he did against St. Paul they charge us with bringing in new Sects under the pretence of Reformation or with rejecting the Authority of the present Church which we were bound to obey and thereby laying the Foundation of Faction â—nd Schism These are heavy charges but they are no other than those the High Priest and the Elders made against St. Paul and thanks be to God his Defence and Vindication is ours too for we appeal to Scripture and the best and purest Antiquity and desire to be judged according to these These three things therefore I shall speak to before I conclude 1. That the same reasons which they produce against the Reformation would have held against the spreading of Christianity at first 2. That the same Defence which St. Paul made for Christianity will justifie the Reformation 3. That we have all reason to follow the courage of St. Paul in owning and defending our Religion not with standing the imputations which are cast upon it 1. That the same reasons which they produce against the Reformation would have held against Christianity at first What have all the clamours of our Adversaries for above a hundred years come to but the very same which I have already mentioned as the Jews Objections against Christianity viz. Novelty and Faction Where was your Church before the Reformation produce your succession in all Ages of persons who agreed in all things with you Where were those distinct bodies of men who found fault with those corruptions that you pretend to reform Our Church hath had a constant and glorious succession of Bishops and Martyrs and Consessors and Religious Orders of Men Virgins and Widows But supposing such a distinct succession were not necessary yet shew how it was possible for so many errors and corruptions to come into the Church and no one take notice of them and discover them Where was the watchfull eye of Providence over the Church all this while What all the Pastors asleep at once or all conspiring together to deceive their posterity Besides how can the Protestants ever answer their rejecting the Authority of the present Church which they lived under and to whom God had promised his infallible Spirit how can they clear themselves from faction and disturbing the peace of the Christian world which lived in so great unity and peace before This is the summ of their Objections against the Reformation which are the very same we have mention'd before as produced by the Jews against Christianity If the arguments are good now they were so then if they were good then for all that I can see the High Priest and Elders were in the right and St. Paul in the wrong if they were not good then but are now some remarkable disparity must be shewed between their case and ours and that must lye in shewing these three things 1. That the Christian Church hath greater infallibility promised than the Jewish had 2. That the first Christians had greater reason to reject the Authority of that Church than the Reformers had as to the Church of Rome 3 That the Causes of corruptions in the Jewish Church could not hold in the Christian But if none of these can be made good then the case will appear to be the very same 1. It cannot be proved that the Christian Church hath greater infallibility promised than the Jewish had Of which we have this plain evidence that one of the strongest arguments produced for the infallibility of the Christian Church is taken from the Promises made to the Jewish How often hath Deut. 17. 8 9 10. been made Use of to prove infallibility in the Christian Church If they had any better arguments in the New Testament would they ever run so far back to a Command that most evidently relates to the Jewish constitution Where hath ever God promised that he would dwell in St. Peters at Rome as he did that he would dwell in his Temple at Hierusalem What boastings and triumphs would there have been if any such words had been in the Gospel concerning Rome as there were of old concerning Hierusalem viz. that God had sanctified it that his Name might be there for ever and his eyes and his heart should be there perpetually What pittiful proofs in comparison of this are all those brought out of the New Testament for the Authority and Infallibility of the Roman Church What are all the promises of the Spirit made to the Apostles and remarkably accomplished in them to this plain promise of Gods particular presence in that place for ever Suppose St. Peter had priviledges above the rest of the Apostles how comes the entail to be made to all his successors and only at Rome and no where else Where are the Deeds kept that contain this gift Why are they not produced during all this contest And yet we see in the Jewish Church where such a promise was made to a particular place no such thing as Infallibility was implyed in it 2. It cannot be shewed that the first Christians had greater reason to reject the Authority of the Jewish Church than our Reformers had to reject that of the Church of Rome I know here it will be presently said That the Apostles saw the Miracles of Christ and wrought many themselves and received an immediate Commission from Jesus Christ in whom the Churches Infallibility was then seated All which I grant to be true in it self but cannot be pleaded by them who contend for absolute obedience to the present Churches Authority as infallible My reason is because upon this principle they could not believe Christ to be the true Messias for his being the true Messias depended upon two things viz. the fulfilling of Prophecies and the truth of his Miracles now according to their principles no man could be certain of either of these without the Authority of the Church for the fulfilling of Prophecies depended upon the sense of many obscure places of Scripture about which they say there is a necessity of an infallible Judge and for Miracles they tell us that there is no certain way of judging true and false but by the Authority of the Church Now if these things be so what ground could the first Christians have to believe Christ to be the true Messias when in both these they must oppose the Authority of the present Church 3. They can never prove that the same causes of corruptions do not hold as to the Christian which did as to the Jewish Church For the Christian Church in those Ages which we charge with introducing the corruptions was degenerated into greater Ignorance Barbarism Luxury and Superstition than the Jewish Church in the time of its darkness from the cessation of Prophecy till the coming of Christ. Our Adversaries themselves confess that for a long time there was nothing either of Learning or Humanity among them nothing but ease and luxury and ambition and all manner of Wickedness among the Chief Rulers among them nay
even at Rome there was a succession of fifty of their High Priests so remarkable for their wickedness that Annas and Caiaphas setting only aside their condemning Christ were Saints in comparison of them And is it now any wonder that such errors and corruptions should come into that Church as those we charge them with Nay rather the greatest Wonder seems to be that any thing of Christianity should be preserved among them But besides the sottishness of those times we have many other causes to assign of the corruptions introduced among them as a Complyance with Gentilism in many of their Customs and Superstitions Affectation of new Modes of Devotion among indiscreet Zealots Ambition and constant endeavour to advance the Authority and Interests of the Priesthood above all Secular Power and when for a long time these had been gathering the rude materials together then the Moorish Philosophy happening to creep in among them the Monks began to busie themselves therein and by the help of that a little better to digest that Mass and heap of corruptions and to spend the wit they had to defend and improve them 2. But against all these we stand upon the same defence that St. Paul did we appeal to Scripture and the best and purest Antiquity We pretend to bring in no new Doctrines and therefore no Miracles can be required of us which the Apostles wrought to confirm Christs being the true Messias who was to alter that State which God himself had once appointed All that we plead for is that the Religion established by Christ may serve our turn and that which is recorded by the Apostles and Evangelists to these we make our constant appeal and have the same reason to decline the Authority of the Roman Church that St. Paul had as to the High Priest and Elders when he appealed to the Law and the Prophets Nay we have somewhat more reason because God had once appointed the High Priests and Rulers of the People among them but the Supremacy of the Roman Church was a meer Usurpation begun by Ambition advanced by Forgery and defended by Cruelty But we do not only believe all that is written in the Law and the Prophets but we worship the God of our Fathers of the Fathers of the first and purest Ages of the Christian Church we are not only content to make use of their Authority in these matters but we make our appeal to them and have begged our Adversaries ever since the Reformation to prove the points in difference between us by the testimony of the first six hundred years but from that time to this they are as far from proving any one point as ever they were 3. What then follows from all this but that we should imitate St. Pauls courage in owning and defending our Religion notwithstanding all the false imputations which are cast upon it What a shame would it be for us meanly and basely to betray that Cause for which our Ancestors sacrificed their lives Is the Romish Religion any thing better than it was then What error in Doctrine or corruption in Practice have they ever reformed Nay have they not rather established and confirmed them more Are they any thing kinder to us than they have been No. Notwithstanding all their late pleadings for Evangelical Peace and Charity they can at the same time tell us That the Statutes against Hereticks are still in force against us as condemned Hereticks and we are not so dull not to apprehend the meaning of that viz. that were it in their power they could lawfully burn us to morrow And is not this the height of Evangelical Love and Sweetness Who can but admire the perswasiveness of such arguments to Gospel-meekness and melt at the tenderness and bowels of an Inquisition Let us not deceive our selves it is not the mean complyance of any in going half way towards them will serve their turn there is no chewing their Pills all must be swallowed together or as good in their opinion to have none at all For not only plain Hereticks but the favourers and suspected of Heresie are solemnly excommunicated every year in the famous Bull of Coena Domini and Lindwood their English Canonist tells us whom they account suspected of Heresie viz. All that shew common civility to Hereticks or give Alms to them or that once hear their Sermons This last indeed hath been mitigated by a considerable party among them for notwithstanding the opposition of the Jesuits in this matter and seven Briev's obtained by their means from several Popes forbidding all Roman-Catholicks to come to our Churches yet the Secular Priests have contended for it as a thing lawful for them not only to come to our Prayers and hear our Sermons but to partake of our Sacraments too Which they may allow while they hope to carry on their interest better that way but if once which God forbid the Tide should turn with them then the old Laws of their Church must prevail and nothing will be thought so wholsome as an Inquisition Which it is strange their Advocates for Liberty of Conscience should call only Laws in Catholick Countreys against Hereticks and not Laws of the Church when there are extant above a hundred Bulls and Briev's of Popes establishing confirming and enlarging the Inquisition Since then no favour is to be expected from their Church for whatever they pretend all the severity comes from thence all the favour and mitigation from the clemency and Wisdom of Princes let us endeavour to strengthen our selves by a hearty zeal for our Religion and using the best means to confirm and uphold it And since the Children of this world are in their Generation wiser than the Children of light there are some things practised among them which may deserve our imitation and those are 1. A mighty Industry and Zeal in promoting their Cause they have learn'd of their Predecessors to compass Sea and Land to gain one Proselyte They insinuate themselves into all companies stick at no pains accommodate themselves to all humours and are provided one way or other to gratifie persons of all inclinations for they have retirement for the melancholy business for the active idleness for the lazy honour for the ambitious splendour for the vain severities for the sowre and hardy and a good dose of pleasures for the soft and voluptuous It is not their Way but their Zeal and Industry I propound to our imitation I know not how it comes to pass but so it often happens that they who are most secure of truth on their side are most apt to be remiss and careless and to comfort themselves with some good old sayings as God will provide and Truth will prevail though they lye still and do nothing towards it but certainly such negligence is inexcusable where the matter is of so great importance the Adversaries so many and an account must be given shortly in another world of what men have done
in his defence before Agrippa he saith And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our Fathers unto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come So that the Apostle produces Antiquity Universality and Consent in these Fundamental Articles of the Christian Religion only a late busie and Politick Faction of the Sadducees opposed this doctrine but why should their opposition signifie any thing against so full a stream running down from the first and purest Antiquity Thus much for the positive part of their faith and doctrine 2. For the negative pare or the reformation of abuses and corruptions among them this was S. Pauls plea Let them shew where the God of our Fathers imposed any of those heavy burdens which the Scribes and Pharisees place so much of their Religion in What ground is there in the Law and the Prophets for the Pharisaical Superstitions and Vows and severities to themselves in fetching blood and knocking their heads against the walls and different garbs and dresses to appear more holy unto men with many other customs of theirs the observation of which was made so great a part of the Religion of their devoutest men And it is a strange thing they should think it impossible such things should come in among them without great notice being taken of it for although sudden and violent changes may have all the circumstances known yet it is not to be expected in more in sensible gradual alterations A man may tell when a violent Feaver seized upon him and inflamed his blood but he cannot do so by a Hectick or a Consumption must he therefore believe himself well because he cannot tell the punctual time when he fell sick We may casily describe the circumstances of a Landflood which overflows the banks and bears all before it but we cannot do so by the coming in of the Tide which steals in secretly and insensibly and no man can assign the place where the salt and fresh water first mix together Superstition is a Hectick Feaver to Religion it by degrees consumes the vitals of it but comes on insensibly and is not easily discovered till it be hard to be cured At first it may be some devout but indiscreet men made way for it who love to find out some Modes of devotion different from the rest of the world which are greedily embraced by such who admire and follow them this example taking another begins and sets up for a more refined way than the former and so the design spreads till at last true piety and goodness be swallowed up by superstitious fopperies Which is the most probable account of all the Pharisaical corruptions some of whose observations might be begun at first with a good mind and by the devout persons of that time but afterwards every one that had a sowrer look and a worse nature than ordinary thought it not enough to follow the example of others but like a great Physician he must have his Nostrum's something of his own finding out a new garb or ceremony or posture of devotion whereby he may be taken notice of and admired for his sanctity Thus that fardle of superstitious rites was gathered up among the Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviours time whom he most severely upon all occasions rebukes for their hypocrisie in placing so much of their Religion in them And thus much for the way taken by St. Paul to vindicate Christianity from the imputations of being a new Sect or Heresie by an appeal to Scripture and the best Antiquity 3. There remains only the freedom and courage expressed by him in owning his Religion notwithstanding these false imputations But this I confess unto thee that after the way which is called heresie c. He abhorred that mean and base-spirited principle which makes it lawful for men to deny their Religion when it brings them into danger he studied no secret arts of complyance with his Adversaries to securehimself he did not decline appearing though to the hazard of his life in so just a cause He valued his Religion beyond his own safety and regarded not all the calumnies and reproaches of his enemies as long as he made this his constant exercise to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men And this he elsewhere saith afforded him more inward comfort and satisfaction than all the crafts and policy in the world could give him For our rejoycing is this saith he the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world There is nothing inspires men with so much courage as integrity and uprightness of mind doth and such persons who have the comfort of that have not only better hopes as to another world but oft-times escape better as to this than others do for even their enemies cannot but esteem them whereas the fawning sneaking and flattering hypocrite that will do or be any thing for his own advantage is despised by those he courts hated by good men and at last tormented by his own conscience for being false to God and Religion But we may see here in St. Paul a great instance of true Christian magnanimity he was sensible how great both the malice and quality of his enemies were he knew he was to answer before a Judge that regarded nothing either of Justice or Religion yet he neither flatters his Judge nor betrayes any distrust of him he doth not bespatter his enemies nor discover any fear of them but with a modest freedom and manly courage owns the main part of their accusation and effectually vindicates his own innocency and his Religion together For even Felix himself although a man otherwise very capable of being wrought upon by some wayes of address of which we read Ver. 26. yet the High Priest and the Elders with their eloquent Tertullus were forced to return as they came and leave St. Paul under the name of a Prisoner but enjoying the conveniencies of liberty ver 23. I have now gone thorough all the parts of the Text with a respect to St. Paul and the Authority of the Jewish Church which was engaged against him it may now be justly expected that I make Application of what I have said to our own State and Condition Thanks be to God we are not brought to such a tryal as St. Paul was we enjoy the liberty of speaking for our selves and our Religion and not only speaking for it but professing and owning it And may we ever do so But we have busie and restless Adversaries abroad the factors of the High Priest and Elders at Rome who have as much spight and malice against us as ever those of Hierusalem had against St. Paul and they have their Tertullus's too men of art and insinuation and who manage their cause against us just as