should through subtilty be beguiled as the Serpent beguiled Eve from the simplicity that was in Christ. That is least as Eve in a desire and presumption of farther knowledg was by the Serpent tempted to disobey God so they by listening to such superstructures as were taught by others might be drawn to neglect those Fundamentall directions which he as their Master-builder had laid and wherewith he had espoused them to Christ and so suffer themselves to be brought into bondage by relying on the wisdomes of such false Apostles and deceitfull workers as transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ would under colour of Mission and authority immediately received from God be directing men in their Christian Morall duties contrary or above the direction of their own generall and authorized head who must now be in danger to be accounted as a fool in comparison of these transformed Angels of light and Ministers of righteousness To warn us against which seduction and to shew that the interpretation of Divine rules and precepts were by God and Christ now referred to that person who was next representing them it is observable that whensoever Christ is urged with the text of the Law or when himself is expounding it he always makes the sense thereof other then was formerly received releasing it to the generall law of reason or morality and not tying himself to the Letter as it was particularly morall to the Jews as by making Murther and Adultery to be inward and releasing by his Power sometimes the outward acts as by dispencing with that strict precept of the Sabbath and other instances may appear These precepts binding the Jews as Divinely Morall but Christians no farther then as rationally or politically so And St Paul having thus largely in the fore-recited and in the next Chapter spoken to the Colossians of our participation of God through â—hrist and of Christ through Christian obedience in this precept of love he then particularly instances how this love is to be outwardly stated and made perfect by obedience to rightfull Superiours in Christ naming such Masters in the flesh as were then Christians and saying Whatever yee doe doe it heartily as to the Lord And not unto men Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of his inheritance for we serve the Lord Christ that is we serve him by these in his stead But he that doth wrong that is disobeys or serves him according to his own will which must cause wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons Clergy and Laâ—ety high and low are made culpable by disobedience And in the next Epistle being the first to the Thessalonians having set down some particular commands for them to follow saying Yee know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus he after adds He that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given to us his holy spirit meaning this authority which he might be bold in as the Apostle of Christ. And this he doth as presuming them inwardly guided and instructed from God himself in the generall precept of love saying but as touching brotherly Love ye need not that I write unto you for your selves are taught of God to love one another Meaning that this precept onely is of immediate Divine direction and injunction being able if rightly performed to estate us innocent according as he noted in his former prayer for them saying The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men even as we doe towards you to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints At which time it will be found that Charity shall cover the multitude of sins or make us innocent And so far would he have them seek Peace the fruit of this love That they should study to be quiet and to doe their own business not taking upon them to censure the actions of others especially of those that are their Superiors And the means to accomplish and perfect this he after sets down We beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake That is count them directors of your love so far as it is operative and be at Peace among your selves Which is the same with the precept of study to be quiet Because being obedient to them we shall be at peace with one another but if we follow and beleeve them not in the manner how Christ is to be served and this our love to be exercised outwardly as well as we have already believed that these things are to be inwardly embraced it will follow that our private Will-worships to him and private apprehensions of love to our Brother will by their Crossings and thwartings one upon another prove to be their mutuall subversion and upon occasion of division and discontent hereabouts rankor and malice will break in to the reall overthrow of both true Faith and Charity It being impossible that any voluntary particular act of my love to any Neighbor can be so great and extensive as that more generall good to all which obedience must produce Whereupon follow directions both to Superiors and others for effecting it Warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak be patient towards all men that is see that no man render evill for evill unto any man or take upon him to avenge his own wrong but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men That is let your Obedience be continuall that your Charity may be Universall For if you should be so unruly as to raise Civill commotions and quarrels upon the score of your own particular enmity and revenge how would this confused return of evil for evil by the severall Members of a Kingdom one against another dissolve all bonds of Peace and Charity whilst every man should be both persecuting and persecuted Whereas by a joynt submission and acknowledgment of them that are over them in the Lord and acquiescence to them in their publick Charge and Trust all rankor will cease and generall Amity be preserved And these two fundamentall precepts of Faith and Love wrought by God in the Thessalonians he again mentions in his second Epistle to them as he had done in his former Epistle for as there he thanks God alwayes for them in his prayers remembring without ceasing their work of faith and labor of love So here he saith We are bound to thank God always for you Brethren as it is meet because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth So that we our selâ—es glory for you in the Church
saying of Core In which place by Cain and Baalim we may understand revenge and coveâ—ousness the two ordinary spurs to Rebellion personated as in Core we may see pride and rebellion it self brought by Gods justice to deserved punishment and so also counterfeit and dissembling prophesie to come to the like end in Baalim These are spots in your feasts of Charity when they feed with you that is they are such as would overthrow Charity by overthrowing Government and serving their own ends and feeding themselves without fear thereof Clouds they are without water carried about of winds that is all their pretensions of publike good consists in popular oratory whose fruit withereth twice dead plucked up by the roots being spiritually or civilly rotten or dead members they are sit only as thorns for the fire and destruction By raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame we may understand popular insurrections which are but to their own shame and by wandring stars we may conceive their giddâ— leaders for whose unrepented sin is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever when according to Enochs prophesie the lord shall come with ten thousand and of his Saints to execute judgement upon all to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed that is of all things done in disobedience to Gods commands and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners or sinners not fearing God have spoken against him that is against dominion set up by him For these mockers or Antichrists are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of andvantage All which sets forth rebellion in its cause and growth to the life but the last especially namely hope of private advantage this is that which still makes us cry up the heads of Rebellion and their Cause The like description of these Antichrists hath St. Peter but he is something more express in setting forth the way of their prevalence amongst us namely through promises of Liberty and such things as are taking with flesh and blood And this again they do as under colour of moral equity or legal right for saith he when they speak great swelling words of vanity as of the peoples paramount power and Authority they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness that is through temptations thereby to enjoy our lusts and wanton appetites those that were clean escaped from them who live in error while they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption That is although under countenance of their right to be interpreting the Law themselves they do promise liberty unto them yet it falls out otherwise for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage For if after they have escaped the pollutions of this world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that is Pride and Lust which causeth pollution through the Gospel of love they are again entangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them namely that one Commandment which Christ gave for all the rest when he said these things I command you that ye love one another Saint Paul also warns Timothy how that in the latter times some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils that is there shall come Entâ—usiasts whom the devil shall beguile under the shape of an Angel of light and that these shall thereupon speak lies in hypocrisie or deceive others under shew of Religion Being men so wilfully set to entangle and ensnare the Conscienres of others and lead them to the ways of destruction as if their own Consciences were seared with hot irons even by prohibiting as unlawful what was in it self indifferent or lawfully enâ—oyned But more particularly he afterwards sets down the nature and practises of these men that by their unsociable dispositions shall make perilous times in the last days when he calls them lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Of all which this latter age hath had but too true and sad experience to be the fruits of those that are still putting on a form of godliness and denying the power thereof in their lives and actions even whilst they are truely found lovers of themselves and their own pleasures more then God by their covetousness and pride being lead to blaspheme and dishonor his name amongst men by their daily disobedience to their Christian Parents and superiors and thereupon also to be unthankful and unholy in their lives And while they stand partially affected to one another under the notion of more spiritual brotherhood they come to forget all natural ties and relations to the breach of all Truce and Commerce and also by being make-bates incontinent and fierce in their despightful usage and censure of such as be good and peaceable they shew themselves to be Traitors heady high-minded c. But when they are set down for such as creep into houses plainly shewing their love to Conventicles and private Meetings and there leading captive silly women laden with sins that is such weak dispositions as are by them frighted with their Sermons of damnation and also such as are led away with divers lusts or listening after novelty of Doctrine such as are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth they are yet more lively set forth For how should truth or obedience be known when these men are ready with their seditious incantations to oppose and resist the ground and piller thereof the Church and that publike Ministers of Christ that should uphold it after the same manner that Iannes and Iambres formerly withstood Mosses Being reprobate concerning the Faith or having but a false and reprobate Faith for want of that true tryal of Faith the work of Patience and work of love and so being not able to endure persecutions they shew themselves to be none of those that will live godly in Christ Jesus but evil men and seducers waxing worse and worse deceiving and being deceived But our comfort is in the confinement of their prevalence they shall proceed no farther that is no farther then with such silly Auditors for their folly shall be manifest to all men as theirs also was they shall be discovered in their plots against Christs Ministers as those that formerly opposed Gods Ministery in Moses And now farther to prove
because it is the onely foundation for other foundation then this can no man lay and this foundation every man must lay or else all the faith and obedience to be framed thereupon will come to nothing For although their be other articles as depending on this and incident to our Christian profession which ought to be believed also even as all things by God proposed as truths are yet to add them as of themselves necessary to salvation it is to Christ and Christian faith as high derogation as to add circumcision or other observations as necessary to salvation in our Christian obedience And as for our obedience outward we are freed from those many rites ceremonies and observations of the Jewes which God in particular favour of the Jewish Nation had appointed most of them being but shadows of Christ himself and of that great and plain way which by the Gospel should be revealed Nay the very judicial part though instituted by God himself for that government bindes us not as positive laws but as useful presidents upon like occasion that is to say where their and our causes were alike which is not binding as such or such laws formerly made and authorised by God but as parts of the general law of reason For as unto them God was immediate lawgiver and being given before Kings was both God and King so was the litteral observation of them in both respects necessary that is as religious and as civil duties also For both were the same to them because God at that time undertaking the managery of the Civil as well as Ecclesiastical Estate made both one then no otherwise then his remitting both to the Prince makes both of one sort now that is under the same chief relation to duty and obedience namely that of conscience But because of Gods express undertaking herein to them it was do this and live but unto us for whom those directions were not particularly made by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified As Gods rule to them was outward and litteral so were his promises and threats for performance temporal and respecting this life onely Wherein they failed as needs they must their failing was expiated by sacrifice pointing at a Saviour to come to fulfill these things for them but Christ being now come and having fulfilled all righteousness the observation of the letter is released as to direct divine authority and we Christians standing bound but to the general precept of love and charity are referred for our particular managery and guidance therein to the higher powers whom we are to obey not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake not onely for fear of that present temporal punishment they may infflict as meer men in authority but out of conscience also of preservation of our owne innocence in preservation of our obedience to God in them All which in the Epistle to the Hebrews is plainly signified where God is brought in speaking of the difference of the Jewish and Christian Covenant and obedience according to the many Prophesies to that purpose and saying Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt that is not like as it was whilst I gave them particular precepts for all their outward duties and did lead them in all their affairs my self as if I should have taken them by the hand But this course God now changeth because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord that is because I found humane frailty so great that these litterall commands could not be kept therefore now I will put my laws into their minde and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me even from the least to the greatest that is by the love of God shed abroad in our hearts all shall be taught of God and by his Spirit led into all fundamental and saving truth so that by being all taught of God to love one another which is the life and soul of the moral law they shal by keeping that one precept of love keep the whole law But for our direction outward therein we are not come unto a mount that might not be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempests that is to hear them from such a mountain which was made inaccessible through these terrible apparitions that accompanied Gods presence thereon and the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of words which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they could not endure that which was commanded That is neither are we now to be terrified as by hearing God speaking with his owne voice to our outward ears but we for our outward direction are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jurusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels that is to the present Church militant and to such as do therein instruct us as Gods Messengers by their Angelical doctrine And to the general assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect that is unto the Catholick doctrine of the Church assisted by God the judge of all and attested by those many Martyrs which like their Captain are made perfeâ—t by suffering And then that both these may be made beneficial to us and to our salvation we are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel And these Gospel duties of love and obedience we shall find to be the verry errand also of him that was to conclude the Law and the Prophets and to be Christs forerunner as it is most fully though mystically expressed by the Prophet Malachy and also by Saint Luke in their descriptions of Iohn the Baptist his office and message The first of these duties is couched in these words He shall turn the hearts of the Father to the Children that is he shall prepare them to entertain the loving of one another in as high degree as the Father doth his Child And then secondly for performance of the duty of obedience whereby to make this love to be advantagious it is added by Malachy and the heart of the children to their Fathers the which Saint Luke expounding to mean the disobedient to the wisdome of the just doth plainly shew that the preparation of the Gospel of peace and the way to make ready a people prepared for the Lord was by bringing them into such a state of
even so to them c. plainly shewing that no man had warrant from hence to act any kind of wickedness if he could gaine a third persons consent but the words men and them must imply publick approbation or that persons approbation that hath publike charge When the precept of love is set downe it being each mans duty to be affected therewith and ready to perform to the utmost of his power it is therefore commanded in the singular number thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self For this being not onely in the first place necessary as the root of that tree on which our outward charitable works must grow but being also hidden in our hearts where none on earth can have cognisance it could not refer to the approbation of others But because in the outward exercise of this love I might transgress in quantity and so as heretofore shewed do otherwise to some of my Neighbours then I would be done unto my self even whilst I am vehemently loving others as my self therefore am I not to act by private light and as a single man in this case but as having direction or leave from that publike person that hath common interest For although this root of love be onely or chiefly to be watered by the dew of heaven as having its formal seed from thence alone yet is the plant it self of that nature as without the culture of the gardner not onely to become barren or adulterate in its fruit but also by its manner of growth to disorder and overshadow the rest of the trees of the same garden Every man therefore is to love every man as himself as they are to be considered in their general equallity of men but since under policy and government we cannot be externally separate from those different relations which the rule of that polity hath submitted us unto therefore is the guidance of private mens actions in these different relations to be regulated by him that hath the charge of the whole Kingdome who is to order every one under him as the general Oeconomy thereof shall require and who according to their joynt and common relations unto him as subjects may do to men as he in his publike capacity would have men do to him And if we do not interpret the meaning of this rule against private judging we make it destructive and contradictory to the Antecedent and consequent discourses used by Saint Matthew and Saint Luke of mens taking on them to judge one another and to spye the moats in their brothers eye the which things are plainly in those places set downe as bringing condemnation and not innocence The which innocence by the precedent context in Saint Matthew is placed on implicite reliance and obedience to those above us for that which we would have done unto us So that because we are to relye upon the greatness of the knowledg and care of God our Fathers in the flesh therefore no man should presume to be wiser then they nor by judging others without their leave to do by them otherwise then he would be done unto Wherefore without this interpretation I see not how the coherence of therefore in Saint Matthew can be made good And although Saint Matthew have the instance from reliance on God most especially Saint Luke hath it for submission to humane authority for we cannot think Christians obliged to give to other askers or stand still to their smiters then what are warranted by authority as elsewhere noted And if we mark the subsequent texts they will clearly inform us against mens reliance on the obliquity or variety of their owne guidance by bidding us enter in at the strait gate meaning that of obedience and avoid that broad gate and wide way of morality which men are subject to enter at when they are to act any thing And so Saint Matthew goes on to warn men against these false Prophets that shall hereafter be so prone to seduce us by their specious precepts to innocence by reliance on doctrines by themselves brought in who are to be known by the fruits of dissention and civil war even because none but such fruits can be expected to come from a Tree whose root is not love to their brother and obedience to Christ. Nay implicite obedience too for though they should Prophesie or work miracles in his name yet since these might have been done but out of self likeing and regard onely there is nothing but founding obedience on him as on a rock that can secure our foundation For we are to know that since Christ the master of the house is now risen up and hath finished legal and moral righteousness and hath shut to the dore that is bound up the law and the testimony and their meaning among his Disciples it is not then for men to knock more at that dore of entrance But if their works were not done in obedience to him as Lord they were workers of iniquity though they called him so when they did them neither communion with him in the visible Church nor hearing his Gospel can excuse them Again the subsequent text in Saint Luke joyned thereunto for if ye love them that love you what thank have you for sinners also love those that love them doth plainly also shew that mens private wills and judgements were not to be relyed upon for performance of that precept tending to love whose performance that way could render men but still sinners But we must be made capable of loving our enemies as our friends by submitting our wills to the will of a publike person unto whom they are of equal concern with our selves and so doing by him as we would be done unto we shall do by all others as we would be done unto also Else if we blindly act by our owne judgements and singly lead one another by our private lights we shall both fall into the ditch And therefore we can then onely safely reckon our selves innocent as before noted whilst obeying our Superious direction in commands and prohibitions and in case none appear we are to guide our selves the best we may by applying the said Maxim between our Neighbour and our selves Which truly done our failings are to be excused upon our Superiours permission given us herein as having to the best of our consciences and judgements loved and done as we would be loved and done unto both in relation to our Neighbours owne interest and also in the upright managing that trust of impartial dealing by God or our Superiour committed unto us And this because his authority is equal in both and the same to permit as enjoyn For where authority leaves any thing to be ruled by my conscience and discretion it is the same as if he had commanded me to order them after the same manner and it shall thereupon follow that I performing my utmost devoire therein am in my actings to remain still innocent as having but obeyed my Superiour
so continually nor Vniversally resident as to be able to determine all differences nay they may be conceived included in the injunction too because they exercised their present power in a patriarchal right and way as shall be hereafter noted So that in regard of this injunction to obedience under the notion of Father c. the Christian Church had resemblance with the Jewish also for their laws and commandments being given by God before they were at that heigt as to be fitted to enjoy that statute officer who should as a constant publick Father command amongst them they had likewise their precept for obedience and respect couched under the notion of Father too in the fifth Commandment within the generality thereof including as well such temporary publick officers as should immediately command as that future setled officer of King prophetically designed to be over them in both Churches Now as these Fathers and Masters had and have entire jurisdiction in their families and Kingdomes because these could have but one head in chief so must it be granted that since there can be but one Church that is to say Catholick because Christ can have but one body and that body again but one head that therefore proportionably as any other authority and head shall come between Christ and this body so much will the separation and disunion of him with his body be encreased For to represent Christ in the whole Catholick Church is not so much to represent him as head as to be head in his room And in abatement of this ambitious humour is our Saviours reply to be construed which he made to the Children of Zebedee who would have transcended their Apostolical rank of parity and have been alone sitting above their fellow heads of Churches at the right and left hand of Christ. For if their suit had been but for equality they needed not to ask it nor do I see why any of the rest should have been so angry at it But to answer these it was that our Saviour sayes that those that had highest abilities in close and holy following of him might expect a reward or Crown in heaven for it but they were not after the manner of the Gentiles to exercise domini-over one another here The like are we to conceive of that example of washing his Disciples feet and many other places where he purposely gives directions and precepts against this ayme of Vniversal Government of most of which we shall have occasion to speak in discourses following As for the other Government by an independent consistory of the Clergy it must to all unbiassed judgements appear unreasonable for since as Subjects they are included in the general jurisdiction and authority of each kingdome so for order and peace sake they should by the same authority be subject to their diocessans as they again are to be to the Prince the head of that particular Church Where by the word Church is meant that assembly of Christian Believers which is divided from others by an entire jurisdiction of their owne and do thereupon come to be called this or that Church Noâ— Clergy men onely as if these were the sole members of Christs body and so as being more immediately imployed by authority about Church matters they as more strictly called Church men and spiritual guides might be judged as some do do have the sole and absolute power of the Church and to be the onely watch-men and guide of souls No their mission and power as immediately received from Christ is onely inward unto us that is over Gods kingdome therâ— they are perswade men to turn to the Lord with purpose of heart that is so settle in our hearts the foundations of faith and love which being wroucht in us by the holy Spirit they become thereupon so far as they are Gods Ministers to be Ministers of the Spirit not of the Letter being for directing men in their outward duties to have their power from that Church and Christian authority unto which themselves are subject But because that error grew from an in considerate necessity of our imitation of the primitive Church according to its first manner of Government it will be necessary to speak something thereof As God hath power and will have glory alone so it is necessary in the constitution of those things in which he will have his glory more eminently to abide that he have his power making and stateing them to be more remarkably and particularly manifest Thus in the Creation that was the foundation of all things else he acts alone and so much alone that his very word was the deed In that particular designation of a Church for his glory to be more eminent amongst men that the honour of doing might be more his owne he did first make use of the weakest means in humane reason for the foundation and establishment thereof In the first Church amongst the Jews and whilst they were in their weak and wandering condition as their need was greater so his personal protection and guidance of them was more express and apparent And therefore whilst they were in this Theocraty their government was not to be managed by any setled Vniversal authority besides himself or any one who took not in all weighty things immediate direction from him least the eminence of his owne glory should be hereby abated but they were to continue in their wonted obedience to the natural fathers of their families and tribes until such time as being throughly setled in peace and security from their enemies he might make his recess and according to his former promises permit and appoint them a King of their owne Nation Who as standing in his stead and authority now and being entrusted with the future preservation and guidance of that which God had so carefully brought to perfection there was the same reason why he should have remarkable eminence and authority then as why he should not at all have it before The same course we may see taken in the founding of the Christian Church also for they during the time of their owne persecution were as their weakness required in a Theocraty too that is to say guided by the express direction of our Saviour himself given to his Apostles during the time he was on earth and particularly as being conversant with them for the space of fourty dayes and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God And in those things wherein his direction was wanting they were to wait for the promise of the Father even the promise of the holy Ghost who should lead them into all truth Thereby came those spiritual Guides and Priests of the primitive Church to be sometime called Ministers and Pastors but commonly Presbyter from which the Dutch word Priester and our English word Priest are derived being a notion in the sence of antiquity importing Seniority jurisdiction and power whereby they coming to be enabled notwithstanding the
they that were to be their guides had been before instructed in the way of Church regiment by Saint Paul himself so far as to be able by tradition to keep their charge upright in all things tending to Godliness and honesty according to those things which they had learned and received and heard and seen in him He in remitting Churches for the rest to be instructed by those their guides he himself had instructed did follow the example of our Saviour himself herein who for that space of fourty dayes he was on earth after his resurrection directed his Apostles in things pertaining to the Kingdome of God or government of the Church Nor can we finde any of them undertaking as before noted to comprise all the particulars of Theology at such time as they write those their most general Epistles which were for all mens direction but kept them as we may presume to be delivered to the heads of Churches amongst other things by tradition and so made use of according to the emergencies of their several Charges But yet the fundamentals of Christianity were in all their Epistles and Sermons most plainly delivered the least and shortest Epistle containing in it the doctrine of faith in Christ love to one another and also of obedience to superiours our necessary guide in performance of them both And that Saint Pauls directions in other matters given to the particular Churches contained neither all expresly that was necessary for them to do nor what was so generally fit and proper for all Churches as that to whom it was directed being to others in most things onely usefull upon occasions as presidents will appear in that Saint Paul writing a particular short Epistle to the Colossians refers them their knowledge of what is farther useful unto his Epistle written unto the Laodiceans willing them that when this Epistle is read of you You cause it to be read of the Laodiceans also and that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Which two Epistles being reciprocally recommended to those particular Churches as of proper directions for them and the Epistle to the Laodiceans being now wanting is must follow that both the fundamentals were set downe in all and each of them and that other admonitions were by the Apostles given upon several occasions and considerations which because they did as heads of Churches then themselves so by their making a distinction in each Church of such as were to rule and instruct from the rest of the Church and that under the notion of such as should cause those Epistles to be read and such as were to hear them read we may also infer that though he made the general direction of his Epistles to the whole Church it was but to make their duty of obedience higher when their guides should command them And so also when he is setting downe general heads for the particular abearance of men in each order it is not his meaning to submit them to their private interpretation of what in them was their duty to perform as Subjects and so consequently leave it to their choice whether they would perform any thing of them or no but to lay on men a stronger obligation to the obedience of their superiours commands since they now finde them to have these general divine directions to that purpose To manifest that these duties of external Christian behaviour were indisputably referred to each Christian head of the Church and that all in that kind necessary was not set down in the Scripture appears in that Saint Paul writing more plentifully to the Corinthians hereof then to any other Church doth not yet profess to have set down all that was necessary but having as he conceived set down what was expedient for them according to the present occasion he concludes And the rest will I set in order when I come Thereby making a plain difference between his power in those things he was to command them as an head of the Church in order to their duty of obedience and those fundamentals of faith and love which he was to preach to them as an Evangelist or a difference in what he did as a general preacher of the Gospel and what he did as their Apostle and Teacher even as one that particularly had authority over them as Christs Ambassadour and as being their father in the Faith And that Scripture and the interpretation and enforcement of the precepts thereof was committed to the guidance and care of the heads of the Churches even under the Gospel also appears by Saint Pauls commending them unto Timothy to the end that he as a guide to the Church might make them profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God or the man having Gods authority may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works that is have sufficient light and authority to command and direct unto all good works And that this power did belong to Timothy as their present guide is made most evident from the uses there set down all of them belonging to the office of the Superiour Namely to teach to reproove to corect to instruct necessarily implying the charge of the Scriptures to be committed to those in authority that were to be eminently active herein that the man of God or the chief Officer in Gods stead like Timothy may know how to behave himself in the houshold of God the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth And where it is commended that the men of Berea searched the Scripture whether the things by Saint Paul alledged were so it is first to be considered that it was before the people had acknowledged Saint Paul their guide and so not bound to submit themselves as to one that did watch for their souls And then this searching must not be construed as if every man had done it in a Bible apart but they being a Synagogue of the Jewes the Scripture must be supposed remaining with the chief thereof onely who are to be understood the searchers and examiners thereof In whose search the rest of the Bereans trusting it made the search go in the name of the whole In effect still prooving that the interpretation and custody of Scripture was not common but belonged to those that were to exercise and not such as were to submit to authority And that the Scriptures charge and custody was entrusted unto the heads of Churches and not vulgarly dispersed in copies may appear by our not having at this day any assurance of the language some of the Gospels and Epistles were written in nor have we any Hebrew copy that we now can relye upon And all because the first copy coming to be afterwards translated into that language the people best understood it caused the care of the single original to be neglected or in time of persecution to be lost by the traditors of those times whereas had each
women but because these little ones or these least in the Kingdome of heaven have as elsewhere shewed received from Christ the honour and trust of binding and loosing which Iohn had not therefore were they greater then he And so again when Christ brings in himself speaking at the last judgement he useth the like expressions Inasmuch as ye have done it or not done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it or not done it unto me By one of the least we are to understand such a single person to be meant as more eminently representing Christ may through obedience to him in Christs stead make charity extensive and useful to all occasions and not think that Christ made that charity best which was done but to any one ordinary man or that the particular works there mentioned were all that needed But rather that here as elsewhere these additions of least and little are added in the singular number to Children and Bretâ—ren that together with the distinction of them from other children and brethren he might both set forth that extraordinary humility that should be in all governours and might also relate litterally to that mean estate of his Disciples the Churches present governours who being probably to be most persecuted of any other therefore are those instances of charity brought in which become men in that condition That these Epithetes of little and least when added to children do both signifie persons substituted in Christs authority and was also given to teach humility and love especially one toward another will lastly appear by those passages discribed by the other Evangelist Saint Iohn because spoken while Christ is deligating his Apostles as is related in the 13 chapter and afterward For in these chapters his speech of little children cannot be taken otherwise then as a proper address to them By which and by that fact of washing their feet we may finde how desirous he is that that great power he had given them should not exalt them above one another but make them ready by that his example to do all loving offices one towards another since none of them could be so great over one another as he that had so done was over them all But although here as elsewhere he is most copious in putting them in mind of that duty of meekness and humility which becometh their large power yet that a great power was delegated unto them appeares in the beginning of the Chapter Now when Iesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father that is knowing he himself could be no longer the living light or guide of the world he therefore thought now time to delegate his own which were in the world and whom for that service he had chosen out of the world And therefore Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God that is knowing he had finished the work he had to do and being to return to him that gave him this mission and authority he then thinks it time to take care of his Churches charge in his absence and to go on with his mission of others in his name as he had been before sent in his fathers name This in the other Evangelists runs As my Father sent me so send I you and whosoever heareth you heareth me and the like but this beloved Disciple after his usual manner coucheth all under the notion of love And therefore their power or mission is amongst other things parabolically set downe As my Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love that is as I have power had from God the Father as his beloved son so shall you from me as my beloved Disciples And this his deputation or mission thus given them he more clearly expresseth in his prayer As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world All which and other considerations before spoken of in confirming the Churches power under her owne Ministers should methinks be sufficient to stop the haste of such as do so headily obtrude their owne private interpretation of Scripture against that which is publike and made by lawful authority For unless they can make some extraordinary mission appear whereby God hath something to say by them not said before why should men be so beguiled as to think them not subject to like passions and infirmities with those that have the interpretation of Gods word already And truly their crying out for obedience to Gods word onely and yet proposing it as such when guided according to their sence onely imports none other then an ayme thereby to engross all honour and authority to themselves only And therefore that command appears at this time extreamly necessary to put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good work to speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing meekness to all men And a greater truth cannot be spoken nor a moâ—e seasonable admonition given then to mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which they have learned and to avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple For so long as the foundation is not destroyed so long as Christ is not deceived but our faith is entire in him the prosecution of particular sects under that of Paul Apollo or Cephas and our hatred varience emulations wrath strife seditions envyings murthers c. are works of the flesh not of the spirit and are because we are carnal and walk as men But yet because we are to know that it is not faith alone that is our duty and can secure our salvation but faith and love or faith that worketh holy love we will now speak more fully of that grace of love or charity which must be joyned to keep us innocent and also of that other grace of obedience which is requisite to make charity effectual CHAP. VII Of love and obedience and of our state of innocence thereby TO be sensible of good or happiness is to be living and to be the more hereof sensible is to be more living For as there is a positive dignity by sensation it self that is of sensitive above Inanimates so is there a comparative exellence therein again arising from degree thereof Whereby each thing stands in degree of happiness and excellence differenced by that degree of vigour and intensness in apprehension and also by degree of steadiness and continuance in possession Now as experience in the natural course of things doth inform that in all progression there must be a perfection and summety so in this case
course is to confess we know him not having indeed no warrantable rule for our direction herein but what God himself hath of himself in the holy Scripture set downe The which had it not stiled the second person the the Image of the invisible God the brighâ—ness of his fathers glory and the express Image of his persons And so leading us to conceive of the procession of the holy Ghost I see not how the true personal existence of those three that bear record in heaven could have been apprehended As for that hypostatical union of the two natures in that one person of our Saviour a mystery also necessary in some sort to be comprehended and believed it is learnedly done by others especially by the pen of Judicious Hooker and is not to our present occasion so proper But so much I thought necessary to premise in this place for the better conception of the personal subsistance of deity by way of supply to what was briefly spoken of the unity thereof and its operations in the entrance of the first book and what shall be spoken thereof in the last chapter of this book this being as necessary to be known to state us Christians as that was to remove us from Atheism and also for the better understanding the original and nature of love it self whereof we are now to treat For hence we may perceive how God himself is said to be love as being the foundation thereof and that also if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is made perfect in us The which is not onely true in the natural state wherein all creatures had existence and perfection from the love of God manifested in Christ by whom he made the world and had that thereby also recourse back towards God again by occasion of those natural propensions to mutual love and beneficence seated in men and other things by means of that blessed spirit which moved upon the waters but also true in the state of grace and regeneration wherein God the Father was pleased to love men again as in his beloved Son when they had now lost that Image and likeness wherein they stood lovely as his creatures before even by the love of God shed abroad â—n our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given us By whose blessed influence we are not onely holpen and directed in our love and obedience upward whereby to meet the God of love more directly even to the degree of a miracle-working faith where it is strong enough but also stand inwardly affâ—cted towards the assisting him in his course of providence by love to those his Images now presâ—nt amongst us men being not otherwise capeable of approving themselves to be Godly or God-like then by the expression of this their love according to such rules of obedience as Christ himself hath appointed and in Scripture plainly set down For as we are inwardly made preceptive and participant of this love by the grace of faith even by having our understandings cleared concerning the reallity of God and his goodness and of the communication thereof unto us of which we have spoken in this last discourse so again do we stand outwardly confirmed and conformable herein by the grace of obedience even by signal testification of our true love to him by our ready and conformable expression of it according to his direction of which we shall now speak in that which follows As the general praise of love is most plainly and largly discoursed of by Saint John so is he most of all copious to shew how love and charity being the general precept for Christians are the fulfilling of the law and how they secure us in a state of innocence And therefore commending love to us he saith I write no new Commandment unto you but that which ye have heard from the beginning meaning from Christ himself who had shewed that this precept of charity or love was as hath been hitherto shewed the sum and scope of all the Law and the Prophets that is of those particular precepts set down in the Law Again saith he a new Commandment I write unto you which things is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light shineth That is true in him that hath thus rid us of strict legal observance and from the darkness and multitude of litteral precepts and hath enlightened us with so much supernatural wisdome as to see this one performance of love to be the summ of their meaning they without it not being able to state us innocent For he that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now but he that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him Which last words point plainly to the stating of our condition of innocence by love he concluding all Christian foundation and commandment in these words That we should believe the name of Christ Jesus and love one another And therefore is this Gospel single light hinted unto us as a single eye which enlighteneth the whole body This state of innocence through love may be also compared unto the strait Gate both for its singleness of precept in regard of those many precepts formerly given us and for its difficult too as for loving of Enemies and the like This is that wedding garment which whilst we have on we need not doubt our selves true members of and truly fitted for Christs Church and kingdome but if wanting it we are then to be rejected and cast out For without this roab of charity we shall be ready to devide this his kingdome against it self by breach of peace and order this being the leaven that must season all we do This is that rock on which we founding our Christian duties through faith in Christ they shall stand unmoveable against the stormes and tempests of the world whereas else prophesie miracles mighty works though done in Christs name and with never so religious pretences shall not make him owne us without its being their ground work And to this purpose he saith If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love and then he ads this is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you And least any one should think that this Commandment was but a single precept and not general and including all the rest of his Commandments he farther adds these things I Commanded you that ye love one another Where the command of love is put in the plural number as the sum of all the Commands we are to keep as truly his So that then no love to Christ without keeping his Commandments no keeping his Commandments without loving one another For as Christ in his actions stood excepted from sin notwithstanding his likeness to us in the
is every mans faith shall be tryed by the fire of afflictions and temptations and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt that is as every sacrifice under the law was to be so seasoned so he that came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets had now made the precept of love seasoned by the obedience to those that were to command in his stead to be the sure way of making each Christian duty lawful and after the same manner that each Christian himself was to be made acceptable by his baptism of afflictions And although it were reserved for the clearer light of the Gospel to discover that all wickedness proceeded from malice and other the works of the flesh and on the other side that love was the only thing to estate men râ—ghteous yet we finde the same in many places hinted at in the old Testament And Solomon in particular is very express to this purpose when he saith hatred stirreth up strife but love covereth all sins Which is answerable to our Saviour reason of the corruption of the last times viz. because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold This accomplishment of our innocence through this saving grace of love or charity is that more excellent way by Saint Paul shewed to the Corinthians who had before shewed how all the several gifts of the holy Ghost were given for mutual edification and bestowed severally on several members but for compleating and adorning that one body the Church In which respect since the more ordinary and common members which were useful to the body as the feet or the like could not expect to have those more eminent endowments for then should they not be eminent if ordinary therefore is a whole Chapter spent in shewing this more excellent and ready way of Charity whereby those more feeble and less honourable members that could not attain to be Apostles Prophets Teachers or the like might yet by means of this common band of union and perfection finde an equal capacity with those that were highest gifted to attain to the edification and support of the general body This way being to them also the most excellent and sure because that without it all their other endowments will prove but as sounding brass and tinkling Symbals Of which bond or union and also of the union of the other Christian graces we shall farther discourse in the ensuing Chapter CHAP. VIII Of the Coincidence of Christian graces HOw the affection of unity is accompanying the whole race of things hath been abundantly declared as a metaphisical or supernatural speculation by such as have not had any other light to direct them in the inquiry then that which meer nature would afford being drawn from contemplation of her procession in things here below But unto us Christians who have from above been confirmed in the knowledg of deity and also of its unity as the ground of our divinity must grow more firm and steady in knowledge of God himself so will the contemplation of that unity as considered in him that is the cause of all things lead us by a plain way of demonstration to disscover why in each thing by him made the same affection should be also necessarily implanted not only in order of resemblance herein to its Author but to the formal stating of it such or such Concerning some of the nearer resemblances of deity in the things of life which we call individuals we have formerly spoken as also of mans above them all But this affection of unity is so much more closely accompanying them that it not onely formally constitutes them but thereby also differenceth them from inanimates who can receive no formal unity but what must arise from the definition of their whole Mass whereas in the definition of any species of individuals that natural unity which appears therein can have no other true existence or perfection then what was first really inherent in and constituted by the individuals themselves as being the observable properties in them severally abiding As therefore all things together with their creation and existence from God proceeding received from him this affection of unity also as necessarily constituting them distinct from the whole race of things so to the end that the Makers praise might yet receive addition and increase though the increase of the several objects of his bounty and goodness and that this division of the whole Mass might not by civil war and disunion amongst themselves prove the overthrow of one another but that one thing might be a continual support unto the good and preservation of another and thereby all conspire to the same end Gods glory we may observe all those friendly instincts and properties bestowed by God on natural Agents as heretofore noted By means of which propensity and benigne aspect of one thing towards another ariseth that other affection which we call goodness So that when the separate existencies of things which states truth are by this affection of goodness made agree in things to their own mutual preservation and to Gods glory also then doth the prevalence of union appear herein again as joyning good to truth and creation to providence and making the Creatures end or preservation conspire to that of Gods his owne glory and Gods glory to meet in direct points with their good But now although these benevolent inclinations of things might suffice to mutual preservation in Inanimates and such sensitives as had none or small cause of division through largeness of private appetite and will so to the end that voluntary Agents which were most to seek it might not be subject to recompence their owne higher sence of felicity from God received with the ingrateful diminution of his glory in the disturbance of the course of his providence it was onward necessary that for maintenance of the same unity which was made as aforesaid by inward instincts in other things there should not onely be an inward natural appetite to union implanted which we call love but also such outward directions given to them that through the due observance hereof their union and meeting amongst themselves might tend to the like end with the other things before spoken of namely the preservation and maintenance of Gods glory and their own good All which considerations will now make manifest the great reason not onely of that simplicity and fewness of the Gospel precepts as in order to our more easie performance and for their approaching so much neerer to the perfection and unity of him that gave them but also of that plain coincidence they have amongst themselves whereby they come like the whole race of things themselves the object of their directions to unite and conspire in the common end of all things Gods glory and the subservient end thereof each particular things natural preservation For as there is an union in the end so must there be also in the means and directions leading thereunto All which
proceed to Scripture proofs in these things and in farther confirmation of the precedent chapter beginning with some out of the New Testament Saint Paul having declared somewhat to the Ephesians of his knowledge in the mystery of Christ doth it that thereby all men may see what was the fellowship of the mistery that is both the fellowship of Christian precepts amongst themselves and our fellowship or communion with Christ through obedience Which mistery from the beginning of the world hath bin hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ that is heretofore hid under the legal observations but is now as the unsearchable riches of Christ preached amongst the Gentiles To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places that is unto the higher powers seated and deputed by Christ might be known by the Church that is by the vertue of illumination and authority given to them through Christs headship of the Church the manifold wisdome of God And therefore Saint Pauls prayer was that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith so that they being rooted and grounded in love they may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height that is this mistery of the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge Namely that they may know how it should be effected and kept up by those that walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called who must do it with all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that is in obedience to our owne Christian head which is the only bond of peace For by means of the building and foundation laid by these Christian heads Apostles and Prophets as then they were called given for the perfecting of the Saints and for the work of the ministry we come to be united as Citizens of the houshold of God or Catholick Church of which Christ himself is the chief corner stone The body of Christ being in this sort to be framed and built together in this life till we come to be past fear of being tossed to and fro of every winde of doctrine even by being come to the unity of faith through the knowledge of the Son of God or to have attained that measure and stature of fulness which is to be from Christ himself expected Of which Christian submission and obedience having set downe positive precepts in the names of Husbands Parents and Masters he finally exhorts them to be still furnished with the whole armour of God that is faith love and obedience that they may be able to stand against the wils of the Devil That is these his most crafty wiles and insinuations whereby we come to be tempted by him as an Angel of light under religious pretences to acts of obedience even by the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience For saith he we wrestle not against flesh and blood meaning against fleshly rules or Masters for against the works of the flesh we must wrestle but against principalities and powers agaist the rules of the darkness of the world that is against spiritual wickedness in in high or heavenly places Or against the wills of the Devil working in such as under the colour of legal or moral precepts called usually darkness by their owne high power in the Church would countenance disobedience and so overthrow the mystery of Christ by the mysterie of iniquity For these are to know as Saint Paul saith to Tymothy that the end of the commandment is Charity or peaceable submission and obedience for charity sake out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned From which saith he some having swearved are turned aside unto vain jangling that is unprofitable questionings of legalty desiring to be Teachers of the law when they should hearers understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm But we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully that is an obeyer of legal authority whereby to retain innocence and not as judge to become guilty Knowing this that the law is not made for the rsghteous or just man that is to condemn a just or obedient man but for the lawless and disobedient for ungodly and sinners c. Where all wickedness being reckoned after as subsequent and attendant on disobedience and by opposing the disobedient and lawless against the righteous man we must understand obedience and righteousness to be contivertible For as the fruit of the Spirit is love so the fruit thereof again is joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law that is law of condemnation And this mistical way of accomplishing our innocence is farther repeated to the Collossians that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mistery of God and of the father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge In which words we may plainly see that our greatest comfort ariseth from love in our hearts and from hence have we the full assuranc of understanding of right obedience to Gods law to the acknowledgement of the mistery of God even the mistical way of justification whereby being inwardly made ready and pliable to perform all acts of benificence we by our conformity and obedience to this one precept should contrary to the doctrine of the darkness of this world be estated truely innocent In which words the general name of God is first attributed to the holy Ghost for that he is the more proper efficient in the understanding of this mistery as also of the acknowledgement of the Father and of Christ. so that in participation of the Godhead by this mistery we are made comprehensive of all the reall treasures of wisdome and knowledge in being thereby guided through Gods light and not our own Which as the Apostle spake least any should beguile them with entising words that is Religious pretence which is most enticing of any so he joyes in beholding the fruit of this inward love their order and stedfastness of their faith in Christ that is their peace and agreement in the faith And thereupon proceeds to admonish them least any man spoil them through Philolosophy and vain deceit meaning through the Greekish popular Philosophy of their Country teaching righteousness to be attained by their many precepts of morall justice or vain legall deceit of the Iews amongst them after the Tradition of men after the Rudiments of the world or worldly wisdome and not after Christ in the simplicity of this Gospell precept of obedience For we cannot offend God whilst we are obedient to him
those prophesies concerning Christs humiliation in his own person should have an end and also his own prophesies concerning those miserable times of calamity that should for sometime befall his Church after his departure In which respect it is that he is come to send fire on earth and a sword c. meaning persecution and also to set men in neerest relations at variance one against another meaning that for fear thereof they should betray one another For if we be not regardful of the true times of compleating the prophesies of universal peace of the Church we shall be at a loss to finde their accomplishment For I conceive the prophesies of universal peace as of beating swords into pruning-hooks c. to have accomplishment at the general peace when Christ the Prince of peace came and our Saviours prophesies of his Churches persecution to have an end in Constantines time After whom I look on the Christian Church in her relapses under Julian the Apostate c. as in a temporary trembling motion till she fix in her state of quietness and assurance For we are not to expect that Christ should cry or cause his voice to be heard in the streets of the world as a King Untill he had sent judgement into victory that is untill by means of victories obtained by these his deputies in the seat of judgement he shall have made himself notable for his power For the expression of sending judgement into victory must import his doing these things by others even by these anointed persons under him In the mean time those his former Deputies Apostles Bishops Patriarchs c. that like weak and feeble reeds were shaken to and froe of the winde of persecution he should not break or quench the smoaking or dimnly burning flax That is should both powerfully defend them against others breaking and should also promote the encreasing state of his Church which like to smoaking flax should shortly burn forth brightly under Monarchy and by means of these nursing fathers of the Church should shew judgement to the Gentiles This fault of mens adding precept to precept and of Forsaking the fountain of living water and digging to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water we may finde plentifully reproved by other of the Prophets also but most of all by this Evangelical Prophet who in the latter part of his eight Chapter is censuring thereof and warning us against this covenanting with death and hell almost in the same words Say ye not a confederacy to all them whom this people shall say a confederacy neither fear you their fear nor be afraid Sanctifie the Lord of hoasts himself and let him be your fear and your dread that is sanctifie him according to the precepts of faith and love his inward law written in your hearts And then He shall be for a sanctuary a place of safety to you but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And many among them that is all such as will trust to their own light and neglect the simplicity of Christs Gospel-light shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken And then he proceeds to tell what this new and living way is and how the letter of the Law is to be made lively and effectual by means of a living keeper and so he brings in Christ speaking Binde up the testimony seal the law among my Disciples that is let judiciary power be in those that rule in Christs name and stead And I will wait for the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob that is such of them as sacrifice to their own snares and will look for him Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel because our way agrees not with the interests of their moral contrivances After which the admonition comes against our listening to these diviners and such as would finde Christ in the secret places When they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar Spirits such as make frequent brags of their own gifts and illuminations and unto them that peep and that matter such as have canting ways and expressions of their own do not follow such for should not a people seek unto their God Is it fit that they should seek for the living sense of the Law to the dead letter But if they do seek to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word namely shewing how all Law is fulfilled in this one word of love it is because there is no light in them that is because God hath suffered the God of this world to blinde their mindes Else they might see that these Precepts of love are plainly there set down as the sum of the Law also and other particular Precepts as they were litterally delivered were but appropriate to the Jewish Nation onely and not universally binding as divine And therefore they that thus dig deep to hide their Councels from God shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry they shall be caught in their own snares and be as him that dreameth of meat and behold he is an hungry And it shall come to pass when they be hungry they shall fret themselves and curse their King and their God and look upward That is the shame and confusion of their own deceitful way shall drive them into so great desparation that instead of amendment by obedience to God to be shewed to the King his Minister they shall curse the parties themselves that is curse God by cursing their King whereby they shall curse upward as well as look upward The which is the issue of all such blinde guidance namely to finde trouble darkness dimness anguish and the like which way soever they shall look And this consequence of dimness and anguish as we finde by example to have been the issue of the absence of Monarchical direction in the Idolatry Civil war and other wickedness of the Israelites When they had no King but every man did what seemed good in his own eys that is interpreted and followed the letter of the Law as he thought good so is it also foretold to happen to Israel and in them to the Christian Church when she shall be an empty Vine or fruitless by bringing forth fruit unto himself that is serve God after his own invention signified by increasing his Altars and goodly Images For then when their heart is divided that is are not single and entire in their service and obedience they shall be found faulty and their Altars and Images shall be broken down which is the same as to be snared and taken They shall then finde their sin of disobedience to prove their punishment For they shall say we have now no King
Government that is of the Indicative and Vindicative not allowing to the same person as well a power to direct how to live and do well as to punish for doing otherwise and all because he doth not personally execute this Office of Instruction but leaves it to others may upon like ground deny his right and power in condemning and punishing because the same is performed by others also From all which we may see the Kings Title and Right now as Gods Minister and Steward to order things pertaining to his Worship as well as we may finde that the Title of each individual Prince to this Office of Gods Minister and Head of the Church doth rest now upon the same evidence of right which each person hath to the enjoyment of his own propriety in severalty from others For as God made such and such Creatures for the general use of men so did he institute such and such Offices for their use too In the vacancy of which Offices there lies an equal right to the next possessor upon the same natural reason as there doth to the next possessor of Land Cattel or any other goods which have for the present no rightful proprietor And if any should think the Christian Prince now debarred from claim to Apostolical succession and power in ordering of Church-discipline and affairs according to the exegencies of times and places as the Apostles by their Traditions formerly did and all because they are not now like them miraculously inspired and assisted they may upon the same reason even forbid the use of preaching and instruction to be by any now exercised also until by some miraculous attestation and proof those separated to that Function can evidence their Call and Authority herein to be more then ordinary and to have been conferred on them by hands as holy as those of the Apostles also But as this more express appearance of divine assistance approbation of persons is not now to be expected or relyed upon so neither in justice can it be brought as a bar to the divine right of execution of the one more then another nor to regal super-intency in both Therefore as we have formerly shewed the necessity of our submission to the Prince his guidance in our outward observation of that Law of the second Table Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self so must we conclude it much more necessary that that form and manner of service which is requisite to express our devotions in fulfilling that Precept Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart c. should not be left to the hazard of each ones fancy but be at the dispose of Gods chief Minister even for the avoiding scandal which must always be subject to private and new devices and forms but cannot be to what is of publike practice and institution For if the authorized worship of any Kingdom should be subject to be sin or scandal to any the subjects of the same kingdom and professing the same Religion also then can God never be outwardly worshipt nor any Religion publikely exercised but the parties must commit sin in doing it because some or other will still be of a contrary minde and so take offence and scandal thereat And therefore scandal must ever arise from the fewer number to the greater For although the use and continuance of some Jewish and heathenish Ceremonies were in the Primitive times scandalous they were not called so because Jews or Heathens used them but because a few men having now included themselves in the common profession and number of Christianity would therein dissent from the common practice of Christians which ran otherwise And then again since God himself doth not prescribe the whole outward form of expressing our Love and Praises of him and that he doth it is yet recommended for execution to the supreme Magistrates trust it must follow that so often as we decline his Rule we must be scandalous and in danger of error and sin And to this purpose we shall finde Saint Paul very express when he gives the Romans warning to avoid scandal or offences saying Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause division and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Where we may see the doctrine received is to be as the ancient land-mark which set up by our Fathers is not to be removed but remain as a standing rule for decision and enclosure of differences For if he had said that that side is schismatical and scandalous that departs most from the truth of Christs Doctrine then since each side did still pretend to that truth this could not have been a way of decision but had referred privâ—te judgements and interpretations back to themselves And then again if there had been divers sorts of disagreers that Sect could have been scandalous onely that departed most whereas now each one is scandalous so far as they differ from their standing plain rule even by so far departing from Christ and leaning to themselves as they depart from his Minister and therefore he says they that are such that is which cause divisions contrary to the Doctrine learned serve not our Lord Jesus Christ that is do not rightly obey him though they pretend it by not obeying his chief Minister but their own belly and by fair speeches deceive the heart of the simple And to prove farther that innocence from scandal is in obedience he after expresseth his joy that their obedience is come abroad to all men For if as before proved obedience be a necessary duty to be observed towards the making our Love and Services to our neighbors effectual it must be concluded much more necessary and expedient to be imployed in keeping up that which is the end thereof the glory and publike worship of God And therefore as it would seem absurd in our actions to drive at such an end which we did never intend to perform and enjoy as it would be to be always practizing Offices tending to mutual preservation that thereby God might have the greater number of Praisers and yet never practice this duty of Praise and Worship so must we thence infer that in and towards the stating and exercise of this duty obedience is most especially required as to the meritorious and final object of all the rest So that if by means of our obedience to Christ in the Church his Kingdom here upon earth there be not an uniformity kept up in our publike exercises of all those duties that serve for the advancement of Gods Kingdom in our hearts and for setting forth his Worship and praise for benefits received that Unity and Coition of the Christian Graceâ— and Precepts amongst themselves formerly spoken of will come to be made void and useless For however it may be allowable to each single man as best sensible of his own enjoyments and wants to thank God or pray to him privately in such manner and
though it might be called the evil as being the occasion of so much evil By which evil we may know he means Antichristianism by saying he that doth it hath not seen God that is hath not God or the fear of God by not having or receiving us and the doctrine of Christ namely that Christ is come or present in the flesh And so denying the Son he hath not the Father because he and his Father are one for whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God c. It is farther highly observable towards the clearing Antichristianism to consist in the breach of Charity or Love even by defeating the fruit thereof through disobedience that these two fore-alledged Writers that do most speak of this crime in direct terms are themselves the most plentiful of any in pressing and commending this duty of Charity or Love The latter of them Saint Iohn the beloved Disciple making it the chief argument of his whole Epistles and is by occasion hereof found to be more often stating and discoursing of Antichrist then the other Who yet by reason of his more frequent conversation amongst the Gentiles and those subjected unto the Roman Emperor had occasion most to speak of and discover that great man of sin the Antichrist that should hereafter in the Churches splendor axalt himself above her glorious heads called gods even as S. John again being more confined in his charge had more occasion to speak of those lesser Antichrists that for the present opposed himself and his fellow Heads whom by reason of their smaller eminence in power he writes unto under the notion of little children as shall be shewed anon But although we have not in S. Jude the name of Antichrist yet almost his whole Epistle sets forth his description and particularly by that mark of separation wherein he doth also refer back to these and like former admonitions herein given from the Apostles Remember saith he the words that were spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts these be they that separate themselves sensual having not the spirit Where by the note of Separaters to come in the last time we may well account his Mockers to be S. Johns Antichrists And farther to make the same mockers to be like and coming on to S. Pauls Antichrist he saith These filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities the which is like unto seating themselves as gods above all that is called God Yet Michael thi Arch-angel saith he when contending with the Devil disputed about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee And if the Devil himself in so clear a case must not be reviled but left to God what pretences can subjects have to justifie themselves by that will strike Princes for equity unless they can prove them worse then he By the expression of defilers of the flâ—sh he comes plainly home to S. Iohns dâ—niers of Christ come in the flesh and so he makes it plain he means the same Antichrists that this his brother Apostle had told should come into the world and were already entred For how else should we conceive that defiling of the flesh should be thus put properly to accompany dispising dominion dignity c. if it were not that through Christs manifestation in power in these our Masters of the flesh our dispising them came to be dispising of him The which their Antichristian humour of dispising dominion is also hinted to grow from the same root of insubjection we formerly noted in Isaiah that is as men would be there tasting the strong drink of Morality and Divine Precept upon Precept they should in the end be found of no farther assurance then such as dream of meat and behold he is empty c. So these that through temptations of fleshly Pride and Lust should despise Dominion in hope to gain thereby power to act without control should be found silthy dreamers also And as lust and concupiscence is the usual parent of stubborness and rebellion so is that a parent to these again as heretofore noted in the mysterie of iniquity And to euince so much and clear these places or S. Iude to intend the crime of Antichristianism he in his first description of these defilers of the flesh makes it the same with S. Iohns other description of Antichrist which we shall speak of anon where they are noted to have been such people as did profess the same faith with others and that were not manifested to be against Christ but by deserting Apostolical Communion or Authority So here S. Iude writing of the common salvation and desiring Christians to conttnd for faith once delivered to the Saints that is the faith that is accompanied with patience humility c. he tells them that certain men are crept in unawares that is they are such as professing the same common salvation or the same Jesus do thereupon creep into our Communion unespied Although their Antichristian departure or separation be not here set down as by S. Iohn yet because we cannot think them blamable for being of their Communion it is to be necessarily supposed as the cause for which these ungodly men were of old ordained to this condemnation and then the reason of their Antichristianism is plainly set down Turning the grace of God into lasciviousness that is using Christian liberty as a cloak to maliciousness they shall proceed to the fact of Antichristianism denying the only Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ which is the same with he is Antichrist that denieth the father and the son By the title of Lord added to God and Christ we may also gather that their denyal of them was in regard of power And the two instances following of the stubborn Jews and revolting Angels do farther manifest that Christian insubjection was the fault which S. Jude did here forewarn and reprove And the disobeent Angels being set out to us as such as kept not their first estate but left their habitation he gives us a farther paralel of S. Iohns Antichrists they went out from us that is they left that first estate or habitation they had under Christs Government as Angels left that they had under God Then S. Iude proceeds But these despisers of Authorities speak evil of those things which they know not that is they know not or at least will not consider what is the end or good of humane society and how the same is preserved by subjection and obedience but what they know naturally as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Baalim for reward and perished in the gain
our partial that is to say our short and weak Methods and Collections we are subject to proceed too hastily to the liking or condemning of a Government or Governor upon the like sudden apprehension as the Barbarians did of S. Paul who must one while be no better then a Murtherer presently again concluded for no less then a god from single indications and accidents and such as had no coherence with that which they would apply them unto Upon which ground it may be observed that Princes and great men are by vulgar judgements never permitted to go under a middle censure they are still extreamly good or extreamly bad For being by some sudden accident brought to alter that conceit they had before entertained as suddenly and ungroundedly of his vertues or vices it is no wonder if they hereupon become as hasty and extream in their censures of him this way as they did the other way For it being to be supposed natural unto man to affect farther discovery and knowledge it comes therefore to pass that the delight in contemplation and prosecution of what is now in view keeps him for the time inconsiderate of what more may be had and so it must consequently leave the weak and empty comprehension as full and peremptory as to its self and its own satisfaction as he that hath more and better ground to go upon The which we find verified upon mens first undertaking to read and expound the Scripture the many examples there found of Gods miraculous attestation and reward of some such as have been eminent for goodness and piety presently raises in us a conceit of our own deserts herein also and men are usually thereupon ready to fancy and expect even to a degree of temptation that God should in some like manner appear in the honoring and acknowledging of them And upon a contrary rule again finding many examples therein of Gods displeasure and punishment of men for oppression injustice and other notorious wickedness they are as ready out of the conceit of their own wrong suffering and subjection at the hand of their own Enemies or Superiors to make a paralel of the one with the other and think that neither Patience nor Obedience is on their part due to these so apparent enemies to God and goodness as their prejudice and ignorance doth now judge to these so apparent enemies to God and goodness as their prejudice and ignorance doth now judge them to be The which is most especially instigated from the example and insinuations of persons of greater repute for learning or judgement then themselves who having many times ambitious or factious aims are ready as we said to cast before them such forms of examination as shall be sure to leave a dislike in them towards the actions and commands of their Superiors and consequently intice them to siding with them which must prevail because they are so far defective of observation and experience of their own and consequently entice them to siding with them which must prevail because they are so far defective of observation and experience of their own as to find and frame just Methods to themselves and so to examine how far these and other particulars are or are not agreeable and comprisable within the true rules and limits of Religion and Polity And of these kinds of deceits taken up upon too easie examination and credulity I can speak more confidently having had so great experience of them in my self and that in both kinds For I believe that no man was more averse to Episcopacy and Church Orders and Ceremonies and such like then my self in my youth and while I continued to converse with such only as had these things in detestation and all because the method of examination which was then put into me for to try cases of this kind by as to their approach to evil was to search whether Papist used them or no. So that I not having then knowledge or experience enough to examine how those things stood grounded in themselves or to understand that Papists even as they were Christians could not choose but be in the right in somethings was thereupon in danger to abandon some Christian truths and duties because I found them within my rule of dislike as being acted and believed by Papists Being once prepossessed with these and such like short Rules and Methods of distinction and adjudication I was quickly tainted also with the Pharisaical humour of judging for my self and those of my belief against such as differed thinking that all that were not as invective against the thing called Popery which truly for a good while I understood not and as conversant in Sermons and some select phrases and demeanors were notwithstanding their unblamable lives otherwise and that according to Christian faith to be esteemed but bare moral men Their outstripping me in the real duties of general love and beneficence to men and in the rendring God more honorable by their publike and more solemn adoration and acknowledgement of him before men were not as I thought arguments comparable to prove them of the number of the godly and Saints as were those Rules of distinction which I had framed to my self And so again in matter of Government and Political speculation none more pleased and taken then my self with all those fine Maxims and Rules of Examination which in the beginning of our unhappy troubles were set on foot for tryal and control of the actions of Princes My thought I was now much elevated in my rank and ability being enabled to give a just censure of all that was done by one so much above me and whom I had ignorantly hitherto thought should have guided me When he acted in Civil matters the Law of the Land was to be his bound and director and when in affairs of Religion the Scripture If I had staid there it had been well No as I was told that it was not fit that Kings should be unlimitted and arbitrary in their rule So also that his single judgement or conscience were not to be trusted herein neither therefore I did next fancy that the Judges were to determine the meaning of the Law and the Divines of Scriptures In which I was not yet so far out of the way but what a few caveats might set right But I proceeded farther still in pressing onwards that I at last thought none to be trusted in these high powers but the people themselves The Judges and Divines alas they might be corrupted but a community could not wrong it self And therefore over all as the Paramont Power I conceived there was to be a Parliament to give final determination and see execution done This at first I thought to import the King in Parliament afterwards I was lead to believe it was the King and Parliament afterwards it came to be the two houses of Parliament which were apprehended to be the Supreme Authority And as the pleasing speculations of paction and derived