this precise qualm over our Enquirers heart that he is so skittish at the word Sabbath because forsooth it 's not given the Day in the New Testament They have some singular priviledge and prerogative surely that may institute what Officers what Offices they please though neither Name nor Thing be found there nor print nor mark of the least Foot-step when the poor Non-conformists may not use indifferently an innocent word which signifies no more in it self then he will acknowledge to be found there But how is this a point of Judaism or how one of the nearer causes of separation If it be we may confidently say we have imbibed both from the Liturgy of the Church which teaches the Minister to rehearse the Fourth Commandment Remember the sabbath-Sabbath-day to keep it Holy and then enjoins us all to pray Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law but if this Word this Dactrine be of such pernicious a contagion as to insect us with Judaism and Non-conformity we have need of another miserere â—…i Deus for keeping it That this name Sabbath applyed to the Christian Holy-day of Rest is found in Ancient Writers I shall not urge Ignat. Epist. ad Magnes Let every one of us keep the Sabbath spiritually not in bodily case only but in the study of the Law Not the Author of the Sermons de Tempore none of Austins for any mans word will go further then his for so we rightly sanctifie the Lords Sabbath as the Lord hath said In it thou shalt do no manner of work but this I shall say that he that denies it to be a Day of Holy Rest it 's no great matter what he calls it And he that owns it such must be most rediculously obstinate that denies it may properly be so called 2 We come to the dispute De Re. And first he charges the N. C. That the Lords-day amongst them must have all the Nicety of Observation that the Iewish Sabbath had and which is yet worse such Observation thereof is made one of the principal parts of Religion What the Non-conformists hold and practise in this point is so well known from their Writings and Conversations that no man can possibly slander them but he must do it against his Conscience which had the Enquirer attended to it would have tought him other Language what was the practice of the best Christians who lived up in any good measure to the Holiness of their Profession that is the practice of the Non-conformists and wherein they come short have cause to be humbled in the sight of God If any Indâ—…viduals have added any Jewish Austeriâ—…ies or invented any Superstitious severities to make the day a Legal Yoke we wish they may be no more favouraâ—…ly dealt with then those other Additions that have been made to Religion For the publick Service of the day I shall give the Reader a piece of Clemens Rom. lib. 2. cap. 59. On the Lords-day frequent more carefully the Temple of the Lord that ye may praise God who made all things by Iesus Christ whom he sent unto us and suffered him to dye for us and raised him from the dead for what can excuse him with God who meets not to hear the saving Word of God concerning the Resurrection On which day we pray thrice standing remembring him who after three days rose again For the private observation of the day the same Author lib. 5. cap. 9. thus We admonish you Brethren and Fellow-Servants that you fly vain words and filthiness pleasant jests 〈◊〉 for on the Lords days which are our days of Rejoicings we do not permit you to do or speak any thing not savoury for the Scripture sâ—…h serve the Lord with fear St. Hierom commends the Aegyptian Monks that they designed the Lords days wholly to Prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures The Author of the Sermons De tempore This day is called the Lords-day that in it abstaining from all earthly works and worldly pleasures we should only give our selves to the service of the Lord Let us therefore Brethren observe the Lords day and sanctifie it as it was commanded them of old concerning the Sabbath If our Enquirer had the trimming up of this Author he had dressed him up for a Marane a baptized Jew Chrysost. on Gen. 2. God from the beginning did insinuate unto us this instruction to set apart and separate one whole day in the Circle of every Week for spiritual exercises And in Homil. 5. on Math. Let us prescribe this as an unmoveable Law to our selves to our Wives and Children to set aside one day of the Week and that wholly to hearing and laying up of things heard Isidore Hispalensis The Apostles therefore ordained the Lords-day to be kept with Religious Solemnities because in it our Redeemer rose from the Dead which was therefore called the Lords-day that resting on the same from all Earthly â—…ts and temptations of the World we might intend Gods holy Worship giving this day due Honour for the hope of the Resurrection we have therein But because our Enquirer admires the Piety of former Ages in this our Britain I shall come a little home and see what were the publick Constitutions of our own Nation Leg. Inae cap. 〈◊〉 An. 692. Si servus operetur die Dominied per praecepâ—… domine sui sit liber Dominus emendet 308. ad Witam siâ—…servus sine testimonio Domini sui operetur Corium perdat i. e. vapulet si liber operetur ipso die sine iussu Domini sui perdat libertatem If a Servant work on the Lords-day at his Masters Command let him be free and his Master be fined thirty shillings If a Servant without his Masters Order do any work let him be whipped If a freed Man work on that day without the Command of his Master let him lose his Freedom Concil Bergham cap. 10. An. 697. Si in vesperâ praecedente Diem solis postquam sol occubuit autin vesperâ praecedente Diem Lunae post occasum solis servus ex mandato Domini sui opus aliquod servile egerit Dominus factum octaginta solidis Luito If a Servant on the Evening before Sunday after Sun-set or on the Evening before Monday after Sunset shall do any servile work by Order of his Master let his Master pay for his fault 4 pounds c. 11. If a Servant on those days shall travel let him pay to his Master siâ—… shillings or be whipped c. 12. If a Free-man be guilty of the same offence let him be liable to the Pillory Excerpt Egb. Archiepiscopi Eborac An. Chr. 750 c. 36. God the Creatour of all things made Man on the sixth d'ay and upon the Sabbath he rested from all his Labours and sanctified the Sabbath for the future signification of the sufferings of Christ and his rest in the Grave He did not rest because he was weary who made all things without Labour whose Omnipotency cannot be wearied and
whilst the World was filly enough to be imposed upon by those little Artifices we had scarce a New Shrine Altar place of Pilgrimage erected but upon pretence of some rising from the Dead or an Angel from Heaven or a Letter from the Virgin Mary or some such Pious Frauds and Religious Cheats which the Priests had at their Fingers ends Let us now consider the Enquirers Discourse upon this Principle That all absolutely necessaries are so determined we readily grant says he and that all those Rites prescribed by our Saviour are necessary to be obserued we will yield them but that nothing is lawful but what is to be found so prescribed we utterly deny And so do we Let that end the Controversie When Rethoricians have flanted it out in fine Language and Ruffled a little in Phrase apposite words and expressions they have satisfied their Office and are not obliged by the Rules of their Art either to state the Question or speak to it Something may be practised which is not prescribed that we grant but from something to every thing is too great a Leap for Bucephalus From practising to prescribing is another large stride from Circumstances to Ceremonies is a third from Civil things to Sacred is one more from Indifferent to Necessary Conditions of Church Communion may go for another and from the common Accidents that attend the Worshippers as Men to Parts of worship are Inferences which we can neither make to lead or drive 2. We come now to a second Judaical Principle That all Princes and Law-givers are bound to conform the Municipal Laws of their several Dominions to the Institutions of Moses This indeed has a strong taint of Jewish Leaven in 't which they who plead so Zealously for the Ius Divinum of Tythes and Holiness of Places because Moses once put off his Shooes may do well to advise upon the Non-conformists for ought I know are little concern'd in 't We grant that there is no necessity that the Temporal Sanction even of the Moral Law it self should be the same under the Gospel that it was under the Administration of Moses That the Violaters of the Lords days Holy Rest should be stoned as the infringer of the Sabhath was of old the Adulterers should be punish'd with Death or a Blasphemer endure the same now which then was exacted Law-givers do consider the tempers and dispositions of their Subjects in these matters we are no further concerned herein then to pray that they who moderate the Affairs of the Empires of this World may be directed with Wisdom from above may order all things in a subserviency to his Glory by whom they Reign and the publick peace welfare and prosperity 3. A Third Instance is in Excommunication Which says he they hold must be by a Synod or Presbytery and the Prince as well as the People must be subject to the Sentence Here are several Questions that invite our serious debate as 1. What is the proper Seat of the power of Excommunication 2. Who are the proper Objects of this Power 3. Whether to fix the power of Excommunication be a Judaical Principle And 4. Whether a Prince may come under the Edge of that Sword Any one of which would require more room then I have allotted my self to turn in What I shall say is this 1. That the Synod or Presbytery are the Seat of Excommunication carries as fair proof at least as the Chancellor who is a Lay-man or at best a Deacon of no Scripture Institution can show for himself by Divine Right 2. That all scandalous persons are lyable to that Censure is true in the general but that it may not be executed upon a Supreme Magistrate arises from peculiar Maximes of Government upon which the safety of a Kingdom depends I know not that this is a Principle of the N. C. for my part I disown it 3. That this was a Jewish Principle to excommunicate their Kings I do not certainly know nor date positively determine That they received any such standing Law from God I do not find That a High-Priest did once actually separate a King upon the score of his Leprosie we read and that others perhaps would not do as much if a Prince pleased not their Humours we have no security I should shrowdly suspect their Inclinations this way whoever they were that inseâ—…ed this Doctrine into our Bibles which we find in the Contents of the 149. Psalm The Prophet exhorteth to Praise God for that Power he hath given to the Church to Rule the Consciences of Men Which they refer to v. 5. and the following Let the Saints be joyful in Glory let them sing aloud upon their Beds Let the high Praises of God be in their Mouth and a two edged Sword in their Hand To execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the People To bind their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron If this be the Power God has given the Church over the Consciences of Men the Non-conformists did not insert it and wish it may be expunged the Bible 4. He must by no means omit their Superstitions about the Lords day which must be called a Sabbath too though such Name is no where given it either in the New Testament or any Anâ—… Writer that he knows of Here are two Branches the first de Nâ—…mine the second de Re. 1. De Nomine whether the Lords-day may be called a Sabbath especially with the usual Epithete The Christian Sabbath That it must be so called as he falsifies the N. C. assert not That it may be so called they are willing to enter a sober discourse with him when he is at leisure A Sabbath in general signifies no more then a Day of Rest. And he that owns the day may be called the Lords-day must needs own it to be a resting day and by consequence a Sabbath day and the greatest fault herein is that it 's good in English but stark naught in Hebrew Nay there 's somewhat more will follow This day of which we speak is called the Lords-day Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords-day And the reason of the Appellation is this because the Lord Iesus has a special interest and propriety in that day As the great standing Ordinance of the Gospel is called the Lords-Supper 1 Cor. 11. because it was instituted by Him and was to be devoted to Communion with him so this day is called the Lords-day because it was determin'd by him and ought to be dedicated to him in his Service and Worship that we may approve our selves eminently the Lords Servants upon that day which is eminently the Lords-day And if so it will challenge the Title not only of a day of Rest but Holy Rest And if Men were not swarming full of Crotchets and Idle Whimseys and Superstitious Dotages they would never scruple to call that a Holy Sabbath day which they must confess a Holy resting day But how came
to tell you how Panlinus Bishop of Nela calls him the great Light set upon the Candlestick of the Church or how Prosper gives him the Character of a very sharp Wit clear in his Disputations Catholick in his Expositions of the Faith But to what purpose should we control him with inferior Evidences after that of a Pope or to what end Subpoena our little Witnesses after these Grandees For surely he that will break Austins Pate will not fear to dash out Prospers Brains § 5. Another Branch of this endless Indictment is That being hard put to it by the Manichees on the one hand and the Pelagians on the other he was not able to extricate himself Se in illas Ambages induxit ut non invenerit qua se extricaret You see I hope that if ever we should want an able Head to translate Grotius into English our Enquirer is the Man Never was poor Man so bewildred so sadly intangled in the Bryers as this Austin between the Manichâ—…an fatal Necessity and the Pelagian Contingency one while he 's just a splitting upon the Seylla of Free-will and whilst he goes a Point or two too near the wind he 's ready to be swallow'd up of the desperate Gulf of Stoical Necessity I shall say no more let the Reader seriously peruse St. Austins Works and when he has done study this Enquirers Volumes and by that time he may be satisfied whether all his Rhetorick and Confidence will make him a competent Judge of St. Austins Learning § 6. His Conclusion of his Charge is That he was rather forced into his Opinions than made choice of them Hâ—… whose Tongue is his own may employ it how he pleases but this slander carries its Consutation as well as its Confidence in its Forehead 'T is as if we should conclude That Men become Enemies because they have shed one anothers Blood whereas most think they wound and shed one anothers Blood because they were first Enemies It was the Zeal of this Learned and Holy Person for the cause of God that put him upon Study that drew him out in the open Field against the open Enemies of the Grace of God who might otherwise have slept secure in a whole skin Dispute cleared up Truths to him but he was not forced from any or into any I shall conclude this Head with that of Bradwardine another famous Champion in the same Cause with Austin Eccè enim quod non nisi tactus dolore Cordis refero sicutâ—…lim contra unum Dei Prophetam octingenti quinquag inta Prophetae Real similâ—…s reperti sunt quibus innumerabilis populus adhaerebat Ita hodiè in hâc causâ Quot O Domine hodiè cum Pelagio pro libero Arbitrio contra gratuitam gratiam tuam pugnant contra Paulum Pugilem gratiae specialem Exurge ergo Domine sustine protege robora consolare seis enim quod nusquam virtute mei sed tuâ consisus tantillus aggredior tantam causam Behold which I cannot mention without griâ—…f of Heart as of old against one Prophet of God eight hundred and fifty of the Prophets of Baal and such like were found to whom a great multitude of People did adhere so in this Cause How many O Lord at this day contend for Freewill with Pelagius against thy free Grace and against St. Paul that Famous Champion of Grace Arise therefore O Lord uphold defend strengthen comfort me for thou knowest that not trusting to my own strength but thine so weak a Combatant has engaged in so great a Cause ¶ 2. His second assault is against the Synod of Dort A Task as needless as the Answer itself and such as will not quit for cost for having already routed Austin this poor Synod must fall in course with him and be buried under his Ruines That it was a Dutch Synod I cannot deny Dort is and always was in the Province of Holland and therefore to pare off as much needless Controversie as may be let him Triumph in our Concession and make his best on 't The Synod of Dort was a Dutch Synod That England was not within the Iurisdiction of Dort I shall easily admit Nay I can be contend that it be exempâ—…ed from the Popes Westâ—…rn Patriarchate if Grotius B. Branâ—…hal and some others would agree to it The Question then is How far the Church of England was or is concerned in at Agreement with or obliged by the Decrees thereof That King Iames sent thither several of his most Learned and Eminent Divines premunited with an Instrument and ther by impowred to sit hear debate conclude upon those Arduous Points that should be brought before them I think is not denied but by those who deny there ever was any such Synod That they did according to their Instructions go thither sit there debate upon and at last subscribe to the determinations of that Convention is also out of dispute If their subscription did not formerly oblige the Nation yet it evidently proves what was the Iudgment of the Nation Nor do I think it had been for the Honour of this Church to have been of that Religion because those Delegates had subscribed but they therefore subscribed because they were in their own Judgments conformable to that of the Church of the Religion and Judgment of the Council There had been formerly one Barâ—… in the University of Cambridge who delivered himself some what broadly in favour of the Arminian Novelties Hereupon the Heads of that University sent up Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Tyndall to A. B. Whitguift that by the interposition of his Authority those errours might be crush'd in the Egge which were but New-laid as yet and not hatch'd in the bosom of this Church The Zealous Prelate presently convenes some of the most Judicious Divines of his Province and Nov. 10. 1595. by their Advice draws up the Lambeth Articles coming up to if not going beyond the Dordrectan Creed Forthwith he transmits these Articles to his Brother of the other Province the A. B. of York who receives and approves them So that now we have the Primate of England and the Primate of All England owning more than virtually the Decrees of that Synod and surely two such persons so learned as having been both of them Professors of Divinity in the University and of so great Power in the Church must be presumed if any to understand the true meaning of the 39 Articles in the Five Controverted Points After all this King Iames allows the inserting them into the Articles of the Church of Ireland and it were some what difficult to believe that a Prince so wise and learned would allow that Doctrine for Orthodox in one of his Kingdoms which was reputed Heretical in the other unless we will say they were erroneous at home but purged themselves like French-Wines at Sea by crossing St. Georges Channel or that the malignity or latent poison of them was suck'd out by the sanative Complexion of
enquired whether it have not a greater Tincture of Judaism to enjoin other days for Holy-days which have no fâ—…ting in Gods word then to spend the Lords-day in pursuit of those things which concern our Everlasting peace which is clearly warranted thereby B. Andrews urges this against Trask The Apostles kept their Meetings on that day on that day they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. held their sacred Synaxes their solemn Assemblies to preach to pray to celebrate the Lords Supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lords Supper on the Lords-day for these two words only the Day and the Supper have the Epithete of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture to shew that its alike in both 5. A Fifth Instance of their Judaical Principle is their Doctrine of Absolute Predestination This Doctrine has perplext the Enquirer beyond measure he would mention it every where willingly but knows not where to mention it pertinently It was lately one of the Pretended or Apochryphal and now it s become a Real and Canonical nay a near and immediate Cause or at least the just sixth part of a Cause of separation I shall for once suppose that all the Non-conformists are Sublapsarians Now let him show me that Article or Doctrine to which this Church requires subscription relating to the Decrees of God to which a Sublapsarian cannot freely subscribe The 17 Art of the Church speaks without question her fense in this matter Predestination to life is the Everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the World was laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ ouâ—… of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to Everlasting Salvation It were more for this Gentlemans comfort and credit to write a serious and Compassionate Enquiry into the Pretended and Real the Remote and near Causes of his own conformity to that Doctrine which he so pleasantly derides And with what Engines Machines Screws and Pulleys he could hale his Conscience to a Subscription The old Device was good Lingud juratus sum mente juravi nihil It 's a happy freedom of Spirit a blessed enlargement of mind to subscribe any thing and believe nothing Two things there are which ought to have been cleared first that the Doctrine of predestination is a Iewish Principle secondly that it 's a Cause or a piece of a Cause of Non-conformity For the former he makes it out thus He that seeks the source of so odd an Opinion can in my â—…ind pitch no where more probably then upon the absolute Decree of God to favour the Posterity of Abraham for his sake Alas Poor Man And had the Church of England thinks he no more wit then to talk of an Everlasting Purpose before the foundation of the World of a constant Decree to deliver from Curse and Damnation some that he had chosen out of Mankind and bring them to Everlasâ—…ing Salvation from such a Ridiculous Ground But the difficulty was how to make this a piece of Judaism and when Men set themselves insuperable Tasks they must rub through them as they are able The Second will yet be more difficult For many Conformists have been and are Sublapsarians and some Non-conformists Subter-Sublapsarians And the Enquirer told us p. 7. That the Articles of the Doctrine of our Church do with such admirable prudence and wariness handle these Points the Five Points as if particular respect was had to these Men and care taken that they might Abundare sensu suo So necessary it was our Author should confute his own Contradictious Cavils Well! Whether this Church the Iewish Church the Non-conformists or any or all or none of them be of this opinion yet it is a most monstrous one For says he The N. T. has often assured â—…s that at the great day God will judge the World in Righteousness and that without respect of Persons he will render to every one according to his Works Wonderful And are the Sublapsarians all this while to seek how God may be righteous in the Great Day if he Derceed to give Grace to some Men which he never owed them and left others to perish under the Fruits of their own Apostacy and unbelief 6. The last Instance is their superstitious observation and interpretation of Prodigies The Works of God are all Admirable those of Creation Glorious those of Providence Mysterious we have reason to Revere his Greatness in all that he doth them his Wisdom in all in that he can his Goodness in that he will make them Bow to subserve his own Counsels and Purposes in working together for good in them that love him To fetch our Creed from that Book of Providence we allow not it 's well if we can make Gods use of them to awaken a sleepy World to Repentance The greatest Prodigy that has startled me of late has been a Story that many tell us That in several places in the Nation the Graves have been seen to Open and many old Hereticks to have risen and walk'd and talk'd and preach'd and printed Books whom we verily believed to have been as dead and rotten as their Heresies Thus I remember Lirinensis calls Coelestius Prodigiosum Pelagij Discipulum That Prodigious Scholar of Pelagius Something was useful to have been said about Prodigies and it must come in here or no where and therefore let it pass for a Iewish Opinion and a sixth part of one whole Cause of Non-conformity 3 He reckons Preâ—…udice amongst the causes of our distractions and let it passe for a third There is a sound sense in which our Enquirers Notions may be very true could we be but so happy as to hit out Tertullian complained sadly of those insuperable prejudices against the Christian Religion under which they all groâ—…ed Non sâ—…lus aliquod in Causa est sed Nomen It was the Name of a Christian that was their greatest Crime Bonus Vir Cajus Sâ—…jus tantum quod Christianus A poor Woman amongst the Ignorant Devoto's of Rome was instructed by her Ghostâ—…y Father that the Hugonots were all Monsters It hapned that one of her Neighbours spying a Protestant passing by told her That Man is a Hugonot It 's imposible replyed she He looks as like a Man as ever I saw one in my life Thus are Dissenters by prejudice and partiality sentenced and executed in the peremptory Judgements of Many before their Cause is heard or thy admitted to a fair Defence and Tryal I shall therefore spare my common place Book and reserve my stores for more important occasions and at present borrow our Enquirers more refined Collections for they will serve any Mans turn to evince that prejudice is a Cause not why there are so many Non-conformists but that there are no more This Prejudice alone was able to Seal up the Eyes of the Gentile World against the Sun of Righteousness when he shone upon them in his brightest
spur up and quicken the lazy Priests and Levites to their duty and yet no power to create them a duty He had power to punish Church-men to restrain the exorbitances of the Clergy and for Male-administration to cashiere them nay to order the High-priest himself if he proved factious seditious or Rebellious and endeavoured any Alteration of the Theocracy either in Church or State but he had no power to make New administrations He had a power to restore the corrupted worship to it's primitive integrity but he had no power to institute Worship and therefore it 's more then Ridiculous to Argue from a Power to such a power § 2. He pretended to prove That the Magistrate in Determining these circumstantials did not exceed his Commission and his medium is from the Iewish Magistrate Now his proper diâ—… and easy way to have evinced that the Iewish Magistrate had this power had been to have exemplifyed the Commission it self and not stand trifling with Matter of fact to prove Matter of right especially seeing that the Commission is upon Record and many doubts in Law will arise from the fact as whether what was done was done jure and if jure then Quo jure Now for the Commission from him by whom Kings reign it was ready drawn of old only a blanck left to insert the Name of that particular Person whom God immediately or by â—…cession should chuse 17. Deut. 18. 19. 20. It shall be when he 〈◊〉 upon the Throne of the Kingdom that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a book out of that which is before the Priests and Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and those statutes to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren that he turn not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end he may prolong his days in the Kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel from whence 't is evident that though the Israelites were for some time in their minority govern'd by Judges yet when their Nation should grow up to it's greatest perfection God would then bestow upon them â—…he most perfect form of Government viz. Monarchy and in the most perfect manner continue it viz. by succession not impeaching his own prerogative to alter either the form or the time but with a Negative upon any or all the people so is it as plain that God fyes up his Prince to Govern by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deuteronomy à Copy of the Laws and statutes Morel and positive without turning to the right hand or the left in excess or defect mangling or mending Gods Laws Allowing to himself still a power to vary but not to them save by his Direction § 3. This great proof for the Magistrates power over the Circumstantials of Religion is fetcht from the Magistrates power iâ—… the Iewish Commonwealth He that is so severe upon the Nonconformists that they are Iudaizers if they argue but a fortiori from Moses to Christ now takes his greatest proof from David to the Christian King and though it be scandalous for them to Reason from that Topick in Doctrinals yet is safe and honourable for himself to Reason thence in Politicals and Ceremonials his instances come now to be considered § 1. David as I shewed before altered somethings and instituted others in the Temple worship That 's his instance And David as I proved before altered nothing instituted nothing without special Direction from God that 's my answer which special warrant when it shall be produced for any Alterations of or Additions to Christs institutions under the Gospel they shall by me be most Cordially embraced § 2. Hezekiah says he without a Scripture for it broke the Brazeâ—… Serpent to pieces though it was a Symbolical Ceremony of Gods own Iustitution Oh but if Hezekiah had set up one brazâ—… Serpent as a Symbolical Ceremony without Gods institution it had been more to his purpose then if he had broken a hundred Let him take these few things along with him and then make the best he can of his instance 1. If Hezekiah needed no Scripture warrant to destroy an old Antiquated Institution of God because it had been and still was abused to Idolatry much more may a Christian Prince without further Scripture warrant abolish such Symbolical Ceremonies as being originally the meer inventions of men have been and still are abused to the most fowle Idolatry and grossest superstition that ever was in the world 2. Let the Enquirer recollect himself a little He undertook to prove that Princes have power to set up Ceremonies and his instance proves only thus much that they have power to pluck them down 3. Hezekiah needed no Scripture to empower him to destroy the brazen Serpent because it was then no institution of God It had been once indeed a temporary appointment of God but the ceasing of the End was the Determination of the use when it 's sacred Relation ceased it was of no more value in Gods account when Hezekiah broke it then so much Brass 'T is not true therefore that Hezekiah broke in pieces the brazen Serpent though it was but though it had been forâ—…rly an institution of God He did not make it but declare it to be Nchushtan an old Relique made a New Idol and now served as it deserved 4. I do not understand that the brazen Serpent was a Symbolical Ceremony what grace what duty did it signify A type it was to direct their faith to Christ fot that time to expect the healing of their souls from him but the visible service was only to heal their bodies stung with the firy Serpents 3. John 14. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up 5. Hezekiah had Scriptures more then one not only to enable but Command him to do it He needed no new Authority but new wisdom to Apply alâ—…s old general Command to a particular case If the Enquirer could but shew as much Scriputre warrant for the setting up one Ceremony as Hezekiah had for destroying a thousand Idols he would think himself a jolly fellow I might urge his Authority from the second Commandement where God declares himself a jealous God in the Matter of instituted worship and how many following generations might smart for the prevarication in that particular he well knew There might have been a Drachm of the brazen Serpent as well as an Ounce of the Golden Calf in their subsequent calamities if he that was Custos utriâ—…sque Tabulae and now had not his name for nothing had not testifyed against that abomination But I shall crave leave to Remember him of the incomparable Huge who upon this fact of Hezekiah thus Egregium Documentum Regibus at quamvis
bene instituta sed non necessaria ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malè usurpantur è conspectu tollant ne ponant offendiculum Caecis A Notable Lesson to all Kings to remove out of the way such things however at first well instituted yet not at present necessary when they are commonly abused that they become not a stumbling block to the Blind Where we see the incomparably quicksighted Huge could find a Scripture to justify Hezekiah and yet it was very farr fetcht from 27. Deut 18. Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way And yet he has a clearer vindication of Hezekiah's fact from Scripture where speaking of their Burning Incense to the brazen Serpent he thus expresses himself Quod inter illa erat quae Dei solius honori Reservata extra Templum usurpari non licâ—…bat Which Incense being in the number of those things which were peculiarly appropriated to the worship of God might not be Lawfully used out of the Temple 30. Exod. 38. Whosoever shall make like unto it to smell thereto shall even be cut of from his people But what need all these circumlocutions when God commanded his people 34 Exod. 13. To destroy the Altars break the Images cut down the groves of the Nations for that he is a jealous God That wise and discerning Prince could easily see the Command reach't all the Instruments and utensils of Idolatry especially those found amongst his own people his people in Covenant for whom thus to transgress was to provoke him to his face § 3. But his great instance is from Hezekiahs celebrating the Passeover otherwise then God had Commanded in that one fact he finds several branches of his variation from the first institution As 〈◊〉 He caused the Passeover to be kept by all Iudah and Israel on the second Moneth though it was not according to the divine Institution but done by the advice of his Council upon pious and prudential Considerations 2. Chron. 30. 5. Old Objections must be content with old Answers 1 Hezekiah had sufficient warrant from the word of God to celebrate the Passeover at that time pro hâc vice the people being under those Circumstances 9. Numb 10. 11. If any man of you shall be unclean by reason of a Deod body or be in a journey afarr of yet he shall keep the Passeover unto the Lord. The fourteenth day of the second moneth at even shall they keep it That we may reach the full Intendment of this Deuteronomy or after Law we must carefully attend to the occasion of it In v. 6. There were certain men that were defiled by a Dead body that they could not keep the Passeover on that Day the day of the institution this was a case seeming inconsiderable and such whereon our Enquirer would have said very little stress made no bone of it being a Circumstantial a Nicetie about the Time but the people being more Consciencious brought the case to Moses and he sound it so weighty that it needed the Resolution of God himself v. 8. stand still and I will hear what the Lord will Command concerning you Why what needed that Had he not all Kingly power within himself had he not his Council of the seventy two might he not have first Determin'd it to be a Circumstantial and then have determin'd what he pleased about a sorry Circumstance or was he so meanly instructed in the extent of his Royal authority and how little stress God laid upon these circumstantials well nevertheless he will consult the Lord for a Determination of the case whereupon God gives him that command which we have already heard v. 10. 11. wherein I observe 1. That though that Question was propounded only concerning that particular case of a Person unclean by a dead Body Yet the gracious God who well knew that many other incident cases of the like Nature would emerge out of the various providences which they would come under in aftertimes and that they would still be at a loss for resolution about their Duty therein Answers also concerning him that was in a Iourney or farr from home which Philo understands De peregrinatione in Regionem à Judaeà longè Dissiâ—…am the very case of the ten Tribes in Hezekiahs time 2. That under these enumerated particulars of being defiled by a dead body or in a journey were comprehended all other irregularities which might render them uncnonically meet to observe the Passeover It a statuit Philo. says our Synopsis qaia eadem est Ratio omnium There 's a Parity of Reason which reaches all other cases This then was the case of the ten Tribes they were afarr of kept from the worship of God by many pressing Circumstances for which God in this provisional post-Law had taken care And for Iudah they were defiled all things out of course worship decayed the Temple polluted Sacrifices neglected and universal disorder and therefore under the case of defilement by a dead body God makes provision for them also for eadem est ratio omnium thus v. 3. They could not keep it at that time because the Priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently Impedimentum hic erat illi simile nempe justum illi enim Dies mensis primi quibus Phase erat Observandum Templo expurgando consumpti sunt And both Protestants and Papists Junius Piscator Estius Lyra Martyr vindicate Hezekiah's proceedings from that General Law Numb 9. 2 Whereas the Enquirer would insinuate that the King did all this by the advise of his privy Council he may know that there was another Council of more Authority in the concerns of Religion which being appointed by God himself might more reasonably have been consulted once more I will hear Grotius de jure Belli Pacis Lib. 1. cap. 3. §. 20. Haec cum ita sint tamen Aliqua judicia Regibus Adempta Arbitror mansisse penes Synedrium 70 virùm quod divino imperio à Mose institutum ad Herodis tempora perpetuâ cooptatione duravit Itaque Moses David Iudices Deos vocant judicia vocantur judicia Dei judices dicebantur non humanâ sed Divinâ vice judicare imò apertè distinguuntur Res Dei à Rebus Regis 2. Chron. 19. 11. ubi Res Dei monentibus doctissimis Hebraeorum Judicia exlege Dei exercenda intelligi debeant Although these things be thus yet I conceive that some judicial matters exempted from the Kings Cognizance were under the jurisdiction of the Sanedrin which being instituted by Moses at the Command of God endured in a Continual succession to the days of Herod and therefore both Moses and David call the Iudges of that Council Gods and their judgments are called the judgments of the Lord and the Iudges are said to judge not in Mans Name but in Gods And hence is it that the Matters of God and the Matters of the King are apparently distinguished 2. Chron. 19. 11. where by the Matters of