deprive our selves of that joy comfort and good we might receive by Christian unity and order Since therefore God is the Author of good agreement and order since we are all of the same family and houshold of God since we are fellow members of the same body fellow stones of the same building and fellow-soldiers of the same band since we have the same Father God the same Mother the Church the same enemies weapons cause and expect the same crown since in Christs Kingdom lambs Isa 11. 6. and wolves agree Labour we for peace and to uphold in this house in this Kingdom fold and family unity and order In contentions therefore deal like neighbours in State business like subjects in other mens sins like Christians in all humane things as just men and in all we do be careful to observe order 1. That all things may be done decently and in order lay aside pride passion prejudice and pragmatical dealing in things out of our Calling for when meer Mechanicks from the anvile thimble needle yea from tinkering and tapstering presume to sit in Moses chair to be dictators and reformers It is sure against order and a cause of much disorder 2. That all things may be done decently and in order by no means have a prejudicate opinion against the Governours of the Church I mean the Bishops they having been therein in and since the Apostles times St. James at Jerusalem St. Peter at Antioch St. Mark at Alexandria c. And after them such Worthies of the Church St. Augustine Bishop of Hippo Chrysostom of Constantinople Ambrose of Millain Cyprian of Carthage c. Fulgentius Palladius and Finan Bishops in Scotland before Antichrist three Luther pag. 41. British Bishops at the famous Councel of Nice Aristobuluâ— one of the seventy Disciples as we are informed a Bishop in Britain And of the nine and twenty Clergy men Mantyrs in Queen Maries dayes five were Bishops and one Arch-Deacon Such hath been the Government of the Church in and since the Apostles time and if some have been faulty personal faults may not annihilate needful functions 3. That all things may be done decently and in order let us better esteem of things appointed by our Church for unity edification and order and not causelesly run into factions and fraternities scandalous to the Gospel dangerous to our selves Obj. 1 Some I know will say to obey and observe order in things commanded by authority is against conscience Answ That Magistrates have power to command is cleer Rom. 13. 1. Surely then they may make Laws they being called powers surely such receive force from God they being ordained of God surely such bind since we must be subject v. 5. and surely violaters sin since resisters receive damnation v. 2. Obj. 2 But I am perswaded that such and such particulars are unlawful 1. If the thing commanded is simply unlawful as to worship Answ the golden image if the thing it self is lawful yet obedience to that lawful thing to some puts upon a necessity of sinning as when single life lawful to some is imposed to such who have not the gift of continency If indifferents are commanded as necessary as meritorious and as the substantials of Religion such commands lose their force yet not so but all commands of Magistrates wanting authority of the Word ought not to be disobeyed with scandal and contempt Even Heathen persecuting Kings had such authority from God that Christians were to pray for them and obey 1 Tim. â— 1 2. them commanding things lawful actively commanding things unlawful passively 2. You say you are perswaded they are unlawful this makes them not to be so If there is no rule from the word for their unlawfulness there is no place for your disobedience but the command to obey is sufficient warrant to obey It is a great mistake to swallow Camels sins and to scruple at matters indifferent not once pretended to be against the word they being also commanded by authority and that such we are to obey upon no better grounds than such they are contrary to our fancy humour opinion or Christian liberty as pretended for Christian liberty consists in freedom from sin from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God the yoak of Mosaical rites and an obligation There is a glorious liberty which is celestial in heaven Rom. 8. 21. On earth there is a liberty temporal 1 Cor. 10. 29. This liberty is best when â—ffence is neither given nor taken There is a liberty spiritual Joh. 8. 36. which consists in deliverance from evil from sin from the punishment of the Law Rom. 8. 1. Col. 3. 13. from the strict observation of the Law which saith do and live freedom in respect of God to have free access to serve him in the Name of Christ Rom. 5. 2. To serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness Luk. 1. 74. and freedom in respect of the creatures to use or not to use our dominion lost by Adam it being restored by Christ so that all are ours 1 Cor. 3. 22. all being pure to the pure Rom. 14. 14. There is also a carnal liberty to swear to lye to slander to serve God when and how men list to shun Gods Ordinances and publick Meetings and this is a liberty stood for by some whereas this is no Christian liberty but a dissolute licentiousness for notwithstanding our liberty we must pay debts and perform duties to whom debts or duties belong Scripture mentions a good a cleer a pure a purged a weak an evil and a feared conscience If the conscience for which men plead liberty loves divisions which God hates it is but a bad conscience of conscience to the things indifferent as substantials As for liberty of conscience so much desired of some who know not what they desire I could shew how John Becold Nicholas Stock Mancer and others pleaded for and obtained the desired liberty but having power in their hands they would not grant the same to others And sure we may remember how some would not grant it to others who are now most desirous of it themselves But who I pray should have liberty of conscience Sure I am it is not agreed upon by those who have written earnestly for the same Some would have it granted to all conscientious men only but who are they some not to such who sin against the light of nature and reason and here will be some doubt And some would have it granted to all men in all Nations whereas if to all what confusion if to some only what dissension Concerning things indifferent as such things are which I may lawfully do or use as I may forbear from or drink wine ale beer or water I may cloath my self with woollen or linnen I may use the gestures of sitting standing kneeling so long as I am at liberty for a Christian is sometimes to moderate his liberty in the use of things indifferent of which there
England as unchristian and persecuting was constrained to mention as I have done 3. And in thus doing I imitate a good President St. Paul who names in his writings especially to the Corinthians his own sufferings and from them also For my self I was glad I had such a living to lose for so good a cause and an heart so willing to part with it I in so doing finding the truth of a saying Ministers portion p. 208. in Dr. Sclater Affliction is the best tutor to devotion And such experiences of Gods mercies to me and mine that I was as all who knew me can testifie patient content and cheerful And since my return which is eighty ears I have not shewed the least dislike to those who outed me and therefore now being scarce able to go and shortly to end my pilgrimage I hope I shall cherish no such hellish vermin as malice and desire of revenge in my heart but endeavour to live with such love and peace which are the furtherers to that future love peace and joy which are for ever Should any question why I make so much use of Mr. Ball and some old Non-Conformists of Mr. Bayly and other later Presbyterians most men without my telling may conjecture rightly â—ecause such mens sayings will sooner prevail with those I deal withal than of the Fathers and other Divines As also because men may see the vast difference betwixt them and those whose so lowers they pretend to â—e when in truth they are followers of Mr. Barrow Greenwood â—â—d such of the separation who had Mr. Ball Mr. Brinsly c. old Non-Conformists Mr. Edwards Mr. Bayly c. late Presbyterians their great opposers JAM 1. 16. Do not err my Beloved Brethren THE three last Lords dayes I preached unto you of conscience I shewed you what it is the kinds of it how it is God's Officer what its duty is and what its rule That we are not to take all for conscience which pretends to be so And since conscience is in every one and it will live with us for ever that we should be careful to have our consciences such that we and they may have peace and comfort and that for this end we should endeavour to have our consciences enlightned faithful lively and not blind slothful dead or erroneous therefore I purpose to shew you what it is to err the danger of error and in the words of St. James disswade you from it Do not err c. The Apostle having disswaded from thinking God to be the Author of sin an horrid blasphemy he perswades them Psal 119. 176. Isa 63. 17. not to err or wander a Metaphor taken from sheep going astray Errors are of two sorts 1. In practise going from the Word the Rule of righteousness erring from God's wayes 2. In judgment going off from the Word as the standard and measure of truth which we commonly call error To make way to what I intend I will lay down some few Propositions I. Proposition The first That error is common to man ever since the fall of man It is evident how Adam and Eve erred and how their posterity smart for it is manifest yea how their posterity were polluted with error we see in Cain and in the old world for which the Lord sent the Deluge After which errors so abounded that Languages were confounded Sodom and Gomorrha turned into ashes After the Lord chose Abrahâ—m and his seed to be his peculiar people they soon erred in Egypt in the Wilderness and in Canaan worshipping Calves and Baal yea sacrificing their children to Devils When our Saviour Christ was upon earth how oft doth he check for erring not knowing the Scriptures How oft doth he confute the errors of the Scribes Pharisees and Saduces What warnings and caveats doth he give to us Mat. 7. 15. Mat. 24. 24. Act. 8. 9 13 18. 2 Tim. 2. i7 Rev. 2. 14 15 20. 2 Cor. 11. 13. Gal. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 1. Rom. 16. 17. Eph 4. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 2 2 Tim. 3. 1 2. 2 Tim. 4. 3 to beware of false Prophets in sheeps cloathing and acquaint us with the danger of such After our Saviours ascending into heaven errors did abound notwithstanding the pains and piety of the Apostles Simon Magus bewitched the people Elymas also with Hymineus and Philetus Some in the Asian Churches held the doctrine of Balaam some of the Nicolaitans and some the filthy follies of Jezabel The Corinthians were drawn from the doctrine of the truth by false Apostles The Galâ—tians bewitched from the truth The Philippians in great danger The Romans staggered with such who caused divisions and the Ephesians subject to be carried about with every wind of doctrine The Apostle also foretels of swarms of errors which should be and how men will not endure sound doctrine but after their lusts heap to themselves teachers having itching ears turning their ears from the truth and be turned to fables Since which all ages shew how this was fulfilled for in the first hundred years after Christ many gross errors abounded as the Symoniani of Simon Magus the Hyminei of Hymineus and Philetus The Nazareni so called of the City Nazareth See opus Epiphanii de Haresib Augustin de Haeresib Tom. 8. The Menandriani of Menander Scholar to Magus The Ebionites of Ebion whom St. John confuted The Nicolaitans of Nicholas one of the seven Deacons The Cerinthii of Cerinthus whom St. John called the first-born of Satan The Saturniani of Saturnus The Basilidians of Basilides c. In the second century after Christ there sprung up above thirty several sorts of which number were the Maritae of Marus who called themselves perfect yea more perfect than Peter and Paul They denied Christ's taking humane nature and the resurrection of the flesh About this time also arose the Gnosticks so called because of their excellent knowledge in their own opinions although but vain By others they were called Barbaritae because of their wickedness and filthiness They fancied two souls in each good man one holy of the substance of God the other adventitious which is in man as in other creatures They taught the being of two Gods the one good the other evil That Martyrdom was not to be undertaken for Christ They worshipped the Images of Christ and had images in as great esteem as Pagans their Gods In the third Century there arose about twenty sorts of Heresies of which I will name two The Catharists so called from their sanctity in their own opinion they gloried of merits of their good works they denied repentance to such who fell through infirmity and condemned second marriages as unlawful The Donatists also of Donatus who affirmed the Church of God on earth to be without spot None to be compelled to live well Hereticks not to be repressed by Magistrates That the worthiness of the Sacrament is from the holiness of him who gives it That persons baptized by the Orthodox are to be rebaptized
not fasting but after supper and must the deliverer wash the receivers feet 2. Christ did not make his example our pattern in such circumstances of time Communicants gesture c. but left his to be guided by his Church in all matters of comeliness and order We read of St. Pauls setting things in order yea seeming to cross the order of Christ forbidding the Corinthians to sup before 1 Cor. 11. 21. And the Church in St. Augustines time did receive the Communion fasting Epist 18. Chap. 6. he saith the whole Church the world over received it fasting that Christ left the manner of receiving to the Apostles that they appointed it to be received fasting and that the altering of the receiving of it after supper to take it fasting was the Ordinance of the holy Ghost for the honour of the Sacrament to have it enter before any external meat Object Christ did sit Mat. 26. 20. Answ Christ did not sit as we do but according to the custom of those Eastern Countreys did administer as the Passeover so his Supper lying on the floor upon couches Esth 1. 6. Mr. Beza from Josephus concludes that they did lye upon couches that one lay upon his next fellow with their feet laid outward And the Greek word shews as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 26. 20. Macc. 14. 18. Joh. 13. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to sit upon a bed to take meat after the ancient custom And in Luk. 22 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to lye along to lye down The posture was therefore leaning or lying along not sitting besides the gesture was changed from God's appointment Exod. 12. 11. Obj. What Christ did not we must not do Christ did not kneel therefore we may not Answ Christ did not give it in the morning nor to Lay-men to no women not in a Church Christ did not give nor the Apostles receive it standing nor sitting as not kneeling therefore he left such particulars to the wisdom of the Church to order are agreed since what Christ did and commanded us to do we must do 2. What Christ did not we must not do what not baptize not communicate with women What Christ did we must do what take after Supper with a Lamb only with twelve 3 Some things Christ did as God some as Mediator some as man and as man he did many things necessary for us to follow him and he did some actions as man indifferent left free not for our imitaion 4. Churches who understand the duty and gestures used by Christ better than such objectors leave all Churches to their liberty not particular members in them to theirs and hence it is that some take it standing some kneeling and some as the Church of Poland either standing or kneeling but not allowing sitting because the wicked Arrians receive it sitting as implying their equality with Christ as man or at least derogatory from his divinity as God Our Rubrick shews there is no adoration of the Elements and it is manifest that adoration came not in amongst the Papists until after Transubstantiation which came in about 1215. and adoration about 1226. nor did Honorius appoint adoration to be used in the act of receiving but at the elevation and when carried about I pray suppose a Malefactor may have his pardon sealed with many priviledges to boot provided he will take it upon his knees not else and he will rather die than take it so because some take it on horse-back others sitting would not men condemn his stubbornneâ—s and say he justly perished Apply it I pray Oh my beloved brethren shall we deprive our selves of this sign to present this seal to confirm and this means to convey Christ and his benefits to us for we know not what for an harmless gesture savouring of humility in our selves and obedience to Governours which Mr. Beza calls a shewing Epist 12. opusc tom 3. pag. 2â—0 of holy Christian adoration Is this our thankfulness to God for planting us in the most flourishing Church in the world Is this our respect we bear to our first Reformers who sealed the Reformation with their blood and to such who have happily defended it Is this the care and love we have to our selves to quarrel at and deprive our selves of God's Ordinances for an harmless gesture Is the Communion a badge of Christianity and shall we be ashamed of Christianity so of Christ Is it a means to feed and nourish our souls spiritually and shall we slight it as not needing such nourishment Are we to receive to testifie our thankfulness for the death of Christ for which we can never be sufficiently thankful and shall we think much to do it Is our coming to the Lord's Table to testifie our Communion with God with Christ with his Spirit and Church and to increase the same that we may live more in unity love and concord and shall we neglect it 5. The Church enjoyns all to come to the prayers of the Church decently and in order And this is agreeable to all reformed Churches who have their forms To the ancient Church of the Jews meeting solemnly at their hours of prayers and to the directions of God Numb 6. 23. Deut. 26. 3 5. Mr. Calvin hath his reasons for set forms in publick an help for the weak to keep uniformity c. In Epist ad Protector Angliae yet alas we have with us who say they are abominable stumbling blocks walking with crutches c. yet such were appointed by God and our Saviour and used by the Prophets and Apostles Consider whether is better to pray with consideration or without whether he doth best who deliberates or he who doth not whether we can pray beter than Scripture prayers Although we may enlarge and vary them to make them more particular and pertinent to our personal occasions Whether he who prayes devoutly the Lord's prayer doth not pray with the Spirit since Christs Spirit taught it whether it is not as fit to offer ex tempore preaching to the people as ex tempore prayer to God See Mr. Durel pag. 64 184. And as for the prayers of our Church we have the approbation of the Reformed Churches And I have read that Gilbertus a German propounds ours for a sample of the forms of the ancient Chuâ—ch We have also the approbation of an Army of Martyrs Mr. Sanders in a Sermon affirms that the service set forth by King Edward was good because according to God's Word and the order of the primitive Church Dr. Tayler saith that that book was so fully perfected according to the Rules of Christian Religion that no Cristian conscience could be offended with any thing therein contained Bishop Ridley a little before his Martyrdom hearing that Mr. Knox did fault the Common-Prayer-Book said Alas that brother Knox could not bear with our Common-Prayer a man of parts and wit as he is may produce popular arguments against it yet I suppose
commended by Mr. Perkins in his cases of conscience and they were constantly in the primitive times Tertullian mentions them as agreeable to the custom of the Church in which custom there is nothing evil or dishonest it proceeds from charity it makes for the edification of the Church and it tends to the profit of the child Junius and Tremelius derive it from Isa 8. 2. But what need we seek the beginning of an Ordinance so good tending to so much piety Infants are baptized into the faith and bosom of the Church which therefore requires certain persons honest and pious to undertake to see what is promised to be performed and to take care for the religious education of children which were it rightly observed how flourishing a Church should we have Obj. 1 That belongs to Parents it is their duty Answ It doth Suppose a man oweth an hundred pounds the debt is his yet the Creditor for more assurance will have other able men bound the obligation lyeth on them although the debt is his So likewise it is the Parents debt and duty to see that the child be religiously educated yet the charity of the Church is such as to require greater security Parents being too often defective The debt remains the Parents and there is a tye upon the Sureties Obj. 2 This is used but as a form or custom Answ The more is the pity if so and so is Religion with many 2 Tim. 3. 5. yet is not true Religion at all the worse Obj. 3 Tâ—ey who are God-fathers and God-mothers do no such duty Answ The charity of the Church is not to be faulted for mens failings Their negligence is to be lamented the use not to be condemned Obj. 4 They who understood themselves and are conscious will undertake no such charge impâ—ssible to be kept Answ This is a rash censure and an ignorant slander of the Church whose intention is to have none but knowing and conscientious persons who may and will perform what is promised The charge also given to them is of things necessary pious good and possible neither God nor man requiring impossibilities but pious endeavours The institution is therefore good although by some peoples carelessness it degenerates into formality the common bane of sacred things Some love to quarrel with that which others do and like nothing but their own fancies 1. I beseech you all to take heed you stand not against order Applicat and so sin in disobeying lawful authority reproaching Peter de Moulin Epist 36. quotes Beza saying many things may yea and must be born with which are not rightly enjoyned for spiritual liberty lyeth not in the outward act but in the intention and belief If a thing in it self be enjoyned to us it must neither be obeyed in the act nor assented to in the understanding and the will But if the thing be indifferent in it self and yet seem in the jâ—dgment inconvenient we may and must do it and neither wrong our liberty nor our conscience for in such cases our actions are limitted although our consciences be free and the superior power may bind us in soro exteriori and leave us free in soro interiori wherein Christian liberty lyeth and cites a place in Calvins Instit lib. 4. cap 20. Artic. 1. spiritual liberty and political bondage will stand well together And let not the consequence trouble you as long as the thing commanded is lawful in it self we are not answerable of the consequence that may follow but they who command it And we who move in the orbe of obedience must quietly follow the motions of the highâ—r sphear of authority To push against it inconsiderately under pretence of God's service is dashing the second Table against the first and breaking both and cites Beza Epist 24. saying That man abuseth Christian liberty or rather is sold under sin who will not with a free will obey in the Lord his Magistrates or Superiors and seeketh not to edifie the consciences of his Brethren the Church as if it imposed things unlawful disturbing the peace of the Church advantaging Papists our discords being their musick scandalizing the Gospel and hindring the edification of our brethren as they do who think it Religion enough to speak against lawful established order 2. My Brethren of the Clergy we preach for edification for order See we that our selves be not disorderly in our lives It was said of Origen and may of many more that his teaching and living were alike Sure it is a blessed thing when Ministers lives put not their words to the blush as when much heavenly doctrine sounds from them in peoples ears and there is little in the preachers heart when there is holiness in the Preachers Books but none in their bosoms Preachers should shew themselves patterns of the rules they prescribe it being an excellent commendation when Preachers lives are Commentaries of their doctrine when their exemplary Sermons consist of living words or words translated into works For as Jovinian the Emperor said to the Orthodox and Arrian Bishops I cannot judge of your doctrine but I can judge of your lives I can see who is most peaceable and innocent So we cannot but know that people can better judge of our doings than of our doctrine and are sooner led to evil by the one than to good by the other You know who saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth and hatest to be reformed Thou who teachest another teachest thou not thy self And you know who pronounceth such to be inexcusable Psa 50. 16 Rom. 2. 21 Rom. 2. 1. Sure it will be an heavy sentence to hear Out of thine own mouth I will condemn thee we therefore who preach against sin see we draw not men to sin by our bad examples be not we negligent in reading preaching catechising administring the Sacraments c. Be not we vain and vitious in our lives but careful to walk decently and in order 3. Church-Wardens you are chosen to reform disorders to see all things to be done decently and in order and to bind you hereunto you have an oath a strong and sacred tye yea such that God will be a swift witness against will Mal. 3. 3. Zech. 5. 4. send a curse to consume the house of the false swearer Take heed what you do If you know in your Parishes such who will not come to Communions to the Prayers of the Church to nothing done there at all who will not have their children baptized nor their children and servants catechised c. and you regard not such things surely you are regardless of your oaths and of order 4. And I humbly pray you by whose authority we are here assembled to make it appear that you come hither to have all things done decently and in order Some I hope slanderously say you come hither for money but I presume and perswade my self you come seriously to reform mens