to inflame the affections with the love of it to support our endeavours in all difficulties and temptations To this assistance of the Spirit all the faithful have a right And though in this way the Spirit cannot deceive us yet we may be deceived in it because it never works but with us if we fail in what we are to do then that fails us And by this way not only private persons but publick Councels are governed To whom the Spirit doth not reveal the matter of their Decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by way of co-operation assists their indeavours to find out the truth from the proper Topicks of it the Scripture and Antiquity for so all the force of their decrees depends upon the reason and grounds upon which they are made For if any Councel might pretend to that other way of revelation sure that first famous Apostolical Councel might Act. 15. But that did not otherwise determine the matter in controversy then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 15.7 v. 7. when there had been much debate and disquisition out of the Scriptures were the decrees made and sign'd accordingly It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us Verse 28. The Apostles and Elders were in joynt commission with the Spirit the same Lord that sent the Spirit sent the Apostles also and therefore no contradiction to be led by the Spirit and by the Shepherds too THE fourth and last leader which is brought in to avoid the Shepherds is the CONSCIENCE This is the Presbyterians strongest fort against Obedience If he can get his Conscience about him he thinks himself so safe that he may bid defiance to all Authority In the Commission of leaders I confess as I said the Conscience to be of the Quorum We are to do nothing without it and much less against it But then we must be sure we mistake not somewhat else for the Conscience Every disease and distemper of the mind causless scruple slight perswasion groundless fear is not the Conscience against which we are bound not to act The tender Conscience for which so much favour is pleaded may prove in some no better then a disease of the Soul a spiritual Splene For though it be good to be tender of offending God in any thing where it proceeds from the good temper and constitution of the soul which is the same constantly in all cases and is not affected or taken up for a purpose as the sturdy begger carries his arm in a string that it may be a Patent to beg and be idle You may know it certainly to be a disease if it comes upon us by fits and starts as to be tender of offending God when we obey men and not to be tender of offending God when we disobey them If they be not as tender of one side as of another as I never find them to be it is but a Paralitick Conscience that is dead of one side For tell him the Church commands it he presently shrinks and startles at it and well so for possibly he may sin against God But tell him on the other side that God commands obedience to those that rule over us it moves him not at all you may thrust a needle into his side and he feels it not It shews plainly the Conscience hath a dead Palsy on that side But a right and sound Conscience against which certainly we ought not to act is a constant and well governed judgment for not to amuse you as the manner is with frivolous distinctions and definitions of Conscience in this case the Conscience is nothing but every mans private judgment for he ought not to attempt the doing of any thing till he hath framed this judgment to himself that it is lawful for him to do it Now seeing our private judgment hath so great power and influence as to interrupt the course of publick it had need be a true and regular judgment As first It must not be arbitrary for that we think we have reason to decline in the publick Magistrate to govern by Will and not by Law Many a Conscience if it were well examined will prove to be nothing but will not judgement Every good judgment is upon a full hearing of the cause of both sides all evidences duly weighed and examined then resolves this is a Conscience against which we ought not to act though possibly it might prove to be erroneous yet for all that we must know that it doth not set us free from the guilt of disobeying our Governors And then this is all the benefit our Conscience will do us in case of error that it casts us into a necessity of sinning by obeying against our selves by disobeying against our Governors We shall do well therefore to take care that we make not every slight perswasion doubt or scruple a Conscience trusting to be discharged of our obedience by that which indeed binds it faster upon us for that is the very end and benefit for which is instituted the Pastoral charge that when we are so weak we can not safely trust our selves we may rely upon that unless we think it a good plea I am blind and therefore I will not be led I am weak and sickly and therefore I will not be rul'd by the Physitian Now to sum up all if not Reason nor Scripture nor the Spirit nor Conscience will discharge us of the duty we owe to the Church in the name of God let us not rashly fling away so great a blessing that in all our doubts and fears for our quiet and security we may have recourse to the Shepherds and Bishops of our Souls THis is the last point the Shepherds Flock or the Bishops Diocess the Souls of men And here we meet with another quarrel from the Presbytery That they may be sure to spoil the Bishops of all authority they take away their Diocess the cure of Souls that they may be Bishops sine titulo for Bishops they are not either of our bodies or estates And why not of our Souls Christ indeed the great Shepherd that purchased them may rule them but they are too precious for any other Shepherds to Lord over which they say is done by binding the Souls with Church-laws and censures which Christ hath set at liberty And thus they set up Christ against himself and Christian liberty against Christian duty S. Paul I confess doth earnestly press this point of liberty Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again with the yoak of bondage But what liberty It is not simply from obedience either to men or Laws for that were destructive to Humane Society as well as Religion What then is it It is no more then that Christians have a liberty not to be Jews I dare be bold to say this is all that can be made of it And the reason why S. Paul did so earnestly press it is evident The Jews that
the gentle conduct we have in it lay it aside as a thing of no use and that God hath provided other means to lead us many and more certain then any Shepherds can be We have first our own Reason to lead us 2. We have Scripture a surer guide then that 3. We have the Spirit besides Joh. 16.13 and that will lead us into all truth Lastly we have our own Consciences which in the commission of Leading is of the Quorum nothing can be done without it We cannot deny but that all these have a part and share in the guiding of our souls But as no one of them doth exclude or bar the other so nor do all of them the Shepherds For allowing to every of these that which is peculiar to them there will be still found something to remain which is proper for the Shepherds to do I am now I confess in a discourse not so smooth and easie as best befits popular Sermons yet because many whom it concerns to weaken the hands and power of Church-governors do with their importunate clamours fill the Pulpit you will be pleased to allow of a short Answer from thence too AND first for REASON It is not to be denied that it ought to be admitted even in matters of Religion where it hath least to do for Religion is the object and imployment of Faith and not of Reasoning and yet naturally no man will believe any thing unless he sees Reason for it But how not a Reason of the thing that he believes for that works Knowledge not Faith but yet a reason of believing it for the credit of the Author that relates it for nothing can be more unreasonable then not to believe God that cannot ly But to admit reason in matters of Faith for any other use then that is to set up a Religion without Faith which would be as strange a thing as to have a Religion with nothing else There are in Religion some things to be known as well as believed and to these Reason and Discourse is proper for though the Articles of Faith and whatsoever shall appear to be contained in Scripture are without all doubt and reasoning to be received because God hath revealed them yet that this or that Article or Proposition is contained in Scripture is a thing to be known and lyes within the compass of sense we may see whether it be there or no that is for the words And for the meaning of those words we must understand the language in which they are written the proper import and idiom of the phrase the force and consequence of the discourse the coherence and consent it hath with other points better known We must besides discover the fallacies and inconsequences of those that would obtrude a different sense from that we receive All these difficulties though in matter of Religion are within the conduct of Reason but it is Reason so exalted with skill of Arts and Languages with Prudence and Diligence that we shall be forced to find work for the Shepherds too The greatest part of Christs flock I am sure must perish if they may not trust others in those things to which their natural inabilities or course of life hath made them incapable And for the best of the flock whom both Nature and Art hath fitted to master the greatest difficulties of themselves if they shall seriously consider how much and how oft Prejudice Education Custom Passion and Interest doth corrupt our Reason we would in prudence sometimes suspect our own and seek better security from the Church where though we shall not infallibly find the truth we may alwayes safely presume it This will serve to reconcile our obedience with Reason THE next pretender against the Shepherds leading is the SCRIPTURE I confess the Scripture to be a surer guide then Reason for the Authors sake and yet by what ye heard even now it works little without it but yet surer for all that The ignorance of Scripture is a cause of erring Ye erre saith our Saviour Mat. 22.29 not knowing the Scriptures And to keep us right in our way Gods Word is a lantern to our feet Psal 119.105 and a light unto our paths We cannot say too much of the excellency and benefit of it It is a perfect record of all that concerns Heaven or the way to it It hath all the perfections that a law or rule can have to guide us yet those perfections are confin'd within the limits and nature of a law to do no more then is proper for a law to do which is very little without a Judge to apply it Though the rule be sufficiently straight perfect yet it measures nothing out of the hand of him that hath skill to use it Bring what controversy you will to the laws they pronounce nothing either for the Plaintiff or Defendant This is the true reason why though all sects pretend to Scripture there is yet no end of controversies because there is no common Judge to end them And the reason why every sect for all that seems to rest satisfied they are guided by the Scripture is because they carry their Judge a-long with them themselves So as if together with the Scriptures there be not a Shepherd too or some as little to be trusted our selves I mean it cannot lead at all Heb. 4.12 It is indeed a two-edged sword but cuts nothing but in the hand of him that useth it A Third pretender to avoid the Shepherds is the SPIRIT That without question will lead us into all truth Joh. 16.13 But for the manner of the Spirits leading the Scripture points out two wayes The one Divines call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other may be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. as it led the Prophets of old by revealing to them the truth and matter of the Prophesy the object And by this way it led all the Apostles to whom the whole doctrine of the Gospel and mystery of salvation by Christ was reveal'd 2 Pet. 1.21 And thus holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost To this way of leading none can pretend that doth not prove his commission from God by a miracle who sends none of such an errand that cannot make it appear some way that he came from him If the Enthusiastick would have his dreams believed to be the dictates and revelations of the Spirit let him shew his letters of Credence from Heaven seal'd with a miracle and I shall not doubt to set him above all the Doctors and Shepherds of the Church Otherwise he may deceive himself by his spirit he shall not deceive me The other way of the Spirits leading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. not by revealing any thing to us but by co-operating with us by fortifying the soul and the faculties of it to all supernatural actions by assistance of grace to inlighten the understanding to comprehend divine truth
were willing enough to entertain the doctrine of Christ yet were not so easily drawn to part with those Rites and Ceremonies to which they had been so long accustomed and upon so good authority To humour these Simon Magus and his Disciples set up a medly of both Religions that they might be Christs Disciples and Moses too Against this doctrine S. Paul sets himself especially in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians If they have taken upon them to be Christians let them stand to that and not look back again to the flesh having begun in the Spirit Gal. 3.3 For behold I Paul say unto you if ye be circumcised Gal. 5.2 Christ shall profit you nothing To claim from hence liberty from any other men or laws then the Jews they might as well say Christ hath here given them liberty not to be Christians For Christians we cannot be unless we obey the Laws and Government of those that Christ hath set over us To use our liberty in this case our Apostle in the 16. verse of this Chap. hath adjudged it to be no better then a cloak of malitiousness 1 Pet. 2. And for those Consciences which are so tender that every Church-law pinches and galls them they do without reluctance bind their own Souls Every private man can do that which we will not indure the Church should do He that promiseth any thing is bound in conscience to perform it though before he took that bond upon him he had his Christian liberty not to do it Before Ananias promised to sell his estate and give it to the Church he was free S. Peter told him so Was it not in thine own power Act. 5.4 Yet after that it was not in his power to make use of that liberty for his conscience was bound And if a promise may do this much more a vow or an oath If a man vow a vow unto the Lord Num. 30.2 or swear an oath to bind his Soul Numb 30.2 the Soul may be bound he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth If a man should be so unreasonable as to say his conscience may be bound by himself but not by any else Do not they themselves as their manner is in their Sermons bind over their hearers to answer for them at the day of judgment and what a heap and load of Sermons must then ly upon their Consciences though the truth is they bind none but themselves and that to repent for corrupting Gods Word and misleading the people into Faction Sedition and Disobedience to say no worse Let us seriously consider and compare that which they would avoid with that which they indeavour to set up in the room of it They would avoid first the power of the Church in her Laws and Censures as a domineering over mens consciences and a lording it over Gods inheritance But if they look upon it with an impartial eye they shall find all contrary nothing but moderation as first in the very stile of the Church that there might be no harsh words The laws by which they govern are not call'd laws but canons that is rules to guide rather then force 2. Church-punishments are not call'd poenae but censurae not that they are sweetned with good words only but with real benefit for they are not as temporal punishments ad vindictam but ad disciplinam for the amendment not revenge of sin 3. The temporal judge if not Soveraign cannot pardon the felony though he would The Ecclesiastical judge cannot but pardon though he would not Ecclesia non claudit gremium redeuntibus is a rule in the Court Christian The Church refuseth none that will return and repent There is no such rule in secular Courts that the thief or murtherer upon repentance may be pardoned And by Church-Canons in elder times it was deemed an irregularity to be present at a sentence of blood Not that it is a crime to be so but as the Canon speaks propter defectum lenitatis that nothing in them might seem to be of harshness or cruelty The highest and most terrible of all Church-censures of which men seem to be most impatient how harmless and gentle is it Excommunication If he be not guilty clavibus errantibus he is never the worse for it the bonds fall off themselves if he be guilty he may be the better for it if he will When S. Paul judged the incestuous Corinthian to be delivered unto Satan 1 Cor. 1.3 and this was thought to be Excommunication and somewhat more yet this was for his benefit for the destruction of the flesh Verse 5. that the spirit might be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus verse 5. What is there in all this that should fright us from our obedience But now let us see what on the other side they would set up in the room of this A liberty of Conscience forsooth from the fetters of laws that they might not serve God in bonds like slaves but freely That they may preach what they will and as long as they will That they may pray how they will and fast when they will That they may stand and kneel where and when they will Indeed a true arbitrary Will-worship instead of a lawful orderly serving of God a confusion of all But they hold themselves wrong'd to be charged with will-worship for that they do all by Reason and the Scripture and the Spirit Yet for all that pretense they are still under that charge because all these are at their own wills what sectary is there that with a wet finger cannot nay doth not challenge Reason the Scripture the Spirit and Conscience to be for him when he will And why do they allow these to guide them and not the Shepherds but because these are at their beck and will but the Shepherds are not And therefore because they cannot command them they would be rid of them that so they might without control Lord it as they will But I shall trouble you no longer with our Shepherds or their Adversaries but for a conclusion and caution reflect upon our selves for though Christ hath committed the cure of our souls to others he hath not taken it from our selves The Shepherds were given for a help to ease us in it not to ease us of it Every one may and must be by a concurrent care a Shepherd and Bishop to himself and then here I shall take leave only to put you in mind of your Diocess your Souls that ye be not our Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Epistle 1 Pet. 4.15 that we mistake not our Cure for there be other things we have as great affection for as our Souls I wish we had not The rich glutton in the Gospel when he said to his Soul Luk. 12.19 Soul take thine ease thou hast much goods laid up for thee c. sure he mistook his body for his Soul for there was nothing in his barns that could feed that This is no greater an error and mistake then we dayly commit our selves to go no farther then this present time Lent if there were any thing left of it among us but the name charges the soul by prayer and fasting to fit and prepare it self to meet our Lord at the Resurrection When we plead our constitution and health against it it shews we are no ill Curates of our bodies whatsoever we be of our souls Yea that which hath a better title to be our souls will not lie within this Cure the intellectual and principal part of the soul and the inriching it with the knowledge of Arts and Sciences speculative and practick by which all our affairs and the greatest of all the affairs of the world are governed which employ the souls best vertues and indowments and for which none but great and noble souls are fit Yet this is not the soul for which Christ died and is to be our Cure For when we have gained this and all the world besides we may lose our souls The Holy Ghost takes no other notice of these then as if they were but bodies and indeed for their continuance they are no better for they perish with our bodies the greatest wits and wisest conduct lie buried in their dust with them nor will they appear again for us in that world where the soul is most concern'd In a word the Scripture owns no losing or saving to the soul but in that condition which must live and continue for ever Nothing is worthy that name that is not immortal Yet I must recal my self when I said these mortal souls that is in their temporal condition are not within our Cure to get it may be not but to use they are The meanest of them all our Saviour expresly commits to our charge Luk. 16.9 Make you friends of unrighteour Mammon that they may receive you into everlasting habitations Things everlasting are proper for the soul And if you shall make you friends likewise of your honour powers and knowledge for the advantage of Gods honour and service certainly they will do as much for you as Mammon can For thus these mortals do put on immortality these corruptibles do put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15.54 You may in this sense make a soul out of your bodies by the chast sober and temperate use of them And so our bodies and all else become the proper Cure of our souls and in the discharge of that care we may expect the blessing of good Shepherds as well as that of good Sheep 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of Glory that fadeth not away