Of National Churches, Chapter 8
Chap. VIII. How far this Confederacy and Concord bindeth the Members of a National Church to Conformity to the common ſence and practice.
§ 1 VVHoever is convinced that Chriſtian Kingdoms or National Churches are of Chriſts Inſtitution, muſt needs know that it is the duty of all its Members, to do their beſt to preſerve them and promote their welfare as conſidered in that form; and not only to ſeek their own Salvation, or the proſpering of their particular Churches or Parties, not only to ſeek the common good of Chriſtians as ſuch in Community; But to keep up the National Polity in all lawful things in the way of their ſeveral places and callings. For he is unworthy to be a Deniſon in any lawful Society, that promoteth not its well faring.
§ 2. And here it is a grand duty to know the diſtinct Rights of the Governing and the Governed part. And to know that though they are diſtinct, they ought not to be oppoſite but conjunct.
A fancy hath been by one of late divulged, that it is a heinous crime to ſay that the King and People have a ſeparate or ſeparable intereſt; So far may raſhneſs precipitate the ignorant: That King and Subjects have a diſtinct intereſt is paſt all doubt: That theſe intereſts ought not to be oppoſite or ſet againſt each other is alſo doubtleſs. And that they are diviſible is doubtleſs; elſe they would never fall out about them. And that they are faultily divided: And no doubt but they may and muſt be divided Numerally and Notionally, ſo they be not oppoſite.
§ 3. What I ſay of Kings I muſt ſay of Parents and Paſtors, and Tutors: When the Subjects are various and really divided Numerically, there the Accidents are divers and divided: For the Accidents cannot be the ſame and indiviſible that are in various ſubjects. But the rights of Rulers and Subjects are diverſe; And the Perſons or Subjects of theſe Rights are diverſe and ſeparate in ſenſu Phyſico: Therefore the Rights are diverſe and Phyſically ſeperate.
§ 4. The Genus and fixed part of the Species being ordained by God himſelf, the mutable Form (Monarchy, Ariſtocracy and Mixt,) and the determination of the Perſon or Line is by men, and that is by mutual Conſent and Contract.
None can force a man to be King, or Paſtor againſt his Will. And Government is a ſtate of great care and great danger to Soul and Body: And will any man in his Wits undertake it without ſecurity to his own intereſt? The Kings diſtinct and ſeparate intereſt, is 1. His own Life, to be ſecured againſt Treaſon. 2. His Honour as Gods chief Officer, and in a ſort repreſenter, which is therefore Gods own Honour in him. This is made diſtinct and Phyſically ſeparate (tho not oppoſite) in the Fifth Commandment. And the doubt whether that Commandement be part of the firſt or ſecond Table, or rather partly of each as the Cardo utrinſque, doth make it a hard queſtion, what intereſt is the higheſt: Of which Michael Hudſon hath ſubtilly treated.
The King alſo hath a diſtinct intereſt 3. In his Family and Perſonal Eſtate. 4. And in ſuch neceſſary aid of Men and Tribute, as may enable him to Govern and Defend the Land: Tho the Subjects may as Proprietors make limiting Contracts to ſecure their own Propriety and Intereſt.
And the Peoples right is in general the common good and ſafety, and particularly to be defended, and their contracted form of Government not overthrown; nor the Kingdom to be given up to a Foreign Power, or any Uſurper, much more that none that will execute ſuch Papal Tyranny as is determined of in the General Council at Laterane ſub Innoc. 3. to deſtroy or exterminate the Kingdom unleſs they would Damn their Souls by forſaking ſound Religion; I ſay that no ſuch be their King, or Potent Governour. Becauſe regere and perdere are inconſiſtent: And they who deſign it and profeſs their ſubjection to any Power or Law or Religion that obligeth to it, are to be ſuppoſed to be doing it: Eſpecially if their preparations ſhew their purpoſes, and Magiſtrates be ſet in Power that are under the ſame Obligations: And though a party or perſon muſt fly or ſuffer rather than Embroil the Kingdom in War or Rebellion for their defence; Yet a whole Kingdom, cannot be deprived of the right of ſelf defence, unleſs by Gods Sentence on their notorious forfeiture of Life.
§ 5. The Kings Intereſt is chief in Majority, in genere cauſe efficientis. And the Kingdoms chief in Meliority, in genere cauſae finalis, it is falſe that the King who is ſingulis major, is Univerſis Minor in Authority or Jure regendi: But it is true that the King tho ſingulis melior (melioritate Relativd) is not univerſis melior) for finaliter, the King was made for the Kingdom, rather than the Kingdom for the King: And yet both King and Kingdom are made by God and for God; that is, for his Will or Pleaſure and his Glory and Honour: And as it is the Honour of Gods Soveraignty, Wiſdom and Juſtice that is glorified in the Magiſtracy, ſo even the honour of Magiſtracy is part of the final meliority: As Gods Love glorified in the common good, is another part of it: And ſo God is the Beginning and the End, and All in All. And this is the Rulers Intereſt.
§ 6. The People have no Jus regendi, Governing Authority to uſe themſelves, or to give to others: So falſe is the Principle of Mr. Hooker and Laud, and many others, that make them the Fountain of Power. They have the Power called ſtrength (in which a Horſe excelleth a Man) but not Authority. If any Nation be Democratical it is not becauſe men are born with any right to Political Government, but only to Private Selfgovernment. But becauſe Contract hath ſo ordered the Form of Government. And indeed tho a City may be Democratically Governed, I know not how any great Nation can poſſibly be ſo: So that I think there is ſcarce any true Democracy in the World.
For to chuſe Governours is not to Govern: And thoſe that by the People are choſen are an Ariſtocracy. Rome was not all the Roman Empire: What right then had the Populus Romanus to Govern the Empire? This was not like Democracy, where the Majority of the whole body Governs.
The ſame I may ſay of Venice as they Govern all that are under them. It is truely an Ariſtocracy.
§ 7. Mankind is by dullneſs and ſloth, ſo far drowned in Ignorance, that the great concerns of Souls, Bodies and Kingdoms are diſordered and almoſt hopeleſly confounded by the ignorance of thoſe that will be the Rulers of them. I. Soul matters and Church matters are ravelled by Ignorant Proud Self-conceited Prieſts, and have been ſo above 1300 years: The things of Religion being myſterious, and Students Dull and Impatient of hard Study.
II. The Diſeaſes and concerns of the Body are ſo abſtruſe, that if among one thouſand that practiſe Phyſick there be ten that do not kill any of their Patients, they eſcape well that eſcape their Hands: All the Neighbours about us hurt us not, becauſe we truſt them not: But Phyſicions kill far more than Enemies.
III. And I would it were not ſo with Politicians, who will be the determiners of the affairs of Kingdoms and Churches: where an error may be pernicious to the Society and Nation. The beſt Politician that ever I knew was wont to lament, that Lawyers and Divines uſually ſtudied what the Law of the Land ſaith, and what Gods Law ſaith, and never well ſtudied what a Law in genere is, what Government and the ſeveral Cauſes of it are, and being Ignorant in Political Doctrine, underſtand not the words or things that they talk of: And all through uncapableneſs and ſloth.
§ 8. How commonly do ſuch diſpute the foreſaid caſe, whether the Prince or People be the chief, without diſtinguiſhing Majority and Meliority? How oft do they ſpeak of their different Right, without diſtinguiſhing, ſeparate or diſtinct from oppoſite? How oft do they falſly tell us that the People are the Fountain of Power? And how oft do they tell us that Government (Monarchical or Ariſtocratical) are a meer Truſt, and Rulers only the Peoples Truſtees, without diſtinguiſhing what is of God in it, and what is of man, and what truſt God committeth to them, and what men commit? And what power people have by Nature, and what by Contract.
§ 9. I have oft proved that Political Government of Societies, is ſo far different from Self-government, that it is not the contribution of the Self-governing power of individuals given up to one, that maketh political power. It's fully proved,
1. In that God is the prime Soveraign, from whom all Power is given. There is no Power but of God. 2. And God hath gone before man, and hath inſtituted Government himſelf, by the Law of Nature and of Scripture, and hath not ſtaid for man to do it? How can man be the Fountain of that which God hath inſtituted before him? He hath not left man to his own choice whether he will have Government or not; but hath prevented him by the obligations of Neceſſity and Command. 3. And God hath made Univerſal Political Laws, for Societies and Legiſlation is the firſt part of Government. 4. And he maketh Rulers as his Miniſters and inſtituteth their Office in ſpecie to be for the promoting of obedience to his own Law and for his Glory and the common good: So that it is of Gods inſtitution I. That there be humane Governors as Gods Officers. II. That finally they be for his Glory, and the common welfare. III. And that materially they take God's Laws for the prime Laws of their Government: As that they puniſh ſins againſt the Ten Commandments, according to their weight: And thus far they are God's Truſtees. And if the People forbid any of this, it is but Nullity and Rebellion againſt God.
But the People are Proprietors, and may limit the Ruler in the diſpoſe of their Propriety: And they have the choice of the Perſon, or Line, and Family that ſhall rule them; who it ſhall be, and whether One, or Many, or How many: For theſe and other circumſtances God hath not previouſly determined, (ſave that his Providence making ſome one by Conqueſt or ſtrength to be only able to rule and protect them, impoſeth on them a neceſſity of conſenting to that One.) And in theſe things the Ruler is the Truſtee of the People, but not in the former; ſo that in the prime eſſential parts of power the People are but the Objects, and the King is to them (in different degrees) the Truſtee of God for the People, as the Shepherd is his Maſters Truſtee for the Sheep, and not the Truſtee of the Sheep.
The ſame I ſay of true Paſtors of the Churches: God hath ſpecified their Office, tho' the People may circumſtantiate it.
§ 10. Princes having the Power of Legiſlation even about the undetermined circumſtances of Religion, as well as things ſecular, and alſo to enforce Obedience to God's Laws, all Subjects are bound to obey them herein; yea tho' they ſo far miſtake as to chuſe the circumſtances that might have been better choſen, if they command not ſin: For who doth any thing ſo well but it might have been done better? For inſtance, ſhould they chuſe a tolerable, but leſs perfect Verſion and Meeter of Pſalms, or Tranſlation of Scripture, or form of Publick Worſhip, or Time, Place, Utenſils, Miniſters, &c. Concord in thoſe otherwiſe not the beſt, may be better and a greater duty, than for better to be ſingular, diſobedient and dividers, or the encouragers of other mens ſingularity and diviſions.
§ 11. If there were no Law or Mandate of the Prince for ſuch concord as aforeſaid; yet becauſe a National Church ſhould have the comfort, beauty and ſtrength of as much concord as can be attained without greater hurt than it will compenſate; all the Members of it ought to ſtudy the maintenance of ſuch unity, concord and harmony; and if the Paſtors and Churches agree on any ſuch lawful circumſtances, to comply and conform to ſuch agreement; and to ſhun affected cauſleſs ſingularity. In ſuch caſes Auguſtine rightly reſolved to do as the Church did where he came: It being a diſturbing diſcord, for one man to be odd againſt a lawful Cuſtom without cauſe. As for inſtance, if one would affect to be covered with his Hat at Prayer or Pſalmody when the reſt are uncovered; or to uſe a geſture contrary to all the reſt. Conformity in things lawful, beſeemeth them that profeſs themſelves Members of ſuch National Churches as conſiſt of United Confederate Congregations.
§ 12. But if on pretence of Concord or Confederacy, yea or Laws, any would tyrannically impoſe ſinful things, or elſe make things lawful ſo much more neceſſary than in themſelves they are, as to become the neceſſary Conditions of Union or Communion, excommunicating, perſecuting, or unchurching all that differ from them, and appropriating National Church Memberſhip only to thoſe that obey ſuch enſnaring Canons or Agreements; It is not lawful to own or countenance ſuch Uſurpation and Tyranny, nor to deny thoſe that they deny or condemn, to be true parts of the National Church: It being only Concord in things eſſential that is neceſſary to the Eſſence, and Concord in parts integral that is neceſſary to Integrity, and Concord in convenient Accidents that is neceſſary to the accidental Comelineſs of the Church. And contrarily, Concord againſt Eſſentials nullifieth a Church, and Diſcord againſt Eſſentials nullifieth a Member; and want of Integrals rendereth it maimed; and want of due Accidents uncomely; and ill Accidents (in Concord or Diſcord,) partly ſcabbed and leſs beautiful.
§ 13. I earneſtly entreat therefore all ſober Chriſtians to take heed leſt the ſecret deſire of ſeeming more pious or tender conſcienced than other godly people, and of getting applauſe for ſuch tenderneſs, and of being reputed ſtricter than others, ſhould tempt them into opinions or practices of unneceſſary diſtance, ſingularity and diviſion. Pride is a deep rooted ſin in Nature; and it maketh our reputation with the ſtricter people, oft to become a ſelfiſh Intereſt, as ſtrong as riches and wordly preferments are with the looſer ſort of men: And it maketh it to ſuch as hard to undergo the ſharp cenſures of the cenſorious, and to bear the imputation of want of Piety and Conſcience, as to undergo impriſonment and want. And hereby, young ignorant Apprentice Lads and Women, being uſually the moſt cenſorious, ſuch become the real Governours of their Paſtors, and of the Church; eſpecially if Perſecution alſo caſt them for a livelihood on the Peoples Charity: And ſo it ſeemeth to make it the Controverſie, whether the Churches and Paſtors ſhould be governed by Biſhops, or by cenſorious Women and Boys. Satan hath more Baits to angle with than one; and more than one way of deceiving. Thoſe that are above the ſordid bait of riches or preferment, or great mens favour, may yet be overcome by the over-valuing the love and praiſe of a Sect, or of miſtaken religious perſons; eſpecially in a time when the Clergy is grown infamous and contemptible by ignorance, worldlineſs, or malignity, and it is become a diſgrace to be numbred with them.
§ 14. But Satan hath taught no ſmall part of our Academick Students and our Clergy, a way to fruſtrate all that I have ſaid, by accuſations againſt my ſelf, as if it were ſufficient to turn all into ſcorn, if they could charge any ſin on my perſon, or by impudent falſhoods either feign me to contradict my ſelf, or if they do the work of the Father of Lies by his proper act and imitation. On one ſide I am daily reviled by the Separatiſts and Antinomians, as over-conformable. On the other ſide I am reviled for Non-conformity, and told, that my practice is contrary to all that I write and preach for Peace: And it is anſwer enough for them to calumniate, and ſay that I condemn my ſelf, as if this did juſtifie, both extreams in their impenitent perſevering in enmity to Peace.
§ 15. To Mr. Long therefore, and ſuch other Calumniators, who inſtead of a rational Confutation of my Arguments, anſwer by accuſing me as of a contradicting unpeaceable life. I ſay,
1. One would think with men that have any pretence to reaſon, honeſty or honour, it ſhould be eaſie to know that when the Controverſie is, about Church-Government, Oaths, Subſcriptions, Miniſtration, what I am is nothing to the Queſtion in hand. If they take me for as errant a Knave or Rogue as Judge Jeffreys or Mr. Long have pronounced me, what's this to the common Cauſe of Truth and Peace?
2. If my forty five years labour for Peace, my forbearing theſe thirty years to gather any Church, my Communion with my Pariſh-Church in Liturgy and Sacrament (kneeling at the Altar) all my Writings againſt Schiſm and Separation, and for the reconciling of Word-warriours, my quiet ſubmiſſion to their oft impriſoning me, and ſeizing on, and ſelling all my goods, Bed and Books, as for Preaching when I was twenty miles off, and for ſuch occaſional Sermons as the Lord Chief Juſtice Sanders, and the new Lord Chief Juſtice Polixfen gave not under their hands that I was authorized to Preach, by the Biſhops Licenſe not revoked nor forfeit, and all this by Sir James Smith, and Sir James Butlers Warrants, who neither of them ever told me who accuſed me, nor ever called me to ſpeak for my ſelf; If the like Warrant before by Sir Thomas Davis; If my Impriſonment before by Juſtice Roſſe and Philips; If my being toſt from Seſſion to Seſſion, and bound in ſix hundred pound to the behaviour by Juſtices that openly declared they had nothing againſt me, but took me for innocent; If my Baniſhment out of the County, and five miles from all Corporations; If my attendance at Judge Jeffreys Bar in daily pain, to hear my ſelf reviled, being forbidden to ſpeak a word for my ſelf, and the Lawyers reviled and threatned that ſpake for me; If my Confinement in the Kings Bench Priſon for near two years, and a great deal more ſuch uſage, after they had in 1661. offered me a Biſhoprick, and ſworn me to be the King's Chaplain in Ordinary: And after Biſhop Morley had ſilenced me, and publiſhed a Letter of palpable falſhoods againſt me, which I anſwered, and for peace laid it by theſe 28 years; I ſay, if all this prove me unpeaceable, and them peaceable; and if my Conceſſions in my Engliſh Non-Conformity do the ſame in the Judgment of theſe Accuſers, The Lord be Judge.