be by the Apostles that wanted it Whereupon as we finde Saint Paul comprising Fornication Covetousness Railing Drunkenness and Extortion under the then Church cognisance and censure as well as Idolatry it is to be concluded that the power and jurisdiction of each Churches present head was Vniversal and absolute as of right in it self to judge and punish in civil as well as spiritual causes Christ having then no Church head but them although in matter of execution he were as before noted many times restrained Upon which consideration we cannot any wayes assigne the now Gospel Ministers to be successours to the Apostles or primitive Bishops in what they did as the then heads of Churches but must appropriate that to Kingly right as shall be more fully declared hereafter All which no doubt with some other things elsewhere spoken will displease some of that order For although self interest as highest may make them differ about precedence amongst themselves yet to have their order eclipsed in any thing of honour or power cannot but displease because even self interest though not so direct is yet plainly therein also And therefore since Church-men are usually the best learned and commonly the onely Writers of Church matters and of State affairs also as often as any other it is no marvil if in so long a tract of time so many arguments and contrivances for deviding the Kings and establishing their separate authority have been craftily laid by some and as hastily entertained by others in order to the making them more powerful Amongst other things it may be observed how pride and arrogance hath brought those notions of Laicks and Ideots which were brought in by them whereby to be distinguished from other subjects to import rudeness ignorance and inferiority when as by means of their greater learning and favour divers priviledges and immunities were reserved to themselves The which God knows I dislike not otherwise then as finding it made destructive to publike peace and good For it is an order which of all other should I conceive have the highest rank and esteem amongst Subjects even for that their imployment is in such matters as are apparently in themselves and by publick approbation and appointment held of most immediate concern in Gods worship and service amongst us and is in many things of that nature as is not by others undertakable In which regard truly as much grieved I am to finde that present contrary and proportionable want of eminence and esteem given them in those places where Monarchy hath been ecclipsed or thrust out even by bringing them thereby so much lower as there followes to be more above them as I am offended at the extraordinary height and success of their Antichristian pride where some inseparable marks of Monarchy and government are held in their owne hands But however their success proves it will concern men that would be truly careful of their salvation and followers of things that make for peace to have an eye to the true fundamentals of religion delivered in holy Scripture and not be led away with the usurped interpretation of any unauthorised person whom they shall alwayes finde either directly ayming at their owne interest therein or else in passion or emulation to one another they will instead of satisfying our doubts be still encreasing extending their own differences amongst themselves until they have made them fundamentals and necessary to salvation Whereupon by Anathema's to their opponents they are to be observed to the accompilshment of their several dominions and honour in the Church continually espousing their owne quarrels upon us and engaging us in civil broiles If we do not this and keep not close to Christ himself that is to that authority which is next and most representing him we shall be in continual danger to be made believe by subordinat Ministers that not following of us that is not being of our Sect is all one as not to be Christians and to be against him And if self conceitedness could thus blinde our Saviours owne Disciples so far as to lead them to this rash mistake and that notwithstanding known miracles and profession made in Christs name what may we expect from the ambitious aims of men now living but that this following of us should be continually made as too good experience tells us it is the dayly bait to draw us farther from Christ under pretence of bringing us nearer So that whilst some are declaiming against authority and branding their commands as superstitious even in things wherein Christs honour and worship are neerly concerned they are yet found so resolute in their own particular sects and tenents that they would have mens belief and adherence to Christ to be measured onely by their belief and adherence to them which to my thinking is as high and plain Idolatry as any can be But the immediate following discourse of that text shews the temper and ayme of this humor when those very Disciples are endeavouring to wrest Eliahs president by drawing fire from heaven against that authority which opposed them the which although they were of another religion and jurisdiction too is yet rebuked by our Saviour as proceeding from a most ungospel-like spirit and shewing him to be subject to like passions with others And therefore for the true stating of these things we shall more briefly say that so far as they are to perform the work of Evangelists that is to preach unto us Jesus and to prove and declare him to be the only fundamental object of faith and salvation so far have they their power from God alone but so far as they have diocessan or parochial charge and are in paticulars to shew unto us how we are to obey him as Christ and King in any outward deportment so far are they to derive their authority from that Church power which had from Crhist power to ordain and separate them unto that work So far as they are entrusted with the guidance of Gods inward kingdom in our hearts that is to perswade men to faith in Christ which was the chief work of the primitive teachers amongst the Infidels so far are they Gods Ministers and not mans but as they are to meddle with mens abbearances and external behaviour in Christs Kingdome the Church that is to shew how to perform obedience to him being converted and acknowledging his power so far are they to have warrant from those his chief deputies in the Church Whereupon two things will plainly follow to the advantage of the Clergy above others First that in respect of their ordination they are to be held so properly Gods Ministers that in preaching and administration of the Sacraments and some other things none but they have power to intermeddle and yet are they not hereby excluded from having external jurisdiction and power over mens persons also if the authority of the Church wherein they live shall so think fit Nay when the representative authority of that
so we again having no other direct outward precept from God or Christ himself are through faith and by our ready obedience to him actually performed to his Church in his stead as having the word of reconciliation committed unto them acquitted in all we do but if done otherwise we forfeit thereby the whole condition and as again obliged and culpable for the breach of the whole law nothing but read mission into the Covenant of Innonency by repentance can secure us from damnation CHAP. IV. Of each particular Church and its power HAving hitherto spoken of the Reason and Foundation of the Church in general and of the necessity of our participation of her communion so now again it will be necessary to speak of each particular Church and its jurisdiction For since we cannot otherwise attain to be members of this Catholick body then as being first members of some particular Church it will therefore follow that as the necessary observation of the law of providence which we could not explicitely and perfectly do upon our owne abilities was the cause Christ became obedient to God for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him so there lies upon each member a duty of conformity and obedience to their particular Churches that thereby being made conformable to the image of his Son they may also be restored to the image of God And therefore although the Catholick Church cannot be aggregate or represented der any single head or rule but of Christ himself yet since it is integrated and by parts made up of particular Churches and in these Christs power being to be represented by other Christs or anointeds under him it will follow that our obedience to this Church and the head thereof must have of us all that obedience which unto the other we cannot give else would that precept of obedience to the Church come to nothing as indeed for the most part is intended by such as would have the Writers of their owne mind to be held for the Catholick Church onely Therefore now being to consider the Christian Church as an assembly of Believers separate from other for Gods more immediate honour and worship we cannot well appropriate this phrase to that part of the Catholick which is past and unconversant with men nor for the present to that part of it which is yet to suceeed although both the one and the other have done or are to do their personal parts herein but must interpret that notion of Catholick Church used either when those duties are in general given which are fit for the Church to observe in obedience to Christ or when againe given for her members to observe to her to intend that part of Christs body which shall be successively militant on earth to whom alone these instructions can be necessary and useful in both kinds But then again as this general duly of praising God before men can onely be performed by the visible Church because she hath onely power and opportunity therein yet since this power here on earth is subsistant by the separate jurisdiction of those particular Churches which constitute her Catholick body and she can in no other sence be termed Catholick with reference to any other head then of Christ himself it must be therefore granted that all those precepts for general obedience to the Church must be meant of every Church in particular as having onely use of jurisdiction to this purpose And as having besides according to the several inclinations of their owne people and the known affections of those of the world amongst whom they live the best and onely ability to know and command what is fittest to be done for advancing Gods glory according to the exigence of their particulars which otherwise in the strange mixture of Christianity with other religions throughout the world were not possible to be comprised under one certain or equal rule or to be known and executed by one single persons power And that the Church and civil jurisdiction of each place signifie the same and that by obedience to the Church obedience to the particular Church is ment will appear by that of our Saviour Mat. 18. where controversies are if not decideable by umperage to be told to the Church Under which name must be comprehended the present particular authority of that place because else how shall they go to it And it must be the civil as well as ecclesiastical authority also as having them conjoined because it determines particular personal injuries where brother offends against brother and one servant takes another by the throate saying pay what thou owest as the parable denotes But the conclusion is that the supream jurisdiction whilst it is Christian is the very Church we are to submit unto And those that will not hear the Church are to be unto us as Heathens and Publicans that is such as have renounced Christ by this their renoucing the Image of his authority the Christian Church whose definition and power be the thing of never so civil nature makes the breach of it a sin as on the contrary our obedience to them acquits us of guilt For it is from Christ they have this power that Whatsoever is bound on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever they shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven So that Christ having now blotted out that hand writing of Iewish Ordinances which was against us and released them from their litteral strictness to the extent of rational and natural laws and having also answered to God for the large morallity of the whole rule of providence leaving Christians at large in all things wherein their reason or Christian precept is not transgressed and lastly having left the charge for custody and enforcing these Christian precepts to every Christian Church who are thereupon to answer to him for the faults of the people the advantage that Christians have of living in a state of innocence is unquestionable and immoveable while they contiune obedient And therefore Christs Gospel might well be called Glad tytings and we may find that our Saviour made his general encouragement to the entertainment of him and his doctrine because his yoke was easy and his burthen light Insomuch that when he came in particlar to be asked what it was he answered in one command for both Tables thou shalt love c. including under the precept of love to God and our Neighbour all the law and the Prophets that is all things of faith and charity or of faith and obedience which is charities support First for our faith and its fundamental object life eternal is to know God and Iesus whom he hath sent he is the way the truth and the life the Authour and finisher of our faith on whom whosoever believeth hath everlasting life and on him that believeth not the wrath of God abideth Which one article comes therefore to be eminently necessary
observe this Monarchical administration so much owned by God as to declare the absence thereof as the fittest and surest token of his dereliction and punishment of a people that had been first false to himself and were now repudiated by him as may appear in that other Prophesie For the Children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King and without a Prince without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim And by the last words we may observe by the way not onely a depravation in religion and Church order to follow this no King in Israel by making use of Teraphim in the Ephod instead of Urim as the man Michah did but this disorder should increase till that remaining Priesthood who by their consistorial parity were as the Teraphims in this Ephod should be taken away also For this use of Teraphim amongst Israelites was to bee looked upon but as a shift in Jeroboam who wanting that order of Aaron and his Sons made use of the meanest of the people but in the Christian Church and when Christ typified in David shall be their King then also shall those several Kings under him maintain and settle order amongst the Priesthood and in religion it self as David also did Now concerning that separate jurisdiction which some Church-men would claim under colour of dividing our duties into religious and civil it cannot I conceive but plainly appear that notwithstanding sacred pretence this division is but of humane invention being not to be found in the Scripture and as it is for the most part made of no other use but to make division and discord by abating our obedience to the Magistrate under colour of giving it to God so are men not at agreement in stating thereof For while some think that whatever the Magistrate commands it but of civil obedience and so lyable to temporal reward and punishment onely and again what is of Gods command that is expresly set down in Scripture is to be only obeyed out of conscience of divine authority and then leaving men to private judgement what precepts are thence deduceable or when the Magistrates commands be such they must consequently leave them no certain rule whereby either to preserve duty or unity As also those other sort do who distinguishing men in their several relations by them phancied say that in whatever we do as subjects and men linked in Society the same is of civil cognizance and duty but in whatever we act as Christians we are to be guided by precept from God alone In which doing also being neither able to bring from Scripture all things that concern Gods outward worship and finding many precepts of Ethical Political and Oeconomical nature and which do concern our duty and good even as men although we had not been Christians they must needs fall themselves and drive others by these doubtfull precepts from giving any right obedience at all instead of directing them therein For although as to some intents men may be usefully considered in these different relations yet when the same person is now both a man and a Christian such distinctions as should â—imply a possibility of personal devision again so as for the same Christian to act as a man in any thing without being a Christian must besides absurdity bring upon us the many inconveniences of rebellion and civil war And therefore although in our being Christian we lose not the reality of manhood more then in being rational creatures or men we lose the properties of sensitive Creatures yet inasmuch as being rational Creatures and so having a greater and surer light to direct our actions all that we do answerable to other meer sensitives is therefore now to be attributed to us in the capacity of men as of the nobler and higher relation Even so also it fareth with us after and while we are Christians namely that all those actions in which in execution and direction I mean so far as is humane we resemble other meer natural men onely yet these things being by us now acted under the inseparable relation of Christians are although not of express litteral divine precept yet if done in obedience to lawful authority a Christian duty or if acted against it a Christian fault And it will follow that what was in us as men before but moral vertue or vice is now righteousness or sin even to the degree of an idle word And so again considering us as subjects those things that are onely by the light of nature investigable as civil duties when they come to be enforced by a Superiour having his power and office from God have the obligations of religious actions as being part of our obedience to that God who said them to be in that respect Gods also and children of the most high Therefore when God sometimes commands what would concern us and be our benefit as men although we had not been Christians as indeed if we had reason enough all precepts for outward direction would appear such or when again many things appertaining to our religion it self and our outward worship therein are by the Churches authority enjoyned whether the same be found in Scripture or no they are both of them to be held as religious dutyes to us and we being not able while we are Christians to act in any other personal capacity must be obedient and subject as in and to the Lord that is till something be enjoyned to overthorw Christianity we as Christians must obey in all things and it is as sinful to disobey Supream authority in the payment of taxes as in the observation of the Sabboth For God not now giving particular precepts as unto the Iewes but leaving us herein to the direction of the higher power ordained for that purpose of him we are to be obedient to our Masters in the flesh as unto Christ and willingly to do them service as unto the Lord and not as men That is we are now always to obey him as Christs Minister and head of our particular Church and not left at liberty to obey as in a religious tye no farther then we please For the actions and precepts of each State Kingdom are upon their conversion to Christianity to be called and reputed the actings of such or such a Church and not of such or such a State the name and notion of Church including that of State even as in the particular members whereof it is compounded the notion of man is involved in that of Christian. So that now as the entire trust power of Vniversal headship of the Catholike Church is unto Christ resigned and he thereupon to be obeyed as under a religious tye in all causes whatsoever by all such as acknowledge themselves Christians although they seem of never so civil a nature even so his supream deputy in each Christian Church or Kingdome being entirely entrusted like him from whom his power is derived is
strange act That is God shall be powerfull present in assisting his Vicegerents as formerly with David and Ioshua and by these that sit in Iudgement and turn the battail to the gate shall cause the waters of Mount Perazim to overflow their hiding places and the hailstones of his wrath to sweep away the refuge of lyes And then shall those Prophets Rulers and Seers finde themselves so confounded by the spirit of deep sleep from the Lord that their delusive speculations shall afford them no better satisfaction then the dream of Meat or drink to him that is hungry or thirsty And all because of these pretenders to serve God in another way then by the direction of their Superior Do but draw near to him with their mouth and honour him with their lips but their hearts is far from him in vain making semblance of worshipping him teaching for doctrines the commandments of Men That is preferring the rule of righteousness or judgment of their own setting up before those set up by my authority which was our Saviours own interpretation of this prophesie who no doubt best knew the meaning thereof The like also doth St Mark set down to be the interpretation of this prophesie namely that this pharisaicall pretension of legal or traditional sanctity under the notion of Corban serves but to defeat the positive precept of Gods Vicegerent Therefore saith the Prophet behold I will proceed to doe a marvailous work amongst this people even a marvailous work and a wonder for the wisdome of their wise Men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent Men shall be hid That is the wisdom of these pretenders shall come to nought And therefore it is added Woe to them that seek deep to hide their counsell from the Lord and their works in the dark and they say Who seeth us and who knoweth us That is they finde such multiplication of contrivances as if they would out-wit God Almighty But he saith Surely your turning of things upside down a fit expression for such as will be judging their Iudge shall be esteemed as the Potters clay for shall the work say of him that made it he made it not Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it he had no understanding That is shall man be wiser then his Maker Will they not allow God his own way and season for things Why will they be again seeking to be under Morall righteousness and legall bondage as when the Lord himself led them by the hand and so would have God tyed to harder conditions then the Plowman Who when he hath made plain the face of the Earth and cast in his appointed grain doth not then continue ploughing himself still but expecting such Crop as this prepared earthy Heart of man will yeeld he doth afterwards by divers afflictions cause those severall sorts of Grain to be cleansed and made acceptable But as for them that think there can be no fruitful place where God is not the immediate holder of the Plough and where are not many Precepts from him given he adds Is it not a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field shall be esteemed as a forrest and in that day shall the deaf eares hear the word of the Book and the eyes of the blinde shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness That is the Jewes that had heretofore had Gods precepts and worship so plentifull amongst them shall be darkned and the Gentiles formerly sitting in darkness shall have a marvailous light appear and by reason of that precept of Love by God inwardly taught them they shall know and perform the words of the Book or precepts of the Law and so being made obedient to the Gospel and become of the number of Meek and Poor they shall increase their joy in the Lord For the terrible one is brought to nought and the scorner is consumed and all that waiteth for Iniquity is cut off Even suck kinde of men as would scare men with the multitude and strength of their Precepts as if they were all expresly Divine and doe again scorn the simplicity of the Gospel-rule and so make themselves workers of iniquity That make a Man an offender for a Word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the Gate and turn aside the just for a thing of naught Which verse cleerly expresseth all their practice first by making Religious and Divine precepts to stretch to every thing they cause men to be in danger to be offenders to God for ordinary matters and so make him that is in the seat of judgement appear a stumbling block or rock of offence seeming to them an usurper of authority in offering to direct and reprove us thereby causing the just or the rule of Justice to cease and desist upon no occasion As though a King sitting in the seat of judgement did not scatter away evil with his eyes as though he that doth righteousness were not righteous as though judgement and righteousness had not a certain line and plummet for their measure or that the weight or measure of justice appointed by Cods Vicegerents were not to be the true standard but that men might make divers weights and measures thereof For when subjects take on them to interpret and judge of righteousness and justice by any other way and rule then that set up by Christs deputy they then make him a stumbling block to them as Christ himself being laid as the chief corner stone for the Churches direction was made unto the Jews who would be still following legal righteousness and not submit to that which was of faith in Christ. By means of these snares laid for him that reproveth in the gate we may also interpret that these Priests and Prophets should not onely through strong drink err in vision and stumble themselves in judgement but that they should thereby sometimes ensnare those persons sitting in judgement and so cause them also to err through wine and strong drink that is in too much listening to their shews of Divine revelation and authority But generally the ensnaring there spoken of is in regard of those vulgar errors which should prevaile in the Christian Church notwithstanding this judgement seat of Christ executed by his deputies even as it formerly had done amongst the Israelites called there the drunkards of Ephraim Therefore saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham concerning the house of Jacob Jacob shall not now be ashamed neither shall his face wax pale In which words God expressing himself under the notion of Redeemer shews the condition of the Christian Church the house of Iacob under Christ their Redeemer typified under Iacob himself namely that all cause of fear and shame shall be banished through the succeeding glory of the Christian Church For so it followeth But when he seeth his children the work
otherwise their transactions with their Neighbours or misgovernment at home might prove so destructively prejudicial that his own purpose might be defeated by their ruine After the time our Saviour himself appeared and had the whole Government laid on his shoulders these offices were wholly resigned up unto him and so from him who was King and Priest after the order of Melchisedec and who was the Prophet which Moses foretold of to be raised up like him and which was anointed to preach glad tidings they come to be by him conferred in chief on his adopted sons the several heads of his Church and so at last to be impropriate to the anointed Christian Monarchs vvithout such reservation as God had formerly made in the Jewish Church in reference to his Theocraty If we look for the knowledge of these things in the practice of the primitive Christian Church we shall not find any separate jurisdiction or authority claimed either in Priestly or Prophetical way but what was subordiate if not appointed by the Apostles the then Heads of the Church The which is plainly intimated by S. Paul when he tells the Corinthians who had in many things presumed against the authority of his Apostleship as their Head Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me For although many of these their Preachers or Instructers had no doubt by their Doctrine won many particular souls amongst them to the faith and so might be called the spiritual Fathers to those persons yet since they generally considered as a collective Church and body of men had first been instructed by him and were also the Seal of his Apostleship in the Lord They under the notion of Sons of the Church could have but one spiritual Father no more then natural sons could Whereupon having signified to them his Power of Super-intendency under a relation that might claim sole and undeniable authority as their general Father or Head he then tells them of his practise thereupon For this cause I sent Timotheous unto you who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my wayes which be in Christ as I teach every where in every Church That is I have sent him by my Apostolical Authority to take the charge of your instruction in my absence because he knows my manner of Doctrine and Worship which I have established in other Churches by vertue of that power which Christ gave me And so he goeth on reproving such as had demeaned themselves proudly against his Authority under colour of their office of Instruction or as Waterers to what he planted And thereupon says The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power that is he would not regard the speech of him that was puffed up but the power For although they might preach in Christs name yet if they had not power from that Supreme Deputy which Christ hath intrusted with his Churches Power their Authority was nothing as elsewhere he says How shall they preach except they be sent Indeed those Epistles to the Corinthians are very intent and copious in the defence of S. Pauls Authority and the six first Chapters are particularly bent that way and carry an especial reproof against those Schisms and Divisions which had hapned amongst them for want of this unity Whilst some would choose one Master-builder and some another and that with such vehemence of affection as Idolatrously to neglect or forget Christ himself whose Deacons they were And whilst others as Superstitiously again would balk those Ministers of Christ set over them as thinking obededience no where due but to him alone Therefore saith he I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement Which thing cannot be while Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ. After which like a faithful Minister and Steward he first vindicates the honor of his Master against such as would divide him by their Idolatrous regard to his Ministers to his stead Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or wâ—re you baptized in the name of Paul And so blaming himself to blame others he goes on clearing himself that that power he had exercised had ever been done by him in Christs name as acknowledging his derived Authority and Mission from him of preaching and laying this Christian foundation Which thing seemed foolishness to these Greeks for they besides their natural aversion to all kind of subjection but what themselves fancied were as it appears tainted with arrogancy towards their own ability in discerning right and wrong according to the Moral Philosophy of their own Country and so were unwilling to submit to the simplicity of the Gospel and make obedience to Christ their wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption The wisdom of God is now a Mysterie even a way to Justification which the wise men of the world knew not nor could discover in their Precepts of Moral Justice Having therefore afterwards again warned them against these carnal courses that caused these divisions as also told them that this worldly wisdom is foolishness with God he then undertakes Apostolical honor and power as being immediately intrusted under God in Christ and so he having from them received the Spirit of judgement thinks it not valuable to be judged of mans judgement For the Superior cannot be justified as elsewhere shewed from below Nay though saith he I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord that is the act of Justification must come from above and therefore Inferiors are not to do it but leave it to the last judgement where every man shall have praise of God In the next verse he comes home to what was the drift of all the rest These things brethren I have in a figure transferred to my self and to Apollo for your sakes that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written that no one of you be puffed up for one against another that is Forasmuch as ye know me to be your Planter and that Apollo and I are all one by subordination to God that gave us our powers therefore are ye not to regard other mens authorities above that written warrant they can bring for the same For difference in power must come from God if it come from below it will cause divisions and puffing up one against another For who maketh one man to differ from another but God and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if
time also God will more particularly own his Church then shall Ierusalem be holy and there shall no strangers pass thorow her any more that is the sons of violence shall not oppress her as in former times For in that day the mountains or kingdoms of the Church shall drop down with new wine and the hills shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Iudah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Under which expressions the abundance of instruction and learning is also comprised when on the other side the Churches enemieâ— Egypt and Edom shall be desolations and wildernesses c. because of their former oppressions but Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation Whereupon it must still follow that they which oppose these Iehoshaphats executing Gods Mishpat here on earth as them to whom he hath promised to be a spirit of judgement and are to be Christs Ministers and instruments in bringing on and preserving this prosperity of his Church and kingdom do oppose Christ and so are Antichrists Saint Pauls next description whereby we are to note him is that his coming and working shall be after the coming and working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders even as at this day miracles are pretended by him and his for confirming his Authority This thing is also further evidenced by their prevailing in their deceiveableness of unrighteousness in those that perish Because that in this mystery of iniquity unrighteousness prevailed by its deceivableness that is not as unrighteousness but as having put on a form of godliness he deceived those that perish under pretence of zeal And that because they received not the love of the truth that is received not the truth in love but wresting it through their temptations to Pride Ambition Revenge c. they made it the instrument in this Antichristian hierarchy to their own and others destructions through breach of Publike Charity and through placing their Christian obedience on a pretended and not on the true Deputy of Christ. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that is that they should believe that to be Gods Truth and Service which was not and thereupon they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness That is because they preferred those pleasures arising by the unrighteous courses of opposing Christs Regency therefore are they said not to have loved or believed the truth But Saint Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians that through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth and his Gospel they had been so established in a way of salvation as to be freed thereof exhorting them to stand fast in the Traditions they had been taught whether by word or Epistle And that we may know the purport of these Traditions here mentioned and that it may appear that matter of manners and external behavior were but traditionally delivered upon occasion and not to be of universal precept to all Churches as positively divine he tells us their sum in the sixth verse of the next Chapter Now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received af us Importing that as God had called them by his Gospel or by means of his instruction and begetting them as a Father unto sanctification of spirit and belief of the truth so was it necessary that obedience and observance of his Traditions should be used as a means to continue and manifest this sanctification and truth in them and so make them of the number of those that obey as well as believe the Gospel For as we are to conceive that this phrase our Gospel was not to propose to them another Gospel then that of Christ so are we not to conceive it to be by chance or idely done but to teach them that since they had believed it as from him delivered so should they obey it as his and not as any other mans And by setting forth himself and his Gospel also under the term of our in the plural number we may further presume that the intimation of his just Authority was intended by the usage of that proper expression of persons in supreme power Whereby also we may learn that guidance of manners as well as Doctrine was by Christ at that time committed unto the hands of the Apostles which makes him here as elsewhere command in his name But more especially to our present purpose we may learn by Saint Pauls setting down the Gospel of Christ in this place as his and by making their obedience and belief thereof as the cause of their avoidance of Antichristianism that it plainly denotes that this sin is Christian rebellion or disobedience as before noted For indeed the Gospel as a Gospel is the object of Faith and salvation by the offer and proposal of one who having taken our sins and infirmities upon him hath already performed the work of obedience for us and is not like the Law binding to any thing of burthen or hardship as directly in it self but as in the hand of those that had and have the dispensation thereof and shall be therewith entrusted that thereby as in acknowledgement of our belief and thankfulness for so great mercy we might be ready and fitted to obey as Christ and King here him whom we profess and hope to finde as a Jesus and Savior hereafter These and other signes have been heretofore brought by many to evince the Pope to be the Antichrist for indeed in him and in his See have all the other Antichrists hitherto centred and confined their opinions they being but petty ones to him But most of these interpreters having the discovery of his erroneous Tenents in Religion onely in their eye did bring in these civil usurpations but as proofs to that by the by as though because the Pope offered to joyn Merits Free-will c. in the work of salvation he had therefore been Antichrist and not rather an Anti-Jesus then an Anti-Christus Not well marking how these and other his Doctrines of Purgatory Infallibility Indulgencies c. were not for themselves but as a necessary train did wait upon the advancement of him in his Antichristian humor of setting himself above all that is called God Being useful as experience hath told us for recovering money and strength towards the seating and possessing himself of that his usurped power as well as this his power should and did prevail to the same end also namely overthrow of Kings and that under all those fair pretences of Reformation Liberty Law Justice c. which the Aristocracies Democracies and the lesser Antichrists had made in their rebellious contrivances True it is that
and command us cannot fail of a constant power to govern guide us also and thereupon they depending not so wholly on sense but being usually above its controul are not in like danger of a defeat by a negative from thence For Logick must assertain us by the rule of all or none whereas the other needs but look like truth and by joyning with that which hath been so fully assented unto already stands always generally proved where it is not totally contradicted To prove that there is a God a Resurrection and future judgement and the like faith is enabled by absence of negatives from sense by degrees to silence doubtings and to contract a positive assurance In which case when that which from authority or report of others or conceit raised in my self is at first apprehended as a thing that may be it will afterwards through absense of dissent or denial shake off its first state of doubting and become as a certaine conclusion of that which most assuredly is when neither experience in my self nor sufficient aurhority elsewhere doth or can demonstratively contradict Demonstratively and highly demonstratively it must be also after such time that this opinion hath once fastened it self upon these prevailing affections Even as we find that children will be so far scared by formidable tales and the apprehensions of such objects things as they could never from sense have notice of as to avoid being in the dark lying alone or the like And although these conceits were first entertained from the ungrounded reports of such persons as are of much less credit with them for ability and learning then those that do contradict it yet can it not take off the prevalence of that which hath so steady a support within and hath not strong experiments to contradict it from without This steady and effectual way of prevalence it pleased the All-seeing providence to make use of in the propagation of the Gospel it self divine wisdom never overthrowing nature but by his grace steering and directing her For although at the first for the remove of pre-occupation and making an impression in the hearts and affections of men he did extraordinarily appeal to sense by miracle yet had the encrease of the Christian faith its ordinary and next dependance on this effectual way of preaching even as that had again on the efficacy of the holy Ghost Towards the furtherance whereof as well in the first receipt as growth afterwards it pleased God Almighty also to make that natural thirst to be always living and that imbred sense of Morality accompanied with that continual humor of each mans adjudication for his own merit and for the demerit of others to serve as steps and degrees whereby to enter as well as preside in the belief of mankind and that in a more high and steady degree of energy and effectual operation then could be done by any doctrine brought in and made dependant on such philosophical disputes as were then raised in the Grecian Schools For although it be not hard to prove both a Deity and the excellency of the Christian faith by such like disputations as S. Paul once used in the School of Tyranus which may also be sometimes necessary for conviction of such as are capable of impressions that way soonest yet considering that even the wise and best learned are swayed by natural affections as well as others it is not to be doubted but that the reliance on these two mastering passions of hope and fear would render the instructer to be most generally and steadily prevalent even by proposal and pressing upon them rewards and punishments of so great height as were above the degree of any former comprehension In which case of exaltation of and pressure upon these affections especially that of fear we shall be often drawn to seek or avoid benefits or dangers which are neither present nor can have other sensible assurance that they will be and in the mean time stand neglectful of those which sense it self demonstrates both to be and to be formidable For there is none that can have equal assurance of the reality of Purgatory or Hell fire as of that which is in his kitchin yet by reason of this so often and pressing presentations thereof to the fancy and so to the affections by fear he will through the instigation thereof have his will inclined to take notice of that which he believes is most to be feared and so consequently will prosecute or avoid all those courses which he is made believe will acquit him of the danger hereof These things well considered there will be good cause found even in reason also for that prevalency and spreading ability which attended the Professors of the Protestant Religion over those of the Church of Rome For those more nice and retired speculations of the Schoolmen could not with all their fine subtilties so accurately delivered in their Books and Disputations be reasonably presumed half so efficatious for conviction in those things where reason was but subservient as was those more familiar insinuations which the Protestant Preachers applied themselves unto in their sermons made suitable to the affections of their present Auditors For first there are more that hear Sermons then read Books and again the Preacher can better know and distinguish the temper and inclination of his Auditory then the writer can of those that shall read him And besides there is a great efficacy to be attributed to elocution and gracefulness of delivery And in the sub-divisions of Protestants again we find that side still most prevalent and encreasing that is most sedulous in this course of Preaching also and that also in the plainest manner For that language and exact method that would hecome a Sermon made at S. Maries would be unfit and ineffectual to be used in a Country Auditory In the first it is expected he should be exact in his observation of Order and Scholastick Rules and Expressions whereas he that makes a Sermon or writes a Book of a vulgar address it behoves him to be more copious and plain in his delivery even so far as he conceives his hearers or readers not fitted with pre-notion enough to conceive and understand him in a more compendious and exact method and in case he find them possessed with strong aversions and pre-occupations he is then to enlarge himself and to make use of repetition and inculcation of Doctrine whereby he may be able to convict at several times and by degrees such as could not or would not be won at once and on a sudden the which I hope may serve as an apology for my self in those itterations and ways of pressure I have used all along this present Treatise by which or by transferring and reflection on my self if I have become a fool for truths sake and for conviction of such as are puffed up against one another and against Christs Ministers too I am not wanting of good Authority and