The Best Wisdom Propounded, Sermon

The Best Wisdom Propounded · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON Preached at IPSVVICH Upon occaſion of choſing KNIGHTS of the SHIRE for SUFFOLK:

Jam. 3.17.

But the wiſdome that is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable.

THe Text ſpeaks of a thing that is much ſpoken of in the world; I would it were as well known, and as much poſſeſſed, and that's right Wiſdome. The Cynick Philoſopher walked the Market-place at noonday, with a Candle in his hand, and all to ſeek a p. 2wiſe man; wiſe men were ſcarce in the judgment of Philoſophers, who by the rules of Chriſtian wiſdome, were far enough from being truly wiſe: Tertullian terms them, alicujus ſapientiae animalia, a ſort of animals wiſe in their kind, and whilſt they profeſſed themſelves wiſe (ſaith St. Paul,) they became fools, Rom. 1.22.

Our Apoſtle James in the 13th verſe of this 3d Chapt. he makes a ſearch for a wiſe man, with another manner of Candle in his hand, and that among Chriſtians, in a time of bright Goſpel day-light: Who is a wiſe man, and endowed with knowledg among you? let him ſhew out of a good converſation his works with meekneſs of wiſdome. Now becauſe true wiſdome was ſo ſcarce, and its counterfeit ſo common, and conſequently ſo hard to convince a man that wants wiſdome, that he is unwiſe; the Apoſtle is forced to diſtinguiſh between wiſedome, and wiſdome; wiſdome that is not, and wiſdome that is from above; the wiſdome that is not from above is earthly, ſenſual, and devilliſh, verſe 15th. good for nothing, but to breed envy, ſtrife, confuſion, and every evil work, as is intimated, verſe 16, Oh! how many wiſe men would there be in the world, were it not for a But in the 17th verſe, concerning another kind of wiſdome, But the wiſdome that is from above is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eaſily to be intreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocriſie.

The whole verſe you ſee is a diſcription of true wiſdome, by an enumeration of its properties; I muſt p. 3ſtop at the two firſt, firſt pure, then peaceable, foreign, wiſedome from above, that is the thing deſcribed. There is a wild wiſdome, as common as the high-way, it growes in the hedg-rows of the world; but this is only to be found in the Garden of the Lord, and it is flos inverſus, a flower of admirable fragrancy, that hath its root in heaven, it is from above.

But what is meant by wiſdome from above? 'tis not needful that I uſe many words about it; the ſtrict definition of wiſdome, as diſtinct from prudence, giuen by Philoſophers, and School-men in their Ethical diſcourſes, it don't much concern my Text, nor ſhall I trouble you with it; and for the various acceptations of wiſdome in the Book of God, it might be worth your time to hear them, had I liberty of time to ſpeak them. In this place 'tis evident enough, that we are not to conceive of wiſdome, as diſtinct from prudence, but as including, yea, mainly intending it. I may term it, A Gift of God that inables men to a right judgment, and dictates to them ſuch action as is according to the revealed Will of God: God's revealed Will, or the Scripture, which our Saviour in one of his Quotations calls by the name of Wiſdome. (Luke 11.49. Therefore ſaid the Wiſdome of God, that is the Scripture;) this may be tearmed, ſapientia docens teaching wiſdom; but then there is the gift or grace of wiſdome that rules the judgments, and actions of men, according to the rule of the word, this may be tearmed ſapientia utens, uſing or practiſing wiſdome. Now this wiſdome from p. 4above, 'tis firſt pure, then peaceable; foreign, pure, peaceable; there is the properties of wiſdome in the matter of them: foreign, firſt then; there is the order of them; 'tis pure, 'tis peaceble, 'tis firſt pure, then peaceable.

Wiſdome from above is pure; the only account I ſhall give of this, ſhall be by ſome inſtances of rules, and principles tending to purity, which are the dictates of wiſdome from above, contrary to the rules, and principles of carnal wiſdome.

The firſt ſhall be this, Divine inſti…ution is the only pure rule of religious worſhip; what God commands not in matter of worſhip, he forbids; and conſequently, all uncommanded worſhip is impure worſhip, and the wiſdome that dictates it impure wiſdome. As the firſt Commandment concerns the right object of worſhip, ſo, the ſecond, the right manner of it; which according to known and received rules for underſtanding the Commandments, condemns all manner of corrupt worſhip, under the expreſs mention of one more notorious kind of it, namely the worſhiping of God before an Idol. The Commandment begins thus, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelf. So much as there is in God's worſhip of mans device, and making, ſo much there is of impurity in it; and as there is no Commandment, that the appearing wiſdome of man is more prone to make bold with than this; ſo the God of Heaven hath taken care to fence it accordingly againſt abuſe: Here it is that the Lord repreſents himſelf a jealous God, jealouſie ſaith Solomon, is the rage of a man, what is jealouſie p. 5then in God? and jealouſie you know will not only be ſtirr'd by groſs uncleanneſs, but by wanton dalliances. And becauſe the wiſdome of man is ſo apt to judge its own contrivances in God's worſhip a fruit of love to him, the Lord names it a a hating of him. As much as you make of your right eyes, none of you can be ſo tender of them, as God is of his own preſcriptions in his worſhip.

Whilſt the Lord in the childhood of his Church, preſcribed a numerous multitude of Ceremonies, for this reaſon among others (as is thought by Divines) that they might be the leſs under temptation to uſe their own deviſings; during this ſtate of the Church, they that liſt may eaſily obſerve how ſeverely the Lord held his people to his own preſcriptions. Were there then any meer poſitive inſt…tutions mingled in God's worſhip, with Gods approbation, unleſs ſuch as had divine authority for them, either by an expreſs word, or clear conſequence from it, or extraordinary inſpiration, of extraordinary perſons? If once I be convinced that there were, I ſhall be ready to acknowledg my preſent miſtake; but ſure enough, had a Prieſt under the law deviſed ſo much as one religious veſtment more than God preſcribed, he would have had little thank for it. 'Tis very obſervable in ſome Chapters of the Moſaical law, that where you have a punctual narration of God's preſcriptions in one part of the Chapter, you ſhall have a rehearſal in the other part of the Chapter, of all over again as practiſed by Moſes and Aaron. Hereby the Lord ſhews how ſtrictly he ſtands upon his Sacred Authority, p. 6in preſcribing the manner of his own worſhip: and this I humbly conceive is the inſtruction that the Lord would have us learn from it. Moſes his rule was the pattern he ſaw in the Mount, and not the mould of his own brain.

And if the diſtinction of the ſubſtantials of worſhip, and ceremonious additions to it, would ſalve the matter; Nadab and Abihu might have come off better with their ſtrange fire, and the Scribes and Phariſees would not have deſerved ſo much rebuke, for their religious waſhing before meat. The ſin of Nadab and Abihu was not that they offered incenſe to a ſtrange God, nor did they preſume ſo far as to offer ſtrange incenſe to the true God, or the right incenſe upon a ſtrange Altar; they only offered ſtrange fire before the Lord, ſuch fire, ſaith the Text, As the Lord commanded them not, Levit. 10. verſe 1. when the Lord gave them fire from Heaven, he did not in ſo many words forbid the uſe of any other fire, that was to be underſtood by his not commanding it; nor do we find that they made uſe of other fire more than once, or that they intended a common trade of it, and wholly to diſuſe that which came from Heaven; but ſtrange fire at a time they uſed, and behold the event of it, verſe 2. There went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them: and what account doth Moſes give of this verſe 3. This is that the Lord ſpake; I will be ſanctified in them that come nigh me, as much as to ſay, he will have his authority acknowledged in what he preſcribes in his worſhip. And as for religious waſhing before meat, ſome would have thought p. 7that the practiſe of ſuch a Ceremony upon the account of humane tradition, might have been overlooked in an age, when ſo many legal waſhings and cleanſings were in uſe by God's appointment; but this would not excuſe it, when the Scribes and Phariſees came to our Saviour, Mat. 15. at the beginning, with this cauil, Why do thy Diſciples tranſgreſs the tradition of the Elders, in not waſhing their hands when they eat bread. Our Saviours reply was, verſe 3. Why do you trnſgreſs the Commandment of God by your tradition? If any think that theſe words of Chriſt have reſpect only to what follows concerning the conſecrated gift, by which they violated the fifth Commandment, I muſt crave leave to diſſent from them. If the third verſe be not a reply to the ſecond, then is there no anſwer at all made to it; and beſides what appears plainly in the ſurface of the words, the ſecond and third verſes compared together; let me ask, did Chriſt approve that religious waſhing of hands, or not; if he approved it, why did not his Diſciples practiſe it? or why did he not excuſe their omiſſion of it? or if they practiſed it, why did he not doe them right, when they were accuſed for not doing it? It is evident enough that whilſt they objected againſt Chriſts Diſciples their tradition; Chriſt taxeth them for tranſgreſſing the Commandments of God by following that tradition. But what Commandment will ſome ſay was it, that was hereby tranſgreſſed? It is moſt certain, what ever ſin is committed, there is a breach made upon ſome Commandment of the moral law: now the religious waſhing before meat, p. 8uſed by the Scribes and Phariſees; and the ſtrange fire of Nadab, and Abihu, I can apprehend them no otherwiſe, than as tranſgreſſions of the ſecond Commandment, where the Lord hath ſaid, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelf. If any think I ſtretch the ſenſe of the Commandment further then God intended it, let them but conſider, that our Lord Jeſus in his Sermon upon the Mount, makes the leaſt degree of anger, without juſt cauſe, a breach of the ſixth Commandment, Thou ſhalt not do no murther; and a wanton glance of the eye, a breach of the ſeventh, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery: now why a meere inſtitution in the worſhip of God, may not be looked upon as a breach of the ſecond, as well an angry thought, a breach of the ſixth, or a wanton look, of the ſeventh Commandment, I ſee no reaſon. Therefore if any ſhall ſay, that God have left the Chriſtian Church to a greater liberty in preſcribing to its ſelf, as to the manner of God's worſhip, then he did the Jewiſh Church; I ſhall not be induced to their opinion, unleſs they can produce a Divine Authority for ſuch a grant of liberty, or make it appear that the ſecond Commandment is of leſs force now than formerly, and antiquated as to ſome of its morality.

Bellarmine in his diſpute about Ceremonies, hath ſuch words as theſe, Omnes noſtrae Ceremoniae indicantur à Deo in genere, God hath given a general grant for all our Ceremonies; and how doth he prove it? firſt ſaith he, the Church is to ſee. that all things be done decently, and in order: Secondly, p. 92. We are commanded to obey them that are ſet over us. How zealouſly have I heard ſome urge theſe Scriptures for Ceremonies of humane device in the Worſhip of God? I would they would conſider, that in this matter they ſerve Bellarmine's turn, as well as theirs: and if we will take up theſe Scriptures at ſuch a randome of ſenſe, whither is it almoſt that they may not lead us? If any think I ſpeak this as a deſpiſer of Church-governmet, they do me wrong; I could wiſh for an hours time, to lament the want of it: with all reverence I acknowledg the Authority of the Church, as far as may be without prejudice to Chriſt's Authority. There are circumſtances neceſſary converſant about worſhip, as natural or civil means, and helps to it: many ſuch circumſtances concerning time, place, behaviour and the like, muſt be attended to, and are of a nature farr different from meer inſtituted ceremonies: Now the inſtitutions of Chriſt that concern his Worſhip and Ordinances, are many and weighty; and when the Church provides that Chriſt's inſtitutions be obſerved decently, and orderly with due reſpects to due circumſtances, this to be ſure is a due exerciſe of Church-authority: aye, and a great work to ſee this well done; but that the Church hath power to contrive a decency of worſhip, by mingling with it Religious Rites, that Chriſt never inſtituted; here I muſt confeſs my ſelf unſatisfied. Salmeron the Jeſuite grants, that every rite or ceremony, uſed as religious in God's Worſhip, muſt have a divine authority for it, or it is unlawfull; but withall affirms p. 10that the ceremonies of their Church, are of divine authority, being appointed by the authority of the Holy Ghoſt in the Church. Concerning the latter aſſertion, all Proteſtants will fall out with the Jeſuite: let us be but as honeſt as the Jeſuite in the former, and I hope we are all agreed in the matter of God's Worſhip. And truly it cannot enter my thoughts that any Church, or Church-members will fare ever the worſe at laſt, for keeping cloſe to their Bibles in the Worſhip of God. That ſort of perſons that formerly were called non-conformiſts, ſuch as had due loyalty to their Prince, reſpect to Superiours, and withall kept clear of ſeperation; they are a ſort of perſons I ſhall for ever reverence: and poſſibly their cauſe, will be found as good as theirs, who moſt deſpiſe them, when cauſes ſhall be tryed in that Court where the Word of God ſhall be the rule of Judgment. I have done with this, though I am ſenſible I have been too ſhort upon it, it being a matter ſo much in controverſy; yet I wiſh I could have been ſhorter, as I muſt be upon the reſt.

2. In the ſecond place, take this as another dictate of wiſdome from above, in order to purity. The pure rule of Gods revealed Will, is as much violated by ſubſtraction in matter of worſhip as by addition, & as much by impure Doctrine, as by impure Worſhip. Deutr. 4.2. The Spirit of God doth not ſay, rather of the two, ſubſtract, then add; no, but ye ſhall not add to the Word which I Command you, neither ſhall ye diminiſh from it. And as inclinations to falſe worſhip p. 11is called a ſpirit of Whordom; ſo the Apoſtle bid the Corinthians to beware of falſe Doctrine; That he might preſent them to Chriſt, as a chaſte Virgine. 2 Cor. 11. at the beginning. Now look upon the carriage of many perſons, you ſhall find them very angry with the Papiſts for their ſeven Sacraments, and in the mean time, they are for none at all. Some cannot endure one that uſeth the croſs in Baptiſme, but can very contentedly bear another that uſeth no Baptiſme. Singing of Service how will they cry out of it? But the not ſinging of Pſalmes, thats ſo farr from being a fault, that 'tis rather a piece of Religion with them. Should they hear one plead for Preaching in a Surplice, they would think him little better then a heathen, and can have no reſerve of charity for him: But let an other cry down all publick Preaching and Miniſtry; yea poſſibly if into the bargaine, he denieth the Deity and Satisfaction of Chriſt; yet they think it fit he ſhould have favour, and be countenanced with Toleration.

Now with ſuch men as theſe, 'tis worſe to pin a bauble upon the ſleeve of Religion, then to cut off an arm of it; yea it may be then to chop off the head of it. Where is the wiſdom of theſe Men? Have they any from above? If they have, let them labour to awaken it, and to uſe it better.

3. The pureſt Worſhip and pureſt Doctrin, are of no availe to impure Worſhippers and impure Practiſers; that's an other dictate of wiſdom from above, as pure.

To them that are defiled, (Saith the Appoſtle) is nothing pure. 1 Tit. 15. Gods pure inſtitutions, in Iſaiah, p. 12by means of impure worſhipers, were reckoned upon as vain oblations, as ſwines bloud, as the cutting off a dogs head. There are many ſouls now in Hell amongſt unclean Devils, that went thither, from under pure ordinances. Nor is it meer outward purity that will ſalve the buiſineſs. Jam. 4.8. the Apoſtle telling what muſt be done in order to drawing nigh to God; Cleanſe your hands ye ſinners, (ſaith he) that muſt be done; but that's not all, Purifie your hearts ye double-minded; that muſt not be forgotten. Meer Formalities, and outſide ſanctities come to no more, then if men ſhould ſay in complement, doth God call for worſhip; wee'l waſh our hands and waite uppon it: but let us not think that God will be ſo put off.

Nor will pure doctrine avail any thing, to an impure Practiſer. No real benefit by the Myſtery of Faith, unleſs it be kept in a pure Conſcience. Some are of this humour, that if they conceit that their practiſe be good, they don't much regard what their Opinions be. Others againe, if they apprehend that they are Orthodox in judgment, they think themſelve good Chriſtians whatever their lives be. But wiſdome from above will teach us, that a Heterodox converſation will carry an Orthodox judgment to hell. Judas was once an Orthodox preacher, and we don't find that ever he turn'd heretick. If ye know theſe things, ſaith Chriſt, what then, are ye happy? Yes, if ye do them, but not upon other termes. John 13.17.

p. 134. Pure Religion, in its fulleſt latitude, and ſtricteſt ſeverities, is to be taken up and embraced, and that for Religions ſake. This is an other dictate of wiſdome from above, in order to purity. Such wiſdome taught David, to have reſpect to all Gods Commandments, Pſal. 119.6. And St. James to ſay, he that offends in one point. i. e. that lives in the wilful breach and neglect of any one Commandment, he is guilty of all, James 2.10.

One part of Gods Law cometh from above, as well as another, and it would be ſtrange if wiſdome from above ſhould not embrace all; when Religion ends with the firſt table, or begins with the ſecond, that man is a fool in his Religion. When God delivered the Tables of the Law to Moſes, did he put one Table into one hand, and the other into an other hand, and bid him carry them unto the people, that they might take their choiſe which of them they would keep? No ſuch thing, I am ſure. Is Chriſt divided, ſaith the Apoſtle? And is the Law of God divided, may I ſay? The woman that was for the dividing the child, was not the true mother of it. And they that are for a mangled, divided Law, 'tis a ſign they never had any thing of Gods Law in their hearts. Oh! how happy were it, if the bluſtring zeal of this age, for the tenent of univerſal redemption, were turn'd into a Godly zeal for the practiſe of univerſal holineſs.

I ſay a godly zeal; for it tis not a complemental correſpondency with all the parts of Religion that will ſerve the turn; wiſdome for above aimeth at the p. 14ſtricteſt ſeverities of it: what is it to walk as wiſe, and not as fools, but to walk circumſpectly, Epheſ. 5.15. The life of a Chriſtian ſhould not be as a ſentence in looſe Proſe, where whole words may be left out, and yet the ſentence current; but as a verſe that's ſpoiled by the …tting off a Syllable, or the change of a word of different quantity: Walk circumſpectly, the Greek word is, foreign accurately: There are enough, with whoſe curious ears nothing will reliſh but very acurate preaching; but how few are there ſo wiſe, as to be for acurate walking: They can dub themſelves good Chriſtians, and good Proteſtants, but what are they by themſelves in their retirements? what are they in their families, upon Lords dayes, and other dayes? How do they behave themſelves, when they come amongſt perſons of prophane and looſe carriage? To walk acurately in theſe and other reſpects, ſome will account it the proper mark of an Hypocrite; but I muſt tell them, 'tis rather the mark of an Atheiſt to think ſo. I Too many I am afraid, whilſt they think it below a man to be as bad as the worſt, think likewiſe, that 'tis beneath a Gentleman to be as good as the beſt: They may think into the bargain, that 'tis beneath ſuch Gentlemen to go to Heaven.

And what Wiſdom from above takes up in Religion, it takes it up for Religions ſake. Pſal. 119.55,56. I have remembred thy name, O Lord, and kept thy law: this I had becauſe I kept thy precepts. As if the Pſalmiſt had ſaid, I have kept thy precepts, and I loſt nothing by it, but was well rewarded for my p. 15pains, for by keeping them I have learned to keep them better. There are too many that take up Religion, as an engine of policy, as a block to take horſe at, as a ſtep to preferment, and accordingly they ſhape it by the mould of the times they live in, and will change the faſhion of it as the times change. Believe it, there will be a round reckoning for ſuch an abuſe of Religion. Jezabel might have murther'd Naboth at a cheaper rate, had ſhe done it without a faſt. Do the Scribes and Phariſees, whilſt they devour Widows houſes, make long prayer for a pretence? What do they get by ſuch Prayer? they ſhall therefore receive the greater damnation, Mat. 23.14. You may take this for a truth, to make uſe of Religion in policy, for worldly advantage ſake, is the way to be damned with a vengeance for religions ſake. And this uſhers in.

5. A fifth Dictate of Wiſdome from above as pure. Godly ſincerity, and plain-hearted integrity is the beſt policy, Our rejoycing is this (ſaith the Apoſtle) the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity, and Godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world. 2 Corinth. 1.12. He that walketh uprightly, walketh ſurely, Prov. 10.9. As for Machiavils rules, corcerning the crafty mannagement of conſcience, they that will not be perſwaded, but that his wiſdome is better then Pauls, and Solomons, may make tryal of it if they pleaſe, till they ſee what is to be gotten by it. As for wretched, carnal, treacherous policy, were there no other wiſdome, I ſhould think it a real mercy p. 16to be a born-fool. I may ſpeak the leſs of this, becauſe God hath done ſo much of late years for the illuſtration and proof of it. Such a Politician was certainly a fool twenty years ago; but he that drives that trade now, hee's a mad man as well as a foole.

That meer worldly policy is good for nothing but to teach men to be necis ſuae artifices, to catch themſelves in traps of their own making, and to ruine themſelves artificially, there's nothing more evident; we have as much reaſon to believe it, as if God had ſpoken it by an audible voice from Heaven. David was a King, and Kings muſt have their lifeguards; what was it that David choſe for his main guard? it was integrity and uprightneſs, Let integrity and uprightneſs preſerve me, Pſal. 25.21. We are now in hope of a Parliament; what violent uſages our Parliaments have met with, I need not tell you. The Lord ſend us a Parliament of ſo much wiſdome from above, as to ſay with David, let integrity and uprightneſs preſerve us. This ſhall ſuffice concerning the firſt property of wiſdome, 'tis pure. I paſs to the ſecond, Wiſdome from above, 'tis peaceable. Good men are ſometimes called by our Saviour, Children of Wiſdome, and ſometimes Sons of Peace: put both together, and they come to thus much, Wiſdomes children are Sons of Peace.

In handling this, I ſhall take the ſame courſe I did in the former, propounding ſeveral dictates of Wiſdome from above in order to Peace.

p. 171. The firſt ſhall be this; A bad man may be a lawfull Magiſtrate. That principle Dominium fundatur in gratia, Dominion is founded in grace; 'tis well known whoſe it is, and what havock the Holineſſes of Rome have made in the World by means of it. When Bellarmine, and others of the ſame fraternity cry out of Lutheran Doctrine, as that that ſpoiles Princes of their juſt Authority, and releaſeth ſubjects from due allegiance: they make me thinke of him, that when he had robbed a houſe, made an eſcape by crying out with the loudeſt, ſtop the Thief, ſtop the Thief. If any amongſt us fancy it a Proteſtant doctrine, that dominion is founded in grace; they betray their ignorance of the controverſial writings, that have been between Papiſts and Proteſtants, ever ſince the Reformation. The more is the pity, that ſo many have taken it up of late, whilſt they condemn almoſt all the world beſides themſelves, as Antichriſtian. My Bretheren, I am not unſenſible what a bleſſing it is to a people to have over them a godly Magiſtracy: this we are to pray for, and in our places to endeavour, ſo farr as our lawful priviledglyeth in liberty of chuſing, duty to God, and to our Country, to our wives and children, and to our ſelves; oblidge us to chuſe amongſt men duely fitted for Government, as good men as we can. But now to hold that no perſon can have a civil right to rule and government, unleſs he be a godly Perſon, 'tis a principle (notwithſtanding the plauſible ſound of it) hot enough to ſet all the world on fire. If this be received as a truth, that Saints as ſuch, and p. 18only ſuch, have right to rule over others; it muſt needs follow, that all that think themſelves to be Saints, will think withall, that the right is theirs; and conſequently ſo many ſects and factions as there be in the world, ſo many claimes will be laid to Dominion.

And ſhould it come to this, what can reaſonably be expected, but confuſed Maſſacres, and ſpilling of bloud? Should any get a ſuperioritie by the help of this principle, if they mean to be quiet in their dominion, they had need make a law to forbid others to be of their judgment, in that particular; unles they'l promiſe to be of their humor in every thing elſe.

But Wiſdom from above, as appears by the rule of it, provides better for the peace of the world. Throughout the old Teſtament, whileſt you meet with too great a ſtore of ungodly. Kings and Governers, you find not one inſtance, where Subjects were freed from allegiance upon that ſcore. The contrary is apparent enough: what had become of Saul, when he paſſed by David in the cave, had David been infected with ſuch a principle, that a bad man can not be a lawfufull Magiſtrate. Pſal. 82.1. God judgeth amongſt the Gods. The Gods, that is, the Magiſtrates. Some would take it for granted, that theſe were good men that were thus called: Marke what follows; immediatly, v. 2. How long will ye judge unjuſtly, and accept the Perſons of the wicked? In the new Teſtament, let it be minded, what ſevere charges the Apoſtles laid upon Chriſtians for ſubjection, and obedience p. 19to civil Magiſtrates; and withall, let it be conſidered, what manner of Magiſtrates were then in the world. 1 Tim. 2. at the beginning, the Apoſtle exhorts, that Prayers be made for Kings, and ſuch as be in Authority, &c. Suppoſe Kings and Governers be bad, as generally they were, when the Apoſtle wrote that Epiſtle; yet his advice to Chriſtians, is not to take advantage to chop off their Heads, or baniſh them their Dominions: No, but to pray that God would make them better. 'Tis true, the unlawfull and ſinfull commands of the moſt lawfull Magiſtrate muſt not be done; but then lawfull Governors, muſt be acknowledged by ſubmiſſion to ſuffering. Otherwiſe what thinke we of Martyrdome? 2. What thinke we of ſome of the primitive Chriſtians, as Mauritius a noble Captaine, who together with a great band of Chriſtian Souldiers upon the account of Chriſtianity, were put to death by the command of the Emperor, and ſuffered it without reſiſtance? According to the principle of ſome in our times, theſe were not ſo much Martyrs, as fools and cowards.

2. Another Dictate from above, in order to peace is this: Civil Magiſtracy is Gods ordinance and appointment, for the Vindication and Guardianſhip of both tables of his Law. A full diſcuſſion of this, with the ſeveral caſes that concerne it, would be a long work, and that muſt not be at this time. Inſtances concerning Magiſtrates in their dealings about Religion for the ſafegard and vindication of it, we have them in the old Teſtament ſo clear and plentifull, p. 20that I may the more freely gain a little time by not naming them. If any object, that Magiſtrates then were types of Chriſt in ſuch actions, I ſee no reaſon, why they ſhould be look't upon as types of Chriſt in matters of Religion, belonging to the firſt Table, more then in matters of Juſtice belonging to the ſecond Table. And when the Jewiſh nation had Governors over them, which imployed their Authority for the furtherance of Religion, and laid reſtraint upon the promoters of falſe Worſhip, and falſe Doctrine; was it their priviledg and happineſs, or was it otherwiſe? If it be clear that it was their great priviledg, by what logick ſhall we conclude it a priviledge of goſpel times, to be freed from ſuch an exerciſe of Authority?

Now for the new Teſtament it muſt be granted, that it affordeth no inſtances of any Magiſtrates that uſed their authority in the behalf of Chriſtian Religion: and no wonder, for where were there any Chriſtian Magiſtrates in the world, before the writings of the new Teſtament were finiſhed? But what ſaith the Apoſtle? 1 Tim. 2.1,2. Let prayers be made for Kings and all that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet, and peaceable life, in all godlineſs and honeſty. Godlineſs concerns the firſt Table, Honeſty the ſecond. They are both mentioned heer with reſpect had to the office of the civil Magiſtrate. 'Tis true, may ſome ſay, if any will be godly, the Magiſtrate is to provide that they may live peaceably and quietly. But is this all that concerns the Magiſtrate, in reſpect had to godlineſs? If any be of that p. 21mind, I would have ſuch conſider, that godlineſs and honeſty are here coupled together in reference to the Magiſtrate. And ſure enough, 'tis not barely the Magiſtrates duty to provide that men may live quietly, if they will be honeſt; but likewiſe to make lawes about it, and to ſee to the execution of them; why then is he not to do the like about godlineſs, which is the concernment of the firſt Table? And that which comes yet cloſer to my purpoſe; this care of the Magiſtrate about godlineſs and honeſty, is the means by which a People may come to live peaceably and quietly.

The Grand Scripture that is inſiſted on, for binding up the Authority of the Civil Magiſtrate from laying reſtraint upon Hereticks, is the parable of the Tares mingled with the good Seed, Mat. 13. from the 24. to the 30th verſe. As far as I can apprehend, the Patrons of unbounded. Toleration are quite beſide our Saviours purpoſe in the parable, which was to quiet the hearts of real Chriſtians in the providence of God, laying out their lot and portion in this world amidſt ungodly men: This may give them occaſion of much exerciſe and trouble, but they muſt be content with it. And ſhould any in a froward diſcontent at this carriage of divine providence, begin to meditate the extirpation of the wicked of the World, that ſo the Saints may have it to themſelves in poſſeſſion, and be the only Lords of it, the ſcope of the whole parable will lye full in their way, and particularly the admonition of the 30th. verſe. Let both grow together until the Harveſt; The reaſon of p. 22which we have in the verſe before, leaſt whilſt ye gather up the Tares, ye root up alſo the Wheat with them. A reaſon that hath a world of reaſon in it: for ſhould men of ſuch ſpirits and principles as the Germane Anabaptiſts were of, whom Luther tearmed, veſanes ſanctos, the mad Saints; ſhould ſuch (I ſay) ever gain an opportunity for plucking up (as they pretend) the Tares, ſure enough 'twould be a woful day for moſt of the Wheat, that God hath in the World. But if the parable be pleaded, as an Argument againſt coercive power towards Hereticks, in laying juſt reſtraints upon them; I ſee no reaſon why the drunkards and the adulterers plea for liberty and exemption from the Magiſtrates Power, ſhould not upon the account of this parable be every whit as good. I pray, give Chriſt leave to expound his own parable, and he will tell you, that by the Tares he intends the children of the wicked one. v. 18. All things that offend, and do iniquity, v. 41. The Tares and Wheat in this parable are they that ſhall divide the whole World at the laſt day. The Tares are they that ſhall then be bound up in bundles and burnt. Now doth not this concern drunkards and adulterers as much as Hereticks? Unleſs then men will deny the power of the Magiſtrate in the concernment of the ſecond Table (which is in effect, a beheading of the whole World, by renouncing all Magiſtracy) let them be aſhamed to urge this parable againſt his Authority, in the vindication of the firſt table.

I ſpeak not this as if I thought that Church-government were ſwallow'd up in the Civil Magiſtrate. I p. 23am not for a foreign. The Church of God by Gods appointment and ordinance hath its Government proper to it, diſtinct from Civil Government: And both of them have their work, though different work, about Religion. And if duly diſcharged, no great fear but peace will flouriſh. That any ſhould commend a full Toleration in Religion upon the account of peace and peacemaking; 'tis much ſuch a riddle to me as if one ſhould undertake to keep a houſe from burning by putting fire to it. I know unbounded Toleration, ſub nomine libertatis prophetandi under the goodly name of liberty of propheſie, hath been highly commended to the World, as a rare expedient for peace. This was done by the Remonſtrants, a ſort of men that created ſufficient trouble to the Church. But they that will read Learned Vedelius, de arcanis Arminianiſmi, will find how effectually he deals with Princes and Magiſtrates to convince them of the deſtructiveneſs of ſuch Toleration, to the Peace of Church and State whereever it obtains. Odia religionum ſunt acerbiſsima, 'twas ever a truth, and will be to the worlds end. No hatred to compare with ſuch as is founded in diverſities of Religion. What woful experience have we had of it, as the miſerable effect of our late Tolerations? We have learn't that not libertas prophetandi according to the Remonſtrants, but libertas perditionis according to St. Auſtin, is Latine for Toleration.

3. Another Dictate of Wiſdome from above in order to Peace is this. What may be left at liberty p. 24without apparent prejudice to purity, peace, and order, that ought to be ſo left for peace ſake. Rigorous impoſitions in theſe caſes are unreaſonable ſeverities; and if the forbearing of one another in love, required in the 4th. to the Epheſ. 2. v. may not take place here, I cannot apprehend to what purpoſe that precept is in our Bible. I have already intimated ſome circumſtances, neceſſary to be attended to as natural or civil helps to worſhip; and 'tis the duty of the Church, as to take care for the obſervation of Chriſts Ordinances, ſo to ſee this done with a due reſpect to due circumſtances. 'Tis not my intention now to unſay what I have ſaid, but to confirm and clear it. There are circumſtances, I ſay, about Gods Worſhip which are commanded in general by God himſelf, either in Scripture or Nature: but pro hìc & Nunc are left by him undetermined, and committed to humane determination.

I ſhall give an inſtance or two. And firſt for the circumſtance of time (where by the way, I do not at all intend the Lords day or Chriſtian Sabbath; that I take to be of another nature) but there are circumſtances of time, that are left to humane determination. Such as are in authority by Gods command, are to ſee that his publick worſhip be obſerv'd in due ſeaſon. But whether the publick Aſſemblies ſhall be, at eight, or nine, or ten of the Clock, &c. the determination of this is left to the Wiſdome of Authority. And neceſſary it is, that ſome time be determined: for if all be left at liberty, ſome to take one hour, others an other, what inevitable confuſion would follow upon p. 25this? Again; the Lord hath given a general rule for dayes of Humiliation and Thanksgiving, but for the determination of theſe ſervices, to this or that particular day, is left to the Wiſdome of Authority. So for the circumſtance of place, when God requires his publick worſhip, to be ſure, it muſt be in ſome place; now if particular places be not determined by man, what order can be expected in Gods Worſhip? But now, for ſuch circumſtances, as may be left at liberty without wrong to Gods Worſhip, and breach of order; I humbly conceive 'twill more then a little conduce to the peace of the Church, if they be ſo left.

As for religious Ceremonies, that depend meerly upon the arbitrary pleaſure, and inſtitution of man, theſe are matters of another nature. Let us for this preſent ſuppoſe them to be meer indifferencies, and thus much was acknowledged long ago, by the Church of England in the 34th. Article, which begins thus: It is not neceſſary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and changed according to the diverſity of Countries, Times, and mens Manners, &c. The ſame Article ends thus. Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and aboliſh ceremonies, or rites of the Church, ordained only by mans authority, ſo that all things be done to edifying. By this 'tis evident, that Ceremonies long ago were lookt upon by the Church of England, as meer indifferences that might be chang'd or aboliſhed without ſin. For governors then, that p. 26are thus perſwaded of them, to impoſe them with rigour upon ſuch as think in conſcience they are ſinful, it ſeems to me a harſhneſs of carriage, ill becoming the meekneſs of Wiſdome.

But what do you talk of conſcience, will ſome ſay? 'Tis an eaſie matter to cover a peeviſh refractory humour with a pretence of conſcience. Let them lookt too't (ſay I,) that incur ſuch a guilt. But for thoſe that are real; put caſe that they be miſtaken, and that Ceremonies are indifferent things, yet if they refuſe them whilſt in conſcience they think them ſinful, I cannot imagine but their plea will be much better at Chriſts tribunal, then their's who rigorouſly impoſe them, whilſt they think them indifferent. If it be pleaded upon ſuppoſition of the indifferency of Ceremonies in themſelves, that the injunctions of authority take away this indifferency, and make the omiſſion of them to become a ſin; according to this principle, there ſtill reſts a power in authority to aboliſh them; and withall, I hope I may ſay without preſumption, it concerns authority to be very cautelous how they make injunctions that may occaſion ſins, which would not be, were it not for thoſe injunctions; can any be offended with me for this, that conſidereth, how manifold the precepts and inſtitutions of Chriſt are? and how much the world groans under the weight of that guilt, that is contracted by not obſerving them?

And as for peace, I cannot imagine that ever the Church got ſo much by Ceremonies, as will pay for the peace it hath loſt by them: I muſt confeſs my p. 27ſelf hard to be perſwaded, that England would have had ſo much cauſe to complain of diviſion and ſeperation, that have rent and torn the Church into many pieces, had there not been ſo much ceremoniouſneſs in former times. Not, that I juſtifie ſeperation upon this account, as will appear by that that followeth.

4. In the fourth place I take this to be another Dictate of Wiſdome in order to Peace. Seperation is not to be made from a Church, upon any other ground, then that which makes a ſeperation between God and that Church. If any demand what that is, I anſwer, either the Apoſtaſie of a Church into groſs and right down Idolatry, or in point of Doctrine, into damnable Hereſie; either of theſe will cauſe a ſeperation of God from a Church, and much more both of them.

But by all that I can learn by my Bible, we can be aſſured of nothing elſe. I readily acknowledg, that the Lord may be highly offended with a Church for other miſcarriages. And a wanton dallying with him in matters of a lighter nature, may provoke him to give up a Church by degrees, 'till at laſt it falls into the dreggs of groſſeſt Apoſtaſie. As the City of Rome was not built, ſo the Church of Rome did not fall in a day. Let us hear and fear, and not do preſumptuouſly. But ſtill I know nothing that proves the Lords divorcing from, and utter forſaking of a Church, 'till it's Apoſtaſie come to ſuch a height, as I have already mentioned. Now for any perſon willingly to ſeperate, and refuſe Communion p. 28with a Church, ſo long as God vouchſafes Communion; how this can be juſtified, or how it will be anſwered, I know not?

The Lords words, Iſaiah 52.11. (which with a ſmall variation are cited by the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 6.17.) Come out from amongſt them, and be ye ſeperate, ſaith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. 'Tis not unknown, how much theſe words have been abuſed for the encouragement of of ſeperation from the publick Aſſemblies of the Church of England. I ſay, abuſed; for who is it, but ſuch as are forlornly void of all chriſtian charity, that dare ſay concerning the hundred years paſt, that the Aſſemb…ies of the Church of England have had nothing of the Lords gracious preſence with them? That Ordinances have been empty things, and the publick Miniſtry a meer ſound of words? He that affirms this, bears falſe witneſs againſt thouſands of glorifyed ſouls in Heaven, and gracious ſouls on Earth, who have found to their everlaſting comfort, the preſence of God in his Ordinances amongſt us. Now ſuppoſe there have been miſcarriages in the mannagement of Gods Worſhip, and Ordinances; yet if they be not ſuch as drive God away, I ſee no reaſon why they ſhould drive us away. And had the Lord ever intended (which cannot be imagined) to ſend any going, whilſt he affordeth his own preſence, Come from amongſt them, would have been improper language, in ſuch a caſe; It muſt have been, Go from among them, not, Come. As for touching no unclean thing, I grant it concerns us neerly in all times, and p. 29places; as much as to ſay, we muſt beware of ſin; and that not only by forbearing the acting of it, but likewiſe by taking heed, that we partake not of other mens ſins. But now let us put the caſe, that our lot be caſt in a Church, that hath its corruptions and miſcarriages too much remarkable, whilſt it holdeth to the ſubſtantials of true Doctrine and Worſhip: Do any think that in this caſe, a perſon cannot hold Communion with ſuch a Church without being acceſſary to its miſcarriages, and incurring the guilt of it's corruptions? I am clearly of another judgment. And am confirm'd in it by the practiſe of our Lord and Maſter, who was a Member of the Jewiſh Church, whilſt it was corrupt enough in Doctrine, Worſhip, and Converſation. 'Tis true, he was far from owning its corruptions; he lamented and reprov'd them, and labour'd a redreſs, but ſtill held Communion with it, as a member of it. And, I hope, none will ſay that in ſo doing he became acceſſary to the guilt of its corruptions.

And after his aſcention; when he was about to write by his Amanuenſis St. John, his Epiſtles to the ſeven Churches, he repreſents himſelf as walking amongſt the ſeven Candleſticks. Some of them were ſufficiently beſmear'd, but yet favour'd with Chriſts preſence, and acknowledg'd for golden Candle ſticks. He ſharply reproves ſome of them for what was amiſs, and ſeverely threatneth them, if there were no amendment: But all this while, not the leaſt blame laid upon any Member of thoſe Churches, for not withdrawing or ſuſpending their p. 30Communion. Revel. 3. We find that the Church of Sardis had dirt enough in it to defile the Garments of all its Members, except a very few. Thou haſt a few names even in Sardis which have not defil'd their Garment, v. 4. By this it appeareth, that theſe few were in actual Communion with that Church. Now, did their Communion, barely confider'd, render them acceſſory to the defilements of it? How then could our Saviour have truly ſaid of them, that they had not defiled their Garments?

The like we may obſerve in St. Paul his dealings with the Church of Corinth; what ſharp rebukes doth he give that Church for miſcarriages, and that very notorious both in the matter of Gods Ordinances, and in point of Converſation? 'Tis true, he would have every one lament what was amiſs, and in his place endeavour a reformation; but where doth he hint the leaſt encouragement to a ſeparation? doth he not on the contrary ſeverely reprove what ever tended to it? In a word, would any man take it well, to have a Plague-mark clapt upon his door, becauſe of ſome uncleanneſs in his Houſe? This is the uſage that Chriſt meets withall, when any ſeperate from a Church as Antichriſtian, upon any grounds ſhort of ſuch groſs Apoſtaſie, as I mentioned in the beginning of this head.

5. Fifthly, another dictate of wiſdome in order to Peace is this. The intereſts of parties and private concornments muſt give place to publick Intereſt, 2 Tim. 3. At the beginning, the Apoſtle in giving an account of the Perilous Times that were to come in the laſt p. 31dayes he begins with this, men ſhall be lovers of themſelves. An inordinate, ravenous ſelf-love, 'tis in the world an abomination making deſolate; it throws firebrands, arrowes, and death. Such lovers of themſelves, they muſt needs be covetous, they'l quickly appear without natural affection, truce breakers, falſe accuſers, fierce, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, and what not? what the Apoſtle ſaith of him that provides not for his Family, may it not fit that ſort of men, that raiſe their Families by the ruines of the publick? They have denyed the Faith, and are worſe then Infidels. And the World was ever too full of ſuch cruel, Hodmandods, that care not though they ſuck a Commonwealth to death, ſo they fill their own ſhells with juice. Well might one ſay, That next to their repentance and reformation, the beſt that one can wiſh concerning this gang of men, is, that God would give them little wit, and leſs authority. All that are Sons of Peace may ſay, Amen to it.

In the natural body, had every Member a diſtinct appetite, alwayes coveting and drawing greedily to it ſelf, what a ſtrange confuſion and tumult would there be in the body? It would be no wonder in ſuch a caſe, to ſee one foot ſpurning, or one hand chopping off another: but one common appetite craving for the whole body, that ſo every Member may have its due proportion, this is it that keeps the members of the body in peace. The Application of this to Politick bodies is eaſily made, I ſhall leave it to you to do it. The Apoſtle Paul exhorting to love p. 32and unity. Phil. 2.2. Fulfil my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one mind; and in the 3d. verſ, Let nothing be done through ſtrife, or vain-glory. Now as an effectual means to further this, mark what followeth in the fourth verſe: Look not every man on his own things, but every man alſo on the things of others. Were but this well digeſted in the Nation, its work were more then three quarters done, as to the eſtabliſhment of Peace. 'Tis baſe ſelf-intereſt, and party intereſt, that undoeth our Peace.

Where ſhall we meet a Moſes, who being largely proffered, if the Iſraelitiſh Nation were deſtroy'd, to become a great Nation himſelf, choſe rather to be nothing, then to be made a great Nation upon ſuch tearms? Exod. 32.10,11. Where ſhall we find a true Mordecai, ſeeking the wealth of his People? Eſter 10.3. A Nehemiah, that left the pomp and pleaſure of the greateſt Princes Court then on Earth, and took a tedious and hazardous journey, that he might ſeek the welfare of the children of Iſrael, Nehemiah 2.10. Where ſhall we find a Nanianzen, that would not grutch Jonas-like, to be caſt into the Sea, ſo that all might be calm in the publick? And if the heathen was as good as his words, when he ſaid, Ne immortalitatem contrà Remp. acciperem, I would not be hired with immortality to wrong the Common-wealth; How rare is it to find amongſt Chriſtians a man ſo bravely ſpirited? The Parliament-houſe filled with ſuuh ſpirited men, would be one of the rareſt ſights that could be ſeen in the Eegliſh p. 33Nation: And how quickly may a ſelf-ſeeking Parliament loſe itsſelf and the Nation too?

6. Sixthly, Another dictate of Wiſdom in order to peace, is this; A malitious deſire of revenge is ſo much beneath a Chriſtian, that 'tis the baſeneſs of a Man. Doth any treſpaſs againſt me? let him look to that; he hath the worſt on't: thus much could a heathen ſay. Vengeance is mine: theſe are the Lords words, and alledg'd by the Appoſtle as a reaſon why we ſhould not avenge our ſelves, Rom. 12.19. Thou canſt not execute a private revenge without wronging the Lord infinitely more then 'tis poſſible for any creature to wrong thee; for herein thou invadeſt one of Gods prerogatives, namely, Vengeance. The Lord vouches it as his; and in effect thou telleſt him to his face, 'tis thine.

There is a proverb concerning the Lion; That he is not ſo fierce as men paint him. But as for this ſin of malicious revenge, no tongue can paint it ſo foul as it is: I may well term it profundam nequitiam, one of the profoundeſt depths of Satan, that can be imagin'd to be in the heart of man. If we conſider it abſtractly in its naked ſelf, we find the very quinteſſence of ſin abounding in it. Would we take a true meaſure of the goodneſs or badneſs of actions, one of the ſureſt rules we go by is, to obſerve how much there is of the Will in the Action, as cloſing more entirely and immediately with good or evill for its own ſake. So far as credit and profit, and ſuch like ſenſual acceſſaries attending the practice of holineſs and vertue, are influential upon the will to alure it, p. 34ſo much is the action blended; there's ſo much the leſs of pure goodneſs in it. But now, when holineſs ſtript of ſuch acceſſaries obtains the conſent and embrace of the will for the ſake of its naked ſelf, this argueth an eminent ſincerity and heighth of Grace. It holds proportionably in evil habits and practiſes; and what is malice, but a meer ulcer or gangreen of a depraved will? It argues a perſon ſo much debauch'd into a greedy compliance with ſin, that he ſwallows the bare hook. St. John tels us, 1 John 3.1 John 3He that hateth his brother is a murtherer; and he that murthers another meerly for evil wills ſake, is worſe in the ſight of God, then he that doth it for moneys ſake. And may it not be for a lamentation, that ſo curſed a thing ſhould fill the hearts of ſo many as it doth?

Were ye to deal with ſome in order to peace and reconciliation, ye would be ready to imagine that to be true of malice, which Flaccius Illyricus conceited of Original ſin, That 'tis no accident or quality, but the very eſſence and ſubſtance of the man. You would find it as eaſy work to remove a mountain, as to remove a grudge out of ſome mens hearts. Inſtead of being rooted and grounded in Love, Eph. 3.Eph 3they are rooted and grounded in Malice; inſtead of being ſtedfaſt and unmoveable in Grace, 1 Cor. 15. ult.1 Cor 15always abounding in the work of the Lord, they are ſtedfaſt and unmoveable in wrath, as if they were under an oath to abound always in this work of the Devil. When Nilus over floweth, it leaves a ſlime, in which ſome ſay Crecodiles breed; a malicious ſpirit of revenge is the Crecodile that hath bred in the ſhine of our p. 35wars and troubles: the Lord ſend us well …id of it. Are there any that ſtudy more how to do an oppoſite party a miſchiefe, then to further the publick good? Pray God keep ſuch out of the Parliament! Should ſuch a ſpirit as this be in the Parliament, 'twould be a hundred times worſe then 36 barrels of gunpowder under it; I hope God will keep them clear of this. Where there is but the ingenuity of a well-bred Gentleman, I do not much fear it. To wrong the community for ſelf-advantage ſake, 'tis the ſpirit of a Wolf rather then a Chriſtian; but to diſturb peace for revenge ſake, 'tis the ſpirit of a Devil, rather then a Gentleman. The Lord give the Parliament, Gentry and People of this Nation a holy ſpite in their hearts, againſt the ſin of Malice.

7. Seventhly, Another dictate of Wiſdome in order to Peace is this, 'Tis every mans duty to abide in the duties of his place and ſtation, and the uſe of juſt and lawful means, and therein to wait upon God for events and iſſues. The Apoſtles were once accuſed for preaching ſuch Doctrin as this, Let us de evil that good may come, Rom. 3.8. But ſee with what vehemency this is defied of St. Paul; foreign, We (…aith he) be ſlanderouſly reported, and ſome affirm that we ſay, Let us do evil that good may come: And mark what followeth, whoſe damnation is juſt. Whether this be to be underſtood of them that rais'd this ſlander, or of them which held and practis'd this principle, 'tis hard to determine; but take it which way you will, it ſufficiently argues the notorious villany of ſuch a principle.

p. 36Had ſome in our times, been alive with their principles in Davids time, how would they have laughed at him, for being ſo tender of Sauls life, when he had him at an advantage in the Cave? Saul was a bad man, a violent oppreſſor; and David had the Kingdome in his eye, and that juſtly; well, be it ſo; David will waite Gods time and way for Sauls remove, and his own ſettlement: He was in no ſuch haſt for a Kingdom, as to ſin for it Nor will wiſdome from above onelyonly teach us in our perſuits of good ends, to keep clear of ſuch means and courſes as are ſimply unlawfull, in all perſons & at all times: It teacheth not only to keep clear of blood-guiltineſs, by illegal proceedings againſt the lives of men that ſtand in our way; not only to abhor diſpenſing with Oathes lawfully taken, and ſuch perfidious dealings, as the honeſter ſort of heathens would bluſh to own, but will likewiſeteach us, that whilſt we tranſgreſs the bounds of our ſtations, we become deeply guilty, even in ſuch actions as are important duties, and precious fruits of righteouſnes in other men; as Uzzah died for touching the Arke; had he been a Prieſt or a Levite, all had been well.

The good man in the firſt Pſalm, bringeth forth fruit, not only good in general, but his fruit; his, as a man in ſuch a calling and ſtation. In books and writings the ſame words that make a learned Treatiſe, may be made monſtrous nonſenſe, by falſe pointing; turning ſome words into one ſentance, which properly belongs to another. The very Bible, ſhould it be thus abus'd, might be made to ſpeak blaſphemy. Thus in ſocieties of people, ſuch actions as will make p. 37a rare ſyſteme and compoſition of Chriſtianity, if rightly pointed and bounded, according to the rule that God hath given for the different ſtations and callings of men, there need no more to turn ſuch actions in a deſtructive confuſion, then meerly to miſplace and jumble them together, whilſt one man takes upon him the work that properly belong to another. Should a man ſtudy to miſchief both himſelf and another, he could not find a readier way then this; Prov. 27.8. As a bird that wandereth from her neſt, ſo is a man from his place. God had provided amongſt the Jews, that a bird ſhould not be hurt in her neſt, but wandring ſhe might quickly meet with a miſchief. Thus 'tis with a man, he is never ſo ſafe as in his ſtation and place; and alwayes in danger when out of it. And St. Paul, 1 Theſ. 4.11. layeth a ſtrict charge upon Chriſtians, that they do their own buſineſs; and mark what goes along with this, Study to be quiet, ſaith the Apoſtle, and to do your own buſineſs.

Put caſe that men according to their principles and apprehenſions of things, be poſſeſt with thoughts that preſent affairs may tend to an impure ſetlement; do they think that hereupon they may raiſe tumults, and wage a war without the call and warrant of a lawfull. Authority? The Lord bleſs my ſoul from the guilt of ſuch divinity. Do any diſturb peace by unwarrantable wayes? let them not deceive themſelves and think (though they propound the moſt pure ends) that the order of wiſdoms properties in the text, firſt pure, and then peaceable, will bear them out. A man that attends the duty of his ſtation, and thus p. 38doing commits the events and iſſues of things to God; this is the man that behaveth himſelf as becommeth the Goſpel of Chriſt. There have been too many principles abetted and practiſed, that plainly come to thus much, That a good end ſanctifies all kind of means; The Lord deliver us from the mercy of ſuch principles! they are fire mingled with bloud.

I have done with the properties of wiſdom conſidered in the Matter of them: I paſs now to the Order of theſe properties.

As wiſdom from above is Pure and Peaceable; ſo 'tis firſt Pure, and then Peaceable: Theſe notes of order are of no light import: the word of God is ſuch pure gold, that the leaſt filings of it are more worth then both the Indies. The truth is, a Scripture particle, an and, a wherefore, or therefore, or as in the text a firſt and then, may afford more inſtruction, then a whole library of other writings. The notes of order uſed in the text, import two things.

1. That true wiſdome in its perſuits of Purity and Peace, hath a primary reſpect to Purity: as much as it deſireth peace, 'twill rather fall out with the whole World in diſcharge of duty, then offend God by the neglect of it. There is an impure Peaceableneſs; a courting of the worlds favour by unjuſt compliances, and ungodly companionſhip in ſin: wiſdom from above will have none of this. Satans Kingdom is not divided againſt it ſelf; a multitude of Devils were ſo united in miſchief, that they ſpake of themſelves as if they were but one: Not our name, but my name is Legion, p. 39for we are many, Mark. 5.9. The wiſdom that is Deviliſh in a ſence may be peaceable; but far enough from being, firſt Pure, then Peaceable. Solomon tels us of hand joyn'd to hand in ways of Sin; but wiſdome from above will rather chuſe to have a hand cut off, then to ſhake hands upon ſuch terms.

In this ſence muſt Luther be underſtood, in an Epiſtle to Eraſmus; Inter caetera dona Chriſti hoc habes, quòd multis diſplices; amongſt other gifts and favors of God towards you, this is one, that you have the heart to diſpleaſe many. I am ſaith Jeremiah, a man of contention to the whole Earth. Jer. 15.10. He had no doubt the wiſdom from above that is peaceable, and yet a man of contention. The thing was this; he could not be at peace with men, unleſs he fell out with God. Jam. 4.4. Know ye not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God? That is, ſuch friendſhip as juſtleth out Purity: For a Miniſter and his people to live peaceably, is a moſt defireable bleſſing to both: But put caſe a Miniſter, to gain favour with the Gentlemen of the place, and quiet life amongſt his neighbours, ſhould be partial in Gods Law, and not deal plainly with the ſouls and conſciences of his People, 'twere infinitely better for ſuch a Miniſter, that he had been born without a tongue in his head, or brought up to ſweep Chimneys, or ſcrape Trenchers. Wiſdom from above will teach a Miniſter, Jeremiah like, to be a man of contention to Town and Country, rather then to be peaceable upon ſuch termes. And ſhould p. 40men inveſted with authority, and put into places of publick truſt, to gain the affections of their neighbours, or the good will of a party, diſſemble their conſciences in the neglect of their duty: though this may paſs with ſome for wiſdom, 'twill one day be found ſuch wiſdom as never came from above; and if men be not aware of it, it may carry them thither, from whence it came. And as for that wiſdom, that pleads for a full an unlimitted Toleration in Religion, were it as peaceable as it pretends to be, yet would it poſe me to find, how it can be firſt pure, and then peaceable.

2. Secondly, As wiſdom from above in its perſuits of Purity and Peace, hath a primary reſpect to Purity, as the beſt of the two; ſo, it judgeth of Purity as the beſt means for the obtainment of deſireable peace, and perſueth it to that end. And this I take to be another thing intended by theſe notes of order, firſt Pure, then Peaceable. In Chriſts Sermon upon the Mount, the Peacemakers immediately follow the pure in heart. Were not the Goſpel of Chriſt a Goſpel of purity, 'twould not be a Goſpel of Peace. That promiſe, Mich. 4.3. They ſhall beat their ſwords into plough-ſhares, and their ſpears into pruninghooks, &c. Hic ſpectanda eſt menſura profectus Evangelii, ſaith Calvin upon the place; 'tis to be underſtood in proportion to the progreſs and effect of the Goſpel: Look in what proportion it obtaineth upon the hearts, and gets Maſtery over the luſts of men, in the ſame propotion it will be an effectual means of peace. An excellent and ſafe rule for the p. 41underſtanding of this, and the like paſſages in the Prophets. The Apoſtle telleth us that the Goſpel teacheth, That denying of ungodlineſs, and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world. Were but this leſſon of the Goſpel well learn'd and practiſed, what a quiet world would this preſent world be?

That Philoſophical opinion, That the whole world is informed and animated by one univerſal Phyſical ſoul, I apprehend it a meer fancy; but that ordo eſt forma mundi, that order in a moral ſence is the form and ſoul of the World, there's nothing more real. Now what is it that ruffleth the Creation, and puts all things out of courſe and order, but ſin? what is it but ſin, that ſets the world together by the ears? Sin is a meer violence, it had certainly run the world off its legs long ago, had not the Lord clapt ſome chains of reſtraint upon this mad bedlam. Some would fain make the diſorder of the world an Argument for their Atheiſme, but 'tis to me no ſlender Argument of a Deity and a Divine Providence, that there is ſo much order and conſtancy, in a world that lyeth in ſo much wickedneſs. 1 John 5.1 John 5As for the trouble that falleth upon the world, if it be thank-worthy, we may thank that for it, that the greateſt part of the world love moſt, and that is ſin; were there nothing of holineſs for ſin to quarrel at, it could not long agree with it ſelf. Scelera diſsident, ſaith Seneca; and luſts are divers, ſaith the Apoſtle; Tit. 3.2.Titus 3:2when ambitious and worldly-deſigning men enter a confederacy, 'tis but a fooling, in order to a falling out. Ungodly, luſtful p. 42Intereſts may for a while travel together very peaceably, but it cannot poſſibly be long before they part. And obſerve it when you will, inſtead of ſhaking of hands, you ſhall find drawing of Swords at ſuch a parting. Wickedneſs, ſaith the Prophet, it burneth like a fire, Iſa. 9.18. It ſetteth Nations, Cities, Towns and Families on fire.

In this juncture of Time, ſome fear one thing, and ſome another; for my part, I am more afraid of ſin, leaſt that ſhould ruine us, then of all the world beſide. Give me leave to deſcribe the true Malignant; He's the greateſt Malignant this day in England, that is the moſt notorious God-provoking-ſinner in it; when a people wearied with Wars and Troubles, begin to think of following Peace, but ſtill without Holineſs, they may follow it till their hearts ake, but are never like to overtake it. Do we bleſs our ſelves in unholy and unjuſt wayes, Deut. 29.Deut 29and ſay, we ſhall have Peace? We had as good ſay, we are reſolv'd we will have Peace, whether God will or no. 'Tis the fruit of righteouſneſs, that is ſown in Peace, of them that make Peace. Jam. 3.18. the verſe immediately following my Text. The real purity and power of Religion, ſo far as it obtaineth, it harmonizeth the world, keeping every man in his rank and file, and ſweetly bindeth him to his good behaviour towards God and man. Calvin in one of his Epiſtles mentioneth a Letter that he received from a Prince to this purpoſe: That Religion, and mens zeal for it, and forwardneſs in it, was the main thing that put Nations and Kingdomes into confuſion and diſorder. p. 43The World affordeth too many that are like minded; But the Lord ſend England Princes and Parliaments better informed and perſwaded concerning Religion. Let all that love Englands Peace, ſay, Amen.

I paſs now to Application, in which I muſt be brief; what I have prepared, was intended for the ſolemn buſineſs of yeſterday: I call it ſolemn, the chuſing of Parliament-men being at any time one of the things of Englands Peace: But if ever the Nation were concerned in a Parliament, it is like to be in this; if once it ſits, ye may tearm the time of its Seſſion, the critical day of England. What the hurts and bruiſes of the Nation have been, I need not tell ye: there is humane likelihood enough, as to this Parliament, that the Nation may either mend by it, or end with it.

What I intended to ſpeak to the Country, in reference to the choice they were to make, I muſt omit it, as being now out of date: it remains only, that I commend my Text, as an excellent Compapanion and Counſellor, to ſuch worthy Gentlemen as are the choice, whether of the County, or of Incorporations, to ſit in Parliament, as the Heads of their Tribes, the Truſtees of God and their Country.

And firſt of all, Honoured Sirs, I cannot but thankfully acknowledg the Lords Mercies both towards ye and us, that ſuch an opportunity of ſervice is put into your hands; what would ye and we have given many times over, within this half year, for ſuch p. 44an overture? And I beſeech ye, beſtow ſome ſerious thoughts upon what is paſt; think upon the violations of Parliaments, the Cataſtrophes of Noble Families, the picks, and perils that the Nation hath gone through: and then tell me, if the Exhortation of the Pſalmiſt, to wiſdome from above, be not ſeaſonable for ye; Be wiſe and inſtructed, ye judges of the earth; ſerve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; kiſs the Son, leaſt he be angry, and ye periſh from the way, when his wrath is kindled. Be wiſe for God, and we ſhall hope, if not be confident, that God will honour ye in doing us good by ye; but ſhall ye neglect the wiſdome that is from above, ye may quickly fall low enough, and the whole Nation with ye.

For the Lord's ſake ſtudy, and practiſe the wiſdome that is pure; this will make your eyes to be, like Davids, upon them that are faithful in the Land; one of the great advantages, that the Devil hath made, of politick and jugling pretences to godlineſs, hath been to render real godlineſs, and godly men odious to the world: The Lord give them repentance, by whom the offence come, and keep you from the woe of them that take the offence. Remember, it hath been a time of exquiſite temptation: the ingenuity of a Gentleman, and much more the charity of a Chriſtian, may well ſuggeſt thoughts, that ſome that belong to God, and are dear to him, have been ſadly miſcarried, in the ſimplicity of their hearts by others more crafty then themſelves; ſhew all poſſible kindneſs to ſuch, that will conſiſt with Peace and order in p. 45Church and State, and I am confident to ſay, That the God of heaven will take it kindly at your hands.

Remember what I have told ye concerning Religion, that Magiſtrates, by the Ordinance of God, are appointed to the vin…ication and guardian-ſhip of it. Let the concernments of it, have the preheminence in your aimes and actions; every perſon among us is made up of ſoul and body; now though the Law of God, and Nature, obligeth to a care of both, yet the excellency of the Soul requires the chief care: and what will it advantage a man, if he get the whole world, and looſe his ſoul? Thus is the publick Intereſt of Nations, that own Chriſtianity, compounded as it were of ſoul and body, of religious and civil Intereſts: A true publick ſpirit will have an eye at both, but more eſpecially at the Intereſt of the Goſpel, and Religion; let him go like an Atheiſt as he is, that thinks not this, the life and ſoul of the body politick. We may well ſay, What wil it advantage us, ſhould we gain the Lordſhip of both the Judges, and have the whole world at our command, if we looſe the Soul of our Nation, the ſoul of our publick welfare?

Let it be ſeen, Honoured Patriots, that the precious concernments of Religion, purity of Doctrine, and purity of worſhip, are truly precious in your eyes. As for Government in the Church, I am as far from preſuming punctually to preſcribe, as ſuch a preſumption would be from becoming me: thus much I ſay, A tender regard to ſuch a Government p. 46in the Church, as will moſt conduce to purity of Doctrine, in the encouragement of a learned and faithful Miniſtry, and ſuppreſſion of Hereſie; and to purity of worſhip, in the prevention of ſuperſtition, I could heartily afford to beg it of every Parliament-man, upon my bended knees, for the Lord's ſake.

And let not ſecond Table purity be left out; do juſtly, and love mercy, or ye do nothing. As for particular caſes, that may nearly concern the civil ſtate of the Nation, the mention of them will be fitter for a Parliament, than a Pulpit: This only I ſhall ſay, as ye are intruſted for the whole Nation, ſo it behooveth ye, in all good and righteous wayes, to take care for the body of it, from head to foot; how glad a people ſhould we be, to ſee judgment, that hath ſprung up as hemlock, at length to return to righteouſneſs; and where ye find the vowes and oaths of God upon the Nation, let the world ſee that ye are men that fear an oath.

In a word, be pure, and no great fear but ye will be peaceable; did I know, that any of ye would ſo much as offer to dream of Peace, in contrary wayes, and upon other tearms: I ſhould make bold, as a meſſenger of God to ſay, What have ye to do with Peace? and to tell ye, that my God ſaith, there is no Peace to the wicked. Unleſs the God of Heaven layes aſide his pure nature, or be ſhortned in the power of his wrath, what Peace can be expected in impure wayes? I have already hinted concerning ſin, that ſhould the Lord leave it to it ſelf, and not follow it p. 47with any other puniſhment then what is the genuine off-ſpring and product of it, we ſhould find it as natural for ſin to breed diſturbance and trouble, as for a Dunghill to breed Nettles and Vermine: In the times of our late troubles, whence came the Wars and ſtrifes of the Nation, but from the luſts of men? whence came the beginning of latter ſeparations, but from former ſuperſtitions? and whence came the zealous inclinations of many to old ſuperſtitions, but from the miſerable effects of late ſeparations? and ſhould God puniſh us with a Parliament that would cheriſh theſe inclinations, what could be expected, but more ſeparations? and thus one extream, by a moſt unhappy antiperiſtaſis, would beget another in infinitum.

And may I take the boldneſs to ſpeak freely, I cannot but tell ye, that I find a great deal of liberty taken by ſome, to ſuſpect that this is the time in which we are like to return to our old extremities. I hope better things, things that accompany moderation, and the peace of the Church. I am not unſenſible, that worthy Gentlemen may meet with tempters and temptations enough, to court them to a zealous love of Ceremonies, by the plauſible mention of the Fathers, and the ancient Church; ſo far am I from reflecting diſparagement upon them, that I really account the Hiſtories we have of the ancient Church, and the Writings of the Fathers, one of the richeſt treaſuries of the Chriſtian World. And a rare accompliſhment it is, not only for a Divine, but for a Chriſtian Gentleman, to be well ſtudied p. 48in them; a great deal of excellent Inſtruction they afford not only in matters of Doctrine, and Converſation, but likewiſe concerning the prudent management of Church affairs; witneſs that rare Tractate of Vedelius; de prudentiâ veteris Eccleſiae. But to take them up as a determining rule, in matters of Doctrine or Worſhip, this is plainly to ſet them as a check-mate to the Bible. It is true, the Fathers are ignorant of us; but could they ſee us in ſuch an action, and ſpeak to us from Heaven, they would ſay as the Angels to John, We are your fellow ſervants, why do ye worſhip us?

And as I think it unreaſonable in them, that ſlight almoſt every thing in God's Worſhip that is not new; ſo on the other hand I cannot aſſent to them that will take up any thing, meerly becauſe it is ancient; if truth and error be compared, I readily grant, that truth is the moſt ancient: But who can ſay, that truth is of one whole dayes longer ſtanding in the world than error? and doth not St. Paul ſay of his time, the miſtery of iniquity doth already work? Don't we read of ſeveral carriages of divers Churches, even in the Apoſtles time, that were far from being apoſtolical? Had the carriage of the Church of Corinth, about the Communion, been brought to our knowledg any other way but by Scripture, and without the rebuke of the Apoſtle, ſome, no doubt, would have thought it a great impiety not to have imitated the practiſe of a Church ſo ancient. Nor is it inconſiderable in this matter, that we have ſo uncertain and imperfect notice of the cuſtomes and practiſes p. 49of the Church, for the firſt 300 years after Chriſt; and eſpecially of the times, that more immediately ſucceeded the Apoſtolical age. As if the Lord foreſeeing an abuſe, reſolved by ſuch a providence to admoniſh us, that we cleave the cloſer to our Bibles.

And for the multitude of Ceremonies that were in St. Auſtin's time, they that will pleaſe to read his 119 Epiſtle, may find his thoughts of them, and what complaint he makes of the burthen that lay upon the Church by that meanes. That I may not be thought to wrong him, I ſhall give you ſome of his words.

Omnia ita que talia, quae neque ſanctarum Scripturatum autoritatibus continentur, nec in conſiliis Epiſcoporum Statuta inveniuntur, nec conſuetudine Univerſae Eccleſiae roborata ſunt; ſed diverſorum locorum, diverſis moribus innumerabiliter variantur; ita aut vix, aut omnino nunquam inveniri poſſint cauſae, quas, in iis inſtituendis, homines ſequuti ſunt: ubi facultas tribuiter, … omni dubitatione reſecanda exiſtimo.All ſuch things as are neither authoriſed by holy Scripture, nor found to be the injunctions of the Councils of the Biſhops, nor are confirmed by the cuſtome and practice of the univerſal Church; but are varied according to the divers manners of divers places, ſo that the cauſes of their inſtitution can ſcarcely be found out: I am not at all doubtfull, but that they are to be aboliſhed by authority, if there be opportunity for it.

By the Councils of the Biſhops, I humbly conceive, the Father intends only ſuch as were general, and Oecumenical; and not particular Councils, convened upon the account of ſome particular Church or Churches. This I collect from that which follows, concerning the confirmation that he ſpeaks p. 50of, by the cuſtome and practice of the Univerſal Church, which compriſes the whole body of the Chriſtian Church, in the ſeveral ages and places of its being. Now whether there be any religious Rites thus enjoyned for Gods worſhip by the concurring votes of Oecumenical Councils, and thus confirmed by the cuſtome and practice of the Univerſal Church, but what are likewiſe warranted by the authority of the holy Scripture, I leave it to conſideration; The Church of England long ſince affirmed the negative in a paſſage before cited out of the 34 Article: where it is plainly declared, that Traditions and Ceremonies meerly Eccleſiaſtical, have at all times been divers, and changed, according to the diverſity of Countreys, Times, and Mens manners. Now for ceremonies of this nature, let but Auſtins judgment (ſine omni dubitatione reſecanda exiſtimo) take place, and the controverſie is at an end.

But to follow the Father, who concerning Ceremonies proceeds thus.

Quamvis enim ne que hoc inveniri poſſit, commodo contra fidem ſint: ipſam tamen religionem, quam pauciſſimis & manifeſtiſſimis celebrationum ſacramentis miſerecordia Dei eſſe liberam voluit, ſervilibus oneribus premunt, ut tolerabilior ſit conditio Judaeor…m, qui etiamfi tempus libertatis non agnoverint, legalibus tamen ſarcinis non humanis praeſumptionibus ſubjiciuntur.Though it cannot be found how they are contrary to the faith: yet Beligion, which the mercy of God would have at freedome, with very few and very manifeſt religious Rites in the celebrations of it, this they load with ſuch ſervile burdens, that the condition of the Jews may be lookt upon as more tolerable; for though the Jews underſtood not the time of their liberty, yet they are ſubjected to ſuch heavy carriages as were of legal appointment, and not to humane preſumptions.

p. 51And here by the way, Bellarmines evaſion is to no purpoſe; he would have us believe, that Auſtin aimes at ſuch Ceremonies as were practiſed by private perſons, and eſpecially women, without the warrant of Eccleſiaſtical Authority. I marvail what coloured Spectacles Bellarmine uſed, whilſt he read Auſtins words to ſuch a ſenſe: Is it not plain enough, that the Father ſpeakes of ſuch Ceremonies as oppreſſed Religion, and made it ſubject to humane preſumptions? and doth he not plainly compare theſe burdens, with the heavy carriages that lay upon the back of the Jewiſh Church? and were not theſe publick, and not private Ceremonies?

As for what the Father ſaith concerning very few, and very manifeſt Religious Rites or Ceremonies, which God would have uſed in the Celebrations of Religion; I freely aſſent to it: What are the Sacramental elements and actions in Baptiſm and the Supper of the Lord, but Sacred Ceremonies? Theſe are Chriſt's appointments, and with all reverence to be attended; and concerning theſe, there hath ever been the harmonious concurrence of general Councils in the true Chriſtian Church, to provide for their due obſervation: and the univerſal Church in all times and places, hath commended them to us by its practiſe. But Auſtin proceeds yet further, in ſuch words as theſe, Sed Eccleſia Dei inter multam paleam, multaque zizania, conſtituta multa tolerat… & tamen quae ſunt contra fidem, vel bonam vitam, non approbat, nec tacet, nec facit.The Church of God, among a great deal of chaff and cockle, tolerateth many conſtitutions; whilſt it approves not of, nor connives p. 52at any thing that overthroweth the faith; … is contrary to a good life, If Ceremonies that were …ſed in the Church, in Auſtins Time, were not the things that he intends by chaffe and cockle, I freely confeſs myſelf unable to underſtand him.

But to ſay no more in this matter; if there be any meer humane ceremony contended for upon the account of the authority of any of the Fathers, o… the practiſe of the ancient Church; I humbly conceive, I may without preſumption undertake to produce ſome other thing every whit as ancient, which I take for granted, that all of us would be unwilling with; but if any deſired to be further reſolved in the truth concerning the authority of the Ancients, let them read the truly learned tractate of Daille a French Divine, concerning the right uſe of the Fathers; you will find that Author a true reverencer of them, and throughly acquainted with their writings: The proper intent of his work is to prove, that the Authority of the Fathers is not deciſive in points of controverted Doctrine; but if we weigh his Arguments with reflections upon the matter of worſhip, we ſhall find them for the moſt part not beſide the purpoſe for which I mentioned him.

But no longer to preſume upon your patience; that which hath been ſpoken in order to the purity of Divine Worſhip, my aime in it I hope hath been at the Honour of God, and the peace of the Church. England hath tried extreams already, and hath felt to ſome purpoſe the miſchiefs that have attended them: 'tis not a politick, but (if I miſtake not) a p. 53ſcriptural moderation that hath been pleaded for; I am encouraged to hope that it will find acceptance as a word in ſeaſon. The Lord give us a right underſtanding in all things, and teach our Senators ſuch Wiſdome, as is firſt pure, then peaceable.

FINIS.

End of the text · Benjamin Bruning, The Best Wisdom Propounded (1660)