to be found there To make it a little plainer by an illustration suppose a Gentleman in the Countrie should have a Son and a servant both faithfull as he judgeth and he should send his servant into Cheap side or some other Market to buy a great deale of meat and spice and suger and cloathes and the like and he should send his sonne with letters to the Parliament with messages to the Committees of State they both goe home they have both done their errand now should that Gentleman say that his sonne was unfaithfull because hee did not bring as much luggage home as the servant No it was the message of the servant to fetch luggage but it was the message of the son to deliver his message So the message of Moses it was luggage to teach them endlesse externall lawes and things but the designe of the Sonne of God his message was to declare the sercret spirituall mysteryes of his Father to the people of God in the New Testament therefore it is no sence much lesse truth to say that Christ was unfaithfull because he hath not as many curious ties in outward things as Moses So I have done with those objection .. Now breifly to end all at this time there are two things remaine First to point out the hindrances that keep us from walking according to this truth And secondly to shew you certaine meanes that may further you in it Hindrances The hindrances are these foure or five The one that you must take heed of engaging your selves with any party in Religion beyond your owne principles 1. Engagement in parties beyond mens principles Religion is already in a faction among some Saints men are readie to cry I am for Paul and I am for Apollo and I am for Cephas Now I would not have you persecute others by no meanes but I would have you love all Saints all that call on the name of the Lord with a pure heart and honour all Saints without faction but take heed of running into any of these partyes whatsoever beyond your owne principle further than you have a cleare light that you can answer comfortably for it at the last day before the Lord. Hence is this running into faction that I beleive there are thousands of men and women that professe themselves now Presbyterians that know not not understand what Presbytery is men scarsly know what they say and yet I am a Presbyterian run into faction So many in that way that you call Independency that out of some motive of truth that they see in it their good neighbours and friends that are of it they run a long in it and what followes When they come to suffer in death or the like case they either goe back with shame and greive their brethren or else they go on uncomfortably for that that they have not a seale to their conscience So now I may say in some measure that people generally believe as the Church believes as the faction that they joyne themselves to believe Therefore beware of this this is not a time for men to see with other mens eyes Try all things hold fast that which is good Let every man prove his own work Love all Saints if there be any thing of God in them but walk not according to any mans rules or principles farther than God cleares it to your soules 2. Looking on things with prejudice The second tâ—ing is this that if you would walk by rule take heed of looking upon any thing truth or error with the eye of prejudice People look now a dayes upon all things that are controverted especially every one hath a glasse before his eyes one blew another red one lookes on a thing as it is accompanied with shame and persecution as it hath such nick-names on it Others look on other things as they are approved by wise men and followed by the multitude as they bring profit and credit remove all these things from any thing that you would judge aright of these are false glasses therefore truth or error that that is most persecuted in the world you must judge as if it had all the preferment and advancement in the world This I have often thought those that shall come a hundred yeares hence that shall be godly if the world last so long will wonder at our follies and think us mad men in most of our controversies and wranglings because that prejudice and peevishnesse and passion and those mists and glasses shall not be before their eyes they will be able to judge of things as they are As we have read of a controversie many yeares between the Saints about keeping of Easter in the East and Westerne Churches some would keep it at one time and some at another we think they were mad to strive about it and it had been no matter if it had never been kept And so in the Convocation for a quarter of a yeare in the Synod the Bishops of Canterbury and Yorke they strove who should sit uppermost we think they were mad but they were great things in those dayes when they had no better light So those that shall come after will wonder as much at us Therefore labour to be as wise as thy Childe will be fortie yeares hence look on things without prejudice and then thou shalt see clearly 3. A devout jealousie concerning truth and error Thirdly take heed if thou wilt walk by the rules of the Gospel and by this that I have laid down before thee of a devout jealousie that is in you of all things that are upon the right hand I shall endeavour to open it a little I know that generally men are jealous of those opinions that are on the left hand I mean thus most men are very apt to believe that it is the truth of God whatsoever it is if it bring credit and preferment and profit and the like Carnall men think that truth that goeth with prosperity and they are easily convinced that error brings povertie and shame As the people in Jer. 43. when the Prophet comes to teach them that they should not goe into Egypt they had a minde to goe contrarie to Gods word verse 2. Thâ—â— said the men thou speakest fasly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say goe not into Egypt to sojourne there They were jealous that it was a false message that it was no truth but error to tell them a thing contrary to their own lusts So Ahab that had foure-hundred false Prophets he thought that Micajah did not speak truth Why because it was contrary to his prosperity hee said not goe and prosper as the rest did So most men are apt to doe now men are strangers to the life of God and are blinde and they think not that the way to heaven is through many persecutions therefore any Pamphlet or any sermon though from a carnall drunkard it will easily confirme them in the
be warie of making lawes for hereafter for there are few things that are expedient but may sometime or other be lawfull therefore what is expedient now to doe beware how you make it a standing law to binde men to it Nay in Civill things there is no law of the Land in an extraordinary case but if they make it an ordinarie rule a standing law it will be inconvenient So in spirituall things about six score yeares agoe in the reformation it was a great thing to come out so far as they did but the Surplice and the Crosse and kneeling at the Sacrament stayed still and the States men did well it was good that they did so much because they then could not have them all off meaning in the next age when things were setled to remoove them but they made a law and it was a point of good policie yet when that law was made there arose another King that knew not Joseph another Generation came and made the Surplice and the Crosse the ruine of good people to drive them to New-England and to imprison them Therefore it is good to be wary in making of standing lawes 5. To beware how they impose things on the consciences of the Saints Fiftly Magistrates Churches must be warie how they impose these things upon the consciences of men as necessarie things they may decide them to be expedient and so perswade them to obey but if they come to impose them as necessary as that the Surplice signifies innocency and the Crosse mortification when they impose them Jure Divino it is not right 6. Not to use rigour in determining Lastly beware of severity and rigour in determining those things that God hath not determined for in those things a poore Saint though they determine them yet if he have no measure of light he cannot in conscience do it but he is condemned by his conscience And if he use all his light and reverence the Magistrate and use all the Ordinances of God yet in some cases God gives him not light to doe it Now to goe with fire and fagot with banishment and imprisonment as they did under Episcopacie there was more rigour used for not wearing the Surplice than if a Minister had been drunk twenty times in a yeare they imposed these things with severity yet come to them and ask what good was in them the Bishops would say they were but indifferent things and yet they would punish the want of them more than the breach of the Commandments of God therefore beware of that So to that objection that this would breed confusion if every man should determine them you have foure answers I wil add one more and I shall go no farther at this time and that is if you will avoid confusion herein and follow this truth You know I have shewed you certaine rules by which you should goe to avoide confusion and they are as Land marks or as booyes in the water to guide you As for instance here is a thing that God hath not determined then cast about Is it decent is it convenient is it expedient doth it doe others or my self good Or will it trouble my conscience and make Religion evill spoken of Cast about by these rules and every one that hath tryed them shall walk safely without danger Therefore make use of those rules But it may be you will say those rules will not reach every case therefore I shall be at a stand Therefore to them I will add three or foure more and so conclude at this time You have had foure already Expediency that is one measure then decency and conveniency then commendableness or laudableness lastly Orderlinesse 5. Rule Examples of the old Saints And if those rules will not fit look on the examples of the old Saints in the book of God and putting the case alike or else it is a dangerous rule you are not in all things to follow the example of Christ himself hee did many things that are not for your example though wee may not make an absolute rule of every example yet they may be good patterns when the case is alike if we cannot judge whether this be expedient doe as the Saints of old did As for instance Paul in Act. 20. when he was taking his leave of his friends he bowed his knees and prayed on the place and called on the Lord as they parted I think not that this is an absolute rule that the Saints in all places are tyed to that they sin without they pray when they part but if you have time and other circumstances then it is commendable and safe to follow his example So to gather money for the maintenance of the poore of the Church it is a necessary dutie that God requires but when to doe it or how put the case the same according as you have opportunitie you should do well to doe it on the First-day of the week but it is not an absolute rule So if a stranger that is a Christian come to travell through the country Paul bids bring them on their way I think not that a man absolutely sins if he doe not bring a stranger on his way but put the case alike and it is safe and commendable to follow the Saints and so in a hundred things And this will help you out when you have no other light 6. To look to the custome of the Saints and Churches Secondly let me add to this a strange rule you will think it so if I cannot make it out that is this you must take notice of the customes of the Saints and of the Churches of God If you cannot finde by example and judge what is convenient and expedient and honourable in the old Saints goe to the custome of the Churches and the Saints that now are look what is the practise of the generation of the Saints and when there is no other light that will help you Custome in civill things it is the strongest law of England and in morrall things it is strong God saith a blackmore may be washed white sooner than they that are accustomed to doe evill will leave it But in this in spirituall things Custome the weakest rule in spirituall things custome is the weakest rule the customes of the Churches and of the Saints is the dimmest light yet in many cases we leave you to the customes of the Churches when there is no other light to go forward with and a Saint he may guide and steere his course well by it Therefore you shall see in Psal 73. David reasons the case why am I whipped every morning I have washed my hands in vaine and it is in vaine to be a Saint He corrects himself if I should say so besides my own foolishnesse I should condemne the Generation of the Saints God deales so with them So I remember a word between a Minister and a Gentleman the Minister disputing with the Gentleman Of
the new Testament whether in Doctrine or Discipline in his Worship if I may so speak though improperly or whatsoever he hath not absolutely determined those things I call indifferent And though there be abundance of things that are not so determined that are lawfull for Christians to doe yet alway those things are not expedient and convenient for them to doe And before I proceed farther to open this which is the greatest thing I desire you to take two cautions Cautions First in opening to you this expediency that I am to speak of and the rest I shall make use of many Scriptures that sometimes mingle things simplie evil with things undetermined now take it not as though every thing that I shall name in a text I call things indifferent Secondly doe not conceive by what I have said 2. Nor to weaken things determined or by what I mean to say that I goe about to innervate or to weaken any thing that God hath determined in his word God forbid but my drift is to shew how you should walk in respect of those things be they what they will that God hath not determined but left at liberty So observing that We come to the next thing to shew what is expediency All things are lawfull but all things are not EXPEDIENT That is divers things are lawfull for I speak not properly of the two other things simplie good and simplie evil but of things undetermined and seeing every thing is not expedient What is the meaning of that what is the expediency of things By the word expedient in this text Expediency what I suppose the Lord takes one word that comprehends all those rules that are to order and guide us in our conversations in the use of things that are not absolutely commanded or forbidden It is a large word ALL things are not expedient that is all things are not fit not meet all things are not worthy the Gospel they are not decent they are not comely they do not edifie they are not conveniēt not lovely not veērable not of good report I believe it comprehends all implies all though it signifie some one thing more especially in particular Now because the words are many and it would be tedious to shew all the rules or expressions in Scripture that teach us how to carrie our selves in these things and finding the rules coinsidere and many of the expressions to signifie the same thing Therefore I will reduce all to foure heads or generall rules or expressions that the holy Ghost useth concerning things undeterminea by the Lord in Scripture reduced to 4 heads First I will take expediency in its own native signification and look what light we can get there All things are not expedient The meaning of the word expediency The meaning of the word wee shall see a little by that that follows the Apostle explaines himselfe all things are lawfull but all things edefie not That is that is not expedient that doth not edifie that doth not add any thing to one The word sumpertà signifies gaine or profit or wealth and that in a compound manner it signifies some commoditie that one gets Every thing is not expedient that is it is not profitable it doth not bring gaine it doth not doe good as the Apostle saith after Let no man seek his own but anothers wealth So it is translated in one place profit 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall And as one observes it signifies not barely profit but great gaine as Piscator saith when men bring every one a stock of money to make a common bank when one hath one gift another another to make a common bank for the good of the Church it signifies profit in a compound manner Concurrence of things to profit or expediency But I thinke as properly or rather more properly that the word may also signifie the respect of things it signifies not only profit or commoditie but a concurence of things to helpe on that profite as thus A thing is expedient when it brings gaine and commoditie to some person this is expediencie As for instance suppose a Collonell have a command to go to the Army it is lawfull but the question is whether it be expedient now if he have order to goe and not mony or if he have a Commission and money and have not Armes or if he have Armes and not souldiers it is not expedient for him to go here is not a concurrence of all circumstances to a profitable and good action but when all come together as when he hath instructions and order and armes and souldiers and mony when all concur and come in then it is wondrous expedient Neither mistake mee it is not necessarie to make a thing expedient either civell or spirituall circumstances concur as the proverbe is there is no commoditie but there is a discomoditie there is no such busines but some thing may jarr but a busines is said to be expedient when the generallitie when the most or the most materiall things concurre though some bee a way if some meet it may be expedient As if a Captaine have souldiers and monie and armes though hee have not faire weather or want a Coat or such a thing yet it may be expedient for him to goe So in spirituall things a thing that is undetermined is inexpedient when the circumstances are so thwart and crosse that it is like to bring no good but hurt but when the circumstances or most of them meet that it is like to bring profit then it is expedient for alwayes circumstances doe jumpe so to make the busines profitable or gainefull but hurtfull and unprofitable But you will say Quest what gaine or profit is that that you expect an action should bring before a christian be allowed to doe it and to determine on it Beloved Answ it should bring gaine foure wayes as I may so speak Our books translate it well though that be not proper we have not words to expresse it we must not take the word in the proper sense no more than the word wealth in the next verse after the text for the word signifies gaine or profit or commoditie or wealth or advantage c. I say it should bring gaine To God Expedient actions must bring gaine or profit 4 wayes To My brother To Those without To My own soule That action that is lawfull that is undetermined if it doe not profit these foure wayes or either of the foure If it doe not bring advancement to the glory of God or something to the good of my brother or something to win them that are without or something for the setling of the peace of my own conscience it is not for me to doe it never let me talk it is lawfull it is not expedient 1. To advance the glory of God First for the glory of God you shall see 1
Compare it with 1. Cor. 11. where the Apostle speaks concerning women being covered or uncovered and he shewes what he thought was fit in those countries but saith he if any be contentious we have no such custome nor the Churches of God That is if you wrangle and strive and keep a coile I will not beare you out we have no such custome nor the Churches of God to breake the peace and to make strife and contention As in the outward common-wealth so in the spirituall common-wealth of Israel let him look to it that first breaks the peace It must not be opinions and crotchets of yesterdayes making that must break the peace of the Churches day by day it is a dangerous thing therefore in 2 Thes 3.15 I beseech God by all meanes to keep peace among you the Lord of peace himself give you peace alwayes by all meanes It is three times repeated therefore surely you must eye that Thirdly look whether it tend to edification 3. To edification for all things edifie not That is doth this conduce to doe my brother good will his soul be the better for it As it must increase love between thee and him or else do it not if it break love or break peace So see if it edifie him whether it build up his soule or no will his soule be the better for it It may be thy brother is a weak Saint and thou maiest hinder his soule from growing in grace by doing a lawfull thing for saith the Apostl all things are not expedient all things edifie not Therefore see that it tend to edification But here is your religion what doe I care let it trouble him or no or better him or no Is it not lawful to do this Is it not lawfull to play at cards and dice and such things O see if it edifie or else abhorr it as if it were forbidden as the tree in Eden avoyd lawfull things if they edifie not Thirdly 3. To win those without see whether it conduce to the winning of the souls of others that are without The Lord hath put us into the world to win the Elect out of the world and wee must have an eye to that few Christians observe that the more is the miserie we onely raile and speak evil of them but wee should walk as lights in the middest of a crooked generation As Paul saith concerning marrying and taking money for his preaching I could saith he marrie as well as Peter and make you pay for every Sermon I preach for thou shalt not muzzel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne but God forbid though these things be lawfull I become all things to all men that I might win some I caught you by guile saith he What was Pauls guile Not a sinfull thing it was no jesting with them nor it was not so much in necessarie duties but in lawfull things there being a latitude in the Gospel Paul did so walk and carrie himselfe as that he might win poore sinners to the Lord Jews or Gentiles But you onely looke if it be lawfull O you should look whether you offend your brethren whether you break the peace whether you doe not harden others you must walk decently to them that are without In our walking we must do nothing that may harden others There are a world more hardened by the indiscreet doing of good and the careless indecent doing of lawfull things than by the sinfull actions of the Saints as I shall shew after Fourthly and lastly thou must look whether it bring any gaine 4. To our own souls or advantage to thy own peace to thy conscience to thy self for though it be a lawfull thing yet if it trouble and gravell thy conscience thou must not doe it saith Paul I have endeavoured to keep a good conscience towards God and towards men And generally among the Saints they have more guilt in their consciences Why Christians are most troubled about the use of lawful things and more trouble in their soules about the use of lawfull things than about sinfull it is partly from their ignorance not knowing their liberty and partly indiscretion and the strength of their lusts that many times they eat when they should not or they eat more than they should or they sleep when they should not therefore you shall have poore people complaine Sir I am readie to starve my self I am such a glutton I eat so oft and I eat so many bits and of so many dishes and I cannot eat but my conscience saith it is too much whereas I should eat but one dish and so many cuts they make lawes and they break them after and make themselves guilty and then conscience checks them I confesse there is much ignorance in weak Christians not knowing their Christian liberty in meats and drinks but much is for want of discretion and because there is a great deale of unsanctifiedness in the heart in the directing and managing of lawful things for the glory of God and for their own peace and quiet for they follow their lusts and abuse lawful things that another man might doe without sin Therefore whatsoever it is say not the Minister saith it is lawfull though it be yet it may be poyson to thee for it may be inexpedient doth it trouble thy conscience get knowledge to see the lawfulnes of it or abstaine from it gall not thy conscience So then to end that you see according to the signification of the word expedient taken in the proper signification the first rule that all lawfull things are not expedient Though many things be allowed that God hath not restrained nor determined they are neither commanded nor forbidden by the word of God yet every thing is not expedient that is every thing doth not advance the glory of God and love among the Saints and peace and edification Every thing doth not conduce to win others out of the world and every thing doth not help the peace of our own conscience Decency what 1 COR. 10.23 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient c. I Have observed to you from these words three things The first was this That There are divers things that are now lawfull to the Saints under the new Testament that were not to the Saints under the Old I have finished that Doctrine The second is this Though divers things be lawfull to the Saints under the new Testament yet but a few of those things are expedient and fit for a Saint to doe For the opening of it I propounded two things First what I mean by lawfull things I instanced in three sorts Secondly what is meant by EXPEDIENT The word comprehends all the rules that are to order and guide us in the use of things that are not determined that are not commanded nor forbidden It is a large word All things are not expedient That is all things are not fit all things are not
you are going to the other and it may be your neighbours house is on fire or a poor man is in want you goe and you cannot choose but then there is gall and guilt upon your soules because you have neglected prayer Whereas God hath not bound you to these things but hath left you to doe this or that according as it may be most for the honour of God the everlasting advantage of your own souls Hence if you observe and looke upon your own souls when you finde your selves in trouble you shall ordinarily see the truth of this doctrine Ask the question whence is this trouble why are your soules so sad you shall finde six times for one that the trouble and guilt ariseth from these things from making of lawes and we are not able to keep them whereas if wee would make an absolute law of nothing but what God hath made and doe the rest in expediency we might be able to let goe that and doe this that is expedient wee should doe abundance more good and with peace of conscience Christians ful of questions why And hence it is that weak Christians good people are so full of questions and cases and trouble themselves and Ministers endlessely Why so because many professors walk only by rule by law this is their religion they will avoide that which is evill and doe that which is good This is good but this is not all and seldome in my experience have I seen a spirituall heart that is spirituall indeed much troubled with those cases of conscience in outward things Spirituall Christians their carriage The reason is this because a spirituall Christian hath two eyes the other hath but one that is when a spirituall Christian falls on an action he asks first is it lawfull or unlawfull he easily resolves that but hee goes farther is it convenient doth it tend to the glory of God will any be better for it will my own soule be the better is it decent And it is six to one but he findes it expedient and he considers the lawfulnesse no farther that is gone and an inexpedient action to a spirituall man it is as abominable as an action altogether unlawfull Therefore we see Paul how resolutely he speaks of eating of flesh The earth is the Lords and the fulnes thereof and make no conscience of what is before you yet he saith if eating of flesh offend my brother mark his high language I will never eat flesh while the world standeth rather than I will offend my brother that is I would soone answer the case of conscience I will not trouble ministers or my self about that Weak Christians not minding this they ask only is it lawfull Is it lawfull to weare long haire is it lawfull to play at tables c. They goe no farther and so there comes guilt upon their soules I heard once I speak it not with prejudice of some godly women that were godly persons Baptisme doubted of they made great doubt of their baptisme and going by the rule that I told you before making a curious peice in the New-Testament and laying such stresse upon every nick that all was overthrown if that were wanting they were baptized the first and the second and the third time and still they feared there was a fault that they could not sleep in their beds for horrour of conscience least there should be a nick or flaw in the least in their baptisme and so were still studying a way to doe it better So it will be in all cases when men make lawes where God hath not made them there will trouble and guilt follow in that they are not able to performe them I speak it not to weaken or innervate any of the people of God in absolute commands but where God hath left a latitude as I have proved let us take notice of it and order all things for the glory of God and the edification of our selves and others And that is another motive Briefly Mot. 3. He that eyes not expediency cannot doe much for God the third is this to perswade you to this for I feare many doe not understand this and you are hardly brought to it because your hearts are contrary to the real principles of the Gospel whereof this is one as it is the way to end controversies among the brethren and the way to keep peace within our selves So thirdly unlesse you will receive this truth and labour to understand it if you goe by the other way taking every thing jure divino to be an absolute rule to binde people in all the world and then when you have put stresse on them and broken them you conclude there is no Church nor no believers such a soule will never be able to do much for God he will never be able to honour God much he may please himselfe as such doe and think that he is growen in grace and hath out-stripped others and he may trouble the Kingdome and rend the Churches and make debate among the Saints but take this for certaine he shall never be able to honour God much he shall doe little in his generation I mean that I may come to particulars he will neither be able to do much in wining of sinners nor in strengthening of weak Saints for in those two wayes are the greatest opportunities we have of honouring God If yee love me feed my lambes saith Christ He cannot doe it why so 1. They present religion to others as endlesse First because such a man or such a people that are set in such a way as many are in these dayes and many godly people they present Religion to others alwayes as an endlesse thing as a thing that hath no end And therefore when they perswade weak Christians to be religious they look upon their religion as a bottomlesse pit as Solomon saith The lips of a whore is a deep pit They think here is a religion indeed if we close with this people we shall not know where to stay the last moneth they were in one religion and the last yeare in another and so they seek a knot in a bulrush they seek for curiosity where God hath not laid it therefore they are ever wandering They perswade us to be of this Church and of this religion and we shall be safe say carnall men how earnest are they to have us be with them and two moneths agoe they were as earnest for another and it may be two moneths hence they will be for another and so they run from them Therefore in 2 Tim. 4. when there was a great deale of stir among the Christians about Genealogies and old wives tales and vaine stories Paul bids Timothy take heed of them Why because they were endlesse that is if a man goe to them they goe from one fancy to another he knows not where to finde them When Paul would cleare himself from an ill report they had of him among
that desire to doe good and it may be out of a conceit or rather with reverence out of conscience of the Pulpit or the places we preach in have hid their tallents and have laid downe their work and kept in their gifts and become unprofitable And how many hundred Christians are there that are godly and holy people out of conscience of the calling of the Ministers or the house that they meet in have with the griefe of their soules and many a heavy heart shut themselves in a hole foure or five women together and lost the use of those blessed gifts If they had studied whether it had been convenient it had been worth the while to dispute but God hath made no law for preaching in a pulpit or in a pew or in a house of stone or not of stone but making an absolute law that it must hold in all cases they fall into these snares that are greivous I speak not this that you should persecute such for they are godly people and it is a signe they have tender consciences I mean not so nor doe I perswade them to do things without some knowledg that they should not doe it doubtingly but I desire you to receive this truth whereby the occasion of such scruples may be remooved There be foure things The first thing is this that clearly demonstrates that they cannot doe much for God 5. If they do good it is by accident or the honour of God because if they doe any thing for God for the winning of others it is as I may say by chance by accident for it is a thing beside their intention This is their religion it is not to studie how I may honour God and bring in sinners this scarsly comes in their thoughts but what is truth and what is false what is lawfull and what is unlawfull Therefore divers that else are godly men let them have a nick right or wrong they never consider the Congregation how they may doe most good but they think this is truth and every truth must be preached in every place at every time to every people this is their religion they never look if it may doe good Wheras a Christian that makes no more lawes than Christ hath made and studies what is expedient and would win souls hee must be wise and watchfull and circumspect and able to see what may conduce to edification Therefore men in Scripture that were sent to win soules they are called fisher-men the Apostles were and fisher-men must be cunning it is not every baite that will catch every fish he must baite and waite and be cunning and wise Saith Paul I took you by guile I had a way to win you and insinuate into you men must make it their studie if they will win souls to the Lord to look not only that they preach truth but what truth to what people and what way they doe it Therefore Paul Gal. 2. when hee came among people that were not able to receive the truth concerning justification and concerning ceremonies he preached to them of good repute that is choice Christians that were able to beare it that they might communicate it to others or else he should loose his labour and run in vaine So in Act. 19. where there was great strife about the Temple of Diana Paul when he came there he knew that the peoples hearts were set on their Temple and the worshiping of their Idol therefore he doth wisely to doe their souls good he might have said I preach the truth and down with the image of Diana but when the busines was done bespake not a word against Diana and the Temple he hated the image and the Temple but he went the wisest way to work to win them That is another reason 6. They intend good only to few A sixt reason is this these people cannot doe good for the winning of others and for the feeding of the poore lambes of Christ why so If they doe any I told you it is by accident it is beside their intention or if they intend any it is a few of their owne minde and judgement those that are in fellowship with them only and the rest they look on them as unbelievers though they be never so holy and the Spirit of God have sealed to their soules yet they are unbelievers and are in an Antichristian estate and have the mark of the Beast on them and goe from them as if they had the plague on them I say thou mayest doe good to those people that are of thy owne minde thou canst never doe good to others with such language under such notions whereas others that walk according to the truth that I teach they walk equally to all Saints and as Paul saith I became all things to all men that I might win some He labours to win sinners to nourish the weak if they have any thing of Christ hee loves them if they have nothing he endeavours to work it VVhereas the other looks on them as Turks and Infidels and can doe them no good But you will say though wee looke so on them wee would doe them good if they would hearken to us It may be so and it is probable you would do them good but I tell you you shall never be able to doe it in that way VVhy because as Paul saith 1 Cor. 8. Knowledge puffeth up but love edifieth If you love them not you can not edifie them If I did know a man that should teach mee and loved me nor I cannot I will not be edified VVhen good people that are sealed that they are the Lords and that Christ is in them when people shall come and call them Antichristians and that they have the mark of the Beast on them and that they are unbelievers are they like to doe them good they are not because love doth not intervene 7. They lead others to destruction Shall I add one word more and end that Lastly they cannot win others or doe good to others why so It is a foreword I am death to speak it but I know it is true because they are so far from edifying that those that goe that way according to that principle they lead many silly souls to their own destruction How I will demonstrate it thus the principle is this that nick that is new they lay such stresse on it that he that followes that is a believer and a Saint though he be stark naught now there is no poor carnall man there is no soule so wicked and wretched but hee would be willing to doe something for himselfe and when he findes so easie a way to Heaven that it is but observing such an externall thing he will be of that way though he be a whoremonger an adulterer As it is in Popery though I compare not the persons but there is the same principle in both how comes their Church to be so great they come to poore people that
Christ there is a Government or there is a discipline that may in a sense be called an externall discipline over the Saints or people of God And it is true that all the governments that have hetherto been in the world since our Lord Christ went to heaven men have called them the Governments of the Gospel and fathered them upon Christ and the Gospel and truely if they had been so indeed as men pretended that is if those kind of governments that wee have had had been part of the Gospel surely than there had been a great deale of bad newes and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Jesus Christ As for instance There have been but two great governments or disciplines if I may use that word in the world since our Lord went to heaven The one was Papacie The other Episcopacy Papacie Episcopacy Wee have been governed either by the Pope that stiled himself the Successor of Peter and the Romish Governour or by Episcopacy in latter yeares in many parts though Papistrie made the greater stirr in the world Now these two differ in degrees otherwise they are of the same kinde And if these were the government of Christ and the discipline of the Gospel we may well say there hath been sad tidings and heavie newes from the Gospel for many yeares Evils in both governments Give me leave to instance in a few substantiall things in these two Governments 1. Concerning their power This was one thing that was in both these Governments The Ministers such as they were by what titles soever they were stiled for they had many sorts they took all the power of governing and government wholly and solely into their owne hands they called themselves the Church of God we must looke to the Church that is the Bishops to their lawes c. They called themselves the Clergie that is Gods inheritance as the word in the Originall signifies True it is there is a power a sweet Gospel power in the Ministers that is somewhat peculiar from the people But to take all power into their owne hands and to leave the people and call them the laity the drâ—sse the vulgar to leave them as vassalls and slaves and to call themselves the Clergie and the Church and the like If this had been Christs discipline there had been some hard and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Christ Secondly as they took this power into their hands so they used this power as Lords over Gods inheritance contrary to the command of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 5.4 2. Their Lorldlines in two things You shall not Lord it over Gods inheritance Now you know they were Lords that will appeare in two things 1. In imposing lawes on mens consciences First they made Lawes upon the consciences of men besides the Lawes that Jesus Christ made you know they had their Synods and their Convocations and their great Councels and the like and there they would have Canons or Lawes every time they met for the consciences of poore Saints This was no good newes 2. In forcing men to obey those lawes And then forcing men to aver those lawes that they had made as they had made a law that people should not goe out of their Parishes they must every one heare his owne Minister though it may be he was an Ignorant drunken dumb prophane wretch and if they did not they were forced and compelled to doe it Beloved this was not according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ for if it had surely it had been no good newes 3. Forcing Ministers Officers on the people Thirdly in the second Government that we have had hetherto they imposed Ministers and Officers upon the people the people never had yet liberty under these two Governments to choose men according to Gods own heart that would feed them with knowledge and understanding but such as the Bishops sent they must receive whether they were good or bad they must take them as they found them and those usually were either Ignorant unlearned men or prophane unsanctified men and these were sent by them as Lords and the people were forced to receive them Then fourthly in this government all the power which they had which they took all to themselves they exercised it onely 4. Their power excercised against the Saints almost against the Saints and people of God either as Schismaticks or Lolâ—ards or Heretiques or Puritans or the like either for doing that that was good or for things that were trifles according to their owne judgment For doing that which was good for fasting and praying for meeting to teach one another and to seek the Lord these were called Conventicles Or for trifles that they in their consciences held indifferent as the wearing of the Surplice and the Crosse in baptisme they themselves said they were indifferent things and trifles and yet men must be silenced and people bannished beyond Sea for these things This government wee have had and there was little good newes and glad tidings to the soules of the poore Saints from all this 5. Restraining the Spirit in preaching praying Fiftly they did restraine the Spirit of God in the Saints both in preaching and praying In preaching the Ministers were tied they must preach such and not such things and they must be in danger to be fined if they did not keep to the houre And for Prayer when it may be the poore Ministers soule was full of groanes and sighs and he would have rejoyced to have poured out his soule to the Lord he was tied to an old Service-Booke and must read that till he grieved the Spirit of God and dried up his owne spirit as a chip that he could not pray if he would and he must read it for an houre together and then it may be come into the Pulpit but his spirit was gone 6. Their lawes backed by secular power Againe they backed all their lawes with the secular power and punnishments they never rested till they had twisted their owne lawes with the secular lawes the Civill lawes of the Land Every law of theirs was steeled and backed with some Civill severe law to confiscation of goods or imprisonment or such a fine to the cuting off of eares the slitting of noses the burning of cheekes to banishment yea to death it selfe as you know how many precious Saints of God even by those that pretended the government of Christ and his discipline were burned in Smithfeild and how many suffered strange torments and punishments yet their persecutors pretended the discipline and government of Christ I give you but a few instances These were the governments we have had hetherto for thirteen or fourteen hundred yeares either from the Pope or the Bishops Papacie or Episcopacie And truly Beloved there is not a title of good newes or glad tidings to the hearts of holy Saints and tender consciences in all this as your selves may judge Now what we
shall have the Lord knows I know not but only thus much I say that what ever it will be if it be according to these straines that have been heretofore than I confesse there will be a great deale of heavie tidings and hard newes even in the Gospel of Jesus Christ if men call it Gospel or any thing belonging to it For my part as I am wholly ignorant what Government men will set up and call it Christs right or wrong So I am not ignorant of the feares and jealousies that are in the hearts of godly people of this and that thing but be sure if it be the government of Jesus Christ and his discipline there will be nothing but good newes and glad tidings to the honestest heart and tenderest conscience and if it be not such a government it is not of God for I have proved plainly that there is nothing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ but good newes and glad tidings to the worst of sinners But if it be a government that I shall be compelled against conscience and my goods confiscated for this or that trifle this is not according to the Gospel for there are none of these terrible things in the Gospel of Christ it is all sweet The two worst things in the Gospel good newes I will give you but one instance and passe it over In the government of Christ according to the Scriptures the two worst and harshest things that you shall finde there you shall see clearely that they are good things and good newes for a poore Christian to have them set up over his soule As first of all you know that in the Gospel 1. Reproofe the government or discipline call it which may you will We finde in some cases that the Lord Jesus will have us not only comfort and exhort and teach one another but in some cases he will have us reprove one another Benefit of Gospel reproofe and have our Ministers reprove us also but in love and tendernes This is one of the harshest things and this if you look right on it with a spirituall eye truly it is glad tidings for a poore Saint when he hath forgot himself by the violence of some lust Then for a sincere hearted Brother or Sister in the spirit of meeknes and love to reprove him and set his bones in joynt You have some of you found in experience that a sweet and wise reproofe hath been as pleasing to you as any Sermon of consolation that ever you heard And therefore you see in Scripture how the Lord sets downe reproofe that you may not be affraid of it Levit. 19.17 he tells you that reproofe is an argument of love Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but rather reprove him It is an argument of love A man that reproves another wisely and meekly he loves him for otherwise his poore soule is going in the way towards hell from God and fellowship with God going on in sin Now a man that reproves him he brings him backe againe from sin and that strangnes from God that he was in a course to run into therefore I say there is no such evil in reproofe Besides the Scripture saith it is a precious thing Ps 14â— 5 David saith Let the righteous smite me and it shall be as balme it shall be a kindness let him reprove me and it shall be an excellent oile it shall not breake my head It shall be as excellent oile or balme to heale his soule Reproofe is called a profitable thing also 2 Tim. 3. The Scripture is profitable for instruction and reproofe c. If reproofe were an evil thing one could not say that the Scripture were profitable for such an end It is a great judgment of God when God casts a man into such a condition that no body will reprove him It is a thing that I am many times affraid of truly almost to trembling least a man should so carrie himselfe to the Saints and so estrange himselfe that they will not reprove him O it is fearefull when a man stands on his owne bottome and on his owne leggs that men shall say there is a Professor he is so proud and so foolish that none will reprove him Saith God to Ezkiel Thou shalt not be a reprover to this peaple and in Hosea 3. Let no man strive or reprove another Why so saith the Lord in the end of the Chapter Let him be as a backsliding heifer Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone It is a pitifull thing when God shall leave a man as a heifer that is turned into the meddow to grasse let him alone They used to plow with heifers in those dayes as we doe with horses and Oxen and the horses and Oxen are called from the house to the Plow and are driven and beaten but when the Oxe is turned to grasse to be fatted let him alone he lies downe and riseth when he will so these people were so wicked that no man should reprove his brother but he should be as a lambe in a fat Pasture So that reproofe that is one of the harshest things in the government of Christ in the Gospel it is a good a precious and profitable thing It is a great judgment to be without it therefore though that be used the doctrine holds true that there is nothing but good newes glad tidings in the Gospel of Jesus Christ There is another thing that is Excommunication 2 Excomunication cutting a man off from the people of God or delivering him up to Satan A man may say that is a terrible thing It is terrible as I said before when there is secular punishment with it confiscation of goods and losse of estate and freedome but according to the Gospel of Christ you shall see that even the delivering men up to Satan Christ Jesus intends it in love for the good and salvation of their soules It is harsh but it is good newes 2 Cor. 5. saith the Apostle In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ when yee are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus speaking of the incestuous person If men will be so wretched as to sin grosly the Lord Jesus hath ordered that such a man shall be delivered to Satan for what that he may be damned and to bring him to hell No for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And truly Beloved I have seen more than one that have blessed God for that Ordinance that have been brought to humble their soules and sweetly and closely to walk with God againe by the blessing of God on that Ordinance Now I have told you the worst in the Gospel either reproofe and that but upon great occasion or else delivering to Satan
Therefore this makes my heart to bleed Presbytery Independency I am not ashamed nor afraid to tell you my serious thoughts concerning these two wayes if you will call them PRESBYTERY and INDEPENDENCY For that of Independency as I never saw nor was apprehensive what harme it could do to overthrow the Parliament or to destroy the Kingdome as men say Wee must have but one Religion and hang them and draw them and banish them as I am not sensible of these feares so on the other side if you call that Presbytery that godly men call so when a godly Church appeales to godly Ministers to determine that which they cannot determine themselves I cannot see but in some cases and some times and some Churches such a thing may be convenient and expedient and if that were all in Presbytery I would never speak against it I say take Presbytery as godly men expresse it not as ignorant men take it for they mean tyranny I see no such great danger in that that Presbytery will be a thing to destroy us but there may be some things in it convenient but I professe before God and the world my greatest feare and griefe and trouble is that from Presbytery and Independency between the one and the other they are both in a way to make the Saints under the new Testament the glorious sonnes of Sion all babies and to tie little knots querks upon their own souls and the souls of others to bring them to the old Testament againe Where Christ hath bound us let us be bound but where he hath made us free let us doe all to the glory of God and for expediencie and edification Therefore strive not about strawes whether wee shall appeale to other people when we cannot doe things of our selves A ridiculous thing to tie the S t s where Christ hath not tied them but go to the root the principle of both in the generality tends as strongly the one as the other to make babies of the Saints What a shamefull strange ridiculous thing would it be if a Doctor or Batchelor of Divinity should come from Oxford with gray-haires and a learned man and you should make him a little coate and put him on a sachell and give him a Horne-book or A B C and put a festraw in his hand and turne him to schoole What a great disparagement would it be would it not be ridiculous and intolerably foolish So God will be served in the new Testament in Spirit and Christ now hath made the Saints free in abundance of things and for us to make little knick-knacks little lawes to tie the Saints hand and foot and to binde them faster than ever they were under Moses To tell the Saints in the new Testament here you must put out your hand and here that they cannot sanctifie a Sabbath or make a Sermon but they must be told when they must sit and when they must stand and what they must doe this is the misery this this this makes the hearts of Christians to bleed There is something in Presbytery that might be expedient and somewhat in Independency and it would easily be decided but this is the plague we would bring the sons of Sion in the new Testament to be babies I foresee this and point it out for you to take notice of that old Testament spirit that wee may not make lawes upon our selves where God hath not made lawes on us therefore pray to the Lord to end that and then neither of the other will hurt you That is the second Use Only there might be an objection whether it be not lawfull for the Magistrates or the Churches or the Ministers to make lawes to tie their subjects or members in things that Christ hath not absolutely determined But concerning that I mean to handle the objection more fully when I shall speake concerning expediency therefore I shall leave it till then And to hasten over this Doctrine briefly I come to the last Use Use 3 Exhortation to duties As the former Use was to point out the mistakes so this points out the duties to which I am to exhort you that this being so that there is such a libertie and latitude yet not a universall latitude that therfore you would learne these foure things that I shall exhort you to First that every one would endeavor to understand and be acquainted with your Christian libertie 1. To understand our Christian libertie under the new Testament to studie it O! say not here is an example or a precept or a command and I know not what as many are readie to say beware what you bind your conscience with studie your Christian libertie be not as the horse and mule without understanding labour to know what Christ commands that if you doe it not you sin and to know what Christ hath left as expedient for you to doe or not to doe according to edification that is the way to peace But you will say this is dangerous Object this will make us all libertines it is dangerous for people to know their libertie For then they would be giddie and loose prophane When I was a child I have many times heard that if a horse knew his strength no body could rule him Answer Knowledge of Christian liberty not dangerous So if we were horses mules without understanding if we were not men and women in growen age under the new Testament having the Spirit of God the knowing of our libertie would doe us hurt but you shall see that Paul and he was wise alway in all places he was as carefull to lay downe their libertie as to reprove those that abuse their libertie as in all those places in the Corinthians he tells them what was expedient but if you marrie you sin not and so for meat offered to Idols though it might be inexpedient yet an Idol is nothing So sensuall men that have not the Spirit if they pervert and abuse their liberty yet wee must not be wiser than the holy Ghost and Paul and keep the liberty of the Saints from them but acquaint them with it Besides we must indeavour to understand our libertie in the new Testament because that for want of knowing their libertie under the new Testament Not knowing our Christian liberty keeps us under aspirit of bondage the generality of the Saints are kept under the spirit of bondage there is a spirit of bondage nourished inevitably you cannot avoide it as â—ong as you are ignorant of your libertie under the new Testament As how I will tell you there is a spirit of bondage that is continuall guilt on your consciences continuall feare in you How comes it Guilt in the the S t s whence Marke it most of the guilt and feares of the Saints is ordinarily not from the doing of ill but from the misdoing of good that is they apprehend themselves bound to such a dutie and God calls them
to another dutie and there is guilt ariseth from that they doe one thing when their consciences tell them they are bound to doe another As for instance it is your dutie to pray morning and evening in your families it is so and more seven times a day if you can but you make all things lawfull you will doe nothing upon expediency you make it so of necessitie that if you misse in the one or the other you sin As for instance you have taken apart your family to pray and you are called at that time to relieve a poore man and though you have done a better deed yet because you binde your selves where God hath not bound you there is guilt on your consciences So you make another law to read Chapters twice a day you have bound your selves and you sin if you doe it not but a greater dutie comes that is worth the reading often Chapters yet because you neglect that you sin and carry guilt on you So three parts of foure of your guilt it ariseth from ignorance you know not which God will have I pray when I should read or I preach when I should pray or when I should do good to my brother it comes from ignorance God hath not tied us to the number of Chapters or these things but as it may be for expediency for the glory of God and the edification of our brethren which if you did know when a greater dutie comes you would take it in hand So you make a law you must begin reading with Prayer it is sinne to read without praying It is convenient to pray at all times but if you make it an absolute law there will be guilt upon your conscience when you omit it though the occasion be never so great Labour to know your Christian liberty Shall I goe a little further Ignorance of Christian liberty hindere from wining others For the want of knowing and understanding your Christian Liberty there is this misery that you are not able to win the souls of others Why so Because you have tied your selves hand and foot that you cannot stoop to win souls Saith Paul 1 Cor. 9. To the Jew I became as a Jew and to them without law as without law I was weake to the weake I was all things to all that I might win some As if he should say Christ hath given me a great deale of liberty to this end that I might accommodate and apply my self beware of mistaking me not to accommodate my selfe to my own ends to please my lusts but he hath given me a latitude to stoop to mens dispositions and wayes to win their souls Now if Pauls religion had been as many now that is to be tied hand and foot that either all was lawfull or unlawfull he would not have bended an ace to win the world therefore let us learne to know our liberty I could give many sad instances how hence men tied knots that it is not lawfull to come into such a house as this it may be it may not be expedient but they make it absolutely unlawfull One man makes it unlawfull to come into a Pulpit it may be it is inexpedient but they will not have it lawfull and so hundreds of souls are starved they make ties where God hath made none and so we cannot do good to others for want of knowing our liberty Lastly let us studie to know our liberty for the want of knowing our Christian liberty Ignorance of Christian liberty the cause of contention is the maine cause of contention of the contentions of these times I mean How is that I will tell you how On the one side the one partie will doe nothing through the yeare but look at all as absolutely lawfull or unlawfull Wee are come to a fine passe that you must pray before you read or else you sin c. And men are so hide-bound and tied that they will not condescend to their brethren an ace We are bound to condescend to others and to be of one minde that we may doe good to such as wee were formerly but saith one I will not forgoe the truth for a world and one man calls this truth and another that Men are bound head and heeles and will not condescend one jot to others this is for want of the knowledge of our liberty Christ hath given us such a latitude take heed of abusing it of going beyond it yet take heed to studie it One the other side it makes their fingers itch to set out lawes for others to tell the Saints when they shall put out their hand and when they shall pul it in as the Preists in the Law when they shall speak with a loud voyce and when with a low when they shall be down and when up If men knew their liberty it would save a world of labour That is one dutie labour to know and understand your liberty you will be slaves and undoe your selves else The second dutie is doe not enfring your liberty 2. Not to enfring our liberty doe not lessen it As how I would not have you make lawes and ties upon your selves for every little thing where God hath not made it You will say it is true where God hath not made them we would make none but God hath given us examples Is not that a law to us and he hath given us precepts Are not those lawes Every example makes not a law It is not every example nor every precept that makes a law to the Saints Not every example if you look on the example of the Apostles they did many things that you are not to follow they killed a man and his wife Acts 5. they cast out devills they smote men with blindnesse they anointed with oyle yet presently they would not tie the Churches all the world over Look upon the Churches they did sell their lands in the beginning of the Acts and they brought the money to the Apostles and laid it at their feet this example was not a rule for the Churches after did not so but made collections and contributions therefore take heed of making examples rules Nay the example of Christ Jesus himself in many things is not a rule for he walked on the Sea and whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple What Christ did and did not command we are not to follow And why not the like of the Apostles what the Apostles did and commanded wee are to follow but what they did and is not commanded it may be is not warrantable Besides the Saints had feasts of love as we see in Jude These are blots in your feasts Continually when they came to the Supper every one brought his meat as we see 1 Cor. 11. Where are those examples now Be warie of examples Indeed examples with precepts make a rule and it is very commendable to follow them but where it is without a precept take heed of making it a law And then