Faces About

Faces About: OR, A Recrimination charged upon M ^r. John Goodwin, in the point of fighting against God, and opposing the way of Christ.

C Hristian Reader, my thoughts are not (God knows) against the Author of these Sermons, in the least measure, but against his dangerous Doctrine, though intermingled with truths. To be silent in this business, I dare not, my Conscience forbidding me. To say all that might be said, I cannot, my employments hindering me. Therefore I have thought good to offer thee, these few Animadversions, to make thee to be the more awake, and cautious. Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they be of God or not.

FIrst of all it is to be observed, he buildeth upon a rotten and unsound foundation, pag. 10. affirming, that we may build upon what Gamaliel spake in the Counsel, as good, and from God. The principal end and scope of what he spake, being the rescuing of the Apostles, &c. And there being nothing in all this speech (excepting only the historical instances of Theudas and Judas) but what is fully consonant with the Word of God, (unquestionably so acknowledged) elsewhere, the credit and authority of it, for matter of truth, is one and the same with those other Scriptures corresponding with it.

Ans. 1. I never heard so much good of Gamaliel, except from Popish Interpreters, who tell us out of the Traditions of Clemens, and out of the Roman Martyrologies, that Gamaliel was a godly man, and a Disciple of the Apostles. Sure I am, our best Interpreters judge of him, as an irreligious Politician, adieophorit, neutralist, Nullifidian.

2. His principal end and scope was not the rescuing of the Apostles, but the preservation of himself and the Council from the wrath of the people of the Jews, whom he feared, because they favored and magnified the Apostles and from the wrath of the Romans, which he well knew would fall upon the Counsel, if they should presume to put any man to death, the liberty of capital punishment, not being permitted to them. And this was his meaning, when he said, verse. 35. Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves, what ye intend to do. Beware of provoking the people. Beware of provoking the Romancs. 3. Though there be some truths▪ in that which he spake in the Council, yet there are there three exceeding great errors in it. One is, that he makes it an uncertain and dubious thing, whether the Gospel preached by the Apostles, and Miracles wrought by them, were from God, or from men: he puts an If, where he should have put a Surely. Another is, that he judgeth himself, and would have others to judge what is of God, and what not, by the event, according as the thing prospers, or not, whereas he should have judged according to the truth, and the rule of the Word, let the event be what it may be. A third is, that whatsoever damnable and pernicious Heresies do infest a Church, all men, even Magistrates, must refrain from the Authors and spreaders thereof, and let them alone, in confidence, that such ways, if not of God, will come to naught of themselves.

Pag. 21. He maketh a most odious comparrison betwixt those Ministers who appear for the Congregational way (as he calleth it) and the Ministers who appear for the Presbyteryall way, describing the Ministers of the former way thus, some Ambassadors and Messengers of his (God's) of a very choice anointing, and endued with strength from on high. The Ministers that stand for the Presbytery, thus, some that would be thought Pillars, and prime men in the House and Temple of God. Surely they that would be thought so, are not worthy to have the smallest place in the Temple of God. Again, he describeth the people, who adhere to the former sort of Ministers, thus, many thousands more, and those (for the most part) of the best and choicest servants of God amongst us. The people who adhere to the Presbyterian Ministers, thus, the generality of people, who know little of God, or of his ways. If this be suitable to a Spirit of Christian moderation, and humility, that men shall thus commend and magnify themselves, as having greater gifts and graces then others, and judge the Ministers to be presumptuous, and the people ignorant, who are of another opinion; let everyone judge, whose understanding is not very much biassed with partiality. Nay, let us but judge him out of his own words. I would gladly know how he can reconcile these things with what himself saith, pag. 27. where he tells us what opinion the Gongregationall way holdeth of such as are contrary minded to it. It thinketh no evil (saith he) it speaketh no evil of such: if it conceives them upright and faithful, with God, and with Jesus Christ, it embraceth them with all love, tenderness and honor, as partakers of the precious Faith with itself, and nothing doubts but that they serve and worship God with as much sincerity and singleness, of heart, and are accordingly accepted by him in their way, as itself. In the transcribing of this Passage, I have some light, to reconcile him with himself. There is a great If here, If Presbyterians be faithful and upright with God, and not only so, but If Independents conceive them to be such. He had said positively of the other way, many thousands are for it, of the best and choicest Servants of God. But of this way, he greatly doubts whether he can say near half so much, as if Godly Presbyterians were hardly to be found, and

Pag. 23. He would make us believe, that the Presbyterian Reformation, needs suffer nothing, nor lose an hours time, by the Congregational way. For, saith he, What doth the poor fly, sitting on the top of the wheel to hinder the Waggoner from driving on his way, &c. The irregularity of the Mountains and valleys in the surface of the earth troubles no man's opinion concerning the perfect roundness of it, because it is swallowed up into Victory by the roundness of the Globe, &c. The gleanings of Independency (so called, will not hinder the Vintage of the Presbytery. Would God he could make these things good. Would God it were not as the Remora to the Ship. If it be as the fly on the top of the wheel, why hath it hindered us from driving on our way, not for an hours time, but for a years time, and much more. If Independency be the irregularity of mountains and valleys, it will at least trouble the opinion of many thousands who are not good Cosmographers concerning the roundness of the Globe. And what should hinder a full and perfect roundness, since every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low. And if Independency doth but glean, why doth it glean before the Vintage. And when after, Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim, better then the vintage of Abiezer.

Pag. 23, 24, 25. J would gladly know, saith he, what or what manner of Reformation can reasonably be expected, or hoped for without her, (the Congregational way.) And here he enlargeth himself to show, that without this their way, our Reformation is but a reforming of Satan, a reforming of open looseness and profaneness into Pharysaicall hypocrysie; a taking of the members of an harlot, to make them the members of Christ, a quashing and crushing and breaking of the hearts and bones of the one half of the most Religiously-affected, for trading in Apes and Peacocks (I wish he had told us where their Tarshish lies) for holding some erroneous opinions, perhaps erroneously so called. That the Presbvterian Reformation is directly destructive to the edification of the Saints, and doth impede their growth in grace. More of this stuff you have, pag. 29, 30. If matters, faith he, were duly and fairly examined between the two combitants in this case, the way we plead for, would be found via lactea, the candid, harmless and peaceable way: and her corrival or competitresse, via sanguinea, the trouble and strife making way, &c. See also p. 33. 34 37. What no Reformation without the Independent way except a Satanical Reformation, a Pharasaicall Reformation, a Meritricious Reformation, a Persecuting Reformation, a bloody Reformation, a Grace-destroying-Reformation▪ Is this his so much pleaded for Toleration of that way, that there can be no Reformation without it? Is this his so much boasted of Charity of that way, that it thinks so much evil, and speaks so much evil of any other Reformation? Where is that Presbytery that doth embrace the ungodly, or persecute the religiously affected, or hinder their edification? For my part I shall cast the first stone at it. The Lord rebuke this Spirit of belying and calumniating the way of Christ, by which God hath been so much honored, Satan so much foiled, true grace and knowledge so much propagated and advanced. And what is this but a Fighting against God, even that sin which he himself holds out as the Achan, the troubler of our Israel, and that which makes the Sun of our Peace to go so often backwards in the Heavens.

Page 34. 35. he speaketh thus: We suppose that the Lord Christ, so far tendered the spiritual felicity and peace of his Churches, as to leave them sufficiently furnished, and every ways appointed with internal provisions for the effectual procurement and preservation of them, without any concurrence of any heterogeneall or external power, especially considering that he foresaw that these Churches of his for the space of 300 years together, & somewhat more, were not like to have any accommodation at all in this kind, from any secular or civil power. Now let it be remembered that this doth quite overthrow one of the grounds, whereupon those that are for the Independent way, do usually justify it. When it is objected, that, that way provideth no sufficient nor effectual remedy for reducing an Offending or Apostatizing Congregation: the answer we receive is this; Other Churches may admonish, rebuke, and (if that do it not) non-communicate such a Congregation. It is replied, What if that Congregation slight all this, both reproof and non-communion. What say they for that cause?

The Apologetical Narration, pag. 19. Tells us, If the Magistrates power do but assist and back the sentence of non-communion, then it will be as effectual, as the Presbyterian way is supposed to be. To this I say no other thing but what John Goodwin saith, The Lord Christ hath provided for his Churches sufficient intrinsical remedies, without the concurrence of any external power. And so I leave it betwixt them to untie the knot.

Pag. 43. 44. Whereas the Vote and suffrage of a Reverend, Learned, and Pious Assembly, might be objected against the Independency. He tells us for Answer the observation of Gregory Nazianzen, That he never saw good end, or desirable success of any Council, or that they procured any decrease, but rather increase of evils.

He farther looks upon Synods as the Eclipsings of the glory of God, That there are too many learned and wise men in a great Council, for God to reveal Truth, or to give truth Victory against error by, Pag. 45. As exercising Dominion over our faith, Pag. 46. As swayed by one or few of predominant parts or authority, as you may read, Pag. 47.

Let him who pleaseth compare these Passages with the Arminians, their declamations against Synods, Exam. Cens. pag. 288. 289. and elsewhere in their writings: comparing also what is written by Zepperius, Pareus, Whittaker, and divers other Protestant Divines of the most profitable, excellent, and (in some respects) necessary use of Councils or Synods, and then observe how near Master Goodwin cometh to the former, and how far he recedeth from the latter. Neither need we to stumble at that passage of Nazianzen to Procopius.

He had reason to say so, having seen so many Councils of those Bishops who did so much favor the Arians, that he was out of all hopes, ever in his days, to see a free and rightly-constituted Council. Nevertheless Nazianzen himself afterwards was present in the General Council of Constantinople, and did subscribe the Decrees thereof, as is manifest by the Subscriptions. Therefore distingue tempora. If things had continued in this Kingdom as they were in the Prelates time, we had said of Councils even as Nazianzen did: But, Tempora mutantur, & nos mutamur in illis.

Pag. 50. He giveth a sore Blowe to the Parliaments Power. To hold, saith he, that the persons so elected (unto Parliamentary Trust and Power) have a power, by virtue of such Nomination or Election, to enact Laws and Statutes in matters of Religion, and to order, under Mulcts or Penalties, how men shall worship and serve God; as it is a means to awaken the eye of Jealousy upon them and so is seven times more destructive, &c. Surely this is a means to • waken the Parliaments eye of Jealousy upon himself. Shall everyone in Israel do in Religion what seemeth good in his own eyes? Shall the Covenant, how necessary soever for the good of the Kingdom, be left free, that every man may take it or refuse it, as he listeth? May the Civil Power inflict no punishment on those that do evil? and who do more evil then soul-destroying, and Church-disturbing Heretics? Hath the Magistrate no coercive power in matters of Religion? Let the five Apologists animadvert to this, and look how sweetly it agreeth with their solemn professing, that they give more to the Magistrate, then the Principles of Presbyterial Government will yield.

Pag. 52, and pag. 18, he wisheth it may be the first-born of religious Advertisements and Cautions to us, That no man, or rank of men whatsoever, do appear, especially in any high handed Opposition or Contestation, nor so much as lift up an hard thought against Doctrine or Way, claiming Origination and Descent from God, till we have Security upon Security, Proof upon Proof, Demonstration upon Demonstration, Evidence upon Evidence, that such Ways or Doctrines only pretend unto God, as the Authors of them; and that in truth they are not at all from him. This is the substance of those two Passages put together. Now I assume, The Presbyterian way claimeth Origination and Descent from God; yet Master Goodwin doth not only lift up an hard thought against it, but in these Sermons extremely oppose it, and contest against it, without Security upon Security, Proof upon Proof, Demonstration upon Demonstration, Evidence upon Evidence, that it only pretends unto God as the author of it, and that in truth it is not at all from him: Therefore now let him give this his first-born for his transgression, What if I have but one good Proof, Demonstration, Evidence, or Security, that this or that Doctrine is Heresy, which yet claims Origination from God and his Word, may I not appear in contestation against it, nor so much as lift up an hard thought against it, till I have multiplied Proofs, Demonstrations and Evidences, and all those as clear as the noon-day, as he preacheth? I fear, if the Genealogy of this same Doctrine of his were searched for, it should be found to have an Origination and Descent from Socinians and Arminians, which (I conceive) I could demonstrate, if I had leisure to turn over my Books. However, let him consider whether this Doctrine doth no ways fall upon the Excommunication of Heretics in the Congregational Way: of which he himself speaketh thus, Pag. 34. If the error be dangerous, amounting to, or near an Heresy, after two or three admonitions (that is, according to her Warrant from heaven) she casts it out of the line of her Communication, to him who cast it in, I mean Satan.