the best and most warrantable Notion we can have of the Gospel That it is a form of Government which Christ hath left to the World for those that would be of his Church and People That by agreement of submission to those Rules prescribed a Company of faithful Professors might perfectly joyn themselves together into a comfortable Society and Communion For Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Creature given to Society fitted by nature and by his ingenious disposition is inclined to it Now every Company or Society which is necessary for the well-being of Man must for that end have a frame of Polity a model of Government from just Laws deliberately agreed upon and wisely constituted and set over it And these things which are in every wise Government are eminently conspicuous in the Gospel which is undoubtedly the best frame of Government in the World So were those Inspired Authors perswaded that wrote the Canonical Epistles to the several Churches after Christs Ascension and 't is clearly apparent in that profound Epistle written to the Hebrews at Jerusalem For at that time when that Epistle was written there were two famous Governments that stood in Competition for precedence in that place The Old Law or Jewish Polity delivered by Moses to the Israelites and the New Law which is the Gospel given by Christ unto Believers And our Holy Author in that Epistle makes it his business to prove That the Gospel delivered by Christ was justly to be preferred before the Law delivered by Moses and that as Christ so did his Gospel in all things deserve the preheminence The Church then is a Society of the Faithful and the Gospel is to be looked upon as the model of Government which Christ left his Church Every Believer then must not only look on the Priviledges and Mercies promised and exhibited in the Gospel as the ground of his confidence but on the Laws enjoyned in the Gospel as just and wise Rules directive of his obedience And we cannot but observe that the Promises of the Gospel are not absolute but conditional upon our Faith and Obedience to the Rules prescribed if we love him and keep his Commandments Which till we do heed and observe we will be too favourable to the spawn of the Gnosticks those Libertines that multiply and thrive in the midst of us who looking on the Gospel as a Promise of Merey and not as a Rule of Duty turn the Grace of God into wantonness and continue in sin securcly because Grace abounds which God forbid When Christ is the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey the Gospel Heb. 5.9 And they that walk according to this Rule they may look for that mercy and peace which is promised to the Israel of God Gal. 6. So the Will of God under this last dispensation manifested and published by Christ and his Apostles is that which we understand by the Gospel Now of things thus manifested some are supernatural great mysteries of Godliness that Angels desred to peep into those perspicacious intelligences were glad to behold Things the Wise men of this World did not know flesh and blood could not discover but contrived they were by the manifold wisdom of God and published of his infinite goodness by his Son who hath kept nothing secret of the Counsel of his Will but hath declared what is necessary for us and our Salvation And unto these Objects Supernatural we are to make our application by Faith and Hope And from the Objects I suppose our applying our selves by believing and relying on them are called and accounted supernatural also Although certainly we have reason enough to assent to these things as true and rely on them and rejoyce in them as good which our gracious God who is truth and cannot lye of infallible veracity hath clearly manifested by his Son and his immense goodness inclined him to reveal by him what he saw was necessary for our Salvation and we are to apply our selves in reason to them accordingly But some things are Natural such as by disquisition of Reason may be discerned and concluded as That God the first infinite Being is a Spirit that he is but One and to be worshipped c. That our Neighbour is to be loved edified comforted and what we would that others c. And Christ came not to destroy this Law but to fulfil it These Rules Natural and Rational are afresh established by Christ in his last dispensation and by a new publication revived for Morality and mens comfortable Conversations These are reasonably called the Rules of the Gospel Now the Gospel as well as our Treatise respects not only single persons but Societies and several directions are given by Christ and his Apostles for ordering mens Conversations in Societies for publick good To shew that Governours by these Rules must be appointed over Societies is the next considerable SECT III. 3. NO sooner could Mankind multiply unto that number that might admit of Society or Communion but had they continued in a state of Innocence Superiority and Inferiority Dominion and Subjection would have been found amongst them Adam the first Father of all Mankind from priority of Nature and Existence from power wisdom and experience that was eminently in him from the protection his Posterity had from him and their dependance upon him had been absolute Monarch Ruler and Judge over all that descended from him And with this Authority of Rule Cain was invested when Abels desires were to be towards him and Cain was to Rule over him And when in every Family there is a Guide one Father one Master to be honoured and obeyed That in many Families united in Society there should be one supream Moderator to Rule is natural and necessary And that cannot be unlawful among Men on Earth which God hath revealed to be among the Angels in Heaven where there are Thrones Principalities Powers and Dominions The highest in the Order ruling subordinately under God without Tyrannical insulting and the lowest Subject without murmuring or opposing Regere Regi necessarium est To Govern and be Governed is necessary and natural Neither beauty nor being of this Glorious Universe could subsist or continue without Order unless some part did Rule and some Obey unless one were Chief to Command others that belong to it Consider that the God of Nature hath thus ordered every thing In our Bodies One head over the members In our Souls One understanding over the other faculties In the visible Heavens One Sun in the Firmament over all the Stars Over the whole systeme of Creatures Heaven and Earth visible and invisible One GOD ruleth over all And if no Superiority were setled over a Company associated by Heirship or Descent of necessity there must be Rulers elected and Judges appointed to determine Controversies and preserve Peace without which the happiness and welfare of the Society could never be promoted For if every mans Opinion or Will were suffered arbitrarily
be Publick so must it be 2. Vniversal The Father naturally cares for the welfare of every Child Gods Providence is over all his Creatures for their good And it is the care of his Deputies to provide for the welfare and happiness of all their Subjects Now if Religion be the only thing that can make men happy as it is proved the Governour cannot compass his End which is to procure the happiness of his Subjects but by enjoyning the Exercise of Religion to be Universal CHAP. IV. Our Governours of our Church of England have done well to injoyn every Believing Subject an open Profession of his Faith in his respective Congregation The particulars incident to this Head are Four I. We are to consider and agree what FAITH is II. That of that Faith there ought to be Profession III. That Profession ought to be made by every Believer IV. This is to be done in respective Congregations SECT I. 1. OUr Governours are not only as Gods Deputies under the Law of Nature to injoyn their Subjects the Care of Religion but as Deputies of Christ under a more perfect Law revealed by him in this last dispensation to injoyn their Subjects the right Exercise of true Religion prescribed in the Gospel which he published to fulfil the Law of Nature that man might come to that Happiness for which he was created and designed And this I understand to be the most proper Notion of Faith viz. The true Religion well ordered and rightly modified by Gospel Rules by the right Exercise whereof we worship and serve God acceptably so that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin and without Faith it is impossible to please God For being Baptized into the obedience of the Gospel of which obedience Baptism represents our Profession we ought to have a firm Perswasion of the goodness and reasonableness not only of the Duties in the Gospel prescribed but of our conformity to those Prescriptions for the carrying on that true and undefiled Religion wherewith God is well pleased So that Faith is the Gospel grace that teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live holily righteously and soberly in this present world And Believing is a comprehensive Duty and signifies not only a tacit assent to Evangelical Rules as true and warrantable as a barren act of the Understanding but a firm election and perswasion of these Rules as good and comfortable and implies a firm purposing and resolving of a total Gospel Obedience I heartily pity and bewail the differences and distances that are to be seen among Professed Believers in this Nation and upon serious Consideration I fully perswade my self there is nothing contributes more to the being and continuance of our Division than a general rashness and injudiciousness When men run away with some sudden partial Notions and slight Apprehensions of things of great necessity and deserved esteem in the World and do not seriously and discursively make a right Judgment and agree of the full sense and meaning of them as they import To instance in some few particulars which is easie for any to observe The Gospel most say they highly esteem and yet we cannot but observe that most snatch and run away with it as a promise of Mercy but never regard it as a rule of Duty and direction of an holy life The two Sacraments are Seals of the Covenant betwixt God and us and most men are very heedful at Receiving them that God may seal to them Remission of sins and never regard that at the same time they covenant under Seal to yield Obedience to God The Blood of Christ is precious and its shedding to be had in everlasting remembrance but when most men most solemnly remember it this Consideration contents them That Christs Blood was shed for our Redemption for remission of sins to reconcile God to man c. When we should think how this Blood-shedding was That men might be reconciled to God and be redeemed from an unclean conversation and by this sprinkling be sanctified and purged from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. Graces and gifts of the Spirit we justly value and admire but is it not too apparent men are taken up with gifts of Edification and pass by gifts and true grace of Sanctification so that if a man be but ready in a Scripture phrase hath gotten a voluble Tongue a round expression c. he gets the name and repute of a Saint immediately But the exercise of Piety and Charity which are the certain evidences of true Sanctity These things stand by neglected and despised I might instance in several things that we frame the same Consideration of If we give God but a piece of a Duty we think a maimed and imperfect sacrifice will content him and expiate and satisfie him and excuse all our defects and enormities and with gross mistakes we see evidently men delude and deceive themselves in this untoward generation And although in many things our mistakes of these sorts hasten our irreligious miscarriages yet in nothing are they more manifest than in the nature of Faith From all Christians that make any profession of the true Religion we shall hear these pretences That they live by Faith walk by Faith are justified by Faith are saved by Faith c. And yet for all this noise we hear of these things we can see but few that make a true judgment or have a right understanding of the full meaning of the real Faith in Christ or Faith of the Gospel It s undeniably true that without believing that supernatural Truth of Christs Merits for our pardon and remission of sins there can be no peace for men but they must die and consume in the guilt of their Transgressions It is certainly true that Christ our High Priest put away sins by the sacrifice of himself but when Christ our designed Mediatour was King and Prophet as well as Priest It is not barely a fruitless relying or a lazy recumbency on Christs Merits as our Priest only but our believing his Laws and Directions he left his Church as a King the observing his Counsels and Injunctions he gave as a Prophet is necessary to make up that Faith which will bring us to the end of our Hope which is the salvation of our souls It 's undeniably true that in the Gospel are given exceeding great and precious Promises of Mercies and Salvation upon which God hath caused â—he to hope yet when these Promises are not absolute but conditional upon our conformity to those Rules of Duty that are prescribed unless we be carried on to the practice of those things required that pertain to life and godliness we cannot be rationally concluded to have that Faith in the Gospel in us which will certainly bring us to that happiness which we openly design and expect And upon a serious inquiry we cannot conclude any of the Theological Graces to be truly infused into any man unless they discover
what is the Justice of our Laws established in this required particular what is the reasonableness of our Submission is clearly apparent among us when there is nothing enacted or established among us but upon long discussion and serious deliberation and that by sober and wise Persons suffecti substituted and deputed by us beyond all question and exception If Laws established by such Persons be not received thankfully and be not submitted unto heartily the perverse Transgressor sins without excuse It is certainly evident in the Constitution of our Laws what is required in every good Law That they are determined upon Deliberation SECT V. 5. LAWS when deliberately determined by Rulers are to be published to the Society that they may oblige the Subject ad eorum qui Legi subjiciuntur notitiam deduci oportet The. Aquinas They that are to be brought to the subjection of the Law are to be brought to the knowledge of the Law Natural Laws there be and necessary it is they should be published for although such Laws are written in mens hearts yet by evil Custome Complyance Passion and prevalency of Temptations and men sensually yielding to them these Laws are blurred and almost obliterated and necessary it is that by repeated impercussions there should be endeavoured a new impression by a new impunction Necessary it is that Rulers by a new inculcating should give a fresh beauty vigour and obligation to them and by annexing a weight of Punishments and a spring of Reward should set Subjects in a constant motion to observe and keep them for if concealed in silence they would be passed by Carelesly and that men may be awakened to keep them and observe them diligently they must be published That being warrantable and commendable to be done by Rulers Gods Deputies that was done by God and his Prophets and by Christ and his Apostles who in several dispensations of those very Rules made a new publication And for Rules of Actions in their nature Indifferent no man can question but they must be determined to avoid Controversies and settle Peace and when so determined it is but reasonable there should be an open promulgation When by so doing the Subject from the declared Judgment of his Governours who is set over him for good must certainly be inclined to a ready Obedience Transgression of Laws Natural published being a double Transgression when the Offender Audet non tantum malum sed malum vetitum Committere He is impudent that neglects and rebels and left without excuse for if the Laws had been concealed they might have pleaded ignorance but being promulged and openly known the Transgressor is inexcusable and therefore his sin remaineth Let any indifferent man then be Judge if the Refractory Disobedience of some unperswasible Tempers amidst us be not absolutely inexcusable when in our Laws nothing Injust is injoyned nothing determined but was deliberated nothing established but was promulged Certainly as it is the Governours or Rulers duty for the good of the Society thus to fix and establish Laws so it is the Subjects duty to submit willingly to those Laws thus fixed accordingly SECT VI. 6. GOvernours are to be submitted unto by the Subjects of that Society over which they are Constituted for Governours and Subjects are Relatives Mutuo se ponunt c. They come both to their Relations by the same Constitution and what appoints some of the Society to command and direct appoints others in the same Society to submit and obey and very rarely can any Government be instanced but Oaths were given and Subscriptions taken and men several waies obliged themselves to consent and submit to their Governours in their Administration and to acquiess in their Determinations and Constitutions So that Submission is not an outward honour and reverence to their Persons in Offices and Dignity but conformity to Directions of Governours and obedience to their lawful Commands and just Rules delivered by them for Publick good And as St. Paul so St. Peter to his dispersed Hebrews least they should be prejudiced from a specious pretence of Liberty and cast off all yokes of Service and break off all bonds of Obedience Authoritatively commands them to shew the honesty of their Conversation by a chearful submission to the Just Commands of Lawful Governours as 1 Pet. 2.13 when he enjoyns them to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake Just Commands I advisedly put in for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is just and reasonable and tends directly to the designed End that is Humane and to such an Ordinance they are to submit for the Lords sake Now Commands and Actions of Governours are of things and actions of two sorts either Natural or Indifferent Natural would be binding if no Constitution but Rulers seeing mens averseness and backwardness to what is apparently good out of love and care to their Peoples welfare put a new life and revive even those Laws by a new publication to stir up the Peoples attention to them and observance of them by which course their Obligation is not remitted but intended And no Subject but shews his perverse and rebellious Temper that dare think and say That those Rules are less lawful or less binding because a Lawful Authority hath revived them and upon the fore-mentioned necessity and Reasons hath afresh enjoyned them Other Actions are of an Indifferent nature neither good nor bad of themselves yet must be determined by Governours to prevent Dissension and settle Peace the ground and foundation of all Temporal blessings that make mens lives comfortable in any Society And soberly let it be considered and the morality of the fifth Commandement the Rulers Authority and Subjects Obedience is plainly discovered by his voluntary Submission to Commands and Ordinances of this nature and determinations of things in their own nature indifferent For if the matter be unlawful that is unlawful by Commands of Superiours then Daniel's Vetitum est is sufficient We are not careful It is better to obey God than Man If the thing be profitable thou servest thy own turn thy own Interest rather than obeyest thy Ruler If the thing be intrinsecally Just thou art obliged to do that although not injoyned it So the truth is the Rulers Authority and Subjects sincere Submission is chiefly seen by his Obedience to those Commands which injoyn things that are of their own nature Indifferent Where neither the Nature of the thing nor the Subjects Reason or Profit is convincing nor any other by-Respect induceth him to Obedience And thy submission to those things is the clearest evidence of thy subjection to Higher Powers which is undoubtedly according to the Law of Nature and Will of Christ And if thou dost not abide according to thy former Consent to such Determinations of thy Rulers and submit to them it is a plain discovery of some prejudice and disaffection to thy Ruler that thou thinkest meanly of his wisdom or suspectest his goodness or despisest his
of Meeting that these be determined by the wisdom of the Governours upon Convenience as best conducing for the publick good of the Society are things so unquestionable as I think will meet with no opposition Now that every Christian is bound to attend these Congregations to advance Religion and propagate the general good he hath lost his Reason as well as Religion that dares deny it For what things we find experimentally either to be believed or done to be good and comfortable to ones self we ought to impart and communicate to the good of others and what St. Paul desired to see his Brethren Rom. 11. so we should put in practice as near as we can to impart some Spiritual gifts that we may be comforted together with them by the mutual faith both of them and our selves For Temporal things such is our unhappy necessity and the baseness of the things as if we would have any good to our selves we must have a particular propriety in them and injoyment of them The more we give others the less we injoy to our selves But for Spiritual things the commoner the better as there ought not so there needs not of them be desired an appropriation our propriety is not lost by Communication These things like seeds they multiply by scattering as fire kindles by blowing so our Faith increases by Confession Draw me and we will run after thee Holy Souls when drawn to good things would have others good with them not so selfish to run alone but call others to bear them company Andrew calls Peter Philip Nathaniel to come to Christ David would have the Tribes go up to the House of the Lord to bear testimony with him and give thanks with him c. And when with him there he would have others sing with him rejoyce with him fall down with him worship with him So the Author to the Hebrews not forsake meeting nor in their meeting mutual Exhortation offering Sacrifice Thanksgiving Profession of Faith none excepted or excluded Every one without injury to himself may help on his Neighbour by exercise of Religion and profession of Faith And certainly the declaring and publishing of our firm assent and soundness of Faith and Devotion must help on the resolution and settle the constancy of others in the same things Thus are we props and staies to our staggering and sinking Brethren and others waxing strong in the Lord and being strengthned and confirmed in their Faith grow confident in their Profession also And when thou art thyself converted thou oughtest also to strengthen thy Brethren Thus we blow up the coals of Devotion and kindle that Piety that breaks out into an heavenly flame to the inlightning and warming both our selves and our Neighbours Thus we shine as lights in the World While all agree and every one is intent in the Congregation on this Confession we stand directly under the influx of Grace It is the probable way when we are all thus imployed to have Christ come and make one of the Company While in Via like the two Disciples going to Emmaus while we are thus communing Jesus may draw near and go with us While we are thus speaking no doubt but Christ is ready to stand in the midst of us and say peace be unto us for so he hath promised and he is faithful That when two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them With this general Preaching and Ministring usually goes along the ministration of the Spirit And whosoever would not quench or stint the Spirit in this operation to Holiness he ought not to neglect or despise this kind of Prophesying It is a probable way in the Apostles Judgment to work upon those that are without the Church and unconverted 1 Cor. 14.24 25. when every one and all in a believing Congregation are thus Prophesying speaking freely and preaching and confessing Gods Excellencies and Perfections and shew our selves reverencing him and believing in him when an Heathen or Infidel come into such a Congregation He will fall down and worship God also being convinced of the reasonableness necessity and benefit of the duty by our respective Harmony and Uniformity he will say of a truth verily God is in the midst of us He is worse than Saul that will not thus prophesie among the Prophets and seeing others unanimously and devoutly worshipping and confessing to God who will not fall down and worship God also And while thus like Elijah we are riding up to Heaven in the Chariots of this holy fire it is not improbable that others like Elisha standing by may have the same Spirit resting upon them Thus every one that aims at the general good of himself and others be they within the Church or be they without the Church is obliged to an open profession of Faith in that respective Congregation to which he is associated that he may be instrumental to draw others to the worship of our glorious God who before perhaps little regarded him And that Governours that are to aim at the general good of the Society should injoyn every believing Subject to a duty so extensively beneficial is so clear that it needs no further demonstration In Fine Our Governours as Christs Deputies who are to Rule by Christs new Law the Gospel have done well to injoyn to their Believing Subjects an open profession of Faith in their respective Congregations And that this Profession ought to be signified by an open Vniformity is our next undertaking CHAP. V. In such Congregations Unity of Faith ought to be signified by an open Uniformity Section I. In a Catholick Church there must be Vnity II. In particular Congregations there ought to be Vnity of Faith III. That Vnity of Faith ought to be signified by an open Vniformity SECT I. In a Catholick Church there must be Vnity THE Nature of the Church of God is best represented and deciphered unto us under the resemblance of a Body As many Members make one Body so many Believers make one Church By several Nerves and Sinews the several Members are compacted into one Body By several Laws of the Gospel as so many Ligaments the several Believers are fitly joyned together into one Church and as many Members compacted by the same Nerves are enlivened and guided by one Soul so many Believers joyned together by the same Laws are quickned and govern'd by one Spirit For the Body is not one member but many For by one Spirit we are all baptized 〈◊〉 one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit Thus we believe one Holy Ghost and one Catholick Church In Scripture and Fathers many other Figures and Representations we meet of the Church of Christ which all speak the necessity of Vnity of several parts for its Constitution Sometimes we find it compared to Noahs Ark as Extra Arcam so Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus In those great inundations of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must have a double look the first look it must cast on the Rule the second it must cast on the Actions be they either necessary or positive or else it cannot be counted Conscience and from thy agreeing or disagreeing with the Rule so thy Conscience accuseth or excuseth accordingly And now I appeal to any sober mans Consideration since there cannot be contrary Rules justifiable whether there can be contrary Consciences Certainly then we may safely conclude in all Constituted Churches since for Belivers actions there is but one Truth but one true Rule there must be for all such Believers but one right Faith there can be but one sound Conscience SECT III. In such Constituted Societies Vnity of Faith must be signified by an open Vniformity GOD who created man for his glory designed him for Society that what comfort he could not get by separation he might compass by Communion And Communion in the state we are in cannot be maintained but by Externals by Bodily offices As the Communion of the Invisible Church must be maintained by Vnity of Faith so the Communion of the Visible Church or any part that is associated or united in obedience to the Faith must be maintained by agreement in the exercise of Religion and Vnity of Profession And this Unity of Profession is properly called Vniformity which is nothing else but a sensible form of an united Society agreeing in one Profession both in words and actions So if any one should ask What is the sign or mark by which we may know a visible Church by or any associated Company to be a part of it I must properly Answer by Vniformity And Vniformity as the word clearly speaks is an Vnity of the outward form of things or an agreement of visible practice and joynt concurrence in the Exercise of Religion both in wards and actions which ought to be in every Congregation of Believers Preaching of the Gospel and receiving the Sacrament of the People as well as of the Minister being indispensable signs of every one that would be accounted of the Church of Christ And first we will undertake to prove that Vnity of Faith must be signified by Vniformity of words and this is not only lawful but necessary and useful 1. Lawful as declared by the practice of all Nations that had a sense of Religion For if Heathen yet reasonably they agreed in the same Festivals and Solemnities in the same Sacrifices and Gestures in the same forms of Thanksgivings and Devotion which because written of by many and confessed by all it will be needless to cite Authors or any further to insist upon the proof of it no question but they Universally agreed in constituting and maintaining Vniformity amidst their Assemblies in all Religious observances If they were a People to whom God had more clearly manifested himself and the true Religion wherewith he would be well pleased these marks they gave of their associating and uniting into a Church by their Vniversal joynt concurrence in Religious Exercises in all Ages in their solemn Congregations And it is facile to prove that among the Jews they judged the fittest Medium to preserve Vnity was Ecclesiastical Vniformity from their coming out of Egypt till their dissolution in Canaan And in some measure the Jews maintain this to this day in their several Congregations They had their set Forms for Aaroniçal Benediction for hymns and praises and prayers of the People who agreed in one express assent to the Covenant and the Law delivered by Moses in the same Sabbaoths and Festivals in the same Sacraments and Ties of Obedience They agreed in the same Prayers composed by Jewish Teachers for their Disciples St. John the Baptist taught his Disciples to pray And Christ's Disciples in the last dispensation would be taught of him to pray as John before had taught his Disciples And our blessed Saviour not only taught his Disciples a Form but a Prayer which they were to say When you pray say Luke 11.2 Our Father c. To follow him can be no mistake Certainly deliberate Composures of Set Forms from Christs Example receive not only Toleration but sufficient Approbation And that the Apostles and their Successors in Primitive times used this Prayer in all their holy Administrations especially at the Sacraments we have more than probable Authority And that the Church had set Forms after the first Century is beyond all dispute And that Reformed Churches have their set Forms now generally is openly manifest except some Phanatical Schismaticks that out of a Spirit of Contradiction and precise singularity by the neglect of these things wilfully Unchurch themselves and would blot out all appearance of a Visible Church upon the Earth Mr. Calvin from the conviction of this Truth Epist 87. approves it That set Forms of Ecclesiastical Rights might be determined that it might not be lawful for Ministers in their Administrations or the People in their Attendances to vary from them And this he was forced to acknowledge from Example Practice and Reason God who cannot erre prescribes set Forms to the Jews and Christ to his Disciples And it would be a misapprehension yea a sin to think that They would injoyn or command what might be an hinderance to Godliness or a disadvantage to the Exercise thereof And the concurrent Judgment and practice of all Churches must convince any sober person of the lawfulness and expediency of set Forms both in Prayers and Worship which will be furthered by his own Reason if he please to consider Scripture directions 2. I shall prove set Forms lawful and expedient from Scripture St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.11 pathetically beseecheth the Church at Corinth by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that they would all speak the very same thing Verba sunt symbola mentis è consensu verborum colligimus consensum animorum Words are but expressions of our Intentions and from agreement in Words we conclude of agreement of Mind And sure enough it was not required there by the Apostle that the Speeches of the Corinthians in their Religious Assemblies should be of the same sense and meaning only but of the same expression not only contradiction of words is prohibited but diversity if they would grant his suit whle he beseecheth them to speak the same thing And well might this be injoyned in Religious Exercises for Vbi novae phrases ibi nova dogmata A quibus Vna fides ab iis requiritur Vna Confessio Where new phrases are used there will be new opinions And in whom there is expected but One Faith from them there is required but One Confession saith Mr. Calvin And when idolizing of the Gifts and Parts of the Ministers caused Contentions among the Corinthians the Apostle might adjudge it necessary that ostentation of Eloquence and excellency of Speech should be forborn among them even in exercises of Devotion and therefore earnestly beseecheth them to speak the same thing So by St. Pauls
Publick Worship with all the precise method of that Order and Decency that ought to be used in it in which they will pretend to better and transcend the excellency of our Liturgy which is prescribed and used among us Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum And until they can do this their wisdom is to study to be quiet and conform to this till they can find out and propose a better Method of our publick Worshipping of God beyond all exceptions that they will abide by And now I say what Subject of the Church of England can reasonably desert or reject our Liturgy which is visibly the best that is extant to us upon sober Consideration And how can I but stand amazed that the Common Service as prescribed should by so many of our Neighbours not only be neglected but contemned when it can neither be justly blamed nor amended Certainly I am not uncharitable but should be too conniving if I did forbear to declare a want of Religion and Reason in those men that run away to the flocks of our pretended Companions that hold no Uniform Communion that is Visible When no worship of God is evident no practice of the Peoples Devotion no vocal Confession of the Believers Faith no offering any sacrifice of Praise and yet every Christian is bound to Conform in all those things as well as the Minister in every Believing Congregation Why will ye go away from us O ye of little faith we hold fast the words and practice of eternal life Friendly Perswasives to my Country-men COme then my beloved Countrymen since these things are so that an Vniform profession of Faith must be maintained in Believing Societies and fifth by our Liturgy according to Gospel Rules we are ordered and directed to this reasonable Service Let us lay aside all prejudice and partiality all contentious humors Let there be no longer a Spirit of Opposition or wilful Contradiction be found among us Let us follow after the exercise of those things that make for Peace and wherewithal we may best edifie one another Whatever things are honest whatever things are just whatever things are pure let 's think and conclude of the practice of such things Let us endeavour to bend our selves to the quiet of the Church of God and to hold the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Let 's evidence the God of hope hath filled us as with all joy so with all peace in Believing There is but One Truth but One Faith among us let there be but One Spirit but One Conscience Let us shew the God of Patience and Consolation hath granted us to be like-minded Let 's not forsake the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but let us hold fast the form of sound words and the profession of our Faith without wavering Let there be no divisions but let us speak the same thing to declare we are perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment Let there be no divisions among us about Ministers account of them as Stewards of the Mysteries of God and yet your Faith stands not in the wisdom of Men but in the power of God Have their Persons not so much in admiration as if lords of your Faith by Preaching only esteem them highly for their works sake whereby they lead you to the holding fast the Profession of your Faith and the true exercise of right Godliness which hath the promise c. And as in your speeches you declare your Vnanimity in your holy Assemblies so in your Behaviour let there be Uniformity Let your Conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ and let all things be done decently and in order and reverently as in the House and presence of the living God Worship God in the beauty of Holiness so as if an Vnbeliever come among you he may be convinced and fall down and worship God also because he sees verily of a truth God is in the midst of you It is the fit time for Christ to be born in us when Vnity is among us In a calm night the Dew descends to the Earths refreshment and Grace is like to come down to us when we are in the way of Peace Finally Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace as directed and the God of love and peace shall be with you AMEN Proposition II. The wilful Omission or Recusancy of any Believing Subjects Conformity to those Rules is an heinous Sin and a dangerous Disobedience I Heartily beg of the Candid Reader so much charity to believe it as true what I publickly declare and avow That I am a Reformed Christian of the Church of England and that I shall never attempt to perswade my fellow Subjects to any practice that is ungodly or contrary to the Rules of the Gospel And be assured whoever thou art that I sincerely desire every man may come to the knowledge and practice of Truth and be saved and therefore I dare not by a flattering compliance or connivance sooth any man in the errour of his way which will lead him securely to his destruction And I dare not daub over Recusancy as some desire with a paint and varnish of a trifling weakness or infirmity or palliate it over with a false pretence of tender Conscience when it will prove if considered an heinous sin and a dangerous Disobedience Give me leave therefore without offence if thou beest willing to be Informed to bring to thy Remembrance what I have formerly delivered and am ready to defend concerning our Canons and Rules of Uniformity prescribed about the Publick exercise of Religion 1. Our Governours as subordinate under Christ do not Rule their Believing Subjects arbitrarily but by Laws subordinate to the Rules of the Gospel 2. All that the power of Governours can reach unto in a Visible Church is to order and direct Externals in the publick exercise of Religion 3. That the right exercise of true Religion is the open profession of Faith 4. Of that open Profession there must be Uniformity 5. Every Baptized Subject of England is obliged to conform to such Laws prescribed For to command or prohibit as the Gospel directs is warrantable And all our Laws to the Common sort of Believing Subjects are according to those Rules If Natural or expressly Evangelical there can be no dispute if a Christian thou art bound to obey And if the Laws be Positive or Humane and not against Nature or Injust thy Obligation is divine and thy Submission is natural being thou art to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lorods sake SECT I. Let us determine and agree what we are to understand by those Laws and the Conformity to them that the Believing Subject of England is bound to observe THE Governours aim and care is not only at the keeping and diverting from the People what is grievous
of good Rulers by the Rod of Correction to drive it away Thus are they truly represented to be Patres patriae and Rulers cannot be blamed for harshness if they carry themselves towards their Subjects with the same tenderness that the best Fathers carry themselves towards their Children It cannot reasonably be accounted a sign of an unnatural Cruelty but an indication of a discreet Mercy for a Father to threaten and shake the Rod over his Child when he does not this with a design to vex and torture him but with an intent to restrain him from inconsiderateness and vanity that will distract him and to move him to be circumspect to receive that instruction which he desires should be instilled into him And thus it is with the good Rulers in their threatning of Bonds Stripes or Death upon such or such Transgressions It cannot be thought their design in this is to torment and ruine their Subjects but only by setting the inconveniencies and grievances that attend exorbitancies before their eyes they would stop them and divert them from irregular courses and move and quicken them to the care of conformity to their Rules and Directions which will certainly felicitate them And in all this They are but Gods Deputies and shew themselves like him whom they ought to represent who used this method to his own People when he gave the Law at Sinah when there was thundrings and lightnings noise of the Trumpet and the Mountain smoaking these all to work in the People an holy fear which is the beginning of wisdom to depart from evil that they sin not and to quicken them to observe his holy Commandements And sure we cannot in reason think that either God or the Ruler designs vexation or destruction when they threaten them It is natural to them to shew Mercy and Compassion They are not inclined to afflict willingly nor to greive the Sons of men They are loath to torment or destroy who would have all men come to the practice of Truth and be saved He never can be imagined in reason to intend wounding or destruction who gives warning before hand of the blow by that the Creature prepares it self if it hath either sense or reason to guard it or escape it The threatning of Misery Death or Hell is a Mercy without which we were like securely to run upon them If Miseries were absolutely decreed or determined that were Cruelty indeed but when threatned conditionally that is a Mercy Thus it is evident Destruction is of thy self Charge not unjustly and injuriously that as a fault upon God or thy Rulers which by thy own guilt thou pullest upon thy own head They threatned it upon condition of thy Transgression and Disobedience so 't is thy wilful Disobeying that gives thee up voluntary to the punishment Thou art contented to torment thy self Thou sawest the danger and wouldst run into it Thou knewest the punishment and wouldst pull it upon thy own head Thou conspiredst against thy own peace and safety That thou perishest it is thy own choice for chusing the Sin thou didst chuse the Punishment Thy Blood lies upon thy self Thou perishest without others fault and leavest thy self without excuse Thus it is evident Vnnatural Cruelty is falsly and injuriously charged upon God or the Rulers for threatning or determining Punishments when the Offender only is Cruel to himself who voluntarily though he hath warning runs upon them Again Rulers which are Gods on Earth shew themselves most Rational when they shew themselves most to resemble God by manifesting those Divine excellencies to be conspicuously in them which render God glorious in his Providence throughout the World And this manifestation they most clearly give when they deliberately determine Punishments before-hand to be inflicted upon open Transgressions First Thus they manifest Wisdom For if determinations of Punishments were sudden upon a provocation of a sensible Injury they might be suspected and deemed the irruptions of a disorderly Passion but when fixed before hand they cannot but be judged the result and product of sober Reason And that is wisdom or prudence which ordereth and disposeth fit and suitable means to a right end Now the right end and mark that Governours are to intend is to promote the good and prevent all evil from the Society Now the means to prevent evil is to divert People from Actions that are irregular and vitious which are the cause of all Miseries that happen on a Nation Now no such hindrance or restraint can be put upon People from evil actions as to put them upon the thoughts and considerations of those miseries and inconveniences that will succeed And this is most probably done by the publication of those determined Judgments and Inconveniences that must inevitably follow upon Irregularities These are most likely to prove the most effectual means to keep rational Creatures from running into them For Malum quá malum non est eligendum No man chooseth what is absolutely Evil either sin or greivance No man will persist obstinately in that way that in the end if he turns not from it he sees will ruine him undoubtedly Evil of Misery before a mans face unless he be mad will make a man turn from evil of Iniquity so the publication of the Magistrates certain determination of Judgment and Miseries unavoidably to happen upon wilful Transgressors is the manifestation of the Rulers Prudence being the most probable means to keep their Subjects from sin and destruction 2. The second thing wherein the good Rulers are to manifest their likeness to God would be Purity and abhorrence of Sin Now how can this Purity be manifest in God or his Rulers more clearly than by executing Judgments upon Transgressors by ordaining Arrows against such Persecutors and preparing for them according to their Merits the instruments of death How can this be made known better than by causing the dreadful effects of their wrath to come upon the wilful children of Disobedience Should they be silent and not manifest their displeasure thus against wickedness the secure Sinners would be ready to think that they were altogether such as themselves but determining to take vengeance upon the Vngodly they discover themselves of purer eyes than with approbation to behold Iniquity 3. The third thing that in reason Rulers are to discover their resemblance to God in is loving Righteousness and this is best done by being resolved to do the thing which is right to give a meet Recompence rendring what is due and rewarding every man according to his works For Justice is not an idle lazy unactive Vertue as if Rulers might satisfie themselves with barren notions and curious but unfruitful speculations But she is operative and practical and where seated is busie not only in passing a right Sentence but due execution of Recompence and that not according to the quality of the Person but the merit of the Work Not only acquitting the Innocent but condemning the Guilty not only defending and rewarding
the Righteous but also punishing the wilful Sinner and pouring out wrath and tribulation upon the Vnrighteous giving them that Recompense which is meet And therefore we see not only Scepters and Purses and Crowns as Emblems of the Judges Honour but also Rods and Swords and Axes to signifie the design of their Office to be as well a terrour and avenger of them that do Ill as a Countenancer and rewarder of them that do Well The Sword is not to be born in vain but to manifest the Rulers intention to Righteousness He ought to discover it by his threatning and the determination of Punishments against wilful Offenders Fourthly The religious Ruler is to shew himself like God in exactiness of Justice and to evidence himself no respecter of Persons and to do all things without partiality Righteousness is best when in a Land like the Sun in the Firmament it shineth with equal influence upon the thatched Cottage as on the Ivory Palace Justice shews all the same countenance weighs all things with an equal balance Gold and Dirt Pibbles and Diamonds according to their weight turn her Beam Diverse weights and measures the accounts an abomination Gods Deputies are to incline to exact Judgment and to shew themselves ready to punish the rich and mighty as soon as the poor and contemptible And this is best done by Governours fixing and predetermining of Punishments upon the Offence without respect to the quality or relation of the Offender Thus Impartiality and Justice Wisdom and Purity these Divine graces are best discovered in Gods Deputies which unquestionably is the most reasonable thing in the World One thing remains yet to be proved which is asserted in this Proposition That threatning and determining of Punishments by Rulers upon such wilful Transgress orts is according to the constant practice of the Church of God And if we consult the prophane Histories of all Ages and Nations we shall find never any People joyned in Society of any Religion true or false but had their determinations of Punishments upon those that were openly disobedient upon those who wilfully neglected and contemned such Services and Duties enjoyned that they judged expedient and necessary to procure the favour and blessing of that Deity which they agreed to adore And this is so evident as is confessed of all and needs no further proof or illustration But if we will consult Sacred Writ which may content us we cannot but observe that GOD himself can rarely be found to have taken care of the Conduct of any persons or People to direct them in the exercise of an acceptable Religion but he fenced up their way with Thorns to limit their aberration and restrain them from sin with a Commination of Penalties Thus that our First Parents might fear to eat of the forbidden Fruit he threatens them with Death as a certain effect and consequence of their Disobedience Thus to Cain If thou dost not well Sin lies at the door Thus to move Abraham and his Seed to keep his Covenant of Circumcision God threatens Gen. 17.14 That the uncircumcised Man-child whose flesh of his Fore-skin was uncircumcised that Soul should be cut off from his People for he hath broken my Covenant Thus in that Theocracy over Israel every where we read Curses denounced upon Disobedience And by Moses and all the Prophets he threatens to visit their sins with Rods and their offences with Scourges So Levit. 26.14 c. If you will not hearken to me and will not do all these Commandements If you shall despise my Statutes I will set my face against you for evil c. saith the LORD And if you will walk contrary unto me and not hearken I will bring seven times more Plagues upon you according to your sins And certainly it cannot be bad or unreasonable for Rulers to use the same method in governing their Subjects that GOD used in ruling his own People Israel If we consult the method Christ used to govern his Church in this last Dispensation it is impossible but we must acknowledge That a coercive Power by Commination of Judgments to restrain from evil and quicken to good cannot be unlawful for the Christian Magistrate when it was practiced by Christ himself John the Baptist that Messenger sent by Christ before his face to prepare his waies presseth upon his Auditors the Gospel duty of Repentance and this he inforceth from this reason because the kingdom of Heaven was at hand Which is not to be understood of Mercies and Priviledges only that were promised that might attract and encourage them to Gospel Duties but of Judgments and Punishments threatned to be executed which might inforce them to receive and obey the Gospel And there Matt. 3. this Holy Preacher tells them The Axe was laid to the Roots of the Tree Fire and Wrath was coming upon the unbelieving World which could not be escaped but by Repentance and bringing forth fruits worthy of Amendment of life And Christ himself preacheth the same Doctrine and urgeth the necessity of it from the same Motive For except they Repented they should all likewise perish And when Christ had cured the Impotent man to make him every whit whole and to restrain him from sin he affrights him with a Commination of a worse thing coming unto him And to quicken his Disciples to work the works they were sent about while it was day he minds them of a night coming when no man should work Thus to awaken his Country-men at Jerusalem to know and consider the time of their Visitation and to mind the things that concern their Peace he tells them of a time when Peace should be hid from their eyes and their Houses should be left to them desolate And thus did the Apostles in the Primitive times who knew the mind and had the Spirit of Christ they threatned the Impenitent with a day of wrath a day of vengeance a day of punishing those with everlasting destruction that knew not God and obeyed not the Gospel of Jesus Christ So the Author to the Hebrews to deter and terrifie those Baptized persons from Separation and forsaking holy Assembling not to decline mutual exhortation and profession of Faith he tells them of a day of Judgment a day of Vengeanee was suddenly approaching And this course was used by Christ and his Apostles in the Primitive times at the planting of the Gospel by threatning of Judgments and Vengeance to drive their Followers to Repentance Certainly upon sober consideration it cannot be lookt upon as unwarrantable if pious Governours affright from evil those Subjects that else would be disobedient with menacing and determining Punishments to be inflicted upon them Those frivolous Objections we meet with against this Truth are not worth the mentioning and if throughly perpended we may conclude them the issue of heat and passion of men bent to Opposition and not the words of sober Reason And what Spirit they are led with let any sober man judge who
shewn to have been ordered to be determined and inflicted by any Rules of the Gospel nor proved that ever they were determined or executed by Christ or his Apostles especially not upon Omission or difference of any in the open profession of Faith or publick exercise of Religion And without haesitancy with as much earnestness but with more truth and reason we utterly deny all these things and doubt not but to any sober Reason we shall assert and prove the direct contrary It is confessed by all and not denied by any that I have met with That before the last dispensation Bodily and External Punishments might lawfully be agreed upon and inflicted and so they were in every Polity and Government that Sin might be restrained and Righteousness executed to preserve Peace and promote the welfare of the Society Before Christs Incarnation this is owned to have been natural and universal and according to the different heinousness of Offenders Crimes and their noxious influence so by wise Governours there hath been ordered variety and difference of Punishments The highest whereof have been Capital mortal destructory of the Body and Life which is all the Ruler can reach unto And that those have been lawfully inflicted before the Law and in the Law is acknowledged by our Adversaries themselves Now if our Opposers cannot shew where this was repealed in the Gospel I am sure I can shew where it was established For Christ came not to dissolve or destroy the Law of Nature but confirm and fulfil it and it must continue in Polities as lawful in the times of the Gospel as it was before and in the time of the Law And this Inference must follow If Capital and destructory Punishments may certainly those that are Emendatory may be determined and inflicted by Governours from the Rules of the Gospel Now that the open and obstinate may perish by the Sword of the Higher Powers who beareth it not in vain is so plain from Christs own words and the Apostles Letters as it were mispending of time to insist in a further proof or demonstration Therefore some of our Adversaries are so modest as to confess the Gospel doth permit Capital Punishments to be inflicted by Magistrates upon contumacious persons disturbing publick Charity and Peace but for things or actions that concern Piety or Religion either for Omission or Transgression the Gospel gives the Offender an Impunity and Indempnity say our Opposers in this particular but with what truth or reason let any man judge But yet it is confidently asserted That Heresie or any erronious Opinion which man can give a Reputation unto with a specious name of CONSCIENCE when it can be nothing less ought not to be punished If by Heresie they mean a secret though resolute electing or adhering to some Opinion or Perswasion contrary to some fundamental Article of Faith or some duty of Religion if they keep it secret that no man hath cognizance of it the Magistrate can neither judge it nor punish it for his Power reacheth only to external and manifest things But open publication of this defaming the Gospel or any one Article of Faith accompanied with an endeavour to gain Proselytes to his Erroneous Perswasion this may be justly censured or punished Declared Heresie and open Schisms are of dreadful consequence to disturb the Peace of the whole Society St. Paul wished and not unlawful if the Magistrate endeavour they may be cut off that trouble it For such not only disturb the Society in point of Piety but in point of Charity and Peace while they cause difference of pretended Judgment Faith Consciences upon which there must follow alienation of Affections and Contentions as hath been declared before sufficiently Now if those sins that abuse our Piety to God have as bad or worse influences for unhappy consequences as the sins that abuse Charity to our Neighbours why they should have lesser or no punishment it is beyond my narrow Reason to discover This then I positively affirm and will not doubt to maintain That Heresie or Schisme when open and declared and disturbs the Peace of the Society or any other manifest sin ought to have Punishments determined and inflicted by Magistrates by the Rules of the Gospel And I hope it will be granted what was ordered by those Rules may lawfully be ordered by the Laws of Rulers to the end of the World It is yet insisted on These things were not done by Christ or his Apostles That Christ threatned woes and destruction to the unbelieving Jews is unquestionably evident and that as he threatned them so upon their impenitence he inflicted them True indeed all the time of Christs Ministery and Humiliation he did not manifest his Regal power by inflicting Punishments but only by threatning them upon supposed Disobedience But when Ascended taking upon him to be Judge and King he punished the Rebellious and the Judgments and ruine of the Jews must be acknowledged to have come by the avenging Power of Christ As he threatned so he caused the root of the Tree to wither for its unfruitfulness For not returning Fruit when demanded of his Vineyard he pulled down the Wall thereof and it was trodden down For killing the Heir he miserably destroyed the Husbandmen Because Jerusalem would not be gathered together under the Obedience of the Gospel he caused their House to be left unto them desolate And sure it cannot be supposed unlawful if it be lone by Christian Rulers upon open and obstinate Transgressors which was evidently done by Christ himself And for the Apostles Though they were not Kings yet they had Authority to censure and punish those that were obstinately disobedient and they did exercise their Power wherewith they were intrusted to this end when their Excommunication was oft attended with Temporal Penalties to the destruction of the flesh sometimes that the Soul might be saved And who dare say It is unjust for Rulers appointed by God to do the like things for the same Reasons and End which the extraordinary Spirit of Christ given to the Apostles effected One thing yet remains to prove viz. That this was done upon Omission or Recusancy of Obedience to the Gospel And questionless so it was for Christ because the Jews would not know the time of his Visitation in mercy visits them with Judgments They rejected him and his Counsel would not receive the Gospel and therefore he ordered and brought destruction upon them And thus was it done by the Apostles also who for open sins and disobedience to Gospel Rules came not alway with spirits of Meekness but sometimes with a Rod. The obstinate Offender was ordered to be Corrected that he might be ashamed sometimes he was taken away from the Society of the Faithful and delivered to Satan for the destruction of the Flesh And why should it seem unjust for our Magistrates to order the like things when by the Rules of the Gospel by the practice of Christ and his Apostles Punishments may
feared and hereafter avoided by them because it is a dishonourable sin and dangerous for them not to inflict Punishments as determined upon Recusancy and wilful Disobedience He must remove the wicked from him and scatter all evil with his Eye that would have his Throne established by Righteousness 2. As inflicting Punishments is necessary for the Governours so for all their Subjects for the Transgressors sake how grievous soever it may seem to him yet it works for good For if the Punishment be destructory it can but be of the Body only and before that comes time and helps are afforded for working that Repentance which may be accepted so as the Soul we hope by this means may be saved But most of our Punishments are castigatory for amendment and when do we think will the sinner be amended if never corrected He will hardly be drawn off from his accustomed Iniquity that sees he can act it with Impunity Because Judgment is not executed his heart is freely set upon his wickedness But Malo suo dedoceatur malus delinquere Sen. He is mad if he dotes and runs to that wickedness which he sees hated and abominated and will certainly be punished When he is sharply reproved he will be ashamed There is a Cruel mercy sometimes in God and his Deputies which is to be feared when they are resolved not to discover their Anger against Offenders when they seem to be contented with their Delusions and suffer them to sleep on vainly and securely to their final destruction And there is a discovery of Anger from both which ought to be loved when they hedge up the Transgressors way with Thorns when by pains they awaken them out of their Lethargy and will not suffer them to sleep the sleep of death Thus when Indulgence and Impunity contribute to the sinners destruction executing of Judgments must be judged necessary when they must conduce to the Transgressors amendment and salvation 3. Executing of Judgments is necessary for the Righteous mans sake without which he must be discouraged he must be offended and troubled When Wickedness triumphs and bears sway the righteous are sad but when Righteousness rules the godly rejoyce Impunity to the Sinner is a scandal a stumbling-block to the Righteous When it goes well with the Wicked and they come in no misfortune like other men the Holy man is prompted to think it is in vain he hath served God or made choice of any of his Waies If there be any love in Rulers to the flourishing of Righteousness they cannot give way to the indempnifying of Wickedness 4. Inflicting of Punishments on the Transgressors helps on the Amendment of the whole Society They will hear and fear and will not dare to commit such evil as will torment them When Judgments are executed the Inhabitants of the earth will learn Righteousness But because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Care therefore is necessary in Rulers to punish open wickedness if they desire about them an Holy peâ—ple and a Nation of Righteousness 5. This is necessary to give a Reputation to our Laws that they are justly and deliberately established and have Penalties so affixed upon supposed Disobedience Our lives would be confused and uncomfortable without Laws and Laws are vain and unprofitable without Execution By this suspension we give ground to others to suspect that we our selves doubt and fear that our Laws determined are needless if not unlawful But if they be unjust and needless in Gods Name let them be repealed and abrogated but if they be just and necessary let us give them their deserved honour by a due Execution 6. This is necessary for the safety and welfare of the whole Nation For if the Wicked be acquitted and goes unpunished it is an abomination unto the Lord And in any Nation the not inflicting Judgments on sinners hastens the coming of the Judgments of God There was not a man that executed Judgment in Jerusalem c. Jer. 5. and God justifies the equity of his proceeding to Judgment against that City by that expostulation Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this If the faithful City becomes an Harlot if she that was full of Judgment and had once Righteousness lodged in her shall pervert or neglect Judgment Vengeance will come upon her from God though with a sigh Ah I will ease me of mine Enemies and avenge my self upon such Adversaries saith the Lord of Hosts the holy and mighty One of Israel Isai 1.24 But the Magistrates anger for Sins turns away Gods Anger from a Nation and the executing of Judgment by Man diverts the Judgment of God Phineas stood up and executed Judgment and the Plague was stayed Executing of Righteousness not only appeaseth God but procures his favour and blessings upon a People It makes God delight to dwell amongst them for JVSTICE and JVDGMENT are the habitation of his Throne It not only speaks the Beauty but the sound Constitution of that Government Where Mercy and Truth meet together Righteousness and Peace kiss each other Happy are the People that are in such a case for the Lord will shew them what is good and their Land shall yeild her increase If then the honour and preservation of our Rulers be precious unto us If we be desirous of the Transgressors Conversion and Salvation If we would not discourage and offend the Righteous If we would not put a disreputation upon our Laws to render them contemptible Then our care must be that Punishments be inflicted upon open and wilful Transgressors as determined for this as you have heard it proved is not only just but necessary for the safety and welfare of our whole Nation Thus far my Dear Country-men I have communicated openly and presented to your entertainment my serious Thoughts and Reasons upon four Propositions so easily justifiable as although I cannot hope but I shall have many Opposers and Gain-sayers yet I confess I do not fear any Confuters What I have published did not proceed out of Opposition from the heat of an inraged Passion to carry me to any sharp reflections on particular Persons but are considerately come abroad in the simplicity of my spirit out of an unfeigned desire of Truth and Peace which I heartily desire may at last prevail and triumph in the midst of us The direct way to this end is to receive these things with the same spirit that they are written I verily believe Prejudice will keep off many from reading or considering these Truths asserted and proved in this Treatise because they utterly destroy that wild Liberty and Indulgence which this Licentious Age so much affects Some few of that Temper will read them but disrelish them and I think what many do very few will be reclaimed by them But yet I comfort my self that my