were only for Counsel or for Agreement by way of contractor mutual Consent to the particular Bishops But they degenerated into a form of Government and claimed a Ruling or Commanding power 4. The Patriarcks Primates and Metropolitans at first claimed but a power about circumstantials extrinsical to the Pastoral office such as is the Timing and Placing of Councils the siâ—ting above others c. And the exercise of some part of the Magistrates power committed to them that is the deposing of other Bishops or Pastors from their station of such Liberty and Countenance as the Magistrate may grant or deny as there is cause But in time they degenerated to claim the spiritual power of the Keys over the other Bishops in point of Ordination Excommunication Absolution 5. These Patriarks Primates and Metropolitans at first claimed their extrinsick power but from Man that is either the Consent and Agreement of the Churches or the grant of the Emperours But in time they grew to claim it as of Divine or Apostolical appointment and as unalterable 6. At first they were taken only for Adjuncts ornaments supports or conveniences to the Churches But afterwards they pretended to be integral parts of the Church universal and at last the Pope would needs be an Essential part And his Cardinals must claim the power of the Church Universal in being the choosers of an Universal Head or a King-Priest and Teacher for all the Christians of the World 7. At first Lay men now called Chancellors c. were only the Bishops Counsellors or officers to the Magistrate or them in performing the extrinsecal work about Church adjuncts which a Lay man might do But at last they came to exercise the Intrinsick power of the Keys in Excommunications and Absolutions c. 8. At first a number of particular Churches consociated with their several Bishops were taken to be a Community or company of true Churches prudentially cantonized or distributed and consociated for Concord But after they grew to be esteemed proper political societies or Churches of Divine appointment if not the Ecclesiae minimae having turned the particular Churches into Oratories or Chappels destroying Ignatius his character of one Church To every Church there is one Altar and one Bishop with his Presbyters and Deacons Abundance more such instances may be given Obj. Wherever we find the Notion of a Church particular there must be Government in that Church And why a national society incorporated into one civil Government joyning into the profession of Christianity and having a right thereby to participate of Gospel Ordinances in the convenient distributions of them in the particular Congregations should not be called a Church I confess I can see no reason Answ. 1. Here observe that the question is only of the Name whether it may be called a Church and not of the thing whether all the Churches in a Kingdom may be under one King which no sober man denyeth 2. Names are at mens disposal much But confess I had rather the name had been used no otherwise or for no other societies than Scripture useth it My Reasons are 1. Because when Christ hath appropriated or specially applyed one name to the sacred societies of his institution it seemeth somewhat bold to make that name common to other societies 2. Because it tendeth to confusion misunderstanding and to cherish errours and controversies in the Churches when all names shall be made common or ambiguous and holy things shall not be allowed any name proper to themselves nor any thing can be known by a bare name without a description If the name of Christ himself should be used of every anointed King it would seem not a little thus injurious to him If the name Bible Scripture Preachers c. be made common to all that the notation of the names may extend to it will introduce the aforesaid inconveniences so how shall we in common talk distinguish between sacred societies of Divine institution and of humane if you will allow us no peculiar name but make that common which Christ hath chosen 3. And that the name is here used equivocally is manifest For the body political is informed and denominated from the pars imperans the Governing part or Head Therefore as a Head of Divine institution authorized for the spiritual or Pastoral work denominateth the society accordingly so a civil Head can make but a civil society and a head of mans making but a humane society It is certain that Christ hath appointed the Episcopal or Pastoral office and their work and consequently Episcopal or Pastoral Churches And it is certain that a King is no constitutive part of one of these Churches but Accidental And therefore that he is an Accidental Head to a Pastoral Church as such to which the Pastor is essential Therefore if you will needs call both these societies Churches you must distinguish them into Pastoral Churches and Regal Churches or Magistratical Churches for the word national notifieth not the Government which is the constitutive part and may be used of Consociated Churches though under many Civil Governours as in the Saxon Heptarchy So that our question is much like this Whether all the Grammar Schools in England as under one King may be called one National School Answ. Not without unfitness and inconveniences But rather than breed any quarrel they may call them so that please But 1. They must confess that a particular School is the famosius significatum 2. That the King is King of Schools but not a Schoolmaster nor a constitutive part of a School 3. That if you will needs denominate them from the Regent part as One you must call them all one Royal School if you will leave the well known sense of words for such uncouth phrases But give us leave to call the Body which is essentiated by a King by the name of a Kingdom only though it have in it many Schools Academies Colledges Cities Churches which they that please may call all one Royal School Academy Colledge City and Church if they love confusion 4. Christianity giveth men right to communion in particular Churches when they also make known their Christianity to the Bishops of those Churches and are received as stated or transient members by mutual consent but not otherwise nor doth meer Regal Government give any subject right to Church Communion except by a Church you mean a Kingdom Obj. A particular Church then I would describe thus It is a society of men joyned together in the visible profession of the true faith having a right to and enjoying among them the ordinances of the Gospel Answ. 1. When you tell us by your description what you will mean by a particular Church we may understand your denomination But yet while it is unusual you must not expect that other men so use the Word Had you called your description a definition I would have asked you 1. Whether by a society you mean not strictly a Political society constituted
Vows The use the obligation VVhether any things be indifferent and such may be Vowed As Marrying c. May we Vow things Indifferent in themselves though not in their circumstances In what Cases we may not Vow VVhat if Rulers command it VVhat if I doubt whether the Matter imposed be lawful Of Vowing with a doubting Conscience Tit. 2. Directions against Perjury and Perfidiousness and for keeping Vows and Oaths The heinousness of Perjury Thirty six Rules about the obligation of a Vow to shew when and how far it is obligatory useful in an age stigmatized with open Perjury Mostly out of Dr. Sanderson VVhat is the Nullity of an Oath Cases in which Vows must not be kept p. 700 How far Rulers may Nullifie a Vow Numb 30. opened Of the Accidental Evil of a Vow Of Scandal Q. Doth an error de persona caused by that person disoblige me ibid. CHAP. VI. Directions to the people concerning their Internal and private duty to their Pastors and their profiting by the Ministerial Office and Gifts p. 714 The Ministerial Office opened in fifteen particulars The Reasons of it The true old Episcopacy Special duties to your own Pastors above others Of the Calling Power and Succession of Pastors The best to be preferred The Order of Minirial Teaching and the Resolution of faith How far Humane faith conduceth to Divine Of Tradition VVhat use to make of your Pastors to p. 724 CHAP. VII Directions for the discovery of Truth among Contenders and how to escape Heresie and deceit Cautions for avoiding deceit in Disputations p. 725 CHAP. VIII Directions for the Union and Communion of Saints and for avoiding unpeaceableness and Schism p. 731 VVherein our Unity consisteth VVhat diversity will be in the Churches VVhat Schism is VVhat Heresie VVhat Apostasie VVho are Schismaticks The degrees and progress of it VVhat Separation is a duty Q. Is any one form of Church Government of Divine appointment May man make new Church Officers The Benefits of Christian Concord to themselves and to Insidels The mischiefs of Schism VVhether Papists or Protestants are Schismaticks The aggravations of Division Two hinderances of our true apprehension of the evil of Schism Direrections against it Of imposing defective Liturgies The Testimonies of antiquity against the bloody and Cruel way of Curing Schism Their Character of Ithacian Prelates CHAP. IX Twenty Directions how to worship God in the Church Assemblies p. 755 CHAP. X. Directions about our Communion with holy souls departed now with Christ. p. 758 CHAP. XI Directions about our Communion with the holy Angels p. 763 The Contents of the Ecclesiastical Cases of Conscience added to the Third Part. Q. 1. HOw to know which is the true Church among all pretenders that a Christians Conscience may be quiet in his Relation and communion p. 771 Q. 2. Whether we must esteem the Church of Rome a true Church And in what sence some Protestant Divines affirm it and some deny it p. 774 Q. 3. Whether we must take the Romish Clergie for a true Ministry p. 775 Q. 4. Whether it be necessary to believe that the Pope is the Antichrist p. 777 Q. 5. Whether we must hold that a Papist may be saved p. 778 Q. 6. Whether those that are in the Church of Rome are bound to separate from it And whether it be lawful to go to their Mass or other worship p. 779 Q. 7. Whether the true calling of the Minister by Ordination or Election be necessary to the essence of the Church ibid Q. 8. Whether sincere faith and Godliness be necessary to the being of the Ministry And whether it be lawful to hear a wicked man or take the Sacrament from him or take him for a Minister p. 780 Q. 9. Whether the people are bound to receive or consent to an ungodly intolerable heretical Pastor yea or one far less fit and worthy than a competitor if the Magistrate command it or the Bishop impose him p. 781 Q. 10. What if the Magistrate command the people to receive one Pastor and the Bishop or Ordainers another which of them must be obeyed p. 787 Q. 11. Whether an uninterrupted succession either of right Ordination or of conveyance by jurisdiction be necessary to the being of the Ministry or of a true Church p. 787 Q. 12. Whether there be or ever was such a thing in the world as one Catholick Church constituted by any head besides or under Christ p. 789 Q 13. Whether there be such a thing as a visible Catholick Church and what it is ibid. Q. 14. What is it that maketh a visible member of the universal Church and who are to be accounted such p. 790 Q. 15. Whether besides the profession of Christianity either testimony or evidence of conversion or practical Godliness be necessary to prove a man a member of the Universal visible Church ibid. Q. 16. What is necessary to a mans reception into membership in a particular Church over and above this foresaid title Whether any other tryals or Covenant or What p. 791 Q. 17. Wherein doth the Ministerial office Essentially consist p. 792 Q. 18. Whether the peoples choice or consent is necessary to the office â—f a Minister in his first work as he is to convert Insidels and Baptize them And whether this be a work of office and what call is necessary to it p. 793 Q. 19. Wherein consisteth the power and nature of Ordination and To whom doth it belong and Is it an act of jurisdiction and Is imposition of hands necessary in it p 794 Q. 20. Is ordination necessary to make a man a Pastor of a particular Church as such and Is he to be made a General Minister and a particular Church-Elder or Pastor at once and at one Ordination p. 795 Q. 21. May a man be oft or twice ordained p. 796 Q. 22. How many ordainers are necessary to the validity of Ordination by Christs Institution Whether one or more p. 798 Q. 23. What if one Bishop Ordain a Minister and three or many or all the rest protest against it and declare him no Minister or degrade him is he to be received as a true Minister or not ibid. Q. 24. Hath a Bishop power by divine right to ordain degrade or govern excommunicate or absolve in another Diocess or Church either by his consent or against it And doth a Minister that officiateth in anothers Church act as a Pastor and their Pastor or as a private man And doth his Ministerial office cease when a man removeth from his flock p. 799 Q. 25. Whether Canons Be Laws and Pastors have a Legislative power p. 800 Q. 26. Whether Church-canons or Pastors directive determinations of matters pertinent to their Office do bind the Conscience and what accidents will disoblige the people you may gather before in the same case about Magistrates Laws in the Political Directions As also by an impartial transferring the case to the precepts of Parents and School-masters to Children without respect to
of the Church 28. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God So 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 7 17 24 c. 1 Cor. 7. 23. If the whole Church be come together into one place c. Thus far it is no question but Church-forms and Government is of Divine appointment And man can no more alter this or set up such other without Gods consent than a subject can alter or make Corporations without the Kings consent 2. But besides these two sorts of Divine institution there are other allowable associations which some call Churches God hath required these particular Churches to hold such Communion as they are capable of for promoting the common Ends of Christianity And Prudence is left to determine of the Times and Places and manner of their Pastors Assemblies Councils and Correspondencies according to Gods general Rules If any will call these Councils or the Associations engaged for special correspondencies by the name of Churches I will not trouble any with a strife about the Name In this case so far as men have power to make that Association or Combination which they call a Church so also if they make Officers suited to its ends not encroaching upon the Churches or Officers of Christs own institution I am none of those that will contend against them Nor will this allow us to deny Communion with them 3. And in those Churches which Christ himself hath instituted there are Officers that make but for the Integrity and not for the Political Essence of the Church As Deacons and all Pastors or Presbyters more than One. For it is not essential to it to have any Deacons or many Pastors As to this sort of Officers Christ hath appointed them and it is not in mans power to alter his institution nor to set up any such like in co-ordination with these But yet if they should do so as long as the true Essentials of the Church remain I am not to deny communion with that Church so I own not this corruption 4. But there are also as circumstantial employments about Gods Worship so Officers to do those employments which men may lawfully institute As Clerks Church-wardens Door-keepers Ringers c. It is not the adding of these that is any sin By this time you may see plainly both how far Churches Officers and Church-Government is jure Divino and how far man may or may not add or alter and what I meant in my Proposition viz. That if men introduce a new Universal Head to the Church Catholick or a new Head to particular Churches instead of that of Christs institution this is in sensu Politico to make new species of Churches and destroy those that Christ hath instituted for the pars gubernans and pars gubernata are the essential Constituents of a Church And with such a Church as such in specie I must have no communion which is our case with the Papal Church though with the Material parts of that Church as members of Christ I may hold communion still § 30. 5. If particular members are guilty of obstinate impenitency in true Heresie or ungodliness or any scandalous crime the Church may and must remove such from her communion For it is the Communion of Saints And the offender is the Cause of this separation § 31. 6. If a whole Church be guilty of some notorious scandalous sin and refuse with obstinacy But not denying her to be a Church unless she cast off some essential part But so disowning her as in a Thess. 3. to Repent and Reform when admonished by neighbour Churches or if that Church do thus defend such a sin in any of her members so as openly to own it other Churches may refuse communion with her till she Repent and be Reformed Or if they see cause to hold communion with her in other respects yet in this they must have none § 32. 7. If any Church will admit none to her personal Communion but those that will take some false Oath or subscribe any untruth or tell a lye though that Church do think it to be true as the Trent Oath which their Priests all swear it is not lawful to do any such unlawful thing to obtain Where any Church retaining the purity of doctrine doth require the ownâ—ng of and conforming to any unlawful or suspected practice men may lawfully deny conformity to and communion with that Church in such things without incurring the guilt of Shism Mr. Stilliâ—â—fleet Ireâ—ic p. 11â— communion with that Church And he that refuseth in this case to commit this sin is no way guilty of the separation but is commendable for being true to God And though the case may be sad to be deprived of the liberty of publick Worship and the benefits of publick communion with that Church yet sin is worse and * 1 Sam. 15. 22. Prov. 15. 8. obedience is better than Sacrifice God will not be served with sin nor accept the Sacrifice of a disobedient fool Eccles. 5. 1 2. Nor must we lye to glorifie him nor do evil that good may come by it Just is the damnation of such servers of God Rom. 1. 7 8. All publick Worship is rather to be omitted than any one sin committed to enjoy it Though neither should be done where it is possible to do better It is not so unwise to think to feed a man with Poysons as to think to serve God acceptably by sin § 33. 8. If any one Church would ambitiously Usurp a Governing power over others as Rome doth over the world it is no unwarrantable separation to refuse the Government of that Usurping Church We may hold communion with them as Christians and yet refuse to be their subjects And therefore it is a proud and ignorant complaint of the Church of Rome that the Protestants separate from them as to Communion because they will not take them for their Governours § 34. 9. If any by violence will banish or cast out the true Bishops or Pastors of the Church and set up Usurpers in their stead as in the Arrians persecution it was commonly done it is no culpable separation but laudable and a duty for the people to own their Relation to their true Pastors and deny communion with the Usurpers as the people of the Eastern Churches did commonly refuse communion with the intruding Bishops even to the Death telling the Civil Rulers that they had Bishops of their own to whom they would adhere § 35. 10 If a true Church will obstinately deny her members the use of any one Ordinance of God as Preaching or Reading Scripture or Prayer or Praise or Discipline while it retaineth all the rest though we may not separate from this Church as no Church which yet in the case of total rejection of Prayer or Praise is very questionable at least yet if we have opportunity we must remove our local communion
expectat cuique ad resipiscendum non ista sufficiunt infatuatum se juxta Domini sententiam nullo unquam sale saliri posse demonstrat I will not English it lest those take encouragement by it who are bent to the other extream 7. Yet it will be a great offence if any censorious self-conceited person shall on this pretence set up his judgement of mens parts to the contempt of Authority or to the vilifying of worthy men and especially if he thereby make a stir and Schism in the Church instead of seeking his own edification 8. Yea if a Minister be weaker yea and colder and worse than another yet if his Ministry be competently fitted to edification he that cannot leave him and go to a better without apparent hurt to the Church and the souls of others by division or exasperating Rulers or breaking family ☜ order or violating Relation duties must take himself to be at present denyed the greater helps that others have and may trust God in the use of those weaker means to accept and bless him because he is in the station where he hath set him This case therefore must be Resolved by a prudent comparing of the Good or Hurt which is like to follow and of the accidents or circumstances whence that must be discerned Quest. 10. What if the Magistrate command the people to receive one Pastor and the Bishops or Ordainers another which of them must be obeyed 1. THe Magistrate and not the Bishop or people unless under him hath the power and disposal See more of this after of the Circumstantials or Accidents of the Church I mean of the Temple the Pulpit the Tythes c. And he is to determine what Ministers are fit either for his own Countenance or Toleration and what not In these therefore he is to be obeyed before the Bishops or others 2. If a Pope or Prelate of a foreign Church or any that hath no lawful Jurisdiction or Government over the Church that wanteth a Pastor shall command them to receive one their command is null and to be contemned 3. Neither Magistrate nor Bishop as is said may deny the Church or people any Liberty which God in Nature or Christ in the Gospel hath setled on them as to the Reception of their proper Pastors 4. No Bishop but only the Magistrate can compell by the Sword the obedience of his commands 5. If one of them command the reception of a worthy person and the other of an intolerable one the former must prevail because of obedience to Christ and care of our souls 6. But if the persons be equal or both fit the Magistrate is to be obeyed if he be peremptory in his commands and decide the case in order to the peace or protection of the Church both because it is a lawful thing and because else he will permit no other 7. And the rather because the Magistrates Power is more past controversie than Whether any Bishop Pastor or Synod can any further than by counsel and perswasion oblige the People to receive a Pastor Quest. 11. Whether an uninterrupted Succession either of right Ordination or of Conveyance by Iurisdiction be necessary to the Being of the Ministry or of a true Church THe Papists have hitherto insisted on the necessity of successive right Ordination But Voâ—tius de desperata Causa Papatus hath in this so handled them and confuted Iansenius as hath indeed shewed the desperateness of that Cause And they perceive that the Papacy it self cannot be upheld by that way and therefore Iohnson alias Terret in his Rejoynder against me now concludeth that it is not for want of a successive Consecration that they condemn the Church of England but for want of true Iurisdiction because other Bishops had title to the places whilest they were put in And that successive Consecration which we take to include Ordination is not necessary to the being of Ministry or Church And it is most certain to any man acquainted in Church History that their Popes have had a succession of neither Their way of Election hath been frequently changed sometimes being by the people sometimes by the Clergy sometimes by the Emperours and lastly by the Cardinals alone Ordination they have sometime wanted and a Lay-man been chosen And oft the Ordination hath been by such as had no power according to their own Laws And frequent intercisions have been made sometime by many years vacancy when they had no Church and so there was none on Earth if the Pope be the Constitutive Head for want of a Pope sometime by long Schisms when of two or three Popes no one could be known to have more right than the other nor did they otherwise carry it than by power at last Sometimes by the utter incapacity of the possessors some being Lay-men some Hereticks and Infidels so judged by Councils at Rome Constance Basil and Eugenius the fourth continued after he was so censured and condemned and deposed by the General Council I have proved all this at large elsewhere And he that will not be cheated with a bare sound of words but will ask them whether by a succession of Iurisdiction they mean Efficient Conveying Iurisdiction in the Causers of his Call or Received Iurisdiction in the Office received will find that they do but hide their desperate Cause in Confusion and an insignificant noise For they maintain that none on earth have an Efficient Iurisdiction in making Popes For the former Pope doth not make his successor And both Electors Ordainers and Consecrators yea and the people Receiving they hold to be subjects of the Pope when made and therefore make him not by Jurisdiction giving him the power Therefore Iohnson tells me that Christ only and not man doth give the power and they must needs hold that men have nothing to do but design the person Recipient by Election and Reception and to Invest him ceremonially in the possession So that no Efficient Iurisdiction is here used at all by man And for Received Iurisdiction 1. No one questioneth but when that Office is received which is Essentially Governing he that receiveth it receiveth a Governing power or else he did not receive the Office If the question be only whether the Office of a Bishop be an Office of Iurisdiction or contain essentially a Governing power they make no question of this themselves So that the noise of Successive Jurisdiction is vanished into nothing 2. And with them that deny any Jurisdiction to belong to Presbyters this will be nothing as to their case who have nothing but Orders to receive They have nothing of sense left them to say but this That though the Efficient Iurisdiction which maketh Popes be only in Christ because no men are their Superiours yet Bishops and Presbyters who have Superiours cannot receive their power but by an Efficient Power of man which must come down by uninterrupted succession Answ. 1. And so if ever the Papal Office have an
intercision as I have proved it hath had as to lawful Popes the whole Catholick Church is nullified and it is impossible to give it a new being but by a new Pope But the best is that by their Doctrine indeed they need not to plead for an uninterrupted succession either of Popes Bishops or Presbyters but that they think it a useful cheat to perplex all that are not their subjects For if the Papacy were extinct an hundred years Christ is still alive And seeing it is no matter ad esse who be the Electors or Consecrators so it be but made known conveniently to the people and Men only Elect and Receive the person and Christ only giveth the power by his stated Law what hindereth after the longest extinction or intercision but that some body or some sort of persons may choose a Pope again and so Christ make him Pope And thus the Catholick Church may dye and live again by a new Creation many times over And when the Pope hath a Resurrection after the longest intercision so may all the Bishops and Priests in the world because a new Pope can make new Bishops and new Bishops can make new Priests And where then is there any shew of necessity of an uninterrupted succession of any of them All that will follow is that the particular Churches dye till a Resurrection And so doth the whole Church on earth every time the Pope dyeth till another be made if he be the Constitutive Head 2. But as they say that Christ only Efficiently giveth the Power to the Pope so say we to the Bishops or Pastors of the Church For there is no act of Christs Collation to be proved but the Scripture Law or Grant And if that standing Law give Power to the Pope when men have but designed the Person the same Law will do the same to Bishops or Pastors For it establisheth their Office in the same sort Or rather in truth there is no word that giveth power to any such Officer as an Universal Head or Pope but the Law for the Pastoral Office is uncontrovertible And what the Spanish Bishops at Trent thought of the Divine Right of the Bishops Office I need not mention I shall therefore thus truly resolve the question 1. In all Ordinations and Elections man doth but first choose the Recipient person 2. And Ceremoniously and Ministerially Invest him in the Possession when God hath given him the power But the efficient Collation or Grant of the Power is done only by Christ by the Instrumentality of his Law or Institution As when the King by a Charter saith Whoever the City shall choose shall be their Mayor and have such and such power and be Invested in it by the Recorder or Steward Here the person elected receiveth all his Power from the King by his Charter which is a standing Efficient conveying it to the Capable Chosen person and not from the Choosers or Recorder only the last is as a servant to deliver possession So is it in this case 2. The regular way of entrance appointed by Christ to make a person capable is the said Election and Ordination And for order sake where that may be had the unordained are not to be received as Pastors 3. If any get Possession by false pretended Ordination or Mission and be Received by the Church I have before told you that he is a Pastor as to the Churches use and benefit though not to his own And so the Church is not extinct by every fraudulent usurpation or mistake and so not by want of a true Ordination or Mission 4. If the way of regular Ordination fail God may otherwise by the Churches necessity and the notorious aptitude of the person notifie his will to the Church what person they shall receive As if a Lay-man were cast on the Indian shoar and converted thousands who could have no Ordination And upon the peoples Reception or Consent that man will be a true Pastor And seeing the Papists in the conclusion as Iohnson ubi supra are fain to cast all their cause on the Churches Reception of the Pope they cannot deny reasonably but ad esse the Churches reception may serve also for another Officer And indeed much better than for a Pope For 1. The Universal Church is so great that no man can know when the Greater part Receiveth him and when not except in some notorious declarations 2. And it is now known that the far greater part of the Universal Church the Greeks Armenians Abassines Copties Protestants c. do not receive the Roman Head 3. And when one part of Europe received one Pope and another part another Pope for above fourty years together who could tell which of the parties was to be accounted the Church It was not then known nor it is not known yet to this day And no Papist can prove it who affirmeth it As a Church e. g. Constantinople may be gathered or oriri de novo where there is none before so may it be restored where it is extinct And possibly a Lay-man as Frumentius and Edesiâ—s in the Indies may be the instrument of mens conversion And if so they may by consent become their Pastors when regular Ordination cannot be had I have said more of this in my Disputations of Church-Government Disp. 2. The truth is this pretence of a Necessity of uninterrupted successive Ordination Mission or Jurisdictional Collation ad esse to the being of Ministry or Church is but a cheat of men that have an interest of their own which requireth such a plea when they may easily know that it would overthrow themselves Quest. 12. Whether there be or ever was such a thing in the world as one Catholick Church Constituted by any Head besides or under Christ THe greatest and first controversie between us and the Papists is not What man or Politick person is the Head of the whole Visible Church But Whether there be any such Head at all eiPersonal or Collective Monarchical Aristocratical or Democratical under Christ of his appointment or allowance Or any such thing as a Catholick Church so Headed or Constituted Which they affirm and we deny That neither Pope nor General Council is such a Head I have proved so fully in my Key for Catholicks and other Books that I will not here stay to make repetition of it That the Pope is no such Head we may take for granted 1. Because they bring no proof of it whatever they vainly pretendâ—â— 2. Because our Divines have copiously disproved it to whom I refer you 3. Because the Universal Church never received such a Head as I have proved against Iohnson 4. And whether it be the Pope their Bishop of Calcedon ubi sup Sancta Clara System â—id say is not de fide That a Council is no such Head I have largely proved as aforesaid Part 2. Key for Cath. And 1. The use of it being but for Concord proveth it 2. Most Papists confess it
was not And so I answer 1. He that seemed Ordained and indeed was not is not Re-ordained when he is after Ordained 2. It is needful therefore to know the Essentials of Ordination from the Integrals and Accidentals 3. He that was truly Ordained before may in some cases receive again the Repetition of the bare words and outward Ceremonies of Ordination as Imposition of hands Where I will 1. Tell you in what Cases 2. Why. 1. In case there wanted sufficient witnesses of his Ordination and so the Church hath not sufficient means of notice or satisfaction that ever he was ordained indeed Or if the witnesses die before the notification Whether the Church should take his word or not in such a case is none of my question but Whether he should submit to the Repetition if they will not 2. Especially in a time and place which I have known when written and sealed Orders are often counterfeited and so the Church called to extraordinary care 3. Or if the Church or Magistrate be guilty of some causeless culpable incredulity and will not believe it was done till they see it done again 4. Or in case that some real or supposed Integral though not essential part was omitted or is by the Church or Magistrate supposed to be omitted And they will not permit or receive the Minister to exercise his office unless he repeat the whole Action again and make up that defect 5. Or if the person himself do think that his ordination was insufficient and cannot exercise his Ministry to the satisfaction of his own Conscience till the defect be repaired 1. In these cases and perhaps such others the outward Action may be repeated 2. The Reasons are 1. Because this is not a being twice ordained For the word Ordination signifieth a Moral action and not a Physical only As the word Marriage doth c. And it essentially includeth the new Dedication and Designation to the Sacred office by a kind of Covenant between the Dedicated person and Christ to whom he is consecrated and devoted And the external words are but a part and a part only as significant of the action of the mind Now the oft expressing of the same mental dedication doth not make it to be as many distinct dedications For 1. If the Liturgy or the persons words were tautological or at the Ordination should say the same thing often over and over or for confirmation should say often that which else might be said but once this doth not make it an often or multiplyed Ordination It was but one Love which Peter expressed when Christ made him say thrice that he Loved him nor was it a threefold Ordination which Christ used when he said thrice to him Feed my Lambs and Sheep 2. And if thrice saying it that hour make it not three Ordinations neither will thrice saying it at more hours dayes or months or years distance in some Cases For the Time maketh not the Ordinations to be many It is but one Moral Action But the common errour ariseth from the custom of calling the outward action alone by the name of the whole moral Action which is ordinarily done to the like deceit in the case of the Baptismal Covenant and the Lords Supper 3. The common judgement and custome of the World confirmeth what I say If persons that are marryed should for want of witness or due solemnity be forced to say and do the outward action all over again it is by no wise man taken in the proper moral full sense for a second Marriage but for one marriage twice uttered And if you should in witness bearing be put to your Oath and the Magistrate that was absent should say Reach him the Book again I did not hear him swear The doing it twice is not Morally two witnessings noâ— Oaths but one only twice Physically uttered If you Bind your Son Apprentice or if you make any Indentures or Contract and the Writings being lost or faulty you write and sign and seal them all again this is not morally another Contract but the same done better or again recorded And so it is plainly in this case 4. But Re-ordination morally and properly so called is unlawful For 1. It is or implyeth a lyâ— viz. that we were not truly Dedicated and Separated to this office before 2. It is a Sacrilegious renunciation of our former dedication to God whereas the Ministerial dedication and Covenant is for Life and not for a tryal which is the meaning of the Indelible Character which is a perpetual Relation and obligation 3. It is a taking the Name of God in vain thus to do and undoe and do again and to promise and renounce and promise again and to pretend to receive a power which we had before 4. It tendeth to great confusions in the Church As to make the people doubt of their Baptism or all the Ministerial Administrations of such as are re-ordained while they acted by the first Ordination 5. It hath ever been condemned in the Churches of Christ as the Canons called the Apostles and the Churches constant practice testifie 5. Though the bare Repetition of the outward Action and words be not Re-ordination yet he that on any of the forementioned occasions is put to repeat the said words and actions is obliged so to do it as that it may not seem to be a Re-ordination and so be a scandal to the Church Or if it outwardly seem so by the action he is bound to declare that it is no such thing for the counterpoising that appearance of evil 6. When the Ordainers or the common estimation of the Church do take the Repetition of the words and Action for a Re-ordination though the Receiver so intend it not yet it may become unlawful to him by this accident because he scandalizeth and hardeneth the erroneous by doing or receiving that which is Interpretative Re-ordination 7. Especially when the Ordainers shall require this Repetition on notoriously wicked grounds and so put that sense on the action by their own doctrines and demands As for instance 1. If Hereticks should as the Arrians say that we are no Ministers because we are not of their Heresie or Ordained by such as they 2. If the Pope or any proud Papal Usurpers shall say You are no Ministers of Christ except we ordain you And so do it to establish a trayterous usurped Regiment in the Church It is not lawful to serve such an usurpation As if Cardinals or Arch-bishops should say none are true Ministers but those that we Ordain Or Councils or Synods of Bishops or Presbyters should say None are true Ministers but those that we Ordain Or if one Presbyter or one Bishop without Authority would thus make himself master of the rest or of other Churches and say You are no Ministers unless I Ordain you we may not promote such Tyranny and Usurpation 3. If Magistrates would usurp the power of the Keys in Ecclesiastical Ordination and say that
There are two things more in question 1. His Office whether he be a Minister 2. His Regularity whether he came Regularly to it and also his Comparative relation whether this man or another is to be preferred I answer therefore 1. If the person be utterly uncapable the one Bishop or the many whosoever taketh him for uncapable is for the Truth sake to be believed and obeyed 2. If the man be excellently qualified and his Ministry greatly Necessary to the Church whoever would deprive the Church of him be it the One or the Many is to be disobeyed and the ordainers preserred Obj. But who shall judge Answ. The Esse is before the Scire The thing is first True or false before I judge it to be so And therefore whoever judgeth falsly in a case so notorious and weighty as that the welfare of the Church and souls is consideratis considerandis injured and hazarded by his errour is not be believed nor obeyed on pretence of order Because all Christians have judicium discretionis a discerning judgement 3. But if the case be not thus to be determined by the persons notorious qualifications then either it is 1. The man ordained 2. Or the People that the case is debated by whether they should take him for a Minister 3. Or the neighbour Ministers 1. The person himself is caeteris paribus more to regard the judgement of many concordant Bishops than of one singular Bishop And therefore is not to take orders from a singular Bishop when the Generality of the wise and faithful are against it unless he be sure that it is some notorious faction or errour that perverteth them and that there be notorious necessity of his labour 2. The Auditors are either Infidels to be converted and these will take no man upon any of their Authorities or else Christians converted These are either of the particular charge of the singular Bishop who ordaineth or not If they be then pro tempore for orders sake they owe him a peculiar obedience till some further process or discovery disoblige them Though the most be on the other side But yet they may be still bound in Reason most to suspect the Judgement of their singular Bishop while for orders sake they submit to it But if they are not of his flock then I suppose the Judgement and Act of many is to prevail so much against the Act of a single and singular person as that both neighbour Ministers and people are to disown such an ordained person as unfit for their Communion under the notion of a Minister Because Communion of Churches is maintained by the Concord of Pastors But whether the ordained mans Ministry be by their contradictory declaration Eph. 4. 3. 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 14 17 19. or degradation made an absolute nullity to himself and those that submit to him neither I will determine nor should any other Strangers to the particular case For if he be rejected or degraded without such cause and proof as may satisfie other sober persons he hath wrong But if he be so 1 Cor. 14. 33. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. degraded on proved sufficient cause to them that it is known to it giveth the degraders the advantage And as 1. All particular members are to be obedient to their proper Pastor Phil. 2. 1 2 3. Eph. 4. 15 16. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 2. And all particular Churches are to hold correspondency and communion according to their capacity so must men act in this and such like cases respectively according to the Laws of Obedience to their Pastor and of Concord of the Churches Quest. 24. Hath one Bishop power by Divine right to Ordain Degrade or Govern or Excommunicate or Absolve in anothers Diocess or Church either by his consent or against it And doth a Minister that officiateth in anothers Church act as a Pastor and their Pastor or as a private man And doth the Ministerial office cease when a man removeth from his flock I Thrust these questions all together for their affinity and for brevity 1. Every true Minister of Christ Bishop or Pastor is related to the universal Church by stronger obligations than to his particular charge As the whole is better than the parts and its wellfare to be preferred 2. He that is no Pastor of a particular Church may be a Pastor in the universal obliged as a consecrated person to endeavour its good by the works of his office as he hath particular opportunity and call 3. Yet he that hath a particular charge is specially and neerlyer related and obliged to that charge or Church than to any other part of the universal though not then to the whole And consequently hath a peculiar Authority where he hath a peculiar obligation and work 4. He that is without degrading removed from a particular Church doth not cease to be a General Minister and Pastor related to the Universal Church As a Physicion put out of a Hospital charge is a Physicion still And therefore he needeth no new ordination but only a special Designation to his next particular charge 5. No man is the Bishop of a Diocess as to the measure of ground or the place by divine right that is by any particular Law or determination of God But only a Bishop of the Church or people For your office essentially containeth a Relation to the People but Accidentally only to the Place 6. Yet natural Convenience and Gods General Laws of Order and Edification do make it usually but not alwayes best and therefore a duty to distinguish Churches by the peoples habitation Not taking a man for a Member eo nomine because he liveth on that ground But for order sake taking none for members that live not on that ground and not intruding causelesly into each others bounds 7. He that by the Call or Consent of a Neighbour Pastor and people doth officiate by Preaching Sacraments Excommunication or Absolution in anothers special charge for a day or week or month or more without a fixed relation to that flock doth neither officiate as a Lay-man nor yet unlawfully or irregularly But 1. As a Minister of Christ in the Church Universal 2. And as the Pastor of that Church for the present time only though not statedly Even as a Physicion called to help another in his Hospital or to supply his place for the time doth perform his work 1. As a Licensed Physicion 2. And as the Physicion of that patient or Hospital for that time though not statedly 8. No man is to intrude into anothers Charge without a Call Much less to claim a particular stated Oversight and Authority For though he be not an Usurper as to the Office in General he is an Usurper as to that particular flock It is no error in Ordination to say Take thou authority to preach the Word of God and administer the holy Sacraments when thou shalt be thereto lawfully called that is when thou hast a particular call to the
Disciple to some other Pastor 1. THat Timothy was still Pauls Son in point of Learning and his Disciple and so that under Apostles the same persons might be stated in both relations at once seemeth evident in Scripture 2. But the same that is a Pastor is not at once a meer Lay-man 3. That men in the same Office may so differ in Age Experience and degrees of knowledge as that young Pastors may and often ought many years to continue not only in occasional reception of their help but also in an ordinary stated way of receiving it and so be Related to them as their ordinary Teachers by such gradual advantages is past all doubt And that all Juniors and Novices owe a certain reverence and audience and some obedience to the elder and wiser 4. But this is not to be a Disciple to him as in lower Order or Office but as of lower Gifts and Grace 5. It is lawful and very good for the Church that some Ordained persons continue long as Pupils to their Tutors in Schools or Academies e. g. to learn the holy Languages if they have them not c. But this is a relation left to voluntary Contractors 6. In the antient Churches the particular Churches had one Bishop and some Presbyters and Deacons usually of much lower parts who lived all together single or chaste in the Bishops or Church-house which was as a Colledge where he daily edified them by Doctrine and Example 7. The Controversie about different Orders by Divine Institution belongeth not to me here to meddle with But as to the Natural and Acquired Imparity of age and gifts and the unspeakable benefit to the Juniors and the Churches that it is desirable that there were such a way of their education and edification I take to be discernable to any that is impartial and judicious Ambrose was at once a Teacher and a Learner Beda Eccl. Hist. mentioneth one in England that was at once a Pastor and a Disciple And in Scotland some that became Bishops were still to be under the Government of the Abbot of their Monasteries according to their first devotion though the Abbot was but a Presbyter 8. Whether a setled private Church-member may not at once continue his very formal Relation to the Pastor of that Church and yet be of the same Order with him in another Church as their Pastor at the same time As he may in case of necessity continue his Apprentiship or civil service is a case that I will not determine But he that denyeth it must prove his opinion or affirmation of its unlawfulness by sufficient evidence from Scripure or Nature which is hard Quest. 31. Who hath the power of making Church Canons THis is sufficiently resolved before 1. The Magistrate only hath the power of making such Canons or Laws for Church matters as shall be enforced by the Sword 2. Every Pastor hath power to make Canons for his own Congregation that is to determine what hour and at what place they shall meet what Translation of Scripture or Version of Psalms shall be used in his Church what Chapter shall be read what Psalm shall be sung c. Except the Magistrate contradict him and determine it otherwise in such points as are not proper to the Ministerial Office 3. Councils or Assemblies of Pastors have the power of making such Canons for many Churches as shall be Laws to the people and Agreements to themselves 4. None have power to make Church Laws or Canons about any thing save 1. To put Gods own Laws in execution 2. To determine to that end of such Circumstances as God hath left undetermined in his Word 5. Canon-making under pretence of Order and Concord hath done a great deal of mischief to the Churches whilest Clergy men have grown up from Agreements to Tyrannical Usurpations and Impositions and from Concord about needful Accidents of Worship to frame new Worship Ordinances and to force them on all others but especially 1. By encroaching on the power of Kings and telling them that they are bound in Conscience to put all their Canons into execution by force 2. And by laying the Union of the Churches and the Communion of Christians upon things needless and doubtful yea and at last on many sinful things whereby the Churches have been most effectually divided and the Christian world set together by the Ears and Schisms yea and Wars have been raised And these maladies cannot possibly be healed till the tormenting tearing Engines be broken and cast away and the Voluminous Canons of numerous Councils which themselves also are matter of undeterminable Controversie be turned into the primitive simplicity and a few necessary things made the terms of Concord Doubtless if every Pastor were left wholly to himself for the ordering of Worship Circumstances and Accidents in his own Church without any Common Canons save the Scriptures and the Laws of the Land there would have been much less division than that is which these numerous Canons of all the Councils obtruded on the Church have made Quest. 32. Doth Baptism as such enter the Baptized into the Universal Church or into a particular Church or both And is Baptism the Particular-Church Covenant as such Answ. 1. BAptism as such doth enter us into the Universal Church and into it alone and is no particular Church-Covenant but the solemnizing of the great Christian Covenant of Grace between God and a believer and his seed For 1. There is not essentially any mention of a particular Church in it 2. A man may be baptized by a general unfixed Minister who is not the Pastor of any particular Church And he may be baptized in solitude where there is no particular Church The Eunuch Mat. 28 19 20. Act. 8. was not baptized into any particular Church 3. Baptism doth but make us Christians But a man may be a Christian who is no member of any particular Church 4. Otherwise Baptism should oblige us necessarily to a man and be a Covenant between the Baptized and the Pastor and Church into which he is baptized But it is only our Covenant with Christ. 5. We may frequently change our particular Church relation without being baptized again But we never change our relation to the Church which we are baptized into unless by Apostasie 2. Yet the same person at the same time that he is baptized may be entred into the universal Church and into a particular And ordinarily it ought to be so where it can be had 3. And the Covenant which we make in baptism with Christ doth oblige us to obey him and consequently to use his instituted means and so to hear his Ministers and hold due Communion with his Churches 4. But this doth no more enter us into a particular Church than into a particular family For we as well oblige our selves to obey him in family relations as in Church relations 5. When the baptized therefore is at once entered into the universal and particular
Church 11. Though the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be appointed for the renewing of our Covenant at age yet is it not the first owning of the Covenant by the aged For that Sacrament belongeth neither to Infants nor Infidels And he that claimeth it must be an adult Church-member or Christian which those are not who at full age no way ever owned their baptismal Covenant nor made any personal profession of Christianity But of this I have written purposely in a Treatise of Confirmation long ago Quest. 52. Whether the Universal Church consist only of particular Churches and their members Answ. NO Particular Churches are the most Regular and noble parts of the Universal Church but not the whole no more than Cities and Corporations be all the Kingdom 1. Some may be as the Eunuch baptized before they can come to any particular Church or as Acts 8. 37 c. Acts 9. 17 18 19 20 26 27 28. Paul before they can be received 2. Some may live where Church-tyranny hindereth them by sinful impositions As all that live among the Papists 3. Some may live in times of doubting distraction and confusion and not know what Church ordinarily to joyn with and may providently go promiscuously to many and keep in an unfixed state for a time 4. Some may be Wives Children or Servants who may be violently hindered 5. Some may live where no particular Churches are As Merchants and Embassadours among Mâ—hometans and Heathens Quest. 53. Must the Pastor first Call the Church and aggregate them to himself or the Church first Congregate themselves and then choose the Pastor Answ. THe Pastors are in order of Nature if not in time first Ministers of Christ in general before they are related to a particular Charge 2. As such Ministers they first make men fit to be congregate and tell them their duty therein 3. But it is a matter variable and indifferent Whether the Minister first say All that will joyn with me and submit to me as their Pastor shall be my particular Charge Or the people before Congregated do call a man to be their Pastor Quest. 54. Wherein doth a particular Church of Christs institution differ from a Consociation of many Churches Answ. 1. IN that such a particular Church is a company of Christians associated for personal immediate Acts 2. 1 24 44 46. 4. 32. 5. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 1 Cor. 14. 19 23 24 28 35. Acts 14. 23. Titus 1. 5. Acts 11. 26. James 2. â— Communion in Gods worship and in holy living Whereas Consociations of Churches are combined for mediate distinct Communion or by Delegates or Representatives as in Synods 2. Such a particular Church is constituted of one or more Pastors with the people officiating in the Sacred Ministry among them in Doctrine Worship and Discipline in order to the said personal Communion But a Consociation of Churches hath no particular Head as such of divine institution to Constitute and Govern them as one In Ignatius's time every particular Church was characterized or known by two marks of Unity 1. One Altar that is one place of assembling for holy communion 2. One Bishop with the Presbyters and Deacons And two Altars and two Bishops proved two Churches 3. A particular Church under one Bishop or the some Pastors is a Political holy Society But a combination of many Churches consociate is not so but only 1. Either a Community agreeing to live in Concord as neighbour Kingdoms may 2. Or else a humane Policy or Society and not of Divine immediate institution So that if this Consociation of Churches be called a Church it must be either equivocally or in a humane sense Quest. 55. Whether a particular Church may consist of more Assemblies than one Or must needs meet all in one place Answ. 1. THe true distinguishing note of a particular Church is that They be associated for holy Communion in Worship and holy living not by Delegates nor distâ—ntly only by owning the same faith and loving one another as we may do with those at the Antipodes but Personally in presence 2. Therefore they must necessarily be so near as to be capable of personal present Communion 1 Cor. 14. 19 23. Acts 11. 26 c. as before cited 3. And it is most convenient that they be no more than can ordinarily meet in the same Assembly at least for Sacramental Communion 4. But yet they may meet in many places or Assemblies as Chappels or Oratories or other subordinate meetings which are appointed to supply the necessity of the weak and aged and them that cannot travail far And in times of persecution when the Church dare not all meet in one place they may make up several smaller meetings under several Pastors of the same Church But they should come all together as oft as they can 5. And it is to be considered that all the persons of a family can seldome go to the Assembly at one time especially when they live far off Therefore if a Church-place would receive but ten thousand yet twenty thousand might be members while half meet one day and half another or another part of the day 6. Two Congregations distinctly associated for personal Worship under distinct Pastors or having statedly as Ignatius speaketh two Bishops and two Altars are two particular Churches and can no otherwise be one Church than â—s that may be called One which is a Consoâ—iation of divers Quest. 56. Is any Form of Church Government of Divine Institution Answ. YEa There are two Essentially different Policies or Forms of Church Government of Christs Eph. 1 22. 23. 5. 25 26 c. 4. 4 5 6 16. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Cor. 14. Acts 14. 23. Titus 1 5. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 1 Tim 3 3 4 6. 1 Pet 5. 1 2 3. Acts 20 28. Phil. 1. 1 2. own Institution never to be altered by man 1. The form of the Universal Church as headed by Christ himself which all Christians own as they are Christians in their Baptism 2. Particular Churches which are headed by their particular Bishops or Pastors and are parts of the Universal as a Troop is of an Army or a City of a Kingdom Here it is of Divine Institution 1. That there be holy Assemblies for the Publick Worship of God 2. That these Assemblies be Societies constituted of the people with their Pastors who are to them as Captains to their Troops under the General or as Mayors to Cities under the King 3. That these Pastors have the power of the Keyes or the special Guidance and Governance by the Word not by the Sword of their own particular charge in the matters of Faith Worship and holy living and that the flocks obey them And when all this is Iure divino why should any say that No form of Government is jure divino 3. Moreover it is of Divine appointment that these Churches hold the nearest Concord and help each other
than to have no publick helps and Worship Quest. 150. Is it lawful to read the Apocrypha or any good Books besides the Scriptures to the Church as Homilies c. Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to Read them as Gods Word or to pretend them to be the Holy Scriptures for that is a falshood and an addition to Gods Word 2. It is not lawful to read them scandalously in a title and manner tending to draw the people to believe that they are Gods Word or without a sufficient distinguishing of them from the holy Scriptures 3. If any one of the Apocryphal books as Iudith Tobit Bell and the Dragon c. be as fabulous false and bad as our Protestant Writers Reignoldus Amesius Whitakers Chamier and abundance more affirm them to be it is not lawful ordinarily to Read them in that honourable way as Chapters called Lessons are usually read in the assemblies Nor is it lawful so to Read heretical fabulous or erroneous books But it is lawful to Read publickly Apocryphal and humane Writings Homilies or edifying Sermons on these conditions following 1. So be it they be indeed sound doctrine holy and fitted to the peoples edification 2. So be it they be not read scandalously without sufficient differencing them from Gods Book 3. So they be not Read to exclude or hinder the Reading of the Scriptures or any other necessary Church-duty 4. So they be not Read to keep up an ignorant lazy Ministry that can or will do no better nor to exercise the Ministers sloth and hinder him from preaching 5. And specially if Authority command it and the Churches Agreement require it as a signification what doctrine it is which they profess 6. Or if the Churches Necessities require it As if they have no Minister or no one that can do so much to their Edification any other way 7. Therefore the use of Catechisms is confessed lawful in the Church by almost all Quest. 151. May Church Assemblies be held where there is no Minister Or what publick Worship may be so performed by Lay-men As among Infidels or Papists where Persecution hath killed imprisoned or expelled the Ministers Answ. 1. SUch an Assembly as hath no Pastor or Minister of Christ is not a Church in a political sense as the word signifieth a Society consisting of Pastor and flock But it may be a Church in a larger sense as the word signifieth only a Community or Association of private Christians for mutual help in holy things 2. Such an Assembly ought on the Lords dayes and at other fit times to meet together for mutual help and the publick worshipping of God as they may rather than not to meet at all 3. In those meetings they may do all that followeth 1. They may pray together a Lay-man being ☞ the Speaker 2. They may sing Psalms 3. They may Read the Scriptures 4. They may read some holy edifying Writings of Divines or repeat some Ministers Sermons 4. Some that are ablest may speak to the instruction and exhortation of the rest as a Master may do in his family or neighbours to stir up Gods graces in each other as was opened before 5. And some such may Catechize the younger and more ignorant 6. They may by mutual Conference open their cases to each other and communicate what knowledge or experience they have to the praise of God and each others edification 7. They may make a solemn profession of their Faith Covenant and Subjection to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And all this is better than nothing at all But 1. None of them may do any of this as a Pastor Ruler Priest or Office-Teacher of the Church 2. Nor may they Baptize 3. Nor administer the Lords Supper 4. Nor excommunicate by sentence but only executively agree to avoid the notoriously impenitent 5. Nor Absolve Ministerially or as by authority nor exercise any of the power of the Keyes that is of Government 6. And they must do their best to get a Pastor as soon as they are able Quest. 152. Is it lawful to subscribe or profess full Assent and Consent to any Religious Books besides the Scripture seeing all are fallible Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to profess or subscribe that any Book is truer or better than it is or that there is no fault in any that is faulty or to profess that we believe any mortal man to be totally Infallible in all that he shall write or say or impeccable in all that he shall do 2. Because all men are fallible and so are we in judging it is not lawful to say of any large and dubious Books in which we know no fault that there is no fault or error in them we being uncertain and it being usual for the best men even in their best writings prayers or works to be faulty as the consequent or effect of our common culpable imperfection But we may say That we know no fault or error in it if indeed we do not know of any 3. It is lawful to profess or subscribe our Assent and Consent to any humane Writing which we judge to be True and Good according to the measure of its Truth and Goodness As if Church-Confessions that are found be offered us for our Consent we may say or subscribe I hold all the Doctrine in this Book to be true and good And by so doing I do not assert the Infallibility of the Authors but only the Verity of the Writing I do not say that He cannot err or that he never erreth but that he erreth not in this as far as I am able to discern Quest. 153. May we lawfully swear Obedience in all things Lawful and honest either to Usurpers or to our lawful Pastors Answ. 1. IF the question were of Imposing such Oaths I would say that it was many a hundred years before the Churches of Christ either under persecution or in their prosperity and glory did ever know of any such practice as the people or the Presbyters swearing obedience to the Bishops And when it came up the Magistracy Princes and Emperours fell under the feet of the Pope and the Clergy grew to what we see it in the Roman Kingdom called a Church And far should I be from desiring such Oaths to be imposed 2. But the question being only of the Taking such Oaths and not the Imposing of them I say that 1. It is not lawful to swear obedience to an Usurper Civil or Ecclesiastical in licitis honestis Because it is a subjecting our selves to him and an acknowledging that authority which he hath not For we can swear no further to obey the King himself but in things lawful and honest And to do so by an Usurper is an injury to the King and unto Christ. 2. But if the King himself shall command us to swear obedience to a subordinate Civil Usurper he thereby ceaseth to be an Usurper and receiveth authority and it becometh our duty And if he that
was an Ecclesiastical Usurper quoad personam that had no true Call to a Lawful Office shall after have a Call or if any thing fall out which shall make it our duty to Consent and Call him then the impediment from his Usurpation is removed 3. It is not lawful though the Civil Magistrate command us to swear obedience even in licitis honestis to such an Usurper whose Office it self is unlawful or forbidden by Christ as he is such an Officer No Protestant thinketh it lawful to swear obedience to the Pope as Pope nor do any that take Lay-Elders to be an unlawful Office think it lawful to swear obedience to them as such 4. If one that is in an unlawful Ecclesiastical Office be also at once in another that is lawful we may swear obedience to him in respect of the Lawful Office So it is Lawful to swear obedience to the Pope in Italy as a Temporal Prince in his own Dominions And to a Cardinal as Richelieu Mazarine Ximenes c. as the Kings Minister exercising a power derived from him So it is lawful for a Tenant where Law and Custome requireth it to swear fidelity to a Lay Elder as his Landlord or Temporal Lord and Master And so the old Non-conformists who thought the English Prelacy an unlawful Office yet maintained that it is Lawful to take the Oath of Canonical obedience because they thought it was imposed by the King and Laws and that we swear to them not as Officers claiming a Divine Right in the Spiritual Government but as Ordinaries or Officers made by the King to exercise so much of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction under him as he can delegate according to the Oath of Supremacy in which we all acknowledge the King to be Supream in all Ecclesiastical Causes that is Not the Supream Pastor Bishop or Spiritual Key-bearer or Ruler but the Supream Civil Ruler of the Church who hath the power of the Sword and of determining all things extrinsick to the Pastoral Office and so of the Coercive Government of all Pastors and Churches as well as of other Subjects And if Prelacy were proved never so unlawful no doubt but by the Kings Command we may swear or perform formal obedience to a Prelate as he is the Kings Officer Of the Non-conformists judgement in this read Bradshaw against Canne c. 5. But in such a case no Oath to Inferiours is lawful without the Consent of the Soveraign power or at least against his will 6. Though it be a duty for the flock to obey every Presbyter yet if they would make all the people swear obedience to them all wise and conscionable Christians should dissent from the introduction of such a custome and deny such Oaths as far as lawfully they may that is 1. If the King be against it we must refuse it 2. If he be neutral or meerly passive in it we must refuse unless some apparent necessity for the Churches good require it 1. Because it favoureth of Pride in such Presbyters 2. Because it is a new Custome in the Church and contrary to the antient practice 3. It is not only without any authority given them by Christ that they exact such Oaths but Mat. 22. 4 10. Luke 22. 27 c. Mark 9. 35. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. 1 Cor. 9. 19. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 5. also contrary to the great humility lowliness and condescension in which he describeth his Ministers who must be Great by being the servants of all 4. And it tendeth to corrupt the Clergy for the future 5. And such new impositions give just reason to Princes and to the People to suspect that the Presbyters are aspiring after some inordinate exaltation or have some ill project for the advancement of themselves 7. But yet if it be not only their own ambition which imposeth it but either the King and Laws command it or necessity require it for the avoidance of a greater evil it may be Lawful and a duty to take an Oath of Obedience to a Lawful Presbyter or Bishop Because 1. It is a ☜ duty to Obey them 2. And it is not forbidden us by Christ to promise or swear to do our duty even when they may sin in demanding such an Oath 8. If an Office be Lawful in the essential parts and yet have unlawful integrals or adjuncts or be abused in exercise it will not by such additions or abuses be made unlawful to swear Obedience to the Officer as such 9. If one Presbyter or Bishop would make another Presbyter or Bishop to swear obedience to him without authority the Case is the same as of the Usurpers before mentioned Quest. 154. Must all our preaching be upon a Text of Scripture Answ. 1. IN many Cases it may be lawful to preach without a Text to make Sacred Orations Act◠2 3. like Greg. Nazianzenes and Homilies like Macarius's Ephrem Syrus's and many other antients and like our own Church-Homilies 2. But ordinarily it is the fittest way to preach upon a Text of Scripture 1. Because it is our Luke 4. 18. very Office to Teach the people the Scripture The Prophets brought a new word or message from God but the Priests did but keep interpret and teach the Law already received And we are not Mal. 2. 7. successors of the inspired Prophets but as the Priests were Teachers of Gods received Word And this practice will help the people to understand our Office 2. And it will preserve the due esteem and reverence of the Holy Scriptures which the contrary practice may diminish Quest. 155. Is not the Law of Moses abrogated and the whole Old Testament out of date and therefore not to be Read publickly and preached on Answ. 1. THe Covenant of Innocency is ceased cessante subditorum capacitate as a Covenant or promise And so are the Positive Laws proper to Adam in that state and to many particular persons since 2. The Covenant mixt of Grace and Works proper to the Jews with all the Jewish Law as such was never made to us or to the rest of the world and to the Jews it is ceased by the coming and perfecter Laws and Covenant of Christ. 3. The Prophecies and Types of Christ and the Promises made to Adam Abraham and others of his Coming in the flesh are all fulfilled and therefore not useful to all the ends of their first making And the many Prophecies of particular things and persons past and gone are accomplished 4. But the Law of Nature is still Christs Law And that Law is much expounded to us in the Old Testament And if God once for another use did say This is the Law of Nature the truth of these words as a Divine Doctrine and Exposition of the Law of Nature is still the same 5. The Covenant of Grace made with Adam and Noah for all mankind is still in force as to the great benefits and main condition that is as to pardon given by it
or a member of a particular Church who liveth so far from it as to be uncapable of personal communion with them p. 843 Q. 66. If a man be injuriously suspended or Excommunicated by the Pastor or people which way shall he have remedy ibid. Q. 67. Doth presence always make us guilty of the â—vils or faults of the Pastor in Gods Worship or of the Church or In what cases are we guilty ibid. Q. 68. Is it lawful to communicate in the Sacrament with wicked men p. 844 Q. 69. Have all the members of the Church right to the Lords Table and is suspension Lawful ibid. Q. 70. Is there any such thing in the Church as a rank or Classis or species of Church-members at age who are not to be admitted to the Lords Table but only to the hearing the Word and Prayer between Infant members and adult-confirmed ones p. 845 Q. 71. Whether a form of Prayer be lawful p. 847 Q. 72. Are formes of prayer or Preaching in the Church Lawful ibid. Q. 73. Are publick forms of mans devising or composing Lawful ibid. Q. 74. Is it lawful to Impose forms on the Congregation or the people in publick Worship p. 848 Q. 75. Is it Lawful to use forms composed by man and imposed not only on the people but on the Pastors of the Churches ibid. Q. 76. Doth not the calling of a Minister so consist in the exercise of his own ministerial gifts that he may not officiate without them nor make use of other mens gifts instead of them p. 849 Q. Is it lawful to read a Prayer in the Church p. 850 Q. 77. Is it Lawful to Pray in the Church without a prescribed or premeditated form of words ibid. Q. 78. Whether are set forms of words or free praying without them the better way and what are the Commodities and Incommodities of each way p. 851 Q. 79. Is it Lawful to forbear the Preaching of some truths upon mans prohibition that I may have liberty to Preach the rest yea and to promise to forbear them or to do it for the Churches peace p. 853 Q. 80. May or must a Minister silenced or forbid to Preach the Gâ—spel go on still to Preach it against the Law p. 854 Q. 81. May we lawfully keep the Lords day as a fast p. 855 Q. 82. How should the Lords day be spent in the main ibid. Q. 83. May the people bear a vocal part in Worship or do any more than say Amen p. 856 Q. 84. Is it not a sin for our Clerks to make themselves the mouth of the people who are not ordained Ministers of Christ p. 857 Q. 85. Are repetitions of the same words in Churchpraâ—ers lawful p. 858 Q. 86. Is it lawful to bow at the name of Iesus ibid. Q. 87. Is it Lawful to stand up at the Gospel as we are appointed ibid. Q. 88. Is it lawful to kneel when the Deâ—alogue is read p. 859 Q 89. What Gestures are fittest in all the publick Worship ibid. Q. 90. What if the Pastor and Church cannot agree about singing Psalms or what Version or Translation to use or time or place of meeting c. ibid. Q. 91. What if the Pastor excommunicate a man and the people will not forbear his Communion as thinking him unjustly excommunicated p. 860 Q. 92. May a whole Church or the greater part be excommunicated ibid. Q. 93. What if a Church have two Pastors and one excommunicate a man and the other absolve him what shall the Church and the Dissenter do p. 861 Q. 94. For what sins may a man be denyed Communion or Excommunicated Whether for impenitence in every little sin Or For great sin without impenitence ibid. Q. 95. Must the Pastor examine the people before the Sacrament ibid. Q. 96. Is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a Converting Ordinance p. 862 Q. 97. Must no man come to the Sacrament that is uncertain or doubtful of the sincerity of his faith and repentance ibid. Q. 98. Is it Lawful or a duty to joyn oblations to the Sacrament and how p. 863 Q. 99. How many Sacraments are there appointed by Christ ibid. Q. 100. How far is it lawful needful or unlawful for a man to afflict himself by external penances for sin p. 864 Q. 101. Is it lawful to observe stated times of fasting imposed by others without extraordinary occasions And particularly Lent p. 865 Q. 102. May we continue in a Church where some one Ordinance of Christ is wanting as Discipline Prayer Preaching or Sacraments though we have all the rest p. 866 Q 103. Must the Pastors remove from one Church to another when ever the Magistrate commandeth us though the Bishops contradict it and the Church consent not to dismiss us And so of other cases of disagreement p. 867 Q. 104. Is a Pastor â—bliged to his flock for life or is it Lawful so to oblige himself And may he remove without their Consent And so also of a Chuch member the same questions are put p. 868 Q. 105. When many men pretend at once to be the true Pastors of a particular Church against each others title through differences between the Magistrates the Ordainers and the flocks what should the people do and whom should they adhere to p. 869 Q. 106. To whom doth it belong to Reform a Corrupted Church To the Magistrates Pastors or People p 869 Q. 107. Who is to call Synods Princes Pastors or People ibid. Q. 108. To whom doth it belong to appoint dayes and Assemblies for publick Humiliation and Thanksgiving p. 870 Q. 109. May we omit Church Assemblies on the Lords day if the Magistrate forbid them ibid. Q. 110. Must we obey the Magistrate if he only forbid us Worshipping God in such a place or Countrey or in such numbers or the like circumstances p. 871 Q. 111. Must Subjects or Servants forbear weekly Lectures Reading or such helps above the Lords days worship if Princes or Masters do forbid them p. 871 Q. 112. Whether Religious Worship may be given to a Creature and what p. 872 Q. 113. What Images and what use of Images is Lawful or Unlawful p. 873 Q. 114 Whether Stage-plays where the virtuous and vitious are personated be lawful p. 877 Q. 115. Is it ever unlawful to use the known Symbols and badges of Idolatry p. 878 Q. 116. Is it unlawful to use the Badge or Symbol of any errour or sect in the Worship of God p. 879 Q. 117. Are all Indifferent things made unlawful to us which shall be abused to Idolatrâ—us Worship p. 879 Q. 118. May we use the names of week dayes which Idolatâ—rs honoured their Idols with â—s Sunday Munday Saturday and the rest And so the Months p. 880 Q. 119. Is it lawful to pray secretly when we come first into the Church especially when the Church is otherwise employed ibid. Q. 120. May a Preacher kneel down in the Pulpit and use his private prayers when he is in the Assembly p. 881
Q. 121. May a Minister pray publickly in his own name singly for himself or others or only in the Churches name as their mouth to God ibid. Q. 122. May the name Priests Sacrifice and Altar be lawfully now used instead of Christs Ministers Worship and the Holy Table p. 882 Q. 123. May the Communion Table be turned Altar-wise and Railed in And is it lawful to come up to the Rails to communicate p. 882 Q. 124. Is it lawful to use David's Psalms in our Assemblies p. 883 Q. 125. May Psalms be used as prayers and praises and Thanksgivings or only as Instructive Even the Reading as well as the singing of them ibid. Q. 126. Are our Church-Tunes Lawful being of mans invention p. 884 Q. 127. Is Church Musick by Organs or such Instruments Lawful ibid. Q. 128. Is the Lords day a Sabbath and so to be called and kept and that of Divine institution And is the seventh day Sabbath abrogated c p. 885 Q. 129. Is it Lawful to appoint humane Holy dayes and observe them ibid. Q. 130. How far is the holy Scriptures a Law and perfect Rule to us p. 886 Q. 131. What Additions or humane Inventions in or about Religion not commanded in Scripture are Lawful or Unlawful p. 887 Q. 132. Iâ— it unlawful to obey in all thâ—se cases where it is unlawful to impose and command or in what cases And how far Pastors must be believed and obeyed p. 888 Q. 133. What are the additions or inventions of mâ—n which are not fâ—rbidden by the Word of God whether by Rulers or by private men invented p. 889 Q 134. What are the mischiefs of unlawful Additions in Religion p. 891 Q. 135. What are the mischiefs of mens errour on the other extream who pretend that Scripture is a Rule where it is not and deny the aforesaid lawful things on pretence that Scripture is a perfect Rule say some for all things p. 892 Q. 136. How shall we know what parts of Scripture precept or example were intended for universal constant obligation and what were but for the time and persons that they were then directed to p. 893 Q. 137. How much of the Scripture is necessary to salvation to be believed and understood p. 894 Q. 138. How may we know the Fundamentals Essentials or what parts are necessary to salvation And is the Papists way allowable that some of them deny that distinction and make the difference to be only in the degrees of mans opportunities of knowledge p 895 Q 139. What is the use and Authority of the Creed And is it of the Apostles framing or not And is it the Word of God or not p 896 Q 140. What is the use of Catechisms p. 897 Q. 141. Could any of us have known by the Scriptures alone the Essentials of Religion from the rest if tradition had not given them to us in the Creed as from Apostolical Collection ibid. Q. 142. What is the best method of a true Catechism or sum of Theologie p. 898 Q. 143. What is the use of various Church-Confessions or Articles of faith ibid. Q. 144. May not the subscribing of the whole Scriptures serve turn for all the foresaid ends without Creeds Catechisms or Confessions ibid. Q. 145. May a man be saved that believeth all the Essentials of Religion as coming to him by verbal Tradition and not as câ—ntained in the Holy Scriptures which perhaps he never knew p. 899 Q 146. Is the Scripture fit for all Christians to read being so obscure ibid. Q. 147. How far is Tradition and mens words and Ministry to be used or truâ—â—ed in in the exercise of faith p. 900 Q 148. How knâ—w we the true Canon of Scripture from Apocrypha ibid. Q. 149. Is the publick Reading of the Scripture the proper wâ—rk of the Minister or may a Lay man ordinarily do it or another officer p. 901 Q 150. Is it Lawful to Read the Apocrypha or any good Books besides the Scriptures to the Church as â—omiliâ—s c ibid. Q 151. May Church Assemblies be held where there is no Minister or what publick Worship may be so performed by Lâ—y men As among Inâ—idels or Papists where persecutiâ—n haâ—h killed imprisoned or expelled the Ministry p. 902 Q. 152. Is it Lawful to subscribe or profess full assent and consent to any religious Books besides the Scriptures seeing all men are fallible ibid. Q. 153. May we lawfully Swear obedience in all things lawful and honest either to Usurpers or to our Lawful Pastors ibid. Q. 154. Must all our Preaching be upon some Text of Scripture p. 904 Q. 155. Is not the Law of Moses abrogated and the whâ—le Old Testament out of date and therefore not to be Read publickly and Preached ibid. Q. 156. Must we believe that Moses Law did ever bind other Nations or that any other parts of the Scripture bound them or belonged to them or that the Iews were all Gods visible Church on earth p. 905 Q. 157. Must we think accordingly of the Christian Churches nâ—w that they are only advanced above the rest of the World as the Iews were but not the only people that are saved p. 906 Q. 158. Should not Christians take up with Scripture wisdom only without studying Philosophy or other Heathens humane Learning p. 907 Q. 159. If we think that Scripture and the Law of Nature are in any point contradictory to each other Which must be the standard by which the other must be tryed p. 908 Q. 160. May we not look that God should yet give us more Revelations of his will than there are already made in Scripture ibid. Q. 161. Iâ— not a third Rule of the Holy Ghost or perfecter Kingdom of Love to be expected as different from the Reign of the Creator and Redeemer p. 909 Q. 162. May we not look for Miracles hereafter p. 910 Q. 163. Is the Scripture to be tryed by the spirit or the Spirit by the Scripture and which of them is to be preferred ibid. Q. 164. How is a pretended Prophet or Revelation to be tryed p. 911 Q. 165 May one be saved who believeth that the Scripture hath any mistake or errours and believeth it not all ibid. Q. 166. Who be they that give too little to the Scriptures and who too much and what is the danger of each extream p. 912 Q. 167. How far do good men now Preach and pray by the spirit p. 913 Q. 168. Are not our own Reasons studies memory strivings Books Forms Methods and Ministry needless yea a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit and setting up our own instead of the spirits operations p. 914 Q. 169. How doth the Holy Ghost set Bishops over the Churches p. 914 Q. 170. Are Temples Fonts Utensils Church-Lands much more the Ministry holy and What reverence is due to them as holy p. 915 Q. 171. What is Sacriledge and what not p. 916 Q. 172. Are all Religious private-meetings forbidden by Rulers unlawful Conventicles or are
clean and delectable and paved with mercies and fortified and secured by Divine protection and where Christ is your Conductor and so many have sped so well before you and the wisest and best in the world are your companions Live then as men that have changed their Master their end their hopes their way and work Religion layeth not men to sleep though it be the only way to Rest. It awakeneth the sleepy soul to higher thoughts and hopes and labours than ever it was well acquainted with before He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. You never sought that which would pay for all your cost and diligence till now You never were in a way that you might make haste in without repenting of your haste till now How glad should you be that Mercy hath brought you into the right way after the wanderings of such a sinful life And your gladness and thankfulness should now be shewed by your cheerful diligence and zeal As Christ did not raise up Lazarus from the dead to do nothing or live to little purpose though the Scripture giveth us not the history of his life So did he not raise you from the death of sin to live idely or to be unprofitable in the world He that giveth you his Spirit to be a principle of heavenly life within you expecteth that you stir up the gift that he hath given you and live according to that heavenly principle Direction 16. ENgage thy self in the chearful constant use of the means and helps appointed by God Direct 16. for thy confirmation and salvation § 1. He can never expect to attain the end that will not be perswaded to use the means Of your selves you can do nothing God giveth his help by the means which he hath appointed and fitted to your help Of the use of these I shall treat more fully afterwards I am now only to name them to thee that thou maist know what it is that thou hast to do 1. That you must hear or read the Word of God and other good Books which expound it and How Paenitents of old did rise even from a particular sin judge by these words of Pacianus Paâ—â—â—â—â—â— ad Poeâ—â—t Bibl. Pat. To. 3. p. 74. You must not only do that which may be seen of the Priest and praised by the Bishop to weep before the Church to lament a lost or sinful life in a â—ordid garment to fast pray to role on the earth if any invite you to the Bath or such pleasures to refuse to go If any bid you to a Feast to say These things are for the happy I have sinned against God and am in danger to perish for ever What should I do at Banquets who have wronged the Lord Besides these you must take the poor by the hand you must beseech the Widdow lye at the feet of the Presbyters beg of the Church to forgive you and pray for you you must try all means rather than perish apply it I shewed you before The new born Christian doth encline to this as the new born child doth to the breast 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings as new born babes that desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Psal. 1. 2 3. The blessed mans delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night § 2. 2. Another means is the publick worshipping of God in communion with his Church and people Besides the benefit of the word there preached the prayers of the Church are effectual for the members and it raiseth the soul to holy joyes to joyn with well ordered Assemblies of the Saints in the Praises of the Almighty The Assemblies of holy worshippers of God are the places of his delight and must be the places of our delight They are most like to the Celestial Society that sound forth the praises of the glorious Iebovah with purest minds and cheerful voice In his Temple doth every one speak of his glory Psal. 29. 9. In such a Chore what soul will not be rapt up with delight and desire to joyn in the consort and harmony In such a flame of united desires and praises what soul so cold and dull that will not be enflamed and with more than ordinary facility and alacrity fly up to God § 3. 3. Another means is private prayer unto God When God would tell Ananias that Paul was converted he saith of him Behold he prayeth Acts 9. 11. Prayer is the breath of the new creature The Spirit of Adoption given to every child of God is a Spirit of prayer and teacheth them to cry Abba Father and helpeth their infirmities when they know not what to pray as they ought and when words are wanting it as it were intercedeth for them with groans which they cannot express in words Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15 26 27. And God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit in those groans The first workings of grace are in Desires after grace provoking the soul to servent prayer by which more grace is speedily obtained Ask then and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you Luke 11. 9. § 4. 4. Another means to be used is Confession of sin not only to God for so every wicked man may do because he knoweth that God is already acquainted with it all and this is no addition to his shame He so little regardeth the eye of God that he is more ashamed when it is known to men But in three Cases Confession must be made also to Man 1. In case you have wronged man and are thus bound to make him satisfaction As if you have robbed him defrauded him slandered him or born false witness against him 2. In case you are Children or Servants that are under the government of Parents or Masters and are called by them to give an acount of your actions You are bound then to give a true account 3. In case you have need of the Counsel or Prayers of others for the setling of your consciences in peace In this case you must so far open your case to them as is necessary to their effectual help for your recovery For if they know not the disease they will be unfit to apply the remedy In these cases it is true that He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. § 5. 5. Another Means to be used is the familiar company and holy converse with humble sincere experienced Christians The Spirit that is in them and breatheth and acteth by them will kindle the like holy flames in you Away with the company of idle prating sensual men that can talk of nothing but their worldly wealth or business or their reputations or their appetites and lusts
hold it with any that will drive us from it unless we will commit some sin Statedly we must hold it with the Church which regularly we are joyned to and live with and Occasionally we must hold it with all others where we have a call and opportunity who in the substance worship God according to his Word and force us not to sin in conformity to them It is not Schism to lament the sins of any Church or of all the Churches in the world The Catholick Church on earth consists of sinners It is not Schism to refuse to be partaker in any sin of the purest Church in the world Obedience to God is not Schism It is not Schism that you joyn not Bodily with those Congregations where you dwell not nor have any particular call to joyn with them Nor that you choose the pureâ—â— and most edifying Society rather than one that is less pure and profitable to you â—aeteris paribus supposing you are at liberty nor that you hold not Bodily Communion with that Church that will not suffer you to do it without sinning against God Nor that you joyn not with the purest Church when you are called to abide with one less pure But it is worse than Schism to separate from the Universal Church To separate from its Faith iâ— Apostasie to infidelity To separate from it in some one or few essential Articles while you pretend to hold to Christ the Head is Heresie To separate from it in Spirit by refusing Holiness and not loveing such as are truly holy is damning ungodliness or wickedness To differ from it by any error of judgement or life against the Law of God is sin To magnifie any one Church or party so as to deny due Love and Communion to the rest is Schism To limit all the Church to your Party and deny all or any of the rest to be Christians and parts of the Universal Church is Schism by a dangerous breach of Charity And this is the principal Schism that I here admonish you to avoid It is Schism also to condemn unjustly any particular Church as no Church And it is Schism to withdraw your Bodily Communion from a Church that you were bound to hold that Communion with upon a false supposâ—tion that it is no Church or is not lawfully to be communicated with And it is Schism to make Divisions or parties in a Church though you divide not from that Church Thus I have briefly told you what is Schism § 4. 1. One pretence for Schism is Usurped Authority which some one Church may claim tâ— Command others that owe them no subjection Thus Pride which is the Spirit of Hell having crepâ— into the Church of Christ and animated Usurpations of Lordship and Dominion and contending for superiority hath caused the most dangerous Schisms in the Church that ever it was infested with The Bishop of Rome advantaged by the Seat and Constitution of that Empire having claimed the Government of all the Christian world condemneth all the Churches that will not be his subjects And â—o hath made himself the Head of a Sect and of the most pernicious Schism that ever did rend the Church of Christ And the Bishop of Constantinople and too many more have followed the same Method in a lower degree exalting themselves above their Brethren and giving them Laws and then condemning and persecuting them that obey them not And when they have imposed upon other Churches their own usurped Authority and Laws they have laid the plot to call all men Schismaticks and Sectaries that own not their tyrannical Usurpation and that will not be Schismaticks and Sectaries with them And the cheat lyeth in this that they confound the Churches Unity with their pretended Authority and Schism with the refusal of subjection to them If you will not take them for your Lords they cry out that you divide from the Church As if we could hold Communion with no Churches but those whose Bishops we obey Communion with other Churches is maintained by Faith and Charity and Agreement in things necessary without subjection to them As we may hold all just Communion with the Churches in Armenia Arabia Russia without subjection to their Bishops so may we with any other Church besides that of which we are members Division or Schism is contrary to Unity and Concord and not to a Usurped Government Though disobedience to the Pastâ—rs which God hath set over us is a sin and dividing from them is a Schism Both the Pope and all the lower Usurpers should do well first to shew their Commission from God to be our Rulers before they call it Schism to refuse their Government If they had not made better advantage of Fire and Sword than of Scripture and Argument the world would but have laughed them to scorn when they had heard them say All are Schismaticks that will not be our Subjects Our Dominion and will shall be necessary to the Unity of the Church The Universal Church indeed is One united under One Head and Governour but it is only Jesus Christ that is that Head and not any Usurping Vicar or Vice-Christ The Bishops of particular Churches are his Officers but he hath Deputed no Vicar to his own Office as the Universal Head Above all Sects take heed of this pernicious Sect who pretend their Usurped Authority for their Schism and have no way to promote their Sect but by calling all Sectaries that will not be Sectaries and Subjects unto them § 5. 2. Another pretence for Schism is the Numbers of the Party This is another of the Papists motives As if it were lawful to Divide the Church of Christ if they can but get the greater party They say We are the most and therefore you should yield to us And so do others where by the Sword they force the most to submit to them But we answer them As many as they are they are too few to be the Universal Church The Universal Church containing all true professing Christians is much more than they The Papists are not a third part if a fourth of the whole Church Papists are a corrupted Sect of Christians I will be against Dividing the Body of Christ into any Sects rather than to be one of that Sect or divided party which is the greatest § 6. 3. Another pretence for Schism is the soundness or Orthodoxness of a Party Almost all Sects pretend that they are wiser and of sounder judgement than all the Christian World besides yea those that most palpably contradict the Scriptures as the Papists in their half-communion and unintelligible service and have no better reason why they will so Believe or Do but because others have so Believed and Done already But 1. The greatest pretenders to Orthodoxness are not the most Orthodox 2. And if they were I can value them for that in which they excell without abating my due respect to the rest of the Church 3. For the whole Church is Orthodox in
would frighten the world out of their wits no doubt but other Bishops also would make use of it and say All are damned that will not be subject to us But if you would see the folly and mischief of Popery both in this and other points I refer you to my Treatise of the Catholick Church and my Key for Catholicks and my Safe Religion and my Disput at against Johnson and my Winding-sheet for Popery § 8. 3. Another temptation to confound you in your Religion is by filling your heads with practical 3 By Sâ—rupuloâ—iâ—y scrupulosity so that you cannot go on for doubting every step whether you go right and when you should cheerfully serve your Master you will do nothing but disquiet your minds with scruples whether this or that be right or wrong Your remedy here is not by caâ—â—ing away all care of pleasing God or fear of sinning or by debauching conscience but by a cheerful and quiet obedience to God so far as you know his will and an upright willingness and endeavour to understand it better and a thankful receiving the Gospel-pardon for your failings and infirmities Be faithful in your obedience but live still upon Christ and think not of reaching to any such obedience as shall set you above the need of his merits and a daily pardon of your sins Do the best you can to know the will of God and do it But when you know the Essentials of Religion and obey sincerely let no remaining wants deprive you of the comfort of that so great a Mercy as proves your â—â—ght to life â—â—â—â—nal In your sâ—â—king further for more knowledge and obedience let your care be such as tendeth to your profitting and furthering you to your end and as doth not hinder your joy and thanks for what you have received But that which destroyeth your joy and thankfulness and doth but perplex you and not further you in your way is but hurtful scrupulosity and to be laid by When you are right in the main thank God for that and be further solicitous so far as to help you on but not to hinder you It you send your servant on your message you had rather he went on his way as well as he can than stand scrupling every step whether he should set the right or left foot forward and whether he should step so far or so far at a time c. Hindering scruples please not God § 9. 4. Another way to confound you in your Religion is by setting you upon overdoing by inventions of your own when a poor soul is most desirous to please God the Devil will be Religious and set him upon some such taâ—k of Voluntary humility or Will-worship as the Apostle speaks of Col. 2. 18 20 21 22 23. or sâ—t him upon some ensnaring unnecessary Vows or Resolutions or some Popâ—sh works of conâ—â—ited supâ—rerogation which is that which Solomon calleth being righte us overmuch Eccles. 7. 16. Thus many have made duties to themselves which God never made for them and taken that for sin which God never forbad them The Popish Religion is very much made up of such Commandments of their own and Traditions of men As if Christ had not made us work enough men are forward to make much more for themselves And some that should teach them the Laws of Christ do think that their Office is in vain unless they may also prescribe them Laws of their own and give them new Precepts of Religion Yea some that are the bitterest enemies to the strict observance of the Laws of God as if it were a tedious needless thing must yet needs load us with abundance of unnecessary Precepts of their own And thus Religion is mad both wear some and uncertain and a door set open for men to enlarge it and increase the burden at their pleasure Indeed Popeâ—y is fitted to delude and quiet sleepy consciences and to torment with uncertainties the consciences that are awaked And there is something in the corrupted nature of man that inclineth him to some additions and voluntary service of his Own inventions as an offering most acceptable unto God Hence it is that many poor Christians do rashly intangle their consciences with Vows of circumstances and things unnecessary as to give so much to observe such dayes or hours in fasting and prayer not to do such or such a thing that in it self is lawful with abundance of such things which perhaps some change of providence may make accidentally their duty afterwards to do or disable them to perform their Vows And then these snares are â—â—â—â—tâ—rs on their pâ—rplâ—xâ—d consciences perhaps as long as they live Yea some of the Autonomians teach the people that things Indifferent are the fittest matter of a Vow as to live single to pâ—ssâ—ss nothing to live in solitude and the like Indeed all things lawful when they are vowed must be performed But it is unfit to be Vowed if it be not first profitable and best for our selves or others and that which is best is not indifferent it being every mans duty to choose what is best Vows are to bind us to the performance of that which God had bound us to by his Laws before They are our expression of consent and resolution by a self-obligation to obey his will And not to make new duties or Religion to our selves which eâ—se would never have been our duty § 10. To escape these snares it is necessary that you take hâ—ed of corrupting your Religion by burdens and mixtures of your own devising You are called to Obey Gods Laws and not to make Laws for your selves You may be sure that his Laws are just and good but yours may be bad and foolish When you obey him you may expect your reward and encouragement from him but when you will obey your selves you must reward your selves You may find it enough for you to keep his Laws without devising more work for your selves or feigning duties which he commanded not or sins which he forbad not Be not rash in making Vows Let them reach but unto necessary duties And let them have their due exceptions when they are about alterable things Or if you are entangled by them already consult with the most judicious able impartial men that you may come clearly â—ff without a wound There is a great deal of judgement and sincerity necessary in your Counsellors and a great deal of submission and self-denyal in your selves to bring you safely out of such a snare Avoid sin what ever you do for sinning is not the way to your deliverance And for the time to come be wiser and lay no more snares for your selves and clog not your selves with your own inventions but cheerfully obey what God commandeth you who hath Wisdom and Authority sufficient to make you perfect Laws Christs yoke is easie and his burden light Matth. 11. 30. and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 5. 3. But if your mixtures and self-devised
in a divided heart and Direct 2â— life See therefore that you serve God in singleness of heart or simplicity and integrity as being â—â—s alone Think not of serving God and Mammon A deep reserve at the heart for the world â—â—ile Matth. 23 â—â— â—â—â—â—h 4. 2 3 4 5. Luke 1â— 4â— Matth. 6. 4â— 2 Pet. 1. 1â— Joh. 6. 27. they seem to give up themselves in Covenant to God is the grand Character of an Hypocrite Live as those that have One Lord and Master that all power stoopeth to and One End or Scâ—pe to which all other are but means and One work of absolute Necessity to do and one Kingdom to seek first and with greatest care and diligence to make sure of and that have your hearts and faces still one way and that agree with your selves in what you think and say and do A double heart and a double tongue is the fashion of the Hypocrite Psal. 12. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 8. He hath a heart for the world and pride and lust which must seem sometimes to be lifted up to ask forgiveness that he may sin with quietness and hope of salvation you would not think when you see him drop his Beads or lift up his hands and eyes and seem devoutly to say his prayers how lately he came from a Tavern or a Whore or a Lie or from scorning at serious godliness As Bishop Hall saith He seemeth to serve that 〈…〉 m 2. 5. Jaâ—â—es 4. 1â— Hoâ— 10. 2. God at Church on Holy-dayes whom he neglecteth at home and â—â—weth at the Name of Jesus and sweareth prophanely by the Name of God Remember that there is but one God one Heaven for us one Happiness and one Way And this one is of such moment as calls for all the intention and attention of our souls and is enough to satisfie us and should be enough to call us off from all that would divert us A divided heart is a false and self-deceving heart Are there two Gods or is Christ divided While you grasp at both God and the world you will certainly lose one and it is like you will lose both To have two Gods two Rules two Heavens is to have no God no true Rule no Heaven or happiness at all Halt not therefore between two opinions If God be God obey him and love him If Heaven be Heaven be sure it be first sought But if thy Belly be 〈…〉 3. â—â— thy God and the World be thy Heaven then serve and seek them and make thy best of thâ—m § 31. Direct 26. Take heed of all that fleshly policy or craft and worldly wisdom which is contrary 〈…〉 26. to the wisdom of the Word of God and would draw thee from the plain and open heartedness which godly sincerity requireth Let that which was Pauls rejoycing be yours that in simplicity and godly sincerity nâ—t in fleshly wisdom you have had yâ—ur conversation in the world Christianity renounceth not wisdom and â—â—nest self-preservation But yet it maketh men plain-hearted and haters of crafty â—â—â—â—dulent minds What is the famous hypocritical Religion superadded to Christianity and called â—â—â—â—â—â— but that which Paul feared in his godly jealousie for the Corinthians lest as the Serpent begâ—â—leâ— â—â—ve by his sâ—btility so their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. A forsaking thâ— Christian simplicity of DOCTRINE DISCIPLINE WORSHIP and CONVERSATION is the Hypocrisie of Religion and of liâ—e Equivocating and dishonest â—hiâ—â—s and hiding beseemeth those that have an ill cause or an ill conscience or an ill Master whom they dâ—â—â—â— not trust and not those that have so good a cause and God as Christians have § 32. Direct 27. Remember how much of sincerity consisteth in seriousness and how much of Hypocrite Direct 27. the 〈…〉 pleaâ—â—â—â—g and â—â—â—â—al Riâ—es and Ceremo 〈…〉 of outward and 〈◊〉 holiness Over-great 〈…〉 of traditions which â—aâ—â— of but â—ad â—he Church The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 an◠〈…〉 aâ—d lucâ—â— The 〈…〉 goâ—d in 〈◊〉 which openeth a gate to 〈…〉 and noveltieâ— Lord 〈…〉 describeth â—â—â—â—ila that he was a de 〈◊〉 of â—lesh and â—â—â—â— â—â—nd yet Religione persuasion 〈◊〉 basque de Dâ—s a gente sua 〈◊〉 usque ad sâ—perstitionem addictâ—◠〈…〉 3â—9 Pâ—al 78 37. 2 Cor. 7. 11. consisteth in seeming and dreaming and trifling in the things of God and our salvation see therefore that you keep your souls awake in a sensible and seriâ—us frame Read over the fifty Considerations which in the third Part of my Saints Rest I have given to convince you of the necessity of being serious See that there be as much in your faith as in your Creed and as much in your Hearts and Lives as in your Belief Remember that seeming and dreaming will not mortifie deep-rooted sâ—s nor conquer strong and subtile enemies nor make you acceptable to God nor save your sâ—â—ls from his revenging justice Remember what a mad kind of prophaneness it is to jâ—â—st and â—â—ifle about Heaven and Hell and to dally with the great and dreadful God Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conâ—â—â—â—sation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. You pray for an obedience answering the pattern of the heavenly society when you say Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And will you be such Hypocrites as to pray that you may iâ—itate Saints and Angels in the purity and obedience of your hearts and lives and when you have done take up with shews and seemings and saying a few words and a lifeless Image of that Holiness which you never had yea and perhaps deride and persecute in others the very thing which you daily pray for O horrible abuse of the All-seeing God! Do you no more believe or fear his justice When the Apostle saith Gal. 6. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked he intimâ—â—â—â—th that Hypocrites go about to put a scorn on God by a Mock-religion though it is not he but themselves that will prove mocked in the end They offer God a deaf Nutt or an empty Shell or Caâ—k for a Sacrifice An Hypocrite differeth from a true Christian as a Fencer from a Souldier He playeth his part very formâ—lly upon a Stage with much applause but you may perceive that he is not in good sadness by his tâ— flâ—ng and formality and never killing any of his sins Would men shew no more of the great everlasting matters of their own proâ—est Belief in any seriousness of affection or endeavour than most men do if they were not Hypocrites Would they hate and scorn men for doing but that and part of that which they pray and profess to do themselves if they were not hypocrites Wo to the world because of Hypocrisie Wo to the carnal members of the Church Wo to Idol Shepheards and the seeming 〈◊〉 lifeless Christians of what Sect soever For God will not be mocked They
knoweth not in this age shall not know for me We need not go to Paul and Barnabas for an instance that was a far lighter case Nor to Epiphanius Hierom and Chrysostome nor to those Agâ—s and Tragedies of contending Bishops that in the Eastern and Western Churches have been before us Every one thinking his cause so plain I may aâ—d that you have 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 Aâ—d th 〈…〉 are 〈…〉 speaks like onâ— that â—aâ—h an Uâ—â—â—â—r that at first is hurt with every touch and at last even with the suspicion of a touch Tutuâ— aliqua â—es in 〈…〉 praestat nulla securum Putat enim eâ—iamsi non deprehenditur se posse deprâ—hendi inter somnos moveâ—ur 〈…〉 loquitur de suo cogâ—tat Sen. Epis. 106. Et. Ep. 97. Prima maxima peccantium poena est peccassâ— Hâ—â—â—â— â—â—â—â—ndâ— poenâ— prâ—munt sequuntur tâ—â—ere sempeâ— expavescere securitaâ—i diffidere Tyraâ—no amici quoque saepe â—â—â—â—â—ctâ— suâ—â— Tu eâ—go si tyrannâ—dâ—m tuto tenere cupâ—s atque in ea constabiliri civitatis principes tolle sive illi amicâ— sive inimici vâ—dâ—antur 〈…〉 iâ—â—â—â—â—st Pâ—â—iaâ—d iâ— Laâ—rtio Pleâ—oâ—umque ingenium est ut errata aliorum vel minima persâ—â—utentur beâ—eâ—acta vâ—â—o vel in pâ—opatulo posita praeteâ—eant sicuâ— Vultures corpora viva saâ—a non sentiunt morticina vero cadavera tamâ—â—â—â—â—enge remota odore persequuntur Gaâ—â—â—â—dus iâ— Aâ—can Iâ—suit p. 55. as to justifie himself in all that he saith and doth against those that presume to differ from him And surely you may well expect some displeasure even from good and learned men when the Churches have felt such dreadful concussions and bleedeth to this day by so horrid divisions through the remnants of that Pride and Ignorance which her Reverend Guides have still been guilty of § 47. 12. You have men of great Mutability to please That one hour may be ready to worship you as Gods and the next to stone you or account you as Devils as they did by Paul and Christ himself What a Weather-cock is the mind of man especially of the vulgar and the temporizers When you have spent all your dayes in building your reputation on this Sand one blast of Wind or Storm at last doth tumble it down and all your â—â—st and labour is lost Serve men as submissively and carefully as you can and after all some accident or failing of their unrighteous expectations may make all that ever you did forgotten and turn you out of the world with Wolsey's groans If I had served God as faithfully as man I had been better rewarded and not forsaken in my distrâ—ss How many have fallen by the hands or frowns of those whose favour they had dearly purchased perhaps at the price of their salvation If ever you put such confidence in a friend as not to consider that it is possible he may one day prove your enemy you know not man and may perhaps be better taught to know him to your cost § 48. 13. Every man living shall unavoidably be engaged by God himself in some duties which are very lyable to misconstruction and will have an outside and appearance of evil to the offence of those that know not all the inside and circumstances And hence it comes to pass that a great part of History is little worthy of regard Because the actions of publick persons are discerned but by the halves by most that write of them They write most by hearsay or know but the outside and seemings of things and not the Spirit and life and reality of the case Men have not the choosing of their own duties but God maketh them by his Law and Providence And it pleaseth him oft to try his servants in this kind Many of the circumstances of their actions shall remain unknown to men that would justifie them if they knew them and account them as notorious scandalous persons because they know them not How like to evil was the Israelites taking the goods of the Egyptians and how likely to lay them open to their censure So was Abrahams attempt to sacrifice his Son And so was Davids eating the Shew-bread and dancing almost naked before the Ark Christs eating and drinking with publicans and sinners Pauls circumcising Timothy and purifying in the Temple with abundance such like which fall out in the life of every Christian. No wonder if Iâ—seph thought once of putting Mary away till he knew the evidence of her miraculous conception And how lyable was she to censure by those that knew it not O therefore how vain is the judgement of man And how contrary are they frequently to the truth And with what caution must History be read And O how desirable is the great day of God when all humane censure shall be justly censured § 49. 14. The perversness of many is so great that they require contradictions and impossibilities of you to tell you that they are resolved never to be pleased by you If Iohn use fasting they say He hath a Devil If Christ come eating and drinking they say behold a gluttonous person and a wine-bibber a Matth. 11 18 19. friend of publicans and sinners If your judgement and practice be conformable to superiours especially if it have admitted of a change you shall be judged meer Knaves and Temporizers If it be not you shall be judged disobedient refractory and seditious If you speak fair and pleasingly they will call you flatterers and dissemblers If you speak more freely though in a necessary case they will say you rail Iâ— I accept of prefâ—rment they will say I am ambitious proud and worldly If I refuse it how modestly soever they will say I am discontented and have seditious designs If I preach not when I am forbidden I shall be accused as forsaking the Calling I undertook and obeying man against God Iâ— I do preach I shall be accounted disobedient and seditious If a friend or kinsman desire me to help him to some place or preferment which he is not â—it for or which would tend to anothers wrong if I should grant his desire I shall be taken for dishonest that by partiality wrong another If I deny it him I shall be called unnatural or unfriendly and worse than an Infidel If I give to the poor as long as I have it I shall be censured for ceasing when I have no more They that know not whether you have it to give or not will be displeased if you do not And if many years you should maintain them freely it is all as nothing as soon as you cease either because your stock is spent or because some other is made the necessary object of your Charity If you be wronged in your estate if you go to Law they will say you are contentious If you let go your estate to avoid contention they will say you are silly fools or ideoâ—s If you do any good works of charity to the knowledge of men they will
they shall be sure to be accounted Proud and Hypocrites And yet they accuse not that child or servant of Pride who excelleth all the rest in pleasing them and doing their work Nâ—r do they take a sick man to be proud if he be carefuller than others to recover his health But he that will do mosâ— for Heaven and most carefully avoideth sin and Hell and is most serious in his Religion and most industrious to please his God this man shall be accounted Proud 3. He that will not forsake his God and betray the truth and wound his conscience by willful sin but will do as Daniel and the three confessors did Dan. 6. 3. and answer as they answered will be accounted Proud But it is no Pride to prefer God before men and to fear damnation more than imprisonment or death The army of Martyrs did not in Pride prefer their own judgements before their superiors that condemned them but they did it in obedience to God and truth when that was revealed to babâ—s which was hid from the wise and prudent and great and noble of the world 4. When those that are faithful to the honour of Christs soverainty dare not approve of Papâ—l usurpations against his Laws and over his Church and the Consciences of his Subjects they shall by the Popish usurpers be called Proud and despisers of Government as if a Usurper of the Kingly power should call us proud because we dare not consent to his pride or call us Traytors for not being Traytors as he is himself 5. When a man that hath the sense of the matters of God and mens salvation upon his heart is zealous and diligent to teach them to others and if he be a Minister be servent and laborious in his ministry he is called Proud as one that must needs have all men of his mind Though compassion to souls and aptness to teach and Preaching instantly in season and out of season be his necessary duty required of God And what is the Ministry for but to change mens minds and bring them to the full obedience of the truth 6. If a man understandeth the truth in any point of Divinity better than most others and holdeth any truth which is not there in credit or commonly received he shall be accounted Proud for presuming to be so singular and seeming wiser than those that think they are wiser than he But Humility teacheth us not to err for company nor to grow no wiser when once we arrive at the common stature nor to forsake the truth which others understand not nor to forbear to teach it because it is not known allready If some of the Pastors in Abassia Syria Armenia Russia Greece or Italy or Spain were as wise as the Ministers in England are it were no evidence of their Pride 7. If a man that understandeth any thing contrary to the judgement of another cannot forsake it Siquid agere instituis lenâ—e progredere in eo autem quod elegeâ—â—s firmiter persiste Bias in Laâ—rt and think or say as another would have him especially if you contradict him in disputation he will take it to be your pride and overvaluing your own understanding and being too tenacious of your own conceits Erroneous men that in their Pride are over eager to have others of their mind will call you Proud because you yield not to their pride They think that the evidence is so clear on their side that if you were not Proud you could not choose but think as they do 8. Some humble men are naturally of a warm and earnest manner of discourse and their natural Pertinaâ—ior tamen erat Chrysanthius nec de sententia â—acile discedebat inquit Eunapius humilitatem ejus laudans heat and eagerness of speech is frequently mis-judged to come from pride till fuller acquaintance with their humble lives do rectifie the mistake It is written of Bishop Hooper the Martyr that those that visited him once condemned him of over-austerity they that repaired to him twice only suspected him of the same those that conversed with him constantly not only acquitted him of all morosity but commended him for sweetness of manners So that his ill nature consisted in other mens little acquaintance with him Tho. Fullers Church Hist. lib. 7. pag. 402. and Godwin in Glocest. Bishops The same is true of very many worthy men Bullingero ob eruditionem non contemnendam morumque tam sanctitatem quam suavitatem percharus fuit pag 591. 9. If we zealously contend for the saith or the Peace of the Church against Heretical or Dividing persons and their dangerous waies they will call us Proud though God command it us Iud. 2. 3. especially if we avoid them and bid them not Good speed Tit. 3. 10. 2 Joh. 10. 10. When a man of understanding openeth the ignorance of another and speaketh words of pity concerning him though it be no more than truth and charity command they will be taken to be the words of supercilious pride 11. That plain dealing in reproof which God commandeth especially to his Ministers towards high and low great and small and which the Prophets and Servants of God have used will be misjudged as arrogancie and Pride Amos 7. 12 13. 2 Chron. 25. 16. Acts 23. 4. As if it were Pride to Gen. 19. 8 9 10. be true to God and to pity souls and seek to save them and tell them in time of that which conscience will more closely and terribly tell them of when it is too late 12. Self-idolizing Papists accuse their inferiors for Pride if they do but modestly exercise a judgement Cum humilitatis causa mentiris si non eras peccator antequam mentiris mentiendo efficiens quod evitaâ—as Augustin de Verb. Apost of discretion about the matters that their salvation is concerned in and do not implicitly believe as they believe and forbear to prove or try their sayings and swallow not all without any chewing and offer to object the commands of God against any unlawful commands of men As if God were contented to suspend his Laws when ever mens commands do contradict them or humility required us to please and obey men at the price of the loss of our salvation They think that we should not busy our selves to enquire into such matters but trust them with our souls and that the Scriptures are not for the laity to read but they must wholly relie upon the clergie And if a lay man enquire into their Doctrine or Commands they say as Davids brother to him 1 Sam. 17. 28. With whom hast thou left the sheep in the wilderness I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thy heart 13. If a zealous humble preacher of the Gospel that preacheth not himself but Christ be highly esteemed and honoured for his works sake and crowded after and greatly followed by those that are 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. edified by him it is ordinary for the envious
Direct 1. God in vain the first Direction must be this General one to use all the Directions given in Chap. 1. for a wicked mans attaining true Conversion and withal to observe how great an Evidence this sin is of a graceless ungodly miserable soul. For it is supposed to be an ordinary or frequent sin and therefore to have no effectual principle in the heart which is against it and therefore to have the principal room in the will and therefore to be unrepented of as to any saving renewing Repentance If thou hadst any true grace it would teach thee to fear and honour God more To make light of God is inconsistent with Godliness if it be in a predominant degree for they are directly contrary § 9. Direct 2. Get thy heart sensible of the intrinsick evil of thy sin It would never be so easily and Direct 2. familiarly committed by thee if thou didst not think it small That thou maist know it consider Saith Fitz Hâ—beâ—t l. 1. c â—3 â—n 17. I cannot but lament that so great an impiety as Blasphemy is being so common doth pass unpunished where as in other Countrâ—â—s the least blasphemies are severely chastened Insomuch that in Spain I have known a man set in the Market-place the greatest part of a day gaping with a gagg in his mouth for swearing only By the Life of God of these following aggravations § 10. 1. Consider who that God is whom thou abusest Is he not the Great and terrible Majesty See Jer. 5. 21 22. Job 42. 5 6. 38. 2 3 c. that made the world and upholdeth it and ordereth it by his will the Governour and Judge of all the earth infinitely excelling the Sun in glory A God most Holy and in holiness to be mentioned And wilt thou make a by-word of his Dreadful Name Wilt thou prophanely swear by this Holy Name and use the Name of God as thou wouldst scarce use the Name of thy Father or thy King Wilt thou unreverently and contemptuously toss it like a foot-ball Dost thou know no more difference between God and Man Know God and thou wilt sooner tremble at his Name than thus unreverently abuse it § 11. 2. Consider who thou art that thus venturest to prophane the holy Name of God Art thou not his creature and his subject bound to honour him Art thou not a Worm unable to resist him Can â—e not tread thee into Hell or ruine thee and be avenged on thee with a word or less He need to say no more but Thus I will have it to execute his vengeance on the greatest of his enemies If he will it it will be done And art thou then a person fit to despise this God and abuse his Name Is it not a wonder of condescension in him that he will give leave to such Worms as we to Pray to him and to praise and worship him and that he will accept it at our hands And yet canst thou venture thus to slight him and despise him I have oft heard the same impious tongue reproach the Prayers of the godly as if they were too bold and familiar with God and pleading against long or often praying because man must not be so bold with God and perswading others that God accepts it not which yet it self was bold familiarly to swear by his Name and use it lightly and in common talk And indeed Gods servants must take heed of rude and unreverent boldness even in prayer How much more then is the boldness of thy prophaning Gods holy Name to be condemned Must they take heed how they use it in prayer and praise and darest thou abuse it by Oaths and Curses and vain speech § 12. 3. Dost thou not sometime pray by that Name which thou prophanely swearest by If not thou seemest utterly to renounce God and art a miserable wretch indeed But it thou do what an Hypocrite dost thou shew thy self to be in all thy prayers that takest on thee to reverence that Name of God which thou canst toss unreverently and swear and curse by when thou art off thy knees It is part of Bishop Hall's Character of the Hypocrite that he boweth to the Name of Iesus and sweareth by the Name of God and prayeth to God at Church whom he forgets or sweareth by the rest of the Week Doth not thy conscience gripe thee for this Hypocrisie when in thy prayers thou thinkest of this abuse of God § 13. 4. Think man what use thou wilt have for that Holy Name in thy distress which thou now abusest When sickness and death cometh then thou wilt cry Lord Lord Then the Name of God will be called on more reverently And darest thou now make a foot-ball of it Dost thou nor fear lest it should be then thy terror to remember on thy death-bed when thou art calling upon God O this is the Name that I was wont to swear by or to take in vain § 14. 5. Remember that millions of Glorious Angels are magnifying that great and holy Name which thou art prophaning and taking in vain And dost thou not wonder that they do not some of them become the executioners of the vengeance of God against thee and that the earth doth not open and swallow thee up Shall a Worm on Earth be tossing that holy Name or swearing by it prophanely which a world of Glorious Angels are magnifying § 15. 6. Consider that thou art more impious than they that prophane things hallowed and consecrated to God Was Belshazzar punished with the loss of Kingdom and life for carousing in the Vessels of the Sanctuary Wouldst thou think him to be prophane that should make a Stable of the Church and should feed his Swine with the Communion Cup And dost thou not know that the Name of God himself hath a higher degree of Holiness than any place or utensils of his Worship have and therefore that it is a greater prophaneness to abuse his Name than to abuse any of these Doth not thy tongue then condemn thee of Hypocrisie when thou wouldst exclaim against any that should thus prophane the Church or Font or Communion Cup or Table and yet thy self dost ordinarily prophane the very Holy Name of God and use it as a common Name § 16. 7. Consider how unworthily thou requitest God for giving thee thy tongue and speech He gave thee this noble faculty to honour him by And is this thy thanks to use it to dishonour him by swearing and taking his Name in vain § 17. 8. Thy infectious breath corrupteth others It tendeth to bring God into common contempt among his own creatures when they hear his name contemptuously spoken of § 18. 9. Thou forgettest how tender and jealous God hath shewed himself to be of the honour Psal 20 2 〈…〉 â—sâ—l 66 2 68 4 34 3. 6 2 Isa 9 6 12 4 41. â—5 â—â—â—â— 34. 16 Ezek. 36 2â— 23. â— King 8. 16 18 19 29. 9. 3 7.
Mr. Perkins and Mr. Boltons Works and many the like § 5 Direct 5. Next these read over those Books which are more suited to the state of young Christians for their growth in grace and for their exercise of Faith and Love and Obedience and for the mortifying of selfishness pride sensuality worldliness and other the most dangerous sins My own on this subject are my Directions for weak Christians my Saints Rest a Treatise of Self-denyal another of the Mischiefs of Self-ignorance Life of Faith of Crucifying the World the Unreasonableness of Infidelity of Right Rejoycing c. To this use these are excellent Mr. Hildershams Works Dr. Prestons Mr. Perkins Mr. Boltons Mr. Fenners Mr. Gurnalls Mr. Anthony Burgesses Sermons Mr. Lockier on the Colossiâ—ns with abundance more that God hath blest us with § 6. Direct 6. At the same time labour to methodize your knowledge and to that end read first and Direct 6. learn some short Catechism and then some larger as Mr. Balls or the Assemblies larger and next some Body of Divinity as Amesius his Marrow of Divinity and Cases of Conscience which are Englished And let the Catechisme be kept in memory while you live and the rest be throughly understood § 7. Direct 7. Next read to your selves or families the larger Expositions of the Creed Lords Direct 7. Prayer and Ten Commandments such as Perkins Bishop Andrews on the Commandments and Dod c. that your understanding may be more full particular and distinct and your families may not stop in Generals which are not understood § 8. Direct 8. Read much those Books which direct you in a course of daily communion with God and Direct 8. ordering all your conversations As Mr. Reyners Directions the Practice of Piety Mr. Palmers Mr. Scudders Mr. Boltons Directions and my Divine Life § 9. Direct 9. For Peace and Comfort and encrease of the Love of God read Mr. Symmonds Deserted Direct 9. Soul c. and his Life of Faith All Dr. Sibbs Works Mr. Harsnets Cordials Bishop Halls Works c. my Method for Peace and Saints Rest c. § 10. Direct 10. For the understanding of the Text of Scripture keep at hand either Deodates or Direct 10. the Assembly of Divines or the Dutch Annotations with Dr. Hammonds or Dicksons and Hutchinsons brief Observations § 11. Direct 11. For securing you against the Feavor of uncharitable Zeal and Schism and contentious Direct 11. wranglings and erâ—elties for Religion sake read diligently Bishop Halls Peacemaker and other of his Books Mr. Burroughs Irenicon Acontius Stratagems of Satan and my Catholick Unity Catholick Church Universal Concord c. § 12. Direct 12. For establishing you against Popery on the soundest grounds not running in the Direct 12. contrary extream read Dr. Challoners Credo Ecclesiam c. Chillingworth Dr. Field of the Church c. and my True Catholick and my Key for Catholicks and my Safe Religion and Winding-sheet for Popery and Disputation with Mr. Johnson § 13. Direct 13. For special preparation for affliction sufferings sickness death read Mr. Hughs Direct 13. Rod Mr. Lawrence Christs power over sicknesses Mr. S. Rutherfords Letters c. my Treatise of Self-denyal The Believers Last Work the Last Enemy Death and the fourth Part of my Saints Rest. I will add no more lest they seem too many CHAP. XXII Directions for the right Teaching of Children and Servants so as may be most likely to have success I Here suppose them utterly untaught that you have to do with and therefore shall direct you what to do from the very first beginning of your Teaching and their learning And I beseech you study this Chapter more than many of the rest for it is an unspeakable loss that befalls the Church and the souls of men for want of skill and will and diligence in Parents and Masters in this matter § 1 Direct 1. Cause your younger Children to learn the words though they be not yet capable of Direct 1. understanding the matter And do not think as some do that this is but to make them Hypocrites and to teach them to take Gods Name in vain For it is neither Vanity nor Hypocrisie to help them first to understand the words and signs in order to their early understanding of the matter and signification Otherwise no man might teach them any language nor teach them to read any words that be good because they must first understand the words before the meaning If a child learn to read in a Bible it is not taking Gods Name or Word in vain though he understand it not For it is in order to his learning to understand it And it is not vain which is to so good a Use If you leave them untaught till they come to be twenty years of age they must then learn the words before they can understand the matter Do not therefore leave them the children of darkness for fear of makeing them hypocrites It will be an excellent way to redeem their Time to teach them first that which they are capable of learning A child of five or six years old can learn the words of a Catechisme or Scripture before they are capable of understanding them And then when they come to years of understanding that part of their work is done and they have nothing to do but to study the meaning and use of those words which they have learnt already Whereas if you leave them utterly untaught till then they must then be wasting a long time to learn the same words which they might have learnt before And the loss of so much time is no small loss or sin § 2. Direct 2. The most natural way of teaching children the Meaning of Gods Word and the Direct 2. Matters of their salvation is by familiar talk with them suited to their capacities Begin this betimes with them while they are on their Mothers laps and use it frequently For they are quickly capable of some understanding about greater matters as well as about less And knowledge must come in by slow degrees Stay not till their minds are prepossest with vanity and toyes Prov. 22. 6. § 3. Direct 3. By all means let your children learn to read though you be never so poor whatever Direct 3. shift you make And if you have servants that cannot read let them learn yet at spare hours if they be of any capacity and willingness For it is a very great mercy to be able to read the holy Scripture and any good Books themselves and a very great misery to know nothing but what they hear from others They may read almost at any time when they cannot hear § 4. Direct 4. Let your children when they are little ones read much the History of the Scriptures Direct 4. For though this of it self is not sufficient to breed in them any saving knowledge yet it enticeth them to delight in reading the Bible and then they
and personal recourse to as far as may be for the resolving of their weighty doubts and instruction in cases of difficulty and necessity and for the setling of their peace and comfort 10. They are appointed as Physicions under Christ to watch over all the individual Members of their charge and take care that they be not infected with Heresie or corrupted by vice and to admonish the offenders and reduce them unto the way of Truth and Holiness and if they continue impenitent after publick admonition to reject them from the Communion of the Church and command 1 Cor. 14. 16 26. the Church to avoid them 11. They are as to bind over the impenitent to answer their contumacy Acts 20. 7. 36. Jameâ— 5 14. Acts 6. 4. 2. 42. at the Barr of Christ so to Absolve the penitent and comfort them and require the Church to re-admit them to their Communion 12. They are appointed as Stewards in the houshold of Christ to have a tender care of the very bodily welfare of their flocks so as to endeavour the supplying Phil. 1 4. Nâ—h 12. 24. 11. 17. of their wants and stirring up the rich to relieve the poor and faithfully by themselves or the Deacons to distribute what is intrusted with them for that use 13. They are especially to visit the sick and when they are sent for to pray for them and with them and to instruct them in 1 Cor. 11. 24. 10. 16. their special preparations for Death and confirm them against those last assaults 14. They are appointed Heb. 7. 7. Tit. 2. 15. 1. 9 11. to be the publick Champions of the Truth to defend it against all Heretical and prophane opposers and thereby to preserve the flock from being seduced 15. They are appointed to be under Christ the Head the Nerves and Ligaments of the several Churches by which they are kept 1 Tim. 5. 19. 3. 5. not only in vigour by communication of nutriment but also in Concord and such Communion as they Tit. 3. 10. Matth. 18. 17 18. are capable of by the correspondencies and consultations and councils of their Pastors All these are the distinct and special uses to which Christ hath appointed the Office of the Sacred Ministry which having but named to you I need to say no more to shew you the Excellency and Necessity 1 Cor. 5. 4 11 13. and Benefits of it § 4. Herein also the Reasons are apparent why Christ did institute this Sacred Office 1. Because Eph. 4. 13 14. Acts 15. it was meet his Kingdom should have Officers suited to his work in the Administration of it 2. It was meet that they be Men like our selves that we can familiarly converse with 3. The great necessity of his Church required it where the most are weak and insufficient to perform all these Offices for themselves and cannot well subsist without the support of others It was meet therefore that the Pastors were selected persons wiser and holier and stronger than the people and fit for so great and necessary a work 4. It was requisite also to the Order of the Church For if it were like an Army without Officers there would be nothing but confusion and neither order nor edification § 5 By this you may also see the Nature and Reasons of your Obedience to your Pastors As they are not appointed to Govern you by * Priâ—ces may force their subjects by the temporal Sword which they bear Bishops may not force their flock with any corporal or external violence Biâ—son Châ—ist Subjection pag. 525. force but willingly †1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as being Lords over Gods Heritage but as ensamples to the flock so you must willingly and chearfully obey them in their work As their * Dr. Hammond Annot. q. d. The Bishops of your several Churches I exhort Take care of your several Churches and Govern them not as Seâ—ular Rulâ—rs by force but as Pastors do their sheep by calling and going before them that so they may follow of their own accoâ—d If you would know the true Nature and extent of the Bishops Work and Office read carefully the said Dr. Hammonds Paraphras on Acts 20. 20 28. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 12. Heb. 13. Annot. a. Tiâ— 3. 10. 1 Cor. 12. 28. e Annot. Jam. 5. 14. Annot. Acts 11. 30. Annot. â— Acts 14. 23. Government is not by and bodily penalties or mulcts for that is the Magistrates work and not theirs but a Government by the force of TRUTH and LOVE so your Obedience of them consisteth in the Loving and Thankful reception of the Truth which they teach you and the mercies which they offer you from Christ. § 6. You see then that the Reasons of your obedience are manifold 1. Some of them from God He hath sent his Messengers to you and set his Officers over you and Christ hath told you that he that heareth them heareth him and he that despiseth them despiseth him and him that sent him Luke 10. 16. He commandeth you to hear and obey them as his Officers 2. From themselves They have Authority by their Commission and they have Ability in their qualifications which require your obedience and improvement 3 From your selves Have you reason to obey your natural Parents on whom your livelihood in the world dependeth Have you reason to obey him that tendereth you a Pardon from the King when you are condemned oâ— that offereth you Gold or Riches in your want or that inviteth you to a feast in a time of famine or that offereth to defend and save you from your enemies Much more have you reason to obey Christs Ministers when they call you to Repentance and offer you pardon of sin and peace and salvation and eternal life Did you ever hear a man so mad or churlish as to say to one that offered him Riches or Liberty or Life I am not bound to obey you Offer them to those that you have authority over When the Office of the Ministry is as well subservient to Christ as a Saviour and Benefactor as to Christ as your Teacher and your King the very nature of their work engageth you to obey them as you Love your selves If you were in Hell and Christ should send for you out you would not refuse to go till the Messenger had proved his authority And when you are the Heirs of Hell condemned by the Law and going thither will you refuse to turn back and yield to the offers and commands of Grace till you have skill enough to read the Ministers Commission § 7. By this also you see that the power of your Pastors is not absolute nor coercive and Lordly Chrysost. cited by Biâ—son p. 525 But if any man wander from the right path of the Christian Faith the Pastor must uâ—e great pains care and patience For
he may not be forced nor constrained with terror but only perswaded to return entirely to the truth A Bishop cannot cure men with such authority as a Shepheard doth his sheep For of all men Christian Bishops may least correct the faults of men by force pag. â—26 but Ministerial And though the Papists make a scorn of the word Minister it is but in that pride and pâ—ssion and malice which maketh them speak against their knowledge For their Pope himself calleth himself the Servant of Gods Servants and Paul saith 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 3. 5. Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed 2 Cor. 3. 6. Who made us able Ministers Matth. 20. 26. Mar. 10. 43. See Psal. 103. 21. 104. 4. Isa. 61. 6. Jer. 33 21. Joel 1 9 13. 2 17. of the New Testament 2 Cor. 6. 4. In all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God Even Magistrates yea and Angels are not too good to be called and used as the Ministers of God for the good of his servants Rom. 13. 3 6. Heb. 1. 7. and to minister for them shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. Yea Christ himself is so called Rom. 15. 8. And therefore you have no more excuse for your disobedience than for refusing his help that would pull you out of fire or water when you are perishing You see here that your Pastors cannot command you what they list nor a Cor. 11. 23. Acts 26 26 Rom. 15. 16. Ephes. 3. 7. Col. 1. 23 25. 1 Tim. 4. 6. 1 Thess. 3. 2. Col. 1. 7. how they list They have nothing to do with the Magistrates work nor can they usurp the Power of a Master over his Servants nor command you how to do your work and worldly business except in the Morality of it In the fifteen particulars before mentioned their work and office doth consist and in those it is that you owe them a rational obedience § 8. Direct 2. Know your own Pastors in particular and know both what you owe to a Minister as a Minister of Christ in common and what you owe him moreover as your Pastor by special relation and charge When any Minister of Christ delivereth his Word to you he must be heard as a Minister of Christ and Direct 2. not as a Private man But to your own Pastor you are bound in a peculiar relation to an ordinary â—unâ—â—â—â— nes in â—â—câ— sia pâ—rpâ—tuâ—e sunt dâ—ae Presbyterorum Diaâ—ororumn Presbyt râ—s voco cum omni Ecclesia veteri eos qui Ecclesiam pascunt verbi pâ—aedicatione Sacramentis clavibus quae Juâ—e Divinâ— sunt individua Croâ—ius dâ— Imperio pag. 267. c. 10. and regular attendance upon his Ministry in all the particulars before mentioned that concern you Your own Bishop must in a special manner be obeyed 1. As one that laboureth among you and is over you in the Lord and admonisheth you and preacheth to you the Word of God watching for your souls as one that must give account 1 Thess. 5. 12. Bish. Ier. Tailor of Repentance Pâ—ef I aâ—â—ure we caâ—not give account of soâ—ls of which we have no notice Heb. 13. 7. 17. and as one that Ruleth well and especially that laboureth in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17. teaching you publickly and from house to house taking heed to himself and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made him an Overseer not ceasing to warn every one night and day with tears Acts 20. 19 20 24 28 31 33. Preaching Christ and warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that he may present every man perfect in Christ Col. 1. 28. 2. He is to be obeyed as the Guide of the Congregation in the management of Gods publick worship you must seriously and reverently joyn with him every Lords Day at least in the publick Prayers and Praises of the Church and not ordinarily go from him to another 3. You must receive from him or with him the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ which of old was administred every Lords Day and that only in the Church where the Bishop was Iâ—nat Epis. ad Phiâ—ad Viâ— Meads Disâ— of Churches p. 48 49 50. that is in every Church of the faithful for as Ignatius most observably saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 UNUM ALTARE OMNI ECCLESIAE ET UNUS EPISCOPUS CUM PRESBITERIO ET DIACONIS IN EVERY CHURCH there is ONE ALTAR and ONE BISHOP WITH THE PRESBYTERY and DEACONS So in his Epist. ad Magnes Come all as one to the Temple of God as to one Altar as to one Iesus Tertull. de Coroa Miâ—iâ— c. 3. Christ And saith Tertullian Eucharistae Sacramentum nec de aliorum manu quam praesidentium sumimus We take not the Sacrament of the Eucharist from the hand of any but the President 4. You must have recourse to him especially for the resolution of your weighty doubts in It is very observable that Acosta saith l. 6. c. 12. that they found it an old custome among the Indians to confess their sirs to the Priests before the Gospel came thither private 5. You must hear your Bishops and Repent when in Meekness and Love they convince and admonish you against your sins and not resist the Word of God which they powerfully and patiently lay home to your Consciences nor put them with grief to cut you off as impentient in scandalous sins from the Communion of the Church 6. You must after any scandalous sin which hath brought you under the censure of the Church go humble your selves by penitent confession and crave absolution and restoration to the Communion of the Church 7. Your publick Church-alms should ordinarily be deposited into the Bishops hands who relieveth the See more in Dr. Hammond ibid. Orphans and Widows and is the Curator or Guardian to all absolutely that are in want saith Ignatius to Polyâ— cited by Dr. Hammond on 1 Cor. 12. 28. 8. You must send for him in your sickness to pray with you and advise you See Dr. Hammond on Iames 5. 14. And on 1 Cor. 12. 28. he saith Polycarp himself speaking of the Elders or Bishops saith They visit and take care of all that are sick not neglecting the Widows the Orphans or the poor And Dr. Hammond on Iam. 5. 14. sheweth out of Antiquity that One part of the Bishops Office is Vid. Canon Aâ—ost 5. 32. Concil Antâ—och c. â— â—â— Concil Carthag 4. Caâ— 35. set down that they are those that Visit all the sick Not but that a stranger may be made use of also but ordinarily and especially your own Bishop must be sent for Because as you are his special charge and he watcheth for your souls as one that must give account Heb. 13. 17. So it is supposed
that he is better acquainted with your spiritual state and life than others are and therefore in less danger of wronging you by mistake and misapplications For it s supposed that you have acquainted him with your personal condition in your health having taken him as your ordinary Counsellor for your souls and that he hath acquainted himself with your condition and confirmed you and watcht over you by name as Ignatius to Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna saith Saepe Congregationes fiant ex nomine omnes quaere servos ancillas ne despicias as Bishop Ushers old Latine Transl. hath Vid. Iastiâ— Marâ— Apol. 2. Vid. Tertul. Apol. c. 39. it Let Congregations be often held Enquire after all by name Despise not Servants and Maids The Bishop took notice of every Servant and Maid by name and he had opportunity to see whether they were in the Congregation 9. You must use him as your Leader or Champion against all Hereticks Infidels and subtle adversaries of the truth with whom you are unable to contend your selves that your Bishop may clear up and defend the cause of Christ and righteousness and by irresistible evidence stop the mouths of all I hope all this will tell you what a Bishop indeed is gain-sayers It is for your own benefit and not for theirs that you are required in all these works of their office to use them and readily obey them And what hurt can it do you to obey them in any of these § 9. Direct 3. Understand how it is that Christ doth authorize and send forth his Ministers lest Direct 3. Wolves and deceivers should either obtrude themselves upon you as your lawful Pastors or should alienate you from thâ—se that God hath set over you by puzling you in subtle questioring or disputing against their call Not only Pauls warnings Act. 20. 30. and 2 Tim. 3. 6. but lamentable experience telleth us what an eager desire there is in Proud and Self-conceited men to obtrude themselves as Teachers and Pastors on the Churches to creep into houses and lead people captive and draw away Disciples after them and say and perhaps think that others are deceivers and none are the true Teachers indeed but they And the first part of the art and work of wolves is to separate you from your Pastors and catch up the straglers that are thus separated The malice and slanders and lies and railing of hirelings and deceivers and all the powers of Hell are principally poured out on the faithful Pastors and leaders of the flocks The principal work of the Jesuits against you is to make you believe that Gâ—ot de Imp. p. 273. Pastorum est ordinare Pastores Neque id officâ—um eis competit quâ hujus aut illius ecclesiae Pastores sunt sed quâ uâ— nistriâ— ecclesiae Catholicae your Pastors are no true Pastors but uncalled private persons and meer usurpers and the reason must be because they have not an Ordination of Bishops successively from the Apostles without interruption I confess if our interruptions had been half as lamentable as theirs by their Schisms and variety of Popes at once and Popes accused or condemned by General Councils for Hereticks and their variety of wayes of electing Popes and their incapacities by Simony Usurpation c. I should think at least that our Ancestors had cause to have questioned the calling of some that were then over them But I will help you in a few words to discern the jugling of these deceivers by shewing you the truth concerning the way of Christs giving his commission to the Ministers that are truly called and the needlesness of the proof of an uninterrupted succession of regular ordination to your reception of your Pastors and their Ministrations § 10. The ministerial commission is contained in and conveyed by the Law of Christ which is the See in Grotius de Imper. sum potest p. 269. The necessary distinction of 1. Ipsa facultas praedicandi sacramenta claves administrandi quod Mandatum vocat 2. Applicatio hujus facultatis ad certam personam viz. Ordinatio 3. Applicatio hujus personae ad certum coeâ—um locum viz. Electio 4. Iliud quo certa persona in certo loco ministerium suum exercet publico praesidio ac publicâ authoritate viz. Coâ—fiâ—matio p. 273. Constat munetis institutionem à Deo esse Ordinationem à Pastoribus Confirmationem publicam à summa potestate So that the doubt is only about election Which yet must be differenced from consenâ— Charter of the Church and every true Bishop or Pastor hath his Power from Christ and not at all from the efficient conveyance of any mortal man Even as Kings have their power not from man but from God himself but with this difference that in the Church Christ hath immediatly determined of the species of Church offices but in the Civil Government only of the Genus absolutely and immediatly You cannot have a plainer illustration than by considering how Mayors and Bailiffs and Constables are annually made in Corporations The King by his Charter saith that every year at a certain time the freemen or Burgesses shall meet and choose one to be their Mayor and the Steward or Town Clerk shall give him his oath and thus or he shall be invested in his place and this shall be his power and work and no other So the King by his Law appointeth that Constables and Church-wardens shall be chosen in every Parish Now let our two questions be here decided 1. Who it is that giveth these Officers their Power 2. Whether an uninterrupted succession of such officers through all generations since the enacting of that Law be necessary to the validity of the present officers authority To the first It is certain that it is the King by his Law or Charter that giveth the officers their power and that the Corporations and Parishes do not give it them by electing or investing them yea though the King hath made such election and Investiture to be in a sort his instrument in the conveying it it is but as the opening of the door to let them in sine quo non but it doth not make the Instruments to be at all the Givers of the Power nor were they the receiving or containing mediate causes of it The King never gave them the Power which the officers receive either to Use or to Give but only makes the Electors his Instruments to determine of the person that shall receive the Power immediately from the Law or Charter and the Investers he ma keth his Instruments of solemnizing the Tradition and admission which if the Law or Charter make absolutely Necessary ad esse officii it will be so but if it make it necessary only ad melius esse or but for order and regular admittance when no necessity hindereth it the necessity will be no more And to the second question It is plain that the Law which is the Fundamentum
men were before when once they converse together and grow acquainted they are more reconciled The reason is partly because they find less evil and more good in one another than before they did believe to be in them and partly because uncharitableness and malice being an ugly monster is bolder at a distance but ashamed of it self before your face And therefore the pens of the Champions of malice are usually more bitter than their tongues when they speak to you face to face Of all the furious adversaries that have raged against me in the later part of my life I remember not one enemy that I have or ever had that was ever familiar or acquainted with me And I have my self heard ill reports of many which by personal acquaintance I have found to be all false Keep together and either silence your differences or gently debate them yea rather chide it out than withdraw asunder Familiarity feedeth Love and Unity § 106. Direct 23. When ever you look at any corruption in the Church look also at the contrary exâ—râ—am Direct 23. and see and avoid the danger of one as well as of the other Be sure every error and Church-corruption hath its extream And if you do not see it and the danger of it you are the liker to run into it Look well on both sides if you would be safe § 107. Direct 24. Worship God your selves in the purest manner and under the most edifying Ministry Direct 24. that lawfully you can attain but be not too forward to condemn others that reach not to your measure or attain not so much happiness And deny not personal communion sometimes with Churches that are more blemished and fit for Communion And when you cannot joyn locally with them let them have the communion of your Hearts in faith and charity and prayer for each other I fear not here openly to tell the world that if I were turned loose to my own liberty I would ordinarily worship God in that manner that I thought most pure and agreeable to his Will and Word but I would sometimes go to the Churches of other Christians that were fit for Christian communion if there were such about me Sometime to the Independants sometime to the moderate Anabaptists sometime to such as had a Liturgie as faulty as that of the Greek or the Ethiopian Churches to shew by my practice what communion my heart hath with them all § 108. Direct 25. Take heed that you interess not Religion or the Church in Civil differences This Direct 25. error hath divided and ruined many famous Churches and most injuriously made the holy truth and worship of God to be a reproach and infamy among selfish partial carnal men When Princes and Since the writing of this I have published a Book called The Curt of Church-Divistoâ—s and a Defence of it which handle these things more fully States fall out among themselves they will needs draw the Ministers to their sides and then one side will certainly condemn them and call them all that self-interest and malice can invent And commonly when the controversie is only in point of Law or Politicks it is Religion that bears the blame of all and the differences of Lawyers and Statesmen must be charged upon Divines that the Devil may be able to make them useless as to the good of all that party that is against them and may make Religion it self be called Rebellion And O that God would maintain the Peace of Kingdoms and Kings and Subjects were all Lovers of peace the rather because the differences in States do cause so commonly divisions in the Church It would make a man wonder and a lover of History to lament to observe in the differences between the Pope and Henry the fourth and other Emperours how the Historians are divided one half commending him that the other half condemneth and how the Bishops and Churches were one half for the Pope and the other for the Emperour and one half still accounted Rebels or Schismaticks by the other though they were all of one Religion It is more to ruine the Church than Kingdoms that Satan laboureth so much to kindle Warrs and breed Civil differences in the world And therefore let him that loveth the Churches Peace be an obedient Subject and an enemy of Sedition and a Lover and defender of the Civil Peace and Government in the place that God hath set him in For this is pleasing unto God § 109. I know there are some that with too bloody and calamitous success have in most ages given other kind of Directions for the extirpation of Error Heresie and Schism than I have here given But God hath still caused the most wise and holy and charitable and experienced Christians Bâ—â—a Hist. Ecâ—lâ—sâ—â—ib 1. cap. 26. Didicerat enim Rex Edilberth a Doctoribut auctoribusque suae salutis servitium Christi voluntarium non coactitium debeâ—e esse to bear their testimony against them And he hath ever caused their way of cruelty to turn to their own shame And though like Treasons and Robberies it seem for the time present to serve their turn it is bitterness in the end and leaveth a stinking memorial of their names and actions to posterity And the Treatises of Reconcilers such as our Halls Ushers Bergius Burroughs and many other by the delectable savour of Unity and Charity are sweet and acceptable to prudent and peaâ—â—able persons though usually unsuccessful with the violent that needed them Besides the fore-cited witness of Sr. Francis Bacon c. I will here add one of the most antient and one or two of this age whom the contrary-minded do mention with the greatest honour Iustin Martyr Dial. cum Tryph. doth at large give his judgement that a Judaizing Christian who thinketh it best to be circumciâ—â—d and keep the Law of Moses be suffered in his opinion and practice and admitted to the communion and priviledges of the Church and loved as one that may be saved in that way so be it he do not make it his business to perswade others to his way and teach it as necessary to salvation or communion For such he doth condemn King Iames by the Pen of Is. Causabone telleth Cardinal du Perron that His Majesty thinketh that for Concord there is no nearer way than diligently to separate things necessary from the unnecessary and to bestow all our labour that we may agree in the things necessary and that in things unnecessary there may be place given for Christian Liberty The King calleth these things simply necessary which either the Word of God expresly commandeth to be believed or done or which the antient Church did gather from the Word of God by necessary consequence Grotius Annot. in Matth. 13. 41. is so full and large upon it that I must intreat the Reader to peruse his own words where by arguments and authority he-vehemently rebuketh the Spirit of fury cruelty and uncharitableness which
under pretence of Government Discipline and Zeal denyeth that Liberty and forbearance even to Hereticks and Offenders much more when to the faithful Ministers of Christ which humane frailty hath made necessary and Christ hath commanded his servants to grant Concluding Ubi solitudinem fecerant pacem appellabant as Tertull. Et his omnibus obtendi solet studium Divini nominis sed plerumque obtendi tantum Nam Deus dedignatur coacta servitia nec placere illi potest quod vi humana exprimitur Reipsa solent qui id faciunt non nomini divino sed suis honoribus suis commodis tranquillitati consulere quod scit ille qui mentes intrâ—spicit Atque ita sit ut lolium evellatur cum tritico innocemes cum nocentibus immo ut triticum saepe sumatur pro lâ—liâ— Non enim tam bene agitur cum rebus humanis ut semper meliora pluribus aut validioribus placeant sed ut in grege taurus ita inter homines qui viribus est editior imbecilliorem coedit iidem saepe quae pati se querebantur mox in alios audent Lege caetera Again I intreat those that would escape the sin of Schism to read seriously the foresaid Treatises of Peacemakers especially Bishop Halls Peacemaker Bishop Ushers Sermon on Eph. 4. 3. and Mr. Ieremy Burroughs Irenicum to which I may add Mr. Stillin fleets Irenicum for the hot contenders about Church-Government though I believe all the substance of Church Order to be of Divine institution and Iac. Acontii Stratag Satanae And it must be carefully noted that one way by which Satan tempteth men into Church-Divisions is by an over-vehement zeal against Dividers and so he would draw the Rulers of the world under pretence of a zeal for Unity and Peace to raise persecutions against all that are guilty of any excess of scrupulosity about Church-communion or of any principles or practices which a little swerve from true Catholicism And so by the cruelty of their penalties silencing Ministers and vexing the people they much increase the divisions which they would heal For when Satan cannot do his work bare-faced and directly he useth to be the forwardest in seeming to do good and to take part with Christ and Truth and Godliness And then his way is to over-do He will be over-orthodox and over-gâ—â—dly and over-peaceable that hâ— hug the truth and Church to death by his too hard embracements As in families and neighbourhoods some cross words must be passed over if we would have peace And he that for every provoking unpeaceable word of another will raise a storm shall be himself the most unpeaceable so is it in the Church He that cannot bear with the weaknesses of the younger sort of Christians who are too much inclined by their zeal against sin to dividing wayes but will presently let fly at them as Schismaticks and make them odious and excommunicate or punish them according to his wrath shall increase the zeal and the number of dividers and prove himself the greatest divider And by this violence and destroying zeal of Orthodox Rulers against the real faults and infirmities of some separating well meaning men a far greater number of Heterodox Rulers are encouraged to persecute the most learned sober and peaceable Ministers and the most godly and faithful of their Subjects who dare not conform to all their unrighteous Edicts and Ecclesiastical Laws in things forbidden by the Law of Christ And all this is done upon pretence of promoting Unity and Peace and suppressing Heresie and Schism And so persecution becometh the Devils Engine to keep out the Gospel and Godliness from the Infidel world and to keep them under in the Christian world Sed tamen sive illud Origâ—nis de Redemptione futura diabolorum Error est ut ego sentio sive Haerâ—sâ—s ut putatur non solum reprimi non potuit multis animadversionibus Sacerdotum sed nequaquam tam late se pâ—â—uissâ—t offundere nisi contentione crevisset inquit Posthumianus in Sulp. Severi Dialog 1. Sed non fuit animus ibi consiâ—â—ere ubi recens fraternae cladis fervebat invidia Nam etsi fortasse vidâ—â—ntur parere Epise pis debuisse non ob hanc tamen causam multitudinem tantam sub Christi confessione viventem praesertim ab Episcopis oportuisset affligi Id. ibid. Speaking of the Bishops provoking the Secular Power to afflict the Monks of Alexandria for defending Origene When the Emperour Constantius would by violence force the Orthodox to hold Communion with the Arrians he did but make the breach the wider Read Lucifer Calaritanus de non conveniendo cum Haereticis in Biblioth Patr. Tom. 9. p. 1045 c. The Emperour saith that the Orthodox were enemies to peace and unity and brotherly Love and that he was resolved to have unity and peace in his Dominions Therefore he imprisoned the Orthodox and banished them Propterea odis nos quia concilium vestrum malignantium execremur propterea in exilio sumus propterea in carcere necamur propterea nobis solis prohibetur conspectus idâ—irco reclusi in tenebras custodimur ingenti custodia hujus rei causa nullus ad nos visendos admittitur hominum quia videlicet noluerimus vobiscum impiis sacrilegis ullam scelerum vestrorum habere societatem Ibid. pag. 1050. which stirred up this Bishop in particular to go too far from free communion even with the penitent Arrians and heap up more Scriptures against that communion which the Emperour commanded than any had done before Nobis dicebas Pacem volo fieri in corde tuo manens adversarius religionis nostrae cogitabat per te facere nos idololatras c. p. 1051. Consilia vestra contra suam prolata Ecclesiam reprobat Deus Nec enim potest odire populum suum haereditatem suam amare vos filios pestilentiae vos persecutores servorum suorum Dixisti Facite pacem cum Episcopis sectae meae Arrianis estote in unum dicit Dei Spiritus Vias impiorum noli exequi neque aemuleris viam iniquorum c. Dulce quibusdam videtur quo tibi Regi in amicitias jungantur suscipiendo haeresin tuam sed amarius felle sensuri cum tecum torqueri in perpetuum caeperint in perpetua gehenna sentire qui tecum esse deligerunt tunc dicturi Vae nobis qui Constantium Imperatorem Deo praeposuerimus Abundance more he writeth to prove that the Emperour being a Heretick they must have no communion with him or his Bishops And when the Emperour complained hereupon that they wronged and dishonoured him whom they should honour the said Lucifer wrote his next book de non parcendo in Deum delinquentibus which beginneth Superatum te Imperator a Dei servis ex omni cum conspexisses parte dixisti pâ—ssum te ac pâ—ti a nobis contra monita sacrarum Scripturarum contumeliam dicis nos insolentes extitisse circa te quem honorari decuerit
and not under the scandal of Heresie Schism or gross corruption among those that live about 4. That it be under the countenance and encouraging favour of the Christian Magistrate 5. That it be the same Church of which the rest of the family which we are of be members That Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants be not of several Churches 6. That the Pastors be able Teachers prudent Guides and of holy lives and diligent in their office 7. That the Pastors be regularly called to their office 8. That the members be intelligent peaceable and of holy temperate and righteous lives But when all these cannot be had together we must choose that Church which hath those qualifications which are most needful and bear with tolerable imperfections The most needful are the first second and sixth of these qualifications Prop. 27. He that is free should choose that Church which is the fittest for his own edification that is The best Pastors people and administrations Prop. 28. A mans freedom is many wayes restrained herein As 1. When it will tend to a greater publick hurt by disorder ill example division discouragement c. 2. When superiours forbid it Of these things I have said so much in my Cure of Church Divisions and in the Defence of it and in the end of my Reas. of Christ. Relig. Consect 1. 2. that I pass them over here with the more brevity As Husbands Parents Masters Magistrates 3. By some scandal 4. By the distance or inconvenience of our dwelling 5. By differences of Judgement and other causes of contention in the said Churches And many other wayes Prop. 29. A free man who removeth from one Church to another for his edification is not therefore a Separatist or Schismatick But it must not be done by one that is not free but upon such necessity as freeth him Prop. 30. It is schism or sinful separation to separate from 1. A true Church as no true Church 2. From Lawful Worship and Communion as unlawful But of this more in its proper place Quest. 2. Whether we must esteem the Church of Rome a true Church And in what sense some Divines affirm it and some deny it WAnt of some easie distinguishing hath made that seem a Controversie here which is so plain â—â—â—â— Mr. Bur 〈…〉 â—nd 〈…〉 's contest hereabout that it can hardly be any at all to Protestants if the question had been but truly stated Remember therefore that by a Church is meant not a meer company of Christians any how related to each other but a society consisting of an Ecclesiastical Head and Body such as we call a Political society 2. And that we speak not of an Accidental Head such as the King is because he Governeth them suo modo by the sword for that is not an Essential Constitutive Part But of a Constitâ—tive Ecclesiastical Head and body 3. That the question is not Whether the Church of Rome be a Part of the Church but whether it be a true Church And now I answer 1. To affirm the Church of Rome to be the Catholick or Universal Church is more than to affirm it to be a true Catholick Church that is a true part of the Catholick Church and is as much as to say that it is the whole and only Church and that there is no other which is odious falshood and usurpation and slander against all other Churches 2. The Church of Rome is so called in the Question as it is a Policy or Church in a general sense And the meaning of the Question is Whether it be a Divine or a Humane or Diabolical Policy A Lawful Church 3. The Church of Rome is considered 1. Formally as a Church or Policy 2. Materially as the singular persons are qualified It is the Form that denominateth Therefore the Question must be taken of the Roman Policy or of the Church of Rome as such that is As it is one Ruler pretending to be the ☞ Vicarious constitutive Governing Head of all Christs Visible Church on earth and the Body which owneth him in this Relation 4. Therefore I conclude and so do all Protestants that this Policy or Church of Rome is no true Church of Christs Instituting or approbation but a Humane sinful Policy formed by the Temptation of Satan the Prince of Pride deceit and darkness The proof of which is the matter of whole loads of Protestant Writings And indeed the proof of their Policy being incumbent on themselves they fail in it and are still fain to fly to pretended false Tradition for proof in which the Sophisters know that either they must be Judges themselves and it must go for truth because they say it or else that if they can carry the Controversie into a Thicket or Wood of Fathers and Church History at least they can confound the ignorant and evade themselves Of this see my Disput. with Iohnson and my Key for Catholicks c. 5. The Bishop of the English Papists Smith called Bishop of Chalcedon in his Survey cap. 5. saith To us it sufficeth that the Bishop of Rome is St. Peters successour and this all the Fathers testifie and all ☞ the Catholick Church believeth But whether it be jure Divino or humano is no point of faith The like hath * System Fidâ—i Davenport called Fransc. à Sancta Clarâ more largely By this let the Reader judge whether we need more words to prove their Church to be such as Christ never instituted when the belief of their Divine right is no part of their own faith 6. If the Church of Rome in its formal Policy be but of humane institution it is 1. Unnecessary to salvation 2. Unlawful Because they that first instituted it had no Authority so to do and were Usurpers For either the makers of it were themselves a Church or no Church If no Church they could not lawfully make a Church Infidels or Heathens are not to be our Church-makers If a Church then there was a Church before the Church of Rome and that of another form And if that former form were of Christs institution man might not change it If not who made that form And so on 7. Our Divines therefore that say that the Church of Rome is a True Church though corrupt do not speak of it formally as to the Papal Policy or Headship but materially 1. That all Papists that are visible Christians are visible Parts of the universal Church 2. That their particular Congregations considered abstractedly from the Roman Headship may be true particular Churches though corrupt which yet being the only difficulty shall be the matter of our next enquiry Quest. 3. Whether we must take the Romish Clergy for true Ministers of Christ And whether their Baptism and Ordination be nullities I Joyn these two distinct Questions together for brevity 1. As True signifieth Regularly called so they are commonly Irregular and not True Ministers But as True signifieth
if they could procure it but yet consent to receive that Protection and Iustice which is their own due from the possessour and consent to his Relation only thus far this is a Kingdom truly but more defective or maimed than the first 4. But if the people do not so much as Receive him nor submit to his Administrations he is but a Conquerour and not a King and it is in respect to him no Kingdom though in respect to some other that hath title and consent without actual possession of the Administration it may be a Kingdom And this is the true and plain solution of this question which want of distinction doth obscure Quest. 8. Whether sincere faith and Godliness be necessary to the Being of the Ministry And whether it be lawful to hear a wicked man or take the Sacrament from him or take him for a Minister THis question receiveth the very same solution with the last foregoing and therefore I need not say much more to it I. The first part is too oft resolved mistakingly on both extreams Some absolutely saying that Godliness or Faith is not necessary to the Being of the Ministry And some that it is necessary Whereas the true solution is as aforesaid Sincere faith and Godliness is necessary to make a man a Minister so far as that God will own and justifie him as sent by himself as to his own Duty and Benefit For he cannot be Internally and Heartily a Christian Pastor that is no Christian nor a Minister of God who is not Godly that is â—s not truly Resigned to God obeyeth him not and Loveth him not as God But yet the Reality of these are not necessary to make him a Visible Pastor as to the Peoples Duty and Benefit 2. But the Profession of true Faith and Godliness is necessary so far as that without it the people ought not to take him for a Visible Minister as the profession of Christianity is to a visible Christian 3. And in their choice they ought to prefer him caeteris paribus whose profession is most credible Obj. That which maketh a Minister is Gifts and a Calling which are distinct from Grace and real Christianity Answ. Every Minister is a Christian though every Christian be not a Minister or Pastor Therefore he that is a Visible Pastor must Visibly or in Profession have both Obj. But a man may be a Christian without saving Grace or Godliness Answ. As much as he may be Godly without Godliness That is he may be Visibly a Christian and Godly without sincere faith or Godliness but not without the profession of both It is not possible that the profession of Christianity in the Essentials can be without the profession of Godliness For it includeth it II. To the other question I answer 1. A man that Professeth Infidelity or Impiety yea that Professeth not faith and Godliness is not to be taken for a Minister or heard as such 2. Every one that professeth to stand to his Baptismal Covenant professeth faith and Godliness 3. He that by a vicious life or bad application of doctrine contradicteth his profession is to be lawfully accused of it and heard speak for himself and to be cast out by true Church-justice and not by the private censure of a private person 4. Till this be done though a particular private member of the Church be not bound to think that the Minister is Worthy nor that the Church which suffereth him and receiveth him doth well yet they are bound to judge him one who by the Churches reception is in possession and therefore a visible Pastor and to submit to his publick Administrations Because it is not in a private mans power but the Churches to determine who shall be the Pastor 5. But if the case be past Controversie and notorious that the man is not only scandalous and weak and dull and negligent but also either 1. Intolerably unable 2. Or an Infidel or gross Heretick 3. Or certainly ungodly a private man should admonish the Church and him and in case that they proceed in impenitency should remove himself to a better Church and Ministry And the Church it self should disown such a man and commit their souls to one that is fitter for the trust 6. And that Church or person who needlesly owneth such a Pastor or preferreth him before a fitter doth thereby harden him in his usurpation and is guilty of the hurt of the peoples souls and of his own and of the dishonour done to God Quest. 9. Whether the people are bound to Receive or Consent to an ungodly intolerable heretical Pastor yea or one far less fit and worthy than a competitor if the Magistrate command it or the Bishop impose him FOr the deciding of this take these Propositions 1. The Magistrate is authorized by God to Govern Ministers and Churches according to the orders and Laws of Christ and not against them But not to ordain or degrade nor to make Ministers or unmake them nor to deprive the Church of the Liberty settled on it by the Laws of Christ. 2. The Bishops or Ordainers are authorized by Christ to judge of the fitness of the person to the office in general and solemnly to invest him in it but not to deprive the people of their freedom and exercise of the natural care of their own salvation or of any Liberty given them by Christ. 3. The peoples Liberty in choosing or consenting to their own Pastors to whom they must commit the â—are of their souls is partly founded in nature it being they that must have the benefit or loss and no man being authorized to damn or hazard mens souls at least against their wills And partly setled by Scripture and continued in the Church above a thousand years after Christ at least in very In the time of the Arrian Emperours the Churches refused the Bishops whom the Emperours imposed on them and stuck to their own Orthodox Bishops especially at Alexandria and Caesarea after the greatest urgency for their obedience many parts of it See Blondels Full proof de jure plebis in regim Eccles. Hildebertus Caenoman alias Turonensis even in his time sheweth that though the Clergy were to lead and the people to follow yet no man was to be made a Bishop or put upon the people without their own consent Epist. 12. Bibl. Pet. To. 3. p. 179. Filesacus will direct you to more such testimonies But the thing is past Contro-sie I need not cite to the learned the commonly cited testimony of Cyprian Plebs maximam habet potestatem indignos recusandi c. And indeed in the nature of the thing it cannot be For though you may drench a mad mans body by force when you give him physick you cannot so drench mens souls nor cure them against their wills 4. Not that the Peoples consent is necessary to the general office of a Gospel Minister to Preach and Baptize but only to the appropriation or relation of a
Rom. 10. 15 1â— translate it Age it is the Age of the Church of the Messiah incarnate which is all one 4. Because it was a small part of the world comparatively that heard the Gospel in the Apostles dayes And the far greatest part of the world is without it at this day when yet God our Saviour would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth 5. Even where the Gospel hath long continued for the most part there are many still that are in infidelity And so great a work is not left without an appointed suitable means for its performance And if an Office was necessary for it in the first age it is not credible that it is left to private mens charity ever since 6. Especially considedering that private men are to be supposed insufficient 1. Because they are not educated purposely for it but usually for something else 2. Because that they have other Callings to take them up 3. Because they have no special obligation And that which is no mans peculiar work is usually left undone by all II. The peoples Call or Consent is not necessary to a Ministers reception of his Office in General nor for this part of his work in special But only to his Pastoral Relation to themselves 1. It is so in other functions that are exercised by skill The Patients or People make not a man a Physicion or a Lawyer but only choose what Physicion shall be their Physicion and what Lawyer shall be their Counsellor 2. If the peoples Call or Consent be necessary it is either the Infidels or the Churches Not the Infidels to whom he is to preach for 1. He is Authorized to preach to them as the Apostles were before he goeth to them 2. Their Consent is but a Natural-consequent-requisite for the Reception and success of their Teaching but not to the Authority which is pre-requisite 3. Infidels cannot do so much towards the making of a Minister of Christ. 4. Else Christ would have few such Ministers 5. If it be Infidels either all or some If some why those rather than others Or is a man made a Minister by every Infidel auditory that heareth him 2. Nor is it Christian people that must do this much to the making of a General Minister For 1. They have no such Power given for it in Nature or the Word of God 2. They are generally unqualified and unable for such a work 3. They are no where obliged to it nor can fitly leave their Callings for it Much less to get the abilities necessary to judge 4. Which of the people have this power Is it any of them or any Church of private men Or some one more than the rest Neither one nor all can lay any claim to it There is some reason why this Congregation rather than another should choose their own Pastors But there is no Reason nor Scripture that this Congregation choose a Minister to convert the World III. I conclude therefore that the Call of a Minister in General doth consist 1. Dispositively in the due Qualifications and â—nablement of the person 2. And the Necessity of the people with opportunity is a providential part of the Call 3. And the ordainers are the Orderly Electors and determineâ—s of the person that shall receive the power from Christ. 1. For this is part of the power of the Keyes or Church-Government 2. And Paul giveth this direction for exercising of this power to Timothy which sheweth the ordinary way of Calling 2 Tim. 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. Tâ—t 1. 5 6. 2. 2. And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Act. 13. 1 2 3. There were in the Church at Antioch certain Prophets As they ministred to the Lord the Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away And they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed In this whether it be to be called an Ordination or rather a Mission there is somewhat Ordinary that it be by men in office and somewhat extraordinary that it be by a special inspiration of the Holy Ghost And Timothy received his Gifts and Office by the Imposition of the hands of Paul and of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man These instances make the case the clearer 1. Because it is certain that all that Governing power which is given by Christ to the Church under the name of the Keyes is given to the Pastors 2. Because there are no other competitors to lay a reasonable claim to it Quest. 19. Wherein consisteth the Power and Nature of Ordination And to whom doth it belong And is it an Act of Iurisdiction And is Imposition of hands necessary in it I. THis is resolved on the by before 1. Ordination performeth two things 1. The designation election or determination of the person who shall receive the Office 2. The Ministerial Investiture of him in that office which is a Ceremonial delivery of Possession As a servant doth deliver possession of a house by delivering him the Key who hath before received the power or Right from the Owner 2. The office delivered by this Election and Investiture is the sacred Ministerial office in General to be after exercised according to particular Calls and opportunities As Christ called the Apostles and the Spirit called the ordinary general Teachers of those times such as Barnabas Silas Silvanus Timothy Epaphroditus Apollo c. And as is before cited 2 Tim. 2. 2. As a man is made in General a Licensed Physicion Lawyer c. 3. This Ordination is Ordinis gratiâ necessary to order and therefore so far necessary as Order is necessary which is Ordinarily when the greater interest of the substantial duty or of the Thing Ordered is not against it As Christ determined the case of Sabbath keeping and not eating the Shew-bread As the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath and the end is to be preferred before the separable means so ordination was instituted for order and order for the thing ordered and for the work of the Gospel and the good of souls and not the Gospel and mens souls for that Order Therefore when 1. The death 2. Distance 3. Or malignity of the Ordainers depriveth a man of Ordination these three substitutes may notifie to him the Will of God that he is by him a person called to that office 1. Fitness for the works in Understanding Willingness and Ability 2. The Necessity of souls 3. Opportunity II. The power of ordaining belongeth not 1. To Magistrates 2. Or to private men either single or as the body of a Church but 3. To the Senior Pastors of the Church whether Bishops or Presbyters
none but they have power to Ordain we may not encourage such pretences by repetition of the words and Action 4. If they would make some thing necessary to Ordination which is not as if it were a false Oath or false subscription or profession or some unlawful Ceremony as if it were Anointing wearing Horns or any the like and say You are no Ministers without these and therefore you must be Re-ordained to receive them 5. Yea if they declare our former Ministry causelesly to be Null and say You are no Ministers till you are Ordained again and so publickly put this sense upon our Action that we take it as Re-ordination All these Accidents make the Repetition of the words and actions to be unlawful unless when Greater Accidents notoriously preponderate Quest. But if such Church Tyrants should have so great power as that without their Repetition of Ordination on those terms the Ministry might not be exercised is it lawful so to take it in a case of such necessity Answ. 1. Every seeming necessity to you is not a necessity to the Church 2. Either you may publickly declare a contrary sense in your Receiving their new orders or not 1. If you may not as publickly declare that you renounce not your former Ministry and Dedication to God in that office as the Ordainers declare their sense of the Nullity of it so that your open declaration may free you from the guilt of seeming consent I conceive it is a sinful complyance with their sin 2. Yea if you may so declare it yet if there be no necessity of your Ministerial liberty in that place I think you may not take it on such terms As 1. If there be worthy men enough to supply the Churches wants there without you 2. And if you may serve God successfully in a persecuted state though to the suffering of your flesh 3. Or if your imprisonment for Preaching be like to be as serviceable to the Church and Gospel as your continued Preaching on those scandalous terms 4. Or if you may remove and Preach in another Countrey 9. When any such case doth fall out in which the Repetition of the outward Action and Words is lawful It is not lawful to mix any false or scandalous expressions As if we were required to say falsly I accept this Ordination as confessing my self no Minister of Christ till now or any such like 10. In a word A peaceable Christian may do much as to the meer outward Action and Submission for obedience peace order or satisfaction to his own or other mens Consciences But 1. He may 1 Thes. 5. 22. Gal. 2. 4 5. Gal. 2. 14. do nothing for good ends which is false and injurious to the Church 2. And he may not do that which otherwise were lawful when it is for evil ends or tendeth to more hurt than good As to promote Heresie or Church-Tyranny and Usurpation whether in Pope Prelates Presbyters or People Quest. 22. How many Ordainers are necessary to the validity of Ordination by Gods institution Whether one or more MY Question is not of the ancient Canons or any humane Laws or customes For those are easily known But of Divine Right Now either God hath determined the case as to the number of Ordainers necessary or not If not either he hath given the Church some General rule to determine it by or not If not then the number is not any part of the Divine Order or Law And then if we suppose that he hath determined the case as to the Ordaining office and not to the Number then it will follow that one may serve The truth I think may be thus explained 1. There is Ordo officialis primarius and ordo ordinis vel exercitii vel secundarius An Order of Office primary and an Order of Exercise secundary in the Church As to the first the Order of office God hath determined that the Ordaining officers and no others shall ordain officers or give Orders And having not determined whether one or more it followeth that the ordination of one sole lawful ordainer is no nullity on that account because it is but one unless somewhat else nullifie it 2. God hath given General Rules to the ordainers for the due exercise of their office though he have not determined of any set number Such as are these That all things be done in Judgement Truth Love Concord to the Churches Edification Unity and peace c. 3. According to these General Laws sometimes the ordination of one sole ordainer may not only be valid but regular As when there are no other to concur or none whose concurrence is needful to any of the aforesaid Ends. And sometimes the concurrence of Many is needful 1. To the Receivers satisfaction 2. To the Churches or peoples satisfaction 3. To the Concord of Pastors and of Neighbour Churches c. And in such cases such Consem or Concourse is the Regular way 4. Where there are many Neighbour Pastors and Churches so neer as that he that is ordained in one of them is like oft to pass and Preach and officiate obiter in others and so other Churches must have some communion with him it is meetest that there be a concurrence in the Ordination 5. The ordainer is certainly a superiour to the person that cometh to be ordained while he is a private man And therefore so far his ordination is as is said an Act of Iurisdiction in the large sense that is of Government But whether he be necessarily his superiour after he is ordained hath too long been a Controversie It is certain that the Papists confess that the Pope is ordained such by no superiour And it is not necessary that a Bishop be ordained by one or more of any superiour order or Jurisdiction either And though the Italian Papists hold that a superiour Papal Jurisdiction must needs be the secondary fountain of the ordaining power though the ordainer himself be but of the same Order yet Protestants hold no such thing And all acknowledge that as Imposition of hands on a Lay man to make him a Minister of Christ or an officer is a kind of official Generation* so the Ejusdem speâ—â—â—â— vel inteâ—â—oris How then is the Pope Ordained or made Ordained is as a Iunior in Office is as it were a Son to the Ordainer as the Convert is said to be peculiarly to his Converter And that a proportionable honour is still to be given him But whether he that ordaineth a Presbyter and not he that ordaineth or Consecrateth a Bishop must needs be of a superiour order or office is a question which the Reader must not expect me here to meddle with Quest. 23. What if one Bishop ordain a Minister and three or many or all the rest protest against it and declare him no Minister or degrade him Is he to be received as a true Minister or not SUpposing that the person want no necessary personal Qualification for the office
exercise and to a fixed Charge as thou hast now a Call to the Office in general 9. Yet every Bishop or Pastor by his Relation to the Church Universal and to mankind and the interest of Christ is bound not only as a Christian but as a Pastor to do his best for the common good and not to cast wholly out of his care a particular Church because another hath the oversight of it Therefore if an Heretick get in or the Church fall to Heresie or any pernicious error or sin the neighbour Pastors are bound both by the Law of Nature and their Office to interpose their Counsel as Ministers of Christ and to prefer the substance before pretended order and to feek to recover the peoples souls though it be against their proper Pastors will And in such a case of necessity they may ordain degrade excommunicate and absolve in anothers charge as if it were a vacuity 10. Moreover it is one thing to excommunicate a man out of a particular Church and another thing for many associated Churches or Neighbours to renounce Communion with him The special 1 Cor. 5. Tit. 3. 10. 2 Thess. 3. 6 14. Pastors of particular Churches having the Government of those Churches are the special Governing Judges who shall or shall not have Communion as a member in their Churches But the neighbour-Pastors of other Churches have the power of Judging with whom they and their own flocks will or will 2 John 10. Rev. 2. 14 15 2â— not hold Communion As e. g. Athanasius may as Governour of his flock declare any Arrian-member excommunicate and require his flock to have no Communion with him And all the neighbour Pastors though they excommunicate not the same man as his special Governours yet may declare to all their flocks that if that man come among them they will have no Communion with him and that at distance they renounce that distant Communion which is proper to Christians one with another and take him for none of the Church of Christ. Quest. 25. Whether Canons be Laws And Pastors have a Legislative Power ALL men are not agreed what a Law is that is what is to be taken for the proper sense of that Word Some will have the name confined to such Common Laws as are stated durable Rules for the subjects actions And some will extend it also to personal temporary verbal Precepts and Mandates such as Parents and Masters use daily to the children and servants of their families And of the first sort some will confine the name Laws to those acts of Soveraignty which are about the common matters of the Kingdom or which no interiour Officer may make And others will extend it to those Orders which by the Soveraigns Charter a Corporation or Colledge or School may make for the subregulation of their particular societies and affairs I have declared my own opinion de nomine fully elsewhere 1. That the definition of a Law in the proper general sense is To be A sign or signification of the Reason and Will of the Rector as such to his subjects as such instituting or antecedently determining what shall be Due from them and to them Jus efficiendo Regularly making Right 2. That these Laws are many more wayes diversified and distinguished from the efficient sign subjects matter end c. than is meet for us here to enumerate It is sufficient now to say 1. That stated Regulating Laws as distinct from temporary Mandates and Proclamations 2. And Laws for Kingdoms and other Common-wealthy in regard of Laws for Persons Schools Families c. 3. And Laws made by the Supream Power as distinct from those made by the derived authority of Colleges Corporations c. called By-Laws or Orders For I will here say nothing of Parents and Pastors whose Authority is directly or immediately from the efficiency of Nature in one and Divine Institution in the other and not derived efficiently from the Magistrate or any man 4. That Laws about great substantial matters distinct from those about little and mutable circumstances c. I say the first sort as distinct from the second are Laws so called by Excellency above other Laws But that the rest are univocally to be called Laws according to the best definition of the Law in Genere But if any man will speak otherwise let him remember that it is yet but lis de nomine and that he may use his liberty and I will use mine Now to the Question 1. Canons made by Virtue of the Pastoral Office and Gods General Laws in Nature or Scripture for regulating it are a sort of Laws to the subjects or flocks of those Pastors 2. Canons made by the Votes of the Laity of the Church or private part of that society as private are no Laws at all but Agreements Because they are not acts of any Governing power 3. Canons made by Civil Rulers about the circumstantials of the Church belonging to their Office as orderers of such things are Laws and may be urged by moderate and meet civil or corporal penalties and no otherwise 4. Canons made by Princes or inferiour Magistrates are no Laws purely and formally Ecclesiastical which are essentially Acts of Pastoral power But only Materially Ecclesiastical and formally Magistratical 5. No Church Officers as such much less the people can make Laws with a Co-active or Coâ—rcive sanction that is to be enforced by their Authority with the Sword or any corporal penalty mulct or force This being the sole priviledge of Secular Powers Civil or Oâ—conomical or Scholastick 6. There is no obligation ariseth to the subject for particular obedience of any Law which is evidently against the Laws of God in Nature or holy Scripture 7. They are no Laws which Pastors make to people out of their power As the Popes c. 8. There is no power on earth under Christ that hath Authority to make Universal Laws to bind the whole Church on all the earth or all mankind Because there is no Universal Soveraign Civil or Spiritual Personal or Collective 9. Therefore it is no Schism but Loyalty to Christ to renounce or separate from such a society of ☜ Usurpation nor no disobedience or rebellion to deny them obedience 10. Pastors may and must be obeyed in things Lawful as Magistrates if the King make them Magistrates Though I think it unmeet for them to accept a Magistracy with the Sword except in case of some rare necessity 11. Is Pope Patriarchs or Pastors shall usurp any of the Kings Authority Loyalty to Christ and him and the Love of the Church and State oblige us to take part with Christ and the King against such Usurpation but only by lawful means in the compass of our proper place and Calling 12. The Canons made by the Councils of many Churches have a double nature As they are made for the people and the subjects of the Pastors they are a sort of Laws That is They oblige by the derived
by decisive Iudicial â—entence Nor any Universal Civil Monarch of the world 2. The publick Governing Decisive judgement obliging others belongeth to publick persons or Officers Eph. 4. 7 13 14 15 16. of God and not to any private man 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. 17. 3. The publick decision of Doubts or Controversies about Faith it self or the true sense of Gods Word and Laws as obliging the whole Church on Earth to believe that decision or not gainsay it Acts 15. See my Key for Catholicks because of the Infallibility or Governing authority of the Deciders belongeth to none but Jesus Christ Because as is said he hath made no Universal Governour nor Infallible Expositor It belongeth to the Law-giver only to make such an Universally obliging Exposition of his own Laws 4. True Bishops or Pastors in their own particular Churches are Authorized Teachers and Guides in Expounding the Laws and Word of Christ And the people are bound as Learners to reverence their Teaching and not contradict it without true cause yea and to believe them fide humanâ in things pertinent to their Office For oportet discentem credere 5. No such Pastors are to be Absolutely believed nor in any case of notorious Error or Heresie where the Word of God is discerned to be against them 6. For all the people as Reasonable creatures have a judgement of private discerning to judge what they must Receive as Truth and to discern their own duty by the help of the Word of God and of their Teachers 7. The same power of Governing-Iudgement Lawful Synods have over their several flocks as a Pastor over his own but with greater advantage 8. The power of Judging in many Consociate Churches who is to be taken into Communion as Orthodox and who to be refused by those Churches as Hereticks in specie that is what Doctrine they will judge sound or unsound as it is Iudicium discernendi belongeth to every one of the Council â—ingly As it is a Iudgement obliging themselves by Contract and not of Governing each other it is in the Contracters and Consenters And for peace and order usually in the Major Vote But with the Limitations before expressed 9. Every true Christian believeth all the Essentials of Christianity with a Divine faith and not by a meer humane belief of his Teachers though by their Help and Teaching his faith is generated and confirmed and preserved Therefore no essential Article of Christianity is left to any obliging decision of any Church but only to a subservient obliging Teaching As whether there be a God a Christ a Heaven a Hell an Immortality of souls whether God be to be believed loved feared obeyed before man Whether the Scripture be Gods Word and true Whether those that contradict it are to be believed therein Whether Pastors Assemblies publick Worship Baptism Sacrament of the Lords Supper be Divine institutions And the same I may say of any known Word of God No mortals may judge in partem utramliâ—et but the Pastors are only Authorized Teachers and helpers of the peoples faith And so they be partly to one another 10. If the Pope or his Council were the Infallible or the Governing Expositors of all Gods Laws and Scriptures 1. God would have enabled them to do it by an Universal Commentary which all men should be obliged to believe or at least not to contradict For there is no Authority and Obligation given to men yea to so many successively to do that for the needful decision of Controversies which they never have Ability given them to do For that were to oblige them to things impossible 2. And the Pope and his Council would be the most treacherous miscreants on earth that in so many hundred years would never write such an Infallible nor Governing Commentary to end the differences of the Christian world Indeed they have judged with others against Arrius that Christ is true God and one with the Father in substance c. But if they had said the contrary must we have taken it for Gods truth or have believed them 11. To judge who for Heresie or Seandal shall be punished by the Sword belongeth to none but the Magistrate in his own dominions As to judge who shall have Communion or be excommunicated from the Church belongeth as aforesaid to the Pastors And the said Magistrate hath first as a man his own Iudgement of discerning what is Heresie and who of his subjects are guilty of it in order to his publick Governing Judgement 12. The Civil Supream Ruler may Antecedently exercise this Judgement of Discerning by the Teaching of their proper Teachers in order to his consequent sentences on offenders And so in his Laws may tell the subjects what Doctrines and practices he will either Tolerate or punish And thus may the Church Pastors do in their Canons to their several flocks in relation to Communion or non-communion 13. He that will condemn particular persons as Hereticks or offenders must allow them to speak for themselves and hear the proofs and give them that which justice requireth c. And if the Pope can do so at the Antipodes and in all the world either per se or per alium without giveing that other his essential claimed power let him prove it by better experience than we have had 14. As the prime and sole-universal Legislation belongeth to Jesus Christ so the final Judgement universal and particular belongeth to him which only will end all Controversies and from which there is no appeal Quest. 29. Whether a Parents power over his Children or a Pastor or many Pastors or Bishops over the same Children as parts of their flock be greater or more obliging in matters of Religion and publick Worship THis being toucht on somewhere else I only now say 1. That if the case were my own I would 1. Labour to know their different Powers as to the matter commanded and obey each in that which is proper to his place 2. If I were young and ignorant Natural necessity and natural obligation together would give my Parents with whom I lived such an advantage above the Minister whom I seldome see or understand as would determine the case de eventu and much de jure 3. If my Parents commanded me to hear a Teacher who is against Ceremonies or certain Forms and to hear none that are for them natural necessity here also ordinarily would make it my duty first to hear and obey my Parents And in many other cases till I came to understand the greater power of the Pastors in their own place and work 4. But when I come to Church or know that the judgement of all Concordant Godly Pastors condemneth such a thing as damnable Heresie or Sin which any Father commandeth me to receive and profess I would more believe and follow the Judgement of the Pastors and Churches Quest. 30. May an Office Teacher or Pastor be at once in a stated Relation of a Pastor and a
by a Pars Gubernans gubernata If not it 's no Church save equivocally If so should not the Pars regens which is constitutive have been put in If private men joyn together c. it makes but a community 2. A right to Gospel Ordinances is supposed but need not be in the definition 3. The enjoying of them is not essential to a Church The Relation may continue when the enjoyment is a long time hindered 4. Among them is a very ambiguous word Is it among them in the same place or in the same Countrey or Kingdom or in the same world If you difference and define them not by Relation to the same Bishops or Pastors and by intended Personal holy Communion your description confoundeth the universal Church as well as the National with a Particular Church For the whole Christian world is a Society of men joyning together in the visible profession of the true faith having a right to and enjoying among them the Ordinances of the Gospel Obj. A Nation joyning in the profession of Christianity is a true Church of God whence it evidently followeth that there must be a form of Ecclesiastical Government over a Nation as a Church as well as of Civil Government over it as a society governed by the same Laws For every society must have its Government belonging to it as such a society And the same reason that makes Government necessary in any particular Congregation will make it necessary for all the particular Congregations joyning together in one visible society as a particular national Church For the unity and peace of that Church ought much more to be looked after than of any one particular Congregation c. Answ. 1. From one absurdity many follow our Controversie before was but of the Name If an Accidental Royal or Civil Head may equivocally denominate an ecclesiastical society and we grant you the use of an equivocal name or rather the abuse you will grow too hard upon us if thence you will gather a necessity of a real Ecclesiastical policy besides the Civil Names abused insert not the things signified by an univocal term 2. You must first prove the form of Government and thence inferr the denomination and not contrarily first beg the name and then inferr the Government 3. If yet by a form of Ecclesiastical Government you meant nothing but the Kings extrinsick Government which you may as well call also a form of School-Government of Colledge Government c. we would grant you all But if I can understand you you now speak of Ecclesiastical Government as distinct from that And then 4. You are now grown up from a may be to a must be and necessity And a greater necessity of one National Ecclesiastical Government than of a Particular Church Government which being undeniably of Christs Institution by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles you do not make all forms to be indifferent or deny this to be jure divino What! necessary and more necessary than that which is jure divino and yet indifferent and not jure divino If you say It is necessary only on supposition that there be a national Church I answer But your reasons evidently inferr that it is also necessary that there be such a National Church where it may be had Though you deny the necessity of Monarchical Government by one High Priest in it But I know you call not this a form of Government unless as determinately managed by one many or most But why a national spiritual Policy as distinct from Congregational may not be called a form of Government as well as One mans distinct from two over the same people I see not But this is at your liberty But your Necessity of such a National Regiment is a matter of greater moment In these three senses I confess a National Church 1. As all the Christians in a Nation are under one Civil Church Governour 2. As they are Consociated for Concord and meet in Synods or hold correspondencies 3. As they are all a part of the universal Church cohabiting in one Nation But all these are equivocal uses of the word Church the denomination being taken in the first from an Accident In the second the name of a Policy being given to a Community agreeing for Concord In the third the name of the whole is given to a small integral part But the necessity of any other Church headed by your Ecclesiastical national Governour personal or Collective Monarchical Aristocratical or Democratical I utterly deny and find not a word of proof which I think I have any need to furnish the Reader with an answer to 5. And your judgement in this is downright against the constitution Canons and judgement of the National Church of England For that they use the Word in the senses allowed by me and not in yours is proved 1. From the visible constitution in which there is besides the King no distinct Ecclesiastical Head For the Arch-bishop of Canterbury is not the proper Governour of the Arch-bishop of York and his Province 2. From the Canons Can. 139. A National Synod the Church Representative Whosoever shall affirm that the Sacred Synod of this Nation in the name of Christ and by the Kings authority assembled is not the true Church of England by representation let him be excommunicated c. so that the Synod is but the Representative Church And therefore not the Political Head of the Church whether it be the Laity or the whole Clergy or both which they Represent Representation of those that are no National Head maketh them not a National Head 3. From the ordinary judgement of Episcopal Divines maintained by Bishop Bilson and many others at large against the Papists that all Bishops jure divino are Equal and Independant further than humane Laws or Agreements or difference of Gifts may difference them or as they are bound to consociation for Concord 6. How shall I deny not only the Lawfulness but the necessity of such a Papacy as really was in the Roman Empire on your grounds I have proved against W. Iohnson that the Pope was then actually but the Head of the Imperial Churches and not of all the World And if there must be one National Ecclesiastical Head under one King why not one also in one Empire And whether it be one Monarch or a collective person it is still one Political person which is now in question Either a Ruling Pope or a Ruling Aristocracy or Democracy which is not the great matter in Controversie 7. And why will not the same Argument carry it also for one Universal visible Head of all the Churches in the World at least as Lawful At least as far as humane capacity and converse will allow And who shall choose this Universal Head And who can lay so fair a claim to it as the Pope And if the form be indifferent why may not the Churches by consent at least set up one man as well as many
Whether you carry it to an Imperial Church or a Papal to a Patriarchal or Provincial or National till you have proved it to be of Divine institution and Particular Churches to be unnecessary alterable and of humane institution I shall never grant you that it is to be preferred before that which is unquestionably of God For though I easily grant that all the Churches of a Nation Empire or the World are to be more esteemed and carefully preserved than one Bishops or Pastors particular Church yet I will not grant you that your humane policy is more necessary to the safety of all these Churches than the Divine For the safety of these Churches may be better preserved by Gods three great means 1. The polity of particular Churches with the conduct of their present faithful Bishops or Pastors 2. The loving Consociation of Neighbour Churches for Concord 3. The protection and countenance of Magistrates without any new Church-form or National or Imperial or Universal Pastor than with it Nay when that sort of Usurpation hath been the very Engine of dividing corrupting and undoing the Christian Churches above a thousand years we are not easily perswaded now that yet it is either necessary or desirable 18. But the best and easiest way to discern how far the making new Churches or Church offices is lawful or unlawful is by trying it by the quality of their office-work For it is the work which giveth us the description of the office and the office of the Ruling part which giveth us the definition of the Church which that office constituteth The work which the new humane officer is to do is either 1. The same which God hath already appointed Bishops or Pastors to do Or at least the unfixed Ministers in the universal Church 2. Or ☜ it is such as he hath appointed Magistrates to do 3. Or it is such as belongeth to private and lay men 4. Or it is somewhat different from all these 1. If it be of the first sort it is a contradiction For men that are by office appointed to do the same work which Ministers are already appointed to do are not a new office but Ministers indeed such as Christ hath instituted For the office is nothing but an Obligation and Authority to do the work 2. If it be the same work which belongeth to the Magistrate then it is no new office for they are Magistrates 3. If it be that which belongeth to private men by Gods appointment they cannot disoblige themselves by transferring it to a new officer 4. If it be none of all these what is it I doubt it may prove some needless or rather sinful work which God committed to none of these three sorts and therefore unfit to make a Church-office of Unless it be such as I before described and granted 1. I confess that the Magistrate may make new inferiour officers to do his own part As Church-Justices Church-wardens c. 2. I grant that the people may make an office for the better doing of some parts of their own work They may make Collectors Door-keepers Artists by office to keep the Clock and Bells and Church-buildings c. if the Magistrates leave it to them 3. I grant that the Bishops or Pastors may do some circumstances of their work by humane officers As to facilitate their concord in Synods by choosing one to preside to choose time and place to send messengers to take votes to moderate disputes to record agreements c. as aforesaid And these circumstantials are the things that officers may be made for But the very modes and circumstances which are part of the work to which every Bishop or Pastor is obliged he cannot commit to another As to choose his text subject method words c. These are parts of his own work Though Concord in these is the work of many Now what is the work besides all these that we must have new Churches and offices made for Is it to Govern all these Bishops and Churches How By the Word or by the Sword If by the Sword the Magistrate is to do it If by the Word or spiritual Authority either God hath made such an office as Arch-bishops or General Bishops over many or he hath not If he have we need no new humane office for it God having provided for it already If not but God hath left all Bishops independant and to learn of one another as equals in Office and unequal only in gifts then either such an office is fit and necessary or not If it be you accuse God of omission in not appointing a Bishop over Bishops as well as a Bishop of the lowest order If not then by what reason or power will you make new needless officers in the Church When Cyprian and his Carthage Council so vehemently disclaimed being Episcopi Episcoporum 19. I would fain know whether those new made Churches of humane and not of Divine fabrication whether Universal or Papal Patriarchal Provincial c. were made by former Churches or by no Churches If by no Churches then either by other societies or by single persons If by other societies by what power do they make new Churches to Christ who are themselves no Churches If by single persons either they are before Church-members or not If not how can those make new Churches that be not so much as members of Churches without a Commission from Christ But if either former Churches or their members made these new Churches then 1. It followeth that there were another sort of Churches before these new or humane Churches And if so either those other that made these were themselves made of God or not And so the question will run up till you bring it either to some Church of Gods making which made these other or some person commissioned to do it If you say the first then he that will confess that there is a species of Churches of Christs Institution and a species not of his institution must prefer the former and must well prove the power of making the later And so they must do if they say that it was done by particular persons that were no particular Church-members For if Christ commissioned them to settle any one species of Churches those are to be esteemed setled by Christ. But if you say that Christ left them to vary the species of Churches as they saw cause and so on to the end of the World 1. You must well prove it 2. It is before disproved unless you take the word Church equivocally 20. Lastly all Christians are satisfied of Christs Authority And therefore in that they can agree But so they are not of any humane Church-makers authority And therefore in that there will never be an agreement Therefore such new Churches and Ecclesiastical Governments will be but as they ever have been the Engines of division and ruine in the Churches And the species of Gods making with the mutability of mutable Adjuncts and Circumstances will
best preserve the Churches peace But if the true nature of Pastoral or Ecclesiastical Government were well understood it would put an end to all these Controversies Which may be mostly gathered from what is said before To which I will add this little following Quest. Wherein consisteth the true nature of Pastoral Church Government Answ. 1. NOt in any use of the sword or corporal â—orce 2. Not in a power to contradict Gods word 3. Not in a power co-ordinate with Christs to do his proper work or that which hath the same grounds reasons and nature 4. Not in an unquestionable Empire to command things which none must presume to examine or judge of by a discerning judgement whether they be forbidden by God or not 5. Not now in making a new word of God or new Articles of faith or new universal Laws for the whole Church 6. Not in any thing which derogates from the true power of Magistrates or Parents or Masters But 1. It is a Ministerial power of a Messenger or Servant who hath a commission to deliver his 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. Masters commands and exhortations 2. As it is over the Laity or flocks it is a power in the sacred Assemblies to Teach the people by 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Mat. 28. 19 20. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2 3 5. office and to be their Priests or Guides in holy Worship 3. And to Rule the Worship-actions for the time length method and orderly performance of them 3. As to particular persons it is the power of the Church Keys which is 1. To judge who is meet to be by Baptism taken in to the Church 2. To reprove exhort and instruct those that by vice or ignorance in order to Repentance or Knowledge or confirmation do need the Pastoral help 3. To judge who is to be forbidden Church-communion as impenitent or at â—east with whom that Church must be forbidden to communicate 4. To judge who is meet for Absolution as a penitent 5. To deliver men personally a sealed pardon from Christ in his two Sacraments 6. To visit the sick and comfort the sad and resolve the doubting and help the poor This is the true Church Government which is like a Philosophers or Schoolmasters in his School among volunteers supposing them to have no power of the rod or violence but only to take in or put out of their Schools And what â—eed is there of an Universal Patriarchal or National Head to do any of this work which is but the Government of a personal Teacher and Conductor and which worketh only on the Conscience 4. But besides this there is a necessity of Agreeing in the right management of this work which needeth no new Head but only the Consultations of the several Bishops or Pastors and the Magistrates civil rule or extrinsick Episcopacy as Constantine called it 5. And besides this there is need to Ordain Pastors and Bishops in the Church And this is not done by any sorce neither but 1. By Judging what men are fit 2. By perswading the people to consent and receive them and 3. By Investing them by a Delivery of possession by Imposition of hands Now for all this there needs no humane species of Bishops or Churches to be made 6. Besides this there is need of some oversight of these Pastors and Ministers and fixed Bishops when they are made and of some General care of Pastors and people if they decline to Heresies errours vices or lukewarmness But for this 1. When Magistrates have done their part 2. And neighbour Ministers to one another 3. And the consociated Bishops to the particular ones 4. And unfixed Ministers have done their part in the places where occasionally they come If moreover any General Pastors or Arch-bishops are necessary to rebuke direct and perswade the Bishops or their flocks by messengers Epistles or in presence no doubt but God hath appointed such as the successours of the Apostles Evangelists and other General Ministers of those first times But if no such thing be appointed by Christ we may be sure it is not necessary nor best If it were but considered that the Ruling power in the Church is so inseparable from the Teaching power that it is exercised by Teaching and only by Gods word either generally or personally applyed and that upon none but those that willingly and by consent receive it it would quiet the world about these matters And O that once Magistrates would take the Sword wholly to themselves and leave Church power to work only by its proper strength and virtue and then all things would fall into joynt again Though the Ithacians would be displeased Quest. 58. Whether any part of the proper Pastoral or Episcopal power may be given or deputed to a Lay man or to one of any other office or the proper work may be performed by such Answ. 1. SUch Extrinsical or Circumstantial or Accidental actions as are afore-mentioned may be done by deputies or others As calling the Church together summoning offenders recording actions c. 2. The proper Episcopal or Pastoral work or office cannot be deputed in whole or part any other way than by Communication which is by Ordination or making another to be of the same office For if it may be done by a Lay man or one that is not of the same order and office then it is not to be called any proper part of the Pastoral or Episcopal office If a Lay man may Baptize or administer the Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood or may ordain or excommunicate ecclesiastically or Absolve meerly because a Bishop authorizeth or biddeth him Then 1. What need Christ have made an office work of it and persons be Devoted and Consecrated to it 2. And why may not the peoples election and the Kings Commission serve to enable a Lay man to do it For if Commanding only be proper to the Bishop or Pastor and executing be common to Lay men it 's certain that the King may Command all Bishops and Pastors to do their office work And therefore he may command a Lay man to do that which a Bishop may command him to do 3. And is it not a contradiction to say that a man is a Lay man or of another Order who is Authorized by a Bishop to do a Bishops work or office When as the office it self is nothing as is oft said but an Obligation and Authority to do the work If therefore a Bishop authorize and oblige any other man to do the proper work of a Bishop or Pastor to ordain to baptize to give the Sacrament of the Eucharist to Excommunicate to absolve c. he thereby maketh that man a Bishop or a Pastor whatever he call him Obj. But doth not a Bishop preach per alios to all his Diocess and give them the Sacraments per alios c Answ. Let not the phrase be made the Controversie instead of the Matter Those other persons are either
of Religion and under the Pastors care But in two respects the External power is only the Kings or Civil Magistrates 1. As it is denominated from the sword or mulcts or Corporal penalties which is the external means of execution As Bishop Bilson of Obed. useth still to distinguish them with many others See B. Carlton of Jurisdiction Though in this respect the distinction were far more intelligibly exprest by The Government by the sword and by the sacred word 2. But the principal sense of their distinction is the same with Constantines who distinguished of a Bishop without and within or of our common distinction of Intrinsick and Extrinsick Government And though Internal and External have the same signification use maketh Intrinsick and Extrinsick more intelligible And by Internal is meant that power which Intrinsecally belongeth to the Pastors â—ffice as Instituted by Christ and so is Intrinsecal to the Pastorship and the Church as preaching praying ☜ sacraments the Keyes of Admission and Exclusion Ordination c. And by External is meant that which is Extrinsecal to the Pastorship and the Church which Princes have sometimes granted them but Christ hath made no part of their office In this sense the assertion is good and clear and necessary that the disposal of all things Circa Sacra all accidents and circumstances whatsoever which by Christs Institution are not Intrinsecal to the Pastorship and Church but extrinsecal do belong to the power of Kings and Magistrates Quest. 62. Is the tryal judgement or consent of the Laity necessary to the admittance of a member into the Universal or particular Church Answ. 1. IT is the Pastors office to bear and exercise the Keyes of Christs Church Therefore by office he is to Receive those that come in and consequently to be the tryer and Iudge of their fitness 2. It belongeth to the same office which is to Baptize to Iudge who is to be baptized Otherwise Ministers should not be rational Judges of their own actions but the executioners of other mens judgement It is more the Iudging who is to be baptized which the Ministers office consisteth in than in the bare doing of the outward act of Baptizing 3. He that must be the ordinary Judge in Church-admissions is supposed to have both Ability and Leisure to make him fit and Authority and Obligation to do the work 4. The ordinary body of the Laity have none of all these four qualifications much less all 1. They are not ordinarily Able so to examine a mans faith and resolution with judgement and skill as may neither tend to the wrong of himself nor of the Church For it is great skill that is required thereunto 2. They have not ordinarily Leisure from their proper callings and labours to wait on such a work as it must be waited on especially in populous places 3. They are not therefore obliged to do that which they cannot be supposed to have Ability or Leisure for 4. And where they have not the other three they can have no Authority to do it 5. It is therefore as great a crime for the Laity to usurp the Pastors office in this matter as in preaching baptizing or other parts of it 6. And though Pride often blind men both people and Pastors so as to make them overlook the burden and look only at the Authority and honour yet is it indeed an intolerable injury to the Laity if any would lay such a burden on them which they cannot bear and consequently would make them responsible for the omissions or misdoing of it to Christ their Judge 7. There is not so much as any fair pretence for the Laity having power to judge who shall be received into the Universal Church For who of the Laity should have this power Not All nor the Major Vote of the Church For who ever sought the Votes of all the Christians in the World before he baptized a man Not any one particular Church or persons above the rest For they have no Right Joh. 20 21 22 23. 21. 15 16 17 Mat 28. 19 20. 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. 1 Tim. 5 17. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5 6 11. 2 Thes. 3 6 10 14. Tit. 3. 10. 2 Joh. Mar. 13 9 23 33. Mar. 4 â—4 Mat. 7. 15 16. Mat. 16. 6. 11 12. Mar. 12. 38. 8 15. Phil. 3. 2 3. Col. 2. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 17. Mat 24. 4. to shew for it more than the rest 8. It is not in the power of the Laity to keep a man out of their own particular Church Communion whom the Pastor receiveth Because as is said it is his Office to judge and bear the Reyes 9. Therefore if it be ill done and an unworthy person be admitted the Consciences of the people need not accuse themselves of it or be disturbed because it is none of their employment 10. Yet the Liberty of the Church or people must be distinguished from their Governing power and their Executing duty from the power of Iudging And so 1. The people are to be Guided by the Pastors as Volunteers and not by Violence And therefore it is the Pastors duty in all doubtful cases to give the people all necessary satisfaction by giving them the Reasons of his doings that they may understandingly and quietly obey and submit 2. And in case the people discern any notable appearance of danger by introducing Hereticks and grosly impious men to corrupt the Church and by subverting the order of Christ they may go to their Pastors to desire satisfaction in the case 3. And if by open proof or notoreity it be certain that by Ignorance fraud or negligence the Pastors thus corrupt the Church the people may seek their due Remedy from other Pastors and Magistrates 4. And they may protest their own dissent from such proceedings 5. And in case of extremity may cast off Heretical and Impious and Intolerable Pastors and commit their souls to the conduct of fitter men As the Churches did against the Arrian Bishops and as Cyprian declareth it his peoples duty to do as is aforesaid Quest. 63. What power have the people in Church Censures and Excommunication Answ. THis is here adjoined because it requireth but little more than the foregoing answer 1. As it is the Pastors office to judge who is to be received so also to judge who is to be excluded 2. But the Execution of his sentence belongeth to the people as well as to himself It is they that 1 Cor 5. 3 6 11. either hold Communion with the person or avoid him 3. Therefore though ordinarily they must acquiesce in the Pastors judgement yet if he grosly offend 2 Joh. â—â—â—â— 3. 10. against the Law of God and would bring them e. g. to communion with hereticks and openly impious and excommunicate the Orthodox and Godly they may seek their remedy as before Quest. 64. What is the peoples remedy in case of the Pastors male-administration Answ. THis also
Relation or a Right duly to receive the Sacrament that is To receive it understandingly and seriously at those seasons when by the Pastors it is administred 2. But if upon faults or accusations this Right be duly questioned in the Church it is become a controverted right and the possession or admission may by the Bishops or Pastors of the Church be suspended if they see cause while it is under tryall till a just decision 3. Though Infants are true members yet the want of natural capacity duly to receive maketh it unlawful to give them the Sacrament because it is to be Given only to Receivers and Receiving is more than eating and drinking It is Consenting to the Covenant which is the real Receiving in a moral sense or at least Consent professed So that they want not a state of right as to their Relation but a natural capacity to Receive 4. Persons at age who want not the Right of a stated Relation may have such actual Natural and Moral indispositions as may also make them for that time unmeet to Receive As Sickness Infection a Journey persecution scattering the Church a Prison And morally 1. Want of necessary knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament which by the negligence of Pastors or Parents may be the case of some that are but newly past their childhood 2. Some heinous sin of which the sinner hath not so far repented as to be yet ready to receive a sealed pardon or which is so scandalous in the Church as that in publick respects the person is yet unfit for its priviledges 3. Such sins or accusations of sin as make the persons Church-title justly Controverted and his Communion suspended till the case be decided 4. Such fears of unworthy Receiving as were like to hurt and distract the person if he should receive till he were better satisfied These make a man uncapable of present Reception and so are a barr to his plenary right They have still right to Receive in a due manner But being yet uncapable of that due Receiving they have not a plenary right to the thing 5. The same may be said of other parts of our duty and priviledges A man may have a Relative habitual or stated right to praise God and give him thanks for his justification and sanctification and adoption and to godly conference to exercises of humiliation c. who yet for want of present actual preparation may be uncapable and so want a plenary right 6. The understanding of the double preparation necessary doth most clearly help us to understand this case A man that is in an unregenerate state must be visibly cured of that state of utter ignorance unbelief ungodliness before he can be a member of the Church and lay a claim to its priviledges But when that is done besides this general preparation a particular preparation also to each duty is necessary to the right doing it A man must understand what he goeth about and must consider of it and come with some suitable affections A man may have right to go a journey that wants a Horse or may have a Horse that is not sadled He that hath clothes must put them on before he is fit to come into company He that hath right to write may want a pen or have a bad one Having of Gracious habits may need the addition of bringing them into such acts as are suitable to the work in hand Quest. 70. Is there any such thing in the Church as a rank or Classis or Species of Church members at age who are not to be admitted to the Lords Table but only to hearing the Word and Prayer between Infant members and adult confirmed ones Answ. SOme have excogitated such a classis or species or order for convenience as a prudent necessary thing Because to admit all to the Lords Table they think dangerous on one side And to cast all that are unfit for it out of the Church they think dangerous on the other side and that which the people would not bear Therefore to preserve the reverence of the Sacrament and to preserve their own and the Churches peace they have contrived this middle way or rank And indeed the controversie seemeth to be more about the title whether it may be called a middle order of meer Learners and Worshippers than about the Matter I have occasionally written more of it than I can here stay to recite And the accurate handling of it requireth more words than I will here use This breviate therefore shall be all 1. It is certain that such Catechumens as are in meer preparation to faith repentance and baptism are no Church-members or Christians at all and so in none of these ranks 2. Baptism is the only ordinary regular door of enterance into the visible Church and no man unless in extraordinary cases is to be taken for a Church-member or visible Christian till Baptized Two Objections are brought against this 1. The Infants of Christians are Church-members as such before baptism and so are believers They are baptized because members and not members by baptism Answ. This case hath no difficulty 1. A Believer as such is a member of Christ and the Church What makes a visible member invisible but not of the visible Church till he be an orderly Professor of that belief And this Profession is not left to every mans will how it shall be made but Christ hath prescribed and instituted a certain way and manner of profession which shall be the only ordinary symbol or badge by which the Church shall know visible members and that is baptism Indeed when baptism cannot be had an open profession without it may serve For Sacraments are made for Man and not Man for Sacraments But when it may be had it is Christs appointed Symbol Tessera and Church-door And till a person be baptized he is but Irregularly and initially a Professor As an Embrio in the Womb is a man or as a Covenant before the writing sealing and delivering is initially a Covenant or as persons privately contracted without solemn Matrimony are married or as a man is a Minister upon Election and Tryal before Ordination He hath only in all these cases the beginning of a title which is not compleat nor at all sufficient in foro Ecclesiâ— to make a man Visibly and Legally A married man a Minister and so here a Christian. For Christ hath chosen his own visible badge by which his Church-members must be known 2. And the same is to be said of the Infant-title of the children of believers They have but an initial right before baptism and not the badge of visible Christians For there are three distinct gradations to make up their visible Christianity 1. Because they are their own and as it were parts of themselves therefore Believers have power and obligation to dedicate their children in Covenant with God 2. Because every believer is himself dedicated to God with all that is his own according
against forms of prayer that all the years that he lived at Middleburg and Anâ—werp he constantly used the same form before Sermon and mostly after Sermon and also did read prayers in the Church and that since he seldome concluded but with the Lords Prayer of England Cartwright Hildersham Greenham Perkins Baine Amesius c. And I less fear erring in all this company than with those on either of the extreams Quest. 79. Is it lawful to forbear the preaching of some Truths upon mans prohibition that I may have liberty to preach the rest yea and to promise before hand to forbear them Or to do it for the Churches peace Answ. 1. SOme Truths are of so great moment and necessity that without them you cannot preach the Gospel in a saving sort These you may not forbear nor promise to forbear 2. Some Truths are such as God at that time doth call men eminently to publish and receive as against some Heresie when it is in the very height or the Church in greatest danger of it Or concerning some Duty which God then specially calleth men to perform As the duty of Loyalty just in the time of a perillous Rebellion c. Such preaching being a Duty must not be forborn when it can be performed upon lawful terms 3. But some Truths are Controverted among good men and some are of a lower nature and usefulness And concerning these I further say 1. That you may not renounce them or deny them not subscribe to the smallest untruth for liberty to preach the greatest truth 2. But you may for the time that the Churches benefit requireth it both forbear to preach them and promise to forbear both for the Churches peace and for that Liberty to preach the Gospel which you cannot otherwise obtain The Reasons are 1. Because it is not a duty to preach them at that time For no duty is a duty at all times Affirmative Precepts bind not ad semper because man cannot alwayes do them 2. It is a sin to prefer a lesser truth or good before a Greater You cannot speak all things at once When you have all done some yea a thousand must be by you omitted Therefore the less should be omitted rather than the greater 3. You have your Office to the Churches Edification Preaching is made for man and not man for preaching But the Churches Edification requireth you rather to preach the Gospel than that opinion or point which you are required to forbear Without this the hearers may be saved but not without the Gospel And what a man may do and must do he may on good occasion promise to do He that thinketh Diocesans or Liturgies or Ceremonies unlawful and yet cannot have leave to preach the Gospel in time of need unless he will forbear and promise to forbear to preach against them may and ought so to doâ— and promise rather than not to preach the Gospel Object But if men imprison or hinder me from preaching that is their fault But if I voluntarily forbear any duty it is my own fault Answ. 1. It is to forbear a sin and not a duty at that time It is no more a duty than reading or singing or praying at Sermon time 2. When you are in Prison or know in all probability you shall be there though by other mens fault it is your own fault if you will deny a lawful means to avoid it For your not preaching the Gospel is then your own sin as well as other mens And theirs excuseth not yours Quest. 80. May or must a Minister silenced or forbid to Preach the Gospel go on still to preach it against the Law Answ. DIstinguish between 1. Iust silencing and Unjust 2. Necessary preaching and unnecessary 1. Some men are justly forbidden to preach the Gospel as 1. Those that are utterly unable and do worse than nothing when they do it 2. Those that are Hereticks and subvert the Essentials of Christianity or Godliness 3. Those that are so Impious and Malignant that they turn all against the Practice of that Religion which they profess In a word All that do directly more hurt than good 2. In some places there are so many able preachers that some tolerable men may be spared if not accounted supernumeraries and the Church will not suffer by their silence But in other Countreys either the Preachers are so few or so bad or the people so very ignorant and hardened and ungodly or so great a number that are in deep necessity that the need of preaching is undenyable And so I conclude 1. That he that is justly silenced and is unfit to Preach is bound to forbear 2. He that is silenced by just Power though unjustly in a Countrey that needeth not his Preaching must forbear there and if he can must go into another Coâ—â—â—â—â—y where he may be more serviceable 3. Magistrates may not Ecclesiastically Ordain Ministers or degrade them But only either give them Liberty or deny it them as there is cause 4. Magistrates are not the â—ountain of the Ministerial Office as the Soveraign is of all the Civil power of inferiour Magistrates But both offices are immediately from God 5. Magistrates have not power from God to forbid men to Preach in all cases nor as they please but justly only and according to Gods Laws 6. Men be not made Ministers of Christ only pro tempore or on tryal to go off again if they dislike it But are absolutely dedicated to God and take their lot for better and for worse which maketh the Romanists say that ordination is a Saâ—ramenâ— and so it may be aptly called and that we receive an indelible character that is an obligation during life unless God himself disable us 7. Aâ— we are â—â—â—â—rlier devoted and relaâ—ed to God than Church lands goods and temples are so the sacriledge of alienating a consecrated person unjustly is greater and more unquestionable than the sacriledge of alienating Consecrated houses lands or things And therefore no Minister may Sacrilegiously alienate himself from God and his undertaken office and work 8. We must do â—â—y Lawful thing to procure the Magistrates Licence to Preach in his Dominions 9. All men silenced or forbidden by Magistrates to Preach are noâ— thereby obliged or warranted to forbear Foâ— â— The Apostles expresly determine it Act. 4. 19. Whether it be better to hearken to God rather than to you judge ye 2. Christ oâ—â— foreâ—old his servants that they must Preach against the will of Rulers and suffer by them 3. The Apostles and ordinary Ministers also for 300 years after Christ did generally preach against the Magistrates will throughout the Roman Empire and the World 4. The Orthodox Bishops commonly took themselves bound to Preach when Arrian or other Heretical Emperours forâ—ad them 5. A moral duty of stated necessity to the Church and mens salvation is noâ— subjected to the will of men for Order sake For Order is for the thing Ordered and for the End Magistrates
in his office and be satisfied that he hath discharged his own duty and leave them under the guilt of their own faults 3. But if it be an intolerable wickedness or Heresie as Arrianism Socinianism c. and the people own the errour or sin as well as the person the Pastor is then to admonish them also and by all means to endeavour to bring them to Repentance And if they remain impenitent to renounce Communion with them and desert them 4. But if they own not the crime but only think the person injured the Pastor must give them the proof for their satisfaction And if they remain unsatisfied he may proceed in his office as before Quest. 92. May a whole Church or the greater part be Excommunicated Answ. 1. TO excommunicate is by Ministerial Authority to pronounce the person unmeet for Christian Communion as being under the guilt of impenitence in heynous sin and to charge the Church to forbear Communion with him and avoid him and to bind him over to the bar of God 2. The Pastor of a particular Church may pronounce all the Church uncapable of Christian Communion and salvation till they repent e. g. If they should all be impenitent Arrians Socinians Blaspheamers c. For he hath authority and they deserve it But he hath no Church that he is Pastor of whom he can command to avoid them 3. The neighbour Pastors of the Churches about them may upon full proof declare to their own Churches that such a neighbour Church that is faln to Arrianism c. is unmeet for Christian Communion and to be owned as a Church of Christ and therefore charge their flocks not to own them nor to have occasional Communion with their members when they come among them For there is Authority and a meet object and necessity for so doing And therefore it may be done 4. But a single Pastor of another Church may not usurp authority over any neighbour Church to judge them and excommunicate them where he hath neither call nor 2 Joh. 10 11. 3 Joh 9. 10. Rev. 2. 5 16. 3. 3â— 15 6. full proof as not having had opportunity to admonish them all and try their repentance Therefore the Popes Excommunications are rather to be contemned than regarded 5. Yet if many Churches turn Hereticks notoriously one single neighbour Pastor may renounce their Communion and require his flock for to avoid them all 6. And a Pastor may as lawfully excommunicate the Major part of his Church by charging the Minor part to avoid them as he may do the Minor part Except that accidentally the inconveniences of a division may be so great as to make it better to forbear And so it may oft fall out also if it were the minor part Quest. 93. What if a Church have two Pastors and one Excommunicate a man and the other absolve him what shall the Church and the dissenter do Answ. IT was such cases that made the Churches of old choose Bishops and ever have but one Bishop in one Church But 1. He that is in the wrong is first bound to repent and yield to the other 2. If he will not the other in a tolerable ordinary case may for peace give way to him though not Consent to his injurious dealing 3. In a dubious case they should both forbear proceeding till the case be cleared 4. In most cases each party should act according to his own judgement if the Counsel of neighbour Pastors be not able to reconcile them And the people may follow their own judgements and forbear obeying either of them formally till they agree Quest. 94. For what sins may a man be denied Communion or Excommunicated Whether for impenitence in every little sin Or for great sin without impenitence Answ. 1. I Have shewed before that there is a suspension which is but a forbearance of giving a man the Sacrament which is only upon an Accusation till his cause be tryed And an Innocent person may be falsly accused and so tryed 2. Some sins may be of so heynous scandal that if the person repent of them this day his absolution and reception may be delayed till the scandal be removed 1. Because the publick good is to be preferred before any mans personal good 2. And the Churches or Enemies about cannot so suddenly know of a mans repentance If they hear of a mans Murder Perjury or Adultery to day and hear that he is absolved to morrow they will think that the Church consisteth of such or that it maketh very light of sin Therefore the ancient Churches delayed and imposed penances partly to avoid such scandal 3. And partly because that some sins are so heynous that a sudden profession is not a sufficient Evidence of repentance unless there be also some evidence of Contrition 3. But ordinarily no man ought to be Excommunicate for any sin whatsoever unless Impenitence be Luk. 13. 3 5. Act. 2. 37 38 39 c. added to the sin Because he is first to be admonished to Repent Matth. 18. 15 16. Tit. 3. 10. And Repentance is the Gospel condition of pardon to believers 4. A man is not to be excommunicated for every sin which he repenteth not of Because 1. Else all men should be Excommunicated For there are in all men some errours about sin and duty and so some sins which men cannot yet perceive to be sins 2. And Ministers are not Inâ—allible and may take that for a sin which is no sin and so should excommunicate the innocent 3. And daily unavoidable infirmities though repented of yet awaken not the soul sometimes to a notable contrition Gâ—l 6. 1 2 3 4. Jam. 3. 1 2 3. nor are they fit matter for the Churches admonition A man is not to be called openly to repentance before the Church for every idle word or hour 4. Therefore to Excommunication these two must concur 1. A heynousness in the sin 2. Impenitence after due admonition and patience Quest. 95. Must the Pastors examine the people before the Sacrament Answ. 1. REgularly they should have sufficient notice after they come to age that they own their Baptismal Covenant and that they have that due understanding of the Sacrament and the Sacramental work and such a Christian Profession as is necessary to a due participation 2. But this is fitlyest done at their solemn transition out of their Infant-Church-state into their adult And it is not necessarily to be done every time they come to the Lords Table unless the person desire help for his own benefit but only once before their first communicating if it be the satisfaction of the Pastor or Church that is intended by it Quest. 96. Is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a Converting Ordinance Answ. YOu must distinguish 1. Between the Conversion of Infidels without the Church and of Hypocrites within it 2. Between the primary and the secondary intention of the Instituter 3. Between the primary duty of the receiver and the
order to our Absolution and Communion 4. Especially so far as is necessary to subdue our fleshly lusts and tame our bodies and bring them into a due subjection to our faith and to avoid our sin for the time to come And also by 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 9 27. Col. 1. 5 6. Rom. 13 13 14. the exercise of sober mortification prudently to keep under all our worldly phantasies and love of this present world without unfitting our selves for duty 5. And so far as is needful by such mortification to fit us for fervent prayer especially by fasting on dayes of humiliation and to help us in our meditations of death and judgement and to further our heavenly contemplations and conversation 6. The greatest difficulty is Whether any self-revenge be lawful or due which is answered by Psal. 69. 10. Lev. 16. 29 31. â—3 27 32. Numb 29. 7. 30. 13. Ezra 8. 21. what is said already None such as disableth us for Gods service is lawful But true Repentance is an anger or great displeasure with our selves for sin and a hatred of sin and loathing of our selves for it And to judge condemn and afflict our own souls by a voluntary self-punishing is but that exercise of justice on our selves which is fit for pardoned sinners that are not to be condemned by the Lord and indeed the just exercise of Repentance and displeasure against our selves On which accounts of sober self-revenge we may cherish such degrees of godly sorrow fasting course cloathing as Sackcloth and denying our selves the pleasures of this world as shall not be hurtful but helpful to our duty And if great and heinous sinners have of old on these terms exceeded other men in their austerities and self-afflictings we cannot condemn them of superstition unless we more particularly knew more cause for it But popishly to think that self-afflicting without respect to Isa. 58. 5. such causes or necessities is a meritorious perfection fit for others is superstition indeed And â—o think as many of the Melancholy do that self-murder is a lawful self-revenge is a heinous sin and leadeth to that which is more heinous and dangerous Quest. 101. Is it lawful to observe stated times of fasting imposed by others without extraordinary occasion And particularly Lent Answ. REmember that I here meddle not with the question how far it is lawful for Rulers to 2 Chron. 20 3. Ezâ—a 8. 21. Jonah 3. 5. Zech. 8. 19. Joel 2. 15. Read Dallaeus Treatise de Iejuniis impose such Fasts on others save only to say 1. That it is undoubtedly fit for Kings to do it by Precepts and Churches by Consent in extraordinary cases of defection sin or judgements 2. That it is undoubtedly sinful usurpation for either Pope or any pretended Ecclesiastical Universal Rulers to impose such on the Universal Church Because there are no Universal Rulers Or for a neighbour Bishop by usurpation to impose it on a neighbour Church 3. And that it is sinful in all or many Churches to make by their Agreements such things to be necessary to their Union or Communion with their neighbour Churches so that they will take all those for Schismaticks that differ from them in such indifferent things But as to the Using of such fasts omitting the imposing I say I. 1. Thâ—â— so great and extraordinary a duty as holy fasting must not be turned into a meer Isa. 58. 3 5 6 7 8. formality oâ— ceremony 2. No particular man must be so observant of a publick commanded anniversary fast as for it to neglect any duty commanded him by God which is inconsistent with it As to rejoyce or keep a day of Thanksgiving in Lent upon an extraordinary obliging cause To keep the Lords day in Lent as a day of Thanksgiving and Rejoycing To preserve our own health c. It is not lawful in obedience to man to fast so much or use such dyet as is like to destroy our lives or health These being not so far put into the power of man Nor can man dispence with us as to the duty of self-preservation If God himself require us not to offer him our lives and health needlesly as an acceptable Sacrifice nor ever maketh self-destruction our duty no nor any thing that is not for mans own good then we are not to believe without very clear proof that either Prince or Prelates have more power than ever God doth use himself 3. Such an Anniversary fast as is meet for the remembrance of some sin or judgement if commanded is to be kept both for the Reason of it and for the Authority of the Commander For 1. It is not unlawful as Anniversary For 1. It is not forbidden and 2. There may be just occasion Some arbitrarily keep an anniversary fast on the day of their Nativity as I have long done and some on the day that they fell into some great sin and some on the day of the death of a friend or of some personal domestick or National Calamity and none of this is forbidden 2. And that which is not unlawful in it self is not therefore unlawful to be done because it is commanded seeing obedience to superiours is our duty and not our sin unless in sinful things 4. Whether it be lawful or meet to commemorate Christs sufferings by anniversary fasts is next to be considered II. As for Lent in particular We must distinguish 1. Between the antient Lent and the later Lent 2. Between keeping it on a Civil account and on a Religious 3. Between true fasting and change of dyet 4. Between the Imitation of Christs fourty dayes fasting and the meer Commemoration of it Which premised I conclude 1. The keeping a true Fast or Abstinence from food for fourty dayes on what account soever being impossible or self-murder is not to be attempted 2. The Imitation of Christ in his fourty dayes fasting is not to be attempted or pretended to Because his miraculous works were not done for our imitation And it is presumption for us to pretend to such a power as is necessary to Miracles or yet to make any Essayes at such an imitation any more than at the raising of the dead 3. The pretending of a fast when men do but change their dyet Flesh for Fish Fruit Sweet-meats c. is but hypocritical and ridiculous Most poor labourers and temperate Ministers do live all the year on a more flesh-denying dyet and in greater abstinence than many Papists do in Lent or on their fasting dayes And what a ridiculous dispute is it to hear e. g. a Calvin that never eateth but one small meal a day for many years to plead against the keeping of the Popish fasts and their Clergy call him voracious and carnal and an Epicure and plead for fasting as holy mortification who eat as many meals and as much meat on a Lent day or fasting day as Calvin did in three feasting dayes and drink as much Wine in
a Lent as he in twenty years Sure I am I know many such on both sides Some that eat but a small meal a day and never drink Wine at all and others that drink Wine daily and eat of many dishes at a meal and that to the full and of the sweetest as Fish Fruits c. yet rail at the former for not fasting as they do So delusory are the outward appearances and so â—alse the pretensions of the carnal sort 4. The antient Lent consisted first of one day Good-fryday alone and after that of three dayes and then of six and at last it came up to fourty Of which read Dallaeus ubi supra at large 5. None can question the lawfulness of an obedient keeping of such a Civil Lent fast as our Statutes command for the vending of Fish and for the breed of Cattle so be it no bodily necessity oâ— greater duty be against it 6. It is not unlawful for those that cannot totally fast yet to use more abstinence and a more mortifying sort of dyet than ordinary for the exercises of repentance and mortification in due time 7. If Authority shall appoint such a mortifying abstemious course upon lawful or tolerable grounds and ends I will obey them if they peremptorily require it when my health or some greater duty forbiddeth it not 8. As for the Commanding such an Abstinence as in Lent not in Imitation but bare Commemoration of Christs forty dayes fast I would not command it if it were in my power But being peremptorily commanded I cannot prove it unlawful to obey with the fore-mentioned exceptions 9. It was antiently held a crime to fast on the Lords dayes even in Lent And I take that day to be separated by Christ and the Holy Ghost for a Church Festival or day of Thanksgiving Therefore I will not keep it as a fast though I were commanded unless in such an extraordinary necessity as aforesaid OF Pilgrimages Saints Relicts and Shrines Temples of their Miracles of Pray 〈…〉 to Angels to Saints for the Dead of Purgatory of the Popes Pardons Indulgences Dispensations of the Power of true Pastors to forgive sins with a multitude of such cases which are commonly handled in our Controversal Writers against the Papists I must thither refer the Reader for a Solution because the handling of all such particular Cases would swell my Book to a magnitude beyond my intention and make this part unfuitable to the rest Quest. 102. May we continue in a Church where some one Ordinance of Christ is wanting as Discipline Prayer Preaching or Sacraments though we have all the rest Answ. DIstinguish 1. Of Ordinances 2. Of a stated want and a temporary want 3. Of one that may have better and one that cannot 1. Teaching Prayer and Praise are Ordinances of such necessity that Church Assemblies have not their proper use without them 2. The Lords Supper is of a secondary need and must be used when 〈…〉 but a Church-Assembly may attain its ends sometimes without it in a good degree 3. Discipline is implicitly exercised when none but the Baptized are Communicants and when professed Christians voluntarily assemble and the preaching of the Word doth distinguish the precious from the vile Much more when notorious scandalous sinners are by the Laws kept from the Sacrament As our Rubrick and Canons do require 4. But for the fuller explicite and exacter exercise of discipline it is very desirable for the well being of the Churches but it is but a stronger fence or hedge and preservative of Sacred Order And both the being of a Church and the profitable use of holy assemblies may subsist without it As in Helvetia and other Countreys it is found I conclude then 1. That he that consideratis considerandis is a free man should choose that place Acts 28. ult 11. 26. 20. 7 20 c. 1 Cor. 14. Acts 2. 42. 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 10. 25 26 Col 4. 16. Acts 13 27. 15 2â— â— Theâ—s 5 27. 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 c. where he hath the fullest opportunities of worshipping God and edifying his soul. 2. He is not to be accounted a free-man that cannot remove without a greater hurt than the good either to the Church or Countrey or to his family his neighbours or himself 3. Without Teaching Prayer and Divine Praises we are not to reckon that we have proper Church-Assemblies and Communion 4. We must do all that is in our power to procure the right use of Sacraments and Discipline 5. When we cannot procure it it is lawful and a duty to joyn in those Assemblies that are without it and rather to enjoy the rest than none Few Churches have the Lords Supper above once a moneth which in the Primitive Church was used every Lords day and ofter And yet they meet on other dayes 6. It is possible that Preaching Prayer and Praise may be so excellently performed in some Churches that want both Discipline and the Lords Supper and all so coldly and ignorantly managed in another Church that hath all the Ordinances that mens souls may much more flourish and prosper under the former than the later 7. If forbearing or wanting some Ordinances for a time be but in order to a probable procurement Matth. 26. 31. Acts 8. 1. of them we may the better forbear 8. The time is not to be judged of only by the length but by the probability of success For sometime Gods Providence and the disturbances of the times or the craft of men in power may keep men so long in the dark that a long expectation or waiting may become our duty Quest. 103. Must the Pastors remove from one Church to another when ever the Magistrate commandeth us though the Bishops contradict it and the Church consent not to dismiss us And so of other Cases of disagreement Answ. 1. AS in mans soul the Intellectual Guidance the Will and the executive power do concur so in Church Cases of this nature the Potestative Government of the Magistrate the Directive Guidance of the senior Pastors and the Attractive Love of the people who are the chief inferiour final Cause should all concur And when they do not it is confusion And when Gods order is broken which commandeth their concurrence it is hard to know what to do in such a division which God alloweth not As it is to know whether I should take part with the Heart against the Head or with the Head against the Stomach and Liver on supposition of cross inclinations or interests when as Nature supposeth either a concord of inclination and interests or else the ruine sickness or death of the person And the Cure must be by reconciling them rather than by knowing which to side with against the rest But seeing we must suppose such diseases frequently to happen they that cannot cure them must know how to behave themselves and to do their own duty For my
own part in such cases I would do thus 1. I would look at my ultimate end Gods Glory and at the next end the Good of souls and welfare Eph. 4. 12 14. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. Rom. 14. 19. Rom. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 14. 5 12 26. 2 Cor. 12. 19. of the Church and so at the Peoples Interest as it is the End of the Order of Magistracy and Ministry And I would take my self to be so obliged to that end as that no point of meer Order could disoblige me the End being better than the Means as such Therefore I would do all things to edification supposing that all Power of man is as Paul's was for Edification and not for destruction 2. But in judging of what is Best for the Church I must take in every accident and circumstance and look to many more than to a few and to distant parts as well as to those near me and to the time and ages to come as well as to the present and not go upon mistaken suppositions of the Churches good He that doth not see all things that are to be weighed in such a case may err by leaving out some one 3. I would obey the Magistrate formally for conscience sake in all things which belong to his Office And particularly in this case if it were but a Removal from place to place in respect to the Temple or Tythes or for the Civil peace or for the preservation of Church order in cases where it is not grosly injurious to the Church and Gospel 4. In cases which by Gods appointment belong to the Conduct of Bishops or Pastors or the Concord of Consociate Churches I would formaliter follow them And in particular if they satisfie me that the removal of me is an apparent injury to the Church As in the Arrians times when the Emperours removed the Orthodox from all the Great Churches to put in Arrians I would not obedientially and voluntarily remove 5. If Magistrates and Bishops should concur in commanding my remove in a case notoriously injurious and pernicious to the Church as in the aforesaid case to bring in an Arrian I would not obey formally for conscience sake supposing that God never gave them such a power against mens souls and the Gospel of Christ And there is no power but of God 6. But I would prefer both the Command of the Magistrate and the Direction of the Pastors before the meer will and humour of the people when their safety and welfare were not concerned in the case 7. And when the Magistrate is peremptory usually I must obey him Materially when I do it not formally in conscience to his meer Command Because though in some cases he may do that which belongeth not to his Office but to the Pastors yet his violence may make it become the Churches interest that I yield and give place to his wrath For as I must not Resist him by force so if I depart not at his Command it may bring a greater suffering on the Churches And so for preventing a greater evil he is to be submitted to in many cases where he goeth against God and without authority though not to be formally obeyed 8. Particular Churches have no such interest in their Ministers or Pastors as to keep them against their wills and the Magistrates and against the interest of the Universal Church as shall be next asserted I have spoken to this instance as it taketh in all other cases of difference between the Power of the Magistrate the Pastors and the peoples interest when they disagree and not as to this case alone Quest. 104. Is a Pastor obliged to his Flock for Life Or is it lawful so to oblige himself And may be remove without their Consent And so also of a Church-member the same questions are put THese four Questions I put together for brevity and shall answer them distinctly I. 1. A Minister is obliged to Christ and the Universal Church for Life durante vita with this exception if God disable him not 2. But as a Pastor he is not obliged to this or that flock for life There is no such command or example in Gods Word II. To the second 1. It is lawful to oblige our selves to a people for life in some cases conditionally that is If God do not apparently call us away 2. But it is never lawful to do it Absolutely 1. Because we shall engage our selves against God against his power over us and interest in us and his wisdom that must guide us God may call us whither he please And though now he speak not by supernatural revelation yet he may do it by providential alterations 2. And we shall else oblige our selves against the Universal Church to which we are more strictly bound than to any particular Church and whose good may oblige us to remove 3. Yea we may bind our selves to the hurt of that Church it self seeing it may become its interest to part with us 4. And we should so oblige our selves against our duty to authority which may remove us III. To the third question I answer 1. A Pastor may not causelesly remove nor for his own worldly commodity when it is to the hurt of the Church and hinderance of the Gospel 2. When he hath just cause he must acquaint the people with it and seek their satisfaction and consent 3. But if he cannot procure it he may remove without it As 1. When he is sure that the interest of the Gospel and Universal Church require it 2. Or that just authority doth oblige him to it The reasons are plain from what is said And also 1. He is no more bound to the people than they are to him But they are not so bound to him but they may remove on just occasion 2. If he may not remove it is either because God forbids it or because his own Contract with them hath obliged him against it But 1. God no where forbids it 2. Such a contract is supposed not made nor lawful to be made IV. As to the peoples case it needs no other answer 1. No member may remove without cause 2. Nor abruptly and uncharitably to the Churches dissatisfaction when he may avoid it But 3. He may remove upon many just causes private or publick whether the Church and Pastors consent or not so the manner be as becometh a Christian. Quest. 105. When many men pretend at once to be the true Pastors of a particular Church against each others title through differences between the Magistrates the Ordainers and the Flocks what should the people do and whom should they adhere to Answ. THis case is mostly answered before in Quest. 82. c. I need only to add these What Pastor to adhere to Rules of Caution 1. Do not upon any pretence accept of an Heretick or one that is utterly unfit for the Office 2. Do not easily take a Dividing Course or person but keep
as much as may be in a way of Concord with the united faithful Pastors and Churches in your proximity or Countrey 3. Look to the publick good and interest of Religion more than to your particular Congregation 4. Neglect not the greatest advantages for your own edification But rather take them by a removal of your dwelling though you suffer by it in your estates than by any division disturbance of the Churches peace or common detriment 5. Do not easily go against the Magistrates Commands unless they be apparently unlawful and to the Churches detriment or ruine in the reception of your Pastors 6. Do not easily forsake him that hath been justly received by the Church and hath possession that is till necessity require it Quest. 106. To whom doth it belong to Reform a Corrupted Church to the Magistrates Pastors or People Answ. A Church is reformed three several wayes 1. By the personal reformation of every member 2. By doctrinal Direction and 3. By publick forcible Execution and constraint of others 1. Every member whether Magistrates Pastors or People must reform themselves by forsaking 1 Cor. 11. 28 29 31 33 34. 1 Cor. 5. 11. Dan. 3. 6. all their own sins and doing their own duties If a Ruler command a private person to go to Mass to own any falshood or to do any sin he is not to be obeyed because God is to be first obeyed 2. The Bishops or Pastors are to Reform the Church by Doctrine Reproof and just Exhortations 1 Cor. 5. 3. 4 5 1. Pet. 5. 2 3. Luke 22. 24 25 26 27. and Nunciative Commands in the name of Christ to Rulers and people to do their several duties and by the actual doing of his own 3. The King and Magistrates under him only must Reform by the Sword that is by outward force and Civil Laws and Corporal Penalties As forcibly to break down Images to cast out Idolaters or the Instruments of Idolatry from the Temples to put true Ministers in possession of the Temples or the Legal publick maintenance to destroy punish or hurt Idolaters c. Supposing still the Power of Parents and Masters in their several families Quest. 107. Who is to Call Synods Princes Pastors or People Answ. 1. THere are several wayes of Calling Synods 1. By Force and Civil Mandates 2. By The question of the power of Synods is sufficiently answered before Pastoral Perswasion and Counsel and 3. By humble intreaty and petition 1. Magistrates only that is the Supream by his own power and the Inferiour by power derived from him may call Synods by Laws and Mandates enforced by the Sword or Corporal Penalties or Mulcts 2. Bishops or Pastors in due Circumstances may call Synods by Counsel and perswasive invitation 3. The people in due Circumstances and necessity may Call Synods by way of Petition and Intreaty But what are the due Circumstances Answ. 1. The Magistrate may Call them by Command at his discretion for his own Counsel or for the Civil peace or the Churches good 2. The Pastors and people may not Call them nor meet when the Magistrate forbiddeth it except when the necessity of the Church requireth it Synods may profitably be stated for order when it may be lawfulâ—y obtained both as to limits of Place numbers and Time But these prudential Orders are not of stated necessity but must give place to weightier reasons on the contrary 3. Synods themselves are not ordinarily necessary by Nature or Institution Let him that affirmeth it prove it But that which is statedly necessary is The Concord of the Churches as the End and a necessary correspondency of the Churches as the Means and Synods when they may well be had as a convenient sort of means 4. When Synods cannot be had or are needless Messengers and Letters from Church to Church may keep up the Correspondency and Concord 5. In cases of real necessity which are very rare though usefulness be more frequent the Bishops and people should first petition the King for his consent And if that cannot be had they may meet secretly and in small numbers for mutual consultation and advice about the work of God and not by keeping up the formality of their set numbers times and places and orders provoke the King against them 6. The contempt of Synods by the separatists and the placing more power in Synods than ever God gave them by others yea and the insisting on their circumstantial orders making them like a Civil Senate or Court have been the two extreams which have greatly injured and divided the Churches throughout the World Quest. 108. To whom doth it belong to appoint dayes and assemblies for publick Humiliation and Thanksgiving Answ. THe answer of the last question may serve for this 1. The Magistrate only may do it by way of Laws or civil Mandate enforced by the sword 2. The Pastors may do it in case of necessity by Pastoral advice and exhortation and nunciative command in the name of Christ. 3. The people may do it by Petition 4. As ordinary Church Assemblies must be held if the Magistrate forbid them of which next so must extraordinary ones when extraordinary causes make it a duty 5. When the Magistrate forcibly hindereth them natural impossibility resolveth the question about our duty Quest. 109. May we omit Church-assemblies on the Lords day if the Magistrate forbid them Answ. 1. IT is one thing to forbid them for a time upon some special cause as Infection by May we omit Church-Assemblies on the Lords day if forbidden by Magistrates pestilence fire war c. And another thing to forbid them statedly or prophanely 2. It is one thing to omit them for a time and another to do it ordinarily 3. It is one thing to omit them in formal obedience to the Law and another thing to omit them in prudence or for necessity because we cannot keep them 4. The Assembly and the circumstances of the Assembly must be distinguished 1. If the Magistrate for a greater good as the common safety forbid Church Assemblies in a time of pestilence assault of enemies or fire or the like necessity it is a duty to obey him Because positive duties give place to those great natural duties which are their end so Christ justified himself and his disciples violation of the external rest of the Sabbath For the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath 2. Because Affirmatives bind not ad semper and out of season duties become sins 3. Because one Lords day or Assembly is not to be preferred before Many which by the omission of that one are like to be obtained 2. If Princes prophanely forbid holy assemblies and publick worship either statedly or as a renunciation of Christ and our religion it is not Lawful formally to obey them 3. But it is lawful prudently to do that secretly for the present necessity which we cannot do publickly and to do that with smaller numbers which we
that hath all these hath a constant Habit of prayer in him For prayer is nothing but the expression with the tongue of these Graces in the heart So that the Spirit of Sanctification is thereby a Spirit of Adoption and of Supplication And he that hath freedom of utterance can speak that which Gods Spirit hath put into his very heart and made him esteem his greatest and nearest concernment and the most necessary and excellent thing in all the world This is the Spirits principal help 5. The same Spirit doth incline our hearts to the diligent use of all those means by which our abilities may be increased As to read and hear and confer and to use our selves to prayer and to meditation self-examination c. 6. The same Spirit helpeth us in the use of all these means to profit by them and to make them all effectual on our hearts 7. The same Spirit concurreth with Means Habits Reason and our own endeavours to help us in the very act of praying and preaching 1. By illuminating our minds to know what to desire and say 2. By actuating our Wills to Love and holy desire and other affections 3. By quickning and exciting us to a liveliness and â—ervency in all And so bringing our former habits into acts the Grace of prayer is the heart and soul of gifts And thus the Spirit teacheth us to pray Yea the same Spirit thus by common helps assisteth even bad men in praying and preaching giving them common habits and acts that are short of special saving grace Whereas men left to themselves without Gods Spirit have none of all these forementioned helps And so the Spirit is said to intercede for us by exciting our unexpressible groans and to help our infirmities when we know what Rom. 8. 26. to ask as we ought Quest. 168. Are not our own Reasons Studies Memory Strivings Books Forms Methods and Ministry needless yea a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit and setting up our own instead of the Spirits operations Answ. 1. YEs if we do it in a conceit of the sufficiency of our selves our reason memory John 15 1 3 4 5 7. studies books forms c. without the Spirit Or if we ascribe any thing to any of these which is proper to Christ or to his Spirit For such proud self-sufficient despisers of the Spirit cannot reasonably expect his help I doubt among men counted Learned and Rational there are too many such * Even among them that in their Ordination heard Receive yâ— the Holy Ghost and Oveâ— which the Holy Gâ—â—â—â—â—ath made you 〈…〉 that know not mans insufficiency or corruption nor the necessity and use of that Holy Ghost into whose name they were baptized and in whom they take on them to believe But think that all that pretend to the Spirit are but Phanaticks and Enthusiasts and self-conceited people when yet the Spirit himself saith Rom. 8 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his And Gal. 4. 6. Because we are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father 2. But if we give to Reason Memory Study Books Methods Forms c. but their proper place in subordination to Christ and to his Spirit they are so far from being quenchers of the Spirit that they are necessary in their places and such means as we must use if ever we will expect the Spirits help For the Spirit is not given to a Bruit to make him a man or rational nor to a proud despiser or idle neglecter of Gods appointed means to be instead of means nor to be a Patron to the vice of pride or idleness which he cometh chiefly to destroy But to bless men in the laborious use of the means which God appointeth him Read but Prov. 1. 20 c. 2. 3. 5. 6. 8. and you will see that knowledge must be laboured for and instruction heard And he that will lye idle till the Isa. 64. 7. Mat. 7. 13 14. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Spirit move him and will not stir up himself to seek God nor strive to enter in at the streight gâ—â—e nor give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure may find that the Spirit of sloth hath destroyed him when he thought the Spirit of Christ â—ad been saving him He that hath but two Articles in his Creed must make this the second For he that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Quest. 169. How doth the Holy Ghost set Bishops over the Churches Answ. 1. BY making the Office it self so far as the Apostles had any hand in it Christ himself Acts 20. 28. having made their Office 2. The Holy Ghost in the Electors and Ordainers directeth them to discern the fitness of the persons Acts 1. 24. Act. 13. 2. 15. 28 c. 14. â—3 elected and ordained and so to call such as God approveth of and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them Which was done 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the Apostles 2. By the ordinary help of Gods Spirit in the wise and faithful Electors and Ordainers ever since 3. The Holy Ghost doth qualifie them for the work by due Life Light and Love Knowledge Willingness and Active ability and so both enâ—lining them to it and marking out the persons by his gifts whom he would have elected and ordained to it Which was done 1. At first by extraordinary gifts 2. And ever since by ordinary 1. Special and saving in some 2. Common and only fitted to the Churches instruction in others So that who ever is not competently qualified is not called by the Holy Ghost When Christ ascended he gave gifts to men some Apostles Prophets and Evangelists 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 28 29. some Pastors and Teachers for the edifying of his body c. Eph. 4. 7 8 9 10. Quest. 170. Are Temples Fonts Utensils Church-lands much more the Ministers holy And what reverence is due to them as holy Answ. THe question is either de nomine whether it be fit to call them holy or de re whether they have that which is called Holiness I. The word Holy signifieth in God essential transcendent Perfection and so it cometh not into our question In creatures it signifieth 1. A Divine nature in the Rational Creature Angels and Men by which it is made like God and disposed to him and his service by Knowledge Love and holy Vivacity which is commonly called Real saving Holiness as distinct from meer Relative 2. It is taken for the Relation of any thing to God as his own peculiar appropriated to him so Mar. 6. 20. Col. 1. 22. Tit. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Exod. 22. 31. 1 Cor. 1. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Heb. 12.
14. Tit. 3. 3 5 6. 2. 13 14. 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. Exod. 19. 6. Rom. 1. 1 2. 1 Cor. 3. 17. 7. 14. Zech. 2. 12. Hag. 2. 12. Luk. 1. 70 72. Ezr. 8. 28. 9. 2. Numb 31. 6. Numb 6. 8 20. Lev. 16. 4 33. Exod. 29. 6 33. Psal. 89. 20. Numb 35. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Isa. 58. 13. Psal. 42. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 18 21. Psal. 87. 1. Num. 5. 17. Exod. 3. 5. 1 Sam. 21. 5. Neh. 8. 9 10 11. infinite is the distance between God and us that whatever is His in a special sense or separated to his use is called Holy And that is 1. Persons 2. Things 1. Persons are either 1. In general devoted to his Love and Service 2. Or specially devoted to him in some special office Which is 1. Ecclesiastical 2. Oâ—conomical 3. Political Those devoted to his general service are 1. Either Heartily and sincerely so devoted who are ever sanctified in the first Real sense also or only by word and outward profession 2. Things devoted to God are 1. Some by his own immediate choice designation and command 2. Or by general directions to man to do it And these are 1. Some things more Nâ—erly some things more Remotely separated to him None of these must be confounded And so we must conclude 1. All that shall be saved are Really Holy by a Divine Inclination and nature and Actual exercise thereof and Relatively Holy in a special sense as thus devoted and separated to God 2. All the Baptized and professors not apostate are Relatively Holy as verbally devoted and separated to God 3. All that are Ordained to the Sacred Ministry are Relatively Holy as devoted and separated to that office And the well qualified are also really Holy as their qualifications are either special or common 4. All that are duly called of God to the Place of Kings and Iudges and Rulers of families are Relatively Sacred as their offices and they are of God and for him and devoted to him 5. Temples and other utensils designed by God himself are Holy as Related to him by that designation 6. Temples Utensils Lands c. devoted and lawfully separated by man for holy uses are Holy as justly Related to God by that lawful separation To say as some do that They are indeed consecrated and separated but not Holy is to be ridiculously wise by self-contradiction and the masterly use of the word Holy contrary to custome and themselves 7. Ministers are more Holy than Temples Lands or Utensils as being neerlier related to holy things And things separated by God himself are more holy than those justly separated by man And so of dayes 8. Things Remotely devoted to God are Holy in their distant place and measure As the Meat Drink House Lands Labours of every Godly man who with himself devoteth all to God But this being more distant is yet a remoter degree of Holiness II. Every thing should be Reverenced according to the measure of its Holiness And this expressed Uncovered in Church and Reverent gestures by such signes gestures actions as are fittest to Honour God to whom they are Related And so to be uncovered in Church and use Reverent carriage and gestures there doth tend to preserve due Reverence to God and to his Worship 1 Cor. 16. 20. Quest. 171. What is Sacriledge and what not Answ. I. SAcriledge is Robbing God by the unjust alienation of holy things And it is measured Rom. 2. 22. 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. Heb. 6. 6 7. Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29. 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. â—ev 19. 8. Heb. 12. 16. Act. 5. 5 c. â—zek 22. 26. 42. 20. 44. 23. according as things are diversified in Holiness as 1. The greatest Sacriledge is a prophane unholy alienating a person to the flâ—sh and the world from God and his Love and his service who by Baptism was devoted to him And so all wicked Christians are grosly Sacrilegious 2. The next is alienating consecrated persons from the sacred work and office by deposing Kings or by unjust silencing or suspending true Ministers or their casting off Gods work themselves This is far greater sacriledge than alienating Lands or Utensils 3. The next is the unjust alienating of Temples Utensils Lands dayes which were separated by God himself 4. And next such as were justly consecrated by man as is aforesaid in the degrees of Holiness II. It is not Sacriledge 1. To cease from the Ministry or other holy service when sickness disability of body or violence utterly disable us 2. Nor to alienate Temples Lands goods or utensils when providence maketh it needful to the Churches good so the fire in London hath caused a diminution of the number of Churches so some Bishops of old sold the Church plate to relieve the poor And some Princes have sold some Church Lands to save the Church and state in the necessities of a lawful war Matth. 12. 5. 3. It is not Sacriledge to alienate that which man devoted but God accepted not nor owned as appropriate to him which his prohibition of such a dedication is a proof of As if a man devote his wife to chastity or his Son to the Ministry against their wills or if a man Vow himself to the Ministry that is unable and hath no call or if so much Lands or goods be consecrated as is superfluous useless and injurious to the common wellfare and the state Alienation in these cases is no sin Quest. 172. Are all Religious and private meetings forbidden by Rulers unlawful Conventicles Or are any such necessary Answ. THough both such Meetings and our Prisons tell us how greatly we now differ about this point in the application of it to persons and our present case yet I know no difference in the doctrinal resolution of it among most sober Christians at all which makes our case strange For ought I know we are agreed I. 1. That it is more to the honour of the Church and of Religion and of God and more to our Psal. 1. 2 4 5. 22. 25. 35. 18. 40. 9 10. Act. 28. last Heb. 10. 25. Act. 20. 7. 1. 15. 2. 44 1 Cor. 14. 23. safety and edification to have Gods Worship performed solemnly publickly and in great assemblies than in a corner secretly and with few 2. That it is a great mercy therefore where the Rulers allow the Church such publick Worship 3. That caeteris paribus all Christians should prefer such publick worship before private And no private meetings should be kept up which are opposite or prejudicial to such publick meetings 4. And therefore if such meetings or any that are unnecessary to the ends of the Ministry the service of God and good of souls be forbidden by Lawful Rulers they must be forborn II. But we are also agreed 1. That it is not the Place but the presence of the true Pastors and 1 Cor. 16. 19. Rom. 16. 5. Act.
Catechism and of Schism Cont. Io. Ball Rutherford the Assemblies Reply the London Ministers Ius Divinum Presbyterii Cawdrey against Dr. Owen c. Ben. Camfield against Dr. Owens Catechism XXXI Conciliators 1. Between discordant Christians in general Iacobi Acontii Stratagemata Satanae Usher in Eph. 4. 3. old Vincentius Lerinensis Ruperti Meldenii Paraenesis a Socinian Veritas Pacifica and many such of theirs proposing ill terms 2. Between Protestants and Papists Thuanus Pitcherelius Erasmus Wicelius Cassander Baldwin Grotius Dâ—venport alias Franc. a Sancta Clara M. A. de Dom. Spalatensis de Rep. Eccles. Guil. Forbes Episcop Edinburgens Dr. Hammond specially on Thess. Revel But Le Blanke judiciously only by right stating and narrowing Controversies See Pet. Heylin of the Life of Archbishop Laud Bishop Bramhall 3. Between all Protestants especially Lutherans Arminians and the Reformed Churches Duraeus Calixâ—us Halls Peacemaker Pax terris Bishop Morton Davenant and Hall together their Pacific Amyraldus Iunius de praedeterminatione Irenic Hottonus de Tolerantia Paraei Irenic Scultetus in Tit. All the Judicious Treatises commended § 18. And of Papists about the like Controversies Sarnanus Suarez Arriba Iansenius Gibieuf Guil. Camerarius Scotus a Dola 4. Of Church Government Ushers Reduction Ioh. Forbes Irenic Stillingfleets Irenic Halls Peace-Maker and Modest Offer Burroughs Cure of Heart-Divisions Mat. Newcomens Reconcil of Presb. Indep The New England Synods Propos. and the Defence Lloyd III. I have gone so far in this second rank that I must add but a few more for the third lest I go above a Poor Mans Library I. ADd when you can to your Lexicons Morellius or Cowper Beckman de orig verb. Phavoriâ—us and Hâ—syâ—hius and Dr. Castle 's Oriental Lexicon II. To Logicians Downame Dietericus Lublin Smigletius with Aristotle Claubergius III. To Physicks Philoponus Telesius Le Grand Cartesius Regius Hereboord Sckeggius Gassendus Patricius K. Digby White IV. De Corpore humano Crooks Anatomy or Vesalius Lower de motu cordis Harvy and Wallaeus de circulat Sang. Willis Works Needham de form foetus Steno de Musculis Sylvius Horne Bates and Glissâ—n Anatom Hepat de Rachitide Wharton de Glandulis V. De Anima Claud. Mammertus Nemesius in Bibl. Pat. Plato Plotinus Fromondus Cicero Tuscqu H. More VI. Of Metaphysicks Scheibler Suarez Timpler Burgersdicius Senguerdius Iacchaeus Gorlaeus Ritschel Campanella Meurisse VII Of Chronologie Petavius Ushers Chronol de Anno Maced Isaackson's Chronol Simpsons Chron. Beroaldus Carion Scaliger de Emend Tempor on Euseb. c. Dr. Drake See Bellarmin Index in Script Eccles. VIII History The Roman and Greek are known Of the Church Evagrius Gregor Turonicus Paulus Diaconus Luitprandus Frodoardus Cedrenus Curopalates Ingulphus Otho Frisingens Crantzius Trithemius Camerarius Spondani Epit. Baronii Luc. Osianders Epit. Magdeburg Foxes Martyrologie Ehingers Hist. of England Ingulphus Will. Malmsbury Mat. Westminster Balaeus Hollingshead Lord Herberts Life of Hen. 7. The lives of Edw. 6. Q. Eliz. by Cambden K. Iames by Wilson K. Charles Cromwells life Prin's History of Bishops Treasons and of Canterburies Laud's Doom Heylins Life of Laud The Troubles at Frankford The Cabala Letters Of Ireland Sr. Iohn Temple Dr. Iones of the Rebellion the Earl of Oreryes Answ. to a Petition Of Scotland and other Churches Petraeus's History Also Mart. Crusii Turcograecia Kircher of the Copties Hornius Archontologia Gothofredi edit 1649. Rovillii promptuarium Iconum Verheiden's Icones Theolog. Reformat fol. Vossius de historicis Bezae Icones Hâ—spinians Histor. Sacrament et de Orig. Templorum Vossii Hist. Pelag. Gutberleth's Hist. Paraeus Laetus Pezelius But there is no end IX Medicine Herbals Matthiolus Iohnsons-Gerrard Parkinson Langham Monardus Dispensatories London-physicions Schroderus Anatomists before named and Knoblochius Practitioners Hipocrates Galen Celsus Fernelius Montani Consilia Crato in Schotzii â—p Consil. Platerus Forestus Skenkiâ— observ Hollerius Sennertus Rondeletius Hâ—rstius Frambassarius Schatzii Aphoris Solenander Epiphan Ferdinandus Dodonaei Praxis Morellius Schonbornii Manuale Domerelius Conringius de ferment Fienus Gordonius especially Riverius Prevotius si vacat Zacutus Lusitan Hartman Quercetane Crollius Valentine Helmont For Surgery Fabritius Hildanus Trigaultius Forestus Paraeus But the chief Treatises of Medicine are those that treat of particular diseases or kinds As Carolus Piso de morbis serosis Eugalenus Martinius Sennertus c. de Scorbuto Dr. Sidenham de Febribus Dr. Glisson de Rachitide Willis de fermentatione Febribus Cattierus de Reumatismo Marcuccius c. de Melancholia Schmuzen c. de Calculo Capellutus de bubon Guarenciers de Tabe Anglica It 's too long to name all So Rudius de pulsibus Forestus de incert uriu judic Sanctorius Opicius de Med. staticâ Deodatuâ— de Dietetic Bacon de vita longa Venner Brunfelsis X To Politicks add Tholosanus Althusius Arnisaeus Bodin de Rep. White To Ethicks Buridane More Wendeline Danaeus Gatakers Antonine Seneca Plutarks Morals XI Systemes of Theologie Synopsis Leidensium Lud. Crocius Polanus Bucanus Dudley Fenner Wendeline Pet. Martyrs Loci Com. Theses Sedanenses Ant. Fayus Melancthon Gomarus Pâ—zelius Catechismus Romanus Corpus confessionum Altingius Spanhemii Disput. Snecanus XII Choice Treatises Parker de Descensu ad inferos Garbut of the Resurrection of Christ Bullinger de Orig. Errorum Martinius de symbol alia Olevian de foedere Sanderson de Iuram Pembles works All Medes works Rivets select Disputations Zanchii Opera Dr. Field All Dallaeus and Blondel Turretine de Satisfactione XIII Commentators Davenant in Golos. Martyr in Rom. Cor. Pelargus in Maâ—â—â—â— Fayus Scultetus Crocius in Eph. Luther in Galat. Sclater in Thess. Cartwright and Fulke on the Rhemists Notes Arth. Iacksons Annot Erasmus Paraphrase Hyricus Lightfâ—ot Tâ—ssanus Melancth Râ—llocke Manton on Iames and Iude Amesius on Pet. Lud. de Dieu on the Revel Mede Stephens Napier K. Iames Brightman All these on the New Test. or part And Papists Tolet on Rom. c. Ferus Brugensis Montanus Pererius Corn. Mussus Espencaeus On the Old Test. Cajâ—tan Bonfrerius Pererius Paul Fagius Mersennus Rivet Masius Serrarius Sanctius Mercer Amesius in Psal. Amyraldus in Psal. Hâ—od in Psal. Pemble Broughton and Parker on Dan. Attersol on Numb c. King on Ionah If you would have more see Bishop Wilkins Eccles. and Voetii Bibliot XIV Subordinate Helps for understanding and Preaching Concordances Heb. Buxtorf Graec. Stephani Tâ—ssani Index Clarkes Holy Oile Wilkins Ecclesiastes and Gift of Prayer Chappel and Zepper's Meth. of Preaching Oliv. Bowles Alstedii Definit Distinct. Castanci Dist. cum Reeb Drusii Proverb Adag Haeb. Delrius Schottus Glassii Philol. Zehner Câ—peli Critica Sacra Gruteri vel Langii Polyanth Schâ—tanus in creat Mountagues Apparat de Orig. â—ccl Franzius de sacrif Wittichius de stylo XV. Of Christian Religion its defence Latitude and the Infidels and Heathens compared Raymundus de Sabundis Theolog. Natur. Pacardus Aquinas cont Gent. Pansa Varenius de Relig. Indor Bâ—iâ—rwoâ—ds Enquiries Thom. a Sancto Iesu
be so in seriousness and not hypocrisie and jeast It being no such small contemptible matter to be turned into dissembling complement § 8. Memorand 8. Endeavour the Unity and Concord of all the Churches and Christians that are Memor 8. under your Government and that upon the terms which all Christs Churches have sometime been united in that is In the Holy Scriptures implicitly as the General Rule In the ancient Creeds explicitly as the sum of our Credenda and in the Lords Prayer as the summary of our Expetenda and in the Decalogue as the summary of our Agenda supposing that we live in peaceable Obedience to our Governours whose Laws must rule us not only in things Civil but in the Ordering of those circumstances of Worship and discipline which God hath left to their determination § 9. Memorand 9. Let all things in Gods Worship be done to Edification decently and in Order Memor 9. and the body honour God as well as the soul But yet see that the Ornaments or garments of Religion be never used against the substance but that Holiness Unity Charity and Peace have alway the precedency § 10. Memorand 10. Let the fear of sinning against God be cherished in all and let there be Memor 10. a tenderness for such as are over scrupulous and fearful in some smaller things and let not things August Ep. â—o isaâ— Omnes Reges qui populo Dei non prohibuerunt nec everterunt quae contra Dei praecepta fuerunt instituta culpantur Qui prohibuerunt everterunt super aliorum merita laudantur be ordered so as shall most tend to the advantage of debauched Consciences that dare say or do any thing for their carnal ends For they are truest to their Governours that are truest to their God And when it is the wrath of God and Hell that a man is afraid of it is pity he should be too eagerly spurred on The unconscionable sort will be true to their Governours no longer than it serves their interest Therefore Conscientiousness should be encouraged § 11. Memorand 11. If the Clergy or most Religious people offend let their punishment be such Memor 11. as falleth only on themselves and reacheth not Christ nor the Gospel nor the Church Punish When Hunnerichus the Arrian Vandal King was resolved to banish imprison and otherwise persecute the Orthodox Bishops and Pastors he first tryeth them by threatnings and divers cruelties and after appointeth a publick Disputation where his Bishops and Officers having no better pretence cruelly beat the people and Pastors and then falsly tell the King that by tumult and clamour they avoided disputing And at last he calleth together all the Pastors that were met for the disputation and to ensnare them putteth an Oath upon them that after the Kings death they would take his Son for their King and that they would send no Letters beyond Sea This Oath divided the Orthodox among themselves For one part of the Bishops and Pastors said If we refuse a Lawful Oath our people will say that we forsake them and the dissolution oâ— the Churches will be imputed to â—s The other part perceiving the snare were fain to pretend Christs command Swear not at all The King having separated them and the Officers took all their names sendeth them all to prison To those that took the Oath they said Because that contrary to the command of the Gospel you would swear you shall see your Cities and Churches no more but be sent into the Countrey to till the ground but so that you presume not to sing Psalms or Pray or carty a Book or Baptize or Ordain or absolve To those that refused the Oath they said Because you desired not the Reign of the Kings Son and therefore refused the Oath you shall be banished to the Isle of Corsica to cut Wood for the Ships Victor Utic p. mihi 456 457. Generalis Jesuitarum ex nimio absoluti imperii amore delâ—turas in sciâ—nia sua admittit iisque credit non audito eo qui accusatur quod injustitiae genus ab ethnicis ipsis improbatur Imperando non bonis Regibus se facit similem qui senatum magni fecerunt sed Tyrannos mavult imitari e. g. Tarquinium superbum qui ante omnia conatus est debilitare senatus numerum authoritatem ut omnia suo libitu facere posset similiter Generalis cum Assistenâ—ibus suis odit synodos generales omniaque experitur ne tales instituantur conventus quibus rerum gesâ—arum reddere rationem necesse habeat Generalis Jesuit in eligendis officialibus non curat quod sit cujusque talentum aut dotes eminentiores sed quam benè secum aut cum Provinciali suo CONFORMETUR quae causa est â—uâ— homines viles abjecti animi officiis praeponantur qui à superioribus duci se sinant ut nervis alienis mobile ligâ—um Mariana de Refor Iesuit c. 13 15 16 18. in Arcan Iâ—sâ—it p. 131 132. recit in Apoloâ— Giraldi Nulla est latronum societatas in qua Justitia non plus loci habeat quam in societate nostra c. Ubi non modo scientia ignorantia in aequo sunt sed etiam scientia impedimento est quo minus quis consequatur praemia humano aâ— diuino jure debita Marian. Aphor. 84. c. 12. c. 14 89. Aph. 87 c. The rest is worth the reading as a warning from a Jesuite to the Governours of State and Church Aph. 80. c. 11. Superiores societatis nostrae sunt homines indigni qui officiis praesint cum Generalis metuat ac sublatos velit quorum eminentes sunt virtutes Boni quam mali ei suspectiores sunt This and abundance more saith Mariana a Jesuite of 96 years of age learned in Hebrew Chaldee Syriack Greek and Latine of his own Society not Christ for his servants failings nor the Gospel for them that sin against it nor the souls of the people for their Pastors faults But see that the interest of Christ and mens souls be still secured § 12. Memorand 12. If the dissentions of Lawyers or States-men make factions in the Common-wealth Memor 12. let not the fault be laid on Religion though some Divines fall into either faction When the difference is not in Divinity but in Law Cases blame not Religion for that which it hath no hand in And watch against Satan who alway laboureth to make Civil factions or differences tend to the dishonour of Religion and the detriment of the Church and Gospel § 13. Memorand 13. Take those that are Covetous ambitious or selfish and seek for preferment Memor 13. to be the unfittest to be consulted with in the matters of Religion and the unfittest to be trusted with the charge of souls And let the humble mortified self-denying men be taken as fitter Pastors for the Churches § 14. Memorand 14. Side not with any faction of contentious
Pastors to the oppression of the Memor 14. rest when the difference is in tolerable things But rather drive them on to unity upon condescending Lamprid. Numbers it with Alexand. Mam. Sever'es good works Judaeis privilegia reservavit Christianos esse passus est Nam illo tempore crudelius Arrianorum Episcopi Presbyteri Clerici quam Rex Vandali saeviebant Id. p. 468 and forbearing terms For there will else be no end but the faction which you side with will break into more factions and the Church will receive damage by the loss of the oppressed party and by the Division much more What lamentable work the contentions of the Bishops have made in the Churches in all Ages since the primitive times all History doth too openly declare And how much a holy prudent peaceable Magistrate can do to keep peace among them more than will be done if their own impetuosity be left unrestrained it is easie to observe Especially if he keep the Sword in his own hand and trust it not in the hands of Church-men especially of one faction to the oppression of the rest § 15. Memorand 15. Believe not the accusations that are brought against the Faithful Ministers Memor 15. of Christ till they are proved and judge not them or any of his servants upon the reports of Adversaries till they have spoken for themselves For the common corruption of depraved nature doth engage all the ungodly in such an enmity against holiness that there is little Truth or Righteousness to be expected from wicked and malitious lips for any holy cause or person And if such persons find but entertainment and encouragement their malice will abound and their calumnies will Justitiae munus primum est ut ne cui quis noceat nisi lacessitus injuria Cicero Prov. 17. 7. Prov. 28. 16. Psal. 119. 23. Prov. 25. 2. Leg. Epist. M. Ciceronis ad fratrem be impudent which is the sense of Prov. 29. 12. If a Ruler hearken to lyes all his servants are wicked The example of Saul and Doeg is but such as would be ordinary if Rulers would but hearken to such calumniators § 16. Memorand 16. When the case is doubtful about using punishments and severities against the Memor 16. scrupulous in the matters of Religion remember your General Directions and see what influence they must have into such particulars as that the very work and end of your office is that under your Government the people may live quietly and peaceably in all Godliness and Honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. Quis mihi imponat necessitatem vel credendi quod nolim vel quod velim non credendi Lactant. li. 5. cap. 13. and that Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to evil and for the praise of them that do good and ministers of God to us for good and revengers to execute wrath upon them that do evil Rom. 13. 3 4. and remember the danger of persecution as described Matth. 18. 6 10 14. and 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. and 2 Chron. 36. 14 15 16 17. and that he that doubteth of things indifferent is damned if he do them because he doth them not of faith Rom. 14. 23. And remember whom and what it is that God himself forgiveth and forbeareth And alwayes difference the Infirmities of serious conscionable Christians from the wickedness of unconscionable and ungodly men Yet not extenuating the wickedness of any because of his hypocritical profession of Religion § 17. Memorand 17. Remember that you must be examples of Holiness to the People and shun Memor 17. all those sins which you would have them shun and be eminent in all those virtues which you would commend unto them This is not only necessary to the happiness of those under you but also for Laert. in Solon reciteth one of his sayinâ—s Populi rector prius se quam populum recte instituere debet si principes majores secundum leges viâ—erint unaquaeque civitas optimè rege poterit pag. 31. the saving of your selves As Paul saith to Timothy Take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine * Or spend thy time in them Dr. Ham. continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4. 16. so may I say to Rulers Take heed to your selves and unto Government and continue herein for in doing Luk. 18 22 24. Deut. 17. 20. Prov. 29. 14. Prov. 22. 29. Prov. 16. 13. Prov. 31. 3 4. 2 Chron. 32. 25. 26. 16. Ezek. 28. 2 5 17. Luk. 12. 19 20. Luk. 16. 19 20 25. It is a sad observation of Acosta l 5. c. 9. p. 474. Ac râ—â—psa câ—rtoque usu observatum est eas Indorum nationes plures ac graviores superstitionis diabolicae species tenuisse in quibus Regum ac Reip. maximè potentia peritia excelluit Conâ—ra qui tenuiorem â—ortunam minusque Reip. accommodatam fortiti sunt in his muâ—â—o Idololatria parâ—ior est usque adeo ut nonnullas Indorum gentes omni Idolorum religione vacare quidam pro certo confirment Ex bonae fidei scriptoribus super aliaâ— innumeras haec praecipua capitur utilitas quod non alia res aequè vel bonorum Regum animos ad res cum laude geâ—endas accendit vel Tâ—rannorum cupidâ—tates cohibet ac refraenat dum utrique cernunt horum literis suam vitam omnem mox in totius orbis imo saeculâ—â—um omniam theaâ—rum producendaâ— Et quic u d in abdito nunc vel parrant vel adâ—cito fuco prae exunt vel metu dissimulari cogunt verius quam ignorari pauâ—o post clarissimam in lucem sub oculis omnium traducendum quum jam metu pariter ac spe libera posteritas nec ullo corrupta studio magno consensu rectè factâ—s applaudet parique libertate his diversa explodet exibilabitque Erasm. Prâ—fat in Suetoâ— this you will save your selves and those you govern They that are good are likest to do good but the wicked will do wickedly Dan. 12. 10. The chief means for Rulers to become thus Holy and exemplary is 1. To hearken to the doctrine and counsel of the Word of the Lord and to meditate in it day and night Iosh. 1. 3 4. Deut. 17. 18 19 20. And to have faithful holy and self-denying Teachers 2 Chron. 20. 20. 2. To beware of the company and counsels of the wicked Prov. 25. 4 5. Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established in Righteousness 3. To watch most carefully against the special temptations of their great places especially against sensuality and Pride and preferring their own Honour and Interest and Will before the Honour and Interest and Will of Jesus Christ. Eccles. 10. 16 17. Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of
can any man with reason think Object 5. but that the first institution of Kings a sufficient consideration wherefore their power should alwayes depend on that from which it did alwayes flow by original influence of power from the Body into the King is the cause of Kings dependency in power upon the body By dependency we mean subordination and subjection ☜ Answ. 1. But it their institution in genere was of God and that give them their power and it never Answ. flowed from the Body at all then all your superstructure falleth with your ground-work 2. And here you seem plainly to confound all Kingdoms by turning the pars imperans into the pars subdita vice versa If the King be subject how are they his subjects I will not inferr what this will lead them to do when they are taught that Kings are in subordination and subjection to them Sad experience hath shewed us what this very principle would effect § 17. Object 6. Ibid. A manifest token of which dependency may be this as there is no more certain Object 6. argument that Lands are held under any as Lords than if we see that such lands in defect of heirs So Lib 8 â— 211 p 218 p. 220. fall unto them by Escheat In like manner it doth follow rightly that seeing Dominion when there is none to inherit it returneth unto the body therefore they which before were inheritors of it did hold it in dependance on the body So that by comparing the Body with the Head as touching power it seemeth alwayes to reside in both fundamentally and radically in one in the other derivatively in one the Habit in the other the Act of Power Answ. Power no more falleth to the multitude by Escheat than the Power of the Pastor falls to the Answ. Church or the Power of the Physicion to the Hospital or the Power of the Schoolmaster to the Scholars that is not at all When all the Heirs are dead they are an ungoverned Community that have power to choose a Governour but no Power to Govern neither as you distinguish it in Habit nor in act originally nâ—r derivatively As it is with a Corporation when the Mayor is dead the power falleth not to the people Therefore there is no good ground given for your following question May a body politick than at all times withdraw in whole or in part the influence of dominion which passeth from it if inconveniences do â—row thereby Though you answer this question soberly your self its easie to see how the multitude may be tempted to answer it on your grounds especially if they think your inconvenience turn into a necessity and what use they will make of your next words It must be presumed that Supream Governours will not in such cases oppose themselves and be stiff in detaining that the use whereof is with publick detriment A strange presumption § 18. Object 7. The Axioms of our Regal Government are these Lex facit Regem The Kings Object 7. grant of any favour made contrary to Law is void Rex nihil potest nisi quod jure potest Answ. If Lex be taken improperly for the constituting contract between Prince and people and Answ. if your facit have respect only to the species and person and not the substance of the Power it self Lib. 8. p. 195. Trita in Scholis Nem nem sibi impâ—râ—e possâ— nominem sibi legem posse dicere à qua mutata voluntate nequeat recedere Summum ejus esse Imperium qui ordinario jure derogare valeat Equibus evinâ—itur jus summae potestaâ—â—s non limâ—tari per legem positivam Hinc Augustinus dixit Imperatorem non esse subjectum legibus suis Gâ—â—iuâ— de Imp. p. 149 150. then I contradict you not But if Lex be taken properly for Authoritativa constitutio debiti or the signification of the Soveraigns will to oblige the Subject then Lex non facit Regem sed Rex Legem § 19 Object 8. Lib. 8. p. 210. When all which the wisdom of all sorts can do is done for the devising Object 8. of Laws in the Church it is the general consent of all that giveth them the form and vigor of Laws without which they could be no more to us than the Councils of Physicions to the sick Well might they seem is wholesome admonitions and instructions but Laws could they never be without consent of the whole Church to be guided by them whereunto both nature and the practice of the Church of God set down in Scripture is found every way so fully consonant that God himself would not impose no not his own Laws upon his people by the hand of Moses without their free and open consent ☜ Answ. 1. Wisdom doth but prepare Laws and Governing power enacteth them and giveth them Answ. their form But the whole Body hath no such Governing power Therefore they give them not their form 2. The peoples consent to Gods Laws gave them not their form or authority This opinion I Hanc video sapien issimorum fuisse sentâ—ntiam Leâ—em nec homâ—num ingeniis excogitatam nec sâ—itum aliquod esse populorum sed aeterâ—um quiddam quod universum mundum regeret â—mperandi prohibendique sapientia Cicero de Leg. have elsewhere confuted against a more erroneous Author Their consent to Gods Laws was required indeed as naturally necessary to their obedience but not as necessary to the Being or Obligation of the Law Can you think that it had been no sin in them to have disobeyed Gods Laws unless they had first consented to them Then all the world might escape sin and damnation by denying consent to the Laws of God 3. This doctrine will teach men that * How considerable a part of England is London Yet in this Convocation which hath made the Neâ— Changes in the Liturgy and Book of Ordination London had not one Clerk of their choosing For being to choose but two they chose only Mr. Calaâ—y and my self who were neither of us accepted or ever thâ—re Now if your opinion be true Quar. 1. Whether you make not this Convocations Decrees to be but Counsels to us a. Or at least whether the City of London or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers be not made free from detriment as not consenters You will free them and me especially from Detriment for our Not Conforming to this Convocations Acts as such upon reasons which I do not own my self as generally by you laid down we have no Church-Laws For the whole Church never signified their consent Millions of the poorer sort have no voices in choosing Parliament men or Convocations And this will teach the minor dissenting part to think themselves disobliged for want of consenting and will give every dissenting part or person a Negative voice to all Church Laws 4. A single Bishop hath a Governing power over his particular Church and they are bound to obey
quid vel insalubre manum admoveat Cohibeat Equiso inter equitandum adigat equum per locum praeruptum vel salebrosum cui subsit periculum Etiamne Medico Etiamne Equisoni suo subjectus Rex Sed de Majori potestate loquitur sed â—â ad rem noxiam procul arcendam qua in re Charitatis semper Potestas est maxima Here you see what Church Government is and how Kings are under it and how not in Bishop Andrews sense for my part I would rather obey the Laws of the King than the Canons of the Bishops if they should disagree 3. But in cases common to both in which the Pastors Office is more nearly and fully concerned than the Magistrates the case is more difficult As at what hour the Church shall assemble What part of Scripture shall be read What Text the Minister shall preach on How long Prayer or Sermon or other Church-exercises shall be What Prayers the Minister shall use In what method he shall preach and what doctrine he shall deliver and the people hear with many such like These do most nearly belong to the Pastoral Office to judge of as well as to execute But yet in some cases the Mâ—gistrate may interpose his authority And herein 1. If the one party do determine clearly to the necessary preservation of Religion and the other to the ruine of it the disparity of consequents makeeth a great disparity in the case For here God himself hath predetermined who commandeth that all be done to â—dification As for instance If a Christian Magistrate ordain that no assembly shall consist of above forty or an hundred persons when there are so many Preachers and places of meeting that it is no detriment to mens souls and especially when the danger of infection or other evil warranteth it then I would obey that command of the Magistrate though the Pastors of the Church were against it and commanded fuller meetings But if a Iulian should command the same thing on purpose to wear out the Christian Religion and when it tendeth to the ruine of mens souls as 〈…〉 399 saâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 of Bâ—shops in thâ—se dayes â—eloâ—ged to the people and not the Prâ—â—ce and though Valens by pâ—ain force placed Luâ—ius there yet might the people lawfully reject him as no Bishop and cleave to Peter their right Pastor when Preachers are so few that either more must meet together or most must be untaught and excluded from Gods Worship here I would rather obey the Pastors that command the contrary because they do but deliver the command of God who determineth consequentially of the necessary means when he determineth of the â—nd But if the consequents of the Magistrates and the Pastors commands should be equally indifferent and neither of them discernably Good or Bad the difficulty then would be at the highest and such as I shall not here presume to determine No doubt but the King is the Supream Governour over all the Schools and Physicions and Hospitals in the Land that is he is the Supream in the Civil Coercive Government He is Supream Magistrate over Divines Physicions and Schoolmasters but not the Supream Divine Physicion or Schoolmaster When there is any work for the Office of the Magistrate that is for the sword among any of them it belongeth only to Him and not at all to them But when there is any work for the Divine the Physicion the Schoolmaster or if you will for the Shoomaker the Taylor the Watch-maker this belongeth not to the King to do or give particular commands for but yet it is all to Too many particular Laws about little maâ—ters breed contention Alex. Severus would have dâ—stinguished all orders of men by their apparel Sâ—d hoc Ulpiano Paulo dispâ—icuit dicentibus plurimum rixarum fore â—i faciles essent homines ad injurias and the Emperour yielded to them Lamâ—rid iâ— Alex. Sever. Lipsius Ubi leges multae ibi lites multae vita moresque pravi Non mulâ—ae leges bonos mâ—res faciunt sed pauâ—ae fideliter servatae be done under his Government and on special causes he may make Laws to force them all to do their several works aright and to restrain them from abuses As to clear the case in hand the King is informed that Physicions take too great Fees of their Patients that some through ignorance and some through covetousness give ill compounded Medicines and pernicious Drugs No doubt but the King by the advice of understanding men may forbid the use of such Drugs as are found pernicious to his Subjects and may regulate not only the Fees but the Compositions and Attendances of Physicions But if he should command that a man in a Feavor or Dropsie or Consumption shall have no Medicine but this or that and so oft and in such or such a dose and with such or such a dyet and the Physicions whom my reason bindeth me to trust and perhaps my own experience also do tell me that all these things are bad for me and different tempers and accidents require different remedies and that I am like to dye or hazard my health if I obey not them contrary to the Kings commands here I should rather obey my Physicions partly because else I should sin against God who commandeth me the preservation of my life and partly because this matter more belongeth to the Physicion than to the Magistrate Mr. Rich. Hooker Eccl. Polit. lib. 8. p. 223 224. giveth you the Reason more fully § 54. Direct 25. Give not the Magistrates Power to any other whether to the People on pretence of Direct 25. their Majestas Realis as they call it or to the Pope or Prelates or Pastors of the Church upon pretence of authority from Christ or of the distinction of Ecclesiastical Government and Civil The peoples pretensions to Natural Authority or Real Majesty or Collation of Power I have consuted before and more elsewhere The Popes Prelates and Pastors power of the Sword in Causes Ecclesiastical is disproved so fully by Bishop Bilson ubi supra and many more that it is needless to say much more of it All Protestants so far as I know are agreed that no Bishop or Pastor hath any power of the Sword that is of Coercion or force upon men bodies liberties or estates except as Magistrates derived from their Soveraign Their spiritual power is only upon Consenters in the use of Gods Word upon the N. B. Quae habet Andrews Tort. Tort. p. 310. Quando apud vos dictio juris exterior Clavis proprie non sit eamque voâ— multis saepe mandatis qui Laicorum in soâ—te sunt exortes sane sacri ordinis universi Conscience either generally in preaching or with personal application in Discipline No Courts or Commands can compell any to appear or submit nor lay the mulct of a penny upon any but by their own consent or the Magistrates authority But this the Papists will few
fruits without partiality and hypocrisie and to speak evil of no man And where this is obeyed how quietly and easily may Princes govern § 97. 14. Christianity setteth before us the perfectest pattern of all this humility meekness contempt of worldly wealth and greatness self-denyal and obedience that ever was given in the world The Eternal Son of God incarnate would condescend to earth and flesh and would obey his Superiours after the flesh in the repute of the world and would pay tribute and never be drawn to any contempt of the Governours of the world though he suffered death under the false accusation of it He that is a Christian endeavoureth to imitate his Lord And can the imitation of Christ or of Luke 20 18. Matth. 21. 42 44. Acts 4 11. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 8. Zâ—ch 1â— 3. his peaceable Apostles be injurious to Governours Could the world but lay by their Serpentine enmity against the holy doctrine and practice of Christianity and not take themselves engaged to persecute it nor dash themselves in pieces on the stone which they should build upon nor by striving against it provoke it to fall on them and grind them to powder they never need to complain of disturbances by Christianity or Godliness § 98. 15. Christianity and true Godliness containeth not only all these Precepts that tend to peace and order in the world but also strength and willingness and holy dispositions for the practising of such precepts Other Teachers can speak but to the ears but Christ doth write his Laws upon the heart so that he maketh them such as he commandeth them to be Only this is the remnant of our unhappiness that while he is performing the Cure on us we retain a remnant of our old diseases and so his work is yet imperfect And as sin in strength is it that setteth on fire the course of nature so the relicts of it will make some disturbance in the world according to its degree But nothing is more sure than that the Godliest Christian is the most orderly and loyal subject and the best member according to his parts and power in the Common-wealth and that sin is the cause and holiness the cure of all the disorders and calamities of the world § 99. 16. Lastly Consult with experience it self and you will find that all this which I have spoken hath been ordinarily verified What Heathenism tendeth to you may see even in the Roman Government for there you will confess it was at the best To read of the tumults the cruelties Read the lives of all the Philosophers Orators and famous men of Greece or Rome and try whether the Christians or they were more for Monarchy Arcesilaus Regum neminem magnopere coluit Quamobâ—em legatione ad Antigonum fungens pro patria nihil obtinuit Hesich in Arces It s one of Thales sayings in Laert. Quid difficile Regum vidisse tyrannum senem Chrysippus videtur aspâ—rnator Regum modice fuisse Quod cum tam multa scripserit libros 705. nulli unquam regi quicquam adscripserit Senâ—ca faith Traged de Herc. fur perillously Victima haud ulla amplior Potest magisque opima mactari Jovi Quam Rex iniquus Cicero pro Milon Non se obstrinxit scelere siquis Tyrannum occidat quamvis familiarem Et 5. Tusc. Nulla nobis cum Tyrannis societas est neque est contra naturam spoliare eum quem honestum est necare Plura habet similia the popular unconstancy faction and injustice How rudely the Souldiers made their Emperours and how easily and barbarously they murdered them and how few of them from the dayes of Christ till Constantine did dye the common death of all men and scape the hands of those that were their subjects I think this will satisfie you whither mens enmity to Christianity tendeth And then to observe how suddenly the case was altered as soon as the Emperours and Subjects became Christian till in the declining of the Greek Empire some Officers and Courtiers who aspired to the Crown did murder the Emperours And further to observe that the rebellious doctrines and practices against Governours have been all introduced by factions and heresies which forsook Christianity so far before they incurred such guilt and that it is either the Papal Usurpation which is in its nature an enemy to Princes that hath deposed and trampled upon Emperours and Kings or else some mad Enthusiasticks that over-run Religion and their wits that at Munster and in England some lately by the advantage of their prosperity have dared to do violence against Soveraignty but the more any men were Christians and truly Godly the more they detested all such things All this will tell you that the most serious and Religious Christians are the best members of the Civil Societies upon Earth § 100. II. Having done with the first part of my last Direction I shall say but this little of the second Let Christians see that they be Christians indeed and abuse not that which is most excellent to be a cloak to that which is most vile 1. In reading Politicks swallow not all that every Author writeth in conformity to the Polity that he liveth under What perverse things shall you read in the Popish Politicks Contzen and abundance such What usurpation on Principalities and cruelties to Christians under the pretence of defending the Church and suppressing Heresies 2. Take heed in reading History that you suffer not the Spirit of your Author to infect you with any of that partiality which he expresseth to the cause which he espouseth Consider in what times and places all your Authors lived and read them accordingly with the just allowance The name of Liberty was so pretious and the name of a King so odious to the Romans Athenians c. that it is no wonder if their Historians be unfriendly unto Kings 3. Abuse not Learning it self to lift you up with self-conceitedness against Governours Learned men may be ignorant of Polity or at least unexperienced and almost as unfit to judge as of matters of Warr or Navigation 4. Take heed of giving the Magistrates power to the Clergy and setting up Secular Coercive power See Bilson of Subject p. 525 526. proving from Châ—ysost Hilary Oâ—â—gen that Pastors may use no force oâ— terror but only perswasion to recover their wandering sheep Bilson ibid. p. 541. Parliamenâ—s have been kept by the King and his Barons the Clergy wholly excluded and yet their Acts and Statutes good And when the Bishops were present their voices from the Conquest to this day were never Negative By Gods Law you have nothing to do with making Laws for Kingdoms and Common-wealths You may teach you may not command Perswasion is your part Compulsion is the Princes c. Thus Bishop Bilson So p. 358. under the name of the power of the Keys And it had been happy for the Church if God had perswaded Magistrates in all ages to have kept the
individual Christians Therefore if one particular Church may so narrow the door of its Communion then another and another and every one may do so if not by the same particular impositions yet by some other of the like nature For what power one Church hath herein others have And then Catholick Communion will be scarce found existent externally in the world but a meer Catholick Christian would be denyed Communion in every particular Church he cometh to And how do you hold Catholick Communion when you will admit no meer Catholick Christian as such to your Communion but only such as supererogate according to your private Church-terms 2. But grant that every Church may impose more upon its members it must be only that which is Necessary to those common things which all agree in And then the necessity will be discernable to all sober minded persons and will prevent divisions As it is Necessary that he that will communicate with our Churches do joyn with them in the same Translation of Scripture and Version of Psalms and under the same Pastor as the rest of the Church doth For here the Church cannot use variety of Pastors Translations Versions c. to fit the variety of mens humours There is an evident necessity that if they will be one Society they must agree in the same in each of these Therefore when the Church hath United in one if any man refuse that one person or way which the Church is necessarily United in he refuseth communion with that Church and the Church doth not excommunicate him But if that Church agree on things hurtful or unnecessary as necessary to its communion it must bear the blame of the separations it self 3. And grant yet that some Churches cannot admit such scrupulous persons to her communion as dare not joyn in every punctillio circumstance or mode It doth not follow that those persons must therefore be excommunicated or forbidden to worship God among themselves without that which they scruple or to joyn in or with a Congregation which imposeth no such things upon them Persecution will unavoidably come in upon such domineering narrow terms as those The man is a Christian still though he scruple one of our modes or ceremonies and is capable of Catholick Communion And if private and little inconveniencies shall be thought a sufficient cause to forbid all such the publick worshipping of God on pretence that in one Nation there must not be variety of modes this is a dividing principle and not Catholick and plungeth men into the guilt of persecution It was not so in the Churches of the Roman Empire In the dayes of Basil his Church and that at Neocaesarea differed and ordinarily several Bishops used several forms of prayer and worship in their several Churches without offence And further § 37. Direct 16. Different faults must have different penalties And excommunication or forbidding Direct 16. men all publick worship of God must not be the penalty of every dissent Is there no smaller penalty sufficient if a doubtful subscription or ceremony be scrupled than to silence Ministers therefore from preaching the Gospel or excommunicating men and forbidding them to worship God at all except they can do this This is the highest ecclesiastical penalty that can be laid on men for the greatest heresie or crime Doubtless there are lesser punishments that may suffice for lesser faults § 38. Direct 17. Every friend of Christ and the Church must choose such penalties for Ministers and Direct 17. private Christians who offend as are least to the hinderance of the Gospel or hurtful to the peoples souls Therefore silencing Ministers is not a fit penalty for every fault which they commit The providence of God as I said before hath furnished the world with so few that are fit for that high and sacred work that no man can pretend that they are supernumeraries or unnecessary and that others may be substituted to the Churches profit For the number is so small that all are much too few and so many as are silenced so many Churches either the same or others must be unsupplyed or ill-supplyed And God working ordinarily by means we may conclude that silencing of such Preachers doth as plainly tend to mens damnation as the prohibiting of Physicions doth to their death and more And it is not the part of a friend either of God or men to endeavour the damnation of one soul much less of multitudes because a Minister hath displeased him If one man must pay for another mans sins let it be a pecuniary mulct or the loss of a member rather than the loss of his soul. It is more merciful every time a Minister offendeth to cut off a hand or an arm of some of his flock than to say to him Teach them no more the way to salvation that so they may be damned If a Father offend and his children must needs pay for â—ll his faults it is better beat the children or maim them than forbid him to feed them when there is none else to do it and so to famish them What Reason is there that mens souls should be untaught because a Minister hath offended I know still those men that care not for their own souls and therefore care as little for others will say What if the People have but a Reader or a weak ignorant lifeless Preacher Doth it follow that therefore the people must be damned I answer no No more than it followeth that the City that hath none but Women Physicions must dye of their sicknesses or that they that live only upon Grass or Roots must famish Nature may do more to overcome a disease without a Physicion in one than in another Some perhaps are converted already and have the Law written in their hearts and are taught of God and can make shift to live without a Teacher But for the rest whose diseases need a skilful diligent Physicion whose ignorance and impenitence extreamly needeth a skilful diligent lively Teacher he that depriveth them of such doth take the probable course to damn them And it is the same course which the Devil himself would take and he partly knoweth what tendeth to mens damnation He that knoweth what a case the Heathen Infidel Mahometan world is in for want of Teachers and what a case the Greek Church the Moscovites the Abbassines Syrians Armenians Papists and most of the Christians of the world are in for want of able skilful godly Pastors will lay his hand on his mouth and meddle with such reasonings as these no more Object But by this devise you will have the Clergie lawless or as the Papists exempt them from the Magistrates punishments for fear of depriving the people of instruction Answ. No such matter It is the contrary that I am advising I would have them punished more severely than other men as their sins are more aggravated than other mens Yea and I would have them silenced when it is meet and that
proved and let him be admonished and censured as it deserves Censured I say not for not subscribing more than Scripture but for corrupting the Scriptures to which he hath subscribed or breaking Gods Laws which he promised to observe § 59. Direct 37. The Good of men and not their ruine must be intended in all the Discipline Direct 37. of the Church Or the good of the Church when we have but little hope of theirs If this were done it would easily be perceived that persecution is an unlikely means to do good by § 60. Direct 38. Neither unlimited Liberty in matters of Religion must be allowed nor unnecessary Direct 38. force and rigour used but Tolerable differences and parties must be tolerated and intolerable ones by the wisest means supprest And to this end by the Counsel of the most prudent peaceable Divines the Tollerable and the Intollerable must be statedly distinguished And those that are only Tolerated must be under a Law for their Toleration prescribing them their terms of good behaviour and those that are Approved must moreover have the Countenance and Maintenance of the Magistrate And if this were done 1. The advantage of the said Encouragement from Governours 2. With the regulation of the the toleration and the Magistrates careful Government of the Tolerated would prevent both persecution and most of the divisions and calamities of the Church Thus did the ancient Christian Emperours and Bishops And was their experience nothing The Novatians as good and Orthodox men were allowed their own Churches and Bishops even in Constantinople at the Emperours nose Especially if it be made the work of some Justices 1. To judge of persons to be tolerated and grant them Patents 2. And to over-rule them and punish them when they deserve it No other way would avoid so many inconveniences § 61. Direct 39. The things intolerable are these two 1. Not the believing but the Direct 39. preaching and propagating of principles contrary to the essentials of Godliness or Christianity or Government Iustice Charity or Peace 2. The turbulent unpeaceable management of those opinions which in themselves are tollerable If any would Preach against the Articles of the Creed the Petitions of the Lords Prayer or any of the Ten Commandments he is not to be suffered And if any that is Orthodox do in their separated meetings make it their business to revile at others and destroy mens Charity or to stir men up to rebellion or sedition or contempt of Magistracy none of this should be endured § 62. As for those Libertines that under the name of Liberty of Conscience do plead for a liberty of such vitious practices and in order thereto would prove that the Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of Religion I have Preached and wrote so much against them whilest that Errour raigned and I find it so unseasonable now the constitution of things looks another way that I will not weary my self and the Reader with so unnecessary a task as to confute them Only I shall say that Rom. 13. telleth us that Rulers are a terrour to them that do evil and that Hereticks and turbulent firebrands do evil therefore Rulers should be a terrour to them And that if all things are to be done to the Glory of God and his interest is to be set highest in the World then Magistrates and Government are for the same end And if no action which we do is of so base a nature as ultimately to be terminated in the concernments of the flesh much less is Government so vile a thing when Rulers are in Scripture called Gods as being the Officers of God § 63. Direct 40. Remember Death and live together as men that are neer dying and must live Direct 40. together in another world The foolish expectation of prosperity and long life is it which setteth men together by the ears When Ridley and Hooper were both in Prison and preparing for the flames their contentions were soon ended and Ridley repented of his persecuting way If the persecutors and persecuted were shut up together in one house that hath the Plague in the time of this lamentable Contagion it 's two to one but they would be reconciled When men see that they are going into another World it takes off the edge of their bitterness and violence and the apprehensions of the righteous judgement of God doth awe them into a patience and forbearance with each other Can you persecute that man on Earth with whom you look to dwell in Heaven But to restrain a man from damning souls by Heresie or turbulencie or any such course my Conscience would not forbid it me if I were dying § 64. Direct 41. Let the Proud themselves who will regard no higher motives remember how Direct 41. fame and History will represent them to posterity when they are dead There is no man that desireth his name should stink and be odious to future Generations There is nothing that an ambitious man desireth more than a great surviving name And will you knowingly and wilfully then expose it to perpetual contempt and hatred Read over what History you please and find out the name of one Persecutor if you can that is not now a word of ignominy and doth not rott as God hath threatened If you say that it is only in the esteem of such as I or the persecuted party neither your opinion shall be judge nor mine but the opinion and language of Historians and of the wisest men who are the masters of fame Certainly that report of Holy Scripture and History which hath prevailed will still prevail And while there are Wise and Good and Merciful men in the World the Names and Manners of the Foolish and Wicked and Cruel will be odious as they continue at this day § 65. I have wrote these Directions to discharge my duty for those that are willing to escape the guilt of so desperate a sin But not with any expectation at all that it should do much good with any considerable number of persecutors For they will not read such things as these And God seldom giveth professed Christians over to this sin till they have very grievously blinded their minds and hardened their hearts and by malignity and obstinacy are prepared for his 2 Tim. 3. 11 12. Mat 5. 11 12. Luk. 14. 26 33. sorest judgements And I know that whoever will live Godly in Christ Iesus It is not said Who professeth to believe in Christ Iesus but to live Godly shall suffer persecution and that the Cross must still be the passage to the Crown CHAP. XII Directions against Scandal as given § 1. SCandal being a murdering of souls is a violation of the general Law of Charity and of the sixth Commandment in particular In handling this subject I shall 1. Shew you what is true scandal given to another 2. What things go under the Name of Scandal which are not it but are falsly so
flesh that I may have to do good with and trust God for my provision and reward for if there be a readiness to will there will be a performance also out of that which you have 2 Cor. 8. 11. 12. Such a holy self-denying Charitable heart with the help of prudence is the best Iudge of the due Proportion which we should give For this willing readiness being supposed Prudence will discern the fittest objects and the fittest time and the fittest measure and will suit the means unto the end When once a mans heart is set upon doing good it will not be very hard to perceive how much our selves our families the poor and religious uses should have for if such a person be Prudent himself he hath alwayes with him a constant Counsellor with a general Rule and directing Providence If he want Prudence sufficient to be his own Director he will take Direction from the Prudence of others 13. Such a truly willing mind will not be much wanting in the General of doing good but one way or other will serve God with his estate and then if in any particulars he should come short it will comparatively be a very small sin when it is not for want of willingness but of skill The will is the chief seat of all moral good and evil There is no more virtue than there is will nor no more sin or vice than there is will He that knoweth not how much he should give because he is not willing to give it and therefore not willing to know it is indeed the miser and sinfully ignorant but if it be not for want of a willing mind that we mistake the proportion it will be a very pardonable mistake 14. Your proportion of the Tenth part is too much for some and much too little for others but for the most I think it as likely a proportion as it is fit for another to prescribe in particular with these following explications 1. He that hath a full stock of money and no increase by it must give proportionably out of his stock when he that hath little or no stock but the â—ruits of his daily industry and labour may possibly be bound to give less than the other 2. It is not the Tenth of our increase deducting first all our families provision that you mean when you direct to give the Tenth for it is far more if not all that after such provision must be given But it is the Tenth without deduction that you mean Therefore when family necessaries cannot spare the Tenth it may be too much else even the Receivers must all be Givers But when family necessities can spare much more than the Tenth then the Tenth is not enough 3. In those places where Church and State and poor are all to be maintained by free gift there the Tenth of our increase is far too little for those that have any thing considerable to spare to give to all these uses This is apparent in that the Tenths alone were not thought enough even in the time of the Law to give towards the publick worship of God For beside the Tenths there were the first fruits and oblations and many sorts of sacrifices and yet at the same time the Poor were to be maintained by liberal gifts beside the Tenths And though we read not of much given to the maintenance of their Rulers and Magistrates before they chose to have a King yet afterwards we read of much And before the charges of wars and publick works lay upon all In most places with us the publick Ministry is maintained by Glebe and Tythes which are none of the peoples gift at all for he that sold or leased them their lands did suppose that Tythes were to be payed out of it and therefore they paid a Tenth part less for it in Purchase Fines or Rents than otherwise they should have done so that I reckon that most of them give little or nothing to the Minister at all Therefore they may the better give so much the more to the needy and to other charitable uses But where Minister and Poor and all are maintained by the peoples contribution there the Tenths are too little for the whole work but yet to most or very many the Tenths to the Poor alone besides the maintenance of the Ministry and State may possibly be more than they are able to give The Tenths even among the Heathens were given in many places to their Sacrifices Priests and to Religious Publick Civil works besides all their private Charity to the Poor I find in Diog. Laertius lib. 1. mihi 32. that Pisistratus the Athenian Tyrant proving to Solon in his Epistle to him that he had nothing against God or man to blame him for but for taking the Crown tâ—lling him that he caused them to keep the same Laws which Solon gave them and that better than the popular Government could have done doth instance thus Atheniensium singuli decimas frugum suarum separant non in usus nostros consumendas verum sacrificiis publicis commodisque Communibus si quando bellum contra nos ingruerit in sumpius deputandas that is Every one of the Athenians do separate the Tythes of their fruits not to be consumed to our uses but to defray the charge in publick sacrifices and in the common profits and if war at any time invade us And Plautus saith Ut decimam solveret Herculi Indeed as among the Heathens the Tythes were conjunctly given for Religious and Civil uses so it seems that at first the Christian Emperours setled them on the Bishops for the use of the poor as well as for the Ministers and Church-service and utensils For to all these they were to be divided and the Bishop was as the guardian of the poor And the glebe or farmes that were given to the Church were all employed to the same uses And the Canons required that the Tythes should be thus disposed of by the Clergy non tanquam propriae sed domino oblatae And the Emperour Iustinian commanded the Bishops ne ea quae ecclesiis relicta sunt sibi adscribant sed in necessarios Ecclesiae usus impendant l. 43. c. de Epise Cler. vid. Albert. Ranâ—z Metrop l. 1. c. 2. sax l. 6. c. 52. And Hierom ad Damas. saith Quoniam quicquid habent clerici pauperum est domus illorum omnibus debent esse communes susceptioni peregrinorum hospitum invigilare debent Maxime curandum est illis ut de decimis oblationibus caenobiis Xenodochiis qualem voluerint potuerint sustentationem impendant Yet then the paying of Tythes did not excuse the people from all other charity to the poor Austin saith Qui sibi aut praemium comparat aut peccatorum desiderat indulgentiam promereri reddat decimam etiam de novem partibus studeat eleemosynam dare pauperibus And in our times there is less reason that Tythes should excuse the people from their