he shall serve me He that worketh Deceit shall not dwell within my House He that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight Prov. 3. 33. The Curse of the Lord is in the House of the wicked but he blesseth the Habitation of the Iust. LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons at the Sign of the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1673. To all that fear God in the Burrough and Parish of Kederminster in Worcestershire Dear Friends YOU are the Only People that ever I took a special Pastoral Charge of And Gods blessing and your Obedience to his Word do make the remembrance of my Labours and Converse with you to be sweet It was neither by Your Will or Mine that we have been this twelve years separated nor that we yet continue so I thank our most Gracious God who maugre all the Serpents Malice hath Inwardly and Outwardly so well provided for you above most others as that I hope you will be no losers by any thing which hath yet befallen you That I have hitherto survived so many of my departed Friends both with you and elsewhere after all that you have known is my own wonder as well as yours And what I have been doing in this time of our separation I have formerly told you in part by some other Writings and now tell you more by this which was written about five or six years ago though it found not passage into the world till now I live not yet Idle But whether this be the way of my chiefest service to the Church of God in my present case some distant Censurers have questioned If it be not my Ignorance of my duty and of what will be most useful to others is the cause and not my Love of Ease or my obeying Man rather than God I judge that my chief duty which I think is likest to do most good I am glad that once more before I dye I have opportunity to speak to you at this distance and to perswade you to and Direct you in that Family Holiness and Righteousness which hath been so much of your Comfort and Honour and will be so while you faithfully continue it O how happy a state is it to have God dwell in your Families by his Love and Blessing and Rule them by his Word and Spirit and Protect them by his Power and Delight in them and they in Him as his Churches preparing for the Coelestial Delights O how much of the Interest of true Religion must be kept up in the world by the Holiness and Diligence of Christian Families How happy a supply doth it afford where there are sad defects in the Teaching Holiness and Discipline of the Churches O that the Rulers of Families who are silenced by no others did not silence themselves from that Instructing and Prayer which is their work I should be sorry that this Directory is so Voluminous that few of you can buy it but that more Ends than One in such works must be intended If any of you which God forbid shall shew by an ungodly life that you have forgotten the Doctrine which was taught you or if more yet shall traduce the Doctrine of your once unworthy Teacher Posterity shall here see what it was in this Record which may remain and preach when I am yet more silenced in the dust The Lord whom we have served though with lamentable defects and in whom though alas too weakly we have trusted preserve us in the Life of Faith Hope and Love in Sincerity Zeal and patient Constancy to the Glorious Life where we hope to behold in Perfect Love without the fear of death or separation our most Blessed Head and God for ever Amen Totteridge near Barnet Feb. 10. 1671 2. Your Servant in Willingness Richard Baxter A Christian Directory TOM II. Christian Oeconomicks CHAP. I. Directions about Marriage for Choice and Contract AS the Persons of Christians in their privatest capacities are Holy as being Dedicated and separated unto God so also must their Families be HOLINESS TO THE LORD must be as it were written on their Doors and on their Relations their Possessions and Affairs To which it is requisite 1. That there be a Holy Constitution of their Families 2. And a holy Government of them and discharge of the several duties of the Members of the Family To the right constituting of a Family belongeth 1. The right contracting of Marriage and 2. The right choice and contract betwixt Masters and their Servants For the first § 2. Direct 1. Take heed that neither lust nor rashness do thrust you into a marryed condition before Direct 1. you see such Reasons to invite you to it as may assure you of the Call and approbation of God For 1. It is God that you must serve in your Marryed state and therefore it is meet that you take his counsel before you rush upon it For he knoweth best himself what belongeth to his service 2. And it is God that you must still depend upon for the blessing and comforts of your relation And therefore there is very great reason that you take his advice and consent as the chief things requisite to the match If the Consent of Parents be necessary much more is the Consent of God § 3. Quest. But how shall a man know whether God call him to Marriage or consent unto it Hath Quest. he not here left all men to their liberties as in a thing indifferent Answ. God hath not made any Universal Law commanding or forbidding Marriage but in this Answ. Whether Marriage be indifferent regard hath left it indifferent to mankind yet not allowing all to marry for undoubtedly to some it is unlawful But he hath by other General Laws or Rules directed men to know in what cases it is lawful and in what cases it is a sin As every man is bound to choose that condition in which he may serve God with the best advantages and which tendeth most to his spiritual welfare and increase in Holiness Now there is nothing in Marriage it self which maketh it commonly inconsistent with these benefits and the fulfilling of these Laws And therefore it is said that He that Marrieth doth well that is he doth that which of it self is not unlawful and which to some is the 1 Cor 7. 7 3◠most eligible state of life But there is something in a single life which maketh it especially to Preachers and persecuted Christians to be more usually the most advantagious state of life to these Ends of Christianity And therefore it is said that He that marrieth not doth better And yet to individual persons it is hard to imagine how it can choose but be either a duty or a sin at least except in some unusual cases For it is a thing of so great moment as to the ordering of our hearts and lives that it is hard to imagine that it should ever be indifferent as a means to our main end but
antient formulae agree not in words among themselves 5. It is not to be doubted of but the Apostles did appoint and use a Creed commonly in their ☞ dayes And that it is the same with that which is now called the Apostles and the Nicene in the main but not just the same composure of words nor had they any such precise composure as can be proved But this much is easily provable 1. That Christ Composed a Creed when he made his Covenant and instituted Baptism Matth. 28. 19. 2. That in the Jewish Church where men were educated in the knowledge of the Scriptures and expectation of the Mâ—ssiah it was supposed that the people had so much preparatory knowledge as made them the more capable of Baptism as soon as they did but seriously profess to Believe and Consent to the terms of the Covenant And therefore they were presently baptized Acts 2. 38 39 40. 3. That this could not be rationally supposed among the Gentiles and common Ignorant people of the world And Ignorantis non est Consensus He doth not Covenant who understandeth not the Covenant as to what is promised him and what he promiseth 4. That the Apostles baptized and caused others to baptize many thousands and settle many Churches before any part of the New Testament was written even many and many years 5. That the Apostles did their work as well and better than any that succeeded them 6. That their successors in the Common Ministery did as far as any Church History leadeth us up Instruct and Catechise men in the meaning of the Baptismal Covenant which is the Christian faith before they baptized them Yea they kept them long in the state of Catechumens usually before they would baptize them And after baptized but twice a year at Easter and Whitsontide as our Liturgy noteth And they received an account of their tolerable understanding of Religion before they would receive them into the Church 7. No doubt then but the Apostles did cause the baptizable to understand the three Articles of Christs own Creed and Covenant and to give some account of it before they baptized them ordinarily among the Gentiles 8. No doubt therefore but they used many more Explicatory words to cause them to understand those few 9. There is neither proof nor probability that they used a Composure of just the same words and no more or less Because they had to do with persons of several capacities some knowing who needed fewer words and some ignorant and dull who needed more Nor is any such Composure Heb. 5. 11 12. 6. 1 2 3. come down to our hands 10. But it is more than probable that the Matter opened by them to all the Catechumens was still the same when the words were not the same For Gods Promises and mans Conditions are still the same where the Gospel cometh Though since by the occasion of Heresies some few material clauses are inserted For all Christians had one Christianity and must go one way to Heaven 11. It is also more than probable that they did not needlesly vary the words lest it should teach men to vary the matter But that all Christians before baptism did make the same profession of faith as to the sense and very much the same as to the very words using necessary caution and yet avoiding unnecessary preciseness of formality But so as to obviate damnable Heresies that the Christian profession might attain its ends 12. Lastly No doubt but this practice of the Apostles was exemplary and imitated by the Churches and that thus the Essentials of Religion were by the tradition of the Creed and Baptism delivered 2 Tim. 1 13. 2 Cor. 3. 2 3 7. Heb. 8. 10. 10. 16. by themselves as far as Christianity went long before any Book of the New Testament was written And every Christian was an Impress or Transcript or Specimen of it And that the following Churches using the same Creed wholly in sense and mostly in words might so far well call it The Apostles Creed As they did both the Western and the Nicene Quest. 140. What is the use of Catechisms Answ. TO be a more familiar explication of the Essentials of Christianity and the principal Integrals in a larger manner than the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue do that the ignorant may the more easily understand it Every man cannot gather out of the Scripture the Greatest matters in the true method as distinct from all the rest And therefore it is part of the work of the Churches Teachers to do it to the hands and use of the ignorant Quest. 141. Could any of us have known by the Scriptures alone the Essentials of Religion from the Rest if Tradition had not given them to us in the Creed as from Apostolical Collection Answ. YEs For the Scripture it self telleth us what is necessary to salvation It describeth to us the Covenant of Grace both Promises and Conditions And it were strange if so large a Volume should not as plainly tell us what is necessary to salvation as fewer words The Scripture hath not Less than the Creed but more Quest. 142. What is the best Method of a true Catechism or Summ of Theology Answ. GOd willing I shall tell the Church my opinion of that at large in a peculiar Latin Treatise called Methodus Theologiae which here I cannot do Only I shall say that among all the great variety of Methods used in these times I think none cometh nearer the Order of the Matter which is the true Commendation of a Method than those which open Theology 1. In the breviate of the Baptismal Covenant 2. In the three explicatory summs the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue with the added Gospel Precepts 3. In the Largest form which is the whole Scripture And that our common English Catechism and Paraeus or Ursine and many such who use that common easie Method are more truly Methodical than most that pretend to greater accu 〈…〉 ness Though I much commend the great industry of such as Dudley Fenner Gomarrus and 〈…〉 cially George Sohenius Quest. 143. What is the use of various Church Confessions or Articles of Faith Answ. I Will pass by the very ill use that is made of them in too many Countreys where unnecessary opinions or uncertain are put in and they that can get into favour with the Secular Power take advantage under pretence of Orthodoxness and Uniformity Truth and Peace to set up their opinions and judgements to be the common rule for all to bow to though wiser than themselvâ—s And to silence all Ministers and scatter and divide the flocks that will not say or swear as they do that is that they are wise men and are in the right The true and commendable use of various Church Professions or Confessions of faith is 1. To be an Instruction to the more ignorant how to understand the Scriptures in most of the most weighty points 2. To be an enumeration of
Associate your selves with them that go the way to Heaven if you resolve your selves to go it O what a deal of difference will you find between these two sorts of companions The one sort if you have any thoughts of Repentance would stifle them and laugh you out of the use of your reason into their own distracted mirth and dotage And if you have any serious thoughts of your salvation or any inclinations to repent and be wise they will do much to divert them and hold you in the power and snares of Satan till it be too late If you have any zeal or heavenly mindedness they will do much to quench it and fetch down your minds to earth again The other sort will speak of things of so great weâ—â—â—â—t and moment and that with seriousness and reverence as will tend to raise and quicken your souâ— and possess you with a taste of the heavenly things which they discourse of They will encourage you by their own experiences and direct you by that truth which hath directed them and zealously communicate what they have received They will pray for you and teach you how to pray They will give the example of holy humble obedient lives and lovingly admonish you of your duties and reprove your sins In a word as the carnal mind doth savour the things of the flesh and is enmity against God the company of such will be a powerful means to infect you with their plague and make you such if you were escaped from them much more to keep you such if you are not escaped And as they that are spiritual do mind the things of the Spirit so their converse tendeth to make you spiritually minded as they are Rom. 8. 7 8. Though there are some useful qualities and gifts in some that are ungodly and some lamentable faults in many that are spiritual yet experience will shew you so great a difference between them in the main in heart and life as will make you the more easily to believe the difference that will be between them in the life to come § 6. 6. Another means is serious Meditation on the life to come and the way thereto Which though all cannot manage so methodically as some yet all should in some measure and season be acquainted with it § 7. 7. The last Means is to choose some prudent faithful Guide and Counsellor for your soul to Of how great concernment faithful Pastors are for the Conversion of the ungodly see a Jesuite Acosta li. 4. c. 1. 2 3 4. Infinitum esset caetera persequi quae contra hos satuos principes Tanaos contra Pastores stultos vel potius idola pastorum contra seipsos potius pascentes contra vaesâ—nos Prophetas contra Sacerdotes contemptores atque arrogantes contra â—lercus solennitatum contra popularis plausus captatores contra inexplebiles pecuniae gurgites caeâ—erasque pestes Propheticus sermo declamat Vix alias sancti Patres plenioribus velis feruntur in Pelagus quam cum de sacerdotali contumelia oratio est Acosta ib. p. 353. Non est iste sacerdos non est sed infestus atrox dolosus illusor sui lupus in dominicum gregem ovina pelle armatus Ibid. open those cases to which are not fit for all to know and to resolve and advise you in cases that are too hard for you Not to lead you blindfold after the interest of any seduced or ambitious men nor to engage you to his singular conceits against the Scripture or the Church of God but to be to your soul as a Physicion to your body or a Lawyer to your estates to help you where they are wiser than you and where you need their helps Resolve now that instead of your idle company and pastime your excessive cares and sinful pleasures you will wait on God in the seasonable use of these his own appointed means and you will find that he appointed them not in vain and that you shall not lose your labour Direction 17. THat in all this you may be sincere and not deceived by an hypocritical change be sure Direct 17. that God â—e all your Confidence and all your hopes be placed in Heaven and that there be no secret reserve in your hearts for the world and flesh and that you divide not your hearts between God and the things below nor take not up with the Religion of an hypocrite which giveth God what the flesh can spare § 1. When the Devil cannot keep you from a change and reformation he will seek to deceive you with a superficial change and half reformation which goeth not to the root nor doth not recover the heart to God nor deliver it entirely to him If he can by a partial deceitful change perswade you that you are truly renewed and sanctified and fix you there that you go no further you are as surely his as if you had continued in your grosser sins And of all other this is the most common and dangerous cheat of souls when they think to halve it between God and the world and to secure their fleshly interest of pleasure and prosperity and their salvation too and so they will needs serve God and Mammon § 2. This is the true Character of a self-deceiving hypocrite He is neither so fully perswaded of The â—ull desâ—â—iption of a 〈…〉 e câ—nâ—ersiâ—n and of an Hypocriâ—e Whâ—â—â—â—â—â— there are two great and grievous â—oâ—â—â—â— of â—roâ—ble â—â—â—â—â—d â—â—nâ— in the Churchâ—â— at the tryal of members and another â—n mens Consciences in trying their staâ—â—s about this Question How to know true Conversion or Sanctification I must tell them in boâ—h theâ—e troubles plainly that Christianity is but one thing the same in all Ages which is thâ—â—â—â— Consent to the Baptismal Covenant And there is no such way to resolve this question as to write or set before you the Covenant of Baptism in its proper sense and then ask your hearts whether you unâ—eignedly and resolvedly Consent He that consenteth truly is Converted and Justified and he that professeth Consent is to be received into the Church by Baptism if his Parents Coâ—â—â—â—t did not bring him in before which he is to do nevertheless himself at age the certain truth of the Scripture and the life to come nor yet so mortified to the flesh and world as to take the joyes of Heaven for his whole portion and to subject all his worldly prosperity and hopes thereunto and to part with all things in this world when it is necessary to the securing of his salvation And therefore he will not lose his hold of present things nor forsake his worldly interest for Christ as long as he can keep it Nor will he be any further religious than may stand with his bodily welfare resolving never to be undone by his godliness but in the first place to save himself and his prosperity in the world as long as he can And therefore he is truly a carnal worldly
and all the secrets of the heart Psalm 44. 21. 94. 11. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Acts 15. 18. His understanding is infinite Psalm 147. 5. What praise doth that Goodness and Mercy deserve which is diffused throughout all the world and is the life and hope and happiness of men and Angels His Mercy is Great unto the Heavens and his Truth unto the Clouds Psalm 57. 10. O how great is his Goodness to them that fear him Psalm 31. 10. and therefore how great should be his Praise Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord and who can shew forth all his Praise Psalm 106. 2. For great is the Glory of the Lord Psalm 138. 5. § 15. 2. It is the end of all Gods wondrous works and especially the end which man was made for that all things else might Praise him Objectively and men and Angels in estimation and expression that his Glorious excellency might be visible in his works and be admired and extolled by the rational creature For this all things were created and are continued For this we have our understanding and our speech This is the fruit that God expecteth from all his works Deny him this and you are guilty of frustrating the whole creation as much as in you lieth You would have the Sun to shine in vain and the Heavens and Earth to stand in vain and man and all things to live in vain if you would not have God have the praiâ—e and Glory of his works Therefore Sun and Moon and Starrs and Firmament are called on to Praise the Lord Psalm 148. 2 3 4. as they are the matter for which he must by us be praised O praise him therefore for his mighty acts Praise him according to his excellent greatness Psalm 150. 2. O that men would praise the Lord for his Goodness and declare his wondrous works for the children of men Psalm 107. 8 c. Yea it is the end of Christ in the Redemption of the world and in saving his elect that God might in the Church in Earth and Heaven have the praise and glory of his grace Ephes. 1. 6 12 14. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that iâ— the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13. 15. And let the redeemed of the Lord say that his mercy endureth for ever Psalm 107. 2. For this all his Saints are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people that they should shew forth the praises of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. § 16. 3. The Praise of God is the highest and noblest work in it self 1. It hath the highest object even the glorious excellencies of God Thanksgiving is somewhat lower as having more respect to our selves and the Benefits received But Praise is terminated directly on the perfections of God himself 2. It is that work that is most immediately neerest on God as he is Our end And as the end as such is better than all the means set together as such so are the final duties about the end greater than all the mediate duties 3. It is the work of the most excellent creatures of God the holy Angels They proclaimed the coming of Christ by way of Praise Luke 2. 13 14. Glory to God in the highest on earth peace Good-will towards men Psalm 103. 20. 148. 2. And as we must be equal to the Angels it must be in equal Praising God or else it will not be in equality of Glory 4. It is the work of Heaven the place and state of all perfection And that is best and highest which is nearest Heaven Where they rest not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Allmighty which was and is and is to come Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4. 8. 10. Rev. 19. 5. A voice came out of the throne saying Praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him both small and great verse 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thundrings saying Allelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself ready § 17. 4. It beseemeth us and much concerneth us to learn and exercise that work which in Heaven we must do for ever and that is to Love and joyfully Praise the Lord. For earth is but the place of our apprentiship for Heaven The preparing works of mortifying repentance must in their place be done but only as subservient to these which we must ever do When we shall sing the new song before the Lamb Thou art worthy For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made us Kings and Priests unto our God Rev. 5. 9 10. Therefore the Primitive Church of believers is described as most like to Heaven Luke 24. 53. with great joy they were continually in the Temple Praising and blessing God O Praise the Lord therefore in the congregations of the Saints Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King Psalm 149. 1 2. Let the Saints be joyful in glory Let the high praises of God be in their mouths verse 5 6. § 18. 5. Though we are yet diseased sinners and in our warfare among enemies dangers and perplexities yet Praise is seasonable and suitable to our condition here as the greatest part of our duty which all the rest must but promote Pretend not that it is not fit for you because you are sinners and that humiliation only is suitable to your state For the design of your redemption the tenour of the Gospel and your own condition engage you to it Are they not engaged to Praise the Lord that are brought so near him to that end 1 Pet. 2 5. 9. that are reconciled to him To whom he hath given and forgiven so much 1 Tim. 1. 15. Tit. 3. 3 5. Psalm 103. 1 2 3. that have so many great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. that are the Temples of the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in them and sanctifieth them to God That have a Christ interâ—â—ding for them in the highest Rom. 8. 33 34. That are allways safe in the arms of Christ that are guarded by Angels and Devils and enemies forbidden to touch them further than their father sâ—eth necessary for their good That have the Lord for their God Psalm 33. 12. 4. 8. That have his Saints for their companions and helpers That have so many ordinances to help their souls And so
And it is no true Repentance when you say I am sorry that I have sinned but you know not or remember not Wherein you have sinned nor what your sin is and so repent not indeed of any one sin at all And so it is no true Desire that reacheth not to the particular necessary Graces which we must desire Though I know some few very quick comprehensive minds can in in a moment think of many particulars when they use but General words And I know that some smaller less necessary things may be generally past over and greater matters in a time of haste or when we besides those Generals do also use particular requests § 3. Quest. 3. Is it lawful to pray in a set form of words Quest. 3. Answ. Nothing but very great ignorance can make you really doubt of it Hath God any where forbid it You will say That it s enough that he hath not commanded it I answer That in general he See Selden â—bi supra proving that the Jeâ—s had a form of prayer since Ezra's time I herefore it was in Christs time Yet he and his Apostles joyned with them and never contradicted or blamed them for forms hath commanded it to all whose edification it tendeth to when he commandeth you that all be done to edification But he hath given no particular command nor prohibition No more he hath not commanded you to pray in English French or Latin nor to sing Psalms in this Tune or that nor after this or that Version or Translation nor to preach in this Method particularly or that nor alwayes to preach upon a Text nor to use written Notes nor to compose a form of words and learn them anâ— preach them after they are composed with a hundred such like which are undoubtedly lawful yea and needful to some though not to others If you make up all your prayer of Scripture sentences this is to pray in a form of prescribed words and yet as lawful and fit as any of your own The Pâ—alms are most of them forms of Prayer or Praise which the Spirit of God indited for the use of the Church and of particular persons It would be easie to fill many Pages with larger reasonings and answers to all the fallacious Objections that are brought against this But I will not so far weary the Reader and my self § 4. Quest. 4. But are those forms lawful which are prescribed by others and not by God Quest. 4. Answ. Yea Or else it would be unlawful for a Child or Scholar to use a form prescribed by his Parents or Master And to think that a thing lawful doth presently become unlawful because a Parent Master Pastor or Prince doth prescribe it or command it is a conceit that I will not wrong my Reader so far as to suppose him guilty of Indeed if an Usurper that hath no Authority over us in such matters do prescribe it we are not bound to formal Obedience that is to do it therefore because he commandeth it But yet I may be bound to it on some other accounts And though his command do not bind me yet it maketh not the thing it self unlawful § 5. Quest. 5. But is it lawful to pray ex tempore without a premeditated form of words Quest. 5. Answ. No Christian of competent understanding doubteth of it We must premeditate on our waâ—ts and sins and the graces and mercies we desire and the God we speak to and we must be able to express these things without any lothsome and unfit expressions But whether the words are fore-contrived or not is a thing that God hath no more bound you to by any Law than whether the speaker or hearers shall use Sermon Notes or whether your Bibles shall be written or in Print § 6. Quest. 6. If both wayes be lawful which is better Quest. 6. Answ. If you are to joyn with others in the Church that is better to you which the Pastor then useth For it is his Office and not yours to word the prayers which he puts up to God And if he choâ—se a form whether it be as most agreeable to his parts or to his people or for concord with other Churches or for obedience to Governours or to avoid some greater inconvenience you must joyn with him or not joyn there at all But if it be in private where you are the speaker your Three oâ— four of these Cases as to Church-prayers are laâ—geâ—er answered afterward Tom. 3. Part 2. Socâ—ates alius Couâ— deorum precaâ—iones invoâ—ationâ—sque conscâ—ipsiâ— Laâ—rt â—â— Socâ—ate self you must take that way that is most to your own edification and to others it you have Auditors joyning with you One man is so unused to prayer being ignorantly bred or of such unready memory or expression that he cannot remember the tenth part so much of his particular wants without the help of a form as with it nor can he express it so affectingly for himself or others nay perhaps not in tolerable words And a form to such a man may be a duty as to a dim-sighted man to read by spectacles or to an unready Preacher to use prepared words and Notes And another man may have need of no such helps Nay when he is habituated in the understanding and feeling of his sins and wants and hath a tongue that is used to express his mind even in these matters with readiness and facility it will greatly hinder the fervor of such a mans affections to tye himself to premeditated words To say the contrary is to speak against the common sense and experience of such speakers and their hearers And let them that yet deride this as uncertain and inconsiderate praying but mark themselves whether they cannot if they be hungry beg for bread or ask help of their Physicion or Lawyer or Landlord or any other as well without a learned or studied form as with it Who knoweth not that its true which the New Philosopher saith Cartes de Passion part 1. art 44. Et cum inter loquendum solum cogitamus de sensu illiâ—s rei quam dicere volumus id facit ut moveamus linguam labra celerius melius quam si cogitaremus ea movere omnibus modis requisitis ad prâ—ferenda eadem verba Quia habitus quem acquisivimus cum disceremus loqui c. Turning the thoughts too solicitously from the matter to the words doth not only mortifie the prayers of many and turn them into a dead form but also maketh them more dry and barren even as to the words themselves The heavy charge and bitter scornful words which have been too common in this age against praying without a set form by some and against praying with a Book or form by others is so dishonourable a symptome or diagnostick of the Churches sickness as must needs be matter of shame and sorrow to the sounder understanding part For it cannot be denyed but it proveth mens
what you are going to do that you miss not of the end for want of seeking it The Devil will give hypocritical worldlings leave to play them with the most excellent Ordinances if he can but keep God out of sight even as you will let your children play them with a box of Gold as long as it is shut and they see not what 's within § 25. Direct 11. Be laborious with your hearts in all Gods worship to keep them employed on their Direct 11. Eph. 6. 18. Luke 21. 36. Rev. 3. 3. Col. 4. 2. Matth. 26. 38 40 41. Mar. 13. 33. 34 35 37. duty and be watchful over them lest they slug or wander Remember that it is heart-work that you are principally about And therefore see that your hearts be all the while at work Take your selves as idle when your hearts are idle And if you take not pains with them how little pains will they take in duty If you watch them not how quickly will they lye down and forget what they are doing and fall asleep when you are in treaty with God How easily will they turn aside and be thinking of impertinent vanities Watch therefore unto prayer and every duty 1 Pet. 4. 7. 2 Tim. 4. 5. Direct 12. § 26. Direct 12. Look up to Heaven as that which all your duties tend to that from thence you may fetch your encouraging motives Do all as a means to life eternal separate no duty from its reward and end As the traveller remembreth whither he is going all the way and a desired end doth make the foulest steps seem tolerable so think in every prayer you put up and in every duty that it is all for Heaven § 27. Direct 13. Depend upon the Spirit of God for help You cannot seek God spiritually and acceptably Direct 13. without him Think not that you are sufficient to worship God aright without his help Where this is despised or neglected you see what lamentable work is made by blind corrupted nature in Gods service Sensual wretches that have not the Spirit are fitter for any thing than to Jude 19. worship God If he that hath not the Spirit of Christ be none of his Rom. 8. 9. then he that pretends to worship God without the Spirit of Christ can ill think to be heard for the sake of Christ. § 28. Direct 14. Look also to your tongues and the deportment of your bodies that the whole man Direct 14. may worship God in holiness as he requireth Pretend not your good meanings nor the spirituality of your worship to excuse you from worshipping also with your bodies Your Hearts must be first lookt to but your words and bodies must next be lookt to And if you regard not these it is hardly credible that you regard your hearts 1. Your words and gestures are the due expression of your hearts And the Heart will desire to express it self as it is Many would express their Hearts to be better than they are and therefore good expressions are oft to be suspected But few would express their hearts as worse than they are and therefore bad appearances do seldome lye 2. Your words and actions are needful to the due honouring of God As evil words and actions do dishonour him and the unseemly disorderly performance of his service is very injurious to such holy things so yourmeet and comely words and gestures are the external beauty of the worship which you perform And God should be served with the best 3. Your words and gestures reflect much on your own hearts As acts tend to the increase of the habits so the external expressions tend to increase the internal affections whether they be good or evil 4. Your words and gestures must be regarded for the good of others who see not your hearts but by these expressions And where many have communion in worshipping God such acts of communion are of great regard CHAP. II. Directions about the Manner of Worship to avoid all corruptions and false unacceptable Worshipping of God THe lamentable contentions that have arisen about the Manner of Gods worship and the cruelty and blood and divisions and uncharitable revilings which have thence followed and also the necessary regard that every Christian must have to worship God according to his Will do make it needful that I give you some Directions in this case § 1. Direct 1. Be sure that you seriously and faithfully practise that inward worship of God in which Direct 1. the life of Religion doth consist as to love him above all to fear him believe him trust him delight in him be zealous for him and that your Hearts be sanctified unto God and set upon Heaven and Holiness Read on this subject a small Book which I have written called Catholick Unity For this will be an unspeakable help to set you right in most controversies about the worshipping of God Nothing hath so much filled the Church with contentions and divisions and cruelties about Gods worship as the agitating of these controversies by unholy unexperienced persons when men that hate a holy life and holy persons and the Holiness of God himself must be they that dispute what manner of worship must be offered to God by themselves and others and when the controversies about Gods service are fallen into the hands of those that hate all serious serving of him you may easily know what work they will make of it As if sick men were to determine or dispute what meat and drink themselves and all other men must live upon and none must eat but by their prescripts most healthful men would think it hard to live in such a Countrey As men are within so will they incline to worship God without Outward worship is but the expression of inward worship He that hath a heart replenished with the Love and Fear of God will be apt to express it by such manner of worship as doth most lively and seriously express the love and fear of God If the heart be a stranger or an enemy to God no marvel if such worship him accordingly O could we but help all contenders about worship to the inward light and life and love and experience of holy serious Christians they would find enough in themselves and their experiences to decide abundance of controversies of this kind Though still there will be some that require also other helps to decide them It is very observable in all times of the Church how in Controversies about Gods worship the generality of the godly serious people and the generality of the ungodly and ludicrous worshippers are ordinarily of differing judgements and what a stroke the temper of the soul hath in the determination of such cases § 2. Direct 2. Be serious and diligent also in all those parts of the outward worship of God that all sober Direct 2. Christians are agreed in For if you be negligent and false in so much as you confess your
is the inherent evidence 3. The miracles of the spirit is the concomitant attestation or evidence 4. And the sanctifying work of the spirit is the subsequent attestation renewed and accompanying it to the end of the World So that the Argument runs thus That doctrine which hath this witness of the Holy Ghost antecedently in such prophecies inherently bearing his image so unimitably accompanyed by so many certain uncontrouled miracles and followed and attended with such matchless success in the sanctification of the body of Christ is fully attested by God to be his own But such is the ☞ doctrine of the Gospel Therefore c. The Major you are not to take upon trust from your Teachers though your esteem of their judgement may the better dispose you to learn But you are to discern the evidences of truth which is apparent in it For he that denyeth this must by force of argument be driven to deny 1. Either that God is the Governour of the World or that he is the supream but say he is controuled by another 3. Or that he is Good and True and must affirm that he either Governeth the world by meer deceits and undiscernable lyes or that he hath given up the power to some one that so governeth it All which is but to affirm that there is no God which is supposed to be proved before § 25. 8. There now remaineth nothing to be taught you as to prove the truth of the Gospel 8. To know the matters of fact subservient to our â—aâ—â—â—â— but only those matters of fact which are contained and supposed in the Minor of the two last arguments And they are these particulars 1. That there were such persons as Christ and his Apostles and such a Gospel Preached by them 2. That such Miracles were done by them as are supposed ☞ 3. That both Doctrine and Miracles were committed to writing by them in the Scriptures for the Est enim mirabilâ—â— quâ—dam continuatio seriesque rerum ut alia ex alia nexa omnes inter se aptae colligataeque videantur Ciâ— dâ— Natur. deor pag. 6. certainer preserving them to the Churches use 4. That Churches were planted and souls converted and confirmed by them in the first ages many of whom did seal them with their blood 5. That there have been a succession of such Churches as have adhered to this Christ and Gospel 6. That this which we call the Bible is that very Book containing those sacred Writings fore-mentioned 7. That it hath been still copyed out and preserved without any such depravation or corruption as might frustrate its ends 8. That the Copies are such out of which we have them Translated and which we shew 9. That they are so truly translated as to have no such corruptions or mistakes as to frustrate their ends or make them unapt for the work they were appointed to 10. That these particular words are indeed here written which we read and these particular Doctrines containing the Essentials of Christianity together with the rest of the material objects of faith § 26. All these ten particulars are matters of fact that are meerly subservient to the constitutingprinciples of our faith but yet very needful to be known Now the question is How these must be known and received by us so as not to invalidate our faith And how far our Teachers must be here believed And first it is very useful to us to enquire How so many of these matters of fact as were then existent were known to the first Christians As How knew they in those dayes that there were such persons as Christ and his Apostles that they preached such Doctrines and spake such Languages and did such Works and that they wrote such Books and sent such Epistles to the Churches and that Churches were hereby converted and confirmed and Martyrs sealed this with their blood c. It s easie to tell how they were certain of all these Even by their own eyes and ears and sensible observation as we know that there are Englishmen live in England And those that were remoter from some of the matters of fact knew them by such report of those that did see them as those among us that never saw the King or Court or his Restoration do know that such a thing there was and such a person there is Thus they knew it then § 27. From whence I note 1. That in those dayes it was not necessary to the being of true faith that any supernatural testimony of the Spirit or any other sort of proof than their very senses and reason should acquaint them with those matters of fact which they were eye-witnesses of 2. That credible report or history was then the means for any one that saw not a matter of fact to know as much as they that saw it 3. That therefore this is now the way also of producing faith Some things we have yet sight and sense for as that such Bibles and such Churches are existent that such holy effects this Doctrine hath upon the soul which we see in others by the fruits and after feel in our selves The rest we must know by History Tradition or Report § 28. And in the reception of these historical passages note further 1. That humane belief is here a naturally necessary means to acquaint us with the matter of our Divine belief 2. That there are various By all this it is easie to gather whether a Pastor may do his work per alium Saith Grotius de Imâ— p. 290 291. Nam illud Quod quis per alium facit per se facere videtur ad eas duntaxat pertinet actiones quarum causa efficiens proxima à jure indefinita est Yet people should labour after such maturity and stedfastness that they may be able to stand if their Pastors be dead or taken from them by persecution yea or forsake the truth themselves Victor Uâ—iâ— saith of the people in Africk when their Pastors were banished and others might not be ordained in their steads Inter haec tamen Dei populus in fide consistens ut examina apum cereas aedificantia manâ—iones crescendo melleis fidei claviculis firmabatur Quanto magis affligebantur tanto magis multiplicabantur Victor p. 382. degrees of this belief and some need more of it by far than others according to the various degrees of their ignorance As he that cannot read himself must know by humane belief in great part that the Preacher readeth truly or that such words indeed are in the Gospel as he saith are there But a literate person may know this by his eye sight and not take it upon trust So he that understandeth not Hebrew and Greek must take it upon trust that the Scripture is truly translated But another that understandeth those Tongues may see it with his eyes 3. History being the proper means to know matters of fact that are done in times past and out of our
upon Justification c. which I have seen de nomine and neither of them seemed to take notice of it Be sure as soon as you peruse the terms of your question to sift this throughly and dispute verbal controversies but as verbal and not as real and material We have real differences enow we need not make them seem more by such a blind or heedless manner of Disputing § 22. Direct 11. Suffer not a rambling mind in study nor a rambling talker in Disputes to interrupt Direct 11. your orderly procedure and divert you from your argument before you bring it to the natural issue Both deceiving Sophisters and giddy headed praters will be violent to start another game and spoil the chase of the point before you But hold them to it or take them to be unworthy to be disputed with and let them go except it be where the weakness of the Auditors requireth you to follow them in their Wild-goose Chase. You do but lose time in such rambling studies or disputes § 23. Direct 12. Be caâ—telous of admitting false suppositions or at least of admitting any inference Direct 12. that dependeth upon them In some cases a supposition of that which is false may be made while it no way tends to infer the truth of it But nothing must be built upon that falshood as intimating it to be a truth False suppositions cunningly and secretly workt into arguments are very ordinary instruments of deceit § 24. Direct 13. Plead not uncertainties against certainties But make certain points the measure Direct 13. to try the uncertain by Reduce not things proved and sure to those that are doubtful and justly controverted But reduce points disputable to those that are past doubt § 25. Direct 14. Plead not the darker Texts of Scripture against those that are more plain Direct 14. and clear nor a few texts against many that are as plain For that which is interpreted against the most plain and frequent expressions of the same Scripture is certainly mis-interpreted § 26. Direct 15. Take not obscure Prophecies for Precepts The obscurity is enough to make Direct 15. you cautelous how you venture your self in the Practice of that which you understand not But if there were no obscurity yet Prophecies are no warrant to you to fulfill them no though they be for the Churches good Predictions tell you but de eventu what will come to pass but warrant not you to bring it to pass Gods Prophesies are oft-times fulfilled by the wickedest men and the wickedest means As by the Jews in killing Christ and Pharaoh in refusing to let Israel go and Iehu in punishing the house of Ahab Yet many self-conceited persons think that they can fetch that out of the Revelations or the Prophecies of Daniel that will justifie very horrid crimes while they use wicked means to fulfil Gods Prophecies § 27. Direct 16. Be very cautelous in what cases you take mens practice or example to be instead of Direct 16. precept in the sacred Scriptures In one case a Practice or example is obligatory to us as a Precept and that is when God doth give men a commission to establish the form or orders of his Church and Worship as he did to Moses and to the Apostles and promiseth them his Spirit to lead them into all truth in the matters which he employeth them in here God is engaged to keep them from miscarrying for if they should his work would be ill done his Church would be ill constituted and framed and his servants unavoidably deceived The Apostles were authorized to constitute Church officers and orders for continuance and the Scripture which is written for a great part historically acquaints us what they did as well as what they said and wrote in the building of the Church in obedience to their commission at least in declaring to the World what Christ had first appointed And thus if their practice were not obligatory to us their words also might be avoided by the same pretenses And on this ground at least the Lords day is easily proved to be of Divine appointment and obligation Only we must see that we carefully distinguish between both the Words and Practices of the Apostles which were upon a particular and temporary occasion and obligation from those that were upon an universal or permanent ground § 28. Direct 17. Be very cautelous what Conclusions you raise from any meer works of Providence Direct 17. For the bold and blind exposition of these hath lead abundance into most heynous sins No providence is instead of a Law to us But sometimes and oft-times providence changeth the Matter of our duty and so occasioneth the change of our obligations As when the husband dyeth the Wise is disobliged c. But men of worldly dispositions do so over-value worldly things that from them they venture to take the measure of Gods Love and hatred and of the causes which he approveth or disapproveth in the World And the wisdom of God doth seem on purpose to cause such wonderful unexpected mutations in the affairs of men as shall shame the principles or spirits of these men and manifest their giddiness and mutability to their confusion One year they say This is sure the cause of God or else be would never own as he doth Another year they say If this had been Gods cause he would never have so disowned it Just as the Barbarians judged of Paul when the Viper seized on his hand And thus God is judged by them to own or disown by his prospering or afflicting more than by his Word § 29. Direct 18. In controversies which much depend on the sincerity or experience of Godly men take Direct 18. heed that you affect not singularity and depart not from the common sense of the Godly For the workings of Gods spirit are better judged of by the ordinary tenour of them than by some real or supposed case that is extraordinary § 30. Direct 19. In Controversies which most depend on the testimony of Antiquity depart not from Direct 19. the judgement of the ancients They that stood within View of the dayes of the Apostles could better tell what they did and what a condition they left the Churches in than we can do To appeal to the Ancients in every cause even in those where the later Christians do excell them is but to be fools in reverence of our fore-fathers wisdom But in points of History or any thing in which they had the advantage of their posterity their testimony is to be preferred § 31. Direct 20. In Controversies which depend on the Experience of particular Christians or of the Direct 20. Church regard most the judgement of the most experienced and prefer the judgement of the later ages of the Church before the judgement of less experienced ages except the Apostolical age that had the greater help of the spirit An ancient experienced Christian or Divine is
place 2. And great haste allowed me not Time to transpose them If you say that in such a work I should take time I answer You are no competent judges unless you knew me and the rest of my work and the likelyhood that my time will be but short They that had rather take my Writings with such defects which are the effects of haste than have none of them may use them and the rest are free to despise them and neglect them Two or three Questions about the Scripture I would have put nearer the beginning if I could have time But seeing I cannot it 's easie for you to transpose them in the reading III. The resolution of these Cases so much avoideth all the extreams that I look they should be displeasing to all that vast number of Christians who involve themselves in the opinions and interests of their several sects as such and that hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons But there will be still a certain number of truly Catholick impartial Readers whose favourable acceptance I confidently prognosticate and who being out of the dust and noise and passions of contending sides and parties and their interests will see a self-evidencing Light in those solutions which are put off here briefly without the pomp of formal argumentation or perswading Oratory The eternal Light reveal himself to us by Christ who is the Light of the World and by the Illumination of the spirit and word of Light that we may walk in the Light as the Children of Light till we come to the World of Glorious Everlasting Light And what other defect soever our knowledge have if any man hath knowledge enough to kindle in him the Love of God the same is known of Him and therefore is Beloved by Him and shall be Blessed with and in Him for ever 1 Cor. 8. 1 2 3. CASES OF CONSCIENCE ABOUT Matters Ecclesiastical Quest. 1. How to know which is the true Church among all pretenders that a Christians Conscience may be quiet in his Relation and Communion I HAVE written so much of this already in four Books viz. one called The Safe Religion another called A Key for Catholicks another called The Visibility of the Church another called A true Catholick and the Catholick Church described that I shall say now but a little and yet enough to an impartial considerate Reader The terms must first be opened 1. By a Church is meant a Society of Christians as such And it is sometimes taken Narrowly for the Body or Members as distinct from the Head as the word Kingdom is taken for the Subjects only as distinct from the King And sometimes more fully and properly for the whole Political Society as constituted of its Head and Body or the Pars Imperans pars Subdita 2. The word Church thus taken signifieth sometime the Universal Church called Catholick which consisteth of Christ and his Body Politick or Mystical And sometime some Part only of the Universal Church And so it is taken either for a subordinate Political Part or for a Community or a Part considered as Consociate but not Political or as many particular Political Churches Agreeing and holding Concord and Communion without any Comon Head save the Universal Head 3. Such Political Churches are either of Divine Constitution and Policy or only of Humane 2. By Christians I mean such as Profess the Essentials of the Christian Religion For we speak of the Church as Visible 3. By True may be meant either Reality of Essence opposite to that which is not really a 1 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Cor. 12 12. Eph. 1. 22 23. 1 Cor. 6 15. 1 Cor. 12. 27. Eph. 4. 4 5. Matth. 28. 19 20. Church in this univocal acception or else Sound and Orthodox in the Integrals as opposite to erroneous and defiled with much enormity And now I thus decide that question Prop. 1. The True Catholick Church consisteth of Christ the Heâ—d and all Christians as his Body or the Members As the Kingdom consisteth of the King and his Subjects Prop. 2. As all the sincere Heart-Covenanters make up the Church as regenerate and mystical or invisible so that all that are Christened that is Baptized and profess Consent to all the Essentials of the Baptismal Covenant not having Apostatized nor being by lawful Power Excommunicated are Christians and make up the Church as Visible Prop. 3. Therefore there is but One Universal Church because it containeth all Christians and so Ephes. 4 4 5. 1 Cor. 1â— 12. Mark 16 16. Rom 14. 1 6 7. 15. 1 3 4 leaveth out none to be the matter of another Prop. 4. It is not Ignorance or Error about the meer Integrals of Christianity which maketh them no Christians who hold the Essentials that is the Baptismal Covenant Prop. 5. That the Baptismal Covenant might be rightly understood and professed the Churches have still used the Creed as the explication of the Covenant in point of faith and taken it for 1 Cor. 15 1 2 c. the Symbol of the Christian Belief And no further profession of faith was or is to be required as Matth. 28. 19 20. necessary to the Being of Christianity Prop. 6. If proud Usurpers or Censurers take on them to excommunicate or unchristian or unchurch others without authority and cause this maketh them not to be no Christians or no Churches Rom. 14. 3 4. John that are so used Prop. 7. Therefore to know which is the true Catholick or Universal Church is but to know who Rom. 6 1 2 c. are Baptized-Professing-Christians Prop. 8. The Reformed Churches the Lutherans the Abassines the Copties the Syrians the Armenians Ephes. 4. 4. 5. the Jacobites the Georgians the Maronites the Greeks the Moscovites and the Romanists do all receive Baptism in all its visible Essentials and profess all the Essentials of the Christian Religion though not with the same Integrity Prop. 9. He that denyeth any one essential part in it self is so a Heretick as to be no Christian nor true member of the Church if it be justly proved or notorious that is none ought to take him Tit. 3. â—â— 3 John for a Visible Christian who know the proof of his denying that essential part of Christianity or to whom it is notorious Prop. 10. He that holdeth the Essentials primarily and with them holdeth some error which by James 3 â— Phi. 3. 15 16. Heb. 5. 1 2. unseen consequence subverteth some Essential point but holdeth the Essentials so much faster that he would forsake his error if he saw the inconsistence is a Christian notwithstanding And if the name Heretick be applicable to him it is but in such a sense as is consistent with Christianity Prop. 11. He that is judged a Heretick and no Christian justly by others must be lawfully T it 3. 10. Matth. 18. 15. cited and heard plead his Cause and be judged upon sufficient proof and not
was not And so I answer 1. He that seemed Ordained and indeed was not is not Re-ordained when he is after Ordained 2. It is needful therefore to know the Essentials of Ordination from the Integrals and Accidentals 3. He that was truly Ordained before may in some cases receive again the Repetition of the bare words and outward Ceremonies of Ordination as Imposition of hands Where I will 1. Tell you in what Cases 2. Why. 1. In case there wanted sufficient witnesses of his Ordination and so the Church hath not sufficient means of notice or satisfaction that ever he was ordained indeed Or if the witnesses die before the notification Whether the Church should take his word or not in such a case is none of my question but Whether he should submit to the Repetition if they will not 2. Especially in a time and place which I have known when written and sealed Orders are often counterfeited and so the Church called to extraordinary care 3. Or if the Church or Magistrate be guilty of some causeless culpable incredulity and will not believe it was done till they see it done again 4. Or in case that some real or supposed Integral though not essential part was omitted or is by the Church or Magistrate supposed to be omitted And they will not permit or receive the Minister to exercise his office unless he repeat the whole Action again and make up that defect 5. Or if the person himself do think that his ordination was insufficient and cannot exercise his Ministry to the satisfaction of his own Conscience till the defect be repaired 1. In these cases and perhaps such others the outward Action may be repeated 2. The Reasons are 1. Because this is not a being twice ordained For the word Ordination signifieth a Moral action and not a Physical only As the word Marriage doth c. And it essentially includeth the new Dedication and Designation to the Sacred office by a kind of Covenant between the Dedicated person and Christ to whom he is consecrated and devoted And the external words are but a part and a part only as significant of the action of the mind Now the oft expressing of the same mental dedication doth not make it to be as many distinct dedications For 1. If the Liturgy or the persons words were tautological or at the Ordination should say the same thing often over and over or for confirmation should say often that which else might be said but once this doth not make it an often or multiplyed Ordination It was but one Love which Peter expressed when Christ made him say thrice that he Loved him nor was it a threefold Ordination which Christ used when he said thrice to him Feed my Lambs and Sheep 2. And if thrice saying it that hour make it not three Ordinations neither will thrice saying it at more hours dayes or months or years distance in some Cases For the Time maketh not the Ordinations to be many It is but one Moral Action But the common errour ariseth from the custom of calling the outward action alone by the name of the whole moral Action which is ordinarily done to the like deceit in the case of the Baptismal Covenant and the Lords Supper 3. The common judgement and custome of the World confirmeth what I say If persons that are marryed should for want of witness or due solemnity be forced to say and do the outward action all over again it is by no wise man taken in the proper moral full sense for a second Marriage but for one marriage twice uttered And if you should in witness bearing be put to your Oath and the Magistrate that was absent should say Reach him the Book again I did not hear him swear The doing it twice is not Morally two witnessings noâ— Oaths but one only twice Physically uttered If you Bind your Son Apprentice or if you make any Indentures or Contract and the Writings being lost or faulty you write and sign and seal them all again this is not morally another Contract but the same done better or again recorded And so it is plainly in this case 4. But Re-ordination morally and properly so called is unlawful For 1. It is or implyeth a lyâ— viz. that we were not truly Dedicated and Separated to this office before 2. It is a Sacrilegious renunciation of our former dedication to God whereas the Ministerial dedication and Covenant is for Life and not for a tryal which is the meaning of the Indelible Character which is a perpetual Relation and obligation 3. It is a taking the Name of God in vain thus to do and undoe and do again and to promise and renounce and promise again and to pretend to receive a power which we had before 4. It tendeth to great confusions in the Church As to make the people doubt of their Baptism or all the Ministerial Administrations of such as are re-ordained while they acted by the first Ordination 5. It hath ever been condemned in the Churches of Christ as the Canons called the Apostles and the Churches constant practice testifie 5. Though the bare Repetition of the outward Action and words be not Re-ordination yet he that on any of the forementioned occasions is put to repeat the said words and actions is obliged so to do it as that it may not seem to be a Re-ordination and so be a scandal to the Church Or if it outwardly seem so by the action he is bound to declare that it is no such thing for the counterpoising that appearance of evil 6. When the Ordainers or the common estimation of the Church do take the Repetition of the words and Action for a Re-ordination though the Receiver so intend it not yet it may become unlawful to him by this accident because he scandalizeth and hardeneth the erroneous by doing or receiving that which is Interpretative Re-ordination 7. Especially when the Ordainers shall require this Repetition on notoriously wicked grounds and so put that sense on the action by their own doctrines and demands As for instance 1. If Hereticks should as the Arrians say that we are no Ministers because we are not of their Heresie or Ordained by such as they 2. If the Pope or any proud Papal Usurpers shall say You are no Ministers of Christ except we ordain you And so do it to establish a trayterous usurped Regiment in the Church It is not lawful to serve such an usurpation As if Cardinals or Arch-bishops should say none are true Ministers but those that we Ordain Or Councils or Synods of Bishops or Presbyters should say None are true Ministers but those that we Ordain Or if one Presbyter or one Bishop without Authority would thus make himself master of the rest or of other Churches and say You are no Ministers unless I Ordain you we may not promote such Tyranny and Usurpation 3. If Magistrates would usurp the power of the Keys in Ecclesiastical Ordination and say that
Authority of the Pastors Because the Pastors of several Churches do not Lose any of Grotius dâ— Iâ—perio sum pot circ â—acr most solidly resolveth this Question their Power by their Assembling but exercise it with the greater advantage of Concord But as they are made only to oblige the present or absent Pastors who separatedly are of equal Office-power so they are no Laws except in an equivocal sense but only Agreements or Contracts So Bishop Usher profest his judgement to be And before him the Council of Carthage in Cyprians time But it needs no proof no more than that a Convention of Kings may make no Laws to bind the Kings of England but Contracts only 13. But yet we are aliunde obliged even by God to keep these Agreements in things lawful for the Churches peace and concord when greater contrary reasons à fine do not disoblige us For when God saith You shall keep Peace and Concord and keep Lawful Covenants The Canons afford us the Minor But these are Lawful Contracts or Agreements and means of the Churches Peace and Concord Therefore saith Gods Law you shall observe them So though the Contracts as of Husband and Wife Buyer and Seller c. be not Laws yet that is a Law of God which bindeth us to keep them 14. Seing that even the obliging Commands of Pastors may not by them be enforced by the Sword 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. 2 Cor. 1. 24. but work by the power of Divine Authority or Commission manifested and by holy Reason and Love therefore it is most modest and fit for Pastors who must not Lord it over Gods heritage but be examples to all to take the Lower name of Authoritative Directions and perswasions rather than of Laws Especially in a time when Papal Usurpation maketh such ruinating use of that name and Civil Magistrates use to take it in the nobler and narrower sense THe Questions 1. If one Pastor make Orders for his Church and the multitudes or Synods be against them which must be obeyed you may gather from what is said before of Ordination And 2. What are the particulars proper Materially to the Magistrates decision and what to the Pastors I here pass by Quest. 26. Whether Church-Canons or Pastors Directive Determinations of matters pertinent to their Office do bind the Conscience And what accidents will disoblige the people you may gather before in the same case about Magistrates Laws in the Political Directions As also by an impartial transferring the Case to the Precepts of Parents and Schoolmasters to Children without respect to their Power of the Rod or supposing that they had none such Quest. 27. What are Christs appointed means of the Unity and Concord of the Universal Church and consequently of its preservation if there be no Humane Universal Head and Governour of it upon Earth And if Christ have instituted none such Whether Prudence and the Law of Nature oblige not the Church to set up and maintain an Universal Ecclesiastical Monarchy or Aristocracy Seeing that which is Every mans work is as No mans and omitted by all I. TO the first question I must refer you in part to two small popular yet satisfactory Tractates Catholick Unity and The True Catholick and Church described written long ago that I do not one thing too oft Briefly now 1. The Unity of the Universal Church is founded in and maintained by their Common Relation to Christ the Head as the Kingdom in its Relation to the King 2. A Concord in Degrees of Goodness and in Integrals and Accidentals of Christianity will never be obtained on earth where the Church is still imperfect And perfect Holiness and Wisdom are necessary to Perfect Harmony and Concord Phil. 3. 12 13 14. 3. Experience hath long taught the Church if it will learn that the claim of a Papal Headship and Government over the Church Universal hath been the famous incendiary and hinderer of Concord in the Christian world 4. The means to attain such a measure of concord and harmony which is to be hoped for or endeavoured upon earth I have so distinctly fully and yet briefly described with the contrary Impediments in my Treatise of the Reasons of Christian Religion Part 7. Chap. 14. pag. 470 471. in about two leaves that I will not recite them If you say You are not bound to read the Books which I refer you to I answer Nor thiâ— II. To the latter Question I answer 1. To set up such an Universal Head on the supposition of natural Reasons and Humane Policy is 1. To cross Christs Institution and the Laws of the Holy Ghost as hath been long proved by Protestants from the Scripture 2. It is Treason against Christs Soveraign Office to usurp such a Vicegerency without his Commission 3. It is against the notorious light of Nature which telleth us of the Natural Incapacity of Mortal man to be such an Universal Governour through the world 4. It is to sin against long and dreadful common experience and to keep in that fire that hath destroyed Euperours Kings and Kingdoms and set the Churches Pastors and Christian world in those divisions which are the great and serviceable work of Satan and the impediment of the Churches increase purity and peace and the notorious shame of the Christian profession in the eyes of the Infidel world And if so many hundred years sad experience will not answer them that say If the Pope were a good man he might unite us all I conclude that such deserve to be deceived 2 Thess. 2. 10 11 12. Quest. 28. Who is the Iudge of Controversies in the Church 1. About the Exposition of the Scripture and Doctrinal points in themselves 2. About either Heresies or wicked Practices as they are charged on the persons who are accused of them That is 1. Antecedently to our Practice by way of Regulation 2. Or Consequently by Iudicial Sentence and Execution on Offenders I Have answered this question so oft that I can perswade my self to no more than this short yet clear solution The Papists use to cheat poor unlearned persons that cannot justly discern things that differ by puzling them with this confused ambiguous question Some things they cunningly and falsly take for granted As that there is such a thing on Earth as a Political Universal Church headed by any Mortal Governour Some things they shuffle together in equivocal words They confound 1. Publick Iudgement of Decision and private judgement of discerning 2. The Magistrates Iudgement of Church-controversies and the Pastors and the several Cases and Ends and Effects of their several judgements 3. Church-judgement as Directive to a particular Church and as a means of the Concord of several Churches Which being but distinguished a few words will serve to clear the difficulty 1 As there is no Universal Humane Church Constituted or Governed by a Mortal Head so there is no Power set up by Christ to be an Universal Iudge of either sort of Controversies
Church 11. Though the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be appointed for the renewing of our Covenant at age yet is it not the first owning of the Covenant by the aged For that Sacrament belongeth neither to Infants nor Infidels And he that claimeth it must be an adult Church-member or Christian which those are not who at full age no way ever owned their baptismal Covenant nor made any personal profession of Christianity But of this I have written purposely in a Treatise of Confirmation long ago Quest. 52. Whether the Universal Church consist only of particular Churches and their members Answ. NO Particular Churches are the most Regular and noble parts of the Universal Church but not the whole no more than Cities and Corporations be all the Kingdom 1. Some may be as the Eunuch baptized before they can come to any particular Church or as Acts 8. 37 c. Acts 9. 17 18 19 20 26 27 28. Paul before they can be received 2. Some may live where Church-tyranny hindereth them by sinful impositions As all that live among the Papists 3. Some may live in times of doubting distraction and confusion and not know what Church ordinarily to joyn with and may providently go promiscuously to many and keep in an unfixed state for a time 4. Some may be Wives Children or Servants who may be violently hindered 5. Some may live where no particular Churches are As Merchants and Embassadours among Mâ—hometans and Heathens Quest. 53. Must the Pastor first Call the Church and aggregate them to himself or the Church first Congregate themselves and then choose the Pastor Answ. THe Pastors are in order of Nature if not in time first Ministers of Christ in general before they are related to a particular Charge 2. As such Ministers they first make men fit to be congregate and tell them their duty therein 3. But it is a matter variable and indifferent Whether the Minister first say All that will joyn with me and submit to me as their Pastor shall be my particular Charge Or the people before Congregated do call a man to be their Pastor Quest. 54. Wherein doth a particular Church of Christs institution differ from a Consociation of many Churches Answ. 1. IN that such a particular Church is a company of Christians associated for personal immediate Acts 2. 1 24 44 46. 4. 32. 5. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 1 Cor. 14. 19 23 24 28 35. Acts 14. 23. Titus 1. 5. Acts 11. 26. James 2. â— Communion in Gods worship and in holy living Whereas Consociations of Churches are combined for mediate distinct Communion or by Delegates or Representatives as in Synods 2. Such a particular Church is constituted of one or more Pastors with the people officiating in the Sacred Ministry among them in Doctrine Worship and Discipline in order to the said personal Communion But a Consociation of Churches hath no particular Head as such of divine institution to Constitute and Govern them as one In Ignatius's time every particular Church was characterized or known by two marks of Unity 1. One Altar that is one place of assembling for holy communion 2. One Bishop with the Presbyters and Deacons And two Altars and two Bishops proved two Churches 3. A particular Church under one Bishop or the some Pastors is a Political holy Society But a combination of many Churches consociate is not so but only 1. Either a Community agreeing to live in Concord as neighbour Kingdoms may 2. Or else a humane Policy or Society and not of Divine immediate institution So that if this Consociation of Churches be called a Church it must be either equivocally or in a humane sense Quest. 55. Whether a particular Church may consist of more Assemblies than one Or must needs meet all in one place Answ. 1. THe true distinguishing note of a particular Church is that They be associated for holy Communion in Worship and holy living not by Delegates nor distâ—ntly only by owning the same faith and loving one another as we may do with those at the Antipodes but Personally in presence 2. Therefore they must necessarily be so near as to be capable of personal present Communion 1 Cor. 14. 19 23. Acts 11. 26 c. as before cited 3. And it is most convenient that they be no more than can ordinarily meet in the same Assembly at least for Sacramental Communion 4. But yet they may meet in many places or Assemblies as Chappels or Oratories or other subordinate meetings which are appointed to supply the necessity of the weak and aged and them that cannot travail far And in times of persecution when the Church dare not all meet in one place they may make up several smaller meetings under several Pastors of the same Church But they should come all together as oft as they can 5. And it is to be considered that all the persons of a family can seldome go to the Assembly at one time especially when they live far off Therefore if a Church-place would receive but ten thousand yet twenty thousand might be members while half meet one day and half another or another part of the day 6. Two Congregations distinctly associated for personal Worship under distinct Pastors or having statedly as Ignatius speaketh two Bishops and two Altars are two particular Churches and can no otherwise be one Church than â—s that may be called One which is a Consoâ—iation of divers Quest. 56. Is any Form of Church Government of Divine Institution Answ. YEa There are two Essentially different Policies or Forms of Church Government of Christs Eph. 1 22. 23. 5. 25 26 c. 4. 4 5 6 16. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Cor. 14. Acts 14. 23. Titus 1 5. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 1 Tim 3 3 4 6. 1 Pet 5. 1 2 3. Acts 20 28. Phil. 1. 1 2. own Institution never to be altered by man 1. The form of the Universal Church as headed by Christ himself which all Christians own as they are Christians in their Baptism 2. Particular Churches which are headed by their particular Bishops or Pastors and are parts of the Universal as a Troop is of an Army or a City of a Kingdom Here it is of Divine Institution 1. That there be holy Assemblies for the Publick Worship of God 2. That these Assemblies be Societies constituted of the people with their Pastors who are to them as Captains to their Troops under the General or as Mayors to Cities under the King 3. That these Pastors have the power of the Keyes or the special Guidance and Governance by the Word not by the Sword of their own particular charge in the matters of Faith Worship and holy living and that the flocks obey them And when all this is Iure divino why should any say that No form of Government is jure divino 3. Moreover it is of Divine appointment that these Churches hold the nearest Concord and help each other
Ministers of Christ or Lay men If Lay men their actions are unlawful If Ministers they are Commissioned officers of Christ themselves and it is the work of their own office which they do and it is they that shall have the reward or punishment But if preaching to all these Churches or giving to all these persons in a thousand Parishes the Sacraments c. were the Bishops or Archbishops work that is which they are obliged to do then they would sin in not doing it But if they are the Governours only of those that are obliged 〈◊〉 do it and are not obliged to do it themselves then Governing the doers of it is only their work And therefore it is but equivocally said that the work is theirs which others and not they are obliged to do and that they do their work per alios when they do but Govern those others in doing their own work Of this read the Lord Bacons Considerations and Grotius de Imper. summ Potest Cirâ—a Sacra who soundly resolve the case against doing the Pastoral work per alium Quest. 59. May a Lay man preach or expound the Scriptures Or what of this is proper to the Pastors office Answ. 1. NO doubt but there is some Preaching or Teaching and Expounding which a Lay man may use So did Origen so did Constantine so may a King or Iudge on the Bench so may a Parent to his Children and a Master to his family and a Schoolmaster or Tutor to his Scholars 2. It is not any one Method or Sermon-fashion which is proper to a Minister and forbidden to a Lay man That Method which is most meet to the Matter and hearers may be used by one as well as by the other 3. It is not the meer publickness of the Teaching which must tell us what is unlawful for a Lay man For Writing and Printing are the most publick wayes of Teaching And these no man taketh to be forbidden the Laity Scaliger Causabon Grotius Erasmus Constantine King Iames the Lord Bacon and abundance more Lay men have done the Church great service by their Writings And Judges on the Bench speak oft Theologically to many But that which is proper to the Ministers or Pastors of the Church is 1. To make a stated office of it and to be separated set a part devoted or consecrated and appropriated to this sacred work and not to do it occasionally only or sometimes or on the by but as their Calling and the Employment of their lives 2. To do it as Called and Commissioned Ministers of Christ who have a special nunciative and Teaching Authority committed to them And therefore are in a special manner to be heard according to their special Authority 3. To be the stated Teachers of particular Churches as their Pastors and Guides Though they may sometime permit a Lay man when there is cause to Teach them pro tempore These three are proper to the Ministerial and Pastors office But for the regulating of Lay mens Teaching 1. They must statedly keep in their families or within their proper bounds 2. They must not presume to go beyond their abilities especially in matters dark and difficult 3. They must not thrust themselves without a just call and need into publick or numerous meetings as Teachers nor do that which savoureth of Pride or Ostentation or which tendeth to cherish those vices in others 4. They must not live or Preach as from under the Government of the Church Pastors But being members of their flocks must do all as under their lawful oversight and guidance much less must they proudly and schismatically set up themselves against their lawful Pastors and bring them into Act. 20. 30. Heb. 13 7 17 24. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. contempt to get themselves reputation and to draw away Disciples after them 5. Times and places must be greatly distinguished In Infidel or grosly ignorant Countreys where through the want of Preachers there is a true necessity men may go much further than in Countreys where Teachers and knowledge do abound Quest. 60. What is the true sense of the distinction of Pastoral power in foro interiore exteriore rightly used Answ. 1. NOt as if the Pastors had any power of the sword or outward force or of mens Bodies or Estates immediately For all the Pastoral power is Immediately on the soul and but secondarily on the body so far as the perswaded soul will move it Reason and Love and the Authority of a messenger of Christ are all the power by which Bishops or Pastors as such can work in foro interiore vel exteriore They Rule the body but by Ruling the soul. 2. But the true use of the distinction is only to serve instead of the usual distinction of Publick and personal obligation It is one thing to satisfie a mans private Conscience about his own personal case or matters And another thing to oblige the whole Church or a particular person of his duty as a member of the society to the rest When the Pastor Absolveth a penitent person in foro interiore that is in his own Conscience he delivereth him a discharge in the name of Christ on Condition he be truly penitent Else not But in foro exteriore he actually and absolutely restoreth him to his visible state of Church Communion The rest of the members perhaps may justly think this man unlike to prove a true penitent And then in foro interiore they are not bound to believe him certainly penitent or pardoned by God But in foro exteriore that he is restored to Church Communion and that for order sake they are bound to hold Communion with him they are bound internally to believe So that it comes neer the sense of the distinction of the secret Iudgement of God and Conscience and Church judgement Quest. 61. In what sense is it true that some say that the Magistrate only hath the External Government of the Church and the Pastors the Internal Answ. 1. NOt as External and Internal are opposed in the nature of the Action For the Voice of the Pastor in Preaching is External as well as the Kings 2. Not as they are opposed in the manner of Reception For the Ears of the Auditors are external Recipients from the Preacher as well as from the King 3. Not as distinguishing the parts that are to obey the duties commanded and the sins forbidden as if the King ruled the Body only and the Pastor the soul. For the soul is bound to obey the King or else the Body could not be bound to obey him unless by cords And the Body must obey the Preacher as well as the soul. Murder drunkenness swearing lying and such other external Vices are under the Pastors power to forbid in Christs name as well as the Kings 4. Not as if all the external parts or actions of Religion were exempted from the Pastors power For preaching praying reading Sacraments Church-assemblies are external parts
Relation or a Right duly to receive the Sacrament that is To receive it understandingly and seriously at those seasons when by the Pastors it is administred 2. But if upon faults or accusations this Right be duly questioned in the Church it is become a controverted right and the possession or admission may by the Bishops or Pastors of the Church be suspended if they see cause while it is under tryall till a just decision 3. Though Infants are true members yet the want of natural capacity duly to receive maketh it unlawful to give them the Sacrament because it is to be Given only to Receivers and Receiving is more than eating and drinking It is Consenting to the Covenant which is the real Receiving in a moral sense or at least Consent professed So that they want not a state of right as to their Relation but a natural capacity to Receive 4. Persons at age who want not the Right of a stated Relation may have such actual Natural and Moral indispositions as may also make them for that time unmeet to Receive As Sickness Infection a Journey persecution scattering the Church a Prison And morally 1. Want of necessary knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament which by the negligence of Pastors or Parents may be the case of some that are but newly past their childhood 2. Some heinous sin of which the sinner hath not so far repented as to be yet ready to receive a sealed pardon or which is so scandalous in the Church as that in publick respects the person is yet unfit for its priviledges 3. Such sins or accusations of sin as make the persons Church-title justly Controverted and his Communion suspended till the case be decided 4. Such fears of unworthy Receiving as were like to hurt and distract the person if he should receive till he were better satisfied These make a man uncapable of present Reception and so are a barr to his plenary right They have still right to Receive in a due manner But being yet uncapable of that due Receiving they have not a plenary right to the thing 5. The same may be said of other parts of our duty and priviledges A man may have a Relative habitual or stated right to praise God and give him thanks for his justification and sanctification and adoption and to godly conference to exercises of humiliation c. who yet for want of present actual preparation may be uncapable and so want a plenary right 6. The understanding of the double preparation necessary doth most clearly help us to understand this case A man that is in an unregenerate state must be visibly cured of that state of utter ignorance unbelief ungodliness before he can be a member of the Church and lay a claim to its priviledges But when that is done besides this general preparation a particular preparation also to each duty is necessary to the right doing it A man must understand what he goeth about and must consider of it and come with some suitable affections A man may have right to go a journey that wants a Horse or may have a Horse that is not sadled He that hath clothes must put them on before he is fit to come into company He that hath right to write may want a pen or have a bad one Having of Gracious habits may need the addition of bringing them into such acts as are suitable to the work in hand Quest. 70. Is there any such thing in the Church as a rank or Classis or Species of Church members at age who are not to be admitted to the Lords Table but only to hearing the Word and Prayer between Infant members and adult confirmed ones Answ. SOme have excogitated such a classis or species or order for convenience as a prudent necessary thing Because to admit all to the Lords Table they think dangerous on one side And to cast all that are unfit for it out of the Church they think dangerous on the other side and that which the people would not bear Therefore to preserve the reverence of the Sacrament and to preserve their own and the Churches peace they have contrived this middle way or rank And indeed the controversie seemeth to be more about the title whether it may be called a middle order of meer Learners and Worshippers than about the Matter I have occasionally written more of it than I can here stay to recite And the accurate handling of it requireth more words than I will here use This breviate therefore shall be all 1. It is certain that such Catechumens as are in meer preparation to faith repentance and baptism are no Church-members or Christians at all and so in none of these ranks 2. Baptism is the only ordinary regular door of enterance into the visible Church and no man unless in extraordinary cases is to be taken for a Church-member or visible Christian till Baptized Two Objections are brought against this 1. The Infants of Christians are Church-members as such before baptism and so are believers They are baptized because members and not members by baptism Answ. This case hath no difficulty 1. A Believer as such is a member of Christ and the Church What makes a visible member invisible but not of the visible Church till he be an orderly Professor of that belief And this Profession is not left to every mans will how it shall be made but Christ hath prescribed and instituted a certain way and manner of profession which shall be the only ordinary symbol or badge by which the Church shall know visible members and that is baptism Indeed when baptism cannot be had an open profession without it may serve For Sacraments are made for Man and not Man for Sacraments But when it may be had it is Christs appointed Symbol Tessera and Church-door And till a person be baptized he is but Irregularly and initially a Professor As an Embrio in the Womb is a man or as a Covenant before the writing sealing and delivering is initially a Covenant or as persons privately contracted without solemn Matrimony are married or as a man is a Minister upon Election and Tryal before Ordination He hath only in all these cases the beginning of a title which is not compleat nor at all sufficient in foro Ecclesiâ— to make a man Visibly and Legally A married man a Minister and so here a Christian. For Christ hath chosen his own visible badge by which his Church-members must be known 2. And the same is to be said of the Infant-title of the children of believers They have but an initial right before baptism and not the badge of visible Christians For there are three distinct gradations to make up their visible Christianity 1. Because they are their own and as it were parts of themselves therefore Believers have power and obligation to dedicate their children in Covenant with God 2. Because every believer is himself dedicated to God with all that is his own according
honour the memory of Learned Great and Virtuous persons Saints and Ut Bezae Iconâ—â— Viror illustrium Martyrs by keeping their Images and by the beholding of them to be remembred of our duty and excited to imitation of them 11. It is lawful to use Hieroglyphicks or Images expressing Virtues and Vices As men commonly make Images to decipher Prudence Temperance Charity Fortitude Justice c. and Envy Sloth Pride Lust c. As they do of the five senses and the four seasons of the year and the several parts of mans age and the several ranks and qualities of persons c. 12. Thus it is lawful to represent the Devil and Idols when it tendeth but to make them odious For as we must not take their names into our mouths Psal. 16. 4. Exod. 23. 13. Ephes. 5 3. that is when it tendeth to honour them or tempt men to it and yet may name them as Elias did in scorn or as the Prophets did by reproof of sin so is it also in making representations of them Even as a Drunkard may be painted in his filth and folly to bring shame and odium on the sin 13. It is lawful to use Hieroglyphicks instead of Letters in teaching Children or in Letters to friends or to make Images to stand as characters in stead of Words and so to use them even about sacred things 14. As it is lawful to use arbitrary Professing signes even about Holy things which signifie no more than words and have by nature or custome an aptitude to such a use while it is extended no farther than to open our own minds so it may be lawful to use such a characteristical or hieroglyphical image to that end when it hath the same aptitude but not otherwise As a circular figure or ring being a hieroglyphick of perpetuity and so of constancy is used as a significant profession of constancy in Marriage And so the receiving of each others picture might be used And so in Covenanting or taking an Oath the professing sign is left to the custome of the Countrey whether we signifie our consent by gesture words action writing And as it is lawful to make an Image on a seal which hath a sacred signification as a flaming heart on an Altar a Bible a Praying Saint c. as well as to write a Religious Motto on a seal so is it lawful to put this seal to a subscribed Covenant with Neh. 9. 38. Esth. 8. 8. God and his Church or our King and Countrey when we have a Lawful call to seal such a Covenant But if Law or Custome would make such a seal to be the common publick badge or symbol of the Christian Religion I think it would become unlawful As the Crucifix for ought I know might thus have been arbitrarily used as a seal or as a transient arbitrary Professing sign as the Cross was by the ancients at the beginning If any man had scorned me for believing in a Crucified Christ I know not but I might have made a Crucifix by art act or gesture to tell him that I am not ashamed of Christ as well as I may tell him so by word of mouth But if mens institution or custome shall make this a symbol or badge of a Christian and twist it in Baptism or adjoyn it as a Dedicating Sign and as the Common professing Symbol that every baptized person must use to signifie and declare that he is not ashamed of Christ crucified but believeth in him and will manfully fight under his banner against the flesh the world and the Devil to the death Though he call it but a Professing Sign and say He doth but signifie his own mind and not Gods act and grace I should wish him to distinguish between a private or arbitrary act of Profession and a common publick badge and professing Symbol of our Religion And tell him that I think the instituting of the latter belongs to God alone And that he hath made two Sacraments to that end which Sacraments are essentially such symbols and badges of our Profession and are dedicating signs on the receivers part And that Christ crucified is the chief Grace or Mercy given to the Church and his Sacrifice is his own act And therefore objectively the Grace and Act of God also is here signified And therefore on two accounts set together I fear this use of the Câ—ucifix is a sin 1. As it is an Image though it should be transient used as a medium in Gods Worship and so forbidden in the second Commandment For it is not a meer circumstance of Worship but an outward act of Worship 2. Because it is a new humane Sacrament or hath too much of the Essence of a Sacrament and so is an usurpation of his Prerogative that made the Sacraments For as I said It belongeth to the King to make the common badge or symbol of his own subjects or any Order honoured by him And the General giveth out his own Colours And though one may arbitrarily wear another Colour yet if any shall give out common Colours to his Army Regiment or Troop beside his own to be the symbol or badge of his Souldiers I think he would take it for too much boldness Yet if only an inferiour Captain gave but subordinate Colours not to notifie a Souldier of the Army as such but to distinguish his Troop from the rest it were not so much as the other So if a Bishop or Ruler did but make such a symbol by which the Christians of his charge might be discerned from all others and not as a badge of Christianity it self though I know no reason for such distinction and it may be faulty otherwise yet would it not be this usurping of Sacramental Institution which now I speak of All Professing signs are not symbols of Christianity Christ hath done his own work well already His Colours Sacraments or Symbols are sufficient we need not devise more and accuse his institutions of insufficiency nor make more work for our selves in Religion when we leave undone so much that he hath made us 15. All abuse of Images will not warrant us to separate from the Church which abuseth them nor is all such abuse Idolatry If the Church or our Rulers will against our will place Images inconveniently in Churches we may lawfully be there so that they be not Symbols of Idol Worship or of a Religion or Worship so sinful in the substance as that God will not accept it and so be it we make no sinful use of those inconvenient Images our selves Though meer Temptation and Scandal make them sinful in those that so abuse them and set them up yet he that is not the author of that Temptation or Scandal may not forsake Gods Worship because that such things are present nor is not to be interpreted a Consenter to them while he cometh only about lawful Worship and perhaps hath fit opportunity at other times to profess his dissent 16. It
God or out of the Verge of his place and calling at all to meddle with and command nor yet such as is destructive of our duty to God but such as in General belongeth to his office to determine of according to Gods general Rules but he misseth it in the manner and goeth against those Rules yet not so far as to destroy the duty we owe to God or the end of it For instance It is not in the Rulers power to determine whether there shall be Preaching or none true doctrine or false c. But it is in his power to Regulate the circumstances of Time Place c. next to be recited Now if he do these to Order Unity and Edification I will obey him formally and fully for Conscience sake If he so do it as is destructive to the end as is aforesaid as to say You shall meet only at twenty miles distance or only at midnight c. I will obey him no farther than necessity and the common good requireth me If he do it only with a tolerable inconvenience as to say You shall meet no where but in the open fields c. I will obey for Conscience sake as I am in general a subject bound to honour the Magistrate but not as he nameth an unmeet circumstance in that respect my obedience shall be but material I need not handle it as a distinct question Whether Pastors are to be believed or obeyed any farther than they show a Word of God Revealing or Commanding the particular thing Divine faith and obedience is one thing and Humane is another 1. If as a Preacher he say This is Gods word believe it and obey it as such you must believe with a humane faith that it is liker that he knoweth what he faith than you do unless 1. You see evidence 2. Or the consent of more credible persons to be against him and then you are not to believe him at all Even as a Child believeth his Teacher in order to learn the things himself so you are so far to take his word while you are Learning to know whether it be so or not But not to rest in it as certain nor to take your belief of him and obedience to him to be a believing and obeying God formally though a duty Quest. 133. What are the additions or inventions of men which are not forbidden by the Word of God whether by Rulers or by private men invented Answ. THis is handled under the Directions for Worship to which I refer the Reader as also for part of the answer to the former cases Yet here I shall trouble you with so much repetition as to say that 1. Such inventions and additions are lawful as God hath commanded men Rulers Pastors Parents or private persons to make under the regulation of his General Laws 2. All such additions are Lawful as are meerly subordinate and subservient to Gods Laws and Orders and not forbidden by him among the fore-mentioned prohibited additions Instances are many 1. All such modes of a duty as are necessary in genere or one way or other to be determined of but left to humane prudence as to particulars As 1. Whether I shall this Week or Month publish the Gospel by Speaking or by Writing or by Printing 2. Whether I shall use this method or that or another method in this Sermon 3. Whether I shall use these phrases and words or other words 4. Whether I shall use Notes for my memory or not And whether large ones or short ones 5. Whether I shall be an hour or two in preaching 6. Whether I shall preach with a loud voice or a low 7. Whether I shall at this time more endeavour explication or application comfort or terror reprehension or direction c. All which are to be varyed by mans lawful invention according to Gods general Rules 2. It is also lawful and needful that our own Invention or our Superiours according to Gods general Laws do determine of the particular subjects of our office which Scripture doth not particularly determine of viz. 1. Scripture telleth not Ministers what Countrey Parish or Church they shall bestow their Labours in 2. Nor to how many they shall be a Pastor 3. Nor what Text or Subject they shall Preach on 4. Nor what singular persons they shall apply comfort counsel or terrour to this or that 5. Nor whom they shall admit to the Sacrament but by the General Rule or description 6. Nor whom they shall openly rebuke or excommunicate 7. Nor whom they shall absolve It telleth them not who the persons be to whom the Scripture Character doth belong in any of these câ—ses 8. Nor whether the witnesses say truly or falsly who accuse a man 9. Nor whether the accused be to be taken as guilty of Heresie scandal or schism c. 3. It is also a lawful Invention of man to find choose and use such natural Helps as are useful to further us in the obedience of Gods Laws and the practice of his worship and are not forbidden by him Yea in genere they are commanded and yet never particularly determined of in the Scripture As 1. What will clear a preachers voice to speak audibly 2. The advantage of a Pulpit to be above the people 3. The use of Spectacles to them that need them to read the Scripture 4. The translating the Scriptures into our native language 5. Which translation of many we shall use in the Churches 6. The Printing of the Bible 7. The dividing it into Chapters and Verses 8. The Printing of good Books to expound and apply the Scripture Commentaries Sermons c. 9. The â—â—â—â—ms of School-exercises disputations c. to prepare Students for the Ministry and what Books of Diâ—inity Tutors shall read to their Pupils or every Student shall have in his Library 10. The manner and tune of singing Psalms in the Churches 11. What version or metre to use this or that 12. What form of Catechism verbal written or Printed to use among many in the Church or family 13. Whether to pray in the same words often or in various 14. Whether to use words of our own composing or invention primarily or of other mens and that by direction perswasion or command 15. To use a written or Printed form or neither To read it on the Book or speak it by memory 16. To use Scripture forms only of prayer praise Psalms and Hymns or those that are of later composure also 17. To Print the Bible and use it with Marginal Notes and Contents or without 18. To Baptize in a River Well Pool or Font. 19. To have Sponsors or Witnesses of the Parents trustiness and the Childs Covenant or not 20. At how many dayes old Children shall be Baptized 21. Whether they shall be Named in Baptism or before or after 22. Whether one of the Ministers shall be a Tutor or Teacher to the rest that are younger 23. How far the rest shall submit their judgements to one
that is eldest and ablest and be ruled by him 24. Whether there shall be any Deaconesses in the Church 25. Whether a Church shall have one Minister two or more 26. Who shall be the men 27. What space of ground shall be the Church bounds for the cohabitation of the members 28. How many Neighbour Churches shall make a Synod and which be they 29. How many members a Synod shall consist of 30. Who shall be president Or whether any And who shall gather the Votes 31. Who shall record their Acts as Scribe 32. What Messenger shall carry them to the Churches 33. What Letters for Correspondence and Communion shall be written to the Churches 34. When Pastors shall remove from one Church to another And to which 35. Who shall be ordained Ministers to Preach Baptize and gather Churches 36. How many the Ordainers shall be 37. Whether there shall be any Musick by Instruments in the Church or house for the praises of God and what 38. Who shall lead the Psalm 39. Who shall read 40. What words the Churches Profession of faith shall be expressed by 41. By what signes the Church shall signifie their consent Whether lifting up the hand standing up bowing the head or by voice or writing 42. By what sign or ceremony men shall take an oath Whether lifting up the hand toward Heaven or laying it on a Book or kissing the Book c. 43. Whether the people at the Sacrament sit neer the Table or keep farther off 44. Whether it be put into each persons hand or they take it themselves With many more such like 4. And it is a lawful Invention to determine of meer Circumstances of Time and place which God hath not determined of in Scripture As 1. At how many times in the year or week Baptism shall be administred 2. At what age persons be admitted to the Lords Supper 3. On what dayes and hours of the week there shall be Lectures or Church-assemblies 4. How oâ—t and when Ministers shall Caâ—echise and instruct the people privately 5. On what hour the Church shall assemble on the Lords dayes and receive the Sacrament 6. How long Prayer Reading and Sermon shall be 7. At what hour to end the publick exercises 8. At what hours to pray in Families or in secret 9. How often Disciplinary meetings shall be held for the trying of accused members 10. How often Synods shall meet and how long continue Of Holy dayes before 5. The same is to be said for the Places of Holy Exercises 1. What Edifices the Churches shall have for such uses 2. In what places they shall be scituate 3. Where the Pulpit shall stand 4. And where the Font 5. And where the Table 6. Where each of the people shall sit 7. Where Synods shall meet 8. How many Temples shall be in a City c. 6. The same is to be said of all Accidental subordinate Offices As Lectors Clerks Door-keepers Church-wardens and many more before mentioned 7. The same is to be said of Church Utensils As Table Cups Linen Pulpits Fonts Clock Hour-glass Bells Seats decent Habit of Cloaths c. 8. The same may be said of Decent Gestures not particularly commanded As what Gesture to Preach in standing or sitting What Gesture to Read in What Gesture to Hear in What Gesture to sing Psalms in Whether to be covered or bare-headed In what gesture to receive the Lords Supper In which Scripture no more regulateth us than of the room the hour of communicating the number of Communicants the place in all which Christs example was not a particular Law 9. The same may be said of Order 1. Whether the Pastor shall begin with Prayer reading or exhortation 2. Whether the people shall begin with prayer or ejaculations privately 3. Whether we shall make but one or two long continued prayers or many short ones 4. Whether we shall pray before Sermon immediately and after in the Pulpit or in the Reading place 5. When the Psalms shall be said or sung and how many 6. How many Chapters shall be read and which and in what order 7. Whether Baptism shall be before or after or when 8. When the Catechumens and Learners shall be dismissed and the proper Eucharistical Church Exercises begin 9. When Collections made c. But O Lord have compassion on thy scattered flocks who are afflicted and divided by the Imperiousness of those Pastors who think it not enough for the exercise of their Domination to promote all thine own holy Laws and doctrines and to make their own Canons in all these cases or such like but they must needs make more work than all this cometh to for themselves and for the flocks even unto those distractions and dissâ—pations and fierce persecutions and contentions which many hundred years have exercised the Greek and Latine Churches and many more throughout the World Quest. 134. What are the mischiefs of unlawful Additions in Religion Answ. ALas many and great 1. They tend to dethrone Christ from his Soveraignty and Legislative prerogative 2. And to advance Man blind and sinful man into his place 3. And thereby to debase Religion making it but a humane or a mixed thing And it can be no more noble than its Author is 4. And thereby they debase also the Church of God and the Government of it while they make it to be but a Humane policy and not Divine 5. They tend to depose God from his Authority in mens Consciences and to level or joyn him there but with man 6. They tend to mens doubtfulness and uncertainty of their Religion seeing man is fallible and so may his constitutions be 7. They tend to drive out all true Religion from the World while Man that is so Bad is the maker of it and it may be suspected to be bad that is made by so bad an Author 8. And it taketh off the fear of God and his judgement For it is man that must be feared so far as man is the maker of the Law And it destroyeth the consolation of believers which consisteth in the hopes of a reward from God For he that serveth man must be rewarded by man And though they do not exclude God but joyn him with themselves yet this mixture debaseth and destroyeth Religion as the mixture of God and Mammon in mens Love and as mixt and debased metals do the Soveraign's coin 9. It hardeneth Infidels and hindereth their Conversion For they will reverence no more of our Religion than we can prove to be Divine And when they find one part of it to be humane they suspect the rest to be so too and contemn it all Even as Protestants do Popery for the abundance of humane trinkets and toyes with which we see them exercise and delude their silly followers 10. It is the great engine of dividing all the Churches and breeding and feeding conâ—â—ntions in the Christian World 11. And because men that will command will be obeyed and they that are
state and condition of Christians And where the Reasons and Case is the same the Obligations will be the same In a word the Text it self will one way or other shew us when a Command or Example is universally and durably obligatory and when not Quest. 137. How much of the Scripture is necessary to Salvation to be believed and understood Answ. THis question is the more worthy consideration that we may withal understand the use of Catechisms Confessions and Creeds of which after and the great and tender mercies of God to the weak and may be able to answer the Cavils of the Papists against the Scriptures as insufficient to be the Rule of Faith and Life because much of it is hard to be understood 1. He that believeth God to be true and the Scripture to be his Word must needs believe all to be true which he believeth to be his Word 2. All the Scripture is profitable to our knowledge love and practice and none of it to be neglected but all to be loved reverenced and studied in due time and order by them that have time and capacity to do it 3. All the Holy Scriptures either as to matter or words are not so necessary as that no man can be saved who doth not either believe or understand them But some parts of it are more necessary than others 4. It is not of necessity to salvation to believe every Book or Verse in Scripture to be Canonical or written by the Spirit of God For as the Papists Canon is larger than that which the Protestants own so if our Canon should prove defective of any one Book it would not follow that we could not be saved for want of a sufficient faith The Churches immediately after the Apostles time had not each one all their Writings but they were brought together in time and received by degrees as they had proof of their being written by authorized inspired persons The second of Peter Iames Iude Hebrews and Revelations were received in many Churches since the rest And if some Book be lost as Henocks Prophecy or Pauls Epistle to the Laodiceans or any other of his Epistles not named in the rest or if any hereafter should be lost or doubted of as the Canticles or the second or third Epistles of Iohn the Epistle of Iude c. it would not follow that all true faith and hope of salvation were lost with it It is a Controversie whether 1 Iohn 5. 7. and some other particular Verses be Canonical or not because some Greek Copies have them and some are without them But who ever erreth in that only may be saved 5. There are many hundred or thousand Texts of Scripture which a man may possibly be ignorant of the meaning of and yet have a saving faith and be in a state of salvation For no man living understandeth it all 6. The holy Scripture is an entire comely body which containeth not only the essential parts of the true Religion but also the Integral parts and the ornaments and many accidents which must be Rom. 14. 17 18. Rom. 13. 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 15. 2 3 4 5 6. Mar. 16. 16. distinguished and not all taken to be equal 7. So much as containeth the Essentials of true Religion must be understood and believed of necessity to salvation And so much as containeth the Integrals of Religion doth greatly conduce to our salvation both that we may be the surer and the better Christians as having greater helps to both 8. The very adjuncts also have their use to make us the more adorned Christians and to promote our knowledge of greater things Quest. 138. How may we know the Fundamentals Essentials or what parts are necessary to Salvation And is the Papists way allowable that some of them deny that distinction and make the difference to be only in the degrees of mens opportunities of knowledge Answ. 1. THâ—se Papists perverseness can mean no better than that Christianity it self is not necessary to salvation to those that have not opportunity to know it As Iohnsons Rejoynd to me and Sancta Clara and many others plainly intimate And were that never so true and certain it were nothing to the question between them and us which is What are the Essentials of Christianity And what is necessary to salvation where Christianity is necessary or where the Christian Religion is made known and men may come to the knowledge of it if they will do their best This is the true state of our Controversie with them And whereas they would make all the parts of Christian faith and practice equally necessary where men have a capacity and ability to know believe and practise them It is a gross deceit unworthy of men pretending to a mediocrity of knowledge in the nature of Religion And thereby they make all sins and errors as equal as all duties and James 3. 2. 1 John 1. ult truths Whereas 1. There is no man that hath not some error and some sin 2. There is no man that doth all that ever he was able to do to understand all the truth 3. Therefore there is no man whose errors themselves are not many of them at least culpable or sinful 4. And they that distinguish between Mortal and Venial sins and yet will not distinguish between Mortal and Venial Errors are either blind or would keep others blind As it is not so damning a sin for a man to think a vain thought or to speak a vain word as not to Love God or Holiness no though he was more able to have forborn that idle word than to have Loved God So it is not so mortal a sin that is inconsistent with a justified state to mistake in a small matter as who was the Father of Arpâ—â—xad or what year the world was drowned in c. as to blaspheme the Holy Ghost or deny Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of the world or to deny that there is a God or everlasting life or a difference between Good and Evil. All sins are not equal in magnitude or danger Therefore all errors are not equal in magnitude sinfulness or danger 2. And what Priest is able to know whom to take for a Christian and baptizable upon such terms as these Who knoweth just what opportunities of knowledge other men have had and what impediments And will they indeed baptize a man that is a Heathen because he had not opportunity to come to the knowledge of Christianity I think they will not Or will they deny Baptism to one that knoweth and believeth only all the Articles of the Creed and the chief points of Religion because he knoweth not as much more as he had opportunity to know I think not Do not these men perceive how they condemn themselves For do they not say themselves that Baptism to the due receiver washeth away sin and puts the person in a state of life O when will God deliver his poor Church from factious deceivers
1. And there are many things easie to be understood 2. We never said that men should not use the help of their Teachers and all that they can to understand it 3. Were not those Teachers once ignorant And yet they did read it by the help of Teachers And so may others 4. As the King for Concord commandeth all the Schoolmasters to teach one Grammar So God makeeth it the Ministers Office to Instruct people in the Scriptures And were it not a question unworthy of a Schoolmaster to dispute Whether the Scholars must learn by their Book or by their Master Yea to conclude that it must be by their Master and not by their Book or that they must never open their Book but when their Master is just at hand to teach them The Doctrine of the Papists who tell us that the Scriptures should not be read by the Vulgar it being the rise of all Heresies is so inhumane and impious as savouring of gross enmity to Scriptures and to knowledge that were there no other it would make the Lovers of Religion and mens souls to pray earnestly to Christ to save his flocks from such seducers who so Jewishly use the Key of Knowledge Object But many wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and what Heresie is not defended as 2 Pet. 3. 1â— Psal. 19. 3 8 9 10. 2 Tim. 3. 16. â— Pet. 1. 23. by their authority Answ. 1. And many thousands receive saving knowledge and grace by them The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. All Scripture is profitable to instruction c. to make the man of God perfect It is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again and the sincere milk by which we are nourished 2. And is it not as true 1. That the Law of the Land is abused by every false pretender Lawyer and Corrupt Judge What title so bad that is not defended in Westminster Hâ—ll sometimes under pretence of Law And what action so bad that some pretend not Law for What then Must the Law be forbidden the common people for this 2. Nay what is so much abused to unrighteousness and sin as Reason it self What Heresie or Crime do not men plead Reason for Must Reason therefore be forbidden the Vulgar 3. Yea Contrarily this signifieth that Law and Reason are so far from being things to be forbidden men that they are indeed those things by which Nature and Necessity have taught all the world to try and discern right from wrong good from bad Otherwise good and bad men would not all thus agree in pretending to them and appealing to their decisions 4. If many men are poysoned or killed in eating or drinking If many mens eye sight is abused to mislead them unto sin c. the way is not to eat nothing but what is put into our mouths nor to put out our eyes or wink and be led only by a Priest but to use both the more cautiously with the best advise and help that we can get 5. And do not these Deceivers see that their Reason pleadeth as strongly that Priests and Prelates themselves should never read the Scripture and consequently that it should be banished out of the world For who that is awake in the world can be ignorant that it is Priests and Prelates who have been the Leaders of almost all Heresies and Sects who differ in their Expositions and opinions and lead the Vulgar into all the Heresies which they fall into Who then should be forbidden to read the Scripture but Priests and Prelates who wrest them to their own and other mens destruction Quest. 147. How far is Tradition and mens Words and Ministry to be used or trusted in in the exercise of faith Answ. 1. THe Churches and Ministers received the Gospel in Scripture from the Apostles and Heb. 2. 3 4. 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19 20 21. 2 John 1. 1 1 3 4 5. 4. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Titus 1. 5. the Creed as the summary of faith And they delivered it down to others and they to us 2. The Ministers by Office are the Instructers of the people in the meaning of it And the keepers of the Scriptures as Lawyers are of the Laws of the Land Quest. 148. How know we the true Canon of Scripture from Apocrypha Answ. BY these means set together 1. There is for the most part a special venerable excellency in the Books themselves which helpeth us in the distinct reception of them 2. The Tradition of infallible Church History telleth us which Books they are which were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost and who sealed their Doctrine with Miracles in those times It being but matter of fact which Books such men wrote whom God bear witness to infallible Church History such as we have to know which are the Statutes of the Land and which are counterfeit is a sufficient notification and proof 3. The sanctifying Spirit still in all Ages and Christians attesteth the Divinity and Truth of the Doctrine of the main body of the Bible especially the Gospel And then if we should err about the authority of a particular Book it would not overthrow our Faith It is not necessary to salvation to believe this particular Text to be Divine But it is sin and folly to doubt causelesly of the parts when the Spirit attesteth the Doctrine and the Body of the Book I pass these things briefly because I have largelier handled them elsewhere Quest. 149. Is the publick Reading of the Scripture the proper work of a Minister or may a Lay-man ordinarily do it or another Officer Answ. 1. IN such cases as I before shewed that a Lay-man may preach he may also Read the Scriptures Of which look back 2. No doubt but it is a work well beseeming the ordained Ministers or Pastors and an integral part of their Office and should not be put off by them when they can do it 3. When they need help the Deacons are ordained Ministers authorized to help them in such work and fittest to do it 4. Whether in a case of necessity a Lay-man may not ordinarily Read the Scripture to the Congregation is a Case that I am loth to determine being loth to suppose such a necessity But if the Minister cannot and there be no Deacon I cannot prove it unlawful for a Lay-man to do it under the direction of the Pastor I lived sometime under an old Minister of about eighty years of age who never preached himself whose eye sight failing him and having not maintenance to keep an assistant he did by Memory say the Common-prayer himself and got a Taylor one year and a Thresher or poor day-labourer another year to Read all the Scriptures Whether that were not better than nothing I leave to consideration And I think it is commonly agreed on that where there is no Minister it is better for the people to meet and hear a Lay-man Read the Scriptures and some good Books
12. 12. Col. 4. 15. people that make the Church 2. That God may be acceptably Worshipped in all places when it is our duty 3. That the ancient Churches and Christians in times of persecutions ordinarily met in secret against the Rulers wills and their meetings were called Conventicles and slandered which occasioned Pliny's examination and the right he did them 4. That no Minister must forsake and give over his work while there is need and he can do it Mat. 18. 20. 1 Cor. 9. 10. 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. Act. 4. 19. See Dr. Hammoâ—d in ioc 1 Tim. 2. 8. Act. 8. 4. 1 Joh. 3. 17. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Hâ—b 10. 25. 5. That where there are many thousands of ignorant and ungodly persons and the publick Ministers either through their paucity proportioned to the people or their disability or unwillingness or negligence or all are insufficient for all that publick and private Ministerial work which God hath appointed for the instruction perswasion and salvation of such necessitous souls there is need of more Ministerial help 6. That in cases of real not counterfeit necessity they that are hindered from exercising their Ministerial Office publickly should do it privately if they have true Ordination and the call of the peoples necessity desire and of opportunity so be it they do it in that peaceable orderly and quiet manner as may truly promote the interest of Religion and detract not from the lawful publick Ministry and work 7. That they that are forbidden to Worship God publickly unless they will commit some certain See much of this case handled before Q. 109. and Q. 110. sin are so prohibited as that they ought not to do it on such terms 8. That the private meetings which are held on these forementioned terms in such cases of necessity are not to be forsaken though prohibited Though still the honour of the Magistrate is to be preserved and obedience given him in all Lawful things And such Meetings are not sinful nor dishonourable to the assemblers For as Tertullian and Dr. Heylin after him saith Cum pii cum boni cocunt non factio dicenda est sâ—d curia When pious and good people meet especially as aforesaid it is not to be called a faction but a Court. Thus far I think we all agree And that the Church of England is really of this mind is certain 1. In that they did Congregate in private themselves in the time of Cromwells Usurpation towards the end when he began to restrain the use of the Common Prayer 2. In that they wrote for it see Dr. Hide of the Churcâ— in the beginning 3. Because both in the reign of former Princes since the Reformation and to this day many laborious conforming Ministers have still used to repeat their Sermons in their Houses where many of the people came to hear them 4. Because the Liturgie alloweth private Baptism and restraineth not any number from being present nor the Minister from instructing them in the use of Baptism which is the sum of Christianity 5. Because the Liturgie commandeth the visitation of the sick and alloweth the Minister there to pray and instruct the person according to his own ability about Repentance faith in Christ and preparation for death and the life to come and forbiddeth not the friends and neighbours of the sick to be present 6. Because the Liturgie and Canons allow private Communion with the sick lame or aged that cannot come to the assembly where the nature of that holy work is to be opened and the Eucharistical work to be performed And some must be present and the number not limited 7. And as these are express testimonies that all private meetings are not disallowed by the Church of England so there are other instances of such natural necessity as they are not to be supposed to be against As 1. For a Captain to Pray and read Scripture or good Books and sing Psalms with his Souldiers and with Marriners at Sea when they have no Minister 2. There are many thousands and hundred thousands in England that some live so far from Church and some are so weak that they can seldome go and some Churches have not room for a quarter of the Parish and none of the thousands now meant can read and so neither can help themselves nor have a Minister that will do it And thousands that when they have heard a Sermon cannot remember it but lose it presently If these that cannot Read or Remember nor teach their own families nor go to Church do take their Families many of them to some one Neighbours house where the Sermon is repeated or the Bible or Liturgie read methinks the Church should not be against it But it must be still remembred that 1. Rulers that are Infidels Papists Hereticks or persecutors that restrain Church-meetings to the injury of mens souls must be distinguisht from pious Princes that only restrain Hereticks and real Schismaticks for the Churches good 2. And that times of Heresie and Schism may make private meetings more dangerous than quiet times And so even the Scottish Church forbad private meetings in the Separatists dayes of late And when they do more hurt than good and are justly forbidden no doubt in that case it is a duty to obey and to forbear them as is aforesaid Quest. 173. What particular Directions for Order of Studies and Books should be observed by young Students § 1. BEcause disorder is so great a disadvantage to young Students and because many have importuned me to name them some few of the best Books because they have no Time to read nor money to buy many I shall here answer these two demands § 2. I. The Order of their studies is such as respecteth their whole lives or such as respecteth every Day It is the first which I now intend § 3. Direct 1. The knowledge of so much of Theologie as is necessary to your own Duty and Salvation is the first thing which you are to learn when you have learnt to speak Children have souls to save and their Reason is given them to use for their Creators service and their salvation 1. They can never begin to Learn that too soon which they were made and Redeemed to Learn and which their whole lives must be employed in practising And that which absolute Necessity requireth and without which there is no salvation 3. And that which must tell a man the only ultimate end which he must intend in all the moral actions of his life For the right Intention of our end is antecedent to all right use of means And till this be done a man hath not well begun to Live nor to use his Reason nor hath he any other work for his Reason till this be first done He liveth but in a continual sin that doth not make God and the publick good and his salvation his end Therefore they that would not have Children begin with Divinity would have them
that is said by all others But though one man excell in one or many respects another may excell him in some particulars and say that which he omitteth or mistaketh in 3. But especially because many errors and adversaries have many Books necessary to some for to know what they say and to know how to confute them especially the Papists whose way is upon pretence of Antiquity and Universality to carry every Controversie into a Wood of Church History and antient Writers that there you may first be lost and then they may have the finding of you And if you cannot answer every corrupted or abused Citation of theirs out of Councils and Fathers they triumph as if they had justified their Church-tyranny 4. And the very subjects that are to be understood are numerous and few men write of all 5. And on the same subject men have several Modes of Writing As one excelleth in accurate Method and another in clear convincing argumentation and another in an affectionate taking style And the same Book that doth one cannot well do the other because the same style will not do it Object But the antient Fathers used not so many Books as we do no not one for our hundreds And yet we honour them above the Neotericks They lived before these Libraries had a being Yea they exhort Divines to be learned in the holy Scriptures and the fourth Council of Carthage forbad the reading of the Heathens Books And many Hereticks are accused by the Fathers and Historians as being studied in Logick and curious in common Sciences And Paul saith that the Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation Answ. 1. And yet the New Testament was written or most of it after Paul said so which sheweth that he meant not to exclude more writing 2. The Scriptures are sufficient for their proper use which is to be a Law of Faith and Life if they be understood But 1. They are not sufficient for that which they were never intended for 2. And we may by other Books be greatly helpt in understanding them 3. If other Books were not needful Teachers were not needful For Writing is but the most advantagious way of Teaching by fixed Characters which flye not from our memory as transient words do And who is it that understandeth the Scriptures that never had a Teacher And why said the Eunuch How should I understand what I read unless some man guide me Acts 8. 31. And why did Christ set Teachers in his Church to the end till it be perfected Eph. 4. 11 12 13. if they must not Teach the Church unto the end Therefore they may write unto the end 4. Reverence to Antiquity must not make us blind or unthankful Abundance of the Fathers were unlearned men and of far less knowledge than ordinary Divines have now And the chief of them were far short in knowledge of the chiefest that God of late hath given us And how should it be otherwise when their helps were so much less than ours 5. Knowledge hath abundantly encreased since Printing was invented Therefore Books have been a means to it 6. The Fathers then wrote voluminously Therefore they were not against more writing 7. Most of the Bishops and Councils that cryed down Common Learning had little of it themselves and therefore knew not how to judge of it no more than good men now that want it 8. They lived among Heathens that gloried so in their own Learning as to oppose it to the Word of God as may be seen in Iulian and Porphyry and Celsus Therefore Christians opposed it and contemned it and were afraid while it was set in competition with the Scriptures lest it should draw men to Infidelity if overvalued 9. And finally the truth is that the sacred Scriptures are now too much undervalued and Philosophy much overvalued by many both as to Evidence and Usefulness And a few plain certain truths which all our Catechisms contain well pressed and practised would make a better Church and Christians than is now to be found among us all And I am one that after all that I have written do heartily wish that this were the ordinary state of our Câ—urches But yet by Accident much more is needful as is proved 1. For the â—uller understâ—nding of these principles 2. For the defending of them especially by those that are called to that work 3. To keep a Minister from that Contempt which may else frustrate his labours 4. And to be ornamental and subservient to the substantial Truths And now I will answer the Question more Particularly in this order I. I will name you the Poorest or Smallest Library that is tolerable II. The Poorer though not the poorest where a competent addition is made III. The Poor mans Library which yet addeth somewhat to the former but cometh short of a Rich and Sumptuous Library I. THe Poorest Library is 1. The Sacred Bible 2. A Concordance Downames the least or Newmans the best 3. A sound Commentary or Annotations either Diodates the English Annotations or the Dutch 4. Some English Catechisms the Assemblies two Mr. Gouges Mr. Crooks Guide Amesius his Medulla Theologiae Casus Conscientiae which are both in Latin and English and his Bellarminus Enervatus 5. Some of the soundest English Books which open the Doctrine of Grace Justification and Free-will and Duty as Mr. Truman's Great Propiâ—iation Mr. Bradshaw of Iustification Mr. Gibbons Sermon of Iustification in the Morning Exercises at St. Giles in the Fields Mr. Hochkis of Forgiveness of Sin 6. As many Affectionate Practical English Writers as you can get Especially Mr. Richard Allens Works Mr. Gournall's Dr. Preston Dr. Sibbes Mr. Robert Bolton Mr. Whateley Mr. Râ—yner Mr. Scudder Mr. T. Ford Mr. How of Blessedness Mr. Swinocke Mr. Gouges The Practice of Piety The Whole Duty of Man Dr. Hammonds Practical Catechism Dr. Pierson on the Creed Dr. Downame on the Lords Prayer Mr. Dod on the Commandments Bishop Andrewes on the Commandments Mr. Io. Brinsleyes True Watch Mr. Greenhams Works Mr. Hildershams Works Mr. Anthony Burges Works Mr. Perkins Works Dr. Harris Works Mr. Burroughs Mr. Thomas Hooker Mr. Pinkes Sermons Io. Downames Christian Warfare Richard Rogers Iohn Rogers of Faith and Love Dr. Stoughton Dr. Thomas Tailor Mr. Elâ—on Mr. Daniel Dike Ieremy Dike Mr. Io. Ball of Faith of the Covenant c. Culverwell of Faith Mr. Ranew Mr. Teate Mr. Shaw Mr. Rawlet Mr. Ianoway Mr. Vincent Mr. Doâ—little Mr. Samuel Wards Sermons Mr. W. Fenner Mr. Ruâ—herfords Letters Mr. Ioseph Allens Life and Letters and Treatise of Conversion Mr. Samuel Clarks Lives and his Martyrologie The Morning Exercises at St. Giles Cripplegate and at St. Giles in the Fields Mr. Benjamin Bâ—xters Sermons Mr. George Hopkins Salvation from Sin Dr. Edward Reignolds Mr. Meades Works Mr. Vines Sermons Henry Smith Samuel Smith Tho. Smith Mr. Strong Ios. Simonds as many of them as you can get 7. And for all other Learning Alstedius his Encyclopaedia
fruits without partiality and hypocrisie and to speak evil of no man And where this is obeyed how quietly and easily may Princes govern § 97. 14. Christianity setteth before us the perfectest pattern of all this humility meekness contempt of worldly wealth and greatness self-denyal and obedience that ever was given in the world The Eternal Son of God incarnate would condescend to earth and flesh and would obey his Superiours after the flesh in the repute of the world and would pay tribute and never be drawn to any contempt of the Governours of the world though he suffered death under the false accusation of it He that is a Christian endeavoureth to imitate his Lord And can the imitation of Christ or of Luke 20 18. Matth. 21. 42 44. Acts 4 11. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 8. Zâ—ch 1â— 3. his peaceable Apostles be injurious to Governours Could the world but lay by their Serpentine enmity against the holy doctrine and practice of Christianity and not take themselves engaged to persecute it nor dash themselves in pieces on the stone which they should build upon nor by striving against it provoke it to fall on them and grind them to powder they never need to complain of disturbances by Christianity or Godliness § 98. 15. Christianity and true Godliness containeth not only all these Precepts that tend to peace and order in the world but also strength and willingness and holy dispositions for the practising of such precepts Other Teachers can speak but to the ears but Christ doth write his Laws upon the heart so that he maketh them such as he commandeth them to be Only this is the remnant of our unhappiness that while he is performing the Cure on us we retain a remnant of our old diseases and so his work is yet imperfect And as sin in strength is it that setteth on fire the course of nature so the relicts of it will make some disturbance in the world according to its degree But nothing is more sure than that the Godliest Christian is the most orderly and loyal subject and the best member according to his parts and power in the Common-wealth and that sin is the cause and holiness the cure of all the disorders and calamities of the world § 99. 16. Lastly Consult with experience it self and you will find that all this which I have spoken hath been ordinarily verified What Heathenism tendeth to you may see even in the Roman Government for there you will confess it was at the best To read of the tumults the cruelties Read the lives of all the Philosophers Orators and famous men of Greece or Rome and try whether the Christians or they were more for Monarchy Arcesilaus Regum neminem magnopere coluit Quamobâ—em legatione ad Antigonum fungens pro patria nihil obtinuit Hesich in Arces It s one of Thales sayings in Laert. Quid difficile Regum vidisse tyrannum senem Chrysippus videtur aspâ—rnator Regum modice fuisse Quod cum tam multa scripserit libros 705. nulli unquam regi quicquam adscripserit Senâ—ca faith Traged de Herc. fur perillously Victima haud ulla amplior Potest magisque opima mactari Jovi Quam Rex iniquus Cicero pro Milon Non se obstrinxit scelere siquis Tyrannum occidat quamvis familiarem Et 5. Tusc. Nulla nobis cum Tyrannis societas est neque est contra naturam spoliare eum quem honestum est necare Plura habet similia the popular unconstancy faction and injustice How rudely the Souldiers made their Emperours and how easily and barbarously they murdered them and how few of them from the dayes of Christ till Constantine did dye the common death of all men and scape the hands of those that were their subjects I think this will satisfie you whither mens enmity to Christianity tendeth And then to observe how suddenly the case was altered as soon as the Emperours and Subjects became Christian till in the declining of the Greek Empire some Officers and Courtiers who aspired to the Crown did murder the Emperours And further to observe that the rebellious doctrines and practices against Governours have been all introduced by factions and heresies which forsook Christianity so far before they incurred such guilt and that it is either the Papal Usurpation which is in its nature an enemy to Princes that hath deposed and trampled upon Emperours and Kings or else some mad Enthusiasticks that over-run Religion and their wits that at Munster and in England some lately by the advantage of their prosperity have dared to do violence against Soveraignty but the more any men were Christians and truly Godly the more they detested all such things All this will tell you that the most serious and Religious Christians are the best members of the Civil Societies upon Earth § 100. II. Having done with the first part of my last Direction I shall say but this little of the second Let Christians see that they be Christians indeed and abuse not that which is most excellent to be a cloak to that which is most vile 1. In reading Politicks swallow not all that every Author writeth in conformity to the Polity that he liveth under What perverse things shall you read in the Popish Politicks Contzen and abundance such What usurpation on Principalities and cruelties to Christians under the pretence of defending the Church and suppressing Heresies 2. Take heed in reading History that you suffer not the Spirit of your Author to infect you with any of that partiality which he expresseth to the cause which he espouseth Consider in what times and places all your Authors lived and read them accordingly with the just allowance The name of Liberty was so pretious and the name of a King so odious to the Romans Athenians c. that it is no wonder if their Historians be unfriendly unto Kings 3. Abuse not Learning it self to lift you up with self-conceitedness against Governours Learned men may be ignorant of Polity or at least unexperienced and almost as unfit to judge as of matters of Warr or Navigation 4. Take heed of giving the Magistrates power to the Clergy and setting up Secular Coercive power See Bilson of Subject p. 525 526. proving from Châ—ysost Hilary Oâ—â—gen that Pastors may use no force oâ— terror but only perswasion to recover their wandering sheep Bilson ibid. p. 541. Parliamenâ—s have been kept by the King and his Barons the Clergy wholly excluded and yet their Acts and Statutes good And when the Bishops were present their voices from the Conquest to this day were never Negative By Gods Law you have nothing to do with making Laws for Kingdoms and Common-wealths You may teach you may not command Perswasion is your part Compulsion is the Princes c. Thus Bishop Bilson So p. 358. under the name of the power of the Keys And it had been happy for the Church if God had perswaded Magistrates in all ages to have kept the
preservation of the family in peace If children cry or fight or chide or make any fowle or troublesome work the mother will not therefore turn them out of doors or use them like strangers but remember that it is her place and duty to bear with that weakness which she cannot cure The proud impatience of the Pastors hath frequently brought them into the guilt of persecution to the alienating of the peoples hearts and the distraction and division of the Churches when poor distempered persons are offended with them and it may be revile them and call them seducers or antichristian or superstitious or what their pride and passion shall suggest or if some weak ones raise up some erroneous opinions alas many Pastors have no more wit or grace or pity than presently to be rough with them and revile them again and seek to right themselves by wayes of force and club down every errour and contention when they should overcome them by evidence of truth and by meekness patience and love Though there be place also for severity with turbulent implacable impenitent hereticks § 55. Direct 33. Time of learning and overcoming their mistakes must be allowed to those that are Direct 33. mis-informed We must not turn those of the lower forms out of Christs School because they learn not as much as those of the higher forms in a few weeks or years The Holy Ghost teacheth those who for the time might have been Teachers of others and yet had need to be taught the first Principles Heb. 5. 11 12. He doth not turn them out of the Church for their non-proficiency And where there is ignorance there will be errour § 56. Direct 34. Some inconveniences must be expected and tolerated and no perfect Order or Concord Direct 34. expected here on earth It is not good reasoning to say If we suffer these men they will cause this or that disorder or inconvenience But you must also consider whither you must drive it if you suffer them not and what will be the consequents He that will follow his Conscience to a prison will likely follow it to death And if nothing but death or prison or banishment can restrain them from what they take to be their duty it must be considered how many must be so used and whether if they were truly faulty they deserve so much and if they do yet whether the evils of the Toleration or of the Punishment are like to be the greater Peace and Concord will never be perfect till Knowledge and Holiness be perfect § 57. Direct 35. You may go further in restraining than in constraining in forbidding men to Direct 35. preach against approved doctrines or practices of the Church than in forcing them to preach for them or to subscribe or speak their approbation or assent If they be not points or practices of great necessity a man may be sit for the Ministry and Church-communion who meddleth not with them but Preacheth the wholsome truths of the Gospel and lets them alone And because no duty is at all times a duty a sober mans judgement will allow him to be silent at many an errour when he dare not subscribe to or approve the least But if here any proud and cruel Pastors shall come in with their lessâ—â— selfish incommodities and say If they do not approve of what we say and do they will secretly foment a faction against us I should answer them that as good men will foment no faction so if such Proud impatient turbulent men will endure none that subscribe not to all their opinions or differ from them in a circumstance or a Ceremony they shall raise a greater faction if they 'l call it so against themselves and make the people look on them as tyrants and not as Pastors and they shall see in the end when they have bought their wit by dear experience that they have but torn the Church in pieces by preventing divisions by carnal means and that they have lost themselves by being over zealous for themselves and that DOCTRINE and LOVE are the instruments of a wise Shepheard that loveth the flock and understands his work § 58. Direct 36. Distinguish between the making of new Laws or articles of belief and the punishing Direct 36. of men for the Laws already made And think not that we must have new Laws or Canons every time the old ones are broken or that any Law can be made which can keep it self from being broken Perversness in this errour hath brought the Church to the misery which it endureth God hath made an Universal Law sufficient for the Universal Church in matters of faith and holy practice leaving it to men to determine of necessary circumstances which were unfit for an universal Law And if the sufficiency of Gods Law were acknowledged in mens practices the Churches would have had more peace But when particular Countreys have their particular Volumes of Articles Consessions Liturgies and I know not what else to be subscribed to and none must Preach that will not say or write or swear that he believeth all this to be true and good and nothing in it to be against the Word of God this Engine wracks the limbs of the Churches all to pieces And then what 's the pretense for this epidemical calamity Why no better than this Every Heretick will subscribe to the Scriptures and take it in his own sense And what followeth Must we needs therefore have new Laws which Hereticks will not subscribe to or which they cannot break It is the Commendation of Gods Law as fit to be the means of Unity that all are so easily agreed to it in terms and therefore would agree in the sense if they understood it But they will not do so by the Laws of men All or many Hereticks in the primitive times would profess assent to the Churches Creed no doubt in a corrupt and private sense But the Churches did not therefore make new Creeds till above 300 years after Christ they began to put in some particular words to obviate Hereticks which Hilary complained of as the Cause of all their divisions And what if Hereticks will subscribe to all you bid them and take it in their own corrupted sense Must you therefore be still making new Laws and Articles till you meet with some which they cannot mis-understand or dare not thus abuse What if men will mis-interpret and break the Laws of the Land Must they be made new till none can mis-expound or violate them Sure there is a wiser way than this Gods word containeth in sufficient expressions all that is necessary to be subscribed to Require none therefore to subscribe to any more in matters of faith or holy practice But if you think any Articles need a special interpretation let the Church give her sense of those Articles and if any man Preach against that sense and corrupt the Word of God which he hath subscribed let his fault be
be observed 1. That you keep not his sword for your benefit and advantage nor claim a propriety in it but give it his friends or deliver it to the Magistrate 2. That you do nothing without the Magistrate in which you may safely stay for his Authority and help But if two be fighting or thieves be robbing or murdering a man or anothers life be in present danger you must help them without staying for the Magistrates authority 3. That you make not this a pretence for the usurping of Authority or for resisting or deposing your lawful Prince or Magistrate or Parent or Master or of exercising your own will and passions against your Superiours pretending that you take away their swords to save themselves or others from their rage when it is indeed but to hinder justice § 21. Quest. 14. May I not then much more take away that by which he would destroy his own or other Quest. 14. mens souls As to take away Cards or Dice from Gamesters or heretical or sâ—diâ—ious books or Play-books and Romances or to pull down Idols which the Idolaters do adore or are instruments of Idolatry Answ. There is much difference in the cases though the soul be more precious than the body For 1. Here there is supposed to be so much leisure and space as that you may have time to tell the Magistrate of it whose duty primarily it is Whereas in the other case it is supposed that so much delay would be a mans death Therefore your duty is to acquaint the Magistrate with the sin and danger and not to anticipate him and play the Magistrate your self Or in the case of Cards and Dice and hurtful books you may acquaint the persons with the sin and perswade them to cast them away themselves 2. Your taking away these instruments is not like to save them For the love of the sin and the Will to do it remaineth still and the sinner will but be hardened by his indignation against your irregular course of charity 3. Men are bound to save mens bodies whether they will or not because it may be so done But no man can save anothers soul against his will And it is Gods will that their salvation or damnation shall be more the fruit of their own wills than of any others Therefore though it 's possible to devise an instance in which it is lawful to steal a poysonous book or idol from another when it is done so secretly as will encourage no disobedience or disorder nor is like to harden the sinner but indeed to do him good c. yet ordinarily all this is A Wife or near friend that is under no suspicion of alienating the thing to their own commodity nor of ill designes may go somewhat further in such cases than an inferiour or a stranger unlawful for private men that have no Government of others or extraordinary interest in them § 2. Quest. 15. May not a Magistrate take the subjects goods when it is necessary for their own preservation Quest. 15. Answ. I answered this question once heretofore in my Political Aphorisms And because I repent of medling with such subjects and of writing that Book I will leave such cases hereafter for fitter persons to resolve Quest. 16. But may I not take from another for a holy use As to give to the Church or maintain the Quest. 16. Bishops If David took the hallowed bread in his necessity may not hallowed persons take common bread much more Answ. If holy persons be in present danger of death their lives may be saved as other mens on the terms mentioned in the first case Otherwise God hath no need of theft or violence nor must you rob the Laity to cloath the Clergy But to do such evil on pretence of piety and good is an aggravation of the sin CHAP. XIX General Directions and particular Cases of Conscience about Contracts in general and about Buying and Selling Borrowing and Lending Usury c. in particular Tit. 1. General Directions against injurious Bargaining and Contracts BEsides the last Directions Chap. 18. take these as more nearly pertinent to this case § 1. Direct 1. See that your hearts have the two great principles of Iustice deeply and habitually Direct 1. innaturalized or radicated in them viz. The true Love of your neighbour and the Denyal of your self which in one precept are called The Loving of your neighbour as your self For then you will be freed from the Inclination to injuries and fraud and from the power of those temptations which carry men to these sins They will be contrary to your habitual will or inclination and you will be more studious to help your neighbour than to get from him § 2. Direct 2. Yet do not content your self with these habits but be sure to call them up to act Direct 2. when ever you have any bargaining with others and let a faithful Conscience be to you as a Cryer to proclaim Gods Laws and say to you Now remember Love and Self-denyal and Do as you would be done by If Alexander Severus so highly valued this saying Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris as to make it his Motto and write and engrave it on his doors and buildings having learned it of some Christians or Jews saith Lampridius What a crime and shame is it for Christs own profest Disciples neither to learn or love it Put home the question when you have any bargaining with others How would I be dealt with my self if my case were the same with his § 3. Direct 3. When the Tempter draweth you to think only of your own commodity and gain remember Direct 3. how much more you will lose by sin than your gain can any way amount to If Acan Gehezi Ahab Iudas c. had foreseen the end and the greatness of their loss it would have curbed their covetous desires Believe Gods Word from the bottom of your heart that you shall lose things eternal if you sinfully get things temporal and then you will not make haste to such a bargain to win the world and lose your souls § 4. Direct 4. Understand your neighbours case aright and meditate on his wants and interest You Direct 4. think what you want your self but you think not whether his wants with whom you deal may not be as great as yours Consider what his commodity costeth him or what the toil of the workmans labour is What house rent he hath to pay and what a family to maintain and whether all this can be well done upon the rates that you desire to trade with him And do not believe every common report of his riches or of the price of his commodity For same in such cases is frequently false § 5. Direct 5. Regard the publick good above your own commodity It is not lawful to take up Direct 5. or keep up any oppressing monopoly or Trade which tendeth to enrich you