The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The lott and foundation of it.
BUt in this point, as in the reſt, we acquieſce in the judgement and authority of the Scriptures that makes the end of faith, the ſouls ſalvation: (x)1 Pet. 1. 9.the putting of the Goſpel preached from us, a judging of our ſelves unworthy of eternal life: (y)Act. 13. 46and do believe, that the Scriptures are the word of God, from Heaven, not of men, as Johns Baptiſme is acknowledged to be, (z)Mat. 21. 25.that they are given by inſpiration from God, (a)2 Tim 3. 16.and not contrived for politick & worldly intereſts: that the Prophecy came not in old time, by the will of man, but holy men of God, ſpake as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt; (b)2 Pet. 1. 21for had they been a cunningly deviſed fable, impoſed on that world, for politick and carnal ends: the deviſer and contriver muſt either have been a good man, or a bad: a good man could not have invented and promoted ſo great a lie, (c)Rev. 22. 15.be guilty of ſo known a couzenage, obtruded ſuch a cheat upon the world, beguiled ſo many innocent well-meaning men, do ſo much evil, that good might come of it: (d)Rom. 3. 8.and a bad man could not beget, and breed ſo handſome and well favoured a Progeny, be the Father and founder of ſo beautiful a brood: we know, that pa…tus ſequitur ventrem, the birth doth ſmell, and ſavour of the belly: that ſo much vertue, purity, and ſelf-denial, could not be ingendered, harbored and publiſhed, by an ugly, foul, ill-favoured imagination and invention: that Therſites was not the Father of Achilles, nor Abſalom the Sonne of Ageſilaus: fortes creantur fortibus, & bonis, who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean? (e)Job. 14. 4.ſincerum fit niſi vas, quod cunque inſundis aceſcit.
And he muſt have been a wiſe man, or a fool: a fool could not have happened upon ſo well compoſed and contrived a plot: that wiſe men ſhould from time to time allow of, and ſubſcribe unto; and a wiſe man would not ſpend ſo much ſtrength and time, in hatching, framing, falſlaying, and promoting of a way, that would not gratifie him, and reward him, cui proſuit ſcelus, is fecit: hos ego verſiculos feci, will be ſubſcribed, rather then ſo good and happy an invention, ſhould be ſuppreſſed or miſapplyed.
Beſide, it either muſt have been one, or many: one could not plot and perfect, reſolve and ripen, begin and end ſo great an Engine, that was not begotten and brought forth in the ſame age; but like the Earth, and matter of our Chinah-diſhes, is begun by the Father, continued and promoted by the Sonne, and compleated by the Grand-child: nor by many; for it was hard for ſo many good wits, to jump upon ſo empty veſſels, barren and unprofitable an imployment. We acknowledge that there hath been cheats and juggles in Religion; for the ſimpleſt plaineſt men, have in all ages been the moſt religious, (f)1 Cor. 1. 26.and innocent well-meaning men are apteſt to be inſnared, and ſooneſt caught: homines antiqui ex ſuo ingenio caeteros fingunt, imagine all men as upright as themſelves, and innocent; quò magis verax, eo minus ſuſpicax, two hundred men ingage for Abſalom, in meer ſimplicity, that knew not any thing; (g)2 Sam. 15. 11.for where faith ſwayes, opinion and perſwaſion, are not ſtrangers: men do as verily believe the things they dream of, as walking perſons, the things they ſee and know, yet we know of none, that are, or ever were in all the world: the Authour whereof, periſhed unknown or unrewarded, at leaſt in their intention and deſign: we read of Jeroboam, that made Iſrael to ſin; (h)2 King. 10. 29.but withall we read, what his deſign and purpoſe in that ſeducement and impoſture was: namely, left the Kingdom ſhould revert, and turn again unto the houſe of David, (i)1 King. 12. 26, 27, 28.we read of Mahomet, prevailing by his faigned Saintſhip, and exact devotion with the people of Arabia, to inable him to ruine, and remove their lawful Government and Governours: and when he had done, we ſee him ſet the Crown upon his own head, and a bit and bridle in their jaws: from which, to this day, they are not free: we have ſeen the man of ſin, exalting and preferring of himſelf, foreign: above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped; (k)2 Theſ. 2. 4but we know, he did it, to enjoy their Territories and Dominions, that he might diſpoſe of their Eſtates, and ſubdue their perſons to attendance on him, and ſubmiſſion to him: that we may not mention leſſer cheats: But what got he, or they that framed and contrived the Scriptures? what was his name, or what was his Sons name? as he ſpeaks: (l)Prov 30. 4.therefore we own the Scriptures for the oracles of God, as they are called, (m)Rom. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 4. 11.and think what's ſaid in them, to be ex tripode, that is, undoubted, certain, and of eternal verity, and cannot chuſe but act accordingly, that is, adventure all, upon the promiſes therein contained: ſpend willingly our time and ſtrength, in the ſtudy, meditation, and contemplation of them: build upon what is there held forth, to good men and believers, fear what is there denounced againſt ſeducers, and ungodly perſons: love and rejoyce, in what is there commended, hate and abhorre, what there is threatned and condemned. We are not willing to be miſtaken, in what ſo properly concerns us; but if we may believe our own experience for ſome years, many of us: we think this Calling hath little in it, properly begetting or exciting envy, the Apoſtles were of all men in the world, the moſt oppoſed, and affronted: (n)1 Cor. 4. 9and in the Catalogue of Pauls preferments: (o)2 Cor. 11. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.wherein hee glories and rides in triumph, there is a very little to bee envied: the world is carried on and groverned, by intereſts and ſelf-reſpects: all Creatures doe intend their own advancement, and the Miniſters are people of another intereſt, not mingling nor piecing with them, and therefore ſhunned and declined by them: Landamus monitores, ſed fugimus: praiſe and commend the Sermon for a good one, but care not for hearing any more: if you were of the world, the world would love her own, but I have choſen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you (p)Joh. 15. 16: our Studies and Imployments doe put us upon many melancholy meditations, when we are alone: and when we come into reſort and company, our carriage muſt be grave and ſerious: wee cannot take that liberty that others doe, becauſe we are in danger to give offence: ſo that what is properly the life and comfort of other Callings, and correſpondencies, is death and heavineſſe to us: yet wee could bear it, if wee were but pittied and bemoaned; but to be ſad and heavy, ſtudious and painfull, watchfull and wary in our wayes and walking, and yet be envied, grudged, brow-beaten, and affronted, wee think hard meaſure, and beleeve wee may ſay with the Prophet, (q)Jer. 15. 10.Woe is mee my Mother, that thou haſt born mee a man of ſtrife, and a man of contention to the whole earth: but yet wee bear up in the midſt of all diſcouragements, on this account, that wee are called to it: (r)2 Tim. 2. 3. 4.thou therefore indure hardneſſe, as a good Souldier of Jeſus Chriſt, no man that warreth intangleth himſelfe with the affairs of this life, that hee may pleaſe him who hath choſen bim to bee a ſouldier: when the Souldiers were diſcouraged at Tredagh, yet when the Generall went formoſt, and intimated their Engagement, they ventured all: when wee look upon our work and entertainment in the world, wee finde an ap…neſſe to bee diſcouraged, as he did (s)Jer. 20. 8, 9; but when wee look upon our Leader and Commander Jeſus Chriſt, and our Commiſſion from him, wee are reſolved and enlivened: wee are not ignorant how many injuries and inconveniencies, wee are expoſed to, by this condition wee are in; but we conſider who hath put us into this condition: wee are adviſed of all the woes and ſorrows …hat attend us, if we preach the Goſpell; but we conſider withall, that a neceſſity is laid upon us, and woe is unto us if wee preach not (t)1 Cor. 9. 16, and wee think, the ſecond woe is heavier than the firſt, and are willing and reſolved, rather to loſe our eaſe and intereſt in Earth, than in Heaven; our ſhort uncertain leaſe and term, than our inheritance, our parts in Paris, than in Paradiſe, (contrary to that prophane exp…eſſion of the French-man,) in a word, to enter into life maimed, than having two hands and two eyes, to be caſt into hell, where their worme dieth not, and their fire is not quenched (u)Mark 9. 43, 44.. When Cardinall Tolet was admoniſhed by ſome of his Collegues, to enlarge himſelf a little more in the entertainment of thoſe delights and comforts, that his place afforded, and the Scarlet Gown did offer to him, becauſe in thoſe there was a greater certainty: haec habui qua edi; but the hopes and comforts of another life, which hee ſeemed to rely and dote upon, were ayrie, and uncertaine, farre of, and in the dark; he anſwered, if it fell out that there was no other life but this, yet the worſt was, but the loſing of his labour, which had an entertainment & refreſhment in the acting, that is, a proper and proportioned imployment of his faculties; but if there were another life, he ſhould for ever loſe his ſoule, and he was not willing to venture the loſſe of that.
When Socrates was threatened death, unleſſe he would forbeare inſtructing of the people, (as his manner was) againſt their Country way of worſhip; he told them, what they forbad, God did command, and he thought it ſafer to obey God then them; and for their threatning, he knew not whether death were not rather to be choſen, if he were at liberty; for in death he knew it ſhould be benè bonis, and malè malis: the Poets were the looſer ſort of Heathen, yet more then one of them could ſay, non omnis moriar, but we have the ſure Word of God for our encouragement and invitation, and being ſo perſwaded, we muſt be proved if we be ſerious. The Proverbe ſayes, You muſt give looſers leave to ſpeake, for wee having the ſame Spirit of Faith, according as it is written, I beleeved and therefore have I ſpoken, we alſo believe and therefore ſpeake.(w)2 Cor. 4. 13.
If it be ſaid, our Calling hath not been immediate by Jeſus Chriſt in perſon, as the Apoſtles was, or by a voice from Heaven, as the Prophets, and therefore we may leave it if we will; if it be hard and heavy to us, we may lay it aſide, and accept a Writ of Eaſe, that ſeemeth by our adverſaries to be offered to us.
We anſwer, Though it be immediately from men, yet its originally and mediatly from God, and Jeſus Chriſt, though miniſterially and inſtrumentally f…om men, yet au…horitatively and principally f…om God: The Elders of Epheſus were neither Prophets nor Apoſtles, yet the Holy Ghoſt had made them overſeers of their flocks, (x)Act. 20 28Archippus, neither Prophet nor Apoſtle, yet had his Miniſtery from the Lord and in the Lord, (y)Col. 4. 17.as in the ſequell we hope to prove; neither do we thinke it faire to lay down that at the diſcretion of a mo…tal erroneous ill-affected man, which we think we took not up without the immortall unerring well-affected God, to leave that in a pet and diſcontent, that wee have ſpent our ſtrength and time, our youth and vigour, in procuring what hath coſt us ſo deare, we think not fit to part with ſo cheape, omer at ille prius, vendere jure poteſt.
This we acknowledge is the great and ſerious reaſon that we are not willing that our Miniſtery ſhould be annihilated, the office utterly aboliſht and extinguiſhed; becauſe as we have ſaid, our peoples ſouls and their eternall welfare is at the ſtake: But this is not all, for we think their temporall and worldly happineſſe, is much concerned in it; for though its true, that an Eſau's dwelling may be the fatneſs of the earth, (z)Gen. 27. 39. 40.and by his Sword hee may live, though Turk and Pope may graze upon the goodlieſt paſtures of Aſia & Europe, though God gave unto the Heathen, raine from Heaven and fruitfull ſeaſons, filling their hearts with food and gladneſſe: (a)Act. 14. 17▪Though Egypt, a fruitfull Countrey, be given unto Nebuch adnezzar, as wages for his ſervice againſt Tyre, (b)Ezek. 29. 18, 19, 20.yea, though no man knoweth either lone or hatred, kindneſſe or unkindneſſe, favour or frownes, by all that is before him, as the wiſe man ſpeakes, (f)Eccleſ. 9 1.yet we think that the Goſpel never is removed from a Place or Nation, but the People of the Place are made to feele the want of it; both Peace and Plenty commonly go with it. The Sword comes commonly to revenge the quarrel of Gods Covevant. (g)Levit. 26. 25.When Iſrael had been a long ſeaſon without the true God, and without a teaching Prieſt, and without Law, there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countries; Nations was deſtroyd of Nation, and City of City, for God did vex them with all adverſity. (h)2 Chron. 15. 3, 5, 6.When Jerehoam for politick and worldly ends, had altered and new modelled the Temple-Worſhip, and ſet up wayes of Worſhip that ſhould be ſubject to, and ſerve his carnall intereſts, (i)1 King. 12. 26, 27, 28.and had forced the …rieſts and Levites to forſake, their Suburbs, and made him Prieſts of the loweſt and meaneſt of the people, (k)2 Chron. 13. 9.there quickly followed deſolation and deſtruction, as the ſtory plainly tells, (l)2 Kings 17. 7, 8,and that without recovery, or reſtitution unto this day; and howſoever Juda laſted ſomewhat longer, yet when they alſo m…cked the Meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his Word, and miſuſed his Prophets, the wrath of the Lord brake out againſt his people, and there was no remedy. (m)2 Chro▪ 36. 16.And though the Goſpel was once more offered them in the Miniſtry of John the Baptiſt, yet withall, the ax was laid unto the root of the tree, that if it bear not fruit then, it might be cut downe and caſt into the fire, (n)Mat 3. 10▪and though the execution of that ſentence were for a time deferred and put off, yet at the laſt it came upon them to the uttermoſt, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, (o)1 Theſ. 2: 16. 29.and the Goſpell was tranſlated to the Gentiles, (p)Acts 13. 46, 47.and though with them the Goſpell went on conquering, and to conquer for a long time, (q)Rev. 6. ….yea when they alſo waxed wanton, began to play and trifle with the holy things of God, when ſpirituall and powerfull Preaching was laid aſide, and tales and ſtories told the people in the ſtead of it; When the ordinary and ſaving Goſpel truths grew cheap, and lay diſperſed and neglected every where, and Revelations, Viſions, and Apparitions of the dead, began to be received, admired, and entertained; when publique Meetings and Aſſemblies began to be neglected and grow thin and rare; & Separation, Monkery, and Monaſtick-living to be exalted and cryed up, as it did about ſix hundred yeares after our Saviours comming in the Fleſh; The Saracens in the Eaſt, and the barbarous Northern Nations in the Weſt, brake in and rooted up, and ruined all before them; when the guard and fence which God had ſet about his Church, was plucked up, the Boare out of the wood did waſt it, and the wilde beaſt of the field devou…e it, as the Pſalmiſt hath it. (r)Pſal. 80. 13When God is in a place its good to keep him, he never comes nor ſtaies alone, but if he be offended and departs, he does not ſmile: when the King in progreſſe came unto a place, he brought rich furniture and hangings with him, but when he went away, they tooke them down again, and carried them away.
Certain it is, the Church and Truths of Chriſt, and of the Goſpel, ſhall continue in the world, untill the end of it, (ſ)Mat. 28. 2.the gates of hell, the plots and powers of the Devil, ſhall not prevail againſt it, (t)Mat. 16. 18his houſe is built on ſuch a Rock, and ground, as winds and tempeſts cannot overthrowe; but that it ſhall continue in this Iſland alwayes, we cannot warrant and aſſure. The Starres in Chriſts right hand, no man can put out; (u)Rev. 2. 1.but he may go with them into another Clymate and Country of the world, the Sun it ſelf, the moſt illuſtrious and glorious Starre, doth ſet and riſe: the Kingdom of God hath been taken from the Jews, Gods darling and beloved Nation: (w)Mat. 21. 43.and why it may not be from us, we cannot tell.
We have as many pawns and hoſtages as other men, and as little reaſon, to deſire confuſion and calamity, are like our ſelves, to be the firſt that ſuffer, and have retinues and dependencies, as well as any; but do not know, what Patent and Commiſſion, England hath to be unruly and rebellious, no more then others: why ſhe by the Prophet may not be ſent, to Shiloh, as well as Judah was, to ſee what God hath done to that place: (x)Jer. 7. 12.why England ſhould be born with, and indulged, to mock the Meſſengers of God, to deſpiſe his word, and to miſuſe his Prophets, and not the wrath of the Lord ariſe againſt them, until there be no remedy: (y)2 Chron. 36. 16.though it may be truly ſaid of England, as it was of Epheſus, (z)Rev. 2. 3.that ſhe hath born and had patience, and for his names ſake, hath labored, and hath not fainted: yet, if God have any thing againſt her, (as no doubt he hath) yea, that very thing, namely, that ſhe hath loſt her firſt love, (a) we know no reaſon, why he may not come againſt her Verſ. 4, 5, 6.quickly, and remove her Candleſtick, unleſſe ſhe repent and do her firſt works.
Let no man therefore blame and cenſure, our godly jealouſie, when we ſee no Porters at the Temple Gates, to examine and obſerve who goeth in, or cometh out, as there was among the Jews, (b)1 Cron. 15. 18.wh…n there is nothing ſetled in the affairs and things of God, when Congregations and Aſſemblies are continued, to pray and preach down the Miniſtry, and maintenance of this ſtate and Church, as Antichriſtian, carnal and unlawful: when no proviſion or preparation to ſo great a work, is thought convenient or neceſſary; but a ſi quis, paſſed upon every Church-dore, that whoſoever will, may come and conſecrate himſelf, (c)2 Cron. 13. 9.officiate and exerciſe his gifts, though it may be, …e he is a Romiſh Prieſt or Jeſuite: yea, when we are told, it ought to be ſo, and that no man ought to interpoſe or oppoſe, but all be left unto the will of God, and working of his ſpirit, in the minds and hearts of his Elect: Church-matters and affairs left wholly unto Jeſus Chriſt, and no man meddle with them, further then he is ingaged, ſtirred up, and ſet on work by thoſe flames of holy fi…e, that God hath kindled in his heart and ſpirit: we think theſe be ſad ſymptoms of a drooping and decaying ſtate, of want of love unto our Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt, who ſurely would not have his Servants ſo indifferent: puts Peter to approve and evidence his love, by feeding of his Lambs and ſheep, (d)Joh. 21. 15, 16, 17.and when Paul ſaw, that after his departure, grievous Wolves ſhould enter in among them, not ſparing the flock, yea of their own ſelves ſhould men ariſe, ſpeaking perverſe things, to draw Diſciples after them, (e)Act. 20. 29. 30.he doth not leave all to Jeſus Chriſt. Though he was then, as were we, and converſant with his Church, as now he is, but ſend for the Elders of the Church, and bids them take heed unto themſelves, and all the …lock, over whom the holy Ghoſt had made them overſeers, to feed the Church of God which he had purchaſed with his own blood, (f)Act. 20. 28yea, bids them watch, and remember, that by the ſpace of three years, he ceaſed not to warn every one of them, night and day with teares, (g)Act. 20 31yea, that no man may pretend Chriſts ſervice for his careleſneſs, and think therein, he acts according to the mind and will of Chriſt: we will produce Chriſts ſpeaking to the Church of Epheſus, to whom Paul ſpake before, (h)Rev. 2. 2.I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canſt not bear them that are evil: an… t…ou haſt tried them, which ſay, they are Apoſtles, and are not, and haſt found them lyars: when he was in the fleſh, he told us, (i)Mat. 13. 25that while men ſlept, the enemy came and ſowed tears among the wheat, and went his way; and we think, that charge doth in a ſpecial manner belong to us, that Paul (in a manner) concludeth his Epiſtle to the Corinthians with (k)1 Cor. 16. 13.watch ye, ſtand ye faſt in the faith, quit you like men, be ſtrong; and that which he gave unto Timothy, when he was ready to be offered up, and the time of his departure was at hand, (l)2 Tim. 4. 6Preach the word, be inſtant, in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long ſuffering and Doctrine; for the time will come, when they will not indure ſound Doctrine, but after their own luſts, ſhall they heap unto themſelves teachers, having itching ears; and they ſhall turn away their ears from the truth, and ſhall be turned unto fables: (m)2 Tim. 4. 2, 3, 4.yea, that of Jude, who wrote a great while after Paul, (n)Jud. 3.who thought it needful, that he ſhould write unto them, and exhort them, that they ſhould earneſtly contend for the faith, which was once delivered unto the Saints. We know not how ſoon ſome of us may be ſummoned for to appear before him, and we would be loath for to be Children when we come, and asked, as David was, with whom we have left thoſe few ſheep in the Wilder neſſe: (o)1 Sam. 17. 28.the Lord inable us for to remember and conſider, the things that do belong unto our peace, at leaſt in this our day, before they be hidden from our eyes, before the dayes come, that our enemies ſhall caſt a trench about us, and compaſſe us round, and keep us in on every ſide, and ſhall lay us even with the ground, and our Children within us, becauſe we know not the time of our viſitation, as our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt ſpeaks to Jeruſalem, with weeping teares.(p)Luk. 19. 41, 42, 43, 44.