various methods and sometimes in a more strange and extraordinary manner Thus the wrath of (c) Jos Ant. Jud. l. 11. c. 8. Alexander who went against Jerusalem with the Spirit of an enraged enemy was fully appeased to the admiration of those who accompanied him when he met Jaddus the High Priest in his Priestly Garments and remembred that before he came out of Macedonia such a person in that habit appeared to him and encouraged him in his enterprize And when a Diploma was signed to create trouble to the Bohemian Church when Maximilian the second was Emperour 1565 (d) Comen Historiolae 109. Comenius acquaints us that he who carried it going over the Bridge of Danubius without the Gates of Vienna the Bridge at that instant broke and though this person was taken up dead by some Fishers the Diploma was never seen after and thereby that Church enjoyed rest and peace And for the preservation and security of his Church in the time of its greatest oppositions he raised up a Constantine and in the same age soon removed a Julian And we have had instances of Gods care towards the Reformation of our Church in defeating many oppositions contrived against it and our Religious Princes and in restoring it again to its former establishment after our late troubles and also in ordering the Reign of Queen Mary to be short and that she should have no issue and that after her there should be a succession of many excellent Princes 35. Ans 3. 3. Religion was never more opposed than when Christ was Crucified Religion can never be opposed with greater enmity and malicious designs than it was when our Saviour suffered Yet then he reviled not nor allowed S. Peters rashness but left us his example for our imitation The Church of God upon earth was never without the enmity of the evil one and those whom he could engage against it but at sometimes their opposition is more vehement than at others When our Lord was crucified the Devil entered into Judas to effect it the Jews aimed utterly to root out the Christian name The power of the Jewish Church and Sanhedrin was then engaged against it and gained both Herod and Pilate into a compliance with them And there were great oppositions against Religion even fiery trials 1 Pet. 4.12 When yet S. Peter requires Christians to follow the example of our Lords patience and meekness and to reverence Superiours But with us blessed be God our Laws establish the true Religion our Clergy defend it and press the practice of it and our Prince whom God preserve upholds the profession of it But the Primitive Christians who lived under Pagan Rulers who persecuted the Church behaved themselves with more honourable respect towards them than many now do towards those Christian Governours and Spiritual Guides who encourage and promote Christianity 36. 4. True zeal hath respect to all duty Ans 4. True zeal for Religion is of excellent use and very desirable but it consists in pious and holy living not in passionate and sinful speaking And it must be uniform in minding all the parts of duty which are incumbent on us But they who are careless and negligent in great and plain duties can have no true love and conscientious regard to Religion and therefore no zeal for it but it is something else which they miscall by that name True zeal will put men on diligent constant and devout attendance on Gods publick worship and the holy Sacraments upon solicitous thoughts and care for the Churches peace and Union upon all the exercises of piety to God and of righteousness charity meekness and due obedience to man And particularly both with respect to the happiness of another world and a comfortable estate in this it will oblige men to curb the rashness and sin of their words and expressions according to that advice of the Psalmist and the Apostle S. Peter 1 Pet. 3.10 11. He that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile Let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it 37. Wherefore let every person uncharitable reproaches against all men to be avoided as he values his own happiness and as he would approve himself a true Disciple of Christ beware of this sinful behaviour of slandering or reproaching others And not the speaker only but he that heareth such things with delight is guilty of the same uncharitableness and in like manner serves his own sinful passions and gives encouragement to the practice and spreading of this vice S. (e) Bern. de modo bene vivendi Bernard therefore well adviseth all men to avoid a detractor as a Serpent who casteth forth his poyson because besides his own sin he who willingly gives ear to him becomes guilty also To the same purpose S. Austin S. Hierome and others who sometimes speak of the contumelious ear or that mens ears as well as their tongues may render them justly chargeable with the sin of reproaching He that in this case speaks rashly or uncharitably or that entertains such expressions with pleasure must ordinarily intend a prejudice to another and a blemish to his reputation and this very intention speaks some degree of malice or ill-will contained in this sin and sometimes a very high degree thereof But the main hurt and mischief fal's upon the offender himself being contained in his sin and consequent upon it He like the man whose Spirit is so far envenomed as to take poyson in his mouth to spit it at another is in a direct way to ruine himself whatsoever prejudice the other may sustain by him So S. (f) Hier. in Ps 119. Hierome declared detrahimus illi illi non nocemus sed nostras interficimus animas we speak unworthily of another but the main dammage doth not fall upon him but we destroy our own souls 38. and repented of Let all those therefore who have been guilty of this transgression heartily repent thereof that they may find mercy with God But it must be considered that repentance in matters of injury to men by word or deed doth not only require a desisting from the further practice of the sin with due sorrow for the former miscarriage but also a careful undertaking to make satisfaction for the injury done It is therefore here requisite that the offender do readily freely and ingenuously retract what hath been spoken amiss and vindicate him who hath been injuriously aspersed and also endeavour that his future kindness towards him may be equivalent to his past unkindness And the man who refuseth this is as far from integrity as he who wrongs his Neighbour in his Possession or Estate is from honesty if he only forbear the repeating new acts of theft fraud or violence but still detains without restitution what he injuriously possessed himself of which of right belongeth to another man 39. A candid
who appointed not this kind of Covenanting established the Christian Church in that way of Unity that it was one Church but these have ordered this method for the dividing it 20. Secondly This casts a disparagement on Christs Institution of Baptism as if this Ordinance of his was not sufficient and effectual for the purposes to which he appointed it whereof one was the receiving Members into his Church and the Communion thereof The Scriptures declare Christians to be Baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12.12 and that they who are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 and therefore by this Sacramental Ordinance members are received into fellowship with Christ and communion with his Church But these expressions in the Assembly-confession of (i) Conf. c. 27. n. 1. Sacraments being Instituted to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the World And of Baptism being ordained by Christ for the solemn admission of the party Baptized into the visible Church are rejected and left out in the declaration of Faith by them of the Congregational way And we are told by the New England Independents that (k) Answ to 32. Qu. to qu. 4. they do not believe that Baptism doth make men members of the Church and they there say strangely enough that Christ Baptized but made no new Church Wherefore when Christ appointed Baptism to receive members of his Church this Covenant which he never appointed is by them set up thus far in the place and room of it 21. Thirdly By making this Covenant the only right ground of Church-fellowship they cast a high reflexion on the Apostolical and Primitive Churches who neither practised nor delivered any such thing as if the Apostolical Model must give place to theirs and those first Churches must not be esteemed regularly established But this Covenant managed in the dividing way is somewhat like the practice of Novatus who hath been ever reputed guilty of great Schism who ingaged his followers by the most solemn Vow that they should never forsake him nor return to Cornelius their true Bishop only his Covenant had not a peculiar respect to a particular Congregation But this bond of their own promise and vow was intended to keep them in that separation which the more solemn Vow of Baptism and undertaking Christianity ingaged them to reject And it is a great mistake to imagine that the former ought to take place against the latter or that men may bind themselves to act against the will of God and that thenceforth they ought not to observe it 22. Fourthly The confinement of Church-membership to a single Congregation entred under such a particular Covenant is contrary to several plain duties of Christianity For according to this notion the peculiar offices of Brotherly Love as being members one of another and that Christian care that follows thereupon it limited to a narrow compass together with the exercise of the Pastoral care also which ought to be inlarged to all those professed Christians with whom we do converse And it is of dangerous and pernicious consequence that the duties of love and being helpful to one another and provoking to love and good works upon account of our membership with the Church visible though these things be in practice too much neglected should be straitned by false and hurtful notions and opinions It was none of the least miscarriages of the Jews that when God gave them that great Commandment to love their Neighbour as themselves they should satisfie themselves in the performing this duty with a much more restrained sense of the word Neighbour than the Divine Law intended And it must not be conceived that false imaginations concerning the bounds of the Church and fellowship therein will be esteemed in the sight of God a sufficient discharge from the duties he requires men to perform to others nor will this be a better excuse under Christianity than the like mistake was under Judaism 23. Thirdly I shall consider their placing the chief Ecclesiastical power and authority in the Body of the people or the members of the Church To this purpose by some of them we are told that (m) Answ to 32. Qu. to Q. 14. in Peter and the rest the Keys are committed to all Believers who shall join together in the same confession according to the Ordinance of Christ and they give the people the power of (n) Answ to Qu. 15. censuring offenders even Ministers themselves if they be such And on this account at least in part I suppose the Congregational Churches in their Declaration of Faith omitted the whole Chapter of (o) Ch. 30. Church censures contained in the Assembly's Confession in which they had declared the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to be committed to the Church Officers Now besides that the way of Government and Censure by the major Vote of the people hath been the occasion of much confusion in some of their Congregations that which I shall particularly insist on is the great sin of intruding upon any part of the Ministerial Authority or neglecting due regard or reverence thereto How plain is it in the Scripture that the Apostles governed and ordered the state of the Christian Church and that Timothy and Titus and the Angels of the Churches did and were to do the like It was to the Apostles as chief Officers of the Christian Church that Christ declared Joh. 20.23 whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained and Matt. 18.18 whatsoever yet shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose in Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And by these and such like words the power of inflicting Censures and receiving to and conferring of the priviledges of the Church as well as of dispensing all those Ordinances whereby the grace of God and remission of sins are particularly tendered are appropriated to the Officers of the Church as part of their Office 24. In this plain sense were these Christian Laws generally understood by the Primitive Church which practised accordingly which they who read the ancient Canons must necessarily confess And the same is manifest from the particular Writers of the first Ages For instance even (p) Cyp. Ep. 27. S. Cyprian from what our Lord spake to S. Peter of the power of the Keys and of binding and loosing infers the Episcopal honour and that every act of the Church must be governed by those Prefects or Superiors And from those words and what our Saviour spake to his Apostles Jo. 20. about remitting sins he concludes that only the Governours in the Church (q) Ep. 73. can give remission of sins And when Rogatianus a Bishop complained to Cyprian concerning a Deacon who behaved himself contumeliously towards him S. Cyprian commends his humility in addressing himself to him (r) Ep. 65. when he had himself power by virtue of his Episcopacy and the
for Life is worth the valuing Now here upon the first mention of returning to God are some overtures of hope v. 13. He is gracious and merciful v. 14. Who knows if he will return and repent And after the continuance of solemn and serious Devotion required in the following Verses we have a plain and clear promise of help v. 18. Then will the Lord he jealous for his Land and pity his People So excellent and efficacious a prescription is true Repentance and returning to God that upon this the Scene of affairs is presently changed And whereas all that part of this Prophecy which goeth before this Text contained doleful and heavy Judgments From this Verse forward there are great Blessings and Comforts promised to Judah and Judgments denounced against her Enemies even unto the end of this whole Prophecy Thus hereby the dark Night endeth in the appearance of a bright Day and the stormy Tempest is blown over and behold a Calm In these words we have 1. The Authority by which they are commanded Therefore also now saith the Lord. So that we have here a Divine Law and Precept even with respect to these foregoing Circumstances which had a terrible Aspect But how sad soever they were God himself directs to a way of help There is no state how perplexed and uncomfortable soever in this World but which is intended of God to deter Men from Sin Even in the severest threatnings of God's Wrath and Anger there is as Cl. Alexandrinus expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kindness and love to Men by such Threatnings to reclaim them from their Sin and reduce them from the Paths of Ruine And this Phrase therefore also now saith the Lord doth also give notice of somewhat remarkable which followeth which requireth our special attention and diligent observation 2. The chief thing here expressed is the Precept or useful Direction it self Turn ye even unto me with all your heart This I shall insist upon and thence shall undertake to shew That Pious and Penitent behaviour towards God and hearty turning to him is always useful and is the best way for remedy under the greatest difficulties And of this I shall discourse as the nature of the subject requireth with the greatest plainness and evidence that I can The Duty here enjoined is of great concernment and usefulness To a Man's self a quickned and renewed exercise of his Duty brings inward Peace intitles him to the Blessing and Favour of God and the Rewards of his Kingdom The state of the World and of the Church is such That many Men know not whither to look or turn and then the most useful and necessary undertaking is to direct their eyes to God and turn unto him Other acts of prudent care are in their places needful also but there is no true Prudence in the neglect of this which is of greatest moment The Prodigal Son in his straits could take no wiser course than to bethink himself and return to his Father and thereby he takes the best care of his Duty and his Welfare both together And this true penitent application to God is the sure and only way to obtain his favour Zech. 1.3 Turn ye unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hosts In speaking to this Duty I shall enquire into these two things I. What Encouragements have we for obtaining good fr om God by our hearty turning to him II. What is it to turn to God with all our heart or what must be done by us for the right performing this Duty Qu. 1. What Encouragements have we that we may receive good from God by hearty turning to him This enquiry is sutable to the design and occasion of my Text these words being proposed as a way for receiving help and good This also is of great use with respect to the Duty it self since Men are not forward to undertake things which they think will be to no purpose and will tend to no advantage And this also is needful with respect to the general state of Religion since he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Wherefore I shall here consider the more general encouragement we have to turn to God from the nature of God himself and then the particular encouragements from the state and nature of Christianity Among the various Encouragements from the Nature and Being of God I shall only mention two things 1. God's Supreme Government and Authority Upon this account his favour is highly valuable because he disposeth of all the great Affairs and Concerns of Men. For he orders the final Judgment which concerns the eternal state of Men and this will proceed according to the Rules of Righteousness and the New-Covenant and according to the Sentence which will then be pronounced must every Man 's endless Condition be But with respect to that Day those who are hard and impenitent do treasure up Wrath against the day of Wrath but those who turn unto God shall inherit Life And God so disposeth of all private and publick Affairs in this World that thereupon it is of great concernment to have him well-pleased with us And if a gracious Prince standing by his faithful Subject or a righteous Judg taking in with an honest and just Cause be the Advantage of those who are concerned therein much more is the Kindness and Care of God greatly valuable For no Evil befalls any without his hand nor are there any publick Calamities but such as are his Judgments He can and oft doth defeat the Counsels of Men and discover their secret Contrivances and he governs them and their Actions and the Events thereof Herein we have hitherto had cause to admire the Goodness and Wisdom of God and his Counsel shall stand 2. The Goodness and Purity of his Nature This shews his great readiness to express his Favour to them who heartily turn to him The Order and Beauty of the Creation and the constant and abundant Supplies of Providence are Evidences of God's great Bounty and Readiness to communicate of his Goodness to his Creatures The Light of this World is not so diffusive of it self as the Goodness of God is since from him as the Father of Lights cometh every good Gift But that Purity which the Perfection of the Divine Being doth assure us to be in God and which even our own Consciences must also acknowledg speaks Goodness and Piety to be acceptable to God and the Persons who are exercised therein to be peculiarly the Objects of his Favour And as he is a Governour Obedience and Reverence must be both due to him and pleasing in his sight And indeed no good Man is so highly pleased with Goodness and Seriousness as the holy God is and there is nothing in his whole Creation that he esteems so much He hath said Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my Footstool
by the Persecutions it endured but should prevail under them And if it had not been from the Support of the Power of God the Christian Church in its weakest Estate could never have stood against the Wisdom and Power of the World which was then engaged against it but God then did and yet will uphold his Church even to the end And with a particular eye to God's especial Care hereof in these latter Times we read that when the Thousand Years were ended and the Nations and Gog and Magog compassed the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City then Fire came from God out of Heaven and devoured them Rev. 20.8 9. And those Interpreters who would understand these Phrases of the Camp of the Saints and the Beloved City concerning any particular City or Place upon Earth seem not herein to observe the Nature of the Prophetick Style which will direct us to understand it of the more eminent and chief part of the Christian Church Wherefore we have great grounds for expecting Good from God if we mind our Duty to him Now upon this Encouragement let us in the Fear of God undertake this Duty that we may be instrumental to the procuring Good to the Church of God and that we our selves may be Partakers of eternal Happiness This is the way to have God to be our Friend and no other Peace in the World can be concluded and secured upon those advantagious Terms as our having Peace with God may be And therefore I shall now come to the second thing I proposed to discourse of what we are here commanded to do Quest 2. What is it to turn to God with all our Heart Answ This is one and the same thing with Repentance The Septuagint express this Phrase of Turning in the Text by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or being converted to God And this supposeth or includeth 1. A serious Consideration and minding of our Rule together with the Motives that should put us upon a Practice answerable thereto This Rule is the Word of God or the Holy Scripture as superadded to the natural Light of Reason and Conscience Upon due pondering of this Josiah's Heart was tender and he humbled himself and undertook a Reformation 2. Self-reflection and Examination of our Minds Ways and Actions by this Rule with this stedfast purpose that nothing may be entertained or allowed in us which is not agreeable thereunto 3. An humble and serious Sorrow for past Miscarriages with hearty and unfeigned Confession of Sin and earnest Supplication to God for the obtaining Mercy 4. A resolved undertaking to forsake all Evil in Heart and Life and to do our Duty These things are so plain in the Nature of them and so evidently necessary in their general Consideration that they need not either further Explication or Proof The Practice and Exercise of Repentance and turning to God taketh in all these but both the Phrase of Turning and the chief Design of Repentance hath principal respect to the last of them it being all one to turn to God and to return to and carefully set upon our Duty And therefore I shall now insist on this and that we may practise these things to good effect I shall urge some particular Instances which are of great use to be performed in our minding this Duty 1. In avoiding Schisms and Divisions and practising Unity and Peace 2. In the forsaking Debauchery and Profaneness and the embracing Seriousness and Sobriety 3. In rejecting all Irreligion and Neglect of the Worship of God and engaging our selves in true Piety and hearty Devotion 1. In the avoiding Schisms and Divisions and practising Unity and Peace How many and frequent are the Precepts for Peace and Unity delivered in the Doctrine of our Saviour and how earnestly is this urged and inculcated If there be any Consolation in Christ c. saith the Apostle Phil. 2.1 2. Fulfill ye my Joy being of one accord and of one mind And if we view and consider the Business of our Religion as it was delivered by our Saviour and his Apostles this will be found to be one of its great and weighty Precepts And shall we then be forward to contend about other lesser things to the neglect of this As the Scribes and Pharisees would tithe Mint Anise and Cummin but neglected the weighty Things of God's Law St. Paul tells us The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy-Ghost For he that in these Things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men. Rom. 14.17 18. In which Words it is very plainly asserted that whilst some other Things which Men may contend about are of less moment these Things here mentioned are of great concernment to Religion it self and the being esteemed of God and good Men. And as Peace is one of these great Duties here urged so that the Apostle had a very particular Eye thereupon may be concluded from the Words immediatly following v. 19. Let us therefore follow after the Things which make for Peace And the Neglect of this Duty is very hurtful and pernicious to the Christian Church For as in the Body when it is rent and torn and the Members disjointed there must be from this very Cause great Disorders Weakness and Feebleness so is it also in the Church of God Yea these Things are to be accounted of dangerous Consequence for the undermining or shaking the Kingdom of Christ since our Lord himself hath told us that a Kingdom divided against it self is brought to Desolation And shall any good Man be pleased to join with the Enemy in his Designs against the welfare stability and safety of the Church of Christ Now besides many other Arguments which might be insisted on to disswade from Schisms and Divisions there are two things I shall recommend to you as being well worthy your serious consideration First making Divisions in the Church either includes a total want or at least a defect in a great degree of the true Spirit of Christianity This must needs be so because the observing Peace and Unity are so great a part and duty of our Religion If we reflect on our Baptism we are baptized into one Body and therefore are to observe Unity And when S. Paul urgeth the Ephesians to take care of that great Duty of walking worthy of that Vocation wherewith they were called Eph. 4.1 To that end he most particularly and largely insists on their keeping the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace v. 3 c. And from this very Reason he concluded the Corinthians to be carnal because of the envying strife and divisions that were among them 1 Cor. 3.3 And where-ever the Peace and Unity of the Church is broken from those corrupt Principles of Pride Self-will and the carelesness of obeying God's Commandments this speaks such an unchristian temper as will exclude such Persons from the Kingdom of God And therefore those very phrases the Apostle
a new Commandment which every Christian must obey following the example of our Lord. But to reproach others is to act contrary to love for this intends hurt and to lessen the esteem of others and cast some blemish upon them and the defamer pleaseth himself for the present in so doing But charity thinks no evil 1 Cor. 13.5 and he who truly loves any man and is his real friend cannot hear him unjustly evil spoken of with any delight and satisfaction but is troubled at it and is so averse from joining in the same himself that so far as he fairly and honestly can he will vindicate his reputation and plead his cause Yea charity will act with that seriousness on the behalf of a friend that as (c) Max. Tyr. Diss 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially when it respects the Ministers of God in Church or State Maximus Tyrius observes it will even work through places not passable and easily overcome things that are dreadful 5. But when censures and calumnies are raised against the Ministers and Governours of the Church there are two other ways whereby they greatly offend against the duty of love the one with respect to the love of God in promoting his honour and the other with regard to the love of men unto whom these reproaches are published For these things tending to lessen their reputation are so far as they take place like to hinder the success of their labours and of their Ministerial Office And the offender who commits this sin considerately and advisedly so as to discern the large consequents of it must be one who for the gratifying his passion is willing to become instrumental that the work of God and the happiness of man both which are committed to the care of the Ministry should not prosper and have their desired effect And this great good is really hindred by this sinful practice whether men will consider it or no. And there is much of the like evil in defaming or speaking reflectively against our Secular Governours since they also are the Ministers of God to man for good 6. Secondly The reproaching Superiours is a breach of the fifth Commandment For therein honour and reverent respect is commanded to all Superiours 2. It is a great breach of the fifth Commandment to speak evil of Rulers and this is necessary for the upholding their just Authority But to reproach is not to honour but to dishonour and vilifie them And though our natural Parents be the nearest to us on whom we have a more particular dependance and from whom we have a more especial care yet Governours and Rulers are chiefly to be honoured because they are set by God in an higher station and have a larger portion of his Authority committed to them and as Gods Ministers are appointed for a more comprehensive benefit and extensive good to mankind and are common Parents to govern and take care of those who are under them in civil Societies Hence (d) Phil. de Decalog p. 76. Philo not amiss observed that the fifth Commandment being placed as between the duties to God and man had great respect to both and that he who breaks this Commandment will be condemned at both these two tribunals that of God and that of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of irreligion towards God in the Divine Tribunal and of enmity towards men in the humane And though this may be truly said of almost all other transgressions yet it appears more eminenly in the breach of this Commandment And it adds to the force of this precept that the Doctrine of Christianity doth mightily inforce it and strictly require us to honour the King and all who are over us either in the Church or State 7. And it is worthy of our serious consideration which is a special Commandment with promise that the Apostle for the inforcing obedience to this fifth precept of the Decalogue gives it this Character Ephes 6.2 that it is the first Commandment with promise or it is a great and chief command unto which God annexed a special and signal promise And thus much I think the Apostle to intend by these words When our Saviour declared which was the first Commandment of the law Mar. 12.28 29 30. the phrase first doth not there refer to order but to excellency as is manifest from v. 31 and v. 33. and therefore the question which in S. Mark is expressed which is the first Commandment is in S. Matthew which is the great Commandment Now the fifth Commandment is therefore manifested to be a great and very considerable Commandment because to that alone of all the precepts of the Decalogue God was pleased to affix a peculiar and excellent promise For that declaration of Gods kindness in the end of the second Commandment that he shews mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his Commandments is truly observed by (e) In Annot. in Eph. 6.2 Erasmus and Grotius not to have a peculiar respect to that precept alone but to have a general regard to them all as the words in that precept do evidently manifest But to this fifth Commandment this excellent promise is adjoined that it may be well with thee and that thou maist live long on the Earth which shews that our own interest is highly concerned in this case 8. Wherefore the observing the duties of this precept is the way which God himself hath directed men for the obtaining his blessings This is a forfeiture of the right to Gods blessings in the world and the continuance of them in this world and this the Apostle declares and urgeth with respect to the time of Christianity And the neglect of the duties of this command so far as concerns the terms of Gods promise is a forfeiture of that right and title we might have to all the advantages of this life and the blessing of God for our comfort and well-being here upon Earth And these earthly blessings when the law was given were so proposed in this fifth Commandment of the Decalogue as to have some typical respect also to the blessings of the life to come Now though God of his bounty and patience doth many times bestow long life and therewith many other enjoyments of this world upon them who have no right to them by the terms of his Covenant and promise yet they want that assurance of these things and especially that favourable kindness and particular care of God to go along with them which the pious man enjoys and which is far more valuable and excellent than the possession of any outward good is Wherefore the careful and conscientious practice of reverence and honour towards Superiour relations however some men may account of it is no light thing it being that upon which our title to the blessings of God so much depends 9. Thirdly All reproachful Calumnies especially against Superiours are a violation of the sixth Commandment 3. This is a breach of
all the paths that tend to it and not to have such light thoughts thereof as rashly to gratifie any disorder of mind or unruliness of temper which will bring us to this destruction 30. Wherefore the care which all men ought to have of preventing their own misery Carelesness in these concerns is a daring presumption ought to have this influence upon them that they resolvedly reject and abhor this sin Even human penalties have had a considerable force upon the minds of men to restrain them from evil practices When good Josiah heard the law of Moses read and the judgments denounced against such offences as that Kingdom was then guilty of his tender heart became affected therewith and he humbled himself was greatly solicitous for Judah and therefore he enquired of the Lord and forthwith undertook the establishing a great reformation And shall not men in our days be afraid of the most terrible threats which the Divine Majesty denounceth and the Almighty power of God inflicteth upon them who are perverse and disobedient We live in an Age wherein sin and doing evil is in too many instances become bold and daring and many who make a fair pretence to Religion stand not in awe of those heavy menaces of Divine vengeance whereby Almighty God hath declared his wrath against those sins in which they indulge themselves and which they still resolve to espouse and prosecute with a presumptuous confidence as far as they are pleasing to themselves or serve the interest of a party Amongst other Arguments and Motives to avoid all manner of evil the dreadful state of being under Gods displeasure is a mighty awakening one and the thoughts of this hath had a powerful operation on the minds of men (e) Cont. Cels l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen tells us that in his days that he and others by the urging this great truth concerning the punishment of evil-doers had converted and turned many from their sins And God grant it may have the same effect in our Age. 31. It is far from speaking either the wisdom or the goodness of any sort of men that in so weighty a case as this is it is difficult to bring them to any serious consideration and reflexion upon themselves But they are never the more safe in any evil for their rash confidence and carelesness which is no other than an aggravation of their sin and an higher provocation of God I have had so frequent experience how hard it is by any sorts of Arguments to prevail with many persons who seem to have some sence of piety to make conscience of performing several particular plain duties of Religion as the attendance on the holy Communion and the Governing their passions that I could not observe it without admiration and some kind of amazement And I fear that all that man can say and all that God hath said which is terrible enough will not be effectual to bring many persons guilty of this sin of speaking evil of others into a serious sense of it and an hearty repentance However such persons esteem of themselves this behaviour shews a great prevalency of obstinacy and hardness and the time will come when they who refuse instruction will wish they had attended to it And as I heartily beg of God that all who offend herein may take warning and amend while they have opportunity so for them who will not I shall be heartily grieved and account it both with respect to themselves and the hurtful influence they may have upon others a matter of sad lamentation 32. They who will practice this sin may for a time please their own passions and may gratifie the unruly tempers of disordered minds with whom they converse And by uncharitable reflections or insinuations against Superiors they will occasion delight rejoycing and satisfaction to them who are enemies to goodness truth and peace and a well-established Order in Church or State and they may hereby give these men encouragement and hopes of success in their ill designs But in all this they act against the interest of Religion and their duty to God and therefore they do so much the more expose themselves to his wrath and indignation except they repent And when they shall either repent or bear the effects of Gods anger none will then be more displeased with the folly of these their practices than themselves CHAP. IV. Contumelious evil-speaking in general and all irreverent and disrespectful behaviour towards Rulers and Governours is contrary to the life of Christ in those things wherein we are particularly commanded to imitate his Example and S. Pauls carriage Acts 23.3 4 5. considered 1. HAving discoursed of the mischievous unreasonableness and extravagancy and of the great sinfulness and heavy punishment which attendeth an unruly tongue and uncharitable speaking I shall now consider the gentleness meekness and innocency yea the charity and due reverent respect The precepts and example of Christ ought to guide our practice which Christianity teacheth us to shew in our words to others as this is especially proposed unto us in the example of Christ and what is therein tendred to our imitation The precepts of the Gospel to be kind and gentle courteous and charitable and to speak evil of no man are so obvious that I presume every Christian to be acquainted with them And these things together with a respectful demeanour to all Superiors as they were conspicuous in the life and practice of our Lord himself will now fall under my consideration But concerning his example some may possibly think with themselves that he was an extraordinary instance of suffering evil and came into the World to bear the punishment of our sins and yielded up himself as the Lamb of God to be a Sacrifice but all Christians are not to bear like sufferings with him But such ought to consider that all his followers are to take up his Cross and to perform such duties and exercise such graces as are enjoined by his Laws and in which we have himself also for our pattern and are required to follow him Now to manifest how far the practice of our Saviour was intended to guide and direct us to reject all reviling and to shew reverent respect to Superiours I shall lay down these following Considerations 2. Cons 1. 1. His meekness and not reviling particularly proposed to be our pattern What our Saviour did in practising meekness and in not reproaching any or speaking evil is proposed to us as a pattern for us to imitate This is clearly asserted by S. Peter telling us 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. that Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled he reviled not again So that in these things it is not only an historical truth when we are told what Christ himself did but this is also a rule to acquaint us what
construction needful in private and publick cases And as a preservative against this sin it is needful that we regulate our passions and maintain a due government over them and set a watch over our lips humbly begging the aid of divine assistance And we must also take care that we allow a favourable construction and a candid interpretation to the words and actions of others especially of our Superiours And to this both ingenuity and Christian charity will direct and oblige us Wise men have justly condemned those persons who are guilty of calumny against a Law in wresting the words thereof to a sense never intended to the prejudice of Authority This is done in some degree when by subtil quirks the letter of a Law is in a forced interpretation observed but the true sense and meaning neglected This fault hath been taxed by the (g) Nimis callida malitiosa juris Interpretatione Cic. de Offic. l. 1. Arist Eth. l. 5. c. 10. gravest Authours as a calumny and the (h) Cod. l. 1. Tit. 14. kg. 5. Civil Law hath particularly provided against it and this includes a false suggestion against the prudence and good design of Authority But besides this there is an higher degree of calumny when a Law or the words or actions of Rulers is odiously represented to intend some ill thing which is contrary to the mind of the Law-giver and this is a reproach against the goodness care and integrity of the Governour And the practice of this which is too frequent gave occasion to Queen Elizabeths admonition to simple people deceived by malicious 40. And towards all men Yet it is prudent to have a cautious jealousie of ill men a favourable interpretation is usually suitable to charity Yet it must not be denied that there are so many men of dangerous and pernicious principles and practices that towards them cautiousness and suspicion in policy and prudence is necessary for preventing the mischiefs which may otherwise ensue The History of all Ages will give us instances of ill designs against publick peace and settlement carried on by fair words and plausible pretences and it is great wisdom to discover and lay open the ill designs of these men and not to be beguiled by them And with respect to the Church even in the Apostolical times there were some who with good words deceived the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.18 And afterwards many Hereticks would use Orthodox words in an heretical sense as the Pelagians would speak much of (i) Aug. de Grat. Chr. cont Pelag. Celest l. 1. c. 1 2. grace in a wrested meaning and in some Councils the subtil Arians gained advantage by the over-great unwariness and charity of other well-meaning Bishops But the considering these cases will not allow any unwarrantably to defame others but will direct them wisely honestly and cautelously to provide in their places for the securing themselves and the publick good and welfare of Church and State And these are things which principally concern Governours and Rulers whom God hath placed over others in the Church or Common-wealth but it is of universal obligation to all Christians that true kindness and general love and due respect to all men especially to Superiours should prevail in them 41. And let those Christians Charity towards revilers required who are opprobriously and injuriously aspersed together with pious stedfastness and resolution embrace the temper of Christian Charity And let nothing of ill will take place in their hearts towards those who revile or slander them but let them heartily pity their folly and their sin A person of common prudence if he discern a distracted man raving and complaining highly against those who deserve well from him will commiserate the mans sad condition who would never have done so if he had not been bereaved of his judgement and understanding And the want of a Christian temper of mind is as sad a thing and on that account deserves as much pity as the loss of the capacities of reason and knowledge Let us therefore pray for them who thus behave themselves towards us Thus as (k) Basil Hom. de Ira. S. Basil urgeth did Moses in this case make intercession for Miriam and David humbled his soul with fasting for those who slandered him and our Saviour prayed for his enemies He commands us to do the like for them who despitefully use us and our Church directs us to beseech God to forgive our enemies persecutors and slanderers and to turn their hearts Wherefore let none render evil for evil but overcome evil with good And the right management of this duty is a considerable action in our Christian warfare It was the consideration of S. (l) Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 3. c. 11 12. Austin when he was reproached by the tongue and writings of Petilian that we are assaulted by good report as a trial whether we can withstand the temptations to pride and by evil report to prove us whether we love our enemies and it is our work to overcome the Devil by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left And upon a due behaviour in our conflict we may expect a reward and crown 42. 'T is necessary for them who have reproached their Rulers to acknowledge their fault and repent To all this I shall now add what I desire may be well considered and therefore I chuse to close this first part therewith and that is That Christianity will engage them who truly practise it that if they have offended in uttering any thing reproachfully or disrespectfully against their Superiours they freely acknowledge their fault and by no means continue in it This may be sufficiently inferred from the general necessity of repentance from all sins and offences against any part of our duty and therefore if this be so heinous a sin as I have manifested it calls aloud for serious repentance But besides this I shall more particularly to this purpose observe that in this special case thus much is taught us by the behaviour of S. Paul in that place which I have before mentioned and shall now more largely explain and insist on Acts 23.2 3 4 5. Where when Ananias the High Priest The example of S. Paul with respect to Ananias proposed or a Chief Priest had commanded him v. 2. to be smitten on the mouth Then said Paul unto him v. 3. God shall smite thee thou Whited Wall for sittest thou to judge me after the Law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the Law And v. 4. when they that stood by said Revilest thou Gods High Priest Then v. 5. said Paul I wist not brethren that he was the High Priest or a Chief Priest for it is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people 43. These words are acknowledged to have some difficulty in them and have been very variously interpreted but according to that sense which I
caused that Law to be transmitted to several parts of the Empire but yet had plainly written to him how much it was against God And then adds utrobique ergo quod debui exolvi qui Imperatori obedientiam praebui pro Deo quod sensi minime tacui On both hands therefore I have performed what I ought I have yielded obedience to the Emperour and I have not forborn to speak what was my judgement on the behalf of God And in this Epistle also and in others frequently he owns Mauritius to be his Lord and himself to be his Servant And the usual subterfuge of Romish Writers that what the Popes have spoken in such a respect to Emperours was from humility and gracious condescension only can have no place here For he went as far as any Subject in his capacity might do in what he was perswaded was unlawful and further than he might do who was no Subject In humility he might dispense with his own right but not with what concerns God and Religion 15. These things do so plainly shew that those ancient Bishops acknowledged the Emperour to be their Superiour even in constituting Laws and doing other acts which had respect to the state of Religion that I think it unnecessary to add other instances which might be given for many Centuries The known expression of Otho Frisingensis declares Gregory the Seventh to be the first of the Roman Bishops who usurped the deposing power But Conradus (f) Ursp p. 336. Vrspergensis differing herein from Otho whom he mentions seems to fix the first Original of these Papal proceedings upon Gregory the Third who above seven hundred years after Christ in the contest concerning Images where it might have been expected that he who was so earnest for the adoration of Images should have highly honoured the Emperour who bare the impress of Divine authority did (g) ibid. p. 286. forbid Italy to pay any tribute to Leo Isaurus the Emperour and deprived him of his rights there But it is manifest that all the Roman Bishops who succeeded him were not of the like spirit and temper Above an hundred years after him Leo the Fourth (h) Gratian. Dist 10. de capitulis and to Leo the Fourth assures Lotharius the Emperour that he would as much as he was able irrefragably keep and observe his imperial precepts and that they were lyars who should suggest the contrary concerning him and (i) c. 2. qu. 7. Nos si incompetenter he likewise submits his actions to be examined by the Emperour or such as he should commissionate and to be corrected or amended if he had done amiss and not kept to the right rule of the Law 16. But the main hurt of this pretended Papal power so much contended for at Rome is not only the disturbing peace Such Principles of Rebellion lead men to damnation fomenting Wars and unjust invading the right of Princes but besides the ambition therein contained by stirring up Subjects in rebellion against their Soveraigns it puts them according to S. Paul's Doctrine into a state of damnation Rom. 13.2 And such rebellious practices are the more promoted by those frantick principles of many of the Church of Rome which have spread themselves also amongst other Sects which give liberty to Subjects without respect to the Popes Sentence to take away the lives of Princes It is too clear to be denied that such Positions are maintained by divers of the Jesuits and it must be granted also that there is truth in what some of the Jesuits have observed that the like was asserted by other Writers in the Church of Rome before the first institution of that Order 17. The Pope's usurped claim over other Churches and Bishops There is also great disorder and evil unduly occasioned in the Church by the claim the Roman See pretends to over all other Bishops and Churches To this authority she hath no just title but the exercise of this power did obtain and prevail in many Churches by various methods and degrees of encroachment And by this means both rights and also purity and due order are jointly violated Hence this Church obtrudes on others her pernicious Doctrines and practices under a pretence of authority And by the same means it hinders the necessary reformation of great and spreading corruptions and thunders out Censures against such Churches as reform themselves according to Primitive and Apostolical rules 18. Now such an Authority over all other Bishops and Churches could never be founded in any actual possession or in any human or Ecclesiastical constitution of what nature soever For an incroaching authority is void by the ancient Canons especially that of Ephesus and being an unjust possession ought to return to him who hath the true right And where there hath been any consent given to an unjust claim by misunderstanding or upon any other account or where any other act whatsoever hath been done by Princes falsty pretended to be of Divine Authority or by Bishops in any part of the Church to yield or convey any Superiour Authority to the Roman Bishop they cannot by any act of their own exclude themselves and their Successors from the obligation to perform their duty in duly guiding governing and reforming their people And therefore so far as the authority which Princes and Bishops have received from God and Christ doth oblige them to the performance of this work no pretended power of the Bishop of Rome nor any act done by any others or even by themselves can set them free from it But this universal Superiority is claimed by the Pope as not derived from any human Constitution but from the authority of Christ To which purpose the Catechism according to the Decree of the Council of Trent declares That the Catholick Church (k) Catech. ad Paroch c. de Ordinis Sacramento Summum in eo dignitatis gradum jurisdictionis amplitudinem non quidem ullis Synodicis aut aliis humanis constitutionibus sed divinitus datam agnoscit quamobrem omnium fidelium episcoporum caeterorumque antistitum quocunque illi munere potestate praediti sint pater ac moderator universali Ecclesiae ut Petri Successor Christique Domini verus legitimus vicarius praesidet doth acknowledge in him the Pope the highest degree of dignity and amplitude of Jurisdiction not given him by any Synodical or other human Constitutions but by Divine Authority wherefore he the Father and Governour of all the Faithful and of the Bishops and the rest who are in chief Authority whatsoever Office or Power they are indued with doth preside over the the Vniversal Church as the Successor of Peter and the true and lawful Vicar of Christ the Lord. 19. But notwithstanding this great noise it was unknown to the ancient Church no such Divine institution hath been or can be produced and pasce oves and tu es Petrus have been oft scanned and no such thing can be
found in them And it is considerable that the ancient Bishops of Rome owned not nor claimed any such Authority nor was any such given to them by the Primitive Church To this purpose it may be observed from (l) Epiph. Her 42. Epiphanius that when Marcion being excommunicated by his own Father a pious Bishop for his debauchery went to Rome and desired there to be received into Communion he was told there by those Elders yet alive who were the Disciples of the Apostles that they could not receive him without the permission of his Reverend Father there being one Faith and one Concord they could not act contrary to their Fellow Ministers And this was agreeable to the Rules and Canons of the ancient Church whereby it was ordained (m) Can. Ap. 12. that if any excommunicate person should be received in another City whither he should come not having commendatory Letters he who received him should be himself also under excommunication And the novel Romish Notion of all other Bishops so depending on the Roman as to derive their power and authority from him is so contrary to the sense of the ancient Church that (n) Hieron Ep. ad Evagrium S. Hierome declares ubicunque fuerit Episcopus five Romae five Eugubii ejusdem meriti ejusdem est sacerdotii omnes Apostolorum successores sunt wheresoever there was a Bishop whether at Rome or at Gubio he is of the same worth and the same Priesthood they are all Successors of the Apostles 20. and prejudicial to other Churches and to Religion it self However the Romish Church upon this encroachment and false pretence claims a power to receive appeals from any other Churches And this oft proves a great obstacle to the Government and discipline of those Churches and an heavy and burdensome molestation to particular persons by chargeable tedious and dilatory prosecutions and is a method also of exhausting the treasures of other Churches and Kingdoms to gratifie ambitious avarice But even the (o) c. 6. qu. 3. scitote Canon Law declares the great reasonableness that every Province where there is ten or eleven Cities and a King should have a Metropolitan and other Bishops and that all causes should be judged and determined by them among themselves and that no Province ought to be so much debased and degraded as to be deprived of such a Judicature Indeed the Canon Law doth here for the sake of the Roman See exempt such cases from this judgement where those who are to be judged enter an appeal which is much different from the appeal the ancient Church allowed (p) Conc. Constant c. 6. to a more General Council after the insufficient hearing of a Provincial one But in truth this right of ordering and judging what is fit in every Province is not only the right of that particular Church or Country or Kingdom but where they proceed according to truth and goodness it is the right of God and the Christian Religion which is above all contrary authority of any other and ought not to be violated thereby And appeals from hence (pp) Cod. ean Eccl. Afr. c. 28. The Romanists Schismatical even to Rome were anciently prohibited in Africa 21. And the Schismatical uncharitableness of them at Rome towards other Churches deserves here to be mentioned This widens divisions and discords and perpetuates them by declaring an irreconcileable opposition to peace and truth They excommunicate them as Hereticks who discerning their right and their duty will not submit themselves to their usurpations and embrace their errors and to them they hereupon deny the hopes of Salvation Thus they deal with them who stedfastly hold to the Catholick faith and to all the holy rules of the Christian life and practice delivered by the Apostles and received by the Primitive Church and who also embrace that Catholick charity and Unity that they own Communion with all the true and regular members of the Christian Church and would with as much joy communicate with the Roman Church her self if she would make her Worship and Communion and the terms of it free from sin as the Father in the Gospel embraced his returning Son But this is the crime of such Churches that while they hold fast the Apostolical Faith and Order they reject the novel additional doctrines introduced by the Church of Rome and they submit not to her usurped authority in not doing what in duty to God they ought to do in imbracing the right wayes of truth 22. Their unjust excommunications hurt not others But the excommunicating such persons and Churches doth no hurt to them who undeservedly lie under this unjust censure but the effect of the censure may fall on them who thus excommunicate For they who reject the Communion of them who are true and orderly Members of the Church Catholick do divide themselves from that Communion To this sense is that received rule (q) c. 24. qu. 3. c. si habes c. certum illicita excommunicatio non laedit eum qui notatur sed eum à quo notatur and this was declared by (r) in Balsamon p. 1096. Nicon to be agreeable to the Canons And the excellency and power of the true Catholick Doctrine and the purity thereof is so much to be preferred before the authority of any persons whomsoever who oppose it that that which the ancient Canons (ſ) Conc. Sardic c. 17. established was very fit and just that if any Bishops and consequently any other persons were ejected from their own Churches or suffered any censures unjustly for their adhering to the Catholick Faith and profession they ought still to be received in other Churches and Cities with kindness and love And whereas there were Canons of the Church which allowed not Bishops to reside in other Churches and Dioceses these Fathers at Sardica dispense with that Rule in such a case as this and thereby declare their fense to be That the observation of Canonical establishments must give place where the higher duties of respect to the Christian Faith and Charity were concerned 23. but only themselves When the Scribes and Pharisees condemned the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles for Heresie and cast them who received it out of the Church the Christians were nevertheless the true members of the Church but they who rejected them were not so And when the Donatists would allow none but their own party to belong to the Church they thereby cast themselves out of the Catholick Communion as Schismaticks And when they at Rome so far follow their steps as to confine the Christian Communion to themselves or to a particular Church especially such an one as so greatly swerves from the truth and purity of the Christian Religion Sect. II. this is in effect to deny that Article of our Creed concerning the Holy Catholick Church And since Charity and Vnity are of so great concernment in Christianity on that account also they are none
of the best members of the Church who are so far from them as all of the Romish Communion are obliged to be and are thereby guilty of heinous sin and of that which is greatly scandalous to Christianity SECT II. The Doctrines maintained in the Church of Rome and the Constitutions therein established are great hindrances to holiness of life and true devotion in Religion and comply very far with Wickedness and Debauchery 1. I Shall now come to consider that there are such doctrines asserted by the Church of Rome and such practices established therein as are plain obstacles and hindrances to a holy life Holiness and purity are suitable to the nature of God and agreeable to the end of Christ's coming into the World to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Obstacles in the Roman Church to an holy life Tit. 2.14 This is a compliance with his Gospel which is a doctrine according to Godliness and his Church which he founded is an holy Catholick Church And therefore nothing can be of God and Christ which is not agreeable to true goodness and piety but that must be contrary to God and Christianity which is opposite to holiness and a godly life But that the Church of Rome doth declare such Doctrines as undermine piety and holiness and establishes such constitutions and practices as are highly prejudicial thereunto I shall manifest by some particular instances And here I shall consider 2. 1. In their Doctrine of Attrition and Absolution First Their Doctrine of Absolution This is such that it sooths men in their sins and thereby takes away the weighty Motive and Argument to holiness of life which is from the necessity thereof to avoid the wrath of God and endless perdition and to obtain the favour of God and everlasting salvation For this Church and the Writers thereof do generally teach that attrition though without contrition is a sufficient disposition or qualification for the receiving Priestly absolution and that persons so qualified and thereupon absolved are in a safe state as to the avoiding eternal damnation and the future enterance into everlasting happiness Now contrition includes a grief for and hatred of sin as it is an offence of God with a purpose and resolution not to go on in the practice of evil and this is conjoined with a chief love to God But attrition is a grief for sin in such a manner that it is not produced from nor containeth in it the chief love of God and goodness And when divers wayes are either asserted or disputed of by many Casuists concerning the difference between Attrition and Contrition Mart. Becanus speaks with much plainness and I think with truth when he tells us (a) Part. 3. Tr. 2. c. 35. Qu. 1. that contrition includes aversion from sin and conversion to God which is in loving him above all and that this principle of the love of God which includes consequently hatred of sin and turning from it is that thing in which contrition essentially differs from attrition and that all other differences or wayes of distinguishing them are either to be rejected as false or may be spared as being of little or no use 3. Now some Writers of the Romish Communion especially in former Ages have been of opinion that contrition is necessary to justification But this assertion is declared by (b) Tom. 4. Disp 3. Qu. 8. Punct 3. Gr. de Valentia to be sententia his presertim temporibus vix tolerabilis such an one as especially in these times is scarce fit to be tolerated And he calls the other the common opinion This (c) Bell. de poenit l. 2. c. 18. Bellarmine takes for granted and Becanus declares (d) ubi sup Qu. 6. omnes fatentur contritionem non esse necessariam in Sacramento Poenitentiae that all acknowledge that Contrition is not necessary in the Sacrament of Penance And these Writers and many others affirm the Council of Trent to have declared thus much And that Council plainly enough determines that Contrition (e) Sess 13 de poenitentia cap. 4. is a grief of mind for sin already committed with a purpose to do so no more and that this which encludes a hatred of the past evil life and the beginning of a new life when it hath Charity joined with it doth reconcile man to God before the actual receiving the Sacrament of Penance if there be a desire to partake thereof But then it adds concerning another sort of sorrow from the foulness of the sin or the fear of punishment ex peccati turpitudine vel ex supplicii metu and of this that Council determines that it cannot bring a sinner to justification without the Sacrament of Penance but it doth dispose him to obtain the favour of God in the Sacrament of Penance A bad life encouraged hereby Now the result of all this according to the plainest sense their own Authours give is that if a wicked man ready to go out of the world shall be troubled when he apprehends the foulness of his sins lest he should go to Hell which is attrition and shall then send to the Priest and receive Absolution this man though his bea rt be not turned from sin to God and to a love of him and of goodness will according to this loose Doctrine go out of the world in the favour of God and in a justified state And thus much is pretended to be effected by vertue of the Sacrament of Penance and Priestly Absolution 4. Now it is to be acknowledged that the true Ministerial Absolution is very profitable being in an eminent manner contained in dispensing the holy Sacraments and is of much greater weight than many men account it to be to them that believe and truly repent or to them who sincerely perform the conditions of the Gospel Covenant but no pretence of Absolution must be admitted to make void these conditions And it may be granted that in the Roman Church in some Societies there are rules of severity directed to them who are disposed to seriousness but this their Doctrine of Absolution takes off all necessity of observing any such rules or any vows whereby they obliged themselves to any duties or exercises of perfection so far as concerns the fear of God as to the interest of an eternal state And this Doctrine opens a gap to all licentiousness of life contrary to the rules of Christianity and all good conscience by the security it pretends to give of eternal happiness to wicked and debauched men who amend not their lives nor forsake their sins If this be truth then are all the promises and threatnings of the Gospel made void as they are Motives to the necessary duties of holiness and piety 5. Holiness of Christianity undermined hereby By such arts as this all the great precepts of Religion are made of none effect in order to salvation For if against
ne oves Christi esuriant mandant Pastoribus ut inter Missarum celebrationem aliquid ex iis quae in Missa leguntur exponant What the Council of Trent acknowledge praesertim festis diebus Though the publick Service or Mass contains much instruction for the people it doth not seem fit to the Fathers that it should be usually celebrated in the Vulgar tongue Wherefore retaining the rites of the Church of Rome they command the Pastors that in the time of its celebration they expound somewhat of those things which are read in the Mass especially upon Festival days Now here is an acknowledgment that it is for the benefit of the people to understand the Service for their instruction and yet a course is taken that a main part thereof should not be understood that they may still keep up the Romish usage which hath for many ages thus practised Only they shall be suffered to understand so much of what is contained therein as may keep them from famishing 28. But these words seem to carry along with them some intimation of guilty consciences in this decision As if a Physician should declare that he knows such a Medicine to be mighty useful to recover his Patient to his health but however he doth not intend he shall have it but he may apply to him such a part of the ingredients as will keep him alive and yet possibly he may be mistaken herein Or this is something like as if a Judge when he had considered a Case of right concerning a temporal estate should declare that there is a very fair and ample Patrimony that belongs to Sempronius and he ought to have the profit thereof but nevertheless it seems fit to him that Sempronius should not enjoy this Estate that so no alterations may be made in present possessions However he adjudgeth them who keep him out of his Patrimony and debar him of his right at some times and especially upon festival days to give Sempronius some such relief as themselves shall think fit for the satisfying his hunger lest he should be famished for want of all supply of food Now if such a Physician 's practice be honest dealing and the determination of such a Judge be doing justice in secular interests then hath this Council done right to the members of the Church and determined this case according to the rules of Christian integrity For as it is the duty of the Pastors to feed the sheep of Christ so it is the right of the sheep or people to receive this food and therefore to deny them much of that which is acknowledged proper for them is to defraud them of that which justly belongs unto them 29. But that the publick Prayers of the Church Publick Service in a known language greatly useful should be in a language commonly understood by the people is both reasonable and sutable to the publick Service and greatly useful and profitable to promote piety and edification For the publick Worship of God rightly performed is a great part of practical Religion And devoutness therein is both an eminent exercise of piety and hath a great influence upon the minds of men to fix in them pious dispositions for the right ordering the whole course of life This devoutness is a vigorous lively and holy exercise of the mind and affections and the whole man towards God and in his service and whilst fit and proper words would tend much to excite the people hereunto this advantage is lost in the use of an unknown tongue which is to no more purpose to him that understands it not than if nothing at all was spoken And what is here said by the defenders of the Romish practice doth generally confute it self Sometimes it is said (r) Coster Enchir. c. 17. p. 496 497. Nonest necessum à vulgo intelligi c. that it is not needful the people should understand the Prayers and Hymns of the Church because they are not intended to instruct the people by understanding the words but suavi melodia majestateque actionis by the sweet melody and majesty of the action The plea that Prayers are not to instruct the people considered to dispose them to Religious reverence towards God But if words in the worship of God be not needful to be understood what need is there of any words at all when grave actions and melodious sounds are sufficient But if it be said that words being understood by the Priests and learned men are useful to quicken their devotion and to fix and unite their minds in joyning together in the same supplications and praises in publick Service it is easie to observe that this might have the same effect upon the devoutly disposed people if the Prayers and other parts of the Service were in a language which they understood And therefore it must either be granted that it is unnecessary that any should understand the particular expressions of the Service and then it is to no purpose to use any language at all or else that it is desirable that all should understand it 30. Sometimes we are told that it is requisite the publick Service should be in Latin (ſ) Coster Enchir. ubi sup because otherwise Priests who come out of other Countreys could not celebrate the Offices neque promiscue laudes Dei decantare nor jointly with others sing the praises of God But surely such Priests though they should not understand the language may as well join in the praises of God as the people at home can do in the language they understand not And this charitable consideration towards foreign Priests might be extended so far and the care concerning foreign Priests as to prove if it had any weight in it that the service of the Romish Church ought to be in Arabick that if any Priests should come from those Eastern parts where that language is understood and the Latin is not they might bear a part in the service But if this would be ridiculous when by this method the generality even of the Priests at home would not understand it let it be considered what tolerable account can be given why they should hinder the generality of the people from understanding it especially when the Apostle himself hath so plainly determined that when prayers or praises are in an unknown tongue The Apostolical precept observed the unlearned Auditor cannot so well join therein and his edification is thereby prejudiced 1 Cor. 14.16 17. And what the Apostle speaks in that Chapter doth plainly disallow the use of an unknown tongue in the publick worship of God though they who spake spake by the extraordinary gift of tongues which thing was apt to excite the Christian Auditory to a particular admiration of the Divine gifts and so might well be esteemed an extraordinary general help to devotion and adoration And the particular exceptions against this plain and full Apostolical testimony are so inconsiderable and have been so oft
refuted that I think them not worthy to be named 31. But (e) Ledesim de Scrip. qu. Ling. non legendis c. 13. Coster Ench. c. 17. several Writers of the Romish Church tell us that it is not necessary the people should understand the expressions of the publick prayers and praises and consequently not say Amen to them because these services are not directed to them but to God and they may partake of the benefit of these services though they do not understand them Bellarm de Verb. Dei l. 2. c. 16. as an ignorant Country man may have received advantage from a Latin Speech spoken on his behalf to a Prince Of the pretence that prayers are directed to God and not to the people by whom it is well understood or as absent persons may be advantaged by the prayers which others put up for them though themselves do not hear them But that this is an insufficient defence may appear 1. Because though the Lessons are directed to the people yet these also are read in a tongue they understand not 2. Because the thing here to be considered is not whether one may not be benefitted by anothers prayers and Religious addresses to God which is supposed to be true when we pray for one another but we are here to take notice whether the people ought notto bear a part and to join in those great exercises of Religious piety of prayers thanksgiving and glorifying God in the right performance of his publick worship and service For the whole exercise of Divine worship is not only to seek for blessings from God but also to praise him and glorifie him which the people cannot particularly join in and go along with unless they understand what is expressed in the service And therefore if they ought to join therein by being debarred from understanding it they are hindred from these acts of piety which they ought to perform and God is deprived of a great part of that glory that is due to him and consequently Religion and piety are much prejudiced thereby 32. Now it may be reasonably presumed The people are concerned to-worship God that if the people have such beings and souls as are indued with capacities of worshipping and glorifying God they ought to be employed to this purpose but if they have none such which would be to suppose them not to be Christians or men and to be uncapable of doing acts of duty and Religion and of receiving rewards then will they not be concerned to attend Gods publick worship And these pleas used by these Writers are as plausible to excuse their absence from the publick Assemblies as their not understanding the publick Service But that the people are to join in the duties of Religious worship is not only supposed by S. Paul in that discourse upon this subject 1 Cor. 14. but may be proved from the Psalms and many other Scriptures calling upon all people to praise and laud and glorifie God and from S. John's Visions of the Gospel-Church where sometimes the 144000 sometimes so great a multitude as no man could number are represented joyning together in the worship of God 33. But a thing so manifest as this is stands in need of no further proof siince there are such frequent precepts for prayer thanksgiving and giving glory to God directed to all Christians And the Christian Church from the beginning acknowledged the people to be much concerned in the performing the publick worship of God (u) Just Apol 2. Justin Martyr declares how in the prayers before the Eucharist all the Christians together rose up and presented those prayers and in those at the Eucharist they joined their consent by answering Amen Tertullian declaring the Christian practice saith (w) Tert. Apol c. 39. we go together to the Assembly and Congregation ut ad Deum quasi manu facta precationibus ambiamus orantes that we may earnestly call on God by prayers as with a joint strength and this force saith he is acceptable to God And before both these Ignatius urging and commending the publick service said (x) Ign. Ep. ad Eph. if the prayer of one or two hath so great a force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much greater is that of the Bishop and the whole Church And in the Primitive times sometimes an Amen and sometimes other responsals were directed to the people in the ancient Liturgies The result of all this is that whereas the peoples actual joining in the several parts of Gods worship is a great part of their duty and the pious and devout performance of it both tends to the honour of God and to their edification the present Church of Rome by establishing their service in a tongue not understood by the people both unjustly and impiously hinders the due worship of God and that piety of men which is conjoined with it and derived from it 34. I might give a fourth instance Immoral Doctrines hinted at of the hindrances to an holy life in the Church of Rome from those loose rules of practice delivered by divers of their Doctors and Casuists and the allowance their rules give to those gross enormities and heinous vices which the Philosophers and vertuous Pagans would abhor being opposite to the laws of nature and that honesty which prevailed amongst the better part of the Gentiles Of such things as these a large account hath been given in the Mystery of Jesuitism and several other Books as their giving allowance to perjury Murder and other such heinous sins upon sleight occasions as to preserve ones reputation and the like And what endeavours have been used by the doctrine of probability and other methods to uphold those positions which debauch Morality hath been manifested from the Books of Father Bauny Caramouel Estrix and divers others It is acknowledged that vigorous endeavours were used by some of their Bishops to suppress these wretched Principles of immorality but there was as earnest and vigorous diligence used to uphold the same by many Casuists and Divines especially in Flanders and France I do not therefore charge these Principles upon the Church of Rome in general but upon many Doctors therein Some of these abominable and immoral positions were condemned by Pope Alexander the Seventh and many were Sentenced by Pope Innocent the Eleventh and the Inquisition at Rome of the latter of which I shall take some particular notice 35. Amongst sixty five Propositions condemned in the Vatican (y) Decree of Innoc. 11. March 2. 1679. by the Pope and the Cardinals the general Inquisitors these were some (z) Prop. 5. That we dare not condemn him of mortal sin who should but once in his whole life put forth an act of the love of God (a) Prop. 10 11. We are not bound to love our Neighbour with an internal and formal act We may satisfie the precept of loving our Neighbour by only external acts (b) Prop. 15. It is lawful for a
Communion thereof and therefore is deeply Schismatical and unpeaceable For they who assert those not to be owned right members of the Church who were Baptized in their infancy unless they be Baptized again do and must maintain that those Churches can be no true Churches of Christ whose members were Baptized only in their infancy and thereupon pass that heavy and unjust Censure upon the generality of all Christian Churches since the time of the first founding them that they are no true Churches Hence they are put upon rejecting the Communion of the true Catholick Christian Church and the setting up for new Churches in an high opposition to Charity and Unity and in an open and avowed practice of Universal Schism To this purpose Bullinger Calvin Zanchy Beza and other Protestant Writers have complained greatly of Anabaptists as laying a foundation of all disorder and confusion Indeed they described those Anabaptists they wrote of not only to hold this erroneous Opinion concerning Baptism it self but to be Enthusiasts and undervalue the Holy Scriptures to ingage in such Libertinism as to disallow the just authority of Magistrates and the setled Government of the Church to imbrace the Principles of Antinomianism with practices suitable thereto with other hurtful errors hence the Anabaptists were by (y) Explic. Catech. Par. 2. Qu. 74. Vrsin called a Sect quae sine dubio à Diabolo est excitata monstrum est execrabile ex variis haeresibus blasphemiis conflatum which saith he without doubt was raised by the Devil and is an execrable Monster made up of various Heresies and Blasphemies But this Principle of theirs concerning Baptism is such that thereby they cut themselves off from the Church or Body of Christ and its Communion and involve themselves in a very heavy sin and dangerous condition 16. And whatsoever may have any usefulness towards piety and goodness which any of these men may seem to aim at in a way of error and with a various mixture of other things hurtful and evil is provided for by us if good rules be carefully practised in a better manner and in a way of truth That every man ought to make Religion his own act and make a free and voluntary profession thereof and yield his hearty consent to ingage himself therein and in the practice thereof we assert to be very necessary in persons who are of age and capacity of understanding And though Infants cannot do this in their infant state yet their future obligation is then declared on their behalf and when they come to a sufficient age they are certainly bound to believe and to do what in their Baptism was promised and declared in their names And this is afterwards solemnly promised by themselves when in their younger years they are confirmed and they likewise in a sacred manner ingage themselves hereto when at a fuller age they receive the holy Communion and it would be of great advantage to the Church of God and the holy exercises of piety if these two offices were more generally seriously and devoutly attended upon Men also oblige themselves to the faith and duties of Religion by their whole profession of Christianity and all those acts whereby they own and declare themselves Christians and particularly in joining in all duties of Christian Worship Sect. IV. and professing the Creed or Christian Faith and the performance of what is thus undertaken runs through the whole practice of the Christian life The result of what I have said concerning Anabaptism is that the miscarriages therein contained are of a very great and weighty nature it being no small evil and sin to offend greatly against the truth and withal to confine and derogate from the grace of the Gospel-Covenant and the due extent of the Christian Church besides the comfort and incouragement of Christian Parents and to be so injurious to Infants as to deny them those means of grace which they have a right to partake of and which are useful to their Spiritual and eternal welfare in neglecting also what God establisheth and keeping off Infants from that solemn ingagement to God which he requireth and to undermine the very foundations of Peace and Unity in the Church SECT IV. Of Independents 1. IN discoursing of Independency and the Practices and Principles thereof I shall not search after all things that might be spoken to since in several things the Independents or Congregational Men differ from one another and alter their own Sentiments and it was the profession of those five chief Persons who espoused this Cause in the time of our Civil Wars and Confusions (a) Apologet. Narration not to make their present judgments and practices a binding Law to themselves for the future And therefore I shall consider only some things which are mainly essential to the Congregational way and are the chief distinguishing Characters of that Party and the things they mainly urge and contend for And I shall shew that these things are so far from being desirable or warrantable that they are chargeable with much evil And here I shall treat of three things First Of single Congregagations and the power thereof not being subject to any Superiour Government in the Church Secondly Of their gathering Churches out of Christian Churches by separation and modelling these by a particular Covenant with a private Congregation Thirdly Their placing the Governing Power and Authority of the Church in the People or major Vote of the Members of their Church 2. First Their asserting single Congregations not to be subject in matters of Ecclesiastical Order and Government to any higher Authority among men than what is exercised by themselves This is that Principle which denominates this party Independents Indeed some of themselves did at sometimes express their dislike of this Name and the Authors of the Apologetical Narration above mentioned called it the proud and insolent Title of Independency But as this Name is ordinarily owned by the Congregational men as in the end of their Preface to their Declaration of their Faith at the Savoy and very frequently elsewhere so the Answer to the Thirty two Questions from New England gives this account of it (b) Answer to 14. Qu. We do confess the Church is not so Independent but that it ought to depend on Christ but for dependency on men or other Churches or other subordination unto them in regard of Church-Government or power we know not of any such appointed by Christ in his Word And this they speak concerning a particular Congregation And whilst we assert that such Congregations ought to be under the inspection of Bishops or Superiour Governours in the Church and under the Authority of publickly established Rules and Canons of the Church and under the Government also of Princes and Secular Sanctions they of this way own no such higher Governing Power and Authority above that of a single Congregation 3. Concerning the Civil Magistrate they declare him bound (c) Decl. of
their former Communion they themselves become a distinct particular Congregation and thereby are under no Superior Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction nor can they be authoritatively censured by any and by this open separation they according to this principle are become a particular distinct Church and the Schism is healed and by being parted into two distinct Societies there remains no longer any such division as there was before in one Congregation which is Schism but by going further asunder and separating from one another they are in a wonderful manner brought to Unity in two opposite Congregations And thus by the late rare inventions of men which have been unknown to all former times the rending things asunder and breaking them in pieces are the new found methods to make them one But such a way of Unity if it can please some singular fancies will appear monstrous to the generality of mankind 11. That these notions and practices are great promoters of discord and division is not a bare speculation but hath been manifested by sufficient experience In Amsterdam the separate Communion of the Societies of Mr. Johnson and Mr. Ainsworth under Brownism and in Rotterdam the like of those of Mr. Bridge and Mr. Simpson proceeded upon this principle And this very principle of Independency helped many forward in this Kingdom in our late times of discord to set up new parties of Anabaptists Seekers and other Sects many of which were the off-sets of fermented Independency and its adulterine off-spring And the sad and lamentable relation of the Bermudas Islands called the Summer Islands is also very considerable where after this Congregational way was there undertaken the rejected part are said to have neglected all care of Religion and the gathered or separated part to have run on in dividing till they in a manner lost their Christian Religion in Quakerism And thus many have made a further improvement than the asserters themselves allowed of the allowed liberty for them who (q) Instit o Chur. n. 28. are in Church-fellowship as they call their way to depart from the Communion of the Church where they have walked to join themselves with some other Church where they may injoy the Ordinances in the purity of the same 12. Wherefore this notion of Independency would misrepresent the Christian Society and the Institution of Christ as if whilst Unity was earnestly injoyned therein the state of this Society should be left without that Order and Government which is necessary to preserve it For under this model the Church would be as far from an orderly and regular state as an Army would be when every several Troop or Company were left wholly to themselves and their own pleasure allowing some respect to be had to the conduct of their own Captain and inferiour Officers but not owning any Authority of any General or higher Commander than what is in their own Troop Or it might be somewhat resembled by the state of such an imaginary Kingdom where every Village in the Country and every Parish in a City should have such a chief power within themselves that there should be no appeal for justice to any higher Court nor any other power to punish them but what is executed by themselves If such things as these were put in practice they would not only hinder the serviceableness and usefulness of such an Army or Kingdom if it could be allowed to call them so but here would be also wanting the beauty and comeliness of Unity and Order and a door opened to frequent discords and dissentions 13. Secondly I shall consider their gathering Churches as they call them out of those who were Christian members of the Church of Christ and entring them into their Societies by a particular Covenant made to and with a private Congregation and pretending this Covenant to be the main ground and true way of the establishment and Union of a Church The value they set upon this Covenant may appear from the declaration of the Churches in New England who say (r) Apol. for Ch. Cov. p. 5. First That this is that whereby a company of Christians do become a Church it is the Constitutive form of a Church Secondly This is that by taking hold whereof a particular person becomes a member of a Church And though they frequently speak so fairly to such Christian Churches as do not admit this special Covenant with a single Congregation only as to declare their owning them to be true Churches yet all this cannot well be reconciled with this principle And therefore those of this way in England at their publick meeting speak more openly and more consistently with their own notion when they declared (Å¿) Of Instit of Churches n. 23. every Society assembling for the celebration of the Ordinances according to the appointment of Christ within any civil Precincts and Bounds is not thereby constituted a Church and therefore a Believer living with others in such a precinct may join himself with any Church for his edification But since this in truth is a separating members from that which really is a true part of the Christian Church the Presbyterians truly declared that (t) Pref. to Jus div Regim Eccles gathering Churches out of Churches hath no footsteps in Scripture is contrary to Apostolical practice is the scattering of Churches the Daughter of Schism the Mother of Confusion but the Step mother to Edification But I must acknowledge that the present practices of this party also looks as if they had now laid aside this opinion 14. But this Congregational method doth suppose that Baptized Christians are not obliged by any Church-relation they are already in to Communicate with any particular Church or part of the Christian Church when the natural consequence of the Unity of the Christian Church will be to lay an obligation upon all its members to Communicate with that regular part thereof within whose Precincts they reside And this new notion gives a larger discharge to multitudes of Christians from the duties of Communion than the rules of Religion will allow until they shall enter into such a particular Covenant which is not only unnecessary but unwarrantable also as will hereafter appear And there seemed too much reason for that complaint of the Presbyterians by the Provincial Assembly as they stiled themselves that the removing the Parochial Bounds would open a gap to thousands of people to live like Sheep without a Shepherd and instead of joining with purer Churches to join with no Churches and in a little time as we conceive say they adding in the Margent as our experience abundantly shews it would bring in all manner of profaneness and Atheism And whilst they unwarrantably declare the fixed state of our Church to be such that Christians are not obliged to hold Communion therewith and thereupon both themselves depart from it and teach others to do the like it deserves to be more seriously considered by them than hitherto it hath been how this
the Wicked and Evil-doers Even in Aaron's blessing the People God declared that he himself would bless them And the whole intention of the Gospel is a Dispensation of God's Blessing which cometh upon them who serve him The Blessed Jesus was sent to Bless in turning Men from their Iniquities to such he begins his Sermon in the Mount with Blessing Mat. 5.3.4 Luke 24.50 51 and this also was the last action he perform'd immediately upon his Ascension into Heaven Most of the Apostolical Epistles both begin and end with Benedictions which persons partake of according to their pious qualifications For when not only the Apostles but also the Seventy were commanded to pronounce Peace to the House or Place where they came Mat. 10.12 13 Luke 10.5.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Peace being according to the usual Jewish Phrase a comprehension of all Blessing our Saviour tells them that if the Son of Peace be there their Peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to them again The ancient Church to this end used particular Benedictions in Confirmation Ordination receiving Penitents Matrimony and to dying Persons but all these the Corruption of Times hath transformed into reputed proper Sacraments And those Blessings in Confirmation and Ordination are most Solemn the former of which was granted even by S. Hierome Hier. adv Luc. according to the custom of the Church all over the World to be performed by the Bishop only And in our Administration thereof the serious renewing the Baptismal Covenant which is a necessary duty of Christian Profession is a good disposition for receiving the Blessing of God and on this account Confirmation is not to be slighted or wilfully neglected by those who have a high esteem for the Blessing of God 3. They who receive this Ministry are to guide the Church and Christian Society that its Members may please God not forfeit his Favour or provoke his Displeasure The most things contained under this head will respect those Ministers of the Church who are the chief Governours thereof and the things established by their consent and agreement The Church of God is a most excellent Society and his Ministers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who are to have the care and ordering of this Family of God Titus 1.7 and such publick Worship as is ordered according to the Will of God being acceptable to him it belongs to them to take care of the performance thereof and also of establishing Order and Decency and the framing and executing such Rules and Canons for Government and Discipline as are meet And though the external Sanction of these things is well ordered by the Secular power yet the directive part and the spiritual Authority belongs to the Guides of the Church who by the Gospel are appointed therein Rulers and Presidents Hence Inferiours are required to obey them that are over them and submit themselves and Titus was sent to Crete to order the things that were wanting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.7 17.24 Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 3.5 1 Pet. 5.2 and Bishops in general stand charged by S. Paul and St. Peter to take care of the Church of God And as that is a requisite to Order and due Reverence in Religious Worship to them also belongs the setting apart and consecrating Places for the publick Service of God But because there can be no security for Order where every Officer may act independently at his own Pleasure therefore they have Authority to order Uniformity which is in it self desirable and ought to be observed not only with respect to the secular Sanction but together therewith in compliance also with the Ecclesiastical Authority invested in Synods which hath in all Ages from the Apostles been honoured in the Christian Church of which the observation of the Canons of the several Councels and Codes is an experimental Evidence And as the mutual Consent of Pastors in Synods is according to natural Prudence directly pursueth the great ends of Peace and Unity and by their agreement addeth Weight to their Authority so this Case is eminently included in that Promise of our Saviour Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 Act. 16.4 5. Act. 21.18 24 26. Act. 8.14 And St. Paul himself yielded manifest Obedience both to the Decrees of the Council at Jerusalem Act. 15. And to that other Council Act. 21. And so did S. Peter and S. John to another Council And since Christians being established in the Truth is of great use both to their own and the Churches Peace in order hereunto the Pastors of the Church in Councils have power to abandon Heretical and dangerous Doctrines and to require submission to the Truth they declare This was done in the Synod of the Apostles against the necessity of Circumcision and in the four first general Councils concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Person of the Mediator And such Decisions concerning matters of Doctrine when managed aright have been deservedly reverenced in the Church since one end of God's appointing these Officers is that we should be no more Children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine Eph. 4.14 And upon this account a particular Honour is due to the established Doctrine of our Church which hath a high agreement with the Rule of Scripture and the Catholick and Primitive Church Besides these things all particular Officers of the Church in their charge are to watch over those committed to them as much as in them lies with special regard to the Sick and to those also who need to be Catechised in the Principles of Religion John 21.15 it being our Saviour's first charge to S. Peter to feed his Lambs with earnest Prayer for the Grace and Blessing of God upon them all 4. The Ministry of Reconciliation includeth an Authority of rebuking and admonishng Offenders of casting them out of the Church and of restoring them again upon Repentance This hath been the ordinarily received sense of those great words of our Saviour Mat. 18.18 Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven There is indeed a late Objection made that these words speak not of binding and loosing Persons but Things and that it is usual with the Jewish Writers to express the binding and loosing of Things not of Persons meaning thereby the declaring or judging such things prohibited or allow'd But besides what may be otherwise said I think it sufficient at present to observe that the admitting this notion may well enough consist with the true sense of these words which if interpreted by it will import 1. That the power of binding and loosing hath a considerable respect to such things as the Cases Offences and Penitent Performances of persons
despising the Blessings which he tenders by those Institutions Wherefore since Episcopal Ordination hath been of so general Practice from the Apostles in the Church of God and is regularly established and continued in this Kingdom no Man in this Church with respect to Order Unity and Apostolical Institution can reasonably expect that God will ever own him as his Officer in the Ministry of Reconciliation unless he be admitted thereto by such Ordination And private Christians both out of Duty to God and out of respect to their own Safety may not so esteem of any who oppose themselves against this Order because of the Danger under the New Testament of perishing in the gainsaying of Core And let every Person whosoever he be be wary how upon any pretence whatsoever he undertakes to execute any proper part of the Power of the Keys unless he be set apart thereunto by regular Ordination And now I shall conclude my Discourse with three Inferences First This gives us an account whence all that Opposition and Difficulty doth arise which the Ministration of the Gospel and the faithful Servants of God therein do meet with The Devil will use his utmost Power by all his Methods to hinder so good a Work as this Ministration is intended for Hence the Holy Jesus and most of his Apostles met with opposition even unto Death And as all the Persecutions of the Christian Church had an especial eye upon the Clergy so that violent one under Dioclesian Eus Hist l. 3. c. 12. for the first Year fingled them only out to be the Subjects of his Fury These are the ordinary Mark against whom all the Churches Enemies shoot their poysoned Arrows envenomed from the Malignity of the Old Serpent And when the Evil One cannot proceed by open Violence he oft makes use of Instruments to fix slanderous Censures and Calumnies upon the Officers of Christ to render their Ministration the less prosperous and successful in the World Insomuch that their Devoutness in Religion is by some upbraided with Ceremoniousness and their consciencious Observance of due Order and Averseness to Faction is branded with the odious Term of Popery and their embracing the necessary Reformation of the Church is by others stigmatized with the infamous Names of Heresy and Schism Thus our Saviour was called Beelzebub himself accused of Blasphemy and his Doctrine of Heresy Besides these things the vicious and scandalous Practices of too many who profess the Truth the various Schisms and other manifold Corruptions in the Doctrine and Practice of Religion and I wish I might not add the undue Proceedings of some Patrons in conferring Ecclesiastical Preferments are all of them dangerous Methods made use of by the Evil One to hinder the attaining the great Ends of this Ministration Secondly I now address my self to you my Reverend Brethren It is a weighty Charge a Business of great Importance that we are called unto and as we are Stewards of the Living God it is required of us that we be found faithful And for the putting us in mind of that serious Care and Diligence which we are to use in our Ministry I know not how to speak otherwise so well as by recommending the serious and frequent considering that useful Exhortation in the Book of Ordination And let us particularly look well to our own Paths for tho the Excellency of God's Ordinances doth not depend upon the Instruments yet if a Blemish appears in any of our Lives it becomes a great Prejudice to the Designs we should carry on among Men and will open the Mouths of our Enemies and if there be a Judas among the Apostles the Devil is ready to make a special use of him to his purposes But let us observe that Rule which but a few Verses after my Text the Apostle tells us was the Practice of himself and other Officers of the Christian Church Giving no Offence in any thing that the Ministry be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God 2 Cor. 6.3 4. Thirdly Let every one in their places lay to their helping-Hand to promote the Success of this Ministry upon themselves and others Wherefore let every Man who lives under the Dispensation of the Gospel reject all Wickedness of Life and exercise himself unto Godliness and so he will certainly advantage himself and probably others by his good Example And let all those who have the management of the Authority of the Church in their hands indifferently check the Neglect and Contempt of the Publick Service of God and all other Viciousness and Evil which comes within the Limits of their Authority and countenance and encourage all real Vertue Goodness Holiness and Religion And those Parish-Officers who stand charged upon their Oaths to give an account of Offences which is noted by our 26th Canon to be the chief Means whereby publick Offences may be reformed and punished and whose Miscarriage is there severely censured let not them sinfully neglect their Oath and their Duty the right Discharge of which may tend to the Glory of God the flourishing of the Church and Religion and the bringing Men into the Ways of Happiness And because the Apostle proposeth that humbling Question concerning the Ministerial Charge Who is sufficient for these Things Let us earnestly implore the Help and Grace of God to assist us and succeed our Ministrations to the great Good of Men. And let every devout Christian join his fervent and frequent Prayer to this end and purpose That he who hath committed to us this Ministration would bring all those who partake thereof unto true Holiness of Life here and eternal Happiness hereafter through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy-Ghost be all Glory for evermore Amen A SERMON Preached at NORWICH March 2. 1678. JOEL 2.12 Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your heart IN the foregoing part of this Prophecy there is a dismal appearance of things concerning Judah a heavy threatning of sad Calamities therein both by Famine and Sword in the first Chapter and former part of the second The dreadfulness hereof is represented according to an usual Prophetick Style as if God was making the whole Fabrick of his Creation to totter v. 10. The Earth shall quake before them and the Heavens shall tremble the Sun and Moon shall be dark and the Stars shall withdraw their shining And this great Calamity was like to be the more sad because of the terror of God's Vengeance going along with it v. 11. The Day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it In such a case as this these words which our Church directeth to be read at the beginning of Lent which is now near and which are of excellent use at all times are the beginning of the Prophetical Direction for their help and recovery from this sad Condition and such a Remedy as recovereth one gasping
without these Holy Exercises 2. Let the exercise of Religion be performed with hearty and serious Devotion even with Fasting and solemn Humiliation and Prayer these are Duties directed by the Prophet Joel in the latter part of this Verse of my Text to express our hearty turning unto God And the Church doth particularly at this time call upon us to mind these Holy Exercises they are Duties useful at all times and are excellent qualifications to dispose us aright for the obtaining the Pardon of our own Sins as they include the practice of Humility Piety Faith and Repentance Amongst the Jews the solemn day of Atonement and Remission was a day of devout Fasting and Afflicting their Souls And after S. Paul had been stricken down to the Ground as he went toward Damascus after he had Fasted three days and Prayed Ananias was then sent to him by our Saviour that he might arise and be Baptized and wash away his Sins Acts 9.9 11 17 18. ch 22.16 At this time the methods of God's Providence do eminently require our more than ordinary diligence in these Duties for the averting his Judgments and the preserving us and our Posterity from Ruine and Misery Let those who have been Vicious and Disobedient engage herein with Reformation and Amendment of Life And let the most Pious Men also undertake it with the greatest seriousness even in them it is an exercise of Repentance as indeed the whole practice of Christianity is for the Christian Life is a turning to God from whom sinful Man had estranged himself and the whole thereof is described by Repenting and turning to God and doing works meet for Repentance and the Repentance undertaken therein is not only in some short transitory acts but it taketh in the whole course of a Christian Progress These devout Performances of the best Men are of great use for obtaining publick Blessings from God And it cannot be supposed that the Religious Addresses of Moses or Josiah who were Men of great Piety should be less acceptable to God or less effectual for the good of Man than the Repentance of Ahab or Manasseh or of the Ninevites But let these things be done with true uprightness and sincerity of Heart and then our Blessed Saviour hath assured them who so fast and pray in secret that their Heavenly Father will reward them openly But withall that these Duties may be pleasing to God it is necessary that they be accompanied with those other things which I have before pressed Fasting and Prayer in the neglect of Peace and Unity and of Holiness and Piety is as the sacrificing an unclean thing far from being approved of God and this is the account the Prophet Isaiah gives why God would not accept these very performances of the Jews Behold saith he ye fast for Strife and Debate and to smite with the Fist of wickedness Wherefore now let us take the advice in the Text and resolve on the pious practice thereof especially in these particulars I have insisted on For the further enforcing of which I shall in concluding observe three things First That it was God's own direction in these words of Joel This was indeed immediately given to the Jews but the Apostle tells us Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scripture might have hope That which God thinks fit to advise us it is our Wisdom to practise For when the Policy of Wise Men may be outwitted and all sinful contrivances will encrease danger the Counsel of God that will stand and as Wisdom speaks Prov. 1.33 Whoso hearkneth to me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of Evil. Secondly Reflect again on the case in which this was directed Besides the terribleness of the Armies which were to come against them in the former Verses of this second Chapter of Joel God lets them know that he himself was like to be on their Enemies side against them v. 11. The Lord shall utter his Voice before his Army The Prophet Joel was sent to make Proclamation of God's Controversy with them but though this was declared by a Message from God it was not so absolutely determined but that there was still an Help and Remedy reserved if they would make use thereof by turning to God with all their heart In like manner when Jonas was sent to Nineveh to declare that within forty days it should be destroyed upon its Repentance it was spared And the Prophet Jeremy assures us that at what instant God shall speak concerning a Nation or concerning a Kingdom to pluck up to pull down and to destroy if that Nation turn from their Evil he will repent of the Evil that he thought to do unto them No case is so bad but if this course be made use of it will appear hopeful Thirdly Consider the greatness of the effect I observed before that in this Prophecy from this Text forward are contained Promises of Deliverance The effect was also answerable to these Promises Indeed the precise time of Joel's Prophecy is not certain It is thought both by the Jewish writers and by Ancient Fathers that his time was contemporary with that of Hosea and this Prophecy in all probability must be dated before the latter part if not before the beginning of Hezekiah's Reign and accordingly Grotius seems very reasonably to understand the beginning of this Chapter to refer to Sennacherib's Army which invaded Judah this Army here mentioned was indeed called the Northern Army Joel 2.20 but this expression might well enough agree to the Assyrian Army as may appear from Zeph. 2.3 He will stretch out his hand against the North and destroy Assyria Now at this time the Sins of Judah were great and many especially under Ahaz their Condition was low and despised and their Enemy was potent proud and insolent yet upon the Pious Reformation of Judah under Hezekiah and their earnest Religious Addresses to God their Enemies proud Designs were wholly blasted and themselves ruined and the blessing of God came down upon Judah and Jerusalem And God grant that we may take that course that we may enjoy the Blessing of God and have it ever continued to these Churches and Realms even until the coming again of our Blessed Saviour to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory and Praise now and evermore Amen A SERMON Preached on S. Mat. 5.20 For I say unto you That except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven RELIGION and Righteousness is so suitable to and perfective of the Nature of Man that it hath been thereupon recommended by the wisest Men and greatest Philosophers It is of such concernment for humane Society that all Lawgivers and Governours have thought it necessary to prohibit and restrain the Violation thereof And it carrieth so much of the Image
such circumstances as I forbear to mention And the consideration of this temper may give us some account of the great eagerness and restless earnestness of these erring Parties in propagating their particular Interests 3. Concerning the aiming to gain the applause and favour of Men in the neglect of Duty Our Church in its Rules of Doctrine lays the same stress upon all Duties to God or Man that the Gospel of our Saviour doth without yielding to the Humours of the Profane the Debauched or the Turbulent and Unruly The Romanists suit themselves to all Dispositions they have severe Rules in some of their Regular Societies for the more Serious but they take great care to gratify Wicked and Debauched Persons also with as much Liberty as they can well desire Their Casuists generally declare That an act of Attrition or such Sorrow for Sin as is not accompanied with hatred against it or the true Love of God is at last sufficient with Absolution to remove the guilt of Sin and secure them from Eternal Death But if temporal Punishment remains for them this can only bring them to Purgatory and here they may have considerable help from Indulgences and the Treasury of the Church which are dispensed for Ave-Maries and other Prayers visiting certain places having Masses said for their Souls and by other works without their becoming really holy and good And besides this their feigned Miracles and Revelations their pretended power of Transubstantiating of dispensing the Treasury of Merits in the Church and of justifying them who are not contrite by Absolution seem methods contrived to gain admiration from the People And other Sects make their Interests and seek Reputation by popular Arts and often by promoting or conniving at Uncharitableness Mens high Conceits of themselves and a Temper averse from Unity and Obedience which are things of a very evil Nature And some of their chief Teachers acknowledg that in some things they act against their own Judgments in compliance with their People 4. Concerning Superstitious urging those things as parts of Religion which are not such Our Church owneth no necessary Article of Faith but what is in our Creed nor any Doctrines of Christianity but what are deducible from the Holy Scriptures Our Constitutions for Decency and Rules of Order are established only as such and are withal innocent useful few and agreeing to Primitive Christianity But at Rome a great part of their Religion as they make it consists in acknowledging many things to be de Fide which are neither contained in the Scriptures agreeing with them nor acknowledged in the ancient Church in entertaining various false Doctrines and pretended Traditions with equal reverence to the Holy Scriptures and in using divers Rites as operative of Divine Aid and Grace which God never appointed to that end Our other dividing Parties are too nigh the Pharisaical Doctrine concerning the Obligation of their voluntary Vow against their Duty to Superiours And many of them lay a Doctrinal Necessity either upon disowning Episcopal Authority which hath so great a Testimony of Apostolical Appointment Or in being against Forms of Prayer at least such wherein the People vocally join or in condemning as sinful innocent Appointments decent Ceremonies and suitable Gestures And those who own not these Positions nor condemn our Worship as sinful and yet divide from us must assert other Positions for Doctrines which are equally erroneous and dangerous For if their Principles be agreeable to their Practice they must assert that Men may break the Churches Peace and expose it to the greatest hazards gratify its Enemies and disobey Authority which are great Sins to maintain an opposition to those things which themselves dare not charge with any Sin But this is to aver such Doctrine to be from God which is contrary to his Religion his Nature and his Will and are but the Precepts of Men and it is to strain at a Gnat but swallow a Camel Now if to counterfeit the Seal or Coin or falsely to pretend to the Authority of an Earthly Prince be greatly culpable can it be otherwise to stamp a Divine Impression on things which God disowns 5. Concerning Obedience and Submission to Superiors this Duty is regularly enjoined in our Church both with respect to Private Relations Spiritual Guides and Civil Rulers In the Romish Church there is strict Obedience required in their several Orders to the Superiors thereof in the Laiety to the Clergy and in all to the Pope But this is so irregular that thereby the natural Honour to Parents is much discharged and St. Peter's Precept of Honouring the King is under the name of his Vicar changed into such Positions as when occasion serves may encourage the Deposing and Murdering him And among other Dissenters their Divisions as they are circumstantiated are ipso facto such visible Testimonies of their want of Submission to their Ecclesiastical and Civil Governours that nothing need be added And it is known there were some of these Parties whose Principles allowed them to take Arms against their King and who exposed his Royal Person to Violence and Death 6. Concerning a loose and licentious Life Our Church requires a Sincere Holy Exercise and presseth all the Precepts of our Saviour and the Motives and Arguments of the Gospel and enjoineth the careful observation of our Baptismal Vow But in the Romish Church he that considers the immoral looseness of the Jesuits and other Casuists may wonder that such things should be owned by Men of any Religion much more of them who profess the Christian Religion For instance By our Saviour's Doctrine to love God with all the heart is the great and first Commandment But Azorius asserts Azor. Tom. 1. l. 9. c. 4. That it is hard to fix any time when this Precept of Loving God doth oblige to any exercise thereof with respect to it self but only when it is necessary to Repentance And he roundly saith We are not obliged to any exercise of Love to God when we attain to the use of Reason nor at the receiving any Sacrament not at Confession nor at the approach of Death Filiuc Tr. 22. c. 9. Filiucius thinks this Opinion probable and therefore safe by their Doctrine of Probability but prefers another Opinion which is but little better That we are bound to act Love to God at the time of Death and in some other extraordinary cases if they happen and that ordinarily Men ought to exercise an act of Love to God at least once in five years But I am amazed to think how sparing such Men were of inward Religious Devotion and what Strangers to it And for the practice of Repentance which is another great Duty of our Religion Though Contrition which includes an hating and forsaking Sin and turning to God be acknowledged of good use by them yet Filiucius saith Fil. Tr. 6 c 8. n. 196 197 and 208. Men are not obliged to acts of Contrition every year but once in