may be cast out of our spirits by the testimony of Jesus nor is it possible to work for every one to make the application of these Remedies unto himself yet in a more speciall manner the Ministers of the Gospel should hold forth these testimonies by their own practise unto others and by their word of Exhortation and Instruction chiefly when it is their Lot as now it is mine to reflect upon the waies of men wherein a competition of greatnes doth appear and for this cause I have been somewhat larger and freer as speaking to a matter which is necessary to be laid to heart by all at this time which is most fit to lay the ground of Peaceablenes and Moderation amongst Christs Disciples and which is most sutable to my aime and designe which is to seek out and hold forth the Rules of Truth in Love without partiality towards all men And would to God that all our debates could be brought to disquiries of this nature at least amongst those that are called Ministers For if they who are so called and think themselves professedly appointed to go before others and to lead them in the waies of Christianity do neither mind the offering of undeniable Rules unto all nor set themselves to walk in the light thereof How can it be expected that they should be healers or that they whose engagements lie wholly about the affaires of the World should be moved either affectionately to mind or effectually to follow the same We that are made remembrancers of others should first mind our selves of these Duties but if in stead of reclaiming others from the passions of flesh and blood in the World we our selves intermeddle with State-affaires if out of the way of our calling we make our selves in any kind competitors with the Magistrate in his employments towards the people and so cast our selves upon the objects which yeild temptations unto Envy Pride and into the snares of outward affaires How can we take others off from their distempers of this nature How can we set them right in aspirituall way We may find easily as well by reason of our own frailty as by the subtilty of Satan our adversary that more objects and occasions of mutuall envy are suggested unto us within the Sphere of our own employment then we are well able to decline Why then should we take up extrinsecall matters and ferment our own spirits with the thoughts of State-Envy or foment the same in the apprehensions of any one against another Is it not our proper work to allay and suppresse all the motions of this kind in every one Is not this most sutable to the employment of the Messengers of the Prince of Peace And doth not Christ expect at our hand that our whole work in his service should be nothing else but to Teach Exhort and perswade all men to present themselves as a living sacrifice unto him in following his foot-steps that is denying ungodlines worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World And if this be all our work how shall we answer unto him for our inter-medling with other matters wherein we take upon us to rule the interests of this World and to walk as men in serving the passions of men therein But I am loath to insist any longer upon this Theme The Lord grant that all Christians may see the depth of Satans wiles in this matter of Envy to avoid his snares and that above all men Ministers and Magistrates may be faithfull to Christ in their Stewardships without desire Gal. 5. 26 of vaine glory without provoking one another or enviousnes against one another And thus much concerning the Cure of Envy wherein the Cure of all the other distempers is contained which hath made me insist the more upon it For if this affection of our disease be fully removed the other causes thereof will not much trouble us Yet it will be expedient to speake somewhat of every one of them at least so farre as to point at the speciall Remedies thereof The Remedy of that which is amisse in State jealousies and feares First a spirituall jeallousie over our selves As concerning State-jealousies and feares the true discovery of their nature doth manifest the remedy of that which is amisse therein we have seen that some jealousies and feares are not onely lawfull but expedient and even necessary to those that over-see the wayes of others nay except a man be truly jealous and fearfull over his own soul he is not faithfull to it nor to the charge which God hath given him of it In this respect happy is the man that feareth alway saith Solomon he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Prov. 28. 14. And although it was an aggravation of Jobs misery in one respect Job 3. 25. that the thing which he had greatly feared came upon him and that which he had been afraid of came unto him yet in another Vers 26. respect it was a ground of comfort unto him that at the same time he was able to say with a good conscience I was not in safety neither had I rest neither was I quiet that is I was not in security concerning mine own condition I did not think my selfe safe but was alwayes watchfull over mine own soule to prevent the causes of trouble viz. the sinfull inclinations thereof and yet for all this trouble is come upon me Some jealousies and fears then are essentiall to all duties of charge and trust for without the thoughts thereof there can be no prudentiall fore-sight nor use of watchfulnesse to prevent evils And truly the onely cure of all carnall corrupt jealousies and feares over others is this spirituall jealousie and feare over our owne soules in the presence of God For as Aarons Serpent 2 Cor. 11. 28 29. swallowed up the Serpents of the Magicians of Egypt so this spirituall feare and jealousie will overcome and subdue the corrupt feares and jealousies of this world For when a man knowes what to suspect himselfe of as dangerous to his owne safety he thereby will be taught how to prevent or rectifie that which is evill in others The Apostle speaking of the care which did lie upon him of all the Churches sayes of himselfe Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not Secondly a circumspect tryall of all things to put nothing to hazard And as in spirituall jealousies over our selves and others to prevent offences so in civill government the maxime of State is true Fiso res periit diffiso salva remansit a circumspect mistrusting of all things lest they be liable to corruption till by a full tryall of their soundnesse they be approved and all danger prevented is one of the main pillars of true State-wisdome To put nothing at an adventure which may be secured is a fundamentall Rule of publick safety And to be more suspitious and fearfull lest our own undertakings
not envying them nor provoking them nor being desirous of vain glory towards them Galat. 5. 26. In respect of those that are of an unquiet disposition to follow Peace and ensue it towards them 1 Pet. 3. 11. and that even so far as it is possible and as much as in us lyeth Rom. 12. 18. to do all things without murmurings and disputings against them in a blamelesse and harmlesse way that they may have no cause to murmure at us or to dispute with us Phil. 2. 14 15. And to this effect to lay aside all malice and all guil and hypocrisie evil speakings and surmisings 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. And lastly in respect of those that are injurious to recompense no evill for evill nor to avenge our selves but to give place unto wrath Rom. 12. 17 19. Not to be overcome with evill but to overcome evil with good Rom. 12. 21. And to that effect with all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long-suffering to forbear them in love Ephes 4. 2. And to forgive them as God in Christ hath forgiven us Ephes 4. 32. Now the originall and immediate cause of this Peaceable disposition of the soul is to suffer the Peace of God whereunto we are called to rule in our hearts Col. 3. 15. for when this by the new Covenant in Christ doth possesse the spirit the soul is quieted within it self because it entreth with Christ into that rest which he hath purchased and prepared for it Hebr. 4. 10 11. And it receiveth the Peace which he hath left with it and given to it so that the heart is not troubled neither is it afraid at any thing which in this world can befall unto it Joh. 14. 27. for the promise of the Lord wherein he hath caused us to hope doth sustain us which saith that he will keep him in perfect Peace whose heart is stayed on him because he trusteth in him Isa 26. 3. But on the other side those that have no interest in the Covenant of Peace which Christ hath made with us can have no rest nor quietnesse within themselves or towards others because my God hath said There is no Peace to the wicked but his heart and his whole course is as the troubled Sea which cannot rest but casteth forth mire and dirt perpetually Isa 57. 20 21. The ends then of these duties shew the perfection whereunto they lead us and their proper works the way by which we attain the same For by the law of love we are taught how to aime at that which is truly good by the law of righteousnesse how to order our way in prosecuting of it and by the law of Peaceablenesse how to attend the delightfull possession of it The first sets our minde upon God the second directs us to him and the third fits us to enjoy him What is proper to a Christian in these duties more then to other men Thus in brief we see what these duties are and whence in a Christian more then in other men they proceed for other men know nothing herein but the principles of Reason and Morality by which they look more upon the materiall outside of the works then upon any thing else because naturall men cannot raise their minds unto the apprehension of spirituall truths which beget in the soul a new life and farre lesse can they act any thing thereby without speciall grace yet if the Intellectuals of a man truly rationall in nature which is not altogether impossible be raised so far by the right use of common illuminations as to perceive the proportion which is between such performances as these are and the principles from whence they flow he will finde no just cause to contradict any thing therin although his heart will not be able thereupon to close with the duties themselves for a true Christian is a spirituall man is not inabled to close heartily with these duties either because he is convicted of the rationalitie thereof or because he doth understand the excellencie and worth of this way above the way of Morality for these are onely preparative inducements inclining his affection thereunto but he closeth therewith onely because his conscience is enlightned by the truth and purified by faith and therein is bound over and given up to walk thus with God in Christ by the covenant of grace for through the law of the spirit of life and love which is in Christ Jesus whereby he is freed from the law of sin and of death he is made conformable unto the image of the Son of God and the righteousnesse of the Law of God through faith and love being fulfilled in him he hath peaceable communion with the Father and with the Son wherein he doth set himself to walk with joy and unspeakable comfort in the light of their countenance by which he is daily transformed from glory to glory as by the Spirit and presence of the Lord. The rule then and the way of a Christian is to walk in these duties towards all men and for these ends not with humane wisdome and the reasonings of his naturall understanding although he doth nothing irrationally but according to the direction and manifestation of the Spirit of grace that is according to the testimony of Jesus revealed unto his spirit which obligeth his conscience to follow affectionately the rules of these duties in all simplicitie and godly sincerity through love to the life of Jesus Christ and the grace of God in him and not for any other obligation or by any other consideration whatsoever and whosoever doth walk after this rule Peace be upon him and upon the Israel of God And because we have not hitherto walked after this rule we have not as yet found the way to Peace for to finde Peace out of this way is as impossible as to misse of it within it How universal they are and inseparable from Christianity And chiefly in leading men and times of greatest need From hence we may observe that these duties have an universall influence upon all the wayes of Christians for as Christians they are essentiall to them in all the works of their severall callings and if they studie not to do all their works by these rules they cannot be said to do them as Christians for as Christians we are commanded to do all our matters with charitie 1 Cor. 16. 14. for we are obliged by the love of God to us as his dear children to be followers of God and to walk in love as Christ also hath loved us Ephes 5. 1 2. And if we walk not thus it is evident that we are none of his children but have renounced his love and are destitute of the life of God in all our undertakings for he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 1 Joh. 4. 8. And again as Christians we are bound to serve God and Christ in his kingdom and if we serve him not how can we truly bear his Name Now the kingdom of God wherein
bee faulty and unsafe to the publicke than other designes hurtfull or disadvantagious to us is a maxime both of Righteousnesse and prudencie in Government Thirdly a positive way of dealing wisely All true wisdome both spirituall and temporall is positive and it is an argument of extream weaknesse to proceed rather upon the suppositions of things which may be feared in the purposes of others against us than upon grounded resolutions of things which ought to be desired and should be declared in our purposes towards them This is a positive way of acting which becometh Christians viz. to overcome evill with good both in our owne thoughts by taking us off from needless wrongful jealousies and in the intentions of others by preventing evill and suggesting good impressions in them concerning our selves Nor is there any Rule of Prudencie to be compared with this which teacheth us with well-doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Fourthly A prudent carelesnesse of other mens thoughts of us There is a prudent carelesnesse of the thoughts of other men concerning our selves which frees us from a perplexed and prejudiciall jealousie over them With me it is a very small thing saith the Apostle that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement as if he said I will free my mind of the trouble of thinking of that which you may judge of me to my prejudice And this delivers us from the seeds of perverse jealousies against others which proceed from the distemper of pride and excesse of self-love in our selves of which it is truly said That jealousie is cruell as the grave the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame Fifthly A pious charitable prudency to rule our thoughts of other men For to an ambitious fearfull spirit this passion is a most vexatious plague which burnes up all the joy and comfort which he taketh in this life and nothing can allay the heat thereof but a gracious resolution in well-doing to be prudently carelesse of the thoughts of other men and as this will free us from the perplexity of jealousies within our selves so to deliver us from the injuriousnesse thereof against others that by fearfull and evill surmisings we may not wrong them a pious prudency is requisste in considering them with charity which will teach us to make the best of what they doe and to think of them in doubtfull matters as we would have others in the like case to think of us to look upon them in matters absolutely evill rather as misguided and happily corrigible if rationally dealt withall in love than maliciously distempered and desperately incorrigible through the unreasonablenesse of passion By these maximes as our spirit will be kept from prejudice and wrongfull aims in dealing with them so our judgment will be cleare to discern their disposition and the way of righteousnesse in proceeding towards them Who they are that should apply this cure to the distempers a rising from jealousies and feares What failing is herein How this failing is to be remedied Now to put all men in mind of these Rules that they may be rationally applied unto the occasions of strife and debate which are now fallen out amongst the Professors of Christianity to heale their breaches and prevent the increase of mischievous distempers none ought to be so diligent as they whose proper work it is to sway the affections of Christs Disciples unto the duties of their profession which are the imitations of his life to walk as he hath walked in this evill world But here alas it my be sayd Medice cura teipsum we must first return to these duties our selves and learn to understand them before we can practice them or teach them unto others Who are more active to quicken and raise mens spirits to fearfull apprehensions and jealousies one against another than even they whose main work it ought to be to quiet mens affections one towards another about outward things with reference to God And if the Priest and the Prophet erre in judgement and are swallowed up with the drunkennesse of humane passions about temporall concernments who shall be taught knowledge and who can be made to understand this Doctrine Here indeed is the rest wherewith we may cause the weary to rest this is the refreshing But who shall make men willing to hearken to it The Lord hath said to his people of old in a time of like distresse In returning viz. from your fearfull apprehensions and rest shall ye be saved in quietnesse and confidence shall be your strength There is nothing so unbeseeming the Spirit of Christ as to be disquieted with fearfull apprehensions and jealousies of men it argues evidently a mistrusting in God and a disowning of his providence over us If we beleeve that all the haires of our head are numbred and that a Sparrow is not forgotten before Luke 12. 6 7. God what should make us fearfull of men But the Apostle Peters question is considerable in this case Who will harm you 1 Pet. 3. 13 14. saith he if ye be followers of that which is good that is what cause have you to think that any will intend evill against you whiles you are harmlesse to all and seek that which is good It is against reason to entertain such thoughts But and if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy are ye be ye not afraid of their terror neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and if ye suffer according to his will commit the keeping 1 Pet. 4. 19. of your soules to him in well doing as unto a faithfull Creator As if he had said But what if against all reason which yet is not humane nor probable you should be requited with evill for doing good then if you are Christians your resolution ought to be to suffer what befalls you for righteousnesse sake to count your selves happy not to suffer fearfully or perplexedly as men to set up God in your hearts to conceive it his will and appointment it should be so with you to continue still in well-doing and in so doing to rest on his faithfulnesse and to cast the care of your soules upon him so that to dash the cowardly feares and jealousies which rise from the suggestions of flesh and blood there is nothing so sutable to a Christian as to be armed with this resolution that he will be carefull of nothing but to doe well and for so doing he will cheerfully suffer what ever may befall him And whosoever doth not take up this resolution as he is farre from the Spirit of Christ so he cannot enter into his rest which sets him above his distempers of carnall jealousies and feares And where this remedy cannot be applied there this disease is incurable and where this disease is not cured there it is not possible to prevent a listening after tale-bearing and privat censuring because the fearfulnesse of events and the suspitiousnes
the Hebrews are warned is come upon us in full measure for there be swarmes of fornicators of Atheists and profane persons like Esau which shew themselves openly amongst us and shamelesly which sads the hearts of all the godly Thus we see that in every thing there is a dolefull conformity between our present State and that condition whereinto the Apostle found the Hebrews either already fallen or like to fall to the dishonour of God to the disadvantage of the Gospell and the great prejudice of their own salvation Which is made worse by the evill will of complainers one of another I am not ignorant how much and in what way some complaine of all these evils which now are our burden how they cry out against the miserie thereof and what an odium they endeavour to cast upon some by whose fault as they conceive we are fallen thereinto but they are farre out of the way who think that by blaming others in something they exempt themselves from the guilt of these sinfull calamities however suppose this could make them guiltlesse yet the complaints of such a kind are no balsome nor mollifying ointment to heale these putrifying sores in in any they are rather like a corrasive plaister to make them worse in all for this ripping up of matters past to represent evils suffered on the one side and injuries done on the other is the method to foment bitternesse hatred wrath clamour and evil speaking which we are commanded at all times to put away from us but should then do chiefly when we are about a way to cure distempers and heale publick evils for this way is so farre from reclaiming any from his violent affections that it tends rather not onely to dishearten the well affected even in lawfull proceedings when they see evils hainously aggravated against those to whom they faine would do good but it also helps to increase our divisions by renewing matters of disaffection which ought to be forgotten For he that covereth a transgression seeketh Love but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends saith Solomon Prov. 17. 9. If then either as Christians we are bound to provoke one another unto love and to good works or as messengers of Gods loving kindnesse unto mankind we are obliged to seek the love of all men to each other in him it cannot be denied but that a main part of the Ministeriall work is to seek and maintain Christian love amongst men and to do this it is evident that a chief preparative will be to perswade all men not to insist upon the repetition of former offensive matters which are past remedies as being transient acts but to cover mutually each others transgressions even as we would desire God to cover our sins in Jesus Christ And if will needs lay open Where of the Remedie is shewed matters of grief let it onely be either to observe them penitently to make confession thereof and to lament over them till God have mercy upon us or prudently to use cautions for the publick to prevent the causes of future disturbances that none may wilfully return again to folly All the satisfaction which God requires of us men for former faults though never so hainous is this that we should in after times cease to do evil and learn to do good And if we do Isa 1 16 17. so all our transgressions though formerly like unto Scarlet yet then they shall be as snow in his account and they shall not be mentioned unto us any more saith the prophet Ezekiel Chap. 18. ver 22. This therefore ought to be in like manner our way of love and the healing of evils which we should use one towards another should be this not to mention former faults any more upon sufficient grounds of harmelessenesse in time to come and he that will not be heartily reconciled upon these termes with his neighbour deserves not to be admitted unto terms of peace with God till he pay the utmost farthing of the debt which he doth owe him as the parable of the Gospel doth teach us Matt. 18. 23. till the end of the Chapter Thus then if upon the contemplation of our evils we can put on the bowels of Mercy and compassion one towards another and not suffer our hearts to imagine evill against our brother by making him wrongfully more guilty of the evils befalling to the publick then our selves we shall be fitted to follow the direction which in this place is offered unto us by the Apostle for the cure of our distempers And that we may do this let us come to the consideration of the matters contained therein Secondly in the duties recommended to the Hebrews and to be practised by us Of which the Generall rule is that we must not look backward but forward upon our State This Direction then hath a Positive and a Negative part of Dutie for our cure The Positive part doth teach us to look foreward and not backward and first to our own resolutions and actions within ourselves and then to our relations towards other men and towards God who is the end of the race that is set before us The Negative part doth also teach us to look forward and not backward and first to prevent the corruption and defection from the doctrine of Truth And secondly from the practise of holinesse and from the professed obedience which is due thereunto So that before we come to particulars a main Rule is to be observed which both in the positive and negative duties of this directorie is implyed which is that we should not look backward but forward when we go about to remedie common evils in our own spirits and towards others for the fountain or rather the sink of those corrupt humours which feed our distemperatures namely the disagreement of our imaginations one from another about things past cannot otherwise be cured but by laying the thought thereof aside for some look upon things past as remembring their enjoyments and greiving for the losse thereof others look upon things past as remembring their sufferings and the injuries done to themselves and others therein both these by dwelling upon these objects heat their Imaginations within themselves and put their spirits in a feaverish distemper of passion and discontentednesse thereby which cannot be removed but by the removall of the objects which occasion the same Why naturall men look backward The first sort of these distempers is like unto that of Lots wife whom Christ in these latter dayes bids us remember Luke 17. 32. She having lived at her ease in Sodome when she was to flee for her life out of it was forbidden to look back lest she should grieve at the judgement of God when she should see all the objects of her sensuall delights burnt up thereby at once Now because she obeyed not the counsell of the Lord but fixed her Imagination as many do now amongst us backward and went not forward in her
either as given by us for want of circumspection or as taken by them for want of sufficient information Therefore to make our paths straight in respect of persons the way is to deale so in love in simplicity and in warines of prudency with them as to prevent mistakes and not to venture upon any enterprize towards any before stumbling blocks be removed towards all according to the Apostles rule give none offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10. 32. Lastly the impediments to be foreseen in our own working faculties are the sinful inclinations of our wills the disorderliness of our understandings besides the darkness thereof and the unrulines of our lusts and passions together with the weaknes of our best abilities as they are in our own hand disproportionate to every thing we apply them unto Therefore to make our pathes straight in respect of our own working faculties we ought not only to look often conscionably upon our infirmities to keep a strict guard over them and by the spirit of Prayer and Faith to seeke help and supply of grace in time of need against them but we should before all our undertakings bind over our soules to the observation of these three Rules 1. Never to attempt any thing without the Warrant of a clear call from God 2. Never to set upon any work though our call be never so clear unto it without a due examination and preparation of our heart about the aime which we should have in it 3. Although our aime be never so good and commendable yet not to proceed any further than with modesty we can measure out the undertaking as proportionable unto our place and abilities that we may keep within compasse and not suffer our attempts to go beyond our line These are summarily the heads of matters contained in the second duty which being neglected make men guilty of manifold privat and publick miscarriages offences And would to God the Brethren who have taught others to demurre and make a scruple of Conscience about concurring with the present power in lawful things tending to the publick good had seriously before they took that work in hand reflected upon these rules to make straight pathes unto their feet thereby for that hitherto they have not done this there is just cause to complain but if they yet would begin before it be too late to reflect thus upon their wayes and follow this Councel perhaps our breach might be healed it is evident that we are out of the way of peace and that we cannot come into it again except we apply our selves to the way of Righteousness I suppose it is undeniable if we seek this way by these Rules undoubtedly we shall find it the Lord grant us eyes both to see it and also to observe our own strayings from it and as we have discovered the way so it would be no difficult matter if it could edifie to set the strayings of our Brethren in order before their eyes and by the topies of this directory as by a line and plummet to shew them the unevenness of their pathes in this matter but I shall spare my self this labour wishing rather that they may do it themselves for Christ doth 1 Cor. 13. 6. not rejoyce in iniquity but in the truth my desire is in covering their weakness to heale that which is lame that it may not any more be turned out of the way For this is the third Apostolical Rule by which the cures of these and other miscarriages in privat and publick are to be endeavoured Let us then understand the Apostles meaning in it The duty of healing mutuall infirmities By lameness I understand here all manner of infirmities which take not away the motions of the faculties but onely make them in their proceedings irregular for properly to be lame is to have a weakness in the moving faculty causing an unequal motion which is unseemly and disproportionat to other mens faculties and motions in respect of strength and swiftnes whence also this inconvenience doth follow the lameness of a Member that it may soone be turned out of the way either by its own unequal mocions if the way wherein it walketh be rugged and narrow or by the uncharitableness of others who being stronger may justle it out of the way although it be neither rugged nor narrow Now that there are amongst us many lamenesses and that the lame are turned out of the way as well by their own weak innocent and irregular motions as by the evil will of others who justle with them cannot be denied Therefore this duty of healing and of keeping the lame in the way which is the effect of love and righteousness must be applyed unto this symptome of our disease Here the work of love as every where else must have the first place and the influence which it hath towards the weak is by way of compassion whereof the effect is a desire and endeavour to ease them of the evil wherewith they are afflicted the work of Righteousness hath the second place whereof the influence is by way of innocency and the effect is to be no way accessory to the Causes of begetting or continuing any lameness among us or of disturbing any good designe by turning the lame out of the way and thus by this third Rule when we have made our own work straight for our selves our steps towards others are to be regulated that we may also walk straightly therein towards all men being usefull towards them and harmlesse where the usefullnesse of our washing is to be made straight by the Law of Love which doth cover and heale that which is amisse and the harmlesnes thereof is to be made straight by the Law of indempnity that if we cannot make their condition better to be sure not to wrong them by making it worse If the Brethren who in opposition to the present power refuse to act with others in good and lawfull things that which in it self is acceptable to God and approved of men had considered our present publick state with compassion and had laid to heart this rule to walk dutifully thereby as Christians ought they could not have engaged themselves in a course so contrary to that Charity which cals upon conscionable men to the healing of publick calamities and to that righteousnesse which should keep Christians from turning weak consciences out of the way For if they whom God hath set in the place of subjection throughout this Nation should be provoked to a willfull halting and to go forward as many do but lamely in their submission to the power that is over them till they turn themselves quite out of the way of all orderlinesse by a refractory scrupulosity and then be justly turned out of the way of Peace and safety either by the totall dissolution of Government or by the breaking in of power upon them for their unjust behaviour to
their charge bring guilt upon them and make them accessary to sin except they represse and reprove the evill which they find in them nnd shew their hatred against all those that turne aside from the direct way of godlinesse and honesty of justice and sobriety Then also in the persons of others 7. That Magistrates walk not in a perfect way in respect of their places although they free both themselves and their attendants from evill except they also take notice of others that are without to oppose the vicious and advance the vertuous both in private and publick occasions This axiome is evident from the whole matter of Davids profession especially from ver 4. till the end and the reason of it will appear if the nature and motion of a perfect way be compared with the nature motion of a Magistrates place for the place of a Magistrate is wholly relative and towards others except therefore his way be perfect against evill and for good in teference to others it doth not answer his place and except it be so as well in private as in publick it is not perfect for although a good man may be an ill Magistrate for want of Ruling parts yet no man that is ill can be a good Magistate though his parts be never so eminent Because an evill man as he makes no conscience of sin in private so he will never be zealous for vertue nor against vice in publick All that he will do will be onely for himself to save his owne credit that he may not be cryed out against For if his heart be evill he hath no love to Judgement and Mercy as they are works good to all as they are acceptable to God who hath commanded them and as they are proper to his place of Rule but onely as they make a shew before men and serve ro keep up his reputation amongst them By cutting off the incorrigible 8. That by opposing vice in others privatly and publickly Magistrates do not enough to remove the wicked from places of Trust and to shew their dislike of men except also they use meanes to cut them off from the society over which they are set and especially if they be found incorrigible This is plainly Davids resolution in his perfect way of walking as appears by ver 5. 7. 8. Especially of foure sorts 9. That Magistrates walking in their places in a perfect way should take notice as well of those that plot perverse designes as of those that put them in execution but amongst all these the slanderer the proud the deceiver and the lyar are especially to be hunted out of all places of trust and cast out of the Common-wealth for these foure may be compared to the wheeles of Satans Chariot on which he rides through the societies of mankind to disturbe the Peace and Happinesse by the corruption of our nature which Magistrates are appointed to curb and resist This is that which David resolves upon in ver 4. 5. 7. and by experience we find that without the discovery and removall of these foure sorts of wicked men there can be no Peace and quietnesse in humaine Societies By seeking out and calling the vertuous to places of employment 10. That the way of a Magistrate is not perfect although he thus oppose vice except he also seek out those that are vertuous and make use of them for privat and publick occasions of employment This is manifestly Davids resolution in ver 6. and the perfect way of Magistracy can no more subsist without the use of good instruments than consist with the employment of evill ones as therefore the removing of the one is necessary so is the finding out and calling of the other nor can there be a greater cause of corruption in Civill Government than the want of care to finde out and employ vertuous men therein 11. That no man ought to be intrusted with any accesse or privacy about the Magistrate but he that is faithfull in the Land and no man employed by him in any service but he that is upright in his way And how that should be done These are the two Characters of persons whom David resolves to seek out and call to himself ver 6. and till Magistrates make it a chief maxime of State to follow his example herein it will never go well with them in their Government It is not he who commends himself that is offered by the solicitation of friends unto a place but he whom God commends by his abilities and such Characters as these who is fit to be employed it were greatly to be wished if it could also be hoped that these who have the disposall of places would make it an unalterable maxime of State to reject all sutors for places and to admit of none but whom they themselves should chuse and call upon the discovery of their abilities and of these Characters found in them Namely that they are faithfull in the Land and perfect in their way He is faithfull in the Land who is true to the publick good thereof who hath not sought his own private advantage before the interest of the Common-wealth such a one may be trusted with a publick place that he will not abuse it for his own ends and he is perfect in his way whose course of life is sincere and conscionable and who is carefull to maintain his integrity without offence towards all If none but such were sought out for publick places the affairs of States and Common-wealths would indeed be successfull but as long as the maximes and interests of factions and parties which all along destroy humane societies are followed and private aimes bear rule over the spirits of those that rule in a State these characters of men fit for places will never be regarded nor the course to chuse and call thereunto taken up by any 12. That the aime of a godly and wise Magistrate is not to serve himself in his place but others nor his ultimate end to serve others so much in their temporall conveniences as to protect the City of God and free it from the disturbance of Gods service and all causes of trouble And why he ought mainly to intend this This is professedly Davids end in ver 8. and if we first look upon a Magistrate as Gods substitute and Deputy and then if we grant that no Deputy can be counted faithfull to him that hath deputed him except he mainly intend that which his Superiour doth aime at then this cannot be denied that the Magistrates ultimate end must needs be the safety and prosperity of the City of the Lord for God having created all for his own glory hath given the world unto Christ and Christ having Redeemed all for the glory of his Father hath given all to his Church where God doth dwell with men So that for the Churches sake which is the City of God all Government is maintained and appointed by God
are the chief unto mankinde can be none other but some mutuall assurance of their true desires to set forward this which is the onely common and reall good of all Common-wealths therfore if I may upon this demonstration of that which is to be counted good in the common aime of Magistrates and Ministers offer without seeming to presume some advice unto the present Rulers of this State I would intreat them chiefly now in laying the foundations of our settlement to make these things their main and reall designes towards this Nation and that they should manifest the realitie of their intentions herein by sowe way which may not onely be sutable to their places of Authority but which may give unto all men a rationall And how a good intelligence may be wrought henceforth in the procurement thereof assurance that the designes are truly meant and likely to be accomplished to this effect then I conceive that this might be done without difficultie and very profitably viz that the Counsell of State in the name of the Parliament should as it becometh the Authors of Publick concernments and those that preside in matters of Order and Justice by some Act of State lead others to be conversant with themselves about these thoughts inviting all that have abilities but especially the Ministery of the Nation to entertain impartiall counsels concerning these objects and to communicate the same severally or joyntly as they should think most expedient to some men who should be appointed to receive all advises in that kinde to be made use of so far as publickly they should be found practicable and that the counsels which should be suggested by such an invitation might all be directed to one mark and not wander at randome from the true designe which is to be prosecuted I would have some Questions proposed concerning Religiousnesse and Rationalitie Godlinesse and Honesty Conscionablenesse and Industrie all which are Homogeneall matters which should oblige those that give their advices to limit and determine their thoughts within the bounds thereof and I would have them engaged to bring the matters which they should advise about the tenor of the Questions into some Aphorismes which should be set in order under certain heads readily to be found Concerning Religiousnesse Pietie and Conscionablenesse for these are inseparable I would have their advises determined to the resolutions of three Questions which are these 1. How the Knowledge Practise and Power of Godlinesse may be most effectually advanced throughout this Nation either by the impartiall settlement and regulating of Catecheticall Exercises of Propheticall Conferences and of a Preaching Ministery or by other means which may tend to the same effect 2. What the scandals and disorders are which may fundamentally destroy this designe and how they should be prevented 3. How without prejudice to good order on the one hand and to true Christian liberty on the other the causes of present breaches and offences may be remedied especially between those that acknowledge each other to stand fast in the doctrine which is fundamentall Concerning Rationality Honesty Moral Industry which things go hand in hand I would have not onely Ministers but the wisest School-masters and other men of parts and experience to be invited to give in their advices to this Question How throughout the Nation the Schools of Learning and the education of youth therein may be rectified and reduced to a more compendious profitable and uniform way of teaching tongues Morall vertues Industry and Sciences then now it is If these Questions were upon the grounds of common advice rationally and fully resolved as I suppose they may be and some men of choise parts of free and publick spirits deputed to gather the substance of all those counsels into one orderly summe so far as they shall be found agreeing together and inoffensively practicable this would not onely hold forth the true sense and unanimous desires of all the godly wise of all parties in the Nation to give them content therein so farre as possibly may be but a ground would be layed for their union and better understanding of each other and a great deal of good confidence would be begotten in the minds of all ingenuous men of all parties towards the upright meanings of the Government which is over them The rationall frame and righteous constitution of a well-ordered Common-wealth should be so settled that all men that are true to it should be admitted in a regular way to interest themselves into the counseis of the Government thereof about the wayes of common safetie peace and Plentie nor ought the Governours to take upon them except in cases of necessitie and imminent danger to rule as Monarches and determine any matters by meer Authority and the dictates of their own will But the more they can engage others to be of their counsell and endeavour to give conscionable and rationall satisfaction to the desires of every one the more successefull their settlement will be chiefly if these grounds be followed and if they make their Authority to be not that which proud and foolish men by a Principle of Tyrannicall greatnesse pretend it is viz a prerogative to law to appear and to command over others either at will without law or by their own sense of the law without being obliged to hear others but that which it ought to be amongst rationall men viz a prerogative to go before others in minding common concernments to lead them rationally and conscionably to see their own good therein and a right to make things publicke and oblige every one to take notice thereof For Authoritas ab Authore derivatur Nam qui Actares primi Auctiresque rerum sunt in humana societate publicarum publicandarum ij sunt cum Authoritue Therefore as it is the ordinary Policy of sole-rulers to be like unto Tiberius close and secret that no man should dive into their counsels so I think it would be the best Policy of Common Wealths to lay all counsells upon such Principles as these are open to all and to suffer no man to be ignorant or in doubt thereof This onely will be their strength and this will be their glory And thus much concerning the way how in reference to future designes a good intelligence may be wrought between those that are in publick places in the Church and State Now followeth to be considered how in all present undertakings of a publick nature a friendly concurrence may be framed between them or at least a distracting dissonancie such as is now apparent amongst us may not be continued but lovingly composed and hereafter prevented 2 By concurring in present undertakings by way of mutuall counsell Concerning this I cannot be so free as in the foregoing deliberation for fear of giving offence yet briefly I shall offer something I hope without any just cause of exception because in other reformed Churches Common wealths it is healthfully practised as a means of good correspondency
and concurrence between Magistrates and Ministers in publick concernments and that is amongst other things this 1. that in all provinciall assemblies concerning Church affairs a certain time should be determined for their meetings towards the redresse of sc 〈◊〉 ndals and advancing the means of spirituall edification within themselves and that the determination and denomination of this time should stand at the arbitrement and ratification of the supream authority upon the desire of the Ministery 2. That in all such meetings the supream Authority should depute some body to be in their name present at them to give countenance and authority to their proceedings to assist the Ministery in outward matters with counsell and advice or also in other things as may be requisite and desired though in particular matters it will not at all be expedient that the State Deputy should either debate or vote to take notice of all things that come before them and of their orderly and decent carriage about the same to see that they meddle not with Sate matters or designes of another kinde then such as tend to the Spirituall edification of souls and finally to make report to those by whom he is deputed of every thing relating to the publick constitution of their affairs or which otherwise are observable for the welfare of the Church and State Thus the Magistrate may concurre with the Ministery in their present undertakings the Ministers may concurre also reciprocally with the Magistrate in his present undertakings if they be called by him thereunto and as the Magistrate in his concurrence about Church affairs doth go no further then the Sphere of his calling doth permit so the Ministers being desired by him to give assistance in State businesses should not exceed the proper sphere of their employment therefore if a doubtfull case of conscience should fall in about State deliberations I conceive that as elsewhere the custom is so here the matter may be proposed unto some of them without acquainting them with all the particulars of State concernments relating thereunto but onely with that which is doubtfull as to conscience in respect of Gods will concealing the rest as Lawyers use to do when they propose matters under the names of Titius and Caius And thus farre in point of counsell the concurrence may go on both sides about present undertakings the Minister helping the Magistrate in that which is spirituall with advice and the Magistrate helping the Minister in that which is outward and matter of order both with countenance and advice By concurring in present undertakings to give strength unto the execution therof As for the point of execution in things on either side undertaken the last part of their correspondency is to give strength thereunto by their joynt concurrence and the means to do this can be none other but that which in all humane affairs is the true cause of strength and sucessefulnesse which is nothing else but the righteous ordering of all proceedings towards their proportionate ends when each agent shall stand in his own place where God hath set him and do the work which is proper to his own calling wherein he may expect that God will blesse him My meaning is that the spirituall and temporall administrations the one relating to the inward the other to the outward man should not be confounded and jumbled together without any distinction of their bounds and made to run out of their own channels into each others because if this fall out both will lose their efficacie towards their objects in the application of publick remedies to the spirits of men For if the Magistrate should take upon him the work of where 1 Of irregular undertakings and concurrences the Ministery whereunto God hath not appointed him he cannot hope for a blessing from him because he is out of his calling nor will the spirits of men to whom he offers himself as a Minister receive him as such but will be prejudiced and confounded in their relation towards him The Ordinances of the Ministery and Magistracy are understood by all knowing men to be distinct in Gods hand and that each ought to be respected by it self and in its own way used now if he who is set up to be the president and protector of all publick order should confound them and become the authour of disorder in his main businesse he weakens his own reputation and makes his works void for the mindes of men who respect the Ministery by it self for their spirituall works sake 1 Thess 5. 13. and the Magistracy by it self for their temporall works sake Rom. 13. 3 4 5. will be obstructed to every thing which he doth in that kind because to them he acts neither as a Magistrate nor as a Minister and so doth make himself uselesse Nor will Ministers in such a case being concerned in their places be idle nor will it be possible to take off the affections of men from looking towards them whether they be superstitiously or judiciously affected with the Ordinance where of necessity they will be distracted when in the same work they see Ministers act one way and Magistrates another which disagreement in their proceedings must needs make all their undertakings ineffectuall In like manner if the Minister should take upon him the work of the Magistrate whereunto God hath not appointed him he cannot expect Gods presence with him in it because he is out of the place where God hath set him and out of the employment whereunto the promise is made Behold I am with you alway till the end of the world Matth. 28. 19 20. Nor is it fit that the Magistrate should suffer another to usurp his place nor ought a Minister of Christ to be busie in other mens matters nor is it just that he should fish in other mens waters with their angling rod and baits without their leave nor can the people to whom a Minister doth in this way apply himself receive him in the simplicity of the Gospel as a servant of Christ seeing he doth not apply himself unto them by the Spirit of Christ and in things belonging to his kingdom but as a man and in the affairs of this world wherein they are not subordinate unto him but unto the higher powers which as to them in this respect are made void and uselesse Whence it will unavoidably follow that about the performance of their duties and the observance of their relations their spirits will be distracted this way and that way when both Magistrates and Ministers act each others parts offer themselves with different or contrary influences towards them about the same matters The strength therefore of the execution of all publick businesses is that which Solomon doth intimate by the two 1 King 7. 21 Pillars which he named Jachin and Boaz and set up in the porch of the Temple The name Jacbin signifieth he shall Of the Rule of Regular undertakings and concurreneâ—â— establish Boaz signifieth