Reason and judgement, or, Special remarques of the life of the renowned Dr. Sanderson, late Lord Bishop of Lincoln together with his Judgement for setling the church, in exact resolutions of sundry grand cases very seasonable at this time.

Reason and judgement, or, Special remarques of the life of the renowned Dr. Sanderson, late Lord Bishop of Lincoln together with his Judgement for setling the church, in exact resolutions of sundry grand cases very seasonable at this time.

Table of contents

Title page

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TESTIMONIES CONCERNING The Renowned Dr. SANDERSON.

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REASON and JUDGEMENT: OR, SPECIAL REMARQUFS Of the LIFE Of the Renowned Dr. SANDERSON, Late Lord Bishop of Lincoln: In a Letter to the Reverend J. W. D. D. P. L.

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Bishop Sanderson HIS JUDGMENT IN ONE VIEW FOR THE SETLEMENT OF THE CHURCH.

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REASON and JUDGEMENT. OR, SPECIAL REMARQUES Of the LIFE Of the Renowned Dr. SANDERSON, Late Lord Bishop of Lincoln.

Together with his JUDGEMENT FOR SETLING the CHVRCH; In exact RESOLUTIONS Of sundry grand CASES very seasonable at THIS TIME.

LONDON: Printed by J.C. for H. Marsh, at the Princes Arms in Chancery-lane. 1663.

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Imprimatur.

Ex AEdib. Sab. Feb. 24. 1662.

Geo. Stradling, S.T.P. Rev. in Christo Pat. D. Gilb. Episc. Lond. à Sac. Domest.

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TESTIMONIES CONCERNING The Renowned Dr. SANDERSON.

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Dr. Prideaux.

NOne States a Question more punctually, Resolves it more satisfactorily, Answers all Objections more fully, then that clear and solid man Mr. Sanderson.

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Bishop Vsher.

And I Proposed the Case to the Judicious Dr. Sanderson, who Grasped all the Circumstances of it, and Returned that happy Answer that met with all my Thoughts, satisfied all my Scruples, and cleared up all my Doubts.

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Dr. Hammond.

That staid and well-weighed man Dr. Sanderson, conceives all Things deliberately, dwells upon them discreetly, discerns Things that differ exactly, passeth his Judgement rationally, and expresses it aptly, clearly and honestly.

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Mr. Baxter.

— I do not intend by this Character such Episcopal Divines as the Reverend Dr. Sanderson, whom I honour for his Learning, Judgement, Moderation and Piety.

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Dr. Fuller.

Amongst the Modern Worthies of this Colledge still surviving, Dr. Robert Sanderson, late Regius Professor, moveth in the highest Sphere, a no less plain and profitable then able and profound Casuist, (a Learning almost lost amongst Protestants.)

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Bishop Reynolds.

— There is no mention of it in that Table of the several Opinions drawn up by a Learned man of our Church, Dr. Sanderson.

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Bishop Hall.

Alas, why do I wade further into the deep and large search of Cases of Conscience, wherein I hear so far a progress is made by the excellent Dr. Sanderson, the most exact and faithful Casuist living?

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REASON and JUDGEMENT: OR, SPECIAL REMARQUES Of the LIFE Of the Renowned Dr. SANDERSON, Late Lord Bishop of Lincoln.

Together with his JUDGEMENT FOR SETLING the CHVRCH; In exact RESOLUTIONS Of sundry grand CASES very seasonable at THIS TIME.

Oxford: Printed by J. W. for Will. Thorne. 1663.

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Bishop Sanderson's second Sermon, (ad Populum) Page 211. E.

THere is a Warning for us, to take consideration of the loss of good or useful men; and to fear, when they are going from us, that some evil is coming to us. The Prophet complaineth of the too great and general neglect hereof in his time: The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken from the evil to come, Esay 57.1. When God sendeth his Angel to pluck out his righteous Lots, what may Sodom expect but fire and brimstone to be rained down upon them? When he plucketh up the fairest and choicest flowers in his Garden, & croppeth off the tops of the goodliest Poppies, who can think other then that he meaneth [Page] to lay his Garden waste, and to turn it into a wilde Wilderness? When he undermineth the main Pillars of the house, taketh away the very props and buttresses of Church and Commonwealth; sweepeth away religious Princes, wise Senators, zealous Magistrates, painful Ministers, men of eminent ranks, gifts or example; who shall be secure tha either Church or Commonweal shall stand up long, and not totter at least, if not fall? God in mercy taketh such away from the evil to come; we in wisdom should look for evil to come, when God taketh such away.

REASON and JUDGEMENT: OR, SPECIAL REMARQUFS Of the LIFE Of the Renowned Dr. SANDERSON, Late Lord Bishop of Lincoln: In a Letter to the Reverend J. W. D. D. P. L.

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SIR,

I Am equally sorry that I cannot satisfie your just desire in the Remarques of our Renowned Diocesan's Life, as that I must comply with your sad fear in the too true report of his Death; that I must assure you we have lost the man, and what was mortal in him, and yet cannot help you to his vertues, and what was immortal in him: that when I must write you the news that he is dead to the world, I cannot draw a character wherein he may live with the good and vertuous for ever. ‘The [Page] wise, the holy and the good, live more nobly in their vertues and graces in the hearts of others, then they did in their own bodies.’

His modesty wrapped him in that privacy, and his place kept him at that distance, that I cannot take his portraicture, nor recount his memorials so exactly as I could wish, and you may expect: yet though for no other cause then for this, ‘That Posterity may know we have not loosely through silence permitted things and persons to pass away as in a dream;’ there shall be thus much extant concerning this excellent person, for his own honour, and the honour of the Church he was bred in, That he was a Bishop, and a man of most sound Judgement, of most deep Learning, of a vast Apprehension, of an holy and unspotted Life, of an unsuspected Integrity; a great Friend, a faithful Servant, a valiant Champion of the Church. More particularly there shall be extant, 1. His Education: 2. His temper of body and minde: 3. The great instances of his Life: 4. His Person and Aspect: 5. His Works or Writings: 6. His Sufferings: 7. His Rewards and Preferments: And lastly and chiefly, his Judgement and Resolution of those Cases of Conscience that concern the Discipline or Worship of our Church:—wherein you will observe something admirable, many things imitable, all things commendable.

Sect. 1. His Education.VVhen his Parents observed that he was capable of advancing the VVorshipfulness of his Birth by the excellency of his Parts, his pregnant Wit, his large and capacious Understanding, [Page] his fixed Judgement, his faithful Memory, and his hopeful Seriousness, they took care that his youth and first years of reason should not be lost, but (being hardly recovered if neglected) be carefully improved in all good Learning: of which he was not onely capable, but comprehensive, in a severe and exact Grammar-School; where, by an unwearied diligence, a silent, sedentary, and astonished way of following his Book, a seriousness beyond his years, (Oh how would he steal away from his Companions follies, to his severer tasks and privacies!) he made his way thorow all things on which he could fix, to an exactness in Greek and Latine, which he retained to his dying day. And he would observe, ‘That an exactness in School-learning was a great advantage to our higher studies; as the miscarriages of School are not easily recovered in the University:— the errours of the first Concoction being hardly rectified in the second.’

At School he observed, he learned an art of memory. When he was enjoyned to learn what he understood not, (which was then an ordinary miscarriage in Grammar-Schools) he was compelled to make use of similitudes, &c. and to remember those things he knew not, to think upon something like them he knew. As he had many excellent Observations touching Schools, which he would say were the most considerable places in a Kingdome: so he would usually say, ‘That the Practical Way is the best;’ when as Aristotle speaks, We learn that by doing, which we learn to do.

[Page]And now I would willingly enlarge on his minority, and his first appearance in solid and pious Learning, with which he always abounded; but that it is like the beginning of Nilus, hardly to be found; and we know no minority of his, being one that did [...], excel his equals and himself; in a staid worth above his years and time, always eminent, always excellent. And therefore I follow him furnished with excellent Rules of Grammar and Rhetorick, with choice pieces of History, Poetry and Oratory, with an elegancie in Latine, a good judgement in Greek; serious in his designe, prudent in his study, industrious in his way, clear in his apprehension, searching in his understanding; serene, orderly and methodical in his thoughts; sober and civil in his carriage: (the School having added to his great Parts that humility, meekness, modesty, obedience and civility, as, advantaged by his good disposition, rendred him to his dying day submissive to Superiours, obliging to his Equals, tender to his Inferiours, amiable and charitable to all.) I follow him (with as much duty, observance and affection, though not with so much ability as other men) to the University of Oxford; where, in Lincoln-Colledge, with a slow, but sure pace, he proceeded in all rational and solid Learning: his unwearied minde strugling with the intricacies, perplexities, darkness and confusion of Nature, and aiming at that clear and genuine apprehension of things we were created in, after the image of God, in knowledge: not so intent upon the notions, as the nature of things. As [Page] he had attained to so much Grammar as enabled him to speak his minde properly, and so much Rhetorick as to express it perswasively: so he endeavoured to gain so much Logick as might order, guide and direct his thoughts methodically; in apprehending things distinctly; in judging of them exactly; in finding out the truth that lies in them successfully; in discovering the errours, deceits and fallacies imposed upon us in them evidently; and urging the truths found out convincingly. His way was, 1. to write the Rules his Tutor suggested, or his Books afforded: (for he writ most he read or heard, as he said, to stay his active and young soul upon things, until he had distinctly conceived them.) 2. To debate those Rules with himself and others, which he had so written. 3. To practise them upon some Question or other, till they became as his native Reason, as his own soul. Whereby he afterwards attained in all cases a great happiness to comprehend things fully, to state Controversies exactly, to lay them before others both clearly and compendiously; to finde out the merit of a Cause, the right joynt of a Question exactly; to confirm a Truth pertinently, properly and acutely: insomuch that as he composed a new Logick, an excellent way of Reasoning; so he was himself for many years the publike Reason of the Church: looking into Debates deeply, opening them solidly and conspicuously, determining them impartially, conscientiously and clearly; pressing Truth and Duty convincingly: his Reasons were strong and demonstrative, his Allegations close and pertinent, his Observations [Page] choice and prudent; his Deductions clear, his Censure impartial, his Expressions apt, suitable, weighty and accurate; his Discourse steady, judicious, undistracted, made up of abstract notions of Reason, Experience and Religion; his Thoughts calm, smoothe, and methodical. He was a great engrosser of private Systemes and Papers; and he would say, The united Reason of many industrious and serious searchers after the Truth, make one compleat man. He would gather the acutest Arguments he found among Philosophers, to quicken, though not to instruct himself: these smart trifles (he would say) would help us to that acuteness and distinctness of apprehension that might be useful in greater matters: and it was equally useful and pleasant to observe the various workings of several Reasons with mens several defects and excellencies; by the correcting the one whereof, and imitating the other, a man might raise a frame of soul most knowing, most clear, and almost innocent. He advised yong men to ‘advance towards a clear understanding of any thing by these steps: 1. To understand the word by which it is expressed, in all its acceptations. 2. To understand all the words in the learned Languages, by which that thing is expressed; with the Original of those words, and the reason why they were made use of to express that thing; with all the words that are neer to it, and their signification. 3. Then to apprehend the nature of the thing, with what it hath common with other things, and what it hath special in it self; what relation it hath to other [Page] things in the world; whence it proceeded; for what end it was made: with other things that are like it. Thus to know a few things exactly, is to be very learned. As to any Question that was to be debated, the words (he said) must be clearly understood, and the notion of the things in debate stated; and then, what is granted on all sides concerning the things rightly understood must be shewed;’ and what is controverted (as there will be very little, when words and things are well understood) must be clearly laid down as it is understood on all hands, and convincingly proved by a proper reason from the nature of the thing, or from authority, pressed and cleared from all evasions, cavils and subterfuges; which cavils must be proposed faithfully and honestly, and answered briefly and fully, ingeniously, candidly and modestly.

His advice about reading of Authors was this: 1. To observe the nature of the thing handled, and so know what to look for from him, what part of Learning he may satisfie you in. 2. To observe the Author, and the occasion, time and way of writing. 3. To observe what is said of the thing handled in direct Propositions. 4. To note what is said indirectly of it out of other Learning, as Rhetorick, Philology, History, &c. 5. To take notice what new Explications the Author useth beyond what we have in the old Learning: his several Conclusions and Arguments, with the Topicks from whence they are taken; with his answer to Arguments and Objections. He would say, ‘It was no less then a miracle of knowledge [Page] that men might attain to, if they proceeded thus distinctly in reading Authors, and in pursuing after knowledge.’ He advised young men to use Common-place-books; in the beginning whereof, there might be a common table, containing the general heads of the book: under which generally, the special heads may be written, with references to the pages where those heads are handled, with a little blank space after each sort of heads, wherein more heads if we meet with them may be inserted: for every head let there be reserved a page, where what notable sentence, notion, rule or particular soever is suggested to us in reading, meditating, discoursing, may be written and reserved for future use. His minde thus guided by sure and constant Rules of Reason, made the more methodical, and so more happier progress in learning Languages and Intellectual Sciences, Philosophy, History, Poetry, Philology, and the whole circle of Learning; which he throughly studied, and methodically digested, making each part illustrate and help another, until he became a great Master of the whole,—and his Parts voted him Fellow of the House, (an excellent advantage for young men to improve their first years of prudence and discretion) and made him an eminent Tutor in the University, where he at once learned and taught, advancing his own Parts and Reason, while he improved his Pupils: I learn, said he, much from my Master, more from my Equals, and most of all from my Disciples. And indeed he allowed himself no other diversion then what the giving encouragement and instruction [Page] to ingenious young Students yeilded him: (a thing he peculiarly delighted in, as wherein he could observe the several weaknesses of Reason, and their respective remedies.)

Here he was as retired as he could; being able, but not forward to appear, and very willing to improve himself. His modest thoughts and distrust of himself made him a while satisfie himself with the conscience of well-doing, having the highest pleasure of enjoying Worth without noise, and Vertue without applause; being a great Stream of Learning, without noise, deep and clear.

While he was in the University,Sect 2. His Industry. he generally spent eleven hours a day in study: which industry of his, dispatched the whole course of Philosophy, and picked out in a manner all that was useful in all Classick Authors that are extant; drawing Indexes for his private use, either in his own Paper-book, or at the beginning and end of each book: which will testifie his indefatigable pains to as many as shall peruse his excellent and well-chosen Study. This assiduity continued to his dying day, as if he had resolved to depart studying, and go immediately from his pursuit of revealed truth, to the view of the eternal. He disposed himself and time to perpetual industry and diligence; not only avoiding, but perfectly hating idleness, and hardly recommending any thing more then this; Be always furnished with somewhat to do, as the best way to innocence and pleasure. There was not a minute of the day he left vacant from business of necessity, civility or study: you should hardly see him without [Page] his book, or hardly meet him without his plodding thoughts and meditations. A clear and calm way he had of weighing duely what he should do, in designing what he had considered, and soberly performing what he had designed. His minde was wholly inward, where lay his Scoenes of discreet, prudent and pious undertakings. In sicknesses, if they were not so violent as to make the recollection of his thoughts impossible, he never intermitted study, but rather re-inforced, as the best ease of his distemper, and diversion of his pain. His way was to cast into paper his Observations, and direct them to his great designe. I may say of him, as the reverend Dr. Fell saith of his good friend the excellent Dr. Hammond, That considering his time of prayer and instructing his family, his perusal of the writings of friends and strangers when inrended to be publick, his review of his own works, his reception of visits, whether for civility or for resolution of conscience, or information in point of difficulty, which were numerous, and great devourers of his time, (he being reckoned the ablest and faithfullest Casuist in the world) his general Correspondencies by Letters, which took up the proportion of a day in each Week, and more: I say, he that shall consider these instances of diligence, besides his own vast reading, must be to seek what point of time remained undisposed of, and learn to redeem the time.

Sect. 3. His Temper.It pleased God he had a body suited to that pains he was designed for; a faithful Assistant rather then an impediment to his great Soul; symbolizing [Page] with it in an exact temper, neither failing it through the weakness of organs, nor burthening it with the redundancy of humours, nor clogging it with sad melancholy, nor disturbing it with an active unsetledness, nor ruffling it with angry choler; neither too large for it, nor too narrow, but every way proportionable. Although he indeed was pleased to write thus of himself in his Preface to his Book of the Obligation of Conscience:

Nimirum, ut ignavus miles quem sola fortem facit desperatio, tum demum acris fertur ad pugnam, cum nullus reliquus est effugio locus: ita mihi ingenium est. Des otium, spatium, tempus! nil sit. Vexantur frustra calami, diffluit mens, vagatur, excurrit, torpet. In arctum cogas! Subsistit, excitatur, recolligit vires; quasque habet, quandoquidem exerto est opus, exerit universas: & ut verbo dicam, quod agi necesse est, hoc agit. Vt solis radii, qui laxo liberoque coelo diffusi sic modice calefaciunt vix ut sentias, iidem in concavi speculi umbonem, velut in centrum coacti adductique, acriter urunt. Multo usu à prima lanugine ad hanc canitiem edoctus didici, quam non sit vanum illud Pythagorae hemistichium, ‘— [...].’

[Page]Quod ignavae mentis vitium, etsi nonnullis fortasse videri possit habere modestiae speciem aliquam, mihi tamen una hac idonea excusatione defendi posse videtur, quod sit certis quibusdam hominibus, (& ego in hoc censu) [...], ita congenitum insitumque ab ipsis cunabulis, ut frustra sit, quisquis exillo numero id ulla speret à se posse, vel arte corrigi, vel industria superari:

Yet I am assured that he never considered longer then till he could discern whether things proposed were fit, or no: when that was determined, he would without any slow delay (in spending that time to gaze upon a business which might serve to do it) go about another: when he had perfected one business, he could not endure his soul should stand still, but he instantly considered what was next to be undertaken; constant course of business running along with a constant course of time.

His Carriage grave, comely, and modest; his Garb plain and studious,Sect 4. His Carriage. such as became a great Scholar and a solemne Divine, alwaies meditating some great and good design, retiring within himself, and taken up with his own great thoughts: equal in all his actions; doing nothing rash, violent, or pecipitant in his words, gesture, or understanding; even and composed, entire, modestly endeavouring what he thought his duty: diligently pursuing what was within his reach, and resolvedly [Page] fixt upon what he judged within his capacity, the [...], ‘the square and solid man, seldome failing, and therefore seldome repenting.’ his speech was as calm and even as his soul, so sober, so steady, so apt, so ordered, so weighty when serious, so pleasant when devoted to an harmless mirth, which became him no less then smiling and a little laughter doth a good man and a good conscience; for his innocent facetiousness was well tempered with gravity, mixed with good counsel, allayed with good discourse, and beautified with excellent example: if he would speak facetiously, no man did it or could do it more pleasingly: if he listed to dispute solidly, none did it more satisfactorily: he was choice in his friends, and faithful to them; friendship when true and sincere, he would say, was the greatest happiness and relief among the cares and troubles of the world, especially with those who were of the same inclination, profession, study and designment with himself; an union of mind is next the union of soul and body in the world; and friendship is next unto life: and it was this reverend persons business, where ever he was, to promote those two great things, friendship and love, that (as he used to say) men might have those that charitably observed, and faithfully admonished them of the failings, indecencies, and miscarriages Nature is obnoxious to; which he exactly performed, and expected back again to be returned to himself: he was constant in his kindness, as long as friends were true; but as he could [Page] easily discern and look through, so he deeply resented all artifice and cunning: a plain man he was, and a plain temper he loved; if any mischance happened that might occasion misapprehensions, he suffered them not to improve by concealment: but presently offered the reasons of the misunderstanding, and enjoyned all friends to return him the like measure back again, if his own actions seemed at any time doubtful or unseemly.

Sect. 5. His Moderation. [...] make up Epictetus his Philosophy, sustine & abstine made our Reverend Diocesans Religion: none understood better how all things are lawful, none understood better then he how all things are not expedient; he knew temptations lye in ambush, behind our lawful enjoyments: in his apparel none more plain, in his dyet none more temperate, eating (as he would say) rationally, onely for health and life; one meal a day sufficed him, with some fruit at night: in his sleep none more sparing, eleven or twelve at night being his usual time of going to rest, and five, and very rarely six, the hour of his rising: recreations which his judgement allowed, yet his care and self-denial forbid him; ab illicitis semper quandoque à licitis, was his rule: he would say, Things unlawful we must never do; nor ever lawful things, but with due respect of our calling and other concurrent circumstances. Wine and musick, and gorgeous apparel, and delicate fare, are such things as God in his goodness hath created and given to the children of men for their comfort; and they may [Page] use them lawfully, and take comfort in them as their portion: but he that shall use any of them intemperately, or unseasonably, or vainly, or wastfully, abuseth both them and himself. And therefore we shall often finde both the things themselves condemned, and those that used them blamed in the Scriptures. The men of Israel for stretching themselves upon their couches, and eating the lambs out of the flock, and chaunting to the sound of the Viol, and drinking Wine in bowls, Amos 6. And the women for their bracelets, and ear-rings, and wimples, and crisping pins, and their other bravery, in Esay 3. And the rich man for faring deliciously and wearing fine linnen, in the Parable, Luk. 16. Yea, our Saviour himself pronounceth a woe against them that laugh, Luk. 6. And yet none of all these things are or were in themselves unlawful: it was the excess onely, or other disorder in the use of them, that made them obnoxious to reproof. Though some in their heat have said so, yet who can reasonably say, that horse-matches, or playing at cards or dice, are in themselves and wholly unlawful? And yet on the other side, what sober wise man, because the Things are lawful, would therefore approve of that vain and sinful expence which is oftentimes bestowed by men of mean estates in the dieting of Horses, and wagering upon them? or of that excessive abuse of gaming, wherein thousands of our Gentry spend in a manner their whole time, and consume away their whole substance, both which ought to be far more precious unto them? I might instance in many other things in like manner. In [Page] all which, we may easily erre either in point of judgement, or practice, or both; if we do not wisely sever the use from the abuse. Many times because the abuses are common and great, we peevishly condemn in others the very use of some lawful things. And many times again, because there is evidently a lawful use of the things, we impudently justifie our selves in the very abuses also. That is foolish preciseness in us; and this prophane partiality: by that we infringe our brethrens liberty; by this, pollute our own. The best and safest way for us in all indifferent things is this: to be indulgent to others, but strict to our selves; in allowing them their liberty with the most, but taking our own liberty ever with the least.

There are many things which in my conscience are not absolutely and in Thesi necessary to be done; which yet in Hypothesi for some personal respects I think so fit for me to do, that I should resolve to undergo some inconveniency rather than omit them; still reserving to others their liberty to do as they should see cause. There are again many things which in my conscience are not absolutely and in Thesi unlawful to be done; which yet in Hypothesi, and for the like personal respects, I think so unfit for me to do, that I should resolve to undergo some inconvenience rather chan do them: yet still reserving to others the like liberty as before, to do as they should see cause. It belongeth to every sober Christian advisedly to consider not onely what in it self may lawfully be done or left undone; but also what in godly wisdom and discretion is [Page] fittest for him to do, or not to do upon all occasions, as the exigence of present Circumstances shall require.

And now you are willing I doubt not to hear how this exact man appeared in the world.Sect. 6. His removal from the University. You must know, that when he found his youthful heat abated and fined; his Parts and Abilities competent; his Understanding furnished with all necessary knowledge; his Memory made faithful and serviceable by method and deep apprehension; his Invention upon any subject flowing with proper Notions; his Judgement in a variety of Learning exact, and discerning things that differ; his Prudence for affairs mature and well weighed; and his Soul knit to a resolution able to meet with variety of occasions, with honour, quiet, pleasure and safety: he was not wedded to ease and speculation, nor wanting (what able men sometimes do) a publick Patrociny and Encouragement, in answer to the expectation of the University that bred him, of his Generation that looked for him, and his own inclination,—who would always say, That Employment was Improvement. He left the University, having compassed with his knowledge the whole Circle of the Arts, being exact in propriety and elegancy of Languages, having read ancient and modern Writers; having studied Philosophy, and made himself familiar with all politer Classick Authors, being learned in School-Divinity, and a Master in Church-Antiquity, ready in the sense of Scripture, Fathers, Councils, Ecclesiastical History: ‘Thus full of Scripture-strength, of [Page] Councils weight, of Fathers consent, of Historick light, of Scholastick acuteness;’ he, I say, left the University freely, making not the usual advantage of his place, which was then prudence and good husbandry, but looked upon by him as the worst Sacriledge in the world, as which at once betrayed the Church to the unworthy and weak, and the University to the undeserving, and the Founders Charity to those persons they never designed them for; to the shame of the present Age, and the undoing of the future; and betaking himself to his Charge at Boothby-Pagnel in Lincoln-shire, where we have him

Preaching solidly, not allowing himself the easie liberty of doing the work of the Lord negligently.Sect. 7. His Preaching. Although he was furnished with that Classick and Authentick Learning, which readily enabled him to speak upon any occasion and subject properly, pertinently, copiously and handsomely; yet such was his reverence of that great work, that he was very elaborate and exact in reading, meditating and composing his Sermons to rational and just Discourses. His method was to chuse his Text pertinently; to weigh its occasion, coherence, and other circumstances, duely; to look out the truest reading of it, industriously; to open that Original by reading out of the choicest Authors, and most proper learning in that kinde, clearly; to drop such pithy and pertinent Observations, learned, moral, divine, as he went on in Explication, judiciously; to pitch upon great Observations that were couched in the several parts, usefully: which he deduced [Page] from the Text evidently, (for he could not endure those that wrested the Scripture for a truth, as men that were under a temptation of wresting them for an errour) bottomed upon their proper Grounds and Reasons orderly, (pressing each truth with evidence raised from their several places in the body of Divinity) illustrated and enlarged with general Learning, and improved to the respective Duties of Christianity that he saw might rationally be inferred from them: and indeed his general Learning afforded him plenty of Observations, proper, learned and useful, upon each head. His way, like Dr. Hammond, was after every Sermon to resolve upon the ensuing subject, and to draw a Scheme of it, and to take in the course of his study what fell in conducible unto the present purpose; and he spoke from the heart to the heart.

As he provided strong meat for strong men, so he provided sincere milk for babes, spending an hour at evening in the Church-Catechism, whereat the Parents and elder sort were wont to be present, and from whence they reaped more benefit then from his Sermons; the great Principles of Religion working more powerfully upon them then his Discourses and Enlargements. Christianity was most successful, he would say, when proposed naked and in its own evidence, as the truth was in Jesus. By Catechising, the Gospel prevailed over Judaism and Heathenism; by Catechising, Popery incroached and broke in upon the Gospel; by Catechising, the Gospel again recovered itself, and got ground of Popery. He opened the Church-Catechism [Page] distinctly, grounded them in each point stedfastly, and taught them their duties arising out of each part of Religion profitably; making it appear as he went along, how the grace of God bringing salvation by Jesus Christ hath appeared, teaching men to deny all ungodliness and wordly lust, and to live soberly, justly and godly in the present world.

As he taught them, so he and they lived up to a Religion pure and undefiled: he and they joyning together in the holy Offices, 1. Of Common-prayer in all the days appointed, devoutly and reverently, (where he and his family was the great Rule and Pattern.) 2. Of the holy Sacrament carefully and preparedly, not without previous instructions and directions publick and private. 3. In an holy love and charity, which taught them successfully, being exemplary therein, and being able by his great skill in all Laws to compose all Differences in his private address and conversation: his Judgement being so esteemed, that there were few that knew him, but would stand to his prudent and honest Arbitration: wherein the God of love and peace so blessed him, that as he maintained love among others, so he had the love of all; there being not any of his function either more esteemed while alive, or more lamented when dead. Neither did he think it enough to perswade his people to an obligingness in Conversation, unless he could work them to a charity and hospitality, whereby they might endear themselves to each other, and relieve the poor. Among them he would be the most welcome: for he understood [Page] very well how much the Applications of the Table enforced the Doctrines of the Pulpit; and how subservient the endearing of his person was to the recommending of his instructions, where his elegant, apt and facetious way, sweetned his more serious discourse, and weighty conceptions: so that he was heard at once with the highest pleasure and profit in the world. As he urged their charity to the Poor earnestly, so he directed it discreetly, that the Idle partaked not of it: and truely the Needy had a stock raised for them, to employ and relieve them; I say, to employ and relieve them: for he had no charity for the Idle and the Vagrant,— the very scabs, filth and vermine of a Commonwealth. I mean such as have health, and strength, and limbs, and are in some measure able to work, and take pains for their living, yet rather chuse to wander abroad the Country, and to spend their days in a most base and ungodly course of life; and, which is yet more lamentable, by I know not what connivence, contrary to all Conscience, Equity, and Law, are suffered. All Christian Commonwealths should be the Israels of God; and in his Israel, God, as he promised there should be some always poor, on whom to exercise charity; so he ordained there should be no beggar, to make a trade and profession of begging. Plato, than whom never any laid down a more exact Idea of an happy Commonwealth, alloweth not any beggar therein; alledging, that where such were tolerated, it was impossible but the State must abound with pilfering and whoring, and all kinde of base villany. The [Page] Civil Laws have flat Constitutions against them, in the Titles de mendicantibus non invalidis. But I think never kingdom had more wholesome laws in both kinds, I mean both for the competent relief of the orderly poor, and for sharp restraint of disorderly vagabonds, then those provisions which in many of our own memories have been made in this land. But Quid leges sine moribus—? Those Laws are now no Laws, for want of due execution: but Beggars are Beggars still, for want of due correction. Et vetabitur semper, & retinebitur; the saying is truer of Rogues and Gypsies in England, than ever it was of Mathematicians in Rome. You to whose care the preservation of the Justice, and thereby also of the Peace of the Land is committed, as you tender the Peace and Justice of the Land, as you tender your own quiet, and the safety of your neighbours; as you tender the weal of your Country, and the honour of God: breath fresh life into the languishing Laws by severe execution; be rather cruel to these Vipers, than to the State. So shall you free us from the Plague, and your selves from the guilt, and them from the opportunities, of infinite sinful abominations.

But we are unreasonable to press you thus far, or to seek to you or any others for Justice in this matter; having power enough in our own hands to do our selves Justice upon these men, if we would but use it: Even by making a strait Covenant with our Ears, not to heed them; and with our Eyes, not to pitty them; and with our Hands, not to relieve them. Say I this altogether of my [Page] self? or saith not the Apostle even the same? He that will not labour, let him not eat: relieve him not. But hath not Christ required us to feed the hungry, and to cloath the naked, and to be free and charitable to the poor? Nothing surer: God forbid any man should preach against Charity and Almsdeeds. But remember, that as God approveth not Alms or any other work, if without Charity; so nor Charity it self, if without Discretion. Honour Widdows, saith Saint Paul, But those that are Widdows indeed. So relieve the poor, but relieve those that are poor indeed. Not every one that asketh; not every one that wanteth; nay more, not every one that is poor, is poor indeed: and he that in his indiscreet and mis-guided charity should give to every one that asketh, or wanteth, or is poor, meat, or clothing, or Alms; would soon make himself more hungry, and naked, and poor, than he that is most hungry, or naked, or poor. The poor, whom Christ commendeth to thee as a fit object for thy charity, the poor indeed, are those that want, not onely the things they ask, but want also means to get without asking. A man that is blind, or aged, and past his work; a man that is sick, or weak, or lame, and cannot work; a man that desires it, and seeks it, and cannot get work; a man that hath a greater charge upon him than his honest pains can maintain; such a man as one of these, he is poor indeed. Let thine Ears be open, and thine Eyes open, and thy Bowels open, and thy Hands open to such a one: it is a charitable deed, and a Sacrifice of sweet smelling; with such sacrifices God is well pleased: Forget not [Page] thou to offer such sacrifices upon every good opportunity, and be well assured God will not forget in due time to reward thee. But for a lusty able upright man (as they stile him in their own dialect) that had rather begg, or steal, or both, than dig; he is no more to be relieved as a poor man, than a woman that hath poysoned her husband is to be honoured as a Widow. Such a woman is a Widow, for she hath no more an husband than any other Widow hath: but such a Woman is not a Widow indeed, as St. Paul would be understood; not such a Widow as he would have honoured: it is alms to hang up such a Widow, rather than to honour her. And I dare say, he that helpeth one of these sturdy Beggars to the stocks, and the whip, and the house of correction, not only deserveth better of the Common-wealth; but doth a work of greater Charity in the sight of God, than he that helpeth him with meat, and money, and lodging. For he that doth this, corrupteth his Charity by a double errour. First, he maintaineth, and so encourageth the other in idleness; who, if none would relieve him, would be glad to do any work rather then starve. And Secondly, he disableth his Charity, by mis-placing it; and unawares robbeth the poor, whilst he thinketh he relieveth them. As he that giveth any honour to an Idol, robbeth the true God, to whom alone all religious honour is due: so he that giveth any Alms to an idle beggar, robbeth the truly poor, to whom properly all the fruits of our Alms are due. And so it cometh to pass oftentimes (as Saint Ambrose sometimes complained) that the maintainance of the poor is made the spoil of the loyterer.

[Page]To maintain that peace and quiet, he endeavoured to keep every one within his own bounds, that none defraud and go beyond another: wishing them to have that one great Rule in their eye, What ye would have others do unto you, that do ye unto them: this is the Law and the Prophets. He would tell them, that the reason why he lived so peaceably with all his Neighbours, was, because he never received from any of them any more then he would willingly pay: the reason why he was so civil, he always looked upon his Parishioner as if he were the Minister, and upon himself the Minister as if he were the Parishioner.

Neither was he less obliging in his Carriage towards the Neighbouring Gentry, who were much taken with his great Reason, useful Observation, excellent Discourses, Civil, Moral, Philosophical, Historical, Technical: and indeed his skill in Architecture, Geography, Opticks, Geometry, Astronomy, Heraldry, in which he took great delight, much endeared him to his ingenious Neighbours, who in his company might communicate and improve their own. And indeed he observed it very requisite that Ministers should have a competent skill in History, Mathematicks, Law and Physick, to entertain the Ingenious, and to advise the Ignorant, who expect that the Priests lips should preserve all knowledge, and that the people should receive it from their mouths. Excellent was that advice of his: ‘As the times now are, wherein Learning aboundeth even unto wantonness, and wherein the World is full of Questions, and Controversies, [Page] and Novelties, and Niceties in Religion; and wherein most of our Gentry, very Women and all, (by the advantage of long Peace, and the customs of modern Education, together with the help of a multitude of English books and Translations) are able to look through the ignorance of a Clergyman, and censure it, if he be tripping in any point of History, Cosmography, Moral or Natural Philosophy, Divinity, or the Arts; yea, and to chastise his very method and phrase, if he speak loosely, or impertinently, or but improperly, and if every thing be not point-vise. I say, as these times are, I would not have a Clergy-man content himself with every Mediocrity of gifts; but by his prayers, care and industry improve those he hath, so as he may be able upon good occasion to impart spiritual gifts to the people of God, whereby they may be established, and to speak with such understanding, and sufficiency, and pertinency, (especially when he hath just warning, and a convenient time to prepare himself) in some good measure of proportion to the quickness and ripeness of these present times, as they that love not his Coat, may yet approve his Labours, and not finde any thing therein whereat justly to quarrel: Shewing in his Doctrine (as our Apostle writeth to Titus) uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil to say of him.’

He was always so excellent a Neighbour, that he seldome failed in the civility of Visits and [Page] Correspondence; the greatest advantages for good understanding and love: but especially in time of sickness, when affliction was an excellent preparative for instruction. Wherefore not onely when intreated, (as most of his dying Neighbours were unwilling to leave the world until he, good man, had setled their consciences upon Gospel-principles in peace with God) did he make his visits to all such as wanted his assistance; but before he was thought of, would he prevent their requests, by early and frequent addresses to them: attending diligently those mallia tempora, those gentle and most tractable opportunities of doing good which might be offered him.

As he was publick-spirited himself, so he endeavoured that all he had interest in, might be communicative; there being few Gentlemen of his acquaintance whom he had not directed to some noble or charitable work for mens improvement or relief: He, their great Casuist, having their hearts and purses at his devoir, and using his happy power always to their honour, comfort, and infinite satisfaction: so, he would say, he rescued the Creature from the bondage of corruption, to the glorious service of God, and to Primitive innocence, and their first use.

Although he was thus employed and taken up at his private charge,Sect. 8. His Publike Performances. and pleased with his beloved privacy and retirement; yet when summoned to the Publick, as to Paul's Cross, to Visitations, to Lectures, to the Court, to the University, he appeared with much zeal, prudence, and holy abilities, [Page] with elegant and useful performances, full of Dogmatick, Polemick, Practick, Casuistick and Critick Learning; where he offered the marrow and pith of the Fathers, the subtilty of the Schoolmen, the solidity of the Neotericks, so ready, so clear, so percolated from the Authors obscurity or tediousness, that his Quintessence, or Distillations of them in his Discourse, were more useful, perspicuous and vigorous, then the Originals or first Mass wherein they were diffused. At Visitations he offered deep, solid, clear and abstract Notions of Reason, Experience and Religion, for Order, Peace, Unity and Obedience, and pointed out those paths equally distant from superstition and licentiousness, wherein all wise and good Christians should walk in peace, according to the will of God declared in Laws Natural, Civil, Moral and Ecclesiastical; where the attentive Hearers admired equally the acute manner, and the weighty matter of his Discourses; his strong Arguments, his clear Deductions, his impartial Judgement, his steady, even, and undistracted Thoughts, whereby he rescued poor souls, whose easiness cast them on obvious errours, rather then they would search after difficult and retired truths. He perswaded private Reasons, Pretences, Interests and Designes, to yeild to publick Law and common good. He convinced the world that the things enjoyned in our Church, are in their nature safe and lawful, in their use free; and to be used in obedience to Authority, for order, decency and edification, as they might be forborn when not enjoyned, [Page] or not conducing to order, decency, or a sacred solemnity. He taught men to bring their consciences to a Rule, and forbear nothing as against conscience which was not against a Rule, against Gods Word, against Faith, or Manners, or the nature of the things enjoyned. How clearly hath he proved, that as all necessaries were enjoyned by express Scriptures; so all the Circumstances of Worship and Discipline were enjoyned in Scripture-intimations, which required all things orderly and decent? How pathetically would he urge, that Publick Authority knew better what Time, Place, Gesture, Garment, Phrase, Rite or Ceremony was most expedient and orderly, then any private Spirit; and that if any man would be contentious, we had no such custome, nor the Churches of God? How powerfully would he urge a Compliance with Publick Authority, to avoid scandal, to testifie our Charity, Humility and Obedience; to shew our Reverence and fear of it; to use our Christian Liberty soberly, charitably and obediently; that Laws might be observed, the Church might be composed, Charity might be revived, Dangers might be avoided, the Kingdome might be setled, good Christians might be edified, God might be obeyed, and our Superiours for Gods sake? Thus he studied, debated, cleared and composed Differences; thus he satisfied Scruples; thus he justified the Churches Liberty and Authority: the care of which so entirely possessed him, that he reduced most of his study to that designe; which he managed with plenty of Matter, with variety of [Page] Reading, with full and pertinent Citations, with clear and copious Expressions, methodical Proceedings, powerful Demonstrations, Fundamental Reason, Original Law, Essential Religion, with a prudent discovery of the proportions of order and policy, of the boundaries of Government, and the great principles of peace. And all this was the better taken, because taught by a man not onely of vast and great Abilities, of full maturity of Judgement; but of great Integrity in his Designe, of great innocency and unblameableness in his Conversation; of a good Conscience; of a great calmness and composure in Spirit; of a vast Comprehension, who strained the Quintessence of Reason, Religion, Laws Grecian, Roman, Imperial, and Civil, Canon and Ecclesiastical, to his great Platform for Peace, Unity and Setlement.

Sect. 9. At Court and Lectures.At Court, and in his Lectures, he pursued the most necessary Duties, and the most concerning Cases of Conscience: for he observed, That it is one Stratagem of the Arch-enemy of mankind, (and when we know his wiles, we may the better be able to defeat him) by busying men of great and useful parts in by-matters, and things of lesser consequence, to divert them from following that unum necessarium, that which should be the main in all our endeavours, the beating down of sin, the planting of Faith, and the reformation of manners. Controversies, I confess, are necessary, the Tongues necessary, Histories necessary, Philosophy and The Arts necessary, other Knowledge of all sorts necessary in the Church; for Truth must be maintained, Scripture-phrases [Page] opened, Heresie confuted, the mouths of Adversaries stopped, Schisms and Novelties suppressed: But when all is done, positive and Practique Divinity is it must bring us to Heaven: that is it must poise our judgements, settle our consciences, direct our lives, mortifie our corruptions, increase our graces, strengthen our comforts, save our souls. Hoc opus, hoc studium: there is no study to this, none so well worth the labour as this, none that can bring so much profit to others, nor therefore so much glory to God, nor therefore so much comfort to our own hearts, as this. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly (saith St. Paul to Titus) that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works: these things are good and profitable unto men. You cannot do more good unto the Church of God, you cannot more profit the people of God, by your gifts; then by pressing effectually these two great points, Faith, and good works. These are good and profitable unto men.

Insomuch that the excellent King would say, I bring an ear to hear others; I bring a conscience to hear Sanderson. And the throng of Auditors in Court and Country was so fixed and attentive upon the deep, rational, and knowing Emanations of his soul, as if they expected new Rules of Life from that great Searcher of Rules and Laws. His great care was, so to direct his Heart, his Tongue, his Endeavour in the exercise of his Ministry, both publick and private, that by Gods blessing upon his Labours, he might be enabled to advance Gods [Page] glory, to promote his truth, to benefit his Church, to propagate all Christian Duties, to discharge a good conscience in the mean time; and at the last, make his account with comfort at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

From the year 1624. to his death, there was no Convocation,Sect. 10. At Convocations. or Assembly, or Treaties, but he was called to, as a man of deep Observation in the publick defects of the Church; of great prudence in applying remedies suitable to those defects, in the fear of God and love of his truth, so as became a man of Learning, Gravity, and a good Conscience, in so grand Concernments as imported the peace of the Church, the satisfaction and salvation of mens souls. For which Meetings he prepared himself by a view of all Judgements in the Controversies there likely to be debated, which he drew up into Tables still to be seen, that he might try all things, and hold fast that which is good. Where-ever he appeared, whether in the School, or in Convocation, or in a Committee, (as at the Dean of Westminster, March 21. 1640.) his moderation was known unto all men:

1. In those five Points controverted so much in England as well as Holland, of, 1. Predestination; 2. Reprobation; 3. Universal Redemption; 4. Effectual Grace; and, 5. Perseverance: he pitched upon such a mean as Bishop Usher, Bishop Davenant, Bishop Overal aimed at, and the excellent Dr. Hammond approved of, as appears in his Letters of Accord with that incomparable Doctor.

[Page]2. As to the Popish Controversies and Adversaries, he had so far pity and charity for those plain and honest-hearted people of that way, as either their errours or ignorance in some things not fundamental, did not betray them either to unbelief or presumption, or to final impenitency, or immorality, or uncharitableness. He was herein of Bishop Usher's minde, in his Sermon before King James an Wansted.

3. As to our Reformation: he had a great esteem for the Moderation of it, a great Veneration for the Instruments employed of God in it, and a great love of that wholsome way of Doctrine, Life, Devotion and Government then composed: not that he was such a Formalist, but that he wished an alteration of some Words, Phrases, and Method and Order, to which change of times, or Language, or the like, might invite; though he judged all alterations in such grand and established Concerns of Religion, should be done by the publick Spirit, Counsel and Consent of the Prophets, Prince and People.

4. As to Conformity to the Church, although no man more eminent then he for Orthodox Divinity, and orderly Conformity, yet if any out of scruple or tenderness of conscience was less satisfied with some things, no man had a more tender heart to pity and pray for them; none had a gentler and more powerful way to win and perswade those that were capable, ingenious and honest. Indeed he would say as Bishop Brownrig, That nothing was less to be stickled for or against, [Page]then Ceremonies; and yet that nothing was to be stickled for more then Obedience to Governours enjoyning even the smallest Ceremonies: not for rhe worth of the Ceremony, but for the Obedience due to Authority for conscience sake.

5. In the business of Church-government, as he was too knowing to question, so he was too honest to deny the universal Customs and Practice of the Church of Christ, in all ages and places for 1500 years for Episcopacie; yet was he passionately inclined to any fair and fraternal accommodation, that humble, orderly and worthy Ministers might have all their, and Bishops no more than was their due by Scripture, primitive Customs, by the Laws of the Land, and by principles of order and true government among all societies of men. As his demonstrations for Episcopacie were potent, his perswasions pathetick: so his designs were upright and just, his deportment so fatherly and friendly, that he was able to reclaim all rational, sober and honest men.

Sect. 11. His Constancie and Paence.In all revolutions, as he had espoused principles constant to truth and duty, so he stood firm to his principles, as a judicious and conscientious man, as a wise and honest man, where he saw Scripture and Law tyed him up: bearing up with his great abilities against the stream, while Reason could be heard; and afterward retyring within himself, and wrapping himself in innocence and patience: more affected with the publick sins and miseries, than his own suffering: Alwayes as cheerful as one that had the continual feast of a good conscience, [Page] and the happiness to learn in what state soever he was, therewithall to be contented, and to know how patiently to want, and how wisely and soberly to abound.

Nothing troubled him more, than that he was layd aside and made useless, when a whole Nation desired to imploy him, and many eminent Persons (as the Honorable Mr. Boyle, 1659) endeavoured by all means to contrive a way, wherein he might communicate his excellent notions to the world. He was a man of whom the world was not worthy: How willing were men to have more of that man, who had composed so many excellent Sermons as they read? who had written those judicious pieces De juramento & de obligatione Conscientiae which they enjoyed? who had penned the Satisfactory Reason and Judgement of the University of Oxford against the Covenant, which they perused? who attained that exactness in controversies, which in the Letters of accord to Dr. Hammond they observed? What reason would have suppressed this worth? What people would have deprived this man? What Government would have laid aside so much reason, judgement and most useful Learning?

As he went through all conditions prudently, patiently, faithfully and honourably: so he fulfilled all relations conscientiously. 1, He was a good, faithful, tender and loving, discreet husband, as I take it, of one VVife, with whom he lived some years comfortably, to whom he intrusted his Houshold-affairs intirely; whom he troubled [Page] not with unnecessary business above her capacity. ‘He was more for an honourable Marriage, then such an affected Coelibacy, as was less consistent with sanctity,’ and less able to bear off those houshold-cares and other intercurrent troubles, which a Ministers condition and charge brings with it. 2, He was a good father, prudent and indulgent to his children, exemplary before them: constantly recommending love and amity to them; and wisely disposing them according to their capacities and tempers, and devoting them to God: and giving them his blessing, and scattering among them excellent rules of living and dying. 3, He was a provident, careful, tender and discreet Master, directing each Servant to his peculiar advantage in his service; reckoning nothing so much his honour, as Gods blessing upon his thriving Servants. 4, He was a most excellent friend, punctual, honest, useful, and communicative. 5, He was a Loyal Subject, by no considerations to be moved from his dutiful respects of fidelity, gratitude, love and obedience due to his Soveraign from him, as a Christian, and a Church-man; he denyed any capacity in Christian Subjects to resist those in authority, under any pretence whatsoever, there being a necessity for obeying, in doing, or suffering for conscience sake, as he expresseth himself honestly and rationally in his preface to Bishop Ushers Book of Power and Obedience.

He was made Bishop by his Majesties gracious favour, with the universal vote of all good men, [Page] anno 1660. as who expected, his Prudence, Counsel, Equanimity and Moderation equal with his other Abilities, might allay Animosities, close Differences, heal mens Distempers, and work a right Understanding; all men imagining his Gravity might awe, his Goodness oblige, his Moderation temper, his Reason perswade, and his approved Sincerity prevail upon all men otherwise minded: for he was not onely (as I told you) a man of much Learning and Reading, but of a mature Understanding ▪ and a mellow Judgement in all matters Politick and Prudential, both Ecclesiastical and Civil. Insomuch that it was thought, if his excellent temper had sooner been added as an allay to some other mens hottest spirits, possibly we had not seen things run to that disorder and ruine; his Gravity and Discretion being likely to allay and fix the Clergy to a due temperament, (guiding some mens well-meaning Zeal by such Rules of Moderation as might best preserve the Government and Constitution of this Church and Kingdome.)

In this place he setled himself more to comply with the publick good, then his own inclinations: looking up to him who called him to the Office of a Bishop, that great and good work, for direction and assistance in all the intricate Affairs that were before him.

1. He had this advantage of other men, that when he entred upon that employment which lay open to the envy and malice of so many, that his Life was so spotless, his Integrity so eminent, that Partiality it self could not accuse him; he being a [Page] man of solid worth, in whom was nothing dubious or dark, nothing various or inconstant, nothing formal or affected; nothing as to his publick carriage that was suspected, nothing that needed palliation or apologie. I never heard of any thing said or done by him, which a wise and good man would have wished not said, or undone. As Diogenes confuted him who allowed not motion, by saying nothing, but walking before his eyes: so this excellent person neglected the suggestions of people disaffected against his Order, but walked warily and circumspectly in his Calling, really shaming those Cavils by his Conversation.

His greatness prejudiced not his humility and diligence: the meanest Minister had free access to him: the meanest service had some time allotted to it: Evangelizavit manu & Scriptione; by his instruction, teaching the Clergy to preach; by his instruction, teaching the Laity to live. Hereby he governed hearts, ruling the Church as Christ himself by the Word, and making men yeild him a true and willing Obedience, reverencing God in him.

Painful, pious and peaceable Ministers, throughout his Visitation, were his chief Favourites: he looked them out of their retirements, to bring them to employment and preferment. He very discreetly bestowed the Incouragements he had in his Diocess, on persons of most reputed piety, sufficiency and usefulness.

As he was very careful to prefer good men that he found in Orders, so he was as careful to admit [Page] none but good men to Orders; lest, as he would say, he should have reason (with him who made a dangerous man Priest) to wish he had laid his hands rather on the Briers then on such a mans head. For their Parts, he trusted onely his own Judgement; for their Conversation, he trusted such men of known integrity, as gave their Testimonials not out of courtesie but conscience: and he would say, ‘That whosoever gives a Certificate, enters into bonds with God and the Church, under a heavy forfeiture to avouch the honesty of the party recommended; and, as Judah for Benjamin, they become sureties for the young man to his father. Nor let them (as one saith) think to avoid the bond, and make it but a blank, with that clause, So far forth as we know; for what saith the Apostle? God is not mocked.’

He was careful and happy in suppressing the innovations he met with in Doctrine and Discipline; mildly winning men, rather then severely punishing them: such Offenders as were unhappy in deserving, were yet happy in doing penance in his presence; who aimed not at their suffering, but instruction; who would not have them undone, but reclaimed and reformed: and when he was severest to the fault, he made it appear he was kind to the man.

Church-censures of, 1. Admonition, 2. Excommunication, 3. Aggravation, 4. Penance, 5. Absolution, were by him seriously and solemnly used, with great reverence, and on great occasions, that they might be restored to the Primitive esteem and veneration.

[Page]He employed his power wholly in Church-affairs, medling as little as he could with Affairs of State: not that he was unable to manage them, but that he thought them unworthy to be managed by him: onely he would endeavour a good understanding between Prince and People: yet he rather admired then condemned such reverend and able persons, who are strengthned with that which would distract him; making the concurrence of Civil and Temporal power in themselves, support one another.

Thus this good man was, in my judgement, the Idaea of an excellent Prelate; coming up exactly to that excellent character of a Bishop, as one among men the most sober, among Christians the most religious, among Preachers the most exact, among Scholars the most useful, among Ministers the most faithful, among Governours the most moderate, among Martyrs the most patient and constant; who when he had discharged his conscience honestly, served his Prince successfully, assisted the Church industriously, gone through all charges renownedly, leaving nothing behind him justly to be blamed, or sinisterly to be suspected, but all things deservedly commended by wise and sober Christians, bequeathing to Posterity Principles of Government clearly stated and rationally expressed, with the general sorrow of the Church, but his own great satisfaction, was taken away with an happy Euthanasia, composedly, peaceably and comfortably departing, giving himself to Prayers, [Page] Meditations, and Discourses, which his own strength could bear, or others kindness could reasonably afford him, full of the grace and peace of God, and confirmed (as Dr. Reynolds, &c.) by the Absolution of the Church, (which belongs to all that die in the true Faith, and blessed hope of penitent sinners) he calmly rendred his holy, devout and precious soul to God that gave it, in a time when, with Bishop Bancroft, he could say, Eo temporis occubui quò mallem rationem Episcopatus coràm Deo dare, quam Episcopatum coram hominibus exercere.

Quis damnaverit eam qui duabus potentissimis rebus defenditur jure & mente.

—Quint.

And thus, Sir, if I have done nothing else, I have made it appear that I am so much at your devotion, that I chuse rather to expose my self, then displease you; and venture at these few Remarques of this admirable person, rather then refuse a compliance with you in what would be such satisfaction to you, and such advantage (as you say) to the Publick: especially considering that publick good was the great designe of this worthy Bishops both Preaching and Living, VVriting and Government.

I could wish I were able to pay my reverence to his great Vertues in publishing them to the world: In the mean time, devoting to your delight this imperfect, yet affectionate and well-meant Account of that great Learning and Prudence, Judgement [Page] and Zeal, Sincerity and Integrity, Humility and Charity, Conscience and Exactness, which are worthy of all mens imitation, and shall be my great pattern by Gods assistance; by whose grace if I may live what I have writ, I have attained what is the serious and just ambition of

Your most humble Servant D. F.

§

§

Bishop Sanderson.

Two things I have always had in my Care, TRUTH and PERSPICUITY: (for whereunto else serveth that [...], wherewith God endued man, but to speak Reason, and be understood?)

§

King Charles.

I bring my EAR to hear others, I bring my CONSCIENCE to hear Sanderson.

Bishop Sanderson HIS JUDGMENT IN ONE VIEW FOR THE SETLEMENT OF THE CHURCH.

[Page]

QUest. How far we may Indulge good and godly men of tender consciences dissenting from us in liberty of Conscience.

Answ. First, besides that all parties pretend to Godliness; Papists, Anabaptists, and what not? (even the late-sprung-up generation of Levellers, whose Principles are so destructive of all that Order and Justice by which publick societies are supported, do yet style themselves, as by a kinde of peculiarity, The Godly;) And that secondly, it is the easyest thing in the world, and nothing more [Page] common then for men to pretend Conscience, when they are not minded to obey: I do not believe thirdly, (though I am well perswaded of the godliness of many of them otherwise,) that the refusal of indifferent Ceremonies enjoyned by Lawful Authority, is any part of their Godliness; or any good fruit, evidence, or sign thereof. But certain it is fourthly, that the godliest men are men, and know but in part; and by the power of godliness in their hearts, are no more secured from the possibility of falling into Errour through Ignorance, then from the possibility of falling into Sin through Infirmity. And as for Tenderness of Conscience fifthly, a most gracious blessed fruit of the holy Spirit of God, where it is really, and not in pretence only, nor mistaken, (for sure it is no very tender Conscience, though sometimes called so, that straineth at a Gnat, and swalloweth a Camel:) it is with it, as with other tender things; very subject to receive harme, and soon put out of order. Through the cunning of Satan, it dangerously exposeth men to temptations on the right hand: and through its own aptitude to entertain and to cherish unnecessary scruples, it strongly disposeth them to listen thereunto so long, till at the last they are overcome thereof. Needful it is therefore, that in the publick teaching the Errours should be sometimes refuted, and the Temptations discovered: And this ever to be done seasonably, soberly, discreetly, and convincingly; and when we are to deal with men whose Consciences are (so far as we can discern) truly tender, [Page] with the spirit of meekness and Compassion. For tender things must be tenderly dealt withall, or they are lost. I know it is not allwayes so done: nor can we expect it should. All preachers are neither so charitable, nor so prudent, not so conscientious as they should be: And they that are such in a good measure, are men still; and may be transported now and then through passion, and infirmity, beyond the just bounds of moderation.

Quest. Whether good men should be suspended from the exercise of their ministry, and deprived of their livelyhood, which are on all hands acknowledged indifferent: and inded in comparison to the work of the ministry are but trifles, however some men dote on them.

Answ. Let Ceremonies (secondly) be as very Trifles, as any man can imagine them to be; yet Obedience sure is no Trifle. They mis-state the Question, when they talke of pressing Ceremonies. It is Obedience (formally) that is required: Ceremonies not otherwise pressed, then as the matter wherein that Obedience is to be exercised. If a master appoint his servant to do some small matter that he thinketh fit to have done, though in it selfe of no great moment; yet he will expect to be obeyed: and it is great reason he should. If in such case the servant should resufe to do the thing appointed, because he hath no minde thereunto; and should receive a check or correction for such refusal: could he either sufficiently excuse his own fault, or reasonably complain of his master for dealing [Page] hardly with him, by saying the thing was but a Trifle? Is it not evident, that the thing which made the master angry, and the Servant an offender in that case, was not (precisely and formally) the leaving of the thing undone, (which had it not been commanded, might have been left undone without any fault or blame at all;) but the refusing to do it, when he that had a right to his service commanded him? Wherefore Thirdly, rhat which is said of some mens doting so extreamely on Ceremonies, might have been well enough spared. I know no true son of the Church of England, that doteth upon any Ceremony, whatsoever opinion he may have of the decency or expediency of some of them. If any do; let him answer for himself. Among wise men, he will hardly pass for a wise man, that doteth upon any. Nor will he, I doubt, prove a much wiser man, that runs into the contrary extream, and abhorreth all. It is true Fourthly, that there have been long and unkinde quarrels abour these things; More is the pitty! but where is the fault? To whom is the beginning, and to whom the continuance of a quarrel rather imputable? to him, that demandeth his right? or to him that with-holdeth it from him? For this is the plain Case in short: The Bishops (under the King) require obedience to the Lawes Ecclesiastical; these men refuse to give it. So began the quarrel at first; and upon the same terms it continued. If the Obedience challenged were indeed due to these Laws; then did our Brethren both begin the quarrel, and hold it on: if it were not, then [Page] must the whole blame lie upon them that claimed it unjustly, and not upon them. So that in the winding up of the business, the whole Controversie will devolve upon this point; Whether to the Laws Ecclesiastical obedience be due or not? For the right determining whereof, (for so much as it is confest on all hands, that Obedience is due to Lawful authority commanding lawful things) two other points are to be resolved; the one concerning the authority by which the Constitutions were made; the other concerning the lawfulness of the things therein required; The Presbyterians of the Kirk flatly and directly deny both: Ours, less forward to declare their opinion in the former point, have chosen rather to stand upon the latter only. And so the point in issue is briefly this; Whether the things commanded (and particularly the Ceremonies) be lawful, yea, or no.

When for decency, order, or uniformity's sake any constitutions are made concerning ceremonies, there is the same necessity of obeying such Constitutions, as there is of obeying other lawes made for the good of the Common-wealth concerning any other indifferent things. That such necessity, either in the one or the other, ariseth not properly from the authority of the immediate Lawgiver; but from the Ordinance of God, who hath commanded us to obey the ordinance of men for his sake. That such necessity of obedience notwithstanding, the things remain in the same indifferency as before; Every way in respect of their Nature, and quoad Rem, [Page] (it being not in the power of aecidental relations to change the natures of things:) and even in respect of their Vse, and quoad nos, thus far, that there is a liberty left for men, upon extraordinary and other just occasions, somtimes to do otherwise then the Constitution requireth, extra casum Scandali & Contemptus:. A liberty, which we dare not either take our selves, or allow to others, in things properly and absolutely necessary: Upon which very account (I mean the consideration of the indifferency of the things in themselves) and upon which account alone it is, that many of the Episcopal (that is to say, the true English Protestant) Divines, who sadly resent the voting down of the Liturgy, Festivals, and Ceremonies of the Church by so many former Laws established, heartily desired heretofore the continuance, and as heartily still wish the restitution, and are (by Gods help) ready with their Tongues, Pens and Sufferings to maintain and justifie the Lawful use of the same: do yet so far yield to the sway of the times, and are perswaded they may with a good Conscience so do, as to forbear the use thereof in the publick worship; till it shall seem good to those that are in place of authority either to restore them to their former state (as it is well hoped, when they shall have duly considered the evil consequents of that Vote, they will,) or at leastwise and in the mean time to leave them arbitrary, for men, according to their several different judgements, to use or not to use, which seemeth but [Page] reasonable, the like favour and liberty in other kinds having been long allowed to almost all other sorts of men, though of never so distant perswasions one from another. Lastly, That all Laws made concerning Ceremonies or other indifferent things, whether Civil or Ecclesiastical, are mutable: and as they were at first made by humane authority, so may they from time to time be by humane authority abrogated and repealed. And then and thenceforth they lose their obligation: whereby the necessity of yielding obedience thereunto wholy ceaseth and determineth; and the things thereby commanded or prohibited, return to their primitive and natural indifferency, even in their Vse also, and in respect of us.

But in the Case of our Church now it is far orherwise. Cap, Surplice, Cross, Ring and other Ceremonies, which are the Matter of our differences, though they be things indifferent for their nature, and in themselves: yet are not so for their use, and unto us. If the Church had been silent, if Authority had prescribed nothing herein, these Ceremonies had then remained for their use, as they are for their nature, indifferent: Lawful, and such as might be used without sin; and yet Arbitrary, and such as might be also forborn without sin. But men mus [...] grant (though they be unwilling, if yet they will be reasonable) that every particular Church hat [...] power for decency an orders sake, to ordain and constitute ceremonies. Which being once ordained and by publick authority enjoyned, cease to b [...] [Page] indifferent for their use, though they remain still so for their nature: and of indifferent become so necessary, that neither may a man without sin refuse them, where Authority requireth; nor use them, where Authority restraineth the use.

Neither is this accession of Necessity any impeachment to Christian Liberty; or insnaring of mens consciences as some have objected. For then do we ensnare mens consciences by humane constitutions, where we thrust them upon men as if they were divine; and bind mens consciences to them immediately, as if they were immediate parts of Gods worship, or of absolute necessity unto salvation. This Tyranny and Vsurpation over mens Consciences, the Pharisees of old did, and the Church of Rome at this day doth exercise, and we justly hate in her, equalling, if not preferring her Constitutions to the Laws of GOD. But our Church (GOD be thanked) is far from any such impious presumption: and hath sufficiently declared her self by solemn protestation, enough to satisfie any ingenuous impartial judgement, that by requiring obedience to these ceremonial constitutions, she hath no other purpose, then to reduce all her children to an orderly confirmity in the outward worship of God; so far is she from seeking to draw any opinion, either of divine necessity upon the constitution, or of effectual holiness upon the ceremony. And as for the prejudice which seemeth to be hereby given to Christian liberty, it is so slender a conceit, that it seemeth to bewray in the objectors a desire, not so much of [Page] satisfaction, as cavil. For first, the liberty of a Christian to all indifferent things, is in the Mind and Conscience: and is then infringed, when the Conscience is bound and strained, by imposing upon it an opinion of doctrinal Necessity. But it is no wrong to the Liberty of a Christian mans conscience, to bind him to outward observation for Orders sake; and to impose upon him a necessity of Obedience. Which one distinction of Doctrinal and Obediential Necessity well weighed, and rightly applyed, is of it self sufficient to clear all doubts in this point. For, to make all restraint of the outward man in matters indifferent an impeachment of Christian liberty; what were it else, but even to bring flat Anabaptisme and Anarchy into the Church? and to overthrow all bond to subjection and obedince to lawful authority? I beseech you consider, wherein can the immediate power and authority of Fathers, Masters, and other Rulers over their inferiours consist; or the due obedience of inferiours be shewn towards them: if not in these indifferent and Arbitrary things? For, things absolutely necessary, as commanded by God, we are bound to do; whether humane Authority require them, or no: and things absolutely Vnlawful, as prohibited by God, we are bound not to do; whether humane Authority forbid them, or no. There are none other things left then, wherein to express properly the Obedience due to superiour Authority, then these Indifferent things. And if a Father or Master have power to prescribe to his Child or Servant in indifferent [Page] things; and such restraint be no way prejudicial to Christian liberty in them: Why should any man, either deny the like power to Church-Governours, to make Ecclesiastical-constitutionr concerning indifferent things? or interpret that pow [...]r to the prejudice of Christian Liberty? And again Secondly, Men must understand, that it is an errour to think Ceremonies and constitutions to be things meerly in different: I mean in the general. For howsoever every particular Ceremony be indifferent; and every particular constitution arbitrary and alterable; yet that there should be some Ceremonies, it is necessary Necessitate absoluta, in as much as no outward work can be performed without Ceremonial circumstances, some or other: and that there should be some Cinstitutions concerning them, it is also necessary (though not simply and absolutely, as the former; yet ex hypothesi, and) necessitate covenientiae. Otherwise, since some Ceremonies must needs be used; every Parish, nay every man would have his own fashion by himself, as his humour led him: whereof what other could be the issue, but infinite distraction, and unorderly confusion in the Church? And again thirdly, to return their weapon upon themselves; If every restraint in indifferent things be injurious to Christian liberty: then themselves are injurious no less by their negative restraint from some Ceremonies, Wear not, Cross not, Kneel not, &c. then they would have the world believe our Church is by her positive restraint unto these Ceremonies of wearing, and crossing, and kneeling, &c. [Page] Let indifferent men judge, nay let themselves that are parties judge, whether is more injurious to Christian Liberty; publick Authority by mature advice commanding, what might be forborn: or private spirits through humorous dislikes, forbidding what may be used: the whole Church imposing the use, or a few Brethren requiring the forbearance of such things, as are otherwise and in themselves equally indifferent for use, or for forbearance.

But they say, our Church makes greater matters of Ceremonies than thus; and preferreth them even before the most necessary duties of preaching & administring the Sacraments: in as much as they are imposed upon ministers under pain of Suspension and Deprevation from their Ministerial Functions and Charges. First, for actual Deprivation; I take it, unconforming Ministers have no great cause to complain. ‘Our Church, it is well known, hath not alwayes used that rigour she might have done. Where she hath been forced to proceed as far as deprivation! she hath ordinarily by her fair, and slow, and compassionate proceeding therein, sufficiently manifested her unwillingness thereto:’ and declared her self a Mother every way indulgent enough to such ill-nurtured Children, as will not be ruled by her. Secondly, those that are suspended or deprived; suffer it but justly for their obstinacy and contempt For howsoever they would bear the world in hand, that they are the only persecuted ones, and that they suffer for their consciences: yet in truth, they do but abuse [Page] the credulity of the simple therein; and herein (as in many other things) jump with the Papists, whom they would seem above all others most abhorrent from. For as Seminary Priests and Jesuits give it out that they suffer for Religion; when the very truth is, they are justly executed for their prodigious Treasons, and felonious or teacherous practises against lawful Princes & Estates: So the brethren pretend they are persecuted for their consciences; when they are indeed but justly censured for their obstinate and pertinacious contempt of lawful authority. For it is not the refusal of these Ceremonies they are deprived for, otherwise then as the matter wherein they shew their contempt: it is the contempt it self, which formerly and properly subjecteth them to just Ecclesiastical censure of Suspension or Deprivation. And contempt of authority, though in the smallest matter deserveth no smal punishment: all authority having been ever sollicious (as it hath good reason) above all things to vindicate and preserve it self from contempt; by inflicting sharp punishments upon contemptuous persons in the smallest matters, above all other sorts of offenders in any degree whatsoever. Thus have we shewed and cleared the first and main difference betwixt the case of my Text, and the case of our Church, in regard of the matter: the things whereabout they differed, being every way indifferent; ours not so.

The determination of Superiours may and ought to restrain us in the outward exercise of our Christian liberty. We must submit our selves to every [Page]Ordinance of man, saith St. Peter, 1 Pet. 2.13. and it is necessary we should do so: for so is the will of God, Ver. 15. Neither is it against Christian liberty if we do so; for we are still as free as before: rather if we do not so, we abuse our liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, as it followeth there, ver. 16. And St. Paul telleth us we must needs be subject, not only for fear, because the Magistrate carryeth not the Sword in vain, but also for Conscience sake, because the powers that are, are ordained of God. This duty, so fully pressed and so uniformly by these two grand Apostles, is most apparent in private societies. In a family, the Master, or Pater familias, who is a kind of petty Monarch there, hath authority to prescribe to his Children and servants in the use of those indifferent things whereto yet they, as Christians, have as much liberty as he. The servant, though he be the Lords free-man, yet is limited in his dyet, lodging, livery, and many other things by his master: and he is to submit himself to his Masters appointment in these things, though perhaps in his private affection he had rather his Master had appointed otherwise: and perhaps withall in his private judgement, doth verily think it fitter his Master should appoint otherwise. If any man under colour of Christian liberty, shall teach otherwise, and exempt servants from the obedience of their masters in such things: St. Paul in a holy indignation inveigheth against such a man, not without some bitterness, in the last Chapter of this Epistle, as one that is proud, and knoweth nothing, as he should do, [Page] but doateth about questions and strife of words, &c. ver. 3.5.

Now look what power the master hath over his servants for the ordering of his family; no doubt the same at the least, if not much more, hath the supreme magistrate over his subjects, for the peace of the Common-wealth: the Magistrate being Pater Patriae, as the Master is Pater familias. Whosoever then shall interpret the determinations of magistrates in the use of the Creatures to be contrary to the liberty of a Christian: or under that colour shall exempt inferiours from their obedience to such determinations, he must blame Saint Paul; nay he must blame the holy Ghost, and not us; if he hear from us that he is proud, and knoweth nothing, and doateth about unprofitable Questions. Surely, but that experience sheweth us it hath been so, and the Scriptures have foretold us that it should be so: that there should be differences, and sidings, and part-takings in the Church: a man would wonder how it should ever sink into the hearts and heads of sober understanding men, to deny either the power in Superiours to ordain, or the necessity in Inferiours to obey Laws and constitutions, so restraining us in the use of the Creatures.

Neither let any man cherish his ignorance herein: by conceiting, as if there were some difference to be made between Civil and Ecclesiastical Things, and Laws, and Persons in this behalf. The truth is, our liberty is equal in both: the power of Superiours fo restraint equal in both, and the necessity of [Page] obedience in Inferiours equal to both. No man hath yet been able to shew, nor I think ever shall be, a real and substantial difference indeed, between them to make an inequality. But that stil, as civil magistrates have sometimes, for just politick respects, prohibited some trades, and manufactures, and commodities, and enjoyned othersome, and done well in both: so Churnh-Governours may upon good considerations, (say it be but for order and uniformities sake,) prescribe the times, places, vestments, gestures, and other Ceremonial circumstances to be used in Ecclesiastical Offices and assemblies. As the Apostles in the fi [...]st Council holden at Jerusalem in Acts 15. laid upon the Churches of the Gentiles for a time, a restraint from the eating of blood, and things sacrificed to Idols, and strangled.

Thus we see our Christian liberty unto the Creatures, may without prejudice admit of some restraints in the outward exercise of it: and namely from the three respects, of Christian Sobriety, of Christian charity, and of Christian Duty and Obedience. But now in the comparing of these together; when there seemeth to be a repugnancy between one and another of them, there may be some difficulty: and the greatest difficulty, and which hath bred most trouble, is in comparing the cases of scandal and disobedience together, when there seemeth to be a repugnancy between charity and Duty. As for example. Suppose in a thing which simply and in it self we may lawfully according to [Page] the Liberty we have in Christ, either use or forbear; charity seemeth to lay restraint upon us one way, our weak brother expecting we should forbear, and Duty a quite contrary way, Authority requiring the use: in such a case what are we to do? It is against charity to offend a brother; and it is against Duty, to disobey a superiour. And yet something must be done: either we must use, or not use; forbear, or not forbear. For the untying of this knot, (which, if we will but lay things rightly together; hath not in it so much hardness as it seemeth to have;) let this be our seventh Position. In the use of the creatures, and all indifferent things we ought to bear a greater regard to our publike Governours, than to our private Brethren; and be more careful to obey them, than to satisfie these, if the same course will not in some mediocrity satisfie both. Alas, that our brethren who are contrary minded, would but with the spirit of sobriety admit common Reason to be umpire in this case: Alas, that they would but consider, what a world of contradictions would follow upon the contrary opinion, and what a world of confusions upon the contrary practice. Say what can be said, in the behalf of a Brother; all the same, and more may be said for a Governour, For a Governour is a Brother too, and something more: and Duty is charity too, and somthing more. If then I may not offend my Brother, then certainly not my Governour: because he is my brother too, being a man, and a christian, as well as the other is. And the same charity, that [Page] bindeth me to satisfie another Brother, equally bindeth me to satisfie this. So that, if we go no farther, but even to the common bond of charity, and relation of Brother-hood; that maketh them equal at the least: and therefore no reason, why I should satisfie one that is but a Private Brother; rather then the publike magistrate, who (that publike respect set aside) is my Brother also. When the Scales hang thus even, shall not the accession of magistracy to common Brother-hood in him, and of Duty to common charity in me, be enough to cast it clear for the magistrate? Shall a servant in a Family, rather than offend his fellow-servant, disobey his Master? And is not a double scandal against charity and Duty both (for Duty implyeth charity) greater than a single scandal against charity alone? If private men will be offended at our obedience to publike Govornours; we can but be sorry for it: We may not redeem their offence by our disobedience. He that taketh offence where none is given, sustaineth a double person; and must answer for it, both as the giver and the taker. If offence be taken at us, there is no woe to us for it, if it do not come by us; Woe to the man by whom the offence commeth: and it doth not come by us, if we do but what is our duty to do. The Rule is certain and equitable; The respect of private scandal ceaseth, where lawful authority determineth our liberty: and that restraint which proceedeth from special Duty, is of superiour reason to that which proceedeth but from common charity.

[Page]Quest. Whether the King and Parliament ought to Impose any more upon us, in matters of Religion than is Imposed in the Scripture: or whether every one ought not to be left to serve God, according to his best apprehensions out of the Scripture.

Answ. The Opinion is, that to do any thing at all without direction from the Scripture is unlawful and sinful. Which if they would understand only of the substantials of Gods worship, and of the exercises of spiritual and supernatural graces, the assertion were true and sound: but as they extend it, to all the actions of common life whatsoever, whether natural or civil, even so farre as to the taking up of a straw: so it is altogether false and indefensible. I marvel what warrant they that so teach have from the Scripture for that very doctrine: or where they are commanded so to believe or teach. One of their chiefest refuges is the Text we now have in hand: but I shall anon drive them from this shelter. The other places usually alleaged speak only, either of divine and supernatural truths to be believed, or else of workes of grace or worship to be performed, as of necessity unto salvation: which is not to the point in issue. For it is freely confessed, that in things of such nature the Holy Scripture is, and so we are to account it, a most absolute sufficient direction. Upon which ground we heartily reject all humane traditions, devised and intended as supplements to the doctrine of faith contained in the Bible, and annexed as codicils to the holy Testament of Christ, for to supply the defects [Page] thereof. The question is wholly about things in their nature indifferent, such as are the use of our food, raiment, and the like; about which the common actions of life are chiefly conversant: Whether in the choice and use of such things, we may not be sometimes sufficiently guided by the light of reason and the common rules of discretion: but that we must be able, (and are so bound to do, or else we sinne) for every thing we do in such matters, or deduce our warrant from some place or other of Scripture.

Before the Scripture were written it pleased GOD by visions, and dreams, and other like revelations, immediately to make known his good pleasure to the Patriarches and Prophets, and by them unto the people: which kind of Revelations served them to all the same intents and purposes, whereto the sacred Scriptures now do us, viz. to instruct them what they should believe and do for his better service, and the furtherance of their own salvations. Now as it were unreasonable for any man to think, that they either had or did expect an immediate revelation from God every time they eat, or drank, or bought, or sold, or did any other of the common actions of life, for the warranting of each of those particular actions to their consciences: no less unreasonable it is to think, that we should now expect the like warrant from the Scriptures for the doing of the like actions. Without all doubt the Law of nature, and the light of reason, was the rule whereby they were guided for the most part in such matters: [Page] which the wisdome of God would never have left in them or us, as a principal relique of his decayed image in us, if he had not meant, that we should make use of it, for the direction of our lives and actions thereby. Certainly God never infused any power into any creature, whereof he intended not some use. Else, what shall we say of the Indies and other barbarous nations, to whom God never vouchsafed the lively Oracles of his written word? Must we think that they were left a lawless people, without any Rule at all whereby to order their actions? How then come they to be guilty of transgression? for where there is no Law, there can be no transgession. Or how cometh it about that their consciences should at any time or in any case either accuse them, or excuse them, if they had no guide nor rule to walk by? But if we must grant they had a Rule, (and there is no way, you see, but grant it we must;) then we must also of necessity grant that there is some other Rule for humane actions besides the written word: for that we presupposed these nations to have wanted. Which Rule what other could it be, then the Law of the Nation and of right reason, imprinted in their hearts! Which is as truly the Law and Word of God, as is that which is printed in our Bibles. So long as our actions are warranted either by the one or the other, we cannot be said to want the warrant of Gods Word: Nec differet Scriptura an ratione consistat, saith Tertullian; it mattereth not much from whether of both we have our direction, so long as we have it from either▪

[Page]You see then those men are in a great errour, who make the holy Scriptures the sole rule of all humane actions whatsoever. For the maintenance whereof, there was never yet produced any piece of an argument, either from reason, or from authority of holy writ, or from the testimony either of the ancient Fathers, or of other classical Divines of later times; which may not be clearly and abundantly answered, to the satisfaction of any rational man not extreamly fore-possessed with prejudice. ‘They who think to salve the matter by this mitigation; that at least wise our actions ought to be framed according to those general rules of the Law of Nature, which are here and there in the Scriptures dispersedly contained; (as viz. That we should do, as we would be done to; That all things be done decently and orderly, and unto edification; That nothing be done against conscience, and the like:) speak somewhat indeed to the truth ▪ but little to the purpose. For they consider not, First that these general Rules are but occasionally and incidentally mentioned in Scripture; rather to manifest unto us a former, than to lay upon us a new obligation. Secondly, that those rules had been of force for the ordering of mens actions, though the Scripture had never expressed them: and were of such force, before those Scriptures were written, wherein they are now expressed. For they bind not originally qua scripta, but qua justa; because they are righteous, not because they are written. Thirdly, that an action conformable [Page] to these general Rules might not be condemned as sinful, although the doer thereof should look at those rules meerly as they are the dictates of the law of nature; and should not be able to vouch his warrant for it from any place of Scripture, neither should have at the time of the doing thereof any present thought or consideration of any such place. The contrary whereunto, I permit to any mans reasonable judgement, if it be not desperately rash and uncharitable to affirm. Lastly, that if mens actions done agreeably to those rules are said to be of faith, precisely for this reason, because those rules are contained in the word: then it will follow, that before those particular Scriptures were written wherein any of those rules are first delivered, every action done according to those rules had been done without faith, (there being as yet no Scripture for it;) and consequently had been a sin. So that by this doctrine it had been a sin (before the writing of S. Matthews Gospel) for any man to have done to others as he would they should do to him; and it had been a sin (before the writing of the former Epistle to the Corinthians) for any man to have done any thing decently and orderly; supposing these two Rules to be in those two places first mentioned: because (this supposed) there could then have been no warrant brought from the Scriptures for so doing.’

‘Well then, we see the former Opinion will by no means hold, neither in the rigour of it, nor yet [Page] in the mitigation.’ We are therefore to beware of it; and that so much the more heedfully, because of the evil consequents and effects that issue from it: to wit, a world of superstitions, uncharitable censures, bitter contentions, contempt of superiours, perplexities of conscience. First, it filleth mens heads with many superstitious conceits, making them to cast impurity upon sundry things, which yet are lawful to as many as use them lawfully. For the taking away of the indifferency of any thing that is indifferent, is in truth Superstition: whether either of the two wayes it be done, either by requiring it as necessary, or by forbidding it as unlawful. He that condemneth a thing as utterly unlawful, which yet indeed is indifferent, and so lawful, is guilty of superstion, as well as he that enjoyneth a thing as absolutely necessary, which yet indeed is but indifferent, and so arbitrary. They of the Church of Rome, and some in our Church, as they go upon quite contrary grounds, yet both false; so they run into quite contrary errours, and both superstitious. They decline too much on the left hand, denying to holy Scripture that perfection which of right it ought to have; of containing all appertaining to that supernatural doctrine of faith and holiness which God hath revealed to his Church for the attainment of everlasting salvation: whereupon they would impose upon Christian people, and that with an opinion of necessity, many things with the Scriptures require not: and that is a Superstition. These wry too much on the right hand, [Page] ascribing to the holy Scripture such a kind of perfection as it cannot have; of being the sole directour of all humane actions whatsoever: whereupon they forbid unto Christian people, and that under the name of sinne, sundry things which the holy Scripture condemneth not: and that is a superstition too.

From which Superstition proceedeth in the second place uncharitable censuring: as evermore they that are the most superstitious, are the most supercilious. No such severe censurers of our blessed Saviours person and actions, as the superstitious Scribes and Pharisees were. In this Chapter the special fault, which the Apostle blameth in the weak ones, (who were somewhat superstitiously affected,) was their rash and uncharitable judging of their brethren. And common and daily experience among our selves sheweth how freely some men spend their censures upon so many of their brethren, as without scruple do any of those things, which they upon false grounds have superstitiously condemned as utterly unlawful.

And then thirdly, as unjust censures are commonly entertained with scorn and contumely; they that so liberally condemn their brethren of prophanness, are by them again as freely flouted for their preciseness: and so whiles both parties please themselves in their own wayes, they cease not mutually to provoke and scandalize and exasperate the one the other, pursuing their private spleens so far, till they break out into open contentions and oppositions. [Page] Thus it stood in the Roman Church, when this Epistle was written. They judged one another, and dispised one another, to the great disturbance of the Churches peace: which gave occasion to our Apostles whole discourse in this Chapter. And how far the like censurings and despisings have embittered the spirits, and whetted both the tongues and pens of learned men one against another in our own Church; the stirs that have been long since raised, and are still upheld by the factions opposers against our Ecclesiastical constitutions, government, ond ceremonies, will not suffer us to be ignorant. Most of which stirs, I verily perswade my self, had been long ere this either wholly buried in silence, or at leastwise prettily well quieted, if the weakness and danger of the errour whereof we now speak, had been more timely discovered, and more fully and freqvently made known to the world than it hath been.

Fourthly, let that doctrine be once admitted, and all humane authority will soon be despised. The commands of Parents, Masters, and Princes, which many times require both secrecy and expedition, shall be taken into slow deliberation; and the equity of them sifted by those that are bound to obey, though they know no cause why, so long as they know no cause to the contrary. Delicata est obedientia, quae transit in causam deliberat vam. It is a nice obedience in St. Bernards judgement, yea rather troublesome and odious, that is over curious [Page] in discussing the commands of superiours; boggling at every thing that is enjoyned, requiring a why for every wherefore, and unwilling ro stir until the lawfulness and expediency of the thing commanded shall be demonstrated by some manifest reason, or undoubted authority from the Scriptures.

Lastly, the admitting of this doctrine would cast such a snare upon men of weak judgements, but tender censciences, as they should never be able to unwind themselues again. Mens daily occasions for themselves or friends, and the necessities of common life, require the doing of a thousand things within the compass of a few dayes; for which it would puzzle the best Textman that liveth, readily to bethink himself of a sentence in the Bible, clear enough to satisfie a scrupulous conscience of the lawfulness and expediency of what he is about to do: for which, by hearkening to the rules of reason and discretion, he might receive easie and speedy resolution. In which cases if he should be bound to suspend his resolution, and delay to do that which his own reason would tell him were presently needful to be done, until he could haply call to mind some precept or example of Scripture for his warrant: what stops would it make in the course of his whole life? what languishings in the duties of his calling? how would it fill him with doubts and irresolutions, lead him into a maze of uncertainties, entangle him in a world of woful perplexities, and (without the great mercy of God, and [Page] better instruction) plunge him irrecoverably into the gulph of despair? Since the chief end of the publication of the Gospel, is to comfort the hearts, and to revive and refresh the spirits of Gods people with the glad tidings of liberty from the spirt of bondage and fear, and of gracious acceptance with their GOD; to anoint them with the oyl of gladness giving them beauty for Ashes, and instead of sackcloath girding them with joy: we may well suspect that doctrine not to be Evangelical, which thus setteth the consciences of men upon the rack, tortureth them with continual fears and perplexities, and prepareth them thereby unto hellish dispaire.

Quest. What are the dreadful consequences of scrupling some indifferent things?

Answ. Althouugh difference of judgement should not alienate our affections one from another: yet daily experience sheweth it doth. By reason of that self-love, and envey, and other corruptions that abound in us; it is rarely seen that those men are of one heart, that are of two mindes. St. Paul found it so with the Romans in his time: whilest some condemned that as unlawful, which others practised as lawful; they judged one another, and disposed one another, perpetually. And I doubt not, but any of us, that is any-whit-like acquainted with the wretched deceitfulness of mans heart, may easily conclude how hard a thing it is, (if at all [Page] possible,) not to think somewhat hardly of those men, that take the liberty to do such ‘things as we judge unlawful. As for example. If we shall judge all walking into the fields, discoursing occasionally on the occursences of the times, dressing of meat for dinner or supper, or even moderate recreations on the Lords day, to be grievous prophanations of the Sabbath; how can we chuse but judge those men that use them to be grievous prophaners of Gods Sabbath? And if such our judgment concering the things should after prove to be erroneous: then can it not be avoided, but that such our judment also concerning the persons must needs be uncharitable.’

Secondly, This mis-judging of things filleth the would with endless niceties and disputes; to the great disturbance of the Churches peace, which to every good man ought to be precious. The multiplying of Books and writings pro and con, and pursuing of arguments with heat and opposition, doth rather lengthen, then decide controversides; and instead of destroying the old, begetteth new ones: whiles they that are in the wrong out of obstinacy will not, and they that stand for the truth out of conscience dare not, may not yeild; and so still the war goeth on.

And as to the publick peace of the Church, so is there also thirdly by this means great prejudice done to the peace and tranquillity of private mens [Page]consciences? when by the peremptory doctrines of some strict and rigid masters, the souls of many a well-meaning man are miserably disquieted with a thousand unnecessary scruples. And driven sometimes into very woful perplexities. Surely it can-be no light matter, thus to lay heavey burdens upon other mens shoulders, and to cast asnare upon their consciences, by making the narrow way to Heaven narrower then ever God meant it.

Fourthly, hereby Christian Governours come to be robbed of a great part of that honour that is due unto them from their people; both in their Affections and Subjection. For when they shall see cause to exercise over us that power that God hath left them in indifferent things, by commanding such or such things to be done; as namely, wearing of a Surplice, kneeling at the communion, and the like: if now we in our own thoughts have already prejudged any of the things so commanded to be unlawful; i [...] cannot be.

Quest. If these things be so, how comes it to pass that so many godly men should incline so much to this way?

Answ. But you will say, if these things were so, how should it then come to pass that so many men pretending, to Goliness, (and thousands of them doubtless such as they pretend; for it were an uncharitable thing to charge them all with hypocrisie) [Page] should so often and so grievously offend this way? To omit those two more universal causes; Almighty Gods permission first, whose good pleasure it is, for sundry wise and gratious ends, to exercise his Church during her warfare here with heresies and scandals: And then the williness of Satan, who cunningly observeth whither way our hearts incline most, to loosness, or to strictness; and then frameth his temptations thereafter: So he can but put us out of the way; it is no great matter to him, on whether hand it be: he hath his end howsoever. Nor to insist upon sundry more particular causes: as namely, a natural proneness in all men to superstition: in many an affectation of singularity, to go beyond the ordinary sort of people in something or other; the difficulty of shunning one without running into the contrary extream; the great force of education and custome; besides manifold abuses, offences and provocations, arising from the carriage of others; and the rest: I shall note but these two only, as the two great fountains of Errour, (to which also most of the other may be reduced,) Ignorance and Partiality: from neither of which Gods dearest servants and children are in this life wholly exempted.

Ignorance first is a fruitful mother of Errours. (Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures, Matth. 22. Yet not so much, Gross Ignorance neither: I mean not that. For your meer Ignaro's, what they erre, they erre for company: they judge not at all; neither according to the appearance, nor yet righteous judgement. [Page] They only run on with the herd, and follow as they are led, be it right or wrong; and never trouble themselves farther. But by Ignorance I mean weakness of judgement, which consisteth in a disproportion between the affections, and the understanding: when a man is very earnest, but withall very shallow: readeth much, and heareth much, and thinketh that he knoweth much, but hath not the judgement to sever truth from falshood, nor to discern between a sound argument and a captious fallacy. And so for want of ability to examine the soundness and strength of those principles, from whence he fetcheth his conclusions; he is easily carried away, as our Apostle elewhere speaketh, with vain words, and empty arguments. As St. Augustine said of Donatus, Ratioues arripuit he catcheth hold of some reasons, (as wranglers will catch at a smal thing, rather then yeild from their opinions,) quae considerantes, verisimiles esse potius quam veras invenimus: which saith he, we found to have more shew of probability at the first appearance, then substance of truth after they were well considered of.

And I dare say, whosoever shall peruse with a judictious and unpartial eye most of those Pamplets, that in this daring age have been thrust into the World against the Ceremonies of the Church, against Episcopal Government; (to pass by things of lesser regard and usefulness, and more open to acception and abuse, yet so far as I can understand, unjustly [Page] condemned as things utterly unlawful; such as are lusorious lots, dancing, Stage-plays, and some other things of like nature;) When he shall have drained out the bitter invectives, unmannerly jeers, petulant guirding at those that are in authority, impertinent disgressions, but above all those most bold and perverse wrestings of holy Scripture, wherewith such books are infinitely stuffels, he shall find that little poor remainder that is left behind, to contain nothing but vain words and empty arguments. For when these great undertakers have snatcht up the bucklers, as if they would make it good against all comers, that such and such things are utterly unlawful; and therefore ought in all reason and conscience, to bring such proofs as will come up to that conclusion: Quid dignum tanto? very seldome shall you hear from them any other arguments, then such as will conclude but an Inexpediency at the most. As, that they are apt to give scandal; that they carry with them an appearance of evil; that they are often occasions of sin; that they are not command in the Word; and such like. Which Objections, even where they are just, are not of force, (no not taken altogether, much less any of them singly,) to prove a thing to be utterly unlawful. And yet are they glad many times, rather then sit out, to play very smal Game, and to make use of Arguments yet weaker then these, and such as will not reach so far as to prove a bare inexpediency. As, that they were invented by Heathens; that they have been abused in Popery; and other [Page] such like. Which to my understanding is a very strong presumption, that they have taken a very weak cause in hand, and such as is wholly destitute of sound proof.

Quest. Whether what the King and Parliament have determined may be altered to satisfie private men,

Answ. While things are in agitation; private men may, if any thing seem to them inexpedient, modestly tender their thoughts together with the reasons thereof, to the consideration of those that are in authority: to whose care and wisdom it belongeth, in prescribing any thing concerning indifferent things, to proceed with all just advisedness and moderation: that so the Subject may be encouraged to perform that obedience with [...]rfulness, which of necessity he must perform howsoever. It concerneth Superiours therefore to look well to the expediency, and inexpediency of what they enjoyn in indifferent things. Wherein if there be a fault, it must lie upon their account: the necessity of obedience is to us a sufficient discharge in that behalf. Only it were good we did remember, that they are to give up that account to God onely, and not to us. But after that things are once concluded and established by publick authority, Acts passed and Constitutions made concerning the same, and the will and pleasure of the higher powers sufficiently made known therein: then for private men to put [Page] in their vye, and with unseasonable diligence to call in question the decency or expediency of the things so established, yea with intolerable pride, to refuse obedience thereunto meerly upon this pretension, that they are undecent or inexpedient; is it self in-the most indecent and inexpedient thing that can be imagined.

For that the fear of offending a private brother, is a thing not cnnsiderable in comparison of the duty of obedience to a publike Governour; might be shown so apparantly by sundry arguments, if we had time to enlarge and illustrate them, as might sufficiently convince the judgement of any man not wilfully obstinate in that point. I shall only crave leave briefly to touch at some of them. First then, when Governours shall have appointed what seemed to them expedient; and private men shall refuse to observe the same, pretending it to be inexpedient: who shall judge thereof? Either they themselves that take the exceptions must be judges; which is both unreasonable and preposterous: or else every man must be his own judge, which were to overthrow all Government, and to bring in a confusion, every man to do what is good in his own eyes: or else the known gavernours must judge; and then you know what will follow, even to submit and obey.

Secondly, to allow men under the pretence of inexpediency, and because of some offence that may. [Page] be taken thereat, to disobey laws and constitutions made by those that are in authority; were the next way to cut the sinews of all authority, and to bring both Magistrates and Laws into contempt. For what Law ever was made, or can be made so just and so reasonable, but some man or other either did, or might take offence thereat? And what man that is disposed to disobey, but may pretend inexpediency or other, wherewith to countenance out such his disobedience.

Thirdly, it is agreed by consent of all that handle the matter of Scandal, that we may not commit any sin whatsoever, be it never so small, for the avoiding of any scandall, be it never so great. But to disobey lawful authority in lawful things, is a sin against the fifth Commandement. Therefore we may not redeem a scandall by such our disobedience; nor refuse to do the thing commanded by such authority, whosoever should take offence thereat.

Fourthly, though lawfulnesse and unlawfulnesse be not, yet expediency and inexpediency are (as we heard) capable of the degrees of more and lesse; and then in all reason, of two inexpedient things we are to do that which is lesse inexpedient, for the avoiding of that which is more inexpedient, Say then there be an inexpediency in doing the thing commanded by authority, when a Brother is thereby offended; is there not a greater inexpediency in not doing it, when the Magistrate is thereby disobeyed? [Page] It is not more expedient, and conducing to the common good, that a publick Magistrate should be obeyed in a just command, then that a private person should be gratified in a causelesse scruple.

Fifthly, when by refusing obedience to the lawfull commands of our Superiours, we think to shun the offending of one or two weak brethren; we do in truth incurr thereby a far more grievous scandall, by giving offence to hundreds of others: whose consciences by our Disobedience will be emboldned to that, whereto corrupt nature is but too too prone, to affront the Magistrate, and despise the authority.

Lastly, where we are not able to discharge both, debts of justice are to be payed, before debts of charity. Now the duty of obedience is debitum justitiae and a matter of right, my superiour may challenge it at my hands as is due; and I do him wrong if I with-hold it from him. But the care of not giving offence is but debitum charitatis, and a matter but of courtesie. I am to perform it to my brother in love, when I see cause: but he cannot challenge it from me as his right: nor can justly say I do him wrong, if I neglect it. It is therefore no more lawfull for me, to disobey the lawful command of a Superiour, to prevent thereby the offence of one or a few brethren: then it is lawfull for me to do one man wrong, to do another man a courtesie withall; [Page] or then it is lawful for me to rob the Exchequer, to relieve an Hospital.

I see not yet how any of these six reasons can be fairly avoided: and yet, (which would be considered,) if but any one of them hold good, it is enough to carry the cause: And therefore I hope there need be no more said in this matter. To conclude then, for the point of practise, (which is the main thing I aimed at in the choiee of this Text, and my whole meditations thereon,) we may take our direction in these three Rules; easie to be understood and remembred, and not hard to be observed in our practise, if we will but bring our good wils thereunto. First, If God command, we must submit without any more adoe; and not trouble our selves about the experiency, or so much as about the unlawfulness for both Abraham never disputed whether it were expedient for him, not yet whether it were lawful for him to sacrifice his son or no, when once it appeared to him. that God would have it so.

Secondly, If our Superiours, endued with lawful authority thereunto, cammand us any thing; we may & (where we have just cause of doubt) we ought to enquire into the unlawfulness thereof. Yet notwithstanding such anxious curiosity, as if we desired to find out some loop-hole whereby to evade; but with such modest ingenuity, as may witness God and the world the unfeigned sincerity of our desires [Page] both to fear God, and to honour those that he hath set over us- And if having used ordinary moral diligence bona fide to informe our selves the best we can, there appear no unlawfulness it it; we are then also to submit and obey without any more adoe never troubling our selves farther to enquire whether it be expedient yea or no. Let them that command us look to that: for it is they must answer for it, and not we.

But then thirdly, where authority hath left us free; no command, either of God, or of those that are set over us under God, having prescribed any thing to us in that behalf: there it is at our own liberty and choyce, to do as we shall think good. Yet are we not left so loose, as that we may do what we list, so as the thing be but lawful; (for that were licentiousness, and not liberty:) but we must ever do that. which according to the exigence of present circumstances, (so far as all the wisdome and charity we have will serve us to judge,) shall seem to us most expedient, and profitable to mutual Edification. This is the way: God give us all grace to walk in it. So shall we bring glory to him, and to our selvess comfort: so shall we further his work onward, and our own account at the last.

Quest. Whether they that have taken the Covenant may Renounce it?

Answ. Thirdly, beware of engaging thy left to sin. It is a fearful thing, when sin hath got a tye upon a man. Then is one properly in the snare of the Devil; when he hath him as it were in a string, [Page] and may lead him captive to what measure of presumption he will. And sundry wayes may a man thus entangle himself: by a Verbal, by a Real, by a Sinful Engagement. He shall do best to keep himself out of all these snares. But if once he be in; there is no way out again but one: even this, To loose his pledge, to break in sunder the bonds wherein he is tied, as Sampson did the green witths, and to cast away those cords from him.

A man hath bound himself rashly by some promise, vew, or covenant, to do something he may not do, or not to do something he ought to do. He is now engaged in a sin: the Devil hath got this tye upon him. And though his conscience tell him he cannot proceed without sin; yet because of his Vow, or his Oath, he is wilful, and must on. It was Herods Case; for taking of the Baptists head. It was against his conscience to do it: for he knew he had not diserved it: Ey, and it was against his minde too to do it; for the Text saith, he was exceeding sarry that his neice should put him upon it. But yet, saith the story withall, for his Oath sake, and because the great ones about him should not say but the King would be as big as the word, he resolved it should be done, and gave commandment accordingly to have it done. This I call a Verbal Engagement.

Quest. Whether we English-men may think our selves bound by the Solemne League and Covenant?

Answ. Not without betraying the Liberty, which by our Protestation we are bound, and in the third [Page] Article of this Covenant must swear, with our lives and fortunes to preserve. To which Liberty the imposition of a new Oath, other then is established by Act of Parliament, it expressed in the Petition of Right, and by the Lords and Commons in their Declarations acknowledged to be contrary.

3. Without acknowledgeing in the imposers, a greater power then, for ought that appeareth to us, hath been in former times challenged; Or can consist with our former Protestation (if we rightly understand it) in sundry the most material branches thereof.

Neither, secondly, are we satisfied; although the Covenant should not be imposed on us at al, but only recommended to us, and then left to our choice.

1. How we should in wisedom and Duty (being Subjects) of our own accord and free will enter into a Covenant, wherein He, whose Subjects we are, is in any wise concerned, without His consent, either expressed or reasonably presumed. It being in his power (as we conceive) by the equity of the Law, Numb. 30. to annull and make voyd the same at his pleasure.

2. How we can (now that His Majesty hath by His publique Interdict sufficiently made known His pleasure in that behalfe) enter into a Covenant, the taking whereof he hath expresly forbidden; without forfeiting that Obedience, which (as we are perswaded) by our natural Allegiance and former Oathes we owe unto all such His Majesties Commands, as are not in our apprehensions repugnant to the wil of God, or the positive laws of this Kingdom.

[Page]Quest. What shall a man do that scruples in Conscience what Authority enjoyns as unlawful.

But then thirdly, if the liberty of the agent be determined by the command of some superiour power to whom he oweth obedience; so as he is not now sui juris ad hoc, to do or not to do at his own choice, but to do what he is commanded: this one circumstance quite altereth the whole case, & now he is bound in conscience to do the thing commanded; his doubtfulnesse of mind whether that thing be lawful or no, notwithstanding. To do that whereof he doubteth, where he hath free liberty to leave it undone, bringeth upon him (as we have already shewn) the guilt of wilful transgression: but not so where he is not left to his own liberty. And where lawful authority prescribeth in alterutram partem, there the liberty ad utramque partem contradictionis is taken away, from so many as are under that authority. If they that are over them have determined it one way; it is not thenceforth any more at their choice, whether they will take that way, or the contrary: but they must go the way that is appointed them without gainsaying or grudging. And if in the deed done at the command of one that is endued with lawful authority there be a sin, it must go on his score that requireth it wrongfully, not on his that doth but his duty in obeying. A Prince commandeth his Subjects to serve in his Warres: it may be the quarrel is unjust, it may be there may appear to the understanding of the Subject great likelihoods of such injustice; yet may the Subject for all that fight in that quarrel; yea he is bound in conscience so to do: nay he is deep in disloyalty and treason if he refuse the service, whatsoever pretensions he may make of conscience for such refusal. Neither need that fear trouble him lest he should bring upon himself the guilt of innocent [Page]blood; for the blood that is unrighteously shed in that quarrel, he must answer for that set him on work, not he that spilt it. And truly it is a great wonder to me, that any man endued with understanding, and that is able in any measure to weigh the force of those precepts and reasons which bind inferiours to yield obedience to their superiours, should be otherwise minded in cases of like nature. Whatsoever is commanded us by those whom God hath set over us, either in Church, Common wealth, or Family, (Quod tamen non sit certum displicere Deo, saith S. Bern.) which is not evidently contrary to the Law and will of God, ought to be of us received and obeyed no otherwise, then as if God himself had commanded it, because God himself hath commanded us to obey the higher powers, and to submit our selves to their ordinances. Say it be not well don of them to command it! Sed enim quid hoc refert tuâ? saith he, What is that to thee? Let them look to that whom it concerneth: Tolle quod tuum est, & vade. Do thou what is thine own part faithfully, and never trouble thy self further. Ipsum quem pro Deo habemus, tanquam Deum in his quae apertè non sunt contra Deum audire debemus; Bernard still. Gods Vicegerents must be heard and obeyed in all things that are not manifestly contrary to the revealed will of God.

But the thing required is against my conscience, may som say, and I may not go against my conscience ▪ for any mans pleasure. Judg I pray you what perverseness is this, when the blessed Apostle commandeth thee to obey for conscience sake, that thou shouldest disobey, & that for conscience sake too: He chargeth thee upon thy conscience to be subject; and thou pretendest thy conscience to free thee from subjection. This by the way; now to the point. Thou sayest it is against thy conscience: I say again, that (in the case [Page] whereof we now speak, the case of doubtfullness) it is not against thy conscience. For doubting properly is motus indifferens in utramque partem contradictionis; when the mind is held in suspence between two ways, uncertain whether of both to take to. When the scales hang even (as I said before) and inaequi [...]libero, without any notable propension or inclination to the one side more than to the other. And surely where things hang thus even, if the weight of authority will not cast the scale either way: we may well suppose, that either the authority is made very light, or else there is a great fault in the beame. Know (brethren) the gainsaying conscience is one thing, and the doubting conscience another. That which is done repugnante conscientià, the conscience of the doer flatly gainsaying it, that is indeed against a mans conscience, the conscience having already passed a definitive sentence the one way:) and no respect or circumstance whatsoever can free it from sin. But that which is done dubitante conscientiâ, the conscience of the doer onely doubting of it and no more; that is in truth no more against a mans conscience than with it, (the conscience as yet not having passed a definitive sentence either way) and such an action may either be a sinne, or no sinne; according to those qualifications which it may receive from other respects and circumstances. If the conscience have already passed a judgment upon a thing, and condemned it as simply unlawfull; in that case it is true that a man ought not by any meanes to do that thing, no not at the command of any Magistrate, no not although his conscience have pronounced a wrong sentence, and erred in that judgement: for then he should do it repugnante conscientiâ, he should go directly against his own conscience, which he ought not to do whatsoever come of it. In such a case certainly he [Page] may not obey the Magistrate: yet let him know thus much withall, that he sinneth too in disobeying the Magistrate; from which sinne the following of the judgement of his own conscience cannot acquit him. And this is that fearfull perplexity whereof I spake, whereinto many a man casteth himself by his own error & obstinacy, that he can neither go with his conscience, nor against it but he shall sinne. And who can help it, if a man will needs cherish an errour, and persist in it? But now if the conscience be onely doubtfull whether a thing be lawfull or no, but have not as yet passed a peremptory judgement against it, (yea although it rather incline to think it unlawfull:) in that case if the Magistrate shall command it to be done, the subject with a good conscience may do it, nay he cannot with a good conscience refuse to do it, though it be dubitante conscientiâ.

But you will yet say, that in doubtfull cases the safer part is to be chosen. So say I too; and am content that rule should decide this question: onely let it be rightly applyed. Thou thinkest it safer, where thou doubtest of the unlawfulnesse, to forbear then to do: as for example, if thou doubtest whether it be lawfull to kneel at the Communion, it is safest in thy opinion therefore for thee not to kneel. So should I think too, if thou wert left meerly to thine own liberty. But thou dost not consider how thou art caught in thine own net, and how the edge of thine own weapon may be turned upon thee point-blank not to be avoided, thus. If authority command thee to kneel, which whether it be lawful for thee to do, or not, thou doubtest; it cannot chuse but thou must needs doubt also, whether thou maiest lawfully disobey, or not. Now then here apply thine own Rule, In dubiis pars tutior, and see what will come of it. Judge, since thou canst not but [Page] doubt in both cases, whether it be not the safer of the two, to obey doubtingly, than to disobey doubtingly. Tene certum, demitte incertum, is S. Gregory his rule: where there is a certainty, and an uncertainty, let the uncertainty go, and hold to that which is certain. Now the general is certain, that thou art to obey the Magistrate in all things not contrary to the will of God; but the particular is uncertain, whether the thing now commanded thee by the Magistrate be contrary to the will of God: (I say uncertain to thee, because thou doubtest of it) Deal safely therefore, and hold thee to that which is certain ▪ and obey.

But thou wilt yet alledge, that the Apostle here condemneth the doing of any thing, not only with a gainsaying, but even with a doubting conscience: because doubting also is contrary to faith; and he that doubteth is even for that condemned, if he eat. Oh beware of mis-applying Scripture! it is a thing easily done, but not so easily answered. I know not any one gap that hath let in more and more dangerous errours into the Church, than this: that men take the word, of the sacred Text fitted to particular occasions, & to the condition of the times wherin they were written; & then apply them to themselvs & others as they find them, without due respect had to the differences that may be between those times & cases, & the present. Sundry things spoken of in Scripture agreeably to that infancy of the Church, would sort very ill with the Church in her fulness of strength and stature: & sundry directions very expedient in times of persecution, and when believers lived mingled with Infidels, would be very unseasonably urged where the Church is in a peaceable and flourishing estate, enjoying the favour and living under the protection of gracious and religious [...]. Thus the Constitutions that the Apostles made concerning Deacons & Widowes in [Page] those primitive times, are with much importunity, but very importunely withal, urged by the Disciplinarians: And sundry other like things I might instance of this kind, worthy the discovery, but that I fear to grow tedious. Briefly then, the Apostles whole discourse in this Chapter, and so wheresoever else he toucheth upon the point of Scandals, is to be understood only in that case where men are left to their own liberty in the use of indifferent things: the Romans, Corinthians, & others to whom S. Paul wrote about these matters, being not limited any way in the exercise of their liberty therein by any overruling authority. But where the Magistrates have interposed▪ & thought good upon mature advice to impose Laws upon those that are under them, whereby their liberty is (not infringed, as some unjustly complain, in the inward judgement, but only) limited in the outward exercise of it: there the Apostolical directions will not hold in the same absolute manner, as they were delivered to those whom they then concerned; but only in the equity of them, so far forth as the cases are alike, & with such meet qualifications and mitigations, as the difference of the cases otherwise doth require. So that a man ought not out of private fancy, or meerly because he would not be observed for not doing as others do, or for any the like weak respects, to do that thing of the lawfulness whereof he is not competently perswaded, where it is free for him to do otherwise: which was the case of these weak ones among the Romans, for whose sakes principally the Apostle gave these directions. But the authority of the Magistrates intervening so alters the case, that such a forbearance as to them was necessary, is to as many of [...] commanded to do this or that, altogether unlawf [...] regard they were free and we are bound: for the reasons already shewn, which I now [Page] rehearse not. But you will yet say, (for in point of obedience men are very loth to yield so long as they can find any thing to plead,) those that lay these burdens upon us, at least wise should do well to satisfie our doubts and to inform our consciences concerning the lawfulnesse of what they enjoyn that so we might render them obedience with better cheerfulness. How willing are we sinful men to leave the blame of our miscarriages any where rather than upon our selvs! But how is it not incongruous the while, that those men should prescribe rules to their governours, who can scarcely brook their governours should prescribe laws to them? It were good we should first learn how to obey, ere we take upon us to teach our betters how to govern. However, what governours are bound to do, or what is fit for them to do, in the point of information; that is not now the question. If they fail in any part of their bounden duty, they shall be sure to reckon for it one day: but their failing cannot in the mean time excuse thy disobedience. Although I think it would prove a hard task, for whosoever should undertake it, to shew that Superiours are alwaies bound to inform the consciences of their inferiours concerning the lawfulness of every thing they shall command. If somtimes they do it, where they see it expedient or needful; somtimes again (and that perhaps oftner,) it may be thought more expedient for them, and more conducible for the publick peace and safety, only to make known to the people what their pleasures are, reserving to themselvs the reasons thereof. I am sure, in the point of Ecclesiastical Ceremonies and Constitutions ▪ (in which case the aforesaid allegations are usually most stood upon,) this hath been abundantly done in our Church, not onely in the learned writings of sundry private men but by the publick declaration also of authority, as is to be seen at large [Page] in the preface commonly printed before the book of Common prayer concerning that argument: enough to satisfie those that are peaceable, and not disposed to stretch their wits to cavil at things established. And thus much of the second Question, touching a doubting conscience: whereon I have insisted the longer, because it is a point both so proper to the Text, & whereat so many have stumbled.

There remaineth but one other Question, and that of far smaller difficulty: What is to be done, when the conscience is scrupulous? I call that a scruple, when a man is reasonably well perswaded of the lawfullnesse of a thing, yet hath withal some jealousies and fears, lest perhaps it should prove unlawful. Such scruples are most incident to men of melancholy dispositions, or of timorous spirits; especially if they be tender-conscienced withall: and they are much encreased by the false suggestions of Satan; by reading the books, or hearing the Sermons, or frequenting the company of men more strict, precise, and austere in sundry points, than they need or ought to be; and by sundry other means which I now mention not. Of which scruples it behooveth every man, first, to be wary that he doth not at all admit them, if he can chuse: or, if he cannot wholly avoid them, that secondly, he endeavour so far as may be to eject them speedily out of his thoughts, as Satans snares, and things that may breed him worser inconveniencies: or, if he cannot be so rid of them, that then thirdly, he resolve to go on according to the more profitable perswasion of his mind, and despise those scruples. And this he may do with a good conscience, not only in things commanded him by lawful authority, but even in things indifferent and arbitrary, and wherein he is left to his own liberty.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Reason and judgement, or, Special remarques of the life of the renowned Dr. Sanderson, late Lord Bishop of Lincoln together with his Judgement for setling the church, in exact resolutions of sundry grand cases very seasonable at this time.

Edition statement

1663

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2005-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A70046

ID [STC]

Wing F10

ID [STC]

ESTC R224352

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

11906283

ID [OCLC]

ocm 11906283

ID [VID]

50684

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A70046)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 50684)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 28:23, 290:16)

Source

— Reason and judgement, or, Special remarques of the life of the renowned Dr. Sanderson, late Lord Bishop of Lincoln together with his Judgement for setling the church, in exact resolutions of sundry grand cases very seasonable at this time., D. F., Sanderson, Robert, 1587-1663. Judgment in one view for the settlement of the church..

Extent

[4], 92 p.

Printed by J.C. for H. Marsh ...,. London :: 1663.. (Text on reel 290 includes an added fictitous t.p. with imprint: Oxford : Printed by J.W. for Will. Thorne, 1663. Cf. Madan.) (The Remarques addressed to "J.W.D.D.P.L." signed: D.F.) ("There is some fraud or mystery about this book" and the Judgement which begins on p. 45 "is ... in some sense fraudulent"--Cf. Madan.) (The catchword "much" at end of treatise does not indicate there is incomplete text. Cf. Madan.) (Reproduction of original in British Library and Trinity College Library, University of Cambridge.)

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