GOD Almighty (thô Man by his Disobedience had pull'd off the Seal of the Indenture which he had made with him) was pleased to renew his Covenant for the Salvation of lost Mankind: He was pleased also to give forth a Commission to certain Elected Per­sons, to proclaim unto him the grand In­stance of his Divine Love, and his Gracious Goodness; namely, What it is he hath [Page 2] done for them, in and by his Son Jesus Christ; and withal to assure Mankind, (that un­happy Seed of Adam) that the Merits of Christ's Blood are sufficient, thrô Grace, to effect their Reconciliation with their offend­ed God: And that they believing the Power of his Resurrection, and committing them­selves to him, by submitting to the Motions of his Holy Spirit, and by Faith, placing their Affiance upon his gracious Promises, may obtain an Eternal Inheritance among the Blessed, thrô the merciful Mediation and Merits of his Son Jesus Christ.

But since these Holy Men (whom God had thus Commissioned) are fallen asleep, the vigilant and watchful Enemy of Man­kind, Satan, hath prevailed by his sly and deceitful Subtilties, not only to bring in a Counter-Doctrine, and to commit High-Treason against the Royalty, Love, Goodness and Sovereignty of the Son of God, by alter­ing, changing, and contradicting his Gospel-Proclamation, to the great obscuring and dishonoring of his Name, and grand Prejudice of the Sons of Men; but also hath employed many to pretend unto their Brethren, that [Page 3] they have a more Seraphical Understanding, and a greater insight into the Word of God, than the Apostolical Doctrine holds forth, making the World believe, that Religion is nothing else but a Politick Engine; and the Precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to be nothing else but Human Arts and Con­stitutions; and the Apostles and Evangelists, not Men inspir'd by the Holy Ghost, but States-Men employ'd to make these Constitutions to take effect in the World.

But not only this did the Satanical Sub­tilties of the Devil effect, but also he induc'd many to neglect the Fundamental Principles of Religion; to spend their whole time about Discipline, Ceremonies, and Circum­stantial Points: And in this their fierce and eager pursuit, the Spirit of Error not suffer­ing them to be content with those Rules, and that clear Light, which so brightly shines, and is so eminently refulgent in the Word of God; They are led by their own foolish Fancies, daily creating in them diversity of new Opinions; and so falling into Sects and Schisms, and by their Divisions and Mental Reservations, they preserve not the Unity [Page 4] of the Holy Spirit; but, like so many discon­tented Members separating themselves from their Body, they become monstrous in the Profession of their Religion, breaking the bond of Peaceable Love, and falling off from the Communion of Saints, as if it were no Ar­ticle of their Creed; and being in love with their Inventions and New Opinions, they contend for them as Fundamental Tenets: And not only so, But malign and uncha­ritably Asperse those that dissent from them therein, tho never so Conscientious and Re­ligious, as if they Professed not the same Faith, yea, served not the same GOD, nor believed in the [...]ame Jesus Christ.

Thus by their dissatisfy'd Curiosities, by their groundless and pragmatical Disputa­tions about Religion, they pretend (without Legal Authority or Approved Reasons) to induce a Reformation into our Church. And thus these Pretending Brethren breed great Factions and Seditions in the Com­monwealth of Israel, and raise such Storms and Tempests as endanger even the Ship­wreck of the Church: To prevent which Disturbances S. Paul gave this Advice, Do all [Page 5] things without Murmurings and Disputings: And that for these several Reasons.

• First, Because whilst we are Disputing about Controversies of Religion, by the Suspi­cion of the Truth, we omit the Honour of God▪ and neglect the observing of his indispensable Commandments.
• Secondly, Because in Doubting there is no Progress nor Satisfaction.
• Thirdly, Because no Moral Evils are Secret or Ʋnknown.
• Fourthly, Because the Tradition of the Scriptures is Infallible, therefore the Truth of them is so too.
• Fifthly, Avoid Disputing out of a respect to the Example of Christ our Saviour, who was so far from a different Apprehension of things, that he condescended unto, and willingly com­plied with any reasonable Terms. Of these in their Order.

First, Forbear Disputing, because whilst we are so, we omit the Honour of God. Men refusing to stand to the Determinations of the Church, and submit to the Constitutions [Page 6] and Actions of those who are the Ruling part thereof, and the only lawful Magistrates, do Cavil oftentimes about the least necessary Points of Religion and Divine Worship; and forget to Honour God for the glorious Nativity and Incarnation of his Son; for the Merits of his Death, and the Power and Effi­cacy of his Resurrection, whereby they are brought (by a lively Hope) to be justified by the Righteousness and perfect Obedience of Christ in the Court of Heaven, and are at last Capacitated thrô the Merits of his gra­cious Mediation, to be reconcil'd to God, and consequently to obtain Everlasting Sal­vation.

They forget to praise God, for the seve­ral Offices of his Son Jesus Christ.

First, For sending him to be our High-Priest and Mediator; that by the Sacrifice of his Blood, and by the only Merit and Inter­cession of the same our High-Priest, Divine Justice might be satisfy'd, and Man (not­withstanding his Transgressions and Contra-Walkings to his Divine Ordinances) might be presented at Peace before God; he accept­ing the Righteousness of his Son, and there­upon [Page 7] disabling his own Justice from making any further Demands.

Secondly, For sending his Son to be our Prophet, to Instruct his Church, by revealing unto it the Way and Means of Salvation; in communicating unto the Members there­of, that Grace and Redemption which he hath purchased for them from his Father, Rom. 5. 17. in declaring the whole Will of his Heavenly Father unto them. Whence we may learn, That it is a gross and intol­lerable Error in Men, to think that our Saviour Christ hath not delivered all things pertaining to the necessary Instruction and Government of the Church, but left them to the Traditions and Intentions of Men: And that we may rest abundantly satisfy'd with that Doctrine which he hath commu­nicated unto us, let us leave off all Murmur­ings and Disputings.

But then again; As in the time of Cavil­ling and Disputing we omit the Honour of God, so also we neglect our indispensable Duties: We make no progress nor profi­ciency in our Duty; God's Services are left undone, his Will unfulfill'd, his Ordinances [Page 8] neglected, the Conditions and Promises of his Covenant not thought upon; but his Mercies are slighted, his Grace is rejected, his Goodness undervalu'd, and his Name so often in our Disputes talkt of, that his Nature is almost quite forgotten.

Thus whilst we are Disputing; whilst we are in our Angelical Raptures, as we think them; whilst only in our own vain and foolish Conceits we are carry'd like Elijah in a Fiery Chariot (in our hot Disputings) even unto Heaven; we rather keep our selves distant from the Union and Commu­nion of Jesus Christ, and deprive our selves of that Mercy and Salvation, which by an humble Submission, thrô Faith unto God, we might have obtain'd.

Thus by our Disputings and Cavillings about Religion, about the Way to our Hea­venly Jerusalem, we at least make no pro­gress, and (I am afraid) too often miss of our intended Journey. Which brings me to my

Third Reason, which is, That we should do things without Disputing, because no Moral Evils, relating to Ecclesiastical Con­stitutions [Page 9] are secret or unknown, among all things that concern the Interest, or are serviceable to the Cause of Religion, and the Service and Worship of God.

There's nothing that makes a greater Blustering and Hurly-burly, or gives a greater Affront to the unpeaceable, un­quiet, and unreasonable Temper of those who are devoid of the Spirit of Confor­mity and Allegiance, than Ceremonies and Censures of the Church, which (how allow­able and conformable to right Reason) is easily prov'd and reconcil'd from the several Uses and Ends, for which they were insti­tuted and ordain'd; And,

First, Concerning the Ceremonies of the Church.

Now that the Ceremonies of the Church are things in themselves meerly Indifferent, and so no direct part of Worship, is a Truth acknowledg'd and declar'd, since that they are only Ecclesiastical and Hu­man Constitutions. And the Doctrine of Common-Prayer, and of the Homilies (speak­ing of Ecclesiastical Ceremonies) expresly declareth, That they are for a godly Disci­pline [Page 10] and Order, which may be chang'd and alter'd, and therefore are not to be accounted equal with God's Law, which is altogether unalterable.

And again, our Articles assert, That our Church hath Authority to change and abolish Ceremonies ordain'd by Human Authority, that all things thereby may tend to Edification: All which shews, that there is no Holiness plac'd in them, and that they are in themselves no direct part of Divine Worship. Yet the observation of Eccle­siastical Ceremonies, thô things in them­selves meerly indifferent, and left only to the Determination and Appointment of the Church, so far as they make for Order and Decency, may render our Services more acceptable to God.

Thus in our Religious Adorations, all comly and reverend Gestures, as Kneeling, Standing, Lifting up our Hands and Eyes, Silence in the Service of God, and such like Decent Rites, which are not determined particularly as necessary Duties; yet, as they include a Reverence of God and his Ordinances, as they are an obedient Respect [Page 11] to that Command, That all things be done in Decency and Order: Lastly, As they include a subjection to the only Lawful Magistrate, and a desire of the Churches Peace, are things which may be highly serviceable to the Cause of GOD's Glory, and the Honour of his Religion: Whence we may observe, That all irreve­rent and unbeseeming Gestures; all Eccle­siastical Ceremonies and Rites of Religion, repugnant to the Word of God, or not warrantable by the general grounds thereof; such as are not for Order, Decency, or Edi­fication in general; that all Will-worship, whereby we make any thing a part of God's Service, which is not commanded by him­self, or has Episcopal Authority in it, thô it has never so great a shew of Godliness in it, yet in that it leaneth to Man's Wis­dom, is altogether forbidden and unlawful, Col. 2. 23.

Secondly, Thô these External Rites and Ceremonies be never so good and innocent in their own Nature (as being neither owned as our necessary Duties, or used as the Papists use them, namely, as operative Means [Page 12] to convey Grace to our Souls in and by themselves alone;) yet the admitting or introducing too many, would be very pre­judicial to the Cause of Christian Religion; as by causing us rather to attend those Exter­nal Rites, than to mind our Spiritual Duties; and by carrying our Affections from that inward and Spiritual Worship and Adora­tion, by which alone God is glorified, and our Souls Eternally saved.

Thirdly, That no Power is to be admitted in the Church, to prescribe any other Forms of Worship repugnant to God's Word, or contrary to good Order and Decency.

Since therefore these Ecclesiastical Cere­monies, thô things in themselves altogether Indifferent, yet (as for matter of use) are allowable, in that they make for Decency, Order, and Edification; and in that thereby the Mind is better holden in the thing affected, and better holpen and furnish'd in Inward Worship, when the Mind and Body are both joyn'd together in the same Reli­gious. Exercise and Adoration.

[Page 13] If then, I say, to use them be a thing not contrary to right Reason, and thereby we do no Dis-service to the Cause of Religion or Divine Service; then consequently to use and observe them is a thing morally good. Which being granted, it necessarily follows, That not to submit to the Deter­minations of the Church; not to commu­nicate with the Members thereof, by a Sub­mission to him who is the only lawful and Supreme Magistrate; not to conform to Episcopal Constitutions, or (if necessity re­quireth) to Actions of General Synods or Counsels, which make or tend to Unifor­mity, Order, and Edification, consequently is a thing Morally Evil, and does as naturally appear to be Evil, as the contrary appears to be good: For, if Obedience and Confor­mity be Moral Vertues, it necessarily follows from the Suggestions of Natural Reason, that the contrary, viz. That Rebellion and Nonconformity are Moral Vices. Therefore avoid Cavillings, for there needs no Dispu­ting, since that no Moral Evils (relating to Ecclesiastical Constitutions) are secret or unknown.

[Page 14] But I shall now pass from the Cere­monies of the Church to the Censures thereof.

That Censures (as they are Judgments of the Church for ratification of the Threats of the Gospel against the Abuses thereof) are indispensably necessary, and therefore good and convenient, as doth most evi­dently appear.

First, Their use is this, That as Magistrates (by the Laws of the Commonwealth) do exercise their Justice, by inflicting and dis­pensing Punishments to the Offenders, ac­cording to the nature of the Crime: So the Spiritual Censures are are necessary to the Church, both to help the Godly, and restrain and extirminate out of it the Profane and Irreligious Party, as the Penal Laws of the Magistrate in the Commonwealth.

But then their necessity does farther appear, since in the Church of God there are of all sorts, both Holy and Unholy, Obedient and Disobedient, it is impossible (without Correction) to preserve good Or­der therein; especially to restrain the Sons [Page 15] of Disobedience from Offending or Slan­derng their Profession.

From whence we may learn, That they who upon this Pretence, viz. That God forceth no man to come unto him, to serve or Worship him; therefore if they will retain Communion with the Members of the Church; If they will submit to the Constitutions and Determinations of it; If they will Assemble and Meet together, to invoke and call upon God's Name, to condole and publickly confess their Sins and Infirmities with them, to ask and beg Forgiveness at the hands of God; or, in a word, to serve and worship God, or do any Religious Act, they may, if they please or will; but so to do, they are not oblig'd, forc'd, or compell'd.

I say, That they who upon this Pretence contemn, and think the Censures of the Church useless and unprofitable, or things not warrantable from God's Word; but only Acts and Constitutions of Men for­ward and ambitious of exercising Autho­rity, and therefore by them they are no whit debarr'd, (thô nevertheless, whom [Page 16] the Church separateth from the Outward Seals, they are also depriv'd of the Inward Graces;) I say, That these Men are sens­less and unreasonable, like them in the 20th of S. Matthew, that refuse to bear the Yoke of Government, and to have a Sword in the Commonwealth.

But furthermore, There are many among us, who affecting or aspiring to the Celestial Supremacy, always endeavour either to induce a Reformation into Our Church, or else to institute a new Reli­gion; and this they would fain do, by pretending, that they (and none else) are the true Tribe of Levi, sufficiently wise to be their own Priests, to Teach and Ad­minister themselves; fitter to Instruct, than to Learn; to Teach, than be Taught; to Govern, than to be Governed; and thus they go merrily on in their foolish Con­ceits; and being possess'd with the Spirit of Disquiet, they seek to gratifie their Envy, by procuring and causing the Jurisdiction of the Clergy to be Voted and Cried­down, and the power of the truly lawful [Page 17] Ministers of God to be Reviled, that they themselves might be exempted from Cano­nical Obedience, and so become Indepen­dent.

And this they do by Courting the People, and pleading the Cause of a Godly Party; and telling them, that their Priests take too much upon them, in studying for foolish and useless Ceremonies, strange and unnecessary Censures for them; where­as they are all Holy, yea, very Holy every one of them. And who do you think these Men are? Why, these are they who are only Zealous and Devout, the seeming Godly Party: And yet a People so silly, that when they come to En­counter, they are sure to be sufficiently Baffled, and to have themselves and Reli­gion sufficiently expos'd to Contempt; and upon all manner of Attacks, either wounded with a secret Dislike of their own Religion; or else oblige themselves to a stupid and bruitish Wilfulness and Obstinacy.

[Page 18] 'Tis from hence we hear of so many, so often, and so easily seduc'd; and that is the time, viz. when Men fall off from the Rational Way, and sink into Blind and Ignorant Devotion; from whence we may date most of our great Ills of Rebel­lion, and privy Conspiracy. In a word; From whence even all those Devout Fooleries, which so much incumber'd the World, had their first Rise.

Therefore since that Ecclesiastical Cen­sures (as appears from what hath been said) are warrantable, and also of indis­pensable Necessity, for the Good and Go­vernment of the Church, they are there­fore to be dispens'd and born without Mur­murings and Disputings.

Fourthly, Do things without Disputing, Because the Tradition of the Scriptures is In­fallible, and therefore the Truth of them is so too; wherefore there needs no Reason­ing or Contention about their Doctrine, or the Truth of their Information. There are many Men in the World, who by their Prophane Discourse, which they them­selves [Page 19] call Wit, would fain Hector all Religion out of the World, by deriding all Attempts which tend to its Rational Justi­fication.

And this they do by making the World believe, That Religion is nothing but the Fear of some invisible Power, feigned in the Minds of some fearful Foolishly devout Men; and that the Bible is of no force as a Law Divine, but only there where it is made to be so by Laws Civil and Political. But that the Authority of the Scripture is altogether Divine and Infallible, and the Matter therein the immediate Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, I shall (to take away all Cavilling and Disputing) sufficiently con­vince and demonstrate by these following Reasons.

Now the Authority of the Scriptures must either depend upon the Authority of the Church, or else God must be the Author of them; but the Authority of the Scrip­ture can no way depend upon the Authority of the Church; because to believe the Scrip­ture is a work of Faith, but the Church cann't infuse Faith.

[Page 20] Again, Any Authority which the Church hath, must be proved by the Scripture; therefore the Scriptures depend not upon the Church.

Now, that God is the Author of them, and that the Truth of them is unquestion­able and infallible, we may easily be con­vinc'd from these Reasons:

First, From the Doctrine of them; The Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of GOD, his Resurrection and Ascension, after his Death and Passion; the Union of his Divine and Human Nature into one Em­manuel; Three Persons and Subsistences in One GOD, and GOD to become Man, are things that the finite Capacity of Man cann't reach, being far beyond the narrow Sphere of his Understanding.

Secondly, From the Matter about which they Treat; They promise Eternal Life to the Faithful and Obedient, and Eternal Woe to the Disobedient; They prescribe Laws for the Thoughts, which none but God can pierce; They require Sacrifice, but prefer Obedience; They enjoyn Fasting, but 'tis from Sin; They forbid Lusting, and Coveting; [Page 21] which Exactions and Prohibitions are not to be found in Human Laws, but only in his who searches the Heart, GOD Almighty.

Thirdly, From the continuation of the Wonderful Prophecies, foretelling things to come (so long Marked out before) with their Circumstances; not doubtful (like the Oracles of the Heathen,) but such as had in all their Times certain Performances; and therefore unto what may we attribute them, but the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost? Thus was the Messias promised to Adam Four Thousand years before he was born. Thus was the Rejection of the Jews, the Calling of the Gentils, the Kingdom of Antichrist foretold; all things coming to pass aright, without any failing or mistake; the fulfilling of which Promises cann't be ascribed to any, but the Infinite GOD, who grasps all Seasons and Times, and with the same infinite Eye, beholds all things present, past, and to come.

Fourthly, From the quality and condi­tion of the Pen-men and Writers of them; some of whom were never train'd up in [Page 22] the Schools of Men; and yet in their Writings shew that depth of Wisdom, which the most Learned Philosophers could never attain unto: And then the Matter of the Holy Scripture being altogether of the Heavenly Doctrine, and savouring nothing of Worldly and Earthly Affecti­ons; but every where condemning the same, declaring the GOD of Heaven to be the Inspirer thereof.

Whence also farther (to avoid all occa­sions of Questioning and Doubting, or rather of Cavilling and Disputing) we may learn by the way, That since the Scriptures do receive indispensably their Authority, not from the Church, but from the only perfect and True GOD, that thereupon being themselves holy, perfect, and true, as he is, are also sufficient for the knowledge of Christian Religion; that they do most plentifully contain all Doctrines necessary to Salvation: Whence it followeth, we need no unwritten Verities; no Traditions, no Inventions of Men, no Canons of Coun­cils, no Sentences of Fathers; much less the Decrees of Popes, to supply any supposed [Page 23] defects therein, or to give us more perfect Directions in the Worship of GOD, or in the Way of Life, than are express'd in Canonical Scripture.

We may also learn from hence, That the Authority of the Scripture being Infallible, the Rule thereof is indispensably true and sufficient to make us wise unto Salvation; and consequently, that there is to be learned out of it a Rule both of Faith and Works for our Instruction, by the ordinary Means of Reading and Praying, to which GOD promises the assistance of his Grace, Jam. 1. 5. If any of you lack Wisdom, let him ask it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him; for the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of GOD is given unto us by the Holy Ghost, both to defend our Faith, and overcome all our Spiritual Adversaries, viz. together with all false Prophets, Hereticks, Schismaticks, and such like, Eph. 6. 17. Therefore the Scriptures, the immediate Inspiration of the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, are not to be canvas'd up and down, or any way (as we please) alter'd; their nature being as [Page 24] unchangeable as their Author; therefore leave off reasoning, and do all things without Disputing.

But Fifthly and Lastly, Avoid all Strife out of the Example of our Saviour Christ. Our Saviour had the Spirit of Godly Con­stancy in him; His Carriage was always Civil and Urban, Humble and Candid, Quiet and Peaceable toward his Church; he was so far from the Spirit of Non­conformity and Contention, of Morosity and Disobedience, that he rather condescended unto and comply'd with any National Terms, than sought to work Disturbance and Faction, Separation and Division among his Apostles.

Therefore let us stand to the Determi­nation of the Church, and of Wiser Men than our Selves; Let us stand to the Con­stitutions and Actions of our Bishops, the only Lawful Magistrates; Let us still retain Communion with the Church, and Mem­bers thereof; that by Peaceable Living, Uni­formity of Conversation, the Honour of GOD's Name, the Cause of his Religion, [Page 25] the Interest of his Service and Worship may be promoted and advanced.

In a word, Let us joyn with the Apostle, and do all things without Murmurings and Disputings, that we may be blameless and pure, the Sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a naughty and crooked Generation; that at last we may enjoy the Fruits of Peace and Obedience, viz. Eternal Life and Glory; thrô the Merits and Mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.