3. Again, it is not a ruling over faith, nor a base slavery, when men hear the word of God opened directly and clearly, when men shall persuade others according to their own judgment, that this is so, and when others shall yield. There is some faith that may be called in some degree im- plicit faith and obedience, that is not sinful, but good and discreet. As when men by their standing in the church, and by their experience and holiness of life, are thought to be men that speak agreeable to the ground
* That is, ' subscribing, subscription.' — G. J Spelled ' Africk.' — G.
t Spelled ' Polonia,' — G.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VEE. 24. 501',
of Scripture, though they have not a direct rule and place of Scripture for it, other men's conscience may follow what they say, I have been directed by such men at such times, that by reason of their calling have opportunity to advise.
But this frees it from base service, that it must be with reservation, till it appear otherwise by some place of Scripture, or till better counsel may be A'ielded. Obedience to others with reservation, and counselling with others, this is no domineering, because it is with reserving ourselves to a further discovery, and a further light. That, the moralists use to call the opinion of an honest man. ^Vhere the law speaks not, it is much to be esteemed ; especially an honest discreet Christian, when the law of God speaks not directly. Then he that speaks out of conscience, and some light, he may persuade another man, with this reservation, till further light be discovered ; this is no domineering over faith.
I might take away many things that might breed a suspicion, as if we domineered over the faith of others when we do not.
But to come to shew you this positive truth, what this tyranny over the faith of others is, and where it is practised.
1. Those t}Tannise over the faith of others that do equalise mens tradi- tions, so)ne canons of their oicu, with the word of God, and press them with equal violence, perhaps more ; because they are brats of their o-wti brain. Those that will devise a voluntary worship of Grod, and so entangle people, and tell them, This you must do, when there is no ground for it in the word of God ; it is will- worship. God loves willing worship, when we worship him willingly ; but he loves not will- worship, when it is the de\'ice of our own brain how we will serve him. As if a servant or a slave must devise how his lord will be served ; what impudency is this, if we consider what God is ! They tyrannise over people's consciences, that equalise their own dotages, though they account them witty devices, and their own inventions with the worship of God ; that jumble all together, as if conscience were equally bound to any de\dce of then- own, as to God's word.
2. Again, those do tyrannise over the faith of others, that think they can make articles in reUf/io)i to bind conscience. Those that think to free them- selves from the danger of error, as if what they said were infallible, they tyrannise over others. Those that for tritles excommunicate whole churches, because the}' hold not correspondency with them in their errors, they t}Tannise over the faith of others : those that withhold the means of know- ledge, that so in a dark time all their fooleries may be more admired. As we see masks, and such like overly* things, they must have the commenda- tion of some light that is not so glorious as the sun to win admiration of men ; so those that would win admiration of their fooleries, they shut people, as much as they may, in darkness, that they may have their persons, and all other things in admiration. This is to tyrannise over faith, and to hinder them from that that is the means to reform them better.
Quest. But who are guilty of all this ?
Ans. We see what church especially is guilty of this of domineering over the faith of others, that is, the church of Rome.
1. The Council of Trent equaliseth traditions with the word of God. They divide the word of God into the written and unwritten ; and under a curse they pronounce that all must be received with the same reverence.
2. And then they have devised a will-worship of their own, and follow,
* That is, ' over-lying,' = concealing, disguising. — G.
502 COMMENTARY ON
and force tluur will-worship with greater violence, than the worship of God ; and they set God's stamp 'upon all their fooleries, to gain authority under the name of Christ's church, and the word of God: they carry all.
3. Again, you know, they hold the church to he infallible. They hold the judgment of the pope, the ' man of sin,' to be infallible, he cannot err ; and hereupon whatsoever he saith, it must l)ind conscience, because ho is in his chair and cannot err ; whatsoever he saith is the scope of God's word, infallible. And this is a fundamental error, as we call it, a first He, a lead- ing lie. This is moving to error, this is the mover that moves all other errors under it.