Truth Maintained 2, Discourse · Second commentary 11 – First commentary 12
TREATIS.
K If ſo the Parliament were now in a dangerous Praemunire.) I will not marre a meane Divine of him, to make a meaner Stateſ-man, by medling with matters in the Common-wealth. I that maintaine that every man muſt ſtay in his calling, will not ſtep out of mine owne: Let the differences betwixt our Soveraigne and his Subjects which conſiſt in points of State be debated by the Politicians on either ſide, the queſtions in law be argued reſpectively by their learned Counſell and the controverſies in Religion be diſpuputed by their ſeverall Divines. But alas! ſuch is our miſery when all is done, the finall deciſion is devolved to the Souldiers ſword on either ſide, and God ſend the beſt cauſe the beſt ſucceſſe.
L OnelyOnly this, I read of an Ordinance made by the Nobles and Elders of Iſrael thoſe Lords and Commons.) By your favour it was a compleat act of ſtate as confirmed by the royall Aſſent. True, there was no King of Judah's hand unto it, becauſe at that time Judah had no King; and who can expect that the Sunne ſhould ſhine at midnight, when there is none in that Horizon. Reaſonable men will then be contented with the Moon-ſhine, and ſee that here. For Zerobabel ſhining with borrowed beames and a reflected light from the Perſian King (in which reſpect he is ſtiled, Hag. 1. 14. the Governour of Judah) concurred to this Ordinance by his approbation thereof. Beſides this, there was alſo a triple conſent of the Perſian Kings.
Firſt, the grand and generall grant from Cyrus, Ezra 1. 3. which ſtill ſtood in full force, as confirmed by Darius. Ezra 6. 12. whereby the Jewes being authorized to re-build the Temple, were alſo by the ſame enabled to ſettle Gods ſervice in the beſt manner, by what wholſome lawes they thought fitting. Secondly, a particular implicite grant, in that the Perſian King knowing thereof, did not forbid it when it was in his power, had it beene his pleaſure; and ſuch a not oppoſing, amounts to a conſent. Laſtly, they had a large expreſſe command from King Artaxerxes to Ezra (chap. 7. ver. 26.) And whoſoever will not doe the law of thy God, and the law of the King, let judgement be executed ſpeedily upon him, whether it be unto death or unto baniſhment, or to confiſcation of goods, or to impriſonment. And now Sir, I have the leſſe cauſe to be offended with you for citing mangled and diſmembred peeces in my Sermon, ſeeing the Scripture it ſelfe finds as little favour from your hand; for had you compared on place thereof with another you could not but have ſeen the Perſian Kings conſent to this Reformation. Yea ſo obſervant were the Jewes of the Perſian Kings, that at the firſt iſſuing forth of their prohibition to that purpoſe, they inſtantly deſiſted building the Temple; having their ſoules ſo well managed, and mouthed with the reines of loyalty, that their Kings negative voyce checkt and ſtopt them as they were running full ſpeed in ſo good an imployment:Ezra 4. 24. ſo little doth the inſtance alleadged advantage your cauſe.
M Had Chriſt and his Apostles waited in their Reformation for the conſent of the Roman Magistrate.) I anſwer. Firſt, Chriſt and his Apoſtles; were Chriſt and his Apoſtles, I meane extraordinary perſons, immediately inſpired. Secondly, the Reformation they brought was mainly materiall indeed, being the Goſpell, without which there was no ſalvation. Thirdly, becauſe they had not the Emperours conſent to their Reformation they pacified his diſpleaſed ſword by preferring their necks unto it, not repining at the dearneſſe of the purchaſe to buy the ſafety of their ſoules with the loſſe of their lives; all the Jury of the Apoſtles (John onelyonly accepted) followed their Maſter to Martyrdome: and hence we truly deduced the patterne of paſſive obedience.
N Had Luther and Zuniglius, and Oecolampadius ſtayed for the Emperours Reformation.) Luther was a Miniſter and ſo had his ſhare in reforming, ſo farre as to propagate the truth and confute falſhoods by his pen, preaching and diſputations. What he did more then this was done by the flat command, at leſt free conſent of Frederick Duke of Saxony under whom Luther lived. This Duke owing homage, but not ſubjection to the Emperour; counted himſelf▪ and was reputed of others, abſolute in his owne Dominions, as inveſted with the power of life and death to coine money, make offenſive and defenſive leagues and the like. And although this wary Prince long poiſed himſelf betwixt feare of the Emperor and love of the truth, yet he always either publikely defended Luther, or privately concealed him, till at laſt having outgrowne his fears, he fell boldly to publike reforming. As for the ſtates of Zurich and Baſil, wherein Zuniglius and Oecolampadius lived, as thoſe Cities in one Relation are but members of the Helvetian Common-wealth, ſo in another capacity they are intire bodies of themſelves, and in theſe ſtates the Magiſtrates did ſtamp the Character of civill authority on that Reformation which theſe Miniſters did firſt ſet on foot by their preaching. But if any extravagant action of worthy men be tendred us in example, our love to their perſons binds us not to defend their practice, much leſſe to imitate it. We crave liberty, & if denied will take it to leave them to themſelves who if they had any eſpeciall warrant to juſtifie their deeds, will at the laſt day produce and plead it.
O There was a time when God took part of the ſpirit of Moſes & put it upon the Elders.) I will not diſpute the manner how the ſpirit was taken from Moſes, perchance added to others, without being ſubſtracted from him,Druſius in pentetuchen ex R. Aben-Ezrah. as a candle looſeth no light by giving it to another. But this is falſly al…eaged by you to intimate that ſometimes inferiour Officers may make Reformations without the knowledge, yea, againſt the will of the ſupreame power. For you muſt know, that though the Sannedrin or ſeventy Elders were a conſtant Court and ſtanding Counſell, yet when there was a chief Governour they had recourſe to him in actions of Moment, Num. 27. 15, 16, 17. And Moſes ſpake unto the Lord ſaying let the Lord the God of the ſpirits of all fleſh ſet a man over the Congregation which may go out before them▪ and which may lead them out and bring them in, that the Congregation of the Lord be not as Sheep which have no Shepheard. See that notwithſtanding the power of the Elders ſtood ſtill in full force, & determined not at Moſes his death, yet he accounted Gods people no better then Shepheardleſſe, till they had a power Paramount placed over them, and a ſupreame above the Elders to guide and direct them.
SERMON Paragraffe 15.
Mean time meer private men muſt not be idle but move in their ſphere, till the ſupream Power doth reform they muſt pray to inſpire thoſe that have power. Secondly, they muſt reforme themſelves and their Families.
EXAMINER.
Stil you drive on your deſign thorow many plauſible P inſinuations you would keep private men doing but ſtill doing in their owne Q circle; I confeſſe I would not improve their intereſt too high nor too ſoon, for the early ſettings forth of private men is apt to exceed into a tumultuary motion: Yet I would not put them ſo far behind as they ſhould like the lame & the diſeaſed at the poole of Betheſda waiting till a ſupreame R Power came downe amongſt them. There are many publike ingagements which they are capable on, & which providence will often guide them to as in finding S out-ways of facilitation & advancement for the buſineſſe; beſides ſome other arcana and ſecret T preparations; we ſee every thing naturally is ſpirited with an inſtinct of aiding, the whole V water and ayre will part with their own intereſt to ſerve the univerſall in the danger of a vacuity; the very W Romans by a morrall principle, would contend to be firſt in the ſervice of their Country, and it remains as a crime upon record that X Gilead abode beyond Jordan, and that Dan remained in ſhips, and Aſhur abode in his breaches; that is that they would ſit downe encircled with their owne intereſt and affaires.