A Motion Tending to the Public Good of this Age and Posterity, Part 3
Of the third.
If we have taſted how gracious the Lord is, and are truly come unto him as lively ſtones, to be built up a ſpirituall houſe, and a holy Prieſthood, to offer up ſpirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God, through Jeſus 1 Pet. 2. 5Chriſt; then we ſhall be fit to propagate this life unto others, and not elſe; for the means by which it is propagated unto others, is none other but to labour, that the light which is made manifeſt unto our ſoules, whereby we are become partakers of the life of God; may ſhine alſo unto others, that they by the grace of God, may partake in like manner of the ſame. This endeavour hath three chiefe parts. The firſt is the care of avoyding offences. The ſecond of giving good example, by going before others in godlineſſe. The third, of making the Rule and doctrine by which we walke, to avoyd the evill and do the good known to every one.
Theſe three parts of this endeavour, are expreſſed Phil. 2. 15, 16. thus. Be blameleſſe and harmles as the Sons oſ God, without rebuke, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Nation, amongſt whom ſhine ye as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of life. Except we ſtudy to be in all things without ſcandall and offence, as it becometh the Sons of God, amongſt the Sons of men; the good which we do ſhall be evill ſpoken of, and become unprofitable, See Rom. 14. 13, 14, 15, 16. And if we give no good example by our life in the profeſſion of the Goſpell, all our Doctrine ſhall be blaſted, and we juſtly ſuſpected, and not worthy to be heard or taken notice of for teachers of Truth, See Math. 7. 16. 21. Iohn 10. 3, 4, 5.
Thus then, the endeavour to be without offence, is a preparative to make way for the good which is to be intended towards others in our practiſe, and the good which is to bee intended towards others by our practiſe; is a preparative towards the propoſall of the Doctrine of Truth, by which the knowledge of Chriſt is advanced unto the World, that ſo many as God ſhall be pleaſed to enlighten and call out of the world, by that knowledge may be joyned to him, and made participant of his life. Theſe three endeavours comprehend all the objects, which in the profeſſion and preaching of the Goſpel, are to be ſtudied by our ſelves, and inſiſted upon towards others. For in a word, it is by the means of the Goſpel, that Chriſt is to be made known unto the world; For the Goſpel is the power of God unto ſalvation, to every one that beleeveth, Rom. 1. 16. And ſeeing that in the wiſedome of God, the world by wiſedome knew not God, it pleaſed God by the fooliſhness of preaching, to ſave them that beleeve, 1 Cor. 1. 21. Now in the Goſpel there be two things. Firſt, there is the doing of the Truth for ourſelves, and then the publiſhing of the ſame for others. The doing of the Truth, is the profeſſion of the Goſpel, and the publiſhing of it unto others; is the preaching of the Doctrine, by which the profeſſion is regulated. As for the profeſſion, we ſee it hath two parts; The firſt is a care to be blameleſſe and harmleſſe without offence and rebuke towards all men. The ſecond, is the practiſe of Piety to do good to all, and goe before others, to lead them on towards the life of God. Whence we muſt gather, that all manner of endeavours and undertakings, which tend directly to advance and perfect any of theſe three objects, ſhould be counted truly good endeavours, and fit to be ſupported in this Age, and tranſmitted to Poſterity. And the more neere any endeavour or undertaking doth come to reach any of theſe ends, the more compleat and perfect it is to be eſteemed in goodneſſe, as comming neereſt unto the life of God. Here then the endeavours tending to the advancement of the Goſpel, ſhould be ſought out and ranked according to the ſubordination and relation, which theſe matters have one towards another; and all towards the manifeſtation of the life of God in us, by the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt in the Goſpell. Unto the matter of harmleſneſſe and blameleſſe converſation, belongeth the endeavour of peaceableneſſe, and of becoming all things unto all men in that which is lawfull, as the Apoſtle telleth us he did, 1 Cor. 9. 19. 24.
The endeavour of Peaceableneſſe, is a ſtudy whereby we are directed how to avoyd the occaſions of ſtrife, in reſpect of our ſelves, and to bring others who are at variance unto a peaceable and harmleſſe diſpoſition. Theſe endeavours, are proper Characters of the Sons of God; for in the place forementioned, the Apoſtle maketh the in-offenſiveneſſe of our converſation, to be the property of the Sons of God. And Chriſt ſaith, that the Peacemakers are bleſſed, becauſe they ſhall be called the Sons of God, Math. 5. 9. Thus then we muſt conclude, that the endeavours tending to take away offences and ſcandalls from amongſt Chriſtians, and tending to cauſe them avoyd ſtrife and debates, and tending to make peace amongſt them, and to bring them to the unity of the Spirit, by a reconcilement of differences in the Truth, are undertakings and endeavours, immediately conducing to the furtherance of the Goſpel, and conſequently to the ſetling forward of the life of God amongſt men. For God, is the God of peace, and hath no fellowſhip with evill, but is harmleſſe and good unto all; for even unto thoſe that are unworthy of his goodneſſe, he cauſeth his Sun to ſhine. Therefore Chriſt exhorteth all his Diſciples to be like his and their heavenly Father in this; That they ſhould be peaceable, innocent, and do good unto all, even unto their enemies and perſecutors, Math, 5. 38. till the end. Unto the ſecond part of the profeſſion, which is the practiſe of Piety, belongeth the zeal of advancing the Kingdom of God, and ſetting forth the image of Chriſt unto the world, in Righteouſneſſe and holineſſe: This is ſomewhat more then to be unblameable, by avoyding ſcandalls and ſtrife; for it doth imply moreover a care tending to the edification of many, by way of example, to lead others to perfection, in the duties belonging to our chriſtian calling; for we are bound to ſhew others the life of the Spirit by our walking, ſo that they may be able to diſcerne in us, the powers of another life then that is, whereby this world is upheld; for this world being led by luſt and ſelfe-conceited greatneſſe, and wholy ignorant of the life of God, muſt be convicted by the life of the Spirit; that there is a better ſtate & more perfect happineſſe which the Saints of God enjoye in the beauties of holineſſe, and in their communion with the Father, and with the Sonne, then that State wherein worldings take pleaſure: when therefore we know, and earneſtly ſtudy, to walke ſo as it becommeth the Citiſens of Heaven in our private and publike converſation; doing all things as in the preſence of God by vertue of the Covenant made betwixt him and us in Jeſus Chriſt; then we fulfill the ſecond part of our profeſſion of the Goſpel; and whatſoever undertakings may directly tend to advance the knowledge and the practiſe of this kind of life amongſt men, is moſt anſwerable unto the ayme of a publike good, and ought by all meanes to be ſet forward towards poſterity.
The third thing belonging to the advancement of the Goſpel of Chriſt, is the ſetting forth of the Doctrine of Truth; wherein all the grounds of the holy profeſſion are to be laid open unto the world: That they may be taught what the ground of our hope is for which wee walke; and what the rule is by which we walke in faith & love to avoide offences & to do good. Hereunto belongeth fundamentally the Paſtoral charge over a flock, by Preaching of the word in ſeaſon & out of ſeaſon, by way of inſtruction and correction, by exhortation and reproofe, and by comfort and threatning, and more particularly: The Doctrinall charge which tendeth to confirme, enlarge, and maintaine the knowledge of Divine Truth revealed in the Scriptures, the object of which charge ſhould not be ſo much (as now adayes it is almoſt wholy) the Refutation ofſome errours, and the handling of certaine common places; but it ſhould rather tend towards the ſetting forth of the hidden wiſedome of God, which is revealed in the written word, not as it is the miniſtery of the letter, which many doe onelyonly attend and inſiſt upon, but as it is the miniſtery of the Spirit in the new Covenant, wherein ſpirituall things are with ſpirituall words explained; and being compared with the things of their owne nature and property, they unfold the hidden miſtery which God hath prepared for our glory before the world beganne, In the opening of this miſtery according to the Scriptures; the Doctrinall charge ſhould chiefely be employed, and not in agitating with voluminous diſputations after a Scholaſticall way, particular controverſies; for if this wiſedome whereof the Apoſtle doth ſpeake, 1 Cor. 2. and the Miniſtery of the ſpirit whereof hee ſpeaketh; 2 Cor. 3. were really attended and made knowne; all petty controverſies wherein men ſpend their whole life Scholaſtically in Philoſophicall notions without any profit to the Goſpel, would vaniſh away, and be decided at an inſtant; becauſe the fundamentall Truth of the Covenant in the Spirituall and perfect wiſedome of God which is hidden in the Myſtery of Godlineſſe, is as a Sunne in compariſon of a darke Lanthorne whereunto the particular ſtraines and notions of learning followed now adayes are to be reſembled. Whatſoever undertaking therefore may tend directly towards the advancement of this kind of ſpirituall learning, and the manifeſtation of the hidden wiſedome of God in a myſtery according to the teſtimony of the Scriptures; that muſt be eſteemed a reall furtherance of the Goſpel, and conſequently a publicke good through the manifeſtation of the glory of God in the life of Jeſus Chriſt.
From whence finally this concluſion is to be inferred. That to partake for our ſelves, and to impart the life of Chriſt to others the profeſſion and preaching of the Goſpel muſt bee maintained and advanced unto this generation and to poſterity by the endeavors which tend, firſt to avoyd and take away offences, by compoſing of ſcandalous differences in Religlon. Secondly to doe good workes in an examplary way that others may bee drawne on to walke after the ſpirit. Thirdly, to make knowne by the true diſcharge of the paſtorall and Doctorall duties, the Ruies and grounds of our ſpirituall life and converſation both for avoyding of evill and doing of good, and what is not directly ſubordinate to ſome of theſe ends or to all of them, is no true good, nor a thing to be lookt after; becauſe it helpeth us not unto any part of our happineſſe; which is to partake of the life of God in the knowledge of Chriſt.
Having thus opened the grounds of that which I am to propoſe; now I will make the motion which I ſuppoſe will commend it ſelfe, as tending directly unto this moſt eminent publique good of this age and of poſterity.
Firſt, then if wee beleeve what hath beene ſaid, and know that a man is firſt naturall, and then ſpirituall; I thinke it fit to move that aſſiſtance may be given as well by way of councell as by outward ſupport, unto thoſe that labour for the rectifying of mens naturall parts, by reforming and facilitating all the meanes of humane learning for the ſchooles aſwell of old as young Schollers. For the great defects and errors in the manner of teaching, & in the matters which are taught, which are inferior and ſuperior Schooles, breede evill habits, and make the Soules of men unfit for the apprehenſion of the miſtery of Godlineſſe in the profeſſion of the Goſpel. Therefore to helpe the removeall of theſe, and to frame aright courſe for the education of children, and for the perfection of humane Learning, is a moſt laudable publique good worke aſwell for this age, as for poſterity.
Secondly, I thinke it fit to move that aſſiſtance may be given towards the endeavors of Eccleſiaſticall Pacification, and taking away of ſcandales and differences amongſt Proteſtants firſt, and then alſo if it bee poſſible amongſt all other Chriſtians, that the firſt part of our Evangelicall profeſſion may be ſet forward to ſome perfection: And the aſſiſtance to be given to this endeavour, may bee beſides the Spirituall Councell (which by men of Spirituall parts ſhould be ſuggeſted to the Agents;) and unblameable and peaceable converſation towards all men (which every one is bound to intend for himſelfe) though different in judgement from each other, a ſupply of meanes to maintaine the correſpondency and the Printing of treatiſes and letters; without which the negotiation of this matter towards Divines will bee wholly lame and imperfect.
Thirdly, I move for the erecting of a profeſſorſhip of Practicall Divinity in every Univerſity; and one in London at Sion or Greſham Colledge. That this Profeſſor might intend beſides the reading of Practicall matters, The compiling of a compleate body of Practicall Divinity taken out of all the Practicall writers of this latter age: which is a thing much deſired by forraigne Divines, as may appeare by their requeſts to that effect ſubſcribed with many hands and ſent to the learned Divines, and the Patrons of Godlineſſe and learning in England. By which meanes the ſecond part of our Evangelicall profeſſion will bee much advanced towards ſome perfection, chiefely in thoſe that are deſirous to leade a godly life.
Laſtly I move for the erecting of a Lecture in London which ſhould intend to teach the common people the way how to make uſe of Scripture by reading and meditating in their ordinary courſe; and ſhould ſhew alſo unto the more learned the Rules of a more exact Interpretation of the word, then is hitherto uſed; that when a matter of doubt is moved which ought to bee decided by the meaning of the text; there may be a common and infallible method of interpretation knowne; for the finding out of the true ſenſe thereof.
This Lecture ſhould at one time explaine a whole or halfe a Chapter, to ſhew the way of meditating upon the text, andof interpreting the ſame, by a conſtant Rule of Spirituall wiſedome.
How much theſe things (if they could be advanced) might tend to the good of this age, and of Poſterity for the propagating of heavenly knowledge in the Goſpel; I ſuppoſe it is needleſſe to declare at large: perhaps the former diſcourſe will ſuffice to make this apparent; yet if a more particular deduction of the things belonging to each of theſe motions, ſhould be required; for to ſhew the manner how every one of theſe propoſitions might be accompliſhed. that can eaſily be done to give ſatisfaction to ſuch as will concurre to favour theſe endeavours, and ſupport the furtherance thereof. The Lord grant us all his Grace, to make of all our Talents the beſt uſe, which may moſt tend to his glory, and the felicity of our owne Soules, and of our generation; and ſuffer us not to be unfaithfull Stewards of his manifold gifts and graces.
Amen.