The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. The third Argument.
THat ought to be in every ſetled well-ordered Arg. 3 Church, that is, the intereſt of it; for intereſt, is nothing elſe, but the reſult and efficacy of the relations and accommodations of our preſent ſtate, and becomes a part of that poſſeſſion, and preſent good we do enjoy; and ſo it hath alwayes been the care of prudent men, to improve their intereſt, by increaſing their relations and correſpondencies; as Pharaoh, when he had preferred Joſeph, and ſaw how uſeful he was like to be unto him, gives him a wife, to oblige and bind him the faſter, and the cloſer to him (h)Gen. 41. 45.; ſo Paul makes uſe of that great intereſt of being a Citizen of Rome, when he was in any great extremity (i)Act. 16. 37 Act. 22. 25.; and if we be at any time diſpoſed to make one feel us, if you do but touch his intereſt, you ſhall hear of him: as Jonas, when the Gourd was withered (k)Jon. 4. 9., Demetrius and the Craftsmen, when their livelihood was undermined, as they believed (l▪Act. 19. …4, 25, 26, 27.; this was the motive that much promoted the death and ſufferings of the Saviour of the world, becauſe they thought his fame and actions would incenſe the Romans (m)Joh. 11. 48., and checked Pilate, when he was about to free him from his envious and malicious accuſation; for they tell him plainly, that if he let him go, he was not Caeſars friend; for whoſoever maketh himſelf a King, ſpeaketh againſt Caeſar (n)Joh. 19. 12., ſapienti dictum ſat eſt, he never conſidered our Saviours innocency after that, but his relation unto Caeſar, and the ſoveraign Authority he lived under. When William Duke of Normandy did land in Suſſex, he preſently Commands his Navy to be burned, that the Souldiers might ſee, it was their intereſt as well as his, to get the victory. Yea thoſe are mannaged and led by this, that are uncapable of any other Oratory: (o)Iſa. 1. 2.the Oxe knows his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters cribb, come to their food and reſt, without compulſion (p)Jer. 8. 7.: yea, the ſtork in the Heaven, knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow, obſerve the times of their coming: all Creatures have a naturall impreſſion on them, of that which is their proper and reall intereſt, and move accordingly.
But it is the Churches intereſt, to have ſome perſons ſet apart, to attend and act in holy things, beſides the endeavours of private well-affected Chriſtians: for thoſe that are ſet a part have nothing elſe to truſt to, but the emolument and profit that ariſeth from their attendance upon holy things; as the Sons of Aaron had no inheritance among the other Tribes, becauſe they ſhould be careful to continue and keep up the publick worſhip (q)Numb. 18. 20., ſo that if they were not in an Office, they could not eat a peece of bread (r)1 Sam. 2. 36.: as the intereſt of a Ship is, that the Mariners muſt ſink and ſwim with her; and therefore when thoſe would have gone into the Boat, the Souldiers cut the Ropes, and let her fall off (s)Act. 27. 32: ſo the Apoſtles were called from their fiſhing (t)Mat. 4. 18, 19., and were appointed another way of living, as they had another work appointed them (u)Mat. 10. 10.: and it was not terminated in them alone, or confined unto them, but made an Ordinance for all ſucceeding Churches, that as they that miniſter about holy things, live of the things of the Temple, and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar; even ſo, hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel (w)1 Cor. 9. 13, 14.. God knew ſelf-love was the moſt powerful engagement; that men would keep that up, which kept up them; promote that which promoted them, be moſt intent upon thoſe clients cauſes, that payd them beſt; do more for one fee, then for twenty forma pauperis: as in the Univerſity, we finde thoſe boies intend and minde their ſtudies moſt, that have no other hopes; thoſe ſeek and promote the profits and Revenues of the Colledge, that have no other livelihood; and ſo thoſe ſerve the Church beſt, that have no other ſuccour and ſupport, when they can ſay, as he doth, ſirs, ye ſee how by this Calling we have our livelihood, and this is a ſelf-ſeeking, that God allows and calls for at our hand (x)Deut. 10. 12, 13.; and thoſe that go about to deprive the Church of thoſe that are ſet apart to attend, and act in holy things, do go about to deprive her of her proper good: as they do that deprive the ſheep of their ſhepheards, the ſhip of her Mariners and Pylots, the Army of her Officers and Enſignes, the Child of his birth-right and inheritance; for which Eſau, though in his own wrong, is for ever branded with the infamy of a prophane perſon (y)Heb. 12. 16.; or thoſe that in extremity, and times of danger, call off the Watchmen from the walls, and take away the Life-guard of one in danger, as Rabſhake endeavoured for to do (z)2 King. 18. 27, 28, …9..