the Line of Truth and beyond it we dare not venture in the least The controversie is not about little or great trouble or inconvenience if it were such a charge might well make us blush the inconvenience or trouble is little yet a few men wil not yeeld to their Brethren who are many for peace sake but the controversie is about sin now whether that be little or great the difference cannot but remain if one part shall urge upon another that which to them is sin as to acknowledg any one thing to be a power of Christ which he cannot see Christ hath owned in his word must needs be therefore the way to peace is not the necessity of coming up one to another because the thing is little but the louing and peaceable and brotherly carriage of one towards another because the difference is but small CHAP. VIII The third dividing Principle That nothing which is conceived to be evill is to be suffered THis is the other extream some think all things should be suffered and they are loose and cause divisions on the one hand others thinke nothing is to be suffered and these are rigid and cause divisions on the other hand If any thing be conceived evil either in opinion or practise if instructions and perswasions cannot reform there must be means used to compell This is a harsh and a sowr Principle a disturbing Principle to Churches and States to mankind This Principle seldome prevails with any but those who have got power into their hands or hope to get it This must needs be a dividing Principle First because of the infinite variety of mens apprehensions about what is good or evill scarce three men agree any long time in their apprehensions of some things to be evil if then nothing that is conceived to be evill must be suffered there must needs be continuall opposition between man and man This subjects the generality of men to suffer for many things which they can see no evill in but are perswaded is good this raises an animosity against those by whom they suffer though a man can subject his body and estate to another he cannot subject his reason to another In the common ways of justice men are punished for those things which if they be guilty of they cannot but acknowledg themselves to be worthy of punishment as in Theft Murder Drunkennesse c. And for the fact they are tryed in such a way as they cannot but acknowledg is fit in reason to be subjected to and therefore though they suffer much yet they will yeeld it without disturbance But if this Principle prevails every man almost is made lyable to punishment for thousands of things that he can see no reason why he should be punished It is very hard to bring mens spirits to yeeld in such things But you will say May not men be punished for things that they see no reason why they should be punished for many malefactors may easily escape thus guilt will quickely blind men they will see no reason why they should be punished It is not what men say they see no reason for or what it may be they indeed see no reason for but what men cannot see reason for though they should bend their understandings and strength to the uttermost yea what the generality of man kind and of that community of which a man is cannot possibly see reason for it is impossible for the generality of mankind the community of any Church or State though they should be never so diligent to find out what is good and what is evill yet to be able to understand every thing that is evill to be so If you will have laws made against all things that such as are in authority conceive to be evill then you must give them power to judge not only by the rules of common justice and equity and punish for the breach of them but by the apprehensions that their own raised parts shall suggest unto them and to punish men for not being raised to that height of understanding themselves have but this power is more then is fit to be given to any men upon earth This would bring tyranny both in State and Church For first from whence is the rise of all Civill Power that any man or society of men are invested with is it not from the generality of the men over whom they have power Is it not the power which they themselves had and which they might have kept amongst themselves For who can say that a Democracy is a sinfull Government in it selfe True God establishes it upon particular men by his Ordinance after it is given to them by the people but the first rise is from them and if so then they should make no law to bring those men under punishment who gave them their power but such a Law as these men may possibly come to understand to be equall and just for they act their power and it must be supposed that they never intended to give a power beyond this Those who give power may limit power they may give part to one part to another they may limit the matter about which the power shall be exercised it shall goe so far and no further the utmost limits cannot goe beyond these rules of Justice which they are capable to understand Hence it is that all men in our Law are tryed Per pares by their Peers because it is to be supposed that they are to be accounted offenders and to be punished only so as those who are equall with themselves shall judg them worthy and this likewise is the reason that Courts are in publique no man is to be shut out because all men that will may behold the tryall and justifie the proceedings of Justice against offenders It must needs be supposed then that the rules by which the Judges go must be the rules of common equity and justice that all men may understand beyond what these rules will reach to the Civill State is not to punish not every thing that men of deep judgements and strong parts may apprehend to be evill The power of the Church likewise extends not to the punishment of every thing that either may by the Governours of it be conceived to be evill or that is indeed evill As the rise of the Civil power shews that only such things are to be punished by it as are against the common rules of Justice and Equity so the rise of Church power will shew that only such things as are against common rules such things as some way or other appeare to be against conviction and are obstinately persisted in are by Church censure to be punished The rise of Church power is indeed different from the rise of the Civill yet agrees in this that it limits the Church as the rise of the Civill doth the Civill power The power of Governors in the State arises from the people and they act their power that the
their State were by divine appointment their Kings were chosen by God but now Christ chuses his Church out of all Nations of the earth and leaves them to the severall Governments Lawes Officers of severall Nations for their Civill State 1. I confesse were there nothing but meerly examples or Laws from the Old Testament to confute this dividing Posiâ—ion to an examining eye the argument would hardly be cogent or satisfactory only so far as there is a common reason and equity in them and so all the judiciall bind now as well as they did then 2. So far as the New Testament approves of for the times of it what was formerly done in the Old The strength of the argument from the power of Magistrates in the Old Testament lyes in these two First there is a common reason and equity what ever the strength of such kind of arguing be from one Spirituall Ordinances to prove another yet without all question it is strong enough from one Civill Ordinance to prove another though it be conversant about spirituall things It is the Dictate of Nature that Magistrates should have some power in matters of Religion The generality of all people have ever thought it equall It hath been ever challenged in all Nations and Common-wealths The Heathens would never suffer their gods to be blasphemed but punish such as were guilty thereof by the power of the Magistrate Socrates was put to death for blaspheming their multiplicity of gods 2ly Surely there is a common equity for there is a necessity of it as truly now as there was then I cannot argue the being of Spirituall Ordinances from our need of them not thus there is such an institution for the Church hath need of it but rather thus I find it in the Word to be an institution and therefore the Church hath need of it But in naturall or civill things this way of arguing is strong enough there is need of such a help and therefore we should seek to have it Now sure the need we have of such a power is exceeding great we were in a most miserable condition if we had no externall civil power to restrain from any kinds of blasphemies and seducements The condition of the Jews O how happy was it in comparison of ours if this were denyed us for if any one of theirs did blaspheme God or seek to seduce any from him they knew w ht to do with him besides perswading him to the contrary but if any should seek to seduce the wives of our bosoms children of our bodies friends as dear to us as our own lives into those wayes that we think in our consciences will undo their souls to all eternity yet wee must only desire them they would not do so we must only admonish and seek to convince them or reprove them but restrain them we cannot If the deliverance of us from the pedagogy of the Law hath brought us into this condition our burden is greater in this thing then any that the Law laid upon our fore-fathers Hath Christ delevered us from one burden to lay a greater upon us Must we now see those who are dearest to us drawn into the wayes of eternall destruction and stand and look on but no way left to help them or our selves unlesse wee can perswade to the contrary surely our condition is very sad Have we not cause to say Lord let any burthen of the Ceremonial Law be laid upon our necks rather then this If there were a company of mad men running np and downe the streets with knives and swords in their hands endeavouring to mischief and kill all they met with and we must doe nothing to restraine them if we could perswade them to doe otherwise well and good but that is all we can do for help what a dangerous thing were this The case is the same when those who are mad with damnable Heresies run from place to place seeking to draw all they can from the truth If we have no means of help but arguments it is ill with us Surely God hath not put his people into such a sad condition as this is he hath provided better for his people then thus Thirdly wee find in the Record of Scripture mention of Heathen Magistrates who had nothing but the light of nature to guide them interessing themselves in matters of Religion and this the Holy Ghost relates in way of commendation of them for this thing The argument from these examples cannot be avoided as that which is taken from the practice of the Kings of Judah We read Ezra 7. 26. Artaxerxes interposes his power in matters of Religion and Ezra blesses God for it Whosoever will not doe the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him And in the next words Ezra blessed God who put it in the heart of the King by these and other means to beautifie his house The making such a Law was one notable meanes whereby the House of the Lord came to be beautified Thus also Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 29. I make a Decree that every people nation and language who speake any thing against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dung-hil c. This the Scripture records as a worke of the Kings repentance The King of Nineveh Jonah 3. by the decree of his Princes and Nobles proclaims a Fast and commands every one to cry mightily to God and to turne from his evill way Further let us see how the holy Ghost justifies this power of the Magistrate in the times of the Gospel First in the Prophesies of the times of the Gospel Secondly in divers places in the New Testament For Prophesies the fore-named place Zech. 13. 3. cannot be put off Isa 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers The protection of their civil peace is not sufficient to give them such a denomination of nursing fathers and mothers Esay 60. 10. The sonnes of strangers shall build up thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee They shall not only be favourers of them but as Kings they shall minister to them even by their power So Rev. 21. 24. The Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church there is such a time coming This surely is more then meerly to protect their outward peace In the New Testament Rom. 13. 4. He is thy Minister for thy good 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as to the supream or unto Governours which are sent for the punishment of evill doers and the praise of them that doe well Now seeing the Scripture speaks thus generally For thy good and for the punishment of evill doers and praise of them that doe well Non distinguendum ubi Scriptura non distinguit Except the nature of the thing
can finde that name given by me to him I indeed endeavoured to encourage him in his worke because the Lord had made him the Lord of our Hosts which is no more then the Lord of our Armies The utmost that ever was said or writ comes but to this that God had put a name upon him that came neare to his but never mentioned without some difference from it An abuse in this kinde though not altogether so high I have had from the Anti-Apologist he quotes many places in my Lectures upon Hosea he sets downe the pages wherein he sayes I have contrary to what is in the Apology preached for that way you call Independent Would any man but thinke when he sees the Booke named in Print the Lecture the very page mentioned but that the thing is true it is to be found there But to this day it hath never come to my eares that ever any man hath found such things there but himselfe Are those the places Let moderate and quiet spirited men looke into them and they shall finde nothing there but what the generality of Presbyteriall Brethren yea I thinke I may say every one who is not either Prelaticall or very violent will acknowledge to bee truth and if so I am free But we shall have another time for this At this time I would gladly that this Treatise might meet with no spirit exasperated but in calmnesse and quietnesse let what is here be examined That God that can create the fruit of the lips to be peace can make the fruit of the pen to be so My aymes are peace which I shall never cease endeavouring and praying for who am Thy friend glad of any opportunity for thy good JEREMIAH BURROUGHES HEART-DIVISIONS The Evill of our Times HOSEA 10. 2. Their Heart is divided now shall they be found faulty CHAP. I. The Text opened and sutablenesse of it to our Times shewed NO marvail though Israel be charged ver 1. to be an empty vine seeing their heart is divided Heart-division will cause emptinesse of good both in mens spirits and in Church and State The least dividing of the heart in any one part from another if it be but by the prick of a pin is deadly a great gash in the head is curable There may be much difference in mens opinions without any great hurt if this difference gets not to the heart but if once it gets in there the danger is great Now shall they be found faulty Now shall they be guilty or as some Nunc delinquent Now they will offend as if Heart-division contracted the greatest guilt and by it men were the greatest Delinquents of any The word signifies also to perish to be made desolate so Arius Montanus Desolabuntur Heart-division is a desolating sinne by the judgment of God upon them for it they shall be convinced in their own consciences and in the sight of all men that they were guilty that by such a sin as this they had bound themselves over to the justice of God those desolating evils that came upon them were the righteous judgments of God upon them for those divisions that were amongst them Men wil not be convinced of their sin till Gods judgement is upon them for it and then their consciences will and others shall see that God is righteous and they are vile and sinfull before him even in such things that before they pleaded for or at least could not be brought to own their own guiltiness in When thunder and raine came upon the men of Israel in their wheat Harvest and they were afraid they should dye 1 Sam. 12. 18 19. then they could say We have added unto all our sinnes this evill to aske us a King The Lord convince us of and humble us for the sinfulnesse of our divisions by his word that desolating judgments be not upon us to convince and humble us Their heart is divided This Heart-division is either from God or from one another Their heart is divided between God and their Idols They would not cast off the worship of God wholly that was too much they loved their Idols but they must not have all to divide between God and them they thought was faire Their hearts were also divided one from another and just it is with God that those who divide from him should divide one from another 2 King 15. you may see what wofull divisions there were amonst them King against people and people against King Civill Wars Their King comes upon one of their owne Towns and smites it and rips up all the women that were with Child in it and all because they opened not to him O the rage and cruelty of men of proud spirits when they get power into their hands for then their pride swells being blown up with the flatteries of such as are about them As if they were such gods upon earth as they might doe whatsoever they pleased and the lives estates liberties comforts of all must lie under their feet and must submit to their lusts and humours You shall find further in the whole Chapter there was nothing but conspiring mischieving and murthering one another In their Church State there was nothing but factions and rents one from another some were for the true worship some for the false And amongst the false worshippers there were divisions too Some were for the calves that Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel some were for Baal great contention there was between these You know the story of Jehu an Idolater yet destroying the worshippers of Baal and his Idols The Jewes of old understood this Text of these Heart-divisions amongst themselves as well as of their divisions from God which appears by a notable tradition of theirs St. Jerom in his Comment upon these words relates whereas says he the Scripture 2 King 17. tells us that Hoshea was the last King of Israel and in his time Israel was carryed captive yet vers 2. It is said He did not evill in the sight of the Lord as the Kings of Israel that were before him Now the Jewes put this Question Why was not Israel carryed captive with their King when they had the worst King but rather when things seemed to goe something better then before God yet chooses this time The Answer they give is Because in former times the people might pretend they could not tell how to help what they did amisse in the matter of Worship Indeed they worshipped the Calves but they were forced to it by the tyranny of their Kings it should be the losse of all they had if they did not but say they in the days of Hoshea there was more liberty given then before Now those who would might goe up to Jerusalem to worship and that they say is the reason of that expression that Hoshea did not evill as other Kings had done but when they came to have more liberty they fell to wrangling amongst themselves which is an usuall concomitant of
liberty now their division rose high some would to up to Jerusalem to worship others would not those that went up cryed out of those who went not and those who went not vilified those who went Now their hearts are thus divided now shall they be found guilty The desolating judgment must now come This is the time for their captivity Now he gives them up to the Enemie God was exceedingly provoked with their contentions one against another at this time What says God when I was in some way of favour towards them when I took off in great part the yoke of bondage that was upon them that sore oppression that was before none of them a while since dared goe to Jerusalem to worship and now their Governours are more moderate their oppressing Courts are downe there is more liberty in the Land for my true worship and do they now fall out contemn divide wrangle one with another let them goe into captivity let the enemy come in upon them my soule takes no delight in such a crooked perverse Generation as this is Our condition seems to parallel with theirs very much we lately were under sore and cruell bondage nothing was more dangerous then the worshipping God in his own way wee were under hard Task-masters oppressing undoing Courts The Lord hath in a great measure delivered us it is the unthankfulness the sinfull distemper of mens spirits that makes them say what is done it is as ill with us as ever it was No we have much ease such liberties as were our fore-fathers raised out of their graves to see they would admire Gods goodness and bless him with meltings of heart but we spend that strength in siding wrangling contending quarrelling vexing opposing one another that we should spend in magnifying blessing and praising the Name of God for that mercy we enjoy We are a divided people whose hearts are divided and heads too and hands too peace and unity seems to be flown from us and a spirit of contention and division is come upon us King Subjects are divided Parl. is divided Assembly is divided Armies are divided Church is divided State is divided City is divided Country is divided Towns are divided Families divided godly people are divided Ministers almost every where are divided yea and what heart almost is there at this time but is divided in it self the thoughts the counsels contrivances endeavours ways of men almost of all men how are they divided O blessed Saviour are these the times thou speakest of wherein five should be in one house divided three against two and two against three the father against the son and the son against the father the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother Oh woe to us wee find it so amongst us and yet there is found no healing we are broken and there is no binding up It is with us as it was with Ezek. 2. 6. Briars and thorns are with us and we dwell among Scorpions O Lord what is this thy curse at this time upon England Bryers and thornes shall it bring forth We are rending and tearing and devouring one another while the adversary stands before us ready to devour us Ephraim is against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim A fire is come out from Abimilech and devours the men of Sechem and fire comes from the men of Sechem and devours Abimilech yea there is a fire kindled in our owne bowels it rises from our selves Ezek. 19. 14. Fire is gone on t of a rod of her branches which hath devoured her fruit so that shee hath no strong rod to be a Seepter to rule this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation This is amongst us at this day and how long it shall continue God onely knows What this people were in their divided condition that we are and what does this threaten but that we should be as they a while after this were namely a people given up to the rage and fury of the Enemie which the Lord forbid There is a great out-cry of our divisions and while we cry out against them wee still encrease them we are angry with men rather because they are divided from our selves then because they are divided from the truth we are angry because every man is not of our own mind does not as we do There was a great deal of doe in Luthers time about the seamless coat of Christ Granvillian the Emperours Deputy in a Speech he made to the Citizens of Wormes beseeches them for the death of Christ and for all loves that they would amend our Lords coate which is rent and torn on every side When Luther laboured to bring Reformation to the Rule they bad him take heed that he did not rend the seamless coat of Christ and because they talked so much of the tunica inconsutilis they were called the Inconsutilistae the seamelesse men And what a stirre hath there been in out-cryes against men that would not yeeld to every thing that was enjoyned O they rent the seamlesse Coat of Christ I remember Musculus in a Tract he hath De Schismate hath a witty and pious note upon this The Souldiers saith he would not divide the seamelesse coat of Christ but what made them to be so carefull of it was it out of respect to Christ that they were so unwilling it should be divided No but out of respect to their owne advantage every one hoping it might fall to his share therefore say they Let us cast lots for it so saith he men would not have Christs coat divided they would have no division in the Church but what do they aime at their own advantage that they might enjoy quietly their owne ease honour and means that they might have none to contradict them but that the streame may run smoothly and wholly with them what a fine brave thing were this And because they see they cannot doe this while their ways are looked into and crossed therefore they make such an outcry against the dividing the seamlesse coat of Christ But certainly till our hearts be otherwise then yet they are all our out-cries wil not serve our ends the stilling our divisings Did we less divide between God and our own ends our own wayâ— we should not divide so much one from another Wherefore let us first turn our thoughts to consider a little of this division between God and other things and the evil of it CHAP. II. The evill of dividing between God and any thing else THis people would give God something and their idols something and so think to please both 2 King 7. 33. They feared the Lord and served their Idolls Thus Judah in the days of Josiah Zeph. 1. 5. sware by the Lord and by Malcham Swearing is a part of Gods worship therefore no humane instituted Religious ceremony ought to be joyned with it no more then with the Sacrament or any other divine worship no creature should share
may cause one to hold fast an errour yet it does not put upon proud scornfull turbulent behaviour When a man by reason of his conscience it may be the weaknesse of it differs from his brethren hee had need carry himself with all humility and meekness self-denyal in all other things he should be willing to be a servant to every man in what lawfully he may that thereby he may shew to all that it is not from any wilfulnesse but meerly the tenderness of his conscience that he cannot come off to that which his brethren can doe whom yet he reverences and in his carriage towards them shews that he yet esteems them his betters but if a man that is weak very much beneath others in parts and graces shall carry himselfe high imperious contemning and vilifying those who differ from him and be contentious with them There is great reason to think that the corruption is in the will rather then any where else if there should be some conscience yet in these men their heart-distempers may justly forfeit their right of pleading their consciences Those who oppose them if they doe it in a Christian way may justifie what they doe before God if God should call them to an account and say why did you deal so with such men who professed they were put upon what they held and did by their consciences If they can answer thus Lord thou knowest we were willing to have dealt with them in all tendernesse if we could have seen conscientiousness in their carriage but we saw nothing but scornfulness pride imperiousness turbulency conceitednes we could see nothing of the Spirit of Jesus Christ acting them in their way this their carriage perswaded us that the sinfulnesse was got rather into their wills then their consciences 5ly When a man is not willing to make use of meanes to inform his conscience not of those meanes that are not against his owne principles but goes on peremptorily and stoutly Surely when we see many of our Brethren differing from us our respect to them should gain so much at least from us that if there by any means left unused for the further trying our opinions or informing our judgements we should make use of that meanes a conscientious heart will doe so The sixt note added will seale up all when a man by reason or Scripture is so put to it as he must either renounce his errour or flye from some of his own principles he will rather deny his principles then yeeld himselfe convinced of his errour yea when those principles are of great moment The man that doth thus is the man spoken of Tit. 3. 11. that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himselfe An Heretick after the first and second admonition reject because he is selfe-condemned wee must not reject every man that erres in every little thing no not after two or three admonitions that was a prelatical tyrannicall rule but he must be an Heretick and erring so grosly as he is self-condemned in his errour and such a man suffers not for his conscience when he is rejected but for sinning against his conscience But who can know when a man is condemned of himselfe the judgement of a mans owne conscience is a secret thing This is the strength of this hold the Devil gets into he thinks he gets so deep that you cannot get to it to find him out and as for Gods displeasure who knows their consciences these men will venture that But by this Scripture Tit. 3. it is clear that a mans conscience may be so far seen into as there may be a judgment passed upon a man that he is a self-condemned man To what purpose otherwise serves this Scripture it is not like this Heretick would acknowledg that he was self-condemned but yet the Apostle makes this the ground why he should be rejected As if he should say You see he wil go against his own principles against what his conscience tells him is truth meerly to maintain a wicked Heresie that he is infected withall let him therefore plead what he will reject him for his own conscience condemns him and GOD is greater then his Conscience and knowes all things The third thing that is to be done to a man who pleads his conscience for evill is the great snare and danger he brings himself into is to be declared to him that by giving way to let evill into his conscience he puts himself into such a condition as whatsoever he doth he must needs sin against God so long as he holds his errour Evill gets into the consciences of many very easily because they think the dictates of their consciences will be sufficient to bear them out in what they doe but they are deceived for an erroneous conscience does not bind you sin notwithstanding your conscience bids you do it and if you goe against this erroneous conscience you sinne too what a miserable snare is this you had need look to your selves then and take heed what you let into your consciences The fourth thing is to charge him and if it be in a matter of consequence to adjure him in the Name of God who is the searcher of the hearts of men and will judg them at the great day accordingly that he deals plainly and sincerely not to dare to put a pretence upon that which he knows his conscience cannot justifie him in if there be indeed any conscientiousness in the man this will startle him But it may be this will not prevail wherefore in the fifth place whatsoever a man holds though his conscience be never so much taken with it yet if it cannot stand with the power of godliness but destroys it if this man be in a Christian society after all means used to reduce him if he still perseveres in it he is notwithstanding his conscience to be cast out of the society of the Saints this is not a little matter if a man hath any conscience in him it cannot but be a dreadfull thing to him If poyson be got into a glass and you cannot wash it out the poyson and glass too is to be thrown into the sinck Such a man as this is with the conscience that he hath is to be thrown upon the dung-hill If a man by his wickedness cuts himself off from the mysticall body of Christ the Church may cut him off from his visible he hath forfeited his Church-priviledger Sixtly If the errour with the profession of it be destructive to the State and he cannot be reclaimed he may likewise be cut off from it or at least deprived of the priviledges of it and benefits by it notwithstanding his plea of conscience This justifies the cutting off Jesuites and Priests who teach people that the Crown is at the dispose of any forraign power by which also subjects may be freed from their Allegiance A Reverend Divine of ours in a Treatise upon the powring out of the 7.
in conscience could not submit to it their preferments of Deanries and Prebends and the like But lest what I say in this should be abused you must understand this denyall of places of profit or honour to men because of that which their consciences will not suffer them to yeeld to onely such places as the tendernesse of their consciences in such a point makes them unfit to manage if because their consciences differ from you in one thing you will take advantage against them in other things that have no dependance upon that wherein they differ from you and make them suffer in those things too you now to say no worse begin to grow neare to a way of persecution and tyrannie over your brethren which Christ is displeased with Wee accounted it in the Bishops not neare but come up to tyrannie and persecution when they would not suffer such as could not conforme to their Church-discipline and Ceremonies not so much as to teach children the Grammar or to practise Physicke or to preach Christ in places where there was no preaching but people lived in darkenesse perishing for want of knowledge What dependance had these things upon their discipline and Ceremonies supposing they had been right Yes they would foment their errours by this meanes But seeing there was no dependance between their errours if you wil call them so these things to deny the Church and Common-wealth the benefit of the gifts and graces of men upon such a pretence that they will abuse their liberty wee thought it was hard dealing yea no lesse then persecution Suppose a man differs from his brethren in point of Church-Discipline must not this man have a place in an Army therefore Though he sees not the reason of such a Discipline in the Church yet God hath endued him with a spirit of volour and he understands what Military Discipline means must he not have a place in a Colledg to teach youth Logick and Philosophy may be not preach Jesus Christ to poor ignorant creatures if you feare he will divulge his opinions surely some other course may be taken whereby he may suffer as much as such a fault comes to but therefore to deprive Church and State of what abilities God has given him which might be very usefull to them and that before any such fault is committed for fear it may be committed the softest word I have to expresse my self against this is It is very hard dealing with your Brethren I have now gone to the uttermost line I can in shewing what is to be done to a man that pleads his conscience in things which we conceive are not right I would now speak a word or two to men who have to deal with their brethrens consciences and then to those who plead their consciences for their freedome To the first Let those who have to deale with mens consciences first take heed they do not vilifie and slight mens consciences do not scorn at the plea of their consciences What this is your conscience your conscience forsooth will not suffer you Woe to them who offend one of these little ones it were better that a mil-stone were hanged about his necke and he were cast into the bottome of the Sea Matth. 18. 6. It is his conscience and perhaps better informed then thine and more tender thou hast it may be a corrupt conscience thy conscience is broke by thy sinning against it or otherwise it is loose or benummed no quicknesse in it thou canst swallow down greater matters therefore thou wonderest at those who are so nice-conscienced who stand upon small matters what if at the great day Christ shall own these to be truly conscientious and honour them for obeying the voyce of their consciences in small things for not daring to offend them in any thing where wilt thou appear what is like to become of thee then Or if their consciences be weak not rightly inform'd yet Christ expects thou shouldst seek to heal to strengthen them not to jeer and scorn them that fearfulnesse of theirs to offend Christ though in the particular they may be mistaken shall be accepted when thy boldness and ventrousness in taking thy liberty shall appear to be thy folly 2. Take heed in your dealings with such you make them not suffer more then Christ would have them suffer do not abuse your power over them so as to cause them to complaine justly to God of conscience-oppression Conscience-oppression is the most fearefull oppression of all the cryes in the world the cryes caused by it come up most swiftly to God When an oppressed soule shall get alone and make his moane to God Oh Lord thou who knowest the secrets of all hearts thou knowest the desires of my soule in uprightnesse to know thy will I can freely and comfortably appeale to thee Thou knowest what a sad affliction it is to mee that my judgement should be different from my brethrens whose parts and graces I prize farre beyond mine owne Thou knowest also there is no meanes for further Reformation but I have been willing to make use of it as I was able and what ever other helpe thou shalt make knowne to mee I am ready to make use of it that I may not be led aside into errour and if thou wilt be pleased to reveale thy minde further to me I am ready to submit to it I should account it a greater happinesse then all the comforts in the world can afford to know what thy minde is in such and such things but Lord as yet I cannot doe this thing except I should sinne against thee thou knowest it yet thou knowest also that I desire to walke humbly and peaceably with my brethren and in all meekenesse submissenesse and quietnesse of spirit together with all diligence I will waite till thou shalt further reveale thy minde to me But Lord in the meane time I find rigid dealing from my brethren their spirits are imbittered their speeches are hard their wayes tomards me are harsh yea Lord there is violence in them Lord thou knowest my spirit is not such as to need any such carriage of my brethren towards me I am not conscious to my selfe no not when I set my selfe most solemnly in thy presence of stifnesse wilfulnesse in my way the least beame of light from thee would presently turne my spirit what way thou wouldst have it goe Such a moan to God would prove a sadder business against such as shall occasion it then if such men had strength and spirits to answer bitternesse harshnesse and violence with bitternesse harshnesse and violence Let me also on the other side speak to them who plead their consciences First take heed you rest not in this as an empty plea setting it as a Bulwark against any thing that shal be said to you why it is my conscience and who hath to do with my conscience and so think you need look no farther nor give any other
Common-wealth gives to them But the Governours of the Church have not their power from the members of the Church but from Christ neither do they act in the name of the Church but in the name of Christ It is true the Members of the Church do design such men to such an Office but being designed now they are invested with the power of Jesus Christ they exercise his power and do act in his name not in the name of the Church You will say seeing the Church chooseth their Officers as well as the Common-wealth theirs How doth it appeare that the Officers of the Church doe not exercise the power of the Church as well as the Officers of the Common-wealth the power of the Common-wealth These two things shew the difference clearly First The Officers of the Common-wealth can do nothing by their power but that which the Common-wealth may do without them if they were not they might have kept their Government in a Democracy and if they had pleased done any act of power by a major vote But it is not so in the Church if the Church be without Officers they cannot doe that which belongs to Officers to do they can have no Sacraments amongst them neither can they have any spirituall jurisdiction exercised amongst them only brotherly admonition and with-drawing from such as walk disorderly for their own preservation 2ly The members of the Church cannot limit the power of their Officers so as the Common-wealth may the power of their◠but if once a man be chosen to be an Officer in the Church all that power that ever any in that Office had since Christs time in any Church in all the christian world or ever can have to the coming of Christ again falls upon him If a man be chosen a Pastor he hath as full power as ever any Pastor had upon the face of the earth or can have by any Pastorall power The Church cannot limit him and say You shall be a Pastor for such ends and purposes but no further The same may be said of the ruling none upon earth ever had or can have more power of ruling then this man who is chosen into that Office It is not thus in the State all Kings have not the like power in some Countries Kingly power reacheth so far in others further according to the variety of the Lawes of the Countries the agreements between them and the people all Dukes all States all Parliaments have not the same power Now then the rise of the power of Church-governors rising from Jesus Christ and they doing what they doe in the Name of Christ therefore they cannot punish any evill beyond what Christ would have punished You will say What evills would Christ have punished and what not Christ would have no evill punished that is repented of if it be a known evill then it must be repented of particularly if it be a 〈◊〉 of ignorance Christ forgives it upon a generall repentance although a man should never be convinced of it all his dayes Yet says Christ I discharge him of all these supposing the rise of his ignorance be not some wilfull neglect But if it be a sinn committed through wilfulnesse or continued in obstinately then sayes Christ I will have this man smart for such an offence now comes in the power of the Church-officers to doe in the Name of Christ what he would have done But if they goe further then they exercise a tyrannicall power if they will punish every thing which they conceive to be evill whether committed through ignorance and weaknesse or wilfulnesse and obstinacy in this they take upon them a higher power of punishing then Christ according to the tenor of the Gospel exercises For my part sayes Christ I goe but thus far with my power If I see any of my Church sin through weaknesse and ignorance labouring to understand and do my will and mourning that they know no more they do no better I wil passe by all but if any shall appear wilfull and obstinate I will deale severely with such a one If you say If men have meanes of knowledge and strength and yet continue ignorant and weake should not such be dealt with as wilfull and obstinate No says Christ I do not goe by any such rule for I have revealed my will in my Word I labour by my Spirit and Ministers to convince men yet I see after all meanes I use there are many who meerly through their weaknesse are not convinced I pitty them I deal gently with them I pardon them Those then who will go further they will punish for every evill and if they use means to convince them and they be not convinced they will judge them obstinate and proceed against them accordingly these challenge and exercise not the power of Christ but Antichrist If Christ should deale so with them as they deal with their brethren it would go ill with them If Christ should say whatsoever I see evil in you I will not suffer it in you if you are ignorant notwithstanding means of light I will deal with you as wilfull and obstinate and never leave inflicting punishment upon you till you be convinced and do reform could any of you stand before Christ dealing thus with you Take heed of exercising that power over your Brethren and that in Christs name that you would not have Christ exercise over you Both the Civill State and Church must take us as wee are faln from that integrity of our first creation not as we came first out of Gods hands God the Creator may indeed punish us for not knowing or doing what is our duty to know or do because he once made us perfect but Man must not do so Man must deal with his fellow-creatures as men imperpect one man cannot require of another that perfection not only of heart but of externall conversation that God may yea God-man our Mediator lookes upon us in a state of imperfection and deals with us accordingly and thus he would have all do who have to deale with his people in his name But you said before All things must not be suffered now you say some things must be suffered Tell us then what must not and what must I am perswaded most of you yeeld to the falseness of both these dividing principles you verily believe all things must not be suffered and yet you think it were too harsh to affirm that nothing is to be suffered only here lyes the difficulty what must and what must not be suffered This hath been the unhappiness of pleading for toleration of any thing yet of the very mention of it that men presently cry out and say we would have every thing tolerated I confesse it is very hard to cut here right in the joynt were I sure that none would blame or oppose what I shall deliver in this but those who are willing to interess themselves in such a knotty business as this and
to be helpfull to us in the understanding how to untye such a knot what ever such opposers should prove otherwise I should not feare them for being too numerous What I have I shall present unto you CHAP. IX Rules to know in what things wee are to beare with our Brethren FIrst though men be known to erre in judgment in things not fundamentall nor destructive yet if after such knowledg of them they would keep their judgments to themselves so as not to hurt others or disturb the peace most men of moderate spirits if not all hold that such men are not to be punished either by Church or State But though this be yeelded to yet the practices of many are against it they have wayes to draw forth mens judgements though they would conceal them and when they have drawn them forth they make them suffer for their judgments these 3. ways First by requiring men to subscribe to things which they suspect are against their judgements they invent Articles which if put to them they know will pinch them and draw forth their judgment which when they come to know they make them as Articles of Accusation against them Surely such dealings as these are very harsh But you will say Blessed be God we hope we have done with forcing men to subscribe God grant that we never meddle with any thing answerable to that tyranny heretofore we groaned under the drawing out mens judgements and then the punishing them for them Secondly if such things be put into oaths which though a man should not hold in every clause yet he may be godly and a good Subject and urge such oaths with violence under penalty what is this but to punish a man for his judgment though he would keep it to himself 3ly By propounding Questions to men when they come to the choice of or admission to any place of preferment to draw forth their judgments such questions as concerne not at all the qualification of men to such places then deny them those places either because they are unwilling to answer or if you will needs have them answer they discover their judgements different from yours is not this to make men suffer for their judgments though they would live peaceably keeping them to themselves Here is not that suffering of Brethren that Christ would have 2ly In things controversall and doubtfull amongst godly and peaceable men though there should be a declaration of difference of judgment and some different practice yet there is to be a forbearance of compulsory violence we must not be to one another in such things as these are as that Gyant we read of who laid upon a bed all he took and those who were too long he cut them even with his bed and such as were too short he stretched them out to the length of it Verily this is cruelty God hath not made men all of a length nor height mens parts gifts graces differ mens tempers apprehensions educations are various and if there be no suffering one another in things not clear all the world must needbe quarrelling there wil be strengthning interests sidings and opposings one another continually except not only mens bodies and estates but their very souls also be brought under sordid slavery Our Brethren of Scotland writing against the tyranny of Prelats when they were under it in that Book entituled English and Popish Ceremonies have this passage If the error of Conscience be about things unnecessary then it is tutior pars the surest safest way not to urge men to do that which in their consciences they condemne And the Ministers of the Protestant Churches in France giving their judgments De pace inter Evangelicos procuranda How peace amongst the Protestants in Germanie may be had set forth by Duraeus say thus Let all matters controversal be brought into such a certain model as may give satisfaction to both parties and that if it be possible framed out of the very words of Scripture and let no man require any thing else of his brother Zanc. in praecep 4. hath this notable speech That which I say says he is diligently to be observed that those who would stir up Princes to have all people Kingdomes Common-wealths which not overthrowing the fundamentalls of Religion differ from them in any thing condemned of heresie excluded from friendship driven out of their territories these are no friends says he either to their Princes or to the Church of Christ Many thinke they doe great service to Christ the Church and State if they can stir up Magistrates to suppress whatsoever they conceive are errors it may be their hearts are upright in the main they aym at peace but certainly they cause much disturbance in Church and State Bishop Davenant in a little Book entituled His Exhortation to brotherly love amongst Churches the ninth Chap. hath this title that Brotherly communion between Churches Evangelicall is not to be cut asunder because of divers opinions about Questions controversall And in the beginning of the 10. Chapter This is to be premised The bonds of the brotherly communion of Christian Churches ought not to be dissolved upon every difference of opinions but only for the denying or opposing Fundamentals Here see the moderation of a Prelate Thus Cyprian of old delivered his opinion and practised it accordingly differing from many of his brethren but withall professeth That he meant not to prescribe or give Lawes to any that he would not contend with any of his Collegues so as to breake divine concord and the peace of our Lord that he was farre from judging or censuring any of his Brethren or cutting off from his communion any that were of a different minde and that in such case none ought to constraine his Collegue by tyrannicall violence therein glancing at the violent proceeding of Stephen to whom he wrote to a necessity of believing or following what he thinks meet This modesty and charity of Cyprian is very often and very deservedly commended by St. Augustine says D. Potter an Episcopall man That this may go down the better or at least that mens spirits may be in some measure moderated take these following Considerations First this contending about every difference of opinion urging our Brethren with what we conceive right in matters of controversie crosseth the end of Christ in his Administration of differing gifts to his Church and humane society and his revealing truths in a different way some more darkely some more clearly Christ could easily have given such gifts to all or revealed all truths so clearly that every man should have been able to have seen every truth Surely Christ did not disperse gifts and reveal truths so differently to that end that there might be continual matter of strife and contention in his Church and in humane societies not that there should be provocation to the exercise of cruelty one upon another but rather that
men presently it will tell them they must seek first to convince men but because the seeking to satisfie other mens consciences in things differing from us is a troublesom work the temptation that this principle presents may at least prevail thus far that seeing besides means of conviction by arguing they have another help at hand to keep down error namely compulsory violence making men who differ from them to suffer for those things therefore not to trouble themselves very much in the way of seeking to convince but for their owne ease to rid their hands of such a burthensom work to cast the trouble and lay heavy burdens upon their brethren this is easie for them to do though hard for their brethren to suffer But the Tables may turn one day wherein the sufferers shall have the greatest ease the inflicters the sorest burthen But God forbid that their brethren should lay it upon them though it were put into their power to do it The temptation to pride is not less neither are mens hearts lesse prone to this If it prevails what domineering is there like to be of one over another yea of some few over many If they judg in things never so doubtful all must yeeld at least for their profession and practice This is a great power to be given to men over men in matters of faith and godliness This is Lording it over Gods inheritance It is observable when the Church was in the lowest condition this power was highest the power of making Canons in doubtful things to bind under penalties And when this power was lowest as in the Primitive times then the Church was highest Seventhly This will be a means to bring grosse ignorance upon the face of the Churches of the world For first if men shall not be suffered to profess or practice otherwise then Governors in Church or State shall determine they will not take pains to find out the truth themselves but rather take things implicitely which is the easiest way they wil think it to little purpose to take pains in examining things when after all is done they must be bound up at least in their profession and practice to what either is or shall be determined by those who have power of rule in their hands Our late Prelates designe was to bring in ignorance that they might with the more freedom rule over us as they pleased and in nothing did they drive on this design more then in the practice of this power which they took to themselves to command things doubtful and controversall and by violence to urge their commands upon people by which had their power continued gross ignorance would soon have bin spread over the face of the land From whence hath come the gross ignorance of Popery but from the prevailing of this principle By which the people have been brought in such subjection under their guides that they have lost their understandings in the matters of Religion If it be said But wee will take care that those men who shall be consulted withall and those men who shall have power in their hands to determine shall be wise understanding godly men and then the danger will not be so great Suppose those men who for the present have such power have attained to the highest measure of of knowledg and godliness that can be imagined to be in any men upon the earth yet the people are under this temptation to neglect the getting of knowledg themselves and it may be the rather because those who are appointed to determine things are so understanding and so conscientious now these people growing ignorant when these knowing and godly men who are now in place shall be gone who shall choose other in their places I suppose it to be the opinion of most of you and of the godly in the Kingdom and in all Reformed Churches that either the body of the Church the people must choose their Officers or at least that none must be put upon them without their consent Well then if the people through the prevailing of the former temptations grow ignorant is it not like they wil chuse such guiders and leaders as themselves are or if they shall not chuse yet their negative voyce will have such an influence into the choise as it is very probable that in a generation or two blind guides will be brought in and so the blind leading the blind And when by this ignorance hath prevailed and gotten head in the Church there is almost an impossibility ever to get it out again this brings men into the dark and locks and bolts the doors upon them Hence men by pleading for this principle may bring themselves and their posterity into greater bondage then they are aware for although now while they have the power in their own hands it may be well with them yet hereafter others may have the power and then it may prove ill enough they may then complain of what they now plead for though now the guides of the Church may be good and holy yet they may live to see such a change or at least their posterity that such a principle acted by such men as they may be under may wring them yea it is the more strange that men should plead so much for this now when as the soares of their neckes caused by the bondage under it a while since are scarce yet healed Eightly there is yet a further danger in this not only that men will neglect truth but there will be a strong temptation to resist and reject truth if God begins to dart in any light into a mans spirit that appears to crosse what hath been determined of for opinion or practice under a penalty the corruption of a mans heart will entice him to turne his minde from that light not to let it into conscience or heart lest it prevailing should put him upon such ways wherein he is like to suffer This hath been common in former times many have hid their eyes from those truths that would have kept them from enformity because they fore-saw what sad consequences would follow if their consciences should not suffer them to conform But you will say This supposes that some things will be urged that is contrary to truth which is uncharitable to suppose Although in matters fundamentall there is no feare that godly able men wil erre yet let charity be stretched to the ful latitude of it and reverence of men in place raised to the uttermost height yet if they will meddle with such things as are doubtful and controversal amongst godly and peaceable men and force them upon others that confidence of theirs that shall put them out of feare of erring shall be to me a ground of great fear that they will erre But some will acknowledge that some liberty should be granted in things thus doubtfull and controversall to men who are indeed conscientious godly and peaceable men but if this be yeelded
too then men who are not conscientious but of turbulent and corrupt spirits will abuse it We have given rules to find out those who onely pretend conscience and if by those or the like it does not appeare but that men are indeed conscientious in their way we should judg charitably of them you think much if those be not admitted to communion with Christ and his Saints when they professe godlinesse in word and life and nothing appears to the contrary why then should you think much to tolerate those as conscientious who professe it in words and life and nothing appears to the contrary Bishop Davenant in that exhortation to peace before quoted as one meanes for peace gives his opinion thus Because it belongs only to God to teach the hearts of men it is our duty alwayes to make the best interpretation of things and to presume of every one where the contrary appeares not by manifest signes that hee is kept from assenting by his conscience rather then by obstinacy As for the peaceablenesse of mens dispositions let it be judged from their carriages in other things of as great moment wherein the temptation for the attaining their owne ends is as great yea far greater then here Do they not carry themselves in as peaceable gentle self-denying way as any Mr. Parker upon the Crosse cap. 5. sect 14. pleads for himself and others who could not yeeld in some things enjoyned them when they were accused of pride contempt unpeaceablenesse What signes sayes he doe men see in us of pride contempt unpeaceablenesse What be our caetera opera that bewray such a humor Let it be named wherein we go not two mile where we are commanded to goe but one yea whether we goe not as many miles as any shooe of the preparation of the Gospel of peace will carry us What payment what paine what labour what taxation made us ever to murmure Survey our charges where wee have laboured if they be not found to be of the faithfullest Subjects that be in the land Wee deserve no favour nay there is wherein we stretch our consciences to the uttermost to conforme and obey in divers matters Are we refractory then other things As Balaams Asse said to his Master Have I used to serve thee so at other times And whereas it is said that some will abuse such liberty at this It is answered Surely those who are peaceable and conscientious must not be deprived of what sufferance Christ allowes them because others who are in the same way are or may prove turbulent and do or may not appear truly conscientious This is as farre beneath the rule of Justice as no sufferance in any thing conceived erroneous is above it Thirdly whatsoever errours or miscarriages in Religion the Church should bear withall in men continuing them still in communion with them as Brethren these the Magistrate should bear with in men continuing them in the Kingdome or Common-wealth in the enjoyment of the liberty of Subjects Grant what possible can be granted to the Magistrate in the extent of his power about Religion to be Custos utriusque tabulae yet certainly no man can imagine that this his charge reaches further then the charge of the Church That he is to be more exact in his oversight of these things then the Church is to be for what ever the power of the Magistrate be in these things yet to the Church especially are the Oracles the Ordinances the Truths of God committed The charge of the spirituall estate of men especially belongs to the Church Now the Church is to beare with men in their infirmities though they be ignorant of many things yea after means used for information No Church must cast off any from communion with it but for such things that all the Churches of Christ ought to cast them off for This is generally held by our Brethren if a man be rightly cast out of communion with one Church he is thereby cast out of all if this be so then surely many things must be suffered before we proceed to cast out a member it must not be for every errour or miscarriage Thus Bishop Davenant in his rules for Peace Those may not be cut off from communion with particular Churches who remaine joyned to the Catholique Church Yea none is to be cast out of communion but for that which if whole Churches were guilty of we must refuse communion with yea with all the Churches in the world if they could be supposed to be so far left of Christ as to be guilty of the same thing If this be so when a Church is about casting any out of communion it need be wary and not presently fall upon him because there is something evill in him and if the Church should be so the civill Magistrate much more whose care of a mans spirituall estate is not so immediate and full as the Churches is From what hath been said these 2. consequences are clear First Articles or rules for doctrine or practise in matters of Religion to be imposed upon men should be as few as may be there is a very great danger in the unnecessary multiplying them This in all ages hath caused divisions and exceeding disturbances in the Churches of Christ I finde an excellent passage in an Epistle of Isaac Causabon to Cardinall Perron which hee wrote in the name of King Iames by his command The King saith he thinks that the things that are absolutely necessary to salvation are not many therefore His Majesty is of that mind that there is no shorter way for peace then first by severing necessary things from things that are not necessary and then to labour a full agreement in those but as for things not necessary let them sayes he be left to Christian liberty And againe These necessary things are few and the King thinks this distinction to be of so great moment to lessen the controversies which this day doe so exceedingly trouble the Church that all who study peace should most diligently explicate teach and urge this God hath so graciously ordered things for the body that things necessary for life are not many nor costly the greatest stir in the world is about things not necessary So for the soule A second consequence from what hath been said is we see hence who is most for peace one professeth what he is convinced of to be a truth and a duty if it be not necessary he is not to force it upon his Brethren though he had never so much power in the Church or State to back him The other holds this principle That whatsoever he thinks to be a duty he must force it upon his brethren not only by the power of the Church but he must call in the power of the Magistrate to back him in it But doe not men in a Congregationall way urge upon others their owne conceptionâ— and practices according to the power they have
as much as any for if men will not enter into covenant if they hold another kind of government in the Church differing from them they will not receive them nor communicate with them I would all our controversie lay here surely wee should soon agree Whosoever doth as you say cannot be justified in so doing some men it may be through an earnest desire of promoting what they conceived to be the mind of Christ have been too rigid in their dealings with their Brethren What hath been said will shew the evill of their practice as well as of others As for entring into Covenant It is true there is such a practice in the Congregational Churches and a Covenant either explicite or implicite I think all acknowledg that is there must be some agreement to joyne those together in a body who formerly were not joyned to make them to be of such a society to have power in it with others for the choise of Officers in this Congregation and to be under the care charge of those Officers more then Members of another congregation what shall joyn them if not at least some mutuall agreement to joyn in one body for such spirituall ends as Christ hath appointed this body for the very nature of a society that is embodyed carries this with it and any farther then this I know none requires as necessary Indeed the more explicite this agreement is the more is the edification Surely there is no Christian but will acknowledg that the more one Christian opens his heart to another and binds himself to walk in the ways of Christ with another the more comfortable it is and helps to edification and upon this ground doe the Congregationall Churches practice this Suppose any godly man shall come and desire to joyn with any of them but withall tell them that for his part he yet cannot be convinced by any thing he can find in Scripture that this way of convenanting is required if the Church cannot satisfie such a man being godly in their practise yet desire to know of him whether hee be willing to joyn with them in all the ordinances of Christ so farre as he knows a meere affirmative to this is a covenant sufficient to joyne him with them The more fully he expresseth this to them it would be the more acceptable Now then why is it that there is such a noise every where in exclamations against Church-covenant when it is nothing but this which how any gracious heart upon due consideration can be against I cannot see And this is not only our present opinion but that which ever since we knew any thing in that way upon all occasions we have held forth But what do you say to the other If a man who you believe is godly yet not being convinced of your way of Government but rather thinks the Presbyteriall Government to be the way of Christ would you receive such a man into communion with you If any godly man whose conscience is not satisfied in that way of Government yet is so cast by Providence as he cannot joyne with those Churches where there is that Government he thinks to be Christs and because hee is desirous to enjoy what ordinances of Christ he can therefore tenders himself to one of these Congregationall Churches Such a man should be received to these Ordinances he sees to be Christs if there be nothing else against him but meerly because after all due means yet through weaknesse he cannot see Christs minde in some other ordinance Christ doth not lay so much upon the ordinance of Government as to exclude all his Saints all their days from all other Church-ordinances if through weakness they cannot be convinced of that Now let one who is in a Congregational way and connot see Christs mind in the Presbyterial Government yet come to one of those Churches and say he would gladly in all his ways see the mind of Christ and enjoy all his ordinances but he cannot see that a Minister who takes only the charge to feed by Word and Sacraments one Congregation yet should with others have the charge of ruling an hundred or more and till he be convinced otherwise he cannot in his practice acknowledg that Government to be Christs would you yet receive such a one to communion with you in all other Church-ordinances If you would I make no question then but if we well understood one another and were of quiet spirits we might live together in peace Let not miscarriages in particular men or Churches in thingâ— of this nature hinder our peace what we say ought to be suffered in us we professe to be our duty to suffer that or any thing of the like nature in others and where there hath not been that brotherly and Christian forbearance as ought to be there hath been sinne committed against Christ but let not this hinder brotherly and Christian agreement amongst our selves or any other Churches of Christ 4ly Evills that are small or uncertain or come by accident must rather be suffered then any good that is great certain and per se should be hindered We must take heed that in our zeal to oppose evill we hinder not a greater good If opposition of evill lies so far out of your reach as you cannot come at it but by hindering much good you must be content then to let it alone Lastly if the evils be such as only can be removed by super-natural means we must not use violence for the removing of them though God hath such authority over us as hee may justly punish us for not doing that which we are unable to do by the strength of nature yet one man hath no such authority over another The power that God hath given a Magistrate is but a naturall help at the most therefore it can go no farther then to help us in a naturall way to do what we are able to do by a natural power when it hath gone so far there it must rest I shall refer the Learned to Zanchy upon the fourth Comment where they may see more about this CHAP. X. The fourth dividing Principle Division is the best way to maintaine Dominion THis is Machiavels principle Divide regna When Division is got into such a Principle as hath not only in the bowels of it that is something to foment it by what may be drawn from it but when the principle carries division in the very face of it not collaterally or by consequent avowing it but directly immediately justifying it then it grows strong indeed who can stand before it When this is brought down to the people it is expressed by that Proverbiall speech It is good fishing in troubled waters The divisions of the times are our advantages Some mens ends are best served when church and State are most divided They never had such comings in as now they have It is true it may be desired that men in evil things
should not agree that they may be like the witnesses that came against Christ who could not agree in their testimony Paul cast a bone of dissention between the Pharisees and Sadduces But when men love division and desire the continuance of it First to maintain that which is evill Secondly to aime at their owne ends not regarding what publike mischiefes come so their own private advantages may be served not caring what house be on fire so their eggs may be rosted if they may have some poor pedling private benefit by them 3ly Not caring what the divisions are whether against good or against evill so be it their turn may be served This is abominable and cursed is that man that wishes for or rejoyces in or seeks the continuance of divisions for these base ends Yea that man is not worthy to breath in so good a Land as England is who would not willingly lay downe his his life to cure the present divisions and distractions that are amongst us who would not desire with Nazianzen as formerly Jonah to be cast into the Sea himself so be it all might be calm in the Publique Oh cruell hard-hearted man who for his own private advantage is not sensible of the woful miseries of Church and State yea of that dreadfull dishonour to the name of God caused this day by our sad divisions miserable distractionsâ— just it were that such a man should be separated to evil and that his name should be blotted out from under heaven But if things were setled in Church and State some men should not have such liberties as now they have therefore they are willing enough to have our differences continued their plot is to lengthen them out First That which thou callest seeking to lengthen out divisions it may be God now accounts and will another day call seeking after the nearest union with himselfe and the firmest union of his Saints Secondly the liberties these men seek for are either evill or good If evill oh how dearly do they buy that which is evill with bringing the guilt of all that evil that comes from our divisions upon themselves you need not wish any enemy more evil upon his head then this certainly such a man hath load enough upon him But if those liberties they seek be good or but supposed by them to be so why then should they feare a right setling of things what ever is good can be no enemy unto good That Scripture Rom. 13. 3. is enough to keep their hearts from fearing the right ordered power of authority especially from fearing it so farre as by the feare of it to be driven into such a desperate guilt of wickednesse as this is to desire or endeavour the continuance of such publique mischiefe for their own ends Rulers saith the Text are not a terrour to good works but to evil wilt thou then not be afraid of their power doe that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Surely then the power was as formidable to any thing a christian heart could suppose good as now any power is like to be that we have to deale with Thirdly it is a sign of a very poor low unworthy spirit to think that any in whom thou hast any perswasion there is any feare of God or interest in Christ should have no higher thoughts for their support and encouragement in what they conceive good according to the mind of Christ but such as the hopes or desires of continuance of such wofull evils in the divisions of Church and State raiseth in them if they did believe that Christ took no more care of them then so but left them to such miserable supports as these are their condition were sad indeed 4ly If such basenesse of spirit as this is were ruling in them which hath in it the malignity of all the dregs of an evil spirit surely you would find it working in them in some other thing save only in that wherein they differ from you For certainly it is impossible but that man that is so left of God to such dregs of evill must needs break out to some other vile evils in a little time It were strange if such horrid wickednesse of a mans heart should break out in nothing else The Lord therefore be Judg between his servants and those men yea those men professing godlinesse who have such hard thoughts of them and the Lord convince them of all their hard speeches and hard writings in this thing CHAP. XI The fifth dividing Principle That every man is bound to professe and practice alwayes what he apprehends to be truth THis hath the greater strength because it comes under a shew of exact godlinesse I do not mean an hypocriticall shew but an appearance to mens consciences It is very dividing For first if while many things lye in mens owne thoughts they cause much strife within themselves their reasonings are very divers Though they have all the some tincture from the same affections and are swayed by the same ends then when these things come abroad before others who have not the same reasonings nor the same affections to give them such a tincture but reasonings and affections running quite another way nor the same ends to sway them but quite different to poyse them a cross way there must needs be much strife such divisions as will be hard to reconcile If men sometimes can hardly prevail with their own thoughts to agree notwithstanding the sway of their own affections and ends how are they like to agree with others whose affections and ends are so various from theirs Secondly if men doe presently professe and practice what they conceive to be right they must necessarily professe and recant recant and professe for in many things what they apprehend to be true at one time they suspect yea see cause to deny at another and what confusion disorder would there be in matters of Religion if continually by some or other there should be profession of things as true and good and calling the same things presently into question yea within a while denying and renouncing them And if not so then 3. If a man hath once made profession of what he conceives to be a truth differing from others if it proves to be a misapprehension there lies a great temptation upon him to stand out in it to strive to make it out to the utmost for nothing is more contrary to a mans nature then to acknowledg himself to be mistaken in his understanding and to lye down in the shame of rashnesse and inconsideratenesse in his actions therefore whatsoever mens own thoughts be within in their own spirits they had need take heed what they doe when they come to make open profession and practice what they apprehend and engage themselves thereby to maintaine there are not many who attaine to Augustines self denyall to publish retractations to all the world Now if a man through the strength of
it selfe sin in the least thing yet I am not ever bound to do that which my conscience says is in it self good as it may fall out in some great things A thing in it-self evill can never be made my duty to do what ever circumstances it may be cloathed with what ever good I conceive may be done by it but a thing in it self good may by circumstances attending of it be such as at this time it is my duty to forbear it so that in not doing it I cannot be charged of a sin of omission of not living according to what my judgment and conscience is convinced of to be truth and good That we may understand yet further our duty of profession so as we may cause no divisions by it let these five rules be considered for the ordering of it First we must be wel grounded in fundamentals before we make profession of other truths seldome or never have you known men who in the beginning of their profession of Religion have laid out the first of their strength in Controversies but that they have vanished come to nothing in their profession Be first well rooted in the faith in the great things of godlinesse â—he absolute necessary things of eternall life and then thy searching into other truths of God which are for thy further edification will be seasonable 2ly Take heed that what thou dost be not out of affectation of novelties which men naturally have itching desires after It is very pleasing to the flesh to convey such things to others to be the first that shall bring to others things which before they understood not whatsoever the things be As there is much wickedness in raising up old errors as if they were new truths so there is much vanity in bringing forth old truths in novell and affected phrases as if men desired to be thought to find out some new thing that yet hath not been or is very little known in the world when indeed upon examination when it is uncloathed of its new expressions it proves to be the same old truth that ordinarily hath been known taught and so the man appears to be no knowing man more then ordinary Take heed of this vanity of spirit in the holding forth of truth especially when in publike you speak of Gods truths speak of them with reverence of the name of the great God as the Oracles of God clearly plainly not in obscure uncouth unknown expressions as the Oracles of the Idols were wont to be delivered in 3. Whatsoever is differing from others who are godly is not to be held forth and professed without serious examination we may venture more suddenly upon those things which are generally received of the Saints but if they be differing then we had need examine them over and over again with a jealous eye over our own hearts and to take heed to our spirits how we behave our selves in such things wherein we are like to go away so much differing from so many of our godly able brethren Wee must take heed of publishing any such things rawly undigestedly lest we wrong the truth of God and make the profession of it become ridiculous If the thing be true to day it will be true to morrow 4. We must not think it enough boldly to assert things but according to the rule of the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. 15. we must give an account 1. with meekness we must not do it in a passionate froward way not with our affections hurrying and tumultuous not after a contentious manner as if we desired victory rather then truth but with quietnesse and composednesse of spirit We must not think it much to bear contradiction from others yea though it should arise to contemptuous carriage against us and with fear that is either in respect of our selves who make the profession or in respect of those before whom we make it For our selves we must not do it in a conceited way not in a high arrogant way with foolish confidence in our selves in our own apprehensions and abilities but with feare manifesting our sensibleness of our own weakness vanity and nothingnes 2. In respect of those before whom the profession is made We must manifest our due reverent esteem of them no unbeseeming behaviour no scornfulness lightness contempt if it before Magistrates especially then whatsoever they are in regard of their persons yet reverentiall respects ought to be given to them in respect of their places and if they be men of worth learning graces publike use in the Church or State that respect that is due to their worth is to be manifested also in our carriage towards them Grace teacheth no man to be unmannerly rude scornfull furious or foolish 5. If you would make profession or practice any thing differing from others who are godly and judicious you should first acquaint those who are most able with what you intend and not go to youths women and weak ones first seeking to promote what you apprehend by possessing your hearts first with it and to get them to be a party for you this is not the way of God If God hath revealed some new thing to you you have some new light that is not yet made known to your Brethren which not only by profane men but I fear by some who are godly is in a profane manner scorned at and it were wel if none of those who pretend it did not give some occasision were not the temptation to the despising of that expression yet you should first goe to those who are most able to judg acquaint them with what apprehensions you have and see whether they cannot make it appeare to you that you are mistaken if not they may confirm you in the truth that you may go on in it with the more confidence If Churches were setled as they ought I should think it very ill for any Minister to preach any thing not ordinarily received by the Saints before they have acquainted other Elders yea some of other Churches with it if out of an eager desire to be formost in venting some new thing they shall do it meerly from themselves they may be meanes to raise and engage themselves in woful disturbances before they are aware That common union and fellowship that there is between Elders and Churches requires mutual advise and consultation in matters of difficulty though to lay a law upon them to advise in every thing be it never so clear would be hard CHAP. XII The sixth dividing Principle What is in it selfe best must be chosen and done not weighing circumstances or references THis brings much trouble to the Churches yea it causeth much trouble in the spirits and lives of many truly godly It causeth men to break the bonds of their Callings of their Relations of their publique Interests therefore certainly it must needs be a dividing Principle Some men whose calling is only to a private employment yet having some gifts and
greatest troublers in Church and State Thus in the generall mens lusts are the cause of divisions but let us enquire into the particular lusts of men which wee may also charge Wee shall find these dividing distempers to be as many as the dividing Principles As the Philosopher speaks of four Cardinall vertues so the first four that I shall name I may call the four Cardinall vices these are Pride Self-love Envy Passion or Frowardnesse All the other distempers that cause divisions have the poyson of these four at the root of them These are the Chariot wheels of the Furies or the four horses that drawes them up and down hurrying from place to place CHAP. XVI The Pride of mens hearts the great dividing distemper PRide is the greatest Master of mis-rule in the world it is the great incendiary in the soule of man in families in Townes Cities in all societies in Church and State This wind causeth tempests to arise Prov. 13. 10. Onely by pride comes contention The holy Ghost singles out pride as the only cause of all contentions because it is the chief though there be many in a ryot the whole usually is laid upon the ring-leaders Pride is the ring-leader to all ryots divisions disturbances amongst us Prov. 21. 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Pride may be well indicted for the great common Barrettor in all Towns and Cities and Kingdomes it makes wofull troubles wheresoever it comes Mathematicians make this a rule to know when a thing is exactly round and when it is exactly plaine Round things will not touch but in puncto if you lay plaine things together they will touch in every part of them Proud hearts will joyne only in some things that concern themselves but plain hearts will joyn in every thing wherein God may have glory and their Bâ—ethren good Gâ—uty swoln legs keep at distance one from another bladders that are blown up with wind spurt one from another they will not close but if you prick them and so let out the wind you may pack a thousand in a little room Wee finde this by experience when God gives us most successe in our Armies then are we most divided then every man begins to look high and to be sharking for himself and when the Lord discountenances our Armies and brings us low then we think and speak ways of Accommodation then we bewaile our divisions with some brokenness of spirit As it is with Souldiers when they are fighting against the common adversary then they can agree well enough but when they come to divide the spoile or be put into their Garrisons then they fall out When we lye under the danger of the same common calamity then we can agree but when we come to share for our selves then our spirits swell one against another We read in Scripture of the Mannah that God gave his people such was the nature of it that the heat of the Sun melted it You wil say How could it then endure the heat of the oven for they baked it in the oven yet so it was of a strange kind of nature that it could bear the heat of the oven and not the heat of the sun Even of such a temper are our hearts the heat of the sunne of prosperity dissolves us causes us to runn one from another but the heate of the fire of affliction bakes us brings us and settles us together it makes us to be one it takes away our rawnesse it consumes many of our ill humors and so composes our spirits into one The stupidness of our hearts is such as we do not make our brethrens case who suffer the rage of these wars our owne But we for the present having some more liberty then formerly we are lifted up and in the pride of our hearts push at our brethren and smite our fellow-servants If the dogges be at a little distance from us though we even heare the cryes of our brethren who are worried by them yet we foolishly blesse our selves in our present ease enjoyments and hopes as if our flesh must be spared our estates our liberties and enjoyments must be continued yea raised whatsoever becomes of others Oh sinfull vaine spirits befooled and hardned with their pride But what are the severall workings of pride that make such a stir in the world First A proud man thinks himself too great to be crossed Shall I beare this I will make you know what it is to doe such things against me he thinks it a great dishonour to him to beare any thing therefore he must needs quarrel and contend if it be but to shew what a man of spirit he is or to shew that he is a man of such worth as whatsoever others beare yet it is not fit for him to bear it it is but reason that such a man as he should make men who will presume to crosse him to yeeld to him to stoop under him Now when one proud man thinks it a dishonour for him to put up wrongs from another who it may be is as proud as himself and he thinks it a dishonor for him to put up wrong what peace can there be some wrongs must be put up but proud men will never agree who shall begin Secondly because his spirit swells so big he thinks every thing that crosseth him to be very great his sufferings are great to him according to what great thoughts he hath of himself according to the excellency or meannesse of any person So are his sufferings to be reckoned sufferings of a man in eminency are judged according to his eminency and place if a mean man suffer the same things they are not accounted so great now whether a man be great really or in his owne apprehension it s all one in regard of his esteem of his sufferings he thinks himselfe therefore intollerable because they are against himself Dan. 3. 14. Is it true O Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Do not ye serve my gods that which you have in your books is it true Arius Montanus translates Nunquid de solatio what is there desolation made what you to oppose the command of a King if this be suffered what desolation must needs follow Add indeed the root from whence the word comes signifies desolari to make desolate why was it a desolation that these three poor innocent men made because they would not nay they could not do as this proud K. would have them w ht made him thus to aggravate the offence but meerly the pride of his heart he thought that any thing cross to his command was a most hainous offence a thing most horrid in the very mention of it no lesse then the utter undoing of all things Pride ever aggravates any thing done against its owne mind This in Dan. that Montanus turns Nunquid desolatio Buxtorfius translates num de industria what on purpose you doe it on purpose to provoke
me thus proud men and women in their families whatsoeuer children or servants do amisse what you do it on purpose to anger me do you When the winde comes crosse the streame the waters rage So does the will and affections of a proud heart when any thing crosseth it 3ly Pride makes men swell beyond their bounds the way to keep all things in union is for every man to keep within his bounds the swelling beyond tends to the breaking all in pieces Hab. 2. 5. He is a proud man neither keepeth at home who enlargeth his desire as hell and cannot be satisfied If any humour of the body goeth beyond its bounds it brings much trouble to it the health and peace of the body consists in the keeping of every humour within its vessell and due proportion 4ly Pride hardens mens hearts Dan. 5. 20. His minde is hardned in his pride If you would have things cleave you must have them soft two flints will not joyn the Spanyard hath a Proverb Lime and stone will make a wall if one be hand yet if the other be yeelding there may be joyning and good may be done not else 5ly Pride causes men to despise the persons actions and sufferings of others nothing is more unsufferable to a mans spirit then to be vilified A proud man despises what others do and others what he does every man next to his person desires the honour of his actions If these two be contemned his sufferings will likewise be contemned by the proud This also goes very neer to a man one man thinks what another man suffers is nothing no matter what becomes of him another thinks his suffering's nothing and no matter what becomes of him O at what a distance now are mens hearts one from another 6ly Pride causes every man to desire to be taken notice of to have an eminency in some thing or other if he cannot be eminent on one side he will get to the other he must be taken notice of one way or other when he is in a good and peaceable way God makes some use of him yet because he is not observed and looked upon as eminent he will rather turn to some other way to contend strive to oppose or any thing that he may be taken notice of to be some body that he may not goe out of the world without some noyse What shall such a man as I of such parts such approved abilities so endued by God to doe some eminent service be laid aside and no body regard me I must set upon some notable worke something that may draw the eye of observance upon me I have read of a young man who set Diana's Temple on fire and being asked the reason he said That he might have a name that the people might talk of him Because he could not be famous by doing good he would by doing evill Proud spirits wil venture the setting the Temple of God yea Church and State on fire that they may have a name whatsoever they do or suffer to get a name they will rather venture then dye in obscurity that of all things they cannot bear 7. A proud man would have others under him and others being proud too would have him under them he would have others yield to him and others would have him yield to them where will the agreement then begin What is that which hath rent and torne the world in all ages that hath brought woful distractions perplexities confusions miseries in all Countreys by wars but the pride of a few great ones seeking to bring one under another Those wasting Wars of the Romans between Sylla and Marius Caesar and Pompey were they not from hence It is hard for men in great places and of great spirits to accord long Melancthon in his Comment upon Prov. 13. 10. says concerning such men there was wont to be this Proverb Duo montes non miscentur Two mountains will not mixe together 8ly A proud man makes his will to be the rule of his actions and would have it to be the rule of other mens too and other men being proud too would have their wils the rule of though there be nothing else but pride and in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dabit jurgium give contention if there be no cause given it will make it Now let every man looke into his own heart and see what pride hath been and still is there and be humbled before the Lord for this All you contentious froward quarrelsome people you are charged this day from God to be men and women of proud spirits and what evill there is in our sadd divisions that pride in your bosome is a great cause of Saint Paul did beat down his body left after he had preached to others he should become a reprobate Let us all and especially Ministers labour to beat down our spirits lest after all our profession and glorious shews we at last become Reprobates at least such as God may cast out for the present in this world taking no delight in making use of what in such times as these are to have hearts swoln and lift up in pride God is now about the staining the pride of the earth How unseasonable and dangerous is it for a Marriner to have his top-sails up and all spread in a violent storme it is time then to pull downe all lest he be sunck irrecoverably The point of a needle will let the wind out of a bladder and shall not the swords of God the swords of Warre and Plague that have got so deep into our bowels let out the windy pride of our hearts The haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord himself will be exalted The Lord humble us that he may reconcile us not only to himselfe but to one another CHAP. XVI Selfe-love the second dividing distemper THis is neer akin to the former Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife Ver. 4. Looke not every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others This is the cause of strife because men looke so much on their owne things Many will have no peace except their own party be followed Jehu-like What hast thou to do with peace follow me It is not Peace but Party that they mind Maxima pars studiorum est studium partium The greatest part of their studies is to study sides and parts Luther upon Psal 127. hath a notable speech I am of that opinion sayes he that Monarchies would continue longer then they doe were it not for that same litte Pronoun Ego that same I my selfe Yea certainly could this same Selfe be but laid aside all governments and societies would not only continue longer but flourish better Selfe-love is the cause of our divisions First where this prevails men love to take in all to themselves but let out nothing from themselves this must needs divide societies in Church and State
themselves though their lives be ill There is a mighty change in mens spirits now from that which was heretofore Times have been when any opinion that tended to loosenesse was presently distasted as unfavoury and rejected by such who made profession of Religion Sleidan in the tenth book of his Commentaries sayes The Devill that sought to doe mischiefe at Munster was not a skilfull Devill but rude and simple because he sought to prevaile by tempting men to loosenesse whereas sayes he if he had beene a cunning Devill he would rather have deceived by abstaining from flesh by abhorring Matrimony by shewes of wonderfull lowlinesse of minde c. he might sooner have taken men this way but truly now the most cunning Devill sees it to be the best way to attaine his ends to raise up and foment opinions that â—end to the liberty of the flesh so be it he can carry them on under the colour of magnifying free grace he findes that these things are exceeding suitable to mens spirits in these times that they are taken in by such who formerly appeared so conscientious that hee feared hee should never have beene able to have prevailed with them hee never found a way like to this to prevaile with such men yea never a way like to this to choake the Word when it first begins to worke upon the heart he hath blasted more young seeming converts this way then ever hee did by any way since he was a Devill Heretofore the way was to stirre up others to deride them for following the Word and for praying now he hath a way worth two of that to make them to deride others for their conscienciousnesse in following the Word and praying and this strengthened with a high perswasion that hereby they are the great magnifiers of the free grace of God in the Gospel the only men who understand the Gospel way This Devill now lookes upon himselfe and his fellowes as simple and foolish in all their former devices here is an experiment beyond them all seeing this Christ must needes be magnified hee will magnifie him too seeing the Gospel must goe on hee will put it on too hee will finde out a device here to strike at the practise power life of godlinesse in a more secret and prevailing way then ever formerly was done it is like in this generation the former principles of godlinesse will not be got out but if this way prevails still in proportion to what it hath done in a generation or two it is like to bring generall prophanenesse and licentiousnesse upon the face of the Christian world more then any way of Satan ever did since the world began for here is a way to be loose and prophane and to satisfie Conscience too CHAP. XXII The third Dividing Practice Men no keeping within the bounds that God hath set them FIrst when men will be medling with that whith concernes them not that is out of their sphere 1 Thes 4. 11. Study to be quiet and doe your owne businesse Prov. 20. 31. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife but every foole will be wedling Choller in the gall is usefull to the body but if it overflow the body growes into distemper presently we may be all usefull in our places if we keepe to them contenting our selves with the improvements of our talents in them thus both our selves and others may have quiet When Mannah was gathered and kept in that proportion God would have it it was very good but when men must have more and keep it longer then God would have them then it breeds worms Thus it will be in all that we have or doe let us keepe our proportion God sets us and all will be well but if we thinke to provide better for our selves by going beyond our measure wormes are presently bred in all But especially where men will not keepe within their bounds in their power over others for what is all our contestation at this time it is not about mens stretching their power beyond their line both in State and Church From whence are our State-divisions our Warres but because Princes have been perswaded their power was boundlesse at least not to be kept within those bounds the State sayes it ought to bee They think there is such a distance between them and others that the estates liberties lives of all men within their country lie at their mercy not considering how they come to be raised so high that what they have above others is given to them by those above whom they are No man inheriteth more then was given to his forefathers and so to him whereby they might see that they are not limited onely by the lawes of God but by the lawes of men also namely The agreement between them and the people when they are raised to such dignities There is nothing weakens their right more then the pleading it by conquest Princes have little cause to thank those who plead their right that way The surest foundation for Princes to set their feet on is the agreement between the people and them or their progenitors but if they will goe beyond this agreement what stirres what wofull disturbances doe they make Secondly if either they or any Governours of the State shall instead of being helpfull to the government of the Church take it all from it into their owne hands in this they goe beyond those bounds Christ would have them it is by the Civill power that the Governours of the Church have the peaceable exercise of what power Christ hath given them but they have not their power from them Civill authority cannot put any spirituall power into a man or company of men which they had not before it can onely protect encourage and further the exercise of that power that CHRIST hath given They are inconsiderate men sayes Calvin who make Magistrates too spirituall This evill sayes he prevailes in Germanie and in the Countries about us we finde what fruit growes from this root namely that those who are in power thinke themselves so spirituall that there is no other ecclesiasticall government this sacriledge comes in violently amongst us because they cannot measure their office within its due bounds And for Church-Governours if they would keep within their Limits we might enjoy much peace if first they would assume to themselves no more power then Christ hath given them Secondly if they would not extend it over more congregations then Christ hath committed to them Thirdly if they would not exercise it in more things then Christ would have them Let us looke a little into these three for the want of a right understanding in them hath caused and may yet further cause much disturbance For the first That Christ hath appointed some to rule in his Church and that all the members of the Church are not in the office of ruling is apparent in Scripture 1 Cor. 12. 28. Rom. 12. 8 but that these Officers
That is not enough sayes the Apostle to justifie them though there should be no hurt in them yet seeing they perish in the use seeing there comes no good by them you must not doe them But what if they shall be commanded by authority may wee not doe them then No sayes the Apostle that is another argument against them they are after the commandements and doctrine of men if it be a meere ordinance of man and there be no other reason in the thing but because man enjoynes it in the Church you are not to doe it Yea in some respect we have not so much liberty in things indifferent if they be enjoyned by men as we had before This is thought to be a very strange assertion by some but consider this one thing and it will not appear so Though I might doe such a thing before yet if man shall take upon him this authority to command meerly because of his will and pleasure if I now obey I am in danger to edifie him to strengthen him in his sinne he challenges this authority and I seeme to yeeld it to him certainly he is strengthned in it by my subjection except I doe this at least professe against any such authority of man granted by Jesus Christ But say some If you take from Governours power to command things indifferent you take away all their power for things necessary are required without them and things sinfull they may not command Surely this conceit comes rather from tradition then from due consideration for it is not power enough to see to the keeping of the commands of God that the Ordinances be kept pure that there be justice between man and man to reward those which doe well and to punish the evill doers Yet thus farre must be granted to the Officers of the Church they have authority from Christ to declare dogmatically when a thing in it selfe indifferent yet by reason of some circumstances comes to be a duty and this is to be regarded more then the declaration of any private brother or brethren for they doe it by way of office in the name of Christ This we finde Acts 15. the Apostles and Elders sent their Decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dogmaticall determinations about some things in themselves indifferent but as cloathed with those circumstances they call them things necessary they determine them to be done from the reason of the things not from their authority those things were duties before they decreed them and had been had they never decreed them Even forbearing the eating of blood was a duty in case of offence though their decree had never been and otherwise it was no duty notwithstanding their Decree for afterward Paul sayes that whatsoever is sold in the shambles they might eate of it asking no question for conscience sake and every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving Thus we have seen what the bounds are which God hath set to men in authority or at least the controversie about them Let them be carefull to keep within their bounds as they are set to keep others within theirs by this Church and State may enjoy much peace CHAP. XXIII The fourth dividing practise Gathering of Churches disorderly THis is cryed out of as the greatest dividing practice of all You may speak of this or that to be dividing amongst us say some but above all things this Gathering of Churches is the great divider amongst us To this I shall speak in these six things First it is not absolutely unlawfull for a Church to be gathered out of a Church Voetius that learned Professor of Viretcht answering Jansenius pleading against us for seperating from the Romish Church which was the most ancient and famous Church No sayes he it is not absolutely evill to separate from such a Church for then the Christians gathering themselves out of the Jewish Church were Schismaticks which is false Doctor Jackson a Prelaticall man in the 14. Chapter of his Treatise of the Church gives two reasons which he sayes are just and necessary for which men whether few or many may and ought to seperate themselves from any visible Church First because they are urged or constrained to professe or beleeve some points of doctrine or to adventure upon some practices which are contrary to the rule of Faith or love of God Second in case they are utterly deprived of freedome of Conscience in professing what they inwardly beleeve or bereft of some other meanes either altogether necessary or most expedient to salvation For which latter he quotes 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price bee not ye servants of men Although sayes he we were perswaded that we could communicate with such a Church without evident danger of damnation yet inasmuch as we cannot communicate with it upon any better termes then legall servants or bondslaves doe with their Masters we are bound in conscience and religious discretion when lawfull occasions and opportunities ore offered to use our liberty and to seeke our freedome rather then to live in bondage This doctrine was allowed of in the Bishops times Now suppose upon these two grounds there be a withdrawing from a Church Christ does no where require his people to live without Ordinances all their dayes rather then they should joyne themselves together into another body Secondly yet where these causes are not but men may communicate without sinne professing the truth and enjoy all ordinances as the freemen of Christ Men must not seperate from a Church though there be corruption in it to gather into a new Church which may be more pure and in some respects more comfortable First because we never finde the Saints in Scripture seperating or raising Churches in such a case and secondly There would be no continuance in Church fellowship if this were admitted for what Church is so pure and hath all things so comfortable but within a while another Church will be more pure and some things will be more comfortable there The generall peace of the Church should be more regarded by us then some comfortable accommodations to our selves Thirdly Although you cannot for the present communicate with the Church in which you are without sinne or bondage yet you are not presently to withdraw to gather into another or to joyne with another you are bound to give so much respect to the Church as to continue with much long-suffering to seeke the good of that Church to remove the sinne that is upon it with all good meanes you can You must beare much with a brother much more with a Church Fourthly If things were in that ordered and settled way as they ought there ought to be no gathering of any new Churches without consulting and advising with neighbour Churches Christ would have all Churches unite themselves and have conjunction one with another being all of the same body of Christ If then there be to be raised a new Sister Church
that expects and is to desire the benefit of Communion with the rest there is all the reason in the world that the helpe advice and assistance of the other Churches should be made use of in the raising and ordering this Church that they are thus to owne in the way of communion with them to whom they are to give the right hand of fellowship Fifthly All beleevers who live in a place together ought so far as they can joyne into one Church though they be of different judgements and tempers what ever things they differ in yet if they may stand with grace they can have no encouragement from the examples of any of the Churches we read of in Scripture for them to divide themselves into little pieces The way of Christ all along in Scripture is that all the Saints in such a place who are not more then can joyne in one should joyne together and make but one Church certainly this is more for the honour of Christs Body then the division of Saints in the same place into severall little societies Christ stands much upon the union of his Saints in one in all wayes by all meanes that may be Sixtly as things are yet with us there is no such great reason of that outcry there is amongst us against gathering of Churches as so great a dividing practice as many seeme to make it How can this practise be so very offensive when almost all of you thinke it lawfull for a man for any commodiousnesse to remove from that Church of which now he is to joyne with another sobeit he will remove his dwelling But these do not set up new Churches If a company of men who have estates should not be satisfied with that Ministery that belongs to that company that now they are joyned with and should buy a piece of ground close to the place where they were and build upon it and have leave of the State to make a new Parish of those dwellings they build who would blame them for gathering a Church thus Hence it is apparent that withdrawing from our Churches and gathering other is not according to the judgements of our Brethren against any Church Principle the offence that is is onely against some civill constitution Secondly this thing in effect hath been ordinarily practiced heretofore without any offence to the godly yea and is still practiced without any complaint Hath it not beene and is it not still ordinary for many not to communicate in the Parishes where they live nor commonly to heare there but from all parts of the City to come to some Parishes where they conceive the best Ministers to be and there to heare and communicate and this in a constant way and that with allowance to the maintenance of such Ministers yea and thus the Husband goes one way and the Wife another and yet none offended it may be the Gentleman can content himselfe with his Parish-Church but his wife or Lady is not satisfied but must go elsewhere If it be said But this was in a time when things were in great confusion not so reformed as now they are and we hope may further be Then it is not howsoever simply unlawfull 2. It continues so still in many places of this City 3. When you have reformed further it may be mens consciences will bee further satisfied you may reforme so farre as you may prevent much of what you now complaine so much of But though they came for their present reliefe yet they did not binde themselves one to another by Covenant so as men now doe If those who came constantly to your Ministry and Sacraments had professed their willingnesse to joyne with you in all the Ordinances of Christ so farre as they knew and to walke accordingly you might the more comfortably have administred ordinances to them but offensive to you it could not have been But their Covenant bindes them so that they cannot returne back againe whatsoever reformation there be Doe you pray for and endeavour the putting on Reformation to the uttermost and then see what they will doe they have not yet declared themselves that they hold themselves so joyned by any Covenant that they may not joyne with you that what releife they have had for the present time or what agreement there hath been amongst themselves should hinder them from falling into that way all along held forth in Scripture namely for all the Saints that live together to joyne in one so farre as possible they can But these who gather Churches thus looke upon all others who are not in that way as Heathens and what division must this needs make If this were so it were a sad dividing practice indeed wicked men cannot endure to be thus judged of to be cast out as unworthy of Church-fellowship much lesse can the Saints bee able to beare it it must needes go neerer to their hearts Aben Ezra sayes the Ammonites and Moabites burnt the bookes of the Law because of that place Deut. 23. 3. An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord even to their tenth Generation If an Ammonite or Moabite cannot beare the being shut out of the Congregation of the Lord how can the Saints beare it But God knows and our Brethren may know I hope they shall know that the thing is not so O no they looke upon you as the precious Saints of God their deare Brethren in Jesus Christ they blesse God for the graces they see in you and rejoice in the hope of living eternally in Heaven with you But why then will they not admit them to their communion In all worship that belongs to Saints as Saints they joyfully joyne with them but they thinke there is some that belongs to Saints as gathered in a Society under Officers which cannot be performed orderly but in that way and they think it unreasonable that any should have the benefit of the priviledges of the Church and be under no power no discipline of any Church that they should pick and choose Ordinances and yet live at liberty so that if they walke disorderly no Church hath any power to call them to an account Suppose this to be a reason why they admit not of some this is another thing then the judging of them to be Heathens Let me say further I know none of these congregated Churches either here or in other parts that ever refused any who appeared to be godly from communicating with them if they did but acknowledge themselves to be members of any Church elsewhere though that Church were in a differing way from it in respect of government You will say What need that If it be to prevent loosenesse in men who will be under no government if it be because they judge Sacramentall communion to be a Church-Ordinance or if it should be through a mistake yet howsoever this must not be judged to be the cause that
Prelaticall party they wrested what was said or written these feigne what was never said or written who are the fire-brands amongst us if not such men as these as fire-brands plucked out of the fire and now they seeke to fire those who plucked them out but if this be too hot what will you call them what will you say of them O is this the fruit of all prayers for them reliefe of them respect to them Tanta ne vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri Sed motas praesta◠componere lites Whosoever shall reade that Booke of Bancroft entituled Dangerous Positions published and practised by those who pretend Reformation for the Presbyteriall Government shall find the whole subject of the booke to be the blasting the names of the most eminent godly Ministers that lived in those times rendring them to the State as men not fit to be suffered in any Christian Common-wealth The State at that time being wholly for Prelacie and discountenancing that way of government these men sought for their adversaries thought they might be bold to take what liberty they pleased to calumniate traduce and to render them as vile as possible they might there was no such way to keepe them downe as this in this they being like those in the Primitive times who put the Christians into Beares and Tygers skins and then cast them to the Dogges to be devoured Let the servants of God but appeare as they are they will gaine reverentiall respect even from the multitude but when these ugly things are put upon them they are prepared to be the objects of their fury I have read in Suetonius of the cruelty of Tiberius who because it was unlawfull that Virgins should not be put to death caused the Hang-man to ravish them and then to execute them This is the cruelty of some amongst us they can doe some men no hurt but by offering violence first to their names and if they be defiled then they thinke they may doe any thing with them Of such as these are who make divisions amongst us in so ungodly a way as this all that I shall further say is The Lord rebuke them As for the Servants of God they commit their names and wayes to God knowing that the Lord takes care of their names as well as their soules If dirt be cast upon a mud wall it sticks but if upon Marble it soon washes or moulders away God will in time justifie his servants even in your consciences by the constancie of their peaceable carriage toward men and their gracious holy walking with their God onely take you heed that you involve not your selves in the guilt of that wrong that is done unto them by readinesse of your spirits to close with and take content in what evill you heare of those whom God accounts faithfull CHAP. XXV The sixt Dividing Practice the giving Characterizing names to men names of Division THis is an old continued practice of the Devill he hath gained much by it and therefore is loath to leave it The Orthodox of old were called Cornelians Cyrillians by the followers of Novatus and Nestorius in time of Reformation Lutherans Zuinglians Hussites Calvinists Hugonots Tertullian sayes in his Apology for the Christians of his time their crime that they are persecuted for hath no name that for which they are hated and persecuted is the crime of their name such men are cryed out of under such a name but when things come to be examined their name is all their crime And among other that of Schismaticke is not onely a charactising but a stigmatizing name whereby of old and lately many have had a brand of reproach upon them which upon examination will be found to be as it is applyed by many nothing but a scaring word taken up by such who understand little what Schisme is I shall therefore endeavour to open this briefly The word Schisme comes of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rend from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scisura a rent It is amongst Divines a Tecnologicall terme Schisme in the Church is much like to what Sedition is in the State When the Church grew up to the state and outward glory of an earthly Kingdome much use was made of this terme as a brand upon those who would not subject to the yoakes of them who loved preheminence in the Church But the true nature of Schisme is this An uncharitable unjust rash violent breaking from union with the Church or the Members of it The Church is that from which the rent is Heresie divides from the head Schisme from the body Apostacy from both This rent is either from the whole Church or some part if from the whole it is Donatisme Donatus denyed any to be of the body of Christ to be beleevers to be such as could be saved except that company that joyned with him and with those in his way This is clear from the whole discourse of Augustine against him in that Tract De unitate Ecclesiae Wherefore those who censure such as deny communion with some particular Congregations as Donatists discover either ignorance or malice if not both Yet Schisme may be though the rent be but from some part of the Church but this must needs suppose union with that part now there may be a twofold union with the severall parts of the Church either that which all who are to be accounted Christians have with them as they are of the same body Catholick or that which is by agreement to grow up together into a speciall fellowship The rending from any of these unions in such a way as before was mentioned is Schisme If we seperate from or refuse that communion with such as are to be accounted Christians that is due to all Christians this is the more grosse Schisme Or if we thus breake off that communion which is by speciall agreement which may be either when Christians joyne together in a private way for mutuall edification and comfort or when they so joyn together as to make up a distinct spirituall corporation to set up the publick ordinances of Christ which the Scripture calls a Church Now though there may be Schisme in the breaking the former yet the censure of Schisme is especially applyed to the undue breaking off communion in the latter Now this implyes an union by a Church agreement where there never was such an agreement there cannot be the guilt of this Schisme Although they who dwell within such a perambulation such a compasse of ground should not joyne in some ordinances with some within that compasse whatsoever offence there may be against some civill constitution yet the guilt of Schisme they doe not contract upon themselves for that union they never had cannot be broke But you will say Yes they are Schismaticks though they were never so united because they were bound to unite thus and they have not It must be granted that CHRIST by what he ordered the Apostles
he makes to him of those differences there were between Ruffinus and him with very patheticall expressions to move Jerome to peace When I read your Epistles I pined away with griefe my heart was cold within me for feare Oh miserable oh lamentable condition that we are in You who were wont to be most familiar joyned in the strongest bands you who are wont to lick up the honey of the holy Scriptures now there is bitternesse amongst you Woe is me that I cannot meet you together that I might fall down at your feet and weep my fill that I might beg of you as strongly as I love you sometime either of you for your own sake sometime both of you for eithers sake and especially for the sake of those that are weake for whom Christ died who look upon you with a great deale of danger that you would not in your writings spread such things one against another which though you should agree you could not wipe off from one another or such things as if ye were agreed ye would be afraid to reade Yea many times there was very hot contest between Jerome and Augustine himselfe Sometimes I finde some of their writings one against another to be very sharpe If we can debate things without bitternesse of discord well and good but if I cannot tell you what should be mended in your writings and you tell me what should be mended in mine without suspition of envie and breach of friendship let us meddle no more but favour our healths and lives In after-times when God stirred up a spirit in Luther and others to set themselves against the tyranny of Antichrist to throw off that heavy yoke of bondage the dissentions between the chief publique instruments of God to the Church was very great as Luther and Zuinglius and Oecolampadius and Corolostadius Luther in one of his Epistles sayes that there was no wickednesse no cruelty that Zuinglius did not charge him with And in another Epistle he complains that Corolostadius was more malitious against him then ever any of his enemies yet had been And as for Oecolompadius Luther was so provoked against him as he called him the black Devill We may see what strange corruptions are working-sometimes in the hearts of godly men As for the many sects and rents in and presently after Luthers time they would fill up a large volume to name them with their severall opinions and wayes There is one Schlusselburgius a Protestant Divine that hath gathered the chief of them together in twelve or thirteen severall Books that he wrote about them There is not any one strange opinion amongst us now but you shall finde it amongst them in terminis and that so prevailing as to get a strong party to joyne with it Only I remember not that one that hath taken some who though they acknowledg the Scripture yet think there is no visible Church upon the earth In after-times whosoever shall read Junius his Comment upon Psal 122. will finde the state of the Church in his time miserably distracted and distressed with contentions I cannot sayes he but be exceedingly moved when I thinke of these evills What shall I doe Shall I hold my peace when the Devill has stirred up so great a perturbation has kindled so great a fire Certainly there is such a fire kindled in the Christian world that unlesse God looks from heaven upon us it will consume all the mindes of men are as hearths for this fire upon which sin burns the tongues of men some are the bellowes that blow this fire others as fuell by which this fire burnes more and more That the tongue cannot do to blow up and down this fire that virulent papers do dung-carts of virulent papers that is his expression Yea a great part of the Christian world at this time seems to be rather like the place of the burning of dead bodies then the house of Christs flock are these Shepherds are these the Sheep of Christ whom I see to consume away in their miserable burning Surely they are Shepherds still they are the Sheep of Christ and anointed ones still but many of them in this horrible and deadly burning remember not that they are Sheep or Shepherds And thus he proceeds further in pouring forth his soul in most grivious complaints This fiery triall of dissentions in the Church then is no new thing we are to be sensible of it to account it a great affiction but not to look upon it as if some strange thing had befalne us that never befell the Churches before But you will say How can we do lesse but account it a very strange thing that those who fear God should be thus divided that dogs should snarle one at another is no marvaile but that sheep that those who are godly should do thus this we cannot but wonder at for what reason can there be given for it yea what shew of reason can there be imagined If we consider of things wisely we have no such cause to wonder that godly men in this their estate of imperfection should differ so much one from another as they do For First every godly man prizes and seeks after knowledge others mind little but their profit and pleasure they trouble not themselves about the knowing the things of God except ambition puts them upon it they care not which way truths goe But the Godly man prizes every truth at a high rate worth the contending for to the uttermost rather then to deny it or lose it In the dark all colours be alike but in the light they appeare diverse While the Egyptians were in the darke they all sate still but they moved with various motions when the light brake out upon them when men discusse things and desire to see farther into them it is impossible considering the weaknesses of the best and the variety of mens apprehensions but there must needs be much difference in mens judgements then considering that every thing they apprehend to be a truth their consciences are engaged in it at least thus farre that they must not deny it for a world this puts mens spirits at distance although both be godly both love the truth equally Secondly Godly men are Free-men Christ hath made them so and requires them not to suffer themselves to be brought under bondage they must not cannot submit their consciencee to the opinions determinations decrees of any men living they cannot submit to any as Lords over their faith this others can do as for points of Religion say some let learned men judge of them we will not be wiser then they we will submit and others must submit to what they shall determine this makes quick work indeed of divisions but this those who feare God cannot do they must see every thing they own as truth with their own light yet received from Jesus Christ though they reverence men of greater parts deeper learning yet they have
Faith gets above and sayes It shall be I descry land and thus quiets all in the soule all being quiet there the turbulent motions that are in our spirits one towards another are soon quieted 3. Humility COloss 3. 12. Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde Ephes 4. 2. With all lowlinosse and meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme others better then himselfe We may say of Humility as Tertullus Acts 24 said of Felix By thee we enjoy great quietnesse An humble heart looks upon every truth of God as infinitely above it selfe therefore it is willing to receive it from any a child may lead it Esay 11. 6. One Baldassar a German Divine writing to Oecolampadius hath this notable expression Let the Word of the Lord come let it come and we will put under six hundred necks if we had them Such a disposition as this would make much for peace Esay 32. 18 19. we have a promise that the people of God should dwell in a peaceable habitation and in quiet resting places and the City shall be low in a low place When the heart lyes lowest it is quietest 4. Self-denyall THe joynts in the body cannot joyne but one part must be hollow and give way to the other Condescention of one to another is a principall thing in friendship Philip. 2. the example of Christ emptying himselfe and making himselfe to be of no reputation is set before us as an argument for our union that therefore we should doe nothing through strife be like minded having the same love and be of one accord and one minde It is indifferent to a heart emptyed of Selfe whether it conquers or be conquered so Truth may triumph In other conflicts the Conquerour hath the honour and the conquered is disgraced but in the conflicts for truth both conquered and conquerour are honourable the mercy is the greater to him that is conquered but he must have a self-denying heart to make him think so 5. Patience THe Olive the Embleme of Peace will continue greene though overflowne by the waters for a long time together After Noah had been so long in the Ark the Dove brought an Olive leafe in her mouth to him It may be an Emblem of Patience as well as Peace Patience and Peaceableness are neere akin Ephes 4. 2 3. Long-suffering is amongst the graces where the unity of the spirit is to be kept in the bond of peace There is a notable story I finde in the lives of the German Divines One Vitus Theodorus a Divine sends to advise with Melancthon what he should do when Osiander preached against him Melancthon writes to him and beseeches him for the love of God yea charges him that he should not answer Osiander again but that he should hold his peace and behave himself as if he heard nothing Vitus Theodorus writes back again This was very hard yet he would obey Let not men be too hasty to oppose oppositions but let them go on patiently in a constant way resolving to bear what they meet with and God at length will make their righteousness break forth as the light Confute evill reports by thy life He that knowes not to beare calumnies reproaches injuries he knowes not how to live sayes Chytraeus another German Divine 6. Joy in the holy Ghost ROm. 14. 17. The Kingdome of heaven is righteousness peace joy in the holy Ghost This grace in the heart puts a grace upon all a mans conversation it makes it lovely and amiable The beames of the Sunne shining upon the fire will put it out The beams of this spirituall joy will put out the fire of our passions 7. Meeknesse Gentlenesse MIlk quenches wild-fire Oyle sayes Luther quenches Lime which water sets on fire Opposition will heat will fire men when meeknesse and gentlenesse will still and quench all Cicero sayes Sweetnesse of speech and rarriage is that which seasons friendship severity in every thing and sadnesse must not be among friends in their converse such a kinde of carriage may have a seeming gravity but friendship must have a remisness it must be more free and sweet disposed to all mildness and easiness Ephes 4. 2 3. Meekness comes in as a speciall grace for peace and unity so Col. 3. 12. 8. Love THat is the speciall uniting grace Faith indeed hath the preheminence in our union with Christ our head but Love is the grace that unites the members 1 Cor. 13. the Apostle shews many of the fruits of this grace all tending to union and peace It suffers long it envies not it is not puffed up it behaves not it selfe unseemly it seeketh not her owne it is not easily provoked thinketh no evill beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Bearing all things and enduring all things seem to be the same Therefore some would have it it covereth all things for so the word also signifies but there is a greater elegancy in it in the Translation beareth all things it is like the crosse maine beam in a house supporting the whole building and were it not for some who have the love of God and his truth and the good of the publiquâ— enabling them to undergo what they do more then any encouragement from men all things in Church and State would be ready to fall into confusion to be nothing but a heap of rubbish but this love enables to beare all things But if they have no encouragement but see that though they hazard themselves never so much be of never so great use do the greatest services that can be expected from men yet when mens turns are served they are little regarded but envyed and narrowly watched to spy out any thing that may have some shew of excepting against them and left to shift for themselves as well as they can when they might justly expect a great reward of their services yet are disappointed their hearts are grieved But yet because they are acted by a principle of love to God his cause the publique they therefore still hold out go on in their way labour to be as instrumentall as they can for good commit themselves and all their endeavours to God expecting encouragement from him and so they endure all things such men are worth their weight in gold here is a heart that hath much of the spirit of God in it God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him No marvell though these men act so swiftly in their way no marvell though their motion in publick service be so speedy for their Charet is like that Charet of Salomons Cant. 3. 10. The middle thereof is paved with love and this is for the daughters of
zeale any helps to peace and union who are they that make the greatest disturbances in the world but your fiery zelots if men were of a cooler temper we should have more peace Ans Distempered zeale may cause disturbance but true zeale the cleare flame of the Spirit of God making men in their waies zealous not for themselves but for God this has the blessing of Gods peace with it Numb 25. 12. 13. Phinehas there has the promise of the Covenant of peace because he was zealous for his God The twelfth In seeking to reduce others to good let it appeare that you seek rather to be helpfull to them then to get victory over them IT is grievous to a mans nature to be conquered but not to be helped Ambrose writing to his friend Marcellus about composing some breaches between him and his brother and sister hath amongst other this excellent expression I thought that to be the best way I would have none to be conquered and all to overcome The like practice is reported of Scipio when at the taking of New Carthage two Souldiers contended about the Murall Crowne due to him who first climbed the walls so that the whole Army was thereupon in danger of division when he came to Scipio he decides the matter thus He told them they both got up the wall together and so gave the scaling Crowne to both The thirteenth Make up breaches as soone as may be TAke them if it may be at the beginning When good men fall out onely one of them is usually faulty at the first but if such strifes continue any time both of them become guilty If you deferre the setting of a bone broken it cannot be done without much difficulty and great paine Prov. 17. 14. The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with antequam immisceat se so you may reade it before it be got into thee and mingle it selfe in thy heart or between you and your brother If your house be on fire you doe not stay quenching it till it breaks out of the roofe divisions that are but sparks very little at the first if let alone grow very high and great in a little time I have read a story of two sonnes of the Duke of Florence Who having been hunting the one said My dog killed the Hare and the other said Nay but my dog killed it words multiplyed they grew into a heat the one drawes upon the other and kills him the servant seeing his master killed draws upon him who had slaine him and kills him Neglect not beginnings of quarrels you know not to what they may grow The fourteenth Let us account those brethren in whom we see godlinesse and carry our selves towards them accordingly though they will not account us LEt us not be too ready to take the forfeiture of our brethern The learned and godly men who lived in that Age wherein the Donatists renounced all Christian communion with other Churches yea disclaimed any brotherhood with other Christians yet seeing godlinesse in many of them they did account them part of the Church and their brethren thus they sought to pluck those to them who thrust themselves from them Lastly pray much PLiny sayes of the pearles they call Unions though they be engendred in the sea yet they participate more of the heavens then of the sea Certainly this precious union though it be amongst men yet it hath its lustre and beauty yea its very being from the heavens You must look up to heaven therefore for peace for the preservation increase lustre beauty of it if you would have it Job 25. 2. God maketh peace in his high places the Lord can make peace between high and low Let us carry mens rugged crooked perverse hearts to God in Prayer who is the great joyner of hearts it is he that makes men to be of one mind in a house he maketh the wars to cease Psal 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem In your prayers for the Church this must be mentioned as a speciall blessing If praying prevaile not fighting will not Those are the most peaceable men in Church and Common-wealth that pray most for the peace of them God hath more prayers for the peace of this Church and State upon the file of theirs whom some of you account hinderers of it then of yours You complaine much for want of peace you inveigh much against those whom you are pleased to mark out as hinderers of the peace but doe you pray as much You have these meanes presented unto you for the furtherance of peace what other you may meet with any way make use of 2 Thes 3. 16. The Lord of peace give you peace alwayes by all meanes And that all may be the better improved let the exhortation of the Apostle 1 Thes 4. 11. sink into you Study to be quiet the words are Love the honour of being quiet There is great excellency in it That is the last thing CAP. XXXV Exhortation to peaceable and brotherly union shewing the excellency of it ANd now my brethren as the Eunuch said to Philip concerning his Baptisme Here is water what lets but I may be baptized I shall say concerning our uniting in peace and love one with another Here are Joyning Principles Joyning Considerations Joyning Graces Joyning Practices what now le ts but that we may joyne in love and peace one with another Surely nothing can let but extreme corrupt perverse hearts of our owne The Apostle Paul is mighty earnest in his desires in his exhortations for this 1 Cor. 1. 12. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement The word translated perfectly joyned signifies such a joyning as when a bone is out of joynt is perfectly set right againe So Philip. 2. 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind let nothing be done through strife c. The Apostle poures forth his soule in this exhortation it is a heart-breaking exhortation Luther though a man of a stirring hot spirit yet writing to the Pastors of the Church of Strasburg hath these words I pray you be perswaded that I shall alwayes be as desirous to embrace concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus to be propitious to me I finde also in a Letter that Martin Bucer writes to a godly Minister a very high expression of that high esteeme he had of and earnest desires after the curing of divisions Who would not sayes he purchase with his life the removing that
Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken to him neither shall thine eye pitty him neither shalt thou spare him nor conceale him But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hand of all the people Let not any put of this Scripture saying This is in the Old Testament but we finde no such thing in the Gospel for we find the same thing almost the same words used in a Prophesie of the times of the Gospel Zech. 13. 3. In the latter end of the 12. Chapter it is prophecyed that those who pierced Christ should looke upon him and mourne c. having a spirit of grace and supplication powred upon them Chap. 13. 1. There shall now be opened a fountaine for sinne and for uncleannesse Vers 3. It shall come to passe that he that takes upon him to prophesie that his father and his mother that begate him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord And his father and his mother that begate him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth You must understand this by that in Deut. The meaning is not that his father or mother should presently run a knife into him but that though they begat him yet they should be the means to bring him to condign punishment even the taking away his life those who were the instruments of his life should now be the instruments of his death Thirdly It is a dividing principle because by it the reines are let loose to all kind of wantonnesse and spirit of opposition in the matters of Religion Men naturally are wanton in nothing more then in the things of Religion and corrupt spirits are bent upon and pleased with opposition in these things above any other for being things supposed to have an excellency in them and above reason and so liable to contradiction from men of corrupt minds if there be nothing to restrain men from opposing one another in them the wantonnesse and pride of mens hearts will carry them forth to infinite jarrings contentions and divisions If it be said Christ hath left spirituall meanes to helpe this It is answered Christs spirituall meanes are to work in a spirituall way upon the heart to change it and secondarily upon the outward man while Christs means are working thus externall means may keep evill from breaking forth in the outward man Christ hath not left the outward man at absolute liberty to do what it will till spirituall meanes be made effectuall to the heart especially considering if you grant this liberty men may choose whether any of those spirituall means of Christ should at all come at them The first position that upholds this dividing principle Magistrates have nothing to do in the matters of Religion It must be granted that a Magistrate is not an Officer of Jesus Christ the Mediator in his Mediatory Kingdome There is a two-fold government that Christ hath 1. One as he is God equall with the Father together with the Father ruling heaven and earth 2. Another as he is God and man Mediator in a peculiar Kingdome of his that he hath by way of dispensation from the Father Now the Magistrate is an Officer of God both the Father and the Son in the generall government of the world But he is not the Officer of Christ in that Kingdome of his that he hath by way of dispensation from the Father that Regnum Mediatorum as Divines call it No though he be a Christian Magistrate there are no Officers of that but such as are by divine institution set down in the Word his Christianity doth only adde unto him further ability to execute the work of his Office in a better manner it adds no new authority to him An Infidell Magistrate converted to Christian Religion is thereby better enabled to performe the duty of his place then before but he had the same authority before it was his sinn he did not use his Authority now as he is able to do though he be a Christian who is a Magistrate yet the power of his Magistracy belongs to another Kingdom different from that the second person hath as he is Christ the Mediator But doth not this then exclude him from the exercise of any power in the matters of Christian Religion No for God in the exercise of his power governing the world hath a speciall ayme at the promoting the Kingdom of his Sonne Christ the Mediator Therefore Magistrates exercising this power of God ought to ayme at these ends that God himselfe aymes at in the exercise of his own power that is to be usefull to Christs Government in his Church and for the good of his Church God in all his wayes from the beginning of the world hath aymed at the setting up his Son to be King upon his holy Hill at the promoting of the glory of him who is God-man and if his Ministers doe not make use of their power to this end when this Kingdome of his Sonne comes to be revealed to them he will require it at their hands The power that God invested Magistrates withall in matters of Religion in the Old Testament is so full and cleare in that which God gave to the Kings of Judah and Israel that to name particulars would almost make a volume I find many who write about this subject spend most of their strength here but I wholly forbear mentioning instances in this because it is granted by all that they had power but the argument from thence to the power of Magistrates in the times of the Gospel prevails little with those who hold this Dividing Principle we are now speaking of For they tell us that their power was typicall they in the exercise of such a power were types of the Kingly power of Christ for we find glorious promises of dominion and stability made to Christ in the persons of many of those Kings 2. They tell us that it is no argument because Priests and Levites had in time of the Law power in temporall things in ordering the affairs of the State therefore Ministers should have civill authority now So neither is it an argument because Magistrates had power then in spirituall things therefore our Magistrates should have the like now 3. They tell us that the Church and Common-wealth of the Jews were mixed in one hence to be a stranger from the Church is expressed by being a stranger from the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2. 12. and therefore their Magistrates were Church-officers as well as Civill 4. That the people of the Jews were brought up in a more servile way then Christ would have his Church in the times of the Gospel brought up in Compulsion therefore in matters of Religion was more sutable to their condition then it is to our Jerusalem which is free 5. The whole Church was then bound to be under the same State-government the Laws of