proceed to Scripture proofs in these things and in farther confirmation of the precedent chapter beginning with some out of the New Testament Saint Paul having declared somewhat to the Ephesians of his knowledge in the mystery of Christ doth it that thereby all men may see what was the fellowship of the mistery that is both the fellowship of Christian precepts amongst themselves and our fellowship or communion with Christ through obedience Which mistery from the beginning of the world hath bin hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ that is heretofore hid under the legal observations but is now as the unsearchable riches of Christ preached amongst the Gentiles To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places that is unto the higher powers seated and deputed by Christ might be known by the Church that is by the vertue of illumination and authority given to them through Christs headship of the Church the manifold wisdome of God And therefore Saint Pauls prayer was that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith so that they being rooted and grounded in love they may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height that is this mistery of the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge Namely that they may know how it should be effected and kept up by those that walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called who must do it with all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that is in obedience to our owne Christian head which is the only bond of peace For by means of the building and foundation laid by these Christian heads Apostles and Prophets as then they were called given for the perfecting of the Saints and for the work of the ministry we come to be united as Citizens of the houshold of God or Catholick Church of which Christ himself is the chief corner stone The body of Christ being in this sort to be framed and built together in this life till we come to be past fear of being tossed to and fro of every winde of doctrine even by being come to the unity of faith through the knowledge of the Son of God or to have attained that measure and stature of fulness which is to be from Christ himself expected Of which Christian submission and obedience having set downe positive precepts in the names of Husbands Parents and Masters he finally exhorts them to be still furnished with the whole armour of God that is faith love and obedience that they may be able to stand against the wils of the Devil That is these his most crafty wiles and insinuations whereby we come to be tempted by him as an Angel of light under religious pretences to acts of obedience even by the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience For saith he we wrestle not against flesh and blood meaning against fleshly rules or Masters for against the works of the flesh we must wrestle but against principalities and powers agaist the rules of the darkness of the world that is against spiritual wickedness in in high or heavenly places Or against the wills of the Devil working in such as under the colour of legal or moral precepts called usually darkness by their owne high power in the Church would countenance disobedience and so overthrow the mystery of Christ by the mysterie of iniquity For these are to know as Saint Paul saith to Tymothy that the end of the commandment is Charity or peaceable submission and obedience for charity sake out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned From which saith he some having swearved are turned aside unto vain jangling that is unprofitable questionings of legalty desiring to be Teachers of the law when they should hearers understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm But we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully that is an obeyer of legal authority whereby to retain innocence and not as judge to become guilty Knowing this that the law is not made for the rsghteous or just man that is to condemn a just or obedient man but for the lawless and disobedient for ungodly and sinners c. Where all wickedness being reckoned after as subsequent and attendant on disobedience and by opposing the disobedient and lawless against the righteous man we must understand obedience and righteousness to be contivertible For as the fruit of the Spirit is love so the fruit thereof again is joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law that is law of condemnation And this mistical way of accomplishing our innocence is farther repeated to the Collossians that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mistery of God and of the father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge In which words we may plainly see that our greatest comfort ariseth from love in our hearts and from hence have we the full assuranc of understanding of right obedience to Gods law to the acknowledgement of the mistery of God even the mistical way of justification whereby being inwardly made ready and pliable to perform all acts of benificence we by our conformity and obedience to this one precept should contrary to the doctrine of the darkness of this world be estated truely innocent In which words the general name of God is first attributed to the holy Ghost for that he is the more proper efficient in the understanding of this mistery as also of the acknowledgement of the Father and of Christ. so that in participation of the Godhead by this mistery we are made comprehensive of all the reall treasures of wisdome and knowledge in being thereby guided through Gods light and not our own Which as the Apostle spake least any should beguile them with entising words that is Religious pretence which is most enticing of any so he joyes in beholding the fruit of this inward love their order and stedfastness of their faith in Christ that is their peace and agreement in the faith And thereupon proceeds to admonish them least any man spoil them through Philolosophy and vain deceit meaning through the Greekish popular Philosophy of their Country teaching righteousness to be attained by their many precepts of morall justice or vain legall deceit of the Iews amongst them after the Tradition of men after the Rudiments of the world or worldly wisdome and not after Christ in the simplicity of this Gospell precept of obedience For we cannot offend God whilst we are obedient to him
because we feared not the Lord what then shall a King do to us That is since we have refused to fear or serve God as he appointed in the King his Minister and have spoken words swearing falsly in making a Covenant the Covenant of our own works with death and hell therefore do we deserve to have judgement springing up like Hemlock in the furrows of the field that is to have this common and uncertain weed of judgement that is now growing everywhere for want of a formal root to be made as poysonous unto us as Hemlock is We shall also finde the Prophet Amos imputing it as a fault in Israel and a sure sign of their calamity that they hated him that reproved in the gate and abhorred him that speaketh uprightly that is they despised and slighted that sentence of Judgement and Equity which was in Gods Vicegerent and did desire the day of the Lord as thinking to be found upright bâ—fore him according to their own ways When as it should be as if a man did flee from a Lion and a Bear met him and went into the House and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him For which cause God there threatens to withdraw his publike presence a sure sign of his direliction of any place and to abhor their Offerings their Feast days and other solemn ways appointed for his own worship because under colour of serving him they had turned judgement into wormwood and left off righteousness in the earth or had made it spring up like Hemlock as formerly noted Nor need there farther instances be given of that simplicity and coincidence of Gospel Precepts and how that Faith and Love or Faith that worketh by love and Love made useful by Obedience are asserted in the New-Testament as necessarily and onely fundamental since if the whole Scripture be diligently examined they will be found the usual drift of them all So that as salvation is sometimes and in some places promised to such as believe the Gospel so in other places to such as obey the Gospel Faith uniting us to Christ and Obedience uniting us to his Church He that with prepossession of this Doctrine shall read the holy Scriptures shall finde the difficult places thereof to assent to a ready opening and interpretation offering themselves to unlock easily with this Key it being the door of entrance into most of the mysteries thereof which are usually turning upon these hinges Which plenty and readiness of discovery as it hath been the occasion of my passed tediousness in these Discourses so must it be the excuse also both for my want of order and also for any repetition that shall be found therein For as the known benefit arising by peace through obedience made me attentive to such remarkable Texts as did confirm this duty so these Texts again by the abundance of matter accompanying them and leading to that subject caused me both to fail of method and to transcend my intended bounds in the Treaty hereof And yet to avoid this tediousness I have neither undertaken to Comment on many places neither in Old nor New-Testament and in some of those I do undertake it may be observed that I have but cursorily glossed leaving the farther discovery to each mans easie observation that will attend it I know many will look strangely at the first upon this Doctrine of mens innocence by implicite obedience in all we do that is to Christ himself in things fundamental and which formally state us Christians and to our Prince his deputy in all things necessary for the security and advance thereof But when the scope of Scripture and the good of Peace and common Charity thereby and no way else to be attained shall be well considered of the apparent benefit will in reality I hope exceed the seeming novelty For without it how shall we be able to ground and settle our selves upon such a constant course for Unity and Agreement where private judgements under the colour of Conscience shall not be able to interrupt Gods appointed way of providence by setting him to act against himself Even to interrupt and abate of that glory which should be given to God in the highest by not providing for this Peace one earth and good will towards men according to that heavenly Hymn sung at the birth of the Prince of Peace And if such a thing as Government must thereupon be acknowledged necessary and that obedience again is a duty necessary to estate Government then must there necessarily a difference follow in point of guilt between him that performs it and him that doth it not and so consequently he that hath been more implicite and ready in his obedience must be confessed to have better performed it then he who hath therein but observed the Dictate of his own sence and Conscience and not that of his Superior Nor can I see how men generally granting Superiors to be accountable for the sins which were acted by vertue of their commands can thereupon avoid the acknowledgement that as this guilt lights on them because the other obeys out of sense of duty so must it proportionably abate in the obeyer unless they can make obedience no duty at all or that which is more absurd can make men never the juster for having done it But so hard a thing it is to overcome that thirst of rule and insubjection that is naturally graffed in us that some objections must always be expected to shake off implicite restraint and to leave us still to the liberty and condition of our first Parents in examining the Ground and Reason of each command before we come to act It faring with men in the rendring of their obedience as it doth in their Charity For although none will deny that Charity lies upon him as a duty even as they will grant that Obedience doth also yet when we are to act this Precept of Love or Charity we shall finde interest and covetousness so to sway us in making of Objections against such as do really need it that it will in the end amount to very little even as in like manner Pride and Interest are always ready to defeat the duty of Obedience by one objection or other against the person commanding or the Command it self Thus Children and Servants being told of those Texts of obey in all things or the like will presently answer that by all things must be understood onely things lawful For else our Father or Master may command us to do contrary to the Laws of our Prince and Country he may command us to Kill to Steal c. And the like answer we must also expect from some who live under the notion of Subjects but have no minde to be so to wit That no man is bound to such implicite obedience as is by me formerly set down nor the subject obliged to obey his King commanding contrary to the Law of God and Nature And then assuming
so are we to understand the next place where the term of little Children is set down little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous That is to say be not terrifyed at the voice of these deceivers that say Iesus is not come in the flesh nor let the shews of moral or legal righteousness of those that would lay a stumbling block for him that reproveth in the gate dishearten you for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Even so great that he is both able to confirm you in Justice that are his Deputies and do act in his name and also to justifie such as do hear and receive you For the Prince of this world Covetousness with his usual ministers and servants legal and moral sanctity shall be cast out and judged by the coming of the Holy Ghost and the world reproved by a new way of righteousness making Christian obedience inclusive of all perfection For as the former way of legal or moral sanctity to be gained by each separate mans obeying Precepts and Directions from God immediately received was from Heaven concluded in implicite obedience to Christ when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased hear him so upon Christs going to his Father and being seen no more then those former words of he that heareth you heareth me c. made Righteousness to be fixed to his Deputies Whereby as Gods name was glorifyed by the glorifying of his son so was Christ to be glorifyed by that administration of power and illumination which the Holy Ghost should give them from him And if our Saviours own speech to his Disciples when he is giving them their Mission and Power be marked we shall plainly finde him setting forth the same thing namely that his minister and the righteous man are convertible and that obedience to such an one doth estate righteousness or innocence to the obedient party also even as if they had received himself as their Prophet or director or as their righteous man or administrator of Justice He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall not lose a Prophets reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall not lose a righteous mans reward even he shall be as assuredly rewarded for his obedience as others shall for their Alms to these my present indigent Ministers and servants For so it follows Whosoever shall give to drink to one of tehse little ones a cup of cold water in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward And although it be no wonder for worldly minded men to be inclined to Antichristianism for covetousness is commonly the root of this as well as all other evil yet it is to be presumed that through Christs assistance those little Children have overcome them that have no higher a support then that Prince of the world to whom they do homage for these things and so need not be wondred at for deserting obedience to Christ or his Deputies through their service to Mammon For we are to conceive that as this Tempter at first tempted our Saviour himself to fall down and worship him for these things so are his members every day enticed by these worldly ends to deserting of Christ also and to yield homage to them rather then to his Deputies and Ministers But that this despising of Christs Ministers is deserting of God and Christ and so is Antichristianism appears most plainly by the next verse We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error That is by disobedience to Christs Deputies the spirit of lyers or Antichristians is to be known for as every one that teacheth any Doctrine without the leave of these heads whom Christ hath particularly promised to be with to the end of the world is a deceiver so if his Doctrine be against their representation of Christs in the flesh he is an Antichrist also The last mention of little Children is to warn them against this idolatry of covetousness saying little children keep your selves from Idols That is since the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eys and the pride of life being not of God are to be most avoided by you that represent his Authority so will Covetousness and Ambition work greater mischief being sought after by you that are in high places then it can do by others And therefore are they strictly and particularly charged by our Saviour against this Vice of Covetousness upon his giving them their first Mission provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses and the like Answerable thereunto was that admonition by S. Paul given to Timothy the head of the Ephesian Church under him having food and rayment let us therewith be content But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the Faith or been seduced to do or teach otherwise then becomes the Doctrine of Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows But thou O man of God flâ—e these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness that is add littleness or humility to thy purity of life and sanctity For as the man of God or Gods Minister is to be exampler in fleeing youthful lusts so also in fleeing Covetousness the usual idolatry of age At that time especially when things expressing humility and poverty did best become the mean condition of the Church and her present little heads Which present heads having been by our Saviour warned in especial manner against this Vice and to trust to the care of God whose workmen they were it cannot therefore seem otherwise then needful they should have caveats against this fault And that the not hearing of us before mentioned is the denyal of God and Christ and is formally the crime of Antichristianism will further appear by consideration of those many places where Christ delegating his Disciples and the seventy with power to personate him in the power of the Kingdom of God doth acount their refusal to be his he that shall deny me before men that is deny me by denying my Authority in you him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven Which and the like speeches implying that himself being now in Heaven cannot otherwise have his Authority denyed in the flesh then by denying obedience to his Deputies
because it is the onely foundation for other foundation then this can no man lay and this foundation every man must lay or else all the faith and obedience to be framed thereupon will come to nothing For although their be other articles as depending on this and incident to our Christian profession which ought to be believed also even as all things by God proposed as truths are yet to add them as of themselves necessary to salvation it is to Christ and Christian faith as high derogation as to add circumcision or other observations as necessary to salvation in our Christian obedience And as for our obedience outward we are freed from those many rites ceremonies and observations of the Jewes which God in particular favour of the Jewish Nation had appointed most of them being but shadows of Christ himself and of that great and plain way which by the Gospel should be revealed Nay the very judicial part though instituted by God himself for that government bindes us not as positive laws but as useful presidents upon like occasion that is to say where their and our causes were alike which is not binding as such or such laws formerly made and authorised by God but as parts of the general law of reason For as unto them God was immediate lawgiver and being given before Kings was both God and King so was the litteral observation of them in both respects necessary that is as religious and as civil duties also For both were the same to them because God at that time undertaking the managery of the Civil as well as Ecclesiastical Estate made both one then no otherwise then his remitting both to the Prince makes both of one sort now that is under the same chief relation to duty and obedience namely that of conscience But because of Gods express undertaking herein to them it was do this and live but unto us for whom those directions were not particularly made by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified As Gods rule to them was outward and litteral so were his promises and threats for performance temporal and respecting this life onely Wherein they failed as needs they must their failing was expiated by sacrifice pointing at a Saviour to come to fulfill these things for them but Christ being now come and having fulfilled all righteousness the observation of the letter is released as to direct divine authority and we Christians standing bound but to the general precept of love and charity are referred for our particular managery and guidance therein to the higher powers whom we are to obey not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake not onely for fear of that present temporal punishment they may infflict as meer men in authority but out of conscience also of preservation of our owne innocence in preservation of our obedience to God in them All which in the Epistle to the Hebrews is plainly signified where God is brought in speaking of the difference of the Jewish and Christian Covenant and obedience according to the many Prophesies to that purpose and saying Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt that is not like as it was whilst I gave them particular precepts for all their outward duties and did lead them in all their affairs my self as if I should have taken them by the hand But this course God now changeth because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord that is because I found humane frailty so great that these litterall commands could not be kept therefore now I will put my laws into their minde and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me even from the least to the greatest that is by the love of God shed abroad in our hearts all shall be taught of God and by his Spirit led into all fundamental and saving truth so that by being all taught of God to love one another which is the life and soul of the moral law they shal by keeping that one precept of love keep the whole law But for our direction outward therein we are not come unto a mount that might not be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempests that is to hear them from such a mountain which was made inaccessible through these terrible apparitions that accompanied Gods presence thereon and the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of words which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they could not endure that which was commanded That is neither are we now to be terrified as by hearing God speaking with his owne voice to our outward ears but we for our outward direction are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jurusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels that is to the present Church militant and to such as do therein instruct us as Gods Messengers by their Angelical doctrine And to the general assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect that is unto the Catholick doctrine of the Church assisted by God the judge of all and attested by those many Martyrs which like their Captain are made perfeâ—t by suffering And then that both these may be made beneficial to us and to our salvation we are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel And these Gospel duties of love and obedience we shall find to be the verry errand also of him that was to conclude the Law and the Prophets and to be Christs forerunner as it is most fully though mystically expressed by the Prophet Malachy and also by Saint Luke in their descriptions of Iohn the Baptist his office and message The first of these duties is couched in these words He shall turn the hearts of the Father to the Children that is he shall prepare them to entertain the loving of one another in as high degree as the Father doth his Child And then secondly for performance of the duty of obedience whereby to make this love to be advantagious it is added by Malachy and the heart of the children to their Fathers the which Saint Luke expounding to mean the disobedient to the wisdome of the just doth plainly shew that the preparation of the Gospel of peace and the way to make ready a people prepared for the Lord was by bringing them into such a state of
weakness of the instruments and means to bring that Church to its flourishing pitch and condition the mean estate of the Churches owne officer did redound to the undeniable glory of that God who did so manifestly appear in their assistance So that Gods dealing in matters of Government between the Jewish and Christian Church seems in every respect alike save that with the Jews the Ministery of Eldership went by birth according to the course of nature but here by election of the members of the Church For they being the adopted sons of God through Christ the particular Priests and Fathers that were to govern in this Church were to be at this Churches election and choice also or rather of its representative head Christs deputy For so are we to understand Saint Pauls words to Titus For this cause left I thee Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee And those Epistles to Timothy and Tytus men that by Saint Paul had been put into authority will plainly declare that as themselves so others had also different power one over another as in relation to the Churches government The office and power of this Elder was in it self distinct from that of the preacher as was formerly that of the Father of the Tribe from that of the Priest although for sometime added and involved under the notion of Presbyter in the same person that primarily had his authority for instruction sake even as before the priesthood was divided it was by patriarchal right executed by the same father of the family So that now these Presbyters having during the time Magistrates were not Christian power of civil judicature in what concerned men estates as well as of external duties concerning them as Christians it came to pass where they might exercise this their rightful jurisdiction Brother was not to go to law with Brother before the unbelievers And when we find those eminent persons called Apostles directing in matters of external obedience they do it as Elders or Fathers which power and office was unto them annexed as in right of their offices as heads of Churches for so saith Saint Peter he was also an Elder And again many of these Elders did labour in the word and doctrine and were therefore more especially worthy of the double honour which was due unto an Elder that ruled well But then as the Apostles had in themselves as Christs deputies this union of jurisdiction and power both for preaching and ruling although in the last sort the present power of Heathen Magistrates did almost wholly restrain them so they did also often dispence unto the same persons the same joynt jurisdiction in both sorts also and that in regard of the paucity of eminent and able persons to undertake them singly Upon which reason we come in these dayes to be so much puzled to distinguish these primitive officers by their names and titles finding them promiscuoisly in the Scripture set down as sometime making Apostle and Elder to signifie the same sometime Apostle and Deacons and sometimes again we finde the calling of the Evangelist mingled with that of the Deacon The which obscurity was also occasined in that these Apostles and higher Officers were for want of Ministers under them forced many times to act in those more subordinate imployments and sometimes also those at first put into lower stations did perform what did belong to functions above them Which being by some now adayes not well considered or being careless and ignorant of the originals of names and their true derivation they would appropriate the notion of Elder or Presbyter to the Lay ruler onely and wholly abandon the English word Priest derived as we said from Presbyter as implying sacrifice and because we have no English word derived from Sacerdos which might properly denote a sacrificer therefore this notion of Priest must be laid aside and the word Minister taken in Not duely marking how they thereby fall into that which they would avoid whilst they call those of the Gospel by the legal name For the Hebrew stiles those of the Law Cohanim originally signifiing a Minister and thence comes the Greeek words Coneo and Diaconeo being the same with Minister in Latin and Deacon in English They do also hereby abusively and absurdly put him under his owne congregation and charge as sometimes calling him their Minister no otherwise then as Josuah was called Moses Minister as if the Pastor for so they sometimes rightly enough call him could be called a servant to the sheep but they shall never finde them called Ministers or servants but in relation to God or Christ or the whole Church And they also do hereby confound those Officers they would distinguish For that inferiour Officer by them called a Deacon is by name but the same with Minister whom they would seem to place higher as if by way of tautology they should call them Minister and Minister But be they of what sort they will evident enough it is they were still at the appointment and subordinate to the Apostles or other heads in chief who now as Christs deputies were equally presiding for the guidance and rule of several Churches distinct in authority from one another The which may be concluded as we said from many passages set down in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus who being by Saint Paul put in as Bishops or Overscers over other Pastours are in and by these Epistles taught from him the chief head and for what was not in them taught they were to be guided by Apostolical tradition the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses that is my avowed life and doctrine the same commit thou unto faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Herein are all the several degrees of subordination briefly stated the people are to be Subject and to learn of their owne Pastors and Elders these to be subject to their Bishops and the Bishops to their owne head in chief And by that expression the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses c. we may know how to expound our Saviours restriction given concerning our obedience to them that sit in the seat of authority when he saith but do not as they do meaning that Rulers will sometimes do otherwise then they teach or will publickly avow Now as this greater number of persons in separate jurisdiction was necessitated for want of civil entire power to make any one Churches jurisdiction of large extent so it fitted best that persecuted condition of the Church that is to accommodate them in having of one guide in chief to rule each Church in all their dispersions And as the meanness of these rulers was then best agreeable to that their present condition so was it advantagious also because eminence in authority would have made them as more remarkable so more obnoxious to
they that were to be their guides had been before instructed in the way of Church regiment by Saint Paul himself so far as to be able by tradition to keep their charge upright in all things tending to Godliness and honesty according to those things which they had learned and received and heard and seen in him He in remitting Churches for the rest to be instructed by those their guides he himself had instructed did follow the example of our Saviour himself herein who for that space of fourty dayes he was on earth after his resurrection directed his Apostles in things pertaining to the Kingdome of God or government of the Church Nor can we finde any of them undertaking as before noted to comprise all the particulars of Theology at such time as they write those their most general Epistles which were for all mens direction but kept them as we may presume to be delivered to the heads of Churches amongst other things by tradition and so made use of according to the emergencies of their several Charges But yet the fundamentals of Christianity were in all their Epistles and Sermons most plainly delivered the least and shortest Epistle containing in it the doctrine of faith in Christ love to one another and also of obedience to superiours our necessary guide in performance of them both And that Saint Pauls directions in other matters given to the particular Churches contained neither all expresly that was necessary for them to do nor what was so generally fit and proper for all Churches as that to whom it was directed being to others in most things onely usefull upon occasions as presidents will appear in that Saint Paul writing a particular short Epistle to the Colossians refers them their knowledge of what is farther useful unto his Epistle written unto the Laodiceans willing them that when this Epistle is read of you You cause it to be read of the Laodiceans also and that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Which two Epistles being reciprocally recommended to those particular Churches as of proper directions for them and the Epistle to the Laodiceans being now wanting is must follow that both the fundamentals were set downe in all and each of them and that other admonitions were by the Apostles given upon several occasions and considerations which because they did as heads of Churches then themselves so by their making a distinction in each Church of such as were to rule and instruct from the rest of the Church and that under the notion of such as should cause those Epistles to be read and such as were to hear them read we may also infer that though he made the general direction of his Epistles to the whole Church it was but to make their duty of obedience higher when their guides should command them And so also when he is setting downe general heads for the particular abearance of men in each order it is not his meaning to submit them to their private interpretation of what in them was their duty to perform as Subjects and so consequently leave it to their choice whether they would perform any thing of them or no but to lay on men a stronger obligation to the obedience of their superiours commands since they now finde them to have these general divine directions to that purpose To manifest that these duties of external Christian behaviour were indisputably referred to each Christian head of the Church and that all in that kind necessary was not set down in the Scripture appears in that Saint Paul writing more plentifully to the Corinthians hereof then to any other Church doth not yet profess to have set down all that was necessary but having as he conceived set down what was expedient for them according to the present occasion he concludes And the rest will I set in order when I come Thereby making a plain difference between his power in those things he was to command them as an head of the Church in order to their duty of obedience and those fundamentals of faith and love which he was to preach to them as an Evangelist or a difference in what he did as a general preacher of the Gospel and what he did as their Apostle and Teacher even as one that particularly had authority over them as Christs Ambassadour and as being their father in the Faith And that Scripture and the interpretation and enforcement of the precepts thereof was committed to the guidance and care of the heads of the Churches even under the Gospel also appears by Saint Pauls commending them unto Timothy to the end that he as a guide to the Church might make them profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God or the man having Gods authority may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works that is have sufficient light and authority to command and direct unto all good works And that this power did belong to Timothy as their present guide is made most evident from the uses there set down all of them belonging to the office of the Superiour Namely to teach to reproove to corect to instruct necessarily implying the charge of the Scriptures to be committed to those in authority that were to be eminently active herein that the man of God or the chief Officer in Gods stead like Timothy may know how to behave himself in the houshold of God the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth And where it is commended that the men of Berea searched the Scripture whether the things by Saint Paul alledged were so it is first to be considered that it was before the people had acknowledged Saint Paul their guide and so not bound to submit themselves as to one that did watch for their souls And then this searching must not be construed as if every man had done it in a Bible apart but they being a Synagogue of the Jewes the Scripture must be supposed remaining with the chief thereof onely who are to be understood the searchers and examiners thereof In whose search the rest of the Bereans trusting it made the search go in the name of the whole In effect still prooving that the interpretation and custody of Scripture was not common but belonged to those that were to exercise and not such as were to submit to authority And that the Scriptures charge and custody was entrusted unto the heads of Churches and not vulgarly dispersed in copies may appear by our not having at this day any assurance of the language some of the Gospels and Epistles were written in nor have we any Hebrew copy that we now can relye upon And all because the first copy coming to be afterwards translated into that language the people best understood it caused the care of the single original to be neglected or in time of persecution to be lost by the traditors of those times whereas had each
their measure use it by the vertue of his authority who said whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained Whereupon we may collect that as the power of the keyes is originally in Christ the Churches universal head and was by him given to the heads of Churches onely so it can be in the whole Church or in its subordinate members no otherwise then as received from their head according to that of Saint Paul When ye are met together and my Spirit c. And therefore to make it farther evident that the heads of Churches are to be understood in the direction of tell it to the Church we are to denote that the power of the keyes in the next verse was directed to the Apostles in the word ye when it was said Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven for unto them was most of this chapter directed the which was the reason of Saint Peters interogating him presently hereupon How oft shall my brother offend c. This power comonly called the power of the keyes and by the Romanists appropriate to the chief of that Sea only is that divine obsignation of Christian authority and precept whereby those laws and edicts of him that sitteth in the seat of judgment as the head of each Church that were but civilly or morally criminal in their own nature and obnoxious to temporal wrath onely for their breach come now to be sinful and damnable as being violations against God and the heavenly thrown it self by whom they are impowred and whose authority they do represent according to that sentence to be given at the last day inasmuch as ye have or have not done it c. Upon which grounds we may know what to conceive of that article of our Creed I believe the holy Catholike Church which some would wrest and make use of to draw mens obedience which way they pleased by proposing unto us what they pleased for Catholike doctrine But we are to conceive that this primitive form of profession of Christian faith therefore called the Apostles Creed was offered to and taken by such as were to be admitted into the Christian Church to shew and state their beliefe before their admittance and not to direct their obedience afterwards For although to believe in God in Christ in the holy Ghost do together with the acknowledgement of their deity draw on obedience by just consequence yet was this form of profession of faith therefore called the Creed made but to denote their beliefe of their true existence by which means being received into the Church their obedience was thence to be learnt For strange it had been for the Church to have proposed to men the matter of obedience to any of whom as yet they had no beliefe in And therefore when I profess to believe the holy Catholike Church the word holy will make it unconceiveable how it should directly import my profession of obedience and that not onely because the Catholike Church or Christs universal body cannot as before noted be ever comprehended under one notion and conception so as to be definitive to me concerning their determinations but also because I can never rightly say of the present or past militant Church to whom I seek for direction that they are all holy nor can men that live in a particular Church be ordinarily able to know what is and what is not Catholike doctrine besides that which is proposeth Whereupon understanding our belief in or of the holy Catholike Church to import our beliefe that Christ hath a true sanctified body which being so made by means of the holy Ghost in the article foregoing comes through their union in Christ and his Spirit to be of one communion from the rest of the world and so to be the Communion of Saints as in the article following So that then although the Creed as a Creed cannot of it self oblige to obedience yet since the beliefe of the articles thereof do by consequent bring men to Christs Church and out of desire to attain that Communion of Saints doth also farther prompt me to acts of obedience to that Church to whom I made this profession it will therefore follow that that obedience which I cannot give to the Catholick Church as such must be to this end given to that part of it under which I live since that I cannot otherwise obey the Catholike then by obeying the particular All which will be cleared by one instance of Saint Pauls who as the present head of that Church gives liberty to the Corinthians in eating of things offered to Idols notwithstanding that the then Catholike representative Church at Jerusalem and he himself amongst them had decreed otherwise Clearly evincing that the power of binding and loosing was to reside in each Churches own head and that they were to perform their obedience to the same party by whom they had learned their Creed who had been their spiritual father and begotten them in Christ. And that this power of the keyes was not given to the Apostles onely as a collective body of Church heads and so to the Catholike Church onely but was also conferred upon the particular heads of the Churches appears in that it was upon occasion particularly given to Saint Peter so that whatsoever head or chief governour should like him acknowledge Christ to be the true spiritual foundation and rock he should from Christ have power also to be herein a rock to others and to bind and loose And both places must contradistinguish the persons binding from those that shall be so bound and the persons telling and complaining to the Church from those that are to hear and have power of redress And as they were in one place spoken to Saint Peter alone to declare against consistorial parity so were they elsewhere given joyntly to all the Apostles the then visible heads of Churches to abate Popish usurpation For they were not to be commanding one another out of their Churches as they might those within them which was forbidden them in the persons of Zebedees Children But in those equalities they were in love to serve one another and in this their parity obeying the precept of submit your selves one to another he that should do it most and thereupon become a Minister and Servant to his fellows will even thereby make himselfe chief among them By which means being converted and become as little Children they shall then be greatest in the kingdome of heaven or have great and kingly power in the Church from the power of Christ that hath taken them into the arms of his acknowledgement From whence it will again follow that Who so shall receive one such little Child in my name receiveth me that is in hearing and obeying him he shal hear and obey me but Who so
of God That is for your good example for your patience the effect of love and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God or of these graces of God in you that makes you righteous that yee may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God both to the participation of him in his Church here and hereafter for which yee also suffer That is those tribulations which ye endure in obedience to Authority according to that righteous judgment of God who now will have righteousness and peace meet together in the good and peace of the Church is a plain argument that you your selves are true Members of that Church even by that plain demonstration given of your sense of fellow-feeling of those miseries which must attend her in case the direction of her authorized guides should be rejected For although the Law it in self were holy righteous and good and would have proved effectually so to us also if we had had sufficiency and integrity enough to have been fully comprehensive and observant of every particle thereof yet sin taking occasion by the commandment through those motions which were in the flesh unto sin made us come to lose Charity and Peace the end of the Law through a mistaken interpretation of keeping the Law according to the Letter thereof and so made it to be the Law of sin and of death And therefore are we to esteem our selves as dead unto that wherein we were held that is unto written precepts being now to serve this husband in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter Meaning that through obedience made from the heart to that form of Doctrine which was delivered unto us we shall now be made free from sin and born the servants of righteousnesse That is by having our righteousness perfected after this new and living way even by obedience to that life and spirit of Christ those Precepts and directions which from the holy Ghost are received from those that represent him in Authority here amongst us By which it shall come to pass that what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flâ—sh God sending his Son in the likeness of sinfull flesh and for sinn condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law or that righteousness which the Law aimed at might be fulfilled by us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit for they that are after the flesh that is doe trust to their own fleshly wisdomes in the interpretation of literall precepts will from thence take occasion to minde the things of the flesh and so make it prove the law of sin and death and not of life and peace Nor is this Doctrine of the simplicity of Gospel-precepts and accomplishment of Innocence by Christian submission other then what was formerly prophesied to be the estate of the Christian Church viz. In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crown of glory and a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people and for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgment and for strength to them that turn the battell into the Gate That is to him that shall judge them and fight their Battels which in the Jewish phrase signifies Kingly office In these words we see the spirit of judgment is plainly prophesied to reside in him that sitteth in Judgment who being also mentioned by him in the singular number and the glory and beauty of the Church being expressed under the notions of Crown and diadem it cannot but personate the Kingship of Christ and his adopted sons according to the following prophesie Behold a King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes in Judgment Then the Prophet goes on to shew whom he would teach Doctrine and Knowledge that is such as are weaned from the Milk and drawn from the breasts Meaning such as are content to obey the voice of Christs authority as little Children But the persons usually erring in this case and that think the simple food of Milk too weak for them and therefore must taste the Tree of good and evill called strong drink and wine are decyphered under the notions of Priests and Prophets the usuall leaders in disobedience For whereas the Lord said This is the rest wherewith yee shall cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing yet they would not hear but the Word of the Lord was unto them that is to their apprehension precept upon precept precept upon precept Line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little that they may goe and fall backward and be broken and snared and taken that is refusing the simplicity of Gospell-light these conceited wise men shall be taken in their own â—raft being snared in the Law of sin and death called their Covenant with death and hell Upon which ground it is that God there threatens to speak with stammering lips and another tongue to that people meaning that dark parabolicall way of delivery used in Scripture The which should be also encreased by these mens own devised phrases and select words of interpretation used amongst themselves whereby as by a sort of Canting they should speak as with stammering lips and another tongue and so be punished with darkness because of their incredulity and disobedience to him and for having trusted to their own Morall wisdomes and because also through dark and intricate instructions of legality they thought to have made lies and falshood their refuge But it is there declared who shall be the sure foundation of the Churches safety namely the Corner stone or the seat of Judgment He that believeth shall not make haste That is Christ by his owning this Throne of Kingly Judgement will be for a spirit of Judgement to him that undertaketh to be the Line and Plummet of Iudgement and Righteousness The which shall increase in strength to the treading down and overflowing these hiding places from the time it goeth forth it shall take hold for morning by morning shall it pass over by day and by night That is it shall so grow in power that it shall be to these sorts of people A vexation only to understand the report To hear of the daily increase of Kingly Office and power notwithstanding their seditious contrivances For the bed is shorter then that a Man can stretch himself on it and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it There is no room for lyes nor refuge for falshood to be had in the simplicity of the Gospel precepts It is God that now calls for this respect and obedience to his Vicegerent For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim he shall be wrath as in the valley of â—ibeon That he may doe his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his
otherwise their transactions with their Neighbours or misgovernment at home might prove so destructively prejudicial that his own purpose might be defeated by their ruine After the time our Saviour himself appeared and had the whole Government laid on his shoulders these offices were wholly resigned up unto him and so from him who was King and Priest after the order of Melchisedec and who was the Prophet which Moses foretold of to be raised up like him and which was anointed to preach glad tidings they come to be by him conferred in chief on his adopted sons the several heads of his Church and so at last to be impropriate to the anointed Christian Monarchs vvithout such reservation as God had formerly made in the Jewish Church in reference to his Theocraty If we look for the knowledge of these things in the practice of the primitive Christian Church we shall not find any separate jurisdiction or authority claimed either in Priestly or Prophetical way but what was subordiate if not appointed by the Apostles the then Heads of the Church The which is plainly intimated by S. Paul when he tells the Corinthians who had in many things presumed against the authority of his Apostleship as their Head Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me For although many of these their Preachers or Instructers had no doubt by their Doctrine won many particular souls amongst them to the faith and so might be called the spiritual Fathers to those persons yet since they generally considered as a collective Church and body of men had first been instructed by him and were also the Seal of his Apostleship in the Lord They under the notion of Sons of the Church could have but one spiritual Father no more then natural sons could Whereupon having signified to them his Power of Super-intendency under a relation that might claim sole and undeniable authority as their general Father or Head he then tells them of his practise thereupon For this cause I sent Timotheous unto you who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my wayes which be in Christ as I teach every where in every Church That is I have sent him by my Apostolical Authority to take the charge of your instruction in my absence because he knows my manner of Doctrine and Worship which I have established in other Churches by vertue of that power which Christ gave me And so he goeth on reproving such as had demeaned themselves proudly against his Authority under colour of their office of Instruction or as Waterers to what he planted And thereupon says The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power that is he would not regard the speech of him that was puffed up but the power For although they might preach in Christs name yet if they had not power from that Supreme Deputy which Christ hath intrusted with his Churches Power their Authority was nothing as elsewhere he says How shall they preach except they be sent Indeed those Epistles to the Corinthians are very intent and copious in the defence of S. Pauls Authority and the six first Chapters are particularly bent that way and carry an especial reproof against those Schisms and Divisions which had hapned amongst them for want of this unity Whilst some would choose one Master-builder and some another and that with such vehemence of affection as Idolatrously to neglect or forget Christ himself whose Deacons they were And whilst others as Superstitiously again would balk those Ministers of Christ set over them as thinking obededience no where due but to him alone Therefore saith he I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement Which thing cannot be while Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ. After which like a faithful Minister and Steward he first vindicates the honor of his Master against such as would divide him by their Idolatrous regard to his Ministers to his stead Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or wâ—re you baptized in the name of Paul And so blaming himself to blame others he goes on clearing himself that that power he had exercised had ever been done by him in Christs name as acknowledging his derived Authority and Mission from him of preaching and laying this Christian foundation Which thing seemed foolishness to these Greeks for they besides their natural aversion to all kind of subjection but what themselves fancied were as it appears tainted with arrogancy towards their own ability in discerning right and wrong according to the Moral Philosophy of their own Country and so were unwilling to submit to the simplicity of the Gospel and make obedience to Christ their wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption The wisdom of God is now a Mysterie even a way to Justification which the wise men of the world knew not nor could discover in their Precepts of Moral Justice Having therefore afterwards again warned them against these carnal courses that caused these divisions as also told them that this worldly wisdom is foolishness with God he then undertakes Apostolical honor and power as being immediately intrusted under God in Christ and so he having from them received the Spirit of judgement thinks it not valuable to be judged of mans judgement For the Superior cannot be justified as elsewhere shewed from below Nay though saith he I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord that is the act of Justification must come from above and therefore Inferiors are not to do it but leave it to the last judgement where every man shall have praise of God In the next verse he comes home to what was the drift of all the rest These things brethren I have in a figure transferred to my self and to Apollo for your sakes that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written that no one of you be puffed up for one against another that is Forasmuch as ye know me to be your Planter and that Apollo and I are all one by subordination to God that gave us our powers therefore are ye not to regard other mens authorities above that written warrant they can bring for the same For difference in power must come from God if it come from below it will cause divisions and puffing up one against another For who maketh one man to differ from another but God and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if
thou didst receive it why dest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it that is since Christ hath given his power in the Church to us in chief and to all others as subordinate why should they act without us as though they had not received it from us Why should you in your popular fancy of underived power thick to raign as Kings without us For although we have suffered our selves to be accounted weak and despised that ye might be strong and honorable and also to try if by any means we might win you yet it is not to deny that we have as your father just power to command you and therefore I write not to shame you for your neglect but as my beloved sons to warn you that I may not have occasion to come with a rod but in love and in the Spirit of meekness as I have always done And therefore although S. Paul do now beseech them to be followers of him as the only way to be of the same mind and of the same judgement yet it is but what he might as an Apostle of Christ have been bold in and have commanded them in Christs name and what they as commanded in the Lord that is by the stewards of the Mysteries of God nay as labourers together with God in this building and husbandry ought to obey And therefore is it that S. Paul faith I praise you brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you even as I the Disciple or Follower of Christ have by vertue of my Mission from him appointed you Not as some would have it follow me no farther in any thing then you find me following Christ because this had been to overthrow all he had said before and to have given new toleration to schism under pretence of following Christ For if men be not followers of those their Supreme Heads that are followers of Christ but will make divisions by honouring God their own way then will the Author of peace be made the Author of confusion whilst some in their publike worship have a Psalm some a doctrine a Revelation and Interpretation c. to the overthrow of all true publike worship and service for want of uniformity No otherwise then if the same person in the manner of his return of thanks and service to God should be distracted in himself and not wholly intent on the thing he is about for as there are private benefits for which we are separately to be thankful so are there national ones to in which our prayers and praises are to agree by publike appointment And this is the reason why writing to the Ephesians of our publique duties of praising God he presently enjoyns them submission as the only means to make it right and uniform Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord giving thanks always for all things unto God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ submitting your selves one unto another in the fear of God which is the same with let every soul be subject unto the higher power because they are of God And so he goes on to state obedience in all the present Christian relations that is of wives children and servants as unto Christ and as to the Lord and not to men But by his beginning with the duty of wives and staying so long upon it we may well conceive him to have herein a particular drift to set forth under the figure of womens obedience to their husbands as their heads each Churches obedience to its Husband or Head under Christ who is the head of the whole Church his spouse of which more hereafter As for the authority of that office of Priesthood so far as related to sacrifice and legal Ceremonies none make doubt of its abolition under the Gospel Whose Ministers or Preachers being now Ministers of the Spirit not of the letter themselves can by no pretence as heretofore shewed claim external jurisdiction and obedience As for the other office of Prophet it had indeed a continuance for some time in the Christian Church whilst it was in its weak condition as a necessary means to give them and their guides direction what to do in their continual distresses Thus is S. Pauls bands and ensuing death prephesied to happen in those times For as there could not under a good space of time be a sufficient number of able persons found to receive Ordination and so to be disposed of for the peculiar care of Churches as now but in this their unsetled and weak condition Christ himself by the means of the promised Holy Ghost being necessitated extraordinarily to endue men with several gifts for general edification in the absence of humane learning it was no wonder if this gift of prophesie did many times come along therewith since all proceeded from the same spirit Yet although this gift of prophesie were thus necessary to be held up from Christ for the support and direction of his Church during her weakness and infancy yet being usually accompanied with the gift of Doctrine and Instruction also it afterwards came to pass that Prophesie and Doctrine did come to signifie the same thing as in that place where it is said No prophesie of scripture is of private interpretation And indeed the predictions themselves were but instructions for those they were addressed unto how to guid themselves according as those events should happen So that it being but instruction in an object and busisiness more remote it was no wonder that the notion of Prophet came afterwards to signifie the same with the Preacher as also the word Prophesie the same with Doctrine even as the Minister or Deacon to comprehend the like function of instruction also But however even in those times there was still subordination nor was it in the power of those Prophets or any other to take on them to settle any Doctrine or Church order against or without Apostolical leave namely the leave of that general Father or Head of the Church under whom they had received their first Christian foundation and who was thereupon as a Master builder to have power over each workman that undertook their spiritual edification As was intimated to the Corinthians where S. Paul complains of this abuse in the practices of such as had ventured to build on that foundation without leave which he as head of the Church had first laid saying according to the grace of God given me have I laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every man take beed how he buildeth thereupon And this right of Government and Authority to be given to those persons from and under whom they had been taught and brought to Christianity we may find noted in those two forementioned places to the Hebrews where the first admonition for obedience to such
as have the rule over you is given under the notion of such as had spoken to them the word of God But then having put them in remembrance of them he afterwards speaks directly Obey them that have the rule over you c. intimating that Christian education gives an unquestionable right to Christian obedience Nay in those very Doctrines which the primitive Prophets for the present taught they were censurable by the rest of their fellows until this higher authority had confirmed it All which in the Epistle to the Corinthians may be further understood where S. Paul makes use of his Apostolical authority in ordering those of that rank how to make use of those many gifts they had received unto edification for they it seems being proud of their manifold dispensations had made the God of peace to be the Author of confusion which caused him to fall upon that objurgation What came the word of God out from you or came it unto you only that is received you not the word from us why then should ye not be obedient to us as well as other Churches to whom we have preached it also he therefore says that the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets that is â—hey are for the present ensurable by their present auditors who may be gifted as well as themselves And for conclusion of all and to keep unity and make God the Author of peace and not of confusion he disclaims any private mans gift to be able to disanul his authority and therefore further says If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things I now write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord that is let him confess my Apostolical authority from Christ received whereby I have power to order the Churches affairs or else he doth but think himself a Prophet or spiritual when indeed he is but puft up by his own fleshly minde of vain glory and ambition And this subjection of inferior Prophets or Teachers under the Gospel unto the chief Prophet or Head of the Church is doubtless to succeed and be continued upon the same ground it was formerly given to Moses and accordingly that prophesie of Moses is interpreted by S. Peter and S. Stephen where Moses tells of this obedience to be given to this succeeding great Prophet by all Persons saying as from God Whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him and that Prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak or that shall speak in the name of other Gods even that Prophet shall surely dye And as this jurisdiction in matters of Doctrine is interpreted by some to be given our Saviour in regard of his Prophetical Office to doth Nathaniel the true Israelite make these Prophesies of our Saviour made by Moses to allude and be appliable to him as King of Israel or head of the Church From all which subordination in the Spirit of Teaching or Prophesie appearing to be continually necessary it must follow that since Christ himself must remain in heaven until the restitution of all things that this power must for truth and peace sake rest in these his chief Deputies that arâ— anointed with this power from him that was that great Prophet and so a Prophet of Prophets as well as King of Kings And therefore we may observe that Christ being not able in his own person to perform and supply all that measure of preaching and instruction which should be continually necessary for the edification of his Church and it being again necessary that there should be for order-sake certain persons more eminently entrusted herein it is the reason why as the Prophet Isaiah sets him down in the first or chief place Anointed to preach and to have Gods Spirit put upon him and his words put into his mouth meaning that the Spiâ—it should not be given him by measure so for perpetuating this necessary office and high trust God there promiseth to Christ a particular seed to that purpose My words shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever Of the Kings right by office to be of this adopted seed we shall anon alledge the parable of Solomon to that effect as we may instance his example by being Preacher as well as King For we are to conceive it to be no otherwise with the Prophets and Teachers under the Gospel then formerly under the Law where if any would take a prediction upon him if he could not bring a present miracle or Sign sufficient to win belief he was censurable by the event it self But if any undertook to direct in matter of Doctrine the Law it self was still to be judge of the goodness thereof and he taken but as a private man unable to overthrow the authorized sense thereof without he brought attestation of Divine Authority higher then that whereby it was founded For to tempt the people to Idolatry or Service of other gods was amongst them made Capital as before rehearsed And so no doubt under the Gospel in the Primitive Church although there were not standing Schools and Orders of Priests and Prophets as amongst the Jews yet was the tryal of that spirit they pretended unto referred to the examination of the like extraordinary spirit in others even as all other of their illuminations and doctrines were for confirmation censurable according to those Principles of Christianity which the Apostles the then Heads of Churches had from our Saviour received and so had again as Master-builders set down for the peoples edification against which although an Angel from heaven should teach they were to be accursed But because these Precepts and Doctrines of our Saviour were neither so numerous nor by him so exactly set down as the Law of Moses but left in trust to the Heads and Guides of his Kingdom the Church it therefore came to pass that the inferiour members of the Church should be much more subject then formerly to these their Teachers directions even because they were not elsewhere to be learnt Nor should it seem strange to any that the power of these Functions formerly clipt away from Monarchy should thus under the Gospel be restored by vertue of deputation from that Supreme Head of the Christian Church The first born of every creature and the first born amongst many brethren since they were anciently annexed by God unto the Prerogative of Birth-right and so seated Paterno Jure in the Master of the family as in order to enable him in his sole Government and Authority for so we read of Enoch and Jacob prophesying and of Abraham and other the Patriarchs sacrificing But when the numerousness of the Church did require
must take end and fall into confusion Even so in a stare we may easily conceive how soon the constitution and welfare thereof would perish by disorder if the Statute and determinate rule of the Soveraign were not inviolably observed for subjects would forget to do as they would be done unto in regard of those liberties they would leave to posterity and their fellows as men in nature are usually inconsiderate that since their Fathers and Progenitors death made way for them so ought they to do the like for their children In which case of restraining the general actions of men to be guided by the same uniform Rules and politick Laws as natural Agents are in their courses although the number of those that would be thereby offended would exceed any number of men offended by particular crosses arising from prosecutions of their own devisings because a far greater number were this way ruled then the other yet let the discontented parties of the whole Kingdom governed by no other restraint then what they occasionally make one upon another be compared to those in any Kingdom of the same number where an uniform constraint is imposed and the persons in the first sort restrained will be more and also because of unexpectedness and want of order their restraints will be more unpleasant in the kinde then the other which hath now through custom of induration lost the sense thereof even as Millers and Jaylors of those noises and sents they are used unto For as we finde by experience that the onely reason of the discontent of the subjects of one Kingdom above those of another is for that there is difference in their Governments and Customs it must be much more likely to happen between Subjects and the same Kingdom where the different usages and customs must be in the continual notice of one another And thus it fareth not onely in case of licentiousness or where no Government is but upon the like reason when Authority doth make restraint in any thing it will follow that as this restraint is more or less that is as the subjected parties have more or less possibility of breaking it so will the continuance of obedience be more or less also For although appetite affect pleasure and custom of each sort yet when such high difficulty or inconveniency shall appear the reasonable will doth soon decline it and being thereupon turned to the choice of an object or action for the present less affected in it self doth through custom therein bring it as aforesaid into pleasure and make our Obedience prove our Liberty And the very reason why men living under one Government are many times affected with another is not from unpleasantness of that uniformity they are under but on the contrary supposing a greater uniformity of actions set by Law in that Government they commend then indeed there is For in this case usually considering their own contrivances onely which must be regular and that without just estimation how the contrivances of others might or do cross them they mistake pleasure by plotting an uniformity in the fancy which can never be in act and so come to pursue pain and trouble instead thereof For it is not variety as variety that affects but it is custom varied which will imply custom and not variety because to affect variety of customs is to affect Custom And therefore when men through the often contemplation and contrivance of an Idea or platform of Government in their fancy come thereby to attain an affection and Will thereunto this comes no otherwise to pass then if a remarkable object should through often presentation in the fancy come to pass in the extream of love or hatred according to that relish it was at first entertained with and thereupon be called sympathy or antipathy even so also this apprehension takes sometimes with men as if by sensible practice and induction their likings had been won and they may thereupon be as well said to be guided by custom to like and approve that unexperienced form as that they live under and it may be more as having oftener and more attentively considered it and its benefits when on the contrary the inconveniences and the pressures of the Government under which he lives work so strongly towards the abatement of his affections through the allay of fear that he becomes not so intent in his relishes that way and peradventure out of that general love every man carries to his own contrivance the inconveniences of the Government he now fancies are as far removed from his conceit as sense And it fares in this case with Government upon tryal as with any other beloved and much desired object namely that they never answer in possession that measure of delight they were coveted with because the Idea in our fancy was the thing which we were in love with which as it was oftener seen in our fancy then the original in our sense so was it pleasanter and it was perfecter also as being contemplated without those inconveniences which are now found in the others enjoyment And besides this our senses themselves are cozened with the inconveniences of things for as each person in their natural affectation of glory and reputation is willing to appear publikely without faults even so each Government and the people therein do their utmost to set forth their power riches freedom peace honor c. but their sufferings they so strive to conceal that we may be and are as often deceived in judging a good Government or a happy and peaceabele State or Kingdom as of a vertuous rich or honest person or in discovering the many discords any marryed couple may have by those outward kinde appearances that may pass betwixt them The like reason leads for regulating and stinting men in the exercise of Religion which as it is taken of much more concern must be made equally acceptable and pleasing to all by set and positive rules or else through necessary exasperation which difference wil beget amongst subjects their discontents will be higher then in other things encreasing as it were by a continual Antiperistasis until it break forth into the thunder and lightning of civil war and commotion For to be divided in sect and opinion must by degrees turn into a division in Love and Charity even because as there is a coincidence between Faith and Charity so is it as well the beginner of quarrels as the highest proof of uncharitableness upon unauthorized grounds and suspitions to censure or condemn any one in respect of his judgement or belief and if done by any towards that Church whereof they are members it is undutiful also And this discord we shall finde arising even from natural and necessary grounds also For since the Will must follow the light of the Understanding how shall any be thought willing to associate and accompany those that do amiss And since the reason why those of any Church do order their discipline and practise different
from that of another is but because they do proportionably differ in their belief and judgements in matters of Doctrine and Discipline must it not then be presumed that so far as the members of each Christian Church shall decline in their reverential regard towards their Churches soundness and veracity even so far will they conquently judge it fit to divide themselves by seperate Congregations or the like whereupon since a Christian Church and State are but the same as heretofore proved it will soon be found that this schism in the Church will be the same with a revolt in the State and wants but strength and opportunity to actuate its dislike into a rebellion For although they may at first for a countenance to their actions and to draw in associates make use of that deceivable distinction of Religious and Civil affairs and so pretend that they intend not at all to trench on the Civil jurisdiction yet when by strength of Allies and Confederates they shall once have arrived at their desired degree of power it will then appear that they which at first did intreat to be independent in relation to the Church will now practise to be so in reference to the State too and so by degrees to be super-eminent and command in both For must it not be expected that that thirst of ambition and rule by them called Zeal and Charity which first caused them to draw in sectators as the objects and trophies of their glory and power should ever stoop to any stint or moderation afterwards whenas in order to spiritual things and religious cognizance it is so easie a matter to draw in State affairs also and then as Christs immediate Ministers to preside in them without controle And must it not then be expected that that greater and higher tye of terror and fear by which men are kept in obedience as in a religious subjection must also make them in case of difference with their civil head to seem regardless of terror from him as having but power over the body onely and so consequently stick fast to the obedience of the other against him For if the separation was not at first made upon such grounds as were hazardous of salvation why was it made and being made and continued how can it be expected they should be thought less so that when opportunity shall leave men at liberty which side to follow they will certainly choose that which they acknowledge for right in the main Although some have in these cases stept in with an Apology and thought tolleration of dissent from the Church allowable where a breach of Charity was not presently made by schism but the points in question were meerly speculative yet will the example of the Arrians and others of old and the Remonstrants and others of late truely satisfie us of the danger hereof and how by degrees it will also arise to Civil faction and commotion For in this case as formerly noted the discontented preacher is to be looked upon as fire and the people in their natural thirst to dislike and insubjection to be looked upon as fewel And therefore although instance may be made and hope may be gathered that these Tolerations have not arisen to a Civil war yet can none make instance nor reasonably presume that publike discontents should not be hereby exasperated and encreased even to a due height and fitness to break forth into open insurrection upon any fit opportunity For as in our bodies natural there is an amassment of corrupt humors and habits from intemperance and irregularity of diet exercise c. before some extraordinary cold or the like discover any thing in a Feaver or other formal disease Even so they should do well to consider that Civil war and Rebellion in States and Kingdoms are never to be feared to work to any strength or continuance where there is not a precedent amassment of discontents by which there may be a juncture made to obstruct the ordinary course of Regiment upon a revolt and it is in this case to be highly observable that the discontents of Religion are ever chief and ringleaders For as it is natural for mankinde to know so also to be known to know in such sort that we many times covet to know but through pride to appear knowing it must therefore be presumed that the Authors and Abetters of each Sect and Congregation seeking to make themselves famous by the number and quality of those proselites they shall gain from one another that therefore in order to this encrease and that of their own reputation they must vilifie and deprave the Judgement and Practise of their opposites and thereby of necessary consequence draw on exasperation and breach of Charity and if the separation be made from the whole Church it must introduce disobedience also For Faith Love and Obedience as they have a natural Coincidence where there is some equal respect carryed towards them so have they as necessary a separation and loss where any of them is slighted or omitted For as that Love and Obedience we are to give to God doth depend on that belief we have of his Power Goodness and Truth so also doth that respect and obedience which we are to give to the Church his representative power on earth depend on our perswasion of its veracity and Authority So that if men can be once brought to to dis-believe her soundness or insufficiency even so far as her communion may be hazardous and damnable Obedience to her in any sort is not to be long expected And therefore although God have reserved to himself the Prerogative of trying the heart and reins and Princes can have no Cognizance and jurisdiction over the thoughts and belief of men yet so far as these their thoughts and perswasions do by words or actions make open tendendency to the seduction of others in a course of sedition contrary to the rules of Charity so far are they censurable by the present Higher Power And in this case Saint Pauls Admonition will be proper unto them hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God that is let not the desire of eminence and practise in thy different judgement make thee neglectful of Charity and those things that make for Peace as is largely in that chapter set down but rather know that for this very end thou art for conscience sake also to be subject to the higher power as is also largely commanded in the Chapter foregoing And although it be true again that in many matters of Religion Princes cannot command as Law-makers and in their own names as in more civil matters he doth yet as the supreme Magistrate entrusted from above with the interpretation and execution of these Laws and Rules he may command under God with the same authority which a High Constable Lieutenant or other Supreme State Officer doth in the absence of himself And upon the same reason that Civil Laws would be fond and useless things if