THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY, Discovered to work in the children of disobedience. Whereby the pretended Godliness of Schismaticks appeareth, to be the greatest ungodliness. IN A Cathedral-lecture at St. Peters in EXON. By ARTHUR BURY M. A Some time fellow of EXON Coll. in OXON.
For such are false Apostles, deceitfull workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ.
And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light:
Therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers also be transformed, as the Ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
LONDON Printed for Francis Eglesfield at the Marigold in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1660.
To the Right reverend Father in GOD JOHN Lord BISHOP OF EXON, All spiritual and temporal happiness be multiplied.
WHen the Lord turned away the captivity of our Kingdoms, then were we like men that dreamed: The greatness of the felicity, the strangeness of the means, the insensibleness of the manner made us distrust our very [Page]senses. When we saw the Church immediately after her return from the wildernesse, furnished with such burning and shining lights, that it is not easily decided whether the promotions or persons are most dignified: then were we like men astonished; then did we admire the goodness of God, and the force of truth which spight of so many years persecutions and tentations, preserved such multitudes undeluded, & uncorrupted. When we heard that your Lordship was appointed to be the Angel of our Western Church, then were we like men transported, then did we magnify the Wisdom of his Majesty, in committing the government of so large a diocese to a person in whom zeal & knowledge, [Page]learning & wisdom, courage and moderation had mingled themselves into so happy a temper, as to render him one of the most eminent Patrons of the Church in her afflictions, & worthy to be numbred among her most eminent pastors in her prosperity.
But our wine was cooled with water when we heard that your Lordship took too deep apprehensions of our divisions, which resentments will soon confess themselves to have abused you, when you shall find the far greatest part of the factious mewing their impudence with their hopes, and forsaking the withered thistle for that tree which though it were cut down yet sprouteth again.
It is not indeed expectable, but in some greater Towns where the [Page]wealth, and numbers of their disciples shal tempt them to expect more profit, and reputation from their obstinacy, there will be found some venemous spirits who will entertain his Majesties gratious condescensions as they did his blessed Fathers; that is, as fire doth fuel, not to be satisfied, but emboldened; For their observation is purblind, who perceive not that the Iesuite, and Puritan agree (as in many other their worst practices so especially) in this, that excluding all others besides their own party from any title to heaven, they call a rigid inflexibleness, zeal, and Christian moderation, lukewarmnes.
But if reason do not abuse us we shall find, that when mens troubled humors shall cease from fermentation, their understandings will become [Page]so much the clearer for their past disturbances, and able to read those bloudy characters wherein the dismal effects of Schisme, are largely written by lamentable experience upon every family of this Nation; so that being thus doubly taught, not only by S. Iames, but by woful experience, they will not hereafter be so apt to kindle, if the Incendiaries should again scatter their fiery darts from those mischievous tongues, which set on fire the course of nature and are set on fire of Hell.
Towards which consideration I offered some light in this Cathedral which for some yeares suffered a Schisme in her very fabrick, by adivision in her body and preachers, and a market in her cloystures.
It was not (sure) the worthiness [Page]but the necessity of the discourse, which moved those hearers to press me to this publication, against whose importunity, I could not harden my self without falling under that condemnation, which I proved to belong to them that strive with their superiors.
And being come so far, I was easily encouraged to make another bold step, and present it to your Lordship; that the first addresse which you received in quality of our Bishop, might bring you an omen of good success in your charge, an earnest of the far greater services which you may promise your self from many others, equally unknown, but far more able, and an opportunity for an early proof of your goodness by pardoning this boldness of
This wisdom descendeth not (or, This is not the wisdom which descendeth) from above, but is earthly, sensual, Divelish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (or unsetledness and all mischief.)
THat the Mystery of Iniquity wrought in the Apostles days, 2 Thess. 2.7. one of themselves complained: but what it was, is it self a Mystery. If we consult their own Epistles (which, as they are the Oracles of God, so must needs be the best interpreters of the inditers meaning) we shall finde great reason to conclude that it was the Heresy of the Gnostiks; those false Apostles, deceitful workers that under pretence of extraordinary Wisdom, emulated the Apostles, pestered the Church, and seduced many of the weaker sort into faction.
Of those troublesome men every Epistle complaineth, and this chapter especially setteth forth both their Iniquity and it's Mystery.
First he endeavoureth to cool the ambition of their leaders, by shewing that the Office of a [...]. v. 1. Teacher which they so greedily sought, carried with it more danger then honor: and every one had already enough to answer, for in many things we offend all, so we need not inflame our [...]. v. 2. account. Which it will be extremely difficult to avoid when we are Teachers, seeing it requireth the greatest wisdom and care in the world to keep the tongue in order.
You must not judge of the tongue by it's bigness; v. 3, 4, 5. [Page 2]it is indeed little in bulk, but great in effects. The Bit is but smal in comparison of the Horse, and so is the Helm in comparison of the Ship, yet able to turn those great bodies; so is the tongue among the members, and so are the offences and mischiefs which the tongue draws men into, least in appearance, but greatest in consequence.
From how inconsiderable a spark is a whole city brought to ashes? v. 5, 6, 8. How little a quantity of poison will infect a whole mess, and destroy a lusty man? Such, so destructive is the Iniquity of the unruly tongue.
It is as unruly as pernicious, Man that [...]. tameth or at least mastereth all the several inhabitants of the air, earth, and water; yet is not sufficient for this task; so we are doubly obliged to beware how we adventure upon that imployment where we shall be exposed to the many temptations of falling into those sins of an extravagant tongue, whose Iniquities are so exceedingly, both mischievous and insuperable.
This may perhaps seem a Mystery that there should be so vast a disproportion between the bulk and effects of the tongue: But there is yet a greater Mystery behind. Hitherto the fire or poyson may vye with it: but there is another mystery wherein the whole world cannot match it with a parallel, [...]. v. 11, &c. It is a ridling mischief. What fountain is that which out of the same hole casteth forth salt water & fresh, sweet water and bitter? What root is that which beareth branches & leaves of one sort and fruit of another? What cause is that which produceth contrary effects? The Sun indeed hardeneth clay & softeneth wax, but he doth not beam out heat and cold; the difference is not in his light, but in the objects which receive it.
But the tongue can at the same time bless God and curse man whom God made like himself and to be loved for his sake. v. 9. You cannot finde in all the creation such another: the heart of man it self which is comprehensive and deceitful above all things, yet is deceived if it think it can do this. 1. John 4.20. He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen? The tongue [Page 3]can really bless and curse: but the heart cannot really, it may feignedly: the love of God if true, will expel the hatred of our brother, if this dwell there, the other will not; however the stock and branches and leaves speak a Fig, yet the fruit declares an Olive. Talk of Wisdom and extraordinary gifts? and yet stir up Divisions in the Church? Pretend the love of Christ? and yet live contrary to his Example and commands? These things ought not so to be. If you will be Christians indeed, let it be known by your Love, let your Wisdom appear by your meekness. For if you nourish strife and envy, all your pretences of religion are but specious lyes and vain brags. Love is of God, and malice of the Divel, Christ taught you to learn of him to be lowly and meek and finde rest, but faction destroyeth the peace and happiness of mankind, and therefore, This is not the wisdom which cometh from above, &c.
Thus we see the greatest cheat in the world detected and arraigned. In the 15. v. his disguise pull'd off, by shewing both that he is not what he pretendeth, and is what he most professeth to loathe. In the 16. vers. he is indicted as the most pernicious malefactor in the world.
First His cheat discovered by shewing his fountain.
- 1. Negatively, not from above.
- 2. Positively. It is earthly, &c.
2. His crime impleaded by discovering the sea of confusion and mischief which he bringeth upon the world. And these are the two Offices of the 2. verses of my Text. In prosecution whereof, what shall I do? shall I exercise the same vehemence as my Apostle doth? I must then exspect to be my self accused of contentiousness even while I speak against it. Shall I then use gentleness? I may more justly expect to be censured as an unfaithful Sollicitor of the cause of God and his Church. I will endeavor to offend on the better side: And if I shall then be accused of bitterness, I will appeal to my Apostle who is far more invective: If of coldness, I will appeal to him too; who hath taught to beware of strife: so [Page 4]I shall on the one side imitate his ardour, or on the other practice his Doctrine.
First then for the discovery of the fountain, and that Negatively. It cometh not from above, cannot say to God as David did. Psalm 87.7. 1 John 1.5. Chap. 4.8, 16. All my Springs are in thee. God is called in the Abstract Light and Love, He is called Light with so much solemnity as will hardly be matched; and we are told after great preparations, that this is the very summe of the Gospel. He is called Love twice in one Chapter of the same Epistle. And they very well set forth each other.
The proper Office of light and Love is to reconcile the greatest enemies, multiplication and union. They are both the greatest multipliers and uniters. The greatest multipliers, for it is the proper work of Light to Shine; that is, to multiply, and furnish the world with it's self. The Sun is such a Fountain as to stream out his light on every little atome of every side; and every beam like the Fountain multiplieth into new beams: so that whether we believe the Sun to be the Centre of the world, it is admirable that he should extend himself to every atome of so vast a Circle: or, if he be not the Centre, it is yet more wonderful, that his light should reach the most distant Star and from thence return again to shine upon the earth: Light is the greatest, yea and the onely multiplier: every seed multiplieth by reason of a spark of astral fire kindled in it, which if it might be husbanded would fill the whole world with it's posterity: As Light, so Love too is ready to distribute, willing to communicate.
Again, the beams of light do so scatter themselves abroad as to keep close together; not the least piece of the air, where they do not embrace each other, unless some gross body force a separation; and even then they use all possible diligence to meet again. And this doth Love too, If it be possible, as much as in it lyes, lives peaceably with all men. Thus light which Plato well honoured by calling it the shadow of God, setteth forth the [Page 5]Divine Love in it's two great effects, liberality and peaceableness. Which will more particularly appear if we consider him manifested in each office of the three persons. As creator, redeemer and sanctifier, we shall finde that Love, not strife, cometh from above from the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
1. First, As Father and creator, God is light, and being so, multiplied himself in begetting a world from himself. Love was the procatartik, Light the instrumental cause of the creation. Which the Divine word describeth to have been performed after this manner. Genes. 1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The heaven as the principle of light and heat, and life and beauty and love: The earth as the principle of darkness and cold and death, and horrour, and hatred: And thus it was.
There was darkness over the face of the deep, vast Abyss: and the Spirit of light moved upon the face of that liquid Chaos, and in a moment compassed it round, and so distilled it that the purer parts drew toward the light, and the grosser fled from it: The purer made that light inaccessible, which is the throne of God the third heaven: and the evening and the morning, that exalted light and that baffled darkness were the first day. Then the Spirit of light did again distil the now darker residue of the Chaos: and refined its better part into the ethereal heaven, the mansion of the Sun and Stars, but this second days work is not expressed to have any blessing because the second number breaketh unity. The Spirit of Light the third time invaded the yet darker deep and distilled the better part of it into air, the rest remaining a thick water with a caput mortuum: so all the darkest and horridest parts of the Chaos flying the Light were precipitated to the Centre, and being not capable or not worthy of a new distillation, the waters were so removed that some parts of the earth might receive the Light and furnish bodies for such living souls as the heavenly influences should kindle. Thus we see in the work of Creation the best still kept highest, and all the darkness of the Abyss fled to the Centre.
And as the world was created; so is it still preserved by light and love, which is the universall soul of the whole, knitting the higher parts with the lower, and maintaining life here with the continual influences from above; and again tying the lower with such a band of love, that all conspire the mutuall good. This I might largely prove, and confute the vulgar Philosophy which dreameth of a continual war between the elements, and fancieth privation a principle of generation. But I may fear to have already wearied some readers with these abstruser considerations. I shall only remember this, which every unlearned man may observe, That the very air and water have so much love as to forget their own interest, when a neighbour stands in need of their help. That will descend, and this will ascend to supply a vacuum; which is the communicative part of love: and again, if the arrow or the ship make a violent division they presently hast to come together again, which is the unitive part of love. Only the earth is void of both parts of charity, it will not communicate, but sticketh to it self, and as far as it can prevail freezeth the water to the same selfishness: nor it loves not union, but unless it be glued together with some moisture or hindred for want of place, it crumbleth to pieces, and all the love it hath even to it's own children is kindled in it by the influences of heaven.
Thus from the work of creation (which sheweth that as any thing is higher so it proportionably is filled with light & love,) I am. 1.17, it appeareth that strife is none of those good & perfect gifts which are from above and come down from the Father of Lights, but riseth from the uncharitable earth the seat of darkness; 1 Iohn 2.9, 11. Heb. 1.3. For he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness.
2. The Son the Redeemer of the world is the brightness of his Fathers glory the express image of his Person. Brightness is so expresly the image of Light, that none but Philosophers know the one from the other, and they tell us that brightness conveyeth light from it's fountain. Christ [Page 7]came from heaven to bring heaven to us and us thither, and he brought love, as the means to reconcile God to us, & us among our selves. The angels proclaimed his coming to be for this end that there might be peace on earth, and good will both towards and among men (the word [...] signifieth both.) This great business he promoted in all his Sermons and in all his actions, and all his passions; in his life, at his death, and after his death. Taught to have a love so extensive as to reach our greatest enemies, so intense as that which himself exemplifyed, even to dy for one another. This was his old and his new, his first and his last, his great and his peculiar and his critical commandment. Iohn 13.34, &c. and 15.12, &c. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you love one another. Every disciple is known by the caracteristical precepts of his Master, the disciples of Pythagoras by their silence, the disciples of Plato by their sublime notions, of Zeno by their apathy, of Moses by their circumcision, of the Sadducees by their denying the resurrection, of the Pharisees by their broad phylacteries, and mine by their love: Their love, which shall be more ardent and more large then any other in the world, and that in so eminent a degree that all men, even of the weakest understandings shall see and admire it. Mens goods are known by their marks, their Servants by their liveries, soldiers by their arms, and my disciples by their love: And it shall be so conspicuous that all men shall see it. All men know the Sun by his light, and fire by it's heat, the Aethiopian by his blackness, and the Camel by his bunch, and all men shall know my disciples by their love. Thus was love Christs commandment, his proper and peculiar commandment. It was his commandment, and it was his legacy. He left a love-token to be remembred by, which was not only a remembrance of his love to us, but an embleme of our mutuall love among our selfs. The bread which we break is the Body of Christ, and teacheth us to remember that we are one bread and one body. i Cor. 10.17. The same bread teacheth that he was broken for us, and that we must be knit together among our selves. This is the wisdome which cometh from above, [Page 8]brought from heaven by our Saviour, and by him recommended to us by all possible endearments: Those practices which oppose this, cannot be the cognizance of Christians, of Antichrist they may be.
3. When he left the world he took care to have this his dear commandment promoted in his Church by the Holy Ghost, which the Apostle thus describeth Eph. 4, 8. When he ascended on high — he gave gifts to men: Acts 2. viz. the gift of the holy Spirit (whereby he installed Officers) coming solemnly and visibly upon every of them in the likeness of flames of fire, which resemble cloven tongues licking the air (the Holy Ghost is Light too) And these Officers were thus installed, that they might kindle in the Church the flames of Divine Love. That speaking the truth in love, &c. vers. 15.16. i.e. That Love being the common soul of the whole Church, might knit every several member with every other in one common affection, and so the whole body Ecclesiastical grow up like a body natural, whereof every member shareth with the rest as in one soul, so in one interest and one affection. To this office they were principally installed and this work they principally advanced. No duty so often, so ardently recommended as Love. If the graces be compared, the greatest of them is charity, and above all we must have perfect charity. If their titles be considered, Love is the royal law, the bond of perfection; If vertues, it covereth a multitude of sins, it fulfilleth the law, it is a signe of our interest in God. No grace so frequently recommended, when there is occasion, and when there is none: in season and out of season; If [...]ies be commended, that faileth not to be in the number; if sin be condemned, strife is one of the catalogue. If we consider the measure, it is set forth by the highest comparisons, the love of brethren, and the love of members. Thus is it done to the grace which God delighteth to honour. And if the advancement of Mordecay be the fall of Haman; Envy and strife must needs be condemned, seeing, the wisdome which is from above doth thus appear to be as is described Vers. 17.18. First pure, then peaceable, [Page 9]&c. Where again you find love exalted; one word for purity, but many for love, to dash the impostor quite out of countenance and bafflle all his pretences to a heavenly originall. Which cheat is further considered.
2. Positively from whence it doth come, which is set down to be a threefold fountain, It is
- Earthly.
- Sensuall.
- Divelish.
Which that we may understand we are to consider that we have a threefold life.
First we live the life of vegetables: when we have only nourishment and growth in our mothers wombs.
Then we live the life of animals, when we have sense and motion, and lastly the life of man, when we come to the use of reason. Now the law of Nature requireth that every thing should act in the best manner it can. From our threefold life therefore we are capable of 3. sorts of sin. 1. When we suffer our rational part to be overborn by our vegetable and so degenerate from men to trees. 2. When we suffer the animal faculty to prevaile, and degrade us from men to beasts. 3. When our rational faculty suffers a defacing of the image of God, and we turn from partaking the Divine Nature to imitate the Devil. To one or other of these, all sins are reducible; but factiousnes hath this singularity that it is guilty of all three; A transcendent sin, runs through all predicaments.
1. It is earthly. Earthly mindedness properly taken, is that sin which turns us to trees. Now a tree is a man reversed, hath it's head in the earth, and kicks with it's lower parts against heaven. For we are mistaken if [...] take the boughs of a tree to grow upon it's head: [...]hat is the head by which it feedeth, those it's lower parts by which it generateth. This then is the life of a tree: It thrusts the head as deep as it can into the earth, compasseth as much of it as it can with all the roots it can make: whereas man is erect, his head lifted up to heaven and though the weight of his body keep him down to the ground, yet [Page 10]he converseth with it only with his feet, he trampleth upon it, and bears up from it, and alwayes seeketh to enjoy the light and influences of heaven. His affections are set on things above, Col. 3.1. his conversation is in heaven, and he is ashamed of that necessity which maketh him beholden to the earth for his maintenance, and useth the world as if he used it not. So that the life of a godly differeth from that of an earthly man, just as a man doth from a tree, and it is the sin of earthly-mindedness that maketh him thrust his affections into the things of this world.
Thus covetousness is call'd earthly-mindedness from the object of it's affections: It may deserve that title upon another reason, because as it loveth the earth, so it imitateth it also. The heavenly bodies are communicative, their motion is from the centre to the circumference; the earth is attractive from the circumference to the centre, those send abroad their light and influences, this draweth home to it's self whatsoever cometh within the Sphere of it's activity. That which we call heaviness in massive bodies is not so truly a quality inherent in them as a necessity imprinted upon them, they do not seek the earth, but that great Magnet draweth them, The same is the difference between the heavenly and the earthly mind. That, is liberall; like God and (his type) the Sun, which still beam abroad their bounty: This is greedy, like the earth which still draweth to it's self.
That factiousness is guilty of this sin, the Apostle doth not only discover, but earnestly beseecheth to observe it. Rom. 16.17. I beseech you brethren, mark (as from a watchtower [...]) that you may be forewarned of those who contrary to the doctrine which you have been taught bring in strife into the Church in stead of the Royall Law of Love; and under color of zeal for Christ advance their own wealth, Their fair words are but alluring baits to draw in the simpler sort of people, who cannot see through their practices. And I beseech you mark how this [Page 11]observation of the Apostle hath been verified among us. The eldest cannot remember when first faction set up it's trade, and the youngest will not see it leave its trade; and they must be very simple that do not observe what a gainful trade it hath been and how greedily followed. And who knoweth but God hath suffered it to thrive so long that we might the more plainly discover it, to love the House of God, as Ahab loved Naboths Vineyard? for at last when opportunity smiled upon their attempts, they said, let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession. And now we must be doubly simple if we do not understand their true meaning when they say they make God their portion.
2. It is called senfuall [...]. animal, brutish. We know the beasts seek no other happinesse but to satisfy the appetites of the body: This then is the sin of sensuality, when men who are called to spiritual joyes in the feasts of a good conscience and union with God, drown themselves in carnal delights, gratify the flesh and neglect the spirit thus degenerating to beasts.
This is properly the sin of debauchery, thus the drunkard and the glutton, the fornicator and the adulterer is by all sober men looked upon as a beast. But we are further to consider that there is an irascible as well as a concupiscible appetite, and all kind of passions dwell in the sensual faculty.
And though the grosser sins of the concupiscible appetite do in a manner ingross al the hatred of the vulgar to whose thicker apprehensions they are more suitable; yet that the issue of the irascible are brutish sins too, both Scripture and reason do jointly testify.
The Apostles declare it not by way of discovery, or proof, but Enstasis, pointing at it as a thing evident, but unregarded. St. Iames 4.1. Asketh whence come outward Wars but from the inward? mens lusts war in their members and then draw the members of Christ to War among themselves too. And St Paul Gal. 5.19. Reckoneth [Page 12]the quarrelsome sins among the manifest sins of the fiesh, as well as the lascivious. And more plainly and enstatically 1 Cor. 3.1. The Greek Philosophers would not admit young men to be fit hearers of their grave Lectures, as being yet in the second region of life, the animal life, and unfit to be fed with rational discourses until their judgements were better ripened, and the scumme of their youthful lusts & passions boiled away: St Paul treateth the Corinthians according to their own principles, telleth them they are as uncapable of the mysteries of Christianity as children of their Philosophical discourses: for they were yet but sensual, their affections childish and brutish, uncapable of spiritual discourses. And I brethren (saith he) could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal even as unto babes in Christ. I have sed you with milk and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: And this their carnality he proveth by their factiousnesse, as by a most undoubtable demonstration; While ye are some of one party, and some of another are ye not carnal? Is it not most evident that factious men are carnal men? Do not then please your selves in that humor as if it were an argument of I know not what excellency, when it is a manifest evidence of your sensuality: As well may a child pretend himself fit to command in an army, because he hath gotten a fine Hobby-horse, or to be a privy counseller because he hath a guilded Primer, as you can pretend your selves to be good Christians because you separate into parties. Those gathered Churches, and purer ordinances, that separation and non-conformity and whatsoever other Phrases the Spirit of faction delighteth to play withall, are but so many gaudes and the more you please your selves with them the more childishnesse you betray. Untill you lay aside these toyes, and betake your selves to the more substantial duties of Christianity, Love and a sound minde; however you may pride [Page 13]your selves in a conceit of being higher Scholars in Christs Schoole, yet know you are not yet perfect in the very first and plainest lesson, very babes, not come so far forth as to be ABC darians, mere animals ( [...]) unable to understand the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. that are spiritually discerned.
And the same Apostle 1 Corinthians 3.3. proveth that their dividing themselves into parties demonstrateth them to be carnall and walk as men (or as the Syriack rendreth it to be bodily, and walk in the flesh) i. e. to be such, as like beasts attend onely their bodies and serve the flesh; men in shape, beasts in conditions.
It is not only the nasty sow that trampleth pearls under feet which must be reckoned for a beast; the quarrelsome dog that flyes upon men and rends them, Wolves and bears; foxes and lyons are to be reckoned for beasts, and so are all those that bite and devour; So the factious man is sensual as well as the debauched.
The good old Iacob seeing his sons Coat torn, and bloody concluded it the work of some wild Beast; he was not much mistaken, the cruel brethren were no better. Nay they were much worse, They were Divels: For strife and envy is not onely sensual but
3. Divelish, and herein our Apostles brother St. Iohn agreeth with him 1 Iohn 3.11. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Divil, &c. Cain was of the wicked one and slew his brother v. 12. and whoever hateth his brother is a murtherer, vers. 15. And St. Paul agreeth with both, Ephes. 4.26, 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil: let not your wrath stay with you till it fix into hatred, for hatred is a Devil the word [...] signifieth hatred.
And surely hatred is directly opposite to Love; Intemperance is only a stranger to love, hatred an enemy. The Atheist is without God, the factious man is an antitheist, an adversary to him. Debauchery is unchristian, hatred is [Page 14] Antichristian, sensuall sins are more palpable, but spiritual sins are more odious: Those are crude and gross, these are distilled and Alcolisated, not so massive but more mischievous. Is it not worse to be a Divel then a beast? Who ever saw the Divel drunk? or when was he taken in adultery. His debaucheries are of another region: he that hath no flesh cannot be guilty (I mean formally guilty) of the sins of the flesh: his are properly sins of the spirit: sins of the body are but the body of sin, the sins of the spirit, are the spirit of sin. And those that will describe the divel may as well be thought to describe a schismatick.
The Divel having no body cannot be described by bodily deformityes, it is not a black colour or a cloven foot, a horned forehead, or an ugly visage, a long taile or hideous claws that can paint out his deformityes which are of another kind, but greater uglinesse.
Pride, malice, slandering, censoriousness, envy, rebellion, &c. Thus rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, maketh them of the Divels party in opposition to God. The earthly and sensuall are a kind of neuters in comparison of malice, which carrieth men quite over to the opposite side: This containeth all the wickednesse of the oother and addeth greater of it's own. What one said of ingratitude may better be said of contentiousnesse. Call me factious, you call me all things, you call me thief, drunkard, whoremonger, nay you call me Devil.
These are the works of the Devil which Christ came into the world to destroy. The Divel is the great make-bate, Christ the great peace maker. He would not come into the world untill there were a general peace over all its face, and as soon as he came the Angels came from heaven to proclaim peace on earth. He came and preached peace and that all evenues might be secured against strife, he required us to love our very enemies. Love was his royal law, and we may say of it as Samuel of King Saul, see ye him whom the Lord hath chosen that there is none [Page 15]like him among all the people. All the Officers of Christ are Ambassadors of reconciliation, their work is to edify the body in love, what are they then that preach contention but messengers of Satan to buffet us?
The Divel can transform himself into an Angel of Light. 2 Cor. 11.13, 14. But when he goeth to work division, how is it that we do not discover him by his cloven foot? his instruments transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ, they come in sheeps clothing, but when they fall to worrying us, how is it that we do not discover them to be ravening Wolves? How hath our Saviour condemned the Spirit of pride, and separation in the Pharisees! (the word Pharisees signifieth Separatists.) How have all the Apostles declamed against it in their rivals! how have all the ages and regions of Christianity complained of it in their Heretiks, and especially how have our selves smarted under it in the pretended godly party! How is it then that the most simple can yet be deluded by it, after so many warnings and such frequent and wofull experience? Other sins which are but sensual in their original, and not very prejudicial in their consequences brand the guilty with indelible infamy. Yet how impudently doth this spiritual wickedness in high places, plead not onely for indemnity but veneration! All other things are prophane, Churches and Churchlands, and Church maintenance must resigne all their Sacredness to these men: And all other sins may, and must be punished; but faction and disobedience must be priviledged. To punish those is necessary justice, to question this is cruel persecution. Thus the Pope sent a check to Rich. 1. for making a prisoner of a Bishop though taken in Battle, and required him to send him his son; but the King in stead of the person sent the armour, advising his holiness to see whether this were his sons Coat. The Pope with shame returned answer that was not the Coat of any son of his but of some child of Mars: Contentious and Schismatical persons are not [Page 16]the children of the Prince of peace but the God of War, and whoever would priviledge them from punishment might learn shame from the throne of impudence: What? must laws be to crimes, as of old they were complained to be, to persons, like Cobwebs, which catch the smaller flies, and let the greater break through? For shame let's hear no more of that complaint that non-conformity, hath been more severely punished sometimes then drunkenness, as if a Divel were not worse then a beast. If we do not yet see greater odiousness in this sin, I hope at next step we shall, when we consider that as it is most base in it's Original, so it is most miscievous in its Effects, and so most justly odious to God and punishable by man.
As our most gracious God in the work of creation, aimed not at any service the world could do him (his infinite happiness, beeing uncapable to receive any addition from his creatures) but only desired to communicate himself and his happiness: so in his government thereof, he provideth by his laws not for his own but his creatures good. Hence was it that our Saviour who came to bring us present as well as future happiness, took such great care to endeare love unto us, as being above all other graces, the greatest promoter of our felicity: and hence is it that our Apostle the more to incense us against this sin, doth not onely detect it for a cheater; but proceedeth to indict it as a notable malefactor against the peace of our Soveraigne Lord the Prince of peace.
Thus we have seen this impostor doubly detected, by discovering the fountain whence he doth not, and whence he doth come. In the next verse his indictment is laid in, by shewing the sea to which he tendeth, a sea of confusion and mischief; he is charged to be a malefactor of the highest degree, a notorious offender against the peace of our Soveraign Lord God, his Crown and Dignity.
Lawes proportion punishments, not alway to [Page 17]the hainousness, but ever to the mischievousness of the crime. A mutinous word in an army is punished with death, because it might draw on the ruin of the whole Army. What is mutiny in an Army, is sedition in the State and faction in the Church: It is therefore now to be condemned for the ugliness and perniciousnesse of it's issue, as well as for the basenesse of it's race. What sin shall we ballance against this? What other sin can be charged to bring confusion and all kind of mischief with it? If we look to the root, every others sin is of some one region, this of all: other sins hurt one or two this is an epidemical mischief: Of what other sin can it be said, that it setteth on fire the whole course of nature, and is set on fire of hell? A single murther is guilty of death, this butchereth multitudes in an hour, and maketh a continual trade of it. The whoremonger defileth (and doth but defile) two or three bodies, and begetteth a life unlawfully; This doth not defile onely, or beget, it destroyeth, and that by heaps upon heaps. The drunkard wasteth time and wine, and wit and turneth beast, this destroyeth lires, and turneth Divel. The thief and (analogically) every other sinner may answer a factious man as the Pirate did Alexander Magnus I rob with one ship, thou with whole Fleets; I private merchants, thou whole nations. A Schismatik cannot tell another of his mote, but he may be reproved for his beam. Could all the sins in the world have brought such a sea of mischief, as this hath done upon us? How many thousand of families hath it ruined? How many millions of lives destroyed? what treasures of wealth wasted? What confusion ( [...]) what unsettledness in Church and State? And how much more then all this had we suffered if God had not wonderfully said to it hither are the proud waves come, but shall pass no further.
But there are degrees, there is a Prince of Devils: This sin though it be alway Divelish, yet sometimes it is so in a higher degree. To strive with an equal or inferior, [Page 18]is wicked; but to strive with a superior, is much more so. Hos. 4.4. The Prophet maketh it a symptom of a people desperately wicked, and past all hope of reclaming when they strive with their Priests. It was the clamerous fault of the Israelites that they quarrelled even with Moses and Aaron: in whose persons God himself is concerned, for he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. The Corinthians are warned that they should not murmur as the Israelites did lest they be destroyed like them. And these things saith he are written for our instruction. But we would not receive instruction. We murmured (would we had done no more) and were destroyed of Serpents, The Brewhouse and the bulk, &c. things that crept among us out of obscure holes, things of whom we know not the pedigree, nor should have heard the name but for their venome: By such Serpents were many of us destroyed, and many of us stung, and had been worse if God had not provided a remedy.
The sin hath yet another aggravation. It is observed that they murmured at the sea, even at the read sea, even within the prospect of so great a deliverance. It is but newly that God hath wrought such another deliverance for us: The read sea of a bloudy faction divided in to parties, and gave us between them a dry & safe passage to our liberty: so that without one drop of bloud we arrived at that happinesse, which in our boldest hopes we could not have expected without a sea of bloud and tears. And do we murmur at such a time as this? a time which requireth to be spent in praises to God and mutuall congratulations?
When the Israelites were restored from captivity, Nehem. 8.10. commanded the people to eat and drink, and send portions, do we quarrel and complain at such a time? Ionah 4.9. This is an aggravation of Ionahs peevishness. Dost thou well to be angry? Thou Ionah? Dost thou well to be angry for thy goard? Hast thou so quickly forgotten the storm upon the sea, and the Whales belly under it. How few, dayes is it since thou wouldest have given one of [Page 19]thy eyes to behold the Sun with the other; and art thou so quickly angry because it shineth a little too hot upon thee? Cha. 2 5. How sadly didst thou complain that thy head was wrapt about with weeds, and art thou so quickly angry that a weed is withered over thy head: Angry so quickly? and so much? and for a weed too? A poor weed, the issue of the night, and the breakfast of a worm? so much anger for so slight a trifle, and so little pity for so great a city?
You that are Ministers, and you that professe to love Ministers Doe you do well to be angry for your covenant? Have you already forgotten what fears chill'd your hearts but a few moneths since? What would you not then have given to be assured of a King, and a Church upon any terms? When we groaned under the yoke which our former factiousness had brought upon us, it was then the expression of a chief of the Scotish Nobles, We see too late that we have buryed Monarchy and Episcopacy in one common grave; but we would dig away the earth of that grave with our teeth to restore them. And do you gnash those teeth for indignation that God hath restored them? And all this aenger for your covenant, a weed which sprung up but last night, a night of confusion and rebellion? Is the Scotish thistle such a precious flower? Is it not a fretting prickly weed? doth it not fetch bloud where ever it cometh? No, No, it is not the losse of that rigid, troublesome discipline that vexeth you; It is your reputation; You are afraid to be counted false Prophets, and to have made so loud clamors for nothing; you doubt lest you should be thought either to be timeservers now, or to have been seditious heretofore, if you now submit to that government which you set the world one fire to destroy: But is your reputation so considerable that the peace of the Church must be sacrificed to it? Must so many thousand lives redeem you from such cheap fears? And do you well in this too? Is that earthly sensual, devilish sin so inconsiderable in your [Page 20]eyes? Nay must it be justified, as if it were no sin at all? Nay, must it be honoured, as if it were a piece of Godlinesse? Christ made it the cognizance of his Disciples, if you love one another, and must it passe for a mark of good Christians if they be quarrelsome? Is it not enough that so great a sin be connived at? must it be sanctified too? Ambitious Devil! Is it not a favour to be respited from the Deep, must thou be worshiped too? Worshiped by the Son of God too? No lesse command serve for a sacrifice to the Devil, then the very critical command of Christ? No lesse sin serve him, then the devilish sin of Faction; Me thinks he might be contented to be served by the meaner sins, and to be worshiped as the God of this World: as Mammon. or Venus, by the sins of covetousnesse or intemperance. The Groves and the Market-place might have served, and must he needs set up his Altars in the Temple of God? and deceive those that come thither to pay their devotions? make them believe that their affections are enflamed with zeal from above, when they are set on fire of hell? He may now be contented to part with those services of the inferiour sort, the debaucheries of the body, Drunkennesse and Fornication. But stay, must the Sword of Justice destroy none but poor and vulgar Amalekites? must the King be spared? yea, and royally attended too? must the fat cattle be kept alive, and that for sacrifice too? And must this be called obeying the commandment of the Lord? Doth God give every Magistrate as large a Commission against sin, 1 Sam. 15.28.24. as he did to Saul against Amalek, Go and utterly destroy the sinners? And shall it be called justice to punish the vulgar, and persecution to punish the King of sins? Is not this to sear the people, and obey their voice who judge by outward appearance, and are easily perswaded to honour the Devil, when he turneth himself into an Angel of light.
This is indeed the root of sin and errour; we judge like Children by the outside, take all for Gold that [Page 21]glisters. This maketh us prefer the visible happinesse of this World: This made St. Paul complain that the false Apostles were preferred above himself, because the Corinthians judged by outward appearance, and so did not judge righteous judgement. But our present errour exceedeth all: Many esteem the future happinesse of heaven beneath the present enjoyments of the world, but no man condemneth heaven as a place of misery: whereas in the reverse we doe not onely reckon Faction to be a lesse sin then the more visible sins of the flesh, Polano hist. concil. Trid but we magnifie it as the very character of Godlinesse. Never was better mystery found (saith one) then to use Religion to make one insensible: But to use the greatest of sins for a token of Godlinesse, this is the very mystery of the mystery of iniquity.
Thus we see what great reason the Apostle had, so importunately to beseech the Romans, that they would mark them which cause Division. I shall help you to know them by those principles which they build upon, and wherewith they deceive the hearts of the simple, and maintain division in the Church. I shall shew the Pillars upon which Faction is built, It will not need Samson's strength to pull them down; if you doe but mark them, you look them into nothing.
1. That we must keep as great a distance from the Papists as we can.
This carrieth malice in it's very countenance, needeth no observer to help you mark: and beside, the malice of it, is so certainly false, that it is impossible to be true. For it self is most exactly Popish, and therefore it is impossible to avoid Popery, unlesse we avoid this very position, which saith we must so avoid it. Popery never came to it's full growth, untill the Conventicle at Trent, nor was this principle ever authentically practised untill then: There it was first authorized into a rule, that they must keep at the greatest distance from Hereticks. [Page 22]If we reform this position, as we have done the whole Religion, we may have this truth out of it. We must avoid all those Doctrines which are truly Popish and false; yet not because they are Popish, but because they are false; and upon this account we must avoid these Doctrines: That we must shun some Doctrines and Practises, meerly upon this reason, because maintained by Hereticks: That the King hath no power in Ecclesiasticall matters: That in some cases the Subjects, may lawfully resist the King: That all men are damned who are not of our Party.
These and the like positions we must avoid: not so much because they are Popish (though indeed they be so, and Jesuiticall too, the worst sort of Popery) as because they are both false and factions. But if we lay it down crudely, that we must neither do nor say as the Papists do, what shall become of our Religion? Must we turn Turks, or Iewes, or Heathens to avoid Popery? If we should, yet must we retain some of their belief, unlesse we deny a God too; Nay, if we drive home this principle, we must as the Apostle saith, go out of the world.
It is by some of the Popish Writers made a character of the English Nation, that they think they are so much the nearer Heaven, as they are further from Rome: They have too much colour to speak it of some, but they betray too much malice in applying it to all.
This is the great difference between the Fathers of our Church, and the Children of disobedience: the one would have such a form of worship, as might invite the soberer Papists to communicate with us; the other would have either no form at all, or so slovenly an one, that the Papists may nauseate it; the one would go as far as they may to meet the Papist, in hope that at least the more moderate and uninteressed of them, would go some few steps to meet us; the other will go as far from them as they can, that there never may be a meeting. Now Ibeseech you mark, which of these two they are [Page 23]which cause division and hinder union, and avoid them. Which of these best followeth the Apostles precept commanding us, If it be possible and as much as in us lyeth to live peaceably with all men? Which best imitateth his example that became all things to all men. He that to the Iews became as a Iew that he might gain the Iewes, would he not to the Papists become as a Papist, that he might gain the Papist? It is no groundlesse conjecture of an observing judicious person, that if the Ceremonies of the Church of England had been kept among the reformed in France, all the French would long since have turned Protestants: Their own Cardinal it seems is of the same mind, who suppressed the use of them, because the people began to entertain more charitable thoughts of our religion, and he feared that at next step they might preferre it before their own. It was wisely done; the earthen pot ought to keep distance, but the brasen need not fear to come up close to it: let them fear a meeting, who distrust their own strength, to keep distance from the means of reconciliation is the figne either of an heretick, or at least of a schismatick.
And by this I suppose it appeareth how we ought to value that objection which is usually made against our form of Common Prayer, That it is taken out of the Mass-Book. If that be a sufficient accusation we must condemn our religion too. When the Papists ask us, Where our Religion was before Luther? we have no better answer then to say, It was in their own: we fet it thence as the refiner: fetcheth metal out of the oar: We reformed from them by keeping the silver and leaving the drovs; we reformed the old did not make a new. It is so far from being a fault in our liturgy that it may be truly called Common, so common that all Christians (Papists and all) may joyn with us; that I doubt not to reck on it among it's excellencies, and I fear not to wish that the Popish Missal were so reformed that it might be lawfull for our Protestant Merchants to communicate with them.
Obs. It may perhaps be thought sufficient for an answer to all this to say, That while we use ceremonies to draw on the Papists, we thereby drive away our own brethren; we cause strife at home, by endeavouring peace abroad, and so this very position must be marked and avoided as a causer of division.
Ans. The Pharisees were angry with Christ for eating with Publicans, yet he thought a soul well purchased with a Pharisees discontent. The whole have no need of a physician; you think your selves such, & then there is no need of complying with you.
And this is the present case: By complying with the Papists in some innocent Ceremonies, we may have hope, and therefore it is charity to endeavour to reduce them to the truth. You are angry and complain of Scandal. (By the way he that hath learned of the incomparable D. Hammond to understand what a Scandal is, will see that it is a flat contradiction to complain that I am scandalised: it is as if a man should say he cannot choose but stumble at that, which he knoweth to lye in his way, that he cannot avoyd being caught in such a trapp as he knoweth to be tilled for him: whereas the very formality of a stumbling block and a trapp do consist in not being known.) And require that we should be really scandalous to the Papists by tempting them to hate to be reformed, that you may not be angry with us for our desire to save them. You disobediently quarrel at your superiors charity; and to this disobedience adde a false accusation as if they brought in that strife, which your selves have risen.
But can you thus father the division upon the Church? Iudge by this case, Two families are at difference; The master of one of them out of love to Christ seeketh reconciliation with the adversary, and useth means to procure it: some of his children obey him and joyn with him in so good an enterprise: others, that are more implacable, refuse and make a faction among the servants, [Page 25]and then declare the good man to be a litigious person, & a raiser of strife among those of his houshold. This is the true state of the quarrel, and I beseech you mark them which are the true causes of the division and avoid them.
What puffing is there among some to blow up the old coales, and kindle our old ridiculous but tragical fears and jealousies! What crying out that Popery, Popery is coming in, Liturgy and Organs and Surplices, &c. Indeed Popery would come in apace, if once we grant it to be as ancient as those things: We must no longer call it an innovation nor deny it our veneration: how quickly would Popery come in among us, if the schismatical party could do the Papists service in that work, wherein their endeavours are plainly united, the destruction of that government which all the Fathers of the Church but one venerate for Apostolical, and that one in his greatest bitternesse against it acknowledgeth to have been instituted as a bulwark against heresies, and these men would demolish as a piece of heresy that their new discipline might be advanced. How aptly are these men said to stand in the Church like the ugly Anticks in buildings: which with great shew of bending and straining pretend to bear up the weight of the whole fabrick, but are not thanked by wise men for the service they do, so much as laught at for their false pretences and real deformityes. How much they have contributed to the supporting the Protestant cause, witnesse the English Nunnery at Antwerp, witnesse the many sporades both of Nobles and others that were tempted by our unsettlednesse to think better of the bosome of the Church of Rome (though polluted) then of the wilderness pestered with so many sorts of fiery serpents: But how much that Episcopal party which they ridiculously call Popish have resisted the groweth of Popery, witnesse the invincible armies of Jewels, Andrews, Fields, Potters, Ferns, Cosins, Bramhals, Hammonds, [Page 26]Taylors, &c. and especially Laud and Chillingworth whom the schismaticks have done the Pope so much service as to destroy, whereas if they had any true affection to the Protestant cause, the best of them might say to either of those Martyrs as the people to David, Thou art worth 10000 of us.
Such Popery as these men & many others either wrote, or died, or both, in defence of, such Popery as flourished in the first and purest ages of Christianity, such Popery as by the blessing of God, we were reformed to in the dayes of King Ed. 6. such Popery as many zealous persons defended with their lives in the dayes of Q. Mary, that Popery for which Rome hateth and feareth our Church more then any other of Christendom. That Popery which Mr. Calvin would with all his heart have established in Geneva if the place had been capable of it, that Popery which the most learned of the Outlandish Reformed do strongly wish and faintly hope for; That Popery God be blessed is coming in apace.
The fable of the Fox, that was caught in a Gin by the tail and forced to bite it off and afterward persuaded the other Foxes to bite off their tails too under pretence, that they were both burthensome and needlesse, is a perfect resemblance of our controversy. But what if the Church of Geneva, were necessitated to maime her self, and prevailed upon some other Churches to be her apes, and glory with her in their naked buttoks; but the Church of England would onely wash, and cleanse and flea but not maime her self, reform her errors and superstitions without losing that Government, which is so manifestly ancient, doth this deserve so much clamor? Is our Church Popish because it is governed by Bishops? as well may the King be called a Fanatik because he upholdeth vertue. But certainly whoever hateth any thing because his enemy useth it, betrayeth a malicious spirit, and such Doctrines deserve to be marked for causing divisions among us.
2. That nothing may be brought into the worship of God, but what is warranted by the word of God, and to do it, is Popery and superstition.
If they mean an Explicite and particular warrant, then this opinion pleadeth to be rejected as Popish, and superstitious, for it hath no such expresse warrant in the word, as it requireth. If they mean a general and implicite warrant; The Church hath such an one 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently and in order. This had been superfluous if all particulars had been expresly prescribed, and it had been too large if the Church were not a competent judge of what is orderly and decent. Me thinks if not his reason, yet at least the authority of so judicious a Father as Mr. Calvine should prevail in this case, his words ad literam are these—Quin etiam hinc colligere promptum est, has posteriores (viz. pias Ecclesiae leges) non esse habendas pro humanis traditionibus, quandoquidem fundatae sunt in hoc generali mandato. Et liquidam approbationem, habent, quasi ex ore Christi ipsius.
But my present designe calleth upon me not to confute but mark the causers of division; and yet indeed the very marking of any Doctrine for such is an abundant confutation. Mark then whether this doth not, and will not perpetually quarrel with any kind of worship, that shall be injoyned. Let us e. g. suppose it required that the two Sacraments should be celebrated after their own new mode: That for Baptisme a fine drilled frame should be set up by the Ministers Desk, and a bason set in it, and that the Father should come, &c. May not their own questions be in this case demanded: What warrant for this? did the Apostles so? &c. Suppose again we should be required to sit at the Lords Supper. Might it not again be demanded whether Christ did so? The more unlearned may think he did. But it is manifest that they did not sit but lye down to meat: and if we must celebrate that Supper after the same manner as Christ did, We must get an upper Chamber (and that a guest [Page 28]Chamber too,) and we must have beds set to lye upon round a table, and there we must eat a Lamb for Supper, Nay, we must remember that it is particularly described by the Apostle as a signal circumstance, that all this was done in the same night that Christ was betrayed. Must then the Minister be betrayed and crucified that all may be done after the Original form? where shall we stop? How shall we avoyd division if this Doctrine stand? Do we not perceive that upon this principle we still crumble into further separation? Was it not upon this foundation that the Quaker built his Fanatik Religion? The circumstances being not so publikly known I shall here set them down, as I credibly received them from one that was present, and if I be called to it, shall name the person time and place. A company of Seekers being met, and ready to begin their prayers, One of them thus spake, Brethren what do we? We profess against forms, and we separate from others because they use forms: And do we our selves use a form. How to avoid so manifest an objection they knew not, and therefore concluded to wait upon God, and expect how he would reveal his mind. They sate silent all of them almost two hours, when suddenly a young women tumbled out of the window into the middle of the room, no other signe of life appearing in her but this, a general shaking of the whole body; yet so, that every joint had a particular motion, and (so) impossible to be counterfeit. After much endeavour to recover her out of her supposed swoon, at length of her own accord she rose up saying that God had called her to speak to them at that time, and that he would in the same manner continue to call those that should hereafter speak to them. Iudge now what kind of spirit this was, which for a while did thus abuse that frantick sect and now leaveth them when growen of age to stand upon their own feet. Do you think it was the spirit of God which now breaketh the promise that then he made, and for a while performed? If it were not, how can you think fit to lay that [Page 29]foundation which if prosecuted will bring you to quarrel with every form, but what the Divel shall shew?
3. To neglect our own duty and look after the duty of others.
Is that [...] which the Apostle ranketh with malefactors thieves and murtherers; 1 Pet. 4.15. for this reason doubtles, because it weareth a strong tincture of sedition, but it is the usual practise of nonconformists: who disobey, not because they may not obey but because (say they) the Magistrate may not impose a form of worship. But what hast thou to do to enquire after the Magistrates duty? let every man look to his own work. If the Magistrate impose nothing that is sinfull, it is lawfull and (if lawfull) necessary for thee to obey. It is at other times preached by the very same men that when any thing is required we should ask this question, Is it lawful? will it stand with my interest in God? But this is quite another question, then to ask hath the Magistrate power to enjoyn this? might it not be better otherwise, &c. When I read of the Iews wars with Antiochus, I read also of swines flesh and Idolatry: When of their wars with the Romans, I read of Caligulae's statue set up in the Temple, When I read of the burning of our English Martyrs, I find the worship of Images, Saints, and bread required. When I now hear talk of persecution, of exhortation to lose all and embrace the faggot rather then read the Common Prayer, I should expect some great sinfulnesse in it, such tragical exclamations would make a man expect news of a great image or a new religion set up.
But when the accusers stood up they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed, Acts 25.18. but had certain questions against it of their own superstition. (The word superstition critically signifieth a fear of what is good) The cross in Baptism and ring in Marriage, some hymns ridiculous, prayers roped up like beads, &c. and in general to impose a form is but commanding lusty men to use crutches. These and the like are the great objections, against which I now bring no other [Page 30]plea but this, they make nothing to the question: The question truly stated is not, Whether it might be better otherwise? but whether it be sinful, as it is. That excellent Martir Ridly that professed he would rather preach in a fools coat then not preach at all, though he died for the avoiding a sin would not have made a schism for the avoiding a Surplice. But this question, Did the Governour well in making such an order? as it carrieth a strong favour of pride, so also a strong tendency to sedition. For if it be lawfull to question (not the lawfulnesse only, but the wisdome of the lawes,) and to disobey them whensoever we shall be tempted to censure for the worse; we shall never be free from sedition as long as any man is proud or factious. It belongeth to a Dr. (said Polano) to give a reason of his saying, A lawmaker if he do so, doth diminish his authority; because the subject doth wrestle with reason alleadged, and when he thinketh he hath resolved it, he thinketh also that he hath taken all vertue from the precept. And Seneca more short, Vt quis sapientior legibus videatur, hoc ipsum est quod legibus prohibetur. Dost thou think this no good form? Why this form was enjoyned for this very reason that it might not be in thee to judge what form is best. Go and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice, & thou shalt find that God requireth thee to prefer obedience and love above those services which better please thy fancy. It was Sauls error and his ruine that he did not what vvas commanded but what he thought better. Supposing then thou couldst make a better form of vvorship, yet canst thou not find a better vvay of serving God then by obedient conformity to the way of the Church. But granting more then usually is, or reasonably can be objected; That there were some things in the Common prayer Book truly sinfull: Yet is it our duty to obey the Apostles precept: As much as in us lieth to live peaceably with all men. Let your peaceable mind, then appear by your conforming as far as possibly you can: Perhaps the clemency of the Fathers of the Church will induce them to wink at, if they cannot satisfy your Scrupulous conscience: however, this [Page 31]you shall gain, that you shall not suffer as malefactors: whereas if you willingly run upon faction, and trouble when you may without sin avoid this, and cannot without sin (and the greatest of sins too) practice that. Talk what you will of persecution, you are but the Devils confessors, and Martyrs.
4. That the Law of man doth not binde the conscience.
That is, whensoever a mans passions or interests shall tempt him, he may rebell. But admit the law of man did not directly bind you, yet certainly it doth so by consequence, because there is no other way to obey the royall law of Love. You know that Christ paid tribute, only that he might not give offence, though while he did it he demonstrated that he was not bound to it. But say, doth not the law of man bind the conscience? Doth not St. Paul tell us that he that resisteth the powers resisteth the ordinance of God? and therefore we must needs be subject, not only for wrath but also for conscience sake? And doth not St. Peter agree with him that we must submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake? If the Translatours had so pleased they might have rendred [...] Humane invention, and then your own phrase had bound you to obey. But as if it were a smal matter to professe themselves not bound to obey, where the thing is otherwise indifferent; the contentious spirit carrieth some of them further; they professe that in such cases they are bound not to obey; what they may do if they have liberty, they may not do if they be commanded. Is not this the true spirit of contradiction? the thing is lawfull in it's self, put but a little obedience to it, and it becometh sinfull. Thus rebellion is not only quitted of the sin of witchcraft, devilishness; it is preferred and made the righteousnesse of the Saints, To kneel at the Communion, or say the Lords Prayer, &c. is confessed a thing indifferent if it were not required, but being enjoyned it becometh sinfull. But as liars are often entrapped in their own talk, so these men by over earnestly defending their liberty, reneage it. Even thus [Page 30] [...] [Page 31] [...] [Page 32]they confess that humane lawes bind the conscience, though to disobedience. We must do what they forbid and forbear what they command. Had they commanded us to fit at the Communion we must have kneeled, had they forbad the use of the Lords Prayer, we must by no means have forborn it. I know a wise and good man whose wife had this humor to appear unwilling of whatsoever he desired; yet he found a way to have her comply with his mind by making shew to desire the contrary: must these men be thus managed? must the Law forbid what it would have done, and command what it would have avoyded? Would not a man think that these men came from the Antipodes, whose both Religion and Policy standeth in such direct opposition to that of our hemisphere?
What God do they worship whose Faith is Faction, whose Religion is Rebellion, whose charity is murthering and ruining of Kingdoms? whose zeal is fury, whose order is confusion, whose Christianity, is antichristian, whose Godliness is Devilism? And what kind of Policy is that which armeth justice with a lath? maketh Magistrates without power to command, and lawes without obligation to obedience, which requireth justice to punish the smallest sins, and reverence the greatest, and teacheth the subject to account the lawes obligatory only to disobedience: which biddeth every man do what is best in his own eyes, and calleth lawlesness liberty. Which maketh it the duty of the subject not to submit his wisdom to the law but to arraign the laws before his own fancy, and think himself not only free from obedience to it, but bound to oppose it, if he shall sentence it, less wise then himself?
Fanatik Schismatiks! There is this onely to be pleaded for you, that your principles are mad and therefore their wickednes is the more excusable. And that God may therefore forgive you, because you know not what you do. But sure: This is not the wisdom that cometh from above. Whatever hope it may have of Gods pardon it can have [Page 33]no title to our reverence. Let the Turks honour mad men and fools, as supposing them inspired from above, but our Apostle preventeth this conceit in us toward fanaticks, for he concludeth his chapter with a character of heavenly wisdom quite opposite. The wisdom (saith he) that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits without wrangling, and without hypocrisy. Come now you that pretend your selves the ingrossers of piety; that slight the phlegmatick dulness of the conformist, that go up to the Temple with the supercilious Pharisee, boasting that you are not as other men are: Iob 12.2, 3. No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall dy with you. But we have understanding as well as you, we are not inferiour to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? Who seeth not that this Apostle and all the rest agree with their Master in teaching love to be the most Substantial piety? who seeth not that he multiplyeth the commendations of Peaceableness but passeth over Purity with one single expression? Who seeth not that (however you boast your selves not only the best Scholars, but the best Teachers in Christs School, yet) you stick in the first lesson, and have not yet learned to take out a second? And who seeth not that St. Paul challengeth it as self evident that you have not learned the first, untill you be perfect in the second? Are you not carnall whiles one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo? Is not your very boasted Purity impure untill you learn to be peaceable also? Alas! those pollutions of the world through lust, are but the Devils forlorn which it is a small victory to overcome, his main strength consisteth in his spiritual wickednesses, wherewith he destroyeth multitudes of such as had escaped the other: and many weak unwary Christians become a prey to him, as the undisciplined Barbarians did of old to the Romans: when having routed the Velites they broke their orders as to a pursuit and fell a cheap spoil to the legionaries: fleshly lust compared with spiritual pride is but [Page 34]as Saul to David: That hath slain it's thousands, and this, it's 10000. Take heed of this Parthian though you have put him to flight, Think not that you have already attained, or were already perfect, as soon as you have learned to avoid the grosser sins of bodily uncleannesse: This is so far from making you perfect Christians, that it doth not make you perfect so much as in your first lesson; the wisdome which is from above is first Pure, and it's purity cleanseth from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. On, on for shame then, to the next lesson or the Publicans and harlots will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before you: Their beastly sins are but gnats: your Devilish sins are Camels: you spy a more in their eyes, and behold a beam is in your own.
Oh foolish seperatists who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth so manifestly set forth, by our Saviour and his Apostles, and all ages of the Church and your own dear experience? Is it the ostentous garb of a boasted zeal? This only would I learn of you, Do you think our Saviours invectives died with the Pharisees? or are they written for our sakes? Is that worthy of reverence now, which was worthy of such vehement reprehension then? What did our Saviour inveigh against in them, which their successors do not glory in, and you adore as in defiance to our Saviours Sermons? They boasted themselves the only religious and thence concluded all men accursed but themselves and their disciples; they wore exalted eylids and broad phylacteries and other pomps of professed strictness, that they might extract reverence from the deluded people: They made long prayers & large professions of zeal that they might devoure widdows houses: and what more can you find in our modern Pharisees, but this that they out-sin their predecessors? The Pharisees of old devoured widdows houses: these make fatherlesse and widdows, and then devour their houses: they reverenced Gods House that men might reverence them, these deny all reverence to Gods House [Page 35]that they may ingrosse it to themselves & take the houses of God into possession. And are not these the more ravenous wolves under the same sheeps cloathing? If we look to the Apostles, what did they complain of in their rivals, which is not reverenced in ours? These as well as those are false Apostles, deceitfull workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ: these with fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple, and lead captive filly women: If we look to succeeding ages, was there ever any heretick in Church or rebel in State, that did not professe for the glory of God and the good of man? But if we look back to our own miseries, whence came wars and fightings among us, and whither had they brought us? Did they not come from a pretended zeal to reformation? and was it not a wonderfull providence that delivered us from total extirpation? And are we not bewitched if we can relapse into the same follies again, when a burnt child, though but a child, dreadeth fire, strange power of prejudice. Is it not enough that our Saviour warned us before hand by so many lively descriptions of our impostors? that the Apostles, and all succeeding ages, and above all, our own hath so evidently and sadly suffered under their cheats? can we neither be forewarned by cautions nor afterward instructed by such costly experience? Can neither the leaves nor the very fruits tell us what they are? Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? can love come from scratching thorns, or joy from prickling thistles? or could our Saviour have prescribed a plainer or surer way to know them then by their fruits?
Let us judge them then by their fruits: The fruit of the spirit is joy, love, peace and long-suffering, gentlenesse, goodness, Gal. 5.22. meekness: & what is that spirit which is so fruitfull in malice, miseries, and contentions, &c. Once more I beseech in the words of St. Paul, to mark them which cause divisions among you and avoid them for they serve not the Lord Iesus, but their own interests and with fair speeches deceive the [Page 31]hearts of the simple: And I conclude as my Apostle doth this chapter, desiring you to mark this too, that the fruit of righteousness is sowen in peace of them that make peace. That you may mark those who promote peace and union and may follow them as wearing that mark, which our Saviour owneth for his.
ERRATA.
The Author living at great distance from the Presse; some errours, especially in punctations, have escaped, the most considerable are these.
Page 13. l. 7. Read So evident doth the Apostle account it. p. 14. l. 34. r. avennes. p. 16. l. 30. for thus r. For as. and l. 32. r. So in the next. p. 17. l. 10. r. other. and l. 33. for the r. thy. p. 18. l. 19. and 22. for read r. red. p. 24. l. 1. r. Obj. and l. 30. for risen r. raised. p. 35. l. 18. r. Strange power of prejudice!