name,

As

They will answer, doubtless, that the Scripand what hath most authority, that no doubt but they will confess is to be followed. He then, who to his best apprehension follows the Scripture, though against any point of doctrine by the whole church received, is not the heretic; but he who follows the church against his conscience and persuasion grounded on the Scripture. To make this yet more undeniable, I shall only borrow a plain simile, the same which our own writers, when they would demonstrate plainest, that we rightly prefer the Scripture before the church, use frequently against the papist in this manner. the Samaritans believed Christ, first for the woman's word, but next and much rather for his own, so we the Scripture: first on the church's word, but afterwards and much more for its own, as the word of God ; yea, the church itself we believe then for the Scripture. The inference of itself follows: if by the protestant doctrine we believe the Scripture, not for the church's saying, but for its own, as the word of God, then ought we to believe what in our conscience we apprehend the Scripture to say, though the visible church, with all her doctors, gainsay: and being taught to believe them only for the Scripture, they who so do are not heretics, but the best protestants :(and by their opinions, whatever they be, can hurt no protestant, whose rule is not to receive them but from the Scripture: which to interpret convincingly to his own conscience, none is able but himself guided by the Holy Spirit; and not so guided, none than he to himself can be a worse deceiver. To protestants, therefore, whose common rule and touchstone is the Scripture, nothing can with more conscience, more equity, nothing more protestantly can be permitted, than a free and lawful debate at all times by writing, conference, or disputation of what opinion soever, disputable by Scripture: concluding, that no man in religion is properly a heretic at this day, but he who maintains traditions or opinions not probable by Scripture, who, for aught I know, is the papist only; he the only heretic, who counts all heretics but himself. Such as these, indeed, were capitally punished by the law of Moses, as the only true heretics, idolaters, plain and open serters of God and his known law: but in the gospel such are punished by excommunion only. Tit. iii. 10, "An heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject." But they who think not this heavy enough, and understand not that dreadful awe and spiritual efficacy, which the apostle hath expressed so highly to be in church-discipline, 2 Cor. x. of which anon, and think weakly that the church of God cannot long subsist but in a bodily fear, for want of other proof will needs wrest that place of St. Paul, Rom. xiii. to set up civil inquisition, and give power to the magistrate both of civil judgment, and punishment in causes ecclesiastical. But let us see with what strength of argument; "let every soul be subject to the higher powers." First, how prove they that the apostle means other powers, than such as they to whom he writes were then under; who meddled not at all in ecclesiastical causes, unless as tyrants and persecutors? And from them, I hope, they will not derive either the right of

phemy? Them I would first exhort, not thus to terrify | ture? and pose the people with a Greek word; but to teach ture them better what it is, being a most usual and common word in that language to signify any slander, any malicious or evil speaking, whether against God or man, or any thing to good belonging: Blasphemy or evil speaking against God maliciously, is far from conscience in religion, according to that of Mark ix. 39, "There is none who doth a powerful work in my , and can lightly speak evil of me." If this suffice not, I refer them to that prudent and well deliberated act, August 9, 1650, where the parliament defines blasphemy against God, as far as it is a crime belonging to civil judicature, plenius ac melius Chrysippo et Crantore; in plain English, more warily, more judiciously, more orthodoxally than twice their number of divines have done in many a prolix volume: although in all likelihood they whose whole study and profession these things are, should be most intelligent and authentic therein, as they are for the most part, yet neither they nor these unerring always, or infallible. But we shall not carry it thus; another Greek apparition stands in our way, Heresy and Heretic; in like manner also railed at to the people as in a tongue unknown. They should first interpret to them, that heresy, by what it signifies in that language, is no word of evil note, meaning only the choice or following of any opinion good or bad in religion, or any other learning and thus not only in heathen authors, but in the New Testament itself, without censure or blame; Acts xv. 5, "Certain of the heresy of the Pharisees which believed;" and xxvi. 5, "After the exactest heresy of our religion I lived a Pharisee." In which tense presbyterian or independent may without reproach be called a heresy. Where it is mentioned with Ilame, it seems to differ little from schism; 1 Cor. xi. 18, 19, "I hear that there be schisms among you," &c. for there must also heresies be among you, &c. Though some, who write of heresy after their own heads, would make it far worse than schism; whenas on the contrary, schism signifies division, and in the worst sense; heresy, choice only of one opinion before another, which may be without discord. In apostolic times, therefore, ere the Scripture was written, heresy was a doctrine maintained against the doctrine by them delivered; which in these times can be no otherwise defined than a doctrine maintained against the light which we now only have, of the Scripture, Seeing therefore, that no man, no synod, no session o men, though called the Church, can judge definitively the sense of Scripture to another man's conscience, which is well known to be a general maxim of the protestant religion; it follows plainly, that he who holds in religion that belief, or those opinions, which to his conscience and utmost understanding appear with most evidence or probability in the Scripture, though to others he seem erroneous, can no more be justly censured for a heretic than his censurers; who do but the same thing themselves, while they censure him for so doing. For ask them, or any protestant, which hath most authority, the church or the Scrip

de

in any particular so believe as he in general teaches | civil magistrate he hath no right. Christ hath a gothem; them who most honour and believe divine Scrip- vernment of his own, sufficient of itself to all his ends ture, but not against it any human interpretation though and purposes in governing his church, but much difuniversal; them who interpret Scripture ouly to them-ferent from that of the civil magistrate; and the difselves, which by his own position, none but they to ference in this very thing principally consists, that it themselves can interpret them who use the Scripture governs not by outward force; and that for two reano otherwise by his own doctrine to their edification, sons. First, Because it deals only with the inward man than he himself uses it to their punishing; and so and his actions, which are all spiritual, and to outward whom his doctrine acknowledges a true believer, his force not liable. 2dly, To shew us the divine exceldiscipline persecutes as a heretic The papist exacts lence of his spiritual kingdom, able, without worldly our belief as to the church due above Scripture; and force, to subdue all the powers and kingdoms of this by the church, which is the whole people of God, world, which are upheld by outward force only. That understands the pope, the general councils, prelatical the inward man is nothing else but the inward part of only, and the surnamed fathers: but the forcing proman, his understanding and his will; and that his actestant, though he deny such belief to any church what- tions thence proceeding, yet not simply thence, but soever, yet takes it to himself and his teachers, of far from the work of divine grace upon them, are the whole less authority than to be called the church, and above matter of religion under the gospel, will appear plainly Scripture believed which renders his practice both by considering what that religion is; whence we shall contrary to his belief, and far worse than that belief, perceive yet more plainly that it cannot be forced. which he condemns in the papist. By all which, well What evangelic religion is, is told in two words, Faith considered, the more he professes to be a true protest- and Charity, or Belief and Practice. That both these ant, the more he hath to answer for his persecuting flow, either, the one from the understanding, the other than a papist. No protestant therefore, of what sect from the will, or both jointly from both; once indeed soever, following Scripture only, which is the common naturally free, but now only as they are regenerate sect wher in they all agree, and the granted rule of and wrought on by divine grace, is in part evident to every man's conscience to himself, ought by the com- common sense and principles unquestioned, the rest by Laon doctrine of protestants, to be forced or molested Scripture: concerning our belief, Matt. xvi. 17," Flesh for religion But as for popery and idolatry, why they and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Faalso may not hence plead to be tolerated, I have much ther which is in heaven." Concerning our practice, as less to say. Their religion the more considered, the it is religious, and not merely civil, Gal. v. 22, 23, and less can be acknowledged a religion; but a Roman other places, declare it to be the fruit of the spirit principality rather, endeavouring to keep up her old only. Nay, our whole practical duty in religion is conuniversal dominion under a new name, and mere sha- tained in charity, or the love of God and our neighdow of a catholic religion; being indeed more rightly bour, no way to be forced, yet the fulfilling of the named a catholic heresy against the Scripture, sup- whole law; that is to say, our whole practice in reliported mainly by a civil, and except in Rome, by a gion. If then both our belief and practice, which foreign, power: justly therefore to be suspected, not comprehend our whole religion, flow from faculties of tolerated by the magistrate of another country. Be the inward man, free and unconstrainable of themselves sides, of an implicit faith which they profess, the con- by nature, and our practice not only from faculties science also becomes implicit, and so by voluntary serendued with freedom, but from love and charity bevitude to man's law, forfeits her christian liberty. sides, incapable of force, and all these things by transWho then can plead for such a conscience, as being gression lost, but renewed and regenerated in us by implicitly enthralled to man instead of God, almost the power and gift of God alone; how can such rebecomes no conscience, as the will not free, becomes ligion as this admit of force from man, or force be any 19 will? Nevertheless, if they ought not to be tolerated, way applied to such religion, especially under the free for just reason of state, more than of religion; offer of grace in the gospel, but it must forthwith fruswhich they who force, though professing to be protest-trate and make of no effect, both the religion and the ants, deserve as little to be tolerated themselves, being gospel? And that to compel outward profession, which no less guilty of popery, in the most popish point. they will say perhaps ought to be compelled, though Lastly, for idolatry, who knows it not to be evidently inward religion cannot, is to compel hypocrisy, not to gainst all Scripture, both of the Old and New Testa- advance religion, shall yet, though of itself clear Tuent, and therefore a true heresy, or rather an impiety, enough, be ere the conclusion further manifest. The wherein a right conscience can have nought to do; and other reason why Christ rejects outward force in the the works thereof so manifest, that a magistrate can government of his church, is, as I said before, to shew hardly err in prohibiting and quite removing at least us the divine excellence of his spiritual kingdom, able the public and scandalous use thereof? without worldly force to subdue all the powers and From the riddance of these objections, I proceed yet kingdoms of this world, which are upheld by outward to another reason why it is unlawful for the civil maforce only by which to uphold religion otherwise gistrate to use force in matters of religion; which is, than to defend the religious from outward violence, is because to judge in those things, though we should no service to Christ or his kingdom, but rather a disgrant him able, which is proved he is not, yet as a paragement, and degrades it from a divine and spiritual

110

kingdom, to a kingdom of this world: which he denies | ries, determinable by the common light of nature; it to be, because it needs not force to confirm it: John which is not to constrain or to repress religion probable xviii. 36. “ If my kingdom were of this world, then by Scripture, but the violaters and persecuters thereof: would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered of all which things he hath enough and more than to the Jews." This proves the kingdom of Christ not enough to do, left yet undone; for which the land governed by outward force, as being none of this world, groans, and justice goes to wrack the while. Let him whose kingdoms are maintained all by force only: and also forbear force where he hath no right to judge, for yet disproves not that a christian commonwealth may the conscience is not his province, lest a worst wo ardefend itself against outward force, in the cause of rive him, for worse offending than was denounced by religion as well as in any other: though Christ him- our Saviour, Matt. xxiii. 23, against the Pharisees self coming purposely to die for us, would not be so Ye have forced the conscience, which was not to be defended. 1 Cor. i. 27, “God hath chosen the weak forced; but judgment and mercy ye have not executed; things of the world, to confound the things which are this ye should have done, and the other let alone. And mighty." Then surely he hath not chosen the force of since it is the counsel and set purpose of God in the this world to subdue conscience, and conscientious men, gospel, by spiritual means which are counted weak, to who in this world are counted weakest; but rather overcome all power which resists him; let them not conscience, as being weakest, to subdue and regulate go about to do that by worldly strength, which he hath force, his adversary, not his aid or instrument in go- decreed to do by those means which the world counts verning the church : 2 Cor. x. 3, 4, 5, 6, “ For though weakness, lest they be again obnoxious to that saying, we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: for which in another place is also written of the Pharisees, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty Luke vii. 30, "That they frustrated the counsel of through God to the pulling down of strong holds, cast- God." The main plea is, and urged with much veheing down imaginations, and every high thing that ex- mence to their imitation, that the kings of Judah, as alts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing I touched before, and especially Josiah, both judged into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ: and used force in religion: 2 Chron. xxxiv. 33, “ He and having in a readiness to avenge all disobedience." | made all that were present in Israel to serve the Lord It is evident by the first and second verses of this their God:" an argument, if it be well weighed, worse chapter, and the apostle here speaks of that spiritual than that used by the false prophet Shemaia to the high power by which Christ governs his church, how all-priest, that in imitation of Jehoiada, he ought to put sufficient it is, how powerful to reach the conscience, Jeremiah in the stocks, Jer. xxix. 24, 26, &c. for which and the inward man with whom it chiefly deals, and he received his due denouncement from God. But to whom no power else can deal with. In comparison of this besides I return a threefold answer: First, That which, as it is here thus magnificently described, how the state of religion under the gospel is far differing uneffectual and weak is outward force with all her from what it was under the law; then was the state of boisterous tools, to the shame of those Christians, and rigour, childhood, bondage, and works, to all which especially those churchmen, who to the exercising of force was not unbefitting; now is the state of church-discipline, never cease calling on the civil ma- manhood, freedom, and faith, to all which belongs will gistrate to interpose his fleshly force ?// An argument ingness and reason, not force: the law was then writthat all true ministerial and spiritual power is dead ten on tables of stone, and to be performed according within them; who think the gospel, which both began to the letter, willingly or unwillingly; the gospel. and spread over the whole world for above three hunour new covenant, upon the heart of every believer, to dred years, under heathen and persecuting emperors, be interpreted only by the sense of charity and inward cannot stand or continue, supported by the same divine persuasion: the law had no distinct government or presence and protection, to the world's end, much governors of church and commonwealth, but the priests easier under the defensive favour only of a christian and Levites judged in all causes, not ecclesiastical magistrate, unless it be enacted and settled, as they only, but civil, Deut. xvii. 8, &c. which under the call it, by the state, a statute or state religion; and gospel is forbidden to all church-ministers, as a thing understand not that the church itself cannot, much less which Christ their master in his ministry disclaimed, the state, settle or impose one title of religion upon our Luke xii. 14, as a thing beneath them, I Cor. vi. 4. obedience implicit, but can only recommend or pro-, and by many other statutes, as to them who have a pound it to our free and conscientious examination: peculiar and far differing government of their own. unless they mean to set the state higher than the If not, why different the governors? Why not churchchurch in religion, and with a gross contradiction give ministers in state-affairs, as well as state-ministers in to the state in their settling petition that command of church-affairs? If church and state shall be made one our implicit belief, which they deny in their settled flesh again as under the law, let it be withal considered. confession both to the state and to the church. Let that God, who then joined them, hath now severe them cease then to importune and interrupt the magis-them; that which, he so ordaining, was then a lawful trate from attending to his own charge in civil and moral things, the settling of things just, things honest, the defence of things religious, settled by the churches within themselves; and the repressing of their contra

grace,

conjunction, to such on either side as join again what he hath severed would be nothing now but their own presumptuous fornication. Secondly, the kings of Judah, and those magistrates under the law, might have