The blovdy tenent, of persecution, for cause of conscience, discussed, in a conference betweene trvth and peace vvho, in all tender affection, present to the high court of Parliament, as the result of their discourse, these, amongst other passages, of highest consideration.

CHAP. XVIII.

FIrst,* 1.1 Matth. 13. 30, 38. because Christ commandeth to let alone the Tares to grow up together with the Wheat, untill the Harvest.

Unto which he answereth: That Tares are not Bryars and Thornes, but partly Hypocrites, like unto the godly, but indeed carnall (as the Tares are like to Wheat, but are not Wheat,) or partly such corrupt doctrines or practices as are indeed unsound, but yet such as come very near the truth (as Tares do to the Wheat) and so neer that good men may be taken with them, and so the persons in whom they grow cannot bee rooted out, but good Wheat will be rooted out with them. In such a case (saith he) Christ calleth for peaceable toleration, and not for penall prosecution, ac∣cording to the third Conclusion.

Truth.

The substance of this Answer I conceive to be first negative,* 1.2 that by Tares are not meant persons of another Religion and Worship, that is (saith he) they are not Briars and Thornes.

Secondly, affirmative, by Tares are meant either persons, or doctrines, or practices; persons, as hypocrites, like the godly: doctrines or practices corrupt, yet like the truth.

For answer hereunto I confesse that not onely those worthy witnesses (whose memories are sweet with all that feare God) Calvin, Beza, &c. but of later times many conjoyne with this worthy Answerer, to satis∣fie themselves and others with such an Interpretation.

But alas,* 1.3 how darke is the soule left that desires to walke with God in holy feare and trembling, when in such a waighty and mighty point as this is, that in matters of conscience concerneth the spilling of the bloud of thousands, and the Civill Peace of the World in the taking up Armes to suppresse all false Religions! when I say no evidence or demon∣stration of the Spirit is brought to prove such an interpretation, nor Ar∣guments from the place it selfe or the Scriptures of truth to confirme it; but a bare Affirmation that these Tares must signifie persons, or doctrines and practices.

I will not imagine any deceitfull purpose in the Answerers thoughts in the proposall of these three,* 1.4 persons, doctrines, or practices, yet dare I confidently avouch that the Old Serpent hath deceived their precious soules, and by Tongue and Pen would deceive the soules of others by such a method of dividing the word of truth. A threefold Cord, and so a threefold Snare is strong, and too like it is that one of the three, either Persons, Doctrines, or Practices may catch some feet.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The exa∣mination of what is meant by the Tares, and the command of the L. Jesus to let them alone.
• * 1.2

  The An∣swerers fallacious exposition that Tares signifie either Persons, Doctrines or Practi∣ces.
• * 1.3

  The An∣swerer ba••ely af∣firming a most strange in∣terpreta∣tion.
• * 1.4

  Sathans subtlet••e about the opening of Scrip∣ture.