the accomplishment of the daies of purification untill that an offering should be offered for every one of them and this for almost seven dayes Acts 21.26 27. with the foregoing verses § 15. So 1 Cor. 9.19 20. For though I be free from all men yet have I made my self servant unto all that I might gain the more And unto the Iews I became as a Iew that I might gain the Iews to them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gain them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without Law To the weak I became as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the Gospels sake c. Study this example § 16. Read also Rom. 14. and 15. Chapters how much condescension the Apostle requireth even among equals about meats and dayes And 1 Cor. 8.13 the Apostle would tie up himself from eating any flâ—sh while the world standeth rather then make a weak brother to offend Many other passages of Scripture require a condescension in things of this indifferent nature and shew that the Kingdom of God doth not consist in them § 17. And Matthew 12.1 2 to 9. you find that hunger justified the Disciples of Christ for plucking and rubbing the ears of Corn on the Sabbath dayes And hunger justified David and those that were with him for entring into the house of God and eating the Shew-bread which was not lawfull for him to eat nor for them which were with him but only for the Priests And the Priests in the Temple were blameless for prophaning the Sabbath day Now if things before accidentally evil may by this much Necessity become lawful and a duty then may the commands of Magistrates or Pastors and the Unity of the Church and the avoiding of contention and offence and other evils be also sufficient to warrant us in obeying even in inconvenient Circumstantials of the worship of God that otherwise could not be justified § 18. Reas. 12. Lastly consider how much God hath expressed himself in his word to be pleased in the Obedience of believers Not only in their Obedience to Christ immediately but also to him in his officers 1 Sam. 15.22 Behold to obey is better then Sacrifice c. Col. 3.20 22. Children obey your Parents in all things that is all lawfull things for this is well-pleasing to the Lord Servants Obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh c. And Obedience to Pastors is as much commanded 1 Thes. 5.12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly c. Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account c. So Verse 7. 24. 1 Tim. 5.17 c. § 19. As the General Commission to a Parent or Master or Magistrate to Govern their inferiour relations doth authorize them to many particular acts belonging to their office that were never named in their commission so your general command to obey them obligeth you to obey them in the said particulars And so it is also betwixt the Pastors and the flock in matters belonging to the Office of a Pastor § 20. If a Child shall ask a Parent Where doth Gods word allow you to command me to Learn this Catechism or read this Divines writings or repeat this Sermon or write it c. doth not the question deserve to be answered with the rod The General Commission for parents to Govern their children is sufficient so if a Schoolmaster command his Schollers to come to such a place to School and to take their places in such an Order and to learn such books and do such exercises c. the General Commission that he hath to teach and Govern them will allow him to do all this Though it will not allow him to set his Schollers to any Artifice or Manual Operation alien-to his profession So if a Minister determine of the variable Circumstances of worship as what place the people shall come to and at what time to be Catechized examined instructed c. what Translation or Version of Psalms to use what Utensils to make use of about Gods service or such likâ— he is warranted for this by his General Commission And if he miss it in the manner by choosing inconvenient circumstances or by unnecessary determination of points that should rather be left undetermined to liberty though this be his own sin it will not excuse the people from obedience unless the error of his directions be so great as would frustrate the Ordinance it self or do more harm then our disobedience would do which in Circumstantials is rarely found § 21. And thus I have finished this discourse of Ceremonies a Subject that may seem unseasonable at such a time when we are disburdened of Ceremonies But the offence and vehement accusations of the Ceremonious hath made it seem necessary to me while they accuse Dissenters of schism and obstinacy and reproach them as Puritans and seem ready to act their second part in casting out those that be not of their mind if it were in their power when yet they call the Ceremonies but things indifferent and Preachers and Gods Ordinances are not Indifferent things to us FINITVR Iuly 9. 1658. Satisfaction to certain CALVMNIATORS I Am informed from London and several parts of the Land that some of my Books having lately been sold at excessive rates by the Booksellers it is somewhat commonly reported that it is caused by my excessive gain which say they is at least three or four hundred pounds a year I thank the Lord that doth not only employ me in his service but also vouchsafe me the honor and benefit of being evil-spoken of for doing him the best service that I can Mat. 5.11 12. 1 Pet. 4.13 14 15 16. Blessed Augustine was put to vindicate himself by an oath from the infamy of a covetous design which was raised by one godly woman upon a disorderly action oâ— other men and to that end he wrote his 225. Epistle I find no call to use his oath but yet I judge it my duty to imitate him in patience and in rescuing the slanderers from their sin that they abuse not their souls by uncharitable surmises nor their tongues by false reports To which end I give them this true information The two first Books I printed I left to the Booksellers Will for all the rest I agreed with them for the fifteenth Book to give to some few of my friends hearing that some others agreed for the tenth Sometime my fifteenth Book coming not to an hundred and sometime but to few more when of Practical
themselves in Execution But he leads them the way by Teaching them their duty and provoking them to it and directing them in the execution and oft-times offering himself or another to be their Teacher and Leading them in the Execution So that it belongeth to his office to gather a Church or a member to a Church Sect. 18. 11. Hence is the doubt resolved Whether the Pastor or Church be first in order of time or Nature I answer The Minister as a Minister to Convert and Baptize and gather Churches is before a Church gathered in order of Nature and of time But the Pastor of that particalar Church as such and the Church it self whose Pastor he is are as other Relations together and at once as Father and Son Husband and Wife c. As nature first makes the Nobler parts as the Heart and Brain and Liver and then by them as instruments formeth the rest And as the Philosopher or Schoolmaster openeth his School and takes in Schollars and as the Captain hath first his Commission to gather Soldiers But when the Bodies are formed then when the Captain or Schoolmaster dieth another is chosen in his stead So is it in this case of Pastors Sect. 19. 12. Hence also is the great controversie easily determined Whether a particular Church or the universal be first in order and be the Ecclesia Prima To which I answer 1. The Question is not de ordine dignitatis nor which is finally the Ministers chief End For so it is past controversie that the Universal Church is first 2. As to order of existence the universal Church is considered either as consisting of Christians as Christians converted and Baptized or further as consisting of Regular Ordered Assemblies or particular Churches For all Christianâ— are not members of particular Churches and they that are are yet considerable distinctly as meer Christians and as Church-members of particular Churches And so its clear that men are Christians in order of Nature and frequently of time before they are member of particular Churches and therefore in thâ—s reâ—pect the universal Church that is in its essence is before a particular Church But yet there must be One particular Church before there can be many And the Individual Churches are before the Association or Connection of these individuals And therefore though in its essence and the existence of that essence the universal Church be before a particular Church that is men are Christians before they are particular Church-members yet in its Order and the existence of that Order it cannot be said so nor yet can it fitly be said that thus the Particular is before the universall For the first particular Church and the universal Church were all one when the Gospel extended as yet no further And it was simul semel an ordered universal and particular Church but yet not quâ— universal But now all the Vniversal Church is not Ordered at all into particular Churches and therefore all the Church universal cannot be brought thus into the Question But for all those parts of the universal Church that are thus Congregate which should be all that have opportunity they are considerable either as distinct Congregations independent and so they are all in order of nature together supposing them existent Or else as Connexed and Assoâ—iated foâ— Communion of Churches or otherwise related to each other And thus many Churches are after the Individuals â—he single Church is the Ecclesia prima as to all Church forms of Order and Associations are but Ecclesiae ortae arising from a combination oâ— relation or Communion of many of these Sect. 20. The fourth part of the Ministerial work is about particular Churches Congregate as we are Pastors of them And in this they subserve Christ in all the parts of his office 1. Under his Prophetical office they are to Teach the Churches to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded them deliver open to them that Holy doctrine which they have received from the Apostles that sealed it by Miracles and delivered it to the Church And as in Christs name to perswade and exhort men to duty opening to them the benefit and the danger of neglect 2. Under Christs Priestly office they are to stand between God and the People and to enquire of God for them and speak to God on their behalf and in their name and to receive their Publick Oblations to God and to offer up the sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving on their behalf and to celebrate the Commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross and in his name to deliever his Body and Blood and Sealed Covenant and benefits to the Church 3. Under his Kingly office a Paternal Kingdom they are to Proclaim his Laws and Command obedience in his Name and to Rule or Govern all the flock as Overseers of it and to reprove admonish censure and cast out the obstinately impenitent and confirm the weak and approve of Professions and Confessions of Penitents and to Absolve them by delivering them pardon of their sin in the name of Christ. Sect. 21. 14. This work must be done for the ends mentioned in the Definition To his own Safety Comfort and Reward it is necessary that those Ends be sincerely intended For the comfort and Satisfaction of the Church and the validity of the Ordinances Sacraments especially to their spiritual benefit it is necessary that these ends be professed to be intended by him and that they be really intended by themselves Sect. 22. 15. By this the Popish case may be resolved Whether the Intention of the Priest be necessary to the Validity and success of Sacraments The reality of the Priests Intention is not necessary to the Validity of them to the people For then no ordinance performed by an hypocrite were Valid nor could any man know when they are Valid and when not But that they may be such administrations as he may comfortably answer for to God his sincere Intention is Necessary And that they be such as the People are bound to submit to it is necessary that he profess a sincere Intention For if he purposely Baptize a man ludicrously in professed jest or scorn or not with a seeming intent of true Baptizing it is to be taken as a Nullity and the thing to be done again And that the ordinances may be blessed and effectual to the Receiver upon Promise from God it is necessary that the Receiver have a true intent of receiving them to the ends that God hath appointed them Thus and no further is Intention necessary to the validity of the Ordinance and to the success The particular ends I shall not further speak of as having been longer already then I intended on the Definition Sect. 23. But the principal thing that I would desire you to observe in order to the decision of our controversie hence is that the Ministry is first considerable as a Work and Service and that the Power is but
souls are said to be the greater and remoter ends â—nd the glory of God the ultimate end If then I have good assurance that I cannot use such or such a ceremony but it will prove the subversion of Order or Edification though it should be by accident through the infirmity of men I know no reason I have to use them when such a mischief would follow unless they can shew me some greater good that also will follow which may recompence it § 3. Therefore the commanding of unnecessary ceremonies on such Penalty as was done in England and Scotland to the silencing of the Preacâ—â—rs and dissipating of the flocks and casting out that worship or hindring that Edification that was pretended to be their end was preposterous both in the commanders and obeyers and proved not convenient means to the ends pretended § 4. If I be enjoyned by the Magistrates whom I mention as of more undoubted authority then our Bishops to read such and such chapters and preach on such and such texts through the year I am in reason to interpret their commands with this exception when it doth not apparently cross the main end So that if in my course I should be commanded to read and preach of an aliene subject when my hearers are running into schism sedition heresie c. I will suppose that if the Magistrate were present he would allow me to read or preach according to the matter of present necessity And if I were commanded to read the Common prayer in a Surplice and other formalities I hope if the Church were all in an uproar and the stools flying about my ears as the women at Edinburgh used the Bishop I might think it would not tend in that Congregation to order or Edification to use such Ceremonies Were they things of Gods institution they would not edifie the people till they were prepared to receive them and therefore that preparation should go first § 5. Indeed it is the Pastors office to be the guide of his flock in the worship of God and therefore to judge pro re nata what subject to speak on to them and what circumstances to choose that may be most suitable to time and place and persons to promote his ends even the good of souls And therefore no Magistrates should take the work or power of Pastors from them though they may oversee them in the use of it CHAP. XII Prop. 12. It may be very sinfull to command some ceremonies when yet it may be the subjects Duty to use them when they are commanded § 1. I Add this Proposition as necessary both for Rulers and for Subjects For Rulers that they may not think that all may be lawfully Commanded which may be lawfully done when it is commanded And for subjects lest they think that all things are unlawfull to be done which are sinfully commanded § 2. Some Governors think that the Sermons and Arguments that charge the people with sin for disobeying them do all justifie them for making the Laws which others should obey And all the words that are spent in aggravating the sin of the disobedient they think are spoken in justification of their commands And on the contrary many people think that all that is said against the laws or penalties is said in justification of their disobedience And they are so lamentably weak that they cannot discern how that can lawfully be obeyed that is sinfully commanded when yet the case is very plain § 3. If a thing be simply unlawfull as being forbidden by God himself there no command of man can make it lawfull But if it be but inconvenient or evil only by some accident or circumstance it is possible for the commands of Governors to take off the accidental evil and make it become a duty For example It is not lawfull for me to travail one mile in vain nor is it lawfull for a Prince to command me to travail a mile in vain And yet if he send me such a command to appear before him at such a place yea though it be many miles it may become my duty to obey him Otherwise subjects should not be bound to appear before any judicature till they were satisfied of the cause which is absurd I a Prince command his officers to execute some unjust sentences if they know it not at least it may be no sin of theirs in many cases though it be his Every war that is unlawfully undertaken by the Prince is not unlawfull in all his Souldiers Some of them that have not opportâ—nity to know the evil of his undertaking may be bound to obey the case of others I determine not § 4. So if a Pastor call the Assembly at an inconvenient hour or to an inconvenient place though it be his sin to do so yet is it their Duty to obey If in the manner of Prayer he tolerably miscarry they may not therefore refuse to join with him If of two Translations of Scripture or two versions of the Psalms he use the worser so it be tolerable they must obey § 5. Yet if the miscarriage be so great in the ordering even of these circumstances or in the Manner of Duties as shall overthrow the Duty it self and be inconsistent with the ends or bring greater evils upon the Church then our refusing to obey the Pastors in those cases can do then as I have before shewed we are not bound to follow him in such a case But otherwise we are § 6. The Reasons of this are obvious and clear Even because it is the office of the Governours to determine of such Circumstances It is the Pastors office to guide and oveâ—see the flock And so the determining of Time and Place of woâ—ship that 's undetermined belongeth to his office and the choice of the subject on which he shall preach the leading them in prayer and praise and choice of versions translations and other ordinary helps in his work And therefore when he determineth these he is but in his own way and doth but his own work and therefore he is therein the judge if the case be controvertible If none shall obey a Magistrate or Pastor in the works of their own office as long as they think he did them not the best way all Government then would be presently overthrown and obedience denyed We are sure that God hath commanded us to obey thâ—m that are over us in the Lord 1 Thes. 5.12 Heb. 13.7 17 c. And therefore a Certain duty may not be foâ—born upon uncertain conjectures or upon every miscarriage in them that we owe it to This would unchurch aâ—l Churches as they are Political Societies For if Pastors be taken down and the work of Pastors the Church is taken down And if Government and obedience be taken down then Pastors and their work is taken down Which will be the fruit of this disorder § 7. And the things in which the Pastor is now supposed to err are not of themselves unlawfull