Concerning Ministers Meddling with State Matters in their Sermons, application · Section 1 – Section 3
The Application of the whole Diſcourſe foregoing to ſuch as pretend to debate matters learnedly.
Firſt, in the whole I intend to meet with the ſpirit of confuſion and ſtrife, which hath taken poſſeſſion of the minds of very many of my brethren in the profeſſion; whom notwithſtanding I love, and reſpect for that Truth which is in them; I reverence and embrace for their many good parts, and godly inclinations; and for their humane failings and infirmities, I heartily compaſſionate them in the bowels of Chriſt. For many of them, pretending to Learning, to a bookiſh knowledge of other mens opinions, and to a cenſuring faculty of all, that is not agreeable to the notions which they have taken up in point of Theorie; and to the intereſt of that party which they have embraced in point of practiſe, are pitifully ſnared in holes, and ſhut up in priſonhouſes, and can look upon nothing in a ſtreight line, but one way, they ſee all things through a multiplying glaſſe, another through a diminiſhing proſpective. Towards theſe men my ſcope is upon this occaſion: firſt, to prevent a needleſſe controverſie: ſecondly, to let them ſee a Model and true Method, without by a ſing (if they can take it up ſo) how to order their thoughts ſpiritually, and rationally, to find out truths in a profitable Controverſie: for indeed this is that which is moſt ſeriouſly to be recommended to the Miniſters of the Goſpel above all other men: for ſeeing they are the men, above others, by whom the thoughts of all men are ordered in doubtfull caſes, therefore they ought to finde themſelves obliged in conſcience above other men, not onelyonly to be rightly and exactly ordered in all their thoughts and proceedings; but alſo to be able, in all things, to give a ſatisfactory reaſon to their own conſcience, and to all conſcionable and reaſonable men, an exact and full account, of the Rules by which they order thoſe thoughts, and intellectuall proceedings, by which they have ſo great an influence upon the ſpirits of other men. He that muſt anſwer one day unto the Father of ſpirits, for all the impreſſions which he works upon the ſpirits of his children, ought to be very carefull, and watchfull over his own ſpirit to diſcern the motions thereof, that they may not be irregular: this inſight therefore in the ordering of our thoughts, as in the preſence of God, chiefly in matters of debate, (for God is the finall Judge of all Controverſies) is one of the chiefeſt concernments that can be recommended unto Miniſters, in theſe times of diſorder and confuſion, that they may be found faithfull in their places, without blame, and in peace before him who trieth the hearts: and this is indeed the principall aime which I have in the Body of this Diſcourſe, to put my Brethren upon the ſearch of the Rules, by which they ſhould walk in their hearts with him, and to draw them forth to give us an account thereof, before they take upon them to be many Maſters, leſt they receive the greater condemnation. I have a third aime alſo in the whole of that which hath been hitherto offered, which is this; to ſhew by the bye, and collaterally, the nature of our diſorderly conſtitution, and courſes, with the evils which we beget, and foment in one another thereby, both againſt the truth of Chriſtianitie, and againſt the wayes of Peace and Righteouſneſſe in the Common-wealth: and herein my full deſigne is by a cleer example of a regular and orderly way of meditation, to let ſome of thoſe that have an high conceit of their own ſufficiencie and Doctoralitie, ſee, how ignorant moſt men are of the high-way and plain path to reall wiſdome; and of the direct and eaſie method to reſolve rationall doubts; and conſequently how little cauſe many have (who think themſelves no ſmall Clerks) to preſume upon their bookiſh knowledge, which yet I do not deſpiſe as unprofitable in its own meaſure; but this I muſt ſay of it, that it will be found in end to be comparatively, but a blockiſh, ſcantie, ſtinted, and partiall way of learning, which doth not contain the ten thouſand million part of that knowledge which is attainable by another way, which is plain, eaſie to be followed, and demonſtrable to thoſe, that look upon the holy Scriptures as Chriſtians ought to do, to ſee Chriſt therein, and Gods wayes towards man in him; and that look upon the works of God in the world, as rationall men ought to do, to ſee the ordering of the creatures, of their faculties, and of their works towards their true ends, whereby they relate unto God in Chriſt; and the diſordering of them as they are taken off from their true ends, by miſſing of this Relation. If this way of attaining to true learning, and the method of ſearching into theſe veins of knowledge, and of drawing waters out of theſe Wels, were diſcovered; the other way, which is now ſo much followed, and doth occaſion moſt of our diſputes and conteſtations, would be found rather a matter of ſhew then of ſubſtance: I do not deny, but that the way of Collections and Reading hath its own uſefulneſſe, if it be accompanied with the exerciſes of ſound meditation, and directed to its true end thereby; but to make ſo much ado about it, as ſome do, to take upon them great matters by it, and to ſtir up much duſt and ſtrife in it, is one of the diſtracting vanities of our Age, which leads us from the way of Truth and Peace. OnelyOnly of pride cometh contention: (ſaith Solomon) but with the well adviſed is wiſdome. Prov. 13. 10.And in another place, With the lowly is wiſdome, whereas from pride cometh ſhame. As pride and folly, ſo contention andProv. 11. 2. ſhame are inſeparable companions. And as the way to wiſdome is to be well adviſed; ſo nothing maketh a man ſo capable of good adviſe, as the lowlineſſe of his ſpirit. It would be an eaſie matter, to ſhew the truth of theſe Proverbs verified, in the management of our ordinarie courſe of learning, wherein there is no lowlineſſe of ſpirit, nor good advice to be found, towards the attainment of wiſdome, but meer pride in things of no value, which lead us through contentiouſneſſe unto ſhame. I ſhall not now take into conſideration the Principles, the ſtrains, and the pinacles of the height, whereupon the literature, the Philoſophie, and the Divinity of the Schools is ſet, and doth exalt the Doctors and Diſciples thereof, to a conceit of their own ſufficiencie above thoſe that are counted illiterate, it were an eaſie matter to ſhew comparatively to the plain and lowly way of ſeeking knowledge, the fooliſh emptineſſe of thoſe toilſome ſtrains, and the ſhamefull vanity which is in the affectation of, and a pretenſion to a titular eſteeme of learning before men, by a Science falſly ſo called: at this time it will be enough to ſay that which Chriſt ſaid to the Phariſees, when they derided his ſimplicitie; That which is highly eſteemed amongſt Luk. 16. 15.men, is abomination in the ſight of God. For theſe ſelf-conceited wayes of learning, are ſo far from making men either wiſer or better then others, that for the moſt part (except God over-act and over-power them with ſpeciall grace) it makes them ſo much the more unſerviceable to others, by how much they ſtrive to be ſet above them, and at a diſtance from their capacities; and ſo much the more incapable of the truth of wiſdome and vertue for themſelves, by how much it ſets them neerer to their own wit, and further off from the ſimplicitie and humilitie which is in Chriſt Jeſus. This matter is a larger ſubject then now I am willing to enter upon; nor is it yet ſeaſonable to undertake it: perhaps God will ſhew a way to meddle with theſe matters, and offer occaſions, which ſhall be more free from offence then theſe times ſeem to afford: for I am not willing, either to joyne hands with the perſecuters of learned men, becauſe they are learned, or to be thought a favourer of thoſe, who now adayes are mad againſt all that looks towards or like Learning, (a generation of men, that knowing nothing, and yet preſuming without Learning to know all; think it their reproach, that any ſhould be thought more knowing then themſelves; and being led without any grounds or principles, by their own meer whimſeys, can endure nothing that is like a ſettlement, and looks towards the Regulating and compoſure of mens ſpirits.) For I confeſſe, that upon the name of Learning too much dirt and contempt is caſt alreadie, though wrongfully as from ſuch men, yet deſervedly as from God: for by reaſon of the ambitiouſneſſe of thoſe that unprofitably have walked in a vain ſhew of Learning, and under a pretence thereof have ſought nothing, but eaſe, plentie, and pre-eminencie, and by reaſon of the ſelf-conceitedneſſe of thoſe that partially walk ſtill in ſtrife about it, and have made their Learning a ſeed of gall and wormwood, to embitter and embroil the ſpirits of all Chriſtendome, for certain private opinions. (I ſay) by reaſon of theſe abuſes of the wayes of Learning, which ſtill continue amongſt thoſe that ſtrive to be thought Maſters of it, God doth juſtly poure contempt upon them, and will not ceaſe to ſtain the pride of all their glory, and their greatneſſe, by a full diſcovery of their ſhame, till they ſhew themſelves willing with all their deviſes, and ſhews of greatneſſe to be reformed; and till all the monopolizing practiſes, and covetous incroachments, whereby the enlargement of common helps to true Learning towards all, are enviouſly obſtructed, be taken out of the way, and forſaken. And in hope that this may be done, we ſhall endevour without partialitie, to ſowe the ſeed which God hath put in our hand, upon all waters Iſa 32. 20.(upon all ſorts of people, and upon all objects of knowledge)Gal 6. 9. for we may expect, that in due time we ſhall reap the fruit thereof, if we faint not: and this is the firſt part of my aime in the whole, even to provoke ſuch as are capable of theſe thoughts, to peaceable and orderly meditations, and humble thoughts concerning themſelves in all matters of Debate.
The application of the latter part of the foregoing diſcourſe is to all that in the Magiſtracy and Miniſtery pretend to walk by the rules of Love, of Righteouſneſſe and of Peace.
Secondly, in the laſt part of that which I have formerly inſiſted upon, where I ſpeak of the difference and concurrence of the Magiſtraticall and Miniſteriall functions; my purpoſe is by a ſearch into the nature and Properties of both offices, as in ſubordination unto Chriſt they relate each other; to diſcover the Rules of Chriſtian Love, of Righteouſneſſe, and of Peaceableneſſe obſervable between them, for the good of humane ſocieties: to the end that ſuch as make conſcience their Rule, may ſee the path of Chriſtianity, wherein they ought to walk; and that ſuch as pretend to walk by the rule of Reaſon, and yet make their own will indeed rather then any thing elſe a rule to themſelves and others; may either be rectified by that which they pretend to walk by, or brought to the light and diſcovered to be ſelf-willed and unreaſonable; and that ſuch as againſt both Conſcience and Reaſon are evill affected to the welfare of the publick; may be prevented in the miſchief which their practiſes may work againſt the ſafetie and quietneſſe of the ſtate, and of thoſe that are peaceable in the land. For in theſe doubtfull, diſtracted and troubleſome times; the greater our confuſions are, the more it is neceſſary to ſettle our judgement by a rule; that in matters of cleer duty, where Gods will is known, a good conſcience may ſee where it ought to reſt, and in matters of Debate, wherein circumſtances are to be weighed, the common grounds of reaſon by the true method of reaſoning may take place: for there is none other way imaginable to deal effectually and to meet with the ſpirit of ſelf will, of ignorance, and of preſumption (the great traitours of all humane ſocieties) then to act thus, by undeniable Principles and Rules; and to oblige thoſe with whom we act, and our ſelves alſo; to go no further then theſe direct us; for I ſuppoſe all will grant this freely, that thus farre all men, in all places are bound to deny themſelves; nor ſhall it be required, that any man, in any place ſhould deny himſelf further, then to exalt above his own apprehenſions and purpoſes the common grounds of Truths and Righteouſneſſe: and this we hope they whom we deal withall will readily yeeld unto.
That therefore the turbulent inclinations, which with ſome are in the dark; with others are apparent, may be convicted and caſt out of all; I ſhall endeavour to ſhew briefly the rules, by which the Chriſtian Magiſtracy and Miniſtery in their ſeverall places reſpectively, for the good of the people committed to their charges, ought to walk in Love, in Righteouſneſſe, and in Peace towards each other; that that which is obſervable at all times as a direction to our happineſſe, may by Gods bleſſing at this time be applyed unto our preſent condition, as a reſtauration from our miſeries, and a preſervation from the ruine wherewith otherwiſe unavoidably we are threatned.
To come then to that, which is the fruit of all theſe conſiderations, and that which ought to be the finall reſult of all the Debates which may be undertaken about theſe matters. Let us ſet our thoughts in a way to diſcover three things; which being laid to heart, may by Gods grace rectifie our miſcariages.
The heads of this application. And the Reaſon why to be conſidered.
Firſt, let us reflect upon the proper works of the Magiſtracy and Miniſtery more diſtinctly, as they relate unto the ends for which Chriſt hath ordained them in the world.
Secondly, let us conſider the naturall properties, and proper acts of true love of righteouſneſſe and of peaceableneſſe; as they are duties proper to Chriſtians more then to other men; and above all other men moſt obſervable by the leaders of Chriſtian ſocieties.
Thirdly and laſtly, let us ſee how at this time theſe duties may be applyed, by thoſe that are in place amongſt us, to fulfill the ends of their adminiſtrations, and to cure the diſtempers of our preſent condition.
For except we rationally underſtand both what our work is, and how we are to go about it conſcionably, as it becommeth Chriſtians; how can we undertake it ſo as to expect a bleſſing upon it? but if we know cleerly, both the work, which is to be done, and the Rule by which we are to governe our ſelves in doing it; then as by following that Rule we may expect a bleſſing; ſo by neglecting it we ſhall be inexcuſable.