø Prophecies in the Old Testament
especially Zechariah 13:1-7 prove that false teachers under the New Testament,
ought to be punished with the sword
Ø So John Goodwin answereth in his
Appendix to Hagiomastix.
Ø The prophecy Zechariah 13 and the house
of David noteth not the Jews only excluding the Gentiles
Ø Master Goodwin’s answer to Zechariah 13
Ø Answer of Mr. Goodwin
Ø It is not metaphorical thrusting through
that is spoken of Zechariah 13 but really inflicted death and bodily punishment
Chapt. 17. Places in the New Testament
especially Romans 13 for punishing of false teachers vindicated.
Ø So John Goodwin Hagiomastix
Ø The ignorance of the Christian
Magistrate in matters of religion, no ground why by his office, he ought not to
know so far truth and falsehood, as to punish heresies, published and spread
Ø Ordinary professors may know who are
heretics and who false teachers
Ø Magistrates as Magistrates, cannot judge
all evil doers, for heathen
Ø Magistrates who never heard the gospel,
cannot judge gospel heretics
Ø How Christ taketh service of a Christian
Magistrate
Ø Master John GoodwinHow Master Goodwin
would elude the place Romans 13 to prove that false teachers are not evil doers
Ø Paul Romans 13, speaks of Magistrates in
general, what they ought to be, not of Roman magistrates as they were then
Ø Roman well doing and ill-doing not meant
in the text
Chapt. 18. The place I Timothy 2:1, 2,
for coercive power over false prophets cleared.
Ø
The
place I Timothy 2:1-3 explained
Ø
We
are to pray that magistrates as magistrates may not only permit but procure to
us that we may live in godliness
Ø
Revelation
The ten kings as kings punish the whore, and burn her flesh for her idolatry
Ø
Extraordinary
punishing of heretics, no case of the magistrate’s neglect, argueth that the
magistrate ought to punish them
Chapt. 19. Exemption of false prophets
from coercive power,
is not Christian liberty.
Ø
This
liberty of conscience is not Christian liberty
Ø
A
speculative conscience no more freed from the magistrate than a practical
conscience
Ø
Ecclesiastical
censures as compulsory as the sword
Chapt. 20. The parable of the wheat and
the tares discussed and cleared.
Ø The scope of the parable of the tares,
and the vindication thereof.
Ø The danger of punishing the innocent, in
lieu of the guilty, through mistake, is no argument that heretics should not be
punished by the magistrate
Ø The tares are not meant of heretics, but
of all the wicked who shall be burned with unquenchable fire
Ø The parable of the tares, and of the
sower, most distinct parables in matter and scope
Ø “Let them grow” not expounded by Christ,
and what it meaneth.
Ø What is understood by tares
Ø Heresy may be known
Ø What is meant by plucking up
Ø What is meant by field, what by the
wheat
Ø All the tithes of the parable must not
be expounded, nor the time exactly searched into, when the tares were first sown
Ø How sins are more heinous under the New
Testament, and how God is now no less severe, then under the Law, and a city
that will defend and protect a false prophet against justice, is to be dealt
with the same ways, as under the Old Testament, except that the typicalness is
removed
Ø What “Let them grow” imports
Ø How we are to bear permissive
providences, wherein evils of sin fall out
Ø Christ must mean by tares and wheat,
persons, not doctrines, good and ill
Ø Whether false teachers, if they repent
must be spared, or because they may repent
Chapt. 21. Of the Samaritans, and of the
non-compelling of heathens, how the Covenant bindeth us.
Ø The not burning of the Samaritans doth
prove nothing for immunity of heretics from the sword
Ø How far we may compel other nations, or
heathens to embrace the truth faith
Ø Of the Covenant’s obliging of us, to the
religious observance thereof
Ø The word of God as it is in every man’s
conscience no rule of Reformation in the Covenant
Ø The equivocation of sectaries in
swearing the Covenant
Ø The author of the ancient bonds an
ignorant prevaricator in the Covenant
Ø All moral compelling of heretics, and
refuting of false teachers by the word, is as unlawful as compulsion by the
sword, according to the principles of libertines
Ø The magistrate as the magistrate cannot
send ministers but in a compulsory way
Ø How independents were ensnared by
Presbyterians to take the Covenant as the author saith
Ø How independents swore to defend the
Presbyterian government, and with tongue, pen, and sword, cry out at it, as
tyrannical, antichristian and popish
Ø Libertines make conscience, not the word
of God their rule.
Ø How appearing to the conscience makes
not the word of God to be the obliging rule, but only as touching the right and
due manner of being obliged thereby
Chapt. 22. The pretended liberty of
conscience against the National League and Covenant, the ordinances of the
Parliament of
Chapt. 23. The Place of Acts 5:34 to wit,
the counsel of Gamaliel disused, and found nothing for liberty of conscience
Ø Mr. Goodwin’s unsound gloss touching the
counsel of Gamaliel, Acts 5
Ø Gamaliel’s argument proveth as strongly,
that murderers and adulterers should not be punished, as that men ought not to
be punished for their conscience
Ø The argument of Gamaliel owned by
adversaries, rendereth all the fundamentals of the gospel uncertain, and topic
skepticism to all the most well settled believers
Ø Gamaliel’s argument doth conclude, that
we are not to oppose by arguments and scripture, any blasphemous way against
the gospel
Ø Immediate providence is not the rule of
our actions
Chapt. 24 . Whether punishing of
seducing teachers, be inconsistent with the meekness of Christ, place Luke
Ø The Lord’s not burning
Ø The case of Elias calling for fire from
heaven, and of the Apostles, much different
Ø The meekness of Christ being extended to
publicans, extortioners, and harlots, doth as well conclude, such ought not to
be punished by the magistrate, as that false teachers ought not to be punished
by him.
Ø By places from the meekness of Christ,
Socinians labor to prove the magistrate is to shed no blood under the New
Testament
Ø Christ’s not breaking the bruised reed,
would prove that heretics are gracious persons though weak in saving grace, and
lovingly cherished by Christ, if place Isaiah 42, Matthew 12:19, 20 help the
adversaries.
Ø Christ’s meekness not inconsistent with
his justice
Ø Rash judgment condemned I Corinthians
4:5, 6, is nothing for pretended toleration
Ø That many through the corruption of
their own heart, render hypocritical obedience because of the sword, proveth
nothing against the use of the sword to coerce false teachers
Ø Matters of religion ought to be enacted
by the law of princes and Christian rulers, that such as contravene may be
punished
Ø Laws of rulers in matters of religion do
only bind the outward man
Ø The false teacher is not to be sent to
the church and pastors thereof, that he may be convinced before he be punished
Chapt. 25. Whether the rulers by their
office, in order to peace, are to stand to the laws of Moses, for punishing seducing
teachers
Ø How judicial laws oblige to punishment
Ø Judicial laws were deduced from the
moral law
Ø True cause of war with other nations
Ø Two kingdoms become one body, by a
religious covenant, if it be mutual, the one part may avenge the quarrel of the
covenant on the other in case of breach
Ø The new altar erected by the two tribes
and the half, beyond Jordan, Joshua 22. How a just cause of war
Ø Christian princes’ laws against errors
and heresies
Ø As Constantine gave out severe laws
against Donatists, so did Julianus the apostate restore temples to heretics,
and grant liberty of conscience to them, that so he might destroy the name and
religion of Christians, as is before observed, so Aug. Ep. 166 ad. Donat.
Ø God only determineth punishments for sin
Ø The punishing of a seducing prophet is
moral
Ø The punishing of seducing teachers is an
act of justice, obliging men ever, and everywhere
Ø False teachers in seducing others
apprehend the hand of divine vengeance pursuing them, as other ill doers do,
and so it must be natural justice in the magistrate to punish them
Ø The punishing of false prophets is of
the law of nature
Ø Idolatry is to be punished by the judge,
and that by the testimony of Job, who was obliged to observe no judicial law,
but only the law moral and the law of nature
Ø How the fathers deny the sword is to be
used against men for their conscience
Ø Church censures and rebukes for
conscience infer most of all the absurdities the Libertines impute to us
Ø That there was an immediate response of
God’s oracle telling who was the false teacher, is an unwarranted forgery of
the Libertines
Ø If heresy be innocence, seducing
heretics ought to be praised and rewarded
Ø The magistrate as magistrate according
to prophecies in the Old
Ø Testament is to punish seducers
Ø What Mr. Williams giveth to the
magistrate in religion is not sufficient
Ø Christian kings are no more
nurse-fathers, Isaiah 49:23, to the true churches of Christ, than to the
synagogue of Antichrist, according to the way of Libertines
Ø The mind of divers famous authors touching
the parable of the tares.
Ø The parable of the tares considered
Ø Mr. Williams holdeth that the prince
owes protection to all idolatrous and bloody churches, if they be his subjects
Ø How the magistrate is to judge of heresy
Ø A magistrate and a Christian magistrate
are to be differenced, nor can or ought, all magistrates to judge of, or punish
all heretics.
Ø Whether peace of civil societies be
sure, where there is toleration of all religions
Ø Peace is commanded in the New Testament,
no word of toleration of divers religions, nor precept, promise, or practice
therefore,
Ø No ground for abolishing of judicial
laws touching that point.
Ø Libertines give us heathenish not Christian
peace under many religions
Chapt. 26. Whether punishing of seducing
teachers be persecution for conscience.
Ø There is a tongue persecution condemned
by Libertines themselves.
Ø Libertines persecute others for
conscience
Ø Libertines ought not to suffer death for
any truth
Ø The Lord’s patience toward sinners in
the Old Testament no argument of not coercing false prophets
Ø Hope of gaining heretics no more a
ground of sparing them, than of sparing murderers who also may be gained
Ø Whether to be persecuted for conscience
true or false be a note of the true church
Ø No new commandments under the New
Testament
Ø They that suffer for blasphemy, suffer
according to the will of God in Peter’s sense by Libertines way
Chapt. 27. Whether our darkness and
incapacity to believe and profess, together with the darkness and obscurity of
scripture be a sufficient ground for toleration.
Ø Our inability to believe is no plea for
toleration
Ø Preaching of the word without the Spirit
as unable to work faith, as the sword
Ø Heresies are knowable
Ø Forced conscience as strong an argument
against Deuteronomy 13 as against us
Ø The magistrate commandeth the outward
man, and yet commandeth not carnal repentance and hypocritical turning to God
Ø Because we may abstain from heresy on
false grounds, it follows not that the magistrate hath not power to punish
heresy
Ø Libertinism of toleration is grounded
upon the pretended obscurity of scripture
Ø Toleration putteth a hundred senses upon
the Scripture, and makes many rules of faith
Ø John Goodwin denieth that we have
scriptures or any ground of faith, but that which is made of men’s credit and
learning
Ø The means of delivering of scripture to
us may be fallible, yet the scripture infallible
Ø Reasons to prove that the scriptures we
now have are the very word of God
Ø The knowledge of God is commanded, and
the mind is under a law, as well as the will and affections
Ø The trying of the missals of Gregory and
Ambrose was mere foolery
Ø Speculative ignorance of things revealed
is sin
Ø The place I Corinthians 3:11-13 cleared
and vindicated
Ø Doctor Taylor’s mistake of heresy
Ø What vincibleness must be in heresy
Ø Dr. Taylor maketh the doctrine of
purgatory no heresy
Ø Simple errors of things revealed in the
word are condemning sins.
Ø How opinions are judicable and
punishable
Ø Son-sacrificing upon mere religious
ground, is not murder punishable according to Libertines way
Chapt. 28. Divers other arguments for
pretended toleration answered
Ø The magistrates ministry is civil not
spiritual
Ø The laws of Artaxerxes, Cyrus, Darius,
etc… ratifying the law of God by civil punishments, were the duties of civil
magistrates
Ø Artaxerxes made laws by the light of
nature to restrain men from idolatry
Ø From punishing of false teachers it
follows not, that Jews and the idolatrous heathens should be killed
Ø Differences betwixt punishing of false
teachers in the Old and the New Testament
Ø Circular turnings from Protestantism to
Popery proveth nothing against the punishing of seducers
Ø The objection, that the sword is a
carnal way to suppress heresy answered
Ø Most of the objections from forcing of
consciences conclude against the laws of God in the Old Testament, as well as
against us
Ø The law Deuteronomy 13, Leviticus
24, etc… was not executed upon such
only as sinned against the law of nature
Ø No need of a law, process, judge,
witness, accuser, or inquiring in the written word of God
Ø Ecclesiastical and civil coaction do
both work alike upon understanding and will
Ø Errors against supernatural truth are
not rebukeable, because not punishable, and contra
Ø
Ø Four sundry considerations by which sins
are censured
Ø The magistrate is subject to the just power
of the church, and the church to the just power of the magistrate, neither of
them to the abused power
Ø How the Jews suffered the heathen
idolaters to dwell amongst them.
Ø John Baptist would have us less careful
of heretical doctrines, because we are elected to glory, than of other vile
sins
Ø John Baptist and Libertines teach, that
liberty of conscience is a way to find out truth
Ø When the Holy Ghost forbids us to
believe false christs, or to receive antichristian teachers, he bids us also
believe and receive them as saints by the Libertines way
Ø Libertines make the judging of heretics
to be heretics, a bold intruding into the counsel of God
Ø Libertines say that God hath decreed
heresies to be
Ø Variety of judgments in God’s matters a
grief to the godly
Ø The punishing of heresies investeth not
the magistrate in a headship over the church
1
Of Conscience and its
nature.
ACTS 24.16.
And herein do I exercise myself to have
always a Conscience void of offense toward God, and toward man.
This is a part of Paul’s Apology which he brings out
before Festus the Governor, he dare bring out his conscience before his
accusers; the subject of this part is conscience, In which we have, 1. the subject, Conscience.
2. The quality of it, Free of offense. 2. The entireness and perfection of it,
in the first Table, as a religious man toward God; as one of a sound
conversation, in the duties of the second Table, toward man. 3. And that not at
starts, when a good blood of godliness came on him; but diapantos, Always, at all times. 4. This was not a conscience
to lie beside him as the wretches Gold, which for many years seeth neither sun
nor wind; but it is a Conscience walking in the streets, and in action. Herein,
that is, in this religion and hope of the resurrection, do I labour or exercise my self, this
field do I plow. 5. There is considerable Grammar in the object of this
exercise. I labour to have, to be a Lord, a Master, and an owner of a good
conscience; a conscience is one thing, and to have a conscience, another thing;
often the conscience hath the man and Lords it over him, or
2
rather Tyrannizeth over the Judas, and the man hath
not the conscience. And these five do comprehend the latitude, the length and
breadth of a good conscience.
Therefore of conscience; 2. of the good
Conscience. Of conscience, a little of the Name; 2. Of the thing. The Hebrews
express the name by the name of heart. bb'le \\\ which I grant does signify the mind, understanding,
will, and by a figure it noteth the heart, 2 Sam. 24:10. And David’s heart
smote him. Solomon saith to Shimei, I
Conscience
is but knowledge with a witness; its observed, that sunei,dhsij, Conscience, a Word
used about 32 times in the New Testament, is but once by the Translators in the
Old Testament, Ecclesiastes 10:20. Hence it noteth that a Man hath a fellow, or
(to speak so) a College-observer with him, and that is God who knoweth first,
and perfectly the ways and thoughts of a man, and his conscience is an
under-witness, and an observer
with God, but a dim and blind beholder in comparison
of God. 2. It is a knowledge not a large as that of the whole understanding
faculty, but restricted, and in order only to the man’s actions, words,
thoughts, the condition or state he is in, in Christ, or not in Christ. It so
signifieth practical knowledge that there is a Verb Nishal that signifieth to
have a heart, or to be practically wise, Job 11:12. Vain man bb'le would have a heart, or be hearted and wise; and Cant. 4:9 Thou
hast taken away my heart, or, unheartened me, my sister, my spouse. 2. The
heart goeth also for a word that signifieth a picture, Job 38:36. Who hath
given understanding to the heart, ywIk.f, it
ignifieth curious engraving; wittily devised by the understandding, and it
noteth an excellent picture, pleasant to see, from a root that signifieth to
behold, and to paint; for all the inventions, pictures, engraven works in the
soul is in the conscience. Sinners draw on their conscience and, heart many
fair fancies, pictures and engraven pieces of devised pleasures, They use the
word x;Wr spirit for the Conscience also. Psalms 34:18. The Lord saveth the broken in spirit. Prov. 18:4. A
wounded spirit who can bear it? For the word spirit in that language sig-
3
nifieth the whole soul, Ecclesiastes 3:21, chapter
8:8. and the whole strength, marrow, courage, and flower of the soul, Job 6:8.
Joshua 5:1. There was no more Spirit in
them, because Conscience is all, it is the good or best, or
the evil or worst in the man, does he keep conscience, all is safe; does he
lose conscience, all is gone: it is the spirits, the rose, the only precious
thing of the soul, the body is clay and oar, the conscience is the gold of the
man.
Now
touching Conscience. I propose these, 1. Its nature. 2. Its object. 3. Its
office. 4. The kinds of Conscience; And 5. the adjuncts of it, the liberty of
Conscience, and that much controverted prerogative to be free in opinions, and
in religions, from bands that men can lay on it.
Conscience
is considered by Divines as a principle of our acting in order to what the Lord
commandeth us in the Law and the Gospel; and it commeth here to be considered,
in a three-fold consideration. 1. As Conscience is in its abstract nature; yet
as it is in man only, I speak nothing of the conscience of Angels, and Devils.
2. As the Conscience is good or bad; For the conscience in Adam, before the
fall was in a great perfection, and the Glorified spirits carry a good
conscience up to heaven with them, as the damned take to hell a piece of hell
within them, an evil conscience, yet there was neither in Adam, nor can there be in the Glorified, an evil
conscience, nor any such accidental acts of Conscience, as to accuse, smite,
torment.
3.
Conscience is considered as acting well or ill, it hath influence on the
affections, to cause a feast of joy, to stir up to faith, hope, sadness, etc...
Touching the
nature of Conscience. It seemeth to me to be a power of the practical
understanding according to which the man is obliged and directed to give
judgment of himself, that is of his state and condition, and of all his
actions, inclinations, thoughts, and words. It is first an understanding power,
not an act or an actual judgment. 1. It is not a distinct faculty from the
understanding, but the understanding as it giveth judgment, in court, of the
man’s state and of all his ways, as whether he be in favor with God, or no, and
now whether he be in Christ, or not, and of all his motions and actions within
or without. But it would appear not to be an act, because to oblige, to di-
4
rect to accuse, are acts of the Conscience, and
therefore do not flow from other acts; it is true, the thoughts, Rom. 2.15. are
said to accuse, or excuse, but by thoughts there is meant the Conscience
itself, not first thinking, and then accusing, but the Conscience breathing out
the bad or good perfume or challenging and accusing, or of excusing and
comforting thoughts, and acts. All acts flow from either young powers, which
they call potency, or from stronger and more aged and radicated powers, which
they call habits: Things produced by
motion, and motion itself, are the effects of the mover (saith Amesius de
Consc. Lib. I. Cap. I. Nu.4) and therefore the act of accusing, may be from the
Conscience which is an act; this consequence cannot stand; the
motion, and the thing produced by motion, is from the mover, true, but the act
of moving is from the mover, as he actuateth his power, so is directing, and
accusing from the power in the practical understanding, not from the act of
understanding which is nothing in this case, but the act of accusing, and
nothing can come from itself as a cause. 2. When the believer or wicked men go
to sleep, and put off their cloths, they do not put off their Conscience, and
though the conscience sleeps not with the man, yet doth it not in sleep,
necessarily act by accusing, or excusing, and therefore remaineth as a power in
man, not ever acting; See Malderus in 12.q.19. Disp. 82. ar 4.5.
2. Its an understanding power, and
belongeth to the judgement and understanding. Esa. 5.3. Judge, I pray you, between me and
my vineyard. Its true, some make it the inclination of the will, as
Henriquez, Quodlib. I.q.18. And Durandus may seem not far from it, 2.d.39. Some
say it belongeth to both. But the will is no knowing faculty, the Conscience is
a knowing faculty, Eccles. 7.22. For oftentimes also thine heart knoweth that though also
haft cursed others. 2. There is more of reason and sound knowledge in the
conscience, then in the whole understanding soul, it is a Crystal globe of
reason, the beam, the sun, the candle of the soul; for to know God and the
creatures, in our relative obligation to God in Christ, is the role, the
blossom, the flower of knowledge, Job 17.3. to
see God, and his beauty expressed in Christ, and the comeliness and
incomparable glory of his amiable and lovely Essence as holden forth to us in
Christ, is the highest reach of the conscience.
5
If Conscience be so divine a peace, filled
bank-full with reason and light, then the more of knowledge, the more of
conscience, as the more of fire, the more heat, the more of the sun, the more
light. Then when fancy goes for conscience, as in euthystats, and new
Spirits grappling beside the word of God, a new Angel commended only from
Newness a white Angel without, and a black Angel within, conscience must be
turned in a dream. 2. Novelty can go for conscience, our nature is quickly
taken with novelty, even as a new friend, a new field, a new house, a new
garden, a new garment, so a new Christ, a new faith, prov wjran, delights us. 3. Heresy goeth for
Conscience; the Conscience of some fancy that to kill their children to Molech,
is a doctrine that entered in the heart of God, to command, Jer. 7.30,31.
A Conscience void of knowledge is void of
goodness; silence and dumbness is not peace; An innocent toothless conscience
that cannot see, nor hear, nor speak, cannot bark, far less can it bite before
it have teeth, such a conscience covenanteth with the sinner, Let me alone, let
me sleep till the smoke of the furnace of hell waken me. If there be any sense
or life, fire can bring it forth; a worm at the heart can bear witness, if it
have any life. This Conscience is like the service Book, or like the Mass, or
the Popish Image, you but see these things, they cannot speak, nor act upon the
soul.
The nature of Conscience is further
cleared by its office, and object; which are the fecund and third particulars
proposed.
That we may the more distinctly
speak of these, it would be cleared what sort of knowledge is ascribed to the
Conscience.
Conscience is not the simple judgment and
apprehension of things, as things are knowable; this is the speculative
understandding, but it is the power to know things ourselves, and actions, in
order to obey God and serve him. 2. But the question is, whether Conscience be
a simple practical apprehension of things, or a compounded and discoursive
apprehension. To which I answer. 1. That as the speculative understanding,
knoweth many things without discourse, as to apprehend the sun, heaven, nature
of motion, and many things in its second operation and work, as to apprehend the Sun to be an hundredth,
6
sixty
and seven times more than the Earth, yet it referreth both the first and second
operations of the mind to know things by discourse, so the Conscience as
conscience doth apprehend in its first operation, God, Christ, sin; and in its
second operation God to be infinite, Christ to be the alone choicest of
Saviours; So it is consummate and perfected in a discourse or syllogism by
Conscience, totally and completely in order to our practice and faith.
As He that killeth his brother hath not life eternal.
But I have killed my brother.
Ergo, I have not life eternal. So Cain.
And He that believeth in him who justifieth the ungodly,
is justified and saved.
But I believe in him who justifieth the ungodly.
Ergo, I am justified and saved. So David, Paul.
The knowledge of the major by itself is an
act of conscience, as to deny and mis-believe the major Proposition is an act
of a blinded and evil conscience; but the completeness of Conscience standeth
in the knowledge of the whole syllogism. Hence they say, that the sunthresis, the Magazine and Thesaurehouse of the
conscience, the habit or power that judgeth of the Law of nature is the major
Proposition, or the principles of right or wrong written in the heart by nature
maketh the conscience in regard of the proposition to be called, Lex the Law.
In regard of the assumption, or the second proposition, Conscience is a
witness, a spy sent from heaven to record all the facts, in which assumption
are included both our facts, actions,
words,
thoughts, inclinations, habits of sin or grace, and the mans state and
condition. In regard of the conclusion or third proposition, Conscience is a
Judge and the deputy of God; and it is but one and the same conscience acting
all the three, the acts of Law, a Witness, a Judge.
The sunthresis, the
conserving power of the soul, is that faculty or power, in which are hidden and
laid up the moral principles of right and wrong, known by the light of nature,
and so is a part of a natural conscience, and in it are treasured up the
Scripture and Gospel-truths, which are known by the light of a star of a
greater Magnitude, to wit, the candle shi-
7
ning in
a divine revelation, and this is part of the enlightened and supernatural
Conscience.
Of this intellectual Treasure-house, we
are to know these. 1. That in the inner Cabinet, the natural habit of Moral
principles lodgeth, the Register of the common notions left in us by nature,
the Ancient Records and Chronicles which were in Adam’s time, the Law of Nature
of two volumes, one of the first Table, that there is a God, that he createth
and governeth all things, that there is but one God, infinitely good, more just
rewarding the Evil and the good; and of the second Table, as to love our
Parents, obey Superiors, to hurt no man, the acts of humanity; All these are
written in the soul, in deep letters, yet the Ink is dim and old, and therefore
this light is like the Moon swimming through watery clouds, often under a
shadow, and yet still in the firmament. Caligula, and others, under a cloud,
denied there was any God, yet when the cloud was over, the light broke out of
prison, and granted, a God there must be; strong winds do blow out a Torch in
the night, and will blow in the same light again; and that there be other
seeds, though come from a far land, and not growing out of the ground, as the
former, is clear, for Christ scattereth some Gospel-truths in this Chalmer; as
John 7.28. Then
cried Jesus in the Temple; as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and whence I
am. John 15.24. But now they have both seen, and hated both me and my Father.
2. This is a part of the Conscience,
because by no faculty in man, but by the conscience are these truths
apprehended. 2. And when in any ill blood, deny such truths, as that there is a
God, and Parents are not to be loved, we all say such do sin; and offer
violence to their conscience. 3. Sins against these fundamentals, cry vengeance
with a more hideous shout, and cry, than spiritual sins that are spun with a
smaller thread, for such go nearer to put off humanity.
The knowledge of the assumption is
Conscience as a Book or Witness, and it is either considered as it is in habit,
and keeps a record of the man’s facts; or as in act it bringeth them forth, and
applyeth the Law to the fact, and is called edictamin, the
indictment, and charge given in; This and this hath thou done.
8
Now that Conscience bringeth
good or ill out of the Book that containeth the memorial, or Chronicle of the
man’s deeds is clear, as 1. The Conscience can look back and laugh, and solace
itself at that which is well done, and bring it forth, Psal. 16. 2. O my soul thou hast said
unto the Lord, though art my Lord. Psal. 140.6. I said unto the Lord, though art
my God. So Hezekiah, like the man that cheereth himself with the
sight of the gold in his treasure, Esai. 37.3. Remember now, O Lord, I beseech
thee, how I have walked before thee, in truth, and with a perfect heart. Or 2.
it can look back and purge itself, as David, Psal. 7. O my God, if I have done this. Job
16.17. Job 29. 12, 13, 14. chap. 31.5,6,7,8,9, etc... 3. It can bring out evil
deeds, as Joseph’s brethren do, when they are in trouble. This distress is come on us, for
that when we saw the anguish of our brother, and he besought us, we would not
hear, Gen. 42.21.
The knowledge of the conclusion is
judgment, and the sentence of a Judge.
2. For
the second point of Conscience which is its object; this can be nothing but
Gods revealed will expressed to us, either in the Law of Nature, or in the Law
written, or the Gospel. Doctor Hamond saith, to abstain from a thing
indifferent, as Marriage, ws apo bdeluktou~, as from a
thing abominable or unlawful, is by Scripture and Councils condemned as sinful.
Why? Because to Marry, or not to Marry, is indifferent. But he may remember,
that Papists forbid Church-men to Marry, do they forbid it, because Marriage
which to them is a Sacrament, is an abominable and unlawful Sacrament? I think
no. Yet all our Divines say, not only the Manicheans, but also the Papists are
these, who teach a doctrine of Devils, I Tim. 4.3 while they forbid Marriage,
though not under the notion of a thing abominable; So the Popish Doctor
acquitteth the Papists, and condemneth Protestants, who so far agree to have
the adequate rule of Conscience to be God’s will revealed in his word, that to
make a religious Law to forbid Marriage and Meats, and other things indifferent
to them is a doctrine of Devils, to all our Divines, though they forbid them
not as things unlawful, and under the not on things abominable.
Use. If the
conscience have an indictment against you from
9
heaven,
and from the word of God, which is the Law-book of the Judge of all flesh;
Ergo, We are to stand in awe of Conscience. And look how much goodness and true
fear of God is in a Man, as much fear of himself and reverence to his own
conscience is within him. For 1. to be holden even with
the
charges and writs of an erring conscience is obedience to the Law of nature, as
we would not be willing that a scout, or a spy sent from a strange Land should
see our nakedness, weakness, folly, security. When the Conscience returneth, to
the Father of Spirits, it can tell tales of men, and can libel many pollutions
of the flesh and spirit acted by the man, while the
Conscience
lodged with clay and a polluted Spirit. 2. Because Conscience is something of
God, a domestic little God, a keeper sent from heaven, a divine piece which is
all eye, all sense, and hath the word with it, in so far it is to be
reverenced, and he that reverenceth the King, reverenceth the Ambassador, in so
far as he carrieth along the King’s will, he that honoureth the Lord must honour
the servant. 3. Solomon saith, Prov. 15.5 A fool despiseth his fathers
reproof, but he that regardeth it is prudent. Vers. 10. He that hateth reproof
shall die. To receive Instructions and rebukes from Conscience, in So
far as they come from the Word of truth is spiritual prudence, and he that
turneth away his ear from his conscience, shall die. 4. As to submit to the
Word, is to submit to God, so to offer violence to a divine truth, is to
wrestle with God, and by the like proportion to stoop before Conscience
carrying a message from God, is to submit to God, and to do violence to the
domestic light and truth of God, is all one as to wrestle with God. 5. We count
a tender Conscience, such as was in Joshua, who did yield and cede to the Law
of God, and its threatenings, a soft heart; then to stand out as a flint-stone
or an Adamant, against the warnings of an inward Law must argue hardness of
heart. 6. There is nothing so strong and divine as truth, a Conscience that
will bargain to buy and sell truth, and will be the Lord and Conquerer, not the
captive and taken prisoner of the Gospel, bearing itself on upon the soul in
power and majesty, hath his one foot on the borders of the sin against the Holy
Ghost. 7. It is like the man walketh not at random, but by rule, who is not
made all of stout-
10
ness,
and ventureth not inconsiderately on actions and ways which undoubtedly are the
seeds of eternity, but feareth his Pedagogue and teacher in so far as the law
and will of the Judge of the world goeth along with him.
2. Because the Word of God must be the
rule of Conscience, and Conscience is a servant, and a under-Judge only, not a
Lord, nor an Absolute and independent Sovereign, whose voice is a Law, therefore
an Idolatrous and exorbitant rule of Conscience is here also to be condemned.
Conscience is ruled by Scripture, but it is not Scripture, nor a Canonic book
and rule of faith and conversation, it often speaketh Apocrypha, and is neither
God, nor Pope, but can reel, and totter, and dream, to ascribe more to
conscience then is Just, and to make new and bold opinions of God, broad and
venturous and daring affirmations, the very Oracles of heaven, because they are
the brood (as is conceived) of an equal and unbiased Conscience, is
presumption, near to Atheism; the grossest Idolatry is to make yourself the
Idol: whereas tender consciences suffer most persecution, and are not active in
daring, there is extreme pride in such as lead families and are Christians in
new heresies. Some are extremely sworn and devoted to Conscience as Conscience:
humility is not daringly peremptory. Many weak ones pine away in fevers of
sinistrous thoughts of Christ, as if his love were cold to them, Esa. 49.
14,15. and fancy an imaginary and a made-plea with Christ; Oh he loveth any but
me, and because they make an Idol of the weak oracle of Conscience, they make
also an Idol of meek Jesus Christ, as if they would try, if Christ’s love can
be cold, and his blood and bowels can act any more mercy to them.
The third is the office of Conscience in
one general. It cometh under the name of Obligation. But to come to
particulars. There be two sorts of operations of Conscience, some illicite and
imbred, other imperate or commanded.
These which be Imbred are of two kinds. 1.
Such as conscience simply as conscience acteth as in general to oblige; and in
particular. 1. To direct; 2. To discern; 3. To excite, Dirigere, Discernere, Impellere.
Others are such as issue from Conscience, as good or ill; as right, or not
right; as these in well-doing. 1. It approveth. 2. It excuseth. 3. It
11
absolveth,
in ill doing it disalloweth and reproveth. 2. It Accuseth or chargeth. 3. It
condemneth. These imperated operations of Conscience, are such as Conscience
acteth on theaffections, or commandeth the affections to act, but are not
properly acts of Conscience, nor of the practical understanding; but acts of
the affections resulting from the Conscience’s well or ill doing, as to rejoice,
to grieve and check, and the like. But there be other acts that agree to
Conscience in order to the assumption; others in order to the Conclusion.
In order
to the Assumption it specially doth bear witness and testify of its own acts,
both that the man hath done this fact; And 2. of the quality of it, that it is
done against God, the Mediator Christ, free grace, the word of reconciliation;
as a faithful witness must not only depone the fact, but all the circumstances
and qualities, in so far as they come under the senses of seeing and hearing,
and may aggravate the fact, and give light to the Judge; and what testimony the
Conscience giveth of the actions of man, the like it is to give of the state
and condition, whether it be good or ill; hence these acts of recognition. As
1. Conscience doth its duty in reflecting on it self: It tries the mans actions
and state; hence these three words, 2 Cor. 13.5. try, or tempt, or pierce, and
dig into your selves; peira,zete, many dig holes in windows in the conscience of
others who never dug a hole in their own heart, 2. dokima,zete examine what
mettle is in your selves and actions, men are un willing to find oar or dross
in themselves; and we are bidden, 2 Cor. 11.31, diakri,nein e`autou.j, lead witnesses, sentence and Judge
ourselves. To these generals there is a second act, which is called, Psalm 4.5.
Speak with your heart. You testify little of the man that you never heard
speak. Men are frequently to converse with their heart by heart communing, and
soul quarries; so you find out the bias and the weight that sways with the
heart, Jer. 5.24. “Neither say they in their heart, let us now feare the Lord our God. Hos.
7.2. They
say not in their heart, that I consider all their wickedness.
3.
There is laying of the Conscience in its reflect act, and the actions together,
Hag. 1.5. Lay your heart upon your ways. It is that which David saith, Psalm
119.59. I
considered, Heb. I thoughted my ways.
12
4. There is wandering and estrangement
of a man from his own heart, and when he lays his case to heart, he is said to
return to his own heart. I King. 8.47. If they shall bethink themselves,
heb. If they shall return to their own heart; or come home to their own heart,
in the land of their captivity and repent, then hear thou. Men are abroad
in their thoughts, and seldom at home with their own heart, But of this act of
witnessing of the Conscience, it is of moment, to know how and by what Medium,
or way the conscience doth witness to man of his state, that he is a child of
God and in Christ, whether God doth witness our state and condition to us, by
inherent qualifications in us, Because we love the brethren, because we
have sincere hearts, and aim in all things to obey God.
Asser. I. God speaketh by his
own works of sanctification that we are in Christ, I John 2.3. And hereby we
know that we know him, because we keep his commandments. I John 3. 14. We
know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the Brethren. Now
as God speaketh and revealeth his glory, God-head, power, and eternity, by his
visible works of creation, so as we may gather by certainty of faith, that God
is glorious, wise, omnipotent, eternal, Rom. 1.19,20,21. Psal. 19.1,2,3,4. Rom.
10.17,18,19,20. Upon them grounds, when we find in our souls the works of that
spirit that raised the Lord from the death, as love to the brethren, because
brethren, sincere walking with God, and Christs life, Gal. 2.20. we may with
the certainty of faith, collect that we are the children of God; and if the
knowledge of our state in Christ, from the works of sanctification be but
conjectural, and may deceive us, and not a sufficient foundation of sound
peace, nor enough to make us inexcusable, that from the sickness of inward heartlove
which I feel in my own soul to Christ, I can have no divine assurance that I am
in Christ, and cannot be made inexcusable in not believing the spirit dwelleth
in me by his acting and working, then we cannot infer Gods infinite wisdom,
omnipotency, and eternity, from his works of Creation, and I cannot be
inexcusable, if I believe not Gods wisdom and power from the works of creation;
is not the pertinacity of unbelief as damnable, when I believe not God acting
in his Spirit sanctifying, as when I believe not God acting in this first
workmanship of Creation?
13
2. In all actings, motions, and
walkings of the Holy Ghost in my soul, in the stirrings of the New birth, when the
spirit of Jesus maketh a noise with his feet walking, acting, moving in love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, which
are apples and blossoms which grow on the tree of life, Gal. 5.22,23. It were
no sin to me to sleep and believe these were but imaginary dreams, and fancied
notions, if I were not to believe where these are, the soul that findeth them
undeniably is in Christ.
3. The Saints comforting
themselves in their godly, sincere, and blameless walking before God in love,
knew what they spoke, and what spirit was in them, and that they walked not
after the flesh, as men speak and fancy in a night dream, not knowing whether
they be in Christ, or not; these were speeches of waking men, whose wits were
in action. Psalm. 26.8. Lord I have loved thy habitation, and the place
where thine honour dwelleth. Psalm 119.63. I am a companion of all them
that fear thee; and of them that keep thy precepts. Verse 97. O how love
I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Verse 103. How sweet are thy
words unto my taste! Yea sweeter then honey to my mouth. Verse 111. Thy
testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of
my Heart. Verse 162. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth a great
spoil: and the Church, Cant. 2.3. I sat down under his shadow, and his
fruit was sweet to my taste. Verse 5. Stay me with flagons and comfort
me with apples, for I am sick of love Isaiah 26.9. With my soul have I
desired thee in the night: yea with my spirit within me, I will seek thee
early. And Hezekiah looking to his good Conscience, saith, II Kings 20.3. Remember
now, O Lord, that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart. So
Paul, 2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our
conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom,
but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world, and more
abundantly to you-wards. Now if the saints can thus speak with the light
and persuasion of Faith, before God and men, to their own solid peace and
consolation, then may they be persuaded by these fruits of the Spirit, that
they are branches growing in the Vine Christ, else all these speeches are but
de-
14
lusions and fancies; and they must speak no other thing of themselves as
vessels of the grace of God, then hypocrites and reprobates may say of
themselves? For D. Crispe, and the Libertines of New England, whose doctrine
subverts the Faith, say, there can be no marks of saving grace from whence we
can draw either comfort or peace, be it universal obedience, since- cerity,
love to the Brethren, but it may be in hypocrites, in a Jew following
the righteousness of the law, Rom. 10.1. and renouncing Christ,. Surely if works of saving grace
speak no other thing than hypocrites and devils may have: then first, holy
walking is no ground of comfort, and a good conscience hath no more to yield
David, Job, Hezekiah, Paul, the Apostles, and Martyrs, when they suffer for
Christ, and his truth, and are in heavy afflictions and chains, then it can
yield to the vilest of men. 2. A man, a Christian shall never find any grounds
of certainty of his adoption in any thing, save in the hidden decrees of
Election, and reprobation, and if some immediate testimony of a Spirit, which
may be great doubt to many, who walk as many Antinomians do, according to the
flesh. 3. All their rejoicing in simplicity and godly sincerity, 2 Cor. 1.12.
is empty fancies and delusions, for they rejoice in that in which hypocrites
and reprobates may have as deep a share as they. But that there is also some
immediate testimony of the Spirit, though never separated from the fruits of
the Spirit, I hope to prove elsewhere.
The last act of Conscience is in
relation to the Conclusion, which is the crisis, or judgment of all;
from whence flow the acts of approving, or improving; excusing, or accusing;
condemning, or absolving: from these as the Conscience doth well or ill, arise,
I. Joy, called a feast, in which the soul is refreshed, not the fancy. 2. Upon
a solid ground, a bottom that cannot sink, from that which is well done. 2.
Consolation, which is a joy in tribulation. 2. Faith, going from what the man
doth well, to a general; To these that walk according to this rule, peace.
4. Hope, that the Lord who hath promised will do the soul good in the latter
end, these four issue from a good conscience; from approving and excusing: But
the affections which flow from improving, and accusing, and condemning, are 1.
Shame, whence the man is
15
Displeased with what he hath done, this is good when it looketh only, or
most to the sin, or ill, when most to the punishment. 2. Sadness. 3. Distrust,
or unbelief. 4. Fear. 5. despair. 6. Anger, vexation,
or the worm that dieth not; it is no wonder that a greater number of
troublesome affections flow from the one, then from the other; evil is second
and broody.
The 4. which I proposed is the
second circumstance of the text, which draweth in the rest, and it is a
conscience aproskopov, free of stones or blocks, that neither actively causeth
myself nor others to stumble, nor passively is under a reatus or guilt
before God, called a good conscience, to which is opposite an evil conscience.
Now the conscience is good, either in regard of integrity; a clean, a good, a
pure conscience: or secondly in regard of calmness and peace; to this latter is
opposed a Conscience penally evil or troubled, of which no more the good
conscience is either good in judging, or recta, or vera; the
contrary of this, an erring Conscience, which I speak of after the other; or
good in a moral quality. In this meaning the conscience is good, which is first
sprinkled with the blood of Christ from dead works, to serve the living God.
Heb.9.14. For by Christ must the guilty be purged, that there may be no more
Conscience of sins, Hebrews 10.2. This is the conscience which is called agaqh,
good I Tim. 1.5. kepaqarmenh purged, and washed, Hebrews 10.2. in regard the great
spot of guiltiness is taken away, and kaqara I Tim. 1.5. clear, pure,
terse, like a Crystal glass, and kalh, Hebrews 13. 18. good and
honest, or beautiful and fair, a good conscience is a comely, resplendent,
lovely thing; and it is a conscience in the text, void of stumbling; there is a
conscience that wants feet, and is lame,
and halteth; and is always tripping, stumbling, falling; to this is opposed
a conscience, ponhros Heb. 10.22 let us draw near with a true heart, with full
assurance, r`erantisme,noi ta.j kardi,aj avpo. suneidh,sewj ponhra/j
being
sprinkled in the heart from an evil conscience; and to this is opposed a
polluted memiamme,noij, conscience, Tit. 1.15. The wisdom of God in creating
the world is much, and most seen in creating so rare a piece as the soul, and
the most curious piece in the soul is that lump of Divinity the Conscience, it
is the likest to a chip, and a beam of God
16
though it be not a part of the infinite majesty, yet it smelleth more of
God then the heavens, the sun, the stars, or all the glorious things on earth, precious
stones, sapphires, rubies, or herbs, roses, lilies, that the Lord hath made,
now when the flower and crown of the whole creation, which is the spirit, is
corrupted, it is the foulest thing that is: when the Angels, the sons of the
morning, fell, and their conscience the spirit of the purest and most glorious
spirits was polluted with guilt, though infinite grace could have cured this
rare piece, yet infinite wisdom, as it were, giving over the cause, and grace
and mercy standing aloof from the misery of angels, a Saviour is denied them,
and justice worketh the farther on this noble piece, the conscience of these
fallen spirits, to destroy them; God would not stretch out one finger to repair
their conscience; but when the conscience of man was polluted, because grace
has ever run in this channel to work upon free chose
and arbitration, to save men, not angles, and of men, these, and these, not
others; therefore the Lord fell upon a rarer work than creation, to redeem the
choicest piece of creation, to wash souls, and to restore consciences to a
higher luster and beauty than they had at the first. Now what ever God doth no
man can do it for him, an infinite agent cannot work by a deputy, and among all
his works none required more of God, of the Artifice of Grace, and mercy,
wisdom, deepness of love, than to wash a polluted conscience, there was more of
God required to mend and solder the Jewel, than to make and preserve it. The
blood of bulls and goats cannot be spoken of here; now to make conscience again
fundamentally good, there was need that the most curious art of free grace,
should be set on work to act a greater miracle on this choicest piece, than
ever was before or after; to make the conscience good, an act of attonement and
expiation to satisfy infinite justice must pass, and by shedding of, and sprinkling on the
conscience the blood of God; the conscience only, and no other way known to men
or angels, could be restored.
Use. We profess that the moral
washing of the out-side of the cup hath nothing in it of a good conscience;
moral honesty alone, can no more inherit the kingdom of heaven, than flesh and
blood.
17
2. A good conscience from
justification hath peace and joy. Prov. 15.5. A good conscience ; or
Heb. He that is good in heart is in a continual feast. Its an allusion
to the Shew-bread that was set before God always; or as Exod. 25. 30. bread
of faces, that was to be before the Lord continually; called by them, dymiT' ~x,l perpetual
bread; this hath no fountain cause, but sense of reconciliation with God.
3. A good conscience is a
complete entire thing, as our text saith, both toward God and man; its
not to be a moral man in the duties of the second table, and a skeptic in the
duties of the first table, not in some few fundamentals, as patrons for liberty
of conscience do plead, but in the whole revealed will of God; and therefore
the good conscience consisteth in an indivisible point, as they say, the number
of four doth, if you add one, or take one from it, you vary the essence, and
make it three or five, not four; so Paul taketh in completeness in it, I
have all good conscience, either all or none; and a good conscience toward
God and man; not a conscience for the streets and the Church, and not for the
house, and not for the days Hosanna, and not for eternity; therefore
they require an habit to a good conscience,
I have exercised myself to have always a good conscience, there
is a difference between one song, and the habit of music, and a step and a way,
Psal. 119. 133. order, (not my one single step,) but my steps, ym;['P in the plural number; to
fall on a good word by hazard, and to salute Christ in the by, doth not quit
from having an evil conscience; as one wrong step, or extemporary slip, doth not
render a believer a man of an ill conscience; the wicked world quarrel with the
saints before men, because they cannot live as Angels, but the true and latent
cause is because they will not live as Devils, and go with them to the same
excess of riot.
4. The Formalis ratio of all good conscience, is conscience.
Conscience acteth not on by-respects, but for conscience, Rom. 13.5. Wherefore
ye must be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Conscience then doth all by rule, and saileth by compass, and considereth the
motion not of the clouds, but of the stares which move regularly; whereas the
18
evil conscience, Lev. 26.15. is said to play the reprobate in Gods
testimonies. sa;m' to cast away, to loath,
it is called, Jer. 6.30. reprobate metal which no man would choose; There is
conscience that walketh contrary to God, Lev. 26. 21. yrIq, in occursu, there is a defect of
the letter b
the word is from a root that signifieth to meet in the way, or to rafter
or plank an house, where board is joined with board, some will join issue with
God, as if they had hardened their heart against him, and were nothing afraid
to meet him, and join battle with him, as if they were good enough and strong
enough for God, as one rafter in a house is apt to join with another, there be
some forward ones, who wrestle with God. Psalm. 18.17. With the forward,
with the wrestler who boweth his body, thou wilt wrestle. But a good
conscience knoweth God better than so, and is a mass of heavenly light, and
therefore joined with faith unfeigned. 1 Tim. 1.5. and verse 19. Timothy is
exhortted to hold faith and a good conscience, as if they failed both in
one vessel: if faith sink, a good conscience cannot swim; much more might be added
of a good conscience, but our care would be to keep conscience, as we would do
a Jewel of great price, and as we do a watch of Gold, a moat or straw will
interrupt the motion of a watch, it cannot be violently moved; when Grace and
the blood of atonement oileth the wheels of conscience they move sweetly and
equally. Sometimes its secure or dead, or (which is the extremity of sleep, as
death is superlative and deepest sleep) seared or burnt with a hot iron; when
the man hath sinned God out of the world, first as fools do, Psal. 14.1. and
next out of his own conscience; and such a conscience in Pharaoh may awake per
intervalla, and go to bed again, and be buried at other times; it can
discourse and argue away heretically the ill day and judgment, at other times
it will crow furiously, and as unseasonably as the cock, which they say hath
much in it of the planet of the sun, and therefore begineth to sing when the
sun hath passed his declination, and begineth to ascend, when men are in
deepest sleep.
There is a second division of
conscience, and it is from the second acts and good disposition of conscience,
and that is a gender, or a not tender conscience.
19
The tender conscience is only choicest of consciences, so Dr. Ames maketh
it that which is opposed to an hard heart, the worst conscience that is; we
have some choice examples of a tender conscience, 2 King. 22.19. Because thy
heart was tender, and thou wast cast down before the face of the Lord: the
word %kr to grow soft is
ascribed to oil, Psalm. 55. 22. His words were softer than oil; it is
Prov. 4.3. tender and dear; it is ascribed to young children, or young
cattle, its a conscience that easily yeildeth and rendereth to God; so in Job.
Chap. 31. who was so tender at the remembrance of God’s
rising up against him to visit him, that verse 13. he durst not despise the
cause of his man-servant, or his maid-servant, when they contended with him,
and in David, who when he but cut off the lap of the man’s garment, who fought
to cut off his life, yet his heart smote him: the word hk'n" is to strike, or kill,
or plague, frequent in the book of Exodus, God shook every herb of the
field. God struck or plagued the first borne; it is sometimes to whip or
scourge, so as the mark of the stroke remaineth; after David’s striking of the
Lords anointed, there remained an vibex, an impression and a mark in a
soft heart.
Whoever would engross the name
of a tender conscience to themselves, do challenge the high perfection of
David, Josiah, Job, and of that which is the flower and Garland of all
godliness, and these that are not tender in conscience in some measure (if any
will think they have it in the perfection, they see little in their own heart,)
are deemed profane, irreligious, and men of bold and daring consciences; so we
shall, and must yield in a question of personal interest, that these are the
only perfectionists, and tender consciences who are for toleration of all
religions, and are professed Antinomians, Arrians, Arminians, Socinians, and
such like. But the day shall
reveal every man’s work what it is. It cannot be denied but the more
tenderness, the more of God, and the more of conscience; but by tenderness is
meant fear and awesomeness of sin, so no question, there is some conscience
that is made of glass, and is easily broken, and some of iron and brass, lay
hell on it, let Christ say to Judas in his face, he shall be-
20
tray his Master, and he hath a devil, yet his conscience doth not crow
before day light, to waken him. But give us leave to contend for our
righteousness, we believe we have found a ransom, and yet we hold that
toleration of all religions is not far from blasphemy, and therefore to any way
to Monopolize the title of tender consciences to themselves, as a
Characteristical note to difference them from Presbyterians, and such as dare
not, out of the fear of God, and reverence to their own conscience, in this
point awing them, but judge liberty of conscience fleshy liberty, in that
title, seem to hold forth no tenderness of conscience at all, except they allow
us to share with them in the name of tender consciences. Which name I durst no
more take than to call myself a Perfectist, or holier than my brethren, whereas
its more congruous to think and call ourselves, the chief of sinners. To be
bold with the Scriptures, and to dispense with new dreams touching God, Christ
and the mysteries of the Gospel, in all heresies and blasphemies that they may
be tolerated, is boldness of conscience. 2. Pertinacity after conviction, and
then to say, wecannot come up to the rule, when the truth is, we will
not come up to the rule, is no tenderness. 3. A tender conscience feareth
an oath, and dare not say, every man may swear a covenant with God in his own sense,
yes, it’s a Jesuit’s conscience. 4. To carry on a design under pretence of
Religion, with lies, breaking of oaths, treaties, promises, is a far other
thing than tenderness.
2. How Antinomians, who deny that
the regenerate have any conscience of sin, or that they are to confess, or be
grieved in conscience, for Incests, Adulteries, Murders, Rapes, Oppressions, or
the like, or can crowd in under the lap of this veil of tender consciences, is
more than the truly godly can see.
3. To condemn all the godly in
the three Kingdoms, and the churches of New England, as not tender consciences,
because they profess that liberty of conscience is Atheistical licentiousness,
seemeth to be a harder measure than these godly persons deserve, who out of
some tenderness of conscience dare not but condemn liberty of sinning against
the duties of this table; and therefore, if toleration of all false ways
entitle men
21
to tender consciences, because it is the opinion of some godlymen, why
should not these who are also godly, and out of conscience hold the contrary
opinion, be also called tender consciences? And if this be, we shall not know
who they are, who are to be termed tender consciences, who not.
But I had rather speak a little
of a scrupulous conscience; the scripture saith, the heart of Josiah was
tender, but that, he wept at the reading of the Law, sure it was not
scrupulosity, which is always a fault and disease of the conscience, as when
the conscience doubts and fears for trifles, where there is no grave and
weighty cause. The place 1 Sam 25.31. in which Abigail so speaketh to David, is
not to be expounded of a scrupulous, but of a justly grieved conscience. This
shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my Lord, either that
thou hast shed blood causeless, or that thou hast avenged thyself. Heb. It
shall not be staggering, or stumbling to thy heart, for qWP is to offend, stumble,
fall, to remove out of the place. Isa. 28.7. Rab. Abraham reads it, they
have made others to stumble, and qyPi Nah. 2. 10. knees
smite one against another: the one knee, in affrighted men, offendeth the
other, and makes the other to stumble or fall. So in a trembling conscience,
sin maketh the conscience to go out of the way, and fall; as one knee
trembling, maketh another knee in a race to fall. Abigail dissuadeth David from
shedding innocent blood, or avenging himself on Nabal, because so to do should
be no grief of conscience. It’s a litote. It shall be a feast and a rejoicing
of conscience, that thou hast not sinned against God. And this is to be
considered, that a grieved conscience, travailing with remorse, is even so far
tender, that it either abstaineth, if the sin be to be committed, or it
grieveth, if it be committed, and in the truly godly soliciteth for
reconciliation. A doubting conscience is ignorant of the thing done or to be
done, and inclineth to neither sides. But a scrupulous conscience inclineth to
the one side, but with doubting and a trouble of mind; as the traveler walketh,
but with some pain, as if there were a little stone in his shoe. Azorius par. 1. instit.
Moral 1.2.c.20.q.I. Malderus in 12. g. 19. ar. 5.6. disp. 88. Amesius de
Conscient. l. I. c. 6.
The causes of a scrupulous conscience are 1. God’s
wise and just
22
permission. 2. Satan’s working and acting on a cold, distracted, sad bodily
complexion. 3. Ignorance. Weakness of judgment. 4. Immoderate fear troubling
reason. 5. Inconstancy of the mind. 6. And withal some tenderness. Gregorius
said, bonarum conscientiarum est ibi culpam agnoscere, ubi culpa non est.
It is one of the most godly errors, and a sin that smelleth of grace. Papists,
miserable comforters, say, a special way to be delivered, is to submit yourself
to a superior’s blind command. They say, a Priest was freed of his scruple,
when he obeyed Bernard’s bare word, and trusted in it; hearing that, Vade et
meâ fide confisus sacrifica, go and upon my faith sacrifice confidently.
It were good to use heavenly
violence against scruples fantasy will cast in, I should not pray, because God
hath decreed whither I pray, or pray not, the thing I suit, shall never be. 2.
its good to turn away the mind from threatenings; he tempteth providence, who
having a weak head, will walk upon the house top. In rovings and grinding of a
timorous mind, unbelief will break one link of God’s chain, and that broken
must break another, and that a third, till the faith of eternal election be
broken. As in a wall of four squared stones not well cemented, loose and break
out one stone, that will break another, and that other loose a third, till the
whole wall must fall: weakness can spin out thread after thread, one doubt
after another, till the poor soul be
taken off the Gospel-foundation of consolation.
CHAP. I I.
Conscience under Synods, and how; and, that the
Conscience cannot have absolute liberty in
matters of Religion.
THE conscience is a tender piece, and either the best friend next to the Physician
who can whole broken consciences, or the saddest enemy: if sick, it is like an
aching tooth, the more you touch it, the more it pains you. The conscience of
its own nature, is a knowing power of the practical understanding, as
23
therefore no illicit acts of the soul can be compelled, neither can
conscience act being muzzled and forced; but this hindereth not, but that men
and devils in their conscience must know and believe many things in some sense
against their will: as the devil out of the natural efficacy of conscience
cannot choose, but he must believe that there is a God, yet where there is a
trembling, there must be some reluctance in the will and affections. Judas must
believe his damnation was approaching, when he hanged himself, but against his
heart. The Belgic Arminians, who contend for liberty of conscience in all ways,
Apol. 35.p.295. say, By determinations of Synods violence is not offered to
conscience, as conscience signifieth a mere internal act of the mind, eminent
or abiding within the mind, but as conscience signifieth an act of the mind by
which any doth believe he is obliged to teach others which he persuadeth
himself to be true and necessary, so the man is compelled by a Synod’s
prescription, to dissemble what he believeth he ought to profess, and which he
believeth to be false.
Answ. Say that the decision of
the Synod be agreeable to the word; the Lord layeth on the coaction to all, to
believe and accordingly profess the truth, and that by a Synod as Christ saith,
he that heareth you heareth me: so the coaction, such as it is, must
come principally from God; instrumentally from the Synod; but it floweth from
both by accident, and through men’s abuse, who receive not the truth in love,
but for fear of shame, least they should by the godly go for perverters of
souls, Act. 15. that they do hypocritically profess what they ought sincerely
to believe and profess; may we not say many men of corrupt minds believed
circumcision to be necessary, and yet for fear of the Apostles’ censure that
they should be judged troublers of souls, liars and false teachers, as they are
judged to be Act. 15.24. would dissemble? And they are no other ways by a
Synodical truth compelled to lie and dissemble by shame and falling out of the
hearts of the Apostles and of all the godly the one way than the other; in that
case than in this case. For there be but two ways of working on the mind to
drive men to be of another opinion, one by fear either of shame, reproach or
censures civil or ecclesiastical, another by mere teaching and instructing.
24
Now for the liberty of
prophesying that Arminians require, and so the liberty of Synods, let us
inquire if it be true liberty.
1. They require a full liberty
to every man without scruple or fear of danger, to declare his mind in Synods,
and to examine what is controverted.
Answ. It is in some respect
commendable that heretics be candid and ingenuous to declare, even, what their heretical
judgment and indictment of conscience leads them to believe, but a full liberty
to question, in the Synod, whether there be a God, or no, or whether Christ
died for sinners, ought not to be, for that is license, and heretical license:
a point controverted any may question: and these, that Act. 15. held necessity
of circumcision, might seek resolution of their arguments and doubts, but under
pretext of liberty free of fear and danger, they have not liberty to sin; that
is, after they are or may be, (if willfulness stood not in their way) inwardly
convinced, they have not liberty obstinately to press sophisms against the
truth, for this is an undeniable principle, liberty to sin is fleshly license
not liberty.
Armin. In controversies of
religion which the scripture doth not evidently decide, what can certainly be
determined by the Church, which ever, and in everything which it determines, is
believed may err?
Answ. There is nothing that the
scripture hath left simple, and in itself controversial. Actu primo the scripture hath
determined of all things contained in it, whether fundamentals or not
fundamentals; only in regard of our dullness and sinful blindness some things
are controverted, and therefore the Church may determine from light of the word
some thing that was a controversy to the Fathers ignorant of the original
tongues, which is now no controversy. Yea the fallible church may determine
infallible points. This is a principle that Libertines proceed upon, that
men who are not infallible may err, and therefore can hold forth to others no
infallible truth. Which is most false, for prophets and apostles, Nathan,
Samuel, David, Peter being deserted of the immediately inspiring Spirit did err
as well as the Church and Pastors now deserted of the ordinary Spirit can and
do err. For all men, Prophets and Apostles are liars, Rom. 3. yet they
may and do carry infallible truth to others; a
25
blind man may hold a candle to others. 3. By this reason Pastors can preach
nothing certain in fundamentals, though faith come by hearing, and faith is of
a certain and determinate fixed truth of God, more permanent than heaven or
earth; why, because by this reason pastors in preaching fundamentals are not
infallible . 4. Nor is this a good reason, it is believed the Church may err in
Synods, ergo, it doth err and determines nothing that is infallible and
certain in Synods; no more than this is a good consequence, David may sin in
praying, ergo, he doth sin in praying: a potential ad actum non valet
consequential,
Armin. A confession is not a
rule of faith it hath not the lowest place in the Church.
Answ. The covenant written and
sealed in Nehemiah’s time was a secondary rule of faith, and a rule even so far
as it agreed with the Law of Moses, for they enter in a curse and an oath to
walk in God’s Law, not to give their sons and daughters in marriage to the
heathen, not to buy victuals from the heathen on the Sabbath, to charge
themselves to give money to maintain the service of God, Nehe.9.38.
chap.10. 1, 2, 3, 29, 30, 31, 32. Which written Covenant was not Scripture; and
Act. 15. the decrees of the Synod was not formally Scripture, yet to be
observed as a secondary rule. For so far Arminians.
A Doctor as a Doctor
believeth not, a Doctor believeth as a sheep, not as a shepherd, and his
judgment of matters of faith is not public but private and common to teachers
with every one of the sheep: and there is a like and equal power in shepherd
and every one of the flock of believing; and the sheep in matters of faith are
no more obliged to stand to the judgment of the shepherd than the teachers to
the judgment of the sheep; the teachers have a privilege of order and honor,
above the sheep; but no privilege of Law and power. Then the Church though she
believe and certainly know, that she erreth not in her decisions, yea though it
fall out she err not, yet ought not to take power to herself to command others
to believe that to be true which she believes, or to impose silence upon
others, who, cannot in conscience acquiesce to what they command.
Answ. There is something true in
this; there is a two-fold Judgment, one saving, and Christian common to all by
which both shepherd and sheep believe; and its true of this, that the
26
Sheep are not more to stand to the judgment of shepherds, than the
shepherds to the judgment of the sheep in point of Christian believing,
which (sure) is common to both shepherd and Sheep: for the alone authority of
God speaking in his word. And so the Doctor believes not as a Doctor but as a
Christian. But secondly, there is another judgment that is ministerial,
official, and authoritative, and this is terminated not on Christian believing,
but supposeth a ministerial believing; that what the shepherd teaches others God
revealed to him first, and is put forth in a ministerial and official judging
either in Synods, or in public Pastoral Sermons and authoritative, but
ministerial publishing the will and mind of Christ. Mal. 2.7. They shall
seek the Law from his mouth. Heb. 13.7.17. That way the people depends upon
the Ministerial judgment of Synods and Pastors: but its most false that Pastors
depends on their Ministerial judgment who are sheep, and that there is a like
and equal power in shepherds and sheep; and it’s false, that though the Church believes she
errs not, and doth not err, yet the Church may not command and in Synods
Ministerially and with all authority rebuke, such as pervert souls. Act. 15.22.
And that Doctors may not as the heralds and Ministers of Christ rebuke men
sharply, avpoto,mwj that they may be sound in the faith, Tit. 1.13. For
Pastors and Synods teach fundamentals of faith ministerially to the people, and
by hearing of them is faith begotten in the hearers; and they may command, exhort,
rebuke with all long suffering, 2 Tim. 4.1,2. 2 Tim. 2.14. Stop their
mouths, Tit. 1.11. and authoritatively enjoin them silence. Act. 15. 22, 23,
24, 25. Act 6.4. Though they cannot by reason of an erroneous conscience or a
conscience burnt with an hot iron acquiesce to the determination of a Synod;
Yea though they be unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, they must be commanded
to be silent. Nor must the Church and Angels of the Church of Thyatira,
Ephesus, or Pergamos suffer Jezebel to seduce, nor ravening wolves to devour
the flock, nor their word to eat as a Canker; For this judgment authoritative
as it is in the head of the Church (Christ) as in the fountain and only
Law-giver, so it is Ministerially only and by way of office in the Elders, as the
will and mind of the King is in the inferior Judge, the Ambassador or Herald,
not in the people, And the people are ob-
27
liged to obey those that are over them in the Lord, who watch for their
souls, as those who must give an account. But there is no ground to say the
shepherds are obliged to stand to and obey the ministerial and official
judgment of the people: and of this it is said, he that heareth you (Ministers
of the Gospel, not the people) heareth me, he that dispiseth you dispiseth
me. And this is more than a
privilege of order and honor, which one Christian hath above another in regard
of eminence of graces, gifts, and of wisdom, experience, and age, it is a
privilege of office to speak in the name of the Lord, and yet it is inferior to
a privilege of the law, because the Lord only imposeth laws upon the
conscience, for it is a middle judgment less than Legislative, Supreme and
absolute over the conscience, this is in none save only in the King and head of
the Church, and is Royal and Princely; Yet is it more (I say not more
excellent, it not being saving of itself as in believers) than a privilege of
mere honor and order, for though it lay no more bands on the conscience to
obtain faith because it is holden forth by men, it having no influence on the
conscience because of men, whose word is not the formal object of faith, yet
hath it an official authority from Pastors (which is not merely titulary) so as
they may ministerially and officially command obedience to their judgment as
far as it agrees with the mind of Christ, no farther: and when it is disobeyed
may inflict censures, which private Christians cannot do, and putteth these who
disobey under another guiltiness, than if private Christians did speak the same
word to wit not only in a case of disobedience to the second Command, but in a
state of disobedience to the fifth command formally, as not honoring father and
mother whereas to disobey that same word by way of counsel in the mouth of a
brother, though it be the breach of the fifth command also, Yet not in such
a manner as when we refuse to hear the messenger of the Lord of Hosts; and
his judgment as a messenger of God is publique and binds as public to highest
obedience to the fifth command, but as it is a judgment of faith common to the
Doctor with other Christians, it binds as the mind of God holding faith in the
second Commandment what we are to believe.
28
Arminians. The word of God is
sufficient for the deciding of controversies, its clear, what need is there of
decision, if men acquiesce to the decision of God as it lies in Scripture--- if
the word of God express the sense of God, or if it have need of interpretation,
why is there not a free interpretation left to every man? Do we think our words
are clearer than the word of God, we do a mighty injury to the word of God, if
we believe that. How much better were it, if we would nourish peace and concord
leaving interpretations free to every man? It is most sure to contain ourselves
within the speaking of holy scripture, and the form of words of the Holy Ghost,
and that no man be troubled who shows himself willing to contain himself within
these.
Answ. Here is a mere
fluctuation and Skepticism even in fundamentals and the faith of them, for all
interpretation of Scripture is rejected, there is no distinction in
fundamentals or no fundamentals, for in principles of faith, that Christ
is God and man, and died for sinners, the Scripture is most plain, and what
need then of our interpretation? then let Arians and Socinnians believe him to
be God man and to die for sinners in their sense, the Familists in a contrary
sense, the Georgians in another contrary sense, the Papists in a third, the
Protestants a fourth, and so as many heads, as many faiths, every sect, and man
must have some sense, else his faith is non-sense, and if he err from the sense
of the Holy Ghost, the scripture is no scripture, if it be believed in a sense
contrary to the scripture to him who so believes; and so his faith is no faith,
but a vain night-fancy, and seeing the word of God gives us but one faith, and
one truth, and one Gospel; if interpretations be left free to every man, these
Libertines gives us millions of faiths with millions of senses, and so no faith
at all.
Secondly, They give us two
decisions, one made by God, and another by the Church contrary to God’s, that
has no rule but every man’s private judgment and free fancy, as if the decision
of controversies made by the Church in Synods which we suppose is not divided
from that of God’s, were some other thing than the decision of the Holy Ghost
speaking in the word and declared by the Church in a ministerial way, and if it
be any other than this, it is not to be received, nor a lawful decisi-
29
on ministerial of a Synod, but to be rejected.
Thirdly, if there be no need of
a decision to expone the word, because the word is clear, and if we wrong the
word of God if we think our words are clearer than Gods, it is true, if we had
eyes to see and apprehend the mind of God in his word, without an
interpretation, then all ministry and preaching of the Gospel is cried down by
this, what have any to do to expone the first principles of the Oracles of God
to the Hebrews c.5? or what need they teach, exhort, preach in season and out
of season? What needeth the Eunuch a teacher, or Cornelius Peter, or Saul
Ananias to teach them? had they not the Scriptures? if Timothy, the
preachers that speak the word of the Lord to the Hebrews, Philip, Peter,
Ananias think their words clearer than the word of God, they do a great injury
to the word of God; or if they believed their words were clearer than the
words of Isaiah and the Prophets, and they did that which was not necessary, if
they opened and expounded the Prophets and decided controversies; for they should
have acquiesced to the decision of God as it lieth in the Scripture, and
not have preached but read the Prophets, and left if free to the hearers to put
on the words of Scripture, what interpretation and sense they thought best.
Fourthly, That no confessions ought to be but in express words of
Scripture, shall free all men and consequently all Churches from obedience
to that which Peter commands. 1 Pet.3. 15. Be ready always to give an answer
to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness
and fear. When Stephen Acts 7. and Paul Acts 26. were accused of
heresy and speaking against Moses and the temple, they made a confession of
their faith not in words of Scripture, but in deductions and necessary
consequences drawn from Scripture and applied to themselves, and those in
Nehemiah’s time who wrote and sealed or subscribed a Covenant, did not write
and seal the express, Decalogue and ten Commandments, nor the words of the
Covenant of Grace. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed, but entered
into a curse and into an oath to walk in God’s Law which was given by Moses the
servant of God and to observe, and to do all the Commandments of the Lord our
God and his judgments and his statutes and that (say they) we would not give
our daughters to the people of the Land, not take their
30
daughters for our sons, and if the people of the Land bring ware or victuals
on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them and Nehemiah
c. 10. v. 29,30,31,32,33,34. etc... compared with Nehemiah c.9.v.38. Which
words are not a confession nor Covenant in express Scripture, save that they
are historically inserted in the Cannon of the Scripture by the Holy Ghost. In
which sense the law and decree of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 6. And of other heathen
Kings as Daniel 3.29.30 Ezra.1. 2,3. c.7. 11,12,13,14, etc... Are Scriptures;
but they are not the express words of the law, for there is nothing in the
express law touching the Sabbath, of no buying ware and victual from the
heathen of the land that Nehemiah speaks of, which warranteth us to enter in
the like Covenant, and make the like confession of faith to defend and stand to
the Protestant Religion, and that Christ was God and man, and man in one
person, and that we shall not buy ware or victuals from the Anabaptist and
Familists of England who trample on the Sabbath day though these be not
express words of Scripture. It is true, Libertines say men have made apologies
and confessions of faith for their own defense as Steven and Paul but they
enjoined not these by authority and command as a rule of faith upon others, and
wrote them not as a fixed standard of the faith of others, and that warrants no
Church to impose a faith upon others.
Answ. 1. This will prove that as
one man accused of heresy may publish a confession of his faith which may clear
his innocence and the soundness of his faith to others and remove the scandal
according to that of I Pet. 3.15. And by the same reason, Independents,
Libertines, Familists, Antinomians, Anabaptists and all the Sects of England,
upon the same ground that the Albigenses went upon, should by some confession
and Covenant give an account of their faith and hope with meekness and fear.
And what particular persons are obliged to do that Churches when they are
slandered as unsound in the faith are obliged to do: and so I look at a form or
confession of faith as
a necessary apology for clearing of the good name of a Church defamed with
heresies, and new sects, but for the imposing of this confession upon other,
these others are either neighbor Churches, or their own Members.
31
As concerning neighbor-Churches
they have no authority over them. Yet may they declare that Familists who say
Christ is not come in the flesh are the Spirit of the Antichrist, and for
these, of their own Church, if they go out from them and separate to an
Antichristian side, after the example of the Apostles and Elders they may
command them to abstain from such and such heretical opinions, and after they
have convicted them as perverters of souls, proceed to excommunication against
them as refusers to consent to the form of wholesome words: as may be proved
from Math. 18.15, 16, 17, etc... Rom. 16. 17, 1 Thes. 2.13, 14, 15. And other
Scriptures as Reve. 2. 1, 2, 3. v. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Now that it
is not sufficient that they be put to subscribe a confession of faith in only
scripture words is clear, 1. because the Jews will swear and seal the Old
Testament in their own sense, but their sense makes the old Testament to be the
word of man, not the word of God. The Sadducees acknowledged the five books of
Moses to be the word of God, yet because they denied the resurrection of the
dead; Christ argueth them Math. 22.45. Ignorant both of the power of God
asserted in the books of Moses and of the scriptures, especially of that
scripture which God spake out of the bush to Moses; I am the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, etc... Exod. 3.6. Yet would the Sadducees have sworn
and subscribed all the book of Exodus as the undoubted word of God, but when
they denied the resurrection, sure these words I am the God of Abraham
etc... making the Covenant of grace to die when Abraham died, and Abraham
to have perished in soul and body as they expounded it, was not the word of
God; and Papists will subscribe the old and new Testament and the three creeds,
the Nicene Creed, the Creed of Athanasius, and that which commonly is called
the Apostles Creed. Yet as they expound the word and these Creeds, we say they
transform the word of God into the doctrine of devils and most abominable
Idolatry, the greatest heretics that were, Arrius, Nestorius, Appollinaris,
Macedonius, the Treithite acknowledge the scripture to be the word of God, and
will swear and subscribe the word of God and contain themselves intra sacre
scripture lecutiones, within the words of scripture. But their faith is not
the faith of the scripture, and this makes ten thousand
32
and millions of faiths whereas the word saith there is but one faith. For
Arrius hath one faith, Apollinaris another, Nestorius another, and every
heretic a faith according to the sense that he falsely puts on the scripture,
and all may swear one confession of faith in scripture words.
Arminians say, no man after he
hath received a decree of a Synod is longer obliged to it, nor upon any other
condition, but in so far and so long as he judgeth in his conscience that it is
true.
Answ. This is mere skepticism,
and to make the conscience whether erroneous, or not erroneous to be a bible
and a rule of faith. For though the erroneous conscience say, it is service to
God to kill the innocent Apostles John 16.1. Yet the sixth commandement lies
upon these murderers with equal strength, thou shalt not kill, otherwise
they are not guilty of murder. For if a Synod decree to kill Peter and John,
because they preach that the Son of Mary is the Messiah, is bloody persecution.
Then so soon as Scribes and Pharisees in their erroneous conscience (for
Libertines make exceptions of no consciences, an erroneous more than another,
not erring in fundamentals more than of another.) shall judge it service to God
to kill the Apostles they are loosed from the sixth commandment and no longer
obliged to this (thou shalt not murder.) So the author of the tractate called
Armini. Where men’s scope is any way to remove controveries, there is there
no care or little at all of the truth of God, and where the external peace of
the common-wealth is heeded precisely, there peace of conscience is of none or
of little value, the truth is not there persuaded, but crushed.
Ans. The learned and renowned
professors of Leiden answer the end of Synods is not by any means good or
bad to remove controversies but to bury them by the power of the word. 2
Only external peace separated from truth should not be intended, but conjoined
with truth and peace of conscience. 3. The end of Synods is not effectually and
actu secundo to silence heretics and gain-sayers of the truth, not is it
Christ’s scope in convincing the Sadducees that the dead must rise Math. 22. to
persuade the truth, so as there shall never be on earth a Sadducee again who
denies the resurrection, for in Paul’s and in the Apostles’ time the Sadducees
still denied the resurrection,
33
after the Synod of Jerusalem Acts 15. There arose many that said we must
keep the law of Ceremonies, but the end of Synods is to do what may actu
primo, remove controversies and silence heretics by clearing scripture, and
truth, but the end is not to remove obstinacy that is not the scope of Synods
nor of preaching, nor of the scriptures, but of all these are in the event as
God blesseth them and concurreth with them: the end of Synods is not to oppress
or deprive ministers, the end of despised and obstinately refused truth is
such.
Armini. Synods should not aim
at setting up their own authoritity which in matters of faith is none at all,
such decisions are the heart of Popery, and makes all religion without Synods
to be uncertain.
Ans. Synods should take care
that no man despise their authority, as Timothy is exhorted by Paul but
their authority in matters of faith is conditional, and so not nul. 2. Synods
are necessary ad bene esse, not absolutely, for many are saved, both
persecuted churches, and believers who never had help of Synods to clear their
faith. 3. But none more contend then Libertines do for a faith as uncertain as
the weather which may change with every new moon. The same also may be said of
preaching and a ministry which the Lord Jesus ascending on high gave for the
edifying his body the Church, that religion is uncertain without it. For
Pastors in public should convince gainsayers and so remove heretics. Tit.
1.9, 10, 11. 1 Tim. 6.3, 4 as well as Synods, and Libertines in their
conscience know Protestant Synods Lord over the faith of none as if they took
to themselves infallibility as Popish Synods do.
Armini. Since Synods may err,
how then place they religion in security?
Obj. But Pastors oblige not
men to receive what they say, under pain of censures, as Synods do.
Answ. Under pain of divine if
not Ecclesiastical punishment, and the one is that way as binding to the
conscience as the other, yea more, for it is a greater obligation for Pastors
to subject men to divine wrath, if they receive not what they preach,
34
than for Synods to bind them only to Ecclesiastical censures and yet none
can say that Pastors exercise tyranny over the conscience: for the former, Ergo
neither can Synods justly be deemed Lords over the conscience for the latter.
Armin. Very often fewer; and
provincial Synods do determine more soundly then many and Ecumenical Synods.
Answ. That is by accident; one
Michaiah saw more than four hundred prophets of Baal. But this objection is
against the safety that is in a multitude of counselors and in the excellency
of two convened in the name of Christ above one.
Armin. Decision of Synods
cannot oblige men while they know that the decision was rightly made, it is not
enough to oblige any to consent that that which is decided is true and
agreeable to the word of God, of necessity every man’s private judgment must go
before, otherwise its an implicit faith.
Answ. That many should duly, and
as he ought believe, and receive the decision of a Synod, it must be both true,
and he must believe and know that it is true, but that it may oblige him and
doth oblige him, whether his conscience be erroneous, or no, is as true, for
then this Commandment (Thou shalt not kill) (Honour they father and thy mother)
should lay no obligation on a man that believes it is service to God to kill
the Apostles, as John 16. some do. For no man is exempted from an obligation to
obey God’s Law, because of his own sinful and culpable ignorance, for we speak
not now of invincible ignorance of these things which we are not obliged to
know or believe. But if our sinful and erroneous conscience free us from actual
obligation to be tied by a law, then our erroneous conscience freeth us from
sinning against a law, and so from punishment, for whatever freeth a man from
actual obligation freeth him also from actual sinning, for all sin is a doing
against a Law-obligation, and if so, then are none to be led by any rule but
their own conscience, the written Law and Gospel is not henceforth our rule any
more.
Arminians. The last condition
of a Synod is, that the subject of a Synodical decision be ever left to a free
examination, and to a farther free discussion and revise. The learned
professors of Leyden answer that which is once true and fixed in the word of
God, is ever true and fixed in the
35
word of God. The Arminians reply, what is true and fixed in the word of God is ever
so, and ought to remain so, for the word is beyond all danger erring. But what
is believed to be fixed and fixed and ratified in a Synod is not so, because it
is obnoxious to error.
Answ. They require that before
we come to a Synod where fundamental truths are Synodically determined, we be
as a razed table and as clean paper in which no thing is written, and so must
we be after a Synod hath determined according to the word of God, that is be
still Skeptics and believe nothing fixedly, and be rooted in no faith; nay not
in the faith of the fundamentals that are most clear in the word of God; for it
is impossible that we can believe the clearest fundamentals, as that God
created the world, and Christ God-Man redeemed it, but we must believe them
by the intervening and intermediation of our own sense or the Church’s sense,
or the sense of some Godly Doctor; now because all these senses are fallible,
and we see Familists put one sense on fundamentals, Papists another sense, and
all private men may do the like, it is not possible that any man can be rooted
in any faith at all by this way, for all senses are fallible; and though the
scripture giveth clear and evident senses yet such is the heretical dullness of
men, that reject these infallible senses as false; and those others that by
their own confession are fallible and so can neither be established by the
word, nor by the interpretations of men, though senses of Scripture rendered by
Synods be fallible in the way they come to us, because men delivering them may
err, yet being agreeable to the word, they are in themselves infallible. And so
the old and new Testament in the way they come to us may be fallible, because
printers are not prophets but may miscarry and dream; but it followeth not they
are not the infallible word of life in themselves, when the Spirit witnesseth
to us that God, divinitie, transforming glory are in these books: as a spouse
knoweth the hand-writ style, loveliness of a letter from her husband to be
certainly no counterfeit but true, though the bearer be a rogue and can
deceive.
Secondly, this answer still
supposeth that Synods do give senses contrary to the word of God, and, so we
grant they are not only fallible but false and erroneous, and are to be exami-
36
ned of new again in that case; but we hold, when lawful Synods convened in
the name of Christ do determine according to the word of God they are to
be heard as Ambassadors who in Christ’s
stead teach us, and what is once true and ratified in Synods in this manner is
ever true and ratified as the reverend professors say and never subject to any
further exanimation, and new discussion, so as it must be changed and retracted
as false. For this is to subject the very word of God to retraction and change,
because a Synod did declare and truly determine it in a Ministerial way to be
the word of God. For what Synods determine being the undeniable word of God is
intrinsically infallible, and can never become fallible, though fallible and
sinful men that are obnoxious to error and mistakes do hold it forth
Ministerially to others: and it is false that we are to believe that what
Synods determine according to the word of God, we are to believe it is fallible
and liable to error, and may an untruth, because they so determine, for then
when a Synod determines, there is but one true God, this principle of
faith is believed to be subject to Retraction and falsehood, because a Synod
hath determined it to be a truth. But the truth is we are to believe truths
determined by Synods to be infallible, and never again liable to retraction or
discussion, because they are and were in themselves and without any Synodical
determination infallible, but not for this formal medium, because, so faith
the Synod, but because so faith the Lord. It is true, new heretics
pretending new light may arise as Math. 24.24. And call in question all
fundamentals that are determined that are cleared in former Synods, but it
follows not but these truths are still in themselves fixed and unmovable as the
Pole-Star, though evil men bring them under a new Synodical examination as
Familists do now raze the foundations of Christianity, yet Daniel and Christ
are innocent, though wicked men accuse them judicially as deceivers: nor is it
enough that Libertines say it may be the word of God and the infallible word
of God which the Synod determineth, but it is not so to us, we are to believe
it with a reserve, because we cannot know it so to be.
But I answer this concludes not
only against a Synodical determination, but against all scripture, and all
prophetical and Apostolic determinations in the scripture, for that there is
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one God not three as the Treithits dream, is believed by some to be false, by
others to be true. Yet undeniably it is in itself, true that there is but one
God, nor is it therefore to be believed with a reserve, because the Synod hath
so determined according to the word of God: and this were some answer if we
should teach that men should believe, because so saith a Synod. But all
the mystery is, though a Synod should determine a truth an hundred times
according to the word, yet if the conscience say it is no truth, the
determination of a Synod doth not oblige at all (say Libertines) because the
conscience according to the mind of Libertines is the nearest obliging rule,
but any thing obligeth not to obedience and faith as it appears either true or
good to our conscience, for to kill the Apostles appears lawful, to commit
adultery and murder appeareth good to many, yet are not men obliged to kill the
Apostles, or to commit adultery.
Armini. If a thing be
determined out of the word of God by a Synod, then was that thing before
determined in the word of God, and yet that must be examined in a Synod which
is supposed to be decided in the word,
what need is there of a Synodical examination of that which is supposed to be
liable to no error, for so must the word of God be examined.
Answ. What the Bereans heard the
Apostle Paul preach Act. 17. 11, 12. was the very Gospel determined in the
Scriptures of the Prophets, what then needed they try the Gospel or examine
what is infallible in private among themselves more than in public Synods? This
argument is against the Apostles rule, Try all things, and try the Spirits
whether they be of God or not, for sure these rules warranted them to
examine Paul, Peter and John’s doctrine and Spirits and finding them to be
truths decided in the word to receive them, therefore after there is a Scriptural
decision it doth not follow that there should not be a Declarative or
Ministerial decision by Synods and by pastors preaching the Gospel. For this
doth close subvert all ministry and preaching, and all trying of the spirits,
nor is it hence concluded that, we examine the word of God, as if it could be
false, but that we are both in private and in public to examine and try whether
that which is proposed to us as the word of God be the word of God or no: But
we examine and suspect
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the credit of men; who may and can lie.
Secondly, but this supposeth
that what ever is brought under a Synodical discussion is false or at least
fallible, which is a most false principle of Libertines, and that nothing which
is the word of God should fall under a Synodical discussion, to be tried which
is true: thus far the word of God as it is the word of God is not to be tried,
nor determined but in reference to messengers who are but sinful men and can
deceive, and to our dullness and sinful ignorance, there is need that a
ministry and Synods help us with declarative and ministerial declarations until
we be where they shall not need a Temple. And what Libertines say, the same
said Anabaptists, so Bullinger saith Anabaptists taught that the Evangelist
should be recited without Words casting it (that is without preaching) and that
every man was free to interpret the Scripture as he will, and that the
interpretation of Scripture is not the word of God. So that the peoples conscience
and private sense is their Scripture and rule of faith; we need not then
Scripture, every man’s sense is his Rule, which yet is not so good divinity as
the heathen Melytus accused Socrates of, and thought Socrates was worthy to
die, for that such as the people believeth to be gods, he believeth to be
nothing such, but thinketh there be some new Deities: and was it a crime
that Socrates thought the people’s lust was no good rule in divinity?
Armini. All should be
admitted to Synods because Religion concerneth the conscience of all, or if it
be confusion to admit all to come, yet should no decision be, except first all
the church be acquainted with the business.
Answ. God never appointed all
and every one to lay burdens and Directories or Laws upon themselves as is
clear. Act. 15. God keeps ever that order in his Church of some to teach and
some to be taught, of some to obey and some to be over others in the Lord: that
before Laws be made that concern the conscience, there should be a reference of
all made to the people, and they acquainted with reasons form the word of God
before a decision we shall not condemn, but it is nothing against us.
Armini. These that come to
Synods ought to be engaged to no Church, or to no confession. But every way
free.
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Answ. Then such as convened in a
Synod in the Church of Pergamus and Thyatira should not be principled in the
faith of Christ and his truth against the deeds of the Nicolaitans, with whom fornication
went for a thing indifferent, or against such as hold the doctrine of Balaam,
or Jezebel, they must all come as indifferent to absolve as to condemn the
Nicolaitans and the false Prophetess Jezebel. But Paul and Barnabas came to the
Council of Jerusalem as members thereof, being sore engaged to condemn
circumcision as not necessary to salvation, and had preached against such a
necessity and yet were not biased voters in the assembly, and by this reason if
Fundamentals be to be established in a Synod, and the contrary errors to be
refuted, when Doctors come to a Synod they must leave faith and soundness of
faith at home, and come to the Synod with purpose to buy and bargain there for
a new faith. And let all men come thither as Skeptics and Nullifidians, and go
so also away believing with a reserve, that that the Synod hath determined, may
be a lie. But as Arminians take true liberty of free-will to be an absolute
power to do ill or well, stand or fall eternally, so they judge that Liberty of
prophesying is a Liberty to teach and believe indifferently either lies or
truth, heresies or sound doctrine, whereas liberty to do ill in any sense is
licentiousness, not liberty.
Armini. The question is not,
whether a man when he judges right can err, for who can assume that? But
whither either a man or a church who judgeth rightly according to the word of
God, have any law or power to command and enjoin others to receive and believe,
what they have rightly judged, and that without controversy, for no man is
obliged to receive and believe a truth, which a Synod unanimously or for the
most part, hath truly judged, because the Synod hath so judged, or saith so.
Answ. But Libertines make such a
question, for they affirm that a Synod doth never judge so rightly, but we must
believe what they judge with a reserve, and so that what they determine is
false, or may the next day be false.
Secondly, we conceive that God
hath given to some one single Pastor, and far more to a Synod of Pastors and
Doctors a power to rebuke, teach, exhort with all authority 2.
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Tim. 4 1.2. To charge Tit. 2.14 them before the Lord. 1. Tim.
6. 17. to lay on burdens and decrees Act. 15.28.c.16.4. And that all
that hear them believe and receive as true what they speak in the Name of the
Lord, according to that, he that heareth you heareth me; he that despiseth
you, despiseth me. He
that will not hear an Ambassador as an Ambassador speaking from his Master
and Prince, refuseth to hear the Prince that sent him, yet we say not that they
are to be heard without controversy as they object, that is, peremptorily,
absolutely as if their word were the very Oracle of God, but they are to be
heard, but not but after trying and searching, and not but conditionally in so
far as they carry the mind of God along with them, so that there may be an
appeal to the Scripture; and place left for examining and trying of their
doctrine whether it be so or not.
Another Libertine saith, it
is in vain said, Try all things, if a Synod may impose: for either the trial
relates to a particular judgment to be made, and that judgment to a practice to
be confirmed, or not, if not, as good not try, if I try only for trial’s sake,
and if when I have tried, I am but where I was, to wit, I must be concluded by
others vote and imposition; if yea, then to what purpose is the imposition? For
if I approve it, the imposition is needless, if I reject ’tis fruitless.
Answ. 1. There is no doubt, but
trying all things 1 Thess. 5. relates to judgment and practice, nor is it
more against the Ministerial and conditional imposition of a Synod, to you to
try, than it is against the imposition and commanding power of the Prophets,
Jeremiah, or others, or the Apostles, Paul Act. 17. or John 1 John 3.1. For
prophets and Apostles impose Scriptures as Paul did Act. 17. on the Bereans;
but conditionally after they find it agreeable to the Scripture, and the
Prophets and Apostles, conclude by their vote and sentence, yet better you try
as not try. For this argument is more against the Bereans’ trying of Paul who
had Apostolic power to impose
and place the poor Bereans in the place they were in before they tried, and
so as good the Bereans not try Paul’s doctrine, as try it; for
they are concluded by Paul’s vote, if they miscarry in their trying and
find, though mistakenly and ignorantly (as this Gamaliel argueth) that Paul’s
doctrine is contrary to
the Scriptures, are they
not concluded under unbelief in refusing
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the Gospel and in stumbling at the stone laid on Zion? Sure they are. 2. If
you approve Paul’s doctrine, the imposition, or peremptory command of Paul to
receive it, else he will shake the dust off his feet against you and leave
death at your door, the imposition is not needless, but the commanding power in
the Ambassador of Christ, be they one as a single pastor, or many, as a Synod, is
not needless but useful and fruitful, and is the power of God and the
savour of life in itself. Should an ignorant man say the commanding ministerial
power of the Gospel which saith, except ye believe ye shall die in your sins,
needless? when it bringeth forth fruit. Suppose Paul say to Elimas (as in
effect he did) if thou wilt not believe, and cease to pervert others from
believing, I will smite thee with blind nesse. If this imposing had wrought
faith in Elimas, as by the grace of God it might, had this imposing been
needless? The man might as well say: because this tree brings forth fruit being
digged and branched, and pruned, therefore digging was needless. But he
supposeth vainly that imposing and commands issuing from Synods under penalties
and censures are contrary to trying all things, because imposing concludes men
under censures, though they try the decrees of Synods to be unjust, but the
imposing of Synods is conditional, not absolute as Libertines suppose, for
after Synods impose, if believers after trying and due examining, shall find
that truly and really the decrees are beside or contrary to the word of truth,
the imposing neither is a just Imposing, nor any imposing at all. For neither
Prophet, nor Apostle, nor Angel from heaven, nor Church can lay commands upon
men imposing or binding under pain of censures to that which is unsound and
false or unjust or wicked, and if people shall find their decrees truly to be
so after trial they have power to reject them. And 3. the last part of the
argument if I reject the imposing command of a Synod, it is fruitless,
is a poor one like the wit of the author. For if I reject these imposing
commands, when just and lawful they are fruitless to me, and the savour of
death as the despised Gospel is: But not simply fruitless on God’s part, as
the argument supposeth, except the author with Arminians’ dream that God
intendeth obedience in all lawful Ordinances, but he cometh short of his end in
the Reprobate. But Ordinances are
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not fruitless to God, for they prosper ever in the errand they are sent for
Isaiah 55.11. 2 Cor. 2.16, 17. If they render men inexcusable, they are not
fruitless, for they clear the justice of God.
2. They that have right (saith
the author) and power of imposing, are Lords of my faith, but so are not any
men, the Apostles themselves assumed it not; for by faith ye stand. Take away a
Christian’s judicious faith, and you take away his legs, his standing under him.
Answ. So do all the ignorant and
heady Libertines in England argue, but not one of them had a head ever to prove
this consequence. For the apostles had ministerial right to impose and command
in the name of the Lord under pain of censures, yet are not either prophets or
apostles lords of men’s faith, but ministers and mere servants: it is just as
if you would say such a Justice of peace imposeth, that is commandeth you obey
such laws under penalties, ergo this Justice of peace takes on him to be
Sovereign Prince and King over these whom he thus imposingly commandeth. 2.
This imposing takes not away judicious believing, all is a beggarly suiting of
the question. If imposing were a commanding that we receive absolutely what
they say, be it good, or ill, without examining the argument were concludent as
God himself requires Abraham to kill his son, Abraham was without examination
to give absolute obedience, and this proveth God to be Lord of the conscience,
for knowing his word to be his word we are not to examine it by the Scripture
or Law of nature, because if we know who speaks, we are not to examine what is
spoken. But though we know who speaks among Creatures, be it a Prophet, an
Apostle, an Angel, yet must we examine both who speaks and what is spoken. 3.
In vain (saith he) did the Bereans try the Apostle’s doctrine, and unduly
were they commended, if that doctrine were imposed upon them.
Answer. It follows only in vain
did the Bereans try Paul’s doctrine, if Paul took God’s room and commanded the
Bereans to receive his Gospel hand over head, whether it was agreeable to the
scriptures or no: the ignorance of the nature of Protestant Synods and of
Popish Synods begetteth many ignorant and foolish objections in Li-
43
bertines. It is true Papists say, their Synods but impose ministerially
upon men, not as lords of men’s faith, but they take away what they give. For
1. they will have none to examine and try the decrees of their Synods, which we
leave to all. 2. Though they say they propose nothing in Synods, but what
is agreeable to the word of God, yet will they be the sole, and only
infallible judges of what is the word of God, what not, what is Scripture, what
is the word of God in the breast of the Church, and they must be the only
infallible Expositors of the word of God, and what is agreeable to the word of
God (or which is all one to men’s traditions) what not, and so they by
consequence make themselves lords over men’s faith. Which the apostle Paul
would not do for he said not to the Bereans, when you have tried, whither my
doctrine be agreeable to the Scripture, or no, yet I and the Apostles are the
only sole infallible judges both of our own doctrine, and of all your tryings,
and you have not so much as a private judgment left to you.
The Church may complain of Hereticks.
The same author argueth against
the Church’s instigating of the Magistrate against men for matters of
conscience 1.Ministers are not armed with force and it is not fit they
should sevire per alios stir up the Magistrate against others, the Magistrate
is the Minister of God properly for wrath. But it is fit for Ministers to say
as Christ, I came not to destroy but to save a live.
Answ. The Author saith the question
is not of transmitting of such things to the Magistrate as belong to
manners, but to conscience, as if an heretic failed against no manners. Yet
all his arguments prove that ministers should not complain to the Magistrate of
ill manners and the scandalous conversation of any and this he instanceth from
the example of Christ, who John 8, would not accuse a woman of adultery. 2. The
Magistrate is as properly the Minister of God for good, for the praise of
well-doing, as the Minister of God for wrath, and if the
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Church should tell the Magistrate his duty, as watchmen should do to all
under their care Ezek. 3.16, 17, 18, 19. Magistrate or other, if the Magistrate
spare the life of a murderer, the watchmen are unfaithful, if they complain not
openly and tell the Magistrate he does not his duty, and upon the same ground,
if the Magistrate must coerce with the sword seducing wolves and Jezebels, the
Pastors ought to admonish him. And its Atheistic to say the Magistrate is
conscious of sins against manners, and of his duty and obligation he needs no
instigation. Because no Magistrate be he an Achab or a David, but he needs
be quickened to his duty, and will send
a murderer away, and a bloody Joab whom God will have not to live, and should
the prophets be called instigators, and savientes per alios, such as
destroy men’s lives when they tell the Magistrate he is a murderer and guilty
of innocent blood, if he suffer the bloody man to live? Or should this be
calling taletelling, and the Pastor thrusting of himself into a more
disaffecting office to be a Tale-teller anApparitor or Summoner of men to the
Civil Magistrate’s