so continually nor Vniversally resident as to be able to determine all differences nay they may be conceived included in the injunction too because they exercised their present power in a patriarchal right and way as shall be hereafter noted So that in regard of this injunction to obedience under the notion of Father c. the Christian Church had resemblance with the Jewish also for their laws and commandments being given by God before they were at that heigt as to be fitted to enjoy that statute officer who should as a constant publick Father command amongst them they had likewise their precept for obedience and respect couched under the notion of Father too in the fifth Commandment within the generality thereof including as well such temporary publick officers as should immediately command as that future setled officer of King prophetically designed to be over them in both Churches Now as these Fathers and Masters had and have entire jurisdiction in their families and Kingdomes because these could have but one head in chief so must it be granted that since there can be but one Church that is to say Catholick because Christ can have but one body and that body again but one head that therefore proportionably as any other authority and head shall come between Christ and this body so much will the separation and disunion of him with his body be encreased For to represent Christ in the whole Catholick Church is not so much to represent him as head as to be head in his room And in abatement of this ambitious humour is our Saviours reply to be construed which he made to the Children of Zebedee who would have transcended their Apostolical rank of parity and have been alone sitting above their fellow heads of Churches at the right and left hand of Christ. For if their suit had been but for equality they needed not to ask it nor do I see why any of the rest should have been so angry at it But to answer these it was that our Saviour sayes that those that had highest abilities in close and holy following of him might expect a reward or Crown in heaven for it but they were not after the manner of the Gentiles to exercise domini-over one another here The like are we to conceive of that example of washing his Disciples feet and many other places where he purposely gives directions and precepts against this ayme of Vniversal Government of most of which we shall have occasion to speak in discourses following As for the other Government by an independent consistory of the Clergy it must to all unbiassed judgements appear unreasonable for since as Subjects they are included in the general jurisdiction and authority of each kingdome so for order and peace sake they should by the same authority be subject to their diocessans as they again are to be to the Prince the head of that particular Church Where by the word Church is meant that assembly of Christian Believers which is divided from others by an entire jurisdiction of their owne and do thereupon come to be called this or that Church Noâ— Clergy men onely as if these were the sole members of Christs body and so as being more immediately imployed by authority about Church matters they as more strictly called Church men and spiritual guides might be judged as some do do have the sole and absolute power of the Church and to be the onely watch-men and guide of souls No their mission and power as immediately received from Christ is onely inward unto us that is over Gods kingdome therâ— they are perswade men to turn to the Lord with purpose of heart that is so settle in our hearts the foundations of faith and love which being wroucht in us by the holy Spirit they become thereupon so far as they are Gods Ministers to be Ministers of the Spirit not of the Letter being for directing men in their outward duties to have their power from that Church and Christian authority unto which themselves are subject But because that error grew from an in considerate necessity of our imitation of the primitive Church according to its first manner of Government it will be necessary to speak something thereof As God hath power and will have glory alone so it is necessary in the constitution of those things in which he will have his glory more eminently to abide that he have his power making and stateing them to be more remarkably and particularly manifest Thus in the Creation that was the foundation of all things else he acts alone and so much alone that his very word was the deed In that particular designation of a Church for his glory to be more eminent amongst men that the honour of doing might be more his owne he did first make use of the weakest means in humane reason for the foundation and establishment thereof In the first Church amongst the Jews and whilst they were in their weak and wandering condition as their need was greater so his personal protection and guidance of them was more express and apparent And therefore whilst they were in this Theocraty their government was not to be managed by any setled Vniversal authority besides himself or any one who took not in all weighty things immediate direction from him least the eminence of his owne glory should be hereby abated but they were to continue in their wonted obedience to the natural fathers of their families and tribes until such time as being throughly setled in peace and security from their enemies he might make his recess and according to his former promises permit and appoint them a King of their owne Nation Who as standing in his stead and authority now and being entrusted with the future preservation and guidance of that which God had so carefully brought to perfection there was the same reason why he should have remarkable eminence and authority then as why he should not at all have it before The same course we may see taken in the founding of the Christian Church also for they during the time of their owne persecution were as their weakness required in a Theocraty too that is to say guided by the express direction of our Saviour himself given to his Apostles during the time he was on earth and particularly as being conversant with them for the space of fourty dayes and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God And in those things wherein his direction was wanting they were to wait for the promise of the Father even the promise of the holy Ghost who should lead them into all truth Thereby came those spiritual Guides and Priests of the primitive Church to be sometime called Ministers and Pastors but commonly Presbyter from which the Dutch word Priester and our English word Priest are derived being a notion in the sence of antiquity importing Seniority jurisdiction and power whereby they coming to be enabled notwithstanding the
weakness of the instruments and means to bring that Church to its flourishing pitch and condition the mean estate of the Churches owne officer did redound to the undeniable glory of that God who did so manifestly appear in their assistance So that Gods dealing in matters of Government between the Jewish and Christian Church seems in every respect alike save that with the Jews the Ministery of Eldership went by birth according to the course of nature but here by election of the members of the Church For they being the adopted sons of God through Christ the particular Priests and Fathers that were to govern in this Church were to be at this Churches election and choice also or rather of its representative head Christs deputy For so are we to understand Saint Pauls words to Titus For this cause left I thee Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee And those Epistles to Timothy and Tytus men that by Saint Paul had been put into authority will plainly declare that as themselves so others had also different power one over another as in relation to the Churches government The office and power of this Elder was in it self distinct from that of the preacher as was formerly that of the Father of the Tribe from that of the Priest although for sometime added and involved under the notion of Presbyter in the same person that primarily had his authority for instruction sake even as before the priesthood was divided it was by patriarchal right executed by the same father of the family So that now these Presbyters having during the time Magistrates were not Christian power of civil judicature in what concerned men estates as well as of external duties concerning them as Christians it came to pass where they might exercise this their rightful jurisdiction Brother was not to go to law with Brother before the unbelievers And when we find those eminent persons called Apostles directing in matters of external obedience they do it as Elders or Fathers which power and office was unto them annexed as in right of their offices as heads of Churches for so saith Saint Peter he was also an Elder And again many of these Elders did labour in the word and doctrine and were therefore more especially worthy of the double honour which was due unto an Elder that ruled well But then as the Apostles had in themselves as Christs deputies this union of jurisdiction and power both for preaching and ruling although in the last sort the present power of Heathen Magistrates did almost wholly restrain them so they did also often dispence unto the same persons the same joynt jurisdiction in both sorts also and that in regard of the paucity of eminent and able persons to undertake them singly Upon which reason we come in these dayes to be so much puzled to distinguish these primitive officers by their names and titles finding them promiscuoisly in the Scripture set down as sometime making Apostle and Elder to signifie the same sometime Apostle and Deacons and sometimes again we finde the calling of the Evangelist mingled with that of the Deacon The which obscurity was also occasined in that these Apostles and higher Officers were for want of Ministers under them forced many times to act in those more subordinate imployments and sometimes also those at first put into lower stations did perform what did belong to functions above them Which being by some now adayes not well considered or being careless and ignorant of the originals of names and their true derivation they would appropriate the notion of Elder or Presbyter to the Lay ruler onely and wholly abandon the English word Priest derived as we said from Presbyter as implying sacrifice and because we have no English word derived from Sacerdos which might properly denote a sacrificer therefore this notion of Priest must be laid aside and the word Minister taken in Not duely marking how they thereby fall into that which they would avoid whilst they call those of the Gospel by the legal name For the Hebrew stiles those of the Law Cohanim originally signifiing a Minister and thence comes the Greeek words Coneo and Diaconeo being the same with Minister in Latin and Deacon in English They do also hereby abusively and absurdly put him under his owne congregation and charge as sometimes calling him their Minister no otherwise then as Josuah was called Moses Minister as if the Pastor for so they sometimes rightly enough call him could be called a servant to the sheep but they shall never finde them called Ministers or servants but in relation to God or Christ or the whole Church And they also do hereby confound those Officers they would distinguish For that inferiour Officer by them called a Deacon is by name but the same with Minister whom they would seem to place higher as if by way of tautology they should call them Minister and Minister But be they of what sort they will evident enough it is they were still at the appointment and subordinate to the Apostles or other heads in chief who now as Christs deputies were equally presiding for the guidance and rule of several Churches distinct in authority from one another The which may be concluded as we said from many passages set down in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus who being by Saint Paul put in as Bishops or Overscers over other Pastours are in and by these Epistles taught from him the chief head and for what was not in them taught they were to be guided by Apostolical tradition the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses that is my avowed life and doctrine the same commit thou unto faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Herein are all the several degrees of subordination briefly stated the people are to be Subject and to learn of their owne Pastors and Elders these to be subject to their Bishops and the Bishops to their owne head in chief And by that expression the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses c. we may know how to expound our Saviours restriction given concerning our obedience to them that sit in the seat of authority when he saith but do not as they do meaning that Rulers will sometimes do otherwise then they teach or will publickly avow Now as this greater number of persons in separate jurisdiction was necessitated for want of civil entire power to make any one Churches jurisdiction of large extent so it fitted best that persecuted condition of the Church that is to accommodate them in having of one guide in chief to rule each Church in all their dispersions And as the meanness of these rulers was then best agreeable to that their present condition so was it advantagious also because eminence in authority would have made them as more remarkable so more obnoxious to
constant as to the way and form yet through humane frailty it may many times fail in the measure and end of its efficacy The Officers that are to claim their Functions and Authority as Jure Divino are first the King or Monarch who is from and under God himself established as well in causes Ecclesiastical as Civil supreme Governor And then Fathers Masters and Husbands as Civil Governors And then those of the Clergy as spiritual guides and directors under this their chief guide and director unless it be where and when this Master or Father of the Family is insubjected and independent at which time he being himself a supreme Monarch hath as Elder Brother those Priest-like and Civil Offices of instruction and coertion by the Law of God united in the same unsubordinate person even as amongst those great and more ancient Families it fared before Nations came to be under kingship or that the Priesthood was divided from the Civil power Nor doth matter of Reason alone as already and hereafter to be shewed prove the Authority of these Functions to be Divine but the express precepts by God himself to that purpose given do beyond dispute settle these Officers and none else as of Divine right immediately to them derived for authorising them in their acts of Government and Power By which words of immediately derived we may know how to put a difference between that Power and Authority which is exercised by Kings themselves who hold of none but God above them and that which others their Magistrates perform who being ordained in their power by the Prince cannot be said to hold their powers otherwise then as immediately received from him But although in this regard of subordination it may be in some sense true that the Priest and Master of the Family may be also said to derive their power from the King where Kingship is even because in the exercise thereof they may be by him directed or limited yet is there a great difference to be put between them and Magistrates in respect of claim to divine right in performance of their Functions The Magistrate as he is positively affirmatively impowred by the Prince so is he also negatively under him in the execution thereof the Priest and Master of the Family on the other side have all their positive power of instruction and jurisdiction from God alone derived being negatively onely restrainable by the Monarch in the outward act and execution thereof whereas to the King himself it is alone peculiar as to be by none but God affirmatively impowered so to be by none but him negatively restrainable But then again although in each independent family the offices of instruction and coercion be united in chief in the person of the same Master yet between the Authorities which those of the Priesthood and the Masters of Families do severally execute where they are not united there is unto the Order of Priesthood a greater honor annexed in respect of divine Claym and Authority then to the other and that not onely because instruction must be supposed to precede coercion in time and order but also in dignity in respect or the different dignities of those that are to be the objects of their Authorities the Priestly Function presupposing always a more noble Object namely such an one as is indued with understanding and wit whereas bare coercion can reach unto neither of them And under the Gospel again a farther addition of honor and divine Authority will arise from the observation of that more spiritual charge and Function they inwardly claim towards the promotion and exercise of Gods kingdom in our hearts whereas amongst the Jews the drift of the Priests instructions had for objects the outward acts and Ceremonies chiefly In which regard of instruction and preaching the Fundamentals of Christianity taken as Gospel duties they stand by means of special ordination thereto not onely separately distinguished and enabled above other humane power as the persons to instruct and teach Gods will are distinct and in that respect above those that are to obey but also whilst they meddle not with such things as have tendency to civil Peace and Duty they are unsubordinate to the Prince himself nay above him too as his spiritual Fathers and as having their efficacy and holding their authority herein immediately from Christ as his Ministers and not of the political head of the Commonweal The Father and Master of the family enter upon their authorities and function according to natural course and equity without personal designation and appointment from the Prince and his power and are afterwards restrainable in all things as he shall think good but those of the Priesthood although they were by the laws and authority of the prince personally ordained to stand as Gods Ministers yet are they on the other side as Gods immediate Ambassadors and prophets subordinate to none And this Gospel duty of preaching besides publike prayers and administrations of the Sacraments are to remaine as the proper duties of persons in holy orders without exemption of the prince himself For although to each prince in order to peace and government the chief and general care of instruction in the wayes of righteousness doth appertain as it doth also in each family to the Master thereof yet doth the office and efficacy of instruction in the mysteries of Gods inward kingdome depend on the authority of none but God himself But these things are to be understood of the Clergy in their spiritual Functions onely and as they relate to one another as equally Gods Ministers and not as they are differenced amongst themselves in reference to that distinct proportion of external jurisdiction and power alotted them for peace and order sake For as in the first respect they are under none but God so in the second they are wholly subjected to the Prince he being as great Bishop and overseer of the whole Church to preside over the Bishops of the particular Diocesses thereof upon the same Reason and divine Authority that the Diocesan doth preside over the Parochial Minister And upon the same ground that the Prince as great and general Father and Master of the whole kingdom doth preside in the Government of each Family by means of that civil Magistracy which is exercised under him in like manner doth he as head of the Church preside over the whole Clergy in Ecclesiastical administrations by means of this Episcopal jurisdiction which is to be by him directed or restrained of all which more hereafter Having thus far premised in the declaration and distinction of Officers and Functions of Divine right for the better understanding the present Question as well as many other discourses which will hereafter follow where the same shall be farther proved by Scripture I hope it will to all unprejudiced men appear That although God doth not now as sometimes formerly so immediately expresly operate in the unction and designation of particular persons or
under the tye of religion also to be entirely obeyed by all that acknowledg his Christian jurisdiction we being no more duely able to divide the supremacy of the one then of the other And therfore the mistake and inconvenience of their opinion will plainly appear that would from a short and groundless distinction of the several objects and ends of our obedience deduce a several and distinct tye whereby the same person in the performance of this duty to lawful authority should stand diversly obliged As if because the good of men and humane Society were the next ayme of my forbearance to defraud or oppress c. it were therefore the last end and not rather Gods glory as heretofore shewed Whereupon since I as a Christian had light sufficient given me to discover how God is herein served by this my advancement of the good of my brother cannot thereupon but account my self as well serving God When I do any thing as a subject to the Prince out of general tye of conscience to Gods precept that commandeth obedience to the higher powers then it is or should have been if I had done it in obedience to the perticular precepts of thou shalt not steal or thou shalt not covet And had Cato or Scipio had the like advantage of instruction with us so as to have seen through to Gods glory and their owne salvation as the great and last end and reward of all our actions as they had been obliged in conscience so they would no doubt out of respect and love to God and their owne future good have performed all those Heroick acts which for want thereof could not have in them higher consideration then temporary benefits of themselves or country and so come to be imputed unto them as bare moral vertues and duties having in their conceipts neither direction nor intention higher But for farther clearing the understanding of these things we will instance in a particular most common amongst us namely our food What the vegetative appetite as necessary to growth and nourishment doth herein covet the same being in sensitive Creatures controlled and judged by their pallats and tasts is ascribed as an action done by such or such a sensitive And in the same food again the pallat being for choice and quantity as all other senses controlable by reason for what we do therein we are accountable as men onely and not as beasts And so lastly when in this particular of food a higher authority then our owne doth command we must be then reckoned in all we do therein but as in relation and subordinate to that last and highest authority For as Christ is above them all so is our relation as Christiaâ—s to include and involve that of men or subjects So that if I now follow too much my vegetative appetite or sensative taste and also transgress reason so as to be drunken and glutonise this being done by me that am a Christian is a sin endangering punishment hereafter and not singly a moral or civil vice as transgressing onely in regard to my health or the rule of society And so farther againe when abstinence from any or all sort of food is by lawful authority enjoyned whereby the use of what was indifferent to us in respect of any direct former Christian precept comes to be streigthened we are then tyed in conscience to the obedience thereof and that not onely when a Lent or Fast day shall be enjoyned for an explicite religious end but also when abstinence shall be publickly commanded without such end expressed at all or although the preservation of Cattel or the like be the known end thereof And this because the person commanding being the same and alwayes Gods Minister where our ability of performance is equall our sin of disobedience must be equal also and that without thought of dividing his jurisdiction and authority and so disobeying the Prince as as oft as we please by taking on us as Priests in a separat jurisdiction the sole interpretation of Gods law Whereupon as every Master of a family is Priest also so far as concerns his jurisdiction so the appellations of Princes and Priests are in many places of Scripture used as equipollent But as the King in regard of the multitude under him is to use Magistrates to help him in civil administrations so Priests also in matters of the Church and religion How far this their power is to extend and how and by what order of them to be managed will be a proper discourse when the Kings part in government and peace shall be treated of Therefore now to return by the name of Church we are not to conceive there can be any congregation of Christian subjects by order so distnct from others as to have immediat power from God over the fortunes or persons of their fellows without or against the Soveraigns leave For since the time manner place and other things essential to the constituting the meeting it self must as heretofore noted depend on the leave and direction of the governour in chief and their authority as an assembly can be but subordinate to that from whence they derived it it cannot in no wise be collected that their power should be independent They of the Romish Clergy that would clayme a divine right to succeed the Apostles in the exercise of external jurisdiction and power by vertue of an uninterrupted ordination from them at first derived after the same manner as those ancient Romans were superstitious to place the vestal virgins for keeping in of their holy fire in their temple and would have the Office and power of high Priest or Bishop in the Catholike or each particular Church depend on like uninterrupted succession to his predecessor under the Gospel no otherwise then the high Priestship did descend amongst the Jewes had no doubt an ayme by this peculiar way of puting one another into authority not only to set up themselves in Apostolical power but to exclude Kings or Masters of families from having any divine right at all since no such uninterrupted derivation of succession can be on their side brought But as they cannot find any text to warrant any claim hereby so they are to consider that as to the Iewes their particular Church was the same with the Catholike so in order to Gods care for direction and government of that particular onely Church he did appoint as well a distinct family and linage for their Kingship as he did for their Priesthood it being as unlawful to alter the line of David as that of Aaron But under the Gospel where like appointment was not made nor outward prosperity was not promised as to the Jewes it will be very severe to censure any particular Church as untrue and her Pastors unlawful upon the hazard of having some interruption in succession or for want of intention or the like whereby having had some ineffectual ordination administred all ordinations succeeding and jurisdiction grounded thereupon should come
be by the Apostles that wanted it Whereupon as we finde Saint Paul comprising Fornication Covetousness Railing Drunkenness and Extortion under the then Church cognisance and censure as well as Idolatry it is to be concluded that the power and jurisdiction of each Churches present head was Vniversal and absolute as of right in it self to judge and punish in civil as well as spiritual causes Christ having then no Church head but them although in matter of execution he were as before noted many times restrained Upon which consideration we cannot any wayes assigne the now Gospel Ministers to be successours to the Apostles or primitive Bishops in what they did as the then heads of Churches but must appropriate that to Kingly right as shall be more fully declared hereafter All which no doubt with some other things elsewhere spoken will displease some of that order For although self interest as highest may make them differ about precedence amongst themselves yet to have their order eclipsed in any thing of honour or power cannot but displease because even self interest though not so direct is yet plainly therein also And therefore since Church-men are usually the best learned and commonly the onely Writers of Church matters and of State affairs also as often as any other it is no marvil if in so long a tract of time so many arguments and contrivances for deviding the Kings and establishing their separate authority have been craftily laid by some and as hastily entertained by others in order to the making them more powerful Amongst other things it may be observed how pride and arrogance hath brought those notions of Laicks and Ideots which were brought in by them whereby to be distinguished from other subjects to import rudeness ignorance and inferiority when as by means of their greater learning and favour divers priviledges and immunities were reserved to themselves The which God knows I dislike not otherwise then as finding it made destructive to publike peace and good For it is an order which of all other should I conceive have the highest rank and esteem amongst Subjects even for that their imployment is in such matters as are apparently in themselves and by publick approbation and appointment held of most immediate concern in Gods worship and service amongst us and is in many things of that nature as is not by others undertakable In which regard truly as much grieved I am to finde that present contrary and proportionable want of eminence and esteem given them in those places where Monarchy hath been ecclipsed or thrust out even by bringing them thereby so much lower as there followes to be more above them as I am offended at the extraordinary height and success of their Antichristian pride where some inseparable marks of Monarchy and government are held in their owne hands But however their success proves it will concern men that would be truly careful of their salvation and followers of things that make for peace to have an eye to the true fundamentals of religion delivered in holy Scripture and not be led away with the usurped interpretation of any unauthorised person whom they shall alwayes finde either directly ayming at their owne interest therein or else in passion or emulation to one another they will instead of satisfying our doubts be still encreasing extending their own differences amongst themselves until they have made them fundamentals and necessary to salvation Whereupon by Anathema's to their opponents they are to be observed to the accompilshment of their several dominions and honour in the Church continually espousing their owne quarrels upon us and engaging us in civil broiles If we do not this and keep not close to Christ himself that is to that authority which is next and most representing him we shall be in continual danger to be made believe by subordinat Ministers that not following of us that is not being of our Sect is all one as not to be Christians and to be against him And if self conceitedness could thus blinde our Saviours owne Disciples so far as to lead them to this rash mistake and that notwithstanding known miracles and profession made in Christs name what may we expect from the ambitious aims of men now living but that this following of us should be continually made as too good experience tells us it is the dayly bait to draw us farther from Christ under pretence of bringing us nearer So that whilst some are declaiming against authority and branding their commands as superstitious even in things wherein Christs honour and worship are neerly concerned they are yet found so resolute in their own particular sects and tenents that they would have mens belief and adherence to Christ to be measured onely by their belief and adherence to them which to my thinking is as high and plain Idolatry as any can be But the immediate following discourse of that text shews the temper and ayme of this humor when those very Disciples are endeavouring to wrest Eliahs president by drawing fire from heaven against that authority which opposed them the which although they were of another religion and jurisdiction too is yet rebuked by our Saviour as proceeding from a most ungospel-like spirit and shewing him to be subject to like passions with others And therefore for the true stating of these things we shall more briefly say that so far as they are to perform the work of Evangelists that is to preach unto us Jesus and to prove and declare him to be the only fundamental object of faith and salvation so far have they their power from God alone but so far as they have diocessan or parochial charge and are in paticulars to shew unto us how we are to obey him as Christ and King in any outward deportment so far are they to derive their authority from that Church power which had from Crhist power to ordain and separate them unto that work So far as they are entrusted with the guidance of Gods inward kingdom in our hearts that is to perswade men to faith in Christ which was the chief work of the primitive teachers amongst the Infidels so far are they Gods Ministers and not mans but as they are to meddle with mens abbearances and external behaviour in Christs Kingdome the Church that is to shew how to perform obedience to him being converted and acknowledging his power so far are they to have warrant from those his chief deputies in the Church Whereupon two things will plainly follow to the advantage of the Clergy above others First that in respect of their ordination they are to be held so properly Gods Ministers that in preaching and administration of the Sacraments and some other things none but they have power to intermeddle and yet are they not hereby excluded from having external jurisdiction and power over mens persons also if the authority of the Church wherein they live shall so think fit Nay when the representative authority of that
Church shall have distinguished between holy and prophane I conceive that in all such things as are concluded of religious jurisdiction and cognisance the Church-members of the Clergy are by the Church her head to be therein imployed more eminently then any other subject especially if they do therein acknowledge themselves subordinate and subject unto him All which I have in this part set down to avoid such umbrage as might have been by some taken at the passed discourse And for farther avoidance of mistake about those persons or orders of the Clergy by me glaâ—ced at in any censure here or elsewhere I shall also now crave leave to say that as I profess my self a dutiful son of the same Mother so do I also highly respect and honour that Classical order of the Clergy which the Church of Engand owns as hers being men that have approved themselves the true sons of Zadock the type of Evangelical Priesthood and been as eminent for loyalty as learning But the disturbances of Christendome are to be imputed to those of the Romish party who in favour to their owne head are to subject with Abiather to miscary that arke wherewith they are entrusted and to make the power and cognisance of those sacred orders which should separate them from worldly imploment to serve as a plea and pretence thereunto as in order to spiritual cognisance and jurisdiction As also to that miscellaneous brood who as in hatred to their exteram entring their ordinations at a wrong dore or not entring them at all have as shamefully demeaned theselves in the Priesthood as they did ignorantly and shamefully decline the title it self and that honotr which is thereunto due and have by those strange fires of sedition and rebellion which they every where offer under shew of reformation and zeal approved themselves the true sons of Nadab and Abihu These are they that are deare declaiming against Prelacy on purpose to gain higher preferment whilst the name of Bishop is by them declined as an unlawful jurisdiction in in the Church they are grasping after the thing and striving to exercise EEpiscopacy and oversight over both Church and State under the claim of power from Christ himself received as his immediate Ministers thereby shewing that their slighting of orders is but because they would not be by them confined to Ecclesiastical superintendency onely CHAP. VI. Of the head of the Church and of the Scriptures interpretations FRom what hath been hitherto spoken of our Security whilst retaining the fundamentalls of our religion as men may gather courage to resist such superstitious fears as some would put into them on purpose to draw them to their owne sects so may they plainly see it their duty these foundations being laid that their directest obedience which they can as Christians in other things give unto that person Christ hath most eminently entrusted and by whom he is most lively represented is the strongest argument of performance of their duty and obedience to himself For he being as the chief Master builder to direct us in all things towards our actual edification upon these ground works of faith and charity laid in our hearts may seem to be Gods great accomptant for the sins of the people and to prefigured unto us under the scape goat in the law who as denoting the high and uncontroleable power of his office here was both to be free and unmolested in the wilderness of this life and also to bear on him all the iniquities and transgression of the people For although Christ himself typifyed under the slain goat do onely truly and meritoriously expiate and make attonement to God for all mens sins as breaches of Gods law insomuch as no man can hope for remission of any sort of them without repentance and forgiveness in his name made and obtained yet forasmuch as we are commanded to be obedient unto them both in matters of godliness and honesty there is no doubt but the same will acquit us of guilt in all things acted by their guidance and not contrary to the foundation of faith and love which is or should be in our hearts And therefore to this purpose as formerly noted we shall find good warrant given from him that said Do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God in the midst of a froward and perverse generation wherein ye shine as lights in the world Here is no distinction made of our duties here is no referment of us to Scripture but a general direction to universal and ready obedience which being done we shall be blameless and harmless for obeying however the thing wherein we do obey may prove harmful to others and to blameable in the Commanders And that the Apostle did hereby entend implicite and perfect obedience may farther appear by the foregoing occasion which lead him to this precept namely for avoiding of divisions and Standing fast in one Spirit with one mind unto the which implicite obedience and subjection to one head is the onely ready way And to the end they should fulfill his joy and be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde he admonisheth thâ—t nothing should be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better then themselves And then he tells the way to it First by inward charity and love Look not every man on his owne things but every man on the things of others afterward he points to outward subjection to make this love useful which he doth by the true example of humility and obedience our Saviour himself viz Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took on him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men And being found in the fashion of a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross A death which was proper to such as were under the highest degree of subjection being the usual punishment for slaves And so having set forth the reward of this his humility and obedience to encourage us therein he then proceeds Wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence work out your owne salvation with fear and trembling Which words do plainly shew the means to salvation to be dependent on perfect obedience to Gods Minister for it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure That is as God is himself the worker of this inward love to make us willing so must he direct by his Minister our doing it outwardly to our Neighbours benefit under whom doing all things as aforesaid we shall be blameless as aforesaid also For his care
they that were to be their guides had been before instructed in the way of Church regiment by Saint Paul himself so far as to be able by tradition to keep their charge upright in all things tending to Godliness and honesty according to those things which they had learned and received and heard and seen in him He in remitting Churches for the rest to be instructed by those their guides he himself had instructed did follow the example of our Saviour himself herein who for that space of fourty dayes he was on earth after his resurrection directed his Apostles in things pertaining to the Kingdome of God or government of the Church Nor can we finde any of them undertaking as before noted to comprise all the particulars of Theology at such time as they write those their most general Epistles which were for all mens direction but kept them as we may presume to be delivered to the heads of Churches amongst other things by tradition and so made use of according to the emergencies of their several Charges But yet the fundamentals of Christianity were in all their Epistles and Sermons most plainly delivered the least and shortest Epistle containing in it the doctrine of faith in Christ love to one another and also of obedience to superiours our necessary guide in performance of them both And that Saint Pauls directions in other matters given to the particular Churches contained neither all expresly that was necessary for them to do nor what was so generally fit and proper for all Churches as that to whom it was directed being to others in most things onely usefull upon occasions as presidents will appear in that Saint Paul writing a particular short Epistle to the Colossians refers them their knowledge of what is farther useful unto his Epistle written unto the Laodiceans willing them that when this Epistle is read of you You cause it to be read of the Laodiceans also and that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Which two Epistles being reciprocally recommended to those particular Churches as of proper directions for them and the Epistle to the Laodiceans being now wanting is must follow that both the fundamentals were set downe in all and each of them and that other admonitions were by the Apostles given upon several occasions and considerations which because they did as heads of Churches then themselves so by their making a distinction in each Church of such as were to rule and instruct from the rest of the Church and that under the notion of such as should cause those Epistles to be read and such as were to hear them read we may also infer that though he made the general direction of his Epistles to the whole Church it was but to make their duty of obedience higher when their guides should command them And so also when he is setting downe general heads for the particular abearance of men in each order it is not his meaning to submit them to their private interpretation of what in them was their duty to perform as Subjects and so consequently leave it to their choice whether they would perform any thing of them or no but to lay on men a stronger obligation to the obedience of their superiours commands since they now finde them to have these general divine directions to that purpose To manifest that these duties of external Christian behaviour were indisputably referred to each Christian head of the Church and that all in that kind necessary was not set down in the Scripture appears in that Saint Paul writing more plentifully to the Corinthians hereof then to any other Church doth not yet profess to have set down all that was necessary but having as he conceived set down what was expedient for them according to the present occasion he concludes And the rest will I set in order when I come Thereby making a plain difference between his power in those things he was to command them as an head of the Church in order to their duty of obedience and those fundamentals of faith and love which he was to preach to them as an Evangelist or a difference in what he did as a general preacher of the Gospel and what he did as their Apostle and Teacher even as one that particularly had authority over them as Christs Ambassadour and as being their father in the Faith And that Scripture and the interpretation and enforcement of the precepts thereof was committed to the guidance and care of the heads of the Churches even under the Gospel also appears by Saint Pauls commending them unto Timothy to the end that he as a guide to the Church might make them profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God or the man having Gods authority may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works that is have sufficient light and authority to command and direct unto all good works And that this power did belong to Timothy as their present guide is made most evident from the uses there set down all of them belonging to the office of the Superiour Namely to teach to reproove to corect to instruct necessarily implying the charge of the Scriptures to be committed to those in authority that were to be eminently active herein that the man of God or the chief Officer in Gods stead like Timothy may know how to behave himself in the houshold of God the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth And where it is commended that the men of Berea searched the Scripture whether the things by Saint Paul alledged were so it is first to be considered that it was before the people had acknowledged Saint Paul their guide and so not bound to submit themselves as to one that did watch for their souls And then this searching must not be construed as if every man had done it in a Bible apart but they being a Synagogue of the Jewes the Scripture must be supposed remaining with the chief thereof onely who are to be understood the searchers and examiners thereof In whose search the rest of the Bereans trusting it made the search go in the name of the whole In effect still prooving that the interpretation and custody of Scripture was not common but belonged to those that were to exercise and not such as were to submit to authority And that the Scriptures charge and custody was entrusted unto the heads of Churches and not vulgarly dispersed in copies may appear by our not having at this day any assurance of the language some of the Gospels and Epistles were written in nor have we any Hebrew copy that we now can relye upon And all because the first copy coming to be afterwards translated into that language the people best understood it caused the care of the single original to be neglected or in time of persecution to be lost by the traditors of those times whereas had each
thou didst receive it why dest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it that is since Christ hath given his power in the Church to us in chief and to all others as subordinate why should they act without us as though they had not received it from us Why should you in your popular fancy of underived power thick to raign as Kings without us For although we have suffered our selves to be accounted weak and despised that ye might be strong and honorable and also to try if by any means we might win you yet it is not to deny that we have as your father just power to command you and therefore I write not to shame you for your neglect but as my beloved sons to warn you that I may not have occasion to come with a rod but in love and in the Spirit of meekness as I have always done And therefore although S. Paul do now beseech them to be followers of him as the only way to be of the same mind and of the same judgement yet it is but what he might as an Apostle of Christ have been bold in and have commanded them in Christs name and what they as commanded in the Lord that is by the stewards of the Mysteries of God nay as labourers together with God in this building and husbandry ought to obey And therefore is it that S. Paul faith I praise you brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you even as I the Disciple or Follower of Christ have by vertue of my Mission from him appointed you Not as some would have it follow me no farther in any thing then you find me following Christ because this had been to overthrow all he had said before and to have given new toleration to schism under pretence of following Christ For if men be not followers of those their Supreme Heads that are followers of Christ but will make divisions by honouring God their own way then will the Author of peace be made the Author of confusion whilst some in their publike worship have a Psalm some a doctrine a Revelation and Interpretation c. to the overthrow of all true publike worship and service for want of uniformity No otherwise then if the same person in the manner of his return of thanks and service to God should be distracted in himself and not wholly intent on the thing he is about for as there are private benefits for which we are separately to be thankful so are there national ones to in which our prayers and praises are to agree by publike appointment And this is the reason why writing to the Ephesians of our publique duties of praising God he presently enjoyns them submission as the only means to make it right and uniform Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord giving thanks always for all things unto God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ submitting your selves one unto another in the fear of God which is the same with let every soul be subject unto the higher power because they are of God And so he goes on to state obedience in all the present Christian relations that is of wives children and servants as unto Christ and as to the Lord and not to men But by his beginning with the duty of wives and staying so long upon it we may well conceive him to have herein a particular drift to set forth under the figure of womens obedience to their husbands as their heads each Churches obedience to its Husband or Head under Christ who is the head of the whole Church his spouse of which more hereafter As for the authority of that office of Priesthood so far as related to sacrifice and legal Ceremonies none make doubt of its abolition under the Gospel Whose Ministers or Preachers being now Ministers of the Spirit not of the letter themselves can by no pretence as heretofore shewed claim external jurisdiction and obedience As for the other office of Prophet it had indeed a continuance for some time in the Christian Church whilst it was in its weak condition as a necessary means to give them and their guides direction what to do in their continual distresses Thus is S. Pauls bands and ensuing death prephesied to happen in those times For as there could not under a good space of time be a sufficient number of able persons found to receive Ordination and so to be disposed of for the peculiar care of Churches as now but in this their unsetled and weak condition Christ himself by the means of the promised Holy Ghost being necessitated extraordinarily to endue men with several gifts for general edification in the absence of humane learning it was no wonder if this gift of prophesie did many times come along therewith since all proceeded from the same spirit Yet although this gift of prophesie were thus necessary to be held up from Christ for the support and direction of his Church during her weakness and infancy yet being usually accompanied with the gift of Doctrine and Instruction also it afterwards came to pass that Prophesie and Doctrine did come to signifie the same thing as in that place where it is said No prophesie of scripture is of private interpretation And indeed the predictions themselves were but instructions for those they were addressed unto how to guid themselves according as those events should happen So that it being but instruction in an object and busisiness more remote it was no wonder that the notion of Prophet came afterwards to signifie the same with the Preacher as also the word Prophesie the same with Doctrine even as the Minister or Deacon to comprehend the like function of instruction also But however even in those times there was still subordination nor was it in the power of those Prophets or any other to take on them to settle any Doctrine or Church order against or without Apostolical leave namely the leave of that general Father or Head of the Church under whom they had received their first Christian foundation and who was thereupon as a Master builder to have power over each workman that undertook their spiritual edification As was intimated to the Corinthians where S. Paul complains of this abuse in the practices of such as had ventured to build on that foundation without leave which he as head of the Church had first laid saying according to the grace of God given me have I laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every man take beed how he buildeth thereupon And this right of Government and Authority to be given to those persons from and under whom they had been taught and brought to Christianity we may find noted in those two forementioned places to the Hebrews where the first admonition for obedience to such
us Which his glory being to arise from that subjection and obedience which these below do give unto him therefore the woman is the glory of the man And when it is said The man is not of the woman it is meant the Commander and his Power is not derived from the commanded But the woman is of the man meaning the subject from the Subjector And so again when it is said The man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man it is to be taken as relating to their respective duties of commanding and obeying only and as thereby causing Gods encrease of glory by being more eminently glorified by persons in Authority For else they themselves nay in their relations too are not for one another but for the glory of God But to make God the God of order here below The woman ought to have power on her head because of the Angels that is each Church and her Angels ought here by their obedience to acknowledge the power of their own Head claiming it to Gods glory as his image of Authority even because in Heaven God hath the like done to him by his Angels or Ministers and doth therefore require that the like subordination be observed by those members which in each Church serve as Angels to minister unto his Vicegerent the Head thereof Afterwards the Apostle explains how the Head and his Angels or Ministers are to be reciprocally supporters of each other For in the Lord that is in the execution of Church matters the King is not to act without his Bishops nor they without him even as the man is not without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lord And therefore after the pacting fashion the Commanders and Obeyers in their reciprocal relations are not to shut out God but the Superiors themselves should be careful to attribute that honor to God which they do by his power receive because all things are of God For looking upwards to the honor and end of the work neither he that planteth nor he that watereth are any thing but God that giveth the encrease And looking downwards again to the object of their imployment the whole Church All things are theirs also whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas and they are Christs and Christs is God that is all things return to God as having his glory the last end of all power even as himself was the only efficient thereof In the three next verses the necessity of each Churches observance of appointed order in her publike service to God is farther implyed and urged as consonant to ordinary reason Judge in your selves is it comely for a woman to pray unto God uncovered that is for subordinate men and Ministers to frame what Forms of Worship they please Doth not even nature it self teach you that if a man in Authority have long hair that is be subjected in Church Orders it is a shame to him but if a woman have long hair it is a glory for her hair was given her for a covering where on the other side we may find that all tokens of subjection are proper for Inferiors and that especially in Church Rites and Ceremonies being most properly allude unto those under the Figure of Vail or Covering This Allegory is largely continued and set forth in his Epistles to the Ephesians taking occasion there also to press it in the like behalf of submission and obedience and in particular about publike Church Orders In which place likewise Wives were to submit to their own husbands as unto the Lord But because those Texts may be easily conceived by what hath been already delivered I shall omit the application of the particular allusions of the power of each Churches Head and of each Churches reciprocal subjection again there set down under the figure of Man and Wife But plain it is that the Apostle doth expresly there set it down not to be meant litterally but as a great mysterie concerning Christ and his Church and so leaves none but the following Verse to set out expresly the mutual duties of man and wife viz. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband that is although I have before appointed each Church to be in subjection to her Head or Husband as the whole Church is to Christ its Head and Husband so now I do litterally intend to direct you in these conjugal duties All which the words Nevertheless and In particular do manifest by cutting it off from the other discourse and appropriating it to this implying that before he alluded to another thing even the general relation between each Church and its Head but here of the particular relation of each man and his wife And by this means we may know how to unfold the mystical delivery of the power of each Churches Head under Christ which else by stubborn persons might have seemed so great a mysterie as not to be conceived farther extensive then of the Catholique Church her obedience to Christ himself A thing not to be otherwise performed then by each Churches obedience to its own Head in his stead as heretofore declared nor at all available to stopping of Schisms and Divisions by settling of Order in each Church which was the drift of the admonitions but rather to encrease them as heretofore noted also Where the followers of Christ himself are reckoned amongst other Schismaticks Nor need we much wonder why the Apostle in setting forth the duty of Obedience should personate the wife and allude unto that relation more then any other since we shall find this perfect obedience to be first enjoyned to wives and that not only to be given upon most strict terms but as done upon reason foregoing and upon the first promise of prevalence of Christ and his Church as the seed of the woman Thy desire shall be subject to thy husbands and he shall rule over thee So that as the general rule for Civil subjection was first given under the notion of Father and Mother even so also the mystical Precept for Ecclesiastick Subordination and Obedience was at first intimated and since continued under the notion of Husband Thereby inferring that although according to these Oeconomical relations men in Orders stood not naturally so subjected as others yet should their more Religious and Sacramental tye thereunto incite them unto such demeanor of themselves in Gods Houshold the Church that they may evidence themselves men of Orders whilst serving and obeying the God of Order by submission to this their spiritual Husband in such degree and manner as he appointed The case therefore thus standing between the fear of robbing God of his proper glory and the fear of destruction of men the instruments thereof by Civil war as we may see good ground for divine permission of those many changes of Families in
Christ that power and honor which in some places is given to Kings finds no colorable shift in this place because it is said And my Prince shall no more oppress my people Which Oppression being not to be feared from Christ himself and the admonition being in the plural number it cannot be thought congruous for him as on the otherside the assignation of a certain portion of Land for his maintenance not to be alienated or encroached by any of his servants but to remain to his Children only must intend Kings not Christ. And so must shew also both the designation and setled perpetuity of that Office who as the supreme Officer of power and honor is in this recess of God to retain the Image of his Authority and be acknowledged as in his stead As may most plainly appear by that command of keeping the Eastgate for him only saying This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred by it therefore it shall be shut it is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter by way of the porch of that gate and shall go out by way of the same Nor can we by Prince understand chief Priest as some would because they neither had this power of Oppression and also were distinguished from the Prince under the notion of the sons of Zadock and so had Lands distinct assigned for their maintenance And therefore again although the Priests are there appointed to put difference between Holy and Prophane and to judge in the Assemblies of God they are still to be supposed as under the Prince herein being presently appointed to be the sons of Zadock which are to be presumed Loyal as having been by the King put into that ministration for that very reason when Abiathar for joyning in rebellion with the rest of Israel was by the King thrust out So that the Priests here spoken of being always set under the notion of sons of Zadock it seemed needless to set down that in this or other things they should be subordinate to the Prince for this Zadock and his successors representing the Evangelical Priesthood were by Gods appointment 1 Sam. 2.35 to have a sure house built them and to walk before Gods anointed for ever the last words signifying at once the perpetuity of both Christian Kingship and Priesthood as well as priestly subordination to succeed And if we shall take these chapters as prophetick to set forth the state and pattern of the Christian Church as usually is done by Christians and not as literall to the Jews onely as they usually do then nothing can remain more luculent and cleer then the divine direction hereof for the perpetuity of this Office in the Christian Church in order to other Prophecies elsewhere mentioned of having Kings to be their nursing Fathers and Queens their Nurses and of the Churches having sons whom they may set as Princes in all Lands Which Office as it is undeniably therein appointed so to make it farther appear to be prophesied as necessary to compleat the Church in a state of perfection and happiness we shall finde that it is to be shewed to the Jews as an unquestionable plot to that purpose and to be promised them upon their good abbearance saying If they be ashamed of all they have done shew them the form of the house and the fashion thereof c. that they may keep the whole form thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and do them By which we may finde that in policies established according to the pattern in the Mount Kingship and Priesthood must be and that the one can be no more omitted then the other How this Office of Kingship was ordained to accompany and compleat the flourishing estate of the Jewish Church and to precede and be instrumental in building the Temple will be more fully discoursed hereafter when we shall have occasion to speak of such places of Scripture as contain a connexion of promises to that purpose as 2 Sam. 10.11 c. 2 Chr. 17.9 10 11 c. and other places All of them plainly shewing that Jerusalem or the Church is or ought to be builded as a City that is compact together or is at unity in it self that is hath an inward principle and ground-work of Unity and Peace in it self from this Divine appointment of one Governor to preside therein even by setting there the Thrones of judgement the Thrones of the house of David and not as left to a plain way of dis-union and division by means of any poliarchical contrivance to judge and govern without a Throne whereby their Compaction or Union should not proceed from any naturalness in the form and means within but from contingency and fear without But because some Anti-Monarchical men do believe that it was no more lawful for the people to desire a King afterwards then at that time and are very urgent that the words I gave thee a King in mine Anger should be interpreted as though the Office of Kingship were so given without considering also that he was taken away in wrath and so rightly construing the absence of the Office to be a greater punishment then the imposition it is to be noted that these and many other expressions uttered in reference to Saul had relation to him as a person hastily demanded and so given as a punishment and not as to one on whom and his posterity the flowrishing estate of that Church was to be setled For that promise we shall finde annexed to the Tribe of Judah as before noted of whose lynage also our Saviour was to come whereas Saul being a Benjamite it could not be thought that he was the person to be setled herein Nay so much himself doth acknowledge to Samuel while Samuel is telling him of his Election viz. Am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel c. Wherefore then speakest thou so to me But then it may be asked how we shall make good those expressions which Samuel used unto him that God would have established his kingdom upon Israel for ever Why this might have been fulfilled by means of his lynage in a feminine line matched into the Tribe of Judah as was that match of Michal to David But you will answer that Michal was made childless for a fault of her own and not other Fathers It is true she committed a fault to deserve this punishment but it hinders not but the same punishment was in pursuance of a former fault of the Family also as we â—inde many presidents in Scripture and in particular one done about the same time namely the punishment of Elies house which will come home to this For we shall finde Solomon thrusting out Abiathar from the Priesthood to punish his personal act of disloyalty to his Father
in the particulars in each kind Gods goodness and power should not have been so remarkably set forth as now Nay this very Office of Kingship will not be lost by his subjection for its chief duty being protection this will be alwayes residing more or less in his power so far as by such redresses of oppression amongst men or other creatures as shall be the occasional objects of his pity he shall prove himself actually a King herein and also so much more resembling God then he as he shall be more ready and propense thereto rateable to his small degree of power And the same order may creatures below us go untill they come to inanimates on which the lowest of sensitives taking its pleasure and content as it is thereby provoked to rejoyce which is in its kinde to thank and praise â—is Maker so that inanimate or vegetive again being not sensible of any pain or injury continues in its kinde still obliged as before For as power can be no where in perfection but in God himself so to make it subsistent in other things as approaching him it must be in making them so only in comparison of one another And as the original of power is one so the more it is diffused the more weak and unworthy it is For if all men should have power over all men after a Democratick supposition as all men have power over all other creatures or as all Lyons or other Species of creatures have power over other Species below them also how would power come to nothing for want of eminence for being thus levelled he that should have most power having but what the meanest would have had in the degree of subordination and so he that hath least having still but what he hath above other things for over his fellows he must be supposed to have none he of the lowest rank is not increased in his obligation and all the other orders are decreased in theirs So that then if there were not the necessity of subordination as for peace and government sake yet as to perfection and approach to Divine resemblance by bringing the diffused power in perfect creatures to unity and existence it would be needful to men as with Angels that from the lowest order of all it should be gathered to fewer in the next rank and so on to fewer still till after the Divine examplar it were centred in one Whereby as man is the perfection and Epitome of all other creatures and as Adam contained all men so should he or some other if our fall had not crossed have stood as the more worthy for receit of Divine favor in himself and distribution of it to others with no small advantage to the whole race even as now we finde it come to pass by that fountain of mercy but in a far higher degree since the dignifying of our nature by that one person of our Saviour and so by him having access we come to be capable of those benefits which without him could not be expected In which respect we may finde him so often expressing himself under the notion of the Son of man even as one who having taken on him the Semen or original element of our kinde should to our undoubted comfort thereby make the whole race capable of dignity and bliss also And this not only in respect of our future condition as Jesus being that fundamental Corn of wheat by whose Resurrection and exaltation the several Individual graines of mankinde should be drawn unto him but also in respect of many temporal advantages arising to us here as Christ and King In order to the receit of which temporal advantages Christ himself having in the several parts of his Church his particular deputed Christs by means of them and their representing of him amongst us it comes to pass that each particular man is again made capable of the benefit of Divine protection at least so far as concerns society and government as shall be more fully declared in the next book And therefore we may observe that when God appears in kindness it is to one at once and that he never makes a general manifestation of himself but in judgement and terror as to those stubborn Israelites who thereupon said Let God speak no more to us least we die Meaning that they would have some worthy and eminent person like Moses to beare their person and represent them to Godward The which people again although as they were then Gods peculiar Church and people and had all other nations blessed or punished as they were to them benigne or averse yet was that very love and favor God cast towards them both at first placed and afterwards continued from that more eminent love and favor setled in their first father and original In such sort that after their rejection of their and our Saviour a remnant according to the election of grace should come still to be beloved for the Fathers sakes by that God who out of particular kindness had once stiled himself the God of Abraham And so we shall again finde favors and blessings promised them even for his servant Davids sake the King and representer of that Church and people From all which it will be evident that subordination in power is from God and for the good of the people it is that one is by his providence thus set over them who should as their Representative stand for them to Godward But to come neerer to shew what that power or liberty is which is requisite or proper in political constitutions we must consider each man as having an appetite and end to follow But then inasmuch as before shewed in the attaining and pursuit of these our ends we did often cross and interfere one upon another it was necessary that Laws and Rules of Government should be setled to accommodate our actions to Peace and Agreement For the same Liberty we might before justly claim as men and due to us by Nature we cannot now expect as Subjects linked in politique Societies because as I then acted for my self onely I needed no prohibitions from evil or invitations to good but now common concern makes Liberty suspensible to common approbation And because this first natural Liberty was by our fall forfeited and would if by our corrupted wills put in full use prove our destruction it was necessary the same should by his power and Laws and such as he should therewith intrust for Society and Government sake be so far restrained as the mutual good and peace of the whole should be advanced and not the wanton affected Liberty of any part of the State or Kingdom in prejudice thereof regarded And therefore the true Liberty of Subâ—ects will appear to be in the removal of all external impediments which cross his desires without regard of more publike utility And the two extreams thereof are first Slavery when this Liberty of the Subject is not regarded at all as to his
observe this Monarchical administration so much owned by God as to declare the absence thereof as the fittest and surest token of his dereliction and punishment of a people that had been first false to himself and were now repudiated by him as may appear in that other Prophesie For the Children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King and without a Prince without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim And by the last words we may observe by the way not onely a depravation in religion and Church order to follow this no King in Israel by making use of Teraphim in the Ephod instead of Urim as the man Michah did but this disorder should increase till that remaining Priesthood who by their consistorial parity were as the Teraphims in this Ephod should be taken away also For this use of Teraphim amongst Israelites was to bee looked upon but as a shift in Jeroboam who wanting that order of Aaron and his Sons made use of the meanest of the people but in the Christian Church and when Christ typified in David shall be their King then also shall those several Kings under him maintain and settle order amongst the Priesthood and in religion it self as David also did Now concerning that separate jurisdiction which some Church-men would claim under colour of dividing our duties into religious and civil it cannot I conceive but plainly appear that notwithstanding sacred pretence this division is but of humane invention being not to be found in the Scripture and as it is for the most part made of no other use but to make division and discord by abating our obedience to the Magistrate under colour of giving it to God so are men not at agreement in stating thereof For while some think that whatever the Magistrate commands it but of civil obedience and so lyable to temporal reward and punishment onely and again what is of Gods command that is expresly set down in Scripture is to be only obeyed out of conscience of divine authority and then leaving men to private judgement what precepts are thence deduceable or when the Magistrates commands be such they must consequently leave them no certain rule whereby either to preserve duty or unity As also those other sort do who distinguishing men in their several relations by them phancied say that in whatever we do as subjects and men linked in Society the same is of civil cognizance and duty but in whatever we act as Christians we are to be guided by precept from God alone In which doing also being neither able to bring from Scripture all things that concern Gods outward worship and finding many precepts of Ethical Political and Oeconomical nature and which do concern our duty and good even as men although we had not been Christians they must needs fall themselves and drive others by these doubtfull precepts from giving any right obedience at all instead of directing them therein For although as to some intents men may be usefully considered in these different relations yet when the same person is now both a man and a Christian such distinctions as should â—imply a possibility of personal devision again so as for the same Christian to act as a man in any thing without being a Christian must besides absurdity bring upon us the many inconveniences of rebellion and civil war And therefore although in our being Christian we lose not the reality of manhood more then in being rational creatures or men we lose the properties of sensitive Creatures yet inasmuch as being rational Creatures and so having a greater and surer light to direct our actions all that we do answerable to other meer sensitives is therefore now to be attributed to us in the capacity of men as of the nobler and higher relation Even so also it fareth with us after and while we are Christians namely that all those actions in which in execution and direction I mean so far as is humane we resemble other meer natural men onely yet these things being by us now acted under the inseparable relation of Christians are although not of express litteral divine precept yet if done in obedience to lawful authority a Christian duty or if acted against it a Christian fault And it will follow that what was in us as men before but moral vertue or vice is now righteousness or sin even to the degree of an idle word And so again considering us as subjects those things that are onely by the light of nature investigable as civil duties when they come to be enforced by a Superiour having his power and office from God have the obligations of religious actions as being part of our obedience to that God who said them to be in that respect Gods also and children of the most high Therefore when God sometimes commands what would concern us and be our benefit as men although we had not been Christians as indeed if we had reason enough all precepts for outward direction would appear such or when again many things appertaining to our religion it self and our outward worship therein are by the Churches authority enjoyned whether the same be found in Scripture or no they are both of them to be held as religious dutyes to us and we being not able while we are Christians to act in any other personal capacity must be obedient and subject as in and to the Lord that is till something be enjoyned to overthorw Christianity we as Christians must obey in all things and it is as sinful to disobey Supream authority in the payment of taxes as in the observation of the Sabboth For God not now giving particular precepts as unto the Iewes but leaving us herein to the direction of the higher power ordained for that purpose of him we are to be obedient to our Masters in the flesh as unto Christ and willingly to do them service as unto the Lord and not as men That is we are now always to obey him as Christs Minister and head of our particular Church and not left at liberty to obey as in a religious tye no farther then we please For the actions and precepts of each State Kingdom are upon their conversion to Christianity to be called and reputed the actings of such or such a Church and not of such or such a State the name and notion of Church including that of State even as in the particular members whereof it is compounded the notion of man is involved in that of Christian. So that now as the entire trust power of Vniversal headship of the Catholike Church is unto Christ resigned and he thereupon to be obeyed as under a religious tye in all causes whatsoever by all such as acknowledge themselves Christians although they seem of never so civil a nature even so his supream deputy in each Christian Church or Kingdome being entirely entrusted like him from whom his power is derived is
to be void also However before the time that the Magistrate was Christian the claim of immediate succession or possession were a good plea in it self and fit to be observed by others to avoide the danger of Schism as it was also then reasonable enough that in consideration the Bishop in each place was also supream head of the same under Christ that thereupon the designation or ordination of persons into offices of power might be at his dispose too yet since even then this his own ordination or choice and appointment into office was done by the people and in the same form whereby they constituted other Magistrates it will thereupon appear but reasonable that as this power to govern was by them then executed not as Evangelists barely but as the present supream Christian heads so should it be afterwards resigned to him that did succeed as supream in causes Ecclesiastical as well as Civil And as their ordination that is personal succession and appointment into these functions of power not their consecrations doth or should depend on his choice or negative voice as it did formerly on the people and Emperours it cannot be now thought reasonable they should claime any outward independent jurisdiction over the liberties or estates of others By due consideration whereof we may know how to distinguish between those several ordintions of power and Office which Saint Paul admonisheth Timothy to make use of For by that which in his first Epistle to him is set down as a gift given by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery we may understand that more civil election and ordination whereby those Presbyters or Elders the representative authority of that Church had it may be at Saint Pauls recommendation chosen him as their chief guide or instructor even because of that eminent guift of Prophesie or instruction they found in him into which Office we may suppose him afterwards confirmed and also consecrared by Saint Paul which he calls the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands For those places and cities being but partly Christians as yet whereby Saint Paul and other primitive Christian heads could not have entire jurisdiction it was reasonable even for the better obedience sake of those that did believe to submit the election of their Church guide to that very form they used in the choice of their other Magistrates And as in these last alledged Texts we finde both election and consecration set down in that phrase proper to Priestly administration onely namely laying on of hands so shall we elsewhere finde them both at once comprised under the expression proper to election of other Magistrates signifying holding up of hands called there ordaining The which Presbyterial way of choice continued still in the Church after the time that Emperors and Kings were Christian but not as at first for then these Presbyters did it as Rulers and Representatives of those places some of them being Preachers and some not whereas afterwads when whole Cities became Christians those of the chief of the Clergy of each diocess or jurisdiction took upon them to make these elections as the Chapiter of that place but it was still done or supposed to be according to recommendation or licence of that Prince or Emperour that had supream power over them all And however at first before the people of any place or City were wholly converted so as the jurisdiction could be entire under one Church head they might well be distinguished under the notions of Church and state as each might be under a separate authority yet when and where these power shall be united then and there all election and jurisdiction in the one sort as well as the other must be held dependant on this one supream Church head If we suppose those of the Clergy to be successors to Apostolical power by vertue of ordination received from the hands of one another as by a kinde of confederacy then since the efficacy of ordination is the same to all of them there must be now amongst us as many men in Apostolical power as there are men in orders because ordination having its efficacy as primarily inherent in the Apostles it must follow that all those derived ordinations must be equal one to another even as that fâ—rst act of ordination from the Apostles received was the same or equal to it self But of those that would set up an Vniversal Pope and of those that would set up a Pope by this means in every Parish I would ask how far they would have their jurisdiction to extend If they say they have right to all the Apostles had then have they right to command and be obeyed in all things for such right had the Apostles as shall be shewed anon If they say they have right to no more them was by then practised and so claime to succeed in the power of excommunication and Church censure so far as to extend it to corporal punishment then they will have much ado to make this all one with a spiritual jurisdiction and censure The truth is that we must look on the Apostles in their sentence of excommunication as punishing men in the highest measure they then could in regard of the engrosment of all coercive and vindicative power by the then Pagan Magistrates they lived under and not as thinking their refraining to keep a Blasphemer or an incestuous person company were a punishment adequate to such offences as by their hainousness and nature did argue already no regard to their society And again this act of excommunication was not then to banish him from them but themselves from him For as they could not force any to be of their society or come to their meetings so as the case stood then could not they force them from coming to any their publike meetings as well as others even when they were to celebrate the communion although they might forbear to eat whilst he was in the company So that now if the Church-men claime but the same measure of power the Apostles did or might then exercise and againe allow the person now excommunicate the like power with the other they will then finde the force and terrour of their excommunication as from themselves alone proceeding and without leave and assistance from the Magistrate to amount to just nothing If they claime all the jurisdiction and power that the Apostles as heads of Churches then had right unto they will have right to all power whatever that is power outward and civil as well as inward and spiritual For of that nature we shall finde many things that were taken into cognisance by those primitive heads and so lyable also to the censure and punishment of the Magistrates and civil laws of the Countrey as was that Incestuous act and would no doubt upon notice have been by them that had present power punished in a more remarkable and sensible degree then could
bond of perfection For our unskilfulness in the word of righteousness will make us like new born babes wanting milk need to be continually attendant on our Apostolike keepers and interpreters of the Oracles of God to have the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God again and again laid and to have the doctrine of baptisms and laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgement again and again preached By which means being continually strengthened in our work and labor of love we shall not be slothful but followers of them who by Faith and patience inherit the Promises And so also although Prayers Preaching Repentance Fasting c. nay the Sacraments themselves are but Ceremonies compared to that final object of Religion Gods Praise and mans Salvation and are not in themselves fundamental yet since this love can never be to perfect in this life as not to put us in need of these helps for apprehension of these divine truths and also to keep our mindes fixt and intent on our duties and since neglect or alteration in them may be damnable through disobedience it seems therefore now expedient that something should be said thereof and of those errors of Idolatry and Superstition which do usually attend their wrong administration CHAP. XI Of Idolatry and Superstition and of the Power of each Church her Head in the establishment of Ceremonies and Divine Worship NExt unto Atheism that would wholly substract Deity is the error of Polytisme that by division would so confound him as through irregularity and confusion in our practice his real and true service should be defeated For although the Atheist do only profess not serving him yet doth the Idolater by multiplying and adulterating his appearance so multiply and disguise both his person and his wil that in the end we are not able to know what is truly the one or the other Nor is this crime and error of Idolatry subject only to outward and bodily representations such as did usually accompany Gentilism But inasmuch as honor and adoration are to be the end of our knowledge and because again the goodness and soundness of this adoration will take admeasurement and proportion from the truth and worth of that Divine Existence and Perfection which is by each one conceived it must also follow that men are to be accounted more or less Idolaters as that Image of God conceived in their minds is more or less truly representing him For he being not to be perceived by any of our bodily senses or otherwise known to mankind then by the effects of his being to wit his goodness power wisdom justice and such operations as must properly denote him it must therefore come to pass that such as shall fail or mistake in the apprehension of these emanations and shall attribute unto him such works or way of energy as are neither worthy of him nor proportionable unto him are thereupon to be accounted Idolatrous As for example such as having not rightly conceived and observed God in the continual and general expression of that his most eminent attribute of goodness and mercy nor well considered that true glory and honor doth arise from the generality and extent of benefits nor indeed well understood the true import of these phrases of Election Predestination c. and how and what works do and do not save are ready in a hasty partiality to themselves to judge him like one of the vulgar as exercising only his power and greatness in the acts of Election and Reprobation and that not only in prejudice of his wisdom as being guided by no discrimination in the Election of some before others but in prejudice of his goodness and justice as thereby rejecting others of equal merit and condition By which means the Image these men have conceived will come to be truly an Idol by having eyes and see not c. and thereupon so much below even the vulgar because they in their sentences to life or punishment would have respect to merit or demerit so far as possibly they could perceive or forefee them and not proceed therein as in a kind of lottery And as these and such like false representations must introduce Idolatry within by means of a shorter or unstable impression so when men come to adapt and proportion their outward Service and Worship it must also come to pass that the same must be defective false or frivolous and consequently so much more or less superstitious as they shall be more or less unknowing of God or his will and shall be therein onely guided by particular fear and fancy Upon which ground we may finde reason why Almighty God both in reference to his own honor and for estating men upright and blameless in their religious duties did always either himself appoint some established form and rule therein or else authorize some person under him to do it and not leave it to the hazard of private and single mens devotion whether to be done or no nor to their differing judgements to fancy what variety and contradiction therein they pleased By which doing not only Gods continual and constant Worship will be more secured and uniform but men will continue more free from the guilt of Idolatry and Superstition whilst they shall not be thus let loose to private contrivance of what the passion of fear shall suggest but be therein guided by the will of Gods publike Minister whereby they must with the performance of their duties of obedience therein to him be acquit of the sin of Superstition towards God also Under the Law as all the outward forms of Worship and Service were by God himself instituted and so expresly set down that none could doubt so was there a strict injunction given against any alteration even of that very part of his Service which seemed most Ceremonial Which happened not solely for that God instituted them because we find David and other good Kings making alteration in some things of like institution but this peremptoriness arose from the continuance of that end which at first gave them institution and being For so far as they were typical and representative of Christ or his Church to succed of which sort most of them were it must follow that till Christ were come any alteration in them made as of unfitness for publike use were none other then to accuse God himself of weakness that had enjoyned them And as upon this ground the High Priest and Tribe of Levi stood in many things independent of the Authority of their Kings even so also because much depended on the preservation of that Jewish State as in order to have it continue until our Saviour should come to put an end to that Church God therefore even after the establishment of Kingship reserved to himself a Super-intendency of their State-Government also and had his Prophets to declare his pleasure upon all great and exorbitant occasions lest
otherwise their transactions with their Neighbours or misgovernment at home might prove so destructively prejudicial that his own purpose might be defeated by their ruine After the time our Saviour himself appeared and had the whole Government laid on his shoulders these offices were wholly resigned up unto him and so from him who was King and Priest after the order of Melchisedec and who was the Prophet which Moses foretold of to be raised up like him and which was anointed to preach glad tidings they come to be by him conferred in chief on his adopted sons the several heads of his Church and so at last to be impropriate to the anointed Christian Monarchs vvithout such reservation as God had formerly made in the Jewish Church in reference to his Theocraty If we look for the knowledge of these things in the practice of the primitive Christian Church we shall not find any separate jurisdiction or authority claimed either in Priestly or Prophetical way but what was subordiate if not appointed by the Apostles the then Heads of the Church The which is plainly intimated by S. Paul when he tells the Corinthians who had in many things presumed against the authority of his Apostleship as their Head Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me For although many of these their Preachers or Instructers had no doubt by their Doctrine won many particular souls amongst them to the faith and so might be called the spiritual Fathers to those persons yet since they generally considered as a collective Church and body of men had first been instructed by him and were also the Seal of his Apostleship in the Lord They under the notion of Sons of the Church could have but one spiritual Father no more then natural sons could Whereupon having signified to them his Power of Super-intendency under a relation that might claim sole and undeniable authority as their general Father or Head he then tells them of his practise thereupon For this cause I sent Timotheous unto you who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my wayes which be in Christ as I teach every where in every Church That is I have sent him by my Apostolical Authority to take the charge of your instruction in my absence because he knows my manner of Doctrine and Worship which I have established in other Churches by vertue of that power which Christ gave me And so he goeth on reproving such as had demeaned themselves proudly against his Authority under colour of their office of Instruction or as Waterers to what he planted And thereupon says The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power that is he would not regard the speech of him that was puffed up but the power For although they might preach in Christs name yet if they had not power from that Supreme Deputy which Christ hath intrusted with his Churches Power their Authority was nothing as elsewhere he says How shall they preach except they be sent Indeed those Epistles to the Corinthians are very intent and copious in the defence of S. Pauls Authority and the six first Chapters are particularly bent that way and carry an especial reproof against those Schisms and Divisions which had hapned amongst them for want of this unity Whilst some would choose one Master-builder and some another and that with such vehemence of affection as Idolatrously to neglect or forget Christ himself whose Deacons they were And whilst others as Superstitiously again would balk those Ministers of Christ set over them as thinking obededience no where due but to him alone Therefore saith he I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement Which thing cannot be while Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ. After which like a faithful Minister and Steward he first vindicates the honor of his Master against such as would divide him by their Idolatrous regard to his Ministers to his stead Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or wâ—re you baptized in the name of Paul And so blaming himself to blame others he goes on clearing himself that that power he had exercised had ever been done by him in Christs name as acknowledging his derived Authority and Mission from him of preaching and laying this Christian foundation Which thing seemed foolishness to these Greeks for they besides their natural aversion to all kind of subjection but what themselves fancied were as it appears tainted with arrogancy towards their own ability in discerning right and wrong according to the Moral Philosophy of their own Country and so were unwilling to submit to the simplicity of the Gospel and make obedience to Christ their wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption The wisdom of God is now a Mysterie even a way to Justification which the wise men of the world knew not nor could discover in their Precepts of Moral Justice Having therefore afterwards again warned them against these carnal courses that caused these divisions as also told them that this worldly wisdom is foolishness with God he then undertakes Apostolical honor and power as being immediately intrusted under God in Christ and so he having from them received the Spirit of judgement thinks it not valuable to be judged of mans judgement For the Superior cannot be justified as elsewhere shewed from below Nay though saith he I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord that is the act of Justification must come from above and therefore Inferiors are not to do it but leave it to the last judgement where every man shall have praise of God In the next verse he comes home to what was the drift of all the rest These things brethren I have in a figure transferred to my self and to Apollo for your sakes that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written that no one of you be puffed up for one against another that is Forasmuch as ye know me to be your Planter and that Apollo and I are all one by subordination to God that gave us our powers therefore are ye not to regard other mens authorities above that written warrant they can bring for the same For difference in power must come from God if it come from below it will cause divisions and puffing up one against another For who maketh one man to differ from another but God and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if
as have the rule over you is given under the notion of such as had spoken to them the word of God But then having put them in remembrance of them he afterwards speaks directly Obey them that have the rule over you c. intimating that Christian education gives an unquestionable right to Christian obedience Nay in those very Doctrines which the primitive Prophets for the present taught they were censurable by the rest of their fellows until this higher authority had confirmed it All which in the Epistle to the Corinthians may be further understood where S. Paul makes use of his Apostolical authority in ordering those of that rank how to make use of those many gifts they had received unto edification for they it seems being proud of their manifold dispensations had made the God of peace to be the Author of confusion which caused him to fall upon that objurgation What came the word of God out from you or came it unto you only that is received you not the word from us why then should ye not be obedient to us as well as other Churches to whom we have preached it also he therefore says that the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets that is â—hey are for the present ensurable by their present auditors who may be gifted as well as themselves And for conclusion of all and to keep unity and make God the Author of peace and not of confusion he disclaims any private mans gift to be able to disanul his authority and therefore further says If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things I now write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord that is let him confess my Apostolical authority from Christ received whereby I have power to order the Churches affairs or else he doth but think himself a Prophet or spiritual when indeed he is but puft up by his own fleshly minde of vain glory and ambition And this subjection of inferior Prophets or Teachers under the Gospel unto the chief Prophet or Head of the Church is doubtless to succeed and be continued upon the same ground it was formerly given to Moses and accordingly that prophesie of Moses is interpreted by S. Peter and S. Stephen where Moses tells of this obedience to be given to this succeeding great Prophet by all Persons saying as from God Whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him and that Prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak or that shall speak in the name of other Gods even that Prophet shall surely dye And as this jurisdiction in matters of Doctrine is interpreted by some to be given our Saviour in regard of his Prophetical Office to doth Nathaniel the true Israelite make these Prophesies of our Saviour made by Moses to allude and be appliable to him as King of Israel or head of the Church From all which subordination in the Spirit of Teaching or Prophesie appearing to be continually necessary it must follow that since Christ himself must remain in heaven until the restitution of all things that this power must for truth and peace sake rest in these his chief Deputies that arâ— anointed with this power from him that was that great Prophet and so a Prophet of Prophets as well as King of Kings And therefore we may observe that Christ being not able in his own person to perform and supply all that measure of preaching and instruction which should be continually necessary for the edification of his Church and it being again necessary that there should be for order-sake certain persons more eminently entrusted herein it is the reason why as the Prophet Isaiah sets him down in the first or chief place Anointed to preach and to have Gods Spirit put upon him and his words put into his mouth meaning that the Spiâ—it should not be given him by measure so for perpetuating this necessary office and high trust God there promiseth to Christ a particular seed to that purpose My words shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever Of the Kings right by office to be of this adopted seed we shall anon alledge the parable of Solomon to that effect as we may instance his example by being Preacher as well as King For we are to conceive it to be no otherwise with the Prophets and Teachers under the Gospel then formerly under the Law where if any would take a prediction upon him if he could not bring a present miracle or Sign sufficient to win belief he was censurable by the event it self But if any undertook to direct in matter of Doctrine the Law it self was still to be judge of the goodness thereof and he taken but as a private man unable to overthrow the authorized sense thereof without he brought attestation of Divine Authority higher then that whereby it was founded For to tempt the people to Idolatry or Service of other gods was amongst them made Capital as before rehearsed And so no doubt under the Gospel in the Primitive Church although there were not standing Schools and Orders of Priests and Prophets as amongst the Jews yet was the tryal of that spirit they pretended unto referred to the examination of the like extraordinary spirit in others even as all other of their illuminations and doctrines were for confirmation censurable according to those Principles of Christianity which the Apostles the then Heads of Churches had from our Saviour received and so had again as Master-builders set down for the peoples edification against which although an Angel from heaven should teach they were to be accursed But because these Precepts and Doctrines of our Saviour were neither so numerous nor by him so exactly set down as the Law of Moses but left in trust to the Heads and Guides of his Kingdom the Church it therefore came to pass that the inferiour members of the Church should be much more subject then formerly to these their Teachers directions even because they were not elsewhere to be learnt Nor should it seem strange to any that the power of these Functions formerly clipt away from Monarchy should thus under the Gospel be restored by vertue of deputation from that Supreme Head of the Christian Church The first born of every creature and the first born amongst many brethren since they were anciently annexed by God unto the Prerogative of Birth-right and so seated Paterno Jure in the Master of the family as in order to enable him in his sole Government and Authority for so we read of Enoch and Jacob prophesying and of Abraham and other the Patriarchs sacrificing But when the numerousness of the Church did require
That God would divide him a portion with the great and that by these his Deputies swords he himself should divide the spoil with the strong that is when he shall have made his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed meaning more especially these his adopted Sons and by means of their ministration he shall prolong his days that is in exercise of temporal Kingship And thereby the pleasure of the Lord concerning the Churches temporal salvation and glory as well as eternal shall prosper in his hands So that the Apostles mistake in the forementioned demand was in the time and season of Christs more majestick appearance in the exercise of Kingly power in this kingdom of the Church by God given him and not in the true right he had thereunto Their mistake also was in fixing their thoughts too strictly on the Jewish Nation as if Israel in the litteral sense and not the whole Church had been the Kingdom to be thus dignified and advanced by his Government These mistakes they were also the rather led into in regard of those many promises made in particular to the Jewish Nation and also for that those promised blessings were always exemplified under the person of David whose natural son they knowing our Saviour to be it made them to expect he should thereupon be himself the executioner and undertaker thereof and so to be actually seated in the Throne of his father David as it was before promised to the blessed Virgin Yet if they had withal considered that other prediction concerning our Saviour made to Joseph namely that he should save his people from their sins they would not then have gone about to make the execution of his Office of temporal Jesuship precipitately to defeat that other his Office of saving souls But our Saviour that knew best his appointed time and manner for performance of these offices executed first the higher and greater work in his own person and leaves the other to be brought about and executed by Substitutes anointed under him He upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins and sate down at the right hand of Majesty on high In which regard although every member of his Church were equally his seed and equal to one another in reference to that Mediatorship which was consummated in his own person without other future assistance save that of the Holy Ghost yet in regard of the Prophetick and Kingly part or the part of Instruction and Government which was to be compleated by Humane deputation they were again severally dignified and differenced one from another and so might be unequally esteemed his seed as they stood in that respect nearer in relation unto him for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of â—he body of Christ. And as this difference is to be observed that we be not like children without a Father carried to and fro of every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive so is it to last till Christs second coming that we come to the stature of the fulness of Christ. So that the glory of the Church this Kingdom of God given unto Christ being to arise by these means and degrees it is the reason of that petition of Thy kingdom come Which importing no doubt its encrease and prosperity here in order to have his name more hallowed and honored thereby may be well interpreted to signifie our desire that this Church may arise at such a degree and state of eminence that it may be proportionable in splendor and dignity to admit the true Idea and Platform of Regiment used by God himself Not as if the measure of Gods Omnipotent power should be then encreased but that the manner of execution thereof in the Church should be also more conform namely That his will may be done on earth as it is in heaven For although before it Christs Will and Law for the matter of them was as truly if not more performed in the Apostles time and by the primitive Church then afterwards no otherwise then in the Jewish Church Gods service was generally more unstained before Kings then afterwards yet as amongst them the accomplishment of Gods aim and promise of having a place to put his name in was made the object of their desires as therewith importing their own promised happiness also so in the Christian Church you may find reason why it should be commanded us to conform our desires to that of Gods and that besides the matter of our own inward devotions and charity whereby we severally and privately performed his will we should desire the manner of performance of it to be outwardly glorious and uniform also that it may answer as near as may be that ready service which Angels do in heaven For if we hallow and glorifie his name and do also acknowledge his power and kingdom on earth as it is in heaven we shall no doubt then best do his will in earth as it is in heaven Whereupon concluding also that the first petition of hallowing Gods name is to be explained also on earth as it is in heaven because we have no need nor warrant to doubt or wish the doing it in Heaven it is farther evident that the petition of Kingdom come must relate to the Churches future prosperity according to whose splendor and greatness God himself and his Kingdom may be rightly said to be more or less come or present amongst us even as he is more or less majestically râ—presented in the eminence of that officer which is substituted with his authority And therefore we being to ascribe all kingdom power and glory unto him without wresting from him the right of his everlasting kingdom amongst men we may explain this petition of Thy kingdom come in our Gospel precept of prayer by that petition of the Jewish Churches prosperity included in their injunction To pray for the peace of Jerusalem Both they and we being thereby obliged to continual duty of praying for the encrease and glory of his Church and that not only when it is weak but although flourishing we are to pray for the continuance and encrease thereof And that it may the better so do we are to make prayers and supplications for such as shall be chiefly instrumental therein that is for Kings and all that are in Authority This our commanded Petition pointing at the glory and encrease of the Church and particularly under Kingship may also well be understood as proportioned and answering the many Gospel-Promises made to that purpose and those particular promises also heretofore made to Abraham and other the Church Fathers and Founders namely that their encrease of race and posterity should be crowned with the blessing of Kingship also as we have formerly noted So that besides the expression of our
desire that Gods honor by the encrease of his Power and Kingdom amongst men may be advanced which we are always to seek before any thing that concerns our selves this Petition for the encrease of the Churches power was inclusive also of our own benefits as secretly importing a request for the abatement and diversion of those grivous persecutions which the power of Heathenish Authority did then inflict conform to that natural desire of our Saviour himself so often repeated Father if it be thy will let this cup pass from me From which persecutions as they were to hope release answerable to those many Prophesies formerly made of the Churches prosperity and eminence in Power so were they to pray that God would bring it to pass by setting the mountain of the Lords house on the top of every mountain and above every him that is by advancing Christs Kingdom and Power to such height as it might be of highest eminence amongst men By which means notwithstanding all those many oppositions made in the beginning by Pagan Kings and others God would perform his promise of Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill that is advanced my Churches power to such hight that the members thereof may now be sensible of those many Promises of Peace and Prosperity which under Christs glorious Kingdom they were to enjoy The power of the Church being thus to be seated in Christ the Heir of all things and by him deputed unto others is the reason why as the Old Testament usually calls the risings and the murmurings against Gods chief Minister a rising and murmuring against God even so also S. Paul warning the Corinthians against tempting of Christ brings in the example where the Israelites tempted and spake against Moses as may appear by Moses words in his Expostulation with God taking their complaints as aimed at himself saying Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people for they weep unto me saying give us fâ—esh that we may eat Which words denote to us that he being anointed by God as the chief Magistrate over them and so personating that power of judgement and Government which by God the Father should be committed unto Christ the Son under the notion of Unction the tempting of him is stiled the tempting of Christ and that more especially because he was more expresly representing him in that office of kingship that had most of his unction as being King of Israel or Jesurun So that although Christ and his Gospel appeared to the Jews as under a cloud yet while they were all baptized unto Moses Christs Minister in the cloud and in the sea that is were observant and obedient unto him in Christs stead they did all eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock is Christ But because their not following and obeying him was the cause they soon fell to Idolatry and other evils therefore are they put for examples and admonitions to us upon whom the ends of the world are come that we should not murmure against Christ chief Minister and so tempt him as they did And that murmuring against Gods Minister is by God reckoned as against himself farther appears in that it is said All the Congregation murmured against Moses and against Aaron And in the 11 Verse God says How long will this people provoke me c. And in the 29 Verse How long shall I bear with this evil Congregation which murmure against me I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel which they murmure against me So that now all Government being committed unto Christ the second Person in the Trinity they that oppose those Anointed Powers that act under him as Christi are to be deemed opposers of him as the Christ even as those former opposers of Gods Substitutes were called murmurmurers against Cod while they acted under the Notion of Elohim But although every opposition of Christs chief Minister in Church-Authority may upon former reasons be esteemed done in opposition to Christ yet shall we not find the term of Antichristianism set down til after our Saviours Ascension For until he had revealed himself so far as to institute and authorise Officers under him and they again to hold and exercise their power as in direct acknowledgement of him the opposition of these Officers could not be formally that crime of Antichristianism which we may call the Gospel term for Rebellion And is the resistance of Christs Kingly power excented by himself or his chief immediate Officer But because himself was little seen herein as never partaking of the visible and material unction the Scripture usually makes that sin to be the rebellion against the Christian Monarch by any inferior person or order of men For although the opposition in the primitive times made against this flourishing State or Kingdom of Christs Church set down in the Prophesie of the Psalms is to be interpreted against Christ where it is demanded Why do the Heathen rvge and the people imagine a vain thing the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying let us break their bands in sunder and cast their cords from us yet because they were done by Heathens and such as acknowledged not God the Father they were Theomachy against Gods more then Antichristianism against Christs eminence in power And therefore they do but shew us that first conspiracy of men of all sorts which should be the forerunner of those more notorious Antichristian plots which should afterwards proceed from such as professed his service alter such time as he hath been by God set on his holy hill of Sion or the Church and that many of these Kings had made their acknowledgements unto God and him According to the Expression there used of kissing the Sonne Whereupon divers of the Penmen of the New Testament foreseeing the sundry oppositions of this deputed power do call the person so doing Antichrist a word proper for such as oppose persons anointed Which as in the first place is due to the Anointed the Christ of God or the Lord Christ or the Messiah being anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows So next to Kings who as heretofore noted are only stiled Gods Anointed or the Lords Anointed and so by derivation of power from God obtain with Christ a kind of fellowship And thus much we shall find plainly discovered unto us in the Parable of the talents where Christs trust of his Kingdom and Power here committed to Deputies during his absence to possess another Kingdom is set down upon the occasion of the prejudice of such as thought because of his going to Jerusalem himsâ—lf that therefore the Kingdom of God should presently appear that is be forthwith gloriously managed by himself He therefore says a
had mysterously thus avowed his own power and still used meek and loving intreaties whereas he might have come with a rod in vindication of his power in the kingdom of God it was out of jealousie of robbing God of his honor by thinking of men above what was written and to leave them also an example of greater humility since he that was chief amongst them took no more upon him Having also by this abatement of himself who as an Apostle was their chief Head an aim to reduce them from Schism caused through their esteeming too highly of others that were puffed up and yet had no Mission nothing written for their so doing as he had who was endued with power to command them in the Lord or in Christs name according to the written texts of He that receiveth you receiveth me c. So that we may see the mysterie of their duty of obedience to Christs Minister plainly inferred when by forbidding to think of men above what is written it must be supposed their duty to give what is written Without this way of interpretation and by consideration and regard had unto the Dignity and Authority of Christs Ministers and the Stewards of the Mysteries of God it will be very hard to make the word For to be pertinent in the said sentence That no one of you be puffed up for one against another Because we are to conceive that although faithfulness be required in Stewards yet it being not as heretofore noted subjected to mans judgement but to Gods whose Stewards they are the people are therefore to refer their censure of their Superiors power or prudence to him that is the Guide as well as the Searcher of their hearts When Christ at his second coming shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness that is shall discover the reason of this mystical way of empowering his Substitutes and shall then also by making manifest the counsel of hearts convince men that many things were by their Superiors done upon good counsel and consideration which they by hearkning to private Doctrines and Guides might misconstrue and so be led into schisms and seditions whilst they shall be thus puffed up for one another as they stood each one distinctly conceited and interessed in their several Congregations and Heads and thereby come to be really and effectually one against another in respect of that breach of publike Peace and Charity which this factious proceeding and dis-respect to one Head must produce And of this mystical delivery of his authority we shall farther instance in one place as particularly remarkable for setting the power of each Churches Head in such a way as not to be subject either to rob God of his honor or to give scandal by his own claiming authority to himself in too plain a manner He having praised the Corinthians for keeping the Ordinances delivered unto them whereby they had shewed themselves Disciples or followers of him as he was of Christ he then adds to take off all shew of boasting But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the head of Christ is God That is I would not be understood as claiming this obedience in mine own name but as under Christ the head of every man that is more especially of every man thus exalted in power For as we cannnot interpret Christ to be Head of every single man so as to exclude the whole sex of women no more can we think that in regard of power and subjection one to another which is the scope of what went before and what follows that every man stands in like relation to Christ. But that although all single men and women so far as they are Christians are alike his members yet do they differ as they stand in their Oeconomy relating as Ministers and Members in each particular Church Therefore we cannot conceive that all this serious discourse should be litterally taken as driving at nothing but womens covering their heads or of mens being bare-headed in time of praying or prophesying as if God cared for the one or the other as in themselves But to shew that according to the drift of the former Chapters there ought to be order kept in all our publike services and that also this order and uniformity is to be directed by obedience So that by Man we may understand the Head of each Church and by women the members thereof and most especially those of the Clergy who are as wives to be directed herein by their husbands And Praying and Prophesying we may understand put for the whole outward service That this was only Parabolically spoken of women with intention that under the instance of their subjection to their husbands general subjection might be inferred will appear in that the woman is herein proposed as doing that which she is not permitted to do that is to prophesie and especially publikely For so we shall find him presently saying Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law and if they will learn any thing let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church In which place the occasion of the speech was also the same namely the avoidance of Schisms by having all things done decently and in order that is by means of subordination and subjection of the second and third ranks of Prophets and Teachers unto Apostolical Authority which is the first and so established by Christ also Again it will appear parabollically put for that the tokens of subjection there put down are not pertinent to set forth the subordination of women to men litterally taken but are mysteriously proper to set forth the subjection of each Church to that husband unto whom in Christ she is married For being bare-headed did not signifie Power and Freedom nor being covered signifie servitude but the quite contrary both in the sense of those times and ours But if it be supposed not fit for the Head of the Church to pray with his head covered for dishonoring his head that is Christ from whom all his Authority is derived even so again by covering understanding publike Church Rights and Orders each Church is not then to be supposed left bare and at liberty in these things by her Head as the Head thereof is by Christ his Head But that she is to observe them as her covering or else renounce her obedience by being shorn Again apprehending the duties of obedience and subjection to be signified under signs contrary we may observe that the man ought not to cover his head forasmuch as he is the glory of God that is in his head he is more particularly representing his Authority and universal Headship in respect of his Government and Power amongst
from that of another is but because they do proportionably differ in their belief and judgements in matters of Doctrine and Discipline must it not then be presumed that so far as the members of each Christian Church shall decline in their reverential regard towards their Churches soundness and veracity even so far will they conquently judge it fit to divide themselves by seperate Congregations or the like whereupon since a Christian Church and State are but the same as heretofore proved it will soon be found that this schism in the Church will be the same with a revolt in the State and wants but strength and opportunity to actuate its dislike into a rebellion For although they may at first for a countenance to their actions and to draw in associates make use of that deceivable distinction of Religious and Civil affairs and so pretend that they intend not at all to trench on the Civil jurisdiction yet when by strength of Allies and Confederates they shall once have arrived at their desired degree of power it will then appear that they which at first did intreat to be independent in relation to the Church will now practise to be so in reference to the State too and so by degrees to be super-eminent and command in both For must it not be expected that that thirst of ambition and rule by them called Zeal and Charity which first caused them to draw in sectators as the objects and trophies of their glory and power should ever stoop to any stint or moderation afterwards whenas in order to spiritual things and religious cognizance it is so easie a matter to draw in State affairs also and then as Christs immediate Ministers to preside in them without controle And must it not then be expected that that greater and higher tye of terror and fear by which men are kept in obedience as in a religious subjection must also make them in case of difference with their civil head to seem regardless of terror from him as having but power over the body onely and so consequently stick fast to the obedience of the other against him For if the separation was not at first made upon such grounds as were hazardous of salvation why was it made and being made and continued how can it be expected they should be thought less so that when opportunity shall leave men at liberty which side to follow they will certainly choose that which they acknowledge for right in the main Although some have in these cases stept in with an Apology and thought tolleration of dissent from the Church allowable where a breach of Charity was not presently made by schism but the points in question were meerly speculative yet will the example of the Arrians and others of old and the Remonstrants and others of late truely satisfie us of the danger hereof and how by degrees it will also arise to Civil faction and commotion For in this case as formerly noted the discontented preacher is to be looked upon as fire and the people in their natural thirst to dislike and insubjection to be looked upon as fewel And therefore although instance may be made and hope may be gathered that these Tolerations have not arisen to a Civil war yet can none make instance nor reasonably presume that publike discontents should not be hereby exasperated and encreased even to a due height and fitness to break forth into open insurrection upon any fit opportunity For as in our bodies natural there is an amassment of corrupt humors and habits from intemperance and irregularity of diet exercise c. before some extraordinary cold or the like discover any thing in a Feaver or other formal disease Even so they should do well to consider that Civil war and Rebellion in States and Kingdoms are never to be feared to work to any strength or continuance where there is not a precedent amassment of discontents by which there may be a juncture made to obstruct the ordinary course of Regiment upon a revolt and it is in this case to be highly observable that the discontents of Religion are ever chief and ringleaders For as it is natural for mankinde to know so also to be known to know in such sort that we many times covet to know but through pride to appear knowing it must therefore be presumed that the Authors and Abetters of each Sect and Congregation seeking to make themselves famous by the number and quality of those proselites they shall gain from one another that therefore in order to this encrease and that of their own reputation they must vilifie and deprave the Judgement and Practise of their opposites and thereby of necessary consequence draw on exasperation and breach of Charity and if the separation be made from the whole Church it must introduce disobedience also For Faith Love and Obedience as they have a natural Coincidence where there is some equal respect carryed towards them so have they as necessary a separation and loss where any of them is slighted or omitted For as that Love and Obedience we are to give to God doth depend on that belief we have of his Power Goodness and Truth so also doth that respect and obedience which we are to give to the Church his representative power on earth depend on our perswasion of its veracity and Authority So that if men can be once brought to to dis-believe her soundness or insufficiency even so far as her communion may be hazardous and damnable Obedience to her in any sort is not to be long expected And therefore although God have reserved to himself the Prerogative of trying the heart and reins and Princes can have no Cognizance and jurisdiction over the thoughts and belief of men yet so far as these their thoughts and perswasions do by words or actions make open tendendency to the seduction of others in a course of sedition contrary to the rules of Charity so far are they censurable by the present Higher Power And in this case Saint Pauls Admonition will be proper unto them hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God that is let not the desire of eminence and practise in thy different judgement make thee neglectful of Charity and those things that make for Peace as is largely in that chapter set down but rather know that for this very end thou art for conscience sake also to be subject to the higher power as is also largely commanded in the Chapter foregoing And although it be true again that in many matters of Religion Princes cannot command as Law-makers and in their own names as in more civil matters he doth yet as the supreme Magistrate entrusted from above with the interpretation and execution of these Laws and Rules he may command under God with the same authority which a High Constable Lieutenant or other Supreme State Officer doth in the absence of himself And upon the same reason that Civil Laws would be fond and useless things if
must take end and fall into confusion Even so in a stare we may easily conceive how soon the constitution and welfare thereof would perish by disorder if the Statute and determinate rule of the Soveraign were not inviolably observed for subjects would forget to do as they would be done unto in regard of those liberties they would leave to posterity and their fellows as men in nature are usually inconsiderate that since their Fathers and Progenitors death made way for them so ought they to do the like for their children In which case of restraining the general actions of men to be guided by the same uniform Rules and politick Laws as natural Agents are in their courses although the number of those that would be thereby offended would exceed any number of men offended by particular crosses arising from prosecutions of their own devisings because a far greater number were this way ruled then the other yet let the discontented parties of the whole Kingdom governed by no other restraint then what they occasionally make one upon another be compared to those in any Kingdom of the same number where an uniform constraint is imposed and the persons in the first sort restrained will be more and also because of unexpectedness and want of order their restraints will be more unpleasant in the kinde then the other which hath now through custom of induration lost the sense thereof even as Millers and Jaylors of those noises and sents they are used unto For as we finde by experience that the onely reason of the discontent of the subjects of one Kingdom above those of another is for that there is difference in their Governments and Customs it must be much more likely to happen between Subjects and the same Kingdom where the different usages and customs must be in the continual notice of one another And thus it fareth not onely in case of licentiousness or where no Government is but upon the like reason when Authority doth make restraint in any thing it will follow that as this restraint is more or less that is as the subjected parties have more or less possibility of breaking it so will the continuance of obedience be more or less also For although appetite affect pleasure and custom of each sort yet when such high difficulty or inconveniency shall appear the reasonable will doth soon decline it and being thereupon turned to the choice of an object or action for the present less affected in it self doth through custom therein bring it as aforesaid into pleasure and make our Obedience prove our Liberty And the very reason why men living under one Government are many times affected with another is not from unpleasantness of that uniformity they are under but on the contrary supposing a greater uniformity of actions set by Law in that Government they commend then indeed there is For in this case usually considering their own contrivances onely which must be regular and that without just estimation how the contrivances of others might or do cross them they mistake pleasure by plotting an uniformity in the fancy which can never be in act and so come to pursue pain and trouble instead thereof For it is not variety as variety that affects but it is custom varied which will imply custom and not variety because to affect variety of customs is to affect Custom And therefore when men through the often contemplation and contrivance of an Idea or platform of Government in their fancy come thereby to attain an affection and Will thereunto this comes no otherwise to pass then if a remarkable object should through often presentation in the fancy come to pass in the extream of love or hatred according to that relish it was at first entertained with and thereupon be called sympathy or antipathy even so also this apprehension takes sometimes with men as if by sensible practice and induction their likings had been won and they may thereupon be as well said to be guided by custom to like and approve that unexperienced form as that they live under and it may be more as having oftener and more attentively considered it and its benefits when on the contrary the inconveniences and the pressures of the Government under which he lives work so strongly towards the abatement of his affections through the allay of fear that he becomes not so intent in his relishes that way and peradventure out of that general love every man carries to his own contrivance the inconveniences of the Government he now fancies are as far removed from his conceit as sense And it fares in this case with Government upon tryal as with any other beloved and much desired object namely that they never answer in possession that measure of delight they were coveted with because the Idea in our fancy was the thing which we were in love with which as it was oftener seen in our fancy then the original in our sense so was it pleasanter and it was perfecter also as being contemplated without those inconveniences which are now found in the others enjoyment And besides this our senses themselves are cozened with the inconveniences of things for as each person in their natural affectation of glory and reputation is willing to appear publikely without faults even so each Government and the people therein do their utmost to set forth their power riches freedom peace honor c. but their sufferings they so strive to conceal that we may be and are as often deceived in judging a good Government or a happy and peaceabele State or Kingdom as of a vertuous rich or honest person or in discovering the many discords any marryed couple may have by those outward kinde appearances that may pass betwixt them The like reason leads for regulating and stinting men in the exercise of Religion which as it is taken of much more concern must be made equally acceptable and pleasing to all by set and positive rules or else through necessary exasperation which difference wil beget amongst subjects their discontents will be higher then in other things encreasing as it were by a continual Antiperistasis until it break forth into the thunder and lightning of civil war and commotion For to be divided in sect and opinion must by degrees turn into a division in Love and Charity even because as there is a coincidence between Faith and Charity so is it as well the beginner of quarrels as the highest proof of uncharitableness upon unauthorized grounds and suspitions to censure or condemn any one in respect of his judgement or belief and if done by any towards that Church whereof they are members it is undutiful also And this discord we shall finde arising even from natural and necessary grounds also For since the Will must follow the light of the Understanding how shall any be thought willing to associate and accompany those that do amiss And since the reason why those of any Church do order their discipline and practise different