Magistraticall administration of their object is to bring men in soule and body to live together in the plentifull enjoyment of all good things honestly peaceably and safely one with another 6 That the fundamentall right unto a Ministeriall administration is to be called thereunto as Aaron was Heb. 5. 4. And that the fundamentall right unto a Magistratical administration is to be in the place of power and obliged to look to others and see right done among them as Moses was Exod. 2. 11 12 13. 14. compared with Acts 7. 23 24. 25. 7. That the properties of the Ministeriall right unto the administration of their object in their charges are chiefly twofold their due qualifications for their employment and their lawfull entry upon the charge of souls committed unto them Their qualification for their employment must be such as the Apostle doth require it to be 1 Tim. 3. v. 1. till 8. and Tit. 1. v. 6. till 10. And their entry upon the charge of souls committed unto them must be such as Christ doth require it to be John 10 v. 1 2 7 8 9. 8. That the properties of the Magistraticall right unto the administration of their object in their charges are chiefly a threefold preeminencie viz. a preeminencie over the persons of all men that all soules must be subject unto the higher powers Rom. 13. v. 1. A preeminency over the might and strength of all men that none may resist the higher powers Rom. 13. 2. and a preeminencie over the goods and possessions of all men that every one is bound to pay them tributes and taxes Rom. 13. 6. 9. That the wayes of the ministerial administration of their Charge are mainly three and no more Instructive Persuasive and Declarative Instructive to work upon the understanding that which is rational to manifest truth unto it Persuasive to work upon the will and affections by intreaties promises and threatnings the sence of good and evill to cause it imbrace the one and fly from the other Declarative to denounce in Gods name from his undoubted word his expres will to move the Conscience to yield obedience thereunto that is either to be comforted or to be afflicted as the Kingdom of Heaven is either opened or shut upon it by the declared will of God towards it 10. That the wayes of the Magistratical Administration of their Charge are Directive Legislative and Coercive to order the wayes of their Subjects in righteousnes Directive by Councel and Instructions to set subordinate Officers a work towards their Subjects to lead them unto the performance of their duties and prevent disorders Legislative by Lawes and Ordinances to let all men know the just duties which are to be observed towards all men in all cases relating the safety of the society and the indempnity of every one belonging thereunto from each other Coercive to right all things that are amisse by distributing rewards and punishments to every one as they do deserve 11. That this Magistratical function may be in a Heathen man for the good of a Common-wealth and although it may be in the hands of such a man or men that Christian Ministers and Professors ought nevertheles to acknowledge him or them in the place to be their lawful Magistrates to respect them to pray for them and to submit themselves unto them either actively or passively as their Commands shall be consistent with a good Conscience under the rules of Christianity Hitherto I have offered that wherein I suppose an agreement will be found in respect of the coexistence and distirction of the employments now I shall go a step further and offer that also wherein I suppose we shall agree in respect of the concurrence of the employments under Christ for his ends upon Mankind here then I suppose it will be granted 12. That it is as lawful for a Christian man to be a Magistrate as it is expedient for him to be rational and necessary to be a true sociable man by nature for as the profession of Christianity doth neither make void the use of reason nor abolish the true life of nature but sanctifies the one and the other and exalts both to an use wherein God is glorified by them so the rules of Government in a sociable life and the rational principle of good order in nature are no wayes cast off or neglected by the Rules of Christianity but exalted and made subservient to the highest way of happines 13. That in a whole society of men every thing is proportionably to be allowed which in one man cannot be disallowed as therefore the life of right reason and true nature are not inconsistent in one single man but concurrent with Christianity to make him truly happy so in a society of men to become a State and to be governed by Magistrates according to the Rules of reason and the principles of good order in nature is no wayes inconsistent but wholly concurrent with the frame and life of a Christian society although Christianity abstractively in it self is nothing else but the Rule of a spiritual life whereby we are directed to follow Christs foot-steps that we may come to God by him as new Creatures separate from the world 14. That a Christian being a Magistrate in a Christian State although all his Subjects in respect of Christ and the way of the heavenly profession are his Brethren and in that respect his equals yet by this he doth loose nothing of the natural right and properties of this place which God hath given to a very Heathen over Christians but gaineth rather thereby an enlargement of his preeminency and an additional right and gracious priviledge to his place which is at least threefold First the right to be more beloved and honoured than if he were a meer Heathen Secondly the priviledge to become a nursing Father to the Church of God to provide for it all things outwardly comfortable and to protect it Thirdly the preeminencie of being Christs Vice-gerent in the outward frame of the society by which meanes he hath an influence to see things ordered according to his known will in the Common-wealth and to sway things to the best frame in the publique profession for the body of the society and an obligation laid upon him not to see and suffer Christs name to be dishonoured and his Ordinances blasphamed so farre as by his place he can hinder it without constraining and persecuting any man for the enjoyment of his Conscience whereby he doth not give any publike offence 15. That a Christian being a Magistrate although his professiō doth ad these priviledges to him in his Magistracy yet his Magistracy doth not exalt him above the Church of Christ that he should have a right to cōmand any thing therein after his own wil as in humane affaires for Christ only who is the head hath authority to command in the Church and those that either teach for Doctrines the Commandements of men or impose those Commandements upon
enter into the lists of Conscience and Reason to walk by a Rule therein they may be discovered to be Hypocrites and Fools and consequently unworthy of the conscionable and rationall entertainment which is due unto the ingenuous professors of Christianity and Morality The subject of the Discourse Give me leave then to acquaint you or rather him whosoever he is it maketh no matter to me God accepteth no mans person who is preparing to take up the bucklers in this Cause with the way wherein I purpose God willing to meet him that he may fit himself either to go along with me in it or to shew me a more direct path to walk in Love and Truth wherein I shall promise to follow him because the Prophet saith that two cannot walk together except they be Amos 3. 3. agreed Give me then leave I say to acquaint him that to prevent needlesse controversies and vain jangling and to finde out Peace and Truth in a just debate my way shall be determined and circumscribed by two sorts of Rules which if he cannot except against and rectifie he will be obliged to observe The parts thereof By the first sort of Rules I prepare and order my thoughts before I suffer them to enter upon a Debate By the second I direct them in a right way of proceeding after they are entred thereupon The Preparative Rules towards a Debate are mainly foure whereof The first is concerning the Subject whereof the Debate is to be undertaken The second is concerning the end for which it is to be prosecuted The third concerning the point of difference wherein the doubt doth lye And the fourth is concerning the way of handling the point of doubt to finde a decision thereof Of these I shall briefly shew you what I conceive my self obliged to observe What to be considered concerning the subject of a Debate First concerning the subject whereof a Debate is offered the main thing which I look upon therein is the naturall worth of the matter with the effects and accidentall consequences of the handling thereof that I may know whether it be operae-pretium and that it deserves to be handled yea or no. And that I may make a true estimate hereof I use to consider chiefly three things 1. The nature and kinde of things whereunto the subject doth or doth not belong 2. The recommendation which it hath or hath not from God unto my conscience 3. The ordinary or extraordinarie influence which the right or wrong handling thereof may have upon the spirits of men to affect them to good or evill with powerfull motions If then I find that the subject in its nature and kind doth not belong to the sphere of my profession that it hath no recommendation from Gods Word either in generall or particularly and in expresse terms to be layed to heart and that it hath no powerfull influence either upon mine own spirit or upon the spirits of others to affect the same one way or other I use not to meddle with it for I judge it not worth the handling but if it hath any of these properties or all of them and I finde that doubts are rationally raised about it I think my self bound to discusse the same when they are offered unto me and it is seasonable so to do Now the reason why I think myself obliged to make this or some such like estimate of every subject before I entertain it is lest unawares I might become as one of those of whom the Apostle in his dayes warned Timothie who turned aside 1 Tim. 1. 6 7 unto vain jangling and desiring to be teachers of the Law understood neither what they said nor whereof they affirmed And we see that since his dayes many of the Schoolmen and other brain-sick controverters in our Age have done and still do the like What to be considered about the end for which a Debate is taken up Secondly concerning the end for which a Debate is to be prosecuted I judge thus that except I can perceive the conference to be intended towards the use of edifying whereunto we are commanded to direct all our communication I shall not Eph. 4. 29. meddle with it but rather protest against it and that I may not be mistaken concerning that which is intended towards 1 Cor. 10. 31. the use of edifying I take the measure of mine own and other mens aimes by two Rules the first is If either the matter in it self is not fit to manifest some part of Gods glory or if the aime of those that handle it is not set professedly to shew forth that part of his glory which the matter offers then I conclude that the handling of it is not intended for edification The second is if the matter it self is fit to be reduced to the end of the commandment and those that handle it professe to advance that end by it Which is charity out of a pure 1 Tim. 1. 5. heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained then I conclude that it is intended for edification because Charity doth edifie 1 Cor. 8. 1. And the exact observation of these two Rules in reflecting upon our own spirit to examine and set our heart aright by them is so absolutely necessarie that in all matters of debate wherein men pretend to knowledge it will be impossible for any man to avoid the snares of his own naturall pride except he can take up this course to quiet and wean his spirit from it for the naturall use of all knowledge doth puffe us up Whence it is that without this spirituall restraint 1 Cor. 8. 1. we shall unavoidably fall into the condemnation of those whom the Apostle doth characterise to be proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words of which cometh envy strife railings evill surmisings perverse disputings the proper works of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth From such and such practises he exhorts us to withdraw our selves for we see daily by dolefull experience that the profane and vain bablings whereby men study onely to 2 Tim. 2. 16. please themselves and discredit others do increase unto more ungodlinesse If therefore the end of the debate should not be clearly determined by the forenamed Rules and considerately taken up in the fear of God seeing the beginning of Prov. 17. 14. strife is like the letting out of water I can foresee that I might be heedlesly hurried into a labyrinth of endlesse controversies as I finde some others are whose hands are against every body and every bodies hands are against them Except therefore he that shall take up the Debate will conscionably and rationally shew to me as I shall do to him where he will rest and at what mark he will shoot I will not be obliged to run after him as uncertainly or to fight with him as one that beateth the aire Why the point of difference is to be carefully
is able to put forth his hand in some extraordinary way to lead us in a path which yet we have not known a path which godly men will be capable to discern from his word wherein it is revealed and which by his Spirit will be The hope of a remedy to be found in it Isa 35. 6 7. chap. 43. 19 20. Isai 51. 3. manifested graciously unto them For the promises upon which I raise this hope are large plain and oft-times repeated For it is said not only that he will make a way in the wildernesse where no path is and give streams of waters that is comfortable refreshments in the deserts but that he will make the wildernesse of his Sion his Church and her waste places like unto Eden and her Desert like the Garden of the Lord. The failings therefore and humane frailties of the people that seeke him in truth shall not bring upon them a perpetuall desolation as the back-sliding of the wicked shall doe unto hypocrites but when their wildernesse is Isai 41. 18 19 20. become a poole of water and their dry lands springs of water the Lord will plant the Cedar the Sittah and the Mirtle-trees together with the Firre-tree the Pine-tree and the Box therein that all may see and know and understand that the Lord hath done it and the holy One of Israel hath created it Then also shall the weake hands of the inhabitants of Jerusalem be strengthened and their feeble knees confirmed the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deafe be unstopped and the lame shall leap like an Hinde and the tongue of the dumb shall Isai 35. 3 5 6. sing But before this can come to passe which is the effect of the binding up of the breach of his people and the healing of the stroak of their wound it is evident that the Towers shall fall the Isa 30. 25 36. Isai 40. 4 5. valleys shall be exalted and the mountains and hills made low in the frame of the world that both in the Church and in the World the crooked may be made straight and the rough places plain for the glory of the LORD shall bee revealed and all flesh shall see it together Seeing then notwithstanding all the failings which have overtakē us whether on the right or left hand we have stil this dore of hope opened to support our spirits that if we walk work with God in his way he is able and willing to restore us let us lift up the hands which hang down the feeble knees and prepare a straight way even a high way in this desert for our God And to this effect among all the Proposals that can be made to the spirits of ingenuous men and upright-hearted Christians I know none more necessary for our case and seasonable at this time than to determine how at all times the Ministers of the Gospel ought to behave themselves in their charges towards their Magistrates for the publicke good which is the advancement of Gods glory by the redressing of things amisse and out of frame in Church and Common wealth For except this matter be made cleare to our conscience and the truth cleared made our practice there will be no judgement found in our goings justice will stand a-farre off and we shall never know the way to peace because true peace and lasting quietnesse Jer. 32. 17. is onely the work and effect of righteousnesse The Application of the Rules of the debate unto the present controversie To come then to a more speciall application of all this to the point in hand I say If a debate concerning my judgement That Ministers ought not to meddle with State-matters in their Pulpits shall be offered by any with a desire to dig deeper than I have done and goe to the root of the controversie I shall not wave a conference with them onely I shall desire that it may be agitated according to the Rules which I have mentioned or by some others if better can be shewed to edification Therefore in conformity to what hath been said heretofore I shall offer the question to bee stated indifferently thus The generall question or subject of debate Whether yea or no it doth belong to the Ministers of the Gospel of Christ to declare concerning the affaires of State which are the Magistrates employment their opinions in their Sermons touching the Gospel The aim which I shall set before mine eyes in taking this subject into consideration shall be onely this To finde out what the Rules of Love of Righteousnesse and of Peace are which at all times are observable mutually between the Ministers of Christ and their Christian Magistrates in the respective discharge of their duties towards the people over whom they are set The end for which it is to be considered and what the usefulnesse thereof is For seeing the Magistracy and the Ministery are the two great and Master-wheeles of all the publick States of the Christian world therefore we see that by the motions thereof if regular upon their own Axle-trees and duly correspondent one with the other all the affaires of humane societies are carried on successfully for the attainment of their eternall and temporall felicity both towards God and men But if their motions be either irregular within themselves or inconsistent with each other it is evident in all Ages that from thence the affaires of all societies become unsuccessfull and tend onely to the misery and desolation of mankind If then it be as no doubt it is expedient for us to discusse at this time that subject wherein both these are at once concerned to cleare our doubts therein that we may know what is just lawfull and commendable in the behaviour of the one towards the other and if we should intend to do this satisfactorily it wil be requisite that we should make a true discovery of the generall nature of the duties belonging to both their places as well in the respect of the mutuall relations as in respect of the outward actions of their charges which lead them respectively to the true ends of all their motions For by this generall discovery we shall finde grounds to come to the decision of any question in particular what ever it may be depending thereon for with other questions we have nothing to doe but if we take not the light which from thence may be gathered along with us our thoughts in every thing will be full of darknesse nor shall we find any path to walk in made plain before us I conceive therefore that this aim to seek out these Rules is to be taken up in this debate not onely that we may know what is necessary foredification in the main works of both administrations and that we may find a directory thereby leading us towards the resolution of our present doubt which is wrapt up in the ignorance of those fundamentals but also that we may circumscribe
Christ doth allow them in going about it to bear witnes to any thing else than to himself and his truth according to the Commission which is given them Luke 24. 46 47 48. Act. 1. 8. and 26. 18. Fourthly whether yea or no the Ministers of the Gospell are not expressely forbidden to apply themselves to any other testimony or doctrine then that which is according to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ by these places of Scripture 1. Tim. 4. 6 7. and 6. 3 4 5 20 21. and 2 Tim. 2. 14 15 16 17. and 1. Tim. 1. 3 4 5 6 7. Fiftly whether yea or no the Narratives Insinuations and Applications which are made of State matters in the sermons of some are not another kinde of testimony then the words of the Lord Jesus and whether those that deliver them in delivering the same speak the oracles of God which in the Church of God alone ought to be delivered 1 Pet. 4. 10. Sixtly supposing there were no such commandments and prohibitions limiting the service of Christ in the Gospell yet it will be granted that Ministers ought to understand the nature of their own office and employment and ought not to do that which is contrary thereunto and if so then we ought to reflect upon the positions which have shewed the coexistence the distinction and the concurrence of the Ministeriall and Magistraticall offices under Christ together with the properties of the Charge of the Administrations of the objects and of the fundamentall Rights of the Function to see whether yea or no such a medling with State matters is not wholly contrary thereunto Seventhly and lastly the proper end and effect of the work at which Christ doth aime by the Ministery of the Gospell and the direct meanes by which he hath appointed the end to be gained are to be considered and compared with the proper end and effect of this practise to see whether this practise doth not make voide the efficacie of those direct means and overthrow that end and if so then by the dictate of our Principles we may conclude this Practise to be utterly unlawfull Thus I have done with the Rules of Regulating this controversie and the method of bringing the doubt to a decision I think it not needfull nor fit at this time to descend any further to the particulars of the application but if any thing be offered in a sober way inducing thereunto I shall not be a verse from that which shall tend to edification Now I shall come to another kinde of application both of the whole and especially of the latter part of this Discourse unto our present state to see what from these grounds and this way both of searching after truths and of discovering duties may be gathered to redresse our disorders and prevent the increase of our calamities For I told you partly in the beginning of the whole Discourse partly at the entrie upon this last part thereof wherein I apply the Rules of debatement unto the subject in hand the aime which I have in handling these matters thus which is distinctly this The Application of the whole Discourse foregoing to such as pretend to debate matters learnedly First in the whole I intend to meet with the spirit of confusion and strife which hath taken possession of the minds of very many of my brethren in the profession whom notwithstanding I love and respect for that Truth which is in them I reverence and embrace for their many good parts and godly inclinations and for their humane failings and infirmities I heartily compassionate them in the bowels of Christ For many of them pretending to Learning to a bookish knowledge of other mens opinions and to a censuring faculty of all that is not agreeable to the notions which they have taken up in point of Theorie and to the interest of that party which they have embraced in point of practise are pitifully snared in holes and shut up in prison-houses and can look upon nothing in a streight line but one way they see all things through a multiplying glasse another through a diminishing prospective Towards these men my scope is upon this occasion first to prevent a needlesse controversie secondly to let them see a Model and true Method without by a sing if they can take it up so how to order their thoughts spiritually and rationally to find out truths in a profitable Controversie for indeed this is that which is most seriously to be recommended to the Ministers of the Gospel above all other men for seeing they are the men above others by whom the thoughts of all men are ordered in doubtfull cases therefore they ought to finde themselves obliged in conscience above other men not onely to be rightly and exactly ordered in all their thoughts and proceedings but also to be able in all things to give a satisfactory reason to their own conscience and to all conscionable and reasonable men an exact and full account of the Rules by which they order those thoughts and intellectuall proceedings by which they have so great an influence upon the spirits of other men He that must answer one day unto the Father of spirits for all the impressions which he works upon the spirits of his children ought to be very carefull and watchfull over his own spirit to discern the motions thereof that they may not be irregular this insight therefore in the ordering of our thoughts as in the presence of God chiefly in matters of debate for God is the finall Judge of all Controversies is one of the chiefest concernments that can be recommended unto Ministers in these times of disorder and confusion that they may be found faithfull in their places without blame and in peace before him who trieth the hearts and this is indeed the principall aime which I have in the Body of this Discourse to put my Brethren upon the search of the Rules by which they should walk in their hearts with him and to draw them forth to give us an account thereof before they take upon them to be many Masters lest they receive the greater condemnation I have a third aime also in the whole of that which hath been hitherto offered which is this to shew by the bye and collaterally the nature of our disorderly constitution and courses with the evils which we beget and foment in one another thereby both against the truth of Christianitie and against the wayes of Peace and Righteousnesse in the Common-wealth and herein my full designe is by a cleer example of a regular and orderly way of meditation to let some of those that have an high conceit of their own sufficiencie and Doctoralitie see how ignorant most men are of the high-way and plain path to reall wisdome and of the direct and easie method to resolve rationall doubts and consequently how little cause many have who think themselves no small Clerks to presume upon their bookish knowledge which yet I do not despise as
unprofitable in its own measure but this I must say of it that it will be found in end to be comparatively but a blockish scantie stinted and partiall way of learning which doth not contain the ten thousand million part of that knowledge which is attainable by another way which is plain easie to be followed and demonstrable to those that look upon the holy Scriptures as Christians ought to do to see Christ therein and Gods wayes towards man in him and that look upon the works of God in the world as rationall men ought to do to see the ordering of the creatures of their faculties and of their works towards their true ends whereby they relate unto God in Christ and the disordering of them as they are taken off from their true ends by missing of this Relation If this way of attaining to true learning and the method of searching into these veins of knowledge and of drawing waters out of these Wels were discovered the other way which is now so much followed and doth occasion most of our disputes and contestations would be found rather a matter of shew then of substance I do not deny but that the way of Collections and Reading hath its own usefulnesse if it be accompanied with the exercises of sound meditation and directed to its true end thereby but to make so much ado about it as some do to take upon them great matters by it and to stir up much dust and strife in it is one of the distracting vanities of our Age which leads us from the way of Truth and Peace Onely of pride cometh contention saith Solomon but with the well advised is wisdome Prov. 13. 10. And in another place With the lowly is wisdome whereas from pride cometh shame As pride and folly so contention and Prov. 11. 2. shame are inseparable companions And as the way to wisdome is to be well advised so nothing maketh a man so capable of good advise as the lowlinesse of his spirit It would be an easie matter to shew the truth of these Proverbs verified in the management of our ordinarie course of learning wherein there is no lowlinesse of spirit nor good advice to be found towards the attainment of wisdome but meer pride in things of no value which lead us through contentiousnesse unto shame I shall not now take into consideration the Principles the strains and the pinacles of the height whereupon the literature the Philosophie and the Divinity of the Schools is set and doth exalt the Doctors and Disciples thereof to a conceit of their own sufficiencie above those that are counted illiterate it were an easie matter to shew comparatively to the plain and lowly way of seeking knowledge the foolish emptinesse of those toilsome strains and the shamefull vanity which is in the affectation of and a pretension to a titular esteeme of learning before men by a Science falsly so called at this time it will be enough to say that which Christ said to the Pharisees when they derided his simplicitie That which is highly esteemed amongst Luk. 16. 15. men is abomination in the sight of God For these self-conceited wayes of learning are so far from making men either wiser or better then others that for the most part except God over-act and over-power them with speciall grace it makes them so much the more unserviceable to others by how much they strive to be set above them and at a distance from their capacities and so much the more incapable of the truth of wisdome and vertue for themselves by how much it sets them neerer to their own wit and further off from the simplicitie and humilitie which is in Christ Jesus This matter is a larger subject then now I am willing to enter upon nor is it yet seasonable to undertake it perhaps God will shew a way to meddle with these matters and offer occasions which shall be more free from offence then these times seem to afford for I am not willing either to joyne hands with the persecuters of learned men because they are learned or to be thought a favourer of those who now adayes are mad against all that looks towards or like Learning a generation of men that knowing nothing and yet presuming without Learning to know all think it their reproach that any should be thought more knowing then themselves and being led without any grounds or principles by their own meer whimseys can endure nothing that is like a settlement and looks towards the Regulating and composure of mens spirits For I confesse that upon the name of Learning too much dirt and contempt is cast alreadie though wrongfully as from such men yet deservedly as from God for by reason of the ambitiousnesse of those that unprofitably have walked in a vain shew of Learning and under a pretence thereof have sought nothing but ease plentie and pre-eminencie and by reason of the self-conceitednesse of those that partially walk still in strife about it and have made their Learning a seed of gall and wormwood to embitter and embroil the spirits of all Christendome for certain private opinions I say by reason of these abuses of the wayes of Learning which still continue amongst those that strive to be thought Masters of it God doth justly poure contempt upon them and will not cease to stain the pride of all their glory and their greatnesse by a full discovery of their shame till they shew themselves willing with all their devises and shews of greatnesse to be reformed and till all the monopolizing practises and covetous incroachments whereby the enlargement of common helps to true Learning towards all are enviously obstructed be taken out of the way and forsaken And in hope that this may be done we shall endevour without partialitie to sowe the seed which God hath put in our hand upon all waters Isa 32. 20. upon all sorts of people and upon all objects of knowledge Gal 6. 9. for we may expect that in due time we shall reap the fruit thereof if we faint not and this is the first part of my aime in the whole even to provoke such as are capable of these thoughts to peaceable and orderly meditations and humble thoughts concerning themselves in all matters of Debate The application of the latter part of the foregoing discourse is to all that in the Magistracy and Ministery pretend to walk by the rules of Love of Righteousnesse and of Peace Secondly in the last part of that which I have formerly insisted upon where I speak of the difference and concurrence of the Magistraticall and Ministeriall functions my purpose is by a search into the nature and Properties of both offices as in subordination unto Christ they relate each other to discover the Rules of Christian Love of Righteousnesse and of Peaceablenesse observable between them for the good of humane societies to the end that such as make conscience their Rule may see the path of Christianity
we are appointed to live and wherein all our works are to be done as a service unto him is righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost and he that in these things doth serve Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men saith the Apostle Rom. 14. 17 18. If then we serve not Christ in these things or intend them not at all how can we be called his servants or said to live in his kingdom The end of the whole profession of Christianity as to us men within our selves and in reference to one another 1 Ioh. 1. 4. is the fulfilling of our joy This end is attained when we partake of the righteousnesse and peace which is in Christ Jesus and when through his love we are moved and inabled to impart that which we do partake unto one another that by the enlargement of grace there may be a fulnesse of joy in all For all that professe the name and partake of the life of Christ have an interest in one another and as by their right and priviledge to him they may challenge from each other the consolation that is in him and the comfort Phil. 2. 1 2. of his love and the fellowship of his spirit so it ought to be one of their chief aimes in the common profession and indeed is the main of their duty therein to intend and to impart these things effectually towards one another which if they do not they neither serve Christ nor seek their own good in his kingdom but in very deed renounce him and his service and their interest in each other and the whole truth of the profession And if in all mens actions and at all times these Rules are so necessarie and fundamentally essentiall to Christianity that nothing can be acceptable to God nor profitable to men without the observance thereof then we must needs conclude that they are most of all necessarie in the chiefest actions of our chiefest men that are leaders in the profession and at the times of our greatest extremities and difficulties For if in such times we take not counsell at the mouth of the Law and of the testimony we can expect no dawning of the day of salvation nor morning Isa 8. 20. 22. light arising to us but in all our doubts we shall meet with easelesse grief and trouble in all our deliberations with endlesse confusion and disorder in all our difficulties with dimnesse of anguish and pain and by our own undertakings and counsels we shall be driven into darknesse and despair at last Now to the end that at this time and in the straits whereunto God hath brought us partly for our finnes partly to fit us for his Kingdom we may not miscarrie and fall into such sad inconveniences and that by the neglect of our duty let us come unto the third and last point of our disquirie which is to be the fruit and conclusion of all that hath been said hitherto And that is How these Rules are to be made use of to cure our diseases viz. By the discovery of our present condition To see in our present condition how these Rules should be observed by those that are in place to cure our distempers And to this effect I shall as briefly as may be look upon our present condition upon our distempers therein which are the causes of our disease and upon the Method of the cure by the application of the Remedie thereunto I am not ignorant that our present condition is differently understood by the severall parties whereinto we are fallen some look this way some that way upon it but all that can discern any thing which is to be seen or judge of the reasons of what they see may discern this of our condition that we are neither setled in nor much inclined to entertaine peaceable affections that we are strangely byassed and broken to pieces in our wayes and actings that most of us are beset outwardly with difficulties burdens on the one hand wants on the other and many possest inwardly with scrupulous perplexities about the way to be eased thereof And those that can judge may judge that the reason why our condition is thus at present is twofold First because we are many wayes discontented one with another in reference to that which is past on all sides Secondly because there is no agreement amongst us about the way of future settlement in expectation of what is to come and whatever any may think or hope upon spirituall grounds concerning the event of these evils wherof I can entertain I blesse God as great hopes as any yet sure it is that none can look with the eye of a Christian upon our present condition referring it unto God but he must confesse that we are under a visible judgement which may as well end in our utter destruction if God in mercy prevent it not as in a happy settlement nor can any rationall man be so sencelesse as not to perceive this to be a Truth nor is it credible that any true Christian will be so stupid as not to lay this Truth to heart And our behaviour therein before God to make it our happinesse If then in this case of dangerous unsettlement wherein the Master-builders are at variance and most that are under them seeme willing rather to pull down what others have built then by counsell to uphold joyntly what ought to be setled which is a sad presage we should every one seriously consider what becometh us in our places lest we be given over to delight in each others destruction let us reflect upon our wayes and order our behaviour rightly therein towards God and men that upon the discoverie of that which is a misse we may henceforth labour to make them such as beseems Christians For if we set our selves to murmure at the changeablenesse of humane affaires this is nothing else but to controul Gods counsell whereby he hath appointed that to be one of the speciall meanes of our felicitie if we murmure and fight against the afflictions which our outward man must suffer under these changes this is nothing else but to kick against the pricks and to strive in vain against the unalterable law of nature and if we set our selves to discover and condemn the faults of other men under these changes to trouble our selves and others at the supposed causes thereof rather then to finde out a way to redresse the same this is nothing else but maliciousnesse and madnesse but if in all these trialls and changes we studie the constant and equall rule of Christianity to order our wayes therein before God and men without partiality this is that which will make us truly happie in all our unsetlements for as concerning the state wherein at the present we are seeing it is evident that God by an extraordinary hand of judgement hath cast us into it as it is now unavoidable so to be under the changes thereof is not to be counted our
doth evince that in the 5. verse there must be instead of one which in our ordinary translation is expressed a double interrogation whereof the latter must run in this sense Doth the Spirit dwelling in us lust to envie as if he had said by no means 3. That the Spirit which is in the friends of the world doth lust to envy For it is clear that all worldlings are bent to lust after that which they would have so as that they envy others to have it it besides themselves and that is the thing which the Apostle here doth presuppose whereupon the question denying it to befall unto the spirit which dwelleth in the Saints is raised We must observe then that as the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world are opposite so their lusts tend to different ends and what is denyed of the one is affirmed of the other Whence we must further observe that the corruption and infection of our spirit in nature making our lust disorderly and contentious is originally self-love as it taketh us off from the love of our neighbour that is as it perverteth our intention from desiring that he may partake of that good which we wish for our selves for self-love is not otherwise vicious but as it confineth our intentions within our selves alone It is no sin to love ones self if we love our neighbour as our self The object of it Now the imaginary good thing which naturally between all parties as they are parties is the object of their mutuall envie is the Preeminencie for which they strive in comparison one of another that either they may subject others unto their will or at least exempt themselves from being subject to the will of others both which are most opposite unto the spirit of Christianity which doth not at all affect any dominion over others but rather doth set it self to serve and please others through love Even as Christ Jesus served us and pleased not himself but others to their edification Gal. 5. 13. Rom. 15. 3. Therefore his way and aime was was when hee walked amongst men not to joyne himselfe to any of the parties that then were a foot amongst his countrey men the Jewes but to walke indifferently and by one Rule towards all Nay he was not averse from conversing with the Samaritans themselves whom all other Jews did abhor as is apparent by I 〈◊〉 h 4. v. 5. till 45. that he might impart himself unto all freely in that which was good without envying the enjoyment thereof unto any It is therefore evident that if professours live in envie strife and division one with another they are not to be counted Christians that is spirituall but carnall And at the best they are no more but babes in Christ because therein they walk not as his disciples but as men all parties 1 Cor. 3. 2 〈◊〉 and partialities are amongst men as men of this world and not amongst men as Christians and their aime in the world is to deprive others of that good which they pretend to possesse as due unto themselves rather then to others Now as I said before the Imaginary good which a party as a party doth pretend unto in comparison of others who do oppose it is nothing else but to have the preeminencie in that where it is opposed Nor can men as men walk by any other rule but this because they can see no reason why they should deny themselves to give others the preeminencie above themselves none but Christians as Christians can understand that they ought to deny themselves take up a crosse and preferre the benefit of others to their own conveniencies onely because Christ did so towards us because this is the badge of his disciples and because by the new covenant we are bound to be conformable unto his image and to follow his footsteps Therefore no naturall man can say from his heart as the Apostle did to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4. 8 Now ye are full now ye are rich ye haue reigned as Kings without us and would to God ye did reign and again I pray to God that ye do no evil not that we should appear approved but that ye should do that which is honest though we be as Reprobates for we are glad when we are weak and ye are strong 2. Cor. 13. 7. 9. And again To the weak I became as weak 1 Cor. 9. 22. But it is otherwise amongst men for all strive to get strength in their own hand and make others weak all strive for the preeminence as in riches and in glory so for that which doth bring these things with it which is the trust to manage power and government in this world and truly if we look upon our selves as in the presence of God to see what we have been doing as men in this kind we cannot be so senselesse of our naturall inclinations as to think that we have not acted as parties one against another nor so unconscionable as not to be convicted and willing to confesse that in such actings the object of our partialitie and envie hath been the gaining of preeminencie to manage the trust of power and goverment above others or at least before them Our practise about that object It is not my work to judge of State affairs I am directly endeavouring to take off others to whom it doth not belong from the partiall judgements which they make thereof nor do I intend to please or displease any partie in the State for I hate partialitie with a perfect hatred as by that which I have here said may appear nor do I for any private designe seek to humour any body behold God is my witnesse in that which I shall say but intending at this time to drive this nail to the head I must not seem so stupid and brutish as not to take notice of Gods work and hand over us and not to see what the changes are which the Almighty hath brought upon this Kingdome and State which have given occasion to the spirit of envie to become active among us We cannot then but see that God hath permitted him in whose hand before these troubles the chief trust of government and power was to be deprived of the same and by what means this is come to passe is apparent unto all for first the management of affairs which he used being judged very prejudiciall to the safetie of the State by those unto whom the publick Reformation thereof was intrusted it then fell out that the trust of Government and Power was devolved by degrees upon those whom God did suffer in their places to act against him How this fell out I think none can be ignorant who hath been able to observe any thing For after that God had set up those who acted against him in their places by a right which the King himself conferred upon them to sit as long as they thought fit to manage their trust after that they were engaged
till 11. of his 4. Chapter And it is twofold the one proceeds from the consideration of Gods wayes of dealing with us the other from the practise of certain duties wherein we deal with our own souls and with God to be set in a right frame to-towards him Gods way of dealing towards us is considered as he is Liberall Just and Mercifull towards us v. 6. But he gives more grace wherefore he saith God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble Our duties in dealing with our own souls and with God tend first to free us from the temptations and from the inclinations unto our envious disposition and from the guilt of sinfulnesse lying on us thereby and secondly to restore us unto a comfortable condition in Gods presence The duties which will free us from the Temptations unto envy are v. 7. Submit your selves therefore unto God resist the Devil and he will flee from you The dutie which will free us from the inclinations unto envy is v. 8. Draw nigh to God and be will draw nigh to you And the dutie which wil free us from the guilt of sinfulnes which the spirit of envy doth bring upon us is Repentance described v. 8. and 9. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded be afflicted and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heavinesse And lastly the dutie whereby we are restored to a comfortable condition in Gods presence is humility before God ver 10. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up These are the ingredients of this Remedie which the Spirit of God hath prescribed and that they may become unto us an effectuall cure let us endeavour a more speciall application thereof unto the distempers of our humour How the consideration of Gods dealing with us doth remedie envie As concerning the consideration of Gods way towards us the Apostles words do intimate that if we have any respect unto him to observe what his dealing is with us either to imitate his goodnesse or to fear his justice or to hope for his mercie we should not give way to this distemper of envy for the Spirit of God by which he dwelleth in his Saints is no way envious of the good which befalleth unto any but he giveth more grace ver 6. In respect of his bounty to adde grace That is Gods Spirit is willing that grace should be increased and multiplied God doth adde grace to grace for of the fulnesse of Christ we all receive and grace for grace he giveth unto all men liberally and upbraideth not Iames 1. 5. And of this we have a clear example in Moses when Ioshua was envious at Eldad and Medads prophecying in the Campe because they came not to the tabernacle to be set about it in their order as the rest of the Elders were he desired that they should be forbidden to prophecie in the Campe as a place not fit for that exercise but Moses reproved him and said Envyest thou for my sake would to God all the Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Num. 11. 29. As if he had said farre be it from me to envy in them the grace of God which is free to him to bestow wheresoever he pleaseth farre be it from me to restrain the gift of prophecying bestowed upon any because they are not here about the tabernacle as if Gods Spirit were limited to this place and none might exercise their gift elsewhere no I shall desire rather the increase and inlargement of the gift and of the exercise thereof unto all This was Moses Spirit and would to God the prohibition which then was intended by Ioshua had never broke forth actually amongst us into the uncharitable designes of an undue restraint of our Brethren from the exercise of their gifts If Moses desire had been in our hearts a way might easily have been found how to regulate the course of universall prophecying unto the edification of all as the Apostle doth direct us 1 Cor. 14. 13. But now all our propheticall exercises and we amongst our selves thereby are fallen into confusion strife and disorderlinesse which God hath suffered to come upon us because of the iniquitie of that enviours spirit which brought an universall restraint upon all that came not up to a formall standing about the tabernacle which was but a meer outward constitution whereunto the conscience could not be brought into subjection If then we had enlarged the exercises of the spirit of prophecie in an orderly way as the Apostle would have that matter regulated 1 Cor. 14. 29. till 34. no doubt God would have blessed us with more peace then hitherto we have enjoyed but the pride of some to be alone in the propheticall eminencie and their envie against others who were as well worthy of respect in that behalf as themselves and the licentiousnesse of others who keep to no Rule of God or Men in their pretended walking by the Spirit hath brought all this disaster upon us and that justly for seeing we would not every one in our places imitate God in his goodnesse who doth adde more grace to enlarge by the communion of Saints and freedome of his Spirit the use of his blessings and gifts among us as he doth appoint therefore it is just we should now fall under the hand of his justice and by his righteous dispensation suffer that from others which by our dealing with them we have deserved which according to the Apostles Doctrine in this place is the reward which God doth render unto the proud In respect of his justice to resist the proud For the second thing which the Apostle offers to be considered in Gods way is the act of Justice That he resists the proud v. 6. The proud are properly such as seek to exalt themselves above others by their own way and God doth resist them when he disappoints the effect of the enterprises which they follow for their own ends The designes therefore whereby a foundation of greatnesse was intended to be layed with coercive or restrictive power which in all humane Societies belongeth onely to Magistrates in the hands of the Ministery to maintain and impose humane constitutions in matters of Gods worship to the prejudice of those who undoubtedly had a right to some freedome of prophecying no lesse then they that could pretend most unto the gift thereof These designes I say God hath broken and justly disappointed because it is altogether contrary to the rule of the profession of Christianity and a discredit to the service of love in the Gospel that the eldership of the houshold of Faith should endevour to exalt themselves by their own way above their brethren We have cause therefore so many as have stood for that way of greatnesse and preeminencie in order to the suppressing of others by meer power in our own hands because they would
meaning in prescribing these Duties nor my scope in pressing the practise thereof as a cure to our spirituall distempers but the Apostles meaning and my scope is to shew that by these performances some new qualifications of the soul alterations of the frame of the Spirit are wrought in believers to fit them to the enjoyment of that which doth actually free them from all guilt both in Gods account and in their own Conscience For by these meanes our souls are qualified to become susceptible of the Grace which Christ hath purchased for us for whose sake alone we are delivered from the guilt of wrath in the Fathers account and the frame of our spirit is altered to inable us to perceive the remission of the guilt by the testimony of the Spirit of Adoption by which we cry Abba Father and finde effectually that God is in Christ reconciling us unto himself and not imputing unto us our sins for his sake I say these acts of Repentance and our performance of the same are necessary meanes to take away the guilt of our sinfullnes not as to the Justice of God for that is Christs work through the Redemption in his blood but as to the qualification and frame of our spirit to make it susceptible and sensible of the Redemption which is in the hand of Christ to be applyed unto every one who by the conviction of his Conscience is drawn over and doth yeeld himself obedient unto God in these duties For as long as we are impenitent and hardened in our way through the over-ruling deceitfulnes of sin we remain under the guilt of wrath and can have no confidence in God through Christ because the Promises are made unto none but unto those that repent and believe in the Gospel but when we change our course or are rather changed in our course upon the change of our minde with a new frame of heart towards God then the spirit of bondage which is to fear is removed and the free Spirit of Christ which testifieth unto our spirit our Adoption is given to us for till this be done the spirit of bondage doth stand with a flaming Sword between us and the way of the tree of life in Paradise that is between our soul and the Covenant of life in Christ by the Peace of a good Conscience Now the flaming Sword standing between us and the way to this tree is the evidence of Gods wrath as it is due to sin and of our owne guilt as we are liable to wrath and under sin it is then in this sense and by the dispensation of the grace of Repentance to this effect that the guilt is taken away and rest is given to the wearied soul The Remedy of the punishment of sinfulnes The fourth and last Duty doth tend to a full restitution of our estate by the enjoyment of al things pertaining unto life godlines that we may attaine to the glory and vertue whereunto we are called by the profession of the Gospel And to come to this the Apostle doth shew that our way is to humble our selves in the sight of God which if we do the promise is that he will lift us up To humble our selves is to esteem meanly of our selves and to behave our selves as such as are low and mean in their own sense To humble our selves in the sight of God is in respect of God reflecting upon our selves to acknowledge our selves to be nothing at all and as to other men the least of all To be lift up by God is to be made something by his Grace for to the humble the Lord doth give Grace saith the Apostle ver 6. And those that humble themselves have a promise here that they shall be lift up If we see our want of Vertue and are sensible of it in the presence of God he will graciously supply our wants and exalt us to find what we are in him Now God doth lift up men from a low to a higher condition of Grace in three respects In respect of himself in respect of publick employments and in respect of other men 1. In respect of himself he lifts us up when he admits us unto a higher degree of favour and love with himself which is done by manifesting unto us the Love of Christ and making us sensible of his life For thereby he strengthens us with might in the inward man that we may have more and more Communion with him and he with us in Christ till we be filled with all the fulnes of God Eph. 3. 19. 2. In respect of publick employments he lifts us up when he sets our spirits upon the things that are most excellent to discerne and to affect them when he gives endowments sufficient to go about them and when he makes the undertakings glorious to himself and succesfull to the comfort of his Saints 3. In respect of other men he sets us up when he gives us a due place of love and esteeme in the thoughts of the best of them and makes his vertues by us manifest in the sight of all the rest so that they cannot but see his glory These favours are attainable at Gods hand but the way to attaine them is to become lowly as in the sight of God that is as looking upon God and minding our subordination unto him in all things we should unfeinedly esteeme our selves as of our selves to be nothing whether we reflect upon our state in Grace with reference unto God or upon our undertakings amongst men or upon our abilities to performe the same For in these three things our spirituall naturall pride doth commonly break forth and if herein we receive Grace truly to deny our selves in Gods sight and to be nothing in our selves the promise is that we shall be lift up here then the rule of humility is to be observed As concerning our state in Grace the Rule of Humility is That none think of himself more highly then he ought to think but should think soberly according as God hath dealt to every one the measure of Faith Rom. 12. 3. Now to live by Faith is to live by the Truth of God in his Word Concerning our abilities in reference to our selves the Rule of Humility is Be not wise in your own conceits Rom. 12. 16. and again Let no man glory in men 1 Cor. 3. 21. and concerning our undertakings in reference to men the Rule is Minde not high things but condescend to men of low estate Rom. 12. 16. And such as exercise themselves to walk by these Rules with reverence and godly fear as in the presence of God shall in due time be exalted by him unto the enjoyment of that glory and vertue whereunto they are called and appointed to come Who they are that should apply this cure to the spirit of Envy And what failing there is in the application This is the Cure which the Spirit of God doth offer to be applyed unto the spirit of envy that it
taken up of designes persons will never suffer the mind to be at rest but by the apprehensions of evil listning after rumors and reports the heart will be moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind The remedy of Tale-bearing and private censuring By every one Therefore the first remedy of tale-bearing and private censuring is this cure of jealousies and feares for where the spirit is free from this distemper and in a serene frame within it selfe following that which is good towards all men before God there will be no listening after evill reports nor entertaining of tale-bearers upon evill surmisings and if no man will lend a tale-bearer his eares he will be soon weary of his employment By the Magistrate But the more direct cure of this disease is partly in the Magistrates partly in the Ministers hand for if the Christian Magistrate would take up Davids resolution and Psalm 101. practice it To know no wicked person To cut off such as privily stander others To cast out of his sight and discountenance every where such as carry tales from one to another and tell lies and consequently to represse railing accusations scandalous pamphlets and injurious reproaches so that a way might be opened at least for a reparation of the injuries of such a nature with infamy to those that inferre the same as in other Common-wealths the custome is If I say this were done by the Magistrate the publick inconveniencie of tale-bearing private censurings and of defamations would soone be cured As the North-wind saith Solomon ariveth away Prov. 25. 23 rain so doth an angry countenance a back-biting tongue If the angry countenance of a private man will doe this to a slanderer in private much more will the angry countenance of a Magistrate be able to effect it when a just reward of punishment will take hold of the transgressors By the Minister But to perfect this cure the Ministers of the Gospel should make it a part of their work as well in privat as publick to make all men sensible of the sinfulnes of whispering and backbiting and of the danger of an unruly tongue which sets the world on fire and is set on fire of hell What shall be given unto Psal 120. 3. 4. thee or what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue sharp Arrowes of the mighty with Coales of Juniper and such as with a deceitful tongue love devouring words God shall likewise destroy Psal 52. 4. 5. them for ever he shall take them away and pluck them out of their dwelling-place and root them out of the land of the living Saith the Holy Ghost and if free passage of the Gospel into the soules of men is to be regarded there is nothing that doth more directly obstruct it and hinder men from entertaining it then envies and evil speakings which are alwayes accompanied with malice guile and hypocrisie as the Apostle doth intimate 1 Peter 2. 1. 2. nor shall we ever see Jerusalem a quiet Habitation nor peace upon Israel till the disorder lines of whispering tale-bearing and passionate censuring be removed from the zeale of the Profession if Ministers themselves too too many were not guilty of this it might hopefully be in some Zelots but the zeale for one and against another party which hath drowned the zeale for meeknes for love and for true unpartial Christianity doth licenciat the spirits of professors to do this without controll by the example of some of their Ministers for it is from the pride of men that dote about questions of their own framing because they mind not with true zeale the undoubted and known truths of the Gospel that this heat of strife and railing and of passionatenes which is mistaken for zeale doth proceed as the Apostle declares 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5. and truly it is hard to know whether Satan doth more harme to the felicity of mankind by the false accusations which unconscionable and profane men give out against the godly in the world or by the privat and faulty reprovings of true faults which disorderly zealous professors give out against them in the Church By all Conscionable Professors of Religion The Rules then to be offered to such as make Conscience of their wayes which may prevent and cure the disorderlines of these courses are these First let us watch over our spirits that nothing be done through strife and vain glory but all things in humility and without murmurings and disputings Phil. 2. 3. 14. Secondly if a man in the way of a lawful Calling must needs contend for Truth and Righteousnes and for the Faith once given to the Saints yet then let him remember that he ought to be slow to speake and slow to wrath because the wrath of man Jam. 1. 19. 2. worketh not the Righteousnes of God for our heat and passions do rather prejudice then advantage the truth in the minds of those to whom it is offered Thirdly let us consider this truth that to relate the faults and errors of one man who is a stranger to another under the pretence of warning him to whom the relation is made of the danger thereof is neither charitable nor positively edifying it is not charitable because the discoveries of mans failings to strangers can proceed from no love to those that faile for love covereth from strangers a multitude of sins nor can it work any love in strangers towards them nor is it possitively edifying to those that are made acquainted therewith because nothing doth positively edifie but the manifestation of Truth and Righteousnes Fourthly and lastly let this Rule be laid to heart that to lay open the faults of any either to himself or to others otherwise then in order to the course which Christ hath appointed to rectifie the same and with a charitable design to bring him that erreth from the error of his way is altogether unlawful and therefore none ought to censure any man or fault but that at the same instant is able and willing to shew the way how to reclaim the man and redresse the fault Concerning the remedy of revenge The first is Prayer Hitherto I have spoken of the distempers which are cureable in our nature by reasonable perswasions the distemper of revenge which we have found to be incureable by ordinary meanes must be referred unto the prayers of the Godly to intercede for those that are in danger thereof that their passion may not be an incentive of the fierce wrath of God against their own soules and over the whole Nation but that the remainder of wrath may be restrained from breaking forth upon Psal 76. 10. others and by the spirit of Christ subdued within themselves The second is Christs Spirit To be held forth by the Ministers for nothing but the mighty spirit by which Jesus Christ did walk in our flesh and overcome the world bound the strong man in our nature and spoiled him of his goods can
composition of it from the Apostles doctrine to the Hebrews who in his 12. Chapter having exhorted the professors of Christianity to follow Jesus Christ and the cloud of witnesses which are gone before them in hearing the Crosse and the contradiction of sinners v. 1 2 3. and not to faint under the fatherly rod and chastisements of the Lord through afflictions knowing that they are the effects of his care over them and that they will bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby v. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. He doth infer from thence this direction and admonition Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down the knees that are loosened or out of joynt v. 12. And make straight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed v. 13. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. v. 14. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled v. 15. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-right v. 16. The complicated Remedy thereof in the words of the holy Ghost Which are opened in the twofold scope thereof This Apostolicall counsell doth presuppose a people in a condition such as we are in under a triall of afflictions and chastisements for their sins his scope is twofold first to encourage them to make a right use of their afflictions in bearing them patiently and without faint-heartednesse for the end for which God doth send them which is that thereby they should be drawn to lay aside sin and the weight of earthly things which doth beset them v. 1. to resist sin unto the blood striving against it v. 4. to look upon God as their Father in afflictions v. 7 8. to be in subjection to him thereby v. 9. and to hope to partake of his holinesse and of the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse when they are exercised thereby v. 10 11. His second scope is to direct them how to free themselves from sin that in the performance of necessarie duties they may concur with Gods working by his chastisements to work out their own salvation To which effect he lets them see what they ought to do and what they ought to avoid he exhorts them to that which they should do in v. 12 13 14. and admonisheth them of that which is to be avoided v. 15 16. And applyed First in the conformity of our State to that of the Hebrews Now to make a distinct Application of this advice to our present condition let us consider two things first what conformitie is between our state and that state wherein the Apostle doth finde them to be secondly how the duties which they are enjoyned to perform that they might be delivered from the sinfulnesse of their state should be set upon by us that we may be freed from the same evils attending our State The conformity of that State wherein they are found to to be with ours is in these particulars 1. They were under the chastising and reforming hand of God so are we 2. Their afflictions did occasion in their spirits a want of courage and resolution to undertake cheerfully the good works of the holy profession and in the way of their proceeding there was an unevennesse and lamenesse of their course out afflictions have wrought the same indispositions upon our spirits and upon the course of our proceedings for in our spirits we finde not that alacrity amongst most men which should be to set upon the work of a compleat Reformation and which is necessarie to carrie it on as it is begun but the hands of many hang down and their knees are loosned and out of joynt through the apprehension of discouragements and in our proceedings we finde the course of many very uneven and lame and of some so much perverted that they are even turned quite out of the way 3. From this faintnesse of spirit which was upon the Hebrews in undertaking the works of their profession and the inequalitie of their wayes in prosecuting that which they did undertake did arise strife and debate and with it much uncleannesse and defilements of the flesh and spirit which naturally go along with variance We are here in the same case for on the one hand our want of true zeale and forwardnesse in necessary duties on the other the crooked and perverse courses which we have followed have multiplied matters of private and publick quarrels amongst us and these have been fruitfull in manifold disorders wherein our corruptions have mightily broke forth and manifested the uncleannesse which is in us 4. The Hebrews by reason of their strivings and of the defilements following thereupon were under a threefold danger First that amongst them there might be a falling away from the grace of God that is from the saving truth which they had received Secondly that upon their defection a root of bitternesse might spring up and defile many Thirdly that amongst such as might be defiled fornicators and profane persons such as Esau was might be found Now to us all these dangerous evils are befallen as the results of our filthinesse in our quarrels For it is clearly manifest that although the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath been more powerfully revealed unto this nation then unto any in the world since the discoverie of Poperie yet it is as fully apparent as any thing can be that amongst us now there is a more apparent defection of many from the grace which we have received then amongst any that have attempted a Reformation in these latter times So the first thing whereof they were in danger is come effectually upon us As for the second would to God that there were but one root of bitternesse sprung up amongst us but alas there are so many that they can hardly be named and they have defiled so many that they cannot be numbered Instead of acknowledging God to be the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent a root of bitternesse is sprung up whereby men do Deifie themselves instead of the holy Scriptures they make their own reason or fancie a rule of truth and instead of Ordinances of holy worship they rest upon the pretence of the spirit and the private motions thereof to enjoy God Some instead of Repentance and Faith and the exercise of all vertues maintain that the practise of all vices is the onely way to happinesse and some instead of denying themselves in the world and submitting to the superiour powers which God hath set over them therein maintain that all government is to be abolished and that the right to possesse all things doth belong to none but unto themselves And because these defilements have spread themselves in the hearts of many therefore the last of the evils whereof
different nature from the course wherein God hath set us which is to be dead with Christ unto the world to crucifie the flesh with the affectios lusts to give up to him that judgeth righteously the righting of all wrongs that are done unto us I shal conclude therefore that the bottome of the demurrer his scruple is beaten out as to spirituall actings in Christian duties under the present Government if it be found manifestly Gods wil that to heal breaches of love amongst brethren and to prevent the increase of publick calamities and confusions in a Common-wealth Christians ought to look forward how in their callings they should by themselves readily performe good duties towards all and not to look backward to demur upon their duties or to intend evill to any by reason of other mens offences or their own privat disaffections in them Hitherto we have lookt upon the first Rule of this Directory shewing the main preparative duty which will fit us to seek a Remedy for publick evils and without which it can not though found out be applyed thereunto to work a cure we have also endeavoured to apply this Rule unto one of the greatest of our present distempers we may now come to the particulars offered in the Apostles words which if men that call themselves Professors of the name of Christ could be perswaded in godly simplicity without respect unto by-matters through love to that which is good in Christianity for it selfe we might hope that the cure of our diseases would soone be accomplished by Gods assistance The particular Duties are considered first in their order as they are to be used towards the Cure Secondly in their distinct branches where is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loosned knees as in a Palsie Let us therefore if we are resolved to look forward and not backward any more proceed towards a full cure of our evils after this method which the Holy Ghost hath pointed out First let us set upon the duties which are Positive and then upon the Negative that is let us begin our work with the performance of that which is actually good in our own way of walking before we reflect upon the evils which may befall unto us from others to prevent the same This Rule lies in order of the things which are here prescribed and it is very observable in the method of our cure because we are naturally inclined to a contrary and preposterous course which makes us miscarry in most of our undertakings for our natural policy doth lead us rather to look upon others then upon our selves and to observe rather that which is evil in them to their discredit than that which is good to their encouragement and credit and to be more apprehensive of danger from without and constrain to prevent the same than solicitors of safety from within and careful to settle the same all which is contrary to the Rules of true wisdom and prudency and doth oblige mens thoughts to dwell without themselves upon the objects of evils and discontentments whereby they are engaged into crooked courses rather to attend the work of destruction than of edification but true spiritual policy doth set our thoughts in another frame and our course in another method First it sets before us the reality of that which is good and lovely as the end of our undertaking then it presents unto us the effectual meanes of attaining and way of prosecuting the same First by and for our selves Secondly by and towards others also And lastly it reflects upon the evils and impediments which may be incident to the prosecution of the whole designe to prevent and remove the same and according to this method the spirit of God hath ordered the particular duties recommended unto us in this place for the positive duties directing us to intend that which in it self is good are injoyned in the first place in v. 12. 13 14. and afterward the negative duties shewing the evils that are to be prevented are recommended in the second place in v. 15. 16. and of the good things to be intended that which concernes the ordering of our selves to our own works is put before that which concernes our relation towards others for that must needes be a ground unto this and so likewise of the evils to be prevented that which is the most dangerous as being a cause and ground upon which other evils will follow is to be prevented or remedied before tbe other be medled withall namely that which occasions our falling away from grace ought first to be lookt into and remedied before we take in hand to digg up the roots of bitterness and to represse the defilements and the profanation of the profession Thus we see the way of the Cure which Ministers should follow in their own Calling and which they should by Doctrine and perswasion lead others unto according to their several places these then are the particular duties which make up the Remedy of our complicated disease and this is the Order to be observed in making use of the same for in this method the Text doth recommend them to us The particular duty then to be intended First for the ordering of our selves towards our own employments is v. 12. Lift up the hands which hang down and the knees that are loosened and for the ordering of the works of our imployment towards our own undertaking as v. 13. And make straight pathes for your feet Then having rightly ordered our selves and our affairs within our own Sphere our next care is to order our relations towards others where our first dutie is to reflect upon the weaknesse and infirmities which are between them and us that they may be healed and not made worse And this is recommended to us in the latter part of verse 3. Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed The second duty is to reflect upon the perfections which are to be upheld amongst us both in reference to one another and all of us in reference to God In reference to one another we are commanded to maintain peace And in reference to God we are commanded to maintain holinesse in verse 3. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Where before we come to the negative duties we may observe briefly that the righteous ordering of our owne wayes is that which doth inable us through love to heale and rectifie the wayes of others and that thereupon the endeavours to maintain peace and holinesse with all men will prove successfull but not otherwise For as there can be no healing of infirmities wrought by us towards others except our owne wayes being rightly ordered we be carried forth in love towards them so there can be no maintaining of peace and holinesse with any except the healing of mutuall infirmities be first lovingly and righteously intended So that we see in what order the complicated endeavours of Righteousnesse
and determine our thoughts in the debate it selfe lest they miscarry and be suffered to wander upon use lesse and by-matters uncertainly as it happeneth unto others in the debates of this and of some other kinds therefore I declare before-hand that my resolution is unalterably to wave every thing which shall be offered that hath no direct or collaterall tendency and subordination towards the discovery of these Rules for to finde out a cleare demonstration of the truth of these is the whole fruit of all this Disquisition The termes of the Question explained Thus having determined the end of the debate let us come to look upon the point of difference which may be between us And here I cannot definitly say wherein others differ from me in a positive opinion I see what the positive difference of their practice is from mine but men oft-times doe more then they think they doe but that they who allow at large which I do not Ministers to meddle in matters of State may judge wherein I doe differ from them I shall follow the method formerly set down and first open my sense of the question and then declare both the agreement and the difference which I conceive to be therein between us The termes of the question I understand thus 1. By the Ministers of the Gospel of Christ I understand certain men who take not upon them at their own hand but are called in an ordinary and orderly way to teach other men the knowledge of Christ to perswade and exhort them to receive him and walk in him by faith and love for the salvation of their own soules and the enlargement of his kingdome towards others in the world to pray for and with them and to oversee their wayes that they may be found conformable to their profession And this I conceive is the whole substance of their imployment 2. By the Gospel of Christ I understand the glad Tidings of Gods free Grace offered to us in the new Covenant made with mankind in Christ that we may entertain it by faith 3. By the Sermons of those Ministers teaching this Gospel I meane their ordinary speeches to their hearers concerning this subject by which they ought to bring them to the obedience of faith 4 By the Magistrates I understand certain men whom God hath exalted and set over the visible Societies of men for their good to over-see their wayes and order them in righteousnesse by power and authority to make them conformable unto his known will 5. By State-affaires which are said to be the employments of the Magistrate I mean all things which concerne either the visible societies or the single persons of men as relating to their outward state and condition of life in the world wherein power and authority can be exercised for the ordering of the same 6. By Power I mean the forcible meanes of constraining through feare those that are in subjection to doe that which their superiors will have them to do This is that which the Apostle calls the Sword Rom. 12. 4. 7. By Authority I meane a right to administer a charge and to beare rule therein over others for the government of their wayes whereunto those that are to be governed owe respect and submission And this is that which the Apostle calls to be subject for conscience sake Rom. 12. 5. These are the things whereof the question doth speak but The thing questioned or the matter of doubt The question it selfe or the thing questioned concerning these things is this Whether yea or no it doth appertain to the calling and charge of those that are employed in the service of Christ for spirituall matters when they are about that service to utter in publick their particular thoughts concerning worldly matters which appertain to the calling and charge of those who are set in power and authority over the Common-wealth To this question whether we should say absolutely Yea or absolutly No or in some respect yea and in some respect no and how farre yea and how farre no in each respect is the matter of doubt which by a friendly conference and debate fitted to search after hidden Truths may be resolved And that we may endeavour this so as to bring the matter to an issue without distractednesse or confusion let us first consider that wherein we agree as a known and determined truth then view that which remaineth yet unknown as an undetermined doubt that by the help of some principles and the right application thereof unto the point of difference we may make a way for our understanding to determine the same The matters of agreement The matters wherein I suppose an agreement will be found are these 1. That the terms of the question as they have been opened are truths viz. That by Ministers and Magistrates and their employments such men such things and such actions are to be understood as were described in the opening of the question and that the point of doubt in generall doth lie there where it is said to lie For if either these termes or any of them be otherwise understood or the point of doubt otherwise placed than hath been now mentioned although in words we may seem to agree upon the stating of the question yet the thing it selfe is not agreed upon therefore this must needs be presupposed to be so before we can proceed to any other points of agreement and then I shall offer this further 2. That Iesus Christ who is now at the right hand of God having all power in heaven and earth hath ordained in this world both these kinds of Officers some to preach the Gospell unto men as Ministers of his Word and Mysteries 1 Cor. 9. 14. and chap. 4. 1. with Tit. 1. 7. and 1 Pet. 4. 10. and some to rule the Societies of men to keep them in good order as Magistrates endued with power to punish the evill and reward the good Rom. 13. vers 1. till 8. and 1 Pet. 2. vers 13. till 18. 3. That the employments of these two Officers although they are coexistent under Christ towards the same men who are to be governed by them and concurrent towards them for his ends upon them yet they are distinguishable the one from the other chiefly in respect of their different objects of their different immediate ends of their different fundamentall rights to their charges and the properties thereof and of their different wayes of administring their charges 4. That the object of the Ministeriall administration is nothing else but the truth and will of God in the Gospel as it is revealed in the Scriptures and that the object of the Magistraticall administration is the Truth and Will of God as in the Principles of right Reason and the Law of Nature it is revealed 5. That the immediate end of the Ministeriall administration of their object is to bring mens soules to have communion with God in Christ by his spirit and that the immediate end of the