The Nonconformists Plea for Peace Part 2, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Our Doctrine about the Church, Church Government, worſhip and Communion.
WE know nothing elſe that ſuſpicions do call us more to give the world an account of our Doctrine of, than the nature, Government and Communion of the Church and the manner of Gods worſhip in it: which yet having ſome of us already publiſhed more largely, and alſo in 1660. when allowed by his Majeſty, given in our deſires thereabout (in offering Arch-Biſhop Vſhers from of Primitive Government and a ſpecimen of a Reformed Liturgy) we ſuppoſe no more than theſe following Propoſitions will be needful to be here added.
1. The CHURCH is a word of many ſignifications, of which the principal is The UNIVERSALITY OF CHRISTIANS HEADED BY CHRIST.
2. In a narrower ſenſe it ſignifyeth theſe Chriſtians as Chriſts Body or Kingdom contradiſtinct from Chriſt the Head; As the word [Kingdom] ſometimes includeth the King, and ſometimes ſignifieth the people as contradiſtinct from him.
3. The bond of Union between Chriſt the Head and his Subjects or members is, 1. Faith and the Holy Spirit internally, 2. The Covenant of Baptiſm externally; or Heart Covenanting and Outward Covenanting.
4. Accordingly thoſe that Covenant ſincerely with the Heart and are true Believers, are Juſtified and Adopted heirs of Heaven: and as they Covenant with the mouth or the Outward reception of Baptiſm, they are outwardly or by Sacramental Profeſſion, members or Chriſtians. With reſpect to each, the Church is uſually called inviſible, and viſible, or the ſincere Regenerate Church, and the Profeſſing Church. But Heart conſent and Outward Profeſſion conjoyned make one Church, as Soul and Body make one man: And the Hypocrites that Covenant with the Lips alone are but members ſecundum quid, and only of the Outward Society. 5. It is by the Outward Covenanting and Profeſſion, that we muſt judge of the Heart covenanting and Sincerity: and all are to be taken for viſible Chriſtians or members of the Vniverſal Church, who are Baptized profeſſors of Chriſtianity, and have not by contrary Profeſſion or practice Apoſtatized.
6. The Vniverſal Church as Believing or as Profeſſing (myſtical or viſible) hath no univerſal Head but Chriſt: who is an Inviſible Head as he is unſeen to us in Heaven, but Viſible as he is there now ſeen (as the King by his Courtiers) and as he was ſeen on earth, and will be ſhortly ſeen of all the world. But as for the Pope or any other pretended head, 1. No man giveth us any proof that ever Chriſt appointed and authorized any ſuch Head: and it's Treaſon againſt him to uſurp ſuch a power.
2. No mortal man hath Natural capacity of ſuch an office. An Vniverſal Head muſt relate to the Church in all parts of the world, not only as it is now extended, but as it ſhall be at any time: and no man is able to do the work of a real Governour and Guide at the Antipodes, and in all Nations of the earth, even in the Kingdoms where Princes by wars or Infidelity deny acceſs to foreigners, and ſubjects of their enemies: and where caſes that require a ſpeedy deciſion may wait half an age till the parties are dead, before it can be diſpatcht at Rome, and witneſſes cannot go ſo far: And when Church Government extends no farther, than to judge who ſhall be in the Miniſtry and in Church Communion, and to decide particular caſes of faith and Life in order to this end, Princes and People are unhappy men, if they muſt be without Teachers or Sacraments, or without a certain Faith in Abaſſia, Armenia, at the Antipodes and in all the world, till they receive a juſt determination from Rome.
And if his univerſal Government be but to commit the Government of ſeveral Kingdoms of the world to ſeveral Generals under him, Princes and People that are at hand do better know how to chooſe meet men to Teach themſelves, of thoſe that are of their own language, and acquainted with the place, than a ſtranger at Rome can do, to whom at the death of every General ſome Countries may be many years in ſending and receiving back a General, who it's two to one will not come alive to them, or it's three to one, will be one unfit for them: and in ſome Kingdoms cannot come at all, becauſe of the interjacent countries of enemies: no nor meſſages paſs, about the buſineſs. What work the Prelates of England (which is near) have formerly made by running to Rome, and waiting for deciſions, is known by current hiſtory. None on earth will pretend to a ſufficiency to govern all the world in things ſpiritual, any more than in Temporals, except it be a Proud Fool or a Proud deceiver, both which are the moſt unfit to be rulers of all the world.
3. Rome never pretended to a Government of all the world, but only to a Primacy in one Empire, for many hundred years after Chriſt, Proved, 1. Becauſe only the Prince of one Empire did frequently chooſe and ever rule them, who had no power over any other Kingdom.
2. Becauſe the four other Patriarchs, whom he pretended to have a Primacy among, had no power out of the Empire, at leaſt not over all the world: and the Pope never then pretended to a Primacy of any further extent than the four Patriarchats.
3. Becauſe the General Councils where he preſided, or pretended to preſide were General at the utmoſt but as to one Empire: as the Church Hiſtory, and the names of the ſubſcribers ſhew to every impartial ſearcher. None out of the Empire came thither, unleſs now and then an odd perſon of ſome neighbour countrey that was glad to be ſtrengthened by the Roman Vicinity, or ſome that had been before of the Empire, and were conquered by Infidels or Hereticks and kept their former Cuſtome. And thoſe Councils that were moſt General were ſummoned by Emperors, who had nothing to do in the reſt of the world.
4. No Hiſtory mentioneth that the Pope then pretended to or exerciſed any government in the Empire of Abaſſia (of which ſee Godignus) nor in Perſia, India, or Britain till Auſtines times: but when the Romans perſwaded any poor neighbours Countrey to the ſaith of Chriſt, thoſe Countries were willing after to be directed by the Romans, eſpecially being ambitious of the honour and protection of the Imperial ſavour. Reinrius ſaith [Armeniorum Eccleſiae & Aethiopian & Indorum & caeterae quas Apoſtoli converterunt, non ſubſunt Eccleſiae Romanae] Biblioth. Patr. To. 4. p. 773. [The Armenian Churches and the Aethiopian and …, and the reſt which the Apoſtles did covert, are not under the Church of Rom.]
4. Rome's pretended Primacy in that one Empire was not of Divine authority but of Human…. For, 1. No Divine Authority is proved.
2. The Popes Authority and the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch had the ſame foundation, as is evident to any knowing man in Councils and Church Hiſtory: but the Authority of the Patriarchs is confeſſedly of humane Inſtitution, and therefore Jeruſalem and Conſtantinople were after added by men. The Council of Nice, of Chalcedon, &c. teſtifie this. See Comment. in Epiſt. Synodal. Baſil. p. 31. & 40. Impreſſ. Colen. 1613.
3. The whole Greek Church from the firſt comp…ition of Conſtantinople to this day hath taken the Roman Prima…y to be of humane inſtitution; which is infallibly proved becauſe they ſet up that ſeat againſt it, which they all confeſs to have its dignity by humane inſtitution. And no Chriſtian can ſet up humane inſtitution againſt that which he acknowledgeth Divine: Therefore by their competition they ſhew, that they never took Rome to have any other foundation, than Conſtantinople, which was humane: and ſo their Councils profeſs, and conſequently all the Greek Church even in its Glory did believe that there was no ſuch head over all the world; (for the Emperor had no ſuch power) nor any of Divine inſtitution over the Empire: nor did John of Conſtantinople when he claimed that univerſality which Gregory condemned, extend his claim any further than the Empire, or at leaſt not to all the world. It is therefore moſt evident that Rome was in one Empire, but as Canterbury in this one Kingdom, the prime Patriarch in a National or Imperial Church, of mans appointment.
4. The Papiſts (even thoſe that have Ruled in England) confeſs that [it is no point of faith, that it is of Divine Right, and not only of Humane, that the Biſhop of Rome is St. Peter ſucceſſor] So ſaith their Biſhop of Calced. Rich. Smith Surv…y cap. 5. And their Davenport or … à S. Clara firſt. ſid. cap. 48. pag. 531. telleth us of Erardus Billius a Jeſuite who 1644. Publickly and confidently taught that Rome may have two Popes at once dividing the Popedom (as Peter and Paul are by Irenaeus, Epipha…i…s and many Ancients there placed at once) and this in order to prove that the Papacy was ex jure humano of humane Right. And he himſelf ſaith, ibid. c. 47. p. 507. of the Queſtion An Papatus, &c. whether the Papacy which and as it reſteth in the Roman Pope be of Divine Right, [Inter Doctores ſolennis ed de re controverſia eſt, alii huc, al i illuc, illibatà fide ferunter] that is [Among the Doctors this is ſolemnly controverted; ſome go one way and ſome the other, without any blemiſh of faith: mentioning as againſt the Divine Right, Sotus 4. d. 24. q. 2. a. 5. q. 2. Corduba Quaeſtionario li. 4. q. 1. prop. 8. dub. 1. and many other grave Doctors, &c. (of whom Cardin. Cuſanus de concord. is one).
5. Indeed had they not firſt falſly deſcribed the Prieſtly or Paſtoral power, they could never have perſwaded men to receive an Univerſal Prieſt or Paſtor: For the truth is, the office of the Miniſtry is like a Schoolmaſters or like a Phyſicians, a work of perſonal attendency and skill, and it is eſſentially conſtituted of a threefold ſubordination to Chriſt the Head, viz. to his Prophetical office as Teachers, to his Prieſtly as worſhippers, and to his Kingly as Church Guides or Governors: And to ſet up one to teach all the world, and to worſhip with all the world, and to call each ſinner in the world by name to Repentance, and try his caſe and abſolve or excommunicate him, would be no wiſer, than to ſet up an univerſal Schoolmaſter, Phyſician or Judge to all the world. But d…mentation followeth judicial deſertion, and precedeth the Perdi…ion of the deſerted. So much of the Papacy.
6. As for General Councils I have elſewhere proved at large, 1. That there never was ſuch a thing in the world (unleſs the Apoſtles may be called ſuch): but that thoſe called General Councils, were but General Councils of one Empire, and now and then two or three neighbours, or ſuch as were lately cut off from the Empire as aforeſaid. 2. That a true General Council is morally impoſſible, 3. And ſo unlawful, as to be a pernicious form of Headſhip to the Church: becauſe ſome Biſhops muſt be many years coming, and will likely die before they come and return, and have not a language which the reſt underſtand; nor can there be any equality of members, while thoſe of Mexico, Abaſſia, Armenia and the Antipodes ſend but few, and the nearer parts a multitude; and ſo (as at Trent) it will be but an Italian Council: And it will be ſinful to rob the Churches of them, and to caſt away the lives of old weak worthy men in ſuch Voyages and Travels of many years. And interpoſing enemies will not let them paſs through their countries, with many ſuch reaſons. So that a General Council is a non Ens, and a name made for a Papal cheat. 3. And ſhould it be the conſtitutive head of the whole Church, how little a while hath there been any Church on earth ſince Chriſt? For when a conſtitutive eſſential part ceaſeth, the eſſence ceaſeth; and ſo Chriſt hath had no Church on earth ſince the mockery of Trent; where in the beginning there were 42 Biſhops with counterfeits and all, and 4 Arch-Biſhops, if you will take the counterfeits Wancop of Armagh and Olaus Magnus for two; but indeed by the ſeventh Seſſion there were 52 Biſhops counterfeits and all, and in Seſſion 8. 29 beſides 6 Arch-Biſhops, ſuch as they were, whenas the Provincial Synods in Africk were wont to have many hundred Biſhops; but how many thouſand muſt a Synod of the whole world have in proportion to the Italian number at Trent?
7. God hath provided much better means than a Pope for the concord of Chriſtians in the world (which is the only conſiderable pretence for the Papacy) that is, 1. On… ſacred word to Rule them (which Papiſts themſelves confeſs to be Divine) 2. One Spirit within to guide and actuate them, 3. One Sacred Miniſtry of the ſame ſpecies and Divine deſcription in each aſſembly to inſtruct and guide them (even to Guide a ſingle Congregation, which is a work more ſuitable to humane frailty than to Rule Provinces and the world). 4. One preſcribed ſort of publick worſhip (in word, Prayer and Sacraments). 5. The ſame …d, even God and Heaven for all to ſeek. 6. Synods and Conſultations for advice and concord. 7. M…giſtrates to Rule them all by the ſword (as they do Phyſicians, Schoolmaſters, Philoſophers) and to keep peace among them, and reſtrain intolerable abuſes. And they that will have …, will have none; but by overdoing will undo all, and be the greateſt dividers and plagues to the Church on pretence of its Union and preſervation.
8. Every Church muſt have its proper Paſtor (one or more) who muſt know the people of their flock and be known by them.
9. But whether a Church ſhall have One only or many, is left to be determined according to the number and neceſſities of the people, and the ſtore of worthy men.
10. The Eſſence of the Holy Miniſterial office conſiſteth in … and Authority to call the unbelievers and imp…it…nt to Faith and Repentance, and to Baptize perſons into the Church, and to guide the Church…s by Teaching, worſhip and Diſcipline, as under Chriſt its chief Prophet, Prieſt and King. And though the exerciſe of each be not eſſential to the Office, the Power and general obligation is.
11. A particular Church (part of the Vniverſal) is … by the ſame Paſtors and the ſame … for Perſonal holy Communion (as diſtinct from diſtant Communion by Letters or Delegates).
12. Where one Church hath many Paſtors, their Paſtoral Office is the ſame: but how far any one either for his age, grace or gifts, or for order ſake ſhall be ſubmitted to by the reſt, we think God hath left to be determined prudently, as the Churches edification ſhall require: but if any think otherwiſe, it ſhall not turn us from Love and Communion with them.
13. About Ruling Elders we are not all of a mind among our ſelves: ſome of us think that the Elderſhip or miniſtry is but one and the ſame Office, and that all of them ſhould be ordained and have power of word, Sacraments and Diſcipline; but that one in a Church (or two) being uſually the ableſt ſpeakers, the reſt quoad exercitium may be uſually imployed in private Vigilance and Diſcipline, and ſome aſſiſtance in other parts of worſhip, except when neceſſity calls them to Preach. Others think that Elders without power of word and Sacraments, is an Office of Divine Inſtitution: but this maketh no diviſion between us, becauſe we force not each other to ſubſcribe to the ſame opinions, but can unite in one practice upon different principles.
14. It is the Paſtors office to hold Church Aſſemblies for the aforeſaid worſhip: Eſpecially on the Lords Days, which the ſpirit of God hath ſeparated to ſuch holy exerciſes.
15. Gods worſhip muſt be performed rationally, holily, according to Gods word in all things there determined, and decently, orderly, and to edification in all the undetermined circumſtances.
16. Whether Sermons and Prayers ſhall be by prepared Forms of words, or from the Habits of underſtanding and affection preſently uttered; whether read out of Notes or Books, or ſpoken without, is left to the prudent determination of the Paſtor, whoſe Office it is to word his own conceptions, according to mens various qualifications: in which none ſhould contemn or judge another, nor avoid the Communion of thoſe that do not as they do.
17. We muſt not give Divine worſhip or Honour to any Creature.
18. When Paſtors do uſurp Power over one another to command all about them to ſpeak to men from God or to God for men, in no other words but what the uſurpers ſhall write them down, and ſo make Miniſters but Cryers to read their preſcripts or Proclamations, and alſo do preſcribe to others the neceſſary uſe of unneceſſary things, according to the Vſurpers will, this is and hath been the Grand Engine of Church Diviſions, by which the Churches have been torn in pieces for above a thouſand years. And becauſe every age doth bring forth men Proud enough to uſurp, and few wiſe enough to learn by the Churches many hundred years experience, thereby the miſchief proceedeth unremedied.
19. But if any find it beſt to uſe the ſame words, or many Churches, to avoid inconveniences, ſhall ſee cauſe to agree to uſe the ſame words in Confeſſions, in Pſalms, in Prayers or Sacraments without uſurpation over others, we are no oppoſers of ſuch agreements. And if our lawful Governours do preſcribe, e. g. One tranſlation of the Scripture to be read, One Verſion of the Pſalms to be Sung, we do obey: and if miſtakingly they ſhould take any part of the Paſtors work out of his hands by their impoſitions, though we may not neglect our neceſſary duty, we ſhall behave our ſelves as true peaceableneſs ☞and the honour of our Rulers with the Churches edification doth require.
20. The Office of the Sacred Miniſtry being Inſtituted by Chriſt, 1. from Gods gifts (of nature and grace) we have our Diſpoſitive Aptitude, without which the Perſon is not receptive of the Power. 2. From the ſaid word of inſtitution, ſloweth our power and obligation it ſelf. 3. From the peoples and ordainers election or conſent is the deſignation of the Individual perſon that ſhall receive it, 4. to which alſo his own conſent is a cauſe ſine quâ non. 5. And the Miniſterial inveſtiture is by Ordination; 6. And Liberty and defence and incouragement are from the Magiſtrate; 7. And Opportunity is from Gods Providence, the peoples preſent willingneſs, and uſually from the Magiſtrates leave. Thus do theſe ſeverals ſeverally concur to the Miniſteral Office, and to its exerciſe reſpectively.
21. Two cauſes fill the Churches with bad Paſtors: The one is when the Honours and Riches of the Office are ſo great as to be a ſtrong bait to Pride and Covetouſneſs (under the name of encouragements to Learning) for then moſt certainly the moſt Proud and Covetous (that is the worſt) will be the eagereſt ſeekers, and moſt probably they that ſeek ſhall find. The other is when bad Rulers, Patrons or people are the chooſers.
22. Wicked, Covetous, carnal, proud men admitted into Biſhopricks and Miniſtry have been the woful plague of the Church, eſpecially for thirteen hundred years: For bad men will ſo teach and ſo live, that the Beſt of the flock will moſt diſlike them, and then they will turn enemies to the Beſt for diſliking them, and will Preach againſt them and make them as odious as they can: and this will rejoyce the prophane part of the flock which naturally hate holineſs: and ſo the wicked Paſtor, and wicked People will become a Party againſt the Beſt, and keep them under reproach and perſecution: Whereupon the ſufferers will be tempted not only to greater diſlike, but to undue paſſions and ſeparations; and if the Magiſtrates take part with the wicked party, they alſo will partake of the diſlike; and ſo wicked Paſtors are the floodgates of confuſion, and happy are thoſe Rulers that curb them, and help the Churches to faithful men.
It grieveth ſome of us to read ſo much undenyable truth in the foreſaid Infidel's Tractatus Theologico-Politicus, as the reaſon of the wicked lives of Chriſtians, Praeſat. p. 4. [Hujus mali cauſam quaerens, &c. Seeking the cauſe of this miſchief, I doubted not but hence it ſprang, that Vulgarly it was a piece of Religion to eſteem the Miniſteries of the Church as Dignities, and its Offices as Benefices, and to gave the Paſtors the higheſt honour: and as ſoon as this abuſe cr…pt in, preſently all the worſt men were invaded with a greater deſire of ſacred adminiſtrations, and the Love of propagating divine Religion, degenerated into ſordid Avarice; and ſo the Temple it ſelf into a Theatre, where were heard, not Church Teachers, but Orators; of whom none thirſted to teach the people, but to draw them into admiration of themſelves, and publickly to carp at diſſenters, and to teach things … and unuſual, and ſuch as the vulgar moſt admire: whence great contentions, envy and hatred, which no antiquity could appeaſe, muſt needs ariſe. No wonder therefore that of the old Religion nothing doth remain but the outward worſhip (by which God is rather flattered than adored) and that faith is become nothing but credulity and prejudice, &c.] As to the greateſt part of the Churches, pu…et haec opprobria nobis, &c.
23. We fear this evil will never be cured, till Church Dignities and Riches be ſo far taken down that they may be no ſtrong temptation to the Proud and Covetous, and ſo may not entail the Miniſtry for ever on the worſt of men: but only by a competent ſ…pend prevent the temptations of Poverty and worldly cares to thoſe that ſeek the holy office for holy ends: Leſt one part of the Miniſtry being Great and worldly, and the other through Poverty left baſe and unlearned, both ſhould ſubſerve the enemy of ſouls.
24. No Biſhops or Paſtors have any ſecular coactive Power (unleſs the King make them his Officers): and therefore of themſelves can Rule none but Volunteers.
25. Whether the Apoſtles or Evangeliſts have any ſucceſſors in the ordinary work of taking care of many Churches, without being fixed to any one, and whether Magiſtrates may appoint any Paſtors to be General Viſitors of the Churches in their Dominions, are queſtions which we would not be too bold in determining, nor will we about them be troublers of the Church. But we believe that God hath not made ſuch an inequality of Churches whether Rome, Alexandria, or any as Metropoles, as to make one Church a Governor of other neighbour Churches. And we wonder at them that know that Civil Rulers did ſet up the Patriarchs and Metropolitans in the Roman Empire, in conformity to their Civil Policy, and know that this Empire is now diſſolved, and the reaſon of the thing (had it been lawful) ceaſed; and yet talk of forming General Councils by the five Imperial Patriarchs, and of ſubjecting themſelves to the Pope as to one of the five.
26. Councils or Synods and that ſtated as to time and place are very uſeful among good Paſtors, for concord, Counſel and correſpondence: but the major part are not the Governors of the minor, nor of their abſent brethren: nor are ſtated Synods abſolutely neceſſary; nor convenient when, 1. they are degenerating into the Church Tyranny of a major Vote, 2. or are diſpleaſing to Rulers and inconſiſtent with liberty or peace.
27. Therefore we take not a National Church to be a Body Politick of Divine Inſtitution, either headed by one Biſhop, or by a National Aſſembly, as a proper conſtitutive Governing part. But we hold that the King is the Governor of all the Churches in his Kingdoms, as far as they muſt be governed by the Sword: and that National Synods and others inferior to them are fit means for the ſaid Council and concord among the ſeveral Paſtors.
28. Whether one in each Synod ſhall be Moderator, and that pro tempore or durante vitâ as oft as there are Synods? and whether one ſhall be truſted to ſummon ſuch Synods, and how he ſhall preſide to preſerve peace and order, are matters prudently to be determined, as the edification of the Church requireth, ſo that Church Tyranny be not introduced.
29. As Paſtors of ſeveral Churches have not a Governing power over other Biſhops and Paſtors, but only by Synods are to give counſel and keep concord; ſo none of them in the world can excommunicate other Biſhops or Paſtors, as Governours of them: but only diſclaim Communion with ſuch publick Hereticks and Incendiaries as deſerve it, and counſel others to do the li…e: but when they have done, they have done their part. But if moreover they will do as the Pope doth, and excommunicate people and Paſtors of other Churches and countreys, and Kings themſelves as if they were their Governors, and alſo ſtir up others to draw the Sword againſt them, and ſeek to force Kings to kill or baniſh or puniſh thoſe that they have excommunicated, meerly as ſuch, we take ſuch to be profeſſed Incendiaries in the world.
30. No proper part of the Paſtoral Office, whether it be by Teaching, Adminiſtring Sacraments, or the power and uſe of the Eccleſiaſtical keys, belong to any Laymen, whether Chancellors or others.
31. All coactive Church Government belongeth to the King and Magiſtrates who are the Keepers of the Churches peace, and need not a Church-Office of Prelates to do their work, and take the honour of it to themſelves.
32. The foreſaid Uſurpations of Proud Paſtors over the Conſciences of others, out of their own Churches, with their turning the ancient practical Chriſtianity into contentions for ſpeculations and notions of their own, proceeding at laſt to a Tyranny over Kings and Magiſtrates themſelves, yea even to impoſe Oaths on men to obey them, and never to reform them, or endeavour any alteration of theſe evils, hath been the corruption, confuſion and calamity of the Chriſtian world, which too many Princes of the world have endured, and ſome in blind devotion and ſome for ſelfiſh ends promoted.
33. The weakneſs of the people, even the zealous ſort, ſometimes taking up ſome little unjuſtifiable conceits and ſingularities, and ſometimes too paſſionately renouncing bad Paſtors, and ſometimes falling into ſcandalous actions or ſhameful diviſions among themſelves, hath been the increaſe of the Papal Kingdom, and the great and prevailings pretence for Church Tyranny: And ſome otherwiſe ſober men have been tempted to think that the peoples giddineſs and unrulineſs is ſuch, that there is no other way to peace.
34. And the very fountain and foundation of almoſt all this calamity hath been the forſaking of the Primitive, neceſſary, ſure and ſimple Teſt and Symbol of the Chriſtian Profeſſion and Terms of Church Vnion and Communion; and ſubſtituting a multitude of unneceſſary, uncertain, late Inventions, which Proud men that think themſelves the moſt Orthodox have introduced and impoſed: And when we return to the Primitive ſimplicity and to Vinc. Lerinenſis his [Quae ſemper, ubique & ab omnibus] as conſcious of the darkneſs of mans underſtanding, and loving Holineſs more than ſpeculations and domination, and Loving our Brethren as our ſelves, we ſhall then have bleſſed Peace and concord: And while we drive it away and will rather be at the greateſt coſt and danger to expel it by our Inventions, than entertain it on Gods cheap, ſweet, eaſie terms, no wonder if we be without it; and if the harmleſs neighbours ſuffer, when a mad man ſets his own houſe on fire. But Bleſſed are the Peace-makers, for they ſhall be called the Children of God, though now men call them, what Pride, malignity, or carnal worldly intereſt liſt.