amongst the Corn: Thus faithfull Ministers when they see errours, heresies, hypocrisie, and formality in Religion, to beginne to spring, and spread it selfe among their flockes; they must seeke unto God, and doe all what lies in their power to re∣dresse it.
[Quest. 1] Why must Ministers be thus watchfull and carefull over their people?
[Answ. 1] First, because God hath set them over them, and made them watchmen over their soules. And therefore if through their carelesnesse their people perish, their blood will bee required at their hands.
[Answ. 2] Secondly, because without this care they ne∣ver can render an account with joy unto God. This Argument the Apostle useth to perswade the people to be obedient unto the word. Hebr. 13.17.
[Answ. 3] Thirdly, because the more sinners they con∣vert, the greater measure of glory shal be confer∣red upon them at the last day.
[Answ. 4] Fourthly, because they are their Fathers, and ought intirely to love them: and therefore their love should be shewed in their care for them, and in their joy for their welfare. 1 Thes. 3.8.
[Object. 1] The Papists produce this place, to prove that Hereticks & Apostates are true mem••ers of the mi∣litant Church of Christ: arguing thus: In the same (which signifies the Church) are three things, namely, Corne, and Chaffe, and Tares, that is good men and bad, Orthodox, and Heterodox, maintainers of truth, and Heretickes. And there∣fore these are members of the Church as well as those.
[Answ. 1] First, I deny the Antecedent, because the field doth not signifie the Church, but the world, verse 38.
[Answ. 2] Secondly, I deny the consequence, because it is Captio ab homonymia Ecclesiae: there is an ambiguity in this word Church, which may signifie either the outward visible, or inward spirituall, and in∣visible Church.
[Answ 3] Thirdly, if they be open Heretickes, that ap∣parently hold any opinion that razeth the foun∣dation of Religion, or any Article of our faith, which is necessary to be beleeved and held unto salvation: then such are not members, no not of the visible Church.
[Answ. 4] Fourthly, by Tares are not meant Heretickes (or at least not onely Heretickes,) but Hypo∣crites, and all wicked livers in the Church.
The Papists, with one consent hold that the Church of Christ is a visible society or company which can never faile: or that it is impossible that the Church of Christ in the earth should so faile, that we could not see it: seeing that it hath pro∣mises that it shall be alwaies unto the end so pal∣pably visible, that a man may point at it with the singer, and say. The Church of Christ is there, or in such, or such a place. Now they prove it from this place, wherein we see, that both Wheat and Tares are found in one and the same field; & that they must both so remaine untill the time of the Harvest, that is the consummation of the world; And therefore unto the worlds end this field shall be visible.
Now the Protestants they grant
First, in the Church there shall bee alwayes both good and bad; that is, wheresoever there is a visible Church or company of professours on earth; there shall be some bad commixed with the good.
Secondly, some visible Churches or congre∣gations may endure to the end of the world; but not in the same outward beauty and splendor, but sometimes in the waxe, sometimes in the waine;
Thirdly, the purity of Religion, and the true Church shall alwaies remaine in the founda∣tion of salvation: but not in the whole outward glorious Ministerie, as the Papi••ts would have it.
Fourthly, this place doth not at all prove, that the Church shal be alwaies visible so, as Bellarmin•• would have it, namely, that it shall be alwaies vi∣sible in a visible head, the Pope of Rome, alwaies conspicuous in the Prelates of the Church, and alwaies indued with outward splendor and pompe: For it will be hard for the Iesuite to pick these out of this Parable. Alsteed. de natur. eccles. fol. 158.
§. 2. But he said nay: lest while yee gather up the [Sect. 2] Tares, yee root up also the wheat with them.
Why doth the housholder forbid his servants [Quest. 1] to plucke up the Tares, and command them to suffer them to encrease?
First, lest in gathering up them, they should [Answ. 1] plucke up some of the wheat with them: where we see, that the wicked shall rather bee spared a while, then the righteous shal be endangered. The wicked Sodomites should rather have been spa∣red, then ten righteous should have perish∣ed.
Secondly, because he himselfe hereafter will [Answ. 2] plucke up the Tares in his due time, and cast them into the Fire, where we see that although wicked men escape mans hand, yet they shall not escape Gods: or although God himselfe spare them for a time, yet he will not spare them alwaies, but punish them at the last.
Thirdly, because the Tares hinder not the [Answ. 3] Wheat from being gathered into the Garner at the time of Harvest: that is the hypocrites and wicked in the Church cannot by their society, or commixture with the righteous hinder them from Heaven.
§. 3. Suffer them to grow untill the Harvest. [Sect. 3]
If the understanding Reader desire to see, how this Section is truely to be understood; and how also it is abused by some, who labour from hence to overthrow all politicall and Ecclesiasticall Discipline, and how their exceptions are fully an∣swered: let him Reade Pareus, s. fol 725. b. calce &c. and Chemnit harm. pag. 863. 864. and Scultetus Idea Concionis, pag. 143. 144. 145. For the English Reader I referre him to Doctor Mayer s. f. 189, 190, 191.