by decisive Iudicial â—entence Nor any Universal Civil Monarch of the world 2. The publick Governing Decisive judgement obliging others belongeth to publick persons or Officers Eph. 4. 7 13 14 15 16. of God and not to any private man 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. 17. 3. The publick decision of Doubts or Controversies about Faith it self or the true sense of Gods Word and Laws as obliging the whole Church on Earth to believe that decision or not gainsay it Acts 15. See my Key for Catholicks because of the Infallibility or Governing authority of the Deciders belongeth to none but Jesus Christ Because as is said he hath made no Universal Governour nor Infallible Expositor It belongeth to the Law-giver only to make such an Universally obliging Exposition of his own Laws 4. True Bishops or Pastors in their own particular Churches are Authorized Teachers and Guides in Expounding the Laws and Word of Christ And the people are bound as Learners to reverence their Teaching and not contradict it without true cause yea and to believe them fide humanâ in things pertinent to their Office For oportet discentem credere 5. No such Pastors are to be Absolutely believed nor in any case of notorious Error or Heresie where the Word of God is discerned to be against them 6. For all the people as Reasonable creatures have a judgement of private discerning to judge what they must Receive as Truth and to discern their own duty by the help of the Word of God and of their Teachers 7. The same power of Governing-Iudgement Lawful Synods have over their several flocks as a Pastor over his own but with greater advantage 8. The power of Judging in many Consociate Churches who is to be taken into Communion as Orthodox and who to be refused by those Churches as Hereticks in specie that is what Doctrine they will judge sound or unsound as it is Iudicium discernendi belongeth to every one of the Council â—ingly As it is a Iudgement obliging themselves by Contract and not of Governing each other it is in the Contracters and Consenters And for peace and order usually in the Major Vote But with the Limitations before expressed 9. Every true Christian believeth all the Essentials of Christianity with a Divine faith and not by a meer humane belief of his Teachers though by their Help and Teaching his faith is generated and confirmed and preserved Therefore no essential Article of Christianity is left to any obliging decision of any Church but only to a subservient obliging Teaching As whether there be a God a Christ a Heaven a Hell an Immortality of souls whether God be to be believed loved feared obeyed before man Whether the Scripture be Gods Word and true Whether those that contradict it are to be believed therein Whether Pastors Assemblies publick Worship Baptism Sacrament of the Lords Supper be Divine institutions And the same I may say of any known Word of God No mortals may judge in partem utramliâ—et but the Pastors are only Authorized Teachers and helpers of the peoples faith And so they be partly to one another 10. If the Pope or his Council were the Infallible or the Governing Expositors of all Gods Laws and Scriptures 1. God would have enabled them to do it by an Universal Commentary which all men should be obliged to believe or at least not to contradict For there is no Authority and Obligation given to men yea to so many successively to do that for the needful decision of Controversies which they never have Ability given them to do For that were to oblige them to things impossible 2. And the Pope and his Council would be the most treacherous miscreants on earth that in so many hundred years would never write such an Infallible nor Governing Commentary to end the differences of the Christian world Indeed they have judged with others against Arrius that Christ is true God and one with the Father in substance c. But if they had said the contrary must we have taken it for Gods truth or have believed them 11. To judge who for Heresie or Seandal shall be punished by the Sword belongeth to none but the Magistrate in his own dominions As to judge who shall have Communion or be excommunicated from the Church belongeth as aforesaid to the Pastors And the said Magistrate hath first as a man his own Iudgement of discerning what is Heresie and who of his subjects are guilty of it in order to his publick Governing Judgement 12. The Civil Supream Ruler may Antecedently exercise this Judgement of Discerning by the Teaching of their proper Teachers in order to his consequent sentences on offenders And so in his Laws may tell the subjects what Doctrines and practices he will either Tolerate or punish And thus may the Church Pastors do in their Canons to their several flocks in relation to Communion or non-communion 13. He that will condemn particular persons as Hereticks or offenders must allow them to speak for themselves and hear the proofs and give them that which justice requireth c. And if the Pope can do so at the Antipodes and in all the world either per se or per alium without giveing that other his essential claimed power let him prove it by better experience than we have had 14. As the prime and sole-universal Legislation belongeth to Jesus Christ so the final Judgement universal and particular belongeth to him which only will end all Controversies and from which there is no appeal Quest. 29. Whether a Parents power over his Children or a Pastor or many Pastors or Bishops over the same Children as parts of their flock be greater or more obliging in matters of Religion and publick Worship THis being toucht on somewhere else I only now say 1. That if the case were my own I would 1. Labour to know their different Powers as to the matter commanded and obey each in that which is proper to his place 2. If I were young and ignorant Natural necessity and natural obligation together would give my Parents with whom I lived such an advantage above the Minister whom I seldome see or understand as would determine the case de eventu and much de jure 3. If my Parents commanded me to hear a Teacher who is against Ceremonies or certain Forms and to hear none that are for them natural necessity here also ordinarily would make it my duty first to hear and obey my Parents And in many other cases till I came to understand the greater power of the Pastors in their own place and work 4. But when I come to Church or know that the judgement of all Concordant Godly Pastors condemneth such a thing as damnable Heresie or Sin which any Father commandeth me to receive and profess I would more believe and follow the Judgement of the Pastors and Churches Quest. 30. May an Office Teacher or Pastor be at once in a stated Relation of a Pastor and a
their power of the Rod or supposing that they had none such p. 802 Q. 27. What are Christs appointed means of the Unity and Concord of the Universal Church and consequently of its preservation if there be no humane Universal Head and Governour of it upon Earth And if Christ hath instituted none such whether prudence and the Law of Nature oblige not the Church to set up and maintain an universal Ecclesiastical Monarchy or Aristocracy seeing that which is every mans work is no mans and omitted by all p. 802 Q. 28. Who is the Iudge of controversies in the Church 1. About the Exposition of the Scriptures and Doctrinal points in themselves 2. About either Heresies or wicked practices as they are charged on the persons who are accused of them That is 1. Antecedently to our practice by way of regulation 2. Or consequently by judicial sentence and execution on â—ffenders p. 803 Q. 29. Whether a Parents power over his Children or a Pastors or many Pastors or Bishops over the same Children as parts of their stocks be greater or more obliging in matters of Religion and publick Worship p. 804 Q. 30. May an office Teacher or Pastor be at once in the stated relation of a Pastor and a Disciple to some other Pastor ibid. Q. 31. Who hath the power of making Church-Canons p. 805 Q. 32. Doth Baptism as such enter the Baptized into the Universal Church or into a particular Church or both and is Baptism the particular-Church-Covenant as such ibid. Q. 33. Whether Infants should be Baptized I have answered long ago in a Treatise on that Subject Q. What Infants should be Baptized And who have right to Sacraments And whether Hypocrites are univocally or equivâ—cally Christians and Church-members I have resolved in my disput of Right to Sacraments p. 806 Q. 34. Whether an unbaptized person who yet maketh a publick profession of Christianity be a member of the visible Church And so of the Infants of believers unbaptized ibid. Q. 35. Is it cértain by the word of God that all Infants baptized and dying before actual sin are undoubtedly saved or what Infants may we say so of p. 807 Q. 36. What is meant by this speech that Believers and their seed are in the Covenant of God which giveth them right to Baptism p. 812 Q. 37. Are believers Children certainly in Covenant before their Baptism and thereby in a state of salvation or not till they are baptized p. 813 Q. 38. Is Infants title to Baptism and the Covenant benefits given them by God in his Promises upon any proper moral condition or only upon the condition of their natural relation that they be the seed of the faithful ibid. Q. 39. What is the true meaning of Sponsors Patrimi or God Fathers as we call them and Is it lawful to make use of them p. 814 Q. 40. On whose account or right is it that the Infant hath title to Baptism and its benefits Is it on the Parents Ancestors Sponsors the Churches the Ministers the Magistrates or his own p. 815 Q. 41. Are they really baptized who are Baptized according to the English Liturgie and Canons where the Parent seemeth excluded and those to consent for the Infant who have no power to do it p. 817 Q. 42. But the great question is How the Holy Ghost is given to Infants in Baptism and whether all the Children of true Christians have inward sanctifying grace Or whether they can be said to be justified and to be in a state of salvation that are not inherently sanctified and whether any fall from this Infant state of salvation p. 817 Q. 43. Is the right of the Baptized Infants or adult to the sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost now Absolute or suspended on further conditions And are the Parents further duty for their Children such conditions of their Childrens reception of the actual assistances of the spirit or Are Childrens own actions such conditions and May Apostate Parents forfeit the Câ—venant benefits to their baptized Infants or not p. 821 Q. 44. Doth Baptism always oblige us at the present and give grace at the present and is the grace which is not given till long after given by baptism or an effect of baptism p. 823 Q. 45. What is a proper violation of our Baptismal Covenant p. 824 Q 46. May not baptism in some cases be repeated And when ibid. Quest. 47. Is baptism by Lay men or women lawful in cases of necessity or are they nullities and the person to be rebaptized p. 825 Q. 48. May Anabaptists that have no other errour be permitted in Church Communion p. 826 Q. 49. May one offer his Child to be baptized with the sign of the Cross or the use of Chrisms the white garment milk and honey or Exâ—rcisms as among the Lutherans who taketh these to be unlawful things ibid. Q. 50. Whence came the antient universal Custome of Anointing at baptism and putting on a white garment and tasting milk and honey and Whether they are lawful to us p. 827 Q 51. Whether it be necessary that they that are baptized in infancy do solemnly at age review and own their baptismal Covenant before they have right to the state and priviledges of Adult members and if they do not Whether they are to be numbred with Christians or Apostates p. 827 Q. 52. Whether the Universal Church consist only of particular Churches and their members p. 828 Q. 53. Must the Pastor first call the Church and aggregate them to himself or the Church first Congregate themselves and then choose the Pastor p. 829 Q. 54. Wherein doth a particular Church of Christ differ from a consociation of many Churches ibid. Q. 55. Whether a particular Church may consist of more Assemblies than one or must needs meet all in one place ibid. Q. 56. Is any form of Church-Government of Divine Institution p. 830 Q. 57. Whether any formes of Churches and Church-Government or any new Church-officers may lawfully be invented and made by maâ— p. 832 Q 58. Whether any part of the proper Pastoral or Episcopal power may be given or deputed to a Lay man or to one of any other office or their proper work may be performed by such p. 839 Q. 59. May a Lay man Preach or expound the Scriptures or what of this is proper to the Pastors office p. 840 Q 60. What is the true sense of the distinction of Pastoral power in foro interiore exteriore rightly used ibid. Q. 61. In what sense is it true that some say that the Magistrate only hath the external Government of the Church and the Pastor the Internal p 841 Q. 62. Is the tryal judgement or consent of the Laity necessary to the admittance of a member into the universal or particular Church ibid. Q. 63. What power have the people in Church Censures and Excommunication p. 842 Q. 64 What is the peoples remedy in case of the Pastors male-administration ibid. Q. 65. May one be a Pastor
any such necessary p. 916 Q. 173. What particular Directions for Order of Studies and Books should be observed by young Students who intend the Sacred Ministry p. 917 Q. 174. What Books should a poor man choose that for want of money or Time can have or read but few There are three Catalogues set down but somewhat disorderly as they came into my memory 1. The smallest or Poorest Library 2. A poor Library that hath considerable Additions to the former 3. Some more Additions to them for them that can go higher With some additional Notes p. 921 TOME IV. Christian Politicks CHAP. I. GEneral Directions for an Upright Life p. 1 The most passed by on necessary reasons CHAP. II. A few brief Memoranda to Rulers for the interest of Christ the Church and mens salvation p. 5 CHAP. III. Directions to Subjects concerning their duty to Rulers p. 9. Of the Nature and Causes of Government Mr. Richard Hookers Ecclesiastical Policy as it is for Popularity examined and confuted Directions for obedience Duty to Rulers Q. Is the Magistrate Iudge in Controversies of faith or worship p. 20. Q. 2. May the Oath of Supremacy be lawfully taken in which the King is pronounced Supream Governour in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil p. 20. Q. 3. Doth not this give the Pastors power to the Magistrate Q. 4. Hath the King power of Church Discipline and Excommunication Q. 5. If Kings and Bishops differ which must be obeyed Q. Is he obliged to suffer who is not obliged to obey p. 25. Of admonition of Rulers Q. 1. Whether the sound Authors of Politicks be against Monarchy Q. 2. Whether Civilians be against it Q. 3. Are Historians against it Greek Roman or Christian Q. 4. Whether Athens Rome Aristotle Philosophers Academies be against it Q. 5. Are Divines and Church discipline against it Q. 6. Is Scripture and Christianity against it Objections answered Q. Are Papists Prelatists and Puritans against it Bilson and Andrews Vindication of the Puritans Christianity is the greatest help to Government Further Directions Tit. 2. Q. Whether mans Laws bind the Conscience Q. Is it a sin to break every Law of man More fully answered p. 36 37 CHAP. IV. Directions to Lawyers about their Duty to God p. 39 CHAP. V. The Duty of Physicions p. 43 CHAP. VI. Directions to Schâ—olmasters about their duties for Childrens souls p. 44 CHAP. VII Directions for Souldiers about their duty in point of Conscience Princes Nobles Iudges and Iustices are past by lest they take Counsel for injury p. 46 CHAP. VIII Advice against Murder p. 50. The Causes of it Wars Tyranny malignant persecuting fury Unrighteous judgement oppression and uncharitableness Robbery Wrath Guilt and Shame Malice and Revenge wicked Impatience Covetousness Ambition c. The Greatness of the sin The Consequents Tit. 2. Advice against Self-murder The Causes to be avoided Melancholy worldly trouble discontent passion c. p. 54. Besides Gluttony Tipling and Idleness the great Murderers CHHP. IX Directions for the forgiving of injuries and enemies Against wrath malice revenge and persecution Practical Directions Curing Considerations Twenty p. 56 CHAP. X. Cases resolved about forgiving wrongs and debts and about self defence and seeking â—ur Right by Law or otherwise p. 61 Q. What injuries are we bound to forgive Neg. and Affir resolved Q. 2. What is the meaning of Matth. 5. 38 c. Resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee c. p. 63 Q. 3. Am I bound to forgive another if he ask me not forgiveness Luke 17. 3 c. p. 64 Q. 4. Is it lawful to sue another at Law 1 Cor. 6. 7. Q. 5. Is it lawful to defend our lives or estates against a Robber Murderer or unjust Invader by force of Arms Q. 6. Is it lawful to take away anothers life in defending my purse or estate only p. 65 Q. 7. May we kill or wound another in defence or vindication of our honour or good name p. 66 CHAP. XI Special Directions to escape the guilt of persecution Determining much of the Case about Liberty in matters of Religion p 67. What is persecution The several kinds of it The greatness of the sin Understand the Case of Christs interest in the world Q. Whether particular Churches should require more of their members as Conditions of Communion than the Catholick Church and What Penalties to be chosen that hinder the Gospel least More Directions to the number of forty one CHAP. XII Directions against Scandal as Given p. 80. What Scandal is and what not The sorts of scandalizing The Scripture sense of it Twenty Directions CHAP. XIII Directions against Scandal taken or an aptness to receive hurt by the words or deeds of others Especially quarrelling with Godliness p. 88. or taking encouragement to sin Practical Directions against taking hurt by others p. 90. CHAP. XIV Directions against soul-murder and partaking of other mens sins p. 92 The several wayes of destroying souls How we are not guilty of other mens sin and ruine CHAP. XV. General Directions for furthering the salvation of others p. 95 CHAP. XVI Special Directions for holy Conference Exhortation and Reproof Tit. 1. Motives to holy Conference and Exhortation p 97 Tit. 2. Directions to Christian edifying discourse p. 100 Tit. 3. Special Directions for Exhortations and Reproofs p. 101 CHAP. XVII Directions for keeping Peace with all men How the Proud do hinder Peace Many more Causes and Cures opened p. 103 CHAP. XVIII Directions against all Theft fraud or injurious getting keeping or desiring that which is anothers p. 107 Tit. 2. Cases of Conscience about Theft and such injuries Q. 1. Is it sin to steal to save ones life Q. 2. May I take that which another is bound to give me and will not Q. 3. May I take my own from an unjust borrower or possessor if I cannot otherwise get it Q. 4. May I recover my own by force from him that taketh it by force from me Q. 5. May we take from the Rich to relieve the poor Q. 6. If he have so much as that he will not miss it may I take some Q. 7. May not one pluck ears of Corn or an Apple from a Tree c. Q. 8. May a Wife Child or Servant take more than a Cruel Husband Parent or Master doth allâ—w May Children forsake their Parents for such Cruelty Q. 9. May I take what a man forfeiteth penally Q. 10. What if I resolve when I take a thing in necessity to make satisfaction if ever I be able Q. 11. What if I know not whether the Owner would consent Q. 12. May I take in jeast from a friend with a purpose to restore it Q 13. May I not take from another to prevent his hurting himself Q. 14. May I take away Cards Dice Play-books Papist-books by which he would hurt his soul. Q 15. May not a Magistrate take the Subjects goods when it is necessary to their own preservation Q 16. May I take from
and not under the scandal of Heresie Schism or gross corruption among those that live about 4. That it be under the countenance and encouraging favour of the Christian Magistrate 5. That it be the same Church of which the rest of the family which we are of be members That Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants be not of several Churches 6. That the Pastors be able Teachers prudent Guides and of holy lives and diligent in their office 7. That the Pastors be regularly called to their office 8. That the members be intelligent peaceable and of holy temperate and righteous lives But when all these cannot be had together we must choose that Church which hath those qualifications which are most needful and bear with tolerable imperfections The most needful are the first second and sixth of these qualifications Prop. 27. He that is free should choose that Church which is the fittest for his own edification that is The best Pastors people and administrations Prop. 28. A mans freedom is many wayes restrained herein As 1. When it will tend to a greater publick hurt by disorder ill example division discouragement c. 2. When superiours forbid it Of these things I have said so much in my Cure of Church Divisions and in the Defence of it and in the end of my Reas. of Christ. Relig. Consect 1. 2. that I pass them over here with the more brevity As Husbands Parents Masters Magistrates 3. By some scandal 4. By the distance or inconvenience of our dwelling 5. By differences of Judgement and other causes of contention in the said Churches And many other wayes Prop. 29. A free man who removeth from one Church to another for his edification is not therefore a Separatist or Schismatick But it must not be done by one that is not free but upon such necessity as freeth him Prop. 30. It is schism or sinful separation to separate from 1. A true Church as no true Church 2. From Lawful Worship and Communion as unlawful But of this more in its proper place Quest. 2. Whether we must esteem the Church of Rome a true Church And in what sense some Divines affirm it and some deny it WAnt of some easie distinguishing hath made that seem a Controversie here which is so plain â—â—â—â— Mr. Bur 〈…〉 â—nd 〈…〉 's contest hereabout that it can hardly be any at all to Protestants if the question had been but truly stated Remember therefore that by a Church is meant not a meer company of Christians any how related to each other but a society consisting of an Ecclesiastical Head and Body such as we call a Political society 2. And that we speak not of an Accidental Head such as the King is because he Governeth them suo modo by the sword for that is not an Essential Constitutive Part But of a Constitâ—tive Ecclesiastical Head and body 3. That the question is not Whether the Church of Rome be a Part of the Church but whether it be a true Church And now I answer 1. To affirm the Church of Rome to be the Catholick or Universal Church is more than to affirm it to be a true Catholick Church that is a true part of the Catholick Church and is as much as to say that it is the whole and only Church and that there is no other which is odious falshood and usurpation and slander against all other Churches 2. The Church of Rome is so called in the Question as it is a Policy or Church in a general sense And the meaning of the Question is Whether it be a Divine or a Humane or Diabolical Policy A Lawful Church 3. The Church of Rome is considered 1. Formally as a Church or Policy 2. Materially as the singular persons are qualified It is the Form that denominateth Therefore the Question must be taken of the Roman Policy or of the Church of Rome as such that is As it is one Ruler pretending to be the ☞ Vicarious constitutive Governing Head of all Christs Visible Church on earth and the Body which owneth him in this Relation 4. Therefore I conclude and so do all Protestants that this Policy or Church of Rome is no true Church of Christs Instituting or approbation but a Humane sinful Policy formed by the Temptation of Satan the Prince of Pride deceit and darkness The proof of which is the matter of whole loads of Protestant Writings And indeed the proof of their Policy being incumbent on themselves they fail in it and are still fain to fly to pretended false Tradition for proof in which the Sophisters know that either they must be Judges themselves and it must go for truth because they say it or else that if they can carry the Controversie into a Thicket or Wood of Fathers and Church History at least they can confound the ignorant and evade themselves Of this see my Disput. with Iohnson and my Key for Catholicks c. 5. The Bishop of the English Papists Smith called Bishop of Chalcedon in his Survey cap. 5. saith To us it sufficeth that the Bishop of Rome is St. Peters successour and this all the Fathers testifie and all ☞ the Catholick Church believeth But whether it be jure Divino or humano is no point of faith The like hath * System Fidâ—i Davenport called Fransc. à Sancta Clarâ more largely By this let the Reader judge whether we need more words to prove their Church to be such as Christ never instituted when the belief of their Divine right is no part of their own faith 6. If the Church of Rome in its formal Policy be but of humane institution it is 1. Unnecessary to salvation 2. Unlawful Because they that first instituted it had no Authority so to do and were Usurpers For either the makers of it were themselves a Church or no Church If no Church they could not lawfully make a Church Infidels or Heathens are not to be our Church-makers If a Church then there was a Church before the Church of Rome and that of another form And if that former form were of Christs institution man might not change it If not who made that form And so on 7. Our Divines therefore that say that the Church of Rome is a True Church though corrupt do not speak of it formally as to the Papal Policy or Headship but materially 1. That all Papists that are visible Christians are visible Parts of the universal Church 2. That their particular Congregations considered abstractedly from the Roman Headship may be true particular Churches though corrupt which yet being the only difficulty shall be the matter of our next enquiry Quest. 3. Whether we must take the Romish Clergy for true Ministers of Christ And whether their Baptism and Ordination be nullities I Joyn these two distinct Questions together for brevity 1. As True signifieth Regularly called so they are commonly Irregular and not True Ministers But as True signifieth
by a Pars Gubernans gubernata If not it 's no Church save equivocally If so should not the Pars regens which is constitutive have been put in If private men joyn together c. it makes but a community 2. A right to Gospel Ordinances is supposed but need not be in the definition 3. The enjoying of them is not essential to a Church The Relation may continue when the enjoyment is a long time hindered 4. Among them is a very ambiguous word Is it among them in the same place or in the same Countrey or Kingdom or in the same world If you difference and define them not by Relation to the same Bishops or Pastors and by intended Personal holy Communion your description confoundeth the universal Church as well as the National with a Particular Church For the whole Christian world is a Society of men joyning together in the visible profession of the true faith having a right to and enjoying among them the Ordinances of the Gospel Obj. A Nation joyning in the profession of Christianity is a true Church of God whence it evidently followeth that there must be a form of Ecclesiastical Government over a Nation as a Church as well as of Civil Government over it as a society governed by the same Laws For every society must have its Government belonging to it as such a society And the same reason that makes Government necessary in any particular Congregation will make it necessary for all the particular Congregations joyning together in one visible society as a particular national Church For the unity and peace of that Church ought much more to be looked after than of any one particular Congregation c. Answ. 1. From one absurdity many follow our Controversie before was but of the Name If an Accidental Royal or Civil Head may equivocally denominate an ecclesiastical society and we grant you the use of an equivocal name or rather the abuse you will grow too hard upon us if thence you will gather a necessity of a real Ecclesiastical policy besides the Civil Names abused insert not the things signified by an univocal term 2. You must first prove the form of Government and thence inferr the denomination and not contrarily first beg the name and then inferr the Government 3. If yet by a form of Ecclesiastical Government you meant nothing but the Kings extrinsick Government which you may as well call also a form of School-Government of Colledge Government c. we would grant you all But if I can understand you you now speak of Ecclesiastical Government as distinct from that And then 4. You are now grown up from a may be to a must be and necessity And a greater necessity of one National Ecclesiastical Government than of a Particular Church Government which being undeniably of Christs Institution by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles you do not make all forms to be indifferent or deny this to be jure divino What! necessary and more necessary than that which is jure divino and yet indifferent and not jure divino If you say It is necessary only on supposition that there be a national Church I answer But your reasons evidently inferr that it is also necessary that there be such a National Church where it may be had Though you deny the necessity of Monarchical Government by one High Priest in it But I know you call not this a form of Government unless as determinately managed by one many or most But why a national spiritual Policy as distinct from Congregational may not be called a form of Government as well as One mans distinct from two over the same people I see not But this is at your liberty But your Necessity of such a National Regiment is a matter of greater moment In these three senses I confess a National Church 1. As all the Christians in a Nation are under one Civil Church Governour 2. As they are Consociated for Concord and meet in Synods or hold correspondencies 3. As they are all a part of the universal Church cohabiting in one Nation But all these are equivocal uses of the word Church the denomination being taken in the first from an Accident In the second the name of a Policy being given to a Community agreeing for Concord In the third the name of the whole is given to a small integral part But the necessity of any other Church headed by your Ecclesiastical national Governour personal or Collective Monarchical Aristocratical or Democratical I utterly deny and find not a word of proof which I think I have any need to furnish the Reader with an answer to 5. And your judgement in this is downright against the constitution Canons and judgement of the National Church of England For that they use the Word in the senses allowed by me and not in yours is proved 1. From the visible constitution in which there is besides the King no distinct Ecclesiastical Head For the Arch-bishop of Canterbury is not the proper Governour of the Arch-bishop of York and his Province 2. From the Canons Can. 139. A National Synod the Church Representative Whosoever shall affirm that the Sacred Synod of this Nation in the name of Christ and by the Kings authority assembled is not the true Church of England by representation let him be excommunicated c. so that the Synod is but the Representative Church And therefore not the Political Head of the Church whether it be the Laity or the whole Clergy or both which they Represent Representation of those that are no National Head maketh them not a National Head 3. From the ordinary judgement of Episcopal Divines maintained by Bishop Bilson and many others at large against the Papists that all Bishops jure divino are Equal and Independant further than humane Laws or Agreements or difference of Gifts may difference them or as they are bound to consociation for Concord 6. How shall I deny not only the Lawfulness but the necessity of such a Papacy as really was in the Roman Empire on your grounds I have proved against W. Iohnson that the Pope was then actually but the Head of the Imperial Churches and not of all the World And if there must be one National Ecclesiastical Head under one King why not one also in one Empire And whether it be one Monarch or a collective person it is still one Political person which is now in question Either a Ruling Pope or a Ruling Aristocracy or Democracy which is not the great matter in Controversie 7. And why will not the same Argument carry it also for one Universal visible Head of all the Churches in the World at least as Lawful At least as far as humane capacity and converse will allow And who shall choose this Universal Head And who can lay so fair a claim to it as the Pope And if the form be indifferent why may not the Churches by consent at least set up one man as well as many
that nothing is of it self and directly any part of the Christian Religion which is not there 6. It instituteth those Sacraments perfectly which are the seals of Gods Covenant with man and the delivery of the benefits and which are the Badges or Symbols of the Disciples and Religion of Christ in the World 7. It determineth what Faith Prayer and obedience shall be his appointed means and Conditions of Justification Adoption and Salvation And so what shall be Professed and Preached in his name to the World 8. It is a perfect Instrument of donation or Conveyance of our Right to Christ and of Pardon and Justification and Adoption and the Holy Spirits assistances and of Glory As it is Gods Covenant promise or deed of gift 9. It instituteth certain Ministers as his own Church officers and perfectly describeth their office as instituted by him 10. It instituteth the form of his Church Universal which is called his body And also of Particular holy societies for his Worship And prescribeth them certain Duties as the Common Worship there to be performed 11. It determineth of a weekly day even the first to be separated for and used in this holy Worship 12. It is a perfect General Rule for the Regulating of those things which it doth not command or forbid in particular As that all be done wisely to edification in charity peace concord season order c. 13. It giveth to Magistrates Pastors Parents and other Superiours all that power by which they are authorized to oblige us under God â—o any undetermined particulars 14. It is the perfect Rule of Christs Judging Rewarding and punishing at last according to which he will proceed 15. It is the only Law that is made by Primitive Power 16. And the only Law that is made by Inâ—allâ—ble wisdom 17. And the only Law which is faultless and hath no thing in it that will do the subject any harm 18. And the only Law which is from Absolute Power the Rule of all other Laws and from which Psal. 12. 6. 19. 7 8 9 10. Psal. 119. there is finally no appeal Thus far the holy Scripture with the Law of nature is our perfect Rule But not in any of the following respects 1. It is no particular revelation or perfect Rule of natural Sciences as Physicks Metaphysicks c. 2. It is no Rule for the Arts for Medicine Musick Arithmetick Geometry Astronomy Grammar Râ—eâ—orick Logick nor for the Mechanicks as Navigation Architecture and all the Trades and occupations of men no not Husbandry by which we have our food 3. It is no particular Rule for all the muâ—able subordinate duties of any societies It will not serve instead of all the Statutes of this and all other Lands nor tell us when the Terms shall begin and end nor what work every Parent and Master shall set his Children and Servants in his family c. 4. It is no full Rule in particular for all those Political principles which are the ground of humane Laws As whether each Republick be Monarchical Aristocratical or Democratical What person or of what Family shall Reign Who shall be his Officers and Judges and how diversified so of his Treasury Munition Coin c. 5. It is no Rule of Propriety in particular by which every man may know which is his own Land or house or goods or Cattle 6. It is no particular Rule for our natural actions what meat we shall eat what Cloaths we shall wear So of our rest labour c. 7. It is no particular Law or Rule for any of all those Actions and Circumstances about Religion or Gods own Ordinances which he hath only commanded in general and left in specie or particular to be determined by man according to his General Laws But of these next Quest. 131. What Additions or humane Inventions in or about Religion not commanded in Scripture are lawful or unlawful Answ. 1. THese following are unlawful 1. To feign any new Article of faith or doctrine any Deut. 12. 32. Rev. 2â— 18. Col. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. 16 17. Mat. 15. 3 8 9. Gal. 1. 8 9. Jer. 5. 12. Jer. 14. 14. 23 25 26 32. Ezek. 13 9 19. 22. 28. Zeâ—h 13. 2 3 4 5 6. precept promise threatning prophesie or revelation and falsly to father it upon God and say that it is of him or his special Word 2. To say that either that is written in the Bible which is not or that any thing is the sense of a Text which is not and so that any thing is a sin or a duty by Scripture which is not Or to father Apocryphal Books or Texts or words upon the spirit of Christ. 3. To make any Law for the Church universal or as obligatory to all Christians which is to usurp the soveraignty of Christ For which treasonable Usurpation it is that Protestants call the Pope Antichrist 4. To add new parts to the Christian Religion 5. To make any Law which it did properly belong to the Universal Soveraign to have made if it should have been made at all Or which implyeth an accusation of ignorance oversight errour or omission in Christ and the holy Scriptures 6. To make new Laws for mens inward Heart-duties towards God 7. To make new Sacraments for the fealing of Christs Covenant and Collation of his benefits therein contained and to be the publick Tesserae Badges or Symbols of Christians and Christianity in the World 8. To feign new Conditions of the Covenant of God and necessary means of our Justification Adoption and salvation 9. To alter Christs instituted Church-Ministry or add any that are supra-ordinate co-ordinate or derogatory to their office or that stand on the like pretended ground and for equal ends 10. To make new spiritual societies or Church-forms which shall be either supra-ordinate co-ordinate Gal. 2. 5. or derogatory to the Forms of Christs Institution 11. Any impositions upon the Churches be the thing never so lawful which is made by a pretended Act. 15. 28 24 25. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. 1 Cor. 14. 5 12 26. 2 Cor. 12. 19. Eph. 4. 12 16 1 Tim. 1 4. power not derived from God and the Redeemer 12. Any thing that is contrary to the Churches good and Edification to justice charity piety order unity or peace 13. Any unnecessary burden imposed on the Consciences of Christians especially as necessary either to their salvation communion liberty or peace 14. And the exercise of any power pretended to be either Primitive and underived or Infallible or Impeccable or Absolute 15. In general any thing that is contrary to the Authority matter form obligation honour or ends of the Laws of God in Nature or Scripture 16. Any thing which setteth up those Judaical Laws and Ceremonies which Christ hath abrogated in that form and respect in which he abrogated them 17. Where there is a doubt among sober Conscionable Christians lest in obeying man they should sin against
and shadow of felicity the world puts off its followers with How they act their parts as Players on a stage and they that in a dream or Mask did yesterday seem Princes Lords or Conquerours to day are buryed in a darksome grave And they that yesterday seemed great and rich to day have no more of their furniture or possessions than a Coffin and a Winding-sheet and a place to hide their lothesome flesh And they that yesterday were merry and jovial and in health and honour to day lye groaning in painful misery and are leaving their dear bought beloved riches never to be delightful to them any more How little doth it concern them that must dwell in Heaven or Hell for ever whether they live in wealth or poverty in honour or shame in a Palace or a Cottage in pain or pleasure for so short a time as this transitory life which is almost at an end as soon as it is begun How many millions of dying Parents have cryed out of the world as VANITY and VEXATION and yet their besotted posterity admire it and through the love of it lose their souls and everlasting hopes They boast or rejoyce in the multitude of their Riches as if their houses would continue for ever though in their honour they abide not but are like the beasts that perish and death feedeth on them when like sheep they are laid in the grave And though this their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings and follow them by the same sin to the same Perdition Psal. 49. 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 19 20. And is this a world for a holy soul to be in love with Hath it merited our affections Doth it love us so much or use us so well that we should be lothe to leave it Iohn 15. 18 19 20. As it loved our Lord it will love his followers As it used him it will use us if he restrain it not Is a blinded Bedlam world a malitious cruel and ungodly world a false perfidious deceitful world a place for 1 John 2. 15. John 15. 17 18 19 20. a Saint to be lothe to leave O blessed be that Love that Blood that Grace which hath provided better for us And shall we be unwilling to go to so sweet a Feast and to partake of a happiness which cost so dear Come on then Dear Friend and faint not at the last and fear not to encounter with the King of Post illam pugnâ—m tâ—â—umphabimus Victoâ—es eâ—m nostro Signiâ—ero in vita aeterna Diu in Christum credidi Desidero jam finem fide ut non â—mplius credam in eum sed videam eum in quem credidi ut gustem quam suavis sit Dominus palpem manibus Dominum meum Deum meum Ibi vocabor Abraham qui laetatur videns diem Christi Exper us sum quod in â—âc vitâ peccatum sit omnia in omnibus Experiar etiam aliam vitam ubi est Dominus omnia in omnibus Abr. Bâ—choltze rfâ—â—â—â—ate Abr. Scâ—lâ—eto ia Cuâ—ic vitae suae pag. 15. fears It is the last enemy and it is a conquered enemy Conquer this and you have no more to conquer Lift up your head and look to your Victorious Reigning Lord Gird up the loins of your mind and let faith and patience hold out yet a little while and play well this last part and all 's your own If the Tempter now assault your faith and sinking flesh do give him any advantage abhorr his blasphemies and cry for help to him that conquered him Do you think yonder high and spacious 1. mansions are uninhabited When every part of Sea and Land hath its inhabitants Why have those blessed Angels been so long employed in ministring for you but to let you know that your souls are not so distant from them but that they are glad of familiarity with you and you may be like them Luke 20. 26. or equal with them in felicity Nature hath put you out of doubt that there is a God of Infinite Eternal Being Power Wisdom and Goodness who is the Efficient Dirigent and Final Cause of all the Creator and Governour of the world And the same Nature hath put you out of doubt that All that his Creatures have or can do is due to him from whom they have it and that so far as you are capable to Know and Love and Serve him that you should employ your faculties herein And nothing is more undenyable to you than that it is our Duty to Love and Serve our God with all our heart and soul and might And it is as clear to you that neither are these Powers given us in vain nor this Duty required of us in vain nor yet that mans Natural highest Duty is made to be the way of his misery and undoing And sure that way which turneth the mind from sensual pleasures and casteth a man on the 2. malice and cruelty of the world and engageth him in so much duty which both the flesh and the world are utter enemies to would be his misery and torment if there were no Rewards and Punishments hereafter and no future Judgement to set all strait that seemed crooked in the judgements of men If all the intrinsick evidences of credibility in the Sacred Word were not sufficient If all the cntecedent Evidences of Prophecy were too little If the concomitant Evidence of all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles and other of his servants with his own Resurrection and Ascension did seem too distant from you yet mark what subsequent continued Evidences it hath pleased God to bring even to your very sense to assure you of the truth of his Gospel and of the life to come Whence 3. cometh that Universal unreasonable enmity which in all Generations and Nations of the world from Cain and Abel till this day is found in the Carnal against the Spiritual holy seed Even a Seneca telleth us of it among Heathens against that remnant of vertue and temperance and sobriety that was found in the better sort of men Could all mankind be thus infected and hate a Saint that never hurt them much more than those that themselves confess to be most vitious if the fall of Adam were not true Have we a whole world before our eyes that are visibly polluted with that irrational Leprosie and yet shall we doubt whether our common Father was sick of that disease And do you not see that 4 the Gospel where ever it is heartily entertained doth renew the soul and change the life and make the man to be another man not only amending some little things that were amiss but making us new creatures and turning the bent of heart and life another way Though the carnal nominal Christian that never heartily received the Gospel do differ from a Heathen but in opinion and formality yet serious Christians are other men and so transformed as that their holy desires
Offer of pardon to all that it is revealed to But it is an Actual Pardon to those that come in and conferreth on them the benefits of the Act as if they were named in it and is their very Title to their pardon of which their Consent is the Condition and the Condition being performed the Pardon or Collation of the benefit becometh particular and actual without any new act it being the sense of the Law it self or Conditional Grant that so it should do So as to the reality of the Internal Covenant-interest and benefits Iustification and Adoption it is ours by vertue of this Universal Conditional Covenant when we perform the condition But as to our Title in foro Ecclesiae and the due solemnization and Investiture it is made ours when Gods Minister applyeth it to us in Baptism by his Commission As the Rebel that was fundamentally pardoned by the Act of Oblivion must yet have his personal pardon delivered him by the Lord Chancellor under the Great Seal In this sense Ministers are the instruments of God not only in declaring us to de pardoned but in Delivering to us the pardon of our sins and solemnly investing us therein As an Attorney delivereth possession to one that before had his fundamental Title Thus God entreth into Covenant with man § 10. VI. The Qualifications of absolute Necessity to the Validity of our Covenant with God in Quis vero non doleat Baptismo plerosque adultos initio passim nostro tempore non raro ante persundi quam Christianam Catechesin vel mediocriter tenâ—ant neque an flagitiosae superstitiosae vitae poenitenâ—ia tangantur neque vero id ipsum quod accipiunt an velint accipere satis constet Acosta l. 6. c. 2. p. 520. Nisi peâ—ant instent Christianae vitae professione donandi non sunt Idem p. 521. And again While ignorant or wicked men do hasten any how by right or wrong by guile or force to make the barbarous people Christians they do nothing else but make the Gospel a scorn and certainly destroy the deserters of a rashly undertaken faith Id. ibid. p. 522. foro interiore are these 1. That we understand what we do as to all the Essentials of the Covenant For ignorantis non est consensâ—s 2. That it be our own act performed by our Natural or Legal selves that is some one that hath power so far to dispose of us as Parents have of their children 3. That it be Deliberate sober and rationall done by one that is compos mentis in his wits and not in Drunkenness madness or incogitancy 4. That it be seriously done with a real intention of doing the thing and not histrionically ludicrously or in jeast 5. That it be done entirely as to all essential parts for if we leave out any essential part of the Covenant it is no sufficient consent As to consent that Christ shall be our Iustifier but not the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier 6. That it be a Present consent to be presently in Covenant with God For to Consent that you will be his servants to morrow or hereafter but not yet is but to purpose to be in Covenant with him hereafter and is no present covenanting with him 7. Lastly It must be a Resolved and Absolute Consent without any open or secret Exceptions or Reserves § 11. VII The Fruits of the Covenant which God reapeth though he need nothing is the Pleasing of his Good and Gracious Will in the exercise of his Love and Mercy and the Praise and Glory of his Grace in his peoples Love and Happiness for ever The fruits or Benefits which accrew to man are unspeakable and would require a Volume competently to open them Especially that God is our God and Christ our Saviour Head Intercessor and Teacher and the Holy Ghost is our Sanctifier and that God will regard us as his own and will protect us preserve us and provide for us and will govern us and be our God and Joy for ever that he will Pardon us Justifie and Adopt us and Glorifie us with his Son in Heaven § 12. Direct 2. When you thus understand well the Nature of the Covenant labour to understand the special Reasons of it The Reasons of the Matter of the Covenant you may see in the fruits and benefits now mentioned But I now speak of the Reason of it as a Covenant in genere and such a Covenant in specie 1. In General God will have man to receive Life or Death as an Accepter and Keeper or a Refuser or Breaker of his Covenant because he will do it not only as a Benefactor or Absolute Lord but also as a Governour and will make his Covenant to be also his Law and his Promise and Benefits to promote obedience And because he will deal with man as with a free agent and not as with a bruit that hath no choosing and refusing power conducted by Reason Mans life and death shall be in his own hands and still depend upon his own will though God will secure his own Dominion interest and ends and put nothing out of his own power by putting it into mans nor have ever the less his own will by leaving man to his own will God will at last as a Righteous Judge determine all the world to their final Joy or Punishment according to their own choice while they were in the flesh and according to what they have done in the Body whether it be good or evil Matth. 25. Therefore he will deal with us on Covenant-terms § 13. 2. And he hath chosen to Rule and Judge men according to a Covenant of Grace by a Redeemer and not according to a rigorus Law of works that his Goodness and Mercy may be the fullâ—er manifested to the sons of men and that it may be easier for man to Love him when they have so wonderful demonstrations of his Love And so that their service here and their work and happiness hereafter may consist of Love to the Glory of his Goodness and the Pleasure of his Love for ever § 14. Direct 3. Next understand rightly the nature use and ends of Baptism Baptism is to the Direct 3. mutual Covenant between God and man what the solemnization of Marriage is to them that do before Consent or what the Listing a Souldier by giving him Colours and writing his name is to one that Consented before to be a Souldier In my Universal Concord p. 29 30. I have thus described it See the Râ—formed â—â—yturgiâ— pag. 68. External Baptism what Baptism is a holy Sacrament instituted by Christ in which a person professing the Christian faith or the Infant of such is Baptized in water into the Name of the Father the Son and Holy Ghost in signification and solemnization of the holy Covenant in which as a Penitent Believer or the seed of such he giveth up himself or is by the Parent given up to God the Father Son and Holy