Reformation of the Church to be Endeavored After, Sermon
A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable the Houſe of LORDS, Auguſt 28, 1645.
JUDG. 6.27, 28, 29.
Then Gideon took ten men of his ſervants, and did as the Lord had ſaid unto him: And ſo it was, becauſe he feared his fathers houſhold, and the men of the City, that he would not do it by day, that he did it by night.
And wen the men of the City roſe early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was caſt down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the ſecond bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
And they ſaid one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they ſaid, Gideon the ſonne of Joaſh hath done this thing, &c.
THis book containeth a wonderfull alternation and viciſſitude of the Iſraelites troubles, and their deliverances, as alſo of their ſinnes, and prayers unto God; which old inconſtancie of theirs, made Gregory compare them to the graſhoppers, that do on a ſodaine leape high, and then fall down again to the ground: Thus did the Iſraelites: and this Chapter containeth the fourth change, wherein we have firſt deſcribed their ſinne, and then their puniſhment; Their ſinne, ver. 1. (The children of Iſrael did evil in the ſight of the Lord:) This evil was eſpecially Idolatry; hence that is called in Scripture foreign, the abominable thing; and this Idolatry is either when the true God is not worſhipped, or when he is not worſhipped in a true manner. It is not long ſince in England were found ſuch abominable things, which made the faithfull Miniſters of God, ſo zealous for a Reformation; Omnis ſermo adaptandus eſt contra Idolatriam. In the next place, you have their puniſhment, they were oppreſſed by the Midianites: and this was ſo great, that the Iſraelites, who had been beaſts in their ſinnes, were now made like them in their puniſhments; for they were forced to hide themſelves in dens and caves; and this was not all, they were in danger of ſcarcity and famine; for they found it very difficult to get corne; now the words that do expreſſe the miſery of warre, as clades, ſtrages and calamitas, are ſuch as are taken from the hurt done to the husbandman, in his corne and graſſe, as if that were the great evil of warre.
In the next place we have Iſraels prayer unto God, ver. 6. They cried unto the Lord. At ver. 7. God ſendeth a Prophet to them, to informe them of their ſinne, that the weight thereof might lye heavier upon them, then all outward miſery; which alſo is aggravated by the manifold favours God hath beſtowed on them: now it is indged by ſome, that here is an foreign in the hiſtory, and that this expoſtulation, which the Prophet made with them, did precede and cauſe the prayers and ſupplications of the Iſraelites. What the Prophet was, and whether it was the ſame with the Angel mentioned, ver. 12. I will not diſcuſſe. Upon the Iſraelites humiliation, God ſends them a deliverer, who is deſcribed by his name, family, and his preſent action (he was threſhing wheat:) A fit repreſentation of him who was afterwards in the worſhip of God, to ſeparate the wheat and the chaffe. In the Chapter we have, 1. His call and commiſſion; 2. His humble and modeſt excuſe, 3. His obedience notwithſtanding: Now his commiſſion was in two things principally; Firſt, The deſtruction of all falſe worſhip, with erecting and eſtabliſhing of the pure: And ſecondly, The vindicating and aſſerting of the Common wealth from its oppreſſors: And my text containeth Gideons faithfull diſcharge of the former part of his commiſſion, though he met with much oppoſition. Now in this whole fact of Gideons, ſome things are extraordinary, and do not belong as examples to us; but other things are ordinary, and from thoſe I ſhall gather my preſent obſervations: As firſt, whereas Gideon doth not only free the Common wealth from outward violence and oppreſſion, but the Church alſo from corrupt worſhip and Idolatry; we may conclude;
Doct. 1 That it is an happy thing, when thoſe Magiſtrates, whom God raiſeth up to aſſert the freedoms of a Common wealth, do alſo endeavour a reformation of the Church.
In the ſecond place; whereas you ſee Gideon much oppoſed, and that by the multitude of people, and the deareſt of his friends, in ſo much that had he not been endowed with extraordinary piety and magnanimity from above, he could never have performed this great ſervice to God; we may obſerve;
Doct. 2 That there is a neceſsity of the concurrence of many ſpeciall abilities and graces in thoſe who undertake a Reformation. I will begin with the firſt Doctrine.
Before we lay down the grounds of this, take notice, that it lyeth as a duty upon Magiſtrates, to attend to the reformation of all corruptions that creep into the Church, as well as to redreſſe the abuſes in a ſtate: Only concerning his power herein, there is a two-fold extremity by way of errour; firſt, of Popery, who do not well approve, that the Magiſtrate ſhould meddle in matters of Religion; but would have him altogether bound up in the determinations of the Pope and his Biſhops; and eſpecially they abhorre this doctrine, when it extendeth to the reformation of the Eccleſiaſticall perſons; But we ſee in the Scripture, the godly Magiſtrates, Hezekiah, Joſiah and others, demoliſhing the Altars, incouraging the Prieſts that taught the good knowledge of God, and puniſhing Baals Prieſts; and where theſe things have not been done, there we finde the Magiſtrates reproved: on the other ſide, the errour may be extreme, when we give them an unlimited power in eſtabliſhing matters of Religion; as if they were not to be regulated by Scripture, or to take the advice and counſell of thoſe that are Spirituall governours in the Church: Thus Constantius is branded, who when he would have counſelled the Orthodox to Arianiſme, he uttered that ſpeech full of pride, quod ego volo, pro canone ſit; what I will, ſhall ſtand for a rule: Thus alſo we go too farre, when we confound Civill power and Eccleſiaſtique, making the former wholly to devoure the latter: Hence Calvin ſpeaking of the duty of Kings and all in authority, to uſe the ſword for the defence of Religion and the worſhip of God; yet addeth, that there are inconſiderati homines, &c. ſome raſh and indiſcreet men, who go beyond their bounds in ſetting up the Magiſtrates power, ſo that they do abolere omne ſpirituale regimen, aboliſh all ſpirituall government. By this briefly it may be ſeen, that it is the Migiſtrates duty, to eſtabliſh the worſhip of God, to reforme corruptions in the Church; yet with ſome rules and grounds. I come therefore to the reaſons, why Governours ought to lay to heart, and to be affected with Church matters, as well as thoſe of the ſtate.
As 1. Becauſe Gods bleſſing doth moſt remarkably follow their other enterpriſes; Hence Hag. 1. God bids them conſider, whether they did not thrive accordingly as they promoted the building of the Temple; and thus Jehoſhaphat, when he beſtirred himſelfe in a reformation, fear fell upon all the nations round about, that they dared not to warre with him; and on the contrary, how was Solomons and Rehoboams kingdome ſhaken, when they corrupted the worſhip of God? If we would judge by Scripture, we ſhould ſee horrible wickedneſſe and impiety in thoſe ſpeeches of men, which ſay; It is this ſtrictneſſe, this reformation that brings all our calamities upon us: men that will not be perſwaded, their own oaths, drunkenneſſe and ungodly practices do make the land miſerable, will yet thinke the prayers and active endeavours of the godly to bring all our ruine upon us. 1. This is no Scripture judgement. If therefore we would have God ſubdue our enemies, and thoſe that hate us, let Magiſtrates ſubdue that which is an enemy to God, corrupt worſhip, defiled adminiſtrations of ordinances, theſe are enemies to God. It is true, ſometimes God, to try the conſtancie of reformers and their faithfullneſſe, hath brought much warre and calamity upon them, preſently upon finiſhing the reformation, as 2 Chron. 32.1.
2. Herein are concerned the ſouls of men: certainly this ought much to inflame, and kindle your affections in a Church-reformation, that hereby you may preſerve the ſouls of thouſands from everlaſting perdition. Monopolies and illegall taxes, theſe onelyonly waſte the outward eſtates of men; but corrupt worſhip, doth the ſouls of men. You doe bemoan thoſe thouſands that have loſt their blood in the field, ſince the warrs began; but (had not God ſtirred up Governours to reform) how many thouſands of ſouls would have periſhed through ignorance and ſuperſtition? So that Joſeph was never in more mercy raiſed up by God to preſerve his Father and Brethren from famine in time of dearth, then when God moved the hearts of divers in eminent places, to cauſe the plenty of Gods Word. Know therefore (Right Honourable) that by your places and power, which God hath committed to you, you may ſave the ſouls of many. Look upon it, as the leaſt thing, that the people of England may by your means have their bodies and eſtates ſecurely provided for; but account it the greateſt obligation, and tie upon you, to provide for their ſouls and ſpirituall happineſſe. There are ſpirituall plunderings as well as corporall; and there is the ſiring of ſouls as well as houſes and towns: therefore let your thoughts and conſultations be to prevent theſe.
3. The devil uſeth all his malice and power for the ſubverting of this rather then the other. Wherein doth the devils great enmity and rage appear againſt men? It is not againſt their purſes, their bodies, their outward comforts, ſo much as againſt their ſouls.
The devil and his inſtruments they chiefly labour, that there may be no pure doctrine, no holy diſcipline, no godlineſſe promoted; to ſtop this, all the power of hell combine: ſo that the greateſt, and the moſt dangerous part of our warre at this time is with the powers of darkneſſe, which ſtirre up inſtruments to promote that kingdom of darkneſſe.
As they report of the Baſilisk, it hateth man ſo much, that whereſoever it ſeeth the image or picture of him, it endeavours to tear it in peeces; ſuch is the hatred of Satan and his inſtruments to any thing of God, appearing in doctrine, worſhip, or diſcipline, that he would pull all into pieces; and certainly the confuſions that the devil hath brought upon Churches by hereſies and impieties, are more dreadfull and terrible then all the devaſtations and deſolations he hath brought upon States and Common-wealths, by the ſword or other calamities. Let this therefore awaken men in place and authority; and let them thinke, what is that which hell, which the devils, which wicked men would ſo gladly have, and they ſhall ſee it is nothing, but a diſſolute, careleſſe, and impenitent life, without any check from the Word of God.
4. Gods care about his Church is farre above that to the Common-wealth. Therefore learn from God, let your affections and thoughts be moſt about that, which God hath the greateſt care about from all eternity.
He looks to the Common-wealth in the way of providence, as a God abſolutely conſidered; but to his Church, in the decree of Election, and acts of Juſtification and Salvation, as a gracious Father; therefore God, he doth either bleſſe, or afflict Common-wealths, and the Governours thereof, as they are either froward and churliſh, or kinde and mercifull to his people, Pſal. 87.2. Jehovah loveth the gates of Sion more then the dwelling places of Jacob; the place of his worſhip and ordinances, more then all other places. Thinke therefore, that if Gods love, and works in a remarkable manner be for his people, worſhip and ordinances, how effectuall and ſtrong ought the reſolutions and endeavours of thoſe be, who by reaſon of their place and office are called gods? and if it was accounted ſuch an honour among the Heathens unto Hercules, that he cleanſed their Augean ſtable, and conquered their many-headed Hydra; how much more will it be matter of honour and glory, to cleanſe the temple of God from all defilements, and to ſubdue all hereſies, that riſe up againſt the truths of Chriſt? let us therefore all imitate God, in our places and relations, by our love and thoughts of good to the Church and ordinances of God.
5. The Common-wealth is in reference and ſubordination to that: the Church is not for the Commonwealth, but the Common-wealth for the Church. Hence a Common-wealth is made glorious, when it becometh holy and Chriſtian, as jewels, which they ſay have their being at firſt in the ſea, yet have more affinity with the heavens, whoſe colour they repreſent; ſo a State when once become the Church of God, doth more depend on heaven, from whence it hath it's originall, then on the earth, in which it liveth. And then doe all Governours contradict this principle, when they make the Scripture ſubordinate to State-ends or policies: Thus Jeroboam makes the worſhip of God ſubordinate to the outward peace of the Kingdom; and this hath been the fatall miſcarriage of many Governours; they have not conſulted what God and his Word ſpeaketh, but what are the maximes and principles of State. If therefore your hearts and affections be for the Common-wealth, how much more ought it be for the Church, ſeeing God made the world at firſt, and doth ſtill preſerve it, becauſe of his Church that is in it? and if Chriſt thought not his own bloud too much to give for the ranſome of it, how much leſſe ſhould we judge our pains and thoughts too much for it? Pſal 2. There is a forcible exhortation to all the governours of the earth, to receive Chriſt, and to ſubmit to his government, let none thinke himſelfe too great to be in Chriſts yoke; nay, this is the end why God hath given greatneſſe and power to men, that they might ſerve his Church; and therefore he ſuffers her to be in a weake and indigent eſtate: when the Lord promiſeth, that Kings and Queens ſhall be nurſing fathers, and nurſing mothers, it ſuppoſeth the Church to be like a poor helpleſſe orphan: now when we ſpeak thus of helping the Church of God, we mean not in ſuch a manner, as they in Popery plead for the outward dignity and carnall priviledges, as alſo unlawfull authority, which are not of Chriſts kingdom; but we ſpeak of the people of God, the Ordinances, the true Doctrine, and the wholeſome diſcipline thereof; we deſire this to be eſtabliſhed and promoted by you. Who ſeeth not a vaſt difference between the ſpirit of a proud Thomas Becket, obſtinately dying for the outward pompe and uſurped power of the Church (as they call it) and the zeal of a Calvin, chooſing puniſhment, yea (a hundred deaths) as he ſaith, rather then to ſuffer the publike prophanation of the Lords Supper. Plato ſaid, magis amandam eſſe patriam quàm matrem, quia patria quiddam divinum eſt: how much rather then are we to love the Church of God, above the Common wealth, becauſe that is indeed divine, being the immediate plant of Chriſt himſelf?
6. God in laying down a law, doth command thoſe things firſt, that concerne him and his worſhip; ſo his promiſes to his Church, are chiefly about the ſpirituall means of ſalvation; this conſideration may alſo be a great motive in the worke of reformation. God in his commands, firſt doth eſtabliſh the duties of worſhip and ſervice to him, and then the offices and duties towards man; how happy then is it, when men make laws proportionably to God?
Thus Moſes, Varro. l. 14 c. 17. Romae quotieſcun que ſenatus cogeratur nullâ de re prius, quam de religione agebatur.as ſoon as he had delivered the people of Iſrael out of Egypt, before they were a ſetled Common wealth, he preſcribeth them all the forme and manner of Gods worſhip; and here Gideon in the text, before he ſubdueth the Midianites, he deſtroyeth their Idols. And as you have Gods commands, ſo alſo his promiſes to his Church are chiefly in reſpect of ſpirituall things, Hag. 2.6, 7. One would not have thought that the glory there propheſied of for the Temple, ſhould have been the reformation that Chriſt did bring into it, but rather would have expected ſome outward materiall magnificence: Even as in Popery, adorned Temples, goodly Images, and coſtly veſtments, are accounted the glory of a Church: but we ſee the promiſe is otherwiſe: So Zach. 12. and Mal. 1. the promiſes of God to his people under the Goſpel, are not that they ſhall live free from taxes and pillaging, but that they ſhall have a refining Miniſtery, pure Ordinances, and gracious affections in the uſe of them.
7. The oppreſſions in worſhip and Religion are farre more grievous then thoſe of the outward man; therefore ought Magiſtrates to eaſe the godly in theſe reſpects, rather then in any other. No doubt to the godly Iſraelites, Gideon was more welcome, in that he deſtroyed Altars, then in that he vanquiſhed the Midianites. Conſcience is the eye of a man, and any little crumme of duſt blown into that is very grievous; This made our godly anceſtours, lying under the burdens of Popery, to cry out, like David, for the water of Bethlehem; Who will give us to drinke of the pure waters of Gods ordinances? How many have found an hell in their hearts, for communicating with falſe worſhip? Our worthy reformers at firſt, if it had been matter of purſe or ſtate, they could have born it; but when oppreſſions were in doctrine and worſhip, this made them chooſe reproaches with Chriſt, rather then the treaſures of Rome. It is true, there are men whoſe conſciences are like the Leviathans skinne, no ſpear can enter into them; let there be an Image ſet in the room of David, any Idols in the place of Chriſt, they are not much troubled. That is obſerveable in the Iews, though ſenſeleſſe enough under their Idolatry, while they were in outward proſperity, yet being in captivity, how tender are they? Pſal. 137.3, 4. In that Pſalme many things are obſervable to our purpoſe; as firſt, though they were by the pleaſant rivers ſide, yet they could not but mourn for Ieruſalems ſake. Again, its obſerved by Calvin, as a great teſtimony of their faith and godly zeal, that they carried their harpes with them into ſo ſtrange a land from their own countrey, as their deareſt houſholdſtuffe, which they would keep, till God reſtored them to their worſhip in Ieruſalem again. Further, you may take notice of their refuſall to ſing in a ſtrange land; the publike worſhip of God, and the legall Sacriſices, might not be celebrated in a polluted land. Hereupon, ſee into what an holy paſſion the Church breaks out, ver. 6. If I forget the, O Ieruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; If I preferre not Ieruſalem above my chief joy: Here are ſpirituall and heavenly hearts, that can rejoyce more in the reſtitution of the worſhip and ordinances of God, then in all their own private advantages: By this Pſalme you ſee, what an oppreſſion and miſery is upon thoſe, who groan under Church-pollutions. Now one of the main burdens that hath borne down the backs of the godly Miniſters in this kingdome, hath been the want of holy and powerfull diſcipline; England was a good ſchool, wherein truths were taught, but there wanted a rod to correct vice; the want of this is a grievous burden. Its a paſſage of Calvins to Farell, ſpeaking of the Sacrament to be with them the next Lords day, Cogita (ſaith he) quantis anguſtijs conſtringer, utinam me abſente poſset celebrari, hâc conditione, ut ad vos uſ que vel manibus reptarem. What is the cauſe then, that men may be earneſt for the one, and not for the other?
1. The ſtate reformation agreeth moſt with our ſenſible good; hence we ſhall ſee the Romanes and other Heathens, have adventured themſelves for the Common wealth, and have gloried in being the aſſertors of its liberties; but to promote Chriſts waies, that is contrary to our corrupt hearts: therefore men may be forward to have monopolies and taxes removed, that yet cannot indure to have the ſanctification of the Sabbath, the powerfull and ſoul ſaving preaching of Gods Word eſtabliſhed. How few are like Theodoſius, of whom Ambroſe ſaith, Dilexi virum, qui cum corpore ſolveretur, magis de statu Eccleſiarum, quàm de proprijs periculis angebatur; he was more carefull about the Church then his own affairs.
2. Multi …nt qui d…ſciplinam imperium eſſe judica…t ac rationa…m ca… gationem ſuperbiae aſſignant; quum non fit imperium, aiſi ubi aliqui… juberur i…u…um; ne… ſuperbia, niſi u…i regligitur diſciplina Aug.Chriſt hath yokes, and Common wealths are unwilling to receive theſe; In Pſal. 2. ver. 3. ſee the reſolution of the governours of the earth; Let us break their bonds, and caſt their cords from us: The orders of Chriſt are ſo holy, ſo heavenly, ſo ſelf-denying, that few ſtates will ariſe to the obedience of them: And this made the Heathens object, though very falſely; that Common wealths and the Chriſtian religion cannot ſtand together: And this made ſome prophane men profeſſe, when the reformation began in Lathers time; that they had rather live under the government of the Turke, then where all things ſhould be ordered according to Gods Word; but this is to be ignorant of the great happineſſe, both ſpirituall and temporall, which the waies of Chriſt bring to a people.
Beſides the former, there are alſo extrinſecall cauſes.
1. God leaveth them to their own carnall wiſedome; this is a great judgement of God, when they are left, in matters of Religion, to their own hearts, as in Jeroboam and others: ſome have ſaid, the head of every ſacrifice was to be thrown away, and not offered, to ſignifie, that our own carnall apprehenſions muſt be laid aſide in the worſhip of God: Now the Church of God ſcarce ever had a reformation, wherein men have not been in part left to this, as appeareth by that frequent paſſage; Nevertheleſſe the high places were not taken away: therefore to reforme, is Gods great worke upon the hearts of men, as he poured his Spirit upon Zerubbabel; and take the beſt reformers, while they have no more then man in them, they are like Sampſon without his hair, fearfull, worldly, ſelf-ſeeking as others.
2. The people are unwilling and unprepared: thus it was in Joſiahs time, inſomuch that one would wonder to read the ſtory in Joſiahs time, to ſee what a generall compliance there was in the whole kingdome with his reformation, yea, an univerſall ſubmiſſion thereunto; and to obſerve the prophecy of Zachary, which is ſaid to be at the ſame time; for in this latter, God by the Prophet. complaineth of them as a very wicked people, yet they gave way to the reformation by Joſiah; only this did not laſt, for Joſiah is immediately killed, and all the people fall back to their falſe worſhip again, ſo that the inward rottenneſſe and hypocriſie of their hearts, do either ſtop a reformation, intended by governours; or elſe throweth down immediately whatſoever is built up.
3. A corrupt Miniſtery doth alwaies oppoſe this; Magiſtrates have not been alwaies able to reforme as they would, becauſe of the wickedneſſe of the Miniſtery, who ſhould indeed have laid the firſt ſtones of every ſpirituall building; Thus Chriſt, whom the zeal of Gods houſe did conſume, by whom was he contradicted in a moſt violent manner, but by the Prieſts and Phariſees? Thus Luther profeſſed hee found more enemies in the Cloiſters and Monaſteries, then out of wicked and prophane places; And is not this to be found in England? had not corrupt Miniſters, brokers for Popery, like the Philiſtims, thrown earth into all our ſprings that we were to drinke of? yet do they repent and humble themſelves for all their ſuperſtitious pollutions to this very day? or are they not rather obſtinate and hardened in the maintaining of them? So then its no wonder, if the governours of a Common wealth do not ſo willingly and fully reforme, when great learned ſcholars, and men much admired for their knowledge ſhall oppoſe it.
It was a witty ſpeech of Luthers, Monachica theologia nihil videt in Scriptur is niſi cucullos; and its true ſtill, great ſcholars corrupted in their judgements, ſee nothing in the Scripture, but what they thinke maketh for Altars, and Ceremonies, and ſuch vanity.
Vſe. This is a reproofe to thoſe who are willing for the one, but cannot abide the other: By what hath been delivered you may ſee how happy and bleſſed a thing it is to a Common wealth, when governours and people are as deſirous to have the liberties which Chriſt hath given his Church confirmed, as their ſtate liberties; when they deſire to ſee the Church of God in her ſpirituall beauty, as well as the Common wealth in flouriſhing proſperity. But this is the great eye-ſore and trouble to many; they would have it better with the ſtate, and are not affected with a reformation in the Church; and this carnall diſpoſition was of old; Auſtin ſpeaks much to this purpoſe about the Heathens, who cried out of the Chriſtian religion, as the cauſe of all their troubles and miſeries; They would have peace againe, though they had thereby, mala ſaevis pejora hoſtibus; and he bringeth in an Heathen, ſaying, Let us have our feaſts again, our merry meetings, reges non curent quam bonis, ſed quam ſubtitis regnant; non jubeantur dura, non prohibeantur impura; Let no hard duties be commanded, no impure waies forbidden; Ille ſit publicus inimicus cui haec felicitaes diſplicet. Lib. 1. de civit. cap. 30. I fear theſe things lye in the bottome of many mens hearts, who yet are very willing to have all ſtate grievances taken away.
The means to be ſuch Magiſtrates and people, are theſe.
1. Be affected with Gods Word, take that for a rule; adore the majeſty and fullneſſe of the Scripture; conſider not, what this, or that carnall principle ſuggeſteth to you, but ſay, how is it written? and how do we read in the Scripture? The Church of God is tied to the Scripture, to fetch all nouriſhment and ſupport from it, as the childe is faſtened by the navell to the mother, for the relief and maintenance of it: What hath made men heretiques in the myſteries of the Trinity and Deity of Chriſt, but only attending to reaſon, and not Scripture? they will have us ſhew the like in the creatures; but the Father ſaid well to the Arian that demanded ſo, Da mihi alium Deum, & aliam Trinitatem tibi ostendam.
2. Get an heavenly heart and minde, which will prize the ordinances of God; till this be in men, they will not move, or ſtirre in any Temple-worke. Its no marvell if David have ſuch a deſire to build an houſe to God, when he cryeth out, How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord? Pſal. 84.1. Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, &c. So when he is in baniſhment, what is that which he ſo longeth for? is it to have his peace and outward tranquillity again, or not rather to ſee the power and glory of God, as he had ſeen it in the ſanctuary? Pſal. 6.31, 2.
3. Humble your ſelves for former known pollutions, or for negligence and remiſſeneſſe in reformation, when opportunities have been offered. Who knoweth whether much of this worke that is now to do, might not have been diſpatched heretofore, if the hearts of men in place had been for it? Can we ſay, that it is not the ſinne of Parliaments and governours heretofore, that the Ark is not already ſetled? and how neceſſary our humiliations are for former known defilements and ſuperſtitions, appeareth, Ezek. 43.10, 11.
4. Remember theſe conſiderations.
1. What the thoughts are which God hath about a worſhip that is none of his, Joh. 4. You worſhip you know not what; men do they know not what, howſoever they dote moſt upon their own invented worſhip. There is a Papiſt Raymundus ſaith, There are as many myſteries in the Maſſe, as drops in the ſea, Angels in Heaven, Starres in the firmament, atomes in the Sunne-beames, or ſand in the ſea ſhore; but that which is highly eſteemed among men, is abominable before God.
2. The danger of our own hearts in ſuch things; God doth frequently forbid our own wiſdome and diſcretion, in matters concerning him; and the wiſer men are, the more abſurd they have been in their worſhip, when they have not been guided by the light of the Scripture, as in the Egyptians, who were noted to be a fountain of the arts, and much knowledge; they were of all the Heathens moſt ridiculous about their gods. And all Popery may ſufficiently advertiſe us, how dangerous it is to leave Gods word, and to follow our own imaginations: In things of this life, a Magiſtrate de jure ſuo tantum remittere poteſt, quantum pacis ſtudium requiret: ſed alia eſt ratio ſpiritualis regiminis.
3. The unprofitableneſſe of any ſuch way for a ſpirituall benefit; whatſoever doctrine, worſhip or ordinance is not of the Lords inſtitution, can never be bleſt to any ſpirituall effect upon the ſoul: The word of promiſe doth alwaies ſuppoſe a word of inſtitution.
4. Godly men cannot rejoyce in outward bleſſings; if this be wanting, as you heard before of David, though he might have his countrey, his liberty again, yet that was not ſo great a good, as to enjoy God again; it is riches and the Goſpel, peace and the Goſpel that makes a people happy.
5. This is a great argument to prevail with God; what an argument is this in prayer; Lord bleſſe theſe Magiſtrates, this Parliament, for they ſet up thy Kingdome? and conſider that every time you pray that petition in the Lords prayer, that the Kingdome of God would come; the meaning is, that the powerfull preaching of Gods word, and the wholeſome diſpenſation of the ordinances may every where be ſetled.
But againſt all theſe Arguments for a Reformation, there are many objections brought; I will inſtance in three only.
Firſt, Some ſay, this is to make all Religion ridiculous; what a vanity, and inconſtancy doth this ſeem to be, to have one year, one kinde of ſervice and worſhip of God, and another the next year? Now to this I anſwer theſe things.
1. It is indeed a very hard thing to take men off from their religious uſages, though they have no ſolid ground to retain them. Thus Auſtin he complained, Genus eſt morbi graviſsimi, eorum qui dicunt nobis, verè quidem dicitur non est quod reſpondeatur, ſed durum eſt nobis traditionē parentū relinquere; This doth much trouble men to leave cuſtoms, which by long tract of time have made an awfull impreſſion upon their conſcience. And thus Auſtin at another time, Senſi ſaepe dolens & gemens, &c. he often perceived with much grief, that many perturbations and contentions were raiſed in many things, one reaſon whereof was, becauſe it was not their cuſtom in their countrey to doe ſo. Therefore this muſt be acknowledged, that people will generally ſtartle and be aſtoniſhed, if an old cuſtome be denied them, though they have no Scripture for it.
2. It may fall out, that it is ſo far from being mutability, that it is a duty to leave off ſuch things as have been practiſed: Thus when the kingdome of Iſrael had ſet up many idolatricall practices, was it their ſinne, becauſe they made their change, or not rather their duty? and thus in Popery, when God cauſed the light of Reformation to ſhine out of that thick darkneſſe; was this levity and mutability, becauſe there were no Altars, no Images, no Maſſe, where they were uſed to be for many hundred years? No, God commanded them to leave Babylon.
3. There is an alteration eſſentiall and deſtructive, and an alteration accidentall and perfective. Where the Churches of God retain the true Doctrine, there is not an eſſentiall alteration, nor can Religion properly be ſaid to be changed. And thus when calumniatours ſay, that we are ſetting up a new Religion; it's but a ſlander, for the doctrine that hath heretofore been retained in England (I ſpeak not of Papizing and Arminianizing perſons) is not changed; we ſtill retain the Doctrine of the Scriptures, of the Trinity, of Chriſt, of juſtifying faith: therefore all the alteration is accidentall, concerning rituals and diſcipline, which alteration makes to the perfection and wellbeing of the Doctrine, for the Doctrine that is anima, and Diſcipline that is the nerves whereby the body is compact together.
4. No Reformers that ever God raiſed up in the Church would own themſelves ſo far perfect, as that there needed no addition; we ſhould doe wrong to the bleſſed Reformers, if ſo be that we ſhould think they themſelves thought they had attained to ſuch a Reformation, as needed no further a Reformation. It's expreſſed in the Common-prayer book, That till the primitive Diſcipline may be reſtored again, they ordered for the preſent thus, and thus. Nay certainly were the godly Martyrs commanded to come out of their graves, and to ſee what is now doing in England, they would exceedingly rejoyce to ſee the fruit of their prayers.
5. It lieth as a dutie upon Churches to improve their talents, as well as particular perſons.
If perſons are to grow in knowledge and Reformation, then why not Churches? not as if that Academicall principle of the Socinians were to be received, that it is lawfull every monethmonth to alter our opinions in the Doctrine of Religion; that is to bring in Atheiſme at laſt: yet notwithſtanding there is to be a growth in the clearer knowledge even of eſſentials; as when a childe groweth, he doth not get new members or parts: only they grow in their kinde: It is profectus, not alteratio, as Lyrinenſis called it; and as for thoſe things that are not abſolutely eſſentiall; we ſee by experience what need there is, that Churches ſhould daily encreaſe in their knowledge. And ſo much for this Objection.
The next Objection is of thoſe, who ſay, It's no ſuch dangerous thing to live and die in errours, therefore there needeth not ſo much ſtrictneſſe and accurateneſſe herein, and the handling of this is neceſſary in theſe times, when it is thought that hereſie is but a theologicall fiction, and that it is great innocency. Now though great care ought to be uſed, for the declining of all tyranny in Diſcipline againſt errours; and in opinions of leſſe concernment, a Magiſtrate is not to make the major propoſition; a jailor, the minor, and a priſon the concluſion; yet that people may be more afraid & tremble about errour then they do. It is good to confider, firſt, a man may pervert Scripture to his own damnation by errour, 2 Pet. 3.16. Which the unlearned and unſtable wreſt to their own damnation: So that a man may damn himſelf by errours, as well as by a wicked life. Yea Oecumenius makes it as great a ſinne to wreſt and mangle the Scripture, as to take the bodies of the holy Pen-men, and to murder them; conſider that place, Prov. 30.6. Adde thou not to his words, leſt he reprove thee. By reproving, is meant a reall chaſtiſement and affliction; now when thou lieſt under heavie troubles, thou enquireſt, what ſin have I done? What iniquity is it that I have committed, for which God doth thus heavily afflict me? never conſidering that it may be for a ſinfull and carnall opinion. If therefore errour may be the poiſon, and damnation of a mans ſoule, it is not to be judged, as a thing of pardon, rather then of blame, as ſome would have it.
2. Hereſies and errours come from damnable cauſes; therefore they are not to be ſleighted: the generall cauſe of them is made to be the fleſh, Gal. 5.20. and reckoned in the nature of them with groſſe ſins, murders, whoredoms, &c. and joyned in the damnable effect of them, They that do theſe things ſhall never inherit the Kingdom of heaven; neither is there any neceſſity of that forced interpretation, to take hereſies (there ſpoken of) for contentions and ſtrifes, ſeeing though the word may denote ſome wilfull pertinacie, yet it frequently ſignifieth ſome pertinacy about religious matters; by this therefore it appeareth, that a man may be carnall by his head-ſins, as well as by his hand-ſinnes; then there are more particular cauſes mentioned by Scripture of errour, which are damnable, as obſtinacy, covetouſneſſe, pride, and vain-glory, as in Marcion, when he ſaid, foreign, he would throw the fire-bals of contention, which ſhould be unquenchable like thoſe of hell: eſpecially theſe errours are of a damnable cauſe, when they come from a looſeneſſe of heart, as thoſe that diſpute againſt the morality of the Sabbath, and the ſtrict keeping of it, and againſt the obligation of the morall law, and the divinity of the Scriptures; therefore goe to the fountain of every errour, and ſee how dangerous that is.
3. The ſeverall acts, or nature, wherein it conſiſteth, is damnable. There is a learned man, that confidently maintaineth the word Hereſie is never uſed in the Scripture in a middle or indifferent ſenſe, but alwaies in an ill notion: I ſhall not call that into queſtion now; only we ſay, as it is taken eccleſiaſtically, the acts of it are very hainous, as that it's putting a lie upon the holy Ghoſt: if the ſalfe prophets were ſo threatned for ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord, when the Lord did not ſay ſo; then muſt the like condemnation fall upon them, who ſay, Thus ſaith the Scripture, when it ſaith it not. Again, Gods Word is the publike Standard; it's the teſtament of Chriſt: now how harnous a thing is it judged to falſifie the laſt will of a man? Again, Gods Word is precious and dear to him, and he will hear the words and the groans, as it were, which this corrupt heart makes in it.
4. The conſequents of it are damnable, for errour is like the plague and infection, which deſtroyeth many others. Arius una ſcintilla fuit; and yet how did it fire the whole world? and how well were it, if Luthers temptation were upon many men, Tune ſolus ſapis? art thou only wiſe? what if thou be damned, and draweſt many thouſands to hell with thee? therefore it is a true ſaying, Quicquid in religionem divinam committitur, in omnium fit injuriam. Again, theſe ſins of errours pollute the minde and underſtanding, which are the choiſeſt parts of man: alwaies the ſins that are majoris infamiae, greater reproach among men, are not preſently majoris reatus, of the greater guilt before God. Is not the devil called an unclean ſpirit? yet he hath no bodily wickedneſſe, therefore doctrine being the foundation of practice it is dangerous to erre there. And then laſtly, ſuch ſins we are hardly convinced of. An outward groſſe ſin naturall conſcience may condemn, but it cannot doe ſo in matters of faith, becauſe they are ſupernaturally revealed. Theſe things duly conſidered, may make men pray, and again, pray that God would not leave them to their own underſtandings.
Laſtly, There is no ſolid excuſe, or plea can be made for it. Not that it is a mans ignorance, and therefore we are to do with them as blinde men, whom we pity, and not beat, for by this means the Jews who oppoſed Chriſt ſhould have been excuſed; and thoſe who thought they did God good ſervice in killing of the Prophets: inſomuch that a man may be under much guilt by errour; and yet be perſwaded he is in the right way; neither doth this excuſe him, that he cannot help it, or remove his errour no more then he can remove a mountain into the ſea, for then this would excuſe thoſe alſo who are captivated to any ſinfull way; and certainly the commands of God are as much to underſtand the truth, and to believe what God hath revealed, as to embrace in our will and affections what is good; neither doth this excuſe them, that they have good intentions and ends, for the Socinians profeſſe they dare not hold Chriſt to be the true God, equall with the Father, out of reverence and reſpect to the Father, leſt they ſhould diſhonour him. Nor laſtly, that every man is fallible, and therefore no man may judge another to erre, for if becauſe all may erre, it would follow that they do erre, then all truths in Religion would be quite overthrown.
The laſt Objection is, wherein ſhould England be reformed? Hath not the Church thereof been famous for her orthodoxy? what can be done more to her? I anſwer, to ſettle wholſome orders, and ſpirituall diſcipline againſt ſin. It's not enough for a Church to be orthodox, but ſhe ought to be holy alſo, and the Scripture is not only a rule for faith, but for our life alſo: now take thoſe places of Scripture, 1 Cor. 5.11. 2 Theſs. 3.6. what little influence had they upon our Kingdom? O, but this will bring men into bondage and ſlavery! no more then to have Phyſicians in the Common-wealth, then to have Pilates in a ſhip: theſe orders of Chriſt are meerly medicinall, utiliter vincitur, cui licentia iniquitatis eripitur.
Again, theſe orders of Chriſt are not terrible, for he hath commanded them to be adminiſtred, with all love, tenderneſſe and compaſſion. Luther ſaid, while he was ſtill leavened with Popiſh principles of contrition, and their penance, there was no more bitter word in all the Scripture then reſipiſce, repent: but when he underſtood the Goſpel, then it was precious and welcome. Thus it may be with the orders of Chriſt, while they are lookt upon as made odious by the calumnies of men, they are ready to reject them; but if once underſtood according to the inſtitution, uſe and end of them, then with Moſes, you may take this Serpent that you were afraid of, and it will become a rod.
Further conſider, that it's no bondage to take Chriſts yoke: but to be under the command of ſin, that is a ſlavery. To be ſervum tot Dominorum, quot vitiorum; this is indeed a great vaſſalage.
Again, For want of ſpirituall order and government in a Church, many ſins goe unreformed, which yet do much diſhonour God; for commonly States, in making of laws, conſider a ſin, as it is deſtructive to the Common-wealth, and as injurious to others, and doe not for the moſt part attend to a ſin, as it is offenſive to God: now what a ſad thing is it to conſider that the ſea is not fuller of water, or the air of flies, then towns and cities are full of wretched oaths, and blaſphemous curfings, which certainly do much provoke God againſt us, whereas ſpirituall order would be a ſpeciall means to remove theſe.
And laſtly, lay to heart ſeriouſly how far Popery hath prevailed with Kingdoms and States, to debaſe and wrong themſelves indeed, in their outward liberties, to ſet up that; and ſhall not Chriſt prevail to have his doctrine and orders ſetled, which will indeed be no detriment, but a preſervation of all honour and dignity?
And thus have I anſwered the three main Objections.
I come to the ſecond Doctrine, which is,
That the work of Reformation, requireth the concurrence and conflux of many noble and excellent graces. It's like the choice compound of ointment, which Aaron was to make. As
Firſt, A clear underſtanding of Gods will out of his Word. Thus the King he was to write Gods Word, and to be acquainted familiarly with it, that ſo he might be the more able to reform all abuſes that may creep into the worſhip of God: it's a great fault, when men in place and power think that matters of Religion doe not at all belong to them; whereas they cannot diſcharge their duties, if they know not by the Word what to doe.
2. Zeal for Gods glory, and his pure worſhip. Such as was in David, and Hezekiah, and moſt remarkably in Chriſt himſelf. It's an excellent thing, when Magiſtrates lay to heart Gods diſhonour more then their own, and are more ſollicitous that the laws of Chriſt may be beſt, then their own laws. It was an ingenuous way of reproving, which one orthodox Biſhop uſed to an Arian Emperour, who being called into the Emperours preſence, where his ſon alſo was, the Biſhop made his low obeyſance to the Emperour, but took no notice at all of the Emperours ſon; at which there was great offence taken; but the Biſhop replied, that if he would not honour the Son of God, why ſhould he regard his ſon: So why ſhould we look upon it as an hainous thing, when men will not keep our Laws, if we doe not Gods?
3. Publike affections, and love to the ſoul of others. Unleſſe a man beclothed with a publike ſpirit, he cannot labour for a Reformation. Nehemiah, though it was well with him, yet how deeply and ſadly is he affected, becauſe the Temple lieth deſolate? and thus Chriſt himſelf at that very time, when he was received with the greateſt acclamations, he doth not minde them, but weeps for Jeruſalem. Then hath God dealt graciouſly with your hearts, when neither riches, honours, or any perſonall dignity can do you any good, till Jeruſalem be ſetled a praiſe in the earth, as it was with David.
4. Sincerity and pure aims. For though Governours may be carried far in a Reformation, yet if pure love to God and his Ordinances be not the Star which leadeth them, the iſſue will be very uncomfortable; you have a ſad inſtance in Iehu, who though he did all according to Gods heart (as the Scripture ſaith) yet Hoſ. 1. God threatens to be avenged on him. Take heed therefore of corrupt, politicall deſigns in promoting Gods work. Nazianzen complained of ſome that were foreign and foreign: This hath made God many times let his own Ark fall into the hands of the Philiſtims, not but that his cauſe was dear to him, only thoſe who managed it, had ſelfiſh and particular intereſts.
5. Humility under all the honours God puts upon them. This was wonderfull in Gideon and David, whereas men, who are lifted up by any ſucceſſe that God beſtoweth on them, are like a blazing ſtar, that make a great luſtre at firſt, but at laſt end in ſlime. Iohn the Baptiſt that wrought a great Reformation, and the eyes of the world was upon him, yet he rejoyceth, becauſe he muſt decreaſe, and Chriſt increaſe.
6. Exemplary holines of life. This obligation cometh upon all Reformers, by that generall rule, He which reproveth others, ought himſelf to be free from thoſe ſins. The examples of Reformers, they are to others, as the particoloured ſticks to Jacobs ſheep: and indeed how uncomely is it, when Governours make laws againſt impiety, prophanation of the Sabbath, contempt of holineſſe; and ſuch ſins be found in their lives, or in their families? Now this is a great part of Reformation, when the lives and families of men are changed, as well as when Reformation is in the publike worſhip and Ordinances.
7. Fortitude and courage, accompanied with faith. For all Reformations meet with much oppoſition and contempt. When Hezekiah ſent meſſengers up and down for the pure keeping of the Paſſeover, they were mocked and ſcorned. Now to goe thorow all the accuſations and calumnies of men, yea and many exerciſes from God himſelf, this requireth, as humility and patience to be under them, ſo faith and courage, to be above them.
8. Prudence and ſingular wiſdom. This fact of Gideon, going with ſome few men in the night, is queſtioned by ſome as a weakneſſe in him, whereas indeed it was his great prudence. Any that hath read eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories may obſerve that the imprudence of men, hath much hindred the propagation of truth; only there muſt be care that prudence doe not degenerate into carnall and meer State-wiſdom; God hath made ſuch wiſdom in the end great folly, eſpecially when it is accompanied with the corruption of his worſhip.
The Uſe is for Exhortation, to be filled with all theſe excellent qualifications, God hath put an opportunity into our hands, and we have all covenanted according to our places and callings to ſet upon this work. Let us therfore be humbled and aſhamed this day, that we have with no more zeal promoted it. How have Governours, and others, who have not had ſuch advantages, ſuch intereſts in the Kingdom, done much for Chriſt and his Ordinances? and do theſe things ſpeedily, leſt hereaſter you may in the anguiſh and grief of your ſpirits call for the time and opportunities again, but cannot obtain them; let not the generation to come ſay, our Governours indeed delivered a Common wealth from thraldome, but beſet the faithfull Miniſters, and the godly people of the land, under as many groans and troubles as ever before.
FINIS.
End of the text · Anthony Burgess, Reformation of the Church to be Endeavored After (1645)