time also God will more particularly own his Church then shall Ierusalem be holy and there shall no strangers pass thorow her any more that is the sons of violence shall not oppress her as in former times For in that day the mountains or kingdoms of the Church shall drop down with new wine and the hills shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Iudah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Under which expressions the abundance of instruction and learning is also comprised when on the other side the Churches enemieâ— Egypt and Edom shall be desolations and wildernesses c. because of their former oppressions but Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation Whereupon it must still follow that they which oppose these Iehoshaphats executing Gods Mishpat here on earth as them to whom he hath promised to be a spirit of judgement and are to be Christs Ministers and instruments in bringing on and preserving this prosperity of his Church and kingdom do oppose Christ and so are Antichrists Saint Pauls next description whereby we are to note him is that his coming and working shall be after the coming and working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders even as at this day miracles are pretended by him and his for confirming his Authority This thing is also further evidenced by their prevailing in their deceiveableness of unrighteousness in those that perish Because that in this mystery of iniquity unrighteousness prevailed by its deceivableness that is not as unrighteousness but as having put on a form of godliness he deceived those that perish under pretence of zeal And that because they received not the love of the truth that is received not the truth in love but wresting it through their temptations to Pride Ambition Revenge c. they made it the instrument in this Antichristian hierarchy to their own and others destructions through breach of Publike Charity and through placing their Christian obedience on a pretended and not on the true Deputy of Christ. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that is that they should believe that to be Gods Truth and Service which was not and thereupon they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness That is because they preferred those pleasures arising by the unrighteous courses of opposing Christs Regency therefore are they said not to have loved or believed the truth But Saint Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians that through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth and his Gospel they had been so established in a way of salvation as to be freed thereof exhorting them to stand fast in the Traditions they had been taught whether by word or Epistle And that we may know the purport of these Traditions here mentioned and that it may appear that matter of manners and external behavior were but traditionally delivered upon occasion and not to be of universal precept to all Churches as positively divine he tells us their sum in the sixth verse of the next Chapter Now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received af us Importing that as God had called them by his Gospel or by means of his instruction and begetting them as a Father unto sanctification of spirit and belief of the truth so was it necessary that obedience and observance of his Traditions should be used as a means to continue and manifest this sanctification and truth in them and so make them of the number of those that obey as well as believe the Gospel For as we are to conceive that this phrase our Gospel was not to propose to them another Gospel then that of Christ so are we not to conceive it to be by chance or idely done but to teach them that since they had believed it as from him delivered so should they obey it as his and not as any other mans And by setting forth himself and his Gospel also under the term of our in the plural number we may further presume that the intimation of his just Authority was intended by the usage of that proper expression of persons in supreme power Whereby also we may learn that guidance of manners as well as Doctrine was by Christ at that time committed unto the hands of the Apostles which makes him here as elsewhere command in his name But more especially to our present purpose we may learn by Saint Pauls setting down the Gospel of Christ in this place as his and by making their obedience and belief thereof as the cause of their avoidance of Antichristianism that it plainly denotes that this sin is Christian rebellion or disobedience as before noted For indeed the Gospel as a Gospel is the object of Faith and salvation by the offer and proposal of one who having taken our sins and infirmities upon him hath already performed the work of obedience for us and is not like the Law binding to any thing of burthen or hardship as directly in it self but as in the hand of those that had and have the dispensation thereof and shall be therewith entrusted that thereby as in acknowledgement of our belief and thankfulness for so great mercy we might be ready and fitted to obey as Christ and King here him whom we profess and hope to finde as a Jesus and Savior hereafter These and other signes have been heretofore brought by many to evince the Pope to be the Antichrist for indeed in him and in his See have all the other Antichrists hitherto centred and confined their opinions they being but petty ones to him But most of these interpreters having the discovery of his erroneous Tenents in Religion onely in their eye did bring in these civil usurpations but as proofs to that by the by as though because the Pope offered to joyn Merits Free-will c. in the work of salvation he had therefore been Antichrist and not rather an Anti-Jesus then an Anti-Christus Not well marking how these and other his Doctrines of Purgatory Infallibility Indulgencies c. were not for themselves but as a necessary train did wait upon the advancement of him in his Antichristian humor of setting himself above all that is called God Being useful as experience hath told us for recovering money and strength towards the seating and possessing himself of that his usurped power as well as this his power should and did prevail to the same end also namely overthrow of Kings and that under all those fair pretences of Reformation Liberty Law Justice c. which the Aristocracies Democracies and the lesser Antichrists had made in their rebellious contrivances True it is that
is the right and Justice of Dominion between two contending Princes to depend as to manifestation thereof to subjects on the determination of the Lord of hosts manifested by victory The which undoubtedly in order to humane preservation and establishment of the peace of kingdoms may satisfie the Consciences of Subjects so far as to claim a just right to their submission and obedience however the Conquerer himself cannot farther expect peace in his own Conscience nor a blessing to himself or posterity from God then as he hath been just and Consciencious in his Claim and Conquest It faring in this case with subjects in general towards their Prince as with the Tenants of any particular Landlord For as these are to pay their Rents and Acknowledgements to him that by the present Judiciary power is put into possession without being bound to examine whether he be a deseisor or not or did by bribery or other fraud thrust out the former owner even so subjects being to pay their Obedience and Acknowledgements to their Prince as Gods Minister must likewise acknowledge him for such whom they finde by the usual way of Providence put into possession And further also as the Tenant hath no avoidance against encrease of Rent or Service at the Will of his present Lord but by leaving his Land and quitting his Tenancy even so is each subject lyable to such encrease of Taxes and personal duties as his present Prince shall impose whilst he is remaining within his Territories and Protection And as natural Reason will thus finde cause to submit to Gods rule of Providence now used for the establishment of the person of the conquering King so will the same reason lead them to suffer it to descend to his heir left they should again subject themselves to new Civil wars which is ever incident to Elective Monarchies And therefore this ought to be avoided by the observation of the Law of Primogeniture in these Offices now succeeding in paternal right of power upon the same consideration that this fixed Law of birth-right was instituted namely to avoid the like diffention and quarrel in succession to the heirship of the Family while this power was formerly seated in the natural Father thereof Nay this right of inheritance not onely follows in Reason but as graffed also and comprised in the right of meer natural possession For as the elder brother as aforesaid was to be presumed most natural heir to the Fathers Dominion in regard of his more probable degree of strength so also it is to be presumed that as being born he will have advantage of the natural way of right which is first seisure Upon which score if there were no Precepts for hereditary Monarchy natural Right as well as Reason would settle it in the possessors issue and particularly on the elder brother as heir to his Fathers acquisitions The which rule we shall finde approved by Saint Paul and upon the like words as God gave Cain the power of Eldership he confirms this right to the man over the woman saying Adam was first formed and then Eve Upon which grounds the lawfulness to Elect Monarchs or institute Poliarchies will be taken away inasmuch as the Office and Possession of Kingship in right of the Father and elder Brother having first Seisure before any other it must follow that none can have just right but God against him or his heir And if the beginnings and first rises of Kings be examined towards the proof of settlement by Conquest they will come so far short of deriving themselves from Adam in a natural line as it will appear how their Ancestors from a small stock have by success and encrease of force risen to that present height And even by this scale of Providence did David himself climbe although God had determined him the kingdom That is first by some magnanimous act to gain reputation and thereby some few friends and followers to assist upon occasion with these to encrease by degrees till he become so formidable that people had rather submit to his Government then adventure their lives in opposition In which case their power of Election is not so large as to choose him or not or him or another but whether they will take him on such terms as he proposeth or put lives liberties and all to the hazard of war In which condition since fear was their guide how are people more free before Election then afterwards when Princes for fear of punishment are obeyed in then Governments and commands And why should not fear be a wiser Passion then love For they that are governed in their choice by love consult not of dangers or inconveniences that may happen for this fear is against the nature of love and therfore the loved hath always power over the loving and not on the contrary And none do so usually curb the people as those that through flattery of the noise of liberty have gotten to be their darlings and so come to have sole trust and power at which time discretion bids him hold the streight reins of power upon their wavering affections lest by another using his policy he should be again supplanted When as all Princes entrances which are made through fear are made with as great deliberation and policy as may be at least with as much as the adverse Faction hath present power to use And it is probable that he that findes himself afterwards thus streightned through the peoples fearing him in his entrance will as in order to his own honor and release of fear seek as far as he may to gain their love And the truth is Princes cannot well rule without both the great difficulty resting when to use one when another And if any Prince should be by people elected into a Government hereditary out of particular love and affection to his person yet since his person and those Electors could not always have it alike or were sure at least to have sufficient degree of power and respect there might be occasion for him but much more for his successor to have power and force in readiness to make use of if reason should offer For as there might be reasons of mutual trust between the first Prince and people so of distrust in the other because nothing is more giddy or uncertain then popular liking So that although the present Prince his vertues were equal or alike to the others at first setled by them yet they being not the same people or having changed their mindes it is not reason he should be so much their enemy as not by force to keep them from forcible alteration and injuring themselves by Civil war And as for such Princes as come in by Conquest I see not why force in the continuance should not be as lawful as in acquisition more necessary to him I am sure it is at least to have it in readiness And this not onely in respect of custody answerable to that common rational maxim that
we are not to believe him But in the other things not so neccessary as we find them more darkly delivered and not fully cleared by God himself so have they their appointed Gods and interpreters here amongst us unto whom we are to be obedient as to those that watch for our souls In the first case that is in the fundamentals of our faith it behoves us to be explicite and epress for in that sence He that is not for Christ is against him whereas in the other we are to serve Christ by our implicite obedience to his Church the pillar and ground of truth and in that sence it is that he that is not against him is for him But if he do not observe these and other inducements to moderation and charity he will be very subject to persecute Christ in his members while he is about to serve and vindicate him in his truth He will be subject by his zealous prosecution under the form of godliness to lose the power thereof and even to destroy charity the end of the law through his misguided devotion to keep the law For pretend men what they will of the equity and justice of their cause whilst they are in private prosecution of one another for religion it can never be half so certain that herein they maintain that truth and doctrine which was by Christ delivered to be believed as that they transgress that precept of brotherly love commanded to be practised For the truth of their opinon is seen but to themselves onely else they migâ—t think others that endeavour to serve Christ as well as they would not as in order to their owne salvation hereafter or their present riddance from their persecution here stand so firmly to their own contrary principles Will they say that their adversaries might know this truth as well as themselves did not prejudice possess them they hereby become both uncharitable censurers and judgers and if they should impartially search their owne hearts they might hereof also condemn themselves at least may as justly suspect the rest of their owne faction as any of the other And having so far laid the ground-work of direction for those that desire to follow those things that make for peace we will next speak of the Church and of our condition of innocence in her obedience CHAP. III. Of the Church Catholick and of the Fundamentals of Religion THe end of all religion being to praise and glorifie God befoâ—e men and the praising him before men inferring such a manner of doing it as in humane judgement is most honourable and then again that which is most honourable being that which through custome and general acknowledgement is held most beneficial to man himself it still brings Gods glory to be the Alpha and Omega of all we do and the good of our Neighbour the steady and only sure means thereunto For to us men that cannot intuitively behold his face and live and so out of rapture of his express excellence glorifie him with immediate Halelujahs our approach to him must be by his back-parts his Image in our brother and our praise of him here if at all must be by such light and works before men that moveing them as men here They may thereupon glorifie God which is in Heaven At first there was no distinction of such as were to honour God before men from others whom we might thereupon call by the separate name of a Church but whilst mankind was thin the Church was as large as mankind it self But that encreasing the Nation of the Jewes were particularly chosen from the rest to have his name more eminently put and worshipped and amongst and unto them for the preservation of his more immediate service and honour he appoints a particular law to be written and observed Whereupon that sign of Circumcision that served for a mark to distinguish them from others as being the pledge of their promised obedience took on it the name of Covenant to wit the Covenant of works Not that God was not still worthily the only true object of the praises of all mankind but inasmuch as his former precepts and our natural ability had been so forgotten and insufficient that Idolatry and oppression had now in a manner wholly supplanted his worship and mutual charity except in that single family of Abraham it seemed necessary that as well an increase of direction should be given for increase of his service as an appropriation thereof to some select people for its better intention and security for the future By this means the race of Abraham come at once to receive the reward of their Father constancy in Gods service in regard of many promised blessings by them received and also by having the Oracles of God committed unto them they come to be a means for Gods honour to be more encreased even by being here as by a select Church or company of men more eminently served For from hence he might through the observation of the whole world have his name more hallowed and have greater glory given and directed to him then before Not that the common Salvation of man was lessened by this more express care of his owne glory but rather encreased For as the Jewes had open advantage by encrease of light so other Nations had the same light of reason continued to them as before with this advantage that if they were diligent there with to examine those precepts delivered to the Jewes they could not but discover as we formerly noted in the Decalogue great benefit by using them themselves And since we find no other reward or punishment then temporal annexed to legal obedience or default for works as works cannot deserve higher and since those vailes of Rites and Ceremonies were so thick that it was neer as hard for the Jewes expresly to discern Christ by faith through them as for the rest of the world to difference him by the light of reason I cannot but charitably presume that the great preserver of men might finde a way for the saving mâ—ny of them worshiping the same God though not under that notion of the God of Abraham For as the having of Circumcision did not save all that had it so neither the want of it did of it self destroy but as those which were without the law of Moses were a law unto themselves by the law of reason so it follows that at this law of reason proceeding from the same God was unequally broken or kept mens punishments or rewards no doubt succeeded Nor shall I ever make my self believe that Sardinapilus and Scipio should be alike in their future reckonings for punishment being not to be supposed equally culpable in the breach of charity the end of the law although they might equally miss heaven as being equally incredulous Yet as we said untill the law was given whereby another way of direction for mens honouring of God and sociable abearance to one
because it is the onely foundation for other foundation then this can no man lay and this foundation every man must lay or else all the faith and obedience to be framed thereupon will come to nothing For although their be other articles as depending on this and incident to our Christian profession which ought to be believed also even as all things by God proposed as truths are yet to add them as of themselves necessary to salvation it is to Christ and Christian faith as high derogation as to add circumcision or other observations as necessary to salvation in our Christian obedience And as for our obedience outward we are freed from those many rites ceremonies and observations of the Jewes which God in particular favour of the Jewish Nation had appointed most of them being but shadows of Christ himself and of that great and plain way which by the Gospel should be revealed Nay the very judicial part though instituted by God himself for that government bindes us not as positive laws but as useful presidents upon like occasion that is to say where their and our causes were alike which is not binding as such or such laws formerly made and authorised by God but as parts of the general law of reason For as unto them God was immediate lawgiver and being given before Kings was both God and King so was the litteral observation of them in both respects necessary that is as religious and as civil duties also For both were the same to them because God at that time undertaking the managery of the Civil as well as Ecclesiastical Estate made both one then no otherwise then his remitting both to the Prince makes both of one sort now that is under the same chief relation to duty and obedience namely that of conscience But because of Gods express undertaking herein to them it was do this and live but unto us for whom those directions were not particularly made by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified As Gods rule to them was outward and litteral so were his promises and threats for performance temporal and respecting this life onely Wherein they failed as needs they must their failing was expiated by sacrifice pointing at a Saviour to come to fulfill these things for them but Christ being now come and having fulfilled all righteousness the observation of the letter is released as to direct divine authority and we Christians standing bound but to the general precept of love and charity are referred for our particular managery and guidance therein to the higher powers whom we are to obey not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake not onely for fear of that present temporal punishment they may infflict as meer men in authority but out of conscience also of preservation of our owne innocence in preservation of our obedience to God in them All which in the Epistle to the Hebrews is plainly signified where God is brought in speaking of the difference of the Jewish and Christian Covenant and obedience according to the many Prophesies to that purpose and saying Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt that is not like as it was whilst I gave them particular precepts for all their outward duties and did lead them in all their affairs my self as if I should have taken them by the hand But this course God now changeth because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord that is because I found humane frailty so great that these litterall commands could not be kept therefore now I will put my laws into their minde and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me even from the least to the greatest that is by the love of God shed abroad in our hearts all shall be taught of God and by his Spirit led into all fundamental and saving truth so that by being all taught of God to love one another which is the life and soul of the moral law they shal by keeping that one precept of love keep the whole law But for our direction outward therein we are not come unto a mount that might not be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempests that is to hear them from such a mountain which was made inaccessible through these terrible apparitions that accompanied Gods presence thereon and the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of words which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they could not endure that which was commanded That is neither are we now to be terrified as by hearing God speaking with his owne voice to our outward ears but we for our outward direction are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jurusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels that is to the present Church militant and to such as do therein instruct us as Gods Messengers by their Angelical doctrine And to the general assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect that is unto the Catholick doctrine of the Church assisted by God the judge of all and attested by those many Martyrs which like their Captain are made perfeâ—t by suffering And then that both these may be made beneficial to us and to our salvation we are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel And these Gospel duties of love and obedience we shall find to be the verry errand also of him that was to conclude the Law and the Prophets and to be Christs forerunner as it is most fully though mystically expressed by the Prophet Malachy and also by Saint Luke in their descriptions of Iohn the Baptist his office and message The first of these duties is couched in these words He shall turn the hearts of the Father to the Children that is he shall prepare them to entertain the loving of one another in as high degree as the Father doth his Child And then secondly for performance of the duty of obedience whereby to make this love to be advantagious it is added by Malachy and the heart of the children to their Fathers the which Saint Luke expounding to mean the disobedient to the wisdome of the just doth plainly shew that the preparation of the Gospel of peace and the way to make ready a people prepared for the Lord was by bringing them into such a state of
shall many be made righteous He tels us there that Circumcision is that of the heart and Spirit not in the letter that is men are now to be justified by love the work of the law written in their hearts and not by the observation of the letter according to their owne sence For against such he pronounceth a necessity of such sins as attended such as professed themselves wise saying Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest doest the same things That is inasmuch as thou takest upon thee to guide others and thy selfe by thine own judgement thou must consequently break Charity the end of the law and so involve thy self in the guilt of thine owne and others sins that must follow thereupon For now we are delivered from the law being dead to that wherein we are held that is being released as heretofore noted of the penalty of observing legal precepts as of immediate divine authority because we should serve in the newness of Spirit that is by love and not in the oldness of the Letter For while we were taking upon us this litteral performance the law of our owne members and concupiscence pointing at private interests caused it to prove to us the law of sin and of death So that then the law of God being to be served with the mind inwardly and not by fleshly wisdom to make it the law of sin it follows that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That is because they that act after the flesh or take upon them self guidance do minde the things of the flesh their owne interests but they that walk after the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit that is being alwayes guided by the fruit of the Spirit inward love they alwayes mind the effects thereof in which they could not err whilst remaining obedient For else authority and law onely defining and measuring in particular acts what is murther adultery theft c. and rating accordingly the punishments thereupon due we should in our particular biassed interpretations commit often the same or worse faults then those we went about to amend And this because God who from himself and in his owne name gave these precepts at first gave also a continual succession of Prophets Urim and Thummim and other divine ways of revealing his pleasure in their interpretation upon doubtful occasions so that being both wayes expresly divine their observance litterally as so was each mans duty then but now being not to be litterally and particularly so construed by private men they break or keep them when they break or keep their substance charity and inward love and are more or less obedient to Superiours therein And therefore although there could be but one truth amidst those different exercises of Christianity between the Jewish and Gentile Churches yet the Apostles being to promote and encourage Christianity all they could and Christians again to obey implicitely in all things not fundamental the one might justly command and the other be also obedient although in things differing and contrary which otherwise in the commanders must have been Heresie on the one side or other And besides must have been Schism and Scandal in each sort of the disagreeing Subjects that in absence of their common head obtruded upon each other their differing constitutions having no other authority to act or impose to the dislike of one another then in relation to their joynt authority as thereby holding of the head under whom they were to be esteemed but as one by means of joint communion and subordination But when done in just pursuance thereof error is avoided for that a divine sentence is in the lips of a King and his mouth transgresseth not in judgement In the original it is in the future tense shall not transgress which I note to avoid the Exposition that might be made against the allowing the judgement of Kings in general to be such as thinking it only appliable to Solomon himself because particularly inspired above others And this place of Solomon is a good comment and confirmation to another of like sort namely to punish the just is not good nor to strike Princes for equity Where we may finde that a Prince in his definition is held the same with a just man as formerly noted in the title of justice and that then we can no more punish or accuse the one then the other for want of justice or equity Upon which reasons Elihu in Iob brings in that saying as a truth universally agreed upon is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly Therefore by the words shall not transgress in judgement we are to understand that they shall not cause subjects to transgress in their obedience because the sentence is divine which in the Original imports divine Oracle or Divination as having whole interest by divine deputation and precept but erroneous it may be and is in him as he stands in relation accomptable to God so far and so often as he againe transgresseth his law who hath whole interest both in those persons and him and all things else For if he take upon him to prescribe rules according to his owne iudgement where God hath made positive ones already or do in those cases left to his care through passion or interest respect himself or some one party above another and not resyect Gods superiour interest before his owne subordinate interest doing by God as he would be done unto he doth not do as he would be done unto For as he would not have his Judges and such as he trusts do the like by him so is he not to deceive and abuse Gods delegation in forgetting that all his power is but usurpation and injustice when not according to the best of his judgement and conscience directed to Gods honor above his owne as also to the general and impartial good of his subjects So that Subjects justice or justification consisting chiefly in submission to the judgement of their Superiour we may well know how to interpret that wise King and Preacher be not righteous over much neither make thy self ever wise why shouldest thou destroy thy self Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldest thou dye before thy time By which words we are not to think that either increase of righteousness or wisdome is forbidden or increase of wickedness or folly commended as in themselves but must apply them unto their manner and object of usage and imployment For so in the first verse he that will be so seemingly righteous and wise as to think his owne conscience and discretion sufficient and warranted judges of his actions against or above that of his Superiour he will endanger his owne guilt and destruction by
bond of perfection For our unskilfulness in the word of righteousness will make us like new born babes wanting milk need to be continually attendant on our Apostolike keepers and interpreters of the Oracles of God to have the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God again and again laid and to have the doctrine of baptisms and laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgement again and again preached By which means being continually strengthened in our work and labor of love we shall not be slothful but followers of them who by Faith and patience inherit the Promises And so also although Prayers Preaching Repentance Fasting c. nay the Sacraments themselves are but Ceremonies compared to that final object of Religion Gods Praise and mans Salvation and are not in themselves fundamental yet since this love can never be to perfect in this life as not to put us in need of these helps for apprehension of these divine truths and also to keep our mindes fixt and intent on our duties and since neglect or alteration in them may be damnable through disobedience it seems therefore now expedient that something should be said thereof and of those errors of Idolatry and Superstition which do usually attend their wrong administration CHAP. XI Of Idolatry and Superstition and of the Power of each Church her Head in the establishment of Ceremonies and Divine Worship NExt unto Atheism that would wholly substract Deity is the error of Polytisme that by division would so confound him as through irregularity and confusion in our practice his real and true service should be defeated For although the Atheist do only profess not serving him yet doth the Idolater by multiplying and adulterating his appearance so multiply and disguise both his person and his wil that in the end we are not able to know what is truly the one or the other Nor is this crime and error of Idolatry subject only to outward and bodily representations such as did usually accompany Gentilism But inasmuch as honor and adoration are to be the end of our knowledge and because again the goodness and soundness of this adoration will take admeasurement and proportion from the truth and worth of that Divine Existence and Perfection which is by each one conceived it must also follow that men are to be accounted more or less Idolaters as that Image of God conceived in their minds is more or less truly representing him For he being not to be perceived by any of our bodily senses or otherwise known to mankind then by the effects of his being to wit his goodness power wisdom justice and such operations as must properly denote him it must therefore come to pass that such as shall fail or mistake in the apprehension of these emanations and shall attribute unto him such works or way of energy as are neither worthy of him nor proportionable unto him are thereupon to be accounted Idolatrous As for example such as having not rightly conceived and observed God in the continual and general expression of that his most eminent attribute of goodness and mercy nor well considered that true glory and honor doth arise from the generality and extent of benefits nor indeed well understood the true import of these phrases of Election Predestination c. and how and what works do and do not save are ready in a hasty partiality to themselves to judge him like one of the vulgar as exercising only his power and greatness in the acts of Election and Reprobation and that not only in prejudice of his wisdom as being guided by no discrimination in the Election of some before others but in prejudice of his goodness and justice as thereby rejecting others of equal merit and condition By which means the Image these men have conceived will come to be truly an Idol by having eyes and see not c. and thereupon so much below even the vulgar because they in their sentences to life or punishment would have respect to merit or demerit so far as possibly they could perceive or forefee them and not proceed therein as in a kind of lottery And as these and such like false representations must introduce Idolatry within by means of a shorter or unstable impression so when men come to adapt and proportion their outward Service and Worship it must also come to pass that the same must be defective false or frivolous and consequently so much more or less superstitious as they shall be more or less unknowing of God or his will and shall be therein onely guided by particular fear and fancy Upon which ground we may finde reason why Almighty God both in reference to his own honor and for estating men upright and blameless in their religious duties did always either himself appoint some established form and rule therein or else authorize some person under him to do it and not leave it to the hazard of private and single mens devotion whether to be done or no nor to their differing judgements to fancy what variety and contradiction therein they pleased By which doing not only Gods continual and constant Worship will be more secured and uniform but men will continue more free from the guilt of Idolatry and Superstition whilst they shall not be thus let loose to private contrivance of what the passion of fear shall suggest but be therein guided by the will of Gods publike Minister whereby they must with the performance of their duties of obedience therein to him be acquit of the sin of Superstition towards God also Under the Law as all the outward forms of Worship and Service were by God himself instituted and so expresly set down that none could doubt so was there a strict injunction given against any alteration even of that very part of his Service which seemed most Ceremonial Which happened not solely for that God instituted them because we find David and other good Kings making alteration in some things of like institution but this peremptoriness arose from the continuance of that end which at first gave them institution and being For so far as they were typical and representative of Christ or his Church to succed of which sort most of them were it must follow that till Christ were come any alteration in them made as of unfitness for publike use were none other then to accuse God himself of weakness that had enjoyned them And as upon this ground the High Priest and Tribe of Levi stood in many things independent of the Authority of their Kings even so also because much depended on the preservation of that Jewish State as in order to have it continue until our Saviour should come to put an end to that Church God therefore even after the establishment of Kingship reserved to himself a Super-intendency of their State-Government also and had his Prophets to declare his pleasure upon all great and exorbitant occasions lest
that Antichristianism is not onely denial of Christ as God but also the denial of him or his power in the flesh that is as before shewed denying of dignities and fleshly power under him we will note a little of Saint Johns other description of him Every spirit saith he that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and the same is the spirit of Antichrist And again he saith Many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh He saith not was come in the flesh but in the present tense is come in the flesh and therefore cannot mean Jews or Infidels or such as openly professed denyal to Christian Doctrine in matters of Faith but such as professing the Doctrine of Jesus Christ did overthrow it by consequent especially in matters of Charity and to endanger the loâ—s of that full reward which this Doctrine of Christ or Doctrine of love by practise of charitable submission to our masters in the flesh would bring When at the last day men shall have sentence according to the charitable Offices one towards another and in justification of those that have been obedient to Christ in the flesh he as King shall answer and say unto them Verily say unto you inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Under which notion of King he taking upon him to vindicate the Authority of such as he had deputed in the exercise of his Kingship amongst us until himself shall come in his glory with all the holy Angels and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory makes it farther manifest that the very title of Kingship was to be the most usual and eminent stile of his Deputy And therefore under the expression of the least of these my brethren distinguishing these his brethren from other his Christian brethren as heretofore noted he makes the exercise and expression of our love or Charity which should be performed to him or his body the Church to take measure and estimation according to extent of that respect and obedience which we have done to these For they being made instrumental in the day of Christs earthly power as well to make Sion or the Church the rod of Christs strength whereby to rule in the midst of his enemies as to settle his Worship in the beauties of holiness it will therefore come to pass that as to be against them is to be against him so also it must be granted that what we have done by their direction in matters of love and obedience is as if we had done it by his For if we cannot otherwise litterally conceive that to do these things to the least Christian or but to one were in themselves such high services unto him otherwise then as that one and that least were the Representatives of many or all even so understanding those particulars of Charity or love there set down to stand for the whole duty of love the which these Deputies of Christ were to make useful to all in general and each one in particular by being our directors according to that Talent in power and trust which their proportionable charge in each Church did require we may then well conceive how as Christ is not to be wronged but by his Members so then most when the wrong is done against such as being more neerly his their wrong must be more neerly said to be his and so reputed Antichristianism And although the ordinary rank of believers be not in this place distinguished from his Deputies under the notion of Citizens as they are by St. Luke which might have regard to the Jewish Nation who more generally were to refuse the Authority of his substitutes which the Gentiles should be but partly guilty of and partly not yet may we discern a distinction made by their separate sentence beginning with his servants that had Talents of great trust first before the general judgement of the rest And we may observe also that in approving or condemning them under the notions of sheep and goats the one a Creature full of inward love and innocence and therewithal most tractable and obedient to their shepherd whereas the other was contrary that as well the necessity of outward obedience as inward love was intended And therefore whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ that is obeyeth him not here as King as well as hopeth in him as Saviour hath not God but he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son That is he that acknowledgeth the power of the son as to that end anointed from the Father doth therewith acknowledge the Fathers power also but he that denyeth him that is sent denyeth also him that sent him even as denyal or overthrow of Kingship is to our power to overthrow the King of kings power also who gave them these their Offices And farther to shew that Antichristianism here meant is not opposition to Christian Doctrine as such they are called deceivers that is such as did make profession that way for how else could an open enemy deceive Appearing yet more plainly to be such by St. Iohns former description they went out from us c. meaning they had been of the same outward profession And that Antichristianism is opposition to the precepts of love and not matters of Faith appears also by St. Iohns former description where the spirit of Antichrist being said not to be of God he afterwards makes Antichristianism to consist in disobedience he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error And then goes on with the description of who is of God beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Which last words do knit up the mystical perfection of Charity and shew how from that all things are united and take place For from the love of God his Creation and benificence to Creatures did proceed and through the inward plantation of Charity and love in Creatures providence towards them had its being also And again all Creatures according to its measure in themselves received from God came to be more or less participant or resembling of him that is God-like And therefore if God so loved us as not onely to estate us happy but to restore us fallen we ought also to love one another For since no wan hath seen God at any time that is cannot personally requite him if we love one another that is his next image in our brother God dwelleth in us and his love is perfect in us for he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him And then follows our innocence thereupon herein is
from that of another is but because they do proportionably differ in their belief and judgements in matters of Doctrine and Discipline must it not then be presumed that so far as the members of each Christian Church shall decline in their reverential regard towards their Churches soundness and veracity even so far will they conquently judge it fit to divide themselves by seperate Congregations or the like whereupon since a Christian Church and State are but the same as heretofore proved it will soon be found that this schism in the Church will be the same with a revolt in the State and wants but strength and opportunity to actuate its dislike into a rebellion For although they may at first for a countenance to their actions and to draw in associates make use of that deceivable distinction of Religious and Civil affairs and so pretend that they intend not at all to trench on the Civil jurisdiction yet when by strength of Allies and Confederates they shall once have arrived at their desired degree of power it will then appear that they which at first did intreat to be independent in relation to the Church will now practise to be so in reference to the State too and so by degrees to be super-eminent and command in both For must it not be expected that that thirst of ambition and rule by them called Zeal and Charity which first caused them to draw in sectators as the objects and trophies of their glory and power should ever stoop to any stint or moderation afterwards whenas in order to spiritual things and religious cognizance it is so easie a matter to draw in State affairs also and then as Christs immediate Ministers to preside in them without controle And must it not then be expected that that greater and higher tye of terror and fear by which men are kept in obedience as in a religious subjection must also make them in case of difference with their civil head to seem regardless of terror from him as having but power over the body onely and so consequently stick fast to the obedience of the other against him For if the separation was not at first made upon such grounds as were hazardous of salvation why was it made and being made and continued how can it be expected they should be thought less so that when opportunity shall leave men at liberty which side to follow they will certainly choose that which they acknowledge for right in the main Although some have in these cases stept in with an Apology and thought tolleration of dissent from the Church allowable where a breach of Charity was not presently made by schism but the points in question were meerly speculative yet will the example of the Arrians and others of old and the Remonstrants and others of late truely satisfie us of the danger hereof and how by degrees it will also arise to Civil faction and commotion For in this case as formerly noted the discontented preacher is to be looked upon as fire and the people in their natural thirst to dislike and insubjection to be looked upon as fewel And therefore although instance may be made and hope may be gathered that these Tolerations have not arisen to a Civil war yet can none make instance nor reasonably presume that publike discontents should not be hereby exasperated and encreased even to a due height and fitness to break forth into open insurrection upon any fit opportunity For as in our bodies natural there is an amassment of corrupt humors and habits from intemperance and irregularity of diet exercise c. before some extraordinary cold or the like discover any thing in a Feaver or other formal disease Even so they should do well to consider that Civil war and Rebellion in States and Kingdoms are never to be feared to work to any strength or continuance where there is not a precedent amassment of discontents by which there may be a juncture made to obstruct the ordinary course of Regiment upon a revolt and it is in this case to be highly observable that the discontents of Religion are ever chief and ringleaders For as it is natural for mankinde to know so also to be known to know in such sort that we many times covet to know but through pride to appear knowing it must therefore be presumed that the Authors and Abetters of each Sect and Congregation seeking to make themselves famous by the number and quality of those proselites they shall gain from one another that therefore in order to this encrease and that of their own reputation they must vilifie and deprave the Judgement and Practise of their opposites and thereby of necessary consequence draw on exasperation and breach of Charity and if the separation be made from the whole Church it must introduce disobedience also For Faith Love and Obedience as they have a natural Coincidence where there is some equal respect carryed towards them so have they as necessary a separation and loss where any of them is slighted or omitted For as that Love and Obedience we are to give to God doth depend on that belief we have of his Power Goodness and Truth so also doth that respect and obedience which we are to give to the Church his representative power on earth depend on our perswasion of its veracity and Authority So that if men can be once brought to to dis-believe her soundness or insufficiency even so far as her communion may be hazardous and damnable Obedience to her in any sort is not to be long expected And therefore although God have reserved to himself the Prerogative of trying the heart and reins and Princes can have no Cognizance and jurisdiction over the thoughts and belief of men yet so far as these their thoughts and perswasions do by words or actions make open tendendency to the seduction of others in a course of sedition contrary to the rules of Charity so far are they censurable by the present Higher Power And in this case Saint Pauls Admonition will be proper unto them hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God that is let not the desire of eminence and practise in thy different judgement make thee neglectful of Charity and those things that make for Peace as is largely in that chapter set down but rather know that for this very end thou art for conscience sake also to be subject to the higher power as is also largely commanded in the Chapter foregoing And although it be true again that in many matters of Religion Princes cannot command as Law-makers and in their own names as in more civil matters he doth yet as the supreme Magistrate entrusted from above with the interpretation and execution of these Laws and Rules he may command under God with the same authority which a High Constable Lieutenant or other Supreme State Officer doth in the absence of himself And upon the same reason that Civil Laws would be fond and useless things if