deprive our selves of that joy comfort and good we might receive by Christian unity and order Since therefore God is the Author of good agreement and order since we are all of the same family and houshold of God since we are fellow members of the same body fellow stones of the same building and fellow-soldiers of the same band since we have the same Father God the same Mother the Church the same enemies weapons cause and expect the same crown since in Christs Kingdom lambs Isa 11. 6. and wolves agree Labour we for peace and to uphold in this house in this Kingdom fold and family unity and order In contentions therefore deal like neighbours in State business like subjects in other mens sins like Christians in all humane things as just men and in all we do be careful to observe order 1. That all things may be done decently and in order lay aside pride passion prejudice and pragmatical dealing in things out of our Calling for when meer Mechanicks from the anvile thimble needle yea from tinkering and tapstering presume to sit in Moses chair to be dictators and reformers It is sure against order and a cause of much disorder 2. That all things may be done decently and in order by no means have a prejudicate opinion against the Governours of the Church I mean the Bishops they having been therein in and since the Apostles times St. James at Jerusalem St. Peter at Antioch St. Mark at Alexandria c. And after them such Worthies of the Church St. Augustine Bishop of Hippo Chrysostom of Constantinople Ambrose of Millain Cyprian of Carthage c. Fulgentius Palladius and Finan Bishops in Scotland before Antichrist three Luther pag. 41. British Bishops at the famous Councel of Nice Aristobuluâ— one of the seventy Disciples as we are informed a Bishop in Britain And of the nine and twenty Clergy men Mantyrs in Queen Maries dayes five were Bishops and one Arch-Deacon Such hath been the Government of the Church in and since the Apostles time and if some have been faulty personal faults may not annihilate needful functions 3. That all things may be done decently and in order let us better esteem of things appointed by our Church for unity edification and order and not causelesly run into factions and fraternities scandalous to the Gospel dangerous to our selves Obj. 1 Some I know will say to obey and observe order in things commanded by authority is against conscience Answ That Magistrates have power to command is cleer Rom. 13. 1. Surely then they may make Laws they being called powers surely such receive force from God they being ordained of God surely such bind since we must be subject v. 5. and surely violaters sin since resisters receive damnation v. 2. Obj. 2 But I am perswaded that such and such particulars are unlawful 1. If the thing commanded is simply unlawful as to worship Answ the golden image if the thing it self is lawful yet obedience to that lawful thing to some puts upon a necessity of sinning as when single life lawful to some is imposed to such who have not the gift of continency If indifferents are commanded as necessary as meritorious and as the substantials of Religion such commands lose their force yet not so but all commands of Magistrates wanting authority of the Word ought not to be disobeyed with scandal and contempt Even Heathen persecuting Kings had such authority from God that Christians were to pray for them and obey 1 Tim. â— 1 2. them commanding things lawful actively commanding things unlawful passively 2. You say you are perswaded they are unlawful this makes them not to be so If there is no rule from the word for their unlawfulness there is no place for your disobedience but the command to obey is sufficient warrant to obey It is a great mistake to swallow Camels sins and to scruple at matters indifferent not once pretended to be against the word they being also commanded by authority and that such we are to obey upon no better grounds than such they are contrary to our fancy humour opinion or Christian liberty as pretended for Christian liberty consists in freedom from sin from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God the yoak of Mosaical rites and an obligation There is a glorious liberty which is celestial in heaven Rom. 8. 21. On earth there is a liberty temporal 1 Cor. 10. 29. This liberty is best when â—ffence is neither given nor taken There is a liberty spiritual Joh. 8. 36. which consists in deliverance from evil from sin from the punishment of the Law Rom. 8. 1. Col. 3. 13. from the strict observation of the Law which saith do and live freedom in respect of God to have free access to serve him in the Name of Christ Rom. 5. 2. To serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness Luk. 1. 74. and freedom in respect of the creatures to use or not to use our dominion lost by Adam it being restored by Christ so that all are ours 1 Cor. 3. 22. all being pure to the pure Rom. 14. 14. There is also a carnal liberty to swear to lye to slander to serve God when and how men list to shun Gods Ordinances and publick Meetings and this is a liberty stood for by some whereas this is no Christian liberty but a dissolute licentiousness for notwithstanding our liberty we must pay debts and perform duties to whom debts or duties belong Scripture mentions a good a cleer a pure a purged a weak an evil and a feared conscience If the conscience for which men plead liberty loves divisions which God hates it is but a bad conscience of conscience to the things indifferent as substantials As for liberty of conscience so much desired of some who know not what they desire I could shew how John Becold Nicholas Stock Mancer and others pleaded for and obtained the desired liberty but having power in their hands they would not grant the same to others And sure we may remember how some would not grant it to others who are now most desirous of it themselves But who I pray should have liberty of conscience Sure I am it is not agreed upon by those who have written earnestly for the same Some would have it granted to all conscientious men only but who are they some not to such who sin against the light of nature and reason and here will be some doubt And some would have it granted to all men in all Nations whereas if to all what confusion if to some only what dissension Concerning things indifferent as such things are which I may lawfully do or use as I may forbear from or drink wine ale beer or water I may cloath my self with woollen or linnen I may use the gestures of sitting standing kneeling so long as I am at liberty for a Christian is sometimes to moderate his liberty in the use of things indifferent of which there
prophane Schisms of the Brownists and by Mr. Paget from the testimony of the Dutch Church and of the Magistrates of Amsterdam instancing in Studley Whitaker Holder and others yea in Mr. Brown himself who being reproved for beating his Wife said He did not beat his Wife but a curst old Woman Moreover since errors will have the worst at last they cannot hold out truth will prevail and since such who maintain errors shall not find favour with God Jobs friends Job 42. 7. held an error unknown and for zeal to God yet God was angry with them and is with such Mat. 5. 19. Lastly Considering that many errors are damnable mortal Jam. 5. 19 20. deadly a freeing from them being a freeing from death our care should be not to dally with them there being death in them as the way of truth is the way of life so also to draw others from them and so procure their conversion and Act. 4. 12. Joh. 17. 3. pardon for none can be saved without Christ Such who are saved by Christ must know him and believe in him and we must believe in him according to the tenour of Scripture the rule of faith and not err from it Object If we do err ours are but small errors Answ Differences about lesser points of Doctrine of Scripture held up for by ends against conscience may be damnable for then a lesser opinion is in the same rank with a known sin and so an error may be damnable by circumstance a man Joh. 3. 19. walking against light be the error but small the danger is great if a walking against light And gross negligence or not taking pains to know better is equivalent to standing out against the light it arguing a secret fear and suspition of the truth And such men who live and die in less errors about Joh. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 3. 13. faith and worship being willingly ignorant if they be saved they may expect to be saved with much difficulty by fire as loss of much comfort of much peace being scorched in spirit and kept in dark and doubtful wayes These things thus premised I will shew you what an ererror is what it is to err Error strictly and properly taken is that which men hold or do out of ignorance of the truth It is in practise when we are ignorant of what is better to be done it is in opinion when we are ignorant of what is better for us to believe or hold Error then is an opinion Mat. 22. 29. or action swerving from the Rule of Gods Word when that which is false is believed to be true contrary to the mind of him from whom we say we have received it as if a man should believe idols to be Gods because Scripture calls them so It is an error when a thing which is false is believed to be true because he from whom we received it thinks it is true Should a man think the soul was made of moats because Lucretius thought so and we read it in him It is an error When out of another mans writings some true thing is believed which he who wrote it did not believe as to think an Epicure did place good in continency because he praised it It is an error Error is a wandring or straying Act. 10. 45 from th◠right way it is hardly cured being very prevalent 2 Thes 2. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A scopo aberrare to swerve from the mark Gal. 5. 20. and it is the way to Heresie although it is not Heresie Heresie being an error and more Heresie must be in some fundamental point or truth it takes men off from Christ or from the foundation of saving knowledge It is accompanied with pertinacy and obstinacy after cleer light offered it is possible to have an error about some fundamental point yet be no Heretick Heresie makes men take pleasure and delight in it therefore it is called a work of the Tit. 3. 10. flesh and such are often wounded by themselves although they will not be convinced by others Heresie being an error in judgment a pertinacy in will and a taking delight in it in our affections so an error and more we are the more careful to take heed of it since such like tares are sown amongst Gods wheat yea while the Apostles lived and the causes of it still remains namely ignorance of God pride of heart self-conceitedness want of love to Christ and his truth Satans malice ambition covetousness flattery and Gods permitting such still for trial of his as gold by fire for the cleerer confirming of the truth and for the punishment of the contempt of his truth and careless entertainment of 2 Thes 2. 11. his word It is no wonder then if after a faithful Pastor there comes a Wolf Quest If any doth ask why God permits deceivers to draw men into errors and men to be drawn into them Answ 1. Scripture shews it is for the tryal of his to shew the corruption or sincerity which is in men Deut 13. i 2 3. 1 Cor. 11. 19. Jude 3. 2. To make his to contend for the faith Some are busie to spread errors that others may be busie to withstand them to avoid them A Cut-purse is like another man yet when men are assured such are in the crowd every one will look to his purse So when errors are abroad every one should take more heed to himself 3. God often punisheth one sin by another Men continuing in sins of practise God suffers them often to fall into sinful Ezek. 14. 7. 2 Thes 2. 11. opinions false doctrines are fit plagues for false hearts They who love not the truth are punished with belief of errors and such are sore punishments which are made of sins That we may therefore avoid error (1) Psal 25. 9. Be we humble (2) John 7. 17. Be diligent in obeying the Word (3) Psal 119. 113. Tit. 3. 10. Grow up in love to the affecting of the truth Take heed of Heretical Books and of company with such persons they being infectious take heed of covetousness and ambition which have made many Hereticks and reject those who are such Object You said from Timothy that they are mildly lovingly and tenderly to be dealt withal How then reject Answ They are so whilst there is hopes they may be gained and won for in so doing we imitate God who admonisheth Gal. 6. 1. before he smites He commands also to restore with meekness and by so doing we shew our great love to the offendor and imitate St. Paul who used not the rod so long as meekness would prevail Such places therefore as Rom. 16. 17. 2. Joh. 10. are to be understood after admonitions and good means used for their reclaiming which proving vain they are to be rejected In regard of themselves (1) 1 Thes 5. 5. To work sorrow for their sin (2) 2 Thes 3.
4. That they may be ashamed And (3) 2 Cor. 10. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 20. to bring them to repentance So in regard of the Church that it may appear she maintains no vile persons that other members may be free from infection and that others may fear In Rom. 16. 12. there is a double duty commanded To mark To avoid The parties to be avoided are described from the effects Divisions and Offences they who cause these are to be marked avoided The rule to which they are contrary the doctrine they had heard namely of Salvation of Christ which they had learned in that Epistle or their first Converters False teachers then are to be marked so that we be not deceived by them they causing Divisions and Offences A watchful eye is to be upon all such Mat. 7. 14 15. Phil. 3. 2. who by their opinions or life cause divisions contrary to the doctrine of salvation Divisions and Scandals striking at the â—eart of Religion and of the Church The Apostles reasons to avoid such are The one Negative q. d. you think they serve Christ but they do not not submitting to his will not seeking to please him in all things The other Affirmative they serve their own bellies themselves their own turns their profit ease maintenance vain glory ambition carnal affections they aiming at their own gain and credit and not the glory of God Object We think they are good and honest men and their wayes good they being so successful they multiplying so much Answ 1. For their goodness and honesty I will give you Mr. Hodges answers in a Sermon upon 2 Pet. 2. 2. before the House of Commons March 10. 1646. You hear saith he what the Apostle sayes That many have a form and yet deny the power of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. The Wolf in the Fable that he might not be suspected but the more easily make his prey of the silly sheep put on a skin of theirs c. 2. Why saith he should you think to say he is an honest Pag. 58. or a pious man should be a foolish plea in case of abusing coyn theft treason or the like and yet should be of weight and force in this far greater business and more horrid mischief 2. For their increasing it is no argument of goodness 1. The Arrians did so overspread the Church that it was Miratur mundus se factum esse Arianum St. Hierom. a saying Athanasius against the World namely of Christians and the World against Athanasius 2. Popery did spread so fast and far that Papists triumphingly said and do Where was your Church before Luther and they make universality a note of the Church 3. Mahumetanism is so spread not only over the Turks dominions See Mr. Fox tom 2. p. 993. See Breerwoods Enquiry of Languages and Religions which are large and many in Europe Asia and Africk but in other Kingdoms and Countreys which are not under the Turk it having spread over Persia India China Tartaria c. Mahomet arose about six hundred years after Christ yet he hath bewitched so great a part of the World although his Alcaron contains such absurdities which are rather to be laught at then named Object But what need you to trouble us with such like things we being free from the one and the other Answ We living where and when errors do abound for we cannot all be in the truth holding contraries it is very necessary 1. Mr. Paget names about 143. errors and heresies which lately sprung up and shewed themselves not naming the Quakers of whom there was no notice when he did write that Book Among this swarm he names Papists praying in an unknown tongue holding Transubstantiation Purgatory c. Familists blasphemously affirming they are Godified with God Anabaptists affirming Baptism to be the mark of the Beast from Antichrist Antinomians teaching no Law no sorrow such an easie way to heaven that many follow them concerning whom Mr. Baxter saith I do not sit down in Pref. to Inf. Chur. memb an Antinomian conceit that I have nothing to do but express my joy and thankfulness Independents pretending to have a model of Government revealed to them better than all reformed Churches Sabbatarians affirming the Jewish Sabbath is to be kept Anti-Sabbatarians teaching there is no Sabbath every day being a Sabbath to Christians Thraskites observing many Jewish Ceremonies Millenaries believing that Christ shall reign a thousand years on the earth Socinians teaching that Christ did not satisfie for sins Arrians denying Christ's Deity Soul-sleepers Divorcers and others He dedicates his Book to the Lord Major and some chief Citizens of London He tells them that he had lived almost fifty years amongst them He commends their care against the infection of the Plague he minds them that the plague of Heresie is greater he shews how Antioch was consumed being a Nursery of Hereticks how Nicomedia a meeting place for Arrians was swallowed up how the Anabaptists meeting in Conventicles surprized Munster and how hardly Amsterdam escaped them Then he gives from Mr. Calvin he from St. Augustine notes of them They are great boasters of their own worth and actions as Simon Magus and the Gnâ—sticks They are blown up with pride which drives some to Rome some to Amsterdâ—m They are deceitful slanderers Separatists in this equalling the Jesuits They are treacherously seditious not preaching peace but division They have a shew of austerity and holiness Then he shews the end of his writing to be to give warning to well-meaning people to avoid errors fore-warning them to this end to beware of private Conventicles and to keep close to the Ministry of the Word and Communion of Saints in the Church 2. Mr. Baxter saith there are Devils abroad in the shape of Angels of light and Wolves within as sheep without 3. Mr. Vines in his fast Sermon before the House of Commons March 10. 1646. saith Are not the errors which are â—ife amongst us either by infecting persons of place and quality grown into that boldness or by carrying away Barnabas also crept into that credit or by spreading far and wide risen to that strength that they do face if not seem able to put into danger of routing our common saith publick worship authorized Ministry long and much expected promised reformation This to the common enemy is the Cape of good Hope the sound part are afraid lest the truth should come to beg for poor quarter and be led captive following the chariot of triumphing liberty 4. Mr. Hodges in his fast Seâ—mon at the same time and place saith How sad a sight is it to behold the spreading of this infection the shoals that being perverted follow these pernicious wayes to see how fast these tares thrive this leaven spreads this gangrene frets The Kingdom looks like a lazar house or field fought in many places by reason of this how many are there of all ages insnared by them The
doubt that disobedience to their lawful commands in lawful things tends to the Rom 13. 3. damnation of souls Object I will then submit to the punishment inflicted according to Law Answ But what if that is not sufficient in point of conscience for Laws made of things just and profitable for humane societies intend the subjects obedience in doing them and are confirmed with a double bond the wrath of the Magistrate and conscience towards God by undergoing the punishment the injury done to man is satisfied but by resisting the Magistrate in intention and breaking a profitable Law a man remains under the pollution of sin before God from whom none can discharge The Law enjoyns publick Worship and forbids such private Meetings you neglect the publick Worship and extol your private Meetings as the only way you condemn the Law as unjust and commend your so doing as good whereas the Law tending to settle preserve and keep unity peace order and concord must needs be good And being so consider whether such Meetings can be so 1. Confronting and disobeying lawful Authority 2. Casting dirt and disgrace upon the face and form of Government proclaiming it persecuting and tyrannical compelling such good people as you would be accounted to creep into Barns and Houses as if you wanted the truth publickly taught in our publick Meetings 3. Do you not in so doing condemn our Church as false if not Antichristian 4. Do you not condemn all the allowed Clergy as unprofitable and naught 5. Do you not neglect and draw others to neglect the publick Ordinances of Christ 6. Do you not cause people to slight their Teachers and to question whether there be such a thing as Religion and so to turn Atheists 7. Do you not hereby cause people to think our Laws are but scare-crows and our Law-makers to be such men who regard not what they do so to undervalue the one and other 8. Do you not encourage your Teachers to do that they have no warrant to do from God or man For what warrant have they to exercise the Ministerial function since the same Authority which enabled them to disinables them from preaching It is the Law which inables us to and allows us where and when to preach which Law hath power to disinable also To this end see the judgment of the old Nonconformists in a Book put forth by Mr. William Rathband in which they prove against Separatists that the Church of England is a true Church and that separation from it is unlawful Amongst many other things they answer the Separatists objecting against them their yielding to suspensions and deprivations thus That so long as the Bishops suspend and deprive according to the Law of the Land we account of the action herein as of the act of the Church which we may and ought to reverence and yield unto if they do otherwise we have liberty given us by the same Law to appeal from them Object If it be said that the Church is not to be obeyed when it suspends and deprives us for such causes as we in our consciences know to be insufficient Answ We answer say they That it lyeth in them to depose that may ordain and they may shut that may open and that as he may with a good conscience execute a Ministry by the ordination and calling of the Church who is privy to himself of some unfitness if the Church will press him to it so may he who is privy to himself of no fault that deserveth deprivation cease from the execution of his Ministery when he is pressed thereunto by the Church And if a guiltless person put out of his charge by the Churches authority may yet continue in it what proceeding can there be against guilty persons who in their own conceits are alwayes guiltless or will at least pretend so to be seeing they also will be ready alwayes to object against the Churches judgment that they are called of God and may not therefore give over the execution of their Ministry at the will of man Object And to the speech of the Apostles objected Act. 4. 19 20. Answ They shew it is most unskilfully alledged there being three differences between their case and the Apostles 1. They who inhibited the Apostles were known and professed enemies to the Gospel 2. The Apostles were charged not to teach in the name of Christ nor to publish any part of the Doctrine of the Gospel which commandement might be more hardly yielded unto than this Our Bishops are not only content that the Gospel should be preached but are also Preachers of it themselves 3. The Apostles received not their calling and authority from men nor by the hands of men but immediately from God himself and therefore also might not be restrained or deposed by men Whereas we although we exercise a function whereof God is the Author and we also called of God to it yet are we called and ordained by the hands and Ministry of men and may therefore by man be also deposed and restrained from the exercise of our Ministry Thus they See also Mr. Bals tryal of the grounds of separation a solid work 9. Do not such Meetings asperse all the penal Laws of the Land and the judicial proceedings which have been since the Reformation against Papists Priests and Jesuits or any other justly suffering for their Religion as acts of highest injustice 10. Do they not endeavour the rending and crumbling our Church to nothing 11. Are they not a menas to fill the Kingdom full of factions and tumults 12. Yea and are they not against your so much cryed up Covenant which was to bring the Church of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest uniformity in Religion whereas you by thus doing go about to divide and subdivide not being ignorant what fruits our Saviour shews to come Mat. 12. 25. from division saying A Kingdom divided against it self political good Laws and constitutions Ecclesiastical as doctrine and discipline brings desolation probably and very often Look but to the Church of Corinth what desolations Their preaching an empty thing when one for this anther 1 Cor. 1. 12. 1. Cor. 11. 20. for that Their Communions became desolate and by such means and doings St. Paul became their enemy who gave them their very being in faith and was their spiritual father And what desolation such divisions bring with us is evident what casting off your Preachers their old precepts and your old practises until at length some grow from something to nothing Is it not so when some noted for parts and piety long since a long time talk so Atheistically as to profess a readiness to hear the one and the other with a resolution to believe neither the one preaching against the other and that there was never any sound preaching since Christ's time Are these good fruits and would not such have objected the same against the Prophets Apostles and Christ himself false Prophets and Apostles
unjustly hurt and vex the godly without cause and good men through love by discipline do justly correct others for their miscarriages The discipline of the Church being as Cyprian saith the preserver of hope the guide to salvation the retainer of faith and cherisher of godliness The correcting voice of discipline oft doth and may do good to such who will not be moved with the sweet voice of intreating St. Augustine saith He who binds a frantick man and awakes him who is in a Lethargy is troublesom to both yet he loveth and helpeth both So to bind men with the cords of justice that they may not wrong themselves and others is a great good it being also far better to weaken some by justice than suffer them to go on to weaken others by faction Object But if I will complain for neglecting Communions and Chatechising why not of swearers and drunkards Answ 1. I hear no oaths I see no drunkards I see absenters from God's Ordinances and I preach against the one and the other 2. Most speak against swearing and drunkenness as gross sins the other go under the notion of goodness 3. Swearers and drunkards deny not our Church to be a true Church they deny not the Ordinances and they might be better wrought upon and reformed was it not for our divisions The other do little less than seek the overthrow of the Church 4. I hope I am a friend to no vice and such an enemy to all that if any will bring me as good evidence and will stand to it that such and such are incorrigible swearers and drunkards as I have that such and such come not to Communions if I then endeavour not their amendment by Church-censures if I cannot by perswasions let me be blamed I intend not to create any just offence or real hurt to any mans person for truly I know not the man living or creature breathing to whom I do not heartily wish grace mercy and peace My desire is to endeavour in this place to stop the current of opinionists blown by the spirit of error over many parts of this Land to the dishonour of God and endangering of many a mans salvation and staggering well-meaning people and drawing them to disobedience Schism and Faction And whilst I am so doing when I have done I hope to make it appear that as I never yet did shew the least malice nor discontent to them who formerly sought to ruine me and mine so that now I bear not any ill will either to the party or any other but that I do what I do in love and that if they make tryal they may truly say of me as it became a Proverb concerning Arch-bishop Cranmer Do my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turn and then you may be sure to have him your friend for your labour whilst you live Thus you and I being men are subject to err and it being dangerous to live in error according to my Office and duty I have declared wherein you err that I may not be guilty of the same by my silence If you can bring me convincing grounds that I thus differing from you in judgment and in thus discharging my duty do err you shall soon perceive and see that I will not be obstinate in error And if what I have said contain convincing arguments to make it clear that you do err then I desire the same of you that you may not obstinately persist in error that so both I and you may follow this blessed counsel of the holy Ghost by the Apostle Saint James speaking to you and me in these words Do not err my beloved brethren Preached October 6 13 20. Certain sayings of Mr. Baxter in his Infant-Church-membership THe main scope of their endeavours in publick and private is to propagate their opinions and if they preach any wholsom doctrine it is usually subservient to their great design that the truth may be as suger to sweeten their errors Pag. 144. that they may be easier swallowed They perswade the people that Ministers are seducers lyars c. judge therefore 16. what good may people expect from Ministers How hath it grieved my spirit to see and hear men professing to be more godly than others to make it the business of their lives to disgrace the Ministers of the Gospel When poor people hear those despise the Ministry that 16. once were constant hearers Sure these men having tryed see some evil in that way c. O how it stumbleth and drives off the poor ignorant people 145. from Religion when they see those that have seemed Religious prove such And when they see us at such difference one with another and when they see so many Sects and Parties that they know not which to turn to They think that all strictness doth tend to this and so that the godly are but a company of giddy proud unsettled singular persons that know not where to step till they are besides themselves O! how are the Papists hardened by this I have spoken with some of them that once began to be moderate who now upon the observation of these Sects are generally confirmed in their way and say Now you may see what it is to depart from the bosom of the Church to make the Scriptures common c. The Episcopal Party are more confirmed in their way by it and say You have mended the matter well c. yea those who were offended at the Prelates cruelty do now think they did well and that which was needful for the quenching of this fire whilst it When to whom was a spark And many who began to stagger at the Kings late Wars are now many thousands of them perswaded of the lawfulness of it from the miscarriages of these men And if report too probable do not lye thousands and And other grounds millions of Papists in all Countreys of Europe where they dwell are confirmed and hardened in their Religion by the odious reports that go of the miscarriages of these men in England These say they are your Reformers And this is your Reformation How many thousand Professors of Religion are quite ruined in their souls and turned into Monsters rather than Saints How many sad distracted divided Congregations What dividing and subdividing and subdividing 149. again and running from Church to Church and from opinion to opinion till some are at such a loss that they affirm Christ hath no Church c. How many distracted Families in England that were wont to worship God in unity and joyfulness One will pray and the other will not pray with him because he is unbaptized 16. and a third saith Family-duties are not commanded in Scripture One will sing praise to God another scorneth it as if it were singing of a Jig and a third will sing Psalms from the dictate of the Spirit only One will be of one Church and another of another Envying and strife hath taken place while
are two chief moderators 1. General namely charity directing us when and where to use our liberty the thing being indifferent to us this made St. Paul to say he would eat no flesh whilst the world stood rather than offend his brother 2. Special as lawful authority abridging a man of this liberty For example It is indifferent for a man to take to and follow this or that trade yet the Magistrate for common good limits this liberty so that no man shall follow such a Trade until he have served such a time nor in a corporation except or until he be free of the same For Merchants to transport commodities is indifferent The Magistrate for publick good limits this liberty and forbids the transporting of some things for a certain time To â—ate fish fowl or flesh is indifferent The Magistrate limits so as before See the rubricks after the Communion for kneeling at it And whereas it is lawful to pray standing or kneeling to receive the Communion sitting standing or kneeling the Magistrate to maintain uniformity and order moderates and limits this liberty appointing all in publick prayer and receiving the communion to use the gesture of kneeling as most decent orderly religious and tending to uniformity which determinations of authority are to be obeyed because There is a certain ignoto called they say who affirms that if the Magistrate enjoyns liberty is lost And when we reply grant that and confusion will follow in families in Kingdoms To this this Ignaro answers in civil and temporal matters the Magistrate may command and we lawfully obey not in Ecclesiastical and religious but alas this pitiful single umbra either knows not or foâ—gets that the actions of Gods worship are either essential or circumstantial essential are principal as piety holiness or subordinate as helps to the better performing and declaring of such worship as prayer preaching Sacraments concerning which we may consider That they as prayer preaching Sacraments are necessarily to be performed because instituted of God 2. Circumnantiaâ— which shew the manner how they are to be performed concerning the place time gesture c. these are left to the Church 1 Cor. 11. 24. St. Paul would order such things when he came and saw what was convenient Act. 15. 29. the Church then enjoyned things long since abrogated Titus must order things in Creet and St. Peter enjoyns 1 Pet. 2. 13. to submit to every Ordinance of man submit therefore honour pay all duties to every humane Ordinance humane because proper to men and by some humane act for the Lords sake namely under God of God from God to every to all Governours good and bad in all things which do not cross Piety and Religion our obedience is to go so far as their commission is to command not to civil causes only but to religious also and wherein their precepts may not be followed our obedience must be passive But whatsoever lawful thing is appointed by the Church for order and decency may with a good conscience yea ought to be obeyed lawful and commanded And I desire such who think the command of a lawful thing makes it unlawful to apply it to your own occasions as after this manner your man may yea he ought it is his duty to saddle your horse and do any other such thing but in case you bid him do it then your command makes it unlawful Apply it thus to your selves and you will see the fondness of such fancies The old Non-Conformists in their modest confutation of Separatists answering their objections concerning using stinted commanded prayers say The peoples understanding and memory is better helped by that they are acquainted with than with other pag. 14. And that it is lawful to use such good forms which are imposed by authority And we ought the rather to do good things that are agreeable to the Word when we know them to be also commanded by the Christian Magistrate pag. 15. Obj. 1 But by so doing we shall offend our weak brother which we are forbidden to do Answ All are not weak in their own opinions who plead for such 2. Weak are to be informed not to be nourished in their weakness and wilful are to be opposed 3. By obeying you shall offend some by disobeying you shall offend many by obeying you will offend some private persons by disobeying you shall offend publick Whether are we to prefer the few or many the private or publick Obj. 2 Christ condemns the traditions of men Mat. 15. 9. Things enjoyned are such Answ Christ condemns those of the Pharisees for they were enjoyned as parts of God's Worship contrary to God's commandments and preferred before them and upon opinion of merits by them Mat. 15. 6. as necessary to salvation Ours are not so but only for decency common order and uniformity Obj. 3 But I think others to be better and such to be needless Answ 1. Some must determine else so many men so many minds so many wayes 2. They who determine cannot may not be every one but such whom God hath set over us 3. And admit some things in our conceits might be amended is not peace better than contention about them they being lawful who in his wits will pull down a fair building because he thinks a tyle doth not lye well to his mind Obj. 4 But such and such are superstitious Answ Many talk much of superstition and against it who know not what it is and themselves in refusing some things are oftentimes more superstitious Superstition properly taken is too much strictness about extremity in Religion and it is It is meticulosus numinis timor as Theophrast hath it in his characters or as others Nimia circa sacra Religio Superstitiosum est quicquid institutum est ab hominibus ad sacienda colenda idola pertinens vel ad colendam sicut Deum creaturam partem ve ullam creaturae vel ad consultationes pacta cum daemonibus c. Decretal 2. p. caus 26. q. 2. c. illud sometimes joyned with idolatry Act. 17. 22. They were more superstitious than others worshipping more Heathen God's than others or were more devout in Heathen Worship than others Take superstition for a nimity or overmuchness in the inward and substantial parts of Religion so no man can be superstitious namely too much truly religious no man can pray to the true God too fervently or hear his Word too reverently or attentively Object But is it not superstition to ascribe holiness to times places and things Answ Ignorance will fault things causelesly for no more is meant than that such are set apart from common to holy uses But we are to know that superstition may be as well in placing piety in the Negative as Affirmative in not kneeling as kneeling in abstaining scrupulously from things commanded as in using them scrupulously Negative precepts are as perfect in forbidding things unlawful as affirmative in requiring things necessary or permitting