may contemn it 't is only a punishment to them that apprehend it so and desire to be reconciled the concomitants or consequence thereof as depriving men of their civill interest or liberty upon it is meerly Politick Nor is it conceived to bee of that necessity or use but in some cases it may and ought to be forborn We may aswell be too severe as too remiss and by pleading too much for the exactness of discipline endanger the doctrine of the Church If by our meekness we cannot gain those that are contrary minded we ought with patience to endure them with fervency to pray for them till it shall please God either to reform or remove them Which we shal the more easily be perswaded to if we consider that many are saints in Gods Kalendar that are not so in ours many fall into enormous sins that are as angry with themselves for it as we can be whose vertues though we observe nothing but their imperfections doe much preponderate their vices and it may be our graces too What though the tares grow in Christs field and impure vessels be seen in his Temple let us endeavour to 〈◊〉 our selves as pure as silver refined and to 〈◊〉 as the wheat which hee will gather into his Garâ—eâ— All things are pure to the pure a pious conscience is not polluted by the impiety of others nor are the holy mysteries defiled because wicked men approach them with unwashen hands Hee that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself not mee Thus wee see the Pastors office in all its parts is onely Ministeriall it contains nothing of Magisteriall power or force it governs only by serving and commands by perswading All the Jurisdiction it can claim is in the hearts and spirits of men by that Word which is powerfull and mighty through God for the breaking down of the strong holds of sin only and for the bringing into captivity every proud and rebellious thought And whilst Ministers shall make it their only duty to divide the Word aright without seeking to divide the power any longer with the Magistrate the people wil more easily learn their duty and respect to both and that threefold cord of mutuall love betwixt the Christian Magistrate Minister and people will be better twisted and a due Harmony amongst all the parts and members both of Church and State sweetly preserved Which God Almighty grant ESSAY II. SIR SInce you are pleased to command my opinion concerning the lawfulnesse of entring into the present Engagement and how far I have satisfied my self therein I shall presume to impart to you my thoughts with all freedome I must confesse I have endeavoured as I doubt not you have done the best I could to inform my self from what I could recover in print upon this subject but what I have yet met with seems to contain so much of prejudice and pre-engagement otherwise that I am almost resolved to seek no further resolution thence being loth in the least manner to subject my conscience to the passion or interest of others And first I cannot but sadly reflect upon the condition of the times wherein we live when the foundations are thus removed who knows what he may righteously doe But since God hath reserved us for these times wee cannot do better then to inform our judgments so as to prepare our minds to passe through them with the greatest content to our selves and advantage to others that we can and to take heed lest avoiding the plausible complyance of most in application to the present powers let their commands be what they will wee bee not too passionate on the other hand in forestalling our judgments from that impartiall deliberate debate we ought to make within our selves in things of such consequence We are not in the place of God to dispose of the events of affairs and since things are fallen out so contrary to our expectation and possibly endeavours too wee ought to consider rather what may concern us in this present juncture of affairs then what may seem to be required of us as to former relations which possibly upon due examination may seem expired At the beginning of our troubles we know what appeals were made by King and Parliament both to God and the People and the sword being laid hold on to decide the controversie many good men were at a stand what to doe who certainly if they had been left to themselves being not convinced of the necessity the Parliament then had to defend themselves by force would have desired what many now doe to have sate still but the dispute grew so high that all of considerable interests were involved with the one party or the other and the principles of government being divided amongst themselves for so they appeared to all unlesse to such as would have or endeavoured to make the Monarchy absolute every man seemed let loose to follow that side which he conceived to be most just And when it was expected the Kings party having lost all their force but little of their affections to maintain their cause that an accommodation should be made with the King we know what was first attempted against the Army who whether they might think their service too great to bee requited by the Parliament I know not sure I am the Parliament then seemed more willing to be rid of their Benefactors then to acknowledge the great benefit they had done them and in a short time the jealousies grew so high and the apprehensions of the Army so strong that the end of their disbanding was to bee the beginning of their ruine and with them as they imagined if not of the greatest yet of the best part of the Nation and possibly of those too who were the forwardest to effect it that they resolved to make use of that power God had put into their hands and that the present necessity wherein they and their friends were involved did call upon them to join themselves with those of the Parliament whom they accounted truest to their trust though the major part opposed them that they might thereby hinder the conjunction intended with the King consequently with his party which was laid hold on by many in hope thereby to make way for their own honour and preferment and the ruin of the Army and their Abetters This consideration seemed then so important that to preserve the form and being of the Common-wealth there was need of stronger physick then the usuall formalities observed in other cases would admit and that if the Elements did change their place to avoid vacuity which would cause a destruction in nature they thought the Laws of civill affairs might admit of some dispensation and though the attempting what they did might seem to crosse some particular constitutions yet 't was hoped it would bee lookt upon by all indifferent wise men as corresponding to the generall and ultimate end of all forms and constitutions of
ESSAYES UPON SEVERAL SVBIECTS Not unworthy consideration in these times Communicated by LETTERS to private Friends and at their request to the Publick Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes for Edward Husband at the Golden Dragon in Fleetstreet 1651. ESSAY I. THe Disputes concerning Iurisdiction in matters relating to the Church have been so various that they have much shaken the peace of the State whilst many making it a great part of their Religion to contest for power have almost altogether destroy'd the power of Religion The strife amongst the Disciples of our Saviour Who should be the greatest seems not yet to be ended and though we all professe our selves to be servants of that Master whose kingdom is not of this world yet those who in a more peculiar manner bear his cognizance think it is not enough for them to reign with him hereafter unlesse they may bee admitted to exercise some jurisdiction for him here below the way to keep the government upon his shoulder is as they suppose to put it into their hands Yet since they seem to claim no power herein but what they pretend to derive from Christ who is confessed by all to bee the head of the Church the truest ground we can take to cleer these Disputes will bee to examine the power which Christ attributeth solely to himself over his Church and that wherein hee useth the Ministery of others and how far the Magistrate is concerned therein The actions then which Christ exerciseth solely and immediately over his Church referre either to the beginning or end of his Kingly Office To the beginning belongs his Legislative power not only in the more plain promulgation of the Law and the freeing of it from corrupt interpretations but in the constitution of the Evangelicall Ministery and Sacraments by the abolition of the Jewish rites To the end relates that definitive Jurisdiction whereby at the last day he shall condemne the wicked and absolve the godly and so deliver up the Kingdome to his Father These Christ executeth only by himselfe Those actions wherein he useth the Ministery of others have relation as I may so speak either to the outward or the inward man To the inward man when by the power of his Spirit accompanying his Word hee illuminates the understanding c. Hence it is because the work of Ministers and others herein is subservient to the actions of God who is the principall cause or rather his work in and by them the effect which belongs to the chiefe agent is sometimes applyed to the instrument and so they are said to save men to remit sins c. The actions which relate to the outward man consist in the defending and protecting of his Church from Enemies and in the right ordering and ordaining of whatever may make for the better propagation and establishment hereof And here begins the Dispute concerning the Discipline Christ hath left for the government of his Church and by whom it is to be administred To omit the severall contests hereabouts so full of passion and interest that if Gods love to his Church had not been greater to preserve it then the devills malice is or can bee by these divisions to destroy it it had been long since torne in pieces which yet remains but in a shattered condition It will not be impertinent I conceive after all these stirs calmly to inquire Whether Christ hath left such a particular Discipline or form of Government as his Church in all ages and places is to observe I presume the rather to propose this because the Scripture seems to speak hereof in generall terms only as Let all things be done decently and in order and that we find some offices as that of Widows in the Apostles times which I know none that plead for now and other customes as saying Amen in Prayer with an audible voice teaching or prophesying with the head uncovered the contrary whereof is practised by the Ministers of the French Churches with other things that might bee instanced in which seem of Apostolical institution and yet the practise thereof continued not long in the Church Besides the Reformed Churches differ herein much amongst themselves Though the Church of Geneva holds that Christ hath instituted four Orders for the government of his Church Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons yet they seem as the French Churches to confound the office of Elder and Deacon amongst whom and the Churches of Holland there is that difference in Discipline that those French Churches that are there have their Consistories and Synods apart Whence we may inferre there may be a unity in Doctrine where there is not an uniformity in Discipline though the garment of Christ be without rent or seam yet that of the Church may be of divers colours And if wee should admit that Christ hath left a freedome and latitude to his Church herein which we must doe or condemne all the Churches of God that have been hitherto since they have in all ages differed herein more or lesse What needs all this adoe Why doe not wee rather strive to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace then indeavour an impossible uniformity of what we can never reasonably expect It will more concern us by a true faith to assure our selves that we are members of Christ and consequently a part of the true Church then to bee intangled any longer in these Questions wherein though most make such peremptory divisions according to the interest they have espoused whoever seeks impartially to be resolved will find little satisfaction but possibly conclude that as to the rites and most things relating to the outward government of the Church God hath prescribed no such certain constitution as many pretend but hath left them to be ordered according to the rules of Christian prudence and charity And this appears to me most consonant both to truth and reason for as when God made choice of the Iews for his peculiar Church he particularly prescrib'd the rites and Government to be observed by them fitted no doubt to the Genius and nature of that people so now that he hath diffused his Church over all nations and that his worship the shadows being took away consists only in Spirit and truth the prescribing of outward forms and discipline seems not so much to be the intent of the Gospel as those that are most interessed therein after they have made them matters only of their own cognizance would put into our Creed Sure I am most Christian States have understood it so as will appear if we look upon the Histories of the times past or the constitutions of their government at present who have ever looked upon the Church as contained in the State and therefore have ordered all Ecclesiasticall persons and functions according to the Civill sanctions Where-ever then wee find the Word of God faithfully preached and the Sacraments duly administred wee need not
or in continuall war resolve that we must acknowledg some power from which upon our alleagiance wee may expect protection wherein the end and essence of all government seems to consist I am afraid lest I have given you more trouble then satisfaction by this Discourse which yet I hope you will favourably interpret the rather because my particular obligations to you have put me upon this taske and that my private condition hath hitherto suffered mee to remain more dis-ingaged then you can be however I have endeavoured to inform my selfe the best I could that I might either upon just grounds altogether decline the Engagement or when I should bee called upon as freely take it as I now subscribe my self Your Decemb. 5. 1649. ESSAY III. SIR IF these times abounded as much in acts of piety as they doe in discourse of Religion if the Reformation which hath dwelt so long in mens mouths had but sunk into their hearts and appeared in their lives we should then truly feel that happinesse which wee have but for the most part all this while fancied and quitting the cloud embrace that Goddesse whose native beauty cannot but ravish since so many have been enamour'd with her picture only Holinesse is so attractive that her very Enemies desire to shrowd themselves under her wings and to cover the ulcers of their vicious lives with her garment The Scribes Pharisees loved to sit in Moses chair and Machiavilians think they never put off their Politicks better then in Christs School if they can but counterfeit Iacobs voice they hope to passe well enough with Esaus hands Hence it is that may have made Religion a temporall interest only and under the specious title of godlinesse drive on those wicked designes which might make a modest heathen to blush giving us in stead of the real demonstrations of true piety outward formes only or else a company of packt words and canting language more becoming a charm then true devotion That wee may not therefore either deceive our selves or others or think we come to act our parts in this world as Mountebanks upon a stage where the most mimicall bablers passe for the most sufficient men we must know that Religion is not a common place of terms and notions it dwells not in the clouds of aiery fancy and sublime speculations If it swim only in the head without taking root in the heart it may send forth leaves but it bears no fruit or if any like those apples which were fair to look upon but being toucht fell to powder The life of holinesse is most conspicuous in the holinesse of mens lives No sooner does Gods Spirit move upon our souls but we bring forth abundantly all good works The least sparkle of divine light that kindles in our minds burnes as well as shines if it doe not warm our affections as well as enlighten our notions we may justly suspect it is some ignis fatuus no ray that is darted from the Sun of righteousnesse or the Father of lights And irreligious holinesse will profit us nothing they are really wicked that are but vertuous in words and shew only It will not therefore be impertinent briefly to consider the influence that Religion ought to have upon all our actions and how we may rather live then talk devoutly Religion then if it bee true as it beleeves all that God reveals so it obeys in all that he commands his commandements are exceeding broad and we shall not bee ashamed when we have respect unto them all There is a concatenation of vertues and graces as well in Divinity as Morality hee that pretends but to some few of them has none at all The two Tables make but one law and though they be first and second in regard of the object of which they treat the worship of God and love of our Neighbour yet they ought to be one and the same in our observation Nor must we think that this Law published on Mount Sinai is any other then the Law of Nature which the Scripture calls the Law written in our hearts and which every one might read were not the characters so defac'd by sin and corruption This as it is most agreeable to right reason so we find lively impressions thereof in many actions of the Heathens which because they seemed to fail either in the principle which set them awork or in the end which they aimed at some passe over only with the title of splendida peccata but how rightly I intend not here to examine Sure I am this is the divine unalterable law which Christ came to fulfil which by the finger of his Spirit he writes afresh in the hearts of all those that belong to him The Gospel it self is nothing but this law illustrated and this law nothing else but the Gospel obscured The Religion of the Iews was the same with that of Adam Noah the other Patriarchs and ours with both the difference only this that we enjoy a cleerer light of that day which Abraham rejoiced so much to see the various rites and ceremonies with the different manner of Gods manifestation of himself to us and them though it may seem to argue a difference of Religion to those whose Religion is nothing but fashion and ceremony or a form of words it cannot to any who shall consider that Christ was the lamb slain from the beginning of the world by faith in whom they are saved as well as we and that the same law was a rule to all and must be unto the end of the world And this as it is sometimes called the Law of Nature so more usually with us the Morall Law because it is the rule of our actions and manners and that part thereof which teacheth us the duties we owe each to other goes mostly under the name of universall justice a vertue so comprehensive that it includes all the rest so diffusive that it extends to all the actions that concern either our selves or others And though many self-seekers please themselves only with the name of godly as if it were a silly and dangerous thing to be just withall yet we shal find at last if justice be wanting our fained godlinesse will stand us in little stead though it may gain us applause with men it will but adde to our further condemnation with God The greatest Saints have been mostly by themselves and too often by others accounted the greatest sinners Since those that are wicked are loth to give to good men the title of godly they must be careful how they attribute it too much to themselves lest they bee conceived to have something of the Pharisee Humility is the truest character of a Christian it contends not about words nor is ambitious of great names Though it bee all one to be just as holy yet we find the Just-man more often mentioned in scripture then the godly to shew us that 't is but a vain pretence to be pious unto