whatsoever which shall be made against his or their persons their Crown or Dignity and use our best endeavours to disclose them and make them known It is we see undoubtedly evidenced from our most publick Declarations and acknowledgements that the Sovereignty and Supremacy is seated in the King's Majesty only And therefore For any persons to challenge or plead for a superiority over or co-ordination and equality of power with the Kings Majesty is notorious usurpation And For any of his Subjects or all of them together to resist or fight against the King their only Supreme Governour can never by the wit of man be reasonably excused or defended from the crime of Rebellion yea as the case stands with us a Rebellion grounded on and accompanied with horrid perjury Which are points certainly to be religiously and severely pondered on by all and every one of those who had an hand or share in the late unnatural War that by their repentance they may procure pardon and peace of Conscience from the King of Kings whose Authority is violated in the affronting of his Vice-gerents But hitherto we have considered of Supreme Power in the General and in whom it is seated amongst us in particular it may be requisite now to suggest somewhat of the extent of this power as to Religion and Religious persons which shall be the work of two farther propositions 6. Then The King's Majesty hath a coercive power about the matters of Religion Bishops and Priests indeed as an excellent Author speaks are the great Ministers of Religion but Kings are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Rulers and Governours of it Religion is ministred by persons ordained and appointed to that service but yet Govern'd by the Supreme Magistrate 1. If it be well considered how great an influence Religion hath into the happiness and the neglect of it into the misery of Polities and Commonwealths we must certainly conclude that either the care of it belongs unto Kings or they want the best means of obtaining the end of Government the peace and happiness of their people A considerable influence true Religion hath on people to make them loving and charitable just and honest and therefore Plutarch well call'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cement of every Society and bond of Legislation It is that which lies at the bottom of an Oath which the Apostle calls the End of all Controversie i. e. the last resolution among men An appeal unto God which without Religion were a vain matter Nor is there any security for a Ruler against Treasons and Conspiracies like to the fear God and true Religion obtaining among his Subjects But whatsoever opinions are entertain'd in the name of Religion are not without effect Suetonius observes of Tiberius that he was Religionis negligentior quippe persuasionis plenus cuncta fato agi Careless of Religion because full of this perswasion that all things come by destiny Nor indeed can it be well imagined men should be over-careful either of serving God or their Prince or doing any vertuous action that drink in this perswasion That if men are bad they are so unavoidably and if good they are so necessarily and fatally inclined and determined to be and therefore Plato wisely pronounced that such are not to be suffered in a Commonwealth who teach God to be the cause of sin and we know too well what malignant influence other Opinions also espoused for Religion have been and are daily of to work all manner of confusion such Principles I mean as these That Dominion and Authority is founded in Grace That evil and Heretical Princes lose and fall from their Authority That Kings are but the Ministers and Executors of the Popes or Parliaments or Presbyters or peoples Decrees That all things ought to be common That inferiour Magistrates may reform things supposed amiss against the will of the Supreme That men are to act according to the impulses of the spirit within them which they can give no reasonable account of That Oaths are in themselves unlawful and forbidden to Christians These and the like Principles of Religion as they are esteemed by some and have been furiously prosecuted by the Zealots of several parties have given evidence enough how intolerable they are in a well ordered Government But besides this energy and power either of the true Religion to dispose persons to live together happily or of whatever is entertain'd under the notion of Religion to drive men on fervently to prosecute it God himself blesseth or punisheth Kingdoms and Nations according to their care and neglect of Religion The very Heathens have observed this Dii multa neglecti dederunt Hesperiae mala luctuosae saith Horace And Livie remarques in the general Omnia prospera eveniunt colentibm Deos adversa spernentibus Godliness 1 Tim. 4. saith the Holy Scripture hath the promises of this present life as well as of that to come S. Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God saith our Blessed Saviour and his righteousness and other things shall be added to you And it is clearly legible throughout the Old Testament how an happy fruitful peaceable and victorious state is promised upon the condition of Piety and the contrary threatned to impiety Hence is that of Solomon Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach a ruine to any people And upon this is that expostulation grounded 2 Chron. 24.20 Thus saith God why transgress ye the Commandments of the Lord that ye cannot prosper because ye have forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you Unless therefore the Supreme Magistrate have power about the matters of Religion he wants the main thing necessary to the end of his office the happy Government of his people This is no trivial argument 2. Parents without question have a Power and ought therefore to have a care of bringing up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Ephes 6.4 i. e. teaching instructing and disciplining of them in the matters of Religion Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham saith God that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Now what belongs to Parents in their Family is not to be denied to him who is Pater Patriae the Father of his Countrey in his Dominions Judges 5.7 2 Chron. 29.11 Apud Gerarenses commune Regum nomen erat Abimelech i. e. Pater meus Rex Gen. c. 20 21 26. Rivet in Decal For thus Deborah was call'd a Mother in Israel and Hezekiah a Father yea and that of the Priests too for them he calls his sons And therefore the fifth Commandment which bids us to honour our Father and Mother is understood not only of natural Parents but political likewise i. e. of Governours and Superiours An houshold as Aristotle observes is a kinde of little Commonwealth and a Commonwealth a great houshold 3. Kings being God's Vice-gerents 't is very incongruous and unseemly that they
so far from being a favourer that he is a professed enemy to his pretences but withall must acknowledge himself to have given a precedent for all the unreasonable claims and violences and oppressions in the world which must all commence regular and just when it shall once be allowed that any power belongs to any which cannot justifie and doth not so much as plead the derivation from above A consideration very fit for our times and those especially who presume upon their own conceited gifts and qualifications without legitimate ordination to venture on the weightiest part of the Ministerial function CHAP. VIII The Catechist's opinion of the indispensable necessity of Ministers being chosen by the people largely declared His two Scripture-instances examined Act. 6. Act. 14. The choice of the seven Deacons no rule for all Churches in the constitution of Officers The choice it self an occasional permission The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie to ordain by the election or suffrages of the community A taste of the Catechist's Learning and Modesty Antiquity untruly referr'd to by him for the peoples right to chuse their Ministers His reasons strike at the Civil state no less than the Ecclesiastical that there must be no Rulers in either but by the peoples choice There is no duty required of the people as to their Officers and Governours which makes this choice contended for necessary Arguments against Popular Elections as un-conformable to the way of the Old Testament made by incompetent judges the occasion of divisions and factions reflected on extreamly by St. Paul's Prophesie 2 Tim. 4.3 4. leaving Ministers under too great a temptation to please and humour the people and very injurious and dangerous to the concernment of Christian Kings in the ordering of the publick Religion and Reformation Bishops Priests and Deacons of the Church of England made ordained and consecrated by the Vertual consent of the People THe fore-going Discourse makes it needless to bestow any farther reflections upon very much of what the Catechist next offers concerning the differences between those whom he calls extraordinary and ordinary Officers or Rulers in the Church Cat. p. 124 125. And as to the rest we shall have occasion to discover the falseness of his affirmations in that which follows That then which I fix upon is the fourth thing required by him to the due constitution of an ordinary Officer of the Church an Elder Pastor or Teacher Cat. p. 125. That he be called and chosen by the suffrage and consent of the Church And this he before assigned as the most characteristical difference of the ordinary Ruler from the extraordinary p. 124. That he is called by the suffrage choice and appointment of the Church it self And again he goes over it as a main foundation to be relyed upon ibid. That his authority is derived from Christ by the election and designation of the Church and therefore confined in the exercise to that Church wherein and whereby it is so derived And this among others is said to be indispensably necessary unto him that would be accounted to have taken that office upon him according to the mind of Christ p. 126. and plainly expressed in the Scripture Whereto I will annex all that he hath spoken in the explication of this particular Fourthly Cat. p. 131. 132 133. 134 135. Election by the suffrage and consent of the Church is required unto the calling of a Pastor or teacher so that without it formally or virtually given or obtained the call however otherwise carried on or solemnized is irregular and defective There are but two places in the New Testament where there is mention of the manner whereby any are called in an ordinary way unto any Ministry in the Church and in both of them there is mention of their election by the community of the Church and in both of them the Apostles themselves presided with a fulness of Church-power and yet would not deprive the Churches of that which was their liberty and priviledge The first of these is Act. 6. where all the Apostles together to give a rule unto the future proceeding of all Churches in the constitution of Officers amongst them do appoint the multitude of the Disciples or community of the Church to look out from among themselves or to choose the persons that were to be set apart thereon unto their office which they did accordingly verses 2 3 5. This was done when only Deacons were to be ordained in whom the interest and concernment of the Church is not to be compared with that which it hath in it's Pastors Teachers and Elders The same is mentioned again Act. 14.23 where Paul and Barnabas are said to ordain Elders in the Churches by their election and suffrage For the word there used will admit of no other sense however it be ambiguously express'd in our translation Neither can any instance be given of the use of that word applied unto the communication of any office or power to any person or persons in an assembly wherein it denoteth any other action but the suffrage of the multitude and this it doth constantly in all Writers of the Greek Tongue And hence it was that this right and priviledge of the Church in chusing of those who are to be set over them in the vvork of the Lord was a long time preserved inviolate in the primitive Churches as the Antients do abundantly testifie Yea the shew and appearance of it could never be utterly thrust out of the world but is still retained in those Churches which yet reject the thing it self And this institution of our Lord Jesus Christ by his Apostles is suited to the nature of the Church and of the authority that he hath appointed to abide therein for as we have shewed before persons become a Church by their own voluntary consent Christ makes his subjects willing not slaves His rule over them is by his Grace in their own wills and he will have them every way free in their obedience A Church-state is an estate of absolute liberty under Christ not for men to do what they will but for men to do their duty freely without compulsion Now nothing is more contrary to this liberty than to have their Guides Rulers and Overseers imposed on them without their consent Besides the body of the Church is obliged to discharge its duty towards Christ in every institution of his which herein they cannot if they have not their free consent in the choice of their Pastors or Elders but are considered as mute persons or brute creatures Neither is there any other ordinary way of communicating authority unto any in the Church but by the voluntary submission and subjection of the Church it self unto them For as all other imaginable ways may fail and have done so where they have been trusted unto so they are irrational and unscriptural as to their being a means of the delegation of any power whatever
by St. Paul's Prophesie 2 Tim. 4.3 4. leaving Ministers under too great a temptation to please and humour the people and very injurious and dangerous to the concernment of Christian Kings in the ordering of the publick Religion and Reformation Bishops Priests and Deacons of the Church of England made ordained and consecrated by the Vertual consent of the People from pag. 196. to p. 219. Chap. 9. Imposition of hands in Ordination limited by the Catechist to the Presbytery of that particular Church wherein the person is ordained The Scripture gives this power to Bishops Calvin's judgment of the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Two Questions resolved by the Catechist in the negative Qu. 1. Whether a person may be lawfully call'd to of employed in a part of the office or work of the Ministry only The Catechist's grounds examined and disabled Scripture-presidents instanced in the seven Deacons Christ's baptizing by his Disciples St. Paul's allegation as to himself The Catechist's own Pastors and Teachers divided in the parts of their office and his Ruling Elders opposed to Preaching-Elders No repugnancy herein with the authority of the Ministry or relation between the Elders and the Church The exercise of gifts restrainable till there be right and authority given and after that too by the rules of prudence good order and edification The Church may lawfully admit to a part of the ministry only and advance her Ministers by degrees Qu. 2. Whether a person may hold the relation or exercise the duty of a Minister to more Churches than one at the same time The Catechist's opinion set down at large with the reasons of it and then refuted under six propositions which are manifested to be asserted by him 1. That none can be a Gospel-minister unless first chosen by some particular Church 2. That none can be ordained a Minister but with relation to some particular Church at his cure and charge 3. That no Minister hath power to depute another for his Curat Vicar or Substitute 4. That no Minister may exercise his power or office out of that particular Church wherein and whereto he is ordained 5. That no Minister may have relation to more Churches than one at the same time Arch-Bishop Whitgift's Answer to T. C. about the Similitudes vulgarly used from a Shepherd and his Flock c. 6. That no Minister may remove from one Church or Charge to another without re-ordination Mr. Hooker's judgment for the avoiding confusion in such like questions as these moved by the Casechist from pag. 216. to p. 237. Chap. 10. The necessity of a rightful derivation of Church-authority from Christ usually suggested by the Catechist Of the Peoples consent required to the exercise of the Elders Authority and the Catechists Directory in case of their dissent and from thence how poor and weak a thing the power of Church-governours appears to be made by him What kind of obedience is allowed by those of the Separation as due to Ministers Dr. Jacksons of the necessity and nature of true obedience with the dtnger of the sin of Disobedience to their Pastors The Catichist's difference between Pastors Teachers considered with the fond grounds of the same from p. 237. to p. 246. Chap. 11. Of Ruling Elders The distinction of the Church into Clergy and Laity defended 1 S. Pet. 5.3 no proof that the whole Church is call'd Gods Clergy-Ministerial power a mark of separation That Lay-men among us have a principal rule in the Church and upon that account our objections against Lay-Elders unreasonable disproved The scarcity of persons fit for this ruling Eldership in every Church and the burthen of their maintenance acknowledged by some friends to the cause grear prejudices against them What kind of Elders or Seniors are countenanced by Antiquity The Jewish Elders joyned in the Sanhedrim and other assemblies with the Priests no pattern to be urged here An examination of the express Scriptures prerended to authorize these Officers Mr. Mede's excellent discourse upon 1 Tim. 5.17 Who are means 1. by Elders there Five expositions which do all exclude these Lay-Elders pleaded for in contra distinction to the civil Magistrate as well as Catechist's exceptions to some Branches of the Exposition given of these words answered The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not denote that ordinary labor which is incumbent upon all Pastors and Teachers as their constant duty Bishops may pertinently enough be meant by the Elders spoken of notwithstanding the Catechist's cavils The same qualifications absurdly required in the Ruling as in the Teaching Elder however their office be said to be so distinct from p. 246. to 273. Chap. 12. Of Deacons Stephen and Philip two of the seven Deacons did preach and baptize The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a large signification The Office of Deacons in the Christian Church to be gather'd not only from Acts 6. but other places The Catechist's rash censure of all Churches which confine not their office to the care of the poor The ordination of the first Deacons managed wholly by the Apostolick prudentials The circumstances of our state vastly different from the Churches then The change of the Levites when the Temple was built from their first office in attending on the Tabernacle a competent plea for our case 1 Cor. 16.2 considered The Catechist urgeth that occasional Precept as a binding Law to perpetuity and so in effect addeth to the Word of God A sort of She-officers Female-Elders Deaconesses and Widows in the Apostolick and Primitive Church forgotten by the Catechist in describing the pattern given in the Mount His unkindness in excluding that Sex from a share in Church-discipline noted and the good women admonished by what he hath said elswhere to look to their priviledge and duty as Church-members from pag. 273. to 285. Chap. 13. Of Prayer A Catalogue of Scripture-forms of Prayer out of the Old and New Testament The lawfulness of imposing them The Catechist's Arguments against the use of such Forms answered Publick Prayer is to provide for common not personal wants Among all gifts in Holy Scripture no gift of Ex-tempore-Prayer mentioned No injury to any Gift to be confined to a subserviency unto good Order The promise of the Spirit not rendred hereby needless or useless Abba Father at no odds with Our Father The gift of Prayer no more promised the Minister than People Part of our Ministry to be fulfilled is Officiating according to the Publick Liturgy-Prescribed Forms hinder not but tend rather to forward and promote Edification from pag. 285. to 300. Chap. 14. Of the Spirit Gift and Grace of Prayer The agency of the Holy Ghost necessary in order unto right Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Iames what it signifies The gift of prayer soberly understood nothing else but a gift of Oratory owing its rise to former Premeditations Quick Parts a competent degree of modest Confidence and frequent Exercise What the Vulgar call a Special Gift
of Prayer is the result sometimes of Impudence and Presumption Pride and Ambition or some worse Principle 'T is not to be expected that the H. Spirit help us immediately to the matter and words of Prayer Rom. 8.26 considered Three Arguments to demonstrate the Proposition The Spirit helps us to the matter and words of Prayer by the use of proper and fit means among which may be reckoned pious and useful Forms composed to our hands by others Grace most considerable in Prayer and the principal work of the H. Spirit is to excite assist and strengthen the exercise of proper Graces Where the Form is prescribed one grace more to be exercised The chief operations of the Spirit of Supplications he inwards in fixing the intention illuminating the understanding inflaming the affections c. A wide difference between saying Prayers and Praying-Prayers from p. 300. to 323. Chap. 15. Singing of Psalms the Catechist's third Gospel-Institution slily passed over Six points propounded about it to be resolved from Scriture Of Preaching the Word the fourth Gospel-Institution Needful distinctions about it Difference between Preaching and Teaching Evangelists and Doctors Word and Doctrine between Preaching by Inspiration and by Pains and Industry Preaching more ways than that of Sermons by the Vulgar fixed on viz. By Reading by Writing by Proxy The fifth Gospel-Institution Administration of the Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper Sacraments no Scripture-word The proper subjects of Baptism proper Church-members The Anabaptist misledd by the Catechists principles Baptism ill confined to the Infant-seed of Believers onely The carriage of the Synod of Dort as to that point Sitting not a gesture prescribed for the Lords Supper 'T is not certain to conscience that Christ and his Disciples used the same gesture at the Supper as at the Passover The gesture of the Passover different from our sitting No evidence of the Will of Christ that we conform to the gesture then used rather than to other circumstances The last Gospel-Institution Church-Discipline The power given to the community of the people Women excepted in the Administration thereof by the Catechist His Scripture-instances considered A threefold Directory given by him for the Exercise of Discipline The politick contrivance of the separate Churches for perpetuating themselves The Catechist's two concluding Questions from pag. 323. to 347. FINIS An APPENDIX Of the Authority of KINGS AND Obedience of SUBJECTS The Contents A Specimen of the Separatists Loyalty and Opinion of the Magistrates Power in matters of Religion Government an Ordinance of God In all orderly Government some Supreme necâ—ssary That Supreme so far Independent Absolute and Vncontroulable There can be but one Supreme all besides must needs be Subject That the Supreme over us is the King's Majesty undeniably evidenced His power about Religion proved by four considerations No Ecclesiastical person hath an exemption from his Tribunal A Scheme of the orderly subordination of Government appointed and approved of God Active obedience the principal due to Authority and that in matters antecedently good indifferent and doubtful but not in matters evidently sinful Here the passive obedience takes place The reasonableness of that Subjection SInce the committing of the foregoing Pages to the Press I have considered with my self that among all the Brethren of the Separation whom I have either known or heard of there hath not one been found of that Loyal Disposition as to call the War against the last King a Rebellion or his Death a Murther or the Government of O. C. an unjust Vsurpation but then as to Religion it is most palpable that they do all deny any Authority in the King to intermeddle with it and are no less professed Enemies to his Supremacy in matters Ecclesiastical a foundation-Principle of the English Protestant Reformation than the Jesuited Papists Their Judgement joyntly is Let Kings take care of Civil State Let Church of Church-matters debate Now so long as these Doctrines are entertained and acknowledged it is but labour lost to press them unto obedience and conformity to the Laws of the Realm about Religion and the Service of God since these Laws themselves are adjudged by them no other then extravagancies beyond the compass of their Rulers Commission invasions of Christ's Authority the Churches Priviledge and every Christians Liberty unjustifiable in themselves and therefore of no power to oblige them unto duty or brand their most contemptuous neglects for sinful transgressions I have therefore thought it requisite in order to the fuller confutation of their way and principles to annex this Appendix for the rectifying of their apprehensions who shall be willing impartially to deliberate upon what is here offered to them briefly of these two heads First the Power and Authority of Kings or Governours And Secondly The obedience due from Subjects For these two are relatives not to be separated each from other First then concerning the former I take it for granted that Government and Magistracy is an Ordinance of God and they who list to dispute it may if they please confront and oppose St. Paul's thirteenth Chapter to the Romans That which I design to recommend shall be comprised and demonstrated in the following particulars 1. In all regular Governments needs must there be some Supreme and Principal Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some Princeps Some first and chief Some uppermost and Head of the rest to whom the last appeal must be made and at whose tribunal and decision they must acquiesce Ordo non datur nisi cum relatione ad aliquid primum for without this there can be no settled and determined order but there will be a progress to infinity and controversies can never be ended A necessity there is in all Government for some to be uppermost 2. The supreme or chief power where-ever it is seated must needs be so far independent absolute and uncontroulable Independent upon any but God himself for otherwise there will be some above it and so it will not be supreme and uppermost Absolute it must needs be to obtain the ends of Government where by absolute I mean not freed from an obligation to observe the Laws of God and Nature and to Govern according to humane Laws so far as equity will bear but freed from the fetters of all humane Laws when the necessity of Government whereof the Supreme is also to judge calls for it And without this no Government can well be upheld and managed there being ever some cases happening which humane Laws cannot in particular foresee and provide against and therefore the breast of the Supreme must make a supply And then being independent on any upon earth and absolute in the sense explained it must needs follow that it is unaccountable unto any uncontroulable by any but God Subject to the coercive restraint of none besides for if so that to which it is subject will be above it and so it is no longer Supreme and Uppermost and we shall lay the Principles of confusion
he useth the Ministry of men in order to the ends of Illumination Conversion strength against Temptations the forgiving and retaining sins In reference to which those Ministers of his produce not acts of the same kinde with the Spirit it self but acts subservient only unto his But then the actions that concern the outward man consist in defending delivering adorning and ordering of the Church and herein he useth not only the Ministry but the Vicar-ship of Kings and Magistrates as being capable in this matter to produce acts congeneal to his own These outward acts now belong to his providence over his Church and as the universal Providence of God which is of it self sufficient for the managing all things yet for the manifestation of a manifold wisdom useth the higer Powers on earth as Vice-royes to preserve and order the common Society of men from whence they are call'd Gods so also the special Providence of Christ which watcheth over his Church not only makes use of and implyes the Ministry of Angels for the good of the Heirs of Salvation but taketh also the Ministers of God's more general Providence in the world into part of this care as his Vicars having once submitted to his Scepter and by them governs and orders his Church who are called likewise after his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ's the Anointed of God Christianity then is so far from taking away the power of the chief Magistrate in the matters of Religion which hath been proved necessary to the obtaining of the ends of Government that it highly establisheth it and gives the Magistrate both a stronger obligation and a greater capacity to discharge his duty therein 1. A stronger obligation being now to esteem himself not only the Minister of God's ordinary Providence but a Substitute of Christ in the external ordering and ruling of his Church And 2. a greater capacity because it acquaints him more clearly with the rules of God's will and pleasure which he is to see observed More I think need not be said for the evincing That Kings have certainly a Power in the matters of Religion in the ordering and governing the external Administrations of the Church A power of reforming what is amiss A power of adding outward penalties the better to inforce an observation of the Divine Commands And A power of ordering and appointing the outward circumstances of God's Worship undetermined by God as may be most decent and comely and beneficial to the unity and peace and edification of Church and State Lastly I add That no Ecclesiastical Person whatsoever hath an exemption from the King's Tribunal or from being ordered and governed by him in the external Administrations of his Office and Function It hath been observed that some Church men are of that make and temper Vt ni pareant territent That unless they obey they may terrifie and affright and the multitude as Curtius once said Vanâ religione capta meliùs vatibus quà m ducibus paret being blinded with a vain Religion obey their admired Prophets better than their Captains and Leaders and therefore it is good reason that Princes for their own security should have an eye even over these and a hand long enough to reach them Rom. 13. Let every soul saith the Apostle be subject to the higher Powers St. Chrisostom's Commentary upon it is That the Command reacheth not only to seculars but to Priests and Monks also yea saith he Be thou an Apostle be thou an Evangelist be thou a Prophet or whatsoever thou art And Aeneas Sylvius could once say Nec animam Papae excipit Neither doth St. Paul except the soul of the Pope though when himself was afterwards made Pope under the name of Pius the second he seemed to recant it Quod Aeneas probavit Pius damnavit Our learned King James in his Declaratio projure Regio against Cardinal Perron well observes p. 65. That this general command by which all Christians are equally obliged is yet directed by St. Paul especially to the Church of Rome as if he had foreseen and would have premonished Illâ in urbe seditionum fontem erupturum ibi nascituram belluam quae civili obedientâ—ae nervos corroderet that in that City the fountain of Seditions would burst forth and there the Beast be born which should gnaw asunder the sinews of Civil obedience What Samuel said of Saul belonged to other Kings of Israel as well as he Wast thou not made the Head of the Tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 15.17 and the Lord anointed thee King over Israel King over Israel and Head of the tribes of Israel are all one Now we read that those tribes had their several Heads but Saul was the head of those Heads as well as of the rest of the tribes of Israel and certainly Levi's tribe was not exempted Moses the first Supreme Governour of the Jews was to be a God to Aaron the High-Priest and the whole ordering of their Religion was subject to him and I might lead you through the series of Scripture History to exemplifie the same in other Kings and then annex a particular reply to the exceptions wont to be made in these matters but that would swell my Discourse into too great a bulk All I shall now say farther is to borrow Saint Bernard's arguing upon the Apostles Universal Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers Si omnis vestra so saith he in an Epistle written to an Arch-Bishop Bernard ep ad Archiepisc Senonensem If every soul then yours Quis enim vos excipit ab universitate For who can except you from every one Si quis tentat excipere conatur decipere If any one attempt to make an exception he doth endeavour to deceive To conclude here is the Scheme of that orderly subordination appointed and approved by God 1. God and Christ above all 2. Vnder God and Christ the King 3. Vnder the King 1. The whole series of Civil Powers deriving all their Authority from him And 2. The Ecclesiastical Order deriving indeed their Spiritual Powers and Functions from Christ himself yet for order sake subjected to the King's Government in all their external administrations and owing all their Temporal Priviledges unto the Kings Laws as the proper Fountain of them I will end this subject with a memorable saying of Marcus Aurelius the Emperour Magistratus de privatis principes de Magistratibus Deum autem de principibus decernere ac judicare Magistrates are to judge of private persons Princes of Magistrates and God of Princes Wherewith agreeth that of Horace Regum timendorum in proprios greges Reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis A few words now II. Secondly Of the Obedience due from Subjects and I have done what I intended The prime Due unto Authority is active Obedience to its commands doing what is required and forbearing what is prohibited for therefore are things commanded that they may be performed and therefore forbidden that they may be forborne and
the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof and all the lavvs thereof and write it in their sight that they may keep the whole form thereof and all the ordinances thereof and do them One vvould guess by these allegations the Catechist and his Brethren vvere far from being avovved enemies to setledforms of worship But that these are allusions only vvhich they are accustomed to cant vvith The former Text relates to the Tabernacle which God appointed Moses to make vvith the appurtenances thereof Act. 7.44 The later is not so easily resolved upon amongst Interpreters what Temple it was to be referr'd unto Grot. in EZek. cap. 40.2 It seems most probable that the Prophet EZekiel received the pattern of the Temple in a Vision as it was when Nebuchodonosor destroyed it and that to this purpose that the Jews might understand hovv great a glory of their Nation they had forfeited by their sins and that vvhen God should restore them from their captivity they might have before them a Sampler to imitate as far as they were able And if any object that the description here made of it doth not exactly square and agree with that of Solomon's 't is answered That those many Kings who came after Solomon did out of the great tributes and gifts brought into the Temple add much unto it by the ornaments of it yea and changed the use of some things about it But I need not lay any stress upon conjectures When we have the priviledge to be taken into the Mount with Moses and behold God's pattern or receive a Vision of it with Ezekiel we shall be certainly obliged to conform unto it but in the interim that vvhich is obtruded upon us by some for it vve can entertain for no other than a dream of men of strong imaginations 9. Those Scriptures which point unto the spiritual worship required by God under the Gospel †See the explication of this text farther in this book hereafter John 4.21 23 24. Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem vvorship the Father but the hour cometh and now is vvhen the true vvorshippers shall vvorship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and having an high priest over the house of God Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 1 Cor. 14.20 Brethren be not children in understanding 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 11. where the Apostle compares the ministration of the Spirit with the Law and preferrs it as more glorious If the ministration of death written and ingraven instones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth for if that which was done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious The whole design of which place is to prefer the glory of the everlasting Gospel above that of the Legal dispensation which was to give way to it Catech p. 56.17 58 59 60. Now these places are alledged by the Catechist to prove That the decency and comliness of Gospel-worship doth not in the least depend upon the observation of any external rites or ceremonies But the mistake lies in making that the only excellency and requisite of Gospel-worship which is indeed it 's principal and chiefest qualification The case one would think were very plain We are not our selves naked bodies nor yet ghosts or spirits but spirit and body united together The soul and spirit is the most considerable and ruling part in us and yet the body is a part also though subordinate Our duty then is readily chalked out by the Apostle 1 Cor. 6 10 Glorifie God in your body and spirit which are Gods in body and spirit together Chiefly indeed in and with our souls and spirits which are chief within us but not with our souls only 'T is part of our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 to present our bodies also a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God Yea whilst we live in Society 't is our greatest concernment in reference unto others by our visible and bodily and external devotions to declare a reverent sense of God and affection to his honour We cannot glorifie God among men but by the sensible expressions of our religion and therefore God in the second Commandment mentions these and the ordering of these is the proper matter of humane cognizance and government to busie it self about In the first place we must have Grace in our hearts that we may serve God acceptably but then it is but fitting that we discover that inward grace by the external acts of a becoming reverence also Let us have grace Hebr. 12.28 29. that we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire St. Paul thought it fit not only to provide that the Church at Corinth might serve God understandingly and with the spirit but after this decent manner also the man uncovered 1 Cor. 11. and the woman covered Nor is it fitting that the honour of God's publick worship should in this particular be left to the uncertainties of every clownish and fantastick humour 10. It is said to be the main design of the second commandment Catech. p. 62 63. to forbid the making unto our selves any thing in the worship of God to add unto his appointments whereof an instance is given in that of making and worshiping Images To this purpose we are frequently referr'd unto Exodus 20.4 5. Thou shalt not make unto thy self any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the Water under the earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God c. It may seem neer akin to adding unto the Word of God for any to presume to turn the body of a precept into an instance only The main design of the commandment is plainly against Idolatry God's jealousie therefore is in this case said to be moved when we do as the wife that admits
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 2 Cor. 1.2 1 Cor. 1.3 2 Cor. 1.2 c. Gal. 1.3 Eph. 1.2 Phil. 1.2 Col. 1.2 1 Thess 1.1 2 Thess 1.2 Philem. 3. Grace Mercy and Peace 1 Tim. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.2 Titus 1.4 and his acoustomed farewel his wish at parting Rom. 16.20 1 Cor. 16 2â— c. and taking leave is this The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Rom. 16.20 1 Cor. 16.23 Phil. 4 23. 1 Thes 5.28 2 Thess 3.18 Philem. verse 25. somewhat enlarged 2 Cor. 13.14 varied Gal. 6.18 Eph. 6. 23.24 contracted Col. 4.18 1 Tim. 6.21 2 Tim. 4.22 Tit. 3.15 Consult we next the Apostolical Exhortation unto Timothy for the providing a publick Liturgy I exhort saith St. Paul that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Giving of Thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty 1 Tim. 2.1 2. 1 Tim. 2.1 2. q. d. In the first place Dr. H. paraphâ— I advise thee and all other Bishops under thy inspection that you have constant publick offices of devotion consisting 1st Of Supplications for the averting of hurtful things sins and dangers 2dly Of Prayers for the obtaining of all good things which you want 3dly Of Intercessions for others And 4thly Of Thanksgiving for mercies already received and all this not only for your selves but in a greater diffusion of your charity for all mankind for the Emperours especially and Rulers of Provinces under them to whom we owe all our peaceable living in any place in the exercise of Religion and a vertuous life and therefore ought in reason to pray and give thanks for them Now how can this exhortation be more properly and effectually complied with than by the making of certain Forms of Prayer with Thanksgiving suitable to those Heads and appointing the use of them Two Texts of Scripture more shall conclude this catalogue of citations Revel 4.8.12 The four Beasts rest not day and night saying Holy Holy Holy Revel 4.8.12 Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come And the 24 Elders worship him that liveth for ever and ever saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were-created Revel 15.3.4 Revel 1â— â— 4. And they who had gotten the victory over the beast verse 2. sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou only art holy c. He certainly must have a fore-head of brass who after these Scripture-patterns and warrants for Set Forms of Prayer dare presume to deny their lawfulness or declaim against their expediencie And by the way I have also cleared sufficiently the justifiableness of imposing and prescribing of them It savours rankly of a spirit of disobedience to refuse the doing of that upon our Superiour's command which we may do lawfully of our selves And to determine this Quaery in a word Where-ever there is Publick Prayer performed in a Congregation he that speaks doth thereby prescribe a Form for the time unto all that hear and joyn with him and it were worth the while to know Why that priviledge should be denied to a greater authority which they cannot avoid the granting to a less Briefly then to the Catechist's Arguments 1. 'T is contrary saith he to one principal end of Prayer it self which is that Believers may therein apply themselves to the Throne of Grace for spiritual supplies according to the present condition wants and exigencies of their souls Rom. 8.26 Phil. 4.6 Heb. 4.16 1 Pet. 4.7 I answer That publick prayer is to provide for publick and common wants private and secret prayer for private and personal wants and yet both publick and private wants may be comprized in a Form of Prayer the publick in a Form prescribed the private in a Form premeditated But for the private and personal wants of every particular to be regarded in Publick Prayer is a thing that never was and never will be practicable farther than as particulars are provided for under certain general heads whereto they may be referr'd For the Texts of Scripture cited Rom. 8.26 The Spirit 's helping our infirmities I design to speak to in the next Chapter Phil. 4.6 is only an injunction of the duty of Prayer upon every occasion Heb. 4.16 is an encouragement to come boldly on all occasions to the Throne of Grace 1 Pet. 4.7 requires from us watching unto Prayer Which may certainly be done by premeditation and a carefulness over our own Spirits that we be not discomposed for that service There is nothing in all these Texts against the using of Set Forms of Prayer 2. 'T is contrary to the main end that our Lord Jesus Christ aimed at in supplying men with gifts for the discharging the work of the Ministry tending to render the promise of sending the H. Ghost which is the immediate cause of the Churches preservation and continuance needless and useless Eph. 4.8 12 13. I answer That among all the Gifts mentioned in H. Scripture we meet with no such thing as a Gift of Extempore-Prayer and were there any such yet is it no more injury unto that than to other gifts to be confined in the exercise within such bounds and limits as tend to order and edification For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 Not is the promise of the H. Ghost render'd needless and useless who hath other weightier effects to promote than this and who doth as well direct and assist the Church in composing and prescribing a Form of Prayer for publick use as any private Minister for his present Auditory Eph. 4. whereto we are referr'd speaks only in the general of Gifts by Christ bequeathed unto men but names not the Gift of Prayer much less asserteth it to appertain unto every Minister But the Catechist had before told us Cat. p. 174. it will be said That Christ bestows on the Ministers of the Church Gifts and ability of Prayer for the benefit and edification thereof citing Rom. 8.15 16. Gal. 4.6 I answer That in these two Scriptures mention indeed is made of the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father but that nevertheless is at no odds with saying Our Father which art in Heaven Nay 't is possible it may relate unto it And besides these Texts concern not more the Ministers priviledge than the Peoples referring in common unto Christians 3. It will render the discharge of the duty of Ministers unto several precepts and exhortations of the Gospel for the use