Good and there stints and determines all our Passions and Desires We at once become Lovers of God and of his Church the one absolutely Influencing upon the other the Glory of the Almighty and the Good of Souls being so twisted together that it will be found a thing wholly impossible to divide them For the Church being that Society of Holy Men wherein God is more peculiarly acknowledged and glorified it must needs be that whilst we tender the Welfare of that Society we likewise more signally advance God's Glory Our Love if it be true and real will reflect from God to his Church and through the Church it will ascend to God again The Edifying or Building of the Church which is the thing here design'd principally belongs to Christ Iesus himself It looks like a Paradox but is certainly true that the Foundation and Chief Corner-stone in the Building are the Chief Architect also On this Rock saith he to St. Peter I will build my Church This Glorious Fabrick is rais'd by Christ's own hand Yet this Work in some measure belongs to all Holy and Exemplary Christians they are useful and necessary for the promoting of this Structure But more especially the Guides and Rulers of the Church the Ministers of the Gospel the Dispensers of God's Holy Word are employ'd in this Work they are in a peculiar manner appointed and set apart on purpose to be Artificers and Builders in the Erecting of the Christian Church they are particularly design'd for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ i.e. his Church Eph. iv 12. First Our great Care must be to lay the Foundation and what that is our Apostle tells us 1. Cor. iii. 11. Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ i.e. the Meritorious Undertaking of the Son of God Christ Jesus the Blessed There is no Salvation but by a lively and effectual Faith in the Blood of this Lamb of God This is the same with the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. ii 20. which St. Paul tells the Ephesians they are built upon viz. the Doctrin of the Redemption and Salvation by Christ delivered by these Inspired Men and which they received from Christ himself who in the same place is called the Chief Corner-stone This is the Great Fundamental Point of the Christian Institution this is the main Truth on which all Christianity is founded and therefore we must be very Faithful in the Asserting and Vindicating of this The whole Fabrick of our Religion sinks and that irrecoverably without this firm and steady Basis. And all the other Principles and Rudiments of Christianity which are also justly stiled the Foundation Heb. vi 1. are our proper Concern We are indispensably obliged to instruct our Charge in all those Divine Truths of the Gospel which the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles furnish us with And having laid the Foundation with singular Care and Skill as knowing that it is this which Supports the Fabrick we must proceed to erect our Superstructure to build upwards as well as downwards And accordingly all the Holy Doctrines and Rules conducing to Christian Knowledge and Practice are to be produced and made use of We must remember the Apostle's Advice to build upon the Foundation nothing but Gold Silver and precious Stones 1 Cor. iii. 12. Such Sound and Orthodox Conclusions as are of real Worth and Value and not Wood Hay and Stubble i.e. unnecessary and useless Doctrins or Inferences muchless such as apparently Confront the Faith of the Gospel and Foster Lewd and Wicked Practices The Pope as Luther expresses it is for Building up the Church ex Accidentibus of Outward things of little value but we saith he Build it ex Substantia we urge those Doctrines which are Substantial we press those Practices which are of Moment which are Essential to Religion and have real Worth and Excellency in them Thus we should behave our selves remembring that the Superstructure ought to be suitable to the Foundation this being Solid and Substantial that must be so too Briefly this Excellent Metaphor of Edifying or Building which our Apostle seems much to delight in as we may gather from his frequent using of it imports no less than an Impartial delivering and teaching the whole Mystery of Godliness whether it consists in Fundamentals or in such Important and Necessary Matters as are to be grounded on them all that our Hearers are to know and all that they are to do the Whole Will of God and the Whole Duty of Man In a word to enlighten Mens Minds to reform their Lives to convert Sinners from the Errors of their Ways to confirm and strengthen Converts in the ways of Truth and Righteousness by any Holy Arts and Methods to further the real Good of Christ's Flock by any good Means to promote the Churches Welfare is to Build it up This is the Divine Architecture this is the Art of Spiritual Building So that if we hearken to this Proposal we shall assuredly advance the Good of the World and at the same time promote our own Bliss and Happiness In seeking the Churches Good we shall not fail of a Blessing and that Charity which raiseth our Hearts to endeavour the Welfare of the Church Militant will at last Exalt us to the Glories and Consummation of the Church Triumphant when they that be wise shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever I proceed now to the next thing propounded viz. the Means in order to this Noble End which I have been speaking of and that is expressed in those words Seek that ye may excel Take care to fit your selves for this Grand Employment of building up the Church which is the House of God 1 Tim. iii. 15. 1 Pet. iv 17. Passionately desire and endeavour that you may be eminently and abundantly Capacitated for this mighty Work This is the Import of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used which signifies both to Excel and to Abound Be ambitious of the Choicest Gifts and strive to possess them in the highest degree We of the Sacred Function are not to content our selves with mean and low Attainments in Religion but to aspire to the Greatest and Noblest Improvements to a great Plenty and Abundance of Gifts and Graces as a Learned and Pious Father Paraphrases on this Place We must strive to be Masters of all those Excellent Qualifications which tend to Edification and to arrive to what Perfection we can in them In short seeing the Edifying of the Church is the proper Office of an Evangelical Minister he must make it his great Business to pursue this effectually and to Excel in it by such Means and Methods as these First Prayer Which seems to be here suggested in the word Seek This Excelling and this Edifying
Visible Face of it be never without the Vitals and Spirit of it Let Religion outwardly appear as comely and beautiful as the Rules of Christian Edification will allow but by no means let her exceed in Ornament and Bravery for she will soon vanish when she grows Pompous and runs into External Shew and Pageantry With Decency and Comeliness are generally coupled Vnity and Concord and these we are to be concern'd for likewise It is the Harmony and Uniformity of the Parts of a Building that makes it both Beautiful and Useful Without this it would not be a well-ordered Edifice but a confused Heap And 't is certain that by our love of Peace and Unity we shall successfully contribute towards the Building of the Church For there is History enough to convince us that the Antient Hereticks and Schismaticks betray'd the Faith when they destroy'd the Vnity of the Church At the same time that they made a Breach in her Walls they undermined her Foundations It behoves us of the Clergy then to maintain mutual Amity and Agreement both among our selves and others It is high time to banish all Dissention to put a Period to all our Animosities and Vain Janglings to doat no longer on Fruitless Disputes but to pursue the One thing Necessary and to imbrace our Religion with an Entire Affection and to commend it to the World by our Practising of it And so I pass to the last thing which I intended to Name Seek that ye may Excel in a Holy Life St. Paul in his Visitation Sermon to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus enjoins them to take heed to themselves as well as to all the Flock Acts xxviii 28. And he commands Timothy to be an Example of the Believers in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity 1 Tim. iv 12. And more briefly ver 16. Take heed unto thy self and to thy Doctrin i.e. to thy Life as well as to thy Preaching And he charges Titus That in all things he shew himself a Pattern of good Works Tit. ii 7. As there is a Special Designation to the Office of the Ministry so there must be a Special Holiness accompanying it There must be a Consecration of their Lives as well as of their Persons As their Function Exalts them above others in Dignity so they should surpass them in all Laudable Actions according to those words used by our Church in her Canons They must have always in mind that they ought to Excel others in Purity of Life and should be Examples to the People to live well and Christianly Let not that which was part of the Pharisees Character be fastned on them They say but do not they Preach well but Live not accordingly Let not that which the Apostle saith of Seducers and False Teachers be applied to them They profess that they know God but in works they deny him If they be Guilty of this latter they pull all down that they have Built they render all their Instructions Admonitions Reproofs and Exhortations ineffectual they obstruct the Truth in or by their Vnrighteousness for so Rom. i. 18. may be read according to the sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they hinder the Force and Vertue of the Truth on themselves and the Propagation of it to others by an Impious Life yea they take a course to Ruin Religion it self Thence it was the usual Speech and Maxim of the Learned and Pious Dr. Hammond The Exemplary Vertue of the Clergy must restore this Church It is that must commend us to the Hearts and Consciences of Men it is that must powerfully Influence upon them and teach them to be Religious in good Earnest A Minister cannot chuse a more efficacious way of prevailing with others to be God than by letting them see that he is so himself But on the contrary 't is no marvel that the Sheep wander if the Shepherd strays Every ones Eyes are upon their Guides all Men are looking up to these Stars these Torches of the World If they burn dim it will be observ'd and which is worse it will be Imitated It is observ'd by a Traveller of good Repute that Atheism thrives in Italy because they see so much of the Cheats and Juggles of many of the Priests and that Interest is all their Religion Wherefore let it be known by our Exemplary Lives that we are not enclined to gratifie Atheists and to promote Irreligion in the World Especially let it be seen that we act not out of Worldly Designs that we make not the Ministry a Secular Calling but that our Principles are Sincere and that we do all for the Glory of our Great Master In brief one of our Character should like Iohn the Baptist be a Burning and a Shining Light Burning in his own Breast with entire Flames of Goodness and Devotion with pure Intentions of Honouring God and Promoting Religion and Shining in his Life and Actions by an Uniform Practice of Piety by an Holiness that is conspicuous and resplendent Indeed some of us are apt to entertain this False Apprehension That the things before-mention'd viz. Right Opinions Preaching of True Doctrin Conformity to the Church's Order and Discipline are sufficient though they be abstracted from Holiness Thence some labour to be accounted Orthodox and yet mind not their Lives They teach others what they are to do but are regardless of their own Actions They are hot for Ceremonies but cool and indifferent in the Practice of Religion But nothing can be more unreasonable and absurd for the things before-named are in order to a Holy Life The proper tendency of the Articles of Faith is to Obedience The Exercise of Discipline and the keeping up of Decency and Order were originally designed to beget and nourish Religion and Vertue Let us therefore Correct our Conceptions concerning these Matters and perswade our selves that a Vitious Life is as contrary to God and Religion as Erroneous Doctrines that to break one of the Commandments is as bad or worse than to deny an Article of the Creed that Drunkenness Swearing Uncleanness are as black Crimes as Schism Yea let us be convinced that by Prophaness and Wickedness the Comliness of our Worship is rendred Deformed our most Decent Rites become Sordid our White Garments are Stain'd and Polluted Let us fix upon our Minds that of the Devout Abbot of Claraval What will our Canonical Ordination profit us if we live Vncanonically To be sound in the Faith to Preach it to others to be Peaceable and Orderly and to observe the Ecclesiastical Rules and Laws are of no worth and value if our Lives be Impure and Irregular Wherefore to sum up all in a few words let him that earnestly contends for the Faith for the Order and Discipline of the Antient Christians think himself obliged also to live the Life of a Primitive Saint You see your Calling Brethren you see what is your Office your Work your
Barbarians was the Disagreeings and Animosities in the Church Socrates Particularly observes this that at the same time that the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy persecuted other Dissenting Christians the Gothes and Longobards invaded Italy The fourth Century had abounded with Schism and Faction as well as Heresies And behold as the Effect as well as Recompence of these the fifth Century labour'd under an other sort of Plagues viz. the Irruption of those Savages partly Pagans and partly Arians who miserably Persecuted the Orthodox Christians in Italy Spain France and other Countries The Church might justly ascribe this to their own Home-Divisions Those Dreadful things it is probable had never come to pass if the Christians had not been Shatter'd and Distracted among themselves if they had not swarm'd with Various Opinions and fill'd every place with Disputes and Controversies if they had not mangled and corrupted many Heads of the Christian Faith if their Bishops had not been Haughty and Proud and not only despised and vilified their Inferior Brethren but likewise had Jarr'd with one another in short if both Governors and People had not been given to Tearing and Rending amongst themselves and if a Spirit of Division had not possess'd them beyond all Exorcism Thus it happen'd to the Church in the fifth Century Again to touch upon an other Coast of History when in Arabia Felix and Syria and the adjoyning Countries several Sects and Parties of Christians had sprung up as Melchites Maronites Eutychians Nestorians Monothelites c. then in that very Arabia but no longer to be call'd the Happy appeared the Grand Impostor Mahomet He and his Successors got up and gain'd Ground not only there but in other Places by the many Disputes and Parties which were among the Christians And whilst the Churches of Ierusalem Antioch and Constantinople unchristianly contended about Priority and such like Points the Turks came and decided the Controversy This is now known to be a Great Truth and not to be doubted of that the Mahometan Empire arose from the Contentions in the East when the Churches were torn asunder with the Arian and Manichean Doctrines For this Dissention bred in many Men an hatred of the Christian Religion and of the very Name of it and then any Opinion or Doctrine especially if grateful to the Flesh could not but be easily entertain'd and embraced Is it not fad to consider that the Vilest Cheat in the World That of Mahometism was foster'd and set forward by the Differences of those who were of the Christian Religion And afterwards it was no wonder that when the Greek Church was divided within it self into Armeniâ—ns Georgians Iacobites c. it was oppressed by the Turks and Saracens and quite over-run by them Their own Divisions armed these People against them their Quarrels among themselves put Weapons into the Hands of their Enemies and helpt them to Vanquish them To make this Reflection the more Authentick I will give it you as it is represented in one of the Homilies of our Church Where after it was observ'd that the Dissention of the Eastern and Western Christians was very much promoted by the Quarrel about Images the Conclusion is this So that when the Saracens first and afterwards the Turks invaded the Christians the one part of Christendom would not help the other By reason whereof at last the Noble Empire of Greece and the City Imperial Constantinople was lost and came into the Hands of the Infidels And immediately after Thus a Sea of Mischiefs was brought in a horrible Schism between the East and the West Church an hatred between one Christian and another Councels against Councels Church against Church Christians against Christians Princes against Princes at last the tearing in sunder of Christendom and the Empire in two Pieces till the Infidels Saracens and Turks common Enemies to both parts have most cruelly Vanquish'd Destroy'd and Subdued the one part and have won a great Piece of the other Empire and put the whole in dreadful Fear and most horrible Danger Still in pursuance of the Argument I am upon I might remind you that the Discord of Christians was it which lost Ierusalem after it had been held by them Successively a long time after it had cost them so much Blood in their several Expeditions and Crusades The Saracens strength in the Holy Land accrued by the Misunderstandings of the Princes of Europe when the Holy War was turn'd into Civil Dissentions And as Turcism arose and increased by the Dissentions of Christians so it is easy to prove that Popery had the same Rise and Advance for there is abundant History to make it clear that by Divisions in Doctrine and Practice in the Church in the first Ages those Corruptions first crept in Especially by reaso of the Dissention among Christian Emperours Kings and Princes the Papal Religion arrived to what it is For whenever These fell out with one another the Popes stood ready to make advantage of it and they always thereby increas'd and advanc'd their own Power and Authority and consequently the Papal Cause I might leave Christendom and travel as far as China and shew you that vast and spacious Kingdom which above 4000 Years together enjoy'd an uninterrupted Peace and knew not so much as the Use of Arms to defend their Country which no People in the World can say besides them At last the occasion of putting a Period to this long Tranquility was the Discords of this Kingdom among themselves the Divisions and Inflammations within their own Bowels and the Civil Wars occasion'd by Usurpers of the Throne Which were follow'd with the irruption of the Scythians and Asiatick Tartars upon them who in those unhappy Circumstances got the better of them and after a long and bloody War possess'd that Kingdom the wealthiest and most populous in the whole World that we know of and to this Day are Masters of it And now when we are travelling we may visit the Famous Country of the Abyssines or Ethiopia a large Kingdom in Africk but lately shrunk into a lesser Compass and almost lay'd wast by the Natives of the Place some of them having turn'd State-Rebels and others set on by the Iesuites fighting on a Religious Account But I will not wander so far but come home to our selves and prosecute the Argument with relation to this Land of our Nativity They were the Civil Wars of the Antient Britains which tempted Iulius Caesar to invade this Island at first This was the Rise of the Romans coming hither and this was the occasion of the Britains being conquered It is evident from the most Credible Historians that our Ancestours a very warlike and valiant People were vanquished rather by the Perfidiousness of their own Androgeus and the Quarrels of others among themselves than by the valour and force of the Invaders For they tell us that Iulius Caesar was invited over by that Androgeus who at that time quarrell'd with
Animal and Carnal were not able to penetrate into them In contra-distinction to these the Apostle who foresaw these Mysterious Cheats and Impostures in the Church and who in 1 Tim. 6. 4. and in other places of his Epistles plainly foretold them is pleas'd to call the Christian doctrines a Mystery to signifie that they are such of a singular kind and nature In the last place Christianity in its Purity and Simplicity is most justly stiled a Mystery in opposition to that which is called by the same Holy Pen-man the Mystery of Iniquity 2 Thess. 2. 7. Conformably to which stile we read of Mystery Babylon the Great Rev. 17. 5. by which questionless is meant the Church of Rome or the Corrupt and Idolatrous part of it at least Yea we are inform'd that this very word MYSTERY is found inlay'd in plain and legible Characters within the Roman Pontif's Triple Crown Indeed the Main of the Roman Religion is Mystery and Disguise They pretend one thing and really are another They seem to have cast off Pagan Idolatry but yet they too apparently symbolize with it in a great part of their Worship Heretofore they paid Adoration to Venus and now to the Virgin Mary of old they pray'd to False Gods and now to Saints and Angels before they fell down to an Idol and now to the Cross. Thus they have given the Idolatry of Old Heathen Rome a little finer Turn otherwise it is the same that it was They boast of their Miracles but they are not other than Lying wonders a sort of Religious Legerdemain or Juggling They at some times pretend to greater Strictness Mortification and Austerity than others but none are generally more Loose and Licentious Thus there is a False and Counterfeit Shew of things in the Papal Constitution there is an horrid Mystery of Iniquity call'd The Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast Rev. 5. 7. In contra-distinction to which the Apostle who by a Prophetick spirit foresaw what would come to pass gives the name of Mystery to the True Primitive Christianity this being indeed such but of quite another nature than the Superstitious and Corrupt Religion of the Roman Church But I am to give a farther and more positive account of this matter wherein I will clearly and distinctly assign the true acception and meaning of the word Mystery in the Writings of the New Testament which hath of late been very much mistaken and grosly perverted meerly to maintain an Opinion which some persons think serviceable to the Cause they have espoused Christianity is entitul'd a Mystery not only Comparatively or in a way of Opposition to other things as I have shew'd already but Absolutely and Positively because it is really so in it self Take this in these two Particulars it is call'd a Mystery by the Apostle because 1. It was so 2. Because it is so now First I say it is justly stiled a Mystery in regard of what it was heretofore The doctrine of Christianity was hid and shut up a long time and to this the following Texts refer and therefore ought to be applied Christianity is said to be a Mystery which was kept secret since the world began Rom. 16. 25. for it is evident that by Mystery here is not only meant the Calling of the Gentiles as some imagine which indeed was Mysterious and kept secret till Christ's Coming but the way of the Salvation of men in general by Christ Iesus which is the grand thing contain'd in the Gospel That this is here to be understood may be gather'd from the preceding words of the Apostle my Gospel and the preaching of Iesus Christ which are synonymous with the Mystery and from the subsequent words made known to all nations for the obedience of faith where the great end or design of Christianity is express'd viz. that men may be brought to yield obedience to the divine Commandments by believing the Gospel for in this very form of words the Apostle had before in this Epistle told them what was the design of his Apostleship and of his preaching the Gospel it was for obedience to the faith among all nations Rom. 1. 5. This Faith and this Preaching of it saith he were a Mystery heretofore in all those past perpetual ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render since the world began men had but a very dark Notion of these things in all those preceding Dispensations they were scarcely thought of for though it is true there were constantly through all the several Models and Administrations of Religion some Intimations of this and Tendencies as it were towards it yet the notices that could be gather'd thence were but mean and obscure and they were at the best but faint glimmerings of that Glorious Light which was afterwards to break forth Of this the Apostle speaks again Eph. 3. 3 4 5. where the Gospel is call'd the Mystery and the Mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men And in ver 9. he calls it the Mystery which from the beginning of the world had been hid in God For though the word Mystery in this place also hath a more particular and special respect to that fore-nam'd Secret of the Conversion of the Gentiles as appears from the 3 4 5 and 6 Verses of this Chapter yet it is not wholly restrained to this but comprehends in it the whole Gospel-Dispensation the Doctrine of Salvation and Redemption by Jesus Christ which he calls preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ v. 8. And then immediately in the next verse he calls it a Mystery a hidden secret unsearchable Mystery that is it was so with respect to the former Times it had been hid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from ages as 't is in the Greek and that in God namely according to his Eternal Decree and Purpose But because the Apostle applies it to the wonderful Converting and Reclaiming of the Pagan world therefore some hence conclude that it is not meant of the doctrine of the Gospel and of Christianity it self But they are mean Arguers that talk thus and they discover themselves to be no Genuine Sons of Reason for every one knows that Particulars are not inconsistent with Generals and that one excludes not the others And besides they shew that they are not acquainted with the Comprehensive Sense of Scripture and have not studied the Sacred Stile which is of a wonderful Latitude and at the same time contains in it both a Singular and a Common a Special and a General a Restrain'd and a Larger Meaning There is another Text that confirms this Col. 1. 26. where the Evangelical Dispensation is call'd a Mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations They palpably misinterpret these words who apply them wholly to the admitting of the Gentiles into the Church for the word mystery refers to the dispensation of God i. e. the Evangelical Preaching and the fulfilling of his word viz. by the
and Rule are to be made use of in the searches and enquiries about Divine Truths This Discourse lays the Foundation for those which follow for even the Sacred Verities and Principles of our Religion have a tendency to Practise The second is of the Divine Authority of Rulers and Judges wherein I have endeavonr'd to Establish the Right and Iurisdiction of Civil Governours upon the sure basis of Reason and Scripture and thereon have grounded our Obedience to them which is an indispensable Law and Duty of the Christian Institution But as we are to obey Magistrates so they are to do Homage to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to give proof of this Reverence and Submission by their Religious and Holy Demeanour Wherefore in the third place I have shew'd the absolute Necessity of their being Exemplary in their lives and of their surpassing others in all Moral and Religious Actions Next I undertake to display thâ— Office of the Guides and Rulers of the Church the Ministers of the Gospel the Publick Instructors of Souls and to shew what Excellencies and Perfections they ought to be Masters of in order to their Edifying the Church of Christ. Then I descend to the more Particular Cases and Conditions of persons and shew how necessary Religion and Vertue are to men of Traffick and Business in the world and that the Decay of Riches and Plenty in a Nation is to be attributed to their Vicious Practices Afterwards I represent to the Reader that Extravagant Pride and Vanity of Apparel which are so conspicuous in this Age and with that Freedom which becomes a Dispenser of the Divine Oracles I set before the offenders the Sinfulness and Mischief of this Excess Again I took occasion from the commencing of the late War to satisfie the Scrupulous about the Lawfulness yea and Necessity in some cases of going to War And soon after there was ground for another Discourse viz. concerning the Causes of Ill Success in Martial Affairs And because it was requisite that whilst we were engaging the Enemy abroad there should be Peace at home I impartially represented the Mischievous and Pernicious Consequences of Intestine Broils and Divisions in a Kingdom and warmly Exhorted to Vnity and Concord This is a brief View of Ten of the Sermons in this Volume which are so mixed that there is no Degree or Quality of persons but will find themselves concern'd in the Subjects here treated of Princes and Monarchs Inferiour Rulers and Magistrates Ecclesiaâ—tical persons and all others whether publick or private Civil or Military Wealthy or Indigent of the Manly or of the Softer Sex have their share in these Papers As for the two last Sermons they had their birth from the two much prevailing Opinion of those men who deny that there are Mysteries in the Christian Religion I strike only at that General Doctrine and wave all Set Reflections on Particular Persons or their Attempts The sum of my Vndertaking here is this I give a particular account of the word Mystery as it is mention'd and understood in the New Testament more especially I settle the true notion of that Term as it peculiarly respects the present Case and hath reference to Christianity I shew upon what Reasons and Grounds this doctrine of Mysteries is founded I represent the notorious Blemishes of the Contrary Opinion and lastly I intersperse such proper Inferences as are the natural result of the respective Particulars Thus though others have handled this Subject I make it a Peculiar Province by the particular way of my undertaking and managing it which whether it be done aright and to the satisfaction of the Learned and Pious I leave to the Reader to judge But this only I am able to say and that most sincerely that I design'd what I have here written for the Vindication of the Cause of Christianity and for the Glory and Honour of its Divine Author And this is the Design of all my Writings of what Subject soever I have already treated or shall hereafter treat Some perhaps may think I pour them in too fast upon the Reader and don 't keep a due distance such as they would have between one book and another I am so Vncivil a Writer that I will scarcely give the Reader time to breath And besides it is a blemish to my Reputation that I hereby give occasion to some to censure me for being too Forward a man and one that affects to appear often in publick view and therefore they prudently advise to observe a Moderation and according to the Rule of Husbandry to lie Fallow some time I thank these Gentlemen for the care they pretend to have of the Reader and me but I must tell them this good Advice of theirs belongs to those Novices who want Materials for a Scrible though it be but a four-penny Cut or those poor starv'd souls that write for Bread and clap all their Book and sometimes more than is in it into the Title Page Here the Counsel would be seasonable especially for the Readers Good to be Temperate Writers But if they will be so Civil as not to rank me in the number of those fore-mention'd persons I think I have enough to plead in behalf of the Frequency of my Writing I could support my self herein by very Good and Vnexceptionable Examples half a douzen of the Best Penmen we have at this day among us two of the Learnedest Prelates of our Church who fail not every year to present the Learned with an Offering and their Teeming Thoughts are still designing to oblige the world in the same manner But waving Precedents especially those which are too High for me I will justifie my practise from the Reason and Equity of the Thing it self I hold it proper to offer sâ—meâ— Truths to the world now whilst I am able to defend them against the Objections which some may think fit to make against them as I have in some part found it necessary to be done already and I know not why Truth may not be as Sharp as Error Besides some things are proper for this Peculiar Age and if they should be deferr'd would prove Vnseasonable I conceive our Sceptical Times require some such sort of Writings as I have had occasion to publish more than any that were before or perhaps ever will be Again what I do is pursuant to my Character and Function which exact a Publick Appearance and an Open doing of good to mankind For a Clergyman should give an account of his Time to the World as well as to God Wherefore being not engaged at present in the Employment of the Pulpit I think my self obliged in Conscience to â—â—eak to the world from the Press and to let my Pen do the Office of my Tongue And truly why one should be a Crime and not the other is unaccountable Or rather it is not much to be doubted that those men whom I have to do with at present look upon both equally
Heads whilst it hath been cried in their Ears that here is Truth and there is Truth they have grown Perplexed and Distracted and know not how to behave themselves and What Part to take They hear that the Claim to Truth is Universal but then they know This that All the Pretences to it cannot be True and How say they if None of them should be so Hereupon they renounce Religion as a Faction and in plain terms a Cheat and consequently they Live and Act in the World as they Please If Truth be claimed by All the Professors of Religion and those Professors Contradict one another Where shall we find an Answer to This Interrogatory What is Truth In way of Reply it is enough to say at present for I shall answer a great part of these Cavils afterwards in the sequel of this Discourse 1. These Several Divisions and Parties evidently prove a True Religion For it is certain that Rational Men would not Contend for Nothing Unless there were some Reality at the bottom we cannot imagine that Persons of unprejudic'd Minds and sincere Intentions as we must allow a great Part of them to be would thus seriously busie themselves and be so mightily concern'd 2. Some Mens fond and groundless Pretences ought not to be equalled with the Iust Claims of others As long as the World continues in this degenerate posture where it is there will ever be a great number of men who will be pretending to Truth even whilst they are maintaining those Doctrines which are directly opposite to it Therefore we are not to concern our selves for these Pretenders only so far as to slight them as Persons govern'd by Interest or Passion or to pity them as those who are misled by Ignorance or Prejudice 3. As for the generality of Disputes which are at this day on foot Religion and particularly the Christian Religion I mean the Essentials and Vitals of it which give it its denomination are little or not at all concern'd in those Quarrels as will appear from what I shall suggest anon and therefore I shall say no more here But notwithstanding what hath been objected I will go on with my present design which is an Inquest after Truth and I hope the attempt will not prove vain and succesless That we may certainly find it out those Two known but too much neglected Rules or Standards are to be made use of by us viz. Reason and Scripture By Reason I mean the free and impartial use of our Understandings and Judgments which God hath naturally endued us with and which we are obliged to improve and cultivate by the aid of our Bodily Senses by the Testimony of others by serious and steady Observation and well-grounded Experience for these must be assisting to Humane Reason to render it perfect and compleat If thuâ— we would apply our selves to a serious search after Truth we should soon make our selves Masters of it For the Candle of the Lord as Solomon very significantly calls the Reason of Man was set up in our Breasts by God on purpose to discover Truth to us But it must be acknowledged that this Light hath been much impair'd by Man's Degeneracy so that it can scarcely be said to Shine out i.e. perfectly to display it self It hath been Clouded ever since the First Apostacy and obscured daily by the actual Prevalency of Vice An undeniable Evidence whereof were those swarms of monsterous Opinions among the Pagans that gross Superstition and Idolatry of the Gentile World those prodigious Shapes and Models of Religion which were invented by them Oftentimes it happened that the Creature made and framed his Creator they shaped out Deities and the way of Worshipping them according to their own Fancies and Imaginations and a God was even what they thought good to make him Or suppose Natures Light did shine out to the full yet it would not be Clear and Bright enough to give us a Prospect of those Divine and Supernatural Truths which are to bring us to Everlasting Happiness For Nature and Reason cannot Dictate those things which depend wholly on God's Free Grace and Pleasure And such are the Doctrine of a Saviour and Redeemer the Method of Man's Salvation and all the Mysteries of the Christian and Evangelical Dispensation How was Nicodemus a Noted Master in Israel and no mean Possessor of Reason baffled with the Doctrin of Regeneration He might truly be said to go to Iesus by Night who made his Visit only by the dusky and obscure Light of Nature Therefore tho' Reason or rather the Understanding using its reasoning Faculty be a laudable Guide in Religion yet it will not be a safe Conduct to Truth if it be alone There must of necessity be another Guide besides this to lead us to the Discovery of Heavenly Verities and Propositions of Faith There must be Divine Illumination to assist us to find out Divine and Spiritual Truths The Second Standard then of Truth is the Infallible Word of God Divine Truths must be sought for not from Man but from God not from Human Writings but an Unerring Word not from those who are Finite and Ignorant but from Him who is Infinite and knoweth all Things not from the Sons of Men but from Him who is the only-begotten Son of God the Revealer of his Father's Will For No man hath seen God at any time the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him as the beloved Disciple beareth witness Iohn 1. 18. None is able to discover the Divine and Supernatural Mysteries which our Religion is fraught with but the Founder of them We could never have arrived to those Transcendent Notions unless we had been taught them from Heaven We were not skilled to appoint the Manner of Appeasing the incensed Majesty of Heaven and to prescribe the Way of Worship suitable to that Oeconomy This would have been as if it should be left to some silly Country Peasant to assign the Way and Manner of Treating a Mighty King and Monarch Who would not expect in such a case a strange and uncouth a rude and ridiculous Way of Address and Courtship and below the Greatness and Majesty of a Prince But it was requisite there should be a particular Divine Discovery a clearer Light a surer Guide than that of Nature For though God at sundry times and in divers manners had Revealed himself to the past Generations of Men yet to make that Revelation compleat he spoke in the last days by his Son and by the Testimony of the Holy Ghost in the inspired Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists Christ therefore saith and that Emphatically I am the Truth Iohn 14. 6. The Gospel was the last and most corrected Edition of the Doctrin of Truth and we must never look for any other to come forth to the End of the World This is Truth more eminently so called The Truth which came by Iesus Christ as the Blessed Evangelist speaketh
Place and all Men stand gazing at them Rulers that are Vitious like Vzziah carry their Leprosy in their Foreheads their Crimes are exposed to every ones View and it is a wonder if some do not Imitate them as Men usually do the Actions and even the Imperfections of their Superiors Their Care then must be to Cherish Vertue in themselves and to Patronize it in others both by their Authority and Example The Interest of Religion and of the Church among other Matters yea and above them is their Province Of the Church I say for which the World was chiefly made and Commonwealths first Instituted and Civil Societies have ever since been maintained Be perswaded that the promoting of Religion and God's Honour is the proper Task of the Magistrate as well as the Minister And now especially in a declining Age when Religion is rendred Ridiculous and Vertue is grown Unfashionable and a Strict and Circumspect Walking is counted too Demure Now I say you are more especially oblig'd to Befriend the Cause of Religion and to take her part when she hath so many Enemies and Opposers This is that which will administer the most Comfortable Reflections to you when you come to leave the World For he that saith Ye are Gods saith likewise That ye shall die And this Conducts me to the Second General Part of the Text of which I will speak but a few words and so put a Period to my Discourse After the Honourable Concession follows a Peremptory Correction I have already considered the Dignity and Prerogative of the Magistrates Office I am now to Conclude with the Infirmity of their Persons their Obnoxiousness to Death and Dissolution Ye shall die like Men and fall like one of the Princes It is supposed in these words that they must die as to their Place and Office And then what Anguish and Regret must needs overwhelm their Minds when they look back on any of those Unlawful and Unjust things which were done by them A Magistrate that hath any Sense of the High Character he bears knows this That he hath an Account to make to Himself when he leaves his Place And how Dismal and Deplorable will it be if upon recounting his past Carriage he be forced to say of himself as the Historian of Caligula Tho' some things were done by me which were not unbecoming a Man in Place yet for the most part my Behaviour was more like that of a Monster than of a Magistrate With what Terrors will such a Person be filled when he considers that he is in part Guilty of all the Debauchery and Prophaneness all the Disorders and Enormities which he might and ought to have prevented but did not This is a thing which deserves your most serious Thoughts Again this Clause may be look'd upon as a Threatning for the Abuse of their Places They shall die they shall not go Unpunish'd here and hereafter if they Discharge not their Publick Trust with Sincerity and Faitfulness They shall not only die as Men as you shall hear in the next Particular but as Offenders Death shall transmit them to an Impartial and Severe Judgment Magistrates and Ministers of Justice who sit on the Bench and Judge others must appear themselves before the Last and Dreadful Tribunal and there render an Account of their Behaviour and Answer for all that they have done Government and Great Offices will not Priviledge them from this The Title of Gods will not avail them but will rather aggravate and inhanse their Misery for how intolerable will it be to enter into the Portion of Evil Demons and Damned Spirits after they have born the Name of Gods here upon Earth Lastly To confine my self to the bare words of the Text the Psalmist here humbles the Magistrate after he had Exalted him and at the same time he teaches him how to Deport himself whilst he is in Place and Dignity He must then think of the Fate and Mortality which are common to him with the meanest Persons It was rightly said by One of your Order All Precepts concerning Kings and Magistrates are in effect comprehended in these two Remembrances Remember that you are Gods and Remember that you are Men The one Bridles their Will the other their Power The Text presents you with both these Considerations and now I am concluding all with the latter of them viz. the Memento that they are Men. Magistrates are of a different Make and Composure Look on one side and they are Gods but look on them on the other and they are Mortal Men. Ye shall die like Men like Adam so 't is according to the Original like the First Parent of Mankind and as the whole Race of Adam ever since for ye are no better than your Fathers That of Pliny in his Panegyrick to Trajan is almost the only Passage in it that is void of Flattery Princes saith he though they seem to themselves and others too to be Gods yet they are as short-liv'd as other Men. Here indeed we must be Plain with the Greatest Men though they are such yet Death will despoil them of this Character and strip them of all the Badges and Ensigns of Authority and will make them equal with others in the Grave This Part of my Text puts me in mind of two or three remarkable Passages that are upon Antient Record The Crier at Rome used to follow the Chariot of the Triumphant and cry to him after this Fashion Remember that Thou art Mortal Be mindful of this in the midst of these Triumphal Ovations that you must leave the World as goodly and Glorious as your Procession is now And Philip the Famous King of Macedon after a great Victory that he had obtained over the Athenians ordered a Youth to come to him every Morning and to refresh his Memory after the same manner i.e. to tell him that he was but a Man And with Pagan let me mix Christian Story The Grecian Emperors on the day of their Coronation used to have several Marble-Stones of divers Colours presented to them to make Choice of which sort of them they thought fit to have their Sepulchral Monuments made of So here by the Psalmist the Magistrates Dignity and Mortality are remembred together Here is their Solemn Inauguration I have said Ye are Gods and then their Funerals Ye shall die like Men. It is good to mix these together and accordingly in the midst of your Glories and Honours I have presumed to remind you of your Leaving of them This latter Consideration if effectually managed is able to Instruct you in your Whole Duty and the best Discharge of it For though it is the Epicure's Catch Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die yet Solomon's Argument runs quite counter to it Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Eccl. ix 10. If it
Bishop treating of the Office of a Clergy-Man Concerning Basil and Gregory Nazianzen we are told by Rufinus that for Thirteen Years together they laid aside all Books that treated of Secular Matters and applied themselves wholly to the Reading of the Volumes of the Sacred Scripture This most truly may be said that though we are not to neglect other Writings yet these are indispensably Necessary and we must lay aside all other Books rather than not find time to read These And the Reason is plain because no Man can pretend to Theological Studies who hath not acquainted himself with the Sacred Text. For see how it is in Other Arts and Faculties there are Books proper and peculiar to them and without which there is an utter despair of attaining any Skill in them Thus to offer one Example only the Civil Law is gain'd by Reading the Digests or Pandects of which the Institutions are an Abstract compiled out of the Immense Volumes of the Roman Lawyers some of which were Writ before our Saviour's Time and others afterwards and they are no other than the Sayings Responses and Decisions of the Chief of the Learned in the Law by reading the Code which is made up of the Rescripts Decrees and Constitutions of the Roman Emperors and their Wise Councel from Adrian to Iustinian So that this Volume differs from the Pandects as among us the Statute-Law or Acts of Parliament differ from the Common-Law i. e. the Judgment of Lawyers call'd Reports Wherefore the Pandects must give way to the Code this being more Valid than they as the Commands of Princes are of greater Force than the Dictates of Lawyers Moreover by reading the Authenticks or Novels called so because they were New Laws added to the other Lastly by looking into the Feuds i.e. the Customs and Services for the Lands held by Vassals of their Lords which last Volume of the Imperial Laws was not added till about the Year 1150. under the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa There is an utter Despair I say of gaining any competent Knowledge in this Excellent sort of Learning unless a Man peruses these Books and the Commentators on them And so in the Study of Physick no Man can arrive to any Perfection in it unless he be conversant with the Particular Authors whether Antient or Modern that are Famous in the Faculty And the same may be said of all other Arts and Sciences But this is in a special manner true in Divinity the Knowledge of which no Man can possibly reach without a diligent and constant Perusal of the Books which Constitute the Holy Canon the Writings of the Old and New Testament for both are necessary as we see plainly in the Quotations out of the former which we meet with in the latter There are Four and twenty Books of the one cited or referr'd to in the other and out of some of them there are above Forty out of others above Sixty Passages alledged and made use of The Bible then is a Volume of absolute Necessity and cannot be out of the Hands of one that is devoted to the Ministry For this cause it was heretofore ordered that this Sacred Book should be read at Bishops and Priests Tables even at Dinner and still there is a perpetual Obligation on those of the Sacred Function to give themselves daily to the Study of the Scriptures the Divine Writings of Moses and the Prophets and the Books of the Evangelists and Apostles And there is good reason for it because they must Build which is the thing we are now speaking of by a Rule and the Scripture is that Rule But it is impossible we should make use of it to this Purpose unless we be very well acquainted with it We cannot Regulate our own or other Mens Actions by this Canon we cannot Skilfully apply this Rule this Square if we be not very conversant with it and have a knowledge of its Excellent Doctrines and Precepts These are the Writings that have this Peculiar and Matchless Character That they are able to make us wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. iii. 15. for as it follows All Scripture i.e. all Holy Scripture which he had mentioned in the Verse before is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrin for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God the Minister of the Gospel may be perfect throughly furnish'd unto all good Works may be enabled to perform all the Parts of his Duty more especially those which appertain to his Sacred Calling Besides on other accounts the Scriptures are to be admir'd and to have the preference to all other Books whatsoever The Great Admirers of Homer tell us That they find all things in his Poems what is Excellent in any Art or Profession is to be met with there But upon better grounds I could make it appear that the Writings I am speaking of deserve that Character and Testimony There is no Man of clear Reason but is fully perswaded that there is more Undoubted Antiquity more Excellent History more profound Reason more delightful Eloquence more Choice Learning of all sorts in the Bible than in any other Writings extant in the whole World There need then no Elaborate Perswasives to read this Sacred Volume which is the best under Heaven not only in respect of Divine but Humane Literature and that of all kinds contained in it Even as to this latter there is none can be said to be an Accomplish'd Scholar if he be not acquainted with this Book Next to the Infallible Records of both Testaments the First and Antientest Fathers of the Church call for our Esteem and Enquiry Antiquity in Monuments is Venerable in Religion it should be much more so Prescription corroborates the Civil Rights and Tenures I see not why it should not fortify the Ecclesiastical Luther and Calvin are Great Names and will ever be so in the True Christian Church but yet they ought in some respects to Veil to those Greater and Earlier Lights of the Church Ignatius Iustin Martyr Irenâ—â—us Clement of Alexandria Tertullian Cyprian and others of the Antients from whom we learn what Defections there were from the Truth what were the Errors and Heresies and Corrupt Practices of the First Ages of Christianity and how the Virgin Purity and Simplicity of the Church were almost defac'd by them Especially from those that were the Learn'd Apologists in those Times and afterwards who Asserted Christianity against the Iews on one hand and the Pagans on the other we may in a great measure discover what is Orthodox and Authentick and what is of a different Nature And it is reasonable to infer hence that the Church at this day should for the most part be Defended and Vindicated by the Writings of those who were its First Defenders they being so Great Judges of the Primitive Doctrine and Practice Thirdly To Reading I must necessarily adjoin Meditation both which perform'd by due Turns is
Principles And consequently it is the chief Business of a Preacher to beat down all Immorality Wickedness and Prophaneness and to set up and promote whatever is Vertuous and Laudable and especially to advance the Evangelical Vertues and Graces and such Duties as are more especially commanded by Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament And this very thing shews the Excellency of our Office when it is rightly discharg'd for the Worthiness and Esteem of Employments are according to the Usefulness of them Thus to instance in other Faculties he is the Best Laâ—yer that most successfully directs Men to the Securing of their Estates and Properties and he is the Best Physician that saves Mens Lives So it is here he is the Best Divine he is the Best Preacher that reforms Meâ—s Manners and effectually shews them how to save their Souls The True Preaching is to answer to Prophesying in the Primitive Church which is the thing more particularly design'd in the Text by Excelling to Edification and this you find was esteemed by the Apostle as the Best and most Valuable Gift because it was most Advantageous to the Church He that Prophesieth saith he speaks to men to Edification and Exhortation and Comfort 1 Cor. xiv 3. This is the proper Task of the Evangelical Preacher viz. not only to Build Men up by Instructing them in their Holy Faith but by Powerful Exhortations to the Practice of all Christian Vertues to make them Better and to enable them to feel the Comfort and Satisfaction of a Religious Life In Order to this his Instructions and Exhortations must be Plain and Intelligible and easy to be comprehended We read of some Hereticks of old that were wont to use a great deal of Hebrew in their Religious Worship and in their Discourses to the People thereby to Astonish and Amaze the Vulgar But he that would Preach so as to Edify must not use any such Arts he must not soar above the Capacities of those that hear him Or if any one will needs call this Building it is like that of Babel where they understood not one another We justly Condemn the Papists for Praying in an unknown Tongue but let me be so free as to say that to Preach in a Stile which is not understood by the People is every whit as unlawful and as absurd Therefore thou O Man of God flee these things and let the Great Apostle be thy Example Who would rather speak five words to be understood and to Edify others than utter ten thousand which could not have that effect upon them The Prophet shrunk himself into the proportion of the Child he meant to revive And so must Spiritual Instructers and Publick Exhorters to Vertue deal with those they intend to recover out of their Sins wherein they are dead they must adapt themselves to their Measures they must suit themselves to their mean Understandings and condescend to their Weaknesses and often Inculcate the same Divine Lessons therein having regard to the Forgetfulness as well as the Ignorance and Shallowness of their Common Hearers And as for the Mode of delivering our Doctrines whether by Book or without that is of the meanest Consideration and no Intelligent Person will be very solicitous about it so it be Grave and Proper Certainly it is not Necessary we should commit every Sermon to our Memories Such perpetual Conning is too like a School-Boy's Task methinks as if our Auditors were Pedagogues and we stood in continual Fear of the Ferula if we should not have all our Lesson by Heart Much less is Preaching a needless Mustering up of Authors an unmerciful haling of the Fathers out of their Graves to no purpose a rude claiming Acquaintance with Greek and Latin Writers for the sake of a Sentence or two out of them It is not pleasing the People with Little and Trifling things or astonishing them with too Great and High ones Nor is it yet any thing made up of an Affected Tone or Gesture or any thing of that sort But as I represented it it is a sober informing of Mens Judgments and establishing them in the Grand Points of Religion it is a plain and bold rebuking of Vice and a warm Exhortation to Vertue it is an affectionate Application of Truth to the Hearts and Lives of the Hearers This is Preaching and thus the Church of Christ is built up thus this Great Pile is raised and reaches with its utmost Top even to Heaven where it is Triumphant Fifthly In the next place I must not forget to add that we are to mind those things also which respect the Discipline and Order the Vnity and Peace of the Church To this purpose its Solemn Censures were Instituted by Christ and his Apostles that if there should happen any Dilapidations in the Building of the Church it might by these be speedily Repair'd that Persons of Unholy and Disorder'd Lives might be debar'd Communion with so Holy a Society And the Laws of Decency were prudently design'd to extirpate all Confusion and Distraction and to render the Church and all its Services Beautiful and Venerable The Apostle concerning his Converts of Colosse professes that he rejoiced in beholding their Order Col. ii 5. A Military word and signifies the orderly disposal of Soldiers in an Army Such should be the Regular Marshalling of the Church Militant It is requisite for its Security and Welfare that all keep their proper Ranks and Stations and that a Decorum be every where observ'd We find that Circumstances as well as Substantials are to be look'd after the Apostle in the Eleventh Chapter of this Epistle controuls the Solecisms of their External Behaviour in the Service of God He checks their Rudeness and Irreverence and gives Rules for the outward Deportment and Carriage in Praying and Prophesying It is fit that some care should be taken of Religion's Outside that she have a comely Equipage Decent and Fitting Circumstances are the Wall about the Spiritual Building they are the Hedge about the Field of the Church which contributes much to her Preservation and Welfare It is such a Fence to her as the Bark is to the Tree which when it is utterly neglected the Fruit and sometimes the Tree it self is endangered Even those things which are but Accessary and Accidental to Devotion are of great use and the Devotion and Worship themselves would not be long kept up without these But let us remember that they are but Circumstances and Appendages and that the things which we are chiefly to be concern'd for in Religion are of an higher Nature and that the Mind is principally to be employ'd here The main care in God's Worship must be that it be Spiritual and Sincere that the Heart be rightly disposed for this is the Sacrifice which he chiefly requires and regards All must be so done in his Service that the Simplicity of Christianity be not abated that Real and Internal Religion be not diminish'd and that the
Cassibelan and other Great Men and so Caesar fought and overcame and made this Island tributary to Rome Though it is true this was not presently Effected but after several Assaults For the Britains who were not inferior to the Roman Legions in Valour repuls'd them at first and Caesar fled from Britain Of this Juncture of Affairs Tacitus speaks acquainting us that the Britains fell into Factions and Parties and could not agree among themselves to resist the common Danger So whilst they fought divided they were joyntly defeated And in succeeding Ages there never was any great Enemy entred this Kingdom but when there were Schisms and Distractions at home Whether other Nations were invited over hither or invaded us it was always occasion'd by Dissention among our selves There different People successively took the Opportunity of overrunning our Country when our Bickrings and Digladiations were great in our own Bowels It was this which gave occasion to the Saxons to invade this Land or if you will rather to our Ancestours to call them in for the Picts who were the Old Barbarous Britains were divided from the rest of the Nation and held Confederacy with the Scots Therefore Gildas expressly sheweth that one cause of the fatal Councel of sending for the Saxons to come and assist them was their Disagreement and Contention among themselves The Southern and Northern Inhabitants were at odds which moved Vortigern the Head of the Natives at that time to send for those Saxons who came over and miserably requited the Britains for the care they shew'd to them and the kind Entertainment they gave them and with many and long Battels made this Land a place of Slaughter Ravage and Bloodshed And afterwards these very Saxons who seem'd to have made amends for all their violence and mischief by the ardent Zeal which they shew'd to the Christian Faith as soon as 't was Preach'd among them by their building of Churches and Religious Houses by their extraordinary Devotion and by their care to propagate and spread the Christian Religion these Noble Converts who flourish'd under their Heptarchy so long a time were ruined at length by their Intestine Broils and Wars as our Learned Antiquary observes And if you consult our Chronicles you will find that nothing gave the Danes and Normans more advantage against our Predecessors than their Divisions and Quarrels among themselves In brief the former State of things in this Nation immediately fore-going the several devastations by Foreign Invasion hath in This as well as in some other Circumstances too near an Alliance and Correspondence with our Present Times I pray God avert the Omen And let us endeavour for now I am coming to turn my History into Application let us I say endeavour to avert it by the most Proper Means we can use that is by studying Peace and Unity and by promoting Love and Goodwill among one another This is the Practical Inference which we are to make from the Premises And certainly if ever there was need of Preaching and Practising this duly there is now more especially We have been and are at this Day a People divided against our selves and therefore it is a wonderful Prodigy that we have not had our final Downfal before this But now we cannot reasonably expect to stand any longer if we continue in our Divisions and persist in our mutual Antipathies Let us then in this our Day know the things which belong to our Peace before they be hid from our Eyes and that for ever Let us agree as Members of the same Community and banish all Dissentions and Animosities I know this hath been a very Common and Trite Subject But assure your selves that at this time it is the most Proper and Suitable one that a Preacher can entertain you with For on the speedy Practice of this depends all your Safety all your Security all your Wellfare and Happiness in this World If you neglect this you plunge your selves into Ruin but if you are so wise as to attend to it you contribute towards the Establishment of the Nation towards the lasting Prosperity of the Publick Amphion is said in a Poetick rant to have built the Walls of Thebes by help of his Musick But it is no Fiction but a solid Truth that Harmony and Concord are the best means of building up the Walls of our Ierusalem and of incompassing it with more firm and durable ones than those of Brass which the Famed Frier as 't is said vainly boast'd he would environ England with Let us then cast away all unbecoming disgusts and grudgings at one another And though we are an Island and divided from the rest of the World let us not be Dissevered and Divided from our selves Let us love as Brethreâ— and acknowledge none to be our Enemies but such as we know are Implacable Enemies to our Religion that is those who have a design to Rob us of that which is dearer to us than our Lives And to urge this Effectually upon you I will offer these following Considerations to you 1st Consider the Scandal of our Divisions It is a Reproach to our Religion as we are Christians that we nourish so many Feuds and Disturbances among us For the Blessed Author and Founder of our Religion pronounced the Peace-makers blessed and made Love and Peace the honourable Badges of our Profession and we find that all the excellent Principles of the Gospel lead to these and that Christianity it selfe inculcates nothing more than the Practice of them But not only thus in general as we are Christians but in a more Especial manner as we are Protestants we are under a strict Obligation of mutual Amity and Agreement There are two things among others which the Church of Rome glories in first that they perfectly agree among themselves secondly that we on the contrary are divided and break out into passionate Heats and Contests That there is too much of Truth in this their Boasting we cannot denâ—â— though with reference to the former part it must be said and that with equal Truth that they have their Divisions and Parties no less than we as I could easily prove if I were at leisure to do it but 't is granted that as to the Main they are at Unity among themselves that is they perfectly agree to oppose the Protestant Cause They consult together with one consent and are confederate against it This is the Great Prop and Preservative of the Church of Rome this buoys up the whole Papal Interest viz. their Agreement among themselves their being all of a Piece viz. with relation to us And is it not a shame that we should learn of them how to behave our selves Do not our own Reason Necessity and the Cause it self require that we maintain an entire Concord Must we go to the Roman Catholicks to be taught our Duty in this Point This is very Scandalous and I cannot mention it without a peculiar Disdain and Regret nor can
prepare our selves to be ruin'd by Others but we may be undone this way by our Own Hands Sit down then and seriously represent to your selves the Danger you are in Fix this on your Minds as an unquestionable Truth that we may despair of the Safety and Welfare of this Nation so long as we are divided into Disagreeing Parties so long as we love to keep up our Quarrels Though we may think we have shut out Popery yet these will open the Door for it and let it in again This very thing was the Ground of the Learned and Pious Vsher's fearful Apprehensions and prophetick Intimations concerning the return of the Roman Religion into these Kingdoms and the miserable State they were like to fall into on that Account as you may read in his Life We may on the same Ground fear the same dismal Events at this time If we continue our divisions the Great Italian Pontif will step in and turn Moderator and put an End to our Disputes The Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation And we shall then wish but in vain that we had attended to the Dictates of peaceable Men and that we had lay'd aside all our Differences So for Tyranny and Slavery though we imagine that they are shut out yet let me tell you whilst we disagree among our selves and retain Bitterness and Rancour towards one another in our Minds and carry on Different yea contrary Designs we are making way for the Common Foe to enter who if he gets footing here will reduce us and our Posterity to the utmost Servitude and Bondage and that without all hopes of Remedy These are the Considerations which I thought fit to tender to you And now perhaps it may be expected before I put an end to this Discourse that I should set before you the Particular Methods of Peace in this unhappy Day of Dissention If you would permit me to be free with you I could methinks entertain good hopes of being an Vniversal Reconciler of making Dissenting Parties understand one another aright the want of which hath been the Source of all their Controversies and so of Accommodating the Differences between them and of creating a firm Love and Respect to one another I could I think suggest such Healing such Balsamick Principles as would assuredly Cure and Consolidate all our Wounds if they be taken in hand in time and not suffer'd to grow Inveterate But seeing I cannot at present so Particularly and Fully pursue this great Work as I would and perhaps some here are not able to bear it now the only Direction I will propound the only Expedient I will leave with you is this That you would not suffer your Differences in some lesser Matters of Religion to hinder your Vniting in the Great and Common Concern of the Nation This one thing alone if duly thought of and practis'd will make our British State Impregnable and enable us to defy all our Enemies Many among us are to foolish as to think that they must not join with those that are of a different Perswasion from themselves because they disagree in some Points of Religion therefore they must not unite in the Common Cause of the Nation or at least they find they can't prevail with themselves to do it Unanimously and Chearfully This very thing may prove our Ruin and therefore I thought my self obliged to take Notice of it and I hope I need not use many Words to convince you of the Folly and Unreasonableness of it Let me be plain with you an Invasion will make no Difference between a Conformist and a Dissenter a Foreign Enemy will not distinguish between Churches and Meeting-Houses Assassines and Cut-Throats will not ask whether we be of this or that Communion And therefore let all of both Perswasions jointly agree to withstand the Violence and Ravage which are design'd against us all indifferently This is the Course we must take unless we would have the Enemies roar in our Congregations and set up their Ensigns for signs viz. of Victory And to this purpose let us remember that we are All of us Embark'd in the same Vessel we Espouse the same Common Interest we profess the same Holy Religion and we are Candidates of the same Eternal Happiness Wherefore let us twist all our Interests together Let us in this Critical Season make no distinction between the different Denominations of Sober Protestants that are among us When we are to ingage the Publick Enemy let us make no nice Detachments but go with All our Forces Let us freely mingle with all that abhor the designs of Rome and France Let there be a Free an Universal Commerce without any Stop any Imbargo In short let us take all Persons into our Embraces that love the Reformed Religion and their Country As for our Disagreement in some Religious Matters that should not hinder us from joining together for there are several Points relating to Religion in which we shall never all concur and truly I am of Opinion it was not intended we should till that Blessed Time predicted in Rev. xi 15. be accomplish'd Nevertheless as the Apostle speaks whereunto we have already attain'd let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same Things I will be bold to say if the fourteenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans were read over once and again with serious and hearty Prayer it would end all our disputes about Indifferent matters in Religion and put a period to all our Divisions about them Contesting Parties would thence effectually learn to lay aside Censuring and Iudging one another and to sacrifice their Private Opinions and Sentiments yea their greatest Heats and Passions to the Common Good and Edification Let this be conscientiously Practis'd by us and then we cannot miscarry Let us not contend with Fierceness and Eagerness for any thing but the Indispensable Concerns of Religion and a Holy Life Lay aside your nice Criticisms stand not upon Punctilio's be not religiously Pedantick or Morose Away with fond Disputes which engender nothing but Strife And let us in good earnest study the plain way of Salvation by Iesus Christ let us mind the Unquestionable and Practical matters of Christianity where there is sure Footing and a firm Basis to build upon Let us mind these in good earnest and then our varying from some of our Brethren in lesser Concerns of Religion in some Points of Discipline or Circumstances of Worship will not hinder our friendly Conjunction with them in those Publick Enterprizes which are for the Safety of us all and for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion which I hope we all without any reserve or hesitation center in This therefore is the thing which I humbly offer that the Interests of all Parties may become One in this present Juncture that all Hands may be employ'd in this Great Work that there may be an Universal Concurrence in the Cause which we have undertaken And this is
Virgin Mary had hair enclining to red or yellow as I remember Nicephorus relates but as we may gather from the Pious Fathers who smartly reproved this usage because it was the Mode of the Times and because that Colour was then esteemed as Alluring and Tempting The short is neither this nor any other Artificial Ornament relating to the Dress and Attire of Persons which any ways conduces to Effeminacy and Lust is to be approved of for we are to remember that Garments were for Modesty sake at first and 't is certain that they still ought to be used to that purpose and therefore all Immodesty and Lasciviousness in Apparel are to be shunn'd and a Wanton Garb is to be reckon'd unlawful In the next and last place so is that which is any ways prejudicial to Religion and Devotion and the concerns of them And first that Habit must needs prove such which is unsuitable to the time and place of Divine Worship It is the undue practice of this Age that they never more exceed in their Gay Deckings than when they are to appear in God's Presence Upon This Day especially they muster up all their Bravery and shew themselves in all their Change of Rayment which they think is some part of the Observing of the Lord's day It is true this is a Holy Festival and therefore a Decent Habit becomes it but it is contrary to the pious design of this Solemnity to come into God's House to shew your Finery and to display all your Gaiety to invite Spectators and to distract your own and others thoughts This is not to be allow'd of in the Congregations of the Faithful And if St. Paul were permitted to descend from the Mansions above and to speak to you from this place he would certainly reprove you as he did his Corinthians for your Indecent Behaviour and Garb in the Publick Assemblies 1 Cor. 11. 4 c. where he uses this Particular Argument to engage the women not to appear with Uncover'd heads in the time of Divine Worship viz. because of the Angels As much as to say Those Glorious Messengers those Ministring Spirits which are generally present at the Solemn Meetings of the Christian Worshippers take notice of their outward carriage and deportment and particularly of their Garments and Dress And do you believe this as you needs must if you give credit to the Apostle and yet can you with your Staring Attire outface the very Angels yea and the Infernal Spirits too for some of this sort may perhaps be tempted to come hither and behold a Sight so agreeable to them I appeal to those of you that have not lost all sense of good and evil whether you can think and really perswade your selves that such an Extravagant Furniture as some of you are set up with is fitting for this Place where you now are and to the Sacred business you are employ'd about Can any of you that are sober and considerate serious and religious think that this is a Garb agreeable to this occasion Do you look like those that are offering your Petitions to the Almighty and come hither to attend to his Voice Is it acceptable to look Heaven in the face with a Spotted visage Can you perswade your selves that this Vanity and Pride become True Worshippers I know what some of your Consciences dictate to you upon this Appeal which I make to you They tell you and that plainly and loudly that this posture which some of you are in is no ways suitable to the present Work you come hither to be engag'd in Your Natural Reasons inform you that you are not fit to Pray and to Hear the Word of God i.e. with any fervency and devotion Your own hearts tell some of you that you look more like Revellers than Devotionists that you are fitter for the Theatre than a Temple that a Play-house becomes you far better than a Church and that a Comedy would be a more acceptable entertainment than a Sermon But I hope that some of you who attend to what I say will find the benefit of this latter and will from this instant date your serious Reflections on your former miscarriages in this kind that I have been speaking of that you will be throughly convinced that there is a great difference between God's House and your own that that which may be tolerated in the latter is wholly unbecoming the former that you ought to shew that Gravity Seriousness and Composedness of Spirit here which are not always required of you in another place And from a sense of this I hope you will be induced to be more Cautious in your Habit on this Solemn day than on another Let me desire you that you would not come hither with all your Pageantry Shew not your Pride here where you ought to be most Humble Or if I cannot prevail with you so far if you must needs come with all your Towering Gallentry let me perswade you to bring with you at the same time that modest Veil or Covering to put over some part of it which the Apostle advised his Corinthians to make use of in the time of Religious Worship in the Publick Assemblies And further I would Caution you that upon days of Fasting and Humiliation you would wholly lay aside your Gaudy Dress It is fitting at such a time you should lour your Top-sails and strike your Flags I do not wish you to turn them into sackcloth and ashes that may favour of the Old Testament Dispensation too much but I only wish you to leave off your Superfluous Ornaments at such a season and methinks there should be no need of urging this upon you seeing it is absurd for Mourners to put on Gay and Gorgeous Apparel In this time of War and Publick Disturbance these are very unfitting and unsuitable One would think you intended to ridicule our Martial Affairs with your Mock-Head-Pieces Some of you perhaps may entertain these things with a Smile and when you leave this Place improve it into something more but let me tell you you have little reason to behave your selves thus and you must needs acknowledge it your selves when you consider that you are oblig'd to come hither on such serious and important Occasions to Humble your selves before God and consequently to behave your selves Reverently and Modestly and to abandon all lightness and vanity in your Attire yea that Garb which is lawful or tolerable at some other times is not to be allow'd of now Again that Attiring and Decking must needs be prejudicial to Religion which take up too much of your Time If you rightly understand what Christianity is you cannot but know that you have a great deal of Business upon your hands there is abundance of Work to be dispatch'd by you and you have but a little some of you especially but a very little time to dispatch it in wherefore Excess and Pride of Apparel which are always accompanied with great loss
to defame libel and blaspheme Christianity and all the Mysteries of it and they make use of their Reason to make void their Faith But now all this may be prevented and hindred by a humble and Christian submission to the Sacred Oracles by a free resigning our selves to the Faith of the Gospel and by giving credit to it Articles because they are deliver'd and attested by God himself in the Infallible Writings which even Reason it self dictates to be the best Method we can take to establish and confirm us in our Religion and to assure us of the Truth of all its doctrines be they never so perplexed and mysterious Nor doth this introduce a Blind Credulity and such an Implicit Faith as some of the Romanists defend for when we resign up our judgments to Divine Revelation we are not debarr'd from examining and searching into and satisfying our selves about the Truth of the things we speak of but only of the Mode of them Which makes it a quite different thing from the practice of the Roman Proselytes who are bid to swallow down whatever is dictated to them and that upon the bare Authority and Warrant of the Church But here is no such crude Method prescribed we are to search the Scriptures whether these things be so and we are to make use of Reason to shew and convince us how fitting it is that we should believe what is reveal'd by the Spirit of God For seeing since the Revolt and Original Depravation of Man we stand in need of Revelation to direct us right Reason tells us that it is unsafe to rely on the bare suggestions of our own minds in the great matters of Religion This acquaints us that though we are not capable of answering all difficulties in those Points yet we are oblig'd to give credit to the doctrines themselves because they are founded on Scripture which was divinely inspired This Principle in us assures us that though we can't fully explain these things by Reason yet we have reason to believe the Holy Writ which is the Rule and Measure of our Faith yea notwithstanding those Points seem to thwart the natural principles of Reason Thus far we have Reason on our side And then for Scripture that is wholly and entirely ours Those Grand Articles which our Antagonists renounce are found there Particularly to instance in that Great and Celebrated Doctrine which I have so often mention'd one would think it might suffice that this is so directly so plainly so frequently asserted in the New Testament where we find Three expresly named Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom the Divinity is ascribed and therefore we believe these Three to be One God But how these three distinct Hypostases are one Entire Indivisible Essence is an ineffable and incomprehensible Mystery Yet though we can't conceive the Manner of this yet the Thing it self is clearly and plainly reveal'd in Scripture and consequently the Socinians have no cause to brag that theirs is an Accountable and Reasonable Faith when it absolutely opposes and contradicts the Holy Oracles of the Bible This is the true state of the matter and so it was thought to be by that Learned Writer whom I before quoted who hath the repute even among these men of a Person of Great Reason and Sense speaking of them he thus expresses himself Their Opinion I look upon as fundamentally repugnant to Christianity it self if the New Testament be the foundation of Christianity for I know nothing more express than That viz. the Trinity in those Writings And therefore the denying of the Trinity is the denying of the Authority of the New Testament Or if they will pretend they can interpret things there so as to evade this doctrine by the same reason I think they may evade any and so still the Sacred Writ shall stand for a Cypher and signifie nothing which tends mainly to the enervating of our Faith These are very Weighty words and the more to be consider'd by our Adversaries because they come from One of a Large Compass of Mind and a great Asserter of Reason in Religion which is a thing that these Gentlemen pretend much to The sum of what he saith is this that if the Scripture be true the doctrine of the Trinity is so too if Divine Revelation in the books of the New Testament is to be believ'd then this also must be embraced And on this very account it hath been embraced by all religious and pious minds that have had a reverence for the Holy Scriptures As it was the Faith once delivered to the Saints so it hath ever since been the steady belief of all the Martyrs and Confessors of Iesus and all the True Professors of Christianity and it hath with invincible force in all ages of the Church born down all opposition that hath been made against it And I question not but those violent Efforts and Insults which have been and are made against it in this present Age will prove vain and successless Though we have seen the rain descend and the flouds come and the winds blow and beat upon it yet it shall never fall because it is founded upon a rock the same Rock on which the Church of Christ is built viz. the Confession and Testimony of the Inspired Apostles the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures the Veracity of God and the Certainty of Divine Revelation And all the other Sacred Mysteries of our Religion have the very same stable foundation and therefore are Impregnable Let this then satisfie us that these Doctrines are sufficiently reveal'd though they are not fully known I say they are sufficiently revealed because the Book of God assure us that these things are so but they are not fully known because we are not able to discover the Arguments on which they are founded we discern not the foot on which they stand God hath been pleas'd to hide this from us But then this is to be said It is not reasonable to renounce our belief of that which is plain and evident because it is mix'd with something which is dark and intricate It was an Excellent Caution and Rule of the Great St. Augustine Nunquid ideo negandum quod apertum est quia comprehendi non potest quod occultum est The Truth of a Doctrine may be evident and perspicuous and that is sufficient to command our Assent tho' the Nature of it is not The Modes and Circumstances appertaining to Divine things are not to be accounted for at least if we cannot clear them up we have no reason to quit the Grand Truths themselves These are not to be abandon'd because they are not according to our ordinary level because we are not able to render a punctual account of them because we cannot perfectly Gauge them and sound them to the very bottom in a word because they are not subject to the Tribunal of Reason But if we have any regard to the Sacred and Infallible Volume