Irenicum to the Lover of Truth and Peace, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
The ſixth dividing Principle.The ſixth dividing principle. What is in it ſelfe beſt muſt be choſen and done, not weighing circumſtances, or references.
THis brings much trouble to the Churches; yea it cauſeth much trouble in the ſpirits and lives of many truly godly. It cauſeth men to break the bonds of their Callings, of their Relations, of their publique Intereſts, therefore certainly it muſt needs be a dividing Principle.
Some men whoſe calling is only to a private employment, yet having ſome gifts, and having uſed ſometimes in their Families to take a Scripture, and ſpeak ſomething out of it; upon this they think it is a better thing to be exerciſed in preaching Gods word, then to fit in a ſhop all day, at ſome meane worke, or ſelling out wares, therefore they thinke they are bound to give over their Callings, which they look at as too low, mean things, and be Preachers of the Word, not regarding thoſe due ways that Chriſt would have men come into ſuch an employment by. Although I do not think, but that Tradeſmen, who have good knowledg in the Scripture, and are gifted by God to ſpeak the Word to people for their edification, when there is a want of able men, who have been all their lives preparing for ſuch a work, and are ſet apart for it, rather then people ſhould continue in ignorance, and ſo periſh (if thoſe who are able and fit to judg, ſhal judg them meet for ſuch a work) they may be employd to make Chriſt known to them; yet for every man that takes himſelf to be a gifted man, and it may be is ſo judged, by ſome who are willing to flatter him, to take upon him of himſelfe, or by the advice of two or three of his friends, to leave his other employment for the work of the Miniſtry, becauſe that is a more noble and excellent work; this is not a way of God, but a way of confuſion and diſorder.
Again, it is in it ſelfe a better thing to enjoy a Miniſtry of the moſt eminent gifts and graces, then one of lower; but if this ſhould be made a rule, that a man who is under a Paſtor, who is faithfull, and in ſome good meaſure gifted, upon another mans coming into the Countrey that is more eminent, he ſhould forſake his Paſtor, and joyn to the other▪ and if after this ſtill a more eminent man comes, he ſhould leave the former and joyn to him; and by the ſame Law, a Paſtor who hath a good people, yet if others be more likely to receive more good, he may leave his own people, and goe to them, what confuſion and diſorder would there be continually in the Church? Men muſt conſider, not only what the thing is in its own nature, but what it is to them, how it ſtands in reference to their relations. If you be joyned to a Paſtor, ſo as you believe he is ſet over you by Chriſt, to be a Paſtor to you (not becauſe the Biſhop hath ſent one, or an old Uſurer dyes, and leaves the Patronage of a living to ſome Oſtler or Tapwench in an Alehouſe, and he or ſhe ſhall ſend one by vertue of their right to the patronage, this cannot tie a mans conſcience to depend upon him for the ordinances of Chriſt all his days, in caſe he cannot remove his dwelling, but if you cannot but look upon the man as the Paſtor that Chriſt hath ſet over you.) Though this man hath meaner gifts then others; and it would be more comfortable to you to have another Paſtor; yet this is not enough to cauſe you to diſe…t him whom duplicate page duplicate page Chriſt hath ſet over you; and if people may not leave their Paſtors, becauſe others have more eminent gifts, then ſurely Paſtors muſt not leave their people, becauſe others have more eminent Livings.
To inſtance yet further, that you may ſee how this Principle diſturbs mens ſpirits: Many being in the works of their Calling, have ſome thoughts come into their mind, that prayer is a better work, more noble and ſpirituall then to be employed as they are; therefore they muſt needs preſently leave their worke, and go toe prayer: How many have been perplexed with temptations this way, by which their lives have been made very uncomfortable? Prayer in it ſelfe is better, but is it better at this time for me, all things conſidered? am not I about that wch God hath called me to do? By this Principle many decive and trouble themſelves, in reſpect of their ſouls; as ſome by a conceit of the like nature, deceive & bring great trouble to themſelves in reſpect of their bodies; ſome who have ſickly bodies, their fleſh is decayed, they think ſuch and ſuch things have moſt nouriſhment in them, ſuch things are hot, and full of ſpirits, and juyce, therefore they will eate and drink altogether ſuch things, leaving their ordinary dyet; by this means th…y many times overthrow their bodies: for though a man wants fleſh, yet the way for him to have it, it may be is not to take nouriſhing things, but purging; and though he be troubled with faintneſs, it may be the way to get good ſpirits, is by eating ordinary dyet, and cooling his body, that ſo ſome diſtemper may be cured, and he may get his veyns filled with good blood, and ſpirits got from it, rather then by drinking hot waters that are full of ſpirits, which perhaps burns his heart, and dries his body, that there is no good blood generated from his dyet.
It is not enough therefore to ſay the thing is in it ſelfe better, but is it better in all the references I have, and it hath? is it better in regard of others, in regard of the publique, for the helping me in all my relations? May it not help one way, and hinder many ways? If a Phyſitian ſhould come to a man, and ſee his diſeaſe is hot, and ſho…ld therefore preſently cool him by giving him water, the man may like it for the preſent; why is it not better to be cool, then ſo burning hot? but thus the Phyſitian diſcovers his folly, and the Patient loſes his life. A Phyſitian in preſcribing ſome phyſick had need have forty conſiderations in his head at once, how one part ſtands affected to the other, of what yeers the man is, of what complexion, how long the diſeaſe bath been upon him, what was laſt done to him, &c. So it ſhould be in the duties of Religion, a Chriſtian who deſires to walk orderly, to beautifie and honour his profeſſion to enjoy communion with God, & peace in his own ſoul, and be uſeful to the publique, had need have his wits about him, not preſently to fall upon a work, becauſe it is now preſented as good to him in a ſingle conſideration; he muſt compare one thing with another, and ſee what it is in all its references; or otherwiſe he will but enterfeir, hee will but hack and hew, and bungle, and diſturb himſelfe and others in the ways of Religion, he will make Religion tireſome to himſelfe and others, he will be in danger in time to caſt off ſtrictneſſe, and to grow ſo much the more looſe then others, by how much more ſtreightned he hath been in a diſorderly way then others. I believe ſome of you have known thoſe who in their young time have been very ſtrict and tender; whatſoever they have conceived to be better then other, they have preſently followed it with all eagerneſſe, never conſidering circumſtances, references, or conſequences, but the thing is good, it muſt be done; yet being wearied with this, they have after grown looſe, in as great an exceſſe, the other way; yea, it may be have vaniſhed and come to nothing.