a comparison and shews the difference between the true and the false Witness sometimes with joyning them together in the same verse as thus (a) Prov. 12.17 He that speaketh truth sheweth righteousness but a false wittness deceit One is a just man the other a deceiver Again (b) Chap. 14.5 A faithful wittness will not lie hut a false wittness will utter lies At other times he speaks of them disjointly and separatly that we may the better know whom to trust and value and whom not out of that contrariety opposition and antipathy which is between them (c) v. 25. thus A true wittness delivereth souls from Trouble Vexation and Oppression which the false one doth promote and encourage for the deceitful speaketh lies [d] Chap. 19.28 an ungodly wittness scorneth judgment both Justice and Punishment but a godly wittness makes Conscience of an Oath and of all his ways and saith with David [e] Psal 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments Because Men are apt enough to follow evil Examples and to do as they see others do to swim as we use to say with the stream as if for company sake to do as many others could justify at least excuse our faults God to prevent such an unsound notion and hinder that pernicious practise hath declared his mind thus (f) Exod. 23.2 Neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment this in the beginning of the same verse he forbiddeth and calls it to follow a multitude to do evil But to make an end of this part of my Discourse I can shew home the foulness and detestableness of this Sin no better then with adding what Solomon saith (g) Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. Among the six things which the Lord doth hate and the Seven that are an Abomination unto him they are almost if not all reduced to this wicked Sin for a lying Tongue is one of them a false witness that speaks Lies is another and I think that under them are also to be found hands that shed Innocent blood which a lying Tongue also doth an heart that deviseth wicked Imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischief and him that soweth discord among brethren Which all do arise out of the same Spring We have spoken of the Distemper now we must come to the Remedy As the corruption of human Nature is such that most Men will not out of a Principle of Love do Good nor forbear doing Evil therefore what Love cannot do Fear must Oderunt peccare boni Virtutis amore oderunt peccare mali formidine paenae Good men hate Sin because they love Virtue but bad men avoid it for fear of being punished wherefore a Law is necessary as a Curb for as the Sanctions thereof do promise Rewards to â—hose that keep it so they threaten with Punishment â—he breakers thereof and this is the way to restrain â—nd keep them in aw Law and Sin are relatives â—or if there was no Law there would be no Sin â—or (h) 1 John 3.4 Sin is the Transgression of the Law and (i) Rom. 3.20 By â—â—e Law is the knowledge of Sin and (k) Chap. 4.15 Where no â—aw is there is no Transgression on the other side 〈◊〉 there was no Sin there would be no need of Law (l) Gal. 3.19 for The Law was added because of Transgressions â—or saith the Apostle (m) 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for 〈◊〉 Righteous man but for the Lawless and disobedient Wherefore God to restrain this most wicked Sin of Perjury hath made Laws and appointed against it Temporal and Bodily as well as Spiritual and Eternal Punishments or else as Impunity is an encouragement â—o commit Crimes without these Temporal Punishments there would be no living in the world for the Wicked do little mind Eternal Pains 't is Fear of the Present that works upon them if any thing can for this reason there are in the Word of God heavy â—udgments threatned against the Wicked in this kind â—ot only in the Third Commandment as we already observed but in other places too (n) Prov 19 5. A False Witness shall not be Vnpunished and he that speaketh Lies shall not escape To tell Lies is very bad but to tell â—t in God's Name is worst of all For thus A Nomine Domini incipit omne Malum God threatned it with Sword and Famine and in his due time brought it to pass (o) Jerem. 5 12. They have belyed the Lord saith the Prophet and said it is not he neither shall Evil come upon us neither shall we see Sword nor Famine Thus flattering themselves in their vain and carnal Security but hear what is added (p) v. 15.16 17 Lo I will bring a Nation upon you from far O House of Israel saith the Lord it is a mighty Nation it is an antient Nation whose Language thou knowest not c. they shall eat up thine Harvest and thy Bread which thy Sons and thy Daughters should eat c. These were the Chaldeans who in time did the Work when they Besieged Took and Destroyed Jerusalem To this same Purpose but more generally speaks another Prophet and this judgment to be by Fire (q) Zech. 5.4 that shall consume Timber and Stones as it had befalleâ— the City which was Burnt and one of the Reasons oâ— this judgments was as there expressed for Swearing falsly by his name Upon the same Ground the Prophet quoted just before 2 Chron. 36.13 threatneth the Ruin of Jerusalem which happened in Zedekiah's days who had forsworn himself for 't is observed that when (r) Ezek. 17 13. Nebuchadanezar did set him upon the Throne he made hiâ— Swear by God which Oath he broke and Perjured himself which Perjury how odiously taken by God we may see it in the Prophet speaking of the K of Babylon hath made a Covenant with him v. 15 16. and hath taken an Oath of him but he despised the Oath and brake the Covenant But saith God Shall he escape that doth such things or Shall he break the Covenant and be delivered No saith the Lord seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when he had given his hand and hath done all these things he shall not escape v. 18. As it was justly Avenged on him And this very Oath Sworn to an Infidel because in God's Name God calls it his Oath and with a strong Asseveration threatneth a Punishment for it Therefore thus saith the Lord God as I Live surely mine 〈◊〉 that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken v. 18. even it will I recompence upon his own Head All was executed and he heavily Punished for it God to avenge the prophaning of his Holy Name doth punish not only private Persons and Families but also Kings and Kingdoms wherefore all are concerned in the Punishment thereof and
with Ignominy and restrain Wickedness and Infamy No Wise and Good Man will deny it to be the Duty as it ought to be the necessary Care of Magistrates first with Severity to Punish Whoredom and Adultery as well as Theft and Robbery for to Rob me of my Honour and of my Wife is to Rob me of my own Goods Next they are to see that Marriages be Lawfully contracted then that they be faithfully kept And lastly That upon Just Cause they be Lawfully Dissolved and leave granted again to Marry at least to the Injured Party For God never intended in Marriage to give a man a perpetual Torment instead of a Meet Help neither doth God approve that to the Breach and Violation of this Holy Contract which happeneth when Love ceaseth Murther should be added which is when Hatred doth succeed Love for (c) 1 John 3.15 Whosoever Hateth his Brother is a murtherer I think it unnecessary for me to bring any more Evidences upon this matter out of the Civil Law â—or out of the Writings of our Protestant Divines They that have a mind to be more at large Informed concerning the Point of Divorce let them peâ—use what that Famous Divine Bucer hath Written â—n his Second Book of the Kingdom of Christ Dediâ—ated to Edward the 6th and therein they may find Cause of Satisfaction as ground of Information Good Counsel he gave that Young Prince so Zealâ—us for the Glory of God that well he might have â—een compared to good King Josiah if God had â—een pleased to continue him a longer Life And â—ere again I must say that which cannot too often â—e Inculcated how certainly 't is every Prince's Duty â—ithin all his Dominions to Discourage Discountetenance Restrain and Punish all Vices especially the Sins of Uncleanness in general and of Adultery in particular to prevent the sad Effects thereof which so much Dishonour God and cause Disorders and Confusions in Families On the contrary nothing maketh us so like unto God as Holiness wherein chiefly his Image in us doth consist which that filthy Sin is so contrary to Holiness saith David becomes thine House Psal 93.5 O Lord for ever To come nearer our Constitutions I shall add out of the Book of the Reformation of Ecclesiastical Laws first began by Order of Henry 8th and continued under Edward 6th In the Chapter of Adultery and Divorce we find these Words in the Original Turpitudo tam horribilis adulteriorum est uâ— aperte decalogi praecepto confossa sit c. Whereof the Sense in English is thus Cap. 1 fol. 47. The filthiness of Adulterie is so horrible as to be plainly condemned in one of the ten Commandments and according the Old Mosaical Lawsâ— the Guilty was Punished with being publickly Stoned 〈◊〉 Death by the People and also according to the Civil Law was put to death Wherefore our Ecclesiastical Judgeâ— ought most grievously and severely to Punish a thing sâ— odious unto God and on which our holy Ancestors inflicted special Pains and Punishments Hence it is plain how according unto the Laws of God given by the Ministery of Moses by the Practice of our forme good and just Kings even before the time of Reformation and since the Beginning of it in the day of Henry 8th and Edward 6th according to our Ecclesiastical Laws the abominable Sin of Adultery may not be spared which would prove an Encouragement to commit it but ought smartly and without mercy here among us to be Punished Now to go on we come to matters of Fact aâ— of Right before the Civil Power When Magstrates know the Transgression of Divine and Humaâ— Laws in relation to Adultery they are bound 〈◊〉 take notice of and use a course to prevent stoâ—â— and punish it Death was and still in some place is inflicted on the Adulteress but 't is a great miâ—igation to reduce it only to a Divorce By 〈◊〉 general Consent of all Nations which by the Law 〈◊〉 Nature might know how Sacred a thing Marriaâ—â— is not to be broken upon every slight Ground however in some certain Cases of which Adultery ever was one they all allowed of itâ— Romulus made a Law that it should never be Lawful for a Wife to leave her Husband but to him permitted to leave his Wife in some cases as of Adultery Witchcraft c. So that our Christian Magistrates if they will not make themselves worse than Heathens when a Husband is a Sufferer by the Injustice done him by his Wife and becomes a Plaintiff there ought to be a readiness in those concerned to hear his Cause to examine the Grounds and at last to do him Justice And this regardeth not only that sort of Magistrates that are intrusted only with the Executive part to see it done but also those in whom resides the Legislative Power to see that Laws be executed and also if Occasion and the Necessity of the Case requires it to make new ones Would to God Magistrates would take such effectual Care to Punish the Guilty in this kind according to Divine and Human Laws that no place might be left for Disputes and Questions The Adulteress is not worthy of Compassion only of Torments and Pains chiefly when she hath made unto her self an habit of that Sin and no man may have the Charity for the Guilty as to wish her not to be Accused for Adultery is a publick Crime which for it self and Terrour to others ought publickly to be Punished and Discountenanced And herein after private Admonitions proved useless to Dissemble is not praise worthy as some do fancy for this Vice introduceth Disorders into Families Scandals into the Church and Confusions into the State 'T is easy out of Antient and Modern History to Evidence how Fornication and Adultery have been the cause of the Overthrow of great Empires of Calamities to Potent Nations of the Ruin of great Persons and of very considerable Families Abimelech King of Gerar a Philistine who having nothing to do with the Covenant wanted the true fear of God yet how doâ—â— he reprove Isaac as if in this kind he had laid a Snare against him and his People for saying his Wife was his Sister (a) Gen. 26 9 10 11. What is this thou hast done unto us One of the People might lightly have lien with thy Wife and thou shouldest have brought Guiltiness upon us And Abimelech charged all his People saying he that toucheth this Man or his Wife shall surely be put to Death This was to secure both Isaac's Life and Rebeckah's Honour which last they would hardly have attempted upon but after the destruction of the first In Egypt Pharoah's words (b) Gen. 12. to Abram were to the same purpose upon the like Occasion So sensible they were how they ought not to meddle with another man's Wife as long as her Husband is alive and this was the Ground of Israel's fear for his Life thô thereby his Wife's Honour was the more
for the Thing Signified as the Holy Ghost washing with the Blood of Christ Secondly 'T is taken for Doctrine (g) Mark 11 30. The Baptism of John was it from Heaven or from Men And it is called (h) Acts 13.24 The Baptism or Doctrine of Repentance Thirdly It is taken for Death whereof 't is a Figure (i) Matth. 20.22 23 Are ye able saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 the Sons of Zebedee to drink of the Cup that I shall drink and to be baptised with the Baptism that I am baptised with Here I intend not to engage in any Dispute against all that are in an Errour concerning Baptism my Design being upon some occasion given me only to Vindicate the Doctrin of Infant-baptism against Anabaptists And to state well the Question we say and own how men newly Converted that are come to Years of Discretion ought to give an account of their Faith before Baptism be administred to them We also own Children of Jews Mahometans and other Infidels must not be Baptised except God-fathers or the like promise before God and in presence of the Church they will cake Care to see them Bred and Instructed in the Knowledge and Fear of God But to deny Baptism to Infants born of Christian Parents 't is to deprive them of their Right to Despise the Ordinance of God to take away the Mark whereby they are distinguished from Children of Unbelievers to Cheat them of Christ's Livery and the Badge of Christian Profession 't is with Pelagius to deny them Naturally to be Sinners and not to need being Washed And 't is also to deprive Parents of the Comfort to see how God takes care to bring their Children within the Pales of his Church Before we proceed further into this matter to make it the Clearer it is necessary to go back and say something in general In order thereunto God hath not only made us Promises in his Word but to help our Weakness and strengthen our Faith hath also appointed Sacraments to Signify Seal and exhibit Things Promised for Sacraments do Seal that which the Word Promiseth Thus God works upon two of our Senses first upon the Ear (k) Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God And upon our Eye with the sight of those visible Signs representing invisible Graces Hence Augustin calls a Sacrament The Visible Word Thus God did with his Church under the Old Testament and thus he doth under the New and man must not pretend to be wiser than God and to alter the Rules he hath given And as the Church of Christ is formed by degrees and that daily some were and are added to it so there are Two Sacraments instituted one of Initiation whereby we are introduced and admitted into 't such was Circumcision under the Old and such is Baptism under the New Testament another to Feed Strengthen and Confirm such was the Passover of Old and now the Lord's Supper which Sacraments of the Old and New Testaments though they differ in some Circumstances yet agree in the Substance both these of the New Testament (l) John 19.34 Water and Blood came out of our Saviour's Side God is the Author of every Sacrament none but God who can give the Grace signified hath right to Institute a Sacrament wherefore God instituted those under the Old Testament and our Lord who is the same those under the New To every Sacrament belongeth a Precept and a Promise the Precept of Baptism is (m) Matth. 28.19 Baptise all Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost the Promise is (n) Mark 16 16. Luke 22.19 He who believes and is baptised shall be saved The Precept of the Lord's-Supper is first to those who administer it this do that is take the Bread bless brake and distribute it so pour the Wine into the Cup and give it 2ly To those who receive it 't is Commanded (o) Matth. 26.26 27 28 to take eat and drink the Promise is this is my Body this is my Blood which is shed for many for the Remission of sins Now in every Sacrament the words of the Precept ought punctually and exactly to be observed without Addition Diminution or Alteration There are Four sorts of those whom Sacraments are administred unto for some have the Sign without the Thing Signified others have the Thing Signified without the Sign some others have both Sign and Thing Signified lastly some have neither Sign nor Thing Signified A Sacrament is an Ordinance of God wherein God under visible signs doth represent some invisible grace in and thorough the Mediatour therefore in the Sacrament are the visible and earthly part and the invisible and spiritual which some call the outward and inward parts of the Sacrament Then the Third thing is the Analogy and Relation between the Sign and Thing signified and the Acts outward and inward and except one doth understand this he can never have a right Notion of the Nature of a Sacrament To demonstrate it I shall insist only upon the Holy Sacrament of Baptism which is the only Point I handle in this Discourse Water is the Visible Sign in Baptism and the Blood of Christ is the Invisible Thing thereby Signified the Analogy and Conformity is this as poured or sprinkled Water washes the Filth and Uncleanness of the Body so the Sprinkling of the Blood of Christ upon our Souls doth Purify them for (p) 1 John 1.7 the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin Both these are mentioned elsewhere (q) Heb. 10.22 Having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and the body washed with pure water By this last the Apostle alludeth to the several washings under the Law as to the use of Water in Baptism Now the Minister doth administer the outward Sign and can do no more but the Holy Ghost gives the Thing signified and with applying it doth purify and sanctify us to this purpose saith John Baptist (r) Matth. 3.11 I baptise you with Water but he that comes after me will baptise you with the Holy Ghost Though this Water be a common Element yet being bestow'd upon so holy an Use as well as Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper it is thereby sanctified what I say is not to attribute so much to 't as if the use of the Sign could infallibly confer the Grace thereby signified but 't is to shew how Anababaptists are in the wrong to undervalue Sacraments in general and this of Baptism in particular as (s) 2 Kings 5.10 11 Naaman the Syrian did the Water of Jordan They are not bare Signs but 1st Signifying Signs for by those visible Signs are represented things not seen which we do believe 2ly They Seal not only the Analogy between the Signs and the Things Signified but also the Vertue and Efficacy of the Union of Sign and Thing Signified being duly and lawfully used is thereby Sealed 3ly As that
an infinite difference between the Lord Jesus and all that were nam'd before But the better to see how the promise of the Keys was not made in particular to Peter but to the Colledge of the Disciples we must read the conclusion of that whole Conversation as 't is in ver 20. Then charged he his disciples not Peter alone that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ which implies that tho' Peter alone had said so yet thereby all his Disciples had owned him to be Christ the Son of the Living God and as their Confession concerning him was general so was his promise This on my way I thought fit to take notice of to shew how ill grounded is the Romish Church in her pretensions Now I return to Peter's pretended Infallibility as to his Person and say that if ever he was infallible it must be either before our Saviour's Death or after his Resurrection and after he had been restored to his Apostleship but neither of the two First not before the Lord's Death no Infallibility tied to his Person since Scripture mentions some gross failings of his as his Ignorance in the Transfiguration for when he spake of making three Tabernacles the Evangelist observes of him (Å¿) Luk. 9.33 Not knowing what he said A Man who knows not what he saith is not infallible nor he who wants Faith wherewith Christ upbraided him when he said to him (t) Mat. 14.31 O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Again certainly Peter was not infallible when in the forequoted Chap. Mat. 16. the Lord having foretold his Death Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee when for that same end he came unto the World and without it there had been no Salvation which drew upon him this sharp and unusual reproof of our Saviour Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men This passage by the Evangelist is related immediately after what had been discoursed between our Saviour and his Apostles concerning what he was v. 22.23 may be thereby to destroy all inferences that might afterwards happen to be drawn on Peter's behalf to the prejudice and exclusion of the rest of the Apostles for therein any pretended Primacy and Infallibility are overthrown and that circumstance of time makes it remarkable But if there was no other proof against his Infallibility but that sad Denial of his Lord and Master even with an Oath to confirm a Lie yea Cursing and Swearing and that thrice together it were too strong a proof against his Infallibility before our Saviour's Death But I say also he was not infallible after our Saviour's Ascension Witness St. Paul who in (u) Gal. 2.11 12 13. Antioch withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed and therein 't is expressed in what namely for his Dissimulation a thing so contrary to Faith Truth and Sincerity Besides that after his Conversion Peter was a Sinner still and no Sinner is infallible wherefore saith another Apostle speaking of himself as well as of others (x) Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all and long before a great and a wise King had said (y) 1 King 8.46 There is no man that sinneth not And I suppose a thing which is not that one Man could be found who in his whole Life-time had committed but one Sin yet saith the same Apostle (z) Jam. 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all So then Peter was not infallible in the state of Grace and after his Repentance Much less hath any such thing as Infalibility been entailed upon any that were to Succeed him granting that which is not the Popes to be his Successors for there is not the least step thereof in Scripture and Experience teaches with a Witness how Fallible were his pretended Successors Before Men can well Dispute about a thing the Question must be Stated so before we come to Discuss this Matter of Infallibility let them first agree among themselves where to Lodge it which hitherto they could not for some would have it to be in the Council others in the Pope and others in both Pope and Council together The Council of Constance which was held in 1414. Decreed the Council to be above the Pope which is also a Lash against his Supremacy but in Italy this is accounted an Heretical Doctrine But why to talk of Infallibility a thing not be found in the World To Lodge it in any Man is to make a Contradiction and Nonsense for no meer Man was ever Infallible Hence it is that Scripture mentions flaws and failings in the best and most Holy Men to begin from Adam whose Fall Mankind hath cause to Remember Noah Abraham Lot Isaac Joseph Moses Job David Solomon Jonah Elijah that zealous Servant of God of whom James saith he was subject to the like passions as we are Jeremiah Peter Paul Barnabas In few Words Human Nature is attended with such frailties as render any Man subject to error and mistakes How then can Peter or his pretended Successors even in Cathedra as they term it claim an Infallibility By Vertue of what Priviledge and whereupon grounded Now let there be a Council of Men and every one fallible how then can the Council be Infallible Can the number of Men alter Human Nature when sometimes as many Men as many Minds Doth not experience shew how grossly Councils have Erred We find them one set against another The first of Nice condemned the Arrian Heresy which that of Arimini approved of Yet tho' Men and Councils have Erred we own there is an Infallible Rule which if they follow they shall not Err but not the Persons but the Rule is Infallible because it is the Word of an Infallible God Now these immediate Inspirations of the Holy Ghost are not necessary ast hey were at first when the Gospel of Christ was Published by the Ministry of Men for then Men were to be convinced who it came from and was approved by Heaven but now it is setled and hath been confirmed by so many Signs Wonders and Miracles and by the effectual and immediate working of the Holy Ghost we need it no more to demonstrate that truth which hath so often been proved only we are to follow that Rule which Christ and his Apostles have left us wherein he himself speaks as from Heaven If then Councils be Fallible why shall not those Men whom they consist of be so too Which reason is by woful experience confirmed in the persons of Popes in whom others would Lodge the imaginary Infallibility of the Romish Church among whom their own Authors as Platina Baronius and others own to have been Sorcerers Blasphemers Whoremongers Incestuous Sodomites Profane Blood-thirsty and the most abominable Wretches
and Daughters of Whoredom and Adultery Therefore all imaginable Care must be had to put a Restraint upon such Evil Courses as lead into such Dangers Now as to Adultery if as we ought we have a regard to the Law of God the same Severity should be used to punish it as Treason and Murther for God who saith Thou shalt not Kill hath also said Thou shalt not commit Adultery Hence it is as I said before that by God's Law the Adulterer and Adulteress were put to death as well as the Murtherer A Thief for stealing from me the Value of Eighteen-pence shall be Hanged and he or she that Robbeth me of my Reputation and my own Blood of my Estate and Succession shall go free and be unpunished This indeed is very strange and un-equal As to the Laws of men I shall allow a Disproportion how with some Treason is a greater Crime than Adultery though with others both are Capital so let the Punishment be less not to reach to Life for Adultery as for Treason Murther and Theft However when we come to prove matter of Fact there is in some Cases for Adultery to fill up the Disproportion Shall not actual Attempts be Equivalent to prove a Fact as well as bare Words If Treasonable Words be proved against one he is thereby Convict of Treason and if a man be found alone in a suspected place with another man's Wife lockt up in a Room and upon Oath in such a dishonest and unbecoming Posture with such other Circumstances not fit here to be named which though they prove not rem in re yet are not only strong Presumptions but also clear Evidences of a Design and actual Attempt to commit Adultery much more when Fruits of such Meetings appear it may reasonably be concluded specially after a publick Noise in the World of such Intreagues that this is not the first meeting they had upon such an account When once Affections are Debauched and both Parties willing to meet they shall not want Occasion at one time or other though never so strictly observed to indulge their Lust much more if both Parties be free from any Watch set upon them After such Evidences doth not this cerrainly and justly deserve the Penalty of the Law namely a Divorce 'T is a sad and shameful thing that among such Christians as make a Profession of owning the Word or God's Laws especially those that are of a mixed Nature and regard in part Religion and in part Order and Preservation of Society should not as much as may be according to the Pattern of God's Law the Rule of all Equity but the Accident must be minded more than the Substance and the Shadow be preferred before the Body for want of one Circumstance And because such a Crime was committed within a Year or two before such a Time that is before the Offender was Prosecuted for it though proved Guilty yet must escape Is not an Adultery committed Seven Years ago an Adultery as well as that committed within these Four or Five Can that Circumstance alter the Nature of the Thing and make that not to be Adultery which is so indeed Shall we find Justice no where on the Right or Left-hand Above nor Below After this one may say 't is not to be found among us which way soever we turn ourselves to have it Then we must look up to God who in his due time will for certain render it and may be with a Witness against the Guilty and all that are Accessory to 't as are of all the Evil committed since those that spared and justified the Wicked The Law hath so well provided in Cases of another kind If a man hath spoken Threatning Words he is bound to his Good Behaviour An Attempt of Rape though not Executed deserveth Death though this may be as Unvoluntary as Adultery is Voluntary That party which giveth and exposeth that which is not her own ought to be Punished as well as he who taketh that which is not his own Now we know that (a) 1 Cor. 7.4 The Wife hath not Power of her own Body but the Husband Must the Husband be Betrayed and know that to be given to others which is his own and take great Care and Pains to get and preserve an Estate for a Stranger 's Blood and have his Bed daily Defiled without Help and Remedy 't is very sad indeed chiefly in a well governed State (b) Jerem. 2.24 A wild Ass used to the Wilderness that Snuffeth up the Wind at her Pleasure in her Occasion who can turn her away All they that seek her will not weary themselves in her Month they shall find her No wonder because she is Wild if during Rutting time and Madness none will take pains in vain to reclaim her yet there is a time when she comes to her self in her Month and shall there be no Time nor Way to Tame an Adulteress Must she run as far and as long as she pleaseth without Restraint in her Wickedness And must she be Indulged and Incouraged in her evil Courses Few such Examples can soon Infect a whole Countrey for Evil Ones are followed rather than Good If we have good Laws why are they not put in Execution If in this kind we want them or they be defective why should we not have them (c) Gal. 3â— 19. The Law must be added because of Transgressions When Transgressors are increased if Laws in being are not sufficient to Restrain them they must be Multiply'd if Old Ones be Dormant let them be Revived and put in Execution This doth depend upon the Prudence of Law-givers who from time to time as they see Cause for do Enact New ones yet this may be said none can be made more Necessary for the Glory of God and the Good of Civil Society than to prevent and punish Adulteries whereby Order Interest and Peace of Families are over turned Base and corrupt Blood being mixt with Noble it peopleth the Countrey with a Spurious Brood and makes the Nation to Degenerate from Vertue to Vice If this Evil ariseth out of Remissness in the Executive part there it ought to be Remedied and Punishment inflicted as well as upon Adulterers and Adulteresses who thorough Perjury and Breach of the Matrimonial Bond and by such abominable ways do what they can to Confound and Ruin Families which should deserve no less than Death so that Divorce is a great Mercy and thorough this gentle Punishment they have time allowed if God be pleased to give them Grace to Repent of their Lewdness But to some may be applyed what God saith (d) Jerem. 3.3 Thou hast a Whores Forehead thou refusest to be ashamed Here I suppose a Case A Husband upon Information given him and out of his own Observation findeth he hath Cause to Question his Wife's Honesty and that she is Unfaithful to him he knows the Person and is acquainted with several Circumstances of time and place and after
Prov 8.11 Because Sentence against an Evil Work is not executed speedily therefore the Heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do Evil. But let such unto themselves apply what the Apostle saith (r) 2 Pet. 2.3 Their Judgment Lingereth not and their Damnation Slumbereth not Thus we proved the Point with clear Evidence out of Scripture Human Laws and strength of Reason which might be more Enlarged upon if Occasion required it This I must add That 't is a sad Case a loud and crying Sin that must need reach up to Heaven when Justice cannot be obtained against neither Adulteress nor Adulterer as if there was a Combination against it to provoke God and Men to the utmost till God's time be come to render it who being most just never fails to do 't when he thinks fit but sometimes when he doth men take no notice of it thô I think it to be one of the chief Causes of the heaviest and most frequent Judgments inflicted upon the Nation for as it is one of if not the most common National Sin and none in Scripture more often nor more strictly Forbidden as most of any contrary to God's holy and pure Nature So those who commit and continue in it must look for the most dreadful and terrible Judgments which God's Justice Anger and Vengeance for the Contempt of his Authority and Breach of his Laws can in this World and in that which is to come pour upon wretched and presumptuous Sinners Besides I would have all Offenders in this kind to know That there is not in the World a Meaner Wretch than the Lewd and Vicious Man who doth the Devil's Drudgery and being a meer Slave to his Passion is thereby put upon the most Indecent Basest Vilest Shameful and most Dangerous Shifts that can be is ever Restless being continually Spurred on by his Lust which first in this World will (s) Hos 4.11 Take away his Heart for Whoredom and Wine do so and except God shews Mercy for want of that Purity which in Relation to Women the Apostle so (t) 1 Tim. 5 ◠carefully Commends to his young Disciple shall in the next hurry and deliver him into everlasting Burnings For the Truth and justice of God require that the Fire of Lust wherein they Burned here should hereafter be punished with Eternal Flames For saith the Apostle Them that walk after the Flesh 2 Pet. 2.9.10 in the Lust of Vncleanness God reserveth unto the Day of judgment to be Punished with a Pain Adequate to their Sin FINIS A CHARGE TO Judges Juries Witnesses CONCERNING OATHS HAVING of late been Summoned to give in upon Oath my Evidence in a weighty Business I was at first Amazed and at a stand then moved with just Indignation to hear several Men with a Brazen-face to Swear for Truth that which in my Conscience I knew certainly to be False for I speak only of those Things and Circumstances which come within the Sphere of my certain Knowledge and upon serious Thoughts such prostitute Wretches tho they speak but to one part of a Cause yet they give Men reasonable Grounds of entertaining an Ill Opinion of the whole For no good Cause may be supported by evil and unlawful Means which at last will Discredit Blast and Ruin it In the mean while such Practices of Swearing falsely do bring Dishonour upon God Scandal upon our holy Religion and are a Shame to a Nation and if not as much as 't is possible Suppressed and Prevented God the Judge of the whole Earth will in his due time require it at the Hands of those in whose Power it lieth and whose Duty it is to do 't Wherefore upon so just and necessary an Account I look upon my self as bound to give in my Evidence and I Wish Judges Jury-men and specially Witnesses may so take notice of and mind what I shall say as every one to do their Duty in their respective Stations for herein I shall bear Witness for God as for men And my great Motive why I now commit to Paper these few Lines and Serious Thoughts of mine 't is only to bear Record unto the Truth For (a) 2 Cor. 13.8 I can do nothing against but for the Truth which I think I am called to thorough the Occasion which is the Ground of all this Which to Prosecute I shall make use of both Law and Gospel I Thank God when I appeared in this Business I never but once before had been Summoned to bear Witness upon Oath for I own it I fear an Oath the fewer the better and the least Account one is to give God about these matters for therein Men thô unwillingly and Ignorantly yet thorough want of Memory or some Mistakes are in danger of Failing Wherefore I shall ever avoid as much as I may being brought under an Oath without a just and necessary Cause rashly and hastily to venture upon 't is usually attended with bitter Effects and is the cause of much Evil of Sin as of Punishment from both God and men He that easily and hastily doth Swear will as easily and hastily Forswear for when he makes no Conscience to take an Oath he will make none to break it Neither would I multiply Oaths for many Oaths many Snares To go upon sure Grounds and Explain the matter we must first see upon what Occasion an Oath is taken and what it is because too often thorough the Unrighteousness Malice and Craftiness of False and Self-ended Men Truth is driven into Corners which yet God in his due time and sometimes in an Extraordinary manner will bring to light to the Confusion of the Wicked that would have suppressed it Therefore because one man will not Trust another and that men do suspect the Sincerity and are in the Dark about the Thoughts one of another upon such an account God who alone knows and is the Searcher of the Heart (b) Heb. 4.13 For all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do is called upon to be a Witness of the Truth of that which is in Question and Sworn for (c) chap. 6.16 An Oath for Confirmation to men is saith the Apostle an end of all Strife Not to sow foment and promote it and shelter Villanies under God's most holy and sacred Name for this overthrows the good Ends for which an Oath was intended and perverts Justice and Equity over-turns the whole World and tends to Disorder Confusion and Ruin all Effects of Perjury Now an Oath is a calling of God to Witness for the Confirmation of what we Say or Promise 'T is a Religious and Necessary Confirmation of Things doubtful by calling on God to be a Witness of Truth and a Revenger of Falsehood which last part is much to be taken notice of though many who Swear mind it not and there is a great Reason why God should avenge the Abuse of his Name for if
the Apostles or the like bestowed upon him nor any Power in the least given him over them In the School of Christ we hear Lessons of Humility against Pride and Ambition and himself he gives for a Pattern when he saith (a) Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and in that great Act of Humility when he washed his Disciples Feet he said I have given you an Example for if I who am your Lord and Master have washed your Feet (b) Joh. 13.14 and thereby condescended to so mean a thing much more ought ye not to domineer over but to serve one another Hence it is that upon all occasions he strictly forbids all that tends to affect any Superiority among themselves even in relation to the World to come wherefore he sharply reproves the Sons of Zebedee for their aspiring to sit one on his right Hand the other on the left in his Kingdom which argued a desire of Superiority over their Fellow Disciples whereupon they were moved with indignation against the two Brethren and not long before his death about the (c) Matth. 20.25 26 27 28. strife which was among them which should be accounted the greatest if there had been any such thing intended for Peter this had been a fair Opportunity for Christ to have declar'd it and said Peter shall be the greatest he shall be your Prince but he otherwise decided it with shewing the opposition between the worldly Kingdoms and his which is not of this World as to Pilate he declared it but Spiritual thus (d) Luke 22.24 c. and Mark 10.43 The Kings and Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great let him be your Minister or Servant If after our Saviour's Ascension any Title of Superiority as visible Head of the Church Christs Vicegerent Primate of the Apostles or the like had belonged to Peter he certainly would have made use of it in his Epistles but in the first we read only this Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ and this in the second Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ which is no more than Paul and other Apostles called themselves by these and no worldly ones are the glorious Titles made use of by those Holy Men and if over and above there had been any other belonging to Peter he would as his due have received it from them or at least himself would not have derogated therefrom for by omitting it he had thereby in some degree undervalued and despised such an Office and Dignity upon him bestowed by his Lord and Master but far from any thing like Supremacy and Superiority in the V. Chapter of his 1 Epistle v. 1. he calls himself an Elder who doth not command but like a Brother Exhorteth the Elders of the Church whom he makes his Equals and Companions for he names himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Fellow-Presbyter or Co-Elder and he exhorteth them to feed and take the oversight of the Flock of God not as being Lords over Gods Heritage but being Examples he doth not say Dominion belongs to me as he then might if it had been true but he thereby excludeth himself as well as them let this be farther observed about him how in Jerusalem he was called to give an Account why he went in to uncircumcised Men in the House of (e) Acts 11. Cornelius the Centurion which could not consist with any Supremacy of his over them for only the least is accountable to the greatest and not the Superior to the Inferior Then we find in the Council of Jerusalem he did not preside as it had been his place to have done cap. 14.15 v. 23. if he had been the chief of the Apostles but James was the Chair-Man who having an occasion to name him calls him barely Simon farthermore the Decree of the Synod was not made nor sent in his Name but in that of the Apostles the Elders and the Brethren moreover when he is named with some of the other Apostles his Name is not always the first which should have been if he was the chief we see they are thus set down James Cephas and John here (f) Gal. 2.9 James is before him and in another place both James and John (g) 1 Cor. 9.5 Have we not power saith Paul to lead about a Sister a Wife as well as other Apostles and as the Brethren of the Lord and Cephas by the by let it be observed hence how the Apostles were Married and in another place we read of (h) Luke 4.38 Peters mother-in-Mother-in-Law whom the Lord Jesus cured of a great Feaver (i) Acts 21.8 9. also Philip the Evangelist was Married for we read of four Daughters of his In the Texts quoted in the Margin (k) 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 wherein St. Paul makes an enumeration of all the Offices by Christ Instituted in his Church he gives not in the least any such sign of any Dignity as Supream and vible Head or Universal Bishop of the Church bestowed either upon Peter or any of the other Apostles much less that there was to be a Succession of any such Office either in the Church of Rome or any other which he would not have omitted if such a thing had been and in the distribution of Gifts which he speaks of (l) Rom. 12. there is nothing at all about this Supremacy God may when he pleases bestow Gifts upon some greater than upon others but this may not argue any Superiority of Office when there is the same Lord and Master the same Spirit the same Work and Ministry and the same Field we all along do find that equality observed among the Apostles after Christs Ascension which before his Death he had charged upon them even those who came after not excluded which made Paul say of himself (m) 2 Cor. 11.3 I was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles not only in Gifts but also in the extent of power and authority of his Ministry (n) Gal. 2.8 For he that wrought effectually in Peter to th◠Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles therefore James Cephas and John who seemed to be Pillars observe how James and John as well as Cephas seemed to be Pillars they gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hands of Fellowship v. 9. whence appears the Equality we have spoken of and Peter speaks of him with esteem and respect and calls him (o) 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Our beloved Brother Paul this desire of Superiority is a pernicious thing which another Apostle condemns in the person of Diotrephes (p) 3 John 9. who loveth to have the preeminence therefore 't is a damnable thing as Pride was the sin of the Devil and of our First Parents for any to attempt bringing into the Church an Office which Christ who alone hath