upon their own Authority to begin a new Church and to broach new Doctrines directly contrary to the judgement of the High Priest and Sanhedrin yea after they had pronounced Sentence against Jesus of Nazareth and condemned him to death and excommunicated his followers and punished as many as they could get into their power what could it in their opinion be but the Spirit of Faction and disobedience thus to oppose the Authority of their Church in believing contrary to its decrees and reforming without any power derived from it We see in our Saviours time how severely they checked any of the people who spake favourably of Christ and his Doctrine As though the poor ignorant people were fit to judge of these matters to understand Prophecies and to know the true Messias when he should appear And therefore when some of their Officers that had been sent to apprehend him came back with admiration of him and said Never man spake like this man they take them up short and tell them They must believe as the Church believes what they take upon them to judge of such matters No they must submit to their Governours Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed on him but this people which know not the Law are cursed i e. When they set up their own judgement in opposition to the Authority of the Church And after our Saviours death at a solemn Council at Hierusalem when Peter and John were summoned before them the first Question they asked was By what power or by what name have ye done this They never enquired whether the Miracle were wrought or no or whether their Doctrine were true all their Question was about their Mission whether it were ordinary or extraordinary or what authority they could pretend to that were not sent by themselves but let the things be never so true which they said if they could find any flaw in their Mission according to their own Rules and Laws this they thought sufficient ground to forbid them to preach any more and to charge them with Faction if they disobeyed 2. They charged the Christians with Faction in being so active and busie to promote Christianity to the great disturbance of the Jews in all parts This Tertullus accused St. Paul of that he was a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and accordingly the Jews at Thessalonica take the Christians by force and carry them to the Rulers of the City crying Those that have turned the world upside down are come hither also This they knew was the most effectual course to render them odious to all Governours who are apt to suspect all new things as dangerous and think no truth can compensate the hazard of alterations Thus it was especially among the Roman Governours who had learnt from the counsel given to Augustus to be particularly jealous of all innovations in Religion and had much rather the people should continue quiet under an old error than have the peace disturbed for the greatest Truth This was really the greatest difficulty in the way of Christianity it came no where but people were possessed before hand with quite other apprehensions of Religion than the Christians brought among them The Jewish and Pagan Religions were in possession in all places and the people were at ease in the practice of them What then must the Christians do Must they let them alone and not endeavour to convince them of the truth of their own Doctrine If so they are unfaithful to their trust betrayers of truth and false to the Souls of men if they go about to perswade men out of their Religion they know such is the fondness most men have for their own opinions especially in Religion that where they might hope to convince one they might be sure to enrage many especially of those whose interest lay in upholding the old Religion How little doth Reason signifie with most men where Interest is against it Truth and falshood are odd kind of Metaphysical things to them which they do not care to trouble their heads with but what makes for or against their Interest is thought easie and substantial All other matters are as Gallio said questions of names and words which they care not for but no men will sooner offer to demonstrate a thing to be false than they who know it to be against their interest to believe it to be true This was the case of these great men of the Jews that came down to accuse Paul they easily saw whither this new Religion tended and if it prevailed among their people farewell then to all the Pomp and Splendour of the High-Priesthood at Hierusalem farewell then to the Glory of the Temple and City whither all the Tribes came up to worship thrice a year farewell then to all the riches and ease and pleasure which they enjoyed And what was the greatest Truth and best Religion in the world to them in comparison with these These were sufficient reasons to them to accuse Truth it self of deceiving men and the most peaceable Doctrine of laying the Foundation of Faction and Sedition Thus we have considerd the false imputations which were cast upon Christianity at first implyed in these words After the way which is called heresie 2. I now come to the way taken by St. Paul to remove these false imputations which he doth 1. By an appeal to Scripture as the ground and rule of his faith Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets 2. By an appeal to the best and purest Antiquity as to the object of Worship So worship I the God of my Fathers not bringing in any new Religion but restoring it to its primitive purity 1. By an appeal to Scripture as the ground and rule of his faith The Jews pleaded Possession Tradition Authority of the present Church against all these St. Paul fixes upon a certain and unmoveable Foundation the Law and the Prophets He doth not here insist upon any particular revelation made to himself but offers the whole matter in dispute to be tryed by a common Rule that was allowed on both sides And his meaning is if they could prove that he either asserted or did any thing contrary to the Law and the Prophets then they had some reason to accuse him of innovation or beginning of a new Sect but if the foundation of his doctrine and practice lay in what themselves acknowledged to be from God then they had no cause to charge him with introducing a new Sect among them But the great Question here is What ground St. Paul had to decline the Authority of the present Church Since God himself had appointed the Priests to be the interpreters of the Law and therefore in doubtful cases resort was to be made to them and not the judgement left to particular persons about the sense of Scripture and yet in this case it is apparent St. Paul declined all Authority of the present
in their judgement From hence we see St. Paul had great reason to appeal from the High Priest and Elders to the Law and the Prophets because they were subject to errour and mistake but these are not 2. Because the Law and the Prophets are less liable to partiality than a living Judge or the Authority of the present Church I have oft-times wondered to hear men speak so advantageously of a living Judge before an Infallible Rule in order to the end of Controversies If all they mean be only that an end be put to them no matter how I confess a living Judge in that case hath much the advantage but so would any other way that persons would agree upon as the judgement of the next person we met with or Lottery or any such thing but if we would have things fairly examined and heard and a judgement given according to the merits of the cause the case will be found very different here from what it is in civil causes For here the Judge must be a party concerned when his own Authority and interest is questioned and lyable to all those passions which men are subject to in their own cases Which will be notoriously evident in the case before us between the High Priest and Elders on one side and St. Paul on the other They pleaded that if any difficulty arose about the sense of the Law it belonged to them to judge of it St. Paul declines their judgement and appeals only to the Law and the Prophets had it been reasonable in this case for Felix to have referred the judgement to them who were the parties so deeply concerned A living Judge may have a great advantage over a bare Rule to put an end to controversies but then we must suppose impartiality in him freedom from prejudice an excellent judgement diligence and patience in hearing all the evidence and at last delivering sentence according to the sense of the Law if any of these be wanting the controversie may soon be ended but on the wrong side I suppose none of those who would have controversies in Religion ended by a living Judge will for shame say they would have them ended right or wrong but if they would have Truth determined they must give us assurance that these Judges shall lay aside all partiality to their own interests all prejudice against their Adversaries shall diligently search and examine and weigh the evidence on both sides and then shall determine according to the true sense of the Law How likely this is will appear by the living Judges in our Saviours time Was there ever greater partiality seen than was in them or more obstinate prejudice or more wilful errors or a more malicious sentence than came from them in the cause of our Lord and Saviour They would not believe his Miracles though told them by those that saw them when they saw them they would not believe they came from God but attributed them to the Devil they would not so much as enquire the true place of his Nativity but ran on still with that wilful mistake that he was born in Galilee and by this they thought to confound Nicodemus presently Search and look for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet If they had searched and looked themselves they would have found that Christ was born in Bethlehem and not in Galilee But where men are strongly prejudiced any thing serves for evidence and demonstration whereas all the arguments on the other side shall be despised and contemned How captious were they on all occasions towards our Saviour lying in wait to entrap him with questions to pervert his words and draw blasphemy out of the most innocent expressions And when none of all these things could do they use all the wayes of fraud malice and injustice to destroy the Saviour of the world as a Malefactor and Blasphemer Was not here now a mighty advantage which the Authority of the present Church among the Jews of that time had above the guidance of the Law and the Prophets And the knowledge St. Paul had of the same temper being in them still might justly make him decline their judgement and appeal only to the Law and the Prophets for the ground and Rule of his faith 2. For the object of his worship he appeals to the best Antiquity I worship the God of my Fathers i. e. I bring no new Religion among you but the very same in substance with that which all the Jews have owned so some render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deo Patrio the God whom all my Brethren acknowledge but he rather understands it of the same God that was worshipped by Abraham and Isaac and Jacob quem majores nostri coluerunt so St. Peter in his preaching to the people concerning the resurrection of Christ to avoid the imputation of Novelty saith the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus and again to the Sanhedrin he saith the God of our Fathers raised up Jesus and St. Paul the God of our Fathers hath chosen thee in the use of which expressions they purposely declare that they had no thoughts of bringing in any new Religion among them contrary to what God had of old declared to the Patriarchs The main things in which the Jews objected innovation to them did either concern the bringing in some new doctrine or the reformation of corruptions among them 1. For their doctrine that either concerned the Messias or a future state For the doctrine of the Messias it was as antient as the records of any revelation from God were It was the great promise made to the Patriarchs long before the Law of Moses and even Moses himself speaks of him as St. Steven proves to them and David and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Daniel and Micah and Malachi as the Apostles at large prove in their writings Why should this then be accounted any new doctrine which they all believed and received If the Question be only whether Christ were that Messias or no for that they desire nothing more than the testimony of the Law and the Prophets and the Miracles wrought by him but they had no reason to quarrel with them upon their belief for such an alteration of the state of things which themselves believed must be when the Messias came for in him not only the Nation of the Jews but all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed which was inconsistent with supposing the Ceremonial Law to continue in its force and obligation being particularly suited to one people lying within such a compass as they might three times a year attend upon the service in the Temple at Hierusalem If their quarrel was concerning a future state as though that were a new doctrine St. Paul adds in the next Verse that themselves also allow that there shall be aresurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust And
THE REFORMATION JUSTIFY'D IN A SERMON Preached at GUILD-HALL CHAPPEL Septemb. 21. 1673. Before the Lord Major AND ALDERMEN c. By EDW. STILLINGFLEET D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY LONDON Printed by Robert White for Henry Mortlock and are to be sold at the White Hart in Westminster Hall and at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard 1674. Hanson Major Cur. special tent in Festo S. Michaelis Archang 1673. Annoque Regis Caroli secundi Angliae c. XXV IT is Ordered by this Court that D r. Stillingfleet be earnestly desired to Print his SERMON lately Preached at the GUILD-HALL CHAPPEL before the LORD MAJOR and ALDERMEN of this CITY Wagstaffe ACTS XXIV 14. But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets IN the beginning of this Chapter we find St. Paul brought to his Tryal before Felix the Roman Governour wherein if we only except the unfitness of the Judge all other things concurred which could make such an action considerable viz. the greatness of the cause the quality of the persons and the skill which was shewed in the management of it The cause was not common and ordinary such as were wont to be tryed before the Governours of Provinces but of an unusual and publick nature not a question of words and names as Gallio thought it but of a matter of the highest importance to the world which being managed by St. Paul with that zeal and industry which was agreeable to it gave occasion to his malicious Countreymen to accuse him before the Roman Governour as one guilty of Faction and Sedition Under this colour they hoped easily to gain the Governours good will to their design being a person that more regarded the quiet of his Province than all the concernments of Truth and Religion But that this design might be carried on with the greater pomp and shew of Justice and Piety they do not commit the care of it to the rage of the people or some furious Zealots but the High Priest and some members of the Sanhedrin go down on purpose from Hierusalem to Caesarea and carry with them one of their most eloquent Advocates called Tertullus to manage the accusation against Paul Who was no sooner called forth but the Orator begins to shew his art by a flattering insinuation which is most apt to prevail with men of mean and corrupt minds Seeing that by thee saith he we enjoy great quietness and that very worthy deeds are done unto this Nation by thy providence we accept it alwayes and in all places most noble Felix with all thankfulness Having thus prepared his Judge he presently falls upon the matter and charges St. Paul with being a pestilent and seditious person a disturber of his Nation in all parts a prophaner of the Temple but the main point of all and in which the rest were comprehended was that he was a ringleader of the Sect of the Nazarenes So the Christians were then called among the Jews from our Saviour's abode in the Town of Nazareth But although the Writer of this History gives us only the short heads of his accusation yet we may easily suppose by St. Pauls answer that he insisted more largely on this than on any of the rest representing to Felix That when the Jewish Church had been at first established by God himself under Laws of his own making when he had so settled the several orders and degrees of men among them that the Priests lips were to preserve knowledge and the Law to be sought at their mouths when under this Government their Religion had been preserved for many hundreds of years and after many revolutions they enjoyed one common and publick Worship among them though there were several distinct Orders of Religious men such as the Pharisees and Essens yet all agreed in the same Divine Worship but now at last to their great regret and horror appears one Jesus of Nazareth a person of obscure parentage and mean education who pretended to discover many corruptions in the doctrine and practices of our best men and without any Authority from the High Priest or Sanhedrin he gathered Disciples and drew multitudes of people after him till at last the wisdom of our Governours thought it fit to take him off and make him an example for Reformers notwithstanding this his bold and forward Disciples after his death carried on the same design pretending that the time of Reformation was come and accordingly have formed themselves into a Sect vigorous and active of high pretences and dangerous designs which if it continues and increases can end in nothing short of the ruine of our antient Jewish Catholick Church which hath had so constant and visible a Succession in all Ages that hath had so many Martyrs and Confessors in it so many Devout and Religious Persons as the Pharisees are so excellent an Order and Government so much unity and peace before this new Sect of Nazarenes arose in opposition to that Authority with which God had invested the High Priest and Rulers of the People And among all the promoters of this new Sect there is none more factious and busie than this Paul whom we here accuse and whom some of our Nation found in the Temple profaning of it and there we would presently out of meer zeal to our Religion have taken and destroyed but he was violently rescued out of our hands and sent hither to be tryed and these things which I have spoken is the sense of all those who are come down as witnesses for so we read v. 9. And the Jews also assented and said that these things were so St. Paul being thus accused and having leave given him to answer for himself was so far from being daunted by the greatness of his enemies or the vehemency of their accusation that he tells the Governour that he did with all cheerfulness undertake his defence and there being two parts of his accusation 1. His tumultuous and profane carriage in the Temple this he utterly denies v. 11 12 13. and plainly tells them they can never prove it against him 2. But as to the other and main part of the Charge his being a ringleader of the Sect of the Nazarenes although he would not out of his great modesty take upon himself to be one of the Heads or Chiefs among them yet as to the owning of that way notwithstanding all the imputations they had cast upon it he doth it with the greatest freedome and courage in the presence of his Judge and Accusers and not only so but defends himself therein that he had done nothing contrary to the Laws of God or the most antient Religion of his Countrey all which particulars are contained in the words of the Text But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresie so worship
I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Wherein we have these three things considerable 1. The Imputation which Christianity suffered under in its first appearance After the way which they call heresie 2. The Way taken by St. Paul to remove this false Imputation viz. by appeal to Scripture and Antiquity So worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets 3. The Courage of St. Paul in so freely owning his Religion in the presence of his greatest enemies and when they were in hopes to destroy him for it This I confess unto thee that after the way c. 1. I begin with the false Imputation which Christianity suffered under at its first appearance After the way which is called heresie the same Word which is translated Sect v. 5. and although the Word be indifferent in it self yet where it is taken for a combination of men together against an established Religion and lawful Authority as it was by the Jews when they charged the Christians under this name then it implies in it a twofold accusation 1. Of Novelty and Singularity 2. Of Faction and Sedition 1 Of Novelty A Sect of Heresie in this sense implies in it mens setting up with a new Doctrine which was not heard of before and making that theFoundation of a new Society separate and distinct from the established Church and consequently they must charge the Church they are divided from with errors and corruptions or they make themselves guilty of Schism i. e. unnecessary separation Now upon these two grounds the Jews laid the imputation of a New Sect upon the Nazarenes or Christians 1. Because they could not shew a visible succession in all Ages 2. Because they could not prove the Jewish Church to be guilty of such errors and corruptions as to need a Reformation 1. They could not shew a Succession in all Ages of such persons who agreed in all things with them For where say they were the men to be found in former Ages that taxed the Jewish Church with such errors and corruptions as Jesus of Nazareth did that bid men beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees i. e. of the most learned and holy men Had not God alwayes a Visible Church among them they could produce the names of their High Priests in every Age and shew them all the marks of a Visible Church For in Judah was God known and his Name was great in Israel Hath not God said that in his House at Hierusalem he would put his Name for ever and his eyes and his heart should be there perpetually How is it then possible but there must be a constant and visible Succession in all Ages since God would alwayes have a people to dwell among and that might be known to be his people by the outward marks and signs of a true Church But if the Christians pretences held good God must for several Ages have wanted a Church amongst them For none of those things which they charged the Jews with were newly crept in among them but had been delivered down to them by the Tradition of their Fore-fathers in an uninterrupted manner as they thought from the very time of Moses This was their Rule whereby they guided themselves in their actions of Religion and in the sense of obscure places of the Law and the Prophets and in that time after the cessation of Prophecy when the Christians supposed these corruptions to have come in among them they could draw down a constant Succession from the men of the great Synagogue of persons eminent for Learning and Piety that never charged them with any such corruptions as Jesus of Nazareth and his Disciples did Would God ever suffer such dangerous errors hypocrisie and superstitions to prevail in his own Church and raise up no Persons to discover these things till these new Teachers and Reformers arose Were not Hillel and Shammai that so accurately discussed all the niceties of the Law able to find out such gross and open corruptions if any such had been among us Might not we say that not only the Teachers but God himself had slept all that time if he raised up no one Person to discover the coming in of such errors and corruptions Where had God then any true Church in the world if not among his people of the Jews And would he suffer that to be overspread with such a Leprosie and send none of his Priests to discover it And even by the confession of the Christians themselves they were once the beloved and chosen people of God how or when was it that they ceased to be so Do not themselves acknowledge that they receive the Law and the Prophets from our hands And that to us were committed the Oracles of God and that to us pertained the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises and that ours are the Fathers How is it then possible after all these priviledges to suppose this Church to fall into such a degeneracy as at last to be cast off by God and a new Church to arise out of the ashes of it Thus we may reasonably suppose the Jews to have argued for themselves and on the other side they trampled upon and despised this new Sect of the Nazarenes That had nothing of the Pomp and Splendour of their Church they had only a company of mean and illiterate persons at first to joyn with them the Disciples of their Master were a sort of poor Fishermen and inconsiderable persons men of no Authority or reputation for extraordinary Sanctity or Learning even their Master himself was one of no great severity of life that did not retire from the world and lead an abstracted life but conversed with Publicans and Sinners and put not his Disciples upon Fasting and long Prayers whereas the Pharisees were men of great austerity and mortification much exercised in devotion making frequent and long prayers at certain hours and in whatever place those hours took them Now how is it possible to believe that such devout persons as these are mistaken and the Sect of the Nazarenes only in the right But besides all this Where was their Church before Jesus of Nazareth We offer to produce a personal succession on our side that joyned in constant communion with us at the Temple at Hierusalem let the Christians shew any number of men before themselves that joyned with them in believing what they do and rejecting the abuses which they tax among us if they cannot do this let them then suffer under the just imputation of Novelty 2. But supposing they do not think it necessary to assign a number of men distinct from our Society but say it is enough that though they joyned with them in the worship of God yet they did not in their corruptions yet to