him Levit. 19. 17. but tell him his faults as Christ hath directed you Matth. 18. 15 16 17. and do your parts to promote Christs discipline and keep pure the Church See 1 Cor. 5. throughout § 37. Direct 6. When you come to the holy Communion let not the over-scrupulous regard of the person of Direct 6. the Minister or the company or the imperfections of the ministration disturb your meditations nor call away your minds from the high and serious employment of the day Hypocrites who place their Religion in bodily exercises have taught many weak Christians to take up unnecessary scruples and to turn their eye and observation too much to things without them Quest. But should we have no regard to the due celebration of these sacred mysteries and to the Minister and Communicants and manner of administration Answ. Yes You should have so much regard to them 1. As to see that nothing be amiss through your default which is in your power to amend 2. And that you joyn not in the committing of any known sin But 1. Take not every sin of another for your sin and think not that you are guilty of that in others which you cannot amend or that you must forsake the Church and Worship of God for these corruptions which you are not guilty of or deny your own mercies because others usurp them or abuse them 2. If you suspect any thing imposed upon you to be sinful to you try it before you come thither and leave not your minds open to disturbance when they should be wholly employed with Christ. § 38. Quest. 1. May we lawfully receive this Sacrament from an ungodly and unworthy Minister Quest. 1. Answ. Whoever you may lawfully commit the guidance of your souls to as your Pastor you may lawfully receive the Sacrament from yea and in some cases from some others For in case you come May we receive from an unworthy Minister into a Church that you are no member of you may lawfully joyn in communion with that Church for that present as a stranger though they have a Pastor so faulty as you might not lawfully commit the ordinary conduct of your soul to For it is their fault and not yours that they chose no better and in some cases such a fault as will not warrant you to avoid communion with them But you may not Receive if you know it from a Heretick that teacheth any error against the Essence of Christianity 2. Nor from a man so utterly ignorant of the Christian faith or duty or so utterly unable to Teach it to others as to be notoriously uncapable of the Ministry 3. Nor from a man professedly ungodly or that setteth himself to preach down Godliness it self These you must never own as Ministers of Christ that are utterly uncapable of it But see that you take none for such that are not such And there are three sorts more which you may not receive from when you have your choice nor take them for your Pastors but in case of Necessity imposed on you by others it is lawful and your duty And that is 1. Usurpers that make themselves your Pastors without a lawful Call and perhaps do forcibly thrust out the Lawful Pastors of the Church 2. Weak ignorant cold and lifeless Preachers that are tolerable in case of necessity but not to be compared with worthier men 3. Ministers of scandalous vicious lives It is a sin in you to preferr any one of these before a better and to choose them when you have your choice But it is a sin on the other side if you rather submit not to one of these than be quite without and have none at all You own not their faults in such a case by submitting to their Ministry § 29. Quest. 2. May we communicate with unworthy persons or in an undisciplined Church Quest. 2. Answ. You must here distinguish if you will not err and that 1. Between persons so unworthy as Gildas ae excid Britt speaketh thus to the better sort of Pastors then Quis perosuâ— est consilium maâ—â—guantâ—um cum impiis non sedit Quis eorum salutari in arca hoc est inunc Ecclesia ullum Deo adversantium ut Noe diluvii tempore non admisiâ— ut perspicue monstraretur non nisi innoxios vel poenitentes egregios in dominica domo esse debere to be no-Christians and those that are culpable scandalous Christians 2. Between a few members and the whole society or the denominating part 3. Between sin professed and owned and sin disowned by a seeming penitence 4. And between a Case of Liberty when I have my choice of a Better society and a Case of Necessity when I must communicate with the worser society or with none And so I answer 1. You ought not to communicate at all in this Sacrament with a society that professeth not Christianity if the whole body or denominating part be such that is 1. With such as never made profession of Christianity at all 2. Or have Apostatized from it 3. Or that openly own any Heresie inconsistent with the Essential Faith or Duty of a Christian. 4. Or that are notoriously ignorant what Christianity is 2. It is the duty of the Pastors and Governours of the Church to keep away notorious scandalous offendors till they shew Repentance and the peoples duty to assist them by private reproof and informing the Church when there is cause Therefore if it be through the neglect of your own duty that the Church is corrupted and undisciplined the sin is yours whether you receive with them or not 3. If you rather choose a corrupted undisciplined Church to communicate with when you have your choice of a better caeteris paribus it is your fault But on the contrary It is not your sin but your duty to communicate with that Church which hath a true Pastor and where the denominating part of the members are capable of church-Church-communion though there may some Infidels or Heathens or uncapable persons violently intrude or scandalous persons are admitted through the neglect of Discipline in case you have not your choice to hold personal communion with a better Church and in case also you be not guilty of the corruption but by seasonable and modest professing your dissent do clear your self of the guilt of such intrusion and corruption For here the Reasons and Ends of a lawful separation are removed Because it tendeth not to Gods honour or their reformation or your benefit For all these are more crossed by holding communion with no Church than with such a corrupted Church And this is to be preferred before none as much as a better before this § 40. Quest. 3. But what if I cannot communicate unless I conform to an imposed gesture as kneeling Quest. 3. or sitting Answ. 1. For sitting or standing no doubt it is lawful in it self For else authority were not to be obeyed if they should command it and else
is here annexed for dispatch as being almost sufficiently answered already 1. It must be supposed that all Church disorders and male-administrations cannot be expected to be remedied but many while we are sinners and imperfect must be born 2. The first Remedy is to speak submissively to the Pastor of his faults and to say to Archippus Take Col. 4. 17. heed to the Ministry which thou hast received And if he hear not more privately for the people more openly to warn and intreat him not as his Governours but as Christians that have Reason to regard Christs interest and their own and have charity to desire his reformation 2. The next remedy is to consult with the neighbour Pastors of other Churches that they may Act. 15. admonish him not as his Governours but as neighbour Pastors 3. The next remedy is to seek redress from those Governours that have power to correct or cast our the intolerable 4. The last remedy is that of Cyprian to desert such intolerable Pastors But in all this the people must be sure that they proceed not proudly ignorantly erroneously passionately factiously disorderly or rashly Quest. 65. May one be a Pastor or a member of a particular Church who liveth so far from it as to be uncapable of personal Communion with them Answ. THe Name is taken from the Relation and the Relation is founded in Capacity Right and Obligation to actual Communion duties and priviledges 1. He that is so statedly distant is uncapable statedly of Communion and therefore uncapable of the Relation and Name 2. He that is but for a Time accidentally so distant is but for that time uncapable of Communion with them And therefore retaineth Capacity Right and obligation statedly for the future but not for the present exercise Therefore he retaineth the Relation and name in respect to his future intended exercise but not in so plenary a sense as he that is capable of present Communion 3. It is not the length or shortness of the Time of absence that wholly cutteth off or continueth the Relation and Name but the probability or improbability of a seasonable accession For if a man be removed but a day with a purpose to return no more his relation ceaseth And if a man be long purposing and probably like to return and by sickness or otherwise be hindered it doth not wholly end his relation 4. If the delay be so long as either maketh the return improbable or as necessitateth the Church to have another statedly in the Pastors place where they can have but one and so the people by taking another consent though with grief to quit their relation and title to the former there the Relation is at an end 5. It is a delusory formality of some that call themselves members of a separated or other Church from which they most ordinarily and statedly live at an utter distance and yet take themselves to be no members of the Church where they live and usually joyn with And all because they Covenanted with one and not with the other Quest. 66. If a man be injuriously suspended or Excommunicated by the Pastor or people which way shall he have remedy Answ. AS is aforesaid in case of male-administration 1. By admonishing the Pastor or those that wrong him 2. By consulting Neighbour Pastors that they may admonish him 3. By the help of Rulers where such are and the Churches good forbids it not 4. In case of extremity by removing to a Church that will not so injure you And what needs there any more save patience Quest. 67. Doth presence alwayes make us guilty of the errours or faults of the Pastor in Gods worship or of the Church Or in what cases are we guilty Answ. 1. IF it alwayes made us guilty no man could joyn with any Pastor or Church in the world without being a wilful sinner Because no man worshippeth God without sin in matter or manner omission or commission 2. If it never made us guilty it would be lawful to joyn with Mahometans and Bread-worshippers c. 3. Therefore the following decision of the question in what cases it is a duty or a sin to separate doth decide this case also For when separation is no duty but a sin there our presence in the Worship is no sin But when separation is a duty there our presence is a sin 4. Especially in these two cases our presence is a sin 1. When the very Assembly and Worship is so bad as God will not accept but judgeth the substance of it for a sin 2. In case we our selves be put upon any sin in Communion or as a previous condition of our Communion As to make some false profession or to declare our consent to other mens sin or to commit corporal visible reputative Idolatry or the like But the Pastor and Church shall answer for their own faults and not we when we have cause to be present and make them not ours by any sinful action of our own Quest. 68. Is it lawful to Communicate in the Sacrament with wicked men Answ. THe answer may be gathered from what is said before 1. If they be so wicked for number and flagitiousness and notoriety as that it is our duty to forsake the Church then to communicate with them is a sin Therefore the after resolution of the just causes of separation must be peruâ—ed As if a Church were so far defiled with Heresie or open Impiety that it were justified by the Major Vote and bore down Faith and Godliness and the society were become uncapable of the Ends of Church Association and Communion In this and other cases it must be deserted 2. If we dâ— not perform our own duty to remote unlawful Communions whether it be by admonition of the offender or Pastor or what ever is proved really our duty the omission of that duty is our sin 3. But if we sin not by omitting our own duty it will be no sin of ours to communicate with the Church where scandalous sinners or Hereticks are permitted The Pastors and delinquents sins are not ours 4. Yea if we do omit our own duty in order to the remedy that will not justifie us in denying Communion with the Church while wicked men are there But it will rather aggravate our sin to omit one duty first and thence fetch occasion to omit another Quest. 69. Have all the members of the Church right to the Lords Table And is Suspension lawful OF this see the Defence of the Synods Propositions in New England I answer 1. You must distinguish between a fundamental Right of State and an immediate right of present possession or if you will Between a Right duly to receive the Sacrament and a Right to immediate reception simply considered 2. You must distinguish between a Questioned Controverted right and an unquestioned right And so you must conclude as followeth 1. Every Church-member at least adult as such hath the fundamental right of stated
in the sense of your natural sin and misery to stir up the lively sense of the wonderful Love of God and our Redeemer and to spend all the day in the special exercises of Faith and Love And seeing it is the Christian weekly festival or day of Thanksgiving for the greatest mercy in the world spend it as a day of Thanksgiving should be spent especially in Ioyful Praises of our Lord and let the huâ—bling and instructing exercisâ—s of the day he all subordinate to these laudatory exercises I know that much time must be spent in teaching and warning the ignorant and ungodly because their poverty and labours hinder them from other such opportunities and we must speak to them then or not at all But if it were not for their meer necessity and if we could as well speak to them other dayes of the Week the Churches should spend all the Lords Day in such praises and thanksgivings as are suitable to the ends of the institution But seeing that cannot be expected methinks it is desirable that the antient custome of the Churches were more imitated and the morning Sermon being fuited to the state of the more ignorant and unconverted that the rest of the day were spent in the exercises of Thanksgiving to the Joy and encouragement of believers and in doctrine suited to their state And yet I must add that a skilfull Preacher will do both together and so declare the Love and Grace of our Redeemer as by a meet application may both draw in the ungodly and comfort those that are already sanctified and raise their hearts in Praise to God § 4. Direct 4. Remember that the Lords day is appointed specially for publick worship and personal Direct 4. Communion of the Churches therein see therefore that you spend as much of the day as you can in this publick worship and Church-communion especially in the celebration of that Sacrament which is appointed for the memorial of the death of Christ untill his coming 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. This Sacrament in the Primitive Church was celebrated every Lords day yea and ofter even ordinarily on every other day of the week when the Churches assembled for Communion And it might be so now without any hinderance to Preaching or Prayer if all things were ordered as they should be For those Prayers and instructions and exhortations which are most suited to this Eucharistical action would be the most suitable Prayers and Sermons for the Church on the Lords dayes In the mean time sâ—e that so much of the day as is spent in Church-communion and publick worship be accordingly improved by you and be not at that time about your secret or family services but take only those hours for such private duties in which the Church is not assembled And remember how much the Love of Saints is to be exercised in this Communion and therefore labour to keep alive that Love without which no man can celebrate the Lords day according to the end of the institution § 5. Direct 5. Understand how great a mercy it is that you have leave thus to wait upon God for the receiving and exercise of grace and to cast off the distracting thoughts and businesses of the world and Direct 5. what an opportunity is put into your hand to get more in one day than this world can affâ—rd you all your lives And therefore come with gladness as to the receiving of so great a mercy and with desire after it and with hope to speed and not with unwillingness as to an unpleasant task as carnal hearts that Love not God or his Grace or Service and are aweary of all they do and glâ—d when it is done as the Ox that is unyoaked Isa. 58. 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a Delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own waies nor finding thine own pleasuâ—e nor speaking thine own words then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord The affection that you have to the Lords day much sheweth the temper of the heart A holy person is glad when it cometh as loving it for the holy exercises of the day A wicked carnal heart is glad of it only for his carnal ease but weary of the spiritual duties § 6. Direct 6. Avoid both the extreams of Prophaneness and Superstition in the point of your external rest And to that end Observe 1. That the work is not for the day but the day for the holy Direct 6. work As Christ saith Mark 2. 27. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath It is appointed for our good and not for our hurt 2. The outward rest is not appointed for it self but as a means to the freedom of the mind for inward and spiritual employments And therefore all those outward and common labours and discourses are unlawful which any way distract the mind and hinder either our outward or inward attendance upon God and our edification 3. And whatever it was to the Jews no common words or actions are unlawful which are no hinderance to this communion and worship and spiritual edification 4. Yea those things that are necessary to the support of nature and the saving of the Life or health or estate and goods of our selves or our neighbours are needful duties on that day Not all those works which are truly charitable for it may be a work of mercy to build Hospitals or make Garments for the poor or Till their ground but such works of mercy as cannot be put off to another day and such as hinder not the duties of the day 5. The same word or action on the Lords day which is unlawful to one man may be lawful to another as being no hinderance yea a duty to him As Christ saith The Priests in the Temple break or prophane the Sabbath that is the outward rest but not the command and are blameless Matth. 12. 15. And the Cook may lawfully be employed in dressing meat when it were a sin in another to do it voluntarily without need 6. The Lords day being to be kept as a day of Thanksgiving the dressing of such meat as is fit for a day of Thanksgiving is not to be scrupled The primitive Christians in the Apostles time had their Love-feasts constantly with the Lords Supper or after on the Evening of the day And they could not feast without dressing meat 7. Yet that which is lawful in it self must be so done as consisteth with care and compassion of the souls of servants that are employed about it that they may â—e deprived of no more of their spiritual benefit than needs 8. Also that which is lawful must sometimes be forborn when it may by scandal tempt others that are loose or weak to do that which is unlawful not that the meer displeasing of the erroneous should put us out of the right
seduced to think all proper Communion of Churches lyeth in that Sacrament and to be more prophanely bold in abusing many other parts of worship 5. There are better means by Teaching and Discipline to keep the Sacrament from contempt than the omitting or displacing of it 6. Every Lords Day is no ofter then Christians need it 7. The frequency will teach them to Live prepared and not only to make much ado once a Moneth or Quarter when the same work is neglected all the year beside Even as one that liveth in continual expectation of death will live in continual preparation when he that expecteth it but in some grievous sickness will then be frightned into some seeming preparations which are not the habit of his soul but laid by again when the disease is over 2. But yet I must add that in some undisciplin'd Churches and upon some occasions it may be longer omitted or seldomer used No duty is a duty at all times And therefore extraordinary cases may raise such impediments as may hinder us a long time from this and many other priviledges But the ordinary faultiness of our imperfect hearts that are apt to grow customary and dull is no good reason why it should be seldome Any more than why other special duties of Worship and church-Church-communion should be seldome Read well the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians and you will find that they were then as bad as the true Christians â—â—e now and that even in this Sacrament they were very culpable and yet Paul seeketh not to cure them by their seldomer communicating § 21. Quest. 3. Are all the members of the visible Church to be admitted to this Sacrament or Quest. 3. communicate Answ. All are not to seek it or to take it because many may know their own unfitness when the Church or Pastors know it not But all that come and seek it are to be admitted by the Pastors except such Children Ideots ignorant persons or Hereticks as know not what they are to receive and do and such as are notoriously wicked or scandalous and have not manifested their repentance But then it is presupposed that none should be numbered with the adult members of the Church but those that have personally owned their Baptismal Covenant by a Credible Profession of true Christianity § 22. Quest. 4. May a man that hath knowledge and civility and common gifts come and Quest. 4. take this Sacrament if he know that he is yet void of true Repentance and other saving Grace Answ. No For he then knoweth himself to be one that is uncapable of it in his present state § 23. Quest. 5. May an ungodly man receive this Sacrament who knoweth not himself to be Quest. 5. ungodly Answ. No For he ought to know it and his sinful ignorance of his own condition will not make his sin to be his duty nor excuse his other faults before God § 24. Quest. 6. Must a sincere Christian receive that is uncertain of his sincerity and in continual Quest. 6. doubting Answ. Two preparations are necessary to this Sacrament The general preparation which is a state of grace and this the doubting Christian hath And the particular preparation which consisteth in his present actual fitness And all the question is of this And to know this you must further distinguish between Immediate duty and more Remote and between the degrees of doubtfulness in Christians 1. The nearest immediate duty of the doubting Christian is to use the means to have his doubts resolved till he know his case and then his next duty is to receive the Sacrament And both these still remain his duty to be performed in this order And if he say I cannot be resolved when I have done my best yet certainly it is some sin of his own that keepeth him in the dark and hindereth his assurance and therefore Duty ceaseth not to be duty the Law of Christ still obligeth him both to get assurance and to receive and the want both of the knowledge of his state and of Receiving the Sacrament are his continual sin if he lye in it never so long through these scruples though it be an infirmity that God will not condemn him for For he is supposed to be in a state of grace But you will say What is still he cannot be resolved whether he have true faith and Repentance or not What should he do while he is in doubt I answer It is one thing to ask what is his duty in this case and another thing to ask Which is the smaller or less dangerous sin Still his duty is both to get the knowledge of his heart and to communicate But while he sinneth through infirmity in failing of the first were he better also omit the other or not To be well resolved of that you must discern 1. Whether his judgement of himself do rather incline to think and hope that he is sincere in his repentance and faith or that he is not 2. And whether the consequents are like to be good or bad to him If his hopes that he is sincere be as great or greater than his fears of the contrary then there is no such ill consequent to be feared as may hinder his communicating but it is his best way to do it and wait on God in the use of his Ordinance But if the perswasion of his gracelesness be greater than the hopes of his sincerity then he must observe how he is like to be affected if he do communicate If he find that it is like to clear up his mind and increase his hopes by the actuating of his grace he is yet best to go But if he find that his heart is like to be overwhelmed with horror and sunk into despair by running into the supposed guilt of unworthy Receiving then it will be worse to do it than to omit it Many such fearful Christians I have known that are fain many years to absent themselves from the Sacrament because if they should receive it while they are perswaded of their utter unworthiness they would be swallowed up of desperation and think that they had taken their own damnation As the twenty fifth Article of the Church of England saith the unworthy receivers do So that the chief sin of such a Doubting Receiver is not that he receiveth though he doubt for doubting will not excuse us for the sinful omission of a duty no more of this than of Prayer or Thanksgiving But only Prudence requireth such a one to forbear that which through his own distemper would be a means of his despair and ruine As that Physick or food how good soever is not to be taken which would kill the taker Gods Ordinances are not appointed for our destruction but for our edification and so must be used as tendeth thereunto Yet to those Christians who are in this case and dare not communicate I must put this Question How dare you so long refuse it He that
among them and defile them 7. It is the duty of the several members of the flock if a Brother trespass against them to tell him his faults between them and him and if he hear not to take two or three and if he hear not them to tell the Church 8. It is the Pastors duty to admonish the unruly and call them to Repentance and pray for their Conversion 9. And it is the Pastors duty to declare the obstinately impenitent uncapable of Communion with the Church â—nd to charge him to forbear it and the Church to avoid him 10. It is the peoples duty to avoid such accordingly and have no familiarity with them that they may be ashamed and with such no not to eat 11. It is the Pastors duty to Absolve the Penitent declaring the remission of their sin and re-admitting to the Communion of the Saints 12. It is the peoples duty to re-admit the absolved to their Communion with joy and to take them as Brethren in the Lord. 13. Though every Pastor hath a General power to exercise his office in any part of the Church where he shall be truly called to it yet every Pastor hath a special obligation and consequently a special power to do it over the flock of which he hath received the special charge and oversight 14. The Lords day is separated by Gods appointment for the Churches ordinary holy Communion in Gods Worship under the conduct of these their Guides 15. And it is requisite that the several particular Churches do maintain as much agreement among themselves as their capacity will allow them and keep due Synods and correspondencies to that end Thus much of Gods Worship and Church-order and Government at least is of Divine institution and determined by Scripture and not left to the will or liberty of man Thus far the Form of Government at least is of Divine Right § 21. But on the contrary 1. About Doctrine and Worship the Scripture is no Law in any of these following cases but hath left them undetermined 1. There are many natural Truths which the Scripture meddleth not with As Physicks Metaphysicks Logick c. 2. Scripture telleth not a Minister what particular Text or Subject he shall Preach on this day or that 3. Nor what method his Text or Subject shall be opened and handled in 4. Nor what day of the week besides the Lords day he shall preach nor what hour on the Lords day he shall begin 5. Nor in what particular place the Church shall meet 6. Nor what particular sins we shall most confess nor what personal mercies we shall at this present time first ask nor for what we shall now most copiously give thanks For special occasions must determine all these 7. Nor what particular Chapter we shall now read nor what particular Psalm we shall now sing 8. Nor what particular translation of the Scripture or version of the Psalms we shall now use Nor into what Sections to distribute the Scripture as we do by Chapters and Verses Nor whether the Bible shall be Printed or Written or in what Characters or how bound 9. Nor just by what sign I shall express my consent to the truths or duties which I am called to express consent to besides the Sacraments and ordinary words 10. Nor whether I shall use written Notes to help my memory in Preaching or Preach without 11. Nor whether I shall use a writing or book in prayer or pray without 12. Nor whether I shall use the same words in preaching and prayer or various new expressions 13. Nor what utensils in holy administrations I shall use as a Temple or an ordinary house a Pulpit a font a Table cups cushions and many such which belong to the several parts of Worship 14. Nor in what particular gesture we shall preach or read or hear 15. Nor what particular garments Ministers or people shall wear in time of Worship 16. Nor what natural or artificial helps to our natural faculties Of which I have spoke more fully in my Disput. 5. of Church-Government p. 400. c. we shall use as medicaments for the Voice tunes musical instruments spectacles hour-glasses These and such like are undetermined in Scripture and are left to be determined by humane prudence not as men please but as means in order to the proper end according to the General Laws of Christ. For Scripture is a General Law for all such circumstances but not a particular Law So also for Order and Government Scripture hath not particularly determined 1. What individual persons shall be the Pastors of the Church 2. Or of just how many persons the Congregations shall consist 3. Or how the Pastors shall divide their work where there are many 4. Nor how many every Church shall have 5. Nor what particular people shall be a Pastors special charge 6. Nor what individual persons he shall Baptize receive to Communion admonish or absolve 7. Nor in what words most of these shall be expressed 8. Nor what number of Pastors shall meet in Synods for the communion and agreement of several Churches noâ— how oft nor at what time or place nor what particular order shall be among them in their consultations with many such like § 22. When you thus understand how far Scripture is a Law to you in the Worship of God it will be the greatest Direction to you to keep you both from disobeying God and your Superiours that you may neither pretend obedience to man for your disobedience to God nor pretend obedience to God against your due obedience to your Governours as those will do that think Scripture is a more particular Rule than ever Christ intended it And it will prevent abundance of unnecessary scruples contentions and divisions § 23. Direct 12. Observe well in Scripture the difference between Christs Universal Laws which Direct 12. bind all his Subjects in all times and places and those that are but local personal or alterable Laws What commands of God are not universal noâ— perpetual lest you think that you are bound to all that ever God bound any others to The Universal Laws and unalterable are those which result from the Foundation of the universal and unalierable nature of persons and things and those which God hath supernaturally revealed as suitable constantly to all The particular local or temporary Laws are those which either resulted from a particular or alterable nature of persons and things as mutually related as the Law of nature bound Adams Sons to marry their Sisters which bindeth others against it or those which God supernaturally enacted only for some particular people or person or for a time If you should mistake all the Iewish Laws for universal Laws as to persons or duration into how many errours would it lead you So also if you mistake every personal mandate sent by a Prophet or Apostle to a particular man as obliging all you would make a snare of it Every man is not to abstain
their schism to the height as far as arrogance can aspire they not only refuse communion with those from whom they separate but condemn them as no Pastors no Churches no Christians that are not subject to them in this their Usurpation And they that are but about the third or fourth part at most of the Christian world do condemn the Body of Christ to Hell even all the rest because they are not Subjects of the Pope § 25. Besides all this criminal odious Schism of Imposers or Separaters there is a degree of Schism or unjust Division which may be the infirmity of a good and peaceable person As if a humble tender Christian should mistakingly think it unlawful to do some action that is imposed upon all that will hold communion with that particular Church such as Paul speaketh of Rom. 14. if they had been imposed And if he suspecting his own understanding do use all means to know the truth and yet still continueth in his mistake If this Christian do forbear all reviling of his superiours and censuring those that differ from him and drawing others to his opinion but yet dare not joyn with the Church in that which he taketh to be a sin this is a sinful sort of withdrawing because it is upon mistake But yet it is but a pardonable infirmity consistent with integrity and the favour of God § 26. IV. In these cases following Separation is our duty and not a sin 1. The Churches separation What Separation is a duty from the Unbelieving world is a necessary duty For what is a Church but a society dedicated or sanctified to God by separation from the rest of the world 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive 1 Pet. 2. 5 7 9. Leg. Gâ—otâ—um de Imp. pag. 230 231. you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty The Church is a Holy people and therefore a separated people § 27. 2. If a Church apostatize and forsake the faith or if they turn notoriously Heretical denying openly any one Essential Article of the faith and this not only by an undiscerned consequence but directly in express terms or sense it is our duty to deny to hold communion with such Apostates or Hereticks For it is their separating from Christ that is the sinful separation and maketh it necessary to us to separate from them But this is no excuse to any Church or person that shall falsly accuse any other Church or person of Heresie because of some forced or disowned consequences of his Doctrine and then separate from them when they have thus injured them by their calumnies or censures § 28. We are not bound to own that as a Church which maketh not a visible Profession of faith and holiness that is If the Pastors and a sufficient number of the flock make not this Profession For as the Pastor and flock are the constituent parts of the Church politically considered so Profession of faith and holiness is the essential qualification of the members If either Pastors or people want this profession it is no Political Church But if the people profess true Religion and have no Pastors it is a community of believers or a Church unorganized and as such to be acknowledged § 29. 4. If any shall unlawfully constitute a new Political Church-form by making new constitutive Officers to be its Visible Head which Christ never appointed we are not to hold communion with the Church in its devised form or Polity though we may hold Communion with the members of it considered as Christians and members of the Universal Church Mark well that I do not say that every new devised Officer disobligeth us from such communion but such as I describe which I shall sullyer open § 30. Quest. May not men place new Officers in the Church and new forms of Government which Quest. Whether any form of Church-Government be of Divine appointment and whether man may appoint any other God never instituted or is there any form and Officers of Divine institution Answ. Though I answered this before I shall here briefly answer it again 1. There are some sorts of Officers that are essential to the Polity or Church-form and some that are only needful to the well-being of it and some that are only Accidental 2. There is a Church-form of Gods own institution and there is a superadded humane Polity or form There are two sort of Churches or Church-forms of Gods own institution The first is the Universal Church considered Politically as Headed by Jesus Christ This is so of Divine appointment as that it is an Article of our Creed Here if any man devise and superinduce another Head of the Universal Church which God never appointed though he pretend to hold his Soveraignty from Christ and under him it is Treason against the soveraignty of Christ as setting up an Universal Government or Soveraign in his Church without his authority and consent Thus the Pope is the Usurping Head of a Rebellion against Christ and in that sense by Protestants called Antichrist And he is guilty of the Rebellion that subscribeth to or owneth his Usurpation or sweareth to him as his Governour though he promise to obey him but in licitis honestis Because it is not lawful or honest to consent to a Usurpers Government If a Usurper should trayterously without the Kings consent proclaim himself Vice-King of Ireland or Scotland and falsly say that he hath the Kings Authority when the King disclaimeth him he that should voluntarily swear obedience to him in things lawful and honest doth voluntarily own his Usurpation and Treason And it s not the lawfulness and honesty of the matter which will warrant us to own the Usurpation of the Commander And Secondly There is another subordinate Church-form of Christs institution that is Leg. Grotium de Imp. p. 223. 226. Particular Churches consisting of Pastors and people conjoyned for personal Communion in Gods Worship These are to the Universal Church as particular Corporations are to a Kingdom even such Parts of it as have a distinct subordinate Polity of their own It is no City or Corporation if they have not their Mayors Bâ—ilists or other Chief Officers subject to the King as Governours of the people under him And it is no particular Church in a Political sense but only a Community if they have not their Pastors to be under Christ their spiritual Conductors in the matters of salvation as there is no School which is not constituted of Teacher and Schâ—lars That particular organized Political Churches are of Christs institution by his Spirit in the Apostles is undenyable Acts 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in every Church Tit. 1. 5. Ordain Elders in every City as I commanded thee Acts 20. 17. He sent to Ephesus and called the Elders
of the Church 28. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God So 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 7 17 24 c. 1 Cor. 7. 23. If the whole Church be come together into one place c. Thus far it is no question but Church-forms and Government is of Divine appointment And man can no more alter this or set up such other without Gods consent than a subject can alter or make Corporations without the Kings consent 2. But besides these two sorts of Divine institution there are other allowable associations which some call Churches God hath required these particular Churches to hold such Communion as they are capable of for promoting the common Ends of Christianity And Prudence is left to determine of the Times and Places and manner of their Pastors Assemblies Councils and Correspondencies according to Gods general Rules If any will call these Councils or the Associations engaged for special correspondencies by the name of Churches I will not trouble any with a strife about the Name In this case so far as men have power to make that Association or Combination which they call a Church so also if they make Officers suited to its ends not encroaching upon the Churches or Officers of Christs own institution I am none of those that will contend against them Nor will this allow us to deny Communion with them 3. And in those Churches which Christ himself hath instituted there are Officers that make but for the Integrity and not for the Political Essence of the Church As Deacons and all Pastors or Presbyters more than One. For it is not essential to it to have any Deacons or many Pastors As to this sort of Officers Christ hath appointed them and it is not in mans power to alter his institution nor to set up any such like in co-ordination with these But yet if they should do so as long as the true Essentials of the Church remain I am not to deny communion with that Church so I own not this corruption 4. But there are also as circumstantial employments about Gods Worship so Officers to do those employments which men may lawfully institute As Clerks Church-wardens Door-keepers Ringers c. It is not the adding of these that is any sin By this time you may see plainly both how far Churches Officers and Church-Government is jure Divino and how far man may or may not add or alter and what I meant in my Proposition viz. That if men introduce a new Universal Head to the Church Catholick or a new Head to particular Churches instead of that of Christs institution this is in sensu Politico to make new species of Churches and destroy those that Christ hath instituted for the pars gubernans and pars gubernata are the essential Constituents of a Church And with such a Church as such in specie I must have no communion which is our case with the Papal Church though with the Material parts of that Church as members of Christ I may hold communion still § 30. 5. If particular members are guilty of obstinate impenitency in true Heresie or ungodliness or any scandalous crime the Church may and must remove such from her communion For it is the Communion of Saints And the offender is the Cause of this separation § 31. 6. If a whole Church be guilty of some notorious scandalous sin and refuse with obstinacy But not denying her to be a Church unless she cast off some essential part But so disowning her as in a Thess. 3. to Repent and Reform when admonished by neighbour Churches or if that Church do thus defend such a sin in any of her members so as openly to own it other Churches may refuse communion with her till she Repent and be Reformed Or if they see cause to hold communion with her in other respects yet in this they must have none § 32. 7. If any Church will admit none to her personal Communion but those that will take some false Oath or subscribe any untruth or tell a lye though that Church do think it to be true as the Trent Oath which their Priests all swear it is not lawful to do any such unlawful thing to obtain Where any Church retaining the purity of doctrine doth require the ownâ—ng of and conforming to any unlawful or suspected practice men may lawfully deny conformity to and communion with that Church in such things without incurring the guilt of Shism Mr. Stilliâ—â—fleet Ireâ—ic p. 11â— communion with that Church And he that refuseth in this case to commit this sin is no way guilty of the separation but is commendable for being true to God And though the case may be sad to be deprived of the liberty of publick Worship and the benefits of publick communion with that Church yet sin is worse and * 1 Sam. 15. 22. Prov. 15. 8. obedience is better than Sacrifice God will not be served with sin nor accept the Sacrifice of a disobedient fool Eccles. 5. 1 2. Nor must we lye to glorifie him nor do evil that good may come by it Just is the damnation of such servers of God Rom. 1. 7 8. All publick Worship is rather to be omitted than any one sin committed to enjoy it Though neither should be done where it is possible to do better It is not so unwise to think to feed a man with Poysons as to think to serve God acceptably by sin § 33. 8. If any one Church would ambitiously Usurp a Governing power over others as Rome doth over the world it is no unwarrantable separation to refuse the Government of that Usurping Church We may hold communion with them as Christians and yet refuse to be their subjects And therefore it is a proud and ignorant complaint of the Church of Rome that the Protestants separate from them as to Communion because they will not take them for their Governours § 34. 9. If any by violence will banish or cast out the true Bishops or Pastors of the Church and set up Usurpers in their stead as in the Arrians persecution it was commonly done it is no culpable separation but laudable and a duty for the people to own their Relation to their true Pastors and deny communion with the Usurpers as the people of the Eastern Churches did commonly refuse communion with the intruding Bishops even to the Death telling the Civil Rulers that they had Bishops of their own to whom they would adhere § 35. 10 If a true Church will obstinately deny her members the use of any one Ordinance of God as Preaching or Reading Scripture or Prayer or Praise or Discipline while it retaineth all the rest though we may not separate from this Church as no Church which yet in the case of total rejection of Prayer or Praise is very questionable at least yet if we have opportunity we must remove our local communion
knowing before hand that maketh it unlawful For 1. I know in general before hand that all imperfect men will do imperfectly And though I know not the particular that maketh it never the lawfuller if fore knowledge it sâ—lâ— did make it unlawful 2. If you know that e. g. an Antinomian or some mistaken Preacher would constantly drop some words for his errour in Prayer or Preaching that will not make it unlawful in your own judgement for you to joyn if it be not a flat Heresie 3. It is an ther mans errour or fault that you forâ—know and not your own and therefore fore-knowledge maketh it not your own 4. God himself doth as an Universal Cause of Nature concur with men in those acts which he foreknoweth they will sinfully do and yet God is not to be judged either an Author or approver of the sin because of such concurrence and fore-knowledge Therefore our fore-knowledge maketh us no approvers or guilty of the failings of any in their sacred Ministrations unless there be some other guilt If you say that it is no one of these that maketh it unlawful but all together you must give us a distinct argument to prove that the concurrence of these three will prove that unlawful which cannot be proved so by any of them alone for your affirmation must not serve the turn and when we know your argument I doubt not but it may be answered One thing I still confess may make any defective Worship to be unlawful to you and that is When you prefer it before better and may without a greater inconvenience enjoy an abler Ministry and purer Administration but will not § 95. Obj. But he that sitteth by in silence in the posture as the rest of the Congregation seemeth to Object consent to all that is said and done and we must avoid all appearance of evil Answ. The appearance of evil which is evil indeed mâ—st be alway avoided But that appearance of Answ. evil which is indeed good must not be avoided We must not forsake our duty lest we seem to sin that were but to prefer hypocrisie before sincerity and to avoid appearances more than realities The omission of a duty is a real sin and that must not be done to avoid a seeming sin And whom doth it appear so to If it appear evil to the blind or prejudiced it is their eyes that must be cured But if it appear so to the wise then it 's like it is evil indeed For a wise man should not judge that to be evil that is not But I confess that in a case that is altogether indifferent even the mistakes of the ignorant may oblige us to forbear But the Worship of God must not be so â—orb â—â—â—â— It is an irrational fancy to think that you must be Uncivil by contradicting or covering your heads or doing something â—ffâ—â—â—â—ive to the Congregation when any thing is said or done which you disallow Your presâ—nâ— signifieth your Consent to all that you prâ—fess even to Worship God according to his Word and not to all the humane imperfections that are there expâ—â—ssâ—d § 96. Direct 13. Distinguish carefully between your personal private duties and the duty of the Direct 13. Pastor â—â— Church with which you must concurr And do not think that if the Church or Pastor do not their duty that you are bouâ—d to do it for them To cast out an obâ—â—â—â—nate impenitent sinner by sentence from the Communion of the Church is the Pastors or Churches duty and not yours unless in concurrence or subâ—erviency to the Church Therefore if it be not done enquire whether you did your duty towards it If you did the sin is noâ—e of yours For it is not in your power to cast out all that are unworthy from the Church But private familiarity is in your power to refuse and with such â—â—â—â— not to â—â—â—◠§ 97. Direct 14. Take the measure of your accidental duties more from the Good or hurt of the Direct 14. Church or fâ—â—m my than from the immediate good or hurt that cometh to your self You are not to take that for the station of your duty which you feel to be most to the commodity of your souls but that in which you may do God most service If the service of God for the good of many require you to stay with a weaker Minister and defective administrations you will find in the end that this was not only the place of your duty but also of your benefit For your life is in Gods hands and all your comforts and that is the best way to your peace and happiness in which you are most pleasing unto God and have his Promise of most acceptance and grace I know the least advantage to the soul must be preferred before all earthly riches but not before the publick good Yea that way will prove most advantageous to us in which we exercise most obedience § 98. Direct 15. Take heed of suffering prejudice and fansie to go for reason and raise in your Direct 15. minds unjustifiable distastes of any way or mode of Worship It is wonderful to see what fansie and prejudice can do Get once a hard opinion of a thing and your judgements will make light of all that is said for it and will see nothing that should reconcile you to it Partiality will carry you away from equity and truth Abundance of things appear now false and evil to men that once imagine them to be so which would seem harmless if not laudable if they were tryed by a mind that 's clear from prejudice § 99. Direct 16. Iudge not of doctrines and worship by Persons but rather of persons by their doctrine Direct 16. and worship together with their lives The world is all prone to be carryed by respect to persons I confess where any thing is to be taken upon trust we must rather trust the intelligent experienced honest and credible than the ignorant and incredible But where the Word of God must be our Rule it is perverse to judge of Things by the Persons that hold them or oppose them Sometimes a bad man may be in the right and a good man in the wrong Try the way of the worst men before you reject it in disputable things And try the opinions and way of the best and wisest before you venture to receive them § 100. Direct 17. Eâ—slave not your selves to any Party of men so as to be over-desirous to please Direct 17. them nor over fearful of their consare Have a respect to all the rest of the world as well as them Most men that once engage themselves in a party do think their honour and interest is involved with them and that they stand or fall with the favour of their party and therefore make them before they are aware the masters of their Consciences § 101. Direct 18. Regard more the judgement of aged ripe experienced men that have
A Christian Directory Or A SUMM of PRACTICAL THEOLOGIE AND CASES OF CONSCIENCE Directing Christians how to USE their Knowledge and Faith How to improve all Helps and Means and to Perform all Duties How to Overcome Temptations and to escape or mortifie every Sin In Four Parts I. CHRISTIAN ETHICKS or private Duties II. CHRISTIAN OECONOMICKS or Family Duties III. CHRISTIAN ECCLESIASTICKS or Church Duties IV. CHRISTIAN POLITICKS or Duties to our Rulers and Neighbours By RICHARD BAXTER Mal. 2. 7 8. The Priests lips should keep Knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts But ye are departed out of the way Ye have Caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi Matth. 13. 52. Every SCRIBE which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an Housholder which bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old Heb. 5. 13 14. For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness for he is a Babe But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age Those who by reason of USE have their senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil. 2 Tim. 2. 14 15 16. Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before God that they STRIVE not about WORDS to no profit but to the subverting of the Hearers Study to shew thy self approved UNTO GOD a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of Truth But shun profane and vain Bablings for they will increase unto more Ungodliness and their Word will eat as doth a Canker 2 Pet. 3. 16. In which Pauls Epistles are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons at the Sign of the Princes Arms in S t. Pauls Church-yard 1673. Advertisements READERS THE Book is so big that I must make no longer Preface than to give you this necessary short account 1. Of the Quality 2. And the Reasons of this Work I. The matter you will see in the Contents As Amâ—sius his Cases of Conscience are to his Medulla the second and Practical part of Theologie so is this to a Methodus Theologiae which I have not yet published And 1. As to the Method of this it is partly natural but principally Moral that is partly suitable to the real order of the Matter but chiefly of usefulness secundum ordinem Intentionis where our reasons of each location are fetcht from the End Therefore unless I might be tedious in opening my reasons à fine for the order of every particular I know not how to give you full satisfaction But in this Practical part I am the less solicitous about the Accurateness of method because it more belongeth to the former Part the Theory where I do it as well as I am able 2. This Book was written in 1664. and 1665. except the Ecclesiastick Cases of Conscience and a few sheets since added And since the Writing of it some invitations drew me to publish my Reasons of the Christian Religion my Life of Faith and Directions for weak Christians by which the work of the two first Chapters here is fullier done And therefore I was inclined here to leave them out But for the use of such Families as may have this without the other I forbore to dismember it 3. But there is a great disproportion between the several parts of the Book 1. The first Part is largest because I thought that the Heart must be kept with greatest diligence and that if the Tree be good the fruit will be good and I remember Pauls counsel 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed to thy self and unto thy Doctrine Continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee Nothing is well done by him that beginneth not at home As the man is so is his strength and work 2. The two first Chapters are too course and tedious for those of the higher form who may pass them over But the rest must be spoken to To whom that is unprofitable which is most suitable and pleasant to more exercised and accurate wits The Grand Directions are but the explication of the essentials of Christianity or of the Baptismal Covenant even of our Relation-duties to God the Father Son in several parts of his Relation and of the Holy Ghost The doctrine of Temptations is handled with brevity because they are so numerous lest a due amplification should have swelled the Book too much when a small part of their number maketh up so much of Mr. Iohn Downame's great and excellent Treatise called The Christian Welfare The great radical sins are handled more largely than seemeth proportionable to the rest because all die when they are dead And I am large about Redeeming Time because therein the sum of a holy obedient life is included 4. If any say Why call you that a sum of Practical Theologie which is but the Directing part and leaveth out the explication reasons various Uses marks motives c I answer 1. Had I intended Sermonwise to say all that might well be said on each subject it would have made many Volumes as big as this 2. Where I thought them needful the explication of each duty and sin is added with marks contraries counterfeits motives c. And Uses are easily added by an ordinary Reader without my naming them 5. I do especially desire you to observe that the resolving of practical Cases of Conscience and the reducing of Theoretical knowledge into serious Christian Practice and promoting a skilful facility in the faithful exercise of universal obedience and Holiness of heart and life is the great work of this Treatise And that where I thought it needful the Cases are reduced to express Questions and Answers But had I done so by all many such Volumes would have been too little And therefore I thought the Directing way most brief and fit for Christian practice For if you mark them you will find few Directions in the Book which may not pass for the answer of an implyed Question or Case of Conscience And when I have given you the Answer in a Direction an ingenious Reader can tell what Question it is that is answered And so many hundred Cases are here resolved especially in the two first Parts which are not interrogatively named 6. And I must do my self the right as to notifie to the Reader that this Treatise was written when I was for not-subscribing Declaring c. forbidden by the Law to Preach and when I had been long separated far from my Library and from all Books saving an inconsiderable parcel which wandred with me where I went By which means this Book hath two defects 1. It hath no Cases of Conscience but what my bare memory brought to hand And Cases are so
Vows The use the obligation VVhether any things be indifferent and such may be Vowed As Marrying c. May we Vow things Indifferent in themselves though not in their circumstances In what Cases we may not Vow VVhat if Rulers command it VVhat if I doubt whether the Matter imposed be lawful Of Vowing with a doubting Conscience Tit. 2. Directions against Perjury and Perfidiousness and for keeping Vows and Oaths The heinousness of Perjury Thirty six Rules about the obligation of a Vow to shew when and how far it is obligatory useful in an age stigmatized with open Perjury Mostly out of Dr. Sanderson VVhat is the Nullity of an Oath Cases in which Vows must not be kept p. 700 How far Rulers may Nullifie a Vow Numb 30. opened Of the Accidental Evil of a Vow Of Scandal Q. Doth an error de persona caused by that person disoblige me ibid. CHAP. VI. Directions to the people concerning their Internal and private duty to their Pastors and their profiting by the Ministerial Office and Gifts p. 714 The Ministerial Office opened in fifteen particulars The Reasons of it The true old Episcopacy Special duties to your own Pastors above others Of the Calling Power and Succession of Pastors The best to be preferred The Order of Minirial Teaching and the Resolution of faith How far Humane faith conduceth to Divine Of Tradition VVhat use to make of your Pastors to p. 724 CHAP. VII Directions for the discovery of Truth among Contenders and how to escape Heresie and deceit Cautions for avoiding deceit in Disputations p. 725 CHAP. VIII Directions for the Union and Communion of Saints and for avoiding unpeaceableness and Schism p. 731 VVherein our Unity consisteth VVhat diversity will be in the Churches VVhat Schism is VVhat Heresie VVhat Apostasie VVho are Schismaticks The degrees and progress of it VVhat Separation is a duty Q. Is any one form of Church Government of Divine appointment May man make new Church Officers The Benefits of Christian Concord to themselves and to Insidels The mischiefs of Schism VVhether Papists or Protestants are Schismaticks The aggravations of Division Two hinderances of our true apprehension of the evil of Schism Direrections against it Of imposing defective Liturgies The Testimonies of antiquity against the bloody and Cruel way of Curing Schism Their Character of Ithacian Prelates CHAP. IX Twenty Directions how to worship God in the Church Assemblies p. 755 CHAP. X. Directions about our Communion with holy souls departed now with Christ. p. 758 CHAP. XI Directions about our Communion with the holy Angels p. 763 The Contents of the Ecclesiastical Cases of Conscience added to the Third Part. Q. 1. HOw to know which is the true Church among all pretenders that a Christians Conscience may be quiet in his Relation and communion p. 771 Q. 2. Whether we must esteem the Church of Rome a true Church And in what sence some Protestant Divines affirm it and some deny it p. 774 Q. 3. Whether we must take the Romish Clergie for a true Ministry p. 775 Q. 4. Whether it be necessary to believe that the Pope is the Antichrist p. 777 Q. 5. Whether we must hold that a Papist may be saved p. 778 Q. 6. Whether those that are in the Church of Rome are bound to separate from it And whether it be lawful to go to their Mass or other worship p. 779 Q. 7. Whether the true calling of the Minister by Ordination or Election be necessary to the essence of the Church ibid Q. 8. Whether sincere faith and Godliness be necessary to the being of the Ministry And whether it be lawful to hear a wicked man or take the Sacrament from him or take him for a Minister p. 780 Q. 9. Whether the people are bound to receive or consent to an ungodly intolerable heretical Pastor yea or one far less fit and worthy than a competitor if the Magistrate command it or the Bishop impose him p. 781 Q. 10. What if the Magistrate command the people to receive one Pastor and the Bishop or Ordainers another which of them must be obeyed p. 787 Q. 11. Whether an uninterrupted succession either of right Ordination or of conveyance by jurisdiction be necessary to the being of the Ministry or of a true Church p. 787 Q. 12. Whether there be or ever was such a thing in the world as one Catholick Church constituted by any head besides or under Christ p. 789 Q 13. Whether there be such a thing as a visible Catholick Church and what it is ibid. Q. 14. What is it that maketh a visible member of the universal Church and who are to be accounted such p. 790 Q. 15. Whether besides the profession of Christianity either testimony or evidence of conversion or practical Godliness be necessary to prove a man a member of the Universal visible Church ibid. Q. 16. What is necessary to a mans reception into membership in a particular Church over and above this foresaid title Whether any other tryals or Covenant or What p. 791 Q. 17. Wherein doth the Ministerial office Essentially consist p. 792 Q. 18. Whether the peoples choice or consent is necessary to the office â—f a Minister in his first work as he is to convert Insidels and Baptize them And whether this be a work of office and what call is necessary to it p. 793 Q. 19. Wherein consisteth the power and nature of Ordination and To whom doth it belong and Is it an act of jurisdiction and Is imposition of hands necessary in it p 794 Q. 20. Is ordination necessary to make a man a Pastor of a particular Church as such and Is he to be made a General Minister and a particular Church-Elder or Pastor at once and at one Ordination p. 795 Q. 21. May a man be oft or twice ordained p. 796 Q. 22. How many ordainers are necessary to the validity of Ordination by Christs Institution Whether one or more p. 798 Q. 23. What if one Bishop Ordain a Minister and three or many or all the rest protest against it and declare him no Minister or degrade him is he to be received as a true Minister or not ibid. Q. 24. Hath a Bishop power by divine right to ordain degrade or govern excommunicate or absolve in another Diocess or Church either by his consent or against it And doth a Minister that officiateth in anothers Church act as a Pastor and their Pastor or as a private man And doth his Ministerial office cease when a man removeth from his flock p. 799 Q. 25. Whether Canons Be Laws and Pastors have a Legislative power p. 800 Q. 26. Whether Church-canons or Pastors directive determinations of matters pertinent to their Office do bind the Conscience and what accidents will disoblige the people you may gather before in the same case about Magistrates Laws in the Political Directions As also by an impartial transferring the case to the precepts of Parents and School-masters to Children without respect to
any such necessary p. 916 Q. 173. What particular Directions for Order of Studies and Books should be observed by young Students who intend the Sacred Ministry p. 917 Q. 174. What Books should a poor man choose that for want of money or Time can have or read but few There are three Catalogues set down but somewhat disorderly as they came into my memory 1. The smallest or Poorest Library 2. A poor Library that hath considerable Additions to the former 3. Some more Additions to them for them that can go higher With some additional Notes p. 921 TOME IV. Christian Politicks CHAP. I. GEneral Directions for an Upright Life p. 1 The most passed by on necessary reasons CHAP. II. A few brief Memoranda to Rulers for the interest of Christ the Church and mens salvation p. 5 CHAP. III. Directions to Subjects concerning their duty to Rulers p. 9. Of the Nature and Causes of Government Mr. Richard Hookers Ecclesiastical Policy as it is for Popularity examined and confuted Directions for obedience Duty to Rulers Q. Is the Magistrate Iudge in Controversies of faith or worship p. 20. Q. 2. May the Oath of Supremacy be lawfully taken in which the King is pronounced Supream Governour in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil p. 20. Q. 3. Doth not this give the Pastors power to the Magistrate Q. 4. Hath the King power of Church Discipline and Excommunication Q. 5. If Kings and Bishops differ which must be obeyed Q. Is he obliged to suffer who is not obliged to obey p. 25. Of admonition of Rulers Q. 1. Whether the sound Authors of Politicks be against Monarchy Q. 2. Whether Civilians be against it Q. 3. Are Historians against it Greek Roman or Christian Q. 4. Whether Athens Rome Aristotle Philosophers Academies be against it Q. 5. Are Divines and Church discipline against it Q. 6. Is Scripture and Christianity against it Objections answered Q. Are Papists Prelatists and Puritans against it Bilson and Andrews Vindication of the Puritans Christianity is the greatest help to Government Further Directions Tit. 2. Q. Whether mans Laws bind the Conscience Q. Is it a sin to break every Law of man More fully answered p. 36 37 CHAP. IV. Directions to Lawyers about their Duty to God p. 39 CHAP. V. The Duty of Physicions p. 43 CHAP. VI. Directions to Schâ—olmasters about their duties for Childrens souls p. 44 CHAP. VII Directions for Souldiers about their duty in point of Conscience Princes Nobles Iudges and Iustices are past by lest they take Counsel for injury p. 46 CHAP. VIII Advice against Murder p. 50. The Causes of it Wars Tyranny malignant persecuting fury Unrighteous judgement oppression and uncharitableness Robbery Wrath Guilt and Shame Malice and Revenge wicked Impatience Covetousness Ambition c. The Greatness of the sin The Consequents Tit. 2. Advice against Self-murder The Causes to be avoided Melancholy worldly trouble discontent passion c. p. 54. Besides Gluttony Tipling and Idleness the great Murderers CHHP. IX Directions for the forgiving of injuries and enemies Against wrath malice revenge and persecution Practical Directions Curing Considerations Twenty p. 56 CHAP. X. Cases resolved about forgiving wrongs and debts and about self defence and seeking â—ur Right by Law or otherwise p. 61 Q. What injuries are we bound to forgive Neg. and Affir resolved Q. 2. What is the meaning of Matth. 5. 38 c. Resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee c. p. 63 Q. 3. Am I bound to forgive another if he ask me not forgiveness Luke 17. 3 c. p. 64 Q. 4. Is it lawful to sue another at Law 1 Cor. 6. 7. Q. 5. Is it lawful to defend our lives or estates against a Robber Murderer or unjust Invader by force of Arms Q. 6. Is it lawful to take away anothers life in defending my purse or estate only p. 65 Q. 7. May we kill or wound another in defence or vindication of our honour or good name p. 66 CHAP. XI Special Directions to escape the guilt of persecution Determining much of the Case about Liberty in matters of Religion p 67. What is persecution The several kinds of it The greatness of the sin Understand the Case of Christs interest in the world Q. Whether particular Churches should require more of their members as Conditions of Communion than the Catholick Church and What Penalties to be chosen that hinder the Gospel least More Directions to the number of forty one CHAP. XII Directions against Scandal as Given p. 80. What Scandal is and what not The sorts of scandalizing The Scripture sense of it Twenty Directions CHAP. XIII Directions against Scandal taken or an aptness to receive hurt by the words or deeds of others Especially quarrelling with Godliness p. 88. or taking encouragement to sin Practical Directions against taking hurt by others p. 90. CHAP. XIV Directions against soul-murder and partaking of other mens sins p. 92 The several wayes of destroying souls How we are not guilty of other mens sin and ruine CHAP. XV. General Directions for furthering the salvation of others p. 95 CHAP. XVI Special Directions for holy Conference Exhortation and Reproof Tit. 1. Motives to holy Conference and Exhortation p 97 Tit. 2. Directions to Christian edifying discourse p. 100 Tit. 3. Special Directions for Exhortations and Reproofs p. 101 CHAP. XVII Directions for keeping Peace with all men How the Proud do hinder Peace Many more Causes and Cures opened p. 103 CHAP. XVIII Directions against all Theft fraud or injurious getting keeping or desiring that which is anothers p. 107 Tit. 2. Cases of Conscience about Theft and such injuries Q. 1. Is it sin to steal to save ones life Q. 2. May I take that which another is bound to give me and will not Q. 3. May I take my own from an unjust borrower or possessor if I cannot otherwise get it Q. 4. May I recover my own by force from him that taketh it by force from me Q. 5. May we take from the Rich to relieve the poor Q. 6. If he have so much as that he will not miss it may I take some Q. 7. May not one pluck ears of Corn or an Apple from a Tree c. Q. 8. May a Wife Child or Servant take more than a Cruel Husband Parent or Master doth allâ—w May Children forsake their Parents for such Cruelty Q. 9. May I take what a man forfeiteth penally Q. 10. What if I resolve when I take a thing in necessity to make satisfaction if ever I be able Q. 11. What if I know not whether the Owner would consent Q. 12. May I take in jeast from a friend with a purpose to restore it Q 13. May I not take from another to prevent his hurting himself Q. 14. May I take away Cards Dice Play-books Papist-books by which he would hurt his soul. Q 15. May not a Magistrate take the Subjects goods when it is necessary to their own preservation Q 16. May I take from
of flesh and blood which maketh you pretend Moderation and Peace and that it is a sign that you are hypocrites that are so lukewarm and carnally comply with error and that the cause of God is to be followed with the greatest zeal and self denyal And all this is true if you be but sure that it is indeed the cause of God and that the greater works of God be not neglected on such pretences and that your Zeal be much greater for Faith and Charity and Unity than for your opinions But upon great experience I must tell you that of the zealous contenders in the world that cry up The Cause of Consuming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use at 〈◊〉 â—o 〈◊〉 up the owners of it Whatever tâ—â—y say oâ— do against others in theâ—â— inâ—â—mperaâ—e violâ—nce they teach otherâ— at last to say and do against them when they have opportunity How the Orâ—â—odox taught the Aâ—â—iaâ—s to use severity against them may be sâ—en in Victor utic p. 447 448 449. in the Edict of Hunneâ—yâ—hus â—â—gem quam dudum Christiani Imperatores nostri contra eos alios haereticos pro honorisicentia Ecclesiae Catholiâ—ae dedâ—runâ— adversus nos illi proponere non eâ—ubuerunt v. g. Rex Hun. c. Triumphalis Majestatis Regiae probatur esâ—e virtutis mâ—â—a in autores conâ—lia retorquere Quisquis enim pravitatis aliquid invenerit sibi imputet quod incurrit Nullâ—s 〈◊〉 homâ—usion Saceâ—doâ—es assumanâ— nec aliquid mysteriâ—â—um quae magis polluunt sibi vendicenâ— Nullam habeant oâ—dinandi licentiam Quod ipsaâ—um legum continentia demonstratur quas induxiâ—â—e Imperaâ—oâ—ibuâ— c. viz. Ut nulla exceptâ—s superstiti 〈…〉 s suae â—nâ—stibus Ecclesia pateret nuâ—lâ—s liceret aliis aut convictus agere aut exercere convâ—ntâ—s nec Ecclesias auâ— in uâ—â—iâ—â—â—â— aut in quibuâ—dam 〈◊〉 locis God and Truth there is not one of very many that understandeth what he talks of but some of them cry up the Cause of God when it is a brat of a proud and ignorant brain and such as a judicious person would be ashamed of And some of them are rashly zealous before they have parts or time to come to any judicious tryal and some of them are mis-guided by some person or party that captivateth their minds and some of them are hurried away by passion and discontent and many of the ambitious and worldly are blinded by their carnal interests and many of them in meer pride think highly of an Opinion in which they are somewhat singular and which they can with some glorying call their Own as either invented by them or that in which they think they know more than ordinary men do And abundance after longer experience confess that to have been their own erroneous cause which they before entitled the Cause of God Now when this is the case and one cryeth Here is Christ and another There is Christ one saith This is the cause of God and another saith That is it no man that hath any care of his Conscience or of the honour of God and his profession will leap before he looketh where he shall alight or run after every one that will whistle him with the name or pretence of truth or a good cause It is a sad thing to go on many years together in censuring opposing and abusing thâ—se that are against you and in seducing others and mis-imploying your zeal and parts and time and poysoning all your prayers and discourses and in the end to see what mischief you have done for want of knowledge and with Paul to confess that you were mad in opposing the truth and servants of God though you did it in a zeal of God through ignorance Were it not much better to stay till you have tryed the ground and prevent so many years grievous sin than to scape by a sad repentance and leave behind you stinking and venemous fruits of your mistake And worse if you never repent your selves Your own and your Brethrens souls are not so lightly to be ventured upon dangerous untryed wayes It will not make the Truth and Church amends to say at last I had thought I had done well Let those go to the Wars of disputing and 〈◊〉 and câ—nsuâ—ing and siding with a Sect that are riper and better understand the cause Wars are not for Children Do you suspend your judgement till you can solidly and certainly inform it and serve God in Charity quietness and peace And it s two to one but you will live to see the day that the contenders that would have led you into their Wars will come off with so much loss themselves as will teach them to approve your peaceable course or teach you to bless God that kept you in your place and duty § 3. In all this I deny not but every truth of God is to be valued at a very high rate and that he that shall carry himself in a neutrality when Faith or Godliness is the matter in controversie or shall do it meerly for his worldly ends to save his stake by temporizing is a false-hearted hypocrite and at the heart of no Religion But withal I tell you that all is not matter of Faith or Godliness that the Autonomian-Papist the Antinomian-Libertine or other passionate parties shall call so And that as we must avoid contempt of the smallest Truth so we must much more avoid the most heinous sins which we may commit for the defending of an error And that some Truths must be silenced for a time though not denyed when the contending for them is unseasonable and tendeth to the injury of the Church If you were Masters in the Church you must not teach your Scholars to their hurt though it be truth you teach them And if you were Physicions you must not cramm them or Medicate them to their hurt Your power and duty is not to Destruction but to Edification The good of the Patient is the end of your Physick All Truth is not to be spoken nor all Good to be done by all men nor at all times He that will do contrary and take this for a carnal principle doth but call folly and sin by the name of zeal and duty and set the house on fire to rost his Egg and with the Pharisees prefer the outward rest of their Sabbath before his Brothers life or health Take heed what you do when Gods honour and mens souls and the Churches peace are concerned in it § 4. And let me tell you my own observation As far as my judgement hath been able to reach the men that have stood for Pacification and Moderation have been the most judicious and those that have best understood themselves in most controversies that ever I heard under debate among good Christians And those that suriously censured them as lukewarm or corrupted have been men that had least judgement and most passion pride and foul mistakes in the points in question § 5. Nay I will tell you
your salvation Take heed lest it turn into carnal security and a perswasion of your good estate upon ill grounds or you know not why 4. Have you the Hope of glory Take heed lest it turn into a careless venterousness of your soul or the meer laying aside of fear and cautelous suspicion of your selves 5. Have you a Love to them that fear the Lord Watch your hearts lest it degenerate into a carnal or a partial Love Many unheedful young persons of different Sexes at first love each other with an honest chaste and pious Love but imprudently using too much familiarity before they were well aware it hath turned into a fleshly Love which hath proved their snare and drawn them further into sin or trouble Many have honoured them that fear the Lord who insensibly have declined to honour only those of them that were eminent in wealth and worldly honour or that were esteemed for their parts or place by others and little honoured the humble poor obscure Christians who were at least as good as they Forgetting that the things that are highly esteemed among men are abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. and that God valueth not men by their places and dignities in the world but by their graces and holiness of life Abundance that at first did seem to Love all Christians as such as far as any thing of Christ appeared in them have first fallen into some Sect and over admiring their party and have set light by others as good as them and censured them as unfound and then withdrawn their special Love and confined it to their party or to some few and yet thought that they loved the godly as much as ever when it was degenerate into a factious Love 6. Are you zealous for God and truth and holiness and against the errors and sins of others Take heed lest you lose it not while you think it doth increase in you Nothing is more apt to degenerate than zeal In how many thousand hath it turned from an innocent charitable peaceable tractable healing profitable heavenly zeal into a partial zeal for some Party or Opinions of their own and into a fierce censorious uncharitable scandalous turbulent disobedient unruly hurting and destroying zeal ready to wish for fire from Heaven and kindling contention confusion and every evil work Read well Iames 3. 7. So if you are meek or patient take heed lest it degenerate into stupidity or contempt of those you suffer by To be patient is not to be meerly insensible of the affliction but by the power of faith to bear the sense of it as over-ruled by things of greater moment § 3. How apt men are to corrupt and debase all duties of Religion is too visible in the face of the far greatest part of the Christian world Throughout both the Eastern and the Western Churches the Papists the Greeks the Armenians the Abassines and too many others though the Essentials of Religion through Gods mercy are retained yet how much is the face of Religion altered from what it was in the dayes of the Apostles The ancient simplicity of Doctrine is turned into abundance of new or private opinions introduced as necessary Articles of Religion and alas how many of them â—alse So that Christians being too proud to accept of the ancient test of Christianity cannot now agree among themselves what a Christian is and who is to be esteemed a Christian and so they deny one another to be Christians and destroy their Charity to each other and divide the Church and make themselves a scom by their divisions to the Infidel world And thus the Primitive Unity Charity and Peace is partly destroyed and partly degenerate into the Unity Charity and Peace of several Sects among themselves The primitive simplicity in Government and Discipline is with most turned into a â—orâ—â—ble Secular Government exercised to advance one man above others and to satisfie his will and lusts and make him the Rule of other mens lives and to suppress the power and spirituality of Religion in the world The primitive simplicity of Worship is turned into such a Masque of Ceremony and such a task of formalities and bodily exercise that if one of the Apostolical Christians should come among them he would scarce think that this is the same employment which formerâ—y the Church was exercised in or scarce know Religion in this antick dress So that the amiable glorious face of Christianity is so spotted and defiled that it is hidden from the Unbelieving world and they laugh at it as irrational or think it to be but like their own And the principal hinderance of the conversion of Heathens Mahometans and other Unbelievers is the corruption and deformity of the Churches that are near them or should be the instruments of their conversion And the probablest way to the conversion of those Nations is the true Reformation of the Churches both in East and West which if they were restored to the ancient spirituality rationality and simplicity of Doctrine Discipline and Worship and lived in charity humility and holiness as those whose hearts and conversations are in Heaven with all worldly glory and honour as under their feet they would then be so illustrious and amiable in the eyes even of Heathens and other Infidels that many would flock in to the Church of Christ and desire to be such as they And their light would so shine before these men that they would see their good works and glorifie their heavenly Father and embrace their faith § 4. The commonest way of the degenerating of all Religious duties is into this dead formality or lifeless Image of Religion If the Devil can but get you to cast off the spirituality and life of duty he will give you leave to seem very devout and make much ado with outward actions words and beads and you shall have so much zeal for a dead Religion or the Corpse of Worship as will make you think that it is indeed alive By all means take heed of this turning the Worship of God into lip-service The commonest cause of it is a carnality of mind Fleshly men will think best of the most fleshly Religion or else a slothfulness in duty which will make you sit down with the easiest part It is the work of a Saint and a diligent Saint to keep the soul it self both regularly and vigorously employed with God But â—o say over certain words by rote and to lift up the hands and eyes is â—asie And hypocrites that are conscious that they are void of the life and spirituality of Worship do think to make all up with this formality and quiet their consciences and delude their souls with a hansome Image Of this I have spoken more largely in a Book called The Vain Religion of the Formal Hypocrite § 5. Yet run not here into the contrary extream as to think that the Body must not worship God as well as the soul or that the
last place in teaching learning and most serious consideration § 3. Two sorts do most dangerously sin against or abuse the Holy Ghost The first is the Prophane who through custom and education can say I believe in the Holy Ghost and say that He sanctifieth them and all the Elect people of God but hate or resist all sanctifying works and motions Deus est principium eâ—â—ectivum in Creatione refectivum in redemptione perfectivum in sanctificatione Ioh. Con. bis comp Theol. l. 4. c. 1. of the Holy Ghost and hate all those that are sanctified by him and make them the objects of their scorn and deride the very name of sanctification or at least the thing The second sort is the Enthusiasts or true Fanaticks who advance extoll and plead for the Spirit Rejectis propheticis Apostolicis scriptis Manichaei novum Evangelium scripserunt ut antecellere communi hominum multitudini semi-d 〈…〉 rentur simularunt Enthusiaâ—mos seu afflatus subâ—â—o in â—urâ—a se in terram objâ—â—â—â—entes c vâ—lut 〈◊〉 dâ—â— tacentes deinde tanquam redeuntes ex specu Trophonio plorantes multa vaticinati sunt Prorsus ut Anabaptistae recens fâ—ceruâ— in seditione Monasteriensi Etsi autem in quibusdam manifesta simulatio fuit tamen aliquibus reipsa à Diabolis surâ—tes immisses esse certum est Carioâ— Chron. l. 3. p. 54. against the Spirit covering their greatest sins against the Holy Ghost by crying up and pretending to the Holy Ghost They plead the Spirit in themselves against the Spirit in their Brethren yea and in almost all the Church They plead the authority of the Spirit in them against the authority of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures and against particular truths of Scripture and against several great and needful Duties which the Spirit hath required in the Word and against the Spirit in their most judicious godly faithful Teachers But can it be the Spirit that speaks against the Spirit Is the Spirit of God against it self Are we not all baptized by One Spirit and not divers or contrary into one body 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. But it is no marvel for Satan to be transformed into an Angel of light or his Ministers into the Ministers of Christ and of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. The Spirit himself therefore hath commanded us that we believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. Yea the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. Therefore take heed that you neither Mistake nor abuse the Holy Spirit § 4. 1. The Doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost to be believed is briefly this 1. That the Holy Ghost as given since the Ascension of Christ is his Agent on earth or his Advocate with men called by him the Paraclete Instead of his bodily presence which for a little space he vouchsafed to a few being John 16. 7. â— ascended he sendeth the Holy Spirit as better for them to be his Agent continually to the end and John 15 2â— John 16. 13. Gal. 3. 1 2 3 4 Heb. 2. 3 4. unto all and in all that do believe 2. This Holy Spirit so sent infallibly inspired the holy Apostles and Evangelists first to preach and then to write the Doctrine of Christ contained as indited by him in the Holy Scriptures perfectly imprinting therein the Holy Image of God 3. The same Spirit in them sealed this holy Doctrine and the Testimony of these holy men by many Miracles and wonderful Gifts by which they did actually convince the unbelieving world and plant the Churches 4. The same Spirit having first by the Apostles given a Law or Canon to the Universal Church constituting its Offices and the duty of the Officers and the manner of their entrance Eph. 3 2 3 4 8 13. dâ—tâ— Qualifie and â—ispose men for the stated ordinary Ministerial work which is to Explain and Apâ—â—â—â— â—he â—oresaid Scriptures and directeth those that are to Ordain and Choose them they being not wanting on their part and so he appointeth Pastors to the Church 5. The same Spirit assisteth the Ministers thus sent in their faithful use of the means to Teach and Apply the holy Scriptures according to the necessities of the peoplâ— the weight of the matter and the Majesty of the Word of God 6. The same Spirit doth by this Word heard or read renew and sanctifie the souls of the Elect illuminating their minds opening and quickning their hearts prevailing with changing and Actâ— 26. 18. resolving their wills thus writing Gods Word and imprinting his Image by his Word upon their hearts making it powerful to conquer and cast out their strongest sweetest dearest sins and bringing John 14 16 26 them to the saving knowledge love and obedience of God in Jesus Christ. 7. The same holy Spirit assisteth the sanctified in the exercise of this grace to the increase of it by blessing and concurring with the means appointed by him to that end And helpeth them to use those means perform their duties conquer temptations oppositions and difficulties and so confirmeth and preserveth them to the end 8. The same Spirit helpeth believers in the exercise of grace to feel it and discern the sincerity of it in themselves in that measure as they are meet for and in these seasons when it is fittest for them 9. The same Spirit helpeth them hereupon to conclude that they are justified and reconciled to God and have right to all the benefits of his Covenant 10. Also he assisteth them actually to rejoyce in the discerning of this Conclusion For though Reason of it self may do something in these acts yet so averse is man to all that is holy and so many are the difficulties and hinderances in the way that to the effectual performance the help of the Spirit of God is necessary § 5. By this enumeration of the Spirits operations you may see the errors of many detected and many common Questions answered 1. You may see their blindness that pretend the Spirit within them against Scripture Ministry or the use of Gods appointed means when the same Spirit first indited the Scripture and maketh it the Instrument to illuminate and sanctifie our souls Gods Image is 1. Primarily in Jesus Christ his Son 2. Derivatively by his Spirit imprinted perfectly in the holy Scriptures 3. And by the Scripture or the holy Doctrine of it instrumentally impressed on the soul. So that the Image of God in Christ is the Cause of his Image in his holy Word or Doctrine and his Image in his Word is the Cause of his Image on the heart So a King may have his Image 1. Naturally on his Son who is like his Father 2. Expressively in his Laws which express
save thee as the Devil Direct 47. can be to damn thee and which then should prevail 2. Be you as constant in resistance Be as oft in prayer and other confirming means Do as Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. who prayed thrice as Christ did in his agony when the prick in the flesh was not removed 3. Tempt not the Tempter by giving him encouragement A faint denyal is an invitation to ask again Give him quickly a flat denial and put him out of hope if you would shorten the temptation § 119 Tempt 48. Lastly the Divel would sink the sinner in despair and perswade him now it Tempt 48. is too late § 120. Direct 48. Observe his design that it is but to take off that Hope which is the weight Direct 49. to set the wheels of the soul a going In all he is against God and you In other sins he is against Gods Authority In this he is against his Love and Mercy Read the Gospel and you will find that Christs death is sufficient the promise is universal full and free and that the day of Grace is so far continued till the day of death that no man shall be denied it that truly desireth it And that the same God that forbiddeth thy presumption forbiddeth also thy despair Tit. 3. Temptations to draw us off from duty § 1. Tempt 1. THe greatest Temptation against duty is by perswading men that it is no duty Tempt 1. Thus in our dayes we have seen almost all duty cast off by this erroneous fancy One saith that the â—â—ly observation of the Lords day is not commanded of God in Scripture Another saith What Scripture have you for family-prayer or singing Psalms or baptizing Infants or praying before and aâ—ter Sâ—rmâ—n or for your Office Ordination Tythes Churches c. Another saith that Church-Government and Discipline aâ—e not of Divine Institution Another saith that Baptism and the Lords Supper â—â—re but for that age And thus all duty is taken down instead of doing it § 2. Direct 1. Read and fear Matth. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments Direct 1. and shall teach men sâ— he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven But whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall â—e called great in the Kingdom of Heaven Denying duty is too easie a way of â—vâ—â—ing obedience to serve turn Denying the Laws that bind you to publick payments will not save you from them but for all that if you deny you must be distrained on And God will make it deaâ—â—â—â— to you if you put him to distrain on you for duty Must he go to Law with you for it He 'll quickly shâ—w you Law for it and prove that it was your duty Open your doubts to able men and you will hear more evidence than you know But if pride and false-heartedness blind you you must bear your punishment § 3. Tempt 2. Saith the Tempter It is a duty to weak ones but not for you You must not be Tempt 2. still under Ordinances in the lower form every day must be a Sabbath to you and every bit a Sacrament and every place as a Church you must live above Ordinances in Christ. § 4. Direct 2. We must live above Mosaical Ordinances Col. 2. 18. 21. but not above Christs Ordinances Direct 2. unless you will live above obedience and above the Government of Christ Hath not Christ appointed the Ministry and Church helps till we all come to a perfect man Ephes. 4. 13. and promised to be with them to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. It is befooling Pride that can make you think you have no need of Christs instituted means § 5. Tempt 3. But thou art unworthy to pray or recieve the Sacrament It 's not for Dogs Tempt â— Direct ◠§ 6. Direct 3. The wilful impenitent refusers of Grace are unworthy The willing soul that fain would be what God would have him hath an accepted worthiness in Christ. § 7. Tempt 4. But while you doubt you do it not in faith and therefore to you it is sin Tempt 4. Direct 4. § 8. Direct 4. But is it not a greater sin to leave it undone Will doubting of all duty excuse you from it Then you have an easie way to be free from all Do but doubt whether you should believe in God or Christ or love him or live a godly life and it seems you think it will excuse you But if you doubt whether you should feed your child you deserve to be hanged for murthering it if you famish it If you doubt of duty it is duty still and you are first bound to lay by your doubts But things indifferent left to your choice must not be done with a doubting conscience It was of such things that Paul spake § 9. Tempt 5. The Devil puts somewhat still in the way that seemeth necessary to thrust out Tempt 5. duty § 10. Direct 5. God hath not set you work which he alloweth you no Time for Is all your Direct 5. time spent in better things Is it not your carnal mind that makes you think carnal things most needful Christ saith One thing is needful Luke 10. 42. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you Had you that love and delight in holiness as you Matth. 6. 33. should you would find time for it An unwelcome Guest is put off with any excuse Others as poor as you can find time for duty because they are willing Set your business in order and let every thing keep its proper place and you may have time for every duty § 11. Tempt 6. But you are so unable and unskilful to pray to learn that it 's as good never Tempt 6. mâ—ddle with it § 12. Direct 6. Set your selves to learn and mark those that have skill and do what you can Direct 6. You must learn by practice The unskilfullest duty is better than none Unworded groans come oft from the Spirit of God and God understandeth and accepteth them Rom. 8. 26 27. § 13. Tempt 7. It will be so hard and long to learn that you will never overcome it Tempt 7. Direct 7. § 14. Direct 7. Willingness and diligence have the promise of Gods help Remember it is a thing that must be done When your own disuse and sin hath made it hard will you put God and your souls off with that as an excuse If you had neglected to teach your child to speak or go when it is young should he therefore never learn Will you despair and let go all your hope on this pretence or will you hope to be saved without prayer and other holy duty How foolish are both these Sick men must eat though their stomachs be against it they cannot live else § 15. Tempt 8. But thou findest thou art but the worse for duty and
never the better Tempt 8. for it § 16. Direct 8. Satan will do what he can to make it go worse with you after than before He Direct 8. will discourage you if he can by hindering your success that he may make you think it is to no purpose so many Preachers because they have fished long and catcht nothing grow cold and heartless and ready to sit down and say as Jer. 20. 9. I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name So in Prayer Sacrament Reproof c. the Devil makes great use of this What good hath it done thee But patience and perseverance win the Crown The beginning is seldom a time to perceive success The Carpenter is long at work before he rear a house Nature brings not forth the Plant or birth the first day Your life-time is your working time Do your part and God will not fail on his part It is his part to give success and dare you accuse him or suspect him There is more of the success of prayer to be believed than to be felt If God have promised to hear he doth hear and we must believe it whether we feel it or not Prayers are oft heard long before the thing is sent us that we prayed for We pray for Heaven but shall not be there till death If Moses his message to Pharaoh ten times seem lost it is not lost for all that What work would ever have been done iâ— on the first conceit of unsuccessfulness it had been given off Be glad that thou hast time to plow and sow to do thy part and if God will give thee fruit at last § 17. Tempt 9. But saith the Tempter it gâ—eth worse with thee in the world since thou settest thy Tempt 9. sâ—â—f to read and pray and live obediently Thou hast been poorer and sicker and more despised since than ever before Jer. 20. 8. Thou art a derision daily every one mocketh thee This thou gettest by it § 18. Direct 9. He began not well that counted not that it might cost him more than this to be Direct 9. a holy Christian If God in Heaven be not enough to be thy portion never serve him but find something better if thou canst He that cannot lose the world cannot use it as he ought If thou hadâ—t rather be at the Devils finding and usage than at Gods thou art worthy to speed accordingly Nay if thou think thy soul it self worse remember that we are not worst when we are troubled most Physick makes sick when it works aright § 19. Tempt 10. Satan filleth many with abundance of scruples about every duty that they come Tempt 10. tâ— it as sick persons to their meat with a pievish quarrelling disposition This aileth and that aileth it something is still amiss that they cannot get it down This fault the Minister hath in praying or preaching or the other circumstance is amiss or the other fault is in the company that joyn with them and all is to turn them off from all § 20. Direct 10. But do you mend the matter by casting off all or by running into greater inconveniences Direct 10. Is not their imperfect prayer and communion better than your idle neglect of all or unwarrantable division It is a sign of an upright heart to be most about heart-observation and quarrelsome with themselves and the mark of hypocrites to be most quarrelsome against the manner of other mens performances and to be easily driven by any pretences from the Worship of God and communion of Saints § 21. Tempt 11. The Devil will set one duty against another Reading against hearing praying Tempt 11. against preaching private against publick outward and inward worship against each other mercy and justice piety and charity against each other and still labour to eject the greater § 22. Direct 11. The work of God is an harmonious and well composed frame If you leave out a Direct 11. part you spoil the whole and disadvantage your selves in all the rest Place them aright and each part helpeth and not hindâ—reth another Plead one for another but cast by none § 23. Tempt 12. The commonest and sorest temptation is by taking away our appetite to holy duties Tempt 12. by abating our feeling of our own necessity when the soul is sleepy and feeleth no need of prayer or reading or hearing or meditating but thinks it self tolerably well without it or else grows sick and is against it and troubled to use it so that every duty is like eating to a sick stomach then it is easie to tempt it to neglect or omit many a duty A little thing will serve to put it by when men feel no need of it § 24. Direct 12. O keep up a lively sense of your necessities Remember still that Time is Direct 12. short and death is near and you are too unready Keep acquaintance with your hearts and lives and every day will tell you of your necessities which are greatest when they are least perceived § 25. Tempt 13. The Tempter gets much by ascribing the success of holy means to our own endeavour Tempt 13. or to chance or something else and making us overlook that present benefit which would greatly encourage us As when we are delivered from sickness or danger upon prayer he tells you so you might have been delivered if you had never prayed Was it not by the Physicians â—are and skill and by such an excellent medicine If you prosper in any business was it not by your own contrivance and diligence § 26. Direct 13. This separating God and means when God worketh by means is the folly of Direct 13. Atheists When God heareth thy prayer in sickness or other danger he sheweth it by directing the Physicion or thy self to the fittest means and blessing that means and he is as really the cause and prayer the first means as if he wrought thy deliverance by a Miracle Do not many use the same Physicion and Medicine and labour and diligence who yet miscarry Just observation of the answers of prayer might do much to cure this All our industry may say as Peter and Iohn Acts 3. 12. Why look ye so earnestly on us as if by our own power or holiness we had done this When God is glorifying his grace and owning his appointed means § 27. Tempt 14. Lastly the Devil setteth up something else in opposition to holy duty to make it Tempt 14. seem unnecessary In some he sets up their good desires and saith God knoweth thy heart without expressing it and thou maist have as good a heart at home as at Church In some he sets up superstitious fopperies of mans devising instead of Gods Institution In some he pretendeth the Spirit against external duty and saith The Spirit is all the flesh profitteth nothing yea in some he sets up Christ himself against Christs Ordinances and saith It is not these
in case they were all sinful but yet I am most strongly suspicious of sinfulness in the subscription and less suspicious of sinfullness in my forbearing in such a case to preach and least of all suspicious of sinfullness in my preaching though prohibited In this case to subscribe sinfully is the greatest sin and to forbear sinfully to exercise my office is the next and to preach unwarrantably is the least § 52. Rule 8. If I could perceive no difference in the degrees of evil in the Omission and the Rule Commission nor yet in the degrees of my suspicion or doubting then that is the greater sin which I had greater helps and evidence to have known and did not § 53. Rule 9. If both greater material evil be on one side than on the other and greater suspicion Rule or evidence of the sinfullness also then that must needs be the greater sin § 54. Rule 10. If the Greatness of the Material Evil be on one side and the greatness of the Rule suspicion and evidence be on the other then the former if sin will be materially and in it self considered the worst but the later will be formally the greater disobedience to God But the comparison will be very difficult As suppose that I swear to God that I will cast away a shilling or that I will forbear to pray for a week together Here I take perjury to be a greater sin than my casting away a shilling or forbearing to pray a week But when I question whether the Oath should be kept or not I have greater suspicion that it should not than that it should because no oath must be the bond of the least iniquity Here if the not keeping it prove a sin I shall do that which is the Greater sin in it self if I keep it not but I shall shew more disobedience in keeping it if it be not to be kept § 55. Rule 11. If it be a double sin that I suspect on one side and but a single one on the other Rule it maketh an inequality in the case As suppose that in my Fathers family there are Hereticks and Drunkards and I swear that in my place and calling I will endeavour to cast them out My Mother approveth my Vow My Father is against it and dischargeth me of it because I did it not by his advice On one side I doubt whether I am bound or may act against my Fathers will On the other side I as much doubt whether I am not perjured and disobedient to my Mother if I do it not and whether I disobey not God that made it my duty to endeavour the thing in my place and calling before I vowed it § 56. Rule 12. There is a great deal of difference between omitting the substance of a duty for Rule â—ver and the delaying it or altering the time and â—place and manner For instance that which will justifie or excuse me for shortning my prayer or for praying but once a day or at noon rather than in the morning or for defect in method or fervency or Expressions may not justifie or excuse me for denying renouncing or long forbearing prayer And that which may excuse an Apostle for not preaching in the Temple or Synagogues or not having the Emperors or the High-Priests allowance or consent or for not continuing in one City or Country would not excuse them if they had renounced their callings or totally as to all times and places and manner of performance have ceased their work for fear of men § 57. Rule 13. If the duty to be omitted and the sin to be committed seem equal in greatness and Rule our doubt be equal as to both it is commonly held safer to avoid the Commission more studiously than the â—mission For which there are many reasons given § 58. Rule 14. There is usually much more matter for fear and suspicion caeteris paribus of sins Rule to be committed than of Duties to be omitted when the Commission is made necessary to the doing of the duty Both because it is there that the fear beginneth For I am certain that the Good work is no Duty to me if the act be a sin which is its necessary Condition Therefore so far as I suspect the act to be sinful I must needs suspect the duty to be no duty to me at that time It is not possible I should be rationally more perswaded that the Duty is my duty than that the Condition is no sin If it were the saving of the lives of all the men in the Country I could no further take it to be my duty than I take that to be no sin by which it must be done it being a thing past controversie that we must not sin for the accomplishment of any good whatsoever And also because the sin is supposed to be allwaies sin but few duties are at all timeâ— duties And the sin is a sin to every man but the duty may be another mans duty and not mine For instance Charles the fifth imposeth the Interim upon Germany Some Paâ—â—â—â—rs yielded to it Others refused it and were cast out Those that yielded pleaded the Good of the Churches and the prevention of their utter desolation but yet confessed that if the thing imposed were sinful it was not their duty to do it for any Good whatsoever but to seek the Good of the Church as well as they could without it The other that were cast out argued that so far as they were confident the Interim was sinful they must be confident that nothing was their duty that could not be done without it and that God knew best what is Good for his Church and there is no accomplishing its good by sin and Gods displeasure and that they did not therefore forsake their Ministry but only lose the Rulers License for they resolved to preach in one place or other till they were imprisoned and God can serve himself by their imprisonment or death as well as by their preaching And while others took their places that thought the Interim lawful the Churches were not wholy destitute and if God saw it meet he could restore their fuller liberties again In the mean time to serve him as all Pastors did for three hundred years after Christ without the License of the Civil Magistrate was not to cast away their office Another instance The zealous Papists in the Reign of Hen. 3. in France thought that there was a Necessity of entring the League and warring against the King because Religion was in danger the preservation whereof is an unquestionable duty The Learned and moderate Lawyers that were against them said that there being no question but the King had the total soveraingty over them they were sure it was a sin to resist the Higher powers and therefore no preservation of Religion could be a duty or lawful to them which must be done by such a certain sin Sin is not the means to save
5. Take special notice of the Reasons why God commandeth you to Delight in him and Direct 5. consequently how much of Religion consisteth in these Delights 1. Thou vilifiest and dishonourest him Reasons for Delight in God if thou judge him not the worthiest for thy Delights 2. If thou Delight not in him thy Thoughts of God will be seldom or unwelcome and unpleasant Thoughts 3. And thy speeches of him will be seldom or heartless forced speeches Who knoweth not how readily our thoughts and tongues â—â—tari in Deo est â—es omnium summa in terrâ—s Bâ—â—â—â—oâ—t â—er do follow our Delight Be it House or Land or Books or Friends or Actions which are our delight we need no force to bring our thoughts to them The worldling thinks and tasteth of his wealth and business the proud man of his dignities and honour the voluptuous beast of his lusts and sports and meats and drinks because they most delight in these And so must the Christian of his God and Hopes and Holy business as being his Delight 4. It will keep you away from Holy duties in which you should have communion with God if you have no Delight in God and them This makes so many neglect both publick and secret worship because they have no delight in it when those that Delight in it are ready in taking all opportunities 5. It will corrupt your judgements and draw you to think that a little is enough and that serious diligence is unnecessary preciseness and that one quarter of your duty is an excess A man that hath no Delight in God and Godliness is easily drawn to think that little and seldom and cold and formal and heartless lifeless Preaching and Praying may serve the turn and any lip-service is acceptable to God and that more is more ado than needs And hence he will be further drawn to reproach those that go beyond him to quiet his own Conscience and save his own reputation and at last to be a forloâ—n satanical reviler hater and persecuter of the serious holy worshippers of God Jâ—r 6. 10. Behold the word of the Lord is a reproach to them thy have no delight in it Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord 6. If you Delight not in it you will do that which you do without a heart with backwardness and weariness as your Oxe draweth unwillingly in the yoak and is glad when you unyoak him and as your horse that goeth against his will and will go no longer than he feels the spuâ— when Delight would cause alacrity and unweariedness 7. It makes men apt to quarrel with the word and every weakness in the Minister offendeth them as sick stomachs that have some fault or other still to find with their meat 8. It greatly enclineth men to carnal and fobidden pleasures because they tast not the higher and more excellent delights Taverns and Ale houses Plays and Whores Cards and Dice and excess of recreation must be sought out for them as Saul sought a Witch and a Musician instead of God It would be the most effectual Answer to all the silly reasonings of the Voluptuous when they are pleading for the lawfullness of their unnecessary foolish time-wasting sports if we could but help them to the Heavenly nature and Hearts that more delight in God This better pleasure is an Argument that would do more to confute and banish their sinful pleasure than a twelve-months disputing or preaching will do with them while they are strangers to the souls Delight in God Then they would rather say to their companions O come and tast those high delights which we have found in God! 9. The want of a Delight in God and Holiness doth leave the soul as a prey to sorrows Every affliction that assaulteth it may do its worst and hath its full blow at the naked unfortified heart For creature delights will prove but a poor preservative to it 10. This want of a Delight in God and Holiness is the way to Apostacie it self Few men will hold on in a way that they have no delight in when all other delights must be forsaken for it The caged Hypocrite while he is coopt up to a stricter life than he himself desires even while he seemeth to serve him is lothsom to God For the Body without the Will is but a carkase or carrion in his eyes If you had rather not serve God you do not serve him while you seem to serve him If you had rather live in sin you do live in sin reputatively while you forbear the outward act For in Gods account the Heart or Will is the man and what a man had rather be habitually that he is indeed And yet this Hypocrite will be still looking for a hole to get out of his cage and forsake his unbeloved outside of Religion Like a beast that is driven in a way that he is loth to go and will be turning out at every gap All these mischiefs follow the want of Delight in God § 6. On the contrary the Benefits which follow our Delight in God besides the sweetness of it are unspeakable Those which are contrary to the forementioned hurts I leave to your own consideration 1. Delight in God will prove that thou Knowest him and lovest him and that thou art prepared for his Kingdom For all that truly Delight in him shall enjoy him 2. Prosperity which is but the small addition of earthly things will not easily corrupt thee or transport thee 3. Adversity which is the withholding of earthly delights will not much grieve thee or easily deject thee 4. Thou wilt receive more profit by a sermon or good book or conference which thou Delightest in than others that delight not in them will do in many 5. All thy service will be sweet to thy self and acceptable to God If thou Delight in him he doth certainly delight in thee Psalm 149. 4. and 147. 11. 1 Chron. 29. 17. 6. Thou hast a continual feast with thee which may sweeten all the crosses of thy life and afford thee greater joy than thy sorrow is in thy saddest case 7. When you Delight in God your creature-delight will be sanctified to you and warrantable in its proper place which in others is idolatrous or corrupt These with many other are the benefits of Delight in God § 7. Direct 6. Consider how suitable God and Holiness are to be the matter of thy Delight and take Direct 6. heed of all temptations which would represent him as unsuitable to you He is 1. Most perfect and Blessed in himself 2. And full of all that thou canst need 3. He hath all the world at his command for thy relief 4. He is nearest to thee in presence and relation in the world 5. He hath fitted all things in Religion to thy Delight for matter variety and benefit 6. He will be a certain and constant Delight to thee and a durable delight when all others fail Thy
have a false imperfect notion of God and Holiness as being the felicity of man and though not to deny yet to leave out the essential superlative notion of the Deity And it is more common to confess all this of God and Holiness notionally as was aforesaid and practically to take in no more of God and Holiness but that they are better for us than temporary pleasures And some go further and take them as better for them than any though perpetual meer sensual delights And so make the perfection of mans highest faculties practically to be their ultimate end And desire or Love God and Holiness defectively and falsly apprehended for themselves or their own felicity and not Themselves and their felicity and Holiness ultimately for God Which sheweth that though these men have somewhat overcome the sensual concupiscence or flesh yet have they not sufficiently overcome the SELFISH disposition nor yet known and Loved God as God nor Good as Good 75. Yet is it not a sin to Love God for our selves and our own felicity so be it we make him not a meer Means to that felicity as our absolutely ultimate End For as God indeed is 1. The efficient of all our Good 2. The Dirigent Cause that leadeth us to it 3. The End in which our felicity truly consisteth so is he to be Loved on all these accounts 76. If God were not thus to be Loved for our selves subordinated to him Thankfulness would not be a Christian duty 77. Our Love to God is a Love of Friendship and a desire of a kind of Union Communion or Adherence But not such as is between creatures where there is some sort of equality But as between them that are totally unequal the one infinitely below the other and absolutely subject and subordinate to him 78. Therefore though in Love of Friendship a Union of both parties and consequently a conjunct interest of both and not one alone do make up the ultimate End of Love yet here it should be with an utter disproportion we being obliged to know God as Infinitely Better than our selves and therefore to Love him incomparably more though yet it will be but according to the proportion of the faculties of the Lover 79. The purest process of Love therefore is first thankfully to perceive the Divine Efficiencies and to Love God as communicative of what we and all things are and have and shall receive and therein to see his perfect Goodness in Himself and to Love him as God for that Goodness wherein is nothing but the final Act which is our Love and the Final Object which is the Infinite Good so that the Act is mans from God but nothing is to be joyned with God as the absolutely final Object For that were to joyn somewhat with God as God 80. And though it be most true that this Act may be made the object of another Act and as Amesius saith Omnium gentium consensu dicimus Volo Velle so we may and must say Amo Amare I Love to Love God and the very exercise of my own Love is my Delight and so is my Felicity in the very Essential Nature of it being a complacency and being on the highest objective Good And also this same Love is my Holiness and so It and I are Pleasing unto God yet these are all consequential to the true notion of the final Act and circularly lead to the same again We must Love our Felicity and Holiness which consisteth in our Love to God but as that which subordinately relateth to God in which he is first glorified and then finally pleased and so from his Will which we delight to please we ascend to his total perfect Being to which we adhere by perfect Love In a word our Ultimate End of Acquisition and Gods own so far as he may be said to have an End is the pleasing of the Divine Will in his Glorification And our ultimate End of Complacency objectively is the Infinite Goodness of the Divine Will and Nature 81. There is therefore place for the Question Whether I must Love God or my self more or better as it is resolved But there is no place for the Question Whether I must Love God or my self Because God alloweth me not ever to separate them Though there is a degree of just self-lothing or self-hatred in deep Repentance Nor yet for the Question Whether I must seek Gods glory and pleasure or my own felicity for I must ever seek them both though not with the same esteem Yea I may be said to seek them both with the same Diligence because by the same Endeavour and act that I seek one I seek the other and I cannot possibly do any thing for one that doth not equally promote the other if I do them rightly preferring God before my self in my inward Estimation Love and Intention 82 Though it be essential to Divine Love and consequently to true Holiness to Love God for Himself and as Better than our selves or else we Love him not as God as is before said yet this is hardly and seldom perceived in the beginning in him that hath it Because the Love of our self is more Passionate and raiseth in us more subordinate passions of fear of punishment and desires of felicity and sorrow for hurt and misery c. Whereas God being Immaterial and Invisible is not at all an object of our sense but only of our Reason and our Wills and therefore not directly of sensitive Passionate Love Though consequently while the soul is united to the body its acting even on Immaterial objects moveth the lower sensitive faculties and the corporeal spirits Also God needeth nothing for us to desire for him nor suffereth nothing for us to grieve for though we must grieve for injuring him and being displeasing to his Will 83. I cannot say nor believe though till it be searched the opinion hath an enticing aspect that the Gospel faith which hath the promise of Iustification and of the Spirit is only a Believing in Christ as the Means of our felicity by Redemption and Salvation out of the principle of self-love alone and for no higher end than our said Felicity Because he is not believed in as Christ if he be not taken as a Reconciler to bring us home to God And we take him not to bring us to God as God if it be not to bring us to God as the Beginning and End of all things and as infinitely more Lovely than our selves And our Repentance for not Loving God accordingly above our selves must go along with our first justifying faith Therefore though we are Learners before we are Lovers and our Assent goeth before the Wills Consent yet our Assent that God is God and better than our selves must go together with our Assent that Christ is the Mediator to save us by bringing us to him And so must our Assent that this is salvation even to Love God above our selves and as better than our selves And
act Keep your hearts with all diligence for from thence are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23. Make the tree good and the fruit will be good But the viperous generation that are evil cannot speak good for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Math. 12. 33 34. Till the spirit have regenerated the soul all outward Religion will be but a dead and pittiful thing Though there is something which God hath appointed an unregenerate man to do in order to his own conversion yet no such antecedent act will prove that the person is justified or reconciled to God till he be converted To make up a Religion of doing or saying something that is good while the heart is void of the spirit of Christ and sanctifying grace is the Hypocrites Religion Rom. 8. 9. § 8. Direct 3. Make conscience of the sins of the thoughts and the desire and other affections or passions Direct 3. of the mind as well as of the sins of tongue or hand A lustful thought a malicious thought a proud ambitious or covetous thought especially if it proceed to a wish or contrivance or consâ—nt is a sin the more dangerous by how much the more inward and neer the heart as Christ hath shewed you Mat. 5. 6. The Hypocrite who most respecteth the eye of man doth live as if his Thoughts were free § 9. Direct 4. Make conscience of secret sins which are committed out of the sight of men and may Direct 4. be concealed from them as well as of open and notorious sins If he can do it in the dark and secure his reputation the Hypocrite is bold But a sincere believer doth bear a reverence to his conscience and much more to the all-seeing God § 10. Direct 5. Be faithful in secret duties which have no witness but God and Conscience As meditation Direct 5. and self-examination and secret prayer And be not only Religious in the sight of men § 11. Direct 6. In all publick worship be more laborious with the heart than with the tongue or knee Direct 6. and see that your tongue over-run not your heart and leave it not behind Neglect not the due composure of your words and due behaviour of your bodys But take much more pains for the exercise of holy desires from a believing loving fervent soul. § 12. Direct 7. Place nâ—t more in the externals or modes or circumstances or ceremonies of worship Direct 7. than is due and lay not out more zeal for indifferent or little things than cometh to their share but 〈…〉 ed mâ—â—â—â—ad of hurt fuâ—â—â—â—nes ceremonies be obâ—iteraâ—â—d by ceremoniâ—s Let the Prâ—â—sts perswade the novâ—â—â—â— that holy water Images â—oâ—aâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 and â—oâ—ches and the rest which the Church alloweth and uâ—â—th are very â—it for them and let them exâ—â—l them with many praises in their popular Sermons that instead of the old superstition they may be used to new and religious signs This is to quenth the â—iâ—e with oyl let the great substantials of Religion have the precedencie and be far preferred before them Let the Love of God and man be the sum of your obedience And be sure you learn well what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice And remember that the great thing which God requireth of you is to do Iustice and love mercy and walk humbly with your God Destroy not him with your meat fâ—r whom Christ dyed Call not for fire from Heaven upon dissenters and think not every man intollerable in the Church that is not in every little matter of your mind Remember that the hypocrisie of the Pharisees is described by Christ as consisting in a zeal for their own traditions and the inventions of men and the smallest matters of the Ceremonial Law with a neglect of greatest moral duties and a furious cruelty against the spiritual worshipers of God Math. 15. 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the Tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread v. 7. Ye Hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you saying This people draweth niâ—â—â—ntâ— me with their mouth and hâ—â—â—â—ureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me but in vain do they worship me teaching fâ—r doctrines the commandments of men Math. 23. 4 5 6 13 14 c. They bind heavy burdens which they touch not themselves All their works they do to be seen of men They make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the burdens of their garments and love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief sâ—ats in the Synagogues and greetings in publick and to be called Rabbi But they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men and were the greatest enemies of the entertainment of the Gospel by the people They tythed mint and annise and cummin and omitted the great matters of the Law Iudgement and Mercy and Faith They streined at a gnat and swallowed a Camel They had a great veneration for the dead Prophets and Saints and yet were persecuters and murderers of their successors that were living v. 23 c. By this description you may see which way Hypocrisie doth most ordinarily work even to a blind and bloody zeal for opinions and traditions and ceremonies and other little things to the treading down the interest of Christ and his Gospel and a neglect of the life and power of Godliness and a cruel persecuting those servants of Christ whom they are bound to love above their ceremonies I marvel that many Papists tremble not when they read the Character of the Pharisees But that hypocrisie is a hidden sin and is an enemy to the light which would discover it § 13. Direct 8. Make conscience of the duties of obedience to superiors and of justice and mercy Direct 8. towards men as well as of acts of piety to God Say not a long mass in order to devour a widows house or a Christians life or reputation Be equally exact in justice and mercy as you are in prayers And labour as much to exceed common men in the one as in the other Set your selves to do all the good you can to all and do hurt to none And do to all men as you would they should do to you § 14. Direct 9. Be much more busie about your selves than about others and more censorious of Direct 9. your selves than of other men and more strict in the Reforming of your selves than of any others For this is the character of the sincere When the Hypocrite is little at home and much abroad and is a sharp reprehender of others and perniciously tender and indulgent to himself Mark his discourse in all companies and you shall hear how liberal he is in his censures and bitter reproach of others How such men and such men that differ from him or have opposed him or that he hates are thus and thus faulty and bad and hateful Yea he is as great an accuser of his
desiring the converse and company of superiours than inferiours and to live like those that are a step above us than those that are a step below us are signs as significant of Pride as the Robes of a Judge or a Doctor are of their dignities and degrees I am sure Humility hath learnt this lesson Rom. 12. 16. Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate be not wise in your own eyes As for the ridiculous effeminate fashions and deportment of some men and the spots and paintings and nakedness and other antick fashions of some women and the many hours which they daily waste in dressings and adornings and preparing themselves for the sight of others they are the badges of so foolish and worse than childish a sort of pride that I will not trouble my self and the Reader in reprehending them Manly pride is ashamed of such toyes Let the Patrons of them please their Patients by proving them lawful while they have no wiser work to do and when they have done let them go on to prove that it is lawful for sober persons to wear such Irons as they do in Bedlam and that such Chains as they in Newgate wear are no signs of a prisoner and that it is lawful for an honest woman to wear a Harlots habit If the proud have no more wit than to wear the badges of their childishness or distraction and shew then shame to all they meet and make themselves as ridiculous as men that lay aside their Breeches and wear Side-coats again like children I will leave them to themselves and will not now trouble them with any longer contradiction Sign 26. § 77. Sign 26. Proud persons are ashamed and troubled if any necessity force them to go lower in apparel or provisions or deportment than others do of their degree To shew you that it is not as a Duty that Decency is regarded by them but as the ornaments of pride else they would be quiet when Providence maketh it cease to be their duty They are not so much ashamed of sin and the neglect of God and their salvation as they are to be seen in sordid attire or in a poor and homely garb Beggars and servants shew here that they are as proud as Lords What abundance of them go but seldome to Church and give this as a reason I wanted cloaths As if they would neglect their souls their God their greatest duty rather than do it in such Clothes as they do their common work Doth Christ appoint you to give him the meeting that by his Ministers he may instruct you for salvation and that you may ask and receive the pardon of your sins and will you disappoint him and refuse to come for want of better clothes Sure you do not think that these are the Wedding Garment which he requireth you to bring You would beg if you were naked or in rags and will you not come to beg of God because you have no better clothes Do you set more by the reputation of your clothes than the means of your salvation How little do such wretches set by God and by his mercy now that will shortly on their death-beds cry for Mercy without any such regard of clothes Naked they come into the world and naked they must go out and yet they will turn their backs on the Worship of God for want of clothes They are not ashamed nor afraid to be ungodly and to forsake their duty but they are ashamed of torn or poor attire What say they shall we make our selves ridiculous When their pride and ungodliness is cause of a thousand fold more shame We read of thousands even of the poor that crowded after Christ to hear him but of none that staid at home for want of clothes when it is like they had no better than yours § 78. Sign 27. If a proud man be wronged he looketh for great submission before he will forgive Sign 27. you must lye down at his feet and make a very full confession and behave your self with great submission especially if the Law be in his hands And he is prone to revenge and cruel in his revenge But if he have wronged others he is hardly brought to confess that he wronged them and more hardly to humble himself for reconciliation and ask them forgiveness when a humble person is ready to let go his right for peace and easily forgiveth and easily stoopeth to ask forgiveness § 79. Sign 28. Lastly Pride maketh men inordinately desire to have an honourable memorial Sign 28. kept of their names when they are dead if they are persons that rise to the hopes of such a remembrance Many a monument hath Pride erected Many a Book it hath written to this end Anaâ—agoras in â—aert p. 8â— Cum vidisteâ— Mausoâ— sepulchrum Monumentum inquit pretiosum lapidibus ornatum divitiarum imago Many a good work materially it hath done and made it bad by such a base intention Many a Hospital and Alms-house and School-house it hath built And many a pound it hath given to charitable uses in pretension but to proud and selfish uses in intention Not that any should causelesly suspect anothers ends or blemish the deserved honour of good works which it is lawful ordinately to regard But we should suspect our own hearts and take heed of so horrible a sin which would turn the excellentest parts and works into poyson or corruption And remember how heinous a thing it is for a man to be laying proud designs when he is turning to the dust and going to appear before his Judge yea to set up the monuments of his Pride over his rotten flesh and bones And to shew that he dyeth in so great a sin without repentance by endeavouring that as much as may be of it may survive when he is dead and gone If such wicked ends do sometime offer to intrude into necessary excellent works an honest heart must abhor them and cast them out and beg forgiveness and not for that forbear his work nor refuse the comfort of his more sincere desires and intents But such good works do sink the hypocrite into Hell that are principally done as a service to Pride to leave a name on earth behind him § 80. Thus I have been long in shewing you the signs of Pride because the discovery is a great part of the cure Not that every proud person hath all these signs For every one hath not the same temptations or occasion to shew it But every one hath some and many of these And he that hath any one of them hath a sign of Pride And again I say that for all this our Reputation as it subserveth the Honour of God and our Religion and our brethrens good must be carefully by all just means preserved and by necessary defences vindicated from calumniators Though we must quietly bear whatever infamy or slander we are tryed with § 81. Direct 3. Having understood
for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light let us walk honestly as in the day not in ryoting and drunkeness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. Time must be Redeemed from things indifferent and lawful at another time when things necessary do require it He that should save mens lives or quench a fire in his house or provide for his family or do his Masters work will not be excused if he neglect it by saying that he was about an indifferent or a lawful business Natural rest and sleep must be parted with for Time when necessary things require it Paul Preached till midnight being to depart on the morrow Act. 20. 7. The Lamenting Church calling out for Prayer saith Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thy heart like water before the fac◠of the Lord Lam. 2. 19. Cleanthes Lamp must be used by such whose Sun-light must be otherwise employed 4. Time must be Redeemed from worldly business and commodity when matters of greater weight and commodity do require it Trades and Plow and profit must stand by when God calls us by necessity or otherwise to greater things Martha should not so much as trouble her self in providing meat for Christ and his followers to eat when Christ is offering her food for her soul and she should with Mary have been hearing at his feet Luk. 10. 42. Worldlings are thus called by him Isa. 55. 1 2 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the water Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfyeth not hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness 5. Time must be Redeemed from smaller Duties which in their season must be done as being no duties when they hinder Greater duty which should then take place It is a duty in its time and place to shew respect to neighbours and superiours and to those about us and to look to our family affairs but not when we should be at Prayer to God or when a Minister should be Preaching or at his necessary studies Private Prayer and Meditation and visiting the sick are duties But not when we should be at Church or about any greater duty which they hinder The Directions contemplative for Redeeming Time § 8. Direct 1. Still keep upon thy Heart by Faith and Consideration the lively sense of the Greatness Direct 1. and absolute necessity of that work which must command thy Time remembring who setteth thee on work and on what a work he sets thee and on what terms and what will be the end It is God that calleth thee to labour And wilt thou stand still or be doing other things when God expecteth duty from thee Moses must go to Pharaoh when God bids him go Ionas must go to Nineve when God bids him go yea Abraham must go to Sacrifice his Son when God bids him go And may you go about your fleshly pleasures when God commandeth you to his service He hath appointed you a work that is worth your Time and all your labour to know him and serve him and obey him and to seek everlasting life How diligently should so excellent a work be done and so blessed and glorious a master be served especially considering the unutterable importance of our diligence we are in the race appointed us by our Maker and are to Run for an immortal Crown It 's Heaven that must be now won or lost And have we Time to spare in such a race We are fighting against the enemies of our salvation The question is now to be resolved whether the Flesh the World and the Devil or We shall win the day and have the victory And Heaven or Hell must be the issue of our warfare And have we Time to spare in the midst of such a fight when our very loss of Time is no small part of the enemies conquest Our most wise Omnipotent Creator hath been pleased to make this present life to be the trying preparation for another resolving that it shall go with us all for ever according to our preparations here And can we play and loyter away our Time that have such a work as this to do O miserable sensless souls do you believe indeed the Life everlasting and that all your lives are given you now to resolve the question whether you must be in Heaven or Hell for ever Do you believe this Again I ask you Do you believe this I beseech you ask your Consciences over and over whether you do indeed believe it Can you believe it and yet have Time to spare what find Time to play away and game away and idle and prate away and yet believe that this very Time is given you to prepare for life eternal and that salvation or damnation lyeth on the race which now even now you have to run Is not such a man a Monster of stupidity If you were asleep or mad it were the more excusable to be so sensless But to do thus awake and in your wits O where are the brains of those men and of what metal are their hardened hearts made that can idle and play away that Time that little Time that only Time which is given them for the everlasting saving of their souls Verily firs if sin had not turned the ungodly part of the world into a Bedlam where it is no wonder to see a man out of his wits people would run out with wonder into the Streets to see such a monster as this as they do to see mad men in the Country where they are rare and they would call to one another Come and see a man that can trifle and sport away his Time as he is going to Eternity and is ready to enter into another world Come and see a man that hath but a few dayes to win or lose his soul for ever in and is playing it away at Cards and Dice or wasting it in doing nothing Come and see a man that hath hours to spare and cast away upon trifles with Heaven and Hell before his eyes For thy souls sake consider and tell thy self If thy estate in the world did lye upon the spending of this day or week or if thy life lay on it so that thou must live or dye or be poor or rich sick or well as thou spendest it wouldst thou then waste it in dressings or complement or play and wouldst thou find any to spare upon impertinent triflings Or rather wouldst thou not be up betime and about thy business and turn by thy games and thy diverting company and disappoint thy idle visiters
continually in that case your selves If you should be still so what were you good for or what could you enjoy or what comfort would your lives be to you Why if a long pain be so bad a short one is not lovely Keep not wilfully so troublesome a malady in your mind § 6. Direct 4. Observe also what an enemy it is to the body it self It inflameth the blood and Direct 4. stirreth up diseases and breedeth such a bitter displeasedness in the mind as tends to consume the strength of nature and hath cast many into Acute and many into Chronical sicknesses which have proved their death And how uncomfortable a kind of death is this § 7. Direct 5. Observe how unlovely and unpleasing it rendereth you to beholders deforming the Direct 5. countenance and taking away the amiable sweetness of it which appeareth in a calm and loving temper If you should be alwayes so would any body love you or would they not go out of your way if not lay hands on you as they do anything that is wild or mad You would scarce desire to have your picture drawn in your fury till the frowning wrinkles and inflamed blood are returned to their places and have left your visage to its natural comeliness Love not that which maketh you so unlovely to all others § 8. Direct 6. You should love it the worse because it is a hurting passion and an enemy to Love and Direct 6. to anothers good You are never angry but it inclineth you to hurt those that angred you if not all others that stand in your way It putteth hurting thoughts into your mind and hurting words into your mouths and enclineth you to strike or do some mischief And no men love a hurtful creature Avoid therefore so mischievous a passion § 9. Direct 7. Nay mark the tendency of it and you will find that if it should not be stopt it would Direct 7. tend to the very ruine of your brother and end in his blood and your own damnation How many thousand hath anger murdered or undone It hath caused Wars and filled the world with blood and cruelty And should your hearts give such a fury entertainment § 10. Direct 8. Consider how much other sin immoderate anger doth incline men to It is the great Direct 8. crime of drunkenness that a man having not the government of himself is made lyable by it to any Proâ—rium est magnitudinis verae non sentire se esse percussum Qui non irâ—scitur inconcussus injuria persistit qui irascitur motus est Sexec de Ira. l. 3. c. 5. wickedness And so is it with immoderate anger How many Oaths and Curses doth it cause every day How many rash and sinful actions What villany hath not anger done It hath slandered railed reproached falsly accused and injured many a thousand It hath murdered and ruined Families Cities and States It hath made Parents kill their Children and Children dishonour their Parents It hath made Kings oppress and murder their Subjects and Subjects rebell and murder Kings What a world of sin is committed by sinful anger throughout all the world How endless would it be to give you instances David himself was once drawn by it to purpose the murdering of all the family of Nahal Its effects should make it odious to us § 11. Direct 9. And it is much the worse in that it suffereth not a man to sin alone but stirreth up Direct 9. others to do the like Wrath kindleth wrath as fire kindleth fire It s two to one but when you are angry you will make others angry or discontent or troubled by your words or deeds And you have not the power of moderating them in it when you have done You know not what sin it may draw them to It is the Devils bellows to kindle mens corruptions and sets hearts and families and Kingdoms in a flame § 12. Direct 10. Observe how unfit it maketh you for any holy duty for prayer or meditation or Direct 10. any communion with God And that should be very unwelcome to a gracious soul which maketh it unfit to speak to God or to be employed in his Worship If you should go to prayer or other Worship in your bedlam passion may not God say as the King of Gath did of David Have I need of mad men Yea it unfitteth all the family or Church or society where it cometh for the Worship of God Is the family fit for prayer when wrath hath muddied and disturbed their minds Yea it divideth Christians and Churches and causeth confusion and every evil â—am 3. 15 16. work § 13. Direct 11. It is a great dishonour to the grace of God that a servant of his should shew the Direct 11. world that grace is of no more force and efficacy that it cannot rule a raging passion nor so much as keep a Christian sober that it possesseth the soul with no more patience nor fear of God nor Government over it self O wrong not God thus by the dishonouring of his Grace and Spirit § 14. Direct 12. It is a sin against Conscience still repented of and disowned by almost all when Direct 12. they come to themselves again and a meer preparation for after sorrow That therefore which we fore-know we must repent of afterwards should be prevented and avoided by men that choose not shame and sorrow § 15. Object 1. But you 'll say I am of a hasty cholerick nature and cannot help it Object 1. Answ. That may strongly dispose you to anger but cannot Necessitate you to any thing that is sinful Answ. Reason and Will may yet command and master passion if they do their Office And when you know your disease and danger you must watch the more § 16. Object 2. But the provocation was so great it would have angered any one Who could choose Object 2. Answ. It is your weakness that makes you think that any thing can be great enough to discharge Answ. a mans reason and allow him to break the Laws of God That would have been small or nothing to a prepared mind which you call so great You should rather say Gods Majesty and dreadfulness is so great that I durst not offend him for any provocation Hath not God given you greater cause to obey than man can give you to sin § 17. Object 3. But it is so sudden that I have no time of deliberation to prevent it Object 3. Answ. Have you not Reason still about you And should it not be as ready to rule as passion to Answ. rebell Stop passion at first and take time of deliberation § 18. Object 4. But it is but short and I am sorry for it when I have done Object 4. Answ. But if it be evil the shortest is a sin and to be avoided And when you know before hand Answ. that you must be sorry after why will
Whoever took a talkative babler for a wise man He that is Logophilus is seldome Philologus much less Philosophus As Demosthenes Eccles 5. 3 7. Eccles. â—0 12 13. Eccles. 10. 14. Psal. 37. 30 Prov. 17. 27 28. 10. 20. 12. 18. 10 19. 18. 4 5 6. â—1 23. said to a Prater If thou knewest more thou wouldst say less They seldom go for men of action and vertue that talk much They that say much usually do little Women and Children and old folks are commonly the greatest talkers I may add mad folks Livy noteth that Souldiers that prate and brag much seldom fight well And Erasmus noteth that Children that quickly learn to speak are long in learning to go It is not the barking Curr that biteth Let it be the honour of a Parrot to speak much but of a man to speak wisely The mobility of their tongues an honour common to an Aspen leaf is all their honour that can multis verbis pauca dicere say a little in a great many of words but multa paucis much in few words is the character of the wise unless when the quality of the auditors prohibiteth it And qui sunt in dicendo brevissimi if the auditors can bear it shall be accounted the best speakers I am not of his mind that said He oft repented speaking but never repented silence But except they be Ministers few men have so much cause to repent of silence as of speech Non quam multa sed quam bene must be the Christians care As one said of Philosophy I may much more say of Religion that though an Orators excellency appeareth only in speaking yet the Philosophers and the Christians appeareth as much in silence § 26. 6. Where there is much idle talk there will be much sinful talk Prov. 10. 19. In the multitude of words there wants not sin but he that refraineth his lips is wise There are lyes or backbitings or medling with other folks matters or scurrilous jeasts if not many such sins that go along with a course of idle talk It is the vehicle in which the Devil giveth his most poysonous draughts Saith Lipsius It is given to Praters Non multa tantum sed male to speak ill as well as to speak much § 27. 7. Vain words hinder your own edification Who knoweth if you would hold your tongues but some one would speak wiselyer that might do you good Prov. 23. 8 9. § 28. 8. And you weary the Hearers unless they are strangely patient when you intend to please them or else you might as well talk all that by your self It is scarce manners for them unless you be much their inferiors to tell you they are aweary to hear you and to intreat you to hold your tongues But you little know how oft they think so I judge of others by my self I flye from a talkative person as from a Bed that hath Fleas or Lice I would shut my doors against them as I stop my Windows against the Wind and Cold in Winter How glad am I when they have done and gladder when they are gone Make not your selves a burden to your company or friends by the troublesome noise of an unwearied tongue § 29. 9. Many words are the common causers of contention Some word or other will fall that offendeth those that hear it or else will be carried to those that are absent and made the occasion of heart-burnings rehearsals brawls or Law-suits There is no keeping quietness peace and love with talkative pratlers at least not long § 30. 10. Are you not sensible what Pride and impudency is in it when you think your selves worthiest to speak As if you should say you are all children to me hold your tongues and hear me speak If you had Christian Humility and Modesty you would in honour prefer others before your selves Rom. 12. 10. You would think your selves unworthiest to speak unless the contrary be very evident and desire rather to hear and learn As Heraclitus being asked Why he alone was silent in the company answered That you may talk So when you talk above your parts it is as if you told the company I talk that all you may be silent § 31. 11. It is a voluntary sin and not repented of For you may easily forbear it if you will and you wilfully continue in it and therefore impenitency is your danger § 32. 12. Lastly Consider how unprofitable a sin it is and how little you have to hire you to commit it What get you by it Will you daily sin against God for nothing § 33. Direct 4. If you would not be idle talkers see that your hearts be taken up with something that Direct 4. is good And that your tongues be acquainted with and accustomed to their proper work and duty An Isa. 32. 4 5 6. Matth. 12 34 36. 2 Cor. 4. 13. John 3. 11. 1 John 4. 5. Prov. 16. 23. Psal. 40 5. Cant. 7. 9. empty head and heart are the causes of empty frothy vain discourse Conscience may tell you when your tongues run upon vanity that at that time there is no sense of sin or duty or the presence of God upon your hearts no holy Love no Zeal for God but you are asleep to God and all that 's good and in this sleep you moither and talk idly of any thing that cometh into your mind Also you make not conscience of speaking of that which is good or else it would keep out vanity and evil Remember what abundance of greater matters you have to talk of You have the evil of sin the multitude and subtilty of temptations and the way of resisting them to talk of You have your faults to lament your evidences to enquire after your mercies thankfully to open the greatness and goodness and all the attributes of God to praise You have all the works of God to admire even all the creatures in the world to contemplate and all Gods admirable Providences and Government to observe You have the mysterie of Redemption the person and office and life and miracles and sufferings and glory and intercession and reign of Christ to talk of And all the secret sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost and all the Ordinances of God and all the means of Grace and all our duties to God and man and all the holy Scripture besides death and judgement and Heaven and Hell and the concernments of the Church of God and the case of the persons you speak to who may need your instruction exhortation admonition reproof or comfort And is not here work enough to employ your tongues and keep them from idle talk Make conscience of those Prov. 23. 16. duties commanded Ephes. 4. 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying and may minister grace to the hearers and grieve not the holy Spirit Psal. 145. 6 11 12 13 21. of God
he shall serve me He that worketh Deceit shall not dwell within my House He that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight Prov. 3. 33. The Curse of the Lord is in the House of the wicked but he blesseth the Habitation of the Iust. LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons at the Sign of the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1673. To all that fear God in the Burrough and Parish of Kederminster in Worcestershire Dear Friends YOU are the Only People that ever I took a special Pastoral Charge of And Gods blessing and your Obedience to his Word do make the remembrance of my Labours and Converse with you to be sweet It was neither by Your Will or Mine that we have been this twelve years separated nor that we yet continue so I thank our most Gracious God who maugre all the Serpents Malice hath Inwardly and Outwardly so well provided for you above most others as that I hope you will be no losers by any thing which hath yet befallen you That I have hitherto survived so many of my departed Friends both with you and elsewhere after all that you have known is my own wonder as well as yours And what I have been doing in this time of our separation I have formerly told you in part by some other Writings and now tell you more by this which was written about five or six years ago though it found not passage into the world till now I live not yet Idle But whether this be the way of my chiefest service to the Church of God in my present case some distant Censurers have questioned If it be not my Ignorance of my duty and of what will be most useful to others is the cause and not my Love of Ease or my obeying Man rather than God I judge that my chief duty which I think is likest to do most good I am glad that once more before I dye I have opportunity to speak to you at this distance and to perswade you to and Direct you in that Family Holiness and Righteousness which hath been so much of your Comfort and Honour and will be so while you faithfully continue it O how happy a state is it to have God dwell in your Families by his Love and Blessing and Rule them by his Word and Spirit and Protect them by his Power and Delight in them and they in Him as his Churches preparing for the Coelestial Delights O how much of the Interest of true Religion must be kept up in the world by the Holiness and Diligence of Christian Families How happy a supply doth it afford where there are sad defects in the Teaching Holiness and Discipline of the Churches O that the Rulers of Families who are silenced by no others did not silence themselves from that Instructing and Prayer which is their work I should be sorry that this Directory is so Voluminous that few of you can buy it but that more Ends than One in such works must be intended If any of you which God forbid shall shew by an ungodly life that you have forgotten the Doctrine which was taught you or if more yet shall traduce the Doctrine of your once unworthy Teacher Posterity shall here see what it was in this Record which may remain and preach when I am yet more silenced in the dust The Lord whom we have served though with lamentable defects and in whom though alas too weakly we have trusted preserve us in the Life of Faith Hope and Love in Sincerity Zeal and patient Constancy to the Glorious Life where we hope to behold in Perfect Love without the fear of death or separation our most Blessed Head and God for ever Amen Totteridge near Barnet Feb. 10. 1671 2. Your Servant in Willingness Richard Baxter A Christian Directory TOM II. Christian Oeconomicks CHAP. I. Directions about Marriage for Choice and Contract AS the Persons of Christians in their privatest capacities are Holy as being Dedicated and separated unto God so also must their Families be HOLINESS TO THE LORD must be as it were written on their Doors and on their Relations their Possessions and Affairs To which it is requisite 1. That there be a Holy Constitution of their Families 2. And a holy Government of them and discharge of the several duties of the Members of the Family To the right constituting of a Family belongeth 1. The right contracting of Marriage and 2. The right choice and contract betwixt Masters and their Servants For the first § 2. Direct 1. Take heed that neither lust nor rashness do thrust you into a marryed condition before Direct 1. you see such Reasons to invite you to it as may assure you of the Call and approbation of God For 1. It is God that you must serve in your Marryed state and therefore it is meet that you take his counsel before you rush upon it For he knoweth best himself what belongeth to his service 2. And it is God that you must still depend upon for the blessing and comforts of your relation And therefore there is very great reason that you take his advice and consent as the chief things requisite to the match If the Consent of Parents be necessary much more is the Consent of God § 3. Quest. But how shall a man know whether God call him to Marriage or consent unto it Hath Quest. he not here left all men to their liberties as in a thing indifferent Answ. God hath not made any Universal Law commanding or forbidding Marriage but in this Answ. Whether Marriage be indifferent regard hath left it indifferent to mankind yet not allowing all to marry for undoubtedly to some it is unlawful But he hath by other General Laws or Rules directed men to know in what cases it is lawful and in what cases it is a sin As every man is bound to choose that condition in which he may serve God with the best advantages and which tendeth most to his spiritual welfare and increase in Holiness Now there is nothing in Marriage it self which maketh it commonly inconsistent with these benefits and the fulfilling of these Laws And therefore it is said that He that Marrieth doth well that is he doth that which of it self is not unlawful and which to some is the 1 Cor 7. 7 3◠most eligible state of life But there is something in a single life which maketh it especially to Preachers and persecuted Christians to be more usually the most advantagious state of life to these Ends of Christianity And therefore it is said that He that marrieth not doth better And yet to individual persons it is hard to imagine how it can choose but be either a duty or a sin at least except in some unusual cases For it is a thing of so great moment as to the ordering of our hearts and lives that it is hard to imagine that it should ever be indifferent as a means to our main end but
that our own advantage falls in but impliedly and in evident subordination Such are the blessed works of praise and thanksgiving which we here begin and shall in Heaven perpetuate Yet see a most admirable Mystery of true Religion We indeed receive more largely from God and enjoy more fully our own felicity in him in these acts of worship that give all to God than in the other wherein we more directly seek for somewhat from him And those are the second sort of worship-actions viz. When the substance or matter of the work is a seeking or receiving somewhat from God or delivering something Religiously in his name and so is more directly for our selves though yet it 's God that should be our ultimate end in this too You may perceive I make this of three sorts Whereof the first consisteth in our religious addresses to God for something that we want And is called Prayer The 2. consisteth in our religious addresses to God to receive somewhat from him viz. 1. Instructions precepts promises threatnings from his mouth Messengers c. 2. The Sacramental signs of his grace in Baptism and the Lords Supper The 3. is when the Officers of Christ do in his name solemnly deliver either his Laws or Sacraments His Laws either in general by ordinary Preaching or by a more particular application in Acts of discipline 2. The Word Solemn signifies sometimes any thing usual and so some derive it Solenne est quod fieri solet Sometimes that which is done but on one set day in the year and so some make solenne to be quasi solum semel in anno But vulgarly it is taken and so we take it here for both celebre usit â—tum that is a thing that is not accidentally and seldom but statedly and ordinarily to be done and that with such Gravity and Honourable seriousness as beseems a business of such weight 3. By family we mean not a tribe or stock of kindred dwelling in many houses as the word is taken oâ—t in Scripture but I mean a houshold Domus familia a Houshold and family are indeed in Oeconomicks somewhat different notions but one thing Domus is to familia as civitas to respublica the former is made the subject of the latter the latter the finis internus of the former And so Domus est societas naturae consentanea e personis domesticis vitae in dies omnes commode sustentandae causa collecta Familia est ordo domus per Regimen Patris-familias in personas sibi subjectas Where note that to a compleat family must go four Integral parts Pater familias Mater familias Filius Servus A Father Mother Son and Servant But to the essence of a family it sufficeth if there be but the pars imperans pars subdita one head or Governor either Father Mother Master or Mistress and one or more governed under this head Note therefore that the Governour is an essential part of the family and so are some of the governed viz. that such their be but not each member If therefore twenty children or servants shall worship God without the Father or Master of the family either present himself or in some Representative it is not a family worship in strict sense But if the head of the family in himself or Delegate or Representative be present with any of his children or servants though all the rest be absent it is yet a family duty though the family be incompleat and maimed and so is the duty therefore if culpably so performed 4. When I say in and by a family I mean not that each must do the same parts of the work but that one either the head or some one deputed by him and representing him be the mouth and the rest perform their parts by receiving instructions or mentally concurring in the Prayers and praise by him put up Lastly by Divine appointment I mean any signification of Gods will that it is mens duty to perform this Whether a signification by natural means or supernatural directly or by consequence so we may be sure it is Gods will The sum of the Question then is Whether any Sacred Actions religiously and ordinarily to be performed to Gods honour by the head of the family with the rest be by Gods appointment made our duty My thoughts of this Question I shall reduce to these heads and propound in this order 1. I shall speak of family worship in General 2. Of the sorts of that worship in special 3. Of the time I. Concerning the first I lay down my thoughts in these Propositions following for limitation and caution and then prove the main conclusion Prop. 1. It is not all sorts of Gods worship which he hath appointed to be performed by families as Prop. 1. such There being some proper to more publick Assemblies 2. More particularly the Administration of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper are proper to the Ministerial or Organized Churches and not common to families for as they are both of them committed only to Ministers of the Gospel and have been only used by them for many hundred years in the Church except that some permitted others to baptize in case of necessity So the Lords Supper was appointed for a Symbole and means of a more publick communion than that of families And though some conjecture the contrary from its first institution and think that as there is a family prayer and Church prayer family teaching and Church teaching so there should be family Sacraments and Church Sacraments yet it is a Mistake For though Christ administred it to his family yet it was not as a family but as a Church For that which is but one family may possibly be a Church also This exposition we have from the Doctrine and practice of the Apostles and constant custom of all the Churches which have never thought the Lords Supper to be a family duty but proper to larger assemblies and administrable only by ordained Ministers Nor will the reasons drawn from circumcision and the passeover prove the contrary both because particular Churches were not then instituted as now and therefore families had the more to do and because there were some duties proper to families in the very institution of those Sacraments And because God gave them a power in those which he hath not given to Masters of families now in our Sacraments 3. Many thousands do by their own vitiousness and negligence disable themselves so that they cannot perform what God hath made their duty yet it remains their duty still Some disability may excuse them in part but not in whole I shall now prove that the Solemn Worship of God in and by families as such is of Divine appointment Argument 1. If Families are Societies of Gods Institution furnished with special advantages and opportunities for Gods solemn Worship having no prohibition so to use them then the solemn Worship of God in and by families as such is of
persons he bids them Continue in prayer and watch in the same c. 2. If neighbours are bound to speak together in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs with grace in their hearts to the Lord and to continue in prayer and thanksgiving then families much more who are nearlier related and have more necessities and opportunities as is said before 3. If whatever we do in word or deed we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks then families must needs joyn in giving thanks For they have much daily business in word and deed to be done together and asunder Argument 15. From Dan. 6. 10. When Daniel knew that the Writing was signed he went into his house and his window being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God Here note 1. The Nature of the duty 2. The necessity of it 1. If it had not been open family-prayer which Daniel here performed how could they have known what he said It is not probable that he would speak so lowd in secret nor is it like they would have found him at it So great a Prince would have had some servants in his ouâ—ward rooms to have stayed them before they had come so near 2. And the Necessity of this prayer is such that Daniel would not omit it for a few dayes to save his life Argument 16. From Josh. 24. 15. But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Here note 1. That it is a Houshold that is here engaged For if any would prove that it extendeth further to all Ioshuah's Tribe or inferiour kindred yet his houshold would be most eminently included 2. That it is the same thing which Ioshuah promiseth for his house which he would have all Israel do for theirs for he maketh himself an example to move them to it If Housholds must serve the Lord then housholds must pray to him and praise him But housholds must serve him Therefore c. The consequence is proved in that Prayer and Praise are so necessary parts of Gods service that no family or person can be said in general to be devoted to serve God that are not devoted to them Calling upon God is oft put in Scripture for all Gods Worship as being a most eminent part and Atheisis are described to be such as call not upon the Lord Psal. 14 c. Argument 17. The story of Cornâ—lius Acts 10. proveth that he performed family-worship For observe 1. That verse 2. he is said to be A devoâ—t man and one that feared God with all his house which gâ—ve much almes to the people and prayed to God alway And vers 30. he saith at the ninth hour I prayed in my house And ver 24. he called together his kindred and near friends So ver 11. 14. Thou and all thy house shall be savâ—d So that in ver 2. Fearing God comprehendeth Prayer and is usually put for all Gods Worship therefore when he is said to Fear God with all his house it is included that he worshipped God with all his house And that he used to do it conjunctly with them is iâ—plyed in his gathering together his Kindred and Friends when Peter came not mentioning the calling together his houshold as being usual and supposed And when it is said that he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his house it may signifie his houshold as in Scrâ—pture the word is often taken However the circumstances shew that he did it Argument 18. From 1. Tim 3. 4 5 12. One that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity For if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of the Church of God Let the Deacons be the Husbands of one Wife Ruling their Children and their own houses well Here mark that it is such a Ruling of their houses as is of the same nature as the Ruleing of the Church mutaâ—is mutandis and that is a training them up in the Worship of God and guiding them therein For the Apostle maketh the defect of the one to be a sure discovery of their unfitness for the other Now to Rule the Church is to teach and guide them as their mouth in prayer and praises unto God as well as to oversee their lives therefore it is such a Ruling of their houses as is pre-requisite to prove them fit They that must so Rule well their own houses as may partly prove them not unfit to Rule the Church must Rule them by holy instructions and guiding them as their mouth in the Worship of God But those mentioned 1 Tim. 3. must so Rule their houses Therefore c. The Pastors Ruling of the Church doth most consist in going before them and guiding them in Gods Worship Therefore so doth the Ruling of their own houses which is made a trying qualification of their fitness hereunto Though yet it reach not so high nor to so many things and the conclusion be not Affirmative He that ruleth his own house well is fit to rule the Church of God but Negative He that ruleth not his own house well is not fit to rule the Church of God But that is because 1. This is a lower degree of Ruling which will not prove him fit for a higher 2. And it is but one qualification of many that are requisite Yet it is apparent that some degree of aptitude is proved hence and that from a similitude of the things When Paul compareth Ruling the House to Ruling the Church he cannot be thought to take them to be wholly hetâ—rogeneous He would never have said He that cannot Rule an Army or Regiment or a City how shall he Rule the Church of God I conclude therefore that this Text doth shew that it is the duty of Masters of families to Rule well their own families in the right worshipping of God mutatis mutandis as Ministers must Rule the Church Argument 19. If families have special necessity of family-prayer conjunctly which cannot be supplyed otherwise then it is Gods will that family-prayer should be in use But families have such necessities Therefore c. The Consequent needs no proof The Antecedent is proved by instances Families have Family necessities which are larger than to be confined to a Closet and yet more private than to be brought still into the publick Assemblies of the Church 1. There are many worldly occasions about their Callings and Relations which its fit for them to mention among themselves but unfit to mentition before all the Congregation 2. There are many distempers in the hearts and lives of the members of the families and many miscarriages and differences and disagreements which must be taken up at home and which prayer must do much to cure and yet are not
fit to be brought to the ears of the Church-assemblies 3. And if it were fit to mention them all in publick yet the number of such cases would be so great as would overwhelm the Minister and confound the publick Worship nay one half of them in most Churches could not be mentioned 4. And such cases are of ordinary occurrence and therefore would ordinarily have all these inconveniences And yet there are many such cases that are not fit to be confined to our secret prayers each one by himself because 1. They often so sin together as maketh it fit that they consess and lament it together 2. And some mercies which they receive together its fit they seek and give thanks for together 3. And many works which they do together its fit they seek a blessing on together 4. And the presence of one another in Confession Petition and Thanksgiving doth tend to the increase of their fervour and warming of their hearts and engaging them the more to duty and against sin and is needful on the grounds laid down before Nay it is a kind of Family-schism in such cases to separate from one another and to pray in secret only as it is Church schism to separate from the Church-assemblies and to pray in families only Nature and Grace delight in Unity and abhor division And the Light of Nature and Grace engageth us to do as much of the work of God in Unity and Concord and Communion as we can Argument 20. If before the giving of the Law to Moses God was worshipped in families by his own appointment and this appointment be not yet reverst then God is to be worshipped in families still But the Antecedent is certain Therefore so is the consequent I think no man denyeth the first part of the Antecedent that before the flood in the families of the righteous and after till the establishment of a Priesthood God was worshipped in families or housholds It is a greater doubt whether then he had any other publick Worship When there were few or no Church assemblies that were larger than families no doubt God was ordinarily worshipped in families Every Ruler of a family then was as a Priest to his own family Cain and Abel offered their own Sacrifices so did Noah Abraham and Iacob If it be objected that all this ceased when the Office of the Priest was instituted and so deny the later part of my Antecedent I reply 1. Though sâ—me make a doubt of it whether the Office of Priesthood was instituted before Aarons time I think there is no great doubt to be made of it seeing we find a Priesthood then among other Nations who had it either by the light of Nature or by Tradition from the Church And Melchizedecks Priesthood who was a Type of Christ is expresly mentioned So that though family-worship was then the most usual yet some more publick worship there was 2. After the institution of Aarons Priesthood family worship continued as I have proved before yea the two Sacraments of Circumcision and the Passeover were celebrated in Families by the Master of the house Therefore Prayer was certainly continued in families 3. If that part of Worship that was afterward performed in Synagogues and publick Assemblies was appropriated to them that no whit proveth that the part which agreed to families as such was transferred to those Assemblies Nâ—y it is a certain proof that that part was left to families still because we find that the publick Assemblies never undertook it We find among them no prayer but Church-prayer and not that which was fitted to Families as such at all Nor is there a word of Scripture that speaketh of Gods reversing of his command or order for family-prayer or other proper family-worship Therefore it is proved to continue obligatory still Had I not been too long already I should have urged to this end the example of Iob in sacrificing daily for his Sons and of Esther's keeping a Fast with her Maids Hest. 4. 16. And Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury on the Heathen that know thee not and on the families that call not on thy name It s true that by families here is meant Tribes of people and by calling on his Name is meant their worshipping the true God But yet this is spoken of all Tribes without exception great and small And Tribes in the beginning as Abrahams Isaacs Iacobs c. were confined to families And the argument holdeth from parâ—ty of reason to a proper family And that calling on Gods Name is put for his Worship doth more confirm us because it proveth it to be the most eminent part of Worship or else the whole would not be signified by it At least no reason can imagine it excluded So much for the proof of the fourth Proposition Objections answered Object 1. HAd it been a duty under the Gospel to pray in families we should certainly have found Object 1. it more expresly required in the Scripture Answ. 1. I have already shewed you that it is plainly required in the Scripture But men must not teach God how to speak nor oblige him to make all plain to blind perverted minds 2. Those things which were plainly revealed in the Old Testament and the Church then held without any contradiction even from the persecutors of Christ themselves might well be past over in the Gospel and taken as supposed acknowledged things 3. The General Precepts to pray alway with all prayer in all places c. being expressed in the Gospel and the Light of Nature making particular application of them to Families what need there any more 4. This reason is apparent why Scripture speaketh of it no more expresly Before Christs time the Worship of God was less spiritual and more ceremonial than afterward it was And therefore you find ofter mention of Circumcision and sacrificing than of Prayer And yet Prayer was still supposed to concurr And after Christs time on earth most Christian families were disturbed by persecution and Christians sold up all and lived in Community And also the Scripture History was to describe to us the state of the Churches rather than of particular families Object 2. Christ himself did not use to pray with his family as appeareth by the Disciples asking Object 2. him to teach them to pray and by the silence of the Scripture in this point Therefore it is no duty to us Answ. 1. Scripture silence is no proof that Christ did not use it All things are not written which he did 2. His Teâ—ching them the Lords Prayer and their desire of a common Rule of Prayer might consist with his usual praying with them At least with his using to pray with them after that though at first he did not use it 3 But it is the Consequence that I principally deny 1. Because Christ did afterwards call his servants to many duties which he put them not on at first as Sacraments Discipline preaching frequenter Praying c.
and breed up children for the devil Their natural corruption is advantage enough to Satan to engage them to himself and use them for his service But when Parents shall also take the Devils part and teach their children by precepts or example how to serve him and shall estrange them from God and a holy life and fill their minds with false conceits and prejudice against the means of their salvation as if they had sold their children to the Devil no wonder then if they have a black posterity that are trained up to be heirs of Hell He that will train up children for God must begin betimes before sensitive objects take too deep possession of their hearts and custom increase the pravity of their nature Original sin is like the arched Indian Fig-tree whose branches turning downwards and taking root do all become as trees themselves The acts which proceed from this habitual viciousness do turn again into vicious habits And thus sinful nature doth by its fruits increase it self And when other things consume themselves by breeding all that sin breedeth is added to it self and its breeding is its feeding and every act doth confirm the habit And therefore no means in all the world doth more effectually tend to the happiness of souls than wise and holy education This dealeth with sin before it hath taken the deepest root and boweth nature while it 's but a twig It preventeth the increase of natural pravity and keepeth out those deceits corrupt opinions and carnal fantasies and lusts which else would be serviceable to sin and Satan ever after It delivereth up the heart to Christ betime or at least doth bring him a Disciple to his School to learn the way to life eternal and to spend those years in acquainting himself with the ways of God which others spend in growing worse and in learning that which must be again unlearned and in fortifying Satans garrison in their hearts and defending it against Christ and his saving grace But of this more anon § 5. Motive 5. A holy well-governed family is the preparative to a holy and well-governed Church If Masters of families did their parts and sent such polished materials to the Churches as they ought to Motive 5 do the work and life of the Pastors of the Church would be unspeakably more easie and delightful It would do one good to Preach to such an auditory and to Catechise them and instruct them and examine them and watch over them who are prepared by a wise and holy education and understand and love the doctrine which they hear To lay such polished stones in the building is an easie and delightful work How teachable and tractable will such be And how prosperously will the labours of their Pastors be laid out upon them And how comely and beautiful the Churches be which are composed of such persons And how pure and comfortable will their communion be But if the Churches be sties of unclean beasts if they are made up of ignorant and ungodly persons that savour nothing but the things of the flesh and use to worship they know not what we may thank ill-governed families for all this It is long of them that Ministers preach as to idiots or barbarians that cannot understand them and that they must be always feeding their auditors with milk and teaching them the principles and Catechizing them in the Church which should have been done at home Yea it is long of them that there are so many Wolves and Swine among the Sheep of Christ and that holy things are administred to the enemies of holiness and the godly live in communion with the haters of God and Godliness and that the Christian Religion is dishonoured before the heathen world by the worse-than-heathenish lives of the Professors and the pollutions of the Churches do hinder the conversion of the unbelieving world whilest they that can judge of our Religion no way but by the people that profess it do judge of it by the lives of them that are in heart the enemies of it when the haters of Christianity and Godliness are the Christians by whose conversations the Infidel world must judge of Christianity you may easily conjecture what judgement they are like to make Thus Pastors are discouraged the Churches defiled Religion disgraced and Infidels hardned through the impious disorder and negligence of families What Universities were we like to have if all the Grammar-Schools should neglect their duties and send up their scholars untaught as they received them and if all Tutors must teach their pupils first to spell and read Even such Churches we are like to have when every Pastor must first do the work which all the Masters of families should have done and the part of many score or hundreds or thousands must be performed by one § 6. Motive 6. Well-governed Families tend to make a happy State and Commonwealth A good Motive 6. education is the first and greatest work to make good Magistrates and good Subjects because it tends to make good men Though a good man may be a bad Magistrate yet a bad man cannot be a very good Magistrate The ignorance or worldliness or sensuality or enmity to godliness which grew up with them in their youth will shew it self in all the places and relations that ever they shall come into When an ungodly family hath once confirmed them in wickedness they will do wickedly in every state of life when a perfidious Parent hath betrayed his Children into the power and service of the Devil they will serve him in all relations and conditions This is the School from whence come all the injustice and cruelties and persecutions and impieties of Magistrates and all the murmurings and rebellions of subjects This is the soil and seminary where the seed of the Devil is first sown and where he nurseth up the plants of Covetousness and Pride and Ambition and Revenge Malignity and Sensuality till he transplant them for his service into several Offices in Church and State and into all places of inferiority where they may disperse their venome and resist all that is good and contend for the interest of the flesh and Hell against the interest of the Spirit and of Christ. But O what a blessing to the world would they be that shall come prepared by a holy education to places of Government and Subjection And how happy is that Land that is ruled by such superiours and consisteth of such prepared subjects as have first learnt to be subject to God and to their Parents § 7. Motive 7. If the Governours of Families did faithfully perform their duties it would be a Motive 7. great supply as to any defects in the Pastors part and a singular means to propagate and preserve Religion in times of publick negligence or persecution Therefore Christian Families are called Churches because they consist of holy persons that worship God and learn and love and obey his word If you lived among
the Enemies of Religion that forbad Christs Ministers to preach his Gospel and forbad Gods servants to meet in Church-assemblies for his Worship the support of Religion and the comfort and edification of believers would then lye almost all upon the right performance of family-family-duties There Masters might teach the same truth to their housholds which Ministers are forbid to preach in the Assemblies There you might pray together as fervently and spiritually as you can There you may keep up as holy converse and communion and as strict a discipline as you please There you may celebrate the praises of your blessed Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier and observe the Lords Day in as exact and spiritual a manner as you are able You may there provoke one another to Love and to good works and rebuke every sin and mind each other to prepare for death and live together as passengers to eternal life Thus holy families may keep up Religion and keep up the life and comfort of believers and supply the want of publick preaching in those Countreys where persecutors prohibit and restrain it or where unable or unfaithful Pastors do neglect it § 8. Motive 8. The duties of your families are such as you may perform with greatest peace and least exception Motive 8. or opposition from others When you go further and would be instructing others they will think you go beyond your Call and many will be suspicious that you take too much upon you And if you do but gently admonish a rowt of such as the Sodomites perhaps they will say This one fellow came in to sojourn and he will needs be a Iudge Gen. 19. 9. But your own house is your Castle Your family is your charge You may teach them as oft and as diligently as you will If the ungodly rabble scorn you for it yet no sober person will condemn you nor trouble you for it if you teach them no evil All men must confess that Nature and Scripture oblige you â—o it as your unquestionable work And therefore you may do it among sober people with approbation and quietness § 9. Motive 9. Well governed Families are honourable and exemplary unto others Even the worldly and Motive 9. ungodly use to bear a certain reverence to them For Holiness and Order have some witness that commendeth them in the consciences of many that never practised them A worldly ungodly disordered family is a Den of Snakes a place of hissing railing folly and confusion It is like a Wilderness overgrown with Bryars and Weeds But a holy family is a Garden of God It is beautified with his Graces and ordered by his Government and fruitful by the showres of his heavenly blessing And as the very sluggard that will not be at the cost and pains to make a Garden of his thorny Wilderness may yet confess that a Garden is more beautiful and fruitful and delightful and if wishing would do it his Wilderness should be such Even so the ungodly that will not be at the cost and pains to order their souls and families in holiness may yet see a beauty in those that are so ordered and wish for the happiness of such if they could have it without the labour and cost of self-denyal And no doubt the beauty of such holy and well governed families hath convinced many and drawn them to a great approbation of Religion and occasioned them at last to imitate them § 10. Motive 10. Lastly Consider That holy well governed families are blest with the special presence Motive 10. and favour of God They are his Churches where he is worshipped His houses where he dwelleth He is engaged both by Love and Promise to bless protect and prosper them Psal. 1. 3. 128. It is safe to sail in that Ship which is bound for Heaven and where Christ is the Pilot. But when you reject his Government you refuse his company and contemn his favour and forfeit his blessing by despising his presence his interest and his commands § 11. So that it is an evident truth that most of the mischiefs that now infest or seize upon mankind throughout the earth consist in or are caused by the disorders and ill-governedness of families These are the Schools and Shops of Satan from whence proceed the beastly ignorance lust and sensuality the devilish pride malignity and cruelty against the holy wayes of God which have so unman'd the progeny of Adam These are the Nests in which the Serpent doth hatch the Eggs of Covetousness Envy Strife Revenge of Tyranny Disobedience Wars and Bloodshed and all the Leprosie of sin that hath so odiously contaminated humane nature and all the miseries by which they make the world calamitous Do you wonder that there can be persons and Nations so blind and barbarous as we read of the Turks Tartarians Indians and most of the inhabitants of the earth A wicked education is the cause of all which finding nature depraved doth sublimate and increase the venome which should by education have been cured And from the wickedness of families doth National wickedness arise Do you wonder that so much ignorance and voluntary deceit and obstinacy in errors contrary to all mens common senses can be found among professed Christians as Great and small High and low through all the Papal Kingdom do discover Though the Pride and Covetousness and Wickedness of a worldly carnal Clergie is a very great cause yet the sinful negligence of Parents and Masters in their families is as great if not much greater than that Do you wonder that even in the Reformed Churches there can be so many unreformed sinners of beastly lives that hate the serious practice of the Religion which themselves profess It is ill education in ungodly families that is the cause of all this O therefore how great and necessary a work is it to cast Salt into these corrupted fountains Cleanse and cure these vitiated Families and you may cure almost all the calamities of the earth To tell what the Emperours and Princes of the earth might do if they were wise and good to the remedy of this common misery is the idle talk of those negligent persons who condemn themselves in condemning others Even those Rulers and Princes that are the Pillars and Patrons of Heathenisme Mahometanisme Popery and Ungodliness in the world did themselves receive that venome from their Parents in their birth and education which inclineth them to all this mischief Family-reformation is the easiest and the most likely way to a common Reformation At least to send many souls to Heaven and train up multitudes for God if it reach not to National reformation CHAP. VI. More special Motives for a holy and careful Education of Children BEcause the chief part of Family-Care and Government consisteth in the right Education of Children I shall adjoyn here some more special Motives to quicken considerate Parents to this duty And though most that I have to say for it be already said
first care should be to know and perform the Duties of our Relations and please God in them and then look for his blessing by way of encourageing-reward Study and do your parts and God will certainly do his § 2. Direct 1. The first Duty of Husbands is to Love their Wives and Wives their Husbands Direct 1. with a true entire Conjugal Love Ephes. 5. 25 28 29 33. Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it So ought men to love their Wives as their own Gen 2. 24. Ephes. 5 25 28 29 33. bodies he that loveth his Wife loveth himself For no man ever yet â—ated his own flesh â—ut nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church Let every one of you in particular so love his Wife even as himself It is a Relation of Love that you have entered God hath made it your Duty for your mutual help and comfort that you may be as willing and ready to succour one another as the hand is to help the eye or other fellow-member and that your converse may be sweet and your burdens easie and your lives may be comfortable If Love be removed but for an hour between Husband and Wife they are so long as a bone out of joint There is no ease no order no work well done till they are restored and set in joint again Therefore be sure that Conjugal Love be constantly maintained § 3. The Sub-directions for maintaining Conjugal Love are such as these Direct 1. Choose one at Sub-directions â—o maintain Conjugal love first that is truly amiable especially in the vertues of the mind 2. Marry not till you are sure that you can Love entirely Be not drawn for sordid ends to joyn with one that you have but ordinary affections â—or 3. Be not too hasty but know before hand all the imperfections which may tempt you afterwards to loathing But if these duties have been sinfully neglected yet 4. Remember that Justice commandeth you to Love one that hath as it were forsaken all the world for you and is contented to be the companion of your labours and sufferings and be an equal sharer in all conditions with you and that must be your companion until death It is worse than barbarous inhumanity to entice such a one into a bond of Love and society with you and then to say You cannot Love her This was by perfidiousness to draw her into a spare to her undoing What comfort can she have in her converse with you and care and labour and necessary sufferings if you deny her Conjugal Love Especially if she deny not Love to you the inhumanity is the greater 5. Remember that Women are ordinarily affectionate passionate creatures and as they love much themselves so they expect much love from you And when you joyned your self to such a Nature you obliged your self to answerable duty And if Love cause not Love it is ungrateful and unjust contempt 6. Remember that you are under Gods command And to deny conjugal Love to your Wives is to deny a duty which God hath urgently imposed on you Obedience therefore should command your Love 7. Remember that you are Relatively as it were one flesh You have drawn her to forsake Father and Mother to cleave to you You are conjoyned for procreation of such children as must bear the image and nature of you both your possessions and interests are in a manner the same And therefore such nearness should command affection They that are as your selves should be most easily loved as your selves 8. Take more notice of the good that is in your Wives than of the evil Let not the observation of their faults make you forget or overlook their vertues Love is kindled by the sight of Love or Goodness 9. Make not infirmities to seem odious faults but excuse them as far as lawfully you may by considering the frailty of the Sex and of their tempers and considering also your own infirmities and how much your Wives must bear with you 10. Stir up that most in them into exercise which is best and stir not up that which is evil And then the good will most appear and the evil will be as buried and you will easilier maintain your love There is some uncleanness in the best on earth And if you will be daily stirring in the filth no wonder if you have the annoyance And for that you may thank your selves Draw out the fragrancy of that which is good and delectable in them and do not by your own imprudence or pievishness stir up the worst and then you shall find that even your faulty Wives will appear more amiable to you 11. Overcome them with Love and then whatever they are in themselves they will be Loving to you and consequently Lovely Love will cause Love as fire kindleth fire A good husband is the best means to make a good and loving Wife Make them not froward by your froward carriage and then say We cannot love them 12. Give them examples of amiableness in your selves set them the pattern of a prudent lowly loving meek self denying patient harmless holy heavenly life Try this a while and see whether it will not shame them from their faults and make them walk more amiably themselves § 4. Direct 2. Another Duty of Husbands and Wives is Cohabitation and where age prohibiteth Direct 2. not a sober and modest conjunction for procreation Avoiding lâ—sciviousness unseasonableness and whatever tendeth to corrupt the mind and make it vain and filthy and hinder it from holy employment And therefore Lust must not be cherished in the married but the mind be brought to a moderate chaste and sober frame and the Remedy must not be turned into an increase of the disease but used to extinguish it For if the mind be left to the power of Lust and only marriage trusted to for the cure with many it will be found an insufficient cure and Lust will rage still as it did before and will be so much the more desperate and your case the more miserable as your sin prevaileth against the remedy Yet marriage being appointed for a remedy against lust for the avoiding all unlawful congress the Apostle hath plainly described your duty 1 Cor. 7. 2 3 4 5. It is good for a man not to touch a woman Nevertheless to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence and likewise also the wife unto the husband The wife hath not power of her own body but the husband and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body but the wife Defraud you not one the other except it be with consent for a time that ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency Therefore those persons live contrary to the nature of
Sects and follow several Teachers you will hardly avoid that contention and confusion which will prove a great advantage to the Devil and a great impediment to your spiritual good § 25. Direct 11. If difference in judgement in matters of Religion do fall out between you be sure Subdir 11. that it be managed with Holiness Humility Love and Peace and not with Câ—â—nality Pride Uncharitableness or Contention 1. To manage your differences Holily is to take God for the Iudge and to refer the matter to his Word and to aim at his Glory and the pleasing of his Will and to use his Means for the Concord of your judgements which is to search the Scripture and consult with the faithful able Pastors of the Church and soberly and patiently to debate the case and pray together for the illumination of the Spirit On the contrary your Differences are carnally managed when carnal reasons breed or feed them and when you run after this or that Sect or Party through admiration of the persons and value not the persons for the sake of Truth but measure Truth by the opinion and estimate of the persons and when you end your differences by selfish carnal principles and respects And hence it comes to pass that if the Husband be a Papist or otherwise erroneous it s two to one that the Wife becometh of his erroneous Religion not because of any cogent evidence but because he is of the stronger parts and hath constant opportunity to perswade and because Love prepareth and inclineth her to be of his opinion And thus Man instead of God is the master of the faith of many 2. Your differences are managed in Humility when you have a just and modest suspicion of your own understandings and debate and practise your differences with meekness and submission and do not proudly overvalue all your own apprehensions and despise anothers Reasons as if they were not worthy of your consideration 3. Your differences must be so far managed in Love not that meer Love should make you turn to anothers opinion be it true or false but that you must be very desirous to be of the same mind and if you cannot must take it for a sore affliction and must bear with the tolerable mistakes of one another as you bear with your own infirmities that they cool not Love nor alienate not your hearts from one another but only provoke you to a tender healing compassionate Care and endeavour to do each other good 4. And you must manage your differences in quietness without any passionate wranglings and dissentions that no bitter fruits may be bred by it in your families among your selves Thus all true Christians must manage their differences in matters of Religion but married persons above all § 26. Direct 12. Be not either blindly indulgent to each others faults nor yet too censorious of each others Subdir 12. state lest Satan thereby get advantage to alienate your affections from one another To make nothing of the faults of those whom you Love is to Love them foolishly to their hurt and to shew that it is not for their vertues that you Love them And to make too great a matter of one anothers faults is but to help the Tempter to quench your love and turn your hearts from one another Thus many good women that have Husbands that are guilty of too much coldness in Religion or worldly-mindedness or falling into ill company and mispending their time are first apt to overlook all possibility of any seed of grace that may be in them and then looking on them as ungodly persons to abate too much their Love and duty to them There is great wisdom and watchfulness requisite in this case to keep you from being carryed into either of the extreams § 27. Direct 13. If you are married to one that is indeed an infidel or an ungodly person yet Subdir 13. keep up all the Conjugal Love which is due for the relation sake Though you cannot love them as true Christians yet love them as Husband or Wife Even Heathens are bound to Love those that are thus related to them The Apostle hath determined the case 1 Cor. 7. that Christians must perform their Duties to Husbands or Wives that are Unbelievers The faults of another discharge you not from your duty As Satan hath deceived some by separating principles about church-Church-communion to deny almost all Gods Ordinances to many to whom they are due so doth he thus deceive some persons in family-relations and draw them from the duties which they owe for one anothers good § 28. Direct 14. Ioyn together in frequent and fervent prayer Prayer doth force the mind into Subdir 14. some composedness and sobriety and affecteth the heart with the presence and Majesty of God Pray also for each other when you are in secret that God may do that work which you most desire upon each others hearts § 29. Direct 15. Lastly Help each other by an exemplary life Be that your selves which you desire Subdir 14. your Husband or Wife should be Excell in meekness and humility and charity and dutifulness and diligence and self-denyal and patience as far as you do excell in profession of Religion St. Peter saith that even those that will not be won by the Word may be won without it by the Conversation of their Wives 1 Pet. 3. 1. That is the excellency of Religion may so far appear to them by the fruits of it in their Wives Conversations as may first incline them to think well and honourably of it and so to enquire into the nature and reason of it and to hearken to their Wives and all this without the publick Ministry A life of undissembled holiness and heavenliness and self-denyal and meekness and love and mortification is a powerful Sermon which if you be constantly preaching before those that are still near you will hardly miss of a good effect Works are more palpably significant and perswasive than words alone § 30. Direct 7. Another great Conjugal duty is to be helpful to each other for the health and comfort Direct 7. of their Bodies Not to pamper each others flesh or cherish the vices of pride or sloth or gluttony Rom. 13 13 14. Eph 5 29 3â— Gen. 2. 18. or voluptuousness in each other but to further the health and chearfulness of the Body to fit it for the service of the soul and God Such cherishing or pleasing of the Flesh which is unlawful in each person to himself is also unlawful ordinarily to use to another But such as you may use for your self you may use also for your Wife or Husband Not to live above your Estates nor as servants to your guts to serve the appetites of one another by delicious fare but to be careful of that health without which your lives will be made unserviceable or uncomfortable And this must proceed from such a love to one another as you have
her discontent yet the case must be resolved by such considerations And a prudent man that knoweth what is like to be the consequent on both sides may and must accordingly determine it 4. But ordinarily the life health or preservation of so proud luxurious and passionate a woman is not worth the saving at so dear a rate as the wasting of a considerable estate which might be used to relieve a multitude of the poor and perhaps to save the lives of many that are worthier to live And 1. A mans duty to relieve the poor and provide for his family is so great 2. And the account that all men must give of the use of their Talents is so strict that it must be a great reason indeed that must allow him to give way to very great wastfulness And unless there be somewhat extraordinary in the case it were better deal with such a Woman as a Bedlam and if she will be mad to use her as the mad are used than for a steward of God to suffer the Devil to be served with his masters goods Lastly I must charge the Reader to remember that both these cases are very rare and it is but few Women that are so lyable to so great mischiefs which may not be prevented at cheaper rates And therefore that the Indulgence given in these decisions is nothing to the greater part of men nor is to be extended to ordinary Cases But commonly men every where sin by omission of a stricter Government of their families and by Eli's sinful indulgence and remisness And though a Wife must be Governed as a Wife and a Child as a Child yet all must be governed as well as servants And though it may be truly said that a man cannot hinder that sin which he cannot hinder but by sin or by contributing to a greater hurt yet it is to be concluded that every man is bound to hinder sin whenever he is able lawfully to hinder it And by the same measures Tolerations or not-hindering Errours and sins about Religion in Church and Common-wealth is to be judged of None must commit them or approve them nor forbear any duty of their own to cure them But that is not a duty which is destructive which would be a duty when it were a means of edifying CHAP. X. The Duties of Parents for their Children OF how great importance the wise and holy Education of Children is to the saving of their souls and the comfort of the Parents and the good of Church and State and the happiness of the World I have partly told you before but no man is able fully to express And how great that calamity is which the World is faln into through the neglect of that duty no heart can conceive But they that think what a case the Heathen Infidel and ungodly Nations are in and how rare true piety is grown and how many millions must lie in Hell for ever will know so much of this inhumane negligence as to abhor it § 1. Direct 1. Understand and lament the corrupted and miserable state of your Children which they Direct 1. have derived from you and thank fully accept the offers of a Saviour for your selves and them and â—bsolutely See my Treat for Infant Baptism resign and dedicate them to God in Christ in the sacred Covenant and solemnize this Dedication and Covenant by their Baptism And to this end understand the command of God for entring your Children solemnly into Covenant with him and the Covenant-mercies belonging to them thereupon Rom. 5. 12 16 17 18. Ephes. 2. 1 3. Gen. 17. 4 13 14. Deut. 29. 10 11 12. Rom. 11. 17 20. Joh. 3. 3 5. Mat. 19. 13 14. You cannot sincerely dedicate your selves to God but you must dedicate to him all that is yours and in your power and therefore your Children as far as they are in your power And as Nature hath taught you your Power and your duty to enter them in their infancy into any Covenant with man which is certainly for their good and if they refuse the conditions when they come to age they forfeir the benefit so nature teacheth you much more to oblige them to God for their far greater good in case he will admit them into Covenant with him And that he will admit them into his Covenant and that you ought to enter them into it is past doubt in the evidence which the Scripture giveth us that from Abrahams time till Christ it was so with all the Children of his people Nay no man can prove that before Abrahams Time or since God had ever a Church on Earth of which the Infants of his servants if they had any were not members dedicated in Covenant to God till of late times that a few began to scruple the lawfulness of this As it is a comfort to you if the King would bestow upon your Infant-Children who were tainted by their Fathers treason not only a full discharge from the blot of that offence but also the titles and estates of Lords though they understand none of this till they come to age so is it much more matter of comfort to you on their behalf that God in Christ will pardon their Original sin and take them as his Children and give them title to everlasting life which are the mercies of his Covenant § 2. Direct 2. As soon as they are capable teach them what a Covenant they are in and what are Direct 2. the benefits and what the conditions that their souls may gladly consent to it when they understand it and you may bring them seriously to renew their Covenant with God in their own persons But the whole order of Teaching both Children and Servants I shall give you after by it self and therefore shall here pass by all that except that which is to be done more by your familiar converse than by more solemn teaching § 3. Direct 3. Train them up in exact obedience to your selves and break them of their own Direct 3. wills To that end suffer them not to carry themselves unreverently or contemptuously towards you but to keep their distance For too much Familiarity breedeth contempt and emboldeneth to disobedience The common course of Parents is to please their Children so long by letting them have what they crave and what they will till their wills are so used to be fulfilled that they cannot endure to have them denyed and so can endure no Government because they endure no crossing of their wills To be Obedient is to renounce their own wills and be ruled by their Parents or Governours wills To use them therefore to have their own wills is to teach them disobedience and harden and use them to a kind of impossibility of obeying Tell them oft familiarly and lovingly of the excellency of obedience and how it pleaseth God and what need they have of Government and how unfit they are to govern themselves and how dangerous it is to Children
and Sanctifier of souls and in what order he doth all this by the Ministry of the Word 12. In the next open to them the office and use and duty of the ordinary Ministry and their duty toward them especially as Hearers and the nature and use of publick Worship and the nature and Communion of Saints and Churches 13. In the next open to them the Nature and use of Bâ—pâ—ism and the Lords Supper 14. In the next open to them the shortness of life and the state of souls at death and after death and the day of Judgement and the Justification of the Righteous and the Condemnation of the wicked at that day 15. In the next open to them the Joyes of Hâ—aven and the miseries of the damned 16. In the next open to them the vanity of all the pleasure and profits and honour of this World and the method of Temptations and how to overcome them 17. In the next open to them the reason and use of suffering for Christ and of self denyal and how to prepare for sickness and death And after this go over also the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments § 13. Direct 13. After all your instructions make them briefly give you an account in their own Direct 13. words of what they understand and remember of all or else the next time to give account of the fâ—rmer And encourage them for all that is well done in their endeavours § 14. Direct 14. Labour in all to keep up a â—akened serious attention and still to print upon their Direct 14. hearts the greatest things And to that end For the Matter of your teaching and discourse let nothing be so much in your mouths as 1. The Nature and Relations of God 2. A Crucified and a Glorified Christ with all his grace and priviledges 3. The operations of the spirit on the soul. 4. The madness of sinners and the vanity of the world 5. And endless Glory and Joy of Saints and misery of the ungodly after death Let these five points be frequently urged and be the life of all the rest of your discourse And then for the Manner of your speaking to them let it be alwayes with such a mixture of familiarity and seriousness that may carry along their serious attentions whether they will or no Speak to them as if they or you were dying and as if you saw God and Heaven and Hell § 15. Direct 15. Take each of them sometime by themselves and there describe to them the work Direct 15. of Renovation and ask them whether ever such a work was wrought upon them Shew them the true Marks of Grace and help them to try themselves Urge them to tell you truly whether their Love to God or the Creature to Heaven or Earth to Holiness or Flesh-pleasing be more and what it is that hath their hearts and care and chief endeavour And if you find them regenerate help to strengthen them If you find them too much dejected help to Comfort them And if you find them unregenerate help to convince them and then to humble them and then to shew them the remedy in Christ and then shew them their duty that they may have part in Christ and drive all home to the end that you desire to see But do all this with Love and gentleness and privacy § 16. Direct 16. Some pertinent Questions which by the answer will engage them to teach themselves Direct 16. or to judge themselves will be sometimes of very great use As such as these Do you not know that you must shortly dye Do you not believe that immediately your souls must enter upon an endless life of joy or misery Will worldly wealth and honours or fleshly pleasures be pleasant to you then Had you then rather be a Saint or an ungodly sinner Had you not then rather be one of the holiest that the World despised and abused than one of the greatest and richest of the wicked When Time is past and you must give account of it had you not then rather it had been spent in holiness and obedience and diligent preparation for the life to come than in pride and pleasure and pampering the flesh How could you make shift to forget your endless life so long Or to sleep quietly in an unregenerate state What if you had died before conversion what think you had become of you and where had you now been Do you think that any of those in Hell are glad that they were ungodly or have now any pleasure in their former merriments and sin What think you would they do if it were all to do again Do you think if an Angel or Saint from Heaven should come to decide the Controversie between the Godly and the Wicked that he would speak against a Holy and Heavenly life or plead for a loose and fleshly life or which side think you he would take Did not God know what he did when he made the Scriptures Is he or an ungodly scorner to be more regarded Do you think every man in the World will not wish at last that he had been a Saint what ever it had cost him Such kind of Questions urge the Conscience and much convince § 17. Direct 17. Cause them to learn some one most plain and pertinent text for every great Direct 17. and necessary duty and against every great and dangerous sin and often to repeat them to you As Luk. 13. 3 5. Except ye Repent ye shall all perish Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven So Mat. 18. 3. Rom. 8. 9. Heb. 18. 14. Ioh. 3. 16 Luk. 18. 1 c. So against lying swearing taking Gods name in vain flesh-pleasing Gluttony pride and the rest § 18. Direct 18. Drive all your Convictions to a Resolution of Endeavour and amendment and Direct 18. make them sometime promise you to do that which you have convinced them of And sometimes before witnesses But let it be done with these necessary Cautions 1. That you urge not a promise in any doubtful point or such as you have not first convinced them of 2. That you urge not a promise in things beyond their present strength As you must not bid them promise you to Believe or to Love God or to be tender-hearted or heavenly-minded but to do those duties which tend to these as to hear the Word or read or pray or meditate or keep good company or avoid temptations c. 3. That you be not too often upon this or upon one and the same strain in the other methods lest they take them but for words of course and custome teach them to contemn them But seasonably and prudently done their promises will lay a great engagement on them § 19. Direct 19. Teach them how to pray by formes or without as is most suitable to their â—ase and Direct 19. parts And either your self or
some that may inform you should hear them pray sometime that you may know their spirit and how they profit § 20. Direct 20. Put such Books into their hands as are meetest for them and engage them to Direct 20. read them when they are alone And ask them what they understand and remember of them And hold them not without necessity so hard to work as to allow them no time for reading by themselves But drive them on to work the harder that they may have some time when their work is done § 21. Direct 21. Cause them to teach one another when they are together Let their talk be profitable Direct 21. Let those that read best be reading sometime to the rest and instructing them and furthering their edification Their familiarity might make them very useful to one another § 22. Direct 22. Tire them not out with too much at once but give it them as they can receive it Direct 22. Narrow mouth'd bottles must not be filled as wider vessels § 23. Direct 23. Labour to make all sweet and pleasant to them and to that end sometime mix Direct 23. the reading of some profitable history as the Book of Martyrs and Clarkes Martyrologie and his Lives § 24. Direct 24. Lastly Entice them with kindnesses and rewards Be kind to your Children Direct 24. when they do well and be as liberal to your servants as your Condition will allow you For this maketh your persons acceptable first and then your instructions will be much more acceptable Nature teacheth them to Love those that Love them and do them good and to hearken willingly to those they love A small gift now and then might signifie much to the further benefit of their souls § 25. If any shall say that here is so much ado in all these directions as that few can follow Direct 25. them I intreat them to consult with Christ that dyed for them whether souls be not pretious and worth all this adoe And to consider how small a labour all this is in comparison of the everlasting end And to remember that all is Gain and pleasure and a delight to those that have holy hearts And to remember that the effects to the Church and Kingdom of such holy Government of families would quite over-compensate all the pains CHAP. XXIII Tit. 1. Directions for Prayer in General § 1. HE that handleth this Duty of PRAYER as it deserveth must make it the second The Stoicks say Orabit sapiens ac vâ—ta faciet bona à diis postulans Lacrt. it Zenone So that when Scneca saith Cur deos precibus fatigatis c. he only intendeth to reprove the slothful that think to have all done by prayer alone while they are idle and neglect the means Part in the Body of Divinity and allow it a larger and exacter Tractate than I here intend For I have before told you that as we have three Natural faculties An Understanding Will and Executive Power so these are qualified in the Godly with Faith Love and Obedience and have three particular Rules The Creed to shew us what we must Believe and in what Order The Lords Prayer to shew us what and in what order we must Desire and Love And the Decalogue to tell us what and in what order we must do Though yet these are so near kin to one another that the same actions in several respects belong to each of the Rules As the Commandments must be Believed and Loved as well as Obeyed and the matter of the Lords Prayer must be believed to be good and necessary as well as Loved and Desired and Belief and Love and Desire are commanded and are part of our obedience yet for all this they are not formally the same but divers And as we say that the Heart or Will is the man as being the Commanding faculty so Morally the Will the Love or Desire is the Christian and therefore the Rule of Desire or Prayer is a Principal part of true Religion The internal part of this Duty I partly touched before Tom. 1. Chap. 3. and the Church Part I told you why I past by Tom. 2. it being not left by the Government where we live to Private Ministers discussion save only to perswade men to obey what is established and commanded Therefore because I have omitted the later and but a little toucht upon the former I shall be the larger on it in this place to which for several Reasons I have reserved it § 2. Direct 1. See that you understand what Prayer is Even The expressing or acting of our Direct 1. Desires before another to move or some way procure him to grant them True Christian Prayer is The believing and serious expressing or acting of our lawful desires before God through Iesus our Mediator by the help of the Holy Spirit as a means to procure of him the grant of these desires Here note 1. That inward Desire is the soul of Prayer 2. The expressions or inward actings of them is as the Body of Prayer 3. To men it must be Desire so expressed as they may Plerumque hoc negotium plus gentibus quam sermonibus agitur August Epist. 121. understand it But to God the inward acting of Desires is a Prayer because he understandeth it 4. But it is not the acting of Desire simply in it self that is any Prayer For he may have Desires that offereth them not up to God with Heart or Voice But it is Desires as some way offered up to God or represented or acted towards him as a means to procure his blessing that is Prayer indeed § 3. Direct 2. See that you understand the Ends and Use of Prayer Some think that it is of Direct 2. no Use but only to move God to be willing of that which he was before unwilling of And therefore because that God is Immutable they think that Prayer is a Useless thing But Prayer is Useful 1. As an act of Obedience to Gods Command 2. As the performance of a condition without which he hath not promised us his Mercy and to which he hath promised it 3. As a Means to actuate and express and increase our own Humility Dependance Desire Trust and Hope in God and so to make us capable and fit for Mercy who else should be uncapable and unfit 4. And so though God be not changed by it in himself yet the Real change that is made by it on our selves doth infer a change in God by meer Relation or Extrinsical denomination he being one that is according to the tenour of his own established Law and Covenant engaged to disown or punish the Unbelieving Prayerless and Disobedient and after engaged to Own or pardon them that are Faithfully Desirâ—us and Obedient And so this is a Relative or at least a denominative change So that in Prayer Faith and Fervency are so far from being useless that they as much prevail for the thing
to express his Desires so far as they are good 3. A wicked mans wicked prayers are never accepted but a wicked mans prayers which are for good things from common grace are so far accepted as that they are some means conducing to his reformation and though his person be still unjustified and these Prayers sinful yet the total omission of them is a greater sin 4. A wicked man is bound at once to Repent and Pray Act. 8. 22. Isa. 55. 6 7. And when ever Gods bids him ask for grace he bids him desire grace And to bid him Pray is to bid him Repent and be of a better mind Therefore those that reprove Ministers for perswading wicked men to Pray reprove them for perswading them to Repentance and good desires But if they Pray without that Repentance which God and man exhort them to the sin is theirs But all their labour is not lost â— their desires fall short of saving sincerity They are under obligations to many duties which tend to bring them nearer Christ and which they may do without special saving grace § 12. Quest. 12. May a wicked man pray the Lords Prayer or be exhorted to use it Quest. 12. Answ. 1. The Lords Prayer in its full and proper sense must be spoken by a Penitent believing Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 10. 14. justified person For in the full sense no one else can call him Our Father though in a limited sense the wicked may And they cannot desire the Glory of God and the coming of his Kingdom nor the dâ—ing of his will on Earth as it is in Heaven and this sincerely without true grace especially those enemies of holiness that think it too much strictness to do Gods will on Earth ten thousand degrees lower than it is done in Heaven Nor can they put up one Petition of that Prayer sincerely according to the proper sense no not to pray for their Daily bread as a means of their support while they are doing the will of God and seeking first his Glory and his Kingdom But yet it 's possible for them to speak these words from such common desires as are not so bad as none at all § 13. Quest. 13. Is it Idolatry to Pray to Saints or Angels Or is it alwayes sinful Quest. 13. Answ. I love not to be too quarrelsome with other mens devotions But 1. I see not how 〈…〉 65 â— Isâ— 6â— 16. Psal 145. 18. 1 Kâ—â—e 8. 3â— Aâ—â— 1. 24. Rom. 8. 27. 10. 14. Psal. 62. 8. Mat. 4. 9. Praying to an Angel or a departed Saint can be excused from sin Because it supposeth them to be every where present or to be Omniscient and to know the heart yea to know at once the hearts of all men or else the speaker pretendeth to know when the Saint or Angel is present and heareth him and when not And because the Scripture doth nowhere signifie that God would have us pray to any such Saints or Angels but signifieth enough to satisfie us of the contrary 2. But all prayer to them is not Idolatry but some is and therefore we must distinguish if we will judge righteously 1. To pray to Saints or Angels as supposed Omnipresent Omniscient or Omnipotent is flâ—t Idolatry 2. To pray to them to Forgive us our sins against God or to Justifie or Sanctifie or Redeâ—m or save us from Hell or any thing which belongeth to God only to do is no better than Idolatry 3. But to pray to them only to do that which belongeth to the guardian or charitable office that is committed to them and to think that though they are not Omnipresent nor Omniscient â—ev 22. 8 9. â—o 2. 18. nor you know not whether they hear you at this time or not yet you will venture your prayers at uncertainty it being but so much labour lost this I take to be sinfully superstitious but not Idolatry 4. But to pray to living Saints or Sinners for that which belongeth to them to give is no sin at all § 14. Quest. 14. Is a man bound to pray ordinarily in his family Quest. 14. Answ. I have answered this affirmatively before and proved it One grain of grace would answer it better than arguments can do § 15. Quest. 15. Must the same man pray secretly that hath prayed in his family or with others Quest. 15. Answ. 1. Distinguish between those that were the speakers and those that were not and 2. Between those that have leisure from greater or more urgent duties and those that have not And so 1. Those that are free from the urgency of all other duties which at that time are greater should pray both in the family and in secret especially if they were not themselves the speakers usually they will have the more need of secret Prayer because their hearts in publick may easilier flag and much of their case may be omitted 2. But those that have more urgent greater duties mâ—â— take up a Mark that Isay but At 〈…〉 at that time with family prayer alone with secret ejaculations especially if they were the Speakers having there put up the same requests as they would do in secret § 16. Quest. 16. Is it best to keep set hours for prayer or to take the time which is fittest at present Quest. 16. Answ. Ordinarily set times will prove the fittest times and to leave the time undetermined and uncertain will put all out of order and multiply impediments and hinder duty But yet when extraordinary cases make the ordinary time unfit a fitter time must be taken § 17. Quest. 17. Is it lawful to joyn in family or Church prayers with ungodly men Quest. 17. Answ. I joyn both together because the cases little differ For the Pastor hath the Government of the people in Church-worship as the Master of the family hath in family-worship You may choose at first whether you will be a member of the Church or family if you were not born to it as your priviledge But when you are a member of either you must be Governed as members And to the case 1. You must distinguish between Professed wicked men and those that sin against their profession 2. And between a family or Church that is totally wicked and that which is mixt of good and bad 3. And between those wicked men whose presence is your sin because you have power to remove them and those whose presence is not your sin nor the matter in your power 4. And between one that may yet choose of what family he will be and one that may not And so I answer 1. If it be the fault of the Master of the family or the Pastors of the Church that such wicked men are there and not cast out then it is their sin to joyn with them because it is their duty to remove them But that is not the case of the fellow-servants or people that have no power 2. If that wicked men profess
from Vineyards and Wine as the Rechabites were nor every man to go forth to Preach in the garb as Christ sent the twelve and seventy Disciples Nor every man to administer or receive the Lords Supper in an upper room of a house in the Evening with eleven or twelve only c. nor every one to carry Pauls Cloak and Parchments nor go up and down on the messages which some were sent on And here in precepts about Worship you must know what is the thing primarily intended in the command and what it is that is but a subservient means For many Laws are universal and immutable as to the matter primarily intended which are but local and temporary as to the matter subservient and secondarily intended As the command of saluting one another with a holy Kiss and using Love feasts in their sacred Communion primarily intended the exercising and expressing holy Love by such convenient signes as were then in use and suitable to those times But that it be done by those particular signes was subservient and a local alterable Law as appeareth 1. In that it is actually laid down by Gods allowance 2. In that in other places and times the same signes have not the same signification and aptitude to that use at all and therefore would be no such expression of Love or else have also some ill signification So it was the first way of Baptizing to dip them overhead which was fit in that hot Countrey which in colder Countreys it would not be as being destructive to health and more against modesty Therefore it is plain that is was but a local alterable Law The same is to be said of not-eating things strangled and blood which was occasioned by the offence of the Jews and other the like This is the case in almost all precepts about the external worshipping gestures The thing that God commandeth universally is a humble reverent adoration of him by the mind and body Now the adoration of the mind is still the same but the bodily expression altereth according to the custome of Countreys In most Countreys kneeling or prostration are the expressions of greatest veneration and submission In some few Countreys it is more signified by sitting with the face covered with their hands In some it is signified best by standing kneeling is ordinarily most fit because it is the most common sign of humble reverence but where it is not so it is not fit The same we must say of other gestures and of habits The Women among the Corinthians were not to go uncovered because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11. 10. and yet in some places where long hair or covering may have a contrary signification the case may be contrary The very fourth Commandment however it was a perpetual law as to the proportion of time yet was alterable as to the seventh day Those which I call Universal Laws some call Moral But that 's no term of distinction but signifieth the common nature of all Laws which are for the Governing of our Manners Some call them Natural Laws and the other Positive But the truth is There are some Laws of Nature which are Universal and some that are particular as they are the Result of Universal or Particular Nature And there are some Laws of Nature that are perpetual ☜ which are the result of an unaliered foundation and there are some that are Temporary when it is See the Advertisement before my Book against Infidelity some Temporary alterable thing in Nature from whence the duty doth result So there are some Positive Laws that are Universal or unalterable during this World and some that are Local particular or temporary only § 24. Direct 13. Remember that whatever duty you seem obliged to perform the obligation still Direct 13. supposeth that it is not naturally impossible to you and therefore you are bound to do it as well as you can See Mr. Trumans book of Natural and Moral Impotency And when other mens force or your natural disability hindereth you from doing it as you would you are not therefore disobliged from doing it at all but the total omission is wâ—rse than the defective performance of it as the defective performance is worse than doing it more perfectly And in such a case the Defects which are utterly involuntary are none of yours imputatively at all but his that hindereth you unless as some other sin might cause that As if I were in a Countrey where I could have liberty to Read and Pray but not to Preach or to Preach only once a moneth and no more It is my duty to do so much as I can do as being much better than nothing and not to forbear all because I cannot do all Obj. But you must forbear no part of your duty Answ. True but nothing is my duty which is Object 1. naturally impossible for me to do Either I can do it or I cannot If I can I must supposing it a duty in all other respects but if I cannot I am not bound to it Obj. But it is not suffering that must deter you for that is a carnal reason and your suffering Object 2. may do more good than your preaching Answ. Suffering is considerable either as a pain to the flesh or as an unresistible hindrance of the work of the Gospel As it is meerly a pain to the flesh I ought not to be deterred by it from the work of God But as it forcibly hindereth me from that work as by Imprisonment death cutting out the tongue c. I may lawfully foresee it and by lawful means avoid it when it is sincerely for the work of Christ and not for the saving of the flesh If Paul foresaw that the Preaching of one more Sermon at Damascus was like to hinder his preaching any more because the Jews watcht the gates day and night to kill him it was Pauls duty to be let down by the wall in a basket and to escape and preach elsewhere Act. 9. 25. And when the Christians could not safely meet publickly they met in secret as Ioh. 19. 38. Act. 12. 12 c. whether Pauls suffering at Damascus for Preaching one more Sermon or his preaching more elsewhere was to be chosen the interest of Christ and the Gospel must direct him to resolve That which is best for the Church is to be chosen § 25. Direct 14. Remember that no material duty is formally a duty at all times that which Direct 14. is a duty in its season is no duty out of season Affirmative precepts bind not to all times except only to habits or the secret intention of our ultimate end so far as is sufficient to animate and actuate the means while we are waking and have the use of reason Praying and Preaching that are very great duties may be so unseasonably performed as to be sins If forbearing a prayer or Sermon or Sacrament one day or month be rationally like to procure
taken upon a particular occasion must be generally or strictly interpreted Rule 44. unless there be special reasons for a restraint from the Matter End or other evidence As if you are afraid that your Son should marry such a Woman and therefore swear him not to marry without your Consent He is bound thereby neither to marry that Woman not any other Or if your servant haunt one particular Alehouse and you make him forswear All Houses in General he must avoid all other So Dr. Sanderson instanceth in the Oath of Supremacy p. 195. § 67. Rule 45. He that Voweth absolutely or implicitly to obey another in all things is bound to obey Rule 45. him in all lawful things where neither God nor other superiour or other person is injured unless the nature of the relation or the ends or reasons of the oath or something else infer a limitation as implyed § 68. Rule 46. Still distinguish between the falshood in the words as disagreeing to the Thing sworn and Rule 46. the falshood of them as disagreeing from the swearers mind The former is sometime excusable but the later never There are many other Questions about Oaths that belong more to the Chapter of Contracts and Justice between man and man and thither I refer them CHAP. VI. Directions to the People concerning their Internal and Private Duty to their Pastors and the improvement of their Ministerial Office and Guifts THe Peoples Internal and Private duty to their Pastors which I may treat of without an appearance of â—ncroachment upon the work of the Canons Rubricks and Diocesans I shall open to you in these Directions following § 1. Direct 1. Understand first the true Ground and Nature and Reasons of the Ministerial Direct 1. Office or else you will not understand the Grounds and Nature and Reasons of your duty to them The Diâ—â—â—â— 2. of Church-Government Ch. 1. And universal Coâ—coâ—d Nature and Works of the Ministerial Office I have so plâ—inly opened already that I shall referr you to it to avoid repetition Hâ—re are two sorts of Reasons to be given you 1. The Reasons of the necessity of the Ministerial work 2. Why certain persons must be separated to this work and it must not be left to all in common § 2. 1. The Necessity of the work it self appeareth in the very Nature of it and enumeration of the parts of it Two sorts of Ministers Christ hath made use of for his Church The first sâ—rt was for Of the differencâ— between fixed and uâ—fixed Ministers see my Disp. 2. 〈…〉 Church-Government and Ios. Acoâ—â—aâ— 5. â— 21. 22. dâ— Missionibus the Revelation of some New Law or Doctrine to be the Churches Rule of Faith or Life And these were to prove their authority and credibility by some Divine attestation which was especially by Miracles and so Moses revealed the Law to the Jews and Christ and the Apostles revealed the Gospel The second sort of Ministers are appointed to Guide the Church to salvation by opening and applying the Rule thus already sealed and delivered And these as they are to bring no new Revelations or Doctrines of faith or Rule of life so they need not bring any Miracle to prove their call or authority to the Church For they have no power to deliver any new Doctrine or Gospel to the Church but only that which is confirmed by Miracles already And it is impudency to demand that the same Gospel be proved by new Miracles by every Minister that shall expound or preach it That would make Miracles to be no Miracles § 3. The work of the ordinary Ministry such as the Priests and Teachers were under the Law The Work of the Ministry and ordinary Pastors and Teachers are under the Gospel being only to Gather and Govern the Churches their work lay in Explaining and Applying the Word of God and delivering his Sacraments and now containeth thâ—se particulars following 1. To Preach the Gospel for the Conversion Rom. 10. 7 14. Mar. 16. 15. of the unbelieving and ungodly world And that is done partly by expounding the words by a Translation into a tongue which the hearers or readers understand and partly by opening the sense Matth. 28. 19 20. and matter 2. In this they are not only Teachers but Messengers sent from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost to charge and command and intreat men in his Nâ—me to Repent and believe and be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. to God and in his Name to offer them a sâ—alâ—d pardon of all their sins and title to eternal life 3. Those that become the Disciples of Christ they are as his Stewards to receive into his Acts 26 17 18. Eph. 2. 19. house as fellow Citizens of the Saints and of the Houshold of God and as his Commissioned Officers Acts 2. 37 38 39 40. to solemnize by Baptism their enterance into the holy Covenant and to receive their engagement to God and to be the Messengers of Gods Engagement unto them and by Investiture to deliver them by that Sacrament the pardon of all their sin and their title by Adoption to â—ternal life As a house is delivered by the delivery of a Key or Land by a Twig and Turfe or Knighthood by a Sword or Garter c. 4. These Ministers are to gather these Converts into solemn Assemblies and ordered Churches Tit. 1. 7. 1 â—or 4. 1 2. Matth 28. 19 20. for their solemn worshipping of God and mutual edification communion and safe proceeding in their Christian course 5. They are to be the stated Teachers of the Assemblies by expounding and applying that Word which is fit to build them up 6. They are to be the Guides of the Congregation Acts 20. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 11 12. in publick Worship and to stand between them and Christ in things pertaining to God as subservient to Christ in his Priestly Office And so both for the people and also in their names to put Acts 14. 23. 2 Tim 2. 2. Acts 13. 2. 2. 41 42. 6. 2 Acts 20. 7 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Titus 1. 5. Acts 20 20 31. â—ol 1. 28. Eph 4 11 12. Mal. 2. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 17. up the publick Prayers and Praises of the Church to God 7. It is their duty to Administer to them as in the Name and stead of Christ his Body and Blood as broken and shed for them and so in the frequent renewals of the holy Covenants to subserve Christ especially in his Priestly Office to offer and deliver Christ and his benefits to them and to be their Agent in offering themselves to God 8. They are appointed to Oversâ—e and Govern the Church in the publick Ordering of the solemn Worship of God and in râ—buking any that are there disorderly and seeing that all things be done to edification 9. They are appointed as Teachers for every particular Member of the Church to have private
to a more edifying Church that useth all the publick Ordinances of God unless the publick good forbid or some great impediment or contrary duty be our excuse § 36. 11. If a true Church will not cast out any impenitent notorious scandalous sinner though 2 John 10. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 11. I am not to separate from the Church yet I am bound to avoid private familiarity with such a person that he may be ashamed and that I partake not of his sin § 37. 12. As the Church hath diversity of members some more holy and some less and some of whole sincerity we have small hope some that are more honourable and some less some that walk Mat. 13. 41 30. Jer. 15. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 23 24. blamelesly and some that work iniquity So Ministers and private members are bound to difference between them accordingly and to honour and love some far above others whom yet we may not excommunicate And this is no sinful separation § 38. 13. If the Church that I live and communicate with do hold any tolerable error I may differ therein from the Church without a culpable separation Union with the Church may be continued with all the diversities before mentioned D. 3. § 10. § 39. 14. In case of persecution in one Church or City when the servants of Christ do flye to another having no special reason to forbid it this is no sinful separation Matth. 10. 23. § 40. 15. If the publick service of the Church require a Minister or a private Christian to remove to another Church if it be done deliberately and upon good advice it is no sinful separation § 41. 16. If a Lawful Prince or Magistrate command us to remove our habitation or command a Minister from one Church to another when it is not notoriously to the detriment of the common interest of Religion it is no sinful separation to obey the Magistrate § 42. 17. If a poor Christian that hath a due and tender care of his salvation do find that under one Minister his soul declineth and groweth dead and under another that is more sound and clear and lively he is much edified to a holy and heavenly frame and life and if hereupon preferring his salvation before all things he remove to that Church and Minister where he is most edified without unchurching the other by his censures this is no sinful separation but a preferring the One thing needful before all § 43. 18. If one part of the Church have leisure opportunity cause and earnest desires to meet ofter for the edifying of their souls and redeeming their time than the poorer labouring or careless and less zealous part will meet in any fit place under the oversight and conduct of their Pastors and not in opposition to the more publick full assemblies as they did Acts 12. 12. to pray for Peter at the house of Mary where many were gathered together praying and Acts 10. 1 c. this is no sinful separation § 44. 19. If a mans own outward affairs require him to remove his habitation from one City or Countrey to another and there be no greater matter to prohibite it he may lawfully remove his local communion from the Church that he before lived with to that which resideth in the place he goeth to For with distant Churches and Christians I can have none but Mental Communion or by distant means as writing messengers c. It is only with present Christians that I can have local personal communion § 45. 20. It is possible in some cases that a man may live long without local personal communion with any Christians or Church at all and yet not be guilty of sinful separation As the Kings Embassadour or Agent in a Land of Infidels or some Traveller Merchants Factors or such as go to convert the Infidels or those that are banished or imprisoned In all these twenty cases some kind of separation may be lawful § 46. 21. One more I may add which is when the Temples are so small and the Congregations so great that there is no room to hear and joyn in the publick Worship or when the Church is so excessively great as to be uncapable of the proper ends of the society in this case to divide or withdraw is no sinful separation When one Hive will not hold the Bees the swarm must seek themselves another without the injury of the rest By all this you may perceive that sinful separation is first in a censorious uncharitable mind condemning Churches Ministers and Worship causelesly as unfit for them to have communion with And Secondly it is in the personal separation which is made in pursuance of this censure But not in any local removal that is made on other lawful grounds § 47. Direct 4. Understand and consider well the Reasons why Christ so frequently and earnestly Direct 4. presseth Concord on his Church and why he so vehemently forbiddeth Divisions Observe how much the Scripture speaketh to this purpose and upon what weighty Reasons Here are four things distinctly to be represented to your serious consideration 1. How many plain and urgent are the Texts that speak for Unity and condemn Division 2. The great Benefits of Concord 3. And the mischiefs of Discord and Divisions in the Church 4. And the Aggravations of the sin § 48. I. A true Christian that hateth fornication drunkenness lying perjury because they are forbidden in the Word of God will hate Divisions also when he well observeth how frequently and vehemently they are forbidden and Concord highly commended and commanded John 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also See Rom. 14. throughout Rom. 15. 12. 5 6 7. may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be One even as we are One I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in One and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as Ephes. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. thou hast loved me Here you see that the Unity of the Saints must be a special means to convince the Infidel world of the truth of Christianity and to prove Gods special Love to his Church and 1 Pet. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 12. throughout Phil. 3. 15 16. Acts 2. 1 46. 4. 32. also to accomplish their own perfection 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions or Schisms among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement For it hath been declared to me of you my brethren that there are contentions among you Rom. 12. 4 5. Psalm 133. 1 Cor. 8. 1
how contrary soever among themselves but they all pretended Gods authority and entitled him to their sin and called it his service and censured others as ungodly or less godly that would not do as bad as they St. Iames is put to confute them that thought this wisdom was from above and so did glory in their sin and lye against the truth when their wisdom was from beneath and no better than earthly sensual and deviliish For the wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy c. James 3. 17. § 78. 12. Church divisions are unlike to our Heavenly state and in some regard worse than the Kingdom of the Devil for he would not destroy it by dividing it against it selâ— Matth. 12. 26. O what a blessed harmony of united holy souls will there be in the Heavenly Ierusalem where we hope to dwell for ever There will be no discords envyings Sideings or contendings one being of this party and another of that but in the Unity of perfect Love that world of Spirits with joyful Eph. 4. 13 14 16. praise will magnifie their Creator And is a snarling envy or jarring discord the likely way to such an end Is the Church of Christ a Babâ—l of confusion Should they be divided party against party here that must be one in perfect Love for ever Shall they here be condemning each other as none of the children of the Most High who there must live in sweetest concord If there be shame in Heaven you will be ashamed to meet those in the delights of Glory and see them entertained by the Lord of Love whom you reviled and cast out of the Church or your communion causelesly on earth § 79. Remember now that Schism and making parties and divisions in the Church is not so small a sin as many take it for It is the accounting it a duty and a part of Holiness which is the greatest cause that it prospereth in the world And it will never be reformed till men have right apprehensions of the evil of it Why is it that sober people are so far and free from the sins of swearing drunkenness fornication and lasciviousness but because these sins are under so odious a character as helpeth them easily to perceive the evil of them And till Church-divisions be rightly apprehended as whoredom and swearing and drunkenness are they will never be well cured Imprint therefore on your minds the true Character of them which I have here laid down and look abroad upon the effects and then you will fear this confounding sin as much as a consuming Plague § 80. The two great causes that keep Divisions from being hated as they ought are 1. A charitable Two Hinderances of our true apprehensions of Schisme respect to the good that is in Church-dividers carrying us to overlook the evil of the sin judging of it by the Persons that commit it and thinking that nothing should seem odious that is theirs because many of them are in other respects of blameless pious conversations And indeed every Christian must so prudently reprehend the mistakes and faults of pious men as not to asperse the piety which is conjunct and therefore not to make their persons odious but to give the person all his just commendations for his piety while we oppose and aggravate his sin Because Christ himself so distinguisheth between the good and the evil and the person and the sin and loveth his own for their good while he hateth their evil and so must we And because it is the grand design of Satan by the faults of the godly to make their Persons hated first and their Piety next and so to banish Religion from the world And every friend of Christ must shew himself an enemy to this design of Satan But yet the sin must be disowned and opposed while the person is Loved according to his worth Christ will give no thanks for such Love to his children as cherisheth their Church-destroying sins There is no greater enemy to sin than Christ though there be no greater friend to souls Godliness was never intended to be a fortress for iniquity or a battery for the Devil to mount his Cannons on against the Church nor for a blind to cover the Powder-mines of Hell Satan never opposeth Truth and Godliness and Unity so dangerously as when he can make Religious men his instruments Remember therefore that all men are vanity and Gods interest and honour must not be sacrificed to theirs nor the most Holy be abused in reverence to the holiest of sinful men § 81. The other great hinderance of our due apprehension of the sinfulness of divisions is our too deep sense of our sufferings by superiours and our looking so much at the evil of persecutions as not to look at the danger of the contrary extream Thus under the Papacy the people of Germany at Luthers Reformation were so deeply sensible of the Papal cruelties that they thought by how many wayes soever men fled from such bloody persecutors they were very excusable And while men were all taken up in decrying the Roman Idolatry corruptions and cruelties they never feared the danger of their own divisions till they smarted by them And this was once the case of many good people here in England who so much hated the wickedness of the Prophane and the Haters of Godliness that they had no apprehensions of the evil of Divisions among themselves And because many prophanâ— ones were wont to call sober godly people Schismaticks and Factious therefore the very names begâ—n with many to grow into credit as if they had been of good signification and there had been really no such sin as schism and factiâ—n to be feared Till God permitted this sin to break in upon us with such fury as had almost turned us into a Babel and a desolation And I am perswaded God did purposely permit it to teach his people more sensibly to know the evil of that sin by the efâ—â—cts which they would not know by other means And to let them see when they had reviled and ruined each other that there is that in themselves which they should be more afraid of than of any enemy without § 82. Direct 5. Own nâ—t any cause which is an enemy to Love And pretend neither Truth nor Holiness Direct 5. nor Unity nor Order nor any thing against it The Spirit of Love is that one Vital Spirit which 〈…〉 9 〈…〉 4. 〈…〉 2. 〈…〉 19. â—â— 1 〈…〉 1 â—â—â—â— 5 〈…〉 2 â—â—â—â— 1. 7. Heb. 10. 24. 〈…〉 5. 6 13. doth animate all the Saints The increase â—f Love is the powerful Balâ—â—me that healeth all the Churches wounds Though loveless lifeless Physicions think that all these wounds must be healed by the Sword And indeed the Weapon-salve is now become the proper cure It is the Sword that must be medicated that the wounds made by it may be healed The decayes of
he calleth them out of Babylon It 's true you must partake with no Church in their sins but you may partake with any Church in their holy profession and worship so far as you can do it without partaking with them in their sins § 88. Direct 11. Understand what it is that maketh you partakers of the sins of a Church or any Direct 11. member of it lest you think you are bound to separate from them in good as well as in evil Many fly from the publick Assemblies lest they partake of the sins of those that are there present Certainly nothing but Consent direct or indirect can make their faults to become yours And therefore nothing which signifieth not some such consent should be on that account avoided 1. If you by word or subscription or furtherance own any mans sin you directly consent to it 2. If you neglect any duty which lyeth upon you for the cure of his sin you indirectly consent For you consent that he shall rather continue in his sin than you will do your part to help him out of it Consider therefore how far you are bound to reprove any sin or to use any other means for the reformation of it whether it be in the Pastor or the people and if you neglect any such means your way is to reform your own neglect and do your duty and not to separate from the Church before you have done your duty to reform it But if you have done all that is your part then the sin is none of yours though you remain there present § 89. It is a turbulent fanâ—ie and disquieting errour of some people to think that their presence Quest. Whether presence be not a consent to sin in the Assembly and continuance with the Church doth make them guilty of the personal faults of those they joyn with If so who would ever joyn with any Assembly in the World Quest. But what if they be gross and scandalous sinners that are members of the Church Answ. If you be wanting in your duty to reform it it is your sin But if bare presence made their sins to be ours it would also make all the sins of the Assembly ours But no word of God doth intimate any such thing Paul never told the Churches of Galatia and Corinth so that had so many defiled members Quest. But what if they are sins committed in the open Assembly even by the Minister himself in his praying preaching and other administrations and what if all this be imposed on him by a Law and so I am certain before hand that I must joyn with that which is unwarrantable in Gods Worship Answ. The next Direction containeth those distinctions that are necessary to the answer of this § 90. Direct 12. Distinguish carefully 1. Between a Ministers Personal faults and his Ministerial Direct 12. faults 2. Between his tolerable weaknesses and his intolerable insufficiencies 3. And between the work ☜ of the Minister and of the Congregation And then you will see your doubt resolved in these following Propositions § 91. 1. A Ministers personal faults as swearing lying drunkenness c. may damn himself Saith Câ—â—aâ—thâ—s in â—art The Peripâ—â—â—â—ticks are like Letters that sound well but hear not themselves and must be matter of lamentation to the Church and they must do their best to reform them or to get a better Pastor by any lawful means But in case they cannot his sin is none of theirs nor doth it make his administration null of ineffectual nor will it allow you to separate from the Worship which he administreth Though many of the Priests were wicked men the Godly Jews were not thereby disobliged from Gods publick Worship or sacrifices which were to be offered by their hands Otherwise how sad a case were the Church in that must answer for the sins which they never committed nor could reform But no Scripture chargeth this upon them § 92. 2. It is not all Ministerial faults that will allow you to separate from or disown a Minister Yet I excuse not imâ—iâ—ty or insufficiency in Ministers but only those that prove him or his ministration utterly intolerable Such are 1. An utter insufficiency in knowledge or utterance for the necessary parts of the Ministerial work As if he be not able to Teach the necessary points of Christian Religion nor to administer the Sacraments and other parts of publick Worship 2. If he set himself to oppose the very ends of his Ministry and Preach down It was one of Soloâ—s Laws Qâ—i nequitia ac slaâ—itiis insignis est tribunali publicisque sâ—â—gâ—stis arâ—eâ—dus est And Gildas saith to the ungodly Pastors of Britain Apparet ergò â—um qui vos sacerdotes sclers ex corde dicit noâ—â—sse exiâ—ium Christianum Quomodo vos aliquid solvetis ut sit solutum iâ— coelis à coelo ob scâ—lâ—ra adempti immaniâ—m peccatorum fuâ—ibus coâ—pâ—diti Qua ratione aliquid in teâ—â—a ligabitis quod supra mundum etiam ligetur propter vosmâ—t iâ—sos qâ—i ita ligaâ—i iniquitatibus iâ— hoc mundo tenemini ut in coelos nunquam asâ—endatis sed in infausta taâ—tari ergastula non conversi in haâ— vita ad dominum dâ—â—idatis fol. ult O iniâ—ici Dei noâ— sacerdotes O liciâ—atores malorum non poâ—tifices traditores non sanctorum Apostolorum successorâ—s inpugnatorâ— non Christi ministri pag. 571. impres Basil. Godliness or any part of it that is of necessity to salvation For then he doth the Devils work in seeking the damnation of souls and so maketh himself the Devils Minister and is not the Minister of Christ. For the end is essential to the Relation Herein I include a Preacher of Heresie that doth preach up any damning errour and preach down any necessary saving Truth that is that preacheth such errour as subverteth either Faith or Godliness and doth more harm in the Church than Good 3. If he so deprave Gods publick Worship as to destroy the substance of it and make it unacceptable and offer up a publick false-worship to God which he disowneth in the very matter of it As if he put up blaspheamy for praise and prayer or commit Idolatry or set up New Sacraments and guide the people thus in publick Worship As the Papists Priests do that adore bread with Divine Worship and pray to the dead and offer real Sacrifices for them c. Such Worship is not to be joyned in 4. Or if they impose any actual sin upon the people As in their Responds to speak any falshood or to adore the bread or the like These faults discharge us from being present with such Pastors at such Worship But besides these there are many Ministerial faults which warrant not our separation As 1. The internal vices of the Pastors mind though manifested in their Ministration As some tolerable errours of judgement or envy and pettish opposition to others Phil. 1. 15. Some
7. 26. 13. Mat. 23. 14. Mar. 1â— 40. Exod. 6. 30. Deuâ— 7. 12. 11. 13. 13. 18. 15. 5. 26. 17. 28. 1. Psal. 81. 8 9 10 11 12. of promoting unity and obedience and the Catholick Church while the Cloak or Cover of it is but the thin transparent Spider-web of humane Traditions and numerous Ceremonies and childish complementing with Goâ— And when they have nothing but the prayers of a long Liturgie to cover the effects of their earthly sensual and diabolical zeal and wisdom as St. Iames calls it 3. 15 16. and to concâ—ct the Widdows houses which they devour and to put a reverence upon the office and work which they labour all the week to render reproachful by a sensual luxurious idle life and by perfidious making merchandize of souls As ever you care what becometh of your souls take heed lest sin grow bold under Prayers and grow familiar and contemptuous of Sermons and holy speeches and lest you keep a custome of Religious exercises and wilful sins For oh how doth this harden now and wound hereafter He is the best hearer that is the holiest liver and faithfullest obeyer Direct 14. Be not a bare hearer of the Prayers of the Pastor whether it be by a Liturgie or Direct 14. without For that is but hypocrisie and a sin of omission You come not thither only to hear prayers but to pray And kneeling is not praying but it is a profession that you pray And will you be prayerless even in the house of Prayer and when you profess and seem to pray and so add hypocrisie to impiety I fear many that seem Religious and would have those kept from the Sacrament that Pray not in their Families do very ordinarily tolerate themselves in this gross omission and mocking of God and are Prayerless themselves even when they seem to Pray Direct 15. Stir up your hearts in a special manner to the greatest alacrity and joy in speaking Direct 15. and singing the Praises of God The Lords day is a day of Joy and Thanksgiving and the Praises of God are the highest and holyest employment upon Earth And if ever you should do any thing with all your might and with a joyful and triumphing frame of soul it is this Be glad that you may joyn with the Sacred Assemblies in heart and voice in so Heavenly a work And do not as some humersome pievish persons that know not the danger of that proud disease fall to quarreling with Davids Psalms as unsuitable to some of the hearers or to nauseate every failing in the Metâ—â— so as to turn so holy a duty into neglect or scorn for alas such there are near me where I dwell nor let prejudice against melody or Church-musick if you dwell where it is used possess you with a spleneâ—ick disgust of that which should be your most joyful work And if you know how much the incorporate soul must make use of the body in harmony and in the joyful praises of Iehovah do not then quarrel with lawful helps because they are sensible and corporeal Direct 16. Be very considerate and serious in Sacramental renewings of your Covenant with God Direct 16. O think what great things you come thither to Receive And think what a holy work you have to See Mâ— Rawlâ—â—s Book of Sacramental Covenanting do And think what a Life it is that you must promise So solemn a Covenanting with God and of so great importance requireth a most holy reverent and serious frame of soul. But yet let not the unwarrantable differencing this Ordinance from Gods praises and the rest seduce you into the common errours of the times I mean 1. Of those that hence are brought to think that the Sacrament should never be received without a preparatory day of humiliation above the preparation for an ordinary Lords days work 2. And therefore receive it seldom whereas the primitive Churches never spent a Lords day together without it 3. Those that turn it into a perplexing terrifying thing for fear of being unprepared when it should be their greatest comfort and when they are not so perplexed about their unpreparâ—dness to any other duty 4. Those that make so great a difference betwixt this and Church-prayers praises and other Church-woâ—ship as that they take this Sacrament only for the proper work and priviledge of Church-members And thereupon turn it into an occasion of our great contentions and divisions while they fly from Sacramental Communion with others more than from Communion in the other Church-worship O what hath our subtle enemy done against the Love Peace and Unity of Christians especially in England under pretence of Sacramental purity Direct 17. Perform all your Worship to God as in heart-Communion with all Christs Churches Direct 17. upon Earth Even those that are faulty though not with their faults Though you can be present but with one yâ—â— consent as present in spirit with all and separate not in heart from any one any further than they separate from Christ. Direct 18. Accordingly let the Interest of the Church of Christ be very much upon your heart Direct 18. and pray as hard for it as for your self Direct 19. Yâ—â— remember in all what Relation you have to the Heavenly Society and Chore and Direct 19. think how they Worship God in Heaven that you may strive to imitate than in your degree Of which more anâ—n Direct 20. Let your whole course of life after savour of a Church-frame Live as the servants of Direct 20. that God whâ—m you Worship and as ever before him Live in the Love of those Christians with whom you have Communion and do not quarrel with them at home nor despise nor persecute them with whom you joyn in the Worshipping of God And do not needlesly open the weaknesses of the Minister to prejudice others against him and the Worship And be not Religious at the Church alone for then you are not truly Religious at all CHAP. X. Directions about our Communion with Holy Souls Departed and now with Christ. THE oversight and neglect of our duty concerning the souls of the blessed now with Christ I have said more of â—his since in my â—â—â—â—e of Faith doth very much harden the Papists in their erroneous excesses here about And if we will ever reduce them or rightly confute them it must be by a judicious asserting of the Truth and observing so much with them as is our duty and commending that in them which is to be commended and not by running away from truth and duty that we may get for enough from them and errour For errour is an ill way of confuting errour The practical Truth lyeth in these following Precepts § 1. Direct 1. Remember that the departed souls in Heaven are part and the noblest part of the Body Direct 1. of Christ and family of God of which you are inferiour members and therefore that you owe
sins 4. And another thing to forbear all communion with them even as to Baptism and other lawful things 5. And another thing to use some open detestations or protestations against them 2. And we must distinguish much of persons whether they be Ministers or people free or bound as Wives Children c. And now I answer 1. There is no question but it is a duty to judge all that evil which is evil among the Papists or any other 2. It is the duty of all to forbear subscribing swearing to or otherwise approving evil 3. It is the duty of all Mass-Priests to renounce that part of their calling and not to administer their Mass or any other unlawful thing 4. It is the duty of all private Christians to forbear communion in the Mass because it is a kind of Idolatry while they worship a piece of Bread as God As also Image-Worship and all other parts of their Religion in which they are put upon sin themselves or that which is notorious scandal and symbolizing with them in their Bread-worship or other corruptions of the substance of Gods Ordinances 5. It is their duty who have fit opportunity when it is like to do more good than harm to protest against the Papal corruptions where they are and to declare their detestation of them 6. It is the duty of those that have children to be baptized or catechized to make use of more lawful and sound Ministers when they may be had rather than of a Papist Priest 7. But in case they cannot remove or enjoy better I think it is lawful 1. To let such baptize their children rather than leave them unbaptized 2. To let their children be taught by them to read or in Arts and Sciences or the Catechism and common principles of Religion so they will mix no dangerous errors 3. And to hear those of them preach who preach soundly and piously such as were Gerrhard Zuâ—phaniensis Thaulerus Ferus and many more 4. And to read such good Books as these now mentioned have written 5. And to joyn with them in such Prayers as are â—ound and pious so they go no further 8. And Wives Children and such other as are bound and cannot lawfully remove may stay among them and take up with thâ—se helps dealing faithfully in abstaining from the rest II. The second Question is answered in this Only I add that it is one thing to be present as Elias was in a way of opposition to them or as Disputants are that open their errors or as a wise man may go to hear or see what they do without complyance as we read their Books And it is another thing to joyn with them in their sinful worship or scandalously to encourage them in it by seeming so to do See Calv. Contr. Nicod c. Quest. 7. Whether the true Calling of the Minister by Ordination or Election c. be necessary to the Essence of the Church BY a Church here we mean a Political Society of Christians and not any Assembly or Community And no doubt but Pastor and Flock are the constitutive parts of such a Church And where either of them are notoriously wanting it is notorious that there is no true Church Therefore all the doubt is whether such parts of his Call be necessary to the being of the Ministry or not And here we must conclude that the word Ministry and Church are ambiguous By a Mister or Pastor is meant either one that God so far owneth as to accept and justifie his administrations as for himself even his own good and salvation or one whose administrations God will own accept and bless to the people I. In the former sense 1. He is no true Minister that wanteth the essential qualifications of a Minister viz. that hath not 1. The understanding and belief of all the essential Articles of faith without Heresie 2. Tolerable Ability to teach these to the people and perform the other essentials of his office 3. Sincere Godliness to do all this in Love and obedience to God as his Servant in order to life eternal 2. And he is thus no true Pastor as to Gods acceptance of himself who hath not a lawful Calling that is 1. Ordination when it may be had 2. The Consent or Reception of that Church of which he pretendeth to be Pastor which is still necessary and must be had if Ordination cannot II. But in the second sense he is a Pastor so far as that God will own his Administrations as to the Peoples Good who 1. Hath possession 2. And seemeth to them to have necessary qualifications and a lawful call though it prove otherwise so be it it be not through their wilful fault that he is culpable or they mistaken in him If he be not a true Believer but an Infidel or Heretick he is no Minister as Act. 1. 17. Mat. 7. 22. to himself that is God will use him as an Usurper that hath no title But if he profess to be a believer when he is not he is a true Pastor visibly to the people Otherwise they could never know when they have a Pastor Even as real faith makes a real Christian and Professed faith maketh a visible Christian so is it as to the Ministry If he seem to understand the Articles of faith and do not or if he seem to have due ordination when he hath not if he be upon this mistake Accepted by the people he is a true Visible Pastor as to them that is as to their Duty and Benefit though not as to himself Yea the peoples consent to his entrance is not necessary ad esse nor to his Relation neither so far as to justifie himself but to his Administrations and to his Relation so far as their own Right and benefit is interessed in it So that two things are necessary to such a Visible Pastor as shall perform valid administrations to the Church 1. Seeming necessary qualifications and Calling to it 2. Possession by the peoples Reception or Consent to his Administrations and Relation so far as to their benefit And II. Thus also we must distinguish of the word Church It is 1. Such an entire Christian society as hath a Minister or Pastor whose office is valid as to himself and them Or it is such a society only as hath a Pastor whose office is valid to them but not to himself Let us not confound the question de re and de nomine These societies differ as is said Both may fitly be called True Churches As it is with a Kingdom which hath a Rightful Prince and one that hath an Usurper so is it here 1. If it have a Rightful King accepted it is a Kingdom in the fullest sense 2. If it have an Usurper accepted as King it is a Kingdom but faulty 3. If the Usurper be only so far accepted as that the people consent not to his entrance no nor his Relation so as to justifie his title but wish him cast out
expectat cuique ad resipiscendum non ista sufficiunt infatuatum se juxta Domini sententiam nullo unquam sale saliri posse demonstrat I will not English it lest those take encouragement by it who are bent to the other extream 7. Yet it will be a great offence if any censorious self-conceited person shall on this pretence set up his judgement of mens parts to the contempt of Authority or to the vilifying of worthy men and especially if he thereby make a stir and Schism in the Church instead of seeking his own edification 8. Yea if a Minister be weaker yea and colder and worse than another yet if his Ministry be competently fitted to edification he that cannot leave him and go to a better without apparent hurt to the Church and the souls of others by division or exasperating Rulers or breaking family ☜ order or violating Relation duties must take himself to be at present denyed the greater helps that others have and may trust God in the use of those weaker means to accept and bless him because he is in the station where he hath set him This case therefore must be Resolved by a prudent comparing of the Good or Hurt which is like to follow and of the accidents or circumstances whence that must be discerned Quest. 10. What if the Magistrate command the people to receive one Pastor and the Bishops or Ordainers another which of them must be obeyed 1. THe Magistrate and not the Bishop or people unless under him hath the power and disposal See more of this after of the Circumstantials or Accidents of the Church I mean of the Temple the Pulpit the Tythes c. And he is to determine what Ministers are fit either for his own Countenance or Toleration and what not In these therefore he is to be obeyed before the Bishops or others 2. If a Pope or Prelate of a foreign Church or any that hath no lawful Jurisdiction or Government over the Church that wanteth a Pastor shall command them to receive one their command is null and to be contemned 3. Neither Magistrate nor Bishop as is said may deny the Church or people any Liberty which God in Nature or Christ in the Gospel hath setled on them as to the Reception of their proper Pastors 4. No Bishop but only the Magistrate can compell by the Sword the obedience of his commands 5. If one of them command the reception of a worthy person and the other of an intolerable one the former must prevail because of obedience to Christ and care of our souls 6. But if the persons be equal or both fit the Magistrate is to be obeyed if he be peremptory in his commands and decide the case in order to the peace or protection of the Church both because it is a lawful thing and because else he will permit no other 7. And the rather because the Magistrates Power is more past controversie than Whether any Bishop Pastor or Synod can any further than by counsel and perswasion oblige the People to receive a Pastor Quest. 11. Whether an uninterrupted Succession either of right Ordination or of Conveyance by Iurisdiction be necessary to the Being of the Ministry or of a true Church THe Papists have hitherto insisted on the necessity of successive right Ordination But Voâ—tius de desperata Causa Papatus hath in this so handled them and confuted Iansenius as hath indeed shewed the desperateness of that Cause And they perceive that the Papacy it self cannot be upheld by that way and therefore Iohnson alias Terret in his Rejoynder against me now concludeth that it is not for want of a successive Consecration that they condemn the Church of England but for want of true Iurisdiction because other Bishops had title to the places whilest they were put in And that successive Consecration which we take to include Ordination is not necessary to the being of Ministry or Church And it is most certain to any man acquainted in Church History that their Popes have had a succession of neither Their way of Election hath been frequently changed sometimes being by the people sometimes by the Clergy sometimes by the Emperours and lastly by the Cardinals alone Ordination they have sometime wanted and a Lay-man been chosen And oft the Ordination hath been by such as had no power according to their own Laws And frequent intercisions have been made sometime by many years vacancy when they had no Church and so there was none on Earth if the Pope be the Constitutive Head for want of a Pope sometime by long Schisms when of two or three Popes no one could be known to have more right than the other nor did they otherwise carry it than by power at last Sometimes by the utter incapacity of the possessors some being Lay-men some Hereticks and Infidels so judged by Councils at Rome Constance Basil and Eugenius the fourth continued after he was so censured and condemned and deposed by the General Council I have proved all this at large elsewhere And he that will not be cheated with a bare sound of words but will ask them whether by a succession of Iurisdiction they mean Efficient Conveying Iurisdiction in the Causers of his Call or Received Iurisdiction in the Office received will find that they do but hide their desperate Cause in Confusion and an insignificant noise For they maintain that none on earth have an Efficient Iurisdiction in making Popes For the former Pope doth not make his successor And both Electors Ordainers and Consecrators yea and the people Receiving they hold to be subjects of the Pope when made and therefore make him not by Jurisdiction giving him the power Therefore Iohnson tells me that Christ only and not man doth give the power and they must needs hold that men have nothing to do but design the person Recipient by Election and Reception and to Invest him ceremonially in the possession So that no Efficient Iurisdiction is here used at all by man And for Received Iurisdiction 1. No one questioneth but when that Office is received which is Essentially Governing he that receiveth it receiveth a Governing power or else he did not receive the Office If the question be only whether the Office of a Bishop be an Office of Iurisdiction or contain essentially a Governing power they make no question of this themselves So that the noise of Successive Jurisdiction is vanished into nothing 2. And with them that deny any Jurisdiction to belong to Presbyters this will be nothing as to their case who have nothing but Orders to receive They have nothing of sense left them to say but this That though the Efficient Iurisdiction which maketh Popes be only in Christ because no men are their Superiours yet Bishops and Presbyters who have Superiours cannot receive their power but by an Efficient Power of man which must come down by uninterrupted succession Answ. 1. And so if ever the Papal Office have an
3. Else there should be seldome any Church in the world for want of a Head yea never any For I have proved there and to Iohnson that there never was a true General Council of the Universal See also in my Reasons of Christian Religion Coâ—s 2. of the Interest of the Church Church But only Imperial Councils of the Churches under one Emperours power and those that having been under it had been used to such Councils And that it is not a thing ever to be attempted or expected as being unlawful and morally impossible Quest. 13. Whether there be such a thing as a Visible Catholick Church And what it is THe Antients differently used the terms A Catholick Church and The Catholick Church By the first they meant any particular Church which was part of the Universal By the second 1 Cor. 12. 12. and throughout they meant the Universal Church it self And this is it that we now mean And I answer Affirmatively There is a Visible Universal Church not only as a Community or as a Kingdom distinct from the King but as a Political Society 2. This Church is the Universality of Baptized Visible Christians Headed by Iesus Christ himself Eph. 4. 1 5 6 7 16. There is this and there is no other upon earth The Papists say that this is no Visible Church because the Head is not Visible I answer 1. It is not necessary that he be seen but visible And is not Christ a Visible person 2. This Church consisteth of two parts the Triumphant part in Glory and the Militant part And Christ is not only Visible but seen by the triumphant part As the King is not seen by the ten thousandth part of his Kingdoms but by his Courtiers and those about him and yet he is King of all 3. Christ was seen on earth for above thirty years and the Kingdom may be called visible in that the King was once visible on earth and is now visible in Heaven As if the King would shew himself to his people but one year together in all his life 4. It ill becometh the Papists of any men to say that Christ is not visible who make him see him taste him handle him eat him drink him digest him in every Church in every Mass throughout the year and throughout the world And this not as divided but as whole Christ. Object But this is not quatenus Regent Answ. If you see him that is Regent and see his Laws and Gospel which are his Governing instruments together with his Ministers who are his Officers it is enough to denominate his Kingdom visible 5. The Church might be fitly denominated Visible secundum quid if Christ himself were invisible Because the Politick Body is visible the dispersed Officers Assemblies and Laws are visible But sure all these together may well serve for the denomination Quest. 14. What is it that maketh a Visible Member of the Universal Church And who are to be accounted such 1. BAptism maketh a Visible member of the Universal Church and the Baptized as to entrance Matth. 28. 19. 〈…〉 1â— 16. unless they go out again are to be accounted such 2. By Baptism we mean open devotion or dedication to God by the Baptismal Covenant in which the adult for themselves and Parents for their Infants do Profess Consent to the Covenant of Grace which includeth a Belief of all the Essential Articles of the faith and a Resolution for sincere obedience and a Consent to the Relations between God and us viz. that he be our Reconciled Father our Saviour and our Sanctifier 3. The Continuance of this Consent is necessary to the continuance of our visible membership 4. He that through ignorance or incapacity for want of water or a Minister is not baptized and yet is solemnly or notoriously dedicated and devoted to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the same Covenant though without the outward Sign and professeth openly the same Religion is a visible Christian though not by a compleat and regular visibility As a Souldier not listed nor taking his Colours or a Marriage not regularly solemnized c. 5. He that forsaketh his Covenant by Apostacy or is totally and duly excommunicated ceaseth to be a visible member of the Church Quest. 15. Whether besides the Profession of Christianity either Testimony or Evidence of Conversion or Practical Godliness be necessary to prove a man a Member of the Universal Visible Church 1. AS the Mediator is the way to the Father sent to recover us to God so Christianity includeth John 14. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 6 3 11. Godliness And he professeth not Christianity who professeth not Godliness 2. He that professeth the Baptismal Covenant professeth Christianity and Godliness and true Conversion 2 Pet. 1. 3. And therefore cannot be rejected for want of a Profession of Conversion or Godliness 3. But he that is justly suspected not to understand his own profession but to speak general words without the sense may and ought to be examined by him that is to baptize him And therefore though the Apostles among the Jews who had been bred up among the Oracles of God did justly presume of so much understanding as that they baptized men the same day that they professed to believe in Christ yet when they baptized converted Gentiles we have reason to think that they Acts 2. 38 39. first received a particular account of their Converts that they understood the three essential Articles of the Covenant 1. Because the Creed is fitted to that use and hath been ever used thereunto by the Churches as by tradition from the Apostles practice 2. Because the Church in all ages as far as Church History leadeth us upward hath used catechising before baptizing yea and to keep men as Catechumens some time for preparation 3. Because common experience telleth us that multititudes can say the Creed that understand it not If any yet urge the Apostles example I will grant that it obligeth us when the case is the like And I will not fly to any conceit of their heart-searching or discerning mens sincerity When you bring us to a people that before were the Visible Church of God and were all their life time trained up in the knowledge of God of sin of duty of the promised Messiah according to all the Law and Prophets and want nothing but to know the Son and the Holy Ghost that this Iesus is the Christ who will reconcile us to God and give us the sanctifying Spirit then we will also baptize men the same day that they profess to believe in Iesus Christ and in the Father as reconciled by him and the Holy Ghost as given by him But if we have those to deal with who know not God or sin or misery or Scripture Prophecies no nor natural verities we know no proof that the Apostles so haâ—â—ily baptized such Of this I have largely spoken in my Treatise of Confirmation 4. It is
not Necessary to a mans Baptism and first Church-membership that he give any testimony of an antecedent godly life Because it is Repentance and future obedience professed that is his title and we must not keep men from Covenanting till we first see whether they will keep the Covenant which they are to make For Covenanting goeth before Covenant-keeping And it is any the most impious sinner who Repenteth that is to be Washed and Justified as soon as he becometh a Believer 5. Yet if any that Professeth Faith and Repentance should commit Whoredome Drunkenness 1 Cor 6 9 16. Tit. 3. 3 4 5. Eph. 2 1 2 3. Acts 2. 37 38. Murder Blasphemy or any mortal sin before he is baptized we have reason to make a stop of that mans baptism because he contradicteth his own profession and giveth us cause to take it for hypocritical till he give us better evidence that he is penitent indeed 6. Heart-Covenanting maketh an invisible Church-member and Verbal Covenanting and Baptism make a Visible Church-member And he that maketh a Profession of Christianity so far as to declare that he believeth all the Articles of the Creed particularly and understandingly with some tolerable understanding though not distinct enough and full and that he openly devoteth himself to God the Father Son and Spirit in the Vow and Covenant of Baptism doth produce a sufficient title to the Relation of a Christian and Church-member and no Minister may reject him for want of telling when and by what arguments means order or degrees he was converted 7. They that forsake these terms of Church entrance left us by Christ and his Apostles and used by all the Churches in the world and reject those that shew the Title of such a Profession for want of something more and set up other stricter terms of their own as necessary to discover mens conversion and sincerity are guilty of Church tyranny against men and usurpation against Christ And of making Engines to divide the Churches seeing there will never be agreement on any humane devised terms but some will be of one size and some of another when they forsake the terms of Christ. 8. Yet if the Pastor shall see cause upon suspicion of hypocrisie ad melius esse to put divers questions to one man more than to another and to desire further satisfaction the Catechumens ought in conscience to answer him and endeavour his satisfaction For a Minister is not tyed up to speak only such or such words to the penitent And he that should say I will answer you no further than to repeat the Creed doth give a man reason to suppose him either Ignorant or Proud and to suspend the reception of him though not to deny it But still ad esse no terms must be imposed as necessary on the Church but what the Holy Ghost by the Apostles hath established Quest. 16. What is necessary to a mans reception into Membership in a particular Church over and above this foresaid title Whether any other Tryals or Covenant or what 1. A Particular Church is a regular Part of the Universal as a City of a Kingdom or a Troop of an Army 2. Every man that is a member of the particular Church is a member of the Universal but every one that is a member of the Universal Church is not a member of a particular 3. Every particular Church hath its own particular Pastor one or more and its own particular place or bounds of habitation or residence Therefore he that will be a member of a particular Church 1. Must cohabite or live in a proximity capable of Communion 2. And must Consent to be a member of that particular Church and to be under the Guidance of its particular Pastors in their Office work For he cannot be made a member without his own Consent and Will nor can he be a member that subjecteth not himself to the Governour or Guide 4. He therefore that will intrude into their Communion and priviledges without expressing his consent before hand to be a member and to submit to the Pastoral oversight is to be taken for an invader 5. But no other personal qualification is to be exacted of him as necessary but that he be a member of the Church Universal As he is not to be baptized again so neither to give again all that account of his Faith and Repentance particularly which he gave at Baptism Much less any higher proofs of his sincerity But if he continue in the Covenant and Church-state which he was Baptized into he is capable thereby of reception into any particular Church upon particular Consent Nor is there any Scripture proof of any new examinations about their Conversion or sincerity at their removals or enterance into a particular Church 6. But yet because he is not now lookt on only as a Covenant-maker as he was at Baptism but also as a Covenant-keeper or performer therefore if any can prove that he is false to his Baptismal Covenant by Apostasie Heresie or a wicked life he is to be refused till he be Absolved upon his renewed repentance 7. He that oft professeth to Repent and by oft revolting into mortal sin that is sin which sheweth a state of death doth shew that he was not sincere must afterward shew his Repentance by actual amendment before he can say it is his due to be believed 8. Whether you will call this Consent to particular Church Relation and â—ury by the name of a Conant or not is but lis de nomine It is no more than mutual Consent that is necessary to be expressed And mutual Consent expressed may be called a Covenant 9. Ad melius esse the more express the Consent or Covenant is the better For in so great matters men should know what they do and deal above board Especially when experience telleth us that ignorance and Imagery is ready to eat out the heart of Religion in almost all the Churches in the world But yet ad esse Churches must see that they feign or make no more Covenants necessary than God hath made because humane unnecessary inventions have so long distracted and laid waste the Churches of Christ. 10. The Pastors Consent must concurr with the persons to be received For it must be mutual Consent Matth. 28. 19 â—0 And as none can be a member so none may be a Pastor against his will And though he be under Christs Laws what persons to receive and is not arbitrary to do what he list yet he is the Heb. 13. 7. 17. 1 Theâ—â— 5. 12 1â— Guide of the Church and the discerner of his own duty And a Pastor may have reasons to refuse to take a man into his particular Charge without rejecting him as unworthy Perhaps he may 1 Tim. 5. 17. already have more in number than he can well take care of And other such Reasons may fall out 11. In those Countreys where the Magistrates Laws and common consent do take
There are two things more in question 1. His Office whether he be a Minister 2. His Regularity whether he came Regularly to it and also his Comparative relation whether this man or another is to be preferred I answer therefore 1. If the person be utterly uncapable the one Bishop or the many whosoever taketh him for uncapable is for the Truth sake to be believed and obeyed 2. If the man be excellently qualified and his Ministry greatly Necessary to the Church whoever would deprive the Church of him be it the One or the Many is to be disobeyed and the ordainers preserred Obj. But who shall judge Answ. The Esse is before the Scire The thing is first True or false before I judge it to be so And therefore whoever judgeth falsly in a case so notorious and weighty as that the welfare of the Church and souls is consideratis considerandis injured and hazarded by his errour is not be believed nor obeyed on pretence of order Because all Christians have judicium discretionis a discerning judgement 3. But if the case be not thus to be determined by the persons notorious qualifications then either it is 1. The man ordained 2. Or the People that the case is debated by whether they should take him for a Minister 3. Or the neighbour Ministers 1. The person himself is caeteris paribus more to regard the judgement of many concordant Bishops than of one singular Bishop And therefore is not to take orders from a singular Bishop when the Generality of the wise and faithful are against it unless he be sure that it is some notorious faction or errour that perverteth them and that there be notorious necessity of his labour 2. The Auditors are either Infidels to be converted and these will take no man upon any of their Authorities or else Christians converted These are either of the particular charge of the singular Bishop who ordaineth or not If they be then pro tempore for orders sake they owe him a peculiar obedience till some further process or discovery disoblige them Though the most be on the other side But yet they may be still bound in Reason most to suspect the Judgement of their singular Bishop while for orders sake they submit to it But if they are not of his flock then I suppose the Judgement and Act of many is to prevail so much against the Act of a single and singular person as that both neighbour Ministers and people are to disown such an ordained person as unfit for their Communion under the notion of a Minister Because Communion of Churches is maintained by the Concord of Pastors But whether the ordained mans Ministry be by their contradictory declaration Eph. 4. 3. 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 14 17 19. or degradation made an absolute nullity to himself and those that submit to him neither I will determine nor should any other Strangers to the particular case For if he be rejected or degraded without such cause and proof as may satisfie other sober persons he hath wrong But if he be so 1 Cor. 14. 33. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. degraded on proved sufficient cause to them that it is known to it giveth the degraders the advantage And as 1. All particular members are to be obedient to their proper Pastor Phil. 2. 1 2 3. Eph. 4. 15 16. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 2. And all particular Churches are to hold correspondency and communion according to their capacity so must men act in this and such like cases respectively according to the Laws of Obedience to their Pastor and of Concord of the Churches Quest. 24. Hath one Bishop power by Divine right to Ordain Degrade or Govern or Excommunicate or Absolve in anothers Diocess or Church either by his consent or against it And doth a Minister that officiateth in anothers Church act as a Pastor and their Pastor or as a private man And doth the Ministerial office cease when a man removeth from his flock I Thrust these questions all together for their affinity and for brevity 1. Every true Minister of Christ Bishop or Pastor is related to the universal Church by stronger obligations than to his particular charge As the whole is better than the parts and its wellfare to be preferred 2. He that is no Pastor of a particular Church may be a Pastor in the universal obliged as a consecrated person to endeavour its good by the works of his office as he hath particular opportunity and call 3. Yet he that hath a particular charge is specially and neerlyer related and obliged to that charge or Church than to any other part of the universal though not then to the whole And consequently hath a peculiar Authority where he hath a peculiar obligation and work 4. He that is without degrading removed from a particular Church doth not cease to be a General Minister and Pastor related to the Universal Church As a Physicion put out of a Hospital charge is a Physicion still And therefore he needeth no new ordination but only a special Designation to his next particular charge 5. No man is the Bishop of a Diocess as to the measure of ground or the place by divine right that is by any particular Law or determination of God But only a Bishop of the Church or people For your office essentially containeth a Relation to the People but Accidentally only to the Place 6. Yet natural Convenience and Gods General Laws of Order and Edification do make it usually but not alwayes best and therefore a duty to distinguish Churches by the peoples habitation Not taking a man for a Member eo nomine because he liveth on that ground But for order sake taking none for members that live not on that ground and not intruding causelesly into each others bounds 7. He that by the Call or Consent of a Neighbour Pastor and people doth officiate by Preaching Sacraments Excommunication or Absolution in anothers special charge for a day or week or month or more without a fixed relation to that flock doth neither officiate as a Lay-man nor yet unlawfully or irregularly But 1. As a Minister of Christ in the Church Universal 2. And as the Pastor of that Church for the present time only though not statedly Even as a Physicion called to help another in his Hospital or to supply his place for the time doth perform his work 1. As a Licensed Physicion 2. And as the Physicion of that patient or Hospital for that time though not statedly 8. No man is to intrude into anothers Charge without a Call Much less to claim a particular stated Oversight and Authority For though he be not an Usurper as to the Office in General he is an Usurper as to that particular flock It is no error in Ordination to say Take thou authority to preach the Word of God and administer the holy Sacraments when thou shalt be thereto lawfully called that is when thou hast a particular call to the
of Heaven and happiness but not sensibly punished or cast into Hell For this Iansenius hath wrote a Treatise and many other Papists think so 4. Some think that all the Children of sincere believers dying in infancy are saved that is Glorified whether baptized or not and no others 5. Some think that God hath not at all revealed what he will do with any Infants 6. Some think that he hath promised salvation as aforesaid to believers and their seed but hath not at all revealed to us what he will do with all the rest 7. Some think that only the Baptized Children of true believers are certainly by promise saved 8. Some think that all the adopted and bought Children of true Christians as well as the natural are saved if baptized say some or if not say others 9. Some think that Elect Infants are saved and no other but no man can know who those are And of these 1. Some deny Infant Baptism 2. Most say that they are to be baptized and that thereby the non-elect are only received into the visible Church and its priviledges but not to any promise or certainty of Justification or a state of salvation 10. Some think that all that are baptized by the Dedication of Christian Sponsors are saved 11. Some think that all that the Pastor Dedicateth to God are saved because so dedicated by him say some or because baptized ex opere operato say others And so all baptized Infants are in a state of salvation 12. Some think that this is to be limited to all that have right to Baptism coram Deo which some think the Churches reception giveth them of which anon 13. And some think it is to be limited to those that have right 〈…〉 m Ecclesia or are rightfully baptized ex parte Ministrantis where some make the Magistrates command sufficient and some the Bishops and some the baptizers will Of the title to Baptism I shall speak anon Of the salvation of Infants it is too tedious to confute all that I dissent from not presuming in such darkness and diversity of opinions to be peremptory nor to say I am certain by the Word of God who are undoubtedly saved nor yet to deny the undoubted certainty of wiser men who may know that which such as I do doubt of but submitting what I say to the judgement of the Church of God and my superiours I humbly lay down my own thoughts as followeth 1. I think that there can no promise or proof be produced that all unbaptized Infants are saved either from the poena damni or sensus or both 2. I think that no man can prove that all unbaptized Infants are damned or denyed Heaven Nay I think I can prove a promise of the contrary 3. All that are rightfully baptized in foro externo are visible Church members and have Ecclesiastical right to the priviledges of the visible Church 4. I think Christ never instituted Baptism for the collation of these outward Priviledges alone unless as on supposition that persons culpably fail of the better ends 5. I think Baptism is a solemn mutual contract or Covenant between Christ and the Baptized person And that it is but one Covenant even the Covenant of Grace which is the sum of the Gospel which is sealed and received in baptism And that this Covenant essentially containeth our saving relation to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and our Pardon Justification and Adoption or right to life everlasting And that God never made any distinct Covenant of outward Priviledges alone to be sealed by Baptism But that outward mercies are the second and lesser gift of the same Covenant which giveth first the great and saving blessings 6. And therefore that whoever hath right before God to claim and Receive Baptism hath right also to the benefits of the Covenant of God and that is to salvation Though I say not so of every one that hath such right before the Church as that God doth require the Minister to Baptize him For by Right before God or in foro coeli I mean such a Right as will justifie the claim before God immediately the person being one whom he commandeth in that present state to claim and receive baptism For many a one hath no such right before God to claim or receive it when yet the Minister hath right Mark 16. 16. Act. 2. 37 38. Act. 22. 16. 1 Cor 6. 11. Tit. 3. 3 5 6. Heb. 10. 22. Eph. 5. 26. Rom. 6. 1 4. Col. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 21 22. Eph. 4. 5. Act. 8. 12 13 16 36 38. to give it them if they do claim it The case stands thus God saith in his Covenant He that believeth shall be saved and ought to be Baptized to profess that belief and be invested in the benefits of the Covenant And he that Professeth to believe whether he do or not is by the Church to be taken for a visible believer and by Baptism to be received into the Visible Church Here God calleth none but true believers and their seed to be Baptized nor maketh an actual promise or Covenant with any other and so I say that no other have right in foro coeli But yet the Church knoweth not mens hearts and must take a serious Profession for a credible sign of the faith professed and for that outward title upon which it is a duty of the Pastor to Baptize the claimer So that the most malignant scornful hypocrite that maketh a seemingly serious profession hath right coram Ecclesia but not coram Deo save in this sense that God would have the Minister Baptize him But this I have largelyer opened in my Disputations of Right Act. 9. 18. 16. 15 33. 19 5. Gal. 3. 27. to Sacraments 7. I think therefore that all the Children of true Christians do by Baptism receive a publick Investiture by Gods appointment into a state of Remission Adoption and right to salvation at the present Though I dare not say that I am undoubtedly certain of it as knowing how much is said against it But I say as the Synod of Dort Art 1. that Believing Parents have no cause to doubt of the salvation of their Children that dye in infancy before they commit actual sin that is not to trouble themselves with fears about it The Reasons that move me to be of this judgement though not without doubting and hesitancy are these 1. Because whoever hath right to the present Investiture delivery and possession of the first and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Baptism hath right to Pardon and Adoption and everlasting life But the Infants of true Christians have right to the present investiture delivery and possession of the first and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Baptism Therefore they have right to pardon and everlasting life Either Infants are in the same Covenant that is are subjects of the same promise of God with their believing Parents
it unlawful to make so promiscuous an Adoption of children or of choosing another to be a Covenanter for the child instead of the Parent to whom it belongeth or to commit their children to anothers either propriety or education or formal promise of that which belongeth to education when they never mean to perform it nor can do 2. Because they take it for an Adding to the Ordinance of God a thing which Scripture never mentioneth To which I answer 1. I grant it unlawful to suppose another to be the Parent or proprietor that is not Or to suppose him to have that power and interest in your child which he hath not Oâ— to desire him to undertake what he cannot perform and which neither he nor you intend he shall perform I grant that you are not bound to alienate the propriety of your children nor to take in another to be joint-proprietors nor to put out your children to the God-fathers education So that if you will misunderstand the Use of Sponsors then indeed you will make them unlawful to be so used But if you take them but as the antient Churches did for such as do attest the Parents fidelity in their perswasion and do promise first to mind you of your duty and next to take care of the childrens pious education if you dye I know no reason you have to scruple this much Yea more it is in your own power to agree with the God-fathers that they shall represent your own persons and speak and promise what they do as your deputies only in your names And what have you against this Suppose you were sick lame imprisoned or banished would you not have your child baptized And how should that be done but by your deputing another to represent you in entring him into Covenant with God Object But when the Church-men mean another thing this is but to juggle with the world Answ. How can you prove that the authority that made or imposed the Liturgie meant any other thing And other individuals are not the Masters of your sense 2. Yea and if the Imposers had meant ill in a thing that may be done well you may discharge your conscience by doing it well and making a sufficient profession of your better sense 2. And then it will be no sinful addition to Gods Ordinance to determine of a lawful circumstance which he hath left to humane prudence As to choose a meet Deputy Witness or Sponsor who promiseth nothing but what is meet Quest. 40. On whose account or right is it that the Infant hath title to Baptism and its benefits Is it on the Parents Ancestors Sponsors the Churches the Ministers the Magistrates or his own Answ. THe titles are very various that are pretended Let us examine them all I. I cannot think that a Magistrates Command to baptize an Infant giveth him right 1. Because there is no proof of the validity of such a title 2. Because the Magistrate can command no such thing if it be against Gods Word as this is which would level the case of the seed of Heathens and believers And I know but few of that opinion II. I do not think that the Minister as such giveth title to the Infant For 1. He is no proprietor 2. He can shew no such power or grant from God 3. He must baptize none but those that antecedently have right 4. Else he also might levell all and take in Heathens children with believers 5. Nor is this pretended to by many that I know of III. I cannot think that it is a particular Church that must give this Right or perform the condition of it For 1. Baptism as is aforesaid as such doth only make a Christian and a member of the Universal Church and not of any particular Church And 2. The Church is not the proprietor of the child 3. No Scripture Commission can be shewed for such a power Where hath God said All that any particular Church will receive shall have right to baptism 4. By what act must the Church give this right If by baptizing him the question is of his antecedent right If by willing that he be baptized 1. If they will that one be baptized that hath no right to it their will is sinful and therefore unfit to give him right 2. And the baptizing Minister hath more power than a thousand or ten thousand private men to judge who is to be baptized 5. Else a Church might save all Heathens children that they can but baptize and so levell Infidels and Christians seed 6. It is not the Church in general but some one person that must educate the child Therefore the Church cannot so much as promise for its education The Church hath nothing to do with those that are without but only with her own And Heathens children are not her own nor exposed to her occupation IV. I believe not that it is the Universal Church that giveth the Infant title to baptism For 1. He that giveth title to the Covenant and baptism doth it as a performer of the Moral Condition of that title But God hath no where made the Churches faith to be the condition of baptism or salvation either â—o Infidels or their seed 2. Because the Universal Church is a body that cannot be consulted with to give their Vote and Consent Nor have they any Deputies to do it by For there is no Universal Visible Governour And if you will pretend every Priest to be commissioned to act and judge in the name of the Universal Church you will want proof and that 's before confuted 3. If all have right that the Universal Church offereth up to God or any Minister or Bishop be counted its Deputy or Agent to that end it is in the power of that Minister as is said to levell all and to baptize and save all which is contrary to the Word of God V. I believe that God-fathers as such being no Adopters or Proprietors are not the performers of the condition of salvation for the Infant nor give him right to be baptized 1. Because he is not their Own and therefore their will or act cannot go for his Because there is no Word of God for it that all shall be baptized or saved that any Christians will be Sponsors for Gods Church blessings be not tyed â—o such inventions that were not in being when Gods Laws were made Where â—here is no promise or word there is no faith 3. No Sponsors are so much as lawful as is shewed before who are not Owners or their Deputies or meer secondary subservient parties who suppose the principal Covenanting party 4. And as to the Infants salvation the Sponsors may too oft be ignorant Infidels and Hypocrites themselves that have no true faith for themselves and therefore not enough to save another 5. And it were strange if God should make no promise to a wicked Parent for his own child and yet should promise to save by baptism all that some wicked
hold their own mercies upon the condition of their own continued fidelity And let their Apostasie be on other reasons never so impossible or not future yet the promise of continuance and consummation of the personal felicity of the greatest Saint on earth is still conditional upon the condition of â—his persevering sidelity 6. Even before Children are capable of Instruction there are certain duties imposed by God on the Parents for their sanctification viz. 1. That the Parents pray earnestly and believingly for them Second Commandment Prov. 20. 7. 2. That they themselves so live towards God as may invite him still to bless their Children for their sakes as he did Abrahams and usually did to the faithful's seed 7. It is certain that the Church ever required Parents not only to enter their Children into the Covenant and so to leave them but to do their after duty for their good and to pray for them and educate them according to their Covenant 8. It is plain that if there were none to promise so to educate them the Church would not baptize them And God himself who allowed the Israelites and still alloweth us to bring our Children into his Covenant doth it on this supposition that we promise also to go on to do our duty for them and that we actually do it 9. All this set together maketh it plain 1. That God never promiseth the adult in Baptism though true believers that he will work in them all graces further by his sanctifying spirit let them never so much neglect or resist him or that he will absolutely see that they never shall resist him nor that the spirit shall still help them though they neglect all his means or that he will keep them from neglecting the means Election may secure this to the Elect as such but the Baptismal Covenant as such secureth it not to the baptized nor to believers as such 2. And consequently that Infants are in Covenant with the Holy Ghost still conditionally as their Parents are And that the meaning of it The Holy Ghost is promised in Baptism to give the Child grace in his Parents and his own faithful use of the appointed means is that the Holy Ghost as your sanctifier will afford you all necessary help in the use of those means which he hath appointed you to receive his help in Obj. Infants have no means to use Answ. While Infants stand on their Parents account or Wills the Parents have means to use for the continuance of their grace as well as for the beginning of it 10. Therefore I cannot see but that if a believer should apostatize whether any do so is not the question and his Infant not be made anothers Child he forfeiteth the benefits of the Covenant to his Infant But if the propriety in the Infant be transferred to another it may alter the case 11. And how dangerously Parents may make partial forfeitures of the spirits assistance to their Children and operations on them by their own sinful lives and neglect of prayer and of prudent and holy education even in particular acts I fear many believing Parents never well considered 12. Yet is not this forfeiture such as obligeth God to deny his spirit For he may do with his own as a free benefactor as he list And may have mercy freely beyond his promise though not against his word on whom he will have mercy But I say that he that considereth the woful unfaithfulness and neglect of most Parents even the Religious in the Great work of holy educating their Children may take the blame of their ungodliness on themselves and not lay it on Christ or the spirit who was in Covenant with them as their sanctifier seeing he promised but conditionally M. â—â—istoâ— pag. â—3 As Abraham as a single person in Covenant was to accept of and perform the conditions of the Covenant so as a Parent he had something of duty incumbent on him with reference to his immediate seed And as his faithful performance of that duty incumbent on him in his single capacity so his performing that duty incumbent on him as a Parent in reference to his seed was absolutely necessary in order to his enjoying the good promised with reference to himself and his seed Proved Gen. 17 1. 18. 19. He proveth that the promise is conditional and that as to the continuance of the Covenant state the conditions are 1. The Parents upright life 2. His duty to his Children well done 3. The Childrens own duty as they are capable to give them the sanctifying Heavenly influences of his Life Light and Love in their just use of his appointed means according to their abilities 13. Also as soon as Children come to a little use of Reason they stand conjunctly on their Parents Wills and on their own As their Parents are bound to teach and rule them so they are bound to learn of them and be ruled by them for their good And though every sin of a Parent or a Child be not a total forfeiture of grace yet both their notable actual sins may justly be punished with a denyal of some further help of the spirit which they grieve and quench 11. And now I may seasonably answer the former question whether Infants Baptismal saving grace may be lost of which I must for the most that is to be said referr the Reader to Davenant in Mr. Bedfords Book on this subject and to Dr. Sam. Ward joyned with it Though Mr. Gatakers answers are very Learned and considerable And to my small Book called My Iudgement of Perseverance Augustine who first rose up for the doctrine of perseverance against its Adversaries carried it no higher than to all the Elect as such and not at all to all the Sanctified but oft affirmeth that some that were justified sanctified and Love God and are in a state of salvation are not elect and fall away But since the Reformation great reasons have been brought to carry it further to all the truly sanctified of which cause Zanchius was one of the first Learned and zealous Patrons that with great diligence in long disputations maintained it All that I have now to say is that I had rather with Davenant believe that the fore-described Infant state of salvation which came by the Parents may be lost by the Parents and the Children though such a sanctified renewed nature in holy Habits of Love as the adult have be never lost than believe that no Infants are in the Covenant of Grace and to be baptized Obj. But the Child once in possession shall not be punished for the Parents sin Answ. 1. This point is not commonly well understood I have by me a large Disputation proving from the current of Scripture a secondary original sin besides that from Adam and a secondary punishment ordinarily inflicted on Children for their Parents sins besides the common punishment of the World for the first sin 2. But the thing in question is
Actis Apostolorum invenimus quoniam qui Iohannis baptismum habebant non accepissent Spiritum Sanctum quem ne auditu quidem noverant Ergo non erat coeleste quod coelestia non exhibebat See Dr. Hammond in loc Quest. 47. Is Baptism by Lay-men or Women Lawful in Cases of necessity Or are they nullities and the person to be re-baptized Answ. 1. I Know some of the Antients allowed it in necessity But I know no such necessity that can be For 1. God hath expresly made it a part of the Ministerial Office by Commission Mat. 28. 19 20. 2. He hath no where given to any other either Command to oblige them to do it or Commission to authorize them or Promise to bless and accept them in it or Threatning if they omit it 3. He oft severely punisheth such as invade the Sacred Function or usurp any part of of it 4. Therefore it is a sin in the doer and then there can be no necessity of it in such a case in the receiver 5. He that is in Covenant by open professed Consent wants nothing necessary to his salvation either necessitate medii vel praecepti when it cannot be had in a lawful way II. As to the nullity I will not determine so controverted a point any further than to say 1. That if the Lay-man had the Counterfeit Orders of a Minister and had possession of the place and were taken for one his deceit deprived not the Receiver of his right nor made it his sin and I should not re-baptize him if after discovered 2. But if he were in no possession or pretence of the Office I would be baptized again if it were my case Because I should fear that what is done in Christs name by one that notoriously had no authority from him to do it is not owned by Christ as his deed and so is a nullity As if a deceiver go in my name to make bargains for me 3. And if any that had after discovered a Minister to be indeed no Minister that baptized him should doubt of the validity and for certainty have it done again by an authorized Minister I would not discommend him Nor would I account it Morally twice baptizing but a Physical repeating of that act which morally is but one As I explained before of Re-ordination Therefore if one that was a gross Heretick in the very Essentials or an Infidel or one that had not knowledge and parts essentially necessary to the Ministry baptize one in right words I would not blame him that for certainty would have an authorized person to do it Especially if he was notoriously such a one when he did it Let those that are angry with this resolution be as fair to me as they will be to Venerable Beda and that great Miracle-working Bishop Iohn whom in his Ecclesiastical History he reporteth to baptize a man again in England meerly because the Priest that did Of which before it was so dull ignorant and insufficient as in Iohns judgement to be uncapable of the Office and therefore had been by him forbidden to use it though the person baptized at age knew not this viz. Herebaldus ut Bed l. 5. c. 6. Quest. 48. May Anabaptists that have no other error be permitted in Church-communion Answ. YEs And tolerated in their own practice also For 1. They agree with us in all points absolutely necessary to communion 2. The antient Christians had liberty either to baptize or to let them stay till age as they thought best And therefore Tertullian and Nazianzen speak against haste And Augustine and many children of Christian Parents were baptized at age 3. The Controversie is of so great difficulty that if in all such cases none that differ be tolerated we may not live together in the world or Church but endlesly excommunicate or persecute one another 4. Such sober Antipaedobaptists will consent to profess openly that they do devote their children to God according to all the power or duty which they can find communicated or laid upon them in the Word of God And that if they believed that God would accept them into his Covenant upon their dedication they would willingly do it And that actually they do offer them to God according to their power and promise to bring them up in his way And who can force mens wills to choose aright for themselves or others Quest. 49. May one offer his Child to be baptized with the Sign of the Cross or the use of Chrysme the White Garment Milk and Hony or Exorcisme as among the Lutherans who taketh these to be unlawful things Answ. I Am not now to meddle with the question Whether they be lawful But to this question I answer 1. He that judgeth them unlawful must first do his best to be â—â—rtain whether they be so or not 2. If so he must never approve of them or consent to them 3. He must not offer his child to be so baptized when caeteris paribus he may have it done in a better manner on lawful terms 4. But when he cannot lawfully have better he may and must offer his child to them that will so baptize him rather than to worse or not at all Because baptism is Gods Ordinance and his priviledge and the sin is the Ministers and not his Another mans sinful Mode will not justifie the neglect of our duty Else we might not joyn in any Prayer or Sacrament in which the Minister modally sinneth that is with none 5. The Milk and Honey White Garment and Chrysme are so antient called by Epiphanius and others the Traditions and Customes of the Universal Church that the original of them is not known And he that then would not be so baptized must not have been baptized at all 6. But in this case he that bringeth his child to baptism should make known that it is baptism only that he desireth and that he disowneth and disalloweth the manner which he accounteth sinful And then he is no consenter to it 7. But where Law scandal or greater inconveniencies forbid him he is not to make this profession openly in the Congregation but in that prudent manner which beseemeth a sobâ—r peaceable person whether to the Minister in private or to his neighbours in converse It being easie among neighbours to make known a mans dissent without a disorderly troubling of the Church or violating the Laws of Obedience Civility and Peace 8. But he must not 1. Either offer his child to baptism where the Ordinance is essentially corrupted or worse than none 2. Or where he cannot be admitted without an actual sin of his own As by false professions subscriptions c. For we must not do evil for good ends Quest. 50. Whence came the antient universal custome of Anointing at Baptism and putting on a White Garment and tasting Milk and Honey And whether they are lawful to us Answ. 1. WE must remember that the signification of these was not by a new institution
Ministers of Christ or Lay men If Lay men their actions are unlawful If Ministers they are Commissioned officers of Christ themselves and it is the work of their own office which they do and it is they that shall have the reward or punishment But if preaching to all these Churches or giving to all these persons in a thousand Parishes the Sacraments c. were the Bishops or Archbishops work that is which they are obliged to do then they would sin in not doing it But if they are the Governours only of those that are obliged 〈◊〉 do it and are not obliged to do it themselves then Governing the doers of it is only their work And therefore it is but equivocally said that the work is theirs which others and not they are obliged to do and that they do their work per alios when they do but Govern those others in doing their own work Of this read the Lord Bacons Considerations and Grotius de Imper. summ Potest Cirâ—a Sacra who soundly resolve the case against doing the Pastoral work per alium Quest. 59. May a Lay man preach or expound the Scriptures Or what of this is proper to the Pastors office Answ. 1. NO doubt but there is some Preaching or Teaching and Expounding which a Lay man may use So did Origen so did Constantine so may a King or Iudge on the Bench so may a Parent to his Children and a Master to his family and a Schoolmaster or Tutor to his Scholars 2. It is not any one Method or Sermon-fashion which is proper to a Minister and forbidden to a Lay man That Method which is most meet to the Matter and hearers may be used by one as well as by the other 3. It is not the meer publickness of the Teaching which must tell us what is unlawful for a Lay man For Writing and Printing are the most publick wayes of Teaching And these no man taketh to be forbidden the Laity Scaliger Causabon Grotius Erasmus Constantine King Iames the Lord Bacon and abundance more Lay men have done the Church great service by their Writings And Judges on the Bench speak oft Theologically to many But that which is proper to the Ministers or Pastors of the Church is 1. To make a stated office of it and to be separated set a part devoted or consecrated and appropriated to this sacred work and not to do it occasionally only or sometimes or on the by but as their Calling and the Employment of their lives 2. To do it as Called and Commissioned Ministers of Christ who have a special nunciative and Teaching Authority committed to them And therefore are in a special manner to be heard according to their special Authority 3. To be the stated Teachers of particular Churches as their Pastors and Guides Though they may sometime permit a Lay man when there is cause to Teach them pro tempore These three are proper to the Ministerial and Pastors office But for the regulating of Lay mens Teaching 1. They must statedly keep in their families or within their proper bounds 2. They must not presume to go beyond their abilities especially in matters dark and difficult 3. They must not thrust themselves without a just call and need into publick or numerous meetings as Teachers nor do that which savoureth of Pride or Ostentation or which tendeth to cherish those vices in others 4. They must not live or Preach as from under the Government of the Church Pastors But being members of their flocks must do all as under their lawful oversight and guidance much less must they proudly and schismatically set up themselves against their lawful Pastors and bring them into Act. 20. 30. Heb. 13 7 17 24. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. contempt to get themselves reputation and to draw away Disciples after them 5. Times and places must be greatly distinguished In Infidel or grosly ignorant Countreys where through the want of Preachers there is a true necessity men may go much further than in Countreys where Teachers and knowledge do abound Quest. 60. What is the true sense of the distinction of Pastoral power in foro interiore exteriore rightly used Answ. 1. NOt as if the Pastors had any power of the sword or outward force or of mens Bodies or Estates immediately For all the Pastoral power is Immediately on the soul and but secondarily on the body so far as the perswaded soul will move it Reason and Love and the Authority of a messenger of Christ are all the power by which Bishops or Pastors as such can work in foro interiore vel exteriore They Rule the body but by Ruling the soul. 2. But the true use of the distinction is only to serve instead of the usual distinction of Publick and personal obligation It is one thing to satisfie a mans private Conscience about his own personal case or matters And another thing to oblige the whole Church or a particular person of his duty as a member of the society to the rest When the Pastor Absolveth a penitent person in foro interiore that is in his own Conscience he delivereth him a discharge in the name of Christ on Condition he be truly penitent Else not But in foro exteriore he actually and absolutely restoreth him to his visible state of Church Communion The rest of the members perhaps may justly think this man unlike to prove a true penitent And then in foro interiore they are not bound to believe him certainly penitent or pardoned by God But in foro exteriore that he is restored to Church Communion and that for order sake they are bound to hold Communion with him they are bound internally to believe So that it comes neer the sense of the distinction of the secret Iudgement of God and Conscience and Church judgement Quest. 61. In what sense is it true that some say that the Magistrate only hath the External Government of the Church and the Pastors the Internal Answ. 1. NOt as External and Internal are opposed in the nature of the Action For the Voice of the Pastor in Preaching is External as well as the Kings 2. Not as they are opposed in the manner of Reception For the Ears of the Auditors are external Recipients from the Preacher as well as from the King 3. Not as distinguishing the parts that are to obey the duties commanded and the sins forbidden as if the King ruled the Body only and the Pastor the soul. For the soul is bound to obey the King or else the Body could not be bound to obey him unless by cords And the Body must obey the Preacher as well as the soul. Murder drunkenness swearing lying and such other external Vices are under the Pastors power to forbid in Christs name as well as the Kings 4. Not as if all the external parts or actions of Religion were exempted from the Pastors power For preaching praying reading Sacraments Church-assemblies are external parts
of Religion and under the Pastors care But in two respects the External power is only the Kings or Civil Magistrates 1. As it is denominated from the sword or mulcts or Corporal penalties which is the external means of execution As Bishop Bilson of Obed. useth still to distinguish them with many others See B. Carlton of Jurisdiction Though in this respect the distinction were far more intelligibly exprest by The Government by the sword and by the sacred word 2. But the principal sense of their distinction is the same with Constantines who distinguished of a Bishop without and within or of our common distinction of Intrinsick and Extrinsick Government And though Internal and External have the same signification use maketh Intrinsick and Extrinsick more intelligible And by Internal is meant that power which Intrinsecally belongeth to the Pastors â—ffice as Instituted by Christ and so is Intrinsecal to the Pastorship and the Church as preaching praying ☜ sacraments the Keyes of Admission and Exclusion Ordination c. And by External is meant that which is Extrinsecal to the Pastorship and the Church which Princes have sometimes granted them but Christ hath made no part of their office In this sense the assertion is good and clear and necessary that the disposal of all things Circa Sacra all accidents and circumstances whatsoever which by Christs Institution are not Intrinsecal to the Pastorship and Church but extrinsecal do belong to the power of Kings and Magistrates Quest. 62. Is the tryal judgement or consent of the Laity necessary to the admittance of a member into the Universal or particular Church Answ. 1. IT is the Pastors office to bear and exercise the Keyes of Christs Church Therefore by office he is to Receive those that come in and consequently to be the tryer and Iudge of their fitness 2. It belongeth to the same office which is to Baptize to Iudge who is to be baptized Otherwise Ministers should not be rational Judges of their own actions but the executioners of other mens judgement It is more the Iudging who is to be baptized which the Ministers office consisteth in than in the bare doing of the outward act of Baptizing 3. He that must be the ordinary Judge in Church-admissions is supposed to have both Ability and Leisure to make him fit and Authority and Obligation to do the work 4. The ordinary body of the Laity have none of all these four qualifications much less all 1. They are not ordinarily Able so to examine a mans faith and resolution with judgement and skill as may neither tend to the wrong of himself nor of the Church For it is great skill that is required thereunto 2. They have not ordinarily Leisure from their proper callings and labours to wait on such a work as it must be waited on especially in populous places 3. They are not therefore obliged to do that which they cannot be supposed to have Ability or Leisure for 4. And where they have not the other three they can have no Authority to do it 5. It is therefore as great a crime for the Laity to usurp the Pastors office in this matter as in preaching baptizing or other parts of it 6. And though Pride often blind men both people and Pastors so as to make them overlook the burden and look only at the Authority and honour yet is it indeed an intolerable injury to the Laity if any would lay such a burden on them which they cannot bear and consequently would make them responsible for the omissions or misdoing of it to Christ their Judge 7. There is not so much as any fair pretence for the Laity having power to judge who shall be received into the Universal Church For who of the Laity should have this power Not All nor the Major Vote of the Church For who ever sought the Votes of all the Christians in the World before he baptized a man Not any one particular Church or persons above the rest For they have no Right Joh. 20 21 22 23. 21. 15 16 17 Mat 28. 19 20. 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. 1 Tim. 5 17. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5 6 11. 2 Thes. 3 6 10 14. Tit. 3. 10. 2 Joh. Mar. 13 9 23 33. Mar. 4 â—4 Mat. 7. 15 16. Mat. 16. 6. 11 12. Mar. 12. 38. 8 15. Phil. 3. 2 3. Col. 2. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 17. Mat 24. 4. to shew for it more than the rest 8. It is not in the power of the Laity to keep a man out of their own particular Church Communion whom the Pastor receiveth Because as is said it is his Office to judge and bear the Reyes 9. Therefore if it be ill done and an unworthy person be admitted the Consciences of the people need not accuse themselves of it or be disturbed because it is none of their employment 10. Yet the Liberty of the Church or people must be distinguished from their Governing power and their Executing duty from the power of Iudging And so 1. The people are to be Guided by the Pastors as Volunteers and not by Violence And therefore it is the Pastors duty in all doubtful cases to give the people all necessary satisfaction by giving them the Reasons of his doings that they may understandingly and quietly obey and submit 2. And in case the people discern any notable appearance of danger by introducing Hereticks and grosly impious men to corrupt the Church and by subverting the order of Christ they may go to their Pastors to desire satisfaction in the case 3. And if by open proof or notoreity it be certain that by Ignorance fraud or negligence the Pastors thus corrupt the Church the people may seek their due Remedy from other Pastors and Magistrates 4. And they may protest their own dissent from such proceedings 5. And in case of extremity may cast off Heretical and Impious and Intolerable Pastors and commit their souls to the conduct of fitter men As the Churches did against the Arrian Bishops and as Cyprian declareth it his peoples duty to do as is aforesaid Quest. 63. What power have the people in Church Censures and Excommunication Answ. THis is here adjoined because it requireth but little more than the foregoing answer 1. As it is the Pastors office to judge who is to be received so also to judge who is to be excluded 2. But the Execution of his sentence belongeth to the people as well as to himself It is they that 1 Cor 5. 3 6 11. either hold Communion with the person or avoid him 3. Therefore though ordinarily they must acquiesce in the Pastors judgement yet if he grosly offend 2 Joh. â—â—â—â— 3. 10. against the Law of God and would bring them e. g. to communion with hereticks and openly impious and excommunicate the Orthodox and Godly they may seek their remedy as before Quest. 64. What is the peoples remedy in case of the Pastors male-administration Answ. THis also
Relation or a Right duly to receive the Sacrament that is To receive it understandingly and seriously at those seasons when by the Pastors it is administred 2. But if upon faults or accusations this Right be duly questioned in the Church it is become a controverted right and the possession or admission may by the Bishops or Pastors of the Church be suspended if they see cause while it is under tryall till a just decision 3. Though Infants are true members yet the want of natural capacity duly to receive maketh it unlawful to give them the Sacrament because it is to be Given only to Receivers and Receiving is more than eating and drinking It is Consenting to the Covenant which is the real Receiving in a moral sense or at least Consent professed So that they want not a state of right as to their Relation but a natural capacity to Receive 4. Persons at age who want not the Right of a stated Relation may have such actual Natural and Moral indispositions as may also make them for that time unmeet to Receive As Sickness Infection a Journey persecution scattering the Church a Prison And morally 1. Want of necessary knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament which by the negligence of Pastors or Parents may be the case of some that are but newly past their childhood 2. Some heinous sin of which the sinner hath not so far repented as to be yet ready to receive a sealed pardon or which is so scandalous in the Church as that in publick respects the person is yet unfit for its priviledges 3. Such sins or accusations of sin as make the persons Church-title justly Controverted and his Communion suspended till the case be decided 4. Such fears of unworthy Receiving as were like to hurt and distract the person if he should receive till he were better satisfied These make a man uncapable of present Reception and so are a barr to his plenary right They have still right to Receive in a due manner But being yet uncapable of that due Receiving they have not a plenary right to the thing 5. The same may be said of other parts of our duty and priviledges A man may have a Relative habitual or stated right to praise God and give him thanks for his justification and sanctification and adoption and to godly conference to exercises of humiliation c. who yet for want of present actual preparation may be uncapable and so want a plenary right 6. The understanding of the double preparation necessary doth most clearly help us to understand this case A man that is in an unregenerate state must be visibly cured of that state of utter ignorance unbelief ungodliness before he can be a member of the Church and lay a claim to its priviledges But when that is done besides this general preparation a particular preparation also to each duty is necessary to the right doing it A man must understand what he goeth about and must consider of it and come with some suitable affections A man may have right to go a journey that wants a Horse or may have a Horse that is not sadled He that hath clothes must put them on before he is fit to come into company He that hath right to write may want a pen or have a bad one Having of Gracious habits may need the addition of bringing them into such acts as are suitable to the work in hand Quest. 70. Is there any such thing in the Church as a rank or Classis or Species of Church members at age who are not to be admitted to the Lords Table but only to hearing the Word and Prayer between Infant members and adult confirmed ones Answ. SOme have excogitated such a classis or species or order for convenience as a prudent necessary thing Because to admit all to the Lords Table they think dangerous on one side And to cast all that are unfit for it out of the Church they think dangerous on the other side and that which the people would not bear Therefore to preserve the reverence of the Sacrament and to preserve their own and the Churches peace they have contrived this middle way or rank And indeed the controversie seemeth to be more about the title whether it may be called a middle order of meer Learners and Worshippers than about the Matter I have occasionally written more of it than I can here stay to recite And the accurate handling of it requireth more words than I will here use This breviate therefore shall be all 1. It is certain that such Catechumens as are in meer preparation to faith repentance and baptism are no Church-members or Christians at all and so in none of these ranks 2. Baptism is the only ordinary regular door of enterance into the visible Church and no man unless in extraordinary cases is to be taken for a Church-member or visible Christian till Baptized Two Objections are brought against this 1. The Infants of Christians are Church-members as such before baptism and so are believers They are baptized because members and not members by baptism Answ. This case hath no difficulty 1. A Believer as such is a member of Christ and the Church What makes a visible member invisible but not of the visible Church till he be an orderly Professor of that belief And this Profession is not left to every mans will how it shall be made but Christ hath prescribed and instituted a certain way and manner of profession which shall be the only ordinary symbol or badge by which the Church shall know visible members and that is baptism Indeed when baptism cannot be had an open profession without it may serve For Sacraments are made for Man and not Man for Sacraments But when it may be had it is Christs appointed Symbol Tessera and Church-door And till a person be baptized he is but Irregularly and initially a Professor As an Embrio in the Womb is a man or as a Covenant before the writing sealing and delivering is initially a Covenant or as persons privately contracted without solemn Matrimony are married or as a man is a Minister upon Election and Tryal before Ordination He hath only in all these cases the beginning of a title which is not compleat nor at all sufficient in foro Ecclesiâ— to make a man Visibly and Legally A married man a Minister and so here a Christian. For Christ hath chosen his own visible badge by which his Church-members must be known 2. And the same is to be said of the Infant-title of the children of believers They have but an initial right before baptism and not the badge of visible Christians For there are three distinct gradations to make up their visible Christianity 1. Because they are their own and as it were parts of themselves therefore Believers have power and obligation to dedicate their children in Covenant with God 2. Because every believer is himself dedicated to God with all that is his own according
against forms of prayer that all the years that he lived at Middleburg and Anâ—werp he constantly used the same form before Sermon and mostly after Sermon and also did read prayers in the Church and that since he seldome concluded but with the Lords Prayer of England Cartwright Hildersham Greenham Perkins Baine Amesius c. And I less fear erring in all this company than with those on either of the extreams Quest. 79. Is it lawful to forbear the preaching of some Truths upon mans prohibition that I may have liberty to preach the rest yea and to promise before hand to forbear them Or to do it for the Churches peace Answ. 1. SOme Truths are of so great moment and necessity that without them you cannot preach the Gospel in a saving sort These you may not forbear nor promise to forbear 2. Some Truths are such as God at that time doth call men eminently to publish and receive as against some Heresie when it is in the very height or the Church in greatest danger of it Or concerning some Duty which God then specially calleth men to perform As the duty of Loyalty just in the time of a perillous Rebellion c. Such preaching being a Duty must not be forborn when it can be performed upon lawful terms 3. But some Truths are Controverted among good men and some are of a lower nature and usefulness And concerning these I further say 1. That you may not renounce them or deny them not subscribe to the smallest untruth for liberty to preach the greatest truth 2. But you may for the time that the Churches benefit requireth it both forbear to preach them and promise to forbear both for the Churches peace and for that Liberty to preach the Gospel which you cannot otherwise obtain The Reasons are 1. Because it is not a duty to preach them at that time For no duty is a duty at all times Affirmative Precepts bind not ad semper because man cannot alwayes do them 2. It is a sin to prefer a lesser truth or good before a Greater You cannot speak all things at once When you have all done some yea a thousand must be by you omitted Therefore the less should be omitted rather than the greater 3. You have your Office to the Churches Edification Preaching is made for man and not man for preaching But the Churches Edification requireth you rather to preach the Gospel than that opinion or point which you are required to forbear Without this the hearers may be saved but not without the Gospel And what a man may do and must do he may on good occasion promise to do He that thinketh Diocesans or Liturgies or Ceremonies unlawful and yet cannot have leave to preach the Gospel in time of need unless he will forbear and promise to forbear to preach against them may and ought so to doâ— and promise rather than not to preach the Gospel Object But if men imprison or hinder me from preaching that is their fault But if I voluntarily forbear any duty it is my own fault Answ. 1. It is to forbear a sin and not a duty at that time It is no more a duty than reading or singing or praying at Sermon time 2. When you are in Prison or know in all probability you shall be there though by other mens fault it is your own fault if you will deny a lawful means to avoid it For your not preaching the Gospel is then your own sin as well as other mens And theirs excuseth not yours Quest. 80. May or must a Minister silenced or forbid to Preach the Gospel go on still to preach it against the Law Answ. DIstinguish between 1. Iust silencing and Unjust 2. Necessary preaching and unnecessary 1. Some men are justly forbidden to preach the Gospel as 1. Those that are utterly unable and do worse than nothing when they do it 2. Those that are Hereticks and subvert the Essentials of Christianity or Godliness 3. Those that are so Impious and Malignant that they turn all against the Practice of that Religion which they profess In a word All that do directly more hurt than good 2. In some places there are so many able preachers that some tolerable men may be spared if not accounted supernumeraries and the Church will not suffer by their silence But in other Countreys either the Preachers are so few or so bad or the people so very ignorant and hardened and ungodly or so great a number that are in deep necessity that the need of preaching is undenyable And so I conclude 1. That he that is justly silenced and is unfit to Preach is bound to forbear 2. He that is silenced by just Power though unjustly in a Countrey that needeth not his Preaching must forbear there and if he can must go into another Coâ—â—â—â—â—y where he may be more serviceable 3. Magistrates may not Ecclesiastically Ordain Ministers or degrade them But only either give them Liberty or deny it them as there is cause 4. Magistrates are not the â—ountain of the Ministerial Office as the Soveraign is of all the Civil power of inferiour Magistrates But both offices are immediately from God 5. Magistrates have not power from God to forbid men to Preach in all cases nor as they please but justly only and according to Gods Laws 6. Men be not made Ministers of Christ only pro tempore or on tryal to go off again if they dislike it But are absolutely dedicated to God and take their lot for better and for worse which maketh the Romanists say that ordination is a Saâ—ramenâ— and so it may be aptly called and that we receive an indelible character that is an obligation during life unless God himself disable us 7. Aâ— we are â—â—â—â—rlier devoted and relaâ—ed to God than Church lands goods and temples are so the sacriledge of alienating a consecrated person unjustly is greater and more unquestionable than the sacriledge of alienating Consecrated houses lands or things And therefore no Minister may Sacrilegiously alienate himself from God and his undertaken office and work 8. We must do â—â—y Lawful thing to procure the Magistrates Licence to Preach in his Dominions 9. All men silenced or forbidden by Magistrates to Preach are noâ— thereby obliged or warranted to forbear Foâ— â— The Apostles expresly determine it Act. 4. 19. Whether it be better to hearken to God rather than to you judge ye 2. Christ oâ—â— foreâ—old his servants that they must Preach against the will of Rulers and suffer by them 3. The Apostles and ordinary Ministers also for 300 years after Christ did generally preach against the Magistrates will throughout the Roman Empire and the World 4. The Orthodox Bishops commonly took themselves bound to Preach when Arrian or other Heretical Emperours forâ—ad them 5. A moral duty of stated necessity to the Church and mens salvation is noâ— subjected to the will of men for Order sake For Order is for the thing Ordered and for the End Magistrates
cannot dispense with us for not Loving our Neighbours or not shewing mercy to the poor oâ— saving the lives of the neâ—dy in 〈◊〉 and diâ—â—ress Else they that at last shall hear I was hungry aâ—d yâ—â—â—â—â— mâ— not I was nâ—ked and ye 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— I was in prison and ye visited me not might oft say â—â—â—◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 Magistrates for bad â—s Yet a lâ—ssâ—r Moral duty may be forbidden by the Magistrate for the sake of a greater because then it is no duty indeed and may be forborn if he forbid it not As to save one manâ— liâ—â— iâ— it would prove the death of a multitude or to save one mans house on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—o woâ—lâ—â—â—â—â—â—any Therefore 10. Iâ— is lawful and â— dâ—â—â—â— to for â—â—â—â— some certain â—â—â—â— or number of Sermons Prayers or Sacraments c. when â—â—â—â—er the present â—se of them would apparently pâ—oâ—â—re more hâ—rt than good o◠〈…〉 forbear 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â— like to prâ—â—â—â—â— moâ—â— good than the doing of them For they are all for our Edification and are made for man and not man for them though for God As if forbearing this dâ—y 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—â—uâ—â—â—â—â—â— liâ—â—â—â—y for many dayes serviâ—e afterward c. 〈…〉 at the 〈◊〉 oâ—â—an to forsake or forbear our Calling and duty when it is to bâ— judged Necessary to the honour of God to the good of the Church and of mens souls that is whâ—n aâ—â—in 〈◊〉 case Dan. 6. our Religion it self and our owning the true God doth seeâ— suspended by the suspence of our duty Or when the multitude of ignorant hardened â—â—godly souls and the want of fit men for number and quality doth put it past Controversie that our work is greatly necessary 12. Those that are not Immediately called by Christ as were the Apostles but by men being yet Mat. â—8 20. Râ—m 10. 14. 1 â—or 9. 16. â—â—â—â— â— 4â— 10. 4â— â—â—â—m 4 1 2. â—â—â—â— 8 4 12. 1â— 3â— statedly obliged to the death when they are called may truly say as Paul Necessity is laid upon me and woe â—e to me if I preach not the Gospel 13. Papists and Protestants concurr in this judgement Papists will preach when the Law forbids them And the judgement of Protestants is among others by Bishop Bilson of subjection and Bishop Andrews Tortur Tort. plainly so asserted 14. But all that are bound to preach are not bound to do it to the same number nor in the same manner as they have not the same opportunity and call Whether it shall be in this place or that to more or fewer at this hour or that are not determined in Scripture nor alike to all 15. The Temples tythes and such adjuncts of Worship and Ministry are at the Magistrates dispose and must not be invaded against his Laws 16. Where any are obliged to Preach in a forbidden discountenanced state they must study to do it with such prudence caution peaceableness and obedience in all the Lawful circumstantials as may tend to maintain peace and the honour of Magistracy and to avoid temptations to sedition and unruly passions Quest. 81. May we lawfully keep the Lords day as a fast Answ. NOt ordinarily Because God hath made it a day of thanksgiving And we must not pervert it from the use to which it was appointed by God But in case of extraordinary necessity it may be done As 1. In case that some great judgement call us so suddenly to humiliation and fasting as that it cannot be deâ—erred to the next day As some sudden invasion fire sickness c. Luk. 6. 5. 13. â—â— Maâ— 2. In case by persecution the Church be denyed liberty to meet on any other day in a time when publick fasting and prayer is a duty 3. In case the people be so poor or servants Children and Wives be so hardly restrained that they cannot meet at any other time It is lawful in such cases because Positives give way to Moral or Natural duties caeteris paribus and lesser duties unto greater The Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath Quest. 82. How should the Lords day be spent in the main Answ. I Have so far opened that in the Family-directions that I will now only say 1. That Eâ—charistical worship is the great work of the day And that it should be kept as a day of publick Psal. 92. 1 2 3 4 5. Psal. 118. 1 2 3 15 19 23 24 27 28 29. Act. 20. 7 9. Rev. 1. 10. Act. 24. 14 25 26 c. Psal. 16. 7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Thanksgiving for the whole work of Redemption especially for the Resurrection of our Lord. 2. And therefore the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was alwayes a chief part of its observation in the primitive Churches Not meerly for the Sacrament sake but because with it was still joyned all the Laudatory and Thanksgiving worship And it was the Pastors work so to pray and praise God and preach to the people as tendeth most to possess their souls with the liveliest sense of the Love of the Father the Grace of the Son and the Communion of the holy Spirit on the account of our Redemption 3. Though confession of sin and humiliation must not be the chief work of the day yet it may and must come in as in due subordination to the chief 1. Because there are usually many persons present who are members only of the visible Church and are not fit for the Laudatory and rejoycing part 2. Because while we are in the flesh our sâ—lvation is imperfect and so are we and much sin still remaineth which must be a grief and burden to believers And therefore while sin is mixt Psal. 2. 9 10 11. Heb. 12. 28 29. with grace Repentance and sorrow must be mixed with our Thanksgivings and we must rejoyce with trembling And though we receive a Kingdom which cannot â—e moved yet must our acceptable service of God be with reverence and Godly fear because our God is a consuming fire 3. Our sin and misery being that which we are saved from doth enter the definition of our salvation And without the sense of theâ— we can never know aâ—ight what mercy is nor ever be truly glad and thankful But yet take heed that this subordinate duty be not pretended for the neglecting of that Thanksgiving which is the work of the day Quest. 83. May the people bear a Vocal part in Worship or do any more than say Amen Answ. YEs The people should say Amen that is openly signifie their consent But the meaning 1 Cor. 14. Psal. 150. 81 2 3. 98. 5. 94. 1 2 3 c. 105. 7. 2 c. 145. thoughout Col. 3 16. is not that they must do no more nor otherwise express their consent saving by that single word For 1. There is no Scripture which forbiddeth more 2. The people bear an equal part in singing the Psalms which are prayer and praise
which are commonly supposed to be the Responses of the people or repeated by them And in Rev. 14. 2 3. the voice as of many waters and as of a great thunder and the voice of Harpers harping with their harps who sung a new song before the Throne and before the four beasts and the elders a song which noâ—e could learn but the hundred forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the Earth which were not defiled with women who were Virgins and followed the Lamb c. doth seem very plainly to be spoken of the praises of all the Saints Chap. 17. 15. by waters is meant people multitudes c. And Chap. 1â— 5 6 7 8. there is expresly recited a form of praise for all the people A voice came out of the Throne saying Praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him both small and great And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waâ—â—rs and as the voice of mighty thundrings saying Alleluja for the Lord God omnipotent reigâ—eth Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready and to her was granted c. And indeed he that hath stiled all his people Priests to God and a holy and royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ and to shew forth the praises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light doth seem not to take them for so prophanâ— a generation as to be prohibited from speaking to God in publick any otherwise than by the mouth of a Priest And it seemeth to be more allowed and not less under the Gospel than under the Law because Numb 1. 5â— 3. 10 38. Exod. 20. Heb. 4. 16 17. Eph. 2. 13. Heb. 12. 18 21 22 23. then the people as under guilt were kept at a greater distance from God and must speak to him more by a Priest that was a type of Christ our intercessour But now we are brought nigh and reconciled to God and have the spirit of soâ—s and may go by Christ alone unto the Father And therefore though it be true that Ministers yet are sub-intercessours under Christ our high Priest yet they are rarely called Priestâ— but described more in the new Testament by other parts of their office Obj. But the peoples responses make a confused noise in the Assemblies not intelligible Answ. All things are ill done that are done by ill men that carnally and formally slubber it over But if the best and holiest people would unanimously set themselves to do it as they do in singing Psalms so that they did not only stand by to be the hearers of others it would be done more orderly and spiritually as well as singing is Quest. 84. Is it not a sin for our Clerks to make themselves the mouth of the people who are no ordained Ministers of Christ Answ. 1. IN those places where ordained Deacons do it this objection hath no place 2. The Clerks are not appointed to be the mouth of the people But only each Clerk is one of the people commanded to do that which all should do lest it should be wholly left undone If all the Congregation will speak all that the Clerk doth it will answer the primary desire of the Church-Governours who bid the People do it But if they that will not do it themselves shall pretend that the Clerk doth usurp the Ministry because he ceaseth not as well as they they might as well say so by a few that should sing Psalms in the Church when the rest are against it and forbear May not a man do his duty in singing or saying when you refuse yours without pretending to be your mouth or usurping the Ministry Quest. 85. Are repetitions of the same words in Church-prayers lawful Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to affect them as the Heathens who think they shall be heard for their Maâ— 6. 18. Battologie or saying over the same words as if God were moved by them as by a charm 2. Nor is it lawful to do that which hath a strong appearance of such a conceit and thereby to make Gods worship ridiculous and contemptible As the Papists in their Psalters and Prayer Books repeating over the name of Iesus and Mary so oft together as maketh it seem a ludicrous Canting But 1. It is lawful to speak the same words from fulness and fervency of zeal 2. And when we are afraid to give over lest we have not yet prevailed with God 3. And in Gods solemn Praises sung or said a word or sentence oft repeated sometime hath an elegancy and affecting decency And therefore it is so often used in the Psalms yea and in many Scripture Prayers 4. In such cases to Psal. 136. 107. 8 13 21 c. bring a serious urgency of spirit to the repeated words and not to quarrel with the repetitions is the duty of one that joyneth with true Christian Assemblies as a son of piety and peace Quest. 86. Is it lawful to bow at the naming of Iesus Answ. THE question either respecteth the Person of Jesus named by any of his names or else Mic. 6. 6. Jer. 23. 27. Isa. 52 5 6. Isa. 29. 24. Isa. 42. 8 9. Psal. 2. 10 11. Phil. 2. 9 10 11 12. Psal. 34. 3. 66. 2. 68. 4. 72 19. â—6 1 2. 96 2. 100. 4. 111. 9. 148. 13. 149. 3. Isa. 9. 6 7. 12. â— Psal. 138. 2 3. Rev. 15. 4. 1 Chron. 29. 20. 2 Chron. 29. 30. this name Iesus only And that either simply in it self considered or else comparatively as excluding or not including â—â—â—â—er names 1. That the person of Iesus is to be bowed to I never knew a Christian deny 2. That we may lawfully express our reverence by bowing when the names God Jehovah Jesus Christ c. are uttered I have met with few Christians who deny nor know I any reason to deny it 3. Had I been fit to have prescribed directions to other Ministers or Churches I would not have perswaded much less commanded them to bow at the Name of Iesus any more than at the name of God Iehovah Christ c. For many Reasons which the Reader may imagine though I will not now mention them 4. But if I live and joyn in a Church where it is commanded and peremptorily urged to bow at the name of Iesus and where my not doing it would be divisive scandalous or offensive I will bow at the name of God Iehovah Iesus Christ Lord c. one as well as the other seeing it is not bowing at Christs name that I scruple but the consequents of seeming to distinguish and prefer that name alone before all the rest Quest. 87. Is it lawful to stand up at the Gospel
in his office and be satisfied that he hath discharged his own duty and leave them under the guilt of their own faults 3. But if it be an intolerable wickedness or Heresie as Arrianism Socinianism c. and the people own the errour or sin as well as the person the Pastor is then to admonish them also and by all means to endeavour to bring them to Repentance And if they remain impenitent to renounce Communion with them and desert them 4. But if they own not the crime but only think the person injured the Pastor must give them the proof for their satisfaction And if they remain unsatisfied he may proceed in his office as before Quest. 92. May a whole Church or the greater part be Excommunicated Answ. 1. TO excommunicate is by Ministerial Authority to pronounce the person unmeet for Christian Communion as being under the guilt of impenitence in heynous sin and to charge the Church to forbear Communion with him and avoid him and to bind him over to the bar of God 2. The Pastor of a particular Church may pronounce all the Church uncapable of Christian Communion and salvation till they repent e. g. If they should all be impenitent Arrians Socinians Blaspheamers c. For he hath authority and they deserve it But he hath no Church that he is Pastor of whom he can command to avoid them 3. The neighbour Pastors of the Churches about them may upon full proof declare to their own Churches that such a neighbour Church that is faln to Arrianism c. is unmeet for Christian Communion and to be owned as a Church of Christ and therefore charge their flocks not to own them nor to have occasional Communion with their members when they come among them For there is Authority and a meet object and necessity for so doing And therefore it may be done 4. But a single Pastor of another Church may not usurp authority over any neighbour Church to judge them and excommunicate them where he hath neither call nor 2 Joh. 10 11. 3 Joh 9. 10. Rev. 2. 5 16. 3. 3â— 15 6. full proof as not having had opportunity to admonish them all and try their repentance Therefore the Popes Excommunications are rather to be contemned than regarded 5. Yet if many Churches turn Hereticks notoriously one single neighbour Pastor may renounce their Communion and require his flock for to avoid them all 6. And a Pastor may as lawfully excommunicate the Major part of his Church by charging the Minor part to avoid them as he may do the Minor part Except that accidentally the inconveniences of a division may be so great as to make it better to forbear And so it may oft fall out also if it were the minor part Quest. 93. What if a Church have two Pastors and one Excommunicate a man and the other absolve him what shall the Church and the dissenter do Answ. IT was such cases that made the Churches of old choose Bishops and ever have but one Bishop in one Church But 1. He that is in the wrong is first bound to repent and yield to the other 2. If he will not the other in a tolerable ordinary case may for peace give way to him though not Consent to his injurious dealing 3. In a dubious case they should both forbear proceeding till the case be cleared 4. In most cases each party should act according to his own judgement if the Counsel of neighbour Pastors be not able to reconcile them And the people may follow their own judgements and forbear obeying either of them formally till they agree Quest. 94. For what sins may a man be denied Communion or Excommunicated Whether for impenitence in every little sin Or for great sin without impenitence Answ. 1. I Have shewed before that there is a suspension which is but a forbearance of giving a man the Sacrament which is only upon an Accusation till his cause be tryed And an Innocent person may be falsly accused and so tryed 2. Some sins may be of so heynous scandal that if the person repent of them this day his absolution and reception may be delayed till the scandal be removed 1. Because the publick good is to be preferred before any mans personal good 2. And the Churches or Enemies about cannot so suddenly know of a mans repentance If they hear of a mans Murder Perjury or Adultery to day and hear that he is absolved to morrow they will think that the Church consisteth of such or that it maketh very light of sin Therefore the ancient Churches delayed and imposed penances partly to avoid such scandal 3. And partly because that some sins are so heynous that a sudden profession is not a sufficient Evidence of repentance unless there be also some evidence of Contrition 3. But ordinarily no man ought to be Excommunicate for any sin whatsoever unless Impenitence be Luk. 13. 3 5. Act. 2. 37 38 39 c. added to the sin Because he is first to be admonished to Repent Matth. 18. 15 16. Tit. 3. 10. And Repentance is the Gospel condition of pardon to believers 4. A man is not to be excommunicated for every sin which he repenteth not of Because 1. Else all men should be Excommunicated For there are in all men some errours about sin and duty and so some sins which men cannot yet perceive to be sins 2. And Ministers are not Inâ—allible and may take that for a sin which is no sin and so should excommunicate the innocent 3. And daily unavoidable infirmities though repented of yet awaken not the soul sometimes to a notable contrition Gâ—l 6. 1 2 3 4. Jam. 3. 1 2 3. nor are they fit matter for the Churches admonition A man is not to be called openly to repentance before the Church for every idle word or hour 4. Therefore to Excommunication these two must concur 1. A heynousness in the sin 2. Impenitence after due admonition and patience Quest. 95. Must the Pastors examine the people before the Sacrament Answ. 1. REgularly they should have sufficient notice after they come to age that they own their Baptismal Covenant and that they have that due understanding of the Sacrament and the Sacramental work and such a Christian Profession as is necessary to a due participation 2. But this is fitlyest done at their solemn transition out of their Infant-Church-state into their adult And it is not necessarily to be done every time they come to the Lords Table unless the person desire help for his own benefit but only once before their first communicating if it be the satisfaction of the Pastor or Church that is intended by it Quest. 96. Is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a Converting Ordinance Answ. YOu must distinguish 1. Between the Conversion of Infidels without the Church and of Hypocrites within it 2. Between the primary and the secondary intention of the Instituter 3. Between the primary duty of the receiver and the
order to our Absolution and Communion 4. Especially so far as is necessary to subdue our fleshly lusts and tame our bodies and bring them into a due subjection to our faith and to avoid our sin for the time to come And also by 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 9 27. Col. 1. 5 6. Rom. 13 13 14. the exercise of sober mortification prudently to keep under all our worldly phantasies and love of this present world without unfitting our selves for duty 5. And so far as is needful by such mortification to fit us for fervent prayer especially by fasting on dayes of humiliation and to help us in our meditations of death and judgement and to further our heavenly contemplations and conversation 6. The greatest difficulty is Whether any self-revenge be lawful or due which is answered by Psal. 69. 10. Lev. 16. 29 31. â—3 27 32. Numb 29. 7. 30. 13. Ezra 8. 21. what is said already None such as disableth us for Gods service is lawful But true Repentance is an anger or great displeasure with our selves for sin and a hatred of sin and loathing of our selves for it And to judge condemn and afflict our own souls by a voluntary self-punishing is but that exercise of justice on our selves which is fit for pardoned sinners that are not to be condemned by the Lord and indeed the just exercise of Repentance and displeasure against our selves On which accounts of sober self-revenge we may cherish such degrees of godly sorrow fasting course cloathing as Sackcloth and denying our selves the pleasures of this world as shall not be hurtful but helpful to our duty And if great and heinous sinners have of old on these terms exceeded other men in their austerities and self-afflictings we cannot condemn them of superstition unless we more particularly knew more cause for it But popishly to think that self-afflicting without respect to Isa. 58. 5. such causes or necessities is a meritorious perfection fit for others is superstition indeed And â—o think as many of the Melancholy do that self-murder is a lawful self-revenge is a heinous sin and leadeth to that which is more heinous and dangerous Quest. 101. Is it lawful to observe stated times of fasting imposed by others without extraordinary occasion And particularly Lent Answ. REmember that I here meddle not with the question how far it is lawful for Rulers to 2 Chron. 20 3. Ezâ—a 8. 21. Jonah 3. 5. Zech. 8. 19. Joel 2. 15. Read Dallaeus Treatise de Iejuniis impose such Fasts on others save only to say 1. That it is undoubtedly fit for Kings to do it by Precepts and Churches by Consent in extraordinary cases of defection sin or judgements 2. That it is undoubtedly sinful usurpation for either Pope or any pretended Ecclesiastical Universal Rulers to impose such on the Universal Church Because there are no Universal Rulers Or for a neighbour Bishop by usurpation to impose it on a neighbour Church 3. And that it is sinful in all or many Churches to make by their Agreements such things to be necessary to their Union or Communion with their neighbour Churches so that they will take all those for Schismaticks that differ from them in such indifferent things But as to the Using of such fasts omitting the imposing I say I. 1. Thâ—â— so great and extraordinary a duty as holy fasting must not be turned into a meer Isa. 58. 3 5 6 7 8. formality oâ— ceremony 2. No particular man must be so observant of a publick commanded anniversary fast as for it to neglect any duty commanded him by God which is inconsistent with it As to rejoyce or keep a day of Thanksgiving in Lent upon an extraordinary obliging cause To keep the Lords day in Lent as a day of Thanksgiving and Rejoycing To preserve our own health c. It is not lawful in obedience to man to fast so much or use such dyet as is like to destroy our lives or health These being not so far put into the power of man Nor can man dispence with us as to the duty of self-preservation If God himself require us not to offer him our lives and health needlesly as an acceptable Sacrifice nor ever maketh self-destruction our duty no nor any thing that is not for mans own good then we are not to believe without very clear proof that either Prince or Prelates have more power than ever God doth use himself 3. Such an Anniversary fast as is meet for the remembrance of some sin or judgement if commanded is to be kept both for the Reason of it and for the Authority of the Commander For 1. It is not unlawful as Anniversary For 1. It is not forbidden and 2. There may be just occasion Some arbitrarily keep an anniversary fast on the day of their Nativity as I have long done and some on the day that they fell into some great sin and some on the day of the death of a friend or of some personal domestick or National Calamity and none of this is forbidden 2. And that which is not unlawful in it self is not therefore unlawful to be done because it is commanded seeing obedience to superiours is our duty and not our sin unless in sinful things 4. Whether it be lawful or meet to commemorate Christs sufferings by anniversary fasts is next to be considered II. As for Lent in particular We must distinguish 1. Between the antient Lent and the later Lent 2. Between keeping it on a Civil account and on a Religious 3. Between true fasting and change of dyet 4. Between the Imitation of Christs fourty dayes fasting and the meer Commemoration of it Which premised I conclude 1. The keeping a true Fast or Abstinence from food for fourty dayes on what account soever being impossible or self-murder is not to be attempted 2. The Imitation of Christ in his fourty dayes fasting is not to be attempted or pretended to Because his miraculous works were not done for our imitation And it is presumption for us to pretend to such a power as is necessary to Miracles or yet to make any Essayes at such an imitation any more than at the raising of the dead 3. The pretending of a fast when men do but change their dyet Flesh for Fish Fruit Sweet-meats c. is but hypocritical and ridiculous Most poor labourers and temperate Ministers do live all the year on a more flesh-denying dyet and in greater abstinence than many Papists do in Lent or on their fasting dayes And what a ridiculous dispute is it to hear e. g. a Calvin that never eateth but one small meal a day for many years to plead against the keeping of the Popish fasts and their Clergy call him voracious and carnal and an Epicure and plead for fasting as holy mortification who eat as many meals and as much meat on a Lent day or fasting day as Calvin did in three feasting dayes and drink as much Wine in
own part in such cases I would do thus 1. I would look at my ultimate end Gods Glory and at the next end the Good of souls and welfare Eph. 4. 12 14. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. Rom. 14. 19. Rom. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 14. 5 12 26. 2 Cor. 12. 19. of the Church and so at the Peoples Interest as it is the End of the Order of Magistracy and Ministry And I would take my self to be so obliged to that end as that no point of meer Order could disoblige me the End being better than the Means as such Therefore I would do all things to edification supposing that all Power of man is as Paul's was for Edification and not for destruction 2. But in judging of what is Best for the Church I must take in every accident and circumstance and look to many more than to a few and to distant parts as well as to those near me and to the time and ages to come as well as to the present and not go upon mistaken suppositions of the Churches good He that doth not see all things that are to be weighed in such a case may err by leaving out some one 3. I would obey the Magistrate formally for conscience sake in all things which belong to his Office And particularly in this case if it were but a Removal from place to place in respect to the Temple or Tythes or for the Civil peace or for the preservation of Church order in cases where it is not grosly injurious to the Church and Gospel 4. In cases which by Gods appointment belong to the Conduct of Bishops or Pastors or the Concord of Consociate Churches I would formaliter follow them And in particular if they satisfie me that the removal of me is an apparent injury to the Church As in the Arrians times when the Emperours removed the Orthodox from all the Great Churches to put in Arrians I would not obedientially and voluntarily remove 5. If Magistrates and Bishops should concur in commanding my remove in a case notoriously injurious and pernicious to the Church as in the aforesaid case to bring in an Arrian I would not obey formally for conscience sake supposing that God never gave them such a power against mens souls and the Gospel of Christ And there is no power but of God 6. But I would prefer both the Command of the Magistrate and the Direction of the Pastors before the meer will and humour of the people when their safety and welfare were not concerned in the case 7. And when the Magistrate is peremptory usually I must obey him Materially when I do it not formally in conscience to his meer Command Because though in some cases he may do that which belongeth not to his Office but to the Pastors yet his violence may make it become the Churches interest that I yield and give place to his wrath For as I must not Resist him by force so if I depart not at his Command it may bring a greater suffering on the Churches And so for preventing a greater evil he is to be submitted to in many cases where he goeth against God and without authority though not to be formally obeyed 8. Particular Churches have no such interest in their Ministers or Pastors as to keep them against their wills and the Magistrates and against the interest of the Universal Church as shall be next asserted I have spoken to this instance as it taketh in all other cases of difference between the Power of the Magistrate the Pastors and the peoples interest when they disagree and not as to this case alone Quest. 104. Is a Pastor obliged to his Flock for Life Or is it lawful so to oblige himself And may be remove without their Consent And so also of a Church-member the same questions are put THese four Questions I put together for brevity and shall answer them distinctly I. 1. A Minister is obliged to Christ and the Universal Church for Life durante vita with this exception if God disable him not 2. But as a Pastor he is not obliged to this or that flock for life There is no such command or example in Gods Word II. To the second 1. It is lawful to oblige our selves to a people for life in some cases conditionally that is If God do not apparently call us away 2. But it is never lawful to do it Absolutely 1. Because we shall engage our selves against God against his power over us and interest in us and his wisdom that must guide us God may call us whither he please And though now he speak not by supernatural revelation yet he may do it by providential alterations 2. And we shall else oblige our selves against the Universal Church to which we are more strictly bound than to any particular Church and whose good may oblige us to remove 3. Yea we may bind our selves to the hurt of that Church it self seeing it may become its interest to part with us 4. And we should so oblige our selves against our duty to authority which may remove us III. To the third question I answer 1. A Pastor may not causelesly remove nor for his own worldly commodity when it is to the hurt of the Church and hinderance of the Gospel 2. When he hath just cause he must acquaint the people with it and seek their satisfaction and consent 3. But if he cannot procure it he may remove without it As 1. When he is sure that the interest of the Gospel and Universal Church require it 2. Or that just authority doth oblige him to it The reasons are plain from what is said And also 1. He is no more bound to the people than they are to him But they are not so bound to him but they may remove on just occasion 2. If he may not remove it is either because God forbids it or because his own Contract with them hath obliged him against it But 1. God no where forbids it 2. Such a contract is supposed not made nor lawful to be made IV. As to the peoples case it needs no other answer 1. No member may remove without cause 2. Nor abruptly and uncharitably to the Churches dissatisfaction when he may avoid it But 3. He may remove upon many just causes private or publick whether the Church and Pastors consent or not so the manner be as becometh a Christian. Quest. 105. When many men pretend at once to be the true Pastors of a particular Church against each others title through differences between the Magistrates the Ordainers and the Flocks what should the people do and whom should they adhere to Answ. THis case is mostly answered before in Quest. 82. c. I need only to add these What Pastor to adhere to Rules of Caution 1. Do not upon any pretence accept of an Heretick or one that is utterly unfit for the Office 2. Do not easily take a Dividing Course or person but keep
as much as may be in a way of Concord with the united faithful Pastors and Churches in your proximity or Countrey 3. Look to the publick good and interest of Religion more than to your particular Congregation 4. Neglect not the greatest advantages for your own edification But rather take them by a removal of your dwelling though you suffer by it in your estates than by any division disturbance of the Churches peace or common detriment 5. Do not easily go against the Magistrates Commands unless they be apparently unlawful and to the Churches detriment or ruine in the reception of your Pastors 6. Do not easily forsake him that hath been justly received by the Church and hath possession that is till necessity require it Quest. 106. To whom doth it belong to Reform a Corrupted Church to the Magistrates Pastors or People Answ. A Church is reformed three several wayes 1. By the personal reformation of every member 2. By doctrinal Direction and 3. By publick forcible Execution and constraint of others 1. Every member whether Magistrates Pastors or People must reform themselves by forsaking 1 Cor. 11. 28 29 31 33 34. 1 Cor. 5. 11. Dan. 3. 6. all their own sins and doing their own duties If a Ruler command a private person to go to Mass to own any falshood or to do any sin he is not to be obeyed because God is to be first obeyed 2. The Bishops or Pastors are to Reform the Church by Doctrine Reproof and just Exhortations 1 Cor. 5. 3. 4 5 1. Pet. 5. 2 3. Luke 22. 24 25 26 27. and Nunciative Commands in the name of Christ to Rulers and people to do their several duties and by the actual doing of his own 3. The King and Magistrates under him only must Reform by the Sword that is by outward force and Civil Laws and Corporal Penalties As forcibly to break down Images to cast out Idolaters or the Instruments of Idolatry from the Temples to put true Ministers in possession of the Temples or the Legal publick maintenance to destroy punish or hurt Idolaters c. Supposing still the Power of Parents and Masters in their several families Quest. 107. Who is to Call Synods Princes Pastors or People Answ. 1. THere are several wayes of Calling Synods 1. By Force and Civil Mandates 2. By The question of the power of Synods is sufficiently answered before Pastoral Perswasion and Counsel and 3. By humble intreaty and petition 1. Magistrates only that is the Supream by his own power and the Inferiour by power derived from him may call Synods by Laws and Mandates enforced by the Sword or Corporal Penalties or Mulcts 2. Bishops or Pastors in due Circumstances may call Synods by Counsel and perswasive invitation 3. The people in due Circumstances and necessity may Call Synods by way of Petition and Intreaty But what are the due Circumstances Answ. 1. The Magistrate may Call them by Command at his discretion for his own Counsel or for the Civil peace or the Churches good 2. The Pastors and people may not Call them nor meet when the Magistrate forbiddeth it except when the necessity of the Church requireth it Synods may profitably be stated for order when it may be lawfulâ—y obtained both as to limits of Place numbers and Time But these prudential Orders are not of stated necessity but must give place to weightier reasons on the contrary 3. Synods themselves are not ordinarily necessary by Nature or Institution Let him that affirmeth it prove it But that which is statedly necessary is The Concord of the Churches as the End and a necessary correspondency of the Churches as the Means and Synods when they may well be had as a convenient sort of means 4. When Synods cannot be had or are needless Messengers and Letters from Church to Church may keep up the Correspondency and Concord 5. In cases of real necessity which are very rare though usefulness be more frequent the Bishops and people should first petition the King for his consent And if that cannot be had they may meet secretly and in small numbers for mutual consultation and advice about the work of God and not by keeping up the formality of their set numbers times and places and orders provoke the King against them 6. The contempt of Synods by the separatists and the placing more power in Synods than ever God gave them by others yea and the insisting on their circumstantial orders making them like a Civil Senate or Court have been the two extreams which have greatly injured and divided the Churches throughout the World Quest. 108. To whom doth it belong to appoint dayes and assemblies for publick Humiliation and Thanksgiving Answ. THe answer of the last question may serve for this 1. The Magistrate only may do it by way of Laws or civil Mandate enforced by the sword 2. The Pastors may do it in case of necessity by Pastoral advice and exhortation and nunciative command in the name of Christ. 3. The people may do it by Petition 4. As ordinary Church Assemblies must be held if the Magistrate forbid them of which next so must extraordinary ones when extraordinary causes make it a duty 5. When the Magistrate forcibly hindereth them natural impossibility resolveth the question about our duty Quest. 109. May we omit Church-assemblies on the Lords day if the Magistrate forbid them Answ. 1. IT is one thing to forbid them for a time upon some special cause as Infection by May we omit Church-Assemblies on the Lords day if forbidden by Magistrates pestilence fire war c. And another thing to forbid them statedly or prophanely 2. It is one thing to omit them for a time and another to do it ordinarily 3. It is one thing to omit them in formal obedience to the Law and another thing to omit them in prudence or for necessity because we cannot keep them 4. The Assembly and the circumstances of the Assembly must be distinguished 1. If the Magistrate for a greater good as the common safety forbid Church Assemblies in a time of pestilence assault of enemies or fire or the like necessity it is a duty to obey him Because positive duties give place to those great natural duties which are their end so Christ justified himself and his disciples violation of the external rest of the Sabbath For the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath 2. Because Affirmatives bind not ad semper and out of season duties become sins 3. Because one Lords day or Assembly is not to be preferred before Many which by the omission of that one are like to be obtained 2. If Princes prophanely forbid holy assemblies and publick worship either statedly or as a renunciation of Christ and our religion it is not Lawful formally to obey them 3. But it is lawful prudently to do that secretly for the present necessity which we cannot do publickly and to do that with smaller numbers which we
because it was but by Accident a duty and now interpreted a heinous sin But in case that the Life of any man lay on it or that the scandal on Religion for my denying Civil honour to the Prince would be greater and of more perillous consequence than the scandal of seeming Idolatry I would perform that Civil honour which I did before and which God enjoyneth me to perform to my Prince But I would avoid the scandal by open protesting seasonably against the Idolatry Quest. 116. Is it unlawful to use the Badge or Symbol of any Error or Sect in the Worship of God Answ. 1. IT is unlawful to use it formally as such 2. But not materially when 1. There are just and weighty reasons for it 2. And I Every Sect of erring Christians accordingly useth to err in worship and have some badge and symbol of their Sect and error may disown the error For 1. All Sects and Erroneous persons may turn holy words and duties into symbols of their errors 2. All Christians in the world being imperfect do sometime err in matter or manner in their worship And he that will materially avoid all the badges or symbols of their errors shall have no communion with any Church or Christian. 3. As we must do our best so to avoid all their errors that we choose them not and make them not formally our own practice as tautologies vain repetitions disorders unfit phrases c. We must our selves when we are the speakers do as much better as we can So we must not therefore separate from them that do use them nor deny them our Communion when they use them Else we must separate from all others and all others from us 4. But when we are present with them our minds must disown all the faults of the holiest prayer in the world which we joyn in We may be bound to stay with them and joyn in all that 's good and warrantable and yet as we go along to disown in our minds all that we know to be amiss Quest. 117. Are all Indifferent things made unlawful to us which shall be abused to Idolatrous Worship Answ. YOu must distinguish 1. Of the symbols of Idolatry before spoken of and other by-abuses 2. Oâ— an abuse done in former ages or remote Countreys and in our own age and Countrey 3. Of the Reasons inviting us to use them whether necessary or not 1. The Case of Symbols or Badges is not here spoken of but other abuses 2. An abuse committed in the age and place we live in or any other which will be the scandal embolden others to the like may not be complyed in without so great reason as will notably preponderate the evil consequents 3. But yet in many cases such abused Indifferent things may after be lawfully used by believers For instance 1. Names may be things indifferent abused to Idolatry and yet lawfully used by us As the name God Deus Lord Holy Just Good Temple Altar Sacrifice Priest Heaven Sun Moon Iupiter Saturn and a hundred such I mean these Letters and Syllables in these languages That these names are all in themselves indifferent appeareth in that they are neither Naturally necessary nor by Gods Institution but arbiâ—rary signs of humane invention and choice For we may easily and lawfully make new words to signifie all the same things that these do And that they are abused to Idolatry is notoriously known And that yet they are lawfully used the practice of all Christians English and Latin even the most scrupulous themselves doth judge 2. And the use of Temples these individuals which have been used to Idolatry is lawful 3. So also of Bells Pulpits Cups Tables and Fonts and other Utensils 4. The Bible it self as it is this individual Book rather than another is a thing indifferent Yet it may be read in after it hath been abused to Idolatry 5. If the King would give not only the Garments but the Money Lands Lordships Houses which have been Consecrated or otherwise abused to Idolatry to any poor people or most of the scrupulous they would think it lawful to receive and use them yea it s lawful to dedicate the same Lands and Money afterwards to holy uses and to maintain Religious Worship 6. Otherwise it were in the power of any Idolater when ever he pleased to deprive all the Christian world of their Christian liberty and to make nothing indifferent to us seeing they can abuse them all 7. Yea almost nothing is then already indifferent there being few things that some person in some time and place hath not abused to Idolatry 8. If the question be only of all Individual things abused to Idolatry the decision now given will hold good But if it be also of all species of such things it will be a dishonour to a mans reason to make a question of it Quest. 118. May we use the names of Week dayes which Idolatry honoured their Idols with as Sunday Munday Saturday and the rest And so the Moneths Answ. 1. IT were to be wished that the custome were changed 1. Because the names have been so grosly abused 2. And we have no need of them 3. And as the Papists say Our Monuments Temple-names and other Relicts among you prove ours to be the old Religion and keep possession for us till it be restored So the Heathens say to all the Christians Your very names of your dayes and moneths prove our Religion to be elder than yours and keep possession for us till it be restored 2. It is meet that we wisely do our duty toward the reformation of this abuse 3. But yet long custome and sound doctrine hath so far taken away the scandal and ill effects that rather than be an offence to any by seeming singularity it is as lawful still to use these names as it was to Luke to use the names of Castor and Pollux Iupiter and Mercury historically 4. In such cases the true solution of the question must be by weighing accidents and foreseen consequents together wisely and impartially And he that can foresee which way is likely to do most good or hurt may satisfactorily know his duty Quest. 119. Is it lawful to pray secretly when we come first into the Church especially when the Church is otherwise employed Answ. 1. THis is a thing which God hath given us no particular Law about but the General Laws must regulate us Let all be done decently in order and to edification 2. Our great and principal business in coming to the Church assembly is to joyn with them in the publick Worship And this is it that accordingly as our great business we must intend and do 3. In a place where superstition makes ignorant people think it a matter of necessity so to begin with secret prayer when the Church is otherwise employed the use of it is the more scandalous as encouraging them in their error 4. It is the best way to come before the publick worship begin
that nothing is of it self and directly any part of the Christian Religion which is not there 6. It instituteth those Sacraments perfectly which are the seals of Gods Covenant with man and the delivery of the benefits and which are the Badges or Symbols of the Disciples and Religion of Christ in the World 7. It determineth what Faith Prayer and obedience shall be his appointed means and Conditions of Justification Adoption and Salvation And so what shall be Professed and Preached in his name to the World 8. It is a perfect Instrument of donation or Conveyance of our Right to Christ and of Pardon and Justification and Adoption and the Holy Spirits assistances and of Glory As it is Gods Covenant promise or deed of gift 9. It instituteth certain Ministers as his own Church officers and perfectly describeth their office as instituted by him 10. It instituteth the form of his Church Universal which is called his body And also of Particular holy societies for his Worship And prescribeth them certain Duties as the Common Worship there to be performed 11. It determineth of a weekly day even the first to be separated for and used in this holy Worship 12. It is a perfect General Rule for the Regulating of those things which it doth not command or forbid in particular As that all be done wisely to edification in charity peace concord season order c. 13. It giveth to Magistrates Pastors Parents and other Superiours all that power by which they are authorized to oblige us under God â—o any undetermined particulars 14. It is the perfect Rule of Christs Judging Rewarding and punishing at last according to which he will proceed 15. It is the only Law that is made by Primitive Power 16. And the only Law that is made by Inâ—allâ—ble wisdom 17. And the only Law which is faultless and hath no thing in it that will do the subject any harm 18. And the only Law which is from Absolute Power the Rule of all other Laws and from which Psal. 12. 6. 19. 7 8 9 10. Psal. 119. there is finally no appeal Thus far the holy Scripture with the Law of nature is our perfect Rule But not in any of the following respects 1. It is no particular revelation or perfect Rule of natural Sciences as Physicks Metaphysicks c. 2. It is no Rule for the Arts for Medicine Musick Arithmetick Geometry Astronomy Grammar Râ—eâ—orick Logick nor for the Mechanicks as Navigation Architecture and all the Trades and occupations of men no not Husbandry by which we have our food 3. It is no particular Rule for all the muâ—able subordinate duties of any societies It will not serve instead of all the Statutes of this and all other Lands nor tell us when the Terms shall begin and end nor what work every Parent and Master shall set his Children and Servants in his family c. 4. It is no full Rule in particular for all those Political principles which are the ground of humane Laws As whether each Republick be Monarchical Aristocratical or Democratical What person or of what Family shall Reign Who shall be his Officers and Judges and how diversified so of his Treasury Munition Coin c. 5. It is no Rule of Propriety in particular by which every man may know which is his own Land or house or goods or Cattle 6. It is no particular Rule for our natural actions what meat we shall eat what Cloaths we shall wear So of our rest labour c. 7. It is no particular Law or Rule for any of all those Actions and Circumstances about Religion or Gods own Ordinances which he hath only commanded in general and left in specie or particular to be determined by man according to his General Laws But of these next Quest. 131. What Additions or humane Inventions in or about Religion not commanded in Scripture are lawful or unlawful Answ. 1. THese following are unlawful 1. To feign any new Article of faith or doctrine any Deut. 12. 32. Rev. 2â— 18. Col. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. 16 17. Mat. 15. 3 8 9. Gal. 1. 8 9. Jer. 5. 12. Jer. 14. 14. 23 25 26 32. Ezek. 13 9 19. 22. 28. Zeâ—h 13. 2 3 4 5 6. precept promise threatning prophesie or revelation and falsly to father it upon God and say that it is of him or his special Word 2. To say that either that is written in the Bible which is not or that any thing is the sense of a Text which is not and so that any thing is a sin or a duty by Scripture which is not Or to father Apocryphal Books or Texts or words upon the spirit of Christ. 3. To make any Law for the Church universal or as obligatory to all Christians which is to usurp the soveraignty of Christ For which treasonable Usurpation it is that Protestants call the Pope Antichrist 4. To add new parts to the Christian Religion 5. To make any Law which it did properly belong to the Universal Soveraign to have made if it should have been made at all Or which implyeth an accusation of ignorance oversight errour or omission in Christ and the holy Scriptures 6. To make new Laws for mens inward Heart-duties towards God 7. To make new Sacraments for the fealing of Christs Covenant and Collation of his benefits therein contained and to be the publick Tesserae Badges or Symbols of Christians and Christianity in the World 8. To feign new Conditions of the Covenant of God and necessary means of our Justification Adoption and salvation 9. To alter Christs instituted Church-Ministry or add any that are supra-ordinate co-ordinate or derogatory to their office or that stand on the like pretended ground and for equal ends 10. To make new spiritual societies or Church-forms which shall be either supra-ordinate co-ordinate Gal. 2. 5. or derogatory to the Forms of Christs Institution 11. Any impositions upon the Churches be the thing never so lawful which is made by a pretended Act. 15. 28 24 25. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. 1 Cor. 14. 5 12 26. 2 Cor. 12. 19. Eph. 4. 12 16 1 Tim. 1 4. power not derived from God and the Redeemer 12. Any thing that is contrary to the Churches good and Edification to justice charity piety order unity or peace 13. Any unnecessary burden imposed on the Consciences of Christians especially as necessary either to their salvation communion liberty or peace 14. And the exercise of any power pretended to be either Primitive and underived or Infallible or Impeccable or Absolute 15. In general any thing that is contrary to the Authority matter form obligation honour or ends of the Laws of God in Nature or Scripture 16. Any thing which setteth up those Judaical Laws and Ceremonies which Christ hath abrogated in that form and respect in which he abrogated them 17. Where there is a doubt among sober Conscionable Christians lest in obeying man they should sin against
to true penitent believers with a right to everlasting life and as to the obligation to sincere obedience for salvation though not as to the yet future coming of Christ in the flesh And this Law of Grace was never 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 15. 4. 16. 26. yet repealed any further than Christs coming did fulfill it and perfect it Therefore to the rest of the world who never can have the Gospel or perfecter Testament as Christians have the former ☞ Law of Grace is yet in force And that is the Law conjoyned with the Law of Nature which now the world without the Church is under Under I say as to the force of the Law and a former Matth. 22. 29. Luke 24. 27 32 45. John 5. â—9 Acts 17. 2. 11. 18. 24 25. John 20. 9. John 7. 38 42. 10. 35. 13. 18. 19. 24 28. Luke 4. 18. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. Acts 8. 32 33 35. Rom. 1. 2. promulgation made to Adam and Noah and some common intimations of it in merciful forbearances pardons and benefits though how many are under it as to the knowledge reception belief and obedience of it and consequently are saved by it is more than I or any man knoweth 6. There are many Prophecies of Christ and the Christian Church in the Old Testament yet to be fulfilled and therefore are still Gods Word for us 7. There are many Precepts of God to the Jews and to particular persons given them on Reasons common to them with us where parity of Reason will help thence to gather our own duty now 8. There are many holy expressions as in the Psalms which are fitted to persons in our condition and came from the Spirit of God and therefore as such are fit for us now 9. Even the fulfilled Promises Types and Prophecies are still Gods Word that is his Word given to their several proper uses And though much of their Use be changed or ceased so is not all They are yet useful to us to confirm our faith while we see their accomplishment and see how much God still led his Church to Happiness in one and the same way 10. On all these accounts therefore we may still Read the Old Testament and preach upon it in the publick Churches Quest. 156. Must we believe that Moses Law did ever bind other Nations or that any other parts of the Scripture bound them or belonged to them or that the Iews were all Gods Visible Church on Earth Answ. I Conjoyn these three Questions for dispatch I. 1. Some of the Matter of Moses Law did Rom. 2. Rom. 1. 20 21 Enod 12. 19 43 48 49. 20. 10. Lev. 17. 12 15. 18. 26. 24. 16 22. Numb 9. 14. 15. 14 15 16 29 30. 19. 10. Deut. 1. 16. bind all Nations that is The Law of nature as such 2. Those that had the knowledge of the Jewish Law were bound â—ollaterally to believe and obey all the expositions of the Law of nature in it and all the Laws which were given upon reasons common to all the world As about degrees of Marriage particular rules of Justice c. As if I heard God from Heaven tell another that standeth by me Thou shalt not marry thy fathers Widow for it is abominable I ought to apply that to me being his subject which is spoken to another on a common reason 3. All those Gentiles that would be proselytes and joyn with the Jews in their policy and dwell among them were bound to be observers of their Laws But 1. The Law of Nature as Mosaical did not formally and directly bind other Nations 2. Nâ—r were they bound to the Laws of their peculiar policy Civil or Ecclesiastical which were positives The reason is 1. Because they were all one body of Political Laws given peculiarly to one political body Even the Decalogue it self was to them a political Law 2. Because Moses was not authorized or sent to be the Mediator or deliverer of that Law to any Nation but the Jews And being never in the enacting or Promulgation sent or directed to the rest of the World it could not bind them II. As to the second Question Though the Scripture as a writing bound not all the World yet 1. The Law of Nature as such which is recorded in Scripture did bind all 2. The Covenant of Psal. 145. 9 103. 19. Psal. 100. 1. Rom. 14. 11. Act. 34 35. Jud. 14. 15. Grace was made with all mankind in Adam and Noe And they were bound to promulgate it by Tradition to all their off-spring And no doubt so they did whether by word as all did or by writing also as it 's like some did as Henochs Prophesies were it 's like delivered or else they had not in terms been preserved till Iudes time 3. And God himself as aforesaid by actual providences pardoning and benefits given to them that deserved hell did in part promulgate it himself 4. The neighbour Nations might learn much by Gods doctrine and dealing with the Jews III. To the third Question I answer 1. The Jews were a people chosen by God out of all the Deut. 14. 2 3. 7. 2. 6 7. Exod. 19. 5. 6. 7 8. Lev. 20. 24 26. Deut. 4. 20 33. 29. 13. 33. 29. Rom. 3. 1 2 3. Nations of the Earth to be a holy Nation and his peculiar treasure having a peculiar Divine Law and Covenant and many great priviledges to which the rest of the World were strangers so that they were advanced above all other Kingdoms of the world though not in wealth nor worldly power nor largeness of Dominion yet in a special dearness unto God 2. But they were not the only people to whom God made a Covenant of Grace in Adam and Noe as distinct from the Law or Covenant of Innocency 3. Nor were they the only people that professed to Worship the true God neither was holiness and salvation confined to them but were found in other Nations Therefore though we have but little notice of the state of other Kingdoms in their times and scarcely know what National Churches that is whole Nations professing saving faith there were yet we may well conclude that there were other visible Churches besides the Jews For 1. No Scripture denyeth it and charity then must hope the best 2. The Scriptures of the Old Testament give us small account of other Countreys but of the Jews alone with some of their Neighbours 3. Sem was alive in Abrahams dayes yea about 34 years after Abrahams death and within 12 years of Ismaels death viz. till about An. Mundi 2158. And so great and blessed a man as Sem cannot be thought to be less than a King and to have a Kingdom governed according to his holiness and so that there was with him not only a Church but a National Church or holy Kingdom 4. And Melchizedeck was a holy King and
own And the truth is after all later discoveries there is yet so much errour darkness uncertainty and confusion in the Philosophy of every pretending sect the Peripateticks the Stoicks the Pythagoreans and Platonists much more the Epicureans the Lullianists the Cartesians Act. 17. 18 19 c. Eph. 4. 18 19. Hos. 4. 1. 6. 6. Psal. 119. 99. 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2 Pet. 1. 3 5 8. â—ol 2. 3. 3. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Eph. 3. 19. Eph. 1. 17. Rom. 1. 20 21 28. Eccl. 1. 16 17 18. 1 Cor. 8. 1 11. 1 Cor. 13. 2 3 4. Rom. 2. 20. Jâ—m 3. 13 14 17. Jer. 4. 22. 1 Cor. 8. 2. Telesius Campanella Patricius Gassendus c. that it is a wonder that any that ever throughly tryed them can be so weak as to glory much of the certainties and methods of any which hitherto are so palpably uncertain and full of certain errours We may therefore make use of all true humane learning Real and Organical And he is the happy Scholar who fasteneth upon the CERTAIN and the USEFUL parts well distinguished from the rest and truly useth them to their great and proper ends But niceties and fooleries which some spend their lives in for meer ostentation and also uncertain presumptions should be much neglected And the great certain necessary saving Verities of Morality and the Gospel must be dearly loved and thankfully imbraced and studiously learned and faithfully practised by all that would prove wise men at last Quest. 159. If we think that Scripture and the Law of Nature do in any point contradict each others which may be the standard by which the other must be tryed Answ. IT is certain that they never do contradict each other 2. The Law of Nature is either that which is very clear by Natural evidence or that which is dark as degrees of Consanguinity unfit for Marriage the evil of officious lies c. 3. The Scriptures also have their plain and their obscurer parts 4. A dark Scripture is not to be expounded contrary to a plain natural 1 Cor. 5. 1 2. Verity 5. A dark and doubtful point in Nature is not to be expounded contrary to a plain and certain Scripture 6. To suppose that there be an apparent contradiction in cases of equal clearness or doubtfulness is a case not to be supposed But he that should have such a dream must do as he would do if he thought two Texts to be contradictory that is he must better study both till he see his errour still remembring that natural evidence hath this advantage that it is 1. first in order 2. and 1 Joh. 1. 1 2 3. Heb. 2. 3 4. most common and received by all But supernatural evidence hath this advantage that it is for the most part the more clear and satisfactory Quest. 160. May we not look that God should yet give us more Revelations of his will than there are already made in Scripture Answ. YOu must distinguish between 1. New Laws or Covenants to mankind and new predictions or informations of a partiâ—ular person 2. Between what may possibly be and what we may expect as certain or probable And so I conclude 1. That it is certain that God will make no other Covenant Testament or Universal Law for the Government of mankind or the Church as a Rule of Duty and of Iudgement Because he hath oft told us Gal. 1. 7 8 9. Mat. 28. 20. 2. Thes. 1. 10 11. Mark 16. 15 16. that this Covenant and Law is perfect and shall be in force as our rule till the end of the world Obj. So it was said of the Law of Moses that it was to stand for ever yea of many Ceremonies in it Answ. 1. It is in the Original only for ages and ages or to generations and generations which we translate for ever when it signifieth but to many generations 2. It is no where said of Moses Law as such that it should continue either till the end of the world or till the day of Iudgement Rev. 14. 6. Rev. 22. 18 19. Heb. 7. 28 29. 1 Tim. 1. 16. Rom. 6. 22. Joh. 5. 22 24. 6. 27 40 47. 12. 50. Heb. 1. 7 8 9. as it is said of the Gospel And 3. It is not said that he will add no more to the former Testament but contrarily that he will make a new Covenant with them c. But here in the Gospel he peremptorily resolveth against all innovations and additions 2. It is certain that God will make no new Scripture or inspired word as an infallible universal Rule for the exposition of the word already written For 1. This were an addition which he hath disclaimed and 2. It would imply such an insufficiency in the Gospel to its ends as being not intelligible as is contrary to its asserted perfection and 3. It would be contrary to that established way for the understanding of the Scripture which God hath already setled and appointed for us till the end 3. It is certain that God will give all his servants in their several measures the help and illumination Eph. 1. 18 19. of his spirit for the understanding and applying of the Gospel 4. It is possible that God may make new Revelations to particular persons about their particular duties events or matters of fact in subordination to the Scripture either by inspiration vision or apparition or voice For he hath not told us that he never will do such a thing As to tell them what shall befall them or others or to say Go to such a place or dwell in such a place or do such a thing which is not contrary to the Scripture nor co-ordinate but only a subordinate determination of some undetermined case or the circumstantiating of an action 5. Though such Revelation and Prophesie be Possible there is no certainty of it in general nor Mic. 2. 11. 1 King 22. 21 22. 1 Joh. 4. 1 2. 2 Thes. 2. 2. any probability of it to any one individual person much less a promise And therefore to expect it or pray for it is but a presumptuous tempting of God 6. And all sober Christians should be the more cautelous of being deceived by their own Imaginations because certain experience telleth us that most in our age that have pretended to prophesie or to inspirations or revelations have been melancholy crackt-brained persons neer to madness who have proved to be deluded in the end And that such crazed persons are still prone to such imaginations 7. Therefore also all sober Christians must take heed of rash believing every Prophet or pretended spirit lest they be led away from the Sacred Rule and before they are aware be lost in vain expectations and conceits Quest. 161. Is not a third Rule of the Holy Ghost or perfecter Kingdom of Love to be expected as different from the Reign of the Creator and Redeemer Answ. 1. THe works ad extra and the Reign of the
12. 12. Col. 4. 15. people that make the Church 2. That God may be acceptably Worshipped in all places when it is our duty 3. That the ancient Churches and Christians in times of persecutions ordinarily met in secret against the Rulers wills and their meetings were called Conventicles and slandered which occasioned Pliny's examination and the right he did them 4. That no Minister must forsake and give over his work while there is need and he can do it Mat. 18. 20. 1 Cor. 9. 10. 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. Act. 4. 19. See Dr. Hammoâ—d in ioc 1 Tim. 2. 8. Act. 8. 4. 1 Joh. 3. 17. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Hâ—b 10. 25. 5. That where there are many thousands of ignorant and ungodly persons and the publick Ministers either through their paucity proportioned to the people or their disability or unwillingness or negligence or all are insufficient for all that publick and private Ministerial work which God hath appointed for the instruction perswasion and salvation of such necessitous souls there is need of more Ministerial help 6. That in cases of real not counterfeit necessity they that are hindered from exercising their Ministerial Office publickly should do it privately if they have true Ordination and the call of the peoples necessity desire and of opportunity so be it they do it in that peaceable orderly and quiet manner as may truly promote the interest of Religion and detract not from the lawful publick Ministry and work 7. That they that are forbidden to Worship God publickly unless they will commit some certain See much of this case handled before Q. 109. and Q. 110. sin are so prohibited as that they ought not to do it on such terms 8. That the private meetings which are held on these forementioned terms in such cases of necessity are not to be forsaken though prohibited Though still the honour of the Magistrate is to be preserved and obedience given him in all Lawful things And such Meetings are not sinful nor dishonourable to the assemblers For as Tertullian and Dr. Heylin after him saith Cum pii cum boni cocunt non factio dicenda est sâ—d curia When pious and good people meet especially as aforesaid it is not to be called a faction but a Court. Thus far I think we all agree And that the Church of England is really of this mind is certain 1. In that they did Congregate in private themselves in the time of Cromwells Usurpation towards the end when he began to restrain the use of the Common Prayer 2. In that they wrote for it see Dr. Hide of the Churcâ— in the beginning 3. Because both in the reign of former Princes since the Reformation and to this day many laborious conforming Ministers have still used to repeat their Sermons in their Houses where many of the people came to hear them 4. Because the Liturgie alloweth private Baptism and restraineth not any number from being present nor the Minister from instructing them in the use of Baptism which is the sum of Christianity 5. Because the Liturgie commandeth the visitation of the sick and alloweth the Minister there to pray and instruct the person according to his own ability about Repentance faith in Christ and preparation for death and the life to come and forbiddeth not the friends and neighbours of the sick to be present 6. Because the Liturgie and Canons allow private Communion with the sick lame or aged that cannot come to the assembly where the nature of that holy work is to be opened and the Eucharistical work to be performed And some must be present and the number not limited 7. And as these are express testimonies that all private meetings are not disallowed by the Church of England so there are other instances of such natural necessity as they are not to be supposed to be against As 1. For a Captain to Pray and read Scripture or good Books and sing Psalms with his Souldiers and with Marriners at Sea when they have no Minister 2. There are many thousands and hundred thousands in England that some live so far from Church and some are so weak that they can seldome go and some Churches have not room for a quarter of the Parish and none of the thousands now meant can read and so neither can help themselves nor have a Minister that will do it And thousands that when they have heard a Sermon cannot remember it but lose it presently If these that cannot Read or Remember nor teach their own families nor go to Church do take their Families many of them to some one Neighbours house where the Sermon is repeated or the Bible or Liturgie read methinks the Church should not be against it But it must be still remembred that 1. Rulers that are Infidels Papists Hereticks or persecutors that restrain Church-meetings to the injury of mens souls must be distinguisht from pious Princes that only restrain Hereticks and real Schismaticks for the Churches good 2. And that times of Heresie and Schism may make private meetings more dangerous than quiet times And so even the Scottish Church forbad private meetings in the Separatists dayes of late And when they do more hurt than good and are justly forbidden no doubt in that case it is a duty to obey and to forbear them as is aforesaid Quest. 173. What particular Directions for Order of Studies and Books should be observed by young Students § 1. BEcause disorder is so great a disadvantage to young Students and because many have importuned me to name them some few of the best Books because they have no Time to read nor money to buy many I shall here answer these two demands § 2. I. The Order of their studies is such as respecteth their whole lives or such as respecteth every Day It is the first which I now intend § 3. Direct 1. The knowledge of so much of Theologie as is necessary to your own Duty and Salvation is the first thing which you are to learn when you have learnt to speak Children have souls to save and their Reason is given them to use for their Creators service and their salvation 1. They can never begin to Learn that too soon which they were made and Redeemed to Learn and which their whole lives must be employed in practising And that which absolute Necessity requireth and without which there is no salvation 3. And that which must tell a man the only ultimate end which he must intend in all the moral actions of his life For the right Intention of our end is antecedent to all right use of means And till this be done a man hath not well begun to Live nor to use his Reason nor hath he any other work for his Reason till this be first done He liveth but in a continual sin that doth not make God and the publick good and his salvation his end Therefore they that would not have Children begin with Divinity would have them
see a poor sinner have a little prosperity and ease who must lye in everlasting flames But the truth is malitious men are ordinarily Atheists and never think of another world and therefore desire to be the avengers of themselves because they believe not that there is any God to do it or any future Judgement and execution to be expected § 19. Consid. 13. And remember how near both he and you are to death and judgement when God Consid 13. will judge righteously betwixt you both There are few so cruelly malitious but if they both lay dying they would abate their malice and be easily reconciled as remembring that their dust and bones will lye in quietness together and malice is a miserable case to appear in before the Lord Why then do you cherish your vice by putting away the day of death from your remembrance Do you not know that you are dying Is a few more dayes so great a matter with you that you will therefore do that because you have a few more dayes to live which else you durst not do or think of O hearken to the dreadful trumpet of God which is summoning you all to come away and methinks this should sound a retreat to the malitious from persecuting those with whom they are going to be judged God will shortly make the third if you will needs be quarrelling Unless it be mastâ—â—â—â— Dogs or fighting Cocks there are scarce any creatures but will give over fighting if man or beast do come upon them that would destroy or hurt them both § 20. Consid. 14. Wrathful and hurtful creatures are commonly hated and pursued by all and loveing Consid. 14. gentle harmless profitable creatures are commonly beloved And will you make your selves like wild Beasts or Vermine that all men naturally hate and seek to destroy If a Wolf or a Fox or an Adder do but appear every man is ready to seek the death of him as a hurtful creature and an enemy to mankind But harmless creatures no one medleth with unless for their own benefit and use So if you will be malicious hurtful Serpents that hiss and sting and trouble others you will be the common hatred of the world and it will be thought a meritorious work to mischief you Whereas if you will be loving kind and profitable it will be taken to be mens interest to love you and desire your good § 21. Consid. 15. Observe how you unfit your selves for all holy duties and communion with God Consid. 15. while you cherish wrath and malice in your hearts Do you find your selves fit for Meditation Conference or Prayer while you are in wrath I know you cannot It both undisposeth you to the duty and the guilt affrighteth you and telleth you that you are unfit to come near to God As a Feavor taketh away a mans appetite to his meat and his disposition to labour so doth wrath and malice destroy both your disposition to holy duties and your pleasure in them And conscience will tell you that it is so terrible to draw near God in such a case that you will be readier were it possible to hide your selves as Adam and Eve or fly as Cain as not enduring the presence of God And therefore the Common-Prayer Book above all other sins enableth the Pastor to keep away the malicious from the Sacrament of Communion and conscience maketh many that have little conscience in any thing else that they dare not come to that Saâ—rament while wrath and malice are in their breasts And Christ himself saith Matth. 5. 23 24 25. If thou bring thy gift unto the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into prison c. § 22. Consid. 16. And your sin is aggravated in that you hinder the good of those that you are Consid. 16. offended with and also provoke them to add sin to sin and to be as furious and uncharitable as your selves If your neighbour be not faulty why are you so displeased with him If he be Why will you make him worse Will you bring him to amendment by hatred or cruelty Do you think one vice will cure another Or is any man like to hearken to the counsel of an enemy Or to love the words of one that hateth him Is malice and fierceness an attractive thing Or rather is it not the way to drive men further from their duty and into sin by driving them from you who pretend to reform them by such unlikely contrary means as these And as you do your worst to harden them in their faults and to make them hate what ever you would perswade them to so at present you seek to kindle in their breasts the same fire of malice or passion which is kindled in your selves As Love is the most effectual way to cause Love so passion is the most effectual cause of passion and malice is the most effectual cause of malice and hurting another is the powerfullest means to provoke him to hurt you again if he be able And weak things are oft times able to do hurt when injuries boyle up their passions to the height or make them desperate If your sinful provocations fill him also with rage and make him curse or swear or rail or plot revenge or do you a mischief you are guilty of this sin and have a hand in the damnation of his soul as much as in you lyeth § 23. Consid. 17. Consider how much fitter means there are at hand to right your self and attain Consid. 17. any ends that are good than by passion malice or revenge If your end be nothing but to do mischief and make another miserable you are to the world as mad Dogs and Wolves and Serpents to the Countrey and they that know you will be as glad when the world is rid of you as when an Adder or a Toad is killed But if your end be only to right your selves and to reclaim your enemy or reform your brother fury and revenge is not the way God hath appointed Governours to do justice in Common-wealths and Families and to those you may repair and not take upon you to revenge your selves And God himself is the most righteous Governour of all the world and to him you may confidently referr the case when Magistrates and Rulers fail you and his judgement will be soon enough and severe enough And if you would rather have your neighbour reclaimed than destroyed it is Love and gentleness that are the way with peaceable convictions and such reasonings as shew that you desire his Good Overcome him with kindness if you would melt him into
is in two cases viz. 1. If they commit such capital crimes as God and man would have punished with death its fit they dye and then they are silenced For in this case it is supposed that their lives by their impunity are like to do more hurt than good 2. If their Heresie insufficiency scandal or any fault what ever do make them more hurtful than profitable to the Church it is fit they be cast out If their Ministry be not like to do more good than their faults to do harm let them be silenced But if it be otherwise then let them be punished in their bodies or purses rather than the peoples souls should suffer The Laws have variety of penalties for other men Will none of those suffice for Ministers But alas What talk I of their faults Search all Church History and observe whether in all ages Ministers have not been silenced rather for their duties than their faults or for not subscribing to some unnecessary opinion or imposition of a prevailing party or about some wrangling controversies which Church disturbers set afoot There is many a poor Minister would work in Bridewell or be tyed to shovell the Streets all the rest of the Week if he might but have liberty to preach the Gospel And would not such a penalty be sufficient for a dissent in some unnecessary point As it is not every fault that a Magistrate is deposed for by the Soveraign but such as make him unfit for the place so is it also with the Ministers § 39. Direct 18. Malignity and Prophaneness must not be gratified or encouraged It must be considered Direct 18. how the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to his Law nor can be Rom. 8. 7 â— Gen. 3. 15. And that enmity is put between the Womans and the Serpents seed and that the whole business of the world is but the prosecution of the War between the Armies of Christ and Satan And that malignity inclineth the ungodly world to slander and reproach the servants of the Lord and they are glad of any opportunity to make them odious or to exasperate Magistrates against them And that their silencing and fall is the joy of the ungodly And if there be any Civil differences or sidings the ungodly rabble will take that side be it right or wrong which they think will do most to the downfal of the godly whom they hate Therefore besides the merits of the particular cause a Ruler that regardeth the interest of the Gospel and mens salvation must have some care that the course which he taketh against godly Ministers and people when they displease him be such as doth not strengthen the hands of evil doers nor harden them increase them or make them glad I do not say that a Ruler must be against what ever the ungodly part is for or that he must be for that which the major part of godly men are for I know this is a deceitful rule But yet that which pleaseth the malignant rabble and displeaseth or hurteth the generality of godly men is so seldome pleasing to God that its much to be suspected § 40. Direct 19. The substance of faith and the Practice of Godliness must be valued above all opinions Direct 19. and parties and worldly interests And Godly men accounted as they are caeteris paribus the best members both of Church and State If Rulers once knew the difference between a Saint and a sensualist a vile person would be contemned in their eyes and they would honour them that fear the Lord Psal. 15. 4. And if they honoured them as God commandeth them they would not persecute them And if the promoting of practical Godliness were their design there were little danger of their oppressing those that must be the instruments of propagating it if ever it prosper in the World § 41. Direct 20. To this end Remember the neer and dear relation which every true believer standeth Direct 20. in to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost They are called by God his peculiar treasure his jewels Exod. 19. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Tit. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. Mal. 3. 17 18. â—â—h 3. 17. 1 Cor. 3. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 14. 1 Joh. 4 15 16. his Children the members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost God dwelleth in them by Love and Christ by faith and the Spirit by all his sanctifying gifts If this were well believed men would more reverence them on Gods account than causelesly to persecute them Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye § 42 Direct 21. Look not so much on mens infirmities as to overlook or make light of all that is good in them But look as much at the good as at the evil And then you will see reason for lenity as well as for severity and for love and tenderness rather than for hatred and persecution And you will discern that those may be serviceable to the Church in whom blinded malice can see nothing worthy of honour or respect § 43. Direct 22. Estimate and use all lesser matters as means to spiritual worship and practical holiness Direct 22. If there be any thing of worth in Controversies and Ceremonies and such other matters of inferiour rank it is as they are a means to the power of Godliness which is their end And if once they be no otherwise esteemed they will not be made use of against the interest of Godliness to the silencing of the Preachers and persecuting the professours of it § 44. Direct 23. Remember that the Understanding is not Free save only participative as it is Direct 23. subject to the will It acteth of it self per modum naturae and is necessitated by its object further than as it is under the power of the will A man cannot hold what opinion he would himself nor be against what he would not have to be true much less can he believe as another man commandeth him My understanding is not at my own command I cannot be of every mans belief that is uppermost Evidence and not force is the natural means to compell the mind even as Goodness and not force is the natural means to win mens Love It is as wise a thing to say Love me or I will kill thee as to say Believe me or I will kill thee § 45. Direct 24. Consider that it is essential to Religion to be above the authority of man unless as Direct 24. they subserve the authority of God He that worshippeth a God that is subject to any man must subject his Religion to that man But this is no Religion because it is no God whom he worshippeth But if the God whom I serve be above all men my Religion or service of him must needs be also above the will of men § 46. Direct 25. Consider that an obedient disposition towards Gods Laws and a tender Conscience
is the way to make the sinner think that it is a small or jeasting matter To perswade men to conversion or a godly life without a melting love and pity to their souls and without the reverence of God and seriousness of mind which the nature and weight of the thing requireth is the way to harden them in their sin and misery All these wayes may a man be guilty 1. Of the sin and 2. The perdition of another § 27. But here on the Negative part take notice of these things following How we are not guilty of other mens â—in or ruine 1. That properly no man doth partake of the same formal numerical sin which is anothers Noxa caput sequitur The sin is individuated and informed by the individual will of the offender It is not possible that another mans sin should be properly and formally mine unless I were individually and formally that same man and not another If two men set their hands to the same evil deed they are distinct causes and subjects of the distinct formal guilt though Con-causes and partial causes of the effect So that it is only by multiplication that we make the sin or guilt of another to become the matter of sin to us the form resulting from our selves § 28. 2. All men that are guilty of the sin and damnation of other men are not equally guilty Not only as some are pardoned upon repentance and some remain impenitent and unpardoned But as some contribute wilfully to the mischief and with delight and in a greater measure and some only in a small degree by an oversight or small omission or weak performance of a duty by meer infirmity or surprize § 29. 3. All that do not hinder sin or reprove it are not guilty of it No more than all that do not punish it But those only that have power and opportunity and so are called by God to do it § 30. 4. If another man will sin and destroy his soul by the occasion of my necessary duty I must not cease my duty to prevent such mens sin or hurt Else one or other will by their perverseness excuse me from almost all the duty which I should do I must not cease praying hearing Sacraments nor withdraw from church-Church-communion because another will turn it to his sin Else Satan should use the sin of others to frustrate all Gods worship Yet I must add that many things cease to be a duty when another will be so hurt by them § 31. 5. I am not guilty of all mens sins which are committed in my presence no though I know before hand that they will sin For my calling or duty may lead me into the presence of those that I may â—ore know will sin Wicked men sin in all that they do And yet it followeth not that I must have nothing to do with them Many a failing which is his sin may a Minister or Church be guilty of even in that publick Worship of God which yet I am bound to be present at But of all these somewhat is said before Chap. 12. CHAP. XV. General Directions for the furthering of the salvation of others THE great Means which we must use for the salvation of our Neighbours are § 1. Direct 1. Sâ—und Doctrine Let those who are their instructors inculcate the wholsome Principles of Godliness which are Self-denyal Mortification the Love of God and man the Hopes of Heaven universal absolute obedience to God and all this by faith in Iesus Christ according to the Holy Scriptures Instead of Novelties or vain janglings and perverse disputings teach them these Principles here Direct 1. briefly named over and over an hundred times Open these plainly till they are well understood These are the necessary saving things This is the doctrine which is according to godliness which will make sound Christians of sound judgements sound hearts sound conversations and sound consciences God sanctifieth his chosen ones by these Truths § 2. Direct 2. Therefore do your best to help others to the benefit of able and faithful Pastors and Direct 2. Instructers A fruitful soil is not better for your seed nor a good pasture for your Horse or Cattel nor wholsome dyet for your selves than such instructers are for your neighbours souls If you love them you should be more desirous to help them to good Teachers or plant them under a sound and powerful Ministry than to procure them any worldly benefits One time or other the Word may prevail with them It is hopeful to be still in mercies way § 3. Direct 3. The concord of their Teachers among themselves is a great help to the saving of the Direct 3. flock John 17. 21 25. That they all may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me Concord much furthereth reverence and belief and consequently mens salvation so it be a holy concord § 4. Direct 4. The Concord also of godly private Christians hath the same effect When the ignorant Direct 4. see here a Sect and there a Sect and hear them condemning one another it teacheth them to contemn them all and think contemptibly of piety it self But concord layeth an awe upon them § 5. Direct 5. The blameless humble loving heavenly lives of Christians is a powerful means of Direct 5. winning souls Preach therefore every one of you by such a conversation to all your neighbours whom you desire to save § 6. Direct 6. Keep those whom you would save in a humble patient learning posture and keep Direct 6. them from proud wranglings and running after novelties and Sects The humble Learner takes root downward and silently groweth up to wisdom But if once they grow self conceited they turn to wranglings and place their Religion in espoused singular Opinions and in being on this or that side or Church and fall into divided Congregations where the business is to build up souls by destroying Charity and teaching Sectaries to overvalue themselves and despise dissenters Till at last they run themselves out of breath and perhaps fall out with all true Religion § 7. Direct 7. Do what you can to place them in good families and when they are to be maâ—â—ied Direct 7. to joyn them to such as are fit to be their helpers In families and relations of that sort people are so near together and in such constant converse that it will be very much of the help or hinderance of their salvation § 8. Direct 8. Keep them also as much as is possible in good company and out of bad seducing Direct 8. company Especially those that are to be their familiars The worlds experience telleth us what power Company hath to make men better or worse And what a great advantage it is to work any thing on mens minds to have interest in them and intimacy with them Especially with those
rend us Much more if it be some potent enemy of the Church who will not only rend us but the Church it self if he be so provoked Reproving him then is not our duty 3. Particularly When a man is in a passion or drunk usually it is no season to reprove him 4. Nor when you are among others who should not be witnesses of the fault or the reproof or whose presence will shame him and offend him except it be only the shaming of an incorrigible or malicious sinner which you intend 5. Nor when you are uncertain of the fact which you would reprove or uncertain whether it be a sin 6. Or when you have no witness of it though you are privately certain with some that will take advantage against you as slanderers a reproof may be omitted 7. And when the offenders are so much your superiours that you are like to have no better success than to be accounted arrogant A groan or tears is then the best reproof 8. When you are so utterly unable to manage a reproof that imprudence or want of convincing reason is like to make it a means of greater hurt than good 9. When you foresee a more advantageous season if you delay 10. When another may be procured to do it with much more advantage which your doing it may rather hinder In all these cases that may be a sin which at another time may be a duty § 18. But still remember 1. That pride and passion and slothfulness is wont to pretend such reasons falsly upon some sleight conjectures to put by a duty 2. That no man must account another Gen. 20. 36. a Dog or Swine to excuse him from this duty without cogent evidence And it is not every wrangling opposition nor reproach and scorn which will warrant us to give a man up as remediless Job 31. 13. Heb. 13. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 13. 2 Tâ—m 2. 25 26. and speak to him no more but only such 1. As sheweth a heart utterly obdurate after long means 2. Or will procure more suffering to the reprover than good to the offender 3. That when the thing is ordinarily a duty the reasons of our omission must be clear and sure before they will excuse us § 19. Quest. Must we reprove Infidels or Heathens What have we to do to judge them that are without Answ. Not to the ends of excommunication because they are not capable of it which is meant Deut. 22. 1. 1 Cor. 5. But we must reprove them 1. In common compassion to their souls What were the Apostles and other Preachers sent for but to call all men from their sins to God 2. And for the defence of truth and godliness against their words or ill examples CHAP. XVII Directions for keeping Peace with all men § 1. PEace is so amiable to Nature it self that the greatest destroyers of it do commend it and those persons in all times and places who are the cause that the world cannot enjoy it will yet speak well of it and exclaim against others as the enemies of peace as if there were no other name but their Own sufficient to make their adversaries odious As they desire salvation so do the ungodly desire Peace which is with a double error one about the Nature of it and another about the Conditions and other Means By Peace they mean the quiet undisturbed enjoyment of their honours wealth and pleasures that they may have their lusts and will without any contradiction And the Conditions on which they would have it are the complyance of all others with their opinions and wills and humble submission to their domination passions or desires But Peace is another thing and otherwise to be desired and sought Peace in the mind is the delightful effect of its internal harmony as Peace in the body is nothing but its pleasant health in the natural position state action and concord of all the parts the humours and spirits And Peace in Families Neighbourhoods Churches Kingdoms or other Societies is the quietness and pleasure of their order and harmony and must be attained and preserved by these following means § 2. Direct 1. Get your own hearts into a humble frame and abhor all the motions of Pride and Direct 1. self exalting A humble man hath no high expectations from another and therefore is easily pleased or quieted He can bow and yield to the pride and violence of others as the Willow to the impetuous winds His language will be submissive his patience great he is content that others go before him He is not offended that another is preferred A low mind is pleased in a low condition But Pride is the Gun-powder of the mind the family the Church and State It maketh men ambitious and setteth them on striving who shall be the greatest A proud mans Opinion must alwayes go for truth and his will must be a Law to others and to be sleighted or crossed seemeth to him an unsufferable wrong And he must be a man of wonderful complyance or an excellent artificer in man-pleasing and flâ—ttery that shall not be taken as an injurious undervaluer of him He that overvalueth himself will take it ill of all that do not also overvalue him If you forgetfully go before him or overlook him or neglect a complement or deny him something which he expected or speak not honourably of him much more if you reprove him and tell him of his faults you have put fire to the Gun-powder you have broke his peace and he will break yours if he can Pride broke the Peace between God and the apostate Angels but nothing unpeaceable must be in Heaven and therefore by self-exâ—lting they descended into darkness And Christ by self-humbling ascended unto Glory It is a matter of very great difficulty to live peaceably in family Church or any society with any one that is very Proud They expect so much of you that you can never answer all their expectations but will displease them by your omissions though you never speak or do any thing to displease them What is it but the lust of Pride which causeth most of the wars and bloodshed throughout the World The Pride of two or three men must cost many thousands of their subjects the loss of their Peace Estates and Lives Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi What were the Conquests of those Emperours Alexander Caesar Tamerlane Machumet c. but the pernicious effects of their infamous Pride Which like Gun-powder taking fire in their breasts did blow up so many Cities and Kingdoms and call their Villanies by the name of Valour and their Murders and Robberies by the name of War If one mans Pride do swell so big that his own Kingdom cannot contain it the Peace of as much of the World as he can conquer is taken to be but a reasonable sacrifice to this infernal vice The lives of thousands both Subjects and Neighbours called enemies by this malignant spirit must be cast
you must answer it as an unfaithful Servant And yet on the other side it may fall out that a person of quality by a seasonable prudent handsome respectful entertainment of his equals or superiours may do more good than by bestowing that charge upon the poor He may save more than he expendeth by avoiding the displeasure of men in power He may keep up his interest by which if he be faithful he may do God and his Countrey more service than if he had given so much to the poor And when really it is a needful means to a greater good it is a duty and then to omit it and give that cost to the poor would be a sin § 6. Object But if this rule hold a man must never do but one kind of good when he hath found out the greatest he must do nothing else Answ. He must alwayes do the greatest good but the same thing is not at all times the greatest good Out of season and measure a good may be turned to an evil Praying in its season is better than plowing and plowing in its season is better than praying and will do more good For God will more accept and bless it § 7. Object Therefore it seemeth the prudentest way to divide my expences according to the proportion of others of my quality some to the poor and some to necessary charges and some to actions of due civility Answ. That there must be a just distribution is no question because God hath appointed you several duties for your expences But the question is of the proportions of each respectively Where God hath made many duties constantly necessary as to maintain your own bodies your children to pay tribute to the King to help the poor to maintain the charges of the Church there all must be wisely proportioned But entertainments recreations and other such after to be mentioned which are not constant duties may be sometimes good and sometimes sinful And the measure of such expences must be varyed only by the rule already laid down viz. According to the proportion of the effect or good which is like to follow Though the custome of others of the same rank may sometimes intimate what proportion will be suitable to that lawful end And sometimes the inordinate custome of others will rather tell one what is to be avoided Therefore true prudence without a carnal byas comparing the good effects together which rationally are like to follow is the only resolver of this doubt Which having so largely shewed I shall refer you to it in the solution of many of the following questions § 8. Inst. 3. Another way of sinful wasting is upon unnecessary sumptuous buildings Inst. 3. Quest. 3. When is it prodigality to erect sumptuous Edifices Quest. 3. Answ. Not when they are for the publick good either in point of use or ornament and honour so be it no greater good be thereby omitted Therefore it is not Churches Hospitals Burses or Common Halls that I am speaking of Nor when they are proportioned to the quality of the person for the honour of Magistracy or for a mans necessary use But when it is for the ostentation of a mans riches or rather of his Pride and for the gratifying of a carnal irrational fancy And when a man bestoweth more upon buildings than is proportionable to his estate and to his better expences and to speak more exactly when he bestoweth that upon his buildings which some greater service calleth for at that time it is then his prodigality and sin § 9. Quest. 4. Here once for all let us enquire Whether it be not lawful as in dyet so in buildings Quest. 4. recreation and other such things to be at some charge for our Delight as well as for our Necessities Answ. The question is thus commonly stated but not well For it seemeth to imply that no Delights are necessary and so putteth things in opposition which are oft co-incident Therefore I distinguish 1. Of necessity Some things are necessary to our being and some to our felicity and and some but to our smaller benefit 2. Of Delight Some delight is sinful as gratifying a sinful humour or disposition Some is unnecessary or wholly useless and some is necessary either to our greater or our lesser good And so the true solution is 1. The sinful delight of a Proud a Covetous a lustful a voluptuous mind is neither to be purchased or used 2. A Delight wholly needless that is unprofitable is sinful if it be purchased but at the price of a farthing or of a bit of bread or of a minutes time Because that is cast away which purchaseth it 3. A Delight which tendeth to the health of the body and the alacrity of the mind to fit it for our Calling and the service of God being not placed in any forbidden thing may be both indulged and purchased so it be not above its worth 4. So far as delight in house or sports or any creature tendeth to corrupt our minds and draw us to the love of this present world and alienate our hearts from Heaven so far must they be resisted and mortified or sanctified and turned a better way 5. In the Utensils of our duty to God usually a moderate natural delight is a great help to the duty and may become a spiritual delight As a delight in my Books in the Preachers utterance in the melody of Psalms in my study and its conveniences in my walk for meditation c. And a delight in our food and recreations maketh them much fitter to cherish health and to attain their ends so it be not corrupt immoderate or abused to evil ends § 10. Inst. 4. Another way of 〈…〉 rodigality is in needless costly Recreations Inst. 4. Quest. 5. Is all cost laid out upon recreations unlawful Quest. 5. Answ. No but caeteris paribus we should choose the cheapest and be at no needless cost on them nor lay out any thing on them which consideratis considerandis might be better bestowed But of this before § 11. Inst. 5. Another way of Prodigality is in over-costly apparel Inst. 5. Quest. 6. What may be accounted Prodigality in the costliness of apparel Quest. 6. Answ. Not that which is only for a due distinction of superiours from inferiors or which is needful to keep up the Vulgâ—rs reverence to Magistrates But 1. All that which is meerly serviceable to pride or vain curiosity or amorous lust or an affectation to be thought to be more comely and beautiful than others 2. All that which hath more cost bestowed upon it than the benefit or end is worth 3. Or which hath that cost which should be rather laid out another way upon better uses The cheapest apparel must be chosen which is warm and comely and sitted to the right ends And we must come nearer those that are below our ranck than those above it § 12. Inst. 6. Also Prodigality is much shewed in
measures every man on earth is a false Worshipper that is he offereth God a worship some way faulty and imperfect and hath some sin in his worshipping of God And sin is a thing that God requireth not but forbiddeth even in the smallest measures Quest. 9. Which must I judge a true Church of Christ and which a false Church Quest. 9. Answ. The Universal Church is but one and is the whole society of Christians as united to Christ their only Head And this cannot be a false Church But if any other set up an Usurper as the Universal Head and so make another Policy and Church this is a false Church formally or in its policy But yet the members of this false Church or policy may some of them as Christians be also members of the true Church of Christ And thus the Roman Church as Papal is a false Catholick Church haveing the Policy of an Usurper but as Christians they may be members of the true Catholick Church of Christ. But for a particular Church which is but part of the Universal that is a true Church considered meerly as an ungoverned Community which is a true part of the Catholick prepared for a Pastor but yet being without one But that only is a true Political Church which consisteth of Professed Christians conjoyned under a true Pastor for Communion in the profession of true Christianity and for the true worshipping of God and orderly walking for their mutual assistance and salvation Quest. 10. Whom must we judge true Prophets and Pastors of the Church Quest. 10. Answ. He is a true Prophet who is sent by God and speaketh truth by immediate supernatural revelation or inspiration And he is a false Prophet who either falsly saith that he hath Divine revelations or inspiration or prophesieth falshood as from God And he is a true Pastor at the bar of God who is 1. Competently qualified with abilities for the Office 2. Competently disposed to it with willingness and desire of success And hath right ends in undertaking and discharging it 3. Who hath a just admission by true Ordination of Pastors and Consent of the flock And he is to be accounted a true Pastor in foro Ecclesiae in the Churches judgement whom the Church judgeth to have all these qualifications and thereupon admitteth him into possession of the place till his incapacity be notorious or publickly and sufficiently proved or he be removed or made uncapable Tit. 2. Directions for the Cure of sinful Censoriousness Direct 1. MEddle not at all in judging of others without a call Know first whether it be any Direct 1. of your work If not be afraid of those words of your Judge Matth. 7. 1 2 3 4 5. Iudge not that ye be not judged For with what judgement you judge you shall be judged c. And Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own Master he standeth or falleth And vers 10. 13. But why dost thou judge thy brother Or why dost thou set at nought thy brother We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ Every one of us shall give account of himself to God Let us not therefore judge one another any more 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 5. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement Therefore judge nothing before the time till the Lord come who both will bring to light the bidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts Col. 2. 16. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or Sabbath Quest. But when have I a call to Iudge another Answ. You may take the answer to this from the answer to Quest. 10. Chap. 23. Tit. 1. 1. If your Office or place require it as a Magistrate Pastor Parent Master Tutor c. 2. If the safety of the Church or your neighbour do require it 3. If the good of the sinner require it that you may seek his repentance and reformation 4. If your own preservation or welfare or any other duty require it Direct 2. Keep up an humble sense of your own faults and that will make you compassionate to Direct 2. others He that is truly vile in his own eyes is least inclined to vilifie others And he that judgeth himself with the greatest penitent severity is the least inclined to be censorious to his brother Pride is the common cause of censoriousness He that saith with the Pharisee I fast twice a week and pay tythe of all that I have I am no adulterer c. will also say I am not as other men nor as this Publican when the true penitent findeth so much of his own to be condemned that he smiteth on his own breast and saith God be merciful to me a sinner The prouder self-conceited sort of Christians are ever the most censorious of their neighbours Direct 3. Be much therefore at home in searching and watching and amending your own hearts Direct 3. and then you will find so much to do about your selves that you will have no mind or leisure to be censuring others Whereas the superficial hypocrite whose Religion is in externals and is unacquainted with his heart and Heaven is so little employed in the true work of a Christian that he hath leisure for the work of a censorious Pharisee Direct 4. Labour for a deep experimental insight into the nature of Religion and of every duty Direct 4. For no men are so censorious as the ignorant who know not what they say whilest experienced persons know those difficulties and other reasons which calm their minds As in common business no man will sooner find fault with a Workman in his work than idle praters who least understand it So is it commonly in matters of Religion Women and young men that never saw into the great mysteries of Divinity but have been lately changed from a vicious life and have neither acquaintance with the hard points of Religion nor with their own ignorance of them are the common proud censurers of their brethren much wiser than themselves and of all men that are more moderate and peaceable than themselves and are more addicted to Unity and more averse to Sects and separations than they Study harder and wait till you grow up to the experience of the aged and you will be less censorious and more peaceable Direct 5. Think not your selves fit Iudges of that which you understand not And think not proudly Direct 5. that you are liker to understand the difficulties in Religion with your short and lazy studies than those that in reading meditation and prayer have spent their lives in searching after them Let not pride make you abuse the Holy Ghost by pretending that he hath given you more wisdome in a little time and with little means and diligence than your betters have by the
holy industry of all their lives Say not God can give more to you in a year than to others in twenty For it is a poor argument to prove that God hath done it because he can do it He can make you an Angel but that will not prove you one Prove your wisdome before you pretend to it and overvalue it not Heb. 5. 11 12 sheweth that it is Gods ordinary way to give men wisdom according to their time and means unless their own negligence deprive them of his blessing Direct 6. Study to keep up Christian Love and to keep it lively For Love is not censorious but Direct 6. is inclined to judge the best till evidence constrain you to the contrary Censoriousness is a Vermine which crawleth in the carkass of Christian Love when the life of it is gone Direct 7. Value all Gods graces in his servants And then you will see something to love them Direct 7. for when hypocrites can see nothing Make not too light of small degrees of grace and then your censure will not overlook them Direct 8. Remember the tenderness of Christ who condemneth not the weak nor casteth Infants Direct 8. out of his family nor the diseased out of his Hospital but dealeth with them in such gracious gentleness as beseemeth a tender-hearted Saviour He will not break the bruised reed He carryeth his Lambs in his arms and gently driveth those with young He taketh up the wounded man when the Priest and Levite pass him by And have you not need of the tenderness of Christ your selves as well as others Are you not afraid lest he should find greater faults in you than you find in others And condemn you as you condemn them Direct 9. Let the sense of the common corruption of the world and imperfection of the godly moderate Direct 9. your particular censures As Seneca saith To censure a man for that which is common to all men is in a sort to censure him for being a man which beseemeth not him that is a man himself Do you not know the frailty of the best and the common pravity of humane nature How few are there that must not have great allowance or else they will not pass for currant in the ballance Elias was a man subject to passions Ionah to pievishness Iob had his impatiency â—â—ul saith even of the Teachers of the primitive Church They all that were with him seek their own and not the things of Iesus Christ. What blots are charged on almost all the Churches and almost all the holy persons mentioned throughout all the Scriptures Learn then of Paul a better lesson than censoriousness Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ. Let every man prove his own work and then be shall have rejoycing in himself alone c. Direct 10. Remember that Iudgement is Gods prerogative further than as we are called to it for Direct 10. the performance of some duty either of Office or of private Charity or self-preservation And that the Judge is as at the door And that judging unmercifully maketh us lyable to judgement without mercy The foresight of that near universal Judgement which will pass the doom on us and all men will do much to cure us of our rash censoriousness Direct 11. Peruse and observe all the Directions in the last Chapter against evil-speaking and backbiting Direct 11. that I may not need to repeat them Especially avoid 1. The snare of selfishness and interest For most men judge of others principally by their own interest He is the good man that is good to them or is on their side that loveth and honoureth them and answereth their desires This is the common false judgement of the corrupted selfish world who vilifie and hate the best because they seem unsuitable to them and to their carnal interest Therefore take heed of your judgement about any man that you have any falling-out with For its two to one but you will wrong him through this selfishness 2. Avoid passion which blindeth the judgement 3. Avoid Faction which maketh you judge of all men as they agree or disagree with your opinions or your side and party 4. Avoid too hasty belief of censures and rebuke them 5. Hear every man speak for himself before you censure him if it be possible and the case be not notorious Direct 12. Keep still upon your mind a just and deep apprehension of the malignity of this sin of Direct 12. rash censuring It is of greatest consequence to the mortifying of any sin what apprehensions of it are upon the mind If religious persons apprehended the odiousness of this as much as they do of swearing drunkenness fornication c. they would as carefully avoid it Therefore I shall shew you the Malignity of this sin Tit. 3. The evil of the Sin of Censoriousness § 1. 1. IT is an usurpation of Gods Prerogative who is the Judge of all the world It is a stepping up into his Judgement Seat and undertaking his work as if you said I will be God as to this action And if he be called The Antichrist who usurpeth the Office of Christ to be the Universal Monarch and Head of the Church you may imagine what he doth who though but in one point doth set up himself in the place of God § 2. 2. They that usurp not Gods part in judging yet ordinarily usurp the part of the Magistrate or Pastors of the Church As when mistaken censorious Christians refuse to come to the Sacrament of Communion because many persons are there whom they judge to be ungodly what do they but usurp the Office of the Pastors of the Church To whom the Keys are committed for admission and exclusion And so are the appointed Judges of that case The duty of private members is but to admonish the offender first secretly and then before witnesses and to tell the Church if he repent not and humbly to tell the Pastors of their duty if they neglect it And when this is done they have discharged their part and must no more excommunicate men themselves than they must hang Thieves when the Magistrate doth neglect to hang them § 3. 3. Censoriousness signifieth the absence or decay of Love which inclineth men to think evil and judge the worst and aggravate infirmities and overlook or extenuate any good that is in others And there is least Grace where there is least Love § 4. 4. It sheweth also much want of self-acquaintance and such heart-employment as the sincerest Christians are taken up with And it sheweth much want of Christian humility and sense of your own infirmities and badness and much prevalency of Pride and self-conceitedneâ—s If you knew how ignorant you are you would not be so peremptory in
it bashfulness and say they cannot confess for shame But it is Pride that maketh them so much ashamed to be known by men to be offenders while they less fear the eye and judgement of the Almighty Impudency is a mark of a profligate sinner but he that pretendeth shame against his duty is foolishly proud and should be more ashamed to neglect his duty and continue impenitent in his sin A humble person can perform a self-abasing humbling duty Direct 6. Know the true Uses of Confession of sin and use it accordingly Do it with a hatred Direct 6. of sin to express your selves implacable enemies to it Do it to repair the wrong which you have done to others and the dishonour you have done to the Christian Religion and to warn the hearers to take heed of sin and temptation by your fall It is worth all your shame if you save one sinner by it from his sin Do it to lay the greater obligation upon your selves for the future to avoid the sin and live more carefully For it is a double shame to sin after such humbling confessions CHAP. XXXII Cases and Directions about Satisfaction and Restitution Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Satisfaction and Restitution Quest. 1. WHen is it that proper restitution must be made and when satisfaction Quest. 1. and what is it Answ. Restitution properly is ejusdem of the same thing which was detained or taken away Satisfaction is solutio aequivalentis vel tantidem alias indebiti that which is for compensation or reparation of loss dammage or injury being something of equal value or use to the receiver Primarily res ipsa debetur Restitution is first due where it is possible but when that is unavoidably hindred or forbidden by some effectual restraint satisfaction is due Whilst Restitution of the same may be made we cannot put off the Creditor or Owner with that which is equivalent without his own consent but by his consent we may at any time And to the Question What is due satisfaction I answer that when Restitution may be made and he that should restore doth rather desire the owner to accept some other thing in compensation there that proportion is due satisfaction which both parties agree upon For if it be above the value it was yet voluntarily given and the payer might have chosen And if it be under the value it was yet voluntarily accepted and the receiver might have chosen But if Restitution cannot be made or not without some greater hurt to the payer than the value of the thing there due satisfaction is that which is of equal value and use to the receiver And if he will not be satisfied with it he is unjust and it is quoad valorem rei debitum solventis full satisfaction and he is not unless by some other accident bound to give any more Because it is not anothers unrighteous will that he is obliged to fulfill but a debt which is to be discharged But here you must distinguish betwixt satisfaction in Commutative Justice for a debt or injury and satisfaction in distributive Governing Justice for a fault or crime The measure of the former satisfaction is so much as may compensate the owners loss not only so much as the thing was worth to another but what it was worth to him But the measure of the later satisfaction is so much as may serve the ends of Government instead of actual obedience or so much as will suffice as to the Ends of Government to repair the hurts which the crime hath done or avoid what it would do And here you may see the answer to that Question Why a Thief was commanded to restore fourfold Q. Why did they restore fourfold by the Law of Moses For in that restitution there was a conjunction of both these sorts of satisfaction both in point of Commutative and Distributive Justice So much as repaired the owners loss was satisfaction to the owner for the injury The rest was all satisfaction to God and the Common-wealth for the publick injury that came by the crime or violation of the Law Other answers are given by some but this is the plain and certain truth Quest. 2. How far is Restitution or Satisfaction necessary Quest. 2. Answ. As far as acts of obedience to God and Iustice to man are necessary that is 1. As a man that repenteth truly of sin against God may be saved without external obedience if you suppose him cut off by death immediately upon his Repenting before he hath any opportunity to obey So that the Animus obediendi is absolutely necessary and the actus obediendi if there be opportunity So is it here The animus restituendi or true resolution or willingness to restore is ever necessary to the sincerity of Justice and Repentance in the person as well as necessary necessitate praecepti And the act of restitution primarily and of satisfaction secondarily is necessary if there be time and power I say necessary alwayes as a duty necessitate praecepti and necessary necessitate medii as a condition of pardon and salvation so far as they are necessary acts of true repentance and obedience as other duties are that is as a true penitent may in a temptation omit Prayer or church-Church-communion but yet hath alwayes such an habitual inclination to it as will bring him to it when he hath opportunity by deliberation to come to himself and as in the same manner a true penitent may omit a work of charity or mercy but not give over such works Even so is it in this case of restitution and satisfaction Quest. 3. Who are they that are bound to make restitution or satisfaction Quest. 3. Answ. 1. Every one that possesseth and retaineth that which is indeed another mans and hath acquired no just title to it himself must make restitution Yet so that if he came lawfully by it as by finding buying or the like he is answerable for it only upon the terms in those Titles before expressed But if he came unlawfully by it he must restore it with all dammages The cases of Borrowers and finders are before resolved He that keepeth a borrowed thing longer than his day must return it with the dammage He that loseth a thing which he borrowed must make satisfaction unless in cases where the contract or common usage or the quality of the thing excuseth him 2. He that either by force or fraud or negligence or any injustice doth wrong to another is bound to make him a just compensation according to the proportion of the guilt and the loss compared together For neither of them is to be considered alone If a servant neglect his Masters business and it fall out that no loss followeth it he is bound to confess his fault but not to pay for a loss which might have been but was not And if a servant by some such small and ordinary negligence which the best servants are guilty of should
do your self right For he whom you commend is either superior or inferior to you If he be inferior if he be to be commended then you much more If he be superior if he be not to be commended then you much less Lord Bacon Essay 54. pag. 299. may have the preheminence as a dwarf that makes another seem a proper man They are less troubled that God and the Gospel is dishonoured by the infirmities insufficiencie and faults of others than that their glory is obscured by worthier men though God be honoured and his work promoted Whereas the humbled person wisheth from the bottom of his heart that all the Lords people were Prophets that all men could preach and pray and discourse and live much better than he doth himself though he would also be as good as they He is glad when he heareth any speak more judiciously powerfully and convincingly than he rejoycing that Gods work is done whoever do it For he loveth Wisdom and Holiness Truth and duty not only because it is his own but for it self and for God and for the souls of others A Proud man envieth both the parts and work and honour of others And is like the Devil repining at the gifts of God and the better and wiser any one is the more he envieth him He is an enemy to the fruits of Gods beneficence as if he would have God less Good and bountiful to the world or to any but himself and such as will serve his party and interest and honour with their gifts His eye is evil because God is Good If others be better spoken of than himself as more learned able wise or holy it kindleth in his breast a secret hatred of them unless they are such whose honour is his honour or contributeth thereto Whereas the holy humble soul is sorry that he wants what others have but glad that others have what he wants He loveth Gods gifts where-ever he seeth them yea though it were in one that hateth him He would not have the world to be shut up in a perpetual night because he may not be the Sun but would have them receive that by another which he cannot give them and is glad that they have a Sun though it be not he Though some preached Christ of envy and strife of contention and not sincerely to add afflictions to his bonds yet Paul rejoyced and would rejoyce that Christ was preached Phil. 1. 15 16 17 18. § 46. Sign 4. When the Proud man is praying or preaching his eye is principally upon the hearers Sign 4. and from them it is that his work is animated and from them that he fetcheth principally the fire or motives of his zeal He is thinking principally of their case and all the while fishing for their love and approbation and applause And where he cannot have it the fire of his zeal goeth out Whereas though the humble subordinately look at men and would do all to edification yet it is not to be Loved by them so much as to exercise Love upon them nor to seek for honour and esteem from them so much as to convert and save them And it is God that he chiefly eyeth and regardeth and from him that he fetches his most powerful motives and it is his approbation that he expecteth His eye and heart is so upon the auditors as to be more upon God He would feed the sheep but would please the Lord and Owner of them § 47. Sign 5. A Proud man after his duty is more inquisitive how he was liked by men and what Sign 5. they think or say of him than whether God and Conscience give him their approbation He hath his scouts to tell him whether he be honoured or dishonoured This is the return of prayer that he looks after This is the fruit of preaching which he seeks to reap But these are inconsiderable things to a serious humble soul He hath God to please his work to do and sets not much by humane judgement § 48. Sign 6. A Proud man is more troubled when he perceiveth that he is undervalued and misseth Sign 6. of the honour which he sought than that his preaching succeeds not for the good of souls or his Clâ—mens Alex. stâ—om l. 1. c. 4. Aâ—t â—ideli Christiano docentâ— veâ— unicum sufficere auditorem prayers prevail not for their spiritual good Every man is most troubled for missing that which is his end To do good and get good is the end of the sincere and this he looks after and rejoyceth if he obtain it and is troubled if he miss it To seem good and wise and able is the Proud mans end And if the people honour him it puffs him up with gladness as if he were a happy man And if they slight him or despise him he is cast down or cast into some turbulent passion and falls a hating or wrangling with them that deny him the honour he expects as if they did him a hainous wrong As if a Physicion should want both skill and care to cure his patients but hateth and revileth them because they prefer another that is abler and will not die to secure his honour or magnifie his skill for killing their friends The Proud mans honour is his Life and Idol § 49. Sign 7. The Heart of the Proud is not enclined to humbling duties to penitent confessions Sign 7. and lamentations for sin and earnest prayer for grace and pardon but unto some formal observances and lip-labour or the Pharisees self-applause I thank thee that I am not as other men nor as this Publican Not but that the humblest have great cause to bless God for their spiritual mercies and his differencing grace But the Proud thank God for that which they have not for sanctification when they are unsanctified and for justification when they are unjustified and for the assured hope of Glory when they are sure to be damned if they be not changed by renewing grace and for being made the heirs of Heaven while they continue the heirs of Hell And therefore the proud are least afraid of coming without right or preparation to the sacrament of the Body and blood of Christ They rush in with confident presumption When the humble soul is trembling without as being oft more fearful to enter than it ought § 50. Sign 8. Proud persons are of all others the most impatient of Church discipline and uncapable Sign 8. of living under the Government of Christ. If they sin they can scarce endure the gentlest admonition But if they are reproved sharply or cuttingly that they may be found in the faith you shall perceive that they smart by their impatience But if you proceed to more publick reproof and admonition and call them to an open confessing of their sin to those whom they have wronged or before the Congregation and to ask forgiveness and seriously crave the prayers of the Church you shall then see the power of Pride
against the ordinance and commands of God! How scornfully will they spurn at these reproofs and exhortations How obstinately will they refuse to submit to their unquestionable duty And how hardly are they brought to confess the most notorious sins Or to confess that it is their duty to confess them Though they would easily believe that it is the duty of another and would exhort another to do that which they themselves refuse The Physick seemeth so loathsom to them which Christ hath prescribed them that they hate him that bringeth it and will die and be damned before they will take it but perhaps will turn again and all to rent you unless where they are restrained by the secular arm But if you proceed to reject them for their obstinate impenitencie in heynous sin from the visible communion of the Church you shall then see yet more how contrary Pride is to the Church-order and Government ordained by Christ. How bitterly will they hate those that put them to such necessary disgrace How will they storm and rage and turn their fury against the Church as if Christs remedy were the greatest injury to them in the world You may read their Character in the second Psalm Therefore Christ calleth men to come as little Children into his school or else they will be unteachable and incorrigible Mat. 18. 3. § 51. Sign 9. A Proud man hath an Heretical disposition even when he cryeth out against Hereticks Sign 9. He is apt to look most after matters of dispute and contention in Religion Obscure prophecies Gods decrees controversies which trouble the Church more than edifie circumstances ceremonies forms outwards orders and words And for his opinion in these he must be somebody § 52. Sign 10. A Proud man is unsatisfied with his standing in communion with the Church of Sign 10. Christ and is either ambitiously aspiring to a dominion over it or is inclined to a separation from it They are too good to stand on even ground with their brethren If they may be Teachers or Rulers they can approve the constitution of the Church But otherwise it is too bad for them to have communion with They must be of some more refined or elevated society They are not content to come out and be separate from the infidel and idolatrous world but they must also come out and be separate from the Churches of Christ consisting of men that make a credible profession of faith and godliness They think it not enough to forbear sin themselves and to have no fellowship with the works of darkness but reprove them nor to separate from men as they separate from Christ but they will also separate from Isa. 65. 5. Math. 11. 19. Math. 9. 11. Math. 15. 2 3. them in their duty and odiously aggravate every imperfection and fill the Church with clamors and contentions and break it into fractions by their schisms and this not for any true reformation or edifying of the body for how can division edifie it but to tell the world that they account themselves more holy than the Church Thus Christ himself was quarrelled with as unholy by the Pharisees for eating with publicans and sinners And his disciples for not washing before meat and observing the traditions of the Elders and for rubbing out corn to eat on the sabbath day And they that will not be strict in their conformity to Christ will be righteous overmuch and stricter than Christ would have them be where Pride commandeth it They will be of the strictest party and opinions and make opinions and parties that are stricter than Gods commands and run into errors and schisms that they may be singular from the general communion of the Church and will be of a lesser than Christs little flock Signs of Pride in common converse § 53. Sign 1. Pride causeth subjects to be too quick in censuring the actions of their Governors Sign 1. and too impatient of what they suffer from them and apt to murmur at them and rebel against them It makes inferiors think themselves competent judges of those commands and actions of their superiors the Reasons of which they never heard nor can be fit to judge of unless they were of their council It makes them forget all the benefits of Government and mind only the burdens and suffering part and say as Corah Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one Numb 16. 3. of them and the Lord is among them Wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk verse 13. 14. and hony to kill us in the wilderness except thou make thy self alltogether a Prince over us Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men Proud men are impatient and aggravate their disappointments and think they have reason and justice on their side § 54. Sign 2. A Proud man is more disposed to command than to obey and cannot serve God contententedly Sign 2. in a mean and low condition He is never a good subject or servant or child for subjection seems a slavery to him He thinks it a baseness to be governed by another He hath a Reason of his own which still contradicteth the Reason of his Rulers and a will of his own that must needs be fulfilled and cannot submit or yield to Government He is still ready to step out of his rank and prepare for suffering by disorder that he may tast the sweetness of present liberty As if your horse or cattle should break out from you to be free and famish in the winter when snow depriveth them of grass Whereas the humble know it is much easier to obey than Govern and that the valleys are the most fruitful grounds and that it is the Cedars and mountain trees that are blown down and not the shrubs And that a low condition affordeth not only more safety but more quietness and leasure to converse with God And that it is a mercy that others may be employed in his preservation and keeping the walls and watching the house while he may follow his work in quietness and peace And therefore willingly payeth honour and tribute to whom it is due § 55. Sign 3. If a Proud man be a Ruler he is apt to be lifted up in mind and to despise his inferiors Sign 3. as if they were not men or he were more He is apt to disdain the counsels of the wise and to scorn admonition from the ministers of Christ and to hate every Michea that prophesieth not good of him and to value none but flatterers and discountenance faithful dealers and not endure to hear of his faults He is apt to fall out with the power of Godliness and the Gospel of Christ as that which seemeth to cross his interest and to forget his own subjection to God and the danger of his subjects He is
their wickedness after sufficient admonition you must professedly disown communion with them And then you are morally separated and discharged when you have not power locally to separate 3. It is your sin to fly from your duty because a wicked man is there whom you have no power to remove 4. There are many prayers that a wicked man is bound to put up to God And you must not omit your duty because he performeth his though faultily Me thinks you should more scruple joyning or conversing with one that forsaketh Prayer which is the greater sin than with one that prayeth 5. But if you are free to choose you are to be blamed if you will not choose a better family or Church other things being equal especially if all the company be wicked § 18. Quest. 18. But what if the Master of the family or Pastor be a Heretick or ungodly Quest. 18. Answ. You must distinguish between his personal faults and the faults of his performance or worship His personal faults such as swearing or drunkenness c. you must disown and must not choose a Master or Pastor that is such while you have your choice and may have better But otherwise it is lawful to joyn with him in doing good though not in evil But if the fault of his Duty it self be intolerable you must not joyn with him Now it is intolerable in these cases 1. In case he be utterly unable to express a prayer and so make it no prayer 2. In case he beâ—d his prayers against Godliness and known Truth and Charity and Peace and so make his prayers but the Instruments of mischief to vent heresie or malice and do more hurt than good to others § 19. Quest. 19. May we pray Absolutely for outward mercies or only Conditionally Quest. 19. Answ. You must distinguish 1. Between a condition spoken of the subject when we are uncertain whether it be a mercy or not and an extrinsick condition of the grant 2. Between a condition of prayer and a condition of expectation 3. Between submission to Gods will and a conditional desire or prayer And so I answer 1. It is necessary when we are uncertain whether the thing it self be Good or not that we pray with a subjective conditionality Grant this if it be good or If it be not Good I do not pray for it For it is presupposed in prayer that we know the thing prayed for to be good 2. But when we know the thing to be a mercy and good we may pray for it absolutely 3. But we may not believe that we shall receive all with an absolute expectation which we absolutely Pray for For Prayer being the expression of desire that which may be absolutely desired though not absolutely promised may be absolutely prayed for As our increase or strength of Grace or the Conversion of our relations c. 4. But yet all such must be asked with a submission to the will of God But that maketh it not properly a conditional form of praying For when the nature of Prayer is as it were to move the will of God it is not so proper to say Lord do this if it be thy will already or Lord be pleased to do this if it be thy pleasure as to say Lord grant this mercy But if thou deny it it is my duty to submit So Christ mentioneth both the subjective conditionality and the submission of his will Mat. 26. 39. If it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt As if he had said Nature requireth me with a simple nolition to be unwilling of the suffering and if it be consistent with the desired ends of my mediâ—torship to be desâ—rous to avoid it but seeing that cannot be my comparing will commandeth this simple will of self-preservation to submit to thy most perfect will But if any call this submission a condition the matter is not great § 20. Quest. 20. May we pray for all that we may lawfully desire Quest. 20. Answ. No for prayer is not only an expression of Desire but also a means to attain the thing desired And some things may be lawfully desired at least with a simple velleity which may not be sought because they must not be hoped for where God hath said that he will not grant them For it is vain to seek that which you have no hope to find As to desire to see the Conversion of the whole world or to pass to Heaven as Henoch without dying are lawful by a simple velleity But all things compared it is not lawful peremptorily to desire it without submission and therefore not to ask it It is the expression of a comparate determinate desire which is properly called prayer being the use of means for the obtaining of that desire And whatsoever I may so desire I may pray for For if there be no hope of it I may not so desire it But the desire by way of simple velleity may not be put into a proper prayer when there is no hope I must have a simple Desire with submission to attain a sinless perfection here even this hour But because there is no hope I may not let it proceed to a determinate peremptory desire upon a comparing judgement nor into a proper prayer And yet these velleities may be expressed in prayer though they have not the full nature of a prayer Obj. But was not Christs a prayer Matth. 26. 39. Answ. Either Christ as man was certain that the Cup must not pass from him or uncertain If you could prove him uncertain then it is a proper prayer with submission to his Fathers will But if he was certain that it was not to pass from him then it was analogically only a Prayer it being but a representing of his velleity to his father and not of his determinate will nor was any means to attain that end And indeed such it was As if he had said Father if it had stood with the ends of my office and thy will I would have asked this of thee â—ut because it doth not I submit And this much we may do § 21. Quest. 21. How then can we pray for the salvation of all the world must it be for all men Quest. 21. collectively or only for some excluding no numerical denominate person Answ. Just as Christ prayed here in this Text we must express our simple velleity of it to God as a thing that in it self is most desireable as the passing of the Cup was unto Christ But we cannot express a determinate volition by a full prayer such as hath any tendency as a means to attain that end because we are certain that Gods will is against it or that it will not be § 22. Quest. 22. May we pray for the Conversion of all the Nations of the World to Christianity with Quest. 22. a hopeful prayer Answ. Yes For we are not certain that every nation shall