Iudah loved him After all this you know his Provocations his Advantages and his Behaviour he durst not touch the Lords anointed and when another pretended to have done it at Saul's entreaty in extremis he revenged his death and lamented over him Ye mountains of Gilboa c. 2. But that other Pretence that after a lawful Sovereign is established according to the Supposition of my Text and my Discourse the power still remains in the people in the diffused body of them or their Representatives to alter the Government as they please it is in respect of Policy and Government what the Sin against the Holy Ghost is to Religion it destroys the foundations of the peace and safety of men and makes that to be the Artifice of man which is the Ordinance of God How much God abhorred this Pretence will appear in the Case of Corah and his company When God sent Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt he sanctifyed him and put his Name upon him Thou shalt be to hinâ— instead of God and when he had brought them forth he made him a Prince and a Law-giver over them The supreme Power was in Moses who called to his assistance a Senate or Parliament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisting of the Heads of the Tribes of Israel In this Council Nature soon began to work some envied Moses whom God had chosen and Aaron the Saint of the Lord. Dathan and Abiram the Sons of Eliab Heads of Families in the Tribe of Reuben thought both the Civil Power and if that must be transferred from the first-born to one Tribe the Priesthood also was due to them being Eldest Brethren of the Eldest Tribe Korah an eminent man amongst the Levites was offended that the High-Priests Office went beside him and was settled upon Aaron and his Posterity These were their secret griefs for a redress whereof they make a party in the Parliament they gain to them two hundred and fifty men famous in the Parliament men of renown and in order to their ambitious Designs they remonstrate against Moses Vers. 13. and their Declaration was this Pretence which we are upon that all the Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were Holy and that Moses and Aaron had lifted up themselves above them that is that their power was a contrivance of themselves not an Ordinance of God that notwithstanding what God had done to settle the Civil and Ecclesiastical power it remained still in the people or their Representatives assembled together Now the Scripture tells us that since the world began God was never more highly provoked then upon this occasion when he heard this he was wrath and greatly abhorred them he invented a new thing in the world for their sakes for the Earth opened and swallowed up Datâ—an and covered the Congregation of Abiram I have now done with these Pretences and my endeavour hath been to vindicate Religion from the charges of unbelieving Politicians and indeed to shew that it is not a Spirit of carnal Compliance but the true and genuine Spirit of Christianity which runs through the Doctrine and Government of the Church of England After what hath been spoken I hope I may presume to say with the Apostle Do we now make void the Laws through â—aith yea we establish the Laws We have seen the Christian Theory doth the Philosophical Theory provide better for the safety of Princes and the estabishment of Government It tells us in effect that Might is Right that every thing is just or unjust good or evil according to the pleasure of the prevailing Force whom we are to obey till a stronger then he cometh or we be able to go through with resistance That in reference to this life Obedience is a matter of Wit and Prudence and after life there remain for us no Concernments How stramineous is this Theory compared with the Christian Theory which speaks in this wise Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c That this is the genuine Christian Theory hath in some measure been demonstrated so that indeed it may be wondered from whence these Prejudices have arisen But alas that my head were waters They have one grand Objection to which having spoken I shall conclude If this be the Doctrine of Christianity how comes it to pass that those who pretend the highest to Religion and profess themselves the onely Christians the Bigot and Jesuited Romanist the frighted and transported Reformist have been authors of the most horrible Treasons and Rebellions On the one hand what mean the Catholick Leagues On the other the Solemn League and Covenant forced upon Subjects renitente Principe On one hand what means shall I say the lowing of the Oxen or rather the roaring of the Bulls the thundring of Excommunications the absolving Subjects from their Allegiance the Actual Murthers of Princes the attempts for blowing up King Lords and Commons at one clap What is the meaning of the noise of the Bells of the claps of Squibs and Fire-works which we hear On the other hand what was the meaning of that black and terrible dispensation which will cause the ears oâ— all Posterity to tingle It is but a little while since the anointed of the Lord the holiest the wisest the best of Kings was taken in the snares of men pretending to reformation and sacrificed to the fury of men possessed by an evil Spirit from the Lord. He was offered as a Lamb that is dumb or rather like the Lamb of God to the rage of wild fanatical Enthuâ—iasts It is but a very little while since the Lamentation of Ieremy was in the mouth of all the faithful in the Land Our Kings and our Princes were amongst the Gentiles provoked to serve other Gods the Law was no more the Prophets also received no vision from the Lord. And all these things were brought to pass by men pretending wonders in Religion And they would know the reason of all these Dispensations But who art thou O man who pressest into the secret of Gods Pavilion How unsearchable are his Iudgments and his ways past finding out such knowledge is too wonderful we cannot attain unto it It may be these things have been done that the Sayings of our Saviour might be fulfilled It cannot be but offences will come but wo be to them by whom they come and It were better that a milstone c. It may be the Gunpowder-Treason was permitted to be designed that the disappointment might be had in everlasting remembrance and celebrated as it is this day Son of man write the name of the day even of this same day the King of Babylon set himself against Ierusalem this same day It may be God suffered the late Rebellion to prevail that he might not leave himself without witness but shew forth his wonders in our days in the miraculous restitution of our gracious Sovereign and the Church If he had not been driven
out how could he have been restored not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of our God It may be this was done that we might say no more The Lord liveth which delivered us from the Treason of pretended Catholicks but The Lord liveth which hath delivered us from the Tyranny and blood rage of the wild Fanatical Enthusiasts Surely all these things have been permitted that the Stone which the Builders refused might be made tried and precious and that his Patience his Piety his Constancy in Religion his Christian Magnanimity being manifest to all the World by the impatient desire of all Nations he might become the head of the Corner Surely these things were suffered that the Faith and Patience and Loyalty of the Church of England might be made bright and glorious by the Flames of Persecution and that in the day when God shall have given our most Gracious Sovereign the hearts or necks of all his Enemies it may not repent him of the Kindness he hath shewn to Religion and Government in lifting out of the dust the despised Head of that only Church for ought I know which makes Obedience without base restrictions and limitations an Article of its Religion Lastly these things it may be have been permitted that by the Triumph of this day and by the vengeance lately executed in the sight of this Sun the Atheistical world might be convinced that the Powers that be are ordained of God and that though the wicked do evil an hundred times and God prolong their days yet Vengeance is his and he will repay it and They that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation FINIS Against the Antiscripturists A SERMON Preached at WHITE-HALL February 20. 1669 70. BY SETH Lord Bishop of Sarum Printed by His Majesties Special Command LONDON Printed by A. C. for Iames Collins at the Kings Arms within Ludgate near St. Pauls 1672. Against the Antiscripturists 2 Tim. iii. 16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God IN the verse preceding it is said concerning the Scriptures of the old Testament that they are able to make a man wise unto salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the faith which is in Iesus Christ And it follows immediately All Scripture c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Faith is often by a Metonymy taken for the Gospel which is the Object of the Faith of Christians We read often of the Preaching and Hearing of Faith of the Analogy of Faith the common Faith which was once delivered to the Saints in the preaching of Christ and the Writings of his Evangelists and Apostles and so I conceive it is to be taken in this place So that the meaning of the whole is this The Old Testament understood and expounded according to the Analogy of the New is able to make a man wise And the Pen-men of the Canonical Books of the Old Testament wherein Timothy had been instructed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the Books of the New Testament which except those of St. Iohn were extant before the writing of this Epistle were inspired and directed by the Spirit of God The words of the Text are an entire Proposition asserting the Divine Authority of the Canon of Scripture and my endeavour shall be at this time to prove the truth of that Proposition Wherein that I may proceed with all plainness and clearness I shall premise two words by way of Petition Precaution 1. By way of Petition I suppose and take for granted 1. The great principle of the power of God and his providence in governing the world 2. That our Body of Canonical Books of the Old Testament is the same with that which was in Use in the time of Christ and his Apostles And our body of the New Testament the same which was anciently received in the Church So that what shall be proved of those is applicable to the Original Scripture used in our time 3. That those Books of New Testament whose Authors were not anciently questioned were written by those Authors whose name they bear And that those few others which were sometimes questioned by some particular Churches and afterward Universally received contain in them no one point of Faith or Manners dissentient from the Contents of those Books which were never questioned 2. By way of Precaution and Admonition I must intreat you to take notice that I shall not now meddle with the Controversies concerning Apocrypha Translations Keri and Chetib Hebrew points various Lections dubious Authors or parts of Scripture But my endeavour at this time shall be to Assert the Divine Authority of the body and substance of the Original Books of the Canon of the Old and New Testament And this not in the way of common place but in a particular Examination or Refutation of the most dangerous Opinions of the Antiscripturists which are these I. Of those who pretend to believe the truth of the New Testament and yet they deny the Divine Authority of the Old II. Of those who pretend to believe the truth but deny the Divine Authority of the New Testament III. Of such as pretâ—nd to believe matters of Fact to have been truly related in the New Testament but do not believe the truth of the Doctrinal parts relating to Faith and Manners IV. Such as deny the truth of the Relation of matters of Fact in the New Testament and in consequence reject the whole Body of Scripture Of these as briefly and plainly as I can I. The first Opinion is of those who pretending to believe the Truth of the New Testament deny the Divine Authority of the Old Testament The Severians and the Manichâ—es Basilides and Carpâ—â—rates of old The Catabaptists of later times some Anabâ—ptiâ—ts is Antinomians and other Fanatical Sectaries amongst our â—elves In opposition to these I shall shew that supposing the truth of the New Testament the Divine Authority of the Old Testament is to be acknowledged Because the Divine Authority of the Old Testament is asserted by Christ and his Evangelists and Apostles in the New 1. Next to the Redemption of the world the great business which Christ had to do upon Earth was to Convince men that he was the Messias and so to assert his Legislative Authority And the great Argument which he used for the conviction of the world was this All the Marks and the entire Character of the Messiah and of his Actions and Passions were prefigured and foretold by the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms i. e. in the Volume of the Old Testament And all things foretold or prefigured concerning the Messiah were accomplished by himself So that though the great Works of Christ and the purity and excellency of his Doctrine and of his Life were of themselves sufficient to justifie the Introduction of his Law into the World yet he was pleased to resolve as it were his own Authority into the Divine Authority of the Old Testament and to make use of those otheâ—
duly executed to conserve all estates orders and degrees in the greatest happiness whereof any society is capable conducting us by the hand of Moses and Aaron and their subordinate Ministers to the great ends of the great ordinance of God in the world and apt to enable and to dispose well-minded men by the means of grace and motives to sobriety righteousness and godliness which we enjoy by peace and plenty by liberty and prosperity in all which we exceed all others to produce effects of noble courage and magnanimity such as we read of in the stories of our Ancestors and of Piety and Devotion in proportion answerable to those of our glorious Predecessors that is not inferiour in their kind to any nation in the world Surely this also hath been of the Lords doing in reference to Society Civil and Sacred it is he that hath made us and not we our selves Now let us pass to the second enquiry 2. Hath he not redeemed us and that also in both capacities personal and national 1. For our persons spiritually and temporally hath he not bought our souls at a price hath he not offered us a plenteous redemption by the blood of the everlasting Covenant redeemed us from the curse of the Law the bondage of Sin the power of Satan the wrath of God Again is there any one single person to whom he hath not given many a temporal deliverance known and unknown or at least-wise unconsidered Hath not he redeemed us from the prison of the womb from the hazards of our infancy from the perils of our childhood from the wildness and precipitancy of youth from the snares and entanglements of our riper years Is there any one whom he hath not redeemed from six troubles and from seven in our bodies estates liberty reputation whom he hath not powerfully and frequently rescued from the folly and perverseness of our selves from the malice of our neighbours from the rage of Devils Hath he not redeemed us in our personal capacities 2. Hath he not redeemed our nation again and again in all its interest civil and sacred Who else was it that delivered our fathers and our selves from Barbarisme and Idolatry from Tyranny and Superstition from fanatical Anarchy and Irreligion To omit former deliverances can we forget how it is but a little while since the wrath of God was poured out upon this Kingdome to the uttermost since our Sun was turned into darkness and our Moon into blood our stars ravisht from their Orbs the Royal father Martyred the Son banished the Nobles confounded the State dissolved the Church destroyed our Religion Laws Liberty Property torn away our bones were dryed our hope was gone and we thought we had been clean cut off Then when we cried unto the Lord in our trouble he delivered us out of our distress He sent redemption to his people he turned our captivity as the Rivers of the South then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with Ioy. The Symptoms of joy and triumph were heard and seen in all the corners of the land nay the Sea roared and the floods clapped their hands the hills and the heavens resounded because of the redemption for he cometh for he cometh c. And now I say unto you hath he not redeemed us 3. Hath he not established us that is to say the Estalishment which we enjoy is it not all from him and hath not he done his part for our establishment our spiritual and temporal our private our publick establishment Doth not the God of all grace continually press upon us the means of grace calling us to his Eternal glory endeavouring to make us perfect to establish strengthen and settle us in his truth to establish us in the faith and in holiness to strengthen our inward man that we may be rooted and grounded and built up in him to a lively hope and an humble assurance of eternal life All spiritual Establishment is it not from God is there any person within the verge of his Majesties Dominions for whom God hath not provided plentiful means foâ— this Establishment Again for our temporal private condition is there any one of us destitute of some sort of provision subsistance some sort of settlement or Establishment Is there any one that hears or hears me not for whom God hath not provided some honest way of Establishment by donation of pious Founders and Benefactors by legal desâ—â—â—â— by voluntary Bequest 〈◊〉 which they builded not c. by labour of the hand or contrivance of the brain by assistances of Alliances or friends by charitable benevolence by the bounty of contingency or the like Are not every one of these from the Lord is any one destitute of one or more of these ways of establishment or that can answer that God hath made no provision for them hath he not given us our temporal establishment Lastly hath not God done his part towards a National and a publick establishment of this Church and Kingdom Hath he not in order thereunto resetled our gracious Sovereign in the throne of his Royal Predecessors Re-established the Church upon its rightful Basis and foundation Restored all orders and degrees to their legal rights proprieties privileges and liberties Reinforced our Religion and our Laws in the due administration of Discipline and Justice Reduced all things into that ancient frame and constitution which had from many Generations derived happiness and glory to the people of England Finally for preservation and continuance of all these hath he not restored the actual strength of the Kingdom our Forts and Castles our stores and magazines our Towns and Cities our Armies and Navies lately rescued out of the hands of rebellious Usurpers to those Royal hands to which they do of right belong In one word therefore to conclude this first enquiry hath not God dealt with us as he did with Israel hath he not made us redeemed us established us The next consideration ought to be whether we have not so requited the Lord as they requited him Whether our behaviour hath not been answerable to that of Israel in reference both to the foolish part and the unwise And here alas how clear and conspicuous is the parallel in respect of their ingratitude and imprudence Have we not dealt do we not deal ungratefully with the Author and instruments of all our mercies Have all Gods methods and various dealings with us prevailed so far as to bring out persons to repentance or our Kingdom to a Reformation Have we been convinced or have we not been hardened by his wonders converted to his fears or sealed up into a sottish stupidity and senseless contempt of Religion a spirit of Atheism and downright infidelity Do we not murmur against Moses and Aaron do not some amongst us still abet the cause of Corah Dathan and Abiram are not some of us ready to make them a Captain and to return into Egypt Have we not soon forgot God our saviour have
eighteenth Psalm and in token of God's acceptance a Cloâ—d filled the house The one hundred thirty and sixth Psalm likewise was wont to be sung in Thanksgivings So we find also Hezekiah and Iosiah praising the Lord in the words of David and Asaph Thus stood the matter under the Law the ordering of matters of Religion was not exempted from the Supreme Power Hezekiah varied from Moses his Law and was blameless Neither was it otherwise in the best and purest Times under the Gospel It had been but a slender invitation to the Emperours to become Christian if by submitting to Christianity they must lose so considerable a part of the Sovereign Power enjoyed by all their Predecessours and be thereby exposed inevitably to Seditions and Rebellions upon every Frantick eruption of religious Melancholy The primitive Emperours understood themselves otherwise and so did the Christians under them I may not stand to recite the Annals of the Church If Constantine had not interposed for the composing of the Arrian Heresie what had become either of Government or Religion The drawing up of Canons for the regulation of Religion was by our Lord committed to the Apostles and their Successours the Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Persons but that these Canons should be enforced as Laws by temporal Penalties it was by sanction of Civil powers In the second Oecumenical Council the Fathers assembled at Constantinople beseech Theodosius the Elder to ratifie the Decrees of that Synod Thus we find Iustinian establishing the Nomo-Canonicon or Code of the Universal Church consisting of the Canons of the four first General and five ancient Provincial Councils and commanding them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be kept as Laws Briefly to determine this Question we need only to view the Titles of the sixteenth Book of the Code of Theodosius the thirteen first Titles in the Code oâ— Iustinian Photius's Nomo-Canon and the like The Pretence of exemption of Ecclesiastical Causes so as hath been intimated as it is inconsistent with Government so it is also with the Principles of Christianity 2. Thus much having been spoken concerning the regulation of Matters of Religion it will be needless to enlarge concerning the second Pretence of the exemption of Ecclesiastical Persons This Tenet is equally dangerous with the former and equally contrary to the Principles of Christianity It were to be wished that all men professing themselves Ministers were thorowly convinced of the Doctrine of Obedience otherwise as they grow popular they become dangerous Sacerdotum quidam eo sunt ingenio ut ni pareant territent And Saint Chrysostom commenting upon every Soul c. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both the Apostle the Evangelist and the Prophet Our Saviour was both Priest and Prophet and the Apostles were Ecclesiastical persons yet did not think themselves exempted Such persons were not exempted either before or after the Times of our Saviour neither in 1. a Single or 2. Joynt capacity From the beginning it was not so 1. As to Single persons under the Law we find an Instance of the Exercise of the Sovereign power over an High-Priest offending in Abiathar whom Solomon thrust out and placed Zadoc in his room 2. As to the calling of Assemblies before the Gospel-times it did belong to the Supreme Magistrate We find Moses not Aaron Ioshuah not Eleazar David not Abiathar Solomon not Zadoc summoning the Priests and Levites to meet together And In the Primitive Times of the Christian Emperours we do not meet with Councils or Synods called by the Bishop of Rome nor with Ministers casting themselves into Classical and Synodical Meetings nor with Assemblies of Divines called against or without the Prince's consent The indiction of Times and Places the convocation of Persons the Presidency the order of Debates the dismission of the Assemblies the roboration of Canons as to making them Laws of the Empire in the General and provincial Councils were all the work of the Supreme Magistrate And As for matters of Appeal we find Paul appealing to Caesar Athanasius from the Synod at Tyre to Constantine to whom three Appeals were likewise made in the Cause of Caecilianus and Donatus and many more instances of this and the like nature 3. I should now dismiss this Head concerning Religion did there not remain one Pretence more and that so wild and monstrous that it looks as if it were the last effort of the enemy of man-kind ultimus Diaboli conatus for it strikes at the Heart both of Government and of Religion It is this that Saints and gifted Persons as they call themselves are exempt from humane Laws and in effect resolves into this that to reprobate others and assume to themselves the Title of the Godly Party to talk of Reformation and the Power of Godliness of advancing the Kingdom of Jesus Christ c. is to justifie Sacriledge and Treason and horrid Rebellioâ— and to qualify them for the Kings and Priests and Prophets of the world â—ow far this Satanical madness hath prevailed to the confusion of all things Civil and Sacred to the scandal of Religion the planting and watering of Atheism and Infidelity I tremble to call to our remembrance If my present business were to resuâ—e the men that have given this offence â—ow easie were it to examine their Gifts and their Saintship and how hard to find them But as the woman of Samaria said to our Saviour Art thou greater than our Father Iacob are they greater Saints or better gifted then Peter and Paul and the rest of the Apostles He that said Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers had been wrap'd up whether in the body or out he could not tell to the third heavens hath any of them been carried higher Christ the natural Son of God the Brightness of his Glory the Express Image of his Person said Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars are they greater then Christ also But my present purpose being chiefly to remove these scandals from Religion come and let us reason together What could Christ and his Apostles have done more to prevent this scandal then they have done Their Doctrine and practice hath been already shewn and the Danger and Heinousness of the Sin of Resistance in all the kinds and degrees of it discovered neither can any thing more be imagined which might be desired to anticipate and obviate this pretence unless it be that these things should have been particularly foretold and the Persons at least their Party and Sect described that the world might be forewarned of them Will it then satisfy the enemies of our Religion concerning the Truth and Infallibility of the Scriptures and the abhorrency of the Christian Principle from this damnable Tenet if it shall briefly appear that these things have been punctually foretold by Christ and his Apostles Christ hath given warning of grievous Wolves in Sheep's cloathing More particularly Saint Paul hath told us
that in the last days perilous times shâ—â—ld come that there should be heady high-minded Traytours having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof Saint Peter that there should be false Teachers which should privily bring in damnable heresies presumptuous self-willed not afraid to speak evil of Dignities Now if all this be not sufficient Saint Iude hath taken up this Prophesie of Saint Peter and given us two clear Characters of these Persons whereby they might be known He tells us 1. That they shall be Separatists from the Church and 2. false-pretenders to the Spirit These are they which separate themselves being sensual having not the spirit I shall say no more to the Pretences relating to that Head which concerns the matter of Religion 2 ly Neither shalll I enlarge upon that other Head referring to matters Civil where I instanced in two Pretences taken from I. Harsh Administration in the Magistrate II. Competition as to power in Subjects I. Neither the Time nor the Design which I have propounded nor indeed my Profession nor Abilities do allow me to enter into the depths of the Politicks or to discourse of the limitations of Sovereign Powers Thus much is obvious to every man That there is no Cruelty so great as laxness of Government nor any Tyrany in the World like the rage of Subjects let loose and that the little â—inger of Licentiousness is harder then the Loyns of the severest Laws and stâ—ictest Government I shall briefly shew that the Scripture foreseeing the easiness by reason of the Self-love and partiality of men of this Pretence and the danger of it hath directly opposed it self against it I shall not mention particular Commands let us have recourse to the main Foundations the Body and Substance of Christianity the MISHPATHAMELEK the Ius Regium the Fundamental Law of the Kings of Israel 1. Christianity obligeth us to believe not only that Christ is God and that the Gospel is from God but that all the Circumstances of the Ministery of Christ and his Apostles were ordered by his Providence Why then were the times of Tiberius and Caligula and Claudius and Nero out of the Series of the Time spun out from the Creation chosen and selected for the promulgation of the Doctrine of Obedience If harsh Administration of Power will exempt men from Obedience at that time when Claudius or Nero was Roman Emperour why should the Holy Ghost move Saint Paul to write to the Romans They that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation So much briefly for the Gospel 2. As for the Ius Regium in the eighth of the first Book of Samuel we find the Israelites desiring a King and God though rejected by this motion commands Samuel to hearken to their voice Yet that they might know what they did and not be surprized believing they might cast of again their King at pleasure he charges him to protest solemly and shew them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Translation renders it The manner of the King The Septuagint and all ancient Eastern and Western Translations render it by words of signifying the Law or the Right of the King Ius Regium This saith Samuel shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall take your Sons and Daughters your Vine-yards your Fields and your Flocks c. He tells them of harsh Administrations Was it the meaning of the Holy Ghost that 〈◊〉 â—ure Princes ought to do or that it was lawful for them to do after the manner there described In the seventeenth Chapter of Deuteronomy we find the Duty of the Kings of Israel described in a way directly contrary to this they were to fear the Lord and not to turn aside to the right hand or to the left from his Commandments Bewise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Was it a Prediction of what would be their condition what would be the manner of their Kings Not that neither We do not read of any of the Kings of Iudah or Israel that proceeded to the height there expressed Even Aâ—ab who sold himself to work wickedness did not take Naboth's Vinyard by force he would not seise on it till Iezebeâ— had brought about the pretence of a Legal Forfeiture What then is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely it imports thus much that if all this hard usage should come upon them they might cry unto the Lord Verse 18. but that it would not dissolve Ius Regium the right of Sovereignty or enable them to resist their Kings or rebel against them II. There remains yet one Pretence to speak to it concerns Competition of Power either on 1. Pretences of Succession into the Magistrate's place in case of failour of Duty or upon supposals of forfeiture of Power 2. Pretences of the last resolution of Power into the people the diffused multitude or the peoples Representative and the like Concerning which kind of Pretences I must repeat what hath been said of the other If they be admitted they are destructive to Magistracy If they be encouraged by Religion there will be reason that Magistrates be jealous over it But now is the Spirit of the Scriptures and the tendency of it entirely bent another way The New Testament affords no Instance in this kind As to the Old I shall desire that two Instances may be considered 1. The Case of David and Saul 2. The Case of Corah and Moses which two Instances if the time would bear it would take in the Substance of all that may be alledged in this kind 1. It is I conceive impossible to carry the first sort of Pretences higher then they were stated in the Case of David and Saul Saul was at first declared and constituted King by Samuel acting in the Name of the Lord and when he had reigned two years the same Samuel in the Name of the same God before the same people denounces publickly that his Kingdom should not continue and that God had sought a man after his own heart because he invaded the Priests Office After this he limits a certain day he tells him This day the Lord bath rent the Kingdom of Israel from thee and given it to thy neighbour because of his rebellion against God in the Case of Amalek The pretence of Failour and Forfeiture can go no higher Now for the pretences of David to step into his Government and wrest it from him He was anointed by Samuel for ought appears without reservation for the life of Saul He was qualified for Government a valiant man a man of War prudent in matters a comely Person and the Lord was with him He had received Testimony from God of his Election the Spirit of God departed from Saul and rested upon him He had power in his hand he was set over the men of War accepted by all the people all Israel nd
Divine Authority And because our Lord Christ did undertake not only for himself but for the Inspiration of his Apostles also 1. In the examination of the next Opinion I shall be obliged to lay before you some of the evidences of Divine Authority in Christ and his Apostles here it is sufficient to produce their assertions of it The time of our Lord Christs ministration betwixt three and four years was spent in preaching and working and his Authority was often questioned In Luke 20. 1. and in the parallel places While he was in the Temple teaching the People and preaching the the Gospel the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders came upon him saying tell us by what Authority thou dost these things preachest to the people and who gave thee that Authority Knowing the perverseness of their minds he was not pleased to gratifie them at that time with a direct answer but confounded them with a question concerning the Baptism of Iohn But at other times upon other occasions we find the Divine Authority of his teaching abundantly declared and asserted by him I am the way the truth and the life The words which I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life The words which I speak I speak not of my self but of the Father which dwelleth in me My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me I do nothing of my self but as my Father hath taught me so I speak I have not spoken of my self but the Father that sent me he gave me a Commandment what I should say and what I should speak Whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me so I speak Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away Thus did our Saviour assert the Divine Authority of his Words 2. And so likewise the Apostles are very frequent in asserting the Divine Authority of the things which they delivered In the 15. of the Acts we find them assembled about the question of Circumcision and they accounted it no robbery to entitle their Decrees to the Holy Ghost It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us v. 18 Nor do they pretend to revelation when gathered in Council only but each one severally for himself St. Peter professes of himself that he was a partaker of the glory which was revealed And of his Gospel that it was revealed from Heaven St. Iohn declares that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Father and the Son as for his other writings that they contained the things which he had heard and seeen with his eyes which he had looked on and his hands had handled of the Word of life As for the Apocalypse he professes that being in the Spirit in Isle of Patmos he received it and was commanded to write it in a Book The greatest writer among the Apostles was St. Paul and the greatest question hath always been amongst Unbelievers concerning his Calling and the Authority of his Gospel He knew this very well and therefore we find him asserting both his Calling and his Gospel with abundant care and diligence He affims himself to have been an Apostle not of man neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father That by God himself he was separated to preach constituted a Preacher an Apostle and a defender of the Gospel As concerning his Gospel he professes to have received it by Revelation of God As for the Spirit wherewith he wrote and preached he professed himself ready to give a proof of Christ speaking in him He appealed to the Prophetick Spirit then in the Church If any man think himself a Prophet or Spiritual let him acknowledge the things which I write to be the Commandments of God Out of this assurance it was that he enjoyned his Epistles to be read in the Churches of Coloss Laodicea Thessalonica and excommunicates such as should be disobedient in that particular And lest any one should here repeat the Objection made against our Saviour Thou bearest witness of thy self thy witness is not true St. Paul speaking of all the Apostles affirms that God had set them in the Church and that the Mystery of the Gospel was revealed to the holy Apostles by the Spirit Particularly notwithstanding that dispute betwixt St. Peter and St. Paul from the first Ages of the Church to our own Times objected by Unbelievers to the prejudice of Religion it is remarkable that in the same place where St. Paul gives an account how Peter was to be blamed and how and wherefore he withstood him to his face at Antioch he doth expresly affirm that the Gospel of the Circumcision was committed to Peter and that God wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision On the other side St. Peter in that very place where he may seem to complain of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of St. Paul yet even there he owns him as his beloved Brother acknowledges his Wisdom to have been gi-given him of God and numbers all his Epistles inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the other Scriptures 3. Lastly For such as would put a difference of degrees betwixt the Authority of the words of Christ and the writings and Sermons of the Apostles they may take notice that the Authority of these resolves it self into the veracity of Christ himself He it was who being to leave the World promised his Disciples again and again that he would send down upon them the Holy Spirit that should instruct them and teach them all things that should Lead them into all truth Bring to their remembrance all things which he himself had spoken that should shew them things to come that with this Spirit they should not be lightly dash'd or sprinkled but that they should be Baptized and as it were plunged into it How all these promises were performed and how the Assertions of the Divine Authority of the Words of Christ and the Apostles were proved to be true I am next to shew In the interim I conclude that supposing the truth of the words of Christ and his Apostles they are to be esteemed of Divine Authority III. The third opinion is of such as pretend to believe matters of fact to have been truly related in the New Testament but they do not believe the truth of the Doctrinal parts relating to Faith or Manners Of these there have always been too great a number not only pretenders who under a form of Christianity deny the power thereof but generally all sorts of Hereticks When Porphyrius had revolted from Christianity to Platonism and had bent all his forces against the Scripture-History he was refuted not only by Lactantius and Methodius men Orthodox in Doctrine but by Eusebius and Apollinaris and of late days Socinus and others have well asserted the truth of the Scripture-History
we not flattered him with our lips and dissembled with him in our double heart Do we not despise our very Manna and wish again for the Garlick of Egypt ready to change our glory for the Calves of Egypt or the confusion of Babylon In a word are we not a sinful people laden with iniquity as ingrateful and Nabalistical as Israel a foolish people Again for matter of imprudence wherewithal can we purge our selves from it Doth not God know our miscarriages also doth he not understand us ourways and doth he not interest himself in us doth he not resent our provocations can we escape for our wickedness With what apologies shall we come before the Lord and bow our selves before the high God Have we had no caveats from the Ministers of God no warnings no Alarms from God himself have we not heard have we not seen hath it not been told us The thunders and the lightnings the trumpets sounding the mountain smoaking the Angel destroying the Sword devouring Are we able to contest with a jealous God are we stronger than he are we able to tear him out of his Throne or to devest him of his Thunder or to stand the storm of his fiery indignation Have we not been a foolish people unwise What then remains but that God should execute upon us the sentence which we our selves have been ready to pass upon the people in the text that he should do thus and thus unto us that he should consume us in a moment and blot out our names from under Heaven Nay rather it remains men and brethren lest he should do thus and thus unto us that we prepare to meet the Lord our God that we rouze up the spirit of our minds and discuss and scatter that Lethargic stupor that is upon us Awake awake Deborah and arise Barak the son of Ahinoam Who can tell but God may yet have mercy upon us may have mercy upon our souls and speak peace to our land When I say to the wicked thou shalt surely dye if he turn from his wickedness and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die he hath done that which is lawful and right he shall surely live Wherefore let every one of us examine himself and find out the plague of his own heart and be deeply sensible of his own ingratitude let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord let us make haste to escape before the decree bring forth and we be surprised by the stormy wind and tempest let us lose no longer time but make haste in this our day before the things belonging to our peace are hid from our eyes Let speaker and heaâ—ers O let my self and all this assembly let every soul here present let all the people of the land turn unto the Lord with all our hearts with fasting weeping mourning And let the priests my brethren the ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the alter and say spare thy people O Lord be favourable O Lord be favourable O Lord deal not with us after our sins nor reward us according to our iniquities though we have thus requited the Lord being a foolish people and unwise FINIS Some Books Printed for and sold by Iames Collins at the Kings-Arms in Ludgate-street 1672. OBservations upon Military and Political Affairs by the most Honourable George Duke of Albemarle Folio Price 6. s. A Sermon preached by Seth Lord Bishop of Sarum at the Funeral of the Most Honourable George Duke of Albemarle Quarto Price 6. d. Toleration not to be abused or A serious question soberly debated and resolved upon Presbyterian Principles viz Whether it be adviseable especially for the Presbyterians either in Conscience or Prudence to take advantage from his Majesties late Declaration to Deny or Rebate their Communion with our Parochial Congregations and to gather themselves into distinct and separate Churches By one that loves Truth and Peace Quarto Philosophia Pia or A Discourse of the Religious tendences of the Experimental Philosophy to which is added a Recommendation and Defence of reason in the affairs of Religion by Joseph Glanvil Rector of Bath Octavo Priceâ— 2. s. The Way to Happiness represented in its Difficulties and Encouragements and cleared from many popular and dangerous mistakes by Joseph Glanvil A Praefatory Answer to Mr. Henry Stubbe the Doctor of Warwick by Joseph Glanvil Octavo Price 1. s. 6. d. The Life and death of Mr. George Herbert the excellent Author of the Divine Poems Written by Iz. Walton Octavo Price 1. s. A Discourse of the forbearance or penalties which a due Reformation requires by Herbert Thorndike one of the Preâ—endaries of Westminster Octavo A Private Conference between a rich Alderman and a poor Country Vicar made Publick wherein is discoursed the Obligation of Oaths which have been imposed on the Subjects of England 8 o 2. s. The Episcopacy of the Church of England justified to be Apostolical from the Authority of the Primitive Church and from the confessions of the most famous Divines beyond the Seas by the Right Reverend the late Lord Bishop of Duresm with a Preface written by Sir Henry Yelverton Baronet Octavo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Divine Goodness explicated and vindicated from the exceptions of the Atheist Wherein also the consent of the Gravest Philosophers with the holy and inspired Penmen in many of the most important points of Christian Doctrine is fully â—vinâ—ed by Richard Burthogge Doctor in Physick Octavo FINIS * Psal. ii 2 Expl. Object Sol. Heb. 10. 29. Obj. Sol. Matth. 26. 53. * Apolog. § 37. Maâ— xii 25. 1 Cor. xiv 33. Rom. i. 14. â—olit lib 7 cap. 8. Ephes ii 12. Deut. 33. 1. Joâ—h xxiv 29. 1 Sam. xiii 14. 2 Chron. ix 22. 1 Kings xv 14. 2 Chron. xvii 3. 2 〈◊〉 2â— 2. 2 Chron. xxxiii 13. 2 Chron. xxxv 26. Deut. xxxiii 5. Vers. 12. Vers. 13. Vers. 14. 2 Chron. xxix 25. 2 Chron. xxxv 15. Noâ—el Coastiâ— 131. Mat. xix 8. 1 Kings ii 27. â—oid 35. Joh. vâ—â—â— Rom xiii 1. 2 Cor. xii â— 3. Heb. â— 3. Matt xxii 21. Matâ—h viâ— 1â— â— Tim. iâ—i 1. Ibid Verse 4. 5. 2 Pet. ii 1. Ibid. Verse 10. Jude 19. Verse 9. Verse 11. 12. c. Verse 14. Verse 19. Psal. ii 10. 11. 1 Kings xxi 25. 1 Sâ—m xiii 1â— Chap. xvâ— 12. Chap xvi 13. Ibid. Vers. 18. Chap. xviâ— 5. 2 Sam. i. 21. Exod. iv 16. Acts vii 35. Deut. xxxâ— i. 4. Num. xvi Psal. cvi 16. Numb xvi 32. Appl caâ—ion Rom. iii. 31. Lam. ii 9. Matth. xviii 7. Ibid. Verse 6. Ezek. xxiâ— â— Gal. 1. 23. 3. 25. Rom. 12. 6. Tit. 1. 4. Jud. 3. Luk. 24 44 Joh. 5. 16. Joh. 5. 39. Luk. 10. 26. Luk. 6 â—9 Mar. 14. 49. Joh. 10. â—5 Mat. 3 31. Maâ— 5. 18. Lâ—k 2â— 27. Veâ—se 4â— Maâ— 1. 22. Maâ— 2. 15. Maâ— 2. 23. 4. 14. 21. 4. Mat. 〈◊〉