The Kingdom of God Among Men, Tract 1 · Chapter 33 – Conclusion
CHAP. XXXIII.
The Churche's true interest to be pursued by Ecclesiastical Persons.
NOthing is more precious, and among Christians nothing should be more valued, than the good of Gods Church, for it is Christs and Gods great interest in the world: but the misery is, that the Churches name is abused, and its interest mistaken most perversly. For none have more pretended for the Church than they, whose business is to get and keep worldly pomp, and power with carnal ease and pleasure; and to make laws and rules serviceable to these ends; and to corrupt the minds and debauch the lives of men, that they may bring them into blind obedience to such laws, and maintain their worldly dominion over Christs heritage, and who value all men howsoever qualified, as they stand affected to their estate, and accordingly stick not to reject the eminently good, and to receive the notoriously bad. In the Romish Church all this is palpable. Now let these be called the Church, by them that list to give that name, to a state of Pride and Luxury, of Tyranny and oppression, of carnal and Devilish Policy, under which the souls of people are betray'd to everlasting perdition.
Wherefore those in the Ministery that are sollicitous of the Churches welfare, should state the interest thereof aright, which indeed is not for the service of the flesh or the carnal mind; but for the promoting of the Divine life in men, and the increase of the mystical Society of Regenerate Persons, united in Christ their Head by his Spirit dwelling in them; and in order thereunto, for the increase of the visible Society of persons externally owning such an internal State. And therefore it is to promote and propagate the sound knowledge of God in Christ, and to make the people of their charge really good, and to advance them what they can in grace and wisdom according to their several capacities, and to deal with them in meekness and love, and to walk before them as examples of all purity and goodness, and to be more sensible and sollicitous about the corruptions and sinfull disorders, than the sufferings of the Church, and to be more zealous for Gods honour and the good of Souls, than for their own honour, wealth or power, and in a word to seek the things of Christ more than their own things.
The Ministers that discharge their Office well, are in Scripture declared Worthy of double honour. And that they be indowed with honorable settled maintenance, is necessary for the support of a Religion, that for its excellency requires to be supported by the help of excellent Gifts, as Learning, Eloquence and Prudence, not now to be obtained by Miracles, but in the ordinary use of means with much cost and labour. And questionless the withdrawing of these supports tends to the Churches ruine, nevertheless an inordinate and licentious collation, and accumulation of Preferments making for the Service of Covetousness, Ambition and depraved appetite, and for the decay of Sobriety, Vigilancy and Industry in the Pastors, is no less dangerous. This exorbitancy after the Roman Empire became Christian, allured and brought in the men of this World, who have their Portion in this life, and gave them advantage by carnal arts, to possess themselves of the chief Seats of Power in the Church, by which means Religion degenerated into externalness and carnality, and that which was then named the Church was at length turned into a worldly State, which grew more and more corrupt till the mystery of iniquity was fulfilled in it.
Where Christianity hath recovered it self out of the degeneracy of the later times, and knowledge is generally diffused among the people, the sufficiency, industry and faithfulness of Ecclesiastical persons will be inquired after, negligence in their Administrations and irregularities in their lives will not pass without noting, the ignorant, idle and scandalous will fall into contempt, outward Formalities will be no covering, as in darker times they were, distinctive Habits and Reverend Titles alone will not procure veneration, the Ecclesiastical Authority will sink and fall without remedy, if real worth doth not uphold it. In such times men will not be to learn that an arm of flesh doth not constitute a Christian Church, and that the aid of the secular Power is not enough to prove one Party to be Orthodox, and the rest Heretical or Schismatical. External violence, which is the common support of false Religions, will in this case do little good, but it will render them that call for it the more odious, and more discover the weakness of their Cause. Wherefore the Clergy must resolve to do Worthily and fulfill their Ministery, or they must extinguish the Light of the Gospel, or the Light of the Gospel will extinguish them. But if as faithfull Shepherds they watch over the Flock, and tender the state thereof, if they labour in the Word and Doctrine, and Teach with meekness and patience if they pitty and succour the weak, and heal that which is lame, that it may not be turned out of the way, if they use the rod of Discipline with judgment and Paternal affection, if they discard and lay by mens unprofitable institutes, and maintain all Divine ordinances in their due honour, and chiefly urge the observance of the indispensable Commands of God, and turn men from externalness, and make it their chief aim that Christ by his Word and Spirit may Reign in the hearts of Professed Christians; then shall they magnifie their Office and establish their Authority, and hold their Flocks in an unfeigned Reverence and submission, as feeling the force of the Ministerial warfare in their Consciences. And the inferior differences shall not be able to cause disgust or aversation, or break those strong bonds of the Peoples sincere regard toward their Pastors: but they would rather be swallowed up in love, which is the bond of Perfectness.
The Conclusion.
NO greater thing can fall under the consideration of Mankind, than the Security and increase of true Religion. The Glory of God among men and their eternal Salvation depends upon it. Tis as far above the concernments of the Kingdoms of this World, and their Politick Administrations, all Secular Affairs, and Philosophical speculations, as the Heavens are high above the Earth. An inquiry into the Sound state and true interest thereof, is a contemplation worthy of the greatest minds, and the advancement of it is the chiefest honour of the highest Powers. Tis the Royal interest of that Potentate, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and of that Blessed Society which are incorporated under him their Lord and Head. And who that in any degree hath truly known the felicity of this Kingdom, and hopes for a Lot of inheritance in the glory of it, doth not value the concerns thereof above all his chief joys that are but of this World? A zeal for the common Faith, and a constraning love to all the Faithfull, hath excited a very mean and weak one to do what he was able on this important Subject, impartially searching after their common good. Let the Prince of this Society, one of whose names is Counsellour deliver his Flock from all dangerous and disadvantageous error, and from wandring in broken Parties by unstable and divided Counsels, and shew them graciously the right way of maintaining a consistency among themselves, and of gaining upon the reconcilable part of men. And forasmuch as this Prince and Leader is the Lamb of God whose Banner is Love, let his people every where be acted by the Spirit of Love, and shew forth the meekness of Wisdom in all good Conversation, with Humility, Patience and Long-suffering, having this Principle deeply imprinted in them, The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God.