between Arminius and Episcopius c. for the Remonstrants and Gomarus Sibrandus c. for the Predestinarians distracted Holland not a little and had an ill Influence upon the Affairs of England at least so far as concern'd the Church But the Mournfullest part of that History is the Ill Usage Martinius Crâ—cius the Bishop of Landaff and others had who though they were acknowledg'd to be Sound in the Faith of those Times which generally followed the Judgment of Calvin as to the mean points controverted yet if at any time they appear'd moderate in their Behaviour gentle in their Words and for Accommodation in some particulars with the Remonstrators or Free willers Gomarus and his Followers not observing that Gravity of the Assembly the Rules of Debate and least of all the Meekness of Christian Communion fell foul of their Brethren reproach'd their Tenderness and began to fix Treachery upon their Sober Endeavours of Accommodation as if they intended to execute as well as maintain their Reprobation and blow up their Friends rather than not destroy their Adversaries But if we will yet rise higher in our Enquiry and view the Mischiefs of Earlier Times the Fourth and Fifth Centuries after Christ will furnish us with Instances enough We cannot possibly forget the Heavy Life some men made about the Observation of Easter Day as if their Eternal Happiness had been in Jeopardy for so far were they degenerated from the Love and Meekness of Christianity that about keeping of a Day which perhaps was no part but to be sure no Essential part of the Christian Religion they fell to pieces reproach'd revil'd and hated one another A Day was more than Christ who was the Lord and End of Days and Victory over Brethren better than the Peace and Concord of the Church the Great Command of Jesus But the Remarkable and Tragical Story of Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and Arius his Priest in their known Debate about the Nature and Existence of the Son of God with the lamentable Consequences thereof as all Writers upon that Subject have related witnesseth to the truth of what I say The Bishop's Curiosity the Niceness of Arius the Presumption of the one to expound beyond the Evidence and Simplicity of the Text and the Captious Humor of the other that would not bate the Bishop any thing for his Age or the Rank he held in the Church but Logically exacted the Utmost Farthing of the Reckoning began the â—ray Which as it became the Perplexity of Church and State some Ages so it raged to Blood and those that had been persecuted like Sheep by the Heathen not long before turn'd Wolves now to each other and made sport for the Infidel doing their work Nay so much more Christian was Themistius the Philosopher that in his Oration called CONSUL he commended and advised the Emperour Jovianus to Exercise Moderation and to give that Liberty of Conscience which profest Christians refused to do to each other who seem'd to think they never did God better Service than in Sacrificing one another for Religion Did we duly reflect upon the Unnatural Heats Divisions and Excommunications among them the many Councils that were called the strong and tedious Debates held the Translations of Sees the Anathemas the Banishments Wars Sackings Fires and Blood-shed that followed this Unnatural Division that sprang from so nice a Controversie one would verily believe no less than that Religion it self had been in Utmost Hazard that Judaism or Paganism were over-running Christianity and not that all this Stir had been made about an Iota For the whole Question was whether HOMOUSIA or HOMOIUSIA should be received for Faith in which the difference is but the single Letter 1 Certainly we must do Violence to our Understanding if we can think that these men were Followers of that Jesus that Lov'd his Enemies gave his Blood for the World who hated their Brethren and shed one anothers Blood for OPINIONS The Heathen-Philosophers never were so Barbarous in their Differences But how easily might all these Confusions have been prevented if their Faith about Christ had been deliver'd in the words of Scripture since all sides pretend to believe the Text and why should any man presume to be Wiser than the Holy Ghost 'T is strange that God and Christ should be wanting to express or discover their own mind or that the words used by the Holy Ghost should have that Shortness Ambiguity or Obliquity in them that our frail Capacities should be needed to make them more Easie Proper and Intelligible But that we should scarcely deliver any one Article of Faith in Scripture-Terms and yet make such Acts the Rule and Bond of Christian Communion is in my Judgment an Offence hainous against God and Holy Scripture and very Injurious to Christian Charity and Fellowship Who can express any Man's mind so fully as himself and shall we allow that Liberty to our selves and refuse it to God The Scriptures came not in Old time said the Apostle Peter by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Who can speak better or express the Mind of the holy Ghost plainer than the holy Ghost the Scripture is the Great Record of Truth that which all these Parties in Controversie agree to be the Declared Mind and Will of God they Unanimously say It ought to be believ'd and profest as such If this be true in what Language can we so safely and properly declare our Belief of the Truths therein contain'd orexpress those Truths as in the very Language of the Scripture And I cannot see how those Persons can be excused in the Day of God's Judgment who make men Heterâ—dox or Heretical for refusing to subscribe their Articles of Faith that are not in Scripture-Terms who at the same time offer to declare their Belief of God Christ Spirit Man's Laps or Fall Repentance Sanctification Justification Salvation Resurrection and Eternal Recompence in the Language of Holy Scripture 'T is preposterous and a Contradiction that those who desire to deliver their Faith of Truth in the Language of Truth should not be reputed True Believers nor their Faith admitted for this were to say that therefore their Faith is not to be received because it is declared in the Language of that very Truth which is the Object of that Faith for which it ought to be received and which is on all hands concluded to be our Duty to believe It seems then we must not express our Belief of God in his Words but our own nor is the Scripture a Creed plain or proper enough to declare a True Believer or an Orthodox Christian Are not things come to a sad pass that to refuse any other Terms than those the Holy Ghost has given us and which are confest to be the Rule or Form of sound Words is to expose a Man to the Censure of being Unsound in the Faith unfit for Christian-Communion Will
nothing do but Man's Comment instead of God's Text his Consequences Conclusions in the room of Sacred Revelation I cannot see how any Man can be obliged to receive or believe revealed Truths in any other Language than that of the Revelation itself especially if those that vary the Expression have not the same Spirit to lead them in doing so or that it appears not to me that they have the Guidance of that holy Spirit If the holy Ghost hath left Doubts in Scripture which is yet irreverent to believe I see not how Men can resolve them 't is the Work of that Spirit And since Men are so apt to Err Doubts are better left in Scripture than by us But it is to cross that Order of Prudence and Wisdom among Men who chuse to Conform their Expressions to the things they believe If any honest Man hath related a Story to me of something he hath seen and I am to declare my Faith about it if I believe the Fact I will chuse to deliver it in the Terms of the Relator as being nearest to the Truth Suppose a Father dying makes his Last Will and Testament and as he thinks so plain that there can be no Mistake made by the Executors but what is wilful if they instead of proving this Will and acting according to the plainness of it turn Commentators make more Difficulties than they find and perplex the whole Matter to the Children and Legatees and send them to the Law for their Right will we not esteem such Executors Ill Men and justifie those Persons concern'd in their Refusal of the Paraphrase God hath at sundry times and in divers manners by his Prophets his Beloved Son and his Apostles deliver'd to the World a Declaration of his Will and Testament but some have claim'd and taken to themselves the Keeping Explanation and Use of it so as those that chuse to be concluded by the Letter and Text of this Testament in its most important Points expose themselves to great prejudice for they are excommunicated from all other share in it than the punishment of the Breakers of it which is part of their Anathema who of all others are most guilty of Adding or Diminishing by undertaking to determin for others as well as themselves the Mind and Intention of the holy Ghost in it But if it be true as true it is that few have writ of the Authority of Scripture that do not affirm the very Penmen of it to be not only inspired by the Holy Ghost but so extraordinarily acted by him as that they were wholely asleep to their own Will Desires or Affections like people taken out of themselves and purely Passive as Clay in the hand of the Potter to the Revelation Will and Motion of the Spirit and for this End that nothing deliver'd by them might have the least Possibility of Mistake Error or Imperfection but be a Compleat Testament of the Will of God to men I cannot see which way such Men can excuse themselves from Great Presumption that will notwithstanding have the Wording of Creeds of Communion and reject that Declaration of Faith as insufficient which is deliver'd in the very Terms of the Holy Ghost and deny those Persons to be Members of Christ's Church that in Conscience refuse to subscribe any other Draught than their Lord has given them Two things oppose themselves to this Practice First The Glory of God the Honor of the Scriptures for it naturally draws people from the Regard Due to God the Scriptures begits too much Respect for Men their Traditions This was the Difficulty Christ met with and complained of in his time they had set up so many Rabbies to learn them Religion that the Lord of the True Religion could hardly find a place amongst them And what did they do They taught for Doctrines the Traditions of Men They gave their own and their Predecessors Apprehensions Constructions and Paraphrases upon Scripture for the Mind and Will of God the Rule of the Peoples Faith They were got near at this pass in the Church of Corinth when they cryed out I am for Paul I am for Apollo and I am for Cephas though they had not the same Temptation And that which followed then ever will follow in the like Case and that is DISTRACTION which is the Contrary to that Second thing that opposeth it self to this Practice and that is the Concord of Christians For Peace's sake consider it Lo here and Lo there always follow'd one of this mind and another of that As many Sects as Great Men to make and Head them This was the Case of the Jews and yet I do not hear that they devour'd one another about their Opinions and Commentaries upon Scripture but the Christians have done both Divided and Persecuted too First they have Divided and that mostly upon the score of Opinions about Religion they have not been Contented with the Expressions of the holy Ghost they liked their own better And when they were set up in the Room of Scripture and in the Name of Scripture SUBMISSION was required upon pain of Worldly Punishments This dissatisfied Curiosity this Unwarrantable what shall I say this Wanton Search has cost Christendom dear and poor England of any part of it I design not to grate upon any to revive old Stories or search old Wounds or give the least Just Occasion of Displeasure to those that are in Present Power yet I must needs say that Opinion on one side or t'other has been the cause of much of that Discord Animosity and Confusion that have troubled this Kingdom And it seems to have been the great Stratagem of Satan to prevent the spreading of the Glorious Gospel of Salvation in the World by taking men off from the serious pursuit of Piety and Charity Humility and holy Living Peace and Concord and under pretence of more raised Apprehensions and sublime Knowledge of Religion to put them upon introducing Curious and Doubtful Questions that have given occasion for Contention and Persecution This was no more uncondemned than unfore-seen of the Apostle Paul who exhorted his beloved Son Timothy To avoid those that doted about Questions those Men that would be thought Skilful Inquisitive Searchers after Truth such as love to exercise their Faculties and improve their Talents but let us hear his Judgment of which says he cometh Strife Railing Surmises perverse Disputings of men of Corrupt Minds And the truth is none else love such Disputings they who seek a daily Victory over the World the Flesh and the Devil and press fervently after Fellowship with God and that Consolation that ensues such an Employment of their time have very little to lose upon Contention about Words I could wish I were able to say that Vain Controversie were not our Case But this is not all the Apostle does expressly tell Timothy that if any man consent not to wholsom Words even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and
is evident from Example as in the Case of Peter who for having believed in his heart and confest with his Mouth That JESUS was the Christ and SON of GOD obtained that Signal Blessing Mat. 16. This made Nathaniel a Disciple Rabbi said he thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel It was the like Confession that made amends for Thomas's Incredulity when he was sensibly assured of the Resurrection of Jesus My Lord and my God This was also the Substance of Martha's Confession of Faith to Jesus when he said to her I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeeth in me shall never dye believest thou this She answered Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God which should come into the World She answered him not as to that Particular of the Resurrection but in General that he was the Christ the MESSIAH that was to come into the World and that suffised 'T was a Confession not unlike to this that the Blind Man made to whom Christ gave Sight when Jesus said but to him Dost thou believe on the Son of God Lord said he I do believe and be worshipped him What shall we say of the rare Faith of the Centurion preferred by Christ himself before any in Israel though a Gentile the Faith of the Woman and Inhabitants of Samaria that he was the Messiah of that Importunate Woman that cryed to Jesus To cast a Devil out of her possest Daughter and would not be put off to whom Christ said O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt To which let me add the Faith of the People that brought the Man Sick of the Palsy to Christ who uncover'd the Roof to let him down to be toucht The Faith of Jairus the Ruler and of that Good Woman who pressed through the Croud to touch the Hem of Christ's Garment to whom Jesus said Be of good Comfort Daughter thy Faith has made Thee whole Also the Two Blind Men that followed him out of the Rulers House crying Thou Son of David have Mercy on us To whom when Jesus had said Believe ye that I am able to do this they Answered YEA LORD then touch'd he their Eyes and said According to your Faith be it unto you Also the Blind Man near Jericho The Leprous Samaritan that Christ cleansed And that Notable Passage of the Woman that kissed his Feet and anointed his Head to whom he pronounced this Happy Sentence Thy Faith hath saved thee go in Peace I will conclude this with that Famous Instance of the Thief upon the Cross who neither knew nor had time to make a Large Confession like the Creeds of these dayes but it seems he said enough Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise By which it is easie to learn that 't was the Heart not the Mouth the Sincerity not the Words that made the Confession Valid Nor was this only in the Days of Christ the Effect of his Gracious Dispensation or peculiar Indulgence After-times afford us the like Instances This was the main Bent of Peter's Sermon and when the Three thousand believed that he whom the Jews had crucified was both Lord and Christ and repented of their Sins and gladly received his Word they are said to have been in a State of Salvation Thus Cornelius and his Houshold and Kindred so soon as Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah and that they had believed the Holy Ghost fell upon them and they were received into the Christian Communion But the Story of the Eunuch is very pat to our purpose As he rid in his Charriot he was reading these words out of the Prophet Isaiah viz. That he was led as a Sheep to the Slaughter and like a Lamb dumb before the Shearers so opened he not his Mouth In his Humiliation his Judgment was taken away and who shall declare his Generation for his Life is taken from the Earth Philip joyn'd to him and askt him If he understood what he read he desired Philip to interpret the mind of the Prophet if he spoke of him self or another Philip upon the place preached to him Jesus the Eunuch was so well perswaded by the Apostle that coming to a Water he said What doth hinder me to be Baptized Philip answered him If thou believest with all thine heart thou may'st To this the Eunuch replyed I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Upon which he was Baptized and 't is said He went away rejoycing which indeed he might well do that felt the Comfort of his Faith the Remission of Sin and the Joys of the holy Ghost I will conclude these Examples with a Passage in the Acts of Paul at Thessalonica 't is this Paul as his manner was went in unto them and Three Sabbath-dayes reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Jesus said he whom I preach unto you is Christ And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas and of the devout Greeks a great multitude and of the Chief Women not a few Thus we may plainly see that they were Baptiz'd into the Faith of Jesus and not into Numerous Opinions and that this one Confession from true Faith in the heart was the ground Principle of their Church-fellowship then God's Church was at Peace she thrive there were then no Snares of Words made to catch Men of Conscience in Then not many Words but much Integrity now much Talk and little Truth Many Articles but O ye of little Faith Nor was this only the Judgment and Practice of that Time out of Condescension to Weakness and Charity to Ignorance for both Christ Jesus himself and his Apostles those blessed Messengers of holy Truth have doctrinally laid it down as the great Test to Christians that which should distinguish them from Infidels and justly entitle them to his Discipleship and Christian Communion one with another Then said they to Jesus what shall we do that we might work the Works of God Jesus answered and said to them This is the Work of God that ye BELIEVE ON HIM whom God hath sent Verily Verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life And upon another Occasion to the Jews he said For if ye believe not that I am HE ye shall die in your Sins It must follow then that if they did believe him to be the Messiah the Anointed of God to Salvation they should be saved Most plain is that Answer of the Apostles to the Goaler when he came trembling to them and said Sirs what must I do to be saved Believe said they on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved The Apostle
Byass Tradition gives to those men who have not made their Religion the Religion of their Judgment For such will forbid all the Inquiry which might question the Weakness or Falshood of their Religion and had rather be deceiv'd in an honorable Decent then be so uncivil to the memory of his Ancestors as to seek the Truth which sound must reprove the Ignorance of their Ages of this the vainest of all Honours they are extream careful and at the very mention of any thing to them new though as old as Truth and older then this World are easily urg'd into a Tempest and are not appeased but by a Sacrifice This Ignorance and want of Inquiry helps on Persecution 5thly Another Reason and that no small one is Self-love and Impatiency of Men under contradiction be it out of Ignorance that they are angry with what they cannot refuse or out of private Interest it matters not their Opinion must reign alone they are tenacious of their own sense and can't indure to have it question'd be there never so much reason for it Men of these Passions are yet to learn they are Ignorant of Religion by the want they have of Mortification such Persons can easily let go their hold on Charity to lay Violent hands upon their Opposers if they have power they rarely fail to use it so not remembring that when they absolv'd themselves from the tye of Love Meekness and Patience they have abandon'd true Religion and contend not for the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints which stood therein but for meer Words It is here proud Flesh and a capricious Head that disputes for Religion and not an humble Heart and a divine frame of Spirit Men that are angry for God Passionate for Christ that call Names for Religion and fling Stones and Persecute for Faith may tell us they are Christians if they will but no body would know them to be such by their Fruits to be sure they are no Christians of Christ's making I would to God that the Disputants of our time did but coolly weigh the Irreligiousness of their own Heats for Religion and see if what they contend for will quit the Cost will countervail the Charge of departing from Charity and making a Sacrifice of Peace to gain their point upon so seasonable a reflection I am confident they would find that they rather show their love to Opinion then Truth and seek Victory more then Concord Could men be contented as he whom they call their Lord was to declare their Message and not strive for Proselites nor vex for Conquest they would recommend all to the Conscience and if it must be so patiently endure Contradiction too and so lay their Religion as he did his not in Violence but Suffering But I must freely profess and in duty and Conscience I do it that I cannot call that Religion which is introduced against the Laws of Love Meekness Friendship Superstition Interest or Faction I may There is a Zeal without Knowledge that is Superstition there is a Zeal against Knowledge that is Interest or Faction the true Heresie there is a Zeal with Knowledge that is Religion therefore blind obedience may be superstition it can't be Religion and if you will view the Countries of Cruelty you shall find them Superstitious rather then Religious Religion is gentile it makes men better more Friendly Loving and Patient then before And the success which followed Christianity whilst the antient Professors of it betook themselves to no other defence plainly proves both the force of those passive Arguments above all corporal Punishments that we must never hope for the same Prosperity till we fall into the same Methods Are men impatient of having their conceits own'd they are then most to be suspected Error and Superstition like crackt Titles only fear to be toucht and run for Authority and number Truth is plain and stedfast without Arts or Tricks will you receive her well if not there is no compulsion But pray tell me what is that desired Uniformity that has not Unity and that Unity which has not Love Meekness and Patience in it I beseech you hear me for those men depart from the Spirit of Christianity that seek with Anger and Frowardness to promote it Let us not put so miserable a Cheat upon our selves nor affront upon Christianity as to think That a most gentle and patient Religion can be advanc'd by most ungentle and impatient Ways I should sooner submit to an humble opposition then to the greatest Zealot in the World and sooner deliver my self up to him that would modestly drop a controverted Truth then to such as seek tempestuously to carry it for even Error bashfully and patiently defended endangers Truth in the management of impudent hasty Zeal and gives to it that Lnstre which only good Eyes can see from Gold Alas 't is for want of Considering that men don't see that to disorder the mind in Controversie is a greater mischief then to carry the point can be a benefit in that it is not to be Religious to apprehend rightly but to do well the latter can scarcely be without the former but the former often is without the latter which brings me to my sixth Cause of Persecution 6 hly Another and that no small cause of Persecution is a misapprehension of the word Religion For when once the Ignorance or Prejudice of men has perswaded them to lay more weight upon their own Opinion or Dâ—ssent of their Neighbours then in truth the thing will bear to excuse their Zeal or justifie their Spleen they presently heighten the difference to a new Religion whence we so frequently hear of such reflections as these new Gospels and Faiths upstart Religions and Lights and with the like Scare-crows amuse the Vulgar and render their own design of ruining honest men the more practicable But I would obviate this mischief for a new Religion has a new Foundation and Consequently where there is the same Foundation there cannot be a new Religion Now the Foundation of the Christian Religion is Christ and that only is another Religion then the Christian which professes another Foundation or corruptly adds to that Foundation by adding other Mediators and introducing a new way of Remission of Sin Which cannot be said of the several sorts of Protestants therefore for Protestants to reproach each other with new Religions and Gospels and by their Indecent and Unchristian behaviour to enslave their own Reckoning and draw into more discord is a Sin against God an Injury to the common Cause of Protestancy and to the Security of the Civil Interest of that Country where the Inhabitants are of that Religion as well as a real Injustice to one another for Protestants don 't only agree in the same Fundamentals of Christianity but of Protestancy too that is in the reasons of Separation from Rome which indeed is Christianity Let not every circumstantial difference or Variety of Cult be Nick-named a
requires at our Hands What I have said against Excess in Apparel is also applicable to Excess in Furniture For as Finery is more valued than Clothes so is the Furniture than the House It is a most Inexcusable Superfluity to bestow an Estate to line Walls dress Cabinets embroider Beds with an Hundred other unprofitable Pieces of State such as Massy Plate Rich Chiny Costly Pictures and Painted Windows of no use in the Earth only for Show and Sight the Interest of which Money so ill employed might probably Maintain the Poor of a Numerous Parish O Lord God! hast thou given us Plenty and should we see others Want should we clothe our Dead Walls and let thy Poor go Naked Can we feed our Eyes with these Objects and not feed the Hungry with Bread and spend our Money upon Lifeless Pictures but shut up our Bowels to thy Living Image the Poor and N edy of the Earth Rebuke this Evil Mind and bring down the Pride of all Flesh O Lord for thy Name 's sake The Last Excess is that of Feasting and Voluptuousness Immoderate Eating and Drinking with that strain of Mirth and Jollity which is the Mode and Practice of the Times Dives is almost got into every Family especially those of Note and Estate it is Want of Wealth and not Will that the Greatest Part of the Nation is not guilty they mostly sin to their Ability that is sad But the Sin of Voluptuousness is swell'd to that Bulk that there are more Receipts for Eating and Drinking than there are Precepts of Life in the Old and New Law the Book of Cookery is grown as big as the Bible and I fear read to be sure practised oftner In this Art the Lust of the Flesh is deeply concern'd there is not so much Care of the Stomach as of the Palate of Health as Pleasure 't is the Taste the Gust the Relish that makes the Victuals go down therefore the Sawce is preferred before the Meat Twelve-penny worth of Flesh with Five Shillings of Cookery may happen to make a Fashionable Dish plain Beef Mutton or any other thing is become Dull Food But by that time its Natural Relish is lost in the Crowd of the Cook 's Ingredients and the Meat sufficiently disguised to the Eaters it passes under a French Name for a very Good Dish But there is one thing in this Impiety more than ordinarily Condemnable it destroyes Hospitality and wrongs the Poor For that Expence which is now flung away upon a Vicious Palate upon a French Soup or Sawce in former Times afforded several Dishes of substantial Victuals which did not only feed Strangers or Neighbours but the Poor who have now little more than what the Dogs had then Empty Dishes to lick This is Abusing the Providence of God Tyrannizing over the Creatures made for man's Use and sacrificing their Poor Lives not to our Lives but to our Lusts 'T is against such as these that the Creation groans and from whose Intemperance it cries to be delivered God in all Ages hath had a Controversie with Voluptuous Men and the Testimonies of sacred Records are Strong and Numerous against them I will mention a few of them Voluptuousness was the Sin of the Old World they were Eating and Drinking Marrying and giving in Marriage pleasing the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life until the Day of the Flood This also was the Condition of Sodom Christ himself has exprest it in these words In the Dayes of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded the same Day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all The Prophet Ezekiel has it in these words speaking to Jerusalem Behold thâ—… was the Iniquity of thy Sister Sodom Pride Fulness of Bread and A undance of Idleness was in her and her Daughters neither did she strengthen the Hand of the Poor and Needy and they were Haughty and committed Abomination before me therefore I took them away as I saw good And it is very Remarkable that the Voluptuouâ—ness of the Israelites was joyned with their Idolatry It is said that when Moses was in the Mount the People Impatient of his Stay sat down to Eat and to Drink and rose up to Play they had got a Calf of Gold and were Dancing about it But it was a Dismal Ball and they paid dear for their Junket for several Thousands were Slain and it is said That God Plagued the People Job's Children had as Ill Success in their Festivals they went from House to House Eating and Drinking and a Tempest rose and smote the Four Corners of the House and Kill'd them But most express is that Complaint of God by the Mouth of the Prophet Amos against the Voluptuous Jews Ye that put so far away the Evi Day and cause the Seat of Violence to come near that lie upon Beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flock and Calves out of the midst of the Stall That Chant at the Sound of the Viol and invent to themselves Instruments of Musick like David that drink Bowls of Wine and anoint themselves with the chief Ointments but they are not grieved for the Affliction of Joseph Therefore now shall they go Captive with the First that go Captive and the Banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed And I will turn your Feasts into Mourning and all your Songs into Lamentation and I will make the End thereof as a bitter Day I shall Sum up these Excesses and Conclude the Instances with the Story of Dives more commonly known then reverently believed It is delivered to us by the Great Lord of Truth in these Words There was as Certain Rich Man which was cloathed in Purple and Fine Linnen and fared Sumptuously every Day And there was a Certain Beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of Sores and deâ—iring to be fed with the Crums which fell from the Rich Man's Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his Sores And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom The Rich Man also died and was buried And in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom And he cried and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his Finger in water and cool my Tongue for I am Tormented in this Flame But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things likewise Lazarus Evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented And besides all this between us you there is a Great Gulf fix'd so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence This Great Passage
Paul confirms this in his Epistle to the Romans when he says If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved This was the Word of Faith which they preached and he testified that it was nigh in the heart as Moses had done before him And saith the Apostle John on this Occasion Who is a Lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God Again says he Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Yet once more he affirms Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God I will conclude these Doctrinal Testimonies out of Scripture with a Conclusive passage John useth towards the end of his Evangelical History of Jesus Christ And many other Signs truly did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life in his Name In which place Two things are remarkable First That whatever things are written of Jesus are written to this end that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ Secondly That those that sincerely believe shall through him obtain Eternal Life Certainly then if this be true great must their Incharity and Presumption be who have taken other measures and set another Rule of Christianity than Jesus and his Apostles gave This sincere Confession contented Christ and his Apostles but it will not satisfy those that yet pretend to believe them 't was enough then for a Miracle and Salvation too but it goes for little or nothing now A man may sincerely believe this and be stigmatiz'd for a Schismatick an Heretick an Excommunicate but I may say as Christ did to the Jews in another Case From the Beginning it was not so But I expect here to be Assaulted with this Objection If this be all that is necessary to be believed to Salvation of what use is the rest of Scripture I answer Of great Use as the Apostle himself teacheth us All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht unto all good Works It concerns the whole Life and Conversation of a Man but every passage in it is not therefore fit to be such an Article of Faith as upon which Christian Communion ought or ought not to be maintained For though it be all equally True it is not all equally Important There is a great Difference between the Truth and Weight of a thing For Example 'T is as True that Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate as that he suffered and that he was pierced as that he died and that he did eat after his Resurrection as that he rise from the Dead at all but no Person of common Understanding will conclude an Equal Weight or Concernment in these things because they are Equally True The Death of Christ was of much greater Value than the Manner of it his Resurrection than any Circumstance of his Appearance after he was risen The Question is not whether all the Truths contain'd in Scripture are not to be believed but Whether those Truths are Equally Important and if the Belief with the heart and Confession with the mouth that Jesus is the Christ and Son of God be not as sufficient now to entitle a man to Communion here and Salvation hereafter as in those times against which nothing can be of Weight objected If it be said that this Contradicts the Judgment and Practice of many great and good Men. I answer I can't help that If they have been tempted out of their own Curiosity or the Corruption of Times to depart from the Ancient Paths the Foot-steps of purest Antiquity and best Examples let their Pretences have been what they will 't is Presumption and it was Just with God that Error and Confusion should be the Consequence of those Adventures nor has it ever fail'd to follow them Lastly if it be alledg'd That this will take in all Parties yea that Schismaticks and Hereticks will creep in under this General Confession since few of them will refuse to make it I do say 'T would be an Happy Day What Man loves God and Christ seeks Peace and Concord that would not rejoice if all our Animosities and Vexations about Matters of Religion were buried in this one Confession of Jesus the great Author and Lord of the Christian Religion so often lost in pretending to contest for it View the Parties on Foot in Christendom among those called Protestants observe their Differences well and how they are generally maintain'd and you will tell me that they are rent and divided about their own Comments Consequences and Conclusions not the Text but the Meaning and that too which perhaps is not in it self Essential to Salvation as the Dispute betwixt the Lutherans and Calvinists the Arminians and Predestinarians and such like Is it not lamentable to think that those who pretend to be Christians and Reformed ones too should divide with the Winds and fight as proâ— Aris Focis for such things as either are not Expresly to be found in Scripture or if there yet never appointed or intended for such Prime Articles of Faith by Christ or his Apostles Should they then erect their Communion on another Bottom or break it for deviating from any other Doctrines than what they in terminis in so many words have deliver'd to us for necessary If we consider the Matter well I fear it will be found that the Occasion of Dâ—sturbance in the Church of Christ hath in most Ages been found to lie on the side of those who have had the Greatest Sway in it Very pertinent to our present Purpose is that Passage of J. Hales of Eaton in his Tract concerning Schism It hath saith he been the Common Disease of Christians from the Beginning not to content themselves with that Measure of Faith which God and Scriptures have expresly afforded us but out of a Vain Desire to know more than is Revealed they have attempted to DISCUSS THINGS of which we can have no Light neither from Reason nor Revelation Neither have they rested here but upon pretence of Church-Authority which is NONE or Tradition which for the most part
are in him He that saith he abideth in him OUGHT HIMSELF ALSO SO TO WALK EVEN AS HE WALKED The Second Passage very pertinent to this present matter is in the next Chapter My little Children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And hâ—reby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our Hearts before him For if our Heart condemn us God is greater than our Heart and knoweth all things Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God and whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son JESUS Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment The Third and last Passage which I shall mention on this Account is in his fourth Chapter of the same Epistle viz. And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God And we have known and believed the Love that God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him Herein our love is made perfect that we may have Boldness in the Day of Judgment because AS HE IS SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD These are the Holy Fruits of all that love God and believe in Christ that are the Family of the Faithful regenerated and redeemed from the Earth Where-ever two or three of them are met together Christ is in the midst of them they neither Ask nor Hope in vain With this Character let us take a View of all Persons and Societies of Christians throughout the World not forgetting our selves let us hereby try their Faith and Religion and our own if it be of God the Father it is Pure and Undefiled it leads them that have it to Visit the Fatherless and Widow in their Affliction and to keep themselves Unspotted from the World Is this our Case If it be Objected Which way shall we obtain this like Precious Faith I answer They must take diligent Heed to the Light and Grace that comes by Jesus that Candle of the Lord which he has set up in our Souls we must bring our Deeds to this Light see if they be wrought in God or no For this gives us to discern betwixt the Precious and the Vile the one gives Joy the other brings a load of Guilt upon the Soul do we not know that we Do the things we ought not and that we Leave undone the thinâ—s we ought to do this will be our Judgment For therefore Men are Condemnable because they knon These therefore that would obtain this precious Faith that overcomes the World must embrace the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by which this Faith is begotten and they who believe not in this Grace nor receive it in the love of it nor give themselves up to be taught and led by it can never be said truly to believe in him from whom it comes any more then the Jews may be said to believe in God when they rejected him that came from God his Beloved Son He that denyes the Measure can never own or receive the Fulness John bears Record that he was Full of Grace and Truth and that of his Fulness they received and Grace for Grace for the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ So that 't is utterly Impossible for a Man to believe in Christ and not to be taught by the Grace that comes from him and by him 'T is a Common saying of People in these dayes We are not under the Law but under Grace who are in Truth under Sin and the Law of Death Subjects to the Prince of the Power of the Air who reigns in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience and their Lives show it No those are under Grace that live the holy Life of it For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation saith the Apostle Paul Tit. 2. ii 12. hath Appeared to All Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World These are the People that believe in Christ unto the saving of the Soul This is that Blessed Light which shines in the hearts of those that believe and gives them the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the Ancients walk'd in it and found Eternal Life by it I am the Light of the World said Christ he that follows me shall not walk in Darkness but have the Light of Life The Saints Armed themselves with it against the fiery Darts of Satan and by the Vertue and Power that is in it were enabled to overcome Temptation And this will be the Condemnation of Disobedient Men that they see but shut their Eyes know the Light but rebel against it Christ by his holy Light in the Conscience shews Men their Danger warns them of it before it comes upon them no Man on Earth can plead either Ignorance or Surprise 'T is true the Candle of the Wicked is often put out But that it implies 't is often lighted and that men Sin against Conviction against Sight and Knowledge 't is wilfull and that 's dangerous No Faith in Disobedience will do no Faith without holy Fruits holy Works will save Men must be born again if ever they will enter into the Kingdom of God there is no Fellowship between Christ and Belial People must part with their Vile Affections and Inordinate Desires or they are no Company for Christ they have no Share in him What part can Pride have in Humility Wrath in Meekness Lust in Self-denial Revenge in Forgiveness To pretend to believe in Christ and not to be like him is a Contradiction This is the Message said the Beloved Disciple which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all If we say that we have Fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we lye and do not the Truth The Truth is all such Faith and Profession are a Lye in the Right Hand a Cheat upon a Man's Self But says he if we walk in the Light as God is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL SIN If we say that we have no Sin to be cleansed from we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us But if we confessour Sins he is Faithful and Just to forgive us our Sins and to CLEANSE us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS To Conclude Christ Jesus the Son of God and Saviour of the World is Holy Harmless and Undefiled and so must his Followers be he is no Head of a Corrupt Body nor Master
but keeping the Law of God Great Peace have they that love thy Law said David that had known the Trouble of Breaking it Therefore it is that Grace and Truth is come by Jesus Christ to help us to fulfill the Law not to Excuse our Disobedience of the Law And what before we were Unable this gives us Force to do So that Christianity is not an Indulgence of people under Weakness and Disobedience but the Compleating and Perfection of that Righteousness which without him was but Short and Imperfect through that Grace and Power that came by Jesus Christ Give me leave I beseech you for I have a Godly Jealousy upon me I fear lest the very End of Christs Coming is Mistaken And of how Dreadful a Consequence such a Mistake would be you cannot possibly be Ignorant that believe there is No Salvation in another Name Let us hear the Testimony of Scripture They are the Words of Christ himself I must peach the Kingdom of God for therefore am I sent Now what is this Kingdom of God but God's Government and where is this Kingdom and Government to be set up Christ also tells us Behold the Kingdom of God is within you So that the Reason of this being sent is to destroy the Kingdom and Government of the Devil the Strong Man that kept the House the Heart and to erect and establish the Kingdom and Government of God in the Soul Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done Would to God people would but consider what they Pray for For they are scandal'd at the thing they ask and both neglect and revile the Substance of their own Prayers Thy Kingdom come and thy Will be done but believe neither It was the Office God designed his Son to The Thief says Christ does not come but to kill to steal and to destroy That is To steal away the Heart from God and to kill and to destroy all Good Desires and Inclinations in the Soul for the Devil is this Thief and Destroyer But I am come says Christ that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly O Death 〈◊〉 will be thy Death as if he had said I will kill that which kill'd the Soul I will breath the Breath of Life into it again and by my Spirit and Grace I will beget Holy Motions and kindle Heavenly Desires in it after God after the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof This is the Newness of Life And I will not only restore that Life the Soul has lost but I will encrease it I will add to it that it may have Life more abundantly Indeed he was Anointed of God for this Purpose and is therefore called the Restorer of Paths the Repairer of Breaches and the Builder up of Waste Places that is he is ordained of God for the Recovery of Man from his Fallen and Disobedient State This is the Reason of his Name Thou shalt call his Name Jesus said the Angel for he shall save his People from their Sins Not from Wrath only but from Sin which is the Cause of Wrath. That is Of Bad Men he will make them really good Men and of Sinful and Unholy he will make them Holy and Righteous Men who truly believe in him This is the Burden of John's Testimony There is one says he that cometh after me is mightier than I he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose Fan is in his hand he will THROUGHLY PURGE his Floor And seeing Jesus coming to him said Behold the Lamb of God which TAKETH AWAY the SIN of the World I know the Use that too many make of these Scriptures as if they were an Hebraism borrow'd from the Old Sacrifices which may be said To take away Sin by taking away the Guilt and not that the Natures of Men are restored and perfected And indeed this is that Sense which I dread above all others because it perverts the End of Christs Coming and lodges Men in a Security pernitious to their own Souls For though it is most true that Remission of Sins was and is preached in his Name and Blood and that Sin in a Sense may be said to be Taken away when the Guilt of the Sins is removed by Remission yet this is only of Siâ—s past that upon Repentance are forgiven But this is not the Whole Full and Evangelical Sense as Christ's own words do plainly import For says he the Son of Man is come to save that which was Lost And upon another Occasion he expresseth himself to the same purpose and almost in the same words For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was Lost Now who is this that is Lost but Man and in what Sense can Man be said to be Lost but by Sin and Disobedience that which cast him out of the Presence and Garden of God and put him in a Condition of Eternal Misery If Christ then came to Save Lost Man he must be understood to Save him from that which puts him into a Lost Condition that is Sin for The Wages of Sin is Death and the Servant of Sin is a Son of Perdition Christ has determin'd this Point beyond all Exception in his Discourse with the Jews John 8. 31 32 33 34. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed vn him if ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you Free What Freedom was this Certainly from Sin sutable to that passage in his Prayer Sanctify them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth But some Jews present proud of their Priviledges apprehended not the Liberty Christ spoke of and therefore answer'd him thus We are Abraham's Seed and were never in Bondage to any Man how sayest thou Ye shall be made Free Jesus answered them Verily verily I say unto you whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin In which place it is very remarkable that Men are only to be distinguish'd by their Works that no Claims Priviledges Successions or Dissents are available but He that commits Sin is the Servant of Sin So that Christ's Free Man is he that is Freed from Sin this is his Follower and Disciple And as Christ oppos'd the Works of the Jews who unjustly sought to kill him to their Pretensions they made to Abraham's Seed so must we oppose the Actions of Ill Men to their better Professions we must faithfully tell them He that commits Sin is the Servant of Sin From which Servitude Christ came to Save his people and is therefore called The SAVIOUR and the REDEEMER This Doctrine is closely followed by the Apostle Paul in his sixth Chapter to the Romans Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in Newness of Life
the Hypostatical Union in fine the Athanasian Creed and other Articles of Faith or Rites of your Church not so clearly express'd in Scriptures and not easie to be apprehended or assented to will not this poor Creature be look'd upon either as Infidel or Heretick renounced all share in Christ and Christian Fellowship because his Weakness or Understanding will not allow him to come up to the full Inventory of Articles believed and imposed by you Certainly you must either be partial and give him that Liberty you deny to Persons of equâ—l Tenderness or else you mustafter your present streightness conclude him Infidel or Heretick But I would beseech you that we may consider if this bears any Proportion with the Wisdom and Love of God in sending Christ into the World to save you and me The Apostle became All unto all to win some but this is becoming All unto none to force all he thereby recommends the Utmost Condescention that can be lawful but this use of Humane Authority about Faith seems to make it unlawful to Condescend As if Force were better than Love and Conformity how ever it become at it than Christian Condescention The Blessed Apostle had his Eye to the Good Intention and Sober Life of the Weak and used an holy sort of Guile to catch them he seems as if he â—…ssembled the Knowledge of those Averse Opinions which they held or the necessity of their embracing those Doctrines which as yet they might not believe He fell not to Debate and Canvass Points in Difference between them which instead of Union would have enflam'd the Difference and rais'd Contention No no He became all unto all that is He stoop'd to all Capacities and humbled himself to those Degrees of Knowledge that men had and valued that which was good in all and with this Sweetness he practised upon them to their further proficiency in the School of Christ These Allurements were all his Injunctions nay in this Case he makes it an Injunction to use no other Let us therefore says he as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be OTHERWISE minded God shall reveal even this unto you You shall not be impos'd upon stigmatiz'd or excommunicated for Want of Full Satisfaction or because you do not Consent before Conviction for God shall REVEAL it to you you shall see and know what you do and to God you shall owe your Knowledge and Conformity and not to Humane Authority and Imposition your Faith shall not be implicit nor your Obedience blind the Reason of your Hope shall be in you Pray let us compare this with the Language of our own Times where People cannot come up to the Prescriptions of men but plead the Liberty of Dissent though with never so much Sobriety and true Tenderness of Conscience they are upbraided after this manner Are you Wiser than your Superiours Were our Fore-Fathers out of the Way Did no body know the Truth till you came Are you Wiser than all our Ministers and Bishops and your Mother the Church Can't it content you to believe as she believes Is not this Pride and Presumption in you a Design to make and head Sects and Parties with the like Entertainment Now this is that which you your selves at least in the Persons of your Ancestors have stiled POPERY yea POPERY in the abstract the Sum-Total of that Mystery its great Master piece to wit IMPLICIT FAITH and BLIND OBEDIENCE If so then say I let us also have a care of Popâ—ry in Protestant guise for that Popery is likely to do us most Injury that is least suspected I beg you by the Love of God and Truth and as you would lay a sure Foundation Piece here and eternal Comfort to your own Souls that you would consider the Tendency of upbraiding and violently over ruling the Dissent of Conscientious and Peaceable People For if you will Rob me once of the Liberty of my Choice the Use of my Understanding the Distinction of my Judgment no Religion comes amiss indeâ—d it leads to No Religion 'T was the Saying of the Old King to the then Prince of Wales and our present King Make the Religion of your Education the Religion of your Judgment which to me is of the Nature of an Appeal from his Education to his Judgment about the Truth of his Religion And that Religion which is too tender to be examin'd is unsound Prove all things and hold fast that which is good lies an Impeachment against Imposition deliver'd upon Record by the Apostle Paul in the Name of the Holy Ghâ—st 'T was the same Apostle that commended the Bereans of Old for that they diligently searched the Scriptures whethâ—r those things delivered by the Apostles concerning the Messiah were true Nay Christ himself to whom all power was given in Heaven and in Earth submitted himself to the Test he did not require them to believe him because he would be believed he refers them to the Witness that God bore to him If I bear Witness of my self my Witness is not true He also sends them to the Scriptures pleads the Truth of his Authority from that of his Doctrine and Miracles If I had not done among them the Works which none other Man did And finally challenges them to convince him but of one Sin Which of you convinceth me of Sin and if I say the Truth why do ye not believe me He offers to reason the Matter and submit himself to Truth and well he might who was Truth it self But an IMPOSING CHURCH bears Witness of her self and will be both Party and Judge it requires Assent without Evidence and Faith without Proof therefore false Christian Religion ought to be carried on only by that way by which it was introduced which was PERSWASâ—ON If any man will be my Disciple let him take up his Cross and follow me and this is the Glory of it that it does not destroy but fairly conquer the Understanding I am not unacquainted with the Pretences of Romanists to Abâ—egation to a Mortified and Self denying Life and I do freely acknowledge that the Author of the German Theology Taulerus and Thomas a Kempis and others of that sort of Men in their Communion have written Excellent Practical Things but there is scarcely any thing of this Violent Popery in those Tracts On the contrary the very Nature and Tendency of them is Diametrically Opposit to the present Constitution of that Church and all others that practise Imposition in Religion And as it is one great Mark of the False Church to pervert the right End of True Doctrine so hath she excelled in the Abuse of that Excellent Word SELF-DENYAL For she hath translated it from Life to Understanding from Morals to Faith Subjugare intellectum in Obsequium fidei to subject the Understanding to the Obedience of Faith is the perpetual Burden of their Song and Conclusion of their Conferences But what is this Faith that
which conquers the World and purifies the Heart by no means But 't is to believe that the Church of Rome is the True Church and the Pope Christ's Vicar and the Visible Head of that Church So as that Self denyal which relates to our Wills and Affections in a corrupt State they apply to the Use of our Understanding about Religion as if it were the same thing to deny that which we understand and know to be Evil which is the Christian Self denyal and to deny that very Knowledge and Understanding which is God's Gift and our Honour Whereas Religion and Reason are so Consistent as that Religion can neither be understood nor maintain'd without Reason For if this must be laid aside I am so far from being Infallibly assured of my Salvation that I am not capable of any Measure of Good from Evil Truth from Falshood Why I have no understanding or use of any which is the same All the Disadvantage the Protestant is under in this is that of his greater Modesty and that be submits his Belief to be tryed which the other refuses under the Pretence of unaccountable Infallibility to that Authority Reason decides So that whereas some people excuse their embracing of that Religion by urging the Certainty that is in it I do say 'T is nothing but Presumption For a man can never be Certain of that about which he has not the Liberty of Examining Understanding or Judging Confident I confess he may be but that 's quite another thing than being Certain Yet I must never deny but that every Christian ought to believe as the Church believes provided the Church be true but the Question is Which is that true Church And when that is answered as a Man may Unlawfully Execute a Lawful Sentence so he may falsly believe as the True Church believes for if I believe what she believes only because she believes it and not because I am convinced in my Understanding and Conscience of the Truth of what she believeth my Faith is false though hers be true I say it is not true to me I have no Evidence of it What is this Church or Congregation rather as worthy Tindal every where translates it but a Company of People agreed together in the sincere Profession and Obedience of the Gospel of Christ Now look what Inducement they severally had to believe and embrace the Gospel that we must have to joyn with them for as they made not one another an infallible Authority to one another upon which they first embrac'd the Gospel neither are we to ground our Belief thereof upon their Authority joyntly but as they had a Rule to believe and commune so must we have the same Rule to embrace their Communion So that that Church cannot be the Rule of my Faith that have the same Faith and Object for my Faith that she has I argue thus I must believe as the Church believes that is I must have the same Faith the Church has then I must have the same Rule because the Church can be no more the Rule of that Faith then she can be that Faith of which some would make her the Rule If then the Church has Faith and that Faith a Rule and that she can no more be the Rule of her own Faith then she can be that Faith it self it follows she cannot be the Rule of the Faith of her Members because those Members have the same Faith and that they in Society are this Church For that which is the Rule of the Congregation's Faith in general must reasonably be the Rule of every Member's Faith that makes up that Congregation and consequently of every Member that may hereafter adhere to it So that to talk of believing as the Church believes to flowrish upon that Self-denyal and Humility which takes all upon Trust and revile those with the bitterest Invectives that are modestly scrupulous and act the BEREANS for their Souls who think that Easiness of Nature and Condescention might be better bestowed and in this occasion ill-tim'd and dangerous is to put the Knife to the Throat of Protestancy and what in them lies to socrifice it to implicit Faith and blind Obedience For it cannot be denyed but that the great Foundation of our Protestant Religion is the Divine Authority of the Scriptures from without us and the Testimony and Illumination of the Holy Spirit within us Upon this foot the first Reformers stood and made and maintain'd their Separation from Rome and freely offered up their innocent Lives in Confirmation With good Cause therefore it is the general Consent of all found Protestant Writers That neither Traditions Councils nor Canons of any visible Church much less the Edicts of any Civil Session or Jurisdiction but the Scriptures only interpeted by the Holy Spirit in us give the final Determination in Matters of Religion and that only in the Conscience of every Christian TO HIMSELF Which Protestation made by the first publick Reformers against the Imperial Edicts of Charles the fifth imposing Church Traditions without Scripture Authority gave first beginning to the Name of Protestant and with that Name hath ever been received this Doctrine which prefers the divine Authority of the Scripture and Spirit to that of the Church and her Traditions And if the Church is not sufficient implicitly to be believed as we hold it is not what can there else be named of more force with us but the Divine Illumination in the Conscience or Conscience in the best Sense of the Word then which God only is greater But if any man shall pretend that the Scripture judges according to his Conceptions or Conscience for other men and that they must take their Religious Measures by the Line of his Direction such a person makes himself greater then either Church Scripture or Conscience And pray let us consider if in any thing the Pope is by our Protestant Divinity so justly resembled to Antichrist as in assuming Infallibility over Conscience and Scripture to determine as he thinks fit and so in effect to give God Scripture Magistrates and Conscience the Law To this they have without scruple applyed that to the Thessalonians Sitting in the Temple of God exalting himself above all that is caled God To check this exorbitancy the Apostle Paul demands Who art thou that judgest anothers Servant to his own Lord he stands or falls which sheweth with great Evidence that Christians of all sizes great and small are but Brethren and consequently all superiority Lordship and Imposition are excluded But if there be a Difference 't is in this that as Christ taught He that is greatest is to be Servant to the rest but what is more opposite to a Servant then a Lord and to Service then Injunction and Imposition and that on Penalties too Here it is that Christ is only Lord and Lawgiver who is only King of this inward Kingdom of the Soul And 't is to be noted that the Apostle
those that Persecute for Religion are Irreligious 2dly The next Cause of Persecution is the gross but general Mistake which People are under concerning the Nature of the Church Kingdom of Christ for the lamentable Worldliness of mens minds hath put them upon those Carnal Constructions which have made way for all the external Coertion and Violence used by bad and suffer'd by good Men on the score of Religion from the beginning And no wonder if ordinary Persons tumble upon this Construction when the Disciples of Jesus shew'd themselves so ill read in the Mysteries of his Kingdom that after all the Intimacy they had had with him they resrain'd not to ask When shall the Kingdom be restored to Israel They look't abroad had a Worldly Idea in their minds Jew like they waited for external Deliverance from the Power of the Romans rather then an Internal Salvation from the Dominion of Satan and interpreted that to Worldly loss and freedom which did relate to the loss and Redemption of the Soul but Jesus taught them better things yet so as not to deny or flatly discourage and rebuke them that though true might have been more then they could have borâ— therefore he winds off with them upon the Time and the Season of the thing knowing that the Time was at hand that they should be better taught and satisfied of the nature of his Kingdom unto which he referred them When the Spirit of Truth comes it shall lead you into all Truth c. That the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World has been before observed and the Reason is so great that all men of common Sense must allow it upon Christ's Principle for says he then would my Servants fight for me truly implying that because the Kingdoms of this World are evidently set up and maintained by Worldly Force and that he will have no Worldly Force used in the Business of his Kingdom therefore it is not of this World Consequently those that attempt to set up his Kingdom by Worldly Force or make that their Pretence to use it are none of his Servants they are truly but Men of this World such as seek an Earthly and not an Heavenly Kingdom themselves and not Christ Jesus Where by the way let me observe That though the Jews to engage Pilate the more easily to their side impeach't Christ of being an Eâ—â—e my to Casar they were Enemies and He a Friend to Caesar for he came to reform the Lives of Men to make them better Subjects to obey Caesar not for Fear but for Conscience sake so would Caesar's Provinec have been easie and safe But the Jews would have had him Caesar's Enemy one that should have forcibly rescued them from Caesar's Power they waited for a Captain General to begin the Revolt and with an high Hand to over bear and captive Caesar as he had done them and 't is more than probable that his Appearance being to another End they therefore rejected him their Heart being set upon this But to return Christ told his Disciples that he had chosen them out of the World how not to converse or live bodily in it no such matter but he had chosen or singled them from the Nature Spirit Glory Policy and Pomp of this World How Persons so qualified can make a Worldly Church or Kingdom unless they desert Christ's Doctrine is past my Skill to tell So that the Capacity that Christians stand in to Christ is Spiritual and not Worldly or Carnal and therefore not Carnal or Worldly but Spiritual Methods and Weapons only are to be used to inform or reclaim such as are Ignorant or DisobediÌ„ent And if we will give Antient Story credit we shall find that Worldly Weapons were never employed by the Christian Church till the became Worldly and so ceast to be truly Christian But why should I say the Church the most abused word in the World her Leaders have taught her to eâ—â— and that of believing as the Church believes is so far from being true in point of Faith as well as Reason that the Church her self his ever believed as the Clergy that is the Priests believed since that sort of Men have practised Distinction from and Superiority upon the Laity He that will peruse the Ecclesiastical Story delivered us by Eusebius Pamphili Secrates Scholasticns Evagrius Ruffinus Sozomen c. will find but too many and sad Instances of the Truth of this In short Peoples apprehending the Church and Kingdom of Christ to be Visible and Worldly like other Societies and Government have thought it not only to be Lawful but Necessary to use the Arts and Force of this World to support that Church and Kingdom especially since this Interest of Religion hath been embodied with that of the Civil Magistrate for from that time he hath been made Custos utriusque tabulae and such as offend though about Church Matters have been reputed Transgressors against the State and consequently the State interested in punishing the Offence Whereas had Christians remain'd in their primitive Simplicity and Purity in the Self-denying Patient and Suffering Doctrine of Christ Christianity had stood in Holy Living not in Worldly Regiment and its Compulsion would have been Love its Arms Reason and Truth and its utmost Rigour even to obstinate Enemies or Apostates but Renouncing of their Communion and that not till much Forbearance had been used to them To sum up all The Kingdoms of this World stand in outward Bodily and Civil Matters and here the Laws and Power of Men reich and are effectual But the Kingdom and Church of Christ that is chosen out of the World stands not in Bodily Exercise which the Apostle says profits little nor in Times nor Places but in Faith and that Worship which Christ tells us is in Spirit and in Truth to this no Worldly Compulsion can bring or force men 't is only the Power of that King of Righteousness whose Kingdom is in the Minds and Souls of the Just and he rules by the Law of his own free Spirit which like the Wind Bloweth where it listeth And as without this Spirit of Regeneration no man can be made a Member of Christs Church or Kingdom so neither is it in the Power of Man to command or give it and consequently all Worldly force employ'd to make men Members of Christs Church and Kingdom is unnatural and ineffectual I could be very large upon this point for 't is very fruitful and so much the cause of Persecution that if there were never another to be assign'd this were enough for upon due consideration it must needs meet with every mans Judgment and Experience I will here add the sense of memorable Hales of Eaton upon this subject When our Saviour in the Acts after his Resurrection was Discoursing to his Disciples concerning the Kingdom of God they presently brake forth into this Question Wilt thou now restore the Kingdom unto Israel Certainly this Question betrays their