away our Place and Nation are not themselves preparing their way But are the Papists indeed among all our modern Professors of Christianity the only Anti-Gospelers in this particular of promoting Religion by Force Truly I believe the bloody and rebellious Principles of all others were originally theirs and derived from them But we can by no means excuse the Tyranny of the Independency of which we read so much in the History that bears its Name And their frequent putting Quakers to death in New England for their Opinions Thorndike's Forbearance of Penalttes c. 29. doth shew what a meek merciful Spirit they are of and what Liberties they are like to allow others wherever they obtain Rule And I wish with all my heart I could honestly speak better and more gentle things of all their elder Brethren the Presbyterians and because many of that Perswasion are not only sound and Orthodox in the main Articles of our reformed Religion but learned and able Defenders of it zealous Protestours against the horrid Wickedness of this Day and active Instruments in bringing home our banished King I am not willing to say the worst I know of the violence of some of their Spirits and the severity of their Discipline Yet I hope none among us will justify the Rage Malice and Cruelties of the Scotchfield-Meeters ten of whom barbarously murdered the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews and it is the current Doctrine of their Pulpits and Books that killing of Bishops and those ordained by them is no Murder but a commendable yea an Heroical Act of Justice and that a revolting Covenanter of any sort is as acceptable a Sacrifice Altho I fear too many among us feel some glowings of this Hellish Zeal some kindlings and stirrings of this fiery fierce Spirit yet blessed be God they have hitherto and I hope still will be restrained from such outragious Villanies But let me not I beseech you be thought your Enemy If I tell you the Truth in telling you plainly That thus far we must complain of the severity their want of a Gospel-Spirit as Optatus did of some separating slandering Malecontents of his time Dei Episcopos linguae Gladio jugulastis fundentes Sanguinem non Corporis sed Honoris Though your hands have spared the Lives yet your Tongues have murdered the Reputation of Gods Bishops and Ministers though you have not shed their Blood yet you have stained their Honour and which is worse vilified their Function yea notwithstanding the undeniable and convincing Proofs they have given both heretofore and of late by their Preachings Writings and Practices of their Sincerity in and Zeal for the Protestant Religion yet as Tacitus speaks Tacitus In Vitá Agricol conflatâ magnâ invidiâ seu bene seu male gesta premunt Where Envy and Spite predominate Mens good or bad Actions are alike distastful and what was said out of the same Author in Proclus's Case Vi◠Procl p. 28. that famous Arch-Bishop of Constantinople may well be applied to theirs Non minus est periculum in magnâ quam in mala fama cum fumma semper petat livor It is not the Evil of their Lives nor the Errour of their Doctrines but the eminency of their Place if not of their Vertues which hath drawn upon them so much vulgar hatred and Obloquy Faults they have had Dr. Barrow's Ser. on Psal 132.16 and will always have for they are Men and subject to the common Imperfections of mortal Nature but that perhaps less and fewer than any other distinct sort of Men But if their Faults were greater than ever they have really been or than ever Malice could misrepresent them is it therefore equal that the Miscarriages of some should derogate from the Reputation or Prejudice the Welfare of the whole Order yet so blind as well as bitter is some Men's Zeal that they think they do God and their Country good Service in pursuing them all with the same cry and running them down together with an indiscriminating Rage as if they were the greatest Enemies of our Peace and Prosperity and that there were a touch of the Bishop in all our Evils and Inconveniencies But without offering at any Vindication which indeed would be besides my present Purpose it may not be amiss perhaps for the furthering the Humiliation of this Day to consider that they who began with the Church before ended with the Crown and tho at first they pretended a Quarrel only with our Episcopacy they soon proceeded to pour Contempt upon Princes and Nobles and to make havock of Royalty it self and that when it was most happily seated in so Wise so Holy and so Gracious a King and all under a great shew of Zeal for the Gospel and the Purity of Religion But how far this was from the true and genuine Spirit of the Gospel from the Doctrine of our Saviour and the Acts of his Apostles may be easily inferred from what you have heard and particularly from the Practice of our St. Paul who tho when a Pharisee he thought he did God and Religion good Service in persecuting the Church yet when once a Christian he thinks only of preaching the Gospel He who before breathed out nothing but Threatnings and Slaughter after his Conversion only exhorts entreats with all Long-suffering and beseecheth by the Mercies of God Not that our Apostle was less concerned for the Interests of Christianity than for those of his former Religion but better instructed in the way of promoting them viz. by the Ministry of Reconciliation preaching among the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ and by propounding the great Benefits and Blessings of the Gospel as the most powerful Advocates for its Entertainment and if at any time he makes use of the Terrors of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 it is not to persecute but to perswade Men. How far Civil Magistrates may by Threatnings and Punishments compel Men to serve God and keep his Commandments is not the matter of our present Enquiry we see what is the proper Duty of those of St. Paul's Order and what work is like to prosper best in their hands when they have to do either with those at Rome or any other Sects of Erroneous Christians viz. Diligence and Faithfulness in preaching of the Gospel and so I come to the third and last Particular III. That those who are commissionated to the Office of the Ministry ought to be ready and resolute in the discharge of it The excellent Dr. Hammond Answer to the 6 Queries p. 365. hath well observed that the whole well-being of the Christian Church which consists in Vnity as the well-being of a Body in the Health of it nay the very Being it self which consists in the Truth of the Doctrines and Obedience to the Institutions of the Gospel depends in an eminent manner upon the due Qualification of those who are intrusted with the Office of Teaching in the Church and although the best of us are
It is most plain that there were a great many Jews and Heathens among them to whom this Epistle was to be communicated and that many of them who could by the Light of Nature easily discover a God and a Providence yet were fallen into Idolatry and such vicious Practices that they much wanted the preaching of the Gospel a clearer Manifestation of the Justice and Goodness of God to recover them It is not my Design at present to make a Comparison of the Gospel of our Saviour with the Ethnical or Judaical Institutions and to shew the great Advantages it hath of them both in respect of its Rules its Aids Motives and Terms of Acceptance its Power and Efficacy to save Nor shall I enquire further into the State of Rome at that time nor what mixtures of their former Sentiments and Practices they retained who came from the Synagogue or from the Temples of Jupiter and Apollo into the Discipline of Christ and the Services of his Church But I shall regard only the Condition of our Modern Romans and must apply that Doctrine to you for your Defence and Security in the Truth which for their Conviction and Recovery I am ready as much as in me is to preach to them that are at Rome also In my Discourse upon these Words I shall confine my self to three general Heads shewing first of all I. That the Romans now stand in as much need if not more of the Ministry of the Gospel as they did in our Apostle's Days II. That the most Christian and effectual may of promoting the Gospel is Preaching and Perswasion III. That those who are commissionated to that Office ought to be ready and resolute in the discharge of it Of these in their Order beginning with the first viz. I. That the Romans now stand in as much need if not more of the Ministry of the Gospel as they did in our Apostle's Days The most dark and depraved state of Gentilisme did not more want the Sun of Righteousness the purifying Light of the Gospel the preaching of Repentance from dead Works and Holiness of Life than this pretended Catholick Church now doth For not only the Romana but the Germana Fides the noted Honesty and Fidelity of those Heathens is in a manner quite lost among those Christians and their present Treachery and Perfidiousness are as much spoken of and experienced throughout the World as their Primitive Faith then was Perhaps there were as many if not more Saints in Nero's Houshold as are in his Holiness's own Family and the places nearest his Influence and Inspection Which gave the famous Van-Harmin occasion to declare In Vitâ Arminii That if he had not before been sufficiently averse to Popery the sight of Rome and its lewd Practices would have given him an invincible dislike I shall not here take notice of what hath been said by their own Authors of the Epicurean and Atheistical Lives of so many Popes scarce to be parallell'd in any heathenish History nor of the Stews and tolerated Debauches of Rome her self Neither should I have touched at all upon this Argument wherein we our selves have too great a Concern if it were not most apparent that their vicious Manners are the proper Fruit of their corrupt Doctrines Those I mean of Equivocation Mental Reservation dispensing with Oaths Durand lib. 4. dist 31. breaking Faith with Hereticks c. And those other of Indulgences Vendible Pardons easy Absolutions and Death-Bed Repentance particularly their making Fornication less sinful in some than chast Wedlock and not a deadly Sin in any according to the Natural Law The manifold Disorders of our Lives the great Luxuriancy of Vice and the decay of Piety Justice and Sobriety among those of our own Communion require a pathetick and powerful Ministry of all the Holy Precepts Counsels Reproofs Directions of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles and it is needful still to preach Gospel-Reformation to the most reformed part of Christendom where all the Principles of Vertue are already sufficiently taught and established But where it is a part of Mens Religion to be vicious where it is their Duty to Sin and their wicked Practices derive from such Principles such impious Doctrines as make a kind of Anti-Gospel to that of our Saviour their Spiritual Estate is very necessitous and deplorable they want Doctrine as well as Exhortation the planting of Paul no less than the waterings of Apollo Which minds me to proceed to the principal thing I intend to insist upon viz. to shew That the Church of Rome stands in much need of the preaching of our Saviour's pure Gospel in regard of the Heathenism if I may not say Anti-Christianism of several Religious Tenents Opinions Ceremonies retained and observed among them There is no Branch of implanted Superstition in any Son of Adam which may not sufficiently feed it self with some part or other of the Romish Liturgy or with some Customs by that Church allowed concerning the Invocation of Saints Adoration of Reliques Worship of Images or the like as the learned Dr. Jackson observes And what was spoken more generally by him I shall endeavour to demonstrate particularly But before I come to speak of their Opinions and Customs give me leave to observe That the very Characters and Marks of their Church the Titles and Prerogatives of their Popes are such if not the very same that the Heathens signalized themselves and their High-Priest by I begin with Bellarmin's first note of the Church and that is 1. Catholicism or Universality which since the Gospel hath been preached throughout the World and both Jew and Gentile are made one in Christ are baptized into one Body is no improper Mark of the Church but very falsly applied by the Papists to themselves and with an Arrogance no where to be equalled but among the proud Pagans who boasted of nothing more than the Latitude of their Superstition and that they only were true Catholicks that all Faith and Religion was theirs that the Jews were ignorant of the Gods of their Fathers observed the Institutions of a private Spirit a Lawgiver of a singular and separating Humour and therefore were no better than downright Hereticks and Schismaticks a Sect distinct from and contrary unto the Religion of the whole World besides which is no more in effect than what Tacitus one of their wisest and most sober Writers affirms quo sibi in posterum gentem firmaret novos ritus contrariosque cateris mortalibus indidit Moses saith he that he might have a People of his own instructed that Nation in Rites and Customs quite contrary to those which were generally received They prophane those things which we esteem Holy Profana illie omnia quae apud nos sacra and they tolerate what we prohibit Hitherto you see who thought themselves the Catholicks if not the Roman-Catholicks in those days for to note this by the way it will be very hard to make Sence of the composition by
not sufficient for so worthy an Employment yet the worst of us are obliged to do our best and to be ready as much as in us lies to preach the Gospel to reason according to our Ability and Proportion as our great Apostle did of Temperance and Righteousness and Judgment to come and shewing out of a good Conversation our Works with meekness of Wisdom taking heed unto our selves and to our Doctrine that in so doing we may both save our selves 1 Tim. 4.16 2 Tim. 2.15 and them that hear us 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. Studying to shew our selves approved unto God Work-men that need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth being gentle unto all Men apt to teach patient in Meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth and that they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil who are taken Captive by his Will as our Apostle exhorts Timothy We must not be wanting in declaring to our People the whole Counsel of God being ready to instruct the Ignorant and to reduce the Erroneous by all good Means and to fortity them what we can against the Assaults and Artifices of Seducers who lie in wait to deceive and make a Prey of them and more especially at this Time to fore-warn them of the great Evils and Dangers of Popery That whilst the King and the Parliament take care to secure all the Publick Interests by Instruments of their own we also may by the Word of our proper Ministry endeavour to stop the Progression of such Errors which as we have heard are so very destructive of Christian Religion and hurtful to the Souls of Men persuading withal what we can to Unity and brotherly Agreement among our selves that we may thereby strengthen and double our Guards against so powerful and Subtil an Enemy If the Credit of Religion the Glory of God the Souls of our Brethren be dear unto us what can we do less than by a just and mild Defence of the Truth seek the Reclaiming of such as are gone astray and the Establishment of them who are weak in Judgment but sincere in Affection willing in all things to live honestly and peaceably How much doth it concern us by constant Pain full Catechising and Preaching first to ground and instruct simple People in the Religion of the Gospel the Principles of Christianity and then to inform them of the Devices of Satan the wily Methods of Impostors lest by fair Words and enticing Speeches they beguile the Hearts of the Simple and Vnwary It concerns us to warn Men of the infectious and dangerous Nature of Heresy the Mischief of Schism the vile and pernicious Designs of some plausible Pretenders to Holiness and the Spirit of Truth which every truly Christian Heart cannot but passionately regret who go about to turn Men to another Gospel by converting first the Scripture the Incarnation Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Christ into vain and fantastical Allegories as it is too notoriously known the Familists sometimes did and more than a Suspicion that the Quakers do at present These things would be plainly represented to the less knowing Parts of our Congregations and all together would be discreetly and soberly told of the Danger of Popery Socinianism as well as Enthusiastical Pretensions there being a considerable Number of each Faction driving on their distinct Interests among us and have already turned many from the Faith But because this way of publick Teaching and Admonition is more properly my single Duty than any others in this Place and because I hope I have in a good measure discharged it at this Time and being ready also with God's gracious Assistance as mnch as in me lies to pursue it upon all fitting Occasions I shall conclude my Preaching with a twofold Prayer 1. To You my beloved Hearers and then 2. To Almighty God And to both in the Words of our Apostle 1. First to you who hear me this day That you would mark them which cause Divisions or broach Errors Rom. 16.17 contrary to the Doctrine which you have heard and avoid them And I beseech you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that there be no Divisions 1 Cor. 1.10 or Schisms amongst you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment That instead of repining at little Inconveniences you would be much and frequent in serious Thankfulness to our most merciful Father for the Liberty Purity and Peace of the Gospel praying to God which is all you have to do that those things which are amiss either in Church or State may be better and praising him that they are no worse This I beg of you in the next place 2. I shall pray to Almighty God and I hope that you will all joyn heartily with me Rom. 15.5 that the God of Patience will grant you to be like minded one towards another after the example of Jesus Christ that you may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Now the Lord in Mercy look down from Heaven upon his Church and faithful People bring his Truth to light more and more dispel the Mists of Ignorance remove all Occasions of Offence settle Peace and Truth prosper the Means of Grace build us up in Faith and Holiness and unite the Hearts of his People in Love that they may direct their Course by one Rule walk in one Way until we all receive the End of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls through Jesus Christ our Lord to Whom with the Father and the Holy-Ghost be all Honour Glory and Praise now and for evermore Amen FINIS ERRATA PAge 27. line 1. for Dominick reade Damian P. 62. l. 32. reade Amyraut P. 67. l. 20. r. shrewdest l. 9. r. Designers P. 82. l. 6. f. greatest r. gentlest P. 87. l. 5. f. Acts r. Arts. P. 88. l. 16. after who add are P. 89. l. 11. f. thankfull r. thanked l. 13. r. Draco P. 90. l. 22. to violence add of P. 92. l. 22. r. Circumcellions P. 99. l. 13. f. the r. their P. 104. l. 13. add to by him at
any other Figure than that which they used when they denoted absolute Universality by Romanus Orbis and Romanum Imperium and made Romanitas to signify the whole World only that which they called Barbaria excepted Romana Dominatio i. e. Humani Generis saith Florus 2. Another Mark of the Church is Antiquity which they much glory in as if theirs were truly antient and ours a novel upstart Religion Notwithstanding our learned Writers have abundantly shewed not only when the Errors we protest against were not in the Church but the particular time and occasion of the commencement of many of them tho not a few of those Tares were sown in the most ignorant and sleepy Ages and brought forth by such gradual Alterations that they might not so easily be discerned in their Productions and Progress as in their Maturity but this is besides our present undertaking which was only to shew that this Pretence also was a great support of Gentilisme * Si longa aetas authoritatem Religionibus conciliat servanda est tot saeculis Fides sequendi sunt nobis parentes qui secuti sunt saeliciter suos Symmachi Ep. ad Theod. Its Orators and Advocates upon all occasions set forth the Antiquity of their Rites and Ceremonies and the Innovations of Christianity Where was your Religion before Luther say the Papists to us and where was yours before Jesus of Nazareth said the Pagans to the first Christians When †Acts 17.19 St. Paul preached the Gospel at Athens the Philosophers there asked in Scorn What the new Doctrine was whereof he spake and the Historian calls the Christians Christianos genus hominum novae maleficae superstitionis Tacit. Annal. lib. 15. Bellarm. lib. 4. de Not. Ecclesiae cap. 4. Men of a new and mischievous Superstition 3. A third Mark of the Church which they think suits theirs very well is a Power of Working Miracles we cannot yield that this is a perpetual visible Note of the true Church as is pretended Miracles indeed are the clearest Evidences of Divine Truth and Authority and the most immediate Credentials of Heaven Our blessed Saviour attested his Divinity and the Truth of his Gospel thereby and in the Churches Infancy gave his Apostles the same Power of confirming their Doctrine but many good Reasons have been given to shew that there is not the same need and use of them now as then there was and how far the Devil by the Agility and Subtilty of his Nature may impose upon the Senses of Men and puzzle them with strange Appearances I shall not now enquire nor endeavour to refute the pretence of the Romanists in this kind by discovering the Vanity and Extravagancy of their lying Legends only to be named in a place and time fitter for Laughter and Disport than this wherein we are Nor shall I stay to shew how little cause they have to boast of this Faculty if they were more expert in it than indeed they are Seeing our Saviour and his Apostles have prophesied of the latter times that in a general Apostacy from the Faith Great Wonders should be wrought Mat. 24.24 able to deceive if it were possible the very Elect and that those especially who would not receive the Love of the Truth thro' an effectual working of Satan 2 Thess 2.9 10 11. in lying Wonders and strong Delusions should be brought to believe Lies But my Business here also is to shew that the Heathens talked as much and upon as good Grounds of this Gift of Miracles as they do it is well known how famous Pythagoras was for it in the Writings of Porphyry and Apollonius Tyaneus in those of Philostratus and Hierocles Histor lib. 4. besides what is said of Vespasian by Tacitus and those wonderful Manifestations of the Divine Power and Presence in the Roman Armies which Balbus boasted of Lib. 2. de nat Deorum p. 27. yea the idle and rediculous Reports of the frequent removals of the Chappel of Loretto from one Country and from one Place to another by invisible Hands in its most creditable Appearance seems to be but the counter-part of a Heathenish Wonder That I mean of the Temple of Diana's removal out of the Isle of Zazinthus unto Saguntum in Spain as it is related by Pliny 4. Another Mark of the Church with them is outward Splendor and Temporal Prosperity of which we read nothing in Scripture and it agrees much better with the Condition of Paganism and Mahumetanism than this of Christianity The Roman Orator Cicer. Orat. de Haruspic from the flourishing Greatness the many Victories and Triumphs of that Empire infers the Truth and Goodness of its Religion and the Idolatrous Jews will not be put out of conceit with their abominable Superstitions because they prospered and fared well in them Jer. 44.17 We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our Mouth to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-Offerings to her as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem But why so resolute and obstinate in your way Why Because we have this Catholick Argument that we are in the right outward Plenty Health and Prosperity as it follows for then had we plenty of Victuals and were well and saw no evil I might here add That the Heathens have the same plea with them for uninterrupted Continuance Number and Variety of Professors but I forbear this because it is no reproach to true Christians that they are a little Flock seeing we are assured by Scripture Testimony that the whole World in a manner lies in Wickedness I proceed to examine the Popes pretended Titles of Supremacy and Infallibility It hath been observed that old Babel who was the Foundress of Idols and the Mother of all Heathenish Superstitions was the first Pattern in the World of ambitious Dominion And 1. For the Supremacy of our new and mystical Babel it seems to derive from that Lordship Mark 10.42 which was exercised by those that ruled over the Gentiles And indeed that Authority which the Historian attributes to the Pontifex Maximus may suit new Rome Dionys Halic Ant. Rom. l. 2. as well as old The High Priests have great power among the Romans and are the Lords and Controllers of their most important Affairs they decide all Religious Controversies between the Commonalty the Magistracy and the Ministry they call all Magistrates and Priests to account for the exercise of their Authority And what follows in the same Author shews in how great repute they were 2. For their Infallibility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They determine all Differences relating either to Traditional or Novel Customs in Religion I know the Papists would fain parallel the Infallibility of their Chair with that of Moses and endeavour to confirm it by a seeming Parity of Reason in their case with that of the Jews
only have satisfied the Antichristian Spirit of the worst of Men but if any thing would the Hatred Enmity and Revenge of the Devil himself who was a Murderer from the beginning Cursed be their Anger for it was sierce and their Wrath for it was cruel But for ever blessed be God who bringeth the Counsel of the Heathen to naught And blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord and the People whom he hath chosen for his own Inheritance We thy People and Sheep of thy Pasture will give thee Thanks for ever we will shew forth thy Praise to all Generations 4. Let us endeavour to consirm our selves by these Considerations in the true Faith which we profess and in a stedfast Obedience to the pure Gospel of our Saviour Not learning the way of the Heathen Jer. 10.2 not giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Demons 1 Tim. 4 1. To such as speak Lies in Hypocrisie forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from Meats Whatever there is of Gospel and true Christianity in the Church of Rome we have it already and what is more either purely of their own Invention or borrowed from the Heathens who have changed the Truth of God into a Lie I hope we shall be content to want We hold the Foundation Jesus Christ and reject none of the Gold Silver and pretious Stones which they built upon it but the superadditions of Hay and Stubble such Doctrines and Practices of theirs as are not to be found in Scripture nor in the Creeds Homilies and Canons of the Primitive Church Notwithstanding their great boasts of Antiquity which prevail much where they are believed it is a plain case that the Popery of their Religion if not new in it self is new in the Church never professed by any Christians for the first three hundred Years and as to the grosser parts of it not known in the Church until several Ages after We may patiently hear them upbraid us with Singularity and Innovation when we are assured our Doctrines are as old and as universal as our Saviour's Gospel and we may allow them to glory in any thing older and more Catholick than that Their Religion will not appear to us more sacred and venerable because much of its Attire many of its Rites and Ceremonies are more antique than ours and because it is adorned in those Fashions of the World those Vanities of the Gentiles which as they were before Christianity so were to pass away at its Appearance and where they remain or rather have been reassumed are the Blemish and Disgrace if not the Disease and Leprosie of that most excellent Institution But on the contrary I hope we shall be more fervent more settled and constant in our Affection to and Zeal for our own Religion when we consider that it is sound and pure Christianity the only Catholick Religion which hath in it all that is truly good of all other Religions without their Adulterations and Debasements It is a Religion which doth not allow us to give Gods Glory to another Isa 42.8 nor his Praise to graven Images It admits neither Saints nor Angels to share in God's Worship nor owns any other Mediatours but his Son Jesus Christ It is a Religion which enjoyns none but Reasonable Services which allows us to search the Scriptures and prove all things not exacting an Implicite Faith or Blind Obedience It gives us to understand what God saith to us and what we pray for to him in the use of an English Bible and Liturgy It is a Religion which makes no more Sacraments than our Saviour did but gives us them intire In a word it is a Religion which is pure and peaceable which dispenseth with no Duties of Piety Righteousness or Charity which teacheth Obedience to Governours and abhors Rebellion and Treason as one of the worst things in Popery Methinks no worldly Considerations no Hopes or Fears should cause us to waver in much less to depart from a Religion so purely Christian as this So Profitable unto all things in our Politick and private Capacities maintaining Peace and Property the Power of Soveraigns and Rights of Subjects Giving to God the things that are Gods and to Cesar those that are his no way oppressing the meanest of the People in their civil Concerns and most effectually promoting the spiritual Welfare and Happiness of all Men methinks I say we should not easily be perswaded out of such a Religion at least not to change it for that which we have heard described one depraved with the most fond Superstitions and Idolatrous Rites of Gentilism nor indeed for any other which under the pretence of greater Purity doth really comply with and advance the Interests of this What true Good can we propound to our selves by such an Exchange Let us therefore resolve to continue and fix where we are Saying with those in another Case Whither shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life The End of the second Sermon THE GOSPEL Preached to them that are At ROME Also IN TWO SERMONS On the 30th of January 1680. The Third Sermon ROM 1.15 So as much as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also HItherto I have been discovering the Anti-Christian Errors of professed Papists in order to your Confirmation and Establishment rather than what I yet most heartily desire their Conviction and Recovery because I know not whether this Discourse may reach any of them There are another sort of Men who think themselves far enough from Rome or at least would have us think them so who upon a true enquiry will be found to be their Also I mean these among our selves who whilst they loudly protest against the Heathenish Superstitions and Idolatries of the Papists do yet combine with them yea with the worst of them the Jesuits in many of their Principles and Practices no less unchristian and strengthen the Hands and Hearts of those our implacable Enemies by dividing the Body and consequently wasting the Force of our Protestant Church I would not at this time especially discourage the Zeal of any well meaning Protestants by aggravating the Errors and Irregularities of it but sure they must needs be very shallow Headed if they are indeed true Hearted and well meaning Protestants who think in these Days to serve their Cause to bring Honour and Security to their Religion by breaking the Orders and Unity of our Church by mutinying against their Leaders and drawing off into Parties and Factions from the main of their Strength if not turning their Weapons upon and making at those as their Enemies who have been at least their Companions if not their Champions in the common Quarrel In order to the tempering and directing of these Men's Zeal I would in the Spirit of Meekness the Spirit of the Gospel propound these things to their sober Thoughts 1. That however they may value themselves upon their Courage and
careless and loose Livers among our selves for as my Lord Bacon hath well observed Controversies of the Church of England p. 168. There is a double Policy of the Spiritual Enemy either by counterfeit Holiness of Life to establish and authorize Errors or by corruption of Manners to discredit and draw into question Truth and things lawful No Pagan Blasphemies or Popish Usurpations are so offensive to God or injurious to his Church as the scandalous miscarriages of his pretended Servants Our greatest Fear and Danger Beloved is from our selves Our Sins are our worst Enemies and if not overcome by us will soon betray and ruine us and our Protestant Cause without any other Plots and Conspiracies When we consider what it was that blasted those flourishing Churches of Ephesus Sardis Laodicea we cannot escape some fearful abodes of the like effects of our decay of Love our Hypocritical Profession our Lukewarmness and great indifferency in the most material Parts and Acts of our Religion The Church of England and God grant we may be truly sensible of it hath suffered much and is still like to suffer more by her own Children And that is verified in her which was once said of Julius Caesar Plures illum amici confoderunt quam inimici She hath received more Wounds from her Friends than from her Enemies Victa est non aegre proditione sua Ovid. de Carinnâ How many among us are there that profess little or no regard at all to Religion or profess that regard for the temporal Conveniencies that attend it And how many are false and hypocritical in their Profession resting in meer Shadows and external Formalities most unreasonably concluding that all is well with them because the Lines are fallen to them in so pleasant a place as a purged Church and that themselves need Reformation the less because that is reformed What is this but as one speaks To run round in a Circle and meet the Church of Rome where we left her What is this but to speak her very Language that to be in this Ark this Church is to be safe Behold we are called Christians and rest in the Gospel and make our Boasts of Christ and the Purity of his Ordinances and Worship among us But believe it it is not the Name of Protestant or Reformed no nor the Name of Christ himself that will save us or our Religion if by our wicked Conversation we cause that Name that worthy Name as St. James calleth it to be evil spoken of among the Gentiles our Popish or our Phanatical Enemies It is our walking in this Holy Name our living up to the Principles of our Saviour's Gospel and our improving the Means of Grace to a more perfect Degree of Holiness than any have attained unto in the Strength of Nature or of their own artificial Inventions that will make Christianity truly glorious in the Eyes of Jews Turks and Heathens Our Protestant Christianity to out-shine the Visibility of Rome and our Church of England to flourish and be honourably esteemed among all her Sisters of the Reformation Our Skill in Controversies will not do us the Service nor gain us the Reputation that the Simplicity of our Manners the Piety of our Practices will This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostom stiles it the most uncontroulable or irresistable if we may not say infallible Proof and Conviction of the Goodness of our Religion in the Judgment of most Examiners I shall therefore conclude this Head of my Discourse with an earnest Exhortation to Holiness of Life That our ways may be upright as among the Gentiles and our well-doing such and so exemplary as may put to silence the ignorance of foolish and captious Men. It is a shame to our Religion that we should go to Rome for Examples of Vertue or seek Christ in the secret Chambers that we should learn Piety from Idolaters or strictness of Life from the Enemies of Government yet even among them may be found some Instances of Mortification and Zeal which may serve at least for our Reproach if not for our Imitation The voluntary Austerities of the Papists their Mid-night Devotions frequent Fastings painful Pilgrimages and Pennances may serve to put us in mind of our Saviour's wholesome Precepts of Self-denial Heavenly-mindedness devout Prayer and discreet Abstinence and the Zeal of several Sectaries in some parts of Religion may condemn our general Coldness or Indifferency in the whole But if we can learn no good from them let us be very careful lest we harden them in evil and confirm them in their Erroneous Opinions by our vitious Practices When we have disarmed them of their defensive Weapons and left them no rational Plea nor Excuse for their Schism and Sedition Let us not put into their Hands a Sword of Offence and expose our selves to the Mercy of their Censures which is cruel enough by any Irregularities of another nature And because many among us at this time appear more zealous for the Interest of their Religion than that of their Souls less mindful of the great Duties of Sobriety Righteousness and Piety in their own Conversations than those of discovering opposing and punishing the heretical and traiterous Designers against our Protestant Church and seem more to fear the Popish Conspiracies than any of the Devil 's Wiles and Stratagems I would desire it might be well considered that a holy good Life is as necessary to uphold our Religion as to save our Souls Nothing like this as hath been intimated already to break the Courage and baffle the Attempts of our Romish Adversaries or to reclaim and bring home other Dissenters into our Communion Nothing so like to fix and settle them in their Errors and Seditions as our loose and vain Conversations and indeed at this time we ought to be more then ordinarily circumspect now so many evil Eyes are upon us watching for our haltings and so many Mouths ready opened to aggravate our least Miscarriages wherefore we could never more seasonably apply to our selves that of good Nehemiah Ought we not to walk in the Fear of our God Chap. 5.9 because of the Reproach of the Heathen our Enemies Among all the Motives and Persuasives to Holiness me-thinks this should not be the least powerful that it is likely if any thing to gain those that dissent from us to convince the more sober and ingenuous that we are in the right way of Worship and to remove all Stones of Offence out of the Path either of the tender or peevish An eminent Example of Mr. Edward Fowler in his design of Christianity p. 304. and a mighty Advocate for Holiness hath well observed That meer pretences to great Sanctity do strangely make Proselites to several Forms that have nothing besides to set them off and commend them And as for obstinate Persons that will by no means be prevailed with to come over to us they will however be greatly disabled from