of Christian Religion This being premised I come more particularly to give answer 1. Many of these things that are named as found in the Church of the Jews as a National Church were not yet the Essentials of a Church as National in general but of that particular National Church and typical of things under the Gospel as is plain in the exposition of them in the New Testament and more particularly that excellent Epistle to the Hebrews the Temple the High Priest the Holy of Holies the Altar the Sacrifices the solemn Feasts with such like serv'd only as shadows of things to come and the want of them argues nothing against National Religion 2. Those things that were not Typical or whose main and sole intention was not to adorn and compleat that whole Frame but rested upon Universal Principles of Reason Truth and Duty can never be abrogated but are for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have National hope in God and be obliged in our duty even as they were Thus the duty of Magistrates and people towards true Religion of publick instruction of publick Ministers of Religion of care for places of meeting for Divine Worship throughout a Nation continue still and need no new commands in the Gospel 3. As to the first planting of Churches by drawing Christians into particular private Societies it amounts but to thus much that Christ the Lord of tâ—e Church did not found his Church universal as necessarily diffusing it self into Nations nor could it in reason be so For seeing it was in Divine Providence for great and weighty Reasons of which it is not proper now to speak intended and ordered that hundreds of years should pass over Christianity ere it had the favour and protection of Supreme Christian Magistrates there must have been for that space no Religion or Church if there had been no other Form but National The Church of Christ therefore though it was in those days within Nations Cities Towns and Villages yet of low stature in comparison of National Religion till the Reign of Christian Emperors considerable indeed in it self and its diffusion through so much of the world but not acknowledged by Laws or Governments till long after its first entrance And at all times upon the change of a Christian Magistracy into a Pagan an Apostate an Heretical or Idolatrous Succession or the complex of all Antichristianism which early invaded the Church and even covered and obscured it in succession of time the Church of necessity must fall back into such a low state and subsist upon its obedience to the Law of Christ and its own prudential accommodations to the state of Times without the Magistrates care and protection Our Saviour therefore took care of the Catholick Church which is of absolute Divine Institution which is founded in that promise The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it To which belong primarily all the great and glorious expressions of Scripture to which are given originally Pastors and Teachers to propagate promote build up and strengthen it and shall by virtue of Christs ascension far above all heavens be certainly continued to it till we all come to the unity of the Faith of the Son of God to a perfect man to the full measure and stature of Christ in all his members All other Societies of Christians are but little images and representations of this in these its excellencies and the more they participate of it the more truly are they the Churches of Christ But because this is too diffus'd for one Model for one Frame to comprehend there is therefore allowance given by Christ for lesser Associations of this Catholick Church from the nature of the thing and because of the discountenance of Nations and worldly powers at first and since upon true Christianity Our Saviour therefore Matth. 15. 18 c. expresly fixes the promise of his Divine Presence in the smallest parts of this Church where but two or three are gathered together in his Name he hath assured he will be in the midst of them so that it is hence evident the whole neighbouring discourse centers in the least Assemblies agreeing in Christian Religion For though it supposes first a greater number the Church and two or three Witnesses being contradistinguished yet as it were in prospect of the great fewness upon some exigencies of Christians practising the duties of Christianity together it brings down the promises of Audience in their appeals to heaven and presence with their whole worship and services to the smallest numbers not by way of limitation to but encouragement of so small a number And it is very observable the very same declaration of Christ to the Apostles whose soever sins you remit or bind by the true Doctrine of the Gospel shall stand good in heaven the very same is said here to the smallest Societies of Christians as to their Judgment and determination upon their own members according to the Laws of Christ concerning the offences that fall out among themselves having the same Doctrine to proceed he committed to them even as to the Apostles themselves Churches are Pillars and Rocks of Truth even as the most Excellent Ministers and either or all being no more but Praecones each in their kind or Publishers of the Will of Christ and his Truth declar'd in his Word in the vertue of their being parts of the Catholick Church Now the Reason why our Saviour pitches upon so small a number of Christians agreeing is certainly this because he would appoint no other form to his Church than such as could live as could subsist under any Civil Government whatever whether friendly or unfriendly to it He gave it no other shape but what it might attain and keep under any state of Civil Laws under any enmity it met with in the world And this was most necessary because the Church of Christ was not confin'd to one Nation as the Jewish was whom God in a peculiar manner singled out and manag'd to the state of a Kingdom and Nation by a mighty power and out-stretched arm and conserv'd by the same ruling it with an immediate sensible presence after he had form'd it by precise Laws and setled the just bounds of all Officers in their Office and appointed them the place of the exercise of it whereas the Christian Doctrine being indifferent to every Nation under Heaven it did as it made its progress convert certain numbers to it self at first which had no priviledg of humane Laws or Powers but the edg of all turn'd against it so that the Form of Churches was composed to all the vicissitudes of Providence they were to undergo and that in all reason must be in case of necessity the very least of Societies of Christians Two or Two or Three as our Saviour significantly points upon small Societies for such are most fitted to the worst of conditions that could befall lesser and single bodies moving every way
and Divine Reasons are the only way of introducing it into Nations Beyond this is nothing but Popish Antichristian Ambition or wild and cursed Enthusiasm with all their salvage effects 2. Where there is National Religion even the National Authority is first Christianiz'd so that there is no Headship no Foundation but Christ and his Laws taking place upon a National State in profession of him If the Christianity then be removed by falshood taking place instead of Truth the Nationalness stays but the Religion the Candlestick is removed the Church is departed from it and retires where it may be enjoyed in its own Truth The form of the Church is the very same with that of the Catholick Church and Congregations As it is National the Headship Organization is no other than National but no more than the City of Corinth or other Cities or Regions made a Church of Corinth or those other Churches no more do National Laws or Magistracy make the National Religion Christianity if received settles there if not received or afterwards expulsed leaves Laws Magistracy Cities to themselves and so it deals with Churches or Forms of them of what kind soever 3. All Union in True Religion is free rational voluntary It owns no compulsion of Laws or Magistracy except in things morally good or evil so that in this only is the difference from National Agreement in other things that of Religion is voluntary and by consent Princes and Governors may be nursing Fathers and Mothers by honorary Rewards and Encouragements they may give all freedom to the true Worship of God and protect it by Laws they may fâ—nce it in with the strict observation of all moral observances they may offer and take care for the perswasions of Religion to be addressed to all their Subjects Many such demonstrations of their Love to true Religion are allowed by God but despotically to command or compel is not of the nature of True Christian though National Religion Christs Kingdom not being of this world refuses even the Magistrates Sword much more that of private force for the propagation of its most proper Interests Our Saviours Religion hates all things of violence and cruelty it is not of its Spirit he does all by instruments of his own And if Nations have made their Religion yea the Religion of Christ an essential of their Government yet if it be not according to the rule of Christ Obedience to and the good opinioof that Government is a lower and lesser Interest than Truth and O bedience to Christ Christ never intended Christianity for a Politick Engine or Expedient yet for the conservation of Government in its full Rights there is not a more concernful point of Christian Religion than the whole Doctrine of Patient Suffering with its reasonableness though it is unhappy for those Rulers that put Christians upon the exercise of it unhappy is that Power that is sealed to with Martyrs Sufferings Yet every man owes to God a strict account why he is not of the National Religion what reasons counterballance to him the great reasons given for National Religion and therein shall receive his Sentence from Christ If any upon just reasons desert a Congregation though but of two or three as I have at large set out is a little Sanctuary reserved to them by Christ with a faithful promise of his presence where it cannot be enjoyed in greater which are else though with some disadvantages in all other regards to be preferred for their publickness and not without great reasons to be refrained from or deserted If the Reasons are not of weight they stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ who are guilty of a Schism against the Laws of Christianity the Laws of Natural Religion the Laws of Humane Society and that according to the malignancy of it To draw this Discourse now to a Conclusion let me subjoyn some Rules by way of Inference of certain good effect to the management of so great an Interest as I have represented National Religion Rule 1. That the Religion offered for National should in the substantials of it be all of clear and undoubted evidence from the Word of God and sound reason from it and in indifferents or necessarily adhering circumstances prepared by so publick a Spirit as to project least of doubt and scruple that as Articles of Faith should be so fram'd as to beget no dividing Controversie but leave room to the particular Judgments of Men where points absolutely necessary are secured so all things of external mode or form should be so freely and generously design'd that every mans particular apprehension may be most at liberty without which the probabilities of the National Religion are surpris'd Rule 2. That in Circumstantials of Religion what is prepared and setled so that it cannot be alter'd by any private dispose nor allowed to any private choice without scandal to the publick Every man should consider his Liberty of Conscience on one side as on the other to preserve himself from scruple as in the Apostles instance of eating There is liberty on one side to eat all things but this does not determine to a necessity of eating that were not liberty If therefore there be a good reason an expediency not to eat the liberty is more conserv'd in not eating than in eating So it is in the use or not use of all indifferent things Where then as to the case we are now upon the advantages for publique Religion incline this way or that way to the use or not use of Indifferent Things It is our greatest liberty to move our selves that way and not to be deterr'd with the suspition of the loss of it by so doing This seems to be the Prophet Zachariahs resolution concerning the Fasts wherein those that would have them laid down and others would keep them still a foot differ'd He first shews them of no value with God then bids them love the Truth and Peace Zach. 8. 10. For though outward Forms Uniformity or Variety in them are of no account in themselves with God but either way in the Uniformity or the Variety They that serve God in spirit and truth are accepted of him yet the angry dissents and disagreements that dis-joyn the minds of men and disable the Union of Divine Worship is like the covering the Altar with tears of complaint and makes the offering unacceptable That there may be the Unity God is delighted in without Uniformity is plain by the Harmony of the Evangelists in their History of our Saviour where there is perfect Unity yet without Uniformity it is plain too by a consideration of Gods smelling a savour of rest in the services of the Church Universal where there is great Variety yet Unity But the contentions and quarrels that often arise about these things are the great causes of Gods displeasure what may most cure them is then most to be desired and chosen but what that is I will not be so bold as to prescribe
Answ By staying the due time upon the Uncontrovertible Doctrines and Commands of Natures Laws yielding full Obedience to God in them trembling to add any thing of baser Alloy to them A Man shall see Revealed Truth shining out upon Natural and joyning it self to it and with it Thus many of the Fathers came over to Christianity And so in all parts of Scripture by rising from the most Fundamental Truths lov'd and obey'd a Man shall ascend by due degrees to those more remote Thus Good Men in the Old Testament waited for the Kingdom of God and upon just Considerations moved upon the Line of Truth from the State of Religion in the Old Testament to that of the New except sometimes a Light shines suddenly round about Men as in extraordinary Conversions Quest You seem then to think False Religion and All Divisions in the True have most nearly sprung up from over-confidence of Things not of the Evidence of Publick and Divine Truth Answ I do so indeed although I know Mens not liking to retain Truth but being bewitched by false Imagination betrays them both to the Plague of Lost and Fallen Spirits warring under the Prince of our disordered Air the Ruler of the Darkness of this World and to the various Arts of Men who corrupt Religion for the Ends they have to serve themselves of by it I know Mens Faculties of Search Inquiry into and Comprehension of Truth are much shrivell'd and shrunk up I know Endless Doubts and Incertainties are brought upon Religion by Darkness and false Appearances to Souls that are so full of all the Reasons and Causes of Delusion within themselves and deserted by the just Judgment of God giving them over to believe a Lie I acknowledge all these Causes of Errour Yet I am assured the close Adherence to God in Truths evidently Divine and not removing farther into a Religious Esteem of Things till upon the same Evidence is the Means under the Conduct of the Holy Spirit to be secure from dangerous Errour or Schism from the true Publick And whatever is not so evidently Publick and Divine is liable to Private Interpretation and so to Errour And when Men are overweening upon Private Interpretation they easily fall into Errour and when they are surly and masterly upon it it moves Wrath Emulation Strife so that both Falshoood and Cruelty have entered in at this Door and rang'd over the World Quest But ought we to stupifie all Inquiry and benumb Judgment in every thing not evidently Divine Answ Not so but to behave our selves humbly and modestly to acknowledge there are vast Tracts of Truth and Knowledge beyond what we know but we must feel the Evidence of them before we can receive them yet to carry our selves with due concession to every Mans Sense that though their Sense cannot nor ought to master us no more ought we to expect ours should them which would exceedingly reconcile or abate Differences and retrench the mischievous Effects the World hath so long groan'd under by so many Religions of Nations Names of Churches and Persons propagating their Private that is not Divine Sense and that with Clamour and too often with rude Force Quest What are the Instances of the Mischief of making Defection from this Publick Catholik Divine Truth for Private Sense Answ The Angels Fall from Heaven was certainly upon Private Sense and Interest Adam's from Innocency and Paradise upon the same the Jews Fall from being the Church and People of God was upon the Idiotism of having Religion for their own All Idolatry and Superstitions of Heathens have risen from hence All the Heresies in the Church have come from an over-love to Private Opinion This is the most damnable Antichristianism of Rome to make its Private Catholick All Persecutions of Heathens Romes Inquisition and Massacres have been inflam'd in this Furnace the love of making Private Publick And in lesser and more unfundamental Points Private Interpretation enfore'd as if it were Publick hath discompos'd the Peace of the Purest and best reformed Churches and not only disturb'd their Peace but stain'd their Purity Quest I seem to my self in all this unhappy Babelism or Confusion of Religion to be very apprehensive for the Glory of God and Religion Answ It is most necessary to be zealous for Divine Glory and for the Honour of Religion that Rivers of Tears should run down our Eyes because of the Injuries done by Men to the Divine Law But yet to be so concern'd as to be scandalised is to forget that God is infinitely more the Publick than we are and therefore to be offended at his Disposes is to make our Private the Publick We must then consider that if God does not miraculously interpose it must needs be so it is no other than the Necessity of the Case Men moving with so great Disadvantages as the Active Soul of Man does in so great a Concern as Religion is in our highest Interest and as thereupon Men will make use of it in the present World it must needs be so There must be Heresies in Religion But that this Mormo or dreadful Apparition may vanish we must remember 1. That to the Soul humble and fearing God all that is of Grand Interest in Faith Worship and Practice is so Publick and evidently Divine that no Man need be ever learning and never come to the Knowledge of the Truth After this God hath given this Employment to those that through Office or Desire set themselves to seek and intermeddle with al Knowledge to travel with advantage to themselves and others in their Inquiries into the whole Compass of Divine Knowledge whatever Difficulty can be supposed to be in things of higher Advance to Salvation is resolv'd to them that do the Will of God as a Reward of their Obedience They shall know the Doctrines that are of God that rise higher towards Heaven than others The due and diligent Search after Wisdom is a Test upon the truly Sincere and well-resolv'd in Religion that have in them another Spirit as Caleb to follow God fully and do not as the Israelites bring up an ill Report on this good Land as if the Difficulties were unconquerable and the Entertainment Hungry and Barren through the many Disputes and Differences in Religion Hereby lastly the Conduct of the Free Spirit is seen leading into all Truth and the Unction of the Holy One by which the True Christian knows all things necessary to him to be known appears most desirable and necessary Thus the Wise and Holy Government of God who brings Light out of these Clouds and Darkness is made manifest and it is to be ascribed to the Infinite Perfection of Light with the Father of Lights who is without any variation or shadow of turning Quest What Rule is then to be observed in the great Diversities of Men in Religion that may most abound to the Honour of Catholick Religion Answ To own and embrace any thing we find in any Man or
digest their Reason and take in the Light they judge by so as to make it their own else if they cannot find their Reasons nor acquit themselves from doubt they must suspend For a Christian is Commanded by his Lord to call no Man upon Earth Master or Father Quest What is the meaning of that Answ It is this very Thing that we should receive nothing as Doctrine or Indisputable Truth or Precept upon any Man's Word that does not offer such Reason and Authority from God and his Word that we our selves see Reason not to receive it as the Word of Man but of God Quest But is it not said that they that have the Rule over us watch for our Souls as they that must give an Account for the same If we are not to believe them and surrender our Judgment to theirs how can they give an Account Answ They that Rule over us watch for our Souls and must give an Account as Ezekiel's Prophets and Watchmen by giving Warning laying Truth before us offering the sincere Word of God in all Cases the success of which upon Souls Converted and Saved is their Crown and Glory and their unsuccess lookes like a sorrow to see those Souls lost for whom they laboured in vain and spent their strength upon them for nought yet so that if they have been faithful though without success their reward is with the Lord and their Work with God But notwithstanding this every Man is so to account for his own Soul that the very success is not a Blind Obedience to Rulers but as is said a Receiving the Word not as the Word of Men but as it is indeed the Word of God And if these Watchmen neglect their Duty or Seduce instead of Teaching Men are to apply to better Means afforded by God and if they do not they still die in their Iniquity and following their Blind Leaders fall into the Pit which is an unanswerable Argument that we may trust in no Man but in God only For if an implicit Faith could be a saving Faith it should save those that followed such Guides though they themselves were justly Condemned in not discharging their Trust Quest But were not the Apostles and Prophets to be Trusted at a higher rate than thus Answ No There were such evident Marks of Divine Doctrine always given by God to those that desired to Know Love and Obey him that even the very Prophets and Apostles were not to be received without them nor to be believed but according to them nay to be plainly Anathematiz'd if they varied from it Christians were therefore to judge to try the Spirits to search the Scriptures whether the things spoken were so to have recourse to undoubted Principles of Truth that were as standards to all that came after besides the Unction from the Holy One whereby they were inabled to know all things necessary to Salvation Quest But is not all Humane Teaching and Instruction hereby taken away and what becomes of the Ministry the Eldership of the Church and their Rule Answ They are all hereby Established for they are the Ordination of God to this very purpose to make Men see to bring them Light to clear things to them that by the awakening their Judgments the summoning and collecting their Principles they may see with their own Eyes the ways of God and Religion the Holy Spirit graciously adjoyning it self to their Ministry They have no Dominion over their Faith but are helpers of thier Joy that is they facilitate and make pleasant the knowledge and assurances of Religion and they Rule by Exhorting Admonishing Rebuking Comforting and even Commanding in the Evidences of Divine Authority on Account of which they are to be obey'd and highly esteemed for their Works sake Notwithstanding all this no Man is excluded from his own Office to himself for every particular Christian is in some Sense a Congregation and Preacher to himself as Solomon his Conscience hath the Keys binds and looses within it self nay Christians are not excluded from Rule in the Church when they have the Word of God on their side they may plead and reason with their Mother Hos 2. 2. When they have more understanding than their Teachers or the Rulers Rule not according to the Word of God they that speak according to the Law and the Testimony even Rule their Rulers and prove the more noble Organs of the Church when those that should Rule it are as the Idols Eyes that see not Ears that hear not or as the Idol Shepherd a Blast is upon their Right hand and Right-eye that their Arm is clean dried up and their Eye utterly darkened the most naked unfurnished Christian with outward Accomplishments that yet knows the Word of God is among the Prophets in such a time of necesity CAP. XII Of Schism and Scandal Quest FRom the precedent Discourse of the Church I conceive the truest Notion of Schism may be deduced I desire you therefore to Explain what the true Nature of Schism is Answ The Question concerning the Nature of Schism follows very pertinently upon the right settlement of the Nature of the Church now the whole Being of the Church consisting in its Union to God and Christ in Love according to the Truth of his Word and that it receives all its Members into Union with it self by their being first united as it self is Schism which is Division must needs in its strictest and most formal Notion be a Division from that Truth wherein the whole Church is one and so from the Love consequent upon such an Union Quest What is that Truth of the Word of God in which the Church is One Answ The Truth of the Doctrine of God or the Unity of the Faith of the Son of God in things to be believed and the Truth of his Law and Commands in things to be done Quest How is the Love of the Church Vnited in these Answ It is a Love in the Truth and hereby we know we Love the Brethren when we Love God and keep his Commandments John Epist 2. No Love how great soever is Christian-love nor Union how close soever Christian-union if it be not in the Truth and Commandments of God From whence it necessarily follows the Schism that is a Schism from the Church must be a Disunion from the Faith of the Scriptures and the Love springing from that Faith and there is no danger of any other Schism from the Church as it is a Church Quest How does Schism differ from Heresie Answ Heresie in the highest Sense and worst Sense of it is a Disunion from Truth in some Fundamental and Grand Concernment of Religion either in the Doctrine or Commands of God so that a Man is subverted and sinneth and must needs be Condemned of a Separation from the Assembly of Truth both by himself and the Thing it self and that both as to Faith and Christian-love he is so separated Schism is a Disunion in some less momentous parts
in Sackcloth being slain and lying dead three Days and a half True Christianity being in all appearance extinct The measuring the Altar the Temple and those that Worship in it signifying the close Retirement of Pure Religion and the outward Court left to be trodden down by the Gentiles or Heathen Christians and their impure Rites and Worship and therefore excluded from those strict measures true undefiled Christianity is enclos'd within Revel 11. 1â— Now upon all these Representations of such a State of the Church so exquisitely shadowed and resembled and compared with that deep plunge and immersement of Christian Religion in the time of the Popish Midnight who can but believe these with many concurrent Delineations in all those forecited Scriptures were on purpose to give the Portraicture of that so Fatal Apostasie that believes it at all to be Prophesied in the Book of God and who that considers the weight of the thing can but believe it foretold if there be any thing prophetick of the State of Christianity to the end of the World As it most evidently appears there is But if any be so incredulous as to suppose such a State of Christianity beneath the Prefigurations of the Divine Spirit he cannot if he be indeed a Protestant but agree that nothing does with more Art and Divine Skill Pourtray and Draw to the Life such a Devastation of Christs True Religion as all History knows Popery hath made and as far as it can prevail does now and would do much farther and in its very Frame is constituted so to do Quest But seeing you suppose these Types of Popery may be applyed another way though it is I confess very hardly to be supposed yet I desire if any thing hath fallen under your Observation that can be less avoided to make plain how different a Religion Popish-Christianity is from the Scripture-Christianity you would give me leave to ask what it is Answ I must needs commend your Rational Enquiry for I know neither the Veneration given to any Religion by the Natives of it nor the ill Words against any Religion by those that are Strangers and Enemies to it should conclude against it The Professors of every Religion are startled at any reproach of their own Religion as at horrible Blasphemy but freely speak ill of a diverse from it Mahometans call themselves Believers and Christians Infidels Popish Religion calls it self Catholick and Protestancy a Grand Heresie and Schism Judaism charges whole Christianity with Cheat and Imposture It is therefore necessary we should have some Magnetick Needle to point us to the True Religion and to the True Christianity seeing its Name is not only distributed to many but so solemnly divided into the Popish and Protestant Profession of Christianity Quest What then can be our Invariable Northpole in Religion in such a Wide and Tumultuous Ocean Answ I hope you have not forgotten what was at first given in Instruction concerning Natural and Revealed Religion their exact Agreement with one another and with all our Faculties so that no Religion in the World can deserve the Name of a Religion but looks monstrous and horrid only so far as it borrows some or more of the Grand Principles of our True Religion nor can be at all Weighty and Considerable but is vain and ridiculous if it receive no Ballast from True-Religion That then which was accounted for in the beginning being remembred I shall especially apply my self to ascertain True-Christianity in contradiction to the false or Popish Christianity by that which will much ascertain all True Religion also in General and difference it from all False Religion Quest I much desire to have some such Test as you seem to intimate and promise Answ I cannot furnish you with a better surer and more lively than that Emblem of the Divine Spirit representing the New Jerusalem by a four-square City the Length and the Bredth and the Height of which are equal The Walls and the Gates and the City it self amounting to so many Square Solid Furlongs all exactly regulated by the Number Twelve all of Massy-Gold and most precious Pearl Rev. 21. Quest The very General view of so rich an Embleme much affects me but I desire you to lead me into the Application of it to each particular purpose and in the first place what am I to understand by the City Answ It is evidently told us it is the New Jerusalem that is coming down from Heaven the True Church Seated in the Christian Religion for so the Apostle Paul assures us the Christian Church so Spirited with True Christianity is Jerusalem which is above the Divine and Spiritual Jerusalem which is free and is the Mother of us all if True Christians Gal. 4. 26. Quest What do you understand by the Foundations the Wall the Gates the City it self Answ I am not bold or curious in pursuing Emblems too close but understand in general by the whole of all these the Doctrine the Worship the Rules of Life the Discipline of the True Church Quest What are we directed to by all being reduced to the Number Twelve Answ It is very evident the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb give the Honour to the Number Twelve for the Prophets and Apostles that is the Truth ministred insallibly by them is the Foundation upon which the True Christian Church is built Jesus Christ himself being the Corner-Stone and so to shew True Religion hath been always Substantially the same The Twelue Tribes of Israel and the Name of Jerusalem the People and City of God of old are Recorded with Honour as expressive of the True Church fixed in the True Religion in the Times before Christ Quest Why are all things in the Christian State describ'd to be of Pure Gold and Precious Pearl Answ To teach us by sensible things the transcendent Purity and Worth of Christian Religion and the equal Purity and Worth of all things in it of a most transparent clearness being all Spiritual Intellectual full of Light and Truth and so to be received and enjoy'd by Purity and Intellectuality or Clearest Understanding Wisdom and Prudence in the Knowledge of this Divine Revelation and by greatest Innocency Cleanness and Heavenliness of Heart Affections and Life Quest But can this be supposed to be the present State of the Church of God as it is here upon Earth Answ This is the certain and most unalterable Constitution and Designation of God concerning it and whoever plants it lower in any of the Things before Named viz. the Doctrine Worship Rules of Life or Discipline contradicts the very thing it self or degrades and embases it though it must be acknowledged its being thus prepared and adorned as a Bride must be from Heaven in some just season appointed by the Father This is yet always the Tryal of the True Church and the True Religion although the Church be not yet perfected to it Quest But you seem to have forgotten the City and all the Parts of
it lying Foursquare and being solid square measure for so it must be if the Length Bredth and Height are all equal Answ I did not at all forget it but suffered your Questions to lead through all I less design'd that they might come to the Principal Character of the True Religion and the True Church so exactly adequate to one another Quest Will you then more fully explain this Similitude Answ That I may the better do it I must repeat it from the very Ground and Bottom of it which is that God makes use as he pleases of all the Knowledge and Science that is in the World to Minister to Divine Knowledge in which he principally intends to Instruct as being most absolutely necessary for all of what condition soever As then Mathematicks is the most Demonstrative Science and some things in it are of most retired and fine Speculation so are others most known and necessary to all imployed in Mechanicks Thus God hath been pleased to deposite some Prophetick Truths in the most mystick parts of that Learning and some of the more general use in the most known and acquainted parts of it now those that are more secret and not so necessary I shall leave to those that are most fitted thereunto But what is most plain and imports what is most necessary for all I will insist upon As then Number and Measure are means Ordained for Humane Nature and principal Instruments of Reason to come to the most certain knowledge of things and to be secured they are and continue what they justly ought to be so True Religion is thereupon presented to us under exact Number and Measure falling in one with another the Number Twelve multiplied into a Square Cube of Twelve thousand Furlongs And as the Foursquare Figure does so bind and is so compact with it self that it cannot receive the least Addition but with the loss of its Square nor the least Diminution but under the same Forfeiture thus True Religion is so perfectly it self that it can neither be added to nor diminished from but with a proportionable loss of it self God was pleased upon this account to chuse this Figure for the Altar under the Law for the Breast-Plate of Judgment this was the Measure of Solomons Oracle how far the Measures in Ezekiel agree I leave The Heathen by Natural Wisdom had such a Sense of the so Just to it self Foursquare that they called a Good Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Foursquare Man And lastly as Solid Square Measure is in all parts of it and throughout every part exactly Square and gives the most certain account of the whole content of a Body so is True Religion in all its Parts exactly so it self and every Part of every Part is reduced to the same exactness for so the Length Bredth and Height of it are equal and so is the True Church exactly adequated to True Religion The Faith is therefore said to be at once delivered to the Saints because it can receive no New Measures and it is called the Common Salvation or Doctrine of it because the Universal Standard is one This then is the Measure of a Man and the Measure of the Angel For by that Wisdom that is natural to a Man in which Beasts have no share that is to Number and Measure is made plain to us Angelical Number and Measure that is the Number and Measure of True Religion as the Angel delineated it beginning in the Apostolical Twelve and Multiplied by it self to an exact Square Figure or Measure Square in the whole product Square in every particular part and of that just content And with this exact Number Twelve so Foursquare agreed the Altar Temple and they that worshipped therein when the outward Court was left out of Measure to be trodden under Foot by Heathenish Idolatry and Superstition disguis'd under Popish Christianity of which whenever it shall be perfectly freed it shall appear in that Glory here describ'd All richest Pearl pure Gold most transparent Jasper that is Brightest Clearest Truth and of the exact Apostolical Number and Measure Quest Is there no farther Improvement to be made of this Divine Symbole the Foursquare City Answ There is when I have first observed to you false-False-Religion is out of all Square just Measure and even Number it is a constant and perpetual Odd wandring from True Religion and the justness of it to it self and that both in Doctrine Worship Rules of Life and Discipline so that it is impossible in it to Measure one thing from and by another or any one point of any of these by it self uneven in the whole Product uneven in every part uneven in the Root The most significant Emblem of the popish-Popish-Church which having the Fundamentals of Christianity hath yet lost the Apostolical Twelve by innumerable most irregular and wild Additions and deformed every Single Article of Truth by most disagreeable Corruptions of it and therefore as a Man most Learned in Numbers hath demonstrated the Number 666 a Number no way to be reduced to a Foursquare Figure is the most Fit and Significant Hieroglyphick of it and indeed of all false-False-Religion that must have something of Truth to make it a Religion but as it is false is an Odd from that Truth Quest Let me now desire the most plain and useful Application of this Parabolick Scheme Answ You shall have it and it consists in observing Four Prime Characters of the True Christian Religion that may be as Four Equal sides of this Foursquare and of the Church adjusted to it from each of which may be measured to each of the rest and the Equality or Inequality will discover the Truth or Falshood of all that is brought to the Tryal 1. The Transcendant Holiness Goodness and Purity of the Doctrine Precepts of Worship Rules of Life Discipline is one side of this Christian-square with which whatever does not Square is convicted not to be of that Doctrine and Religion whether it look towards God in all the Highest most Honourable Apprehensions of him suitable Discourse Worship Love and Obedience or whether it look towards Men in all Justice Righteousness Mercy Compassion Charity Benevolence Beneficence and these as they respect all the particular Offices of Life Publick of Magistrates Subjects or Private as of Parents Children Husband Wife Master or Servants The Peace and Welfare of Mankind are treasur'd up in the Law of Christ or lastly whether it look to a Man 's own Person in Soberness Purity Continency in the Thoughts the Words the Actions The Honour and best State of the Mind and Body are provided for by this Doctrine that is after Godliness not only in the World to come but in this Life Whatever now does not agree with these wholesom words is detected not to be Christian which is all Truth Virtue and Praise 2. There being nothing more intimate to Man in this fallen state than the Sense of Guilt and knowledg that he is a
our Love in our Sympathy in our Bowels of Affection in our Care for the Body though we are not all of an Aspect of a Figure of a Size in our Membership yet still are we the Body of Christ and Members in particular and being so we are the Israel of God upon whom is Peace and Mercy both now and for ever Amen And if we ought as certainly we ought so to pray with what satisfaction of mind with what appearance of Christianity can we move against the Peace of our Fellow-Members or not contribute to their Ease to their self-Enjoyment to the Comfort of each others Condition so that if one member be honour'd all the members may rejoice with it if one member suffer all the members may suffer with it and send in to its Relief and Support Our Defects herein disturbing the Peace not Ministring to the Merciful support of one another will be found another sort of Schism but of far deeper Guilt than that so much cryed out of not Conforming to one anothers Indifferents But above all the Ravening of the Evening Wolf the Roar of the Lyon the Poison and Venome of the Asp and Cokatrice ' should be far from our Mountain if we would have it accounted the Holy Mountain of the Lord. And on all sides we should open the Doors and Sluces that the streams of Divine Knowledg might run every way till it covers our Land as the waters do the Sea THE END True Religion the Interest of Nations or National Religion Demonstrated to be the Duty of Nations c. Psal 79. 6. Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy Wrath Fury upon the Heathen Nations that have not known thee and upon the Kingdoms Families that have not called on thy Name THIS Prayer doubled by the Spirit of God for the weight of it the safety to men it should be well known and the certainty of its effect contains a strong assertion of the great benefit of Phil. 3. 2. Gen. 41. 32. and obligation lying upon Nations to National true Religion For seeing according to a grand Rule in Gods Administration of the World Nations that have no National Religion and whose Nationalness therefore becomes Heathenism and is so branded by the Spirit of God for so Nations in Scripture very often signifies Heathen that is Nations without true Religion are lyable to the pouring out of the wrath and fury of God upon them It does not only follow by the rule of Contraries that National true Religion or Worship of the true God hath a strong order to and connexion with the favour of God but as the positive Proposition is the prime and original and gives ground to and contains within it self the privative so does this Proposition That Gods Anger and Fury is at all times ready against those that do not know him that do not call upon him as join'd in a National Body or Society being the privative owe it self to the other being the positive as shall be more fully made out in the arguing this Point At the present it will be enough to observe that these two Holy men the Composer of this Psalm and the Prophet Jeremy except as some think they were both one desiring the destruction of those Heathen enemies under whose oppression their own people which at that time comprehended the Church of God then groan'd and praying in spirit for it relye and rest the whole weight of their prayer upon this principle of great truth and consequence in Gods Government of the World that as Families as Nations as Kingdoms for so all Communities are comprehended they did not know nor call upon God that is they did not worship the true God and therefore were most justly subject to his fiercest displeasure And on the other side it is couched under this though indeed before it That the people that do know and call upon the true God have a title to his savour and vindication of them in all their distress while they are consider'd as so knowing and calling upon him and not contradicting it by their actions The Context therefore goes on arguing with God on this point They have devoured Jacob in whose quarrel and rescue God is so much concern'd And seeing the favour of God is Eternal Life and his wrath burns to the lowest Hell both his wrath and his favour are to be understood in their extent even to everlasting ages All which will ground the Proposition which I mainly intend in this Discourse That National true Religion is the greatest security strength and defence of a Nation against the Divine wrath and displeasure and gives the surest claim to his favour blessing and protection both in this world and in that which is to come Because it is an observation of the greatest duty and therefore to be most closely united in and pursued to the utmost by all wise Nations and by all the several parts and members of a Nation for it is their first and highest Psal 33. i2 144. 15. Interest Blessed is the Nâ—tion that is in such a case yea happy is the people whose God is the Lord who have Jehovah thus for their God And this very consideration should reconcile all differences in National Religion that can be composed without loss of that Truth and corruption of those parts of the Worship of God which give denomination to true National Religion This should incline those that are above to the greatest condescensions and those that are beneath to the most free compliances possible if they value Religion and love their Nation that at least there may be union in National Religion if there cannot be perfect Uniformity For I am fully perswaded that upon a strict examination of this Point it will be found that National Religion supposing it always the true is the happiest model of union in Religion of any upon earth and most pleasing to God except that of the Catholick Church whose union is in the Substantials of Truth worship and practise but comes under no other form or model properly taken but except this there is none so perfect to the ends and glory of Religion so adaequate to the expressions of Scripture concerning the publickness of Religion so encouraging and advantageous to the practise so reconcileable with the peace of Religion and Nations so preventive of the endless divisions and subdivisions Humane Nature is apt to fall into when it yields up it self to a scrupulosity and Disputatiousness about Externals and Forms in Religion I say again I am perswaded no man can serve God with greater acceptableness nor be Religious to greater ends and purposes of Religion than by joining with the Nation or Supream Civil Incorporation whereof he is a member so far as he can be permitted to do it consistent with the Truth of Religion and Divine Worship I say as far as he can upon these accounts if not throughout And of this I shall endeavour to give great and valuable proofs from
and shifting for the gaining opportunities for the assembling themselves and preserving their relation one to another in the discharge of mutual duties much more easily than any greater associations could for our Saviour intended all for use not for Form he minded not Nominal Titular Bishops and Churches Thus far I have pleaded the appointment of Christ that the smallest numbers of Christians may agree and associate and be assured of his presence But now that this appointment is in bar of greater Societies of Christians is by no means to be granted for it is most apparent our Saviour design'd all things under the Gosplel should be restor'd to the Law of Nature and the true Reason of Things Now according to that the first End of all Society is the enjoyment of True Religion in more than solitude This desire of enjoying true Religion in Society extends it self from the least of Societies to the greatest that are not too great for the Ends of Society Our Saviour therefore as he gave no Frame of positive Laws or Worship no Pedagogy of Precepts so no Institution of Bounding Churches but that in case of straits and exigencies his true Religion may be administred in the very smallest of Societies with confidence of his Favour and Presence when it hath freedom it may enlarge it self further and further and if it have favour of Nations and Governments ascend to the greatest yet with this reserve That if in any time or place National Christianity varies from the true Original Christianity as often it hath been sound to do so that it cannot even in substantial things be consented in with a pure Conscience privater Congregations even to the most particular are always ready for Christians to retire into for so the Laws of Nature allow where the Publick is not safe and yet when the whole is not corrupted nor liberty of joyning without commixture with those Corruptions denied there may yet be there ought to be no Separation Thus the greatest Societies are not in bar of the least when True Religion requires them Thus the least are not in bar of the greatest when Christianity is at full freedom for it is closely allied with that Wisdom whereby Kings ought to Reign and Princes to decree Justice by which Princes Prov. 8. 15 16. ought to rule and Nobles yea all the Judges of the Earth with that Wisdom which rejoyces in the Habitable parts of the Earth and hath its delights with the sons of men I have therefore before observed That Christian Religion at the very first joyn'd it self as near as it could to all Humane Societies made ready to it as Families Villages Regions and so far as the Rage of Persecution would permit Christian Societies united themselves unto Distant and National Correspondencies among themselves Now it hath been so unhappy indeed with the World that in few Instances there hath been a Good State of National Religion to yield a full consciencious Compliance with Yet this will no more argue against the Thing it self than it does against any other of the wise and good Ordinations of God or against the Jewish Church so immediately govern'd by God and yet so often and so notoriously corrupted in Judah and more generally in the Ten Tribes and yet to shew how to the very utmost without following a multitude to do evil we ought to joyn with any that are good in a Nation and with any thing that is good in National Religion when Elijah had as it were deserted his place and the good influence his being in publick might have had and that God found him alone He did by way of Reproof ask him What he did alone in 1 Kings 19. 9. the Wilderness and inform'd him of a greater number that had not bowed to Baal than he knew of with whom he might joyn himself If Corruption would argue against any good Appointment or Ordination of God it would argue against Churches of the very first Form or Constitution those Churches in the Revelation whose Corruption is severely tax'd and threatned yet are without any Censure as to their Constitution and while Sâ—paration from those Churches is not so much as intimated yet a Separation from Impurities is highly commended and promised reward Those Names Rev. 3. 4. in Sardis that had not defiled their garments are assured they should walk with Christ in white for he judg'd them worthy From whence I conclude no Form of Churches can recommend things disagreeing from the word of God how truly form'd soever those Churches be for Churches are constituted for joyning in those things that are agreeable to the Will of Christ not in those that are not and yet Separation from Corruptions does not necessitate Separation from Churches while there are any Parts of Divine Truth and Worship preserv'd pure to unite in so great are the Obligations that lye upon all sincerely Religious to make true Religion as publick as they can in the several Societies that are found to ingraft it upon Now that every Society that is the feat of True Christian Religion is in the language of the New Testament A Church I allow and therefore will briefly inquire into the Scripture-notion of a Church And I find the Original word taken out of the Septuagint of the Old Testament which translates the Hebrew Kahal by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators in the Old Testament as generally render Congregation although in the New Testament what is in the quotations out of the Old Testament in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they render Church so that from the whole it is very plain as the Vniversal or National Assembly of the people of Israel was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Church as by St. Stephen Acts 7. 38. where he speaks of the whole Body of the Israelites in the Wilderness so the Vniversal Assembly of Christians consider'd as in the Catholick Church is call'd by our Saviour and the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Congregation by way of Eminency as Holy Records are The Scripture or Writing and the Volume of Scripture The Bible or Book as the glad tidings of Christ are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evangil or Gospel so the Church is The Congregation And as lesser Congregations of that Church of the Jews that did not comprehend the whole Body are call'd The Congregation or Church even so lesser Societies of Christians are call'd the Congregation or Church in allusion to which our Saviour says If two or three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of like Importance gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of them So that the Universal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christians seen only together by God and particular Assemblies of Christians that meet together under each others eye are in the phrase of the New Testament Churches Even as the whole Assembly of the Israelites in the Wilderness when they were all under
publick too as it may be The duties of Pastors and Teachers towards the people and of them towards those that are so over them in the Lord which consist in watchng for their souls as those that must give an account for them and those souls therefore yielding obediâ—nce to those Rules of the Word of God the Administring of which is stil'd a Ruling All these require a particular presence one with another and in such a proportion of number one to another that the principal Duties may not be defeated by the over-number but that the services of all one to another may extend to all may comprehend all may continually pass and re-pass between all and in which all may continually demonstrate their consent and agreement But yet all these things cannot be in bar of a National Religion seeing that a Nation as I have already said hath and undeniably must have a National Union and if True Religion be fixed there and carried along with that Union it may well be call'd a National Religion at least and without any injury a National Church the Agreement in the one carrying also an Agreement in the other makes it so And as in such a National Union though the standard of all things as of the whole state of Law Judicature Trade Business Militarystrength of a Nation be preserv'd in Capital Cities and Courts yet by the care of Government they are all in due proportions distributed as the Blood in the veins by fit Channels to every particular as it were in circuit so the publick agreement in Religion settles the Religious Interest of a Nation more eminently in those things that do most represent the consent of the whole in it yet with due care of every part and member of the Nation to bring it home particularly to them and making the mutual entercourse in it free and open to all persons in all places where they have occasion to pass up and down and maintain an entercourse one with another that wherever they are or have occasion to be they may enjoy the Freedom of publick Worship and National Religion to which at all times they give a knowing and even conscious Vote that agree in it the Assemblies being as it were in view under a sufficiency of Masters of the Assemblies of the Nation together and as National Union does not swallow up lesser or even Family Union no more does a National any lesser Church or Religious Society except by mens own fault And wherever men thus united come in the Nation they gladly lay hold of the opportunity of joyning with any other particular Assembly to which sameness of language and manners give them ready admission besides particular knowledge and that National Religion cannot be so very particular as congregational is no more reason to deny National and rest wholly in Congregational than it is to deny Congregational and rest in Family Religion or to deny Family and rest in Personal Religion because these are each closer than other 3. A third end of Churches comes to be considered that more particularly enforces National Religion and justifies its Nationality viz. That there may be a more illustrious famous and remarkable offer of Religion to notice and observation for the drawing in and congregating others to it Thus a Church is a Pillar and Ground or Seat of Truth and a magnificent House of the Living God And what more advantageous to this end than a Nation united in the True Religion which we know hath greatly the odds of particular Congregations in this Illustriousness and Magnificence nor does this run out yet to the building the Babel of Rome that would mount up as a Tower to Heaven or as too ambitious Pyramids that are often rebuked with Lightning from Heaven for coming too near it seeing as I have before shown such an Universality enforced is destructive to all the ends of publick Religion Humane Society being so bounded by Nations though all the Treaties of Nations of the same True Religion may be managed to give it the honour due to it that can be procurated in such Treaties So much then as National exceeds and extends it self beyond any narrower compass and yet rejoyns it self to and with it self after the manner of particular Congregations so much does it partake of the magnificencies of Scripture concerning the publickness of Christian Religion and the Catholick Church and yet returns into the closeness of particular Churches with themselves and is the just point betwixt the Tyranny Ambition and endlesness of Popish Vniversality and putting Christianity under a Bed or Bushel National Religion and National Union in it is as a city set upon an Hill that cannot be hid as a candle set upon so exalted a candlestick that gives light to all within it self and about it even as far as the Fame of that Nation reaches The Churches much more as rising up into a National State are the Glory of Christ As therefore though we may be in some regard more exact in the most private we go out of our Personal Religion into Family Religion out of our Family Religion into Congregational and as the Christians at first most probably according to the Laws of Humane Society went out of Congregations into Consociation of Churches in Religion so we out of all these where National Union in true Religion allows it go into that National State that we may build the honour of Religion to the highest in so sensible and understanding a Consent and Union in it so publick an acknowledgment of God and though hereby it be as a Net that draws in bad as well as good even visibly and apparently yet when we consider the possible care against it in particular Congregations though still National when we further consider the state of the Jewish Church of Corinth the state of the Apocalyptick Churches the doubt will not be so cogent as to move National Religion out of the Nature of things The only remaining Doubt is that thus National Magistracy becomes as the Head of such a Religion the National Religion is gathered and united in the Magistrate and his Laws and that which should only be united in and depend upon the Laws of Christ becomes subject to another Head on pretence of which Magistrates have been attempted on too with force to bring their power to true Religion The Answer I give to this shall be very brief in three Heads 1. I always own any pretence taken from exalting Christ and his Kingdom to enforce Civil Powers to ratifie truest Religion into National Constiâ—utions and Laws is most destructive of the Kingdom of Christ which is not of this world that is to use force for its own promotion and utterly subverts Government seeing private persons may under this shelter and disguise rise up and invade and disturb any Civil State or Government whatever When Religion is our Birthright by our Laws it may be by the same Laws defended when it is not Prayers
Reason or Doctrine of Religion edifies or emboldens Conscience For although Conscience was made for the Divine Truth and Law of God which is the Truth and not for Scandal it was made so even and true to it that they which love this Law have great peace and nothing can scandalise or offend them that is either seduce or hurt them yet in this very Seat in this very Throne of the Divine Law in this Temple of God in this place of the Holy this Tribunal of the Soul that ought to be the Sanctuary of Truth and Righteousness and as a Tabernacle of Testimony does Scandal exalt it self as if it were from God and from thence it gives its Oracles but Conscience thus debauched and prostituted bears no more proportion to true Conscience than Antichrist does to Christ and is therefore a pseudo-Conscience an Anti-Conscience Conscience falsly so called 7. Scandal always dashes its own Principles of deceived Reason and false Doctrine upon some true and grand Principle of Reason and Doctrine of Religion For though every Truth of God is great yet there are of the first magnitude on account of which oppos'd the Spirit of God brands it Scandal more remarkably and hereupon though the Sin derived from Scandal may in it self seem small yet in regard of some stable Law of Religion made void and thereby Sin introduced it is a very great Sin though in a matter of its own Nature sometimes indifferent Now it cannot be otherwise but Scandal must thus dash upon Truth because as I have said it herein differs from simple Temptation that its rest is upon some false Principle of Reason or Doctrine of Religion it frames mischief by a Law and it must needs be that every false Principle and Doctrine must rush against some true one and though no Truth of God be small or Sin little and Scandal is always proportionable yet the wisdom of Scripture hath appropriated the name of Scandal to the violation of some grand Principle As I shall now in the next place for the further explaining of Scandal observe those Pillars of the Divine Truth and Law against which it throws and bruises the Scandalised Soul as the Sacred Books shall instruct us 1. The Eternal Being and Holy Government of God in the World according to those Righteous Just and Good Laws he hath given and according to which he will Judge and make Retribution to all Men at that great day is the Fountain and most Fundamental Principle of Religion So then whatever upon pretence of Reason and just cause undermines the Faith abates the Aws or dispirits the Obedience agreeable to so supreame a standard of all these is the Original and final Scandal Here all Scandal begins in the decay of the Faith and Fear of God and hither it returns It ends in a further loss of God and this upon offence taken that too much is required without reason This is that Eternal Rock of Truth at which whoever stumbles must needs be hurt wounded and grieved Thus was I grieved in my Heart and pricked in my Reins Psal 73. 21. saith the Psalmist on this very occasion Whoever falls violently against it it breaks him whoever contests to remove it and burdens himself with it it falls upon him and grinds him to Powder And yet against this speculative and practical Atheism hath in all Ages hardened it self and by shews of Reason and high Spirit been heaving and pecking at it and casting Scandals in all Mens way Gods retirement as they fancy it into the thick covering of the Clouds and the pleasure of Jâ—b 21. 14. walking in the Circuit of Heaven and not coming down in visible shapes of Glory and Power have given to ungodly Men the Boldness and a counterfeit of Argument to dispute against his Being and Government I say a counterfeit of Argument for with an Apparition of Reason from hence and an Insolency of Wickedness they Conjure down they Moâ—mo of Religion and the Goblin of Conscience as they esteem them Atheism hath always spoken stout Words against God saying to God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge Mal 3. 13. of thy ways What is the Almighty that we should serve him Or what profit is it if we should pray unto him Job 21. 14. It hath of old lifted up Men against God and stretched out their hand against the Almighty so that they have run upon God even upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler to mischief themselves to the utmost In the very days of Job there was this Counsel of the Job 10. 3. and 21. 16. and 22. 18. wicked as if it was the result of debate and serious consideration in a Senate of Atheists as if they had made the Experiment and found upon proof there was no advantage in serving God and no Man came by the worse in despising him It is not the invention of one Age of this last Age as if it might pride it self in finding it out Scripture hath not thought it against its Interests to record the strength of the Cause as it was managed of old in those Elder days of Job in the last days of the Old Testament in the time of the Prophet Malachi But over-runs it with a Flood of Truth and Eloquence even as God does as he pleases with a Deluge of Wrath. Yet present Impunity and the seeming confusion of Providence in the prosperity of the ungodly and the afflicted State of good Men hath been always a stumbling Block to sudden and short consideration Job significantly calls it Gods shining on the Councel of the Wicked as if it Job 10. 3. gave it a Lustre and Countenance Even good Men till they went into the Sanctuary of God and looked to the end of things have found it a Scandal The Psalmist acknowledges His Feet were almost gone and his Feet well Psal 73. 2. nigh slipped when he saw the Prosperity of the Wicked and Waters of a full Cup of affliction wrung out to the Godly Yet upon full discussion of the case he confesses it his Folly Ver. 22. and Ignorance So Foolish was I and Ignorant I was as a Beast before thee The wise King observed the Hearts of Eccles 8. 11. the Sons of Men fully set them in to do Evil because Sentence on an Evil Work was not speedily Executed God by his Patience sustaining and making wicked Men stand Exod. 9. 16. even when they deny him is the occasion of their more dreadful fall for their Foot will slide in due time to their Eternal Ruine how slack soever God is misdeemed he will be a swift Witness of his own Being and Truth and the Avenger of his own Glory Now so far as any Man hath either in secret Suspicions or in the silent Murmurs of his Soul said There is no God or vanquished the prevailing Awes of God so that Conscience hath been emboldened or edified or so much as silenced or dumb
Corruption They walk in the Light of their own Sparks and have only this at Gods hand to lie down in sorrow Besides that God in just displeasure sends down upon them the Revenges of an abused and injur'd Power and Godhead Now all this expresses the Heighth both of the Deception and Mischief of Scandal 4. The fourth great Principle of Truth is the absolute and indispensible Necessity of Holiness both in Heart and Life without which no Man shall see the Lord Against which Heb. 12. 24. there lies no such Scandal or cause of Offence as inward and inherent Lust and inordinate Appetite which is obstinately set to obtain its Satisfaction and is no way to be tam'd but by beinâ— cut off though it be the Right Hand or Right Foot or even the Right Eye The Love of God Mark 9. 43. and his Law is the best Security against this Scandal and daily Mortification and Crucifixion of the Old Man with Ephes 4. 22. its sinful Lusts and Affections Pretences from Reason or Doctrines of Religion there can be none in this Case to those who acknowledge either Christianity or Morality But Men are carried down the violent Stream of ungovern'd Passion and that falls into the wide Sea of general Corruption and Bad Example which looks most like an Authority There are the Palliations and Excuses of Sin which may serve in a time of Peace and Carnal Security but cannot so delude Conscience as to be in a strict sense Scandal The continual Practice of Sin hardens the Heart sears benumbs and stupifies all inward Sense and cancels the Awe of those ingraven Laws and revealed Commands of God for a time but cannot either deny their Just Power or challenge them of Unreasonableness So that if any where Men are forc'd to take Refuge at the Atheistick denial of Religion it self or to blind Conscience with Superstitious Acts which seem to commute and make satisfaction for Sin Or if Men are resolved to blind their Eyes and obstruct all Sense they may make the Profession of True Religion a Cover to Sin as they that cry Lord Lord and Mat. 7. 22. the Temple of the Lord are we that name the Name of Jer. 7. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Christ with great ostentation and so may deceive their own Souls but to hold out against either the Challenges of Divine Truth or of their own Reflexions is impossible So that upon the whole matter Predominant Lust from within and Bad Example from the so abounding Iniquity of all sorts of Men the Falls of Good Men the Miscarriages of Hypocrites and insincere Professours of Religion are the greatest Scandals or Stumbling-blocks in the Ways of Holiness to those that are not insnared in the afore-named Scandals But although the necessity of Holiness is above the reach of strict and proper Scandal yet it is the very Center of all Scandal in the effect of it for then a Man is indeed scandalised when the Salt of Divine Truth when the Spirit of Truth can have no power nor efficacy upon him because of that Scandal to season the Heart nor govern the Life and Action in the Love Fear and Obedience of God and Jesus Christ But if it be possible for any Man to understand in his Heart and Life what he does not promise by Profession or if he seem to deny any Principle of Truth and does not understand in his Heart and Life the Extent and Force of his Denial but hath better Principles that are an Antidote and Counter-poyson to any Mistakes in the Doctrine of Religion he is not scandalised with the great Mischief of Scandal But that Man is scandalised that through False Principles or the denial of True ones wants their Power and Vertue upon his Affections and Actions For no Truth is for Notions sake but to make truly good the Heart and Practice the very Confession with the Mouth is to recoil back into the Soul and make that better and to move forward and ingage the Life along with it 5. It is a grand Pillar of the Truth of Religion That we love our Neighbour as our selves and that he that loves 1 John 4. 21. God should love his Brother also And there is not there cannot be any Law of Religion wherein the Equity the Love Favour and Compassion of the Lord our God and of Jesus Christ our Saviour towards Humane Nature does more evidently recommend it self It is the Justification of the Religion of the Scriptures to be the True Religion And as the Love of God to Man his Philanthropy does shine out more illustriously in the Gospel so does the Law and Doctrine of this Love of Christians to one another and not only to Christians but to all Men And in this as of greatest concernment thâ— Gospel is so abundant and its Discourses of so great weight that it is made another Hemisphere of Religion to the Love of God The one is the first and Mat. â—1 38 39. great Commandment and the second is like to it It is the Law and the Prophets it is the whole Law It is irreconcilable Rom. 13. 8 9. to the Love of God not to love our Brother It is 1 Joh. 3. 15. such a Degree of Murther that whoever is guilty of cannot have Eternal Life abiding in him It is the great Mark 1 Joh. 3. 14. We have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren So many are the Arguments and so strong the Obligations to this Duty that they cannot be recounted all may be summed up in that God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love is born of God dwelleth in God and God in him Now that this Love is fix'd in an Uniformity of Opinions or points of outward order in the Worship of God is most unreasonable to believe for besides the impossibility to reconcile all the innocent Varieties that are in Humane Nature though it be Christian humane Nature in their Sentiments and Elections in these things the things themselves are not of that amount as to be the proper rest of this Divine Love or that if it misses these Poles it should therefore cease to be the Axis upon which the Catholick Society of Christians and Christian unity turns for that in the very Nature of the thing must be substantial Christianity it self And this is indeed the Great Schism to be divided in Affection from Christians it is a wonder how it could be otherwise understood seeing smaller differences are frequently by the Apostle considered and allowed for without the least allowance for Christians not loving one another Christianity carries no Gall even towards utmost Strangers upon the account of its being the true Religion much less towards those that are truly Christians though not each uniform with one another in all things The great Scandals against this Love are private Men think it justifiable not to love those that have injured them but this Case hath been considered
Craftiness whereby they lye in Eccles 4. 14. wait to deceive But following the Truth in Love we may grow up into him in all things who is the Head even Christ From the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body to the edifying it self in Love Be not carried about Heb. 13 9. with divers and strange Doctrines For it is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace not with Meats which have not profited them that have been exercised therein 2. That we have a true and sincere Love of the Divine Law and our Obedience to it the Blessedness of which and its great preservation from Scandal the Psalmist thus describes Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the Councel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of Sinners nor Psal 1. 1. sitteth in the Seat of the Scornful But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate Day and Night And he shall be like the Tree planted by the Rivers of Water that bringeth forth his Fruit in due season his Leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper 3. That we order all things of Indifferency in Religion aright both as to the Sense of our own minds and the Edification of others To which purpose the Apostles Directions should be always before us The Kingdom of God is not Meat nor Drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind Rom. 14. 5 17. 1 Cor. 10. 22. Give no Offence neither to the Jews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved Whoever thus serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men. FINIS ERRATA Several mis-pointings and litteral mistakes the Candid Reader is desired to observe and pardon and what is most injurious to the Sense thus to Correct PAge 6. line 32. for an read all p. 13. l. 22. for they r. the. p. 17. l. 12. dele not p. 18. l. 11. for at r. with p. 25. l. 30. for he r any one p. 27. l. 30. for purity r. party p. 38. l. 4 for Righteous r. weak p. 44. l. 24. dele them p. 48. l. 17. for rule r. rate p. 55. l. 22. after are r. not p. 61. l. 9. for Sacrifice r. Sacraments p. 76. l. 29. for Party r. Polity p. 79. l. 11. after justly r. may Printed for Tho. Parkhurst THE whole Duty of a Nation or National True Religion Argued and Perswaded upon greatest Motives of Scripture and Reason Conciliated to all moderate Apprehensions though differing in smaller things and to the strictest Notion of Churches II Book Liberty of Conscience in its order to Universal Peace Impartially Stated and proved to be the just Right and genuine effect of True Natural and Christian Religion in Immunity from Penal-Laws Church Censures and private Animosities A CATHOLICK CATECHISM SHEWING THE IMPOSSIBILITY THE CATHOLICK RELIGION Should be varied to the Degree of a Thought from the Measures left Sealed by the Apostles WITHOUT THE LOSS of TRUTH And therefore The Impossibility POPERY or whatever else is not found in Scripture should be CATHOLICK Composed to the Capacity of the Meanest that will but Consider that they may know and be ready upon un-movable Reasons to give an Apologie or Defensive Answer for the Catholick Religion if they are indeed of it and be secured from Temptation in Times of Danger 2 Pet. I. 12 The Present Truth Prov. 22. 21. That I might make thee know the Certainty of the Words of Truth that thou mightest answer the Words of Truth to them that send unto thee LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and Will Miller at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside and the Acorn in St. Paul's Church-yard 1683. THE PREFACE TO THE READER I Call this A Catechism because I design it a Familiar Instruction in Fundamental Truths Resounding the same Thing from Question to Answer the easiest way of Conveying Truth and Imprinting it upon the Minds of those that are even of the meanest Capacity But especially because the Principles of it are to be daily so Meditated upon Pondered and Applyed to use as to be a perpetual sound in our Ears and so to be properly stiled Catechism For Things of such great weight as Principles are must have as the most Advantageous Admâ—ssion as the most Deep and therefore Leisurely Insinuation as the most Resolved Adherence when found True and Right which is Buying the Truth and not Selling it so they must have the most Easy and Ready Application to all their Uses and Ends They must therefore be bound continually about our Neck that when we go they may lead us that when we sleep they may keep us that when we wake they may talk with us Prov. 6. 21 22. I know the Things I have written cannot be duely received without much Thinking and without that they will be in danger of a Censorious rejection from the most or of a superficial unintelligent Acceptance in the Kinder which is as bad as the other and therefore I present it as a Catechism to those that shall at all approve it that they may be throughly versed in it and the Sense of it grow Domestick to them I call it a Catholick Catechism only with Relation to the Great Subjects it Treats of the Catholick Religion and the Catholick Church in those things wherein they are Catholick or in which their Catholickness consist That is that they are of God and that the whole Society of Holy and Happy Spirits is by that Catholickness united and closely banded with it self Catholick as the Epistles called Catholick that is after some Doubt Asserted to be Divine of the Publick Spirit of God and giving that Publick Doctrine in which the General Assembly is one I have endeavoured to contrive the Questions and Answers so that the Answers may be an Apology or Defensive Answer of that Catholick Truth giving a Reason or a Rational Account to any Demand that can be made upon it And it is the Apology of that Truth it self the Apology it gives and furnishes us with for other can no Man give Truth can need no other than its Native Apology for it self no other will it accept To give this and to be always ready to give it to keep it within us and to have it fitted to our Lips is the proper Fruit of such a Catechetical Instruction and the Apostle assures us it is the great Duty of Christianity and the greatest Honour we can do to God First to Sanctifie him in our Hearts by a full acknowledgment of him in his Divine Truth by a Plerophory or full Assurance of Vnderstanding in the Mystery of God and of the Father and
Man's Heart Answ Whatever is indeed written in Man's Heart must certainly be from God seeing no Created Hand could write there The Hand that Made can alone Ingrave it Quest How then shall we make a Judgment what is written upon the Heart Answ That which is universally acknowledged and amidst all the Differences in Religion falls under no Variation assures us it was placed there by that Supreme Hand that alike fashioned all Mens Hearts and especially seeing to this universal Acknowledgment there is no Temptation from the sensual and worst Part of Man it being against its Interest but it springs from the wisest and best Parts most unconcerned in this World or any of the brutish Pleasures of it Quest What Principles do you account thus to be of Natural Religion Answ I account these following That there is a God the Greatest and Best of Beings that governs the World That God vouchsafes to be acknowledged ador'd and worshipped by Man and that he takes notice when he is so worshipped or neglected and that with Favour or Displeasure That there is a Distinction betwixt Good and Evil setled by the Unchangeable Laws of God That God being himself so Good is pleas'd in Men doing well and rewards it and displeas'd when Men do ill and punishes it That Men have a Conscience viz. a Knowledg of and Government of their own Actions with Approbation of them if Good and Dislike if Bad. That there are Rewards and Punishments beyond this Life That therefore the Notions of Virtue Righteousness Temperance Soberness Beneficence and the contrary Vices are of unchangeable Truth and the Actions flowing from them of the same Notion That God is both the Judge and Observer of them now and will be so in the Future State That in the time of God's Patience and Bounty to sinful Man there is Forgiveness with him that he may be feared and that he thereby leads Men to Repentance That upon all accounts Solemn Worship of him by Prayer Praises Honourable Discourses of him of all Obedience to him and Returns to him after our Falls are most due from Humane Nature and according to the sociable Nature of Man in Publick Associations Quest Do you believe these so close to and inseparable from the Reason of Man Answ I am fully assured so and that these and all the immediate genuine and natural Deductions from them are so nearly allied with Humane Nature and Reason that they are in no Parts of it wanting however overcome but where extreme Barbarity and Brutishness in all things else make it plain such People cannot weigh against the wiser Societies of Mankind in whom the more vigorous Efforts of Reason shew themselves Quest But would you have Men rest in Natural Principles without Revelation Answ No by no means For if Adam in Paradise had Revelation to make his State towards God Consummate how much more Man Fallen in whom all Natural Light is but glimmering and obscure Heavenly Objects at so great a remove by his being sunk down so low from them and the Mists and Fogs of this Earth so prevalent upon him in the great Deordination of Spirit into Body that whatever true Principles of Reason might effect if duely pursued he is without Revelation upon all Experiment no better than in the Valley of the Shadow of Death Quest But does there appear any Expectation of Revelation in the Motions of Natural Reason Answ Very great so that no Religion in the World hath been without the Pretence of it And it is both most hopeful according to the Laws of Natural Light that God will reveal himself and most just that his Revelations should be accepted with all Reverence when vouchsafed our very Reason being a Revelation from him and if any Revelation from him could be false even That might be so also But in all things Natural Light must needs bow to Divine Veracity Quest How happy might the World be if all the Religions of the World were but reformed to this Natural True Religion Answ Undoubtedly so for the State of it could not then be far from the Kingdom of God all True Religion whether Natural or Revealed being so closely allied to it self For though Revealed rises much higher yet in an inseparable connexion with and in a continuation undivided from Natural Quest But as the State of the World is and hath always been there seems to have been no Effect of True Natural Religion Answ Very great in many respects 1. To justifie God in his Dealings with Mankind that there have been such Possibilities of Return to True Religion laid up in them 2. To be as Sense in a Mans Soul upon which all Divine Applications might take either to Conviction or Conversion 3. To be at all times ready to be re-enlivened by Revealed Truth and to unite with it 4. To be an Universal Code of True Religion in which it is always reasonable for Mankind to agree or in any Parts of it on any Occasion as Jonah and the Mariners did in their Calamity or as St. Paul and the Seamen with him in giving Thanks to God 5. That it might be a Standard to punish Prophaneness and Irreligion by without entrenchment on Conscience which Revelation cannot be but in some peculiar Circumstances 6. That Men may on all Occasions treat with one another by it on Terms of Reason and Justice as the Apostle Paul with the Men of Athens with Felix and generally Men one with another in all their Commerce All Society good Laws and Government Restraint of excessive Evil depending upon it CAP. IV. Of Revelation and the Reasons of so great Miscarriages against both the Light of Nature and Revelation with the Means of Cure Quest SEeing there is by all that hath been spoken so great a weight resting upon Revelation let the Accounts of Gods Revealing himself to Mankind be more fully stated Answ Besides Gods Revealing himself to Adam even in Innocency in a Doctrine suitable to those two Sacramental Trees the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life and besides that Original Revelation of Christ after the Fall The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head he hath been pleased to guide that Holy Seed which is his Church by Revelation as by a Pillar of Fire throughout succeeding Ages till he compleated the whole he intended in a Kingdom of Truth that cannot be shaken which is to continue to the end of the World Quest How then did God deal with the rest of the World Answ Even they were for some considerable Spaces in the first Ages of the World within the Advantages of Revelation by mixture with or Neighbourhood to the Church by Tradition from the Holy Patriarchs which if they had faithfully observed together with the Improvement of Natures Light it would have secured them in True Religion Besides that they who were faithful in these were on all proper occasions provided for by the Faithful Creator though they were
for Scripture are Scripture and all of them so arises to our Assurance by finding the same Divine Spirit of Truth running through one as does through another For upon this account the True Church received them when first received and so transmitted them making the same Judgment successively in the several Ages as the first did the same Reason always continuing What is besides this is to be attributed to the Discerning of Spirits in all the Times while Scripture was writing by the due Exercise of which True Scripture was received and all other shut out for the Writings of Prophets was subject to Prophets and by them enroll'd into Scriptures That we have the same Scripture justly and faithfully consigned over to us from Age to Age is to be own'd and acknowledg'd to Divine Providence watching over his Church and Oracles together and conveying to us by the ordinary Security of the Churches Testimony the Precious distinguish'd not only from the Vile but from the less Precious also but yet we must have greater Testimony than this as hath been already urged Quest But how could we be assured we have all the Scripture were it not for the Churches Testimony Answ Finding so much Divine and no more of the same stamp in the World we may be concluded that way and abundantly satisfied that God will accept us in our Faith and Obedience to so great a Revelation When any measure of Divine Truth hath been adhered to sincerely the Danger hath always been greater in losing True Religion by corrupt Additions and the injurious Refusals of further Revelation come to pass more through the Prejudices of that Corruption than by humble and modest Suspensions till God hath assured us of his further Revelations But besides this we may easily find we must needs have the whole Globe of Truth and the Horizon of the Gospel gives us the whole Heaven or Kingdom of it as it is administred in this World so that all further Degrees of Light and Discoveries of it shall be but greater Clearnesses of what we already have in the main and Substance For if even the New Testament though it made so great a change did but thus compleat and illustrate Christ yesterday and to day the same how much more may we be assured who have the New it self so much excelling the Old as it every where assures us So that we can expect a Milennium or the New Hierusalem on Earth only for the highest Exaltation of what we now have till we come to Heaven it self Quest Do the various Readings so often bandied by Learned Men make no Abatement from the Certainty of Scripture Answ Those various Readings are such as excite and quicken Search and yet cannot distract the Doctrine being not able to alter the Scope Coherence and Design of the Context much less to change the Analogie of Scripture in other Places While therefore they do not that they take away the suspicion of Conspiracy they preserve from greater Corruptions by turning the Eyes of Men to look every way they shew how many excellent Senses dwell near the Divine Writing and the Bad are manifestly enough thrown off For in main things there is so much repeated and said over again and again as that all such Truths may be fully presented and assured and yet not so much be said as might be said of the same kind without any Tautology for the Subjects are so rich that even the World would be over-charg'd and not able to contain the Books that would be written Amen CAP. VII Of the Publick Interpretation of Scripture Quest THat the Progress upon this great Point may be made with the best Advantage it will be necessary to state the Amount of what hath been already asserted viz. That Scripture is a Publick and Divine Record and That the Proof and Evidence it is Divine is Divine and Publick also What therefore do these two Positions arise to Answ They arise plainly to this 1. That True Religion is at once given unalterably fixed on Monuments of its own and cannot receive the various Phases of Increase or Decrease like the Moon by new and upstart Decrees Canons or Anathemas 2. That Religion is in this Sense Publick even as God himself that it is of free and open access in the Scripture and its Entertainment as liberal as the Light and the Fountains of Water and no Man need wait till his Religion be drawn out of the private Repository of Breast or Breasts 3. That the Assurance and Evidence of Scripture is very near us when we come to treat with it so that we need not send up to Heaven that were to bring Scripture down from above when it is come down already nor beyond the Sea to oldest Antiquity for a Scale to it which hath always the Broad Seal of Divinity with it for that were to bring Scripture a second time from the Apostles and former Ages through which Divine Care and Providence hath already pass'd it down to us with the very same principal Assurance it gave them viz. that Divine Life of Truth and Holiness that cannot be far from any one of us for in it our Understandings and Consciences live and move and have their Beings and in that Light alone see Light Quest But hath the Private Spirit of Apostate Angels working by Corrupted Humane Nature made no Attempt upon this Publick Record though so every way guarded as it is to introduce a False Religion even under the Appearance of this Publick Authority of Scripture Answ Yes that very notorious one of Private Interpretation Answ What is Private Interpretation Answ That it may be well understood being a very great Instrument of the False Spirit we must proceed by degrees to the true Comprehension of it And first in the strictness of its Notion it is an affixing a Sense to Scripture or any part of it that does not so evidently and indisputably flow from Scripture as to partake of the Divinity of Scripture Quest How should an Interpretation be so made of Scripture as to partake of its Divineness Answ An Interpretation is as Divine as Scripture when it is the true evident Importance and Sense of Scripture Words and Scope and carries the perfect Spirit and Analogie of Scripture with it or is a Deduction and Doctrine arising from Scripture measured by the Context by its usual ways of expressing it self and the compare of one Place of Scripture with another so as to evince it self to be a just and necessary Consequence Quest What is the Effect of such Interpretations Answ Every one that soberly and impartially and piously attends to it cannot but be convinced and instructed by it as the true Divine Scripture-Sense opened and applied to him Quest How else may Interpretation be Publick and Divine even as Scripture it self Answ When there is truly a Divine Presence and such Motives of Credibility by which a rightly qualified Person may be induced to believe that such an
find the Truth by it self and then the Church by that Truth and not the Church by it self and then the Truth by the Church Answ Very true For God hath so in his Infinite Wisdom establish'd the very Nature of Things Truth can give many Assurances of it self to us by it self so suited to our Faculties The Church can give us none but by its agreement with Truth revealed in the Word of God We could not have known such a Congregation as the Church at all to be much less which it is but by that Word manifesting it self in our Consciences and so distinguishing to us the True Church among the many Associations in the World each calling to us as having the best Religion among themselves Even the True Apostles themselves could be known to be so and False Apostles tried and found Liars no other way but by this Truth view'd and considered singly and distinctly by it self Quest But when we have found the Church by the Truth may we not then deliver up our selves wholly to the Church as so united to Truth Answ No by no means We can never so deliver up our selves nor will the True Church desire any such thing of us seeing its Office is not to hold out it self but the Word of Truth and in doing any thing else it acts not as a Church but as any other ordinary Society and on no other Terms can we have to do with it For the very Attempt to hold out as a Church any Laws of its own ought to enter us into a Jealousie whether it be the True Church which is as a Church the Pillar and Rest of Divine Truth only Quest What Reason is there of such a Jealousie when once we have found it a Church by the Truth it holds out Answ Because a Church that hath been a True Church may several ways decline from its State Quest How then can it he said The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Answ That Prophetick Promise does not secure this or that Particular Church but that there shall be a Seed of the Church in the World with which the Covenant of God is Eternal My Word shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed or thy Seed's Seed for ever But it is yet further true the True Seed the Holy Seed the Substance of the Church can never utterly and finally fail in any Particular Member of it for if it could it were too great a violation of our Saviour's Truth in that Declaration The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church or force that Immortal retrograde into Mortality even that most dreadful one of the Second Death for which a Succession of others and in the same Danger is but a faint Salvo though it go on so to the End of the World Quest Who are this True Church in every Age and Place Answ They which are by True Saving Faith united to Christ the Son of God the Rock of Eternity and being so founded upon him are Pillars that never remove and a Rest of Truth for ever having been taught and learnt it as it is in Jesus Quest Who are the Professionary Church only Answ They that though they may as Artificial Pillars give some Ornament to the House of God and offer Truth yet not being indeed united to the Foundation are movable and may go out of the House They are such as have not received the Truth in the Love and Obedience of it within themselves and so may fall away from it It cannot be said of them as of the former The Truth shall be with them for ever having made its Edrâ—â—â—ma or Settlement in them Quest How does the Professionary Church fall away in the Bulk and Body of its Professors and Profession Answ The Office of the Church being to Actuate Truth and only Truth it may fail either in abating the Fervours due to Truth though nothing False or Forreign be admitted or in receiving Falshood or things of a baser Alloy for Truth and wasting those Fervours due only to Truth upon them The one may be called a departing from the true State of a Church the other from the State of a True Church and they usually meet one in another Quest How does this come to pass Answ From the Judgment of God upon the present sinful State permitting things so to themselves that in very few Instances it is but that the Imperfections of Good Men and the prevailing Corruptions of Professionary Christians change the Holy Lively Activities of the True State of a Church into Lukewarmness and Formality or by admitting Falshood and impure Mixtures into Doctrine Worship and Discipline corrupt the State of the Church so that it loses its Truth Quest What becomes of the Professionary Church when it loses the True State of a Church Answ It is as the Prophet expresses a Civil State or a City that hath lost its Splendour It becomes like a burnt Mountain or extinguish'd Globe of Light It retains the Form but loses the Life and Vigour of a Church like Ephesus that lost its First Love or Sardis that had a Name to live but was dead or Laodicea that was neither cold nor hot Quest What becomes of it when it is corrupted and loses in its Truth Answ It exchanges the Lively Oracles for Forms of Doctrine and Lifeless Discourse not of the High Spirit of Scripture It debases pure Worship into Ceremonialness Superstition or Idolatry and the Gospel Rule and Discipline it sells for a Worldly Politie and the true Graces of Christianity expressed in a Holy Conversation for what is much beneath or contrary Sometimes it forsakes Truth in some Fundamental Article that it swells out from the Foundation in a Breach ready to fall And there is one Instance of all these in the Anti-Church which will deserve a greater Consideration Quest How does God deal with such Churches Answ Sometimes sweeps them with the Beesom of Destruction taking away both the Candlestick and Place of it together Alienes Both to them and their Religion thrusting them out of their whole Possession Sometimes he suffers them to continue even for Ages yet so that their Candlestick is moved out of its due stately Positure hardly appearing like a Candlestick and that by the Indignation of God Quest In these Cases how does it fare with the True Holy Seed the Substantial Church Answ God chastens them to Repentance Self-purification and greater Zeal in that Case of the Churches losing its Brightness and Vigour that they may recover their first State and Work aad sets them on work to retrive Truth lost in that other Case of the Churches Defection Quest How is it with them when the very Place and Candlestick are taken away Answ They are either first removed into the higher State of the Church in Heaven or driven before into other Parts of the World by Persecution or the violence of the Judgment makes no distinction but carries
of this Truth under an apprehension of a greater moment than there is indeed in the Causes of such a Disunion and a proportionable abatement of Christian Love arising from it All Heresie therefore includes Schism but all Schism does not rise up to Heresie Quest Are these the Scripture Notions of Schism and Heresie according to its use of those Words Answ They are most agreeable with the Sense of it but the words were not so set solemn and formal in Scripture as afterwards in Ecclesiastick Writers for Dichostasyes or Division into two or more Parties and Contentions are by the Apostle used to the same Sense as Schism and Heresie sometimes signifies no more than a Sect or Division though that is remarkably used in its worst Sense by both the Apostles Paul and Peter Quest Is every different Apprehension and Practice ensuing upon it though distant from Truth immediately to be Condemned of Schism Answ By no means if it be a Modest and Humble Distrust and Suspension concerning the Truth and Command of God in some things of smaller moment and doubtful yea though it comes to a positive Determination so far as a Man's judgment and yet erroneous can at the present discern it cannot be branded as Schism if there be no stress laid upon the Thing beyond its desert if the Union in the greatest and clearest Truths and Commands remains firm and the Love due to such an Union with the Church of God be sincere and fervent yea even Dissent in greater points thus qualified and free from ill practice hath not been rigidly censur'd for Heresie Quest Is there no danger then of running into Schism if there be an Vnion with Truth Answ In this Sense only when the weakness or misapprehension of others are rated against them beyond their Merit and without regard to the greater Truths they agree in and the Love due to them upon Union in those greater Truths is withdrawn or the Spirit of meekness in endeavouring to restore the Erring Christian denied This may be justly esteem'd like Schism as it recedes from the just value of Great Truths and from the Charity of Christians upon Union in them but no Man is to espouse any Mans Errors or to receive even Truth by an implicit Faith for fear of Schism in things that carry not a broad Evidence of Divine Truth there is great scope for Modest Suspensions and even Dissents without Imputation of Schism for Truths of magnitude either in Doctrine Worship Practice or Discipline are too bright to be refused by sincere and honest Minds after due admonition Quest Wherein lies then the great Evil of Schism Answ That Schism and the Evil of it may better be understood I will set before you the several Instances of Schism in Scripture and the Evils noted by the Apostle in each of them 1. The first sort of Schism is the Disunion in the sincere Doctrine of the Gospel and bringing in upon it the necessity of the Judaique Rites to concur with it This the Apostle to the Romans Rom. 16. 17. calls making Divisions or Parties beside or contrary to the Doctrine received The great Evil of this adding to the Word of God is that it lays Scandals before Men and draws them into this great mischief that instead of the pure nourishment of Divine Truth all runs into this over-beloved Sentiment and so deprives the Soul of the true and vigorous Spirits of Truth and also the Service due to True Christianity is drain'd away and consumed upon this private Opinion which is indeed the mischief of all Falshood in Religion and Devotion in Things not appointed by God who only can prescribe what is truly fitted to our Good and bless it with suitable Effect Miscarriage from Divine Truth is always found in Schism with this mischievous Consequence that it deceives the Soul with a Cloud and Wind instead of Truth and solid Good 2. A Second kind of Schism the Apostle Notes 1 Cor. 11. 19 20. was the Disorder in Divine-Worship in that great Ordinance of the Lords Supper wherein they that were reprov'd were necessitated to withdraw and to stand apart for the manifesting themselves in the purity of that Worship and Service for the very honor of it The great Evil of this Schism is that it brings in a necessity of divided Parties in Publick Religion and the Duties of it seeing good Men must separate from such Corruptions and stand at a Distance from them on Account of which Religion it self is dishonoured as if it were a Jumble of Sects and gave an uncertain sound and further than that is charged as if it were but a Sect it self because it stands by it self Thus Christianity was called This Sect and the Sect of the Nazarenes Idolatry damns the True Worship of God as a Heresie from it self and the False Church charges the truly Publick-Assembly with Schism and a Private Religion 3. Another Degree of Schism the Apostle taxes in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 11. c. 4. 3. was that this one intire Profession of Christianity in the one Universal Church of Christ they thought ought to be shred into little Fraternities under the Names of some prime Minister of Christianity or even under the Name of Christ himself as an ordinary Master of a Party except we will understand that Those Approved who stood firm in Christ alone were manifested and stood alone by being at a distance from the Schism of others and so appeared as was said before like a Schism themselves Thus vain Philosophy parcell'd out it self under its great Masters The great Evil of this is that it raises Feuds Contentions and Factions as if this one Integral Christianity could have distinct Interests and some ingross one Interest others another Whereas the Apostle thus reduces this Schism all Ministers saith he with all their Gifts Graces and Functions are the whole Churches without any cantoning other than that Order and Conveniency requires the more constant administration of Religion in certain Congregations with their Elders Cephas the Apostle of the Circumcision was the Corinthians though Gentiles as well as the Apostle of the Gentiles Paul himself and not only the Churches Ministers â—ut the whole World and the Cargo of Light and Truth in it are the Churches Every Truth every Ordinance every Minister whâ—ther of Truth Natural or Revealed Religion with all the happy Effects of them are all the Donation of Christ to the Catholick Church whose the Catholick Church is and no Ministers whatever and Christ is Gods who is the Foundation Center and Supream Head of this Unity and Union 4. The last Instance of Schism I find in Holy Scripture is intimated to us under that curious Parable 1 Cor. 12. 12. of the Wise and Excellent Temperament betwixt the several Members of the same Body set in different Degrees of Dignity the less comely parts have more abundant Comliness and those that we think to be less Honourable on these we bestow more abundant
Honour that there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same care one for another under this Elegant Shade the Apostle teaches that a neglect and a contemptuous over-looking the Rights and Interest of the lower and less Honourable Members in the Church incurs the guilt of Schism as arguing the want of that Compassion and Feellingness that springs from the head of the Church down through the higher to the meanest of his Members for no Man ever hated his own Flesh even the meanest and lowest part of it but nourishes and cherishes it even as the Lord the Church They therefore that carry the greatest Grace and Honour in the Church should invest the least comely Members with more abundant Honour and Comliness in the most humble Christian Condescensions and kindest Treatment covering all their defects in Imitation of God who hath given most abundant Honour to that part which lacked and being more tenderly careful of deferring to them the utmost God hath allowed them On the other side the groundless and unreasonable Repining and Discontent of those Inferior Members that they are not the most noble parts is Schismatical also not feeling the Glory of those more excellent Members as their own Glory with delight and complacency even till it rises up to the Glory of the Head Christ and God To be perfectly united therefore in the same Judgment and Mind and to speak the same thing God hath spoken in his Word and herein to Love one another to observe the same pattern of Worship given by God himself to look upon our selves as only Christs and all Ministers to be the whole Churches given it by Christ alike so far as God gives us opportunity to enjoy them to rejoyce in the Honour of the highest Members and to Honour more abundantly the meanest as being all the Body of Christ and so tempered by him and wherein we cannot in this State of the Church come up to the exactness of these things yet to perform thus in the greatest instances of each of them and in the smaller to tollerate and forgive one another these are our security and certain preservation from Schism Quest Is there not another sort of Schism yet to be spoken of Answ No other that I can find spoken of by the Scripture Quest Is it not Schism when the Church or that part of it wherewith we are conversant prescribes Indifferences to make orderly and decent the Worship of God and any Christians separate themselves into particular Assemblies to Pray to Hear and Speak the Word of God to Admininister Sacraments that they may be free from such prescriptions For this is setting up an Altar against an Altar and one Part of the Church against another what can it then be but most notorious Schism and so esteemed in al Antiquity Answ I know not whether it is at all Schism I am sure if things were rightly managed it were the least Guilty kind for there being an Union as is supposed in all things that are Commanded by God and Christ if there be that Value and Love for one another in those things wherein they unite and agree a desire of Interest in and benefit by one anothers Prayers and a Joy in the Gifts Graces and Spiritual Abilities one of another a care mutually to impart and receive the benefit of them as far as may be such an Union in things Commanded by God shall over-rule the little distances in indifferences and no more divide than Worshiping God in different Congregations by reason of Distance of place or the Church of God using differing Circumstances of Worship in different Countries and Places Quest But what if besides these meer and simple Dislocations of themselves and use or non-use of these Indifferences there be Anger Strife Emulation Bitter Zeal in one against another as is generally and usually seen do not these sowre Passions beget Schism Answ Wherever these are found they must needs amount to that kind of Schism That Christians do not love Christians in the Truth and in keeping the Commandments of God Since it is supposed that each part are united in the Fundamentals of Faith and Divine Commands upon which ought to flow from the Love every sincere Christian hath to God and Christ in these love to one another also For Faith worketh or is effectual by Love and this is Love that we keep his Commands This Love therefore must needs to all united in these mighty things wherein True Christians are united surmount the disaffection that arises in the Disunion about Tything Mint or Cummin or else we must value our Confidence in small things or our Doubts about them above the clear and undoubted Truths and Commands of God which must indeed needs be Schismatical in both parts or on whatever part it â—e found Quest But seeing these Contentions are so hard to be avoided in the midst of different Judgments and especially divers Practices of Christians and in so distinct Congregations and that in the Eye of one another and further that the Assemblies of Christians together ought to be as Vniversal Numerous or at least as Free and Mutual as is possible in regard of nearness of place one to another for that it is most for the Honour of Christianity they should be so and most advantageous to the imparting Spiritual Gifts and Graces between all the Pastors and People seeing all this is so undeniable how can separation from the Assembly of one another do less than carry the guilt of Schism Answ There can be no Schism in keeping close to the Doctrine and Commands of Christ without adding or diminishing turning to the Right-hand or to the Left for therein as hath been often said is the Bond of the Churches Union therein alone is the Church a Church and the Peace lies infolded in the Truth the more than the Considerations forenamed are pressed and they deserve very earnestly to be pressed the more absolutely necessary it is to stay in the Doctrine of God and the Commands of Christ or which are as truely the Commands of God the Dictates of Nature Nay it is better to allow Men a Suspension of their assent to some Truths and of their Compliance with some Commands that are but upon the outward skirts and marches of Christianity and so not so evidently revealed than rush them upon a precipitate belief of a blind obedience the plainest things and those are always the most necessary being the safest to pitch Christian Communion severely upon Quest But may it not be reasonably supposed that according to the Constitution of Church Governours by Christ they have a Power in things neither Commanded nor Forbidden by God to interpose their Authority aâ—d to determine them this way or that way and that Obedience cannot be refused without Schism Answ There are very great Reasons against any such Supposal 1. The Apostles the Highest Authority under Christ as will be easily acknowledged had Commission
all but one great Lie of this Son of the Father of Lies the Image of the God of this World the Son of his falshood and perdition contrary to Christ the Son of the Father in Truth and Love But if any one receiving Christianity or the Scriptures from the Antichurch and measuring them in and by themselves separates True Christianity from the Antichristianism and retains it Pure it is but like the Service God received from the False Prophet Baalam when he Prophesied Truth into whose Place and Office Antichrist succeeds and is therefore styled the False Prophet Revel 16. 13. Quest What then can this pretended Catholick Church be in relation to the True Catholick Publick Religion Answ It can be no other upon strict account than the Synagogue of Satan the Pseudocatholick Antichurch in a Damnable Heresie from and hatred to the General Assembly and Church of the First Born written in Heaven united with the God of Truth and Love and the Son of the Father in Truth and Love in a Hellish Schism and Separation from the Apostolick Catholick Church of which God and Christ are the Head Quest How can it be believed that so great a Lie upon Christianity should be received by so large a proportion of the Christian World or that Persons of so vast Abilities and Comprehensions should so deceive others or be themselves deceived Answ Scripture has taken all the care possible to Arm us against this Objection which is indeed very great It calls this Apostacy a Mystery of Iniquity and to assure us the Apostle Paul and the Divine Person in the Revelation point to the same Thing upon the Forehead of this Adulterous Church is written Mystery Now a Mystery if it were presently understood and all easie and plain were no Mystery It hath the Energy of Delusion in causing Men to believe a Lie it is the whole Deceit of unrighteousness it sets up a great Stage of Counterfeit Miracles that it vaunts upon and that it might have that Reverend Face of Antiquity to deceive with and say it comes from a far-off Ages It was a Mystery that was then at work in the Apostles time Lastly It hath its effect upon them that may be Christians and receive Truth but not the chaste unprostitute Love of Truth alone Quest But it seems imposible that any parts of the Christian World that have been once disabused should return any more under so great a Delusion Answ There are very great hopes that God who hath Commanded his Light to shine out of this Darkness will interpose by the perpetual Brightness of his own appearance and by that Divine Breath of his Mouth in his Word against the return of so great a Darkness This set aside there are so many Reasons of fear and such possibilities of laying a Train of Causes reaching to such an Effect that there can be no place for Security but in the Almighty Providence and yet what Degrees of that deadly Scourge may fall on the Protestant World God only knows we know our Sins deserve very ill Quest What is the greatest Security under the Divine Grace and Providence against so great Desolation upon True Christian Religion Answ A perfect Acquiescency of the Protestant Nations upon the Foursquare of Divine Truth and Resolvedness not to move from thence For as a Foursquare never removes from its own Base because it is All Base so they that are Squar'd to it and settled upon it never move For it always bears them alike with it self and by its own Justness recalls them if they offer to wander meer angry prejudice against this or that False Religion is not enough without being thus grounded upon Truth Entertainment of Truth with any Addittaments will secure no Man for he that receives one Addition may receive another He that receives Truth lying Foursquare with it self is called back by that Even of Truth He that adds one to it and makes it Odd may go on indefinitely as Popery hath done because he hath forsakent he Just Even that should stay him He can no longer wait for the Voice of Truth that by it self always answers it self but to what is not like it self it will not answer but discover it to be off from this Square it will not on any respects hearken to any thing different because it will not be sollicited to move from it self So that upon the whole the Laws of Symetry and Commensuration are the great Security of True Religion and ascertain the True Church both to it self and all Beholders For Additions to Religion like Surds or Irrational Figures incommensurable to the Rational Square can never be reduc'd to this Foursquare of Truth but are like the Deaf Adder that will not hearken to the voice of Reason Charming never so Wisely Nor can they ever be reduced to a certainty or exactness with themselves but are one thing to day another to morrow But Divine Truth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rational Certain Expresly it self Deaf indeed to any thing else but in it self it is Yesterday and to Day the same for ever He therefore that daily ponders meditates upon hath a just Measure of the Fundamentals of Divine Truth and does all things in a Regular Square with them shall know the Doctrine that is of God all the Fruits of the Tree of Life though they are various yet come all within the Apostolick Twelve and he that hath a Spiritual Gust exercis'd to discern betwixt Good and Evil by tasting any aright will taste all and find them Apostolical and know whatever pretends and is not and so reject it He will know all the Gates of Wisdom and Truth and the Angelical Guard attending at them and go in and out by them but the Disorderly Breaches and Gaps that Wild Beasts or Deceitful Foxes have made he avoids knowing they exceed the Apostolick Twelve and are therefore dangerous and pernicious and whatever Apparation of Angels may be at them he knows it is only Satan transformed into an Angel of Light and his Ministers transformed as the Apostles of Christ as the Ministers of Righteousness Thus the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Numbred and Measured exactly by it self is the Security of the Twelve Tribes of Israel that is of the True Church CAP. XIV Of the Power of Magistrates in Religion and of National Religion Quest IT is I think very clear by all that hath been spoken that the settlement of Religion in the Word of God is most stable and certain and that by no Powers he hath given in his Church it can be changed nor receive any Arbitrary Additions that should be Obligatory But I am in great doubt how to reconcile those Commands of Scripture to be subject to Principalities and Powers with those strict Precepts to keep close to the Word of God and to turn neither to the Right hand nor to the Left where Rulers so often prescribe in Religion contrary to or different from the Word of
Peace and Welfare and to punish Offenders and Transgressors according to the Degree of their Guilt and can no more be Impeached in that procedure than in any the most undoubted Functions or Rights of Government whatever Quest I must desire to be guided in my Thoughts concerning the Power of Governours in Revealed Religion Answ Besides the Legislative and Vindictive Power of Supreme Magistrates in Natural Religion there is that Divine stamp of Authority God hath Engraven upon them so that besides their Laws they recommend Religion by the very representation of God himself whose Presence they bear and have not only the more Remote Authority of a Prince but the nearest most Natural and kindly Authority of a Father On account of which Solomon as a King so often speaks Hear O ye Children the Instruction of a Father and as having all Parental Affection in himself forsake not saith he the Law of a Mother The Care of all means for Instruction and Propagation of Religion is most proper to Government And all these Administrations in Religion run not only through all points of Natural Religion in that ampleness before expressed but do most genuinely and freely stream through all points of Revealed Truth and the whole Counsel of God in the Scripture nothing being more Princely and Paternal than the utmost Providence and Influence of Princes and Soveraign States herein wherein they fulfill the Prophesie of Kings being Nursing Fathers and Queens Nursing Mothers to the Church of God But there is this difference between Natural and Revealed Religion Natural Religion is written in the Heart and may certainly be found there however it comes to be known clearly and truly only by Revelation and so may be absolutely Commanded But Revealed Religion is recorded by Faith and Faith cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God and therefore cannot be Commanded but must be expected by the Blessing of God upon Instruction But if any Man profess to believe Revealed Religion to have received it as the undoubted Truth of God it is then the Law of Nature he should deport himself in it and towards it as to the Truth of God Nebuchadnezzer Darius and the King of Nineveh their Laws were rightly grounded upon the Principles of Natural Religion concerning the True God The Laws of Moses and the Princes of Judah in Revealed Religion were upon the so unavoidable acknowledgement of the Divine Presence and Authority in and with those Laws the so many Repeated Covenants Indentures and Engagements of that People on the evident Appearances of God to be obedient to those Laws But in the Revelation oâ— Jesus Christ we find no tracks of Humane Power bâ—â—â—ll was done by Instruments fitted from Heaven naked of â—ll Humane Authority that the Excellency of th◠〈◊〉 might be of God and not of Men till Princes and 〈◊〉 agreed in the Faith of the Gospel not by Compulsion but by Evidences and inward Assurances of the Faith and so it is still to continue Quest Before you pass from this point that it may be made the clearer will you give the Distinction between Sovereign Powers and the Elders of the Church For they are both called Rulers they are both called the Ministers of God Answ This is indeed most necessary to be known as tending much to Illustrate this whole Matter 1. The Power of the Elders of the Church lies wholly and intirely in the Evidence of the Truth and the Word of God they Minister without which their Persons are Invested with no Power or Authority at all But there is a Sacred Character upon Soveraign Powers and their very Persons so that Reverence Prostration Obeysance Honourable Titles and Obedience in all Lawful Things are due to them even when their Commands in some things being unlawful cannot be obeyed as appears every where in Scripture 2. The Authority Power and Majesty of Sovereign Princes remains Inviolable and not to be invaded by any no not by those who have Commission to speak the Word of God There is no Temporal Power in order to Spirituals Conferred by Christ or Ordained to his Ministers to Create a Civil-Spiritual Power within a Civil and to rencounter it But Princes are in all Causes and over all Persons within their own Dominions under God and according to his appointment Supream Governours so contrary is Scripture to the Usurpation of the Anti-Church herein All Religious Princes guiding themselves by Gods Word have great Power and Authority not only by that Word but by Virtue of that Authority and Majesty God hath Cloathed them with as his Vicegerents to Direct and Govern according to Truth wherein the Divine Spirit is pleased often to be so immediately present with them that a Divine Sentence is in the Kings Lips that they may direct according to Truth and in all Truth they are to be Obey'd not only for the Truths sake but for that Authorities sake also God hath Invested them with 3. The Elders of the Church lose their Power by erring from Truth and the Word of God for of what Authority is the False Prophet or the False Teacher But Princes and Soveraign Powers have a Power though misapply'd to vindicate their Authority upon those that cannot Obey them except they should Disobey God to Obey Magistrates which none dare assert that acknowledge God in which Power Magistrates must not be resisted even while they cause Men to suffer for Righteousness sake 4. The Admonitions Excommunications Anathema's of Church Rulers have no Force when not grounded upon Divine Truth nor ought to make Impression upon Conscience but to be rejected with Disdain But the Penal Sentences and Vindictive Decrees of Sovereign Powers have their Effect so far even when they are unjust as to be received as an Ordination of Power appointed by God though us'd to a wrong purpose Where the Word of a King is there is Power and his Wrath is as the Roaring of a Lion and it is so appointed by God Against such a Supream Executive Power Arm'd with the Supream Legislative Power of a Nation there is no rising up no remedy but appeal to God by Prayers and Tears Quest This whole Account might be much Illustrated if it be declared on the other side what Obedience is due to the Ministers of the Word and Truth of God whether extraordinary as Prophets and Apostles or ordinary as the Elders of the Church and Ministers of the Gospel even when Supream Magistrates Command the contrary Answ The Word and Truth of God are of so Supream Authority that though the Ministers of it are of no Authority separated from that Word yet the Word and â—â—uth oâ— God of which they are Embassadours is much highâ—◠〈◊〉 â—he Kings and Princes of the Earth and there is no Compare between thâ— one and the other God therefore raised up extraordinarily what Messengers he pleased and sent them with what Messages he thought good to what Princes or Magistrates soever because immediately 〈◊〉 God the
THE PRINCIPLES OF PROTESTANT Truth and Peace IN FOUR TREATISES VIZ. The TRUE STATE of LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE In Freedom from Penal Laws and Church-Censures The OBLIGATIONS to NATIONAL TRUE RELIGION THE NATURE of SCANDAL Particularly as it relates to Indifferent Things A CATHOLICK CATECHISM Shewing the True Grounds upon which the Catholick Religion is ascertained Zech. 8. 19. Love the Truth and Peace By THO. BEVERLEY Rector of Lilley in Hertfordshire LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and Will. Miller at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside and the Acorn in St. Paul's Church-yard 1683. To the Reader I Have very sadly observed the great distress of Humane Affairs through miscarriages every way in point of Religion For while the Powers of this world and Ecclesiastick Jurisdictions take it for their Right to impose by severe Penalties and dreadful Censures what they think fit under so great a name they yet neither can assure any one they are not or do not use to be mistaken in their recommendations or that all their Authority or Power shall excuse and acquit those that obey them when they appear before Gods Tribunal so that it is impossible the Judgment or Conscience should have any repose here On the other side some not only out of Recoyl for self-preservation or out of design but from Furious Wild Principles have broken out into publick disturbance to make room for what they have proclaim'd as the Kingdom of God and Christ to the great scandal of True Religion the imbrewing their hands very horridly in Blood and the seeming Justification of utmost Rigors against any pretences of Religion except according to Law Besides all this private Feuds and Animosities vehement and angry disputes are every where clamorous and people hereupon in great Amuse what they should believe or do Now since there is no doubt all these evils are foreseen by God there is as little doubt that there are sure Remedies provided against them I have then upon the whole this account to give the Reader That the observation of so many Counter-Cries of Opinion such great Exasperations in mens Affections such Complaints of oppression of Conscience by undue Laws such Recriminations of Faction Sedition Fanaticism not only among Christians but among Protestant Christians and of the same Common National Interest mov'd me to seek Retirement to some Rock of Certainty that I might be at perfect Peace upon in full satisfaction of Judgment and composure of Affection and having found Natural Religion as certain as our Faculties and Fundamental Christianity in most things of the same immediate certainty as Natural in all things after due exploration of the same final certainty I am so far at Peace in my Judgment as to have no doubt WHAT IS TRVTH in relation to Eternal Happiness if ten thousand more of Opinions encompassed me round about so far at Peace in my Affections as not to be in Commotion with any man that gives Testimony to Christian Charity that he is a strict observer of Natural Religion and Fundamental Christianity one Essential Rule of both which is Love Peace and Mercy to all that are centred in this Natural Christian Religion though they may adjoyn or refuse some Eccentrick Placits that do not harm the Foundation Lastly I am assur'd this very Natural Religion espoused by Christianity well considered and observed would disarm the world of those Instruments of Cruelty in the Cause of Religion so extreamly abhored by it whether used by angry supreme Powers or unjustly taken up by Seditious Ambitious or Fanatick Subjects Which Cruelty men are sain to borrow from wild Beasts no such being given by the Gracious Author of all things to so excellent a Nature as he made the Humane and therefore most certainly not by the Redeemer nor his Religion who came to fill the world with Innocency Goodness and Peace after so great an Invasion of Barbarity and Cruelty Now having found this satisfaction my self I make offer of it if it may be the same to others asking only Candid Interpretation in particular management the main Principle being above the need of pardon or the Fear of Indignation Although the Discourse being intended much shorter is not distinguished in the Body of it into Chapters or otherwise yet that the Reader may have a guidance into the main Designs of it I have prefixed this Summary of Heads of Discourse following each other The Contents THE Introduction Explaining the Text and shewing the merciful Design of Christianity against contrary appearances The always present way of determining Doubts in Religion 1. to 8. Of Natural Religion as sure as our Faculties and the Examination of Things by it 10. to 26. Of Natural-Religion united by Christian Religion to and with it self as the only Assurance and Test of Revealed Religion and of the little value of Ceremonies in Religion either Natural or Christian 27. to 45. Of Natural Religion the only standard of Humane Paenal Laws in Religion 45. to 79. Of the great use of Natural Religion in composing and deciding Differences in Christian Religion applied to some of the greatest Controversies in it 80 82. Of the first Principle of Peace in Christianity it self The important Honourable Business given as one Rule to walk by wherein it engages all its Disciples several ways producing peace 88 to 94. Of the grand Principles of the Vnion of Christians into one Body on which love and peace are infallibly to ensue 95 to 99. Of Heresie and the nature of it cutting off from that Vnion exemplified in Popery and whether the Roman Society be a True Church Of Schism and its nature as it cuts off from the Body of Christ 99 to 110. Of the Laws for Christians being imbodied in a Catholick Church in particular Congregations or Churches and the Order of Both to National Christian Constitutions Of the great value the word of God gives to Publick National Religion requiring our utmost attemperation of our selves to it consistently with conscience Of the Peace of Christianity in relation to the Ministerial presidency of it in relation to Magistracy to Vniversal Goodness 121 to 127. A Lamentation over the World's unhappiness in relation to so excellent a thing as Religion and Christian Religion 127. An Offerture for the Amicable Return of all Protestants one to another within our English Nation and the Methods of it 136. ERRATA PAGE 2 l. 28. r. action p. 7. l. 25. for thus r. that p. 17 l. 17. blot them p. 23 l. 1 for them r. that l. 5. for it self r. themselves p. 27. l. 32. r. appellation p. 91. l. 37. for they r. that p. 109. l. 7. blot why l. 10. blot who being p. 1220 Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 141. l. 7. r. done ISA. XI 6 7 8 9. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them And
fretteth against the Lord. This then abates nothing from the grand Importance of these words which I shall endeavour so to discourse as to shew that Christianity lays down those Foundations of Unity Peace and Kindness upon Religious Accounts as are sufficient in the Nature and Reason of them to take off all manner of Barbarity Fierceness and Malignity in actions and words concerning Differences in Religion so that there should be no hurting and destroying but what is just and deserved punishment of evil Evil truly and really so and not different Religions only without that natural real evil much less different apprehensions in the same Religion almost if not altogether unavoidable nor should the names of Contumacy Faction Sedition be a salvo or shelter sufficient for men to cover their Cruelties under directed indeed against different sense in Religion whatever else they pretend And if the true measures given us by the Gospel were observed and pursued they would certainly and effectively reconcile mankind in general and Christians among themselves in particular removing all Animosities and making them most tender compassionate and benign one towards another even towards them that are not yet come to the knowledg of the Christian Truth much more to them that profess that Truth with themselves though they dissent in some things wherein they are taught by their profession to do it with modesty esteeming and preferring one another in honour each above themselves even then when they cannot in their particular distant sentiments part with that they are perswaded is Truth For if obstinacy contumacy pride or singularity shall be charg'd upon one another by each dâ—ffering party and pursued with penalties by the stronger and these faultinesses pretended to be the things only against which the Austerities are levell'd and not the difference in judgment yet if there be no other standard to judg of these truly culpable things and that indeed deserve the humane severity due to them in all other cases as well as differences in Religion if any other but God who knows mens hearts could judg of them but if there be I say no other detection of them but this That the one Dissenter cannot come over in judgment to the other that iâ— the Inferiour to the Superiour in power especially the case is still the same that all must come to one opinion or maligning one another still continue not professedly for the dissent but for those other evils of which yet that dissent shall be the only proof and accounted sufficient proof too I would therefore by divine Assistance endeavour so to manage this Discourse as to secure it from such elusion I confess the undertaking as it is of great moment so is very difficult and whoever considers what hath continually been done in the world and how things of this nature have been intangled and perplexed would not believe there should be any such Rules of prevention in nature or that God hath design'd any such for the good of mankind and by measuring from what is past to future expectation may look upon any Discourse to such a purpose as Vtopian and Imaginary Seeing the Christian Religion so humble peaceable modest and amicable and that hath the only true Rules of this Peace hath yet been so unsuccessful herein that as at the first it was the Butt against which all sorts of Cruelty and Barbarity discharg'd themselves in the Confessors and Martyrs of it so since it hath been made the seat of those unholy holy Wars perpetual Controversies and Disputes carried on with great wrath and clamour and worse than that a kind of Aceldama or Field of blood by the horrid and unnatural furies of Christians one against another But to conclude from hence True Religion and Christianity hath not a fitness or less of fitness than false Religion to beget in mens minds that Amity Union and Peace spoken of by fixing such principles and fundamentals as Christians might concenter upon notwithstanding their various senses in many things and by induing them with such a spirit of wisdom as is pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits is to take off the load from the Degeneracy and Corruption of humane nature and to charge it upon the most excellent thing in the world Religion and Christian Religion whose very Excellency is the true and only reason why Corruption and all the malice of Hell planted themselves against it with all the force they could to have bar'd it out of the world and when it prevailed against those Gates of Hell and setled it self then to adulterate debauch and divide it which attempts and the resistance to them hath made it fuller of commotion and noise than false Religion which being held in peace by Sin and Satan as their intire and undivided Territory no sound of true Religion coming in there is not that reason for a disturbance There is therefore no Argument of moment to be drawn from hence against the Christian or Reformed Protestant Religion from the divisions of the Teachers and Professors of it for it being demonstrated as it may very plainly be that it is not from the nature of Religion it self it then remains it is only from the pravity of men and design of Satan who are not so concern'd against any other Religion not feeling that destruction from any but it Thus therefore the waves and storms beat more vehemently against the Rock of Truth that there is more rage and foam and froth about it is not from the unquietness of the Rock which is always firm and still but from the unruliness of the waves Nor is the dead Sea of a false Religion or a total Ignorance in Religion because it hath a dead calm upon it like the blood of a dead man more safe than these Religious Rev. 16. 3 Commotions for every living soul dyeth in that There is certain Death there but motion argues Life and tendeth to it though there are other hazards appertaining to motion yet still there are possibilities of life A Fever is a degree of Cure compared with a Lethargy and dissents if well and Christianly moderated by the running to and fro of mens understandings increase Dan. 12. 4. Knowledg maintain Action and concern in Divine Things resine Doctrines and Professions which else like stagnated waters are apt to corrupt make more evidently appear that which cannot be shaken This indeed is not to be applied to absolutely necessary and fundamental points of Faith Worship or Practise for though by opposition thâ—y also are much fortified and confirmed yet that is by Supreme Power bringing good out of evil but none may do evil that good may come nor doth it introduce Scepticism in any thing we ought to know but every man abâ—unding in the sense of his own mind offers his own and receives the Reason of others proving all things and 1 Thes 5 21. holding fast what he finds best with all toleration
and condescension to those that think disseringly from him I come therefore now to the main of the Discourse and to make good that the Nature Constitution and Rules of Christian Religion are most exactly prepared to ingenerate promote and establish love peace and quietness among men even Vniversal and Oecumenical peace but especially among Christians and that by the most compendious Authority viz. the word that is nigh to us in Scripture and true and undoubted reason without going up into Heaven or down into the deep or sending beyond the Sea or turning over voluminous Writings of Ancients Church-History Tradition which perplex things with endless intricacies for before any one can with due rational satisfaction receive them he must for himself search them and when he hath done compare and be able by sagacity to find out the true Genius of the Writer and distinguish what is sincere from things spurious and counterfeit But suppose a man well satisfied herein yet still how various are interpretations and what contrary senses do the same periods yeild to several Readers and when all is agreed that can be agreed it is incertain except things are brought to a higher test wherein the peccancy and lubricity the oversight and weakness of humane nature have had place or what hath been conducted by the Word and Spirit of God by true Wisdom according to the pure and chast Laws of Christianity So that though all knowledg and learning reading and acquaintance with the records of elder times be most valuable and to be desir'd in its due place yet as to the ascertaining our minds in what concerns us not only to everlasting Happiness but to present Peace God hath provided better for us and within a nearer compass wherein our search cannot be too curious or industrious but within lesser room for such a kind of acurate seâ—rch as is due to the Scripture which in short gives us the conclusion of all matters necessary to life and godliness in present would be more than the most of mankind have either leisure patience or skill for if extended upon the monuments of antiquity so variously insisted upon for the finding out what men very often have a mind to find out in them rather than fairly to take what is offered by them But the things I shall present as Christian foundations of universal Peace and Benignity and most especially among the Disciples of Christianity are such as are plainly found in the Word of God and attested by sound reason 1. The first Foundation of universal Peace and Love and Benificence in Religion given us by Christianity is The Vniversal Consent Vnity and even Vniformity in Natural Religion throughout the souls of men if they would shew themselves men and act as men every where presum'd upon and appeal'd to in the Gospel Under this Head I will endeavour these Three things 1. To take a brief view of Natural Religion observing the intimate union of Christian Religion with it as Scripture brings it to light at its full lustre and presents it at its full Dimensions 2. To shew the great agreeableness of Christian Religion with Natural and the testimony Christianity receives from it in what it reveals above and beyond natural Religion and the Reasons we have for our acceptance of it thereupon 3. To observe the grounds of Universal Peace and quietness in the world upon its consent in Natural Religion offer'd to us by Scripture and Reason For that there are such grounds herein I shall shew Christianity supposes and that it strongly intimates they are the measure and standard of such a Peace and quietness to mankind in general Before I enter upon these I must premise 1. That Natural Religion in many things doth not at first and immediately appear to us but upon strong and sedate motions thinking reasoning meditating as we recover natural science by study and labour in many points of knowledg which yet being found are most plain and evident 2. There may be strong prejudice against some Principles of Natural Religion and yet no more argument against the truth of them than that in former times there was a general confident disbelief of the Antipodes was a disproof of them in which cases yet Truth will by degrees prevail to victory 3. It is certain the true and lively characters of this Religion are so defac'd and blotted by the fall that they cannot be perfectly recovered but by Revelation Many Truths clear enough in themselves concerning God his Worship the intercourse of the souls of men with him and in relation to their eternal condition yea and in plainer things than these viz. concerning true Righteousness Mercy Humility Soberness Patience are not seen but in their darker rudiments till they are revealed by God but when they are so revealed they so notably fall in and unite with the remains of Natural Religion preserved in us that they assure the same original writing of all both what we find more immediately in our hearts by their own light and what we receive from the Word of God Yet so that Natural Religion is no where found in that brightness as in the Word of God though revelation being supernatural is an orb above natural yet so large that it comprehends this lower and less The noticeâ— of Natural Religion by mans apostacy retir'd as plants into the earth in Winter Divine Revelation as the Sun returning at the Spring encourages them so that they sprout up afresh and grow being cherished by its warmer beams and so that we know these newer notices are of the primitive implantation by their being drawn out in a continuation from the elder roots Yea those things that in the state of innocency had no place viz. Faith in the pardoning-Mercy of God and repentance for there being no sin there was no need of these by way of supposition of mans sin and so great a goodness of God any way discovered to man flow as freely from the same fountain of Natural Religion as any other duties of it as is after to be shown 4. Notwithstanding all these former premisals that seem to abate from it I affirm Natural Religion is a Basis for the common peace and quietness of Mankind upon which they might easily so concenter as to preserve the world from blood and cruelty on religious accounts if they would as I have said shew themselves men I come therefore to take briefly the intended view of Natural Religion and to observe the intimate union of Christian Religion with it I. And first the acknowledgment of a supreme Being the Lord and Giver of all with all the Reverence Love Obedience Service due to him as the great Author Benefactor Lord and Judg of the whole world is the first most fundamental Principle of Natural Religion and so plain and evident that whoever denies it may without any brand of cruelty be dealt with as a Traytor to the Vniverse 1. For first he hath unhindg'd the order subordination
that that Doctrine is made known to men by the light of nature consequentially and by way of deduction though not originally ingrafted I make no doubt and that these two ways 1. By that obligation to forgive planted in humane nature and the inclinableness of generous minds to it as an Excellency and Glory of Humane Nature and therefore it is most attributable to God seeing all perfection derives from God and is most attributable to him To the Lord Dan. 9. 9. our God belong mercies and forgivenesses He hath declared to man it does so by inserting it as a Nobleness in his heart They therefore that do not esteem it a virtue and of most desirable practise in themselves may upon that very reason dispair of it from God seeing they count it wiser and better not to forgive and whatever is best and wisest is most attributable to God 2. By the patience of God towards sinners which in its most natural Inferences leads to repentance and is salvation Rom. 2. 4 5. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Infinite goodness not being willing that any should perish but all come to repentance and therefore that penitential frame discoverable in humane nature upon ingenuous sense of sin answers this patience of God as the Eye and light as the Ear and sound do one another and both together are a connate Gospel in mans soul If any should think this a derogation from the Mediator he will be satisfied I intend no such when I tell him I esteem all those notions of Natural Religion and Morality as continued to be planted in man are from Jesus Christ the Creator-Redeemer by whom every thing was made that is made who is that true light that is the light of men the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Natural Religion therefore may well be inlaid John 1. 4 9. with Evangelical Lines since it is all from Christ The Apostles therefore both St. Paul and Peter discourse it as the great sin of men against natural Knowledg and Conscience not to know that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance to despise the riches of his long-suffering and forbearance to account it slackness and not salvation which could not be without the grace of God in a pardon made known by natural light nay indeed all impressions of Natural Religion continuing and moving to good actions after sin are built upon Gods pardoning Mercy because God allows receives no worship from Devils who find no place for repentance David therefore celebrates God thus There is forgiveness Psal 103. 4. with thee that thou mayest be feared that is honoured reverenced worshiped and served which could not be since mans sin if thou didst not forgive Thus evident is the Doctrine of Pardon and Repentance that if there be any such thing as Natural Religion since the fall that must be a noble branch of it The King of Nineveh had a confidence in this Mercy that so peremptory decree of destruction notwithstanding for the allowance Jonah 3. ult of them a quarentine or forty days patience carried a solemn promise of Pardon upon Repentance in the very nature of it else why was not the destruction immediate so he understood and so it proved and therefore it is a worthy part of religious publick discourse in the worship of God 2. The second duty of Natural Religion is prayer to God which our dependance upon God our expectation from him both for the holy and happy state of our minds in vertue and godliness challenges from us the recommendation of our state beyond death into the hand of God as a faithful Creator requires it of us the peaceable and prosperous order and government of the world and of our nearer concerns in it National Domestick Personal provoke us to it Prayer for pardon and reconciliation to God Vows of obedience to him of returns to him by repentance how necessary are they for upon supposition of sin and hopes of pardon the same considerations enter into prayer that do into discourses of God Now this is a duty so natural that not to pray is to restrain John 15. 4. prayer to shut up and imprison a most natural motion and vent of the soul that is ready forcibly to burst out as water consin'd within bounds too close for it David makes addresses to God as by one of his Attributes Oh thou Psal 65. 2. that hearest prayers and therefore hast an universal congregation of suppliants about thee to thee shall all flesh come 3. Praises of God in the divine excellencies of his Nature and Beeing in the glories of Creation and Providence in his Mercies and continual Beneficencies to our selves and all his creatures in his righteousness judgments and severities upon the wickedness that is in the world are a tribute to God so natural that God as our Maker gives all men songs in the night that is continual matter of praise even in the ordinary and extraordinary seasons the whole Creation is one Mouth opened in his glory This is so due and even necessary to be paid that some Naturalists of no great reputation for Devotion have upon the survey of the admirable works of God found his praises even bubbling up from them in Hymns of Praise 4. The holy and reverend mentions of God upon all just and valuable Reasons as in swearing by his Name in Covenants and Pacts in decision of controversies by testimony in asseverations of truth in promises are among the Decrees of this Natural Religion Lastly The universal Sanctification of the Divine Majesty in all our thoughts words and actions that in nothing we may reverse that acknowledgment we make in solemn duties who that calls God the bâ—st and greatest Names of Love and Awe in the highest dâ—grees as Heathens did by the force of Natural Religion can deny or keep back any part of these from God or if any denies them or does contrary to them by impious swearing blaspheming the Name of God or undervalues the awful and tremendous attributes or what evidently and undoubtedly pertains to the Divine Honour and Glory who can say severity upon him is cruelty but a due sacrifice to justice as punishments for blood rapine unnatural lusts are All these then are so plain and evident Duties that they need nothing of further discourse but only a sober reflection upon their own evidence in order to their prevalency in the understanding of men And for the manner of performance besides the very gravity required in such awful actions the prudence of rational nature in its solemn deportments the greatest condecency required to divine things that can arise from nature and not from artifice I know nothing to be added except a caution to rest here and not to suffer the transports and inchantments of a fleshly imagination that is endlesly spinning out it self in forms and modes of divine worship till that worship become not a piece of pageantry only for that were
to have their effect there being many other in the event incurable evils upon men in despight of right Reason the cure of which yet any one may freely offer and discouse 2. Having thus far insisted upon the first Particular under this Head of Natural Religion I come to shew the agreeableness of Christian Religion with Natural in what it reveals above and beyond Natural Religion and the great Reasons of our Acceptance of Christian Religion thereupon which was the second Head propos'd And that I may make this the clearer let it be distributed into these three Branches 1. That it is hereby necessarily suppos'd Natural Religion is given to be a Test and Touch-stone of Truth in Religion 2. That Christian Religion hath such an evident agreement with Natural Religion as to be approved and recommended by it 3. That it being so excellent and so recommended it lays the true grounds of peace throughout the world in Religion 1. As to the first I thus argue If a man have no notes of distinction within if there be not a Religious Rational Understanding planted by God as a nature in man if there be not Principles ingrafted into that Understanding how shall a man know the goodness of anything propos'd to him the conformity of it with what it is pretended to be When our Saviour challenged the Phraisees requiring a sign from Heaven for the truth of his Doctrine thus Why even of or from within your selves judg ye not what is Luk. 12. 5 7. right He imply'd The very essence of a man as an Intellectual Rational Spirit must be also full of Religious and Moral Principles and so must have innate judgment of Religious Truth as many other Scriptures assure us Without this a man can have nothing but an Implicite faith for his Religion a strong belief it 's true Now seeing Turks Jews Papists every one that is throughly possess'd with his Religion hath the same this kind of Faith is no other than these several Religionists laying a wager one with another which is the true Religion and it greatly derogates from the Christian Religion to suppose there is no more but this confident adventure for it rather than for any other and no grand assurance within in Natural Religion Even matters of Divine Revelation however immediately from God must be hence known and discovered else every thing that calls it self Revelation must be taken for Divine Although the Prophets might be at some times under a strong supernatural hand that transported their minds as it did also in extraordinary cases their bodies yet they were generally under the still-voice speaking to their faculties enlightning their reason sanctifying their affections by which they had even at the time of their greatest raptures a sense of the excellency of Divine Truth an habitual acquaintance with the ways of Divine approach and presence a search into the things they had spoken even after they had spoken them So the Apostle Peter tells us They searched what or what manner of time the Spirit that was in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1. 11. They had a holy gust of Divine things a judgment discerning between any sort of private spirit and the universal Spirit of Grace and Truth else how did they differ from Balaam 2 Pet. 1. ult Abraham no doubt had a free debate with himself of the certainty that the voice was Divine that commanded him to Gen. 22. sacrifice his Son and argued within himself the reasonableness of returning his Son and especially his Son Isaac to the Author of all life and being and of Isaac's most particularly and so he resign'd him But Infinite Truth and Goodness always jealous over the sacredness of Nature's Laws would not permit the execution The great power of Miracles is not their astonishment of sense but summoning mens minds with great authority to Rational and Religious Considerations laid up in store within them The sum then of this Point is this Natural Religion always with us as intimate as our faculties as certain and true as they are in their frame and creation must be our Ordeal if I may so call it our Fiery our surest way of trial of all Proposals made to us in Religion that is after due awakening our minds and examination of things by them and the blessed assistances or highest infusions of the Divine Spirit are breath'd into our natural sentiments in things pertaining to God inlightned purified and guided into all truth 2. The second Branch follows viz. Christian Religion hath such an evident agreement with Natural Religion as to be approved and recommended by it even in what it reveals above and beyond Natural Religion Now if it be first evident there is not one good thing in that whole Religion as every thing in it is holy just and good but Christianity hath united it self with it self it hath so carefully gathered up all the fragments of it that no one thing is or can be lost And if it be made good in the second place that whatever Christian Religion reveals beyond natural Religion endures the touch of Natural Religion and is besides its own proper credentials recommended by it there cannot be any thing added to evince that Christian Religion is a foundation of Oecumenical peace in Religion seeing Natural Religion is the Oecumenick Religion the Religion of all mankind It must be so for every man hath it written in his heart and Christian Religion is in much of it one and the same Religion is all of it most agreeable with Natural Religion and recommended by it It then necessarily follows no man can be wisely Rationally Religious but he must be so far Christianly Religious and what Christian Religion offers beyond the wisdom and rationality of a man beyond the Law of the first creation is yet as agreeable with it as light with light greater light with lesser light how then can he that shews himself man be cruel outragious against or out of peace with it He that falls out with it falls out with Godliness Righteousness Soberness Humility Truth peace with God attonement to him with laying hold upon Eternal Life and flying from the wrath to come with Patience Meekness Mercy Compassion from God to men from men to one another He that persecutes Christianity must persecute righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost in which whosoever Rom. 14 17 18. serveth Christ as every one must do that serves him is accepted of God and approved of men and therefore to despite Christianity is not only Belluine but Devilish So that the third Branch plainly results from the two former viz. if Natural Religion be the standard and touchstone given us to try all things in Religion by and that Christian Religion comes off from the tryal more precious than Gold It follows then of what value it ought to be to all the world To demonstrate then the second Branch that Christian Religion so agrees with Natural as to
be recommended by it in what it reveals beyond it 1. The first thing I shall insist upon is this That even as Natural Religion conduces very much to the worlds Peace that it is Natural Substantial and not Ceremonial so doth it also recommend Christian Religion that it is so far from consisting in Ceremony that it hath no more in number than there were found in innocency There was the tree of the knowledg of good and evil the not eating of which was a symbol of universal obedience There was the tree of Life a Sacrament sealing the Reward of obedience Gen 2. 9. There was the seventh day Sabbath a day of solemn converse with God and meditation of his Works founded upon his rest from Creation and a pledg of everlasting Rest with God Gen. 2. 2 3. In Christianity there is Baptism the seal of the Covenant of Grace entred into on Gods part and ours The Sacrament of the Lords Supper the seal of the full Communication of all the blessings of the Covenant The Christian Sabbath a day dedicated to the service and enjoyment of the Creator-Redeemer giving natural Rest to bodies Religious Festivals to souls in holy imployment and action grounded on his Resurrection and sitting down on the right hand of the Majesty on high called by express title the Lords Day as the Eucharist the Lords Supper and a pawn of the Eternal Sabbatism with our Lord in Glory Now these are so few so easie so familiar so near natural so intelligible that it is plain the Institutor and Founder of them had no pleasure in Ceremonies or that his servants should waste their time or spirits in observing them or imploy their understandings in finding out a Rationale for them although in condescension to men sojourning in flesh and blood he gave such Symbols of his Grace and Presence And so in the fewness the easiness the intelligibleness there is a testimony to them from Natural Religion which else is unconcerned in all the Religious Rites and Ceremonies that are in the world and leaves them to be judged by that proof they can make of themselves either as enjoyned by God or as the results of humane Prudence or National Decency Further it can give no account of them for Natural and Ceremonial Substantial and Ceremonial are opposed one to another This then is the Glory of Natural and Christian Religion which indeed are not two but one that they have least of shade The darker any Religion is the more are the Ceremonies like the shadows of the evening stretched out the clearer the Religion the nearer the perfection of Heaven where there is no shadow at all the less are the Ceremonies like the shades of a high noon in the Summer solstice The depraved heart of man is so easily bewitch'd with Forms and Fopperies calling them significant Ceremonies like saying to the dumb stone awake arise and teach or to their staff declare to us that it is by no means to be trusted lest seeking Hab. 2. 19. Hosea 4. 12. a shady devotion of Ceremonies under the disguise of a solemn one as the Pagans chose Woods and Groves for their sacred performances it lose it self in the thicket not knowing where it is and in the end the true Religion also I cannot see what Religion or Devotion except that which ignorance is the mother of and which cannot be good no more than the heart that uses it can suffer by being easie of access familiar unencumbred the most plain free intelligible institution of the Lords Supper was at length corrupted into the idolatrous Mass by being made horrid as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion by being solid and substantial is best secur'd from the stroak of the Atheist who accuses it of trick and design for when there are found Ceremonial covers like pious frauds over it and they easily yield to Attack as of no value the Atheist presently challenges all the rest by proportion and renders it suspicious It is best secur'd against the schismatick and unquiet spirit that is truly so for he hath something in unnecessary Ceremony to fasten on and move trouble by It is kindest to the more modest scrupulous person who is upon great Reasons afraid of humane additions to divine worship Ceremony can add nothing to the truly wise and generously Religious person who loves Religion for it self and needs not the childish and Phantastick Gaudery or Gayety of Ceremonies to inamor him of Religion he loves it for its true worth for its native Beauty and substantial excellency It is therefore only fitted to the Hypochondriack Devotionist who loves Religion in such a kind of set solemn dress or to the empty Formalist that must have it so adorned or recommended or to vulgar unlearned and irrational minds who must be catch'd with shows and pompous appearances and kept in amuse that they may be somewhat intent in Religious excercise but with this disadvantage that they seldom pierce further than this surface or take notice of the Religion it self and when at any time these things happen to be exposed they become the scorn and hate of such persons so that they deal rudely with them But now substantial massive Religion yields not to such sort of Attacks but like Rock resists supported with its own substance born upon its own truth And therefore were it not for the excellency of Christian Religion of Divine Revelation in the Scriptures I should rather choose as he said to have my soul among the Wise Rationally Religious Philosophers if such can be found then with any Religion that this day appears in the world not excepting the Romish that hath deturpated and dishonoured the only excellent Religion and as it is Romish is the worse because it is Christian Next to those ponderous self-great and infinitely Rational principles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I should choose to rest only in the undoubted principles and maxims of Natural Religion so excellent that Christianity hath not lost one of them but so gathered up the Fragments that no one thing could be lost as I have already said Besides this Natural this Christian Religion I know nothing but all subjection to principalities and powers according to the Laws of Nations in civil things the gravity and decency of Religious actions according to all Laws of humane Prudence and the custom of Countries If any one should object to the advantage of Ceremonies the state of Religion among the Jews involved and wrapped up in so much Ceremonie It may be answered to him 1. There was so great and presential an evidence of Divine Authority concerning them among the Jews who were only bound to them under that immediate Theocraty exercised over them that as it was absolutely necessary so it was sufficient to bear them up God as the Author continually and frequently appeared to give value to them by his own particular command He was able to bless and impower the meanest Rite to
the greatest ends and therefore might command what he pleased He therefore added often to such precepts I am the Lord whose Authority could not be disputed whose Benediction could not be deniâ—d or suspected Thus the waters of Jordan were better than 2 Kings 5. 12. Joh. 9. 11. all the Syrian Rivers The clay and spittle and washing in Siloam beyond the most excellent natural Application 2. And yet as if Omnipotency it self could not make them or did not care to make them of any great value they are often exceedingly despised and set at nought of God himself when considered as separated from Divine Blessing Isa 1. 10. 66. 3. and Grace and from moral Obedience and subjection to God 3. They are argued to be childish and low things yea Gal. 4. 3 9. Heb 9. poor and beggarly that there was a necessity they should vanish at a time of Reformation that the servants of God were under them as being under Age that a more manly and excellent state of Religion was to be brought in and did actually come in with the great Doctrine of the Son of God and the superintendency of the Holy Spirit So that it is admirable whence it should proceed that the Christian Church should dote so much and be so languishingly sick after Ceremonies And whereas it is pretended Religious Action looks bare and naked and unadorned when not shaded and graced and covered with Rituals They are only weak and feminine minds that think so The natural Decency Humanity necessarily chuses the National Decency proper to particular Regions and Climates with the weightiness of Religious Actions themselves are sufficient grace and solemnity to them more either obscures or disfigures them into Antickness Phantastry Art or Superstitiousness And therefore indeed much of this sort hath proceeded from the wanton and lascivious imagination of men not loving the chast and pure Worship of God and with holy minds embracing Truth and the Divine excellency of it From whence hath always proceeded much of Division and Feud every one endeavouring to obtrude the Creature of his own fancy in Religion which having nothing of reason to bear it self upon displeases others as much as it pleases himself and must therefore be imperiously enforc'd and if power go along with the Imposition obedience to it is extorted by mulcts and imprisonment and often with cruelty and blood And so much the more that the minds of men impal'd in the love and doâ—age on Ceremonies grow narrow slavish void of the love of God and the generosity of true Religion and from thence easily fall into a self-will'd rigid austere revengeful spirit but the sincere Religion is noble free large merciful and most compassionate So that besides the intrinsick worth the purity and spirituality of a Religion free from Ceremonies it is a great security to peace and quiet True Natural Religion being tyded along by Reason into mens minds enters with much more insinuation and persuasiveness having an interest before-hand renders mens temper more sweet and benign Or if not receiv'd being truly and substantially good deserves punishment proportionable to the offence without any just imputation of unmercifulness For the offence against Natural Religion must be perfect Immorality 2. I come therefore to consummate all in the full agreement of Christian Religion in the revealed parts of it with Natural and I confess it is hard to receive some parts of Christianity naked and unguarded torn off from the rest As a limb by it self cut off from the body is another thing than as it is in the body so is it to run away with this That the Christians worship a God crucified that died as a malefactor that was a Carpenter that liv'd poor in the world and despis'd without observing the whole train and connexion of things the several great instances of Divinely Rational Account for it as it stands in the whole body of Christianity But when we consider in it the most indisputable rules of all Goodness as I have before at large set down the presence of Divine Power in Miracles that we have an inward sense of as Divine both which stand as it were at the gates of wisdom drawing and inviting in minds to behold the inward frame and contrivance and when the correspondency symmetry substance solidity beauty purity of all within is seen then is there sufficient satisfaction against and resolution of former doubts To him that patiently considers the great reasons of things as they stand in Gods Justice it will appear why Humane nature so laps'd so peccant and guilty should be att on'd by a sacrifice offer'd up in that Humane nature wherein obedience to the Divine Holiness should be exemplified in the profoundest submission to increated will and pleasure and in the greatest experiment of it Self-evacuation and even annihilation and beyond this unexpressible sufferings that there might be a compensation to that Justice of God as the great Governour and Legislator offended by sin seeing suffering and punishment follow upon sin and guilt and that this should be performed tho in Humane nature yet by a person who thought it no robbery to be equal with God even the Son of God and that hereby all sensual Phil. 2. 6. worldly glory the great temptation to sin should be slighted turn'd out of its Grandeur and high pretensions in the world and Intellectual Spiritual Heavenly Eternal Glory advanced and prefer'd to its own excellency and esteem by the Saviour of the world who hath therefore brought in all that lively Doctrine of patience under sufferings mortification self-denial contempt of this life so feebly manag'd by Morality in comparison of this as at the same time to shew it not unknown to nature and yet much eclipâ—'d He that seriously looks upon things thus and beholds them with the severest eye of Reason will find that which will indeed perfect and accomplish his Reason and engage it to worship and throw its Crown at the foot of Infinite Wisdom and Grace but nothing to despise nothing to disdain only to be astonished with the Infinite love and condescention of Divine Goodness which yet is like Infinity so to shew it self But that this Particular may be better understood let the Excellency of Christian Religion in its Revelations be discoursed upon these avowed declared and most undoubted Principles in respect to Natural Religion in these three Points 1. That the raising up Natural Religion to its true primitive excellency is one great part of Christian Revelation viz. to settle the true Notions of God and his Attributes the true love fear of delight in desire after God resignation and obedience to him the truly generous kinds of Righteousness love mercy compassion to men the unspotted temperance sobriety purity in a mans self the right Principles Motives Rules and Ends of all these the full-spread Doctrine of Immortality and Eternal Life of pardon of Sin and mercy to Repentants of Repentance it self and
of matter or body in a perpetual transmutation can bear And that this Doctrine also of a future state is to the utmost cannot be denied since nothing can more compleat happiness or misery than the Scripture expressions reach to But I insist no further upon this being in the main substance of it in my account of it a fundamental point of Natural Religion but that God will transact this Judgment by Jesus Christ is indeed perfect Revelation and falls in with the former account given of his Mediatorship and enhanses still this principle as to its greatest certainty so to all its possible height since God in humane nature God in the Mediator Judging the world turns about with greatâ—st consolation to good men and terror to evil men that can be comprehended by humane understanding And so I have endeavoured to make good the second Head of discourse under this first foundation of universal peace Consent in Natural Religion viz. that Christian Religion in what it reveals beyond Natural Religion agrees yet with Natural Religion and is recommended by it and herein I have insisted upon those points of Christian Religion that are truly Christian for those private disputes among Christians were much better silenced within the Gates of Christianity it self in that way wherein they are managed and therefore much more ought not to be declared in Gath nor published in the streets of Ashkelon neither indeed need the points themselves upon which the disputes are For if together with those undoubted Principles of Natural Religion in Doctrine Worship and Practice as they are reveal'd by Christian Religion wherefrom none can make defection but under the most righteous severity of the Magistrate who in those cases bears not the sword in vain I say if together with these the substantial truths and institutions of Christian revealed Religion wherein we are all agreed were presented as the general confession or profâ—ssion of Christians before we come to lanch out into parâ—icular opinions or modes of worship our excellent Râ—ligion would stand much more like a City set on an hill Mat. 5. 14. whose Magnificence and Beauty could not be hid for the benefit both of strangers and its own Citizens since things so great so excellent so agreeable with all the inward sense of mens minds could not be rejected by those that would be accounted men of Mind Soul and Reason and especially there could upon these terms Christianity offers be no possible place for hurting or destroying Christians by any party except men are resolved to lay aside the Man and put on the Lion and Wolf Now by all that hath been spoken upon this point it appears three sorts of Opinions whatever of Christianity they assume to themselves are indeed the injury and horrible scandal of it because they contradict Natural Religion which is an abomination to Christianity 1. That Opinion which adoring our Mediator as having all power in Heaven and Earth allows him an ubiquitary presence and addresses prayers to him allots him all Divine Honours and yet denies him Coeternal God with the Father for this brings in supreme worship love confidence in more than the One God it cloaths Finite with Infinite which is a contradiction to the Law of Natural Religion every where illustrated and confirmed by the Word of God Of this great evil Socinianism Arrianism and the several names of Heresy of that Alliance are guilty 2. That which brings in Image-worship prayers to Saints and Angels which supposes Invisible Beeings though creatures Omniscient and Omnipresent as God that in all places men may lift up hands to them in prayer without doubting of their being lost in their direction to those that are not that they know able to take any notice of them and further which is not the least of the Idolatry it gives them the honour of being absolutely knowable by natural light in the Divine Attribute of hearing prayers that all flesh may come to them viz. in their Knowledg in their Mercy in their Power all which must be absolute as Gods and as evident to reason as in God seeing men have no justifiable revelation to any such purpose the Arto latria or adoration of the bread in the Sacrament is of the same family now however these things are intricated by various pretexts yet as the spectacle in the last especially is horrid to sense so the things to Reason and Natural Conscience and can ne'r be reconciled we have otherwise learnt Christ who in the days of his flesh neither requir'd nor receiv'd worship directed to his body upon any such pretensions Mark 10. 17. Luke 11. 27. 28. John 6. 36. John 20. 17. but refus'd it except when at sometimes the mighty Emanations of his Divinity prostrated men into the Adorations of him 3. Whatever Dogme or Sect of men subvert the very nature of Religion as a Proteus-Thing that sneaks into all shapes and professions according to the earthly powers it appears before fearing men rather than God All things that overturn morality and distinction betwixt good and evil the denial of Spirits a future State as undermining the very Life and Beeing of the Almighty Spirit all Phanatick Principles turning Religion into Raunterism or moving the pillars of humane societies as consisting in submission to principalities and powers in subjection to Laws civil customs and decencies all such things as these and the whole lineage of them however they may presume to Christianize themselves are a just abhorrence to the true Christian Spirit as most contrary to the Law of nature These opinions therefore now named are excluded and shut out of that universal Peace and Quietness I am to speak of under this last Head of the survey of Natural Religion which I now come to viz. The third thing proposed under this first head of Natural Religion and upon which the whole weight of it rests and turns as to the intention of this Discourse is this That Christianity supposes it a firm ground of enjoying the Common Peace and Tranquility in Religion that a man receives and owns all the grand points of Natural Religion Godliness Righteousness Soberness and acknowledges it his duty and makes it his profession to live according to them that he avows no Principles contrary hereunto though he believes and professes to be assur'd of some other Divine Revelations in order to his Eternal Happiness It supposes a man that in all his discourse and action gives abundant security of his fidelity to Natural Religion A man that is no Idolater Atheist Blasphemer of Religion Impugner of Morality that observes the Worship of God in Prayers Praises and Religious Discourses should be free to commend himself to God in what he thinks most agreeable to his will though in distinction from others whom he no way disturbs against rules of Reason Modesty Peaceableness and Humility but only offers the Apology of his own faith yet with meekness and fear and the perswasives â— Pet. 3. 15.
of belief and practise agreeable thereunto Such a one I say Christianity supposes to have a right to common protection of Magistrates and the Laws of Humaniâ—y while he endeavours to approve himself to God at whose Tribunal he must appear to whom as his own Master he must stand or fall no man having power to judg anothers servant in this case Rom. 14. 4 10 12. Now I shall endeavour with submission to better instructions to give great reasons that this is the ground Christian Religion bottoms upon and presumes to it self That perfect conformity in a Mans Principles to Natural Religion so far as Principles or Being as we speak of a Religion are in debate ought to be a sufficient guard according to the present state of Humane Nature and the Divine Ordination upon it against the Enmity Despite and Injury of private persons and against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the punitive justice of Magistrates However a man in other particulars distingâ—ishes himself for conscience sake towards God For the proof of this I shall first insist upon those places of the New Testament that I suppose fixt upon this foundation and then argue it by reason with respect to all â—ncountring Objections The first is that of the Apostle to Timothy I exhort first of all that prayers supplications and giving of thanks â—e 1 Tim 2. 1 c. made for Kings and all that are in authority that we may live peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty This Exhortation of the Apostle contains two things 1. The Duty the Apostle enjoins viz. the making of prayers supplications intercessions and not them only but giving of thanks and for all men and not only but eminently for Kings and all that are in authority Now in that the Apostle injoins giving of thanks it argues though he did not exclude yet he did not intend the only matter of the prayers should be the conversion of those prayed for For there being then no conversion of Princes nor so general conversion of private persons as should be expressed by all men there could be no matter for Thanksgiving But that which was mainly in the Apostles eye was that Christians should concern themselves in all the happiness and welfare of mankind both by Supplications Prayers and Intercessions that is with all the earnestness and heartiness signified in that accumulation of expressions and also by Thanksgivings for the mercies they enjoyed and in eminent manner for Kings and those in eminency who are the Trustees and Depositaries of the Peace and Prosperity of the world and by this means Christian Religion should be known to be most agreeable with the true natural and excellent Religion of mankind and a fair Rational Inducement offered to embrace it 2. The advantage the Apostle expresses as arising from the due performance of this duty That men in general and Princes in special being convinced of their rights by the evidence of those two main parts of Natural Religion Piety towards God Love of Humane nature and the Vniversal good might afford to Christians the rights and dues of Godliness and Grave Honourable Sober Deportment among men that is Peaceable and Quiet lives not breaking out into injury and violation of common Protection and Humanity because they were Christians From hence then I observe the main foundation of right to Peace and Quietness is Godliness and Honourableness of manners in opposition to all Immorality And Prayers and Thanksgivings for all men and Princes are most naturally to be understood for the Tranquibity and flourishing state of Communities in the ways of Piety Justice and Soberness though I doubt not they added that they might by Conversion be not only almost but altogether Christians and not only not far from the Kingdom of God but that they might come from the East and the West from the North and the South and sit down in the Kingdom of God to which the freedom of prophesie under the Caution of Godliness and Honesty might exceedingly conduce on which account the Apostle goes on This that is All this entercourse of Christians prayers Godliness and Honesty and All Mens Magistrates especially procuring their peaceable and quiet lives is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who would have all men to be saved and by this means to come to the knowledg of the Truth seeing the One God the One Mediator Author of the One natural and the One true reveal'd Religion is equally concern'd in all A second place is that of the Apostle Peter in relation to mankind in general complicated with all those expressions of both the Apostles Peter and Paul concerning Magistraâ—y and the Ordination of it by God In relation to mankind in general the Apostle makes this challenge 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good Plainly implying to follow that which is good ought in all Reason and â—quity to secure men from Harm and that Good which the Apostle intends must be Good defin'd by the Laws of Natural Religion to be good for else Christianity as it stood distinct from that for contrary to it it is impossible to be was not then understood to be Good All judgment of that therefore being suspended whether Good or not Good as it stood distinct from Natural Religion The undeniable presence of all Natural Religion and Power of it over the Lives and Actions of Christians was to be their defence on the right hand and the left from injury Concerning Magistracy that Duumvirate of Apostles concur that Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil Wilt then thou not be afraid of the power saith the Apostle Paul do Rom. 13. 3 4 5. that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for he is the Minister of God to thee for good But if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience-sake Thus far the great Apostle of the Gentiles The Apostle of the Circumcision speaks thus Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as those that are sent by him for 1 Pet. 2. 13 14 the punishment of evil-doers and the praise of them that do well Let the way of arguing used by these two Apostles be well weighed the circumstances of the times wherein they writ the sense of Magistrates concerning Christianity the obligation upon Christians to obey God rather than Magistrates and yet both these Apostles write as if the nature of good and evil were out of dispute between Magistrates and Christians as if all were clear and fair between them and no controversie whether Christianity was True or False a Good
or a Bad Religion when yet Christians were under the fiery Tryal when they were continually under persecution for their Religion which the Apostle calls Righteousness because able to justifie it self to be so by the Laws of Natural Religion when they were bound to deny so great a part of their subjection to the higher powers as not to cease to be Christians at their command what then does this largeness frankness and freedom of expression mean On the part of Christians to be subject and that not for wrath but for â—onsâ—ience sake and to submit themselves when yet they were presently upon the account of their holy profession of Christianity to deny subjection and submission to the great command of Magistracy in Religion On the part of Magistrates that they were only a Terror to evil works and a praise to them that do well that he that does well should not be afraid when upon the true estimate of Christianity they were persecuting for righteousness sake How can all this be reconciled but by reducing all to the just bounds and limits of divine Ordination fixing the Magistrates Power and the Peoples Obedience in things pertaining to Religion thus so far as Natural Religion extends so far the Magistrates power extends here he is the Minister of God and bears not the sword in vain hither is the peoples obedience to come in all things pertaining to that they must needs be subject not only for wrath but conscience sake These are the ancient Landmarks thar ought not to be removed I speak not at all of civil obedience now but of obedience in things pertaining to the conscience Let none of you suffer as a murderer as a thief as an evil-doer 1 Pet. 4. 15 16. as a busie-body in other mens matters So the same Apostle speaks Offences against Natural Religion or for violation of Godliness commanded by the Law of Nature then quietness and peace of life is justly denied you But if you suffer as Christians rejoice and be exceeding glad when you come to suffer upon the account of that excellent Religion reveal'd from Heaven and assur'd to you here there is no suffering justly due to you therefore your sufferings shall be recompenced to you with Divine Glory from Heaven from whence Christianity is revealed Let us lay the whole together At that very time when Magistrates were Heathens and enemies to Christian Religion and Christians could pay them no obedience in receding from Christianity so that upon the point of Christianity there was not the mutual obligation of obedience and protection yet there was still a common center wherein even in Religious Considerations the Protection of Magistrates and the Obedience of Christians was to meet and that uncontroversably on both sides good and what could that be but as one place calls it godliness and honesty another good works another doing well This then is the standard of the worlds peace and tranquility Vniversal Religion Absolute Religion Natural Religion even as Natural Justice Vniversal Justice is the measure of all Transactions between man and man Yet if Magistrates will inflict sufferings upon Christians 1 Pet. 2. 2â— holding fast their profession they are taught by Christianity to suffer patiently not as if sufferings were due to them but that Justice may be done Natural Religion may be maintained one great branch of which is upholding Government in all its Honours and Plenipotence but therefore in testimony to them that sufferings are not due to them the Spirit of God and of Glory shall rest upon them Even as in all undue Administrations of the Magistrates power where Humane Laws the Laws of this or that Government have taken no care suffering is the duty of the innocent but their appeal lyes above The Conclusion then is this according to the sense of the New Testament where ever there is no impeachment lyes against men from the violation of Natural Religion their peaceable and quiet lives are the just right of their godliness and honesty Praise security a state out of fear is due to them as well-doers as to those that do that which is good Many other are the expressions we meet with in the Apostolick Writings looking this Way that the great Letters of commendation to mankind in general concerning persons and their ways in Religion so far as the thing comes under their judicature is the intrinsick and real goodness of their Profession and Lives at the beam of Natural Conscience This is the Royal Law every one is to fulfil in these things Jam. 2. 8. Rom. 14. 18. we must serve Christ that we may be accepted of God and approved of men Thus they must adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour thus they must take care against the Name 1 Tim. 6. 1. of God being blasphemed thus they must put to silence the ignorance â— Pet. 2. 15. 3. 16. of foolish men and make them ashamed Now it is true all the severity of Profession and Life according to Natural Religion will not justifie the truth or goodness of an assumed Religion as revealed from God as of the sober Moral Heathen Jew Turk Papist or any Master of Sect of most unblameable life among Protestants that is to be tryed in a Consistory proper to it the Arguments and Evidences of it being reveal'd are to be weighed the nature scope and tendency of it and all its Principles are to be examined and at last it stands at Gods Judgment-seat where it ought to be judged But thus the Argument is the more enforced that where there are the Testimonials of Natural Religion fairly written in the behalf of any Religion and the Professors of it though we are not nor may have reason to be induced by the Motives of Credibility it gives to approve our selves to God or seek everlasting happiness in it yet the right hand of Humanity in allowing Peaceable Lives is to be given them Having thus far insisted upon Scripture in the proof of this Assertion I come now to argue it by Reason and under every Argument to observe the Objections that may be made against it Argum. 1. And in the first place I argue from the great Excellency of Natural Religion and the Acceptableness of it to God that therefore since it is also general Religion it ought to be the Center of common peace in Religion we ought to allow the Hospitableness of Humanity to all that profess it and Dogmatize nothing but what upon due hearing and discourse they offer to make out consistent and fairly agreeing with it For it is but reasonable even upon a violent suspition of the contrary to inquire hear and receive Reason if it can be given as in the case of the Altar of Testimony we read of Joshua 22. 10. God made the World and all the Magnificencies of it at the first to entertain men of this general and excellent Religion And the Apostle Peter saith as in Revival of what had been
Romans such as Pythagoras Socrates Plato Epicâ—etus Cicero Seneca nor as those of later date Plutarch Porphyry Hierocles Jamblicus But as that one sacrifice abolish'd the Typical yet divinely instituted Sacrifices much more those mock-sacrifices that there are no such now in the more famous Religions in the world as divine Oracles and Prophecies absolv'd and finish'd in Christ and the Apostles silenc'd all those fallacious ones from below so the resplendent light of Natural Religion in the Gospel-revelation since its prevalency in the world and that it is become the Religion of Nations seems to have dazled natural reason that there is not the apparence of it as in former ages but a kind of barbarity hath invaded as a thick darkness the world out of the Goshen of Christianity while the Jews trust to the letter of the Old Testament not 2 Cor. 3. 15. yet unvail'd to them in its glory and further obscur'd by Rabbinick Dotages and Mahometans to the Spite-prophet and his senseless Alchoran set up by Satan and permitted by Divine Justice in opposition to the only true Prophet the Lord of life and glory and his everlasting Gospel All besides these lye obscure and at a distance from us in a manner like a Terra Incognita in Reason and Religion having only some relational glimpses no bodies of their discourse in either A great argument of the Truth of Christian Religion that hath drawn up all Rational Religion Reason and Learning within it self and under its own Horizon For though for a time it pleased God to allow the notable efforts of that sort of learning and in opposition to Christianity one of his unsearchable Judgments as in Porphyry and Hierocles yet being vanquished by the greater light of the Gospel since the days of Constantine it hath never risen in any other parts of the world unchristianiz'd to appear with any remarkable strength But all this doth not diminish so much from Natural Religion as it brings it into question Whether there is now such a thing in the world as Natural Religion without Christianity nay indeed it may be doubted whether notwithstanding or even for the sake of those great Names I just now recorded who were but a sort of Parelian lights to the true light of Natural Religion whether there was ever such a true copy of it as that of the Book of Job in any mans heart life or writings that was without the help of divine Illumination and yet Natural Religion is never the less natural nor the less felt and acknowledg'd to be so When besides such a proportion as is always ready to men not degenerate into beasts being so preserv'd by God that he may not leave himself without witness nor men without Luk. 15. 17. means in order to their conversion and recovery when I say besides this God restores to any man or number of men the perfection of it by his Word or by particular illumination of his mind it is not the less natural even as the prodigals Self he came to was not the less natural Self because he had been so long a fugitive from it and it became necessary to him to be so restor'd so no less is Natural religion natural because it is return'd by revelation after being lost And this carries the great uses indeed of Natural religion that whether it be that part of it by general providence preserv'd to the generality of men or by ordinary means improved or whether by divine Illumination and Revelation it is given as it were anew yet we still find it natural and as it were our own properly belonging to our natures and it comes to us as by way of Reminiscency of what we had once but had lost Thus all the ends of the earth Psal 22. 27. shall remember and turn to the Lord. And as I have now stated things that which may seem a great objection against what I have discoursed of Natural Religion will be more easily reconciled And it is taken out of those places of the Apostle John first what he records in his Gospel that our Saviour said He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that Joh. 5. 23. 1 Joh. 2. 23. 2 Joh. 9. 10. sent him And in his Epistles Whoever denieth the Son hath not the Father And in his second Epistle Whoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God and if any man come and brings not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds By all these sayings laid together it seems undeniable that even the acknowledgment of that first and great principle of Natural Religion The believing in and adoring the one God is made of no value by not acknowledging honouring and believing in Christ the Son which is the principal point of Divine Revelation For the setling therefore this doubt these three Things are to be consider'd 1. That after due Instruction and Explanation of the Doctrine of Christ it is as I have said so united with Natural Religion that who ever hath that in sincerity is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set in a posture ready to receive and believe Christianity So that if any one upon Instruction commensurate to the Understanding Christian Religion does not receive it he hath not God he hath not true Natural Religion in that Fundamental point especially if he have had the Preparations of Divine Revelation in the Old Testament as the Jews to whom these words were especially directed had Yet still I suppose this case reserv'd to Divine judgment and not to Humane nor that such an unbeliever may be dealt with by men or by Magistratical Authority as an Athiest man can only deal with him by Remonstrances out of Scripture and reasons flowing from it 2. The severity of the Apostle hath greater force upon those who having receiv'd Christianity apostatize from it transgressing and not abiding in the Doctrine of Christ for it is most certain in the thing it self they have not nor can have Natural Religion that prove Apâ—states from Christianity understood so intimate to it 3. This hath yet much greater force upon those whom the Apostle seems especially in his Epistles to intend those who come with a high pretension of an extraordinary spirit of an immediate Doctrine from Heaven and yet bring not the Doctrine of Christ For there being at that time such infallible proofs and assurances of all sorts to the Apostles and that have descended down from them to us in Sacred History we must needs conclude they might justly Anathematize in the highest degree an Angel from heaven that preacht any other Gospel they were most certain who ever Gal. 1. 8. call'd or proclaim'd Christ Lord were authoriz'd to do so by the Spirit of God and therefore that no man could by the 1 Cor. 12. 3. same spirit declare him accursed seeing that Spirit
right of Earthly Powers Not the retrenching any of the Freedoms of Natural Religion not the imposing any thing besides and beyond it by power or penalties not the forbidding of Reformation of any corruptions invading it not the embargoing any Revelation from Heaven consisting with or perfecting Natural Religion as all truly such do only the power of requiring all to live in obedience to the punishment of those that disobey Natural Laws But it may be further said God intended Christianity should be brought in not by might not by power but by tâ—e Spirit of the Lord. That Believers in it should seal it not with Pleasures Honours and outward Advantages accruing to them by it but with their blood and sufferings This is also most true it appears God did so intend But still if Magistrates were intrusted by God with making Religion Legal or not Legal by their seal it is plain that Divine Ordination of Magistracy was dishonour'd and debas'd by him that appointed it in that it was not at all taken notice of in so great an affair of the Divine Kingdom And so far as they could judg who did not believe there was a real injury done to Powers and the sufferings of Christians were on that account just For who could know that for so long a time God had suspended that supposed Ordination of his viz. That no Religion should be brought into any State or Kingdom that had not first the favour and license of the Laws and Magistrates of that State and Kingdom But now suppose it is a stated Rule that beyond Natural Religion the Magistrates Power extends not but that being secur'd there is a freedom to Subjects of taking care of their Souls and wherein they have to do with God as of their bodies lives or estates in private concerns or as a Philosopher hath of chusing what he thinks the best system and from the best Authors and that men may freely reason herein still within the confinement of Natural Religion Reverâ—nce of God and all just deferences to men and then Christian Religion had a Legal entrance offering no disregard to Magistracy but taking natural freedom to offer it self wherein its way being so prepar'd it then opens it self with all that Divine Power and Authority that cannot be refus'd but under the great peril of Eternal damnation Thus proportionably the case is the same concerning the Reformation of Christianity from Popery We then that are Christians and Protestant Christians have great reason to keep that door of the just and lawful propagation of Religion not contrariant to Natural Religion as open as we can and to grant a quiet comprehensive of all offers that can be made keeping within Rules of Natural Religion Reason and Prudence it seeming less hazard to admit those inconveniences attendant upon this liberty that through humane corruption run round with every thing than those greater mischiefs of having Christian or Protestant Religion violently kept out Thus I have endeavour'd to clear that there are obligations lying upon men precedent to any right of Humane Authority viz. of duty to God in obeying God rather than men of the Profession Confession and publication of true Religion however men forbid or scorn it of rational communication of truth as the Apostles said We Act. 4. 12. cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard of charity to mens souls in not concealing the tydings of Salvation the Righteousness and Truth of God For certainly David expresses himself according to the Laws of Natural Religion when he says I have preached righteousness in the great congregation I have not refrained my lips Oh Lord thou Psal 40. 9 10 knowest I have not hid thy righteousness in my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation And Moses when he says Give ear Oh ye Heavens and Deut. 32. 1 2 3 I will speak and hear Oh earth the words of my mouth my doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew because I will publish the name of the Lord Ascribe ye greatness to our God Yet from hence I do not suppose any man bound to go and preach to the Great Turk either the Laws of Natural Religion against any of the iniquities of that tyranny or follies of that superstition or the just and holy Laws and Truths of Christianity instead of his worse than Aâ—ile Alcoran Every man is to measure his commission and the enablements he hath receiv'd from God for his work and not to venture upon things beyond his line For even the Apostles knew their measures the measure of the rule distributed them by God a measure reaching so far beyond which they did not stretch themselves in that famous place 2 Cor. 10. 13. Every man may compute the probable account his service will turn to in the Glory of God and the Salvation of mens souls Christ teaches him to forbear when it is certain before hand His pearls will be trodden under foot and himself Mat. 7. 6. rent And so I have finished what I think necessary to be spoken upon this Third Argument and pass on to the fourth Argum. 4. Natural Religion may well be the Cement of Vniversal Peace since whatever can comport with the good of the Vniverse or Community is secured by it The Glory of God so far as Community is charged with it The Peace and Welfare of particular persons The orderly Posture of every man in his Station and Rank The just deference to Magistracy and publick Authority The security of publick Peace and Quiet The Advancement of True Religion in Divine Revelation Now in every one of these I will consider what Objections may be made against allowing freedom in Religion upon Natural Religion secur'd and the Answers to them Object 1. Every False Religion or refusal of the True Religion in a Nation not vindicated by due severity upon Offenders is an offence against the Divine Majesty of a National Guilt and brings down National Judgments Answer The government of Conscience being Gods peculiar no earthly Power shall be charged with the obliquities and errors of it any more than with the secret sins of men that are not known or those Distempers of Mind and Spirit which coming into no palpable Instances can neither be convicted nor sentenced by man Now mistakes of men in Religion not cognisable by the light of Nature are to be reckon'd among the Errors of Conscience and so are properly left to Gods Judgment-seat and the Magistrate stands free It is therefore very observable Princes are called nursing-Fathers and Queens nursing-Mothers signifying not a Isa 49. 23. Commanding-Power but a tender insinuating cherishing the Encouragements from them that such an Appellative carryes with it in those that declare it in those that are to receive it The Magistrate discharging this Honourable Trust may acquit himself and the Community
Christianity have found it most to their advantage of Edification to unite with such a Congregation of Christians All these or any of these may create an obligation to such conjunctions But because the hottest disputes in relation to Christian Practise so as to conserve Peace and Order have risen in this very juncture of particular Societies of Christians I will endeavour to settle upon an indisputable state of things and leave out what is more intricate and controversal that we may see how far the Laws of Christ extend here to Love and Peace in these following Assertions 1. That Our Lord hath given Rules for such Holy Grave and Honourable Societies under the name of Churches as must needs invite all of the same excellent Christian Temper into their Communion according to the opportunities they have to joyn with them their Doctrine Worship and Practice so Pure and Heavenly so evidently for the good of mens souls so composed to all true Decency Prudence and a Discipline so Humble Natural Strict only to the truest benefit of those that are under it that it cannot look like a secular Dominion but for the service of Faith the help of Joy the safety of Souls and their eternal Interest This I am sure every one will yeild is the Frame and Constitution of a Christian Church let it be found whereever it can be found Let every Church see to it self whether it be so Tempered and Constituted or not How then does it seem possible that when there are such Societies Christians should not fly to them as the Doves to the windows seeing Christianity improves the sociableness of Humanity into the truest publickness of Spirit and desire to enjoy Good with more than in solitude 2. It is the express Command of Christ and his design in all his institutions that there should be such Assemblies of his people and servants for the Glory of his Father for his own Glory for the Salvation of his People for Divine worship for the discharge of the several Duties of Christians for the Communications of their Gifts and Graces so that the forsaking of the Assemblies of our selves together as Heb. 10. 25. the manner of some was is very little distant from Apostacy it self How can there then be but Churches where there are Christians seeing so much of the concerns of Christianity lye therein and who indeed possess'd with those concerns does not rejoice in them and bless God for his unspeakable Gift in the Constitution of them 3. Yet is there no Law of Christ that main force should be us'd upon men to bring them into any Assembly of Christians at all much less into one rather than another especially when the main Reasons or Motives of uniting with Assemblies according to the Laws of Christ present themselves to mens Apprehensions and Consciences more in some than others Indeed mens over-zealous Affectation of some and unworthy neglect of others as one for Paul another for Apollos another for Cephas another for 1 Cor. 1. 12. Christ as if these Ministers by whom they believed were to set up for themselves as Heads of Christianinty and to rival Christ himself as if but upon the same level with them was very justly and severely chastiz'd by the Apostle but a true value for all the Stewards of Divine Mysteries and 1 Cor. 4. 1. Churches and a particular value for those Pastors and Congregations wherein God hath vouchsafed especial Blessings for mens Souls or gives opportunity to receive such is very agreeable to the Gospel as the Apostle though he refus'd undue measures of Honour yet assumes that of being 1 Cor. 4. 15. 1 Cor. 9. 2. a Father as above thousands of Instructors Christianity and the Ministry of it being so Holy and Humble a state that no one acting according to it either Arrogates or Envies so he that hath much of the Honour of it hath nothing over or above the measure of a Steward and he that hath least should have nothing under that measure if he be found Faithful So the Congregations have the equal Glory of being of the Body of Christ and Churches to be little Representations of and imbodyed with his own Catholick Church in the grand Vnion of all Christians with the Head Here then is the ground of Christian Peace and Union in Churches 4. It is a Principle in Nature and much Confirm'd and Exalted by Christianity that the Worship of God and the Salvation of mens Souls should be made as Publick and Vniversal as may be Go Preach the Gospel to every creature and Baptize all Nations was the very Commission Christ gave to his Apostles and first Embassadors and is continued to all his Ministers to the end of the world not of Mat. 26. 19. the world of that Age only but to that end of the world which is till his second coming until which he hath promised his presence The Great Congregation is the most natural Receptacle of Divine Truth the state of Religion under the Gospel is rarely spoken of especially when declared Psal 100. 1. 117. 16. 1 c. in its Magnificence with a less Publick Character than All People All Nations All Lands the Round World in its whole Circle from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same All the Earth True Religion aspir'd to it even under the narrow Dispensation of the Law and in this very sense it is most true that the Apostle said in his time The whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain until Rom. 8. 19 c. now and the earnest expectation of it waiteth for the Adoption the Manifestation of the Sons of God to be gathered together under the whole Heaven Nor will some of every Nation satisfie the full intention of this Magnificence but that Nations as Nations imbodyed and Kingdoms as Kingdoms shall become the Lords and his Christs is the plenary sense of the Divine Spirit when even as of Israel an indisputably National Church God shall say of Heathen Nations as of Egypt and Assyria known to Israel so well and known so well as Rankly Heathen and therefore chosen as Representatives of the whole Heathen world Yet of these God shall say Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel Isa 19. ult my inheritance for in that day Israel shall be but a third with Egypt and Assyria and there shall be a High-way through them All and they shall serve together there shall be a free passage of Truth through All. A High way of the Gospel throughout and an Vnion of Worship So then if we find so much for a National Religion in the Prophecies of the times of the Gospel in the Old Testament which grasp more than those passages in the New Testament which relate to the then matter of fact only if our Saviours Commission for making disciples and preaching the Gospel extend to all Nations if the Prophetick book of the New
may have heard the fame of it with their ears It is the way found out and declared by him that made weights for the winds and ballance for the clouds It is the way of the fear of the Lord the beginning of Wisdom and departing from evil the true understanding There lyes the peace of Natural Religion It is the way of Christianity seen and publisht by Christ Jesus the Way the Truth and the Life That 's the peace of Christian Religion And it is certainly the proper excellency of Christian Religion and its very intention to bring this way both as Natural and Christian to light to lay the grounds of it to give the Rules and Measures of it to sweeten mens tempers to the good nature of it That every one in a clear and still air not darkned with Clouds full of Thunder and terrible with the Lightning of dreadful Laws and Bloody Executions may see may be wary in the choice of his conduct of himself to his unchangeable state and may therefore have light have room have still and silence in which he may weigh every thing prove every thing Now that which I have now declar'd is a way most agreeable to the Word of God and that Reason which respects either all mankind or all Christians This is the Contrivance of Christianity's providing That the Wolf and the Lamb may dwell together that the Lion may lye down with the Kid that the child may play on the hole of the Asp that there may be no hurting or destroying in all Gods Holy Mountain That Knowledg of God and True Religion may have the same scope and freedom that the waves have in the Sea Christianity hath always the Grounds ready by it and with it And to present them in their Rational Possibility is a Vindication of Divine Justice Righteousness and Goodness an Offerture to man to be happy Nor will the Platform be always Vtopian the days will come when it shall pass into life power and effect Now whenever this shall be in its Glory that Degeneracy of mankind that curse that lyes upon the earth that vail of the covering spread upon the face of all Nations that severe indignation of God against Humane Nature shall be removed The Spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh the light of one day shall be as the light of seven All flesh shall see the Glory of the Lord together So come come thus Lord Jesus Even so Amen I have thus far made a Lamentation upon the General State of the World in relation to Religion which till some such mighty Influence come down from Heaven as I have intimated upon it is like to be for a Lamentation For the dark places of the Earth will be full of the Habitations of Cruelty and it is certain the Habitations of Cruelty will be furnished with the Instruments of Cruelty And therefore Oh my Soul come not into their secret unto their Assembly my Honour be not thou united for in their anger they slay and destroy and in their self-will they dig down walls Cursed be their anger for it is fierce and their wrath for it is cruel Their drink-offerings of Blood will I not offer nor take their name of Religion into my mouth I shall therefore leave them and address the close of this Discourse to the Saints that are in the earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my Delight And in the first place it calls us to the Review of the Excellent Christian Religion even as Natural Religion all essence all substance trace it throughout all its Doctrine Worship Rules of Life they are all by their very Goodness plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledg there is nothing froward nor perverse in them its bands of peace are not politick or worldly Intrigues no Ceremonial Symbolism or Ritual Shibboleth but ponderous Verities and Divine Love All the shew or appearance any Religion can make is but a ray borrowed from its Divine perfection a derivation from its light or from Natural Religion which is it self for pure Natural Religion is Christian Religion if you suppose a soul without sin mounting from its Creature-probaâ—ionership to its highest perfection as Adam if not having 〈◊〉 from Paradise to Heaven And Christian Religion is Natural Religion suppose the soul fallen and rising back from its Apostacy to that perfection by the Redeemer 2. Let me apply this Discourse to the Comprimise of all Differences betwixt Protestants and particularly in our English Christian Nation not defining any Controversal Point but urging to that end such undoubted Principles as I have insisted upon in this Discourse 1. That supposing a National Church cannot be made out to satisfaction yet Christian Kingdoms are so considerable a point of Scripture-Prophecy that it cannot be denied So far therefore as National Worship can be agreeable to a mans Conscience making inquiry and most curious search into the Word of God both as to his Duty and to his Liberty also and possible Freedom from Scruple every Christian is oblig'd to Glorifie God in the publick services of him and Confession of the Faith of Jesus Christ with his native Country Suppose a man should retire to particular private Congregations to supply what he may find wanting in the National Constitution to compleat all the Duties of Christian Communion and the advantages of it yet still he is bound to promote and encourage National Religion so far as it extends to avoid as much as is possible all Divisions and profest separation from it by putting the fairest Construction and the kindest hopes upon those things that seem doubtful and as little infringing the Authority of Laws as may be consistent with sentiments of Conscience and a due enjoyment of that liberty God hath given men of judging for their own souls as in his sight viz. in those things that are not Laws of Natural Religion and so indisputable or those Grand Points of Christianity in which a Christian can have no allowance in all things else a Christian hath a liberty but so that he must not use that his liberty as a cloake of maliciousness but as the Servant of God give due Honour to 1 Pet. 2. 16. all I would therefore propose these three Considerations to draw men to the greatest Conjunction with National Religian that can by any means be reconcil'd with good Conscience towards God Considerat 1. That if we examine things by Scripture there are many abatements from the supposeable evil of external Observances of which we may lawfully make our utmost Advantages to so great a Good as our Professed Conjunction with National Religion while substantially good though the High Places I 1 Kings 15. 14. mean things equivalent in our opinion be not taken away as in the times of the Excellent Kings of Judah First then as fundamental to this case I suppose these two things Equiponderating one another 1. The high Character of National Christian
Scripture and Reason agreeable to it and deduced from it and herein being a Minister of God according to the National Religion Rom. 11. 13. I magnifie my Office To this purpose I will first consider of the Radical obligation we have to join our selves with others in the profession of Religion and Worship of God and how it rises from Personal Religion the Substratum or foundation of all and by what degrees it must and ought to rise and how it most rationally determines it self in National Religion It ought to attempt thus high and cannot successfully attempt higher in the way of Association to spread thus far and cannot expatiate to any purpose beyond it I shall therefore here give such Arguments for National Religion out of Scripture as it does not afford to any other figure of union in it In the first place therefore it necessarily must be suppos'd and granted That Personal Religion is the Fundamental Religion even as a Nation or even Universality of Humane Nature must become a notion without particular persons in whom all Communities subsist even so must National or Catholick Religion vanish into imagination if it were not sustained by particular and Personal piety Nations and Families calling upon God most necessarily imply and include the particular persons of each doing so And herein it is further considerable that every man is a compleat Being within himself that as it is said of him He is in his Soul and Body a little World within himself so he is a Kingdom a Society within himself and we may say in this sense He is a Church within himself also as Solomon calling himself Coheleth the Congregating Ecclesiastes or the Preaching soul in that great Treaty with himself suppos'd his soul a Congregation and a Preacher within and to it self first and then to the publick so ought every man to be to himself Here therefore is the first inviolable duty and obligation to Religion because a man can never be absent from himself and it is impossible for any force to surprize the passages of a soul to Heaven or to hinder the souls Congregating in Holy Meditations and Discourses within it self And as a man is thus consider'd he cannot nor ought to suffer himself to be impos'd upon or commanded without Divine Authority for as thus consider'd he cannot be forced by any and he is accountable Rom. 14. 4 12. countable only to God He stands or falls to his own Master Every one shall give account of himself to God which is one of the greatest Arguments the Apostle insists upon for mutual forbearance in disputable things in Religion every man on this account ought to be 1 Pet. 3. 15 able to render a reason of the hope that is in him to himself and others and not to rest in an implicite faith It will be no mans excuse he was led or commanded into a false Faith or Idolatrous worship Every man also upon this same account is bound to make confession Rom. 10. 10. with his mouth to salvation in his proper place and station and in a narrower sense yet a sense as large as his capacity and rank every true Christian is a Pillar and Ground of Truth that is Truth must 1 Tim. 3. 15. be setled and strongly seated in his soul and he must expose Truth and bear it out in Confession and holy practise and is himself a Temple or House of the living God where God will please to walk and dwell and therefore can be no way obliged to join with a Family or any sort of larger Community in a false Religion though he should stand alone in the true or should as Abraham forsake his People or his Fathers House to do it Yet notwithstanding this It is not good for a man to be alone Gen. 12. 1. Gen. 2. 18. though in true Religion if it can be otherwise he is made for Society and is as it were imperfect without it Herein he resembles God in some low degree in whose Image and likeness he is made God is an infinitely perfect Being in himself yet he hath pleased himself in communicativeness to all his Creatures and in the attraction of all in their several kinds especially Angels and Men to himself as if he was not satisfied in being holy in being happy alone Thus man though if he could not have society in True Religion he would be yet a complete and absolute Figure alone yet where and so far as he can have society in it he is so far from being complete alone that he must needs prove a Cypher a Nothing if he affected and coveted to be alone Whatever he has if he has not Love he is nothing God is Love and therefore rejoyces in communication from himself and with himself and so must so does every good man every holy man also If there be True Personal Religion there must be Religious Society for Man is made for Society and if he meets he must meet with that Religjous Sense he has upon himself with that I say he must meet with others which seems the absolute necessity of Religious Society For if a man meets with his own Religion others that have the same sense of Religion there arises a necessity of the Religion of all to meet together But further Man was made for Society and the first and supreme end of society as of all things is the glory of God and therefore society is in the first place bound to be Religious society Marriage the Root and beginning of society was that there might be a godly seed Mal. 2. 15. to sustain a Succession of Religion So society spreads on still that there might be Religious Societies As soon therefore as Seth the first Descendent from Adam in the holy Line had a Son born in the same Line it is recorded that Then Men began to call upon the Name of Jehovah that is most probably Adam and Seth took it as a just and necessary occasion not Gen. 4. ult only to set up a pillar of Thankfulness in seeing themselves the Progenitors of the blessed Seed but in the foresight of a holy society just ready to spring from their loyns they thought fit to promote Divine Worship into a publick State and certain Order and this I think the most agreeable Interpretation of that controverted place so that from the beginning of the world all along the History of True Religion in the Old and New Testament we shall find Religion contended into publickness and all the advantages of Humane Society Yea Humane Nature hath taken this so for granted that it is doubtful whether there ever was a society in the world politically united or not wholly barbarous but it was cemented in Religion though being so generally but false Religion it proved no better than Heathenism There may have been private Cabals of Atheism but there never was a publick Association against A God known and believed except
Wisdom and Goodness yet it is spoken to us in the plainest Language as if God carryed it as Princes do in their magnificence whose Glory is in their great Courts in the multitude of their Attendants and People Spectators Admirers and Tributaries to their luster 2. I argue to the publickness of Religion from the good it does to the souls of men It is from hence the greatest wisdom to win souls and they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars Now the offer of true Religion to them that had it not before the perswasion of it upon those that have not yet obeyed it tends to their Conversion Repentance to their love and fear of God They therefore that have the true sense of these things in their own souls use all means out of love to the Glory of God and to the souls of men to propagate them to others which is best done by all publick acts of Religion This is the original Law from the very beginning it was so Enoch the seventh from Adam prophecyed publickly The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness This was the great zeal of Christians in the first times Further It strengthens confirms and inflames Religion among those that are the joynt Professors Publick Religion is the great glory and security of Religion it self mutually warming and assisting it self in all its several parts and the Professors of it As Iron sharpens Iron so is the countenance of a man to his Friend herein How much more lively is Religion probable to be in a Religious than an Atheistick and Barbarous Country nor does God afford those divine heats to those that withdraw from Assemblies in Religion except in cases of necessity however he may supply in extraordinary exigences without which Wo to him that is alone in Religion if he fall he has not any to help him up and how can one be warm alone If one prevails against him he wants a Second to withstand together with him and the benefit of the threefold cord that is not easily broken Every thing in nature endeavours towards Community or universal Unity as its own strength and security Even the Devils retain so much of first Nature as to knit in a community and false Christianity imitates the true in a pretence to Vniversality though a most destructive one like that of the God of this World who aspires to Universal Monarchy but it is in sin and death But this does not disparage True Religion moving to an Universality of Truth Peace and Life for evermore 3. The blessing and acceptance that Religion receives from the Divine Majesty is much greater for the publickness of it even in this sence Two are better than one for they have a good reward for their labour In thss sence their complicated services are more forcible their threefold Cord is not easily broken Not that God is prevailed upon to any change in himself or his Government by the services of his Creatures though in a multitude but he is pleased to found the occasions and opportunities of his own most bountiful Recompences in the drawing near of their greater numbers For as when God was pleased to communicate himself more freely he did it to a multitude of Creatures so he delights in receiving back the glory of having thus communicated himself from a multitude also and as there is more of himself in more of his Creatures whether of several sorts or of the same so there is more of his blessing in their approaches to him He that does not only weigh the Mountains in scales but comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure takes notice of those prayers and desires of the poor of the people that make the crowd and throng in his worship and service He accepts the pair of Turtle Doves the two Mites when it is the All and is ready to reward it This was the policy of Nineveh's Natural Religion to unite their Force in Humiliation Fasting and Prayer and to take advantage of joyning the mute desires of the Beasts that have a voice in the ears of God Abraham's Servant made the Camels kneel down while he prayed to God Thus in Thanksgivings It was David's art to gather up all the praises even of the lowest of the Creatures that could so meanly give them and inspiring them with his own reason made them as it were to follow his Harp and unite in his own Hallelujahs Thus he served himself of them that making by them a greater present of glory to God he might receive the greater blessing from him The Apostle speaks of the good effect of Christian Charity in causing an abundance of thanksgivings to God David saying The congregation of the people would compass God about adds this prayer therefore for their sakes return thou on high Now all these expressions reporting to us a great force in the publickness of Religious Duties we know it is only from the agreeableness of this publickness with the Divine Will and Nature and his holy Ordination who loves his Saints and knows their approach to him is an approach to their life and happiness And because he loves all his Saints and Creatures the more of them in conjunction draw near to him the more of his tender mercies have the occasion to spread themselves for else all the Nations are to God but as the drop of the Bucket and the dust of the Ballance all their services are not sufficient to him for a sacrifice to burn before him He humbles himself to behold the things that are in Heaven as well as those on Earth He with great delight yet looks to one that is of a broken and contrite spirit and that trembles at his word As one day and a thousand years are both alike to the Infinity of God so are a thousand persons and but one as it is all one to him to save with many or few so it is to be intreated by them in prayer or accept their praise but according to the wisdom and holiness of the Divine Manifestation in his Love and Bounty so he is pleased to see his Servants draw near to him in an union of Love among themselves and every one having a claim to his favour who is all Goodness the united claim is stronger He hears even the Ravens that cry for they are his Creatures if any man therefore could intwist their cry with his own in a general scarcity he makes his own so much the stronger He then that joyns the prayers and desires of many with his own doubles still the strength as is manifest by the Apostles so often and earnestly desiring the help of prayers And this may answer what may seem to be an objection against good men joyning with publick and promiscuous Assemblies wherein are so many ignorant and bad men that by their sins ignorance and folly rather obstruct the effect and acceptance of good men joyning with them so that
it becomes one great Family I know there may be some exceptions from this description of a Nation which will have their force upon National Religion also as it results from it For sometimes one Monarchy does as it were stride over more Nations sometimes one City or Free Town is distinguisht from the rest of the World by one Government one Civil Interest independent in its Government in its proper Interest upon any other Now in such a Monarchy as contains several People and Nations under it it does not properly give name to a National Religion while their Interests Laws Conversation and Civil Commerce are preserved and kept distinct as these are often allowed to be under some conquering Potentacy On the other side if a narrower compass of people than we properly call a Nation viz. a Region a Province a City hath its Interests its Laws its Government Conversation and Commerce intire to it self it is as to the purpose we are now upon as it were a Nation The sum then is this so far as Humane Society has drawn any People or Families into a close and more compacted state of Civil Interests necessitude one to another and Government running up to the highest point of Government in that compact state so far is the obligation of Union in publick Religion drawn upon them where these are freer that attendance to union in Religion is freer also any further than the common truth of Religion and the obligations of that bind even those at greatest distance and union one with another For thus Religion may and ought to unite all the true Professors of it at what remove soever from one another It may and ought also to pass upon whatever bond of union there is in the world but there is no such union as Laws Commerce Conversation common safety running all up to the supreme Government over that conjunction to graft Religion upon All else is but consent in the same unity of one God one Lord one Spirit one Faith one Baptism which make the Catholick Church one Body and joining with one another presentially in the same acknowledgments of God when a concurrence of all things necessary happens to fall out as cannot be supposed frequent in parts remote one from another and of a divers lip or language The Catholick Church is indeed united as Humane nature is in one and the same true Reason and thereupon a readiness of wise and learned men to correspond one with another at a distance or confer one with another if at any time suitable concurrences favour it or as the world much more the Catholick Church is a Temple built to the Glory of the Creator and Redeemer wherein all good men meet from one end of the Heaven to the other in the unity of the same Spirit and in the same kind of worship and if opportunity allowed in the same actual worship The nearer therefore any parts of the Catholick Church are by the Neighbourhood of Nations by the frequency of Traffick the neareâ— the more frequent the correspondencies are the mutual assistance may and ought to be But now in the Dependencies and Interweavings of all Civil Interests in Nations there are not only those voluntary and contingent correspondencies but such as first grow out of the nature of Humane Society and bind of themselves to common true Religion and then have the favour encouragements directions obligations of Laws and Authority running like the same spirit into all the several parts of a Nation and recommending that National true Religion as it stands in this Union that is first commanded by God besides much more free ordinary Actual Meetings in one and the very same place and Acts of Worship It is true indeed the Worship of God allows our worldly callings and the provisions of the present life and Relation and therefore a Neighbourhood whether it be the more populous of Cities or Towns or the more infrequent of Villages hath the conveniencies of more solemn and stated Meetings the ordinary fit seasons of the Lords-day and other solemn times of worship thereupon National Religion is generally exercis'd in these lesser Societies even as the Justice and Execution of Laws and National Authority must be brought home to men in their particular Countries and Towns and not rest in the Capital Cities at a distance from their daily Business and Conversation and yet the standard of all things National is generally preserv'd there for the very sake of union Even so of National Religion not as Religion for the standard of that is Scripture only but as National so the Agreement in it is deposited with all other National Acts. So that National Religion hath the advantage in these two things First The Naturalness and Closeness of the Union of a Nation to all the Interests of Humane Society and therein it imitates the nearness and closeness of Families or lesser Incorporations as much as can be consistent with the second thing viz The Illustriousness Magnificence Honourableness of Religion as seated in larger Bodies but especially as upon the Soveraignties and Supremacies of the Great Incorporations of Mankind I shall only observe further That All this does most effectually exclude the pretence of an Vniversal Church-Monarchy as hateful in Religion as an Universal State-Monarchy in Politicks and Civil Liberty Both of which are indeed Tyranny The Imaginary Benefits of such sorts of Union are infinitely toilsome and tedious while they are expected and always in the issue found impossible to be enjoyed in their Fruits but in the mean time while the pretenders are labouring for and grasping at so vast a power they fill the world with the lamentable effects of their Ambition and do indeed destroy Humane Society because those Laws and Bands that tye it together being so over-strain'd fly in pieces and I am sure nothing is more contrary to Christianity than an Vniversal Head of Religion here upon Earth except Christ himself with an Ubiquity of Holiness Power and Influence came down to reign upon it An universal Union were indeed desirable and glorious if there were an Omnipresence of Vertues answerable to the Administration but that being too great for any creature too great in the present state of the World Religion and Christian Religion glide along with the Civil Union they find prepared as I shall presently evince beyond which is nothing but Usurpation I come now to the Arguments from Scripture and Reason for National Religion not afforded to any other Figure of Union in it The first Argument shall be that I derive from this prayer I Argum. 2 have chosen to discourse this point upon and I lay it thus The prayers in which Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost rest upon some great Pillars and Principles of Divine Truth and Argument For particular cases in which they prayed are brought to those general principles by an understanding inlightned to understand in an humble sense even as God understands
then calling out of every Nation Converts into particular Societies and Congregations I shall make an Essay to level the line of them to Nations and Kingdoms as they are united into such Conspicuous and Illustrious Bodies of Mankind with their Principalities so form'd so compacted and not only a Diffus'd Catholick Church or small and invisible Congregational Churches 1. The Kingdom of Christ can no way attain that Greatness which it is prophecyed and foretold it shall attain if it does not allow Nations as Nations to associate themselves in the profession of it if it only gives Right to private and particular Churches or Congregations and a Diffusive Church that can no way congregate which though great in its Spiritual Union yet arises to no visible Greatness but as it moving into all parts of the world congregates it self according to any of the Laws or Advantages of Humane Society it falls into and finds prepared for it The Messiah then can never as is prophecyed of him have his portion divided him with the great nor divide the spoyl with the strong but must rest in a very low and under-condition of small private and particular Assemblies of his servants professing him but a National Christian Religion a Religion as Famous as the name of the most populous Cities and the greatest Princes and their Territories in honour to the Lords anointed must not be allowed no not according to his own Designation For though the Eminency of the Doctrine and the Appearance of God with it does infinitely surmount all created Greatness yet many places of Scripture compare the Honour and Glory of Christ as a Prince over Nations with other Soveraignties and prefer his not only in regard of the Heavenliness and Eternity of it but as it obtains an Interest and Command in the world For it is a Government over Nations as Nations over the Laws and Principalities of Nations and not of one only but many Nations not indeed in the way of Worldly power but Divine perswasion Evidences of Truth and Reason Vertue of Holiness and Goodness are the Scepter of this Kingdom the weapons of this Power and this Mountain shall grow greater and greater till all the Prophecies are exactly fulfill'd in the Soveraignty of Christ and the lowest subjection of all Kingdoms to him the greatest Mountains disappearing and becoming nothing before him when the fulness of the Jews and Nations are come into him Thus it is a Mountain set upon the top of the Mountains not only in the Eminency of its Doctrine but the professed subjection of the Governments of the world that are in Scripture call'd Mountains to it for his Truth Meekness and Righteousness sake But if Nations receiving and flowing into Christianity sink it presently into particular private Assemblies as it was while under persecution and that it should be of no more publique Honour than at such times the Mountain of the Lords house should not be above the Hills but shaded by them and that according to the very Constitution of Christianity it self for the Supremacies stand aloft but the profession of Christ retires into privacies yea the worship of the True God Creator of Heaven and Earth which after the appearance of the Son of God in the world is only in Christ must be so far from being exalted as is everywhere signified that it must be abated and brought low by the Depression and falling down of the Mosaick Frame for then it was setled upon one of the Principalities of the world and though it be now more diffus'd yet if it not only be not but ought upon its own principles to be Established in and upon the publick profession of a Nation It has not nor can have such an Eminency as among the Jews when it had the Awfulness and Majestickness of a Kingdom devoted to that true Worship making it thereby of much greater notice in the World And if Religion may be National even as Nations themselves are united in a way of order so must National Religion also be by order compos'd into its Nationalness and this by the Rules of Scripture and Right Reason But let this be no pretence to that Tyranny in Christian Religion that great Usurpation of Popery for it is a Sacrilegious Displacing the Honour from Christ upon oftentimes a most unworthy Mortal those Princes then that are Minores Coronae that lessen themselves by giving their Kingdom and power to the Beast must needs diminish the Honour of their profession of Christianity seeing they have so far stripp'd themselves of their Principalities that they have them not to dedicate to Christ The retaining their Honour unvouch'd unviolate by any creature and presenting to the Honour of Christianity a Supremacy unprostitute is the true Glory done by Christian Princes to Christianity 2. If there were not the Liberty allowed to Nations to espouse Christianity to their Government and to receive the Honour to themselves of being Religious and Christian as Nations the Condition of Nations were worse than that of the Jews under the Law For now People as in the Body of a Nation may not be so happy as to have the Lord for their God They may not crown themselves with the chief Glory of Nations viz. True Religion Moses we know often magnifies the State of the Jews to themselves in this particular viz. the Excellency of their Religion He uses it as a great Argument that God loved the Nation He told them it was their Wisdom and Honour before the rest of the Nations round about them who had reason to defer to them that they were a great and a wise Nation an understanding people that had such Deut. 4. 8 c. Statutes and Judgments Now seeing Christian Religion hath the undoubted Evidences of Wisdom Truth and Goodness not only so superior to all the Religions in the world as to be the only true Religion but much superior to that under Administration of the True Religion it self among the Jews It must needs be the happiness of Nations to enfranchise it as the publick National Religion by the same Authority whereby they make valid any other Law or Act so as to become the act of the Publick And we have reason to believe those many expressions of Ephes Eph. 2. 14. c. 3. 6. 2. 14. c. 3. 6. Breaking down the Partition Wall and admitting all Nations to be the People of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Body together are intended not only to signifie that they may unite in lesser Congregations but in the fullness of National Associations else they are not received into the same freedoms and immunities that the Jews had nor could Aegypt and Assyria be so equal with Israel that Israel should be but a third with them whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless all alike with no more variation than Aegypt my People Assyria the work of my Hands and Israel my Inheritance Isa 19. We may find Christianity intended to embrace all
themselves as well as persons wherein Religion hath prevail'd to such degrees as to be called National is conserv'd in those that are sav'd even as the honour of the Angelick nature is conserv'd in the holy and elect Angels as the humane nature in the seed of Abraham the father of the faithful of them that are saved in all Nations as in Isaac the seed of Abraham is called as in Isaac's children the children of promise are counted for the seed Thus the honour of particular Rom. 9. 7 c. Nations is treasur'd up in the elect of it so that if we suppose a Nation without Converts it is lost as to happiness or as if it had not been as the Tribe of Dan has no name among those Rev. 7. 5 c. sealed Tribes to which we had relation before And as the order of each Tribe is disposed according to the happy memory of the worthies of every Tribe and their more noble Acts in or for the True Religion as is observed by Interpreters and as there are degrees of Glory to every Christian according to the excellency of his Graces and services that abound to his account So the case is with Nations and Generations the more and more eminent men any hath brought forth the more it shall be adorn'd at that day It becomes a Diadem and Crown in the hand of God and is as the Isa 62. 3. 5. Prophet expresseth it as a Bride married by the multitude of her sons So that the last Glory and happiness of Nations is very greatly concerned in their common Faith and Religion and the nearest participation they have been capable of in one anothers holiness and piety and therefore the more they can do to inlarge and increase it the more they add to the common glory and salvation and do most ensure their own On the other side Although there be a lessening of honour to a Nation by the fewness of those that are saved and in the many of those that perish yet it is not so as that the Glory is counter-ballanc'd by the disadvantage for there is a much higher account of Glory to the Goodness Grace and Mercy of God to the salvation of Christ in that excellent state of Gods Creation in the elect Angels and the recovered parts of mankind in that new Heaven and new earth wherein dwells righteousness than there is depression of that Glory in those that perish and their contrary state so the the Glory of the Angelick and humane nature it self and so of Nations is more conserv'd in those that are saved of them than in those of them that are lost for there is a much more a much higher reign of righteousness and life asserted by the Apostle than of Rom. 5. 17. sin and death although Scripture and general observation give reason to fear there are more that perish than that are sav'd and however we cannot unfold the mystery of it This then stands as an impregnable argument for National Religion If it conduces so much to the future happiness and salvation of Nâ—tions and so to the more exalted Glory and salvation of all those that are zâ—alous herein and both these in a more National visible way than things are transacted before our eyes in this world but that there shall be some such future state whether at the the day of Judgment or throughout Eternity we cannot define yet that it shall be cannot be denied when so much of Scripture so much of Reason concur in it and so on the contrary that the irreligion of Nations towards the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent shall be revenged by the most sensible apparent infamy contempt and wrath from Heaven in which those that have had the most malignant influence into such irreligion shall have a double measure and all this in a National way I know not what can perswade more to National Religion than so great a consideration And so I finish this fourth Argument The Fifth Argument for National Religion shall be only a complication Argum. 5 of consequential benefits flowing from true National Religion united in which may indeed be made use of to perswade union in Religion whether true or false yet they are only applicable upon true Reason to the true Religion 1. National Religion contributes to the most happy state peace and union of Nations Jâ—rusalem by virtue of its National Religion as the Psalmist says was as a City compact together now that which hath a fitness and aptitude by the very law of Nature and the reason of things to strengthen and corroborate a Nation may very justly be chosen by it for its own conservation and happiness upon that very account but especially when it is subordinated to better reasons too and of a much higher nature Every one therefore should give the advantage to National Peace by consenting in National Religion so that we lose not the truth of Religion for the sake of National Peace which may be supposed too to rise from a National Religion though false But National true Religion is a means fitted by God to the peace of Nations and such a means as is acceptable and well pleasing to him First For the sake of Religion for Unity in Religion gives excellency to Religion and makes all the services of it more acceptable as I have already shewn It is also well pleasing to God as it cements the peace of Nations which is of high price with the God of peace and Christ the Prince of peace who hath commanded us to seek peace and pursue it To study to be quiet to live in peace as much 1 Thes 4. 11. Rom. 12. 18. Prov. 6. 19. Mat. 5. 1. Psalm 133 as lies in us and if it be possible with all men who hath branded the sowing discord among Brethren as one of the principal Abominations to him but hath blessed the peace-makers owning them as his children He hath made truth and peace the stability of any time these are the pillars that are the Lords and he hath set the Nations he loves upon them Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to live thus together in Vnity It is like the precious Oyntment of the Sanctuary and the Dew of Heaven where it is found the Lord hath commanded the blessing even life for evermore Thus Religion by being National is freed from the charge of being a design and occasion of disturbance Thus the Hearts of Princes safely trust in it thus it becomes the very ligament and sinews of Government a pia mater to the sacredness of Authority and makes Soveraignty easie and sweet both to Prince and people What but Truth can be weighed against this Peace And that not all Truth but Truth dwelling so near the essence of Religion the very purity of Divine Worship that as it cannot be sold nor parted with so it may not be concealed A man may not have it to himself
one view is by St. Stephen as I observ'd call'd the Church and the Congregations after they were become a Nation though they could not all then meet together are call'd the Church also because they were all under one Law and Institution all partakers of the same Rights and Priviledges and so indeed all particular Churches of Christians are but the Catholick Church in lesser Associations as the circumference of Heaven is the same though in so many different Horizons As light is the same though variously modell'd by its several Receptions as the Ocean is one by how many several Denominations soever it be distinguish'd from the shores it washes or the channels or other scituations it rests in so this Church is often spoken of as one Church and as several Churches as the Sea is one and several Seas they being so much every way the same as to differ only in the Universality But whether a Nation united in Christianity may be call'd a National Church having many dissents of opinion appertaining to it and not possible to be decided by express Scripture there being no Christian Nation under Heaven in those days of the New Testament wherein it was written I shall leave wholly in the middle and only observe two Things concerning this Controversie 1. That there can no great matter accrue to either side of it by deciding for or against a National Church For allow a National Church or if you will a Congregational Church agreeing in any thing not agreeing with the Laws of Christ or if either of them wants any thing necessary to our Obedience to all the Laws of Christ In the first of these Cases Christians may and ought to retire from the Irregularities of any such Church either National or Congregational that they may be pure from Corruption In the second Case Christians must find out the ways and opportunities so far as is possible whereby they may perform all the Duties commanded by Christ though they separate from either of those Churches no further than to those ends But if there be a Corruption in the Main or a Defect in the Vitals of the Doctrine or Worship of Christ in either Notion or Churches that will not be upon due Remonstrances reform'd then if according to the Institution of Christ Christians gather into Assemblies though lesser though but of Two or Three they are assur'd of the Presence of Christ and no inconvenience of Rending the Body of Christ or making Divisions in his Church shall condemn them for the Society deserted is not his Church but the Society that does desert is his Church supposing it retires sincerely in obedience to the Laws of Christ On the other side Suppose a National Church not of the Ordination of Christ in the Gospel as under that Name or Notion yet if that stand good which I have endeavoured to demonstrate that every Nation to which the Gospel is preach'd is bound by the Laws of God establish'd in Nature and by the Laws of God and Christ in his Word to plant true Christian Religion upon its National Union It will be still every Christians duty to joyn in unite himself with encourage and promote all that True National Christian Religion and not to separate from it any further than the Laws of Christ oblige him that he may yield Obedience to all those Laws For it is the absolute Duty of every member of a Nation to seek the Eternal Salvation of his Nation in his sphere as the Apostle Paul did of the Jews in so high an Orb when he profess'd his great heaviness and sorrow of heart even to the wishing himself accurs'd from Christ and prayed with his hearts desire they might be sav'd On account of which in so many things he became to the Jews as a Jew and wrote that Excellent Epistle to the Hebrews It being for that very Reason to me most probable it was his that he might make good all those great professions of Love to them for though it was peculiarly directed to the Christian Hebrews yet it had an aspect upon the whole Religion and people of the Jews as the scope of Adjusting all the Mosaick and Jewish Law to the Gospel-Mediation makes plain and so was in it self most proper for the Conversion of that Nation as a Nation seeing their own'd and gloried in National Religion truly understood led to the Christian Religion justly now to have been their National Religion if they had yielded obedience to their own Laws rightly interpreted Now if National Religion be an undoubted obligation upon Nations and the members of Nations so far as it is true Those Laws those Officers that are though not ordain'd by Christ yet not contradictory to his Ordination but necessary according to Rules of Right Reason to the Establishing True Religion as National must be submitted to also upon the account and for the sake of that True Religion as National But if National Religion wander from Truth that Fundamental Liberty establish'd by Scripture and Laws of Nature must be always preserv'd that I before asserted as giving Right to retire from all Societies not united in Truth according to the Degrees of their defection from it But for the further justifying National True Religion I will in the next place observe from Scripture the Uses and great Ends of Churches and see how far National Religion may be accommodated to them For Churches are not therefore appointed that men may Arbitrarily and Fancifully chuse which or what sort they will be of but that the true Reasons and Purposes of them may be observed and complied with and they are these Three 1. That there may be a Generation of men in the world in the same Faith and Worship of God in Jesus Christ according to the Scripture however dispers'd at whatever distance soever remote yet united in the same Doctrine Prayer Preaching Praising God in the Sacraments and if opportunity allows and invites it in the same actual Worship and at all times closely compacted in a virtual and mystical Communion with one another the same spirit running through all uniting all to Christ and God and one with another joyned in the same love and sympathy of joy in the prosperity and of sorrow in the afflâ—ctions and sufferings one of another and with all readiness in yielding the fruits of mutual Charity Mercy and Compassion from one end of the earth to the other every true Christian being the compassionate Samaritan to every other Christian and not Jewishly distinguishing his mercy to his own Sect Party or Church and in cases of corruption and defection from the Laws and Word of Christ there is to Christians a mutual power of remonstrating against those corruptions and that defection by arguing expostulating censuring the evil of them yea and Authoritative denouncing the Judgment of God and Christ upon them for that Charter of Christs to the true Preachers of the Gospel to the true Churches stands good as to Ages so to
all parts of the true Church Whose sins ye remit are remitted c. viz by solemn Declarations out of and according to the Laws of Christ even to the utmost distance wherein any rational possibility of extending such Remonstrances and Declarations with success and effect can be found there is not only power but an incumbent duty to do it This Union now is of uncontroulable Divine Right Thus much of National Religion a National Church can by no means be denied to a Christian Nation seeing to be thus of the Church is absolutely necessary to salvation Every man that shall be saved being certainly added to this Church the entrances into which in deed and in truth are by the saving Graces of the Spirit of God and in the judgment of Charity by a serious profession And this is that Catholick Church that compreheâ—ds all lesser Unions but excludes or denies none much less can be excluded by any As therefore every one must be of the Church Catholick and Nations ought to be Christian Nations and protect that profession So this very Catholick Church in every Nation where it is truly found carries with it the name of a Church and as a Nation is by it self and its own Civil Union denominated a Nation so the union of Christians must be the Church in that Nation for it is the Catholick Church in its universal diffusion running through this or that particular Nation and all the vertues and duties of the Catholick Church ought to be exercised in it and if any one denies this he denies the Catholick Church of greater moment than any particular Church can be 2. All the closest and most constant exercises of Christian Religion that Christians are to exercise one with another that cannot be exercised but in Society of this kind are all parts of the publick worship of God Prayer Preaching Sacraments which are indeed or ought to be the same for nature throughout the whole Christian Church but must be actually perform'd in particular Societies Now these Churches may be solemnly erected and constituted by agreement but they are also founded and even grow out of the very nature of the thing for the close Neighbourhood of Christians one with another they having continual knowledg of and acquaintance one with another and thereby daily opportunities of agreeing in that publick worship of God and their common profession all these ingage and also incline them to unite whether in greater Families as the Apostle speaks of Churches in the Families of Christians or in Villages or in greater Congregations of Cities one or more still the obligation is unavoidable The necessity of Duty that lyes upon Christians to perform these Acts of Worship in Society and the Law that is upon all Society and Societies must needs grow out of this frequent conversation to dedicate it self to God make it absolutely necessary that from the neighbourhood of Christians should arise particular Churches And who then can deny but that there may be an Union and further that there ought to be an Union of a Nation agreeing with it self as in the same Government Laws National Constitutions and commerce in a more frequent and free conversation one with another so in Religion when the parts of it profess the same true Religion and desire to worship God in the most publique way they can or who can deny that a Nation may give name to a Church seeing the very Cities give name to Churches where there was a number of Christians acting together according to the Laws of Christ given to his Church The obligation to true Râ—ligion to publique Religion is undeniable The opportunity of agreement is the same and may be transacted in the same mannner all other National agreements are And what is a Church but a Society agreeing in all Acts of true Religion according to the Laws allowed by Christ having no other Form but that of the Catholick Church distinguished by the particular Societies or places where they reside I acknowledg Two things are necessary to particular by the nature of particular Societies and the places where they resided Churches 1. Consciousness or mutual knowledg of persons and their worship 2. Consent This our Saviour teaches in that expression if Two of you shall agree Mat. 18. and indeed not only in particular Churches but even in the Catholick Church it self these things have their resemblance but with this difference In the Catholick Church the Divine Spirit running through all knows them all that truly belong to it and every one of them one for another and by their true Faith they all are united in closest consent in all things necessary to salvation one with another which Faith is kept from failing by the same spirit in them all that are truly of it But because there must be yet a more particular understanding that Christians have one with another that they may joyn in the same Religious Acts and mutually assist one another in them therefore the union of the Catholick Church upon Earth though it be the greatest the most Religious Society the most strongly banded and cemented yet is not sufficient because there is not that consciousness or mutual knowledge of and consent in one anothers Faith and Worship in distant parts of the World that is necessary to the Glorifying God and Christ in particular Churches This is one great reason too why the Church-Triumphant though inseparably united with the Church-Militant and every part of it though more acceptable and prevalent in all its Adorations yet cannot be communicated with actually and explicitly we may not sollicit such a communion with it here on Earth because we are not conscious or knowing of any such particularities in their State or Action as should ground it nor are we assur'd that they are conscious of any of our particularities Abraham the Prophets and Apostles are for ought we know wholly ignorant who we are when we pray or are exercis'd Religiously There is a thick and dark Vail drawn betwixt the Church in Heaven and Earth as to such particular Communion The Father the Son the Holy Spirit are only certainly and particularly known to us in that Higher Region of them we are only assur'd They know us and all our actions To ascribe the Honour to any other of the Invisible Church is to Idolize them as well as to thrust into things we have not seen or known Thus freely I acknowledg the closeness and easiness of Society of mutual understanding and consent with one another is the Foundation of particular Churches Those Duties of mutual Exhortation Assistances Counsels and when it is necessary Reproof one of another besides the constant meeting in publick worship That necessary severity of disowning in cases of great or incorrigible offence such persons as walk in practises contrary to the Rules of Christianity not being possible but in the nearest conjunction one with another that the State of mankind allows at the same time to be as
whether a strict Conformity upon Reasons in Government best understood by Governours themselves or a compassionate Indulgence most acceptable to Christianity Rule 3. They that without the violation of the true and substantial Rules of Religion can most see and use their liberty in these things and thereby become instruments of the greatest publique good are most acceptable to God They that do not Tythe the Mint and Cummin of Indifferent Things in National Religion and Worship with great noise and zeal for that is the greatest injury can be done to it but take them so far as they are instruments of Peace and use them in their own Indifferency for the greatest service to the publique They that insisting with any stress upon main things only are most earnest in turning many to righteousness These are they that shall shine as Stars in the Nations Firmament if not now assuredly in Eternity They that take advantage of the National profession to call sinners to repentance cause greater joy in Heaven than they that only think to secure themselves with the purer Societies Sure in this case God chooses mercy in seeking and saving them that are lost rather than sacrificing alone by our selves without regard to such Christ chose rather to converse with Publicans and Sinners than what look'd lâ—ke purer Society because he came to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance For the case was much different between the scandalous of the Jewish National Church with which our Saviour conversed and so of every National Church from the Churches gathered newly from among the Heathen of whom the Apostle speaks though even among them we read of no Separation from Religious Duties but only from private converse among those that were scandalous till they were as publickly disowned as they ought to be by Church Censures But on the other side they are least in the Kingdom of Heaven and the National Religion whether Rulers or People that dispirit Religion by an immoderate heat for meer Forms that are so warmly concern'd for Indifferencies to give reason to suspect they are a principal part in their esteem of their own or the National Religion Whereas such things so far as they may be any way contributary to good are best observed with greatest silence and least cry being rather to be first so far prepared to acceptance and use that there may be no noise of Axes Hammers or Tools of force or compulsion about them Rule 4. In all Religious Duties and the management or administration of them there are different excellencies like the Psalms of Degrees or those parts of a Psalm honoured with the Notes of Elevation There will and may be different Keys of Affection according to the differing hands playing upon us The People hung upon Christ to hear the Word of God for he tauâ—ht them with Authority and not as the Scribes yet they were â—â—â—nd by Christ to hear the Scribes Even thus in the National 〈◊〉 and Administrations we may undoubtedly more warmly adhere to and pursue the things that are more excellent and with a lighter touch pass over things of less moment though in all we mind the glory of God and the peace of National Religion For Union in National Religion must be primarily and chiefly in things truly called Religion and in lesser things with a regard to peace only David was otherwise affected in praise than in sacrificing a Bullock with Horns and Hoofs seeing as he says it pleased God more yet in the fear of God he did both The Apostle was otherwise affected in the Preaching of Christ than when he became as a Jew to the Jews yet he did the latter Religiously too The higher and closer the Ministry of Divine Truth and Service is the greater and closer the adherence of the Soul ought to bee Some things we ought to do with our might and only not to leave others undone Rule 5. We ought to have a steady and certain Gage within our selves of what our Lord hath provided for the preserving the truth of Religion to us and what care he hath taken so far as is possible with the conservation of that Truth to give us all advantage for publickness in Religion As to the truth of Religion these three provisions will secure it 1. That no man is so much bound to any Church Communion Nation or Government as to the true Religion which is the first and absolute necessary nor shall his withdrawing from any of them in things impure and offensive to God be charged upon him as sin or Schism All the putting out of Synagogues casting out Names or Excommunications signifie not any thing where God and Christ are in communion and where those on whom they fall are of the general Assembly and Church of the First born of that truly Catholick Church which is the only necessary Church to be of that we may be saved 2. The privatest Assemblies yea even single Souls so retiring that they may worship God according to his word have the promise that God and Christ will make their abode with them come and sup with them and they with him and they shall be written in the writing of Gods people The Catholick Church is always provided for them that they may not be out of the best Society under Heaven The Apostle encouraged the Hebrew Christians that might think them selves divided from the Jews that had been the only Church of God by assuring them the Gospel brought them into a greater Church than that viz. the General Assembly and Church of the First-born written in Heaven This honour have all the Saints of Christ 3. All the evils that can be endured upon account of Christ and obedience to him will be abundantly recompenced by the saving of the soul and that better and truer life That Argument of our Saviour He that loses his life saves it and he that saves it loses it And what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and loses his own soul or what shall he give in exchange for his soul stands always impregnable that a man should buy the truth and not sell it at any rate whatever Thus for the Truth of Religion 2. As to the Publickness of Religion there are these great advantages for it 1. That Christian Religion professes Love endeavour of Good and Salvation to all men to every Creature and hath antiquated all that Judaism that neglects any for their profit to Salvation though but Gentiles 2. That a man may join his Religious Services to any thing truly good in Natural or Revealed Religion whether of Families Neighbourhoods Cities Nations or of voluntary Societies stopping there and keeping himself free from other mens sins so that the evil that other men adjoin to any thing true and good in Religion being protested against and divided from does not corrupt what is good or true but it may be enjoyed in the most publick way while we have nothing to do with the
evil nor find it so mixt with the good as to admit of no separation And what is wanting in the publick worship of that which Christ hath ordained and commanded does not necessitate the total departure from that publick Worship when the very Institution is not chang'd by that want for the true Christian may make up that want in privater Duties Thus they that feared the Lord spake often to Mal. 3. 16. one another without separation from the Church 3. There is a free use granted by Christ of all things indifferent or a freedom on each sides to do oâ— not to do where no moral evil adheres or disobedience to some express Command of Christs attends either part If then Religion be not drawn out of those necessary things wherein Divine Wisdom Goodness and Truth have plac'd it and Traditions thereupon become Doctrines which constantly carries alâ—ng a rejecting the Commands of God or a lower esteem of them for those Traditions sake if there be no moral evil or indecency nor that a too great cumber be drawn upon Religious Acts every thing is by the Laws of Christ left to its own indifferency as Reason invites or perswades on either side to the doing or not doing All which sets men free from a Jewish yoke in these cases and is the true Christian Liberty Eating or not eating keeping a day or not keeping it Buying in a market and going to a feast without asking any question for Conscience sake without fear of the danger of moral defilement in those things that other mens sins defile only to themselves if we keep our selves pure are plainly the Liberty Christ hath published to us every Creature of God is pure and not to be rejected but received with thanksgiving no sin of man can pollute it to any but himself And this consideration may state to us the whole matter that relates to order and decency That order which God hath establisht in nature it self that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are written with a Sun-beam upon things themselves are out of all dispute God is the Author of them and not of the contrary confusion or indecency That order which is the prudential contrivance of men though not the same in all places times and to all persons as the former yet ought to be chearfully complied with as what is necessary to a National union in and administration of publick Religion both as to Officers and Things seeing nothing can be setled without order Accordingly we find the wise and pious Governours among the Jews taking care and the people submitting to such Ordinations and all under Divine Approbation The Order that is meerly of Humane position and arbitration moves the greatest doubt standing in things that have only the thin pretexts of Antiquity to give them some venerableness or that they are usages already in being or that they add the Imaginary decency that Ceremonies set out Humane actions with Now as to this they that have the power of imposing are equally to weigh the value of Religion it self and what that may suffer for the sake of this order and a great account lyes upon them before God but for those that are under subjection I add further As to this sort of order I can only say this that supposing it no way turn'd into Doctrine as the Pharisees not eating with unwashen hands but declar'd against as such the consequences of observing or not observing are to be ballanc'd and so the practise of every conscientious man to be determined On one side stands the freedom of using this order as an advantage to do good the consideration of the peace of Nations the National defence made more unite against false Religion at the price of Conformity to those more Arbitrary Impositions On the other side stands a just fear for the purity of Religion being either obscured or the freedom of it incumbered or for the reputation of Religion which often suffers by those unnecessary adherencies as if they entered into the nature of Religion it self I must yet allow the preference in my own judgment to that side by which National Religion is most served but with the full perswasion that God receives both if over-bitter zeal on either side be not offensive to him and with the concession that National Religion were more happy if more free but if love adjust to each their due allowance the services of both will be found with great acceptance in the common National Religion as I doubt not their hands would be in the defence of it against the Invasion of a National false Religion But if any be over-rigid or severe on either part they may receive the full rewards of their own society or party but they lessen the higher recompences of doing the most publique good The strictest Laws either this way or that way in these things are of mens own making and exacting so from them only they have their reward who are zealous beyond their own knowledg and the goodness of the matter From all that hath now been said under this Rule I collect 1. That they that cannot agree to the publickly encouraged constitution of a Nation should yet point their worship as much as they can towards it They should comply with all that is good in it so far as they can be recieveâ— without launching beyond their judgments Thus Christianity was made as publique in all places by the Apostles as they could by adjoyning it to any principle of Truth or to the natural sense of Religion they found any where St. Paul gave solemn thanks to God in the midst of all that sailed with him though a bad sort of men Thus he Preached the true God and Christ at Atkens upon their Inscription To the unknown God upon the Fundamentals of National Theology upon the wise saying of a Poet of their own He thought it best to acknowledg all that was good in the most faulty state of Religion as an advantage to convince what was bad and disagreeing to that good and gaining men to unite with that whole element of Truth and Goodness with which any sparks kindled in them already were so closely allied as to gain them to the whole How much nearer then and closer may Christians and of the Reformed Christianity fall in one with another if we valued what we agree in at a higher rate as certainly we ought to do then what we differ about 2. The way to make National Religion most National is by comprehending all the differences that can be reconcil'd with true Religion while they that dissent in some things receive one another with a good peaceable holy and publick temper of mind as the great Argument and Inducement of which we should all pray for the acceptance of the holy services of all that call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle distinguishes Christians but immediately unites them again both theirs and ours They and
we whatever smaller distinctions make the they and the we are both one in our Lord Jesus Christ We ought therefore to pray for the common benefit of all so united though not bound up in the same form with us for a gracious audience and reception of their and our Worship of God that so the Spirit of Love and Vnion in the main may convey all our services into one before God where indeed if they are as he requires they meet stripp'd of all their outward Circumstances Form and Ceremony Faith and Obedience being alone able to mount thither with them And services so raised can by no means be spar'd for small differences in a National Religious Interest for the Angels of all such behold the Face of our Father in Heaven If Darius though a Heathen Prince had such a sense of the virtue Ezr. 6. 10 of that true Religion he was not of as to engage those of so great difference from him in their sense of God to pray for the peace of the King and his Sons how much more should we who are all of the same true Faith and Worship and know the Force and Energy of it by great acts of Favour to one another in those things wherein we cannot be wholly one yet all joyn in praying for the acceptance of one anothers services and the services of the whole Nation whereof we are not only Civil but Religious Members And if we are truly Religious shall be so accounted with God yet with the abatement of our sinful differences and divisions How should we therefore unite that we may lose none of the things that we have wrought but may receive a full reward Rule 6. It is the happiness of our Nation that if any man truâ—y understands considers and pronounces of our National Religion It stands in the Scripture making us wise to Salvation In Faith in Jesus Christ Repentance Love of God Fear of the Divine Majesty all Acts of Justice Love Mercy Compassion true sincere Preaching the whole Word of God Prayer use of Sacraments the Lords-day Religious Discourses Conferences Catechetical Instructions and Education of Youth in the knowledg of Religion Restraint of Atheism Irreligion Intemperance and Sensuality generally and throughout the Nation Compulsion of the very worst of men to acknowledge a Deity and his Worship for what is hypocrisie in them may turn to the salvation of good men These are the things I say again that are truly our National Religion all things pertaining to Order Decency outward Form or Mode are but the Vehicle the conveyance of that True Religion if the main Ends of which be obtain'd viz. That these Religious Acts are perform'd but with that peace and freedom from confusion Confusion destructive of all publick Actions and with that Honourableness that is agreeable to the state of every Nation and this Nation particularly in the simplicity of Religious Worship It is enough and whatever on these accounts is commanded in our National Religion I freely own and acknowledge as reconcilable with these Characters forbearing such who though agreeing in all main things upon sincere endeavours to understand them so cannot acquiesce in them as so who deserve compassion These things ought to be no Partition-Wall in our National Worshipping of God one with another nor can they without great rigor and censor ousness very evil in the sight of God be condemned in those who for the sake of Substantial National Religion the publickness and more universal benefit of it wherein they are most truly zealous pay obedience to the Rules of them Rule 7. Let us all strive labour preach hear and pray and even suffer in the Reformation of our selves and endeavours to Reform all others according to the most excellent Rules of our most Holy Religion professed in this Kingdom as our National Religion that it may be found to Praise Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ and be thought worthy to stand before the Son of Man at his coming before whom nothing but the Gold and precious Stones of Substantial Truth and Goodness can stand all else will be burnt off as Hay and Chaff by the fire of that day and they that have been hot and contentious for them be saved only as by Fire with difficulty and loss And in the mean time that our Vnion and Love in the True Religion may be to us an assurance of the Divine Favour and presence of his protection and blessing that neither our Candlestick may be removed nor our Nation the present place of it be taken away for generally both are removed one with the other or soon after one another Rule 8. Let no man be discouraged from the most zealous Affectionate joyning himself to and promoting National Religion because oâ— that veneration due to the Name of The Church and Churches according to the Scripture For a Nation united in True Christian Religion differs no more in the strictest notion from a Church than a Body of men united and consecrated to God according to the Law of Nature differs from a Society united and consecrated to God according to an Institution that is no more than an Institution planted in Nature differs from an Institution given by Revelation For one is the Appointment of God of old from the very Foundations of Humane Society The other after the Fall of Nature and the Inability of it to its end An Institution therefore does not repeal a Natural Law but takes care it should be fulfill'd and compleated in its chiefest End Israel was a Church to God being so devoted to him by his own Institution and it was a Holy Nation according to the Original Exod. 19. 6. Law being elevated by the Institution to its true perfection as a Nation The Christians to whom the Apostle Peter wrote As they were a Church according to the Institution of Christ so they were a Holy Nation as he stiles them succeeding into the place of that whole Jewish Nation Consecrated to God by the Law of Nature upon Nations though but strangers scattered abroad yet to show the 1 Pet. 1. 1â— great value God has of a Nation devoted to him they are stiled A Holy Nation The Institution of the Catholick Church as the seat 1 Pet. 2. 9. of the True Religion of Jesus Christ makes a Nation united in that True Religion both a Church as that Catholick Church hath thereby a Residence in it and much more than those fore-mentioned scatter'd Jews a Holy Nation as it is Nationally resign'd up to God in the True Religion according to the Law of Nature made perfect by the Institution Where then a Nation is united in the Truth of Christian Doctrine the Purity of Divine Worship the Holy Rules of Practise the Catholick Love of all Christians Baptized into the same Body made to drink into that one Spirit In Pastors and Teachers Ministring the same Gospel the Apostles infallibly deliver'd and seal'd with Miracles All
Adultery and Peters Denial of his Lord the one was plain Temptation the other Scandal arising from the to him uninterpretable Suffering of our Saviour though both were great and grievous Sins 3. Scandal is a Temptation to some great Sin or course of Sin For though the least Sin introduc'd upon the Counterfeit of Religion and Reason is truly Scandal and partakes in its Woe Yet those Scandals of daily almost unavoidable Incursion in this imperfect State are broken in their deadly effect by the daily and general Repentance and desire of Pardon and Faith in the Blood of Jesus all true Converts live in the Practice of Who can understand his Scandals Deliver thou me from secret ones may every good man pray But keep back thy Servant from Insolent Scandals that they may not have Dominion so that I be Innocent and free from the great Transgression The sins that Scandal precipitates upon may be either in the refusal disavowment rejection or despight to some of the prime manifestations of God in the World in Infidelity or Unbelief or some great Enormity of Practice and it may be absolv'd and finished in some Notorious Act of Sin or may run through the whole Course of a mans Life in an habitual State of sin or Transgression of the Rule that he acts in all a-long Lives and dies in this Snare of Satan in this Captivity under him It may be partial only there being a reserve of the Soul preserv'd by Grace by which the renewed Soul recovers it self as the Apostles were Offended or Scandalis'd in Christ on the Night of his Passion and Peter in a fouler manner and yet theirs even his Faith did not fail They and he most Eminently escap'd out of the broken Snare But men devoid of any Principle of true saving Grace are though in several degrees lock'd within the Scandal and cannot be rescued out of it but by a Renovation to Repentance the first Repentance Yea even the best men under the power of Scandal as we now discribe it are for the present inwrap'd and involv'd so that the whole man seems to fall and the whole strength for that time so far as is visible is taken Captive Now by all this that hath been spoken it is undeniable that a Man is never Scandalised but when he sins he is not Offended in this Scripture-sense but when he himself Offends To be justly displeas'd with other mens sins or defiling Religion with impure mixtures is not to be Offended but when a man himself displeases and offends God and against his Duty 4. Scandal in wraps in Sin and the dreadful consequents of it for in the mischief and deadly issue of Sin is the complemental nature and notion of Scandal It is in the way of Righteousness onely that there is Life and in the Path-way thereof that there is no Death none of the beginnings and first strokes of it of the avant Couriers of Death It is Wisdom alone that is Health to the Navel and Marrow to the Bones whose ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are Peace But the ways of Scandal so closely united with Sin though they seem right in a Man 's own Eyes yet are all along the ways of Death and most evidently so in their end Guilt Divine displeasure Perplexity Anguish of Mind Grief if the Sin be felt however a wound a stripe upon Conscience and a mark of that stroke of that wound and stripe whether felt or not that can never be worn off but by Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ Weakness Inability loss of Vigour to a Holy Life 〈◊〉 Action and often down right Apostacy are the Fruit◠〈◊〉 Scandal for every Sin is a prejudice a mortification 〈◊〉 dead works upon the Consciâ—nce dispiriting it to Holiâ—â—â—â— more and more It is the way of Righteousness that is strength to the upright and the joy of the Lord therein is his double strength Through Scandal Men stumble and fall are discouraged and lye down at length out of Choice and with resolution to continue where they are as most easie Qui jacet in terris non habet unde cadat Upon all this ensues at last Eternal Death if not prevented by Repentance 5. Scandal is covered under some plausible pretence or disguise of a principle of Reason or Doctrine of Religion For Reason being an efflux from God the Sovereign Reason and Light from the Father of Lights any true principle of true Reason and rightly applyed is undoubtedly a Divine Oracle and would justifie any pretension grounded upon it Now in all Cases wherein Divine Revelation is refused or avowedly forced from the genuine Sense because either the Revelation or all Natural Interpretation will not serve the turn of Scandal but detects and exposes it it then flyes under an umbrage of Reason as separated from such Revelation or sets it up to limit and control such Revelation But if it professes to own the Scripture it then serves it self of Divine Revelation but wrested and mis-applyed for the higher the Authority is that is vouched and pretended the deeper the Scandal as we may see in the Pharisees the greatest both Masters and Bondmen of Scandal that ever were in the World except the Galley Slaves of it in the Romans Antichristianisme and they were so because they were defended and flanked on all sides as they miserably deluded themselves with the Authority of the Old Testament the Law and the Prophets together with the to them equall or indeed superiour awful Traditions of the Elders by which they circumscribed and kept under the Authority and Sense of Scripture as the Papists do at this day by like Traditions and Faith of their Church Now all these as they would have it joyned in perpetuating the Ceremonial Law as irreversible by God himself and settling an indefeisible state of Inheritance in the true Religion upon the Jews alone without the calling of the Gentiles to be the People of God but as their meer Proselytes All these as they deemed represented a Messiah of quite another Figure another Character than our Saviour and therefore he as they concluded must needs be an Impostor and his Doctrine Blasphemy upon which Rock of offence the Vessel of their Church and even Nation it self besides their particular Souls was most dismally Shipwrack'd But not only things of so good a Title and Claim as the Jewish Religion are counter-scarf'd with a Doctrine but even such vile things as Balaam taught eating things Sacrificed to Idols in honour of the Idol and committing Fornication when contrived into Scandal must have a Doctrine for them For so the Spirit of God calls it the Doctrine of Balaam In Scandal even Jezabel puts on the Vail of a Prophetess and calls her self so and under it teaches and seduces which may abate to us the wonder of Romes calling it self a Church and its Adulteries Sorceries and Idolatries Catholick Christian Religion 6. Scandal by such a Principle of
and mute in the Commission of Sin or neglect of Duty upon these appearances and who can say herein I have made my Heart clean I am pure from this Transgression so far hath he been Scandalised and indanger'd to his Ruine This is the first great Pillar of Truth and the primary Scandal is placed here That Men think there is no reason God should have so much Love Fear Honour Obedience so much Worship and Service And the Second is like to it 2. Even the Faith of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World is like to that first great Principle and equal to it both because the whole Riches and Treasure of all Religion is deposited and concentered in it so that he hath not the John 17. 3. Father nor the Knowledge of the only true God nor the Eternal Life proceeding from it who hath not the Son who hath not the Knowledge of Jesus Christ whom God hath sent Even as Christ is the brightness of the Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person so is the knowledge of Christ the express Image of the Knowledge of God and the brightness of it wherever it is revealed if it be not believed in the God of the World hath blinded the 2 Cor. 4. 6. minds of them that believe not least they should see the light of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ who is the Image 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. of God shining to them Especially and more particularly that great Attribute of Divine Mercy and Pardoning Grace is illustrated and breaks out with brighter and warmer Beams in this Son of his Love the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins Acts 4. 12. of the World by the Sacrifice of himself His is the only Name given under the whole Heaven to the Children of Men whereby they can be saved This indeed was the Scandal of the Jews who assumed to themselves as the only Masters of the true Religion in the World and foolishness to the Greeks who took Isa 28. 16. upon them as the like Masters of Reason but this corner Stone of Truth was laid so sure and of so tryed an excellency 1 Pet. 2. 6. that all that reject and spurn at it stumble and fall are snared and broken They are false Notions of God and Truth that will not be reconciled to it and while even the Builders refuse it it will yet rise to be the Head of the Corner Ver 7. It hath now surmounted before any Impartial Judges all other Names of Religion in the whole World so that to strike at it where it is known and received argues a disaffection and being Scandalised at Religion it self and is become the same with denying God Providence and Eternal Judgment Corrupted Reason and Lucian-Wit aims at Religion in its very Essence when it pretends to dash upon that and if when it seem'd to encounter with Gods own Administration by Moses there was yet such a presence of God with it that it would be more tolerable Mat. 10. 15. c. for Sodam and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment than for those that refused it as the Lord in several places testifies how much greater will the Condemnation be now when it hath so perfectly antiquated all that pretension against it and worn out the Prejudices of Elder Paganisme And yet so far as the Foolishness of God as the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 25. styles it does not appear to us wiser than Men and the weakness of God stronger than Men we are ready to be Scandalised at the Doctrine of a Crucified Saviour And it seems the easiest place for the Attacks of Atheism Irreligion and Prophaneness who yet at last will find themselves in a Gin or Trap when they thought they had gained Ground and made entrance and shattered to pieces when they believed a Conquest For God taketh the wise in their own 1 Cor. 3. 19 20. Craftiness and he knoweth the wisest thoughts of Men that they are vain Every Degree of Apostacy from Christ is Heb. 3. 12. departing from the Living God Transactions in Prayer or Publick Discourses of Religion are so much the more Divine as they send forth the sweet savour of his Name which is as an Oyntment poured out The Apostle desired to 1 Cor. â— 2. Phil. 3. 8. know nothing but Christ and him crucified It is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Top and Transcendency of Knowledge Apostolick Epistles full of Christ and the Truth as it is in Jesus are the best Patterns for Sermons much exceeding the Rationalism or Moralism of tâ—â— wisest Philosophy It is a Degree of Scandal first taken â—nd then given to speak little of him All Preaching is not giving the savour of his Knowledge 2 Cor. 2. ult and if it have not Life to the Soul it is deadly a Symptom to Death The very diverting though to other Parts of Sacred Scripture speaks Men offended in him when they do not find him and express him the Alpha and Omega in all the Bright Morning Star the Amen And though a Battology a vain Repetition in naming him is blamable yet it is more blame to conceal him even in the best Discourses of his Religion The Rays of Religion are paler more weak and chill as they fall farthest off from him He is the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings and Blessed is he in these days even in these days whoever is not offended in him 3. The Spirituality Purity Cleanness and Chasteness of the Worship of God dictated by the clearest and sincerest Light of Natural Conscience approved by Divine Revelation or founded instituted and directed by that undoubted Heavenly Oracle is the next great Pillar of Truth upon which the Glory of God and the Salvation of Mens Souls is setled But against this sensual and defiled Imagination hath in all Ages raised Scandal and so befool'd Reason that it hath cast down many wounded yea many strong Men in their Intellectual Endowments and Reputation for Wisdom have been ensnar'd and ruin'd by it It hath been the Renown therefore of those Princes in Sacred Story that have had the Religious Magnanimity to resist the Charmes of this Sorceress and kept Divine Worship uncorrupted in whose Glory so much as the High Places was a dark Shade and ecclips'd them though it had fair Pretence Idolatry and Superstition have been most evidently branded in Scripture for the most wretched State of being scandaliz'd and Idols for the most abhorr'd Scandals This was the Snare of Gideon and his House and yet as Interpreters give us in a Matter as innocent at first as laying up the Ephod he had inquir'd at in his Danger as a Monument of Gratitude for his Victory that was after turn'd thus into a Scandal Judges 8. 27. This was the Scandal Balaam taught Balak to cast before the Children of Israel These were the Wiles the Gins and Traps in which the
and a forgivness of seventy seven Injuries in a day upon Acknowledgment Mat. 18. 22. Luke 17. 4. and Repentance been taken care for that Love may be continued The forgivness of God and Christ is set us as an Example and that it may the more affect us the odds between our Offences against God and all Trespasses against our selves is stated as disproportionate as ten thousand Talents to a hundred Pence But however Men think they may justly not love where there is a difference in Divine matters in matters of Religion This is the cause of God and Truth and yet this is generally but the greater Scandal for when the things that Christians differ in are small and that they agree in great and momentous things it is evident the Integrity Honour and Interest of Religion should much more unite and indear than little Interests divide In things that are evidently contrary to Divine Truth and the Law of God there is a just denial of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect to that Evil he travels with as the Apostle John the great Minister of Love teaches us and a Method for Reformation or Rejection as our Saviour agreeable to that Law in Leviticus prescribes us not to smother our Mat. 18. 15 c. Lev. 19. 17. hatred or disgusts in silence and reserve by concealing the fault a constant cause and store for our Anger or Ill-will but to bring it to an open procedure that either our misapprehension may be rectified or the person reformed and so our love either way restored or a just reason appear not for our hatred but for our limitting the extent of our Love In such a case it ought not to be as is due to a Christian but to a Publicane or Heathen who is still the Object of our Love but not of that kind that degree of Love adjust to Christians but this must be in a case clear and evident not every Dispute The Truth of Christian Religion and the great Design of it is the Salvation and Happiness of all the Servants of Christ and with an Universal Favour to Mankind and this is preserved only in Love Every thing then that cools and destroys Love under a shew of Just and Right is a Scandal because it overthrows Christianity which is indeed a Religion of Love and makes a man of great Name Pretence Authority in the Church a nothing It is a Scandal for it rises from Scandal it hath the ill effect of Scandal both ensnaring and destroying and it tends to further Scandal It rises from Scandal he that does not Love hath some Lust some interest of Profit Dominion or Pleasure that he serves under a name of Religion They that cause Divisions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divisions in affection taking advantage Rom. 16. 17. of Dissents in Opinion these serve their own Bellies That Lust which they cloak with Religion that baser Interest they cloath and cover with a better name that Lust so disguised deceives them and enslaves them under it self This moves to further Scandal every one that does not comply with the humour of this Lust and serve it he appears as the Irreligious or the Factious disorderly Person hereupon he must not be received or continued in the Love due to a Brother a Christian though the case be nothing at all to true Christianity Our Saviour as aware of this in his so severe caution of not Scandalising little ones immediatly subjoins those dreadful Precepts of cutting off the Right Hand c. that Scandalise our selves as implying they are the great causes of our Scandalising others This still moves on to further Scandal Scandal to Strangers who thereupon look upon Religion as Austere Morose and Cruel and so are discouraged from coming in to it Scandal to those whom our Saviour calls the little ones in Christianity whom it may be he so calls not that they Marc. 9. 4◠are always so in themselves when yet despised but because they may be only so in the Eyes of those that despise them and think not the honour and regard owing to Christians due to them or because take the meanest in Christianity or those we think or are indeed in most danger to be lost our Saviour in a Scheme in a Figure of little ones would represent they ought to be the most cautiously and tenderly treated Lastly They themselves become Scandalised too often to much higher degrees of Scandal hereby even against those things that carry the truest and most genuine Spirit of Christianity because they would go as far off as they can and be most unlike those from whom they dissent in some things that neither their Praying their Preaching their Phrase and manner of speaking must be accepted by them till they even desert the Examples of the very Scripture it self in those things and come too near Burlesquing the Sacred guise of them or at least what is so nearly united that the reproach that falls upon the one falls upon the other also and all that they may be sure to stand far enough off from the adverse purity of what they have espoused whose Opinions while they seem to strike the things most agreeable to Scripture are the Sufferers too often But he that loves his Brother has no occasion of this 1 John 2. 10 11. sort of stumbling which is not far from the Apostles meaning because as his Soul is rightly compos'd and not Clouded with dark and black passion so he hath no Temptation to dislike any thing in true Christianity out of Hatred to his Brother who professes it but an additional Obligation to keep the Truth entire out of Love to his Brother who is united in it with himself and therefore it is said hereby we know we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments when our love to them ingages us the more close in a Religious Union with them He that hates his Brother is ready to fall out with every thing that he is for and knows not at what he stumbles whether it be truly of God and Christ or not and so is no just occasion of stumbling though he stumble at it 1 John 5. v. 2. 6. The Government and Authority God hath vested in Conscience to understand with God for it self and the Soul and to guide it self according to his Command who is its only Father and it ought to have none upon Earth beside him even as Christ is its one Master is a Grand Principle of True Religion And this is of so great concernment that though the thing be good a Man does yet if he does it not upon a Judgement a Sense a Dictate of Conscience or if that he refuses be truly Evil yet if it be not rejected in the same manner upon the same Motives neither the one nor the other arises to a Religious action or is accepted with God as done in his Fear but is a vain honour of him
Task-masters under them cannot be without Scandal For while they seem to be zealous of Order Decency Uniformity they sin against the Precepts of Love Vnity Mercy Peace and exchange too often those excellent Pastoral-Staves of Beauty and Bands for the Instruments of the foolish Shepherd Zech. 11. 7. 15 16. that extend not to any true Acts of Pastoral Care Visiting Healing Feeding but Tearing and Rending Lastly By-standers and Neuters have the Woe to the World because of Scandals coming upon them for they mis-judge of the excellent Religion of the Gospel by these great Miscarriages and it falls under their misrepute as if it stood in Ceremonials in regard of whom the Apostle was so cautious that the Good of Christians should not be evil spoken of as if the Kingdom of God was only Meat and Drink For whereas the Substantials of Christianity justifie themselves to the Consciences of all Men Ceremonials lead to Atheism as if Religion were but the Craft of Parties using Trifles for Interest Rule and Domination and Differences in the Profession of it when multiplied by Disputes about these Indifferents bring mistrust upon all as if there were nothing certain Lastly the Heats Cruelties and Persecutions used on these Accounts cannot but look very strange and full of horrour to the very Light of Nature For how can it but appear Prodigie and Portent that Christian Religion that counted upon nothing but Persecution of it self in the World should turn the Weapons used against it upon it self as hath been most notoriously infamous in the Popish Inhumanities Or what Stranger can think well of such a Christianity And then more dire it is that Protestant Religion branding Popery as a Religion of Blood shoud be so much as tinctur'd with any of that Spirit and that any of these Evils should be for the sake and upon the account of Indifferents that are acknowledged to be devised by Men that are not equal to Gods Law that may be chang'd for which other Countries that use them not are to be condemn'd whereas Substantial Order and Decency are the same throughout the World some small Local Differences allowed for This is the great Cause of Complaint But on the other side the Reasons that appear to Dissenters against them are great and weighty in themselves Let them be mistaken in the Application yet a great Reason on the contrary to any thing if misapprehended is of much more weight than a very slight and inconsiderable Reason for it however true And though in a much inferiour Cause I acknowledge yet I hope it is not unlawful to make an Allusion to that unavoidable Argument against Atheism That the enduring of inconsiderable Inconveniencies though certain is much more eligible to a wise Man than the adventure upon intolerable and endless Inconveniency though suppos'd uncertain In a like manner though of a lower consequence and yet not altogether lower The great mischief of Scandal though possibly upon mistake is not to be hazarded upon suppose the more certain little Inconveniences of Mens not conforming to Indifferencies But that there may be a more equal Poise of the Matter I shall briefly present the Objections against Indulgence to Dissenters in Indifferencies upon the account of Scandal and the Answers that may be returned to them Object 1. If Scandal were an Argument against things we must go out of all things even out of the World nay out of Religion it self for all things are full of Scandal even the best things Answ It would be yet a considerable Service done to the World the Christian World if but so much of Scandal were defalk'd as hath its play in Indifferents The abatement would be above what can easily be believed if all that hath swell'd the Account of Scandal from Indifferent Things had been wisely and thriftily cut off from the entrance of Christianity to this day And the Sting of the Argument why it should have been and yet should be so is That they are but Indifferents that are spoken of the Use of which makes us not the better nor the non-use the worse But the mischief of Scandal is incomputably great so that the advantage of such an Abatement had brought Infinite Recompence with Usury in Truth and Peace for that little Profit if any that could grow from barren and dead Indifferents in Religion though considered as separate from Scandal Object 2. The Apostle himself was enforced to change his Voice concerning Indulgence to the weak in the Judaique Rites and to vote the persisting in a Love to them damnable and the Holy Spirit brands the Idolothytes conceded by the Apostle to be afterwards the Doctrine of Balaam So that the Weakness of Consciences about Indifferent Things becomes so masterless unruly and headstrong as to indanger main Concernments in Religion if not reformed the due time of Indulgence being allowed for it Answ The Mischief if nearly observed always grows from making more Accessions to the Worship of God and Religious Services than God hath made For the Judaizing in the Galatians the Will-Worship and shew of Wisdom among the Colossians the forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from Meats all grow upon the same Root Even the Idolatry and Luxury of the Idolothytes came not from a wise and Christian asserting God's Right above the Idol's but from sinking down into the sensual Worship of the Idol by a daily Conversation at his Table in his Temple and uniting Heathenism with Christianity of one of which either Judaism or Heathenism most Rites are but the Offspring The great Danger is either in exalting Gods Creatures into a state and for Uses and Ends above what he Ordained them at Humane pleasure and arbitrament or retrenching the Liberty God hath given in the free use of his own Creatures for every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if received with thanksgiving For it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer Now this cannot alike extend to the Signs and Ceremonies created by Humane Imagination and imposed with rigour and that not only on Civil Accounts which we meddle not with but upon Religious where God is only Supreme At which Door hath entred all the Idolatry and Superstition into the World winding it self by lesser Degrees and so mounting it self to the very top The great Use of the Apostle's two Discourses is therefore to be resolved into this one main Position That upon the account of Indifferencies wherein the use or non-use cannot commend us to God we should not Scandalise nor so much as offer Scandal to any of the Servants of Christ In all which it is duly to be considered That Scandal runs in the Industrious Imposing and binding Observation either by Example that expects Conformity to it or any more violent Influence upon Compliance That which the Apostle therefore perswades to was not any thing of Ritual Distinction of Days or Meats but only the not eating such or such Meats happened in these
every Quarter with Mischiefs How much better then is it that indifferent things in Religion were taken away even while the World standeth than that they should be kept up as the Sconces of Scandal For Indifferent Things let not the Work of God be destroyed nor any for whom Christ dyed in danger to Perish the more we esteem our Church our Religion our Worship of God the better and purer they are the more it is pity any should be divided from it should be so far scandalised as to be Schismaticks from it either in our account or if it be that Sin in the real danger of it and of perishing in it The more excellent our Church is the more the Apostles Rules take hold of us Let not the good of our Church be evil spoken of as if it was Ceremonial Let us not lose any from our Church for Meat and Drink Increase not the Woe of Scandal any way for so mean Things as Indifferents Let us not indanger our selves into the Woe of him by whom Scandal comes for Elements But besides all these Considerations there is not so absolute a security in adding any thing under any Name whatever to the pure Worship of God any more than to his Word lest we be found Lyars to him mismatching with it what will not endure the Fire Greatest Peace have they that Prov. 30. 5 6. love thy Law O Lord and that only nothing shall offend them in nothing will they offend others Observing Rites that had been Divine was not so safe to the first Christians having to do with Rites that had been corrupted Idolatrously and Superstitiously proved very Fatal Ceremonies are but Shaddows Superstition easily pervades that little thin Essence they have They have not the Right of being Gods Creation to bring them off to lye lower than their Corruption and commend them There is no such Cause to be over-zealous of such things in regard of which a late * Father Simmons 's Critical History Romanist hath said The true Religion of the Church of England differs little from the Romish in outward appearance The Argument strikes all ways if our Constitution be so good and injur'd not at all by Ceremonies let us as Christ Seek and save that which is lost those we look upon as the least that believe in Christ let them not be lost for Ceremonies The Love and Compassion of a Saviour triumphs towards these least easily Offended narrow-soul'd morose suppose them Smoaking Flax bruised Reeds yet despise them not if Christians if Protestants Their Angels behold the Face of the Father of Christ in Heaven Let them not be Offended Scandalised from Union with our National Church for Ceremonies If on the other side our Ceremonies in Gods account should be blemishes of our Church and Imperfections or if they may be turned into such by an ignorant use of them or if they cause Divisions and Scandals if the Mischiefs of those Scandals fall upon Strangers to true Religion and keep them at distance All these considerations weigh heavy against a Zeal for them But if none of these can be laid to their Charge yet if Men doubt concerning them what must they do How shall they escape that of the Apostle He that doubteth is Damned if he Eats Whatever is not of Faith is Sin Why should this be hazzarded for Indifferents And when the Tyde of Advantages Preferments Publick Approbation are on one side Deprivation of all those Censures and Penalties on the other who dares answer for many Men that they do not offer Violence to their Principles much more venture over their Doubts And yet in those very Doubts has the Apostle laid his Doctrine Or Lastly Wo can reasonably suppose Men would stem this Tyde that is against them if they had not real Conscientious Doubts or higher than Doubts to contest with in prejudice of their Complyance Upon the whole then I cannot but conclude Imposing Indifferent Things in Religion by a violent Example much more by severe Ways is very contrary to the Apostles Doctrine in that Case and that upon Reasons that till I see them answered I must suppose unanswerable I have now thus far discoursed of Scandal in the more strict and particular Cases Scripture hath given us the notices of but in the remaining Heads to be treated of I shall consider it in that largest and most comprehensive Grasp of it Religion in general And there is nothing that requires greater Wisdom and the prepossessions of a more Religious Prudence than to sit and count the Charge of undertaking serious Piety as the Lord hath bidden us in relation to one Branch of Scandal Persecution so with respect to the whole Negotiation of Scandal in the World It is the great both Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Scripture that he hath given full and ample warning before hand of all the Disadvantages we are to encounter in our Faith Love and Obedience to him as when we are assured There shall be False Prophets There must be Heresies There shall be Persecution There shall be an Apostacy or general Defection from True Symmetral Christianity within Christianity it self And so in the present Case it must needs be that Scandals come For the Knowledge of these things is one greatest Defence against the Evil predicted as also against the staggering of our Minds concerning the Truth of Religion it self Let any man then enquire and search this thing out both in Scripture and close Reason and he will find Scandals must come though he may at first think Religion if it be so great and excellent as is given out of it should not be darkned and clouded with Scandal but stand clear from it and it be impossible it should be any way liable to it Now that it is in it self Just and Right even to Perfection it self is every where recorded and published of it Wisdom speaks excellent things and the opening its Lips are Prov. 8. 6. Right Things It speaketh Truth and Wickedness is an abomination to its Lips All its Words are in Righteousness and nothing froward or perverse in them They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find Knowledge The Righteousness of thy Testimonies is everlasting give me Vnderstanding and I shall live Gods Precepts are right concerning All Things and secure from every False Way Psal 119. 104. c. His Law is the Truth By the Word of his Lips Men are kept from the Paths of the Destroyer Amidst all the scandalising Psal 17. 4. Hos 14. 11. and intangling Works of Men The Ways of the Lord are all right if Men have but right Feet right Intentions Affections and Motions And yet when all this is granted let any Man cast the thing in his severest Thoughts and he will find it impossible as things are Religion should be free from Scandal and that therefore as if any Man cannot deny himself he cannot be Christ's Disciple so if
Chains of Scandal till the Judgment of the great day that Jude 6. it may then be decided whether they had just cause of Offence or not Thus the Devil was a Lyar from the beginning and the Father of it of the Lye of Scandal For all Scandal is a Lye John 8. 44. And now when there was an actual Fall a Defection of any of the Rational Creatures actually come to pass God still permitting things to their own Liberty then it cannot be but that Scandals come For when once the Activity of an Understanding carried with a perverse and disorderly Will is in motion then it traverses all ways cuts all those Lines of Allyance and Connexion betwixt Things and Things scales the heights dives down into the bottom fills all things with Confusion and Perplexity that it may Scandalise mis-represent and mis-report God and Supream Goodness extols forbidden Pleasures and Enjoyments and an imaginary Happiness as if enviously denied and that denial unreasonably and to no benefit complyed with And the more Agents there are thus perverted and ill disposed the more Scandals must needs arise and shew themselves when therefore Angels fell or if some Principal fell first there must needs be Scandals in motion from them and they drew down innumerable lesser Stars with them when they propagated Scandal to Men as we read in the History of the Fall and Men grew numerous and wicked Scandals must needs come amain and multiply themselves For so many sinful and impure Understandings at work and hurried on by extreamly bad and unholy Wills Scandals must become like a Deluge and cannot but increase to a kind of Infinite and must be pressing every where for there is no Light so clear but a dim and dark Eye may report it black and obscure there is no way so smooth and even but Lame Legs Crooked Feet being themselves unequal may stumble and fall in it When a Man as Solomon says is cast into a Net by his own Feet when his Feet are a Net to themselves he must be Scandalised and Catch'd wherever he goes There is no Sense so grave and seriously compos'd but a vain Fancy that is full of odd and antick Shapes and Images within it self may travestee and turn it into Ridicule Even the plainest Sense by Ignorance or Malice may be so transpos'd as to be made most unintelligible Non sense and by separating the parts from their due order one to another may be perverted into Falshood and Blasphemy Thus therefore by the Darkness of Mens minds by the Maliciousness and ill Designs of corrupted Intellectuals enraged by impure Lusts and Passions the plainest things in Religion may be mis-understood mis-represented mis-reported and disguised out of themselves much more the more secret retir'd and even unfathomable parts of Divine Truth Providence and Government God hath made every thing good that he hath made and his very permissions of Evil are all over-ruled by him to Good and even to us they may be Medicinal and of use if taken by the right Handle On the other side Scandal turns the very best things into Evil to the Person Offended and nothing can be so Good that it both not so abuse The Spies it sends out upon the Land of Promise bring up an ill Report of it Indifferent Things that are by God prepared and intended to turn each way either to use or not to use according as Circumstances lead and both ways to be advantages for Good Scandal hath a great hand over and turns them to Evil all ways Things that are Evil the Sins and Falls of Men either Good Men or Bad Men or Men seemingly Good and inwardly Bad are as the proper Dominion and Territory of Scandal and it raises what it can against Religion by them Thus every thing by the not only Permission but Justice of God upon the faln World is subjected to Scandal not willingly for all things work together for good as they are impressed with Motion from the Divine Hand but deserted by that but so much as permissively Scandal violently transports them upon Evil. Now things standing thus there is the God of Scandal and his Angels the Angels of Scandal the Divel and the whole Hoast of faln Spirits the Great Reasons and Wits of this World the Prophets of Scandal the Ambitious Powers and Interests of Worldly Greatness Secular Policy Ecclesiastical Domination Debauched Religion and in one word the whole Universe of Lusts all at the service of Scandal and employed by it From hence are all those Atheistick Discourses those Heretical Opinions those Monstrous Idolatries and Superstitions those Burlesques of Lucian Wits those Bold and Authoritative Examples of general Wickedness Prophaneness and Irreligion that have spread themselves over the whole Earth those Severities in matters of Indifferency And where there is in any Time or Place such a sense of Truth and Religion that any of these Evils plain and bare-faced take very little but are hated and hooted at every thing that is better is borrowed against it self the Mantle of Law and Right is put on pretences of Religion are made the Rayment of things most contrary to it And in all times True Religion Piety and Vertue expulsed under the worst Names and covered with the ugly Vizor of Evil it being hard to bring Goodness into mis-repute in its own likeness under its own appearance To this purpose besides every Man being the first and worst Scandaliser to himself besides the lower and lesser Ministeries of Scandal within privater Communities there are in all Times and Places the publick Councels of Scandal and the Cabals of it that are neither Idle nor Lukewarm but pursuing all things to the utmost And the Men of this World are always greedy of Scandal of receiving it either through miserable Ignorance and Inapprehensiveness or from Propensions of their own and to serve their particular Occasions or as they embark their Interests in the Bottom of a Common Scandal as most safe and of the richest Return or if it were no more they are always so near of Kin to Degeneracy and Depravedness Now lay all these together and we may easily find Scandals must come not only lesser Scandals but greatest and most prevailing ones that do as it were sweep the World before them If any thing therefore can be added to Scandal it will be we must expect it though there hath been so much done upon it to improve it and especially since the Rising Progress and yet surviving Contest of the Western Antichristianisme And whether there may be yet a Reserve in the Counsels of God for Scandal before its Final Abolition to unite and summon all its Strength and become in a sort Oecumenical I mean the Scandal of Antichristianism especially these latter Days must discover In the mean time I will not be afraid to say There is a very horrible Scandal rising at this very time even a Protestant Popery placing such an absolute Dependence upon
of Christ For a Devotion to the True God without knowing him to be the True God cannot thus Sanctifie or Honour him There is nothing we should be more Rational in than in the True Religion the Account of which and of its whole Content ought to be so certain to us that nothing of a Diverse Spirit from it can be added to it nor any thing of its Integral or Essential Nature taken from it but we may plainly see it would change the Account and so we need not make a Traverse over all Falsehood to know Truth but by having a Right understanding in and Just Contemplation of Truth the most even thing in the whole World we come to know it self by it self and to be assured of it although there were no other False Religion in the World to compare it with and set it off by and withal to descry every false way offered to us and to hate it Yea we observe every thing that is but doubtfully Proposed and stay it its due time of Examination and so either accept or reject it or if we see full reason for neither still suspend It is not the Laws of our Country our Church our being Baptiz'd or Educated in it that will justifie our Religion to be the True It is not the High Reverence of it the Devotion we use in it our hating of those that speak Blasphemously of it will make good our Religion what Religion in the World may not be justified upon such Topicks It is not that we find many great Principles of Truth in a Religion that will justifie it There is no Religion that can be called Râ—ligion that does not espouse many True Principles And in Christian Religion Antichristianism vies with Christianity it self upon the Fundamental Creeds which it self Confesses with True Christanity but hath Built upon them New Creeds of its own and so Corrupted all For what is so pure and perfect as True Religion is must needs be Corrupted by any Addition All that is Pure and True is already its own who then can add to it and not be found a Lyar Nothing therefore as I have already intimated can be our security for True Religion but the Just Divine Measure the Common Faith the True Catholick Standard which in all things necessary to the main End is most evident and in entertaining nothing that is not so evident till it becomes so upon this Great Test this is our Security For it is very plain there is less danger when our Understandings are not yet extended to the breadth of Divine Truth if none of the Vital Principles are unknown to us unsensed by us which are so exceedingly plain that we cannot be except willfully ignorant of them for no Injury is done to Truth that we do not understand its whole Compass nor to our selves if we do not hate knowledge offering it self to our notices but in adding to Truth seeing we can have nothing to add but what is of no worth we must needs defile it in having only Truth though we have not all Truth we yet are under the Influence of Truth only but when we add we enslave our selves to Lying Vanities Now hereunto have I levelled the whole ensuing Catechism or Discourse against which I know many prejudices will lie except full Consideration be allowed I know too many things raise a Detestation at the first which being Examined and Weighed by their Reason gain not only the Discharge of these Angry Passions but much Acceptance and Assent And I must take the Confidence to say in relation to any such Doubt upon the ensuing Apology for Catholick Truth that it is settled upon such unmoveable Reason and Weigh'd out by such exact attendance to it that I may write upon it without Immodesty Loe this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good for good in the Quiet and most Peaceable Course of Christianity wherein to know the True Grounds upon which it rests alone makes the Soul both Wise and Good and determines it to the Square and Just Rules of that Holy Religion for Good in times of Temptation to a False Religion especially that which calls it self Catholick For the truly Instructed Christian in that which is indeed Catholick is even Impregnable against that Delusion of Catholick falsely so called Lastly for good in the midst of great Differences and Diversities of Opinion and Practice in relation to lesser things pertaining more Circumstantially or Doubtfully to True Religion wherein the Rational Christian carrying it as Inoffensively and Communicatively as he can with all centers in that which is Catholick as to his Faith Love Inward Esteem and Practice and unmoveably fixes there detesting all Animosity and much more rigour or severity towards others in Relation to such differences than which nothing can be more ungenerous more unchristian more irreligious more unworthy THE CONTENTS CAP. I. OF the Perfect and First State of Humane Nature with relation to Catholick or Publick Religion page 1 CAP. II. Of the Violation of this Catholick Order of Religion and the Means provided by God to restore it 7 CAP. III. Of the Vncontroversible Laws of Natural Religion 10 CAP. IV. Of Revelation and the Reasons of so great Miscarriages against both the Light of Nature and Revelation with the Means of Cure 14 CAP. V. Of the Publick or Divine Original of Sacred Writing or Scripture 23 CAP. VI. Of the Proof of Scripture That it is of God and that the Proof also is Publick and Divine 27 CAP. VII Of the Publick Interpretation of Scripture pag. 36 CAP. VIII Of Tradition and Antiquity â—â— CAP. IX Of the Church Catholick 65 CAP. X. Of the Officers appointed by Christ in his Church 8â— CAP. XI Of every Man's Obligation to be wise for himself to Salvation 89 CAP. XII Of Schism and Scandal 93 CAP. XIII Of the Anti-Church and its Opposition in every thing to the True Church 109 CAP. XIV Of the Power of Magistrates in Religion and of National Religion 128 A Catholick Catechism CAP. I. Of the Perfect and First State of Humane Nature with relation to Catholick or Publick Religion Quest WHAT is the most distinguishing Excellency and Perfection of Humane Nature Answ Catholick or truly Publick Religion for it is the All the Whole or Universal Man Whoever therefore hath vanquished the sense of that hath put off Man and degraded himself into worse than a Brute Quest What do you mean by Religion Answ By Religion I mean a close Binding or Uniting our selves to and with God the Supreme Being in the Worship of him according to his Excellent Nature and Attributes in keeping his Commandments and seeking his Grace and Favour according to all his Divine Manifestations of himself and in so doing we are joined and join our selves as far as we can with one another in the same Religious Services performed by all Quest Why do you call it Catholick or truly Publick Religion Answ
Because God to whom we properly and first Unite in Religion is the most Publick and Universal Being in whom all holy Spirits unite one with another and from whom whoever separates separates also from all good Spirits and so falls into the only dangerous Schism 2. Because the One God and Jesus Christ his Son our Lord the One Mediator would have all come to the Knowledge of this as the Catholick Truth that they might be saved and hath therefore reconciled and recapitulated all in Heaven and Earth into one Catholick Body in himself the Catholick Head 3. Because Gods Manifestations of himself are the only true Publick Authentick Records of this Religion and all other not derived from hence are private and false and the Meetings set up to celebrate any other Religion than thus manifested are indeed the close Schismatical Conventicles For none can be Publick Assemblies where God the supremely Publick and all holy Spirits withdrawn with him are not And all are Publick though but of two or three where God the Publick it self and in whom the whole Assembly of Saints meets is in the midst of them Quest Whence do you take occasion to call that Publick or Catholick that is Divine Answ From the Apostle Peter who when he is asserting concerning the certainty of the Scripture Prophecy affirms it a Principle absolutely necessary to be known that it is not of any Private Interpretation and that he may demonstrate it cannot be Private he avows the Original to be Divine Now the plain Opposite to Private is Publick in that therefore the Apostle does not oppose Publick but Divine to Private it is plain in his sense Divine is the only Publick and whatever is truly Publick is Divine and all else Private Quest How therefore are we to understand Private to oppose it to Publick or Divine Answ Idiotick or Private is applyed to persons whose Knowledge is very narrow and strait and they have cognisance of nothing beyond their little own 2. To those that have no Publick Character of Office or Magistracy And lastly to such whose care interest and concern is confined to themselves and their own Even thus Private is justly affixed to all except only to God and Religion as derived from him No created Knowledge either Angelick or Humane is comprehensive enough to be the Fountain no Power or Authority is supreme or vast enough to Enact nor is any care or concern for the world of Souls large or receptive enough to Ordain a Catholick Religion leading to a Common Salvation but his who is the Father of the whole Family of Spirits in Heaven and Earth Quest What Evidence of this is there Answ It is so much the Result of Reason that whoever considers it cannot deny it and upon this account all who have pretended to found a Religion have pretended some way or other to derive and receive it from God For who can know all that is necessary to be known but the Divine Mind and Spirit that knows and searches it self the Spring of all things and so first to be known Or what Authority can prescribe without much less against Omnipotency Or who can spread tender Mercies over all the Creation but the Faithful Creator himself All which are absolutely necessary to the Concernments of the truly Catholick Publick Religion Quest What are the Records God hath vouchsafed to men of this Catholick Publick Religion Answ They are two The Law ingraven upon Man's heart justified and sealed by the constant Miracle of Creation and Providence that carry semblable Lines of all that is written upon Mens hearts For that which may be known of God is manifest in men for God hath shewed it to them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead The Work that God commands Men to do is written in their heart their Consciences bearing witness and their Thoughts in the mean time accusing or excusing one another The Eternal Word or Reason that made all things is the Light that lighteth the Reason of every man that cometh into the world Quest Which is the second Record Answ The second Record is Divine Revelation collected into Holy Scriptures All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine Reproof Instruction Correction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work No Prophesie of Scripture is of any Private Interpretation for Prophesie came not in old time by the Will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And even as the Law of Nature is seal'd by Creation and Providence so hath Revelation always been by Evidences of Divinity and Miracles a new Creation proportioned to the Ends of those Revelations Miracles of meer Power or Justice as upon Pharaoh of greatest Mercy and Benefaction only as by the most merciful Saviour of Mercy and sometimes of Justice as by Moses the Prophets and the Apostles who were to establish the Laws of the Old and New Testament Quest I perceive then all the things of Religion were not clear to Man by the Law written in his heart Answ No For some Parts of Religion are so necessary to our very Natures as Men that they were concreated with us and engraven upon our very Souls and the immediate motions of our Faculties must needs lead us to them while right and streight and continuing in that perfect state wherein our Creator left them For he looked upon all things that he had made and behold all was good and very good And he appointed a Sabbatism for all his Creatures and especially his Rational Creatures the Morning Stars to sing together and praise him for them But there are other Divine Truths which are as the breaking up of the Great Deep of the Infinite Wisdom Grace and Goodness of God that can be known to the highest Understandings of Angels or Arch-Angels only by Revelation Much less to Man a Reason of a lower Orb and least of all as fallen and corrupted Yet supposing the Souls of Men had abode in their first Clearness and Luster all his Faculties would have immediately received and adored God in all such Manifestations of himself and Congratulated those mighty Accessions of Light and Truth Quest But what need was there of any Revelation when Man was made perfect and good while he continued so Answ Revelation was even then necessary to shew that it is not consistent with the Nature of a Creature to have Happiness and Perfection within it self but to be in continual dependence upon and expectation from the Creator For even that Perfection wherein Adam was made was thus to maintain continue and assure it self and so to rise to higher Perfection He had therefore at first a Doctrine by Revelation sutable to the two Sacramental Trees so that though he was Perfect as such a
not strictly of that Seed with immediate Revelations But when all these were corrupted as they were in the generality of Mankind God withdrew himself by degrees as the Glory did from the Temple in Ezekiel till there was nothing left but the Darkness of Tradition fearfully debauch'd false Deductions from Nature's Light and worse than that the Devils Oracles in the room of Gods so that there was in the generality of the Nations a second and more desperate Fall of Mankind from the true Religion the Jewish Church and a small Proselytisme to that only excepted Quest What Examples are there of Gods continuing Favour to any parts of Mankind out of Abrahams Family justifying him as not departing from men till they departed from him Answ Melchisedek no descendent from Abraham was King of Righteousness and King of Peace at the same time the Church was placed in Abrahams Seed Laban was not wholly revolted from true Religion But especially Job and his Friends of the Posterity of Esau were eminent Instances of the Favour of God that whole Book of Job testifying that being helped by Holy Tradition together with occasional Revelations they held the Light of Nature at its own Purity Quest How long did the Nations that deserted God continue under that dismal obscurity Answ Till that Blessed Seed in whom all the Families of the Earth were to be Blessed and who was the desire of all Nations came and shone as the Sun of Righteousness upon the whole World Quest How was the Light of Revelation conveyed to the People of God in Elder Times Answ In divers Ways and Manners in more immediate Appearances in Visions Dreams Prophesies in inward Illumination by a Voice In all which there were when ever they were truly from God such mighty Evidences of Divinity as over-ballanc'd all doubt Together with these were the ordinary and familiar Instructions of Patriarchs and Holy Men grounded upon Natural and Revealed Religion Quest How did God conclude his Manifestations of himself in the way of immediate Revelation Answ By speaking in the last Days by his Son and the Apostles immediately Commissioned by him sealing up Vision and Prophesie in the fullness and Complement of Truth Quest Did God take any care for the securing the Monuments of his Truth given out by Revelation Answ Yes very early how early we know not but beyond Controversie in the first forming the Jewish Church into a setled Body he began the more sure and certain way of committing his Word and Will to Writing and for the Honour of it set the Copy with his own Hand and continued it till the whole Revelation was compleat Passant Revelation or Oral Tradidition not being sure enough Quest Wherein is the Written Word more sure than the Word in passing Revelation or Tradition Answ The Word committed to Writing stands unalterable Divine Providence watching over what was Written to keep it the same All Covenants and Treaties all Monuments of Knowledge have been thus secured transmitted into all Parts and consigned to after Ages Appeals in Cases of doubt are more safely made to what is Written and every one concerned has a ready and open way to Examine and in all Cases to be resolved Quest Have all Nations since the Days of the Blessed Seed been Communicated with these Revelations Answ There hath been a Freedom given to Communicate them and a Right in all Nations to demand the benefit of them granted by God and Christ to them but there are many sad Accounts to be given why this Universal Grace to Mankind has not yet taken Effect 1. The unaccountableness of the Methods of Gods Government of the World in the Efficacies of his distinguishing Goodness even when things seem equally disposed to the advantage of one as of another 2. The Experiment made upon so great a part of Mankind that have the Gospel justifies God in not effectually conveying it to others who would make as ill an use of it The Idolatry Superstition of some the sottish Ignorance Sloath and neglect of others The Cruelty and Barbarity exercised by Christians upon one another and the unanswerable living to it in all Sects make plain the great perverseness of our degenerate Nature and how Nations that have not the Gospel would have abused it if they had had it 3. But especially the great Enmity to and Contempt of the Heavenly Doctrine great Nations are inviron'd with against the approaches of it so far as it has come within their notice as among Jews Turks and Pagans are a very obvious Reason why they receive not the benefit of the Gospels free promulgation Quest What then is the immediate Reason why so many Nations that have the Light of Nature to guide them and the Jews that have the Scriptures of the Old Testament have been the one great Enemies to all Scripture Revelations and the other to the new Testament Answ Because Nations that have the light of Nature stay not themselves upon that which is clear and evidently Divine and Publick in Natures Law but either by unnatural Collections and miserable wrestings of its Principles or flying to false and dark Revelations fortifie themselves in falshood or misapplyed Truth As to the Jews it is very plain they were bemisted with the private Interpretation they had affixed to the Old Testament so that they could not see the clear easie and certain Trains of the same Publick and Divine running betwixt the Old and the New but the Rudiments in the Old being more kind to the Cabal or Cypher of their self-interested Sense they venerated them and hated the Perfection and Life in the New that would not at all bear their privy Gloss although both Scriptures had the same Credentials from Heaven and carried the same Publick Sense So great is the Delusion of Private Quest But how comes it to pass that even among those that enjoy the Light of the Gospel the Scriptures and profess the same Christianity nay the most Refined and Reformed Christianity there are so great Differences and Divisions Answ All proceeds from the same unhappy Spring Men cannot endure to rest in the Clear and Certain Oracles of Truth but by forc'd Additions Misinterpretations violent Detorsions forsake that which is Publick and Divine for that which is Private and their own and are greatly offended and too often enraged that others do not concur with them Quest It seems then the best Method of keeping off from Errour is to rest upon the most undoubted Points of Truth before we remove from them to any thing further Answ It is undoubtedly so Religion in all the Branches of it having suffered much more by forreign and disagreeable Additions than by wary Suspensions For hereby a Man keeps himself from False Religion and stands ready and open to receive Truth Quest But how then should a Man make forward from Natural Religion to Revealed or from what he does not understand to what he may in time come to see very good Proof for
be presently more fully discours'd under the Head of Interpretation Quest How far and to what things does the Rule of the Word of God extend Answ To all things most assuredly that are necessary to Salvation and Eternal Life or to the true perfecting the Conscience in Purity and Peace whether they are things to be believed as the Springs of Heavenly Action or Things to be observed in the Worship of God or to guidâ— the Practice and order the Conversation aright to thaâ— Salvation or that are prescribed according to the Will of God for Discipline and Government of the Church Alâ— these are plainly written or by just Consequences to bâ— derived from the Word of God so far as they are necessary to shew Men the way to please God or to assure them they do please God that so they may attain the Promise of Eternal Life Quest Is there no other Rule of Religion then but the Scriptures embracing the Law of Nature Answ There can be none except either Religion were not derived wholly from God and therefore not so Catholick as we have asserted it or except any other Record of Religion can shew its Descent as High and Publick as Scripture does Of which Proof which Scripture gives of it self and what it is Inquiry is in the next place to be made CAP. VI. Of the Proof of Scripture That it is of God and that the Proof also is Publick and Divine Quest WHat kind of Proof of so Divine a Record as Scripture is high enough to prove it to be so Divine Answ That which is even as the Original of Scripture Divine also Quest Why must the Proof or Evidence of Scripture be Divine Answ 1. Because it is below the Dignity of Divine to receive its principal Proof from Private or lower than Divine or Publick 2. Because nothing but Divine can so reach the Conscience as to fill and possess it with satisfactory Evidence in so great a Concernment as Religion nor strikes the Heart with those great Effects of Love to Fear of Joy in Scripture and the Word of God so essential to Religion but Divine When ye received the Word of God ye received it not as the Word of Men but as it is in Truth the Word of God 3. Because it is impossible what is truly Divine should not dart the Rays of Divinity as all other Things of Excellency send out the Beams of that Excellency they have and thereby discover themselves For we know all things especially by themselves The Light remonstrates it self by it self The Genius of every Writer shews it self first by it self We see the Divineness of Creation and Miracles by themselves Best and Greatest is self-evidently Divine and whatever it is written upon is evidently Divine also Quest How does Scripture shew it self thus Divine Answ By a Majestick Assumption to it self to be Divine it speaks so in and of all things it speaks and as it pleases effects as Divine only does and can effect and is the Best and Greatest Record of Truth to all Holy and Wise Minds The only extant inviolate Record of Natural and Revealed Religion in the World is Scripture Quest Is Ratiocination then or the Just Compass Reason goes to be neglected concerning Scriptures Answ By no means For when these Self-evidences of every thing have struck us earlier than our Scrutinies of Reason and its Inquest can be performed about them that they may neither appear Fancies to us on our second Thoughts nor we run into Mistake concerning them by the Power of Imagination there is then liberty for Reason to inquire further and assure it self Nor will the Evidence hereupon amount to less than Divine For Divine only can satisfie the Reason that rationally and like it self inquires into Divine Quest What then are the great Assurances to Reason of the Divinity of Scripture Answ I account this the Chief That there are Two great Volumes the Book of the Natural Law of Religion written upon the Heart and engraven in the Conscience and the Book of Scripture That both these are addressed purely to the Mind as abstracted from Sense That each of them is Counterparted by Two great Manifestations of Divinity to Sense which Sense is Reason incarnate or Mind acting in and by Body These two are either Ordinary or Constant as Creation Conservation or Providence or Extraordinary as Miracles That each of them have also two Executive Powers acting them to their Ends The Motions and Activities of Reason inabled by the constant Concourse of General Illumination and the Supernatural Illuminations and Motions of the Divine Spirit And that all these agree in one unite with and fortifie one another all of them carrying the Evidences of Divine Presence and filling all the Apprehensiveness of our Faculties concerning God that he is in them so that nothing is Divine in the whole World the contrary of which we may feel or Scripture is Divine Quest But what is to be allowed to Consent of History Vniversal Tradition and Education in the Belief of Scriptures Answ All that can be desired to be allowed for it speaks the Absolute Sovereignty of God in making use of whom and what he pleases in introducing his Word into any Parts of the World and contriving the Testimony of Men as preparatory to the Testimony from himself which is much greater even as our Saviour received the Service of John's Testimony but had much higher or as Reason may receive from Sense some accidental Testimonies Quest But is there not much more to be yielded to the Rational Assurance that such Historians as the Prophets Apostles and Inspired Writers of such Honesty and Integrity would not prevaricate nor give any false Account of Things of the Miracles wrought by themselves or our Saviour of the Doctrines of Christianity or of their Divine Original especially when they seal'd all these with the Contempt of all things in this World even of Life it self and died in the constant Affirmation of them which remov'd all base Designs far from them even the suspicion of it Answ These Proofs of the Doctrine and Divine Descent of Scripture are undoubtedly of the highest Account that any Created Testimony can be and are a down-weight of Proof to all sober Reason Yet that they can rise above the Value of John Baptist's Testimony to Christ I cannot find and therefore we must remove higher to the Doctrines that those Holy Men preach'd and writ the spiritual Wisdom and admirable Contexture they us'd in Writing the Works they did carrying the Evidences of Divinity in themselves and applied by the Holy Spirit to the Senses of true Believers with its own assuring Attestations and gracious Operations of which all that was but created is no more than the Tube Pipe or Channel of Conveyance if we enter it into a compare with what is Higher and Divine But if the last Resolution of Proof were into any thing Humane there might be mistake in that for Humane at its
highest elevation is but Created and Created is not firm and sure enough for a Foundation nor can it raise an Assent noble and generous enough for a Faith in that which is Divine All that can be summon'd may be an outward Fortification or Introduction but the Rock of Truth is the Son of God Divinity it self Upon this the Church is built that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it Quest But are there no Parts of Scripture that receive greater Service from Humane Testimony than others Answ There are some Parts of Scripture that are but Ministerial and almost Servile in comparison of others And that these are found in all Authentick Copies and have been delivered down from Age to Age with the Sacred Rolls may depend more upon Humane Testimony especially where the Connexion with the more Divine Parts is not evident For these being but as the Body and some of them of the more remote Parts from the Soul of Scripture cannot sparkle that Divine Light and Heat the Spirit of Scripture does and so may stand in need of borrowed Light from the Superiour Luminaries of Sacred Truth and in many Cases may like the Moon need Reflexions of Light from our very Earth but the Sun of Scripture receives the Highest Testimony by the strongest Reflexions of its own Original Beams Quest How comes it to pass that there are such different Degrees of Scripture-Excellency in the several Parts of it and that it is not one Even Form of Doctrine methodically laid together and of the same Tenour of Discourse Answ In this seeming Disorder appears the great Wisdom and Majesty of Divine Contrivance that without obliging it self to the low and even pedantick Laws of Humane Discourse it raises so great a Record of Truth upon variety of Occasions and by an Infinite Foresight predetermining to it self the several Measures and Ends of Scripture raises them out of a great variety of Accidents and in such an Order as seem'd best to it self for those Ends so as to give easie and ready Advantages to him that runs to read and gather Instructions of weightiest moment and also of quickest and suddenest sally upon his Mind of greatest aptness to fix upon the Memory without loading it and yet in the mean time to lay the Obligations of all Degrees of Search and Diligence to join one part of Scripture to another so as to comprehend the whole Complex of Divine Doctrine and extract the Order of History For by a most natural free and unaffected occasional way all Truths to make wise to Salvation and a complete Sum of all Goodness is to be found in Scripture with infinite Varieties of Address all the ways possible to the Understanding Will Affections Conscience Memory Imagination suited to all Capacities States Conditions full of plain and obvious of most retir'd secret and farthestreach'd Wisdom which no Mind can fully grasp nor Tongue express And with these Things of main Importance runs along such a Chronology of the Dealings of God with the World and especially with his Church as serves the main Design All Learning and Knowledge in the mean time attending with lowliest Submission and not with pompous Appearance Now from this Supreme Dispose of all things to the Ends of God in Scripture out of such a variety of Emergencies of all sorts arises such a diversity of several Excellencies in the Parts of Scripture that yet all meet in that Great Center of the Glory of God in a Communication of his Counsels concerning Man and that turn round those Two Globes that little one of the present World a Point like this Earth and the other that vast Circumference of Eternity Quest But is there not as great a difference arising from the various States and Conditions of the Writers of Scripture and the so different Periods of Time they were upon Answ That there is and must needs be a difference is undeniable yet to the great Glory of Scripture and assurance it is from God even those smallest and lowest things last spoken of are all treated with all the Purity Gravity becoming the Penmen of the Holy Spirit and with all the Usefulness their Nature can extend to Even so the Holy Men used by God in this Service how various and differing soever in their several Ages and Times of writing in their Circumstances of State and Condition in this World High Low Rich Poor Learned Unlearned how distant soever in their Times of Writing in the outward Forms and Modes of their Worship of God in the Things that fell under their Account and Relation before the Law under the Law in the Days of the Messiah after his Death yet there is the same Spirit Scope Chastness of Style Majesty and Authority in the Contexture one Aspect upon the Glory of God Obedience to him Desire of his Favour as the whole Happiness of Man the same Reflexions upon the great Evil of Sin and the consequent Misery and even of their own Sins So that where any Combination or Conference to concert things was impossible yet there is such an Union without a set Uniformity as assures the One Hand of the Divine Spirit and Guidance upon All. Quest Is not the Church of God the Trustee and Depository of Sacred Oracles Answ It is so in Divine Ordination and the general Course of Providence but yet it adds nothing to them but receives all from them The Church is known to be the Church by the Scriptures not the Scriptures by the Church except declaratorily only The Church is the Pillar and Rest of Scriptures where God is pleas'd to fix them that they may be exposed to Publick View but their Authority is of God evident in themselves Quest Do we then attribute nothing more to the Church in which we were Baptiz'd and received the Knowledge of Religion Answ A very great Favour it is of God that when he writes up the People he counts that we were born within his True Church where all the Springs of Salvation run but as to the Proof of Religion or the Records of it it can be no more than a Private Proof For till we make a true Judgment by what is Divine and Publick and of God in the true Church it does no more than equal other Societies walking with Confidence and Assurance with great Awes and Devotion in the Name of their God in the Profession of their Religion Till therefore there is a Trial of every Religion and the Records of it all such Societies are upon the same Level When the Religion and Oracles of every Religion come to be tried and duely examined the Church of God rises to Heaven and all else except so far as they joyn in any Parts of the same Truth sink down beneath Quest But how can we know that every Book of Scripture is Scripture but by the Testimony of the Church or that we have all the Books of it but by the same Testimony Answ That the Books we own
fanciful Distinction of themselves under Christ as an ordinary Chief of a Party and not as the Divine Head of the whole Body in the Catholick Truth Even as he erred that vulgarly called Christ Good not knowing him to be God the Supremely Solely Good Quest Are they all true Converts that are of the Church Answ All that are indeed the Church are so but all that may appertain to the Church are not so as all that were of Israel were not Israel There is a visible Profession that is too often not sincere yet this makes Men Of or belonging to the Church but not truly The Church Many are so called that are not chosen But all that are truly The Church are also truly called and truly Converts not only outwardly and visibly the Church but inwardly and invisibly so too whose praise is not of Men but of God In the mean time they that are onely of the Visible Church have the Means of Grace and are not thrown out of that Register of God's People till the Final Judgment cuts them off A very great Benefit in it self Quest Is not the Church then so Catholick or General as the Profession of the True Religion is Answ The Catholickness of the Church as hath been often inculcated is its Union to God and Christ and that in sincerity As to the general Profession though the number of it be as the Sand of the Sea a Remnant only shall be saved For God will finish the Account and cut it short in Righteousness for a short work will the Lord make in the Visible Church There shall be an often eating or brousing it off a retrenching of it again and again it shall cast the Leaves of its meer Professors as the Teyle-tree or Oak when yet their Substance is in them the Holy Seed are the Substance of it Isa 6. ult not losing them it loses nothing Quest In what sense is it then said The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church Answ It is undoubted none can fail while they are the Church while united to Truth to the God of Truth to Christ the Way the Truth and the Life It is also certain from this high Declaration there always shall be a Church in the World so united Hades or Mortality shall not prevail over it and how much farther it assures the Perseverance of those that are once truly the Church I leave the thing it self to speak It is said They that overcome ar Pillars that never go out of it and They that go out of it were not of it for if they had been indeed of it they would no doubt have continued with it And how the Church it self shall always continue if any True Member of it may perish is not easie to conceive Quest How is the Church ordained by God to actuate Scripture as it is the Record of Catholick Religion Answ The Apostle in his Noble Description of the Church hath laid the Foundations of our Instruction herein in those three Honourable Titles he hath given it 1. That it is the House of the Living God 2. That it is the Pillar of Truth 3. That it is the Ground of Truth Quest Before the Explanation of each of these Titles in the first place I desire it may be determined whether these things are spoken of the Catholick or of a Particular Church the Particular Church of Ephesus Answ Although I have already affirmed That the Catholick Church differs from a Particular True Church only in the Compass and Comprehensiveness of it yet I very willingly represent it over again in this Instance These things are truly applied to the Catholick Church to the Particular Church of Ephesus to every Particular Church nay it reaches down to every single living Member of the Church so far that God makes his abode with him dwells in him he is a Pillar in the House of God the Truth rests and dwells in him and shall be with him for ever so that he is a Ground of Truth and hath more of the Church in him than greater seeming Portions of it that erre from the Truth Quest If you please now to proceed in the Explanation of these Titles and first What is the Importance of the Churches being the House of God for the actuating the Scripture Answ God the most High Possessour and Owner of Heaven and Earth places his Court Family and particular Residence where he pleases and he hath chosen the Church to be this to him This is my Rest here will I dwell for ever for I have desired it Heaven is my Throne Earth is my Footstool where is the House you will build me To this Man will I look that trembles at my Word And where God dwells there he manifests himself As a Master of a Family makes known in his House and Family his Nature Will Laws and Government so God does in his Church In Judah is God known his Name is great in Israel In his Church he shews the Light of his Countenance expects and rewards Services as a Great Master and makes known his Dislikes and Displeasure This is brought to pass in the Church by those many Ways that God hath of bringing his Word to any Places or Persons giving it Reception among them and then stirring up his Children and Servants to hear his Voice to search his Mind and Will and to understand it so that it is as a Voice continually behind them In his Temple therefore in his House every one must needs speak of his Glory His Word cannot lie still for all are concerned to meditate ponder inquire and discourse of it and are by Supreme Management excited so to do and so much as this Exercise in his Word is by any means depressed so far God is withdrawn and the Excellency of the Church-state lost Now of the Church being the House of God there was this great Type God dwelt in the Temple at Jerusalem as in a Palace there was such a Diet of Shew-bread changed every day of Sacrifices of all sorts such Perfumes of Incense and Odours such Officers and Servants attending continually such Resorts of the whole Body of the People to the Court of this Great King and Princely Housholder Together with this State runs along in a mighty Stream Gods shewing his Word to Jacob his Statutes and Judgments to Israel In the New Testament the Pomp and Ceremonial Part is wholly transferred into Spirituality but Spirituality is not lower but higher in the Substance of all that could be figured by these things and the substantial part of that State the Communication of the Word of God is much exalted in the true Christian Church that the Light of One Day is now as much as the Light of Seven was before Thus the Church as the Family of God cannot but actuate his Word Quest What is the meaning of the Church being the Pillar of Truth Does the Church support Truth Answ Not so for it self is built upon the
Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone Quest How then is it said to be the Pillar of Truth And of what Importance is that to the Actuating Scripture Answ As the Laws and Ordinances of Courts and Governments are publickly fixed that every one may know and take notice of them so the Church in all its Members but especially by Deputed Ministers giving themselves wholly to it proclaims preaches and makes offer of the most Publick Notice of the Word of Truth within it self that all the Children and Servants of the Family may be continually catechiz'd and built up therein and Strangers have opportunity to know if they would apply themselves to it Thus it is a Famous City set on an Hill that cannot be hid and therefore its Laws Constitutions Manners cannot but in all reason be inquired of by all that do so much as pass by it It is a Candlestick bearing the lofty Torch of Divine Truth Of this the Pillars of the Temple at Jerusalem and the affixing to them the Rolls of Divine Revelation was an eminent Type and alluded to by the Apostle As therefore from a Prince come forth Edicts Proclamations Manifesto's and Declarations according to Laws which are fastned to Publick Pillars of the Court it self and all open and conspicuous Places of Concourse so are there in the Church the most advantagious Publications of the Divine Truth and Word to all both the Natives and Free-born of the Church it self and Ingenuous Strangers that would hearken out the most Reasonable Proposals of Truth or whom God is pleased to Naturalize to himself Quest What is the meaning of the Church being the Ground of Truth And how does this actuate Scripture Answ It means nothing but the Perpetuity and Continuation of Truth with the Church establishing it self by all that Firmness of Divine Evidence and Reason and on those very Securities taking Possession of the Church as the Ark of its Strength where it self or the God that is Truth it self places the Soles of his Feet as on his unmovable Footstool for ever Of which the Ark in the Holâ—est was a Type the Footstool of the Throne of Mercy the secure Repository of the Tables of the Covenant the Ark of Testimony over which the Shecinah or Glory appeared as inthron'd attended with Cherubims and setting its Feet upon it the place of my Throne and the place of the Soles of my Feet Ezek. 43. 7. For thus the True Church against which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail is the unchangeable Rest of Truth It adheres to Truth it buys the Truth and never sells it Truth dwells with it for ever God never suffers it to apostatize from Truth but by the constant holding of the Judgment and retaining the Love and Zeal of the Affections of those that are indeed his Church he hath setled his Word in his Church on Earth even as it is for ever settled in Heaven The Church therefore actuates Scripture by finding out Reasons debating enforcing defending by all Arguments that Truth of Scripture and so persisting in it for ever Quest Cannot then the Church fail Answ It hath been said before the True Church cannot fail For the True Church is as hath been described the House of God the Pillar and Ground of Truth and that which is so cannot fail and God will have such a Church always in the World If any Person City or Nation that seem to have been the Church have this Light eclipsed the â—anâ—lestick removes for it is only a Candlestick for the sake of the Light and the Pillar it self shakes and falls if the Records fixed to it are taken away and the Palace and Court remove with the Prince who is always with his Truth and the lively Motion of it So much Truth therefore and active Display of it so much a Church in any Place and the Truth removing or lying dead the Church removes also or is ready to die in that Place Quest But is there no higher Sense of the Church being the Pillar and Ground of Truth Answ No other but what arises from the most intimate and inseparable Union betwixt the Church and Truth Truth taking an undefailable possession of the Church so that whereever Truth in that Fulness as to lead to Life and Happiness is there is the Church and no where else The True Church then may be stiled a Pillar and Ground of Truth in the highest Sense if rightly understood that is Truth it self that is the unmovable Pillar and everlasting Foundation hath so closely banded the Church with it self that it is One Pillar and Foundation with it Thus the Church may be both the Building and the Rock and Foundation to succeeding Parts and Members of the Church The Building as it self rests upon the Pillar and Foundation of Truth else it can't be the Church The Pillar and Foundation of Truth to the still succeeding and rising Church as it is One with Truth it self to which every True Member first comes and unites and therein to the Church even as every Degree of Building is a Foundation and Support to the still growing Building not in it self but as it is surely cemented to the Foundation regulated by it and partakes its Strength Yet if it swerve never so little from the Foundation it is presently a Deformity and the more it swerves the greater danger of the Ruine of it self and all that rests upon it Quest May not this help to explain that so much disputed Expression of our Saviour Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not preval against it Answ I shall be glad if it may give any Light to it and hope it may For the Apostle Peter making that Confession of the Divinity of Christ not singular but representing the whole Body of Apostles and Christians and being possessed with and by that Truth he confess'd was both part of the Building upon that Rock and as united with that Rock he became Rock it self upon which succeeeding Christians were to be built The Prophets and Apostles are in this Sense Foundations and the Twelve Apostles Twelve Foundations Christ himself being the Corner-stone in whom alone the whole Building even the Apostolick Foundation it self rises in a strict and proper Sense Quest Is there not a good Security then in joyning our selves to the Church to those that have been in the Building before us Answ No otherwise than as we joyn our selves by their Ministry to that Foundation it self which always lies sure upon which they themselves must alone rest if the True Church For by placing our selves not upon them but upon that Common Foundation we are adjusted to the whole Building that was before us that lies regular with that Foundation by the Care of him who is both the Foundation Corner-stone and is also he that built all things even God in Christ Quest We must then seek to
them Captive with the rest though in different Baskets as the Prophet Jeremy represents Quest How do they survive in the time of the displac'd and dejected Candlestick Answ They are either called out to a Zealous Appearance and Suffering for Truth or sometimes retired into Corners like the Seven thousand in Israel or the Church in the Wilderness that they cannot appear like a Church offering those Publick Notices of Divine Truth a Church is designed for Quest How is a Visible Profession lost from Particular Persons Answ It is too often thrown up by Apostasie or Profaneness or dwindled into a very Spiritless Form but very often a Profession without the Power being not inconsistent with the working of Iniquity it may pass out of this World like a Lamp burning but being found to burn only in a small Temporary Light without Oyl in the Vessel a Plenitude of Grace in the Heart shutting out every Lust it becomes a Lamp put out in utter Darkness Quest What is to be inferred from all this Answ That there is no Trust but in the Lord himself the Truth it self by which at all times the Church that is indeed the Pillar and Ground of Truth and wherein it is so will be known to us and in uniting to Truth we are united to That Quest There remains one thing yet to be understood in the Description of the Church which is its Power of Governing even as it is Governed by the Word of God Vnder what Notions I beseech you is that Government expressed in Scripture Answ That Power is by our Saviour represented under the Mataphor of Keys and the Use of those Keys in opening and shutting or in Binding and Losing Quest What is the meaning hereof Answ The meaning is plainly this When the Church of Christ hath by the Key of Knowledge inquir'd into all the Divine and Heavenly Doctrine of the Gospel and Word of God it hath in and according to that Word and only so a Power of Application of that Doctrine to Particular Cases binding Men under the Sense of Guilt and fear of Damnation in such or such Sins and an impenitent Continuance in them or of Absolving and assuring Men of the Divine Favour and Acceptance in a holy course of Life and Obedience to God and of Pardon upon Repentance after Falls into Sin and Disobedience and so of Declaring and Pronouncing upon Men as to their present State in the Church by Excommunication or Absolution all these are the Power of Binding and Loosing according to what our Saviour speaks in parallel Words Whose Sins you remit they are remitted whose Sins you retain they are retained meaning still according to his Word the Pole-Star by which they are to direct all their Motions who claim any such Power For only where it is declard according to the Word is it that what is bound on Earth is also bound in Heaven and what is loosed on Earth is loosed in Heaven there being an Invariable Agreement between what is Published from Heaven in the Word of God concerning the State and Actions of Men on Earth and the Transactions in Heaven in relation to them He then that pronounces agreeably with that word pronounces as Heaven does and will pronounce Heaven binds what he binds and looses what he looses because he speaks the Voice of Heaven in both Cases But that there should be any Binding or Loosing except in the Power of this Word and according to it in its Vertue in its Truth nothing can be more contrary to the Ends to the Glory to the Soveraignty of Christ To bind any single Christian by Excommunication and not according to this Word is as much a Brutum Fulmen a Thunder to no purpose a causeless Curse that shall not come as for the Pope to Excommunicate whole Protestant Churches Quest What is a Particular Church Answ It is the Catholick Church in a Neighbourhood or number of Christians Communicating one with another ordinarily even as the whole Cotholick Church would if it were possible Communicate with it self in the Ordinances and Worship of Christ exactly according the to Rules of his Word wherein this is the distinguishing Character of the True Church that its Communion is not with it self primarily but its Communion is so with it self as to be with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ principally as the Fountain-Head Center and Rule of the Communion and therein it holds out and invites to its Communion CAP. X. Of the Officers appointed by Christ in his Church Quest CAn there be either an Orderly or an Effectual Actuation of the Truth by the Church as a Congregation without distinct and separate Offices and Officers that may attend continually on this very thing Answ It is imposible for an Assembly without Order would cease to be an Assembly and fall into a Confusion or Rude Multitude All Wise and Prudent Assemblies have always had Elders to preside over them and our Lord hath ordained such to moderate throughout his Congregation or Church to conduct all the Publick Services of Religion For all things therein are actually administred by the Ministers of Christ the Noblest Organical Parts of the Church like those Senses that attend upon the Understanding most immediately Seeing Eyes and Hearing Ears so these upon the Word of Christ And that they may be most fitted ingaged and provoked hereunto they are even according to the very Laws of Nature separated to their Offices and unto all Preparations for them by Reading and Meditation as to their Proper Calling and Business of Life seeing they do not pretend to Immediate and Extraordinary Inablements or Excitations to their Service Quest What Titles or Characters does the New Testament place upon these Officers Answ Those that we have especial Respect to for in the Deacons if strictly taken we are less concerned receive Denominations either from their Work and Service or from that Honour and Estimation due to the Faithful Discharge of such a Service From their Work they are stiled Apostles Evangelists Pastors Teachers Ministers Servants of God and Christ and in a just sense of the Church also From the Estimation and Honour due to the Discharge of their Work and the Authority it ought to carry in the Hearts and Consciences of Christians they are styled Bishops Elders Rulers Guides and Ensamples as also Embassadours And the Work and the Honour do so enclose one another that they ought not to be separated and are in their Institution the Measure one of another extending both to Obedience and Support of them in their Work and the Titles are so prepared by the Wisdom of the Holy Ghost that they ought not to be changed for any other nor the Scripture Language herein to be altered for any Words not importing the same proper Sense Quest How shall the True Ministers of Christ be known that there may be that Obedience and Submission paid to them that is commanded Answ There can be no other Means to
discern them but by the Word of Righteousness of which all True Ministers are the Ministers on account of which alone Obedience and Submission to them is due Their bringing that Word in its own Life Evidence and Power is their best Commission Quest But how are they most orderly enstall'd into so high a Function Answ Christ as the Head of the Church hath ascended up on high and given gifts to Men and as the Lord of the Harvest takes it upon him as his Supreme Care to thrust forth Labourers into his Harvest The several Congregations of Christians observing Ministerial Abilities and Meetness to Teach call out to such to help them and herein in the Cessation of Extraordinary Gifts the Schools of Learning and Religious Education like the Schools of the Prophets do best prepare and the Judgment of those that have been Pastors and Teachers before them does most orderly recommend to Choice and Acceptance in the great Service such as are Scribes instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven and commits to them the Charge of Teaching others For in this as in all other Acts the Elders of the Church are to preside with due Respect to the Congregation Quest Is the Lord Christ pleased then to act generally by the Elders and Officers of the Church Answ Generally and ordinarily he does so the Officers are therefore more particularly entrusted by Christ with the Keys even as the Church in general is Thus eminently by the Ministry of the Apostles our Lord founded his Church and so edifies and builds it up in After-ages by Pastors and Teachers and when great Defections have prevailed upon it summons it to Reformation by some rais'd up among those Officers and whom he sends out as such to reform and recover his Church Yet still all this Power is in and according to his Word and no other and so that in all things as much as may be the Knowledge Judgment and Approbation of the Church is to be joyn'd in all the Officers do as having their Interest in the Keys also because they have their Interest in the Word of God in the Understanding Opening and Applying of which to Particular Cases the whole Power of the Keys rests The Apostles Elders and the Brethren or whole Church were together pleased and together joyn'd in that Famous Conciliary Epistle Acts 15. 22. Quest I desire your more full Explanation of the Publick Offices of the Christian Church and the Power accompanying it Answ I will very willingly do as you desire and begin with the Apostles Quest Wherein stood their Power Answ It stood in their Preaching Acting Directing Governing by that Immediate and Infallible Assistance of the Divine Spirit by which they writ and sealed Scripture and by which they were so guarded every way that they could turn neither to the Right Hand nor to the left in any thing wherein they exercised this Power Quest How was this Power Justified Answ By the Divineness substantial Goodness and Reasonableness of all their Prescriptions propos'd in all the Methods of Rational Discourse and manifestation of themselves in Mens Consciences witness'd to by the Holy Spirit and authorised by a Power of Miracles generally of Beneficence or doing good and in some but sparing Instances of infliction of Bodily Pains or Death Quest Did the Apostles never err in their Administration Answ Whenever that Infallible Guidance was not present to them they might err as was before observed in the Apostle Peter's Miscarriage which no doubt was recorded to shew their Power was not in themselves but in the Divine Spirit acting by them that none in After-ages might pretend to dictate as their Successors having not their Power and yet requiring Obedience as if they had it whereas even the Apostles themselves might err and so lose their Power if never so little deserted by the Holy Spirit And therefore what they consigned over to After-ages was winnowed from every thing Humane and Fallible that both Officers and People might know the one Common Rule by which one is to Govern the other in the Application of it is to be Governed Quest Who were next to the Apostles in this Office and Power Answ Evangelists such as were Timothy and Titus who having a Portion of the Apostolick Work to plant and settle Churches and Ordinary Officers in them had also a Portion of their Power to enable them to it it being absolutely necessary there should be such till the General Rule was fully settled and fixed Quest Were not the Apostles and Evangelists above Ordinary Pastors and Teachers Answ They were in this great Point of Difference that they had the Word of God by Immediate and Infallible Revelation committed to them to commit the same to others by direction from the same Spirit who gave them Discerning to whom to entrust it till all things relating to the Kingdom of God in the Church were sealed in the Canon of the New Testament else they owned themselves Compresbyters as the Apostle Peter stiles himself A Presbyter with Presbyters Quest From all that hath been spoken we are to conclude That the whole Power in the Church and in all things pertaining to Religion is retained in the Word of God Answ It is so For Christ in his Word is the only King and Lawgiver of his Church which Glory he will not give to another Whatever Power can be supposed resident in the whole Church together is no other than in that Word of Truth publickly offered by it The Apostles Power was only the presence of that Word to them by the Immediate Revelation and infallible Guidance of the Holy Spirit for the Preaching it throughout the World and thereby founding the Christian Church Such was the ordinary Power of any extraordinary Ministers under them The and constant Rulership of the Elders of the Church remains unmoveably in the Word which it is their Office to speak Quest Are not those we distinguishingly call Bishops Successours to the Apostles in that Preeminency they had over other Pastors and Elders Answ That Successors to the preeminency of the Apostles may be well established Three things are necessary 1. That there be found and produced Distinct Commands given in Scripture â—o the Inferior Ministers of the New Testament to obey Superior Ministers or Bishops Commands to Christians to obey Inferior Ministers or Ordinary Presbyters as Inferior Ministers with respect to Superior Ministers and those Superior Ministers as Superiors We must find the Apostle distinguishing ordinary Presbyters as Inferior Ministers with respect to Superior Ministers and those Superior Ministers as Superiors as we find him distinguishing Civil Magistrates into the King as Supreme and Governors as those that are sent by him 2. Seeing it is very clear and apparent there is nothing more distant from the Design of the Gospel than to Constitute any thing for the sake of making a great Figure without as great an Use or End and that Christ hath not given Power to his Rulers to Command
the very least thing but as Commanded by himself first for then they would be Lords which he plainly declares against and absolutely denies to them and that what they do as Commanded by him they should do so in Duty and Service to the Supreme Lord and Subordinately to his Church as not to be called or esteem'd Benefactors for their Services so that it must be evident what their Superior Service is it must be plainly expressed in the Word of God and there at least so determinately set down as to be deduced with greatest clearness to the Understanding and Conscience of Christians and distinguishingly from the Service of other Subordinate Rulers appointed by Christ that so it may be waited for and received according to his Ordinance with Faith and Obedience 3. Seeing Christ appoints none to an Eminency of Service without a suitable Eminency of Abilities as is plain in the Apostles and Evangelists it is therefore reasonable to expect some extraordinary promises of the presence of Christ to those Superior Ministers to assist them in the Conduct of their Superiority wherein they might above any other Ministers of the Gospel Visibly and Experimentally make some approaches to the Eminent Assistances the Apostles and Evangelists had in the time of their Ministry and that they have continued and succeeded in their High Function in the Church of Christ so that the History of the Real Substantial Services of Bishops to Christianity hath come near to the Acts of Apostles and as much excelled that of Common Presbyters as the Order it self is supposed to do Now without these three self evident concurrent marks of Superiority secret invisible Characters are of no signification Quest How then is such a Succession of Bishops in a Superiority over Presbyters so uncontrolably deduced from Antiquity Answ Besides all other Coincident Accounts there is this to be given After the Apostles there was but a Gradual Cessation of Apostolick Men Men of Eminent Graces and Extraordinary Gifts though not of the Infallible Guidance of the Divine Spirit for the Revelation of the Gospel or the writing of Scripture yet of more immediate Divine Assistances in resemblance of Timothy and Titus for the Confirmation of the Churches planted by the Apostles Supervisal over them and Care for them and also for the further propagation of Christianity which being but newly set out had not arrived many places where it was to come and so needed some more than ordinary Assistances Even as Miracles did not immediately Cease no more did these Personages extraordinary in their Endowments Such as these were worthily in a Degree of Superiority over those that had not the same miraculous Inablements nor Knowledge as yet in Christianity Afterwards such Manifestations of the Divine Presence by Degrees retiring and Christianity having fixed it self where it was then to go and the Churches settled the best accounts of the continuing Distinction between those that were upon the same level in regard of their Gifts and Graces were but Humane Prudence and Order which oblige no Man's Conscience beyond the valuableness of the Reasons of that Prudence and Order Except undeniable Holiness Industry and Improv'd Understanding recommend any Person to such Eminency For Eminency and being Taller than others in those Qualifications will make any Person a Bishop in the true sense of one whether so ordinated or not and cannot make him that is a Dwarf in these truly a Bishop however for Orders sake he may stand in the place of that Figure He that excels in his Knowledge of Obedience to Zeal for and Authority in the Word of God seeing that Word conveys all this kind of Power from it self must needs have more of that kind of Power so conveyed than others for the more purely this Word is understood and Preached the more Power goes out of it and along with those that display it and so they become Pastors of a higher Character whether of a higher Order or not CAP. XI Of every Man's Obligation to be wise for himself to Salvation Quest ACcording to all the precedent Accounts of the Church it seems not only reasonable but most necessary every Man should be wise for himself unto Salvation Answ It is certainly so for every Man is to be determin'd by the Word of God to the True Religion to which purpose he is to apply his Mind to search for true Wisdom as for Silver and to seek for it as for hidden Treasure Quest How should Men of so great Disadvantages to such High Things be inabled to Judge Answ Wisdom assumes most justly to it self to be of so high Value that every Man should think it worth his while to Labour and Travel herein and to them that do so it hath promised the most certain Success even the pouring out its Spirit to them and that they shall understand the Fear of the Lord and find the Knowledge of God The Things of greatest moment are not of such difficulty but that they are attainable in the use of Right Means under so great Promises Quest What are those Right Means Answ Bowing down our Ears to the Words of the Wise that is of those that by Inspiration from God have been Wise and written their Wisdom for Future Ages and by applying our Hearts to Divine Knowledge upon which they come to be inlay'd within us and to be fitted to our Lips to be agreeable and well matched to our Discourse and not like a Parable in a Fools Mouth Quest But are not these things spoken and written to the Learned and Elders of the â—hurch that they might know for the People and the People put their trust in them Answ No They are written to thee even to thee that is to every one that they might have their Trust only in God that is find the Rock of Divine Veracity and Infallibility and have no need to trust in Men â—ut to know the certainty of the Words of Truth and be able to answer the Words of Truth either to those that advise with them as Friends or challenge them as Enemies Quest If this was the sense of the Old Testament it is undoubtedly much more so of the New Answ It must needs be so as a higher and more Intellectual State of the Church as much freer and clearer in its Notions of Truth The Apostles Discourse Christians as no Christians if they are not able to Judge as Wise Men what they say If they are not Men in understanding if they attain not to the state of Teachers by skill in the Word of Righteousness and have senses exercised to discern by an Intellectual and Spiritual Gust Things Good and Evil if they cannot give an Apology or Defence of the Hope that is in them that is of their Christianity to every one that asks them a Rational Account of it Quest But in things of Perplexity and Doubt are not Christians bound to submit to the Judgments of their Teachers Answ If they can receive and
only to teach the Observation of things Commanded them by the Lord himself 2. There is a constant Disclaimer in the Gospel of any Despotick or Lord-like Power in Church-Rulers Christ expresly Compares the Power he gave with Civil Powers and Resolves it shall not be so among his Disciples as was among them He saies the Chief among them shall be Ministers and Servants delivering the Will of their Lord and not Lords themselves they must have no Will of their own to promulge They profess they Preach Jesus the Lord and themselves Servants for Jesus sake Servants of those they Preach to as they Minister to them the Divine Will not Lords over Gods Heritage but ensamples of the Flock Embassadours delivering only the Messages of their Master and beseeching Men But if the whole scope of Indifferent Things were given them for a Dominion how great would it be 3. These Circumstances in Religion may grow so bulky and cumbersome and make such a Medly in it that no one would know what Religion it self is 4. The Free Votes and Suffrages of Christians in all things they receive as most con-decent and convenient is that more abundant Honour God hath given to the meanest Members of his Church Thus the whole Affair in that Council Acts 11. was managed by not only the Apostles the Elders but the Brethren also each according to their Station and Situation in the Body the Church For that there may be no Despotique Power what is Commandâ—d by Christ must be so represented that the Evidences it is so Commanded must be duly Represented and the Divine Authority sufficiently remonstrated what is of Advice and Conveniency must be carried by free Suffrage and Consent Quest But still the Church being a Society and the best of Societies it must be Subject to the Laws of Nature concerning Society and what is carried by the Votes of People being always subject to Turbulency and Confusion have we not great Assurance seeing Christ reversed nothing Natural but confirmed it that there are many things not written in Scripture but left to their necessity and expediency according to Natures Laws and so what is nearest to Monarchick being farthest from Confusion the Rulâ—rs of the Church and among them the Bishops ought to determine all things neither Commanded nor Forbidden by God Answ There is in the Church the perfect and absolute Monarchy of Christ in his Word and besides this there is no other nor can the Laws of Nature dictate any other there is one Lawgiver who is able to save or destroy and there need not any more Masters for more would certainly breed Confusion whatever therefore is clearly according to the Word of God or to be made out to be so whatever is the evident Dictate of Nature as distinction of Sexes 1 Cor. 11. 3. in their publick appearance in Religious Assemblies administration of Divine Services in a known Language 1 Cor. 14. v. 5. the speaking of one Prophet only at once and not in a Confusion of Voices v. 31. All such Natural Order and Decency or whatever is of Indisputable Decency according to the Manners and Custom of our Native Country these are the utmost Bounds of Prescription All things else are to be Comprimiz'd by Agreement and Suffrage and even these necessary things are to be Managed by Doctrine Rational Convicton Exhortation Admonition Rebuke and even Charge and Command with all Authority in the Evidences of the Divine Word and Will and no otherwise For this I say again is the more abundant Honour the Rulers or more Honourable Members of the Church are to invest the lowest with to Circulate with them the Life and Spirits of Truth by transfusing the Advantages of all the Light and Knowledge they have that they as Living Wise and Intellectual Members also may judge what is Commanded them by God and not be as Fools or Lifeless Members For what Blood Spirits and Life are in the Body that is Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding in the Will of God in the Church And in all Indifferent things the very same Freedom the Foot hath to represent to the higher Powers of Nature what offends it and is immedately heard the very same Power the lowest Member of the Church hath to remonstrate to the Higher what Scandalizes it in the accepting this or that Indifferent Ceremony and it ought as feelingly as immediately to be heard For as the same Soul is present to all parts of the Natural Body so the same Spirit of the Head of the Church animates his whole Body the Church which is the Fulness or Complement the Receptacle of his Fulness the Fulness in which he will appear Full and Compleat who fills all in all As therefore the Head it self feels by this Spiritual Union so are the Eyes and Ears the Higher Members of this Body to do And if they do not so feel it argues an Interruption between them and the Head it self for that most concernfully reciprocates with the whole Body and the extreamest part of it and so does every part inliven'd by him also if there be no Intercision nor Obstruction betwixt it and the Head Quest Is there yet any further Reason against a Power in the Rulers of the Church for imposing in things of indifferency under the Names of Decency and Order Answ There is the great Reason of the Mischief of Scandal to be added to all that hath been spoken Quest What is to be understood by Scandal Answ Scandal is a Subject of Discourse of too large a Compass for the present purpose but as it is strictly to be adjusted to it it may be thus understood Scandal is that Hurt and Grief a Man receives in Submitting either to Humane Example or Imposition in things of themselves neither Commanded nor Forbidden by God when the Conscience is in doubt whether that which is required to be done be not displeasing to God and forbidden by him or that which is required to be omitted or not done is not pleasing to God and Commanded by him and yet submits it self to be led by that Example or Commanded by such Impositions and so falls into Sin and under a wound of Conscience Quest When the thing is indeed neither Commanded nor Forbidden by God how can it be changed by the Conscience being in Doubt concerning it Answ Because the Conscience is that complex or congregated Power of the Soul wherein are preserved all the Doctrines to be believed and Rules of Action to the end that it may observe and direct how the Soul is to Govern it self and square all its Actions to the Will of God and that it may comfort or check the Soul in doing Well or Ill according to those Doctrines or Rules Wherein then Conscience is mistaken and misjudges either way against that which is Commanded by God or for that which is forbidden by him there is nothing to be done but to reduce Conscience to its Right Rules which is the Will of God in
every thing revealed in his Word But in things neither Commanded nor Forbidden if Conscience be apprehensive of danger any way this is the Honour and Dignity that God hath conferred upon Conscience as his immediate Vicegerent in the Soul and carrying his Authority by always presenting it in his Word and Command that a Man should suspend his Action wherein Conscience is not satisfied and at rest concerning the Goodness of the Action and this is the Honour which those that are above either in their Authority in the Church or the strength of their Understanding Gifts or Graces should bestow upon those that are below that they should not either by their Authority Influence or Example Scandalise the little ones or the weak that are so either in regard of their low Station or the weakness of their Gifts and Graces that is draw them into the Sin of doing any thing of which Conscience hath a mistrust of displeasing God in so doing in regard that it both weakens and disables Conscience in the discharge of that Trust reposed in it for the carrying on the Soul in a Christian Course its Authority being violated and prostrated in the reverence due to it and disturbs the Peace and Comfort it ought to Minister to the Soul in that Course For by this sort of Scandal the Apostle Witnesses the Weak Christian falls into Sin his Conscience is defiled is wounded is grieved is made weak All the mischief of which the value of indifferent things is not such as that it can answer and make recompense for and so to sin thus against the weak is to destroy them for whom Christ died and therefore to sin against Christ which is the reason of those weighty Discourses of our Saviour against Scandal Mark 18. and of the Apostle Rom. 4. and 1 Cor. c. 8. and cap. 10. which being compared give great light one to another Quest But it seems that a Conscience only in doubt might be setled by the Advice Example and Authority of those that are the Elders or Eminent Members of the Church for when Doubt supposes the Conscience inclining neither this way nor that way in it self but standing between both or sometimes moving to one side and then to the other the coming in of those Considerations taken from the Example and Authority forenamed should give an over-weight to that side on which they fall Answ Yet on purpose to shew the great Dignity of Conscience and its Government without which approving and directing accordingly even Obedience to the Divine Commands wants the just Complement of a Good Action and also to shew of how little moment in Christianity all things are not under a Divine Sanction the whole weight of the Apostles Discourse is hung upon a doubting Conscience a Conscience in doubt concerning things indifferent when urg'd either way Quest But are not all Sinnews of Government hereby cut and dissolv'd even of Civil Government for Conscience may be in relation to such Commands disatisfied Answ As Scripture every where supposes the whole Government in the Church of God to be confined within the Monarchy and Word of Christ and nothing to be Imposed or Forbidden but according to that so it doth every where disinterest the Church of Christ to judge or intermeddle in Civil Government or Things pertaining to it it supposes Civil Powers will oblige to and determine Indifferencies in Civil things this way or that way as they please and therein exercise a Lordship but Christ having declared it shall not be so among his Disciples does yet Command by himself and his Apostles all Obedience to these Principalities and Powers even thus Commanding if not against Gods Command directly so that in all such things the Doubting Conscience is only to be instructed in its Rule and Duty but can have no more Relief against Obedience to Civil Commands than it hath against Obedience to the Commands of God when it is mistaken about those Commands for such Obedience to Magistrates is Obedience to the Divine Command Quest There appears so near an Assinity in the Commands concerning Indifferent Things of those that have Rule in the Church with the Commands of those that have Civil Rule that the one may be a Measure for the other or wherein is the difference especially when they joyn in one in their Commands concerning these Indifferoncies Answ The Commands of Civil Authority concerning Indifferent Things in Religion deserves a particular consideration for which a proper place shall be reserv'd But that the Church is such a kind of Political Regiment that should set up for it self as one of the Polities of this World by Canons and Constitutions of its own not founded in the Word of God but introduced on other pretences and that if Christians do not Submit to them they should be accounted Schismaticks and Excommunicated as Heathens if they do not hear the Church that is thâ— Rulers of the Church thus Ordaining in their own Wisdom and all this by the Charter of the Keys or the Power of Binding or Loosing is as gross a Forgery as Popery hath any in this Point Indeed if there were such a state of things there were reason to believe the whole Church should by proper ways and means found out by Christ be modelled into one universal Uniformity of Government and Ceremony seeing the whole Church is but one and that the Romane supposing it had not so grossly contradicted the Laws of Christ might sooner pretend to be the Metropolis of it and the Bishop of Rome the Head of the Unity than any other it being the first Imperial City that was famous for Christianity But how little Uniformity is to Christ or his Kingdom in those things wherein he hath not interposed at all but left Christians free and intended they should be free appears in the Ununiform Unity of the History of the Evangelists concerning his Life Doctrine Death and Resurection To suppose therefore the Church to be in this manner Uniformed by the Prudence of its Governours is to turn it so far into a Civil State and the Bishops of it into Lay-Elders CAP. XIII Of the Anti-Church and its Opposition in every Thing to the True Church Quest IS there not an Anti-Church or antichristian-Antichristian-Church that stands in Opposition to the true-True-Church Answ There is and hath been so for many Ages and that hath taken upon it in the most Publick way to be the Church of Christ the House of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth Quest With what Advantages hath it been arm'd thus to take upon it self at all the Name of a Church Answ It having risen out of the True Ancient Apostolick Church that received the True Christianity from the Apostles at Rome and the Faith of which as the Apostle Paul witnesses Rom. 1. 8. was spoken of throughout the World it hath retain'd the Scriptures and the Fundamentals of Christianity the Writings of the First Christians and Apostolical Men and so hath continued
to do from that very time of the Apostles to this Day and hath also actuated the Truth of the Scripture and those Fundamentals of it according as its Interest hath led it in some Ages more in some less as shall be presently more discovered Quest Having then the Scriptures those Fundamentals of Christianity and the Discourses of the Ancient Fathers and Doctors upon them in such a length of time with what reason can it be looked upon as an Anti or Antichristian-Church Answ With very great reason because by a multitude of Additions fowlest Idolatrous and Superstitious Corruptions and false Interpretations upon the Scriptures the Fundamentals of Christianity and the Discourses of the Ancients shamefully interpolated and by Spurious Writings under their Names despited it hath turned whole Christianity into a very contrary thing to it self while therefore it holds those points of Christianity and the Records of it in veneration and yet supports all its Falshoods thereby it becomes perfectly an Antichurch or Antichristian It hath in regard of those Articles of Truth it holds and actuates so much as to have the Name of a Church and Christian and yet having them so falsified corrupted and changed from themselves it becomes a mock-Mock-Church a Mock-Christianity that is an Antichurch and Anti-christian in despite of the true-True-Church and True-Christianity And as to its Actuation of Truth it hath so Actuated Truth as to Actuate by Truth its own Falshoods and Lies upon Truth Quest How then did it rise to such an Eminency and pretence of being Catholick and Publick Answ The many Concurrences of Divine Providence under his deep and unsearchable Judgments in the Government of the World in relation to that state he had appointed for his Church I leave to the History of the Church and Roman Empire in those times by which may be understood how the Papacy took the advantage to Exalt it self not only above the Episcopal Chairs then in an Ambitious Contest for Supremacy but above all that was called God that is the Imperial Power it self and so set its Foot upon the Necks of Christian Princes throughout the World till the great Cheat began to be detected and all this by and upon pretence of being the Vicar of Christ or the Head of the Catholick that is the Roman-Church Quest These things I confess not so convenient to my Inquiry I desire only to know how in the middle of so many horrible Corruptions this Antichurch could be so bold as to vaunt it self the Vniversal Church of Christ Answ Taking the utmost benefit of its Antiquity in the Christian-Faith and Fundamentals of it and especially of the Conspicuousness and Famousness of its State and in the mean time the Corruptions growing up by degrees and not so observably as at once for Papal Rome was not built in a Day It usurped the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven as its own the Key of Knowledge in its Infallibility the Keys of Power in opening and shutting Heaven Gates so as that in the Darkness then overspreading the World and the Church Ignorance the Mother of False-Devotion so bewitching the Minds of Men that they all wondered after the Roman-State as new modelled under the Beast Arm'd with two Horns like those of a Lamb counterfeiting Power from Christ the Lamb but that spake as a Dragon pursuing all its pretendedly Christian Decrees with the extreamest Salvageness of any of the greatest Earthly Tyrants but all under a Mask of the Catholick Apostolick Church by which Fascination of Zeal to the most excellent Religion though so Vitiated Princes and People Surrendred their Power to this great Sorceress using at once all the Frauds and Cheats of False-Prophesie and the Arts and Policy of the most Designing Universal Monarchy Thus while this Antichurch stole into Power by the best appearances of True-Religion and secured it by all the Blandishments of a Meretricious Religion it found it self so strong as to force its False-Religion by its Power and using both together raised the Grandeur of both a Secular and Spiritual Tyranny to such a height Quest But how did the true-True-Church in this time Actuate Truth or agree with those Characters of being the House of God the Pillar and Ground of Truth Answ It was by the might and prevalency of this Secular and Spiritual Tyranny so suppressed that it was in a manner known only to God who reserv'd a number to himself in the midst of so great a Defection wherein that promise was made Good the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church Exposing and Actuating Truth pure from those Corruptions is hardly and very hardly to be found in History in any of the Lines and Motions of it in the most dark and dolesom period of that Defection Quest How was it with the true-True-Church recovering it self from this great Darkness Answ God raised up by extraordinary Measures of though but an ordinary presence such who by Indefatigable searches into his Truth and Word and those Records of Christianity that Antichurch was concerned to preserve because as was said it could not without so much of a Church be an Antichurch and by bold Publications of it shook so that Inchanted City that a tenth part of it fell And by the great contrivance of Providence even the chief of that Antichurch were forc'd by way of Repercussion to raise greater Light by endeavours to defend themselves from Scripture Antiquity and Reason by the Summons of all that Learning Wit and Industry could levy in their Defence so that they were necessitated to awaken out of that Barbarity and Ignorance in which they had been so long drown'd and to Actuate even Truth more fiercely that they might together with it make as potent and prevalent as they could and give countenance to those great Falshoods they had interwoven with it From all which broke out such a light in the World that Princes rowz'd themselves and no longer crouch'd down under such an intoxicated Servitude which had long gall'd and pinch'd them but that they knew not how to rid themselves from it till the Sorcery was laid bare which still gave greater scope for the display of Truth Quest Could the Scripture be inconscious or silent concerning so great Revolutions in the Church of God as these Answ It is in all True Reason most impossible and therefore it is a mighty Argument that those great places of Scripture that do so notoriously agree to such a purpose as the Discovery of this Antichristian State are justly apply'd to it by Protestant Interpreters Quest If you please point me to the chief of those places you refer to Answ I will do it very briefly as being too large for the present purpose to enumerate many or enlarge upon any of them But what more proper to delineate such a State than the Apostasie the Apostle describes 2 Thess 2. 3. and 1 Timoth. 1. 4. or than the Church in the Wilderness Revel 12. 14. the Witnesses Prophecying
God Answ I aknowledge the Resolution of this Doubt contains many difficulties in it and cannot be given at once but I shall endeavour so to lead your Questions by every Degree of Answer as may direct into the best method for your satisfaction Quest What I pray you is the first step necessary to be taken in order to the Resolving this Doubt Answ To settle a True Understanding how the Magistrates Power and Authority in Religion made entrance into the World Quest I very much desire to know that and believe it to be of very great Influence into all things that concern the unfolding this Question Answ This then I take to be the best Account of it After the apparent Degeneracy of Humane Nature so that the Laws written in Mens Hearts were evidently defaced and blotted by contrary Practices there was a necessity of forming the great Notions of Natural Religion Godliness Righteousness and Soberness into Laws that Men might be thereby preserved from highest Irregularities and excess under the pretence of being at Liberty or every Man being a Lawgiver to himself Quest I desire you further to Explain how this brought in Magistracy Answ That such Laws might be made and Executed there must be some supreme Legislative and Executive Power in every Community whether placed in one or more whether by the Title of Paternity or Primogeniture whether Hereditary and Successive or Elective whether by Agreement and Covenant primarily or by Submission and Pacts after Conquest These things aâ—e variously ordered by God in his Paramount but secret Government of the World But the Laws of Godliness Righteousness and Soberness are so necessary and Men know them to be so necessary that they cannot be without them nor without some Supreme Legislation and Execution of Laws formed according to them They that are above see a necessity of Governing by them they that are below see a ncecessity of being Governed by the same and therefore submit by Common Consent to some supreme Authority and Subordinate Magistrates under the Supreme to that end Mankind is touch'd by this Impression from God and all that are not are branded as Sons of Belial Quest But how are Princes and Magistrates secured in the Exercise of their Power against those that would not be Subject Answ Besides the Laws of God written in the Heart and promulg'd in the World besides the secret Touches and Motions of Providence and Interlinkings of Common Interest with the Rights of Soveraignty Princes and Soveraign Rulers are both by the Will of God and the Common Consent of Mankind surrounded with Grandeuâ— of Highest Estate that they may draw Subjects into their Service and Dependence upon them by the greatness of their Rewards being both the Fountain of Honour and of Splendor of Condition But especially they are Arm'd with the Power of the Sword intrusted with them by God that by the awe of their Wrath and Vengeance they may bring People into Subjection and a Readiness to Obey Thus they appear as Gods in the World as Living Images of the most High in their Vicegerency according to what is said to them by Inspired Wisdom I have said ye are Gods and Sons of the Most High Quest But why hath it not pleased God to appear himself in this Authority and Power Visibly and Immediately which would cut off all Dispute as to Supreme Right and Male-Administration which do now often disturb the Peace of Government and the People under it or at least why hath he not given Angels a Superiority and Visible Presidency over Kingdoms as that which would much more awe and Compose the World Answ The Wisdom of God hath in all things appeared in attempering things one to another with greatest Equality So he hath thought fit in infinite Wisdom to Govern Men by Men. He hath Committed all Judgment to Christ because he is the Son of Man he will Judge the World at last by that Man whom he hath appointed Christ Jesus Thus he Governs Men all along by the Men of his Right-Hand as Images of himself but more immediately of Christ the Great Son of Man thus in his Word he speaks to Men by Men like themselves And as to the Conceit of Mankind Submitting with greater awe to a Government from Heaven it is but like that of having one from the Dead to speak to them when they have Moses and the Prophets by which if they are not persuaded neither would they be persuaded though one should rise from the Dead nor would they be Governed by one from Heaven that are not Governed by that Humane Majesty and Soveraignty Created by God on purpose for them as is most Evident in those many Rebellions of the People of Israel under so evident a Theocrasie or so immediate a Government of God Quest Is the Power of Magistrates only in those clear and undoubted poiâ—ts of Godliness Righteousness and Soberness Answ Because under the two latter of these there is a vast Compass of the Interests of the Peace and Weal and Honour of Nations in all Traffique and Commerce in provision for safety and security and adjusting of Laws to all these ends there must be a vast Compass also of Power in these extending to all Indifferent things Indifferent till they come to be determined by Princes and Powers but then by the Ordinance of God to be observed according to those Laws determining them this way or that way Quest But I desire you to give yet a closer and stricter Account of the Power of Soveraigns in Religion or Godliness being the main point of of the present Enquiry Answ That I may answer your desire I must consider Religion as it is Natural Religion written in the Hearts of Men as it is Revealed Religion published by extraordinary Ministers and Consign'd to after Ages by inspired Writing or Scripture and lastly as Religion is so or so Circumstantiated and Modelled in the External Administration of it Now by Natural Religion as distinguish'd from Revealed Religion I do plainly intend that Religion whether it be drawn out by the meer force of Natural Conscience without any plain or known Assistances of Revealed Truth or whether it was not known to be Natural Religion till being Revealed Natural Conscience acknowledges it and must needs Confess it to be True Natural Religion or that the wisest and soberest part of Mankind confesses it to be so or whether it be what Natural Religion teaches upon the supposition of Revealed Religion acknowledged and confessed to be from God for then Natural Religion confesses and urges that all Revelations from God that evidence themselves to any Mans mind to be from God should be received with Reverence and submitted to with Obedience In all these cases of Natural Religion I boldly and positively assert the Soveraign Power hath a Right given it by God to Make and Execute Laws according to the Obligations of Natural Religion even as in all Cases of Righteousness and Soberness or Common
King of Kings and Lord of Lords and yet there extraordinary â—inisters in all things wherein they were not Commanded by God preserv'd the Just Rights of Soveraignty Thus the Word of God ought by ordinary Ministers to be faithfully declared by those who are called to do it and if it be so declared it hath and ought to have a Soveraignty above all Earthly Soveraignty both with Princes and Subjects and yet the Publishers of it and they to whom it is Published stand in their Just Distances and in all things pay the Homage due to Soveraignty by Obedience Active wherein they are not Countermanded by God or by Submission to penal Laws and Decrees made against them by the Supream Legislative Power of a Nation wherein they cannot Obey God and the Powers at once because so is the Will of God that they should by suffering for well doing put to silence the Cavils of the Ignorant or Malicious Quest But ought we not to expect that Princes should be the Supream Interpreters of the Mind and Will of God that so their Command and Superiority might be more absolute and because that Government that does not determine the Religion of the Subject cannot have so free a display of it self nor rest so secure as is necessary to Government Answ While the Holy Patriarchs Ruled who by the Laws of Nature more unsullyed so near the Creation by purer Tradition by Divine Revelation vouchsafed to them as occasion required preserv'd Religion Undefiled Supream Authority and Instruction in True Religion Resided in the same Persons yet even then their Authority in Religion was from the Evidences of Divine Truth even as afterwards in Moses Samuel David and Solomon who were both Supream Princes and immediately Commissioned by God as Prophets for wherever Men are Deputed by God either as ordinary or extraordinary Ministers of his Truth the Authority is not in Man but in the Word of God evidencing it self to be the Word of God When therefore the Patriarchal both Power and Holiness expired and the Revolt of Princes and People from True Religion grew greater God begun to Instruct his Church by Messengers sent on purpose and Separated betwixt Princes and Prophets Yea even in the time of so Sacred a Priesthood Established by God himself among the Jews he taught his Church very often by Prophets of an extraordinary and immediate Character And lastly by the Apostles Founded the Christian Church without any Consultation with or Concurrence of the Powers at that time in the World and yet those Apostles taught all Subjection to those very Powers until the whole was settled in the Canon of Scripture Consent with which is now the only Credential of a Teacher appointed by God however he be Ordinated by Men. Quest What is to be Inferred from hence Answ Especially that the Truth of Religion is so independent upon all Humane Soveraignty that it is to be accepted only upon Tryal by its own Evidences and not by those of Humane Authority This Treasure is therefore for the most part entrusted to Earthen Vessels not only to Men but to the Men of unguarded condition that the Excellency of the Power and Evidence of Divine Truth may be more apparently as it always is in it self of God and not of Man Quest What other reason may there be of Separating the Administration of Divine Truth from that of Princely Government Answ â—ecause each Administration requires the whole Attendance of those ingag'd in either except they are at least immediately inspired It is said of the Magistrate he is the Minister of God attending continually on this very Thing To the Elders of the Church â—t is said take heed to the Ministry thou hast received of the Lord that thou fulfil it Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine give thy self wholly to them make full proof of thy Ministry Be Instant Preach the Word in Season out of Season or without Season Publickly and from House to House Quest I desire you now to apply your Discourse to the Administration of Soveraign Powers in modelling and Circumstantiating Indifferent things in Religion what their Power given them by God therein is Answ That I may give you an answer in that I must observe our Saviours Distinction of the Things that are Gods and the things that are Caesars and his charge that the things that are Gods be rendred to him and the things that are Caesars be rendred to Caesar Now none of the things that are Caesars are his first but they are first Gods and given to Caesar by God God then hath intrusted Caesar with the rendring the things that are Gods to God that is to take care that the Obedience due to God according to Godliness Righteousness and Soâ—erness may by the making of Good Laws and by the Vigorous Execution of them be given to God and also that the good intended to whole Humane Nature may be preserv'd to it as a Service of great Acceptance with God for every Governour is the Minister of God for Good to every Man he is the Minister of God for Publick good But in the mean time all these Supream Notions are so Gods that they must not be changed by Magistrates or their Laws but must be rendered intirely to him as he gave them in the Glory of them not Adulterated or Imbas'd And especially in all things that concern God himself more immediately as in the Purity Spirituality of his Nature the Divineness of his Truth and Word the Service and Ordinances of his Worship and whatever he hath herein reserved to himself all these are so his that no Caesar hath any Power in or over them to add or diminish or make the least alteration So that though they may have great Power in many things relating to Religion to the Accommodation of the most External Exercise of it to Government and the Peace of Nations yet as to the very Religious Actions themselves and the Management of them they must be close confin'd to Gods Manifestation of himself how he will be Worshipped and to those things that are absolutely necessary to Moddel and decently to Circumstantiate that Worship and so it is to be rendred to God perfectly according to his own Pattern and the Magistrates Care is that it be so rendred if in things evident to Natures Light the Magistrates Laws have place if only to be known by Revelation the Magistrates Power cannot rise above the means appointed by God that is Instruction producing Faith and Obedience and not Compulsory Laws seeing Natural Reason may be Oblig'd but Faith is the Gift of God Now these things God hath by the Prerogative of his Divine Power reserv'd to himself and they are to be rendred to God distinct from the things of Caesar that is from all Civil things given by God to Coesar and so to be rendred to Caesar Yea even distinct from the Appendant Laws for the securing Justice and Soberness which though they are Gods yet
For the sake of the True Religion we may be oblig'd to forsake not only our Country but our Fathers House and to unite to the Church of God founded in that True Religion yet in the mean time we must own all that is Divine Rational True weresoever we find it much more in our Native Country and if it be possible propagate True Religion upon it For we shall not only be judged in this World with our Nation but shall rise with it at the Day of Judgment in the same Station or Lott wherein we were placed in this World according to our doing good in it we shall receive our Reward with those of it that are saved who shall then survive in Glory and become as if they were the whole Nation the perishing part being lost as we therefore desire the prosperity of it in this World so ought we to endeavour by all means the Eternal Happiness of as many of it as we can by joyning with them and ingaging them in True Religion Quest I desire your Second Proposition Answ It is this That in a Political Sense National Religion is when Magistrates and the Body of the People joyn in the True Religion and Establish it by Law and devote to it the most Publick Advantages that the Largeness and Grandeur of such a Nation have in their Power fixing Characters of Civil Honour and ample Condition upon the Rulers of the Church and Communicating to them Magistratical Power in things pertaining to the External Defence Honour and Provision for the True Religion as it is National all which so far as it is Serviceable to the best Ends is acceptable to God our Saviour who is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace and ought to be Submitted to with Reverence both in Obedience to Government and also as it is done in Honour to the Name of God and True Religion The State of the Church in times of Persecution being not the Standard as to these things in the prosperous times of it Quest I now desire the Third Proposition Answ The Government of a Nation in Religion appointing and prescribing Liturgies Confessions of Faith Catechisms and Publick Forms of Instruction or Homilies they may be so far useful as when they are composed according to the Word of God to secure True Religion and the Publick Administration of it by so much publickly Ratified and requiring of all whom it Intrusts as Ministers of the Word of God under its Approbation and Maintenance to assent to the Truth of Religion so Compriz'd and Publickly to declare it by using them as is appointed But these are not to be understood to put Limits upon the Ministers of the Word first entrusted by Christ who are both in Prayer Preaching the Gospel and all means of Instruction to search into all the Scripture that is profitable for Doctrine Instruction Reproof and to Pray with all Prayer and Supplication according to the particular occasions and in that abundance and liberality of the Divine Oracles that they themselves may speak as the Oracles of God and Pray with the Vnderstanding and in the Holy Spirit and that all their Service may be matter of Bounty from their own Minds and not of Constraint and necessity as impos'd For how should they then as every Good Scribe Instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven bring out of their Treasure Things New and Old or like the good Housholder that hath made provision and laid up in store to that End In all these things Solomons Example is Great According to which the Preacher ought to be Wise and to teach the People Knowledge and give good heed and seek to find out acceptable Words that may be as Goades and Nailes not blunted with Common use Quest I now desire your Fourth Proposition Answ The Benefit of National Religion Established by Law is That every Subject of that Nation hath a Right to the True Religion so Established and may claim his Interest and Property in it as in all Things else legally due to him and is not oblig'd upon the account of Passive Obedience to desert or relinquish his Right in it any more than his Righteous Claim or Title to any thing else he enjoys by Laws and yet Trangresses no Rule of Christianity but hath the same Obligation to defend that his Right as any other Right whatever so far as the Laws of the Nation enable him nor can there be any Resistance to Government in so doing even as there can be none but it is the Duty and Trust of Subordinate Magistrates to adhere to the Laws in the point of True Religion as in all other Cases and of the Supreme Legislative Power of a Nation to foresee Dangers and prevent them by Additional Laws as necessity shall require And all this with the Prerogative due to Religion Quest I desire your Fifth Proposition Answ National Religion seeing it is design'd to Comprehend a multitude of Persons of most necessarily and unavoidably various Sentiments and Apprehensions must be so prepared as that with greatest Ease and Room to Consciences and Understandings of so many several Figures and Impressions there may be an Union in National Religion with least Scruple and therefore to give all the Liberty that Truth gives not imposing Arbitrarily because Religion as hath been said is Gods Peculiar and in that the Doubting Conscience cannot Obey farther than it sees the Divine Rule before it not in things Dark and Disputable because clear things are only necessary to Salvation not forcibly except when Natural Religion is Violated because patient Instruction Counsel and Ratiocination are the Divine Methods in giving and working Faith Quest I now expect the last Proposition Answ I shall give you the last and therein Conclude this whole Enquiry and Instruction and it is this The True Religion of the Word of God in a Nation or City does overtop all the False and Private Religions in it and become in the Sacred Register the National Religion In the Sacred Maps the Christians of Achaia were Achaia it self The Seven Churches of Asia were the Cities themselves And whatever Lesser Differences or Divisions this or that Name of Distinction may seem to make in National Religion yet the True Substantial Religion in all of them shall be one National Religion and become one Rod and Scepter in the Hand of Christ and the Nation be as one National Tribe and Church For let Men do what they can against it True Religion as it is the only Publick Religion and no Separation of Men from it however called Publick can make it Private so in what place soever it is it shall have the most Publick Character and the True Religion in all those that sincerely profess it shall be one True Publick Religion and those little Differences shall not cleave it into more than one Without the Change of True Religion it self there cannot be a Schism of a deeper Sense in it if Bitterness and Animosity Censoriousness and the Persecuting Spirit were away God will graciously Interpret Scruples on one side to a Jealousie for the Purity of Religion the freedom of the other to a desire to Propagate it under the favour of Laws and thereby to be capable of doing most Good In Heaven they now are all one and shall be one and the Envy Strife and Contention which the Good Lord Pardon shall be utterly Abolished This is the Honour of True Religion of Publick Divine Religion Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep by the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make his Church and his Church in this Nation perfect in every Good Work to do his Will Working in it that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS ERRATA Page 36. l. 20. for scale read seal p. 70. l. 9. r. 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