Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken to him neither shall thine eye pitty him neither shalt thou spare him nor conceale him But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hand of all the people Let not any put of this Scripture saying This is in the Old Testament but we finde no such thing in the Gospel for we find the same thing almost the same words used in a Prophesie of the times of the Gospel Zech. 13. 3. In the latter end of the 12. Chapter it is prophecyed that those who pierced Christ should looke upon him and mourne c. having a spirit of grace and supplication powred upon them Chap. 13. 1. There shall now be opened a fountaine for sinne and for uncleannesse Vers 3. It shall come to passe that he that takes upon him to prophesie that his father and his mother that begate him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord And his father and his mother that begate him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth You must understand this by that in Deut. The meaning is not that his father or mother should presently run a knife into him but that though they begat him yet they should be the means to bring him to condign punishment even the taking away his life those who were the instruments of his life should now be the instruments of his death Thirdly It is a dividing principle because by it the reines are let loose to all kind of wantonnesse and spirit of opposition in the matters of Religion Men naturally are wanton in nothing more then in the things of Religion and corrupt spirits are bent upon and pleased with opposition in these things above any other for being things supposed to have an excellency in them and above reason and so liable to contradiction from men of corrupt minds if there be nothing to restrain men from opposing one another in them the wantonnesse and pride of mens hearts will carry them forth to infinite jarrings contentions and divisions If it be said Christ hath left spirituall meanes to helpe this It is answered Christs spirituall meanes are to work in a spirituall way upon the heart to change it and secondarily upon the outward man while Christs means are working thus externall means may keep evill from breaking forth in the outward man Christ hath not left the outward man at absolute liberty to do what it will till spirituall meanes be made effectuall to the heart especially considering if you grant this liberty men may choose whether any of those spirituall means of Christ should at all come at them The first position that upholds this dividing principle Magistrates have nothing to do in the matters of Religion It must be granted that a Magistrate is not an Officer of Jesus Christ the Mediator in his Mediatory Kingdome There is a two-fold government that Christ hath 1. One as he is God equall with the Father together with the Father ruling heaven and earth 2. Another as he is God and man Mediator in a peculiar Kingdome of his that he hath by way of dispensation from the Father Now the Magistrate is an Officer of God both the Father and the Son in the generall government of the world But he is not the Officer of Christ in that Kingdome of his that he hath by way of dispensation from the Father that Regnum Mediatorum as Divines call it No though he be a Christian Magistrate there are no Officers of that but such as are by divine institution set down in the Word his Christianity doth only adde unto him further ability to execute the work of his Office in a better manner it adds no new authority to him An Infidell Magistrate converted to Christian Religion is thereby better enabled to performe the duty of his place then before but he had the same authority before it was his sinn he did not use his Authority now as he is able to do though he be a Christian who is a Magistrate yet the power of his Magistracy belongs to another Kingdom different from that the second person hath as he is Christ the Mediator But doth not this then exclude him from the exercise of any power in the matters of Christian Religion No for God in the exercise of his power governing the world hath a speciall ayme at the promoting the Kingdom of his Sonne Christ the Mediator Therefore Magistrates exercising this power of God ought to ayme at these ends that God himselfe aymes at in the exercise of his own power that is to be usefull to Christs Government in his Church and for the good of his Church God in all his wayes from the beginning of the world hath aymed at the setting up his Son to be King upon his holy Hill at the promoting of the glory of him who is God-man and if his Ministers doe not make use of their power to this end when this Kingdome of his Sonne comes to be revealed to them he will require it at their hands The power that God invested Magistrates withall in matters of Religion in the Old Testament is so full and cleare in that which God gave to the Kings of Judah and Israel that to name particulars would almost make a volume I find many who write about this subject spend most of their strength here but I wholly forbear mentioning instances in this because it is granted by all that they had power but the argument from thence to the power of Magistrates in the times of the Gospel prevails little with those who hold this Dividing Principle we are now speaking of For they tell us that their power was typicall they in the exercise of such a power were types of the Kingly power of Christ for we find glorious promises of dominion and stability made to Christ in the persons of many of those Kings 2. They tell us that it is no argument because Priests and Levites had in time of the Law power in temporall things in ordering the affairs of the State therefore Ministers should have civill authority now So neither is it an argument because Magistrates had power then in spirituall things therefore our Magistrates should have the like now 3. They tell us that the Church and Common-wealth of the Jews were mixed in one hence to be a stranger from the Church is expressed by being a stranger from the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2. 12. and therefore their Magistrates were Church-officers as well as Civill 4. That the people of the Jews were brought up in a more servile way then Christ would have his Church in the times of the Gospel brought up in Compulsion therefore in matters of Religion was more sutable to their condition then it is to our Jerusalem which is free 5. The whole Church was then bound to be under the same State-government the Laws of
Paris sent to their King in the yeare 1555. after he had sent forth an Edict requiring great severity against those who differed in matters of Religion They professed to him they did not think his Edict equal and that they could not subscribe to it for say they we see that such severe punishments for matters of Religion render men detestible to the people but their errours abide the same still they are not at all altered in their opinions by severity but for their parts they give their judgements that it were better to go in the old way of the Church which did not propagate Religion by sword and fire but by pure doctrine and the good examples of the lives of their Bishops Let them live piously and teach the word of God sincerely this is the way to root out errours that encrease so fast but if this be not done no Lawes no Edicts of men will doe any good Sleidan in his Commentaries hath set down a Decree of the Emperour King Ferdinando and the rest of the Princes and States that the controversie of Religion should be appeased by none other but by godly friendly and quiet meanes But a few pages after he relates the effect of a Petition of those in Austria for their freedom in Religion to King Ferdinando with an answer of the King to them In which there was this passage That such as shall not like that Religion which the Prince hath chosen may have free liberty to sell that they have and go dwell in another place without any blemish to their estimation To which the Embassadors of Austria reply What discommoditie were herein how heavie and sorrowfull newes this would be to the people who seeth not When they shall heare that they which have been ever most ready to spend their bloud and life for the preservation and dignity of the House of Austria must now forsake their most sweet native Countrey so many yeers inhabited and enriched by their fore-fathers Therefore we admit not that Answer in this behalfe but as we have done heretofore for the honour of God we beseech you that you would suffer us to have no let in this matter c. But you will say What does all this tend to but to plead for an absolute Toleration which you seemed before to be against I answer In quoting these Authors I own not such a judgment that possibly you may think to be in some of them for an absolute Toleration How a Toleration should be limited and granted I have spoke to before but I produce the Authors to this end that the rigidnesse of the judgments of some amongst us that think all differences in religion thot cannot be quelled by argument must be quelled bâ— violence may be mollified I am sure if any of these men go too far one way those which I am now reproving goe as wide another Fierce violence in matters of Religion is dangerous as the Chirurgeons rigorous handling his patients arm breaks that bone quite which before was but out of joynt 6. Some take advantage by them to give themselves to loosenes in their lives it is a time of liberty and they will take their time If times were quiet and settled they would be observed more narrowly there would be means of restraint but in these times every man takes his own way and so will they But know that God takes this very ill at thy hands The more loose others are the more conscionable shouldest thou be the worse the dayes are the more circumspectly shouldest thou walk Ezek. 44. 10. The Levites that are gone from me which went astray when Israel forsook me they shall also bear their iniquity The commonnesse of a sin is an aggravation of it 7. Some make no other use of them then to observe which way there may be advantage got by them how they may sute themselves to this side or the other for their gaine or to drive on some private designe so long as they can make use of the times that run such a way they are for them if the stream turn they can turn too they can tack about to every wind their study is not to help to heale them but to contrive wayes how they may get by them Hence they wrench and sprain their consciences with the quick turnings this way and that way they will be on the sunny side wheresoever it be Cunning heads and corrupt hearts will serve their owne turnes by all varieties of times If they were in Dioclesians time they could be Pagans if in Constantines Christians if in Constantius Arrians if in Julians Apostates if in Jovians Christians againe and all this within lesse then the age of a man 8. Some have their spirits in a base manner subjugated by these divisions and troubles that come upon them they care not what they do or submit to so be it they may have peace they will bow down their backs and consciences they will put themselves and posterity under the yoke of perpetuall slavery so be it they may be at quiet and enjoy their estates for the present no matter what becomes of the publick no matter what becomes of the truth They are content to let all go to betray all for their own private advantage This is beneath the spirit of a man 9. Others are discouraged upon the sight of the great evils that daily â—low from our divisions and are like still to flow their hearts sinke in despaire They call into question whether it be the cause of God that we now undertake When the Temple was building there was no noise of hammer axe or any toole of iron heard in the house while it was in building But oh Lord is our work Temple-work We heare the noise not of hammer and axe but of swords and spears of drumms and cannons of railings and revilings these are dreadfull in our eares but let us not be discouraged for though there was no noise heard in the House yet in preparation for the House there was It may be all we are yet about is only preparatory work for the House of our God If God will use us in this only yet blessed be his name Wherefore though our divisions be many and very evill yet they are not so evill nor many but that there may be hope in Israel concerning this thing For consider It is no new thing for divisions to be in the Church THe Apostle would not have us think it strange concerning the fiery triall he means there of persecution The fiery contentions amongst us are another fiery triall We should not think strange of this neither as if such a thing had befaln us that nevâ—r yet befell any I think for all circumstances it is every hard to parallel but the Church in all ages hath been sorely afflicted with divisions Act. 15. 39. Paul and Barnabas two great Apostles were so divided that they could not keep company together but went one from another in anger
require why should we distinguish where the Scripture doth not You will say The nature of the thing spoken of will require that it must be restrained to those things that belong to his cognisance Such a limitation must of necessity be granted therefore it is true that the Magistrate cannot command every good thing nor punish every evill the abstruse controversies in Religion come not under the cognisance of a Magistrate as a Magistrate only such things as are against the rules of common justice and equity and the common light of Christianity where he is to govern Christians for he is to enjoyn and punish such things only as if he were not the community of people which sets him up ought to enjoyn and punish for he hath his power from them but of this more in the next Principle If you shall say But those Scriptures speaking of Civill Magistrates wee must understand them to be meant onely of civill things The Magistrate hath his appellation civil because the power that he exercises is civill the things that he do are civill he cannot do the works of a Church-officer by all the power he hath as administer Sacraments and the like but this hinders not the use of his civil power and the doing of external acts upon the outward man subservient to spiritual good indeed what he doth hath not any spirituall efficacy in it for then it were worship Though he cannot work in a spirituall way upon mans soule by his power it is not an Ordinance set apart by God to that end yet he may by the exercise of his power upon the outward man restrain it from the externall act of evill or bring it to an externall good his power still that he exercises is civill yet ordered to the help of spirituall good either removendo prohibentia or applicando media externa or cohibenda a malo externo removing outward things that hindered applying outward means or keeping from outward evils Whatsoever Commandement requires any duty requires us to make use of all things that may help us to the performance of that duty if there be any civil naturall spiritual helps we are bound to make use of all Only here lies the great doubt Whether hath God appointed the use of the Magistrates power to be a helpe to the things of Religion Hath God made this to be an Ordinance for the spirituall good of people That it is by God an Ordinance for their civill good is plaine out of those Scripture before mentioned but how doth it appeare that ever God intended it to be an Ordinance for their spirituall good What naturalnes there is in any thing it hath it from God for nature is Gods worke if there be a naturalness in it to work upon the outward man for the furtherance of spiritual good this is from God if I should use it to work upon the inward man expecting a spirituall efficacy then I make it an ordinance to my self and sin against God presuming to put more in a creature of his then it was appointed to In this consisted the evil of ceremonies they were used in a spirituall way to work upon the heart of man by vertue of that institution that man put upon them beyond what God in their natural power ever put into them But how can naturall and externall things be helps to things spirituall and divine Any mans reason yea sense may tell him that the taking away externall hindrances and the putting upon externall use of divers things may keep from much evill and further much good that is spirituall and divine though it cannot reach to the spiritualnesse and divinenesse of that good yet it reaches to the externall action without which that divine and spirituall good cannot be Wherefore seeing the New Testament sets out the power of Magistrates and requires submission to them in such generall termes from this we may draw such a conclusion Therefore the Lord intended to leave Christians for their subjection to Magistrates to the light of nature to the equity of the generall rules that were in Scripture before time if God should say Ye are Christians see you part not with that liberty Christ hath purchased for you we may give this account Lord we found in thy word that once thou didst make use of the power of Magistrates in matters of Religion in the New Testament there was nothing revealed to forbid their power in them nay Lord Thou toldst us there that thou hast appointed them for our good and to be a terrour to evill workes in the generall From thence we gathered that in our yeelding to their power it was thy will we should make use of those generall rules in Stripture wee found before the times of the Gospel of the light of nature Being also perswaded it was thy mind we should make use of all the naturall helps we could for our spirituall advantage we found it recorded in thy Word that thou didst allow of the exercise of such power in the things of Religion even to those who had only the light of nature to guide them and being the use of it reached only to the outward man we did not see a necessity of a speciall institution for this knowing what naturalness it had in it to be an externall help was put into it by thy self therefore we made use of it God will accept of this account Add yet a consideration or two 1. When the Apostles were convented before Civil Authority about matters of Religion we never find that they pleaded for themselves You have no power to meddle with us in the things of Religion they belong to Jesus Christ only who is our King to that government he hath set in his Church No their plea was only the justness of their cause that what they professed and preached was the truth of God they did it in obedience to God 2. If all men be bound to improve all the abilities gifts talents they have for the propagation of the Gospel the Magistrates are bound to improve those which are peculiar to them If a man hath more wisdom then others or a greater estate or more friends he is to make use of all these for helps to the furtherance of Religion if then a man hath more power then others he is to improve that likewise not onely by countenancing what he conceiveth to be right but by all other means according to the dictates of Reason not forbâ—â— by Scripture But we have often heard that of Tertullian urged If it be therefore said it is lawfull because the Scripture doth not forbid it is therefore unlawfull because the Scripture doth not command Ans In the matters of Gods worship this rule is to be urged but not in matters civil or natural though in their way subservient to worship their Reason may guide very far But you will say What will you then make the Magistrate a Judge in all causes of
too then men who are not conscientious but of turbulent and corrupt spirits will abuse it We have given rules to find out those who onely pretend conscience and if by those or the like it does not appeare but that men are indeed conscientious in their way we should judg charitably of them you think much if those be not admitted to communion with Christ and his Saints when they professe godlinesse in word and life and nothing appears to the contrary why then should you think much to tolerate those as conscientious who professe it in words and life and nothing appears to the contrary Bishop Davenant in that exhortation to peace before quoted as one meanes for peace gives his opinion thus Because it belongs only to God to teach the hearts of men it is our duty alwayes to make the best interpretation of things and to presume of every one where the contrary appeares not by manifest signes that hee is kept from assenting by his conscience rather then by obstinacy As for the peaceablenesse of mens dispositions let it be judged from their carriages in other things of as great moment wherein the temptation for the attaining their owne ends is as great yea far greater then here Do they not carry themselves in as peaceable gentle self-denying way as any Mr. Parker upon the Crosse cap. 5. sect 14. pleads for himself and others who could not yeeld in some things enjoyned them when they were accused of pride contempt unpeaceablenesse What signes sayes he doe men see in us of pride contempt unpeaceablenesse What be our caetera opera that bewray such a humor Let it be named wherein we go not two mile where we are commanded to goe but one yea whether we goe not as many miles as any shooe of the preparation of the Gospel of peace will carry us What payment what paine what labour what taxation made us ever to murmure Survey our charges where wee have laboured if they be not found to be of the faithfullest Subjects that be in the land Wee deserve no favour nay there is wherein we stretch our consciences to the uttermost to conforme and obey in divers matters Are we refractory then other things As Balaams Asse said to his Master Have I used to serve thee so at other times And whereas it is said that some will abuse such liberty at this It is answered Surely those who are peaceable and conscientious must not be deprived of what sufferance Christ allowes them because others who are in the same way are or may prove turbulent and do or may not appear truly conscientious This is as farre beneath the rule of Justice as no sufferance in any thing conceived erroneous is above it Thirdly whatsoever errours or miscarriages in Religion the Church should bear withall in men continuing them still in communion with them as Brethren these the Magistrate should bear with in men continuing them in the Kingdome or Common-wealth in the enjoyment of the liberty of Subjects Grant what possible can be granted to the Magistrate in the extent of his power about Religion to be Custos utriusque tabulae yet certainly no man can imagine that this his charge reaches further then the charge of the Church That he is to be more exact in his oversight of these things then the Church is to be for what ever the power of the Magistrate be in these things yet to the Church especially are the Oracles the Ordinances the Truths of God committed The charge of the spirituall estate of men especially belongs to the Church Now the Church is to beare with men in their infirmities though they be ignorant of many things yea after means used for information No Church must cast off any from communion with it but for such things that all the Churches of Christ ought to cast them off for This is generally held by our Brethren if a man be rightly cast out of communion with one Church he is thereby cast out of all if this be so then surely many things must be suffered before we proceed to cast out a member it must not be for every errour or miscarriage Thus Bishop Davenant in his rules for Peace Those may not be cut off from communion with particular Churches who remaine joyned to the Catholique Church Yea none is to be cast out of communion but for that which if whole Churches were guilty of we must refuse communion with yea with all the Churches in the world if they could be supposed to be so far left of Christ as to be guilty of the same thing If this be so when a Church is about casting any out of communion it need be wary and not presently fall upon him because there is something evill in him and if the Church should be so the civill Magistrate much more whose care of a mans spirituall estate is not so immediate and full as the Churches is From what hath been said these 2. consequences are clear First Articles or rules for doctrine or practise in matters of Religion to be imposed upon men should be as few as may be there is a very great danger in the unnecessary multiplying them This in all ages hath caused divisions and exceeding disturbances in the Churches of Christ I finde an excellent passage in an Epistle of Isaac Causabon to Cardinall Perron which hee wrote in the name of King Iames by his command The King saith he thinks that the things that are absolutely necessary to salvation are not many therefore His Majesty is of that mind that there is no shorter way for peace then first by severing necessary things from things that are not necessary and then to labour a full agreement in those but as for things not necessary let them sayes he be left to Christian liberty And againe These necessary things are few and the King thinks this distinction to be of so great moment to lessen the controversies which this day doe so exceedingly trouble the Church that all who study peace should most diligently explicate teach and urge this God hath so graciously ordered things for the body that things necessary for life are not many nor costly the greatest stir in the world is about things not necessary So for the soule A second consequence from what hath been said is we see hence who is most for peace one professeth what he is convinced of to be a truth and a duty if it be not necessary he is not to force it upon his Brethren though he had never so much power in the Church or State to back him The other holds this principle That whatsoever he thinks to be a duty he must force it upon his brethren not only by the power of the Church but he must call in the power of the Magistrate to back him in it But doe not men in a Congregationall way urge upon others their owne conceptionâ— and practices according to the power they have
having used sometimes in their Families to take a Scripture and speak something out of it upon this they think it is a better thing to be exercised in preaching Gods word then to fit in a shop all day at some meane worke or selling out wares therefore they thinke they are bound to give over their Callings which they look at as too low mean things and be Preachers of the Word not regarding those due ways that Christ would have men come into such an employment by Although I do not think but that Tradesmen who have good knowledg in the Scripture and are gifted by God to speak the Word to people for their edification when there is a want of able men who have been all their lives preparing for such a work and are set apart for it rather then people should continue in ignorance and so perish if those who are able and fit to judg shal judg them meet for such a work they may be employd to make Christ known to them yet for every man that takes himself to be a gifted man and it may be is so judged by some who are willing to flatter him to take upon him of himselfe or by the advice of two or three of his friends to leave his other employment for the work of the Ministry because that is a more noble and excellent work this is not a way of God but a way of confusion and disorder Again it is in it selfe a better thing to enjoy a Ministry of the most eminent gifts and graces then one of lower but if this should be made a rule that a man who is under a Pastor who is faithfull and in some good measure gifted upon another mans coming into the Countrey that is more eminent he should forsake his Pastor and joyn to the other and if after this still a more eminent man comes he should leave the former and joyn to him and by the same Law a Pastor who hath a good people yet if others be more likely to receive more good he may leave his own people and goe to them what confusion and disorder would there be continually in the Church Men must consider not only what the thing is in its own nature but what it is to them how it stands in reference to their relations If you be joyned to a Pastor so as you believe he is set over you by Christ to be a Pastor to you not because the Bishop hath sent one or an old Usurer dyes and leaves the Patronage of a living to some Ostler or Tap-wench in an Alehouse and he or she shall send one by vertue of their right to the patronage this cannot tie a mans conscience to depend upon him for the ordinances of Christ all his days in case he cannot remove his dwelling but if you cannot but look upon the man as the Pastor that Christ hath set over you Though this man hath meaner gifts then others and it would be more comfortable to you to have another Pastor yet this is not enough to cause you to diseâ—t him whom Christ hath set over you and if people may not leave their Pastors because others have more eminent gifts then surely Pastors must not leave their people because others have more eminent Livings To instance yet further that you may see how this Principle disturbs mens spirits Many being in the works of their Calling have some thoughts come into their mind that prayer is a better work more noble and spirituall then to be employed as they are therefore they must needs presently leave their worke and go toe prayer How many have been perplexed with temptations this way by which their lives have been made very uncomfortable Prayer in it selfe is better but is it better at this time for me all things considered am not I about that which God hath called me to do By this Principle many decive and trouble themselves in respect of their souls as some by a conceit of the like nature deceive bring great trouble to themselves in respect of their bodies some who have sickly bodies their flesh is decayed they think such and such things have most nourishment in them such things are hot and full of spirits and juyce therefore they will eate and drink altogether such things leaving their ordinary dyet by this means thâ—y many times overthrow their bodies for though a man wants flesh yet the way for him to have it it may be is not to take nourishing things but purging and though he be troubled with faintness it may be the way to get good spirits is by eating ordinary dyet and cooling his body that so some distemper may be cured and he may get his veyns filled with good blood and spirits got from it rather then by drinking hot waters that are full of spirits which perhaps burns his heart and dries his body that there is no good blood generated from his dyet It is not enough therefore to say the thing is in it selfe better but is it better in all the references I have and it hath is it better in regard of others in regard of the publique for the helping me in all my relations May it not help one way and hinder many ways If a Physitian should come to a man and see his disease is hot and shoâ—ld therefore presently cool him by giving him water the man may like it for the present why is it not better to be cool then so burning hot but thus the Physitian discovers his folly and the Patient loses his life A Physitian in prescribing some physick had need have forty considerations in his head at once how one part stands affected to the other of what yeers the man is of what complexion how long the disease bath been upon him what was last done to him c. So it should be in the duties of Religion a Christian who desires to walk orderly to beautifie and honour his profession to enjoy communion with God peace in his own soul and be useful to the publique had need have his wits about him not presently to fall upon a work because it is now presented as good to him in a single consideration he must compare one thing with another and see what it is in all its references or otherwise he will but enterfeir hee will but hack and hew and bungle and disturb himselfe and others in the ways of Religion he will make Religion tiresome to himselfe and others he will be in danger in time to cast off strictnesse and to grow so much the more loose then others by how much more streightned he hath been in a disorderly way then others I believe some of you have known those who in their young time have been very strict and tender whatsoever they have conceived to be better then other they have presently followed it with all eagernesse never considering circumstances references or consequences but the thing is good it must be done yet being wearied with
should rather be taken up with admiring and blessing Gods goodnesse to us for what he shewes us then in censuring our Brethren for what he hath denied them 4ly We must remember that not long since we were our selves of another mind yet we sinned not against our light 5ly We must consider also that in other things our Brethren see what they do not and we would be loath to have such measure from them that they should judg us going against our light and to be acted by by-ends in that wee differ from them We must grant that liberty to our Brethren we would have our selves that is not to be involved in the judgments of others but try all things and keep what God makes known to us to be good This liberty sayes Luther Paul hath given me I will stand to it I wil not suffer it to be captivated The ninth Dividing Principle Rules of prudence are sufficient to guide us in naturall things and civill affaires and may as well suffice us in spirituall and Church-affaires A Great part of our divisions about Church-affairs comes from this Principle If God would help us with right apprehensions about tâ—is our divisions would in a great measure vanish Those whose consciences are taken with a contrary principle namely that there must be institutions for all things that are properly Ecclesiasticall and spirituall they cannot yeeld to any such thing till they see the stamp on an institution upon it Others who think because Prudence is enough to order civill affairs there needs no institution for these things they think such as stand for them to be too rigid and stiffe in their way It divides also upon this ground In the corrupt estate of the Church such as ours yet is if we binde to institutions we shall be sorely pinched with many things that will be very troublesom to us but if we go according to the rules of common prudence we may decline or alter what would pinch take up what may be commodious for us Hence the principle is very desirable if it can be maintained men will strive hard before they wil lose it and on the other side God is looked at as a jealous God who will not suffer a mans wisdome to share with him in the things of his worship which are spirituall and holy to appoint and leave out as may be most commodious for the freedome of them from trouble therefore they dare not yield to any Ordinance that is beyond civill but upon some institution of Christ in his Word and this divides Now for your help in this As God hath given two lights to the world the Sunne the grater to rule the day and the Moone the lesser to rule the night So he hath given two Lights to man to guide his course the Scriptures the greater to guide man especially in his spirituall condition in those more immediate references he hath to God for his worship and enjoyment of communion with him The other the less the light of Reason to be his guide in naturall and civill things in the ordering his life for his naturall and civill good and though it is true Religion makes use of Reason and we have help from the Scriptures in our natural and civill affairs yet these two lights have their distinct speciall use according to those distinct conditions of man When I say we must have Scripture and in it institutions for those things which are spirituall and properly Church-affairs I mean whatsoever is made use of for the drawing my soule neerer to God or God neerer to me or for the tendring up my Homage to God beyond what it hath in the nature of the thing put into it by God for that I must have an institution I must not frame any such thing to my self If I make use of any thing of mine own for such an end that I may worship God by or that God might convey some spirituall efficacy to me in the use of it because it is a thing that I thinke as fit for such an end as other Ordinances I find in the Word and yet have not an institution for it in this I sinne against Christ the Lord who alone hath power to set apart the use of what he pleaseth for the tendring up homage to God or the conveighing of any spirituall efficacy from God into the hearts of his servants Mans naturall and civill good is not so high but reason and prudence will reach them but for such things as these are all the reason prudence in the world lies too low they can not without sinfull presumption attempt the putting any thing of their own in the place of these Therefore there can be no other officers in the church to act by any spiritual power then what we find in the Word no new Ordinances no new Courts erected no kind of authority no extent of authority any further then we find in Scripture The proof is evident all Church Ordinances are for spiritual ends to work by a spirituall efficacy beyond what is naturall or civill and the efficacy of the power of government consists much in those who govern if they have not their Charter to authorize their power and the extent of it it loses its efficacie though it be otherwise managed with never so much wisdom and justice the same act that is an act of Justice in one is murther in another yea the same mans act done within such limits is an act of Justice and if done beyond those limits it is murther But you will say Surely there is use of reason and prudence in matters spirituall how far may their use extend To the doing of these two things First by reason I may compare institutions and argue from one institution to another and so find out institutions that lie more in the daâ—k by others which are more apparent Though the thing that I gather be not terminis in Scripture yet if I gather by necessary consequence from an institution one or more it hath the force of an institution in it If I make Reason to be the Basis the ground of my consequence it wil never rise up to that height as to raise an institution but if I make some other institution the Basis of my consequence then it may Secondly when I have found out an institution then reason prudence comes in to help to manage this in a fit and comâ—ly way applying it to fit persons and times making use of fit seasons due order and whatsoever naturall or civill conveniences may further the due administration of it The Prelates abused that Scripture Let all things be done decently and in order for they joyned institutions of their own to Gods to make them decent and orderly But that Scripture only shews you when you have an institution of Christ you are to apply by the use of reason and prudence what natural or civill helps you can for the better managing this
shift for himself In mens lusts there are contradictions no vertue is contrary to another but vices have nothing but contrarieties and contradictions in them Mens lusts oppose and fight against one another in mens hearts no marvail then when there are such stirs within though they break forth into quarrels and contentions without If a man be quarrelsom in his family no wonder if when he comes abroad he quarrels and contends with his neighbours also Sixtly In mens lusts there is violence violence and peace cannot stand together Isa 60. 18. God promises peace and there promises that violence should be no more heard in their Land Mens lusts are boisterous and unruly especyally when they have been acting a while at the first venting they seem to be fair but after a while they grow outragious violent and boisterous dispositions are unfit for society You shall find in experience men who seem to be of weake spirits of softly tempers very remisse in what they do ordinarily yet let the lusts of these men be engaged in any cause to any side O how violent and impetuous will they be they care not what they say or do they will divide from God from the publique from their dearest friends from their neerest relations from what themselves have made profession of heretofore from their credit profit from their own peace from any thing and all to serve a lust engaged in such a businesse it is a dangerous thing to have a mans lust engaged nothing can stand against an engaged lust a man runs on head-long he will break his conscience he will desperately endanger his eternall breaking to maintain the engagement of his lust 7ly In the lusts of mens hearts there is an antipathy against God against his wayes purity of his Ordinances his Saints Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the woman between thy seed and her seed In Antipathy the opposition is 1. In the nature of the things therefore it s deeply rooted it comes not in accidentally you may find two sheep fighting upon some accident but the natures are not opposite like the Wolfe and the Sheep 2. The cause of this opposition is secret wicked men have their spirits rise against the godly but they are not able to say why The husband loved his wife while she was carnall now God hath turned her heart she is more obedient then ever she seeks to give him content in all things more then before she is more usefull to him in all occasions more faithfull every way more lovely then before only she is godly now and was not so before but his heart is now quite off from her he dares not say that it is for her godlinesse if he hath any conviction himself but so it is that now he looks upon her with an evil eye an estranged heart So a wicked Father or Mother who loved their child exceedingly before God was pleased to work upon him yet now the child is more dutiful then he was but the heart of the father or mother is taken off from him can hardly endure him ready to take any exception against him their countenances are lowring and sadd towards him they can give no reason for this their change but as they were wont to say of Christians Such a man is a good man but he is a Christian Bonus vir Caius Seius sed Christianus non amo te I love you not but I can give no reason Hoc tantum possum dicere Non amo te all that I can say is this that I do not love you 3. It is a setled constant opposition This hath been in all generations the great cause of division between the men of the world and the Saints and still it continues the same you may see the same spirit of the old opposers of godlinesse and godly men working in our days the names of things may be changed but the same kind of men for the same things are opposed and hated now in the same manner as in former generations 4. It is very strong ungodly men are exceedingly imbittered against the Saints Ezek. 26. 6. Because thou hast clapped thine hands and stamped with the feet and rejoyced in heart with all thy despight against the Land of Israel This spirit of bitternesse and indignation that was in them against the people of God is seminally at least in all wicked men 5ly The enmity of Antipathy is incurable it can never be taken away except one ceases to be in its nature what it was there can be no compounding things that are so contrary one of them must cease to be or turned into another nature or else the â—pposition will be everlasting The great divisions amongst us are those that are between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent some division there are between those who are the seed of Christ but the great stirs in the Kingdom come from the evill spirit there is in the seed of the Serpent against the godly in the Land In the beginning of the Parliament when mens liberties and estates being involved in one there was good agreement all men rejoyced generally the countenances of those who were not Popish and Prelaticall were serene they had comfortable aspects one upon another but when those whose spirits were opposite to the power of godlinesse saw how the godly amongst them rejoyced how their heads were lifted up how their hearts were filled with hopes of good dayes wherein Religion should be countenanced and honoured that Antipathy that was in their hearts against the ways of God boy-led in them though they were glad that they should be freed from some burdens yet to see those whom they hated in their hearts to rejoyce so much they could not beare but their spirit rose against them and in opposition to them they have raised these stirs they have made these woful distractions that are amongst us Lastly the lusts of mens hearts are the cause of our divisions because God requires every man according to his place to make opposition against them the cause of the strife lyes not in those who oppose them they do but their duty but in in those who nourish such lusts within them yet we finde it ordinarily that those who are most corrupt will cry out against those who oppose them in their wicked wayes as the cause of strife and divisions as if they were the troublers of Israel whereas indeed themselves the wicked lusts of their own hearts are the troublers of Israel those who oppose their lusts desire all good to their persons I remember Augustine in his Book about the unity of the Church hath this passage The Son doth more grievously persecute his father by living naughtily then the father him by chastising him duely Sarahs Maid did more trouble her by her wicked pride then shee her Maid by her deserved correction Those men who are most faulty are the men who are to be charged to be the
to doe would have all Christians dwelling together so far as they can to unite into a body but there is no such order of Christ that all that dwell on the one side of the street should be of one body and all on the other of another body if they be more then can joyn into one spirituall corporation they are bound to joyne into severall so as they may best to their own and other Churches edification and if they should fail in this not joyning in the best way that possible might be their sin is against that edification that Christ requires but not therefore the sin of Schisme Who ever they were that bounded Parishes surely they did not so bound them to the greatest edification of the Church that possible might be and yet who will say they were therefore Schismaticks But suppose you have joyned with any company of Saints in a spirituall corporation if you now shall uncharitably unjustly rashly and violently break from communion with them then you contract the guilt of Schisme upon you First the separtion must be from want of charity By faith especially we are united to Christ our head and by charity to one another If a man appeares departing from any fundamentall Article of our faith which joyned him to his Head he is to bee judged an Heretick So by his appearing to depart from that love by which he was joyned in communion with the members he is to be judged a Schismatick If his departure proceeds from his love of God his love to his Saints and his owne soule yea his love to that very Church from whence he departs as sometimes it may witnessing in a gratious way against evill in it he is farre from the guilt of Schisme If you say love is a secret thing we cannot judge of what is in the heart We cannot judge of it while it is in the heart but when it appeares we may You may know whether this or other principles act men or no by their behaviour in their breaking off communion Where this is not bitcernesse pride selfe-ends will soone appear and carry them beyond those principles themselves professe they goe upon Secondly If the cause of leaving communion be just then those who give this cause are the Schismaticks not those who withdraw upon it Thus the Governours of the Church may be the Schismaticks and a private member withdrawing may be free Suarez a great Jesuite in his disputation De Schismate sayes in some cases the Pope may be a Schismatick If Governours shall enjoyne any thing upon the Church or any member that is sinne or if they shall mingle evill in the publick worship so that there can be no joyning with their worship but there must be likewise a joyning with sinne in this case if any withdraw from them they are the Schismaticks not those who withdraw they are fugati not fugitivi The blame of Schisme sayes learned Voâ—tius must not be upon those who forsake such as have forsaken Christ and the ancient faith but upon those who have thus forsaken Christ and his truth When the second Councell of Nice set up Image-worship many thousands could not yeeld to it but were forced to withdraw who was the Schismaticall party there but the Synod and those who joyned with it Yea further if they impose that which is not necessary though in it selfe not sinful and will not beare with the weaknesses of such as thinke it to be evill if upon that they be forced to withdraw in this the Governours are the Schismaticks also the cause of the rent is in them they ought in such things to beare the weaknesses of their Brethren and not imperiously to require of them those things that there is no necessity of If such things be sinne to their Brethrens consciences if they will stand upon it to enjoyne them they lay a necessity upon them to withdraw from them God will not lay the Indictment of Schisme thus Such a one departed from the communion of such a Church because he would not doe what was lawfull to be done but thus You imposed that upon your Brother which there was no necessity of and would not forbeare him in what I would have you forbeare him but caused him by your imperiousnesse and stiffenesse to depart from communion with you It is true sayes God the thing might have been done but it was not necessary it was out of conscience to me that they forbore the weaknesse is theirs but the Schisme is yours This hath beene generally received though it be very false that if a man departs from a Church because he refuseth to joyn with it in that which is not in it selfe evill that this mans departure is Schismaticall Certainly no Grant there is a weaknesse in his conscience and so a sinne he should informe his conscience better but cannot and this inability is not without sinne yet this arises not to that height of sinne as to make that which supposing him to be in this condition is better for him to doe then not to doe to become Schisme especially if he be willing to hold communion with that Church still in all acts of worship wherein he can joyne without sinning against his conscience and continues brotherly love to them as Saints in all the expressions thereof as he is able The first great Schisme in the Church that was caused by the Governours of it was that which Victor Bishop of Rome and those who joyned with him caused by that imperious way of enjoyning Easter to be kept at such a time which you have mentioned pag. 15 16 17. The story of which you have in Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 23. Those who denyed not the lawfulnesse of keeping Easter yet have generally accused Victor and such who so violently urged this upon the Churches as the cause of the Schisme not such who did not conforme to what was enjoyned them because the thing was not necessary and there should have beene a forbearance in it No Governour ought to urge such unnecessary things which are but under suspition by tender consciences if they do the Schisme is justly charged upon them Thirdly where a man cannot have his soule edified in some Ordinances and truths of great moment which that Church whereof he now is shall deny and is in great danger of being seduced to evill he may depart from that Church to another if he does it orderly and not be guilty at all of Schisme love to God and his owne soule is the cause of this not want of love to his Brethren It is a good speech I finde Chillingworth hath what the goodnesse of the man was I know not but in that Treatise of his The Religion of Protestants a safe way Cap. 5. Part. 1. Sect. 61. answering that plea of his adversary against Protestants that communion with a Church not erring in fundamentals upon pretence of erring in other matters must not be forsaken he
angred you therefore though you have opportunity of being useful to him yet you refuse it as if it were at your liberty to lay out your abilities for good or not Certainly this is not according to the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 7. The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall 3. If you do make use of your gifts for the good of others yet dissentions between you will hinder the profit of them you are not like to do any good by them except they be carryed on by the oyl of love they wil not soak into mens hearts When did you ever know a wrangling contentious Minister though his gifts were never so excellent do good amongst his people And what comfort can a man have of his life if he be laid aside by God as a useless man 4. These divisions cause men to make the gifts of others useless to themselves whereas God puts opportunity into mens hands to get much good by those excellent gifts their Brethren have yet if there be any difference between them either they will not acknowledge the gifts of GOD in them or otherwise they have no mind to receive from them that good they might have because their hearts are not with them Ninthly they hinder our graces how little of God and Christ little spiritualness appears in Professours of Religion since these rents and divisions have been amongst us in comparison of what in former times hath appeared As the members of the body sayes Augustine are not quickned except they be joyned so even the members of Christ do not receive of the quickning vertue of Christ except they be joyned Here is the reason of the deadness coldness emptiness barrenness vanity of your spirits you are not joyned O where are the heavenly Christians that were wont to be those humble those holy gracious soules who lived by faith who were able to deny themselves their whole lives were nothing else but a continuall exercise of self-denyall who were not onely patient but joyfull under afflictions Where are those watchfull Christians who walked close with God who enjoyed such spirituall communion with him as made their faces shine in their holy heavenly conversations Where are those tender broken-hearted Christians that were wont to be who lived upon the Word to whom the Word was more sweet then honey and the honey comb Now there is another kind of face of Professours of Religion as if there were godliness in these dayes not of the same kind with that which was formerly If our fore-fathers who were the most holy and gracious should rise againe they would not own those for Professours of Religion who now make a great noyse keep a great stirr about Religion as if they had got up higher then their fore-fathers had and yet are loose vain frothy false in their way Certainly those holy gracious Saints whom these new Professours sleight were they alive they would abominate them as the great disgrace of and dishonour to Jesus Christ and his Saints Take but away their disputes and for any else how empty and dry are they If they ever had any grace it is under a deal of rubbish we cannot see it and can these men be any other but an empty vine seeing their hearts are so divided The graces that they seemed to have had are quite blasted and if there were any in truth they are exceedingly weakned Vinegar will dissolve Pearls Pliny tells of Cleopatra Queen of Egypt that in her wanton bravery at a Supper she made for Marcus Antonius she dissolv'd a Pearl in Vinegar and drank it off and prepared another both which were valued worth neer five thousand pounds Oh the many precious Pearls worth thousands of gold and silver that are dissolv'd by the Vinegar sowreness of mens spirits in these sharp dissentions that are amongst us Our Divisions hinder the breaking forth of the lustre the shine of Religion in the beauty and glory of it The fire of our contentions raises such a smoak that it all besmothers us it takes away our comliness it makes us look black no amiableness appears in the wayes of Religion to convince men of the excellency of them Scratch'd faces rent and torn garments we account a shame to us distracted divided spirits rending and tearing one another and from one another in our divided wayes O how uncomely doth it render us and that profession of Religion that we take upon us The Turks were wont to wonder much at our English men for pinking and cutting their clothes counting them little better then mad men for making holes in whole cloth which time of it self would tear too soon the cuts rents slashes that are in our spirit in our divisions at this day are much more uncomely and may justly render us foolish and mad in the eyes of all that do behold us Our Divisions hinder our strength If you untwist a Cable how weak is it in the severall parts of it a threefold cord is not easily broken but a single one is Divide a strong current into severall rivelets and how shallow and weak will the course of the water be That act that Plutarch reports to the King of Scythia Scilurus toward his Sons hath been very famous to set out how divisions weaken wheresoever they are he sayes he had eighty Sons and when he was near death he caused a bundle of Arrows to be brought and given them one by one bidding each of them to break it they all answered it was impossible for any man to do it then he causes the Arrows to be taken out one by one and bade one of his Sons break them this any of them could easily do upon this he speaks to his Sonnes thus If ye agree together ye shall abide strong and unconquerable but if ye divide your selves contending one with another ye will be weak and easily overcome They hinder our doing good in publick that which concerns many must be done by many But how can two much less many walk together if they be not agreed that which one does the other seeks to undo Now although God can turn whatsoever is contrary to his work to the furtherance of it yet man cannot do so When God would hinder the work of building Babel he comes down and confounds their tongues so as they could not joyn together in it Thus when the Devill would hinder the work of Jerusalem he knows no way more likely then by dividing the hearts of those who are employed if he can possibly that thereby he might bring confusion They hinder our own ends none are more crossed in their ends and designes then contentious people we have not the mutuall benefits of one anothers Estates Houses the many ways of accommodation and help for one another as heretofore we were wont to have now every man shifts for himselfe scarce any man who knew what the heartiness of friendship meant enjoyes those outward accommodations as