A81131:104
The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment
The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment: cleared in a sermon to the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament, at Margarets Westminster, upon the 28th. of May, 1645. being the day of their public fast. / By Joseph Caryl, late preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn, now pastor at Magnus near the bridge, London.The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment: cleared in a sermon to the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament, at Margarets Westminster, upon the 28th. of May, 1645. being the day of their publike fast. / By Joseph Caryl, late preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolnes-Inne, now pastor at Magnus neer the bridge, London.
London: printed by G. Miller for Giles Calvert, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. I am no advocate for such, for their faith is vain, and they are yet in their sins. And yet (I conceive) it is better for a supposed faiths sake to spare some, who (in the issue) will be found to have no conscience, then for conscience sake to afflict any, who (in the issue) shall be found to have real faith. It is our Lords warning to all, and it is a dreadful one (Mat. 18. 6.) Who so shall offend one of these little ones, that believe in me, it were better for him, that a mil-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. A little one believing, or one believing though but a little (I mean little, in regard of the degree, not of the object) (I say, such a little one believing) is a great one in the eye of Christ; an offence given to such a scarce discernible believer, may bring very discernible wrath upon his offenders.
Ans. I am no advocate for such, for their faith is vain, and they are yet in their sins. And yet (I conceive) it is better for a supposed faiths sake to spare some, who (in the issue) will be found to have no conscience, then for conscience sake to afflict any, who (in the issue) shall be found to have reall faith. It is our Lords warning to all, and it is a dreadfull one (Mat. 18. 6.) Who so shall offend one of these little ones, that beleeve in me, it were better for him, that a mil-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. A little one beleeving, or one beleeving though but a little (I mean little, in regard of the degree, not of the object) (I say, such a little one beleeving) is a great one in the eye of Christ; an offence given to such a scarce discernable beleever, may bring very discernable wrath upon his offenders.
And if Christ take it thus ill, when a little one believing in him is offended, will he not take it worse, when a great one, an Abraham, a Stephen, a Paul in believing is offended? Where there is greatest faith, there's greatest worth, and tenderest endearments to Jesus Christ. When we see ⟨p. 46⟩