that which standeth in length of time nor that is measured by number of years but wisdom is the gray hair unto men and the unspotted life is old age And speaking of Enoch the yongest of all those Patriarchs in regard of natural life and the father of Methusala the eldest he being made perfect in a short time fulfilled a long time They who are grown up in this divine wisdom and life of God are said to be old men and Senators Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Ambassadors such as are imployed in that honorable Function 2 Cor. 5. So they were called Apostles because they were sent by the Lord what ever their natural age was They who were further growen up in the divine wisdom and life of righteousness were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters or Elders And from the name Presbyter otherwise Priester Priests have their name by a contraction Which is an honorable title and such as was common with princes as the Priest of On Gen. 41. may be as well rendred the Prince of On. David's sons were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes 2 Sam. 8.18 Jer. 5.31 They who were the most aged and eldest in this divine life were the Apostles or the Bishops their Successors whence Clemens Alexandrinus Lib. 6. Strom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proficiencies of the Church of Bishops Presbyters Deacons So that neither Bishops nor Presbyters are of their own or any other mans making not of men nor by men Gal. 1.1 Paul planteth and Apollo watereth but the Lord himself giveth the encrease For as in natural aggeneration the man may eat and drink but the encrease is not in his choice he cannot add one cubit to his stature even so a man may partake of spiritual nourishments and feed on faith but his encrease and proficiency is not in his one choice but the Lord gives it And St. Peter shews wherein his Presbytery consisted viz. in the participation of the death and life of Christ 1 Peter 5.1 A wâ—â—ness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed And St. Paul proves his Apostleship by his sight of the Lord and he tells the Elders of Ephesus that the holy Ghost had made them overseâ—rsâ—or Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20. But these were made immediately of God we read of those also who were made by men Tit. 1.5 However that be true yet mans constitution of Elders presupposeth Gods preceding work in them Thus the Lord commands Moses to look out such Elders as he knew to be such Num. 11. And in our ordination the persons to be ordained are required to give an account what motions and inclination of Gods spirit they have had disposing them to that holy function And in this regard the Apostles and other Ministers of the Church are called Gods gifts unto men Eph. 4. Nor doth our Lord any where say that he will put an end unto or change that dispensation so that we may always expect those gifts from God unto his Church untill the â—â—nction or spirit of God so teach some men that they shall not need that any man teach them Such a state there is whereunto some had attained unto whom St. John wrote 1 John 2.27 The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you And ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things c. Whereas therefore some at this day dispute against an immediate call from God they go about to take away Gods preventing work when he gives his gifts unto men and take the whole work of making Ministers unto themselves so that such are not Ministers of God but mans onely because they have not Gods immediate call to the Ministry nor his preventing work in them I am aware of a doubt which this assertion leaves behind it For if the Ministers of the Church be of Gods making in such a sense as I have shewen how then doth the King make Archbishops and Bishops and other Ministers of that Hierarchy I answer Both may consist For as the God of order hath made man according to his image which especially consists in his dominion over the creatures so he hath made Kings and Potentates and generally the higher Powers in a more peculiar manner after his image which consists in dominion over men whence it is that he hath distinguished mankind into superiors and inferiors and stampt his character and mark of distinction upon both On Kings Potentates and the higher Powers no hath imprinted multum Dei saith Aquinas much of God Exod. 22.28 Psalm 82. Joh. 10 35 and so makes them like himself Gods as the Scripture calls them and our Lord acknowledgeth them such and gives the reason he calls them Gods to whom the word viz. the essential word of God came by whom Kings reign so Ireuaeus understood it to whom the word and image of God came and that gives them now hearts 1 Sam. 10 12.6 and turns them into other men and so makes them as the Lord is said to have made Moses and Aaron that is advanced them as our Translators render the word For besides those personal endowments of the higher powers no doubt other Gratiae gratis data theâ—e are attending on those high Functions Wet ye not saith Joseph that such a man as I can divine And Caiaphas spake not that of himself but being the high Briest that year he prophesied saith St. John When a multitude of men stood about that fiery furnace whereinto the three captives were cast Nebuchadnezzar alone saw the fourth who was like the Son of God Cur tibi soli innotuit saith Hippolytus How camest thou alone to see this He gives reason The heart of the King is in the hand of God Now as the God of Order inwardly enables the higher powers by the impression of his image so he makes them outwardly to be acknowledged such by imprinting on them that excellency of dignity and honor which we call Majesty which is originally in God himself from whom it is derived to Kings and Governors his images on earth as even the Philosopher could say A Character so indelible that even in the wracks and downfalls of Princes it might yet be discerned For so we read that the Roman Lictor an able yong man and armed being sent to kill Marius the Consul now proscribed decrepit unarmed alone imprisoned yet he durst not strike him being himself first stricken with the Majesty of Marius And when the news was brought to Vespasian that Vitellius was overthrowen there suddenly appeared in his countenance a lustre of Majesty never observed before Such was that which appeared in the face of Moses Eccles 8.1 Num. 11. Judg. 6 1 King 10.26 so that the people could not behold him The wisdom of a man maketh his face to shine saith Solomon The like may be argued in the seventy Elders in Gideon in Saul in David in
est uno verho non est noster Beneficâ—um tanti per annum valoris Orthodoxum aliquem conostris non dedecebit At super hacâ—re aliiisque pluribus Tilenus adeundus Unum autem exemplum addam quo tandem finiam Quidam haud it a pridem vir doctu partium Episcopalium venit in hanc â—u iam examinandus Illum inquisitorum antesignanus adoritur Inter alia consimilis farinae problemiata proposuit istud Quo sensu Deus author peccati dici potest Cui alter quo ait sensu Certe nullo nisi non-sensu Hominem praefidum impudentem perfrictae frontis Eo ventum audasiae uti quis Inquisitori eique primario ica responset Râ—icitur homo merito scilicet quippe qui Graâ—ia destitutus nempe non Dei sed Inquisitorum qualis ille Johan 9. a Phariseis pro responsatione haud absimili excommunicatus Quid ille Ad Patronum rem defert Quid Patronus Dicam impegit Inquifitori Quare impedit vocant Quid Inquisitor quid ille Ad Protectorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinat asylum iniquitatis Queritur apud ipsum contemni Commissionem examinatorum Nihil illam deinceps valituram si legi communi subâ—iciatur Hanc adveertite vos expostulationens Anglicanae libertatis reique publicae Assertores Quanta olim cura cautum est nequando Episcopi vim legibus inferrent Eccos Presbyteros eccos Indepentes superbum nomen qui a nulla omnino lege pendent exemptos volunt a communi lege se suosque Quod utique documento est fore uti si quando ipsirerum potiantur abrogaturos communilege suamque disciplinam pro lege secundum conscientiae sue dictamon imposituros Quod autem sititulis ac nominibus honorificis homines intumescant at an Metropolâ—â—â—â—orum Primatum Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum c. an alienereipublicae consimilibus Illi sunt Diocesani Presbyteri Archidiocesani c. qui sunt ad illum modum At hi conficti olim a Presbyteris asque in illorum locum sufficiendi Hoc ego certissime novi statutum a primariis Presbyterianarum partium neu quid ex immutata forma regiminis honorum titulorunave deperderetur Caeterum ex his quae conmemorata sunt haud arduum est consicere homunciones etiam sine titulis honorumque decoramentis opprimere alies ambitiose gerere se posse insolescere ac superbire As the Presbyters except against Titles of honor so likewise against Forms of Godliness and those of two sorts either Forms of Prayer or forms and modes of ceremonies which consist either in gesture or vesture As for the form of Prayer let us first enquire what that is against which their exceptions lie and then we shall endeavour to satisfie those exceptions The Liturgy or Common prayer so called is a System of select Scriptures Prayers and Praises proportioned according to the necessaries and spiritual proficiencies of all Gods people 1. To those under the fear of God in the entrance of the Liturgy certain sentences out of Scripture are premised shewing the necessity of Confessing our sins and raysing our hope of pardon and forgiveness of them Then followes a Form of Confession and after it Absolution from sins and the Lords-Prayer in special for the Remission of sins And because confession is either of sins or of prayse after the confession of sins followes the confession of prayse Which yet cannot rightly be performed unless the Lord enable us so to do And therefore we pray that the Lord would open our lips c. Accordingly we give glory to the holy and blessed Trinity And we exhort one another to sing unto the Lord and heartily to rejoyce in the strength of our salvation c. Psalm 95. In which Psalm after the declaration of Gods power David prevents an objection sutable to their state under fear and like unto those in Kadesh-barnea in the mutable and unsetled holyness of the childe-hood The objection may be framed thus we are not able through the power of God to subdue our sins and to perform acceptable service unto God and therefore we shall perish in our sins and never enter into the Heavenly rest The Psalmist therefore dehorts us from hardening our hearts lest we should be like those farthers of the Hebrewes whose carkasses fell in the Wilderness c. To which purpose the Apostle applies that part of the Psalm to the Hebrewes in the same spiritual estate Heb. 3. and 4. 2. To those under faith in Christ Christ is propounded in the Psalms as some of the Antients have interpreted all the Psalms of Christ and our Lord points us unto them as giving testimony of himself Luke 24. also as foreshewen in types and figures of the Law and storied of and prophesied of in others books of the Old Testament In regard of all which Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday Heb. 13. When these have some way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discovered Christ unto us we break out into the praise of God saying or singing We praise thee O God c. After that Christ is discovered in types histories and prophesies more obscurely He is more clearly manifested in the flesh and expressed in one or other of the Evanglists or Acts of the Apostles After which the Church acknowledges and blesseth the Lord for exhibiting His Son according to the promises and his fore-runner John the Baptist Or which concerns all Nations Psalm 100. Oberoyful in the Lord all ye lands Then followes the confession of Faith in the Father Son and Spirit Out of this faith the Minister and People pray mutually one for other Which done the Minister prayes for those things which the Epistle or Gospel holds forth in the Collect gathered out of them then prayes for Peace and thirdly for Grace That we may fall into no sin nor run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by his Governance to do always that which is righteous in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. In these prayers the Petitions are more general therefore the Litany is added containing more particular Petitions according to the several temporal or spiritual wants of Gods people Wherein and afterward prayers are made for the King the Royal issue and spiritual Governors according to 1 Tim. 2. 3. To those under the love of God and their neighbour is propounded a prayer out of largeness of heart unto God Unto whom all hearts are open all desires known unto whom no secrets are hâ—d that he will cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of his holy spirit that we may perfectly love him and worthily magnifie His holy name through Christ our Lord. This cannot be done unless the Lord be pleased to write his laws in our heart which we pray for which done we return to our prayer in special for the King and the royal issue c. Then such Scriptures are propounded for Epistles and Gospels as befit that eminent estate And because
upon the affections of the people However was it reasonable or equal that the faults of some one or few should redound to the blame yea extirpation of the whole Community Judge righteous judgement Is it just that because some Aldermen have been faulty in the Transactions of these late times therefore the whole rank and order of them should be taken away Or because some Presbyterians have been zealous and pragmatical in many unwarrantable actions is it therefore just or reasonable that the whole order of Presbyters should be extirpated O that these divided Parties would leave off the blaming one another and would enquire 5. Wherein they ought to agree THe endeavors of most men towards pacification have been spent in presenting certain Tenents and Principles wherein they would that all men should agree Hence the formula concordiae was framed and many other Confessions and Articles of Religion as those of the Church of England But its worth the enquiry whether all these pretences of Agreement tend not rather to division and disagreement than union amongst men that in some particular Opinions some might accord and in others oppose all other men To this purpose pains have been lately taken But the issue hath been rent and division Because they have endeavored such an Union as should be made by equivocal and amphibological Phrases which may be understood and taken divers ways which could hold men no longer together than that Artifice was unridled And if men agreed in these Tenents then they were on this side or that which gloried by encrease of their party Thus the Pharisees compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes And many like them have labored to make men Orthodox as they speak that is to bring men to their opinions to think as they think while mean time little or no regard hath been had of the Christian life nor do men consider that it matters not much of what Religion or Opinion any man is if he be a knave The holy Scripture directs us not so much to Principles of Speculation as to good affection life and practise If thou do well c. Gen. 4. Cease to do evil learn to do well c. Esay 1. He hath shewen thee O man what is good c. Micah 6. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Math. 3. In every Nation they that fear God and work righteousness are accepted of him Otherwise to dogmatize to know and believe and hold this or that principle without the life affection and action cui bono to what what purpose is it See what account the Spirit of God makes of such Theory and Faith see Romans 2. and James 2. What then is it wherein we should agree That wherein they who differ and we all ought to agree is the wisdom and life of God in righteousness and holiness of truth This wisdom is begun in the fear of God The progress of it is in faith and hope The consummation of it is in the love of God and our neighbor The life of God is that from which we have been all alienated and unto which we are again lovingly called The archetypon of this is God himself who is our life and the Son of God who is our life and the Spirit of God which also is the Spirit of life This life is explicated in righteousuess which comprehends all graces and vertues of which that Poet whose verses were accounted Oracles saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tully turn'd Justitia in se se virtutes continet oâ—nes And we may English it In righteousness all vertues are contained The effect of this righteousness is peace whence another of the old Poets in his Genealogy of Vertues and Graces which he calls Gods saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace is the daughter of Justice and Equity This divine life came forth from the Lord in all purity This was prefigured by Eve taken out of Adam that is the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken out of Christ of whom then to come Adam was a figure Rom. 5. This Eve is the mother of all those who truly live as Hierusalem is said to be the mother of us all As this life came spotless and pure out of Gods hands so it must return unto him And therefore Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephesians 5.25 26 27. Hitherto we are to be gathered Gen. 49.10 2 Thes 2.1 Hither tend all the labors of the Bishops and Presbyters Herein we all ought to meet Ephes 4.13 This divine life hath been much obscured and counterfeited by all sorts of Philosophers and false Christians and is said for that reason to be taken from he earth The Lord Jesus therefore appeared to make discovery of this divine life John 17. This is life eternal to know thee and whom thou hast sent Josus Christ And therefore the Apostle saith that he hath conquered death and doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlighten or illustrate the life which was darkened and obscured before 2 Tim. 1.10 And it is more and more discovered in the growth of it For as there are different ages in the natural life so likewise are there in the spiritual life And the wisdom of God enters into the holy souls according to the ages Wild. 7.27 To which purpose the Apostle is to be understood Ephes 4 7. Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the gift Christ that is of Christ himself who is that gift as our Lord calls Himself the gift of God John 4. For as the visible sun by few or many and often revolutions makes a like number of natural days or years in the outward and visible world after the same proportion in the invisible and spiritual world the sun of Righteousness lifts up the light of his countenance on the souls of those who fear him on whom he ariseth Malach. 4.2 And accordingly make some younger some elder some old aged men For if in truth and in Gods computation they were elder or yonger whom the world accounts such who should be more full of days then Adam and Methusala Who yet are never in all the Scripture said to be old men But Abraham the father of the faithful who had soon Christs days is said to die in a good old age and Joshua Job David Jehoida with some others all children in respect of those two are yet styled old men and full of days when yet the eldest of them all if we regard their natural life in this outward world came short of Adam and Methusala many hundred years The Wise man speaks home to this Wisdom 4.8 9. That honorable old age is not
Solomon For as the God of Order makes this impression of Majesty in superiors so he imprinteth an agnition of it in inferiors There went a band of men after Saul whose hearts God had touched 1 Sam. 10. And he it is saith David who subdues the people under me He it is who toucheth the hearts with love or fear or hope or some other way best known to himself and so wins them to submission For indeed who can conceive it other then divine ordination that so many multitudes of men of so various so contrary natures tempers dispositions judgements c. should all submit and yield subjection to one or few of the same mold and like affections Surely it is no other then the Lords doing and it is wonderful in our eyes This generally and necessarily premised we may add some what more particularly concerning the Kings of this Land That our Common Laws acknowledge them to be certain Gods upon earth and ascribe unto them a kinde of ommipresence and ubiquity perfection and immortality and other excellencies like those of the divine nature And if our Laws and Lawyers acknowledge those and ascribe them generally to their Kings how much more should the Divines own in their good Kings not onely those which the School-men call gratiae gratis datae but much more the gratiae gratum faciextes as the divine wisdom and piety goodness and mercy and compassion c. Such as without flattery all impartial men own in our present Soveraign even in their eminency together with a spirit of discerning Whereby he is enabled to discover the several proficiencies and growths of Gods graces in good men according to the encrease of God in them When therefore he conferres dignities on persons duely qualified he owns the gifts of God in them Which because it is difficult the wise man referres the Kings detemination unto an higher principle no other then divine Prov 16.10 where he saith that a divination divine sentence or oracle is in the lips of the King his mouâ—h transgresseth not in judgement And although there are who would restrain this to civil affaires and the decision of them yet according to that presence of God with Kings wise and good Kings Soloâ—oon may be understood to speake of â—â—ine matters and the disposing and ordering of them also 〈◊〉 whereas Ejusdem potestatis est tollere ponere it belongs to the same power to put out of place and put in place to dishonour and dignifie the King hath a precedent for both in the wise Solomon who thrust out Abiathar from being Priest unto the Lord 1 King 2.27 And Verse 35. he put Zadok the Priest in the room of Abiathar And although Bellarmin would not have Solomon do this ut Rex but ut Propheta not as a King but as a Prophet what is that distinction worth if the King be guided with the same good spirit of God as hath been shewen Would God these ungrateful nations did not too much verifie what is prophesied of these last times 2 Esdr 15 16. They shall not regard their King nor Princes O that the character which Gildas Sapiens gave of the Britains before the Conquest and their unthankfulness to their best Kings were not too true of many in this present generation Si quis Regum mitior veritati aliquatenus proprior in hunc quasi Britanniae subversorem omnium odia telaque sine respectu contorquebantur If any of their Kings were more milde or meek and somewhat neerer to the truth all their hatreds and darts were cast against him without respect as the subverter of Britany How true of those is that which was long since said of the King of England that he was Rex diabolorum O that we all knew and duely considered what a season what a divine leaven of life and righteousness what a cement of love and unity what a binding chord reconciling of all jarring dissonancies and differences our good God hath sent among us as appeares by all his Proclamations and especially his late Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affaires in all which breathes a spirit of life and righteousness love unity and peace that we might walk worthy of him Then would the divided Parties the better know 6. How they may be perswaded unto peace WE have our gracious Kings eminent example who himself umpires these very differences between the divided parties which is the property â—â—â—wise and good prince It is true that Tyrants and Usurpers in all Ages have bin wont either to find or make and nourish Differences among the people that their emulations and animosities being spent upon their opposite respective Factions they might have no leisure to look into or disturb the security of their Oppressors as a certain Player at Rome when the Pretor asked him of what profession he was told him That he was one of them who whyl'd the populacy that they might not have time to consider prevent and hinder his knavery Upon this ground Machiavel taught his Scholars this Lesson Divide impera Divide and rule He had leaâ—ned this Maxime of his Tutor the great Abadden and Apollyon Quite contrary hath been the practice of all good Kings Princes and Governors and our Soveraigns one of the best of them to assimilate their people and render them like unto themselves in vertuous and holy life and so to rule them in unity peace and concord And what enmity they cherish among their Subjects it s no other than what they learned of their Soveraign the King of kings who put enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent even the Law of Commandments Ephes 2. whereby they may become enemies to sin and iniquity And this enmity drives out the sin that Davus qui turbat omnia which breaks all peace with God and man Happy thrice happy they who enure themselves unto such contention as is wholly exercised upon the enemies of their own house Such reflex actions guided by divine wisdom rend to the subduing of our brutish affections Such enmity is safe while it is employed at home but when it breaks forth of doors and becomes directed by the earthly sensual divellish wisdom what ever the pretence may be it tends to confusion and every evil work as he who aimed at a beast but slew a man Such fire is safe and serviceable on the hearth but what is more unsafe more destructive what devours and consumes more when it comes abroad We have heard how exemplary the King is in this very business And how powerful such a royal leader is may appear by that almost proverbial verse Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis Th' whole world 's compos'd to th' patern of a King How much more prevalent ought his precept and example to be with us where the King of kings whom our King and all other good Kings own as their Soveraign He it is who is the Author of Peace and Lover of Concord the
ante conquiescant quam ipsi rerum potiantur Irrisores turbulenti factiosi disputaces ingrati arrogantes supra quam dici aut credi potest hostes Catholicorum juratissimi quique non tantum ipsi nihil conferunt ad repellendam imminentem Christianorum cervicibus Turcarum vim sed etiam motis intestinis dissidiis bellisque impediuâ—t alios Reges id conantes quin opes viresque ipsorum à communi hoste aversas in mutuam Christianoâ—um perniciem concitant Atque hoc ipsis est reformare Ecclesiam I shall leave this upon your spirits sadly to be thought upon and speak a word unto my Brethren of Episcopal perswasion I know many of you beloved Brethren and I believe here are far many more in this and our neighbor Nation of Ireland eminent in wisdom and piety men of profound learning sober grave just prudent c. who have been refined and purified in the furnace of humiliation and are come forth as vessels of honor fit for their Masters use These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persons who hae far transcended the envy of their persecuters And having been turned into strange Countreys have declar'd evidently what difference there is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one unlearned and learned Unto these I say onely Macti estote proceed and shine forth as lights of the Church To you I speak who have been Sufferers also but if report not onely of your enemies but even of your friends also wrong you not some of you have not improved your sufferings to the advantage of your own souls or the Church of God so that you cannot truly and experimentally say It is good for us that we have been afflicted Are not many of you returned the very same men you were onely worse as being more heightned with pride more embittered with envy more enflamed with wrath more enlarged with desire of revenge Atqui cum peccata carnalia plus habeant infamiae spiritualia plus de natura peccati quod sanctus Gregorius ait Ut fama vestrae parcam Latine vos pacciis alloquar Aiunt è vobis esse at spero eos admodum paucos esse qui ventri nimium indulgent mutuo se poculis provecant invitant se plusculum c. An non hoc idem ipsum vitium est quod pientissimus Rex haud feret in eajulo haud feret in tressi agasone Anidem ipsum tulerit in Ministro Dei An non etiam vos illi feciales qui contra haec flagitia moresque vitioses prudentissimi Regis inimicitias indicitis Qua fronte utcunque caperata inhibetis illud quod vita licentiori comprobatis Pudet haec opprobria vobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Are ye they who are come out of that great tribulation Rev. 7.14 should not then your garments be made white in the blood of the Lamb Should not you be planted in the likeness of his death and so be made also like unto him in his pure innocent and spotless life and resurrection So should you be fit to say in way of thankfulness with that Heavenly Quire Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen This is an heaventy Doxology when the heavenly life speaks it Otherwise an unholy debaucht and vicious life is the greatest ingratitude especially in a Priest For what honor what glory can be to God what profit is it unto you or to the Church of God that holy hands have been laid upon you and that you be made Priests if by a sinful life you dishonor â—od and that holy function and render your selves unfit for the discharge of it Flatter not your selves not please your selves in that honorable name of Priests and that thereby you have power to binde and loose so that whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained Do you consider what that worthy name imports Is not a Priest such an one as is growen up unto the old age of Christ Ephes 4. And dare you in your nonage while yet you are subject to the sins incident unto the spiritual child-hood and before you are so strong as to overcome the evil one dare you assume to your selves the power of binding and loosing even while you your selves are bound with the chaines of your own sins Can you think that such great works as are binding and loosing are annexed to your persons or to the due qualifications of the Priesthood and such as ought to be in you There is no doubt but as the Priest under the law had skill to put difference between holy and unholy and clean and unclean which he could not do if he drank wine or strong drink before he went into the Tabernacle of the congregation Lev. 10. so neither can the Gospel Priest discern between holy and unholy righteousness and unrighteousness pure and unpure so as to bind or loose if he be drunk with wine wherein is excess or drunk and not with wine Esay 29.9 as with the spirit of opinion O my beloved brethren the Gospel Priest must well understand the nature of sin and corruption and temptation unto sin and the devices of Satan and meanes and ways how to escape them He is the spiritual man who judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 Who knowes the mind of the Lord Rom. 11.34 Who hath the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult Such a Priest is able and fit to binde and loose as having received the spirit of God and been endued with power from above Otherwise its great boldness and presumption for any man to assume such power unto himself And what my Brethren emboldens you here unto Because you say you are made Priests And therefore you presume to take the Apostles authority for your patern to whom the Lord Jesus said Those sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained John 20.23 O when shall we deal sincerely and impartially with the holy Scriptures How often do men cite the divine testimonies as the devil alledged part of Psalm 91.11 12. to our Saviour Math. 4.6 Where he leaves out what was most necessary to be understood And in this case of great moment men do the very same For where our Lord saith whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. he premiseth those words Receive the Holy Chost And then immediately follow chose other whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained They therefore who have received the Holy Spirit of God are the fit men for the discharge of the Gospel-Priesthood Wherefore my Brethren boast not of your power but rather pray unto the Lord for his Holy Spirit whereby you may be impowered For our Heavenly Father will not fail to give his Holy Spirit unto those his children who ask him Luke 11.13 and are obedient