non esse penes Regeâ— sed aut penes Ordines aut certe penes id corpus quod Rex juncti constituunt ut Bodinus Suarezius Victoria aliique abunde demonstratunt Certum summum Imperium totum aliquid imperare non posse ideo tantum quod alter veteâ— aut intercedat plane sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this or that or the other thing or not Nor whether it shall be exercised thus or thus by standing Courts or temporary Judges c. 3. Nor hath he named the person or family that shall rule § 6. Prop. 5. Though these in the constitution are determined of by explicite or implicite contract or consent between the Ruler and the Community yet by none of these three can the people be truly and properly said to Give the Ruler his Power of Government Not by the first or last for both those do but determine who shall be the Recipient of that power whether one or more and who individually Not the second for that is but a limiting or bounding or regulating the Governing power that it be not exercised to their hurt The bounding and regulating of their power is not the Giving them power The People having the strength cannot be ruled against their concordant wills And therefore if they contract with their Governours that they will be Ruled thus and thus or not at all this is not to Give them power Yet Propriety they have and there they may be Givers So that this Bounding or Regulating and Choosing the form and Persons and giving of their propriety is all that they have to do And the choosing of the Family or person is not at all a Giving the Power They are but sine quibus non to that They do but open the door to let in the Governour They do but name the family or man to whom God and not they shall Give the power As when God hath already determined what authority the Husband shall have over the Wife the Wife by choosing him to be her Husband giveth him not his power but only chooseth the man to whom God giveth it by his standing Law Though about the disposing of her estate she may limit him by pre-contracts But if she contract against his Goâ—ernment it is acontradiction and null Nor if he abuse his power doth it at all fall into her hands If the King by Charter give power to a Corporation to choose their Mayor or other Officer they do but nominate the persons that shall receive it but it is the Kings Charter and not they that give him the power If a Souldier voluntarily list himself under the Kings General or other Commanders he doth but choose the man that shall command him but it is the Kings Commission that giveth him the power to command those that voluntarily so list themselves And if the authority be abused or forfeited it is not into the Souldiers hands but into the Kings § 7. Prop. 6. The Constituting-Consent or Contract of Ancestors obligeth all their posterity if Prop. 6. they will have any of the protection or other benefit of Government to stand to the constitution Else Governments should be so unsetled and mutable as to be uncapable of their proper End § 8. Prop. 7. God hath neither in nature or Scripture estated this Power of Government in whole or Prop. 7. in part upon the people of a meer Community much less on Subjects whether Noble or Ignoble So foolish and bad â—s the 〈◊〉 tâ—o 〈…〉 man shâ—uâ—d not endanger himself for his Countrey because wisdom is not to be cast away for the commodity of fools Laert. in Aristip. But a wise man must be wise for others and not only for himself Learned or unlearned the part of the Community or the whole body Real or Representative The people as such have not this Power either to Use or to Give But the absolute Soveraign of all the world doth communicate the Soveraign power in every Kingdom or other sort of Common-wealth from himself Immediately I say Immediately not without the Mediation of an Instrument signifying his will for the Law of Nature and Scripture are his Instrument and the Charter of Authority nor yet so Immediately as without any kind of medium for the Consent and Nomination of the Community before expressed may be Conditio sine qua non so far as aforesaid But it is so Immediately from God as that there is no immediate Recipient to receive the power first from God and convey it to the Soveraign § 9. Prop. 8. The Natural power of individual persons over themselves is tota specie different from Prop. 8. this Political or Civil Power And it is not the Individuals resignation of this Natural power of selfdisposal It was one of the Roman Laws of the twelve Tables Vendendi filium patri potestas esâ—o But this Law rather giveth the Father that power than declareth it to be naturally in him Nature alloweth him no other selling of him than what is for his Child 's own good unto one or more which is the efficient Cause of Soveraignty or Civil Power § 10. Prop. 9. If you take the word Law properly for the expression of a Rulers Will obliging Prop. 9. the Governed or making their duty and not improperly for meer Contracts between the Soveraign and the people then it is clear in the definition it self that neither Subjects nor the Community as such have any Legislative power Neither Nature nor Scripture hath given the people a Power of making Laws either by themselves or with the Soveraign Either the sole power or a part of it But the very Nature of Government requireth that the whole Legislative power that is the power of making Governing Laws belong to the summa Majestas or Soveraign alone Unless when the summa potestas is in many hands you compare the partakers among themselves and call one Party the Soveraign as having more of the Soveraignty than the rest For those that are no Governours at all cannot perform the chief act of Government which is the making of Governing-Laws But the people are no Governours at all either as a Community or as Subjects So that you may easily perceive that all the Arguments for a natural Democracy are built upon false suppositions and where ever the People have any part in the Soveraignty it is by the after-Constitution and not by Nature And that Kings receive not their Power from the peoples gift who never had it themselves to use or give but from God alone § 11. Prop. 10. Though God have not made an Universal determination for any one sort of Government against the rest whether Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy because that is best for one people which may be worse for others yet ordinarily Monarchy is accounted better than Aristocracy and Aristocracy better than Democracy So much briefly of the Original of Power § 12. Object 1. But saith worthy Mr. Richard Hooker
love of Christ and one another and 1 John 3. 16. that we forgive and pray for them that persecute us 24. In all this suffering from men he feels also so much of the fruit of our sin upon his soul that he cryeth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me To teach us if we fall into such calamity of soul as to think that God himself forsaketh us to remember for our support that the Son of God himself before us cryed out My God why hast thou forsaken me And that in this also we may expect a tryal to seem to our selves Forsaken of God when our Saviour underwent the like before us I will instance in no more of his example because I would not be tedious Hither now let believers cast their eyes If you love your Lord you should love to imitate him and be glad to find your selves in the way that he hath gone before you If He lived a worldly or a sensual life do you do so If He was an enemy to preaching and praying and holy living be you so But if he lived in the greatest contempt of all the wealth and honours and pleasures of the world in a life of holy obedience to his Father wholly preferring the Kingdom of Heaven and seeking the salvation of the souls of others and patiently bearing persecution derision calumnies and death then take up your Cross and follow him in joyfully to the expected Crown § 7. Direct 6. If you will Learn of Christ you must Learn of his Ministers whom he hath appointed Direct 6. under him to be the Teachers of his Church He purposely enableth them enclineth them and sendeth them to instruct you Not to have dominion over your faith but to be your spiritual Fathers and the Ministers by whom you believe as God shall give ability and success to every one as he pleases to plant and water while God giveth the encrease to open mens eyes and turn them from darkness to light and to be labourers together with God whose husbandry and building you are and to be helpers of your joy See 2 Cor. 24. Acts 26. 17 18. 1 Cor. 3. 5 6 7 8 9. 4. 15. Seeing therefore Christ hath appointed them under him to be the ordinary Teachers of his Church he that heareth them speaking his message heareth him and he that despiseth them despiseth him Luke 10. 16. And he that saith I will hear Christ but not you doth say in effect to Christ himself I will not hear thee nor learn of thee unless thou wilt dismiss thy Ushers and teach me immediately thy self § 8. Direct 7. Hearken also to the secret Teachings of his Spirit and your consciences not as makeing Direct 7. you any new Law or Duty or being to you instead of Scriptures or Ministers but as bringing that truth into your Hearts and practices which Scriptures and Ministers have first brought to your eyes and ears If you understand not this how the office of Scripture and Ministers differ from the office of the Spirit and your Consciences you will be confounded as the Sectaries of these times have been that separate what God hath joyned together and plead against Scripture or Ministers under pretence of extolling the Spirit or the Light within them As your meat must be taken into the stomach and pass the first concoction before the second can be performed and chilification must be before sanguification so the Scripture and Ministers must bring truth to your eyes and ears before the Spirit or Conscience bring them to your Hearts and Practice But they lye dead and uneffectual in your brain or imagination if you hearken not to the secret teachings of the Spirit and Conscience which would bring them further As Christ is the principal Teacher without and Ministers are but under him so the Spirit is the principal Teacher within us and Conscience is but under the Spirit being excited and informed by it Those that learn only of Scriptures and Ministers by hearing or reading may become men of Learning and great ability though they hearken not to the sanctifying teachings of the Spirit or to their Consciences But it is only those that hearken first to the Scriptures and Ministers and next to the Spirit of God and to their Consciences that have an inward sanctifying saving knowledge and are they that are said to be Taught of God Therefore hearken first with your ears what Christ hath to say to you from without and then hearken daily and diligently with your hearts what the Spirit and Conscience say within For it is their office to preach over all that again to your Hearts which you have received § 9. Direct 8. It being the office of the present ordinary Ministry only to expound and apply the doctrine Direct 8 of Christ already recorded in the Scriptures believe not any man that contradicteth this recorded doctrine what Reason Authority â—r Revelation soever he pretend Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimâ—ny if they speak not according to these it is because there is no Light in them No Reason can be Reason indeed that is pretended against the Reason of the Creator and God of Reason Authority pretended against the Highest Authority of God is no Authority God never gave Authority to any against himself nor to deceive mens souls nor to dispense with the Law of Christ nor to warrant men to sin against him nor to make any supplements to his Law or Doctrine The Apostles had their â— Câ—â— 10 8. â—â—â—â—â— 1â— â—â— Power only to â—diâ—ication but not to destruction There is no Revelation from God that is contrary to his own Revelation already delivered as his perfect Law and Rule unto the Church and therefore none supplemental to it If an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven per possibile vel impossibile shall Evangelize to us besides what is Evangelized and we have received he must be held accursed Gal. 1. 6 7 8. § 10. Direct 9. Come not to Learn of Christ with self conceitedness pride or confidence in your prejudice 〈◊〉 9. and errors but as little Children with humble teachable tractable minds Christ is no Teacher for those that in their own eyes are wise enough already unless it be first to teach them to become fools in their own esteem because they are so indeed that they may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. They that are prepossessed with false opinions and resolve that they will never be perswaded of the contrary are unmeet to be Scholars in the School of Christ. He resisteth the proud but giveth more grace unto the 1 Pâ—â— 5. â— humble Men that have a high conceit of their own understandings and think they can easily know truth from falshood as soon as they hear it and come not to learn but to censure what they hear or read as being able presently to judge of all these are fitter for the School of the Prince of Pride and
appetite actively 4. And so whether the will which is the principium actuâ— quoad exercitium were not the first in the omission The intellect having before said This must bâ— further considered the will commanded not that further consideration when it could and should However if it be too hard for us to trace our own souls in all their motions it is certain that the will of Man is the first subject of Moral good and evil And uncertainties must not make us deny that which is certain The Reader who understandeth the importance and consequence of these points I am sure will pardon me for this interposition of these difficult controverted points which I purposely avoid where I judge them not very needful in order to the defence or clearing of the plainer common truths And as for others I must bear their censure § 9. The Degree of sinfulness in the will lyeth in a stiffness and obstinacy a tenaciousness of deceitâ—â—â—â— temporal Good and an Eagerness after it and stubborn averseness to spiritual good as it is against 〈…〉 Non incestum vel aspersione aquae vel dierum numero tollitur Cicero 2. de lâ—gib that temporal flâ—shly good This is the wills disease § 10. 3. The sinfulness of the memory is in its Retentiveness of Evil or things hurtful and prohited and its Looseness and Neglect of better spiritual necessary things If this were only as things present have the natural advantage to make a deeper impress upon the fantasie and things unseen and absent have the disadvantage it were then but a natural innocent infirmity or if in sickness age or weakness all kind of memory equally decay But it is plain that if the Bible be open before our eyes and preaching be in our ears and things unseen have the advantage of their infinite greatness and excellency and concernment to us yet our Memories are like walls of stone to any thing that is spiritual and like walls of wax on which you may write any thing of that which is secular or evil Note here also that the faultiness of the memory is only so farr sinful as it is Voluntary It is the will where the sin is as in its Throne or chiefest subject Because men Love carnal things and Love not spiritual things therefore it is that they mind and understand and remember the one and not the other So that it is but as Imperate and Participatively that the memory is capable of sin § 11. 4. The sinfulness of the Imagination consisteth in its readiness to Think of Evil and of common earthly things and its unaptness to Think of any thing that is Holy and Good And when we do force our selves to holy Thoughts they are disorderly confused unskilfully managed with great averseness Here also voluntariness is the Life of the sin § 12. 5. The sin of the Affections or Passions consisteth in this That they are too easily and violently moved by the sensitive interest and appetite and are Habitually prone to such carnal inordinate motions running before the understanding and will some of them and solliciting and urging them to evil and resisting and disobeying the commands of Reason and the Will but dull and backward to things spiritually good and to execute the right dictates of the Mind and Will § 13. 6. The sin of the sensitive appetite consisteth in the inordinate rage or immoderateness to its object which causeth it to disobey the Commands of Reason and to become the Great inciter of Rebellion in the soul violently urging the Mind and Will to consent to its desires Materially this dependeth much on the temper of the body but formally this also is so farr sinful as positively or privatively mediately or immediately it is voluntary To have an Appetite simply to the object of Appetite is no sin But to have a diseased inordinate unruly appetite is a sin not primarily in it self considered but as it is voluntary as it is the Appetite of a Rational free agent that hath thus disordered the frame of its own Nature § 14. 7. The sin of the exteriour parts tongue hand eys feet c. is only in Act and not in Habit or at least the Habits are weak and subject to the will And it is in the execution of the sinful desires of the flesh and commands of the will that the fame consisteth These parts also are not the primary subject of the guilt but the will that either Positively puts them upon evil or doth not restrain them when it ought And so they are guilty but participatively and secondarily as the other imperate faculties are It is not Good or Evil meerly as it is the act of tongue or hand but as it is the act of the tongue or hand of a Rational free agent agreeable or disagreeable to the Law If a mad-man should speak blasphemy or should kill or steal it were no further sin than as he had Voluntarily contracted the ill disposition which caused it while he had the use of Reason If a mans hand were held and forced by another to do mischief utterly against his will it is the sin of the chief agent and not of the involuntary instrument But no force totally excuseth us from Guilt which leaveth the act to our Rational Choice He that saith Take this Oath or I will kill thee or torment thee doth use force as a Temptation which may be resisted but doth not constrain a man to swear For he leaveth it to his Choice whether he will swear or die or be tormented And he may and ought to choose death rather than the smallest sin The will may be tempted but not constrained § 15. Direct 2. Labour clearly to understand the evil of sin both intrinsecal in it self and in Direct 2. its aggravationâ— and effects When you have found out where it is and wherein it doth consist find out the malignity and odiousness of it I have heard some Christians complain that they read much to shew them the evil of sin in its Effects but meet with few that shew them its evil in it self sufficiently But if you see not the evil of sin in it self as well as in the effects it will but tempt you to think God unjust in overpunishing it and it will keep you from the principal part of true Repentance and Mortification which lieth in hating sin as sin I shall therefore shew you wherein the intrinsical malignity of sin consisteth § 16. 1. Sin is formally the violation of the perfect holy righteous Law of God 2. It is a denyal or contempt of the Authority or governing-Governing-power of God As if we said Thou shalt not be our Governour in this 3. It is an usurping the Soveraign Power to our selves of governing our selves in that act For when we refuse Gods Government we set up our selves in his stead and so make Gods of our selves as to our selves as if we were self-sufficient independent and had Right hereto 4. It is a
and personal recourse to as far as may be for the resolving of their weighty doubts and instruction in cases of difficulty and necessity and for the setling of their peace and comfort 10. They are appointed as Physicions under Christ to watch over all the individual Members of their charge and take care that they be not infected with Heresie or corrupted by vice and to admonish the offenders and reduce them unto the way of Truth and Holiness and if they continue impenitent after publick admonition to reject them from the Communion of the Church and command 1 Cor. 14. 16 26. the Church to avoid them 11. They are as to bind over the impenitent to answer their contumacy Acts 20. 7. 36. Jameâ— 5 14. Acts 6. 4. 2. 42. at the Barr of Christ so to Absolve the penitent and comfort them and require the Church to re-admit them to their Communion 12. They are appointed as Stewards in the houshold of Christ to have a tender care of the very bodily welfare of their flocks so as to endeavour the supplying Phil. 1 4. Nâ—h 12. 24. 11. 17. of their wants and stirring up the rich to relieve the poor and faithfully by themselves or the Deacons to distribute what is intrusted with them for that use 13. They are especially to visit the sick and when they are sent for to pray for them and with them and to instruct them in 1 Cor. 11. 24. 10. 16. their special preparations for Death and confirm them against those last assaults 14. They are appointed Heb. 7. 7. Tit. 2. 15. 1. 9 11. to be the publick Champions of the Truth to defend it against all Heretical and prophane opposers and thereby to preserve the flock from being seduced 15. They are appointed to be under Christ the Head the Nerves and Ligaments of the several Churches by which they are kept 1 Tim. 5. 19. 3. 5. not only in vigour by communication of nutriment but also in Concord and such Communion as they Tit. 3. 10. Matth. 18. 17 18. are capable of by the correspondencies and consultations and councils of their Pastors All these are the distinct and special uses to which Christ hath appointed the Office of the Sacred Ministry which having but named to you I need to say no more to shew you the Excellency and Necessity 1 Cor. 5. 4 11 13. and Benefits of it § 4. Herein also the Reasons are apparent why Christ did institute this Sacred Office 1. Because Eph. 4. 13 14. Acts 15. it was meet his Kingdom should have Officers suited to his work in the Administration of it 2. It was meet that they be Men like our selves that we can familiarly converse with 3. The great necessity of his Church required it where the most are weak and insufficient to perform all these Offices for themselves and cannot well subsist without the support of others It was meet therefore that the Pastors were selected persons wiser and holier and stronger than the people and fit for so great and necessary a work 4. It was requisite also to the Order of the Church For if it were like an Army without Officers there would be nothing but confusion and neither order nor edification § 5 By this you may also see the Nature and Reasons of your Obedience to your Pastors As they are not appointed to Govern you by * Priâ—ces may force their subjects by the temporal Sword which they bear Bishops may not force their flock with any corporal or external violence Biâ—son Châ—ist Subjection pag. 525. force but willingly †1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as being Lords over Gods Heritage but as ensamples to the flock so you must willingly and chearfully obey them in their work As their * Dr. Hammond Annot. q. d. The Bishops of your several Churches I exhort Take care of your several Churches and Govern them not as Seâ—ular Rulâ—rs by force but as Pastors do their sheep by calling and going before them that so they may follow of their own accoâ—d If you would know the true Nature and extent of the Bishops Work and Office read carefully the said Dr. Hammonds Paraphras on Acts 20. 20 28. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 12. Heb. 13. Annot. a. Tiâ— 3. 10. 1 Cor. 12. 28. e Annot. Jam. 5. 14. Annot. Acts 11. 30. Annot. â— Acts 14. 23. Government is not by and bodily penalties or mulcts for that is the Magistrates work and not theirs but a Government by the force of TRUTH and LOVE so your Obedience of them consisteth in the Loving and Thankful reception of the Truth which they teach you and the mercies which they offer you from Christ. § 6. You see then that the Reasons of your obedience are manifold 1. Some of them from God He hath sent his Messengers to you and set his Officers over you and Christ hath told you that he that heareth them heareth him and he that despiseth them despiseth him and him that sent him Luke 10. 16. He commandeth you to hear and obey them as his Officers 2. From themselves They have Authority by their Commission and they have Ability in their qualifications which require your obedience and improvement 3 From your selves Have you reason to obey your natural Parents on whom your livelihood in the world dependeth Have you reason to obey him that tendereth you a Pardon from the King when you are condemned oâ— that offereth you Gold or Riches in your want or that inviteth you to a feast in a time of famine or that offereth to defend and save you from your enemies Much more have you reason to obey Christs Ministers when they call you to Repentance and offer you pardon of sin and peace and salvation and eternal life Did you ever hear a man so mad or churlish as to say to one that offered him Riches or Liberty or Life I am not bound to obey you Offer them to those that you have authority over When the Office of the Ministry is as well subservient to Christ as a Saviour and Benefactor as to Christ as your Teacher and your King the very nature of their work engageth you to obey them as you Love your selves If you were in Hell and Christ should send for you out you would not refuse to go till the Messenger had proved his authority And when you are the Heirs of Hell condemned by the Law and going thither will you refuse to turn back and yield to the offers and commands of Grace till you have skill enough to read the Ministers Commission § 7. By this also you see that the power of your Pastors is not absolute nor coercive and Lordly Chrysost. cited by Biâ—son p. 525 But if any man wander from the right path of the Christian Faith the Pastor must uâ—e great pains care and patience For
that he is better acquainted with your spiritual state and life than others are and therefore in less danger of wronging you by mistake and misapplications For it s supposed that you have acquainted him with your personal condition in your health having taken him as your ordinary Counsellor for your souls and that he hath acquainted himself with your condition and confirmed you and watcht over you by name as Ignatius to Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna saith Saepe Congregationes fiant ex nomine omnes quaere servos ancillas ne despicias as Bishop Ushers old Latine Transl. hath Vid. Iastiâ— Marâ— Apol. 2. Vid. Tertul. Apol. c. 39. it Let Congregations be often held Enquire after all by name Despise not Servants and Maids The Bishop took notice of every Servant and Maid by name and he had opportunity to see whether they were in the Congregation 9. You must use him as your Leader or Champion against all Hereticks Infidels and subtle adversaries of the truth with whom you are unable to contend your selves that your Bishop may clear up and defend the cause of Christ and righteousness and by irresistible evidence stop the mouths of all I hope all this will tell you what a Bishop indeed is gain-sayers It is for your own benefit and not for theirs that you are required in all these works of their office to use them and readily obey them And what hurt can it do you to obey them in any of these § 9. Direct 3. Understand how it is that Christ doth authorize and send forth his Ministers lest Direct 3. Wolves and deceivers should either obtrude themselves upon you as your lawful Pastors or should alienate you from thâ—se that God hath set over you by puzling you in subtle questioring or disputing against their call Not only Pauls warnings Act. 20. 30. and 2 Tim. 3. 6. but lamentable experience telleth us what an eager desire there is in Proud and Self-conceited men to obtrude themselves as Teachers and Pastors on the Churches to creep into houses and lead people captive and draw away Disciples after them and say and perhaps think that others are deceivers and none are the true Teachers indeed but they And the first part of the art and work of wolves is to separate you from your Pastors and catch up the straglers that are thus separated The malice and slanders and lies and railing of hirelings and deceivers and all the powers of Hell are principally poured out on the faithful Pastors and leaders of the flocks The principal work of the Jesuits against you is to make you believe that Gâ—ot de Imp. p. 273. Pastorum est ordinare Pastores Neque id officâ—um eis competit quâ hujus aut illius ecclesiae Pastores sunt sed quâ uâ— nistriâ— ecclesiae Catholicae your Pastors are no true Pastors but uncalled private persons and meer usurpers and the reason must be because they have not an Ordination of Bishops successively from the Apostles without interruption I confess if our interruptions had been half as lamentable as theirs by their Schisms and variety of Popes at once and Popes accused or condemned by General Councils for Hereticks and their variety of wayes of electing Popes and their incapacities by Simony Usurpation c. I should think at least that our Ancestors had cause to have questioned the calling of some that were then over them But I will help you in a few words to discern the jugling of these deceivers by shewing you the truth concerning the way of Christs giving his commission to the Ministers that are truly called and the needlesness of the proof of an uninterrupted succession of regular ordination to your reception of your Pastors and their Ministrations § 10. The ministerial commission is contained in and conveyed by the Law of Christ which is the See in Grotius de Imper. sum potest p. 269. The necessary distinction of 1. Ipsa facultas praedicandi sacramenta claves administrandi quod Mandatum vocat 2. Applicatio hujus facultatis ad certam personam viz. Ordinatio 3. Applicatio hujus personae ad certum coeâ—um locum viz. Electio 4. Iliud quo certa persona in certo loco ministerium suum exercet publico praesidio ac publicâ authoritate viz. Coâ—fiâ—matio p. 273. Constat munetis institutionem à Deo esse Ordinationem à Pastoribus Confirmationem publicam à summa potestate So that the doubt is only about election Which yet must be differenced from consenâ— Charter of the Church and every true Bishop or Pastor hath his Power from Christ and not at all from the efficient conveyance of any mortal man Even as Kings have their power not from man but from God himself but with this difference that in the Church Christ hath immediatly determined of the species of Church offices but in the Civil Government only of the Genus absolutely and immediatly You cannot have a plainer illustration than by considering how Mayors and Bailiffs and Constables are annually made in Corporations The King by his Charter saith that every year at a certain time the freemen or Burgesses shall meet and choose one to be their Mayor and the Steward or Town Clerk shall give him his oath and thus or he shall be invested in his place and this shall be his power and work and no other So the King by his Law appointeth that Constables and Church-wardens shall be chosen in every Parish Now let our two questions be here decided 1. Who it is that giveth these Officers their Power 2. Whether an uninterrupted succession of such officers through all generations since the enacting of that Law be necessary to the validity of the present officers authority To the first It is certain that it is the King by his Law or Charter that giveth the officers their power and that the Corporations and Parishes do not give it them by electing or investing them yea though the King hath made such election and Investiture to be in a sort his instrument in the conveying it it is but as the opening of the door to let them in sine quo non but it doth not make the Instruments to be at all the Givers of the Power nor were they the receiving or containing mediate causes of it The King never gave them the Power which the officers receive either to Use or to Give but only makes the Electors his Instruments to determine of the person that shall receive the Power immediately from the Law or Charter and the Investers he ma keth his Instruments of solemnizing the Tradition and admission which if the Law or Charter make absolutely Necessary ad esse officii it will be so but if it make it necessary only ad melius esse or but for order and regular admittance when no necessity hindereth it the necessity will be no more And to the second question It is plain that the Law which is the Fundamentum
Here is the sum of what I have been saying § 30. 2. Observe also the great difference between us and the Papists in this controversie of using Tradition in the resolution of our Faith 1. They decide the main question in gross by Tradition viz. Whether the Scripture be the Word of God But we only decide the questions about history or matters of fact by it which are subservient to the other 2. The Tradition which most of them plead is nothing but the Authoritative judgement of the successive Pastors of the Church in a General Council confirmed by the Pope and as another faction among them saith The reception of the whole Church both Laity and Clergie and this Church must be only the Roman faction But the Tradition which we plead is the concurrent Testimony of friends and foes Orthodox and Hereticks and of all the Churches throughout the world both Greek and Latine Ethiopian Armenian Protestants c. And this Testimony we plead not meerly as a humane testimony much less as such as is credible chiefly for the meer Power real or pretended of the Testifiers but as such as by a concurrence of testimonies and circumstances hath besides the Teachers authority the evidences of infallible moral certainty in the very History as we have of the Statutes of the Realm § 31. Direct 6. Understand what kind and measure of Obedience it is that you owe your lawful Pastors Direct 6. that you neither prove Schismatical and unruly nor yet have a hand in setting up Idols and usurpations in the Church This you may learn from the foregoing description of the Pastors work The kind of your obedience is commensurate to the kind of his Office and Work You are not to obey your We may not offer any violence but only perswade We have not so great authority given us by the Laws as to repress offenders and if it were lawful for us so to do we have no use of any such 〈◊〉 power for that Christ crowneth them which abstain from sin not of a forced but of a willing mind and purpose Chrys. â—itaâ—te Bilson of Subjection p. 526. Et ibid. ex Hilar. If this violence were used for the true faith the Doctrine of Bishops would be against it God needeth no forced service He requireth no constrained confession I cannot receive any man but him that is willing I cannot give ear but to him that intreateth c. Ita Origen ibid. citat Pastors as Civil Magistrates that bear the Sword nor as Physicions to tell you what you must do for your health nor as Artificers to command you how to plow and sow and trade c. except in the Morality of these But it is as your Teachers and Guides in the matters of salvation that you must obey them And that not as Prophets or Law-givers to the Church but as the stated Officers of Christ to open and apply the Laws that he hath given and determine of such circumstances as are subservient thereunto Not as those that have dominion of your faith or may preach another 2 Cor. 1. 24. Gal. 1. 7 8. Gospel or contradict any truth of God which by Scripture or Nature he hath revealed or can dispence with any duty which he hath commanded But as those that have all their power from God 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13 10. and for God and your salvation and the good of other mens souls to edification only and not to destruction Particular cases I here purposely forbear § 32. Direct 7. Be sure that you look on them as the Officers of Christ in all that they do as such Direct 7. and see not only their natural but their Ecclesiastical Persons that through them you may have to do with God Especially in Preaching and Administring the Sacraments and binding the impenitent and absolving the penitent and comforting the sad and humbled souls All the holiness and life and power of your spiritual converse with them consisteth in your seeing and conversing with God in them and using them as his Messengers or Officers that deliver his message and do his work and not their own If you disobey them in his work it is God that you disobey And if they Teach you his Word or deliver you Christ and his benefits in the Sacraments it is Christ himself that doth it by them as by his instruments so far as they do it according to his Commission and his Will This observing Christ in their Teaching will possess you with due reverence and care and cause you to do it as a holy work And to see Christ in them delivering and sealing his Covenant to you will very much increase your joy when Man as Man is but a shadow Direct 8. § 33. Direct 8. Make use of their help in private and not in publick only As the use of a Physicion is not only to read a Lecture of Physick to his Patients but to be ready to direct every person according to their particular case there being such variety of temperatures diseases and accidents that in dangerous cases the direction of the judicious is needful in the application So here it is not the least of the Pastoral work to oversee the individuals and to give them personally such particular advice as their case requireth Never expect that all thy Books or Sermons or Prayers or Meditations should serve thy turn without the counsel of thy Pastors in greater cases for that were but to devise how to prove Gods Officers needless to his Church If thou be an ignorant or unconverted sinner go to the Minister and ask him what thou must do to be saved And resolve to follow his sound advice If thou be in doubt of any weighty point of faith or godliness or assaulted perillously by any adversary or need his advice for thy setled Peace thy assurance of Pardon and Salvation and thy preparation for death go ask counsel of thy Pastors and receive their help with readiness and thankfulness Or if thou live where there is none that is able and willing thus to help thee remove to them that are such if lawfully thou canst § 34. Direct 9. Assist your Pastors in the work of God by the duties of your places which tend Direct 9. thereto Labour by your holy serious conference to instruct the ignorant and convince the unbelieving Acts 18. 24 26 27. and convert the ungodly and strengthen the weak with whom you have fit opportunity for Rom. 16. 3. â—ohn 3. 8. Eph. 4. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Phil. 2. 15. Matth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. 2 Pet. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. 2. 12. Heb. 3. 13. Heb. 10. 24. Direct 10. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. such work Labour by your holy examples by Love and Concord and Meekness and Sobriety and contempt of the world and a heavenly life to shine as lights in the midst of a dark and crooked Generation Preach all of you
exercise and to a fixed Charge as thou hast now a Call to the Office in general 9. Yet every Bishop or Pastor by his Relation to the Church Universal and to mankind and the interest of Christ is bound not only as a Christian but as a Pastor to do his best for the common good and not to cast wholly out of his care a particular Church because another hath the oversight of it Therefore if an Heretick get in or the Church fall to Heresie or any pernicious error or sin the neighbour Pastors are bound both by the Law of Nature and their Office to interpose their Counsel as Ministers of Christ and to prefer the substance before pretended order and to feek to recover the peoples souls though it be against their proper Pastors will And in such a case of necessity they may ordain degrade excommunicate and absolve in anothers charge as if it were a vacuity 10. Moreover it is one thing to excommunicate a man out of a particular Church and another thing for many associated Churches or Neighbours to renounce Communion with him The special 1 Cor. 5. Tit. 3. 10. 2 Thess. 3. 6 14. Pastors of particular Churches having the Government of those Churches are the special Governing Judges who shall or shall not have Communion as a member in their Churches But the neighbour-Pastors of other Churches have the power of Judging with whom they and their own flocks will or will 2 John 10. Rev. 2. 14 15 2â— not hold Communion As e. g. Athanasius may as Governour of his flock declare any Arrian-member excommunicate and require his flock to have no Communion with him And all the neighbour Pastors though they excommunicate not the same man as his special Governours yet may declare to all their flocks that if that man come among them they will have no Communion with him and that at distance they renounce that distant Communion which is proper to Christians one with another and take him for none of the Church of Christ. Quest. 25. Whether Canons be Laws And Pastors have a Legislative Power ALL men are not agreed what a Law is that is what is to be taken for the proper sense of that Word Some will have the name confined to such Common Laws as are stated durable Rules for the subjects actions And some will extend it also to personal temporary verbal Precepts and Mandates such as Parents and Masters use daily to the children and servants of their families And of the first sort some will confine the name Laws to those acts of Soveraignty which are about the common matters of the Kingdom or which no interiour Officer may make And others will extend it to those Orders which by the Soveraigns Charter a Corporation or Colledge or School may make for the subregulation of their particular societies and affairs I have declared my own opinion de nomine fully elsewhere 1. That the definition of a Law in the proper general sense is To be A sign or signification of the Reason and Will of the Rector as such to his subjects as such instituting or antecedently determining what shall be Due from them and to them Jus efficiendo Regularly making Right 2. That these Laws are many more wayes diversified and distinguished from the efficient sign subjects matter end c. than is meet for us here to enumerate It is sufficient now to say 1. That stated Regulating Laws as distinct from temporary Mandates and Proclamations 2. And Laws for Kingdoms and other Common-wealthy in regard of Laws for Persons Schools Families c. 3. And Laws made by the Supream Power as distinct from those made by the derived authority of Colleges Corporations c. called By-Laws or Orders For I will here say nothing of Parents and Pastors whose Authority is directly or immediately from the efficiency of Nature in one and Divine Institution in the other and not derived efficiently from the Magistrate or any man 4. That Laws about great substantial matters distinct from those about little and mutable circumstances c. I say the first sort as distinct from the second are Laws so called by Excellency above other Laws But that the rest are univocally to be called Laws according to the best definition of the Law in Genere But if any man will speak otherwise let him remember that it is yet but lis de nomine and that he may use his liberty and I will use mine Now to the Question 1. Canons made by Virtue of the Pastoral Office and Gods General Laws in Nature or Scripture for regulating it are a sort of Laws to the subjects or flocks of those Pastors 2. Canons made by the Votes of the Laity of the Church or private part of that society as private are no Laws at all but Agreements Because they are not acts of any Governing power 3. Canons made by Civil Rulers about the circumstantials of the Church belonging to their Office as orderers of such things are Laws and may be urged by moderate and meet civil or corporal penalties and no otherwise 4. Canons made by Princes or inferiour Magistrates are no Laws purely and formally Ecclesiastical which are essentially Acts of Pastoral power But only Materially Ecclesiastical and formally Magistratical 5. No Church Officers as such much less the people can make Laws with a Co-active or Coâ—rcive sanction that is to be enforced by their Authority with the Sword or any corporal penalty mulct or force This being the sole priviledge of Secular Powers Civil or Oâ—conomical or Scholastick 6. There is no obligation ariseth to the subject for particular obedience of any Law which is evidently against the Laws of God in Nature or holy Scripture 7. They are no Laws which Pastors make to people out of their power As the Popes c. 8. There is no power on earth under Christ that hath Authority to make Universal Laws to bind the whole Church on all the earth or all mankind Because there is no Universal Soveraign Civil or Spiritual Personal or Collective 9. Therefore it is no Schism but Loyalty to Christ to renounce or separate from such a society of ☜ Usurpation nor no disobedience or rebellion to deny them obedience 10. Pastors may and must be obeyed in things Lawful as Magistrates if the King make them Magistrates Though I think it unmeet for them to accept a Magistracy with the Sword except in case of some rare necessity 11. Is Pope Patriarchs or Pastors shall usurp any of the Kings Authority Loyalty to Christ and him and the Love of the Church and State oblige us to take part with Christ and the King against such Usurpation but only by lawful means in the compass of our proper place and Calling 12. The Canons made by the Councils of many Churches have a double nature As they are made for the people and the subjects of the Pastors they are a sort of Laws That is They oblige by the derived
him Heb. 13. 7. 17. And if the governing power of one Pastor be not suspended for want of the consent of any or all the people then much less the Governing Power of King and Parliament § 20. Object 9. Lib. 8. p. 220. It is a thing even undoubtedly natural that all free and independent Object 9. societies should themselves make their own Laws and that this power should belong to the whole not to any certain part of a politick body Answ. This is oft affirmed but no proof at all of it In many Nations the Representatives of the whole Body have the Legislative power or part of it But that is from the special constitution of that particular Common-wealth and not from Nature nor common to all Nations All that naturally belongeth to the people as such was but to choose their Law-makers and secure their liberties and not to make Laws themselves by themselves or meer representers § 21. Object 10. Lib. 8. p. 221. For of this thing no man doubteth namely that in all societies Object 10. Companies and Corporations what severally each shall be bound unto it must be with all their assents ratified Against all equity it were that a man should suffer detriment at the hands of men for not observing that which he never did either by himself or by others mediately or immediately agree to Answ. I am one that more than doubt of that which you say no man doubteth of Do you not Answ. so much as except Gods Laws and all those that only do enforce them or drive men to obey them As men are obliged to obey God whether they consent or not so are they to obey the Laws of their Soveraigns though they never consented to them no nor to their Soveraignty as long as they are members of that Common-wealth to the Government whereof the Soveraign is lawfully called Millions of dissenters may be bound to obey till they quit the Society § 22. Object 11. Lib. 8. p. 205. If Magistrates be Heads of the Church they are of Necessity Object 11. Christians Answ. That can never be proved A Constitutive Head indeed must be a Christian and more even Answ. a Pastor to a particular Church and Christ to the universal This Headship our Kings disclaim But a Head of the Church that is Over the Church or a Coercive Governour of it the King would be if he were no Christian. As one that is no Physicion may be Head over all the Physicions in his Kingdom or though he be no Philosopher or Artist he may be Head over all the Philosophers and Artists and in all their Causes have the Supream Coercive power so would the King over all Protestants if he were no Protestant and over all Christians if he were no Christian But you think that he that is no member of the Church cannot be the Head of it I answer Not a Constitutive Essential Head as the Pastor is But he may be the Head over it and have all the coercive power over it What if the King be not a member of many Corporations in his Kingdom Yet as he is Head of the Kingdom he is Head of or over them as they are parts of it § 23 Object 12. Lib. 8. p. 218 223 224. What power the King hath he hath it by Law Object 12. the bounds and limits of it are known the entire community giveth order c. p. 223. As for them that exercise power altogether against order although the kind of power which they have may be of God yet is their exercise thereof against God and therefore not of God otherwise than by permission as all injustice is Pag. 224. Usurpers of Power whereby we do not mean them that by violence have aspired unto places of highest authority but them that use more authority than they did ever receive in form and manner before mentioned Such Usurpers thereof as in the exercise of their power do more than they have been authorized to do cannot in conscience bind any man to obedience Answ. It is true that no man can exercise more power than he hath The power that we speak Answ. of being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ius regendi it is impossible to use more Authority than they have though they may command beyond and without authority And it is true that where a man hath no authority or right to command he cannot directly bind to obedience But yet a Ruler may exercise more power than Man ever gave him and oblige men to obedience thereby God giveth them Power to Govern for his Glory according to his Laws and to promote Obedience to those Laws of God in Nature and Scripture by subordinate Laws of their own And all this the Soveraign may do if the people at the choice of him or his family should only say We take you for our Soveraign Ruler For then he may do all that true Reason or Scripture make the work of a Soveraign Ruler even Govern the people by all such just means as tend to the publick good and their everlasting happiness And yet that people that should do no more but choose persons or families to Govern them and set them no bounds doth Give no Power to those they choose but determine of the persons that shall have power from God Yet it is granted you that if the person or family chosen contract with them to Govern only with such and such limitations they have bound themselves by their own contract and thus both specifications of Government and Degrees of power come in by men But alwayes distinguish 1. Between the peoples Giving away their Propriety in their Goods Labours c. which they may do and giving Authority or Governing power which they have not Potestas Maritalis est à Deo applicatio ejus potestatis ad certam personam ex consensu venit quo tamen ipsum jus non datur Nam si ex consensâ—â— daretur posset consensu etiam dissolvi matrimonium aut conveniri ne maritus foeminae imperaret Quid minime verum est Imperatoria potestas non est penes Electores ergo nec ab ipsis datur sed ab ipsis tamen certae personae applicatur Jus vitae necis non est peneâ— cives antequam in rempublicam coeant Privatus enim jus vindictae non habet ab iisâ—â—em tamen applicatur ad coetum ant personam aliquam Grotius de Imperiâ— p. 270. to give 2. Between their Naming the persons that shall receive it from the Universal King and Giving it themselves 3. Between bounding and limiting Power and Giving Power 4. And between a Soveraigns binding himself by contract and being bound by the Authority of others If they be limited by contracts which are commonly called the Constitutive or fundamental Laws it is their own consent and contract that effectively obligeth and limiteth them of which indeed the Peoples will may be the Occasion when they resolve that they
matters Conscire The knowledge of our selves our duties our faults our fears our hopes our diseases c. 2. Or more limitedly and narrowly The knowledge of our selves and our own matters in relation to Gods Law and Iudgement Iudicium hominis de seipso prout subjicitur judicio Dei as Amesius defineth it 2. Conscience is taken 1. Sometime for the Act of self-knowing 2. Sometime for the Habit 3. Sometime for the Faculty that is for the Intellect it self as it is a faculty of self-knowing In all these senses it is taken properly 2. And sometimes it is used by custome improperly for the Person himself that doth Conscire or for his Will another faculty 3 The Conscience may be said to be bound 1. Subjectively as the subjectum quod or the faculty obliged 2. Or Objectively as Conscire the Act of Conscience is the thing ad quod to which we are obliged And upon these necessary distinctions I thus answer to the first question Prop. 1 The Act or the Habit of Conscience are not capable of being the subject obliged no more than any other act or duty The Act or duty is not bound but the man to the act or duty 2. The Faculty or Iudgement is not capable of being the Object or Materia ad quam the thing to which we are bound A man is not bound to be a man or to have an Intellect but is made such 3. The Faculty of Conscience that is the Intellect is not capable of being the immediate or nearest subjectum quod or subject obliged The reason is Because the Intellect of it self is not a free-working faculty but acteth necessarily per modum naturae further than it is under the Empire of the Will And therefore Intellectual and Moral habits are by all men distinguished 4. All Legal or Moral Obligation falleth directly upon the Will only and so upon the Person as a Voluntary agent So that it is proper to say The Will is bound and The Person is bound 5 Improperly and remotely it may be said The Intellect or faculty of Conscience is bound or the tongue or hand or foot is bound as the Man is bound to use them 6. Though it be not proper to say that the Conscience is bound it is proper to say that the Man is bound to the Act and Habit of Conscience or to the exercise of the faculty 7. The common meaning of the phrase that we are bound in conscience oâ— that conscience is bound is that we are bound to a thing by God or by a Divine obligation and that it is a fin against God to violate it So that Divines use here to take the word Conscience in the narrower Theological sense as respect to Gods Law and Iudgement doth enter the definition of it 8. Taking Conscience in this narrower sense To ask Whether mans Law as Mans do bind us in Conscience Having spoken of this Controversie in my Life of Faith as an easie thing in which I thought we were really agreed while we seemed to differ which I called A pitiful Case some Bâ—ethren who say nothing against the truth of what I said are offended at me as speaking too confidently and calling that so easie which Bishop Saâ—derâ—oa and so many others did make a greater matter of I retract the words if they â—e unsuittable either to the matter or the Readers But as to the matter and the truth of the words I desire the Reader but to consider how easie a case Mr. P. maketh of it Eccl. Pol. and how heinous a matter he maketh of our supposed dissent And if after all this it shall appear that the Non-conformists do not at all differ from Hooker Bilson and the generality of the Conformists in this point let him that is willing to be represented as odious and intolerable to Rulâ—rs and to mankind for that in which we do not differ proceed to backbite me for saying that it is a pitiful case and pretending that we are agreed is all one as to ask Whether Man be God 9. And taking Conscience in the large or General sense to ask whether Mans Laws bind us in Conscience subjectively is to ask whether they bind the Understanding to know our duty to man And the tenour of them will shew that While they bind us to an outward Act or from an outward Act it is the man that they bind to or from that act and that is as he is a Rational Voluntary Agent so that a humane obligation is laid upon the Man on the Will and on the Intellect by humane Laws 10. And humane Laws while they bind us to or from an outward Act do thereby bind us as Rational-free agents knowingly to choose or refuse those acts Nor can a Law which is a Moral Instrument any otherwise bind the hand foot or tongue but by first binding us to choose or refuse it knowingly that is conscientiously so that a humane bond is certainly laid on the mind soul or conscience taken in the larger sense 11. Taking Conscience in the stricter sense as including essentially a relation to Gods obligation the full sense of the question plainly is but this Whether it be a sin against God to break the Laws of man And thus plain men might easily understand it And to this it must be answered that it is in two respects a sin against God to break such Laws or Commands as Rulers are authorized by God to make 1. Because God commandeth us to obey our Rulers Therefore he that so obeyeth them not sinneth against a Law of God God obligeth us in General to obey them in all things which they are authorized by him to command But their Law determineth of the particular matter Therefore God obligeth us in Conscience of his Law to obey them in that particular 2. Because by making them his Officers by his Commission he hath given them a certain beam of Authority which is Divine as derived from God Therefore they can command us by a power derived from God Therefore to disobey is to sin against a power derived from God And thus the General case is very plain and easie How man sinneth against God in disobeying the Laws of man and consequently how in a tolerable sense of that phrase it may be said that mans Laws do or do not bind the conscience or rather bind us in point of Conscience or by a Divine obligation Man is not God and therefore as man of himself can lay no Divine obligation on us But Man being Gods Officer 1. His own Law layeth on us an obligation derivatively Divine For it is no Law which hath no obligation and it is no authoritative obligation which is not derived from God 2. And Gods own Law bindeth us to obey mans Laws Quest. 2. BUt is it a sin to break every Penal Law of man Answ. 1. You must remember that Mans Law is essentially the signification of mans Will And therefore obligeth no further than it
bear too patiently with your selves If another speak evil of you he doth not make you evil It 's worse to make you bad than to call you so And this you do against your selves Doth your Neighbour wrong you in your honour or Estate But he endangereth not your soul He doth not forfeit your salvation He doth not deserve damnation for you nor make your soul displeasing to God But all this you do against your selves even more than all the Devils in Hell do and yet you are too little offended with your selves see here the power of blind self-love If you loved your Neighbours as your selves you would agree as peaceably with your Neighbours almost as with your selves Love them more and you will bear more with them and provoke them less § 5. Direct 4. Compose your minds to Christian gentleness and meekness and suffer not Passion to Direct 4. make you either turbulent and unquiet to others or impatient and troublesome to your selves A gentle and quiet mind hath a gentle quiet tongue It can bear as much wrong as another can do according to its measure It is not in the power of Satan He cannot at his pleasure send his Emissary and by injuries or foule words procure it to sin But a Passionate person is frequently provoking or provoked A little thing maketh him injurious to others and a little injury from others disquieteth himself He is daily troubling others or himself or both Coals of fire go from his lips It is his very desire to provoke and vex those that he is angry with His Neighbours Peace and his own are the fuel of his anger which he consumeth in a moment To converse with him and not provoke him is a task for such as are eminently meek and self-denying He is as the leaves of the Aspe tree that never rest unless the day be very calm The smallest breath of an angry tongue can shake him out of his tranquillity and turn him into an Ague of disquietness The Sails of the Windmill are scarce more at the winds command than his heart and tongue is at the command of Satan He can move him almost when he please Bid but a Neighbour speak some hard speeches of him or one of his Family neglect or cross him and he is presently like the raging Sea whose waves cast up the mire and dirt An impatient man hath no security of his own peace for an hour Any enemy or angry person can take it from him when they please And being troubled he is troublesome to all about him If you do not in your patience possess your souls they will be at the mercy of every one that hath a mind to vex you Remember then that no peace can be expected without Patience nor patience without a meek and gentle mind Remember that the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit is of great price in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3. 4. And that the wisdom from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated Jam. 3. 17. And that the eternal wisdom from above hath bid you learn of him to be meek and lowly in spirit as ever you would find rest to your souls Matth. 11. 28 29. And he that loseth his own peace is likest to break the peace of others § 6. Direct 5. Be careful to maintain that order of Government and obedience which is appointed Direct 5. of God for the preservation of Peace in families Churches and Common-wealths If you will break this vessel peace will flow out and be all quickly spilt What peace in Schools but by the authority of the Schoolmaster Or in Armies but by the authority of the General If an unwise and ungodly Governour do himself violate the foundations and boundaries of peace and either weakly or wilfully make dividing Laws no wonder if such wounds do spend the vital blood and spirits of that society It being more in the power of the Governours than of the Subject to destroy Peace or to preserve it And if the Subjects make not conscience of their duty to their Superiours the banks of peace will soon be broken down and all will be overwhelmed in tumult and confusion Take heed therefore of any thing which tendeth to subvert or weaken Government Disobedience or Rebellion seldome wanteth a fair pretence but it more seldome answereth the agents expectation It usually pretendeth the weaknesses miscarriages or injurious dealings of superiours But it as usually mendeth an inconvenience with a mischief It setteth fire on the house to burn up the Rats and Mice that troubled it It must be indeed a grievous malady that shall need such a mischief for its remedy Certainly it is no means of Gods appointment Take heed therefore of any thing which would dissolve these bonds Entertain not dishonourable thoughts of your Governours and receive not nor utter not any dishonourable words against them If they be faulty open not their shame Their honour is their interest and the peoples too Without it they will be disabled for effectual Government When subjects or servants or children are sawcily censorious of superiours and make themselves Judges of all their actions even those which they do not understand and when they presume to defame them and with petulant tongues to cast contempt upon them the fire is begun and the sacred bonds of peace are loosed When superiours rule with Piety Justice and true love to their subjects and Inferiours keep their place and rank and all conspire the publick good then Peace will fourish and not till then § 7. Direct 6. Avoid all revengeful and provoking words When the poyson of Asps is under mens Direct 6. lips Rom. 3. 13. no wonder if the hearers minds that are not sufficiently antidoted against it fester Death and life are in the power of the tongue Prov. 18. 21. When the tongue is as a Sword yea a sharp sword Psal. 57. 4. and when it is purposely whetted Psal. 64. 3. But no marvel if it pierce and wound them that are unarmed But by long forbearing a Prince is perswaded and a soft tongue breaketh the bone Prov. 25. 15. A railer is numbered with those that a Christian must not eat with 1 Cor. 5. For Christianity is so much for Peace that it abhorreth all that is against it Our Lord when he was reviled reviled not again and in this was our example 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. A scorning railing reproachful tongue is set as Iames saith 3. 6. on fire of Hell and it setteth on fire the course of nature even persons families Churches and Common-wealths Many a a ruined society may say by experience Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth James 3. 5. § 8. Direct 7. Engage not your selves too forwardly or eagerly in disputes nor at any time without Direct 7. necessity And when necessity calleth you set an extraordinary watch upon your passions Though disputing is lawful and sometime necessary to defend
for the soul is that which least endangereth it by being over-pleasing to the Body and in which the flesh hath the smallest interest to set up and plead against the Spirit Not but that the largest stock must be accepted and used for God when he trusteth us with it for when he setteth us the hardest work we may expect his greatest help But a dwelling as in Tents in a constant unsetledness in a moveable condition having little and needing little never feeling any thing in the creature to tempt us to say Soul take thy Rest this is to most the safest life which giveth us the freâ—st advantages for Heaven § 5. Take heed therefore as you love your souls of falling into the snare of worldly Hopes and laying designs for rising and riâ—hâ—s and pleasing your selves in the thoughts and prosecution of these things â—â—r then you are in the readiest way to perdition even to idolatrous worldliness and apostacy of heart from God and opening a door to every sin that seems but necessary to your worldly ends and to odious Hypocrisie for a cloke to all this and to quiet your guilty minds with something that is like Religion When once you are saying with worldly security as he Luke 12. 17 18. 19. I will pull down my barn and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and goods and I will say to my soul Soul thou hast much goâ—ds laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and â—e mercy you are then befooling your selves and near being called away as fools by dâ—â—th â— 20 21. And when without a sense of the uncertainty of your lives you are saying as those in â—ames 4. 13 14. To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas you know not what will be on the morrow You forget what your lives are that they are a vapour appearing a little while and then vanishing away Ver. 14. Boast not thy self therefore of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27. 1. Direct 20. SEe that your Religion be purely Divine and animated all by God as the Beginning the Direct 20. D 〈…〉 ma 〈…〉 dâ—â—â—â—â—â—bat â—iaâ—◠〈…〉 nem 〈◊〉 â—e◠〈◊〉 â—eâ—i 〈◊〉 sufficere quâ—dem ad bene beateque vivendum â—aeâ—erum instrumentis indigere corporis bonis robore sanitate integritate 〈◊〉 c. Exterioribus etiam opiâ—â—â—â— genâ—ris claâ—itate gloria c. Ea si non affluerint nihilominus tamen beatum foâ—â—â—apiâ—â—tem Arbitratur Deos humana câ—rnere atque curare daemones esse Porro in dialogâ—â— justitiam Divinâ—m legem â—â—bitratus est ut ad juâ—e agendum poâ—entius persuâ—deret nè post mortem poenas improbi luerent Laert. in Plaâ— .. Way and the End and that first upon thy Soul and then upon all that thou hast or dost there be written HOLINESS TO THE LORD and that thou corrupt not all with an inordinate hypâ—critical respect to man § 1. To be Holy is to be Divine or devoted to God and appropriated to Him and his Will and Use and that our Hearts and Lives be not Common and Unclean To be Godly is to Live to God as those that from their hearts believe that he is God indeed and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him that he is our God All-sufficient our shield and exceeding great reward Heb. 11. 6. Gen. 15. 1. 17. 1. And that Of Him and Through Him and To Him are all things that all may give the Glory for ever unto him Rom. 11. 36. As God is infinitely above all Creatures so Living upon God and unto God must needs advance us above the highest sensual life And therefore Religion is transcendently above all Sciences or Arts so much of God as is in you and upon you so much you are more excellent than the highest worldly perfection can advance you to GOD should be the First and Last and All in the mind and mouth and life of a believer God must be the Principal Matter of your Religion The Understanding and Will must be exercised upon him When you awake you should be still with him Psal. 139. 8. Your Meditatiâ—ns of him should be sweet and you should be glad in the Lord Psal. 104. 34 Yet creatures under Him may be the frequent less principal matter of your Religion but still as referred unto Him God must be the Author of your Religion God must institute it if you expect he should accept it and reward it God must be the Rule of your Religion as Revealing his Will concerning it in his Word God must be the Ultimate End of your Religion It must be intended to Please and Glorifie Him God must be the continual Motive and Reason of your Religion and of all you do you must be able truly to fetch your Reason from Heaven and to say I do it because it is his will I do it to please and glorifie and enjoy him God must be taken as the Soveraign Iudge of your Religion and of you and of all you do And you must wholly look to his Justification and approbation and avoid what ever he condemneth Can you take God for your Owner your Soveraign your Saviour your sufficient Protector your Portion your All If not you cannot be godly nor be saved If his Authority have not more Power upon you than the authority of the Greatest upon earth you are Atheistical Hypocrites and not truly Religious whatever you pretend If HOLINESS TO THE LORD be written upon you and all that 's yours you are devoted to him as his Own peculiar ones If your Names be set upon your Sheep or Plate or Clothes you will say if another should take them They are mine Do you not see my mark upon them Slavery to the Flesh the World and the Devil is the mark that is written upon the ungodly upon the foreheads of the prophane and upon the Hearts of Hypocrites and all and Satan the world and the flesh have their service If you are Conseerated to God and bear his Name and Mark upon you tell every one that would lay claim to you that you are His and resolved to live to Him to Love Him to Trust Him and to stand or fall to him alone Let God be the very Life and Sense and End of all you do § 2. When once Man hath too much of your regard and observation that you set too much by his favour and esteem or eye him too much in your profession and practice when mans approbation too much comforteth you and manâ— displeasure or dispraise doth too much trouble you when your fear and love and care and obedience are too much taken up for Man You so far withdraw your selves from God and are becoming the servants of men and friends of the world and turning back to bondage and forsaking your Rock and Portion and
that is bestowed in sin upon Gods enemies is used against him and noâ— as his Own 6. And that he that hideth his Talent or useth it not at all cannot be said to Use it for God Both idleness and alienating the gifts of God are a robbing him of his own § 9. III. To help you in this work of self-resignation often consider 1. That if you were your Own you were most miserable You could not support preserve or provide for your selves who should save you in the hour of temptation or distress Alas if you are humbled Christians you know so much of your Own insufficiency and feel your selves such a daily burden to your selves that you have sure enough of your selves ere now And beg of God above all your enemies to save you from your selves and of all judgements to save you from being forsaken of God and given up to your selves 2. Remember that none in the world hath sufficient Power Wisdom and Goodness to take the full care and charge of you but God None else can save you or sanctifie you or keep you alive one hour And therefore it is your happiness and honour that you are His. 3. His Right is absolute and none hath Right to you but he None else did Create you Redeem you or Regenerate you 4. He will Use you only in safe and honourable services and to no worse an end than your endless happiness 5. What you deny him or steal from him you give to the Devil the World and the flesh And do they better deserve it 6. You are his own in Tiâ—le whether you will or not and he will fulfil his will upon you Your Consent and Resignation is necessary to your good to â—ase you of your cares and secure you from present and eternal misery DIRECT VI. Gr. Dir. 6. Remember that God is your Soveraign King to Rule and Iudge you And that it is your Rectitude and happiness to obey and please him Labour therefore to bring Of subjection to God as our Supream Governour your souls and bodies into the most absolute subjection to him and to make it your Delight and business sincerely and exactly to obey his Will § 1. HAving Resigned your selves absolutely to God as your Owner you are next to subject your selves absolutely to God as your Governour or King How much of our Religion consisteth in this you may see in the nature of the thing in the design of the Law and Word of God in the doctrine and example of Jesus Christ in the description of the last judgement and in the common consent of all the world Though Love is the highest work of man yet is it so far from discharging Aristipâ—us rogatus aliquando quiâ— haberent ex mâ—um Philosophi Si omnes inquit leges interâ—ant aequabiliter vivemus Laâ—tius us from our subjection and obedience that it constraineth us to it most powerfully and most sweetly and must it self be judged of by these effects John 14. 15. If ye love me keep my Commandments 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me 23. If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will Love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings John 15. 10. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his Love 14. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you John 13. 17. If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them 1 John 5. 3. For this is the Love of God that ye keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him 5. But who so keepeth his word in him verily is the Love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him 6. He that saith he is in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked 29. If ye know that he is Righteous you know that every one that doth Righteousness is born of him 1 John 3. 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him 7. Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righeeous 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 10. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in by the gates into the City I set together these testimonies of the Scripture that the stream of Divine authority may carry you to a lively sense of the necessity of Obedience § 2. I shall here first tell you what this full subjection is and then I shall Direct you how to attain it I. As in God there is first his Relation of our King and then his actual Government of us by his Laws and Iudgement so in us there is first our Relation of Subjects to God and then our actual obedience Subjection what We are Subjects by Divine obligation before we consent as Rebels are but our Consent or self-obligation is necessary to our Voluntary obedience and acceptation with God Subjection is our stated obligation to Obedience This subjection and habit of Obedience is then right and full 1. When the sense of Gods authority over us is Practical and not notional only 2. And when it is deep-rooted and fixed and become as a Nature to us As a mans intention of his End is that hath a long journey to go which carryeth him on to the last step or as a Childs subjection to his Parents or a Servant to his Master which is the Habit or principle of his daily course of life 3. When it is Lively and ready to put the soul upon obedience 4. When it is constant keeping the soul in a continual attendance upon the Will of God 5. When it hath universal respect to all his Commandments 6. When it is resolute powerful and victorious against temptations to disobedience 7. When it is superlative respecting God as our supream King and owning no authority against him nor any but what is subordinate to him 8. When it is Voluntary Pleasant Chearful and delectable to us to Obey him to the utmost of our Power § 3. II. To bring
another and Tempt 25. that of two evils you must choose the lâ—ss as if there were no other way Thus James and John did by sinful unchâ—ritable zeal desire to punish sin Luke 9. 54. Peter would sinfully fight against the sinful Iews Mat. 26. 52. Thus he bids men lie to avoid some dishonour to God and Religion and persecute to preserve the unity of the Church and keep out sin and commit a lesser sin themselves to escape a greater § 74. Direct 25. This is to abuse God as if he had made that necessary which he forbids and Direct 25. had not provided you lawful means enough to use against every sin This is willfully to do that which you pretend you are unwilling to do even to sin Of two evils avoid both but be sure you consent to neither § 75. Tempt 26. He pleadeth Christian Liberty to entise to sin especially to sensuality Hath Tempt 26. not Christ purchased you Liberty to use the Creatures all things are yours No men but the godly have just title to them § 76. Direct 26. He never purchased us Liberty to abuse the Creature as poyson to hurt our Direct 26. selves to hinder Mortification and strengthen our enemy and our snare and to steal away our hearts from God It 's a Liberty from sin and not a Liberty to sin that Christ hath purchased us § 77. Tempt 27. He pleadeth the Necessity of Wife Children Estate Life c. Necessity makes Tempt 27. it Lawful § 78. Direct 27. There is no Necessity of sinning He cannot be Christs Disciple that thinks it Direct 27. more necessary to save his life or provide for Wife and Children than to obey his Lord Luke 14. 26 33. God must be Trusted with these § 79. Tempt 28. But saith the Tempter it 's Natural to Lust to love Honour Ease Pleasure c. Tempt 28. Therefore it 's no sin § 80. Direct 28. Nature is corrupted and sinful And it 's Natural to you to be Rational and to Direct 28. rule your sense and appetite by Reason and not to do what lust or appetite desireth Else man is but a beast § 81. Tempt 29. But saith the Tempter Authority commandeth it It is your Parents or Masters Tempt 29. will and you must obey § 82. Direct 29. There is no power but from God Therefore none against him or above him Direct 29. They must be obeyed in all things lawful but not in sin They cannot save you nor themselves from the wrath of God § 83. Tempt 30. But saith the Tempter you have promised or vowed that you will do it and are not Tempt 30. at liberty § 84. Direct 30. The vow of a lawful thing must be kept but if you vow to sin it 's another Direct 30. sin to perform it and to wrong God or man because you have vowed to wrong him § 85. Tempt 31. But saith the Tempter it is a controversie and many learned and good men Tempt 31. think it is no sin § 86. Direct 31. You have the more reason to be fearful and cautelous when you see that the Direct 31. case is so obsure and the snare so subtile and are sure that many learned and good men on one side or other are deceived before you Remember God is your King and Judge who will not take it for an excuse for sin that learned or good men did it or defended it Consult not with flesh and blood but with God § 87. Tempt 32. But saith the Tempter will you be singular and be pâ—inted or hooted at by all Tempt 32. § 88. Direct 32. In doctrine I will not be singular from the Holy Catholick Church of God Direct 32. In worship I will not in singularity or schisme seperate from the Communion of Saints But in doctrine I will be singular from Infidels and Hereticks and in a holy life I will be singular from the ungodly and prophane and sensual lest if I do as they to avoid their scorns I speed as they § 89. Tempt 33. But you are weak and you cannot help it till God will give you grace to Tempt 33. do it § 90. Direct 33. Therefore I must not be willful and negligent and rash and do that evil Direct 33. which I may forbear nor resist and refuse that Grace and help and mercy without which I can do nothing § 91. Tempt 34. But you repent and ask God forgiveness through Christ every night for the sins Tempt 34. of the day § 92. Direct 34. Repenting is a sorrowful turning of the heart from sin to God You Repent Direct 34. not if you turn not To mock God with such Hypocritical praying and repenting is it self a 〈…〉 us siâ— Will you take it for Repenting if a man that spits in your face and beateth you shall dâ— it every day and ask you forgiveness at night and purpose to do it still because he ask'd forgâ—vâ—nâ—◠§ 93. Tempt 35. Bâ—t every man sâ—nneth daily You do but as the best men in the world do 〈◊〉 â—5 § 94. Direct 35. No true Christian that is Justified hath any sin but what he hateth more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—th â—â—â—â—d would â—â—in be rid of and striveth against in the use of holy means He hath no beâ—â—â—â—d 〈◊〉 which he would not part with but had â—ather keep than leave § 95. Tempt 36. But thâ—se that seem strict and godly are hypocrites and sâ—â—râ—tly as bad as you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 96. â—â—â—â—ct 36 This is just like the Devil the accuser of those that are sanctified and justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Christ the father of malice and liâ—s to charge that on them which he confâ—sseth is seâ—râ—t and he cannot prove So he said of Iob that iâ— he were touched in his â—state or body he would forsake his godliness but he was found a lyar But be it how it will I am sure I must be 〈◊〉 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—â—y â—â— I shall not see God and if I live after the flesh I shall die and other mens misery will be no â—asâ— tâ— me § 97. Tempt 37. But saith the Tempter if you will not sin come but near it and do that which â—â—mpt â—7 iâ— laâ—â—ul § 98. Direct 37. Indeed we must not run into a contrary extream under pretence of flying far 〈◊〉 â—7 â—nougâ— from sin But if you keep out of other sin you cannot go too far from any To be near sin is to be near Gods wrath and near that which tendeth to Hâ—ll fire And to come near it is the câ—mmon way of coming to it He that could wish he might do it is infected at the heart allrâ—â—dy Kâ—ep a tender conscience and a constant sense of the danger of sinning § 99. Tempt 38. It 's a great snare when sin is got into credit 1. By putting fair names upon Tempt â—8 it â—alling â—uxuâ—y and Gluâ—tony
But the misery is that few of the ignorant and weak have knowledge and humility enough â—o pâ—rceive their ignorance and weakness but they think they speak as wisely as the best and are offended if their words be not reverenced accordingly As a Minister should study and labour for a skill and ability to preach because it is his work so every Christian should study for skill to discourse with wisdom and meet expressions about holy things because this is his work And as unfit expressions and behaviour in a Minister do cause contempt instead of edifying so do they in discourse § 31. Direct 10. When ever Gods holy Name or Word is blasphemed or used in levity or jeast Direct 10. or a holy life is made a scorn or God is notoriously abused or dishonoured be ready to reprove it with gravity where you can and where you cannot at least let your detestation of it be conveniently manifested Of Prayer I have spoken aâ—terwaâ—d Among those to whom you may freely speak lay open the greatness of their sin Or if you are unable for long or accurate discourse at least tell them who hath said Thou shalt Tom. 2. c. not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain And where your speech is unmeet as to some Superiours or is like to do more harm than good let your departing the room or your looks or rather your tears shew your dislike Directions for the glorifying God in our Lives § 32. Direct 1. Our Lives then glorifie God when they are such as his Excellencies most appear in Direct 1. And that is when they are most Divine or Holy when they are so managed that the world may see that Turâ—issimum est Philosopho secus docere quam viviâ— Paul Scaligâ—r p. 728. it is God that we have chiefly respect unto and that HOLINESS TO THE LORD is written upon all our faculties and affairs So much of GOD as appeareth in our lives so much they are truly venerable and advanced above the rank of fleshly worldly lives God only is the real glory of every person and every thing and every word or action of our lives And the natural conscience of the world which in despight of their Atheism is forced to confess and reverence a Deity will be forced even when they are hated and persecuted to reverence the appearance of God in his holy ones Let it appear therefore 1. That Gods Authority commandeth you above all the powers of the earth and against all the power of fleshly lusts 2. That it is the Glory and Nam illa quae de regno calorum commâ—mâ—rantur à nâ—bâ—â— dâ—que praesentâ—um reâ—um contâ—mpâ—u vel non caâ—â—unt vel non â—aâ—â—le sibi peâ—suadeâ—t cum sâ—rmo factis evertitur Interest of God that you live for and look after principally in the world and not your own carnal interest and glory And that it is his work that you are doing and not your own and his cause and not your own that you are engaged in 3. That it is his Word and Law that is your Rule 4. And the example of his Son that is your pattern 5. And that your hearts and lives are moved and acted in the world by motives fetcht from the Rewards which he hath promised and the punishments which he hath threatned in the world to come 6. And that it is a supernatural powerful principle sent from God into your hearts even the Holy Ghost by which you are inclined and actuated in the tenor of your lives 7. And that your daily converse is with God and that men and other creatures are comparatively nothing to you but are made to stand by while God is preferred and honoured and served by you and that all your business is with him or for him in the world Acâ—staâ—l 4. c. 18. p. 418. § 33. Direct 2. The more of Heaven appeareth in your Lives the more your Lives do glorifie God Worldly and carnal men are conscious that their glory is a vanishing glory and their pleasure but a transitory dream and that all their honour and wealth will shortly leave them in the dust And Direct 2. therefore they are forced in despight of their sensuality to bear some reverence to the life to come And though they have not hearts themselves to deny the pleasures and profits of the world and to spend their dayes in preparing for eternity and in laying up a treasure in Heaven yet they are convinced that those that do so are the best and wisest men and they could wish that they might dye the death of the righteous and that their last end might be like his As Heaven exceedeth Earth even in the reverent acknowledgement of the World though not in their practical esteem and choice so Heavenly Christians have a reverent acknowledgement from them when malice doth not hide their Heavenliness by slanders though they will not be such themselves Let it appear in your lives that really you seek a higher happiness than this world affordeth and that you verily look to live with Christ and that as Honour and Wealth and Pleasure command the lives of the ungodly so the hope of Heaven commandeth yours Let it appear that this is your design and business in the world and that your Hearts and conversation are above and that whatever you do or suffer is for this and not for any lower end and this is a life that God is glorified by § 34. Direct 3. It glorifieth God by shewing the excellency of faith when we contemn the riches Direct 3. and honours of the world and live above the worldlings life accounting that a despicable thing which he accounts his happiness and loseth his soul for As men despise the toyes of children so a believer must take the transitory vanities of this world for matters so inconsiderable as not to be worthy his regard save only as they are the matter of his duty to God or as they relate to him or the life to come Saith Paul 2 Cor. 4. 18. We look not at the things which are seen they are not worth our observing or looking at but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal The world is under a believers feet while his eye is fixed on the coelestial world He travelleth through it to his home and he will be thankful if his way be fair and if he have his daily bread but it is not his home nor doth he make any great matter whether his usage in it be kind or unkind or whether his Inn be well adorned or not He is almost indifferent whether for so short a time he be rich or poor in a high or in a low condition further than as it tendeth to his Masters service Let men see that you
that we can use to help them and none but the Almighty can cast him out and deliver them Let Husband or Wife or Parents or the dearest friends intreat a hardned sinner to be converted and he will not hear them Let the learnedst or wisest or holiest man alive both preach and beseech him and he will not turn At a distance he may reverence and honour a great Divine and a learned or a holy man especially when they are dead But let the best man on earth be the Minister of the place where he liveth and intreat him daily to repent and he will either hate and persecute him or neglect and disobey him What Minister was ever so learned or holy or powerful a Preacher that had not sad experience of this When the Prophet Isa. 53. 1. cryeth out Who hath believed our report And the Apostles were fain to shake off the dust of their feet against many that rejected them and were abused and scorned and persecuted by those whose souls they would have saved Nay Jesus Christ himself was refused by the most that heard him And no Minister dare compare himself with Christ. If our Lord and Master was blasphemed scorned and murdered by sinners what better should his ablest Ministers expect St. Augustine found drunkenness so common in Africk that he motioned that a Council might be called for the suppression of it But if a General Council of all the Learned Bishops and Pastors in the world were called they could not convert one hardned sinner by all their Authority Wit or diligence without the power of the Almighty God For will they be converted by Man that are hardned against God What can we devise to say to them that can reach their hearts and get within them and do them good Shall we tell them of the Law and Judgements of the Lord and of his wrath against them Why all these things they have heard so often till they sleep under it or laugh at them Shall we tell them of Death and Judgement and Eternity Why we speak to the posts or men asleep They hear us as if they heard us not Shall we tell them of endless Ioy and Torments They feel not and therefore fear not nor regard not They have heard of all these till they are a weary of hearing them and our words seem to them but as the noise of the Wind or Water which is of no signification If Miracles were wrought among them by a Preacher that healed the sick and raised the dead they would wonder at him but would not be converted For Christ did thus and yet prevailed but with few Iohn 11. 48. 53. And the Apostles wrought Miracles and yet were rejected by the most Acts 7. 57. 22. 22. Nay if one of their old companions should be sent from the dead to give them warning he might affright them but not convert them for Christ hath told us so himself Luke 16. 31. Or if an Angel from Heaven should preach to them they would be hardned still as Balaam and others have been Christ rose from the dead and yet was after that rejected We read not of the Conversion of the Souldiers that watcht his Sepulchâ—e though they were affrighted with the sight of the Angels but they were after that hired for a little money to lye and say that Christs Disciples stole him away If Magistrates that have power on their bodies should endeavour to bring them to Godliness they would not obey them nor be perswaded King Hezekiahs messengers were but mocked by the people David and Solomon could not convert their hardned subjects Punish them and hang them and they will be wicked to the death Witness the impenitent Thief that dyed with Christ and dyed reproaching him Though God afflict them with rod after rod yet still they sin and are the same Psal. 78. Hâ—s 7. 14. Amos 4. 9. Ier. 5. 3. Isa. 1. 5. Let death come near and look them in the face and let them see that they must presently go to judgement it will affright them but not convert them Let them know and confess that sin is bad that Holiness is best that death and eternity are at hand yet are they the same and all will not win their hearts to God Till Grace take away their stony hearts and give them tender fleshy hearts Ezek 36. 26. § 8. Direct 6. Take notice of the doleful effects of hard heartedness in the world This fills the Direct 6. world with wickedness and confusion with Wars and bloodshed and leaveth it under that lamentable desertion and delusion which we behold in the far greatest part of the Earth How many Kingdoms are left in the blindness of Heathenism and Mahometanism for hardning their hearts against the Lord How many Christian Nations are given up to the most gross deceits of Popery and Princes and people are enemies to Reformation because they hardned their hearts against the light of truth What vice so odious even beastly filthiness and bitterest hatred and persecution of the wayes of God which men of all degrees and rancks do not securely wallow in through the hardness of their hearts This is the thing that grieves the godly that wearieth good Magistrates and breaks the hearts of faithful Ministers when they have done their best they are fain as Christ himself before them to grieve for the hardness of mens hearts Alas we live among the dead Our Towns and Countreys are in a sadder case than Aegypt when every house had a dead man Even in our Churches it were well if the dead were only under ground and most of our seats had not a dead man that sitteth as if he heard and kneeleth as if he prayed when nothing ever pierced to the quick We have studied the most quickning words we have preached with tears in the most earnest manner and yet we cannot make them feel As if we cryed like Baals worshippers O Baal hear us or like the Irish to their dead Why wouldst thou dye and leave thy house and lands and friends So we talk to them about the death of their souls and their wilful misery who never feel the weight of any thing we say we are left to ring them a peal of lamentation and weep over them as the dead that are not moved by our tears we cast the seed into stony ground Matth. 13. 5 20. It stops in the surface and it is not in our power to open their hearts and get within them I confess that we are much too blame our selves that ever we did speak to such miserable souls without more importunate earnestness and tears and it is because the stone of the heart is much uncured in our selves for which God now justly layeth so many of us by But yet we must say our importunity is such as leaveth them without excuse we speak to them of the greatest matters in all the world we speak it to them in the name of God we shew them his
will find that Hell is no jeasting matter If you mock your selves out of your salvation where are you then If you play with time and means and mercy till they are gone you are undone for ever O dally not till you are past remedy Alas poor dreaming trifling Hypocrites Is time so swift and life so short and death so sure and near and God so holy just and terrible and Heaven so glorious and Hell so hot and both everlasting and yet will you not be in earnest about your work Up and be doing as you are men and as ever you care what becomes of you for ever Depart from iniquity if you will name the name of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let not a cheating world delude you for a moment and have the kernel the heart while God hath but the empty shell A mock-Religion will but keep up a mock-hope a mock-peace and a mock-joy and comfort till Satan have done his work and be ready to unhood you and open your eyes Job 8. 13. So aâ—e the paths of all that forget God and the Hypocrites hope shall perish Job 27. 8 9. For what is the hope of the hypocrite though he bath gained when God taketh away his soul Will God hear his â—ry when trouble cometh upon him Job 20. 4 5 6 7. Knowest thou not this of old that the triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment Though his excellency mount up to the Heavens and his head reach unto the Clouds yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung they which have seen him shall say where is he Away then with hypocritical formality and dalliance and be serious and sincere for thy soul and with thy God PART IV. Directions against inordinate Man-pleasing or that Over-valuing the Favour and Censure of Man which is the fruit of Pride and a great Cause of Hypocrisie Or Directions against IDOLIZING MAN § 1. AS in other cases so in this iniquity consisteth not simply in the hearts Neglect of God but in the preferring of some competitor and prevalence of some object which standeth up for an opposite interest And so the obeying man before God and against him and the valuing the favour and approbation of man before or against the approbation of God and the fearing of mans censure or displeasure more than Gods is an IDOLIZING MAN or setting him up in the place of God It turneth our chiefest observance and care and labour and pleasure and grief into this humane fleshly channel and maketh all that to be but Humane in our hearts and lives which objectively should be Divine Which is so great and dangerous a sin partaking of so much Impiety Hypocrisie and Pride as that it deserveth a special place in my Directions and in all watchfulness and consideration to escape it § 2. As all other Creatures so specially Man must be regarded and valued only in a due subordination and subserviency to God If they be valued otherwise they are made his enemies and so are to be hated and are made the principal engine of the ruine of such as overvalue them See what Luke 14. 26 27. the Scripture saith of this sin Isa. 2. 22. Cease ye from Man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Matth. 23 9. And call no Man your Father upon the earth for Magna animi sublimiâ—ate carpentes se atque objuâ—gantes Soâ—â—ates conâ—emnebat 〈…〉 Socrat. one is your Father which is in Heaven 8. And be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant Jer. 20. 15. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm Psal. 118. 6 8 9. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man yea in Princes Job 32. 21 22. Let me not accept any mans person neither let me give flattering titles unto man For I know not to give flattering titles in so doing my Maker would soon take me away Job 21. 4. As for me is my complaint to man Gal. 1. 10. Do I seek to please men For if I yet When 〈◊〉 was asked why â—he exercised not himself with the most he answered If I should do as the mâ—st dâ— I should be no Philosopher La 〈…〉 p. Adulatâ—onâ—â—â—â—â—dum crimen servitutis malâ—gnitati falsa species libertatis inest Taâ—itus â—b 17. Secure Conscience first Qua semel amisâ—a postea nullus â—â—â—â—s pleased men I should not be a servant of Christ. 1 Cor. 4. 3. But with me it is a very small thing to be judged of you or of mans judgement Luke 14. 26. If a man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Matth. 5. 11 12. Not with eye-service as men-pleasers Ephes. 6 6. Col. 3. 22. 1 Thess. 2. 4. So we speak not as pleasing men but God who tryeth our hearts Jude 16. Having mens persons in admiration because of advantage This is enough to shew you what Scripture saith of this inordinate man-pleasing or respect to man And now I shall proceed to Direct you to escape it § 3. Direct 1. Understand well wherein the nature of this sin consisteth that you may not run into the Direct 1. contrary extream but may know which way to bend your opposition I shall therefore first shew you how far we may and must please men and how far not § 4. 1. Our Parents Rulers and Superiours must be honoured obeyed and pleased in all things which they require of us in the several places of authority which God hath given them over us And this must be not meerly as to man but as to the Officers of God from whom and for whom and not against him they have all their power Rom. 13. Exod. 20. 12. Titus 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 2. 2 10. § 5. 2. We must in charity and condescension and meekness of behaviour seek to please all men in order to their salvation We must so thirst for the conversion of sinners that we must become all things lawful to all men that we may win them We must not stand upon our terms and Rom. 14. 15. 1 2 3. keep at a distance from them but condescend to the lowest and bear the infirmities of the weak and in things indifferent not take the course that pleaseth our selves but that which by pleasing him may edifie our weak brother We must forbear and forgive and part with our right and deny our selves the use of our Christian
Hereticks called Misericordes Merciful men And Origen was led hereby into his errors When they think of Hell fire and the number of the miserable and the fewness of the saved they consult with their ignorant compassion and think that this is below the Love and Mercy which is in themselves and that they would not thus use an enemy of their own and therefore they censure the holy Scripture and Pride inclineth them strongly to unbelief while they forget the narrowness and darkness of their souls and how unfit they are to censure God and how many truths may be unseen of them which would fully satisfie them if they knew them and how quickly God will shew them that which shall justifie his Word and all his Works and convince them of the folly and arrogancy of their unbelief and censures § 18. Sign 8. Pride makes men pretend to be more Just than God and to think that they could Sign 8. more justly Govern the world and to censure Gods threatnings and the sufferings of the good and the prosperity of the wicked as things so unjust as that they thereby incline to atheism So Iames and Iohn would be more just than Christ and call down fire on the rejecters of the Gospel And the Prodigals Brother Luke 15. repined at his Fathers lenity § 19. Sign 9. Pride maketh men sleight the authority and commands of God and despise his Sign 9. messengers and choose to be ruled by their own conceits and lusts and interests when the humble â—â—r 13. 15 17. 43. 2 3. tremble at his Word and readily obey it Isa. 57. 15. Neh. 9. 16. 29. Isa. 9. 9. § 20. Sign 10. A proud man in power will expect that his will be obeyed before the will of God Sign 10. and that the subjects of God displease their Master rather than him He will think it a crime for a man to enquire first what God would have him do or to plead conscience and the commands of the God of Heaven against the obeying of his unjust commands If he offer you preferment as Balack did Balaam he looketh you should be more taken with it than with Gods offer of eternal life If he threaten you as Nebuchadnezzar did the three Witnesses he looks that you should be more afraid of him than of God who threatneth your damnation and is angry if you be not § 21. Sign 11. A proud man is more offended with one that would question his authority or speak Sign 11. diminutively of his power or displease his will or cross his interest than with one that sinneth against the authority and will and interest of God He is much more zealous for himself and his own honor than for Gods and grieved more for his own dishonour and hateth his own enemies more than Gods and can tread down the interest of God and souls if it seem but necessary to his honor or revenge He is much more pleased and delighted with his own applause and honor and greatness than with the glory of God or the fulfilling of his will § 22. Sign 12. Proud men would fain steal from God himself the honor of many of his mosâ— excellent Sign 12. works If they are Rulers they are more desirous that the thanks for the order and peace of Quicquid â—onâ—â—geris in deos refer Bias in Laâ—â—t Societies be given by the people to them than unto God If they are Preachers they would fain have more than their due of the honour of mens Conversion and Edification If they are Pastors they would encroach upon Christs part of the Government of his Church If they be bountiful to the poor and do any good works they would have more of the praise than belongeth to a Steward or Messenger that delivereth the gifts of God If they be Physicions they would have the real honor of the Cure and have God to have but a barren complement Like the Atheistical Physicion that reviled and beat his Patient for thanking God that he was well when saith he it was I that cured you and do you thank God for it § 23. Sign 13. A proud man will give more to his Honour than to God His estate is more at the Sign 13. command of his Pride than of God He giveth more in the view or knowledge of others than he could perswade himself to do in secret He is more bountiful in gifts that tend to keep up the credit of his liberality than he is to truly indigent persons It is not the good that is done but the honor which he expecteth by it which is his principal motive He had rather be scant in works of greatest secret charity than in apparel and a comely port and the entertaining of friends or any thing that is for ostentation and for himself § 24. Sign 14. A proud man would have as great a dependance of others upon him as he can He Sign 14. would have the estates and lives and welfare of all others at his will and power That he might be much feared and loved and thanked and that many may be beholden to him as the God or great Benefactor of the world He is not contented that good is done and mens wants supplyed unless he have the doing of it that so he may have the praise If he save his enemy it is but to make him beholden to him and be said to have given him his life Fain he would be taken to be as the Sun to the world which mankind cannot be without § 25. Sign 5. A proud man is very patient when men ascribe to him that which he knoweth to Sign 15. be above his due though it be to the injury of God He can easily forgive those that value and love him more than he deserveth though they sin in doing it He is seldom offended with any for over-praising him nor for reverencing or honouring him too much nor for setting him too high or for giving or ascribing too much power to him nor for obeying him before God himself He careth not how much love and honour and praises and thanks he hath when a humble soul saith as Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory And as the Angel to Iohn that would have worshipped him See thou do it not for I am thy fellow servant They Psal. 22. 6. Gen. 32. 10. Iâ—phâ—l 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. know God will not give his glory to another Isa. 42. 8. In his Temple every one speaketh of his glory Psal. 29. 9. But of themselves they say I am a worm and no man I am less than the least of all thy mercies less than the least of all Saints the chiefest of sinners How unfit am I for so much love and praise and honour § 26. Sign 16. A proud man would have his Reason to be the Rule of all the world or at least of Sign 16.
distress that if he would but spare them and try them once again they would amend their lives and live more holily and spend their time more carefully and diligently for their souls and shew all about them the truth of their Repentance by the greatness of their change and an exemplary life O it is a most dangerous terrible thing to return to security sloth and sin and break such promises to God! such are often given over to woful hard-heartedness or despair for God will not be mocked with delusory words § 70. Thus I have opened this great duty of Redeeming Time the more largely because it is of unspeakable importance and my soul is frequently amazed with admiration that the sluggish world can so insensibly and impenitently go on in wasting precious time so near Eternity and in so needy and dangerous a case Though I bless my God that I have not wholly lost my Time but have long lived in a sense of the odiousness of that sin yet I wonder at my self that such over-powring motives compell me not to make continual haste and to be still at work with all my might in a case of everlasting consequence CHAP. VI. Directions for the Government of the Thoughts I Have shewed you in my Treatise of walking with God how much mans Thoughts are regarded by God and should be regarded by himself and what agents and instruments they are of very much Good or Evil This therefore I shall suppose and not repeat but only Direct you in the Governing of them The work having three parts they must have several Directions 1. For the avoiding of evil thoughts 2. For the exercise of good thoughts 3. For the improvement of good thoughts that they may be effectual Tit. 1. Directions against evil and idle Thoughts § 2. Direct 1. KNow which are evil Thoughts and retein such an odious Character of them continually Direct 1. on your minds as may provoke you still to meet them with abhorrence Evil thoughts are such as these 1. All thoughts against the Being or Attributes or Relations or honour or works of God Atheistical and Blasphemous Idolatrous and unbelieving thoughts All thoughts that tend to disobedience or opposition to the will or word of God And all that savour of unthankfullness or want of Love to God or of discontent and distrust or want of the fear of God or that tend to any of these Also sinful selfish covetous proud studies to make a meer trade of the Ministry for gain To be able to overtalk others Searching into unrevealed forbidden things Inordinate curiosity and hasty conceitedness of your own opinions about Gods Decrees or obscure Prophecies Prodigies Providence mentioned before about Pride of our understandings All thoughts against any particular word or truth or precept of God or against any particular duty against any part of the worship and ordinances of God that tend to unreverent neglects of the name or Holy Day of God All impious thoughts against publick duty or family duty or secret duty and all that would hinder or marr any one duty All thoughts of dishonour contempt neglect or disobedience to the authority or higher powers set over us by God either Magistrates Pastors Parents Masters or any other Superiors All thoughts of Pride self-exalting ambition self-seeking Covetousness Voluptuous sensual Thoughts proceeding from or tending to the corrupt inordinate pleasures of the flesh Thoughts which are unjust and tend to the hurt and wrong of others Envyous malicious reproachful injurious contemptuous wrathful revengeful thoughts Lustful wanton filthy thoughts Drunken gluttonous fleshly thoughts Inordinate careful fearful anxious vexatious discomposing thoughts Presumptuous and secure despairing and dejecting thoughts Slothful delaying negligent and discouraging thoughts Uncharitable cruel false censorious unmerciful thoughts And idle unprofitable thoughts Hate all these as the Devils spawn § 3. Direct 2. Be not insensible what a great deal of Duty or sin is in the Thoughts and of how Direct 2. dangerous a signification and consequence a course of evil thoughts is to your souls They shew what a Man is as much as his words or actions do For as be thinketh in his heart so is he Prov. 23. 7. A good man or evil is denominated by the good or evil treasure of the heart though known to men but by the fruits O the vile and numerous sins that are committed in mens thoughts and proceed from mens thoughts O the pretious Time that is lost in idle and other sinful thoughts O the good that is hindered hereby both in heart and life But of this having spoken in the Treatise aforementioned I proceed § 4. Direct 3. Above all be sure that you cleanse the Fountain and destroy those sinful inclinations Direct 3. of the heart from which your evil thoughts proceed In vain else will you strive to stop the streams Or if you should stop them that very Heart it self will be lothsom in the eyes of God Are your Thoughts all upon the world either coveting or caring or grieving for what you want or pleasing your selves with what you have or hope for Get down your deceived estimation of the world cast it under your feet and out of your heart and count all with Paul but as loss and dung for the excellent knowledge of God in Christ For till the world be dead in you your worldly thoughts will not be dead But all will stand still when once this poise is taken off Crucifie it and this breath and pulse will cease So if your thoughts do run upon matter of preferment or honour disgrace or contempt or if you are pleased with your own preheminence or applause Mortifie your Pride and beg of God a humble self-denying contrite heart For till Pride be dead you will never be quiet for it but it will stir up swarms of self-exalting and yet self-vexing thoughts which make you hateful in the eyes of God So if your thoughts be running out upon your back and belly what you shall eat or drink or how to please your appetite or sense Mortifie the flesh and subdue its desires and master your appetite and bring them into full obedience unto reason and get a habit of temperance or else your thoughats will be still upon your guts and throats For they will obey the ruling power And a violent passion and desire doth so powerfully move them that it is hard for the reason and will to rule them So if your thoughts are wanton and filthy you must cleanse that unclean and lustful heart and get Christ to cast out the unclean spirit and become chast within before you will keep out your unchast cogitations So if you have confusion and vanity in your thoughts you must get a well-furnished and well-composed mind and heart before you will well cure the maladie of your thoughts § 5. Direct 4. Keep at a sufficient distance from those tempting objects which are the fuel and incentives Direct 4. of your evil
to quicken them which should be used when your minds grow dull or barren When your minds 19. All Ordinances and Means of Grace are empty and you cannot pump up plentiful matter for holy thoughts the reading of a seasonable book or conference with a full experienced Christian will furnish you with matter so will the hearing of a profitable Sermon and sometime prayer will do more than meditation And weak-headed persons of small knowledge and shallow memories must fetch the matter of their meditations thus more frequently from reading and conference than others need to do As they can hold but a little at a time so they must go the ofter As he that goeth to the Water with a Spoon or a Dish must go ofter than they that go with a more capacious vessel Others can carry a store-house of meditation still about them but persons of very small knowledge and memory must have their meditations fed by others as infants by the spoon Therefore a little and often is the best way both for their Reading or hearing and for their holy thoughts How great a mercy is it that weak Christians have such store of helps that when their heads are empty they have books and friends that are not empty from whence they may fetch help as they want it and that their hearts are not empty of the Love of God which enclineth them to do more than their parts enable them to do § 20. Direct 20. If all these do not sufficiently furnish your meditations look through the world Direct 20. and see what a multitude of miserable souls do call for your compassion and daily prayers for their relief 20. The miserable sinful world Think on the many nations that lie in the darkness of Idolatry and Infidelity It is not past the sixth part of the world that are Christians of any sort The other five parts are Heathens and Mahometans and some few Jews And of this sixth part it s but a small part that are Reformed from Popery and such corruptions as the Eastern and Southern Christians also are too much defiled with And in the Reformed Churches how common is profaneness and worldliness and how few are acquainted with the power of Godliness What abundance of ignorant and ungodly persons be there who hate the power and practice of that Religion which they profess themselves they hope to be saved by as if they hoped to be saved for hating persecuting and disobeying it And among those that seem more serious and obedient how many are hypocrites And how many are possest with pride and self-conceitedness which breaketh forth into unruliness contentions and uncharitableness factions and divisions in the Church How many Christians are ignorant passionate weak unprofitable and too many scandalous And how few are judicious prudent heavenly charitable peaceable humble meek laborious and fruitful who set themselves wholly to be good and to do good And of these few how few are there that are not exercised under heavy afflictions from God or cruel persecutions from ungodly men What tyranny is exercised by the Turk without and the Pope within upon the sincerest followers of Christ. Set all this together and tell me whether thy compassionate Thoughts or thy Prayers do need to go out for want of fewel or matter to feed upon from day to day Tit. 3. Directions how to make good Thoughts effectual or General Directions for Meditation HEre some Directions are preparatory and some about the Work it self § 1. Direct 1. Be sure that Reason maintain its authority in the command and government of Direct 1. your thoughts and that they be not left masterless to fancy and passion and objects to carry them which way they please Diseased melancholy and crazed persons have almost no power over their own Thoughts They cannot command them to what they would have them exercised about nor call them off from any thing that they run out upon but they are like an unruly horse that hath a weak rider or hath cast the rider or like a masterless dog that will not go or come at your command Whereas our Thoughts should be at the direction of our Reason and the command of the will to go and come off as soon as they are bid As you see a student can rule his Thoughts all day he can appoint them what they shall meditate on and in what order and how long So can a Lawyer a Physicion and all sorts of men about the matters of their arts and callings And so it should be with a Christian about the matters of his soul All Rules of Direction are to little purpose with them whose Reason hath lost its power in governing their thoughts If I tell a man that is deeply melancholy Thus and thus you must order your thoughts He will tell me that he cannot His thoughts are not in his power If you would give never so much he is not able to forbear thinking of that which is his disturbance nor to command his thoughts to that which you direct him nor to think but as he doth even as his disease and trouble moveth him And what good will precepts do to such Grace and doctrine and exhortation work by Reason and the commanding will If a holy person could manage his practical heart-raising meditations but as orderly and constantly and easily as a carnal covetous Preacher can manage his thoughts in studying the same things for carnal ends to make a gain of them or to win applause how happily would our work go on And is it not sad to think that carnal ends should do so much more than spiritual about the same things § 2. Direct 2. Carefully avoid the disease of melancholy for that dethroneth Reason and disableth it Direct 2. to rule the thoughts Distraction wholly disableth but melancholy disableth only in part according to the measure of its prevalencie and therefore leaveth some room for advice § 3. Direct 3. Take heed of sloth and negligence of the will whereby the directions of Reason will be Direct 3. unexecuted for want of Resolution and command and so every temptation will carry away the thoughts A lazy coachman will let the horses go which way they list because he will not strive with them and will break his neck to save his labour If when you feel unclean or worldly thoughts invade your minds you will not give your wills the allarm and rise up against them and Resolutely command them out you will be like a lazy person that lieth in bed while he seeth Thieves robbing his house and will let all go rather than he will rise and make resistance A sign that he hath no great riches to lose or else he would stir for it And if you see your duty on what your Thoughts should be employed and will not resolutely call them up and command them to their work you will be like a sluggard that will let all his servants lie in bed as
well as he because he will not speak to call them You see by daily experience that a mans Thoughts are much in the power of his will and made to obey it If money and honour or the delight of knowing can cause a wicked Preacher to command his own thoughts on good things as aforesaid you may command yours to the same things if you will but as resolutely exercise your authority over them § 4. Direct 4. Use not your Thoughts to take their liberty and be ungovered For use will make them Direct 4. â—ead-strong and not regard the voice of Reason and it will make Reason careless and remiss Use and custome hath great power on our minds where we use to go our path is plain but where there is no use there is no way Where the water useth to run there is a chanel It s hard ruling those that are used to be unruly If use will do so much with the tongue as we find in some that use to curse and swear and speak vainly and in others that use to speak soberly and religiously in some that by use can speak well in conference preaching or praying many hours together when others that use it not can do almost nothing that way why may it not much prevail with the thoughts § 5. Direct 5. Take heed lest the senses and appetite grow too strong and master Reason for if they Direct 5. do they will at once dispâ—ssess it of the government of the thoughts and will bruiâ—ishly usurp the power themselves As when a rebellious army deposeth a King they do not only cast off the yoak of subjection themselves but dissolve the Government as to all other subjects and usually usurpe it themselves and make themselves Governors If once you be servants to your fleshly appetites and sense your Thoughts will have other work to do and another way to go when you call them to holy and necessary things Especially when the entising objects are at hand You may as well expect a clod to ascend like fire or a swine to delight in temperance as a glutton or drunkard or fornicator to delight in holy contemplation Reason and Flesh cannot both be the Governors § 6. Direct 6. Keep under passions that they depose not Reason from the Government of your thoughts Direct 6. I told you before how they cause evil thoughts and as much will they hinder good Four passions are especial enemies to meditation 1. Anger 2. Perplexing Grief 3. Disturbing Fear 4. But above all excess of Pleasure in any worldly fleshly thing Who can think that the mind is fit for holy contemplation when it flames with wrath or is distracted with grief and care or trembleth with fear or is drunk with pleasure Grief and fear are the most harmless of the four yet all hinder Reason from governing the thoughts § 7. Direct 7. Evil habits are another great hindrance of Reasons command over our thoughts Labor Direct 7. therefore diligently for the cure of this disease Though Habits do not necessitate they strongly encline And when every good thought must go against a strong and constant inclination it will weary Reason to drive on the soul and you can expect but small success § 8. Direct 8. Urgent and oppressing busyness doth almost necessitate the thoughts Therefore avoid Direct 8. as much as you can such urgencies when you would be free for meditation Let your thoughts have as little diverting matter as may be at those times when you would have them entire and free for God § 9. Direct 9. Crowds and ill company are no friends to meditation Choose therefore the quietness Direct 9. of solitude when you would do much in this As it is ill studying in a croud and unseasonable before a multitude to be at secret prayer except some short ejaculations so is it as unmeet a season for holy meditation The mind that is fixedly employed with God or about things spiritual had need of all possible freedom and peace to retire into it self and abstract it self from alien things and seriously intend its greater work § 10. Direct 10. Above all take heed of sinful Interests and designs for these are the garison of Satan Direct 10. and must be battered down before any holy cogitations can take place He that is set upon a design of rising or of growing rich hath something else to do than to entertain those sober thoughts of things eternal which are destructive of his carnal design § 11. Direct 11. The impediments of Reasons authority being thus removed distinguish between your Direct 11. occasional and your stated ordinary course of thoughts And as your hands have their ordinary stated course of labour and every day hath its employment which you fore-expect so let your Thoughts know where is their proper chanel and their every daies work and let holy prudence appoint out proportionable time and service for them What a life will that man live that hath no known course of labour but only such as accidentally he is called to His work must needs be uncertain various unprofitable and uncomfortable and next to none And he that hath not a stated course of employment for his thoughts will have them do him little service Consider first how much of the day is usually to be spent in common busyness And then consider whether it be such as taketh up your thoughts as well as your hands or such as leaveth your thoughts at liberty as a Lawyer a Physicion a Merchant and most Tradsemen must employ their Thoughts to the well-doing of their work And these must be the more desirous of a seasonable vacant hour for meditation because their thoughts must be otherwise employed all the rest of the day But a Weaver a Taylor and some other Tradsemen and day-labourers may do their work well and yet have their thoughts free for better things a great part of the day These must contrive an ordinary way of employment for their thoughts when their work doth not require them and they need no other time for meditation The rest must entertain some short occasional meditations intermixt with their busyness but they cannot then have time for more solemn meditation which differeth from the other as a set prayer from a short ejaculation or a Sermon from an occasional short discourse They that have more time for their thoughts must before-hand prudently consider how much time it is best to spend in meditation for the increase of Knowledge and how much for the exercise of holy affections and on what subject and in what order and so to know their ordinary work § 12. Direct 12. Lay your selves under the urgencie of necessity and the power of those motives which Direct 12. should most effectually engage your thoughts In the foresaid instance what is it that makes a wicked preacher that he can study Divine things orderly from year to year but that he is still under the
you breed your own sorrow § 19. Object 5. But there is none that will not be angry sometime no not the best of you all Object 5. Answ. The sin is never the better because many commit it And yet if you live not where grace is Answ. a stranger you may see that there are many that will not be angry easily frequently furiously nor miss-behave themselves in their anger by railing or cursing or swearing or ill language or doing wrong to any § 20. Object 6. Doth not the Apostle say Be angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your Object 6. wrath Ephes. 4. 26. My wrath is down before the Sun therefore I sin not Answ. The Apostle never said that anger is never sinful but when it lasteth after Sun-setting Answ. But entertain no sinful anger at all but if you do yet quickly quench it and continue not in it Be not angry without or beyond cause and when you are yet sin not by uncharitableness or any evil words or deeds in your anger nor continue under the justest displeasure but hasten to be reconciled and to forgive These Reasons improved may rule your Anger Directions Practicall against sinful Anger § 1. Direct 1. The principal help against sinful anger is in the right habituating of the soul that Direct 1. you live as under the Government of God with the sense of his authority still upon your hearts and in the sense of that mercy that hath forgiven you and forbeareth you and under the power of his healing and assisting grace and in the life of Charity to God and man Such a Heart is continually fortified and carrieth its preservatives within it self as a wrathful man carrieth his incentives still within him There is the main cause of Wrath or Meeâ—ness § 2. Direct 2. Be sure that you keep a humbled soul that overvalueth not it self for Humility Direct 2. is patient and aggravateth not injuries But a proud man takes all things as â—einous or intolerable that are said or done against him He that thinks meanly of himself thinks meanly of all that is said or done against himself But he that magnifieth himself doth magnifie his provocations Pride is a most impatient sin There is no pleasing a proud person without a great deal of wit and care and diligence You must come about them as you do about Straw or Gunpowder with a Candle Prov. 13. 10. Only by pride cometh contention Prov. 28. 25. He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strise Prov. 21. 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Psal. 31. 18. Let the lying lips be put to silence which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous Humility and meekness and patience live and dye together § 3. Direct 3. Take heed of a worldly covetous mind for that setteth so much by earthly things Direct 3. that every loss or crâ—ss or injury will be able to disquiet him and enflame his passion Neither neighbour nor child nor servant can please a covetous man Every little trespass or crossing his commodity toucheth him to the quick and maketh him impatient § 4. Direct 4. Stop your Passion in the beginning before it go too far It s easiest moderated at Direct 4. first Watch against the first stirrings of your wrath and presently command it down Reason and Will can do much if you will but use them according to their power A spark is sooner quenched than a flame and this Serpent is easiliest crushed in the spawn § 5. Direct 5. Command your tongue and hand and countenance if you cannot presently quiet or Direct 5. command your passion And so you will avoid the greatest of the sin and the passion it self will quickly be stifled for want of vent You cannot say that it is not in your power to hold your tongue or hands if you will Do not only avoid that swearing and cursing which are the marks of the prophane but avoid many words till you are â—itter to use them and avoid expostulations and contending and bitter opprobious cutting speeches which tend to stir up the wrath of others And use a mild and gentle speech which favoureth of Love and tendeth to asswage the heat that 's kindled Prov. 15. 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger And that which mollifieth and appeaseth another will much conduce to the appeasing of your selves § 6. Direct 6. At least command your self into quietness till Reason be heard speak and while you Direct 6. deliberate Be not so hasty as not to think what you say or do A little delay will abate the fury and give Reason time to do its office Prov. 25. 15. By long forbearing is a Prince perswaded and a soft answer breaketh the bone Patience will lenifie anothers wrath and if you use it but so long as a little to stay your selves till reason be awake it will lenifie your own And he is a fury and not a man that cannot stop while he considereth § 7. Direct 7. If you cannot easilier quiet or restrain your selves go away from the place and company Direct 7. And then you will not be heated by contending words nor exasperate others by your contending When you are alone the fire will asswage Prov. 14. 7. Go away from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge You will not stand still and stir in a Wasps Nest when you have enraged them § 8. Direct 8. Yea ordinarily avoid much talk or disputes or business with angry men as far as Direct 8. you can without avoiding your duty and avoid all other occasions and temptations to the sin A man that is in danger of a Feavor must avoid that which kindleth it Come not among the infected if Unicuique pertinacius contendenti justam habere causam permitte tacendoque contumaci cede sic uterque quieâ—i imperturbaâ—i paermanebitis Thauâ—er flor pag. 84. you fear the Plague Stand not in the Sun if you are too hot already Keep as far as you can from that which most provoketh you § 9. Direct 9. Meditate not on injuries or provoking things when you are alone suffer not your Direct 9. thoughts to feed upon them Else you will be Devils to your selves and tempt your selves when you have none else to tempt you and will make your solitude as provoking as if you were in company And you will be angring your selves by your own imaginations § 10. Direct 10. Keep upon your minds the lively thoughts of the exemplary meekness and patience of Direct 10. Iesus Christ who calleth you to learn of him to be meek and lowly Matth. 11. 28 29. Who being reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. Who hath pronounced a special blessing on
Widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day Night and day can be no less than Morning and Evening And if you say This is not Family-prayer I answer 1. It is all kind of Prayer belonging to her 2. And if it commend the less much more the greater Arg. 6. From Luk. 6. 14. 2. 37. 18. 17. Act. 26. 7. 1 Thes. 3. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 3. Rev. 7. 15. Nâ—h 1. 6. Psal. 88. 1. Josh. 1. 8. Psal. 1. 2. which shew that night and day Christ himself prayed and his servants prayed and meditated and read the Scripture Arg 7. Deut 6. 7. 11. 19. It is exprâ—sly commanded that Parents teach their Children the Word of God when they lye down and when they rise up And the parity of reason and conjunction of the word and prayer will prove that they should also pray with them lying down and rising up Arg. 8. For brâ—vity sake I offer you together Psal. 119. 164. David praised God seven times a day 145. 2. Every day will I bless thee Psal. 5. 3. my voiâ—e shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer to thee and will look up 59. 16. I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning 88. 13. In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee 92. 12. It is good to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to thy name O mâ—st High to shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night 119. 147 148. I prevented the dâ—wning of the morning aâ—d cryed I hâ—ped in thy word mine eyes preveâ— the night watches that I might meditate on thy word 130. 6 My sâ—ul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning The Priests were to offer Sacrifices and thanks to God every morning 1 Chron. 23. 30. Exod 30. 7. 36. 3. Lev. 6. 12. 2 Chron. 13. 11. Ezek. 46. 13 14 15. Amos 4. 4. And Christians are a hâ—ly Priesthood to offer up sacrifices to God acceptable through Iesus Châ—ist 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. Expresly saith David Psal. 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice So Morning and Evening were Sacrifices and Burnt offerings offered to the Lord and there is at least equal reason that Gospel worship should be as frequent 1 Chron. 16. 40. 2 Chron. 2. 4. 13. 11. 31. 3. Ezr. 3. 3. 2 King 16. 15. 1 King 18. 29 36. Ezra 9. 5. And no doubt but they prayed with the Sacrifices Which David intimateth in comparing them Psal. 141. 2. Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands aâ— the Evening sacrifice And God calleth for Prayer and praise as better than sacrifice Psal. 50. 14 15 23. All these I heap together for dispatch which fully shâ—w how frâ—quently Gods servants have been wont to Worship him and how often God expecteth it And you will all confess that it is reason that in Gospel times of greater light and holiness we should not come behind them in the times of the Law especially when Christ himself doth pray all night that had so little need in comparison of us And you may observe that these Scriptures speak of Prayer in general and limit it not to secresie and therefore they extend to all prayer according to opportunity No reason can limit all these examples to the most secret and least noble sort of prayer If but two or three are gathered together in his name Christ is especially among them If you say that by this rule we must as frequently pray in the Church-assemblies I answer The Church cannot ordinarily so oft assemble But when it can be without a greater inconvenience I doubt not but it would be a good work for many to meet the Minister daily for prayer as in some rich and populous Cities they may do I have been more tedious on this subject than a holy hungry Christian possibly may think necâ—ssary who needeth not so many arguments to perswade him to â—east his soul with God and to delight himself in the frequent exercises of faith and Love And if I have said less than the other sort of Readers shall think necessary let them know that if they will open their eyes and recover their appetites and feel their sins and observe their daily wants and dangers and get but a heart that Loveth God these Reasons then will seem sufficient to convince them of the need of so sweet and profitable and necessary a work And if they observe the difference between Praying and Prayerless families and care for their souls and for communion with God much fewer words than these may serve their turn It is a dead and graceless carnal heart that must be cured before these men will be well satisfied A better appetite would help their reason If God should say in general to all men You shall eat as oft as will do you good the sick stomach would say once a day and that but a little is enough and as much as God requireth when another would say Thrice a day is little enough A good and healthful Heart is a great help in the expounding of Gods word especially of his General Commandments That which men love not but are aweary of they will not easily believe to be their duty The new nature and holy Love and desires and experience of a sound believer do so far make all these Reasonings needless to him that I must confess I have written them principally to convince the carnal hypocrite and to stop the â—â—ouths of wrangling enemies CHAP. IV. General Directions for the Holy Government of Families § 1. THE Principal thing requisite to the right governing of Families is the Fitness of the Governours and the Governed thereto which is spoken of before in the Directions for the Constitution But if persons unfit for their Relations have joyned themselves together in a Family their first duty is to Repent of their former sin and rashness and presently to turn to God and seek after that fitness which is necessary to the right discharge of the duties of their several places And in the Governours of Families thâ—se three things are of greatest necessity hereunto I. Authority II. Skill III. Holiness and readiness of Will § 2. I Gen. Dir. Let Governours maintain their Authority in their Families For if once that be lost Direct 1. and you are despised by those that you should rule your word will be of no effect with them How to keep up Authorâ—ty you do but ride without a Bridle your power of Governing is gone when your Authority is lost And here you must first understand the Nature Use and Extent of your Authority For as your Relations are different to your Wife your Children and your Servants so
also is your Authority Your Authority over your Wife is but such as is necessary to the order of your Family the safe and prudent management of your affairs and your comfortable cohabitation The power of love and complicated interest must do more than Magisterial commands Your authority over your Children is much greater But yet only such as conjunct with Love is needful to their good education and felicity Your authority over your servants is to be measured by your contract with them in these Countreys where there are no slaves in order to your Service and the honour of God In other matters or to other ends you have no Authority over them For the maintaining of this your Authority observe these following Subdirections § 3. Direct 1. Lâ—t your family understand that your Authority is of God who is the God of Order Direct 1. and that in obedience to him they are obliged to obey you There is no power but of God And there is none that the intelligent Creature can so much reverence as that which is of God All bonds are easily broken and cast away by the soul at least if not by the body which are not perceived to be Divine An illightned Conscience will say to ambitious usurpers God I know and his Son Jesus I know but who are ye § 4. Direct 2. The more of God appeareth upon you in your knowledge and holiness and unblameableness Direct 2. of life the greater will your Authority be in the eyes of all your inferiours that fear God Sin will make you contemptible and vile And Holiness being the Image of God will make you Honourable In the eyes of the faithful a vile person is contemned but they honour them that fear the Lord. Psal. 15. 4 Righteousness exalteth a Nation and a person but sin is a reproach to any people Prov. 14. 34. Those that honour God he will honour and those that dâ—spise him shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2. 30. They that give up themselves to vile affections and conversations Rom. 1. 26. will seem vile when they have made themselves so Eli's Sons made themselves vile by their sin 1 Sam. 3. 13. I know men should discern and honour a person placed in Authority by God though they are morally and naturally vile But this is so hard that it is seldom well done And God is so severe against Proud offenders that he usually punisheth them by making them vile in the eyes of others at least when they are dead and men dare freely speak of them their names will rot Prov. 10. 7. The instances of the greatest Emperours in the World both Persian Roman and Turkish do tell us that if by whordom drunkenness gluttony pride and especially persecution they will make themselves vile God will permit them by uncovering their nakedness to become the shame and scorn of men And shall a wicked Master of a family think to maintain his authority over others while he rebelleth against the authority of God § 5. Direct 3. Shew not your natural weakness by passions or imprudent words or deeds For if Direct 3. they think contemptuously of your persons a little thing will draw them further to despise your words There is naturally in man so high an esteem of Reason that men are hardly perswaded that they should rebel against Reason to be governed for orders sake by folly They are very apt to think that rightest Reason should bear rule And therefore any silly weak expressions or any inordinate passions or any imprudent actions are very apt to make you contemptible in your inferiours eyes § 6. Direct 4. Lose not your Authority by a neglect of using it If you suffer Children and Servants Direct 4. but a little while to have the head and to have and say and do what they will your Government will be but a name or image A moderate course between a Lordly rigour and a soft subjection or neglect of exercising the power of your place will best preserve you from your inferiours contempt § 7. Direct 5. Lâ—se not your authority by too much familiarity If you make your children and servants your playfellows or equals and talk to them and suffer them to talk to you as your companions they will quickly grow upon you and hold their custom and though another may govern them they will scarce ever endure to be governed by you but will scorn to be subject where they have once been as equal § 8. 11. Gen. Direct Labour for Prudence and Skillfullness in Governing He that undertaketh Of skill in governing to be a Master of a family undertaketh to be their Governour And it is no small sin or folly to undertake such a place as you are utterly unfit for when it is a matter of so great importance You could discern this in a case that 's not your own as if a man undertake to be a Schoolmaster that cannot read or write or to be a Physicion who knoweth neither diseases nor their remedies or to be a Pilot that cannot tell how to do a Pilots work And why cannot you much more discern it in your own case § 9. Direct 1. To get the skill of holy governing it is needful that you be well studied in the Direct 1. word of God Therefore God commandeth Kings themselves that they read in the Law of God all the days of their lives Deut. 17. 18 19. and that it depart not out of their mouths but that they meditate in it day and night Josh. 1. 8. And all Parents must be able to teach it their children and talk of it both at home and abroad lying down and rising up Deut. 6. 6 7. 11. 18 19. All Government of men is but subservient to the Government of God to promote obedience to his Laws And it is necessary that we understand the Laws which all Laws and precepts must give place to and subserve § 10. Direct 2. Understand well the different tempers of your inferiors and deal with them as they Direct 2. are and as they can bear and not with all alike Some are more intelligent and some more dull Some are of tender and some of hardened impudent dispositions Some will be best wrought upon by love and gentleness and some have need of sharpness and severity Prudence must fit your dealings to their dispositions § 11. Direct 3. You must much difference between their different faults and accordingly suit your reprehensions Direct 3. Those must be most severely rebuked that have most willfulness and those that are â—aulty in matters of greatest weight Some faults are so much through meer disability and unavoidable â—railty of the flesh that there is but little of the will appearing in them These must be more gently handled as deserving more compassion than reproof Some are habituate vices and the whole nature is more desperately depraved than in others These must have more than a particular correction They must be
fuller Title than to make them of nothing and redeem them from a state far worse than nothing And after all this shall the very Parents of such children steal them from their absolute Lord and Father and fell them to slavery and torment § 3. Motive 3. Remember that in their Baptism you did dedicate them to God you entred them into Motive 3. a solemn Vow and Covenant to be wholly his and to live to him Therein they renounced the flesh the world and the Devil Therein you promised to bring them up vertuously to lead a godly and Christian life that they might obediently keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the dayes of their lives And after all this will you break so solemn a promise and cause them to break such a Vow and Covenant by bringing them up in ignorance and ungodliness Did you understand and and consider what you then did How solemnly you your selves engaged them in a Vow to God to live a mortified and a holy life And will you so solemnly do that in an hour which all their life after with you you will endeavour to destroy § 4. Motive 4. Consider how great power the education of children hath upon all their following lives Motive 4. Except Nature and Grace there is nothing that usually doth prevail so much with them Indeed the obstinacy of Natural Vitiousness doth often frustrate a good education But if any means be like to do good it is this But ill education is more constantly successful to make them evil This cherisheth those seeds of wickedness which spring up when they come to age This maketh so many to be proud and idle and flesh pleasers and licentious and lustful and covetous and all that is naught And he hath a hard task that cometh after to root out these vices which an ungodly education hath so deeply radicated Ungodly Parents do serve the Devil so effectually in the first impressions on their childrens minds that it is more than Magistrates and Ministers and all reforming means can afterwards do to recover them from that sin to God Whereas if you would first engage their hearts to God by a religious education Piety would then have all those advantages that sin hath now Prov. 22. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it The language which you teach them to speak when they are children they will use all their life after if they live with those that use it And so the Opinions which they first receive and the customs which they are used to at first are very hardly changed afterward I doubt not to affirm that a godly Education is Gods first and ordinary appointed means for the begetting of actual faith and other graces in the children of believers Many may have seminal grace before but they cannot sooner have actual faith repentance love or any Grace than they have Reason it self in act and exercise And the Preaching of the Word by publick Ministers is not the first ordinary means of grace to any but those that were graceless till they come to hear such preaching that is to those on whom the first appointed means hath been neglected or proved in vain that is It is but the second means to do that which was not done by the first The proof is undenyable Because God appointeth Parents diligently to teach their children the Doctrine of his holy Word before they come to the publick Ministry Parents teaching is the first teaching And Parents teaching is for this end as well as publick teaching even to beget faith and love and holiness And God appointeth no means to be used by us on which we may not expect his blessing Therefore it is apparent that the ordinary appointed means for the first actual Grace is Parents godly instruction and education of their children And publick preaching is appointed for the Conversion of those only that have mist the blessing of the first appointed means Therefore if you deny your children religious education you deny them the first appointed means of their actual faith and sanctification and then the second cometh upon disadvantage § 5. Motive 5. Consider also how many and great are your advantages above all others for your childrens Motive 5. good As 1. Nothing doth take so much with any one as that which is known to come from Love The greater Love is discerned in your instruction the greater success may you expect Now your children are more confident of their Parents Love than of any others Whether Ministers and Strangers speak to them in Love they cannot tell But of their Parents Love they make no doubt 2. And their Love to you is as great a preparative to your success We all hearken to them that we dearly Love with greater attention and willingness than to others They Love not the Minister as they do their Parents 3. You have them in hand betime before they have received any false opinions or bad impressions before they have any sin but that which was born with them You are to make the first impressions upon them You have them while they are most teachable and flexible and tender and make least resistance against instruction They rise not up at first against your teaching with self-conceitedness and proud objections But when they come to the Minister they are as Paper that is written on or printed before unapt to receive another impression They have much to be untaught before they can be taught And come with proud and stiff resistance to strive against instruction rather than readily to receive it 4. Your children do wholly depend on you for their present maintenance and much for their future livelyhood and portions And therefore they know that it is their interest to obey and please you And as interest is the common byass of the world so is it with your children You may easilier rule them that have this handle to hold them by than any other can do that have not this advantage They know they serve you not for nought 5. Your authority over your children is most unquestionable They will dispute the authority of Ministers yea and of Magistrates and ask them who gave them the power to teach them and to command them But the Parents authority is beyond all dispute They will not call you Tyrants or Usurpers nor bid you prove the validity of your Ordination or the uninterruptedness of your succession Therefore Father and Mother as the first Natural Power are mentioned rather than Kings or Queens in the fifth Commandment 6. You have the power of the Rod to force them Prov. 22. 15. Foolishness it bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him And your correction will be better understood to come from Love than that of the Magistrate or any other 7. You have best opportunity to know both the diseases
be desperate which is not Nor must we so easily deâ—ist with so near a relation as with a stranger or a neighbour But yet Christs indulgence of not exposing our selves to be torn by Dogs and his Word trodden in the dirt by Swine doth extend to relations as well as others But then you must observe that she that is justly discouraged from sharp reproofs may yet have hope that gentle and humble perswasions may succeed And she that is discouraged from open or frequent or plain reproofs may yet have hope that secret or more seldome or more distant and general admonitions may not be lost And she that is discouraged from one way of doing him good may yet have many other wayes as to set some Minister whom he reverenceth to speak to him to put some suitable Book into his hand c. And she that is discouraged at the present ought not totally to despair but may make some more attempts hereafter either in some sickness or time of mortality or danger or affliction or when possibly time and consideration may have better prepared him to hear And in the mean time she is to continue all Conjugal affection and duty and a convincing winning course of life which may prove the most effectual reproof Quest. 5. What should a Woman do in controverted cases of Religion when her judgement and her Quest. 5. Husbands differ Answ. 1. Some make a controversie of that which with all good Christians or sober persons should be past controversie and some controversies are indeed of real if not insuperable difficulty 2. Some controversies are about important necessary things and some about things of lesser moment 3. Some are about meer Opinion or other mens practice and some about our own practice 1. In all differences of judgement the Wife must exercise such self-suspicion and modesty and submission as may signifie her due sense both of the weakness of her Sex and of her subjection to her Husband 2. In things indifferent she must in practice obey her Husband unless when superiour powers do forbid it and that in cases where their authority is greater 3. She may modestly give her reasons of dissent 4. She must not turn it to an unpeaceable quarrel or matter of disaffection or pretend any differences against her Conjugal duties 5. In dark and difficult cases she should not be peremptory and self-conceited nor importunate but if she have faith that is some more knowledge than he have it to her self in quietness and silence and seek further information lest she err 6. She must speak no untruth nor commit any known sin in obedience to her Husbands judgement 7. When she strongly suspecteth it to be sin she must not do it meerly in obedience to him but seek for better satisfaction For she is sure that he hath no power to force her to sin And therefore hath no more assurance of his power in that point than she hath of the lawfulness of the thing 8. But if she prove to be in the error she will sin on either side till she recover 9. If a Husband be in dangerous error she must wisely but unweariedly seek his reformation by her self or others Cases about Divorce and Separation Quest. 1. IS it lawful for Husband and Wife to be long absent from each other and how long and Quest. 1. in what Cases Answ. It is lawful to be absent either in the case of prayer which Paul mentioneth or in case of the needful affairs of their estates so long as may be no danger to either of them as to mental or corporal incontinency nor to any other hurt which will be greater than the benefits of their absence nor cause them to be guilty of the neglect of any real duty Therefore the cases of several persons do much differ according to the different tempers of their minds and bodies and affairs He that hath a Wife of a chaste contented prudent temper may stay many moneths or years in some cases when all things considered it tendeth to more good than hurt As Lawyers by their Callings are often necessitated to follow their Callings at Terms and Assizes And Merchants may be some years absent in some weighty cases But if you ask Whether the getting of money be a sufficient cause I answer that it is sufficient to those whose families must be so maintained and their Wives are easily continent and so the good of their gain is greater than any loss or danger that cometh by it But when Covetousness puts them upon it needlesly and their Wives cannot bear it or in any case when the hurt that is like to follow is greater than the good it is unlawful Quest. 2. May Husband and Wife be separated by the bare command of Princes If they make a Law Quest. 2. that in certain cases they shall part As suppose it to Ministers Iudges or Soldiers Answ. You must distinguish between the bare Command or Law and the Reasons and Ends of that Command and so between a Lawful Command and an Unlawful In some Cases a Prince may justly command a separation for a time or such as is like to prove for perpetuity and in some cases he may not If a King command a separation without sufficient cause so that you have no Motive but his Authority and the question is Whether formally you are bound to obedience I answer No Because what God hath joyned no man hath power to puâ— asunder Nor can either Prince Pope or Prelate dispeâ—se with your Marriage Covenant In such a case it is as a Private act because God hath given them no authority for it and therefore their Commands or Laws are Nullities 〈◊〉 Only if a Prince say He that will be a Judge or a Justice shall part with his Wife it is lawful to leave the Office and so obey the Law But if he say to all Ministers of the Gospel you shall forsake your Wives or your Ministry they should do neither because they are Divinely obliged to both and he hath no power to forbid them or to dispense with that obligation But it may fall out that the Ends of the Command may be so great as to make it Lawful and then it must be obeyed both formally for the authority of the Prince and finally for the reasons of the thing As if the safety of the Commonwealth should require that Married persons be Souldiers and that they go far off yea though there be no likelihood of returning to their families and withal they cannot take their Wives with them without detriment or danger to their service In this case men must obey the Magistrate and are called by God to forsake their Wives as if it were by death Nor is it any violation of their Marriage Covenant because that was intended or meant to suppose the Exception of any such Call of God which cannot be resisted when it will make a separation Quest. 3. May Ministers leave their Wives to go
but desired in this life but not attained Much less for others 3. When the principal causes co-operate not with us and we are but subservient Moral Causes We can but perswade men to Repent Believe and Love God and goodness We cannot save men without and against themselves Their hearts are out of our reach Therefore in all these cases we are naturally unable to hinder sin II. It is not in our power to do any thing which God forbiddeth us That which is sinful is to be accounted out of our power in this sense To cure the sin of a Wife by such cruelty or harshness as is contrary to our Conjugal Relation and to the office of necessary Love is out of our power because forbidden as contrary to our duty and so of other III. Those actions are out of our power which are acts of higher authority than we have A subject cannot reform by such actions as are proper to the Soveraign nor a Lay-man by actions proper to the Pastor for want of Authority So a Schoolmaster cannot do that which is proper to a Patient Nor the Master of a family that which is proper to the Magistrate as to punish with death c. IV. We have not power to do that which a Superiour power forbiddeth us unless it be that which God indisponsibly commandeth us The Wife may not correct a Child or Servant or turn him away when the Husband forbiddeth it Nor the Master of a family so punish a sin as the King and Laws forbid on the account of the publick interest V. We have not Power to do that for the cure of sin which is like to do more hurt than good yea perhaps to prove a perniâ—ious mischief If my correcting a servant would make him kill me or set my house on fire I may not do it If my sharp reproof is like to do more hurt or less good than milder dealing If I have reason to believe that correction will make a servant worse I am not to use it because we have our power to edification and not to destruction God hath not tyed us just to speak such and such words or to use this or that correction but to use reproofs and corrections only in that time measure and manner as true reason telleth us is likest to attain their end To do it iâ— it would do never so much hurt with a fiat Iustitia etsi pereat Mundus is to be Rightâ—ous overmuch Yea great and heynous sins may be endured in families sometimes to avoid a greater hurt and because there is no other means to cure them For instance A Wife may be guilty of notorious Pride and of malignant dâ—riding the exercises of Religion and of railing lying slandering back-biting covetousness swearing cursing c. and the Husband be necessitated to bear it not so far as not to reprove it but so far as not to correct her much less cure her Divines use to say that it is unlawful for a man to beat his Wife But the reason is not that he wanteth Authority to do it But 1. Because he is by his relation obliged to a Life of Love with her and therefore must so Rule as tendeth not to destroy Love And 2. Because it may often do otherwise more hurt to her self and the family than good It may make her furious and desperate and make her contemptible in the family and diminish the reverence of inferiours both to Wife and Husband for living so uncomely a life Quest. But is there any case in which a man may silently bear the sins of a Wife or other inferiour without reproof or urging them to amend Answ. Yes In case 1. That Reproof hath been tryed to the utmost 2. And it is most evident by full experience that it is like to do a great deal more hurt than good The Rule given by Christ extendeth as well to families as to others not to cast Pearls before Swine nor to give that which is holy to dogs because it is more to the discomposure of a mans Matâ—h 7. 6. own pâ—ace to have a Wife turn again and all to rend him than a stranger As the Church may cease admonishing a sinner after a certain time of obstinacy when experience hath ended their present hopes of bringing the person to Repentance and thereupon may excommunicate him so a Husband may be brought to the same despair with a Wife and may be disobliged from ordinary reproof though the nearness of the Relation forbid him to eject her And in such a case where the family and neighbourhood knoweth the intractableness and obstinacy of the Wife it is no scandal nor sign of approbation or neglect of duty for a man to be silent at her sin Because they look upon her Psâ—l 81. 11. c. Râ—v 22 10 11. Prov. 1. 24 25. as at present incorrigible by that means And it is the sharpest Reproof to such a one to be unreproved and to be let alone in her sin as it is Gods greatest judgement on a sinner to leave him to himself and say Be filthy still And there are some Women whose Phantasies and Passions are naturally so strong as that it seemeth to me that in many cases they have not so much as Natural Free-will or power to restrain them but if in all other cases they acted as in some I should take them for meer Bruites that had no true reason They seem naturally necessitated to do as they do I have known the long professiâ—n of piâ—ty which in other respects hath seemed sincere to consist in a Wife with such unmastered furious passion that she could not before strangers forbear throwing what was in her hand in her Husbands face or thrusting the burning Candle into his face and slandering him of the filthiest sins and when the passion was over confess all to be false and her rage to be the reason of her speech and actions And the man though a Minister of more than ordinary wit and strength yet fain to endure all without returns of violence till her death They that never knew such a case by tryal can tell how all might be cured easily but so cannot they that are put upon the Cure And there are some other women of the same uncurable strength of Imagination and Passion who in other respects are very pious and prudent too and too wise and conscionable to wrong their Husbands with their hands or tongues who yet are utterly unable to forbear an injury of the highest nature to themselves but are so utterly impatient of being crossed of their wills that it would in all likelihood cast them into Melancholy or Madness or some mortal sickness And no reason signifieth any thing to abate such passions In case of Pride or some sinful custome they are not able to bear reproof and to be hindered in the sin without apparent danger of distraction or death I suppose thâ—se cases are but few but what to do in such
Or will you presume to bind God himself by your Vows that he shall make no such alteration Or if you were never so confident of your own unchangeableness you know not what fond and violent affections another may be possessed with which may make an alteration in your duty At the present it may be your duty to live retiredly and avoid Magistracy and publick employments But you may not therefore Vow it for continuance For you know not but God may make such alterations as may make it so great and plain a duty as without flat impiety or cruelty you cannot refuse Perhaps at the present it may be your duty to give half your yearly revenews to charitable and pious uses But you must not therefore Vow it for continuance without some special cause to warrant it For perhaps the next year it may be your duty to give but a fourth or a tenth part or none at all according as the providence of God shall dispose of your estate and you Perhaps God may impose a clear necessity on you of using your estate some other way § 21. Direct 11. If you be under Government you may not lawfully Vow without your Governours Direct 11. consent to do any thing which you may not lawfully do without their consent in case you had not Vowed it For that were 1. Actually to disobey them at the present by making a Vow without the direction and consent of your Governours 2. And thereby to bind your selves to disobey them for the future by doing that without them which you should not do without them But if it be a thing that you may do or must do though your Governours forbid you then you may Vow it though they forbid you if you have a call from the necessity of the Vow § 22. Direct 12. If Oaths be commanded us by Usurpers that have no authority to impose them we Direct 12. must not take them in formal obedience to their commands For that were to own their Usurpation and encourage them in their sin If we owe them no obedience in any thing we must not obey them in so great a thing Or if they have some authority over us in other matters but none in this as a Constable hath no power to give an Oath we must not obey them in the point where they have no authority But yet it is possible that there may be other reasons that may make it our duty to do it though not as an act of formal obedience As I may take an Oath when a Thief or Murderer requireth it not to obey him but to save my life And if any man command me to do that which God commandeth me I must do 〈…〉 because God commandeth it § 23. Direct 13. If a lawful Magistrate impose an Oath or Vow upon you before you take it you Direct 13. must consult with God and know that it is not against his will God must be first obeyed in all things but especially in matters of so great moment as Vows and Promises § 24. Quest. 1. What if I be in doubt whether the Oath or promise imposed be lawful Must I take it or not If I take an Oath which I judge unlawful or false I am a perjured or prophane despiser of God And if a man must refuse all Oaths or promises which the Magistrate commandeth if he do but doubt whether they be lawful then Government and Iustice will be injured while every man that hath ignorance enough to make him dubious shall refuse all Oaths and promises of Allegiance or for witness to the truth Answ. 1. I shall tell you what others say first in the case of doubting Dr. Sanderson saith Praelect 3. Sect. 10. pag. 74 75. Tertius Casus est cum quis juramento pollicetur se facturum aliquid in se fortassis licitum quod tamen ipse putat esse illicitum Ut siquis ante haec tempora admittendus ad beneficium ut vocant Ecclesiasticum promisisset in publicis sacris observare omnes ritus legibus Ecclesiasticis imperatos vestem scilicet lineam crucis signum ad sacrum fontem ingeniculationem in percipiendis Symbolis in sacra coena id genus alios quos ipse tamen ex aliquo levi praejudicio putaret esse superstitiosos Papisticos Quaeritur in hoc casu quae sit Obligatio Pro Resp. dico tria Dico 1. Non posse tale juramentum durante tali errore siâ—e gravi peccato suscipi Peccat enim graviter qui contra conscientiam peccat etsi erroneam Iudicium enim intellectus cum sit unicuique proxima agendi regula Voluntas si judicium illud non sequatur deficiens a regula sua necesse est ut in obliquum feratur Tritum est illud Qui facit contra conscientiam aedificat ad gehennam Sane qui jurat in id quod putat esse illicitum nihilominus juraturus esset si esset revera illicitum Atque ita res illa ut ut alii licita est tamen ipsi illicita sententiam ferente Apostolo Rom. 14. 14. c. Dico 2. Tale juramentum non obligare c. that is The third case is when a man promiseth by Oath that he will do a thing which in it self perhaps is lawful but he thinketh to be unlawful As if one before these times being to be admitted to an Ecclesiastical Benefice as they call it had promised that in publick worship he would observe all the rites commanded in the Ecclesiastick Laws to wit the Surplice the Sign of the Cross at the sacred Font kneeling in the receiving of the symbols in the holy Supper and others the like which yet out of some light prejudice he thought to be superstitious and Papistical The Question is What Obligation there is in this case For answer I say three things 1. I say that an Oath while such an error lasteth cannot be taken without grievous sin For he grievously sinneth who sinneth against his conscience although it be erroneous For when the judgement of the intellect is to every man the nearest rule of action it must be that the will is carryed into obliquity if it follow not that judgement as swerving from its rule It s a common saying He that doth against his conscience buildeth unto Hell Verily he that sweareth to that which he thinketh to be See before Chap. 3. Gr. Dir. 10. pag. 125 c. unlawful would nevertheless swear if it were indeed unlawful And so the thing though lawful to another is to him unlawful the Apostle passing the sentence Rom. 14. 14 c. 2. I say that such an Oath bindeth not c. Of the Obligation I shall speak anon but of the Oath or Promise I think the truth lyeth here as followeth § 25. 1. The Question de esse must first be resolved before the Question of Knowing or Opinion Either the thing is really lawful which is doubted of or denyed or it is not
taken upon a particular occasion must be generally or strictly interpreted Rule 44. unless there be special reasons for a restraint from the Matter End or other evidence As if you are afraid that your Son should marry such a Woman and therefore swear him not to marry without your Consent He is bound thereby neither to marry that Woman not any other Or if your servant haunt one particular Alehouse and you make him forswear All Houses in General he must avoid all other So Dr. Sanderson instanceth in the Oath of Supremacy p. 195. § 67. Rule 45. He that Voweth absolutely or implicitly to obey another in all things is bound to obey Rule 45. him in all lawful things where neither God nor other superiour or other person is injured unless the nature of the relation or the ends or reasons of the oath or something else infer a limitation as implyed § 68. Rule 46. Still distinguish between the falshood in the words as disagreeing to the Thing sworn and Rule 46. the falshood of them as disagreeing from the swearers mind The former is sometime excusable but the later never There are many other Questions about Oaths that belong more to the Chapter of Contracts and Justice between man and man and thither I refer them CHAP. VI. Directions to the People concerning their Internal and Private Duty to their Pastors and the improvement of their Ministerial Office and Guifts THe Peoples Internal and Private duty to their Pastors which I may treat of without an appearance of â—ncroachment upon the work of the Canons Rubricks and Diocesans I shall open to you in these Directions following § 1. Direct 1. Understand first the true Ground and Nature and Reasons of the Ministerial Direct 1. Office or else you will not understand the Grounds and Nature and Reasons of your duty to them The Diâ—â—â—â— 2. of Church-Government Ch. 1. And universal Coâ—coâ—d Nature and Works of the Ministerial Office I have so plâ—inly opened already that I shall referr you to it to avoid repetition Hâ—re are two sorts of Reasons to be given you 1. The Reasons of the necessity of the Ministerial work 2. Why certain persons must be separated to this work and it must not be left to all in common § 2. 1. The Necessity of the work it self appeareth in the very Nature of it and enumeration of the parts of it Two sorts of Ministers Christ hath made use of for his Church The first sâ—rt was for Of the differencâ— between fixed and uâ—fixed Ministers see my Disp. 2. 〈…〉 Church-Government and Ios. Acoâ—â—aâ— 5. â— 21. 22. dâ— Missionibus the Revelation of some New Law or Doctrine to be the Churches Rule of Faith or Life And these were to prove their authority and credibility by some Divine attestation which was especially by Miracles and so Moses revealed the Law to the Jews and Christ and the Apostles revealed the Gospel The second sort of Ministers are appointed to Guide the Church to salvation by opening and applying the Rule thus already sealed and delivered And these as they are to bring no new Revelations or Doctrines of faith or Rule of life so they need not bring any Miracle to prove their call or authority to the Church For they have no power to deliver any new Doctrine or Gospel to the Church but only that which is confirmed by Miracles already And it is impudency to demand that the same Gospel be proved by new Miracles by every Minister that shall expound or preach it That would make Miracles to be no Miracles § 3. The work of the ordinary Ministry such as the Priests and Teachers were under the Law The Work of the Ministry and ordinary Pastors and Teachers are under the Gospel being only to Gather and Govern the Churches their work lay in Explaining and Applying the Word of God and delivering his Sacraments and now containeth thâ—se particulars following 1. To Preach the Gospel for the Conversion Rom. 10. 7 14. Mar. 16. 15. of the unbelieving and ungodly world And that is done partly by expounding the words by a Translation into a tongue which the hearers or readers understand and partly by opening the sense Matth. 28. 19 20. and matter 2. In this they are not only Teachers but Messengers sent from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost to charge and command and intreat men in his Nâ—me to Repent and believe and be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. to God and in his Name to offer them a sâ—alâ—d pardon of all their sins and title to eternal life 3. Those that become the Disciples of Christ they are as his Stewards to receive into his Acts 26 17 18. Eph. 2. 19. house as fellow Citizens of the Saints and of the Houshold of God and as his Commissioned Officers Acts 2. 37 38 39 40. to solemnize by Baptism their enterance into the holy Covenant and to receive their engagement to God and to be the Messengers of Gods Engagement unto them and by Investiture to deliver them by that Sacrament the pardon of all their sin and their title by Adoption to â—ternal life As a house is delivered by the delivery of a Key or Land by a Twig and Turfe or Knighthood by a Sword or Garter c. 4. These Ministers are to gather these Converts into solemn Assemblies and ordered Churches Tit. 1. 7. 1 â—or 4. 1 2. Matth 28. 19 20. for their solemn worshipping of God and mutual edification communion and safe proceeding in their Christian course 5. They are to be the stated Teachers of the Assemblies by expounding and applying that Word which is fit to build them up 6. They are to be the Guides of the Congregation Acts 20. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 11 12. in publick Worship and to stand between them and Christ in things pertaining to God as subservient to Christ in his Priestly Office And so both for the people and also in their names to put Acts 14. 23. 2 Tim 2. 2. Acts 13. 2. 2. 41 42. 6. 2 Acts 20. 7 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Titus 1. 5. Acts 20 20 31. â—ol 1. 28. Eph 4 11 12. Mal. 2. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 17. up the publick Prayers and Praises of the Church to God 7. It is their duty to Administer to them as in the Name and stead of Christ his Body and Blood as broken and shed for them and so in the frequent renewals of the holy Covenants to subserve Christ especially in his Priestly Office to offer and deliver Christ and his benefits to them and to be their Agent in offering themselves to God 8. They are appointed to Oversâ—e and Govern the Church in the publick Ordering of the solemn Worship of God and in râ—buking any that are there disorderly and seeing that all things be done to edification 9. They are appointed as Teachers for every particular Member of the Church to have private
of a distinct order the Reader must not expect that I here determine For 1. The Power is by Christ given to them as is before proved and in Tit. 1. 5. 2. None else are ordinarily able to discern aright the Abilities of a man for the sacred Ministry The people may discern a profitable moving Preacher but whether he understand the Scripture or the substance of Religion or be â—ound in the faith and not Heretical and delude them not with a form of well uttered words they are not ordinarily able to judge 3. None else are fit to attend this work but Pastors who are separated to the sacred office It requireth Act. 13. 2. Rom. 1. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 15. more time to get fitness for it and then to perform it faithfully than either Magistrates or people can ordinarily bestow 4. The power is no where given by Christ to Magistrates or people 5. It hath been exercised by Pastors or Church-officers only both in and ever since the Apostles dayes in all the Chuâ—ches of the World And we have no reason to think that the Church hath been gathered from the beginâ—â—â—â— till now by so great an errour as a wrong conveyance of the Ministerial power III. The word Iurisdiction as applyed to the Church officers is no Scripture Word and in the common sence soundeth too bigg as signifying more power than the servants of all must claim For Isa. 33. 2â— Jam. 4. 1â— there is One Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy But in a moderate sence it may be tolerated As Jurisdiction signifieth in particular 1. Legislation 2. Or Judicial Process or Sentence 3. Or the Execution of such a sentence strictly taken so Ordination is no part of Jurisdiction But as Iurisdiction signifieth the same with the power of Government Ius Regendi in general so Ordination is an Act of Jurisdiction As the placing or choosing of Inferiour officers may belong to the Steward of a Family or as the Calling or authorizing of Physicions belongeth to the Colledge of Physicions and the authorizing of Lawyers to the Judges or Society or the authorizing of Doctors in Philosophy to the Society of Philosophers or to particular rulers Where note that in the three last instances the Learning or Fitness of the said Persons or Societies is but their Dispositio vel aptitudo ad potestatem exercendam but the actual Power of conveying authority to others or designing the Recipient person is received from the supream power of the Land and so is properly an Act of Authority here called Jurisdiction So that the common distinguishing of Ordination from Iurisdiction or Government as if they were totâ specie different is unsound IV. Imposition of hands was a sign like the Kiss of peace and the anointing of persons and like our kneeling in Prayer c. which having first somewhat in their nature to invite men to the use was become a common significant sign of a superiours benediction of an inferiour in those times and Countreys And so was here applyed ordinarily for its antecedent significancy and aptitude to this use and was not purposely Instituted nor had its significancy newly given it by Institution And so was not like a Sacrament necessarily and perpetually affixed to Ordination Therefore we must conclude 1. That Imposition of hands in Ordination is a decent apt significant sign not to be scrupled by any nor to be omitted without necessity as being of Scripture ancient and common use 2. But yet that it is not essential to Ordination which may be valid by any fit designation and separation of the person And therefore if it be omitted it nullifieth not the action And if the Ordainers did it by Letters to a man a thousand miles off it would be valid And some persons of old were ordained when they were absent V. I add as to the need of Ordination 1. That without this Key the office and Church doors would be cast open and every Heretick or Self-conceited person intrude 2. It is a sign of a proud unworthy person that will judge himself fit for so great a work and Act. 13. 2. Heb. 5. 4. 10. intrude upon such a conceit when he may have the Judgement of the Pastors and avoideth it 3. Those that so do should no more be taken for Ministers by the people than any should go for Christians that are not Baptized or for marryed persons whose marriage is not solemnized Quest. 20. Is Ordination necessary to make a man a Pastor of a particular Church as such And is he to be made a General Minister and a particular-Church-Elder or Pastor at once and by one Ordination I Have proved that a man may be made a Minister in general yea and sent to exercise it in Converting Infidels and baptizing them before ever he is the Pastor of any particular Church To which I add that in this General Ministry he is a Pastor in the universal Church as a Licensed Physicion that hath no Hospital or Charge is a Physicion in the Kingdom And 1. As Baptism is as such our Enterance into the universal Church and not into a particular so is Ordination to a Minister an enterance only on the Ministry as such 2. Yet a man may at once be made a Minister in general and the Pastor of this or that Church in particular And in Kingdoms wholly inchurched and Christian it is usually fittest so to do Lest many being ordained sine titulo idleness and poverty of supernumeraries should corrupt and dishonour the Ministry Which was the cause of the old Canons in this case 3. But when a man is thus called to both at once it is not all done by Ordination as such but his complicate Relation proceedeth from a complication of Causes As he is a Minister it is by Ordination And as he is The Pastor of this People it is by the conjunct causes of appropriation which are 1. Necessarily the Peoples Consent 2. Regularly the Pastors approbation and recommendation and reception of the person into their Communion 3. And sometimes the Magistrate may do much â—â— oblige the people to consent 4. But when a man is made a Minister in general before he needeth no 〈◊〉 Ordination to fix him in a particular charge but only an Approbation recommendation particular Investiture and Reception For else a man must be oft ordained even as oft as he removeth But yet Imposition of hands may fitly be used in this particular Investiture though it be no proper ordination that is no collation of the office of a Minister in general but the fixing of one that was a Minister before Quest. 21. May a man be oft or twice Ordained IT is supposed that we play not with an ambiguous word that we remember what Ordination is And then you will see Cause to distinguish 1. Between entire true Ordination and the external act or words or ceremony only 2. Between one that was truly ordained before and one that
was not And so I answer 1. He that seemed Ordained and indeed was not is not Re-ordained when he is after Ordained 2. It is needful therefore to know the Essentials of Ordination from the Integrals and Accidentals 3. He that was truly Ordained before may in some cases receive again the Repetition of the bare words and outward Ceremonies of Ordination as Imposition of hands Where I will 1. Tell you in what Cases 2. Why. 1. In case there wanted sufficient witnesses of his Ordination and so the Church hath not sufficient means of notice or satisfaction that ever he was ordained indeed Or if the witnesses die before the notification Whether the Church should take his word or not in such a case is none of my question but Whether he should submit to the Repetition if they will not 2. Especially in a time and place which I have known when written and sealed Orders are often counterfeited and so the Church called to extraordinary care 3. Or if the Church or Magistrate be guilty of some causeless culpable incredulity and will not believe it was done till they see it done again 4. Or in case that some real or supposed Integral though not essential part was omitted or is by the Church or Magistrate supposed to be omitted And they will not permit or receive the Minister to exercise his office unless he repeat the whole Action again and make up that defect 5. Or if the person himself do think that his ordination was insufficient and cannot exercise his Ministry to the satisfaction of his own Conscience till the defect be repaired 1. In these cases and perhaps such others the outward Action may be repeated 2. The Reasons are 1. Because this is not a being twice ordained For the word Ordination signifieth a Moral action and not a Physical only As the word Marriage doth c. And it essentially includeth the new Dedication and Designation to the Sacred office by a kind of Covenant between the Dedicated person and Christ to whom he is consecrated and devoted And the external words are but a part and a part only as significant of the action of the mind Now the oft expressing of the same mental dedication doth not make it to be as many distinct dedications For 1. If the Liturgy or the persons words were tautological or at the Ordination should say the same thing often over and over or for confirmation should say often that which else might be said but once this doth not make it an often or multiplyed Ordination It was but one Love which Peter expressed when Christ made him say thrice that he Loved him nor was it a threefold Ordination which Christ used when he said thrice to him Feed my Lambs and Sheep 2. And if thrice saying it that hour make it not three Ordinations neither will thrice saying it at more hours dayes or months or years distance in some Cases For the Time maketh not the Ordinations to be many It is but one Moral Action But the common errour ariseth from the custom of calling the outward action alone by the name of the whole moral Action which is ordinarily done to the like deceit in the case of the Baptismal Covenant and the Lords Supper 3. The common judgement and custome of the World confirmeth what I say If persons that are marryed should for want of witness or due solemnity be forced to say and do the outward action all over again it is by no wise man taken in the proper moral full sense for a second Marriage but for one marriage twice uttered And if you should in witness bearing be put to your Oath and the Magistrate that was absent should say Reach him the Book again I did not hear him swear The doing it twice is not Morally two witnessings noâ— Oaths but one only twice Physically uttered If you Bind your Son Apprentice or if you make any Indentures or Contract and the Writings being lost or faulty you write and sign and seal them all again this is not morally another Contract but the same done better or again recorded And so it is plainly in this case 4. But Re-ordination morally and properly so called is unlawful For 1. It is or implyeth a lyâ— viz. that we were not truly Dedicated and Separated to this office before 2. It is a Sacrilegious renunciation of our former dedication to God whereas the Ministerial dedication and Covenant is for Life and not for a tryal which is the meaning of the Indelible Character which is a perpetual Relation and obligation 3. It is a taking the Name of God in vain thus to do and undoe and do again and to promise and renounce and promise again and to pretend to receive a power which we had before 4. It tendeth to great confusions in the Church As to make the people doubt of their Baptism or all the Ministerial Administrations of such as are re-ordained while they acted by the first Ordination 5. It hath ever been condemned in the Churches of Christ as the Canons called the Apostles and the Churches constant practice testifie 5. Though the bare Repetition of the outward Action and words be not Re-ordination yet he that on any of the forementioned occasions is put to repeat the said words and actions is obliged so to do it as that it may not seem to be a Re-ordination and so be a scandal to the Church Or if it outwardly seem so by the action he is bound to declare that it is no such thing for the counterpoising that appearance of evil 6. When the Ordainers or the common estimation of the Church do take the Repetition of the words and Action for a Re-ordination though the Receiver so intend it not yet it may become unlawful to him by this accident because he scandalizeth and hardeneth the erroneous by doing or receiving that which is Interpretative Re-ordination 7. Especially when the Ordainers shall require this Repetition on notoriously wicked grounds and so put that sense on the action by their own doctrines and demands As for instance 1. If Hereticks should as the Arrians say that we are no Ministers because we are not of their Heresie or Ordained by such as they 2. If the Pope or any proud Papal Usurpers shall say You are no Ministers of Christ except we ordain you And so do it to establish a trayterous usurped Regiment in the Church It is not lawful to serve such an usurpation As if Cardinals or Arch-bishops should say none are true Ministers but those that we Ordain Or Councils or Synods of Bishops or Presbyters should say None are true Ministers but those that we Ordain Or if one Presbyter or one Bishop without Authority would thus make himself master of the rest or of other Churches and say You are no Ministers unless I Ordain you we may not promote such Tyranny and Usurpation 3. If Magistrates would usurp the power of the Keys in Ecclesiastical Ordination and say that
Authority of the Pastors Because the Pastors of several Churches do not Lose any of Grotius dâ— Iâ—perio sum pot circ â—acr most solidly resolveth this Question their Power by their Assembling but exercise it with the greater advantage of Concord But as they are made only to oblige the present or absent Pastors who separatedly are of equal Office-power so they are no Laws except in an equivocal sense but only Agreements or Contracts So Bishop Usher profest his judgement to be And before him the Council of Carthage in Cyprians time But it needs no proof no more than that a Convention of Kings may make no Laws to bind the Kings of England but Contracts only 13. But yet we are aliunde obliged even by God to keep these Agreements in things lawful for the Churches peace and concord when greater contrary reasons à fine do not disoblige us For when God saith You shall keep Peace and Concord and keep Lawful Covenants The Canons afford us the Minor But these are Lawful Contracts or Agreements and means of the Churches Peace and Concord Therefore saith Gods Law you shall observe them So though the Contracts as of Husband and Wife Buyer and Seller c. be not Laws yet that is a Law of God which bindeth us to keep them 14. Seing that even the obliging Commands of Pastors may not by them be enforced by the Sword 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. 2 Cor. 1. 24. but work by the power of Divine Authority or Commission manifested and by holy Reason and Love therefore it is most modest and fit for Pastors who must not Lord it over Gods heritage but be examples to all to take the Lower name of Authoritative Directions and perswasions rather than of Laws Especially in a time when Papal Usurpation maketh such ruinating use of that name and Civil Magistrates use to take it in the nobler and narrower sense THe Questions 1. If one Pastor make Orders for his Church and the multitudes or Synods be against them which must be obeyed you may gather from what is said before of Ordination And 2. What are the particulars proper Materially to the Magistrates decision and what to the Pastors I here pass by Quest. 26. Whether Church-Canons or Pastors Directive Determinations of matters pertinent to their Office do bind the Conscience And what accidents will disoblige the people you may gather before in the same case about Magistrates Laws in the Political Directions As also by an impartial transferring the Case to the Precepts of Parents and Schoolmasters to Children without respect to their Power of the Rod or supposing that they had none such Quest. 27. What are Christs appointed means of the Unity and Concord of the Universal Church and consequently of its preservation if there be no Humane Universal Head and Governour of it upon Earth And if Christ have instituted none such Whether Prudence and the Law of Nature oblige not the Church to set up and maintain an Universal Ecclesiastical Monarchy or Aristocracy Seeing that which is Every mans work is as No mans and omitted by all I. TO the first question I must refer you in part to two small popular yet satisfactory Tractates Catholick Unity and The True Catholick and Church described written long ago that I do not one thing too oft Briefly now 1. The Unity of the Universal Church is founded in and maintained by their Common Relation to Christ the Head as the Kingdom in its Relation to the King 2. A Concord in Degrees of Goodness and in Integrals and Accidentals of Christianity will never be obtained on earth where the Church is still imperfect And perfect Holiness and Wisdom are necessary to Perfect Harmony and Concord Phil. 3. 12 13 14. 3. Experience hath long taught the Church if it will learn that the claim of a Papal Headship and Government over the Church Universal hath been the famous incendiary and hinderer of Concord in the Christian world 4. The means to attain such a measure of concord and harmony which is to be hoped for or endeavoured upon earth I have so distinctly fully and yet briefly described with the contrary Impediments in my Treatise of the Reasons of Christian Religion Part 7. Chap. 14. pag. 470 471. in about two leaves that I will not recite them If you say You are not bound to read the Books which I refer you to I answer Nor thiâ— II. To the latter Question I answer 1. To set up such an Universal Head on the supposition of natural Reasons and Humane Policy is 1. To cross Christs Institution and the Laws of the Holy Ghost as hath been long proved by Protestants from the Scripture 2. It is Treason against Christs Soveraign Office to usurp such a Vicegerency without his Commission 3. It is against the notorious light of Nature which telleth us of the Natural Incapacity of Mortal man to be such an Universal Governour through the world 4. It is to sin against long and dreadful common experience and to keep in that fire that hath destroyed Euperours Kings and Kingdoms and set the Churches Pastors and Christian world in those divisions which are the great and serviceable work of Satan and the impediment of the Churches increase purity and peace and the notorious shame of the Christian profession in the eyes of the Infidel world And if so many hundred years sad experience will not answer them that say If the Pope were a good man he might unite us all I conclude that such deserve to be deceived 2 Thess. 2. 10 11 12. Quest. 28. Who is the Iudge of Controversies in the Church 1. About the Exposition of the Scripture and Doctrinal points in themselves 2. About either Heresies or wicked Practices as they are charged on the persons who are accused of them That is 1. Antecedently to our Practice by way of Regulation 2. Or Consequently by Iudicial Sentence and Execution on Offenders I Have answered this question so oft that I can perswade my self to no more than this short yet clear solution The Papists use to cheat poor unlearned persons that cannot justly discern things that differ by puzling them with this confused ambiguous question Some things they cunningly and falsly take for granted As that there is such a thing on Earth as a Political Universal Church headed by any Mortal Governour Some things they shuffle together in equivocal words They confound 1. Publick Iudgement of Decision and private judgement of discerning 2. The Magistrates Iudgement of Church-controversies and the Pastors and the several Cases and Ends and Effects of their several judgements 3. Church-judgement as Directive to a particular Church and as a means of the Concord of several Churches Which being but distinguished a few words will serve to clear the difficulty 1 As there is no Universal Humane Church Constituted or Governed by a Mortal Head so there is no Power set up by Christ to be an Universal Iudge of either sort of Controversies
power derived from the Emperours and partly meer Agreements or Contracts by degrees degenerating into Governments And so the new forms and names are all but accidental of adjuncts of the true Christian Churches And though I cannot prove it unlawful to make such adjunctive or extrinsick constitutions forms and names considering the Matter simply it self yet by accident these accidents have proved such to the true Churches as the accident of sickness is to the body and have been the causes of the Divisions Wars Rebellions Ruines and Confusions of the Christian world 1. As they have served the covetousness and ambition of carnal men 2. And have enabled them to oppress simplicity and sincerity 3. And because Princes have not exercised their own power themselves nor committed it to Lay-Officers but to Church-men 4. Whereby the extrinsick Government hath so degenerated and obscured the Intrinsick and been confounded with it that both going under the equivocal name of Ecclesiastical Government few Churches have had the happiness to see them practically distinct Which tempâ—eth the Erashans to deny and pull down both together because they find one in the Pastors hands which belongeth to the Magistrate and we do not teach them to untwist and separate them Nay few Divines do clearly in their Controversies distinguish them Though Marsilius Patavinus and some few more have formerly given them very fair light yet hath it been but slenderly improved 11. There seemeth to me no readier and directer way to reduce the Churches to holy Concord and true reformation than for the Princes and Magistrates who are the extrinsick Rulers to re-assume their own and to distinguish openly and practically between the properly-Priestly or Pastoral intrinsick Office and their extrinsick part and to strip the Pastors of all that is not Intrinseeally their own It being enough for them and things so heterogeneous not well consisting in one person And then when the people know what is claimed as from the Magistrate only it will take off most of their scruples as to subjection and consent 12. No mortal man may abrogate or take down the Pastoral Office and the Intrinsick real power thereof and the Church-form which is constituted thereby seeing God hath instituted them for perpetuity on earth 13. But whether one Church shall have one Pastor or many is not at all of the Form of a particular Church but it is of the Integrity or gradual perfection of such Churches as need many to have many and to others not so Not that it is left meerly to the will of man but is to be varied as natural necessity and cause requireth 14. The nature of the Intrinsick Office or power anon to be described is most necessary to be understood as distinct from the power of Magistrates by them that would truly understand this The number of Governours in a Civil State make that which is called a variety of Forms of Common-wealths Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy Because Commanding Power is the thing which is there most notably exercised and primarily magnified And a wiser and better man yea a thousand must stand by as Subjects for want of Authority or true Power which can be but in One Supream either Natural or Political person because it cannot consist in the exercise with self-contradiction If one be for War and another for Peace c. there is no Rule Therefore the Many must be one Collective or Political person and must consent or go by the major Vote or they cannot govern But that which is called Government in Priests or Ministers is of another nature It is but a secondary subservient branch of their Office The first parts are Teaching and Guiding the people as their Priests to God in publick Worship And they Govern them by Teaching and in order to further Teaching and Worshipping God And that not by Might but by Reason and Love Of which more anon Therefore if a Sacred Congregation be Taught and conducted in publick Worship and so Governed as conduceth hereunto whether by one two or many it no more altereth the Form of the Church than it doth the Form of a School when a small one hath one Schoolmaster and a great one four Or of a Hospital when a small one hath one Physicion and a great one many seeing that Teaching in the one and Healing in the other is the main denominating work to which Government is but subservient in the most notable acts of it 15. No mortal man may take on him to make another Church or another Office for the Church as a Divine thing on the same grounds and of the same nature pretendedly as Christ hath made those already made The case of adding new Church Officers or Forms of Churches is the same with that of making new Worship Ordinances for God and accordingly to be determined which I have largely opened in its place Accidents may be added Substantials of like pretended nature may not be added Because it is an usurping of Christs power without derivation by any proved commission and an accusing of him as having done his own work imperfectly 16. Indeed no man can here make a new Church Officer of this Intrinsick sort without making him new work which is to make new Doctrine or new Worship which are forbidden For to do ☞ Gods work already made belongs to the Office already instituted If every King will make his own Officers or authorize the greater to make the less none must presume to make Christ Officers and Churches without his Commission 17. No man must make any Office Church or Ordinance which is corruptive or destructive or contrary or injurious to the Offices Churches and Oâ—dinances which Christ himself hath made This Bellarmine confesseth and therefore I suppose Proâ—estants will not deny it Those humane Offices which usurp the work of Christs own Officers and take it out of their hands do malignantly fight against Christs institutions And while they pretend that it is but Preserving and not Corrupting or Opposing additions which they make and yet with these words in their mouths do either give Christs Officers work to others or hinder and oppress his Officers themselves and by their new Church-forms undermine or openly destroy the old by this expression of their enmity they confute themselves 18. This hath been the unhappy case of the Roman frame of Church innovations as you may observe in the particulars of its degeneracy 1. Councilâ— were called General or Oecumenical in respect to one-Empire only And they thence grew to extend the name to the whole world when they may as well say that Constantine Martiaâ— c. were Emperours of the whole world seeing by their authority they were called 2. These Councils at first were the Emperours Councils called to direct him what to setle in Church orders by his own power But they were turned to claim an imposing authority of their own to command the Churches as by commission from God 3. These Councils at first
Ministers of Christ or Lay men If Lay men their actions are unlawful If Ministers they are Commissioned officers of Christ themselves and it is the work of their own office which they do and it is they that shall have the reward or punishment But if preaching to all these Churches or giving to all these persons in a thousand Parishes the Sacraments c. were the Bishops or Archbishops work that is which they are obliged to do then they would sin in not doing it But if they are the Governours only of those that are obliged 〈◊〉 do it and are not obliged to do it themselves then Governing the doers of it is only their work And therefore it is but equivocally said that the work is theirs which others and not they are obliged to do and that they do their work per alios when they do but Govern those others in doing their own work Of this read the Lord Bacons Considerations and Grotius de Imper. summ Potest Cirâ—a Sacra who soundly resolve the case against doing the Pastoral work per alium Quest. 59. May a Lay man preach or expound the Scriptures Or what of this is proper to the Pastors office Answ. 1. NO doubt but there is some Preaching or Teaching and Expounding which a Lay man may use So did Origen so did Constantine so may a King or Iudge on the Bench so may a Parent to his Children and a Master to his family and a Schoolmaster or Tutor to his Scholars 2. It is not any one Method or Sermon-fashion which is proper to a Minister and forbidden to a Lay man That Method which is most meet to the Matter and hearers may be used by one as well as by the other 3. It is not the meer publickness of the Teaching which must tell us what is unlawful for a Lay man For Writing and Printing are the most publick wayes of Teaching And these no man taketh to be forbidden the Laity Scaliger Causabon Grotius Erasmus Constantine King Iames the Lord Bacon and abundance more Lay men have done the Church great service by their Writings And Judges on the Bench speak oft Theologically to many But that which is proper to the Ministers or Pastors of the Church is 1. To make a stated office of it and to be separated set a part devoted or consecrated and appropriated to this sacred work and not to do it occasionally only or sometimes or on the by but as their Calling and the Employment of their lives 2. To do it as Called and Commissioned Ministers of Christ who have a special nunciative and Teaching Authority committed to them And therefore are in a special manner to be heard according to their special Authority 3. To be the stated Teachers of particular Churches as their Pastors and Guides Though they may sometime permit a Lay man when there is cause to Teach them pro tempore These three are proper to the Ministerial and Pastors office But for the regulating of Lay mens Teaching 1. They must statedly keep in their families or within their proper bounds 2. They must not presume to go beyond their abilities especially in matters dark and difficult 3. They must not thrust themselves without a just call and need into publick or numerous meetings as Teachers nor do that which savoureth of Pride or Ostentation or which tendeth to cherish those vices in others 4. They must not live or Preach as from under the Government of the Church Pastors But being members of their flocks must do all as under their lawful oversight and guidance much less must they proudly and schismatically set up themselves against their lawful Pastors and bring them into Act. 20. 30. Heb. 13 7 17 24. 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. contempt to get themselves reputation and to draw away Disciples after them 5. Times and places must be greatly distinguished In Infidel or grosly ignorant Countreys where through the want of Preachers there is a true necessity men may go much further than in Countreys where Teachers and knowledge do abound Quest. 60. What is the true sense of the distinction of Pastoral power in foro interiore exteriore rightly used Answ. 1. NOt as if the Pastors had any power of the sword or outward force or of mens Bodies or Estates immediately For all the Pastoral power is Immediately on the soul and but secondarily on the body so far as the perswaded soul will move it Reason and Love and the Authority of a messenger of Christ are all the power by which Bishops or Pastors as such can work in foro interiore vel exteriore They Rule the body but by Ruling the soul. 2. But the true use of the distinction is only to serve instead of the usual distinction of Publick and personal obligation It is one thing to satisfie a mans private Conscience about his own personal case or matters And another thing to oblige the whole Church or a particular person of his duty as a member of the society to the rest When the Pastor Absolveth a penitent person in foro interiore that is in his own Conscience he delivereth him a discharge in the name of Christ on Condition he be truly penitent Else not But in foro exteriore he actually and absolutely restoreth him to his visible state of Church Communion The rest of the members perhaps may justly think this man unlike to prove a true penitent And then in foro interiore they are not bound to believe him certainly penitent or pardoned by God But in foro exteriore that he is restored to Church Communion and that for order sake they are bound to hold Communion with him they are bound internally to believe So that it comes neer the sense of the distinction of the secret Iudgement of God and Conscience and Church judgement Quest. 61. In what sense is it true that some say that the Magistrate only hath the External Government of the Church and the Pastors the Internal Answ. 1. NOt as External and Internal are opposed in the nature of the Action For the Voice of the Pastor in Preaching is External as well as the Kings 2. Not as they are opposed in the manner of Reception For the Ears of the Auditors are external Recipients from the Preacher as well as from the King 3. Not as distinguishing the parts that are to obey the duties commanded and the sins forbidden as if the King ruled the Body only and the Pastor the soul. For the soul is bound to obey the King or else the Body could not be bound to obey him unless by cords And the Body must obey the Preacher as well as the soul. Murder drunkenness swearing lying and such other external Vices are under the Pastors power to forbid in Christs name as well as the Kings 4. Not as if all the external parts or actions of Religion were exempted from the Pastors power For preaching praying reading Sacraments Church-assemblies are external parts
God and disobey his Laws and the matter doubted of is confessed unnecessary by the Imposers So Infinite is the distance between God and Man and so wholly dependent on him are the Highest that they should be exceeding unwilling to vie with the Authority of their maker in mens Consciences or to do any thing unnecessary which tendeth to compell men to tread down Gods Authority in their Consciences and to prefer mans Much more unwilling should they be to silence the sober Preachers of Christs Gospel upon such accounts Quest. 132. Is it unlawful to obey in all those cases where it is unlawful to impose and command Or in what cases And how far Pastors must be believed and obeyed Answ. I Must intreat the Reader carefully to distinguish here 1. Between Gods Law forbidding Rulers to do evil and his Law forbidding Subjects or private men 2. Between Obedience formally so called which is when we therefore obey in conscience because it is commanded and the commanders Authority is the Formal Reason and object of our obedience And Obedience Material only which is properly no obedience but a doing the thing which is commanded upon other Reasons and not at all because it is commanded 3. Between Formal obedience to the Office of the Ruler in General and formal obedience to him as commanding this very Matter in particular 4. Between such Authority in the Ruler as will warrant his Impositions before God for his own justification And such Authority as may make it my duty to obey him And so I answer 1. We shall not be judged by those Laws of God which made the Rulers duty but by that which made our own It is not all one to say Thou shalt not command it and to say Thou shalt not do it 2. Whatever God absolutely forbiddeth men to do we must not do whoever command it 3. There are many of the things forementioned Absolutely and alwayes unlawful as being evil of themselves which no man may either command or do And there are some of them which are only evil by accident which may not be commanded but may be done when contrary weightier Accidents do preponderate 4. Many such things may be done Materially on other reasons as for the Churches good the furtherance of the Gospel the winning of men to God the avoiding of scandal or of hurt to others or our selves c. when they are not to be done in formal obedience out of Conscience to the Authority imposing As if it be commanded by one that hath no just power 5. Our Actions may participate of obedience in general as being actions of subjects when they are not obedience in the full and perfect formality as to the particular The last leaf of Rich. Hooker's eighth Book of Eccl. Polit. will shew you the reason of this He that hath not just power to command me this one particular Act yet may be my Ruler in the General and I am bound to Honour Eph. 5. 24. Col. 3. 20 22. Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. him in General as my Ruler And to disobey him in a thing Lawful for me to do though not for him to command may be dishonouring of him and an appearance of disobedience and denyall of his power A Parent is forbidden by God to command his Child to speak an idle word or to do a vain and useless action much more a hurtful Yet if a Parent should command a Child to speak an idle word or do a vain action the duty of obedience would make it at that time not to be vain and idle to him yea if he bid him throw away a cup of Wine or a piece of bread which is evil when causeless the Child may be bound to do it not only because he knoweth not but the Parents may have lawful ends and reasons for their command as to try and exercise his obedience but also if he were sure that it were not so Because he is a subject and the honouring of a Parent is so great a good and the dishonouring him by that disobedience may have such ill consequents as will preponderate the evil of the lâ—ss of a Cup of Wine c. Yet in this case the Act of obedience is but mixt It is an act of subjection or Honour to a Parent because in General he is a Governour But it is but Materially obedience in respect of that particular matter which we know he had no Authority to command 6. In this respect therefore A Ruler may have so much power as may induce on the subject an obligation to obey and yet not so much as may justifie his commands before God nor save himself from Divine punishment I add this so distinctly lest any should misapply Mr. Rich. Hooker's doctrine aforesaid Eccl. Pol. l. 8. p. 223 224. As for them that exercise power altogether against order though the kind of power which they have may be of God yet in their exercise thereof against God and therefore not of God otherwise than by permission as all injustice is Usurpers of power whereby we do not mean them that by violence have aspired unto places of highest authority but them that use more authority than they did ever receive in form and manner before mentioned Such Usurpers thereof as in the Exercise of their power do more than they have been authorized to do cannot in Conscience bind any man to obedience Lest any should gather hence that they are never bound in Conscience to obey their Parents their Job 19. 11. Rom. 13. 1. King their Pastors in any point wherein they exercise more power than God gave them I thought meet to speak more exactly to that point which needed this distinguishing For the ground is sure that There is no power but of God And that God hath given no man power against himself his Laws and service But yet there are many cases in which God bindeth children and subjects to obey their superiours in such matters as they did sinfully command 7. It greatly concerneth all sober Christians therefore to be well studied in the Law of God that we may certainly know what those things are which God hath absolutely forbidden us to do whoever command them and to distinguish them from things that depend on mutable accidents That as the three Witnesses and Daniel Dan. 3. 6. we may be true to God whatever we suffer for it and yet may obey men in all â—hat is our duty to them Thus the Apostles knew that no man had power from God to silence them or persecute them for the Gospel Therefore they would not obey those that forbad them to Preach And yet they would appear before any Magistrate that commanded them and obey their 〈◊〉 And so we may do even to an Usurper or a private man 8. The principal and most notable Case in which we must obey when a Ruleâ— sinfully commandeth is when the matter which he commandeth is not such as is either forbidden us by
than to have no publick helps and Worship Quest. 150. Is it lawful to read the Apocrypha or any good Books besides the Scriptures to the Church as Homilies c. Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to Read them as Gods Word or to pretend them to be the Holy Scriptures for that is a falshood and an addition to Gods Word 2. It is not lawful to read them scandalously in a title and manner tending to draw the people to believe that they are Gods Word or without a sufficient distinguishing of them from the holy Scriptures 3. If any one of the Apocryphal books as Iudith Tobit Bell and the Dragon c. be as fabulous false and bad as our Protestant Writers Reignoldus Amesius Whitakers Chamier and abundance more affirm them to be it is not lawful ordinarily to Read them in that honourable way as Chapters called Lessons are usually read in the assemblies Nor is it lawful so to Read heretical fabulous or erroneous books But it is lawful to Read publickly Apocryphal and humane Writings Homilies or edifying Sermons on these conditions following 1. So be it they be indeed sound doctrine holy and fitted to the peoples edification 2. So be it they be not read scandalously without sufficient differencing them from Gods Book 3. So they be not Read to exclude or hinder the Reading of the Scriptures or any other necessary Church-duty 4. So they be not Read to keep up an ignorant lazy Ministry that can or will do no better nor to exercise the Ministers sloth and hinder him from preaching 5. And specially if Authority command it and the Churches Agreement require it as a signification what doctrine it is which they profess 6. Or if the Churches Necessities require it As if they have no Minister or no one that can do so much to their Edification any other way 7. Therefore the use of Catechisms is confessed lawful in the Church by almost all Quest. 151. May Church Assemblies be held where there is no Minister Or what publick Worship may be so performed by Lay-men As among Infidels or Papists where Persecution hath killed imprisoned or expelled the Ministers Answ. 1. SUch an Assembly as hath no Pastor or Minister of Christ is not a Church in a political sense as the word signifieth a Society consisting of Pastor and flock But it may be a Church in a larger sense as the word signifieth only a Community or Association of private Christians for mutual help in holy things 2. Such an Assembly ought on the Lords dayes and at other fit times to meet together for mutual help and the publick worshipping of God as they may rather than not to meet at all 3. In those meetings they may do all that followeth 1. They may pray together a Lay-man being ☞ the Speaker 2. They may sing Psalms 3. They may Read the Scriptures 4. They may read some holy edifying Writings of Divines or repeat some Ministers Sermons 4. Some that are ablest may speak to the instruction and exhortation of the rest as a Master may do in his family or neighbours to stir up Gods graces in each other as was opened before 5. And some such may Catechize the younger and more ignorant 6. They may by mutual Conference open their cases to each other and communicate what knowledge or experience they have to the praise of God and each others edification 7. They may make a solemn profession of their Faith Covenant and Subjection to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And all this is better than nothing at all But 1. None of them may do any of this as a Pastor Ruler Priest or Office-Teacher of the Church 2. Nor may they Baptize 3. Nor administer the Lords Supper 4. Nor excommunicate by sentence but only executively agree to avoid the notoriously impenitent 5. Nor Absolve Ministerially or as by authority nor exercise any of the power of the Keyes that is of Government 6. And they must do their best to get a Pastor as soon as they are able Quest. 152. Is it lawful to subscribe or profess full Assent and Consent to any Religious Books besides the Scripture seeing all are fallible Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to profess or subscribe that any Book is truer or better than it is or that there is no fault in any that is faulty or to profess that we believe any mortal man to be totally Infallible in all that he shall write or say or impeccable in all that he shall do 2. Because all men are fallible and so are we in judging it is not lawful to say of any large and dubious Books in which we know no fault that there is no fault or error in them we being uncertain and it being usual for the best men even in their best writings prayers or works to be faulty as the consequent or effect of our common culpable imperfection But we may say That we know no fault or error in it if indeed we do not know of any 3. It is lawful to profess or subscribe our Assent and Consent to any humane Writing which we judge to be True and Good according to the measure of its Truth and Goodness As if Church-Confessions that are found be offered us for our Consent we may say or subscribe I hold all the Doctrine in this Book to be true and good And by so doing I do not assert the Infallibility of the Authors but only the Verity of the Writing I do not say that He cannot err or that he never erreth but that he erreth not in this as far as I am able to discern Quest. 153. May we lawfully swear Obedience in all things Lawful and honest either to Usurpers or to our lawful Pastors Answ. 1. IF the question were of Imposing such Oaths I would say that it was many a hundred years before the Churches of Christ either under persecution or in their prosperity and glory did ever know of any such practice as the people or the Presbyters swearing obedience to the Bishops And when it came up the Magistracy Princes and Emperours fell under the feet of the Pope and the Clergy grew to what we see it in the Roman Kingdom called a Church And far should I be from desiring such Oaths to be imposed 2. But the question being only of the Taking such Oaths and not the Imposing of them I say that 1. It is not lawful to swear obedience to an Usurper Civil or Ecclesiastical in licitis honestis Because it is a subjecting our selves to him and an acknowledging that authority which he hath not For we can swear no further to obey the King himself but in things lawful and honest And to do so by an Usurper is an injury to the King and unto Christ. 2. But if the King himself shall command us to swear obedience to a subordinate Civil Usurper he thereby ceaseth to be an Usurper and receiveth authority and it becometh our duty And if he that
more congruously and it seems with less offence than we Saith the Geographia Nubiensis aptly There is a certain King dwelling at Rome called the Pope c. when he goeth to describe him Nothing well suites with our function but the pure Doctrine of Salvation Let States-men and Lawyers mind the rest Two things I must apologize for in this Part 1. That it 's maimed by defect of those Directions to Princes Nobles Parliament-men and other Magistrates on whose duty the happiness of Kingdoms Churches and the World dependeth To which I answer that those must teach them whom they will hear while my Reason and experience forbid me as an unacceptable person to speak to them without a special invitation I can bear the Censures of Strangers who knew not them or me I am not so proud as to expect that men so much above me should stoop to read any Directions of mine much less to think me fit to teach them Every one may reprove a poor servant or a beggar It 's part of their priviledge But Great men must not be so much as admonished by any but themselves and such as they will hear At least nothing is a duty which a man hath reason to think is like to do much more harm than good And my own judgement is much against pragmatical presumptuous Preachers who are over-forward to meddle with their Governours or their affairs and think that God sendeth them to reprove persons and things that are strange to them and above them and vent their distastes upon uncertain reports or without a Call 2. And I expect to be both blamed and mis-understood for what I hear say in the Confutation of Mr. Richard Hooker his Political Principles and my Citation of B. Bilson and such others But they must observe 1. That it is not all in Mr. Hookers first and eighth Book which I gainsay but the principle of the Peoples being the fountain of Authority or that Kings receive their Office it self from them with the consequents hereof How far the people have in any Countrys the power of Electing the Persons Families or Forms of Government or how far nature giveth them propriety and the consequents of this I meddle not with at all 2. Nor do I choose Mr. Hooker out of any envy to his name and honour but I confess I do it to let men know truly whose Principles these are And if any causelesly question whether the eighth imperfect Book be in those passages his own let them remember that the sum of all that I confute is in his first Book which is old and highly honoured by you know whom And I will do him the honour and my self the dishonour to confess that I think the far greater number of Casuists and Authors of Politicks Papists and Protestants are on his side and fewest on mine But truth is truth On the subjects duty I am larger because if they will not hear at least I may boldly and freely instruct them If in the later part there be any useful Cases of Conscience left out it is because I could not remember them Farewell A Christian Directory TOM IV. Christian Politicks CHAP. I. General Rules for an Upright Conversation § 1. SOLOMON saith Prov. 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely And Perfection and Uprightness are the characters of Iob Chap. 1. 1 8. 2. 3. And in the Scripture to be Upright or Righteous and to walk uprightly and to do righteously are the titles of those that are acceptable to God And by Uprightness is meant not only sincerity as opposed to Hypocrisie but also Rectitude of Heart and Life as opposed to crookedness or sin and this as it is found in various Degrees of which we use to call the lowest degree that is saving by the name of sincerity and the highest by the name of Perfection § 2. Concerning Uprightness of life I shall I. Briefly tell you some of those blessings that should make us all in love with it and II. Give you some necessary Rules of practice § 3. I. Uprightness of heart and life is a certain fruit of the Spirit of Grace and consequently a mark of our Union with Christ and a proof of our acceptableness with God Psal. 7. 10. My defence is of God who saveth the upright in heart Psal. 11. 7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness and his countenance doth behold the upright It is a title that God himself assumeth Psal. 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord. Psal. 92. 15. To shew that the Lord is upright He is my rock and no unrighteousness is in him And God-calleth himself the Maker the Director the Protector and the Lover of the upright Eccl. 7. 29. God made man upright Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal. 25. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him will he teach in the way that he shall choose Prov. 2. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly 2. The Upright are the Pillars of humane society that keep up Truth and Iustice in the world without whom it would be but a company of lyers deceivers robbers and enemies that live in constant rapine or â—ostility There were no Trust to be put in one another further than self-interest did oblige men Psal. 15. 1 2. Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle Who shall dwell in thy holy hill He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart Therefore the wicked and the enemies of Peace and destroyers of Societies are still described as Enemies to the upright Psal. 11. 2 3. For lo the wicked bend their bow they make ready their arrow upon the string that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Job 12. 4. The just and upright man is laughed to scorn Psal. 37. 14. The wicked have drawn out the sword to slay such as be of upright conversation And indeed it is for the uprights sake that societies are preserved by God as Sodom might have been for ten Lots At least they are under the protection of Omnipotency themselves Isa. 33. 15 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ear from hearing of blood that shutteth his eyes from seeing evil He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty they shall behold the Land that is very far off Prov. â—8 10. The upright shall have good things in possession Prov. 14. 11. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish 3. Uprightness affordeth Peace of Conscience and quietness and holy security to the soul. This was Pauls rejoycing the testimony
Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness It is an abomination to Kings to commit wickedness for the Throne is established by Righteousness Prov. 16. 12. 4. To remember alwayes the End of Holiness How sure a way it is to Glory hereafter and to leave a sweet and glorious name and memorial upon earth when wickedness is the certain way to shame on earth and misery for ever § 18. Memorand 18. Rulers should not be contented to do good at home and to be the Joy and Memor 18. blessing of their own subjects but also set their hearts to the promoting of faith and holiness and Concord throughout the Churches of the World And to improve their interests in Princes and States by amicable correspondencies and treaties to these ends that they may be blessings to the utmost extent of their capacities As Constantine interceded with the Persian King to forbear the Eâ—sâ—b in vitâ Coast. persecuting of Christians in his Dominion c But I shall presume to speak no farther to my Superiours In the Golden Age these Memorandum's will be practised I will only annex Erasmus his Image of a Good Prince and of a Bad recited by Alstedius Encyclop l. 23. Polit. c. 3. pag. 173 174. The Image of a good Prince out of Erasmus If you will draw the picture of a good Prince delineate some Coelestial wight liker to God than to a man absolute in all perfections of virtue Given for the good of all yea sent from Heaven for the relief of mortal mens affairs which being oculaâ—issimum most discerning looketh to all to whom nothing is more regarded nothing more sweet than the Common-wealth who hath more than a fatherly affection unto all To whom every ones life is dearer than his own who night and day is doing and endeavouring nothing else but that it may be very well with all who hath Rewards in readiness for all that are good and pardon for the bad if so be they will betake them to a better course That so freely desireth to deserve well of his Subjects that if it be needful he will not stick to preserve their safety by his own peril that taketh his Countrys Commodity to be his own gain that alwayes watcheth that others may sleep quietly that leaveth himself no quiet vacancy that his Countrey may live in quiet vacancy or peace that afflicteth himself with successive cares that his Subjects may enjoy tranquellity To conclude on whose Virtue it is that the Publick happiness doth depend The Image of a bad Prince Ibid. If you would set forth a bad Prince to the eye you must paint some savage horrid beast made up of such monstrosities as a Dragon a Wolf a Lyon a Viper a Bear c. every way armed with six hundred eyes every way toothed every way terrible with hooked talons of an insatiable paunch fed with mens bowels drunk with mans blood that watcheth to prey upon the lives and fortunes of all the people troublesome to all but specially to the good a fatal evil to the World which all curse and hate who wish well to the Common-wealth which can neither be endured because of his cruelty nor yet taken away without the great calamity of the World because wickedness is armed with Guards and Riches CHAP. III. Directions for Subjects concerning their duty to their Rulers BEing now to speak of the duties which I must practise and to those of my own rank I shall do it with some more freedom confidence and expectation of regard and practice § 1. Direct 1. Though I shall pass by most of the theory and especially of the controversal points in Politicks and not presume to play the Lawyers part yet I must advise you to understand so much of the cause and nature and end of Government as is necessary to direct you in your obedience and to preserve you from all temptations to rebellion Especially take heed of those mistakes which confound soveraignty and subjection and which delude the people with a conceit that they are the Original of power and may entrust it as they please and call their Rulers to account and take the forfeiture and recall their trust c. It is not to flatter Kings but to give God his due that I shall caution you against these mistakes of Popularity And first I shall briefly lay down the truth and then answer some few of the chief objections § 2. Propos. 1. That there be Government in genere and obedience thereto is determined even in Nature Nihil Deo qui omnem mundum hunc regit acceptius quam concilia caetusque homiâ—â—â—â— quae ci 〈…〉 appellantur Cicero by the God of Nature in making man a sociable creature and each man insufficient for himself and in making Republicks necessâ—â—â—â— to the welfare and safety of individuals and Government necessary to these Republicks This therefore is not left to the peoples wills Though some odd cases may be imagined in which some individual persons may live out of a Common-wealth and not bâ— obliged to live under Civil-Government yet that exception doth but confirm the general Rule Even as all men ordinarily are bound to live in Communion with some particular Church and know their own Pastor though yet some few may be excepted as some Embassadours Travellers Seamen Souldiers banished men c. So here the obligation to live under Government lyeth upon the generality of the World though some few may be excepted § 3. Prop. 2. Rulers therefore are Gods officers placed under him in his Kingdom as he is the Universal absolute Soveraign of the World And they receive their power from God who is the only Original of Power Not only their strength from his strength but their Authority or Governing power which is Ius regendi from his supream authority as Mayors and Bayliffs in Corporations receive their power from the King Rom. 13. 1 2 3. There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God § 4. Prop. 3. This Governing power in genere is not an empty name but in the very institution containeth in it those things Materially which are absolutely necessary to the end of Government § 5. Prop. 4. Yet God hath left that which is commonly called the specification of Government and some lower parts of the Matter and Manner of exercise undetermined as also the Individual persons or families that shall Rule In these three therefore it is that Communities interpose 1. Whether the soveraignty shall be in one or two or ten or how many and how divided for their exercise God hath not determined 2. Nor hath he determined of every particular whether the Power shall extend Grotius de Imper sum Potest c. 1. p. 7 8. Sunt qui objiciant Reges quaedam impâ—rare non posse nisi consensus Ordinum accesserit sed hi non vident quibus in locis id juris est ibi summum Imperium
Eccl. Pol. l. 1. § 10. p. 21. That which Object 1. So p. 23. The same error of the Original of Power hath Acosta l. 2. c. 5. p. â—08 with many other â—esuites and Papists we spake of the power of Government must here be applyed to the power of making Laws whereby to govern which power God hath over all and by the Natural Law whereto he hath made all subject the lawful power of making Laws to command whole politick societies of men belongeth so properly to the same entire societies that for any Prince or Potentate of what kind soever upon earth to exercise the same of himself and not either by express Commission immediately and personally received from God or else by Authority derived at first from their Consent upon whose persons they impose Laws it is no better than meer Tyranny Laws they are not therefore which publick approbation hath not made so Answ. Because the Authority of this famous Divine is with his Party so great I shall adventure to Answ. say something lest his words do the more harm but not by confident opposition but humble proposal and submission of my judgement to superiours and wiser men as being conscious of my own inferiority and infirmity I take all this to be an assertion no where by him proved and by me elsewhere disproved fully Laws are the Effects and signs of the Rulers Will and instruments of Government Legislation is the first part of Government And if the whole Body are naturally Governours the Pares imperans and pars subdita are confounded If the most Absolute Monarch can make Bishop Audâ—â—ws iâ— Tortar Tortâ— p. 385 Acuius homo non distinguit inter Formam atque Authoritatem regiminis Forma de hominibus esse potest de coeâ—o semper est authoritas An Rex sit supra Leges Vid. Seb. Fox lib 2. de Iâ—stit Reg. no Laws then disobeying them were no fault It is enough that their Power be derived from God immediately though the persons be chosen by men Their Authority is not derived from the peoples consent but from God by their consent as a bare condition sine qua non What if a Community say all to their elected King We take not our selves to have any Governing power to give or use but we only choose you or your family to that Office which God hath instituted who in that Institution giveth you the power upon our choice Can any man prove that such a King hath no power but is a Tyrant because the people disclaim the Giving of the Power When indeed they do their duty Remember that in all this we speak not of the Government of this or that particular Kingdom but of Kingdoms and other Commonwealths indefinitely Object 2. But saith he Lib. 8. p. 192. Unto me it seemeth almost out of doubt and controversie Object 2. that every independent multitude before any certain form of regiment established hath under God Supream Authority full Dominion over it self Answ. If by Dominion were meant Propriety every Individual hath it But for Governing Power Answ. it seemeth as clear to me that your independent multitude hath no Civil Power of Government at all but only a Power to choose them Governours While they have no Governours they have no Governing Power for that maketh a Governour § 14. Object 3. Ibid. A man who is Lord of himself may be made anothers servant c. Object 3. Answ. 1. He may hire out himself to Labour for another because he hath so far the power of Answ. himself and his Labour is his own which he may sell for wages But in a family that the Master be the Governour to see Gods Laws obeyed by his servants is of Divine appointment and this Governing power the servant giveth not to his Master but only maketh himself the object of it 2. The power that nature giveth a man over himself is tota specie distinct from Civil Government as Dr. Hammond hath well shewed against I. G. An Individual person hath not that power of his own Dion Cass. saith that when Eâ—phates the Philosopher would kill himself Veniam dederat ei Adrianus citra ignominiam infamiam ut cicutam tum propter senectutem tum etiam propter gravem morbum bibere posset In vita Adriani life as the King hath He may not put himself to death for that which the King may put him to death for 3. If this were true that every individual by self-resignation might give a King his power over him yet a posse ad esse non valet consequentia And that it is not so is proved in that God the Universal Soveraign hath prevented them by determining himself of his own Officers and giving them their power in the same Charter by which he enableth the people to choose them Therefore it is no better reasoning than to say If all the persons in London subjected themselves to the Lord Mayor he would thereby receive his power from them when the King hath prevented that already by giving him the power himself in his Charter and leaving only the choice of the person to them and that under the direction of the Rules which he hath given them § 15. Object 4. But saith he pag. 193. l. 8. In Kingdoms of this quality as this we live Object 4. in the Highest Governour hath indeed universal dominion but with dependency upon that whole entire body over the several parts whereof he hath dominion so that it standeth for an axiome in this â—ase The King is major singulis universis minor Answ. If you had included Himself its certain that he cannot be Greater than the whole because he Answ. cannot be greater than himself But seeing you speak of the whole in contradistinction from him I answer That indeed in genere causae finalis the Soveraign is Universis Minor that is The whole Kingdom is naturally more worth than One and their felicity a greater good or else the bonum publicum or salus populi could not be the End of Government But this is nothing to our case For we are speaking of Governing power as a means to this end And so in genere causae efficientis the Soveraign yea and his lowest Officer hath more Authority or Ius Regendi than all the people as such for they all as such have none at all Even as the Church is of more worth than the Pastor and yet the Pastor alone hath more Authority to administer the Sacraments and to Govern the people than all the flock hath For they have none either to use or give what ever some say to the contrary but Against the peoples being the Givers of Power by conjoyning all their own in one in Church or State see Mr. D. Cawdry's Review of Mr. Hookers Survey p. 154 c. only choose him to whom God will give it § 16. Object 5. Saith the Reverend Author lib. 8. p. 194. Neither
quid vel insalubre manum admoveat Cohibeat Equiso inter equitandum adigat equum per locum praeruptum vel salebrosum cui subsit periculum Etiamne Medico Etiamne Equisoni suo subjectus Rex Sed de Majori potestate loquitur sed â—â ad rem noxiam procul arcendam qua in re Charitatis semper Potestas est maxima Here you see what Church Government is and how Kings are under it and how not in Bishop Andrews sense for my part I would rather obey the Laws of the King than the Canons of the Bishops if they should disagree 3. But in cases common to both in which the Pastors Office is more nearly and fully concerned than the Magistrates the case is more difficult As at what hour the Church shall assemble What part of Scripture shall be read What Text the Minister shall preach on How long Prayer or Sermon or other Church-exercises shall be What Prayers the Minister shall use In what method he shall preach and what doctrine he shall deliver and the people hear with many such like These do most nearly belong to the Pastoral Office to judge of as well as to execute But yet in some cases the Mâ—gistrate may interpose his authority And herein 1. If the one party do determine clearly to the necessary preservation of Religion and the other to the ruine of it the disparity of consequents makeeth a great disparity in the case For here God himself hath predetermined who commandeth that all be done to â—dification As for instance If a Christian Magistrate ordain that no assembly shall consist of above forty or an hundred persons when there are so many Preachers and places of meeting that it is no detriment to mens souls and especially when the danger of infection or other evil warranteth it then I would obey that command of the Magistrate though the Pastors of the Church were against it and commanded fuller meetings But if a Iulian should command the same thing on purpose to wear out the Christian Religion and when it tendeth to the ruine of mens souls as 〈…〉 399 saâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 of Bâ—shops in thâ—se dayes â—eloâ—ged to the people and not the Prâ—â—ce and though Valens by pâ—ain force placed Luâ—ius there yet might the people lawfully reject him as no Bishop and cleave to Peter their right Pastor when Preachers are so few that either more must meet together or most must be untaught and excluded from Gods Worship here I would rather obey the Pastors that command the contrary because they do but deliver the command of God who determineth consequentially of the necessary means when he determineth of the â—nd But if the consequents of the Magistrates and the Pastors commands should be equally indifferent and neither of them discernably Good or Bad the difficulty then would be at the highest and such as I shall not here presume to determine No doubt but the King is the Supream Governour over all the Schools and Physicions and Hospitals in the Land that is he is the Supream in the Civil Coercive Government He is Supream Magistrate over Divines Physicions and Schoolmasters but not the Supream Divine Physicion or Schoolmaster When there is any work for the Office of the Magistrate that is for the sword among any of them it belongeth only to Him and not at all to them But when there is any work for the Divine the Physicion the Schoolmaster or if you will for the Shoomaker the Taylor the Watch-maker this belongeth not to the King to do or give particular commands for but yet it is all to Too many particular Laws about little maâ—ters breed contention Alex. Severus would have dâ—stinguished all orders of men by their apparel Sâ—d hoc Ulpiano Paulo dispâ—icuit dicentibus plurimum rixarum fore â—i faciles essent homines ad injurias and the Emperour yielded to them Lamâ—rid iâ— Alex. Sever. Lipsius Ubi leges multae ibi lites multae vita moresque pravi Non mulâ—ae leges bonos mâ—res faciunt sed pauâ—ae fideliter servatae be done under his Government and on special causes he may make Laws to force them all to do their several works aright and to restrain them from abuses As to clear the case in hand the King is informed that Physicions take too great Fees of their Patients that some through ignorance and some through covetousness give ill compounded Medicines and pernicious Drugs No doubt but the King by the advice of understanding men may forbid the use of such Drugs as are found pernicious to his Subjects and may regulate not only the Fees but the Compositions and Attendances of Physicions But if he should command that a man in a Feavor or Dropsie or Consumption shall have no Medicine but this or that and so oft and in such or such a dose and with such or such a dyet and the Physicions whom my reason bindeth me to trust and perhaps my own experience also do tell me that all these things are bad for me and different tempers and accidents require different remedies and that I am like to dye or hazard my health if I obey not them contrary to the Kings commands here I should rather obey my Physicions partly because else I should sin against God who commandeth me the preservation of my life and partly because this matter more belongeth to the Physicion than to the Magistrate Mr. Rich. Hooker Eccl. Polit. lib. 8. p. 223 224. giveth you the Reason more fully § 54. Direct 25. Give not the Magistrates Power to any other whether to the People on pretence of Direct 25. their Majestas Realis as they call it or to the Pope or Prelates or Pastors of the Church upon pretence of authority from Christ or of the distinction of Ecclesiastical Government and Civil The peoples pretensions to Natural Authority or Real Majesty or Collation of Power I have consuted before and more elsewhere The Popes Prelates and Pastors power of the Sword in Causes Ecclesiastical is disproved so fully by Bishop Bilson ubi supra and many more that it is needless to say much more of it All Protestants so far as I know are agreed that no Bishop or Pastor hath any power of the Sword that is of Coercion or force upon men bodies liberties or estates except as Magistrates derived from their Soveraign Their spiritual power is only upon Consenters in the use of Gods Word upon the N. B. Quae habet Andrews Tort. Tort. p. 310. Quando apud vos dictio juris exterior Clavis proprie non sit eamque voâ— multis saepe mandatis qui Laicorum in soâ—te sunt exortes sane sacri ordinis universi Conscience either generally in preaching or with personal application in Discipline No Courts or Commands can compell any to appear or submit nor lay the mulct of a penny upon any but by their own consent or the Magistrates authority But this the Papists will few
of them confess For if once the Sword were taken from them the world would quickly see that their Church had the hearts of few of those multitudes whom by Fire and Sword they forced to seem their members or at least that when the windows were opened the light would quickly deliver poor souls from the servitude of those men of darkness For then few would fear the unrighteous excommunications of meer Usurpers It is a manifold Usurpation by which their Kingdom is upheld For a Kingdom it is rather to be called than a Church 1. They Usurp the Power of the Keyes or Ecclesiastical Government Lege Epist. Caroli Calvi ad Papam inter Hincâ—ari Rhemeâ—sis Epistolas cont Papae usurpationes Isidor Hispal sent 3. c. 51. Cognoscant Principes seculi Deo debere se rationem reddere propter Ecclesiam quam a Christo tuâ—ndam suscipiuâ—t Nam five augeatur pax disciplina Ecclesiae per fideles Principes sive solvatur ille ab eis rationem exigit qui eorum potestati suam Ecclesiam credidit Leo Ep. ad Lâ—onem Imp. Debes incunctanâ—er advertere Regiam potestatem tibi non solum ad mundi regimen sed maxime ad Ecclesiae praesidium esse collatam See the judgement of Io. Paâ—isiensis Francis Victoria and Widdrington in Groâ— de Imper. p. 23. Lege Lud. Molinâ—i Discourse of the Powers of Cardinal Chigi over all the world and make themselves Pastors of those Churches which they have nothing to do to Govern Their Excommunications of Princes or people in other Lands or Churches that never took them for their Pastors is an Usurpation the more odious by how much the power usurped is more holy and the performance in so large a Parish as the whole World is naturally impossible to the Roman Usurper 2. Under the name of Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction they usurp the Magistrates Coercive power in such causes as they call Ecclesiastical 3. Yea and they claim an immunity to their Clergy from the Civil Government as if they were no subjects of the King or the King had not power to punish his offending subjects 4. In ordine ad spiritualia they claim yet more of the Magistrates power 5. And one part of them give the Pope directly in Temporals a Power over Kings and Kingdoms 6. Their most eminent Divines do ordinarily maintain that the Pope may excommunicate Kings and interdict Kingdoms and that an excommunicated King is no King and may be killed It is an Article of their Religion determined of in one of their approved General Councils Later sub Innoc. 3. Can. 3. that if Temporal Lords will not exterminate Hereticks from their Lands such as the Albigenses that denyed Transubstantiation mentioned Can. 2. the Pope may give their Dominions to others and absolve their Vassals from their fealty And when some of late would have so far salved their honour as to invalidate the authority of that Council they will not endure it but have strenuously vindicated it And indeed what ever it be to us with them it is already enrolled among the Approved General Councils Between the Erastians who would have no Government but by Magistrates and the Papists who give the Magistrates power to the Pope and his Prelates the truth is in the middle that the Pastors have a Nunciative and Directive Power from Christ and a Discipline to exercise by the Word alone on Volunteers much like the Power of a Philosopher in his School or a Physicion in his Hospital supposing them to be by Divine Right § 55. Direct 26. Refuse not to swear Allegiance to your lawful Soveraign Though Oaths are Direct 26. fearful and not to be taken without weighty cause yet are they not to be refused when the cause is weighty as here it is Must the Soveraign be sworn to do his Office for you and must he undertake so hard and perillous a charge for you which he is no way able to go through if his Subjects be not faithful to him and shall those Subjects refuse to promise and swear fidelity This is against all reason and equity § 56. Direct 27. Think not that either the Pope or any power in the world can dispense with this Direct 27. your Oath or absolve you from the bond of it or save you from the punishment due from God to the perjured and perfidious Of this see what I have written before against Perjury § 57. Direct 28. Do nothing that tendeth to bring the sacred bonds of Oaths into an irreligious contempt Direct 28. or to make men take the horrid crime of Perjury to be a little sin Soveraigns have no sufficient Perjurii poenâ— diviâ—â—a exitium humana dedecus Cicero Agesilaus sent thanks to his enemies for their perjury as making then no question of their overthrow Perjuri numinis contemptores Plutarch Thâ—odosius execrabatur cum legisset superbâ—am dominantium praecipue perfidos ingratos Paul Diaconus l. 2. security of the fidelity of their Subjects or of their lives or Kingdoms if once Oaths and Covenants be made light of and men can play fast and loose with the bonds of God which lye upon them He is virtually a Traytor to Princes and States who would bring perjury and perfidiousness into credit and teacheth men to violate Oaths and Vows For there is no keeping up humane Societies and Governments where there is no trust to be put in one another And there is no trust to be put in that man that maketh no Conscience of an Oath or Vow § 58. Direct 29. Be ready to your power to defend your Governours against all Treasons Conspiracies Direct 29. and Rebellions For this is a great part of the duty of your relation The Wisdom and Goodness necessary to Government is much personal in the Governours themselves But the strength without which Laws cannot be executed nor the people preserved is in the People and the Princes interest See the instance of loyalty in Mascelzer against his own Brother Gildo a Rebel Paul Diacon l. 3. initio in them Therefore if you withdraw your help in time of need you desert and betray your Rulers whom you should defend If you say It is they that are your Protectors I answer True but by your selves They protect you by Wisdom Counsel and Authority and you must protect them by obedience and strength Would you have them protect you rather by mercenaries or foreigners If not you must be willing to do your parts and not think it enough in Treasons Invasions or Rebellions to sit still and save your selves and let him that can lay hold on the Crown possess it What Prince would â—s the Governour of a people that he knew would forsake him in his need § 59. Direct 30. Murmurr not at the payment of those necessary Tributes by which the common safety Direct 29. must be preserved and the due honour of your Governours kept up Sordid Covetousness hath been the ruine of
many a Common-wealth When every one is shifting for himself and saving his own and murmurring at the charge by which their safety must be defended as if Kings could fight for them without men and money this selfishness is the most pernitious enemy to Government and to the common good Tribute and Honour must be paid to whom it doth belong Rom. 13. 6 7. For they are Gods Ministers attending continually on this very thing And none of your Goods or Cabins will be saved if by your Covetousness the Ship should perish § 60. Direct 31. Resist not where you cannot actually obey And let no appearance of probable Direct 31. good that might come to your selves or the Church by any unlawful means as Treason Sedition or Rebellion Bâ—â—â—â—oâ—â—â— Sâ—bâ—â—â—â— p. 236. Princes have no right to call oâ— confirm Prâ—achers but to recâ—ive such as be seâ—t of Gâ—d and give them liberty for their preaching and security for their persons And if Princes refuse so to do Gods labourers must go forward with that which is commanded them from â—â—â—â—ven not by disturbing Princes from their Thrones nor invading their Realms as your Holy Father doth and 〈…〉 may do but by miâ—â—lly submiâ—ting themselves to the powers on earth and meekly suffering for the defence of the Truth what they shall inflict So â—e ever tempt you to it For evil must not be done that good may come by it And all evil means are but palliate and deceitful Cures that seem to help a little while but will leave the malady more perillous at last than it was before As it is possible that lying or perjury might be used to the seeming service of a Governour at the time which yet would prepare for his after danger by teaching men perâ—idiousness even so Rebellions and Treasons may seem at present to be very conducible to the ends of a people or party that think themselves opprest But in the end it will leave them much worse than it found them § 61. Object But if we must let Rulers destroy us at their pleasure the Gospel will be rooted out of the Object earth When they know that we hold it unlawful to resist them they will be emboldned to destroy us and sport themselves in our blood As the Papists did by the poor Albigenses c. Answ. All this did signifie something if there were no God that can easilier restrain and destroy Answ. them at his pleasure than they can destroy or injure you But if there be a God and all the world is in his hand and with a word he can speak them all into dust and if this God be engaged to protect you and hath told you that the very hairs of your head are numbered and more regardeth his Honour and Gospel and Church than you do and accounteth his servants as the apple of his eye and hath promised to hear them and avenge them speedily and forbid them to avenge themselves then it is but atheistical distrust of God to save your selves by sinful means as if God either could not or would not do it Thus he that saveth his life shall lose it Do you believe that you are in the hands of Christ and that men cannot touch you but by his permission and that he will turn all your sufferings to your exceeding benefit and yet will you venture on sin and Hell to scape such sufferings from men Wolves and Bears and Lyons that fight most for themselves are hated and destroyed by all so that there are but few of them in the Land but though a hundred sheep will run before a little Dog the master of them taketh care for their preservation And little Children that cannot go out of the way from a Horse or Cart every one is afraid of hurting If Christians behaved themselves with that eminent Love and Lowliness and Meekness and Patience and Harmlesness as their Lord hath taught them and required perhaps the very cruelty and malice of their enemies would abate and relent and when a mans wayes please God he would make his enemies to be at peace with him But if not their fury would but hasten us to our Joy and Glory Yet note that I speak all this only against Rebellion and unlawful Arms and Acts. Prov. 16. 7. § 62. Direct 32. Obey inferiour Magistrates according to the authority derived to them from the Supream Direct 32. but never against the Supream from whom it is derived The same reasons which oblige you to obey the personal commands of the King do bind you also to obey the lowest Constable or other Officer for they are necessary instruments of the Soveraign Power and if you obey not them the obedience of the Soveraign signifieth almost nothing But no man is bound to obey them beyond the measure of their authority much less against those that give them their authority § 63. Direct 33. No humane Power is at all to be obeyed against God For they have no power but Direct 33. what they receive from God And all that is from Him is for Him He giveth no power against Himself Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 11. 36. He is the first efficient the chief dirigent and ultimate final cause of all It is no act of Authority but Resistance of his Authority which contradicteth his Law and is against him All humane Laws are subservient to his Laws and not co-ordinate much less superiour Therefore they are ipso facto null or have no obligation which are against him Yet is not the Office it self Null when it is in some things thus abused nor the Magistrates power null as to other things No man must commit the least sin against God to please the greatest Prince on earth or to avoid the greatest corporal Si aliquid juâ—â—eâ—iâ— Procoâ—ful aliud jubeat Imperator nunquid dubitatur illo contempto illi esse serviendum Ergo si aliud Imperator aliud jubeat Deus quid judicatur Major potestas Deâ—s da veniam O Imperator Aug 〈…〉 de Verb. Domin Matth. Serm. 6. suffering Luke 12. 4. Fear not them that can kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but fear him who is able to destroy hoth body and soul in Hell yea I say unto you fear him Acts 5. 29. Whether we ought to obey God rather than men judge ye Heb. 11. 27. Not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him that is invisible Ver. 35. Others were tortured not accepting deliverance c. Dan. 3. 18. Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the Golden Image c. § 64. Object If we are not obliged to obey we are not obliged to suffer For the Law obligeth Object primarily to obedience and only secondarily ad poenam for want of obedience Therefore where there iâ— no primary obligation to obedience there is no secundary obligation to punishment Answ.
them to be teachers of Rebellion It is not every different opinion in politicks that proveth men to be against subjection He that can read such a Book as Bilsons for Christian subjection against Antichristian rebelion and yet deny him to be a Teacher of Subjection hath a very hard forhead For the Controversies I shall say no more of them here but what I have said before to Mr. Hooker And as for Calvin and the Disciplinarians or Puritans as they are called They subscribe all the same confessions for Magistracy and take the same oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy as others do and they plead and write for them so that for my part I know not of any difference in their Doctrine Hear what B. Andrews saith who was no rebel in his Tortura Torti pag. 379 380. Calvinus autem ut Papam Regem ita Regem Papam non probavit Neque nos quod in Papâ detestamur in Rege approbamus At ille nobiscum nos cum illo sentimus easdem esse in Ecclesia Christiana Regis Iacobi partes quae Iosiae fuerunt in Iudaica nec nos ultra quicquam fieri ambimus that is But Calvin neither liked a Pope King nor a King Pope Nor do we approve of that in the King which we detest in the Pope But he with us and we with him do judge that King James hath as much to do in a Christian Church as Josias had in the Iewish Church and we go not about to get any more And after Sub Primatus nomine Papatum novum Rex non invebit in Ecclesiam sic enim statuit ut non Aaroni Pontifici ita nec Ieroboamo Regi jus ullam esse conflatum à se vitulum populo proponendi ut adoret idest non vel fidei novos articulos vel cultus Divini novas formulas procudendi that is The King doth not bring into the Church a new Papacy under the name of Primacy For thus he judgeth or determineth that neither Aaron the Priest nor Jeroboam the King had any Right to propose the Calf which they had made to the people to be adored that is neither to hammer or make new articles of faith or new forms of Divine Worship And pag. 379 380. Quos vero Puritanos appellat si Regium primatum detestantur detestandi ipsi Profitentur enim subscribunt jurant indies sed illi quod faciunt ingenuè faciunt societatem in hoc Torti ipsumque adeo Tortum tanquam mendacem hominem alibi de aliis hic de se ac sycophantem egregium detestantur that is And for those he calleth Puritans if they detest the Kings Supremacy they are to be detested For they daily profess subscribe and swear to it And what they do they do ingenuously and they detest the society of Tortus in this and Tortus himself as a lying man elsewhere of others and here of themselves and an egregious sycophant By these testimonies judge what Protestants think of one another in point of loyalty 5. And why are not all the other Christians taken into your enumeration The Armenians Abassins and all the Greek Churches whom the Papists so frequently reproach as flatterers or servile because they still gave so much to their Emperours Have you any pretence for your accusation as against them Unless perhaps from the tumults which Alexandria in its greatness was much addicted to which is nothing to the doctrine of Christianity nor to the practice of all the rest § 84. Having answered these cavils of the late Atheistical or Infidel Politicians I shall next shew Christianity is most for Loyalty and subjection though briefly yet by plentiful evidence that Christianity and true Godliness is the greatest strength of Government and bond of subjection and means of Peace that ever was revealed to the World which will appear in all these Evidences following 1. Christianity teacheth men to take the higher powers as ordained of God and to obey them as Gods Ministers or Officers having an Authority derived immediately from God so that it advanceth the Magistrate as Gods officer as much higher than Infidels advance him who fetch his Rom. 13. 1. 2 3 4. power no higher than Force or Choice as a servant of God is above a servant of men which is more than a man is above a Dog § 85. 2. Christianity telleth us that our obedience to Magistrates is Gods own command and so that we must obey him by obeying them And as obedience to a Constable is more procured by the Kings Laws than by his own commands so obedience to a King is far more effectually procured by Gods Laws than by his own If God be more above a King than a King is above a a Worm the command of God must be a more powerful obligation upon every understanding person than the Kings And what greater advantage can a King have in Governing than to have subjects whose Consciences do feel themselves bound by God himself to obey the King and all his officers Obj. But this is still with exception If it be not in things forbidden of God And the subjects are Object made judges whether it be so or no. Ans. And woe to that man that grudgeth that God must be obeyed Answ. before him and would be himself a God to be obeyed in things which God is against The subjects are made no publick Judges but private discerners of their duties And so you make them your selves or else they must not judge whether the King or a Usurper were to be obeyed or whether the word of the King or of a Constable if they be contradictory is to be preferred To judge what we B. â—ilsoâ— ubi sup p. 259. As Bishops ought to discern which is truth before they teach so must the people discern who teacheth right before they believe Pag. 261 262. Princes as well as others must yield obedience to Bishops speaking the word of God But if bishops pass their commission and speak besides the Word of God what they list both Prince and people may despise them See him further pag. 259 260 261 262. proving that all have a judiciun discretionis must choose or refuse is proper to a Rational Creature even bruits themselves will do something like it by instinct of nature and will not do all things according to your will You would have us obey a Justice of Peace no further than our Loyalty to the King will give leave and therefore there is greater reason that we should obey the higher powers no farther than our Loyalty to God will give leave But if men pretend Gods commands for any thing which he commandeth not Magistrates bear not the sword in vain and subjects are commanded by God not to resist If they punish them rightfully God will bear the Rulers out in it If they punish them wrongfully or persecute them for well-doing God will severely punish them who so wronged his subjects and abused
to be the more hurtful encouragement of unlawful ones such examples must be forborn though the Law were not against them But to sell Orders is undoubted Simony That is the Office of the Ministry or the act of Ordination though Scribes may be paid for writing instruments § 31. Quest. 24. May a man give money for Orders or Benefices when they cannot otherwise Quest. 24. be had Answ. 1. This is answered in Quest. 22. 1. If the Law absolutely forbid it for the common safety you may not 2. If the consequents are like to be more hurt than the benefit will recompence you may not 3. If your end be chiefly your own commodity ease or honour you may not But in case you were clear from all such evils and the case were only this Whether you might not give money to get in your self to keep out a Heretick a Wolf or insufficient man who might destroy the peoples souls I see not but it might well be done § 32. Quest. 25. May I give money to Officers Servants or Assistants for their furtherance Quest. 25. Answ. For Writings or other servile acts about the circumstantials you may But not directly or indirectly to promote the Simoniacal Contract What you may not give to the principal agent you may not give his instruments or others for the same end § 33. Quest. 26. May I give or do any thing afterward by way of gratitude to the Patron Bishop or Quest. 26. any others their relations or retainers Answ. Not when the expectation of that Gratitude was a secret or open condition of the Presentation or Orders and you believe that you should not else have received them Therefore promised Gratitude is but a kind of contracting Nor may you shew Gratitude by any scandalous way which seemeth Simony Otherwise no doubt but you may be prudently grateful for that or any other kindness § 34. Quest. 27. May not a Bishop or Pastor take money for Sermons Sacraments or other Offices Quest. 27. Answ. Not for the things themselves He must not sell Gods Word or Sacraments or any other holy thing But they that serve at the Altar may live on the Altar and the Elders that Rule well are worthy of double honour And the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn should not be muzzled They may receive due maintenance while they perform Gods service that they may be vacant to attend their proper work § 35. Quest. 28. May one person disoblige another of a promise made to him Quest. 28. Answ. Yes if it be no more than a promise to that person Because a man may give away his right But if it be moreover a Vow to God or you intend to oblige your self in point of Veracity under the guilt of a lye if you do otherwise these alter the case and no person can herein disoblige you § 36. Quest. 29. But what if the Contract be bound by an Oath may another then release me Quest. 29. Answ. Yes if that Oath did only tye you to perform your promise and were no Vow to God which made him a party by dedicating any thing to him For then the Oath being but subservient to the promise he that dischargeth you from the promise dischargeth you also from the Oath which bound you honestly to keep it § 37. Quest. 30. Am I bound by a promise when the cause or reason of it proveth a mistake Quest. 30. Answ. If by the Cause you mean only the extrinsical Reasons which moved you to it you may be obliged nevertheless for finding your mistake Only so far as the other was the culpable cause as is aforesaid he is bound to satisfie you But if by the Cause you mean the formal reason which constituteth the contract then the mistake may in some cases nullifie it of which enough before § 38. Quest. 31. What if a following accident make it more to my hurt then could be foreseen Quest. 31. Answ. In some Contracts it is supposed or expressed that men do undertake to run the hazard And then they must stand obliged But in some contracts it is rationally supposed that the parties intend to be free if so great an alteration should fall out But to give instances of both these Cases would be too long a work § 39. Quest. 32. What if something unexpectedly fall out which maketh it injurious to a third person Quest. 32. I cannot sure be obliged to injure another Answ. If the case be the later mentioned in the foregoing answer you may be thus free But if it be the former you being supposed to run the hazard and secure the other party against all others then either you were indeed authorized to make this bargain or not If not the third person may secure his right against the other But if you were then you must make satisfaction as you can to the third person Ye◠if you made a Covenant without authority you are obliged to save the other harmless unless he knew your power to be doubtful and did resolve to run the hazard § 40. Quest. 33. What if somewhat fall out which maketh the performance to be a sin Answ. You must not do it But you must make the other satisfaction for all the loss which you were the cause of unless he undertook to stand to the hazard of this also explicitely or implicitely § 41. Quest. 34. Am I obliged if the other break Covenant with me Quest. 34. Answ. There are Covenants which make Relations as between Husband and Wife Pastor and Flock Rulers and Subjects and Covenants which convey title to commodities of which only I am here to speak And in these there are some Conditions which are essential to the Covenant If the other first break these conditions you are disobliged But there are other conditions which are not essential but only necessary to some following benefit whose non-performance will only forfeit that particular benefit And there are conditions which are only undertaken subsequent duties trusted on the honesty of the performer And in these a failing doth not disoblige you These latter are but improperly called Conditions § 42. Quest. 35. May I contract to perform a thing which I foresee is like to become impossible or sinful Quest. 35. before the time of performance come though it be not so at present Answ. With all persons you must deal truly and with just contractors openly But with Thieves and Murderers and Persecutors you are not alwayes bound to deal openly This being premised either your Covenant is absolutely This I will do be it lawful or not possible or impossible And such a Covenant is sin and folly Or it is Conditional This I will do if it continue lawful or possible This condition or rather Exception is still implyed where it is not exprest unless the contrary be exprest Therefore such a Covenant is lawful with a Robber with whom you are not bound to deal
were only for Counsel or for Agreement by way of contractor mutual Consent to the particular Bishops But they degenerated into a form of Government and claimed a Ruling or Commanding power 4. The Patriarcks Primates and Metropolitans at first claimed but a power about circumstantials extrinsical to the Pastoral office such as is the Timing and Placing of Councils the siâ—ting above others c. And the exercise of some part of the Magistrates power committed to them that is the deposing of other Bishops or Pastors from their station of such Liberty and Countenance as the Magistrate may grant or deny as there is cause But in time they degenerated to claim the spiritual power of the Keys over the other Bishops in point of Ordination Excommunication Absolution 5. These Patriarks Primates and Metropolitans at first claimed their extrinsick power but from Man that is either the Consent and Agreement of the Churches or the grant of the Emperours But in time they grew to claim it as of Divine or Apostolical appointment and as unalterable 6. At first they were taken only for Adjuncts ornaments supports or conveniences to the Churches But afterwards they pretended to be integral parts of the Church universal and at last the Pope would needs be an Essential part And his Cardinals must claim the power of the Church Universal in being the choosers of an Universal Head or a King-Priest and Teacher for all the Christians of the World 7. At first Lay men now called Chancellors c. were only the Bishops Counsellors or officers to the Magistrate or them in performing the extrinsecal work about Church adjuncts which a Lay man might do But at last they came to exercise the Intrinsick power of the Keys in Excommunications and Absolutions c. 8. At first a number of particular Churches consociated with their several Bishops were taken to be a Community or company of true Churches prudentially cantonized or distributed and consociated for Concord But after they grew to be esteemed proper political societies or Churches of Divine appointment if not the Ecclesiae minimae having turned the particular Churches into Oratories or Chappels destroying Ignatius his character of one Church To every Church there is one Altar and one Bishop with his Presbyters and Deacons Abundance more such instances may be given Obj. Wherever we find the Notion of a Church particular there must be Government in that Church And why a national society incorporated into one civil Government joyning into the profession of Christianity and having a right thereby to participate of Gospel Ordinances in the convenient distributions of them in the particular Congregations should not be called a Church I confess I can see no reason Answ. 1. Here observe that the question is only of the Name whether it may be called a Church and not of the thing whether all the Churches in a Kingdom may be under one King which no sober man denyeth 2. Names are at mens disposal much But confess I had rather the name had been used no otherwise or for no other societies than Scripture useth it My Reasons are 1. Because when Christ hath appropriated or specially applyed one name to the sacred societies of his institution it seemeth somewhat bold to make that name common to other societies 2. Because it tendeth to confusion misunderstanding and to cherish errours and controversies in the Churches when all names shall be made common or ambiguous and holy things shall not be allowed any name proper to themselves nor any thing can be known by a bare name without a description If the name of Christ himself should be used of every anointed King it would seem not a little thus injurious to him If the name Bible Scripture Preachers c. be made common to all that the notation of the names may extend to it will introduce the aforesaid inconveniences so how shall we in common talk distinguish between sacred societies of Divine institution and of humane if you will allow us no peculiar name but make that common which Christ hath chosen 3. And that the name is here used equivocally is manifest For the body political is informed and denominated from the pars imperans the Governing part or Head Therefore as a Head of Divine institution authorized for the spiritual or Pastoral work denominateth the society accordingly so a civil Head can make but a civil society and a head of mans making but a humane society It is certain that Christ hath appointed the Episcopal or Pastoral office and their work and consequently Episcopal or Pastoral Churches And it is certain that a King is no constitutive part of one of these Churches but Accidental And therefore that he is an Accidental Head to a Pastoral Church as such to which the Pastor is essential Therefore if you will needs call both these societies Churches you must distinguish them into Pastoral Churches and Regal Churches or Magistratical Churches for the word national notifieth not the Government which is the constitutive part and may be used of Consociated Churches though under many Civil Governours as in the Saxon Heptarchy So that our question is much like this Whether all the Grammar Schools in England as under one King may be called one National School Answ. Not without unfitness and inconveniences But rather than breed any quarrel they may call them so that please But 1. They must confess that a particular School is the famosius significatum 2. That the King is King of Schools but not a Schoolmaster nor a constitutive part of a School 3. That if you will needs denominate them from the Regent part as One you must call them all one Royal School if you will leave the well known sense of words for such uncouth phrases But give us leave to call the Body which is essentiated by a King by the name of a Kingdom only though it have in it many Schools Academies Colledges Cities Churches which they that please may call all one Royal School Academy Colledge City and Church if they love confusion 4. Christianity giveth men right to communion in particular Churches when they also make known their Christianity to the Bishops of those Churches and are received as stated or transient members by mutual consent but not otherwise nor doth meer Regal Government give any subject right to Church Communion except by a Church you mean a Kingdom Obj. A particular Church then I would describe thus It is a society of men joyned together in the visible profession of the true faith having a right to and enjoying among them the ordinances of the Gospel Answ. 1. When you tell us by your description what you will mean by a particular Church we may understand your denomination But yet while it is unusual you must not expect that other men so use the Word Had you called your description a definition I would have asked you 1. Whether by a society you mean not strictly a Political society constituted