Part. 1. Page 59 Bishops Bishops their practice Part. 1. Page 48 Bondage Spirit of bondage whence Part. 1. Page 52. Brethren Expedient actions bring good to our brethren Part. 1. Page 70 Burthen Religion presented by some as a burthen Part. 1. Page 145 C Scripture not all delivered in Canons Part. 1. Page 167 Carnall see outward Freedome from Ceremonies Part. 1. Page 14. Why men run from Christ Part. 1. Page 26 See sinners Spouse minde Christian see spirituall Question excellent The Church may determine concerning Gods worship how Part. 1. Page 1â—â— Cautions for Churches in determining Ibid The ten Commandments of force in the new Testament Part. 1. Page 13 Upon what ground Saints obey the Commandements Part. 1. Ibid See weakened Coming to Christ what Part. 1. Page 36 Common see heart Paul's Compliance with men Part. 1. Page 12 Concurrence of things to expediency Part. 1. Page 67 Condition of men by nature shewed by the Gospel Part. 2. Page 11 Conscience of Saints to be warily dealt with in imposing lawes on them Part. 1. Page 111 Contention one cause of it Part. 1. Page 41 Ignorance of Christian liberty causeth Contention Part. 1. Page 54 Contentions to be avoided Part. 1. Page 71 Contentions among Saints how to end them Part. 1. Page 99 No reason of the present Contentions Part. 1. Page 125 Contentions whence they are Part. 1. Page 128 Gospel not to be Corrupted Part. 2. Page 52 Gods Covenant in the Gospel Part. 2. Page 16 Of being Covered or uncovered in heating the word Part. 1. Page 114 Creature what meant by it Part. 2. Page 3 Gentiles called creatures why Part. 2. Page 4 Credite to be given to what Christ teacheth Part. 1. Page 36 Custome hardly broken Part. 1. Page 21 Custome of Churches and Saints to be looked to Part. 1. Page 113 Custome the weakest rule in spirituall things Part. 1. Page 114 D Damned Damnation A man may be damned for doing lawfull things Part. 1. Page 93 Damnation of Gospel refusers just Part. 2. Page 43 Decency what Part. 1. Page 78 see person relation profession sex age season Those that eyenot expediency lead others to destruction Part. 1. Page 150 Things that God hath determined not to be weakened Part. 1. Page 65 Things concerning worship to be determined how Part. 1. Page 170 Service of the Devil hard Part. â— Page 33 see sweetnesse Christ died for us Part. 2. Page 15 Sweetnesse in sinne from distemper Part. 1. Page 34 Division the cause of it Part. 2. Page 53 Christ a doore how Part. 1. Page 29 Duties meanes of salvation how Part. 1. Page 31 Duties not to justle out ore another Part. 1. Page 78 Duties how required in the Gospel Part. 2. Page 22 E THE wayes of Christ easie Part. 1. Page 29 Things left for us to doe easie Part. 1. Page 32 Christs wayes easie how Ibid What use to be made of Gospel easinesse Part. 1. Page 97 Gospel duties few and easie Part. 2. Page 24 Expedient actions tend to edification Part. 1. Page 73 Disorderly actions misse their end Part. 1. Page 87 Religion presented by some as endlesse Part. 1. Page 143 Enfringe see liberty Engagement to parties inexpedient Part. 1. Page 171 Encouragement see Sinners Things simply evill inexpedient Part. 1. Page 62 Good to be ommitted when their comes a greater evil Part. 1. Page 63 Every example makes not a law Part. 1. Page 55 Example of old Saints to be looked to Part. 1. Page 112 See rule Benefit of Gospel excommunication Part. 2. Page 33 What makes an excellent Christian Part. 1. Page 152 Expediency what Part. 1.7 Page 66 Expediency to be looked to as well as lawfulnesse Part. 1. Page 11 Few things expedient Part. 1. Page 61 Meaning of the word expedient Part. 1. Page 88 Helps to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 See strict Externalls how far to be looked to Part. 1. Page 22 See Worship F Some men pleased with doctrine out of faction Part. 1. Page 163 Faith required and bred by the Gospel Part. 2. Page 25 Sinners invited to a feast Part. 1. Page 28 Vaine feares in Gods wayes to be avoided Part. 1. Page 104 Feares and horrours whence Part. 2. Page 41 Things left for us to doe few Part. 1. Page 32 Few turne from Christ to serve Satan Part. 1. Page 35 Who they be that intend good but to a few Part. 1. Page 140 Gods love fruitfull Part. 2. Page 13 Danger in making lawes for the future Part. 1. Page 110 G Gentiles the worst of sinners Part. 2. Page 5 see creature Expedient actions advance Gods glory Part. 1. Page 69 Who they be that doe little for God Part. 1. Page 143 Why men doe little for God Part. 2. Page 29 Godly men how a cause of the present distractions Part. 1. Page 133 see judgement Things simply good may be unexpedient Part. 1. Page 63 A lesse good must give way to a greater Ibid Good when to be refrained Ibid see evill easinesse To preach the Gospel what Part. 1. Page 37 Liberty in the Gospel what Part. 1. Page 95 Gospel what meant by it Part. 2. Page 2 Difference between the Law Gospel Part. 2. Page 7 Gospel to be enquired after Part. 2. Page 47 To give up our selves to the gospel Part. 2. Page 55 see strict new Ministers corruption Two wrong governments Part. 2. Page 27 Grace more in the new Testament than in the Old Part. 1. Page 10 Guilt in the Saints whence Part. 1.52 Page 138 H Haire Of wearing long haire Part. 1. Page 116 see Papists natural Devil Doing lawfull things with common hearts brings guilt Part. 1. Page 138 Excellent Christians busied about high things Part. 1. Page 154 Hinderances to expediency Part. 11. Page 171 Gospel tidings not to be hindered Part. 2. Page 49 A signe of an hypocrite to regard only lawful things Part. 1. Page 90 Hypocrisie hinders expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 Hold see Liberty Things honest what Part. 1. Page 84 Spirituall honour reall Part. 2. Page 17 I Jealousie DEvout jealousie touching truth and errour Part. 1. Page 173 The service of the Jewes in the old Testament Part. 1. Page 32 Lawfull things done inexpediently bring guilt Part. 1. Page 139 Ignorance set contentions others Independency Part. 1. Page 49 Hurtful principles of Independents Part. 1. Page 123 see Presbytery contention Indifferent things what Part. 1. Page 64 Interpret see word Christs intercession for us Part. 2. Page 16 Gospel to be imbraced with joy Part. 2 Page 54 Godly men differ in judgment Part. 1. Page 125 Christ shall come to judgment Part. 2. Page 16 Judgments how denounced Part. 2. Page 35 K Magistrates may determin in things that relate to their Kingdome Part. 1. Page 110 Knowledge see outward liberty L Christians must walk laudably Part. 1. Page 83 Why God laughs at mens destruction Part. 2. Page 45 Of those that abolesh the morrall Law Part. 1. Page 42 Those
a few that are expedient or convenient The third is this that Saints if they will walkes becomes the new Testament they must not so much at least not only eye what is lawfull but they must eye also what is expedient Concerning the first that The Saints under the new Testament are not so strictly and punctually bound in point of lawfulnes as they were in the old Testament This I proved to you And for the opening of it I proposed two Quests First Wherein doth this latitude consist Secondly How doth it appeare These I answered I come now to the Uses of it First Use 1 Encouragement for sinners to come to Christ If there be such a latitude in the wayes of Christ in the Gospel Then here is a sweet encouragement for all poore sinners to come to Christ It is his owne Use that hee makes Come unto me saith Christ Yeé that are wearie and heavie laden and I will give you rest for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light Beloved Christ pities thee not only that thou dost not goe to heaven but that thou goest with a bundle upon thy back Christ would have thee come in an easie sweete way As for instance here are some that have gone on fortie or fiftie yeares that have kept Fasts and gone to Church and prayed norning and evening and have wept and howled and a great deale of labour Now if you come to Jesus Christ and receive him thou shalt finde not only a straight ready way but a way unspeakably sweet and easie This makes many a man that he runnes from Christ and abhors the profession of Religion Why men run from Christ because he lookes upon it as a harsh thing O if I be religious I must not drink I must not smile it is a melancholly mopish thing I shall be bound hand and foot I will never be tied with such a chaine as one said if I be Religious I must not dare to drink a pot of beere with a neighbour so looking on the wayes of Christ as hard that will take away all libertie that they shall be meere slaves they are afraid of it In Ioh 6. Christ teacheth them you must eat my flesh and drink my blood If they had understood it it was a sweet doctrine but they said This is a hard saying and so they ran from Christ They thought it had they would be no Caniballs and away they went by a misapprehension of the wayes of God So this is one thing that keeps men from Christ an apprehension that the wayes of God are melancholly and mopish and will so restraine them that they shall have no comfort But herein thou art deceived for as David saith O Lord thy commandments are exceeding broad The wayes of God are broad in this respect though they be narrow in other respects it is a sweet way This I averre that it is the generall block that keeps men from godlines either the Ministers presenting the wayes of God in a grim manner makes them fearfull or peoples misapprehending them in their owne fancie and through temptation though the Minister present them right Ministers lay stumbling blocks that keep men from Christ And usulaly they lay such blocks in the doore and threshold of the Gospel There are so many contradictions a man must be broaken and humbled and damned almost and goe by the gates of Hell before he can come to Christ We say stumbling blocks in the way that people cannot come in and when they are come in there are so many that fasten burthens on them that poore people see it almost impossible to get in and when they are in it is a very Prison This makes them that they will not come to Christ and so loose their soules poore wretches But when thou commest to Christ thou commest not to a Prison as thou conceivest Our work is to preach the Gospel What is that To preach the Gospel what to goe tell glad tidings What is that To tell you that salvation is given by Christ that he hath laid down his life and not only so that you shal have salvation but it is glad tidings because we offer you a better service if you will come in that whereas now you are under the devill and your own works and in a way to damne your selves if you will come to Christ you shall have not only salvation but a sweet service He will make you Princes with him Therefore see the language that God puts into our mouthes when he sends us to preach he sends us not to hire servants for that Parable is to another end we are not sent to get Gally-slaves to the Oares or a Beare to the stake Ministers to wooe men as Spouses for Christ but he sends us to wooe you as spouses to marrie you to Christ and in wooing there must not be harsh dealing and when a man hath wooed and got a wife she must be kindly used and not harshly she hath much freedome otherwise than when she was a servant and a drudge So we come not as to servants you shall be wives of Jesus Christ you shall have liberty and Christ c all in him shall be yours Therefore consider this poore soules that lie dead in sins wee are sent to adopt you to be sons to God and spouses to Christ Nay we are to invite you to a Feast Siners invited to a Feast Mat. 12. And the fatlings and all things are ready Now when men come to a Feast when friends are invited to a Feast we doe not make lawes on them presently but say I pray Sir call for wine or what you will So if there be lawes in a Feast they be lawes of pleasure and joy and not otherwise and though their be lawes of civillity yet there is liberty and sweetnes there is no law that restraines true comfort there We come to call you to a Feast not only in Heaven but the wayes of Christ are a continuall Feast in this world Gods way is sweet and if you will come to Christ you shall not only goe to heaven and be Saints there but the way is unspeakably sweet Think of this I dare say you have had strange odd thoughts of the wayes of God that hath kept many of you from Christ pray to the Lord to present these wayes to you truly and you will not stand out There is a sweet place in Joh. 10. I am the doore saith Christ If any come to me Christ a door how he shall goe in and out and finde pasture I am the doore But some may say wee love not to goe in at such a doore unlesse wee know when it is locked and when it is nor No saith he I am not a doore that hath locks and bolts that will bring you into straits but I am a doore that you shall goe in and out and finde pasture for your soules His meaning is not you shall play fast
set on this duty upon mine own soule and yours I will propose three or foure weightie motives It will be strange to many of you and it will be harsh to flesh and blood nature will do something if it be bound but if it be let loose if God have not absolutely bound it it will doe nothing Therefore Motive 1. It would end controversies among the Saints The first motive is this that this I conceive if you apprehend it spiritually it would be the readiest way in the world to reconcile the Saints and to end many if not most of those controversies that are at this day among good people And this was the chiefest end why I took this text in hand therefore I shall speak a little more largely of this For now the godly goe one against another and all Jure Divino every one will have an absolute rule for all the Saints and every one will make the best of their game and so screw and wrest the Scriptures and I think all the people that strive in these dayes are guilty of this How shall we doe to have peace among the Saints Let us agree upon cleare undoubted rules that are not many about the worship of God about doctrine The way to peace discipline that we may be able to stop the mouthes of men by Scripture let us agree as easily we might if this truth were written in our hearts for generall rules that are plaine and absolute that I cannot only prove that it was done by the Saints of old and commanded but so done and commanded as that it is an absolute rule for all Saints in all ages And what shall wee doe for the rest Doe as it is decent and expedient and as it may edifie c. And all the strife would be over if wee did agree on that and walk so far together wee should easily judge after what were expedient and fit to be done As for instance in two cases There is now among good people a great deale of strife about baptisme Baptisme as for divers things so for the point of dipping though in some places in England they dipp altogether How shall we end the controversie with those godly people as many of them are Look upon the Scriptures and there you shall finde that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to baptize it is an Ordinance of God and the use of water in way of washing for a spirituall end to resemble some spirituall thing It is an Ordinance of God but whether dipping or sprinkling that we must bring the partie to a River or draw the River to him or use water at home whether hee must be in head and foot or be under the water or the water under him it is not proved that God hath laid down an absolute rule for it Now what shall we doe conclude on the absolute rule that God hath laid downe in Scripture and judge of the rest according to expediency Take the maine rule which is this Baptisme is an Ordinance of God that is the using of water upon believers for a spirituall end then comes in the case of expediency then let us judge whether sprinkling or dipping be more expedient and then there would be no strife For there is scarce a man in this place that if he were perswaded that dipping were not an absolute rule but it were to be judged according to expediency he would rather have in a modest way the use of water than to have men and women and weak people it may be in the winter time over head and eares into the River hee would rather make use of water in a more civill and safe and lesse dangerous way I give you but an instance And so for that other great controversie that is amongst godly people that is as you call them Independents and Presbyterians there is a great controversie amongst these godly people I know also by the way that there are a companie of people that would arrogate the name of Presbyterie though improperly False Presbytery the name doth not beseeme them that is those that have been the Bishops creatures and are all for fire and fagot there are some such among us they would arrogate the name of Presbytery I would not have them doe it it doth not befit them But it is a devise of the devill to put nick-names upon people and upon things in all ages Nay I will tell you a greater mystery one of the cheifest things I mourne for in England The Devil puts contrary names upon men c. things what is that the devill doth not only put soule names on things but he calls things not only by different but by contrarie names he calls one thing by the name of another as to call a knife a spoone and a spoone a knife so he takes good names and puts them upon foule things and puts foule names upon good things so he jumbles things and drives all among the common people so it may be there are some that would take the name of presbytery so that if we looke upon the nature of the thing as godly men and as the word of god describes it it is farr from it But concerning these I have nothing to say only I seeke peace with all but I shall hope to reconcile the Saints and these people when the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman are reconciled But the true presbyterie True Presbytery that take the name consciensciously and rationally they are godly people and I shall speak a word tending to peace betweene them and the godly that are called Independents How shall I doe that from this doctrine The true Presbyterie not as I conceit or according to mens fancie but according to their writing and books and profession of godly learned men I find not that in any thing almost they dissent from that that you call independency till you come to one thing for they agree that the Church must be a companie of Saints and that there is power in Chruch Ordinances as long as they doe it well but here is all the difference that godly rationall consciencious men lay down Difference between Presbytery and Independency betweene Presbyterie and Independents that the one the Presbyterians they say that when any Church doth amisse and cannot agree and doe things orderly they would appeale to godly Ministers and they should judge the busines and determine among them No say the Independents we will only goe to them for councell and advise but they shall have no power to determine the busines This is the difference between the consciencious Independents and Presbyterians for others that persecute with fire and fagot I account them not the Presbyterie What shall we doe in this case I tell you it is fit as I conceive that we should all walk together by the same rule as far as we have warrant To walke all by the same rule as far as wee
be warie of making lawes for hereafter for there are few things that are expedient but may sometime or other be lawfull therefore what is expedient now to doe beware how you make it a standing law to binde men to it Nay in Civill things there is no law of the Land in an extraordinary case but if they make it an ordinarie rule a standing law it will be inconvenient So in spirituall things about six score yeares agoe in the reformation it was a great thing to come out so far as they did but the Surplice and the Crosse and kneeling at the Sacrament stayed still and the States men did well it was good that they did so much because they then could not have them all off meaning in the next age when things were setled to remoove them but they made a law and it was a point of good policie yet when that law was made there arose another King that knew not Joseph another Generation came and made the Surplice and the Crosse the ruine of good people to drive them to New-England and to imprison them Therefore it is good to be wary in making of standing lawes 5. To beware how they impose things on the consciences of the Saints Fiftly Magistrates Churches must be warie how they impose these things upon the consciences of men as necessarie things they may decide them to be expedient and so perswade them to obey but if they come to impose them as necessary as that the Surplice signifies innocency and the Crosse mortification when they impose them Jure Divino it is not right 6. Not to use rigour in determining Lastly beware of severity and rigour in determining those things that God hath not determined for in those things a poore Saint though they determine them yet if he have no measure of light he cannot in conscience do it but he is condemned by his conscience And if he use all his light and reverence the Magistrate and use all the Ordinances of God yet in some cases God gives him not light to doe it Now to goe with fire and fagot with banishment and imprisonment as they did under Episcopacie there was more rigour used for not wearing the Surplice than if a Minister had been drunk twenty times in a yeare they imposed these things with severity yet come to them and ask what good was in them the Bishops would say they were but indifferent things and yet they would punish the want of them more than the breach of the Commandments of God therefore beware of that So to that objection that this would breed confusion if every man should determine them you have foure answers I wil add one more and I shall go no farther at this time and that is if you will avoid confusion herein and follow this truth You know I have shewed you certaine rules by which you should goe to avoide confusion and they are as Land marks or as booyes in the water to guide you As for instance here is a thing that God hath not determined then cast about Is it decent is it convenient is it expedient doth it doe others or my self good Or will it trouble my conscience and make Religion evill spoken of Cast about by these rules and every one that hath tryed them shall walk safely without danger Therefore make use of those rules But it may be you will say those rules will not reach every case therefore I shall be at a stand Therefore to them I will add three or foure more and so conclude at this time You have had foure already Expediency that is one measure then decency and conveniency then commendableness or laudableness lastly Orderlinesse 5. Rule Examples of the old Saints And if those rules will not fit look on the examples of the old Saints in the book of God and putting the case alike or else it is a dangerous rule you are not in all things to follow the example of Christ himself hee did many things that are not for your example though wee may not make an absolute rule of every example yet they may be good patterns when the case is alike if we cannot judge whether this be expedient doe as the Saints of old did As for instance Paul in Act. 20. when he was taking his leave of his friends he bowed his knees and prayed on the place and called on the Lord as they parted I think not that this is an absolute rule that the Saints in all places are tyed to that they sin without they pray when they part but if you have time and other circumstances then it is commendable and safe to follow his example So to gather money for the maintenance of the poore of the Church it is a necessary dutie that God requires but when to doe it or how put the case the same according as you have opportunitie you should do well to doe it on the First-day of the week but it is not an absolute rule So if a stranger that is a Christian come to travell through the country Paul bids bring them on their way I think not that a man absolutely sins if he doe not bring a stranger on his way but put the case alike and it is safe and commendable to follow the Saints and so in a hundred things And this will help you out when you have no other light 6. To look to the custome of the Saints and Churches Secondly let me add to this a strange rule you will think it so if I cannot make it out that is this you must take notice of the customes of the Saints and of the Churches of God If you cannot finde by example and judge what is convenient and expedient and honourable in the old Saints goe to the custome of the Churches and the Saints that now are look what is the practise of the generation of the Saints and when there is no other light that will help you Custome in civill things it is the strongest law of England and in morrall things it is strong God saith a blackmore may be washed white sooner than they that are accustomed to doe evill will leave it But in this in spirituall things Custome the weakest rule in spirituall things custome is the weakest rule the customes of the Churches and of the Saints is the dimmest light yet in many cases we leave you to the customes of the Churches when there is no other light to go forward with and a Saint he may guide and steere his course well by it Therefore you shall see in Psal 73. David reasons the case why am I whipped every morning I have washed my hands in vaine and it is in vaine to be a Saint He corrects himself if I should say so besides my own foolishnesse I should condemne the Generation of the Saints God deales so with them So I remember a word between a Minister and a Gentleman the Minister disputing with the Gentleman Of
being covered or uncovered in hearing whether he might put on his Hat in the Sermon time the Minister holding strongly that he ought not the other holding that he might so when the Gentleman could not answer the Minister saith he Sir I will not dispute with you but I am very loath to doe that by doing whereof I must of necessitie condemne the Generation of the faithfull I will not stand against your arguments but I will not say it is a sin for a man to put on his Hat because I should condemne the Generation of Saints and godly people in England Though we see no command nor know nothing offensive yet let us beware how we doe that by our owne practise that will condemne the Saints So in this case the saying holds that when a man is at Rome let him doe as they doe at Rome that is in things that are not determined when we have no other light let us goe according to the custome of the Churches In some Churches they use not to put on their Hats but to be bare in hearing the Word while I am there I will even doe so when I come there I will not put it on God hath not determined it and there it is the custome of the Saints here to be singular is naught The Saints should be singular from wicked people and from good people in evill things but in things that God hath not determined we should not be singular from them As to instance in one case in singing of Psalmes among us that troubles many of you Of singing Psalmes We know that God hath commanded us to sing Psalmes and Hymns and spirituall Songs we all agree in that that is plain in the Word But he shewes not there whether they ought to be songs of our owne composing or the Psalmes of David or in what tune wee should sing in this or that tune or whether we should sing one or two or three or more this is not determined Moreover I know not which is more expedient that twenty or forty sing or one alone What shall I doe in this case Look on the custome of the Churches of God that hath been practised by the Saints for time out of minde and when God hath not determined it and they have done so therefore I will goe along with them if it have been a generall custome in the Church wee ought not rashly to reject it I tell you for my owne part when I observe any custome in any Church any thing that is laudable and comely that God hath not determined there is a kind of honour and reverence that striks my heart though God doe not command it or forbid it yet being the custome among the Saints it works a reverence in my heart therefore he rein make use of this when all other lights are out Neither doe I say this alone doth not the Scripture say the same Of long haire 1 Cor. 11. there was a great dispute concerning long haire and short haire whether women should cut their haire men should weare long haire see how the Apostle resolves the case verse 14. Doth not even nature it self teach you that if a man have long haire it is a shame unto him Why how doth nature teach it The word generally is taken for nature but divers godly wise men conceive that by nature is meant the custome of the countrie that they lived in doth not nature teach you that is is it not contrary to the generall custome of the countrie much more of the Saints for a man to weare his haire â—â—e a woman But if a woman have long haire it is a glory for it is given her for a covering But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God VVhether you relate this custome to the beginning of the ver If any be contetious we have no such custome we do not strive and contend or if you relate it to the other if any man strive about long haire we the Churches of God doe not walk so they doe not weare long haire but which way soever you take it therefore men should weare short haire to avoide contention Of preaching So in Acts 16. when Paul and the women met together by the waterside verse 13 it is said they came to a Rivers side where prayer was wont to be MADE and there they sate down and preached and prayed he doth not say it was supperstition to come on a green place by a River but it was a custome and Paul goes thither and teacheth them and opens the Word to them So that in those things that are not determined custome is a great help to men in many things Thirdly I add a third rule and that is right reason Right reason naturall reason or right reason Think not evil of these that I name custome and reason Reason of three sorts because they are taken in a bad sense sometimes But to understand this there is three sorts of reason usuall in Scripture Spirituall reason Rom. 12. the Apostle bids us give our bodies and soules to the Lord a reasonable sacrifice 1. spirituall that is in a spirituall way of argumentation it is fit that I should give my selfe to Christ that I mean not here There is corrupt carnall reason 2. corrupt this leads us out of the way this is never good Thirdly there is common reason 3. common naturall reason right naturall reason in us which many of the duties of the New-Testament are grounded on If you say what is that It is a light in the soule that is a Relique of that light that was in Adam VVhen God made Adam Right reason what and all other creatures he made all good there were good things and every thing in a good order and he made Adam like himselfe God looked and he saw everything that it was good God put a light in him to judge of the Sun Moone and Stares Adam had this light in a sort to judge of Heaven and Earth and hee saw that all was good When Adam fell he lost a great deale of this light and there came darkness and confusion Yet the light is not growne so dimme as the other faculties are grown loose for all carnall men excepting none they have light to judge beyond their power to practise that is the reason the Heathen said I see good and better things but doe the worst So the carnallest man in the world hath some light to judge good and evil more than he hath strength to doe whence is this It is a stamp of that light that in Adam was compleat at the first Now this right reason it often helps the Saints when they have no other light As in 2 Cor. 14.23 The Apostle reproves them for speaking with strange tongues in the Church that the people understood not what argument doth he use saith he if an Ideot come in
to one that it is a thing that never will be wee strive about a thing that is a great way off it is a hundred to one if any of us ever come to the practise of that we strive for Wee all agree there shall be a company of Saints a company of visible Believers and that there shall be power in the Church to order and governe things that the Church shall determine as it did in Jerusalem Let us goe so far let us have Churches reformed and set the power in them and let them rule then if there be occasion for people to appeale God will either open mens eyes or else in expediency as I shall shew by and by they shall be directed But wee strive as I told you as if you and I should strive who should enter into the gates of Venice first and wee know not whether either of us shall come there We strive about to morrow we have present miseries enough we need not strive about things that are to come ten yeares hence and it may be will never come Wee are fooles are we sure that the Kingdome will stand or that wee shall have our lives and yet wee goe and strive about a nick that is the farthest of all things Whereas as for outward things sufficient for the day is the griefe thereof Goe on in love and when it comes to that wee shall see more light This is the greatest indiscretion in England to strive about a thing that is never like to come to passe 4. Because neither side can prove what they would have Fourthly and lastly there should be no strife because as the Presbyteriall godly men they cannot nor will prove such a thing to be an absolute rule for all the Churches and for all Saints Say there were such a rule in Acts 15. Doth it follow that it is a rule for all Churches and for all Saints VVhy doe we not also sell our lands and give to our brethren Let them but shew me a ground why that example should be made an absolute rule Therefore as a man cannot shew nor never will an absolute rule to binde all the Saints through the world to doe so So on the other side the Independents cannot prove but it may be expedient in divers cases therefore the one seemes to act necessarily the other probably to be expedient by right reason and the law of nature If a Church cannot agree among themselves and what cause of strife is there in this Suppose one should say to me come out of that house or else you will be destroyed the house will fall upon you I beleive not that there is a necessity but I think it is expedient because the house is old he thinks it is of necessity and I think it expedient is there any cause of strife in this So put these together and see how we are deluded by the Devill and our own hearts to make strife about a thing that may never be Therefore there is no reason for it But that I may satisfie you a little more you will say what is there no more difference between Presbyterians and Independents I have heard that there is more difference between them than between the Cavaleirs and the other party that they are ready to cut one anothers throats If there be no more betweene them how comes this contention among them I think of all the contentions that ever were among the Saints from Christs time till now there was never such a mystery in any contention as there is in this And but that I would not take up so much time I could goe neere to open this mystery how the devill and our own hearts have got the strangest mystery to set the Saints together by the eares that ever was but I cannot stay upon that But if you ask me how it comes to passe You know a little sparke will bring a great flame a little contention is as the letting out of waters It is no wonder it is the nature of contention to multiply as it is the nature of fire to grow bigger it comes from the devill and our own hearts The present contentions from If you ask me how it comes from men I say it comes from five sorts of people and it may be you and I and the most of us have a hand in blowing this fire the Lord shew it to us all that we may labour to be peace makers and so be blessed Weak Christians The first sort of people are weak carnall Christians there may be those that are called Independents that are carnall I mean not carnall as though they had no grace but in the Apostles sense 1 Cor 3. Are yee not carnall that is those that have but a little grace and have a great deale of rashnes and peevishnes and giddiness and pettishnesse and censoriousnesse They are people that have a great deale of zeale many of them but it is without knowledge without wisdome to manage it They see part of the will of God and of the truth of God but not all as the Sun shines on one part of the earth and the other is dark and in that part they see the substance but eye not the circumstance they care not if all the world be against them or whom they edifie or whom they destroy if they have the command of Christ they will doe it And these people though they be godly as a godly man saith of them there is a new light comming into their souls but they have not grace to mannage it and so they goe headlong It is a good light but they have not grace to mannage it and that light by reason of their corruptions and temptations kindles contention in the Churches They must be sharply reproved Therefore if wee would have peace which is our great desire wee must admonish and rebuke them sharply they are full of censoriousnesse and pettishnes and have many harsh and unseemly words These must be reproved and there must be a course taken to binde up their spirits or else it will be hard to have peace Then secondly there is another generation of people that exceedingly blow up the fire Carnal Presbyterians that are contrary to those that is a generation of carnall men that have nothing of God in them that usurp to themselves commonly the name of Presbytery they would be called though falsly Presbyterians Though Presbytery be an honourable word and it is an honourable thing and they be honourable men that hold it and godly men But many that would be called Presbyterians taking a good name misapplying it to themselves they are wolves in sheeps clothing they talk of reforming the Church and yet they would set the Saints as so many Tigers together by the eares I mean not by these any godly men But you may know them if you take notice of their persons usually they are the Prelaticall men such as were surrogates to Bishops
that desire to doe good and it may be out of a conceit or rather with reverence out of conscience of the Pulpit or the places we preach in have hid their tallents and have laid downe their work and kept in their gifts and become unprofitable And how many hundred Christians are there that are godly and holy people out of conscience of the calling of the Ministers or the house that they meet in have with the griefe of their soules and many a heavy heart shut themselves in a hole foure or five women together and lost the use of those blessed gifts If they had studied whether it had been convenient it had been worth the while to dispute but God hath made no law for preaching in a pulpit or in a pew or in a house of stone or not of stone but making an absolute law that it must hold in all cases they fall into these snares that are greivous I speak not this that you should persecute such for they are godly people and it is a signe they have tender consciences I mean not so nor doe I perswade them to do things without some knowledg that they should not doe it doubtingly but I desire you to receive this truth whereby the occasion of such scruples may be remooved There be foure things The first thing is this that clearly demonstrates that they cannot doe much for God 5. If they do good it is by accident or the honour of God because if they doe any thing for God for the winning of others it is as I may say by chance by accident for it is a thing beside their intention This is their religion it is not to studie how I may honour God and bring in sinners this scarsly comes in their thoughts but what is truth and what is false what is lawfull and what is unlawfull Therefore divers that else are godly men let them have a nick right or wrong they never consider the Congregation how they may doe most good but they think this is truth and every truth must be preached in every place at every time to every people this is their religion they never look if it may doe good Wheras a Christian that makes no more lawes than Christ hath made and studies what is expedient and would win souls hee must be wise and watchfull and circumspect and able to see what may conduce to edification Therefore men in Scripture that were sent to win soules they are called fisher-men the Apostles were and fisher-men must be cunning it is not every baite that will catch every fish he must baite and waite and be cunning and wise Saith Paul I took you by guile I had a way to win you and insinuate into you men must make it their studie if they will win souls to the Lord to look not only that they preach truth but what truth to what people and what way they doe it Therefore Paul Gal. 2. when hee came among people that were not able to receive the truth concerning justification and concerning ceremonies he preached to them of good repute that is choice Christians that were able to beare it that they might communicate it to others or else he should loose his labour and run in vaine So in Act. 19. where there was great strife about the Temple of Diana Paul when he came there he knew that the peoples hearts were set on their Temple and the worshiping of their Idol therefore he doth wisely to doe their souls good he might have said I preach the truth and down with the image of Diana but when the busines was done bespake not a word against Diana and the Temple he hated the image and the Temple but he went the wisest way to work to win them That is another reason 6. They intend good only to few A sixt reason is this these people cannot doe good for the winning of others and for the feeding of the poore lambes of Christ why so If they doe any I told you it is by accident it is beside their intention or if they intend any it is a few of their owne minde and judgement those that are in fellowship with them only and the rest they look on them as unbelievers though they be never so holy and the Spirit of God have sealed to their soules yet they are unbelievers and are in an Antichristian estate and have the mark of the Beast on them and goe from them as if they had the plague on them I say thou mayest doe good to those people that are of thy owne minde thou canst never doe good to others with such language under such notions whereas others that walk according to the truth that I teach they walk equally to all Saints and as Paul saith I became all things to all men that I might win some He labours to win sinners to nourish the weak if they have any thing of Christ hee loves them if they have nothing he endeavours to work it VVhereas the other looks on them as Turks and Infidels and can doe them no good But you will say though wee looke so on them wee would doe them good if they would hearken to us It may be so and it is probable you would do them good but I tell you you shall never be able to doe it in that way VVhy because as Paul saith 1 Cor. 8. Knowledge puffeth up but love edifieth If you love them not you can not edifie them If I did know a man that should teach mee and loved me nor I cannot I will not be edified VVhen good people that are sealed that they are the Lords and that Christ is in them when people shall come and call them Antichristians and that they have the mark of the Beast on them and that they are unbelievers are they like to doe them good they are not because love doth not intervene 7. They lead others to destruction Shall I add one word more and end that Lastly they cannot win others or doe good to others why so It is a foreword I am death to speak it but I know it is true because they are so far from edifying that those that goe that way according to that principle they lead many silly souls to their own destruction How I will demonstrate it thus the principle is this that nick that is new they lay such stresse on it that he that followes that is a believer and a Saint though he be stark naught now there is no poor carnall man there is no soule so wicked and wretched but hee would be willing to doe something for himselfe and when he findes so easie a way to Heaven that it is but observing such an externall thing he will be of that way though he be a whoremonger an adulterer As it is in Popery though I compare not the persons but there is the same principle in both how comes their Church to be so great they come to poore people that
through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope That is there are many things that are for comfort there are many things that teach men the mysteryes of faith there are many ends to the word of God besides making rules to binde us in our conversations It is more fully in 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine and reproofe and correction and instruction in righteousnesse It is profitable for doctrine that is to teach the mysteryes of heavenly things to be believed And for reproofe to shew us where we sin against God to help to convince us as the Greek word signifies And for correction to help to heale our backsliding And for instruction in righteousnesse that is to make rules and lawes So all the blessed booke is profitable but I deny that God ever gave this booke to that end to make rules and canons of every thing Secondly to answer that 2. The Scripture not all delivered in Canons those things that are rules for us to walk by you must understand that they are not delivered to us in Theorems or Thesis they are not given in Canons or Aphorismes the word of God is not given so Or more plainly not as the ten Commandments were where every thing was thou shalt doe this and thou shalt not doe that it is not given so but as our Common Law as a rule to walk by but wee must be very warie of drawing rules We draw it sometime from the letter of the Statute sometime from paralell cases sometime from the case of such a Judge upon such a party sometime from right reason sometime from presidents So think not to finde rules in Scripture all in Canons to binde all No there are few rules for conversation that are so Indeed speculative things matters of faith are laid down in Terminis what to doe but in matters of conversation it is not so Therefore be wondrous wary how you draw a rule to walk by As for instance in the booke of God wee read that Abraham by the command of God he must kill Isaac you cannot draw this rule or Doctrine thence that every man must goe and kill his childe but wee may draw this rule that wee must part with the dearest thing we have to obey God So Paul circumcised Timothy we cannot draw this doctrine or rule thence that we must goe and cicumcise one another but wee may this that in things that are undetermined wee should doe things so as we may avoyd offence Paul wisheth Timothy to take care of his cloak wee cannot draw this rule that we must leave our cloaks behinde us and send our neighbours for them but this wee may that wee ought to be carefull of those earthly things that God hath bestowed upon us Beloved it is not unwillingnesse in honest hearts to walk by the rules of God that undoes their soules for an honest heart will not balk the word of God it will goe by that rule misdrawing of rules from Scripture but it is the misdrawing of rules from the word of God I pittie to see with what hearts and conceits many draw rules from the word of God As for instance taking that text of our Saviour some are made evnuches of men they have gone and dismembered themselves And so the Papists in that Parable of Dives Lazarus out of Abrahams bosome they would prove purgatorie And so the Userers because God compares himself to one they would prove it to be lawfull And so Mat. 22. they were to compell men to come to the feast therefore men must compell others to be of what religion they please Beware of this and remember these two things that all in this blessed booke is not for conversation they have their use besides that And secondly be warie how you draw rules Therefore weak Christians when they draw rules out of the booke of God say not onely Sir I walk by Scripture here is my rule but ask godly people doe I draw this rule right here is a text is this a right consequence doth this rise clearly from it You should doe so But if you can get a line of Scripture they hale it by the end and run headlong and make a rule of it but beware of that To be wary of drawing rules from scripture Therefore let me call upon you againe I beseech you remember that request I made to you that you would learne how much precept or example or what kinde of precept and what kinde of example goes to make an absolute rule to all the Saints in the New Testament determine that or you can doe nothing As in a Court when a Delinquent comes to be tryed they ask him who he will be tryed by some are tryed by the Peers others by the Countrie So lay down a Standard out of the word by which you may judge there are none that have taken paines yet in it It may be God may give some Christians opportunitie to do a little hereafter in that busines But otherwise never say I have Scripture for it on my side men make Scripture speak any thing Therefore all the miserie of an honest hearted soule is not that he walks not by rule but that he misdrawes his rules he pulls them by head and shoulders and drawes them not right The second Ojection is this but you will say Object 2 this is very strange that Moses by your confession should make a curtous peice to an ilet hole to the very burying of their excrements and that Moses was so faithfull in his house and that the Sonne of God should not be so faithfull in the new Testament this is a common argument it is strange that the Sonne of God should not be so faithful in laying down every tittle as Moses was who was but a servant But to answer that it sounds to me like that reasoning that I heare among simple people when wee say they must goe to hell if they continue in their sins say they is not God stronger than the devill Therefore they must goe to heaven though they continue unbelievers doth that follow So here must it follow that Christ is not faithfull as Moses because he hath not made so curious a peice in externall things in the New Testament That is not the thing VVhat was faithfulnes in Moses To declare and deliver to the people all the Ordinances and Statutes of God though Moses did not deliver all for David delivered much concerning singing and other things But all that God told him he delivered and so he was faithfull So what was faithfulnes in Christ That all that he had seen and heard of his father he told to his Disciples Therefore I retort the argument thus and that truly and rightly that Christ Jesus did not deliver any such curious peice in externall things in the New Testament therefore Christ Jesus was faithfull he being faithfull there is no such thing
to be found there To make it a little plainer by an illustration suppose a Gentleman in the Countrie should have a Son and a servant both faithfull as he judgeth and he should send his servant into Cheap side or some other Market to buy a great deale of meat and spice and suger and cloathes and the like and he should send his sonne with letters to the Parliament with messages to the Committees of State they both goe home they have both done their errand now should that Gentleman say that his sonne was unfaithfull because hee did not bring as much luggage home as the servant No it was the message of the servant to fetch luggage but it was the message of the son to deliver his message So the message of Moses it was luggage to teach them endlesse externall lawes and things but the designe of the Sonne of God his message was to declare the sercret spirituall mysteryes of his Father to the people of God in the New Testament therefore it is no sence much lesse truth to say that Christ was unfaithfull because he hath not as many curious ties in outward things as Moses So I have done with those objection .. Now breifly to end all at this time there are two things remaine First to point out the hindrances that keep us from walking according to this truth And secondly to shew you certaine meanes that may further you in it Hindrances The hindrances are these foure or five The one that you must take heed of engaging your selves with any party in Religion beyond your owne principles 1. Engagement in parties beyond mens principles Religion is already in a faction among some Saints men are readie to cry I am for Paul and I am for Apollo and I am for Cephas Now I would not have you persecute others by no meanes but I would have you love all Saints all that call on the name of the Lord with a pure heart and honour all Saints without faction but take heed of running into any of these partyes whatsoever beyond your owne principle further than you have a cleare light that you can answer comfortably for it at the last day before the Lord. Hence is this running into faction that I beleive there are thousands of men and women that professe themselves now Presbyterians that know not not understand what Presbytery is men scarsly know what they say and yet I am a Presbyterian run into faction So many in that way that you call Independency that out of some motive of truth that they see in it their good neighbours and friends that are of it they run a long in it and what followes When they come to suffer in death or the like case they either goe back with shame and greive their brethren or else they go on uncomfortably for that that they have not a seale to their conscience So now I may say in some measure that people generally believe as the Church believes as the faction that they joyne themselves to believe Therefore beware of this this is not a time for men to see with other mens eyes Try all things hold fast that which is good Let every man prove his own work Love all Saints if there be any thing of God in them but walk not according to any mans rules or principles farther than God cleares it to your soules 2. Looking on things with prejudice The second tâ—ing is this that if you would walk by rule take heed of looking upon any thing truth or error with the eye of prejudice People look now a dayes upon all things that are controverted especially every one hath a glasse before his eyes one blew another red one lookes on a thing as it is accompanied with shame and persecution as it hath such nick-names on it Others look on other things as they are approved by wise men and followed by the multitude as they bring profit and credit remove all these things from any thing that you would judge aright of these are false glasses therefore truth or error that that is most persecuted in the world you must judge as if it had all the preferment and advancement in the world This I have often thought those that shall come a hundred yeares hence that shall be godly if the world last so long will wonder at our follies and think us mad men in most of our controversies and wranglings because that prejudice and peevishnesse and passion and those mists and glasses shall not be before their eyes they will be able to judge of things as they are As we have read of a controversie many yeares between the Saints about keeping of Easter in the East and Westerne Churches some would keep it at one time and some at another we think they were mad to strive about it and it had been no matter if it had never been kept And so in the Convocation for a quarter of a yeare in the Synod the Bishops of Canterbury and Yorke they strove who should sit uppermost we think they were mad but they were great things in those dayes when they had no better light So those that shall come after will wonder as much at us Therefore labour to be as wise as thy Childe will be fortie yeares hence look on things without prejudice and then thou shalt see clearly 3. A devout jealousie concerning truth and error Thirdly take heed if thou wilt walk by the rules of the Gospel and by this that I have laid down before thee of a devout jealousie that is in you of all things that are upon the right hand I shall endeavour to open it a little I know that generally men are jealous of those opinions that are on the left hand I mean thus most men are very apt to believe that it is the truth of God whatsoever it is if it bring credit and preferment and profit and the like Carnall men think that truth that goeth with prosperity and they are easily convinced that error brings povertie and shame As the people in Jer. 43. when the Prophet comes to teach them that they should not goe into Egypt they had a minde to goe contrarie to Gods word verse 2. Thâ—â— said the men thou speakest fasly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say goe not into Egypt to sojourne there They were jealous that it was a false message that it was no truth but error to tell them a thing contrary to their own lusts So Ahab that had foure-hundred false Prophets he thought that Micajah did not speak truth Why because it was contrary to his prosperity hee said not goe and prosper as the rest did So most men are apt to doe now men are strangers to the life of God and are blinde and they think not that the way to heaven is through many persecutions therefore any Pamphlet or any sermon though from a carnall drunkard it will easily confirme them in the
truth as they call it that goes with prosperity But whatsoever is on the other side is error if it bring not gaine But these men I may say they be friends to the world and enemies to God and they are not worthy to be called Christs Disciples God will one day interpret his own word And there will be a time when God will come to interpret and expound his own word You shall all be judged by the word of God and you shall be judged as God interprets that word therefore you that follow truth now on that fashion I say to you as learned Mr Dyke said it is an observable speech when he was speaking of non-residents or pluralists hee brings him answering for himself before the Lord as it were at the last day There God will tell thee if thou haddest loved me thou wouldest have fed my flock thou wilt say I fed them by my selfe or by my Curate but saith hee What if that be not the meaning of the place when thou commest there So you take any thing for truth if it hold with gaine and prosperity you will wrest any Scripture but when God shall interpret his owne Scriptures and you shal be judged by them what if that be not the meaning of those Scriptures as your Pamphlets and carnall Sermons say Looke to it Godly men think that truth that goeth with persecution But one the other side there is a devout jealousie in a godly man that he thinks that that is alway truth that goeth with persecution and that error goeth with peace and herein the honest heart oftner misseth the will of God than the other way As honest Jehoshaphat when foure-hundred Prophets bid them goe to Ramath Gilead and prosper he thought this too good to be true he suspected it was not the way of God it was so smooth there was too much peace hee would have Micajah tell them the truth So when the Saints of God see peace and prosperity goe along with a way they are jealous that it is not the way of God As for instance if you tell a man that the way to Canterbury or York is a rough dirty way if a man be going thether and find a peice of faire way he is jealous he is out of his way because he was told it was a rough foule way So Christ saith that wee must suffer persecutions and through many tribulations we shall enter into heaven now when a Saint findes a little peice of faire way he thinks he is out of the way it cannot be peace and prosperitie that is the portion of the wicked herein an honest heart is ofter deceived than in the other Therefore to direct you know that peace and prosperitie are not alway companions of the truth yet sometimes riches and honour and prosperity are with the truth Peace and prosperity sometimes goe with truth as I might prove out of the Proverbs Riches and honour are in the right hand of wisdome Many times there is honour though not ordinarily the ordinarie way is persecution but sometimes there is honour and wealth with truth and righteousnesse when there is persecution and trouble to the wicked therefore though it be a good rule generally yet it is not absolute Therefore let me speak to you poor lambes and weak souls that I am six times more jealous of you that you should be out in this devotion that you should be carried aside to the right hand or to the left I feare not you that are drunkards and swearers and cozeners c. But you poore creatures you will finde some course that hath more persecution and that must be the truth and so you run and misse the will of God In Exod 23.1 the Lord saith Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evil And what followes in the next verse thou shalt not favour a poore man in his cause If he had said thou shalt not favour a rich man it had been no wonder for men are apt to favour them but he saith favour not a poore man many times a man in judgement out of a kind of devotion and charity and mercy may stick to a poore man against a rich man and yet pervert justice therefore thou shalt favour neither rich nor poore in justice but as Solomon saith Pro. 4. Let thine eyes look straight before thee and thine eyelides right on turne not to the right hand nor to the left remove thy feet from evil Look straight on saith he I know the ordinary way to heaven is persecution and afflictions but sometimes it is otherwise therefore let me keep the way of God whether it bring peace or trouble 4. Carnall wisdome The fourth thing that we must beware of is carnall wisdome for by this that I have said those that are carnally wise will lay hold of this latitude that I have spoken of and be glad of the Doctrine and think now I have found a way to escape persecution Take heed of carnall wisdome wherein is it In a word carnall wisdome will make things absolutely commanded and forbidden to be expedient or inexpedient or else it will call those things expedient that make for a mans owne lust and not for the honour of God Fiftly take heed of selâ— for thou wilt never be able to walk by this rule till thou love thy brother as thy selfe Therefore in the verse next after the text 5. Selfe Let every man not look on his owne good but on his neighbours wealth not to please himself but to please all men in all things Take heed of self love for then you will judge all expedient that is for your own lust 6. Hypocresie Lastly beware of hypocresie endeavour to be sincere An Hypocrite will never come to this mold while the world standeth beware of Hypocricie that is as a godly man saith we should soone end the controversie if every one would labour for an upright soule and to honour Religion before the world There be the hindrances Helps to walk expediently Now I will name those few meanes to help us in our conversation they are but three or foure at the most that I would have you take notice of 1. Spirituall wisdome The first is spirituall wisdome endeavour after this to be filled with it for you may have zeale and you may have no knowledge and you may have knowledge zeale and yet have no wisdome therefore to some God hath given knowledge saith the Apostle and to some wisdome Therefore labour for spirituall wisdome What is that Wisdome to be able to discerne what is convenient and expedient how to fit circumstances to make an honourable and profitable action I mean not carnall wisdome and discretion but spirituall For without that all your zeale will be as water out of the channell as fire out of the chimney onely to rent the Churches and to trouble the Nation That is one 2. Sobriety Secondly begg of the
Christ there is a Government or there is a discipline that may in a sense be called an externall discipline over the Saints or people of God And it is true that all the governments that have hetherto been in the world since our Lord Christ went to heaven men have called them the Governments of the Gospel and fathered them upon Christ and the Gospel and truely if they had been so indeed as men pretended that is if those kind of governments that wee have had had been part of the Gospel surely than there had been a great deale of bad newes and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Jesus Christ As for instance There have been but two great governments or disciplines if I may use that word in the world since our Lord went to heaven The one was Papacie The other Episcopacy Papacie Episcopacy Wee have been governed either by the Pope that stiled himself the Successor of Peter and the Romish Governour or by Episcopacy in latter yeares in many parts though Papistrie made the greater stirr in the world Now these two differ in degrees otherwise they are of the same kinde And if these were the government of Christ and the discipline of the Gospel we may well say there hath been sad tidings and heavie newes from the Gospel for many yeares Evils in both governments Give me leave to instance in a few substantiall things in these two Governments 1. Concerning their power This was one thing that was in both these Governments The Ministers such as they were by what titles soever they were stiled for they had many sorts they took all the power of governing and government wholly and solely into their owne hands they called themselves the Church of God we must looke to the Church that is the Bishops to their lawes c. They called themselves the Clergie that is Gods inheritance as the word in the Originall signifies True it is there is a power a sweet Gospel power in the Ministers that is somewhat peculiar from the people But to take all power into their owne hands and to leave the people and call them the laity the drâ—sse the vulgar to leave them as vassalls and slaves and to call themselves the Clergie and the Church and the like If this had been Christs discipline there had been some hard and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Christ Secondly as they took this power into their hands so they used this power as Lords over Gods inheritance contrary to the command of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 5.4 2. Their Lorldlines in two things You shall not Lord it over Gods inheritance Now you know they were Lords that will appeare in two things 1. In imposing lawes on mens consciences First they made Lawes upon the consciences of men besides the Lawes that Jesus Christ made you know they had their Synods and their Convocations and their great Councels and the like and there they would have Canons or Lawes every time they met for the consciences of poore Saints This was no good newes 2. In forcing men to obey those lawes And then forcing men to aver those lawes that they had made as they had made a law that people should not goe out of their Parishes they must every one heare his owne Minister though it may be he was an Ignorant drunken dumb prophane wretch and if they did not they were forced and compelled to doe it Beloved this was not according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ for if it had surely it had been no good newes 3. Forcing Ministers Officers on the people Thirdly in the second Government that we have had hetherto they imposed Ministers and Officers upon the people the people never had yet liberty under these two Governments to choose men according to Gods own heart that would feed them with knowledge and understanding but such as the Bishops sent they must receive whether they were good or bad they must take them as they found them and those usually were either Ignorant unlearned men or prophane unsanctified men and these were sent by them as Lords and the people were forced to receive them Then fourthly in this government all the power which they had which they took all to themselves they exercised it onely 4. Their power excercised against the Saints almost against the Saints and people of God either as Schismaticks or Lolâ—ards or Heretiques or Puritans or the like either for doing that that was good or for things that were trifles according to their owne judgment For doing that which was good for fasting and praying for meeting to teach one another and to seek the Lord these were called Conventicles Or for trifles that they in their consciences held indifferent as the wearing of the Surplice and the Crosse in baptisme they themselves said they were indifferent things and trifles and yet men must be silenced and people bannished beyond Sea for these things This government wee have had and there was little good newes and glad tidings to the soules of the poore Saints from all this 5. Restraining the Spirit in preaching praying Fiftly they did restraine the Spirit of God in the Saints both in preaching and praying In preaching the Ministers were tied they must preach such and not such things and they must be in danger to be fined if they did not keep to the houre And for Prayer when it may be the poore Ministers soule was full of groanes and sighs and he would have rejoyced to have poured out his soule to the Lord he was tied to an old Service-Booke and must read that till he grieved the Spirit of God and dried up his owne spirit as a chip that he could not pray if he would and he must read it for an houre together and then it may be come into the Pulpit but his spirit was gone 6. Their lawes backed by secular power Againe they backed all their lawes with the secular power and punnishments they never rested till they had twisted their owne lawes with the secular lawes the Civill lawes of the Land Every law of theirs was steeled and backed with some Civill severe law to confiscation of goods or imprisonment or such a fine to the cuting off of eares the slitting of noses the burning of cheekes to banishment yea to death it selfe as you know how many precious Saints of God even by those that pretended the government of Christ and his discipline were burned in Smithfeild and how many suffered strange torments and punishments yet their persecutors pretended the discipline and government of Christ I give you but a few instances These were the governments we have had hetherto for thirteen or fourteen hundred yeares either from the Pope or the Bishops Papacie or Episcopacie And truly Beloved there is not a title of good newes or glad tidings to the hearts of holy Saints and tender consciences in all this as your selves may judge Now what we
hearted sinners or mortified sinners as soone as ever temptation tells you that you are not humbled enough you will be gone againe the bone will be out of joynt againe and so you will be as a reed tossed of the winde you will never be fastened to Christ whosoever holds Christ upon any qualifications on his side must let him goe one time or other As for instance if he thinke the Gospel be directed to broken heartednes and he can weep at a sermon to morrow his heart may be hard and then hee thinks he is a devill that was but now a Saint Therefore many Christians after many yeares Profession of Religion never felt their souls knit till God rightly and truly taught them this lesson but then they were knit to Christ and their soules were never in and out they were never loose more because they were able in all temptations to retreat to this truth as a refuge For let the devil tell a man he is no Saint the soule can say I am a sinner if the devill say thou art an hypocrite I but an hypocrite is but a sinner I am a sinner still though I be not a broken hearted sinner so let the devill and hell say what they will they shall never beat him from that refuge And saith the soul being a sinner I am the proper object of grace and life and salvation in the Gospel and though I have no comfort as a Saint that I am in the Kingdome of Heaven yet at least I have comfort that I am a sinner and I may be there though I have no comfort that I am in yet I have comfort that I am neare and the doore is open though I be not a Siant I am a sinner and if I have no reall interest in Christ as a Saint yet I have interest in the promises of Christ as a sinner and though I cannot serve God chearfully as a Saint yet I will serve God as comfortably as I can as one that may be a Saint In Matth. 13. It is said of the Merchant man he found the feild wherein was the treasure he rejoiced I remember a worthy man of this countrie he saith hee rejoyced not that he had found the pearle the treasure but he rejoyced that he was come neare a good bargaine he was come to the feild where it was so though I be not assured that I am a Saint yet a sinner may rightly receive this truth with joy as a sinner because he is neare a good bargaine Many doe little for God why This is the reason that you have many Professors that mislearne the first principles of religion of which this is the greatest they will never doe any thing for God but when they are assured of their salvation if there be the least doubt that the work of grace is not right they mope and will doe nothing for God but vex and fret and tug and when their qualifications are gone that they builded on then they think they are hypocrites and damned creatures and God shall have no service from them when other people that it may be have not fully assurance they are Saints not one day of three in the whole yeare yet there is a current and streame of obedience and love and delight in God in some measure and they goe on constantly though not so strongly doing and suffering his holy will Why because they have learned the Gospel aright they obey God in the notion of sinners saith the soule I see a great deale of love in God to poore sinners and the Gospel containes nothing but glad tidings to sinners and though I have nothing in me that may make me the childe of Christ yet the way is open therefore I will goe on with the work let him doe what he will Thus the soule is knit to Christ that come what will it will never be beaten off from Christ I never knew my owne soule knit to Christ till God had taught me this but it was off and on as a bone in and out a Saint to day and an Hypocrite to morrow to call God Father to day and Enemy to morrow The Gospel is directed to a sinner quasi a sinner not as this or that sinner but as a sinner there is the object of salvation This makes a Saint I say go with constancie if I cannot goe to Christ as a Saint yet I can as a sinner so he hath something that kâ—epes him that he is not as many Professors that are ready to kill and hang and drowne themselves because they see the Gospel is made to Saints and they see they are not Saints then they are in a worse condition than sinners Learne this you that are Professors of Religion that are in and out that have spent ten or twentie or thirtie yeares and your soules are not knit to Christ begg of the Lord to teach you this lesson The next Lesson that I would teach you from the Lord is Use 2 To labour for a perfect spirit of adoption that this being so that in the administration of the New Testament or the Ministery of the Gospel there is nothing but glad tidings no object but what is amiable and good then all you that have received Jesus Christ let me exhort you to this labour to get up in you a perfect spirit of adoption my meaning is this you know there is a spirit of adoption and a spirit of bondage the spirit of adoption is a frame of heart a temper of spirit like that of a childe to his father And you know it is ordinary with the Saints that they have a little adoption they can cry Abba father a little and low and at sometimes but there is a great deale of the spirit of bondage mingled with it there are sometimes feares secret whisperings in the heart O thou art not right Christ is not in thee if he were it is impossible thou shouldest be so weak and so easily overcome and there will be some flaw in the heart and soakings in of guilt that wâ— eat out a mans peace that sometimes he shall call God father another while he will look strangely upon God and be afraid to come to God and be loath to goe upon his knees before him and be glad when he is got out of his presence there is a spirit of bondage mingled with the spirit of adoption Now in the New Testament wee should labour for a full spirit of adoption Full spirit of adoption what What is that that is that there may be nothing in my heart towards God but pure love because in his dealing to me there is not a sillable but love and grace and glad tidings to me and my heart and life should be answerable Feares horrours whence For the reason of all the horrour that you finde in your hearts and all your feares and troubles that arise there they are from this error in your mindes this opinion that is