relying upon his Conduct dâ—an Mercies respecting this Life and that to come This is in Scripture called the Gift of God and well it may for it is Supernatural It crosses the Pride Confidence and Lust of man It grows out of the Seed of Love sown by God in the Heart at least it works by Love and this distinguishes it from the Faith of Ill Men and Devils that though they do believe they don't Love God above all but something else instead of God and are full of Pride Anger Cruelty and all manner of Wickedness But this Faith that works by Love that Divine Love which God plants in the Heart it inclines Man and gives him Power to forsake all that displeaseth God and every such Believer becomes an Enoch Translated that is Changed from the Fashion of this World the Earthly Image the Corrupt Nature and is renewed in the Likeness of the Son of God and walks with God The Just shall live by Faith they have in all Ages liv'd by this Faith that is been sustain'd supported preserved the Devil within nor the World without could never conquer them They walked not by Sight but by Faith they had regard to the Eternal Recompense No Visible things prevailed with them to depart from the Invisible God to quench their Love or slacken their Obedience to him the Great Testimony of their Faith in him This Holy Faith excludes no Age of the World the Just Men thâ— Cornelius's in every Generation have had some degree of it 't was more especially the Faith of the Simpler Ages of the World such as those in whom the Patriarchs lived who having not an Outward Law became a Law to themselves and did the things contained in the Law for they believed in God and through Faith obtained a good Report But because that it hath pleased God in Order to Man's Recovery from that grievous Laps Disobedience had cast him into at sundry times and in divers manners to appear to the Sons of men first by his Prophets and last of all by his Son that these several Manifestations have had something peculiar to them very remarkable in them so that they claim a place in our Creed It will not be amiss that we briefly consider them The first was that of the Prophets in which Moses preceded by whom the Law came to the Jews but Grace and Truth to mankind by Jesus Christ The first brought Condemnation the last Salvation the one Judgment the other Mercy which was glad Tidings indeed The one did fore-run the other as in Order of Time so in Nature of Dispensations the Law was the Gospel begun the Gospel the Law fulfilled or finisht They cannot be parted The Decalogue or Ten Commandments were little more than what had been known and practised before for it seem'd but an Epitome and Transcript of the Law writ in Man's heart by the Finger of God This is confest on all hands and in all Ages since This therefore must needs be a Part of our Creed for it relates to that Righteousness which is Indispensible and Immutable The other part of their Constitution that was peculiar to their Politic Typical and Mutable the Gospel is either Unconcerned in it or else ended it by the bringing in of a more Enduring Substance But Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Grace is opposed to the Condemnation of the Law and Truth to Shadows This is the most-Excellent Dispensation it is ours and it becomes us to weigh well our Interest in it God who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son For God so loved the World that after all the World's Provocations by Omissions and Commissions he gave his Only Begotten Son into the World that the World through him might be saved And here Two Things present themselves to our Consideration First the Person who he was what his Authority Secondly his Message his Doctrine what he Taught which though never so Reasonable in it self depended very much in its Entertainment among the People upon the Truth of his Mission and Authority that he was no Impostor but came from God the Promised Messiah This was done Two Ways by Revelation and by Miracles By Revelation to such as were as well prepared and inclined as honest Peter the Woman of Samaria and those that were mov'd to believe him from the Authority in which he spake so Unlike that of the Formal Scribes By Miracles to those that being blinded by Ignorance or Prejudice needed to have their senses struckwith such Supernatural Evidences from many of whom this Witness came that he was the MESSIAH the Christ and SON of GOD. In fine all was done within the Compass of People among whom he daily conversed that was needful to prove he was from God and had God's Message to declare to the World Insomuch that when some of his Disciples were not so firm in their Belief of his Authority as he deserved at their hands he calls his own Works to prove his Commission and convict them of Infidelity If ye will not believe that the Father is in me that he doth these Works by me believe me for the very Works sake Thus he argued with the Jews Say ye of him the Father hath sanctified and sent into the World thou Blasphèmest because I said I am the Son of God if I do not the Works of my Father believe me not this is reasonable he that will Judge the World offers to be Tryed himself he goes on But if I do though ye believe not me believe the Works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me And he laid the Sin of the Jews upon this Foot viz. That they rejected him after he had made proof of his Divine Mission by such Extraordinary Works As no men among them all could do which to give them their Due they do not deny but shamefully pervert and foolishly abuse by attributing them to the Power of the Devil To which Malice and Slander he returned this Inconfutable Answer A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand What! cast out Devils by the Prince of Devils 't is a Contradition very Madness it self I have nothing to do now with Atheists or those that call themselves Theists but such as own themselves Christians and shall therefore keep to my Task namely What of the Christian Dispensation is so Peculiar and Important as to challenge of Right the Name of Articles of Faith I say then That the Belief of Jesus of Nazareth to be the Promis'd Messiah the Son and Christ of God sent to restore and save Mankind is the first and was then the Only requisite Article of Faith without any Large Confessions or an Heap of Principles or Opinions resolv'd upon after Curious and Tedious Debates by Councils or Synods and this may be proved both by Example and Doctrine It
AN ADDRESS TO PROTESTANTS UPON THE Present Conjuncture In II. Parts By a Protestant William Penn. Printed in the Year 1679. TO THE READER Sober Reader THe Present Affairs of this Kngdom are upon a Strong and Unusual Motion to what Point they tend or where they will Center must rest with God that only is Omniscient This makes it Hard either to Write or Speak perhaps I shall be able to do neither without Disadvantage to my self but I will do it with as little to the Matter as I can And truly I say it with some Comfort the Clearing of an Opprest yet Peaceable Conscience prevails more with me than the Safety of Silence And yet I have no Reason to think there is an Hazard in the Case when the Publick Fast secures the Undertaking and that I am sure I propose nothing for my End besides the Glory of Almighty God the Good of Mankind and more especially the Peace and Happiness of my own Country In which if I succeed not it is no more than what hath befallen the Endeavours of Most Excellent Persons we must not measure our Duty by Success Being therefore not discouraged in my self and having a strong Hope that Almighty God will favour this Honest Address with his Blessing I beseech thee Reader peruse it with a Serious and Composed Mind and with that Meekness and Charity which becomes a True Protestant and a Christan to have Thine in Sincerity for the Publick Good W. Penn. AN ADDRESS TO PROTESTANTS UPON THE Present Conjuncture My Friends and Country-men IF ye believe that there is a God that he is Holy Just and Good that he Made us that we Owe our selves to him that he is not Careless of us but the Constant Observer of our Thoughts and Actions and that as he is the Rewarder of them that fear love and obey him so he is the severe Punisher of all such as transgress his Law and break his Righteous Commandments if I say ye believe these things and not only that there is a Final Day of Reckoning but that God even in this World recompences his Judgments upon the Wicked and visit Nations with his hot Displeasure because of their Impiety which hath been the Experience and Confession of all Ages then it belongs to us of these Kingdoms to reflect upon our selves and to take a true View of our Actions since Divine Vengeance is at the door And for the Lords sake let us have a Care in the doing of it since God will not be mocked and that our miscarriage in such an Inquiry will be as only our own Infelicity so of infinite Moment to us I must needs be Plain and Earnest here for if we miscarry in the Search we shall certainly miscarry in the Cure Sin gives the deadliest of all Wounds to Mankind I grieve to say it but 't is too true there is no Wound so slightily healed we rather seek our Ease than our Security like those Fools that love the pleasantest not the safest Potions It is ill at all times to flatter a Man's Self but it is most Fatal about Repentance Something men would keep something men would hide and yet they have to do with that Searcher of Hearts from whom its impossible they should hide any thing This Folly increases our Account endangers our Cure and makes our Condition Desperate if not Irrecoverable O England my Native Country Come to Judgment bring thy deeds to the true Light see whether they are wrought in God or no. Put not off thy self with Hay Straw and Stubble for they will burn and the Fire is at the Door that will consume them he is coming whose Reward is with him and will give every one according to his Works Let us therefore Examine our selves Try our selves Prove our own selves whether Christ be in us or not if his Spirit his Nature his Meekness his Patience his great Self-denyal dwell in us if not we are yet Reprobates yet under the Reproofs of the Almighty the Charge and Guilt of Sin and his Witness in our own Consciences sends up Evidence to Heaven against us every day this I justly fear and take to be our Case Let us therefore strictly look into our Conversations and with an impartial Eye take a view of those Sins that most severely Cry to the Great Judge against us And they appear to me to be of Two Sorts the one relating more particularly to the State the other to the Church if I may without Offence use that Distinction for my Witness is with God I intend not Provocation but Edification Those Impieties that relate more particularly to the State to correct are Drunkenness Whoredoms and Fornication Excess in Apparel in Furniture and in Living Profuse Gaming and finally Oaths Prophaneness and Blasphemy Drunkenness or Excess in Drinking is not only a Violation of God's Law but of our own Natures it doth of all other Sins rob us of our Reason deface the Impressions of Vertue and extinguish the Remembrance of God's Mercies and our own Duty It fits men for that which they would abhor if Sober The Incest Murder Robberies Fires and other Villanies that have been done in Drunken Fits make Drunkenness a Common Enemy to Humane Society It renders men unfit for Trust or Business it tells Secrets betrays Friendship disposes men to be Trappanded and Cheated Finally it spoils Health weakens Humane Race and above all provokes the Just God to Anger who cried thus of Old Wo to the Drunkards of Ephriam the Drunkards of Ephriam shall be trodden under feet they have erred through Wine and through Strong Drink are out of the Way the Priest and the Prophet have erred through Strong Drink they erred in Vision they stamble in Judgment Again Wo unto them that are Mighty to drink Wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink Wo unto them that rise up early in the Morning that they may follow strong drink that continue until night till Wine inflame them and the Harp and the Viol the Tabret and the Pipe and Wine are in their Feasts but they regard not the Work of the Lord neither consider the Operations of his hands Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her Mouth without measure and their Glory and their Multitude and their Pomp and he that rejoyces shall descend into it Yet you will bear me witness I do not wrong the present Humor of too many in this Nation and those not of the lowest Quality in saying that it is too often the beginning and top of their Friendship it is their Common Diversion and Entertainment I might safely say the Poor of England could be maintain'd by their Excess Oh! hath the God of Heaven given men Plenty for such Ends or will this kind of Improvement of their Worldly Talent give them Peace in the Day of Judgment But that men should do all this without shame nay glory in it too is greatly to be lamented for 't is not only
is evident from Example as in the Case of Peter who for having believed in his heart and confest with his Mouth That JESUS was the Christ and SON of GOD obtained that Signal Blessing Mat. 16. This made Nathaniel a Disciple Rabbi said he thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel It was the like Confession that made amends for Thomas's Incredulity when he was sensibly assured of the Resurrection of Jesus My Lord and my God This was also the Substance of Martha's Confession of Faith to Jesus when he said to her I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeeth in me shall never dye believest thou this She answered Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God which should come into the World She answered him not as to that Particular of the Resurrection but in General that he was the Christ the MESSIAH that was to come into the World and that suffised 'T was a Confession not unlike to this that the Blind Man made to whom Christ gave Sight when Jesus said but to him Dost thou believe on the Son of God Lord said he I do believe and be worshipped him What shall we say of the rare Faith of the Centurion preferred by Christ himself before any in Israel though a Gentile the Faith of the Woman and Inhabitants of Samaria that he was the Messiah of that Importunate Woman that cryed to Jesus To cast a Devil out of her possest Daughter and would not be put off to whom Christ said O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt To which let me add the Faith of the People that brought the Man Sick of the Palsy to Christ who uncover'd the Roof to let him down to be toucht The Faith of Jairus the Ruler and of that Good Woman who pressed through the Croud to touch the Hem of Christ's Garment to whom Jesus said Be of good Comfort Daughter thy Faith has made Thee whole Also the Two Blind Men that followed him out of the Rulers House crying Thou Son of David have Mercy on us To whom when Jesus had said Believe ye that I am able to do this they Answered YEA LORD then touch'd he their Eyes and said According to your Faith be it unto you Also the Blind Man near Jericho The Leprous Samaritan that Christ cleansed And that Notable Passage of the Woman that kissed his Feet and anointed his Head to whom he pronounced this Happy Sentence Thy Faith hath saved thee go in Peace I will conclude this with that Famous Instance of the Thief upon the Cross who neither knew nor had time to make a Large Confession like the Creeds of these dayes but it seems he said enough Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise By which it is easie to learn that 't was the Heart not the Mouth the Sincerity not the Words that made the Confession Valid Nor was this only in the Days of Christ the Effect of his Gracious Dispensation or peculiar Indulgence After-times afford us the like Instances This was the main Bent of Peter's Sermon and when the Three thousand believed that he whom the Jews had crucified was both Lord and Christ and repented of their Sins and gladly received his Word they are said to have been in a State of Salvation Thus Cornelius and his Houshold and Kindred so soon as Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah and that they had believed the Holy Ghost fell upon them and they were received into the Christian Communion But the Story of the Eunuch is very pat to our purpose As he rid in his Charriot he was reading these words out of the Prophet Isaiah viz. That he was led as a Sheep to the Slaughter and like a Lamb dumb before the Shearers so opened he not his Mouth In his Humiliation his Judgment was taken away and who shall declare his Generation for his Life is taken from the Earth Philip joyn'd to him and askt him If he understood what he read he desired Philip to interpret the mind of the Prophet if he spoke of him self or another Philip upon the place preached to him Jesus the Eunuch was so well perswaded by the Apostle that coming to a Water he said What doth hinder me to be Baptized Philip answered him If thou believest with all thine heart thou may'st To this the Eunuch replyed I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Upon which he was Baptized and 't is said He went away rejoycing which indeed he might well do that felt the Comfort of his Faith the Remission of Sin and the Joys of the holy Ghost I will conclude these Examples with a Passage in the Acts of Paul at Thessalonica 't is this Paul as his manner was went in unto them and Three Sabbath-dayes reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Jesus said he whom I preach unto you is Christ And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas and of the devout Greeks a great multitude and of the Chief Women not a few Thus we may plainly see that they were Baptiz'd into the Faith of Jesus and not into Numerous Opinions and that this one Confession from true Faith in the heart was the ground Principle of their Church-fellowship then God's Church was at Peace she thrive there were then no Snares of Words made to catch Men of Conscience in Then not many Words but much Integrity now much Talk and little Truth Many Articles but O ye of little Faith Nor was this only the Judgment and Practice of that Time out of Condescension to Weakness and Charity to Ignorance for both Christ Jesus himself and his Apostles those blessed Messengers of holy Truth have doctrinally laid it down as the great Test to Christians that which should distinguish them from Infidels and justly entitle them to his Discipleship and Christian Communion one with another Then said they to Jesus what shall we do that we might work the Works of God Jesus answered and said to them This is the Work of God that ye BELIEVE ON HIM whom God hath sent Verily Verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life And upon another Occasion to the Jews he said For if ye believe not that I am HE ye shall die in your Sins It must follow then that if they did believe him to be the Messiah the Anointed of God to Salvation they should be saved Most plain is that Answer of the Apostles to the Goaler when he came trembling to them and said Sirs what must I do to be saved Believe said they on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved The Apostle
Paul confirms this in his Epistle to the Romans when he says If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved This was the Word of Faith which they preached and he testified that it was nigh in the heart as Moses had done before him And saith the Apostle John on this Occasion Who is a Lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God Again says he Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Yet once more he affirms Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God I will conclude these Doctrinal Testimonies out of Scripture with a Conclusive passage John useth towards the end of his Evangelical History of Jesus Christ And many other Signs truly did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life in his Name In which place Two things are remarkable First That whatever things are written of Jesus are written to this end that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ Secondly That those that sincerely believe shall through him obtain Eternal Life Certainly then if this be true great must their Incharity and Presumption be who have taken other measures and set another Rule of Christianity than Jesus and his Apostles gave This sincere Confession contented Christ and his Apostles but it will not satisfy those that yet pretend to believe them 't was enough then for a Miracle and Salvation too but it goes for little or nothing now A man may sincerely believe this and be stigmatiz'd for a Schismatick an Heretick an Excommunicate but I may say as Christ did to the Jews in another Case From the Beginning it was not so But I expect here to be Assaulted with this Objection If this be all that is necessary to be believed to Salvation of what use is the rest of Scripture I answer Of great Use as the Apostle himself teacheth us All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht unto all good Works It concerns the whole Life and Conversation of a Man but every passage in it is not therefore fit to be such an Article of Faith as upon which Christian Communion ought or ought not to be maintained For though it be all equally True it is not all equally Important There is a great Difference between the Truth and Weight of a thing For Example 'T is as True that Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate as that he suffered and that he was pierced as that he died and that he did eat after his Resurrection as that he rise from the Dead at all but no Person of common Understanding will conclude an Equal Weight or Concernment in these things because they are Equally True The Death of Christ was of much greater Value than the Manner of it his Resurrection than any Circumstance of his Appearance after he was risen The Question is not whether all the Truths contain'd in Scripture are not to be believed but Whether those Truths are Equally Important and if the Belief with the heart and Confession with the mouth that Jesus is the Christ and Son of God be not as sufficient now to entitle a man to Communion here and Salvation hereafter as in those times against which nothing can be of Weight objected If it be said that this Contradicts the Judgment and Practice of many great and good Men. I answer I can't help that If they have been tempted out of their own Curiosity or the Corruption of Times to depart from the Ancient Paths the Foot-steps of purest Antiquity and best Examples let their Pretences have been what they will 't is Presumption and it was Just with God that Error and Confusion should be the Consequence of those Adventures nor has it ever fail'd to follow them Lastly if it be alledg'd That this will take in all Parties yea that Schismaticks and Hereticks will creep in under this General Confession since few of them will refuse to make it I do say 'T would be an Happy Day What Man loves God and Christ seeks Peace and Concord that would not rejoice if all our Animosities and Vexations about Matters of Religion were buried in this one Confession of Jesus the great Author and Lord of the Christian Religion so often lost in pretending to contest for it View the Parties on Foot in Christendom among those called Protestants observe their Differences well and how they are generally maintain'd and you will tell me that they are rent and divided about their own Comments Consequences and Conclusions not the Text but the Meaning and that too which perhaps is not in it self Essential to Salvation as the Dispute betwixt the Lutherans and Calvinists the Arminians and Predestinarians and such like Is it not lamentable to think that those who pretend to be Christians and Reformed ones too should divide with the Winds and fight as proâ— Aris Focis for such things as either are not Expresly to be found in Scripture or if there yet never appointed or intended for such Prime Articles of Faith by Christ or his Apostles Should they then erect their Communion on another Bottom or break it for deviating from any other Doctrines than what they in terminis in so many words have deliver'd to us for necessary If we consider the Matter well I fear it will be found that the Occasion of Dâ—sturbance in the Church of Christ hath in most Ages been found to lie on the side of those who have had the Greatest Sway in it Very pertinent to our present Purpose is that Passage of J. Hales of Eaton in his Tract concerning Schism It hath saith he been the Common Disease of Christians from the Beginning not to content themselves with that Measure of Faith which God and Scriptures have expresly afforded us but out of a Vain Desire to know more than is Revealed they have attempted to DISCUSS THINGS of which we can have no Light neither from Reason nor Revelation Neither have they rested here but upon pretence of Church-Authority which is NONE or Tradition which for the most part
in the Holy Ghost and Christ tells us where it is to be set up The Kingdom of God is within you saith the King himself and where should the King be but in his own Kingdom they are blessed that feel him to Rule and that live under the swaying of his Righteous Scepter for when this Righteous One Rules the Earth the Sons of Men rejoyce So that no Man can truly Confess and rightly Believe Jesus to be the Christ and Son of God that do's not receive him to be his King to rule his Heart Affections For can a Man be said to believe in one that he will not receive but To as many as received Christ of Old gave he Power to become the Sons of God which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the will of Man but of God What is this will of God Paul answers the Question The Will of God is your Sanctification for this Christ came into the World So that those that believe and receive Christ he is made to them Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption that is he has saved them from their Sins Guilt and Defilement and sanctified them from their Corruptions they live now by the Grace of God that teaches them to be of a Sober Righteous Godlike Life Ye shall know them by their Fruits saith Christ of the Pharisees so shall Men know them that sincerely believe confess Christ by their sanctified Manners and Blameless Conversations And wo to them that make other Distinctions for God has made no other there will be but Goats and Sheep at the Last Day Holy and Unholy Just and Unjust Therefore let that be our Distinction which ever was and will be God's Distinction for all other Measures are the Effects of the Passions and Presumptions of Men. But because it may be expected that I should fix upon some few General Heads of Christian Doctrine from the Mouth of Christ and his Apostles as requisite to Christian Communion I shall proceed to mention what Christ eminently taught He that reads his Sermon upon the Mount will find in the Entrance how many States and Conditions Christ Blessed The Poor in Spirit The Mourners The Meek They that hunger after Righteousness The Merciful The Pure in Heart and the Peace-makers which indeed Comprehend the whole of Christianity By Mourners we understand true Penitents Men of Unfeigned Repentance which leads them not only to Confess but Forsake their Sins This Godly Sorrow makes Men Poor in Spirit Empty of themselves wanting the Light Life and Power of Jesus to support and sustain them in which as they sted fastly walk the Attonement of the Blood is felt and it cleanseth them from all Unrighteousness which makes them Pure in Heart And in this Condition no Food will serve their Turn but Righteousness after this they Hunger and Thirst more than for the Bread that perisheth They are full of Meekness and Mercy Making Peace and Promoting Concord where-ever they come For being themselves reconciled to God they endeavour to reconcile all Men unto God and one unto another In short let us bring it home to our Consciences and deal faithfully with our selves Do we know this Holy Mourning this Godly Sorrow are we Poor in Spirit not Self-conceited but Humble Meek and Lowly in Heart like him that bid us be so Do we Hunger after the Kingdom of God and Righteousness of it and are our Hearts purified by the Precious Faith of the Son of God Infine Are we Merciful Tender-hearted Lovers of Peace more than lovers of our selves Persecuted rather than Persecutors such as receive Stripes for Christ's sake and not those that beat our Fellow-Servants No Man has true Faith in Christ Jesus that is not acquainted with these Blessed Qualifications This is Christ's Doctrine and to believe in him is to obey it and be like him The great Intendment of this Sermon is to press people to a more Excellent Righteousness than that of the Scribes and Pharisees For saith Jesus to the Multitude Except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 1. He taught not only that Killing but Anger without a very Just Cause is Unlawful to his Disciples 2. he prefers Concord above Devotion Mercy before Sacrifice He that will not use his Utmost Endeavour to be reconciled to his Brother shall find no place for his Prayers And Every Man is this Brother 3. He not only forbids Adultery which the Law forbids but Lust the Ax of his Doctrine is laid to the Root of the Tree it reaches to the First Seeds of things to the Innermost and most hidden Conceptions of the Mind 4. From Keeping and Performing Legal Vows to not Swearing at all and indeed what Use can there be of any Swearing where Mens Yea is Yea and their Nay Nay 5. He taught Not to resist Evil but to suffer Loss rather than enter into Contention his Divine Wisdom did fore-see how much easier it would be to Overcome the Violent Passions of Men by Patience than Controversie And he that considers the Unruliness of some Mens Dispositions their Heats and Prejudices it will be found that it is not alwayes a Real Injury or Loss but Passion Revenge or Base Interest that sets them to Sutes and Clamours 6. He taught us the Highest Complesance and Charity If any Man compel thee to go a Mile go with him â—wain Be of an Easie and Ready Mind to Do Good and to all Friendly Offices be easily perswaded and in which rather exceed than fall snort 7. He taught as great Liberality and Charity to give to him that asks and from him that would borrow not to turn away in short to be Stewards of our External Substance for the Good of Mankind according to our Respective Abilities 8. He advances the Doctrine of Loving Friends to the Degree of Loving Enemies Ye have heard said Jesus that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and shalt hate thine Enemy but I say unto you Love your Enemies bless them that Curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you Surely then where no Anger dwells no Revenge can grow and if we must love Enemies there is no Man left to be hated This is the Doctrine of that Jesus that laid down his Life for all and this is the End for which he preached it That sayes he ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and on the Good and sendeth Rain on the Just and on the Unjust It is as much as if Christ had said No Man can be like God that does not Love his Enemies and who cannot do good to all Consequently he that does Love Enemies and is ready to Do good unto all he
are in him He that saith he abideth in him OUGHT HIMSELF ALSO SO TO WALK EVEN AS HE WALKED The Second Passage very pertinent to this present matter is in the next Chapter My little Children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And hâ—reby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our Hearts before him For if our Heart condemn us God is greater than our Heart and knoweth all things Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God and whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son JESUS Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment The Third and last Passage which I shall mention on this Account is in his fourth Chapter of the same Epistle viz. And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God And we have known and believed the Love that God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him Herein our love is made perfect that we may have Boldness in the Day of Judgment because AS HE IS SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD These are the Holy Fruits of all that love God and believe in Christ that are the Family of the Faithful regenerated and redeemed from the Earth Where-ever two or three of them are met together Christ is in the midst of them they neither Ask nor Hope in vain With this Character let us take a View of all Persons and Societies of Christians throughout the World not forgetting our selves let us hereby try their Faith and Religion and our own if it be of God the Father it is Pure and Undefiled it leads them that have it to Visit the Fatherless and Widow in their Affliction and to keep themselves Unspotted from the World Is this our Case If it be Objected Which way shall we obtain this like Precious Faith I answer They must take diligent Heed to the Light and Grace that comes by Jesus that Candle of the Lord which he has set up in our Souls we must bring our Deeds to this Light see if they be wrought in God or no For this gives us to discern betwixt the Precious and the Vile the one gives Joy the other brings a load of Guilt upon the Soul do we not know that we Do the things we ought not and that we Leave undone the thinâ—s we ought to do this will be our Judgment For therefore Men are Condemnable because they knon These therefore that would obtain this precious Faith that overcomes the World must embrace the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by which this Faith is begotten and they who believe not in this Grace nor receive it in the love of it nor give themselves up to be taught and led by it can never be said truly to believe in him from whom it comes any more then the Jews may be said to believe in God when they rejected him that came from God his Beloved Son He that denyes the Measure can never own or receive the Fulness John bears Record that he was Full of Grace and Truth and that of his Fulness they received and Grace for Grace for the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ So that 't is utterly Impossible for a Man to believe in Christ and not to be taught by the Grace that comes from him and by him 'T is a Common saying of People in these dayes We are not under the Law but under Grace who are in Truth under Sin and the Law of Death Subjects to the Prince of the Power of the Air who reigns in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience and their Lives show it No those are under Grace that live the holy Life of it For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation saith the Apostle Paul Tit. 2. ii 12. hath Appeared to All Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World These are the People that believe in Christ unto the saving of the Soul This is that Blessed Light which shines in the hearts of those that believe and gives them the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the Ancients walk'd in it and found Eternal Life by it I am the Light of the World said Christ he that follows me shall not walk in Darkness but have the Light of Life The Saints Armed themselves with it against the fiery Darts of Satan and by the Vertue and Power that is in it were enabled to overcome Temptation And this will be the Condemnation of Disobedient Men that they see but shut their Eyes know the Light but rebel against it Christ by his holy Light in the Conscience shews Men their Danger warns them of it before it comes upon them no Man on Earth can plead either Ignorance or Surprise 'T is true the Candle of the Wicked is often put out But that it implies 't is often lighted and that men Sin against Conviction against Sight and Knowledge 't is wilfull and that 's dangerous No Faith in Disobedience will do no Faith without holy Fruits holy Works will save Men must be born again if ever they will enter into the Kingdom of God there is no Fellowship between Christ and Belial People must part with their Vile Affections and Inordinate Desires or they are no Company for Christ they have no Share in him What part can Pride have in Humility Wrath in Meekness Lust in Self-denial Revenge in Forgiveness To pretend to believe in Christ and not to be like him is a Contradiction This is the Message said the Beloved Disciple which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all If we say that we have Fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we lye and do not the Truth The Truth is all such Faith and Profession are a Lye in the Right Hand a Cheat upon a Man's Self But says he if we walk in the Light as God is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL SIN If we say that we have no Sin to be cleansed from we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us But if we confessour Sins he is Faithful and Just to forgive us our Sins and to CLEANSE us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS To Conclude Christ Jesus the Son of God and Saviour of the World is Holy Harmless and Undefiled and so must his Followers be he is no Head of a Corrupt Body nor Master
but a Moral Man he knows nothing of saving Grace be may be damn'd for all his Morality Nay some have gone so far as to say and preach if not Print That there are Thousands of Moral Men in Hell But 't is worth our while to consider that he that sins is not saved by Grace in that state and that the Virtuous Man is the Gracious Man for 't is the Nature and End of true Grace to make Men so Unanswerable is that Passage of the Apostle to the Romans Therefore if the Uncircumcision keep the Righteousness of the Law shall not his Uncircumcision be counted for Circumcision and shall not Uncircumcision which is by Nature if it fulfill the Law judge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision dost transgress the Law For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumâ—ision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God So that he that keeps the Law of God and abstains from the Impurity of the World that is the good Man the Just Liver he is the Apostle's true Jew and Circumcision Wherefore it is not Ill exprest by that extraordinary Man J. Hales of Eton The Moral Man says he is a Christian by the surer Side that is Speculations may fail Notions be mistaken Forms wither but Truth and Righteousness will stand the Test the Man that loves them will not be moved He tells us That the Fathers had that Opinion of the Sincerity of the Life of some Heathens that they believed God had in Store for such his even Saving Grace and that he would make them Possessors of his Everlasting Kingdom And measuring their Satisfaction by the Pleasure I took in reading what the Author both quotes and Comments upon this Subject I will venture to transcribe him at large Viz. Let it not trouble you saith he that I intitle them to some part of our Christian Faith therefore without Scruple to be received as Weak and not to be cast forth as Dead Salvianus disputing What Faith is Quid est igitur Credulit as vel Fides saith he Opinor fideliter hominem Christo credere id est Fidelem Deo esse hoc est Fideliter Dei mandata servare What might this Faith be saith he I suppose it is nothing else but Faithfully to believe Christ and this is to be Faithful unto God which is nothing else but Faithfully to keep the Commandments of God Not therefore only a bare Belief but the Fidelity and Trustiness of God's Servants faithfully accomplishing the Will of our Master is required as a part of our Christian Faith Now all those good things which Moral Men by the Light of Nature do are a part of God's Will written in their Hearts wherefore so far as they were Conscientious in performing them if Salvianus his Reason be good so far have they Title and Interest in our Faith And therefore Regulus that Famous Roman when he endured infinite Torments rather than he would break his Oath may thus far be counted a Martyr and Witness for the Truth For the Crown of Martyrdom sits not only on the Heads of those who have lost their Lives rather than they would cease to profess the Name of Christ but on the Head of every one that suffers for the Testimony of a good Conscience and for Righteousness sake And here I cannot pass by one very General gross Mistaking of our Age. For in our Discourses concerning the Notes of a Christian Man by what Signs we may know a Man to be one of the Visible Company of Christ we have so tied our selves tothis outward Profession that if we know no other Virtue in a Man but that he hath Cond his Creed by heart let his Life be never so prophane we think it Argument enough for us to account him within the Pale and Circuit of the Church On the Contrary side let his Life be never so Upright if either he be little seen in or peradventure quite ignorant of the Mystery of Christ we esteem of him but as dead And those who conceive well of those Moral good things as of some Tokens giving Hope of Life we account but as a kind of Manâ—ohees who thought the very Earth had Life in it I must confess that I have not yet made that Proficiency in the Schools of our Age as that I could see why the Second Table and the Acts of it are not as properly the parts of Religion and Christianity as the Acts and Observations of the First If I mistake than it is St. James that hath abus'd me for he describing Religion by its proper Acts tells us that True Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the Fatherless and the Widow in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted of the World So that the thing which in an Especial refine Dialect of the New Christian Language signifies nothing but Morality and Civility that in the Language of the holy Ghost imports True Religion Thus far J. Hales He hath said so much on this Account that there is little need I should say any more yet give me leave to add Did Men mind the Language of the Holy Ghost more than their own Conceits they would not Stile those Moral Men in a way of Disgrace that are not of their Forms it would suffice That those that fear God and work Righteousness in all Nations are accepted of him That Christ himself hath said He that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and of them that work Iniquity Depart from me I know you not My Friends let us not deceive our selves God will not be mocked Such as we sow we shall certainly reap The Tree is known by its Fruits and will be Judg'd according to its Fruits The Wages of Sin is Death Men will find it so and every Man shall receive his Reward sutable to his Worâ—k For People to talk of Special Grace and yet be carried away by Common Temptations it is Provoking to God but to conceit that the Righteous God will Indulge his people in that Latitude which he condemns in other Men is Abominable 'T is Sanctification that makes the Saint and Self-Denyal that constitutes the Christian and not filling our Heads and Elevating our Fancies by applying those Promises to our selves which as yet we have no Interest in though we may think they belong to no body else this Spiritual Flattery of our selves is most pernicious I cannot but say with the Apostle 'T is neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision Jew nor Gentile this nor t'other thing but the New Creature created after Christ Jesus in Holiness for without Holiness no Man shall ever see the Lord. And what is Holiness but Abstaining from Wickedness and what 's that
but keeping the Law of God Great Peace have they that love thy Law said David that had known the Trouble of Breaking it Therefore it is that Grace and Truth is come by Jesus Christ to help us to fulfill the Law not to Excuse our Disobedience of the Law And what before we were Unable this gives us Force to do So that Christianity is not an Indulgence of people under Weakness and Disobedience but the Compleating and Perfection of that Righteousness which without him was but Short and Imperfect through that Grace and Power that came by Jesus Christ Give me leave I beseech you for I have a Godly Jealousy upon me I fear lest the very End of Christs Coming is Mistaken And of how Dreadful a Consequence such a Mistake would be you cannot possibly be Ignorant that believe there is No Salvation in another Name Let us hear the Testimony of Scripture They are the Words of Christ himself I must peach the Kingdom of God for therefore am I sent Now what is this Kingdom of God but God's Government and where is this Kingdom and Government to be set up Christ also tells us Behold the Kingdom of God is within you So that the Reason of this being sent is to destroy the Kingdom and Government of the Devil the Strong Man that kept the House the Heart and to erect and establish the Kingdom and Government of God in the Soul Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done Would to God people would but consider what they Pray for For they are scandal'd at the thing they ask and both neglect and revile the Substance of their own Prayers Thy Kingdom come and thy Will be done but believe neither It was the Office God designed his Son to The Thief says Christ does not come but to kill to steal and to destroy That is To steal away the Heart from God and to kill and to destroy all Good Desires and Inclinations in the Soul for the Devil is this Thief and Destroyer But I am come says Christ that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly O Death 〈◊〉 will be thy Death as if he had said I will kill that which kill'd the Soul I will breath the Breath of Life into it again and by my Spirit and Grace I will beget Holy Motions and kindle Heavenly Desires in it after God after the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof This is the Newness of Life And I will not only restore that Life the Soul has lost but I will encrease it I will add to it that it may have Life more abundantly Indeed he was Anointed of God for this Purpose and is therefore called the Restorer of Paths the Repairer of Breaches and the Builder up of Waste Places that is he is ordained of God for the Recovery of Man from his Fallen and Disobedient State This is the Reason of his Name Thou shalt call his Name Jesus said the Angel for he shall save his People from their Sins Not from Wrath only but from Sin which is the Cause of Wrath. That is Of Bad Men he will make them really good Men and of Sinful and Unholy he will make them Holy and Righteous Men who truly believe in him This is the Burden of John's Testimony There is one says he that cometh after me is mightier than I he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose Fan is in his hand he will THROUGHLY PURGE his Floor And seeing Jesus coming to him said Behold the Lamb of God which TAKETH AWAY the SIN of the World I know the Use that too many make of these Scriptures as if they were an Hebraism borrow'd from the Old Sacrifices which may be said To take away Sin by taking away the Guilt and not that the Natures of Men are restored and perfected And indeed this is that Sense which I dread above all others because it perverts the End of Christs Coming and lodges Men in a Security pernitious to their own Souls For though it is most true that Remission of Sins was and is preached in his Name and Blood and that Sin in a Sense may be said to be Taken away when the Guilt of the Sins is removed by Remission yet this is only of Siâ—s past that upon Repentance are forgiven But this is not the Whole Full and Evangelical Sense as Christ's own words do plainly import For says he the Son of Man is come to save that which was Lost And upon another Occasion he expresseth himself to the same purpose and almost in the same words For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was Lost Now who is this that is Lost but Man and in what Sense can Man be said to be Lost but by Sin and Disobedience that which cast him out of the Presence and Garden of God and put him in a Condition of Eternal Misery If Christ then came to Save Lost Man he must be understood to Save him from that which puts him into a Lost Condition that is Sin for The Wages of Sin is Death and the Servant of Sin is a Son of Perdition Christ has determin'd this Point beyond all Exception in his Discourse with the Jews John 8. 31 32 33 34. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed vn him if ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you Free What Freedom was this Certainly from Sin sutable to that passage in his Prayer Sanctify them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth But some Jews present proud of their Priviledges apprehended not the Liberty Christ spoke of and therefore answer'd him thus We are Abraham's Seed and were never in Bondage to any Man how sayest thou Ye shall be made Free Jesus answered them Verily verily I say unto you whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin In which place it is very remarkable that Men are only to be distinguish'd by their Works that no Claims Priviledges Successions or Dissents are available but He that commits Sin is the Servant of Sin So that Christ's Free Man is he that is Freed from Sin this is his Follower and Disciple And as Christ oppos'd the Works of the Jews who unjustly sought to kill him to their Pretensions they made to Abraham's Seed so must we oppose the Actions of Ill Men to their better Professions we must faithfully tell them He that commits Sin is the Servant of Sin From which Servitude Christ came to Save his people and is therefore called The SAVIOUR and the REDEEMER This Doctrine is closely followed by the Apostle Paul in his sixth Chapter to the Romans Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in Newness of Life
Moses to the Jews there arose a stout Question whether we were to Celebrate with the Jews on the fourteenth Moon or the Sunday following This matter though most unnecessary most vain yet caused as great a Combustion as ever was in the Church The West separating and refusing Communion with the East for many Years together In this Fantastical Hurry I cannot see but all the World were Schismaticks neither can any thing excuse them from that Imputation excepting only this that we charitably suppose that all Parties out of Conscience did what they did A thing which befell them through the Ignorance of their Guides for I will not say their malice and that through the just Judgment of God because through sloath and BLIND OBEDIENCE Men examined not the things which they were taught but like Beasts of Burthen patiently couched down and indifferently underwent whatsoever their Superiors laid upon them By the way by this you may plainly see the danger of our appeal unto Antiquity for resolution in Controverted points of Faith and how small Relief we are to expect from thence For if the discretion of the chiefest Guides and Directors of the Church did in a Point so trivial so inconsiderable so mainly fail them as not to see the Truth in a Subject wherein it is the greatest Marvel how they could avoid the sight of it can we without imputation of extream grosness and folly think so POOR SPIRITED persons competent Judges of the Questions now on Foot betwixt the Churches Pardon me I know not what Temptation drew that Note from me How these men will come off I can't tell they have ventured fairly and yet I think their case not hazard us at all you have them in three points plain First That relying upon the Clergy as Guardians of Truth to the People and the Peoples not examining the truth of things from them is not Apostolical but Apostatical Secondly That no Councils or Fathers ought to be the Rule or Judge of our Faith Thirdly That to save Souls every Man is a Priest that is the people are interressed in the Christian Ministry which is not tyed to Times Places Persons and Orders as under the Law but free to all that have obtained Mercy and Grace from God and therefore Peter calls the believers a Royal Priesthood So that every one is Priest to himself under the Gospel But all this I have mentioned with design if it be possible to beat men off that superstitious and dangerous Veneration they carry to the Names of Church Priesthood and Fathers as if they were to be sayed by them and not by Christ who is only Head and Saviour of the true Church And truly when I consider the wilde dependance some people have upon the Church whilst they know not what she is and make it a Principle not to Inquire I am amazed with what Confidence they expose their Souls This Principle it is and not Inquiry that makes men careless and unactive about their own Salvation But let none deceive themselves as they Sow they must Reap 'T is not to be saved to be within the Pale of any visible Church in the World That is putting an eternal Cheat upon our selves Ill things are Ill things within or without the pale that matters not and as Sin can't be Christened nor impiety reconciled to Christianity by no Arts of men so the Wages will be Death eternal Death To be therefore of the Church of which Christ is Head the redeemed regenerated Church of Christ is quite another thing then to be of any visible Society whatever for in all such Communions there are but too many that have no true Title to Christianity If then that Immaculate Church of which Christ is head be made up only of holy and regenerated Souls throughout the Societies of Christians this will adminster but little Comfort to those that presume upon their being within the Pale of the Visible Church But to proceed to those Scriptures that oppose themselves to humane Authority in matters of Faith c. There is one place of Scripture that is irreconcilable to Implicit Faith and Blind Obedience He that believeth hath the Witness In HIMSELF This general Rule respects no Persons 't is the Result of the Holy Ghost to all Believers Such have no need to go to Rome nor Winefried's Well to the Shrines of Saints the Priests nor the Church for a Proof of their Faith they have an Evidence nearer home they have the witness of their Faith and the Reason of their Hope IN THEMSELVES 'T is true this is a Private Judge but as it happens 't is one of the Holy Ghost's setting up of all things I confess most destructive to Papacy no doubt for here is a Judge in every man that sincerely believes to whom he must stand and fall in this and the other World For saith the same Apostle If our Heart condemn us God is greater then our Heart and knoweth all things Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God The Witness in our selves discharges us The Spirit beareth Witness with our Spirits that weare the Châ—ldren of God and Sons of the true Church not she that hath fatted her self with the Flesh of Saints and died her Garments in the Blood of Martyrs who hath Merchandized in the Souls of men but of that Church who is Crowned with Stars and Cloathed with the Sun and has the Moon under her Feet a Church of Light and Knowledge of Understanding and Truth and not of Implicite Faith and Blind Obedience one that tramples upon all Sublunary Glory and not she that makes her Pretences to Religion a Decoy to catch the World Of like Tendency is that notable Passage of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Here is not a Word of the Pope nor an External Judge no humane Inquisition or Authority Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves but which way shall we do this by Christ who is the great Light that shines in our Hearts to give us the Knowledge of God and our selves He that believes in him has the Witness in himself he is no Reprobate his Heart condemns him not To which I will add another Passage to the same Purpose in his Epistle to the Galatians But let every Man prove his own work then shall he have Rejoycing in himself alone and not in another FOR EVERY MAN SHALL BEAR HIS OWN BURDEN Here every man is enjoyned to turn Inquisitor upon himself and the Reason rendred shews the Justice of the thing because my Rejoycing must be in my self alone and not in another I stand and Fall to no man such as I sow I must reap at the Hand of God if Paul say true Mens Pardons are Vain and their
of Government by all laudable Means to preserve Sincerity for without it there can be no Faith or Truth in Civil Society Nor is this all for its a Maxim worthy of Caesar's Notice NEVER TO THINK HIM TRUE TO CAESAR THAT IS FALSE TO HIS OWN CONSCIENCE besides raped Consciences treasure up Revenge and such Persons are not likely to be longer Friends to Caesar than he hath Preferments to allure them or Power to deter them from being his most implacable Enemies 11thly There is not so ready a Way to Atheism as this of extinguishing the Sense of Conscience for Worldly Ends destroy that Internal Rule of Faith Worship and Practice towards God and the Reason of my Religion will be Civil Injunctions and not Divine Convictions consequently I am to be of as many Religions as the Civil Authority shall impose however untrue or contradictory This Sacred Tye of Conscience thus broken farewel to all Heavenly Obligations in the Soul Scripture Authority and ancient Protestant Principles Christ may at this Rate become what the Jews would have had him and his Apostles be reputed Turners of the World up-side down as their Enemies represented them and the godly Martyrs of all Ages so many Self-Murderers for they might justly be esteem'd Resisters of Worldly Authority so far as that Authority concern it self with the Imposition of Religion because they refused the Conformity commanded even to Death And it may not be unworthy of Caesar's Consideration if from these Proceedings People are tempted to infer there is nothing in Religion but Worldly Aims and Ends because so much Power is abus'd under the Name of Religion to vex and destroy Men for being of another Religion that he hazards the best Hold and Obligation he hath to Obedience which is Conscience For where they are taught to Obey for Interest Duty and Conviction are out of Doors By all Means let Conscience be sacred and Virtue and Integrity though under dissenting Principles cherisht Charity is more powerful than Severity Perswasion than Penal Laws Lastly To the Reproach of this Course with Wise Men it hath never yet obtain'd the End desir'd for instead of compliance the Difference is widened the Sufferers are pitied by Spectators which only helps to increase the Number of Dissenters for whoever is in the Wrong few think the Persecutor in the Right This in all Ages having been the Issue of severe Prosecution of Dissenters for Matters of Religion what a Cruel Troublesom Thankless Succesles Office is it for Caesar to be imployed in May he take better Measures of his Authority and Interest and use his Power to the Encouragement of all the Virtuous and Industrous and Just Punishment of the Lazy and Vicious in all Perswasions so shall the Kingdom Flourish and the Government Prosper Church Power supposeth a Church first It will not be improper therefore to examine first What a Scripture New Testament Church is and next what is the Scripture-Power belonging to such a Church A Scripture-Church as she may be called Visible is a Company or Society of People believing professing and practising according to the Doctrine and Example of Christ Jesus and his Apostles and not according to the Scribes and Pharisees that taught for Doctrine the Traditions of men They are such as are Meek in Heart Lowly in Spirit Chast in Life Virtuous in all Conversation full of Self-denyal Long-suffering and Patient not only forgiving but loving their very Enemies which answers Christ's own Character of himself Religion and Kingdom which is the most apt Distinction that ever can be given of the Nature of his Church and her Authority viz. MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD Which well connects with Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's It was an Answer to a very suspitious Question for it was familiarly bruitd that he was a King and came to possess his Kingdom and was by some called the King of the Jews The Jews being then subjected to the Roman Empire it concern'd Pilate Caesars Deputy to understand his pretentions which upon better information he found to center in this My Kingdom is not of this World else would my Subjects fight for me As if he had said these Reports are a meer perversion of my Peaceable and Self denying Intentions an Infamy invented by malicious Scribes and Pharisees that they might the better prevail with Caesar to Sacrifice me to their hatred and revenge I am Caesar's Friend I seek none of his Kingdoms from him nor will I sow Sedition plot or conspire his Ruin no Let all Men render unto Caesar the Things that are Caesar's that 's my Doctrine for I am come to erect a Kingdom of another Nature then that of this World to wit a Spiritual Kingdom to be set up in the Heart and Conscience is my Throne upon that will I sit and rule the Children of Men in Righteousness and whoever lives Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this World shall be my good and loving Subjects and they will certainly make no ill ones for Caesar since such Virtue is the end of Government and renders his Charge both more easie and safe then before Had I any other Design then this would I suffer my self to be reproached traduced and persecuted by a conquered people were it not more my Nature to suffer then revenge would not their many provocations have drawn from me some Instance of another kind then the Forbearance and Forgiveness I teach certainly were I animated by another principle then the perfection of Meekness and Divine Sweetness I should not have forbidden Peter fighting saying Put up thy Sword or endoctrinated my Followers to bear Wrongs but revenged all Affronts and by Plots and other Stratagems have attempted Ruin to my Enemies and the acquest of worldly Empire and no doubt but they would have fought for me Nay I am not only patiently with Pity to Enemies sensible of their barbarous Carriage towards me for my Good Will to them for their Eternal Happiness I only seek but I fore-see what they further intend against me they design to crucifie me And to do it will rather free a Murderer then save their Saviour They will perform that Cruelty with all the Aggravation and Contempt they can deriding me themselves and exposing me to the derision of others for they will mock my Divine Kingship with a Crown of Thorns and in my Agonies of Soul and Body for a Cordial give me Gaul and Vinegar to drink But notwithstanding all this to satisfie the World that my Religion is above Wrath and Revenge I can forgive them And to secure Caesar and his People from all Fears of Imposition whatever Authority I have and how many Legions of Angels soever I might Command both to my Deliverance and the Enforcement of my Message upon Mankind I resolve to promote neither with worldly Power
Things that made Rome so hateful and her Yoke Intolerable to our Predecessors Pretended Deductions from Scripture put in the Room of Scripture with a Supersedeas to all Dissent upon never so Just a Ground of Dissatisfaction I beseech you Protestants by the Mercies of God and Love of Jesus Christ ratified to you in his most-precious Blood FLY ROME AT HOME Look to the Enemies of your own House Have a care of this Presumption carry it not too high lay not Stress where God has laid none neither use his Royal Stamp to Authorize your Apprehensions in the Name of his Institutions I do not say that men are never to Express their Minds upon any place of Scripture to Edification there is a Christian Liberty not to be denyed but never to Articles of Faith that ever ought to be in the Very Language of Holy Writ Ye see how the Contrary hath been the great Make-bate in all Ages and the Impositions of such Opinions the Priviledge of Hypocrites but the Snare of many honest Minds to be sure the sad Occasion of Feuds and miserable Divisions It was plainly seen that by the many Disputes that rise from hence Mens Wits were confounded with their matters Truth was lost Brotherhood destroyed thus the Devil acted the Part both of Opponent and Defendant and managed the Passions of both Parties to his End which was DISCORD And but too many were ready to perswade themselves from the Miscarriages on both sides that nothing certain could be concluded about Religion for it so fell out that whilst men were perpetually wrangling and brawling about some one Opinion of Religion the most Important Points of Faith and Life were little regarded So that a Godly Man was distinguish'd from an Ungodly by this one thing let his Life have been almost what it would that he seem'd To maintain the Opinions in Vogue and to abhor that Doctrine which in some one or two Points might be reputed Heretical O! that we could but see how many and how great Defeats Satan hath given to the Work of God in the hearts of men what Desolations he hath made by this one Evil CONTROVERSIE begot of Opinion and used for it and how few have Contended for the Faith as it was once deliver'd to the Saints he must be a Man of Brass that could not chuse to weep at these Calamities And truly I must desire to take leave sometimes to bewail this broken Condition of Christendom and to bestow my Tears in secret upon these Common Ruins And I beseech God Almighty with a Soul sensibly touch't with the Mischiefs that naturally flow from this Practice to Awaken you to a most-Speedy and Serious Consideration your Present Standing and AMENDMENT of that Miscarriage in this and all other points that may concern your Good and his Glory Put away Wrath away with Clamors away with Arrogance and Impatience Let that Holy Spirit of God which we in common profess to be the Christians Guide have the Ordering of our Understandings in Spiritual things lest Ignorance should mistake Interest wrest or Prejudice pervert the Sense of God's Book For as too many are Ignorant of the Divine Truth through their own Concupiscence and vile Affections that carry them away to the Desire of other things and therefore easily mistake about Nice or Obscure Matters so there are not a few who come to search the Scriptures as with Pre-possess'd Minds that are sorry to meet with a Contradiction to their own Judgment instead of being glad to find the Truth and use their Wits to Rack out another Sense than that which is genuine which sort of men use the Scripture for its Authority not its Sense or Truth All this while the Head is set at work not the Heart that which Christ most insisted upon is least concerned in this sort of Faith and Chrisâ—tanity and that is KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS For 't is Opinion not Obedience Notion and not Regeneration that such men pursue This Kind of Religion leaveth them as bad as it finds them and worse for they have something more to be proud of Here is a Creed indeed but of what the Conclusions of men and what to do to prove they believe in Christ that it seems never made them It had been happy for the World that there had been no other Creeds than what he and his Apostles made and left And it is not the least Argument against their being needful to Christian Communion that Christ and his Apostles did not think so who was not wanting to declare the WHOLE COUNSEL of GOD to the Church To Conclude if ye desire Peace love Truth seek Piety and hate Hypocrisie Discord all those things called Articles of Faith and Canons of the Church that are not to be found in Express Terms in Scripture or so plainly Authorized by Scripture as may with ease be discerned by every Honest and Conscientious Person And in the Room of those Numerous and Disputed Opinions made the Bond of External Communion let some Plain General Necessary Truths be laid down in Scripture Terms and let them be few which leads me to the Next point and that is FAITH generally mistaken in the very Nature of it The Second Mischief that is amongst us is the Misunderstanding of the Nature of FAITH Whence it comes to pass that men take that for Faith which is not and sit down in a Security pernicious to their Eternal Happiness I shall briefly say something of What is not Faith before I speak of that which appears to me to be Truly and Scripturally such The Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ is not only not believing mens Opinions and Determinations from the Sacred Text of which I have so freely deliver'd my self but it is not meerly the Belief even of the things contain'd in Scripture to be True For this the Devils Hypocrites do and yet very Bad Believers they refuse not the Authority of Scripture The Devil made Use of it to Christ himself but he would have the Explaining and Applying of it and since he could not hinder the Divine Inspiration if he may but be allow'd the Exposition he hopes to secure his Kingdom Since then the Verity Authority of both History and Doctrine may be believ'd by the Devil and Hypocrites that are false to their own Faith and Knowledge we cannot without great Injustice to the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which is the Faith of all his Followers allow That a meer Belief of the Verity and Authority of the History and Doctrine of Scripture is that true and precious Faith Faith then in the Sense of the holy Ghost is by the holy Ghost thus defined viz. The Evidence of things not seen and the Substance of things hoped for This is General and runs through all Ages but I shall express it thus True Faith in God is entirely believing and trusting in God confiding in his Goodness resigning up to his Will obeying his Law and