many sinfull evils and snares while they forsake or cast out and despise their rightly Ordeined and duly placed Ministers and either follow and incourage such seducers as are very destructive both to the Churches peace and to mens souls both in the present and after ages or else fall to a neglect indifferency yea and abhorrency of all Religion The Order Power 20. Summary Conclusion of the power and efficacy of right Ordination and Authority then by which right Ordination is conferred on the true Ministers of the Gospel as was here in England although they seem to proud scorners to unstable minds to ignorant and unbelievers as frivolous as the Gospel seems foolishness yet to the humble eye of Faith it appears as the wisdome holy order and commission of God for the continuall teaching well guiding and edifying of the Church of God by truth and peace to Salvation The blessed and great effects of which depend as I have shewed not upon any naturall power or vertue tranfused from the Ordeiners to the Ordeined but upon the Word Promise and appointment of Christ sending them in this method of the Churches triall approbation and ordination In which by the judgement and conscience of those who are of the same function and so best able to examine and judge of gifts and abilities the examined and approved is publickly authorised and declared to be such a Minister as the Lord hath chosen to be sent such as the Spirit of Christ hath anointed and consecrated by meet gifts and graces for the service of Christ and the Church in that great work of the Ministry One who is thus ordeined the Church may in any part of it comfortably receive and own in Christs name One who is partaker duly of the comfort of that promise from Christ Mat. 28. to be with his true Ministers to the end of the world which could not be verified as interpreters observe of the persons of those then living and first sent by Christ who were long since at rest in the Lord but of their lawfull Successors rightly following them in the same office and power Non sunt successores in officio qui ad officium accedunt alio modo quam institutum est Reg. Jur. without which they are not truly their Successors in the Ministry and authority from Christ No more than they can be Embassadors Deputies and Messengers from or to any one from or to whom they have no assignment of any power by letters or other way of commission which when most legally and formally done by deeds and instruments of writing yet these receive no naturall change of their qualities nor is any inherent vertue conveyed to them when they are made instruments to testifie the Will and convey the power of any to another but they have such a change in relation to their appointed use and end as alters them from what they were before in common and unlimited nature The like is as to religious ends and uses where some men are specially ordeined to be Ministers having all their efficacy and authority as to that work from the will of Jesus Christ from whom alone such power is derivable and that not in every way which the vanity of men list but in such as the Church hath constantly used according to the Scripture Canons and directions which are clear to Timothy and Titus which are the great paterns and evident commissions for right Ordination and Succession to the Ministry besides other places Against the undoubted Authority and pregnant testimony of which Epistles and Scriptures joyned to the Churches Catholick custome it will not be easie for any Novelist to vacate and abolish that holy Succession and due Ordination which the true Ministers of England have generally had in this Church which in my own experience I cannot but with all truth and thankfulness testifie to the glory of God to the honour of this Church and those reverend Bishops as Fathers of it who not only with great decency and gravity but with much conscience and religious care ordeined Ministers as very many so very worthy Nor on the other side will these Novellers easily perswade judicious Christians That any upstarts and pretenders in any other way which as it is poor and popular so it comes very short and unproportionate to what is required in and of a Minister can have the power and Authority of true Ministers Habentes cum iis consortium praedicationis habeant necesse est consortium damnationis Tertul. de Haeret. auditoribus Jo. 2.8 having no right Ordination to which no mans pragmatick pride and self-confidence nor the ostentation of his gifts to others by a voluble tongue nor the admiration and desire of his si ly and flattering auditors can contribute any thing either as to the comfort of the one or the other but much to the sin and shame of them both as perverters of Christs order and the Churches peace forsaking their own mercies while they follow lying vanities which cannot profit them 17. Yet meer form of Ordination makes not an able Minister Not that every man that is Ordeined a Minister as to the meer outward form in a right and orderly way is presently of the essence and truth of a Minister in Christs esteem or in the comfort of his own conscience The ordeined may be such hypocrites as Simon Magus was when baptised as have neither reall abilities nor honest purposes aiming at Gods glory or the Churches good but meerly at their own worldly ends and base advantages The Ordeiners also may be either deceived in the judgement of Charity or corrupted by humane lusts and frailties so as greatly to pervert and prophane this holy Institution No man hath further comfort of his being Ordeined a Minister than he hath reall gifts and competent abilities together with an holy and honest purpose of heart to glorifie God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baz M. ep 187. The antient custom of the Church receives none to be Ministers but upon strickt examination before they are ordeined Concil Nic. 1. and â—he Concil Caâ—ib 1. c 9. takes care that none be Ordeined Presbyters without due examination in the discharge of that holy office and power to which he is by the Church appointed Nor can on the other side the Ordeiners more highly offend in piety against God and charity against the Church than in a superficiall and negligent way of ordeining Ministers which antiently was not done but with solemn publick fasting prayer and great devotion Indeed nothing should be done in the Church of Christ with greater exactness both for inward sincerity and outward holy solemnity than this weighty and fundamentall work of carrying on the Ministeriall power and authority in a fit and holy Succession Abuses here are prone to creep in the Devill coveting nothing more than to undermine weaken and overthrow this main Pillar on which the Church and house of God doth stand Ministers either
their own or others clothes for their plainnesse or costlinesse for their novelty or Antiquity yea in the length or shortnesse in the laying out or hiding of their hair Hence their censures scandals or approbations of others their confidences and oftentations of themselves even as to piety purity and holinesse which are indeed seldome seen in ruffianly and dissolute fashions yet often in those proportions of elegancy and decency as to the outward garb and fashion which some mens rusticity severity or slovenliness cannot bear Because they doe not understand that in things of this kinde not Scripture but Nature gives rules to the Religion of them which is their usefulnesse and their comelinesse 1 Cor. 11.3 14. And this not by any morall innate principles but by those more gentium customes of Countries and dictates of sociall nature which not by written Lawes but by tacit consent and use doe for the most part prescribe what is agreeable to humanity modesty and civility which customary measures and civill rules of ornament and outward fashions in any countrey are not scrupulously to be quarrelled at nor cynically neglected nor morosely retained but may with freedome and ingenuity be used and altered according to the genius of all things of extern mode and fashion as cloathing dressing building planting fortifying speaking c. which depend much upon the fancies of men and so are mutable without any sin or immorality as all things are within the compasse of mortality How many mens Religion lies in their admiration of some mens persons gifts piety and supposed zeal in their being of his sect way body fraternity and confederacy when yet many times they have but an Idol for their God though they glory to have a Levite to be their Priest Able men may have great infirmities and learned men grosse errors foul diseases oft attend fair faces Doting sectaries will worship the pudenda of their Priests and magnifie what is most dishonest and uncomely in their ringleaders Yea many silly souls we see are every where much taken with other mens ignorance set off meerly with impudence where the want of all true worth for ability and authority is attended with the want of all shame and modesty Factious spirits in poor people makes them content to have their Religion hatcht under the wing and feathers of any foolish and unclean bird In how many Christians is their Religion blown up as the paper kites of boyes meerly with their own breath or other mens applauses setting off all that is done in their way with the Epithites of rare pretious holy gracious spirituall sweet divine Saint-like c. when yet wise men that weigh their boastings evidently finde much of those mens Religion to be deformed with Mimicall affectations of words and phrases with studied tones scurrilous expressions antick gestures and ridiculous behaviours Much in them is fulsome by the length lowdnesse tumultuarinesse unpreparednesse and confusednesse even of those duties which they count religious holy and spirituall which are so far scandalous and suspected to sober Christians as they finde them not onely full of faction but also destitute of that common sense order comelinesse gravity discretâ—on reason and judgement which are to be found in others from whom they separate not out of scruple so much as scorn not out of conscience but pride and arrogancy when yet they bring forth after all their swelling and tympanies nothing comparable to what others in an orderly way have done either for the soul and essence of Religion which is truth and charity or for the body and ornament of it so far as it appears to others in order and decency Many have little that they can fancy or call Religion in them but onely a fiercenesse for that side to which they take a morosenesse censoriousnesse and supercilious indifferency towards all but those whom they count theirs Vehemently opposing what ever Adversary they undertake abhorring all they doe or hold in piety or prudence branding all they like not with the mark of Antichrist and crying downe what ever by any Christians is diversly observed in the fashion of their Religion Hence many of the lowest form of Christians place much of their Religion in innovating Church government contending for discipline disputing against all Liturgies in scuffling with ceremonies in beating the air and fighting with the shadows of Religion the measure of all which as to piety prudence and conscience stands in their relation to the main end Gods glory the Churches peace and the salvation of soules which where-ever they are with truth holinesse order and charity carried on in any Church Christians need no more scruple the extern form and manner wherein they are decently set forth than they need quarrell at the roome table or dish where wholesome meat is handsomely presented to them whether in a plainer or more costly way Others of more airy and elevated fancies are altogether in Millenary dreams religious fantasms Apocalyptick raptures Prophetick accomplishments not caring much how they break any moral precept of Law or Gospel if they thinke thereby they may help to fulfill a Prophecy which every opiniaster is prone to imagine strongly portendeth the advancement of his opinion party and way in Religion untill they come to such a soveraignty as may be able to govern and oppresse others their Mopsicall humors being never satisfied but in fancying themselves as Kings and reigning with Christ Not in the inward power of his grace and spirit which is a Christians commendable ambition joined with an holy and humble subjection to God and man which makes them conquerours over the lusts in themseves and their love of the world whence flows the greatest peace both to Churches and States but in that extern worldly power and policy which enables them to rule others after the same bloudy arts and cruel methods of government which Zimri or Herod or Alexander or Caesar exercised and not the Lord Jesus Christ who was meek and lowly as one that served and obeyed And herein not onely the weak illiterate and fanatick vulgar are oft observed to act mad and ridiculous prankes in Religion but even men of some learning and seeming piety oft lose themselves in their wild and melancholy rovings which make all Prophecies sound to their tune and to be for their party and opinion though never so novell small and inconsiderable Nothing is more easily abused even by easie wits than Prophetick emblemes and allusions which like soft waxe are capable of severall shapes and figurations by which no doubt the Spirit of God aimed at the generall aspect and grand proportions of the Catholick Church in its visible profession and outward estate for whose use all Scripture is wrâ—tten and to whose elevation or depression either in the Orthodoxie or corruption of doctrine in its integrity or schismes in its peace or persecution prophecies are generally calculated and in no sort to those lesser occasions obscurer events or alterations incident to particular
turn all the solidity of Truth the certainty of History and the Sacredness of the mystery of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Or. 23. de Trinitatis Myst. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of thâ—ngs not seen c. Nemo â—â—dicet hâ—mano modo quod diviâ—o geâ—itur sacramento nemo mystâ—â—ia caelestia discutiat ratione humana Crysâ— S. 148. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas in cp 43. God manifested in the flesh into nothing but Familisticall whimseys empty notions and sublimity of nonsense As if there were more light of Religion in their modern Meteors and gross illuminations than in the Sun Moon and Stars in Scripture Ministers and Christians of old whereas the same holy and humble faith by which true Christians do believe Jesus to be the promised Messias the Son of God and only Saviour of the world notwithstanding all that blind Jews or proud Gentiles object against him doth also teach them to receive with all humble thankfulness and religious reverence all those holy orders duties and Institutions in their plainess poverty and simplity which Christ hath setled in his Church and which the Church hath continued according to his word in all humble fidelity Nor doth the meaness of outward appearance or any naturall and civill disproportions which appear to humane sense or reasonings any way prejudice or weaken the faith devotion duty and obedience of those who live by faith and look with the eye of faith and act with the hand of faith in all those holy offices and Ministrations which are grounded on the word of Christ To judge of Christian Mysteries or Ministries by common sense or carnall reasonings as Sarah did of the Promise is to make Christian Religion most ridiculous mean and insignificant whose vertue and efficacy as the faith of Abraham depends not upon any naturall morall or politique powers faculties habits abilities or actions that are in or flow from the persons acting in them and dispensing of them nor the Elementary sensible natures of the things used in them But meerly upon that divine vertue and power of Christ Instituting such holy things as duties to be done to such a religious end by such men and means in such a manner and no other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Ma. de sid Tota ratio sacti est potentia facientis Aust Greg. N. s Vita Mosis Carnem agni licuit comedere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ossa vero non confringendâ— credenda non curiosius discutienda sunt dei mysteria c. 2 Cor. 2. In mullis scientia Pauli à disputatione tranâ—it in stuporem cujus tanta erit praesumptio ut disserendo existimet aperienda potius quà m silentio miranda Amb. voc l. 2. 1 Cor. 1.27 and all this in his Name that is meerly as an Institution of his divine power and wisdome and whence they have their efficacy and also authority not indeed among affected Novelists curious speculatists proud hypocrites or contentious worldlings but among humble devout and true believers who are also doers of the will of God in all things holy just and morall who knowing what belongs to the life and obedience of Faith disdain not to submit themselves to any way and order seem it never so weak and simple that Christ hath appointed to them and his Church who alone can make weak foolish and contemptible things to be powerfull and effectuall through the concurrence of his Spirit and grace to those great and holy ends for which they are by him Instituted in his Church So that it is not any Magick charm or Enchantment as these prophane minds scornfully deride which makes the common elements to become Sacraments by that solemn Consecration which is rightly performed by one that is from Christ appointed as a minister of holy things No more is it any fantastick and imaginary power which of a common man makes a Minister of the Gospel by due Ordination which is a setting apart of some fit and worthy men from the ordinary capacities comon relations and humane affairs of the world either as naturall or civill and Consecrating them by prayer and imposition of hands and power of the Spirit to the peculiar service of Christ and his Church in the holy Ministry Pantomimi sunt in religione Hypocritae quo minus sancti sunt co magis simulant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studentes non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this not to be done by any one that please themselves to be at once both apes and hypocrites in religion to act a part and make a Stage-play of holy Ordination by a popular presumption but only by such as Christ hath fitted with gifts and enabled with power of his Spirit to Consecrate and Ordein a succession of Ministers to the service of the Church being themselves formerly ordeined and so invested with that great and holy power of order So that it is the powerfull Word and Spirit of Christ In ordinatione Deus est causa principalis homo instrumentatis Deus vocat primario Ecclesia mediante declarante quem à Deo vocatum praesumit Gerard 2 Cor. 10.5 as the King and Prophet of his Church which commands the duty establisheth the Order and gives the blessing as in other so in this of Ordination In obedience to which true and excellent Christians willingly captivate all their high imaginations and subdue every thought which exalts it self against the rule of faith the word of Christ pulling down all the strong holds of proud and humane reasonings Submitting to every holy Ministration and true Minister in his office for Christs sake from whose grace Spirit and promise they expect and find that blessing comfort and inward peace which is only to be had in Christs way which depends meerly on his divine will and power which changeth not the nature of things but their relation and use to an higher and spirituall end requiring faith humility reverence obedience and thankfulness in every believer or worshipper 17. Right Ordination Efficacious relatively and spiritually not physically So that although Ordination of a Minister to the peculiar service of Christ and the Church by such as have the right and power by uninterrupted succession duly derived to them and to be derived orderly from them in all ages do not add to the Naturall Morall or Spirituall gifts and indowments of men as they are personall and inherent any more than the office of Embassadour or Judge or Commander doth in Civill or Military employments confer any thing to the inward abilities of the man yet that honour and authority rightly derived to any one invests him with a relative Idem valet deputati ac deputantis autoritas in quantum depâ—tatur Reg. jur yet reall power qualification and capacity of doing or declaring the will of another to the same validity as if the principall himself did it by whose authority alone any other is sent
all Truth and enables them for all Duties and Ministeriall Offices That this is their Call from God to Preach and to usurp the places of all Ordained Ministers whom they pretend as far to exceed in Inspirations as the Apostles did their former selves after once the power of that Spirit was come upon them To this Calumny and Ostentation my first reply shall be Answ 1. in all humble tendernesse to beseech God Of the Spirit of God in men how to be considered of to give me holy wisdome rightly to conceive of and graciously to expresse my self touching the Spirit of God that I may * 1 Cor. 2â— 32. not give any offence or occasion any grief and mistake to any excellent Christians I * Delicatâ— res est Spiritus sanctus Bern. know well that the Spirit of Christ is a thing of pious curiosity and holy delicacy That in what way soever it manifests it self to the Church it is to be entertained in thoughts Flabat Spiritus fluebant lacrymae suspiria pr. ces Bern. Luk. 11.13 Ioh. 14.17 words and actions of Christians with all cautious tendernesse and religious reverence that so wee may neither conceive nor speak any thing unbeseeming its majesty and purity nor damping or afflictive to its holy influences gifts and breathings on the spirits of any true Christians whose highest honor happinesse and communion with God and Christ and one another 1 Ioh. 3.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us is by the Spirit of Christ I know that its motitions and inspirations are as most free * Ioh. 3.8 blowing where it listeth not where any man list to boast and pretend so they are not so easily discerned whence they come and whither they goe save onely by accurate watchings Sunt quaedam Spiritus sancti circâ— noâ— dispensatoriae vicissituâ—â—es qua nisi vigilantissime observentur nec praesentem glorifices nec absenâ—â—m desideres Bern. Cant. l. 17. and sober obsâ—â—â—â—tion where the surest discoveries are made by those holy fruites and effects which are manifest in the habits of grace or formations of Christ in the new man of our hearts or in the works of our lifes which being done after a religious rule and way are in the judgment of Charity to bee esteemed as effects of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.9 Gal. 4.6 1 Thess 4.8 Tâ—stimonium Spiritus sancti praesentiae praebent opera salutis vitae quae praestare non possumus nisi Spiritus Christi qui vivificeâ— adesset Ber. ser 2. S. An. I am far from doubting or denying that the Spirit of Christ dwels in the hearts of true Beleevers by speciall gifts of grace beyond Natures sphere nor do I question but that the Spirit of Christ doth furnish many men with speciall gifts above others for the service both of Churches and States in the outward visible way of Gods providence as to Bezaleel and Saul Nor yet do I deny but the Spirit of Christ may give extraordinary abilities that is beyond others and beyond mens own selves as to former common gifts and parts for the good of the Church in eases where ordinary means are defective Nor do I dispute this holy and usuall influence of Christs Spirit on Christians inlightning opening hatching fostring calming composing and specially comforting in particular cases Omnia sacra gustaâ—a afferunt mortem si â—on de Spiritu accipiune condimentum prorfus mors in â—llâ— nisi Spiritus fâ—rinula dulcorenâ— Absque Spiritu sacramentum sumitur ad judicium caro non prodest litera accidit fides â—â—r â—ua est Ber. s 33. Cant. also quickning to duties inabling in duties yea sometimes supporting with herâ—icall impulses and assistances in conflicts temptations and sufferings from men and devils also reviving in dejections desertions darknesses and exhaustings of our owne spirits and common gifts All this I willingly grant and earnestly desire that I may have daily more experience of in my selfe and from others not onely for private comfort but for publique good of the Church of Christ Câ—â—lum fit â—â—iâ—â—a habitatio Dei facta â—â—â—â—ia prerogative c. Bâ—â— I desire highly to prize the happy priviledge of those that doe truely enjoy these inspirations and humbly use them I wish all true Christians a blessed increase daily in this communion with God and one another by reall gifts of the Spirit which are beyond the best improvements of meer Nature I know no other heaven here or hereafter Tepidorum dissolutorâ—m est nolle esse mâ—liores Siâ—us Deut. seipso mâ—lâ—â—â— esse non 〈◊〉 quia non vâ—â—â—t Ber. ep 91. ad Ab. but the reall and full inhabitation of Christs Spirit in our spirits that of Naturall Rationall and Humane they may become Spirituall Gratious and Divine Câ—rtissinâ—um est praescâ—tiae Spiritus testimonium amplioris gratiae desiderium Ber. ser 2. And. All that I fear is wilfull hypocrisie and weak delusions that which I most abhorre is false and proud ostentations such as some men are prone to affect Poâ—tentiloquium haereticorum Irenae and lowdly to boast of among credulous and simple people to which there can hardly bee given so exact and punctuall answers and confutations as both Reason and Religion afford to sober and wise Christians in all other Disputes For such pretentions of Gods Spirit 1 Ioh. 4.1 and of speciall Inspirations with which the primitive Churches were pestered and abused Iude 19.80 the Gnâ—sticks Montanists Catharists and others and by which the very Apostles were affronted and opposed are as meteors and comets so exalting themselves in high notions above the ordinary reach of Reason that they are not easily calculated by common accounts they are Raptures and Enthusiasmes by which cunning men seek to lose the eyes of spectators in clouds of obscurities and uncertainties Like some vaine and lunatick Christians who busie themselves more how to interpret the Revelation and to fulfill its mysterious prophesies then to understand Quantum adesâ— vera Spiritus sancti gratiâ— tantum â—besâ— omnis â—anâ— gloriola Ber. beleeve and obey the holy truths and clear precepts of the Gospell in all the other Scriptures Holy wise sober and humble Christians never boast rarely tell of those secrets of the Lord if ever they enjoy them Psal 25.14 Rev. 2 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Al. 51.7 Vain weak and proud men doe often arrogate those speciall inspirations to themselves as being least discernible or confutable by vulgar minds who once dazeled with the glisterings and flashes of pretended Inspirations think they may safely disregard 2 Pet. 2.18 When they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure c. and not look so low as the Scripture oracles and the plain manifestations of Christ by the Word and his constant Ministry Lead common people once into this maze wilder their weak fancies in the Wood
Spirit of Christ abstracts any mans faith from the Word or carries his practise against the Truth Order and holy Institution which Christ hath setled in his Church For it is most sure by all experience that the holy Spirit teacheth those Scripture saving-Truths by the ordinary methods and orderly means which the Wisdom of the same Spirit in Christ hath appointed to be used in the Ministry of the Church Ephes 3.10 Ephes 4.12 which who so proudly neglects and so despiseth Christ in them he may tempt grieve and resist the Spirit of God but he will never find the comfort of the Spirit in his unwarranted extravagancies which are but silly delusions and baby-like novelties having nothing in them of Truth Holinesse or religious Excellency beyond what was better known believed and expressed before in words and deeds by a far better way Christians ought never to turn such children and fools as to think Religion is never well unless it be in some new dresse and fashion of unwanted expressions and strange administrations we think that the Spirit of God teacheth all humble constant and exact obedience to the Word of God without any dispensation to any men at any time in things of Morall duty and Divine Constitution or Order according to the severall relations and religious capacities of Christians no reall sufficiency of gifts or graces doth justifie any Christian in any disorderly and unruly course of acting or exercising his supposed Inspirations in the Church no more then they doe in the Civill Offices of State Nor are these motions any thing of Gods speciall call in regard of the outward Order and Policy of the Church where the ordinary way of Calling Admitting Ordaining and sending forth right Ministers may be had in the Church 3. The vanity of of their wayes compared to the Word Be these impulses of the Spirit never so great yet they put no good Christian upon idlenesse or presumption so as not to use the ordinary means of study hearing reading meditating conferring praying and preparing c. Nor shall he either preserve or increase or profitably exercise any such gifts without study industry and preparatory pains which are the means by which God blesseth men with that Wisdome Truth Order and Utterance which are necessary for the Churches good The liberall effusions of some mens tongues their warm and tragicall expressions where there is something of Wit Invention Reading Method Memory Elocution c. in the way of Naturall and acquired Endowments alas these are no such rare gifts and speciall manifestations of Gods Spirit which these Anti-ministeriall men have so much cause to boast of There may be high mountains of such gifts ordinary and extraordinary as in Judas the Traitor which have no dews of grace falling on their barrennesse Nor are these boasters of Inspirations manifested yet either as equall or any way comparable to most true Ministers in any sort by any shewes of such gifts for the most of which they are beholding to Ministers labours and studies with whose heifer these men make some shift to plough the crooked and unequall furrows of their Sermons and Pamphlets A little goes a great way with these men in their supposed Inspirations and where they cannot goe far on they goe round in circling Tautologies snarled repetitions intricate confusions which are still but the same skains of thread which other men have handsomely spun and wound up in better method and order which these men have neither skill nor patience fairly to unfold but pull out here a thread and there an end which they break off abruptly to the confounding of all true Methods of Divinity and Order of found Knowledge The composednesse and gravity of true Religion in Publique especially admits least of extravagancies and uncomelinesse Haeretico conversatio quam futilis terrena humana sine grauitate sine autoritate sine disciplina Tertul. adv Haer. which dissolve the bonds or exceed those bounds by which Christ hath fitly compacted the Church together in a sociall way giving every part by a certain order and allowance established as the Standard in his Church that * Eph. 4 16. measure and proportion which is best for the whole This place and calling every Christian ought to own and to attend keeping within due bounds till God enabling and the Church so judging and approving of his abilities he be placed and imployed in some way of Publique service into which to crowd and obtrude a mans selfe uncalled and unordained regularly by the Church doth not argue such great motions of the Spirit which like strong liquor cannot be kept in any vessell but only evidenceth the corrupt spirits the violent lusts and the proud conceits which are in mens Hearts Certainly all Gifts Graces and Influences of Gods Spirit in truly gracious and humble hearts are in all Motions Habits and Operations as conform to the Scripture which are the Canon of Truth Peace and Order in the Church as any right line is to that rule by which it is drawn or as figures cast in the same stamp and mould are exactly fitted to one another The Truth of the Word and Graces of Gods Spirit cannot be separated or opposed any more than heat can be parted in the Sun from its light or its beams crosse one another in crooked and oblique angles It is no better Austin de Unit. Ecclesiae c. 16. Non dicant ideo verum esse quia illa vel illa miribilia fecit Donatus vel Pontine vel quilibet alius aut quia ille frater nâ—ster vel illa soror nostra tale visum vâ—gilans vidit vel dormiens somniavit Removeantur ista vel figmenta mendocium hominum vel poâ—tenta fallacium spiritum Remotis istis Eccclesiam suam demonstrent in canonicis sanctorum librorum autoritatibus than a proud and Satanicall delusion to fancy or boast that the Holy Spirit of Christ dwels there in speciall Influences and Revelations where the Word of Christ doth not dwell richly in all wisdome Col. 3.16 The lodgings of the Spirit are alwayes and onely furnished with the Tapistry of the Scriptures Else all imaginary furniture of any private spirits leaves the heart but swept and garnished with the new brooms of odd fancies and fond opinions to entertain with somewhat more trim and composed dresse the unclean spirit who loves to dwell thus in the high places of mens souls and hereby seems to make the later end of those filthy or silly dreamers in pride Iud. 8. vain-glory hypocrisie and lying against the Truth blaspheming the true Spirit of Christ contemning his holy and onely true Ministery and Ordinances and in all other licentious Apostasies worse than their beginning was in ignorance errors and terrors or in plain dealing sensualities and downright profanenesse For it is more tolerable to be without the Spirit of God Pope Hildebrand Cum haereticus malesicus sacrilegus esset pro sacratissimo se
Christ who is already come to judgement with whom his Saints are now risen and dayly rising seeing him not as in a glasse of means darkly but by immediate Visions glorious Manifestations speciall Inspirations plenary Inhabitations thus fitting on Thrones and Reigning with Christ in his Kingdom Whom would not these Trumpets awake and these alarms call forth if we were not forewarned by Christ and if we had not seen such follies formerly acted and manifested to all the Christian world and sufficiently confuted in all ages which never amounted to more than Religious Tragedies Gâ—miâ—a deformitas at nocumentum tragicum miserorum religiosa delicta for when the masks of personated Prophets and necessâ—tous Saints and hungry Enthusiasts and idle Seraphicks were taken off which they put on either by the power or presumptions they had among the Vulgar presently there appeared the horns of the Beast in pride ambition luxury polygamy cruelty Cyp. Ep. 2. Sleidan Com. l. 4. tyranny confusion That those who seemed to have come down from heaven in the shews of the Spirit and pretentions of Sanctity were but Satans lightnings falling down from heaven and his most abominable eructations out of the bottomelesse pit If we other poor Christians who still remain on the other side of this Jordan which those Spiritosoes pretend to have passed if wee who creep on the ground as worms and no men who have dayly cause to abhor our selves in dust and ashes who are forced dayly to strengthen our faith to renew our repentance to poure forth our souls oft in sighs tears prayers with broken hearts and contrite spirits contending with corruptions wresting with temptations having enough to doe to fortifie our selves with the compleat armour of Gods Word in Precepts and Promises and of his Spirit in gracious habits excitations to and assistances in duties 2 Pet. 1.10 Thus giving all diligence to make our calling and election sure not counting our selves to have comprehended but pressing on to the mark of the price of the high calling in Christ Jesus Glorying in nothing but in the crosse of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.14 Gal. 6.14 by which we are crucified to the honours riches policies successes flatteries and glories of this inglorious world yea to the Liberties Religions Devotions Sanctities new Churches new Reformations and new Ministers of this world who forsaking the wayes of Christ and the holy Apostles and the ancient Churches and the true succession of Ministers and all Power have turned grace into wantonnesse liberty into licentiousnesse godlinesse into gain and very much embraced the present world falling down before Mammon and worshipping the false gods of this world If we who when we have suffered much and done something in our endeavours and purposes of holinesse yet find cause to cry out Wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of death Rom. 7.24 if we could indeed believe or find by experience that the exaltations and Raptures of these new pretenders to the Spirit were more comfortable than the bufferings of those good old Christians That their triumphs in the world were beyond the others sufferings from the world that there were more of Christ in their new Crowns of glory which they boast of than in the others Crosses which they patiently bare If we could discern a more self-denying Spirit a more Christ-enjoying Sanctity That they were Saints that is Not crucifiers of the world but crucified to the world If we could see the wounds of Christ in these glorious apparitions these Christ-like phantasms as Antony the Hermite required Non credam esse Christum nisi vulnera videam crucifixi in vita Anâ— when Satan appeared to him like Christ in glory If that Purity Chastity Justice Honesty Contentednesse Patience Charity Meeknesse Humility Peaceablenesse Fidelity Constancy and Orderlinesse shined in them wherein those holy men and women of old the Professors Confessors and Martyrs not getting but loosing Saints imitated the holy Lord Jesus and the most holy God according to the lively characters of true holinesse set down in the Scriptures If we saw such fruits of reall holinesse in their words pens and actions in their Doctrines and duties in their self-denials and Mortifications in their meetings and Fraternities in their Church Orders and Ministrations as might convince us that these pretenders to the Spirit and despisers of the Ministers have indeed more oâ— that light life and power of the holy Spirit of God than either true Christians or godly Ministers formerly had or now have in this or any other true Church of Christ How should we envy their blessednesse with an holy emulation How should we as Saint John to the Angell whom it may be he took for Jesus Christ be even ready to fall at their feet Revel 19 10. to kisse their footsteps to attend their directions to imitate their examples to partake of their raptures to pry into their third heavens to rise ascend reign and triumph to enjoy the holy Spirit and Christ and God with them to all which they in word and fancy pretend 7. Fallacies in this kind frequent among Enthusiasts But the triple Crown of meer titular and verball holinesse which is but copper gilded over moves us not further than to pity the sinner and to scorn the pride The Gnosticks Montanists Catharists of old the later rude and cruell phanaticks in Germany cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy holy holy to their parties and factions As if there were holy ambitions holy seditions holy covetousnesses holy sacriâ—edges holy obscenities holy cruelties holy confusions in the conversations of true Christians and spirituall men Or holy ignorances holy errours holy darknesses holy heresies holy schisms holy hypocrisies in their hearts and spirits As if no duties no Scriptures no Sacraments no Ministry or Ministers no Government or Governours of the Church were heretofore holy which were primitively and universally and constantly owned and observed in the Church of Christ as derived from him As if private fancies and solitary dreams and single imaginations of weak and silly men or women were now holyer or had more in them of the Spirit than the publique Oracles of the sure Word of God which the Catholick Church hath received from God by the hands of holy men and by a constant succession of an holy Ministry hath delivered to us with constancy and fidelity as to the main however particular branches or members of this Church may have failed and withered If these Antiministeriall Novellists have nothing whereby to set off their pretended gifts of the Spirit and singular holinesse but only novelty fancy and uncertain Inspirations nothing to cry down all former holy ways of the Church but this that they are conform to all Antiquity and Scripture regulations The least beam of whose glorious light alwayes either equalls or far exceeds their new either superfluous or dubious illuminations Truly they must give all learned and godly Ministers together
fitted to the memories and capacities of the meanest hearers containing short summaries of things to be believed practised or prayed for as in the Creed the ten Commandements and the Lords Prayer Presently these men fancy them as the recitation of some charmes and look on the Minister as some Exorcist confined to these Articles of stinted spels and formes Yea so far hath the prejudices affectations and ignorance of these men prevailed against all Reason and Religion in some places that many Ministers in other things not unable or unworthy men are carried away with fear and popularity to comply with those mens fondnesse in a way of dissimulation Forbearing to use publiquely at any time either the title of Saint due to holy men or the Lords Prayer and the Decalogue which are both Scripturall Summaries and commanded to be used So also they lay aside the Creed which is an Ecclesiasticall compendium taken out of the Scripture Vid. Voss de Symbolis and very ancient in the chief articles of it containing the main foundations or heads of Christian Faith nor was any of these ever neglected or not both frequently and devoutly used in the publique Liturgies or Services of sober Christians either ancient or modern O how sowre and spreading a leaven is the pride passion and superstition of mens spirits which run after faction and novelties that even learned and grave men should be not so much infected with it in their judgements as to be swayed and byassed or over-awed by it in their practise contrary to their judgements meerly Gal. 2.12 as St. Peter with his dissimulation gratifying these pretenders to novelty speciall sanctity by the not using of those divine and wholesome forms of sound words in which neglect the presumed perfection of these Antiministeriall men disdains to condescend to the infirmities of novices and weaklings in religion the babes in Christ Those Lambs which good Shepheards Joh. 21.15 must take speciall care of as well as of their stronger sheep feeding them with milk or cibo praemanso the often repeated Catechisticall rudiments and chewed principles of Religion which are by the wisdome of God and our Saviour most fitly and compendiously set forth in the ten Commandements and the Lords Prayer as to the main of things to be done or desired by a Christian as also the summe of things necessary to be believed were anciently comprised in the Articles of the Creed according to that wisdome of the Apostles or the primitive Fathers which imitated those patterns set by the Lord to his Church That so the Infants or younglings of Christs family might not be starved because they have not such teeth as these mens jaw-bones pretend to who before they have well sucked in the first principles are gnawing bones or cracking kernels and nuts exercising themselves or vexing others with odd questions and doubtfull disputations more troubled with their Familisticall fancies about their own partaking of the divine Nature their identity with Christ and when and how it is in what manner and what measure they may be said to be God and Christ and the Spirit than soberly establishing their mindes in the fundamentall points of things to be beleived obeyed and desired to the glory of God and the honour of the Gospell But I must leave these envious and unquiet Spirits to their censorious separations wrangling themselves into vanities and errors at length falling like Lucifer into the blacknesse of darknesse to unjustice and cruelty after that into grosser blasphemies and presumptions against God Christ and the holy Spirit while they proudly affect and presume to be not like to the most High but the same with him not in the beauties of holinesse grace and godlinesse which are the clear Image of God set forth in the Word but in the glory and majesty of the divine Essence which is inscrutable not to be communicated or comprehended in its superessentiall being and superintellectuall perfection no more than the vast and glorious body of the Sun which is 160 times bigger than the earth can be locally contained in the eye to which yet it is by its beams in some kinde imparted and united Such superfluity we see there is of folly ignorance weaknesse pride and malice in some spirits who upon very peevish and perverse grounds forsake our Christian publique Assemblies and duties celebrated in our Churches which are sanctitied by the Word and prayer scorning and condemning what we doe upon the best grounds of Scripture and Reason separating themselves from the true Ministry and fellowship of the Church of England as if they were most spirituall and refined when yet they seem to be so grossely ignorant so passionate and some of them so sensuall as is no argument of their having the Spirit of God which is wise in all holinesse 7 Calumny Act. 24.5 BUt our Antiministeriall Adversaries object as Tertullus and the Jews did against St. Paul that the ordained Ministers of the former way Against Ministers as seditious and inconform to Civil government are pestilent fellows stirrers up of the people factious turbulent seditious not so supple conform and well affected to the present constitution of powers and publique affaires So that it is not onely lawfull but necessary either to bring them to a plenary conformity and subjection or to exautorate and suppresse them as to all publique influence in the Ministry Thus doe these Wasps and Hornets buz up and down who hope with their noise and stings ere long to drive all the ancient and true Ministers of God out of the land or at least out of the service of the Church that so they may be possessed of the Hive though they make no Honey Answ Answ This Calumny is indeed of the promising advantage to the enemies of the Ministers and their calling and therefore it is with most cunning and earnestnesse every where levelled by some men against their persons Naz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. actions and function It is like the policy of Julian the Apostate who to ensnare the Christians set the statues of the Emperours with the Idols of the Gods That if Christians did civill reverence as to the Emperours they should be defamed as Idolaters if not they should be accused as despisers of the Emperours And because I perswade my self that all excellent Christians how potent soever can bear an honest freedome and plainnesse I shall onely as to this sharp and poysoned arrow oppose the shield of plain dealing that in a matter so much concerning the satisfaction of others and Ministers civill safety there may be no such obscurities as may harbour any jealousies First of all I need not tell you 1. Some Ministers compliances what all the English world knows aboundantly That there are many Ministers of very good abilities who are not at all blameable in this particular as to any restivenesse and incompliancy in civill subjections they have sufficiently testified how Arts and ingenuous
learning soften the spirits and manners of men how they supple in them that roughnesse and asperity which remains in others how of okes it makes them become willowes and in stead of hard wax which onely fire can tame makes them gentle as soft wax so good natured that they are not at all pertinacious of any former signatures and stamps either as civill or sacred made upon them but readily and explicitely yeeld to any formes and impressions though never so new and different which the hand of power is pleased to make And this not only as to a passive sequaciousnesse in the externall fashion of their civill conversation and profession but as to those internall characters and perswasions which their judgments have made upon their consciences Nothing is more tractable and malleable nothing more easily runs into any State mould and receives any politick figure and mark than many Ministers doe whose judgements or policy or fears or necessities have taught them how they may * Rom. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza interp Domino servientes ut Chryso Basil c. Erasmus Tempori servientes i. e. Temporum incommodis sese accommodantes patientia charitate serve the Lord and the times too how to become all things to all men in regard of things civill and extern they have many wholesome and prudent latitudes of evasions absolutions cautions and distinctions by which they unravell the cords of any Oathes and untwist the bonds of any Covenants or Protestations They have in things meerly politick as many distinctions as would furnish any good Casuist for the absolution of entangled or the satisfaction of grumbling consciences Thus furnished no wonder if in civill changes which are fatall and by them unavoidable they can never be brought to Baalams straits Numb 22. where an Angell should meet them with a drawn sword and the Asse either fall under them Utriusque fortunae documento didicerunt ne contumaciam cum pernicie mallent quam securitatem cum obsequio Tacit. hist l. 4. or crush them against the wall on either side These Ministers acting according to their consciences cannot justly be blamed for any refractarinesse many of whom are so much every where in any civill conformities that you can hardly lose them in any State alterations or labyrinths nor doe they doubt but the Lord will be mercifull to them in this thing which not private choice inconstancy but publique force and necessitie puts upon them Charity commands to judge and hope that these doe all things according to that light and latitude which is in their consciences as to things secular Wherein they conceive that the Providence of God Mic. 6.9 which is as his voice teaching us by the event of all humane affaires what is his will is a sufficient absolution as to all preceeding ties civill or sacred which they look upon as obligatory onely in relation to power Magistratick publique and effectuall in what men and in what manner soever they see it placed and exercised Thus some learned men and Ministers plead it as a matter of not onely necessity and prudence but also of justice and gratitude that what ever power Christians are by providence cast under and by that doe in any order of justice enjoy civil protection there they should pay a civill and peaceable subjection according to Conscience and equity while they have the benefit of Lawes and government they ought to yeeld obedience according to Law and this not so much to the persons of men governing who may be unworthy but to the Ordinance of God civill government which is managed at present by them 2. 2. Others more pragmaticall and fierce There are indeed other Ministers who are not only of harder metall but of hotter tempers of more cholerick constitutions and feaverish complexions who love to be moving in the troubled waters of secular affaires who seem most impatient of any order or publique rule in which they have not some stroke and influence ready to undoe what ever is done without them Their breast is as full of turbulent and seditious spirits as the Cave of Aeolus is of windes forgetting what spirit becomes the Ministers of the Gospell in all times who though they may denounce hell fire against all impenitent sinners yet they may not kindle civill flames of sedition Luk. 9.54 or imprecate revengefull fire from heaven upon any men to destroy them To the misguided activity of such Ministers some think the publique may owe much of its troubles for whom the best Apology is their repentance for any transports and excesses whereto they have been weakly or wilfully carryed beyond those bounds of duty and gravity which as Ministers and subjects they ought to observe both toward God and man All that can be pleaded in any veniality for their folly and fury is the * Excutiâ—â—â—omnem ingeniis mediceribus constantiam fatales regnorum rerumpub motus Ju. de pictur l. 2. c. 13. Plarimum refoertâ—n quae eujusque virtus tempora inciderit Plin. l. nat common genius and generall distemper of times which slackening by civill dissensions the cords of humane lawes and loosning the ties of wonted modesty and observance to Superiours gave so great temptations that many Ministers of more forward spirits knew not how to resist them Alas who hath not sufficiently seen in our dayes by sad experiences that even among Ministers there are not onely poor weak and credulous but also heady turbulent and factious men prone to affect any miserable way of popularity and to debase their function and profession to most pragmatick impertinencies as in Ecclesiasticall so also in Secular affaires though their gifts be other wayes above the ordinary size very usefull and commendable yet they retain much of the vulgar masse and leaven and are subject to the same passions and common infirmities yea no men are more prone to rash indeavourings and bold activities by how much they have many specious fancies and pretty speculations suggested to them by those bookes they read which to some men is a kinde of Necromancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conversing with the dead and conjecturing by their counsels So that some of them like Alchymists by their reading of chymicall lights grow so possest of their Elixars or Philosophers stones as if it were within a stones cast of them counting it a sinfull and shamefull lazinesse for them to sit still when they are tempted to such goodly prizes as their notions and conceptions hold forth in some way of reforming or wholly changing the State of Religion and government of any Church and in order to that they shake even the civill frame of things to which they doe not think themselves longer bound in subjection then they want a party strong enough for opposition nor will they easily be perswaded that is the sin of Rebellion which carries the face of Reformation easily dispensing with obedience to man where they