rejected The Christian Religion is evidenced to be the only true Religion Page 23. CHAP. 5. Further directions how to chuse the right and safe way amongst such diversities of Sects and Opinions as be amongst Christians A Discovery of the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith and practical duties of Godliness generally embraced by all Christians in all times and places with advice in reference unto them Page 30 CHAP. 6. Other directions in Points of a Secundary Nature that are not so clearly laid down in Scripture nor unanimously received by all Christians but are Problemaical and yet there is a necessity to be of the one or other Perswasion how to make a right choise in such a Case 4. Rules about this Page 41 CHAP. 7. A closer application of the foregoing discourse to the present State of the Church in England with particular advice in reference to the different Wayes and Professions found amongst us Pag. 50. CHAP. 8. Wherein the great controversie of Communion with or Separation from the Church of England is discussed A view of what is therein Praise-worthy and of what is disallowable in the Judgement of those that scruple Communion with her Directions suited thereunto Page 81 CHAP 9. Wherein are laid down some general Rules of Caution to preserve Christians from rash and unjust Separation The Conclusion of the Discourse Page 89. CHAP. 1. Religion the grand concernment of Man in this World great differences about the necessity of a wise and deliberate Chusing ones Religion The counsel of Joshua to the Israelites applyed to us A proposition laid down which is the Subject matter of the following Discourse THE business of Religion is the grand concernment that all of us are sent into the World to mind and therefore God hath in the very framing of mans nature laid so deep an impression thereof in us that there 's no Nation so barbarous and inhumane but doth place this amongst the greatest matters that they judge themselves to be interressed in insomuch as some observe Religion is more proper to man then reason All men and only men have a smatch of Religion whereas some shew of reason is found in many Beasts Lactant. de ira Dei Solus home sapientia instructus est ut Religionem solus intelligat hac est hominis atque bruterum vel pracipua vel sola distantia But as it is a thing all do profess themselves interessed in so there 's nothing in all the world men are at greater differences about some taking up one Religion and some another as pleases themselves best yea each Nation almost have chosen a peculiar Deity as we find in Scripture one serving Baal another Dagon others Moloch or Ashtaroth c Some worshipping the Sun others the Moon or Starrs and almost every Creature whence they received any benefite and some have not been wanting that have adored the Devil himself How greatly then doth it behove every one to make a wise choise of that God he intends to serve and of that Religion he means to profess in the World and to live and die in That he may first chuse the true Religion and true God and then cleave to him with full purpose of heart as Barnabas exhorts Acts 11.23 And the rather because of the great importance thereof Mans eternall happinesse or misery depends on the right knowing and acknowledging God and serving him or his mistake about it according to the witnesse of Christ himself Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall to know so as to acknowledge unto godliness Thee the only true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent We read in the story of the Israelites the vanity of mans nature in matters of Religion though no Nation under the whole Heavens had greater discoveries of the true God then they had both by his Word and Oracles instructing them from Heaven and giving them his Law on Mount Sinai and teaching them by his Prophets the infallible interpreters of that Law as also by his mighty works bringing them out of Egypt by his out-stretched Arm working signes and wonders dividing the Red-Sea giving them water out of the Rock and bread and Flesh from Heaven in a Wildernesse and guiding them by a Cloud of smoake and a Pillar of Fire yet how apt were they to turn away from God and to worship other Gods even of the Egyptians and Canaanites whom God cast out before them A pregnant instance whereof we have in the business of the Golden Calf though but forty dayes before they heard the Law proclaimed in the greatest solemnity that ever was even by the Ministry of Angels with Thunder Lightning and Earthquake which wrought such plyableness in their Spirit that they professed whatever the Lord should speak to them That that they would doe Deut. 5.27 Yet when Moses was but a while withdrawn from them upon the Mount they quickly turned and made them a Calf to worship after the manner of Egypt This being observed by Joshua his Successour he became jealous over them with a godly jealousie and being fearfull that when he was gone from them they should do the like He indeavours to establish them in the true Religion and to bind them to the Lord in the strongest bonds Josh 24. He bids them verse 15. Chuse deliberatly what God they would serve directing them by his own example and then when they had deliberately chosen Jehovah for their God he binds them unto him by a solemn covenant verse 25. And sets up a lasting remembrance of it These things are written for our instruction and do shew what a Spirit there is in us even an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God as well as in them formerly as the Apostle shews Heb. 3.12 Though we have as full discoveries of God as they had and greater means of knowledge by Gospel-light to know God and Jesus Christ Yet our hearts are equally fickle and ready to forsake God and the true Religion and as the Apostle taxeth the Galathians to turn to another Gospel and another Christ then we have received yea to another God the World our Lusts or Satan to serve them more then the true God Therefore this counsel of Joshua may be as seasonable to us now as to them formerly viz. To chuse deliberately and seriously what God we will serve and then to resolve to cleave unto him for ever or wisely to chuse that Religion we will professe in the World and venture our salvation upon and then to labour to be established and fixed therein so as by no storms of temptation we be removed The urging of this Counsel upon unsettled and wavering Souls being the intendment and design of this discourse suited to these fluctuating and shaking times It may be contracted into this insuing proposition which shall be more fully dilated on in the following Chapters viz That it is a great point of wisedom for a Man to make a right Choice of that Religion he means to take
for pardon and Salvation but in a pretended sinless perfection they deny any necessiy of the Special grace of the Spirit to Conversion and Sanctification saying I charge not every particular quaker with all these Errours for many understand not what they hold But mention what I finde asserted in their printed Pamphlets the Light within them is sufficient hereunto and scoff at them that pray for more bidding them heed that only and it will lead them from sin to God Sabbath and Sacraments and all instituted Worship they cast off the great Doctrines of the Resurrection Last Judgement Heaven and Hell they turn into Allegories c. These and other things considered it appears that they plainly overthrow the foundations of Christianity therefore Christians can have no Communion with that way Thus where differences are in Points destructive to the Foundations of Religion and against the Essentials of Faith worship and obedience There can be no closure and agreement but a total withdrawing is necessary so far as civil Relations and Offices will permit We come next to consider these other Perswasions and Parties among us that agreeing in all the necessary points of Salvation yet differ in things that be less necessary though some be of greater and some of less moment then others These differences be either in Points of Doctrine or â—n matters of Worship and Discipline In Poiâ—ts oâ— Doctrine we have Arminians Antinomians c. In matters of Worship and Discipline we have Anabaptists I mean such as be sound in the main Doctrines of faith but err only in the point of Baptism Independents Presbyterians c. Now about these differing wayes Take these brief Directions sutable to those generall Rules before lay'd down 1. Account them all as Christians if they be serious in the matters of Religion and their lives answerable let not any evil representations of their opinions or waves or odious and invidious consequences drawn from their Principles but disowned by them so far alienate your hearts from them as not to account them Christians Brethren seeing they retain the Fundamentals of Christianity and hold the head Christ though they build on the precious Foundation Wood Hay Stubble Who is in all things free from Errour What Church or person upon Earth 2. Have the greatest respect and the most intimate friendship for those in whose Principles is greatest purity that come nighest the rule and who most follow after peace holinesse and lay out themselves more to promote the greatest truths of the Gospel and the power of Godlinesse then their private perswasions But as for them who with the Wilde fire of their Zeal will set the Church on a flame and are more for making Proselytes for their own way then for seeking the welfare of the Church and the edification and Salvation of souls avoid them 3. If God cast your lot into these places or Countreys where those Professions or Wayes are set up you cannot enjoy that way of serving God that you approve as most pure it s an unqueâ—â—inable duty to hold Communion there in France Holland with the Presbyterians in Germany with the Lutherans in other Countreys with those other perswasioÌ„s before named provided the condition of thy communion be not to give thy allowance to any thing that is evil but in that particular thou mayest be forborn Communion with such Churches where many corruptions and abuses are if the foundations of faith and essentials of worship be preserved ought to be maintained with a due care to keep our selves only from the sins of such a Church else the Apostle would have enjoyned separation from the Church of Corinth for the corruptions found there and the Novatians Donatists and others in the antient Church were unjustly taxed for withdrawing from her Communion for laxness of Discipline or other corruptions which they apprehended to be therein This duty our Church of England hath taught by her own practice who hath ever owned the reformed churches beyond Sea for Sister-Churches given them the right hand of Fellowship though differing from her in some matters of an inferiour nature CHAP. VIII Wherein the great controversies of Communion with or Separation from the Church of England is discussed A view of what is therein praise-worthy and what is disallowable in the judgment of those that scruple Communion Directions suted thereunto WE have spoken of those different wayes and perswasions found amongst private persons without and against the owning and approbation of Authority and given advice in reference to them We are next to consider of that proâ—ession publickly set up by Authority and â—hat hath the civil Sanction of the Laws of â—his Land No sober person can gainsay But this deserves a most serious and impartial consideration partly in respect of that Duty we owe to those in Authority to whom God hath committed the care of Religion and the settling of it in their Dominions in such a way as they think most agreeable to the Rule of the Word and hath injoyned us obedience to them in the Lord partly in respect of our own welfare who may else suffer the penalty of the Laws and had need to see to it if we obey that we do it with a good Conscience and if we suffer that we suffer for the Truth and not as evil doers And partly in respect of the peace and welfare of the Church that we do not groundlesly make a Rent therein and thereby as much as in us lyeth to procure the ruine thereof for all Division tends to Destruction It would therefore seriously be inquired Whether it be a duty for Christians to hold Communion with the Church of England according to its present state and administrations or Whether Separation from it is warrantable and necessary and how far For the Resolving of which Question we shal take an Account of those things that are commendable in the said Church in the judgment of those that scruple Communion with her and also of what things they disallow and dislike in her And then cast up Whether it will warrant separation or how far according to the same Rules of Concord we have proceeded upon with those of the other Professions before named And first it will not be denyed by all Dissenters that have understanding and sobriety in them But that here is to be found 1. A clear profession of all those Fundamental points of Faith which are accounted amongst Christians necessary unto Salvation yea such a poor Confession of other points of a Secondary and more inferiour Nature as that there 's scarce any other Church in the World that God hath blessed with a greater purity in point of Doctrine then the Church of England 2. Here also is the Christian Sabbath imbraced with much greater honour then in many other Reformed Churches Homily of time and place of Prayer Part 2. the publick Ordinances of preaching Prayer Sacraments administred and all the Substantials of
duties and Ordinances of it are prescribed and those things wherein the Essence of them stands are more fully and clearly expressed but their circumstances and manner of performance are only couched under general Rules This may be shewed abundantly by instances in the several parts of Worship as Prayer Preaching Sacraments c but it is done by others sully and must be omitted here because of the brevity of these Rules Nor doth this derogate from the sufficiency of the Scriptures nor argue want of wisdome and faithfulnesse in Christ as some plead if he should not prescribe every Particular as Moses did even to the Pinns of the Tabernacle for the Scriptures are sufficient for that end God gave them to make wise to Salvation and in order thereunto to instruct us in all necessarie points of Faith and Practice and for Church-government and Worship there 's enough in these Essentials laid down in Scripture for the preserving the welfare of the Church in the World and securing of the true and pure Worship of God among men those being duly observed And wherein then are the Scriptures to be argued of insufficiencie if they leave some particular circumstances undetermined And for the charge of unfaithfulnesse in Jesus Christ if he should not particularize those things it 's strangely presumptuous Such should rather shew where Christ hath particularly determined all those circumstances then impute unfaithfulnesse unto him if he do not what they wold have to be done There is not the like Reason to determine all circumstances in the Christian Churches as was in the Jewish Church the one being in its Minority the other grown up to a state of greater libertie and perfection Gal. 4 1 2 3 4 5 10. A Boy that goeth to School hath his Lesson set him and in every particular he is stinted to his work but when he goes to the Universitie he only hears Lectures hath general Rules for his study and is left to his own disposition for order and manner of his studies Besides the Jewish Church was confined to one Nation that had its civil government and Laws from God as wel as its Church instiutions but the Christian Church being to spread throughout the World under different civil governments different circumstances might best sute with the state and condition of different People IX Take heed of Resisting the ordinances of God whilst you profess to oppose the institutions of Men. My meaning is whilst you withstand humane inventions as you suppose them in the Worship of God beware you oppose not lawfull Authority which is the Ordinance of God in what they injoin in and about the Worship of God according to the power given them of the Lord. That Magistrates have the care of the Churches in their Dominions committed to them should see to the due administration of the Worship and Ordinances of God therein as well as to the outward peace and prosperitie of the civil State may be manifest to all that are willing to see it by the laudable examples of godly Kings in former times such as David Solomon Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah c. Whose chiefest care was about Religion and the Worship of God in their Dominions Indeed they are not to make any new institutions of Worship nor alter any thing that is particularlie injoyned in the Word of God But they are to see that all things be administred according to the same And in the particular circumstances undetermined by God they have a power to order and settle things according to the generall Rules laid down in the Word and however you plead you are not to be the Servants of Men you must be therein subject to them in the Lord. It hath been a Notion taken up by some That as in former times the Saints have suffered in giving Testimony to the priestly Office of Jesus Christ so they must bear witness to his Kingly Office what ever they suffer and not yield to any Commandments of men in and about the Worship of God But let such take heed that they oppose not his Kingly Office when they seem to stand up for it For if Magistrates and Rulers be his Vice-gerents as certainly they are and there is a care of his Worship delegated unto them and some power for ordering affairs in his Church in matters of outward conveniency and order where he hath not expresly determined in withstanding them in such things they may resist Jesus Christ himself Indeed it may be a further Scruple in case Magistrates injoyning things inexpedient and inconvenient and so swerve from those general Rules that they are to go by whether they are to yeeld to them in such things or no But if the judgement of Non-Conformists may be taken herein Baxt. five Disp p. 460 c. they determine in such cases it's better to obey then to withstand they may sin in commanding such things and yet subjects not sin in obeying them when commanded they are Judges in such particular cases to determine what is expedient as the Word of God determines what is necessary and herein they follow the judgment of Calvin Ep. 379 which have been ever approved by them who speaking of things of this Nature Saith some things neither right nor profitable but scandalous and drawing evil Consequences with them yet not being repugnant to the word in any express determination of it must be borne of the godly Brethren when they cannot help it and the Churches of Christ not forsaken And indeed if this should not be admitted but so often as any shall judge such or such matters inexpedient they might withstand the Axe seems to be laid at the roots of all government and there wold be little order in the Churches of Christ There is no society in the World but a yielding in some things is necessary for the peace and welfare of that Society X. Let not any principles or practices that you have inconsideratly taken up so far ingage you as to make you loath to teturn to wayes of Truth and soberness Some have it may be unwillingly and with reluctancy only through the violence of some of their own party been led into the wayes of rigid separation to condemn all other Churches but their own however sound in all the main Fundamental and necessary Doctrines and duties of Christianity and to refuse any Communion with them though this hath been condemned by the most wise and knowing â—o their own profession T. G. Mr. Cotton stiled by some the bitter root of separation the way God nere blest with peace and holiness c. And now to return to wayes of sobriety and own such as they have formerly so hotly contended against they know not how to do it There is naturally in man a tenaciousnesse of those wayes and opinions they have once professed that they are loath to recede from them especially if they have contended for them this is a great piece of denyal Men would rather yeeld