Christian Advertisements and Counsels of Peace, Tract 1 · Part 1 – Part 2
CHRISTIAN ADVERTISEMENTS AND Counſels of Peace to the wiſe hearted, and to him that is of a peaceable diſpoſition.
REceiue wholeſome inſtruction thou that readeſt: be deſirous to walke in the ſtrait way, but yet in the right way, keepe meaſure and thou ſhalt hold within the compaſſe of a holy and godly meane. Beware of ſuperſtitiō in Religion to decline on the left hand, and take heede of raſh zeale to runne on the right hand; endeuour to bee what thou oughteſt to bee, though thou canſt not attaine to that thou ſhouldeſt be. Goe euen; be no Atheiſticall Securitane, nor Anabaptiſticall Puritane: bee no careleſſe Conformitant, nor yet prepoſterous Reformitant: be no neuterall Lutheran, nor Hereticall popiſh Antichriſtian: be not a ſchiſmaticall Browniſt, nor fond and fooliſh Familiſt: be not a new Noueliſt, nor yet any proud and arrogant Sectarie to draw diſciples after thee: be no follower of any ſuch, beware of them all carefully.
But ſtand a conſtant Proteſtant, in the ancient, Catholike, Orthodoxall veritie and truth. Bee to God faithfull, and to lawfull authoritie not diſloyall. To conclude, hold the truth after the word, and gainſay not laudable cuſtomes of the Church, not againſt the word. Be not readie to take offence, and bee in like manner loath to giuegive offence. And God ſhall be with thee, and the ſpirit of life ſhall guide thee.
To further thy godlie inclinableneſſe hereto, conſider well of theſe ſo friendly giuen Chriſtian aduertiſements and wholeſome Counſels of Peace. Reade (good friend) aduiſedly, I beſeech thee, poſt not on apace: though thou haſt a quicke apprehenſion to vnderſtand, yet take time to ſettle affection. Some good things are ſoone knowne, but in hei… … for the moſt part lightlie intertained: whence it is, that many doe onelyonly talke of that often, which not once they euer made vſe of. But in a word, the purpoſe of my penning theſe things, is to bring them into practiſe: and therefore ſo reade thou deliberatly, as thy will may be to performe them conſcionablie. Amen.
LoueLove peace, and deſire to hold it with God and good men: yea follow after it with all men, as much as is poſſible with holineſſe. Seeke the publike quiet of that eſtabliſhed eſtate vnderunder a Chriſtian Gouernour, whether it be Politicall or Eccleſiaſticall, where thou art a member, and by what meanes thou canſt deuiſe, not againſt Religion, common honeſtie nor charitie; and thus to doe:
I. Vphold the manifeſt good therin.How a man ought to carie himſelfe in a Chriſtian State.
II. The manifeſt euils, labour in thy place by the beſt meanes to hauehave them amended peaceably.
III. Beare with lighter faults for a time, till fit occaſion be offered to hauehave them amended.
IV. Likelihoods of euill, make them not apparent euill, by ill interpretation, where neither the State intendeth it, nor ſo maintaines it.
V. Doubtfull things take in the better part, it is euer charitie.
VI. Iudiciouſly diſcerne betweene the abuſe of a thing, and that which may be well vſed; leſt in abhorring the abuſe, thou alſo doe vtterlie condemne the thing it ſelfe and the vſe thereof.
VII. Let the corruption of the perſon and his lawfull place be diſtinguiſhed: and where perſon and place are not ſo lawfull, and in the propoſed end not againſt thee, wiſely labour to make them for thee; and make that good of them thou canſt, and wholly condemne not that Miniſterie which a godly man may make for good.
IIX. Paterne not a Monarchie to an Oligarchie, or any other State, Ariſtocraſie or Democraſie: neither let (as thou ſuppoſeſt) the well being of a forren State make thee vnthankful for the preſent good thou doeſt enioy, and to lothe thine owne being, leſt malcontentednes breake into contention, and ſo thou loſe that good thou haſt, and procure the increaſe of euill, which thou doeſt diſlike.
IX. In thy zeale for Religion againſt corruption, let the booke of God well vnderſtood be thy warrant; and in thy hatred againſt wrongs in the Commonwealth, let the knowledge of the law and the equitie thereof moue thee to ſpeake: this is Religion, this is reaſon. But beware of ſuperſtition, for ſo beginning of vncertaintie, thou maiſt loſe the fruit of thy labours, and be condemned as a buſie medler and contentious.
X. Refuſe not to obey Authoritie, in any thing wherein there is not to thee manifeſtly knowne a ſinne to bee committed againſt God: let fantaſies paſſe; be more loath to offend a lawfull Magiſtrate, thē many priuate perſons. Where thou canſt not yeeld, there humblie craue pardon: where thou canſt not be tolerated, be contented with correction for ſafetie of conſcience, and beare what thou canſt not auoide with a patient minde.
The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke, but righteouſnes and peace and ioy in the holie Ghoſt: for whoſoeuer in theſe things ſerueth Chriſt, hee is acceptable to God, and approued of men, Rom. 14. 17. 18.
I. Omit no euident and certain commandementHow to auoid ſcrupuloſity of conſcience, and contention in ſeeking for reformation. impoſed of God. If there be nothing but probabilitie of ſinning in obeying the precepts of men, ſet not opinion before iudgement.
II. Let ancient probabilitie of truth be preferred before new coniectures of error againſt it.
III. Mark and hold a difference betweene theſe things, the equitie of law and the execution; between eſtabliſhed truth generally, and perſonall errors of ſome; betweene ſoundnes of doctrine and erroneous application; betweene ſubſtance and circumſtance, the manner and the matter; betweene the very being of a thing and the well being thereof; betweene neceſſitie and conueniencie; betweene a commandement and a commandement to thee; betweene lawfulnes and expediencie; and betweene that which is giuen abſolutelie or in ſome reſpect.
IV. Vſe the preſent good which thou maiſt enioy to the vtmoſt, and an experienced good before thou doeſt trouble thy ſelfe to ſeeke for a ſuppoſed better good vntried, which thou enioyeſt not. Diſlike not things preſent, as men doe diſcontentedly; praiſe not things paſt fooliſhly; and deſire not a change, hoping for better vainly.
V. Endeuour for things which are of neceſſitie, wiſh alſo the well being of the ſame for conueniencie: but for this contend not forciblie againſt publike peace, leſt in ſeeking for the bene, thou doeſt vtterly loſe the benefit of the neceſſarie eſſe.
VI. Doe not trouble thy ſelfe either to take part with, or to be againſt that thing, the holding or denying whereof maketh nothing for or againſt religion, ſaluation or damnation.
VII. In a common cauſe make one, but after thy owne iudgement conuinced of truth and within the compaſſe of thy calling; not for companie to make vp a number, or for that thou wilt bee doing becauſe other are ſo.
IIX. Neuer preſume to reforme other, before thou haſt well ordered thy ſelfe: See at home, then looke abroad; redreſſe that which is faultie, and in thy power to amend, before thou doeſt meddle with that which is beyond thy reach. Be not faire in publike, and foule in priuate, hate hypocriſie and auoid vaine glorie.
IX. Receiue no opinion in religion, but what the Word euidētly doth warrant: beware of apprehenſions out of thine owne witte, but let the Word firſt giuegive thee ſight, and ſo entertaine it, as thou art enlightened. As thou maieſt not of policie for feare of trouble, by thy witte get thee diſtinctions, to loſe ſinceritie where the Word is plaine: ſo mayeſt thou not of ſcrupuloſitie, imagine ſin to trouble thy conſcience, and to vexe thee with feare of tranſgreſſion, where there is no law: the one doth breed Atheiſme, the other is the mother of ſuperſtition.
X. Let thy owne knowledge ground thy opinions in thee, and not in the iudgement of other: ſee into the glaſſe of the Word by thy owne ſight, without other mens ſpectacles, and hold what thou iudgeſt truth, only in louelove of the truth; beware of by-reſpects: ſo hold the truth as neuer to bee remoued; but that which is erroneous in thee, be willing both to ſee, and to be reclaimed.
XI. Witnes the truth, for the truthes ſake: enforme others louingly; deſire that they may ſee the truth, but neuer vrge them beyond their iudgemēt, neither take it grieuouſly if thy words doe not preuaile, but waite with patience. Beware of raſh iudgement, neither condemne nor contemne other that are not as thy ſelfe. Thinke not to make thy gifts anothers guide, nor thy meaſure of grace their rule, for to eueryevery man is allotted his portion.
XII. Whomſoeuer thou doeſt ſee to do amiſſe, iudge it not to be of wilfulneſſe, but either of ignorance, and ſo offer to enforme them, or of infirmitie, and ſo pitie them, and pray for them Be charitable, ſo ſhall not his ſin hurt thee, and much ſhall thy charitie aduantage thy ſelfe in the end: and adde this withall, Be ſlow to anger, let neuer another mans diſtempered paſſion bring thee to diſorderlineſſe in affection.
XIII. LoueLove not to be in controuerſies, it argueth pride and a ſpirit of contention; but if thou beeſt drawne vntounto them and called thereunto, vndertake the right, and chuſe the truth: and in the handling,
1. Neuer come to it with a preiudicateHow a man ought to carry himſelfe in handling of Controuerſies. opinion, but with a mind to finde out the truth, and not of contention.
2. Take words doubtfull in the better ſenſe, as the cauſe and circumſtances will beare: euident truth embrace willingly, manifeſt errorrs deny plainly, likelihood of falſehood eſehew friendly, likelihood of truth bend them the beſt way: peruert nothing wilfully, acknowledge thy ignorance where thou art made to ſee, and yeeld the victorie when thou canſt not winne it without wicked Sophiſtrie.
3. Bee ſure in anſwering that thou haſt the Authors meaning, either by which, or to which thou doeſt make anſwere. Alledge no teſtimonie raſhly, and eſpecially beware of this euill in quoting Scripture. Wreſting of Scripture is a great abuſe of the Word; and if thou be in error, and doeſt by the Scriptures preſume to maintaine it, thou wouldeſt hauehave the truth to vphold falſhood, and wickedly doeſt make the holy Ghoſt a maintainer of a lie.
4. Follow the matter ſtrictly, auoid idle excurſions, paſſe by weakneſſe, take heed of haſty paſſions, and in defending a cauſe abuſe no mans perſon.
XIV. In things Indifferent make noHow a man ought to carry himſelfe in things Indifferent. queſtion for conſcience ſake: ſo it bee that neither holineſſe, merite nor neceſſitie be put therein; nor vſed for any part of Gods worſhip, but for decencie, order and edification.
If thou be in a doubt, and thy conſcience as thou thinkeſt doth trouble thee about the vſe of a thing indifferent:
I. Quaere, Whether this doubt ariſethWhence ſem… puloſitie of conſcience ariſeth. ſimplie of a tender conſcience from iudgement conuinced; or that it be but a nicenes of diſlike comming from a deſire not to be troubled with them, or for that thou haſt not vſed them, or becauſe ſome cannot away with them, or from a godly iealouſie & ſuſpition only, for frō hencefoorth will ſcruples ariſe: ſo alſo from a cōtinued cuſtome, likewiſe from ignorance and the want of certaine knowledge and a ſetled perſwaſion of the lawfulnes of a thing. If the groundNote well. bee not a iudgement inlightened and conuinced, it is not trouble of conſcience, but a diſlike working diſcōtentednes vponupon ſome of theſe former grounds▪ which thou maiſt eaſily remoue by ſetling thy iudgement vponupon the word and ſound reaſon.
II. Quare, Whether this doubting ariſeth through thy owne default, by looking out reaſons to encreaſe thy diſlike, and neglecting to ſearch for arguments to giuegive thee ſatisfaction. If thus thou haſt offended, as many doe, take a… great paines in Gods ſight to reſolue thy ſelfe, as thou haſt done to bring thy ſelfe into doubting, elſe dealeſt thou bu… partially.
III. Quaere, If it bee trouble of conſcienceWhat to do in perplexitie of conſcience. indeed, and yet the thing be no… plainly forbidden, nor ſo commanded; why (where a ſpeciall warrant to a particular is wanting) a generall rule, or a generall commandement to obey, may not giuegive thy conſcience ſatisfaction: elſe how to doe in ſuch a caſe.
IV. Quaere, Why a man ſhould bee more ſcrupulous to ſeeke to hauehave warrant plainly for eueryevery thing hee doth in Eccleſiaſticall cauſes euen about things indifferent, more then about matters …olitike in Ciuill affaires. Men in theſe …hings know not the ground nor end of many things, which they doe yeeld vntounto vponupon a generall command to obey authoritie, and knowing them not to be directly againſt Gods will: and yet euerie particular obedience in ciuill matters, muſt be 1. of conſcience: 2. as ſeruing the Lord (ſo muſt eueryevery ſeruant his maſter:) which cānot be without knowledge and perſwaſion, that we do well euen in that particular, which we obey in; which men vſuallie for conſcience ſake inquire not into, but doe reſt themſelues with a generall commandement of obeying lawfull authoritie, ſo it bee not againſt a plaine commandement of God. What therefore doth let, but that a man may ſo ſatisfie himſelfe in matters Eccleſiaſticall?
The curious ſearching ſo particularly into eueryevery thing to hauehave full ſatisfactiō, hath ſo wrought in theſe daies vponupon mens wits to bring diſtinctions, that the more men ſeek in doubts for reſolution, the further are they from it. Oh daies full of diſtractions! what counſell ſhall I here take and giuegive!
I. Keepe al maine truths in the wordHow to ſettle a mans conſcience to preuent ſcrupulofitie, and perplexitie. which are moſt plainly ſet downe, an… are by the law of nature ingrauen i… eueryevery man.
II. Beleeue eueryevery collection truly an… neceſſarily gathered by an immediat… conſequence from the text.
III. Follow euident examples fit fo… thee, either as a Chriſtian, or as thy ſpeciall calling requireth.
IV. Auoid that which is plainly forbidden, or followeth neceſſarily by an immediate conſequence.
V. Intertaine true Antiquitie, & follow the generall practiſe of the Church of God in all ages, where they hauehave no… erred from the euident truth of God.
VI. If thou ſuffer, let it be for known… truth, and againſt knowne wickedneſſe▪ for which thou haſt examples in the Word, or examples of holie Martyrs i… ſtorie ſuffering for the ſame or the like But beware of far fetched conſequents or for ſuffering for new deuices, and fo… things formeriy vntounto al ages vnknown… ſeeme they neuer ſo holie and iuſt vntounto man.
If yet thou doeſt iudge a thing commanded a ſinne, and not to be obeyed, for thy helpe herein:
I. Quaere, Whether that which isHow a thing vnlawfully commanded, may be lawfully obeyed. wrongfully or ſinfully commāded, may not yet neuertheleſſe bee without ſinne obeyed; as Ioab obeyed Dauid in num…ring the people. Then be not thou to …lame, but do what thou oughteſt, al…eit others do what they ſhould not.
II. Quaere, How thou doſt reckon it …uill: if ſimplie, then finde a prohibiti…n; elſe, Where no law is, there is no …ranſgreſſion: if accidentally, that is in …he abuſe that may be remoued; or in …eſpect of thy ignorance of the lawful…eſſe, making thee to doubt, and ſo ſea…ing to offend, vſe all diligence for re…olution. And if it bee not a knowne ſin …o thee certainly, but only by probabi…ties:
Quaere, Whether probabilities of ſin…ingHow probabili…ie of ſinne cannot excuſe due obedience to a ſinfull precept. Vide Pouelum lib. de Adiaph. cap. 11. pag. 116. may giuegive thee a ſufficiēt diſcharge …or not obeying a plaine precept, and to …eglect neceſſary duties otherwiſe, both …o God and man.
If yet thou doeſt thinke thou ſhalt …ot do well (albeit the Goſpell may be …eely preached thereby) to yeeld ſo much to the euill diſpoſition (ſo ſuppoſed) of men, thinke how S. Paul value… the libertie of preaching the Goſpell▪ who ſince the Aſcenſion of Chriſt, afte… that the Ceremoniall law was aboliſhed, when he had preached againſt it, an… againſt Circumciſion; yet did check… himſelfe publikely, and with a place o… Scripture, for ſpeaking as he did again… a Simonicall, a falſe (in reſpect of hi… entrance) a perſecuting and murdering high Prieſt: he obſerued legall rites, h… circumciſed Timothie, and did not find… fault with things not altogether to be… approued, ſo long as they were no… made a part of Gods worſhip; and a… this hee did to procure free libertie t… preach the Goſpell.
And for yeelding ſomewhat to me… euill diſpoſitions, I ſay but thus:
Quaere▪ How it could ſtand with M… ſes How oftentimes ſomewhat may be yeelded to the euill diſpoſition of men.faithfulneſſe to grant a bill of D… uorcement (contrarie to the law of Mariage, contrarie to the firſt inſtitutio… from the beginning) for the very hardneſſe of the peoples hearts, and to pr… uent a greater miſchiefe?
If this happely trouble thee (in doin… what thou mayeſt and oughteſt) that thou ſhalt offend many whom thou wouldeſt not offend.
I. Quaere, Whether it bee an offenceHow we ought to carrie our ſelues in offences taken. iuſtly giuen by thee, or taken without iuſt reaſon of them; thou not offending and they diſpleaſed, the fault is their owne, and thou not chargeable therewith.
II. Quaere, Whether they be offended in reſpect of what thēſelues know, or but lead by affection, diſliking of other mens diſlike. Intreate the former to let thee abound for ſuch things in thine owne ſenſe, and ſhew them that herein thou mayeſt brotherly diſagree: for the later, informe his iudgement, if he will yeeld to reaſon, if not, then,
III. Quaere, Whether thou art boūd to nouriſh vp ſuch a one in his folly, and to reſpect his partiall affection, being more caried away with an ouerweening of ſome mens perſons, then any thing at all with the right vnderſtanding of the cauſe. If they be men of iudgement, and will contend with thee, be not troubled with what witte can inuent to ſay, but what is truely ſpoken from the Word, not by farre concluſions, but by a neare conſequence, and plaine euidence of holy writte. If thou canſt anſwere the ſubſtance of that which is obiected, let their vaine conceits or ſubtilties paſſe; neither thinke that thou art ouercome, or art bound to yeeld vntounto them as one conuinced in iudgement, becauſe thou canſt not ſee eueryevery deceiueable replie, to giuegive thereto an vnanſwerable reaſon to take it away. If ignorance make a conuiction, & Sophiſtrie be the meanes, then ſhould men be eaſily carried about with eueryevery winde of doctrine. There is no Heretique but hath his arguments, nor any Sect but hath conceits, and Satan by his Sophiſtrie helpeth both, euen to beguile other, and to deceiue themſelues the more too.
IV. Quaere, What authoritie may doNote well. in things externall for outward rule in the circumſtances of things; and then, Whether Authority commanding doth not take away the offence, which might otherwiſe be giuen in a voluntarie act.
V. Quaere, Whether a man ſhould ſtand more vponupon auoiding diſlikes in priuate perſons, then offence to publike authoritie. Whether this be not an humouring of men, to encreaſe diſcontentednes, rather then to endeuour to preſerue (wherein thou mayeſt) the publike peace and welfare of a Chriſtian State; or, Whether it were not better to croſſe ſome mens affections without ſinne to God, then that otherwiſe thou ſhouldeſt ſtay the paſſage of the Goſpel, neglect moſt certaine duties, let people periſh, open a gap to the enemie, loſe thy libertie, and no whit better the Church. It were better, wherein thou lawfullie mayeſt, that after the Apoſtles practiſe, thou diddeſt become all things to all men to winne but ſome.
Studie, ſtudie (ſaith the Apoſtle) to be quiet; follow thoſe things which concerne peace; and let me intreate thee to keepe patience within thee. Vſe charitie abroad, attempt nothing raſhly, know things firſt rightly; be zealous but iudiciouſly, neither ſpeake nor write with diſtempered paſſion. Let the Word bee thy warrant onelyonly, thy calling thy bound, the Spirit of God thy directour, godly wiſe thy counſellours, Gods glorie thy marke, truth the matter of thy trouble, other mens corrections thy Schoolemaſter, their miſcariage thy caueats, thy enemies watchings, thy warines in liuing, and thy liuing ſuch as ready to die, with an euer holy remembrance of thy end, & thou ſhalt neuer do amiſſe,
Amen.