under Censure who are Creed-Coiners or Law-makers in Christianity who frame Creeds and make Laws of their own such as they had not from the Father of the Christian Church II. Christians have but one Master but one Father Indeed if we suppose the Institution rational there can be no more than one because there can be but One Infallible and we cannot imagine that the Christians would set up any other by whom they would be universally and absolutely determined Tho there be many Names that have proposed the Christian Doctrine to us and from whom we cannot appeal yet all their Authority is derived from One and it is by his Commission that they have done it They are his Heralds and he hath authorized them They propose his Doctrine and not their own his Articles and Canons That they are so we are assured because he bears them witness by Signs and Wonders and many mighty Works And that they are his is further evident from this that they are very agreeing with and in pursuit of the Revelation which is undoubtedly his If thus whence are those diversities of Names amongst us I am of Paul I of Apollo a third of Cephas One is a Poniifician another a Lutheran a third a Calvinist a fourth an Arminian Are any of these our Fathers If they be not why are we called by their Names Why should any of these dividing Names be heard amongst us Are not we all the Children of one Father the Disciples of one Master the Servants of one Lord Are we not Brethren why should we then fall out Are we not Fellow-Scholars of one and the same Master Yes it will be said we are so indeed but we may differ about our Master's Sence Plato and Aristotle were both Socrates's Scholars but yet agreed not We all own the same Master but yet cannot agree in his Mind in many both Articles of Faith and Rules of Life This is granted and yet the Expedient whereby Unity may be preserved in the Church is not hard if we come with peaceable Minds if we indeed desire it Therefore in this case if we can but suppose our selves fallible in interpreting and grant our Brethren a liberty of judging if we can think the Words capable of the Sence they give or can but believe that they think them so tho we do not if the Sence they put upon them be not in it self opposite to and inconsistent with the Foundations of Faith a good Life the great Design of our Master and only necessary to Salvation Or tho their Construction be in its tendency destructive of a good Life yet if it be not so in them if notwithstanding this difference in perhaps some obscure and great Mystery they agree with us in all that is plain and their Practice is suitable to the Rules of our Master in this case I see no reason to disown them as no Christians and whilst we own them as Christians we must love them as Brethren Perhaps their Understanding is short of mine but perhaps also mine may be short of theirs shall I not therefore bear with them Yes as long as they hold the Foundation tho they build on it Wood Hay Stubble c. they must not be rejected for they shall be saved tho it be as by Fire The great Apostle's Resolution in the like case should be ours If in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal this unto you Here it may be objected Object Doth not this abridg them of their liberty of thinking and consequently hinder that Improvement which might be in a free Enquiry after Truth which the Mind would make that is not determined by the Dictates of others To this I answer 1. That they do thus give up themselves absolutely to the determination of one is agreeable to the best Reason If there be One who is infallible who neither can be deceived nor deceive it is most highly rational to resign up our selves to believe and obey him No Man can assent on better Evidence or act on better Reason than the determination of such an One and such an One as he is into whose Authority Christians have resolved their Faith and Obedience 2. This no way prejudices but rather advantages the true Use of our Reason for it determines us to examine all Revelations that pretend an infallible Authority whether they do not contradict those Principles which we know are infallible This Course we are put upon that we may secure our selves from Cheats for if that which is proposed contradict the Principles commonly received and which all Men take as true we have reason to suspect it and must think that out Master who taught us these if he be wise and good did not teach us this But then because Principles commonly received may be doubted by some and some granted by all perhaps may be false if any Doctrine be proposed to be believed which is impossible to be believed that cannot come from him who is Wise and Good Now I account it impossible for a Man to assent to contradictory Propositions whether the Contradiction be express or implicit for it is all one to say A Man is reasonable and not reasonable and A Man is a Stone They therefore that would bring in Contradictions into our Religion and assert that there are Doctrines in it which are not only above our Comprehension but are plainly repugnane to the true Principles of Reason as well as to themselves they are a great Offence to Christianity and lay a sure Foundation of Mens rejecting it for they put them upon doing what they cannot do I say what they cannot not only because of the Corruption and Weakness but because of the Nature of our Faculties In this case a Man must either forsake his Religion or his Reason And I know not to what purpose any should keep his Religion if he forsake his Reason nor indeed do I see how he can do it if his Religion be reasonable and his Reason will signify little if Contradictions may be true By all this I blame their Practice who affix a Sence to the Scriptures and to those Confessions of Faith which the Church agrees should be publickly used that is contradictious and then to make the best of their Miscarriage and keep their own Error in credit will tell us we must believe Contradictions when they may as well bid the Sun give forth darkness or the Fire to wet and the Water to burn For all this they pretend an Authority into which we are to resolve our Faith not considering that they deny the Authority which they pretend for can it be consistent with the Wisdom and Goodness of a Superior to oblige his Subjects to Impossibles to require them to do what is repugnant and destructive to their Natures Whosoever therefore have under the Pretext of such an uncontroulable Authority ventured so far in the Explication of the Mysteries of our Religion that they have used such Words as in
it doth it to his own Hurt that he ruines himself and depraves his Nature This Error tends to the utter Subversion of Christianity For it makes it impossible to be either believed or practis'd For no Man can give Credit to that which contradicts what he cannot doubt and no Man can do that which he is assured tends to his Destruction as all Actions do which are repugnant to his Nature No Man can believe what he cannot conceive nor can he conceive a Contradiction not apprehend what is impossible nor can he do that which he thinks so evil as that is which is intrinsecally repugnant to his Nature He that hath entertain'd this Conceit must also assert that he who will believe the Articles of our Faith must lay aside his Reason and he who will obey the Precepts of Christ must put off his Nature and cease to be a Man if he will be a Christian But how unworthily doth this reflect upon God by making him thus at odds with himself that what he made at first he after destroys that his Works of Creation and Redemption clash It argues him to have forgot the Capacities of his Creatures when he makes a Revelation of that which is unconceivable by them or hath required them to do what is not possible they should do and doth all this for their Advantage which will infallibly ruine them Besides What a disparagement is this to Religion How justly is that suspected for a Cheat where to the belief of its Articles and practice of its Duties Men must be Unreasonable and Unnatural And how doth this open a door to Error and evil Practice by deposing Reason and casting off Nature For he that doth this in any Case may for ought I know do it in every one and then he must believe all that is told and do all that is bid him and then he will believe Lies and practise Wickedness In short This Opinion takes away from Christians all means of distinguishing Truth from Falshood it subverts the Foundations of all Discourse it leaves no differences of Good and Evil. All this is most true if Man must believe what is contrary to the undoubted Principles and the truest Discourses of his Reason or do what is repugnant to his Nature He that is thus perswaded hath cast off his sure and faithful Guide and now must wander after Fancy and be at the Mercy of every one who will pretend Inspiration This evil and false Opinion 〈…〉 by some Mens Mistake of 〈◊〉 some few other Texts which yet to them that have well consider'd appear both consonant to Reason and agreeable to Nature The Design of this Discourse is to remove that Prejudice which many have entertained against this Precept of our Saviour and to shew that it is not unreasonable as many whose Mistake and Passion make them unwilling to practise it pretend it to be This will be very evident to them that consider I. The true Sense and Import of the Words II. The Reasonableness of that Practice which they direct to and the Arguments which perswade to it And III. The Falseness of those Objections that are against it I. The true meaning of the Words will be apparent if we consider 1. The common Acception of them 2. How they were understood of old for they are here brought in in opposition to what was then spoke and so the Words must have the same Sense they then had 3. The Relation and Order they have to other Precepts for without this Comparative Knowledg of the Law it cannot be understood 1. As to the common Acception of the Words there can be no Controversy because the Philosophers who have frequently taken to themselves a Liberty of imposing their Sense upon Words yet in this agree with the Vulgar both of them understanding these two things by Love 1. To wish and desire well to any 2. To do well to them 1. To think well of and towards another to wish and desire their Welfare that is the Soul to do them that Good which is wished them that is the Body of Love both are essential and necessary to the being of a real Love This Love will express it self variously according to the different Conditions of its Object and the divers Degrees of its own Power If the thing loved be very good then Love puts on the Garment of Gladness and is delighted in it If it be in very bad State and destitute of Good then Love turns into Pity and commiserates If it be unable to help it stays in Desires and good Wishes but if it have any Power it exerts it and goes forth into Action All agree that to love is according to St. James not only to speak good Words but to have good Thoughts and Desires not only to wish well but also to do well where we can To speak well is but the Picture of Love to think well is Love in the Womb but to do well also is Love brought forth and perfect now it is finished Our Enemies are those that hate us that is who both think and do us evil who both desire and do us Mischief Neither of these alone are sufficient to denominate Men our Enemies All grant our Friends may do us ill Offices and they that heartily wish us well may do that which they desire to do who intend to ruin us and yet we call them not Enemies Nor on the other part can we justly call any Man so who hath Power to hurt us and doth not for we have no other way to know his Thoughts but by his Works and if they do not yet come to these it is an Argument they are not the setled Judgment of a Man's Mind that they are not consented to and no Man is to be censur'd for that which is a matter of Practice and is not his practical Judgment No Man can be said to be or to do any thing that merits Praise or Blame where he hath not given his Consent and where the Action is within his Power and follows not there he doth not consent 2. These Words were so understood by them of old as they generally are This appears sufficiently by both the Doctrines and Practices of those Jews who were phariseiz'd and wholly adhered to the Traditions of the Elders and the Opinions of their Doctors and Rabbies Their Carriage was such as shewed they thought themselves not only permitted but commanded to desire and do Evil to their Enemies and all were such in their Esteem who were not Jews or Proselites And therefore they denied them common Offices of Civility would not Monstrare vias eadem nisi sacra colenti so much as direct a Stranger in his way if he were not of their Religion And besides call'd them by most uncivil Names as Dogs c. and would injure them by Fraud or Violence and did all that which I before said of Love to those of their own Nation So then the Words of the Text being spoken
the very Fundamental Laws whereby God governs the World which are such as these viz. That every Man should endeavour both his own and others Preservation and Perfection That he keep not only himself but others in that place and order which the great and wise Creator has appointed them That thus doing he carries on the same Design which the Maker and Lord of all does most evidently intend and prosecute as appears by the Inclinations and Appetites which he has given all his Creatures and by the Rank and Order in which he has set them to and with each other He that knows that not only himself but all living things have these Inclinations and do naturally desire their own Pleasure and Perfection and that they are all fitted for the Service of each other He will conclude that this is the Will of him that made us all and is our common Lord that we should follow these Inclinations in our selves and comply with them in others endeavouring to preserve every Being and the lowest Life and not only so but to increase and perfect it as much as is consistent with the Service and Advancement of the higher and best Life which is the Divine Life of the Mind which in this State depends on the Life of the Animal in us If it be thought the Will of God that we should preserve our selves because of that Self-Love that is natural to us for the same reason it must be thought his Will that others preserve themselves And if we oppose or hinder them that they cannot we resist God's Will If we do not what in us lies help them to do thus we do not his Will universally He then that observes these things will read the Will of the World's Maker in most legible Characters such as have no Obscurity but the most unlearned Man in the World may run and read If it be here excepted That sometimes these Inclinations clash they cannot all be gratified And that Nature's Scholar has no Direction in this case here are several things which God wills but what shall be done where there is a Competition I answer That which every Man's Reason will direct him 1. Be sure there be a Contrariety betwixt an Inconsistency of these natural Inclinations with each other that the same living Creature Man himself cannot be preserved and continue as it is if he become serviceable to the publick If these can both be let them If they cannot 2. Let it be in this as in all other cases it is let the Superiour dispose of the Inferiour as may best promote the most publick lasting greatest Good Thus we see a Grain of Corn which in a close Granary might be kept entire for which State one would think it was made being so whole and one in it self But yet it is by the skilful Husbandman thrown into the Ground where it rots and dies as the Apostle saith in a little time and so the Grain seems lost but yet afterwards it sprouts and multiplies it self into abundance perhaps sixty or a hundred This may teach us not to be so careful of our own particular Beings when by the giving them up we may do a far greater good Again By Nature as I have said we are inclined to seek after Pleasure but yet by Nature also i. e. by Brute Animals that seem to regard only what is present we are instructed to lay aside our Pleasure when by that we may proâ—ure some better or more lasting or publick-Good than that our Pleasure would be So do the old Birds abstain from abundance of particular Gratifications to hatch and feed their young that is they are more pleased with a publick than a particular Good And how common is it with us to cut off a part to save the whole But if natural Reason unassisted by Revelation be not sufficient to direct us in this yet by the help of that we shall be fully furnished with the knowledge of what God would have us to do where there is a competition of one natural desire with another More particularly Whosoever considers the Humane Nature which is the top of God's Workmanship in this lower World besides these Affections which we have hitherto taken notice of common to all Animals he will discover some things which are more particularly found in Man which will shew him what the Will of God is Some of which are these following 1. That Man is a compounded Being made up of very many Parts and Faculties and those of very different Natures and for divers Uses The two to which all the other are reduceable are his Body and his Mind That has very various Parts and Members this contains two illustrious Faculties the Understanding and the Will Now whosoever takes notice of this he cannot but conclude if he suppose the Creator wise that he did design and does will that all these Faculties and Parts should be put to the Uses for which they are fit That they should neither be unimploy'd nor yet diverted from their proper Employment and used otherwise than by their Natures they are fitted to be Thus then by what God has wrought in us we infer That it is his Will that we should be imploy'd and in various Works that we should neither be idle nor yet doing only one thing that we should be in the Exercise not only of some Faculty but of all and that we should not be in any unnatural use of our selves or of any part of us but ever be doing those Works for which our Parts and Faculties were plainly designed by their Maker and by their Frame are fitted 2. The Soul and Body do in this State very much depend on each other they so sympathize that if one be well or ill the other partakes of its prosperous or adverse Condition I do not say that they are so totally dependent on each other that the one cannot possibly subsist or act without the other that they began and will end together For natural Reason gives us good probable Presumptions and the Religion of Christ assures us of the contrary St. Paul's and many other good Mens Experience proves to us that the more the outward Man decays the inward may grow more vivacious and be daily renew'd and increase in Strength and Vigor This by the assistance of the Divine Grace and our co-operation has often come to pass But yet every one is sensible of such a mutual Dependance of the Soul and Body that the good or bad State of the one ordinarily has Influence on the other And this shews plainly that he who made us so intended and wills that not one but both of them should be regarded that when we design the Welfare of one we should not look on that as divided from but as united with the other that we should not so gratify the Body as if there were no Soul nor should the Soul forget that it is in the Body that we should not look on our selves as
Statute-Book 'T is both the Common and Civil and Canon-Law whereby God governs his Subjects If any should imagine that because a great part of or all the Bible was directed to particular Persons of such Times and Places that therefore they were intended for no more Or because they were writ in an exotick and strange Tongue with which most of the World are unacquainted therefore they must not be looked on as a Revelation of the Divine Will to all Men I would desire such to consider 1. That in whatever Language they were writ the same Objection would lie against them 2. Here is work for Industry and that which may engage Men in Study and encourage Learning and may occasion Men of one Nation 's acquainting themselves with others and with the Wisdom and Customs of all Places and Times 3. That what is contained in our Bible was directed to some particular Persons this was no more than was fit to procure its Entertainment amongst them If it had been spoke to all perhaps none might have minded it at least not so much as they probably would to whom it was particularly addressed 4. That however some few might be immediately concerned in it and it might have especial respect to the Men of one Age and Place yet this hinders not but that it might have a farther reference to all that were them or should be afterwards in all Nations to whom it should come And tho there might be and were some of the Laws founded on particular Reasons which afterwards might cease yet this takes not off the Obligations of those Laws which are founded on universal and immutable Reasons such as belong to all Mankind in all Ages Where the very same reason does not continue yet there is often a Parity which is sufficient to lay an Obligation on us Exempli Gratiâ Tho we may not look on our selves as obliged to offer Sacrifices on an Altar to God by the Hands of a Priest yet we may and should offer up to God of our Substance by the Hands of the Poor And so the Law of Sacrifices may still direct and in some sort bind us And thus we may make use of the abrogated Laws which were temporary to direct our selves in the Knowledg of what the Will of God is to us by considering Parity of Reason which is the way we take in all Humane Laws This Exception being thus removed we need not question but the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain a Revelation of God's Will to us and all Men. V. God teaches Men what his Will is by secret Suggestions of his Spirit 'T is this which often shews us the way in which we should go which directs us saying This is the way walk in it I believe there is no Man but one time or other feels himself most powerfully instigated to do such or such an Action which at that time he clearly apprehends to be good And at other times he is as forcibly with-held from what by a clear light he sees to be evil And this he cannot reasonably impute to any other cause besides the Spirit of God He is not conscious of any Power within himself that can do thus and there is no other visible Cause of this powerful Influence So that it may well be ascribed to the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation This brings to mind some of the Divine Precepts which we had forgot or did not then think of This discovers to us in some particular Instances what God would have us do which in other ways we could not have known Now this being so distinguishable from the other ways as to the manner and yet so consistent with and agreeable to them in the matter of the Revelation we may well conclude that it 's another way in which God discovers his Will unto Mankind Thus I have briefly considered the five ways in which God makes his Will known unto us Concerning which ways I will further say 1. That there is no Law of God which is not in one or more of them publish'd unto us 2. That some of them and indeed many are in all these ways to be known by us 3. Those that are thus many ways declared are hereby signified to be of great Importance to be known and done by us Therefore was it that the Divine Providence took such care that they should not be conceal'd from us 4. Those which are notisied to us in some one way only e. g. the Scriptures are not contradictory to nor contradicted by any other that are revealed to us in the other ways There is no Repugnancy no Inconsistency betwixt them but they all exactly harmonize and agree with each other Whosoever thinks otherwise he takes that to be a Command of God which is not There may be and is something more revealed in one way than in another but there is nothing in one that is repugnant to that is inconsistent with indeed that is not agreeable to what is in another Therefore if we at any time should interpret the Scripture-Revelation in contradiction to the unquestionable Principles of the Reason and Mind of Man we misunderstand it These are both God's Revelation of his Will to us and he cannot contradict himself Whosoever will do that which is every Man 's necessary Duty and greatest Interest to do that is seek after a perfect understanding of the Will of God concerning Man he may by a diligent Exercise of himself in these ways attain unto it And whatever Pains he takes in it I can assure him he will find himself well appaid in the Effect of his Labour For that must be great Holiness of Life and abundant Satisfaction and Quiet of Mind If I were to give a Compendium of that which all these ways appears to be the Will of God and more than a Compendium I must not offer at it should be this viz. the Perfection and good State of all Men. Whosoever either considers the Goodness and Wisdom of God or the Inclinations and Faculties which he has given to all Men or the Sense of the wisest and best nay of all Men who are in a restless Pursuit of somewhat they often mistake for their Happiness or the holy Scriptures or the secret Motions of the Divine Spirit He will say that all these do centre in and aim at this And consequently shew that this is certainly the Will of God And if we be once assured in our Minds that the Goodness and Perfection or best State of Man is the Divine Will we have got a Clue that will direct us through all the Labyrinths of Particulars And if we have but once form'd true and distinct Notion of what our Perfection is we shall then see clearly what are the Particulars of which it consists what are the means that are in order to it and what are the things that oppose and hinder it And in effect we shall be directed to a right understanding of all the
their most proper and usual Sense imply manifest Contradictions they have been no Friends to the Christian Faith And whatsoever they say the Christians Father will not dertermine his Sons to believe Contradictions But I conclude this second Proposition with this practical Inference If Christians have but one Master one Father then they must own his Authority that is believe his Revelations obey his Commands without any doubt or dispute for his Authority is undeniable his Will uncontroulable no Appeal to be made from his Determination Therefore assent without debate obey without demur If we have a Father give him his Honour and a Master let him have his Feaâ— III. There is no Man upon Earth that is the Christian's Father or Master None by whose Sense he is to be absolutely necessarily determined He needs not to resolve his Obedience into any Mans or Mens Authority Our Religion is so very excellent and wise that it could not be of humane Original Surely this Tree of Life never grew first in an Earthly Paradise but was transplanted from some more excellent Soil and set in this red Earth Besides if we consider the Design of it it is to prepare Men for the Heavenly Life which it doth by begetting in them such Perswasions and Affections and teaching them to act here just as they do there Therefore our Creed and Law must probably be a brief Transcript of some of theirs and none can tell what theirs is but he that made it God Religion like Water will not rise higher than the Spring if it derives its Origine from this Earth only it will not rise and raise us up with it to Heaven But if this be true that we have no Father on Earth how is it that we hear so much of an Infallible Judg either an old Man sitting in a Chair at Rome Or else a Synod of Doctors for the most part packed together by a Faction and designed to drive on some Secular Interest For such have been many Councils tho not all But what mean those Pretenders that they thus take upon them Will they decide all our Controversies end our Debates An excellent Attempt But will they do it indeed Yes effectually and if any doubt of their Decrees they shall be quickly convinced by a light burning Fire They 'l take care to keep those that are under them iniIgnorance they shall not have Knowledg enough to question their Determinations Or if any little Light do break through all the Curtains they have drawn then they afright them with Anathema's and if these will not do neither they shall to the Stake How grievously the Christian World hath been abused by these Practices is too notorious whilst these false Fathers do not at all serve the Designs of Truth and Piety but merely of their own Ambition and Covetousness Notwithstanding what I have said of those Conventions that are politickly and unwarrantably peck'd together by a Party for the holding up of a Faction and serving a carnal Interest I would not be understood to detract in the least from a duly congregated Synod of wise and learned Men their just Authority which yet I must think doth not amount to that of a Father or Rabbi as here explained They are not absolute cannot determine universally But have they no Power in determining What is it Tho this be an Argument fitter for a larger Discourse yet to prevent Mistakes and Abuse of what I have said I shall here speak somewhat of my Mind in two or three Particulars 1. They who cannot be supposed to have any better Reason than the Authority of a Synod should be determined by them in matters both of Faith and Practice That this may be the case of the Vulgar I doubt not Many are in the state of Children who at first must take all on trust and it is best for them in that State so to do tho afterwards they may see how they have been imposed upon and lay aside those infant-Prejudices the common People first believe and obey because a Company of wise and learned Men tell them that what is proposed is true and good but afterwards these Mens Reason may be more improved they may have better Arguments to believe and higher Motives to obey than their Word and may say as the Samaritans we now believe not because of your Words but because we our selves see The ground of this first Position is that Men are to be determined to assent or act by the best Arguments they can have Now I suppose very many in so low a Condition that this is the best they can meet with viz. the Authority of a Synod nay many times the Determination of a single Man This is indeed a pitious Case when in all matters of Good and Evil true and false a Man must relie on anothers Testimony and yet it had not been so sad if Men that had Learning and Knowledg enough had had more of Honesty but they have been so unfaithful to their Trusts that they have very much impair'd their Credit with the World I understand the Popish Councils especially 2. More improved Men where the matter is disputable and somewhat equal and unconcluding Arguments on both sides appear if a Synod interpose their Authority I think should be determin'd by that yet not so far as to exclude all after-Thoughts they must leave room for them For if their Reasons against the Synod's Determinations should prove concluding and afterwards appear evidently so they need not continue under that former Determination In this case a Man must compare his own best Arguments with that of the Testimony of those Men that is he must consider as well as he can not only whether they be wiser than himself which will be granted but also whether they be honest 3. That I may shew whither their Authotity cannot reach I lay down this Position That where the Synod shall determine that to be believed which is and appears repugnant to it self to granted Principles of Reason or plain Scriptures or where they shall enjoyn that to be done which is and appears intrinsecally and eternally evil or which I can certainly conclude is in those Circumstances evil they are not to be believed or obeyed Of this nature I understand Transubstantiation and worshipping Images c. What the Sense of our Church is in this matter appears by the 6th 20th 21st Articles The Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation And in the 20th It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to God's Word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore the Church tho it be a Witness and Keeper of Holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing
against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation And for Councils In the 21st after it is declared that they have erred and may err it is concluded Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to Salvation have neither Strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of Scripture Whence is there such an Inequality that any should undertake thus the Guidance of others Were they born with more Wisdom than their Brethren Or have they had so much better Opportunities to get it Or hath God extraordinarily conveyed it to them And doth he give them Commission Let them produce it God's Commission is a Power to work Miracles which if I see exerted in Attestation of a Doctrine agreeable to Principles of Reason and Scripture then I will believe such a Man to be God's Instrument I will yield up my self to be determined by him in all Particulars where I do not see a Contradiction to Reason and Scripture 4 God is the Christians only Father Jesus Christ their only Master Grosius tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a greater Title then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore our Saviour takes the lesser to himself and gives the greater to God This may poss if we only look at the Man Christ Jesus but under another Consideration we know all Men are to honour the Sâ—â— as they honour the Father It was the great Promise and Prophecy concerning the Times of the Messiah that they should be all taught of God Well may the Christians resign themselves to the Determinations of such an Authority they may be secure in the Guidance of an infinite unerring Understanding are in no danger of straying where they have such a Conduct They may also sit down quietly and rest under the Shadow of Divine Goodness nor fear that the Master should himself be mistaken for his Understanding is infinite nor yet deceive them because his Love is 〈◊〉 less If any shall ask Where we are to expect those Decreta Factis those Articles of Faith and Rules of Life which he hath given us I answer 1. In the plain Principles of Reasan and the necessary Conclusions that flow from them Such there are from whence no Appeal can be made of whose Truth we cannot doubt Notwithstanding all that the Sceptick can say we need not be deceived in very many Cases and in some we cannot 2. The Revelations made by Men with whom God was in an extraordinary manner Such were Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles of our Lord but especially the Blessed Jesus himself with whom God was present in a far more extraordinary manner and so as he was with none other for he was 〈◊〉 with him God in him assumed our Nature into Union with himself God was manifest in the Flesh When I say God was with them I mean that an extraordinary Spirit of Wisdom and Holiness rested upon them accompanied with a Power of working Miracles Besides they were extraordinarily inspired with a Doctrine which they then delivered and is now recorded in Scripture Many of which were indeed immediately directed to others and therefore concern us no further than a Parity of Reason makes them that part of those Writings which most belong to us is the Sayings of our Lord and all the rest so far as is consistent with and agreeable to them The Inference that follows from this is That we would behave our selves toward our Master as it becomes us that is receive his Instructions follow his Directions be wholly resigned up to him acquiesce in his Determinations believe what he reports without dispute obey what he commands without demur Give full assent to the Principles of natural Reason give a ready Obedience to the Natural Law These were the first Creeds and Commands that ever were given This was the Faith once delivered to the Saints when there was yet no written Word and these Laws were engraven in the Heart before the two Tables of Stone were hewen Since God hath set out a large and fair Edition of these Articles and Canons in the Scripture which are an Exposition of what was before imprinted in Man's Nature The first Edition was in danger to be lost and therefore our good Master made Provision for us in this second This is then our Duty to refer all to those Teachings of God whose Inspiration gives Vnderstanding whose Word makes wise the Simple If any therefore speak let him speak as the Oracles of God and let us as the noble Bereans judg by the Scriptures whether the things they say be so or not To the Law and to the Testimony where we doubt for if they speak not according to this it is because they have no Morning in them Before I conclude this Particular I cannot but take notice of the excellent Condition of Christians See our Liberty our Nobleness both these appear in that we are not determin'd by any thing but what appears to be of God He is our only absolute Soveraign If any on Earth challenge a Power over us it is only under God and we are subject to them in and for him and because by being so we obey him And there is no Man living whom we are bound to believe on his own Authorityl he must produce his Reason or cite his Text Or if he propose some new Doctrine it must be consistent with these and he must work his Miracle If any Man therefore demand my Assent to his Doctrine I may and must ask for his Authority and if he have no more than his ipse dixit I must tell him he is not my Master nor any Man on Earth but One even Christ. Let us then scorn to live in Slavery to any Mans Opinions but stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free If we fail to do this we are wanting to our selves and our Master too we 〈◊〉 our Liberty we are in manifest danger of erring we give from him the Honour that is due to him he will be jealous of this piece as well as any other Indeed it is as great as any it is the Honour of his Wisdom and Goodness Whosoever fully acquiesces in any Man's Authority and upon his single Testimony superpercedes further reasoning he ascribes to him infallibility and makes him a God And then how exceedingly doth Christianity ennoble us by which we are taught to consider God in all we do and own no Authority but his Lastly We must infer from this Precept of our Lord that we should not undury assume or attribute Piâ—â—es of Honour to our selves or others That is 1. We should not over-earnestly desire those that are deserved and due Nor 2. Much less affect such as are false and above our Merit To do thus proceeds from an Ambition that ill becomes the Disciples of him that was so exceeding lowly who tho he was Lord of all yet came here into the
is in seeking after supply of his Wants the less he will want and the less he wants the less he must desire if he act by Reason And so long as Want continues Desire must and if it be earnest it may probably hinder us in the good use of our Reason and so engage us in that which is dishonest making us transgress those Bounds and Land-Marks which Propriety hath set On the other hand It would be strange if the happy Man should be envious or ravening When the Sun shines upon his Tabernacle who can desire his Neighbour's Candle That which may confirm all this is That in all the Descriptions we have of the Golden Age which is supposed to have been in the World we have no mention made of Mens Inordinate Desires which shews that when they are in good condition these have no place or if they have they spoil it And this leads me to the Arguments against all unreasonable and unjust Desires First They are both noxious and vain They do others hurt and our selves no good How much Harm they do in the World I have sufficiently declared when I have said that all the Disorders and Injustice and all the Evil that one Man doth another grow from this Root Whatever Mischief of this sort you complain of know that unreasonable Desire is accessory to them All Murders and Robberies and Wars and Over-reaching in Bargains owe their Original to this This turns Men into Brutes and makes Societies of Reasonable Creatures become Dens of Lions or Kennels of Foxes Nay this hath made a City less eligible than a Wilderness and 't is more safe to be in a Herd of Brutes than in a Society of Men so much more insatiable are our Desires than theirs And there is therefore less Danger in converse with unreasonable Nature than with immoderate Desires And as unreasonable Desires do harm to others so they are no way advantagious to our selves for whilst we desire unjustly we lay a Foundation for Disquiet to the Publick Peace and also of Ruine to our own particular Interest For our Example hath an Influence on others to make them do as we do and that will bring in all Confusion amongst us Besides this whilst any one impropriates too much the less remains for others Uses And this brings near extreme Necessity and when that is their Case they have Right to other Mens Properties and when they are near it they may easily mistake it for their own Case and if they do but think it is their Case they 'll act as if it was and seize upon that which they have not but imagine they have Right to Secondly Remember our Profession We call our selves the Disciples of him who had not where to lay his Head who tho he was Lord of all yet Possessor of almost nothing And shall the Disciple be above his Master Had our Lord so very little and shall we grasp at all Why have we need of more than he had If we have shew it if not why do we desire it How is it that we cannot be content with Food and Raiment when by a harmless diligence we can obtain no more when our Saviour was For if we be indeed his Disciples that is if we live well and follow his Example we have also the Promises of this Life and of that which is to come We have all Assurance given us that the great Disposer of all Things interests himself in our Affairs and will manage all for the good of them that live well We know that the worst that can befall us is Death and that is the End of all our Miseries and is our Passage to a blessed and endless Life We know also that the Unrighteous shall not be Partakers of this Happiness that the Violent the Oppressor the Deceiver shall be excluded Nay that they who have not subdued and overcome the evil Desires of doing such Things are not owned by Christ to be his Followers and then they cannot be saved And if we cannot be Christians if we cannot be happy whilst they prevail in us why do we suffer them Besides The Gospel which we own nay and our own Reason hath represented all the Things of this World as very undesirable We cannot but see how little Tendency they all have to make us happy Do we not ordinarily find the Poor as good as the Rich and the Servant as wise as his Master And we know that all these Things are to us as We are To the Good all are Good Res perinde sunt ut illiu animus qui â—a possidet Qui uti scit ei bonâ— illi qui non utitur rectà mala And if the Things themselves be not valuable their Number doth not add to their Esteem And our Saviour hath expresly told us that our Life consists not in the Abundance of Things we possess Nay and that Riches make it hard for us to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This they do by exciting unreasonable Desires He that believes all this it ill becomes him to be a passionate Lover of the Things of this World The Gentiles who are unâ—â—qâ—â—inted with our Religion who have as 〈◊〉 suppose almost lost their Reason for them to seek after these things is tolerable but for Christians there is no Excuse Besides all these Engagements which our Christian Profession lays on us to subdue our Desires there 's this one other which I will only mention and that is that Vniversal Love that Love to all the World which Christianity doth so much oblige us to We are commanded we are exhorted to this the highest Examples lead us to it our God and Saviour go before us in the plainest ways of Love and Kindness It is a great part of our Religion and indispensable to Happiness Yea the very Badg and Character of Christians so that we are not to be call'd by that Name if we do not live a Life of Love and if we do we shall not covet what 's another's For Love as the Apostle saith fulfils the Law it will not only preserve us from doing but also from desiring any other Man's Injury If then we would do well to the Publick by preserving Peace and Order if we have any regard to other Men that are like to and generally equal with or better than our selves If we would not fall of Happiness if we would not act in Contradiction to Religion and Reason if we would approve our selves to be Men or Christians let all our Desires be wise and just and innocent Let it be all our Endeavours and God of his infinite Mercy afford us the necessary Aids of his Grace which we beg for the sake of his Son to whom c. OF Doing our own BUSINESS 1 THESS 4. 11. That ye study to be quiet and to do your own Business THE Apostle in these Words exhorts Christians that they would study or strive earnestly as Men do who are in pursuit after Honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
to understand by Nature the Corruptions and Depravations of it So many that declaim against Nature interpret that Phrase 1 Cor. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should be rendred the animal Man the Man that lives the Life of a mere Animal one that hath not the Reason and Understanding of a Man By Nature therefore I understand here 1. Nature in General 2. Particularly that part of humane Nature which is common to Man with inferior Torts of Beings 3. That wherein he differs from and excells them and agrees with those that are better 1. As for Nature in general it is observable that all Beings do by their motions and alterations conspire to the preserving of the Universe that they do not more endeavour their own Good and Continuance than the Good of the Whole Nay many times they leave their own proper Tendencies and seem to neglect as it were their private Concerns to promote the more Publick and Universal This is so obvious to every Observation and there are so many Instances of it in both animate and inanimate Bodies that I need not insist upon it I shall only mind you of another almost as common as this that Animals of the same kind are loving and helpful to each other and do not only associate and herd together but will also expose themselves to danger for their mutual Defence and other good Offices But I go on further and more particularly 2. To that part of Nature which is in Man common to him with other Animals his Body how does every Part minister to other and all of them conspire to preserve and perfect the whole How is Nourishment conveyed from one to another through the whole Body And when it is thus with it the Body is in its natural good State of Health If it be otherwise if one Part draw all the Nourishment to it self it is then diseased and this tends to the Dissolution of the whole and consequently of that Part it self which does not distribute Add to this what the Naturalists have observ'd that no Passion is more agreeable to Man's Body than Love which is the Principle of doing Good that nothing contributes more to his Health nor is a more certain Argument of it than Good-will that the very Body of Man is never in better State than when he is most enclined to do good Offices And that the Motions which maintain Life are then most equally vigorous when we are in the Exercise of Charity and Compassion 3. This is no less congruous to the Nature of Man as distinguished from all other Animals it is agreeable to the Mind and Reason of Man Hear the Sence of an honest Heathen which is the Voice of Nature not of Revelation Saith he to his Friend Qui tibi amicus est scito hunc omnibus amicum esse Again Non sum uni angulo natus Patria mea est totus hic Mundus Nor was it only one but many of the Philosophers that called themselves Citizens of the World not that they forgot their Native Country but they remembred their Relation to the whole They look'd on themselves in the same order to the Universe which others do to the Town where they were born and dwell Again Posterorum res ago He did not content himself to be a Benefactor to the present Age but would take care also that those that should be born after should receive advantage by his Labours and so they have Lucan says of Cato and as many as speak of him say the same Hi mores haec dura immota Catonis Secta fuit servare modum finemque tenere Naturamque sequi Patriaeque impendere vitam Non sibi sed toti genitum se credere Mundo Thus we see Nature taught the very Heathens And I do the more willingly insist on this Argument from Nature because I cannot think that the God of Nature being also the Author of our Religion should make this inconsistent with that or destructive of it And because by this means we shall have a great assistance both in the understanding of our Duty and in making us willing to do it Had this been duly observ'd Men had never sacrificed their Sons to Moloch And if this be received one of the greatest Objections against our being Religious vanishes In general then If it be natural for the Soul of Man before it be corrupted with any of those Passions that are the off-spring of Folly to observe and be affected with the welfare and ill State of others besides it self If it be displeased and unquiet and griev'd when it goes ill with them and joyed and delighted to see them in good Plight then it 's natural to it to will and endeavour their good and welfare The Understanding of Man is a large and unlimited kind of thing it reaches forth it self to all Beings and views them and wherever it sees Good it loves and desires the continuance and when it observes Evil it 's troubled and wishes it were not and will endeavour it may not be And if this be natural to the Mind of Man unaltered by wicked Practices and foolish Passions then it is natural to it to do good universally and then certainly to all Mankind Again it 's natural to the Soul of Man to love Pleasure and to pursue it and to be averse from whatsoever displeases it Now nothing can be the object of Pleasure but Good or if any Evil be 't is only in order to what is Good and as it serves that i. e. as it is good in Reality No Man can be delighted to see any Beings in an ill Plight or if he be he is in an unnatural state himself and his Soul is corrupted More particularly and distinctly If we understand by natural that which proceeds from an inward Principle and which tends to preserve and perfect Nature in general and particularly that which is a Conclusion deriv'd from Principles of Reason and clear Discourses for that 's natural to Man which is rational then I will use this Method to evince that all this which is here required is agreeable to Nature in general and to humane Nature in Particular 1st It 's natural for us to be acting If we either conform to the rest of the Beings we live with in the World or act agreeably to our own Natures we must be doing The best Philosophers assure us that in the vast Universe there is not one little Particle that is idle but the World and all in it are in uncessant motion tho' some Bodies that move more slowly and less discernibly than others are said to be at rest Whether we climb up into Heaven or dive into the Sea or dig into the Bowels of the Earth we shall find all Beings employed and busy nothing idle The Heavenly Bodies are whirling about perpetually the Waters cease not to run and in the Caverns of the Earth which might be imagined the dens of Sleep yet the Mines are made And