Midianites Numb 25. 17 18. inclos'd cramp'd and vex'd them first with the Guilt rising up in the Face of Conscience and then with the miserable Consequence of the sudden Wrath of God revealed from Heaven against them This was the Stumbling-block of Iniquity the wicked Man in Ezekiel puts before his Face even the Idols he had upon his Heart These were the stumbling-blocks with the wicked God would cut off and remove in the Prophet Zephaniah This was one principal Point of Scandal the Apostle discourses of to the Corinthians in the Case of Eating 1 Cor. 8. 10. things offered unto Idols and that the Holy Spirit in the New Testament so eminently remarques for Balaam's Doctrine of Scandal The great Abomination and Lie that deceives the World in the Book of the Revelation is the detestable Rev. 2. 14. Antichristian Idolatry the notorious Scandal of the Christian World both within it self and before the Jews Turks and even Pagans who see their own Brutishness acted under that excellent Name This is so great a Point that God hath departed from the Brevity of that Majestick Law in the Second Commandment for the guarding his Worship as with a Flaming Sword every way because in a Case wherein Humane Nature is so prone to fall Whether therefore it be the dividing the Divine Honour to any other though under the Name of Reverence to him as the Original or Supreme or whether it be the carving a Worship for God he does not prescribe for himself whatever be the Dccency or Expediency to help the Devotion whether of the Learned or Unlearned it becomes Scandal and a Snare to those that are so impos'd upon And seeing though the weakness of Passion be far off from God he owns himself jealous we have reason to mistrust every thing when he is so seeing not only foul Debauches but even what is most innocent in all other Cases is suspected in that Hezekiah in the sense of this broke in pieces so venerable a Relique as the Brazen Serpent not only a Ceremony of 2 Kings 18. 4. Miraculous Cure but a Type of Christ and degraded it into a meer piece of Brass when he saw the Israelites scandalising at it and tempted by it to impure Glances When our Saviour perceived so clean and harmless an Usage as Mat. 15. 1. Washing before Meat creeping into a piece of Religion how severely he disown'd it and was careless of the causeless scandalising of the Pharisees by his Doctrine concerning it because he knew there was True and Real Scandal in that Rite so abus'd And when all is said that can be said the Heavenly Pattern is that in Divine Worship and that only of which it can be said That nothing in it can scandalise that is justly scandalise except we think God's Jealousie was a Jewish Style wholly now out of date And yet how hath this Scandal this Stone of Stumbling this Gin and Snare always lain in the way of Humane Imagination and prevail'd upon it As if God living in the Retirement of a Spiritual Nature did not understand how himself was to be address'd by Men nor knew the Points of Honour due to his own Glorious Nature as is most Fashionable and Modish in the World Men take upon them to distinguish things better by the Breeding they have had in this Earthly Country they think God so much a Stranger as not to know how to appoint for himself when Men have to do with him as if what might be well accepted in Heaven would not yet be current upon Earth Here Images Pictures Elevations Adorations of the Host with innumerable Rites and Ceremonies are necessary to beget Devotion due to God the Saviour they will serve Here they that can best judge what is most Stately have determin'd God must not make himself so cheap as immediately to receive Prayers and Supplications or by his Son only as the Mediatour Angels and Saints must intercede and then who can deny them their share of Honour Religion will be neglected and dâ—spised if it have not Sets-off besides it self and the necessary Decency of Humane Actions There must be something unusual to dress it up and amuse But all this is no more than the Greens and Flourishes laid over a Trap to hide it and invite the unwary Passenger God that understands himself so perfectly as to know what will please him understands all Men too and needs not that any should tell him of Man for he knows what is in Man and he hath pronounced it What is higly esteemed among Men is abomination in the sight of God He hath Isa 15. 9. said it In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men All outward Pomp is but drawing nigh with Lips when the Heart is far off To worship God is to give him the Glory of his own Perfections and not to make him such a One as our selves God is a Spirit and they that worship must worship him in Spirit Joh. 4 24. and Truth in his Spirituality and Truth not in their own Carnality and vain Shew It is not to Paint or Pourtray or Carve a Deity as the Heathen that chang'd the Truth of God into a Lie and the Glory of the Incorruptible God into the Image of Coruptible Man and other baser Creatures because they thought it best and yet worse than that into Names of greatest Infamy and flagitious Turpitudes All frivolous Rites represent Divinity small and impertinent to the Great loss of the Glory due to that terrible Name The Lord our God One great End of Worship is the Conforming the Soul to the Divine Nature by Approaches to and Exercises of the Mind upon it but if this be mis-shapen the Soul is made more unlike to God Blessed for ever as the same Heathen became more licentious by the Pourtraictures they gave their Gods A trivial Temper of Mind naturally results from a trivial Worship even as it forms it first and often meeting it there it daily returns from it confirmed and improved The Sincere Worship directed to in the Gospel is that Glass in which we behold the Glory of the Lord and are changed 2 Cor. 3. ult into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. Loosness of Life hath been always noted to be the Fruit of a Corrupt Worship It is naturally so and God curses it to be so God gave Idolaters up to their Lusts and an Injudicious Mind They that Worship him aright according to his Word Psal 36 8. and 6â— â— adhere to him and by regular Conduits drink Life from the Fountain of Life and derive from the River of his Pleasures they are abundantly satisfied with the Goodness of his House even of his Holy Temple They that Worship God after their own Imaginations do but drink out of their own broken or defiled Cisterns that hold no Water and therefore draw nothing but Wind and Air or
may have heard the fame of it with their ears It is the way found out and declared by him that made weights for the winds and ballance for the clouds It is the way of the fear of the Lord the beginning of Wisdom and departing from evil the true understanding There lyes the peace of Natural Religion It is the way of Christianity seen and publisht by Christ Jesus the Way the Truth and the Life That 's the peace of Christian Religion And it is certainly the proper excellency of Christian Religion and its very intention to bring this way both as Natural and Christian to light to lay the grounds of it to give the Rules and Measures of it to sweeten mens tempers to the good nature of it That every one in a clear and still air not darkned with Clouds full of Thunder and terrible with the Lightning of dreadful Laws and Bloody Executions may see may be wary in the choice of his conduct of himself to his unchangeable state and may therefore have light have room have still and silence in which he may weigh every thing prove every thing Now that which I have now declar'd is a way most agreeable to the Word of God and that Reason which respects either all mankind or all Christians This is the Contrivance of Christianity's providing That the Wolf and the Lamb may dwell together that the Lion may lye down with the Kid that the child may play on the hole of the Asp that there may be no hurting or destroying in all Gods Holy Mountain That Knowledg of God and True Religion may have the same scope and freedom that the waves have in the Sea Christianity hath always the Grounds ready by it and with it And to present them in their Rational Possibility is a Vindication of Divine Justice Righteousness and Goodness an Offerture to man to be happy Nor will the Platform be always Vtopian the days will come when it shall pass into life power and effect Now whenever this shall be in its Glory that Degeneracy of mankind that curse that lyes upon the earth that vail of the covering spread upon the face of all Nations that severe indignation of God against Humane Nature shall be removed The Spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh the light of one day shall be as the light of seven All flesh shall see the Glory of the Lord together So come come thus Lord Jesus Even so Amen I have thus far made a Lamentation upon the General State of the World in relation to Religion which till some such mighty Influence come down from Heaven as I have intimated upon it is like to be for a Lamentation For the dark places of the Earth will be full of the Habitations of Cruelty and it is certain the Habitations of Cruelty will be furnished with the Instruments of Cruelty And therefore Oh my Soul come not into their secret unto their Assembly my Honour be not thou united for in their anger they slay and destroy and in their self-will they dig down walls Cursed be their anger for it is fierce and their wrath for it is cruel Their drink-offerings of Blood will I not offer nor take their name of Religion into my mouth I shall therefore leave them and address the close of this Discourse to the Saints that are in the earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my Delight And in the first place it calls us to the Review of the Excellent Christian Religion even as Natural Religion all essence all substance trace it throughout all its Doctrine Worship Rules of Life they are all by their very Goodness plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledg there is nothing froward nor perverse in them its bands of peace are not politick or worldly Intrigues no Ceremonial Symbolism or Ritual Shibboleth but ponderous Verities and Divine Love All the shew or appearance any Religion can make is but a ray borrowed from its Divine perfection a derivation from its light or from Natural Religion which is it self for pure Natural Religion is Christian Religion if you suppose a soul without sin mounting from its Creature-probaâ—ionership to its highest perfection as Adam if not having 〈◊〉 from Paradise to Heaven And Christian Religion is Natural Religion suppose the soul fallen and rising back from its Apostacy to that perfection by the Redeemer 2. Let me apply this Discourse to the Comprimise of all Differences betwixt Protestants and particularly in our English Christian Nation not defining any Controversal Point but urging to that end such undoubted Principles as I have insisted upon in this Discourse 1. That supposing a National Church cannot be made out to satisfaction yet Christian Kingdoms are so considerable a point of Scripture-Prophecy that it cannot be denied So far therefore as National Worship can be agreeable to a mans Conscience making inquiry and most curious search into the Word of God both as to his Duty and to his Liberty also and possible Freedom from Scruple every Christian is oblig'd to Glorifie God in the publick services of him and Confession of the Faith of Jesus Christ with his native Country Suppose a man should retire to particular private Congregations to supply what he may find wanting in the National Constitution to compleat all the Duties of Christian Communion and the advantages of it yet still he is bound to promote and encourage National Religion so far as it extends to avoid as much as is possible all Divisions and profest separation from it by putting the fairest Construction and the kindest hopes upon those things that seem doubtful and as little infringing the Authority of Laws as may be consistent with sentiments of Conscience and a due enjoyment of that liberty God hath given men of judging for their own souls as in his sight viz. in those things that are not Laws of Natural Religion and so indisputable or those Grand Points of Christianity in which a Christian can have no allowance in all things else a Christian hath a liberty but so that he must not use that his liberty as a cloake of maliciousness but as the Servant of God give due Honour to 1 Pet. 2. 16. all I would therefore propose these three Considerations to draw men to the greatest Conjunction with National Religian that can by any means be reconcil'd with good Conscience towards God Considerat 1. That if we examine things by Scripture there are many abatements from the supposeable evil of external Observances of which we may lawfully make our utmost Advantages to so great a Good as our Professed Conjunction with National Religion while substantially good though the High Places I 1 Kings 15. 14. mean things equivalent in our opinion be not taken away as in the times of the Excellent Kings of Judah First then as fundamental to this case I suppose these two things Equiponderating one another 1. The high Character of National Christian
Society of Men that is truly Catholick if it be but according to the Light of Natural Religion to joyn with them in the Performance of any of such Services so far as they will admit it and keep to the Simplicity and Sincerity of them according to the Instances before-named of Jonah and St. Paul And much more should we do this when True Revealed Religion is joyned with Natural if nothing be requir'd of us that corrupts and defiles it No Man's Errour in which we are not forced to communicate should drive us from Truth or any part of it And upon these Foundations we should endeavour to win further and further upon all to bring them home to God wherein they wander We should make Allowances to every Man differing in smaller things receiving him without conditioning him to subscribe to us in things of Doubtful that is Private Disputation If any one erre from the Truth and one convert him by Evidences of that Truth let him know that he that converts a Sinner from the errour of his way shall save a Soul from Death and hide a Multitude of Sins But if we cannot be admitted to such Communions with those that are so enslav'd to False or would bring us under the power of Private or will have nothing to do with us nor admit us to them we must not yet desert our Catholick Respect to all that is True and Good among them but acknowledging what is so value and praise it desire the Divine Acceptance for them in any Good thing so as to bring them out of the Errours they have adjoyned to it and as you have opportunity reason them out of the one by the Evidence of the other CAP. V. Of the Publick or Divine Original of Sacred Writing or Scripture Quest SEeing Scripture is the only Publick Record of True Pure Natural Religion and more eminently of Revealed it is most necessary to be fully informed in all Points concerning it And first What Care God hath been pleased to take that his Word and purely that should be committed to Writing Answ God held the Hands and Pens of Holy Men by an efficacious overshadowing their Minds and conducting all their Motions that they could not erre In some things he so fully possessed their Understandings and Affections with a full Knowledge and Sense of what they were to reveal that they could not so much as muse any thing Strange or Diverse from what they were so carried and born by the Divine Spirit in even as Elijah in his Body In other things wherein they could not look round about them nor fully comprehend what the Spirit in them did signifie though they convey'd it to After-times yet they were by Almighty Impressions upon all their Faculties necessary to that Service held in stronger than Adamantine Consinements that they could not extravagate from Divine Truths Even Balaam thus overpower'd against his will could not go beyond the Word of the Lord to speak either Good or Evil upon the greatest Reward much less Holy Men whose Wills were perfectly resigned to the Divine Will Quest But was not there a Possibility those Holy Men Writers of Scripture might at other times when the Spirit was not so immediately present to them alter or add of another Alloy to what themselves had been the Instruments of conveying from God to the World Or might not Pretenders arise and give out False Scripture to the World that had none of that True Spirit Answ When once any Part of Divine Testimony was committed to Writing it became a Boundary to those very Penmen much more to all others that they were always concluded by it So that besides the Dread and Awe of God and of the great Sin of Falsification of his Truth or Name they could not alter any thing so as to disagree with what they had before spoken by the Divine Spirit whose Righteous Judgments endure for ever nor could they so much as imitate themselves when unassisted by the Holy Spirit When therefore they did not understand by immediate Assistance the utmost End and Reach of what themselves were enabled to speak and write they did and they could do no more search and pronounce by all the best ordinary Helps God afforded them but could change nothing could add nothing they searched what or what manner of Time the Spirit of Christ in them did signifie they could not pronounce of the Time when not revealed to them They knew the dreadful Anathema ready to fall even upon an Angel from Heaven that should preach another Gospel The least Iota once established by Unchangeable Wisdom and Goodness was less movable than Heaven and Earth and would bear no Addition but of the same Authority by which it self was given And even the very Manner Method Words as they meet to carry such a Sense have their Majesty and Divineness so that whatever was by Inspiration from God bridled that which was not and they that were inspir'd knew in what they were inspir'd and what they spoke as so inspired and in what they were not but were as Samson with his Locks cut no more than like other Men and most cautiously distinguish'd betwixt the one and the other Nothing therefore hath assayed to joyn it self to Scripture if any hath dar'd to do it it hath been rejected by it when not of the High and Publick Spirit of it Quest But did not the Writers of the New Testament reverse the Writings and Commands of the Old which thing so scandalised the Jews against our Lord his Disciples and Gospel Answ No otherwise than as the Sun commands the Shadow to fly away and the lesser Lights to retire when it self appears or the things typ'd out being come make useless the Types so that they necessarily give place or as Pictures vail when the Life is present Else there was such a Respect to the Scriptures of the Old Testament in those of the New as to avow them of God before them and Elder Scripture than themselves so that they vouch'd them for all they said and taught and staid the time of themselves being tried proved and sufficiently confirmed and Canonized into Scripture by the Scriptures that were undoubtedly so before them and in the very same Methods that they came into the Honour of being Scripture Upon which account the Apostle calls them the more sure Word of Prophesie more sure because of greater Antiquity and Elder Reception into Scripture than that Historical Relation and Doctrine which yet was immediately to pass into Scripture of the same Authority and Value with former Scripture and of greater Evidence and Divine Clearness and recommended by Higher Appearances of Divinity And on this same account the New Testament derives it self from the Old sometimes by Proofs out of it drawn according to the most regular Trains and Consequences sometimes by more immediate and authoâ—â—tative Interpretation but of the same Publick and Divine Inspiration with the Prophecy of Old Time it self as shall
harmless in comparison but the abomination of idolatry and superstition most loathsome to that infinitely pure and spiritual Nature I come in the next place to consider how far time place distinction of persons in religious worship are within the cognisance of the law and light of Nature For I omit out of choice any discourse of sacrifices which some have contended came in by natural instinct as too copious for the present intendment concluding they were ordained by God chiefly to typifie the true ever breathing sacrifice of Christ which service having performed they expired in it not only repealed by the Evangelick Law but no doubt through the superintendency of Providence grown into disuse throughout the world which together with those strong solid Reasons against their valuableness in themselves given by God Psal 50. 9 10 11 12. Mic. 6. 6 7 8 9. Heb. 9. 10 c. sufficiently argue they were not of natural notion nor of the everlasting Righteousness of that Law Let us therefore waving them go on to debate the dictates of Primitive rules concerning time and I find but two things I can suppose injunctions of so ancient a date pertaining to it 1. That the time be sufficient capacious enough for the receipt of Religious duty and action sufficient for the making ample inquiries and searches into Divine things for the souls commoration and rest upon them for the discharge of Religious business and duty and so suitable and agreeable to the testification of our honour to the supreme Majesty by offering such a proportion of our time together such frequency of returns with the favour of season and redeeming season when it seems to fly from us that in all we may have a liberal space for so grand a business in our more stated and occasional performances 2. That in what concerns publick worship the time be commensurate as in the former particular to all the ends and purposes of publick worship the occasions and advantages of it and particularly that it be known agreed and indicted for that service But for the seventh part of time though undoubtedly pitcht upon with infinite wisdom justice and â—quity in the fourth command respecting Divine honour and business on one side and humane occasion and diversion on the other yet it must certainly be said the original â—allowedness of it is founded in Divine command and must bâ— conveyed by undoubted tradition of that command having no more natural in it than the general compromise of the world in the distribution of Time into Sevens or weeks seldomer than which no reasonable sense of Religion could allow for the recurrency of solemn publick worship mix'd with continued private devotions as in extraordinary to every days service Else I cannot perceive it could be defin'd by the laws of natural understanding For place these two things are also necessary 1. That places be as agreeable as may be to the end secret and retired places for retired and secret worship places of domestick coveniency for Families and publick known and agreed for publick worship 2. That places for Divine Worship have the decency gravity and solemnity that is suitable to such a degree and quality of business as is there to be negotiated not as any part of Divine Worship or so much as having any influential conduciveness upon the mind in such action but solely as the result of humane prudence adjusting every thing to its proper use and service and with the decorum most natural to it For time and place having no influence upon Religious actions more than upon all common humane actions by any peculiar vertue of their own they cannot without a peculiar Sanctification from God with which he by his revealed will acquaints those upon whom he is pleased to enjoin the observation rise any higher than themselves Nor can humane appointment extend them beyond expediency and decency the ordinary rules by which all things civil and humane are squar'd Devotion can mount nothing higher than its own true elevation as to the nature of the thing Devotion I say and zeal ascend up to God yet they leave the things they use behind to rest in their own station It being a Divine power that makes any thing Divine or Sacred or efficacious to any such productions Without this every thing rests upon its own basis of natural aptitude observed and imployed by reason to those ends and purposes whereunto that aptitude serves Time and place rated beyond themselves become injurious to religious services receiving more of the minds attendance and respect than is due to them which being wholly oblig'd to a total sole and single determination upon the Divine Majesty it self must not look off from it but under the peril of moving that jealousie God expresses in the Scriptures and if not thus yet they beget in men injurious thoughts of God as if he dwelt in Temples made with hands and the presence of the Lord of Heaven and Earth confin'd there whereas except by his own choice upon certain reasons as among the Jews all places are alike and He equally accepts those that worship him in spirit and truth He that inhabits Ubiquity is no more offended Joh. 4. 21 23 24. or disdains mean and unadorn'd places for his service than stately Structures To misdeem so of God hath a degree of that folly that would restrain his Omnipresence lest it should be defil'd with the sordidness of some receptions nauseous to us not knowing that Infinite Spirit feels not the passions of body our Saviour made use of any place for Heavenly Discourses and Prayers to observe days or times carries a suspition that he who inhabits eternity and is Lord of time is not all times the same and therefore the Heathen that had corrupted natural Religion watcht for some days as more lucky and avoided others as unluckly in their attendances on their mock-deities Yet doth God allow to men the wise and prudent choice of their own conveniences in his worship both for time or place not presuming to sanctifie any thing to him that he hath not first sanctified to himself for who knows how to chuse for him or who is able to give to him first This must needs be the determination of natural reason if it use its own light and discharge its own trust Having spoken thus briefly of time and place I come to the third thing Distinction or separation of persons for Divine offices how far it is directed by natural Religion under these three Heads 1. In the first Ages of the world Patriarchal Eldership nearness to the Creation and continual acquaintance with the History of Gods Treaties and dealings with men together with the Power Gravity Authority resident in it carried the most fit administration of Divine Things along with it so that the Pontifical Prophetick and Royal Authority accumulated upon them this seems unquestionable in Reason Scripture History and universal tradition 2. After the multiplication of Families into Nations and
Faith in Divine mercy and lastly of future rewards and punishments Now in all these as I premis'd Natural Religion is not to be measured by what is found in the dark and sullied state of the generality of Mankind at such vast distances from the days of Innocency or so much as in the colder liveless Climate of Philosophick Morality but by what discovers it self when these frozen benum'd Principles relent and are thaughn by the warmer beams of revealed truth by what men do and must acknowledg when they come to themselves then the Ministers of Natural Righteousness out of and according to Divine Revelation are 2 Cor. 5. 11. made manifest in mens consciences and they speak and write no other things than they do acknowledg and shall acknowledg to the utmost to the very end Even as the illiterate 2 Cor. 1. 13. mind does not at first perceive the wisdom of such a writer as Socrates Plato Plutarch of such Historians as Livy Taritus but when it comes to be cultivated it knows by a Test within it self the gravity and dignity of their sense and stile Thus at the first unexercised souls tast not the gratefulness of the Word of God to natural conscience which is afterwards most agreeable the senses being exercised to discern gâ—od and evil Heb. 5. 14. 2. In what of Christianity pure and perfect revelation alone must be acknowledg'd There is yet such a close affinity betwixt the holiness purity wisdom of the one thus reveal'd and the other implanted that they must be own'd all from the same fountain and accepted alike by every serious considerer that as it is observ'd of the Old and New Testament and the several Writers of each through all the variety of Times Manners and Customs of the world in the sâ—veral ages of it throughout the several periods of the Churches state and progression and throughout the different extractions educations employments temperatures of the Sacred Writers there is yet one Wisdom one Reverence of God one Holiness one Majesty of Discourse running through the whole arguing the supreme Author one and the same Even so in Natural and Revealed Christian Religion the Divine Commandment is perfectly one and the same nothing trivial nothing Romantick nothing Speculative only all is for greatest use of the glory of God and the salvation of mens souls so as not to be refused 3. The Revelations of Christianity are the highest Amplifications of natural light even to the utmost possibilities of conception but in nothing contradictious The Doctrine of the only true God is kept most pure even as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times But this Divine Nature is explained to us in the Father Son and the Holy Spirit and in the infinite Graces and Bounties proceeding from the Deity so explain'd to us and this is so to the utmost that as we certainly know in Heaven it self it is impossible to know any more Gods than the one true God we have known here in the world so it is as impossible we should know any more in that Essence than the Father the Son and the Spirit in Eternity it self It is of everlasting inviolable Truth There is one God and it is reveal'd to us in Christianity There is one Mediator 1 Tim. 2. 5. 1 Cor. 8 6. between God and man the man Christ Jesus There is one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him And this is life eternal to know thee the only true God Joh. 17. 3. and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thus the Divine Unity is preserv'd And lest the obligation to a Mediator to a Redeemer should abate or interfere with the obligation to the one God and Father the Mediator is always made known to us as the Son of the Father the brightness of his Heb. 1. 3. Glory tho express image of his person the heir of all things So that the Glory of the one Mediator infinitely and incomprehensibly unites and circulates in one with the Glory of God the Father So far is the Revelation of Jesus Christ Phil. 2. 2â— from any the least contradictoriness to that fundamental natural principle of one God And as evident it is that it is to the utmost and above all we can think for in the highest Glory of Knowledg it is we know certainly impossible to know any higher Mediator any other Mediator than our one Mediator for as a man can rise no higher than God there can be no higher Beeing than God so there cannot be a greater Redeemer and Mediator than the Son of God There cannot be a greater acceptance of a sinner than upon the account of the most perfect obedience and the deepest sufferings of the only begotten of the Father the beloved Joh. 1. 14. â—at 3. ult Son in whom he is well pleased There cannot be a nearer union to the whole nature of of man than by this divine Person assuming not any humane Person which had been limited narrow and confined but humanity it self into one person with himself There cannot be a greater inspiration and internal operation than of which the Spirit of God is the Author and Fountain nor a closer uniting of Believers to Christ than by this Spirit to be so joined to the Lord as to be one 1 Cor. 6. 17. Spirit Thus to the great Justification of Christianity before Natural Religion all is from God and absorpt into him yet in such a distinction from him that every glorified Spirit enjoys its Happiness Glory Purity Perfection Acceptance with the Divine Majesty distinctly and in it self and yet so in God that the whole Glory is refunded into him which is the perfect Glory of the Divinity From the whole then though it is most true that these great points surmount Reason in the discovery and explication yet when it beholds these things in that full portraicture divine Revelation presents them it cannot but adore and admire and confess the manifold wisdom and knowledg of God the riches of his grace the praise of his Ephes 3. 10. 1. 6 11. glory working all things after the counsel of his own will As to the Christian Doctrine of the Resurrection and eternal Judgment they are but what is very agreeable to the very Principles of Natural Religion all men having an ingrafted sense both of it and a future state and as to the Resurriction it self I think it most manageable upon grounds of Reason That the Creator can as easily command the Principles of a dissolved body into one as at first create those very Principles out of nothing nor can I think those niceties of dispute brought into this Article of Faith of any moment it being enough there shall be a future state of Spirits in bodies as in sensible appearances of Glory or Misery and those bodies as much mens own as the nature
right of Earthly Powers Not the retrenching any of the Freedoms of Natural Religion not the imposing any thing besides and beyond it by power or penalties not the forbidding of Reformation of any corruptions invading it not the embargoing any Revelation from Heaven consisting with or perfecting Natural Religion as all truly such do only the power of requiring all to live in obedience to the punishment of those that disobey Natural Laws But it may be further said God intended Christianity should be brought in not by might not by power but by tâ—e Spirit of the Lord. That Believers in it should seal it not with Pleasures Honours and outward Advantages accruing to them by it but with their blood and sufferings This is also most true it appears God did so intend But still if Magistrates were intrusted by God with making Religion Legal or not Legal by their seal it is plain that Divine Ordination of Magistracy was dishonour'd and debas'd by him that appointed it in that it was not at all taken notice of in so great an affair of the Divine Kingdom And so far as they could judg who did not believe there was a real injury done to Powers and the sufferings of Christians were on that account just For who could know that for so long a time God had suspended that supposed Ordination of his viz. That no Religion should be brought into any State or Kingdom that had not first the favour and license of the Laws and Magistrates of that State and Kingdom But now suppose it is a stated Rule that beyond Natural Religion the Magistrates Power extends not but that being secur'd there is a freedom to Subjects of taking care of their Souls and wherein they have to do with God as of their bodies lives or estates in private concerns or as a Philosopher hath of chusing what he thinks the best system and from the best Authors and that men may freely reason herein still within the confinement of Natural Religion Reverâ—nce of God and all just deferences to men and then Christian Religion had a Legal entrance offering no disregard to Magistracy but taking natural freedom to offer it self wherein its way being so prepar'd it then opens it self with all that Divine Power and Authority that cannot be refus'd but under the great peril of Eternal damnation Thus proportionably the case is the same concerning the Reformation of Christianity from Popery We then that are Christians and Protestant Christians have great reason to keep that door of the just and lawful propagation of Religion not contrariant to Natural Religion as open as we can and to grant a quiet comprehensive of all offers that can be made keeping within Rules of Natural Religion Reason and Prudence it seeming less hazard to admit those inconveniences attendant upon this liberty that through humane corruption run round with every thing than those greater mischiefs of having Christian or Protestant Religion violently kept out Thus I have endeavour'd to clear that there are obligations lying upon men precedent to any right of Humane Authority viz. of duty to God in obeying God rather than men of the Profession Confession and publication of true Religion however men forbid or scorn it of rational communication of truth as the Apostles said We Act. 4. 12. cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard of charity to mens souls in not concealing the tydings of Salvation the Righteousness and Truth of God For certainly David expresses himself according to the Laws of Natural Religion when he says I have preached righteousness in the great congregation I have not refrained my lips Oh Lord thou Psal 40. 9 10 knowest I have not hid thy righteousness in my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation And Moses when he says Give ear Oh ye Heavens and Deut. 32. 1 2 3 I will speak and hear Oh earth the words of my mouth my doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew because I will publish the name of the Lord Ascribe ye greatness to our God Yet from hence I do not suppose any man bound to go and preach to the Great Turk either the Laws of Natural Religion against any of the iniquities of that tyranny or follies of that superstition or the just and holy Laws and Truths of Christianity instead of his worse than Aâ—ile Alcoran Every man is to measure his commission and the enablements he hath receiv'd from God for his work and not to venture upon things beyond his line For even the Apostles knew their measures the measure of the rule distributed them by God a measure reaching so far beyond which they did not stretch themselves in that famous place 2 Cor. 10. 13. Every man may compute the probable account his service will turn to in the Glory of God and the Salvation of mens souls Christ teaches him to forbear when it is certain before hand His pearls will be trodden under foot and himself Mat. 7. 6. rent And so I have finished what I think necessary to be spoken upon this Third Argument and pass on to the fourth Argum. 4. Natural Religion may well be the Cement of Vniversal Peace since whatever can comport with the good of the Vniverse or Community is secured by it The Glory of God so far as Community is charged with it The Peace and Welfare of particular persons The orderly Posture of every man in his Station and Rank The just deference to Magistracy and publick Authority The security of publick Peace and Quiet The Advancement of True Religion in Divine Revelation Now in every one of these I will consider what Objections may be made against allowing freedom in Religion upon Natural Religion secur'd and the Answers to them Object 1. Every False Religion or refusal of the True Religion in a Nation not vindicated by due severity upon Offenders is an offence against the Divine Majesty of a National Guilt and brings down National Judgments Answer The government of Conscience being Gods peculiar no earthly Power shall be charged with the obliquities and errors of it any more than with the secret sins of men that are not known or those Distempers of Mind and Spirit which coming into no palpable Instances can neither be convicted nor sentenced by man Now mistakes of men in Religion not cognisable by the light of Nature are to be reckon'd among the Errors of Conscience and so are properly left to Gods Judgment-seat and the Magistrate stands free It is therefore very observable Princes are called nursing-Fathers and Queens nursing-Mothers signifying not a Isa 49. 23. Commanding-Power but a tender insinuating cherishing the Encouragements from them that such an Appellative carryes with it in those that declare it in those that are to receive it The Magistrate discharging this Honourable Trust may acquit himself and the Community
in strict combination one with nother this Peace is the close rest of the parts by which every one adheres with greatest kindness to each other and desire of self-preservation in the preservation of the whole and so all the parts seek the commodious situation each of other and abhor the disturbance the disease of any And because this Peace cannot procure or conserve it self seeing it is not a dull sluggish Rest but in the midst of Motion and Action Love is as I may call it the Divine Archeus that Divine Spirit of Nature the great Instrument of the Holy Spirit the supreme Author of this Love and Peace And Love runs every way pries into all the causes of Division and removes them sees into all the ways of conciliating and effectually pursues them This is that Love that edifies the body it takes off all the asperities and roughness of the parts those particular sharp angularities of Opinion reduces them to a square to a Figure fitted one to another and then cements and ties them one to another till they grow into a spiritual Temple What incomparable Virtues to this purpose does the Apostle at large and with greatest speciality express in that Divine Treatise of Love 1 Cor. 13. All knowledg without 1 Cor. 8. 1. this is nothing of what sort soever it be That only puffs up and swells men as if they themselves were All as if they could themselves be an Intire Temple a Spiritual Building alone the understanding all Mysteries it makes a man look to himself like the whole Body of Christ or at least as if he were to determine the posture and figure of the whole and all the other parts to obey and be contented with the room he leaves We know this is the general temper of Opinion the product of Knowledg without Love Knowledg therefore alone cannot build Airy Knowledg is big boisterous angry if it be not admir'd if it be not venerated so as to take up what space it pleases to order as it pleases Even the following of the Truth the earnest search after and Eph. 4. 15. pursuit of what is True a much more excellent thing than meer Knowledg yet if this be not in love there cannot be a growing up into the Head in all things even Christ Love then is that which takes care of all the members of all the lively stones how they may all most comply with and advance each other and rest in their peaceable conformity one with another and sweetest application one to another even while they are in a most intense Christian motion like the Heavenly bodies so harmonious so at peace in all their activity that there is in this true sense The sweet musick of the spheres so it should be so it is in true Christianity in all its motions govern'd by love how various soever in other respects yet they are all melodious because they are all in peace how different in lesser things soever Now this Love and Peace are spiritual and intellectual and they therefore are fix'd upon a complication of spiritual intellectual Centers if I may so express them all the Right True Lines from which and returns to which are in Love and Peace And these are those several points of union the Apostle hath laid together Ephes 4. 4 5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of All who is above All and through All and in you All. 1. One Body Even the whole Society of Christians dispersed throughout all the world and united so as to make up this one Body and that by virtue of the second point of union that follows 2. One Spirit One Divine Spirit Author of the same Spirit of Holiness and Grace within Christians informing every Christian and making them All of the same Christianity as the soul in men makes them All of the same Rationality This is the one Spirit into which All are made to drink and so are this one body for without this they would be indeed but as so many single stones or scattered parts else too their union were no other than dull and stupid but now all the parts feel throughout in this Center of one Spirit 3. One Hope of our Calling The same Heaven and Eternal Happiness Mansions of this same House of our Father is the one hope of Christians unto which the Gospel alike calls them They then who are to meet together in the same Eternal Blessedness and to be one general Assembly and Church of the first born for ever with what unconcernedness in little trifles should they aspire to that Glory together with unexpressible indearedness of Love and Peace 4. One Lord even Jesus Christ instead of the Lords many is the One Lord to Christians by whom are all things Rom. 11. 18. and they by him they therefore who subsist and are borne upon the Root as branches of the one Vine must not boast 1 Cor. 8. 6. against the Branches for they bear not the Root but the Root them the worshipping of one True Supreme Lord how 1 Cor. 8. 6. much a stronger tye of Union than a precarious visible but visible Apostate head If one Earthly Prince be such a band of Union how much more one King of kings and Lord of lords they are to be forgiven every thing conceded every thing who sincerely worship this one Lord every thing that can possibly consist with their sincere acknowledgment of him 5. One Faith the Principles of Revealed Religion which they believe even the substantial Principles as I nam'd them in the last Head are one and the same and therefore a solid band of Agreement and it is the same Living and like Precious Saving Act of their Souls wherewith 2 Pet. 1. 1. they believe these alike Precious Principles Faith that worketh by Love Love to God and Love to all Christians Gal. 5. 6. Love is the very natural Breath of that life of Faith 6. One Baptism One open Profession and Confession of Faith Christians make to Salvation with one Mind and one Mouth from under one end of Heaven to the other generally seal'd with the same Sacramental Rites Baptism comprehending all the instituted Rites of Christianity a voice of Confession as the voice of Thunder so high as to still and quiet all the small murmurs and jars of Division Rites so solemn and great as to make void and vain all other Ceremonies as notes of Distinction 7. One God and Father of All who is above All through 1 Cor. 8. 6. All in you All To us Christians there is one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him This grand Uniting Principle of Natural Religion is more nearly condescended to us in Christianity and the Bounties of the Creator in and through the Redeemer flow with an Infinite Redundancy in and through and over All
with the Reason of Philosophers and wiser Poets in what they said well and wisely as that we are Gods offspring Acts 17. 28. A wise Christian does not deprive himself in his private Freedoms of true Reason or Christian sense though he culls it out of much dross nor of the benefits of Christian worship where he may find Good if the worship be not so corrupted that one cannot be separate from the other There 's a general Charity and Tolleration must be of humane infirmity in the best administration of it by men for there is a charge of our Folly upon all our appearances before God visible not only to God who charges his Angels with it but to our selves so that if Angels hide their faces much more those whose houses are of clay and their foundation in the dust Yet there are advantages of Edification that are indeed to be had for which we are accountable to God and so our withdrawing our selves without just Cause and the degrees of our withdrawing shall be accounted Schism But of this and what may be objected in these cases more may be spoken under the next Head If any man indeed from want of Love and with a design to divide scatters and sows Opinions or causes Divisions is an Enginere of Division Such a man hath the true Spirit of Schism and is to be mark'd and avoided Rom. 16. 17. But there may be dissents there may be dislikes in many cases and yet no Schism no cutting off no more than of a Member in the Body that is weak or deformed or wounded or it may be none of these but for ease or conveniency would posture it self somewhat differently from the rest But still in all cases there must be a care for the body and he that withdraws is in danger and that for the withdrawing not for the different apprehensions Men may withdraw in some points of outward Communion we see they may locally separate on occasion they may deny to conform to what they think amiss as one Member is not bound to deform or wound it self that it may be Uniform with another that is so wounded or deformed There may be very different Motions and ordering the several Members on sundry accounts yet no Schism No man can say then I will not be of such a Body of Christians for such an Opinion for such a form of worship or because they will not so conform when All are the Body of Christ and Members in particular It may be said Are these not of the Body therefore or those not of the Body therefore because in some thing they differ when both parts hold the Head and are Members according to the Laws of the Head What can be said against it but that the Laws of men interposing or the Laws of particular Churches interceeding make a difference betwixt the case of Christians now and in the times in which the Apostles writ and that now such variations from the Obedience and Conformity required by those Laws become Schismatical meerly for the Disobedience sake which shall be presum'd proof sufficient of the want of love and care for the Body and not the want of Love constitute the Schism so that wherever the disagreement in Judgment is there shall be the Schism sure enough whatever the Love and the Indications of it are in all other signs tokens and effects of it But if there be the desired Conformity all the Hatred Emulation Strife and Envy against the contrary side shall be canoniz'd and not reputed Schism and the senslesness or even disaffection to the general Interests of Christianity shall never be considered But shall the Laws of men thus make obsolete the Laws of Christ It is not any Law nor an Offence against any Law but the Law of Christ nor against every Law of Christ but the Laws concerning the Unity of his Body that can make a Schism nor does a Congregation or a Multitude determine where the Schism lyes when there is a difference or a Division among Christians For as one man holding the substantials of Christianity is more a Church than a Community erring in those Fundamentals so is one Christian full of the Love of the Body of Christ most willing to do and receive good more truly of the Body than Associations fill'd with Anger Wrath Clamor and the Spirit of Indignation without Mercy without Compassion who are indeed in their Union more Schismatical than the humble solitary Christian that cannot run with this stream For these things are not carried nor determined by number but by true weight and worth as one wise man is more a Senate than a Convention of foolish and unknowing men By all this that hath been spoken it may be determined what Answer is to be given to that Question whether the Church of Rome as it is call'd be a true Church to which the Answer I should give would be plainly this It is no otherwise so than a married woman that is an Adulteress is a true Wife I say not a true Woman for the importance of Woman is more Physical and so in this case more ambiguous the sense of wife more befitting the moral and mystical sense of Church and the one not made use of by the Scripture in these cases the other constantly call'd for to represent the true or false Church But to keep more close to what we have been upon let me put the question thus Whether the Church of Rome be a part of this one Body of Christ And it is most evident if we look upon it as such an Incorporation such a Body as it is in and by it self it is not it cannot be other than a Synagogue of Satan For so it is a Body consolidated upon other points of Union than the Body of Christ is for though it takes in them yet it adds foreign and aliene of its own and those very many and such as destroy if not all yet some of the principal by such a deep corruption of them changes them so that they cannot be known to be the true ones or alike precious Fundamentals laid by Christ Jesus and his Apostles It is a Body animated with another spirit the very spirit of Antichrist a spirit of blood and cruelty against all that keep to the true measures of the Temple and Altar of Revel 11. 1. God and his true worship therein The Body of that false Church hath its fabrick put together and united not by that faith at once and once for all given to the Saints but by successive and growing Tradidition Jud. 3. And then the spirit of it persecutes out of all the common priviledges of Humanity so far as it can not to buy nor Rev. 13. 17 18. sell those that will not receive that mark of it self its name and the number of it viz. that false Christianity that forsaking the stable four-square of the true body of Christ the Revel 21. 14 16 17. square-roots of
abhorrence But supposing what may be objected against its constitution relating to Divine Worship Nor on the other side that I would so much as intimate any enforcement upon Dissenters against which I have argued so far except that of Scripture-argument with satisfaction to doubts Consid 2. But if a man cannot run the line of National Worship it is good yet to take the uâ—â—ost advantage we can of the Gifts Christ hath given to men in the publick National Ministry who would at a cheap rate lose the benefit of many great lights God hath at this very day set up in the English Nation men who both by their Holy Lives and great abilities have adorn'd the Doctrine of God our Saviour Bulwarks against Atheism and Antichristianism I profess for my self though I most heartily pray to God for the removal of all that offends either of either name and that there were a High-way out of the Churches and Congregations of Conformists into those of the Nonconformist and so back again or rather that the Distinction were wholly removed yet I would not upon any of the rates set as necessary at this time to enjoy their excellent Labours lose the benefit of either seeing in both there resounds that Glorious Gospel of God our Saviour in great excellency according to the Talents committed to each 3. It is good to take off all suspition and disgust of Magistracy from Religion occasion'd by distance from him in publick Administrations that there may be no appearance of Faction Sedition love of Difference Affectation of Singularity so far as we can fly this Imputation with safe conscience towards God it is best to be done to the utmost when it cannot to manage our Dissents with exceeding Modesty and Humility Besides in relation to People in general we are to consider how National Usages prevail on them transform men into all appearances of Habit Gesture and such like Circumstances National Decency is a great Circumstance in Religious Service as I observe from the Apostles Discourse 1 Cor. 11. 16. Every thing Vnnational is ready to be turned into Ridicule when therefore we can have the due License of Conscience the Decency Gravity and order of our Native Country is of very great Reverence Lastly Incompliance with our Nation is very ready to render our spirits morose angry vehement zealous of small things in our own way too severe and rigid against small things in others and in fine to make us Bigots of another kind given to mode in another dress of things and Ceremonialists of another Order And so I pass to the other side of Things and to make this modest Recommendation of Three Considerations to those of National Conformity 1. That they be not zealously intent and overwarm about the things themselves wherein Protestants among us disagree For it is evident they are not of worth to support any great esteem nor can there be a greater Argument against them than are intemperate heat for them This is to make them something in Christian Religion which is to turn them into a like thing with the Jewish Concision because it is with the great injury of Christianity when such Things are over-rated and the turning the things themselves out of that middle place God hath set them in into a much worse And to transfer the whole load of our too great heat for them upon Subjection to Magistrates Order Decency is a plain confession the things themselves are of no worth and to charge those other great Names with a weight too great and unjust to lay upon them viz. to make them serve under all the evils of wrath clamor malignity oppression of men in their Consciences anâ— Estates It is to press them as a cart is prest with sheaves and yet no wheat is brought into the Garner there is no wealth increas'd to Magistracy Order or Decency while all those valuable things Love Peace Vniversal satisfaction are sold for them 2. Bigottry even in a National way doth as much unman men abate from the excellency of their minds the goodness of their temper the gravity and becomingness of the Mene in Religion and grows as contemptible and servile as the same evil in any other way 3. What great likelihood is there a Nation may sometime without violence without any thing of Faction Sedition Tumult or Fanaticism consent to change this outward face of Religious Administration and then how many Zealots for it will be posting to the newer Constitution and how mean and pitiful will it be not to desert the things for that is no more than changing that which is changeable but to desert what they have been zealous of which is apt to look Irreligious Hypocritick even almost Atheistick And suppose men continue their zeal it looks but like the second childishness of old age that cannot part with the trifles it hath been so long us'd to I do not speak this as if I thought Religious Administrations should vary Fashions as often as men do Habits but till we bring them up to that state which cannot be shaken that certainty of Divine Institution Pure Natural Rational Decency join'd with that of the very Country and Nation it self we shall never be sure but that which may be shaken will be shaken that the things only that cannot may remain Antiquitas seculi juventus Mundi The world grows and will grow more vigorous and manly by its age We see a new mode of Discourse of Sermons grows up every age nay too much a new fashion of Divinity that can by no means endure change it being the Faith once for all given in Primitive Christianity at once for the main rescued from Popery and restor'd in the Reformation Yet what offers of Alteration upon at least the form of the notions the manner of conveyance of them are at this day endeavour'd is very visible as if the formâ—r were unintelligible of no good sense or consequence not suitable to the clearer and better modelled state of Theology why then should we be so hide-bound in a scheme of Ritual Administration in Christian Worship which in its own nature is much more made to pass away with the age If we are then more merciful to this Gourd of Ceremony than to the more substantial interests of Truth Mercy and Peace let us fear lâ—st we provoke God to smite our Gourd with an East-wind But I undertake to judg in these cases no further but judg this rather that on all sides we value substantial Christianity and the new Creature as the Rule by which we are to walk in mutual love peace and forbearance one of another in all lesser things wherein we may be somewhat otherwise minded one from another and then in due time God will reveal even these things so to us that so far as is necessary even in those we may be of one mind Seeing our Vnion is one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptism if there be not a Schism in
Societies of Mankind it declared it self a Religion that loved them and as it were on purpose to testifie the Divine Approbation of and the near resemblance between those Civil and Political Unions one with another founded in the very nature of Humane Society and that Religious Union which by the very same Law of Nature follows them as so united Christianity kept to the very same Tenor of Union it found any where and twin'd as close about the Cities Neighbourhoods and Families made ready to its hand by civil Associations as it could not calling men out to Wildernesses Mountains or Woods to be the Churches of Christ or that they should abide in Desarts and Solitudes when persecution did not drive and force them out But the Churches of Christ are denominated from those Cities and Regions where they are planted as the Churches of Epheâ—â—â—â— 2 Cor 9 2. Coriâ—th Judaea Galatia Macedonia c. yea the Christiâ—â— of Achaia are called by the Apostle Achaia as if Christianity were there become the Religion of the Countrey and the seven Churches of Asia are called those very Cities where they were seated Rev. 1. 1â— Wherein it is observable the Churches of Cities are called the Church of or in each City as one though it is in a manner certain they must be distributed into more Congregations for their numerousness yet they are still called one because the City was one But the Regions not being so united in Government Neighbourhood or any kind of Civil Union the distribution of Churches easily follows the distinction easily supposable in their civil state In Regions therefore we suppose there was no Centre of Union not in the Churches which were at distances too great for Coagmentation into one nor in the Laws and Government at least with any respect of order towards Religion they are therefore called Churches and not one Church as they are without any exception in Cities even where the Apostle names particular Churches in the Houses within those Cities yet in regard of the Unity of the City it self they are comprehended under the one Church of that City Now all this speaks the care Christian Religion uses not to disturb but to conform to Civil Societies and therefore especially to National the chief of those Societies and so I close this third Argument for National Religion derived from the consideration of Christian Religion National Religion is of great moment and consideration in respect Argum. 4 to the Day of Judgment for the wrath and fury of God upon those Nations that know him not that call not on his Name is to be taken at the full extent and duration in this world in that which is to come and so the happiness of Nations who have the Lord for their God that have the everlasting Arms under and about them spreads it self not only upon Time but upon Eternity It is indeed generally taken for granted that Nations are only judged as Nations in this world yet if we closely examine we shall find both in Scripture and Reason very valuable grounds to believe the Day of Judgment shall not only pass upon persons single but in their Communities as they are lock'd in with their Associations and with respect to those very periods of Time and the Generations into which the Communities and Associations have been distributed so that not only the people of every Nation come into Judgment together but the people of every Generation of this or that Nation come distinctly into Judgment together Besides those peculiarities of Sin or Grace wherein every man is individual to himself and no Stranger intermeddles but he proves and enjoys his own work alone or bears his own burden There are also mens interwoven Actions either good or bad wherein the Communities knots of Society Neighbourhoods Concurrences with the Nation Conformities with the Age and Generation shall be exactly compared and weighed in the Eternal Judgment For there is nothing more frequent in the Scripture than thus to represent the carriage of the day of Judgment The Nations whole as Nations that forget God shall be turned into Hell and Aegypt and Ezek. 32. 18 c. Rom 2 12. all its company all its Hosts lye together the other Nations with their multitude every one in their proper sorts The Vncircumcision and those without Law are judged by themselves the Circumcision and those under the Law by themselves distinctly Our Saviour speaks oâ— Sodom and Gomorrah the men of Nineveh Tyre aend Sidon Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum coming into Judgment in that Union in that Community wherein they were imbodyed here in the world and the men of that Generation as they were that Generation I confess it is not so clear that the happiness and salvation of mankind is with any respect to the distinction of Nations because besides what other reasons may be given the union of all blessed persons to God and Christ and of happy Spirits one to another is so infinitely great as to swallow up all distinctions so that there is neither Jew nor Gentile Scythian nor Barbarian but God and Christ are all and in all And so far as there is any such National distinction Our Lord being of the Seed of Abraham in whom all the Families of the Earth are blessed the bosom of Abraham the Table of Everlasting Life at which Abraham Isaac and Jacob sit down the new Jerusalem the Israel of God are the Capital expressions of happiness But still there is reason to think the distinction of Nations is not so lost but that the Holy Seed is as the substance of every Nation in which it is for ever as it were by it self conserv'd A Seed serves God in every Age which is accounted to the Lord for a Generation at that time and when God writes down the people in the Book of Life he writes them as under the head of such a Nation this or that man was born there although they are all enrolled as Citizens of that common City of Zion the City of David from whom our Lord sprang And though all Christians are one holy Nation yet it is said of some very glorious and happy State of the Church of which I will not undertake to determine that after the distinct Sealing of so many thousands of each Tribe there was yet an innumerable company not in a confusion but in a distinction so as to be known to be of all Nations Kindreds People and Tongues All the Nations of them that are saved are also mentioned in the same Mystical Book as kept under that distinction The Apostle speaks to his Corinthians and Thessalonians as certain he should meet them under those very names at the appearance of Christ He prays for Israel as a Nation that they might be saved he discourses their falling away and recovery in a national way for many particular Israelites were then called and saved but not in a national way as he insists Besides all these fair
all that pierced him whose very own eyes shall see him as so pierced by them It is the appearance of men in their Bodies of Nations in their National Capacities of all men and things in their Restitution For it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Regeneration Mat. 19. 28. to their former state that Religâ—on and Piety may receive its recompences of Glory that Irreligion and Wickedness may have its just rewards of Shame and Punishment and that in the very circumstances wherein each were seen and known and shall then be remembred to â—ave stood here in the world though for the generality very different from the esteem and disesteem they then found Lastly This Representation of the day of Judgment is the most lively feeling and sensible Engagement to speedy Repentance and Reformation that our sins may be blotted out when the times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Re-enlivening all things shall come from the presence of the Lord Who would not take greatest care that when they are Acts 3 19. sought for they may not be found Who would not desire and so use the most effectual means to appear in Glory and not under shame and contempt This is also among the strongest Arguments upon the most honourable Personages and Governors of a Nation yea upon all that love the honour of their Nation and desire the glory of it with the true publick Spirit to mind the promotion of sincere Religion Piety and Goodness in themselves together with the State of the People Times and Governments to which they belong since if they desire their Nations Renown in this world and that their management in it may be transmitted fair in Chronicle that they may live High in Story how much more must they if at all serious desire to mâ—ke an Honourable Figure in that most Illustrious Representation of the last Judgment and the Eternal Records of All Things They and their Countrey together according to the station and Relation wherein they have stood to it and the love they have born to it And certainly every good man desires by an immutable Instinct by a Law of Goodness within himself to be good in a Community and to be saved in their Salvation which he earnestly aspires to in and with his own and his own in and with that Yea though he be so low or mean in his Fortunes Abilities or Discourse as not to be in any Advantages for propagating True Religion yâ—â— he hath an inward force to it and as every good man rises in his Stature and Condition and influence in the Nation to which he belongs so in his service to the publick Religion but especially every eminent great truly Religious Person of a publick Character and a Lover of his Nation hath a most vehement and ardent desire not only of his own Salvation but of the Salvation of his Nation of as many and great numbers of as universal a Body of it as may be Moses was so high in this that he desired to be blotted out of Gods Book of Exod. 32. 32. Favour that he rather than his Nation should and the Apostle Paul for Israel his National Kindred wished to be Anathema from Christ The scruples of either of which I will not dispute being satisfied Rom. 9 3. they express a high and mighty zeal for the National Salvation and which in a degree is to be imitated by the best men Therefore such Persons as Moses Paul and other of the Worthies of Nations and People that have been successful in bringing many to Righteousness and Happiness shall have as our Saviour speaks Rule over Cities proportionable to their service they shall for ever be exalted as Princes over their People in Eternal Glory even as the Apostles shall sit upon Thrones judging that is shall be Rulers and Governors over the twelve Tribes of Israel Those that have not been successful as Noah Lot Esay c. that have yet had the Zeal the publick Spirit that was commensurable to the Piety Religion and Salvation of their whole Community shall not though Israel be not gathered yet spend their strength for nought their judgment is with the Lord and their work with their God They shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord they shall Isa 49. 3 4 be a sweet savour to God of true Holiness and Piety in them that perish even as in them that are saved The glory and happiness shall accumulate upon themselves though it redound not on the Nation God makes them of themselves as it were a great Nation in the blessedness of Eternity as he promised Moses if he would have been contented with the destruction of that present Nation of Israel They are reckoned as a Nation by themselves and not of that Community that perishes For as the Apostle says The Lord knows how to deliver the Righteous out of Temptation and so out of the Infamy of a common corruption and especially that everlasting contempt and reserve the wicked to swallow it wholly in themselves Their Reproach their Lord will return upon them for ever it being turned off from himself and his Servants But though there is an infinite wisdom in the Divine Judgment in rescuing thus his own Glory and the Glory of his Servants that have been unsuccessful in turning men to righteousness while they have been faithful with all their Talents and in all their House yet the salvation of Men and Nations is the plain and manifest glory of God and of his most Eminent Servants Those that are their Converts are their Hope now and their Joy their Rejoycing their Crown of 1 Thes 2. 19 20. Rejoycing in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming in that day only thus Men of eminency in holiness are secur'd against loss if they save only their own souls while they endeavour the good of many that they may be saved they are Crowned with those whom God hath given them as Children by being inâ—truments of their Conversion On the other side they are assur'd of their reward with God in them that perish But further Every man that is good in a Nation though his Interest be private may like the one poor wise man have done all he can to save a City and therefore shall not be forgotten here If he be a holy good man he will not be lost by being alone nor overseen by being low in the world though he be but one of a Family or even of a City yet God will bring him to Zion the City of the living God Every one shall with Daniel stand in his own lot proportionable to what it was here it shall be in that future state God will seek his Sheep out of all places whither they have been driven in the dark and cloudy day though but the poor of the flock and they shall stand at his right hand at that great Division of the Sheep from the Goats To conclude this Particular The honour of Nations
their hands to guard them in all their ways that they may not dâ—â—h their foot aginst any of the stones of Scandal They are Ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for them that shall be Heirs of Salvation Those greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven humble themselves as Little Ones to serve the Little Ones of God and Christ And as their Angels they always behold in Heaven the Father of our Lord and of all that believe in him that whoever despises them even to Scandal must be sure to have it remonstrated against them 2. He exemplifies the care of them in himself The Son of Man is come to seek and save that which is lost and the Argument is raised to the height as it is exemplified in the Father of the whole Family in Heaven and Earth named after Christ whose will it is not that so much as one and yet when one only is in the danger of Scandal Who does not look upon him as a Singularist especially if one of the least too and reject him should perish but is pleased in the preservation of one such even as the joy of one Sheep that is lost out of a hundred exceeds sensibly the joy of the ninety nine that were not in hazard But now lest the great charge against Scandalising and Despising should seem to introduce a Lawless state in Christianity and increase Petulancy and Licentiousness in those who would be looked upon as at least Little Ones in Christianity or make the care of not Scandalising of endless scruple or burden Our Lord prescribes a Method for preventing so ill Consequences very certain to its End yet very far from Scandal or Despising A Method that allows no sin and yet deserts none till they deserve to be accounted but as Heathens or Publicans to whom yet a due measure of Christian Charity is to be preserved Which Method it is not my business now to enter into the Controversal part of but to observe as of great moment that the Doubting of the lawful use of Indifferent Things in Religion falls not into the account of any of those Trespasses the Lord speaks of and that as if it were on purpose lest the thing should be mistaken a most different Method is in that Case commanded by the Apostle of the Lord. Here therefore give me liberty to compare in some things which I have omitted in the body of the Discourse the Sermon of our Lord and his Apostle First He that doubts in Indifferent Things and cannot conform to what others do and would be conformed to in is not commanded by the Apostle to hear the one or the two or three nor the Church it self Nor is it said by the Apostle they that will not hear on such accounts should be as Heathen-men or Publicans or as we speak Excommunicate both which are very notorious in the Evangelists Records in the Case of the Trespasses there spoken of which assures us they are of another Nature Nor doth the Apostle urge as from our Saviour that what is in these Cases bound on Earth shall be bound in Heaven or what is loosed on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven that there shall be any obligation on the doubting Conscience by the Churches Canons or any such discharge of it before God or it self by obeying them But every Man in this Case is to hear his own Conscience there every thing of this nature is bound and loosed there every word or matter is heard and established On the other side there is no Injunction of telling the fault of Non-Conformity if any be aggrieved at it in that gradation from one to more and so to the Church But the Apostle's command is First Not to Judge or Despise if that may keep Indifferents to their Equipoise if not the Command is not so much as by Example to Scandalise or draw any that Doubt to act against or over their Doubt in Indifferent Things because they are but Indifferent for that is to sin against the Brethren the weak Brethren as at the least we esteem them Now in these Cases to sin against the Brethren is to sin against Christ in his Law against Scandal Now in that all things are of so diverse a frame and aspect in the Lords Prescriptions concerning Trespasses and the Apostle's Directions in cases of various apprehensions in things of Indifferency wherein one great part may be guilty yet of great weakness and mistake and that none of the Methods ordered in the one is so much as mentioned in the other or once intimated it argues very evidently that variety and as various practices in indifferent Things though joined with such mistake and weakness are none of the Trespasses our Saviour had regard to And since the Apostle puts all under the notion of Scandal wherein the weaker part is either drawn into sin enfeebled in the vigour disquieted in the true peace of Conscience or so much as despised by being incompassionately neglected in his Doubt the whole Case is brought under the force of our Saviour's Sermon against Scandal that none looking upon themselves on any accounts as Great in the Kingdom of God in the Church or in the Christian Profession let those Accounts be whatever they can be presumed to be should by any sort of Imperiousness whether Command rigorous Treaty or Example that despises all that do not follow it impose upon the Little Ones To all which let me have the Readers patience to add this one Observation That the Evangelist Mark makes the occasion of this or a like Discourse of the Lords upon Scandal That the Disciples were much displeased that one did cast out Devils in Christs name that did not follow them that did not seem and indeed was not of their way in the appearance of Things But our Lord with great Compassion accepts him so far as he was come For saith he He that is not against us is on our part He that although in a different Company or Mode does the same things we do and does nothing in opposition to our Great Design is on our side And so he proceeds into a similar Discourse of Kindness to or Scandal against his Disciples though Little Ones And if we suppose it the same Discourse as in St. Matthew and that this Evangelist had not an accurate regard to the occasion yet in that he connected it with such an occasion and that by the Divine Wisdom it teaches us how much such a Discourse is adjusted to such an occasion for guided by the Holy Spirit the things are so laid together Now that the Apostle had his Eye upon these so famous Discourses besides the Reasons I have given on this Head in its due place it is evident to me further he had so by his Representation of himself in a Figure all along the ninth Chap. of his First Epistle to the Corinths in the very heart of a Discourse concerning Scandal as that Person that humbles himself as a Little Child in
Task-masters under them cannot be without Scandal For while they seem to be zealous of Order Decency Uniformity they sin against the Precepts of Love Vnity Mercy Peace and exchange too often those excellent Pastoral-Staves of Beauty and Bands for the Instruments of the foolish Shepherd Zech. 11. 7. 15 16. that extend not to any true Acts of Pastoral Care Visiting Healing Feeding but Tearing and Rending Lastly By-standers and Neuters have the Woe to the World because of Scandals coming upon them for they mis-judge of the excellent Religion of the Gospel by these great Miscarriages and it falls under their misrepute as if it stood in Ceremonials in regard of whom the Apostle was so cautious that the Good of Christians should not be evil spoken of as if the Kingdom of God was only Meat and Drink For whereas the Substantials of Christianity justifie themselves to the Consciences of all Men Ceremonials lead to Atheism as if Religion were but the Craft of Parties using Trifles for Interest Rule and Domination and Differences in the Profession of it when multiplied by Disputes about these Indifferents bring mistrust upon all as if there were nothing certain Lastly the Heats Cruelties and Persecutions used on these Accounts cannot but look very strange and full of horrour to the very Light of Nature For how can it but appear Prodigie and Portent that Christian Religion that counted upon nothing but Persecution of it self in the World should turn the Weapons used against it upon it self as hath been most notoriously infamous in the Popish Inhumanities Or what Stranger can think well of such a Christianity And then more dire it is that Protestant Religion branding Popery as a Religion of Blood shoud be so much as tinctur'd with any of that Spirit and that any of these Evils should be for the sake and upon the account of Indifferents that are acknowledged to be devised by Men that are not equal to Gods Law that may be chang'd for which other Countries that use them not are to be condemn'd whereas Substantial Order and Decency are the same throughout the World some small Local Differences allowed for This is the great Cause of Complaint But on the other side the Reasons that appear to Dissenters against them are great and weighty in themselves Let them be mistaken in the Application yet a great Reason on the contrary to any thing if misapprehended is of much more weight than a very slight and inconsiderable Reason for it however true And though in a much inferiour Cause I acknowledge yet I hope it is not unlawful to make an Allusion to that unavoidable Argument against Atheism That the enduring of inconsiderable Inconveniencies though certain is much more eligible to a wise Man than the adventure upon intolerable and endless Inconveniency though suppos'd uncertain In a like manner though of a lower consequence and yet not altogether lower The great mischief of Scandal though possibly upon mistake is not to be hazarded upon suppose the more certain little Inconveniences of Mens not conforming to Indifferencies But that there may be a more equal Poise of the Matter I shall briefly present the Objections against Indulgence to Dissenters in Indifferencies upon the account of Scandal and the Answers that may be returned to them Object 1. If Scandal were an Argument against things we must go out of all things even out of the World nay out of Religion it self for all things are full of Scandal even the best things Answ It would be yet a considerable Service done to the World the Christian World if but so much of Scandal were defalk'd as hath its play in Indifferents The abatement would be above what can easily be believed if all that hath swell'd the Account of Scandal from Indifferent Things had been wisely and thriftily cut off from the entrance of Christianity to this day And the Sting of the Argument why it should have been and yet should be so is That they are but Indifferents that are spoken of the Use of which makes us not the better nor the non-use the worse But the mischief of Scandal is incomputably great so that the advantage of such an Abatement had brought Infinite Recompence with Usury in Truth and Peace for that little Profit if any that could grow from barren and dead Indifferents in Religion though considered as separate from Scandal Object 2. The Apostle himself was enforced to change his Voice concerning Indulgence to the weak in the Judaique Rites and to vote the persisting in a Love to them damnable and the Holy Spirit brands the Idolothytes conceded by the Apostle to be afterwards the Doctrine of Balaam So that the Weakness of Consciences about Indifferent Things becomes so masterless unruly and headstrong as to indanger main Concernments in Religion if not reformed the due time of Indulgence being allowed for it Answ The Mischief if nearly observed always grows from making more Accessions to the Worship of God and Religious Services than God hath made For the Judaizing in the Galatians the Will-Worship and shew of Wisdom among the Colossians the forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from Meats all grow upon the same Root Even the Idolatry and Luxury of the Idolothytes came not from a wise and Christian asserting God's Right above the Idol's but from sinking down into the sensual Worship of the Idol by a daily Conversation at his Table in his Temple and uniting Heathenism with Christianity of one of which either Judaism or Heathenism most Rites are but the Offspring The great Danger is either in exalting Gods Creatures into a state and for Uses and Ends above what he Ordained them at Humane pleasure and arbitrament or retrenching the Liberty God hath given in the free use of his own Creatures for every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if received with thanksgiving For it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer Now this cannot alike extend to the Signs and Ceremonies created by Humane Imagination and imposed with rigour and that not only on Civil Accounts which we meddle not with but upon Religious where God is only Supreme At which Door hath entred all the Idolatry and Superstition into the World winding it self by lesser Degrees and so mounting it self to the very top The great Use of the Apostle's two Discourses is therefore to be resolved into this one main Position That upon the account of Indifferencies wherein the use or non-use cannot commend us to God we should not Scandalise nor so much as offer Scandal to any of the Servants of Christ In all which it is duly to be considered That Scandal runs in the Industrious Imposing and binding Observation either by Example that expects Conformity to it or any more violent Influence upon Compliance That which the Apostle therefore perswades to was not any thing of Ritual Distinction of Days or Meats but only the not eating such or such Meats happened in these
Because God to whom we properly and first Unite in Religion is the most Publick and Universal Being in whom all holy Spirits unite one with another and from whom whoever separates separates also from all good Spirits and so falls into the only dangerous Schism 2. Because the One God and Jesus Christ his Son our Lord the One Mediator would have all come to the Knowledge of this as the Catholick Truth that they might be saved and hath therefore reconciled and recapitulated all in Heaven and Earth into one Catholick Body in himself the Catholick Head 3. Because Gods Manifestations of himself are the only true Publick Authentick Records of this Religion and all other not derived from hence are private and false and the Meetings set up to celebrate any other Religion than thus manifested are indeed the close Schismatical Conventicles For none can be Publick Assemblies where God the supremely Publick and all holy Spirits withdrawn with him are not And all are Publick though but of two or three where God the Publick it self and in whom the whole Assembly of Saints meets is in the midst of them Quest Whence do you take occasion to call that Publick or Catholick that is Divine Answ From the Apostle Peter who when he is asserting concerning the certainty of the Scripture Prophecy affirms it a Principle absolutely necessary to be known that it is not of any Private Interpretation and that he may demonstrate it cannot be Private he avows the Original to be Divine Now the plain Opposite to Private is Publick in that therefore the Apostle does not oppose Publick but Divine to Private it is plain in his sense Divine is the only Publick and whatever is truly Publick is Divine and all else Private Quest How therefore are we to understand Private to oppose it to Publick or Divine Answ Idiotick or Private is applyed to persons whose Knowledge is very narrow and strait and they have cognisance of nothing beyond their little own 2. To those that have no Publick Character of Office or Magistracy And lastly to such whose care interest and concern is confined to themselves and their own Even thus Private is justly affixed to all except only to God and Religion as derived from him No created Knowledge either Angelick or Humane is comprehensive enough to be the Fountain no Power or Authority is supreme or vast enough to Enact nor is any care or concern for the world of Souls large or receptive enough to Ordain a Catholick Religion leading to a Common Salvation but his who is the Father of the whole Family of Spirits in Heaven and Earth Quest What Evidence of this is there Answ It is so much the Result of Reason that whoever considers it cannot deny it and upon this account all who have pretended to found a Religion have pretended some way or other to derive and receive it from God For who can know all that is necessary to be known but the Divine Mind and Spirit that knows and searches it self the Spring of all things and so first to be known Or what Authority can prescribe without much less against Omnipotency Or who can spread tender Mercies over all the Creation but the Faithful Creator himself All which are absolutely necessary to the Concernments of the truly Catholick Publick Religion Quest What are the Records God hath vouchsafed to men of this Catholick Publick Religion Answ They are two The Law ingraven upon Man's heart justified and sealed by the constant Miracle of Creation and Providence that carry semblable Lines of all that is written upon Mens hearts For that which may be known of God is manifest in men for God hath shewed it to them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead The Work that God commands Men to do is written in their heart their Consciences bearing witness and their Thoughts in the mean time accusing or excusing one another The Eternal Word or Reason that made all things is the Light that lighteth the Reason of every man that cometh into the world Quest Which is the second Record Answ The second Record is Divine Revelation collected into Holy Scriptures All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine Reproof Instruction Correction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work No Prophesie of Scripture is of any Private Interpretation for Prophesie came not in old time by the Will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And even as the Law of Nature is seal'd by Creation and Providence so hath Revelation always been by Evidences of Divinity and Miracles a new Creation proportioned to the Ends of those Revelations Miracles of meer Power or Justice as upon Pharaoh of greatest Mercy and Benefaction only as by the most merciful Saviour of Mercy and sometimes of Justice as by Moses the Prophets and the Apostles who were to establish the Laws of the Old and New Testament Quest I perceive then all the things of Religion were not clear to Man by the Law written in his heart Answ No For some Parts of Religion are so necessary to our very Natures as Men that they were concreated with us and engraven upon our very Souls and the immediate motions of our Faculties must needs lead us to them while right and streight and continuing in that perfect state wherein our Creator left them For he looked upon all things that he had made and behold all was good and very good And he appointed a Sabbatism for all his Creatures and especially his Rational Creatures the Morning Stars to sing together and praise him for them But there are other Divine Truths which are as the breaking up of the Great Deep of the Infinite Wisdom Grace and Goodness of God that can be known to the highest Understandings of Angels or Arch-Angels only by Revelation Much less to Man a Reason of a lower Orb and least of all as fallen and corrupted Yet supposing the Souls of Men had abode in their first Clearness and Luster all his Faculties would have immediately received and adored God in all such Manifestations of himself and Congratulated those mighty Accessions of Light and Truth Quest But what need was there of any Revelation when Man was made perfect and good while he continued so Answ Revelation was even then necessary to shew that it is not consistent with the Nature of a Creature to have Happiness and Perfection within it self but to be in continual dependence upon and expectation from the Creator For even that Perfection wherein Adam was made was thus to maintain continue and assure it self and so to rise to higher Perfection He had therefore at first a Doctrine by Revelation sutable to the two Sacramental Trees so that though he was Perfect as such a
its own Depths the Spirit to whom are known all its own Designs from the first Foundations or Beginning of Scripture to the highest Stone in the Structure or End of it The Top is known to it in the very Bottom the End in the Beginning That therefore which was seen to Men only in the Rudiment or Foundation and seem'd to mean no more appeared at that very time to him in the Complement and he applies it to that Complement as certainly and justly as they did to the first Rudiment or Foundation As Out of Egypt have I called my Son was as truly applied to Christ's coming out of Egypt being then come to its Perfection of Sense as it was applied to Israel coming out of Egypt in the first Rudiment and the Divine Spirit as truly meant the last as the first though none could know its Sense but it self till it self revealed it Quest How could it be proved the Ministers of the New Testament had the true Key of Interpretation committed to them by the Spirit Answ By the concurrence of all things that justified the first Writers of Scriptures to be Commissioned by God Great and weighty Truth Holy Heavenly becoming God as the Author such Speech as none beside the Writers of Scripture ever spoke all of a piece with former Scripture Miracles mighty Efficacy upon Consciences the Glory of God the Salvation of Souls the abolishing of Sin the Ends designed in all the removing all lower Forms and Ceremonies for the time being into a most High Spiritual Substantial Religion True Peace of Conscience introduced These with innumerable others concurring in any Interpretation of former Scripture that could not else be found out in its full Meaning do both enlighten former Scripture and enlarge it into further and more Scriptures Quest If then our Lord and his Apostles in Interpreting the Old Testament by the immediate Presence of the Holy Spirit resting without measure on our Saviour and in full measures on the Apostles discover'd that Sense in the Ancient Scriptures which was indeed deposited there but could not be unlock'd by any Created Wisdom it will follow thence That it is an unnecessary Labour of many Worthy Expositors of Scriptures to press too hard in every Quotation of the Old Testament we find in the New for a free and full Confession of all that Sense it there expresses as if it could naturally arise from so many Words and Syllables so put together having power and vertue by themselves to signifie so high since the Holy Spirit had a reach in them which none could grasp or fathom but it self and contriv'd that Sense so into Words as none could summon it but it self and that it rested upon the Lord and his Apostles to bring it to light and reveal it into New and Higher Scriptures and that it appears as undeniably they did so as that the Old Testament it self is Scripture Answ The Industry of such Worthy Persons is not to be blamed to trace the Sense of the New Testament in the Words of the Old as far as it is possible for them to go But if they cannot give Satisfaction to cavelling Atheists or Infidels or to the Scruples of Good Men it still remains a just Ground of Satisfaction The Spirit that carried by an Almighty Hand the Writers of the Old Testament carried those Penmen of the New by the same also and from one single Glance of its Meaning that it self with Divine Artifice had left drawn there it derives that full Face of Truth in the New to be its Sense in the Old than that Samson's Riddle in the Exposition should be his Sense in the dark Cover of it in Words that could not else import it He that created the Words in the Old Testament and even then inspired them with that Divinest Sense as with Life might yet suffer it to lie intoomb'd in them till it self that entrusted it there gave it a Resurrection in the New Quest But would you have none undertake in the Interpreting or Expounding Scripture except by Inspiration or the Evidences of immediate Divine Presence where either Scripture is not so express as to be its own undoubted Interpreter or the Interpretation deduced as evidently as any Consequence by Reason Answ Far be it from me to discourage or lessen such Undertakings I rather wish all the Lord's People thus far Prophets to search the Meaning of Scripture with all the Helps and Advantages they can attain and that in the mean time all those who have any part of the Prophetick Office upon them would read and meditate day and night to Interpret Scripture to themselves and others Quest But how is such Interpretation consistent with the Apostles so great Assertion That Scripture is not of any Private Interpretation Answ First Interpretation guiding it self by the plain evident and Self-Interpreting Oracles of Scripture in things absolutely necessary to Salvation displays a Body of Divine Publick Truth which in regard of the Darkness Inattendence and Inconsideration of the generality of the very Professors of the Faith of the Scriptures and much more in regard of the great Indisposedness of their Hearts to the Obedience of Scriptures need such constant Displays by Applicatory Interpretation and a distinct Office to attend continually on this very Thing And yet the main Concernment of such Interpretation lies in what is so plain that when opened and applied it is impossible to be doubted of as Scriptures Sense 2. Such Interpretation as may be Private in regard of its Derivation of any Doctrine from such or such a particular Place of Scripture yet keeping it self to the Analogy of Scripture in the plain and undoubted Sense in other Places does still maintain the free and Publick Course of the Waters of Life 3. Interpretation of Scripture thus guiding it self according to the evident Sense of Scripture in its clearest Parts and taking that as a Clew into the more abstruse Parts of Scripture necessarily encounters much Sound and excellent Truth nearly allied to Publick and Divine in all Knowledge Natural Historical Chronological Moral Political pertaining to Language and Eloquence which makes the World more lightsom and less subject to the Tyranny of the Prince of Darkness How great a Light of all Learning hath broken out from the very Endeavours of Interpreting Scripture to the Glory of the Father of Lights the high Honour and venerable Estimation of Scripture the much Ascertaining True Publick Religion and the Universal Good 4. Many great Truths and undoubtedly Divine in themselves that being more at a distance from those that are necessary to Salvation it hath not pleased the Publick Wisdom of the World to give such Assurance of them as that they should be imposed upon the Belief of all that acknowledge the Sacred Authority of Scriptures and yet may present very large Satisfactions to the Minds of those who are assisted by the Holy Spirit into the great Scripture-Reason in such Points though but particularly for
the very least thing but as Commanded by himself first for then they would be Lords which he plainly declares against and absolutely denies to them and that what they do as Commanded by him they should do so in Duty and Service to the Supreme Lord and Subordinately to his Church as not to be called or esteem'd Benefactors for their Services so that it must be evident what their Superior Service is it must be plainly expressed in the Word of God and there at least so determinately set down as to be deduced with greatest clearness to the Understanding and Conscience of Christians and distinguishingly from the Service of other Subordinate Rulers appointed by Christ that so it may be waited for and received according to his Ordinance with Faith and Obedience 3. Seeing Christ appoints none to an Eminency of Service without a suitable Eminency of Abilities as is plain in the Apostles and Evangelists it is therefore reasonable to expect some extraordinary promises of the presence of Christ to those Superior Ministers to assist them in the Conduct of their Superiority wherein they might above any other Ministers of the Gospel Visibly and Experimentally make some approaches to the Eminent Assistances the Apostles and Evangelists had in the time of their Ministry and that they have continued and succeeded in their High Function in the Church of Christ so that the History of the Real Substantial Services of Bishops to Christianity hath come near to the Acts of Apostles and as much excelled that of Common Presbyters as the Order it self is supposed to do Now without these three self evident concurrent marks of Superiority secret invisible Characters are of no signification Quest How then is such a Succession of Bishops in a Superiority over Presbyters so uncontrolably deduced from Antiquity Answ Besides all other Coincident Accounts there is this to be given After the Apostles there was but a Gradual Cessation of Apostolick Men Men of Eminent Graces and Extraordinary Gifts though not of the Infallible Guidance of the Divine Spirit for the Revelation of the Gospel or the writing of Scripture yet of more immediate Divine Assistances in resemblance of Timothy and Titus for the Confirmation of the Churches planted by the Apostles Supervisal over them and Care for them and also for the further propagation of Christianity which being but newly set out had not arrived many places where it was to come and so needed some more than ordinary Assistances Even as Miracles did not immediately Cease no more did these Personages extraordinary in their Endowments Such as these were worthily in a Degree of Superiority over those that had not the same miraculous Inablements nor Knowledge as yet in Christianity Afterwards such Manifestations of the Divine Presence by Degrees retiring and Christianity having fixed it self where it was then to go and the Churches settled the best accounts of the continuing Distinction between those that were upon the same level in regard of their Gifts and Graces were but Humane Prudence and Order which oblige no Man's Conscience beyond the valuableness of the Reasons of that Prudence and Order Except undeniable Holiness Industry and Improv'd Understanding recommend any Person to such Eminency For Eminency and being Taller than others in those Qualifications will make any Person a Bishop in the true sense of one whether so ordinated or not and cannot make him that is a Dwarf in these truly a Bishop however for Orders sake he may stand in the place of that Figure He that excels in his Knowledge of Obedience to Zeal for and Authority in the Word of God seeing that Word conveys all this kind of Power from it self must needs have more of that kind of Power so conveyed than others for the more purely this Word is understood and Preached the more Power goes out of it and along with those that display it and so they become Pastors of a higher Character whether of a higher Order or not CAP. XI Of every Man's Obligation to be wise for himself to Salvation Quest ACcording to all the precedent Accounts of the Church it seems not only reasonable but most necessary every Man should be wise for himself unto Salvation Answ It is certainly so for every Man is to be determin'd by the Word of God to the True Religion to which purpose he is to apply his Mind to search for true Wisdom as for Silver and to seek for it as for hidden Treasure Quest How should Men of so great Disadvantages to such High Things be inabled to Judge Answ Wisdom assumes most justly to it self to be of so high Value that every Man should think it worth his while to Labour and Travel herein and to them that do so it hath promised the most certain Success even the pouring out its Spirit to them and that they shall understand the Fear of the Lord and find the Knowledge of God The Things of greatest moment are not of such difficulty but that they are attainable in the use of Right Means under so great Promises Quest What are those Right Means Answ Bowing down our Ears to the Words of the Wise that is of those that by Inspiration from God have been Wise and written their Wisdom for Future Ages and by applying our Hearts to Divine Knowledge upon which they come to be inlay'd within us and to be fitted to our Lips to be agreeable and well matched to our Discourse and not like a Parable in a Fools Mouth Quest But are not these things spoken and written to the Learned and Elders of the â—hurch that they might know for the People and the People put their trust in them Answ No They are written to thee even to thee that is to every one that they might have their Trust only in God that is find the Rock of Divine Veracity and Infallibility and have no need to trust in Men â—ut to know the certainty of the Words of Truth and be able to answer the Words of Truth either to those that advise with them as Friends or challenge them as Enemies Quest If this was the sense of the Old Testament it is undoubtedly much more so of the New Answ It must needs be so as a higher and more Intellectual State of the Church as much freer and clearer in its Notions of Truth The Apostles Discourse Christians as no Christians if they are not able to Judge as Wise Men what they say If they are not Men in understanding if they attain not to the state of Teachers by skill in the Word of Righteousness and have senses exercised to discern by an Intellectual and Spiritual Gust Things Good and Evil if they cannot give an Apology or Defence of the Hope that is in them that is of their Christianity to every one that asks them a Rational Account of it Quest But in things of Perplexity and Doubt are not Christians bound to submit to the Judgments of their Teachers Answ If they can receive and
Sinner the whole platform of Redemption by Jesus Christ is become like the Original Law of Righteousness by which Man was formed and Answers to it in all the Attributes of Perfection as therefore the Plot of Restoration by the Son of God infolds it within it self and answers every way exactly to it so that very Law and Doctrine of Holiness owns the Reconciliation and Attonement by that great Sacrifice as Equilateral to it self the Dimensions of one being found correspondent in the other and each to be Tryed one by the other so great a Sacrifice would be unnecessary if it had not so great a Law to answer so great a Law can be answered by so great a Sacrifice and only by that It must have that it can need it can acknowledge no other So then the one may be Measured by the other The Holiness Purity of such a Law violated requires such an Effectual Pacification and Purgation of Conscience such a Renovation as Christianity sets before us Such a Sacrifice such a Renovation or Sanctification by the Divine Spirit from it teaches us what an excellent Law was violated so often therefore is the Lamb made the Title of our Lord and Savour so oâ—ten it is Signally Recorded in the Revelation and the Names of the Apostles of the Lamb are said to be written in the Foundations of the New-Jerusalem to shew the weight of the Doctrine of the Christian Sacrifice in the Blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit breathing in and from it in Renovation and Sanctification 3. The Liberty that Jesus Christ hath brought in by his Gospel is another Equilateral Character of his True Religion to be Measured by each of the former and it also Measures them It is not a Liberty from Holiness it is not a Liberty from close application to the Redemption of Christ and not to need it on any pretence whatever but it is a Liberty from any Imposition that is Ceremonial and does not by its Intrinsique Worth and Goodness or by its Supreme Ordination from God center in the true Perfection of the Mind Conscience and whole Soul yea whatever God himself had Commanded the Jews is not only reversed but despised for the sake of Christian Liberty if it does not square with it so that no Yoak of Ceremonial Bondage is laid upon us by God himself that which had been is taken away and a Yoak of humane imposiing is under the Gospel-Anathema the Doctrine of Godliness of Redemption by Christ may be justly measured by the true perfection of Conscience To do well in things intrinsically good according to the Rule of Christianity and being inwardly purg'd and atton'd by the Christian Sacrifice do also truly measure this Liberty for on one side the Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost He that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men It is not applying to the Blood of Bulls and Goats that can never take away sin but to the Blood Offered by the Eternal Spirit which certainly makes the comers thereunto perfect On the other side this Liberty lays not open the Inclosures of a Holy Life nor removes the Barriers of Justice against Sin if not satisfied and attoned by Faith in the Blood of Christ 4. Lastly That which answers to each of these Characters of True Religion is that is hath no Secular Interest no Interest of this present World that it looks not upon the things that are seen that are but for a Moment but on the things that are not seen that are Eternal such is the Godliness such is the Sacrifice such the Christian Liberty that their Uses and Ends are too great and large to center in Earthly things and though themselves are the True Interest of the present state yet they no way make it or the Grandeur of it an Interest but seek a Heavenly Country and City even as the Lord of this Religion said My Kingdom is not of this World Now as this measures each of the other Characters so each of them measures it such a Transcendant Holiness and Purity can alone see God in Eternal Habitations such a Sacrifice alone can have its Blood enter into the Holy Place made without Hands having obtained an Eternal Inheritance such a Blood speaks alone in the Heavens better things than the Blood of Abel a Conscience so free so perfected hath boldness to enter into the Holiest and none else These are all fitted and Consecrated to Eternity and Eternity to them Light and trivial Holiness Insignificant Ceremonies and Rites of Purgation a cumber of External Observations invented by Men can never enter within the Vail nor endure for ever And on the other side by such Divine Things to grasp at this World and a Patrimony on Earth is as gross and out of Square so that these things exactly measure one another and square together Quest How is the Four-Square City or the True Church adjusted to these Dimensions Answ In all these things I before mentioned in having these and these only in its Doctrine its Worship its Practice and Obedience its Discipline or Government Quest How is the False Church out of Square to all these Answ In that retaining the Profession of the Christian Religion constituted according to these and pretending an Imitation of them and the Miracles attesting them it hath been most extravagant from them by its Traditional Additions and Counterfeits of them every of which are a Violation and Irregularity from one or all of these Characters or equal Sides of True Religion a great Lie upon them with which they can never be brought to agree being not only an endless Variation from but a flat Opposition to them and a despiting them with themselves so strangely so monstrously mis-shapen and that in so great numbers that as in mockage to the many excellent things our Saviour did and taught so many that if they were all written the World it self could not contain the Books that would be written even so if all the numerous and prodigious excursions of the Antichristian Church and Antichrist the Head of it from Christian Religion by its indeterminable swarm of New pieces of Antichristianism should be written the whole World it self would not be able to contain the Volumes that would be written Quest But does not the Profession of so much of the Christian Religion in such an Eminence like tbe City upon the Hill that cannot be hid give it the Reputation of a most Famous Church if not the Catholick as it calls it self Answ Christianity so abused as in the Popish Religion is infinitely the more dishonoured for the Eminence of the Antichurch that so exposes it and it is only the Eminence of Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God and the exalting himself above all that is indeed and truly God in his Church and shewing himself that he is God in his Oracles Wonders and Miracles but they are