they that were to be their guides had been before instructed in the way of Church regiment by Saint Paul himself so far as to be able by tradition to keep their charge upright in all things tending to Godliness and honesty according to those things which they had learned and received and heard and seen in him He in remitting Churches for the rest to be instructed by those their guides he himself had instructed did follow the example of our Saviour himself herein who for that space of fourty dayes he was on earth after his resurrection directed his Apostles in things pertaining to the Kingdome of God or government of the Church Nor can we finde any of them undertaking as before noted to comprise all the particulars of Theology at such time as they write those their most general Epistles which were for all mens direction but kept them as we may presume to be delivered to the heads of Churches amongst other things by tradition and so made use of according to the emergencies of their several Charges But yet the fundamentals of Christianity were in all their Epistles and Sermons most plainly delivered the least and shortest Epistle containing in it the doctrine of faith in Christ love to one another and also of obedience to superiours our necessary guide in performance of them both And that Saint Pauls directions in other matters given to the particular Churches contained neither all expresly that was necessary for them to do nor what was so generally fit and proper for all Churches as that to whom it was directed being to others in most things onely usefull upon occasions as presidents will appear in that Saint Paul writing a particular short Epistle to the Colossians refers them their knowledge of what is farther useful unto his Epistle written unto the Laodiceans willing them that when this Epistle is read of you You cause it to be read of the Laodiceans also and that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Which two Epistles being reciprocally recommended to those particular Churches as of proper directions for them and the Epistle to the Laodiceans being now wanting is must follow that both the fundamentals were set downe in all and each of them and that other admonitions were by the Apostles given upon several occasions and considerations which because they did as heads of Churches then themselves so by their making a distinction in each Church of such as were to rule and instruct from the rest of the Church and that under the notion of such as should cause those Epistles to be read and such as were to hear them read we may also infer that though he made the general direction of his Epistles to the whole Church it was but to make their duty of obedience higher when their guides should command them And so also when he is setting downe general heads for the particular abearance of men in each order it is not his meaning to submit them to their private interpretation of what in them was their duty to perform as Subjects and so consequently leave it to their choice whether they would perform any thing of them or no but to lay on men a stronger obligation to the obedience of their superiours commands since they now finde them to have these general divine directions to that purpose To manifest that these duties of external Christian behaviour were indisputably referred to each Christian head of the Church and that all in that kind necessary was not set down in the Scripture appears in that Saint Paul writing more plentifully to the Corinthians hereof then to any other Church doth not yet profess to have set down all that was necessary but having as he conceived set down what was expedient for them according to the present occasion he concludes And the rest will I set in order when I come Thereby making a plain difference between his power in those things he was to command them as an head of the Church in order to their duty of obedience and those fundamentals of faith and love which he was to preach to them as an Evangelist or a difference in what he did as a general preacher of the Gospel and what he did as their Apostle and Teacher even as one that particularly had authority over them as Christs Ambassadour and as being their father in the Faith And that Scripture and the interpretation and enforcement of the precepts thereof was committed to the guidance and care of the heads of the Churches even under the Gospel also appears by Saint Pauls commending them unto Timothy to the end that he as a guide to the Church might make them profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God or the man having Gods authority may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works that is have sufficient light and authority to command and direct unto all good works And that this power did belong to Timothy as their present guide is made most evident from the uses there set down all of them belonging to the office of the Superiour Namely to teach to reproove to corect to instruct necessarily implying the charge of the Scriptures to be committed to those in authority that were to be eminently active herein that the man of God or the chief Officer in Gods stead like Timothy may know how to behave himself in the houshold of God the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth And where it is commended that the men of Berea searched the Scripture whether the things by Saint Paul alledged were so it is first to be considered that it was before the people had acknowledged Saint Paul their guide and so not bound to submit themselves as to one that did watch for their souls And then this searching must not be construed as if every man had done it in a Bible apart but they being a Synagogue of the Jewes the Scripture must be supposed remaining with the chief thereof onely who are to be understood the searchers and examiners thereof In whose search the rest of the Bereans trusting it made the search go in the name of the whole In effect still prooving that the interpretation and custody of Scripture was not common but belonged to those that were to exercise and not such as were to submit to authority And that the Scriptures charge and custody was entrusted unto the heads of Churches and not vulgarly dispersed in copies may appear by our not having at this day any assurance of the language some of the Gospels and Epistles were written in nor have we any Hebrew copy that we now can relye upon And all because the first copy coming to be afterwards translated into that language the people best understood it caused the care of the single original to be neglected or in time of persecution to be lost by the traditors of those times whereas had each
p. 12. CHAP. VI. Of Honor p. 16. CHAP. VII Of the Laws of God leading to Government p. 24. CHAP. VIII Of the Master of the Family p. 28. CHAP. IX Of Soveraignty and its Original and of Monarchy or Kingly power p. 41. BOOK II. CHAP. I. OF Anarchy p. 79. CHAP. II. Of Faction and its original and usual supports p. 98. CHAP. III. Of Rebellion and its most notable causes and pretences p. 104. CHAP. IV. Of Liberty p. 114. CHAP. V. Of Tyranny p. 122. CHAP. VI. Of Slavery p. 126. CHAP. VII Of Property p. 130. CHAP. VIII Of Law Justice Equity c. p. 139. CHAP. IX Of Publike good Common good or Common-weal p. 158. CHAP. X. Of Paction and Commerce p. 161. CHAP. XI Of Magistrate Councellors c. p. 177. CHAP. XII Of the Right of Dominion p. 186. BOOK III. CHAP. I Of Religion in its true ground p. 213. CHAP. II. Of Religion as commonly received p. 116. CHAP. III. Of the Church Catholike and of the Fundamentals of Religion p. 222. CHAP. IV. Of each particular Church and its power p. 226. CHAP. V. Of the forms of Church Government and of the jurisdiction claimed by Church-men p. 233. CHAP. VI. Of the head of the Church and the Scriptures interpretation p. 249. CHAP. VII Of Love and Obedience and of our state of Innocence thereby p. 261. CHAP. VIII Of the Coincidence of Christian Graces p. 277. CHAP. IX Of Charity as it stands in Nature p. 299. CHAP. X. Of Patience Long-suffering Humility Meekness c. p. 310. CHAP. XI Of Idolatry and Superstition and of the power of each Church her head in the establishment of Ceremonies and divine worship p. 328. CHAP. XII Of Antichrist p. 349. CHAP. XIII Of the mystical delivery of some divine Truths and the reason thereof p. 388. CHAP. XIV Of Athiesm p. 403. BOOK IV. OF the causes of like and dislike of content and discontent and whether it be possible to frame a Government it self pleasing and durable without force and constraint p. 419. BOOK I. CHAP. I. Of Deity FRom the observation of the dependance of one thing upon another as of its Original and Cause we must come at last to fix on such a cause as is to all things Supreme and Independent For to proceed infinitely we cannot but shall lose our selves as in a circle whose ends will be as hardly brought to meet in our conceit as it is to imagine the most remote cause and most remote effect to joyn by immediate touch Observe we again That no Operation or Effect could ever have been produced in regular and orderly manner unless the direction thereof had first or last proceeded from a voluntary Agent So that when we find the Superiour Bodies Elements and other Creatures void of sense and will by their constant endeavours either pointing to any end at all or such other ends as have respect and benefit beyond themselves they must be concluded but as Passive Agents in both cases and the latter respect especially weighed will at last bring us to pitch upon one Agent or Authour of such universal power and concern in all things as to be the true Creator and Director of them all One I say for should each Element by it self or should the will of more then one be the Guider of Productions and Effects would it not follow that this Procession of chance or different aim and will must necessarily set Nature sometimes at a stand for want of sufficient power and direction what course to follow or as it were by a kinde of Civil War make her endeavours so distracted and weak that nothing but dissolution and confusion could follow From all which we may conclude both a Deity and the unity thereof and that as a free Agent no operation could have proceeded from him without an end whereby as by an immutable Law the effects and endeavours of other Creatures stand directed and limited unto certain ends and bounds which otherwise would not proceed at all or else do it infinitely or destructively to one another And upon the same reason of having the vertues and endeavours of natural Agents and Elements thus stinted and directed it will follow that as there must be such original Elements as might have fitness to answer thesâ— Laws and Rules of Providence so this pre-existent matter could not be equally eternal with Deity but must be at first created by the same hand it is now guided for should they not or should there have been no creation at all but a perpetual pre-existence of Elements before they had by the Rules of Providence their vertues and abilities harmoniously directed they must by their irregular courses have been the destruction of one another As therefore in the first case to skip and balk the more immediate and instrumental causes of things and fasten them as immediate upon God the Supreme after the usual way of the ignorant were so to confound and jumble Causes and Effects that there should not in nature be any certain Production at all because if the Supreme Cause should be an immediate cause to the most remote effect then in order backward that remotest effect must be a cause to that which was his immediate cause before and so on or else what was the immediate effect to the Supreme before will now by its removal therefrom and coming to be as immediate cause to the most remote effect want a cause for its own Production so in this latter case the like would befal if through want of good and true observation of the dependance and reason of effects and causes till we come to the Supreme Cause or Reason we should fasten the Productions of Elements or first matter on Chance for if they be constant and uniform how shall Chance own or lay claim to them Again to make them Co-eternal with Deity is to deny his Eternity or their dependance on him who must precede the Chaos in time as that again must precede the Endowment and Regulation of the qualities of the Elements themselves in time also For so fire was before heat as the cause is before the effect which had it been Eternal and the qualites of burning thereto annexed without limit which must have been had it been from it self only what would have become of the race all things else in this general conflagration which now keeping its degrees and being confined within such and such subjects and bounds by a Superiour Power is a great and necessary help to their Production That and all things else readily obeying the Law of their Maker from whom as from a most wise Omnipotent and Bountiful Creator nothing but works and operations suitable are to be expected CHAP. II. Of Providence and its Rules in general AS therefore the perfection of this Worlds Maker doth sufficiently argue the perfection of the work so doth the perfection of the work as justly plead for continuance Continue it could not by any other Power then
Christ that power and honor which in some places is given to Kings finds no colorable shift in this place because it is said And my Prince shall no more oppress my people Which Oppression being not to be feared from Christ himself and the admonition being in the plural number it cannot be thought congruous for him as on the otherside the assignation of a certain portion of Land for his maintenance not to be alienated or encroached by any of his servants but to remain to his Children only must intend Kings not Christ. And so must shew also both the designation and setled perpetuity of that Office who as the supreme Officer of power and honor is in this recess of God to retain the Image of his Authority and be acknowledged as in his stead As may most plainly appear by that command of keeping the Eastgate for him only saying This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred by it therefore it shall be shut it is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter by way of the porch of that gate and shall go out by way of the same Nor can we by Prince understand chief Priest as some would because they neither had this power of Oppression and also were distinguished from the Prince under the notion of the sons of Zadock and so had Lands distinct assigned for their maintenance And therefore again although the Priests are there appointed to put difference between Holy and Prophane and to judge in the Assemblies of God they are still to be supposed as under the Prince herein being presently appointed to be the sons of Zadock which are to be presumed Loyal as having been by the King put into that ministration for that very reason when Abiathar for joyning in rebellion with the rest of Israel was by the King thrust out So that the Priests here spoken of being always set under the notion of sons of Zadock it seemed needless to set down that in this or other things they should be subordinate to the Prince for this Zadock and his successors representing the Evangelical Priesthood were by Gods appointment 1 Sam. 2.35 to have a sure house built them and to walk before Gods anointed for ever the last words signifying at once the perpetuity of both Christian Kingship and Priesthood as well as priestly subordination to succeed And if we shall take these chapters as prophetick to set forth the state and pattern of the Christian Church as usually is done by Christians and not as literall to the Jews onely as they usually do then nothing can remain more luculent and cleer then the divine direction hereof for the perpetuity of this Office in the Christian Church in order to other Prophecies elsewhere mentioned of having Kings to be their nursing Fathers and Queens their Nurses and of the Churches having sons whom they may set as Princes in all Lands Which Office as it is undeniably therein appointed so to make it farther appear to be prophesied as necessary to compleat the Church in a state of perfection and happiness we shall finde that it is to be shewed to the Jews as an unquestionable plot to that purpose and to be promised them upon their good abbearance saying If they be ashamed of all they have done shew them the form of the house and the fashion thereof c. that they may keep the whole form thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and do them By which we may finde that in policies established according to the pattern in the Mount Kingship and Priesthood must be and that the one can be no more omitted then the other How this Office of Kingship was ordained to accompany and compleat the flourishing estate of the Jewish Church and to precede and be instrumental in building the Temple will be more fully discoursed hereafter when we shall have occasion to speak of such places of Scripture as contain a connexion of promises to that purpose as 2 Sam. 10.11 c. 2 Chr. 17.9 10 11 c. and other places All of them plainly shewing that Jerusalem or the Church is or ought to be builded as a City that is compact together or is at unity in it self that is hath an inward principle and ground-work of Unity and Peace in it self from this Divine appointment of one Governor to preside therein even by setting there the Thrones of judgement the Thrones of the house of David and not as left to a plain way of dis-union and division by means of any poliarchical contrivance to judge and govern without a Throne whereby their Compaction or Union should not proceed from any naturalness in the form and means within but from contingency and fear without But because some Anti-Monarchical men do believe that it was no more lawful for the people to desire a King afterwards then at that time and are very urgent that the words I gave thee a King in mine Anger should be interpreted as though the Office of Kingship were so given without considering also that he was taken away in wrath and so rightly construing the absence of the Office to be a greater punishment then the imposition it is to be noted that these and many other expressions uttered in reference to Saul had relation to him as a person hastily demanded and so given as a punishment and not as to one on whom and his posterity the flowrishing estate of that Church was to be setled For that promise we shall finde annexed to the Tribe of Judah as before noted of whose lynage also our Saviour was to come whereas Saul being a Benjamite it could not be thought that he was the person to be setled herein Nay so much himself doth acknowledge to Samuel while Samuel is telling him of his Election viz. Am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel c. Wherefore then speakest thou so to me But then it may be asked how we shall make good those expressions which Samuel used unto him that God would have established his kingdom upon Israel for ever Why this might have been fulfilled by means of his lynage in a feminine line matched into the Tribe of Judah as was that match of Michal to David But you will answer that Michal was made childless for a fault of her own and not other Fathers It is true she committed a fault to deserve this punishment but it hinders not but the same punishment was in pursuance of a former fault of the Family also as we â—inde many presidents in Scripture and in particular one done about the same time namely the punishment of Elies house which will come home to this For we shall finde Solomon thrusting out Abiathar from the Priesthood to punish his personal act of disloyalty to his Father
and yet it was by Gods secret appointment ordered to be done to make good the threat against Elies house namely to fulfil the word of the Lord concerning the house of Elie even so we may interpret the punishment of Sauls first fault that is the cutting off his blood from the Crown to be accomplished in Michal and his other fault in sparing Agag threatned to be punished in the rejection of his person to be made good by his untimely slaughter And the due observation of these Stories will also instruct us how that the building of the Temple signifying the glory of the Church and the settlement of Kingship and Priesthood were all accomplished together and how Kingship was the leader in this Chorus of happiness as Gods chief Instrument for compleating of them For so are we instructed by the direction which Moses gave concerning matters of Appeals wherein the expression of the Judge that shall be in those dayes not only denotes another manner of Judge then formerly but the Priests and he and the place which the Lord should choose being conjoyned must signifie their contemporary establishment for perpetuity for to none of the other Judges God had said Why have yee not built me an house nor was Kingship nor Preisthood setled but in Solomon and Zadock the sons of David and Samuel and immediate instruments in building this Temple the figure of the Christian Church to succeed Nay this Office and power of kingship is so cleer in Scripture that it is usual with the abetters of Polarchies now adays to balk it in the plain sense thereof and to hearken to Philo Josephus and I know not what Antichristian Authors to learn from them the Authority of the people of the Sanhedrim and such like Magistrates not considering the interest and prejudice wherewith these men writ For they designing to bring their Writings and Nation into the more esteem amongst the learned persons of those times and having so long lived and been so well entertained the first among the Grecians and the other amongst the Romans as to be affected with their humors and way of learning they had the same reason to commend those other Forms and to depress this Kingly Office and Power as they had to commend thereby their own writings and Country And as in Kings all power is thus united so he alone it is that is the true Representative whole and whose actions may binde the people without their consent but not theirs without his And so much is often by God acknowledged making the good or ill of the King and Kingdom all one Thus Abimilechs particular detaining of Sarai is by him apprehended as an evil threatning his whole kingdom and we finde Sauls particular act against the Gibeonites punished with the peoples famine as Davids numbring the people afterward was punished with their Pestilence And in that whole story we may observe the punishment or reward the good or ill of the people still to answer and be proportioned with the Vertues or Vices of their Princes and that though the people did offer in the high places or had not prepared their hearts to seek the God of their Fathers or the like yet if this general Representative person was upright before God even for his sake a blessing did ensue which is nowhere observed to be done in respect of any subjects piety And this may seem less strange since we finde that Adam being made Monarch of all Creatures should have the violence of his race imputed and charged on them so as to involve them in the same guilt and destruction by flood Nor is this degree of power before spoken of much more then what before was practised by Moses himself according to the advice of his Father-in-Law as we read Exod. 18.20 namely to make Laws and Ordinances for them to live by and where Law was already made by God to reserve to himself the interpretation thereof as also all appeals and all difficult and important causes and for the better dispatch sake to refer common causes to subordinate Judges All which is again farther expressed Deut. 19 to the 18. where he owns the making Judges and last appeal Our of all which it may be found that the most material marks of Soveraignty were in many of these temporary Judges as the power of making some Laws and interpreting them the last appeal and supreme decision of controversies especially in Moses because he was a King too as formerly noted and so made by God and not by the people And unto Ioshua next as made by Moses for on him by Gods appointment was he by imposition of hands to put some of his honor that all the Congregation of Israel might be obedient that is that he by receit of this justly derived power from God his Vicegerent might have full power to command them And therefore are they also called Kings as in the inte-rregnum when there was no Judge it is said there was no King in Israel and yet was these Judges power inferior to that of Kings coming after This soveraign power of Kings we may finde implyed in that answer of Samuel to the people of the manner or power of a King which had it but been equal to that of their former Judges what needed it have been told the people And they that will not have the things there set down to be in his power but that he was to give account thereof or that his actions were controleable by any order or body of the people do yet commit a greater absurdity for then to what purpose should Samuel go about to fright the people with a thing of no danger and which was in their power to remedy For so it follows that they should cry out in that day because of their King and the Lord should not hear them meaning that they had none but God in that case to appeal to by whose forbearance to hear them therein they had no lawful remedy left them For had his words imported no more terror to their understanding but what they had right and power to remedy they might have answered Nay but we will have a King under us and not over us No he shall be onely King of the less number of the people and their Representatives but unto the major part or Vote he shall be subject upon all occasions they shall think good and so making our selves Soveraigns over our Soveraign we shall prevent those threats for thereby having upon the matter no King we shall do but what unto every one seems good in his own eys And by the expression over thee so often there used must be meant over the whole people being the same thee that should choose him so that if his election were by the major part or such as stood for them as so it must be or elese it could be no Election his power must be above the major part or their
that they may as having power therein from God both refuse his commands and also subject him to the obedience of their own Authorities and Offices they should doe well to consider that God can have but one supreme Magistrate namely the King and that all others can have power but as sent of him They should consider that God hath made him Keeper of both Tables so as to preside over us in all things as well of Religious as Civill cognisance In which respects we can no more divide him in his entire Trust and delegation in these things then we can divide the author of these Trusts in his sole Power therein also Now it might be demanded of these men That since these Magistrates and intrusted Officers had their places from the Prince onely and since without Commission and power from him they could not have had Power in any thing outwardly to be exercised more then other ordinary Subjects how should it therefore come to pass that by vertue of a Deputation to serve and be subordinately assisting unto him they can claim right and power to be unsubjected and in any thing above him But we shall here somewhat examine the usuall ground of this stubbornness which is by distinguishing at their pleasures Religious and Civil duties one from another and then making men obliged to obedience in the first sort to Gods precepts onely with this farther supposition that themselves or such are they fancy are to be obeyed as his Magistrates therein And they then stint the Princes power to be onely exercised in what they refuse and shall call Civil matters of which distinction of duties we shall speak more fully anon In the mean time because the conceit of Magistrates distinct and unsubordinate power hath arisen from belief of this distinction of duties we are to consider in brief that being now Christians we cannot at our private pleasures renounce and take off that general relation and say that in such and such particulars we act as natural men in such as civil men and in such onely as Christians but since now all unrighteousness is sin and a sin against God too even to the degree of an idle word so hath God united the high trust and oversight of all these things to this his onely supreme Magistrate And this in so neer a tye of obedience as where he is not divided in himself that is to say differenced from us in Religion but is a Christian as well as we there we cannot more divide from his Authority in our Christian obedience then we can in our Civil without dividing Christ that gave him this Office and separating him likewise from his right of Kingship over us and so affirm that we are to obey Kings as Gods deputies in the State but not as Christs in the Church For albeit in some Assemblies of Christian Subjects where persons in holy Orders do more particularly appear and preside as being an Assembly by the Prince constituted for more neer examination and stating what in the Scripture is more particularly contayned or what is more expresly tending to Gods Worship and Service Princes may be thought thereupon secluded yet since they are still Christians Subjects as others and have as we said their whole Assembly and their particular powers therein authorized from the same head that other Assemblies have we may conclude that each Kingdom is as well such a Church as such a Kingdom And as Christ is head of the Church and King of Kings too so is each King under him head of both also and while he continues a Christian Magistrate he must be always so obeyed and acknowledged And although where the Prince or Supreme Magistrate is no Christian as in the infancie of Christianity it fared the saying is useful of giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods and of obeying God rather then man because in that case the Magistrate not undertaking to be Gods or Christs Vicegerent at all so as to promote their honor and worship but it may be the contrary it were strange to give him the power of the Church which he will not own but rather refuseth Therefore he refusing to act as a Christian Magistrate in matters of Divine Precept we must have recourse to Gods command our selves or to such representation as any Assembly of the Church at that time can have But where the supreme Magistrate is a Christian there as in all his relations he is supreme to the rest of his Subjects so is he in all his commands to be obeyed as a Christian Magistrate For if that rule of giving to Caesar c. be taken litterally and expresly so as to exclude Kings as Kings from being Gods Ministers and Magistrates in Church matters it must again exclude God from medling in secular affairs or matters of the Commonwealth doing thereby not so much wrong to Kings as to God himself For since without a Magistrate nothing can be done in the Law-makers absence all Laws of Religion must then remain arbitrary and useless and God would by consequent be as well thrust out of religious power as directly hereby excluded out of the Civil So that when that or the Precept of obeying God rather then man is to be taken of direct use and force it must be when Subjects stand subjected as aforesaid or else as we said in the case of new express command from God or Christ himself received who as the higher power must then be obeyed as in that particular case wherein this sentence was spoken may appear For Christ having himself particularly and expresly said to his Apostles Go teach all Nations for them to have obeyed Magistrates forbidding them to teach any more in his Name had been expresly to have obeyed man rather then God and to have put them in danger of Woe if they preach not Even as on the other side to hearken to such Precepts as come to be invented and pressed by private men contrary to the sense of Gods publike Minister and without express revelation therein from God which he is evidently to prove is as done against Gods command to obey man rather then God also And this not onely whether the doers be private persons or else subordinate Magistrates For all power being in the King and they deriving theirs as sent of him as they cannot claim obedience from others but by Authority from him so they must as private persons in respect of him give obedience to him by whose power under God they had this their jurisdiction CHAP. XII Of the Right of Dominion HAving hitherto spoken of the duty of subjection and particularly to Kings it will farther be necessary to say something in designation of the persons that so the stubborn may be without excuse and the Consciencious have direction and satisfaction as far as may be what to follow We must now again therefore consider that as mans obligation of Praise
vain without them Therefore as the miracles of the Old Testament were occasioned for confirmation of all or part of the Law and the maker thereof so when alteration in that and confirmation of the Gospel was required it was requisite as great or greater should be shewed Till these things were done it was impossible for natural discourse to assent to misteries so much above its reach Nay an infidelity it had been to have departed from truths already so firmly established without higher ground Therefore our Saviour saith If I had not done amongst them those works that never any man did they had not had sin But if when custome and education as in the other example and these of our Saviour to the Jewes was so prevalent as not to give sense the greatest assurance we have leave to discern between truth and falsehood what can be expected from men now living that have onely an historical faith in that case to relye upon For although in each Religion the proof of miracles be brought in as a divine and infalible evidence of its truth yet the truth of their story depending upon the truth of that traditional Doctrine or that Scripture out of which the relation it self is framed it must follow that where difference in these things is not made by reason Religion ordinarily must have its ground and rise from meer education And so however the founders of each religion have left unto their Disciples some set or standing record or written direction both for guidance of their belief and actions yet when the same comes to be taken into credit onely upon the score of tradition and humane authority it will follow that the proof thereof can have in our belief no higher certainty then the evidence of education and authority will bear which was all the premises we made use of to frame this conclusion by But by this means having entertained a ground work in our phancy for beliefe of some principle for our direction and guidance in all things else hence comes the Bible with Christians the Talmud with the Jewes and Alcoran with the Turks to be had in such esteem that what is in them asserted is firmly believed For although to some men there may happen such freedom and ability as sometimes to eâ—quire the foundations of things yet then as it must on the one hand distaste through a plain affront to their judgement setled the other way already so cannot it on the other hand be naturally of avail farther then as true reason can without prejudice be brought to assist in the discovery For without it pretence of divine attestation to be gathered from that particular majesty and elegancy of stile which Mahomet himself and his followers do so much brag of to be found in their Alcoran as an infalible signe that it was delivered by the holy Ghost will be far from carrying the force of demonstration to persons unprejudiced It being most apparent that since thousands have and do dayly read it without any such discovery that this assent of theirs going alwayes along with such and none but such as have in their education had it perpetually inculcated unto them that it was indeed so written can proceed from nothing else but prejudice and prepossession of judgement For they cannot but conceive that if God had intended conviction that way he could have so plainly and efficaciously have done it as that those miracles they put upon him might well have been spared But it is to be considered that although from reading of books containing new argumentations and reasonings men may be altered in their judgement from what they were yet in things delivered Magistrally and by way of authority onely the assent must arise from prepossession For I read not of any Proselites made amongst the Egyptians or others from those translations of the books of several Religions wherewith Ptolomies Library was furnished So that now tradition and authority being the chief evidence it will rest the chief object of enquiry even from the universality soundness and other strength thereof for reason to lay her grounds for future certainty and belief and that not onely in preferring the sacred Scriptures in general above the records of other religions but also in discovery and distinction of the true Cannon thereof from other counterfeit or Apocriphal writings For how else shall he satisfie himself amidst those many disputes that have been from time to time raised in the Church it self and by the prime members thereof what books were true and what forged as well in the Old as in the New Testament which for so great a part of them have been controverted And whilst some of those received have been disputed of how shall he know that those refused might not with more reason have been brought in in their rooms And so again of the particular Chapters and Texts in these books how shall he finde any assurance that amidst those many Heresies that have from time to time gotten such strength in the Church some of them have not been corrupted to serve their turns Which happening but to some will cause all to be suspected for unless those places could be distinguished it may for ought I know happen to be that Book or place of Scripture which I am most to relye upon In which doubts Scripture alone cannot satisfie me For besides that nothing can be an evidence to it self if one book should undertake for attesting the rest that book must still want his attestation it being impossible to be higher or other to us that stand so far removed from evidence of the miracles brought to confirm it then is our confidence of the ability and sincerity of the tradition or those several hands and conveyances by which the record and report hereof hath come unto our hand On which if we will not altogether implicitly rest and take the truth of our religion on the hazard of our Births and education we must then as in a matter of so great weight and concern make use of that stock of reason and discourse God hath blessed us withall to discover and direct us in the way we are to go Which when done with humble petition for divine assistance it usually follows that the same grace of ingenuity that made us thus able to reach above ordinary is usually accompanied with ability thus prudentially to be advised That since the light of nature and reason discover to them a deity and also a necessity of his worship although herein they can settle themselves on no demonstration yet for satisfaction of their fears and hopes which in Atheism could never be they shall finde it more reasonable to rest on the highest probability they can get then have no rest at all Nor can this prudent course be yet left off For unless we will be altogether implicite in our beliefs and rest wholly on education for the sense and meaning of these Scriptures our reason againe must be taken up to
observe this Monarchical administration so much owned by God as to declare the absence thereof as the fittest and surest token of his dereliction and punishment of a people that had been first false to himself and were now repudiated by him as may appear in that other Prophesie For the Children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King and without a Prince without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim And by the last words we may observe by the way not onely a depravation in religion and Church order to follow this no King in Israel by making use of Teraphim in the Ephod instead of Urim as the man Michah did but this disorder should increase till that remaining Priesthood who by their consistorial parity were as the Teraphims in this Ephod should be taken away also For this use of Teraphim amongst Israelites was to bee looked upon but as a shift in Jeroboam who wanting that order of Aaron and his Sons made use of the meanest of the people but in the Christian Church and when Christ typified in David shall be their King then also shall those several Kings under him maintain and settle order amongst the Priesthood and in religion it self as David also did Now concerning that separate jurisdiction which some Church-men would claim under colour of dividing our duties into religious and civil it cannot I conceive but plainly appear that notwithstanding sacred pretence this division is but of humane invention being not to be found in the Scripture and as it is for the most part made of no other use but to make division and discord by abating our obedience to the Magistrate under colour of giving it to God so are men not at agreement in stating thereof For while some think that whatever the Magistrate commands it but of civil obedience and so lyable to temporal reward and punishment onely and again what is of Gods command that is expresly set down in Scripture is to be only obeyed out of conscience of divine authority and then leaving men to private judgement what precepts are thence deduceable or when the Magistrates commands be such they must consequently leave them no certain rule whereby either to preserve duty or unity As also those other sort do who distinguishing men in their several relations by them phancied say that in whatever we do as subjects and men linked in Society the same is of civil cognizance and duty but in whatever we act as Christians we are to be guided by precept from God alone In which doing also being neither able to bring from Scripture all things that concern Gods outward worship and finding many precepts of Ethical Political and Oeconomical nature and which do concern our duty and good even as men although we had not been Christians they must needs fall themselves and drive others by these doubtfull precepts from giving any right obedience at all instead of directing them therein For although as to some intents men may be usefully considered in these different relations yet when the same person is now both a man and a Christian such distinctions as should â—imply a possibility of personal devision again so as for the same Christian to act as a man in any thing without being a Christian must besides absurdity bring upon us the many inconveniences of rebellion and civil war And therefore although in our being Christian we lose not the reality of manhood more then in being rational creatures or men we lose the properties of sensitive Creatures yet inasmuch as being rational Creatures and so having a greater and surer light to direct our actions all that we do answerable to other meer sensitives is therefore now to be attributed to us in the capacity of men as of the nobler and higher relation Even so also it fareth with us after and while we are Christians namely that all those actions in which in execution and direction I mean so far as is humane we resemble other meer natural men onely yet these things being by us now acted under the inseparable relation of Christians are although not of express litteral divine precept yet if done in obedience to lawful authority a Christian duty or if acted against it a Christian fault And it will follow that what was in us as men before but moral vertue or vice is now righteousness or sin even to the degree of an idle word And so again considering us as subjects those things that are onely by the light of nature investigable as civil duties when they come to be enforced by a Superiour having his power and office from God have the obligations of religious actions as being part of our obedience to that God who said them to be in that respect Gods also and children of the most high Therefore when God sometimes commands what would concern us and be our benefit as men although we had not been Christians as indeed if we had reason enough all precepts for outward direction would appear such or when again many things appertaining to our religion it self and our outward worship therein are by the Churches authority enjoyned whether the same be found in Scripture or no they are both of them to be held as religious dutyes to us and we being not able while we are Christians to act in any other personal capacity must be obedient and subject as in and to the Lord that is till something be enjoyned to overthorw Christianity we as Christians must obey in all things and it is as sinful to disobey Supream authority in the payment of taxes as in the observation of the Sabboth For God not now giving particular precepts as unto the Iewes but leaving us herein to the direction of the higher power ordained for that purpose of him we are to be obedient to our Masters in the flesh as unto Christ and willingly to do them service as unto the Lord and not as men That is we are now always to obey him as Christs Minister and head of our particular Church and not left at liberty to obey as in a religious tye no farther then we please For the actions and precepts of each State Kingdom are upon their conversion to Christianity to be called and reputed the actings of such or such a Church and not of such or such a State the name and notion of Church including that of State even as in the particular members whereof it is compounded the notion of man is involved in that of Christian. So that now as the entire trust power of Vniversal headship of the Catholike Church is unto Christ resigned and he thereupon to be obeyed as under a religious tye in all causes whatsoever by all such as acknowledge themselves Christians although they seem of never so civil a nature even so his supream deputy in each Christian Church or Kingdome being entirely entrusted like him from whom his power is derived is
Church shall have distinguished between holy and prophane I conceive that in all such things as are concluded of religious jurisdiction and cognisance the Church-members of the Clergy are by the Church her head to be therein imployed more eminently then any other subject especially if they do therein acknowledge themselves subordinate and subject unto him All which I have in this part set down to avoid such umbrage as might have been by some taken at the passed discourse And for farther avoidance of mistake about those persons or orders of the Clergy by me glaâ—ced at in any censure here or elsewhere I shall also now crave leave to say that as I profess my self a dutiful son of the same Mother so do I also highly respect and honour that Classical order of the Clergy which the Church of Engand owns as hers being men that have approved themselves the true sons of Zadock the type of Evangelical Priesthood and been as eminent for loyalty as learning But the disturbances of Christendome are to be imputed to those of the Romish party who in favour to their owne head are to subject with Abiather to miscary that arke wherewith they are entrusted and to make the power and cognisance of those sacred orders which should separate them from worldly imploment to serve as a plea and pretence thereunto as in order to spiritual cognisance and jurisdiction As also to that miscellaneous brood who as in hatred to their exteram entring their ordinations at a wrong dore or not entring them at all have as shamefully demeaned theselves in the Priesthood as they did ignorantly and shamefully decline the title it self and that honotr which is thereunto due and have by those strange fires of sedition and rebellion which they every where offer under shew of reformation and zeal approved themselves the true sons of Nadab and Abihu These are they that are deare declaiming against Prelacy on purpose to gain higher preferment whilst the name of Bishop is by them declined as an unlawful jurisdiction in in the Church they are grasping after the thing and striving to exercise EEpiscopacy and oversight over both Church and State under the claim of power from Christ himself received as his immediate Ministers thereby shewing that their slighting of orders is but because they would not be by them confined to Ecclesiastical superintendency onely CHAP. VI. Of the head of the Church and of the Scriptures interpretations FRom what hath been hitherto spoken of our Security whilst retaining the fundamentalls of our religion as men may gather courage to resist such superstitious fears as some would put into them on purpose to draw them to their owne sects so may they plainly see it their duty these foundations being laid that their directest obedience which they can as Christians in other things give unto that person Christ hath most eminently entrusted and by whom he is most lively represented is the strongest argument of performance of their duty and obedience to himself For he being as the chief Master builder to direct us in all things towards our actual edification upon these ground works of faith and charity laid in our hearts may seem to be Gods great accomptant for the sins of the people and to prefigured unto us under the scape goat in the law who as denoting the high and uncontroleable power of his office here was both to be free and unmolested in the wilderness of this life and also to bear on him all the iniquities and transgression of the people For although Christ himself typifyed under the slain goat do onely truly and meritoriously expiate and make attonement to God for all mens sins as breaches of Gods law insomuch as no man can hope for remission of any sort of them without repentance and forgiveness in his name made and obtained yet forasmuch as we are commanded to be obedient unto them both in matters of godliness and honesty there is no doubt but the same will acquit us of guilt in all things acted by their guidance and not contrary to the foundation of faith and love which is or should be in our hearts And therefore to this purpose as formerly noted we shall find good warrant given from him that said Do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God in the midst of a froward and perverse generation wherein ye shine as lights in the world Here is no distinction made of our duties here is no referment of us to Scripture but a general direction to universal and ready obedience which being done we shall be blameless and harmless for obeying however the thing wherein we do obey may prove harmful to others and to blameable in the Commanders And that the Apostle did hereby entend implicite and perfect obedience may farther appear by the foregoing occasion which lead him to this precept namely for avoiding of divisions and Standing fast in one Spirit with one mind unto the which implicite obedience and subjection to one head is the onely ready way And to the end they should fulfill his joy and be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde he admonisheth thâ—t nothing should be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better then themselves And then he tells the way to it First by inward charity and love Look not every man on his owne things but every man on the things of others afterward he points to outward subjection to make this love useful which he doth by the true example of humility and obedience our Saviour himself viz Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took on him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men And being found in the fashion of a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross A death which was proper to such as were under the highest degree of subjection being the usual punishment for slaves And so having set forth the reward of this his humility and obedience to encourage us therein he then proceeds Wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence work out your owne salvation with fear and trembling Which words do plainly shew the means to salvation to be dependent on perfect obedience to Gods Minister for it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure That is as God is himself the worker of this inward love to make us willing so must he direct by his Minister our doing it outwardly to our Neighbours benefit under whom doing all things as aforesaid we shall be blameless as aforesaid also For his care
one or many men had their distinct copies such a total losse could not have happened And although it may be well thought that the gift of tongues might have enabled such of the holy penmen as wanted natural learning to deliver themselves notwithstanding in Greek yet this cannot make it supposable that all of them the Epistles especially were so written originally because their address is not to the Grecians or Gentiles And that Epistle to the Hebrews and those of Saint Peter and Saint Iames c. must imply them to be written in that language which was best understood by those they were addressed unto and who were to be directed by him Else it were to suppose a miracle wrought to a wrong end even that which Saint Paul doth elswhere dislike namely the speaking in an unknown tongue by which he means no doubt a tongue unknown to the Auditors In which respect to speak or write in Greek to them that understood not the language renders the Writer a Barbarian to the Auditor as well as the Auditor one to him Upon which grounds I do believe against them that doubt that the Gospel of Saint Matthew was like the other Gospels written in Greeks and that because its general address did require it to be set forth in that language which was most generally understood but for some of the Epistles I cannot be so perswaded And if that first exercised gift of tongues be marked we shall finde those endewed therewith speaking to every Auditour in his owne language And although question be made whether those auditours of divers nations might not at the same time have been endewed with the miraculous gift of interpreting and understanding a strange tongue to avoyd a greater difficulty of supposing all of them speaking at once or any one speaking several tongues at once the which Saint Peters after-speaking alone may give countenance unto yet it will plainly appear that as that gift of tongues was then used to edification and to be understood even so afterwards no doubt the penmen of holy Scripture made use of the same upon the like useful occasions and none other And as for Authors quotation of Scripture texts in this language onely none beginning to write till these books had been by the Church all collected into one volume and so put into that one most intelligible language it proves no more their writing at first in the Greek then our Saviours and others quotations of the Greek translation of the Septuagint proves the old Testament to have been written in that language also Not that we would be understood by what hath bin spoken as forbidding the publike knowledg of the Scriptures for even the same reason that makes them chiefly to be trusted to the Church and its head namly to know the better how to govern all others under them will in that regard also make them useful to Fathers Masters and many of the Subjects themselves who by their offices and callings shall have things or persons under their power and government In both which respects if they come not occasionally to concern every one as he may have his Neighbors good or ill under his trust and power even in cases remitted by his Superiour yet will they concern every one in their general precepts to patience humility obedience c. which as the proper and necessary vertues of Subjects and which must constitute government are fit for the notice of all in general without exception of the Prince himself who as under the power of God almighty must submit in a far higher degree then his Subjects can to him The knowledge of which and other necessary duties fit to direct us in our charitable abearances whither in acting upon or suffering from one another may also afford sufficient reason why there should be many precepts of all sorts of duties and concerning all sorts of people promiscuously set down in the New Testament notwithstanding that Gods immediate rule was to be inward even for that our Saviour and his Apostles having charge and guidance of souls under them it was needful for their good deportment sake that they should leave to them and unto such as should succeed in the Christian Churches besides the fundamentals such farther precepts and directions â—s might keep them in a steady course of Charity and peace one towards another when they found their duties set forth by so good authority For want of due regard whereof and of that different respect which the Scriptures do carry in their instructions and for want of that necessary and truly Christian grace of humility instead of learning and practicing those more proper duties which concern us in our distinct callings and relations for which onely we stand accomptable before God we are through pride and partiality too often found to be studious and inquisitive after so much onely as doth concern others in theirs even such as are above us for whose faults we are not to answer that thereupon we may appear more fit to teach then be taught to govern then be governed And this is not onely practised in the more civil relation of Subjects or Servants against their Prince or Master but through this misused liberty a general usurpation is almost every where now made for interpreting Scripture against the sence and authority of the whole Church and of our more spiritual guides therein to whose charge they are most particularly entrusted from which preposterous proceeding what can be expected but what sad experience doth witness even Heresie Schisme disorder and civil broyles to the scandal of Christian religion it self But now when we finde the persons in authority to be expressed in the plural number as Those that have the guide over you those that must give an account for your souls c. or else our obedience directed to the Church in general we are to understand thereby the head of each Church to be chiefly meant In which respect as there were many distinct Churches and thereupon also many heads as before shewed so the Apostle might in his general admonitions to obedience put them in the plural number of those and them And as in this sence we are to understand that precept of tell it to the Church namely to the judiciary head thereof so also are we to interpret and apply the power of the keyes and of binding and loosing to be given to the Churches head and not the diffused body which can never in all its members meet nor can otherwise then by their head hear and determine And hereupon we shall finde this power to be expresly given to the Apostles in Saint John where Christ is saying to them As my Father sent me even so send I you thereby giving them authority over their particular Churches and trusts By which means as he had formerly answered that the Son of man had power on earth to forgive sins So these sons of men also may without Blasphemy in
women but because these little ones or these least in the Kingdome of heaven have as elsewhere shewed received from Christ the honour and trust of binding and loosing which Iohn had not therefore were they greater then he And so again when Christ brings in himself speaking at the last judgement he useth the like expressions Inasmuch as ye have done it or not done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it or not done it unto me By one of the least we are to understand such a single person to be meant as more eminently representing Christ may through obedience to him in Christs stead make charity extensive and useful to all occasions and not think that Christ made that charity best which was done but to any one ordinary man or that the particular works there mentioned were all that needed But rather that here as elsewhere these additions of least and little are added in the singular number to Children and Bretâ—ren that together with the distinction of them from other children and brethren he might both set forth that extraordinary humility that should be in all governours and might also relate litterally to that mean estate of his Disciples the Churches present governours who being probably to be most persecuted of any other therefore are those instances of charity brought in which become men in that condition That these Epithetes of little and least when added to children do both signifie persons substituted in Christs authority and was also given to teach humility and love especially one toward another will lastly appear by those passages discribed by the other Evangelist Saint Iohn because spoken while Christ is deligating his Apostles as is related in the 13 chapter and afterward For in these chapters his speech of little children cannot be taken otherwise then as a proper address to them By which and by that fact of washing their feet we may finde how desirous he is that that great power he had given them should not exalt them above one another but make them ready by that his example to do all loving offices one towards another since none of them could be so great over one another as he that had so done was over them all But although here as elsewhere he is most copious in putting them in mind of that duty of meekness and humility which becometh their large power yet that a great power was delegated unto them appeares in the beginning of the Chapter Now when Iesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father that is knowing he himself could be no longer the living light or guide of the world he therefore thought now time to delegate his own which were in the world and whom for that service he had chosen out of the world And therefore Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God that is knowing he had finished the work he had to do and being to return to him that gave him this mission and authority he then thinks it time to take care of his Churches charge in his absence and to go on with his mission of others in his name as he had been before sent in his fathers name This in the other Evangelists runs As my Father sent me so send I you and whosoever heareth you heareth me and the like but this beloved Disciple after his usual manner coucheth all under the notion of love And therefore their power or mission is amongst other things parabolically set downe As my Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love that is as I have power had from God the Father as his beloved son so shall you from me as my beloved Disciples And this his deputation or mission thus given them he more clearly expresseth in his prayer As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world All which and other considerations before spoken of in confirming the Churches power under her owne Ministers should methinks be sufficient to stop the haste of such as do so headily obtrude their owne private interpretation of Scripture against that which is publike and made by lawful authority For unless they can make some extraordinary mission appear whereby God hath something to say by them not said before why should men be so beguiled as to think them not subject to like passions and infirmities with those that have the interpretation of Gods word already And truly their crying out for obedience to Gods word onely and yet proposing it as such when guided according to their sence onely imports none other then an ayme thereby to engross all honour and authority to themselves only And therefore that command appears at this time extreamly necessary to put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good work to speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing meekness to all men And a greater truth cannot be spoken nor a moâ—e seasonable admonition given then to mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which they have learned and to avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple For so long as the foundation is not destroyed so long as Christ is not deceived but our faith is entire in him the prosecution of particular sects under that of Paul Apollo or Cephas and our hatred varience emulations wrath strife seditions envyings murthers c. are works of the flesh not of the spirit and are because we are carnal and walk as men But yet because we are to know that it is not faith alone that is our duty and can secure our salvation but faith and love or faith that worketh holy love we will now speak more fully of that grace of love or charity which must be joyned to keep us innocent and also of that other grace of obedience which is requisite to make charity effectual CHAP. VII Of love and obedience and of our state of innocence thereby TO be sensible of good or happiness is to be living and to be the more hereof sensible is to be more living For as there is a positive dignity by sensation it self that is of sensitive above Inanimates so is there a comparative exellence therein again arising from degree thereof Whereby each thing stands in degree of happiness and excellence differenced by that degree of vigour and intensness in apprehension and also by degree of steadiness and continuance in possession Now as experience in the natural course of things doth inform that in all progression there must be a perfection and summety so in this case
And from this necessary referment of the managery of many actions to the power of particular Subjects and because of the necessary submission of some deportments also to the guidance of fathers and Masters of families as proper to their charge and duty grows the reason why we finde in some of the Epistles and places of Scripture such general direction and intimation of duty namely because those or some of those precepts or presidents in them contained may be upon occasion as we said usefull to the general direction of the several persons contained in each Church when he shall either stand by his proper office or by power and leave from his Prince under no positive restraint but of God alone At which time and at all times when he is not by the Church debarred it seems highly expedient that the same person thus entrusted with the execution of affairs wherein himself or others may be concerted should have liberty to have his recourse to the Scripture for the farther enabling him in his demeanor in things and persons submitted to his trust and power and that upon the same reason and grounds that were formerly given to shew their sole custody and power of interpretation given to superiour powers namely for them to have assistance of divine guidance in execution of their charge of government also Upon which ground and consideration it became in particular manner necessary also to have the general rules of do as ye would be done unto and love thy Neighbour as thy self to be commended in common to each ones observation to the end that each one having his Neighbours good or harm more or less in his separate power might by this conscientious rule and tye of examination be more readily provoked and directed in his sociable abearance For the rule it self being but a general rule for inoffensive living by introducing a common and equall sensation or fellow feeling of each others wants and benefits that thereupon as to our selves the good of others might be sought and their harm avoided therefore is it by our Saviour placed as the sum and fullfilling of the law Meaning that as God had formerly by Moses and the Prophets given particular precepts and directions for the sociable abearance of the nation of the Jewes so the onely standing divine rule to us Christians now was this summary direction for the good of Society whereby preserving the good of our Neighbour we should also thereby to our power maintaine the glory and service of God So that the said rules of love thy Neighbour c. and whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you c. importing generally as if it had been commanded to all sorts of men to be ready according to their severall stations and degrees to promote the good and to ease and sustaine the harms of one another it must therefore follow that those persons that have publike and whole trust and power in each society are in the first place to have the interpretation and application of this rule and so each one under him as he shall entrust them therein in order to the good and welfare of that society For since the care and trust of the Prince is more then that of others it must also follow that the application of that rule which is directive therein must be primarily in him too the subject having onely liberty to guide himself in what he is to act on another as supposing the rule a fresh said unto him from Christs Minister set over him Because else as before shewed generall harm may be the consequent of general liberty independently to act by these rules whereas in our assistances to them and in our submissive deportments if we bear one anothers burdens we shall fulfill the law of Christ in maintaining the good of society the end of that law The rule of do as thou wouldest c. being thus hard to be kept as from private direction onely causeth it to fall out that our works as our works cannot justifie us before God because they cannot as proceeding from separate persons onely have throughly and on all hands charitable and perfect performance but as done in Christ that is in obedience to his or his deputies authority and failing in the faith hereof or in our impartial dealing with our Neighbours in things by authority permitted unto us it will follow that whatsoever is not of faith is sin But if in conscience to Christs authority commanding obedience to him and in him we do that which may privately make our conscience condemn us yet God is greater then our consciences and knoweth all things to wit knoweth that as his glory is to be increased by humane preservation so humane preservation is maintained by obedience and submission For if we must be judging of morallity and being under lawful authority act their commands on others no farther then the supposal of our case and suffering to be theirs will give leave I would fain know whether the Judge and other officers and executioners of civil Justice that joyne in the sentence and infliction of death on any their fellow Subjects or whether the Souldier that for press or pay doth the like on his owne country men or others do either of them imagine themselves in their case and so acquit themselves by not being instrumental in infliction of more then themselves would have again suffered from them If they do not nor need not then doth their innocence follow their obedience even by Imagining themselves to have been in their superiours case him their subject for as then they would have expected obedience to what themselves had conceived fit to be done so are they now to give it In which case by my obedience doing as I would be done unto by him that hath whole concern and represents all it must follow that I do as I would be done unto by all men else and so by my obedience have fulfilled the law of Christ. Whereupon as we finde Abrahams faith imputed for righteousness and he called Father of the Church or Faithful so was this attributed unto and made appear in a matter of obedience In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice For although Abraham had at other times obeyed yet was he herein exemplarily the Father of the Faithful because the proof of his obedience was performed in a particular wherein both the injury to another and himself might have been so highly disputed out of private judgement and interest Whereupon that which is here attributed to Abrahams Obedience is interpreted by Saint Paul his Faith who in the first Chapters to the Romans largely sets forth the necessary guilt accompanying legal precepts not done in Christ who throughly fulfilling all moral righteousness our faith and obedience in and to him makes it imputed unto us for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one
because we feared not the Lord what then shall a King do to us That is since we have refused to fear or serve God as he appointed in the King his Minister and have spoken words swearing falsly in making a Covenant the Covenant of our own works with death and hell therefore do we deserve to have judgement springing up like Hemlock in the furrows of the field that is to have this common and uncertain weed of judgement that is now growing everywhere for want of a formal root to be made as poysonous unto us as Hemlock is We shall also finde the Prophet Amos imputing it as a fault in Israel and a sure sign of their calamity that they hated him that reproved in the gate and abhorred him that speaketh uprightly that is they despised and slighted that sentence of Judgement and Equity which was in Gods Vicegerent and did desire the day of the Lord as thinking to be found upright bâ—fore him according to their own ways When as it should be as if a man did flee from a Lion and a Bear met him and went into the House and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him For which cause God there threatens to withdraw his publike presence a sure sign of his direliction of any place and to abhor their Offerings their Feast days and other solemn ways appointed for his own worship because under colour of serving him they had turned judgement into wormwood and left off righteousness in the earth or had made it spring up like Hemlock as formerly noted Nor need there farther instances be given of that simplicity and coincidence of Gospel Precepts and how that Faith and Love or Faith that worketh by love and Love made useful by Obedience are asserted in the New-Testament as necessarily and onely fundamental since if the whole Scripture be diligently examined they will be found the usual drift of them all So that as salvation is sometimes and in some places promised to such as believe the Gospel so in other places to such as obey the Gospel Faith uniting us to Christ and Obedience uniting us to his Church He that with prepossession of this Doctrine shall read the holy Scriptures shall finde the difficult places thereof to assent to a ready opening and interpretation offering themselves to unlock easily with this Key it being the door of entrance into most of the mysteries thereof which are usually turning upon these hinges Which plenty and readiness of discovery as it hath been the occasion of my passed tediousness in these Discourses so must it be the excuse also both for my want of order and also for any repetition that shall be found therein For as the known benefit arising by peace through obedience made me attentive to such remarkable Texts as did confirm this duty so these Texts again by the abundance of matter accompanying them and leading to that subject caused me both to fail of method and to transcend my intended bounds in the Treaty hereof And yet to avoid this tediousness I have neither undertaken to Comment on many places neither in Old nor New-Testament and in some of those I do undertake it may be observed that I have but cursorily glossed leaving the farther discovery to each mans easie observation that will attend it I know many will look strangely at the first upon this Doctrine of mens innocence by implicite obedience in all we do that is to Christ himself in things fundamental and which formally state us Christians and to our Prince his deputy in all things necessary for the security and advance thereof But when the scope of Scripture and the good of Peace and common Charity thereby and no way else to be attained shall be well considered of the apparent benefit will in reality I hope exceed the seeming novelty For without it how shall we be able to ground and settle our selves upon such a constant course for Unity and Agreement where private judgements under the colour of Conscience shall not be able to interrupt Gods appointed way of providence by setting him to act against himself Even to interrupt and abate of that glory which should be given to God in the highest by not providing for this Peace one earth and good will towards men according to that heavenly Hymn sung at the birth of the Prince of Peace And if such a thing as Government must thereupon be acknowledged necessary and that obedience again is a duty necessary to estate Government then must there necessarily a difference follow in point of guilt between him that performs it and him that doth it not and so consequently he that hath been more implicite and ready in his obedience must be confessed to have better performed it then he who hath therein but observed the Dictate of his own sence and Conscience and not that of his Superior Nor can I see how men generally granting Superiors to be accountable for the sins which were acted by vertue of their commands can thereupon avoid the acknowledgement that as this guilt lights on them because the other obeys out of sense of duty so must it proportionably abate in the obeyer unless they can make obedience no duty at all or that which is more absurd can make men never the juster for having done it But so hard a thing it is to overcome that thirst of rule and insubjection that is naturally graffed in us that some objections must always be expected to shake off implicite restraint and to leave us still to the liberty and condition of our first Parents in examining the Ground and Reason of each command before we come to act It faring with men in the rendring of their obedience as it doth in their Charity For although none will deny that Charity lies upon him as a duty even as they will grant that Obedience doth also yet when we are to act this Precept of Love or Charity we shall finde interest and covetousness so to sway us in making of Objections against such as do really need it that it will in the end amount to very little even as in like manner Pride and Interest are always ready to defeat the duty of Obedience by one objection or other against the person commanding or the Command it self Thus Children and Servants being told of those Texts of obey in all things or the like will presently answer that by all things must be understood onely things lawful For else our Father or Master may command us to do contrary to the Laws of our Prince and Country he may command us to Kill to Steal c. And the like answer we must also expect from some who live under the notion of Subjects but have no minde to be so to wit That no man is bound to such implicite obedience as is by me formerly set down nor the subject obliged to obey his King commanding contrary to the Law of God and Nature And then assuming
thou didst receive it why dest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it that is since Christ hath given his power in the Church to us in chief and to all others as subordinate why should they act without us as though they had not received it from us Why should you in your popular fancy of underived power thick to raign as Kings without us For although we have suffered our selves to be accounted weak and despised that ye might be strong and honorable and also to try if by any means we might win you yet it is not to deny that we have as your father just power to command you and therefore I write not to shame you for your neglect but as my beloved sons to warn you that I may not have occasion to come with a rod but in love and in the Spirit of meekness as I have always done And therefore although S. Paul do now beseech them to be followers of him as the only way to be of the same mind and of the same judgement yet it is but what he might as an Apostle of Christ have been bold in and have commanded them in Christs name and what they as commanded in the Lord that is by the stewards of the Mysteries of God nay as labourers together with God in this building and husbandry ought to obey And therefore is it that S. Paul faith I praise you brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you even as I the Disciple or Follower of Christ have by vertue of my Mission from him appointed you Not as some would have it follow me no farther in any thing then you find me following Christ because this had been to overthrow all he had said before and to have given new toleration to schism under pretence of following Christ For if men be not followers of those their Supreme Heads that are followers of Christ but will make divisions by honouring God their own way then will the Author of peace be made the Author of confusion whilst some in their publike worship have a Psalm some a doctrine a Revelation and Interpretation c. to the overthrow of all true publike worship and service for want of uniformity No otherwise then if the same person in the manner of his return of thanks and service to God should be distracted in himself and not wholly intent on the thing he is about for as there are private benefits for which we are separately to be thankful so are there national ones to in which our prayers and praises are to agree by publike appointment And this is the reason why writing to the Ephesians of our publique duties of praising God he presently enjoyns them submission as the only means to make it right and uniform Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord giving thanks always for all things unto God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ submitting your selves one unto another in the fear of God which is the same with let every soul be subject unto the higher power because they are of God And so he goes on to state obedience in all the present Christian relations that is of wives children and servants as unto Christ and as to the Lord and not to men But by his beginning with the duty of wives and staying so long upon it we may well conceive him to have herein a particular drift to set forth under the figure of womens obedience to their husbands as their heads each Churches obedience to its Husband or Head under Christ who is the head of the whole Church his spouse of which more hereafter As for the authority of that office of Priesthood so far as related to sacrifice and legal Ceremonies none make doubt of its abolition under the Gospel Whose Ministers or Preachers being now Ministers of the Spirit not of the letter themselves can by no pretence as heretofore shewed claim external jurisdiction and obedience As for the other office of Prophet it had indeed a continuance for some time in the Christian Church whilst it was in its weak condition as a necessary means to give them and their guides direction what to do in their continual distresses Thus is S. Pauls bands and ensuing death prephesied to happen in those times For as there could not under a good space of time be a sufficient number of able persons found to receive Ordination and so to be disposed of for the peculiar care of Churches as now but in this their unsetled and weak condition Christ himself by the means of the promised Holy Ghost being necessitated extraordinarily to endue men with several gifts for general edification in the absence of humane learning it was no wonder if this gift of prophesie did many times come along therewith since all proceeded from the same spirit Yet although this gift of prophesie were thus necessary to be held up from Christ for the support and direction of his Church during her weakness and infancy yet being usually accompanied with the gift of Doctrine and Instruction also it afterwards came to pass that Prophesie and Doctrine did come to signifie the same thing as in that place where it is said No prophesie of scripture is of private interpretation And indeed the predictions themselves were but instructions for those they were addressed unto how to guid themselves according as those events should happen So that it being but instruction in an object and busisiness more remote it was no wonder that the notion of Prophet came afterwards to signifie the same with the Preacher as also the word Prophesie the same with Doctrine even as the Minister or Deacon to comprehend the like function of instruction also But however even in those times there was still subordination nor was it in the power of those Prophets or any other to take on them to settle any Doctrine or Church order against or without Apostolical leave namely the leave of that general Father or Head of the Church under whom they had received their first Christian foundation and who was thereupon as a Master builder to have power over each workman that undertook their spiritual edification As was intimated to the Corinthians where S. Paul complains of this abuse in the practices of such as had ventured to build on that foundation without leave which he as head of the Church had first laid saying according to the grace of God given me have I laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every man take beed how he buildeth thereupon And this right of Government and Authority to be given to those persons from and under whom they had been taught and brought to Christianity we may find noted in those two forementioned places to the Hebrews where the first admonition for obedience to such
certain nobleman went into a far Country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return and he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said occupy till I come By which is set forth that trust of power which in his absence should be committed to the several Heads of Churches But his Citizens hated him and sent a message after him saying we will not have this man raign over us Where we may see Antichrianism stated and defined that is when such as are members of Christs Church or his Citizens do so far express their hatred unto him as to deny his deputed Christs to Raign or have power over them And therefore after he hath taken the accompt of his Deputies trusted talents he then comes to censure these Rebels against his Vice-gerents just as if they had been so to himself saying But these mine enemies which would not that I should raign over them bring them hither and slay them before me And that this sentence was directly intended to such as refuse this his power in his Deputies and not of his Deputies disobedience to him appears in that S. Matthew setting down the like Parable of trusted talents but without mention of the particular fact of the Citizenâ— hath no such expression in his relation thereof although he record afterwards Christs owning his Ministers as himself as elsewhere shewed So that now who is a lyar but he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ he is Antichrist that denieth the father and the Son It is not said he that denieth the Holy Ghost or he that denyeth Jesus that is the belief of his Saviourship for this being wrought inwardly by the work of the Holy Ghost it maketh its denial or refusal more properly the sin against the Holy Ghost casting Christ forth from within us as an unholy thing but offending against Christs regency or power over us outwardly offends also against Charity and so by destroying Monarchy or Union hinders our wel fares here as infidelity doth our welfares hereafter And that this mysterie of Antichristianism is the denial of the Father and the Son and that in regard of power to be exercised by persons here below and from them sent and empowered may be notably gathered from these very words of Mission and Delegation which Christ always used at the empowering of any from him using stil these speeches or the like He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me In which there being always mention of delegation of power from the Father and the Son and never from the Holy Ghost it comes to pass that Antichristianism is plainly opposition in the execution of such power as is from God the Father and Christ delegated In which delegation because Christ is to them the immediate Donor it therefore takes the name of Antichristianism For these being anointed and established by God in Christ although they are not to personate Christ in having dominion over ther faith as being the object thereof yet are they to personate Christ in claiming their obedience in all things and so forgive also as in the person of Christ lest Satan should have advantage over them as seeming to be done out of original power in themselves and not as acted in Christs Name and Authority So that now the means of accomplishment of our welfare here being by Christ reckoned as his service under the notions of Love and Charity and our obedience to him therein making us participants with him of what he meritoriously did in obedience to God in performance of the Moral Law for us it follows that as we deny the Holy Ghost in denial of Jesuship so also God the Father in denial of his Christ-ship For all things being ours through Christ and as through him that was both God and man all mankind came to be capable of the benefits and favor of the Godhead so single men being members of particular Churches through obedience to particular Christs under him come to be participant of Christ also and of those benefits promised to the whole Church his body under the condition of obedience Again as by faith we lay immediate hold on him the second Adam for forgiveness of original sin so by obedience to him and his Church we attain the benefit of his obedience and remission of actual sins In the first way by our particular offerings to him of inward faith and love we are all of us through Christ made Kings and Priests to God on our own behalfs in the second way we as members of particular Churches must have for what we do warrant and direction on from other Kings and Priests having therein Authority from him Nor are Kings Supreme Deputies as Christi only that is because their oyl and unction is ever in Scripture distinguished from what is ordinary but they are also his most immediate and eminent Deputies for execution and accomplishment of his Jesu-ship I mean so much of it as concerns the Churches temporal safety which was part of that work which as King Christ was to do as appears by that his speech The son of man came not to destroy mens lives but to save them But because it could not be personally compleated by that the son of man himself it must be presumed entrusted to those who to that purpose are so often in Scripture eminently adorned with this title of Saviour Nay it is taken as an office so proper to Kings that God for his peoples greater assurance puts himself under that notion The Lord is our king he will save us so likewise is Christ called A Prince and Saviour as he is also called the Saviour of the body that is of his whole Church by his deputed Saviours in the several parts thereof But most remarkably clear to this purpose and also to shew the following advancement of the Church by these Saviours under the Saviour and that this Church in that glorious condition is that which is to be called Gods Kingdom is that last verse of Obadiah And Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau and the kingdom shall be the Lords For the Prophet having before set forth the Churches enemies and oppressors under the notion of Edom doth at length foretel all their deliverance and glory to arise by the means of these Saviours and that in regard of this more eminent and glorious condition of the Church at that time then before it shall be more remaâ—kably owned by God as his Kingdom And the kingdom shall be the Lords And so being his and Christs by means of these Deputies it will follow that they that oppose them oppose Christ and so are Antichrists But to know these things the better and the persons defined we will more particularly take notice of two places set down amongst many in the New Testament to this purpose The one is of the lesser and many
S. Paul S. Peter and other of Christs own Disciples because not of them shall not be by them called Saints also no not so much as Mr. Paul c. Whenas if any Author is mentioned by them he hath the addition of Mr. as Mr. Calvin or the like And their excuse for not doing it is the greatest Argument of their pride which is because the Apostles in their parity used not to give these titles to one another therefore are they not to give it to them neither Concluding as it should seem that because they had now attained an equal pitch of sanctity with them they might thereupon say our brother Paul Peter or the like But they should remember that as God alone is the searcher of hearts in such sort as to to distinguish between men of the same outward profession and say Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile so is it becoming Christian Duty and Charity to leave men in these censures to stand or fall to their own Master To him that hath the Keys of Heaven and of Hell we must leave the judgement and distinction of those persons and their qualities that are fit for the one or the other Whereas to us that cannot discover the hypocrisie of persons nor tell who in the visible Church are of the Communion of Saints and who not it is no ways safe nor becoming to make these arrogant and deceivable distinctions so as to call some Saints count others cast-aways in regard of any secret tokens of Grace and Salvation by our selves discoverable Whereas our Saviour that could best foretel of these hypocrisies bids us have an especial regard to these kinde of men that should come in sheeps cloathing but inwardly were ravening wolves Yes ravening Wolves indeed even too plainly found to be such by those seditions and destructive courses which do every day appear to be the fruit of these Trees of shew In which respect although none on earth can judge of these hidden Graces and Endowments by which one man is preferred before another as a Citizen of Heaven yet so far as men are here to be Citizens in Christs Kingdom the Church in that respect there are again certain moral Vertues and qualities differently seated and appearing in the Meembers of each Church whereby the head thereof may in reference to publike Peace and Order judge one man better or more holy then another But because these sorts of men do usually raise their Discipline and Tenents by abusing some Texts and Phrases of Scripture as supposing them plainly appliable to their uses when they are therein but set down as mysteries we shall now shew some Reasons for the darkness therein sometimes used CHAP. XIII Of the Mystical Delivery of some Divine Truths and the Reason thereof SOme there are who contend very seriously and with many arguments to make it appear that that work of Creation which is to ordinary apprehensions set down to be the imployment of six days was wholly effected in one chiefly perswading themselves that the contrary assertions of allowing six days time was derogatory to the Almightiness of such an Agent as was occupied herein In those that oppose them there is as much invention used to shew why we should keep our selves to the belief of six days work and that the litteral sense of that story could import none other And truly were I to judge I should assign to these last the greater hold of truth as not deeming it a diminution to the sufficiency of any workman that is not bound by any thing besides his own will to be as long or as short a time as he pleaseth in the finishing of what he undertakes especially since it is not therewithal set down that he had not ability to do it sooner For if the dispatch of the Creation in one day should have argued Almightiness more then in six then they should have left him but one hour or rather but one minute for the doing thereof if they must suppose him measuring his Almightiness in his operations by the time of their production Therefore as the only will and good pleasure of God Almighty was at first the cause why all things were by him at all or in such and such manner created so was it also the only rule and guid that set measure and form to the way and means of their preservation and so consequently was it the reason why the several species of creatures came to be endued with such friendly aspects and inclinations as that they prosecuting the same naturally and continually should therewith also preserve and promote the good of their fellow creatures Which affection although to that end common to all was yet only necessarily and insensibly to themselves imposed on the lower sorts of things when as the most noble race of creatures which had more resemblance to him had also so much knowledge and will implanted as to enable them not only to be so far apprehensive as to be expresly thankful for these favours but also to furnish them with power for farther acquisition of things delightful and good and of avoidance of what was contrary as hath been heretofore observed In which course of liberty and freedom of will whereby the welfare of voluntary Agents comes to be referred to their own demeanor and guidance God makes another manner of condition with us men then he did with Angels For the Angels that fell he hath so abandoned in his justice that they cannot rise and these that do stand he hath so surrounded with his grace and providence that they cannot fall For they sinning actually and personally or else after the same manner continuing upright and obedient could not but from his justice or goodness expect personal sentence accordingly whereas to us men that sinned by imputation as transgressing in the originals and representatives of our kind we in our separate persons are neither irremediably censured to punishment nor yet to mercy or reward For although traduction made eternal death liable to all even to such as had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression yet forasmuch as we had not like our first Parents personally so sinned God appoints us another means and way of deliverance whereby it should come to pass that none should suffer for the fault of Adam in his actual disobedience against God but such as should personally afterwards incur that guilt of disobedience by renewing it against his Son Christ Jesus nor should the bite and contagion of that Serpent in Paradise prove mortal to any that should with the eye of faith look unto this Brazen Serpent for cure But then farther some of mankind being for their original fault as aforesaid in justice to be punished and some again in mercy to be freed it stood not agreeable to Gods impartial rule of administration particularly to appoint and prosecute any peremptory and unavoidable means of distinct saving of all those persons which shall hereafter
be taken into mercy because even thereupon the rest who could in Adam be looked upon but with equal guilt must have been unequally punished but it became expedient ordinarily to leave them free to the contrary As therefore that medicine or plaister which is made for any disease doth not cure by being but by being applyed so in this common cure of mankinde it became expedient that Christ should for application be freely offered to all that each mans destruction might be from his own fault and the means of salvation not forcably imposed on all that are saved to involve the rest in inevitable ruine Wherefore when we read of a Pharaoh hardned or a Paul particularly chosen by God for some special and extraordinary uses and to shew Gods freedom and power over his creature as the Potter over the clay we must not take it as his ordinary course No more then when in our fortunes and affairs of this life we find God sometimes making use of his good pleasure and power in more remarkably blessing and countenancing some particular Nations or persons more then ordinary we are thence to conclude that the good or ill fortune of each Nation in general or each person of that Nation in particular is not usually to be ascribed as left unto the guidance of their and his own judgement and will Which thing well considered might silence much controversie in point of Predestination But now upon the grounds before shewed it appearing fit that this general means of salvation should be in such manner set forth as all should not accept although offered nor none with just excuse deny we shall find reason why the name and notion of Mystery is so often applied both to the Gospel and Christ himself and why our Saviour was so frequent in parables Doubted it cannot be but that it stood within the compass of Gods Almightiness to have made such inward preparation of mans heart and to have so encreased the light and evidence of divine truth both by continuance of miracles and increase and plainness of discourse that it had been impossible for any one to have denied his assent and obedience thereunto For so even the unbelieving Jews and malicious Scribes and Pharisees that could not be convinced and brought to acknowledgement of the truth by those many other miracles wrought by our Saviour are yet professing that if he would shew one of their choosing that is Descend from his cross and save himself they would then believe on him also Whereas now by this offer of salvation in such a way as cannot by all be accepted or refused his mercy and justice in saving or punishing part of mankind are both preserved without partiality For thus when we find the Gospel preached to any particular Nation or People whereby God may have a Church or Company of men more expresly serving and praising him it is yet so ordered that the necessity of particular and definite persons believing unto salvation follows not thereupon for that the many resplendent beams of divine light and truth in scripture contained do so dazel and divert mens understandings that they prove for the most part unable truly to make use of and distinguish that direct beam pointing at their most necessary duties but pleasing themselves with the forms of godliness lose the true vertue and power thereof that should bring them to heaven When as on the contrary such sorts of people to whom so much hath not been given and have not so well known their Masters will shall by obedience to the substance of the Law written in their hearts prove themselves better Disciples of the two For these having never refused or opposed as the others have must therein be acknowledged as for him whilst not denying or against him And so because in works all we can call our own is absence of ill therefore faith being the gift of God absence of dis-belief frees us from condemnation where it is with innocence accompanied Upon which grounds it should follow that men in their future condition should be distinguished into three ranks that is first such as through actual faith in Christ attain remission by repentance and participation of the reward of heaven through imputation of good works done in his obedience The other of such as dis-believe him or else not knowing him do besides the miss of heaven pull upon themselves the deserved punishments of hell by breaches of charity in those punishments they bring on others The middle rank may be supposed of such as missing the desert and reward of heaven through want of actual faith in Christs merits do yet avoid the punishment and condemnation of hell by observing the substance of the Law which is love and avoiding those crimes that accompany actual and known disobedience and breach of Charity From which it might be farther gathered that had man continued innocent hell had not been for punishments of his charity nor a heaven appointed for the reward of his faith but being then led by the light of his uncorrupted nature as it would hâ—â—e kept him from guilt so the good he did through charitable propension being by her light done too and she having her object of benefit not higher then here below he could not merit beyond an earthly Paradise had not a divine person by owning our Charity as his made them more highly rewardable For so in the Gospel shall we find our Sentence at the last judgement running according to works and as works also done to or against our Saviour himself he answering Inasmuch as ye did it or did it not unto one of the least of these my brethren ye did it or did it not unto me But because now all men are more or less harmful and transgressors of the moral Law or Law of Providence this third middle condition is quite taken off And as men stand differenced in degrees of reward and punishment answerably as they have been faithful and charitable or otherwise So there being none that can say of himself he is at all times free from uncharitableness it follows that all without Christ must be liable in degree to future punishment also These things thus stated we may find reason why as there is a hell and heaven prepared for mankind so those qualities and conditions leading thereunto should rest for the most part in his own power and that as God is not to be accused for those punishments of the wicked in what he doth to the glorifying of his justice so that the rewards of the righteous may be the more to his honor in their services and obediences towards him he will have it done with and through as great difficulties as humane frailty is capable of even making his strength perfect in their weakness least they doing it as lead in too plain a way it might be objected in prejudice to Gods glory in their obedience as the Devil did to Job Do these serve God for nought