more mercy from Christ than there is faith in Christ. 14. No man could ever be saved without Believing in God as a merciful pardoning saving God though many have been saved who knew not the person of Christ determinately For he that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him who is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him 12 Ps. 145. 9. 〈…〉 4. 10. Rom. 10. 20. 13 Act. 4. 12. Joh. 14. 6. 14 Heb. 11. 6. Act. 10. 35. 2 Thes. 1. 11 12. Jâ—r 10. 25. 〈…〉 10. 12 13 1â— 15. 15. All Nations on Earth that have not the Gospel are obliged by God to the use of certain means 15 Act. 14. 17. 17. 27 28 29 30. Rom. 1. 19 20 21 22. 2. 4 7 10 14 15 16 27. Isa. 55. 6 7. and improvement of certain mercies in order or tendency to their Salvation And it is their sin if they use them not 16. God hath appointed no means in vain which men must either not use or use despairingly But his Command to use any means for any end containeth though not an explicite promise yet great and comfortable encouragement to use that means in hope 17. Therefore the world is now in comparison of the Catholick Church much like what it was before Christs incarnation in comparison of the Jews Church who yet had many wayes great 16 Jonah 4. 2. 3. 10. Act. 10. 35. Mal. 3. 14. Isa. 45. 19. Deut. 32. 47. Mal. 1. 10. Prov. 1. 22 23 24. Gâ—n 4. 7. Rom. 3. Rom. 2. advantage though God was not the God of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles who had a Law written in their hearts and an accusing or excusing Conscience 18. Those over-doing Divines who pretend to be certain that all the World are damned that are not Christians do add to Gods word and are great agents for Satan to tempt men to Infidelity and â—o Athâ—ism it self and to disswade mankind from discerning the Infinite goodness of God and occasion many to deny the Immortality of the soul rather than they will believe that five parts in six of the world now and almost all before Christs incarnation have Immortal souls purposely created in thâ—m to be damned without any propounded means and possibility-natural of râ—tnedy And as I know they will pour out their bitter censure on these lines which I could avoid if I regarded it more than truth so with what measure they mete it shall be measured to them and others will dâ—mn them as confidently as they damn almost all the world And I will be bold to censure that they are UNDOERS of the Church by OVER DOING See more in my Vindication of Gods Goodness Quest. 158. Should not Christians take up with Scripture wisdom only without studying Philosophy and other Heathens humane Learning Answ. I Have already proved the usefulness of common knowledge called Humane Learning by twenty Reasons in my book called The Unreasonableness of Infidelity pag. 163. part 2. sect 23. Prov. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Psal. 92. 5 6. 104. 24 25. 113. 5 6. 107. 8 15 21. Psal. 66. 3. 4. Psal. 111. 2 3 4 5 6. 145. 7 8 9 10 11 17 18 19. Act. 2. 6 7 8 9. 21. 40. 24. 2. 1 Cor. 14. 2 4 9 13 14 19 26 27. Rev. 9. 11. 14. 16. 5. 9. Psal. 19. 1 2 3. 94. 10. 139. 6. Prov. 2. 1 2 3 4. 8. 9 10 12. 1 Cor. 15. 34. Prov. 19. 2. Job 32. 8. 38. 36. Yet I refer the Reader to my Treat of Knowledge which sheweth the Vanâ—ty of pretended Learning to which I refer the Reader And only say now 1. Grace presupposeth Nature We are men in order of nature at least before we are Saints and Reason is before supernatural Revelation 2. Common knowledge therefore is subservient unto faith We must know the Creator and his works And the Redeemer restoreth us to the due knowledge of the Creator Humane Learning in the sense in question is also Divine God is the Author of the light of nature as well as of grace We have more than Heathens but must not therefore have less and cast away the good that is common to them and us Else we must not have souls bodies reason health time meat drink cloaths c. because Heathens have them Gods works are honourable sought out of all them that have pleasure therein And physical Philosophy is nothing but the knowledge of Gods works 3. And the knowledge of Languages is necessary both for humane converse and for the understanding of the Scriptures themselves The Scriptures contain not a Greek and Hebrew Grammar to understand the language in which they are written but suppose us otherwise taught those tongues that we may interpret them 4. The use of the Gospel is not to teach us all things needful to be known but to teach us on supposition of our common knowledge how to advance higher to supernatural saving knowledge â—aith Love and practice Scripture telleth us not how to build a house to plow sow weave or make our works of art Every one that learneth his Countrey tongue of his Parents hath humane Learning of the same sort with the learning of Greek and Hebrew He that learneth not to read cannot read the Bible And he that understandeth it not in the Original tongues must trust other mens words that have Humane Learning or else remain a stranger to it But though none but proud fools will deny the need of that humane Learning which improveth Col. 2. 8 9 23. 1 Cor. 2. 1 4 5 6 13. 3. 19. 2 Cor. â— 12. â—ob 28. 28. Prov. 1. 7. 9. 10. Joh. 17. 3. Gal. 4. 9. Eph. 3. 10. 1 Joh. 2. 13 14. Col. 1. 9 27 28. Eph. 6. 19. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Col. 3. 16. nature and is subservient to our knowledge of supernatural Revelations yet well doth Paul admonish us to take heed that none deceive us by vain Philosophy and faith that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God and that the knowledge of Christ Crucified is the true Christian Philosophy or Wisdom For indeed the dark Philosophers groping after the knowledge of God did frequently stumble and did introduce abundance of Logical and Physical vanities uncertainties and â—alsities under the name of Philosophy by meer niceties and high pretendings seeking for the glory of wisdom to themselves when as it is one thing to know Gods works and God in them and another thing to compose a systeme of Physicks and Metaphysicks containing abundance of errours and confusion and jumbling a few certainties with a great many uncertainties and untruths and every sect pulling down what others asserted and all of them disproving the methods and assertions of others and none proving their
in our practice 99. For it is specially to be noted that the Doctrinal or Objective means of Love which Christ doth use and his internal spiritual influx do concur And his way is not to work on us by his spirit alone without those objects nor yet by the objects without the spirit nor by both distinctly and dividedly as producing several effects But by both conjunctly for the same effect The spirits influx causing us effectually to improve the objects and reasons of our Love As the hand that useth the seal and the seal it self make one impression 100. As Christ began to win our Love to God by the excitation of our self love multiplying and revealing Gods mercies to our selves so doth he much carry it on to increase the same way For while every day addeth fresh experience of the greatness of Gods Love to us by this we have a certain Tast that God is Love and Good in Himself and so by degrees we learn to Love him more for himself and to improve our notional esteem of his Essential Goodness into Practical 101. Though Faith it self is not wrought in us without the Holy Ghost nor is it if sincere a common gift yet this operation of the spirit drawing us to Christ by such arguments and means as are fitted to the work of believing is different from the Consequent Covenant-right to Christ and the spirit which is given to Believers and from the spirit of Adoption as recovering us as aforesaid to the Love of God 102. In this last sense it is that the Holy Ghost is said to dwell in Believers and to be the new name the pledge the earness the first fruits of life eternal the witness of our right to Christ and life and Christs agent and witness in us to maintain his cause and interest 103. Even as a man that by sickness hath lost his Appetite to meat is told that such a physicion will cure him if he will take a certain medicinal food that he will give him And at first he taketh it without appetite to the food or medicine in it self but meerly for the Love of health but after he is doubly brought to Love it for it self First because he hath tasted the sweetness of that which he did but see before and next because his health and appetite is recovered so is it with the soul as to the Love of God procured by believing When we have tasted through the perswasion of self-love our tast and recovery cause us to Love God for himself 104. When the soul is risen to this Habitual predominant Love of GOD and Holiness as such for their own Goodness above its own felicity as such though ever in conjunction with it and as his felicity it self then is the Law written in the Heart and this Love is the virtual fullfilling of all the Law And for such it is that it is said that the Law is not made that is In that measure that they Love the Good for it self they need not be moved to it with threats or Promises of extrinsick things which work but by self-love and fear Not but that Divine Authority must concur with Love to produce obedience especially while Love is but imperfect but that Love is the highest principle making the commanded Good connatural to us 105. And I think it is this spirit of Adoption and Love which is called The Divine Nature in us as it inclineth us to Love God and Holiness for it self as Nature is inclined to self-love and to food and other necessaries Not that the specifick essential Nature that is substance or form of the soul is changed and man Deified and he become a God that was before a man But his humane Soul or Nature is elevated or more perfected as a sick man by health or a blind man by his sight by the spirit of God inclining him habitually to God himself as in and for himself And this is all which the publisher of Sir H. Vanes notions of the two Covenants and two Natures can soundly meâ—n and seemeth to grope after 106. By all this you see that as the Love of God hath a double self-love in us to deal with so it dealeth variously with each 1. Sensual inordinate self-love it destroyeth both as it consisteth in the inordinate Love of sensual pleasure and in the inordinate love of self or life 2. Lawful and just self-love it increaseth and improveth to our further good but subjecteth it to the highest purest Love of God 107. By this you may gather what a confirmed Christian is even one in whom the pure Love of God as God and all things for God is predominant and more potent than not only the vicious but also the good and lawful and necessary love of himself 108. Though Christians therefore must study themselves and keep up a care of their own salvation yet must they much more study God his Greatness Wisdom and Goodness as shining in his works and word and in his Son and as foreseen in the Heavenly Glory And in this knowledge of God and Christ is life eternal And nothing more tendeth to the holy advancement and perfection of the soul than to keep continually due apprehensions of the Divine Nature Properties and Glorious appearances in his works upon the Soul so as it may become a constant course of contemplation and the habit and constitution of the mind and the constant guide of Heart and Life 109. The attainment of this would be a tast of Heaven on Earth Our wills would follow the will of God and Rest therein and abhor reluctancy All our duty would be both quickned and sweetned with Love Self-interest would be disabled from either seducing us to sin or vexing us with griefs cares fears or discontents We should so far trust soul and body in the Will and Love of God as to be more comforted that both are at his will than if they were absolutely at our own And GOD being our All the constant fixing satisfying object of our Love our souls would be constantly fixed and satisfied and live in such experience of the sanctifying grace of Christ as would most powerfully conquer our unbelief and in such foretasts of Heaven as would make Life sweet Death wellcome and Heaven unspeakably desirable to us But it is not the meer Love of personal Goodness as our own perfection that would do all this upon us 110. The soul that is troubled with doubts whether he Love God as God or only as a means of his own felicity in subordination to self-love must thus resolve his doubts If you truly believe that God is God that is the Efficient Dirigent and Final cause the just end of every rational agent the Infinite Good and chiefly to be loved in comparison of whom you are vile contemptible and as nothing If you feelingly take your self as lothsome by sin If you would not take up with an everlasting sensual pleasure alone without Holiness if you could
thoughts a world of work If God be not in all the thoughts of the ungodly Psal. 10. 4. it is because he is not in his heart He may be nigh their mouths but is far from their reins Jer. 12. 2. Do those men believe themselves or would they be believed by any one that is wise who say they Love God above all and yet neither think of him nor love to think of him but are unwearied in thinking of their wealth and honours and the pleasures of their flesh Consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Psal. 50. 22. § 5. Direct 5. Soundly understand the wonderful mysterie of mans Redemption and know Iesus Direct 5. Christ and you need not want employment for your thoughts For in him are hid all the Treasures of 5. Jesus Christ and all the work of Redemption wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. He is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. If the study of Aristotle Plato Plotinus and their numerous followers and Commentators can find work for the thoughts of men that would know the works of God or would be accounted good Philosophers even for many years together or a great part of their lives what work then may a Christian find for his thoughts in Jesus Christ who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanâ—â—â—â—fication and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1. 19. And therefore in him there is fulness of matter for our meditations As Paul determined to know nothing or make ostentation of no other knowledge but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. So if your thoughts had nothing to work upon many years together but Christ crucified they need not stand still a moment for want of most suitable and delightful matter The mysterie of the Incarnation alone may find you work to search and admire many ages But if thence you proceed to that world of wonderful matter which you may find in his Doctrine Miracles example sufferings temptations victories resurrection ascension and in his Kingly Prophetical and Priestly Offices and in all the benefits which he hath purchased for his stock O what full and pleasant work is here for the daily thoughts of a believer The soul may dwell here with continual delight till it say with Paul Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Therefore daily bow your knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whâ—m the whole family in Heaven and earth is named that he will grant you according to the Riches of his Glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in Love you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God Ephes. 3. 14. to 20. § 6. Direct 6. Search the holy Scriptures and acquaint your selves well with the Oracles of God Direct 6. which are able to make you wise unto salvation and you will find abundant matter for your thoughts If you cannot find work enough for your minds among all those heights and depths those excellencies and difficulties it is because you never understood them or never set your hearts to search them What mysterious Doctrines how sublime and heavenly are there for you to meditate on as long as you live What a perfect Law a system of precepts most spiritual and pure What terrible threatnings against offenders are there to be matter of your meditations What wonderful histories of Love and Mercy What holy examples What a treasury of precious promises on which lyeth our hope of life eternal What full and free expressions of grace What a joyful act of pardon and oblivion to penitent believing sinners In a word the character of our inheritance and the Law which we must be governed and judged by is there before us for our daily Meditation David that had much less of it than we saith O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day Psal. 119. 97. And God said to Ioshua 1. 8. This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein And Moses commanded the Israelites that these words should be in their hearts and that they teach them diligently to their children and talk of them when they sate in their houses and when they walked by the way and when they lay down and when they rose up and to write them on the posts of their houses and on their gates c. that they might be sure to remember them Deut. 6. 7. § 7. Direct 7. Know thy self well as thou art the work of God and in thy self thou wilt find Direct 7. abundant matter for thy meditations There thou hast the natural Image of God to mediate on and 7. Our 〈…〉 as we are Gods wâ—â—k admire even the noble faculties of thy understanding and free will and executive power And thou hâ—st his Moral or Spiritual Image to meditate on if thou be not unregenerate even thy holy Wisdom Will and Power or thy holy Light and Love and Power with promptitude for holy practice and all in the Unity of holy Life And there thou hast his Relative Image to meditate See my Book of the 〈…〉 on even thy being 1. The Lord or Owner 2. The Ruler 3. The Benefactor to the inferiour creatures and their End O the world of mysteries which thou carriest continually about thee in that little room What abundance of wonders are in thy body which is fearfully and wonderfully made And the greater wonders in thy soul Thou art thy self the clearest glass that God is to be seen in under Heaven as thou art a man and a Saint And therefore the worthiest matter for thy own Meditations except that holy Word which is thy Rule and the Holy Church which is but a coalition of many such What a shame is it that almost all men do Live and dye such strangers to themselves as to be utterly unacquainted with the innumerable excellencies and mysteries which God hath laid up in them and yet to let their thoughts run out upon vanities and toyes and complain of their barrenness and want of matter to feed their better Meditations § 8. Direct 8. Be not a stranger to the many sins and wants and weaknesses of thy soul and thou Direct 8. never needest to be empty of matter for
individual Christians Therefore if one particular Church may so narrow the door of its Communion then another and another and every one may do so if not by the same particular impositions yet by some other of the like nature For what power one Church hath herein others have And then Catholick Communion will be scarce found existent externally in the world but a meer Catholick Christian would be denyed Communion in every particular Church he cometh to And how do you hold Catholick Communion when you will admit no meer Catholick Christian as such to your Communion but only such as supererogate according to your private Church-terms 2. But grant that every Church may impose more upon its members it must be only that which is Necessary to those common things which all agree in And then the necessity will be discernable to all sober minded persons and will prevent divisions As it is Necessary that he that will communicate with our Churches do joyn with them in the same Translation of Scripture and Version of Psalms and under the same Pastor as the rest of the Church doth For here the Church cannot use variety of Pastors Translations Versions c. to fit the variety of mens humours There is an evident necessity that if they will be one Society they must agree in the same in each of these Therefore when the Church hath United in one if any man refuse that one person or way which the Church is necessarily United in he refuseth communion with that Church and the Church doth not excommunicate him But if that Church agree on things hurtful or unnecessary as necessary to its communion it must bear the blame of the separations it self 3. And grant yet that some Churches cannot admit such scrupulous persons to her communion as dare not joyn in every punctillio circumstance or mode It doth not follow that those persons must therefore be excommunicated or forbidden to worship God among themselves without that which they scruple or to joyn in or with a Congregation which imposeth no such things upon them Persecution will unavoidably come in upon such domineering narrow terms as those The man is a Christian still though he scruple one of our modes or ceremonies and is capable of Catholick Communion And if private and little inconveniencies shall be thought a sufficient cause to forbid all such the publick worshipping of God on pretence that in one Nation there must not be variety of modes this is a dividing principle and not Catholick and plungeth men into the guilt of persecution It was not so in the Churches of the Roman Empire In the dayes of Basil his Church and that at Neocaesarea differed and ordinarily several Bishops used several forms of prayer and worship in their several Churches without offence And further § 37. Direct 16. Different faults must have different penalties And excommunication or forbidding Direct 16. men all publick worship of God must not be the penalty of every dissent Is there no smaller penalty sufficient if a doubtful subscription or ceremony be scrupled than to silence Ministers therefore from preaching the Gospel or excommunicating men and forbidding them to worship God at all except they can do this This is the highest ecclesiastical penalty that can be laid on men for the greatest heresie or crime Doubtless there are lesser punishments that may suffice for lesser faults § 38. Direct 17. Every friend of Christ and the Church must choose such penalties for Ministers and Direct 17. private Christians who offend as are least to the hinderance of the Gospel or hurtful to the peoples souls Therefore silencing Ministers is not a fit penalty for every fault which they commit The providence of God as I said before hath furnished the world with so few that are fit for that high and sacred work that no man can pretend that they are supernumeraries or unnecessary and that others may be substituted to the Churches profit For the number is so small that all are much too few and so many as are silenced so many Churches either the same or others must be unsupplyed or ill-supplyed And God working ordinarily by means we may conclude that silencing of such Preachers doth as plainly tend to mens damnation as the prohibiting of Physicions doth to their death and more And it is not the part of a friend either of God or men to endeavour the damnation of one soul much less of multitudes because a Minister hath displeased him If one man must pay for another mans sins let it be a pecuniary mulct or the loss of a member rather than the loss of his soul. It is more merciful every time a Minister offendeth to cut off a hand or an arm of some of his flock than to say to him Teach them no more the way to salvation that so they may be damned If a Father offend and his children must needs pay for â—ll his faults it is better beat the children or maim them than forbid him to feed them when there is none else to do it and so to famish them What Reason is there that mens souls should be untaught because a Minister hath offended I know still those men that care not for their own souls and therefore care as little for others will say What if the People have but a Reader or a weak ignorant lifeless Preacher Doth it follow that therefore the people must be damned I answer no No more than it followeth that the City that hath none but Women Physicions must dye of their sicknesses or that they that live only upon Grass or Roots must famish Nature may do more to overcome a disease without a Physicion in one than in another Some perhaps are converted already and have the Law written in their hearts and are taught of God and can make shift to live without a Teacher But for the rest whose diseases need a skilful diligent Physicion whose ignorance and impenitence extreamly needeth a skilful diligent lively Teacher he that depriveth them of such doth take the probable course to damn them And it is the same course which the Devil himself would take and he partly knoweth what tendeth to mens damnation He that knoweth what a case the Heathen Infidel Mahometan world is in for want of Teachers and what a case the Greek Church the Moscovites the Abbassines Syrians Armenians Papists and most of the Christians of the world are in for want of able skilful godly Pastors will lay his hand on his mouth and meddle with such reasonings as these no more Object But by this devise you will have the Clergie lawless or as the Papists exempt them from the Magistrates punishments for fear of depriving the people of instruction Answ. No such matter It is the contrary that I am advising I would have them punished more severely than other men as their sins are more aggravated than other mens Yea and I would have them silenced when it is meet and that
a Zeal against Error and for Truth Object V. Are all these Numerous Directions to be found in Scripture Shew us them in Scripture or you trouble the Church with your own inventions Answ. 1. Are all your Sermons in the Scripture And all the good Books of your Library in the Scripture 2. Will you have none but Readers in the Church and put down Preachers Sure it is the Reader that delivereth all and only the Scripture 3. Are we not Men before we are Christians And is not the Light and Law of Nature Divine And was the Scripture written to be instead of Reason or of a Logick or other subservient Sciences Or must they not all be sanctified and used for Divinity 4. But I think that as all good Commentaries and Sermons and Systems of Theology are in Scripture so is the Directory here given and is proved by the evidence of the very thing discourst of or by the plainest Texts Object VI. You confound your Reader by Curiosity of distinctions Answ. 1. If they are vain or false shame them by detecting it or you shame your selves by blaming them when you cannot shew the error Expose not your selves to laughter by avoiding just distinction to escape confusion that is avoiding knowledge to escape Ignorance or Light to escape darkness 2. It is ambiguity and confusion that breedeth and feedeth almost all our pernitious Controversies And even those that bring in error by vain distinction must be confuted by better distinguishers and not by ignorant Confounders I will believe the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 2. 14 15 16. that Logomachie is the plague by which the hearers are subverted and ungodliness increased and that Orthotomie or right dividing the Word of Truth is the Cure And Heb. 5. 15. Discerning both good and evil is the work of long and well exercised senses Object VII Is this your reducing our faith to the primitive simplicity and to the Creed What a toilsome task do you make Religion by overdoing Is any man able to remember all these numberless Directions Answ. 1. I pray mistake not all these for Articles of Faith I am more zealous than ever I was for the reduction of the Christian faith to the primitive simplicity and more confident that the Church will never have Peace and Concord till it be so done as to the test of mens Faith and Communion But he that will have no Books but his Creed and Bible may follow that Sectary who when he had burnt all his other Books as bumane inventions at last burnt the Bible when he grew Learned enough to understand that the translation of that was Humane too 2 If men think not all the Tools in their Shops and all the Furniture of their Houses or the number of their Sheep or Cattle or Lands nor the number of Truths received by a Learning intellect c. to be a trouble and toil why should they think so of the number of Helps to facilitate the practice of their duty If all the Books in your Libraries make your Studies or Religion toilsome why do you keep them and do not come to the Vulgar Religion that would hear no more but Think well speak well and do well or Love God and your neighbour and do as you would be done by He that doth this truly shall be saved But there goeth more to the building of a house than to say Lay the foundation and raise the superstructure Universals exist not but in individuals and the whole consisteth of all the parts 3. It is not expected that any man remember all these Directions Therefore I wrote them because men cannot remember them that they may upon every necessary occasion go to that which they have present use for and cannot otherwise remember In summ to my quarrelsome Brethren I have two requests 1. That instead of their unconscionable and yet unreformed custome of backbiting they would tell me to my face of my offences by convincing evidence and not tempt the hearers to think them envious and 2. That what I do amiss they would do better and not be such as will neither laboriously serve the Church themselves nor suffer others and that they will not be guilty of Idleness themselves nor tempt me to be a slothful servant who have so little time to spend For I dare not stand before God under that guilt And that they will not joyn with the enemies and resisters of the publication of the Word of God And to the Readers my request is 1. That what ever for Quantity or Quality in this Book is an impediment to their regular universal obedience and to a truly holy life they would neglect and cast away 2. But that which is truly Instructing and Helpful they would diligently Digest and Practice And I encourage them by my testimony that by long experience I am assured that this PRACTICAL RELIGION will afford both to Church State and Conscience more certain and more solid Peace than contending Disputers with all their pretences of Orthodoxness and Zeal against Errors for the Truth will ever bring or did ever attain to I crave your pardon for this long Apology It is an Age where the Objections are not feigned and where our greatest and most costly services of God are charged on us as our greatest sins and where at once I am accused of Conscience for doing no more and of men for doing so much Being really A most unworthy Servant of so good a Master RICHARD BAXTER THE CONTENTS OF THE First TOME Christian Ethicks The Introduction page 1 2. CHAP. I. DIrections to Unconverted graceless sinners for the attainment of saving Grace § 1. What is presupposed in the Reader of these Directions p. 3 Containing Reasons against Atheism and Ungodliness § 2 Twenty Directions p. 6 § 3. Thirty Temptations by which Satan hindereth mens conversion p. 26 Ten Temptations by which he would perswade men that their heinous mortal sins which prove them unconverted are but the pardoned infirmities of the penitent p. 33 CHAP. II. Directions to weak Christians for their establishment and growth p. 36 Direct 1. Against receiving Religion meerly for the Novelty or Reputation of it ibid. Direct 2. Let Judgement Zeal and Practice go equally together p. 38 Direct 3. Keep a short Method of Divinity or a Catechism still in your memory p. 39 Direct 4. Certain Cautions about Controversies in Religion Heb. 6. 1. opened p. 40 Direct 5. Think not too highly of your first degrees of Grace or Gifts Time and diligence are necessary to growth How the Spirit doth illuminate The danger of this sin p 41 Direct 6. Let neither difficulties nor oppositions in the beginning discourage you Reasons p. 43 Direct 7. Value and use a Powerful faithful Mininistry Reasons Objections answered p. 45 Direct 8. For Charity Unity and Catholicism against Schism Pretences for Schism confuted p. 47 Direct 9. Let not sufferings make you sin by passion or dishonouring authority p. 49 Direct 10. Take
danger is Hell The mediate danger in general is sin But you must find what sin it is that this creature will be made a Temptation to by the Devil and the Flesh. As suppose you saw written upon money and riches The bait of Covetousness and all evil to pierce me through with many sorrows and then to damn me And suppose you saw written upon great buildings and estates and honours and attendance The great price which the Devil would give for souls and the baits to tempt men to the inordinate Love of fleshly pleasures and to draw their hearts from God and Heaven to their damnation Suppose you still saw written upon Beauty and and tempting actions and attire The bait of lust by which the Devil corrupteth the minds of men to their damnation Suppose you saw written on the Play-house door The Stage of the Mountebanck of Hell who here cheateth men of their pretious time and enticeth them to vanity luxury and damnation under pretence of instructing them by a nearer and more pleasant way than Preachers do The like I say of Gaming Recreations company See the particular snare in all § 20. Direct 17. To this end be well acquainted with your own particular inclinations and distempers Direct 17. that you may know what creature is like to prove most dangerous to you that there you may keep the strictest watch If you be subject to pride keep most from the baits of Pride and watch most cautelously against them If you be subject to Covetousness watch most against the baits of Covetousness If you are inclined to lust away from the sight of alluring objects The knowledge of your temper and disease must direct you both in your dyet and your Physick § 21. Direct 18. Live as in a constant course of obedience and suppose you saw the Law of God Direct 18. also written upon every thing you see As when you look on any tempting beauty suppose you saw Rom. 7. 7. Matth 5 28. Ephes. 5. 5. Heb. 13 4. 1 John 2. 15. this written on the forehead Thou shalt not lust Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge They shall not enter into the Kingdom of God See upon the forbidden dish or cup the prohibition of God Thou shalt not eat or drink this See upon money and riches this written Thou shalt not cove◠See upon the face of all the world Love not the world nor the things that are in the world If any man love the world the Love of the Father is not in him Thus see the Will of God on all things § 22. Direct 19. Make not the objects of sense over tempting and dangerous to your selves but take Direct 19. special care as much as in you lyeth to order all so that you may have as much of the benefit and as little of the snare of the creature as is possible Would you not be gluttonous pleasers of your appetite Choose not then too full a Table nor over-pleasant tempting drinks or dishes and yet choose those that are most useful to your health Would you not over-love the world nor your present house or lands or station Be not too instrumental your selves in guilding or dulcifying your bait If you put in the sugar the Devil and the flesh will put in the poyson Will you make all as pleasant and lovely as you can when you believe that the overloving them is the greatest danger to your salvation Will you be the greatest tempters to your selves and then desire God not to lead you into temptation § 23. Direct 20. Let not the tempting object be too near your sense For nearness enrageth the sensitive Direct 20. appetite and giveth you an opportunity of sinning Come not too near the fire if you would not be burnt And yet use prudence in keeping the usefulness of it for warmth though you avoid the burning Distance from the snares of pride and lust and passion and other sins is a most approved remedy and Nearness is their strength § 24. Direct 21. Accustom your souls to frequent and familiar exercise about their invisible objects Direct 21. as well as your senses about theirs And as you are daily and hourly in seeing and tasting and hearing the creature so be not rarely in the humble adoration of him that appeareth to you in them Otherwise use will make the creature so familiar to you and disuse will make God so strange that by degrees you will wear your selves out of his acquaintance and become like carnal sensual men and live all by sense and forget the holy exercise of the life of faith § 25. Direct 22. Lose not your humble sense of the badness of your hearts how ready they are as tinder Direct 22. to take the fire of every temptation and never grow fool-bardy and confident of your selves For your holy fear is necessary to your watchfulness and your watchfulness is necessary to your escape and safety Peters self-confidence betrayed him to deny his Lord. Had Noah and Lot and David been more afraid of the sin they had been like to have escaped it It is a part of the character of the beastly Hereticks that Iude declaimeth against that they were spots in their feasts of charity when they feasted with the Church feeding themselves without fear vers 12. When the knowledge or sense of your weakness and sinful inclination is gone then fear is gone and then safety is gone and your fall is near PART II. Particular Directions for the Government of the Eyes § 1. Direct 1. KNow the uses that your sight is given you for As 1. To see the works of God Direct 1. that thereby your Minds may see God himself 2. To read the word of God Prov. 3. 21. Luk 11. 34. Mat. 6. 21. Psal. 145. 15. Psal. 123. 2 3. Prov. 28 27. that therein you may perceive his mind 3. To see the servants of God whom you must Love and the poor whom you must relieve or pity and all the visible objects of your duty To conduct your body in the discharge of its office about all the matters of the world And in special often to look up towards Heaven the place where your blessed Lord is Glorified and whence he shall come to take you to his glory § 2. Direct 2. Remember the sins which the eye is most in danger of that you may be watchful Direct 2. and escape 1. You must take heed of a Proud and Lofty and Scornful eye which looketh on your Psal. 35. 19. Prov. 10 10. Prov 30. 17. Isa. 5. 15. Isa. 3. 16. Prov. 30. 13. Prov. 23. 33. Prov. 27. 20. Eccles. 1. 8. Eccles 4. 8. Prov. 23. 5. selves with admiration and delight as the Peacock is said to do on his tail and on others as below you with slighting and disdain 2. You must take heed of a lustful wanton eye which secretly carryeth out your heart to a befooling piece of dirty flesh and
2 Sam. 7. 13 Deut. 14 23. Psal. 14â— 1 2. Isa. â—6 8 13. Psal. 86. 9 12. 135. 13. Cant. 1. 3. John 12. 28. of his holy Name and what terrible threatnings he hath denounced against the prophaneners of it and what judgements he hath executed on them Lev. 19. 12. Ye shall not swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God I am the Lord. So Lev. 18. 21. And of the Priests it is said Lev. 21. 6. They shall be holy unto their God and not prophane the Name of their God So Lev. 22. 2. v. 31 32. Therefore shall ye keep my commandments and do them I am the Lord Neither shall ye prophane my holy Name but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel I am the Lord which hallow you Deut. 28. 58 59. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book that thou maist fear this glorious and fearful Name THE LORD THY GOD then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed Great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance Worshipping God and trusting in him is called A walking in his Name and calling upon his Name See Mic. 4. 5. Psal. 99. 6. The place of his publick Worship is called The place where he putteth or recordeth his Name Exod. 20. 24. Deut. 12. 5 11 21. Isa. 29. 23. They shall sanctifie my Name and sanctifie the holy One of Jacob and shall fear the God of Israel Isa. 48. 11. For how should my Name be polluted and I will not give my glory to another God telleth Moses and Moses telleth Aaron when his two Sons were slain I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me and before all the people I will be glorified Lev. 10. 3. So Lev. 24. 10 14. A man that in striving with another blasphemed and cursed was stoned to death And in the third Commandment it is terrible enough that God saith The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain § 19. 10. Dost thou not use to say the Lords Prayer and therein Hallowed be thy Name Matth. Luke 11. 2. 6. 9. And wilt thou prophane that Name which thou prayest may be Hallowed Is it Hallowing it to swear by it and use it unreverently and vainly in thy common talk Or will God endure such Hypocrisie as this or regard such Hypocritical prayers § 20. 11. Thy customary swearing is an uncharitable accusation of the hearers as if they were so incredulous that they would not believe a man without an Oath and so prophane that they delight in the prophanation of the Name of God which is the grief of every honest hearer § 21. 12. Thou accusest thy self as a person suspected of lying and not to be believed For among honest men a word is credible without an Oath Therefore if thou were but taken for an honest man thy bare word would be believed And by swearing thou tellest all that hear thee that thou supposest thy self to be taken for a person whose word is not to be believed And what need hast thou to tell this so openly to others if it be so § 22. 13. And by swearing thou declarest the suspicion to be true and that indeed thou art not to be believed so far art thou from making thy sayings more credible by it For he that hath so little conscience and fear of God as to swear prophanely can hardly be thought a person that makes any conscience of a lye For it is the same God that is offended by the one as by the other A swearer warranteth you to suspect him for a lyar § 23. 14. Both swearing and taking Gods Name in vain are the greater sins because you have no stronger a Temptation to them Commonly they bring no honour but shame They bring no sensual pleasure to the senses as gluttony and drunkenness and uncleanness do And usually they are committed without any profit to entice men to them You get not the worth of a penny by your sin so that it is hard to find what draweth you to it or why you do it unless it be to shew God that you fear him not and unless you intend to bid defiance to him and do that which you think will offend him in meer despight So that one would think a very little grace might serve to cure such a fruitless sin And therefore it is a sign of gracelesness § 24. 15. How terribly dost thou draw Gods vengeance upon thy self Cursing thy self is a begging for vengeance Prophane swearing is a prophane contemptuous appeal to the judgement of God And darest thou even in thy sins appeal to the Iudgement of God Dost thou fear it no more To this judgement then thou shalt go But thou wilt quickly have enough of it and find what it was for stubble to appeal to the consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. § 25. Direct 3. Remember Gods presence and keep his fear upon thy heart and remember his judgement Direct 3. to which thou art hastening and keep a tender conscience and a watch upon thy tongue and then thou wilt easily escape such a sin as this Darest thou abuse Gods Name before his face § 26. Direct 4. Write over thy doors or bed where thou maist oft read it the third Commandment or Direct 4. some of these terrible passages of holy Scripture Matth. 5. 34 35 36 37. I say unto you swear not at all neither by Heaven Nor by the Earth Nor by thy Head But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Jam. 5. 12. Above all things my brethren swear not neither by the Heavens neither by the earth nor any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation or hypocrisie as Dr. Hammond thinks it should be read Zech. 5. 3. Every one that sweareth shall be cut off Jer. 23. 10. Because of swearing the Land mourneth Hos. 4. 2. Think well on such Texts as these § 27. Direct 5. Love God and honour him as God and thou canst not thus despise and abuse his Direct 5. Name Thou wilt reverence and honour the name of that person that thou lovest and reverencest and honourest It is atheism and want of Love to God that makes thee so prophane his Name § 28. Direct 6. Punish thy self after every such Crime with such a voluntary mulct or penalty as Direct 6. may help to quicken thy observation and remembrance If none execute the Law upon thee which is twelve pence an Oath lay more on thy self and give it to the poor Though you are not bound to do justice on your selves you may medicinally help to cure your selves by that which hath a rational aptitude thereto Tit. 3. Special Directions against Lying and Dissembling § 1. THat you may know what Lying
the most behind 2. Another may remember more than you 3. All is not lost when the words are forgotten For it may breed a habit of understanding and promote resolution affection and practice § 8. Direct 8. Writing is an easie help for memory to those that can use it Some question whether they should use it because it hindereth their affection But that must be differently determined according to the difference of subjects and of hearers Some Sermons are all to work upon the affections at present and the present advantage is to be preferred before the after perusal But some must more profit us in after-digestion and review And some hearers can write much with ease and little hinder their affection and some write so little and are hindered so much that it recompenseth not their loss Some know so fully all that is said that they need no notes and some that are ignorant need them for perusal § 9. Direct 9. Peruse what you remember or write down when you come home and fix it speedily before it 's lost And hear others that can repeat it better Pray it over and confer of it with others § 10. Direct 10. If you forget the very words yet remember the main drift of all and get those Direct 10. Resolutions and affections which they drive at And then you have not lost the Sermon though you have lost the words As he hath not lost his food that hath digested it and turned it into flesh and blood Tit. 3. Directions for holy Resolutions and Affections in hearing THE understanding and memory are but the passage to the Heart and the Practice is but the expression of the Heart therefore how to work upon the Heart is the principal business § 1. Direct 1. Live under the most convincing lively serious Preacher that possibly you can It is Direct 1. a matter of great concernment to all but especially to dull and sensless hearts Hearken not to that earthly generation that tell you because God can bless the weakest and because it is your own fault if you profit not by the weakest that therefore you should make no difference but sit down under an ignorant dumb or sensless man Try first whether they had as willingly have a bad servant or a bad Physicion as a good one because God can bless the labours of the weakest Try whether they would not have their Children duly reproved or corrected because it is their own faults that they need it And whether they would not take physick after a surfet though it be their own fault that made them sick It 's true that all our sin is our own fault but the question is what is the most effectual cure what man that is alive and awake doth not feel a very great difference between a dead and a lively Preacher § 2. Direct 2. Remember that Ministers are the Messengers of Christ and come to you on his business Direct 2. and in his name Hear them therefore as his officers and as men that have more to do with God 2 Cor. 6. 1. himself than with the speaker It is the phrase of the holy Ghost Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do It is God with whom you have to do and therefore accordingly behave your selves See Luk. 10. 16. 1 Thes. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 1. § 3. Direct 3. Remember that this God is instructing you and warning you and treating with Direct 3. yâ—u about no less than the saving of your souls Come therefore to hear as for your salvation Can that heart be dull that well considereth that it is Heaven and Hell that is the matter that God is treating with him about § 4. Direct 4. Remember that you have but a little time to hear in and you know not whether Direct 4. ever you shall hear again Hear therefore as if it were your last Think when you hear the Calls of God and the offers of Grace I know not but this may be my last How would I hear if I were sure to dye to morrow I am sure it will be ere long and may be to day for ought I know § 5. Direct 5. Remember that all these dayes and Sermons must be reviewed and you must answer for Direct 5. all that you have heard whether you heard it with Love or with unwillingness and weariness with diligent attention or with carelesness and the word which you hear shall judge you at the last day Hear therefore as those that are going to judgement to give account of their hearing and obeying Joh. 12. 48. § 6. Direct 6. Make it your work with diligence to apply the Word as you are hearing it and to Direct 6. work your own hearts to those suitable resolutions and affections which it bespeaketh Cast not all upon the Minister as those that will go no further than they are carryed as by force This is fitter for the dead than the living You have work to do as well as the Preachers and should all the while be as busie as he As helpless as the infant is he must suck when the Mother offereth him the breast If you must be fed yet you must open your mouths and digest it For another cannot digest it for you nor can the holiest wisest powerful Minister convert or save you without your selves nor deliver a people from sin and hell that will not stir for their own deliverance Therefore be all the while at work and abhor an idle heart in hearing as well as an idle Minister § 7. Direct 7. Chew the Cud and call up all when you come home in secret and by Meditation Direct 7. Preach it over to your selves If it were coldly delivered by the Preacher do you consider of the great weight of the matter and Preach it more earnestly over to your own hearts You should love your selves best and best be acquainted with your own condition and necessities § 8. Direct 8. Pray it over all to God and there lament a stupid heart and put up your complaints Direct 8. to Heaven against it The name and presence of God hath a quickening and awaking power § 9. Direct 9. Go to Christ by faith for the quickenings of his spirit Your life is hid in him Direct 9. your root and head and from him all must be conveyed He that hath the Son hath life and because he liveth we shall live also Intreat him to glorifie the power of his Resurrection by raising the dead and to open your hearts and speak to you by his spirit that you may be taught of God and your hearts may be his Epistles and the tables where the everlasting Law is written Col. 3. 3 4. Ioh. 15. 1 2 3 4 5. Ioh. 11. 25. 14. 19. Phil. 3. 7 8. Act. 16. 14. Ioh. 6. 45. 2 Cor. 3. 3 6 17 18. Heb. 8. 10. 10. 16. Ier. 31. 33.
Christ and his Disciples But walk with the most Holy and blameless and charitable that live upon that truth which others talk of and are seeking to please God by the wisdom which is first pure and then peaceable and gentle Jam. 3. 17 18 when others are contending for their several sects or seeking to please Christ by killing him or censuring him or slandering him in his servants Ioh. 16. 2 3. Matth. 25. 45. 40. Direct 8. § 8. Direct 8. Keep a just account of your Practice Examine your selves in the end of every day and week how you have spent your time and practised what you were taught and judge your selves before God according at you find it Yea you must call your selves to account every hour what you are doing and how you do it whether you are upon Gods work or not And your hearts must be watcht and followed like unfaithful servants and like loitering Scholars and driven on to every duty like a dull or tired horse § 9. Direct 9. Above all set your hearts to the deepest contemplations of the wonderful Love of God Direct 9. in Christ and the sweetness and excellency of a holy life and the certain incomprehensible glory which it tendeth to that your souls may be in Love with your dear Redeemer and all that is holy and Love and obedience may be as natural to you And then the practice of holy doctrine will be easie to you when it is your delight § 10. Direct 10. Take heed that you receive not ungrounded or unnecessary prejudices against the Direct 10. person of the Preacher For that will turn away your heart and lock it up against his doctrine And therefore abhor the spirit of uncharitableness cruelty and faction which alway bendeth to the suppressing or vilifying and disgracing all those that are not of their way and for their interest And be not so blind as not to observe that the very design of the Devil in raising up divisions among Christians is that he may use the tongues or hands of one another to vilifie them all and make them odious to one another and to disable one another from hindering his Kingdom and doing any considerable service to Christ. So that when a Minister of Christ should be winning souls either he is forbidden or he is despised and the hearers are saying O he is such or such a one according to the names of reproach which the Enemy of Christ and Love hath taught them CHAP. XX. Directions for profitable Reading the holy Scriptures § 1. SEeing the diversity of mens tempers and understandings is so exceeding great that it is impossible that any thing should be pleasing and suitable to some which shall not be disliked and quarrelled with by others and seeing in the Scriptures there are many things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. and the Word is to some the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2. 16. You Mar. 4. 24. have therefore need to be careful in Reading it And as Christ saith Luke 8. 18. Take heed how you hear so I say Take heed how you read § 2. Direct 1. Bring not an evil heart of Unbelief Open the Bible with holy Reverence as the Book Direct 1. Read Chap. 3. Dir. 1. and against Unbelief Tom. 1. of God indited by the Holy Ghost Remember that the Doctrine of the New Testament was revealed by the Son of God who was purposely sent from Heaven to be the Light of the world and to make known to men the Will of God and the matters of their salvation Bethink you well if God should but send a Book or Letter to you by an Angel how reverently you would receive it How carefully you would peruse it and regard it above all the Books in the world And how much rather should you do so by that Book which is indited by the Holy Ghost and recordeth the doctrine of Christ himself whose authority is greater than all the Angels Read it not therefore as a common Book with a common and unreverent heart but in the dread and Love of God the Author Direct 2. § 3. Direct 2. Remember that it is the very Law of God which you must live by and be judged by at last And therefore read it with a full Resolution to obey what ever it commandeth though flesh and men and Devils contradict it Let there be no secret exceptions in your heart to baulk any of its Precepts and shift off that part of obedience which the flesh accounteth difficult or dear § 4. Direct 3. Remember that it is the Will and Testament of your Lord and the Covenant of most Direct 3. full and gracious Promises which all your Comforts and all your hopes of pardon and everlasting life are built upon Read it therefore with Love and great delight Value it a thousand fold more than you would do the letters of your dearest friend or the Deeds by which you hold your Lands or any thing else of low concernment If the Law was sweeter to David than honey and better than thousands of Gold and Silver and was his delight and meditation all the day O what should the sweet and pretious Gospel be to us Direct 4. § 5. Direct 4. Remember that it is a Doctrine of unseen things and of the greatest Mysteries and therefore come not to it with arrogance as a Iudge but with Humility as a Learner or Disciple And if any thing seem difficult or improbable to you suspect your own unfurnished understanding and not the sacred Word of God If a Learner in any Art or Science will suspect his Teacher and his Books when ever he is stalled or meeteth with that which seemeth unlikely to him his pride would keep possession for his ignorance and his folly were like to be uncurable Direct 5. § 6. Direct 5. Remember that it is an Universal Law and Doctrine written for the most ignorant as well as for the curious and therefore must be suited in plainness to the capacity of the simple and yet have matter to exercise the most subtile wits and that God would have the style to savâ—ur more of the innocent weakness of the instruments than the matter Therefore be not offended or troubled when the style dâ—th seem less polite than you might think beseemed the Holy Ghost nor at the plainness of some parts or the mysteriousness of others But adore the wisdom and tender condescension of God to his poor creatures § 7. Direct 6. Bring not a carnal mind which savoureth only fleshly things and is enslaved to those Direct 6. sins which the Scripture doth condemn For the carnal mind is enmity against God and neither is nor can be subject to his Law Rom. 8. 7 8. And the things of God are not discerned by the meer natural man for they are foolishness to him and they must be spiritually
And it is no true Repentance when you say I am sorry that I have sinned but you know not or remember not Wherein you have sinned nor what your sin is and so repent not indeed of any one sin at all And so it is no true Desire that reacheth not to the particular necessary Graces which we must desire Though I know some few very quick comprehensive minds can in in a moment think of many particulars when they use but General words And I know that some smaller less necessary things may be generally past over and greater matters in a time of haste or when we besides those Generals do also use particular requests § 3. Quest. 3. Is it lawful to pray in a set form of words Quest. 3. Answ. Nothing but very great ignorance can make you really doubt of it Hath God any where forbid it You will say That it s enough that he hath not commanded it I answer That in general he See Selden â—bi supra proving that the Jeâ—s had a form of prayer since Ezra's time I herefore it was in Christs time Yet he and his Apostles joyned with them and never contradicted or blamed them for forms hath commanded it to all whose edification it tendeth to when he commandeth you that all be done to edification But he hath given no particular command nor prohibition No more he hath not commanded you to pray in English French or Latin nor to sing Psalms in this Tune or that nor after this or that Version or Translation nor to preach in this Method particularly or that nor alwayes to preach upon a Text nor to use written Notes nor to compose a form of words and learn them anâ— preach them after they are composed with a hundred such like which are undoubtedly lawful yea and needful to some though not to others If you make up all your prayer of Scripture sentences this is to pray in a form of prescribed words and yet as lawful and fit as any of your own The Pâ—alms are most of them forms of Prayer or Praise which the Spirit of God indited for the use of the Church and of particular persons It would be easie to fill many Pages with larger reasonings and answers to all the fallacious Objections that are brought against this But I will not so far weary the Reader and my self § 4. Quest. 4. But are those forms lawful which are prescribed by others and not by God Quest. 4. Answ. Yea Or else it would be unlawful for a Child or Scholar to use a form prescribed by his Parents or Master And to think that a thing lawful doth presently become unlawful because a Parent Master Pastor or Prince doth prescribe it or command it is a conceit that I will not wrong my Reader so far as to suppose him guilty of Indeed if an Usurper that hath no Authority over us in such matters do prescribe it we are not bound to formal Obedience that is to do it therefore because he commandeth it But yet I may be bound to it on some other accounts And though his command do not bind me yet it maketh not the thing it self unlawful § 5. Quest. 5. But is it lawful to pray ex tempore without a premeditated form of words Quest. 5. Answ. No Christian of competent understanding doubteth of it We must premeditate on our waâ—ts and sins and the graces and mercies we desire and the God we speak to and we must be able to express these things without any lothsome and unfit expressions But whether the words are fore-contrived or not is a thing that God hath no more bound you to by any Law than whether the speaker or hearers shall use Sermon Notes or whether your Bibles shall be written or in Print § 6. Quest. 6. If both wayes be lawful which is better Quest. 6. Answ. If you are to joyn with others in the Church that is better to you which the Pastor then useth For it is his Office and not yours to word the prayers which he puts up to God And if he choâ—se a form whether it be as most agreeable to his parts or to his people or for concord with other Churches or for obedience to Governours or to avoid some greater inconvenience you must joyn with him or not joyn there at all But if it be in private where you are the speaker your Three oâ— four of these Cases as to Church-prayers are laâ—geâ—er answered afterward Tom. 3. Part 2. Socâ—ates alius Couâ— deorum precaâ—iones invoâ—ationâ—sque conscâ—ipsiâ— Laâ—rt â—â— Socâ—ate self you must take that way that is most to your own edification and to others it you have Auditors joyning with you One man is so unused to prayer being ignorantly bred or of such unready memory or expression that he cannot remember the tenth part so much of his particular wants without the help of a form as with it nor can he express it so affectingly for himself or others nay perhaps not in tolerable words And a form to such a man may be a duty as to a dim-sighted man to read by spectacles or to an unready Preacher to use prepared words and Notes And another man may have need of no such helps Nay when he is habituated in the understanding and feeling of his sins and wants and hath a tongue that is used to express his mind even in these matters with readiness and facility it will greatly hinder the fervor of such a mans affections to tye himself to premeditated words To say the contrary is to speak against the common sense and experience of such speakers and their hearers And let them that yet deride this as uncertain and inconsiderate praying but mark themselves whether they cannot if they be hungry beg for bread or ask help of their Physicion or Lawyer or Landlord or any other as well without a learned or studied form as with it Who knoweth not that its true which the New Philosopher saith Cartes de Passion part 1. art 44. Et cum inter loquendum solum cogitamus de sensu illiâ—s rei quam dicere volumus id facit ut moveamus linguam labra celerius melius quam si cogitaremus ea movere omnibus modis requisitis ad prâ—ferenda eadem verba Quia habitus quem acquisivimus cum disceremus loqui c. Turning the thoughts too solicitously from the matter to the words doth not only mortifie the prayers of many and turn them into a dead form but also maketh them more dry and barren even as to the words themselves The heavy charge and bitter scornful words which have been too common in this age against praying without a set form by some and against praying with a Book or form by others is so dishonourable a symptome or diagnostick of the Churches sickness as must needs be matter of shame and sorrow to the sounder understanding part For it cannot be denyed but it proveth mens
more plainly expressed than nature hath exprest it All is not Christs Law that is any way exprest in Scripture but all Christs Laws are exprest in the Matth. 28. 20. Scriptures Not written by himself but by his Spirit in his Apostles whom he appointed and sent ☜ to Teach all Nations to observe what ever he commanded them who being thus commissioned and enabled fully by the Spirit to perform it are to be supposed to have perfectly executed their commission and to have taught whatsoever Christ commanded them and no more as from Christ And therefore as they taught that present age by Voice who could Hear them so they taught all ages after to the end Rom. 13. 9. Matt. 22. 37. Isa. 8. 16. 20. Acts 8. 25. Acts 15. 35 36. Acts â—6 17 18. 1 John 1. 9. Nâ—heâ—â— 1. 6. Lâ—v. 16. 21. Pâ—â—l 4. 6. Psal. 50. 14. 69 30. 100. 1 2 4. Eph. 5. 19. Psal. 9. 11. 95. 1. Luke 11. â— 3. c. Matth. 2â— 1â— 1 Câ—r 11. 27. 24 25 26 28. 1 Cor. 14. 5 1â— â—6 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. Rom. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 14. 40. Rom. 14. 15 2â— 1 Cor. 9. 20 21 22. 1 Cor. 8. 10. 10. 19 28. 2 Cor. 6. â—6 of the world by writing because their voice was not by them to be heard § 16. 3. So far then as the Scripture is a Law and Rule it is a perfect Rule But how far it is a Law or Rule it s own contents and expressions must determine As 1. It is certain that all the Internal worship of God by Love fear trust desire c. is perfectly commanded in the Scriptures 2. The Doctrine of Christ which his Ministers must read and preach is perfectly contained in the Scriptures 3. The grand and constantly necessary points of Order in preaching are there also expressed As that the opening of mens eyes and the converting of them from the power of Satan to God be first endeavoured and then their Confirmation and further Edification c. 4. Also that we humble our selves before God in the confession of our sins 5. And that we pray to God in the name of Christ for mercy for our selves and others 6. That we give God Thanks for his mercies to the Church our selves and others 7. That we Praise God in his excellencies manifested in his Word and Works of Creation and Providence 8. That we do this by singing Psalms with holy joyfulness of heart 9. The matter and order of the ordinary prayers and praises of Christians is expressed in the Scripture As which parts are to have precedency in our estimation and desire and ordinarily in our expressions 10. Christ himself hath determined that by Baptizing them into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost men be solemnly entered into his Covenant and Church and state of Christianity 11. And he hath himself appointed that his Churches hold communion with him and among themselves in the Eucharistical administration of the Sacrament of his Body and blood represented in the breaking delivering receiving and eating the consecrated Bread and in the pouâ—ing out delivering receiving and drinking the consecrated Wine 12. And as for the mutable subservient circumstances and external expressions and actions and orders which were not fit to be in particular the matter of an Universal Law but are fit in one place or at one time and not another for thâ—se he hath left both in Nature and Scripture such General Laws by which upon emergent occasions they may be determined and by particular Providences he â—itteth things and persons and times and places so as that we may discern their agreeableness to the descriptions in his General Laws As that all things be done Decently in Order and to Ediâ—ication and in Charity Unity and Peace And he hath forbidden Generally doing any thing undecently disorderly to the hurâ—â—â— destruction of our brethren even the weak or to the division of the Church 13. And many things 2 Commandment Col. â— 18 c. 1 Joh. 5. 21. Rev. 2. 14. he hath particularly forbidden in Worship as making to our selves any graven Image c. and Worshipping Angels c. § 20. And as to the order and Government of the Church for I am willing to dispatch all here together this much is plainly determined in Scripture 1. That there be Officers or Ministers under Mat. 28. 19. Rom. 10. 7 8. Act. 14. 23. Act. 2. 42. 20. 7 28. â—ph 4. 11 14. Mal 2. 7. 〈…〉 3. 17 21. 1 Coâ— 12. 17 28. Câ—â— 1. â—8 Act. 2â— â—â— 1 Thes. 5. 12. Hâ—b 13. 7 17. Act. â— 37. â— 37 38. 3. 20. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 16. 9. 13 14. Act. 20. 2 Cor. 2. 11. Heb. 12. 15. Deut. 10. 8. 2 â—iâ— 4. 1 2 3. Matth. 18. 15 16 17. 2 Thes. 3. 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2 Joh. 10. 11. â—â— 3. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Rom. 16 17. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Luk 10 16. 12. 42. Act. â—3 â—3 Tâ—t 1. 5 9. 1 Tim. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. 3 4. Rev. 1. 10. Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16 2. Christ to be the stated Teachers of his people and to Baptize and Administer the Sacrament of his Body and Blood and be the Mouth and Guide of the people in publick Prayers thanksgiving and praises and to bind the impâ—nitent and loose the penitent and to be the Directers of the flocks according to the Law of God to life eternal And their Office is described and determined by Christ. 2. It is required that Christians do ordinarily Assemble together for Gods publick worship and be Guided therein by these their Pastors 3. It is required that besides the unfixed Ministers who employ themselves in converting Infidels and in an itinerant service of the Churches there be also stated fixed Ministers having a special charge of each particular Church and that they may know their own flocks and teach them publickly and from house to house and the people may know their own Pastors that are â—ver them in the Lord and honour them and obey them in all that they teach them from the Word of God for their salvation 4. The Ministers that Baptize are to judge of the capacity and fitness of those whom they Baptize whether the Adult that are admitted upon their personal profession and Covenanting or Infants that are admitted upon their Parents profession and entering them into Covenant 5. The Pastors that administer the Lords Supper to their particular flocks are to discern or judge of the fitness of those persons whom they receive newly into their charge or whom they admit to Communion in that Sacrament as members of their flock 6. Every such Pastor is also personally to watch over all the members of his flock as far as he is able lest false teachers seduce them or satan get advantage of them or any corruption or root of bitterness spring up
to true penitent believers with a right to everlasting life and as to the obligation to sincere obedience for salvation though not as to the yet future coming of Christ in the flesh And this Law of Grace was never 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 15. 4. 16. 26. yet repealed any further than Christs coming did fulfill it and perfect it Therefore to the rest of the world who never can have the Gospel or perfecter Testament as Christians have the former ☞ Law of Grace is yet in force And that is the Law conjoyned with the Law of Nature which now the world without the Church is under Under I say as to the force of the Law and a former Matth. 22. 29. Luke 24. 27 32 45. John 5. â—9 Acts 17. 2. 11. 18. 24 25. John 20. 9. John 7. 38 42. 10. 35. 13. 18. 19. 24 28. Luke 4. 18. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. Acts 8. 32 33 35. Rom. 1. 2. promulgation made to Adam and Noah and some common intimations of it in merciful forbearances pardons and benefits though how many are under it as to the knowledge reception belief and obedience of it and consequently are saved by it is more than I or any man knoweth 6. There are many Prophecies of Christ and the Christian Church in the Old Testament yet to be fulfilled and therefore are still Gods Word for us 7. There are many Precepts of God to the Jews and to particular persons given them on Reasons common to them with us where parity of Reason will help thence to gather our own duty now 8. There are many holy expressions as in the Psalms which are fitted to persons in our condition and came from the Spirit of God and therefore as such are fit for us now 9. Even the fulfilled Promises Types and Prophecies are still Gods Word that is his Word given to their several proper uses And though much of their Use be changed or ceased so is not all They are yet useful to us to confirm our faith while we see their accomplishment and see how much God still led his Church to Happiness in one and the same way 10. On all these accounts therefore we may still Read the Old Testament and preach upon it in the publick Churches Quest. 156. Must we believe that Moses Law did ever bind other Nations or that any other parts of the Scripture bound them or belonged to them or that the Iews were all Gods Visible Church on Earth Answ. I Conjoyn these three Questions for dispatch I. 1. Some of the Matter of Moses Law did Rom. 2. Rom. 1. 20 21 Enod 12. 19 43 48 49. 20. 10. Lev. 17. 12 15. 18. 26. 24. 16 22. Numb 9. 14. 15. 14 15 16 29 30. 19. 10. Deut. 1. 16. bind all Nations that is The Law of nature as such 2. Those that had the knowledge of the Jewish Law were bound â—ollaterally to believe and obey all the expositions of the Law of nature in it and all the Laws which were given upon reasons common to all the world As about degrees of Marriage particular rules of Justice c. As if I heard God from Heaven tell another that standeth by me Thou shalt not marry thy fathers Widow for it is abominable I ought to apply that to me being his subject which is spoken to another on a common reason 3. All those Gentiles that would be proselytes and joyn with the Jews in their policy and dwell among them were bound to be observers of their Laws But 1. The Law of Nature as Mosaical did not formally and directly bind other Nations 2. Nâ—r were they bound to the Laws of their peculiar policy Civil or Ecclesiastical which were positives The reason is 1. Because they were all one body of Political Laws given peculiarly to one political body Even the Decalogue it self was to them a political Law 2. Because Moses was not authorized or sent to be the Mediator or deliverer of that Law to any Nation but the Jews And being never in the enacting or Promulgation sent or directed to the rest of the World it could not bind them II. As to the second Question Though the Scripture as a writing bound not all the World yet 1. The Law of Nature as such which is recorded in Scripture did bind all 2. The Covenant of Psal. 145. 9 103. 19. Psal. 100. 1. Rom. 14. 11. Act. 34 35. Jud. 14. 15. Grace was made with all mankind in Adam and Noe And they were bound to promulgate it by Tradition to all their off-spring And no doubt so they did whether by word as all did or by writing also as it 's like some did as Henochs Prophesies were it 's like delivered or else they had not in terms been preserved till Iudes time 3. And God himself as aforesaid by actual providences pardoning and benefits given to them that deserved hell did in part promulgate it himself 4. The neighbour Nations might learn much by Gods doctrine and dealing with the Jews III. To the third Question I answer 1. The Jews were a people chosen by God out of all the Deut. 14. 2 3. 7. 2. 6 7. Exod. 19. 5. 6. 7 8. Lev. 20. 24 26. Deut. 4. 20 33. 29. 13. 33. 29. Rom. 3. 1 2 3. Nations of the Earth to be a holy Nation and his peculiar treasure having a peculiar Divine Law and Covenant and many great priviledges to which the rest of the World were strangers so that they were advanced above all other Kingdoms of the world though not in wealth nor worldly power nor largeness of Dominion yet in a special dearness unto God 2. But they were not the only people to whom God made a Covenant of Grace in Adam and Noe as distinct from the Law or Covenant of Innocency 3. Nor were they the only people that professed to Worship the true God neither was holiness and salvation confined to them but were found in other Nations Therefore though we have but little notice of the state of other Kingdoms in their times and scarcely know what National Churches that is whole Nations professing saving faith there were yet we may well conclude that there were other visible Churches besides the Jews For 1. No Scripture denyeth it and charity then must hope the best 2. The Scriptures of the Old Testament give us small account of other Countreys but of the Jews alone with some of their Neighbours 3. Sem was alive in Abrahams dayes yea about 34 years after Abrahams death and within 12 years of Ismaels death viz. till about An. Mundi 2158. And so great and blessed a man as Sem cannot be thought to be less than a King and to have a Kingdom governed according to his holiness and so that there was with him not only a Church but a National Church or holy Kingdom 4. And Melchizedeck was a holy King and
in the Scripture we have it more certainly revealed already Therefore the Revelation can be nothing but an assistance of the persons faith or a call to obedience or a reproof of some sin which every man is to believe according as there is true evidence that indeed it is a Divine Revelation or Vision which if it be not the same thing is still sure to us in the Scripture 3. If it be something that is only Besides the Scripture as about events and facts or Prophecies of what will befall particular places or persons we must first see whether the evidence of a Divine revelation be clear in it or not And that is known 1. To the person himself by the self-attesting and convincing power of a Divine Revelation which no man knoweth but he that hath it And we must be very cautelous lest we take false conceptions to be such But to himself and others it is known 1. At present by clear uncontrolled Miracles which are Gods attestation which if men shew we are bound in this case to believe them 2. For the Future by the event when things so plainly John 3. 2. John 13. 19. 14. 20. Luke 21. 7 9 28 31 36. Matth. 5. 18. 24. 34. 21. 4. come to pass as prove the prediction to be of God He therefore that giveth you not by certain Miracles uncontrolled a just proof that he is sent of God is to be heard with a suspended belief you must stay till the event shew whether he say true or not And not act any thing in the mean time upon an unproved presumption either of the truth or falshood of his words 4. If you are in doubt whether that which he speaketh be contrary to Gods Word or not you must hear him with a proportionable suspicion and give no credit to him till you have tryed whether it be so or not 5. It is a dangerous snare and sin to believe any ones Prophecies or Revelations meerly because they are very Holy persons and do most confidently averr or swear it For they may be deceived themselves As also to take hysterical or melancholy delirations or conceptions for the Revelations of the Spirit of God and so to father falshood upon God Quest. 165. May one be saved who believeth that the Scripture hath any mistake or error and believeth it not all Answ. THe chief part of the answer to this must be fetcht from what is said before about Fundamentals Rev. 6. 10. 19. 9 11. 21. 5. 22. 6. 1 John 2. 8. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 c. 1. No man can be saved who believeth not that God is no lyar and that all his Word is true Because indeed he believeth not that there is a God 2. No man can be saved who believeth not the points that are essential to true Godliness nor any man that heareth the Word who believeth not all Essential to Christianity or the Christian Covenant and Religion 3. A man may be saved who believeth not some Books of Scripture as Iude 2 Pet. 2 Iohn 3 Iohn Revelations to be Canonical or the Word of God so he heartily believe the rest or the Essentials 4. He that thinketh that the Prophets Sacred Historians Evangelists and Apostles were guided to Mark 16. 16. Rom. 10. 12 13. John 3. 16 18. 1 John 4. 2 3. an Infallible delivery and recording of all the great substantial necessary points of the Gospel but not to an Infallibility in every by-expression phrase citation or circumstance doth disadvantage his own faith as to all the rest but yet may be saved if he believe the substance with a sound and practical belief Quest. 166. Who be they that give too little to the Scriptures and who too much and what is the danger of each extream Answ. I. IT is not easie to enumerate all the errors on either extream but only to give some instances of each 1. They give too little to the Scriptures who dâ—ny it to be indited by inspiration of the Infallible Spirit of God and to be wholly true 2. And they that detract from some parts or Books of it while they believe the rest 3. And they that think it is not given as a Law of God and as a Rule of faith and life 4. And they that think it is not an Universal Law and Rule for all the world but for some parts only supposing the predication of it 5. And they that think it an Imperfect Law and Rule which must be made up with the supplement of Traditions or Revelations 6. And they that think that it was adapted only to the times it was written in and James 4. 12. Isa. 33. 22. Râ—v 22. 18 19. Matth. 28. 20. Isa. 8. 16 20. Psal. 19. 7 8. 119. 130. Prov. 14. 20 22. 8 5. Deut. 12. 32. not to ours as not foreseeing what would be 7. And they that think it is culpably defective in Method 8. And they that think it culpably defective in phrase or aptness or elegancy of style 9. And they that think that it containeth not all that was necessary or fit for universal determination of that kind of things which it doth at all universally determine of As e. g. that it made two Sacraments but not all of that kind that are fit to be made but hath left men to invent and make more of the same nature and use 10. And those that think that it is fitted only to the Learned or only to the unlearned only to Princes or only to subjects c. 11. And those that think that it is but for a time and then by alteration to be perfected as Moses Law was 12. And those that think that the Pope Princes or Prelates or any men may change or alter it II. Those give too much in bulk but too little in vertue to the Scriptures 1. Who would set them up instead of the whole Law and Light of Nature as excluding this as useless where the Scripture is 2. And they that â—eign it to be instead of all Grammars Logick Philosophy and all other Arts and Sciences and to be a perfect particular Rule for every Ruler Lawyer Physicion Marriner Architect Husbandman and Tradesman to do his work by 3. And they that â—eign it to be fully sufficient to all men to prove its own authority and truth without 1 Joh. 1. 1 2 3. 3 John 12. Heb. 2. 3 4. John 21. 24. the subsidiary use of that Church-History and Tradition which telleth us the supposed Matters of fact and must help us to know what Books are Canonical and what not and without historical evidence that these are the true Books which the Prophets and Apostles wrote and the Miracles and Providences which have attested them 4. And those that think that it is sufficient for its own promulgation or the peoples instruction Ephes. 4. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. John 6.
that is said by all others But though one man excell in one or many respects another may excell him in some particulars and say that which he omitteth or mistaketh in 3. But especially because many errors and adversaries have many Books necessary to some for to know what they say and to know how to confute them especially the Papists whose way is upon pretence of Antiquity and Universality to carry every Controversie into a Wood of Church History and antient Writers that there you may first be lost and then they may have the finding of you And if you cannot answer every corrupted or abused Citation of theirs out of Councils and Fathers they triumph as if they had justified their Church-tyranny 4. And the very subjects that are to be understood are numerous and few men write of all 5. And on the same subject men have several Modes of Writing As one excelleth in accurate Method and another in clear convincing argumentation and another in an affectionate taking style And the same Book that doth one cannot well do the other because the same style will not do it Object But the antient Fathers used not so many Books as we do no not one for our hundreds And yet we honour them above the Neotericks They lived before these Libraries had a being Yea they exhort Divines to be learned in the holy Scriptures and the fourth Council of Carthage forbad the reading of the Heathens Books And many Hereticks are accused by the Fathers and Historians as being studied in Logick and curious in common Sciences And Paul saith that the Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation Answ. 1. And yet the New Testament was written or most of it after Paul said so which sheweth that he meant not to exclude more writing 2. The Scriptures are sufficient for their proper use which is to be a Law of Faith and Life if they be understood But 1. They are not sufficient for that which they were never intended for 2. And we may by other Books be greatly helpt in understanding them 3. If other Books were not needful Teachers were not needful For Writing is but the most advantagious way of Teaching by fixed Characters which flye not from our memory as transient words do And who is it that understandeth the Scriptures that never had a Teacher And why said the Eunuch How should I understand what I read unless some man guide me Acts 8. 31. And why did Christ set Teachers in his Church to the end till it be perfected Eph. 4. 11 12 13. if they must not Teach the Church unto the end Therefore they may write unto the end 4. Reverence to Antiquity must not make us blind or unthankful Abundance of the Fathers were unlearned men and of far less knowledge than ordinary Divines have now And the chief of them were far short in knowledge of the chiefest that God of late hath given us And how should it be otherwise when their helps were so much less than ours 5. Knowledge hath abundantly encreased since Printing was invented Therefore Books have been a means to it 6. The Fathers then wrote voluminously Therefore they were not against more writing 7. Most of the Bishops and Councils that cryed down Common Learning had little of it themselves and therefore knew not how to judge of it no more than good men now that want it 8. They lived among Heathens that gloried so in their own Learning as to oppose it to the Word of God as may be seen in Iulian and Porphyry and Celsus Therefore Christians opposed it and contemned it and were afraid while it was set in competition with the Scriptures lest it should draw men to Infidelity if overvalued 9. And finally the truth is that the sacred Scriptures are now too much undervalued and Philosophy much overvalued by many both as to Evidence and Usefulness And a few plain certain truths which all our Catechisms contain well pressed and practised would make a better Church and Christians than is now to be found among us all And I am one that after all that I have written do heartily wish that this were the ordinary state of our Câ—urches But yet by Accident much more is needful as is proved 1. For the â—uller understâ—nding of these principles 2. For the defending of them especially by those that are called to that work 3. To keep a Minister from that Contempt which may else frustrate his labours 4. And to be ornamental and subservient to the substantial Truths And now I will answer the Question more Particularly in this order I. I will name you the Poorest or Smallest Library that is tolerable II. The Poorer though not the poorest where a competent addition is made III. The Poor mans Library which yet addeth somewhat to the former but cometh short of a Rich and Sumptuous Library I. THe Poorest Library is 1. The Sacred Bible 2. A Concordance Downames the least or Newmans the best 3. A sound Commentary or Annotations either Diodates the English Annotations or the Dutch 4. Some English Catechisms the Assemblies two Mr. Gouges Mr. Crooks Guide Amesius his Medulla Theologiae Casus Conscientiae which are both in Latin and English and his Bellarminus Enervatus 5. Some of the soundest English Books which open the Doctrine of Grace Justification and Free-will and Duty as Mr. Truman's Great Propiâ—iation Mr. Bradshaw of Iustification Mr. Gibbons Sermon of Iustification in the Morning Exercises at St. Giles in the Fields Mr. Hochkis of Forgiveness of Sin 6. As many Affectionate Practical English Writers as you can get Especially Mr. Richard Allens Works Mr. Gournall's Dr. Preston Dr. Sibbes Mr. Robert Bolton Mr. Whateley Mr. Râ—yner Mr. Scudder Mr. T. Ford Mr. How of Blessedness Mr. Swinocke Mr. Gouges The Practice of Piety The Whole Duty of Man Dr. Hammonds Practical Catechism Dr. Pierson on the Creed Dr. Downame on the Lords Prayer Mr. Dod on the Commandments Bishop Andrewes on the Commandments Mr. Io. Brinsleyes True Watch Mr. Greenhams Works Mr. Hildershams Works Mr. Anthony Burges Works Mr. Perkins Works Dr. Harris Works Mr. Burroughs Mr. Thomas Hooker Mr. Pinkes Sermons Io. Downames Christian Warfare Richard Rogers Iohn Rogers of Faith and Love Dr. Stoughton Dr. Thomas Tailor Mr. Elâ—on Mr. Daniel Dike Ieremy Dike Mr. Io. Ball of Faith of the Covenant c. Culverwell of Faith Mr. Ranew Mr. Teate Mr. Shaw Mr. Rawlet Mr. Ianoway Mr. Vincent Mr. Doâ—little Mr. Samuel Wards Sermons Mr. W. Fenner Mr. Ruâ—herfords Letters Mr. Ioseph Allens Life and Letters and Treatise of Conversion Mr. Samuel Clarks Lives and his Martyrologie The Morning Exercises at St. Giles Cripplegate and at St. Giles in the Fields Mr. Benjamin Bâ—xters Sermons Mr. George Hopkins Salvation from Sin Dr. Edward Reignolds Mr. Meades Works Mr. Vines Sermons Henry Smith Samuel Smith Tho. Smith Mr. Strong Ios. Simonds as many of them as you can get 7. And for all other Learning Alstedius his Encyclopaedia
the Jews Instances of this desperate sin are innumerable There is no way so common by which Satan hath engaged the Rulers of the world against the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and against the Preachers of his Gospel and the people that obey him than by perswading them as Haman did Ahasuerus Esther 3. 8 9. There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom and their Laws are divers from all people neither keep they the Kings Laws therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them if it please the King let it be written that they may be destroyed When once the Devil hath got men by error or sensuality to espouse an interest that Christ is against he hath half done his work For then he knoweth that Christ or his servants will never bend to the wills of sinners nor be reconciled to their wicked wayes nor take part with them in a sinful cause And then it is easie for Satan to perswade such men that these precise Preachers and people are their enemies and are against their interest and honour and that they are a turbulent seditious sort of people unfit to be governed because they will not be false to God nor take part with the Devil nor be friends to sin When once Nebuchadnezzar hath set up his golden Image he thinks he is obliged in honour to persecute them that will not bow down as refractory persons that obey not the King When Ieroboam is once engaged to set up his Calves he is presently engaged against those that are against them and that is against God and all his servants Therefore as Rulers love their souls let them take heed what cause and interest they espouse § 26. Direct 6. To Love your neighbours as your selves and do as you would be done by is the Direct 6. infallible means to avoid the guilt of persecution For Charity suffereth long and is kind it envieth not it is not easily provoked it thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth it beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom 13. 10. And if it fulfill the Law it wrongeth no man When did you see a Man persecute himself imprison banish defame slander revile or put to death himself if he were well in his wits Never fear persecution from a man that Loveth his neighbour as himself and doth as he would be done by and is not selfish and uncharitable § 27. Direct 7. Pride also must be subdued if you would not be persecutors For a proud man Direct 7. cannot endure to have his word disobeyed though it contradict the Word of God Nor can he endure to be reproved by the Preachers of the Gospel but will do as Herod with Iohn Baptist or as Asa or Amaziah by the Prophets Till the soul be humbled it will not bear the sharp remedies which our Saviour hath prescribed but will persecute him that would administer them § 28. Direct 8. Passion must be subdued and the mind kept calm if you would avoid the guilt of Direct 8. persecution Asa was in a rage when he imprisoned the Prophet A fit work for a raging man And Nebuchadnezzar was in a rage and fury when he commanded the punishment of the three witnesses Dan. 3. 13. The wrath of man worketh not the will of God Iames 1. 20. The nature of wrathfulness tendeth to hurting those you are angry with And wrath is impatient and unjust and will not hear what men 〈…〉 say but rashly passeth unrighteous sentence And it blindeth Reason so that it cannot see the truth § 29. Direct 9. And hearkning to malitious backbiters and slanderers and favouring the enemies Direct 9. of Godliness in their calumnies will engage men in persecution ere they are aware For when the wicked are in the favour and at the ear of Rulers they have opportunity to vent those false reports which they never want a will to vent And any thing may be said of men behind their backs with an appearance of truth when there is none to contradict it If Haman may be heard the Jews shall be destroyed as not being for the Kings profit nor obedient to his Laws If Sanballat and Tobiah may be heard the building of the Walls of Ierusalem shall signifie no better than an intended rebellion They are true words though to some ungrateful which are spoken by the Holy Ghost Prov. 29. 12. If a Ruler hearken to lyes all his servants are wicked for they will soon accommodate themselves to so vitious a humour Prov. 25. 4 5. Take away the dross from the silver and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousness If the Devil might be believed Iob was one that served God for gain and might have been made to curse him to his face And if his servants may be believed there is nothing so vile which the best men are not guilty of § 30. Direct 10. Take heed of engaging your selves in a Sect or Faction For when once you depart Direct 10. from Catholick Charity there groweth up instead of it a partial respect to the interest of that Sect to which you joyn And you will think that whatsoever doth promote that Sect doth promote Christianity and what ever is against that Sect is against the Church or cause of God A narrow Sectarian separating mind will make all the truths of God give place to the opinions of his party and will measure the prosperity of the Gospel in the world by the prosperity of his party as if he had forgot that there are any more men on the face of the earth or thought God regarded none but them He will not stick to persecute all the rest of the Church of Christ if the interest of his Sect require it When once men incorporate themselves into a party it possesseth them with another spirit even with a strange uncharitableness injustice cruelty and partiality What hath the Christian world suffered by one Sects persecuting another and faction rising up in fury to maintain its own interest as if it had been to maintain the being of all Religion The blood-thirsty Papists whose Inquisition Massacres and manifold murders have filled the earth with the blood of innocents is a sufficient testimony of this And still here among us they seem as thirsty of blood as ever and tell us to our faces that they would soon make an end of us if we were in their power As if the two hundred thousand lately murdered in so short a time in Ireland had rather irritated than quencht their thirst And all faction naturally tendeth to persecution Own not therefore any dividing opinions or names Maintain the Unity of the
preservation of the family in peace If children cry or fight or chide or make any fowle or troublesome work the mother will not therefore turn them out of doors or use them like strangers but remember that it is her place and duty to bear with that weakness which she cannot cure The proud impatience of the Pastors hath frequently brought them into the guilt of persecution to the alienating of the peoples hearts and the distraction and division of the Churches when poor distempered persons are offended with them and it may be revile them and call them seducers or antichristian or superstitious or what their pride and passion shall suggest or if some weak ones raise up some erroneous opinions alas many Pastors have no more wit or grace or pity than presently to be rough with them and revile them again and seek to right themselves by wayes of force and club down every errour and contention when they should overcome them by evidence of truth and by meekness patience and love Though there be place also for severity with turbulent implacable impenitent hereticks § 55. Direct 33. Time of learning and overcoming their mistakes must be allowed to those that are Direct 33. mis-informed We must not turn those of the lower forms out of Christs School because they learn not as much as those of the higher forms in a few weeks or years The Holy Ghost teacheth those who for the time might have been Teachers of others and yet had need to be taught the first Principles Heb. 5. 11 12. He doth not turn them out of the Church for their non-proficiency And where there is ignorance there will be errour § 56. Direct 34. Some inconveniences must be expected and tolerated and no perfect Order or Concord Direct 34. expected here on earth It is not good reasoning to say If we suffer these men they will cause this or that disorder or inconvenience But you must also consider whither you must drive it if you suffer them not and what will be the consequents He that will follow his Conscience to a prison will likely follow it to death And if nothing but death or prison or banishment can restrain them from what they take to be their duty it must be considered how many must be so used and whether if they were truly faulty they deserve so much and if they do yet whether the evils of the Toleration or of the Punishment are like to be the greater Peace and Concord will never be perfect till Knowledge and Holiness be perfect § 57. Direct 35. You may go further in restraining than in constraining in forbidding men to Direct 35. preach against approved doctrines or practices of the Church than in forcing them to preach for them or to subscribe or speak their approbation or assent If they be not points or practices of great necessity a man may be sit for the Ministry and Church-communion who meddleth not with them but Preacheth the wholsome truths of the Gospel and lets them alone And because no duty is at all times a duty a sober mans judgement will allow him to be silent at many an errour when he dare not subscribe to or approve the least But if here any proud and cruel Pastors shall come in with their lessâ—â— selfish incommodities and say If they do not approve of what we say and do they will secretly foment a faction against us I should answer them that as good men will foment no faction so if such Proud impatient turbulent men will endure none that subscribe not to all their opinions or differ from them in a circumstance or a Ceremony they shall raise a greater faction if they 'l call it so against themselves and make the people look on them as tyrants and not as Pastors and they shall see in the end when they have bought their wit by dear experience that they have but torn the Church in pieces by preventing divisions by carnal means and that they have lost themselves by being over zealous for themselves and that DOCTRINE and LOVE are the instruments of a wise Shepheard that loveth the flock and understands his work § 58. Direct 36. Distinguish between the making of new Laws or articles of belief and the punishing Direct 36. of men for the Laws already made And think not that we must have new Laws or Canons every time the old ones are broken or that any Law can be made which can keep it self from being broken Perversness in this errour hath brought the Church to the misery which it endureth God hath made an Universal Law sufficient for the Universal Church in matters of faith and holy practice leaving it to men to determine of necessary circumstances which were unfit for an universal Law And if the sufficiency of Gods Law were acknowledged in mens practices the Churches would have had more peace But when particular Countreys have their particular Volumes of Articles Consessions Liturgies and I know not what else to be subscribed to and none must Preach that will not say or write or swear that he believeth all this to be true and good and nothing in it to be against the Word of God this Engine wracks the limbs of the Churches all to pieces And then what 's the pretense for this epidemical calamity Why no better than this Every Heretick will subscribe to the Scriptures and take it in his own sense And what followeth Must we needs therefore have new Laws which Hereticks will not subscribe to or which they cannot break It is the Commendation of Gods Law as fit to be the means of Unity that all are so easily agreed to it in terms and therefore would agree in the sense if they understood it But they will not do so by the Laws of men All or many Hereticks in the primitive times would profess assent to the Churches Creed no doubt in a corrupt and private sense But the Churches did not therefore make new Creeds till above 300 years after Christ they began to put in some particular words to obviate Hereticks which Hilary complained of as the Cause of all their divisions And what if Hereticks will subscribe to all you bid them and take it in their own corrupted sense Must you therefore be still making new Laws and Articles till you meet with some which they cannot mis-understand or dare not thus abuse What if men will mis-interpret and break the Laws of the Land Must they be made new till none can mis-expound or violate them Sure there is a wiser way than this Gods word containeth in sufficient expressions all that is necessary to be subscribed to Require none therefore to subscribe to any more in matters of faith or holy practice But if you think any Articles need a special interpretation let the Church give her sense of those Articles and if any man Preach against that sense and corrupt the Word of God which he hath subscribed let his fault be
be observed 1. That you keep not his sword for your benefit and advantage nor claim a propriety in it but give it his friends or deliver it to the Magistrate 2. That you do nothing without the Magistrate in which you may safely stay for his Authority and help But if two be fighting or thieves be robbing or murdering a man or anothers life be in present danger you must help them without staying for the Magistrates authority 3. That you make not this a pretence for the usurping of Authority or for resisting or deposing your lawful Prince or Magistrate or Parent or Master or of exercising your own will and passions against your Superiours pretending that you take away their swords to save themselves or others from their rage when it is indeed but to hinder justice § 21. Quest. 14. May I not then much more take away that by which he would destroy his own or other Quest. 14. mens souls As to take away Cards or Dice from Gamesters or heretical or sâ—diâ—ious books or Play-books and Romances or to pull down Idols which the Idolaters do adore or are instruments of Idolatry Answ. There is much difference in the cases though the soul be more precious than the body For 1. Here there is supposed to be so much leisure and space as that you may have time to tell the Magistrate of it whose duty primarily it is Whereas in the other case it is supposed that so much delay would be a mans death Therefore your duty is to acquaint the Magistrate with the sin and danger and not to anticipate him and play the Magistrate your self Or in the case of Cards and Dice and hurtful books you may acquaint the persons with the sin and perswade them to cast them away themselves 2. Your taking away these instruments is not like to save them For the love of the sin and the Will to do it remaineth still and the sinner will but be hardened by his indignation against your irregular course of charity 3. Men are bound to save mens bodies whether they will or not because it may be so done But no man can save anothers soul against his will And it is Gods will that their salvation or damnation shall be more the fruit of their own wills than of any others Therefore though it 's possible to devise an instance in which it is lawful to steal a poysonous book or idol from another when it is done so secretly as will encourage no disobedience or disorder nor is like to harden the sinner but indeed to do him good c. yet ordinarily all this is A Wife or near friend that is under no suspicion of alienating the thing to their own commodity nor of ill designes may go somewhat further in such cases than an inferiour or a stranger unlawful for private men that have no Government of others or extraordinary interest in them § 2. Quest. 15. May not a Magistrate take the subjects goods when it is necessary for their own preservation Quest. 15. Answ. I answered this question once heretofore in my Political Aphorisms And because I repent of medling with such subjects and of writing that Book I will leave such cases hereafter for fitter persons to resolve Quest. 16. But may I not take from another for a holy use As to give to the Church or maintain the Quest. 16. Bishops If David took the hallowed bread in his necessity may not hallowed persons take common bread much more Answ. If holy persons be in present danger of death their lives may be saved as other mens on the terms mentioned in the first case Otherwise God hath no need of theft or violence nor must you rob the Laity to cloath the Clergy But to do such evil on pretence of piety and good is an aggravation of the sin CHAP. XIX General Directions and particular Cases of Conscience about Contracts in general and about Buying and Selling Borrowing and Lending Usury c. in particular Tit. 1. General Directions against injurious Bargaining and Contracts BEsides the last Directions Chap. 18. take these as more nearly pertinent to this case § 1. Direct 1. See that your hearts have the two great principles of Iustice deeply and habitually Direct 1. innaturalized or radicated in them viz. The true Love of your neighbour and the Denyal of your self which in one precept are called The Loving of your neighbour as your self For then you will be freed from the Inclination to injuries and fraud and from the power of those temptations which carry men to these sins They will be contrary to your habitual will or inclination and you will be more studious to help your neighbour than to get from him § 2. Direct 2. Yet do not content your self with these habits but be sure to call them up to act Direct 2. when ever you have any bargaining with others and let a faithful Conscience be to you as a Cryer to proclaim Gods Laws and say to you Now remember Love and Self-denyal and Do as you would be done by If Alexander Severus so highly valued this saying Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris as to make it his Motto and write and engrave it on his doors and buildings having learned it of some Christians or Jews saith Lampridius What a crime and shame is it for Christs own profest Disciples neither to learn or love it Put home the question when you have any bargaining with others How would I be dealt with my self if my case were the same with his § 3. Direct 3. When the Tempter draweth you to think only of your own commodity and gain remember Direct 3. how much more you will lose by sin than your gain can any way amount to If Acan Gehezi Ahab Iudas c. had foreseen the end and the greatness of their loss it would have curbed their covetous desires Believe Gods Word from the bottom of your heart that you shall lose things eternal if you sinfully get things temporal and then you will not make haste to such a bargain to win the world and lose your souls § 4. Direct 4. Understand your neighbours case aright and meditate on his wants and interest You Direct 4. think what you want your self but you think not whether his wants with whom you deal may not be as great as yours Consider what his commodity costeth him or what the toil of the workmans labour is What house rent he hath to pay and what a family to maintain and whether all this can be well done upon the rates that you desire to trade with him And do not believe every common report of his riches or of the price of his commodity For same in such cases is frequently false § 5. Direct 5. Regard the publick good above your own commodity It is not lawful to take up Direct 5. or keep up any oppressing monopoly or Trade which tendeth to enrich you
to be the more hurtful encouragement of unlawful ones such examples must be forborn though the Law were not against them But to sell Orders is undoubted Simony That is the Office of the Ministry or the act of Ordination though Scribes may be paid for writing instruments § 31. Quest. 24. May a man give money for Orders or Benefices when they cannot otherwise Quest. 24. be had Answ. 1. This is answered in Quest. 22. 1. If the Law absolutely forbid it for the common safety you may not 2. If the consequents are like to be more hurt than the benefit will recompence you may not 3. If your end be chiefly your own commodity ease or honour you may not But in case you were clear from all such evils and the case were only this Whether you might not give money to get in your self to keep out a Heretick a Wolf or insufficient man who might destroy the peoples souls I see not but it might well be done § 32. Quest. 25. May I give money to Officers Servants or Assistants for their furtherance Quest. 25. Answ. For Writings or other servile acts about the circumstantials you may But not directly or indirectly to promote the Simoniacal Contract What you may not give to the principal agent you may not give his instruments or others for the same end § 33. Quest. 26. May I give or do any thing afterward by way of gratitude to the Patron Bishop or Quest. 26. any others their relations or retainers Answ. Not when the expectation of that Gratitude was a secret or open condition of the Presentation or Orders and you believe that you should not else have received them Therefore promised Gratitude is but a kind of contracting Nor may you shew Gratitude by any scandalous way which seemeth Simony Otherwise no doubt but you may be prudently grateful for that or any other kindness § 34. Quest. 27. May not a Bishop or Pastor take money for Sermons Sacraments or other Offices Quest. 27. Answ. Not for the things themselves He must not sell Gods Word or Sacraments or any other holy thing But they that serve at the Altar may live on the Altar and the Elders that Rule well are worthy of double honour And the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn should not be muzzled They may receive due maintenance while they perform Gods service that they may be vacant to attend their proper work § 35. Quest. 28. May one person disoblige another of a promise made to him Quest. 28. Answ. Yes if it be no more than a promise to that person Because a man may give away his right But if it be moreover a Vow to God or you intend to oblige your self in point of Veracity under the guilt of a lye if you do otherwise these alter the case and no person can herein disoblige you § 36. Quest. 29. But what if the Contract be bound by an Oath may another then release me Quest. 29. Answ. Yes if that Oath did only tye you to perform your promise and were no Vow to God which made him a party by dedicating any thing to him For then the Oath being but subservient to the promise he that dischargeth you from the promise dischargeth you also from the Oath which bound you honestly to keep it § 37. Quest. 30. Am I bound by a promise when the cause or reason of it proveth a mistake Quest. 30. Answ. If by the Cause you mean only the extrinsical Reasons which moved you to it you may be obliged nevertheless for finding your mistake Only so far as the other was the culpable cause as is aforesaid he is bound to satisfie you But if by the Cause you mean the formal reason which constituteth the contract then the mistake may in some cases nullifie it of which enough before § 38. Quest. 31. What if a following accident make it more to my hurt then could be foreseen Quest. 31. Answ. In some Contracts it is supposed or expressed that men do undertake to run the hazard And then they must stand obliged But in some contracts it is rationally supposed that the parties intend to be free if so great an alteration should fall out But to give instances of both these Cases would be too long a work § 39. Quest. 32. What if something unexpectedly fall out which maketh it injurious to a third person Quest. 32. I cannot sure be obliged to injure another Answ. If the case be the later mentioned in the foregoing answer you may be thus free But if it be the former you being supposed to run the hazard and secure the other party against all others then either you were indeed authorized to make this bargain or not If not the third person may secure his right against the other But if you were then you must make satisfaction as you can to the third person Ye◠if you made a Covenant without authority you are obliged to save the other harmless unless he knew your power to be doubtful and did resolve to run the hazard § 40. Quest. 33. What if somewhat fall out which maketh the performance to be a sin Answ. You must not do it But you must make the other satisfaction for all the loss which you were the cause of unless he undertook to stand to the hazard of this also explicitely or implicitely § 41. Quest. 34. Am I obliged if the other break Covenant with me Quest. 34. Answ. There are Covenants which make Relations as between Husband and Wife Pastor and Flock Rulers and Subjects and Covenants which convey title to commodities of which only I am here to speak And in these there are some Conditions which are essential to the Covenant If the other first break these conditions you are disobliged But there are other conditions which are not essential but only necessary to some following benefit whose non-performance will only forfeit that particular benefit And there are conditions which are only undertaken subsequent duties trusted on the honesty of the performer And in these a failing doth not disoblige you These latter are but improperly called Conditions § 42. Quest. 35. May I contract to perform a thing which I foresee is like to become impossible or sinful Quest. 35. before the time of performance come though it be not so at present Answ. With all persons you must deal truly and with just contractors openly But with Thieves and Murderers and Persecutors you are not alwayes bound to deal openly This being premised either your Covenant is absolutely This I will do be it lawful or not possible or impossible And such a Covenant is sin and folly Or it is Conditional This I will do if it continue lawful or possible This condition or rather Exception is still implyed where it is not exprest unless the contrary be exprest Therefore such a Covenant is lawful with a Robber with whom you are not bound to deal
and selleth the Wood for the same money and repayeth it in a year and so hath all the Land for almost nothing as if I. N. had purchased the Land and freely given it him after a year or two The gift had been the same Object Here you suppose the seller wronged by selling his Land almost for nothing Answ. 1. That 's nothing at all to the present case but a different case by it self 2. I can put many cases in which such a sale may be made without any wrong to the seller As when it is done by some Prince or State or Noble and liberal person purposely designing the inriching of the subjects or after a War as lately in Ireland So that the question is whether I. N. may not give T. S. a thousand or eight hundred pounds worth of Land taking a years Rent first out of the Land or a years use for the money which cometh to the same summ § 15. Another A Rich Merchant trading into the East Indies having five thousand pound to lay out upon his commodities in Traffick when he hath laid out four thousand five hundred pound lendeth in charity the other five hundred pound to one of his servants to lay out upon a commodity which when it cometh home will be worth two thousand pound and offereth him to secure the carriage with his own requiring only the Use of his money at 6. per cent Here the taking of thirty pound Use is but the free giving him one thousand four hundred and seventy pound and is all one with deducting so much of the gift § 16. Another Instance Certain Orphans having nothing left them but so much money as will by the allowed Use of it find them bread and poor clothing The guardian cannot lay it out in Lands for them And if he maintain them upon the stock it will be quickly spent and he must answer for it A rich man that is their neighbour tradeth in Iron-works Furnaces and Forges or Lead-works or other such commodities in which he constantly getteth the double of the stock which he employeth or at least twenty pound or forty pound in the hundred The Guardian dare not lend the money to any poor man lest he break and never be able to pay it Therefore he lendeth it this rich man And if he have it without Usury the poor Orphans give the rich man freely twenty pound or forty pound a year supposing their stock to be an hundred If he take Usury the rich man doth but give the poor Orphans some part of his constant gain § 17. Another instance In a City or Corporation where there is a rich Trade of Clothing or making Silks there is a stock of money given by Legacy for the poor and entrusted into the hands of the richest of the City to trade with and give the poor the Use of it And there is another stock left to set up young beginners who have not a stock to set up themselves on condition that they give the third part of their gain to the poor and at seven years end resign the stock The question is Whether the poor should be without this Use of their money and let the rich go away with it or whether they may take it § 18. Now I prove that such Usury is not forbidden by God 1. It is not forbidden us by the Law of Moses 1. Because Moses Law never did forbid it For 1. It is expresly forbidden as an act of unmercifulness and therefore forbidden only to the poor and to brethren Exod. 22. 25. Levit. 25. 36 37. Yea when the poor are not named it is the poor that are meant Because in that Countrey they did not keep up stocks for Merchandize or Trading but lent usually to the needy only At least the circumstances of the several Texts shew that it is only Lending to the needy and not lending to drive Exod. 2â— 21. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him Exod. 23. 9. Thou shalt not oppress a stranger c. So that Usury to a stranger was no oppression on any enriching Trade which is meant where Usury is forbidden 2. And it is expresly allowed to be used to strangers Deut. 23. 19 20. to whom nothing unjust or uncharitable might be done only such a measure of Charity was not required towards them as unto brethren And there were more Merchants of strangers that traded with them in forreign commodities than of Jews that fetcht them home So that the prohibition of Usury is in the Law it self restrained only to their lending to the poor But in the Prophets who do but reprove the sin it is expressed without that limitation partly because it supposeth the meaning of the Law to be known which the Prophets did but apply and partly because there was little or no lending used among the Jews but to the needy as an act of charity § 19. 2. And if it had been forbidden in Moses Law only it would not extend to Christians now Because the Law of Moses as such is not in force The matter of it is much of the Law of Nature indeed but as Mosaical it was proper to the Jews and Proselytes or at least extended not to the Christian Gentiles as is plain in 2 Cor. 3. 7. Gal. 3. 19 24. 5. 3. Eph. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 7. Heb. 7. 12 16 19. Moses Law as such never bound any other Nations but the proselytes that joyned themselves to the Jews nor was all the world obliged so to be proselyted as to take up their Laws Much less do they bind us that are the servants of Christ so long after the dissolution of their Common-wealth So much of them as are part of the Law of Nature or of any positive Law of Christ or of the Civil Law of any State are binding as they are such Natural Christian or Civil Laws But not one of them as Mosaical Though the Mosaical Law is of great use to help us to understand the Law of Nature in many particular instances in which it is somewhat difficult to us § 20. 2. There is no Positive Law of Christ forbidding all Usury As for Luke 6. 32 35. it is plainly nothing to the case For he saith not Lend looking for no gain or increase but looking for nothing again And the Context sheweth that the meaning must be one of these two Either q. d. Lend not only to them that will lend to you again when you are in want but even to the poor that you can never hope to borrow of Or else Lend not only to them that are able to pay you and where your stock is secured but to the needy where your money is hazarded and though they will pay you if â—hey are able yet you have little or no hope that ever they should be able to repay Lâ—nd so as to be willing to make a gift of it in case the borrower never repay it And there is no
do it And so sweet is Revenge to their furious nature as the damning of men is to the Devil that Revenged they will be though they lose their souls by it And the impotency and baseness of their spirits is such that they say Flesh and blood is unable to bear it § 11. 10. Another cause of murder is a wicked impatience with neer relations and a hatred of those that should be most dearly loved Thus many men and women have murdered their Wives and Husbands when either Adulterous Lust hath given up their hearts to another or a cross impatient discontented mind hath made them seem intollerable burdens to each other And then the Devil that destroyed their love and brought them thus far will be their teacher in the rest and shew them how to ease themselves till he hath led them to the Gallows and to Hell How necessary is it to keep in the way of duty and abhor and suppress the beginnings of sin § 12. 11. And sometimes Covetousness hath caused Murder when one man desireth another mans estate Thus Ahab came by Naboth's Vineyards to his cost And many a one desireth the death of another whose estate must fall to him at the others death Thus many a Child in heart is guilty of the murder of his Parents though he actually commit it not Yea a secret gladness when they are dead doth shew the guilt of some such desire◠while they were living And the very abatement of such moderate mourning as natural affection should procure because the estate is thereby come to them as the heirs doth shew that such are far from innocent Many a Iudas for Covetousness hath betrayed another Many a false witness for Covetousness hath sold anothers life Many a Thief for Covetousness hath taken away anothers life to get his money And many a Covetous Landlord hath longed for his Tenants death and been glad to hear of it And many a Covetous Souldier hath made a trade of killing men for Money So true is it that the Love of money is the root of all evil and therefore is one cause of this § 13. 12. And Ambition is too common a Cause of Murder among the great ones of the World How many have dispatched others out of the World because they stood in the way of their advancement For a long time together it was the ordinary way of Rising and dying to the Roman and Greek Emperours for one to procure the murder of the Emperour that he might usurp his Seat and then to be so murdered by another himself And every Souldier that looked for preferment by the change was ready to be an instrument in the fact And thus hath even the Roman seat of his Mock Holiness for a long time and oft received its Successours by the poison or other murdering of the possessours of the desired place And alas how many thousand hath that See devoured to defend its Universal Empire under the name of the spiritual Headship of the Church How many unlawful Wars have they raised or cherished even against Christian Emperours and Kings How many thousands have been Massacred How many Assassinate as Hen. 3. and Hen. 4. of France Besides those that fires and Inquisitions have consumed And all these have been the flames of Pride Yea when their fellow-Sectaries in Munster and in England the Anabaptists and Seekers have catcht some of their proud disease it hath workt in the same way of blood and cruelty § 14. 2. But besides these twelves great sins which are the nearest cause of Murder there are many more which are yet greater and deeper in nature which are the Roots of all especially these 1. The first cause is the want of true Belief of the Word of God and the judgement and punishment to come and the want of the Knowledge of God himself Atheism and Infidelity 2. Hence cometh the want of the true Fear of God and subjection to his holy Laws 3. The predominance of selfishness in all the unsanctified is the radical inclination to murder and all the injustice that is committed 4. And the want of Charity or Loving our Neighbour as our selves doth bring men neer to the execution and leaveth little inward restraint § 15. By all this you may see how this sin must be prevented and let not any man think it a needless work Thousands have been guilty of murder that once thought themselves as far from it as you 1. The soul must be possessed with the Knowledge of God and the true Belief of his Word and judgement 2. Hereby it must be possessed of the Fear of God and subjection to him 3. And the Love of God must mortifie the power of selfishness 4. And also much possess us with a true Love to our neighbours yea and enemies for his sake 5. And the twelve fore-mentioned causes of murder will thus be destroyed at the Root § 16. II. And some further help it will be to understand the Greatness of this sin Consider therefore 1. It is an unlawful destroying not only a Creature of God but one of his noblest Creatures upon earth Even one that beareth at least the natural Image of God Gen. 9. 5 6. And surely your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast will I require it and at the hand of man at the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he man Yea God will not only have the beast slain that killeth a man but also forbiddeth there the eating of blood v. 4. that man might not be accustomed to cruelty 2. It is the opening a door to confusion and all calamity in the World For if one man may kill another without the sentence of the Magistrate another may kill him and the world will be like Mastiffs or mad Dogs turned all loose on one another kill that kill can 3. If it be a wicked man that is killed it is the sending of a soul to Hell and cutting off his time of Repentance and his hopes If it be a Godly man it is a depriving of the World of the blessing of a profitable member and all that are about him of the benefits of his goodness and God of the service which he was here to have performed These are enough to infer the dreadful consequents to the Murderer which are such as these III. 1. It is a sin which bringeth so great a guilt that if it be repented of and pardoned yet Conscience very hardly doth ever attain to peace and quietness in this World And if it be unpardoned it is enough to make a man his own Executioner and tormenter 2. It is a sin that seldome scapeth vengeance in this life If the Law of the Land take not away their lives as God appointeth Gen. 9. 6. God useth to follow them with his extraordinary Plagues and causeth their sin
to find them out so that the blood-thirsty man doth seldome live out half his dayes The Treatises purposely written on this subject and the experience of all Ages do give us very wonderful Narratives of Gods judgements in the detecting of murderers and bringing them to punishment They go about awhile like Cain with a terrified Conscience afraid of every one they see till seasonable vengeance give them their reward or rather send them to the place where they must receive it 3. For it is eternal torment under the wrath of God which is the final punishment which they must expect If very great Repentance and the blood of Christ do not prevent it There are few I think that by shame and terrour of Conscience are not brought to such a Repentance for it as Cain and Iudas had or as a man hath that hath brought calamity on himself and therefore wish they had never done it because of their own unhappiness thereby except those persecutors or murderers that are hardened by Errour pride or power But this will not prevent the vengeance of God in their damnation It must be a deep Repentance proceeding from the Love of God and man and the hatred of sin and sense of Gods displeasure for it which is only found in sanctified souls And alas how few Murderers ever have the grace to manifest any such renovation and repentance Tit. 2. Advice against Self-murder THough Self-murder be a sin which Nature hath as strongly inclined man against as any sin in the World that I remember and therefore I shall say but little of it yet experience telleth us that it is a sin that some persons are in danger of and therefore I shall not pass it by The prevention of it lyeth in the avoiding of these following Causes of it § 1. Direct 1. The commonest cause is prevailing Melancholy which is neer to madness therefore Direct 1. to prevent this sad disease or to cure it if contracted and to watch them in the mean time is the chief prevention of this sin Though there be much more hope of the salvation of such as want the use of their Understandings because so far it may be called involuntary yet it is a very dreadful case especially so far as reason remaineth in any power But it is not more natural for a man in a Feaver to thirst and rave than for Melancholy at the height to incline men to make away themselves For the disease will let them feel nothing but misery and despair and say nothing but I am forsaken miserable and undone and not only maketh them aweary of their lives even while they are afraid to dye but the Devil hath some great advantage by it to urge them to do it so that if they pass over a Bridge he urgeth them to leap into the Water If they see a Knife they are presently urged to kill themselves with it and feel as if it were something within them importunately provoking them and saying Do it Do it now and giving them no rest In so much that many of them contrive it and cast about secretly how they may accomplish it Though the cure of these poor people belong as much to others care as to their own yet so far as they yet can use their reason they must be warned 1. To abhor all these suggestions and give them not room a moment in their minds And 2 To avoid all occasions of the sin and not to be neer a Knife a River or any instrument which the Devil would have them use in the execution And 3. To open their case to others and tell them all that they may help to their preservation 4. And especially to be willing to use the means both Physick and satisfying Counsel which tends to cure their disease And if there be any rooted cause in the mind that was antecedent to the Melancholy it must carefully be lookt to in the cure § 2. Direct 2. Take heed of worldly trouble and discontent for this also is a common Cause Direct 2. Either it suddenly casteth men into Melancholy or without it of it self overturneth their reason so far as to make them violently dispatch themselves Especially if it fall out in a mind where there is a mixture of these two Causes 1. Unmortified love to any Creature 2. And an impotent and passionate mind there discontent doth cause such unquietness that they will furiously go to Hell for ease Mortifie therefore first your worldly lusts and set not too much by any earthly thing If you did not foolishly overvalue your selves or your credit or your wealth or friends there would be nothing to feed your discontent Make no greater a matter of the world than it deserveth and you will make no such great matter of your sufferings And 2. Mortifie your turbulent passions and give not way to Bedlam fury to overcome your reason Go to Christ to beg and learn to be meek and lowly in spirit and then your troubled minds will have rest Matth 11. 28 29. Passionate Women and such other feeble spirited persons that are easily troubled and hardly quietted and pleased have great cause to bend their greatest endeavours to the curing of this impotent temper of mind and procuring from God such strengthening grace as may restore their Reason to its power § 3. Direct 3. And sometimes sudden passion it self without any longer discontent hath caused Direct 3. men to make away themselves Mortifie therefore and watch over such distracting Passions § 4. Direct 4. Take heed of running into the guilt of any heynous sin For though you may Direct 4. feel no hurt from it at the present when Conscience is awakened it is so disquieting a thing that it maketh many a one hang himself Some grievous sins are so tormenting to the Conscience that they give many no rest till they have brought them to to Iudas's or Achitophel's End Especially take heed of sinning against Conscience and of yielding to that for fear of men which God and Conscience charge you to forbear For the case of many a hundred as well as Spira may tell you into what Calamity this may cast you If man be the master of your Religion you have no Religion For what is Religion but the subjection of the soul to God especially in the matters of his Worship And if God be subjected to man he is taken for No-God When you Worship a God that is inferiour to a man then you may subject your Religion to the will of that man Keep God and Conscience at peace with you if you love your selves though thereby you lose your peace with the World § 5. Direct 5. Keep up a Believing foresight of the state which Death will send you to and then if Direct 5. you have the use of Reason Hell at least will hold your hands and make you afraid of venturing upon death What Repentance are you like to have when you dye in the very